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[ventilair]

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[hvac-repair-service]

What’s Wrong with My Noisy Air Conditioner? Can I Fix It Myself?

Is your air conditioner making strange noises? Are you worried about what might be wrong with it? Don't fret! In this guide, we'll explore the common issues that can cause a noisy air conditioner and discuss whether you can fix it yourself. We'll also delve into the importance of AC replacement, installation, maintenance, repair, tune-up, and service in Lancaster. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive into the world of air conditioning troubleshooting!

What’s Wrong with My Noisy Air Conditioner? Can I Fix It Myself?

Are you tired of hearing those rattling, clanking, or squealing sounds coming from your air conditioner? You're not alone! Noisy air conditioners can be a nuisance, but they're often a sign that something isn't quite right. Let's explore some common issues that can cause a noisy air conditioner and determine whether you can tackle them yourself.

1. Loose Parts: The Culprit Behind the Rattle One of the most common causes of a noisy air conditioner is loose parts. Over time, vibrations and regular use can loosen various components within the unit. Here are a few parts you should check:

Fan Blades: If the fan blades are loose or damaged, they can create a rattling noise. Carefully inspect them and tighten any loose screws or bolts.

Motor Mounts: The motor mounts secure the fan motor to the unit. If they're loose or worn out, they can produce a banging or clanking sound. Ensure the motor mounts are properly tightened or replace them if necessary.

Ductwork: Loose ducts can result in a rattling or flapping noise. Examine the ductwork for any gaps or loose sections and secure them tightly.

2. Debris Buildup: Clearing the Path to Silence

Another potential culprit behind a noisy air conditioner is debris buildup. Over time, dirt, dust, leaves, and other debris can accumulate within the unit and interfere with its operation. Here's what you can do:

Air Filters: Dirty or clogged air filters can restrict airflow and cause your air conditioner to work harder, leading to excess noise. Regularly clean or replace your air filters according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Outdoor Unit: Ensure the outdoor unit is free from debris such as leaves, grass, or branches. Use a brush or vacuum cleaner to carefully remove any buildup.

3. Fan Motor Issues: From Squeals to Silence If your air conditioner emits high-pitched squealing sounds, the fan motor might be the culprit. Over time, the motor bearings can wear out or become misaligned, resulting in friction and noise. While some motor issues can be resolved by lubricating the bearings, it's generally recommended to seek professional help for motor repairs or replacements.

4. Refrigerant Leaks: Hissing Troubles Hearing a hissing sound coming from your air conditioner? It could be due to a refrigerant leak. Refrigerant plays a crucial role in cooling your home, and a leak can lead to inadequate cooling performance and unwanted noises. Refrigerant leaks should be addressed by a licensed HVAC technician to prevent further damage to your system.

5. Belt Problems: The Whining Dilemma

Older air conditioning units may have belts that drive the fan or blower motor. If you hear a high-pitched whining noise, it could indicate a worn-out or misaligned belt. Replacing or realigning the belt is a job best left to professionals, as it requires careful adjustment to ensure proper functioning.

6. Compressor Issues: The Clamor of Trouble The compressor is the heart of your air conditioning system. If you notice loud banging or clanking noises, it could be a sign of compressor problems. Faulty or worn-out compressor components can result in excessive noise and reduced cooling performance. Compressor repairs or replacements should always be handled by trained technicians.

AC Replacement, Installation, Maintenance, Repair, Tune-Up, and Service in Lancaster

Now that we've explored some of the common issues causing a noisy air conditioner, it's essential to understand the importance of AC replacement, installation, maintenance, repair, tune-up, and service in Lancaster. Regular maintenance and professional services can help prevent or address noisy AC problems, ensuring optimal performance and longevity of your system.

AC Replacement Lancaster: Upgrading Your Cooling System

If your air conditioner is old, inefficient, or experiencing frequent breakdowns, it may be time for AC replacement. Upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient model can not only reduce noise but also lower your energy bills and improve indoor comfort. Consult with HVAC professionals in Lancaster to determine the best replacement options for your specific needs.

AC Installation Lancaster: Getting it Right from the Start

Proper AC installation is crucial for ensuring optimal performance and minimizing noise issues. Improper installation can lead to rattling, inadequate airflow, and other problems. When installing a new air conditioner, rely on experienced technicians who follow industry best practices to guarantee a smooth and quiet operation.

AC Maintenance Lancaster: Preventing Noisy Surprises

Regular AC maintenance is key to preventing noisy surprises and extending the lifespan of your cooling system. Scheduled tune-ups and inspections help identify and address potential issues before they escalate. HVAC professionals in Lancaster can provide comprehensive maintenance services, including cleaning, lubrication, filter replacement, and system optimization.

AC Repair Lancaster: Swift Solutions for Noisy ACs

When your air conditioner becomes unbearably noisy or experiences a sudden increase in noise levels, it's time to call in the experts for AC repair. Trained technicians can diagnose and fix various AC problems, including noisy operation, refrigerant leaks, fan motor issues, and more. Prompt repairs ensure your AC operates quietly and efficiently.

Air Conditioning Tune Up Lancaster: Fine-Tuning Performance

An air conditioning tune-up is like giving your system a refreshing spa day. It involves a thorough inspection, cleaning, and adjustments to optimize performance. During a tune-up, technicians will address any noise-related concerns, ensuring your AC runs smoothly and quietly throughout the season.

AC Service Lancaster: Reliable Expertise at Your Doorstep

Whether you need routine maintenance, emergency repairs, or professional advice, AC service providers in Lancaster offer reliable expertise. By partnering with trusted professionals, you can address noisy AC issues promptly and receive top-notch services tailored to your specific requirements.

[snugglyporos]

// oh boy. time to get... nerdy.

Okay, DC and Marvel have basically the same problem and went in two different directions, so I'll explain the easier company first: Marvel. The core problem is that the 90s were a boom time, they made lots of money, the 90s ended, and the speculator bubble burst, and for the next two decades until Marvel movies literally resurrected comics in pop culture, no one had any good ideas as to how to fix this. They did have lots of bad ideas. First though, Marvel's bad ideas.

Marvel has been putting out awful crap since the early 2000s because of exactly two men: Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada. We'll start with Jemas, because he had control first, from roughly 2000 to 2010. A quick note, Jemas had no background in comics before he started working at Marvel; before that he worked for a company called Fleer Entertainment Group, whose main claim to fame is that it was the first company to ever manufacture bubble gum. More importantly, it manufactured trading cards, particularly sports ones. Five years after Jemas left, the company fell into bankruptcy and was liquidated. You know who owned Fleer though? Marvel! So now he's being promoted to Marvel!

Jemas however was brought into Marvel because, and people forget this, Marvel was literally about to go bankrupt in the late 90s. Jemas, to his credit, did in fact manage to make Marvel profitable by doing things like pushing trade paperbacks. But he also installed Joe Quesada into the company. And these two were behind such great ideas like Trouble (which is the lurid backstory of how Aunt May and Uncle Ben had sex and which also sorta made it canon that Uncle Ben fucked Spiderman's mom), and Marville, which is a horrific comic series where the writer literally gives up over the course of the book and just starts insulting the reader.

Jemas over the 2000s became the sort that interfered more and more in the creative side of things, despite not being a writer, and it got so bad that the executives at Marvel started getting genuinely pissed off. In particular, his ideas were so toxic and bad that they found they couldn't sell any of them to movie studios, but the final straw was that their business partner, Toy Biz, who merged with marvel and helped bring a lot of their action figures and toys in house, decided he was actively ruining their brand.

If you're curious what he was pitching, understand that he was pivotal in pushing more content onto Marvel's MAX brand, which are their 'adult oriented' comics. Given the fact that both Marville and Trouble are essentially sexual and reactionary stories, just imagine what right wing edgelords wish comics were and you'll have an idea. Or, you could just read Ultimate Spiderman going beyond volume 11, which he wrote despite not being a writer or knowing how to write well.

You could reasonably characterize his tenure as 'more profits through self immolation.' But he's just an executive who decided that it wasn't that hard to write comics. Joe Quesada is an entirely different story. Basically, the short version is that when Marvel filed for bankruptcy in 1998, he was brought on to write more things and try to get more creators to work with Marvel again. I'm not going into their ugly split with creators in the 90s and the formation of Image comics here though.

Basically, by bringing in Quesada, a creator, Marvel had a gateway to bring in such luminaries as Brian Micheal Bendis and Garth Ennis, two names which fill most comics fans with dread. But back in 2000, no one knew what would be happen. At the time, he was just the guy helping to write the Marvel Knights books! And then boom! Jemas is running the show, and that means two years after getting his job he's now editor in chief and has run of the place!

I want to point out that as bad as Quesada was, Marvel was already in the toilet. Again, in 1998 they filed bankruptcy. The editor he replaced, Bob Harras? That guy had this great idea to just cancel everything not at 100 issues, and restart them all over and over as #1 issues to try and create an artificial speculator market like there was in the 90s. And surprise, it didn't work.

So Quesada gets the editor position. What's he do? Well, for one he scraps Harras' idiot idea, and goes back to the right numbering. Two, he gives even more power to his Marvel Knights imprint, which is now focused on telling standalone stories, which was successful already. He pushes the MAX brand, which as I said is their adult themed and directed brand, and while I don't really have good things to say about it under Jemas, it was also successful. Also, it was partially run with Brian Micheal Bendis, who later comics readers would, I must remind you, begin to hate.

But what he did most was to launch Ultimates. And that really did well! Especially Spiderman. Everyone loved that. He found a way to make comics for new readers without fucking up old canon. It seemed good! Only he put Bendis and Mark Millar in charge of it, and well, that's a whole other story.

He also put a moritorium on killing and bringing back characters. A good thing! But the problem is that, well, there wasn't really a plan for what to do beyond all the stuff I've now talked about. And the plans that he came up with were... bad.

Spiderman One More Day? That's Quesada's idea. Quesada apparently decided that, well, people just hate stable relationships. You know what they love though? Politics. And not like, nuanced or thoughtful politics. Nah, we're getting straight up reactionary politics. You want to know why we get things like 'you know maybe Captain America was a nazi all along?' This guy.

I should point out that he stepped down as editor in chief in 2011. Except in 2010, a year before, he was made Chief Creative Officer, which meant that he might not be editing, but he controlled the canon. Basically every bad idea in Marvel's canon in the 2000s to 2019 comes down to this guy.

By the by, he was replaced by Kevin Feige, who you might know from his work turning Marvel into a pop culture Juggernaut by spearheading the MCU and literally making Marvel more popular and successful than ever. Comics haven't improved much, but we're not getting more reactionary bullshit, so I'm considering it a break even for now.

That's marvel. Let's talk DC. DC, unlike Marvel, was not facing bankruptcy. Instead it was facing a bigger crisis: a lack of ideas and direction while seeing profit. If Marvel was a dumpster fire, DC was a chicken with its head cut off, making a mess and bleeding everywhere and just kinda sad at the end when it wasn't horrifying.

Like Marvel, I drop the blame for DC's woes at the feet of one man: Geoff Johns. Spoiler: I hate this man. I will explain why. I am not without reason for using harsh terms. But first, backstory.

It's 1985. DC is a frankenstein's monster of different canons, because the company is actually like ten different companies all merged together at different times and no one knows what is and is not canon. Because unlike Marvel, DC's big heroes were all made by different people, and different companies in some cases, there's no consistency. Crisis on Infinite Earths 'fixed' this.

I put fixed in quotes because it was both needed, and also broke everyone who wrote for DC. Because within four years, DC would launch its Elseworlds imprint, which was basically just the multiverse for guys like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman, two guys who also helped to ruin comics in a general sense. But this isn't about them. They didn't do this intentionally. It's not their fault their ideas ended up being genres and everyone copied their homework.

