BIENTHUY (LTS)'s blog

Condom lubricant cures acne

BIENTHUY — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:31:12 UT

A condom lubricant designed for sex workers and gay men has become a popular acne cure among female Cambodians, women in the capital have said.
Number One Plus, a water-based lubricant produced by health organisation Population Services International (PSI), is an excellent cure for acne, 29-year-old vendor Tep Kemyoeurn told news agencies.

"After I used it for three days, all of my acne dried up and went away," she said. "Many people believe in it," she added.

Khen Vanny, 29, from Phnom Penh, said women of all ages have taken to using the lubricant to get rid of spots.

"It is very effective. Some people don't believe in it but people who do really get a good result," she said, adding: "My youngest sister and my aunt use it too."

Another woman told Khmer-language Kampuchea Thmey newspaper that she had used many kinds of medicine to treat acne but none had worked.

"After that my friends, who work at garment factories in Phnom Penh, advised me to apply the lubricant from Number One Plus condoms on my face every night," she told the paper.

"And just within three to four nights, the acne on my face gradually and then totally disappeared," she added.

A vendor near a factory in the coastal city of Sihanoukville told the newspaper that she sold packets of Number One Plus lubricant for 500 riels (12 cents) to many women every day.

The paper urged experts to conduct research about the phenomenon.

PSI were not immediately available for comment on the apparent cosmetic benefits of their product.

Condom lubricant cures acne

BIENTHUY — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:28:39 UT

Japanese Bureaucrat Demoted for 780,000 Por Hits

BIENTHUY — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:54:55 UT

A Japanese council employee saw 780,000 porn websites in 9 months - or one every thirty seconds all day and all night!

You've got to hand it to him - if he had worked as hard at his job as he did at surfing for pornography, this Japanese worker would be employee of the month, every month. The unnamed council employee in the city of Kinokawa, southern Japan, has been punished for accessing hardcore porn websites an astonishing 780,000 times in just nine months.

At his frenzied peak last July, the 57-year-old man was loading as many as 10,000 pages a day - more than one every three seconds of his working week. It seems unlikely that he got much else done in his time at the office.

However, receiving leniency that might not be evident in a British workplace, he has not been fired from his job, according to the BBC. Instead he has had to accept a pay cut of 20,000 yen (£80) a month and been demoted.

Embarrassingly for his employers, his antics were only remarked upon when his computer became infected with a virus and IT support looked at his web-browser history. His lack of productivity for the preceding nine months had gone entirely unnoticed.

A Kinokawa council official, explaining why no-one had spotted his misdemeanours, said that each employee's desk was set apart from the others.

Grains Gone Wild

BIENTHUY — Sun, 04 May 2008 11:48:12 UT

These days you hear a lot about the world financial crisis. But there’s another world crisis under way — and it’s hurting a lot more people.

I’m talking about the food crisis. Over the past few years the prices of wheat, corn, rice and other basic foodstuffs have doubled or tripled, with much of the increase taking place just in the last few months. High food prices dismay even relatively well-off Americans — but they’re truly devastating in poor countries, where food often accounts for more than half a family’s spending.

There have already been food riots around the world. Food-supplying countries, from Ukraine to Argentina, have been limiting exports in an attempt to protect domestic consumers, leading to angry protests from farmers — and making things even worse in countries that need to import food.

How did this happen? The answer is a combination of long-term trends, bad luck — and bad policy.

Let’s start with the things that aren’t anyone’s fault.

First, there’s the march of the meat-eating Chinese — that is, the growing number of people in emerging economies who are, for the first time, rich enough to start eating like Westerners. Since it takes about 700 calories’ worth of animal feed to produce a 100-calorie piece of beef, this change in diet increases the overall demand for grains.

Second, there’s the price of oil. Modern farming is highly energy-intensive: a lot of B.T.U.’s go into producing fertilizer, running tractors and, not least, transporting farm products to consumers. With oil persistently above $100 per barrel, energy costs have become a major factor driving up agricultural costs.

High oil prices, by the way, also have a lot to do with the growth of China and other emerging economies. Directly and indirectly, these rising economic powers are competing with the rest of us for scarce resources, including oil and farmland, driving up prices for raw materials of all sorts.

Third, there has been a run of bad weather in key growing areas. In particular, Australia, normally the world’s second-largest wheat exporter, has been suffering from an epic drought.

O.K., I said that these factors behind the food crisis aren’t anyone’s fault, but that’s not quite true. The rise of China and other emerging economies is the main force driving oil prices, but the invasion of Iraq — which proponents promised would lead to cheap oil — has also reduced oil supplies below what they would have been otherwise.

And bad weather, especially the Australian drought, is probably related to climate change. So politicians and governments that have stood in the way of action on greenhouse gases bear some responsibility for food shortages.

Where the effects of bad policy are clearest, however, is in the rise of demon ethanol and other biofuels.

The subsidized conversion of crops into fuel was supposed to promote energy independence and help limit global warming. But this promise was, as Time magazine bluntly put it, a “scam.”

This is especially true of corn ethanol: even on optimistic estimates, producing a gallon of ethanol from corn uses most of the energy the gallon contains. But it turns out that even seemingly “good” biofuel policies, like Brazil’s use of ethanol from sugar cane, accelerate the pace of climate change by promoting deforestation.

And meanwhile, land used to grow biofuel feedstock is land not available to grow food, so subsidies to biofuels are a major factor in the food crisis. You might put it this way: people are starving in Africa so that American politicians can court votes in farm states.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering: all the remaining presidential contenders are terrible on this issue.

One more thing: one reason the food crisis has gotten so severe, so fast, is that major players in the grain market grew complacent.

Governments and private grain dealers used to hold large inventories in normal times, just in case a bad harvest created a sudden shortage. Over the years, however, these precautionary inventories were allowed to shrink, mainly because everyone came to believe that countries suffering crop failures could always import the food they needed.

This left the world food balance highly vulnerable to a crisis affecting many countries at once — in much the same way that the marketing of complex financial securities, which was supposed to diversify away risk, left world financial markets highly vulnerable to a systemwide shock.

What should be done? The most immediate need is more aid to people in distress: the U.N.’s World Food Program put out a desperate appeal for more funds.

We also need a pushback against biofuels, which turn out to have been a terrible mistake.

But it’s not clear how much can be done. Cheap food, like cheap oil, may be a thing of the past.

