BTM_Pix

I can only comment from when I was there but from the moment we stepped off the plane on the way in to the moment we got on the plane home ten days later, every single worker in every single establishment from the airport to restaurants to shops to the railways was wearing a mask. As per the picture I took above, hand santiser was at the entrance/exit to almost every establishment we went to. All events that we were set to go to in Tokyo (the primary one being the CP+ photo show) were cancelled from gigs to sporting events as well as exhibitions/museums and pretty much any place with large enclosed gatherings such as the Skytree etc were closed. When we checked into the hotel, we had our temperature taken, the place was plastered with information in numerous languages and there were unlimited facemasks handed out at reception free of charge as well as the sanitiser outside and inside every elevator. I'd estimate that easily 85-90% of the local population were wearing masks and this rose to more or less 100% on the subway. When we initially arrived, I'd say that probably 75% of western visitors were wearing masks as well but about three days after we arrived this dropped very dramatically over a two day period and was more like 20% or even less by the time we left. I don't think this was through 'concern fatigue' or whatever you want to classify it but was more linked to reports I'd seen in the western media including from the UK government pretty much saying that masks were useless which presumably were then made into concise little info pictures and circulated on social media. It was like every single one of these people had seen this pop up on their social media on the same evening and abandoned their masks immediately. To say I was annoyed about it would be an understatement not least because even in the spirit of unity and support with the local people you'd think people would carry on wearing them but alas not. So in terms of the sort of lockdowns we have in the west now, there was nothing like that at all but what there was in abundance was the government taking decisive action to limit communal gathering opportunities (and closing schools) and the whole population supporting the effort to maintain distance where possible without totally stopping day to day life and all taking responsibility to take the prescribed precautions to avoid contaminating themselves and others. Companies also introduced home working but also slightly staggered shifts to ease the numbers travelling at peak periods. The staggering thing is the low infection rate in Tokyo considering how this virus is spreading everywhere else. Just the 8.5 million subway rides alone that are taken every day in Tokyo would lead you to predict a significantly higher number of cases than the 136 that they have, particularly considering how much longer they have been exposed to the virus there. For context, a single church in a small town in the UK appears to have emerged as a hotspot with around 15% of the same number as the whole of Tokyo has. By the way, the contrast when we arrived back at Madrid airport was stark and very, very frightening where absolutely NO ONE in the airport either official or member of the public was wearing a mask apart from us or employing any kind of distancing. In point of fact up until the point we got locked down here in Spain over a week ago, the only people we saw wearing a mask was each other. As odd as it may seem, that kind of gives me some hope in a way because it can explain the runaway nature of it here versus Japan and how it was contained there as either Japan is lying about its figures or that bouquet of measures and a public that bought into it from day one has proven to be a very effective balance between containment and total reactive lockdown. OK, it would mean that we have missed the boat in terms of doing it by consent if you like but it does offer hope that it can be contained. Because if the reason it has been arrested in Japan isn't due to the actions they took then it throws up something that I don't want to even consider which is that the virus has mutated somehow when it has reached Europe and we are facing something different and, looking at the figures, far worse.

Well its true golden era would probably have been when it was hosting the inaugural Oscars in 1929 so I'm not sure what you are implying about my age there mate I frequented it during 1995 to 2001 so not sure what era that would count as. Doubt it would count as either "golden" or "hip" to have had me staying there. Probably known as its "wilderness era".

To head off the bots and trolls, the source of this story is The Sunday Times and is hidden behind a paywall so you can't have a link. You can, however, have a scan of the article here as published today in the print edition. Not having to go pay to access the article will also spare anyone contributing to the coffers of its proprietor Rupert Murdoch. Interesting to note how one Murdoch's organs on one side of the Atlantic is going after the government while his Fox News property is doing something entirely different on the other side of the Atlantic. For anyone doubting the veracity of this story, Tim Shipman has proven to have had impeccable sources within the Conservative party, particularly during the Brexit period when the Government were tearing each other apart and their internal coup to oust May and install Johnson unfolded. It would seem doubtful that he would burn those bridges if he couldn't stand this up if required. Such a clear attempt to, quite rightfully, throw Cummings under the bus suggests that something similar may already be under way. Cummings role in securing the initial Leave vote and the subsequent manoeuvring to replace the entire cabinet with single issue Brexit ideologues had already weakened the UK's ability to walk and chew gum at the same time without this crisis coming along and allowing him to be anywhere near it, let alone defining the response.

Even the freeplay Streetfighter SNES station outside this second hand game shop was sorted.

Many years ago when I used to have to go over to do jobs in LA quite regularly, I always used to stay the Roosevelt. Ironically, the last time I went there I did actually spend the better part of a week in self isolation lockdown in one of their rooms and practically became a one man creator of a toilet roll shortage. And thats why we never go to faux British pubs to eat Fish and Chips anymore

It actually has the potential to be a good multi message public information film. Stay off the streets during a lockdown because a dickhead might run you over, check your blindspot before opening your door in case there is a dickhead approaching and you madam put that cigarette out in case the dickhead lands next to you and cries all over social media about you being a health hazard.

