:: S-I-C it ::

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Sex in Space

Finally this issue has cropped up. Can they do, have they done it, were questions asked before; now it is rather will they be allowed to do it? According to this article in the Independent, in WW1, frontline troops who were away from their loved ones for long periods had bromide put into their tea to reduce their libidos. Now that a trip to Mars is being considered it was suggested that such measures might have to be considered once again. For a trip to Mars would take up to 3 years, 6 months to get there, then a period of 2 years to wait on Mars for the Earth to come back into alignment again for the 6 month trip back. Plenty can happen for plans to send a mission of 6 astronauts are likely to include two women on such a trip. The 3-year-period is sufficient for a baby or two or even three to be conceived and born in outer space.
This issue was addressed recently by Dr Rachel Armstrong, who spoke at a British Interplanetary Society symposium on the Human Future and Space. She said the US space agency Nasa was considering how to deal with the natural urges of astronauts travelling on long journeys. She went on to say that Nasa is talking about the chemical sterilisation of astronauts on long journeys. NASA has in turn denied that this issue is being discused but other scientists believe it is a topic that should be dealt with head-on. According to Douglas Powell, a psychology professor at Harvard University who was recruited in 1999 by Nasa to investigate the behavioural needs of long-term space trips, "Like anywhere, these are normal healthy people in their prime and they are sexually active so they are going to get involved with each other. So what's going to happen in space? It's a serious question and it needs to be confronted."
The Independent article carried various suggestions on how to tackle the issue. This one sounds 'great' :: "Crew the mission with astronauts over 50," are they saying that SEX stops at 50. The last time i posed this question, "When does one stop having sex?" to a grandma of 75, her answer was :: "Personally, i don't know when."
Those who are wondering if it can be done in outer space, the answer is yes, as no physical problems would arise, the presence or absence of gravity doesn't affect body mechanics as far as the act is concerned. Has any astronauts become members of the 200-mile-high club? Don't be lazy, go read the article yourself, here.
Apart from just sex and the hormonal urges associated, the astronauts on such long trips have to deal with the psychological strains and interpersonal relationship and behaviour. Aren't they also problems we all face on Mother Earth.

| ¶ 4/29/2004 05:06:00 PM

Miracle Slimming Creams Work!

Finally, ladies there is independent confirmation that those creams you have been rubbing over those cellutile parts really, really work. See this report by Alex Duval Smith in the Independent.co.uk.

A French test involving the thighs of 200 women has found that what say in the adverts is true: "miracle" slimming creams do reduce cellulite. The best of 10 slimming creams - L'Oréal's PerfectSlim and Elancyl's Chrono Active, which are among the cheapest on the market - reduced the circumference of women's thighs by up to two centimetres in two weeks. The results of the test were published by the French Consumers' Association. Do watch out for results of the CAP test soon.

The ten creams tested (i belive in no particular order of significance) are ::

Clarins Body Lift Contour Control: High quality cosmetic, non allergic, easy to apply.
L'Oreal PerfectSlim: Good slimming lotion, pleasant, easy to apply and comfortable.
Elancyl Chrono-Actif: High slimming qualities. Failed on packaging.
Christian Dior Bikini Anti Cellulite: Good slimming qualities, easily absorbed.
Lineance Heat Slimming: Effective but the heaty effect is considered unpleasant.
Biotherm Celluli-Choc
Vichy D-Stock Gel cream
Lierac Body Lift 10
Yves Rocher Spa Énergie végétal minceur
Oenobiol Lipo Reduction Gel

| ¶ 4/29/2004 12:16:00 PM

Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Wooden computers offer 'greener' desktop

Around 45 million new personal computer systems were bought in 2002-03 in the United States alone, many of which will end up in landfills. There is growing concern that the plastic skeletons are stacking up, and that toxic materials in their casings, chips and displays are leaching into the environment.

Standard plastic computer casings contain chemicals called brominated flame retardants, added to improve fire safety. Once in the environment, the cancer-causing chemicals are thought to accumulate in animal and human tissues.

To prevent this, a company Swedx are making computer screens, keyboards and mice encased in timber. See these wooden versions here.

These wooden computers are unlikely to be an environmental panacea. Discarded machines contain other pollutants including lead in the monitor's cathode ray tubes and heavy metals such as cadmium in microchips, but it is a start. One drawback is that the cost goes up 30%.

Check out this site :: Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition for more on high-tech toxic wastes.

| ¶ 4/20/2004 12:09:00 AM

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Another Teeny Fish in the Net

Another teeny fish has been caught in the anticorruption net of the ACA. This time it is about 'money politics' in UMNO. Bernama reports that the Tapah Umno division chairman Datuk Azman Mahalan pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to two counts of bribery involving RM7,000.

Datuk Azman is alleged to have given the bribes of RM2000 and RM5000 to businessman Mohamed Kamal Rabaai in 2001 in relation to the election of the Tapah Umno division chairman's post then. The bribes were allegedly given so that one, Pazli Abdullah Sani, who was a bankrupt then, could not challenge Datuk Azman in the UMNO election.

Azman, a former teacher, has been the Tapah Umno division chairman since 1984 and was Ayer Kuning state assemblyman from 1986 until his last-minute drop from the 11th general election. Probably by then the fact that is number was up must have been known.

Despite being a public interest case and the fact that the accused would like his name cleared as soon as possible; the date for his trial has been fixed Dec 13th to 17th, ie some 8 months away. The reason given by the senior deputy public prosecutor, Tun Abdul Majid was that he had to be present for the corruption trials of former Perwaja managing director Tan Sri Eric Chia and former land and cooperative development minister Tan Sri Kasitah Gaddam and the hearing of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's appeal, which had all been fixed earlier. The question that goes abegging is why such a big gun senior deputy prosecutor is needed to handle this case which involves a teeny fish? Is it because it is a sandiwara? Is it because certain situations need special prosecuting skills? Or is it simply because this is the first case involving money politics brought to court in Perak?

| ¶ 4/14/2004 04:22:00 PM

Monday, April 05, 2004

EPF GETS CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH

Bernama has reported and so has PRWire.

EPF must have made some good investments finally, instead of just bailing out cronies.
EPF has had a windfall and so have we.
Our EPF contributions are safe.
We can expect better EPF dividends.
Our retirement years will be rosier and more secure, thank you EPF.

All of the above?
None of the above?
To find out, see this and this.

Isn't it a few days late?

| ¶ 4/05/2004 10:50:00 PM

Thursday, April 01, 2004

The Reader's Digest Honesty Survey

The results of the Reader's Digest Honesty Survey were revealed recently. This survey involved about 1,800 respondents aged 18 and above in 9 Asian countries :: Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The Star in its report headlined :: Survey : M'sians are an honest lot. The Star has given the results a Boleh Land spin. What the survey really had to say was that Malaysians are 'honest' about their 'dishonesty'; as Malaysians chose the "honest" way in dealing with 7 of the 10 dilemma questions posed.

The Straits Times reported under this headline :: S'poreans will tell pals if spouses cheat. The kiasu Singaporean will tell his best friend if he saw the man's wife having a romantic dinner with a stranger, but has no reservations about using pirated software or evading tax, if he thinks he can get away with it.

If you want to read about the questions asked in the survey and the results, go to this link, you'll need Acrobat Reader to read though.

| ¶ 4/01/2004 12:06:00 PM

The Funnies, The Spins, The Humourous and The Humourless......
"I do not aim at fusion. Each religion has its own contribution to make to human evolution. I regard the great faiths of the WORLD as so many branches of a tree, each distinct from the other though having the same source.----Mahatma Ghandhi.

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