Latest news from Japan

I will let the reader judge to what extent these two news are related – or not ;)

• China Overtakes Japan As World’s Second-Biggest Economy
  China has overtaken Japan as the world’s second-biggest economy, putting it on course to surpass the United States within the next 15 years.
• Japanese toy maker introduces Ningen Gakki, a toy to turn your body into a musical instrument
  Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy has developed a gadget [JP] that turns the body of a human being into a musical instrument (of sorts). Dubbed Ningen Gakki (“Human Instrument” in Japanese), the little toy can be used by four people at the same time.

Seriously, how long can an economy stay on top of the game when what it becomes know for is Ninken Gakki, Noodle Eater’s Hair Guard or full body umbrella ;) ?

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Life explained by scientific graphs

Lol :)

Link

Strikes by country

Just to put one of my week-end’s debates to rest, and start the increasingly complicated process of rebuilding France’s brand as a decent country, the French are by far NOT the number one strikers in the world ;)

The stats above are from the OECD and show the “five-year average in days not worked per 1000 employees (1996-2000)”. I really feel for you if you live in Denmark, Iceland or Canada ;)

Link

“I’ll be on vacation until I find my cellphone”

Published in The New Yorker 8/16/2010 by William Haefeli. Buy a reprint here.

Works at a desk. Takes no exercise. Poor expectation of life

A British educational clip from the 1960s on food and weight. Brutal by our politically correct standards, with quotes like “Mr Brown, also very much overweight. Works at a desk. Takes no exercise. Poor expectation of life.”

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As Mark Frauenfelder notes on BoingBoing, “most of the obese children in the video look like average kids today”.

Thanks god for miniaturization

We have certainly forgotten, but there were definitely a few prerequisites to the existence of the iPod :D

Dutch Army research between WWI and WWII. Link (via lobollo)

Meet SpaceShipTwo

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Nice, only 200’000$ a seat, contact your accredited Space Travel Agent now ;)

FA denies England will use Viagra

A would have been good example of the “re-purposing” we will talk about during Lift10 ;)

The Football Association has denied that England are considering taking Viagra to help players cope with playing at altitude at the World Cup in South Africa next year.

A report today claimed Fabio Capello’s side could take the anti-impotence drug to help improve their lung capacity, with the squad set to be based nearly 5,000 feet above sea level at Rustenburg.

But an FA spokesman said today: “The England medical staff are conducting detailed research with a variety of experts ahead of next year’s World Cup.

“However, there has been no discussion with regard to Viagra and certainly no plans for the players to take it in South Africa at the tournament.”

Link

Nice interface to communicate your mood

Got to love the combination of technology and, hum, “nature” ;)

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I Survived A Japanese Game Show

When America realizes that another country’s TV can be worse than FOX & co.

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