America and Japan Are Going to Have a Giant Robot Duel
[youtube id="XVJTGLL2SnI"]
When I was a kid, I used to love the Gundam anime series (G Gundam, for life). Giant robots punching each with laser light fists just spoke to me. Humanity's been chasing that impossible dream for years, but now it's just a wee bit closer. Last week, American company Megabot showed off footage of a real working mecha (that shot paintballs of course) with the intention of fitting someone inside for giant robot battles a la Pacific Rim or Robot Jox. Footage of their robot came with a challenge to Japanese robotics company Suidobashi Heavy Industry for their robots to fight in 2016.
This week, Suidobashi replied with their own video. Draped in a Japanese flag, CEO Korgoro Kugata had some awesome trash talk claiming the American machine could have been cooler (and has too many guns because America). All the while accepting the challenge to fight their robot, Kuratas, against the American Megabot. Unfortunately we don't have any details of the big "fight," and the whole thing screams publicity stunt. Perhaps it's to draw attention to Megabot's once failed Kickstarter campaign to start an entire league of mecha fights. Whether or not it's a coordinated stunt, why has it taken this long for us to get to this point? Something like this should've happened a long time ago. When will our lives go full anime?
Hilariously enough, this was all around the time of a notable World Cup match between America and Japan where Japan was decimated as USA scored four goals in under sixteen minutes (three of those belonging to superwoman Carli Lloyd). To top if off, Independence Day was last weekend so everyone's far more patriotic than usual. I'm sure the American robot will win just because I don't see any other outcome being possible. It's running on bald eagle power right now.
[youtube id="7u8mheM2Hrg"]
[via Popular Science]
Warren Ellis To Write New James Bond 007 Comic Series
Dynamite Entertainment has revealed that Warren Ellis is to pen an ongoing James Bond comic book series launching this November. The series will see Bond returning from an assignment in Helsinki to follow up a mission which resulted in the death of a fellow Double-O. Ellis, one of the most esteemed writers in the comic medium and veteran of such classics as Hellblazer, Transmetropolitan, Global Frequency and various superhero series for Marvel and DC, will be teaming up with artist Jack Masters, of Marvel's Wolverines, to mark Bond's return to the format after an absence of over twenty years.
The series is a result of a partnership between Dynamite and the Ian Fleming Estate, announced nine months ago, which is rumoured to also include adaptations of the original Bond novels. Ellis described his delight at the opportunity to 'tell visual narratives with the original, brutal, damaged Bond of the books', a welcome and reassuring recognition for fans that Fleming's character was considerably more melancholy and troubled than the one-dimensional superhero depicted in most of the movies. The 'brutal' description is an interesting one, as while Fleming's Bond was undeniably cold and professional in his duties, part of the damage that Ellis describes stemmed from a clear awareness of the ugly nature of his work and the cost it exacts on his soul. Daniel Craig's Bond has picked up on Fleming's unironic violence without, post-Casino Royale anyway, delving much into how it has shaped Bond's personality and outlook.
Even Bond's attitude towards women is rooted in his troubled relationship with his profession. He indulges his appetites with the voraciousness of a man who doesn't believe he will live to see the following morning - in the Moonraker novel, Bond describes how he never saves money, believing it pointless - but is also something of a frustrated romantic, genuinely falling in love with several of his Bond girls even though it invariably ends in tragedy. Ellis is a hugely accomplished character writer and it will be fascinating to see which elements of Fleming's character he chooses to employ in his own interpretation. It will also be interesting to compare it to how Bond is depicted in SPECTRE, the movie scheduled for release in the same month which promises to delve into the character's past.
[via Comic Book Resources]
[The Weekly Swarm] 6/29 - 7/5
Happy July, everybody. I hope everybody's 4th of July weekend was filled with family, friends, and fireworks! Despite the shortened week for the holiday, we still had an amazing array of content last week. Some highlights include the ongoing feud between Donald Trump and Univision, a plethora of film and TV trailers (Creed, Dragon Ball Super, I Am Chris Farley, etc.), a review of Thundercat's mini-album, The Beyond/Where the Giants Roam, a round-up of Q2 2015's best albums, and a review of MTV's Scream pilot. You can find all of this and more below in The Weekly Swarm.
