Singapore wants to retain laundered money

Singapore doesn't want to sign an extradition treaty with Indonesia because it wants to retain laundered money, according to the Indonesian Vice President. Jakarta has used various means to push Singapore to sign the treaty since the 80s and some say that the recent sand export ban is related to the treaty issue. From Radio Australia:

Indonesia's vice president claims Singapore is refusing to sign an extradition treaty because it wants to retain billions of dollars in allegedly corrupt money.

Jusuf Kalla says the cash was allegedly taken out of Indonesia by fleeing tycoons during the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

He says if the treaty is signed, the corrupt Indonesians will not want to live in Singapore, but their money strengthens Singapore's economy.

The absence of a bilateral extradition treaty is causing friction between the two countries.

Jakarta claims many suspects wanted in Indonesia have fled to Singapore, which is also used by Indonesian criminals to launder money.

Previously: Sand mining destroying environment says Indonesia

Cyber Barber

I was out for supper yesterday (had a yummy mutton soup) when I saw this barber shop - Cyber Barber. Wow, nowadays you can cut your hair and surf internet, burn cd, scan, photocopy and print all in one shop.

Rare Car Ads and Brochures

Most of the ads over at this collection of rare car ads and cover brochures found in countries such as China, Japan, Russia and Sweden, are of vintage stuff and some of the car names are really unheard of.

Australia Day 2007 flyover images now live on Google Maps

Google Maps have posted the hi-resolution photographs of Sydney Harbour taken on Australia Day 2007. Sydney was the first city Google chose to undertake such a grand scale initiative. Here are the links: View Queenscliff Bay, Shark Bay, Bondi Beach, Manly Beach, Luna Park, North Bondi, a helicopter, a tall ship, Fort Denison and Circular Quay. Don't forget to zoom in!

Previously:
Huge Australia.com logo for Google Maps
Australia Day 2007 on Google Maps

Lego Counter-Strike

YouTube Link

There are a lot of Lego Counter-Strike videos on YouTube but I think this has got to be one of the best. Love all the blood! Oh boy, how I miss the good old days playing CS with my mates.

(Thanks CS King)

History of Minesweeper

Minesweeper is surely the most commonly available PC puzzle game. I think everyone that has used a Windows computer, has played it before but do you know the history of the game? From GameSetWatch:

The Minesweeper that we all know and love was created by Robert Donner and Curt Johnson while they were working at Microsoft. It was first released as part of the Microsoft Entertainment Pack for Windows in 1990, but in 1992, it replaced Reversi as a pack-in game for Windows 3.1. Minesweeper became a Microsoft staple, and from 3.1 to 95 to XP and beyond, millions upon milions of people across the world turned to Minesweeper when the random chance of Klondike Solitaire became overwhelming.

Unlike the previous minefield games, Minesweeper has no avatar. You can check any location on the board without having to find a path there. And because there's no avatar, the goal is no longer safe passage; instead; you must clear every non-mined square of the grid before you have succeeded. There is a timer and a best-score high-score list.

(Thanks GeekGod)

A show about Transformers fans

If you love the Transformers (the toys, cartoons, etc), I reckon you would be as excited as I was when I watched this cool episode of the Canadian TV show Fanatical about Transformers fans. It's so damn exciting to watch these lucky dudes with their huge collection of Transformers toys. I'm so jealous. Watch the episode (3 YouTube videos) here.

Samurai Sith Lord

A Japanese company has created a truly unique quarter-scale samurai costume called the Samurai Vader that combines some design elements of Darth Vader's costume with a traditional Japanese samurai costume. The full ensemble which includes the helmet, armour, a traditional bow and sword, is only available for sale in Japan and costs US$2700.

Tombs of Jesus and family found

Was Jesus really resurrected? Christians believe this as a fact but an incredible archaeological discovery (tombs with the names The Virgin Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene and Judas, their son, have been found) in Israel and a new documentary based on it are hoping to change history and shock the world. From Time's The Middle East Blog:

In a new documentary, Producer Cameron and his director, Simcha Jacobovici, make the starting claim that Jesus wasn't resurrected --the cornerstone of Christian faith-- and that his burial cave was discovered near Jerusalem. And, get this, Jesus sired a son with Mary Magdelene.

...film-makers Cameron and Jacobovici claim to have amassed evidence through DNA tests, archeological evidence and Biblical studies, that the 10 coffins belong to Jesus and his family.

Ever the showman, (Why does this remind me of the impresario in another movie,"King Kong", whose hubris blinds him to the dangers of an angry and very large ape?) Cameron is holding a New York press conference on Monday at which he will reveal three coffins, supposedly those of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene. News about the film, which will be shown soon on Discovery Channel, Britain's Channel 4, Canada's Vision, and Israel's Channel 8, has been a hot blog topic in the Middle East.

As expected, scholars and clergymen in Jerusalem are not to pleased with the new Jesus documentary. From International Herald Tribune:

"The historical, religious and archaeological evidence show that the place where Christ was buried is the Church of the Resurrection," said Attallah Hana, a Greek Orthodox clergyman in Jerusalem. The documentary, he said, "contradicts the religious principles and the historic and spiritual principles that we hold tightly to."

Stephen Pfann, a biblical scholar at the University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem who was interviewed in the documentary, said the film's hypothesis holds little weight.

"I don't think that Christians are going to buy into this," Pfann said. "But skeptics, in general, would like to see something that pokes holes into the story that so many people hold dear."

"How possible is it?" Pfann said. "On a scale of one through 10 — 10 being completely possible — it's probably a one, maybe a one and a half."

Pfann is even unsure that the name "Jesus" on the caskets was read correctly. He thinks it is more likely the name "Hanun."

But both producer James Cameron and his director have defended the Jesus tomb findings and called out to the skeptics to watch the documentary and then make their comments. From MSNBC:

Appearing on TODAY on Monday, Cameron and Jacobovici said statisticians who have looked at markings on the bone boxes estimate that the probability that the remains uncovered in 1980 are not those of Joseph, Mary, Jesus, Mary Magdalene, a son of Jesus and other relatives are more than 100 to 1.

"I think people have their specific agendas and their specific kind of knee-jerk reactions, but I think when they see the film and they see how the evidence is presented, then they should comment," said Cameron.

