Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! One of the things that pisses me off the most about airport controls is the 'liquid rule'. People is only allowed to bring 100ml of liquid in the hand luggage. That means that no water bottles are allowed. Of course, there is plenty of shops beyond the control where you can buy water, shops that milk you as much as they can...
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! ^ Not to mention the area where you exit into after having your water taken away from you is the Alchohol Section. Like whole barrels of Johny Walker's just placed there for you to drool at.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Bring empty bottle through customs. Fill it up in the water fountain inside?
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! I bet they'd freak out at that. "Why do they have an empty bottle?! It's probably full of poison gas!! Get them!!!" or something
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! It depends. It's supported by some airports like in (surprisingly) the US. It's not a problem in Japan and Singapore either, unless you're flying one of those budget carriers. In which case they toss out your food and water before the flight because you have to pay for the inflight food...funny stuff. http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/orphan/p ... ional.html
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! That could be a nice try...but I fear that, even if they allowed me to bring the empty bottle through, I would end filling it up at the toilet because I don't remember seeing a water fountain in the Barcelona airport (I don't want to think it's made on purpose but...:dunno: I'm SURE they do that on purpose )
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Ridiculous, again. There's just way too much red-tape and a lack of common sense/logic here amongst officials. If Australian Customs are that tight about importing prohibited (?) items, then there's probably very little chance Mayuyu's new photobook (judging by the photobook cover) will ever see the light of day here - unless you wish to be questioned by the AFP on the suspicion of trying to import/possess child porn Water fountains are generally available in most airports, and on some (mostly budget airlines, domestic or international) airlines. I've only ever seen them allowed on domestic flights, but I'm not sure about international flights (given the 100ml gels/liquids restriction).
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Child porn... (I still remember reading The Age/ The Australian on the same topic...something like having underage girls modeling for a fashion company was deemed to be selling sex to pedophiles) It might be due to the cultural gap as well. I don't think Australians (Waffles is an exception ) in general like the idea of having a 17yr old girl posing near-naked on a photobook that has her dressed in a variety of wears, including bikinis. At least that's what most of my local friends think. You'll be bagged and shits for waving that thing around lol.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Customs checking the mail isn't as bad, they only have the resources to check about 10% of all mail coming into the country I've heard. Normally they just xray everything and if something looks dodgy they'll open it and have a look, and are more inclined to have a look if it's a large package (because it could be over the AUS$1000 tax-free limit, or it could be being brought into the country for reselling rather than private ownership). I don't think I've ever had anything from HMV opened, only a couple of large orders from places like Yesasia or Hobby Japan because of the sheer size/amount of things in the box So in short, I don't think there's anything to worry about... as long as it's not in a huge box of stuff with goods worth $999 in it Note that Customs apparently alter their inspections based on things being released in other countries... like when a big name video game gets released but has been Refused Classification in Australia (eg back when GTA:SA came out), they'll put a lot of effort checking DVD/game packages from places like Hong Kong and NZ for the week or so afterwards, to catch out people trying to import it.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! I like how other countries always rage when Japanese have their U-(insert number below legal age here) models but it's fine when they dress up grade school children in all sorts of costumes, have them emulate adults and parade them around in pageants. I'm not saying its a good idea for U-?? gravure idols. Just well, they ought to be worrying about their own morals first.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! That complaint doesn't really make sense when I don't see anyone here supporting child pageants, the over-sexualisation of children and the like... [wonder] one person does not represent an entire country and one country does not represent a person... if you're referring to the discussion before about Mayuyu's photobook potentially being stopped by, for example Australian Customs, there are plenty of people in Australia who oppose the over-sexualisation of children. For example there was massive outrage last year when some company released padded bras for 12 year olds.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Lol, I'm not sure if the general U-whatever gravure idol industry or the child pageants we have in North America are creepier. In both cases the parents are willingly signing their kids up for this, but watching Toddlers and Tiaras is weird because you can actually see the parents cheering them on while they parade around stage in swimsuits and spray tans at age 7. At least you never have to see gravure idols' parents. But yeah, hopefully Toddlers and Tiaras is on because everybody watching who doesn't actually do that is as sketched out by it as I am. Since TLC would more aptly be known as the Train Wreck Channel and all. And I know I'm fully supportive of idols in bikinis, but I think it's a whole different industry when you're an idol in a musical group vs. a straightup gravure idol. Underage gravure as an industry does feel pretty sketch to me. Like, I watched a video of Komari doing gravure for Moecco before she was in AKB, and it's the same kind of stuff as Reinyan's gravure DVD, but that was done after she already joined, so I feel like it's less creepy? If your basis is in a musical group and you do gravure on the side, then even if it's pretty hardcore I'm not too bothered by it, because you have this solid basis of the musical group and its staff to watch over you. Does that make sense? I guess it's like you come back to that image of being a cute idol in a poofy skirt with a microphone at the end of the day, instead of your entire image boiling down to you stretched out on a bed in a bikini. I...don't know why I went off on all that. Somehow I'm in the mood to type a lot even though I haven't fully woken up yet...XD.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! I think the major difference is simply due to cultural differences. To me personally, the child pageants + child over-sexualisation issue is quite different to the U-xx gravure industry. I just think that the circumstances surrounding both issues are motivated by different objectives (status and image for the former, cultural and demand (taste/preference) differences in the other?) Probably because Australia's more conservative (but not by much, and the gap's decreasing too...) compared to American tastes. For now. Bill Henson might be stemming the effect, but I predict it won't be long before Australia catches up to American trends. Too right. Applies to many an anime/manga mag (e.g. Newtype, Megami) as well. More so if they appear child-like (doesn't matter about actual age). Everyone will stare at you and keep away as if you're some convicted sex offender But I digress. Ah, such are the issues that we overseas AKB48 fans have to face living in Western-ised countries...
