Not exactly a supermodel, indeed. Its the all new HRP-4C developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan and unveiled at the recent Japan Fashion Week 2009 in Tokyo. The price of this 'model' is $1.97 million! Quite an expensive entry into the Uncanny Valley:
detroit7 rocked and rolled a completely sold-out crowd on the first night of France's largest music festival known as the Printemps de Bourges held recently in Bourges, France. This is a very exclusive music festival held every year for four to seven days. In the past, many famous bands have made their breakthrough performances at this event. Check out detroit7 jam the crowd hard with their newly released hot single Cold Heat:
Reuters reports on the recent comeback of FUNDOSHI ("loincloths" in English) for the liberation of Japanese women:
Well, it would have been a better news report if Reuters had shown an actual woman wearing a liberating loincloth as I had hoped it would. I guess I'll believe it when (and if) I see it. Perhaps it may be time to move to Kyoto?!?!
In March 2008, Shane Smith and Eddy Moretti risked their lives and liberty and crossed over the Chinese-North Korean border and filmed a truly amazing documentary of their trip into 'The Hermit Kingdom' in The Vice Guide to North Korea:
"Getting into North Korea was one of the hardest and weirdest processes VBS has ever dealt with. After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists into the country to cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Then, ten days before we were supposed to go, they said, “No, nobody can come.” Then they said, “OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists.” We had no idea what that was supposed to mean. They already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you’re supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don’t like jail. And we’re willing to bet we’d hate jail in North Korea."
"But we went for it...."
And they certainly got it! Check out this quite surreal and somewhat humorous episode:
See all fourteen episodes of 'The Vice Guide to North Korea' on Youtube
Well, it is never easy living in a foreign land, but, as for myself, being so chock full 'o nuts, I really think that I fit in just great with Tokyo's non-stop, work around the clock, and drink until you drop lifestyle! Perhaps that is why I have enjoyed living here so many years. And there have been many times, when I KNOW that I have finally seen it all and that there is nothing left, the party is over so its time to start packing the bags again.
However, today I just had another mind-melting WTF moment that I still cannot fully explain, but I'll try my best.
Basically, within the past year or so, there has been this popular "Banana Diet Craze" going on here in Japan which started around sometime back in the fall of 2007. And, like other previous food fads, it was expected to soon fade out as usual. But according to Japan Probe its seems as though that this latest craze has no end in sight as it is all becoming even more aped out crazy by getting super hyped up with the help of several Dole banana Japanese TV commercials like this one:
And, after I watched the above, I just laughed and shook my head, totally dazed. Then, for some inexplicable reason, I suddenly thought of the hit song Welcome To the Jungle by Guns N' Roses:
Well, perhaps, I need to take some time off and get away for a while. So maybe I will to go to Waikiki (aka "Shibuya on The Beach") during the upcoming Golden Week holiday and climb a coconut palm tree! Welcome to the jungle, indeed!