The jet and the balloon in question. Image source: REUTERS, Randall Hill
For the last several days, a suspected Chinese spy balloon was seen drifting across the U.S. coast. The balloon was shot down by U.S. fighter jets this afternoon.
Flights halted in the process but resumed shortly after. “We successfully took it down, and I want to compliment our aviators who did it,” President Joe Biden said.
The Size Of The Chinese Spy Balloon
The F-22 fighter jet shot down the balloon, allegedly the size of three school buses, with a single missile around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
President Joe Biden Requested To Not Shot Down The Balloon Earlier This Week
Per the president’s request, the military didn’t shoot down the balloon earlier this week. The Pentagon recommended waiting for the object to drift over open water. Pentagon planned it this way to protect civilians from debris.
No One Faced Injuries In The Process
According to a defense official, no one, including military personnel, commercial airplanes, or maritime vessels, faced injuries.
Potential Key Elements Found Among Debris?
Another senior U.S. military official said it took only one AIM-9X supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile to destroy the balloon.
The jet shot the spy balloon down around six nautical miles off the U.S. coast. Officials said they hoped to recover key elements of the foreign surveillance equipment among the debris shortly.
A couple of F-22 raptors were circling the balloon before it turned into a poof of smoke. It likely landed in the Atlantic Ocean, drifting down from tens of thousands of feet.
The government had to halt flights in and out of South Carolina airports — including Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, and Charleston. The jet shot the balloon down shortly after, but before this event, individuals also got notifications of a “national security effort.” The flights then carried on Saturday afternoon.
Hu Tao from "Genshin Impact." Image source: YouTube.
Rap is such a powerful influence on culture that it appears in almost any form of entertainment. The genre has experienced a boom in popularity over the years, appearing in popular culture media and video games. In “Genshin Impact,” a Chinese video game, players are on a journey through Teyvat, an expansive, dynamic universe filled with life. From another world, you and your sibling have arrived in Teyvat.
Following your separation from an unknown god, your power being stripped away, and your putting into a deep slumber, you are now awoken to a world significantly different from what you were familiar with.
Throughout Teyvat, you will embark on an expedition searching for answers that can be found among The Seven, the gods of every substance. Become engrossed in the mystery of Teyvat as you explore this wondrous world, team up with a diverse cast of characters, and discover everything Teyvat has in store.
An event called the Lantern Rite Festival is currently taking place as part of “Genshin Impact’s” celebration of Chinese New Year. With this event, players can earn a wide range of rewards and participate in entertaining in-game content, such as more stories and mini-games that include solo and multiplayer gameplay. In addition, players will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Teyvat and its culture through original songs and engaging missions.
There Is Dissatisfaction Among “Genshin Impact” Fans
One aspect of this game did not go over well with many fans. One of the characters from “Genshin Impact,” Hu Tao, a beloved pyro-goth girl who is also a poet and a funeral home director, believes that she can rap. A crowd gathers as she performs “The Blaze Lilies” with Xinyan, another pyro girl who is nothing short of an icon.
It began with Xinyan playing her trademark electric guitar and singing the opening notes of a classic rock ballad, followed by Hu Tao rapping in a manner that could only be described as an utterly lyrical nightmare. But despite the cringe-worthy rap, Hu Tao and Xinyan had the crowd captivated and in awe of their energetic performance.
“Guidin’ your way,” her lyrics croon as the camera swings around her, “To the afterlife / Openin’ the path without a fright. Oh!” As the song builds rapidly to its conclusion, the gap between her lyrics and the beat rapidly closes.
Commentary
Generally, “Genshin Impact” fans share the same opinion. It is still being determined whether the English dub suffered from poor translations of the original Chinese lyrics (Hoyoverse is based in China), poor voice direction, or poor vocal editing. Many fans expressed dissatisfaction with the English version, resulting in social media posts expressing their opinions.
“Hu Tao has hidden talent 🔥🔥 She should keep it hidden 💯,” iBe_Vybin wrote in response to Hu Tao’s disappointing rap performance.