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! This is going back a page & irrelevant to the current conversation but OH MY WORD. ;A; THAT NYAN CAT THING IS TOO PRECIOUS. I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO IT FOR THE PAST 10 MINUTES. It's so cuuuuute.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Hi I'm here to talk about my morning. Today in peer tutoring (it's an actual class and it's to tutor younger students but we also have to learn about teaching strategies and stuff) we were talking about students needing to fit in and how students feel when they don't. And I really don't. I get picked on every year and recently had to avoid certain hallways to try and avoid this group of assholes who keep trying to make me cry ;__; So I started crying in class and my teacher is a guidance counselor so she invited me to her guidance office and I cried for a half hour. Then I came home because I couldn't stop crying all morning. :l feels bad man. I don't like the people I'm surrounded by, but it still feels really shitty to be an outcast, just saying.
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! OMG! wendy! I WANNA HUG YOU! I DO! You sound so adorable Okay, sorry for being heartless, but wendy, here's the thing. The best way is to not let those people see that they've empowered you. They're trying to embed fear in you, you have to show them that you're indifferent about it. Then you can stand up to them, if it helps, don't talk at all when they surround you cause you're just gonna say gibberish, instead why don't you purge everything out on a paper right now or when you calm down and think well, memorize it or something and make it sound cool and absolutely not so down to earth, then you can either pull the boss aside and beat the shit outta her with words ofc or if you have the courage say it in their F*ing faces. Otherwise, tell whoever in charge whose NOT from the guidance department cause they're like the worst people for the job. Find someone with HUGE authority who won't make you look like a 1st grader who just and trouble or expose your name. Someone you're sure he'll be on your side and kick asses. That's what I would go for.... About fitting in, it's better to be an outcast than to give up the things you like just to be part of the gang. I don't fit in but my friends don't talk about their interests as well, they think I'm strange but they separate friendship from personal interests and we have nothing of the gangy sorts in our school, so I might not be an expert. I still love you though
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! I'm just gonna leave it alone since it's died down and I only have 2 months of school left >^>
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! Oh right, you're in senior high right? That YT video of you at Julia's was so adorable, you looked like a middle scholar
Re: THE STAGE48 post dump! IIIIIIIII AAAAAAAAM TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRED working two jobs was not a nice idea. x_x they're both jobs I like, but working 7 days a week is harder than expected (i have a Mon-Fri office work + the cosmetics shop, open everyday with no chance of having a free day on Sat or Sun). It's only the first week so I probably just need time to adjust but not being able to do almost anything at all (if not at the expense of sleep time) is kinda sad. Like, tomorrow I have a meeting at the shop at 7:45 am (!!!!), I'll have to take a taxi to arrive at the office by 9 am, get off at 14:00, rush back to the shop where I should start at 14:30 and get off there at 20:30... I feel so sad that I can't ever START making something significant for Sae's election campaign post, or watch the drama I've been anticipating so much (Jin's second season ♥♥♥♥♥♥ anyone watched the first?) I have a pc at the office, but of course work has priority, and it has no audio or anything so yeah :/. Not to mention the ridiculous thought of, you know, meeting my girlfriend -_-. (Leaving one is not an option atm, because the pay is low for both. I have to resist at least until the end of June, then we'll see T_______T)