Cross culture communication without words

BIENTHUY — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:29:00 UT

I was watching one of my regular talk shows last night and they had a story about a Thai lady and Swedish man who met on the internet. They chatted online and emailed each other photos. But they never spoke to each other, only chat and email. This went on for several months until they both felt like they might have a serious relationship. So the man came to Thailand to meet the lady. They were both attracted right away and quickly decided to get married. Yet, they still have not spoken a single word to each other. Can you guess why?
They are both deaf.
The story was very cute about how they both reacted when they first saw each other at the airport. Neither can speak, but they often write notes to communicate with people who don't know how to sign. When the lady first saw the man she quickly scribbled a note for her friend that said lor mak (very handsome). They showed the man on TV. I would not say he was handsome but he looked ok and was not really out of shape or really old. But to her he was very good looking. And his feelings about her were similar. And they seemed so sincere and earnest in trying to really understand and communicate with each other.
I might have missed some parts of the story while I was channel surfing, because I am still wondering if (they can use sign language to communicate. I actually learned a little bit of American sign language when I lived in America so it has me wondering. How much different are American and Thai sign language? The signs for letters of the alphabet would be different, of course. But most communication uses signs for things and you only spell out words you don't know the sign for. For example I am wondering if the sign for "pretty" is the same in Thai and American sign language. Funny, I know (or knew) a little American sign language but nothing about Thai sign language.
Welcome. Coffee's my drink. Buy me a cup. Thanks a latte!)

Cross culture communication without words

BIENTHUY — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:18:59 UT

I was watching one of my regular talk shows last night and they had a story about a Thai lady and Swedish man who met on the internet. They chatted online and emailed each other photos. But they never spoke to each other, only chat and email. This went on for several months until they both felt like they might have a serious relationship. So the man came to Thailand to meet the lady. They were both attracted right away and quickly decided to get married. Yet, they still have not spoken a single word to each other. Can you guess why?

They are both deaf.
The story was very cute about how they both reacted when they first saw each other at the airport. Neither can speak, but they often write notes to communicate with people who don't know how to sign. When the lady first saw the man she quickly scribbled a note for her friend that said lor mak (very handsome). They showed the man on TV. I would not say he was handsome but he looked ok and was not really out of shape or really old. But to her he was very good looking. And his feelings about her were similar. And they seemed so sincere and earnest in trying to really understand and communicate with each other.
I might have missed some parts of the story while I was channel surfing, because I am still wondering if (they can use sign language to communicate. I actually learned a little bit of American sign language when I lived in America so it has me wondering. How much different are American and Thai sign language? The signs for letters of the alphabet would be different, of course. But most communication uses signs for things and you only spell out words you don't know the sign for. For example I am wondering if the sign for "pretty" is the same in Thai and American sign language. Funny, I know (or knew) a little American sign language but nothing about Thai sign language.
Welcome. Coffee's my drink. Buy me a cup. Thanks a latte!)

Britain HAS Talent ... it's just finding it that's the har

BIENTHUY — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:19:56 UT

The act that surely encapsulated the spirit of Britain's Got Talent had to be Nicky Flash. "I want to be the next Houdini," announced this small, unassuming man in a quite horrific white suit and Hawaiian shirt.

"Right," replied my fellow judge Simon Cowell, suppressing the obvious urge to raise a quizzical eyebrow. (Simon, quite rightly, always insists on treating every contestant with the utmost respect right up to the moment they start their act, however ridiculous they appear to be)

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Nicky, 35, padlocked himself inside a large duvet cover, from which he planned to sensationally escape and thus wow the 3,000-strong audience with his magical genius. Only he got stuck.

"He can't get out," I whispered to Simon and my other co-judge, Amanda Holden.

"What shall we do with him?" giggled Amanda.

"Leave him there!" said Simon and I in perfect unison.

And leave him there we did, for at least five minutes, as "the next Houdini" wriggled and writhed for all he was worth - but singularly failed to emerge from his duvet cover.

Eventually, he managed to poke his head out of the top and pleaded with presenters Ant and Dec for help. But they pointed out that his act was going down brilliantly with the audience (who were howling with laughter) and the judges (we were almost combusting by now), so he'd be better off staying in there.

Poor Nicky Flash was finally rescued by St John Ambulance men, who dashed on and cut him free. Afterwards, he solemnly explained the problem: "I broke my knee stilt-walking six weeks ago and my leg seized up when I got inside the duvet. Just one of those things, I guess."

And with that he limped into the cold, bleak, harsh reality of Blackpool in January, his dream of superstardom brought to a shuddering and humiliating halt.

Nicky Flash will now for ever be known as the escapologist who got stuck in his padlocked duvet on national TV - because his leg froze.

In the words of Richard Littlejohn, you couldn't make it up.

And that's what I love about Britain's Got Talent. It's so completely unpredictable, and such a wonderfully uplifting snapshot of eccentric British life. One minute we're judging a pianoplaying pig, the next we're watching an 84-year-old belly dancer.

The only common thread is that they all think they have a talent worth a place on the Royal Variety Show.

Unlike any other show on TV, ours is open to anyone. You can be any age and perform any act you like. You just need the guts - or, in many cases, the sheer deluded shamelessness - to get up on stage in front of millions of viewers.

The first series of Britain's Got Talent was an extraordinary one, not least for the speed with which it came and went.

It began slowly on a Saturday night last June, attracting under five million viewers in an unsuccessful dogfight against the finale of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit BBC show to find a Joseph, Any Dream Will Do.

It ended the following Sunday in a flag-waving, tub-thumping, populist version of the Last Night Of The Proms - to an astonishing audience of more than 13 million people.

And it created a genuine world star in Paul Potts, the modest mobile phone salesman who sings like Pavarotti and is now touring the world after selling more than two million records and astonishingly going to No 1 in 17 countries.

As Simon Cowell put it, during the after-show party last June: "How on earth are we going to top that?" Well, now I can tell you - because the second series is about to be unleashed on your screens tonight.

And this time it will run for seven weeks before six consecutive nights of semi-finals and the final.

And in my humble (I do feel this weird emotion very occasionally) opinion, it's bigger, better and funnier than last year. Seriously!

For an entire month we toured Britain's cities in Simon's private jet - Blackpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff and London. It was gruelling, sometimes gruesome, other times spinetingling, but always entertaining.

The live audition audiences and the judges' menacing buzzers make this show unique in the talent contest genre.

Acts came out to what must be the nearest thing to a Roman gladiatorial pit in modern times - a howling mob waiting to scream, "OFF! OFF! OFF!" or, on far rarer occasions, erupt into wild applause as a genuine talent unveiled itself before our eyes.

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And at the centre of it all, as always, is Mr Cowell: the Emperor Nero of the operation. A scowling, sneering, smirking, televisual psychopath who delights in ordering summary executions with a thump of his fist - and sparing the victors with a dazzling smile and the ultimate Cowell sanction of approval: "That... was... BRILLIANT!'

The great thing about Simon is that he really does want to find the next big, genuine star. It's no act. Not least because he has a commercial interest in the winners, but mainly because it's the ultimate vindication of his talent-spotting skills.

I was with Simon in Los Angeles last week when The X Factor's Leona Lewis went to No 1 in America, and he was touchingly ecstatic.

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"Our job is to find an act that can have a 20-year career in showbusiness," he says. "We can have all the funny auditions we like, but without that at the end, it's meaningless."

Having said that, he would be the first to agree that it was the train wreck auditionees who delighted the most on this series of Britain's Got Talent.

Like the world's most boring man, who vowed - and spectacularly failed - to "make mathematics funky". And a tattooed rapping poet who lectured us on the burning need for "peace in this gang-infested world" - then reacted to boos from the audience by standing with his fists clenched, screaming: "Come on then, I'll have the ****ing lot of yer."

He took rejection quite well by comparison to another young rapper in Glasgow, though. "I'm like Justin Timberlake and Michael Flatley," he declared. But seconds later, it became clear that he was exaggerating his abilities and we rewarded him with three quick buzzes.

"Screw you lot!" he snarled at the judges. To which the crowd reacted by chanting: "Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio."

"And you lot can all f*** off, too!" he retorted, the little charmer.

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I still shudder at the memory of the 84-year-old belly dancer (there are some things 84-year-old women should not be seen doing in public and that is definitely one of them). By contrast, I was entranced by the aesthetic joys of a stunning 23-year-old Mongolian law student contortionist who bent her body into positions I genuinely didn't think existed outside of the Kama Sutra.

"Have you got a boyfriend?" was all I could think to ask afterwards. Which was rather better than the response I gave to a German woman reciting her nation's national anthem in a severe operatic-style whistle.

"Ve vill see you in ze next round," I said. A statement that was met with gasps of PC horror around the theatre. Honestly, no sense of humour, some people.

This year's winner is much less easy to predict than last time, when Paul Potts was so obviously the stand-out talent. I would say any one of ten acts could win. In fact, we could even see a non-human triumph.

Simon got more excited than I've ever seen him when we discovered a wonder-dog called Gin that performs quite amazing tricks, including moonwalking. "I've spent my life hunting for the new Lassie," he cooed. Which will come as no surprise when you recall some of the women he's been linked with.

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That dog was incredible, though, genuinely amazing to watch.

Some of the funniest moments come via very ordinary members of the public who have convinced themselves that they have talent when the evidence firmly suggests otherwise. And who react to criticism with splendid blazing defiance.

Several records were broken in this series, including one for the fastest buzz-off in Britain's Got Talent history. "My name is Sonia," said the unfortunate victim, "I'm 48, and I'm going to sing My Boy Lollipop."

Which she did, for approximately half a second, before all three of us raced to the buzzers.

I'd still rather watch her again, though, than the most revolting act I've ever seen - a semi-naked, bald Geordie who pretended "to be a German porn star".

Although the acts are what make the show, the banter between the judges was particularly lively and competitive this series.

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During one clash over a young singer, Simon snapped at me: "You don't know what you're talking about. Can I just remind you that I have sold over 150 million records?"

"Sure," I replied, "and can I just remind you that as editor of The Mirror I sold over 3.1 billion newspapers."

The audience roared, Simon grimaced in the way Nero used to do before ordering the beheading of a slave, and the inevitable revenge didn't take long to exact. "I've been sacked from every job I've ever had," said the next act, a shockingly bad singer.

"Yes, well, Piers can relate to that!" cackled a jubilant Simon.

Unusually, it was Amanda who finally got the better of him that day. After Simon "constructively criticised" one tiny child, I said to him: "Pick on someone your own size."

"He is," said Amanda, which brought the house down - and, of course, signed her own death warrant.

"Just been told she's pregnant," Simon whispered to Amanda, as one "larger-than-life" lady came on stage to perform her act.

"How long have you been up the duff, then?" Amanda immediately (and rather coarsely, it must be said) asked her.

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The woman looked mortified. "I'm not," she replied.

Simon collapsed into hysterics, as did the audience, while Amanda hid her head in her hands, glowing with embarrassment.

As my favourite motto says: if you dance with the devil, then expect to be pricked by the horns.

By the time we reached the Hackney Empire in London at the end of the audition process, we felt we had seen it all. Had we hell. The audiences there were so barbaric it was quite frightening. Imagine the Coliseum in Rome on a rowdy Friday night and you might get the picture.

Within the first half an hour, a fight erupted in the crowd between six local women.

"You're the most vile audience we've ever had," said Simon. A verdict that was met with a standing ovation - to themselves.

There were even more unnerving events happening on stage. A very (and I am being extremely polite here) strange-looking woman shuffled on and announced she was in love with me and wanted to read a poem detailing her feelings.

She got as far as "I love Piers because..." before the audience, encouraged by Simon, jeered her off. Never have I been more relieved to see the back of a female admirer.

Some of the most memorable Britain's Got Talent moments will sadly never be seen by viewers because they happen off-camera.

The show's warm-up man, Ian Royce, specialises in humiliating the judges. "We have to be careful it doesn't get too hot in here," he mused one afternoon, "or Simon starts to melt."

Amid all this mayhem and frivolity, though, we also found some of the best new singers, dancers, magicians, jugglers, comedians and downright nutters that you will have seen in a long, long while.

Tonight, you will meet Mike the Star Wars organist, Gin the moonwalking dog, Iona the Mongolian contortionist, and an extraordinary young teenager called Andrew who sings Pie Jesu so movingly you'll be reaching for the Kleenex before the end.

Britain's definitely Got Talent. But finding it is, as you will see over the next two months, often an extremely uncomfortable experience.

Flying low: Best dressed Kate Moss suffers a wardrobe malfun

BIENTHUY — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:17:14 UT

She may have the world's best dressed woman title under her belt, but it seems even Kate Moss suffers the odd unfashionable wardrobe malfunction.

The supermodel was snapped arriving at Los Angeles Airport from Miami yesterday, dressed in a white top and dark jacket, and figure hugging jeans - with the fly open.

It seems as if in all the excitement of being back in LA, Miss Moss had forgotten to zip her fly up.

But even her recent wardrobe hiccup can't take the shine off her Best Dressed woman accolade.

Moss often rates well in best dressed ratings having topped another celebrity best-dressed list, this time in Glamour magazine.

She came in at number four in 2007, but this year beat previous winner Kylie into 19th place.

Glamour consulted industry experts to find the world's fashion queen.

Moss won out not only over Kylie but also beat Jude Las's fiancee Miller, whose dress sense has heavily inspired this winter season's clothing trends.

The supermodel is currently enjoying a holiday in the U.S. where she has busy playing mother to five-year-old daughter Lila Grace.

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The model landed in the U.S. last week with Lila Grace and a group of friends including Jade Davidson, the sister of Sadie Frost, and her hairdresser James Brown.

Kate has been in full-on mummy mode, taking daughter Lila to Disneyland at the weekend and then to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Amy Winehouse's thigh of horror as she heads to the pub loo

BIENTHUY — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:14:32 UT

Amy Winehouse's thigh of horror as she heads to the pub looking worryingly thin

She may be writing the new 007 movie theme tune.

But Amy Winehouse certainly would not have been mistaken for a Bond girl today after stepping out of the recording studio looking worryingly thin.

The troubled singer's legs were so skinny that a tendon could clearly be seen bulging out of her right thigh.

And it shows Miss Winehouse, 24, whose looks have been ravaged by drugs, is struggling to get back into to shape since her meltdown late last year following the arrest of her husband Blake Fielder-Civil.

Since the New Year, after several visits to rehab, the Back To Black star appears to have endured more than her fair share of physical problems.

Late last month it emerged the award-winning singer was suffering from the bacterial skin infection impetigo after she stepped out of a kebab shop with spots and scabs on her wrinkled cheeks, chin and nose.

Today, as she left a recording studio in northern England where she and producer Mark Ronson are putting the Bond track together, her face appeared to have mostly recovered and the scars on her arms seemed to have healed.

But friends fear her increasingly frail condition is a sign that her drinking and drug taking is once again spiralling out of control.

True to form, Miss Winehouse, who wore a grey knee-length skirt, mulberry-coloured vest skirt and her trademark beehive hairdo, marched straight across the road and straight into a nearby pub.

One source said: "She is showing all the signs that she has not yet kicked her habits.

"She's clearly not eating very much and I don't think I've seen any fruit or vegetables pass her lips.

"It's no wonder she looks in such a desperate state."

Miss Winehouse's 25-year-old husband is on remand in Pentonville Prison awaiting trial on charges of GBH and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

It has been reported that after Fielder-Civil was put in solitary confinement recently they both started self harming again.

"It is like some kind of pact to show how much they love each other," another source added.

Miss Winehouse's agent was not available for comment.

Why don't girls play guitar?

BIENTHUY — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:53 UT

When schoolchildren pick a musical instrument to learn, they are too often influenced by gender stereotypes, says a report. So why don't boys like the flute or girls play the guitar?

Crash, bang, thump!

When a child utters the words "I want to play the drums", even the most musically-minded parent's heart must sink a little at the thought of all that, well, noise.

But the more peaceful households are those with girls because they prefer the harp or flute while boys go for electric guitar and drums, according to a report by the Institute of Education.

FOR THE BOYS...
electric guitar 81%
bass guitar 81%
tuba 77%
kit drums 75%
trombone 71%

Many instruments learnt in schools are dominated by one sex or the other, says the study which examined the provision of music for five to 16-year-olds in every local authority in England and Wales.

Only one in 10 school harpists and flautists are male, while the electric and bass guitars are enjoyed overwhelmingly by boys.

There are many reasons why strides made in bringing equality to other areas, such as school sports, have not reached the music room, says Professor Sue Hallam, co-author of the report.

...AND THE GIRLS...
harp 90%
flute 89%
voice 80%
fife/piccolo 79%
oboe 78%

"I think that over a long period of time, these kinds of ideas about what is suitable for children to play, or adults to play, have been around for so long we've internalised it," she says.

"So when a child says 'I want to play this instrument', we're thinking of a particular gender."

That does not mean adults are saying 'That's unsuitable' but they might look surprised or even horrified, and give off signals they are not aware of, she says.

...AND FOR BOTH
African drums
French horn
cornet
saxophone
tenor horn

The size of the instrument (bigger, male), its pitch (higher, female) and the physical characteristics needed to play it could be partly responsible.

Another factor may be that brass instruments and drums have long been used militarily and therefore are associated with war.

"I don't think it's terribly logical because if you talk about size being a factor, you have the harp, one of the largest instruments, dominated by girls.

"So yes, the pitch of the instrument, how heavy it is to carry, possibly what it looks like, and traditions that go back centuries and which we just don't think about are factors. It's so ingrained in us, we don't realise we're doing it."

Peer pressure

The report warns some pupils fear being bullied by picking the "wrong" instrument, and it suggests schools introduce single-sex bands to force both sexes to try other instruments.

Do boys and girls have different biological preferences? Only this week scientists in the US who worked on monkeys concluded boys have a basic predisposition for masculine toys.

Sir James Galway
My granddad played the flute, my dad played the flute, my uncle played the flute
Sir James Galway

But Victoria Rowe, who has completed a PhD on gender in music, says children don't develop a firm idea about "male" and "female" instruments until about six years old.

Some research suggests boys prefer "cool" instruments while leaving classical music to the girls.

"This may be connected with boys liking to pick up their music in social and informal ways, learning by picking up tips from their peers, rather than by attending weekly lessons with a teacher.

"Certainly it's likely that peer pressure is responsible for many of the instrument choices made by boys and girls.

"And it's somehow easier for a girl to cross over into 'boys' territory and play a trumpet than for a boy to take up the flute."

The report says girls are more open to taking "male" instruments as they get older, and the fact that some of the world's leading performers buck the trend suggests there is much more fluidity in the professional world.

Convenience

Sir James Galway had already tried the tin whistle and violin when aged nine or 10 he took up the instrument which later earned him a global reputation.

"My granddad played the flute, my dad played the flute, my uncle played the flute, who learnt from his granddad and taught me," he says. "Everyone in the street played the flute."

Being brought up in a Protestant Belfast neighbourhood, where bands are part of the community, Sir James' upbringing was not typical of many in Britain.

Most flute bands had no women in them but his, the 39th Old Boys Flute Band, was one of the first to include girls.

So no-one batted an eyelid when he followed in his father's footsteps. But he thinks the reason why so many girls today play the flute is purely physical.

"For girls it's much easier to carry the flute than it is to carry the euphonium or the tuba. It's just a thing of convenience. Little girls play the flute and sometimes they go on to be big girls who play the flute."

Julianne Regan
It seemed like a freakish thing for me to be interested in
Julianne Regan
All About Eve

It's not an issue among professional musicians, he says, and men occupy first flute roles in leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic.

But it's a different story in the otherwise more enlightened world of pop, says All About Eve bass guitarist and lead singer Julianne Regan, where gender stereotyping still holds sway. The electric guitar is still seen as a male instrument, despite great exponents in recent years like Nancy Wilson of Heart and Charlotte Hatherley of Ash, she says.

Given a Woolworths electric guitar by a male cousin when aged 15, Regan was forced to teach herself.

"There was no opportunity to learn anything other than traditional orchestral instruments at school and so I muddled along on my own and felt quite isolated as I went to an all-girl school and none of my peers seemed to have any interest in electric guitar.

"It seemed like a freakish thing for me to be interested in. I was quite popular at school and had a load of friends, but this was just seen as 'one of my little quirks'."

MOST POPULAR OVERALL
violin 19%
guitar (acoustic, electric or bass) 16.3%
flute 10%
clarinet 9%
keyboards 7%
trumpet 4.6%
piano 4.5%
drum kits 4.3%

Her guitar skills were only nurtured when she moved to London and joined a band.

Thirty years after Regan struggled to find support at school for her musical passion, there are more schoolchildren learning instruments than ever before, thanks in part to a new effort by councils to begin musical education at age seven.

The question is whether that will reinforce existing classroom prejudices or liberate future generations when first inspired to make music.

Why don't girls play guitar?

BIENTHUY — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 23:58:39 UT

Husband Sues Chinese Public Forums over Dead Wife's Blog

BIENTHUY — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:02:49 UT

Suicide MM's Blog

(Daqi, ChineseNewsNet blog)

At the beginning of 2008, an essay titled <The final blog diaries of the MM who committed by suicide by jumping down 24 floors> began to gain popularity at the various big forums: Tianya, Xici, Sohu, MOP, NetEase, KDNet, 55BBS, 19lou, Taobao, Touban, Baidu, etc.

This is the essay story of a woman named Jiang Nan, who recorded the last days of her life on her MSN Spaces blog The Migrant Bird That Flies North:

On December 27, she posted the final blog post. This blog post has more than 3,800 comments on January 20th.

Don't Say Goodbye

To my friends.
To this pretty but also filthy world.
The night is still and silent,
I quietly wait in solitude.

On the night of December 27, she tried to overdose on sleeping pills but she was revived. Her family stayed with her. On December 29, she jumped out of a 24th floor apartment and killed herself.

Then came the Tianya blog post <The final blog diaries of the MM who committed by suicide by jumping down 24 floors> from a netizen named Saga's Rubber Duck:

I don't know her. She is a friend of a friend. Yesterday night, my friend told me about this affair. I went to read her blog. I was overwhelmed by sadness.

On December 29, 2007, she leaped out of a 24th floor apartment and killed herself. This was because her unfaithful husband had asked for a divorce in order to be with a third party.

She is 31 years old, her husband 28 and they have been married for two years. They fell in love five years ago. The third party is a 23-year-old office colleague of her husband.

Suicide is often committed impulsively, but not in her case. Earlier in October, she had decided to kill herself. She locked her blog even though she continued to post. She re-opened the blog before she killed herself. First, she tried to overdose by swallowing sleeping pills. But she was revived. Then she leaped out of the 24th floor.

What sort of desperation drove her to choose the road of no return for the second time?

I want to say that this man is not worthy. I want to tell you to wipe your tears away, forget about him and continue to live. But it is too late already.

This is the photograph of her husband Wang Fei and the third party Dong Fang. This photograph was posted at Jiang Nan's blog on December 26 with these words:

Today, I posted the last photograph of this blog.
This is to commemorate my failed marriage and life, which I am unable to forget.

Daqi interviewed the netizen Saga's Rubber Duck. She explained:

I visit Tianya very often. So after feeling sorry for Jiang Yan, I came up with the idea of posting the story at Tianya. Frankly speaking, my thoughts were as follows: Nobody should die uselessly. I speculated that if Jiang Yan did not harbor bitterness and rancor, she would not have chosen to lock her blog first, continue to write and then unlock her blog just before her suicide. She also would not have posted the photograph of her husband and the third party on her blog. Therefore, as an outsider with no personal concerns, I exposed this story. That was what I thought and what I did.

Here is another report from NetEase:

This is based upon my personal knowledge.

Before December 29, Wang Fei came to work at Saatchi as usual and he looked happy. He worked every day, he had lunch with Dong Fang and he played games at the company (the company provides games for workers to relax). At this time, the Saatchi workers had no idea that Wang Fei had walked away from home two months ago. Actually, many colleagues did not even know that Wang Fei was married. This is nothing unusual in this company, because workers do not probe into the private affairs of other people. Colleagues in different teams know even less about each other.

The events before December 29 are clearly described in Jiang Yan's blog. I have no comment on whether that is objectively accurate. But I know for a fact that Wang Fei and Dong Fang vacationed in Rome. An informed source told me that Dong Fang hung around Wang Fei's hotel room at night, so that Wang Mei's colleague had to leave the room and check back periodically by phone: "Has she left yet?"

On the afternoon of December 29, 2007, Jiang Yan came to the Saatchi to look for Wang Wei and Dong Fang. There was a terrible quarrel. The first thing that Jiang Yan said to Wang Fei was: "Is it nice to make love to Dong Fang?" The colleagues saw that this was a family affair and therefore did not intercede. Besides, Jiang Yan was very emotionally perturbed and could not be restrained anyway. The building security guards came to check what was happening, and was told: "This is a quarrel between a married couple." At the time, Wang Fei admitted to the extramarital affair and asked Jiang Yan: "Please let us go." Jiang Yan said: "We have known each other for five years and we have been married for two years. When I was earning money so that you could study in school, you did not want me to let you go!" That was when I learned what the circumstances were. The final words from Jiang Yan as she left the office were: "What kind of company is this! There are no decent people in this company!

Frankly, this is unfair to most of the Saatchi workers. At the time, we all knew how Jiang Yan felt and we could tolerate these angry words of her. A female colleague was sobbing loudly because she was sympathetic to Jiang Yan's predicament. A person who came with Jiang Yan said that there was an unsuccessful suicide attempt on December 28. December 29 was the last day before the New Year's holiday. Many workers had already left and there were no senior managers present at the office. After New Year's Day, we came back to work. Wang Fei showed up as usual and he looked happy. He continued to work, have lunch with Dong Fang and play games. We thought that they had reached a settlement after things cooled down over the New Year. We did not imagine that Jiang Yan had leaped to her death on December 29.

