Ukrainian model Karolina Shiino has ignited controversy by winning the Miss Japan 2024 beauty pageant. Although Shiino is a naturalized Japanese citizen, she has no Japanese ancestry and her win has angered some viewers in the ethnically homogenous nation.
The 26-year-old model was crowned the winner of the 56th annual Miss Japan Grand Prix on Monday, becoming both the first naturalized Japanese citizen – and the oldest woman – to do so. Shiino was born in Ukraine to two Ukrainian parents, and moved to Japan aged five when her mother remarried. ”I live as a Japanese person, but there have been racial barriers and many instances where I wasn’t accepted,” she said during Monday’s ceremony, according to Reuters. “I’m just filled with so much gratitude that I have really been accepted as a Japanese person today,” she added, speaking in fluent Japanese. Japanese commenters on social media were less accepting. “So, someone who doesn’t have a drop of Japanese blood and has no trace of Japanese-ness is going to represent Japanese women?” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote. “If she was half [Japanese], sure no problem. But she’s ethnically 0% Japanese and wasn’t even born in Japan,” another wrote, while one user worried that “Japanese people naturally [would] get the wrong message when a European-looking person is called the most beautiful Japanese.” Some commenters claimed that the judges had chosen Shiino to send a signal of support to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. “If she were born Russia, she wouldn’t have won. Not a chance. Obviously the criteria is now a political decision. What a sad day for Japan,” one person wrote. Pageant organizer Ai Wada told the BBC that the judges had chosen Shiino with “full confidence.” The Ukrainian model “speaks and writes in beautiful and polite Japanese,” Wada said, calling her “more Japanese than we are.” Japan is widely regarded as the world’s most ethnically homogenous developed country, and while its government does not keep track of its citizens’ race or ethnicity, it is believed that 98% of the country’s population is ethnically Japanese. Although the government no longer pays immigrant workers to return to their home countries – as it did in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis – immigrants must meet strict criteria to become citizens, and birthright citizenship is not awarded. Shiino is not the first controversial winner of the Miss Japan title. In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, whose parents are Japanese and African-American, became the first biracial woman to win the pageant, triggering a national discussion about whether mixed-race contestants should be allowed to enter the competition.
0 Comments
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr drew flak on social media for his use of a presidential helicopter to attend a concert by British rock band Coldplay in a province north of the capital, Manila.
"Using official resources, like the presidential chopper, for personal and non-official activities is generally considered an abuse of power or misuse of government resources," Facebook user James Patrick Aristorenas said in a post on Saturday. "We paid for the use of the chopper, fuel and security, who knows even for the tickets for everyone," Facebook user Arvine Concepcion said.
Meet the new Frankenstein, same as the old one, just without the stripes, and with a lived-in feel that's as comfortable as well-worn denim. By ditching Ed’s signature stripes in favor of a single-color finish, the EVH Frankenstein Relic Series provides all of the vibe, tones and high-performance attributes of the Frankenstein guitar in a package that allows players to make their own visual and aural statements. Pros
Cons
The EVH Striped Series is pretty much the coolest thing going for guitarists who want to make a loud and proud statement about their appreciation for Eddie Van Halen and his influence. However, many players may prefer something a little less flashy and distracting-looking that still provides plenty of classic VH vibe. If that’s your jam, the new EVH Frankenstein Relic Series delivers the goods. The EVH Frankenstein Relic guitar is based upon the mid-’80s iteration of Ed’s iconic Frankenstein, but it features a single-color finish (red, white or black) and offers a few modern modifications, like a compound-radius fretboard and EVH Floyd Rose with D-Tuna, perfect for guitarists who want the aggressive tones and rat rod appeal of Ed’s original axe, expertly combined with high-performance playability. The EVH Frankenstein Relic features a familiar Strat-style asymmetrical double cutaway body that’s made from basswood to optimize resonance and keep the overall weight around an average of seven comfortable pounds. The bolt-on neck is quartersawn maple with a separate maple cap fingerboard (so there’s no skunk stripe), both finished with Heavy Relic lacquer that seals and protects the wood. The neck finish and simulated dirt/wear on our test example