ROBOT55が筋肉少女帯の大槻ケンヂさんやイヤホンズの方々と一緒にやらせていただいた最新のお仕事だよ〜！観てね〜♬
ROBOT55’s latest work – with Kenji Otsuki from the legendary J-rock band “Kinniku Shojo Tai” and The Earphones. Enjoy!
皆様こんにちは。ROBOT55（ロボット・ゴー・ゴー）です！
業界最先端で仕事をしていて最大の特権はリリース前の新譜を聴けたり、封切り前の映画が観られるという事です♬
そんな訳でROBOT55、本日は今話題の『スター・ウォーズ/フォースの覚醒』！
制作発表時は「ディズニー」って聞いて「え”っ？」って思ったんですが、流石ですね〜♬
こんなところであまりネタバレしちゃってもアレなので、皆様の好奇心をくすぐる感想をちょっとだけ。
Lots of people have been wondering what’s up with the new Star Wars movie. Some have high expectations; some expect Disney to screw it up!
But, as my regular readers know, I work in the mass media and I have had access to a private viewing of the film ! Yes! I have seen it and Disney doesn’t disappoint!
By Mike Rogers
History Repeats Itself: The “Stars of Silent Films Are Alive” Today (But not well!)
Most will probably find the title of this blog to be a bit curious. But history is repeating itself right now and the “Stars of Silent Films” are “alive” today! Well, maybe not those exact people, but people who follow in their footsteps and fail to learn the lesson that they taught us….
History is truly repeating itself in front of our very eyes in the TV and radio world and the reaction of many TV and radio “stars” – and even broadcasting company management – towards the Internet.
And, just as it was in the 1920s, the silent film stars who were able to survive – and actually make more money, along with the production companies who profited handsomely from “Talkies” – the stars who survive and prosper will be the ones who embrace the new technology and use it to their advantage.
The ones who do not, will fade away. (It’s actually curious to think, that after all this time, there are mass media talent and company management who refuse to consider the internet as a profitable promotional tool or revenue stream, but I know a few… I understand if they are over 60-years-old. But under 60? I don’t “get it.” This seems like complete denial of reality.)
Silent films were big entertainment from about 1910 (“Birth of a Nation” in 1913 was the biggest grossing silent film of all time) until the beginning of the end in 1927 with Al Jolson’s “Jazz Singer” and the abrupt ending of all Silent Films by 1937.
So, from the advent of “Talkies,” until the death of the Silent Movie Star, was only a few decades – or even less than 20 years, depending upon how you look at it.
When Talkies first arrived, many of the world’s biggest stars refused to accept it. Even the great Charles Chaplin said of Talkies, “Talkies are spoiling the oldest art in the world— the art of pantomime. They are ruining the great beauty of silence. They are defeating the meaning of the screen.”
Yet, even Charles Chaplin could not deny progress and he stayed silent no longer. Just six days after Britain declared war on Germany, in 1939, he started work on “The Great Dictator”. It would be a stroke of genius – as well as the acceptance of the inevitable – that helped solidify Chaplin’s place as one of the greatest film makers of all time and a worldwide superstar – even to this day.
Many stars, though, simply refused to embrace the new technology and they faded away.
It is said that many of the silent film stars insisted that their fame and talent was good enough and that their audience were loyal enough that they would never abandon them because they ‘could speak with their eyes, therefore they didn’t need sound or Talkies.’
In hindsight, anyone can see that this sort of thinking is foolish.
I wonder why some of today’s radio and TV stars refuse to do the Internet… I know a few who refuse to even do simple ones like Facebook or Twitter! I can understand not having the confidence in writing ability to not do a blog (how about taking, photos?) but not using FB or Twitter to keep your name in front of the audience and potential sponsors, is basically the same as “shooting yourself in the foot.”
Many of the old silent film stars obstinately refused the Talkies for the very same illogical, self-defeating and completely impractical reasons.
I can’t blame them for being artists, but I can blame them for being stupid.
They faded away, right?
After long avoidance, some finally did try, but found they didn’t have the voice to match the face…
What should we call a TV or radio star today who refuses to participate in the internet besides “someone in denial”?
From Forbes (April 10, 2014):
“Perhaps the iconic pose of our era is someone squinting at a smartphone screen–replacing another iconic pose, the couch potato pointing a remote at the TV screen. That stark change is apparent in a new report that says for the first time, Internet ad revenues have passed those of broadcast TV.”
From a guy who has worked in the mass media for over 30 years, I can tell you for a fact that, even though many won’t say it, many of today’s TV and radio “talent” and broadcasting station management think the exact same thing about the Internet: They foolishly believe they don’t need it and they refuse to participate in it; as if it is “below” them… Just as the Silent Stars once did
They think TV and radio are going to survive in their current form for the next twenty years and giving them a livelihood; just like the Silent Stars believed about the Silent Film industry.
