Links - 5th September 2009

"The world is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel." - Horace Walpole

***

Large Hadron Collider: 10 other dates when the world failed to end - "Jehovah’s Witnesses have now stopped predicting exact dates for the end of the world after a string of high-profile failures... Carlos Roa, the Argentine goalkeeper who declined to negotiate a new contract at his Spanish club because he was convinced the world would end, returned later in the season"

What I missed about meat - "My wife stopped her vegetarian ways when pregnancy brought cravings for meat... [fish] did leave me feeling satisfied in a way that I haven't felt in a long time. Every cell in my body screaming "protein - that's what you need."... Bacon. Let's talk about bacon. There's no meat more glorious than bacon. You can add it to pasta instead of cheese. You can stick it in a sandwich, er ... instead of cheese. Or even rub it on to attract men (a top tip there ladies)."
One comment: "I became veggie aged 13, and until then I'd always been one of the tallest girls in my class, and suddenly I stopped growing and got stuck at 5'2. I've always wondered if the change in diet affected it, as I come from a family of tall women." Another: "my periods stopped. I at first never thought this had anything to do with my vegetarianism. I went to the doctors and had tests, apparently I was severely anaemic, even though I had gone to great lengths to ensure I had enough vitamin intake etc, and I ate spinach by the bucketload! So as a test I decided I would start eating red meat again. Lo and behold my periods came back after a few months."

Men lose their minds speaking to pretty women - "The research shows men who spend even a few minutes in the company of an attractive woman perform less well in tests designed to measure brain function than those who chat to someone they do not find attractive. Researchers who carried out the study, published in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, think the reason may be that men use up so much of their brain function or 'cognitive resources' trying to impress beautiful women, they have little left for other tasks... Women, however, were not affected by chatting to a handsome man."
The only folly of Man is Women. In the comments: "A beautiful woman's face is like chocolate, cash or cocaine to a young man's brain, according to Harvard University researchers."

Kurt Vonnegut explains drama - "“But because we grew up surrounded by big dramatic story arcs in books and movies, we think are lives are supposed to be filled with huge ups and downs! So people pretend there is drama where there is none.” That's why people invent fights. That's why we're drawn to sports. That's why we act like everything that happens to us is such a big deal. We're trying to make our life into a fairy tale."

25 SFW Rule # 34 Images - "If it exisits, there's porn of it. No exceptions."
I especially like:


Make Firefox Faster by Vacuuming Your Database - "All-things-Firefox weblog Mozilla Links previously detailed how to defragment SQLite databases with a vacuum command, but the whole process was a bit clumsy, and it required a restart. Now they've updated the technique with a simple bit of code you can run inside Firefox's Error Console that requires no restart... Components.classes["@mozilla.org/browser/nav-history-service;1"].getService(Components.interfaces.nsPIPlacesDatabase).DBConnection.executeSimpleSQL("VACUUM");"
This great tip via Xephyris shrank my places.sqlite from 133+ MB to about 20 MB.

More women in Cambodia turning to sex trade amid financial crisis – UN report - "The report shows that during the crisis, women have entered the sex trade coming from situations where there have been declining working conditions, such as in the garment sector, where they experienced long working hours and low pay. The most common reason given by the women and girls for entering the sex trade was “difficult family circumstances,” followed by “easily earn a lot of money, in good working conditions.”"
Keywords: survey, UNESCO, prostitutes, sex workers, income, good pay

Being smart really is sexy - "Brainy men really are the sexiest, claim scientists who have discovered a link between intelligence and virility... Psychologists have found that men with the highest IQ also have the healthiest sperm... men reported to indulge in selfless behaviours were found more attractive to women as both potential long-term partners and, to a lesser extent, for “flings”. “Selflessness makes men of otherwise low to moderate attractiveness sexier, but not men who were already considered very attractive,” she said."
Science reporting FAIL

15 pics that make you wish you were at Boryeong Mud Festival - "We've been told that the mud used at the annual Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea is rich in minerals and is even used to manufacture cosmetics! We didn't know that before. But what we do know is that the combination of mud and Korean bikini clad babes is a wonderful sight, as you can see from these photos taken at the Boryeong Mud Festival last year by Stinkie Pinkie. Lucky guy."

Woman has record fingernails snapped off - "A woman whose 85cm fingernails snapped off in a car crash has spoken for the first time about feeling like she lost her identity... Redmond had been growing her nails for 30 years at the time of the crash in February and they had reached a combined length of 8.65m. "Losing my fingernails has been the most dramatic thing that's happened in my life," she said. "The thing that bothered me with losing the fingernails was that it becomes your identity and I felt like I'd lost part of that.""
Unsurprisingly, her nails grow really fast (look at picture 3 - how much she grew in just 7 months
Of course, the record holder will never come from Singapore (especially not the male) - a society that rewards conformity will never excel.

