I've been sharing more links through Google Reader and Twitter lately; it's just easier to mark out things of interest when going through a huge list of updates, and then laziness means that's the end of the process. Here are a selection of recent ones for archival purposes.
AKB48’s outfits to go on display in Shinjuku + HP CM – I liked this Japanese HP ad featuring AKB48. It's not unlike previous efforts for their notebooks, but the mix is just right here. An array of products matched to the girls and outlandish costumes, well edited, featuring one of their better songs.
NHK airs Utada Hikaru’s final interview before her hiatus – Transcript post includes video of the interview, which is intercut with exclusive performances and footage from her farewell concert in Yokohama last month. Worth seeing if you like any of her songs.
Will Dinner With A Movie Renew The Theater Experience? – I said "This is an insult to cinema, so I suppose it will take off in the US." but I'm sure there are many other countries where people don't care enough about the films they've paid to see, to the extent that they will leave their mobile phones on, eat popcorn out of noisy, rustling bags, and talk to each other. All of those are perfect for this enhanced experience which is sure to include spilt wine, the sound of clattering silverware, open-mouthed chomping, and burps.
Nicolas Cage Really Wanted To Ruin 'Green Hornet' – Despite the post title, it sounds like Steven Chow wanted to ruin it more. A microchip in his brain that allows Kato to control his movements with a joystick? Sounds exactly like the kind of crap he'd come up with. Although my hopes aren't high for the final product anyway. The Green Hornet should not be a goddamned comedy.
Drunk scientists pour wine on superconductors and make an incredible discovery – "Someday a crazy discovery like this will save mankind, and it will be hilarious." What's the difference between a Eureka! moment after years of meditation, and a complete accident? Nothing, really.
Placebos Can Work Even Without Deception – The results of this medical study sound like good news for Scientologists.
There really isn’t much of a “tablet” market – "Amen. This new demand in the market is for iPads, not necessarily tablets. Most normal people don't know what they can do with a tablet in their lives apart from what they've seen in ads from Apple, and on friends' iPads; those use cases don't all exist on 7" Android tablets."
List of Japanese Buffets in Singapore – Self-explanatory.
Japanese Virtual World Anime Film Aims At Oscar – My favorite animated film of last year, over anything from Pixar. I saw "Summer Wars" twice in theaters and still want the DVD. From Mamoru Hosada, director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time's anime remake, it's a gorgeous riot of ideas around net-based interactions set against an idyllic Japanese countryside scene, with the requisite sweet-hearted teenage love story thrown in.
Up inflight magazine – Very nice designs for an inflight magazine. Portuguese TAP airlines.
And finally, a quote posted by Marco Arment of Instapaper fame:
“If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders. So maybe it’s not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here. Like… the public.”
– George Carlin, our era’s most perceptive political commentator, disguised as a comedian.
– George Carlin, our era’s most perceptive political commentator, disguised as a comedian.
sangsara.net 
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