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24 Feb 2010 21:29

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Biz: Why is Toyota not called “Toyoda,” like its namesake?

  • ten the number of brush strokes to write “Toyoda” in Japanese
  • eight the number of brush strokes to write “Toyota” in comparison
  • Why does this matter? Well, the number ten in Japanese resembles the plus sign, which apparently was seen as a bad omen due to the fact it also resembles crossroads. Also, “Toyota” sounds better than “Toyoda,” according to the company, which seems reasonable to us, kinda. Akio Toyoda feels shame on his company. 🙁 source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 Feb 2009 10:49

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Tech, World: The iPhone’s sales suck in Japan so much, it’s being given away

  • It’s not full-featured enough Japanese consumers are a picky bunch when it comes to their phones, and as neat as the iPhone is to the rest of the world, the phone is missing a number of key things – a high-quality video camera, a TV tuner and multimedia messaging.
  • The plans suck The big problem many consumers in Japan have with the iPhone is not its design – which the Japanese don’t like either – but the cost. The monthly plans start at $60, which is high. They recently started giving the phones away with a two-year plan. Oof. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Feb 2009 10:33

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Offbeat: Um, OK: Teens who don’t eat breakfast have sex at early ages

  • A study says so! A government-backed Japanese study did some research on the topic, and says that teenagers who had Wheaties, Belgian waffles and OJ first had sex at an average age of 19.4, while teens who didn’t first did the deed at 17.5. Action-packed research, yo.
  • Oh, I see what you did there It sounds strange, but the researchers say there’s grounding for it – in family life. If teens have a good family life, they’re more likely to have breakfast – and ergo, not have sex while they’re still young. So, hear that mom? Breakfast is like contraception! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Feb 2009 11:04

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Biz: U.S. automakers aren’t alone: Nissan announces massive layoffs

  • 20,000 jobs will go away into the ether source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jan 2009 11:38

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Music: Who’s on the cover of the Antony and the Johnsons album?

Antony dedicated the album to Kazuo Ohno, a 102-year-old Japanese butoh dancer. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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