Starting to see a connection here? I do. And this is why I state that “History is repeating itself right in front of our eyes.”
Here’s a list of 10 former Silent Film superstars who didn’t make it through the transition to Talkies for various reasons.
The World Wide Web began in 1990 and now has mass acceptance. It’s been 25 years now. Talkies destroyed Silent Films completely in about 25 years or so.
How many of us can see the writing on the wall?
It figures that if you do not do the internet (Facebook, blogging, Twitter, Instagram), you’ll be out of a job within 2 ~ 5 years.
So, TV and radio star, ignore the internet at your own peril…
They can predict the future by following the examples shown perfectly by the Silent Film stars who proceeded them: some adapted; some didn’t.
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ビジネスのウェブページ 用テレビクオリティのビデオは(30秒）¥70,000~ (60秒）¥80,000！プロフェッショナルTVスタッフが作成いたします。 robot55.jp/blog/ビジネスのウェブページ-用テレビクオリティのビ/
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ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, Top 3 Videos, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 撮影, 格安, ビデオ制作, 動画, 紹介動画, Top 3 Videos, ビデオ, 東京, 撮影,ビデオ編集, 動画制作, ROBOT55, Top 3 Videos, Top 3 New Artist Videos
TV quality 30 ~ 60 second video for your business? ¥70,000 ~ ¥80,000.
English? No problem!
ビジネスのウェブページ (フェイスブック,Youtube, Twitter）用テレビクオリティのビデオは(30秒）¥70,000 ~ (60秒）¥80,000 (English OK!) 現役プロフェッショナルTVスタッフが作成いたします。もちろん、英語のビデオの制作も可！We have professional native English speakers on staff!
３０秒：30 Second example:
６０秒：60 Second example:
Send an email inquiry and we’ll get right back to you. Of course, Japanese, English, Korean, Chinese and Italian OK! (Foreign languages and/or subtitles, extra charge.)
問合せオンライン：http://robot55.jp/contact/
email: contact@robot55.jp
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ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, Top 3 Videos, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 撮影, 格安, ビデオ制作, 動画, 紹介動画, Top 3 Videos, ビデオ, 東京, 撮影,ビデオ編集, 動画制作, ROBOT55, Top 3 Videos, Top 3 New Artist Videos
Need a video for your business or service on your webpage or business page on Facebook or other social media? Remember this one critical rule: Keep it at 30 seconds length; 60 seconds at most!
Need data to understand why? OK. Here you go:
According to research data by Visible Measures, the internet video audience measurement service: “20% of all your viewers will click away from a video in 10 seconds or fewer.”
That means, we must get the message out about what you or your business is about within the first 5 ~ 10 seconds. Think about it; how many times have you seen a video and then clicked away immediately? If people are going to click away, we might not be able to stop them (depends on their reason for clicking away), but we can at least let them know who/what you or your business is about.
The same data from Visible Measures shows that: “… by 30 seconds, you will lose about 1/3 of your viewers! 45% of all viewers will be gone by 1 minute…” Then it drops off a cliff. “You will lose 60% of your viewers by 2 minutes.”
So the most logical and cost-effective answer is to keep all your business videos at 60 seconds and under – with 30 seconds being the prime target. Oh, and by the way, Twitter’s new video platform will not support any videos over 30 seconds... That, right there, should end the discussion of how long an internet video for business should be.
It was Shakespeare who wrote; “Brevity is the Soul of Wit.” That rule fits the stage a few hundred years ago, and it fits today’s internet world too!
The breakdown for users of various devices offers insights for your business on who the users are and their habits:
* It’s the desktop viewers who seem to watch videos for 2 minutes or less.
*Mobile users seem to watch longer (maybe they are burning time while waiting for friends or riding a bus or train?) iPhone users average about 2.4 minutes on videos. Android users average about 3 minutes. iPad users are the ones who watch the longest at 5 minutes.
I do, though, think we have to take this with a grain of salt: mobile users are the ones who are watching dramas and longer videos in the car or on public transportation to kill time in a long ride (you don’t usually see people watching movies or dramas on their PC whilst riding the train or bus.) And, perhaps, iPhone and Android users are waiting for their friends and just trying to kill a few minutes.
Need more evidence that your videos shouldn’t be over 1 minute?
Here’s another thing that is important to keep in mind. The Jun Group (2011) survey shows that videos that are shorter than 15 seconds are shared 37 percent more often than those that last between 30 seconds and 1 minute. If you make your video longer than 1 minute, then the percentage of people sharing your video goes down by half! Only 18% share videos that are longer than 1 minute.
