The Western World

So scary because it is true

You could ask the question, "Do companies think that their customers are all complete idiots"?

You don't really want an answer to that question do you?

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen opens in Japan! Tokyo Transformers Night

Wow.

Just got back from the opening night of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Seriously had the time of my life!

Gathered a group of Die-Hard Transformer fans including @dannychoo @jonnyli @iMorpheus @fvbock @tamegoeswild @drzuco @mikamika59 @frankiebit and @ripkin. We all trucked down to the brand new IMAX theater in Kawasaki.

IMAX Digital just started in Japan today with the firs three theaters opening with the Transformers opening night. Kawasaki is the most convenient being only about 15 minutes from Tokyo station by express train so I will definitely visit again soon.

OK. Fanboy coming out now so you might want to plug your ears.

This movie rocked my world! Lots of robots beating up other robots. Lots of cheezy jokes. Lots of robots shooting other robots. Lots of cheap cheecake shots of whatername. Lots of robots exploding after being shot with missiles by other robots. LOTS OF ROBOTS!

They really seem to have the CGI down for robots as this time I think they had 3X the robots as last movie. And much more action.

Movie did slow down a bit as they actually tried to put in a plot this time. But at over 2.5 hours they actually managed to squeeze in a lot more. In spite of all the advance press I read there was still a lot of stuff I wasn't expecting.

Basically I was transported back a few decades and managed to recapture a lot of my delight from my original exposure to the transformers. Not a bad plot. Lots of action and very good special effects. Mechanical designs amazing. Drama (what they did to my precious Audi R8!). I have to say that the feeling I had through the movie was immense satisfaction.

If you can see the film in an IMAX theater, it is definitely worth it. If you can see it with a great group of friends, even better.

Before checking out the movie we stopped by the BIC Camera nearby and played around a bit with the new Transformer toys. I might have to check out one or two.

Highly recommended movie. May not be for everyone. But if it ain't for you, don't want to know ya.

Green Tea Coke?

What is it with Japan an oddly flavored soft drinks? It was only a few years ago that Pepsi *very* briefly experimented with Cucumber flavored Pepsi.

You think I am kidding don't you? Good thing I took a picture.

Well, one small miscalculation by Pepsi. They actually made it taste like cucumber. Seriously. Spot on, and so, so wrong. This is one drink that did not stay on the shelves long, and I doubt it was due to high sales.

Now Coke enters the "because science can anything" game with the Coca Cola plus line of drinks.

"plus" in this case means some healthy ingredient such as vitamin C or Catechin. In other ways, it's really a "minus" as this series is targeted to women by keeping it no-calorie and using Sarah Jessica Parker in the advertisements. Check out the webpage here.

So the Coca Cola plus Catechin drink is supposed to be flavored like green tea. I've poured myself a glass and am drinking it down while writing this post. My assessment is...

Not bad. Really, Tastes kind of like Coke Zero. But actually a more mellow aftertaste. I actually think it's pretty good.

But I have no idea what they are talking about when they say Green Tea.

No green tea flavor at all that I can taste. But as experiments go it could be worse.

Trust me on that.

Gundam RX-78 1:1 scale model complete. But where are the leftover plastic mold pieces?

It's been a crazy week so far. Between various events, buzz on new technology, visiting friends and ignoring the building pile of mail on my desk, I have hardly slept since Sunday.

So when the call came in from Danny Choo that the giant 1:1 scale Gundam robot that they have been building in Odaiba was nearly complete and some people were gathering for a photoshoot I had regretfully decline in order to catch a few REM cycl...

What?!? Are you kidding me? I am so there!

No way I am missing out on Giant Robot terrorizing Tokyo action. -EVER!

So Paul Papadimitriou and I hopped on a train from Narita aiport and went straight to Odaiba. There we met up with the rest of our Mission:Impossible crew.

Our leader, the Amazing Danny Choo (undercover and sans armor today), 3-dan Black belt in Otaku-do Ken Lee, World famous music-video director Jonny Li, Digital camera meastro Pietro Zuco, and infiltration expert Lester Ho, Paul and I gathered at a our top-secret remote base in Odaiba. and planned out strategy.

