The Shanghai Restoration Project

Thanks to uncle Raja for introducing me to this band.

Japanese restaurant takes cost cutting to the extreme

It employs two monkeys as waiters and pay them peanuts.

Ultrasound machine 'turns cheap plonk into fine wine in 30 minutes'

"Inventor Casey Jones says the £350 gadget uses ultrasound technology to recreate the effects of decades of ageing by colliding alcohol molecules inside the bottle." From the Telegraph.

Nokia offers unlimited music for one-off fee of £130

From the Times.

Google puts 2001 search index back online to celebrate 10 years anniversary.

Clever and fun. A search for "iPod" brings back "Image Proof of Deposit Document Processing System" and Facebook brings back "ESPP FACEBOOK. A searchable database of all students and faculty in ESPP". Try the 2001 index here. Via the Google Blog.

Beyond PR in Advertising Age top 100 European marketing blogs

Number 66. This explains why I receive so many lame pitches from small PR outfits in Iowa.

Facebook in the real world

This is hilarious!

First skyscraper to be built in Paris for 30 years unveiled.

A 180 metres tall pyramid. Striking design. As the Onion would have put it: It will host the entire population of France and will be made of ivory :-)

How America is becoming the United States of France

The US is forcedly embracing everything it loves to hate about the French system. Article on the Time.

Futurologist Richard Watson's 2050 vision

Five key factors: Ageing, Environment, Asia, Connectivity, Technology. Fascinating read.

The ninja cat: Youtube's latest superstar

The Great Wine Swindle

Forget Facebook's redesign, here is an issue you should be really concerned about: According to Malcolm Gluck, wine producers use "a host of additives" to disguise the flavour or inferior grapes without listing them on the labels. The list includes sugar, hydrochloric acid, yeasts and ascorbic acid (sometimes they use harmful substances to raise alcohol content and traces of fertilisers have been found in some champagnes). I am not surprised here but what bothers me is that the Wine and Spirits Trade Association is exempt from labelling rules. Their spokesperson says that "it is possible for drinkers to find out what is in their wine by talking to the maker or importer". So the next time you are in Waitrose, make sure you brush up on your French or Italian to call the maker or importer of every bottle you are considering buying, should you find their phone number. Operators are on standby to confess that they top up their wine with ethanol... This is laughable in a pathetic way.

CARNAGE AS FACEBOOK MOVES EVERYTHING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT

The Daily Mash on the user-generated uproar following Facebook's slight redesign. For those who subscribed to the "bring the old Facebook" back groups, and those supporting the new design: Get a Life!

Six Technologies with Potential Impacts on US Interests out to 2025

From the National Intelligence Council. Fascinating read as a glimpse into our future.

uStart, your customisable start page

Developed by a small team of students from the University of Sheffield. UStart.org

Brands fight bloggers with 'fact' websites

Interesting article about companies setting-up dedicated websites to provide their point-of-view on rumours or perceptions relayed by bloggers.

Wikipedia founder launches Green Wikipedia

Wikia Green aims to build the best resource for citizens of the Earth to learn about the environment and how to live a more sustainable life. Commendable.

Eat less meat to fight climate change

UN figures suggest that meat production puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than transport (18% v. 13%). BBC.

Singapore Animated: First public screening of Singaporean animated short films at the ICA, London

If you like animation and short films, don't miss Singapore Animated at the Institute of Contemporary Art on the 25th of October.

Organised by the Singapore Creative Network UK, the event is the first public screening of some of the best animations from Singapore curated by Gavin Lim, an award-winning director in the Singapore International Film Festival.

Mysteries of the Universe to be solved next Wednesday

The Times' science editor reports on the Large Hadron Collider that will help us understand how the Universe works while creating a blackhole that will devour Earth.