Saturday, October 29, 2016

Day 35 of Overseas Trip 2016

On Day 34, I arrived Los Angeles at evening. With not much time left, I went to sleep early at the host's home.

In the early morning, I walked to downtown Los Angeles.

This Staples centre is where I went there in 2014. It is like returning back to where I have went.

I took a train from downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena. I can see that Pasadena is a residential area.

I learnt a lot of selected past major cases at the police museum. Fantastic!


Thereafter, I walked from the police museum to Caltech.

Along the way, it is really interesting to see how the infrastructure is like at Pasadena.

Finally, I arrived at Caltech. It is a quiet place. I guess it is school break period at that time. Beautiful parks in Caltech.

Nearby, I had a pizza there before taking a train back to downtown.

End of day 35.








Movies

Kuroha (Japanese Drama Special 2015)
Synopsis:
There is a mass suicide cases - About 14 people did it in the same freezing container. Kuroha Yu, female detective with excellent gun shooting skill, suspects that someone encourage them to do so. She is going to prove that the police headquarter is looking at the wrong direction.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is slow, interesting case development show.

Happy Retirement (Japanese Drama Special 2016)
Synopsis:
Two veteran workers in two different government-related employer were asked to take the blame. They are now assigned to the same new workplace where they have nothing to do while being highly paid. However, they decided that they had enough with the one who put them in there. Revolt!
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is typically slow development as to where the main characters' decisions have taken them to.








Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 9:50 am

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Day 34 of Overseas Trip 2016

I went to Los Angeles, CA from Japan.

Taking Bus G, I arrived at a bus stop, waiting for the bus that bring me to downtown LA.



I will fill up more details about my US trip of 2016 on the next blog article.

Dramas and Movies

Ghostbuster (Hollywood Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
Instead of following traditional ghostbuster movie, all original characters are females. It is the starting point of how Ghostbuster was born.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is clearly B-rated movie.

The Legend of Tarzan (Hollywood Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
A family, consisting of father, mother, a male baby, was trapped in the jungle after the boat sank. Unfortunately, the father and mother don't know how to survive in the jungle. They were gone as female gorilla took the baby in.
He became Tarzan. When he grew up, he faces another challenge as a cultured adult instead of Tarzan.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: Not what I would expect to see.

Keiji 7-nin (Japanese Drama 2015)
Synopsis:
Amagi Yu was redeployed from 'lost item' department to detective department. He often prefers to find out the facts that occurs during the hours that the victim was not seen. He believe that these facts are vital to finding the whole truth rather than partial truth which cops are interested to know.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: Interesting show but not much difference from any detective shows.
Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 1:46 pm

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Day 33 of Overseas Trip


I went to Akabanebashi station to explore Tokyo Tower. It is the nearest station.






It is relatively easy to find Tokyo Tower from aforesaid station.I can see why Tokyo Skytree is more preferred due to shopping centre which is built below of Tokyo Skytree.

The main attraction at Tokyo Tower is one piece theme in there.

After that, I went to Roppongi to meet a new Singaporean friend, who works in Japan.





After the meal, he brought me to 45th floor of the building where he works at. It is free to enter but tends to be restricted to people who work in there.

Good location to take picture.




After that, I went to Ginza to explore Sony showroom. Thereafter, it is about 15 minutes walking to Tokyo International Forum. It is to find out how attractive the building is.

A lot of lanes that let you to cross like that. Great to work there especially when you need to bring something from point A to point B in both opposite direction.

As usual, I am not sure how to appreciate the art of this building construction.

With 3 days pass of unlimited ride on Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, I utilised it as much as possible as today is the last day.

I went to Nihombashi Station. It is to see how Tokyo Stock Exchange building looks like.

I took normal train from Nihombashi station to Mitsukoshimae Station. It is to see how coins in the past look like. It is in currency museum.

Truly insight to see a string of many coins.


That ends the Japan tour. I had the dinner at Ippudo near Higashi-Ginza station. I had a flight at midnight. Everything went well. I arrived Haneda International Airport from host's home.

It is wonderful experience to tour Japan. Next blog article will discuss where I had gone to from Haneda International Airport.

Books

Title: Maverick: The Success Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace
Author: Ricardo Semler
Rating: 9/10
Remark: Excellent read about Semler's work career and how he create workplace that is one of the kind. No company has done the same as Semco.

Title: Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
Rating: 8/10
Remark: It is better than what I actually thought. I appreciate the real-life example of how New York Police was restructured with so limited budget.

Movies

Title: Independence Day: Resurgence (Hollywood Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
20 years later, aliens are making its inroad to the Earth again. Humans have no idea what the aliens want. The director of Earth Space Defence prefers 'wait and see' approach while the US president, with major support from the presidents of other countries, chooses to attack unknown item that arrives at the Moon out of sudden. Who are the aliens? What do they want?
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is nice movie that refresh your sci-fi imagination.

Title: The Infiltrator (Hollywood Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
It is based on real-life story of how police team in charge of drug cases crack the tough cases. The tough cases are the one where the head of drug gang is hidden afar. The male cop decided to do undercover with the approval of his superior - to find out who is the leader of the drug gang.
Rating: 9/10
Remark: It is surprisingly good. Heart-pumping moments there.
















Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 7:28 pm

Sunday, October 09, 2016

Day 32 of Overseas Trip 2016

I re-visit Odaiba with the intention to explore for the whole day. It turns out to be excellent enjoyment I had in Tokyo.

After crossing the rainbow bridge, I am walking towards Panasonic show center. I saw so many products which were not sold in Singapore.

I tried their massage chair. Wow!



After that, I walked towards Megaweb. Surprisingly, I didn't know that there is Toyota showroom in there.





It is Toyota futuristic car model. I had good time to play real-life car driving machines.






After that, I went to the shopping centre, where life-size Gundam model is located outside.

Too bad, I was not there to see moving head of that Gundam model. Wrong timing.










I followed the crowd that are moving on a bridge. I am quite lucky to find imitation copy of the Liberty of Statue.






After taking pictures of the surroundings near Liberty of Statue, I walked to Aqua City Odaiba and Decks Tokyo Beach (both are shopping centers).




At Aqua City Odaiba, I went to Sony Explora Science. I learnt a lot about how the machines work. Truly technology class.





There is a bridge that joins between both aforesaid shopping centers. Joypolis is in Decks Tokyo Beach. I managed to get significant discount by buying ticket at 5pm.



One of the SEGA arcade is transformer game.







It was at 7.30pm by the time I left. This meant that Rainbow bridge is closed. I had to take subway from Odaiba to Minato.

As I was walking towards Matsuya, I saw Tokyo tower there.

End of Day 32.








Books

Title: The Art of Long View
Author: Peter Schwartz
Rating: 8/10
Remark: He discussed the importance of long-term planning that considers all kinds of scenarios. Unfortunately, it is not the book I look for when comes to learning long-term analysis or view.

Title: The Breakthrough Challenge: 10 ways to Connect Today's Profit with Tomrrow's Bottom Line
Author: John Elkington
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is one of fine books about social sustainability.

Movie

Title: A Violent Prosecutor (Korean Movie 2016)
Synopsis:
Prosecutor believes in beating the suspects to find out the context the case. Because of that, he was framed for the act which he did not do. The suspect was murdered in the workplace where all prosecutors work at. How will he prove that he is not the one doing it?
Rating: 8/10
Remark: It is entertaining show. Typical Korean story script.
Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 2:46 pm

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Day 31 of Overseas Trip 2016

On day 31, I went to Shibuya station by Tokyo Metro-Toei subway combo. It was because I cannot use JR pass anymore. I bought 3 days pass which allows me to use Tokyo Metro and Toei subway.

Outside shibuya station, there is major renovation. So, it was hard to find hachiko statute. I went to information center asking uncle for direction assistance. Unknowingly, he pointed at hachiko statute which is next to the information center!





It is famous Shibuya Pedestrian Scramble over there.

Shibuya has huge fashion sections. Plenty of clothes to browse.




I went to Tower Records in hope to find old Japanese song albums. Unfortuantely, they are not available!

I figured that I have to buy online.











Near Tower Record, there is a street soccer court on the top of a small building.

It was on the way as I am walking from Shibuya to Harajuku.



I took the train from Meiji-jingumae 'Harajuku' Station to Sakuradamon Station. There is one transfer point - truly long way to walk from point a to point b.




A building over there is National Diet where politicians debate a bill.






Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is close by. It is the sight where you often see in Detective Conan animation show.





Imperial palace is opposite Tokyo Police headquarter.







In the area of imperial place, you can see business district over there.




Walking towards business district in Chiyoda area.







It is one side of Tokyo station - ancient looking building. If you go to the other side of Tokyo station, it is much modern looking building.

Calbee+ is at basement floor of Tokyo Station.







End of Day 31.

Drama

Title: Kenji no Shimei (Japanese Drama Special 2016)
Synopsis:
Sakata, public prosecutor, took a case which a teacher molested a student in the train. He decided that it is not a common case and did heavy investigation to find all facts. Did the teacher molest or did a student frame him?
Rating: 8/10
Remark: Good story but lack of a powerful punch compared to last year drama special, Saigo no Shounin.





Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 10:21 am

Saturday, October 01, 2016

Day 30 of Overseas Trip 2016

I took limited express train from Matsumoto to Shinjuku, Tokyo. At Shinjuku, Tokyo, I have to change to JR Yamanote Line towards Gotanda Station.

After putting my bag at host's home, I went to Ikebukuro station.

There is slight difficult to locate Sunshine City. It is a shopping centre far away from busy shopping area.



It took me one hour to find it. I am going to enter J world at 5pm sharp so that I got significant discount.






I explored and played the anime-related games. Too bad, it is not that big. The entrance fee together with unlimited games is quite pricey.





It is already night by the time I went out of Sunshine City. Ikebukuro is nice place to explore at night.






Today is the last day of my JR pass.

End of Day 30

Drama

Keishichou Zero-gakari (Japanese Drama 2015)
Synopsis:
A career cop was assigned to a newly created department which is known as Section Zero. It was to isolate him from poking his nose into highly sensitive case. Unfortunately, it was not successful.
Rating: 7/10
Remark: Interesting way to solve the cases with logic. Very average cop-theme drama.

Book
Title: The Undercover Economist Strikes Back : How to Run or Ruin an Economy
Rating: 7/10
Remark: It is surprising to see dialogue theme story discussing about macroeconomics stuffs. I was inspired by Bill Philips' life.
Tony Del Piero wrote and posted at at 10:56 am