TODAY host Meredith Vieira, who read the book and watched the documentary, said the implications are astounding given that billions of people have been taught that Jesus was resurrected both in spirit and body, ascended to heaven, never married and had no offspring. The film and book, if accepted, could shake the church that Jesus founded to its core.

How to live till 107 yrs old? No sex!

A 107 yrs old Hong Kong man who can't resist the occasional smoke, reveals that he lived this long because of sexual abstinence. From Reuters:

"I don't know why I have lived this long," Chan Chi -- one of Hong Kong's oldest people -- was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post during an annual feast for the city's elders.

"Maybe it has to do with the fact that I have lived a sex-less life for many years -- since I was 30," said Chan, a widower whose youthful bride perished during the Japanese invasion in World War Two...

A former chef, he said a low-fat diet and regular dawn exercises had helped him fight off the ravages of old age.

Straits Times cover MRT suicide videos

The leaked videos of the two men committing suicide on MRT tracks have received coverage on Straits Times today. From AsiaOne:

An SMRT spokesman confirmed that the footage is of the actual incident but added it is an 'unauthorised copy' of the original.

This means that someone who had access to the footage might have used their own camera to record the actual CCTV footage during playback.

SMRT explained that while the clip does match the original, it covers a much narrower scope.

Also the clip looks like it was taken by a shaky camera. CCTVs are mounted and original footage should be stable.

SMRT said that besides themselves, the Land Transport Authority and the police also have access to the footage.

The spokesman added that SMRT is now investigating how the leak happened and will be taking disciplinary action if the clip was lifted by its staff.

And the Oscar goes to...

The 79th Annual Academy Awards have announced their winners and I'm happy to say that The Departed took home four awards, Best Film Editing, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. My favourite cartoon flick of 2006, Happy Feet won Best Animated Feature. Hooray!!! The only dissapointment to me is that Leonardo Di Caprio failed to win the Best Actor award. Oh well, next time Leo.

Ad: Download Oscar Nominated Movies from CinemaNow, the premier online destination for downloadable Hollywood movies and TV shows. Rent or buy movies, stream free videos, even burn movies to DVD and watch on TV! Start watching in seconds or download and watch anytime, anywhere on your PC or TV.

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Hip Hop MPs perform in Chingay

I wonder which is worse- watching videos of men killing themselves on MRT tracks or 12 of our MPs clad in military-style pants, bright T-shirts and dangling chains, grooving to hip-hop music in Chingay? Here's a video of them doing some rehearsals. Crikey! Something really strange is happening in Singapore.

SMRT = Suicide Mass Rapid Transit

Jeremyphotobooth posted two shocking videos (link not working/see update below) that shows two men committing suicide on two different MRT tracks (Yishun and Admiralty stations) - THE favourite way to commit suicide in Singapore nowadays. A friend once asked me what does SMRT (the company that operates the train service here) stands for? She said SMRT means "Suicide Mass Rapid Transit". I couldn't disagree more.



Are platform screen doors such as the ones in Hong Kong (see picture above) the answer to Singapore's MRT suicide problem? I'm all for full height platform screen doors to make it impossible for one to jump onto the MRT track. Half height or chest level ones can still be breached by climbing over them.

SMRT has said that installing these protective barriers costs a lot of money but I think that they should just go ahead and do it for the sake of public safety and to prevent more suicide cases. Another solution is to make the trains slow down considerably before they reach the station but that will obviously delay the timings of the trains.

(via Tomorrow.sg)

Update: SMRT confirms the authenticity of the videos and say that they are investigating how they got leaked.

Update: Metacafe and YouTube have removed the videos. If you're lucky, you can still find them hosted on other video sites. Jeremyphotobooth who I mentioned in my post above, has been called to the police for questioning. He has removed the videos. Another blogger who some believed to be the first who posted the videos on his Multiply site has informed me that he too has taken down the videos.

Update: Some of you informed me that one of the videos can be found on LiveLeak.com. It even made it to LiveLeak's featured videos a couple of days ago. Singabloodypore also has the videos.

Update: A list of MRT deaths plus another person hit by the train today (Friday, March 2, 2007)

Remember kids, don't jump down MRT tracks ok.

Shower Breasts

Shower Breasts are great for guys who love fondling a pair of nicely shaped breasts in the shower everyday. Shower Breasts attach easily to the shower wall. Each breast has a compartment for shower gel, shampoo or conditioner. Just squeeze away to dispense.

(Thanks Lord Kimbo)

Corinne Bailey Rae

I had listened to "Put Your Records On" by the very talented Corinne Bailey Rae, over the radio many times but I had never gave her self titled debut album a listen until today. I remember watching her beautiful performance in the Grammys recently and I knew then that I had to get her album. Just awhile ago, I finished listening to all the songs from her album and I must say that she's got one of the most beautiful and enchanting voices that I have ever heard. "Like A Star" is definitely my favourite track- "Just like a star across my sky, just like an angel off the page, you have appeared to my life, feel like I'll never be the same, just like a song in my heart, just like oil on my hands, honor to love you.." Beautiful!

Life as a Thai sex worker

BBC interviews a lady about her life as a sex worker in Bangkok. She talks about the danger, disease, the urgent need to send money home and how she quit becoming a prostitute. From BBC:

My first customer was a Western man in his 30s. It was scary and I really didn't like it, but I just kept thinking about the money.

I couldn't wait for him to leave, and when he did I had a shower for a very long time. I started crying, and thought about what my parents would think if they knew what I was doing.

None of my customers ever asked me about my life; they didn't care. There was one time a guy asked me if I was okay, but I didn't know what to say, so I just looked away.

While I was working in the bars, I was often worried about disease, and also about safety. Some girls earned extra by going out of the bars with the men, but I always used a room upstairs as I was too scared of the risks involved.

(Thanks ENG)

Colour for the hair down there

I know Brazilian waxing is all the rage now but why remove them when you can colour them pink, blonde or brunette with Betty?!

(Thanks xXx)

Arnold Schwarzenegger Japanese Commercials

YouTube Link

Watch US Governor and ex-Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Japanese commercials which he did earlier in his movie career.

More here (links all lead to YouTube):
Commercial 2
Commercial 3
Commercial 4
Commercial 5
Commercial 6

I find all of them really out of this world.

