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Master Blaster

Writer / Translator

Master Blaster is the two-man translating team of Canada’s Steven Le Blanc and Japan’s Masami M, a pair who in addition to writing work are in English education and created the StudyNow app for Japanese students of English.

Together they have written somewhere around 1,500 articles for RocketNews24 covering such diverse topics as Chinese men selling sanitary napkins to each other and a Japanese guy dragging an ear of corn around the Tokyo train system. A few of these were actually good, but don’t take our word for it! Here’s what our beloved readers had to say:

“One isn't always in the mood for bold tastes. But when I'm in the mood for bold flavor I turn to you.”
“Stupid article. Who cares what the Japanese think it's cool. You don't call a monkey, "gorilla".”
“You know, this is about the most cogent explanation of how a turbocharger works that I have ever seen in the non-motorsports world.”
“Thanks for the article peter!”
“It's people like you who make exploitation possible.”
“It looks yummy and the story was great. Thank you for the smile.”

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Posted by Master Blaster (Page 185)

Lunch Exchange: We Taste Test Japanese “Station Bentos” from New York’s Grand Central Station

Master Blaster
Mar 25, 2013
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of Tokyo Station as well as Grand Central Station, New York: two titans of transportation who have served their respective metropolises proud.

To honor this centennial, Grand Central hosted “Japan Week” which drew crowds to the already crowded terminal. Hearing of this, RocketNews24 sent a reporter to investigate the centerpiece of Japan Week; the ekiben counter!

Japan, USA
(bento • food • Grand Central • Tokyo Station)

IKEA Giving Away Free Breakfast for Limited Time

Master Blaster
Mar 24, 2013

We all love Swedish housewares chain IKEA for their reliable selection of TISDAGs and RÅSKOGs, and whenever I’m out shopping for a new SLÄT I like to stop by the cafeteria for their 99 yen (US$1) breakfast.

But for a limited time IKEA is lowering the price of their ultra-cheap “Morning Plate” breakfast right down to 0 yen (US$0).

Japan
(breakfast • free • ikea)

The Genesis of the Nintendo Famicom-Shaped Guitar: The Family Comguitar

Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2013

Behold: a guitar shaped like an 8-bit Nintendo Famicom (NES) console with a pair of controllers! Aside from a few alterations, the body is nearly to scale with the game machine.

Let’s take a look to see how the designer going by the name Mitsumatsu made this monster musical machine.

Japan
(famicom • guitar • nintendo)

Wow Guests at Your Next Party with 50 Egg Yolks Straight from the Rice Cooker

Master Blaster
Mar 23, 2013

Here at RocketNews24 we are no strangers to excessive consumption of ordinary foodstuffs. We even once constructed a bowl of gyudon with 10 raw eggs on top.

Still, we have to doff our caps to this gent who dreamed a dream and successfully cooked 50 egg yolks in a rice cooker. We say “successfully” because the end result actually looks pretty good – if not lethal.

Internet
(cooking • egg • rice cooker • video)

SRF’s Earthquake Protection Strips Give New Meaning to “Band-Aid Solution”

Master Blaster
Mar 22, 2013

Dr. Shunichi Igarashi has surprised even himself with his line of Super Reinforcement with Flexibility (SRF) technology. SRF basically involves wrapping the columns and walls of building in adhesive strips.

The idea of gluing fabric on a building to protect it from the sheer force of an earthquake doesn’t sound very comforting. However, when Dr. Igarashi’s SRF was put to the test in the Great Tohoku Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, it passed with flying colors.

Japan
(earthquake • safety • technology)

Sakura Mikuman Too Cute to Eat, We Do So Anyway

Master Blaster
Mar 21, 2013

The long standing collaboration between Japan’s premier virtual pop star and ubiquitous convenience store continues this spring with the Hatsune Miku de Sakura no Uta campaign.

Unfortunately, the campaign has been having a bit of a rocky start with the sexually suggestive Sakura Style Strawberry Cream Bread. So now it’s time to bring out the heavy artillery: Family Mart’s second version of a Hatsune Miku-themed nikuman (steamed meat bun), Sakura Mikuman.

Japan
(Family mart • food • Hatsune Miku • nikuman)

Forget Filthy Fingers, Soon Your Smartphone Can Check Your Pulse Just by Looking at You

Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2013

Fujitsu Labs recently announced it is finalizing technology which lets you check and monitor your pulse just by pointing a camera at your face. The company claims results can be achieved in as little as five seconds and doesn’t require complicated procedures or extra equipment.

The technology is compatible with ordinary smartphones as well as tablets, laptops, or desktops as long as they’re equipped with a camera.

Japan
(health • pulse • smartphone • technology)

You Asked for It and Now It’s Here: See-Through Paper! You Did Ask for It, Right?

Master Blaster
Mar 20, 2013

On 18 March an announcement was made that shook the world of manufacturing. For centuries man has had to endure white paper for writing down notes, works of art, or fake telephone numbers from girls met in the bar.

Sure, there was the development of colored paper, but that’s just putting lipstick on a pig. The real innovation will come in the not too distant future when we will be able to enjoy paper the way it was truly meant to be – nearly invisible!

Think of the applications! Seriously, think about it, because we had to for a really long time.

Japan
(paper • science • technology • transparent)

Pool Season is Just Around the… Dear God! Someone Help Them!

Master Blaster
Mar 19, 2013

It looks like winter is behind us in Japan now and we can soon look forward to taking a dip outdoors. However, it looks as if these people jumped the gun by a month or so and took the plunge early… with all their clothes on… carrying bags and sinking to the bottom like a stone…

What on earth is going on here?