So. It's now 2005. Twenty years have gone by since Crisis on Infinite Earths. It's mostly worked! But it's time for a big new event. And more importantly, DC decided it wanted the multiverse again. Keep in mind, Marvel just launched their Ultimate universe too, so this is not happening in a vacuum. Infinite Crisis isn't even that bad; and what came after, 52, was not that bad either. But it did cause panic inside DC.

Why? Because again, it's 2005. Comics are really in the toilet financially now that the 90s speculator boom is over. Marvel is making moves, and DC wants to make moves too. And more to the point, DC was creatively in the toilet. I mean we're dealing with ideas like 'Identity Crisis,' the story about how the Justice League mind wiping Batman and Doctor Light after Doctor Light r*ped Sue Dibny and it's just a bleak period.

Also, people did not like Infinite Crisis. They didn't like that DC brought back the multiverse. They didn't like that 52 was launched. They didn't like that DC was basically trying to shove their top three heroes to the side. Simply put, DC comics fans were not happy. Also, you know who wrote Infinite Crisis? Geoff Johns. I'm not blaming him for the reception, but this is important to note because of what happens next.

Johns is booted from the serious work of writing crossovers, and is banished to writing the Green Lantern mythos. He would, amazingly, do great at this because coming up with endless weird alien stuff and new lantern colors and all that stuff turned out to be just right for him. In a time when DC was putting out stuff like 'Amazons Attack' which basically tried to ruin Wonder Woman, Johns work is ironically a bright spot.

Because you see, as DC slipped deeper into fan disdain, they panicked even more. Dan Dido, thinking he had the solution, decided that the problem with Infinite Crisis wasn't that it was running counter to what DC fans wanted at the time, or that it was done without much of a plan, or that it shoved aside their three biggest names; no, the problem was that Infinite Crisis, and DC comics in general, was too optimistic.

So Dido grabs Grant Morrison and says 'write me a story if evil wins' and they came up with Final Crisis, and also Countdown to Final Crisis. These two are, unsurprisingly, some of the most maligned comics in DC's canon, alongside some stories we'll get to, and stories like the Killing Joke.

So now, DC is really in the shitter. It's basically unable to do anything right, no one in charge has any ideas, no one knows how to make comics fans happy. And during this point, someone noticed there was in fact one DC property doing well and making people happy: Green Lantern. See Johns run on Green Lantern, having introduced new lantern corps and stuff, was very well loved!

And so they were like 'okay, do more of this. Make a crossover.' And what he produced was Blackest Night, one of the best crossovers DC has ever done, in my opinion. It's unadulterated fun. I mean you got moments where major characters like Batman and Superman get to be lanterns and it's also got horror elements that work and honestly, it's just good.

And then they ruined it. See it did so well and generated so much positive buzz that they were like 'okay just put Johns in charge of DC creative' and uh... His next idea was Brightest Day, where the sheer weight of his nonsense began to literally crush the entire basis of the universe, because Johns is a lazy writer; he's great at coming up with new ideas but he doesn't do the hard work of filling in context, so everything begins to fall in on itself if left unchecked. When he was making up new stuff in space where there wasn't really canon, it was fine. When he was trying to explain that actually the lanterns are powered by space animals and the Earth is actually a sentient entity and a white lantern planet and all that it just falls apart.

But do not worry! Geoff Johns has a great plan to fix this! He'll just reboot canon entirely! Yes, in his infinite wisdom, the head of DC creative decided that the problem with DC canon was that there was too much canon! So it's time for Flashpoint, which just erased large swaths of DC lore that people liked. Fan favorite characters like Stephanie Brown? Gone. Fan favorite relationships between characters? Gone. Legacy characters? Gone. All of it replaced by an uncertain timeline where things like Batman having four robins apparently took place in under a year.

Oh, and it created The New 52, one of the most maligned runs of comics ever made. Johns literally went from his greatest triumph to an unmitigated disaster. And sadly for everyone else, it was all downhill from there.

The we got things like Forever Evil, which once again asked 'what if evil won?' Because that worked out so well for Final Crisis. But it also produced things like The Culling, which is what if we did Battle Royale with superheroes, and Death of the Family, which is just redoing A Death In The Family with a Joker without a face.

In case you're wondering how well this all went, Flashpoint was in 2012, and the DC Rebirth, which actively undid everything that happened in Flashpoint, was in 2016, meaning that his grand plan to just erase wide swaths of canon went so well it didn't even outlast him as head of creative.

Having now totally fucked canon, Johns then decided he wanted to do films! Like Marvel! He was executive producer on Green Lantern, Batman Vs. Superman, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman 1984, all movies which everyone hated, and for good reason.

At this point, DC decided that he needed to be placed somewhere with guard rails, like a child in a playpen. So they sent him to develop DC's TV shows, where people who worked in television could mitigate his worse ideas and mostly make it work. Though unsurprisingly, his terrible ideas leaked into shows like Flash, but he wasn't ruining DC anymore.

Well, aside from Doomsday Clock, which decided that actually Watchmen was now part of DC canon for reasons that no one understands but beyond THAT he was mostly pushed aside where he couldn't fuck everything up even more.

He was replaced in 2018 by Jim Lee; Jim Lee is luckily, not a shitty writer even if he's worked on absolutely awful stuff like All Star Batman and Robin. He's primarily an artist, which means he's got the good sense to let writers write and not try to do awful things.

However, a critique could be made that he has let guys like Scott Snyder have too much free reign, to the point where canon in DC has become an even more incomprehensible mess, because now we have two multiverses, each with its own matter, antimatter, and dark universes. He has, essentially, allowed the inmates to run the asylum. That's bad! But he's also only four years into his run, and some of the ideas are good, so we're going to hold judgement.

And well, we literally have Geoff Fucking Johns driving DC into a ditch and setting it on fire in comparison! So it probably can't be that bad. Hopefully!

Anyway, that's a brief overview of why DC and Marvel suck. Marvel's got two dude who think the future is the past and literally destroying your properties, and DC has a guy who literally cannot come up with a good idea once he's given total control over anything.

Shakespeare said that we should kill all the lawyers. Were I a billionaire who bought either company, I would fire all the writers. Because the companies are a mess when you realize what's happening under the hood.

See, that's the thing, I blame both company's best selling crossovers.

For DC it was 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' that basically taught them the wrong lesson that whenever they wanted they could press the restart button on the universe to fix minor shit, while for Marvel it was 'Civil war' which meant that they were going to make their heroes fight each other every 2 years just to remind you how bad they are at just talking.

And DC does it too in a minor way from time to time (Hi Cassandra's evil turn that everyone hated it) , but the way Marvel will just grab a hero that people like and either kill them like a chump or turn them into a villain it's...it's so annoying.

Like top of my head, Marvel has had how many comics of heroes fighting each other? Civil War, World War Hulk, Axis, Avengers vs Xmen, Inhumans vs Xmen, A.X.E.: Judgment Day, CIVIL WAR 2 ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.

[itscoolanimelove-blog]

The Best Anime of 2020 (So Far)

It's a huge year for anime titles. 'Keep Your Hands off Eizouken!' were proper to long-time anime lovers and freshmen alike. Over the path of the past decade, simulcasting and online streaming offerings which include Netflix, Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime, and Hulu reshaped the character of the medium in each diffused and top notch approaches, transforming how anime lovers observed, shared, and celebrated the shows and films they loved. Japanese animation is a stronger medium now than at any other time in its life, and from the appears of what 2020 has to provide, matters are only going to get higher. Do see: Watch anime online free

Otaku and anime freshmen have lots to look ahead to this 12 months, with not most effective one but two new suggests from Masaaki Yuasa, the long-awaited release of studio Orange's Beastars inside the West, the exceedingly-anticipated most effective of Toonami's adaptation of Junji Ito's nightmarish Uzumaki, and a new CG installment inside the Ghost inside the Shell: Stand Alone Complex collection from Netflix. Not to say an entire host of returning fan-favorites with new seasons of Fire Force, Fruits Basket, The Promised Neverland, and the very last season Attack on Titan at the horizon. But till then, here are our favorites of the 12 months to date.

Want even MORE anime? Don't sleep on our favorites from last yr, and our favorites from the entire decade.

Darwin's sport NEXUS nine. Darwin's Game Release date: January three Director: Yoshinobu Tokumoto Animation manufacturing: Nexus If you have been to pass Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman's adrenaline-charged social thriller Nerve with the mystery-driven extremely-violence of Hiroya Oku's Gantz, it would in all likelihood look something like Darwin's Game. Based on artist "Ginko" and author Yuki Takahata's manga of the identical call, the anime centers on 17-12 months-old Kaname Sudo, who, after accepting an mysterious invite from a currently deceased friend, is thrust right into a lethal supernatural bloodsport regarded only as Darwin's Game. Pitted against a cadre of sociopaths and without a way to are trying to find assist from the out of doors global, Kaname have to depend upon his wits and could to continue to exist at the same time as trying to find a means to escape this dwelling nightmare. Produced by studio Nexus, the eleven-episode collection is penned entirely by way of series author Yuki Takahata, ensuing in an version that is a close to one-to-one suit with the source fabric. If you're seeking out a taut movement collection with critical mystery drama, Darwin's Game is a strong choice. Available on:Crunchyroll, Funimation

puppy anime GENO STUDIO 8. Pet Release date: January 6 Director: Takahiro Omori Animation production: Geno Studio Pet is a real mindscrew, in extra ways than one. Based on Ranjo Miyake's manga of the equal call, the series follows Tsukasa and Hitomi,  empaths with the capacity to delve in the minds of others and manipulate their recollections and perceptions. Employed by way of a shadowy company acknowledged actually as "The Company," the pair are tasked with the usage of their capabilities to cover up crimes, assassinations, and dedicate all kinds of unsavory acts, more often than no longer at the expense of harmless lives and their own fractured psyches. The speak may be frustratingly obtuse at instances, with crucial terms like "peaks" and "valleys" thrown out of left area with little if any formal clarification, and the initial episodes can be a piece tough to follow with regard to what is being visible or perceived with the aid of whom at any given moment. Hang in there, though -- it's a story that progressively makes greater sense the longer it is going on and rewards the nearer you pay attention. And barring even that, it's nevertheless really worth a look ahead to the psychedelic visuals on my own. Think of it as a greater freakish take on Christopher Nolan's Inception by way of way of Philip K. Dick's Ubik. Available on:Amazon Prime

somali and the forest spirit SATELIGHT 7. Somali and the Forest Spirit Release date: January nine Director: Kenji Yasuda Animation manufacturing: Satelight If your tastes veer greater towards the whimsical fare of Studio Ghibli than explicitly movement-oriented titles, Somali and the Forest Spirit is a great choice. Set in a global of magic and sorcery populated by using spirits, goblins, and all styles of creatures, the collection follows the adventure of a wooded area-shielding golem and their companion, a precocious baby named Somali. Together, the two embark on a look for a domestic for Somali most of the last of the humans, a race of beings formerly thought to were persecuted and hunted to the edge of extinction ages ago. Think Alphonse and Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist, however as opposed to two brothers searching for the truth seeker's stone to repair their bodies, it is a father determine and their adoptive ward searching for safety and safety in a global of dangers at every flip. With great backgrounds, disarming humor, and a story with proper emotional pull, Somali and the Forest Spirit is a spirited myth of parenthood and love located inside the maximum unlikely of circumstances. Available on:Crunchyroll