"Why do writers write? Because it isn't there." - Thomas Berger

***

Richard Stein's Book "Split Ends: A Woman's Life with Her Hair"

"Yielding and soft, sumptuous and colorful, decorative, and dangling, it invites a lover's touch. It's fun to fondle, play with, and disarrange. Messing it up is the symbolic equivalent of undressing the other's body. A woman quickly learns that cutting her hair without warning her lover first is a bad mistake...

I once tucked a perfect curl of my hair, tied with a lavender ribbon, between the pages of a poetry book I was returning to a friend. The curl marked my favorite love poem, and I felt as if I were charging the book with my life force. I knew I was giving him a powerful talisman. Hair is sacred to lovers, but also to society...

Once, stricken by despair, I phoned a girlfriend and, when I calmed down enough to speak, sobbed out my woes. "Oh, boy trouble," she said in a tone of voice that meant Hell, we can deal with that. "I was afraid you'd got a bad haircut."...

When long haired women have children, they frequently cut their hair short. Pleading convenience, they explain it merely as a practical move. But it is, I think, more symbolic. In various cultures and religions (among nuns and some Jewish, for instance) women are expected to cut their hair short so that they will no longer be attractive to men. A freshly bobbed new mother might be saying, in essence, I'm going to focus my life now on nurturing my family; I'm not available for flirtation. At the end of World War II, collaborators were de-sexed and shamed by having their hair chopped off in what was, essentially, a form of social circumcision. Mothers often wish a daughter to cut hers short when she reaches puberty, but fathers want a daughter to keep her hair long forever...

Each generation, needing to feel a sense of identity, sets itself apart through hairstyle. Because there are only so many things one can do with one's hair to shock society, styles seem to reappear after a decade or so. Those who lived through love-ins and antiwar rallies probably find it as strange as I do to see construction workers now wearing ponytails and headbands or a policeman with long sideburns. Or a corporate man in a conservative suit wearing a ponytail. It makes me do a double take: the look is hippie, but the politics and philosophy are different. History, myth, and literature are filled with dramas in which hair plays a central role. Most often it symbolizes strength, as in the story of Samson and Delilah; or sexuality, as in the fairy tale about Rapunzel; or selfless love, as in the famous short story by O. Henry; or fetish magic, as in American Indian lore; or a religious portent, as in the Aztec myth from which Cortes profited -that a god would appear from afar and be recognizable by his blond hair. I won't argue that hair brought down the monarchy in eighteenth-century France, but it may have helped to focus society's rage. At Marie Antoinette's court, both men and women were said to use barrels of flour to whiten their elaborate wigs. Reputedly, this waste so outraged the common people, who were starving for want of bread, that they cut their own hair short in protest and, ultimately, condemned royal hair and heads to the guillotine...

Long hair is suggestive. It implies excess, extravagance, rampant sensuality -literally, a lack of restraint...

People so often complain that their hair to is "wild," that they "can't do anything with it," that it's nothing but "split ends" and "strays," that it's hopelessly "fly-away." Perhaps we fear that, like ourselves, and like our feelings of love, despite our constant efforts, it will always be just a little bit out of control."

My favourites in the DISNEY-MARVEL MASHUPS GALLERY:

A popular Facebook status right now:

"No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. We are only as strong as the weakest among us. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day."

My reply:

"No one should live for one more month with a poor quality of life at a cost to other people of $10,000 a day, and healthcare should not be free for everyone

But I think many people would disagree"

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." - Mickey Mantle (attr)

***

Evolution vs Christianity - Does Evolution Contradict Christianity?

"Sin and Faith

If the evolutionary account of human origins is true, then there was certainly no literal Fall from Grace — no Adam and Eve disobeying the Christian God and no Original Sin. But without Original Sin and expulsion from the Garden of Eden, then there is no reason to think that anything called "sin" (which is supposed to be disobedience to God) suddenly entered the world. If sin instead "evolved" into our ancestors through the natural development which God set into motion, why would God hold us accountable? A naturalistic development of sin should mean that insofar as we are "naturally" sinners, we simply are what our creator caused us to evolve into being...

Literalism vs. Metaphors

It's difficult to argue that a metaphorical Fall required a literal death and resurrection. One might argue for a metaphorical death and resurrection, but few if any Christians believe in that and doing so would mean rejecting some very important, orthodox facets of Christian theology...

Within the framework of evolution, sin does not appear to have any tangible, real existence. We are supposed to have sin, but did Neanderthals? Homo Habilis? Homo Erectus? Is is possible to logically argue that this "sin" was dependent upon some specific piece of genetic code which evolved into our species? There is evidence that other primates, like chimpanzees, not only have rudimentary rules within their groups but also an awareness of when they are and are not following them. Are chimps sinning? Did Jesus die for them, too? Should we be sending missionaries to them in zoos and jungles?...

Souls & Evolution

Where could souls come into play during the evolution of homo sapiens out of earlier hominids and primates? Did Cro Magnons have souls? Neanderthals? Homo Erectus? Why or why not?