Ad: Download Oscar Nominated Movies

Throw your kids into the air!

This interesting Flickr group is about pictures of kids being thrown, tossed and swinged into the air. Whoopee, look at all those kids fly!

(Thanks B.Teo)

Play Astronaut Moonstalker

Astronaut Moonstalker is a flash game where your mission is to fly your space lander and land it beside the happy couple to spoil their romantic getaway on the moon. Use your arrow buttons to fly and spacebar to shoot. Lots of fun!

Earth wallpapers from Google Maps

If you're looking for stunning wallpapers for your computer, you may want to give EarthWallpapers.org a look. The dude behind it, used the satellite images from Google Maps and made them into beautiful desktop wallpapers. This one on the left is a shot of Hong Kong Airport. I think this is a brilliant use of both Google Maps and Flickr.

Erotic Nuts and Bolts

I love this series of photos taken by Gary Durington. He takes nice photos of nuts and bolts in various erotic positions. Yeah baby, yeah!

Singapore recalls peanut butter and baby food

Singapore's Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority has recalled Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Earth’s Best Organic 2 Apple Peach Barley Wholesome Breakfast baby food due to contamination. From Channel NewsAsia:

If you have bought Peter Pan Peanut Butter, you can now get a full refund.

This is because certain batches are suspected to be tainted with Salmonella – a food-borne bacteria.

The product’s US-based manufacturer, ConAgra Foods, said buyers have to mail the lid of the peanut butter jar, together with their name and mailing address, to Naspac Marketing Private Limited, Number 2 Toh Tuck Link, #03-00, K-L Hiap Aik Building, Singapore 596225.

The peanut butter jars have already been taken off the shelves, and Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is conducting tests on them.

The AVA has also ordered that a baby food product be taken off the shelves.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration, Earth's Best Organic 2 Apple Peach Barley Wholesome Breakfast baby food may be contaminated with a bacteria which can cause botulism, a form of food poisoning.

(Thanks Mr Big)

Dude mistakes porn DVD as woman's cries for help

Here's a word of advice to all you guys who want to become heroes. Next time when you hear a woman's cry for help in the apartment above or next to you, think twice before you kick her door open and rescue her with your sword. From JS Online:

"It was a woman screaming," he recalled Tuesday. "She was screaming for help."

Sword in hand, he bounded up the stairs, kicked in the door and confronted a man who turned out to be alone - watching a pornographic movie.

"Now I feel stupid," Van Iveren said.

Worse yet, police seized his sword - a family heirloom - carted him to jail and referred the case to a prosecutor who charged Van Iveren with three criminal counts.

"This really is nothing," Van Iveren insisted, "nothing but a mistake."

(via Boing Boing)

Lottery scams flooding my email

I've been receiving lots of emails lately telling me that I've won a lottery. Too bad they aren't real. I could have been so rich in a week with all those lottery winnings that I would have no problem forking out one million dollars for Britney's hair. Here's an example of such an email:

Dear Msn/Hotmail/Microsoft Subscriber,

We are pleased to inform you of the results of the just concluded msn Xmas Millions Promotional Bonus which drew your email address as one of the lucky winners ofthis year's Xmas Millions Platinum Vactaion Trip Card.

Being one of the lucky winners of the msn Xmas Millions Bonanza you are therefore a recepient of the Platinum Vaction Trip Card which affords you the opportunity to tour round five major cities in Europe, America and Asia as a special xmas vacation plan, arranged by Msn Inc.Uk, your accommodation and feeding cost are all inclusive in your winning Platinum Vacation Trip Card .

The Xmas Vacation Platinum Card has an instant cash value of 525,000.00GBP(Five Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Pound Sterling),which is redeemable in cash. Winners can either redeem Platinum Vactaion Trip Card, to engage in the MICROSOFT INC. Round the world vacation trip,or the equivallent cash amount of 525,000.00GBP.

All Email Address where collated from our world wide data base, and electronically extrapolated,and after a random computarised ballot selection by our secure MICROSOFT ORACLE DATA BASE raffle system,five Msn/Hotmail email address emerged as the 2nd lucky winners of this year's Msn/Hotmail Xmas Millions Bonanza in which your email address was randomly selected as one of the lucky winners.

Your email address was electronically attached to the following credentials,
Play Ticket# :10222/YXP-00152
Claims Sort #:000000234/109.
Draw Date:week 9/20TH OF FEB. 2007
To Proceed with the immediate process of your claims you willl be required to contact the Msn/Hotmail Xmas Millions Claims Redemption Office,with the following informations.

FULL NAMES:
AGE:
NATIONALITY:
WINNING EMAIL ADDRESS:
OCCUPATION:
DRAW DATE:
Submit all informations via email to the Desk of the Msn Xmas Millions Claims Process office;

CLAIMS OFFICER:MR.Jerry Mills
EMAIL:xmas_milions42010@hotmail.com
The Msn Xmas Millions Email Bonanza is organised annually,as a Bonanza for all users of Msn/Hotmail world wide,above the age of 18years.

From all members and staff of the Msn/Hotmail Xmas Millions promotions of Microsoft word Inc UK,we say congratulations for your sucess in the recently concluded Msn Xmas Millions Draws of 9/20TH OF FEB. 2007

Sounds convincing? Well, according to Snopes.com, like the infamous Nigerian email scams, the lottery version is just as scheming:

Expanded versions of the lottery con have the thieves sending checks to their victims for the full amount of their "winnings" but in the same breath telling them to remit a smaller named sum to an agency that handles the transfer, either for fees associated with preparation of the paperwork or to pay taxes associated with the win. But of course the large checks bounce, leaving the suckers out the value of the fees they mailed off to those running the con. This form of the lottery con is an updated version of the cashier check scam. As in the original, the pigeons receive worthless checks from scam artists, deposit them into their own accounts, then wire the far smaller amounts requested to the crossroaders running the con.

And yes, cashier's or certified checks can bounce. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) requires banks to make money from cashier's, certified, or teller's checks available in one to five days. Consequently, funds from checks that might not be good are often released into payees' accounts long before the checks have been honored by their issuing banks. High quality forgeries can be shuttled back and forth between banks for weeks before anyone catches on to their being worthless, by which time victims have long since sent off their own money to the con artists.

Can't light this fuse anymore

Today on my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome: Can't light this fuse anymore

Previously: Fallen Leaves

Videos Update

I have updated some of the dead links in my very popular Watch Intro Clips of 1980s Cartoons post. Thanks to all who informed me that some of the clips have been taken down by YouTube. I did some searching this morning and now all 81 clips are available for viewing again. So don't miss enjoying your favourite 80s cartoon intros like Thundercats, M.A.S.K and He-Man aye.

Jaguar pasted with Post-It notes

Employees of a tech firm spent two hours to paste Post-It notes onto their colleague's Jaguar. View the entire process here. I wonder if the Jag owner actually drove it out. He would be the center of attraction on the road for sure!

(Thanks Dennis)

Forget about enlarging your penis

Guys, forget about all those penis enlargement products. There's really no safe way to enlarge one's penis and there's no reason to be like those male porn stars. From LiveScience.com:

"The surgeries to perform elective penile enhancement that are advertised to enlarge a normal, functional penis do not work and... shouldn't be performed," Boyle said.

That is, you can't enlarge a penis like you can with breasts. One common method is a fat transfer or implant to add girth. This often leads to lumping and a distorted penis shape over time. Another technique involves the release of suspensory ligament, often resulting in infection, loss of sensitivity and erectile dysfunction.

Those annoying email ads offer three kinds of enhancement techniques: pills, pumps and exercises. Herbal pill products, a proprietary blend of junk often containing saw palmetto or something exotic from China, promise to stimulate cell growth. Similar stuff is sold to enhance female breast growth. These are a complete waste of money.

Pumps merely simulate an erection and have no long-term effect on size. Exercises, namely a technique of dubious Arabic origin called jelqing, can lead to nerve damage. Jelqing—a term most urologists have never heard of and which is conspicuously absent from medical and Arabic dictionaries---entails stroking a semi-erect penis in a certain way for about 30 minutes a day for months to enlarge the penile cavities that fill with blood, making for larger erections.

Buy Britney Spear's Hair

Britney Spear's hair is up for sale! Britney went to a tattoo parlour on Friday night to get a tattoo and then shocked everyone by grabbing the clippers and cut all her hair off. Now, the owner of the tattoo parlour is hoping to be one million dollars richer by selling her hair, extensions, the can of Red Bull that she was drinking and her lighter.

Wishing you a great Golden Pig year!

I hope it isn't too late to wish all of you a Happy Lunar New Year and hope this "Golden Pig" year which happens only once every 60 years, will be a great and prosperous one for all. Gong Xi Fa Cai!

UN urged to take action against human killing asteroids

Asteroid Apophis has a one-in-45,000 chance of striking Earth on 13 April, 2036. If it does hit us, it will be a disaster of epic proportions. This week, a group of scientists will be presenting to the United Nations plans to develop a global response to such a threat from outer space. From Scotsman:

The Association of Space Explorers, which also includes Russian cosmonauts, is to host a series of workshops this year to refine plans to avoid a potential disaster, then make a formal proposal to the UN in 2009.

Mr Schweickart said that the UN had to adopt a global plan for assessing asteroid threats and deciding when action would need to be taken to avert a massive rock on a collision course with the Earth. He added that launching an asteroid deflection system early to deal with Apophis would not only increase the chances of success, but need far less energy to put the asteroid on a course which will take it far away from Earth.

Typical stony-type asteroids generally burn up on entry to the atmosphere, but asteroids with a large iron content could survive entry and smash into the ground with devastating effect.

But Paul Slovic, president of the US-based Decision Research, which studies judgment, decision-making and risk assessment, said Apophis could destroy a major city or even a entire region.

I say, it's about time! The world needs to take this seriously. This ain't a science fiction movie. The threat is there. We just have to take a look back at the history of our planet. Do we want to be wiped out by an asteroid like the dinosaurs? The clock is ticking.

Fallen Leaves

Today on my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome which is a finalist in the 2007 Photobloggies (thanks to all you beautiful people!): Fallen Leaves

Previous: Together

Great Singapore Sale

It's the Great Singapore Sale all year round over at this Livejournal Community site. You can find lots of great deals offered by LJ'ers selling shoes, dresses, shirts, bags, jewellery, etc.

(Thanks r'chelle)

Scarface poster created using entire script

This is an amazing poster of the 1983 film Scarface starring Al Pacino, created using every word from its 300 page script.

(Thanks GeekGod)

A cocoa a day makes you think better

A study reveals that drinking cocoa high with flavanols can help increase blood flow to the brain and make it work better. From CNN:

Ian MacDonald of England's University of Nottingham reported on tests given to young women who were asked to do a complex task while their brains were being studied with magnetic resonance imaging.

Among the women given drinks of cocoa high in flavanols, there was a significant increase in blood flow to the brain compared with subjects who did not drink the cocoa, he said.

This raises the prospect of using flavanols in the treatment of dementia, marked by decreased blood flow in the brain, and in maintaining overall cardiovascular health, he said...

Hagen Schroeter of Mars Inc., the candy company that paid for some of the research reported Sunday, said that cocoa long has been studied for potential medical benefits. He noted that in addition to cocoa, flavanols occur in other foods such as fruits, tea and wine that have been associated with dilation of the arteries.

Previously:
Eating dark chocolate is good for your heart
Dark chocolate protects smokers

Chinese New Year Fireworks

YouTube Link

Here's a video for those of you who missed the spectacular Singapore River HongBao 2007 fireworks on Saturday. This year's festival ends on March 4 and is held at the Esplanade Park. Fun stars at 8pm.

(Thanks Mr Big)

Designers Footwear wants your footwear!

Calling all designers! Designers Footwear is an interesting project to show to the world footwear worn by designers. "Designers are creative people for excellence and usually this reflects in the way they dress and their footwear." The folks behind this project want designers from all over the world to contribute a photo of their footwear. Go help them out.

(Thanks henny)

Vintage Cookbooks

The Vintage Cookbooks Flickr group contains pictures of vintage cookbook covers, page illustrations, pamphlets, menus and old cooking advertisements. Some of them are really nice like this one. It's very Austin Powers aye.

