A Journey to the Levant
I have been following Playing For Change on twitter and their website as I was quite taken by the music and the ideas.
I know Playing for Change also has a business/financial side, but I was quite shocked to see Daiwa Securities Ads using Playing For Change Video and music.
The first Hatoyama (Japan’s prime minister) cabinet email magazine was distributed yesterday. Titled Yu-Ai (友愛 －ゆうあい), which means fraternity, friendship, but also selected for the English word play of “You” and “I”. I found it quite amusing that someone felt the need to name the newsletter.
An interesting statement which all politicians give, but few actually fullfil:
We will fundamentally change the politics of Japan in order to restore it to the possession of the people. We will realize a government led by politicians who connect with the minds of the people and who will directly reflect the people’s voices in the administration of the national government. That is, we will create a government that is led by the people of this country.
And one last thing, within the first month of Hatoyama’s cabinet, he managed to travel abroad twice, once for the G20, the second for Olympic appeal. I certainly hope he finds the time to run the country.
I am reading Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis for maybe the 4th time, and it is as interesting and funny as it was in the 1st time.
What caught my eye this time is a review printed on the very first page:
“Makes the bond-trading business look like a cross between Animal House and Greed Incorporated… Lewis recounts incidents that should make customers stuff their money in mattresses.” – The Washington Post
That was the 80’s, which I guess is enough time for the masses to get their money out of the mattresses and give it to the wrong people (again).
As I am in Japan, I am having a problem which I have to figure out: What if you don’t have a mattress. As we sleep in the traditional Japanese way, futons over Tatami, it is impossible to hide the money there. I need to figure out what is the traditional Japanese way of stashing.
A wonderful animation from Google Japan explains street view and how to protect your privacy:
According to bcn ranking (jp), in what looks like a stable trend, Sony walkman sales in the last week of August surpassed iPod sales.
Blue represents Sony Walkman, while Red is the iPod. It appears like iPod is losing it’s market share, from around 56% in January to 43% in August, while Sony is gaining steadily.
Sony’s Lineup is quite impressive and offers both Video enabled devices to stylish 2GB earphones.
Google Japan is posting once in a while promotional videos on Youtube.
I really don’t like these Google Mobile videos. Maybe because of the annoying music and graphics, or the silly plot:
In the first one, the couple searches for a cinema screening “Super Dog 2” movie:
Second one, “the business story”, our heroine searches for business manners: “Where should she sit in the Taxi?” followed by a search for a train station and directions.
Twitter is out, which forces me to write actual blog posts rather than 140 character tweets.
Summer Sonic Festival started a dedicated channel on youtube, which includes playlists of the lineup and messages from artists.
Surprisingly, the channel has only 112(!) subscribers.
And here are Gogol Bordello, performing on the 9th:
I am not really a bing user.
Now, that I got that statement out of my system.
Bing.com homepage has a wonderful tribute to Hiroshima. Please note the boxes on the picture which display more information on Hiroshima (and Japan):
Japanese Mobile operator NTT DoCoMo announced that “Push to Talk” services will stopped next year.
“Push Talk” services will not accept new application from end of September 2009, while the services will be halted completely end of September 2010.
As cell phone usage in Japan is mostly about data (emailing, browsing), “Push Talk” seems like a service that is unlikely to be popular. While I don’t have exact figures, I can’t imagine people standing in the street receiving a “Push Talk” message.
UQ Communications will open a “Personal Experience Booth” in Akihabara during the Golden Week vacation.
The booth will be available from May 1st to May 3rd. Visitors will be able to experience UQ WiMAX download speeds, try it themselves in a designated “Try Corner”. “Original Goods” (giveaways) will be given to visitors particpating in a survey.
Via Itmedia (JP)