What would make one hominid species so special that it would have a soul and not another hominid species? If they did have souls, were they saved without Jesus? If they weren't saved, then the Christian God is cruel and capricious. If they were saved without Jesus, then there's no reason for me to need Jesus...

Why, in fact, was there a process of evolution at all? Why all the time, death, and suffering over millions of years of so many species now extinct? Was it just to create us? The entire Neanderthal line apparently developed and ended without direct impact upon our eventual development — and for what?

Christianity actually seems to make more sense within the framework of a cosmology that reads Genesis literally in at least some ways, particularly when it comes to the special origins of humanity. One word of caution: saying "God works in mysterious ways" is an essentially meaningless answer to all of this. All it serves to state is that "I don't know either, but I still believe.""

"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion." - G. K. Chesterton

***

A very interesting (albeit quite old) theory, supported by many studies, by the guy who came up with the Mirror Test (more recently famous for asking "Does Semen Have Antidepressant Properties?"):

"As a result of paternal uncertainty and an almost limitless reproductive potential, males, as we have seen, have been selected to seek high-frequency sex with a variety of different females. Females, on the other hand, can maximize their inclusive fitness by holding out for loving, lasting, caring relationships that insure for provisioning. It should be apparent that because of these differences the best interests of females serve to constrain those of males and vice versa.

Homosexuality allows the gender differences in sexuality to stand out in relief because the participants have congruent sexual interests. In homosexuality we see the basic differences between male and female sexuality in a relatively pure and uncontaminated form (Symons, 1979). Indeed, as I show, the evidence strongly suggests that homosexuals continue to act out what would otherwise be optimal heterosexual strategies. The expression of sexuality in any context is bound by a biological imperative that the participants typically have no insight into nor control over. For instance, male homosexuals tend to be far more promiscuous than their female counterparts. Recent surveys show that as many as 25% of homosexual males have sexual encounters with a thousand or even more homosexual partners (Bell, Weinberg, & Hammersmith, 1981). For females, in stark contrast with males, the median number of homosexual partners is only three (Loney, 1974). Male homosexuality often amounts to a sexual smorgasbord with an almost limitless variety of opportunities, whereas it is clear that lesbians only involve themselves in relatively permanent, monogamous relationships. Also paralleling the heterosexual world, male homosexuals develop attractions to one another primarily on the basis of physical characteristics, whereas females respond to each other along an emotional dimension. Thus, although the choice of sex objects differ, the expression of sexuality remains basically the same in both heterosexual and homosexual contexts.

We have argued (Gallup & Suarez, 1983a) that if the sexual best interests of males and females were not at odds with each other there would be little or no homosexuality. In other words, according to our hypothesis the evolution 01 optimal heterosexual strategies among humans has created a situation in which the sexual agendas of males and females are so different from one another that homosexuality has become an increasingly frequent outcome. Accordingly, we see the reasons for adopting a homosexual lifestyle as being quite different depending on gender.

Heterosexuals almost invariably have to compromise their sexuality. For males this means far fewer sexual opportunities and fewer sexual partners than they would like, whereas for females it means having to settle for a relationship with a potentially unfaithful male that will probably lack the deep emotional and psychological ties she would like. The typical adolescent male, for instance, is primarily interested in intercourse and immediate sexual gratification. Females, however, are looking for lasting, caring relationships. Whereas adolescent males have limited access, at best, to heterosexual outlets, females are confronted by just the opposite set of circumstances. Many adolescent females are subject to more potential heterosexual opportunities than they can handle, and early heterosexual experiences often leave the impression that men are “animals” and interested in nothing but sex. Not infrequently females are lied to, taken advantage of, and coerced into sexual encounters that they would just as soon avoid.

Thus, according to our hypothesis, homosexuality in females is a result of becoming progressively disillusioned and disenchanted with heterosexual relations. Witness the fact that although homosexual males no longer see them as sex objects, they usually continue to relate to females in a positive way. For many lesbians, however, the situation could not be more different. Homosexual females often evidence an unbridled hatred and distrust of males. They see males as oppressive, domineering, and abusive. The despise (sic) that lesbians hold for males stands as obvious testimony to the validity of our model. Males, on the other hand, become homosexual because of frustration and inadequate opportunities for sexual expression in the heterosexual mode. The relative unavailability of heterosexual outlets for the adolescent male is further complicated by the fact that females show a distinct dating and sexual preference for older males (Daly & Wilson, 1983). The existence of gender differences in age of peak sexual desire may also contribute to putting adolescent males out of phase with females. For males, sexual appetite often reaches its highest level in the late teens, whereas for females it can be delayed into their 30s (Kinsey, Pomeroy, & Martin, 1948; Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, & Gebhard, 1953).

As evidence for the fact that lesbians are disenchanted with heterosexual relations, whereas homosexual males are frustrated by a lack of heterosexual opportunities consider the following statistics. Approximately 85% of female homosexuals have had heterosexual intercourse prior to turning to homosexuality, but this holds true for only 20% of the gay male population (Bell & Weinberg, 1978; Schafer, 1977). In other words, as evidence for having had an ample opportunity to experience dissatisfaction, female homosexuals are over four times more likely to have had prior heterosexual experience than their male counterparts. Loney (1974) reports that prior to adopting a homosexual orientation, females had an average of 5.3 heterosexual partners, whereas among males the mean was only 1.3, with many males never having experienced heterosexual intercourse at all. Ironic as it might seem, but highly consistent with our analysis, homosexual females typically have had more heterosexual than homosexual partners. Similarly, whereas only about 1 of every 17 homosexual males has been involved in a prior heterosexual marriage (Schafer, 1977), almost 50% of lebsians have been party to a previous marriage with a man (Cotton, 1975). Suffice it to say that the inexperience with heterosexual relations is consistent with the notion of heterosexual frustration among males as a precursor to becom ing homosexual, and that the average lesbian has had more than ample opportunity to be rebuffed and become disenchanted with males.

A recent study by Bell, Weinberg, and Hammersmith (l9I) also provides support for our model. They found, as a result of a detailed survey, that contrary to popular opinion homosexual sex object choices do not develop in childhood. Rather, adolescent experiences appear to be the important ones in determining adult sexual orientation. This follows from our analysis because heterosexual frustration and/or disenchantment presuppose the kinds of heterosexual conflict that would only emerge during puberty.

Finally, it is important to comment about hcteroscxual hostility toward homosexuals. Why should some heterosexuals show disdain for persons who have adopted homosexual lifestyles? Aside from the hostility that many lesbians have for males, most homosexuals do not exhibit intense anti-heterosexual attitudes. Lesbians, for instance, do not harbor a disdain for heterosexual females. We think that this phenomenon can also be dealt with in the context of evolution. Under most circumstances, homosexuality would detract from rather than contribute to one’s genetic representation in subsequent generations. Thus, homosexuality could pose a threat to heterosexuals to the extent that their offspring might be seduced and/or modeled into developing homosexual tendencies. From the standpoint of evolution and inclusive fitness, exclusive homosexuality is tantamount to sterilisation. Therefore, we would predict that reactions to homosexuals by heterosexuals should be context specific, if our analysis is correct, heterosexual hostility toward homosexuals should be directly proportional to the extent to which they pose a perceived threat to a child’s emerging sexuality.

The data on anti-homosexual attitudes, or what is known as homophobia, are highly consistent with this interpretation. Many people with anti-homosexual attitudes believe that homosexuals (especially males) will attempt to seduce young children (Morin & Garfinkle. 1978). As would be expected, homosexuals experience more discrimination in teaching than any other profession (Larsen, Reed, & Hoffman. 1980). For instance, although Levitt and Klassen (1974) found that three quarters of persons polled would object to homosexual teachers, far fewer would bar homosexuals from becoming artists, musicians, or florists. If our analysis is correct, similar objections should hold for homosexual babysitters, nursemaids, and athletic coaches, whereas lumberjacks, truck drivers, and construction workers should be relatively immune from such targeted unrest. Although it has frequently been overlooked it is important to acknowledge that to the extent that seduction may be involved in the development of a homosexual orientation its source may often be peer-based rather than enticement by homosexual adults.

This analysis of homosexuality has a number of implications. If homosexuality is a byproduct of selection for optimal heterosexual strategies, then it would follow that homosexuals are not sick, perverted, or deranged. Nor would homosexuality be a consequence of gender-identity problems, genetically based homosexual predispositions, hormonal imbalances, or altered brain chemistry. Indeed, parents would no longer have to bear a burden of guilt, responsibility, or even shame for an offspring’s homosexual inclinations if this approach is correct.

Should parents, on the other hand, be concerned about minimizing the chances that their offspring might become homosexual, effective action would require minimizing the likelihood of heterosexual conflict during adolescence. In males, this might take the form of providing greater access to heterosexual opportunities (e.g., legalized prostitution). For females, however, the solution is not as simple, since the problem is one of dissatisfaction rather than frustration as a consequence of inadequate opportunities. Perhaps early education about the source and significance of sexuality and reproduction in the context of evolution, as well as the reasons for the gender differences in optimal heterosexual strategies, might prove to be an effective way of dealing with the development of sexual orientation in females."

--- Unique Features of Human Sexuality in the Context of Evolution / Gordon G. Gallup (in Alternative approaches to the study of sexual behavior, ed. Donn Erwin Byrne, Kathryn Kelley)

Also interesting: menstruation starts when you have 17% body fat, and ovulation at 26%, which is why fat girls start bleeding earlier.

And:

"Indeed, the role of female choice may very well be a deciding factor in dictating a variety evolutionary change. In many respects males are nothing but an evolutionary experiment being run by females. Except for providing a complimentary set of gametes the male’s role in reproduction is frequently negligible. Therefore, although females are in effect calling the shots when it comes to evolution, it is important to recognize that this cuts both ways. If there are male traits that some females find objectionable (e.g., domineering) they have no one to blame but themselves and their female predecessors."


Naturally, anticipating protests, he included this lengthy epilogue:

"Some readers no doubt will have taken exception to a variety of points made in this chapter; and that is fine. But bear in mind that the tenability of any interpretation is a function of the degree to which it is consistent with current information, the extent to which it integrates existing data, and whether it has testable implications. Whether you feel comfortable with an interpretation is irrelevant. For most psychologists, thinking in evolutionary terms requires a dramatic change in set, as many of us have been taught to emphasize environmental influences to the exclusion of practically anything else. The ostensible advantage of an environmental approach is that it creates the impression of being able to affect change, particularly when it applies to social and psychological ills. The environment and society is often construed as a convenient scapegoat and a means of avoiding responsibility.

The emphasis in this chapter has been on gender differences in sexuality that are a reflection of our evolutionary heritage, not environmental or cultural influences, Although much of what was said in this chapter about the sexual agendas of males and females may not seem “fair,” it is important to realize that evolution does not operate according to preconceived notions of human dignity. equality, or affirmative action. Nor does evolution work to promote human happiness. It serves to propogate (sic) the species, and particularly among mammals the female’s role, like it or not, is much different than that of the male. These are differences over which we have no control and for which we need not apologize. To rationalize or even to deny such differences is another matter, but that does not change basic human biology. Regardless of whether you are male or female, straight or gay, flat chested, or unattractive, you can spend the rest of your life attempting to buck biology and protesting your unfortunate lot in life, but that will not change the ultimate reasons for these differences, or, for that matter, the rationale for your existence. Differences do not necessarily mean better or worse, equal or unequal, fair or unfair, they are merely facts of our biological heritage. Economically, socially, and politically you might be able to do something about your lot in life, but sexually the gender differences are irrevocably fixed."

Ice cream company fetes gay marriage

"Ben & Jerry's is temporarily renaming popular "Chubby Hubby" ice cream "Hubby Hubby" beginning today to celebrate the start of legalized gay marriage in its home state of Vermont.

"The legalization of marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Vermont is certainly a step in the right direction, and something worth celebrating with peace, love - and plenty of ice cream," Ben & Jerry's CEO Walt Freese said in announcing the sugary switch.

Ben & Jerry's, which has long backed liberal causes, plans to rebrand "Chubby Hubby" as "Hubby Hubby" for 30 days to show support for Vermont's new law.

The move is mostly symbolic, as Burlington-based Ben & Jerry's isn't changing labels on "Chubby Hubby" pints sold in stores.

Spokesman Sean Greenwood said revising product labels takes 18 months, although he said Ben & Jerry's hasn't ruled out retailing "Hubby Hubby" in the future."


Unfortunately, I don't think "Hubby Hubby" will be coming to Singapore, as it will be banned for promoting homosexuality. A pity too that it won't come on pints - I want to buy a tub, it's so cute!

I wonder how big the demographic of Christians who'll boycott BJ from now on is.


Addendum:

"I don't even know why BJ would come up with such an ice cream. What is their target audience anyway? We all know gay men don't eat carbs."

Happy World War II day!

On the popular idea that actions speak louder than words:

"I consider the person who speaks out far better and more courageous than the person who rather not speak out because of a misguided opinion that action speaks louder than words. Changing the opinions of others is in itself a noble act, and who knows the magnitude of actions that a speech can result in?"

Marx was the biggest whiner in history, and his grumbling didn't change anything.

"There are no whole truths; all truths are half- truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil." - Alfred North Whitehead

***

On boiling tap water in Singapore:


A: My 2 cents: why boiling when very good filters are available? I do have one installed in my kitchen and change the filter every 2 years (and give it a scrub every 6 months). Simple and no energy consumption.


Me: Why filter?

Actually you need to treat dirty water in 3 days:

- filtering (to remove the particulates)
- boiling/chlorination (to kill the microorganisms)
- chemical treatment (to get rid of poisonous chemicals like mercury)

Naturally, in Singapore all 3 processes are taken care of by the PUB, so any further action on our part is just paranoia


B: Well said, Gabriel.

I think boiling water and filtering are just superstitious acts, or unuseful memes.

The difference being that the latter brings much profit to many people, so it's being pushed onto the populace much more aggressively.

I've done some searching on why people:

a) boil water --- to remove chlorine and floride

b) filter --- to remove the dead carcasses of bacteria (?!)
--- filters become dirty (green scum) after some time, "proving" that tap water is indeed dirty.


Me: Err, bacteria are not that big. You'd need filters with really tiny pores indeed - and I doubt most filters on the market are this good (not only is it expensive, it takes very long to filter with tiny pores)

Boiling can remove chlorine, but not fluoride:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00375.htm

"If your intent is to rid the water of chlorine, boiling the water would accomplish that. Gases are less soluble in hot water and more soluble when the water is cold. That's why I am having difficulty understanding the thrust of your question.

