Connecting through collecting Oct 17, 2008
" Martin also collects kokeshi ("wooden dolls"). Originally from northern Japan, the handmade figures have an enlarged head, no arms or legs and a body that's typically painted with floral designs. "I have a friend in Japan, and he sends me packages every now and then," Martin said. "He included a kokeshi doll once, and I loved it. I only collect the little ones. (The Clarion-Ledger)
* Not your garden variety onion Oct 15, 2008
Full Tone has also inked licensing deals for Onion Tou in Japan, Italy, France and Canada. Onion Tous licensing fees bring in about NT$1 million per year. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Philip Haring, 92, retired professor of political science Oct 7, 2008
He was stationed on the USS California, which was hit when Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, said his son-in-law, Bob Haring-Smith of Washington, Pa ... Favorite destinations included China and Japan; he would collect the work of the local artists. (Boston Globe)
Pokemon 10-Year Retrospective Oct 7, 2008
The fourth generation in the Pokemon series debuts in Japan this week, with the release of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl on the Nintendo DS. The new adventures follow the long-established Pokemon RPG formula, adding new monsters to catch and new ways to interact with other players - like Nintendo Wi-Fi support. The games are expected to sell millions in Japan, as well as here in the States - but American gamers will have to wait. (IGN Game Boy)
Get Your Motor Running: QVC Hits the Open Road with the Orange County Choppers Oct 7, 2008
With subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, West Chester, Pa. -based QVC has shipped more than a billion packages in its 22-year history. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
What's new in Atlanta restaurants Oct 5, 2008
Small plates from Italy, Spain, India, Britain, Greece, Japan and Jamaica from paella to prawns in peri peri sauce are highlights of chef Rafael Mendoza s menu ... Recalling his first restaurant, Azalea, Aja professes to be more authentic, with Thai, Chinese and Japanese offerings on the menu. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Nintendo's Holiday 2008: Wii Speak Channel, Club Nintendo, More Surprises Oct 3, 2008
Sin & Punishment 2: The announcement of a sequel to one of the most popular Japanese import titles ever is a dream come true for avid Nintendo fans ... Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon: A reinvention of the original NES titles with revamped graphics and intuitive touch control, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will finally introduce longtime fans to the stories that gave birth to the series nearly 20 years ago in Japan, while introducing the Fire Emblem franchise to a broader audience of strategy and... (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Weekend calendar Sep 25, 2008
His lecture is "Forgetting Japan's Postwar," Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Freeman Seminar Room. Harootunian's lecture will concern the peculiar play between the American military occupation of Japan and the country's withdrawal from global affairs, as it was safely re-situated in the emerging American imperium ... MIDDLETOWN - The Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies will sponsor a lecture, "Democratizing Undemocratic Civil Society in Japan" with Mary Alice Haddad, assistant professor in... (Middletown Press, CT)
Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman considers politics Sep 22, 2008
It should have expanded to Japan sooner, and it could have avoided a major outage on June 10, 1999, with better technology in place. "In the end, you are responsible for what happens," she says. (USA Today -- Tech)
SkyZone and Universal Pictures Announce Partnership to Bring Two Classics to Mob... Sep 17, 2008
With a worldwide mandate to help shape the digital future of Universal Pictures, the Group has offices in Universal City, California; London, England; and Tokyo, Japan. Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group is a unit of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures. (IGN Wireless Games)
The world's richest people: the web billionaires Sep 12, 2008
Video Weak company spending and a global business slowdown pushed Japan Friday to revise downward its economic pictu. But around region gloomy signs about economic prospects. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Remembering the events of 9/11 Sep 12, 2008
Has anyone read anything on the Japanese P Tazawa ... Carroll Someone mentioned somewhere up the blog about the Braves possible interest in Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa ... Tazawa s numbers are good, his stuff is good and I would be excited to see the Braves tap into the Japanese talent pool. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Sports)
On display (43) Sep 12, 2008
In the Murphy Gallery of Japanese Art: A Gaze of Her Own: Women in Japanese Art, an exhibit depicting the ways women in Japan have shaped art ... Portland Japanese Garden, 611 S.W. Kingston Drive. (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
