Cyber Figure Alice (ARis) is a 2008 product by Geisha Tokyo (Jp), featuring an interactive virtual anime figurine created with augmented reality technology [wiki] which combines virtual reality and real world elements.
Check out the Japanese promotional video below (minor NSFW)…
Gravure idol Mayu Oya wins the annual Japanese Race Queen of the Year Award for 2008-2009 season. Mayu is working with Zent Sweeties in the Super GT series.
Check out some Zent Sweeties’ photos from the Sepang race in June 2008.
There are debates running on some Singapore forums lately about the revealing dress of actress Joanne Peh on a cooking show [more on Divaasia]
The actress was dressed in a low-cut halter-neck print dress on the TV show, which at first glance kinda looked like a bikini (because of the apron)…
While some netizens were criticising her outfit as distracting and too revealing, there are others who cheered it on, saying that Singaporeans are being too conservative.
Personally I think it’s not a matter of sexy or revealing, but appropriateness. I wonder if she would wear similar outfit if she’s cooking at home… and that’s probably the answer to whether the dress was appropriate for a cooking show or not.
I know there are lots of cooking shows where celebrity guests would don in revealing outfits on consistent basis, especially in some cheapskate Japanese and Taiwanese variety shows. But when it comes to a genuine culinary show, I would rather have the guests focusing on their cooking skills (or no-skills) instead.
Am I being too conservative? Hmmm…
Hong Kong actress Sonija Kwok was attacked by her house maid on Tuesday (Mar 24).
The Indonesian maid is believed to be disturbed because of a broken relationship; she has pressed a knife on her own neck at some point but Sonija managed to persuade her to hand over the knife.
Sonija then made a report to the police; and the maid gone berserk after finding out the call and assaulted the actress, pulling her hair and biting her left arm.
Sonija’s mother tried to pull away the maid, and the trio wrestled for five minutes before the police arrived and restrained the maid.
Sonija was treated at hospital for her bloody forehand; while the maid is under custody at a mental hospital [image from QQ]
Chinese music video “Compromise” (妥协) from Taiwanese diva Jolin Tsai’s latest album, “Butterfly”. Popular actor Ethan Ruan co-starred in the MV…
The song is about how the girl compromised on almost everything to keep her lover, but still ended up losing him… and probably losing her inner self.
Winners of the 3rd Asian Film Awards presented in Hong Kong on Monday (Mar 23)…
Best film – “Tokyo Sonata” (Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands)
Best director – Hirokazu Kore-Eda, “Still Walking” (Japan)
Best actor – Masahiro Motoki, “Departures” (Japan)
Best actress – Zhou Xun, “The Equation of Love and Death” (China)
Best newcomer – Yu Shaoqun, “Forever Enthralled” (China)
Best supporting actor – Jung Woo-sung, “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (Korea)
Best supporting actress – Gina Pareño, “Service” (Philippines)
Best screenwriter – Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Max Mannix, Sachiko Tanaka, “Tokyo Sonata”
Best cinematographer – Jola Dylewska, “Tulpan” (Kazakhstan and co.)
Best composer – Joe Hisaishi, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” (Japan)
Best editor – Kim Sun-min, “The Chaser” (Korea)
Best special effect – Craig Hayes, “Red Cliff” (China)
India’s Tata Motors announced on Monday (Mar 23) the commercial launch of Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car at 100,000 rupees (USD1,990) apiece.
Nano created huge buzz worldwide when it was unveiled in January 2008; the car is in hot demand in India where it’ll hit the roads in July 2009.
The demand for the car is so high that the company has to make a lucky draw to decide their first 100,000 customers for the first phase of deliveries. A dedicated assembly plant will be ready in 2010 with an annualised capacity of 350,000 cars.
There are reasons why Tata Nano is so cheap; but as it’s often stressed, the Nano’s main aim is to provide safe, affordable, four-wheel transportation to families… and we can’t argue that a car would be much safer than a bike.
Some environmentalists are not that fond of the car, as more cars = more pollution. Tata has responded to the issue that an electric version of Nano is in mind, which has sprung wide interest in western countries.
Btw, the car might lack certain comfortability features, but it’s not lacking in design… that’s one cute car that I don’t mind owning based on appearance alone.
A giant panda high up at the Beijing Zoo in China…
Many people don’t know that giant pandas are good climbers; I’m rather amazed though, that the tiny tree branches could support the panda’s weight.
