Hamish Downie’s News Sushi #130: Morsels of News From Japan and Beyond

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Editor Note:It is Friday and that means it is time for the World Famous, soon to be Intergalactic Famous, News Sushi from our very own, Hamish Downie. Hamish brings us a decidedly different slant on Pop Culture as viewed through the lens of a non-native living in Japan.

Thank you (ありがとうございました) Hamish, for your insights.

こんにちは！Which means “Hello”!

This week we lost Queen Elizabeth II, the only Monarch I have known in Australia. It definitely feels like the end of an era. Here she is in Japan in 1975:

#royal #flashback "Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh are seen on arrival at Osaka Airport on May 10, 1975 in Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan. pic.twitter.com/pog0RIljUM

— Mace (@RoyaleVision) May 10, 2022

She came to my hometown of Newcastle in 1988 for the bicentennial. We went to see her at the ship, but my Father realised (along with a few others) that she would have to travel by car to the airport, and there was only one way to do so. There was a bend in the road, where she would have had to slow down, so we went there and waited. Then, when the Royal car came, it was actually Prince Phillip who noticed us, tapped Her Majesty on the shoulder, and she turned to us and waved her famous wave. It’s a happy memory.

God save the King.

via GIPHY

The Autumn winds are here, the days are still hot, but the nights are getting cooler. The hot days are still killing my indoor plants. I have the opposite of a green thumb. There are only a few plants that can survive living in my house, such as the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue. My partner says killing so many plants isn’t good for my karma.

via GIPHY

My podcast, The FizzPopcast Radio Show is going on hiatus for now. It’s a victim of my and Bec’s conflicting schedules. It’s a pity because it was really special getting to talk to people that I’d otherwise only talk to on twitter.

Speaking of which, the festival reviews for the Chris Watt’s penned thriller “Stalker” are out, and it looks like it’s going well!

The first #Stalker reviews are in!

"An intense and claustrophobic thriller" ★★★★ @thncom
"The best 'Elevated Horror' of 2022" ★★★★ @flickfeast
"Will leave you wanting to take the stairs" ★★★★ @HorrorCultFilms
"Stalker refuses to be forgotten" ★★★★ @MovingPicsClub pic.twitter.com/yWlLuFs3nS

— Kaleidoscope (@UKKaleidoscope) August 29, 2022

I don’t often do this, but if you have an LGBTQIA short film, please consider submitting it to the Gilbert Baker Film Festival, in celebration of the man who created the original Rainbow Pride flag. I’ve submitted a short film here, so I hope that you can too.

Please help us spread the word!
Gilbert Baker #FilmFestival 2022 Virtual Worldwide
Submissions are Open!
Regular Deadline
Aug.31st
Late Deadline
Sept.30thhttps://t.co/qTTP9rDHmU
Exclusive Discounts on Submission for @FilmFreeway Gold Members#RepresentationMatters #GBFF2022 pic.twitter.com/UDoSuF7ph3

— Gilbert Baker Film Festival-Int'l LGBTQIA+ Tribute (@GilbertBakerFF) September 11, 2022

These short films on twitter about Japanese Manners remind me of Michael Chan’s Pun-isher series. I hope that you enjoy this one:

I played my LEGOS again 😆😆 pic.twitter.com/uDwfrqoiNQ

— Gaijin Mommy (@GaijinMommy) September 2, 2022

A funny tweet from the same creator:

Not me with the 8yo loudly proclaiming the day of the calendar yr that corresponds to each of the 365 stone steps at Ikaho Onsen, stopping to note birthdays, holidays, & dates of note such as that time his brother flushed his underwear and broke the toilet. We may b here a while. pic.twitter.com/KHogvdJaUP

— Gaijin Mommy (@GaijinMommy) September 11, 2022

Speaking of Mothers and Sons, here is Towa jamming with her son: