Space Ghost re-enacted using puppets

Watch some folks re-enact an episode of Space Ghost using puppets! Space Ghost is a cartoon character created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1966. You can compare this amazing re-enactment with the original episode here.

Nintendo Comics System Scans

TR Rose has scanned the covers and selected pages of Nintendo Comics System comic books, published by Valiant Comics in 1990 and 1991. The comic books were part of a licensing deal with Nintendo, featuring characters from their video games and the cartoons based on them.

National Geographic's 2008 International Photography Contest Winners

You can now view the winners and honorable mentions of the English Language Edition of National Geographic's 2008 International Photo Contest. This is the People Winner, "A Portrait of Sarah" taken by Joshua Monaghan.

(Thanks Marilyn)

Mumbai Attacks: Singaporean hostage found dead in Oberoi Hotel

The is the news that everyone in Singapore has been dreading ever since we found out that a Singaporean was among the hostages in Mumbai. The hostage, 28-year-old lawyer Ms Lo Hoei Yen, has been found dead in Oberoi Hotel. Those bastards!!! My heart goes out to Ms Lo's family. It's a terrible tragedy. You can follow #Mumbai on Twitter or BBC for live updates and also check out Wikipedia's Mumbai attacks page for more info.

Update: It is highly probable that the terrorists killed Ms Lo because the Indian army stormed the Oberoi Hotel. Earlier, the terrorists had demanded that the Indian authorities refrain from storming the Oberoi Hotel, otherwise they would harm her.

Update: Facebook has a memorial tribute page for Ms Lo Hoei Yen.

Smell and you shall find your perfect partner

James Auger's SMELL+ is a project aimed at blind dating agencies to help them match individuals wishing to meet a suitable partner for procreation. Basically, you'll have to get naked, wear that stupid contraption and smell your way to your new love. (NSFW)

The World's First Electronic Feng Shui Compass

The Fortune Compass, the world's first electronic Feng Shui compass, detects frequencies that can enhance your personal vibrations and help you to attain success, strengthen relationships, improve health and obtain personal growth while also showing you energies that are challenging and can negatively influence your life. Wow! Who needs a Feng Shui master now?

USB Lunch Bag

Those of you who still bring lunch boxes to work will be glad to know that now you don't need to fight for the use of the microwave oven to heat up your lunch. Just plug the USB Lunch Box into your PC and its integrated heater will keep your food warm.

Evil Bert Rocket

Some crazy amateur rocketeers idea of fun is to have a Evil Bert drag race. They constructed small rockets using Bert puppets - each flying on a two-motor cluster of Aerotech G motors! Now, the next thing they should do is to include Ernie in the mix.

Ikimono Camera

The Ikimono Camera is a super compact, simple camera on your keychain that claims to take great looking 3X5" or 4X6" prints - on a bright sunny day, of course. It's cute alright but where the hell do you get 110 film nowadays?

(Thanks Shane)

Make your own Smart Coaster

Here's how you can make your own Smart Coaster which will tell you when it's safe to sip your hot coffee or tea. You'll need a round metal container, simple circuit consisting of a thermistor, a special low-power operational amplifier (op amp) IC, an LED, and a couple of passive components.

Vintage Rock Posters

Duckage has a cool collection of vintage rock posters in his Flickr photoset. I've never heard of some of those singers before but boy, I sure love the cool designs on the posters alright.

(Thanks kohl)

SITEX 2008 Consumer Electronics Fair Price Lists

Bootstrike has scanned more than 100 images of flyers (containing price lists) from SITEX 2008, one of Southeast Asia's largest consumer electronics fair now on at the Singapore Expo. Go download the zip file. It's 44MB large but it's worth your time downloading. You can then look through some of the deals before you head down to the fair.

(Thanks GeekGod, Mr Big, Shy)

Cosmo Kramer's Crazy Inventions

Watch 10 crazy inventions by Cosmo Kramer from the hit TV sitcom, Seinfeld. Among his inventions, a roll-out tie dispenser, a coffee table book about coffee tables and my favourite, the Bro (video above) aka Mansiere aka the Man Bra! Crazy alright but looks like one Japanese company has used Kramer's idea (the Bro) and turned it into a reality. Hey, it's even an online bestseller!

Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Ex-DPM’s wife reaches out: Former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee’s wife Phua Swee Liang has set up a private charitable foundation in his name to provide financial assistance — including grants, bursaries and scholarships — to “disadvantaged” young Singaporeans and to “impoverished patients in need of medical or healthcare”.
-Nuclear energy in Singapore not an option: The use of nuclear energy in Singapore may not be a feasible option. This according to the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency or IEA, Nobuo Tanaka.
-Singapore services industries grows: Singapore's business receipts for services industries rose by 11.6 per cent in the third quarter of this year over the same period of 2007, the Singapore Department of Statistics said Thursday.
-Changes planned for Singapore track: Singapore Grand Prix organisers are planning to make a few alterations to the street circuit for year's race.
-Town councils' sinking funds not mismanaged: The coordinating chairman of PAP town councils, Teo Ho Pin, has clarified that PAP town councils have not mismanaged public funds. He also stressed that PAP town councils are financially secure.
-Last batch of China dairy products lifted for sale: Food safety authorities here have released the last batch of China dairy products for sale, with the exception of six products which have been newly found tainted with melamine.
-Fewer malls offer motorbike parking lots: More shopping centres are taking away motorcycle parking lots and bikers here are not happy.
-Singapore tour bookings to Bangkok down: The unstable political climate in Thailand has shaken the confidence of some Singapore travelers.
-Local Indian community here shocked by Mumbai's bomb blasts: The Mumbai bomb blasts have triggered fears and anxiety among some members of the local Indian community, who expressed shock at the appalling act.
-Singaporean taken hostage: The Singaporean being held hostage in a Mumbai's luxury hotel stormed by a team of militant gunmen managed to contact family members here, who in turn alerted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) early on Thursday morning.
-Singaporeans jailed for kangaroo T-shirts in court: Three Singaporeans were jailed on Thursday after being charged with contempt of court for showing up at Singapore's Supreme Court wearing T-shirts depicting kangaroos in judges robes.

Sony Playstation 3 Wireless Keypad is a godsend!

I want this for Christmas! Sony's Wireless Keypad for the Playstation 3 will be available in Asia this December. The Keypad fits precisely into the SIXAXIS or DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controllers, and can be easily attached or removed. I surf quite a bit on my PS3 so having this Keypad is a godsend! I really hate using the PS3 on-screen keyboard. For those of you who type a lot on the PS3, you'll know what I mean. Typing on this new QWERTY Keypad will be so much better.

Is HP out to destroy the planet one big box at a time?

This could be an isolated incident but The Register reports a reader in Japan was shocked to find that HP has delivered his tiny RAM in such a huge box. This isn't the first time that HP has resorted to excessive packaging. See here. It seems that some people in HP are either overly paranoid about protecting their products or they just simply have too many boxes to waste.

Bad Sex in Fiction Award

Congratulations to author Rachel Johnson for winning this year's Bad Sex in Fiction Award. Here's an excerpt from her book Shire Hell. You can also read excerpts from other books that are shortlisted for the award. From Guardian:

JM comes over and pushes me gently back down on the fake fur. I try to rise up to kiss him – it's so lovely, the kissing – but he pushes me down, again. He likes to kiss me all over before he does anything else. He starts with my eyes, and plants a tender kiss on each lid.

… He moves on to my ears, a kiss that makes my nipples stand erect, and me emit little moans that drown out to my own ears the loud, distracting sound of Cumberbatch swiping dock leaves and tearing nettles and long grasses very close to the rickety stoop.

JM's hands are caressing my breasts, now, and I am allowed to kiss him back, but not for long, for he breaks off, to give each breast the attention it deserves. As he nibbles and pulls with his mouth, his hands find my bush, and with light fingers he flutters about there, as if he is a moth caught inside a lampshade.

Jean Charles de Castelbajac's LEGO fashion show

For those of you who missed Jean Charles de Castelbajac's Spring/Summer fashion show where he showcased his latest Lego inspired clothing, don't worry cause here's a re-imagining of his show created by Four H using Lego minifigures. Go watch it!

Obama Cupcakes

Zilly Rosen of Zillycakes in Buffalo, NY, makes a portrait of President Elect Barack Obama using 1240 cupcakes. You can read an interview with her here. I love blue cupcakes.

Tan Kin Lian wants to be President of Singapore

Tan Kin Liang retired from NTUC Income on 28 February 2007, after completing 30 years as the chief executive. Recently, he was in the news for leading five investor rallies and now he wants to be the President of Singapore. Sign the petition here. He needs 100,000 signatures.

Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Singaporeans welcome move by Civil Service to cut pay: Singaporeans welcomed the move by the Civil Service to reduce pay, and some said the wage cut announcement did not come as a surprise. One economist commented that the move is not unlike other wage cutting measures in previous downturns.
-Singapore digital policy sets brisk pace: It is an understatement to say Singapore likes to see itself as a hub. Government policy makes the city-state a hub of many things -- from moviemaking to casinos, from silicon chip manufacturing to oil refining.
-No to cluster bomb pact: Singapore will not sign an international agreement to ban cluster bombs but has imposed an indefinite moratorium on their export, officials said on Wednesday.
-Malaysian veggies cost more here: An early rainy season has forced prices of several varieties of Malaysian vegetables up to 10-year highs.
-Singapore court fines Wall Street Journal: Singapore's High Court fined Dow Jones Publishing Co. (Asia), a subsidiary of News Corp.'s Dow Jones & Co. unit and publisher of The Wall Street Journal's Asian edition, 25,000 Singapore dollars (US$16,573) -- the highest amount ever levied for such a case in Singapore.
-Amid layoffs, contract work may see boom: Some outplacement firms which help companies find jobs for their retrenched workers said all signs point to even more lay-offs in the first quarter of next year. But on the bright side, contract work opportunities look set to rise.
-Singapore builds up private cash stash: Singapore has set out its stall as a center of finance for the entertainment industry in Asia, mixing a generous supply of soft-money options with a largely favorable regulatory environment. Now being added into the mix is a series of funds run by private-sector operators.
-Institute for men's health: To raise awareness of men's health issues among the public and the healthcare sector, a group of doctors have come together to set up the Institute for Men's Health - a first for Singapore.
-Visitor arrivals fall in Singapore: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) says the country's visitor arrivals and tourism receipts are expected to fall short of this year's targets.
-Travel agencies monitoring situation closely: Local travel agencies also say they're monitoring the situation in Bangkok closely. Many have asked customers left stranded in the Thai capital to stay put for now, after the airport was shut indefinitely.
-Singaporeans' Thai hols disrupted: More than 200 Singaporeans and other travellers had their travel plans to Bangkok disrupted on Wednesday by the anti-government protests in the Thai capital.

World's most expensive doghouse

Recession? What recession? A Great Dane owner shows us that when you have the money, spend it by shelling out £250,000 for a doghouse complete with spa, plasma TV, sheepskin-lined, temperature-controlled daybeds, elevated to allow the dogs to guard their empire and more! I'm so friggin' jealous.

Contribute to 365 Days of Astronomy

The folks from the Planetary Society are inviting contributors to their 365 Days of Astronomy daily podcast. You'll be given a maximum of 8 minutes to talk about anything that is astronomy related. Cool! From Planetary Society Blog:

We're asking individuals to contribute five- to eight-minute podcasts on the space topics of their choice, and we have a lot of interesting shows on the calendar already. But we need more! Speaking now from my own point of view, I think we don't have enough people lined up to talk about the planets and moons and other interesting places in our solar system, or the missions that are exploring them.

So, dear readers, do any of you want to contribute? We will handle all the post-production, hosting, and so on -- all you need is an idea, a microphone, and the ability to talk for eight minutes about some space topic. If you have an idea but no microphone, think about contributing a script that we can get someone else (maybe me) to read; eight minutes is about four double-spaced pages of text.

Listen to sounds from outer space

Listen to an MP3 audio stream of Radio Astronomy, an art and science project which broadcasts sounds intercepted from space. Some of these sounds are rather spooky! From Radio Astronomy:

Radio Astronomy correlates the processes associated with broadcast radio - the transmission of audible information, and the processes of radio astronomy - the observation and analysis of radiated signals from planets, stars and other astrophysical objects. The work synthesizes these two areas. The signals from planets and stars are converted into audio and then broadcast on-line and on-air. The project is a literal interpretation of the term, "radio astronomy". It is a radio station broadcasting audio from space...

Many of the sounds emitted by these objects are fascinating from both an aesthetic and conceptual perspective, prompting comparisons with avant-garde music and electronic sound art. Yet very few people have heard these sounds, considering space to be silent, rather than the rich acoustic environment it turns out to be.

Counter Strike: Disney Haunted Castle

Watch this game footage of NIPPER's de_haunts, an incredible Counter-Strike: Source map replica of Disneyland's The Haunted Mansion. You can download the map pack here. Dang! I've got to start playing Counter Strike again.

(via Nerdcore)

The Garfield Randomizer

Some dude thought that Garfield comics make just as much sense if you throw random panels together. He got a cease and desist letter. So he made the code available for people who wanted to try it for themselves.

Hello Kitty Netbook gets unboxed!

The folks over at Akihabara News have posted the unboxing pics of the first ever Hello Kitty Netbook. The limited edition notebook measures 265 x 31 x 185 mm (WxHxD) and weighs 1.2 Kg. It runs on Atom N270 1.60 GHZ and has 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM and 120 GB Harddisk. Surprisingly, it is not in pink but you still get your Hello Kitty cuties like your Hello Kitty face logo carved on the front and 11 different Hello Kitty wallpapers. How exciting! Bleh! It costs US$890 here.

HTTP Errors

Here's an illustrated set of common http error codes by Adam Koford for use on your blog or website. Adam is the cartoonist behind the Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, a hilarious and charming mash-up of LOLcats with the stylings of early 20th-century American comics.

Anatomy of the Ear

Someone stitches this anatomy of the ear as a gift to a doctor. The person says, "I love my doctor. He is the kindest man in the world, and he's been looking after my family for over 20 years. I wanted to make him a present, to show how much I appreciate him. So I decided on the anatomy of the ear."

(Thanks jagd23)

Make a paper Hellboy revolver

Make this extremely detailed papercraft Hellboy revolver complete with bullets! The weapon known as The Good Samaritan, is commonly used by Hellboy in the comics when he is fighting evil monsters.

(via Neatorama)

Look who's at the top of the Apple iTunes charts

The new Guns N' Roses album, Chinese Democracy is on top of the world according to Apple's iTunes charts. It is currently the number 1 album in the US, Germany, Canada, Austria, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland! For those of you who have yet to get the album, go buy it now! It's the best 18 bux you've spent this year.

Update: Chinese Democracy tops iTunes Rock charts worldwide and HMV Canada CD sales list for week ending November 26.

Also read:
Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy Pre-Launch Listening Party in Singapore
My letter to Axl is on Reuters
Rolling Stone reviews Chinese Democracy by Guns N Roses

Interview with Arcade Mania's Brian Ashcraft

PingMag interviews Brian Ashcraft, the author of the new Arcade Mania! book published in English by Kodansha International. The book - a must read for every gamer - takes you on a turbo-charged tour through a typical Japanese arcade, with facts about the history, background, and characteristics of each game. It is also full of interviews with game makers and star players. You can buy it at Kinokuniya Singapore for S$28. From PingMag:

A great part of your book is about the people behind the games. How did you select them, such as the genuine Sakurina the Sticker Model Queen from the sticker-picture booths?

The thing is, talking about video games is interesting, but talking about people and their interaction with these games or why they made them is much more interesting! Some people can read about the nuts and bolts arcade games, and that information is there for them; other people are more interested in the pop culture angle and what it means for society. So, that is also in the book and it was a matter of balancing those two different angles. Being a contributing editor at Wired, I thought that the best way to do that was find somebody to tell that story. For each chapter I wanted to find someone who would be a good representation of that genre. For example sticker pictures, who would be someone who knows a lot about that? There was this model, Rina Sakurai, who has been in advertisements for sticker-picture machines and she has worked for a company designing the machines. From her, we could branch out to other people.

How to Meet Girls In 'World of Warcraft'

I don't play World of Warcraft that much so I'm quite surprised to learn that you can actually date gamers there. For those of you who want to try, first check out Felicia's tips on how guys can successfully woo a girl in World of Warcraft. Her first tip is real helpful, imho. From Asylum:

So what advice would you give to guy trying to meet a girl in World Of Warcraft?

Well, most of the female avatars in World of Warcraft are actually guys. So if you're a guy looking to meet girls, you need to make sure to put the person you're interested in through that vetting process. And if you're a girl, be prepared to fight guys off with a stick because there's a lot more of them than there are female gamers. You should join a large guild and pair with other people to go on missions. Try and meet people who are on your same level.

YouTube goes wide... Yes!

I was just looking at some videos on YouTube today and realised that their videos have gone wide! It's about time. Oh, and don't forget to check out my YouTube channel for all my videos. From YouTube Blog:

We're expanding the width of the page to 960 pixels to better reflect the quality of the videos you create and the screens that you use to watch them. This new, wider player is in a widescreen aspect ratio which we hope will provide you with a cleaner, more powerful viewing experience. And don't worry, your 4:3 aspect ratio videos will play just fine in this new player.

I'm giving away a Scarlet LG70 HDTV!

Finally, the contest that most of you have been waiting for. Here's how you can win the stunning Scarlet LG70 42 inch HDTV. Just write an email to five of your friends with the subject line: "Win a Scarlet LG70 now!" and cc me (izreloaded at gmail dot com) in the email. Also in the email, don't forget to include the link to this contest and also the link to my review of the LG70 and tell your friends 3 reasons why they should get the LG70. Contest ends a week from now and it is only open to those of you living in Singapore. Good luck!

Philips “Indulge Your Senses” Blogger Event

Philips held an exclusive event for bloggers on my birthday, November 21 at the beautiful Scarlet hotel. Bloggers were driven in limousines to the hotel where we were treated to drinks and food and then introduced to some of the very latest Philips tvs, audio and personal care products in the comfort of the hotel's luxurious suite.

You can watch the videos that I took at the event here: Inside The Limo, Philips and L'Oreal team up to give us tips on personal grooming and a Philips lady demos the GoGear digital audio video player (video below).



Some of the Philips products that were featured at the event are: the Philips 42PFL9803H next-generation TV with intelligent LED backlighting which gives it a whopping 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, the BTM630 Micro Hi-Fi System which lets you enjoy music from your mobile phone and PC wirelessly, the Philips GoGear digital audio video player SA5245BT with the patented FullSound Technology which brings back the liveliness and natural dynamics back to Mp3 music by restoring the sonic details to compressed Mp3 format, the Philips GoGear LUXE digital audio player (SA2420BT/ SA2422BT) and the Philips Advanced Acoustics In-ear Headphones (SHE9850), designed to deliver a vast improvement in sound and comfort.



It was a lovely event and all the bloggers had a good time there. The limo ride was one to remember, the suite was beautiful and the entire Philips team was great and I think all of us were impressed with the Philips products that we got to try that night. I would like to thank Philips and XPR for inviting me and hosting the event and for giving me the suite for the night. More photos here.

AnimeAmy's My Little Pony Creations

Just like the talented Mari Kasurinen whom I blogged sometime ago, AnimeAmy too makes cool My Little Pony variations. She writes about her Joker Pony: "So right after I saw the movie I was determined to make a Batman and Joker pony. He and Batman won first place at the Cincinnati Ohio Meet. He is fully sculpted with Apoxie Sculpt. His tiny "Joker cards" were printed on cardstock."

Abandoned Amusement Parks in South Korea

Not as eerie or depressing as the ones found in North Korea, but I thought you guys would still love to check out these abandoned amusement parks in neighbouring Seoul. I love those Giant Pez dispensers!

LIFE photo archive hosted by Google

Thanks to both LIFE and Google, you can now search millions of historic photographs like this 1950 pic of Walt Disney sitting in front of a backdrop filled with his Disney creations from the LIFE photo archive. It's an impressive collection, stretching from the 1750s to today!

Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy Pre-Launch Listening Party

Here's a timeline of what happened yesterday, November 21.

5.30pm: Universal Music Singapore delivers the Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy album to me - the first person in Singapore to get the album! It is only available in stores on November 22 after 6pm.



6.00pm: Meet other bloggers at the lobby of Fairmont hotel to wait for our limosines to fetch us to Scarlet hotel for a blogger event (not related to the Chinese Democracy Listening Party).

10.00pm: Event ends and I get the suite at Scarlet Hotel for the night.

10.45pm to 2.00am: A total of 56 invited guests and friends become the first people in Singapore to listen to Chinese Democracy at the Pre-Launch Listening Private Party hosted by me.



In all, I received an incredible 159 requests for invites to the party. I'm extremely sorry that I couldn't invite everyone because the suite has a limited capacity.



I would like to thank everyone who wrote in for invites, my friends and the 56 that showed up at my private party, the bloggers who stayed behind after the previous event, the Scarlet hotel technician for showing up two times during the night because of power failure and a mysterious burning smell in the room, Axl Rose for making such a brilliant album and Universal Music Singapore for the support and the CD!

It was an amazing night and now I can really look forward to growing old and tell my grandchildren the story of how I helped Guns N Roses launch Chinese Democracy in Singapore. Purrrrfect! Oh, and thanks for all your birthday wishes and pressies! Will post more photos but here is the first batch.

Come join the Guns N' Roses Pre-Launch Listening Party!

Tonight, right after a blogger-only event at the Scarlet Hotel, I will be having a private pre-launch listening party for Guns N' Roses new album Chinese Democracy for a small group of friends and lucky readers.

If you're a GNR fan, email me at izreloaded [at] gmail [dot] com for exclusive invites (you and a friend) for the party. Chinese Democracy will only be on sale in Singapore on November 22 after 6pm but tonight, thanks to my friends at Universal Music, I'll have the album in my hands and will be playing all the songs in the comfort of the luxurious suite at Scarlet Hotel. Please note that Scarlet Hotel does not allow food and drinks in the suite. For those of you who are dying of thirst, you can grab some beer at the hotel's bar.

10pm: Guests to meet outside Scarlet Hotel before proceeding to the suite
10.30: Listening of Chinese Democracy begins
11.30: Prizes (5 sets of GNR Hamper worth $100 each) to be given out to lucky guests.
11.45: Listening party ends

What are you waiting for? Email me right now with answers to these questions:

1) Who is the lead singer of Guns N' Roses?
2) When is I.Z.'s birthday?

Simple aye, but if you need clues, check here. Quick. Invites are very limited.

Please don't forget to include your name, mobile phone number, your blog address or Facebook (if any).

Video of Singapore Zoo cleaner mauled by tigers shows up online

You must have heard or read about the Singapore Zoo cleaner who was mauled by a group of white tigers recently. It was all over the local and international news. Well, I'm not surprised because it's not everyday you'll find a man crazy enough to commit suicide by jumping down into a tiger enclosure in a zoo. And for those of you who wondered why there are no videos of the incident online, well wonder no more, here's one.

(Thanks Clair)

Super Obama World

I've been told that even President Obama plays Super Obama World when he's not too busy forming his new government. Why wouldn't he? It's a fun little flash game featuring the man himself and some pigs that looks like they are wearing lipstick.

(Thanks maxroh2854)

The Toy & Action Figure Museum

Photo gallery of the world's first museum devoted to the art and sculpting of action figures! The Toy & Action Figure Museum located in Oklahoma, was the brainchild of toy designer Kevin Stark.

(Thanks Matt F)

Legoloverman's Lego Photosets

Check out these Lego photosets by talented Lego builder, Legoloverman. His Exo Suit creations are just amazing! He writes about the Exo Suit pictured here: "I did no research for this model. Obviously it's a nod to Aliens and the Matrix (and WH40k Sentinels). But I didn't look at a single reference picture till it was done."

LG Golden Ear Campaign Launch at Raffles Hotel

Yesterday, LG Electronics together with world renowned audio expert Mark Levinson, launched the Golden Ear campaign to introduce the new range of audio and visual products by LG that are specially tuned by Mark himself. The event attended by the media and a few bloggers, was held at Raffles Hotel. Here's a video of the LG models at the event with the new LG HDTVs and audio systems.



Mark Levinson is a highly respected name amongst the world's top musicians and hi-fidelity enthusiasts. As the Chief Audio Advisor for LG Electronics, Mark played an integral role in the tuning of LG's latest Home Theatre and HDTV systems. During the event yesterday, he demoed the LG Sylish DVD Micro Audio FB163 to the media in his Presidential Suite. The FB163 is an impressive little audio system that boasts a superior sound quality that previously can only be heard on systems 10 times more expensive! How much does it cost? Only S$499. I was very impressed and I'm sure the rest of the journalists in my group were too. Check out the video (my apologies for the poor sound quality).



LG also launched the Golden Ear Challenge as part of its Golden Ear campaign. Just go its website and take an audio hearing test specially designed to determine how well one's capability is in differentiating music. Those who take part in this challenge can stand to win an LG Home Theatre System or an LCD TV! You can also view the full range of LG products that were featured at the campaign launch.

Click here to take a look at all the photos I took yesterday or click the thumbnails below. You can watch more videos here, here, and here. Enjoy.

Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Singapore women ignorant about contraception: An annual survey shows that while fewer younger women were sexually active compared to those polled last year, their knowledge of the risks of unplanned pregnancies had dropped as well.
-"Building" Entrepreneurs In Singapore: The National University of Singapore (NUS) sneaks up on you. One minute you're winding through Singapore streets, and the next minute you're in the middle of its collection of old-ish institutional buildings and treed streets. Down one street, however, you don't want to miss a small collection of buildings housing the university's Enterprise Incubator.
-Blame town councils only with hindsight: Mr Leong Sze Hian, president of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, the town councils should not have invested in the structured products. But, he told The New Paper: 'You can't blame the town councils. If you look at the last seven years, every year the most sold product in terms of volume in Singapore was structured products. They were seen as capital guaranteed.'
-Eggs cost more: Prices of eggs from Malaysia have risen in recent weeks, bucking a trend which has seen the cost of other staples like rice and wheat slide.
-A $10m leg up for 3D film industry: The Government is setting up a fund of at least $10 million to support the growth of the 3D media industry.
-Singapore ranked 16th most expensive shopping location in the world: Surveys showed that Singapore is the world's 16th most expensive shopping location, with prime retail space along Orchard Road going for US$405 per square foot.
-Singapore Q3 GDP shrinks: Singapore's economy probably shrank last quarter as a manufacturing slump and easing demand for financial services drove the nation into its first recession since 2002, adding pressure on policy makers to stimulate growth.
-Loo campaign targets S'poreans' bad habits: Singaporeans still need to improve their toilet etiquette, as many people continue to litter the floor and not flush after use.
-Singapore economy forces Burmese home: Hundreds of Burmese migrant workers in Singapore have returned home due to the impact of the economic downturn, according to Burmese workers.
-Consumer confidence sinks: Consumer confidence in Singapore has sunk to the lowest in more than three years as the economy enters its first recession since 2002, a survey has found.
-COE for small cars drops to historic low of S$2: The COE price for small cars, 1,600cc and below, dived by S$10,453 to a historic low of S$2 in the latest bidding exercise.

Vintage ads show how not to raise kids

You've got to love these old ads. Gone are the days when mothers are encouraged to drink beer, babies and cigarettes go hand-in-hand and it's ok for kids to play with revolvers! Ah, those crazy times.

(Thanks @ndI)

Rock, Paper, Scissors Game

A toy company has re-created the popular classic hand game Rock, Paper, Scissors into an exciting new game played on a 3-D console! Simply turn the wheel to pick Rock, Paper or Scissors and then flip the Reveal Shield. Score points for any player you beat.

(Thanks ericstar23)

Photogasm! Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Feast your eyes on these 173 pics of beautiful women in lingerie and bikinis at a recent Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. You'll find Victoria' Secret fashion models Heidi, Selita, Alessandra, Miranda, Marisa, Karolina, Doutzen, Adriana and more strutting their stuff. Yummy!

Hello Kitty & Celebs at Sanrio Luxe Store Opening

Last week, Sanrio opened their new Sanrio Luxe store in New York City's Times Square. The concept shop sellling luxury Hello Kitty items, hopes to attract fashion-forward women in their 20s who grew up with the Hello Kitty brand. View pics of the store opening featuring a kimono clad Hello Kitty with celebrities here.

Mickey Mouse Transformer

This is blasphemy! How can they do this to my beloved Transformers? Mickey Mouse as a Optimus Prime-like Transformers figure? Takara Tomy, how dare you! What next? An entire line of Disney Transformers featuring Minnie, Goofy, Donald and friends? God, no!

How many guys in Spider-Man suits can fit into Jamba Juice?

One of the funniest guys on the planet, David Letterman asks how many guys wearing Spider-Man costumes can fit inside a Jamba Juice outlet in New York city. Hilarious! My tummy is aching now after laughing so much. Watch out for the "special guests".

Guns N' Roses Chinese Democracy is on pre-sale now in Singapore!

Guns N' Roses fans in Singapore, listen up! The wait for the long awaited album, Chinese Democracy is nearly over. The album has a launch date of November 23 in the US but here in Singapore, you can start ordering your copy right now and get it as soon as November 22!

Quickly head down to Sembawang Music Centre. They are having their pre-sale for Chinese Democracy starting today. There will be a free gift which is an iron-on embroidery patch. The album (normal version) costs S$18.90. I've been told by Sembawang Music Centre that the Guns N' Roses record label may also release a version that comes with a T-Shirt. The price (not confirmed yet) is likely to be S$32.90 and should be released along with the normal version.

You can also pre-order Chinese Democracy at HMV Singapore. The album will be available in their Orchard Road and Raffles Link stores on November 22 after 6pm. That means, it's only 4 more days! 4 more friggin' days to Chinese Democracy!

Update: I'm having an exclusive pre-launch listening party on the night of November 21. For invites click here.

Previously:
Listen to Guns N' Roses newest single, Better!
Rolling Stone reviews Chinese Democracy by Guns N Roses
Chinese Democracy hits Singapore on November 24!
Guns N' Roses officially announces Chinese Democracy, first single hits worldwide today!
My letter to Axl is on Reuters

"Meh" chosen for 30th anniversary of Collins English Dictionary

Kids, next time when your English teacher scolds you for using the Singlish word "meh" in class, tell him this: "You don't know meh? Meh is in the Collins dictionary liao!" From Times:

“Meh” started out in the US and Canada as an interjection signifying mediocrity or indifference and has evolved, via the internet and an episode of The Simpsons, into a common adjective meaning boring, apathetic or unimpressive in British English.

The word was chosen over hundreds of others nominated by the public for inclusion in the 30th anniversary edition of the dictionary, to be published next year. Jargonaut, frenemy and huggles were among entries suggested to the Word of Mouth campaign, run in conjunction with Waterstone’s. The panel that made the final selection chose meh because of its frequent use today.

Meh was submitted by Erin Whyte, from Nottingham, who defined it as “an expression of utter boredom or an indication of how little you care for an idea”. The dictionary will say that meh can be used as an interjection to suggest indifference or boredom – or as an adjective to say something is mediocre or a person is unimpressed.

Why are town councils "gambling" with our money?

To the folks who are running the town councils in Singapore: Your job is to control, manage, maintain and improve the common property of the housing estates, NOT to "gamble" Singaporeans' money in stocks, bonds and other financial instruments! If you have no idea what to do with that spare cash, please give them back to Singaporeans who really need them. From Channel NewsAsia:

Holland-Bukit Panjang and Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Councils invested a combined S$12 million using their sinking funds.

Going forward, the co-ordinating chairman of PAP town councils, Dr Teo Ho Pin, said future investments will remain diversified but will be on the conservative side.

Just like thousands of Singaporean investors who have lost money on failed Lehman-linked structured products, the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council may lose its S$8 million investment.

The town council invested 6.7 per cent of its sinking funds available for investment in Lehman Brothers' Minibond Notes, DBS High Notes 5 and Merrill Lynch's Jubilee Series 3 Notes.

Today's Singapore News

The following are stories that are making the headlines over at Topix Singapore News today, edited by yours truly.

-Why that 80% rule?: It may be a wheelchair-accessible bus, but if the bus stops along the route are not at least 80 per cent wheelchair-friendly, the wheelchair-bound commuter will not be allowed to board the bus in the interest of his or her safety.
-Layoff? FairPrice hiring more: Singapore's largest supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice says it will not retrench any of its 6,400 employees, even though the global economy is sliding into what many say could be the worst recession since 1929.
-Police scrap Emergency scheme: The Emergency Communication System (ECS), installed at 65 Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) across the island, will be progressively scapped from Dec 1 (2008).
-More "die-logues" expected as govt considers changes to AMD: The government is considering amending the law to encourage more Singaporeans to sign the Advance Medical Directive (AMD).
-Singapore sees FY08 deficit at triple estimate: Singapore's budget deficit will be significantly larger in fiscal year 2008, at nearly three times the estimated S$800 million ($526.7 million). Singapore, already in recession, is set to announce final third-quarter GDP data on Friday.
-NEWater is safe: To ensure safety standards, the Public Utilities Board has taken several stringent measures, including 'a multi-barrier approach' in the design of the NEWater plants, comprehensive preventive maintenance programme and equipping plants with sensitive on-line instruments to constantly monitor water quality.
-PAP aims to click with young online: Singaporeans can now go online to watch short videos of People's Action Party (PAP) MPs at events on the party's revamped website that was launched yesterday. It is a new way to reach out to young and IT-savvy voters.
-More accuracy, greater comfort for eye patients: More accurate and comfortable laser surgeries to correct your vision — that is the promise for Lasik patients here, thanks to a new system launched this month at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC).
-Help for firms to get loans: The Government will take measures to help companies secure loans as it expects some 'inevitable' credit tightening among banks.
-2 town councils invested S$12m in Lehman-related structured products: The financial health of two Singapore town councils remains in the black despite their investments in failed Lehman-linked structured products.
-Singapore may weaken currency in recession: Singapore may change its exchange- rate policy in April to favor a weakening currency after exports last month slumped the most in six years, according to UBS AG.

Listen to Guns N' Roses newest single, Better!

"So bittersweet, this tragedy wont ask for absolution. This melody inside of me, still searches for solution." Guns N' Roses premiere Better on the radio! It is the second single from their upcoming album Chinese Democracy. 5 more days! It's only 5 more days!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sketchbook

At San Diego Comic Con 2007, Jacob invited various comic artists to draw sketches of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on his sketchbook. He says, "I figured why not get versions from as many of the alternative/indie comics gang as I can."

Vending Machine Craze in Japan

Did you know that there's 1 vending machine for every 23 people in Japan? The Japanese are crazy about their vending machines alright. These machines sell anything from drinks to even eggs! Here's a collection of interesting vending machines that you can find scattered throughout Japan’s cities, towns, and even countryside.

iPod Cup Speakers

Dmitry Zagga writes about his new ghetto accessory for the iPod, the CupSpeakers: "This is a fun project. Four single-serving paper cups, two tooth picks (for holding cups together) + iPod with classic earbuds. The increase in volume, of course, is radiculous, but hey, you get stylish iPod accessory out of nothing!"

The Cube by Jim Henson

Watch The Cube, a bizzarre 1968 one hour long teleplay by one of my heroes, Jim Henson about a guy trapped in a cubical white room that anyone else could enter and leave but for him, the only way to leave is to find his own hidden door.

How to cook real damn good Genghiskhan mutton barbecue

Japanese restaurant chain, Kuro-Hitsuji's menu has instructions on how to cook real damn good Genghiskhan mutton barbecue. Instructions come with helpful photos with ghetto-fabulous English translation.

(via Nerdcore)

Scholastic Book Covers

jl.incrowd on his scholastic book covers photoset: "I remember in grade school how freaking fun it was to place an order for these inexpensive kids books, and that there may have been no greater thrill than when those books arrived in the classroom and were distributed. Like, just electric."

(via BoingBoing)

Masters Of The Universe Redesigns

These He-Man and the Masters of the Universe redesigns by Marko Djurdjevic are simply stunning! I can see them - minus the faggot looking Skeletor - being used for the live action He-Man movie that is reportedly in the works.