had a warm, mocha latte brown color that resembled roasted maple. The body finish is gloss lacquer that is subjected to moderate relic aging around the edges and common wear areas like the forearm contour and rear “belt buckle” section. Appropriate for its rat rod design, the guitar has a high-power engine: an EVH Wolfgang humbucker in the bridge position, with the pickup measuring 14.3k ohms resistance. The neck position single-coil pickup and selector switch in the middle pickup cavity are only there for show, just like they are on Ed’s Frankenstein (however, that pickup and selector switch are functional – they’re just not wired in, but can be). The humbucker pickup is direct wired to a volume pot (with a skirted “Tone” knob) and mounted directly to the body (there are no mounting ring or height adjustment screws), and that’s it. The Wolfgang humbucker’s tone is surprisingly brilliant and almost Strat-like, with a distinct upper midrange bite and snappy attack that remain consistently lively even as the volume knob is backed down for clean tones. The bass has plenty of heft for heavy distorted rhythms and riffs. The single bridge humbucker/volume knob-only setup is not the most versatile configuration on its own, but its rich harmonic content provides a solid base for sculpting a much wider variety of sounds with amp settings, a wah pedal and/or a programmable EQ. With 22 jumbo frets, a 12-16-inch compound radius fretboard, slim modified “C” profile, 1.69-inch nut width and easily accessible heel-mounted truss rod adjustment wheel, the neck is built for speed and precise, comfortable playability. The raw wood-like feel of the Heavy Relic lacquer finish provides an ideal balance between smoothness and resistance to facilitate gliding up and down the neck and stopping precisely where the player desires.
Glenn Hughes, often hailed as "The Voice of Rock," has left an indelible mark on the world of music through his remarkable career spanning several decades.
Not only has he achieved acclaim for his powerful and versatile voice, but Hughes has also navigated the tumultuous waters of a private life that has shaped his artistic journey. This essay delves into the multifaceted life of Glenn Hughes, exploring both his private struggles and his influential musical career. Glenn Hughes was born on August 21, 1951, in Cannock, Staffordshire, England. His early life was marked by a passion for music, leading him to pursue a career in the industry. However, like many artists, Hughes faced personal challenges that influenced both his personal and professional life. Substance abuse issues haunted him during the 1970s and 1980s, threatening to overshadow his musical prowess. Despite these struggles, Hughes emerged from the depths of addiction, embracing sobriety and using his experiences to advocate for recovery. His personal journey serves as a testament to resilience and the transformative power of overcoming adversity. Hughes has openly shared his struggles, contributing to a broader conversation about mental health and addiction within the music industry. Glenn Hughes first gained prominence as the bassist and vocalist for the rock band Trapeze in the early 1970s. However, it was his association with Deep Purple in 1973 that catapulted him to international fame. As part of Deep Purple, Hughes' soulful and dynamic voice added a new dimension to the band's sound, contributing to iconic albums like "Burn" and "Stormbringer." Hughes' collaboration with other legendary musicians, including Tony Iommi in the band Hughes/Thrall and Joe Bonamassa in the supergroup Black Country Communion, showcased his versatility across various genres. His solo career, characterized by a blend of rock, funk, and soul, further solidified his reputation as a genre-defying artist. The diversity of Hughes' musical endeavors reflects his willingness to explore new territories and push the boundaries of conventional rock. His solo albums, such as "Resonate" and "First Underground Nuclear Kitchen," showcase not only his vocal prowess but also his songwriting abilities and musical innovation. Glenn Hughes' enduring legacy extends beyond his contributions to iconic bands and solo projects. His commitment to sobriety and mental health advocacy has inspired many within and outside the music industry. Hughes has become a beacon of hope for those facing personal challenges, emphasizing the importance of seeking help and fostering a supportive community. Glenn Hughes' private life and musical career are intertwined in a complex tapestry of triumphs and tribulations. From battling addiction to achieving musical greatness, Hughes exemplifies the transformative power of resilience. His enduring impact on the rock genre, coupled with his advocacy for mental health, cements Glenn Hughes as a true icon in the world of music. The Rodenberg Luke OD Overdrive-Pedal is the original version of the three-way Luke SL-OD, which is more affordable than the original version which is loaded, with a sound that is completely accurate.
There has been a close collaboration between Steve Lukather and the German pedal manufacturer Rodenberg for several years. Enough reasons to take a closer look at the Luke OD! In the review pedal today is basically the little brother of the Rodenberg SL-OD we have already tested, which is equipped with three independent channels and costs more than twice as much. In terms of sound, the new Luke OD should be identical to the low and high gain overdrive of the large pedal. You can read its test here. So far, so exciting! But we'll get to the sound later in the practical part. First of all, we have to look at the good piece up close. As usual, the Luke OD is delivered in a box, in which it completes its journey to the customer safely wrapped in foam, as well as an operating manual written in German and English - and it's worth mentioning: there are also rubber feet in the box to stick on the bottom, which is actually shouldn't be worth mentioning, but manufacturers of high-priced boutique pedals in particular often refuse to deliver them with their products. The Luke OD makes an extremely robust and high-quality impression and is completely handcrafted in Fulda. At this point, if you haven't already done so, you should quickly take a look at the selling price again, because it is quite moderate for a hand-made pedal - assuming, of course, that the sound is right. But more on that later. With its 240 grams and dimensions of 59 x 110 x 33 mm, it has standard dimensions, and if you turn the controls, it immediately becomes clear that high-quality components have been installed here that can be moved smoothly but with enough resistance. There is a level control that determines the output volume, a gain control for adjusting the distortion and a tone pot that controls the treble level. There is also a switch for selecting the low or high gain mode and a toggle switch labeled bass that activates a bass boost. Of course, a footswitch that wakes the pedal from its true bypass sleep is also a must. As soon as the pedal is active, the LUKE lettering lights up red, a very nice detail! The connections in the form of input and output on the right and left sides of the black painted housing as well as the power supply socket on the front are still missing. This allows the connection of a standardized 9-volt DC dispenser, but the Luke OD can also be operated with 18 volts. A look at the cleanly crafted interior shows that battery operation is not intended. As expected, there is absolutely nothing to complain about in terms of workmanship, the pedal makes a high-quality, robust impression, which brings us to the practical part. Hall & Oates are embroiled in a confidential legal battle that has led to Daryl Hall getting a restraining order against his former music partner John Oates.