Japan
(art • illusion • Kanagawa • pool • video)

In Search of Osaka’s 11 Cent Vending Machine

Master Blaster
Mar 19, 2013

Legend has it that in the urban center of Osaka there sits a vending machine so cheap that it boggles the mind. Here a tasty beverage can be purchased for a measly 10 yen (US$0.11).

RocketNews24 had sent a reporter, Usagi Yumeno, to Fukushima Ward in the port town in search of this machine.

Japan
(10 yen • culture • Osaka • vending machine • weird)

5-4-3-2-1 Thunderbirds and Japan’s Self Defense Force are Go!?

Master Blaster
Mar 17, 2013

Word has been circulating that the famous British sci-fi puppetry program Thunderbirds and Japan’s pseudo-military, The Self Defense Force (SDF) are teaming up for a promotional campaign.

A series of posters will be released explaining the similarities between the missions of the fictional IRO (International Rescue Organization) and functional SDF: “international peace cooperation activities and disaster relief.”

Japan
(poster • self defense force • thunderbirds)

10 Yen Coin Takes Out Entire Shinkansen Train, Passengers Evacuated and Delayed

Master Blaster
Mar 16, 2013

JR Central may want to consider banning the use of 10 yen coins from their mighty Shinkansen bullet trains due to the potential hazards they pose.

On 12 March a 400-meter, 715-tonne shinkansen train capable of 300 km/h speeds was pulled off duty because of a single 2.4-centimeter 10 yen coin.

Japan
(accident • coin • shinkansen)

One in Five Young Adults Have Eaten in a Restroom and Other Japanese Toilet Trends

Master Blaster
Mar 15, 2013

Plumbing dealer Sunrefre Plaza opened a Facebook page this year called Love X Toilet which shares various tidbits of information regarding the world of toilets. On top of that, they held a survey asking around 2,500 Japanese people about their toilet habits. The results were enlightening to say the least.

Japan
(bookstore • survey • toilet • weird)

Indonesian High School Students Turn Cow Dung into the Sweet Smell of Success

Master Blaster
Mar 15, 2013

Rintya Miki Aprianti and Dwi Nailul Izzah are the proud recipients of gold medals in the Indonesian Science Project Olympiad (ISPO) held last February in Jakarta. It’s no surprise, though, as these two high school students have achieved a marvel of fragrance engineering: they turned a pile of cow crap into a “pleasant smelling” air freshener.

SE Asia
(air freshener • cow dung • Indonesia • science)

Criminals of Japan’s Edo Period Were Often Punished by Getting Face Tattoos

Master Blaster
Mar 14, 2013

Japan has had a complicated relationship with tattoos over its history. Unlike in most western countries where it’s simply considered a form of expression or drunkenly poor decisions, currently body art is generally looked down upon in Japanese society despite having some of the best artists and techniques in the world.

And yet most people in Japan are unaware that not too long ago, for a time during the Edo Period (1603-1868) the go-to form of punishment for non-violent crimes was a tattoo right in the center of your forehead.

Japan
(crime • culture • Edo • tattoo)

Japanese Guy Follows Dream of Travelling World and Taking Pictures of Beautiful Women (But Needs Our Help)

Master Blaster
Mar 13, 2013

Kei Akatsu is a man with a dream – a dream to travel the world, meet women, and take their pictures. Having spent half a year in Vancouver introducing himself girls and holding impromptu photo shoots, he honed the necessary skills to fulfill his ambition.

The Tokyo University of Science student then spent the rest of the time setting up his website, Beauties World Map. The website came together very well but he needed more content and for that he needed more capital. So he turned to crowd funding.

Japan
(Beauties World Map • crowd funding • travel • website • women)

Okinawa Man in Bizarre Death, Power Tool and Fishing Equipment Found Nearby

Master Blaster
Mar 13, 2013

It’s time to put on your detective pants and try to figure out what happened in this strange death of a man in his 70s in Okinawa. Details are sketchy but police are leaning towards an accidental death.

Japan
(mystery • Okinawa • saw)

Masked Wrestler City Councilman Forbidden to Wear Mask During Sessions, Describes Maskism as “Frustrating”

Master Blaster
Mar 13, 2013

The masked wrestler rights movement was dealt a blow on 11 March as wrestler turned municipal legislator, Skull Reaper A-ji, was refused entry to a scheduled city council session as long as he was wearing his mask.

When interviewed by reporters、 Councilman Skull Reaper, who was elected last month, expressed regret over the matter saying, “Frustrating. If I take my mask off, I’m an entirely different person. I will not take it off.”

Japan
(politics • Skull Reaper A-ji • sports • wrestling)

New South China Mall: The Largest Mall in the World… World… world…

Master Blaster
Mar 13, 2013

The New South China Mall, situated in Dongguan City, is considered to be the largest shopping mall in the world. According to an Emporis in 2012 it has 600,153 m2 of gross leasable area.

It boasts a hotel, an indoor/outdoor roller coaster which spans the complex, a canal with gondolas, and various replicas including the Arc de Triomphe, and Sphinx. It’s an impressive feat of design and engineering.

The only problem with the New South China Mall is that it’s almost completely empty and unused. The Emporis’ report also refers to it as a “dead mall” and, according to a CNN Japan report, the escalators are covered in tarps and the passages are dusty and lined with shutters.

So what went wrong?