losthighway wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:35 pm So the new Barbie movie has what appears to be China's imperialist "9 dash line" map and Vietnam is pissed about it. Then I wonder if this is another acquiescence to the large Chinese film market. But then the GOP jumps on it for the exact same reason. Curiouser and curioser.

This is supposedly the map that sparked the controversy:
This seems like a case of an overzealous censor trying to justify their job, combined with a government who will lose no opportunity to bring its sovereign claims to a world audience, no matter how flimsy the pretense in doing so.

(I do find it interesting that the squiggle is exactly 9-dashes long. Did the filmmakers bury any hidden agenda regarding the Canada-USA-Russia claims to polar arctic territory that is melting out into their puerile kiddie map?)

Geiginni wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2023 3:00 pm (I do find it interesting that the squiggle is exactly 9-dashes long. Did the filmmakers bury any hidden agenda regarding the Canada-USA-Russia claims to polar arctic territory that is melting out into their puerile kiddie map?)

Except there are only 8 dashes.

Nate Dort wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2023 9:14 pm Except there are only 8 dashes.

That's exactly what they want you to believe, etc.

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2023 3:21 am

Nate Dort wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2023 9:14 pm Except there are only 8 dashes.

That's exactly what they want you to believe, etc.

Apparently the Vietnamese film censors have eyes as good as mine too!

[Governor] Walz signs universal school meals bill into Minnesota law

Story of the year for this picture:

When is Trump going to get locked up already? They put drug dealers in jail before trials, and here's this guy gallivanting around the country and spreading his shit on social media while being hit with three indictments. How is Trump not a danger to society? Are they letting him loose to placate his legions of smooth brained fans?

Regarding the map in the Barbie movie - it's more obvious in the context of the film. Barbie is travelling from Barbieland to the USA (both locations shown on the full map), but most of the time Barbie is on-screen, she's blocking both Barbieland and the USA with her body, leaving "Asia" with its funny eight-dash line prominently in frame. Rather than framing Barbie next to the parts of the map that are relevant to the story. Cinematographers don't tend to do these things on accident, and to me it did look like they were trying to go right up to the line of plausible deniability.

This shouldn't be a surprise because it's been happening in Hollywood movies for ages.

they do set up lovely plausible deniability.. what a dumb way to have fun

InMySoul77 wrote: Tue Aug 01, 2023 9:58 pm When is Trump going to get locked up already? They put drug dealers in jail before trials, and here's this guy gallivanting around the country and spreading his shit on social media while being hit with three indictments. How is Trump not a danger to society? Are they letting him loose to placate his legions of smooth brained fans?

It's terrifying to see that he still has political viability. True the independents have been shying away, but he's the clear primary winner and shockingly competitive with Biden polling for a general election.

It's nail biting but I see this going only a few possible ways:

-He goes to jail and/or is legally prohibited from holding office before the general election. Legally this looks like a likely outcome but the timeline for court dates and processes looks bad.

-His legal shit mess makes him too repugnant to win a general and wraps up with sentencing after he loses an election. (The most likely favorite for me)

-He somehow wins, attempts to self pardon initiates more parliamentary chaos.

-The above but crazier because he's wanted in Georgia AND is president.

Was Trump or Turkmenbashi the greater leader?