Little information about the lawsuit is publicly available, as the court documents are sealed, but based on court records, Hall filed an undisclosed complaint against Oates on Nov. 16, as well as a motion for a temporary restraining order, as reported by Philadelphia magazine. The following day, the court officially issued a temporary restraining order to begin Nov. 30. he Nashville Chancery Court confirmed the existence of the lawsuit to Variety, but declined further comment because the lawsuit is sealed. On Nov. 23, Hall played a concert full of Hall & Oates classics in Tokyo. As TMZ points out, Hall disparaged Oates on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast last year, saying, “You think John Oates is my partner? … He’s my business partner. He’s not my creative partner.” He went on, “John and I are brothers, but we are not creative brothers. We are business partners. We made records called Hall & Oates together, but we’ve always been very separate, and that’s a really important thing for me.” Hall then went on to diminish the collaborative aspect of Hall & Oates, using the duo’s 1980 No. 1 hit “Kiss on My List” as an example of their apparent creative separation. “I did all those [harmonies],” Hall said. “That’s all me.” Oates is not credited as a songwriter on “Kiss on My List,” but is listed as a co-produced with Hall. Hall & Oates met in 1967, formed their duo three years later and have released 18 studio albums since their 1972 debut, “Whole Oats.” The pop-R&B duo boasts six No. 1 singles, including “Maneater,” “Rich Girl” and “Out of Touch.” Hall & Oates toured together as recently as October 2022, and they released their latest studio album, “Home for Christmas,” in 2006. Both Hall and Oates have solo recording careers and have toured separately over the years, but the duo has never officially split up. Eddie Van Halen, the legendary guitarist of the iconic rock band Van Halen, is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most innovative guitarists in the history of rock music. His unique style and groundbreaking techniques have left an indelible mark on the world of guitar playing. Throughout his illustrious career, Eddie Van Halen used an array of guitars, each contributing to the distinctive sound that became synonymous with the Van Halen name. This essay explores some of the notable guitars that Eddie Van Halen wielded on records and during live performances, showcasing the evolution of his instrument choices and the impact they had on his groundbreaking musical legacy. This essay explores some of the guitars that Eddie Van Halen used on records and in concerts, with a special focus on the legendary Steinberger 5150. Frankenstrat (Frankenstein) Eddie Van Halen's journey to guitar greatness began with the creation of his iconic "Frankenstrat." As a teenager, Eddie modified a 1971 Fender Stratocaster, combining parts from different guitars to form a unique instrument. This guitar, with its distinctive red, black, and white striped design, became synonymous with Van Halen's early sound. The Frankenstrat played a pivotal role in the band's self-titled debut album in 1978, contributing to the groundbreaking tracks such as "Runnin' with the Devil" and "Eruption." Ibanez Destroyer In the late 1970s, Eddie experimented with an Ibanez Destroyer, further showcasing his inclination towards customized guitars. The Destroyer contributed to the recording of Van Halen's second album, "Van Halen II," and demonstrated Eddie's ability to adapt and innovate with different guitar models. Kramer 5150 Eddie Van Halen's endorsement deal with Kramer Guitars marked a significant chapter in his career. The Kramer 5150, based on his earlier Frankenstrat design, became one of his go-to guitars. The Kramer models, particularly the 5150, featured a distinct red, black, and white striped paint job, creating a visual signature that matched the intensity of Eddie's playing. These guitars played a vital role in the success of albums like "1984." Steinberger 5150 One of the most iconic guitars in Eddie Van Halen's collection was the Steinberger 5150. Renowned for its futuristic design and compact size, the Steinberger 5150 deviated from traditional guitar aesthetics. Eddie used this guitar during live performances, adding a new visual dimension to Van Halen's stage presence. The combination of the Steinberger design and Eddie's unparalleled skill created an unforgettable sonic and visual experience for fans. The Wolfgang Series: A New Era In the 1990s, Eddie Van Halen collaborated with the EVH brand to design a new line of guitars, the Wolfgang series. The Wolfgang guitars represented a departure from the striped designs of his earlier instruments, featuring a sleek and modern aesthetic. These guitars showcased Eddie's ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of guitar design and performance. The Wolfgang series became a staple of his live performances, giving him the tools to continue evolving his sound. Legacy and Influence Eddie Van Halen's guitars were not just tools of his trade; they became symbols of innovation and creativity in the world of rock music. His influence extended beyond his own discography, inspiring countless guitarists to experiment with new techniques and push the boundaries of what was possible on the instrument. The distinctive look and sound of his guitars played a crucial role in shaping the identity of Van Halen's music and left an enduring impact on the rock genre. Eddie Van Halen's guitars are as legendary as the man himself. From the early days with the Frankenstrat to the strategic collaboration with Kramer Guitars and the evolution of the Wolfgang series, each instrument played a vital role in shaping the sound of Van Halen's music. Eddie Van Halen's guitars are not merely instruments but symbols of his innovative spirit and influence on the evolution of rock music. From the DIY Frankenstrat to the groundbreaking Steinberger 5150, each guitar in his collection played a crucial role in shaping the Van Halen sound. Eddie's ability to push the boundaries of guitar design and his commitment to sonic experimentation have left an indelible mark on the world of music, ensuring that his legacy lives on through the strings of his iconic guitars.
