Month: May 2007

• Oolong tea of dreams

  
  I’ve been obsessed with getting some of this Suntory Black Oolong Tea (OTPP) since the weekend. It contains a high level of natural fat-blockers and has been a hit since it’s launch in japan last year. Finally found it for the exorbitant price (expected) of $3.60 a bottle. It goes for about $2.10 in japan. Blogging this on my phone while my curry rice grows cold, so bye!

  Here’s more info –
  The Web-Japan article that started me off: Creative Juices
  Suntory Press Release
  Oolong Tea and Weight Loss

  May 24, 2007

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• Songs of the Sea

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  Water Goddess projection, originally uploaded by sangsara.

  Over the weekend, I attended a performance of “Songs of the Sea“, a new ‘musical’ feature on Sentosa that features pyrotechnics, lasers, and water effects. The music is awful, the human actors and their dialogue are awful, and the whole thing would be better off without the story.

  That said, it’s fantastic for the technology alone, and well-worth the 6 dollar entry fee if you’re already spending a day on the theme park island.

  This picture shows an image projected onto a giant spray of water above the set. Quite impressive, and easily 3 storeys high.

  May 23, 2007

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• Japanese phones

  For anyone who’s wanted a quick primer on Japanese cellphones and what they do better than ours, this wikipedia entry is perfect.

  Also, Wired’s How Mobile Phones Conquered Japan. The book mentioned, “Personal, Portable, Pedestrian”, sounds like a good read and I’ll probably be buying a copy. Amazon link.

  It’s a pity i-mode hasn’t taken off here. Perhaps a carrier like Singtel would have done more with it than Starhub has. Or maybe they should all have teamed up to make it a standard (always the best way).

  Bank transactions on-the-go would be a great thing to have, but limiting it to customers of one bank? And movie ticket booking, limited to Eng Wah cinemas? Come on.

  Edit: Here’s a great topic page on cellphones from the Trends in Japan online magazine from Web-Japan, which I’m happy to have just discovered.

  May 21, 2007

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• Haruhi Art

  I’ve seen the dance videos on YouTube, I’ve considered buying the silhouette t-shirt, but before last week, I’d never seen The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in its entirety. What a shame! It’s as good as high-school/sci-fi/moe/existential anime gets. Its quiet, poignant moments are quieter and more poignant than others. Its art is fantastic, and based on the actual town the story is set in (Nishinomiya, Hyogo).

  Examples:

  

  

  

  

  

  Full Gallery (javascript disables right-clicks, but be sure to check the page links on top for more)

  May 20, 2007

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• Just funny

  
  
  
  
  Link
  
  

  May 18, 2007

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• Real life Gundam mech

  
  
  
  
  One more thing to add to our Japanese trip itinerary, a visit to the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park in Yanamashi. GUNDAM CRISIS Thrill Ride, ’nuff said.
  
  
  
  
  
  LINK

  May 18, 2007

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