Wednesday, October 6, 2010

All around the world, and janken pon

In Paris, there is a restaurant suspended in mid-air by a crane. Diners can enjoy a 360-degree view of the City of Lights while dining on culinary delights, prepared by chefs in a kitchen which is also on that mid-air platform. If you drop a fork, never fear. There are (probably) warning signs down below for pedestrians to keep a wide berth. If you fear falling to your death after having one too many glasses of wine, a seat-belt keeps you in place while your feet dangle freely (ok, there is actually a platform floor. But you can still look down through the gaps!).

In Switzerland, a policeman dressed as an angel appears on roads on rainy days to remind motorists to slow down. And they often do, just to get pictures of him.

In Newport Beach, L.A., there is an organic baby food cafe where you can buy fashionably healthy mush for your little ones. Cafes aren't just for pets!

In the UK, knitting sweaters from your pet dog's fur has gathered a following of crazy knitting old ladies who own dogs. "Better a sweater from a dog you know and love than a sheep you'll never meet" is the thought-provoking tagline on one particular dog-fur-knitting kit.

Also, Shimura Ken, a popular TV personality, was the originator of the line, "最初はグー.." ("saisho wa gu" - first comes rock), the now widely-used line that precedes a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Before he started using that line on his then popular TV show, it was just a simple "じゃんけんぽん!" ("janken pon"), which often resulted in people putting out their hands at different times. Thank you, Shimura Ken, for saving us from the tedium of countless Rock-Paper-Scissors rematches!

Ijyou desu!

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