The Top Ten Weird and Bizarre Japanese Soft Drinks

Japan has a drinking problem... but if you've got a thirst for adventure, it's where you want to be.

In honor (or in horror) of these bizarre beverages seemingly not fit to rinse your septic tank, raise a cracked glass to the Top Ten Bizarre Japanese Soft Drinks, our first ten inductees into the Soft Drink Hell of Fame... Jeers!

Our rundown of the Top Ten Bizarre Japanese Soft Drinks gives a pretty good indication why most of the 1000 or so new soft drinks and beverages launched in Japan every year fail miserably.

Look on the bright side, though: they may not be good to drink, but you can't say they're not good for a laugh.

Continue reading...

How to sell milk

Now depending on your taste, that may either cause to never touch milk again or... never mind. Personally the singing (?) really worked for me.

The Vatican's driving commandments

Was just skimming through bbcnews.com and I came across this article on the Vatican's new commandments for motorists, sensible yet amusing. "Thou shalt not drive and drink", "thou shalt not make rude gestures behind the steering wheel" and "help accident victims" are among the 10 recommendations for motorists.

SOURCE

Insects

One of the slight inconveniences here in northen Finland, especially for a city dweller like myself, is the abundance of mosquitos. Especially when one is trying to get to sleep. Luckily, my brother and I have years of experience in nightly mosquito hunts, and it is not long after we here that aggravating and familiar whining of a mosquito that the walls are decorated with yet another mosquito corpse, a grim warning to all mosquitos who dare disturb us.

I considered impaling several mosquitos on cocktail sticks and propping them up as a warning to the foolish buggers, but I guess that might have gone a little too far...

Library Addict

So far I have been at the library for one and a half hours. Some point I will probably go eat, then lie around for a while before going swimming, after which I will return to the library and think again about what an earth I should write about. Generally when I begin to aimlessly ramble, like so, I end up being very very boring... I really need to become better at being able to sit down and write, think of something witty.

For example, I was reading Kotaku earlier and pondered for a while about what to comment on a post about a boring fishing game. I came back a few minutes later and found a collection of downright hilarious comments.

Now that I have accomplished somewhat the feat of writing several lines, I will continue to make the most of the public computers, probably until some old library attendant will kick me off for being an unhealthy computer addict, or because my mother must be very... very worried about where I have been all day.

The story so far...

One of the main stories of this blog is to write about the time I spend in Japan. That however, is a long time away, but there is plenty to say about the preparation process. So, the story so far.

Since I started my Japanese lessons a bit under a year ago, I fantasized about a year as an exchange student in Japan. The more I thought about it, the more interested I became, and the better an idea it felt like. I think I mentioned the idea during one of our lessons. A fellow student there was a member of Youth For Understanding, a respectable, non-profit exhange organisation. I checked out the website and ordered an info packet. I read the info packet and dismissed the application forms as it was too early to apply for this year.

Time passed and I suddenly found myself in a big hurry. I had forgotten to send the application forms as soon the application became open, so for several days I worked hard to fill in the lenghty forms, and write an essay on why I should be accepted. When everything was ready I sent the forms. Several days later I was invited to an interview at the YFU headquarters in Helsinki. I was quite nervous as I had heard from many that applying to Japan is difficult, and that there are very few spaces. The interview went very well, and I left happily due to the hints from the staff there that I had a good chance to get through. Looking back on it I think the deciding factors were the fact that I had plenty previous travel experience, and that in the interview I had said that in the host country one must be adaptabile and one can't be picky, and once you're there you play by their rules, that as long as I get there I am happy.

Nevertheless, I was hardly confident as I waited for the letter from YFU. One day at school my dad texted me: "Letter from YFU, shall I open it?" I answer "No", he replies "Are you sure you don't want me to open it?" "Yes." I returned home and nervously approached the letter on the table. As I drew the envelope near I suddenly punced at it and opened it! There was a letter, I had been accepted! I danced and jumped around in joy and celebrated my success!

To my dismay only further beurocracy awaited me. The wad of paper beneath the initial letter was so thick and daunting I merely brushed it aside. Ah, the deadline isn't far. Several weeks later the initial joy was wearing off, and I began working on the forms. The deadline for the forms was the 25th, that very day! I panicked and skimmed through the various papers; transcript of grades, placement information, health certificate, dentist's signiature; there was no way I could get that all in time! I remembered I had a dentist's appointment on the 14th of the next month, a perfect excuse. I then called YFU and politely explained that I could not get the papers in time due to having to wait for the dentist's appointment. I was told it was OK, and that the papers won't be sent to the host country in a long time anyway, but I should do them as soon as possible. However, even that proved a challange as it was somehow incredibly difficult to find three measly pictures of me and my life to send. I was not very happy with the pictures I chose, and it worries me that I was not as representable as possible.

Now, with that wad of papers sen't I wait anxiously for more beurocracy, probably something to do with visas, generic travelling stuff. But, I wait enthusiastically to see who my host family will be, and I can't wait to get in touch with them via email. I also hear there will be a "preparation camp" before the trip. Usually I'm not into that kind of stuff, but I think it will be great to get to know likeminded people.

If there is anything I have learned it's that: 1. Apply early! 2. Do the dam paperwork already you lazy slouch! If you follow these guidelines, problems are minimized.

Summer Holiday Blues

After two fun filled weeks at Tapiola following the end of school, I suddenly find myself at our grandparents, in Ylivieska. A six hour train journey from Helsinki. The hectic times just before the end of school, and the two weeks I spent busily enjoying my Summer holiday, have left me feeling somewhat agitated now that I am (by my standards) in the middle of nowhere, completely idle. Luckily the library computers offer some consolation.

In order to fill up my time here with something constructive, I have decided to take plenty of excercise in the form a 6km run every morning and a 1k swim in the afternoon. I also packed with me my Japanese textbook, so I should be able to throroughly study everything I need to know for my next course, rendering it somewhat pointless. My bag is also packed with books to read, in an attempt to improve my Finnish skills. Currently I am reading the Finnish translation of the Fellowship of The Ring. Any time left will be spent eating the delicious cooking of my grandma.

Today it seems our grandparents will drag us to the local church, where my brother and I shall observe it's beauty and pretend we are interested. Luckily they aren't complete bible heads, only as much as old people in general.

Oh yes, I will also be frequenting the library playing various dull, browser based MMO's and writing my blog.

Australian old people play Wii bowling!

We all know that everyone, no matter what your age, loves the Wii. This retirement home in Australia has adopted Wii bowling as a regular social activity. The young fellow graced by the name of Junglist, takes on Marion, the local senior champion of Wii bowling. The ultimate showdown of youthful vigor versus people who look like dried prunes awaits, who will win in this epic struggle?