On January 9, the company was suddenly swamped. Many friends at other advertising agencies began to use MSN to discuss this affair. With a single day, the entire Beijing advertising industry was talking about this affair. The company leaders went into crisis management mode.

This is based upon what I know. I personally think that Wang Fei is too emotionally shallow and callous. His wife is dead and he acts as if nothing had happened. This is frightening. But for the Internet rage, the Saatchi employees would not even have known and Wang Fei could have just kept going. This is scary.

On the evening of January 11, a notice from Saatchi was posted at Tianya: "After being apprised of the details of this matter, the company has decided to suspend the duties of employees Wang Fei and Dong Fang. The two will tender their resignations shortly, which the company has already approved. We hope that the family of the wife of Wang Fei will take good care of themselves.

On January 12, a post appeared on behalf of the Wang Fei side (see Tianya):

Concerning the very steamy hot "suicide incident":

1. In December 2002, the family of a young man paid the down payment for an apartment with the life savings of his parents. The young man did so in order to provide a stable "home" for his girlfriend. At the time, the young man was attending school and did not earn much in income. The family paid for the living expenses of the young man, who paid for the rent charges for the two for almost one year.

2. In early 2004, the young man got a job at an advertising company through his own efforts. They were able to move into the new home even though they were not yet married.

3. In 2006, the woman demanded the young man to choose between "separation" and "marriage" on the grounds that she must get married before she becomes thirty years old. The 25-year-old man did not want to abandon their relationship. Therefore, the two were hastily married on February 22.

4. One year after the marriage, the relationship was not working out. The young man worked in advertising, where the work was hard and involved overtime that ran across day and night. He did all this in the hope that his wife would tend to the home. But the opposite happened. While the young man worked long and hard for accomplishments, his wife accused him of coming home not often enough and not caring about her.

5. In 2007, the young man was getting good job results and he joined another company. His responsibilities increased but he did not get family understanding and warmth. The accusations and condemnations never stopped. Finally, he ended up with depression, rapid heart pulse and breathing difficulty. An outbreak at work landed him in a hospital where he was told to rid himself of mental pressures and relax. When apprised of the situation, the wife said: "Stop acting in order to win sympathy!" The young man had to rely on his 70-year-old father to come from Shanghai to look after him. The wife insisted to the father that the young man was just faking it.

6. In October 2007, the company organized a tour. The wife threw a fit when she saw the photograph of the young man with a colleague and had a big quarrel, even a physical fight. She began to inspect the young man's SMS, telephone call and Internet records. She hid the apartment title deed and demanded that the ownership be turned over to herself. After one month of this, the young man could not endure the mental stress and returned to his parents' home.

7. In late December 2007, the young man received a telephone call from the sister of his wife. She said that something might be happening to the young woman. The young man rushed back and learned that the young woman had swallowed 300 sleeping pills. The young man immediately called 120. At the hospital, the young woman refused to be get her stomach pumped and insisted on returning home. That night, the young man summoned 120 three times.

8. The young man was concerned about the young woman. The sister and father of the young woman also stayed with her. During that time, they stayed no matter what the young woman said. The next day, the sister of the young woman told the young man that he should stay away for a few days in order to allow emotional stability to return.

9. On December 29, the young woman and her sister and father appeared twice at the young man's office. Notwithstanding the entreaty of the sister and father, the young woman insisted that the young man must "jump out of the window." In order to stop the situation from deteriorating, the young man had to hide in the bathroom. The young woman took his mobile phone and sent an SMS to all his contacts. She also called his parents to insult them. This was the first time that she had ever called them during the two-year marriage.

10. The young man was at a loss about what to do in the face of all that was happening. On his way home, he fell ill. Then the sister of the young woman called to say that his wife had just leaped out of the apartment to her death. The family of the young man rushed to the scene. But it was too late.

11. Afterwards, the young man tried to arrange for the burial of the young woman. Due to the mental stress, he fell fill and he asked his family to handle the affairs.

The Internet is heaven, but it is also hell at the same time because both the real and unreal co-exist. No matter what, the truth will eventually emerge when the relevant organizations enter to investigate this case. We trust in the Internet, but we trust reality even more. And justice exists only in the reality.

But what is the other side of the story? On January 29, 2007, Jiang Yan's sister posted:

I slept for a bit and I woke up around 7am. I kept watch over her. My father came after 8am. Jiang Yan was sleeping all the time. I left around 9am to go home to see my son, who is ill. At around 2pm, I returned and I brought some food for Jiang Yan and my father.

At around 17:30, Jiang Yan woke up and she did not appear to be good spirits. She received an SMS from Wang Fei's father and she was emotionally upset. She threw the mobile telephone on the ground, she got dressed and she went out. I and my father went after her and asked her where she was going. She said that she was going to Wang Lei's office to confront him and the third party. We could not stop her, so we went with her.

At 18:00, we arrived at the Saatchi office. Wang Fei was there, but Dong Fang was not. Many people were working overtime. Jiang Yan charged in and questioned him. He shoved her into the ground. My father and I admonished him. Jiang Yan asked whether he and Dong Fang went to bed. Wang Fei admitted as such in pubilc. During this process, Wang Fei continued to exchange with Dong Fang. Jiang Yan detected it and swiped the telephone from him.

At 20:00, Wang Fei sneaked out amidst the chaos. Wang Fei's mother called (as she was not aware that his phone was in the hands of Jiang Yan). Jiang Yan took the call and said, "Hi, auntie. This is Dong Fang." Wang Fei's mother said, "You're not because your voice is different." Jiang Yan said, "How do you know that I'm not? Have you met before?" Then she hung up angrily. His mother kept calling and Jiang Yan kept hanging up. Jiang Yan said something like, "Your whole family is trying to help the third party and therefore you are all trash." Wang Fei's brother Wang Lei called and cursed Jiang Yan: "Do you want to die!?" Jiang Yan said, "Yes! I want to die. I am tired of living." Then Jiang Yan wanted to go to the home of Wang's mother. But she changed her mind and we went home instead.

Then Dong Fang called. I sensed that Jiang Yan was getting more and more agitated.

At 21:00, we got back to Jiang Yan's home. Wang Lei kept sending SMS and Wang Fei's father kept calling. He even called me and asked me to take consideration of the overall situation and accept the reality. I was very angry. I said, "Your whole family knew about the situation. So why didn't you tell us?" He kept coming up with sly excuses. Then I said, "I and my 70-year-old father have stayed here all night to look after my sister. But have you people done? This is now a matter of life and death but you have not shown your sincerity. As a parent, you must come back and get the two sides to solve this problem." His father kept coming up with excuses about not being able to leave his job duties and so on. Jiang Yan grabbed the telephone and accused him of being a failed father as well as a failed husband who only knows how to spoil his children. They talked three or four times over the telephone. Jiang Yan wanted him back, but his family kept coming up with excuses. Jiang Yan was getting very agitated.