in/spectre BRAIN'S BASE 6. In/Spectre Release date: January 11 Director: Keiji Gotoh Animation production: Brain’s Base Supernatural thriller collection are a dime a dozen in terms of anime, so it’s refreshing when one comes along that has as exciting a premise and character as In/Spectre. Based on Kyo Shirodaira’s novel collection, In/Spectre follows 15-12 months-antique Iwanaga Kotoko, a university pupil who four years prior to the collection’s start become anointed because the "Goddess of Wisdom" of the spirit global at the fee of her left leg and proper eye. Acting as an intermediary between the human and spirit world, Kotoko is tasked with fixing disputes and discrepancies among the 2. There’s just one problem: Kuro Sakuragawa, Kotoko’s speedy-made partner and boyfriend, is a noticeably fearsome entity with mysterious powers that strike worry within the spirits who Kotoko is charged with protecting. A serial mystery crossed with an abnormal-couple rom-com that sometimes pokes at the fourth wall, In/Spectre is a gorgeously animated series with a laugh twists, delightful characters, and engrossing cases that'll hold you hooked to the stop. Available on: Crunchyroll, HBO Max

tower of god CRUNCHYROLL five. Tower of God Release date: April 1 Director: Takashi Sano Animation production: Telecom Animation Film Tower of God has been one of the maximum talked-about new collection of 2020, and for precise reason. A collaboration among Crunchyroll and digital comedian publisher Webtoon, the series is an anime version of the online 'manhwa' (Korean for 'comic') via artist S.I.U. And the contemporary in Crunchyroll's recent push into producing its very own unique anime content material. The series follows Bam, an amnesiac adolescents who's mysteriously teleported into the eponymous Tower of God, a metaphysical structure that apparently encompasses the complete world and is designed to bestow mammoth powers upon the ones capable of reaching its heights. On his journey to attain the tower's peak in search of his loved friend Rachel, Bam should surround himself with allies in order to triumph over the Tower's deadly trials and even deadlier adversaries. A gorgeous fable-journey with wealthy characters, dense mythology, and delightful animation, Tower of God will satisfy all people hungry for a brand new shonen series to binge. Available on:Crunchyroll

kayuga-sama season 2 A-1 PICTURES 4. Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Season 2) Release date: April 11 Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama Animation production: A-1 Pictures Student council president Miyuki Shirogane and vice chairman Kaguya Shinomiya go back for every other season of machiavellian shenanigans and romantic hijinks! The first season of Kaguya-sama: Love is War become one in all last year’s standout new collection, a devious and hilarious twist on the conventional ‘will-they-gained’t-they’ components of excessive faculty rom-com anime. Season 2 has even extra within the way of lovestruck mishaps between Miyuki and Kaguya, as well as more time spotlighting vintage and new breakout favorites consisting of the Kaguya's hyper-capable assistant Ai Hayasaki and Miyuki’s icy cool sister Kei. And better, the second one season is just self-contained enough that viewers new to the collection should pop in to watch this one without lacking a beat. Kaguya-sama: Love is War is uproariously hilarious, stylistically inventive, and easily one of the great anime rom-coms to pop out this yr. Available on:Funimation

dorohedoro MAPPA three. Dorohedoro Release date: May 28 Director: Yuichiro Hayashi Animation production: MAPPA Based on Q Hayashida’s cult darkish fable sci-fi manga of the identical name, Dorohedoro is set inside the Hole, a harsh derelict city populated by humans and an ever-increasing number of unfortunate souls transformed into chimeric monstrosities with the aid of malicious sorcerers from another measurement. The series follows Caiman, an amnesiac bounty hunter and his great friend Nikaido as they scour the depths of the Hole searching for the sorcerer who cursed him with a lizard’s head. Oh yeah, he’s additionally were given a sentient human head in the back of his throat that pops up Xenomorph-fashion every time Caiman swallows his prey to search for the perpetrator. It best gets more bizarre from there. Packed to the brim with gnarly violence, leather-based-clad weirdos, pitch-black humor, and a number moments of mild-hearted levity, Dorohedoro is a darkish and wonderful hybrid-CG anime that mixes dystopian frame-horror and slice-of-life comedy to make for one of the maximum thrilling and precise new collection to come out in 2020. Available on:Netflix

beastars ORANGE 2. Beastars Release date: March thirteen Director: Shinichi Matsumi Animation production: Orange Set in a global of anthropomorphic animals, Beastars is the story of Legoshi, a benevolent if dour young lupine who crosses paths with Haru, an emotionally aloof and promiscuous dwarf rabbit, through serendipitous circumstances and starts to broaden complicated feelings for her. Legoshi's primal and emotional awakening is exacerbated through his status as a carnivore, forcing him to confront the terrifying query of whether or not what he feels for Haru is simply his instinctual urge to seek and kill, or some thing more. From a technical and creative viewpoint, everything about Beastars is masterful. From its without a doubt nuanced depiction of a society frayed among one of a kind competing castes of carnivores and herbivores, to its inspired feel of composition and lighting, Beastars is an absurd, terrifying, horny, and heartfelt anime that stands head and shoulders above the %. Available on: Netflix

hold your hands off eizouken SCIENCE SARU 1. Keep your Hands off Eizouken! Release date: January five Director: Masaaki Yuasa Animation manufacturing: Science Saru Based on Sumito Owara's manga series of the equal call, Keep Your Hands off Eizouken! Follows high schooler Midori and her pals Sayaka and Tsubame as they attempt to set up an anime club on their faculty's campus and convey their very own animated film. What follows is a wild odyssey of the highs and lows of attempting to break into animation, the type of comedic and disarmingly earnest portrayal of youthful ambition within the face of competition, and inexperience that reaffirms why you fell in love with anime within the first location.

Conclusion:

Brimming with meticulous nods to a number of the medium's best creators and a mischievously meta experience of creativity that'll have even the most stone-confronted of visitors grinning ear to ear, it's the kind of show you could simplest anticipate from the likes of Masaaki Yuasa (Devilman Crybaby, Ping Pong the Animation, and many others.) and the crew in the back of Science Saru. Top that with an infectiously trippy identify topic and score courtesy of rap duo chelmico and experimental manufacturer Oorutaichi and you've got one of the maximum memorable and hilarious anime of the 12 months.

[traveladventuresinnepal]

8 Best Adventurous Destinations in Nepal

Known as the kingdom of the Himalayas, Nepal has an astonishing diversity of sightseeing attractions that fascinates thousands of tourists worldwide. Beauty and mesmeric natural wonders ballets in the lap of Nepal embellished with numerous traditional cultures and festivals. Besides the natural beauty, the nation also highlights its enduring customs and beliefs practiced for thousands of years that uniquely bears the tale of its origin. Wedged between the two big countries India and China, Nepal has its northern territory engulfs the great Mount Everest along with eight of the fourteen highest mountains in the world. It is also known as the land of diversity as it holds the incredible variety of ecosystems, mountain ranges, tropical forests, and wildlife. You can see this holy land of Vedas, where arts and culture preserve, which is seen carved in the walls and the pillars of temples along with millennium-old statues. 

Nepal is considered as one of the best destinations for tourists, and whether you are an adventure lover, seeking of spirituality amid nature or want to heal in the pilgrimage tour in this ancient land, then we will list the best destination that will sparkle your soul till eternity of joy and peace. You can contact Nepal Tour Operators for more information. In this post, I will be listing top adventurous destinations in Nepal and the future post I will be mentioning about top natural and pilgrims that one should not miss when they are in Nepal tour and holidays. 

Best Adventurous Destinations in Nepal 

Sun Koshi for White Water River Rafting

White river rafting in Sun Koshi is the best destination for adventure seekers and those who love to raft in high rapid. It is rated as one of the top 10 white-water rafting journeys in the world by National Geographic as the river is regarded to have Class V rapid. Besides the adventurous and challenging river rafting tour, you can also experience the panoramic scenario through white river banks, centuries-old villages, and forested areas. The rafting tour can be a perfect match for rafters who wants to quench their heart as the entire whopping river tour is around 270km. The rapids in Sun Koshi are encountered at the beginning of the river trip that is fair and relaxed (Class III), which provides you an excellent opportunity for great teamwork to really progress. It is the best course to influence any rafting or kayaking fan with relaxing canyons, refreshing waterfalls, bat caves, new temples, beautiful white sandy beaches for setting up camp, and of course, a great variety of whitewater. 

You can, at the same time, enjoy the vegetation, scenario, and climate will help to ensure you will have a great time on this trip is exciting and different. At the ending days of this trip, you will end up in open plains. To assure you that you are in safe hands, you will be provided with Nepal Government licensed river guides, who have completed Red Cross first aid training.

Bhote Koshi River for Bungee 

World’s third highest bungee jumping spot is located on a suspension bridge built across the Bhote Kosi River and offers 160-meters chilling drop down that is definitely overwhelming to anyone. The falling can be enjoyed with a fantastic view of fast-flowing river rushes of the Bhote Koshi river. 

This rejoicing adventure trip starts from Kathmandu that will take around 3 hours drive to the Bungee site. Besides Bungee, you can also add little to your adventure as the resort offers canyon swing, canyoning, and other activities to make your experience fantastic. The suspension bridge, from where the jump takes place, has integrated swiss safety measures.

Pokhara for Paragliding

The next adventurous spot in Nepal is Pokhara for paragliding. It is regarded as the top 5 tandem paragliding spots in the world. Sarangkot in Pokhara is the paragliding destination where the flight takes off that will be around 30-40minutues long. Sarangkot is 1592m above from the sea level and gives you a fantastic view of mountains, namely Mt. Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Lamjung Himal, Annapurna, and Himchuli. Finally, you safely land in Lakeside. 

The thrill of being up in the sky like a bird is terrific, especially in the city of Pokhara because it has enough room for safe events that comes with a mind-blowing view of mesmerizing mountains while the beautiful Fewa lake just below your feet adds much more to your adventure. Snowcapped mountains, pristine lakes, and verdant valleys of Pokhara will thrill your heart like nowhere else on earth.

You will have experienced pilots to guide you and option to choose from tandem flights to certified paragliding courses, solo trips, or hawks accompanied paragliding experience. There are around 20 companies in Pokhara that offer paragliding services; however, the price is fixed with transport and insurance. 

Hattiban for Rock Climbing

Hattiban is located in the south-west of Kathmandu valley, where you can enjoy the thrill of top-level grade climbing. Before reaching to the rock-climbing spot one needs to hike for around 20minutues that will give you the magnificent view of the Kathmandu valley, gaining an elevation of 2000ft, you will also pass by the Samye Monastery. Hattiban rock climbing has ten intermediates to advanced single-pitch climbing routes, all bolted for sport climbing with bolted anchors at the top of each course. 

The cliff is vertical, with slight overhangs. Hattiban Rock climbing is suitable for all sorts of climbers from beginners to experts. There are other famous rock-climbing spots inside Kathmandu valley, like Nagarjun and Shivapuri.

Chitwan National Park for Jungle Safari 

It is one of the most popular adventure tours in Nepal that engulfs wild animals, green forest, and flat landscape—situated in southern central Nepal, covering 932 sq.km covered with deciduous forests overlooking the floodplains of Narayani, Rapti, and Reu rivers. It was in 1979 that this national park was declared UNESCO Natural Heritage Site. 

Chitwan Jungle safari is a famous adventure tour in Nepal that has a wilderness of a rich ecosystem that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, and water animals. You can enjoy all thrill with exciting activities like jungle safari on elephant back, jungle walk, canoe ride, jeep drive, bathing and swimming with elephants, and much more. One-horned rhinoceros is the main attraction in this national park along with hundred nocturnal Royal Bengal Tigers that live in the dense forests. Besides, you will also witness the intriguing Tharu culture and their tradition summarized in Tharu dance. A 40-minute canoe ride can be worth to add in your excitement. It is a slow 40min boat ride that brings you close to the sleepy and apparently immobile crocodiles in the river. 

