Tough times for Japan's stewardesses

Lower pay, longer hours, less job security—being a flight attendant in Japan isn't what it used to be.



Ah, the good old days.


—Mellow Monk

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Green tea, the "official" beverage of the New York Yankees clubhouse

Who would have ever thought: Green tea is now the beverage of choice for more than a few players in the New York Yankees clubhouse. Even manager Joe Torre drinks pints of green tea each day. Says Torre, "It's become more a part of our lifestyles."

Torre made the switch to green tea after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and his doctor gave him a list of antioxidant-rich foods—including green tea.

But green tea isn't just healthy; it may also improve athletic performance:

[O]ne study that appeared in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology found regular use of green tea extract might improve endurance.

Play ball!


—Mellow Monk

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Tea is healthier than water

Researchers publishing their results in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition not only dispel the common misconception that tea dehydrates; they also state that tea is even healthier than water.



And it's even healthier if it's green. And don't forget to hold the milk.


—Mellow Monk

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The Kurosawa/Mifune classic "Yojimbo"

Princeton professor Michael Wood writes an excellent review of the film Yojimbo, directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune, two powerhouses in the pantheon of Japanese cinema.



The great Toshiro Mifune as the lone swordsman Sanjuro in the Kurosawa classic Yojimbo.


—Mellow Monk

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Crusading against the jerk at work

Speaking of the workplace, who knows how much work-related stress out there is caused by the "jerks at work." Stanford University professor Robert Sutton is on a crusade against workplace bullies, whom he refers to with an unprintable term that is also in the title of his book on the subject.



Professor Sutton helps companies filter out toxic employees.


—Mellow Monk

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Six steps to a stress-free career

These six steps to a stress-free career are written for scientists but apply to everyone in the working world.

Like too many people out there, however, the article's author overlooks an important stress-busting tip: the green tea break.


—Mellow Monk

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Green tea fights bladder cancer

A study published in a recent issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research shows that green tea can help prevent bladder cancer, which, surprisingly, is "the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with about 56,000 new cases diagnosed each year."

Actually, researchers in this study used green tea extract, but let's remember that the extract is a subset of all the wonderful natural compounds contained in brewed green tea. Scientists are only now beginning to identify and understand those compounds. Who knows what they are overlooking now? Pop a green-tea pill and you may be missing some as-yet-undiscovered compound. Drink an infusion of natural green tea, and you're getting all of nature's bounty.

Besides, a cup of hot green tea tastes much better than a pill. It's more relaxing, too.


—Mellow Monk

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Preserving Japan's traditional homes

In rural Japan, more and more old-fashioned minka (country homes) are falling into disrepair as young people leave for the big city in droves. Many homes are also being torn down to make way for modern-style houses or even golf courses or strip malls.

Architect Yoshihiro Takishita is part of a growing movement to preserve this important part of Japan's architectural tradition.



Architect Yoshihiro Takishita's centuries-old "minka" farmhouse.


—Mellow Monk

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American sushi chefs

Sushi is getting so popular in the United States that Japan can no longer meet the demand for qualified itamae (sushi chefs). Consequently, restaurants are turning to sushi chefs who, although trained here, come originally from anywhere from Vietman to El Salvador.

The article also features a colorful, mouth-watering sushi slideshow.



Sushi chefs aren't just from Japan anymore.


—Mellow Monk

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Princess book stirs controversy

The Japanese government is hopping mad over an Australian journalist's highly unauthorized book about Japan's reclusive Princess Masako.



The Aussie author's book is about as flattering as this photo.


—Mellow Monk

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Matsuzaka's gyroball: myth or reality?

The Red Sox have paid a lot of money for pitching sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka. What they're hoping to get is his "ghost pitch," also known as the gyroball, supposedly the first new pitch in the major leagues since the split-fingered fastball, adopted about 30 years ago.

But a lot of pundits are wondering if the gyroball is even real.



The alleged "gyroball" explained.


—Mellow Monk

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Japan's "spy phone" reads invisible messages

It sounds like something straight out of a James Bond movie: a camera that can decode messages that are invisible to the human eye.



Why is this guy scanning ads for women's clothing?


—Mellow Monk

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Napping is good for the heart

From the BBC:

A six-year Greek study found that those who took a 30-minute siesta at least three times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart-related death.

I'm not "sleeping." I'm promoting good heart health.


—Mellow Monk

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Green tea as a flavor protector

Green tea has such powerful antioxidant properties that one company has hit on the idea of using green tea as a natural "flavor protector" for meat and poultry.


—Mellow Monk

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How to reduce eye strain at your computer

A lighting company called IPN Lighting offers 22 ways to reduce eye strain at your computer.



Don't let this happen to you!


—Mellow Monk

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Green tea fights prostate cancer

A study done at the University of Wisconsin is one of many showing that green tea can prevent prostate cancer.

Researchers found that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol found only in green tea, inhibits tumor growth and metastasis (spread) and also induces apoptosis—cancerous cells "commit suicide" while healthy cells are left alone.



A cup a day keeps the doctor away.


—Mellow Monk

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Japan's seniors go Robocop

Researchers at Tsukuba University have developed a robotic suit that gives the wearer extra strength by assisting limb movement. As early as next year, the suit may be available for lease (primarily to seniors) for as little as $500 a month.



Now grandma will be able to load those 50-pound bags of dog food into the trunk by herself.


—Mellow Monk

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Drink green tea to be sexy

It's a bit of a stretch, but here goes:

Nutritionist Joy Bauer lists foods that made you sexy, including green tea, which "helps combat bad breath and also contains fluoride."