July Trade Deficit Swells on Costly Crude Sep 11, 2008
The trade deficit with Japan increased to $6. 33 billion from $6. (SmartMoney)
A toast to the future from Banana Republic Aug 21, 2008
As Banana Republic celebrates its 30th anniversary, the label diversifies its safari heritage to include city style fashion. We are not Gap or Zara; we have higher quality products. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Donnie Wahlberg, wife split up Aug 19, 2008
Their world tour kicks off Sept. 18 in Tokyo, Japan, and comes to the TD next month. Next Article in Celebrity News: Advertisment. (Boston Herald)
UP FOR AIR: What? No delinquent yard-sale signs? Aug 17, 2008
Like nearly everyone I know, a large amount of time has been spent glued to the Olympic games, and I was all wrapped up yelling for the U.S. ladies volleyball team playing Japan when an ad came on for a dentist. A dentist. (Marblehead Reporter, MA)
Get out of town: Day trip to Pepin, Wis.: Home of Half Pint’ and so much more Aug 10, 2008
Visitors included people from Peru, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Ukraine, the Philippines, Scotland, Poland, Japan, Germany, Sweden and England. Volunteers, like 86-year-old Virgie Preifert, help run the place. (Winona Daily News, MN)
Mychal Givens Wins 2008 Jackie Robinson Award as Nation's Best High School Baseball Player Aug 9, 2008
Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Reebok dons US game face Aug 7, 2008
"While we believe incremental improvements being made to revitalize the Reebok brand are starting to show some signs of success, we remain concerned about the brand's core business prospects in the near term, specifically in its major core markets of the US, UK, and Japan," Shanley wrote in a report on Tuesday. The Patriot Place shop will include hard-to-find items, including limited-edition sneakers like $85 black patent leather and purple glitter high-tops, known as "Tokyo" from Reebok's... (Boston Globe)
* 'Shinjuku' or broke Aug 6, 2008
Shinjuku Plazas namesake is a district in Tokyo that is known for its shopping and nightlife, and many of its stores pay tribute to Japanese youth culture, with imported clothing and accessories and collectibles like Blythe dolls ... For lovers of Japanese style who want something a little bit less kawaii, SM, which is located across the way from Blink ... offers jeans, sundresses and racks filled with womens and mens tops in bold colors and graphic prints from Japan and Hong Kong, as well... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Path to enlightenment - Buddhist monk, wife to open Little Zen Museum Aug 5, 2008
Japanese paintings, calligraphy, and dozens of colorful ceramic tea bowls decorate the walls and shelves ... Takabayashi, a Buddhist monk who left Japan and the monastery 30 years ago to come to the United States to teach Zen, is indifferent to the idea of a museum ... Though he s one of only a handful of Zen masters from Japan to establish Zen in the West, he s retired now. (Missoulian, MT)
Miller Shows Some Spirit Jul 28, 2008
He ran the panel like a paratrooper/cheerleader, even calling Christian Bale in Japan, and frequently asking the crowd to roar its approval ... He's still travelling for Dark Knight, in Japan ... But many other horror titles fell flat, including Warners Japanese remake One Missed Call, the conclusion of Paul Anderson's zombie trilogy, Resident Evil: The Extinction, and Silvers The Invasion, yet another version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. (Variety)
Sit and enjoy Jul 23, 2008
The gallery's main focus is still art, though, including the work of longtime photojournalist and co-owner Wayne "Nobushi" Fuji'i, who grew up in rural Japan. Photos of the Vermont landscape are a dime a dozen, but Fuji'i's, influenced by Japanese painters and haiku master Basho, are something else. (Boston Globe)
E3 2008: Nintendo developer roundtable--LIVE! Jul 17, 2008
" [6:06] The game starts off in a town, with the player taking a bus to the game's new City section. Eguchi will concentrate on the game's new features today. On the way into the city, the player chats with (or is chatted at by) Kapp'n the bus driver for a few moments. [6:08] They're bringing back events for the game, including Halloween, and Jingle the Reindeer for the holiday events. One of the things people liked about Animal Crossing was the collectible items like wallpaper, etc., so there's... (GameSpot)
For some, 'Made in China' doesn't fit Jul 15, 2008
Video Fishermen in Japan, one of the world's top seafood consumers, went on strike to protest high oil costs and dim. U.S. financial sector worries cast a shadow over Asia stocks. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Cinematic gems Jul 13, 2008
Needless to say, he was also very keen too to show off his proudest acquisition for 2008, the 50th anniversary release of Godzilla: The Final Wars, which was released in Japan in November 2004, or the 1949 edition of Samson and Delilah featuring a young Yul Brynner (with hair, mind you) and Italian-born actress Gina Lollobrigida. Remember, there are no reprints or reissues especially when it comes to movie programmes, so they are really hard to get, reminded Selvaraja as a way of stressing how... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Letter from China Jul 3, 2008