After weeks in the jungle and having subdued countless dangerous and armed security guards (really, i wasn't counting), we arrived at the secret contruction site of the Federations' new Prototype Mobile Suit. Approx 15 min south of Aqua City.
Here's what happened next.



Well, kinda like that. Here's what we saw. (click Gundam to see slide show of more pictures)


Here are more reconnoissance photos by the rest of the crew.

Danny Choo.com
Paul Papadimitriou
Ken Lee
Zuco PietroLester Ho Jonny Li

The Gundam is still not completely finished and will soon have lights realistic sound and visual effects.

Danny Choo and Akiba

Had a one-in-a-million chance today to follow Danny Choo around Akihabara today while he was shooting for his next YouTube video. Also along for the show was Setsuko Harada with Jonny Li manning the videocamera.

Akihabara is one of the best places in Tokyo to get interesting, visually stunning, and socially confusing photos, and watching Danny do his thing is a sight to behold. I can't believe the energy he has. We spent the afternoon dodging the fuzz, blocking traffic, harassing maids, and chasing high school students around town. Can't remember the last time I had so much fun.

Can't wait to see the finished video. If you want to see some of his previous vids, check out his page on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/tokyostormtrooper . Highly recommended!

Japan to be saved by Gamera-Radar, or by Anime Heroes.

The Japanese government is pretty freaked out by the north Korea missile test, so there has been a lot of coverage over the proposed anti-missile systems that the Japanese military plan to use to shoot down any test missiles that stray into Japanese airspace.

A key component in this system are the giant Gamera Radar installations placed to detect and track any incoming objects.

Yes, Gamera will in fact save Japan from invaders from space.

wait, not that one. This one.

For more on how the Gamera Radar system works, here is a news story covering the missile defense system.

FNN: North Korean Missile Defense System Gamera-Radar

Of course. There are some top secret backup systems not released by the news media, but some highly placed spies have managed to infiltrate and reveal that Japan's anime superheroes including the Space Battleship Yamato, a Gundam, EVA 01, a Tachikoma, and a magic girl will be prepared to take out the missile should Gamera fail.

I am somewhat disturbed that the last resort is to have Doraemon deflect the missile to the US (!).

Top Secret: Japan Missile Defense @DannyChoo.com

Temporal anomaly spotted on Google Streets

A strange temporal anomaly was spotted in the most unlikely of locations, namely the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Wales.

The Telegraph reports of what appears to be a woman dressed in dated clothing appearing to phase halfway through the photo capture. The internet is abuzz with rumors of time-travelers and other theories for the odd phenomenon.

I have on only two words of comment.

"Bad Wolf"

Telegraph.co.uk: Victorian 'ghost' picked up by Google Street View

Update: I've located the location the street view was from, but it seems as though some strange virus has destroyed the data for just this photograph. See the next one available below.

View Larger Map

One small step for man, one... Holy crap! Is that a BAT?

Yes indeed.  The first attempt by a new species to reach orbit, although the technique of hanging onto the space shuttle as it launches may be a bit too low tech.

Robert Pearlman at CollectSPACE writes

The legend of the Bat-ronaut

As Discovery continues its approach to the space station for a planned docking at 4:12 p.m. CDT, engineers on the ground have determined the status of the small bat that stubbornly clung to the shuttle's external tank (ET) prior to, and -- as it turns out -- through launch.

A shuttle engineering memo, obtained by collectSPACE, notes: "He did change the direction he was pointing from time to time throughout countdown but ultimately never flew away. IR imagery shows he was alive and not frozen like many would think. The surface of the ET foam is actually generally between 60-80 degrees F on a day like [Sunday]."

"Lift off imagery analysis confirmed that he held on until at least the vehicle cleared to tower before we lost sight of him."

"And thus is the legend of the STS-119 Bat-ronaut..."

What no one seems to know is that he really is just trying to hitch a ride home...

What Melinda really thinks.

The fallout from the Melinda Gates Vogue interview continues as this *secret* video hits the intertubes.  Enjoy.

Bill Gate's wife Melinda has a dirty little secret - watch more funny videos

It's snowing in Tokyo!

Love it! Hardly ever get any snow here anymore. This snow is nice and fluffy, but too wet so it won't be here long.