Is this...a. The tower from which King Neptune reigns benevolently over his aquatic kingdom?
b. Where Gandalf and Radagast pound Jagerbombs/hold the annual Istari Charity Pancake Breakfast?
c. The Eiffel Tower, as seen by Marcel Duchamp with a headful of absinthe (1911-1913)?
d. The headquarters of a bloodthirsty cult who sacrifice goats to the Great Old Ones?
e. The headquarters of a regular ol' cult?
All ready? OK, pencils down! Yes, the answer is "e" (and possibly "c", I'm not qualified to testify on Msr. Duchamp's mental state). This is the Perfect Liberty Tower, right here in Tondabayashi City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Just for a bit of perspective, here's the tower in relation to our house:
OK, I guess that doesn't really give much perspective to some readers who don't really know the ins and outs of Japanese geography. Here's the same map, a bit more zoomed out.
Alarming indeed.
If "Perfect Liberty" sounds at all cult-like, that's because it is -- they have their own bus lines in the city, and they're host to the world's largest annual fireworks display. Tondabayashi natives are eager to point out that it's not one of those cults, though. More of a New Religious Movement, really, nothing to worry about (especially not with the mass transit lines or stockpiles of colorful explosives).
Scarier than this imposing not-really-phallic monument looming over the city, actually, is the huge corporate HQ of Perfect Liberty. When Americans hear talk about not keeping up with the Japanese, this is what they're talking about. Where our American cults have shotgun shacks, militant bunkers, and Mormon architecture, the PL people have a huge office building with at least three parking lots. Plus a PL museum the same size as the corporate offices right next door. I guess we have John Travolta, though, so that's something.
And now for a message from Jenn and Harry to their friends and readers:
Are you lonely? Confused? Lost in a cold and often uncaring world? We are! Comment on these posts if you have anything to say, we'd love to hear from you!
Oh, for the luxury of massively organized cults! Here at home we have to be contented with good old Scientology still. Which, I suppose, is rather organized... but aliens are far less interesting than towers that look like they're made of white play-doh. The answer is obviously to change the location of that third arrow. Perhaps if we all get together and figure out how to institute an Omega Bear relocation program.
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