And that's why Liu's book, which is being simultaneously published in Europe, America and Japan - but not in China - emerges as a veritable reconstruction of an otherwise disappearing pictorial history of China's last 60 years ... And, to be sure, even official China can set the record straight, as it did partially in the case of Lin Biao a year or so ago, when an exhibition at China's Military Museum credited him with a major role in the anti-Japanese war that preceded the Communists' takeover... (International Herald Tribune)
Wizards veterans conjure new trading card company Jul 2, 2008
5 billion to $3 billion, of which $1 billion is spent in Japan and a little under $1 billion is spent in the United States. Now that Tenacious Games is generating revenue, Dodson plans to begin raising another round of financing. (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)
Further legal setbacks could shave margins for eBay Jul 2, 2008
Video Japan is worth trillions of dollars, but still struggles to woo international investors and businesses ... The rest of the world is feeling the global credit crunch, but Japan's cash-rich firms are looking to expand o.. (International Herald Tribune -- Technology)
Riding the waves around the world: Amateur radio operators do more than just ham it up; they can provide vital communication in times of need Jun 24, 2008
I figured that s as far as I could go, but I ve talked to Fiji, Australia, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, England, Ireland. What do you discuss with people you meet over ham radio. (Muscatine Journal, IO)
Entertainment guide Jun 23, 2008
MEMORIES OF JAPAN: ART EXHIBIT OF CHIGIRIE: by Joan Mead-Matsui, through Friday, Northern Light Espresso Bar, Spruce Street. GRADUATE EXHIBITION: through Friday, Suraci Gallery and Kresge Gallery, Marywood University. (Scranton Times, PA)
Stay in the the coolest design hotels Jun 18, 2008
New boutique hotels in New York, London, Mexico and Japan, from $175 ... The dealFrom the U.S. and England to Mexico and Japan, weve scouted the coolest design hotels recently opened around the world ... Hotel Screen, KyotoStrong on sustainability, this eco-deluxe hotel in Japans Kyoto features the so-called Candle Night once a week, when the electricity is turned off and candles are lit to conserve energy. (MSNBC -- Travel)
Tea Bowls and tea bowls Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Bowls by Peter Callas, Joe Campbell, Kristin Muller, Takao Okazaki, and Shane Sellers Jun 16, 2008
Tea Bowls and tea bowls Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Bowls by Peter Callas, Joe Campbell, Kristin Muller, Takao Okazaki, and Shane Sellers - Chi Contemporary Fine Art - absolutearts ... "Tea Bowls and tea bowls Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Bowls by Peter Callas, Joe Campbell, Kristin Muller, Takao Okazaki, and Shane Sellers" 2008-06-12 until 2008-07-07 Brooklyn, NY, USA United States of America ... Chi Contemporary Fine Art is pleased to announce the opening of Tea Bowls and tea... (AbsoluteArts.com)
TV entertainers head honours list Jun 14, 2008
Earthquake rocks northern Japan. TV entertainers head honours list. (BBC News -- UK)
Weekend entertainment guide with video Jun 12, 2008
MEMORIES OF JAPAN: ART EXHIBIT OF CHIGIRIE: by Joan Mead-Matsui, through June 27, Northern Light Espresso Bar, Spruce Street. GRADUATE EXHIBITION: through June 27, Suraci Gallery and Kresge Gallery, Marywood University. (Scranton Times, PA)
'Waltz blue' Tucker makes stop in Athens Jun 8, 2008
" The shade was that of Tucker's wife's favorite evening gown. The original cost was $2,450. Today, the cars are valued higher than $200,000, with TACA reporting a private sale registering near $750,000 in 2005. The cars mainly are in the U.S., with owners in Brazil, England and Japan, as well. And yes, McCall said, the Tucker does go in reverse. "(People) also want to know how it drives, because that was always the rumor of all the different idiosyncrasies, like whether it will go in reverse,"... (Athens Banner-Herald)
* FEATURE: World-class embroiderer passes on precious skills Jun 6, 2008
Now 56, Chang started learning needlecraft as a teenager and honed her skills in Japan, where she became the first and only Taiwanese certified by the Japanese cultural authorities for the restoration of embroidered artifacts. The experience in Japan led her to participate in a project in the Soviet Union, where she lived off and on for nine years, restoring imperial embroidery in the Kremlin. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Hornby on track for more growth Jun 6, 2008
Recognition at last for Japan's Ainu ... Recognition at last for Japan's Ainu ... Japan accepts the Ainu as an indigenous group. (BBC News -- Business)
Close shave for envoy to Pak Jun 3, 2008
