Archive for the 'tbA Highlights' Category
tba Highlights: June 23 2008
Flying saucer no longer spotted, but created! via newlaunches
China is developing flying saucers, the only down-side is that it can’t carry a person yet. The Harbin Smart Special Aircraft uses propellers that runs on methanol. It can climb up to 1,000 yards and at a speed of 50 mph and can fly for 40 minutes.
Funny Thai Ad: Your Love, Hero or …? via AsianOffbeat
A funny Thai commercial that’s definitely worth watching (C’mon! it’s on the tba Highlights!).
World’s Largest Working Cell Phone? via WAN
This Chinese has apparently build the world’s biggest mobile phone. It’s 621 times bigger than his own, which he used as a reference. and measures at 36 x 17 x 6.5 inches and weighs around 48.5 pounds.
tbA Highlights: June 16
Obama, Japan - Neatorama
The resident of the small town of Obama, Japan (pop. 34,000) is taking advantage of Obama running as the democratic candidate for president to try and get new residents and put themselves on the map. They’ve made T-Shirts, chopsticks of Obama and they even have a Obama dance troupe called the Obama Girls.
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A: Google Reader Does Contra Code - fanpotai
Google Reader is finally getting in on the most famous cheat in video game history - Konami Code (Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A). If you have a Google Reader, just type that in and watch what happens.
Hulk Hogan: Carefree in Japan - Weird Asia News
Another Japanese commercial starring an American celebrity. This time it’s Hulk Hogan….
Chinese Man Pierced 2008 Times for Upcoming Olympics - Weird Asia News
In an attempt to grab attention and be patriotic, this 60 year-old Chinese acupuncturist have pierced his head, face, chest, and arms with 2008 decorative needles in five different colours. Enough said.
Release of Metal Gear Solid 4
This week marks the end of a legendary Metal Gear Solid series. I hope, by now, most of you would have gotten the game and be thoroughly enjoying it. A review of it will be coming up soon, so stay tuned and let me ask you - is your age of hero over yet?
A little trailer to jog your memory:
That’s all for this week.
tbA Highlights: 2/12/07
1.Animal Crossing Tragedy - YTMND via SU
A truly bittersweet animation that combines Nintendo’s Animal Crossing with motherly love! A must-watch touching story! That’s of course if you don’t mind crying some tears. Let’s have a moment of silent for a loving mother, the wonders of the internet, and to a beautifully crafted game by Nintendo that offer more than just simple gratification.
2. China recycling used condoms as cheap hair bands - Yahoo! News
China’s manufacturers are at it again, this time something more explicit. Southern China is using used condoms to make hair bands which threatens to spread STDs, ironically that’s what the condoms were meant to prevent.
3. Seoul Ranks No.7 on List of World’s Most Expensive Cities - AsianOffbeat
Seoul have moved from 8th to 7th on the list of World’s most expensive cities. In addition, it’s the only Asian city in the top 10, making it Asia’s most expensive city! On the contrary, Tokyo has moved from 10th to 13th spot due to Japan’s booming economy, which i guess give tourists more incentive to visit the world’s biggest city.
4. Asia’s Lavish Lodging - Forbes
With the Beijing Olympics coming and Asia’s growing economy, it has made the region a hotspot for tourism. Forbes decide to list Asia’s most lavish lodging for those that plans to travel to asia and loves luxurious hotel. Hey! What’s in a holiday without an hotel right?
5. The Pros and Cons of Sushi - Inkling magazine
For those that love to debate about food, especially Japanese cusine then this article written by Inkling magazine is worth reading.
6. Dalai Lama plans leader referendum - CNN Asia
The Dalai Lama is planning to hold a referendum to choose the next Dalai Lama, which will break the age old cycle where Tibeten monks goes around Tibet seeking the reincarnated Dalai Lama after his death. It would be interesting to see how they vote though.
