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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Caliga on March 15, 2012, 06:49:42 AM

Title: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Caliga on March 15, 2012, 06:49:42 AM
WANTED:  Someone to go back in time with me. :(

QuoteGirls' Time Travel Attempt Leads To Suicide In China

Two schoolgirls in China have committed suicide in an attempt to travel back in time.

The girls decided to end their lives after one of them lost a remote control to a door, China Daily reports, via People's Daily. Xiao Hua told her best friend and fellow classmate, Xiao Mei, that she was worried about coming clean to her parents. The names are reportedly pseudonyms.

In an effort to avoid potential consequences, the girls allegedly took inspiration from a popular television show and committed suicide to travel back in time.

They left notes explaining their decision before jumping -- and subsequently drowning -- in a pool.

In a note obtained by the Shanghaiist.com, one of the girls explained her reasoning for her rash decision by writing: "In my life, I have two secret wishes. One is to time-travel back to Qing Dynasty and shoot a film with the emperor, and the other is to travel to outer space," the Christian Post reports.

The chain of events has raised concerns about the influence of media on young children, and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has placed restrictions on airing certain shows between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to People's Daily.

But some aren't too sure about the story.

Anna North, a writer for Jezebel, observes that the article seems to highlight the apparent dangers of time travel-centered shows. She wonders whether the government had an influence on the direction of the article.

China Daily is a state-owned paper, described by the Committee to Protect Journalists as "straitlaced." People's Daily Online is the website of People's Daily, which until recently described itself as "the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China" — it now offers a more circumspect description: "one of the world's top ten newspapers." It's possible that Huang and China Daily were under pressure from the government to paint the girls' suicide as a direct result of the evil influence of time travel.

Additionally, the Wall Street Journal points out that media experts in China have also indicated officials might have not been crazy about the "themes of the shows, which centered on escaping discontent in the current era to journey back in time to a better life."
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.chan4chan.com%2Fimg%2F2009-03-08%2F1236527119496.jpg&hash=46600cb9e0eaa774cb6c47563b0936ab60441a26)
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Tamas on March 15, 2012, 07:15:25 AM
 :huh:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Neil on March 15, 2012, 07:17:13 AM
They pushed it to the limit.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: KRonn on March 15, 2012, 07:43:03 AM
 :huh:         Sad, a couple of dead kids now.   :(
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 07:56:14 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them.

Nostalgic for the good old days of the Opium Wars and the Tai Ping Rebellion ?  :D
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on March 15, 2012, 08:07:06 AM
I'd have thought any interaction with the emperors would be seen as counter revolutionary and end with a bullet.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Ed Anger on March 15, 2012, 08:07:38 AM
They should have brought their own weapons.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 08:37:41 AM
Quote from: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 07:56:14 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them.

Nostalgic for the good old days of the Opium Wars and the Tai Ping Rebellion ?  :D

Historical drama is very popular in China.  Especially those on the Qing dynasty.  There is an entire replicated forbidden city just for filming.  The target audience are females and housewives.  So there are no battles, few fights, but lots of love triangles, succession struggles and court conspiracies.  History is also easier to get past the censors. 

The problem is most of the well-known history has been done to death.  Time travel provides a fresh perspective.  What if someone who is vaguely familiar (but without complete knowledge) with Qing history becomes a concubine of the emperor?  Can she change history and help someone else become emperor? 
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2012, 09:06:08 AM
Quote from: Neil on March 15, 2012, 07:17:13 AM
They pushed it to the limit.

I don't see the reference of dead Chinese schoolgirls to a Scarface montage.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Josquius on March 15, 2012, 09:15:02 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 

You mean there's more than one show about people travelling back in time to visit the emperor?
That is....strange.


I wonder what this show with killing yourself to time travel is. It sounds animeish...
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2012, 09:22:26 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 15, 2012, 09:15:02 AM
You mean there's more than one show about people travelling back in time to visit the emperor?
That is....strange.


I wonder what this show with killing yourself to time travel is. It sounds animeish...

There's a ton of historical content like that on hulu.com from the Far Least.  Japanese and Korean, no Chicom stuff though.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 09:31:19 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 15, 2012, 09:15:02 AM

You mean there's more than one show about people travelling back in time to visit the emperor?
That is....strange.