Siddha Gufa for Cave Exploration 

Another exciting adventure lies in the heart of Siddha Gufa, which is also the largest and most popular caving destination in Nepal. It is the largest cave in Nepal and known as the second largest in Asia that has 437m depth and 50m height. Siddha Gufa being the largest cave in Nepal it delivers the best experiences of encounter with dark environment, bats chattering, mice moving, and many more. Its interior is full of spikes and natural columns. The name Siddha Gufa is due to the reason that a Yogi named Siddha Baba got his enlightenment in this very cave, so spiritually, this cave also holds enormous importance to people living in Nepal, whether they are Hindus or Buddhists.

Trekking to this cave from Bandipur is fascinating and takes about the one-and-a-half-hour hike. Instead, you can also hike uphill to the cave from Bimalnagar. It will take just 45 minutes to reach the cave, but the dirt and stone path is the only way to reach there, which is slippery, so it’s essential to take every step with care. The road is being managed and maintained to make it easy for travelers to explore around. It is also essential and somehow compulsory to hire a local guide as well to know more about the cave.

Sarangkot for Zipline

Known as Zip-Flyer Nepal is the extreme zipline in the world because it is the world's tallest, fastest, and longest zip line in the world located in Sarangkot, Pokhara. The Zipline is inclined at 56-degree, 1.8 km in length, 2000ft vertical drop, and speeds of over 160kmph making it the most extreme ride. The journey begins from Lakeside of Pokhara, and you board your vehicle for the trip to the Sarangkot Station. Here you can see the breath-taking views of the Himalayan of mountains range that is around 5400 feet on top of water level; you'll sit into a special harness seat and wait for your launch. 2 guests launch right away, and it's a race to the bottom! 5,4,3, 2, 1, and you’re off, fast to one hundred mph as you pass on top of the dense forest below. 

The main attraction you'll view of majestic Fishtail, the Annapurna Mountain, and also the raging Seti stream. Your ride concludes with a break landing on within the village of Hyangja. Your safety is essential and our credo; therefore, the system by Zip-Flyer LLC, USA, is designed with the most advanced technologies and had delivered a state-of-the-art zipline ride. Every part of this ride is designed to provide an unparalleled ride, comfort, and Safety, and the entire system is manufactured, and precision-engineered to equal or surpass standards set by agencies such as ANLS B77 Tramway, ASTM, and TV SUD codes. The duration is about 2.5 hours with a weight Limit of 35 KGs to 140 KGs, and a closed-toed shoe is compulsory.

Upper Mustang for Mountain Biking

One of the fastest-growing adventure tours is Upper Mustang mountain biking because the Himalayan region of Nepal has an impressive landscape for a mountain such trips. You can enjoy your ride and, at the same time, observe the incredible mountain ranges, and the brilliant Himalayan view can be more enthralling. It can be said that the biking in the Upper Mustang region of Nepal is one such unreal mountain bike experiences in the world because it promises spectacular scenery, mountain ethos, an impressive yet straightforward lifestyle of people living here for centuries, and other delightful lures that make mountain biking mesmerizing. It’s not just about the challenging ascents and endless single-track descents, and it’s about the journey of discovery of the nomadic horse culture, breathtaking scenery, and friendly heart-warming people that inhabit the region. If you love both culture and mountain biking, a particularly good time to go is in May to coincide with the Tiji Festival.

These are the top adventurous places to ignite the thrill in your soul and are highly suggested by tourists in Nepal. I hope this post was good enough to shed light on your holiday plans to Nepal. We will be expecting your comments and suggestions if you have one for us. For more information on travel and tours in Nepal, Buddha Holidays can be one helpful site to provide you more insight. 

[melonbreadallthetime]

Ken-chan’s Fan Event 2019

I was lucky enough to score tickets for all 3 sessions on the 24th and although the general format is the same for every session, the things said in each session are actually pretty different because of how Ken-chan decided to do things.  Each session had me in stitches, I was laughing so hard my face hurt, and overall, I had a super wonderful time.  

Check out the Read More for a full write-up and more pictures!

Ken-chan's guests for the 24th were co-stars from his current show GEKIIKE Masquerade, and they were Isaka Tatsuya and Washio Shuuto.  Shuuto has been a guest for Ken-chan before (not when I went), and I’ve actually been a fan of Isaka Tatsuya for over 10 years (from when he was Ichigo in Burimyu) so there was a hilarious war inside me between my 18-year-old-self who loved Tatsuya best to my current self that loves Ken-chan (equally?  More?  A LOT even if it’s not as long).  Shouma was also there because Shouma’s ALWAYS there; I’m pretty sure Ken-chan has never had a fan event without Shouma.  Although he’s usually there in a helping capacity, maybe emceeing, this time he was more like one of the guests and was on-stage for the Q&A and Etudes (improv skits).  Kainuma Yutaka, an actor Ken-chan met working on Nintama was the emcee.  

So the format was: Ken-chan, Tatsuya, and Shuuto would appear as a debuting idol group, perform their 2 debut singles (not original), and then there was a Q&A session with questions from the audience (we had to email questions beforehand), and then there were the Etudes (they always did three), and then Ken-chan did a present raffle for the audience, giving away solo cheki (polaroids) and one of his handmade uchiwa, and then the show would end with him taking photos with any fans who paid for a cheki with him.  Surprisingly, they also offered cheki for Ken-chan's guests, Tatsuya and Shuuto and Shouma, which is rare.  I’ve never seen an actor event where that was an option.  

1) Debut Idol Group

This portion is a gag, since these three are pretending to form an idol group together, but they basically styled themselves like one of those... color-coded, young-boys-breaking-into-the-industry, put-together-by-an-agency type idol group.  So they all had color-coded headbands (Ken-chan had red, Tatsuya had blue, and Shuuto had yellow), and they all had white T-shirts with their idol names SHARPIED on (Ken-chan's shirt read Akkun, Tatsuya’s shirt read Takkun, and Shuuto’s read Shukkun).  They also all wore these REALLY TIGHT skinny jeans with color-coded belts, and their makeup was A LOT OF BLUSH to make themselves look boyish.  Shuuto even had freckles drawn over his blush.  Ken-chan was also pitching his voice to sound much higher.  Tatsuya’s Takkun personality wasn’t all that different from himself, he was pretty silly and hammy.  Ken-chan as Akkun would stutter a lot, would not stop wiggling his hips across the stage and striking poses, and very excitable, very... manufactured idol.  Shuuto as Shukkun was SUPER SHY AND QUIET and wouldn’t really talk or move at all, he just stood on the far right towards the back of the stage with his shoulders all stiff and a terrified, deer-in-the-headlights look.  

Then they performed their two “singles” which were actually songs from like the 70’s or 80’s (I’d heard them before but couldn’t place them).  They’d play the original music video behind them and then sing (so really it was more like a karaoke session), and they actually didn’t know all the words to both songs, so they had uchiwa themselves on-stage.  One one side they had Sharpied their names (Akkun, Takkun, Shukkun), and on the other side, they’d printed THE LYRICS to the songs.  Ken-chan would sing and also DANCE by flailing like a maniac most of the time around the stage, shaking his hips constantly and striking dramatic Jojo poses, like someone drunk at karaoke who’s getting WAY too into the music but it’s great for spectators.  Tatsuya was honestly putting in a decent amount of effort too, singing nice and clearly and trying to dance along even though there was really no following Ken-chan.  Shuuto, because of his character, would stay stiff and still in the back right of the stage, quietly singing along and holding his uchiwa up to his face, very obviously reading the lyrics and not really ‘performing’ like the other two.  

Usually during the instrumental breaks in both songs, Ken-chan would try and get Tatsuya to do something ridiculous with him.  In the first session, he’d make Tatsuya bend forward so that he cold leapfrog over him sideways, and then he made Tatsuya leapfrog over him, and then they pulled Shuuto in for a 3-man pyramid and then they’d RUN back to grab their uchiwa off the table so they could start singing again in time lolololol.  Second session, they did lifts for Ken-chan; so Tatsuya and Shuuto would take either of Ken-chan's arms and lift him in an angel pose and carry him across the stage, In the third session, they kept trying to do these lifts that they didn’t really know how to do, so Tatsuya would lift Ken-chan onto his shoulders, but then he kept trying to get Ken-chan to sort of... stand? By bracing his feet on his thighs and it was not working because Ken-chan didn’t know what to do and then Tatsuya accidentally decked Ken-chan in the crotch with his head and Ken-chan dramatically rolled around the floor on-stage, clutching his crotch and the others sort of checked on him before hurrying to grab their lyrics because they were missing their cues lololololol.  

And then after the performance, Yutaka-san and Shouma would join them on stage.  They’d joke around about how Shukkun was new and that’s why he’s so nervous and not doing as well as the other two.  Yutaka-san would point out that they only formed their group recently, as in, TODAY, and Akkun said in one session, “Well he arrived last in the morning.  So he’s the new guy.  I’m his senpai by two minutes.”  

Oh and I forgot to mention that their idol group name was “Atashi,” which is (1) the most feminine way to say “I,” and (2) a reference to Arashi, the most famous Japanese boy band that’s existed since 1999.  

Then they would “transform” into themselves with an “illusion” which just meant Ken-chan would twirl around on-stage shouting, “ILLUSION!!!” and they’d flash the lights on the stage, and then the three would start acting like themselves to start the Q&A session.

2) Q&A Session

They always did about three pre-selected audience questions that had to be e-mailed in before the day, and it was fun because they would ask the question to all four of them in most cases, and usually they’d get a little de-railed and end up talking about one question for several minutes.  Most of the questions were summer-themed and resulted in a lot of really random information from all of them like how Tatsuya really likes to go riding on his motorcycle out into nature and go solo-camping, Shuuto refuses to turn on the air conditioning even in summer (to get stronger, whatever that means), and Ken-chan was actually scouted at age 15, but didn’t decide to seriously pursue work in the entertainment industry until he turned 18.  There was even some conversation about choosing to stay in entertainment, and Shuuto brought up the great point that most actors quit around the time that they’re 29 and move on to other things and/or start a family, “so the ones who stick around past thirty are the weirdos.”  And Ken-chan was like HEY and Tatsuya was like ‘yeah maybe...’  But Shuuto fixed it to say that the over-thirty actors are then some of the most wonderful senpai to learn from as a younger actor.  

One of the questions that I found really cute was one that asked how they did their summer homework back when they were in school.  Do it at the start of summer type, work on it gradually throughout the summer type, or the procrastinator.  Tatsuya said he always had a lot of anxiety about it so he was the type to do his homework little by little every day throughout the summer, and that he’s the same way now as actor.  He has nightmares about getting the script and then the tour of a play starting the next day when he hadn’t learned any of his lines yet, so he’s very diligent about memorization.  Ken-chan and Shouma were both procrastinators who put off their homework to the end, although Ken-chan also mentioned a friend he had in high school who would dedicate the first two weeks of summer entirely to vacation, and the last two weeks entirely to vacation, but would do his absolute best for three days right in the middle to finishing all of his homework then.  Shuuto said he was the type to never do his homework and run away from the teachers.  In the first session when this question was asked, there was actually a child in the audience (she looked maybe about 8?) and he noticed her and kind of immediately backtracked and said to her directly, “But that’s not good, okay?  I did a bad thing, you have to do your summer homework.”  

Tatsuya apparently really likes camping by himself, winter camping, and recently has started buying more and more camping gear.  He invited Ken-chan to go camping with him, and Ken-chan said he’d go, and Shuuto just flat out immediately refused, going, “Nope, it’s summer, there are too many bugs.”  And they were like, “Didn’t you want to be stronger?  Don’t you not turn on your air conditioning for that?” And he was just like, “This is different.”  Tatsuya mentioned recently buying an axe for camping purposes, and very casually said, “Between a knife and an axe, I prefer an axe, you know?�� And everyone else was just like, “I have literally never thought about that.  Nobody thinks about that.”  

