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The ISS: a flying city in the sky
12/01/2010 05:30
If you watch the sky about an hour after the sun goes down, you may see some "moving stars". But they’re not really stars. They’re satellites. And the biggest of all is the International Space Station.
From May until July this year was the best season to watch the ISS flying over the Earth. And people can see it with just their eyes. The ISS is the biggest satellite because scientists want to live on it. They think that the best way to learn more about space is to live there.
When the space station is finished, it will be like a city in space. People will stay and study there with many of the things they have at home. Laboratories, living rooms and power stations are being built. The ISS is the most ambitious and expensive space programme ever. Billions of dollars are being spent on it every year.
Scientists hope that the ISS will be a stepping stone for future space exploration. "The ISS will help us better understand the human body, explore space and study the Earth. It can help us make life on Earth better," said Kathryn Clark, an ISS scientist.
Sixteen countries are part of the programme: the US, Russia, Canada, Japan, Brazil and 11 European countries. China is not an ISS country, but it has helped with some of the experiments. In 2003, China sent some rice up to the ISS to find out what space would do to it.
The ISS is not finished yet. More than 100 parts must still be put on. Scientists hope it will be finished by 2006.
After it’s finished, more than 90 percent of the world’s population will be able to see the Space Station. So keep looking up, and maybe you’ll see it get bigger.
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Healthier weight
11/01/2010 05:25
Fewer vegetarians than meat-eaters are overweight. That doesn't mean avoiding meat is the key to weight control, though. With or without meat, filling up on fruits and vegetables instead of sweets, high-fat snack foods, high-sugar drinks and alcohol make weight control easier.
One of the major heart-related benefits of vegetarian eating is probably the low level of cholesterol-raising saturated fat in these diets, but this doesn't mean completely omitting meat from the diet is necessary for good health. Foods like fish, skinless poultry and even lean red meats don't add much saturated fat, as long as portions are kept moderate.
Cholesterol-raising trans fat is another issue to consider. A “vegetarian” diet rich in deep-fried or high-fat foods is far from healthful.
Some studies have linked red meat to a greater risk of colon cancer, but a new report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition questions such a link. Even if cancer or heart disease is related to processed meats and sausages, high-fat meats and those cooked at high-temperatures (which form carcinogens), that doesn’t necessarily mean all meat, fish and poultry pose a risk.
AICR claims that vegetarian eating may reduce the risk of some cancers, but emphasizes that any beneficial effects of a vegetarian diet may also be gained from one that limits meat and other animal products, and emphasizes an abundance of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. The same conclusion probably applies to heart-related and other health benefits of vegetarian eating. It’s not just what you avoid, it’s what you eat that counts.
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Feel Blue? Go Green!
11/01/2010 05:12
Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says. Could house plants transform you into the ideal employee? At a conference in Amsterdam this weekend, organized by the Plants for People group, scientists will show how plants in offices could be the key to lowering stress and its related health problems at work. The results of studies indicate that house plants not only improve air quality but can boost productivity and reduce the amount of sick leave taken by staff.
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When Professor Virginia Lohr, of Washington State University, asked two groups of students, both working in windowless offices, to complete computer-based tests, she found that reaction time was 12 per cent faster and stress levels much lower among those who had plants on their desks.
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Similar results were recorded by Helen Russell, an environmental scientist at the University of Surrey, who asked subjects to perform mental arithmetic exercises while being distracted by irritating noises as she measured changes in their heart rate and blood pressure. Again, when plants were introduced, indicators of stress were far lower. Both researchers agree that the air purifying action of plants helped to create a more relaxed environment; in Russell’s study, plants led eventually to a 60 per cent fall in absenteeism from work.
¡¡¡¡Placing plants in poorly ventilated rooms has long been known to improve air quality and humidity. But it is now thought that the ability of plants to reduce levels of volatile organic chemicals emitted from man-made materials used in products such as paints, carpets, furniture and glue has a direct influence on stress and health at work.
¡¡¡¡
The average office provides an air-borne cocktail of compounds from dry cleaning chemicals, shampoos, soaps and deodorants adding to the VOCs. “Almost everyone carries VOCs on them,” says Dr Ronald Wood, of Sydney University of Technology. “When chemical emissions are multiplied by the number of people in any place, the exposure to risks is phenomenal. VOCs are believed to be a major cause of headaches, stress, lethargy, sore eyes and respiratory problems. Plants metabolise pollutants; they literally clean the air we breathe.”
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Other studies have shown impressive results. Professor Tove Fjeld, of the University of Agriculture in Oslo, questioned Norwegian pupils and office workers about their working conditions and state of mind. He found that the presence of house plants increased concentration levels by 33 per cent, reduced headaches by 45 per cent and resulted in 31 per cent fewer complaints about dry throats and coughs. Almost 33 per cent of people were less tired, and colds and runny noses dropped by 11 per cent.
¡¡¡¡
“The roots of plants break down chemicals that have been absorbed through the soil or leaves and turn them into food for the plants. We found that this lowered VOCs by a third,” Fjeld says. “A similar process helps plants to control humidity, helping to prevent coughs and sore throats.”
