Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
[Warning, Links NSFW] Japan is home to enough world achievements to make any patriot proud. This isn’t one of them. Masanobu Sato of Tokyo, Japan won the 9th annual World Masturbate-a-thon on May 2, 2009, clocking in at 9 hours and 58 minutes. Metropolis TV videotaped a brief documentary on his daily life where he “trains” for two hours with a tenga in front of his girlfriend and cat. (You read that correctly). Wait until the end of the video though. That’s when it gets really depressing. He expresses that “A real female of course, smells, is dirty…because it’s a human being…So we have this anime, isn’t it clean and pretty? Masanobu Sato, a living, breathing, forever alone meme.
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I was there on the last day of Wendy’s burger chain in Japan at the end of 2009. I was cold in Tokyo, yet dumbfounded at the long lines as people celebrated Wendy’s exit. They wanted the last taste of their burgers with the square patties. Other fast food chains Freshness Burger were putting a dent in the luster of Dave Thomas. But now, in a Thomas less world, Wendy’s just opened up their first revival on Omotesando Street. For those of you who don’t know, Omotesando is a stylish Beverly Hills. It’s among the higher end streets in Tokyo. To fit a relaunch and to do something different, you can now get your burgers with Fois Gras. There’s other specials on the menu as well. The burger will not be a $4, $5, or $6 excursion, this is a $16 project. From their press release: “At the same time, we’ll further differentiate our restaurants by adding innovative new menu options created exclusively for the Japanese market, including the Avocado Wasabi hamburger and the Truffle and Porcini Grilled Chicken sandwich. Our food will be served in a contemporary, inviting atmosphere that we believe will exceed the discerning expectations of Japanese consumers.” (Eater – Wendy Foie Gras)
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Have an idea for a car for the future? Voice it into the “mimi” or ear, and they’re playing it on “niconico” which is sort of like a YouTube in Japan but more for live streaming. If anything these remind us of Geoff McFetridge’s art. (mimicar.jp)
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What does a comedian, master chef, and a rockstar have in common? You might assume they’re an unusual bunch, but this article brings them together and the combination works. Read about Aziz Ansari (Park and Recreation), David Chang (Momofuku), and James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) gallivanting around Toyko, looking for food, drinking Zima and karaoke-ing ’til the morning light. All it takes is cash and fame and an “exotic” place. (GQ – The Hangover Part III)
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Radium was found in two bottles. It’s not Fukushima, but perhaps this is worse. Radium is commonly used in medical fields, but the 90 year old who once lived there moved in February. She and her daughter have no idea where it came from or how it got under the floor boards. This is a mystery. This brings up issues of public safety. Who’s to say this hasn’t been a problem for her or her neighbors for weeks, months or years. How safe is your neighborhood from something like this? (Businessweek – Radium)
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