(Thanks Myra Leong)

Eating seafood produces brigther babies

A new study reveals that pregnant women who eat lots of fish or seafood during their pregnancy will give birth to brighter babies. From Telegraph:

Mothers who ate more than 12oz of seafood a week had children who were more advanced in communication, social skills and fine co-ordination as toddlers and were less likely to have lower-than-average speech at the age of eight.

Mothers who ate little or no fish had children who performed less well in tests. The less fish they ate, the worse their child was likely to do.

Children of mothers who ate no fish were 48 per cent more likely to have a lower verbal intelligence at the age of eight and 44 per cent more likely to have poor social behaviour at the age of seven.

The children were 35 per cent more likely to have poor co-ordination at the age of three and a half and 28 per cent more likely to have poor communications skills at the age of 18 months.

22 ways to reduce eye strain at your computer

If you spend many hours in front of the computer like me, then it's inevitable that you will get the occasional eye strain or worse, the Computer Vision Syndrome. But help is at hand. Here are 22 ways to help you reduce eye strain at your computer. From The Lighting Blog:

There are plenty of situations in which daylight is the best choice for task work. However, direct sunlight and bright indirect light do not make the best companions for computer work. General lighting rules of thumb apply for those who have to look at a computer monitor for hours each day:

5. Overhead lighting and bright light emanating from behind your monitor are tough on the eyes. If you have the option, use table lamps off to either side of your work area. Your monitor throws its own light, so you really only need adequate indirect light around you.

6. If you are close to a sunny window, close or adjust the blinds so light does not fall directly onto your monitor.

7. Avoid working in a dark room. Your monitor will be like a bright beacon in the dark. Your eyes will have to struggle between the extremes of light and dark. If you must work in near dark conditions, try dimming the brightness of your monitor screen. It will allow you to work reasonably comfortably for maybe an hour or so, but at some point your eyes will certainly feel the strain.

8. If you really mean to kick computer eye strain and want to properly light your home or office workspace, shop specifically for high-quality task lights that not only throw a measured degree and quality of light, but also reduce glare.

100 people randomly chasing strangers in Japan

YouTube Link

Get together 100 people. Tell them to chase after strangers walking alone in the street. What you get is a funny video. Watch out for the old man's reaction or lack of it, in the beginning of the clip. To him, it's as if nothing really happened.

SMRT Open House: Inside the Bishan Depot

Oceanskies attended the SMRT Open House at the Bishan Depot held recently: "In the morning of 11 Feb 2007, before 10 a.m., I hop onboard one of the SMRT trains from the Ang Mo Kio SMRT train station and got myself a free ride to the Bishan Depot. It was my first time riding a SMRT train to the Bishan Depot and you could probably imagine how fascinating it was for me..." Nice write-up and pics for the majority of Singaporeans who have never been inside the SMRT Bishan Depot.

(via Deadpoet's Cave)

Valentine's Day cards you wish you'd bought

Cracked.com has a collection of funny Valentine's Day cards that you wish you'd bought. V-day is over so you may want to consider these for next year aye.

(Thanks xXx)

I want to meet the Butterfly People

Looking at these beautiful drawings of Butterfly People reminds me of the time when I was a little boy. My mum used to tell me stories of the Butterfly People. She told me not to wander around the parks because if I do get lost, the Butterfly People will kidnap me, bring me to their mystical world and I will never ever get back home again. The funny thing is that, I wasn't scared at all. In fact, I was so intrigued by the Butterfly People that I would get lost in the parks numerous times, hoping they would appear. I really want to meet the Butterfly People!

Fish 'n Flush toilet aquarium

I want this! Fish 'n Flush is a patented, two-piece aquarium toilet tank that can turn any bathroom into the center of attention with its unique design of an aquarium that wraps itself around a clear inner tank. Fish not included.

(Thanks Ady)

Previously: Roto-Rooter's Ultimate Toilet

Children's Treasury of Superman Musical Stories

Children's Treasury of Superman Musical Stories is an album from 1966 featuring a bunch of fun songs about Superman and his cast of characters. The songs are supposedly sung by the characters themselves. Go listen to them here.

(Thanks Tony P)

Kim Jong-il in Super Mario

YouTube Link

As the world waits to see if North Korea will keep its latest promise of halting its much feared nuclear programs in exchange for oil, we should all sit back and enjoy this video of its leader Kim Jong-il starring in a Super Mario lookalike game. Go Super Kim!

(Thanks Mr Big)

Sand mining destroying environment says Indonesia

Indonesia's recent ban of sand exports to Singapore has caused quite a stir. Indonesian rights and environmental groups are now calling the government to maintain the sand ban because sand mining is destroying the environment. From Yahoo News:

"Indonesia gets the bad end of the deal (on the trade) ... our environment is destroyed. We demand Singapore pay for the environmental rehabilitation," Hermanjaya, from Ocean Watch, told AFP Wednesday.

He said sand mining in several areas, especially in the Riau islands, caused the extinction of several fish species, destruction of coral reefs and the disappearance of a number of small islands.

The environmental group said it was also worried about "news of Singapore's lobby efforts to renew their borders based on their (newly) reclaimed land."

"Singapore should sit down with Indonesia to clearly determine the border, which is still unclear," said Hermanjaya.

Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Desra Percaya said the ban was imposed "to prevent further deterioration."

"The sand mining has created severe environmental damage to Indonesia, specially in the Sebayik and Nipah (islands)," he told AFP.

In search of the truth behind Valentine's Day

(The following first appeared on a February 14, 2005 posting in my previous blog hosted by Tripod. Here it is again with slight editing.)

Happy Lupercalia to all. Happy what? Well, have you wondered why you celebrate 14 of February aka Valentine's Day? I asked most of my friends through the years and nobody really knows. Some do it because they are Christians and it is kind of a Christian tradition (Saint Valentine). Others do it because it is a day of love or friendship.

Ever since I first took up the gigantic task of researching about religions many years ago, the subject of Valentine's Day sprung to my mind every few times. So I decided to find out more.

