Traveling to Hermit Kingdom is already bizarre enough, but when we heard that North Korea would be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Great Leader & eternal president, Kim Il-sung, there was no way to let such an epic birthday party slip through our hands. Laurence Keefe, Kirill Korobkov and I flew over to Pyongyang for two days to witness the madness. While skateboarding within the DPRK was our main intention, it was overshadowed by the celebrations & the 'no sliding' anywhere rule. The three minute clip portrays a small insight into North Korea from the 15th of April 2012.
XXX Large Size The above photo features a beautiful model wearing a funny Chinese Engrish T-Shirt entitled "Spend Calm Life" and we have provided the below "translation":
SPEND CALM LIFEFEEL AT PEACE NATURALLYCARRY ALL EVERTHINGThe special indicatingBEFORE ONETHERE IS NOTHINGTO BE AFRAID OFBlood Me. THERE IS NOT ATALL THE MINDTO GIVE UP THERE IS NOT SCATY THING FOR HER AT ALL NOWYOU PLEASE STRONGLY LIVE LIKE HER, TOOGRATIFYING RESULT...
Just released today here is a beautiful photo of Mayu and Eyetaso of the techno/anime music idol unit Cutie Pai. Mayu (left) is the lead singer and keyboard player and she is wearing a Necomimi on her head. Eyetaso (aka. Julie Watai) is the backup singer/dancer and the video jockey when Mayu does solo performances. Cutie Pai is a self-produced group who, unlike other idol groups, write their own songs, design the costumes they wear and dance and sing very well. Here they are performing their original songs "Techno Doll" and "Spicy Chelsea" in Koenji, Tokyo June 2010: Be sure to pick up a Cutie Pai CD and the Hardware Girls Magazine today! Related: Mayu of Cutie Pai by Julie Watai
Via News on Japan April 25, 2012 Yesterday the world was stunned by the CCTV video of a teenage Chinese girl falling into a six-meter (19-foot) deep sidewalk hole in the city of Xi'an in northern China. She was rescued by taxi driver Wang Wei and the local fire department. She was unhurt and according to CNN her parents contacted Wang Wei to thank him for his brave rescue. Here is a news video about this from The Huffington Post: Taxi driver turned hero - Wang Wei: The article in the Huffington post also mentions that earlier this month a woman in Beijing died after a sidewalk collapse sent her plummeting into a pool of scalding water. But what the Huff Post and other mass media news organizations did not report is that this kind of accident occurs fairly often throughout China. According to the blogger Liuzhou Laowai there have been many people (and at least one water buffalo) of Liuzhou, China that have unfortunately fallen into sidewalk holes, wells and cesspools. Most were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries but some did not make it. This blogger has been reporting and joking about the "ancient and noble art" of falling down holes for many years now and has a shocking archive of such accidents. So why does this happen so often in China? Well, apparently, the necessary safety regulations either don't exist or they are not followed by companies involved in road work, sidewalk work and other public projects. Also, according to the Liuzhou Laowai"manhole covers are also regularly stolen for their scrap metal value". O.O So why is that so? Well the only answer available for that inquiry is "Because China". Related: Why, China Why? Because China #3
Recently Metta World Peace aka. "Ron Artest" of the LA Lakers reverted back to his violent ways and now is in trouble once again with the NBA. His latest eruption happened in Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. World Peace started celebrating a slam dunk by pounding his chest and then suddenly he viciously elbowed James Harden's head and knocked him to the floorboards. This earned Artest a flagrant foul and a game ejection but, of course, he claimed it was unintentional:
"It was unfortunate that James had to get hit with an unintentional elbow," World Peace said. "I hope he's OK."
However the NBA thinks otherwise and is now deciding on the length of Artest's upcoming suspension. This event is quite controversial with some fans claiming it was an accident and others saying that Artest should be banned from the NBA altogether. Either way this foul/accident is very disappointing for the NBA as this current season has seen an increase in violence on the court overall. Not missing a beat, Taiwan's News Media Animation TV just weighed in on this whole mess with a very funny 3D animation news video: Related: Taiwan's Take on NHL Playoff Violence
In the above photo from China Airways we see the infamous Panda Bully who has been known to cause havoc in office buildings, kitchens and supermarkets throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Don't believe it? Think its Photoshopped? Well just watch the below video and keep reading: According to Snopes the above photo is, in fact, a real panda named "Squee Squee" with his caretaker, Fu Jiang Lang on a trip to a zoo in the USA. China Airways is a sponsor of the panda sanctuary at Cheng Du and they donated two business class seats for the transfer of Squee Squee to his new home. They decided that giving him and his caretaker passenger seating would be much safer than putting the panda in the cargo hold. So the above photo is real and the TV commercials are for Panda Cheese by Advance Marketing for Arab Dairy. The background music is the Buddy Holly song "True Love Ways." And yes this is all old internets, but you know just like North Korea is Best Korea it is true that Old Internets is Best Internets. Related: Why, China Why? Because China #5
If you have been following the NHL playoffs then you know about the recent rise of illegal hits, fights, violence, suspensions etc. And right on time, Taiwan's NMA TV has just published their funny 3D animation news clip about the many recent incidents in the NHL: Related: Yu Darvish Dating A Japanese Porn Star? Taiwan's Take on Tim Tebow
Via Yahoo News/AFP April 20, 2012 The popular Japanese all-girl group AKB48 is now being criticized for promoting lesbian sex in a recent TV commercial for Puccho ぷっちょ candy sold by UHA Mikakuto. AKB48 is a song and dance group of about 90 young women who are very popular in Japan and have released other music videos that have also been criticized for being somewhat "homosexual" as well. Well here is the controversial TV commercial in question: A behind the scenes video for this commercial can be seen here. Related: Learn Chinese From Sexy Lesbians