Sing it now: "I'm too sexy for my ... bell pepper?"


—Mellow Monk

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Pictures of the QE2 visiting the City by the Bay

Photos of the Queen Mary 2 making its first-ever port of call at San Francisco.



That's one big boat.


—Mellow Monk

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Yakuza war rocks Japan

It's right out of one of Japan's bloody yakuza (mobster) movies:

On February 5, Ryoichi Sugiura, a captain of the Sumiyoshi-kai—Japan's second-largest crime syndicate—was found shot to death in his car.

Within hours, someone fired shots into the offices of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest crime family. (You read that correctly: Japan's crime families maintain undisguised offices.) Two members of the Sumiyoshi-kai were arrested soon afterwards.

On February 8, representatives of the two families met and apparently reached a peace agreement, with the Yamaguchi-gumi admitting fault.

Then, on the 15th, the oyabun (godfather) of a Yamaguchi-affiliated organization, 70-year-old Kazuyoshi Kudo, was found dead of apparent suicide.

Mr. Kudo's group, the Tokyo-based Kokusui-kai, had been aligned against the Yamaguchi-gumi from its founding in 1958 until 2005, when Boss Kudo switched sides and swore allegiance to the Kobe-based Yamaguchi-gumi.

Yakuza experts cite this switch as proof of the Yamaguchi-gumi's intentions to expand into Tokyo, traditionally the Sumiyoshi-kai's turf. Authorities blame these expansion attempts as the cause of an upswing in yakuza-on-yakuza violence of late.

What these guys need to do is have some green tea and mellow out.

Not that I would say that to their faces, of course...

The fateful car.


—Mellow Monk

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Brew "green" green tea with Eco Kettle

As a regular user of electric kettles to boil water for green tea, I can attest to their convenience. Not only that, but there is a wide range of electrical kettles available.

Focusing on the fact that most people usually boil more water than they need, a British firm has designed Eco Kettle, which has a boiling chamber that is separate from the main water reservoir. That way, you can boil only the exact amount of water you need.

True, you can always conserve energy with your standard kettle by filling it up with only as much water as you need. But if, say, you are in an office environment and your water source is far from where your kettle is located, Eco Kettle would save you from making unnecessary trips to your water source.

This can either be a good or bad thing. Sometimes, having to fetch water is a good excuse to get up and stretch your legs. On the other hand, Eco Kettle's combination of convenience and saving energy is undoubtedly hard to resist for many of us.

There's only one catch: The price tag.



The Eco Kettle


—Mellow Monk

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Japan's "mob of 100" prank

A Japanese TV show organized a mob of 100 people to scare unsuspecting marks. Only in Japan!

—Mellow Monk

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Robert Lang's amazing origami

Former physicist Rober Lang showcases some of his amazing origami creations.



The petals are all made from a single piece of uncut paper.


—Mellow Monk

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Toyota's hybrid sports car

At the Detroit Auto Show, Toyota unveiled the Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept, which is described by some as a "Prius on steroids."





—Mellow Monk

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Stress busters that work

This article contrasts old stress busters with new ones. For instance:

Old stress buster: After a harried day at work, you come home and start in on the French bread until you are in a carb-induced coma. ...

New solutions: Instead of stuffing yourself with that loaf of bread, take a hot bath or shower to relax your muscles and mind.

—Mellow Monk

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Green tea controls prostate cancer

A study done at the University of Wisconsin and Case Western Reserve University found that the polyphenols in green tea fight the proliferation and spread of prostate tumor cells.


—Mellow Monk

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Chinese descendents of long-lost Romans?

In Liqian, a settlement in north-western China on the fringes of the Gobi desert, many locals have unmistakable "western characteristics — green eyes, big noses, and even blonde hair — mixed with traditional Chinese features."

Right now, DNA tests are being conducted to test a theory first proposed in the 1950s: that these residents of Liqian are descended from Roman soldiers.



I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque.


—Mellow Monk

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She lost 20 pounds by switching to green tea

A reader of Sally Squires's "Lean Plate Club" tells Sally how she lost 20 pounds by switching to green tea:

Fairfax, Va: Sally,

I've lost 20 pounds in the past month. How did I do it ? You'll be amazed.

I substituted green tea for coffee, soda and whatever. I drink between 2-3 liters of green tea during the day and nothing else. Let me tell you, my pants fit a whole lot better now.

I wouldn't have believed it unless I did it myself.

Sally Squires: Another great example of finding what works for you. Thanks for weighing Fairfax and congratulations on those 20 pounds!

Switching to green tea is also the advice that Dr. Nicholas Perricone gave Oprah.

—Mellow Monk

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Japanese brewery unveils "bilk," a beer-milk mixture

A brewery in Hokkaido—Japan's dairy powerhouse—has come up with a beer-and-milk mixture which they've dubbed bilk.



Step right up, ladies and gentlemen, and try our new "bilk."


—Mellow Monk

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Eating tea in outer space

On the International Space Station, an American astronaut demonstrates how to squeeze blobs of tea out of a "tea bag" (literally a plastic bag of liquid tea) and eat them with chopsticks.

—Mellow Monk

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Japanese husbands celebrate "Beloved Wives Day"

January 31st was the second annual "Beloved Wives Day" in Japan. On this day, husbands are supposed to pay extra attention to the missus and do things they don't usually do, such as say "I love you."



A traditional Shinto wedding procession.


—Mellow Monk

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More about Okinawan green tea

Another reader has written asking about Okinawan green tea. Here's the original query, along with my reply.

Dear Mellow Monk,

What does "Okinawan tea" mean? Which tea is more effective to lose weight?

Sourayya

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