Weekend roundup...

What's the silliest news this past week? There's no catfight needed over this one... that bewhiskered Hello Kitty is not a cat but a girl. Ho-hum.

I considered not putting this item in my blog. But these Singaporeans' reactions changed my mind:

Everyone's gone nuts! Even the distributor of the Peanuts comic strip had to step in to clarify a certain matter of great import...

A certain fried chicken company felt compelled to do so too...

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Come to think of it, many years ago when I was a young journalist, I recall receiving a clarification from the people behind local mascot Sharity the Elephant:

I had referred to Sharity as a female. No, no, I was corrected: Sharity is a male. Okay. For the record, this is the official profile of Sharity:

“Once upon a time, there was a little pink elephant called Sharity. He was kind and loving. But Sharity was very unhappy as he was often bullied by his peers because he was the only pink elephant. His parents took him away in search of a new home. They managed to find Sharityland, a land of caring and sharing, where Sharity was accepted by everyone there. Whenever Sharity was happy, his heart grew and lifted him high into the blue sky…”

If you don't want to get all mixed up on Singapore's mascots, the Remember Singapore blogsite has this helpful piece:

Singapore's Favourite Mascots... How Many Do You Remember?

http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/singapores-favourite-mascots/
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Headline that brightens up the day!

SunTimes, Aug 31

Very classy, very good! (Note: The fans refer to Man U players as the Red Devils).
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Love this pic (posted by Judith on Facebook)...

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Remember this poster?...

A Straits Times excerpt (Aug 30) of a book by former Singapore High Commissioner (Ambassador) to Malaysia Maurice Baker recounted an "international incident" with Malaysia in 1970 that was sparked by this very, very silly policy of the Singapore government:

Well, the long-haired Malaysians were arrested and locked up and released the next day when the bumbling cops realised the trio were telling the truth. But the political damage had been done, and Malaysian students were calling for a demonstration at the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur:

Also, I am impressed that The Straits Times of that era dared to write an editorial such as the one below:

Have we learnt any lessons from such overzealous, high-handed  and misplaced policies? I can think of the recent brouhaha over the And Tango Makes Three affair. Sigh.
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Finally, here's one more health tip!
(posted by Irene on Facebook)

More tips...

Let's start with the banana-related ones!...

As for this last one below, it may well be true, but you might end up with tooth decay which then leads to more marshmallows to relieve the toothaches which then leads to...

Trivia and tips...

I'm a sucker for trivia (mostly useless) and tips (mostly useful)...

Impetigo? I needed to know what that is! If you -- especially if you have young children -- are just as curious, check out this link:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/impetigo.html

I was told that if you wrap a banana's top in aluminium foil, it keeps the fruit from ripening too soon. Seems to work!

Finally, this blog below lists a number of tips which it claims are "very useful" (bananas seem to be a favourite item):

http://gossiptool.blogspot.sg/2012/10/very-useful-tips-for-everyone.html

Going driverless, and other technological 'marvels'...

This was the exciting news in the newspapers (Aug 28) about Singapore embarking on a bold technological journey!...

TODAY

ST

Now that there won't be any "driver at the wheel", I guess this joke will now be passe...

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Still on technology becoming ever more pervasive, there was this ST article today (Aug 28):

However, it may be wise to also embrace technology "paywave" with some fear, if this YouTube video -- about how easily your credit card information can be skimmed nowadays -- is to be believed (caveat: I do not know if the product featured works as advertised)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB-LH7623yI

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I had poured cold water on an earlier story about a Chinese technological breakthrough: supersonic submarines. ST's report today (Aug 28) validates my scepticism:

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I had wondered how ISIS, which is by no means a technological juggernaut, was funded. I am glad ST has this report (Aug 27):

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Finally, this graphic is in the category of "a picture says a thousand words". No technological hype needed... just the ability to convey an idea simply...