The weird thing is that in the UK at least there seems no way of convincing people to stop the phenomenon. Like a lot of stuff over the past few years, its like everyone has read some sort of viral Facebook post about it that had a grain of truth (diarrhoea is a symptom though a much less common one) which was then honed in on and now there is no talking them down from their position. Its now of course become a self-fulfilling prophecy as it has fed panic buying from people who know full well that it is senseless but are now caught up in it themselves because of the shortage. The two other countries that I have been in/am during this have not had the same behaviour so I can only presume if its happening in the US as well that the Facebook post must have been in English We got mercilessly mocked by numerous members of our family (and the plumber who instated it!) for getting one of these a couple of years ago but as Guy Martin says here our trumping gear has never been cleaner.

Yes. Vodafone.tv, signage in cyrillic script and the CCTV/security company sign above the fire extinguisher is a Greek company.

Still funny though

To be fair, that picture is from a shop in Greece.

I'll start by saying that that is a great film. But is there anything more 2020 than trying to capitalise on a global crisis that is literally killing people by click baiting a six year old video? This video is also doing the rounds after being re-purposed by a lot of people who are desperate for clicks on social media pretending it was taken during whatever passed for a lockdown in London when it was actually just pre-virus dickheadery. Fair play though, the woman's reaction at the end is gold.

That is so lovely @Anaconda_ Just before watching this I had been speaking to my daughter who is about to go to hospital to start her shift as a midwife and I'm not going to lie I am absolutely shitting myself about her uncertain welfare in work encountering this virus. The feeling of helplessness over that is particularly acute as we are in different countries. Watching your film actually got me very emotional considering how much more of those things that I should have done with my own daughter at that age. So keep making more of these and turn whatever degree of isolation you are having to observe there into the opportunity to make more great memories like this. But for the love of God, if you are going to do more stop motion, get a cable release for that X-T3

Yes, out of the Showa-dori Gate exit via the nearest ATM was the route !

That was pretty early in the morning though as I was pretty keen to flash someone else's cash !

Akihabara.

Somewhere in this buikding is the branch I got your Contax Zeiss 35-70mm from. The one you will get in 6-8 months depending on the plague ! Its almost like they don't want us to find lens bargains!

Clearly the F1 teams are following the forum Great news. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/51975690

I did warn you ! This seems like a very very very long time ago now doesn't it? I'm not sure you've got the hang of the secret part of the secret projects there mate You need to prioritise writing up the camera shop story !

The Sigma files are on their download page here https://www.sigma-global.com/en/cameras/fp-series/download/ For 3D printing in the UK I would recommend this company without hesitation. https://www.3dprint-uk.co.uk You just upload a .stl file to their quote page and away you go. If you are tempted by getting a 3D printer, its definitely worth looking at the resin printers such as the Elegoo Mars which offer really high print quality for the money. The process is very different as its chemical based so there is a bit more of a learning curve but its worth putting the effort in based on the results they produce. The other upside of having a 3D resin printer that I can tell you from personal experience is that should the world suddenly find itself in the middle of a pandemic where access to surgical masks, gloves and isopropyl alcohol are essential items of personal protection then by dint of having one of these resin printers you will already have these items to hand

He has been there long enough now that he will either need more underpants or more lenses. I'm betting he'd choose the latter.

Sigma providing the 3D files makes it a lot easier to add your own parts. This is what your 0.5cm riser would look like and obviously you can then choose what to do with the top of it to make it marry to your preferred method of mounting.

So, radio stations all across Europe had a show of support and solidarity by all simultaneously playing "You'll Never Walk Alone" at 08:45 this morning. What a lovely gesture and sentiment and as a native of Liverpool and Liverpool FC fan this song has a very special meaning to me personally for multiple reasons. After the events of yesterday, I can't say the irony isn't lost on me though ! "You'll Be Arrested If You Don't Walk Alone And Quite Possibly Even If You Are Walking Alone (without a dog)" would have been more apt this morning https://www.nme.com/news/music/coronavirus-radio-stations-play-youll-never-walk-alone-at-same-time-in-show-of-solidarity-2632363

It hasn't been removed. His reply was to this portion of the post above his from Scott. But he has put his own post inside the quoted portion. So his response was actually : --------------- I'm getting similar. Although in my tests are as follows: 100-400 are fine. 500, 640 Flicker 800 Fine 1000-4000 Flicker 5000+ fine. And you're right..the whole first frame brighter only happens on ISO's 125-320. So weird. So for me, I'll shoot at 100, 400, 800 and 5k and up. ------------------ Scott has then responded but as he has quoted RedEpic's post its shows up a blank because its embedded in a previous reply. Clear as mud ! But that's how it has happened

The Specials could provide the soundtrack for much of this situation really. Starts off being spread through the International Jet Set * No one was really paying it the attention it deserves because of being too busy (working for the) Rat Race and trying to survive in the Concrete Jungle. Now everyone is locked having to Do Nothing with a lot of people saying I Can't Stand It. And no doubt You're Wondering Now (what to do, now you know this is the end) of what once was and knowing its the Dawning Of A New Era. Whatever it brings, the lesson we should all heed when we get out is to make the most of life and Enjoy Yourself (Its later thank you think). * This song from 40 years ago features the horribly prescient lyric "Spread the disease, from the south China sea to the beach hotel Malibu"

In all seriousness I fully support the restrictions and I'm annoyed at myself for not knowing about today's addition to it. Particularly as this lunatic has now reset my own danger of exposure clock again when it was only a few days from running out by screaming in my face. The rage and hatred he had for me was incredible though as usually people only reach that point with me when we've been formally introduced at least Oh well, he'll have plenty of justification when true boredom sets in on day 13 and I fly my drone off the roof to pick up stray dog turds off the golf course and drop them all over his garden.