The conclusion? Great and effective video must be exciting, informing and effective from the very start. And they must be short and sweet and to the point; 30 seconds is optimum and 60 seconds is an important line to stop.
But how will you know when your video is or isn’t doing what you need? Video analytics! You can purchase information from YouTube Analytics API, but that costs money. Video analytics are available and offer a detailed look at your users: who is watching and how long they stay watching. It also will tell you exactly when they click away. So, you know exactly which scene turned people off!
But if you don’t want to spend money (and who does?) then you can just use this blog and the information that we provide for you for free! Your cash register can be another good measure!
Finally, there is another good reason that you need a video for your business: It keeps people on your page and that increases business! Once again, Visible Measures tells us:
“A real estate group reported that real estate listings that have a video garnered 403% more inquiries than properties without videos.” The math is simple; the real estate with videos generated more than 4 times more sales leads than the real estate without videos. That’s an awesome number!
Here are two examples of effective videos. These were done by Robot55 for a very cool bar in Shinjuku named Albatross. First the 30 second video: (If link doesn’t work, click here or copy and paste this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwdgP2bFL9I)
And now the Albatross 60 second video: (If link doesn’t work, click here or copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5B41Jio1MI)
These videos are very effective. Why? You know what kind of business it is; where it is located; you know the mood and atmosphere of the shop … All that in 5 seconds or less!
At Robot55, we specialize in high-quality, engaging and exciting 30 and 60 second videos; and we do it at an unbeatable price! If you need free advice on making your own business video or just want to discuss making one with us then email the humans who work at Robot55, Mike or Ken: contact@robot55.jp
Let us work together with you to build your dreams! Success is right around the corner!
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More on this subject:
More Data Proving That You Need an Online Video For Your Business (robot55.jp/blog/more-data-proving-that-you-need-a-video-for-your-business/)
For free tips on making your own video:
6 Easy Tips For Making a Viral Video (http://robot55.jp/blog/6-easy-tips-for-making-a-viral-video/)
Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Pt. 1 (www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-pt-1/)
Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Part 2 (www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-part-2/)
Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Part 3 – You Need a Map: How to Write a Script! (http://robot55.jp/blog/make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-part-3-you-need-a-map-how-to-write-a-script/)
Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Pt. 4(（www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-pt-4/)
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ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, Top 3 Videos, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 撮影, 格安, ビデオ制作, 動画, 紹介動画, Top 3 Videos, ビデオ, 東京, 撮影,ビデオ編集, 動画制作, ROBOT55, Top 3 Videos, Top 3 New Artist Videos
「ザ・外人グルメ」！マイクの新しいぐるなびのIppinの記事。今回の話はイケメン外人祭りに行く！
あっという間にもう1年が終わろうとしていますね。年末には沢山のパーティーと飲み会と暴飲暴食が待ってます。感謝祭に暴飲暴食して、クリスマスに飲みすぎて意識を失って、バカのように騒いで、新年もまたパーティーでは公園のベンチで寝てという生活が僕を待ってます。
日本に住む皆さんにとっては、祭りは大切なパーティーの1つですよね。
もちろん50歳を超えたら、何を食べるかとかどのくらい食べるかをお腹とウエストと相談しながら「節度」を守りながら食べないといけない。そうしないと、小うるさい医者からぶつぶつ言われて薬を飲まないといけなくなりますからね。「心筋梗塞」「脳内出血」「静脈血栓塞栓症」「糖尿病」になりますよって、医者はすぐに難しい言葉を並び立てるからね。
でもドクター！僕はそんな病気になるのが恐い！
二日酔いの朝、鏡の前に立った時、本当の問題に直面するんだ。
「僕の顔を見てみろよ……ひどい顔になっているじゃないか。」僕はもちろん、どうやって家に帰って来たのかさえ分からない。
だから、甘いもの、炭水化物、お酒とカロリーの高い食事は控えてお祭りを楽しみましょう。
つづきはココ：http://r.gnavi.co.jp/ippin/article-4170/
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Looking for a delicious healthy meal in Tokyo, the world’s most expensive and crowded city for under $5 (USD)? Here’s a bunch of them linked below!