Prasanta Pal, his maternal uncle and the son of Radhabinod Pal who was one of the judges in Japan s war crimes trial, learnt about the blast on the radio and called Dhruba Pal who told him the envoy was safe. The device was apparently hidden in a car that drove up and parked outside the Danish embassy, possibly in a backlash against caricatures of the prophet Mohammed, considered blasphemous by Muslims, in the Danish media. (Calcutta Telegraph)
Ron Paul's followers believe in 'revolution' Jun 1, 2008
"I talk about bringing the troops home from Iraq, but also don't you feel like it's about time they came back from Korea, Europe and Japan?" the candidate then asked. The audience whooped in approval, as if Ron Paul were a lead guitarist tearing off a solo. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Politics)
Swedish consulate in Portland closing May 31, 2008
The same privileges extend to plateholders at Oregon's two full-fledged consulates, mini-embassies representing Mexico and Japan. Honorary consuls get U.S. State Department credentials but no broad diplomatic immunity. (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Lynn Okasaki May 30, 2008
She is survived by her brothers, Robert Okasaki, of Karatsu, Japan, Stanley Okasaki, of Oakland, David Okasaki, of Roseville, and Mark Okasaki, of Sacramento; and sisters, Emily Okasaki, of Stockton, and Pamela Okasaki, of Danville. A private memorial and Forty-ninth Day service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Lodi Buddhist Church, 23 S. Stockton St., Lodi, with the Reverend Harry Gyokyo Bridge officiating. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
LETTERS: NCT, May 19, 2008 May 20, 2008
Roosevelt declared war on Japan after Pearl Harbor, and then Nazi Germany declared war on the United States ... " I think that describes Robert Green's letter today. While he is correct about declaring war on Japan, and Germany declaring war on the US, he obviously leaves out a very important part of that history.The Isolationists. Having just finished WWI, and being in an economic depression {sound familiar?} the majority of American citizens and their politicians were adamant isolationists. We... (North County Times)
Battle game latest 'must-have' toy May 20, 2008
Toymaker Spin Master first introduced Bakugan - "baku" means "explode" and "gan" means "sphere" in Japanese - last year, rolling them out in Japan mid-year. Canada was next, and within months weary retailers had to put purchase limits on the product as a way to stem long lines and bidding wars. (Florida Times-Union)
Myanmar junta keeps rein on aid May 12, 2008
The Olympic torch arrived in Japan on Friday, as protests loomed and corporate sponsors backed away. The IHT's managing editor, Alison Smale, discusses European and Asian reactions to the U.S. elections. (International Herald Tribune)
An oversexed 'Rabbbit' joins toy cultureJC pop artist Ron English to unveil limited-edition creation May 11, 2008
English also has "a lot of fun" being a part of the collectable toy culture that is all the rage in Japan and Europe, like his contemporaries such as Hong Kong artist Michael Lau and Jersey City native Brian Donnelly, aka Kaws. Like English, they have created their own limited-edition toy figures. (Hoboken Reporter, NJ)
Billiken to Throw Out First Pitch at Busch Stadium on Sunday May 2, 2008
Artisans in Alaska began carving his image into ivory, and in Japan, he appeared in shrines, amusement parks and even a movie. Saved from Obscurity; A Mystery Unfolds. (Slubillikens.com)
An out pitch-er Apr 18, 2008
Beckett missed the trip to Japan with back spasms and was just easing his way into the rotation when he joined the Sox in Toronto earlier this month. It should not surprise a soul that he has looked better, stronger, with each successive outing. (Boston Herald)
Antique appraisal time in Vista Apr 14, 2008
John Calhoun and Letty Linhart of Vista waited their turn with an intricately designed sake jar they bought in Japan for 25 American dollars in 1956 ... Although she admired its design and craftsmanship, and believed it was manufactured between 1890 and 1910 in Japan, McAndrew appraised the jar at only about 95 ... "There were a lot of (Japanese art pieces) shipped to the U.S. after World War II," McAndrew said, and "there are a tremendous amount of Asian items in San Diego because it's a naval... (North County Times)
Small businesses discover a world of opportunity in exports Apr 8, 2008
Last year, Beauty Encounter hit $20 million in sales, with 15% coming from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Latin America and Japan ... Now, 25% of his sales are to customers in Canada, Europe, Australia, Japan and other countries and regions ... Herwick sells her products through dealers and distributors in Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Dubai. (USA Today -- Money)
Family’s rare antique carousel to be auctioned Apr 6, 2008
I just hope it doesn t leave the country, like to Japan or France, she said with a sigh as she closed her album. eskrapits@citizensvoice. (The Citizen's Voice, PA)
Sox get little relief Apr 6, 2008
Snyder, Corey fuel Jays big inning. By Michael Silverman Sunday, April 6, 2008 - Updated 2h ago Boston Herald Sports Reporter Text size. (Boston Herald)
No relief for Sox Apr 5, 2008
