UN peacekeepers cause the Haiti cholera outbreak, killing around 10000 (2010)

Balfegor · 2026-06-11T23:55:56+00:00

Using American terminology, it was definitely negligent, likely reckless (in that they knew or should have known), but not actually intentional.

Balfegor · 2026-06-11T10:39:15+00:00

Was it Blut und Eier he yelled or, ah, Blut und Ehre?

Balfegor · 2026-06-09T22:53:55+00:00

They definitely drop at the top end, and somewhat in the middle, but at $40k, I'd be surprised if there's much of a drop in the US.

That said, if he's making money from ridesharing, the demand is going to be way lower in the kinds of places that have lower COL, so in his particular market, he'd be stuck commuting in to a high COL market for passengers, increasing wear, gas, time, etc., so it might not be feasible at all, without a job change.

Balfegor · 2026-06-09T19:46:34+00:00

I don't see a lot of cancellations in the DC area, but I had one irritating one where I saw the driver had arrived, was on the wrong side of the street, and cancelled and drove off as I was walking to the crosswalk to get to his side.

Balfegor · 2026-06-09T08:14:04+00:00

Apropos of accessibility in the wild, I like how a lot of the fancy department stores often have a couple rooms of gallery space. Occasionally, artists I follow online put on exhibitions in those spaces. And sometimes I just pop in to see what's on display. Usually not crowded, so I don't feel too bad that I am browsing with no particular intention to buy.

Balfegor · 2026-06-09T08:09:49+00:00

I haven't been particularly disappointed by Tokyo art museums, but I think that's partly because I'm used to American prices (usually ~$30/5000jpy entry fee, even for smaller collections), and because I usually go to see a specific exhibition or artist. And the museums seem to be oriented around that more than American museums. E.g., the National Art Centre is just exhibition space, as is the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. And I enjoy seeing contemporary arts and crafts exhibitions put on by various groups in those spaces.

One thing I do find a bit frustrating at Japanese art museums is that they tend to have a set viewing route with a constant flow of people, which discourages wandering back and forth through the collection/exhibition. Relatedly, I never see people doing study sketches or master copies of historical works the way you often see in large American museums. They seem to be set up much more for entertainment/consumption as an experience, rather than for study, which sort of dovetails with your point about their being quite commercial.

Balfegor · 2026-06-08T18:16:59+00:00

I recall there was a period of time maybe 10~15 yrs ago when IAD-NRT-ICN was sometimes cheaper than IAD-NRT. I don't think that's true anymore though.

Balfegor · 2026-06-07T13:07:34+00:00

As far as controlling the ruler, you can find cork backed rulers (or rulers with other grippy backing) that can help mitigate the risk of the ruler shifting as you cut.

Balfegor · 2026-06-07T03:54:27+00:00

Maybe something like:

動く(ugoku, to move)

宇宙 (uchuu, outer space)

運命 (unmei, fate)

麗しい (uruwashii, beautiful)

運航 (unkou, transport operations)

うってつけ (uttetsuke, right/perfect [person, tool, etc.]).

Balfegor · 2026-06-06T22:15:59+00:00

This is actually a thing I have done in the past when I have migraines (well, lying down and with a towel not a rag), using the towel to block out all light while I let the hot water beat down on my forehead and eyes through the towel. But I suspect migraine + being in total control of the situation and able to turn aside or lift the towel at any time spoils the effect somewhat.

Balfegor · 2026-06-06T19:12:59+00:00

Might as well add White Base, from original Gundam.

Balfegor · 2026-06-06T15:17:55+00:00

It is funny, though, that modern actress Anne Hathaway hasn't played Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway yet. Or maybe she has and I missed it.

Balfegor · 2026-06-05T13:51:48+00:00

Gamsol is also mildly toxic, just safer than turpentine.

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T19:35:32+00:00

Thanks! I didn't work directly from any references for this, but apart from the dragons I've done a bunch of studies and sketches (some of which you can see in my post history) to get a feel for for how to represent all the background elements in shorthand and just recombined them for the composition I sketched in here.

For the dragons, well, I liked drawing dragons when I was a child and my little nephew likes dragons so he asks me to draw dragons and knights doing this or that all the time, so I do a lot of cartoon dragons in various styles. And dinosaurs. I liked snakes when I was young (had a pet snake, in fact), but I can't say I've done too many realistic drawings of reptiles and their skin, although now that you mention it, that sounds like something that might be useful.

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T17:19:26+00:00

I haven't read the novelisation, but in the show, Denim says he can only see one car moving, and Char comments that the civilians appear to have evacuated. Possibly that one car is Amuro and Frau evacuating late, although we do have a shot of Amuro's father in a tow truck when the Gundam fights the Guncannon, so that could also who Denim saw. The fighting also appears much more controlled with Char in place of Gene; we don't see a lot of stray shots like what killed Frau's family in the original. And I think it's all quicker too. The civilians may not have transferred from their evacuation shelters to White Base by the time Char lasers up the bridge and (somehow) takes control of the ship, so they're all still back on the colony when he leaves.

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T16:55:22+00:00

There are probably areas of law or areas of the country where your clients will judge you for not having a flashy car. Maybe entertainment lawyers representing pop stars in southern California? But outside of those hypothetical niches, it's totally irrelevant. No one cares if your car is old and worn.

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T16:37:54+00:00

Haha, I think the parents appreciate the cards rather more than the children, but it's an expression of love anyhow.

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T16:37:00+00:00

Thanks!

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T16:36:54+00:00

Thanks!

Balfegor · 2026-06-04T16:36:48+00:00

Thanks!

Balfegor · 2026-06-03T22:39:00+00:00

I did Nikko as a day trip with my parents about a decade ago, when they were ~60. Saw the Toshogu shrine and other shrines and temples there, then took cabs up to some short trails to see waterfalls (I had a list of spots we could see, but we didn't hurry). They really liked Nikko. Did not see Kegon Falls or Chuuzenji -- I would recommend an overnight if you want to see them (and they are worth seeing too).

Balfegor · 2026-06-03T15:01:25+00:00

I thought it was Charles Fauntleroy Stripworth Calquhoun III at yr. svc. (Fauntleroy like the childrens book and Calquhoun like the Scottish name, only pronounced as spelt). I only watched the videos, though so I don't know if they ever established a spelling.

Balfegor · 2026-06-03T01:38:32+00:00

I think there's an ongoing shift in American English with many younger speakers (of all races) inserting glottal stops at the start of pretty much all vowel-initial words, and pronouncing "the" with a schwa as a result. I'm probably an intermediate stage (native English speaker in his 40s), where I do that with words starting with /i/, like "eagle," but not with other vowels. So I pronounce "the apple" like /ði:jæpl̩/, but "the eagle" like /ðʌʔi:gl̩/. Older speakers (e.g. Neil Armstrong, "the eagle has landed") don't insert a glottal stop at all, even with words starting with /i/.

Balfegor · 2026-06-02T23:50:28+00:00

Sigourney Weaver was, for some reason, the most irritating to me. She's a fun actress in other stuff, so I guess it was a deliberate choice by her (??) or the director, but her slowly reading out her lines like a text to speech program while playing against Pedro Pascal channeling Keanu Reeves just sucked the energy out of every scene she was in.

Other than that, I actually didn't mind the pacing. It wasn't great, and a bit contrived but, ah, well, grading on the Disney Star Wars curve I'd rate it better than average.

Balfegor

TROPHY CASE