Why Univision Dropping Miss USA is a Big Deal
Donald Trump is Suing Univision for $500 Million
Watch a Young Amy Winehouse Sing Happy Birthday
Remember Chris Farley in Trailer for I Am Chris Farley
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, and Julia Roberts Star in First Secret in Their Eyes Trailer
Frieza is Back in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' Trailer
Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone Team Up in Trailer for Rocky Sequel, Creed
Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis Star in Sleeping With Other People Trailer
Watch Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs in New Trailer
[Weekly Netflix Fix] First July 2015 Update
Watch a Young Amy Winehouse Sing Happy Birthday
[Review] Thundercat: "The Beyond/Where the Giants Roam"
Second Quarter 2015 Album Round-up
Why Univision Dropping Miss USA is a Big Deal
Watch the First 8 Minutes of MTV's Scream TV Series
Donald Trump is Suing Univision for $500 Million
[Review] MTV's Scream: Pilot
[Weekly Netflix Fix] First July 2015 Update
Donald Trump is Suing Univision for $500 Million
Never one to quietly fade away, Donald Trump has neither apologized for his comments nor let any of it go. When Univision publicly reprimanded him after his bid for the presidency led to tirade of awful comments (most directed toward Mexican immigrants and how they're terrible people), it led to a landslide of consequences as I predicted earlier in the week. Univision refused to air Trump's co-owned Miss Universe pageant, most of the program's hosts and co-hosts left the show, and all of that led to NBC Universal cutting all their ties with him and his programs like The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has essentially marred his brand even further...if that was even possible.
But, now he's choosing to fire back. Claiming breach of contract and suppression of free speech, Trump is suing the Spanish language company for $500 million:
Under the contract, Univision is required to broadcast the pageant live on television in Spanish. While Univision claims its decision came solely in response to comments by Mr. Trump during a June 16 campaign speech announcing his candidacy for President of the United States, the decision was, in reality, a politically motivated attempt to suppress Mr. Trump's freedom of speech under the First Amendment as he begins to campaign for the nation's presidency.
Speaking with Politico, Univision is fighting the suit:
We just reviewed Mr. Trump’s complaint for the first time, and it is both factually false and legally ridiculous. We will not only vigorously defend the case, but will continue to fight against Mr. Trump’s ongoing efforts to run away from the derogatory comments he made on June 16th about Mexican immigrants. Our decision to end our business relationship with Mr. Trump was influenced solely by our responsibility to speak up for the community we serve.
This looks like it's getting uglier as it rolls on. But at least it means Trump's candidacy is losing any semblance of legitimacy it might've had. We'll keep an eye on this as it rolls on.
[via BBC]
Why Univision Dropping Miss USA is a Big Deal
Through the years, I've learned to dismiss older folks when they make racist comments, thinking they were just a product of their time. I figured if I'd wait it out long enough, all those comments would go away. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case as those negative voices are getting much louder. Last week, Donald Trump announced his bid as candidate for the 2016 presidential election. Normally I'd just ignore him like I do every angry white man, but Trump just started spouting the worst kinds of things.
Along with his stances on gay marriage, health care, and ISIS, he had this to say about immigration laws:
The US has become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems...When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. And they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people...It's coming from all over South and Latin America and it's coming, probably, probably from the Middle East.
[youtube id="bMSBmjeDTFA"]
Univision (one of the largest Spanish language television networks), rightfully angry at his comments, refused to air the upcoming Spanish translated broadcast of the Miss USA Pageant and will no longer have anything to do with Miss Universe, which Trump partly owns:
Today the entertainment division of Univision Communications Inc. announced that it is ending the Company’s business relationship with the Miss Universe Organization, which is part-owned by Donald J. Trump, based on his recent, insulting remarks about Mexican immigrants. At Univision we see first-hand the work ethic, love for family, strong religious values and the important role Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans have had and will continue to have in building the future of our country. We will not be airing the Miss USA pageant on July 12th or working on any other projects tied to the Trump Organization.
While Trump blames the Mexican government (thinking they put some kind of pressure on Univision to break their $10 million contract due to trade deals or something), he doesn't seem to grasp how big of a move this is for Univision, and how much more it's going to hurt him in the long run. You see, as much as he wants to build a wall to keep Mexican immigrants out, traditional Mexican families make up a huge chunk of the television watching audience. As big networks are finding out, immigrants are one of the few demographics left that subscribe to event television like big pageant shows (basically stuff that you have to watch live to get the full experience instead of on Hulu later). That's why you've seen a greater amount of Latino representation lately (and why pandering programs like Cristela and Devious Maids exist, or in Cristela's case, existed) as those Mexican families increasingly use television to connect with the American lifestyle.
This is going to deal major damage to Trump's television shows, and it's only the start of the landslide. Roselyn Sanchez (who was brought on to co-host the Spanish simulcast of the Miss USA pageant and serendipitously stars on Devious Maids), has left the broadcast, NBC (the network which hosts the brunt of his programming like his numerous Apprentice shows) has separated itself from his comments, ending their business relationship with him earlier today.
As Trump vies for the presidency, he claims he cares less about his precious money. Hopefully he understands how much of that he's going to lose here. As the Spanish speaking audience increases, so does their buying power. Eventually that buying power is going to ring louder than any thoughtless rant from a slowly aging man. Good luck getting that presidential nomination, Trump.
[The Weekly Swarm] 6/22 - 6/28
Welcome to the final June 2015 installment of The Weekly Swarm! Last week was a monumental week for Americans as the Supreme Court finally legalized same-sex marriage, paving the way for a future of better equality and understanding. On the more direct Ruby Hornet path, we released some amazing content last week, such as news that Miles Morales will become the de facto Spider-Man in Marvel Comics, Apple Music's complete 180 on paying royalties to musicians during trial periods (thanks to Taylor Swift), an editorial on whether or not Swift herself is infringing upon photographers' rights, a first-hand experience visiting a Turkish bathhouse, reviews of Inside Out, Felt, Glass Chin, Infinitely Polar Bear, The Face of an Angel, Bully's Feels Like, Midwest Ska Fest 2015's return to the Double Door on August 8th, and an obituary of The Avengers' Patrick Macnee.
You can read all of this (and more!) below in this edition of The Weekly Swarm.
Miles Morales Replaces Peter Parker as Spider-Man
Is Taylor Swift Really Trying To Rob Photographers?
Hammam Says Relax: A Traveler’s First Time Experience in a Turkish Bathhouse
Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
[Review] Inside Out
Marvel and Sony Find Their Spider-Man Actor and Director
[Review] Infinitely Polar Bear
[Review] The Face Of An Angel
Watch the English-Subbed Trailer for Boruto: Naruto the Movie
[Playlist of the Week] 10 Blockbuster Hits of the Summer
[Weekly Netflix Fix] Final June 2015 Update
The Decline of Western Civilization: To Live and Die in LA
Amy Schumer is a Trainwreck in Trailer for Judd Apatow's Next Film
[Review] Felt
[Review] Glass Chin
Apple Music Will Pay Artists During Trial Periods Thanks to Taylor Swift
Pitchfork Music Festival 2015 Schedule Revealed
Midwest Ska Fest 2015 Returning to Double Door on August 8th
Is Taylor Swift Really Trying To Rob Photographers?
[Playlist of the Week] 10 Blockbuster Hits of the Summer
The Decline of Western Civilization: To Live and Die in LA
[Review] Bully: "Feels Like"
[Review] Silicon Valley Season 2
[Weekly Netflix Fix] Final June 2015 Update
RIP Patrick Macnee, Star of The Avengers TV Show & Role Model For Boys Everywhere
Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
In a monumental, life-changing decision, the Supreme Court has voted 5-4 in favor of same-sex marriage in all 50 states today, disallowing the 14 remaining states that hadn't legalized same-sex marriage to officially recognize them by law. The ruling won't go into effect for three weeks as the losing side is given time to ask for reconsideration. However, the odds of the Supreme Court reversing their decision are slim to none. The decision comes just in time for Chicago's Pride Parade taking place this Sunday, giving the LGBT community and its supporters even more reason to celebrate.
As a huge supporter of LGBT rights, I'm ecstatic to see our country move in such a positive direction. Yes, we still face many problems, both on a local and national level, but we're at least one step closer in ensuring everybody is given a fair chance to showcase their happiness in the way they choose to. The floodgates are sure to open with homophobic, hate-filled messages, but don't let those close-minded, ignorant tweets, Facebook posts, etc. negatively impact you, because no matter what the dissenters may do or say, nothing can take away this win.
Is Taylor Swift Really Trying To Rob Photographers?
In recent news, Taylor Swift criticized Apple for initially not paying artists during the trial period for Apple Music, their latest music streaming service. The battle went on for one quick day as Apple shortly retreated, granting victory to Swift's team and stamping the rare power she continues to have on music business.
Meanwhile, at the stem of this rebuttal, freelance photographer Jason Sheldon published an open letter on his blog where he argued Swift's recent image-licensing policy, suggesting the hypocrisy to her complaints towards Apple. In her policy, Editorial photographers assigned to shoot her shows must sign away rights to their photos, preventing them from being paid while giving Swift unlimited use of the pictures for publicity and promotion. It gets worse...
One section of the policy that Sheldon doesn't mention is the right to her management company to destroy a photographer's equipment if they break the terms of the contact, one they are obligated to sign before shooing her show. It reads the following:
If you fail to fully comply with this Authorization, authorized agents of FEI, the Artist or the Related Entities may confiscate and/or destroy the technology or devices that contain the master files of the Photographs and other images, including, but not limited to, cell phones and memory cards, and the Photographs and any other images.
Just today, a UK representative for Taylor Swift quickly countered and told Business Insider via email that the standard photography agreement to which Sheldon referred was "misrepresented." To me, this all sounds like "Bad Blood" more than anything.
At this point, we know that Apple changed their course of action but will Taylor Swift? As a photographer, I feel this is indeed quite hypocritical. Especially because it's photos from concert photographers that tend to promote ticket sales, creating a huge monetary benefit for promoters, venues and the Swift team alike. Needless to say, I'll refrain from shooting any Taylor Swift shows any time in the near future. What do you think?