It will never be as early as it is, and was, in Japan, but such is life for the globe-trotting group ... By Michael Silverman TORONTO - In Japan, Manny Ramirez found out he could not use his all-red bat, and. (Boston Herald)
Hot Wheels(R) and Gallery 1988 Present Pop Surrealist Exhibit Showcasing Artwork Inspired by Classic Toy Brands Apr 2, 2008
The gallery has also received press from the G4 network, KTLA, KTTV, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, KROQ, Power 106 and publications in the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, Germany and Italy. The gallery has also created unprecedented partnerships with corporations like The Walt Disney Company, Capcom and Mattel to produce art shows inspired by their products and history. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Taleb Outsells Greenspan as Black Swan Gives Wall Street Worst Turbulence Mar 28, 2008
On Sept. 22, 1985, France, Germany, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. signed the Plaza Accord, an agreement to push down the value of the dollar to shore up the U.S. current account deficit. Taleb was sitting on currency options -- which give investors the right to buy or sell a currency at a specified exchange rate -- that had cost him pennies. (Bloomberg)
Asian buyers seeking undervalued contemporary art in Japan Mar 24, 2008
By contrast, the top result for a painting by a Japanese artist at an auction in Tokyo that same month was $140,000. While the price of art in some sectors was rising fast, driven by Chinese, Indian and Russian buyers, the Japanese art market, like its economy, was subdued, despite a rich aesthetic heritage and influential artists like Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara ... Today, this is changing as Japan's neighbors - Chinese, South Koreans and Taiwanese in particular - go bargain-hunting for... (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Konami Ships Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection for PlayStation 2 Mar 20, 2008
The collection features the first three titles of the pioneering stealth action franchise. March 18, 2008 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system has shipped to retailers nationwide. (IGN PS2)
Pumping up business with a personal touch Mar 20, 2008
His work sparked an interest in fitness training and in 2000 he co-founded the Hawaii Martial Arts Center Academy in Kalihi with popular mixed martial arts trainer Harushi Shimanishi of Japan. The studio has a membership of 100, many of whom are customers and part-time workers at Yoshida's store. (Pacific Business News, HI)
Collectibles overtake Europe's newsstands Mar 17, 2008
It is the "battle horse in the children's genre; it does well in all countries," said Marco Giraudi, director general of De Agostini's partworks division, which sells such publications in dozens of countries, including Japan, Russia and China. Publishers are tight-lipped when it comes to disclosing figures or shares of the partworks market. (International Herald Tribune)
What's a Sox game without dried squid and beer? Mar 16, 2008
On the main concourse is a rare place where Yankee and Red Sox gear is laid out side by side, as are posters of two of Japan's current elites playing Stateside: Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Matsui ... On the sixth floor is one of Japan's greatest natural resources, the "onsen" (natural hot spring), at Spa LaQua ... Sugamo may be Japan's capital of red wear. (Boston Globe)
Chinese province hopes to build dams despite concerns Mar 7, 2008
Reuters Published: March 6, 2008. The southern Chinese province of Yunnan is still hoping to build dams and hydropower plants, a senior official said Thursday, despite environmental concerns. (International Herald Tribune)
Day Out | Marunouchi, Tokyo: A district, suddenly, of the fashionable Mar 7, 2008
Anchoring the south edge of Marunouchi, the 314-room luxury hotel is shaped like a lantern and has four notable restaurants, including Peter, which serves Japanese-inspired Continental cuisine like Sendai confit beef brisket and Tasmanian salmon with glazed fig ... jp), a high-end Japanese men's wear line that mixes Savile Row tailoring with Ginza hipster wear ... For dinner, those with adventurous palates make their way to the sixth floor, where more than 30 acclaimed restaurants offer a kind... (International Herald Tribune)
A Wrist Worth Half a Million Dollars? Mar 6, 2008
The joy of the chase--he once flew to Japan to inspect a watch at the airport, then caught the next flight home--is only part of the thrill. Unlike collectors of, say, rare coins, Zimmermann actually uses his collection on a daily basis. (ABC News -- Business)
4 Marines in Japan to face courts-martial on rape charges Mar 6, 2008
The U.S. military will court-martial four Marines in Japan for the alleged rape of a Japanese woman, a U.S. Marine Corps official said Thursday. The general courts-martial will begin next month, said Master Gunnery Sgt. John Cordero of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni in southern Japan ... Japanese authorities investigated the incident but local prosecutors dropped the case in November. (International Herald Tribune)
