テスラの作っている電気自動車はサンマテオの街にあふれていますが… これは新型。
サイバートラックとかいう、最新型の荷車です。今日が2回目の目撃でした。
見かけた時の第一印象は:
高専の文化祭で、生徒さん達が段ボールとアルミ箔で組み立てたみたい。
あるいは… 幼稚園児が折り紙で造ったクルマみたい。
【多分こうだったんじゃないか劇場】
カーデザイナーがヤバい薬をキメながら鉛筆デッサンしたばっかりのところに、統合失調症でヤバい薬をキメているCEOがやってきて…その鉛筆デッサンを見つけて即気に入って、そのまま量産に廻しちゃった…。
ここ書いてて、充分にありえる会社だと思いました。(爆)
それと、できるだけ組み立て部品も工程も減らしたから、ステンレスのままで塗装してないらしい…。
この流し台みたいな色しか選択肢が無い車が街にあふれてきたら… 私、なんだか怖いわ。
運ちゃんが乗ったままだったし、街路樹とゴミ箱の側に停まってて撮影し難かったですが…
これってピックアップだから、後ろは蓋してないんだよね?
ちなみに、自動洗車機にはかけられないらしいです。
もっとも、ピックアップをこまめに洗車する奴って…www
こんな変な物体が道を走っても怒られない、自由の國アメリカ!(笑)
まぁ、デロリアンという前例もあったけど、あっちのがずっとカッコイイ。
§
しかも、いまが旬のイスラエル・ブルー!
この車も、デザイナーがヤバイ薬をキメてラリラリになって描いたのが、そのまま量産されたのでしょう。
でもなんでゴーサインを出す人々から異論が出なかったのか?
やはり西ドイツも大麻が合法化されたせいに違いありません。
将来、岡山の「まっくろくろすけ」が、こんな大きな鼻の穴になったら… 私、今から怖いわ。
I received an update email regarding the birthday reservation for June 1st, and I was about to write a reply when I noticed a new article posted here, so I'll take the liberty (or perhaps just the opportunity?) to write my reply here first (lol).
ReplyDeleteOh, we're less than six weeks away from the event. So inevitably (obviously), I'll become a 66-year-old man in less than six weeks (although, is there much of a difference now?). In any case, I truly appreciate the effort of calling Tinc Gana for the reservation confirmation via international call.
I'm glad to hear that you were able to speak with Sommelier Kikuchi safely this time, and thank you for arranging the Jérôme's house brand sparkling wine for the toast without venturing into adventurous choices. Although I was slightly hoping for another sharp Cavas apart from the house brand, since this is my precious birthday, Though, I'm not disappointed at all to opt for the safer choice. As you said, Jérôme's name attached to it assures the quality of the house brand Cavas.
By the way, it seems everyone will be having wine pairings. While your BYO is enjoyable, having the restaurant arrange pairings in such a high-end setting also sounds delightful.
As for my schedule on June 1st, I'll be staying at The InterContinental The Strings Tokyo from the day before, and I'll follow you to have the complimentary breakfast at the club lounge at the time you specified. After filling my stomach, I'll head to Keio Plaza Hotel Shinjuku, where The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy is taking place. I'm not a member of this society, but I'm attending to reconnect with an old acquaintance who will be presenting a topic (https://med-gakkai.jp/72jstmct/).
I'd like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who will be taking the time out of their busy schedules to join, especially for someone like me from the countryside. I look forward to seeing everyone.
Well then, everyone, let's make sure to gather at Tinc Gana in Ichigaya by 17:30! ...Although, the most likely scenario is me, the country bumpkin, getting lost and being late. Let me keep my fingers crossed for now…
Yamada Denki sensei,
DeleteIt might be considerable disclosing all the personal info on the web… but anyway the vast majority is your info.
So you will be attending the conference of transfusion… hence the attendees will receive nice i.v. during the event? …and nobody attends who is belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses for sure. Even if you receive nice i.v. during this event, please keep yourself starved for the forthcoming big dinner… so the ingredients of the i.v. must be similar to the U.S. ones, just purified water with a pinch of salt. (lol)
As I’m a conservative person for the meals as you know, I don’t want to ‘explore’ unknown Cava. Compare to Champagne, the grape variety of Cava is wide and various – i.e. Xarello, Parellada y Macabeo – plus Champagne grapes i.e. Chardonnay and Pinos. As a result, I had experienced so many different touches and flavors of Cava in Catalonia, the best I had so far was San Pau’s private label, CR25 – Ms. Carme Ruscalleda’s 25th anniversary bottles which no wonder contains Chardonnay. Therefore, since Jérôme was the executive chef at Sant Pau, his personal label tastes somehow close – no Chardonnay inside though.