FLASH NEWS UPDATE: April 21, 2012 The original Japanese version of this song "Koi No Tamashii" is ranked as the number one best seller on Amazon Japan. FLASH NEWS UPDATE: April 19, 2012 This debut single by mishmash* and Julie Watai is now ranked at the number one and number two positions for hit songs/most popular downloads on Amazon Japan: Just released the other day, here is the short version of the international debut single by Julie Watai and mishmash* entitled "Roll of Love" with music video by Kerokeroking: The long version of this song is available on iTunes and Amazon Japan. mishmash* aka. Toyoaki Mishima 美島豊明 is the sound programmer for the world-renowned musician and producer Cornelius. There is a rumor that this solo project could soon become a full-length album. Related: New Julie Watai Self PortraitJulie Watai's 2012 Calendar
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Via Korean Central News Agency KCNAPyongyang, North Korea April 15 (KCNA) Today the entire world witnessed and exuberantly celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung the eternal president and immortal father of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). This grand and esteemed occasion is also being commemorated this week by the annual Mass Games performance and the Kimilsungia flower show. Also an extra special child prodigy classic guitar exhibition will be featured with over 1,000 child prodigy guitarists playing many world-famous and classical works composed by the victorious general himself for a consecutive 48 hours without sleep and synchronized all together! This year's Mass Games will also include many gymnastic and supreme truth socialist expositions featuring one hundred thousand synchronized acrobats all performing inside the May Day Stadium - the world’s largest stadium ever built. This grand extravaganza also features over 50,000 perfectly synchronized sign flipper comrades that will present added color and imagery to this world famous and truly spectacular display of the Juche idea in the worker's paradise. Below is a magnificent video of Friday the 13th's celebratory performances from the first day of the April Spring Friendship Art Festival (ASFAF). This festival features many talented, high level Asian singers, musicians, clowns and circus performers from inside Best Korea and other countries: This very special day of worldwide celebration and pageantry of the eternal supreme commander's 100th birthday was also marked by the world's greatest ever fireworks display as seen below in this exclusive Reuters news video: Related: Visit New North Korea Best Korea!North Korea Wins World Champion Title!Kim Jong Il Invented Photoshop!Why Kim Jong-Un is ImmortalNorth Korean Version of Take on Me
From Kodakawa Games, Grasshopper Manufacture and Warner Brothers Games here are the trailers for the upcoming worldwide release of the Lollipop Chainsaw ロリポップチェーンソー video game. This big-name game features a main character named "Juliet" who is a blonde-haired Japanese/American cheerleader/fighter with a wide array of attack weapons used to destroy zombies. One of her weapons is her boyfriend's decapitated head named "Nick" who is featured in the "Nick Popper," "Nick Toss" and "Nick Shoot" assault modes. Nick's head can also be put on a headless zombie to control it. Indeed, it is very possible that this game may turn out to be the funniest WTF Japanese street fighter ever released! Lollipop Chainsaw will be available from June 14, 2012. Be sure to watch these two brilliant trailers: For more information please visit the official Lollipop Chainsaw website. Related: Trailer: My Girlfriend is The PresidentJapan's Horse Racing Dating Game
Just in time for the North Korean satellite launch, here is a very powerful anti-war film entitled "The Front Line" by director Jang Hun. Through the views of some breathtaking battle scenes and heavy human emotional portrayals during the end of the Korean War, this film shows us the futility and senseless fighting over one hill dividing the North and South Korean armies. Based on a true story, this film is NSFW and NSFL. It is in Korean with English subtitles and was Korea's entry for the Oscars' Best Foreign Film category in 2011. Viewer discretion is strongly advised:
April 15th 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of national founder and eternal President Kim Il Sung. The occasion will be marked by Mass Games performance, the Kimilsungia flower show, child prodigy classic guitar exposition where 1,500 synchronized child guitarists will play classical works composed by the great leader for an entire 48 hours. 2012 Mass Games will also include two hour gymnastic and socialist realism extravaganzas featuring 100,000 synchronized gymnasts inside the world's largest stadium and will be performed every evening except Sundays. Streaming access to portions of all of these events will be provided through the Punch! ipad application and was made possible through an unprecedented creative visionary collaboration between a sovereign nation and an American technology company.
Via Diginfo TV April 2, 2012 Remember last year when the development of Japanese Cats Ears For "Communication" aka "Necomimi" was revealed? Or how about Japan's Teledildonic kiss transmission device? Well now Keio University has unveiled a new prototype of their Forever Alone Kissing Poster aka "Pochiter." This interactive poster senses the distance of a person from itself and then reacts with a kiss and then a blush! Check out the below video and remember that this is NOT an April's fools joke: "The current system only produces visual changes, but we could also include the scent of shampoo from the person's hair, or a lemon-flavored film on the lips, or a speaker that whispers "I love you." People who've tried this system advised us to do those things, so we think there's still plenty to be done. We've learned a lot from talking to users." See also: Japanese Virtual Web Sex TechnologyForever Alone Karaoke in Tokyo Japan
Via The Atlantic Apr 30 2012 A team of skateboarders were not allowed to skate in Pyongyang, so the video maker of the group, Patrik Wallner, turned his camera to the The 100th Birthday Celebration of Kim Il Sung in North Korea and created a beautiful short documentary of the eternal leader's big birthday extravaganza. From their Virtualtravelling website: 
See also: 