It is now 21:45. My father went home. I thought that it was sufficient for me to accompany Jiang Yan. I was worried, so I kept talking with her to keep her relaxed. Basically, I had not slept for the past few days and I was very tired. Jiang Yan told me to go to rest. I went and lied down in the bedroom, but I did not dare go to sleep. I heard the window open in the living room and I rushed out immediately. She was holding a telephone and she laughed at me, "Why are you so nervous? I am only making a telephone call." I quickly shut the window and told her not to do anything stupid. I heard her call Wang Fei's father. I went into the bathroom and I heard her say, "You don't have to come. I'll be gone soon." I came out quickly. I saw that the living room window was open and there was no one in the living room. I called her name and I looked around the apartment. She was nowhere to be found. I thought: "It's over!" But I was still clinging to a hope because someone must have called out if there was a suicide. I called 120 and then I went downstairs. It was cold and windy. The place was desolate. There was only one security guard. I told him that my sister might have committed suicide and I asked him to accompany me to search for her. The security guard went in the general direction that I indicated but we didn't find anything. Then an old man came and said that it seemed someone had fallen down. My legs were wobbly and I sank to the ground. They pulled me up and said that I had to make the identification. I did not dare approach too close. I took a quick look. It was her. She lied there with a big pool of blood underneath her lower body. I knew that I could not go any closer because I would break down. I called my husband and told him what happened. He was very worried but he could not leave our ailing son. I called Wang Fei's father and I said: "Are you happy now that you have forced her to die!" Then the battery on my mobile telephone died. Many people came -- the police, the building management and the medical doctor. I made my statement. All along, I was the only person there. From that night on, Wang Fei never showed his face. Wang Lei showed up exactly once.

On December 30, Jiang Yan's sister wrote:

On the next day, I informed my father. He has brain obstruction as well as high blood pressure. But I did not dare inform my mother who has a heart ailment and just underwent heart surgery. We told her that Jiang Yan and Wang Fei have gone to Shanghai and therefore could not attend our family dinner on New Year's Evfe.

On January 2, 2008, Jiang Yan's sister wrote on her blog:

By now, I could no longer conceal it from my mother and so I told her. I nearly had to summon the ambulance service 120. On that morning, I went to retrieve medical report and I ran into Wang Lei. Since the suicide, the Wang parents have not made an appearance and they have not even called. Only Wang Lei sent some SMS to promise that Jiang Yan's burial will be taken care.

On January 4, 2008, Jiang Yan's sister wrote on her blog:

Wang Lei sent me an SMS to say that his father was coming to Shanghai by train to have a meeting. My mother requested to meet with Wang Fei and get an explanation from him ...

On January 5, 2008, Jiang Yan's sister wrote on her blog:

Wang Lei sent me an email to say that Wang Fei has entered a hospital to cope with the mental stress. At 4:30pm, Wang Lei and his father came to my home. We spoke for almost two hours. ... Wang Lei's father broke down in tears to express his sorrow and promised to compensate my parents ...

On January 8, 2008, Jiang Yan's sister wrote on her blog:

Wang Lei called me around noon to say that his father has high blood pressure and will therefore not take an active role anymore. So Wang Lei has been authorized to handle the matter ... That evening, he sent me an SMS to say that all matters must be discussed with his lawyer in the future.

On January 12, 2008, Jiang Yan's sister posted at Tianya:

Last night, I almost did not sleep at all as I thought over many things ...

On the evening of December 28, you and I had a long talk. You lit cigarettes and you calmly told me about everything. That was when I learned for the first time that when Wang Fei was still in school, you ate 3.50 RMB vermicelli soup with sour vegetables for lunch so that he and his elite fellow students ate 50 RMB lunches. You walked one hour to work and then back me again, in order to save money for Wang Fei. You wore 10 RMB clothes picked up from the sidewalk stalls while Wang Fei wore shirts that cost several hundred RMB and blue jeans that cost almost 1,000 RMB. Then Wang Fei began to work, but his several thousand RMB monthly wage was hardly enough for him to eat lunch or buy clothing. So he ended upon taking 500 RMB or 1,000 RMB from your wallet frequently. Then he began to earn 10,000 RMB per month. One day, he showed you a savings passbook with 100,000 RMB in it. He boasted: "Aren't I good?" But his next words sent a chill through your spine: "Your money is mine, and my money is mine."

Later on, you asked Wang Fei: "Let's travel abroad." But he said, "No way. I don't have the money." You said that you would pay and he cheered: "Great!" Then you pointed to the three wooden dolls on top of the television stand. You said that Wang Fei liked them because they are limited editions and that they cost several hundred RMB apiece from Taobao. I listened while tears came out for my poor little sister who was so beloved by our parents. I said: "This person is not worthy of your love. You have your work and you still have your family." ...

We are now separated as you have gone to another world. Wang Fei and his family are bearing a huge cross on their backs. According to the netizens, he has been fired by his company. Nobody knows what will happen next. I never realized that the force of the Internet could be so powerful. I can only reflect that people should never do anything bad.

I don't know what to do after your departure. I only want to have you buried properly. You and Wang Fei are still legally married, so the Wang family should handle those matters, legally and morally speaking ... You left your parents for me to take care of, but I don't know how much my own frail body can last. The Wang family has promised some compensation, but how can a human life be measured in terms of money? If this is a debt of conscience, I don't know how to assess it. But I still have to fight on behalf of my parents. If I am not around, then at least our aged parents can still have some protection.

Due to the position of the Wang family, you could not be buried. Our parents are filled with sorrow. Yesterday afternoon, after much consideration, I decided to call Wang Fei's father. Seven days ago, Wang Fei had cried in front of our parents and said that Wang Fei will continue to be their son. Although he had wronged us over many things, we were still hoping that he still a trace of conscience left. After all, you are gone and we don't want anything more to happen to those who are still living. Over the telephone, Wang's father was solemn and he said that all the previous promises still hold. He also said that he would call me back.

At some time after 8pm, Wang's father called me in an agitated state. He said: Wang Fei has lost his job ... Wang Fei will be written up in the newspapers on Monday ... Wang Fei has his sleeping pills ready ... I'm going to call the police ... I'm going to get a lawyer ... just you wait! ... et cetera ... you're the one who caused the Internet reaction ... you must announce to the Internet that we are still one family and we can resolve the matter among ourselves ...

