The Otamatone--A New Musical Instrument from Japan

OK, so a few disclaimers are in order. First, Novmichi Tosa, the inventor of this new musical instrument (actually, it is more like a toy) and the host of this video, appears to have little musical ability, and the sound the musical instrument makes is annoying--though a more gifted musician might be able to do interesting things with it. On the other hand, though he may look normal at the beginning of the video, Mr. Tosa is as delightfully flaky and a treat to watch--especially when he does his Jimmy Hendrix impersonation at the end. (The video is in Japanese, but is fairly self-explanatory).
Tosa's company webpage looks funky as well. Someday I have to party with this man. (H/t Boing Boing)

Root Bridges in India--Living Architecture

These two bridges in Cherrapunjee, in northeast India, were made from living rubber tree roots. Hollowed out tree branches were laid across the stream to funnel and guide the roots as they grew. When the roots reached the other side of the stream, they were planted in the soil.
Over time--in some cases hundreds of years, the bridges become quit strong and safe to use.
Other examples of living architecture can be found at Dark Roasted Blend.

China's Newest Submarine

Of course, the title is a joke ... sort of. From the China Daily:

Tao Xiangli prepares his homemade submarine before operating it in a lake on the outskirts of Beijing September 3, 2009. Amateur inventor Tao, 34, made a fully functional submarine, which has a periscope, depth control tanks, electric motors, manometer, and two propellers, from old oil barrels and tools which he bought at a second-hand market. He took 2 years to invent and test the submarine which costs 30,000 yuan (US$4,385):

And here he is puttering about a lake near Beijing:The article does not say if he tried to submerge in this thing, or if he is still alive after his test run. Nor does the article tell us anything about Tao's motivation for this two-year long odyssey to build a sub out of oil cans.
My own imagination runs riot--perhaps he plans on offering scenic journeys to the bottoms of Beijing lakes for groups of foreign tourists. Or, perhaps he accidentally dropped something of great sentimental value in the lake, and wants to retrieve it. (H/t Instapundit via Popsci)

Hell in a Horsecart

This beautiful, yet frightening photo, was taken by Teun Voeten in Datong, China. I've been to Datong several times. My memories of it are that it is poor, arid, and clogged with coal dust. However, the people were friendly, and the area does have some historical and cultural sites of note, so it is well worth the trip.

Photo of the day: An Antique, Antique Shop, Shanghai

While old western-style buildings are common in Shanghai, old Chinese-style buildings are comparatively rare. The facade on this antique shop must be 50 to 100 years old, making it just as valuable--if not more valuable--than many of the antiques being sold inside. Sadly, it would be quite typical of the owners of such a shop to have little or no appreciation of that fact. It seems that unless they enjoy government protection as cultural or historical assets, old Chinese artifacts are routinely destroyed in Shanghai (or "renovated"--much the same thing) at the convenience of some developer. This why it is a surprise to find such a jewel on a city street.

Lotte World, Seoul, Korea

Lotte World is an amusement park in Seoul, Korea. While the photographer who posted the photo seems sharply critical of the place, the photo is beautiful. More can be found at Daily Travel Photos.