wake up and smell the lead

Yet again, thank you pink tentacle for putting up details of something that I actually read about in the paper, but found the paper’s details were crap and vague.

Scented lead has been around for a while. I remember having apple-scented green pencils as a kid actually. However, these push-point pencil leads from Pentel, which utilize nano-technology for scent release, use more adult aromatherapy scents (like rosemary, mint and lemongrass). Blends include: “Healing,” “Refresh” and “Positive.” Yes … all the things I really could do with in my life right now…

Pentel says “The aromatic blends are specially designed to boost the learning capacity of those in smelling range,” according to pink tentacle, whose capable suckers I leave you in for the techy nano-technology info.

Image is from IT Media News.

water, water everywhere

Saw this the other day and I can’t decide if it’s a good idea, or just a gimmicky one. It’s a cup that comes with a water filter so that people can just fill it straight from the tap and drink it right away. I looked at a couple of blogs that seem to think it’s a nice idea because it encourages people not to buy bottled water (which are mostly imported and produce a lot of waste plastic). One cartridge can filter up to 60 liters of water (that would make 30 2-liter bottles), so if the cartridge is recyclable (Brita ones are I think), then its definitely a good idea.

Whatever, it is probably a better idea than buying this…

This Keiju water (image from here: www.mrpartner.co.jp) is from the Tateyama mountains (one of the few bottled waters that is not imported at least), which is apparently renowned for good water. It is now being affiliated with Keiju medical institution and advertised as so. Kind of makes me feel a bit uneasy that people are being encouraged to buy water by affiliating it to a medical institution. But there seems to a lot of that going on right now: Doctor’s menus in restaurants, bento packed lunches with real doctor’s approval labeling, etc. On the one hand it looks like a decent promotion of healthy products. On the other, the stuff being promoted as healthy appear to be really ordinary products that have simply been packaged differently, endorsed and increased in price…

extending the nutty pink tentacle

These images were taken from www.arigatou3.com, which was blogged by the Pink Tentacle (via Japan Gizmodo), who is possible the best blogger on odd Japanese techy stuff I’ve ever seen.

So I can’t take any credit for this really, please go the Pink Tentacle for more detailed info. Just going to say that they are laser-engraved edible “meishi” or business cards, and that I just had to mention them. Oh and that you should probably RSS Pink Tentacle…

deodorizing tissue boxes

It’s weird how so many really boring things are getting upmarket makeovers.  You would think that all you need to know about tissues is the percentage that is recycled and how many sheets will you need to blow your nose or wipe your bum without (yuck) leakage. At a stretch, you might worry about what color they would be. But what more choice do you need?

Apparently lots.  “Luxury” tissues are becoming more popular in Japan and so various companies have come up with softer ones, thicker ones, lotion impregnated ones, perfumed ones, patterned ones,  and ones that come in prettier boxes.

And now they can come in deodorizing boxes. The Crecia Fabree tissue box is covered in a “photocatalytic sheet,” which does what it says — it reacts to sunlight. It somehow breaks down bad odors in the air when exposed to sunlight or fluorescent light and deodorizes the room its in.

Strange, but true.

my hashi, my heart

“My Hashi, My Heart” (www.my-hashi.jp — where these images have been taken from) is a campaign to encourage people to carry their own chopsticks instead of using the free unenvironmentally friendly waribashi (disposable chopsticks) that are given at convenience stores and restaurants.

The chopsticks they sell come in 30 different “traditional Japanese” colors and can be bought individually (you don’t have to have a matching pair and you can replace one if it gets lost or broken). They already have various Japanese celebrities endorsing them and they are now being sold in Natural Lawson near the bento boxes and lunch foods.

marathon blog 11 (last one), T with a T

This is Kirin tea’s tie-up with Uniqlo T-shirts (available in UT, see below). The labels on the tea bottles will have the same preppie-like check patterns that are used on the T-shirts. There must be a reason why they are all reminiscent of an ’80s fashion nightmare probably best forgotten, just don’t know what it is…

marathon blog 7, and look at what we humans eat…

As if fermented, smelly and gooey beans is not enough (this is the kind of stuff that requires a full airing of the apartment and plenty of  breath mints…), this pack of natto  is also loaded with 2500mg of collagen.

I actually like natto, but let’s face it, no amount of collagen is going to make me more attractive when my breath smells of manky socks.

marathon blog 6, a dog’s life seems alright to me

Perhaps it’s because of the falling birthrate, but pets appear to be getting an elevated status in society.

Natural Lawson, the “healthier” (although really, probably just posher) Lawson, now has a fancy range of pet foods, including dog lollipops (top right) and low fat “science diet” chow. The dried whole fish (below, it got cut off in the photo I’m afraid) even looks like a beer snack for humans. Actually, I wonder if people really can eat them … I know Bandai came out with “Petoy” which was a small rubber toy for the dog that came with a soy milk biscuit snack that both pet and pet owner could “enjoy” together (aaaaaaahhhhh, isn’t that cute? Some might barf, and not because they are really eating dog food).

marathon blog 3, nice smelling men!

This rose-menthol flavored gum is aimed at men and supposedly not only makes the breath fresh, but the skin fresh.

It apparently has some kind of chemical that can be absorbed when consumed and then released through the skin’s pores. Strange, but true. At least I think it is…

Now any old grubby man can literally smell of roses.

There is also a woman’s version of this gum, which comes in smaller pink and lemon yellow packages (what a surprise): rose and grapefruit flavor.

marathon blog 1, tasty or not

Georgia coffee makes its point.
But I’m afraid it simply isn’t…