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Asians and Blacks have lowest drug and alcohol abuse rates. Mix it with Asia, we’d bet Asians are at the top. For now, chalk it up to being late bloomers or just the best liars. (NY Daily News – alcohol)
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From rice grains a blood protein called HSA can be had according to researchers in China. HSA isn’t blood, so you still need to give blood. “HSA is used in hospitals for resuscitation, when patients need fluids, when they have lost blood, or for burn victims. According to the authors of the study, the findings suggest that the transgenic rice seeds may be a cost-effective source for HSA and might help satisfy an increasing worldwide demand for the protein.” Of course Fox uses the Dracula photo for this article. What would be funny is if anyone who does get this rice derviced HSA, turned Asian. (Fox – HSA)
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It had to happen. Everyone uses disposable chopsticks almost everywhere, and they go straight to the trash. Unlike plastic which can be made and remade and yet made again, chopsticks come from somewhat of a finite source and we’ll use them faster than they can grow. Half of the sticks go to China, the other half get divided up between other countries in Asia. Countries like Japan preserve their own forest but continue to import them from other countries, which just passes the buck further. We’re not sure if this article is water tight, but it does open the doors for discussions on chopsticks. (nytimes – Deforesting for Chopsticks) In the US there’s the Korean American run Georgian Chopstick company. (giantrobot – Georgia) Photo from DDB Shanghai
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Where did you go to school, if at all? Where did it rank? Does it matter what’s at the top? It’s Hong Kong U of Science and Technology. Yes, don’t say you knew this. Number two? It’s neighbor University of Hong Kong. Best 100 Asian Universities. (US News – Best in Asia) If you’re down to know, here’s the best 400 in the world. (US News – Top 400)
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The Occupy Wall Street movement has gained traction in the past four weeks and it looks like its spirit of opposition has spread overseas. The Wallstreet Journal reports that the demand for an “Occupy Tokyo.” Activists created a Facebook group back in September, yet no fruit yielded from the seeds of dissent so far. Calls for a worldwide protest tentatively set for Oct. 15 are “scheduled” as of right now. However, people are confused as to where the protest will specifically take place, its hour, and what exactly they’re protesting to start. The Occupy Tokyo movement–if it even exists–is even more disorganized than its American cousin and that’s saying a lot. This doesn’t mean that Japan doesn’t have anything to protest against. Its youth have had their share of employment problems since its nearly bi-decennial recession with lawmakers offering little to no improvement. The Japanese have endured many of the social problems from America’s Great Recession for much longer without the public rage. If, however, Japan does manage to ignite a movement of the same magnitude of OWS, it’s doubtful that it’ll meet its goals since the 1960s student movement similarly hit a dead end. Either way, October 15th is swiftly approaching. In the mean time, keep your eyes and ears open.
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