Gaijin Gourmet – Delicious, Healthy Meal in Tokyo for Under $3 (USD) – Yoshi Soba! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-delicious-healthy-meal-in-tokyo-for-under-3-usd-yoshi-soba/
Gaijin Gourmet – Delicious, Healthy Meal in Tokyo for Under $3 (USD) – Komoro Soba! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-delicious-healthy-meal-in-tokyo-for-under-3-usd-komoro-soba/
Gaijin Gourmet – Fuji Soba Tokyo’s Top 3 Soba Chain Restaurants robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-fuji-soba-tokyos-top-3-soba-chain-restaurants/
Gaijin Gourmet: 「モンスターMOGULLA！東京の地下からこんにちは」 robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-「モンスターmogulla！東京の地下からこんにちは/
マイク・ロジャース!「ザ・外人グルメ」！のぐるなび ippin(イッピン)の新しい記事がアップされました！robot55.jp/blog/マイク・ロジャース「ザ・外人グルメ」！のぐる/
Gaijin Gourmet! The Best, Most Delicious Soba Restaurant in Shibuya and Shinjuku robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-most-delicious-soba-restaurant-in-shibuya-and-shinjuku/
Gaijin Gourmet – Hamazushi! Tokyo’s Best Robot Sushi! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-hamazushi-tokyos-best-robot-sushi/
Gaijin Gourmet – Sukiya! Japan’s Best Gyudon (Beef Bowl) robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-sukiya-japans-best-gyudon-beef-bowl/
Gaijin Gourmet Advice for Foreign Gentlemen Living in Japan!
http://robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-advice-for-foreign-gentlemen-living-in-japan/
Gaijin Gourmet – Best Soba Chain in Tokyo？Yude Taro and ¥220 Draft Beer?! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-best-soba-chain-in-tokyo？yude-taro-and-¥220-draft-beer/
Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Premium Salad Bar in Tokyo? – Sizzler in Setagaya robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-premium-salad-bar-in-tokyo-sizzler-in-setagaya/
Gaijin Gourmet! Great Cheap and Delicious Soba in Gaienmae on Ginza Line! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-great-cheap-and-delicious-soba-in-gaienmae-on-ginza-line/
The Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Salad Bar Deal in Tokyo at Big Boy – My Favorite Rock N Roll Diner!! robot55.jp/blog/the-gaijin-gourmet-the-best-salad-bar-deal-in-tokyo-at-big-boy-my-favorite-rock-n-roll-diner/
Tokyo’s Best Cheap Sushi is in Okachimachi!? 東京の一番安くて美味しい寿司屋？御徒町にあるの？ http://robot55.jp/blog/tokyos-best-cheap-sushi-in-okachimachi/
The Gaijin Gourmet: Soba Wars At Hanzomon Station in Tokyo robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-soba-wars-at-hanzomon-station-in-tokyo/
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At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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ザ・外人グルメ,
Welcome! We’re back once again with some hot videos for you!
First up is a band from Kyushu Japan that is currently getting airplay at cool radio shows all around the world. Their name is The Routes. Here’s their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/theroutes?fref=ts). Please go and “Like” it and get the inside scoop on their upcoming Portugal and Spain Tour! Cool!
#3) The Routes – Everybody’s Looking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUqfzhYpcXs
Next up is hot off the presses and this track came into my mailbox just this morning from Cindy Kona. Thanks Cindy! Cindy has connections all over the world and can get bands airplay in Japan (of course) as well as Los Angeles, London and South America to name a few. Cindy turns us on to a band named, “The Moon Kids.”
Their webpage describes the Moon Kids as “‘fairground pop’, a trashy, thrashy, neon-lit affair that’s bright, bolshy and destined to make your heart beat a little faster.”
#2) The Moon Kids – Strange Thoughts On Sunday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npQnuE7Kf6A
At #1 this week is a band that just debuted on last week’s Top 3… They sent me this link and when I watched it, I laughed so hard. These guys are great! From Tokyo, here is Theee Bat deliciously destroying the Elvis Presley standard, “Jailhouse Rock.” Enjoy!
#1) Theee Bat – Kangoku Rock (Jailhouse Rock) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XibRiRcc2d4
And last but not least is today’s Freebie. They have just released their debut album in Japan called, “Die Pop Muzik.” The band is from Bristol, England and they are called, The Jacques. The describe their music as “Britpop / grunge rock.” Here’s their webpage: www.thejacques.co.uk
FREEBIE! The Jacques – Pretty DJ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVhJVPL6Ipo
Well, that’s it for today! New Bands! Send me links to your videos!
Everyone! Have a great Rock and Roll weekend! See ya next week!