It was in the year 1997, when I had a chance to interview a Catholic priest as part of my research. We were talking mostly about what is in the bible and validity of most of the stuff in it. After a few hours of non-stop debating (and mind you, debating about the bible with a leading priest is quite a task), we decided to have a smoke break. Yes, he smokes too. Davidoff, I think. Then he asked me, "Son, why do you take this path?" I looked up at him with a puzzled face. He continued, "Why torture yourself to seek the truth when the truth is available right before your eyes in the Holy Book?" I took a whole minute and several puffs before answering him. "I think it is important for mankind to question everything that is being told as the truth. With all due respect sir, the Bible is a version of the truth, but not the truth itself." I told him that I have a huge respect for the various religions in the world especially Christianity, Judaism and Islam and I also respect him or else I wouldn't be smoking with a priest. We both laughed. It was at the moment, I asked him about Valentine's Day.

"Saint Valentine's Day," he said. I nodded. He asked me if I was doing anything on Valentine's Day that year. I joked by simply saying I had too many girlfriends therefore it's a headache on V-day. I then went on to ask him about the history of Valentine's Day. He told me the origin of Valentine's Day goes back to the third century, when two Christians named Valentine were martyred. There are various versions of the stories but he couldn't point to one that could be proven as the truth. He said that the Vatican lists 17 Valentines in the encyclopedia of saints. These are spread out among countries, including Italy, France, Spain and Germany, but the church does not designate any of the 17 as the Saint Valentine.

I wasn't too happy with his answers so I went back to my research. I came across a day celebrated by the pagan Romans, 14 February. Hey that's the same day as Valentine's Day. What I found is that the Romans celebrated February 14 to honor Juno Fructifier, Queen of the Roman gods and goddesses, and that on February 15 they celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia in honor of Lupercus, the Roman god who watched over shepherds and their flocks. Young Roman males would sacrifice goats, put on the goatskins as a loincloth and then run around striking young women with thongs from the same goatskins. As Christianity became more widely accepted, pagan beliefs and celebrations were being replaced by the Church. The ancient Lupercalia was christianized and became Saint Valentine's Day to honour Saint Valentine.

I had a chance to meet the priest again on Valentine's Day that year. I told him what I found out about Valentine's Day, and that he was wrong. The whole V-Day thing originated from a pagan celebration and that the Church changed it so that people can celebrate it 'legally' in the eyes of the Church. He looked at me rather surprised that a young man would bother so much about the origins of such an unimportant day. He smiled after I finished telling him the story. He then walked me out and handed me a gift. It was a red aluminum case shaped like a heart. I opened it and there were chocolates inside. Now, how did he know I like chocs? There was also a small piece of note. It says, "Happy 14 of February, Saint IZ".

Think before you buy a rose for Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day and I'm sure there will be a lot of flowers being bought today. But before you go out and spend on some flowers, do think about where they come from and how they impact the environment.

Environmentalists have long been pushing people to buy flowers that are produced locally because they do not contribute to increased carbon emission that are produced by aircrafts that carry flowers for long distances to their intended destinations. Now, the British government has said that food miles alone is not a reliable indicator of the environmental impact of food transport and urged the British public to buy African flowers for Valentine's Day. From Guardian:

International development secretary Hilary Benn said that while people wanted to buy ethically and do their bit for climate change, they often didn't realise that they could support developing countries and reduce carbon emissions.

"Recent research shows that flowers flown from Africa can use less energy overall than those produced in Europe because they're not grown in heated greenhouses.

"So, this Valentine's day, you can be a romantic, reduce your environmental impact and help make poverty history.

"This is about social justice and making it easier, not harder, for African people to make a decent living."

... Mr Benn pointed to a recent study that showed emissions produced by growing flowers in Kenya, where it is warm and sunny, and flying them to the UK can be less than a fifth of those grown in heated and lighted greenhouses in Holland - Europe's main producer of flowers.

Also think of the people who are working in flower farms such as in Bogata, the capital of Columbia, the world's second largest cut-flower producer after Holland. These workers together with the flowers are often exposed to potentially toxic chemical substances. From Xinhua:

A survey of 84 farms between 2000 and 2002, partly financed by Asocolflores, the exporters' association, found only 16.7 percent respected pesticide manufacturer recommendations to prevent workers for 24 hours from re-entering greenhouses sprayed with the most toxic of pesticides.

Carmen Orjuela began suffering dizzy spells and repeated falls in 1997, while working at a flower farm outside Bogota. During the peak season before Valentine's Day, she said her employer forced workers to enter greenhouses only a half-hour after they had been fumigated.

"Those who refused were told they could leave -- that 20 people were outside waiting to take their job," said Orjuela, who quit in 2004.

Orjuela's employer, Flores de la Sabana, denied ever disregarding manufacturer-recommended re-entry times, but a 2005 toxicology study from Colombia's National University obtained by The Associated Press confirmed that Orjuela's illness was "directly related to an important exposure to potentially toxic chemical substances." A government arbiter finally ordered the company to pay her a pension equal to the 200 dollars monthly minimum wage earned by most workers.

Top 10 Aphrodisiacs

Is there such a thing as a true aphrodisiac? LiveScience.com takes a look at the top 10 aphrodisiacs such as the rhino horn, chocolate and oysters and reveals the ultimate love tonic to intensify your sexual desire. From LiveScience:

Many foods (bananas, asparagus, carrots, avocados) are considered aphrodisiacs because they resemble the penis or testicles. Oysters resemble a vagina. The Romans placed the oyster high on their list of prized aphrodisiacs. Casanova, the legend goes, would eat 50 raw oysters for breakfast. Yet interestingly, oysters (and pine nuts, another ancient aphrodisiac) are high in zinc, which is necessary for sperm production. Raw oysters are also high in D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate, which increased testosterone levels in one study on male rats, which could in theory increase libido, according to Karen Boyle of Johns Hopkins Hospital. "The data is questionable and mixed, but oysters do make a nice appetizer," she said.

Slam Dunk copies from NBA pics

Slam Dunk is a popular Japanese manga about a basketball team from Shohoku High School. In late 2005, a comic industry magazine alleged that some of the cuts of players drawn in Slam Dunk are almost identical to the photos of NBA players in basketball magazines. You can view a side by side comparison of the manga frames from Slam Dunk and the photos of NBA players here. The similarity is remarkable aye.

Metro logos of the world

Metro Bits has a huge collection of logos of metros or railway systems of the world. It is interesting to note that most of these logos or symbols use a variation of the letter M. Singapore's SMRT uses a variation of S which I think symbolises Singapore.