Taylor Swift is Time’s 2023 Person of the Year. In the year of the blockbuster Eras Tour and accompanying film, as well as “Taylor’s Versions” of Speak Now and 1989, Swift was “the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse,” according to the magazine’s criterion. She is Time’s first Person of the Year to be recognized for success in the arts, the announcement notes. Her cover shoot features a cameo from her cat Benjamin Button, as credited in her acknowledgment post.
Time’s Sam Jacobs wrote, “In a divided world, where too many institutions are failing, Taylor Swift found a way to transcend borders and be a source of light. No one else on the planet today can move so many people so well.” This year in particular, Jacobs added, Swift “achieved a kind of nuclear fusion: shooting art and commerce together to release an energy of historic force.” This year alone, Swift has had three No. 1 albums: the two new “Taylor’s Versions” and a brief return to the top for last year’s Midnights. The Eras Tour movie broke box office records for a concert film. And, as Time notes, the tour itself came to symbolize American soft power: “A U.S. diplomat told me how meaningful it was to get Swift to agree to play in his host country,” Jacobs wrote. This is Swift’s second time on the Person of the Year cover, following her appearance in 2017 among “silence breakers” who contributed to the #MeToo movement. Last year, Time honored “The Spirit of Ukraine” and the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read “Meet the Argentine Taylor Swift Fans Who Have Been Camping Out for the Eras Tour Since June” and, below, Pitchfork’s review of the Eras Tour movie. Plus, check out the Pitchfork Review podcast on the film and the surrounding mania. It might be compared to a new Harry Potter book being announced or the long-awaited Rolling Stones album. Although gamers will say that even the enthusiasm for this contrasts sharply with their expectations.
After years of waiting, a trailer for the new Grand Theft Auto VI was supposed to be released this afternoon, but that was suddenly moved forward to the middle of the night: the trailer then turned out to have been leaked on social medium X, after which the developer decided to release the full-fledged video itself. to give. There are few video games that have been waiting for as many gaming fans as the new GTA VI. Rumors and speculation have been going around for months about what the game will look like. Developer Rockstar Games is still keeping many details secret, but expectations are high. What becomes clear from this trailer: the setting is once again Vice City, a fictional city based on Miami. For the first time, the game has a female protagonist. And the game won't be released until 2025. The previous GTA, the fifth in the series, was released in 2013. It is not known why Rockstar waited so long to release a sequel, but they themselves are silent about it. Experts think the developers wanted to take their time to deliver a good product. There are also critics who say that GTA V is a cash cow that still makes a lot of money. GTA V has grossed more than $8 billion since its launch ten years ago. This makes it one of the greatest entertainment products ever. Avatar, for example, remains far behind as the most lucrative Hollywood film with less than 3 billion. It is not yet possible to say whether Grand Theft Auto VI will live up to expectations. However, images of the game have been leaked in recent months. A hacker posted them on an online fan forum. Rockstar Games confirmed that "a third party" had illegally downloaded confidential information, including footage from the game. Country singers, romance novelists, video game artists and voice actors are appealing to the U.S. government for relief — as soon as possible — from the threat that artificial intelligence poses to their livelihoods. "Please regulate AI. I'm scared," wrote a podcaster concerned about his voice being replicated by AI in one of thousands of letters recently submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. Technology companies, by contrast, are largely happy with the status quo that has enabled them to gobble up published works to make their AI systems better at mimicking what humans do. The nation's top copyright official hasn't yet taken sides. She told The Associated Press she's listening to everyone as her office weighs whether copyright reforms are needed for a new era of generative AI tools that can spit out compelling imagery, music, video and passages of text. "We've received close to 10,000 comments," said Shira Perlmutter, the U.S. register of copyrights, in an interview. "Every one of them is being read by a human being, not a computer. And I myself am reading a large part of them." What's at stake? Perlmutter directs the U.S. Copyright Office, which registered more than 480,000 copyrights last year covering millions