Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
The little film that could! Coming to your town soon! This indie-to-the-core film was recently a Critics’ Pick in The New York Times. It is currently showing in Brooklyn through Aug. 5. Don’t live out here? It will be out on Aug. 30 on VOD, digital and DVD! The incredible cast includes Mark Duplass, Bret Loehr, Carr Thompson, Linas Phillips, Davie-Blue, Laura Kai Chen and Melissa Leo. Writer and director Craig Johnson, DP Kat Westergaard and editor Jennifer Lee have created a hilarious film that hits the viewer on a much deeper level, too. I know I will be feeling the highs and lows again as I put away some bacon-fat popcorn and fender dogs at the reRun Gastropub Theater. Now wipe off your fingers and click on the trailer! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9gQkvUc9zI
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Let’s just be honest: Calpico is delicious. Our personal favorite is the good old original flavor. And the white peach. And the strawberry. And the lychee. And the mango. And the aloe. And…well, you get the idea. Calpico originated in 1919 in Japan and marketed as Calpis, the name still used there today. If you’re already a fan of Calpico/Calpis, then you likely have your own favorite flavor and have introduced this silky nectar to your friends and family. If you have never tasted this wonderful dairy-based soft drink, all you need to do is get to your local Japanese or Korean market and pick up a bottle. Actually, because Calpico’s global popularity seems to be growing, almost any Asian market is likely to stock it these days. But wait, what if you live someplace where there are no Asian markets, or where such markets don’t carry Calpico? Never fear, there is a solution. A solution of yogurt, sugar, water, citrus and citric acid, actually. At the link you’ll find a quick and easy recipe for making Calpico at home, with ingredients that are easy to find. This recipe should be especially fun for long-time Calpico fans, who can use it to make different fruity Calpico flavors which have never been manufactured. We were thinking of blueberry. (Japan Style – How to Make Calpico)
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As if the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown weren’t enough, the cities and towns in Fukushima Prefecture have also had to deal with a huge economic loss due to the cancellation of hotel bookings in the region. According to a recent report given to the All Nippon Travel Agents Association (ANTAA) by Fukushima prefectural officials, as of June 30th, over 680,000 reservations at hotels and inns in the Fukushima area have been cancelled, totaling a loss of over ¥7.46 billion, or roughly $97 million. Of course, the number of actual cancellations is believed to be much higher, since only 470 of the 610 lodging houses registered with the ANTAA reported their booking statistics. In addition, there are roughly 1,700 hotels, inns and ryokans in Fukushima Prefecture which are not ANTAA members and were therefore not approached for the booking survey. Although hotel bookings make up the lion’s share of the leisure and tourism dollars spent in the Fukushima area, school outings and field trips account for about 700,000 visitors to the prefecture annually, about 10 percent of the visitor total. So far this year, the number of education-related visitors has dropped to between one and five percent of the typical annual total. Because of this scenario, some hotels and inns have already gone out of business. This is not great news for the region, which has been bashed and hit hard for reasons mentioned above. Keep your fingers crossed for Fukushima, and consider planning a visit to a safe part of the prefecture the next time you’re in Japan. (Daily Yomiuri – Hotel Booking Disaster in Fukushima)
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The outside perception of North Korea is understandably pretty grim. Backward, agrarian, repressive, war-like, hard-line communist, these are all terms which can legitimately be used to describe North Korea, at least if the political refugees who have escaped and the foreign journalists allowed to enter the country are to be believed. Yet there is, apparently, another side to North Korea, a technological side, which does have some interaction with the outside world through the internet. And it is a technological side which has actually done business with countries in the Middle East and other nations in Asia. North Korean technology companies have even, reportedly, developed video games for Japanese gaming giants Nintendo and Sony. At the link, you’ll be able to read a piece which gives further details on the state of computer, gaming and online technology in North Korea. Because while it is easy to disdain and vilify Kim Jong Il and the dictatorial nightmare he has perpetuated for his countrymen, it is also easy to feel pain and sorrow for the innocent, everyday people who are trying to make a living and provide for their families under harsh government oppression. But as this story suggests, there may be qualified hope for some freedom for North Koreans through the development, implementation and use of online computer technologies. (Asian Correspondent – North Korean Tech Evolution)
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