Cleaning up the Cabbies

by Catherine Bodry on

Across Malaysia, taxi drivers are being fined up to 3 days’ wages for crimes such as un-tucked shirts, wrong-colored shoes, or off-white rather than true white hues.

In a country where most customers are happy if the lowed-paid driver uses the meter, bringing on the fashion police seems pretty harsh. I certainly never paid attention to my driver’s attire. But I always paid attention to my fare.

The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board is out to make a fashion statement, requiring that all drivers wear dark trousers and shoes with white shirts. Socks are mandatory.

The Board claims it wants all drivers to present a professional image. What do you think? In a developing nation, is it important that low-paid workers put up a professional front?

[via Reuters]

Land Leeches Invade Residential Japan

by Catherine Bodry on

Blood-thirsty Yamabiru (or, land leeches) are making their way from isolation in the mountains to towns and villages on the backs of deer and boar. The leeches are about 1.5 cm long, but grow 5 to 10 times that size after feasting on human flesh. The effects of being bitten include swelling, itching, and general discomfort. Not to mention general disgust at having your blood sucked out of you.

Re-forestation is cited as one cause of the mini-vampire invasion; the mammals on which they hitch a ride have seen a spike in population growth recently. Shigekazu Tani, director of Japan’s Institute for Environmental Culture, offers some solutions: “We can cut down trees and mow long grass to dissuade wild animals from coming too close, and create sunny habitats that are inhospitable to leeches. We can also spread pesticides that kill the leeches.”

“Or we can just tough it out.”

[via Reuters]

Russian Town Bans Phrase “I Don’t Know”

by Iva Skoch on

Have you ever tried to get anything done — report theft, start a business, get a driver’s license — in Eastern Europe? If so, you will appreciate what Alexander Kuzmin, the 33-year old mayor of a Siberian oil town of Megion, is trying to do: make bureaucrats more friendly.

He has banned the following phrases among state employees:

  • I don’t know
  • I can’t
  • What can we do
  • It’s not my job
  • It’s impossible
  • I am having lunch
  • There is no money
  • I was sick/on vacation

If they banned these in all of Eastern Europe, state employees would become officially mute. And they say Russia is not progressive. Pretty soon, their bureaucrats might even smile!

Want more Russia? Check these out:

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Big in Japan: An Ode to Ramen (Part IV)

by Matthew Firestone on

This week, Big in Japan will be bringing you a four-part series on the most perfect of foods. Part I of the series aimed to debunk the myth of ramen as being mere instant noodles. Part II of the series traced the hundreds of years of history behind this savory snack. Part III of the series broke down the different varieties of ramen noodles and stock. Today’s column will highlight several regional specialties, and will teach you how to make some great ramen at home.

I really, really, really love ramen.

There’s no shortage of great ramen shops in Tokyo. From the 300 yen (US$2.50) early-morning, after-clubbing special to the 1200 yen (US$10) special night-out affair, ramen is as varied as it is delicious. To really appreciate the different manifestations of Nature’s most perfect food however, you’re going to have to leave the capital and explore the countryside.

There’s a world of great ramen out there. Let’s explore some of the highlights.

Hokkaidō ramen (北海道ラーメン) With long, snowy winters and sub-zero chills, the northern island of Hokkaidō is famous for its comfort food, and their homegrown ramen is no different. With a thick, rich base of miso paste and local butter, and topped with fresh seafood and sweet corn, a hot, steaming bowl of Hokkaidō ramen is the perfect accompaniment to a cold, blistery day.

Hakata ramen (博多ラーメン) Originating from the city of Fukuoka, this hearty ramen features thin, curly noodles floating in a creamy, white broth of boiled and crushed pork bone. The dish is distinctive for its unusual toppings, which include pickled ginger, crushed sesame and fresh greens.

Kitakata ramen (喜多方ラーメン) The city of Kitakata in northern Honshū has the highest per-capita number of ramen shops in the country. Not surprisingly, their local variant of ramen is delicious, and features thick, curly noodles that are served in a medium-hued broth of pork and tuna stock.

Tōkyō ramen (東京ラーメン) Although it’s possible to sample just about every type of ramen in the capital, the original Tōkyō ramen consists of thin, curly noodles in a light, soy-flavored broth that is typically dressed up with seasonal vegetables, a boiled egg and slices of pork.

Ie-kei ramen (家系ラーメン) Originating from Yokohama, one of ramen’s original ports of entry into Japan from China, this increasingly popular dish is identical to Tōkyō ramen with the exception of its thick, straight noodles.

Unfortunately, if you don’t live in Japan, it’s near impossible to hunt down authentic ramen, though that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment in your own kitchen. Although I’ve tried to emphasize that instant noodles are not real ramen, that doesn’t mean you can’t dress them up and approximate the real thing.

So here’s what you do.

Boil some instant noodles in a big pot of water, and then add them to a soup of your own making. You can flavor the broth to your liking with the addition of chicken and beef stock, though don’t be afraid to get creative. A fresh egg and some mirin (Japanese cooking wine, みりん) goes a long way, though I’m partial to fresh lime juice and a few slices of habanero chilies. For toppings, don’t be afraid to add fresh vegetables such as bean sprouts, wild mushrooms and baby corn, and definitely go heavy on the minced garlic and onions.

Go wild in the kitchen, and feel free to post some recipes here.

Getting Hungry? Check out our delicious photo gallery of Japanese food. %Gallery-6477%

** Special thanks for Flickr users pepewk (Hard at Work), Carl Johan (Tasty!) and LeeBrimeLow (Chopped Ingredients) **

More Money Than Sense Or A Very Generous Man?

by Brett Atkinson on

Aussie businessman Julian Hayward has just forked out US$100,380 for two first class seats on the inaugural flight of the new Airbus A380 from Sydney to Singapore on October 26. Singapore Airlines is the first airlne to run scheduled services on the 471-seat super jumbo, and for the first flight sold tickets in an online auction. Proceeds of the auction will be donated to charity, and so far more than $400,000 has been raised.

We first reported the online auction here.

Sydney to Singapore is around 8 hours flying time, so My Hayward and his lucky flying partner will be paying more than US$6000 per hour. At a hundred bucks a minute we hope they get their fill of honey roasted peanuts and other assorted first class goodies.

Oh, did we mention the hundred grand was only for one way flights?

Click here if you’re interested in picking up a cattle class fare in the online auction.