Monday's Friday Morning Music Video

"Godzilla" by BOC, from 1977's Spectres. 

Friday Morning Music Video

"Godzilla" by BOC, from 1977's Spectres.

Pikachu has lost weight. Why?

Nintendolife: Why Pikachu Is No Longer As Chubby As It Once Was.

When Pokémon first arrived on the Game Boy in 1996, Pikachu was illustrated as a plump electric rodent that looked far from agile. It wasn't until later on in the series, the face of the pocket monster franchise got an artistic makeover, making him slightly less chubby.

What was the reason behind the change, though? If it wasn't already obvious, it was due to the influence of the anime series at the time. During an interview with the Yomiuri Newspaper in 2018 – as recently shared by YouTuber Dr. Lava – the character designer and art director of the Pokémon series Ken Sugimori explained these changes in detail:

   "We were also influenced by the introduction of the [anime]. Since the animation had them doing a variety of movements, including human-like gestures, we changed the shape of Pikachu's body to make acting easier. While Pikachu was originally very short and stout, we gradually gave it a more defined neck and elongated its spine.

    "The Pikachu appearing in the Pokemon series after the broadcast of the animated series was influenced by how it appeared in the show. Also, I had no idea they were going to make it cry 'Pikachu.' It's like a cat crying out the word 'cat.'"

If you miss the older version of Pikachu, the recent release of Pokémon Sword and Shield on the Switch somewhat makes up for it, with the addition of Gigantamax Pikachu. This Pikachu has little resemblance to the famous one we know and love nowadays and is arguably closer to the original Pokémon design.

Gigantamax Pikachu. Is that similar to Mechagodzilla? Who would win a battle between the two of them?

I wonder if this will be one of the Top Tech stories of the year?

New suspect revealed in Jussie Smollett attack.

Chicago Police have a new "person creature of interest" in the horrendous attack on actor Jussie Smollett. The police have released an image of the new suspect from a traffic cam where the attack is believed to have occurred.

Developing...

World News

Japan Today - Theresa May survives; Brexit still teeters:

...200 Conservative lawmakers voted in support of May as leader, 117 dissented, indicating opposition not only from several dozen supporters of a hard Brexit but also from many more pragmatic lawmakers - and signalling that she was no nearer to passing her EU divorce agreement.

- - -
Singapore Straits Times -  China to reduce auto tariffs; buy more soy:

...the moves by Beijing will "prove that President Trump was right when he announced his summary of the talks" held recently with China's President Xi Jinping, [said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross].

- - -
The Local (FR) - Photo of suspect Cherif Chekatt, Strasbourg gunman:

French police tweeted out a public appeal for help in hunting down the gunman. Members of the public are warned not to approach "the dangerous individual" but to alert authorities[.]

Cherif Chekatt. Photo: Police Nationale

France24 live coverage.

TASS - Russia calls Strasbourg "act of terror."

"Recent events once again prove that it is necessary to promptly join efforts of the entire international community facing a threat of terrorism," the foreign ministry said.

- - -

Italy News Net - Pope removes two scandalous cardinals.

- - -

Italian Narco King captured in Argentina after eight year manhunt. Daily Mail:

Giancarlo Massidda was nabbed during a raid in the Buenos Aires city of Berazategui on Tuesday. [.]

... Massidda had been living in the area under a false identity after he escaped from Italy in 2010 while under house arrest.

It is unknown how long he was living in the South American country.

- - -
DW - Germany inks big lithium deal with Bolivia: 

Lithium deposits hidden below Bolivia's Uyuni salt flat are believed to be the largest in the world. On Wednesday, Germany's privately owned ACI Systems agreed to a partnership with Bolivian state company YLB to exploit the element.

Lithium. The new petrol. I couldn't find any sites advocated for keeping lithium in the ground.
- - -
RT: Migrants at border want $50K from U.S. to go home.

Two groups of Central American migrants, a fraction of the 7,000-strong human tide that massed at the border during US elections, are demanding speedy approval of their asylum claims – or $50,000 to go home.

Good luck with that. Drop a note and let us know how it turns out.
- - -
Asia News - Japan approves tech that will allow jamming hostile satellites:

The new national defense guidelines are characterized as reinforcement of counter-capabilities in new domains including space, cyberspace and electromagnetic waves.