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PAST ISSUES OF THE TOP 3 VIDEOS:
LAST WEEK: Top 3 Videos for October 15, 2015! Japan’s Theee Bat, The Shit, The Fontaines, Lola Dutronic! robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-october-15-2015-japans-theee- bat-the-shit-the-fontaines-lola-dutronic/
Top 3 Videos for October 9, 2015! The Jackets, Hear Kitty Kitty, Wavves, Japan’s Own Titty Twister! robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-october-9-2015-the-jackets-hear-kitty-kitty-wavves-japans-own-titty-twister/
Top 3 Videos for October 2, 2015! The Monsters, Dirty Coal Train, Subways, Japan’s Own The Mack Show! robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-october-2-2015-the-monsters-dirty-coal-train-subways-japans-own-the-mack-show/
Top 3 Videos for Sept. 25, 2015! Death by Unga Bunga, The Interrupters, Dollyrots, Japan’s Own The Routes robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-sept-25-2015-death-by-unga-bunga-the-interrupters-dollyrots-japans-own-the-routes/
Top 3 Videos for Sept. 18, 2015! Fidlar, Jungle Giants, Su凸ko D凹koi and Barrence Whitfield robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-sept-18-2015-fidlar-jungle-giants-su凸ko-d凹koi-and-barrence-whitfield/
Top 3 Videos for Sept. 11, 2015! Texaco Leatherman, The Atom Age, Blonde Summer, the Routes! robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-sept-11-2015-texaco-leatherman-the-atom-age-blonde-summer-the-routes/
Top 3 Videos for Sept. 5, 2015! Titty Twister, Potty Mouth, Palaye Royale, Plashments! robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-sept-5-2015-titty-twister-potty-mouth-palaye-royale-plashments/
MORE TOP 3 VIDEOS COLUMN SEARCH: http://robot55.jp/?s=Top+3+videos
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ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
If you like this countdown every week, please come “Like” our Robot55 Facebook page (or friend us on Twitter or subscribe to our Youtube page). Thanks!
If you like this, please “Like” the Robot55 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/robot55video
On Twitter, we are: @robot55video
Robot55 Youtube?: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCRBSdzh-E4_bRM_akdRAAQ
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Top photo: At Apple Store Shibuya. At just after 9:40 am, there were at least 12 people in line.
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“The early bird catches the worm.” – William Camden
“The early bird catches the worm and also gets free stuff at the Apple Store.” – Mike Rogers
I think being on time is important, therefore I am almost always early. In my main business; broadcasting – especially live broadcasting – if you are one second late, you could be out of a job.
So I am very rarely late. I think I’ve been late to a business meeting twice in the last 20 years and both times were out of my control.
I always make it a point to leave early and take my time to get where I am going. I never like to rush. I like to enjoy myself and take my time – while always being on time; so that means being prepared and leaving early.
Being in a last minute rush is how mistakes happen; it is also the cause of doing stupid things and that’s how accidents and injuries happen; like running at the train station to catch your train and falling down or running into people and knocking them down.
So, I always like to be early.
That goes for work meetings and, of course, for going out to eat too! On that note, if I go out to eat, I like to show up well before the lunchtime rush and/or well before the same rush at dinner. For dinner time, my family always likes to show up before 5 pm and be the first people at the restaurant. At opening time, the restaurants are empty, service is much better, the food is better, and the atmosphere more leisurely.
I can never understand why people show up at restaurants right at peak rush time and write their names down on the waiting list and sit and wait for a table for an hour or two….
Why don’t they just arrive earlier and get in and out before the rush?
“Time is money.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Time is money. Wasted time means wasted money means trouble.” – Shirley Temple
Yesterday, I had to go to the Apple Store in Shibuya. My son’s MacBook Pro was acting funny. It seemed the battery had died. I would usually make an appointment for the Apple Store, but I found out about this battery problem late at night the night before and decided I would take my son’s PC to the Apple Store first thing in the morning.
Apple Store opens at 10 am. I’ve seen the lines before opening and I’ve also been at the Apple Repair desk before too. I knew that if I didn’t want to waste a long time waiting at the Apple Store, I’d better get there early. I decided to try to be one of the first people in line. I arrived at about 9:20 am. I was first in line.
I figured that I would arrive at Apple Store at about 9:20, be first in line, get the PC fixed and be out of the store by 10:15. I know from asking the staff that the crowds show up to line up after 9:30 am. I wanted to beat the crowds.
If one shows up at the Apple Store after 9:45 or so, there will already be a line of 25 ~ 50 people. You figure it out; there seem to be 3 Apple staff at the repair counter, if each one can only handle one customer every 15 or 20 minutes and you are 30th in line, then how long will you wait? A couple of hours? Three? I’m not sure, but it seems to me that leaving home 30 minutes earlier to save an hour or three is just plain common sense.
I have seen the Apple Store when it was packed with folks needing help…
Like I said, I was first in line at 9:20. People started showing up at 9:30. By 5 minutes to 10, the line was pretty long.
I looked down the line and saw there were about 30 people in line. I figured that the folks at the end of the line were going to be at the Apple Store for a long time, maybe until lunchtime…. All they had to do was get here 25 minutes earlier and they`d have saved themselves, perhaps, at least 2 hours!