Regarding fluoride: There is nothing you can do the alter the presence of
fluoride in water because, unlike chlorine (a gas), fluoride is an ion that
cannot be driven off by boiling or any ordinary in-home process."


C: i suspect the "green scum" on the filters grows there from the bateria in your kitchen rather than in the water......


B: That was what I thought was the reason for the green scum too. Ironically, the people who install filters would now be drinking algae tea as a result of their filters.


D: Can people really taste chlorine in tapwater? Scum in water filters is due to the ideal environment - warmth +water - for microorganisms, algae to thrive and you dont even need the filters to be attached to taps to see this happen.

Some people are attached to the flat taste of boiled water just as many of my german friends like carbonated water. Personal idiosyncracies, that's all.


E: Even unuseful memes can be technologically upgraded.

I did some camera work for the launch of a filterless water filter some time ago, at the ballroom of Carlton Hotel, I think. It was packed with suckers lining up to buy the contraption that claims to clear up acne, extend lifespan, what have you. This is accomplished by shooting a "laser beam" into the water, enhancing the molecules or
whatever. Over a thousand dollars, if memory serves me.

The testimonies were a particular treat. 2 GPs also attested to the miracle machine.


Me: People seem to think that what doctors say, especially about health matters, is automatically correct. But then some doctors think the world is <10,000 years old.

How they'd resolve disagreements between 2 doctors, I do not know...


Addendum:

"Simply bringing the water to 100 degrees and then cooling it down will INCREASE the number of bad particles, as germs multiply quicker in lukewarm water than the water you get directly from the tap."

The second-best part of Team America: World Police:


"Being a dick ain't so bad. See, there are three kinds of people: Dicks, pussies and assholes.

Pussies think everyone can get along and dicks just wanna fuck all the time without thinking it through. But then you got your assholes, Chuck, and all the assholes want is to shit all over everything.

So pussies may get mad at dicks once in a while because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes, Chuck.

And if they didn't fuck the assholes, you know what you'd get? You'd get your dick and your pussy all covered in shit."

"I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life." - George Burns

***

Deceptive Deceptions



"Was Princess Diana really killed in the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster? Is the Loch Ness Monster actually a descendent of Jesus's Magic Dog? Did the Twin Towers really ever exist?

The clues are everywhere, if one chooses to make stabs in the darkness.

Who *are* the shadowy elite that tell the lies which the rest of humanity believes? They are more powerful than the government. Than even the Freemasons and the Illuminati.

Their all-seeing eye watches you with your technology - from your money, and your reflective surfaces. It is these eyes whom the late Tupac Shakur refers to in the title of his album, "all eyez on me".

He caught their attention when he sang the words, "Vice President Quayle... Eat a Dick Up."

Three years later, he was murdered. But not before appearing in the 1991 film "Nothing But Trouble" with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. The same Dan Aykroyd who starred in Candy Shack II with Jackie Mason. Mason. Freemason...

Adolf Hitler. A cyberganic demon created by the same Nazi Scientists who were later behind to form the fake agency called NASA, which was necessary to keep the public believing that space travel was something new.

When non-Freemason president John F. Kennedy declared that we should put a man on the moon within 9 years, he unknowingly enraged the powerful league, prompting his own Tupac-esque assassination, later explored in the film JFK. Which also featured - John Candy"

Legal case against God dismissed - "A US judge has thrown out a case against God, ruling that because the defendant has no address, legal papers cannot be served... The court, Mr Chambers said, had acknowledged the existence of God and "a consequence of that acknowledgement is a recognition of God's omniscience". "Since God knows everything," he reasoned, "God has notice of this lawsuit." Mr Chambers, a state senator for 38 years, said he filed the suit to make the point that "anyone can sue anyone else, even God"."

The True Meaning Of An ACS Boy [JayWalk] - "Ang moh buay pai.
Ch1nese buay sai.
Sian char bor sibeh li hai!"

Backpacker Boner | Awkward Boners - "When you’re a backpacker, you sometimes don’t have a choice but to sleep in public. The biggest drawback? Your morning wood is seen by everyone in town."

An analysis of the UBS study (Part 1): Singapore has the lowest wages and domestic purchasing power among the Asian Tigers - "Singapore has a GDP (PPP) per capita higher than Switzerland, but our wages are way below the Swiss... The net wages used have been deducted for taxes and social security. Zurich and Geneva have wage indices (gross) of 119.8 and 107.5 respectively. In contrast, Singapore has a wage index of only 31.3, comparable with Moscow (30.9), Tallinn (28.7) and Johannesburg (26.7). In the Asia-Pacific region, it is exceeded by Tokyo (83.0), Sydney (74.1), Auckland (44.1), Hong Kong (42.3), Taipei (35.5) and Seoul (32.3)... though the cost of living is higher in Tokyo, the average Japanese has a domestic purchasing power more than twice that of an average Singaporean... Singaporeans also took the least number of holidays after Hong Kongers (10 days/year)... Like Singapore, the Russians has a low wage and domestic purchasing power and Russia, especially the city of Moscow, has one of the highest cost of living in the world."
A Russian standard of living!