There was a question about favorite places they’ve visited when traveling, maybe for work, and it got sidetracked because they started talking about weird experiences in different places.  So Ken-chan went to this kind of foresty and mountainy area for a shoot and they were filming at night and in the distance they could see a weird red light.  They thought maybe it’s the SDF (Japanese Self Defense Force) or maybe a matsuri, except it was like 1am, so Ken-chan and several others went to go check it out.  And as they were getting closer, the light moved up, grew into a bright orb, and then suddenly vanished.  So they all thought they saw a UFO.  He also says half the people he tells this story to don’t believe him, but Tatsuya believed him because he then talked about a ghost encounter inside a theater he was performing in.  He was crawling in the space under the stage to get to the other side of the stage and there was someone in front of him that wasn’t supposed to be there because he was supposed to be first in line getting out, so he tried crawling faster to catch up, but when he turned this one corner, nobody was there.  And then they all agreed that there are definitely haunted theaters everywhere.  

When asked if there was anything recent that they started getting into, all of their answers were for super old franchises.  Ken-chan talked about getting into Pokemon cards for the first time, meeting up and playing games with Shouhei (1st Nishinoya from Engeki Haikyuu), and Tatsuya talked about how it was hard to collect Pokemon cards as a kid because you don’t have money, but as an adult you can go all in and really build the decks you want so it’s more satisfying as an adult to play the card game.  Shuuto for some reason listed Dragonball, and when asked what his favorite season or version he liked, he said, “All of it.”  And they were like, oh come on pick a favorite, and he was like, “It’s not about that.  It’s about the world.”  

There was another question that asked them to compliment the person on their right, but they were sitting in a line on stage and there was nobody to Shouma’s right, so then they all stood up in a 4-person circle, arms around each other other and touching foreheads and the emcee was like THE AUDIENCE CAN’T SEE YOU IF YOU DO THAT, SIT BACK DOWN.

So Ken-chan complimented Shuuto saying that he’s really kind and this is because he pays a lot of attention to the people around him and knows how to read people’s moods.  When Shuuto was complimenting Tatsuya, he started listing things going, “Well he’s an idiot...” And everyone else was like, “...in a good way, right?” And he was like yes yes, in a good way.  And then “He’s loud...” The emcee added, “In a good way.”  Followed by “He’s clumsy,” and the emcee went, “In a good way—I shouldn’t have to be adding these!!”  But since Tatsuya didn’t really know Shouma because they were meeting for the first time, Shouma said it was okay, they could skip him, but the others insisted that Tatsuya could pull it off.  So Tatsuya looked at Shouma very carefully and went, “His hair looks like Trunks.  A small, good-looking face... great smile!” And it was super cute and adorable honestly.   Then the emcee told Tatsuya and Shuuto to compliment Ken-chan, since it’s his event and all, so they both talked about how warm and inviting he is as a person, and they thought it was wonderful how much thought and effort he put into planning his events, even if he asks them to do ridiculous things, it’s with such genuine enthusiasm they’re happy to go along with his whims.  

3) Etude improv skits

And now for my favorite, the improv skits that Ken-chan always does at his events.  They did three every session, and these were probably some of the best I’ve ever seen because Tatsuya and Shuuto were so great and the dynamic between the three of them was so fun.  I’m not going to remember all of these and not in exact order, but the first one they did was in a bathhouse.  There was always one that was idol themed because of the whole Atashi thing lol.  

Bathhouse This one was a bit of a mess because the others took these little buckets and put them over their crotches like men do in public baths, Shouma was pretending to be a cleaner/staff going around mopping and cleaning, but then Ken-chan out of nowhere decided he was going to be an old woman so he was covering his chest and pinching his thighs together and shrieking any time any of the others got near him, “Iyaaahh!!  A man!! What are you doing here?!”  So then Tatsuya and Shuuto sort of... semi-switched to being women too, and Ken-chan walked through the audience to the back of the room, complaining like comical old ladies do, but there were staff members in the back of the room working the projector and the music, so he got annoyed that there were men even in the back lololol.  And then Tatsuya clutched his chest on-stage and fell over like he was in pain, so Shuuto shoved Shouma at him going, “HELP, do something!”  And Shouma bent down next to Tatsuya, checked his condition, and then screamed, “SHE’S GIVING BIRTH!!!!” Which then had all of them pulling open Tatsuya’s legs and getting up into his crotch while screaming the entire time and I just... I could not breathe.  But then it turned out Tatsuya was fine, but then Ken-chan fell over so they started spreading his legs to help deliver a baby and it was just... so much.  I don’t even remember how it ended, just that it was a mess lol.

They actually do the bathhouse prompt twice, in the first session and then the third session because they wanted to try and see if they could do it better the second time around.  They couldn’t lolololol.  But that one had Shuuto, Shouma, and Ken-chan just constantly avoiding Tatsuya and leaving him behind while he kept trying to be part of the group and was whining that they kept leaving him.  At one point they get ready to leave without him, and this involved Shuuto going and grabbing Tatsuya’s actual backpack from off-stage and bringing back an earlier joke about Tatsuya’s solo camping.  Ken-chan commented on how cool the backpack was, and Shuuto went, “It’s great for camping!  And you know, between a knife and an axe, I much prefer an axe!”  

Mermaid princess This one started with Shouma on the chairs rowing like he was on a boat, and Tatsuya wiggled (swam) over and said hi to him, which resulted in Shouma just shrieking like a maniac and passing out.  Because that’s what anyone would do when confronted with a mermaid I guess.  So then Tatsuya got all grumpy and pouty because she just wants to become a human, but, “All these human men are useless!” which, I mean, mood.  Shuuto grabbed 4 of the uchiwa off the table and made makeshift crab claws out of them to hold in his hands and walked sideways across the stage singing “Under the Sea” and then Ken-chan showed up as some other unspecified undersea presence and tries to convince Tatsuya to stay in the sea.  And then Shouma revived himself and went, “I’m not a man, I’M A WITCH!!!”  And offered Tatsuya the chance to become human, but Ken-chan grabbed Tatsuya’s arm and dramatically spun him around and HELD him REAL CLOSE and was just like, “Don’t go, stay.”  And suddenly it got WEIRDLY romantic and the witch came around going, “Don’t be fooled by his--” and Tatsuya just went, “Shut up for a sec!” And just stared longingly into Ken-chan's eyes!??!?!  He put his hand on Ken-chan's arm to start, and then it moved to his chest, and he kept inching closer, and Ken-chan kept inching closer and it was kind of like gay chicken except that NEITHER WAS BACKING DOWN and eventually they got to touching foreheads and Tatsuya whispering throatily, “I’ll stay with you,” and it was just A LOT.  OKAY.  A LOT.  I basically watched my teenage-actor-crush and my adult-actor-crush nearly kiss and it was TOO. MUCH.   Shuuto and the emcee were just off to one side of the stage laughing and generally staying out of the way by that point and even Shouma just left them be once they got to touching foreheads because it was like ooookaaayyyy you two are clearly having a moment.  

Idol auditions For some reason, they decided that the idol auditions for this one would be done like a variety show and Shouma was the host of the program with Shuuto, Ken-chan, and Tatsuya auditioning.  Shuuto was nervous and shy and could barely talk or do anything and mostly all he could say was his random generated number 3289 or something and Ken-chan was then number 56 (because what’s consistency worth) and was enthusiastic but BAD.  So he kept stuttering and flailing around and shaking his hips nonstop but none of it was meant to look good.  Tatsuya admitted he was only doing this because he wants to break out as an actor, which the host frowned upon, but then Tatsuya was actually the most impressive one lololol.  Well, comparatively anyway.  Certainly he was the coolest.  But it ended with the host announcing that the three of them could be idols together and they were like yaaaaaay!

Pokemon In the second session, the first prompt was Pokemon and Ken-chan actually prepared a lot of things for it, so then they were like IT’S NOT IMPROV IF YOU PLANNED IT ALL OUT BEFOREHAND!!! But basically the 4 of them drew cards to see who would be trainers and who would be Pokemon, and then the ones that got to be Pokemon would draw cards to see which Pokemon they’d be.  But Tatsuya admitted he didn’t know any of the pokemon past the first 150, so they told him to do his best with the first one and then gave him a second card so he could play two.   Shouma and Ken-chan were trainers, and Shuuto and Tatsuya were Pokemon, with Shuuto being Pikachu.  Shouma introduced himself as “I’m Festival Boy!!” because he was wearing a happi and obviously you never fight any named trainers in the game outside of gym leaders.  But then Ken-chan went, “I’m RedYellowGreen!.”  By the way, I was seated in the first row for this session which was RIGHT UP against the little stage and that meant being absurdly close to all of this nonsense.  Shouma told Shuuto-Pikachu to tackle and he literally went and tackled Tatsuya, knocking both Tatsuya AND Ken-chan over lololololol.  Shuuto and Tatsuya were low on the ground on all fours or crouching to be the Pokemon, and making dumb little pokemon cries the entire time, and when Tatsuya got beat on a couple more times, Ken-chan switched him out.  I missed what Pokemon Tatsuya was supposed to be first because I was too busy wheezing but the second time, he was Venusaur.  It didn’t matter though because Shuuto-Pikachu went over and shocked them both so Shouma won the battle.   The emcee had no idea what was going on because he doesn’t know anything about Pokemon, but he figured it was good because everyone was laughing so much.  But at the end, Shuuto again said, “This seriously wasn’t a proper etude!  Don’t call it that if you—just tell us what you want to do and we’ll do it!  Don’t lie!”   I couldn’t help but remember one of the third-year videos Ken-chan did with Hiroki and Justin were Ken-chan was again a trainer and Hiroki and Justin were Pokemon and Hiroki had that really great Squirtle cry and then Hiroki and Justin attacked Ken-chan, RIP.  (x)

Idol Dressing Room Shouma played the manager in this skit, who’s trying to sell them on this idea of being in this play with this one director.  Mind you, their parts are things like “long-horned beetle,” and “rhino beetle.”  Tatsuya and Ken-chan are arguing about whether or not they should, with Tatsuya being interested because of who the director is, Ken-chan thinks it’s a pain, and when they ask Shuuto’s opinion, he just quietly and shyly replies, “Let’s do it,” and they were like, “Well if Shukkun says we should, then I guess we should.”  But as soon as Shouma leaves, Shuuto drops his shy act and comes over to the other two all casual going, “Man, I hate our manager, he’s so useless!” and they all start bitching about their manager which had the emcee CRACKING UP because that’s realism right there lol.  But then Shouma came back with his happi wrapped around his shoulders because he was the director now and with a deeper voice was like, “You guys are going to be my new actors, right?  Show me a demonstration!” and then he sits down and dramatically crosses his legs and Tatsuya starts off.  Since he’s a type of flying beetle he just kind of throws his arms behind him and runs in a wiggle to mimic flying, and Shouma went, “No no no, that’s not what I’m imagining.  I need you to be more... sexy.”  So Tatsuya does it again but sexily and then Ken-chan as a rhino beetle stomps in but Shouma tells him to be more manly so Ken-chan does it again but this time with his chest SUPER PUFFED OUT (like how Shouhei was doing it when mimicking Daichi in Winners and Losers).  And he just marches up to Tatsuya and goes, ”You’re a beautiful beetle.  Let’s mate.”  And Tatsuya just goes, “Okayy~” and turns around and Ken-chan hugs him from behind and they start swaying together and I just DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY KEEP— And then Shuuto came in as the long-horned beetle and just started pulling and plucking at their hair and that ended the scene which... you know.  Okay.  I don’t really know how the idol dressing room prompt ended this way but it sure did.