Couple found hugging for 5000 years will continue to hug for eternity

Remember the story about the prehistoric couple that was found hugging each other for 5000 years? Now, archaeologists say they will not be splitting the lovers. Hooray! From Scientific American:

In a Valentine's Day gift to the country, scientists said they are determined to remove and preserve together the remains of a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, their arms still wrapped around each other in an enduring embrace.

Instead of removing the bones one-by-one for reassembly later, archaeologists plan to scoop up the entire section of earth where the couple was buried, they told Reuters.

The plot will then be transported for study before being put on display in an Italian museum, thereby preserving the world's longest known hug for posterity.

"We want to keep can them just as they have been all this time -- together," archaeologist Elena Menotti, who announced the discovery a week ago, told Reuters.

Previously: Couple hugs for 5000 years

Test your sex knowledge

A recent sex quiz in Britain reveals many British are ignorant about sex facts. For example, one in three of the 500 respondents thought vigorous exercise, urination or washing after sexual intercourse would prevent a woman from becoming pregnant.

Here's a sample of the sex quiz. Test yourself and see if you are as ignorant as the British when it comes to sex facts.

Question 1: How many sperm are there in the average ejaculation (when a man 'comes’)?

(a) Up to 50,000 (b) Up to 100 million (c) Up to 300 million

Question 2: What is the average lifetime of a woman’s egg once it has been released from the fallopian tubes?

(a) 5 days (b) 24 hours (c) A week

Question 3: Once inside a woman’s body - what sort of distances do you think sperm do you think sperm can swim on average an hour?

(a) 1 cm an hour (b) 5 cm an hour (c) 9 cm an hour

Question 4: Which of these has the most nerve endings than any other in the body?

(a) The penis (b) The vagina (c) The testicles (d) The clitoris

Question 5: If a man doesn’t ejaculate (or come) for a long time, what happens to his sperm?

(a) They die and are absorbed into the body
(b) They sit in the balls (testicles) becoming stale and old
(c) They swim back up the urethra to testicles where they are made into new sperm.

Question 6: Can swallowing lots of semen make me fat?

(a) Yes (b) No

Question 7: How fast do you think ejaculate travels in miles per hour (mph)?

(a) 1 mph (b) 10 mph (c) 5 mph

Question 8: The combined pill (estrogen and progestogen) the progestogen-only pill, implant, patch, injection IUS (intrauterine system) are all different methods of contraception that contain hormones. How many days after a woman stops using them can she get pregnant?

(a) Between 7- 12 days because this is how long it takes her body to flush the hormones out
(b) From the next day
(c) After about 28 days or after her next period when her menstrual cycle has gone back to normal

Question 9: If no contraception is used, which ONE of the following do you think would stop a woman from becoming pregnant if she does it immediately after sex?

(a) Urinating (peeing)
(b) Douching (washing) the internal and external genital area to remove all traces of sperm
(c) Short bursts of vigorous exercise (or 'sperm dancing’) to shake out all traces of sperm
(d) None of these

Question 10: When is a woman’s most fertile time (the time in her menstrual cycle when she is most likely to become pregnant)?

(a) During the first 7 days immediately after her period has finished
(b) Between 10-16 days before she expects her next period
(c) Exactly 7 days before she expects her next period

Question 11: How long do you think sperm can live inside a woman’s body for?

(a) Up to 12 hours (b) Up to 48 hours (2 days) (c) Up to 7 days (a week)

Question 12: Pre-ejaculate (the fluid a man produces before he properly ejaculates or 'comes’) does not contain sperm’. Do you think this statement is true or false?

Get your answers here.

Have a slogan!

Have a slogan with Murphy. Just click on him to generate a random slogan. You can also include the widget in your blog.

(Thanks GeekGod)

Your own romance novel

This looks like an interesting gift for Valentine's Day. Thanks to the people at Books By You, you can provide your loved ones with a full length, personalised romance novels. Just select one of the nine titles available, and you are on your own to co-author your 160 to 199-page novel by providing the names, features and places that personalise your book. Each 'Romance By You' novel comes with a personalised cover too.

(Thanks Shy)

Rock with Hello Kitty guitar

Music is one of Hello Kitty's favourite hobbies (rock, I think) and what better way for her and you to enjoy it than with the Hello Kity Stratocaster guitar based on the classic Fender design. Comes in pink or black and with lots of Hello Kitty cuteness. Rock on gals!

Together

Today on my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome: Together

Don't forget that you have 2 more days to nominate your favourite photoblogs in The 2007 Photobloggies.

Do nominate my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome for the Best Southeast Asian Photoblog and my Star trails above campsite photo (featured in photoblog.org's May 3rd 2006, Photo of the Day) for the Photo of the Year.

Many thanks!

Philippines reclaim world kissing record

The Philippines has reclaimed the world record for the most number of kissing couples. From MSNBC:

A total of 6,124 couples kissed simultaneously for at least 10 seconds in a parking lot outside a Manila shopping mall, said Albert Almendralejo, producer of Lovapalooza.

A team of independent auditors were present to verify the number of people taking part in the event.

The current record is held by 5,875 couples kissing at an event organized at the Elisabeth Bridge in Budapest, Hungary, on June 25, 2005.

The thousands of mostly young men and women had gathered in the early evening at the mall on Manila Bay and had danced and listened to music until midnight. After a countdown broadcast on loudspeakers posted all around the area, they kissed exactly at midnight.

Star Wars Death Star battle scene using hands

YouTube Link

There must be thousands of Star Wars fan films out there but this one has got to be one of the most impressive. It is a reenactment of the Death Star battle scene in Star Wars using only hands.

(Thanks marco91)

The 2007 Photobloggies

You have 4 more days to nominate your favourite photoblogs in The 2007 Photobloggies. Do nominate my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome for the Best Southeast Asian Photoblog and my photo Star trails above campsite (featured in photoblog.org's May 3rd 2006, Photo of the Day) for the Photo of the Year.

Please include the url of my photoblog and the permalink of my star trails photo in the above mentioned categories. Remember to leave your email address at the bottom of the page to validate your ballot. After submitting, you will receive an email from them immediately. Please check your email, read it and click on the link to finish the process. Thanks.