Lessons learned:
1) If you know you need repairs make an appointment. You can do it online.
2 ) If you don’t have an appointment, get to the Apple Store before 9:30.
“But what does this have to do with getting free stuff, Mike?” I can hear you say… Well, read on.
Just before the store doors opened up, an Apple Staff told me that the Apple store wi-fi was down and, because of that, they couldn’t access their internet service (in order to do diagnostics or place orders for repairs) the guy was very apologetic.
He asked me what was wrong and I told him, “My son’s computer’s battery just died so I’m sure that all I need is a new battery.”
He went away to discuss this with the other staff and when he returned, he directed me upstairs. I explained the same thing to the guy who was assisting me. He took the computer into the back and, 15 minutes later, he returned and said,
“Well, our Wi-Fi is still down so I cannot do any checking, but I have replaced the battery in the computer at no charge to you since you had been waiting and we’re first in line. So you have a new battery, but I cannot guarantee that this fixes the problem.”
I think my jaw hit the table. I asked the guy if this was one of those hidden camera TV shows.
Get that! Because I was first in line, and waited, Apple decided to do their best and replace my battery free of charge! Wow! Unbelievably great customer service!
I have to repeat: I told them that the Macbook’s battery was shot… Since I was 1st in line and had been waiting…. They replaced it for FREE!! Can you believe that?
For many years, since the days of “Dos V” and Windows 3.1 – I was a die-hard Windows user (even built my own)… But since my family switched to Apple products over ten years ago, we haven’t looked back and never regretted switching to Apple even once. Apple never ceases to amaze me.
Apple is simply an amazing company!
Apple products are superior in my experience; but even more than that is the quality of the service and the people – along with the company culture – that makes for such a fine organization. The way they treat their customers is the way everyone wants to be treated and it makes for lifelong loyal users. Brilliant!
If a company’s most valuable resource is its people, then Apple is miles ahead of the competition. And that comparison goes to Google, Amazon and the rest which I have worked with.
Apple beats them all hands down.
Apple is cool… And from the way it looks from here, it will stay that way for a long time.
So, I have two morals of the story here:
- Being early is its own reward… And the best way to get betters service and quality.
- I do not believe that there is another company in the world that can match the quality of products and service that Apple offers.
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At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! We have 3 decades of experience in Japan and have perfect bi-lingual staff. Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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Welcome once again to another edition of the Gaijin Gourmet – It’s our first “Travel Edition”!
It’s coming to the end of the year and that means lots of parties, drinking and eating too much, get-togethers, drinking, Thanksgiving, eating and drinking too much, Christmas, more drinking, falling down, acting like an idiot, New Year’s parties, and eating and drinking too much (and just all-around being an embarrassment to myself and everyone else when I’m drunk and making an ass of myself).
And, if you live in Japan, of course this time of the year also means, year-end “Matsuri” (Japanese Festival).
The Gaijin Gourmet at the matsuri trying to act like he is important and doing something useful!
Of course with all these parties and dinners we have to attend, we must also watch what we eat and be careful of our stomachs and bulging waistlines. In particular, once ‘we fine diners’ (that’s you and me, dear reader!) get past 50-years-old, we have a checklist of things we can and cannot eat – or, if we do partake, we do so in moderation. We enjoy in moderation because we don’t want to have to take all sorts of medicines and nasty chemicals from that pesky doctor who keeps warning us about inconveniences like “myocardial infarction,” “intracerebral hemorrhages,” “pulmonary embolism,” “hyperuricemia” blah, blah blah!
Oh, doctor! Those are big words! I’m so scared!
Sorry, doc, I’m busy! I don’t have time for your Ivy-League graduate big words! I only worry about foods that may cause real problems like: heart attacks, stokes, blockages of the arteries, Gout and sudden death.
I worry about real problems… Like the hangover I have right now; it’s not a pretty sight!… Especially when it is me looking in the mirror at myself and – damn! I don’t remember coming home last night!
The local villagers all gather round at this time of year to greet and pay respects and thank the gods for a good harvest for the year. It is a ritual that goes back a thousand years. At the shrine, people toss in coins and pray to the gods for family health, happiness, prosperity, world peace and a winning lottery ticket.
So, with that in mind, let’s try to cut out all sweets, carbohydrates, alcohol and other foods high in cholesterol and very bad for our health and enjoy the festivities and food at the Japanese matsuri!
Early hours. The festival grounds are not crowded yet. The Gaijin Gourmet always avoids crowds.
Today we’re going to the matsuri near my house in Setagaya! Yeah!