Evil Organization This one was so campy I was dying real bad.  Shouma put a chair on himself and called himself the chair monster and I think he was like, trying to hire Shuuto and Tatsuya from their ‘evil organization’ to help wreak havoc so he was telling them to demonstrate acts of eeeeevillll.  So Shuuto went first, pulled up one of the chairs, and put his foot on it.  And they were like, OH MY GOD THAT’S SO EEEVILLLLL.  PUTTING YOUR SHOES ON A CHAIR???!?  I can’t even remember what Tatsuay did anymore but it was just as campy basically, and then Ken-chan made this dramatic entrance from the back and the others on-stage went into defense mode because they thought that he was making a hero’s entrance, but then Ken-chan was like, “I’ll show you evil!  I’m going to use a chair not as intended!” and laid a chair on its back on the floor and awkwardly lay across it going, “How easy it is to sleep in this chair!!”   After the skit they were all asking him, “Were you one of the evil guys?”  Ken-chan replied that he was being their leader and they all went, “THEN WHY DID YOU DO A HERO’S ENTRANCE?  COMING UP FROM THE BACK LIKE THAT?!”  

Idol group break-up This one starts with Atashi at their final performance before breaking up basically, but also starts with Tatsuya bragging about his solo debut, which is super upsetting for Ken-chan, and Shuuto continues to just be quiet and off the corner, unbothered because he just cares SO LITTLE about being an idol lolololol.  Ken-chan kept going, “Shukkun!  Aren’t you upset?  Doesn’t this bother you?  We’re supposed to be a team!”  And he just kept going “...not really.”  By the end though, they look out at the venue from where they are on-stage, the magnificent Tokyo Dome, with all its bright lights... all the sponsor ads in the distance (cue raucous laughter from the emcee)... and they get overwhelmed with emotion and decide that they’ll do their best together for their final concert.  Shuuto just stands quietly next to them and they’re like, “Are you overwhelmed, Shukkun?  Are you moved?!”  And he just goes, “...not really.”  

High School girls I’m just gonna say that Shuuto and Ken-chan make the WORST high school girls.  They were getting the speech patterns down, deciding to go the Mean Girls route instead of just normal high school girls, and they kept teasing and sexually harassing the teacher, Shouma.  Shuuto just sat spread eagle in his chair, pretended to lift up his skirt and was just fanning his crotch, and Ken-chan commenting on the cute pattern of his underwear before just LIFTING BOTH LEGS UP INTO THE AIR WIDE APART like, “Look at mine!!” and then were like, “oh my gawwwdd, put your legs down, we can see everything!” and Shouma as the teacher was just like GIRLS PAY ATTENTION TO THE LESSION.  Ken-chan kept... lifting his legs up in a split... I just... SIR YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR CROTCH AWAY PLEASE.  But then the girls start gossiping about how it’s the teacher’s last day, and Shouma then does turn and says that because it’s his last day, he does have a confession he wants to make.  Tatsuya stands and shyly puts his hands together because he was playing the girl that had a crush on the teacher, but Shouma goes to Shuuto instead who was like, “Ehhh??? Gross!!!” and then Shouma went, “...then... Ken-chan!” and Ken-chan was like, “Why am I a second choice?!”   They eventually pull the emcee into the skit too, making him the principal who starts yelling at Shouma and the girls then start adding stories like, “And he touched us!  He’s a pervert, a pervert!”  When Tatsuya joins in, Shouma goes, ”Okay hang on, I definitely never touched Takkun!” and outs himself for the others.  Sadly the principal is a creep too because he’s mad, but he eventually yells, “You lucky bastard!” and the girls are like, “EHH!! EVEN THE PRINCIPAL!!!” and that’s how that one ended.  

4) Prizes For the raffle prizes, Ken-chan took solo polaroids there on the spot and also gave away one of his handmade uchiwa per session.  My friend actually won one of the polaroids in the first session!  The uchiwa went with the idol theme obviously, but he’d also asked us to make our own to bring to the event, because he would sign ours!  I didn’t know that when I made mine because the autograph announcement was like, only a couple days before the event, but yeah that’s really atypical of actor events too.  

Below is the one I made; the first uchiwa I’ve ever made actually!  It was a lot of fun.

5) Polaroids and autographs I actually got two cheki with Ken-chan and one with Tatsuya during the first two sessions because I just couldn’t let the opportunity pass.  When I showed Ken-chan my uchiwa, he was very happy and impressed and signed both sides of it “just in case” it would rub off on the plastic side.  Since he always allows a little more time for each person, I told him how happy I was to be able to make the trip from America to see him again, and he smiled wonderfully and thanked me for making the trip.  When I went back for another cheki in the second session, I asked him for a “fun pose” so he offered to do the big heart with both our arms and then told me to pull out my uchiwa again so he could sign it again “since you came back a second time all the way from Seattle.”  He’s soooo sweet!!!  

When I got my polaroid with Tatsuya, I told him that I’d been a fan of him since his Burimyu days and his eyes popped open like, “Oh wow!  That’s a really long time!”  And then he put his arm around me for a HUG basically, which is also SUPER RARE for fan events so I was very shook, but also my heart was soaring.  And then as I was leaving, he said, “Thank you for supporting me for so long, I hope I can keep meeting your expectations!”  

For all my younger followers who don’t yet have the income and means to travel and are afraid of missing out, don’t be!  It might take 10+ years before you can meet your favorite Japanese stage actor, and maybe it’s in entirely different circumstances than you could ever expect, but never say never!!!  It can still happen!

Overall, this is what I love about Ken-chan's events.  They’re never very big, which is on purpose, in small venues with close quarters, so that he can make them feel more intimate and personal and so that he can take more time for each person for cheki or for handing us the merch himself as we buy it beforehand.  He does so much that’s so atypical of other actor events, and a large part of that is because he’s independent and doesn’t belong to a major agency, hence fewer rules, and the other part is because that’s what Ken-chan loves to do.  He really wants to be really close to his fans, and other actors he has as guests comment on it all the time.  He’s not afraid to be embarrassing or ridiculous in front of us, and it’s always great in some ways to see the guests he brings and who will go along with his shenanigans.  With this group, Tatsuya and Shuuto are both over 30, in fact, they’re both older than Ken-chan (who’ll be turning 31 in September), and I think that also made for a much more off-the-cuff show because they’re all veterans and they’re so comfortable with themselves.  I don’t really know Tatsuya to do events, but he kept saying he had a great time and was real sad during the third session that they were now done.  Maybe he’ll be inspired to have his own fan events soon!  I’m sure Ken-chan can help him brainstorm.  

I feel like this day had about a dozen dreams come true, even dreams I never had prior to this day, so I had a wonderful, amazing time, and I really hope I get another opportunity in the future!

[smmraja2-blog]

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On Male K-Idols Looking “Gay” (And How They’re Not)

by Tricia Belda

source: BBC

Androgyny is a concept long existing in K-Pop that transcends the gender and cultural differences between idols and fans. It existed even from when the industry only had a small fan base consisting of local fans and a few foreign ones. Artists have always been freely cross-dressing; K-Pop boy groups may cover girl groups’ songs and vice versa, without receiving any judgment from their audiences. Androgyny has always been a part of their culture that their audience views it as nothing out of the ordinary. However, now that K-Pop expanded further to reach out to more countries, several problems arise. With more foreign eyes onto the industry and a now larger market, some people are quick to question the standards that K-Pop has set up.

The spite mostly comes from the non-fans, particularly the ones who are used to Western pop music culture. People outside the community are quick to point out what seems to them are “flaws” of the K-Pop industry. Most of the time, the misunderstandings are caused by the differences between the culture of K-Pop fans and non-fans. These misunderstandings consist of criticisms of the culture, not only limited to androgyny. The most pronounced “problems” that the non-fans often raise are the “fan wars”, the music for its “repetitive songs” with the “same melodies and concepts”, and the idols for being who they are— particularly male idols for being somewhat “effeminate”.

The effeminateness possessed by K-idols is known as “soft masculinity” among the people familiar with K-Pop culture, as Asher (2018) indicates. Soft masculinity is characterized by an interest in commonly feminine objects, such as makeup, and by the possession of feminine features. Shin (2013) translates this “soft masculinity” to “kkochminam”, which literally means flower boy in Hanggul. Kkochminam is a term used in K-Pop to describe males with flower-like or delicate appearances. However, a more convenient and common term used by people outside the community is the word “androgynous”. Androgyny, as Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defines it, refers to “the quality or state of being neither specifically feminine or masculine”; may it be in terms of physical features, in attitude, in fashion, etc. Among male K-idols, the more known androgynous ones, include Taemin of SHINee, Sungjong of INFINITE, Jeonghan of SEVENTEEN, Ren of NU’EST.

Shin (2013) states that kkochminam is often associated with the concept of metrosexuality; wherein men also pay close attention to their appearances and grooming. Aside from sharing common traits such as delicate facial features and skinny body types, the mentioned idols above (along with other male idols) also put high regards on their appearances with their distinct fashion sense, and their interest in skincare and makeup; similar to metrosexuality. However, a notable difference between the two would be the age group commonly linked to both. Shin differentiates that while metrosexuality mostly refers to “urban men”, kkochminam involves younger males (as the common age group of idols).

Due to its “feminine” nature, androgyny easily appealed to the female fans. Consequently, it is presently being used by K-Pop agencies as a selling point for products. Famous skincare and makeup brands these days have male idols as their endorsers. Visto (2018) even states that customers are “often lured into stores by men endorsers of make-up and skin care lines rather than their women counterparts”, showing both how powerful the industry is, and how such concept of masculinity is widely-accepted in South Korea. Male idols have always been very expressive in using skincare and makeup, stating that they believe men are free to groom themselves as much as women do.

image

NU’EST’s Ren modeling in skirts (source: Daily Kpop News)

image

EXO’s Kai performing in a crop top (source: Naver)

Likewise, androgyny is also “sold” as publicity in terms of fashion and performances. Ren of NU’EST garnered positive attention for modeling skirts and dresses for “VIP Shop” in China, and Kai of EXO received praises for wearing crop tops for their recent performances. Regardless of the negative feedback, these idols receive due to their unconventional fashion sense, a majority of the audience have been really accepting of the change. Fans have shown support for their idols breaking the norms that only women can wear certain apparels. The idols, in turn, make sure to meet their fans’ expectations by smoothly incorporating these unique outfits into their performances.

Taemin of SHINee also showcased androgyny in his performances; not through fashion but through his music. In his interview with Herman (2017), Taemin stated that he particularly used gender-neutral pronouns, and incorporated masculine and feminine movements for his choreography in “MOVE”. The artist adds, “I really wanted to break those labels, showing that dance is a form of art”, showing how idols are trying to boldly push the boundaries even further. Androgyny here is effectively used as a way to be a more versatile performer. Queerness actually widens the variety of performances an idol can show on-stage, for gender no longer serves as a limit to what an idol can showcase.

Androgyny breaking boundaries are not only limited to the stage, but also to the “real lives” of idols recorded by the camera; fancams (fan-taken videos), reality shows, variety shows, and music shows. In addition to the aforementioned comparison between metrosexuality and Korean soft masculinity (kkochminam), the former only refers to grooming while the latter involves the personas showcased by idols both on and off-stage. Jung (2011) calls this “manufactured versatile masculinity”, wherein idols are purposely fashioned to have an image of both manliness and softness or femininity. She states 2PM’s Taecyeon as an example of such, for both being “beastly” whenever he rips his shirt on stage to show his well-built muscular body; and for being “puppy-like” whenever he speaks in a high-pitched voice and makes sweet gestures when told to act cute (known in Korea as “aegyo”) in shows. Taecyeon, and other idols switch between personas depending on the environment to effectively appeal to the audience. Due to exhibiting such duality, the idols, and their performances cater to fans with different preferences.