FRBSF: Economic Letter - Does Singapore Invest Too Much? (5/15/97) - "Of all the world's nations, Singapore seems to be a prime candidate for excess saving and investment. Singapore's saving and investment rates are the highest in the world, and much of this saving and investment is mandated by the government. I find that we cannot rule out the possibility that Singapore invests too much."

No Black Eyed Peas for Muslims, Says Malaysia - "Malaysia’s government has barred Muslims from a concert by US hip-hop stars the Black Eyed Peas next month because the event is organized by Irish beer giant Guinness, an official said on Thursday."
Malaysia Boleh!

The reason some girls stay single - very funny! - "The story is this: a girl was out with friends having drinks on King St (in Toronto ). This guy approaches her and won't leave her alone -saying how cute she is. She finally gives in and hands the guy her business card to get rid of him.
The attached is an MP3 file of not one, but TWO voicemails this guy left. This goes down in the history books - especially the second voice mail.
After hearing them you can clearly see why she didn't call him back - instead she called in to the Z103.5 morning show & had them play this on the air."

"The more I study religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself." - Sir Richard Francis Burton

***

Someone else: some girls humsup also what

i got such friends
always telling me their libido is like a man's

Me: but they prob hooked already

as a good economist I believe markets tend to clear

Someone else: they're always hooked up, somehow
just degree of formality

Me: yah as I say markets tend to clear :P


Someone: are people like you, eisen, christel rare in nus fass
or common

i have a feeling that my sample here is a bit biased
haha

Me: are we rare in SMU? :)

Someone: people like you guys .. SUPER RARE in smu

smu guys i think only care abt... beer, gym, gpa, investment banking/anything finance
or like, 101 sports

or basically just the whiny sorts

Me: apparently a few years ago (when I was in year 1-2) it was different
and SMU people were quite cool

Someone: YEAH
the cool people have graduated

Me: how about SMU girls?

Someone: some are not bad
i'm very possibly biased of course

Me: hurr hurr

Someone: but the cool ones have graduated too of course
got some left la

i think nus girls >> smu girls

Me: why
a lot of NUS girls are SACSALs (Shrill, Anorexic, Chinese-Speaking Ah Lians)

I notice you didn't say what most SMU girls were like

Someone: har
at least they are... more real?

haha

the wannabes here are often arrogant and pretentious


Someone else: taiwan was quite fun lah
except the freezing at night part

Me: haha
got warm clothes right

Someone else: dont have
the gortex is a stupid raincoat

Me: raincoat wont keep you warm leh

Someone else: it didnt
thats why we were all cursing at night

the navigation exercise, that is

but overall, army is still crap
so.

Me: abuse of soldiers leh

Someone else: yeah
its sispec

Me: suffer in silence etc

Someone else: they reason like: u are trainees, lowest lifeforms, etc etc etc

Me: someone should get hypothermia
call safety hotline!

Someone else: then they'll say he pussy, gu niang, weak

Me: my senior medic tried those lines on me when I collapsed during route march and started crying and pounding the ground in front of the whole battalion

but that didn't work ^^;;

Someone else: hahaha
not everyone is like u then

the power of de-masculined embarrassment is too huge for many to bear.

Me: I do not adhere to archaic norms of proper (gender) behavior


Someone: hais
i think i shd be able to get a free phone from singtel

Me: wah
where you get the lobang
you know a grid girl ah

Someone: my plan over liao
renew then can get free food right

Me: free food?
are you hungry?

Someone: HAHA omg


Me: oh that's your threadless tee
oh la la

XMM: LOL
yes yes threadless

i love my ooh lala

wait what ooh lala
omg gabriel seah NOT THAT ooh lala

Me: :P

XMM: see la
how can i dare to meet u

i rather meet mr wet
AAHAHA

Me: yah he has nicer hair than me


Someone on "Just having sex with a prostitute is of no interest to anyone and costs only about three dollars": 3 dollars, no way

either you play the game, and get it for free
"free"

or you do it properly and depending on where she's from it ranges from about 50? upwards

Me: “free" = pick chicks up?

Someone: yes, but it's different from picking chicks up in
singapore, i'd imagine
there're places which formalize the process and charge a brokerage fee
of course you could do it the old fashioned way

Me: har?!
aiyah that's just prostitution lah

or they send girls to you. who may not want to bed you

Someone: no, it's not
no, girls get in too

it's not prostitution, not exactly
but where do you draw the line, right?