7. 3-night hotel stay during F1 Grand Prix auctioned for S$30,000 - ChannelNewsAsia
With Singapore holding their first Grand Prix next year, and the first Formula 1 Night Race. Everyone is going crazy including someone who won a $30,000 auction for a 3 night Pan Pacific Hotel during the Grand Prix next year, the money raised at the auction was for cancer patients so i guess its worth it in the end.
And that’s this Week’s Highlights!
P.S Sorry for not posting last week’s Highlights, it was a busy weekend. m(_ _)m
tbA Highlights: 18/11/07
1. Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest Japanese albums - Japanator
Take a look at Rolling Stone Japan’s entire list of 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time! It’s full of controversy, but none the less, entertaining!
2. Japan Comes in 10th in World Country Brand Ranking - AsianOffbeat
According to the Country Brand Index (CBI), Japan is ranked 10th with Australia, USA and UK ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Honourable mention to Singapore and Thailand for been ranked within top 5 for multiple categories such as: Best country brand for nightlife, Shopping and Fine Dining.
3. Top Japanese internet buzzwords for 2007 - What Japan Thinks
JR Tokai Express Research Inc has conducted a survey on Japan’s web trends, go take a look at how the Japanese think of their internet!
4. Working through Korean unification blues - Asia Times Online via The Marmot’s Hole
The Marmot’s Hole found a great article on a plan for the ‘imminent reunification’ of North and South Korea. It goes through many issues which South Korea will face when the reunification happens, it’s worth a read.
5. Why Not To Have A Sexual Predator On Your Show - ShoutFile via StumbleUpon
It’s always fun watching Hard Gay do his thing - pelvic thrust and “Fuuuu’s”. But when a sexual predator does it, it just seems so wrong. Lucky Hard Gay saved the day with his wrestling skills! He is such a hero!
6. Thieving monkeys ‘out of control’ in northeast India - ChannelNewsAsia
Monkeys are still on the rampage in Northern India, stealing mobile phones and soft drinks from fridges. How many more politicians need to die (No. 6) by the hands of monkeys before anyone take action?
7. Are the Japanese actually Jewish? - Oniazuma via Japanator
Oniazuma discovered a documentary that might just prove that the Japanese were actually from Israel, controversial indeed! Take a look at the video below, it raises some believable facts. But I might just be too gullible?
And that’s this week’s Highlights!
tbA Highlights: 11/11/07
1. Japan Military - Danny Choo
Following up on a news a week ago about Japan’s armforces to develop Gundam. Well, we all knew deep down in our Mecha-lovin’ heart that it was too good to be true and it was. As you can see from the above picture, the so-called gundam system is a hi-tech suit which monitor your physical status. As for the name, the developers just felt like naming it that. Possible because Gundam was their favourite childhood anime?
2. Onimusha Movie’s Plot Revealed - 1up
Sony Pictures plans to make a film on Capcom’s popular video game, Onimusha. The synopsis follows:
In feudal Japan, 1582, the warlord Nobunaga is ambushed by ninjas, led by the brave samurai Samanosuke. Trapped, Nobunaga commits seppuku, but two sinister sorcerers reanimate Nobunaga’s corpse with a half-human insect larvae. The resurrected Nobunaga orders the capture of two very special women to fulfill his evil plans. - 1up
3. China Fashion Week - ChinaDaily
China Fashion Week has brought to the catwalk China’s newest designs and most controversial fashions. Go take a look at some of the photos!
4. Top 10 Happiest Chinese Cities to Live in Unveiled - Crienglish
Oriental Outlook, a Beijing based magazine andthe Social Survey Institute of China sponsored a survey to find the Top-10 Happiest Chinese Cities. The results ended with Hangzhou being number one, followed by Shenyang, Zhongshan, Ningbo, Qingdao, Taizhou, Zhuhai, Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.
5. World Cosplay Gets Going - theOtaku
The World Cosplay Summit 2008 has begun! Countries such as the USA, Spain, Denmark, Italy and Germany have already started picking their representatives for the Summit! You can check out some of the cosplayers in action at the WCS’s official site.
