Comments on: Japan’s hidden tropical island: Aogashima

By: SomeGuyNamedMark

SomeGuyNamedMark — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Could be layers of pumice which is off-white

By: Des Akkari

Des Akkari — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:12:00 +0000

yes, awesome…. but do we take the jet pack or the mini sub?

By: Robert Beech

Robert Beech — Thu, 31 May 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Compare areal shot with this matt painting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59287279@N00/7308092746/in/photostream/

By: toyg

toyg — Thu, 31 May 2012 05:21:00 +0000

This is clearly where they keep their giant robots, to be launched when the alien invasion comes. Proof: http://www.flickr.com/photos/izuyan/5668663141/in/set-72157626606763266

By: MarlboroTestMonkey7

MarlboroTestMonkey7 — Wed, 30 May 2012 21:58:00 +0000

That’s part of the charm, deadly charm.

By: TheMadLibrarian

TheMadLibrarian — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:20:00 +0000

This island can be seen on GoogleEarth. At least a couple of the photos show what looks like volcanic gasses or steam; the volcano may not be completely dormant. The road looks like the path that goes over the pali (cliffs) on Molokai, down to Kalaupapa Peninsula. Some of the path is concealed by rocks and greenery and is invisible from most vantage points.

By: Jeremy Gaynor

Jeremy Gaynor — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:59:00 +0000

chocobo. golden chocobo.

By: LightningRose

LightningRose — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:32:00 +0000

To the best of my knowledge, volcanic magma rock is never white, so I’m thinking it’s guano – perhaps not the best choice of media for portraits of evil villain overlords. :)

By: desiredusername

desiredusername — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Is it me or is there a road that just drops you off of a cliff?

By: efergus3

efergus3 — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:19:00 +0000

I wonder what sorts of dinosaurs are found on the island?

By: jandrese

jandrese — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:37:00 +0000

Looking at the Island I was curious how in the world you even got there by boat. The steep rock cliffs surrounding the island don’t look inviting at all to a boat, and I can’t imagine that they would want to haul everything in or out of the island all the way up the side of the caldera and back down.

According to Google Maps they have a tunnel from the center of the island out to a small pier on the coast. That must have been an expensive tunnel for 200 people. I wonder if it also does double duty as flood relief during the rainy season?

Most of the buildings on the island look to be barns, so I’m guessing the culture is very very rural there.

By: freshyill

freshyill — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:25:00 +0000

Touché. I have to admit that I didn’t even consider airplanes. Still, the vast majority of islands are tiny specks in the ocean only accessible by boat or helicopter.

By: benher

benher — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:18:00 +0000

If we’re discussing cool/lesser known Japanese islands, may I invite curiosity seekers to throw Minamitorishima into your morning google mix?

By: benher

benher — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:16:00 +0000

Ah! You’ve been to Naha I see!

By: niktemadur

niktemadur — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

Holy cow, a disco ball!
Those not shaking their booties, sit on the edge of the dancefloor, seiza-style.

By: niktemadur

niktemadur — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:03:00 +0000

@Culturedropout:disqus
There it is, my man – start packing!

By: wizardru

wizardru — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:30:00 +0000

No, but it’s roughly the equivalent of Florida, if I read the map right. Still probably pretty nice most of the year, I’d wager.

By: zuben

zuben — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Aye. I had that module and still remember the flooded corridors of the submerged inhabitants of the island. I seem to remember a rather beautiful elf raising a sail on the cover as well!

By: zuben

zuben — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:47:00 +0000

I wonder how that wouldn’t lead to rapid erosion and deadly mudslides. Maybe they’ve got advanced tech to keep the soil intact?

It’s also interesting that the inner valley hasn’t been clear-cut for crops, husbandry, habitation, etc. Reminds me a bit of the Eden Initiative in Anno 2070.

By: pjcamp

pjcamp — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:35:00 +0000

True enough, but it is difficult to distinguish a dormant volcano from an extinct one. Fourpeaked mountain in Alaska had been silent since 8000 BC when it erupted in 2006. Pinatubo, in the Philippines, also seems to have dormancy periods on the order of several thousand years between eruptions.

By: kartwaffles

kartwaffles — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:34:00 +0000

President Madacascar disagrees and would like to have a word with you, but he can’t because they just
…
SHUT
DOWN
EVERYTHING

By: SomeGuyNamedMark

SomeGuyNamedMark — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:24:00 +0000

Seriously, I think that cone in the middle opens up to reveal the death ray.

By: Matt Staggs

Matt Staggs — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:13:00 +0000

Not sure if anyone here grew up playing D&D, but this is almost identical to the island in the Expert Set module “The Isle of Dread”.

By: bbonyx

bbonyx — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:12:00 +0000

The most exclusive club in the world:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/izuyan/5668666495/in/set-72157626606763266/

Unce unce unce unce….

By: Wreckrob8

Wreckrob8 — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:11:00 +0000

You can get a train to the British Isles until we flood the tunnel to stop all the Euro crisis refugees trying to get in. Haha.

By: HahTse

HahTse — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:53:00 +0000

The main economy appears to be salt production and some agriculture.

That sound’s like a real cliché – “We are an island. Our main exports are salt and water.”

Imagine the adventures.

Not to speak of all the hilarious ways to DIE.

By: falnfenix

falnfenix — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:52:00 +0000

treetop sentry point/lookout + 500 rounds of .223 (accounting for errors and practice) = safe from zeds.

By: HahTse

HahTse — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:47:00 +0000

Only 200 possible “infection vectors” (aka: targets) there, though.

By: HahTse

HahTse — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:46:00 +0000

It’s good to see, that I wasn’t the only person whose first thought was “Wow, that totally looks als computer generated.”

By: EvilSpirit

EvilSpirit — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Not to mention the islands you can reach via bridge, of which I’ve lived on 2.