Miscellaneous

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.

Panasonic's popular Eneloop rechargeable batteries are showing their “LoveLove” for the late Walt Disney. Officially approved, limited edition battery designs in red, white and black honor the award-winning animation pioneer by celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth.

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.

The Flip.to social media marketing platform just launched direct integration with the Hotel Concept's RezExchange channel management and distribution system for hotels. The service is a new means for the hospitality industry to convert guests and website visitors into engaged advocates while extending a brand's reach exponentially and finally providing hotels with a means to push past basic social media engagement, to a definable ROI.

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.

With a movie project that has virtually taken years to "wrap," Twittamentary, is a film about communities that is now available for communities around the world. Having received numerous request from folks and organizations across the globe, the film's producer is thrilled to announce an "open call" for community screenings to take place between February 1 and May 1, 2012. That's right, if you have a suitable venue and meet the screening requirements, all you need is 20 of your closest friends or fans to put on a show - for free!

Whenever a new movement consumes the hearts and minds of a large percentage of the populace, its time to take stock in what really moves these folks to act? The zeitgeist that emanated from Facebook and Occupy Wall Street couldn't be any more different from each other, yet there is an undercurrent that threads the two together. Both attract those that have an overwhelming desire to band together within loosely-knit organizations that welcome all.

So you snapped your deck riding mongo and doing a slide on a handrail... who ya gonna call? A better question might be HOW you're gonna call, and Strapya Taobao has the answer: the Skate Deck iPhone 4 Cover from Candies!

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.

Toward the end of 2011, the American Censorship Org took action against SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act), a U.S. bill racing through Congress that threatens "prosperity, online security and freedom of expression." On January 18, thousands of websites like Wikipedia have pledged to go dark online in protest. To show its solidarity, Google has blocked out their iconic logo on their search engine.

The buzz surrounding social media marketing hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hospitality industry and many hotel brands seek to make inroads by engaging more effectively with leading social networks.

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.

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.

The buzz surrounding social media marketing hasn’t gone unnoticed by the hotel industry and hoteliers are seeking to make inroads by engaging with the leading social networks in new and innovative ways. Choice Hotels however has indicated that "hotels have been slow or very conservative in the adaptation of social media."

SwitchEasy's colorful “Melt” 3D cases for the iPhone 4 or 4S keep your smartphone safe from life's hard knocks while managing to look hot and cool at the same time. The cases feature a slick, shiny, melty-look top portion molded in smooth polycarbonate plastic for easy ingress and egress from the owner's pocket.

Well if you've been following the partisan rhetoric emanating from the Belt Way, you might not think that the government of "We The People" is going to fare too well going into a contentious election year. However, if you're one of the 99 Percenter contingency, things might be looking a little "rosier" for you . . . and they do mean that literally.

Geek chicks looking to flaunt some geek chic should look no further than Mass Item's “Measuring” line of math set women's jewelry from Japanese designer Kyozo Kawabe. The miniaturized and accessorized rulers, triangles and protractors come in a variety of colors and won't leak ink into your pocket protector.

The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round... even in Tibet, “the roof of the world”. The recent purchase of 53 new school buses by local authorities in Lhasa means many students in far-flung farming regions will ride to and from school in style (and safety) for the very first time.

Sanrio, Japan's kawaii character company and home of cuteness queen Hello Kitty, teamed up with California goods retailer LoungeFly to thank Apple's inspirational CEO, the late Steve Jobs, for a lifetime of creativity. The result was a bizarrely cute "Hello Stevie" love-child that ended up pleasing nobody.