The “real life” of an idol is also commonly caught on camera whenever fans take videos of them in concerts, fan meets, or other events outside of their performances. Often times, these idols act clingy and sweet towards their fellow members in front of the fans purely for “fan service” (an idol’s way of pleasing his/her fans). As a result, fans pair an idol with one of his members, fantasizing about their “relationships”. In turn, “shipping culture” (from the word relationship) has naturally made its way to be a huge part of the K-Pop culture. Fans have been really open and expressive about this in the media, to the point that some idols have admittedly stated that they are aware of the “shipping culture” in the industry. Although a few idols have already stated that “shipping” makes them uncomfortable, Iwacka (2014) states that their agencies direct them to fuel their fan’s desires by further being touchy and close with each other. To the fans, “every sign of friendship and closeness is seen as a sign of ‘burning passion’ inside the group”. This, in fact, is the content of most slash “fanfics” (fan fiction) that fans write, Iwacka explains.

Internationally, however, with predominant Western influence, the Asian standards of androgyny are looked down upon. To others, androgyny in K-Pop is seen as “gay”; whereas that should not be the case. As Oh (2017) explains, androgyny in K-pop is considered “neither an absence of masculinity nor homosexuality.” On the contrary, it is seen as a performance, to be “theatrical spectacles” for the audiences’ viewing. In these performances, the actors (or in this case, idols), are free to exercise queerness, without necessarily being branded as a certain gender. Oh also adds that “queer” is a verb, wherein the gender is practiced and exhibited; performed and not just part of an identity. The said idea of androgyny is unique to Western views as “queer is often understood as a Eurocentric concept with the implication that the non-West queer subject should follow Western models”, Oh says.

As a result of the generalization of queerness and androgyny being a specific type with fixed standards, several misunderstandings arise. K-Pop idols are usually the target for online harassments, cyberbullying, slander, etc. In the case of male K-Pop idols, they are usually subject to homophobia.  A long-standing problem in the K-Pop world is how people working in the industry receive years of training, sacrificing everything they have just to pursue their dreams, only to be faced with the harsh reality of a cruel and judgemental world. Now that K-Pop has grown bigger, although it equates to more attention and more profit, it also means more conventional eyes critiquing the idols for not complying to the standards of the West.  

One known instance of this would be when some people opposed K-Pop idols making the “Top 100 Most Handsome Faces of 2018”. Dong (2019) reports the Greek TV show host Katerina Kainourgiou and her guests making homophobic and malicious comments on their show “Eutixeite”. They made remarks such as "Is he a man?”, “I can’t believe there are women who voted for that thing to be No. 5.” Towards Korean idols like Kang Daniel and BTS’ Jungkook. Such comments show how some people remain unaccepting or uninformed of the differences between K-pop and their local culture.

Understanding androgyny in K-pop is not only a matter of understanding gender difference but also cultural differences, as ethnocentrism is involved. Baylor (2012) defines ethnocentrism as,

a term applied to the cultural or ethnic bias—whether conscious or unconscious—in which an individual views the world from the perspective of his or her own group, establishing the in-group as archetypal and rating all other groups with reference to this ideal.

The concept of such could be seen whenever some people call idols (and other eastern Asian males) “gay” simply because they have softer-looking features and are more concerned with their grooming, compared to males of their societies. Darling-Wolf, as cited by Eisend, Langner, & Okazaki (2012), explains that comparisons between the masculinity in different cultures cannot be outright made because the concept varies and develops differently in each society.

Each society also has its own standard of an ideal man, which members of other societies are not obligated to adhere to. With Caucasian masculinity as the most desired ideal, as per Tan & Shaw’s (2014) research, most people then tend to prefer men with either more defined facial features, more muscular bodies for the “Tough and Macho”, or the more mature and sophisticated for the “Cool and Refined” over the young-looking, vigorous, innocent, and delicate Asian masculinity ideal.  Having these ideals are actually normal because each one has their own preferences. However, having a certain standard, and employing that criteria to judge others’ behaviors, traits, identity, preferences, etc. is a mindset that, as much as possible, must be avoided. Particularly for androgyny in K-Pop, where both the topics of gender and culture is touched upon.

    A phrase to sum the ideas up may be “The concept of androgyny, it has been suggested, offers a means of transcending the duality of gender differences imposed by culture”, as indicated by Krishnaraj (1996). First, that gender is a spectrum which could not be quantified as either strictly male or female. Anyone could go from either end or prefer the middle ground (which includes androgyny), which is why the phrase “too feminine” or “too masculine” cannot always be applied. The case is even more applicable now, with the emergence of SOGIE and now that everyone should be more accepting of each person’s freedom of choice. Second, that each culture has its own set of beliefs, traditions, customs, and traits which should be respected by different communities. The standards of a certain culture could not be imposed on another, as a result of the disparity brought about by the history, topography, and other factors which may actually discern the two.  

    Currently, K-Pop has caused a radical shift in global culture. Aside from the aforementioned influences, it has caused, it also seems to be the meeting point between the concept of gender differences and societal disparities. K-Pop might just be the revolution of breaking through the barriers of heteronormativity and prevalently Western thinking that most people are accustomed to.

Bibliography

Asher, S. (2018, September 20). Flowerboys and the appeal of 'soft masculinity' in South Korea. Retrieved from BBC News Asia: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42499809

Baylor, E. (2012, January 11). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved from Oxford Bibliographies: http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199766567/obo-9780199766567-0045.xml#firstMatch

Eisend, M. L. (2012). Current Insights and Future Trends. Advances in Advertising (Vol. III), 276.

Herman, T. (2017, October 25). Taemin Talks 'MOVE,' Gender Stereotypes & Pushing the Boundaries of K-Pop. Retrieved from Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/8014100/taemin-interview-move-gender-stereotypes-pushing-the-boundaries

Iwacka, R. (2014, January). There Will Be Blood – the Darker Side of K-pop.

K-Pop Idol Boy Bands and Manufactured Versatile Masculinity: Making Chukgojeok boys. (2011). In S. Jung, Korean Masculinities and Transcultural Consumption: Yonsama, Rain, Oldboy, K-Pop Idols (p. 165). Hong Kong University Press.

Krishnaraj, M. (1996). Androgyny: An Alternative to Gender Polarity? . Economic and Political Weekly, 1.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Androgyny Definition.

Oh, C. (2017). Unmasking Queerness: Blurring and Solidifying Queer Lines through K-Pop. The Journal of Popular Culture, 9-13.

Shaw, P. &. (2014). Race and Masculinity: A Comparison of Asian and Western Models in Men's Lifestyle Magazine Advertisements. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 118-138.

Shin, J. (2013). Male Homosexuality in The King and the Clown : Hybrid. Journal of Korean Studies, 98.

Visto, C. (2018, October 15). Beauty and the boys. Retrieved from Business World: https://www.bworldonline.com/beauty-and-the-boys/

[alfiedavidmorgan]

Equalisation

What is EQ (Equalisation)

Equalisation is a form of audio processing which allows the user to make changes to the entire frequency spectrum. An example of an EQ is Waves’ Q10 EQ, it allows the user to make changes to individual frequencies or a range of frequencies in 10 bands (10 frequencies/ ranges) per iteration of the plugin, in order to create the desired sound.

Bands

An EQ plugin will have a range of bands, Ableton’s EQ Eight has 8 bands, shown in the first photo, and each of these bands can be programmed and changed in what they do.

Peaking: 

A peaking band is most commonly used for cutting and boosting within a range of frequencies, because it leaves everything else outside the range unchanged and allows for very specific tweaks to a mix.

High Pass Filter: 

A High Pass Filter (HPF) allows frequencies above the given point to pass through, while completely cutting the frequencies below. This can be useful when getting rid of unwanted low end frequencies on vocals for instance, as the main body of a male vocal will start past 100 Hz (according to izotope, a renowned digital plugin manufacturer https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/mixing-vocals-how-to-create-space-for-vox.html), and the frequencies below this point are usually room reflections and therefore unwanted in the mix.

Low Pass Filter:

A Low Pass Filter does the exact opposite of a high pass filter and cuts the high end frequencies past a given point and allows the low end frequencies to pass through. Low pass filters are a tool I very frequently use along with HPF’s in order to cut large groups of unwanted frequencies on tracks of a song, for example a technique I use to get a unique sound is to pitch up a melody/ chords and then cut the squeaky sounding high end, which allows me to pitch up without a massive change in the frequencies which are going through.

Band Pass:  

A band pass filter allows a defined range of frequencies to pass through while cutting the rest, essentially like having a low pass and a high pass filter all in one. This can be a very useful tool for mixing techniques such as sweeping. I use this technique on the master track of my mixes in order to find and eliminate unwanted frequencies, it works by using a peaking band to create a narrow boost (of which I boost by 8 to 12 dB and sweeping the band up and down in order to find problem frequencies, once a problem is found I will then switch it to a band pass and localise the exact range of bad frequencies, before switching back to a peaking band and cutting by an amount depending on how bad/ distorted the range of frequencies are.

Low/ High shelf: 

A Low Shelf creates an equal boost or cut to all frequencies below the point of the band by maintaining a flat line, creating a line which looks like a shelf. The high shelf does the exact opposite and creates a shelf above the point of the band. This technique can be useful when mixing an entire track without access to all of the stems, as it can boost entire ranges of frequencies consistently.

Frequency

Frequency, measured in Hz, refers to a given sound wave's characteristics. The adult human ear has a frequency range of around 20 Hz to 20 kHz (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10924/#:~:text=Humans%20can%20detect%20sounds%20in,to%2015%E2%80%9317%20kHz.) and thus most EQ’s have an identical range. Issues arise at certain frequencies during the mix as having many different tracks in a song will likely cause overlapping frequencies. A big problem area in my own mixing is the low end, as my own taste in music drives me toward creating bass heavy tracks, which often leads to distortion and muddiness in the low end frequencies where the kick and bass overlap. I have started to address these issues by spending more time focussing on the low end when mixing, an example of this being giving priority to the sub bass over the kick in the 40-80 Hz region as the kick is usually more prominent among higher frequencies than the sub bass, so in order to get the most out of the bass it must be prioritised.

Q

Q or Quality is what defines the shape of a given band. If the Q is high on a peaking band then it means that the band is very narrow, and vice versa. When Q is high on a low or high pass filter, it defines the steepness of the cut, the lower the Q then the more steep the curve from the point where all frequencies are cut to the frequency of the band, attached is a photo of the Q being 0, 50, and 100, to show the difference.

Audio Example of EQ.

After this post I have attached two audio files, the first being a song of mine which I made without any EQ at all, followed by a version with EQ. EQ is used for a number of different reasons in this track, the low end of the snare is cut off as I wasn’t a fan of it, and so I layered another snare which I liked and cut the high end in order to get the overall sound I wanted. I modulated an EQ opening up to the high end of the guitar at the start of my track to add some sort of build up to the drums, and once it is fully introduced there is still a low pass getting rid of some of the high end, this is because I pitched up the original loop of the guitar 5 semitones and I felt the high end sounded tinny, and would also take away space where a vocal could go. Toward the end of the track when I introduced an additional melody I used a low pass at 1k Hz and a high pass at 100 Hz on the guitar in order to make space for the new melody, at this part in the song without EQ there are lots of clashing frequencies and it sounds all in all like a bit of a mess, thus showing the usefulness of EQ.

Personal Issues encountered while using EQ:

As with everything I have learnt to use within DAW’s EQ is something that has required lots of time and practise in order to be a helpful tool for me in my process. A major issue I encountered when I first started using EQ on my master track, was just that, I would spend a lot of time trying to fix issues with my mix just on my master, rather than fixing issues on individual tracks, now it is a common practise for me to add a graphic EQ to every track when making music/ mixing so I can see and compare overlapping frequencies and prioritise track one over the other sometimes rather than just cutting the range on my master.