Me: aiyah so it's like adultfriendfinder

Someone: i guess
but it's done japanese style, very discrete

Me: you may not want to bed each other

yeah
hee hee

so if you dont want to bed each other, how?
and since there'll be more guys than girls, how?

Someone: don't want then go to staff and say it didn't work out

more guys than girls, i don't think so
supply tends to meet demand

Me: got meh
I don't see how it will. unless the girls are paid

Someone: thyere're both kinds

Me: ok. cos universally
men want sex more than women

oh wait. japan is weird
haha

a lot of men rather use an onacup

anyway usually the way demand is met:
- women are paid directly
- women are paid indirectly (e.g. drinks)
- the women are old, fat, ugly etc (look at adultfriendfinder)
- the men are very eligible (the average gigolo is hotter than the average prostitute)

...

Someone: too many china in those places

Me: hahahahahaha
why would prcs want to use those services?
to ask for payment (indirect)?

Someone: paid kind

Me: there you have it!
this is how supply meets demand


Someone else: gay and lesbian markets are like on 2 extremes
its like gay -- hetero -- lesbian

i'm not so zai to convert ppl gay, tho i've done it once i think
for a short while

i really wanna enroll into the ex-gay workshop at CooS [Ed: Church of Our Savior]

Me: oh but girls are more open to lesbian sex than guys

why you want to enrol? can prey on them? HAHAHAHAH

Someone else: oh that's a good one
and i'm trying not to laugh in class

Me: anyay I think it's mostly gays

Someone else: yar women are a lot
more bi than guys are


Someone: goodness, did i ever tell you the experience of taking a class on american politics in berkeley?

I was sitting in a class with a bunch (and I mean a big bunch) of liberals. and because it was a quasi linguistics class and it was election period, the prof basically used the class as his think tank. the scariest thing was that the class was almost too happy to lap up that job so that mr obama can be throned.

Me: Think tank? And how does that relate to linguistics?

Someone: well it was all about "phrasing" and appropriate use of metaphors and words that will serve the progressive course. well, hard to say cos I'm quite liberal too. its just that it was too anti-republican.


Someone else: Judging by the number of people complaining about going back to work on Facebook, I think I am super lucky I love my work.

Me: As a good economist, I believe markets tend to clear

Someone else: meaning...?

Me: Where people love their work, as in writing or advertising, they tend to be paid less and worked harder. Since people love the work, employers can afford to do so.

Where people dislike their work, they have to be paid more to do it.

There're anomalies, of course, but it's usually because someone has some unique talent. Or luck =D

Someone else: Ah yes, that's very true.

Coco avant Chanel (Coco before Chanel)

While queuing for tickets for "Coco avant Chanel" (Coco before Chanel) at VivoCity, I noticed the obligatory lines in the trailer:

"One man opened her mind
One man opened her heart"

I thought the next line was going to be:

"One man opened her legs"

After watching the movie, I realise the last line should instead be:

"Both men opened her legs"


Addendum:

"Un homme a ouvert son esprit. Un homme a ouvert son cœur. Les deux hommes ont ouvert ses jambes"

Addendum 2:

The second line is actually: "One man opened her eyes" ("Un homme a ouvert ses yeux")

"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France

***

Singaporeans who visit or live in Developed Countries love to complain that things there are very expensive compared to the Fatherland.

Here's a list of things cheaper in the UK than in Singapore, according to my sister:

Toiletries
Shower Gel
Original Source toiletries (1 pound)

Food
All dairy products
Frozen pizza
Good Ice Cream (i.e. no palm oil)
Chicken parts other than Breast
Belly pork
Pig's trotters
Bacon
Liver (in general)
Lamb
Champignons (mushrooms)
Good tomatoes (i.e. ripe ones)
Salad other than iceberg lettuce
Cream cheese
All alcohol
Sparkling mineral water
Fruit juice (slightly)
Good quality sausages/ham (i.e. not chicken feather sausages [aka 'hot dogs'] or picnic ham)
Kualiti chocolate
Advocados
Wraps
Olive oil
Nice biscuits (i.e. no palm oil)
Processed potato products (e.g. fries)
Generic soft drinks (i.e. Colas other than Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola)
Flour
Pastry shells
Frozen pastry
Good orange juice
Coffee beans for espresso
Nice tea
Orangina
Perrier

Others
Cars
State education
Going to the GP
Major museums (they are free)
Books

3 random pictures that have been sitting on my desktop:


A man and his bear in harmony with nature


"First Rule of Japanese Porn: As cuteness increases so does the likelihood of being horribly, HORRIBLY raped.......by giant tentacles"


And a NSFW one:


What to do when you don't fit your deck chair and you just want to tan your back (this is not photoshopped)

Translation from a Lithuanian:

"DILL AND RADISH STOLEN

An emergency call was received from Dūseikiai village resident R. M. (born in 1955). A woman reported that all dill and raddishes were pulled out and taken from her greenhouse. Thieves damaged citizen‘s interests for 5 litas [approx. 2 dollars]."