This can't be real. Not a die hard Kobe fan but I just love the guy's competitive spirit. That killer instict. Then suddenly this. Totally shocked about this tragic news. R.I.P. Mamba & to his daughter. The entire basketball world is mourning.
Man, this year has started bad. Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players ever, just passed away today in L.A., helicopter crash. Life is so unpredictable. Give your loved ones a hug, give your oshis a virtual hug.
I still remember those days when my mom watched Lakers basketball in the early 2000s. The time when Kobe and Shaq were the stars of the Lakers back then. Unfortunate how Kobe died in an unexpectedly tragic fashion. RIP Kobe (and his daughter Gianna, who was unluckily aboard the same helicopter when it crashed Sunday morning).
Was never a big Kobe fan (and as a diehard Celtics fan), I thought he hogged the ball too much and I never liked his style of play, but I can't help but respect the man and his work ethic, dedication and passion. Rest easy, Mamba and Gianna.
RIP Kobe Bryant. He was far more than one of the best players ever, he was a gentleman and a showman, too. The world sucks a bit more today.
wasn't sure where to post it, but i've come in search of an explanation of this "eat a shushi roll like a [burrito]" holiday or whatever it is. nevermind, i guess. if anyone else wondered: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun#Other_practices
A famous pioneering short movie filmed in 1895 by The Lumière Brothers called "Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat" has been upscaled to 4K 60 FPS by YouTuber Denis Shiryaev with impressive results: if the video does not show watch the video here
Kirk Douglas has died. I guess most of you don't even know the name, but for older people like me it's like Tom Cruise or Johnny Depp had died... RIP
Matsu Takako will be appearing at the Oscars to sing along with Idina Menzel. ""The voices of #Frozen2's Elsa from Denmark, Germany, Japan, Latin America, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain and Thailand will join @idinamenzel and @AURORAmusic on stage for an unforgettable performance of 'Into the Unknown' at the #Oscars." Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg will be representing Denmark, Willemijn Verkaik hails from Germany, Takako Matsu will represent Japan and Carmen Garcia Saenz will represent Latin America. From Norway comes Lisa Stokke, from Poland Kasia Laska, Anna Buturlina will represent Russia, Gisela hails from Spain and finally, Gam Wichayanee will represent Thailand. https://www.eonline.com/news/112053...lsas-from-around-the-world-at-the-2020-oscars Japanse story: I knew that I would sing “The Unknown” on the 8th. According to the distributor, this is the first time a Japanese sings at the award ceremony. “Into the Unknown” sung by the main character of the movie, Elsa, is one of the song nominations. Matsu will sing along with Idina Menzel of the United States and nine other Elsa roles around the world. Matsu commented, "I'm very grateful for this role." https://this.kiji.is/598663004191704161?c=516798125649773665
If you search on Yahoo jp today, they will donate to 3/11 reconstruction. "9 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake . Yahoo! JAPAN will donate 10 yen per person who is searched for “3.11” on Yahoo! JAPAN today on March 11 for reconstruction support" Other version from YahooSearch: "Nine years after the Great East Japan Earthquake. If you search for "3.11" on Yahoo on March 11, 10 yen per person will be donated to support reconstruction. Would you like to consider what I can do now, in preparation for ongoing disaster relief" Yukirin and Paruru among other retweeted it, as did Team 8's Gyoten Yurina and Hidaritomo Ayaka. https://twitter.com/Yahoo_JAPAN_PR/status/1237392792868892677 https://twitter.com/YahooSearchJP/status/1237392768734867462 Mako also remembers the earthquake. https://twitter.com/mak0_k0jima/status/1237546954122354688 Update: The NBA suspends all games. Now LeBron doesn't have to worry about playing in an empty arena. https://www.nba.com/article/2020/03/11/nba-suspend-season-following-wednesdays-games
Keep safe, everyone. Hoping and praying this will all be sorted out soon. In the meantime, keep safe.
So the United States government has issued a GLOBAL Level 3 Health Advisory to reconsider ANY travel abroad. This doesn't explicitly mention Japan, but this is happening on the night after the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 coronavirus a pandemic. And this was also announced shortly after President Trump calls a travel ban from Europe. Not Asia, but still. And our state governor (Jay Inslee, Washington state) just called a ban of mass gatherings of at least 250 people in the Seattle area, and King County (the county where Seattle is in) is taking a step further by disallowing any mass gatherings unless it can meet specific requirements. And I'm hearing the ENTIRE state of Oregon is doing the same thing as well. But aren't they essentially trying to take a page or two out of Japan's playbook to 'flatten the curve' of the coronavirus infection graph or something? Japan has been doing this since the end of February, barely after Nogizaka46's 8th birthday live. And I'm now concerned if Japan is going to close its borders to foreign citizens by the time we're about to travel there in late April. I hope this works, because we have a month to go to our trip!!! Would be nice for me to rant a bit politically, but I don't think that's allowed here, so I'll have to retract it from Stage48 for the time being. And, oh, by the way, the reason why NBA is suspending games is because a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.
Now than the NBA has suspended its season, is there a possibility of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 being cancelled? The Nogi birthday live might be in jeopardy too, not to mention any single promotions or handshake events. It feels like we are living in a horror movie.
I've a trip to Japan arranged for late April/early May. I'm flying with British Airways who at the moment is almost the only major European carrier not allowing any changes to tickets. However I really would like to go ahead with my trip as I've HS tickets which I want to use but will the events go ahead? If they do will the members all wear masks? Or will I find myself in Japan with everywhere closed down? But then again if I cancel my trip now will it be that in 6-7 weeks' time everything is pretty much back to normal in Japan and I'll be kicking myself that I didn't go? Well, I just need to hold tight for now but what with the value of JPY vs other currencies rising again today and yet another travel adviser on the radio saying "you'll be OK abroad as long as you avoid queues" (yeah try doing that at HS events ) then if BA does start allowing ticketing changes or even refunds maybe I might decide to pull the trigger. (At least my hotel bookings are refundable.) (Meanwhile our UK Government is doing nothing to stop large gatherings such as Premier League football matches...)
Nogi birthday live? That was late February before PM Abe put the banhammer. You meant the summer tour? (And what about Maiyan's grad concert???)
Man I haven't logged on here too often. Hope everyone is healthy and safe! Aloha from Hawaii. -Unkowwn