Strange, Odd, Weird or Wacky

Rock Out With Your Thumb Out

by Jill Harness

Sure, playing the piano is a great skill and all, but carrying the instrument around whenever you want to practice can be a little tedious, especially with today's high-speed lifestyle. Fortunately, the finger piano makes practicing easy and fun.

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Unhappy Meals: China's Top 8 Fake Foods

by China.new

China's 1.3 billion people are hungry for wealth and riches. Too often, however, making a buck means taking a buck by foisting imitation nutrition on the unwary. These top 8 Chinese fake foods and drinks may leave a bad taste in your mouth but consider yourself lucky you're just reading, not eating.

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Cosplay Cyclops Anime Girl Rocks Tokyo Wonder Festival

by Steve Levenstein

Teenage mutant Leela's girdle? The Cosplay Corner at the Winter 2012 “Wonfes” sported someone (or some thing) so shocking, disturbing and, er, cute it deserves a blog post to try to explain it... and the more you know, the more disturbing it gets.

The Top Ten Weird and Bizarre Chinese Soft Drinks

by China.new

Though Japan is infamous (and rightly so) for its weird and bizarre soft drinks, China is quickly narrowing the gag gap with its own unique canned & bottled horrors. These ten terrifying tipples may not be available in your local supermarket unless you've been Shanghai'd, so to speak, but that's a GOOD thing. Just consider yourself lucky China doesn't export everything they make.

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Chocolate Covered Shrimp Chips Are A Cuckoo Cocoa Combo

by Steve Levenstein

Japanese confectionery powerhouses Lotte and Calbee have teamed up to celebrate the mutual 50th anniversaries of two iconic snack favorites, Ghana Milk Chocolate Bars and Kappa Ebisen Chips, by rolling out limited edition "Kappaebisen Ghana" chocolate-covered shrimp chips. Hey, it worked for Reese's!

4 Utterly Terrible Valentine’s Day Experiences and Gifts

by Jill Harness

Valentine’s Day is here again, which means it’s time to begrudgingly give your loved one an amazing experience for one day so he or she will be willing to stay with you for the other 364 days of the year. Because love is all about meeting, not exceeding, your partner’s minimum expectations. Of course, these gifts probably won't even do that.

Economic Boom: 7 Things in China that Unexpectedly Explode

by China.new

Things are booming in China, though not always in a good way – just the opposite, actually. From watermelons to whales and coffee makers to coins, these 7 unexpectedly explosive objects prove even well-designed products can bomb in the marketplace.

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Hand Grenade Key & Coin Case Blows (Up) Your Cover

by Steve Levenstein

The frighteningly fashionable Hand Grenade Key & Coin Case from Motif comes in your choice of 6 cool colors, any one of which will garner the owner oodles of attention... from the TSA, at least.

Paid 'People Pushers' Press Passengers on China's Subways

by China.new

Subway authorities in China's larger cities have seemingly taken a page from Japan's book on passenger management. Uniformed, white-gloved “people pushers” in Shanghai and Chongqing subway stations are now encouraging – with a helpful push or two – train riders to squeeze into the cars so the doors can close.

Surprise Your Valentine with Chocolate Dipped Squid!

by Steve Levenstein

Finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your ex-spouse, ex-boss or ex-friend can be ex-hausting... until now, thanks to Saki Ika Chocolate. This "sweet dainty" snack from Japan combines fragrant dried squid with sweet milk chocolate. The term “snack attack” was never so appropriate.

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Louis Vuitton Belt Buckle Cell Phone: Call it Garish

by China.new

Show me the money? In modern China it's more like “show YOU the money”, and what better way to tell the world you're rich and successful than with the Louis Vuitton Belt Buckle Cell Phone?

Sing-a-Long Tongs: Microphone Tongs that Rock the Kitchen

by Steve Levenstein

Reckon you're the chef of the treble clef? Then you'll love Sing-a-Long Tongs, microphone tongs that rock the kitchen! They may not improve your cooking but at least you'll be burning water in style.

The 'iFeng' 4S Blow Dryer Salutes Steve Jobs While Styling Your Hair

by China.new

Honorable homage or a lot of hot air? You'll pay a little more for the white “iFeng 4S” limited edition blow dryer at China's online Tmall but only 100 of the “Steve Jobs 1955-2011” gold embossed tributes are set to be sold.

TripAdvisor Japan's 'World Stinky Foods' Infographic Reeks Your World

by Steve Levenstein

Travelers and tourists used to soaking up the world's most exotic sights and sounds can now satisfy their sense of smell as well, thanks to the new, nasally-oriented, "World Stinky Foods" infographic from TripAdvisor Japan.

Starwars Dog Choir Barks Another Winning Volkswagen Ad For Super Bowl 2012

by Lady Bee

One dog barking isn't enough for this year's Volkswagen Super Bowl spot. Deutsch, LA, which produced the winning commercial for the 2011 Super Bowl, The Dark Side, featuring a mini Darth Vader and his dog, decided to make this year's stars a dozen barking dogs, moving its energy from The Dark Side to The Bark Side.

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Dexim Visible-G USB Cable Glows When Current Flows

by Steve Levenstein

This Universal USB Charge & Sync Cable from Dexim employs integral blue LEDS that scroll, marquee style, along the path of your current connection. Pimp my USB cable? Dexim has, and you're certain to get a charge out of it!

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'Dragon Tree' May Bring Good Luck to Japan's Tsunami Ravaged Coast

by Steve Levenstein

The massive tsunami that pounded Japan's northeastern coast following the devastating March 11th, 2011 earthquake left few trees standing along the shoreline. Among those few survivors is a battered, twisted pine that now resembles a Chinese Dragon. The so-called Dragon Tree has become a symbol of hope and renewal for the region's hard-pressed residents.

Sequinetic™ Sun Glasses Chase Away Winter Blues

by Myra Per-Lee

... Light therapy is a traditional method of relief for SAD sufferers, but it requires its subjects to be stationary while under special lamps. But with the help of Kickstarter, three now-happy engineers have succeeded in raising the funds to produce their answer to SAD - Sequinetic™ 'sun' glasses.

Designer Keyboard Brush from Japan is Really the Pits

by Steve Levenstein

Finally, a use for armpit hair! Well, sort of. This cute anthropomorphic brush is designed to clean your keyboard's hard to reach nooks and crannies while putting a smile on your face. The unabashedly hirsute “Okite” underarm hair brush comes from Japanese design house and specialty retailer DECOLE, and is one of the popular Humania series of home, office, kitchen and school cool tools.

Remote Control LED Color Changing Ice Bucket for Light Drinkers

by China.new

Add some extra fizz to any party with the LED Color Changing Ice Bucket with Remote Control. The bucket's cool-running 25,000-hour rated LED light ensures your bubbly won't boil while the remote control option is just as cool as it gets.

3 comments