Lexus doesn’t sell bicycles, at least not at the moment the last time I checked, but if they do, it would look nothing like this…
Feb 182011
A quick health warning: be cautious of consuming rice in China.
A study has recently found that some 10 percent of rice sold in China is contaminated with cadmium – chemical that leads to softening of the bones and kidney failure.
This heavy metal was mostly detected in rice produced in southern parts of China including Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangdong provinces. This highlights a prominent but ongoing problem of Chinese soil being polluted with heavy metals discharged from massive mining operations and other industrial activities over the years.
Other chemical substances including lead have also been detected in rice, according to a study by Nanjing Agricultural University.
Dozens of residents in Sidi village, Yangshuo county, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where cadmium pollution is heavy, are suspected of having the symptoms of itai-itai disease, which is characterized by pain in the joints and the spine.
Statistics from the Guilin Institute of Technology showed that the level of cadmium was 1.005 milligrams in every kilogram of locally grown rice in 1986, five times the standard amount.
Thankfully I eat rice from Thailand…
via GlobalTimes.
Here’s another reason to be excited about using Android devices.
Students at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University are currently developing and testing a new Chinese input system on Android devices. This new input, named Aeviou, is similar to Swype, with the difference being that Aeviou is only for Chinese input.
There are already quite a lot of different Chinese input methods on the market which is natural, considering the keyboard was primarily designed for English language input. However, this is only when traditional keyboard input is used. For the increasing number of mobile devices released, the main method of input for Chinese is still the PinYin method. PinYin input entails having to phonetically spell out each character and then selecting the correct character among the choices. The entire Chinese language is represented by 412 phonetic combinations so it is a long and tedious list. There is also the choice of handwriting Chinese on touchscreen devices but, although it is the most natural Chinese input method, it is also the slowest. There are so many strokes in Chinese characters that it takes a long time to input a character and thereby also increasing the chance for errors.
Aeviou intends to replace traditional PinYin input methods to become the fastest and most convenient input method for mobile devices. It removes all the vowels and the letter “v” (that’s where the name Aeviou comes from), reducing the combinations for Chinese PinYin input. This lets you literally swipe through the letters with ease, just like you would with Swype. Researchers claims that their speed tests show an increase of more than 3x against other input methods.
Now that is real fast. Check out the video below for Aeviou in action and comparison with other input methods:
Continue reading »
Although long expected by many experts, Japan has finally issued data on Monday confirming that China has surpassed it as the World’s second largest economy.
The reactions to such news has been highly mixed.
In Japan, the moment is seen as another marker of an extended weakening. Before the bubble burst, many Japanese were once proud of their country’s growth in the 80s. Now, they are further saddened as their country continues its economic struggles. Others, welcomed China’s rise; seeing it as an opportunity for trade and growth.
In China, the ruling Communist Party was ever more cautious of such news. China’s growing economic supremacy might seem positive, but it is also becoming an increasing burden as the country is expected to shoulder more global issues (like reducing carbon emissions). The headline on a recent article on the website of the People’s Daily reads: “China Surpassing Japan to Become World’s Second Biggest Economy—But Not the Second Strongest”. This in fact is very true as the GDP per capita in China is still ten times lower compared to Japan. The World Bank estimates that more than 100 million Chinese citizens—nearly the size of Japan’s entire population—live on less than $2 a day. Many in China, are still waiting for the same level of success, their country has achieved economically, to be reflected in their daily lives.
Meet China’s new $456,000 super-soaker. This unique fire truck features a jet-powered water cannon that sprays four tons of water per minute at distances up to 400 feet. The water is said to move at such speed that it choke fires from the oxygen surrounding them.
This all sounds pretty good but how does it perform in practice? Check this video below and find out:
Continue reading »
Feb 152011
Hope you had a happy Valentine’s day.
This year’s flower prices were a lot higher mainly due to inflation and the lack of supply. This hasn’t deterred many Chinese, who are determined to express their love, from buying flowers for their significant half. Nothing says I love you more than flower’s and gifts that is worth a month’s salary.
Someone, has thought of a healthier and more creative alternative. Meet this bouquet of vegetables…
This bouquet not only looks nice, but is very economic and healthy. Instead of letting flowers slowly wither away, you can actually take the vegetables and prepare a healthy meal!
Angry Birds has become such a popular game that the folks in China have taken notice. Take a look at this real life game of Angry Birds:
This game booth has a slingshot for firing angry bird plush dolls at a bunch of plush piggies. It may seem fun at first, but in the end, it will just be another carnival game designed to empty your pockets.
For those who are interested, this is currently found in Guanzhou. However, it will have most likely spread to the rest of China by now.
My biggest complain is that there are no special abilities in this version of the game yet…
via Engadget
Feb 112011
Switching the letters of a brand name to avoid copyright issues seems pretty clever; until you end up with something that is incomprehensible and very hard to pronounce.
I never understand why the Chinese copycats bother to change the brand name but copy the design 100%. Is there a law in China that allows pirated goods as long as the brand name is different?
Feb 082011
Since the opening of The St. Regis Lhasa Tibet in November, 2010, it has received significant attention for its original architectural design that merges traditional Tibetan elements with signature St. Regis amenities into a luxury hotel literally on top of the world.
At 12,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest luxury hotels in the world, with unimpeded views of the Himalayas and Lhasa Valley. The resort was designed from the ground up with sustainable features including solar panels, locally-sourced produce and herbs for the resort’s three signature restaurants, as well as an underground water recycling system.
The eight-acre-resort complex is inspired by the nearby world-famous Sera Monastery, built in 1419, a place of great architectural and spiritual significance to this region.
Feb 042011
Shanel battery: “it keeps going and going and going and going…and smells good.”