[jbnsoundceilings]

Ceiling Sound System - What You Should Know Before Installing One

Ceiling sound systems are the perfect addition to your home entertainment center. With the advent of modern technology and a greater demand for television programming, most home theaters have neglected the ceiling in favor of the screen. While this has decreased the quality of most programs on offer, it has increased the popularity of movie watching as well as video games and high definition television programming. In an effort to increase the quality of the audio component as well as to update the look of their home theater equipment many homeowners are now installing ceiling sound systems above their screens. While some of the newer models are not very noticeable and do not require much space, some of the older versions of these systems are so noticeable that homeowners may wish to consider a new ceiling design rather than upgrading their equipment.

While some manufacturers of ceiling sound systems may suggest that their products are left in place, many experts advise that ceiling fans or other such devices are used in order to increase the overall quality of the audio component as well as to improve the acoustics of the room. While it is impossible to eliminate the effects of air pressure and noise within the area, reducing these noise sources can greatly improve the sound quality of your system. For instance, ceiling fans can be used to draw the air upwards and out of areas where vibrations caused by heavy equipment are prevalent, thereby reducing the frequency of high pitched noises such as snoring and others. Similarly, ceiling fans can be used to create an even flow of air in a room, which can also reduce the amount of time that is needed for the player to hear the same music repeatedly.

One of the first considerations when considering adding a ceiling sound system to your home theater system should be the type of ceiling that you have. Some ceiling surfaces are more sensitive to damping, condensation, and noise than others and it is best to purchase a ceiling sound system that is designed for use with a particular ceiling surface. Also, if you have very large walls or windows in your room then you may need to seriously consider upgrading your ceiling to a larger size.

Another important factor to take into consideration is the frequency response of the particular sound system components that you intend on purchasing. Ceiling fans typically have a more refined sound quality than other ceiling sound components and can often provide a greater crisp and fuller sound than their floor-based cousins. If you are planning on using your ceiling fan with surround sound then you will also want to make sure that it has a high enough frequency range so that all of the speakers involved can reproduce the sound for the listener easily and flawlessly. Unfortunately, many ceiling fan manufacturers tend to design their fans with a much lower frequency range and this causes a lot of problems with the sound stage of some models.

If you decide to add a ceiling sound system to your home theater, you will also need to consider the type of lighting fixtures that are installed in your ceiling. Many ceiling fans are powered by electricity, so you will need to ensure that there are no exposed wires that could cause shorts and power surges and injure any players or visitors who may wander below. If you have a lot of natural light at your home theatre room then you may also want to consider LED lighting as these are far more energy efficient and are also much easier to install.

Installing a ceiling sound system can be one of the most worthwhile investments that you can make in upgrading your home theatre system. However, if you are not that experienced when it comes to this type of work then it is probably best that you employ the help of a professional ceiling fixing company. They will ensure that your ceiling is soundproof and will be able to install the ceiling sound system in the most unobtrusive manner possible. Not only will they ensure that your system is fixed properly, but they will also make recommendations as to what ceiling pieces you should remove from the ceiling in order to make the best use of your new ceiling sound system.

For more information visit us on https://www.jbnsoundceilings.com/

[cixixiongwei]

DC frequency conversion, stand-alone dual purpose, the fan will cool you off in summer

In the hot summer, air conditioning and fans are definitely indispensable. However, there are many people who are not used to air-conditioning, or the rented house is not suitable for installing air-conditioning, or is limited by the price, then the fan is a good choice. However, the traditional fan is an AC fixed frequency fan. When the gear is low, the blowing is unpleasant, and when the gear is high, the wind blows too hard and uncomfortably.

The Lexiu fan we are going to experience today is a DC inverter fan, so what's the difference?

First, let’s take a look. The reason why we feel that natural wind is comfortable is mainly because the wind speed of DC stand fan  natural wind changes irregularly and is not rigid. The Lexiu DC inverter fan has a built-in DC inverter motor, which can make the wind quality softer, and the noise during operation is less, and it is more energy-saving and energy-saving.

Chinese DC stand fan manufacturers  blades of the DC inverter fan are more than common fans, and are arranged in a double-layer structure. The advantage of this is that the air supply distance can be increased and the  wind power can be stabilized. At the same time, the fan blades are also detachable for easy cleaning.

The DC inverter fan provides four flat head shaking angles, which are 30°, 60°, 90° and 180°. For the pitch angle adjustment, the Lexiu DC inverter fan can be adjusted manually, from head-up to 90° tilting. A wide angle of air supply can be blown if there are too many people in the house.

4-speed wind adjustment, thanks to the DC variable frequency motor, the wind is still very comfortable in actual experience, the smallest gear will not be noisy when sleeping, and the largest gear DC stand fan  will not cause strong discomfort.

There are two ways to operate the DC inverter fan. One is the operating area on the top of the fuselage, which can switch, adjust the wind, set the head angle and turn off at a time; the other is with a small remote control. And supports up to 15 hours of timing Turn off the function, this is a more practical function for sleeping at night.

After my experience for this period of time, I think the DC inverter fan is a relatively good product. The DC inverter wind will be more comfortable to blow. The vertical desktop switch makes the fan use wider and more convenient for storage.

[guitarskillsplanetuk]

What Are the Parts of a Guitar: Understand Their Functionalities

Every guitarist needs to start from the basics when it comes to learning guitar. You can only master the skills when you are clear with the fundamentals. This is the reason why knowing about the parts of a guitar and what they are used for is probably the first step towards your guitar playing venture.

Below is a quick run-down of the basic parts of a guitar that you will find in most of the instruments. 

The Body - 

The largest part of the guitar, the body, is where most of the other parts are connected. It is the wooden, generally rounded, section with the big soundhole. It helps to be held in the player's arms. 

The Tailpiece - 

It is usually the last piece on the body, where the strings are attached to fix it. Some guitar manufacturers merge this piece with the bridge, creating one unit.  

The Bridge - 

This part of a guitar is situated in front of the tailpiece. The primary function is to go the strings up away from the guitar so that it can vibrate. Acoustic guitars do not have a tailpiece as the bridge has more fans at the back to fix the strings. 

The Pickups - 

The pickups are placed in front of the bridge. These are basically magnets wrapped in wire to create a magnetic field to amplify the strings' sound. It is important to remember that only electric guitars have pickups. 

The Sound Hole - 

Acoustic guitars have a big hollow structure in the body, equalizing the pressure and creating the strings' vibrations to amplify. 

Pickguard - 

The pickguard protects the wooden part of the instrument from any kind of scratches. Many electric guitars do not have this. 

Volume and Tone Knobs - 

The volume and tone knobs are found in electric guitars for controlling the volume and amount of treble. 

The Neck - 

This is one of the most important parts of a guitar. This is where the strings are attached, as it anchors them and allows them to tune. 

The Fretboard - 

The fretboard is another integral part of a guitar that holds the strings and runs through the entire length to create various notes. This is the part where you will find the frets that are pressed to change the pitch. 

The Nut - 

The nut lies amidst the end of the fretboard and the headstock for holding the strings and making it easier to tune the guitars by the guitarist. 

The Headstock - 

Perhaps a piece that needs to be considered, the headstock is situated at the end of the neck. All the strings of the guitar are attached to it, along with the tuning pegs to tighten it. 

The conclusion - 

Playing the guitar is an inexpressible feeling that can never be matched with any other activity. This is the reason why there are so many people who want to learn a guitar. However, before diving deeper into the topic and learning the skill, it is important that you have your basics clear. This comprises learning about the various parts of a guitar!

You May Also Read: Guide for Guitar Maintenance: Vital Tips to Maintain Your Guitar

[godolphint]

Limit and profitability of finned cylinder

Growing the surface zone or internal standard zone of the heat exchange chamber can similarly improve the heat exchange capability of the finned tube. finned tube is such a wear-protected, new and viable heat exchange material Finned tubes suppliers. It is a gainful and imperativeness saving heat exchange part during the time spent use. The equipment generally uses high-repeat power deftly as the heat source, effectively heating the steel channel and steel strip all the while, so it will be welded together. laser welded treated steel balance tube has the advantages of high heat exchange efficiency and huge heat dissipating area, long assistance life of the whole thing and wide temperature go. The thing is by and large used in petrochemical industry, economizer, waste heat recovery, nursery, power station evaporator, wood drying and other mechanical fields. 

Portrayal and significance of finned cylinder 

To improve the heat exchange viability, the surface zone of the heat exchange tube is by and large extended by adding equilibriums to assemble the outer surface an area (or inner surface zone) of the heat exchange tube, thusly to improve heat exchange efficiency. Such kind of heat exchange tube is called cutting edge tube. The Finned tubes suppliers disconnected into: square sharp edge tube, winding equilibrium tube, longitudinal equilibrium tube, winding serrated equilibrium tube, inside equilibrium tube, as shown by the shape and structure; As demonstrated by materials the finned tubes are isolated into: single metal finned tubes and bimetallic composite finned tubes; according to dealing with structures the finned tubes are divided into: roll-outlined finned tubes, welded formed finned tubes, moved outlined finned tubes, and set shaped finned tubes. 

Bit by bit guidelines to pick low finned cylinder 

Low Finned tubes suppliers are usually molded by machining on the outside surface of the light chamber with a particular height, a particular division, and a particular thickness of ribs. Finned tubes are generally used for heat exchange parts of condensers and evaporators of air conditioners, and low-finned tubes are habitually used in condensers. It contains a light channel and equilibriums "attached" to it. The helper limits are generally the inward distance across and outside estimation of the finned tube, the divider thickness of the finned tube, the equilibrium pitch, the edge thickness and the equilibrium height. 

Low finned cylinder execution limits 

There are two huge limits for low-cutting edge tubes to depict their introduction, to be explicit the fining extent β and the equilibrium adequacy η. The fining extent is imparted by "β", and its definition can be gotten from the formula: β = complete external surface an area of the finned tube/outside surface zone of the special smooth chamber; the greater the assessment of β, the more the heat move zone of the finned tube expands. The warm show is similarly improved Finned tubes suppliers. In the heat exchange strategy of the finned tube, tolerating that the temperature of the fluid in the chamber is higher than the temperature of the fluid external the chamber, the heat is moved from the establishment of the equilibrium through the chamber divider close by the height of the equilibrium through the heat conduction, and the cutting edge also talks with the incorporating fluid Convective heat move occurs, and over the long haul, the equilibrium temperature step by step decreases close by the equilibrium stature. 

Gathering technique of low finned cylinder 

The low-cutting edge tube is made by the moving technique (three-move askew rolling). Its working guideline is: the smooth Finned tubes suppliers is fixed with a mandrel, the chamber material is driven by the roller blade to make a twisting straight turn of events, and is moved by the roller The initial model made out of the score and the middle post is one small step at a time took care of with edges on its outer surface. To empower the plan of equilibriums, the moving parts grasp three periods of biting, rolling, and shaping during the misshapening method, with the objective that the readied sharp edges are done, smooth, and standard. The finned tube made by this procedure relies upon the base chamber and The outer cutting edge is a characteristic whole, so there is no issue of contact warm hindrance adversity and electrical disintegration. It has extraordinary heat move efficiency and strong assurance from distortion. 

Affecting factors of low finned cylinder execution 

The assistant limits are fundamentally the internal estimation and outside distance across of the finned tube, the divider thickness of the finned tube, the equilibrium pitch, the equilibrium thickness, and the equilibrium height, etc. It is normally used in applications where the heat deftly coefficient inside the chamber is more than twofold the heat nimbly coefficient outside the Shell and tube heat exchangers in UAE  provider in Oman The most ordinary application is an oil heat exchanger. For development and rising external the chamber, on account of the effect of surface strain, it moreover goodly influences sustaining heat move. Its dealing with has been industrialized and has been checked by various treatment offices.

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