Shawnr's Journal
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08/24/2005 18:58 #34220
Posted from a mobile phone using p:mobl!08/23/2005 18:40 #34219
Japanese Suicide ClubsI just watched the most bizarre segment on BBC World News: Online Suicide Clubs have been forming in Japan. What's even more bizarre is that the segment I saw tonight is a followup to this coverage from a year ago ( 
). You can see the video from tonight on the BBC main page tonight. It's totally worth a watch. They even cover a story of a Japanese killer who has been stalking suicide websites -- he pretended he was a fellow suicidal guy and then slaughtered groups of people before they could kill themselves. Now that's a total head trip.
And there are lots more articles on BBC about it: , ,
Craziness.
Has anyone seen that Japanese horror flick, Suicide Club (aka Suicide Circle, )? I think about that opening scene far too often while waiting for the train -- man, that was creepy. But I love how the film tied together suicide pacts, the evils of pop music and subliminal messages, and the mobile TXT culture of teenage Japan. Definitely worth a watch.
Anyway, bizarre stuff. Catch the video while it's available on the BBC ( ) Look in the video and audio section. Sorry I can't find another, better link to it.
). You can see the video from tonight on the BBC main page tonight. It's totally worth a watch. They even cover a story of a Japanese killer who has been stalking suicide websites -- he pretended he was a fellow suicidal guy and then slaughtered groups of people before they could kill themselves. Now that's a total head trip.And there are lots more articles on BBC about it:
, , Craziness.
Has anyone seen that Japanese horror flick, Suicide Club (aka Suicide Circle,
)? I think about that opening scene far too often while waiting for the train -- man, that was creepy. But I love how the film tied together suicide pacts, the evils of pop music and subliminal messages, and the mobile TXT culture of teenage Japan. Definitely worth a watch.Anyway, bizarre stuff. Catch the video while it's available on the BBC (
) Look in the video and audio section. Sorry I can't find another, better link to it.08/19/2005 11:39 #34218
GamesFirst! RelaunchCategory: games
Wow, it's incredible how much work I've been putting into the new GamesFirst! (http://www.gamesfirst.com). (e:Paul) helped a bunch and gave up a few key scripts that made my life SO much easier. I definitely am grateful. But even so, it's been a long 3 weeks of insane development days.
I'm so excited about the results. I came here in large part to learn to make a better GF! I knew where we needed to be, but I hadn't been able to get anyone to get us there. I actually hoped I'd just find somebody to do the programming, but I think it's better that I've done it (mostly) myself. I don't mind having worked with (e:Paul) either -- because I am still fully aware of exactly how everything works. If I decide something isn't quite right, I can sink a few hours into reworking it.
Anyway, I don't know how many (e:strip)pers have checked out GF!, but the former version looked like some shitty ad company had puked all over a shitty website. And somewhere in there was buried some great articles. Nobody ever found them. The old hosting/design company (MediaPier, who thoroughly suXXor) responsible for the utterly crap design complained that they didn't make any money from GF!, which we told them would happen in the first place. But when they put those seizure-inducing flash ads on the site, it just got way out of hand. Nobody would read it. Friends and family said to me that they couldn't stand it. And it made me cry to look at it. Seriously. It's like as if I'd given my baby up to a baby-makeover place, and she came out looking like Joan Crawford. People instinctually fled from it. I contemplated shutting down the whole thing...
But I didn't. We've rebounded, as GamesFirst! always does. There's something about a dozen folks totally into the same thing that can produce amazing synergy. Or at least make me feel too guilty to pull the plug...
Anyway, I think I'm at a stopping point for the moment. It's time to get life in order for the school year to start again. We just launched our first podcast on GF!, so head over to (www.gamesfirst.com) and check it out. It should be listed in iTunes soon... And feel free to let me know if you have any comments about the site -- I'm back in the driver's seat.
I'm so excited about the results. I came here in large part to learn to make a better GF! I knew where we needed to be, but I hadn't been able to get anyone to get us there. I actually hoped I'd just find somebody to do the programming, but I think it's better that I've done it (mostly) myself. I don't mind having worked with (e:Paul) either -- because I am still fully aware of exactly how everything works. If I decide something isn't quite right, I can sink a few hours into reworking it.
Anyway, I don't know how many (e:strip)pers have checked out GF!, but the former version looked like some shitty ad company had puked all over a shitty website. And somewhere in there was buried some great articles. Nobody ever found them. The old hosting/design company (MediaPier, who thoroughly suXXor) responsible for the utterly crap design complained that they didn't make any money from GF!, which we told them would happen in the first place. But when they put those seizure-inducing flash ads on the site, it just got way out of hand. Nobody would read it. Friends and family said to me that they couldn't stand it. And it made me cry to look at it. Seriously. It's like as if I'd given my baby up to a baby-makeover place, and she came out looking like Joan Crawford. People instinctually fled from it. I contemplated shutting down the whole thing...
But I didn't. We've rebounded, as GamesFirst! always does. There's something about a dozen folks totally into the same thing that can produce amazing synergy. Or at least make me feel too guilty to pull the plug...
Anyway, I think I'm at a stopping point for the moment. It's time to get life in order for the school year to start again. We just launched our first podcast on GF!, so head over to (www.gamesfirst.com) and check it out. It should be listed in iTunes soon... And feel free to let me know if you have any comments about the site -- I'm back in the driver's seat.
08/05/2005 19:25 #34217
Posted from a mobile phone using p:mobl!08/05/2005 19:24 #34216
Posted from a mobile phone using p:mobl!Paul playing in a virtual playground.
I read the 3 atricles about the suicide pacts. It was interesting but a little distrubing. I don't know much about Japan. But I have heard they pack the trains like sardines. There is no talking on them it is verry silent. That is one of the factors that caused text messaging to be a big boom there and really take off. Comformity is verry important. I don't know about now but in the old days honor was a high priorty. Being shamed would cause you to kill yourself. I have seen some Japanase wrestling and the fans are quite and watch it, and sometimes will get loud but not verry often it. All I know is from what I've seen on TV shows on Discovery or specila on other stations. So it would make sense that if you couldn't deal with life anymore that i would be good to do it with someone else, it does make sense. Plus if you make a pact with someone else or with multiple people you can't back out.
That movie sounds so familur. I don't think that I have ever seen it. I think i may have seen it at blockbuster but not sure really. I'm not a horror fan but it sounds interesting.