And I won’t bring California wine bottles to the restaurant this time. The wine-paring I saw (iSO-san had it. I took non-alcoholic option) last time was quite impressive. And the next time Kikuchi-san, ex-Sommelier of Sant Pau, will choose the wines so please enjoy his considerations of the marriage.
…and lastly, we will certainly start our degustation course even if you are late. We can’t wait for those exquisite foods! (LoL)
OMG! When you used the term "considerable," it indicates some negative connotation, doesn't it? Even if most of the personal information provided is mine, since others will also be attending the event, I'll refrain a bit from disclosing it online from now on.
ReplyDeleteAs I said earlier, I'm not a member of The Japan Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy, so I'll be going to the venue of their 72nd Annual Meeting, but I won't be attending the meeting itself... It's evident that the members of the society are deeply interested in blood disorders, but I can't imagine attendees receiving any kind of IV drip during the meeting...
Hmm, I hadn't thought about it until you pointed it out, but I just realized for the first time that I've never encountered a doctor who is a follower of the religion that "rejects blood transfusions and opts for alternative treatments" before. It's a relatively large religion, so I'm sure there are followers who also hold Japanese medical licenses, but even if they exist, they probably wouldn't specialize in blood disorders. It's a new discovery for me, at least.
I've had similar experiences many times before, but whenever followers of this religion undergo specialized tests or surgeries at medical institutions, back when I was a doctor, there would always be debates during pre-examination conferences or preoperative conferences. Nowadays, medical institutions are accustomed to it, and they say, "Yes, please have a representative from the sect present during the preoperative explanation. We will explain that we will not perform blood transfusions during tests or surgery and will discuss possible alternative treatments." Times are changing.
Anyway, since I won't be receiving any IV drips during the meeting, I'll endure my hunger until the enjoyable dinner afterwards. Of course, when catching up with old acquaintances who is a doctor, I might have a cup of coffee at most.
I have no way to evaluate whether you are conservative when it comes to meals, but as far as I know, you stick to the mainstream (such as properly pairing the alcohol served with dishes), don't you? In that regard, I'm definitely a bit unconventional (lol).
I have a slight desire to explore unknown Cavas, but compared to Champagne, Cavas might have more hits and misses for us Japanese.
I'm well aware that you've experienced many different flavors and aromas of Cava at Sant Pau's main store in Catalonia. The best one you've rated so far, San Pau's private label, CR25, I've also tasted it during the Sant Pau days in Nihonbashi.
Since it’s a high-end restaurant, I agree that enjoying the wine pairing arranged there is the mainstream behavior when it comes to your meals. This time, Kikuchi-san, the former sommelier of Sant Pau, will be selecting the wines, so I'll obediently enjoy his recommendations.
...And finally, if I happen to be late or don't make it to the agreed location, please go ahead and start your gourmet course without worrying about me. If I don't make it in time for the last dessert, I'll probably head from Shinjuku past Ichigaya all the way to Tsukiji, and enjoy sushi alone at the usual Sushizanmai?
Leaving jokes aside (if that's okay), I also can't wait for those exquisite dishes!
The Cybertruck is Tesla's electric pickup truck that shook the world with its futuristic design, isn't it? I remember reading related articles in automotive magazines a few years ago, and it was supposed to be released about two years ago initially. I speculated that the delay might be due to refining the vehicle design, which seemed too simplistic to me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the Cybertruck deliveries began in the United States at the end of last year, and it appeared in the world without any significant refinements, including your images. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the official release in Japan is still pending. Moreover, despite the impact of the original design being retained in the actual vehicle, will it contribute to enhancing the brand power of Tesla?
Oh, so Tesla's electric vehicles are overflowing in the streets of San Mateo, huh? You've already witnessed this new model, the Cybertruck, twice. Truly California-like, huh? Well, in my mind, California equals always blue skies, which seem more suitable for convertibles, so it doesn't quite fit my image, does it?
My first impression upon seeing the images you took was: Can this simplistic aerodynamic design really reach 100 kilometers per hour in just 2.7 seconds? Or does it seem like the body might fall apart the moment it hits 100 kilometers per hour as indicated in their catalog data?
By the way, just a few days ago, I saw on the internet news that “Tesla is recalling all Cybertrucks due to a malfunction where the accelerator pedal becomes unresponsive.” - Even the accelerator pedal doesn't work? It seems like the fundamental performance of the vehicle, not just the design, is quite simplistic (lol).