of individual works but is increasingly being asked to register works that are AI-generated. So far, copyright claims for fully machine-generated content have been soundly rejected because copyright laws are designed to protect works of human authorship. But, Perlmutter asks, as humans feed content into AI systems and give instructions to influence what comes out, "is there a point at which there's enough human involvement in controlling the expressive elements of the output that the human can be considered to have contributed authorship?" That's one question the Copyright Office has put to the public. A bigger one — the question that's fielded thousands of comments from creative professions — is what to do about copyrighted human works that are being pulled from the internet and other sources and ingested to train AI systems, often without permission or compensation. More than 9,700 comments were sent to the Copyright Office, part of the Library of Congress, before an initial comment period closed in late October. Another round of comments is due by December 6. After that, Perlmutter's office will work to advise Congress and others on whether reforms are needed. What are artists saying? Addressing the "Ladies and Gentlemen of the US Copyright Office," the Family Ties actor and filmmaker Justine Bateman said she was disturbed that AI models were "ingesting 100 years of film" and TV in a way that could destroy the structure of the film business and replace large portions of its labor pipeline. It "appears to many of us to be the largest copyright violation in the history of the United States," Bateman wrote. "I sincerely hope you can stop this practice of thievery." Airing some of the same AI concerns that fueled this year's Hollywood strikes, television showrunner Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face) said her industry should declare war on what is "nothing more than a plagiarism machine" before Hollywood is "coopted by greedy and craven companies who want to take human talent out of entertainment." The music industry is also threatened, said Nashville-based country songwriter Marc Beeson, who's written tunes for Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks. Beeson said AI has potential to do good but "in some ways, it's like a gun — in the wrong hands, with no parameters in place for its use, it could do irreparable damage to one of the last true American art forms." While most commenters were individuals, their concerns were echoed by big music publishers — Universal Music Group called the way AI is trained "ravenous and poorly controlled" — as well as author groups and news organizations including The New York Times and The Associated Press. Is it fair use? What leading tech companies like Google, Microsoft and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI are telling the Copyright Office is that their training of AI models fits into the "fair use" doctrine that allows for limited uses of copyrighted materials such as for teaching, research or transforming the copyrighted work into something different. "The American AI industry is built in part on the understanding that the Copyright Act does not proscribe the use of copyrighted material to train Generative AI models," says a letter from Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The purpose of AI training is to identify patterns "across a broad body of content," not to "extract or reproduce" individual works, it added. So far, courts have largely sided with tech companies in interpreting how copyright laws should treat AI systems. In a defeat for visual artists, a federal judge in San Francisco last month dismissed much of the first big lawsuit against AI image-generators, though allowed some of the case to proceed. Most tech companies cite as precedent Google's success in beating back legal challenges to its online book library. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 let stand lower court rulings that rejected authors' claim that Google's digitizing of millions of books and showing snippets of them to the public amounted to copyright infringement. But that's a flawed comparison, argued former law professor and bestselling romance author Heidi Bond, who writes under the pen name Courtney Milan. Bond said she agrees that "fair use encompasses the right to learn from books," but Google Books obtained legitimate copies held by libraries and institutions, whereas many AI developers are scraping works of writing through "outright piracy." Perlmutter said this is what the Copyright Office is trying to help sort out. "Certainly, this differs in some respects from the Google situation," Perlmutter said. "Whether it differs enough to rule out the fair use defense is the question in hand."
|
Thank you for choosing to make a difference through your donation. We appreciate your support.
Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
|