6. Behind The Smile - Nina P. West - China Digital Times
Remember China’s most expensive painting? If you don’t, you’ll probably still remember the painting’s over-joyful smile! Well, the artist finally explains the reason behind the smile:
The characters seem happy, but are they really? Like Communist propaganda posters that depict workers toiling away in communal bliss, Minjun’s art asks us to consider what lies behind the smile. The artist has said that his subjects are grinning with their eyes closed because he doesn’t want them to see the world around them. - China Digital Times
7. Insane Tokyo Auto Show 2007 concept cars - Japanator
At the Tokyo Auto Show 2007 you will be able to get a glimpse of what is to come on our roads in the near future. Of course, we can’t wait for some cars, while others we wish was never made. The car that i found most innovative was Nissan’s Pivo2 which is sure to make parallel parking child’s play.
Just take a look at the Pivo2 in action below:
And that’s this week’s Highlights!
tbA Highlights: 04/11/07
1. Tokyo Design Week 2007 - Pingmag
Tokyo held a very exciting and creative design week! You can check up Pingmag’s indepth guide on it!
2. Ultimate car simulator at Sega Joypolis - Akihabara News
This is the closest you’ll get to experience the real Initial D, unless of course you’re actually one of the Initial D drivers…
3. Love hotels woo investors - Reuters
Japan Leisure Hotel is worth $43 million and that’s all from their love hotels! They are currently looking for investors to help their business grow to 300 million in 5 years! It’s not an outrageous thought, when love hotels is a huge business in Japan, where there is 25,000 of them!
4. Insane Japanese Halloween Costumes! - Cracked
Take a look at how the Japanese celebrate halloween!
5. Top 5 Scariest Korean Horror Movies - Asiapopcorn
Korea’s scariest movies! Guarenteed nightmares!
6. Sex Not Allowed in Airbus A380 Double Bed Suites - Gizmodo
The new A380 is famous for it’s double bed suites, but what? No sex! Tony Elwood, a 76 yo passenger said it best:
“So they’ll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne — and then say you can’t do what comes naturally?”
7. Indonesian president launches music album - Yahoo! News
The President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has released his first music album titled My Longing for You”, contains 10 songs written by him that range from love ballads to religious songs.
tbA highlights: 28 October 2007
1. Chinese Panda Mauls Teenage Boy - China Digital Times
Gu Gu, an eight year old panda in the Beijing Zoo that is known for his bad temper mauled a 15 year old boy, luckily the boy is still alive and is only missing some flesh from his legs.
2. 65% of Women Unable to Make Gimchi: Survey - Korea Times
Gimchi (Use to be known as Kimchi) is Korea’s most famous dish, but the fermented vegetables dish seems to be going extinct with 65% of Korean women being unable to make it. This is due to the expensive ingredients and time-consuming process required.
3. 10 Most Memorable Korean TV Commercials - AsianOffbeat
Here’s 10 of Korean most popular TV commercials, from LG Electronics commercial in 1995 to Nongshim Ramyeon instant noodles commercials in 1975, a wide variety of brilliantly made commercials that have captured Korea’s attention.
4. Book Fanatic: Asia’s Bestselling Books This Month - AsiaOffbeat
A list of Asia’s most popular books.
5. Rising seas threaten 21 mega-cities - Yahoo!News
With global warming increasing sea levels, many mega cities in Asia and around the world might just be the next Venice, or worse…
6. Monkeys attack Delhi politician - BBC
It seems the animals in Asia are very violent this week, first Gu Gu and now a monkey in India that killed the deputy mayor of Delhi. The monkey hasn’t been captured yet and this event shows the problems of the increasing populations of monkeys in Delhi.
7. Final Fantasy Wii ware - Dark Diamond
Looks like Square Enix is teaming up with Nintendo to bring you a new game called: Final Fantasy Crystal chronicles: The crystal bearers. The art looks fabulous, go check it out!