Are you referring to the DeLorean that you wrote earlier in your message, which is commonly associated with the time machine featured in the "Back to the Future" film series? Or are you referring to the real-life automobile, the "DMC-12," which serves as the basis for this time machine? Either way, both are quite fascinating entities. In the movie, Dr. Emmett Brown modified and created the former using the latter, his own beloved car. According to the doctor's remarks, the DMC-12 was chosen as the basis for modification because its stainless steel body was convenient for the time machine, and its stylish appearance.
ReplyDeleteIn that respect, there seems to be a similarity with the Cybertruck, but surely, whether it's a DeLorean or a DMC-12, like the Cybertruck, it remains unpainted (or unpaintable?) and cannot be put through an automatic car wash. So that's why the DeLorean in the movie was always so dirty (lol).
I was going to skip commenting on the car in the last image of your article, but since I'm a bimmer myself, I'll just add a little comment. You said, "I also think cars with enlarged nostrils like this one are amazing." But looking at recent BMW cars, if the nostrils are only this big, it's still not too bad. Like me, many BMW enthusiasts around the world are concerned about the increasing size of BMW's grilles in future models. According to this link, https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-c7853bbedd5d80f0485b9ae527ba5443-lq, by 2025, almost the entire front will be grille, by 2050, the grille will even extend to the engine hood, and by 2060, the entire vehicle will be a grille, with the mission of BMW being to move the grille. It seems like it's about time to seriously consider washing my hands of bimmer...
Once again, this post is completely unrelated to the article content, but since I haven't been active on that credit card-related forum where I first met you, and your senior doesn't seem too interested in credit cards, you seem to be the most knowledgeable about this topic among my acquaintances. So, I'll make a little post here.
ReplyDeleteAfter a long time, I received an interesting target campaign from CSC.
"Smooth and comfortable air travel Private jet
Gather at the exclusive terminal 30 minutes before boarding, proceed with boarding procedures immediately upon arrival, and depart.
Direct flights to destinations without regular flights are also possible.
We will guide you through the usage plan that suits your "date, route, number of people, and other requests."
Reading up to this point, I thought, "Oh, it's the usual thing for Centurion members with plenty of money," and almost decided to toss it into the trash, but I decided to read on for the time being.
"
[Tokyo-Osaka (4 people round trip)]
Approximately 4 million points
[Tokyo-Hawaii (13 people round trip)]
Approximately 50 million points
If you don't have enough points, you can pay the remaining amount with your card."
My current MR points are around 1.07 million points, so even for a round trip between Tokyo and Osaka, I'm likely to be charged quite a bit additionally. Just out of curiosity, I called CSC, and it seems like I could charter a round trip between Tokyo and Okayama for about 1.07 million points + 3 million yen.
What further attracted me was the "Limited Special Offer," which stated,
"For those who spend a total of 3 million yen (including tax), we will provide the 'JMB Diamond' status."
For someone like me, who mainly collects miles on land, achieving JAL Diamond status is truly a distant goal.
Speaking of JMB Diamond, it seems that I need to earn over 100,000 FLY ON Points (including 50,000 FLY ON Points on JAL Group flights) or fly more than 120 times (including 60 times on JAL Group flights) and earn over 35,000 FLY ON Points within 12 months (calendar year) from January to December.
I don't even fly 120 times a year, let alone on JAL Group flights, and even if I take a round trip in first class between Japan and Europe once, it seems that I would only earn 18,660 FLY ON Points by paying 3,416,830 yen. So, to earn 100,000 FLY ON Points, I would have to make 6 round trips and pay about 20 million yen. If I can get that JAL Diamond status just for 3 million yen...
How about this for my next birthday party: if I show up at Haneda from Okayama on a private jet, would you also join me on the return trip from Haneda to Okayama? (lol)
Yamada Denki sensei,
DeleteThank you for the offer of experiencing the private jet. But I took those private jets several times with Mr. Okawa, chairman of Sega, when he visiting around the States. I had flights between Napa and Seattle / New York / Dallas. I think I told you that I also had a chance to sit on the pilot seat and received a instruction of operating the aircraft.
Due to my experiences, I don’t recommend you to waste your MR points for this private jet offer. You already have better experiences with supersonic airplane.
- 4 million MR points for 1 hr flight is too expensive.
- JMB Diamond for just 1 yr is worthless. (Especially for me)
1 MR point has a worth about 2.0 cents due to TPG. Hence the price of the flight will be USD 80,000, equivalent to JPY 12,000,000. (ex.rate: $1 = 150Yen) This is way expensive!!
