Trends

Recycled Computer Key Cell Phone Charms from Japan

by Steve Levenstein

Recycling Computer Keyboards, One Key at a Time

There are few things modern workers & players look at more than their computer keyboards. These cool key charms strike a note of comfortable familiarity while keeping techno-waste out of our landfills - one key at a time.

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Top Ten Inventions of 2008

by Ron Callari

From Model-T’s to Push-up Bras to iPods…every year sports new innovation and the subsequent design and development of new inventions. For hundreds of years, scientific and technological advances have transformed our world, and 2008 was NO exception to the rule.

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Meet Runflier Stalker: Russia Introduces the World’s First Airborne Car

by M Dee Dubroff

From the maker of the flying rug, comes the flying car, much to the amazement of everyone. Read all about brilliant aircraft designer, Alexander Begak’s newest baby, Runflier Stalker, and…don’t forget to duck!

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Esquel: A Chinese Shirt Company in Sync With the Environment

by M Dee Dubroff

The Esquel Group is a Chinese company whose mission involves a great deal more than just the manufacture of premium cotton shirts. Its powers that be have made a serious commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable growth on the Chinese mainland. Read on for more “green” details.

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These Companies Are Getting Their Own Piece Of The Revenue Pie…With Pizza!

by Beth Hodgson

Pizza; a favorite meal embraced by so many people around the world. With a growing industry of its own, companies in the pizza service industry have learned how to put unique twists on their preparation and delivery methods to stand out from the rest!

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Maternity Insanity? Japan's Baby Inboard Campaign

by Steve Levenstein

Maternity Marks Make Pregnant Women Stand Out

Japan has taken the "Baby On Board" trend and backed it up a little - now pregnant women can call attention to their delicate conditions with Maternity Marks.

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World’s Largest Dinosaur Site Uncovered in China

by M Dee Dubroff

Chinese scientists claim that they have discovered the world's largest dinosaur fossil site in the eastern province of Shandong. This is a most interesting development for a country that up until recently has been a relative latecomer to the field of archaeology. Read on for more details.

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Methods of Promoting Sleep Systems: Great idea?

by Cosetta

Patent #US 6997070 better known as Methods of Promoting Sleep Systems is one of those things whose purpose isn’t all that clear. Whether or not this is a good thing remains to be seen. Read on and if you can figure it out, please pass it on.

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Trendy Textbook Rental Market Grows In Popularity

by Beth Hodgson

A new solution that makes books affordable to college students, saves their cash and the environment. Textbooks aren't cheap, whether you buy new or used and sharing with a friend creates logistical issues that tears relationships apart. Now, you can rent your books through Book Renter.

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Japanorama's Top Twelve Twisted Topics of 2008

by Steve Levenstein

Looking Back at 2008 with the Top 12 Japanorama Topics

2008 may have been a tough year economically, but it's been a great year comically, at least where weirds news and articles about Japan are concerned. 2009 is sure to bring another year's worth of fun & frivolity from the farthest east. For now though, let's enjoy a dozen of the weirdest & wildest from Japan - and Japanorama!

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Russian Lab Promises Affordable Cure for Cancer In the Works

by M Dee Dubroff

A laboratory in Russia says it has built a proton accelerator for treating cancer victims that is 10 times cheaper than any similar device. It may provide salvation for millions of oncology patients around the world. Read on and learn more about this amazing device.

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Nuclear Waste Disposal System: Great Idea?

by Cosetta

Patent# US 6846967 also known as the Nuclear Waste Disposal System entered the world in 2005 and just won’t leave. Perhaps it is waiting for the all clear signal from those controlling the sub-sea volcano which the inventor so stoutly advocates as the way for all nuclear wastes to go. Read on, and…. stand back a bit from the shore.

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Will China Lead as White Knight in Troubled World Economy?

by M Dee Dubroff

World leaders with the largest cash reserves, which include Russia, India, Brazil and China recently met at the Group of 20 Summit and asked China to lead the financial way through the troubled forest of an unstable world economy. Can China assume this role? Read on, but don’t invest yet.

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Healthy Snacks Delivered To Your Office For A Grazing Lifestyle

by Beth Hodgson

Like cows, nutritional experts urge us humans to graze throughout the day; eating smaller portions of healthy snacks instead of binging during our 3 daily meals. A new company in the UK plays into this trend, by offering consumers a convenient method to snack. I bet their name won't come as a surprise either, accurately describing their nutritional services by calling themselves Graze.

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Elder Driver Badges 'Leaf' Japanese Seniors Cold

by Steve Levenstein

Autumn Leaf Elder Driver Badges Tick Off Seniors

Anyone driving in Japan will soon notice curious badges on many of the other cars. Both are shaped like stylized leaves, with green & yellow (Wakaba) for first-year new drivers and red & yellow (Koleshiya) for seniors over 75. It's the latter that are ruffling a few feathers. After all, what person of advanced age wants to be likened to a dying leaf?

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Year 2036: The World According To Garth

by Toby

African designers and artists are bringing their own unique talents into international design exhibitions, and the 2008 biennial St. Etienne (France) Design Show was no exception. One of the most interesting exhibits was Garth Walker's, a South African who was asked by the event organizers to create his vision of St. Etienne in 2036.

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Russian Pays For Trademark Emoticon: What Will He Buy Next?

by M Dee Dubroff

Would you buy an emoticon? One Russian businessman did, and he has trademarked that combination of punctuation marks used to convey a wink in text messages and email. The question is… why did he do it? Read on even though the answer still may not be clear.

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Single And Lovin' It! Another Coffee Company Establishes A Lifestyle

by Myra Per-Lee

Coffee lovers are feeling the need to be single... at least at their coffee machines. And there's one company in particular that's driving the the single-cup lifestyle. This company makes an automatic single-cup coffee maker (the "razor") and a patented package for the coffee it brews (the "razor blades").

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Marxist Manga Puts the Commie Back in Comics

by Steve Levenstein

Be Well-Red in Bad Times with Marx's 'Das Kapital' Comic

With capitalism taking it on the chin of late, will communism prove to be fertile fodder for the downtrodden masses? Maybe so - a new, fictionalized manga version of Marx's "Das Kapital" is a hit in Japan today... tomorrow the world!

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Sun’s Secrets Explored: New Russian Satellite

by M Dee Dubroff

A new Russian satellite specifically constructed to observe the sun’s x-ray and gamma radiation will soon be joining two other satellites already in space. Scientists believe this latest technology will reveal a side to the sun they’ve never seen before. Read all about this innovation and this time, you can leave your sun block at home.

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