They hold the matsuri near my house every year around mid-October. Usually, I eat tons of food and drink too much but this year we’re on that “Health-Kick” that quack doctor ordered. Let’s see what kind of delicious food we can eat at the festival and still stick to my “Doctor’s orders” diet!
Oh, my god! First thing I see is one of my favorites! Okonomiyaki! Okonomiyaki is kind of like a Japanese pancake… But it’s not like a western style pancake; it isn’t sweet. It is filled with vegetables and a little bacon or pork in an egg and flour batter! Delicious!… Oh, wait a minute! I can’t eat any carbohydrates and the bacon is filled with cholesterol. I guess we’ll just have to skip the Okonomiyaki this year! But, fear not! There’s still plenty more!
Onward and upward my palates!
This is Yakisoba. This is the staple of any Japanese festival or event: It is noodles fried on a flat skittle with mixed in vegetables and pork… I love it! I’ll have one, please….Oops!… No. I can’t have one. The noodles are made from flour, there’s pork in it and it is fried in oil! Probably Cholesterol City (not to mention it has carbohydrates!)…
The wife orders one anyway. She says it tastes pretty good. But, hey! Why is it that sometimes the Yakisoba at the matsuri doesn’t have any pork in it? Cheapskates!
Next up, by far my favorite food of them all! Takoyaki! They are delicious! Foreigners call Takoyaki, “Octopus Balls.” Octopus Balls? You know like “Men’s balls!” Yuck! Sounds awful! But Takoyaki tastes great! I want some!
Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion and then sprinkled with green dried sea weed (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi).
Oh, but, come to think of it, I can’t eat octopus either because the doctor says it is really high in cholesterol so it is really bad for me – squid too…
So, no Takoyaki this year!
On to the next stand… I’m sure there is something that isn’t high in cholesterol and full of carbohydrates!
Japanese weiners!?
Pork or made of fish? I don’t know, but I’m guessing that these are extremely high in cholesterol and just looking at them makes me feel like I’m having a heart attack!
But they do look so good, don’t they? At least these don’t have any carbohydrates in them! Come on! One bite couldn’t hurt….
“No! Absolutely not!” I imagine my doctor yelling into my ear!
Ah? My totally all-time favorite food: Yakitori. Yakitori is Japanese style barbecued chicken on sticks.
If there is only one type of Japanese food in heaven, it has to be Yakitori! I’ll bet even God eats Yakitori! I could eat it everyday forever! This is the ultimate Japanese tasty food that goes along great with any drinks and on any occasion.
As I am about to yell, “Give me ten sticks, please!” I see my wife glaring at me. I can read her mind! She is thinking, “I know if you start eating Yakitori, you’ll start drinking beer too; and then if you start drinking beer, you won’t be able to control yourself and you’ll start drinking more and eat everything in sight!”
Wow! She’s right! We’ve been married for over twenty years! How did she know that?!
This year, I’ll pass on the Yakitori, but, ummmm…. That sure smells good!
Hey, what’s the deal here? There’s absolutely nothing I can eat at the festival that doesn’t have carbohydrates or very high cholesterol! No fair!
Wait! What? There is at least two things at the matsuri to eat that don’t have any carbohydrates or cholesterol? What are they?
Kakigori: Shaved ice with sugar flavored syrup… The kids love it, especially on hot summer days. It has lots of calories but not nearly as fattening nearly as ice cream…
Kakigori?! No way! I have to eat something healthy for dinner before I can start eating sweets…
I need a healthy snack!
Chocolate covered bananas?
Oh, yeah… Right! “Please give me a chocolate covered banana without the chocolate!”
Is there nothing at the matsuri that a health-conscious guy like the Gaijin Gourmet can eat and still have fun while on our Weight-Watchers Diet?
There is?
Raw cucumber on a stick! Healthy and delicious… Not too much fun, though!
A raw cucumber on a stick! Mmmmm… Just like mom used to make… I can eat these. In fact I do, everyday at home! This cucumber cost ¥200 each (about $1.70 USD each)… Kind of expensive for a cucumber… Very salty too!
So, finally, at the entire matsuri, I had a bottle of water and a cucumber.
So, in summation, if you are going to a matsuri and you want to have fun, then toss the diet plan for that one night… Otherwise, about the only thing you’ll be able to eat and drink are raw vegetables (if they have those) and green tea or water.
… Just like if you were staying at home!
And just like I always say to my wife at home when we are arguing because she wants to go out to dinner and I want to stay home, I say, “What’s the point of going out if we are just going to come back home anyway?”
She has nothing to say when confronted with brilliant logic like that!
Well, that’s it! I hope you enjoyed our culinary journey to sample the aromas, drinks, and fine dining at the local matsuri. I hope to see you here next time when I go to another festival where the food is great.