Also, the private jet for 4 passengers will be very tiny like Honda Jet. Due to my experiences, small jets are super noisy. In my case I couldn’t wear my noise cancelling headphones because I had to pay my attention to the big bosses in the cabin, but even the aircraft for 24 passengers; it was very noisy and very sensitive by the weather like severe turbulences.
Furthermore; Sensei, even you’ve got received a JMB Diamond status, do you take JL flights so frequently? The best part of the perks and benefits of such status would be given on the long haul flights such as Japan to Europe, South America or East-coast of North America. Will you take trips over those destinations several times within a year?
I was actually quite serious about offering you the private jet experience, but over time, I've become less enthusiastic about it. Yes, you've had experiences using private jets several times with the chairman when visiting various parts of America, such as flights between Napa and Seattle/New York/Dallas. With his VIP status, he'll probably have a schedule packed with work as soon as he lands, so his day will start when he arrives at his destination after flying through the night, essentially making it a red-eye flight. I wouldn't want to endure such a tight schedule on a plane, especially if you were at the pilot's seat... that would make me even less eager to fly (lol).
ReplyDeleteJust like you said, I wouldn't want to waste my hard-earned MR points on this private jet offer. While the experience with the Concorde, the supersonic plane, was indeed remarkable, it was cramped like an economy class, the engine noise was extremely loud, and if I were asked to fly on it again, I would probably decline.
I haven't actually accumulated 4 million MR points, but listening to your perspective, I've reconsidered the offer of 1 million MR points plus JPY3,000,000 as too costly. Even if I pay that much to attain the JMB Diamond status, I have to meet the conditions to maintain that status for the next year, otherwise, I'll be demoted to a regular member.
What caught my attention the most was the strict criteria for becoming a Diamond member, needing to earn over 100,000 FLY ON Points (including 50,000 FLY ON Points on JAL Group flights) or fly more than 120 times (including 60 times on JAL Group flights) and earn over 35,000 FLY ON Points within 12 months (calendar year) from January to December. I had always thought there were no shortcuts to becoming a Diamond member, but in reality, there seems to be a loophole, albeit only for one year. I used to watch with a sense of admiration those top-tier members who were the first to board the plane as Group 1 at the airport gates, knowing they had cleared such stringent conditions, but now I feel like I might view them with a slightly different perspective (maybe with a bit more ease?).
Yamada Denki sensei,
DeleteIf it’s United, you may prepay $50,000 PassPlus for Global Services. Therefore, JAL might have similar hidden offers for certain frequent flyers.
At least their partner American Airlines has (had) hidden customer support. Now it’s disclosed as Concierge Key, but approximately 15yrs ago my immediate boss had a black plastic AAdvantage member card when he was a 4 million mile flyer. When he books AA or JL flights, he immediately receive first class seats whatever the booking classes were. No wonder he flew SFO ⇄ DFW almost every weekend and once a month SFO ⇄ NRT.
Well… the point is; Are you, or will you be, a frequent flyer of Japan Airlines and fly a lot with OneWorld?
Wow, so with United Airlines, you can acquire Global Services status by prepaying $50,000? I suppose being a US-based carrier, they would somewhat openly disclose that. Or perhaps it's insider information that you, as a frequent flyer, happen to know about?
ReplyDelete$50,000, huh? That seems quite steep when converted to today's exchange rate to JPY, but if it means becoming one of United Airlines' top customers, especially if I were living in the US and a frequent flyer like you, I might seriously consider paying that amount.
On that note, whether it's ANA or JAL, Japanese carriers might try to keep such special offers for specific frequent travelers under wraps, perhaps out of concern for their other customers' perception.
Your immediate boss was a 4 million mile flyer? 4 million miles, huh? I can't even imagine for a land-bound miler like myself, that's like circling the earth a hundred times over (sigh). But it's a shame he had that black plastic AAdvantage membership card. A black plastic membership card... I guess that's a bit disappointing, is it because of AmEx? (lol)
Anyway, your boss, even on American Airlines and, astonishingly, on JAL flights, immediately upgraded to first class regardless of the booking class. There are some incredible stories out there. But I wonder, how did American Airlines settle with JAL for those upgrades later?
By the way... If I retire in two years from now, I might consider transferring the MR points I've slowly accumulated to JAL for travel, but as you know, their miles expire relatively quickly, so it might be better to transfer points to other One World partners. I might seek your opinion on that matter sometime in the future, so your guidance would be much appreciated.