I wonder what this show with killing yourself to time travel is. It sounds animeish...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_Heart
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: HisMajestyBOB on March 15, 2012, 09:50:15 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2012, 09:22:26 AM
Quote from: Tyr on March 15, 2012, 09:15:02 AM
You mean there's more than one show about people travelling back in time to visit the emperor?
That is....strange.


I wonder what this show with killing yourself to time travel is. It sounds animeish...

There's a ton of historical content like that on hulu.com from the Far Least.  Japanese and Korean, no Chicom stuff though.

I like the Korean stuff, but can never be bothered to sit down and watch a whole show. I just tune in for the hot chicks and people hitting each other with swords.  :blush:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2012, 09:52:30 AM
Quote from: HisMajestyBOB on March 15, 2012, 09:50:15 AM
I just tune in for the hot chicks and people hitting each other with swords.  :blush:

And who the hell doesn't, my friend.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:04:22 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 
China's Downton Abbey?
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: FunkMonk on March 15, 2012, 10:04:28 AM
This story is sad. I am sad.  :(
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 15, 2012, 10:54:45 AM
Quote from: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:04:22 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 
China's Downton Abbey?

Downton is big budget, A-list?  :huh:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:57:51 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 15, 2012, 10:54:45 AM
Quote from: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:04:22 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 
China's Downton Abbey?

Downton is big budget, A-list?  :huh:
i think it's big budget, actually. as far as tv shows go. but i meant the nostalgia about a place in time that really sucked to live in. Crappy medicine, little to no social mobility, a world war. those don't really bring a  "Ah, the memories" moment :lol:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Razgovory on March 15, 2012, 11:42:59 AM
Interesting.  Folie a Deux is a very, very rare.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 12:24:29 PM
Quote from: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:57:51 AM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 15, 2012, 10:54:45 AM
Quote from: HVC on March 15, 2012, 10:04:22 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on March 15, 2012, 07:47:13 AM
"Travel back in time to live with the Qing emperor" is probably the most popular TV drama themes right now.  These are big budget, A-list star productions in China.  My wife has watched quite a number of these shows and she is crazy about them. 
China's Downton Abbey?

Downton is big budget, A-list?  :huh:
i think it's big budget, actually. as far as tv shows go. but i meant the nostalgia about a place in time that really sucked to live in. Crappy medicine, little to no social mobility, a world war. those don't really bring a  "Ah, the memories" moment :lol:

Goddammit, the female half of my entire family somehow became obsessed by that damn soap opera while my back was turned. My wife is bonding with my mother and my aunt on my dad's side over how bitchy some damn 1920s housemaid is.  :lol:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Eddie Teach on March 15, 2012, 12:33:50 PM
If you mean O'Brien, she's a ladies' maid, not a housemaid.  :bowler:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: CountDeMoney on March 15, 2012, 12:34:59 PM
For fuck's sake, you're all asshats.  Knock it off, before I start an Axis of Lettow.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Razgovory on March 15, 2012, 12:36:45 PM
Great, I'll get lumped in that one as well. :glare:
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: HVC on March 15, 2012, 12:36:48 PM
Quote from: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 12:24:29 PM
Goddammit, the female half of my entire family somehow became obsessed by that damn soap opera while my back was turned. My wife is bonding with my mother and my aunt on my dad's side over how bitchy some damn 1920s housemaid is.  :lol:
that's when they start plotting against you :ph34r:. bad things happen when women in your family start talking to much with each other :lol:

Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on March 15, 2012, 12:46:02 PM
Just how many time traveling romances set in Beijing can you have?
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Razgovory on March 15, 2012, 12:53:06 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on March 15, 2012, 12:46:02 PM
Just how many time traveling romances set in Beijing can you have?

I don't know, any one of them can lead to a paradox.  And you know what that means, more buggy strategy game releases.
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 01:09:00 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 15, 2012, 12:33:50 PM
If you mean O'Brien, she's a ladies' maid, not a housemaid.  :bowler:

I don't know. More, I don't want to know.  :D
Title: Re: Safety Not Guaranteed
Post by: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 01:10:03 PM
Quote from: HVC on March 15, 2012, 12:36:48 PM
Quote from: Malthus on March 15, 2012, 12:24:29 PM
Goddammit, the female half of my entire family somehow became obsessed by that damn soap opera while my back was turned. My wife is bonding with my mother and my aunt on my dad's side over how bitchy some damn 1920s housemaid is.  :lol:
that's when they start plotting against you :ph34r:. bad things happen when women in your family start talking to much with each other :lol:

:cheers:

Exactly right.