That is, if I don’t have to do some “Doctor’s Stop” diet and I can eat anything or drink anything I like. Including a lot of booze!
…Otherwise I am staying home!
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Looking for a delicious healthy meal in Tokyo, the world’s most expensive and crowded city for under $5 (USD)? Here’s a bunch of them linked below!
Gaijin Gourmet – Delicious, Healthy Meal in Tokyo for Under $3 (USD) – Yoshi Soba! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-delicious-healthy-meal-in-tokyo-for-under-3-usd-yoshi-soba/
Gaijin Gourmet – Delicious, Healthy Meal in Tokyo for Under $3 (USD) – Komoro Soba! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-delicious-healthy-meal-in-tokyo-for-under-3-usd-komoro-soba/
Gaijin Gourmet – Fuji Soba Tokyo’s Top 3 Soba Chain Restaurants robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-fuji-soba-tokyos-top-3-soba-chain-restaurants/
Gaijin Gourmet: 「モンスターMOGULLA！東京の地下からこんにちは」 robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-「モンスターmogulla！東京の地下からこんにちは/
マイク・ロジャース!「ザ・外人グルメ」！のぐるなび ippin(イッピン)の新しい記事がアップされました！robot55.jp/blog/マイク・ロジャース「ザ・外人グルメ」！のぐる/
Gaijin Gourmet! The Best, Most Delicious Soba Restaurant in Shibuya and Shinjuku robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-most-delicious-soba-restaurant-in-shibuya-and-shinjuku/
Gaijin Gourmet – Hamazushi! Tokyo’s Best Robot Sushi! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-hamazushi-tokyos-best-robot-sushi/
Gaijin Gourmet – Sukiya! Japan’s Best Gyudon (Beef Bowl) robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-sukiya-japans-best-gyudon-beef-bowl/
Gaijin Gourmet Advice for Foreign Gentlemen Living in Japan!
http://robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-advice-for-foreign-gentlemen-living-in-japan/
Gaijin Gourmet – Best Soba Chain in Tokyo？Yude Taro and ¥220 Draft Beer?! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-best-soba-chain-in-tokyo？yude-taro-and-¥220-draft-beer/
Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Premium Salad Bar in Tokyo? – Sizzler in Setagaya robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-the-best-premium-salad-bar-in-tokyo-sizzler-in-setagaya/
Gaijin Gourmet! Great Cheap and Delicious Soba in Gaienmae on Ginza Line! robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-great-cheap-and-delicious-soba-in-gaienmae-on-ginza-line/
The Gaijin Gourmet: The Best Salad Bar Deal in Tokyo at Big Boy – My Favorite Rock N Roll Diner!! robot55.jp/blog/the-gaijin-gourmet-the-best-salad-bar-deal-in-tokyo-at-big-boy-my-favorite-rock-n-roll-diner/
Tokyo’s Best Cheap Sushi is in Okachimachi!? 東京の一番安くて美味しい寿司屋？御徒町にあるの？ http://robot55.jp/blog/tokyos-best-cheap-sushi-in-okachimachi/
The Gaijin Gourmet: Soba Wars At Hanzomon Station in Tokyo robot55.jp/blog/gaijin-gourmet-soba-wars-at-hanzomon-station-in-tokyo/
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At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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ザ・外人グルメ,
Check it out! The daily online news magazine, ThinkiHead Daily, has featured our weekly Top 3 Video Countdown! Cool! As you might know, the Top 3 Video Countdown brings you the wildest and coolest and most twisted new sounds from the worldwide underground! Check it out The Top 3 Video Countdown here: http://robot55.jp/blog/top-3-videos-for-october-15-2015-japans-theee-bat-the-shit-the-fontaines-lola-dutronic/
Check it out here: (http://paper.li/mllemire?edition_id=46781710-7388-11e5-8656-0cc47a0d164b)
ThinkiHead Daily is a daily information, Videos, Technology, Business, Leisure, Arts& Entertainment, Science , Sports and more information page that is the brain-child of over-achiever, market researcher, tech-junkie, budding genius and entrepreneur Michelle Lemire!
Thanks Michelle!
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At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! We have 3 decades of experience in Japan and have perfect bi-lingual staff. Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ROBOT55 はビジネス、商業、製品紹介動画の制作のみならず、アートや音楽の映像も創っております。ビジネス動画においてはウェブ動画時代の到来に合わせ、お求めや すい¥70,000という格安価格より承ります。ご予算に応じて皆様にご満足のいく高品質動画を制作致します。勿論インディー・バンド向けPV制作も行っ ております。よ！
コチラよりお気軽にお問い合わせ下さいませ♬
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