The German Paddling Fans

Today on my photoblog Katoomba Syndrome: The German Paddling Fans

Previously: A cloudy day at the beach

Gallery of Taiwan Signs

I was browsing this excellent gallery of signs found in Taiwan and came across this strange sign located at the Huashan Culture Park in Taipei City. It says, "Please fill in the application form if you'd like to take pictures in the park." What the hell?! I tell you some rules are really ridiculous.

(Thanks Jimmy)

Orikaso foldable dinner set

The Orikaso dinner set is great for eating outdoors. Each Orikaso item is made of Polypropylene and comes flat. You will need to fold them into shape like you do with an Origami before you can use them to hold your food and drinks. Oh, and if you think these are from Japan, then think again. They are actually from UK!

(Thanks myztika)

How to make a wooden faced wristwatch

I was delighted to find this tutorial on how to make a wooden faced wristwatch. Here's the Flickr set of the whole process. I think the wooden face looks beautiful on watches.

(via MAKE)

The Dancing Indian Midget

YouTube Link

This video clip, taken from an Indian film, shows a midget performing some cool dance moves. I have nothing against midgets but somehow his smile is rather disturbing. I don't know how to describe it. I just hope I don't see him in my dreams tonight.

(Thanks Boywonder)

Update: Reader Mani told me that the midget in the clip was played by Thavakai also known as Little Superstar or King Kong.

Roto-Rooter's Ultimate Toilet

Crikey! This has got to be the mother of all toilets. Check out the Pimped Out John from Roto-Rooter. The toilet comes equipped with Phillips 20" LCD Flat-Panel TV, Microsoft Xbox 360, Phillips Progressive-Scan DVD Player, TIVO Series 2 Digital Video Recorder, iCarta Stereo Dock for iPod with Bath Tissue Holder, Avanti Compact Refrigerator with Beer Tap, Gateway eMachines Notebook and much more! I wouldn't come out of the toilet if I have this.

To quit smoking is not a slogan!

The Art Of Quitting is a creative platform for still-smokers where you can find and share the inspiration to quit smoking. To keep smoking is easy, but to quit and stay that way is an art. So what the hell are you waiting for? Come on, quit!

(Thanks finatiq)

World Nutella Day Round-up

Read the World Nutella Day round-up postings over at At Home in Rome and Ms. Adventures in Italy and find out how Nutella lovers all over the world were united on that special day on February 6. View the pictures here.

Previously: Happy Nutella Day!

Couple hugs for 5000 years

I think this is the most touching piece of news I've read so far this week. You can call it a prehistoric Romeo and Juliet story. Archaeologists working at a Neolithic archaeological dig site near Mantova, Italy, have found the bones of a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. The amazing thing about the find is that their arms are still wrapped around each other in a hug. From Reuters:

"It's an extraordinary case," said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.

"There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging -- and they really are hugging."

Menotti said she believed the two, almost certainly a man and a woman although that needs to be confirmed, died young because their teeth were mostly intact and not worn down.

View the photos of the embracing skeletons here.

(Thanks Mr Big)

[This is as rare as going shopping for diamonds and returning content with any other jewelry item. When we go for rings, we never come back with earrings.]

Bush, Blair and Howard to be charged with war crimes

Dr Mahathir's Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission is holding trials for US President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Australian Prime Minister John Howard. All three will be charged with war crimes. From International Herald Tribune:

On Wednesday, conference delegates are expected to formally launch a war tribunal that would hold "trials" for world leaders, including Bush and Blair, against whom common citizens file complaints.

The tribunal will not have the legal authority of any international organization and will not be able to impose penalties, but Mahathir said its aim is to condemn the accused in history books.

"We should not hang Blair if the tribunal finds him guilty, but he should always carry the label 'War Criminal, Killer of Children, Liar,'" Mahathir said. "And so should Bush and the pocket Bush of the Bushland of Australia," he said, referring to Australia's Prime Minister John Howard, a staunch ally in Washington's campaign against terrorism.

Video of US friendly fire that killed a British soldier

British paper The Sun has an exclusive cockpit video of a US A10 military aircraft taken during the disastrous friendly fire attack on a fleet of British vehicles in Iraq that killed one British solider four years ago. You can also watch it on Google Video. The video is really amazing to watch especially when you hear the pilot's shock and remorse after he realised that he and his wingman had shot at 'friendlies'. Here's the transcript. The US said that it was an accident and that they had found no reason to take action on their two pilots but The Sun claimed that the pilots made six crucial errors.

Monopoly: Here and Now U.S. edition

Last month, I blogged about the new Australia Monopoly edition and how you can vote for your favourite Oz states/territories to be included on the board. Today, I just found out that Hasbro has revamped the U.S. edition through a similar online vote. Click here to view the new board and all the properties. You can also play a cool demo of the new Monopoly here.

Previously: Help create Monopoly Here and Now (Australia) Edition

Women prefer new clothes than sex

Give women a choice between having sex or having new clothes and most of them will choose new clothes! From Reuters:

Women on average say they would be willing to give up sex for 15 months for a closet full of new apparel, with 2 percent ready to abstain from sex for three years in exchange for new duds, according to a new survey of about 1,000 women in 10 U.S. cities.

Sixty-one percent of women polled said it would be worse to lose their favorite article of clothing than give up sex for a month.

"Some people say clothes make the man, but the right clothes can even replace him," fashion designer, stylist and TV personality Carson Kressley from the reality TV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" said in a statement accompanying the poll.

Of course if you ask men the same question, the answer will be different aye.

Happy Nutella Day!

Today is World Nutella Day so go ahead and make a recipe using Nutella, eat Nutella with your finger, make an art with Nutella, wax poetic about Nutella, cuddle with Nutella, strike a pose with Nutella, re-live your first experience eating Nutella, offer Nutella as a sacrifice, have a Nutella-eating contest or a Nutella party. There are so many ways to celebrate World Nutella Day. Participate now!

I love Nutella, my favourite hazelnut spread!!!

(Thanks myztika)

Lego Jewellery

Ladies, forget about diamonds. Lego is the girl's best friend. Check out the Lego Bracelet with Lego Man, Lego Head Earrings, another Lego Earrings design, the Lego Dangle Bracelet, the Hot Pink Lego Necklace and the Square Lego Bracelet. What a great way to add some Lego style to your fashion aye.