¡¡¡¡
In America and Australia many companies, persuaded by Wood's research, insist on installing plants to improve indoor air. "A 1 per cent loss in productivity by employees who are dissatisfied with work conditions equates to almost four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the entire building. That could be prevented with the use of plants," he says.
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Harm that often gets online to be brought to human body
10/01/2010 03:57
Internet use appears to cause a decline in psychological well-being,according to research at Carnegie Mellon University. Even people who spent just a few hours a week on the Internet experienced more depression and loneliness than those who logged on less frequently, the two-year study showed. And it wasn’t that people who were already feeling bad spent more time on the Internet, but that using the Net actually appeared to cause the bad feelings.
Researchers are puzzling over the results, which were completely contrary to their expectations. They expected that the Net would prove socially healthier than television, since the Net allows users to choose their information and to communicate with others.
The fact that Internet use reduces time available for family and friends may account for the drop in well-being, researchers hypothesized. Faceless, bodiless “virtual” communication may be less psychologically satisfying than actual conversation, and the relationships formed through it may be shallower. Another possibility is that exposure to the wider world via the Net makes users less satisfied with their lives.
“But it’s important to remember this is not about the technology per se; it’s about how it is used,” says psychologist Christine Riley of Intel, one of the study’s sponsors. “It really points to the need for considering social factors in terms of how you design applications and services for technology.”
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Grab lucky New Year bags
08/01/2010 23:12
Japan shoppers grab lucky New Year bags amid gloom
Forget the recession, at least for now in Japan, where it's time for some mystery New Year's shopping designed to cast off the economic gloom.
Thousands of shoppers queued for hours in front of department stores across Japan on Friday to buy limited-edition, traditional New Year's “goodie” bags in what has become one of the biggest events of the holiday season.
The so-called Lucky Bags are priced between 10,000 yen £¨$110£© and 30,000 yen, and are completely sealed, with nothing to indicate the contents.
But experienced shoppers know that they are often filled with fashionable accessories and clothes at a substantial discount, which makes them especially desirable during the current financial crisis.
In Tokyo's glitzy Ginza shopping district, excited shoppers dashed inside the Mitsukoshi department store to grab over 20,000 lucky bags.
“There's this excitement before you open your bag, then comes the surprise and some degree of disappointment, but most of the time I'm happy with what I get,” said Hisayo Kuwabara, a 52-year-old part-time worker.
Some shoppers sought to banish the economic gloom with these festive bags.
“Though the economy is worsening, I wanted to buy some lucky bags because it is sold at a discounted price. I also wanted to get some luck in this recession,” said Eiichi Kakegawa, a 47-year-old businessman.
Takashi Masuko, director of “Lucky Bags” operations at Mitsukoshi, said the yearly shopping extravaganza is especially popular this year.
“People tend to buy more Lucky Bags during a recession,” he said.
“We've been preparing for this day since last August, and since we were expecting some recession ahead, we changed the volume and items of our bags to better satisfy our customers at times like this.”
The economy appears set for a gloomy 2009 in Japan, as firms cut their outlooks and industrial output slumps.
Most economists say a recovery in Japan will have to wait until global demand picks up. Some say that will not happen until the final quarter of next year, at the earliest.Japan shoppers grab lucky New Year bags amid gloom
Forget the recession, at least for now in Japan, where it's time for some mystery New Year's shopping designed to cast off the economic gloom.
Thousands of shoppers queued for hours in front of department stores across Japan on Friday to buy limited-edition, traditional New Year's “goodie” bags in what has become one of the biggest events of the holiday season.
The so-called Lucky Bags are priced between 10,000 yen £¨$110£© and 30,000 yen, and are completely sealed, with nothing to indicate the contents.
But experienced shoppers know that they are often filled with fashionable accessories and clothes at a substantial discount, which makes them especially desirable during the current financial crisis.
In Tokyo's glitzy Ginza shopping district, excited shoppers dashed inside the Mitsukoshi department store to grab over 20,000 lucky bags.
“There's this excitement before you open your bag, then comes the surprise and some degree of disappointment, but most of the time I'm happy with what I get,” said Hisayo Kuwabara, a 52-year-old part-time worker.
Some shoppers sought to banish the economic gloom with these festive bags.
“Though the economy is worsening, I wanted to buy some lucky bags because it is sold at a discounted price. I also wanted to get some luck in this recession,” said Eiichi Kakegawa, a 47-year-old businessman.
Takashi Masuko, director of “Lucky Bags” operations at Mitsukoshi, said the yearly shopping extravaganza is especially popular this year.
“People tend to buy more Lucky Bags during a recession,” he said.
“We've been preparing for this day since last August, and since we were expecting some recession ahead, we changed the volume and items of our bags to better satisfy our customers at times like this.”
The economy appears set for a gloomy 2009 in Japan, as firms cut their outlooks and industrial output slumps.
Most economists say a recovery in Japan will have to wait until global demand picks up. Some say that will not happen until the final quarter of next year, at the earliest.
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