Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:51 am Post subject:
TIJ = This is Japan.
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Seibu Railways to introduce 'maid trains'
TOKYO �\
The Seibu Railway Group has announced plans to introduce a new maid cafe-style train service between Ikebukuro and Chichibu stations.
Akihabara�fs maid cafe culture is closely aligned with Japan�fs �gotaku�h subculture that is rapidly going mainstream. As several animation houses already exist along that stretch of the railway line that runs from Tokyo to Saitama, Seibu Railway officials said they are hoping to promote Japanese pop culture in the area between those stations by solidifying its reputation as an anime production zone.
It is believed to be the first time a major Kanto rail operator has attempted to carry out such an unconventional project.
The emphasis of the new service will be to allow passengers to ride in �gNew Red Arrow�h trains alongside staff selected from Akihabara�fs maid cafes. Maid cafe games and competitions will be held and train announcements will be made by the maids. There are also plans to have small photography studios alongside the station shops around Seibu Chichibu station at which customers can pay to have their photographs taken with a maid.
The fare for a trip will be 3,500 yen for adults and 3,000 yen for children. Each trip will accommodate 360 passengers.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:24 am Post subject:
The next Lady Gaga could be a Japanese holographic singing idol
Nov 10, 2010
If you're an aspiring musician, stop reading now, this will be painful. Japan's Crypton Future Media has unleashed upon the world what may be the future of pop music in the amazingly realistic, holographic singing idol Hatsune Miku.
Hatsune is a product of Japan's popular Vocaloid software scene in which fans can create their own songs for fictional characters to sing. The twist here is that Crypton took things to the next level by making the character into a hologram and actually putting their avatar on tour, playing to huge enthusiastic audiences. The spectacle of a hologram performing on stage, with a live backing band in front of thousands of screaming fans is pure science fiction brought to real life. To really process exactly how amazing (and hauntingly creepy) the Hatsune Miku music tour is, take a look at the
HD video below.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:56 pm Post subject:
from the Japan Subculture Research Center
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How The CIA Helped Put the Yakuza And The LDP In Power
I just finished re-reading Tim Weiner�fs magnum opus, Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA ,which is perhaps the best book ever written on the Central Intelligence Agency, and its general history of dismal failures.
Operations in Japan turned out to be one of the Agency�fs rare success stories.
Chapter 12: �gWe Ran It In A Different Way�h is a must for anyone interested in the shadow history of Japan. It details how in post-war Japan, the CIA, using large amounts of cash, reinstated former war criminal Kodama Yoshio and hand-picked one of Japan�fs Prime Ministers–in order to supress communist/socialist movements. Kodama had extensive yakuza ties and huge amounts of capital made in the black markets in China. ($175 million estimated). The Tokyo CIA station reported on September 10th, 1953, �g(Kodama) is a professional liar, gangster, charlatan, and outright thief�c.and has no interest in anything but the profits.�h It still didn�ft keep the CIA from doing business with him up to that time and behind the scenes later. The chapter also notes how the CIA was able to ensure that Nobusuke Kishi became Japan�fs prime minister and the chief of its ruling party, in order to ensure that Japan didn�ft go red. The president himself seemed to have authorized huge cash payments to Kishi and his other lackeys within the LDP
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:57 am Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
Yup.
Joe McCarthy would be proud.
Hehe. Well I don't think it's the first time the CIA has dealt with unsavory types with lacking a moral compass. I'm sure their philosophy is more like "get 'er dun."
Hehe. Well I don't think it's the first time the CIA has dealt with unsavory types with lacking a moral compass. I'm sure their philosophy is more like "get 'er dun."
"The ends justify the means."
I watched a bio on the Kennedys and JFK tried using organized crime to eliminate Castro... That was an epic fail.
Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 46182 Location: Los Skandolous, California Country:
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:28 am Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
"The ends justify the means."
I watched a bio on the Kennedys and JFK tried using organized crime to eliminate Castro... That was an epic fail.
Kind of like when I tried to kill Castro while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops a couple of days ago.
All kidding aside, I am thinking of picking up the text. I haven't read an academic book/treatise on Japan in years. It would be interesting to read about the influence of the CIA as it relates to post war Japan; it's not something that is extensively discussed in an academic setting or the typical survey course regarding modern Japanese history.
Kind of like when I tried to kill Castro while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops a couple of days ago.
That would be The Bay of Pigs, huh?
Quote:
All kidding aside, I am thinking of picking up the text. I haven't read an academic book/treatise on Japan in years. It would be interesting to read about the influence of the CIA as it relates to post war Japan; it's not something that is extensively discussed in an academic setting or the typical survey course regarding modern Japanese history.
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