The video has received over 700 comments on YouTube, most of which are statements in all caps and emojis stating how poor the rap is. “No autotune, no mixing, JUST STRAIGHT A**🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥She taking over 2023 😤😤,” grix wrote.
While the Chinese version of the rap sounds better, the Japanese and Korean versions do as well, which is why some believe that Hu Tao’s vocals have not gone through appropriate editing for the English dub.
Who Is The Voice Actor For Hu Tao?
Brianna Knickerbocker, Hu Tao’s English voice actress, recently covered a fan song as herself, and the rap verse seems to be in accordance with the music. When the English language is appropriate to the track, Brianna is indeed capable of rapping.
While Brianna is usually a voice actress, she can show off her skills in a different medium when the context calls for it. It’s like a painter who can expertly render a portrait or a sculptor who can craft an exquisite figure.
“Genshin Impact” Continues To Receive Acclaim
It is unlikely, however, that a single poor performance will damage the reputation of Hu Tao or “Genshin Impact” fans. While she’s not rapping, she makes for a solid member of your team’s pyro team. Nevertheless, Hu Tao and “Genshin Impact” still deserve all the praise and appreciation they’ve garnered in the past – they have earned their fans’ trust, and Hu Tao’s performance is only a minor hiccup in the grand scheme of things. As a bonus, the game’s soundtrack has been lauded for its quality, providing players with a means to relax and enjoy the game.
Besides Hu Tao’s controversial “The Blazing Lilies” rap solo, “Genshin Impact” continues to be one of the most profitable mobile games globally, consistently bringing in $1 billion every six months. In Q1 2022, average monthly active users worldwide increased by approximately 44 percent year over year, indicating a high level of engagement. As a result, “Genshin Impact” shows no signs of slowing down; it continues to be a global phenomenon, captivating both old and new players.
Police at the scene of Monterey Park mass shooting. Image source: Raul Roa, Los Angeles Times.
Saturday, Jan. 21., the Lunar New Year festivities began in Los Angeles to commemorate the Chinese new year. The highly anticipated eve of the celebration abruptly then turned to tragedy.
Unfortunately, gunfire interrupted the night and claimed the lives of 10 people.
Just outside Star Dance Studio in Monterey Park, a gunman fired several rounds that claimed the lives of 10 people, with another 10 injured.
While many are mourning, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department may have identified a suspect.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna shared that witnesses gave an account of an Asian man and a white van as “a van of interest.
On Saturday evening, an attempt to identify the suspect occurred at 10:22 pm as surveillance captured the Asian male wearing a black printed hat, a black jacket, and glasses.
L.A. County Sheriff Luna also shared that before the suspect retreated to his van, he escaped to another location in a nearby suburb. Some individuals then overtook the shooter and “wrestled the firearm” from him.
Death by Suicide
Sunday, Jan. 22, authorities closed in on the white van allegedly connected to the horrific homicide. The SWAT team could see someone inside the vehicle just near Sepulveda Boulevard and Hawthorne. Incidentally, the person was deceased with 2 gunshot wounds coinciding with a possible suicide.
Police say this white van is connected to Saturday night’s mass shooting in Monterey Park. During a standoff Sunday in Torrance, the driver appears slumped over the wheel. Image source: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times reported that Robert Luna the Sheriff on the case was brief in sharing any motives. “We’re not only looking at that situation or scenario, but we’re making sure that we’re looking at any and every possibility,” he said.
Following the tragic shooting, the Monterey Park Lunar New Year has ceased the celebration which originally would have concluded on Sunday.
While details of the night continue to pour in, many condolences go out to all of those involved.
Migos Cook Up “Stir Fry” and Show Kicks in New Music Video
Salutations once again FM Trendsetters! Hope you hungry for Chinese food. I must say, I had to order some of that good New York Chinese Take Out before I viewed this video. It was well worth it. It complimented the video. Yesterday, the Look at My Dabcollective Migos released the video for “Stir Fry“, the first single off the follow-up album Culture II. The song itself is dope, but the video definitely made it better. This is the video to watch if you are a fan of cheesy Martial Art flicks.