Since you say that we are still one family, you should prove your sincerity and not make us wait. The sooner Yan Yan gets buried, the earlier her husband Wang Fei can be freed. The Internet events were spontaneously organized by netizens. Everybody is waiting to see.

Yan Yan, I hope that you can me buried in peace as soon as possible.

The sister who loves you
January 12, 14:00

On January 13, Daqi was able to locate the sister of Jiang Yan. She said that she only wanted to finish the burial services for Jiang Yan, but the Wang family was unable to do that. The body of Jiang Yan has been at the morgue from more than 20 days without being cremated. Previously, Wang Fei's father had offered some form of compensation but nothing has materialized. During the process, the husband Wang Fei accepted responsibility but he has never shown his face. Concerning the so-called clarification post on the Internet, Jiang Yan's sister said: "Now they even want to obliterate the existence of the third party, even though the evidence exists. We lost a family member and we did not want to file a lawsuit. Instead, they want to file a lawsuit against us."

On January 17, a group of netizens went to the apartment building of the family of Wang Fei. They entered the building and knocked on the fourth floor as planned. Here is the story:

A woman opened the door:

Q: Hello! Is the home of Wang Jun?
A: No. You have the wrong place.

Q: Then where is the home of Wang Jun? You know, the home of the Wang Jun family which forced the daughter-in-law from the 24th floor ... There are two sons, Wang Fei and Wang Lei.
A: Oh, a leap to death?

Q: Yes. She jumped off a building. Last October ... (about 2,000 words are not recorded here) ...
A: Is that possible? The sons are not married yet.

Q: They have been married for a few years already.
A: Well, they live downstairs.

Then we went down to the second floor and knocked on the door. A man came out and listened to us. After we finished our story, he said nothing although we could sense his outrage at what happened.

Finally, we went to the Wang home in apartment 302. We knocked and got no response. So we began to talk very loudly, although none of us used any foul language. We could clearly hear that someone was inside. We continued to talk. Whenever someone spoke, the rest of us kept quiet and did not interject. When that person finished, another person would take over to speak. We made sure that everybody could hear us.

The Wang home was in the middle of the floor. The two other families on the floor were listening in. We explained the story to one of them and apologized for disturbing them. So we stood in the hallway and continued for more than 10 minutes. Then we left our signs and we got ready to leave.

As we went downstairs, a fat man showed up and asked us some questions. We explained the story to him. This appeared to be his first exposure to the story, and he said that we should fetch the police. We said that the police do not handle these kinds of affairs. We said that Jiang Yan could not be cremated because her awful husband has gone into hiding with Dong Fang in Shanghai.

Then we got downstairs and we began to post the banners. Suddenly more people up and they wanted to find out what was going on. So we told them that Beijing News reported that Wang Fei and Dong Fang have been fired, that the Wang family let the third party woman stay at this apartment and that Wang Fei embezzled several hundred thousand RMB to hire a lawyer but refused to let his wife be cremated. He even wanted to sue to gain possession of their apartment.

Here are the signs and graffiti posted by netizens outside the Wangs' apartment building: "A blood debt must be repaid with blood."

In the matter of Jiang Yan, it was understandable that netizens want justice served on the Wang family. But there has to be some consideration as to how far such action can go. If they step past the limit, they will have to bear the legal consequences. For example: it is a serious offense to lodge false charges without supporting evidence, or to insult, or to slander others. When the transgressions are serious, the public security bureau may intercede upon complaints from the Wang family. It is a relatively easy matter to locate any transgressors through the IP address.

Frugal Ways to Build Your Blog

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:45:48 UT

There are many great frugal living blogs that deserve larger traffic. With these blogs in mind, here are some of my experiences with frugal and free advertising, and how to use them to their fullest.

StumbleUpon and Campaigns - Free / $0.05 per visit
1:37 average time on site / 6,668 visitors (Since November 18th, 2007)

How an article received 2,786 visitors over 2 days (and 50/day ever since).

StumbleUpon is a Firefox toolbar and social networking website that enables you to visit random pages on the net and share them on your Stumble blog. You can use the Stumble blog as a simple social bookmarking tool, but many bloggers such as Shana Albert are able to catch the attention of Darren Rowse and other bloggers by being the first to Stumble new blog content.

StumbleUpon offers excellent advertising campaigns that direct Stumblers to you for $0.05 per visit. You should create a viral post (especially a "Top 20" or "How-to" guide) such as my Web 2.0 article. After 10 or more stumblers give it a thumbs up, you can campaign $5 with a targeted demographic (age, gender, and location) and category to create a natural flow of traffic thereafter.

Thanks to Lynnae, Glblguy, and Mrs. Micah for stumbling many of Kacie’s posts.

Entrecard - Free (time rather than money)
0:43 average time on site / 1,328 visitors (since January 27th, 2008)

Last Thursday, Sense to Save’s blog logo was featured on Moolanomy, Brip Blap, Generation X Finance, Frugal Dad, and Money Ning, as well as 13 other sites. And, it will be displayed on ProBlogger in a week!

EntreCard provides free advertisement between bloggers. You create a custom blog logo and drop your ‘EntreCard’ on other sites like a business card. Each time you drop or receive a card, you gain a credit to use toward an advertisement on any participating blog.

I agree with MoreMerchant that Entrecard is great for small bloggers to gain web presence. I have seen EJ Cooksey and MoreMerchant on social networks, but I finally visited them after viewing their logos on Problogger. Beyond the benefit of internet presence, I notice that EntreCard has brought Memes and other incoming links to Sense to Save that boost Technorati and Google PR ratings. Traffic quality is very low, but the indirect marketing effects are key.

For some great inside details of how it works, visit this interview of the Entrecard creator. Keep in mind that EntreCard is only 3 months old, so it will only become better over time.

Note: If you want something similar to EntreCard, but you would rather invest a little money instead of time, try Project Wonderful. I haven’t tested it, but EZ Money Online has written some reviews that are optimistic.

MyBlogLog and Blog Catalog - Free
1:51 average time on site / 818 visitors (since January 1st, 2008) and
1:42 average time on site / 281 visitors (since January 1st, 2008)

Bring interactive readers to your website (unlike many social networks).

MyBlogLog and Blog Catalog are social networks that allow bloggers to communicate with their readers and peers. Users can favorite the blogs they love, and discover other blogs that they might also enjoy.

MyBlogLog is more popular, but more "spammy", than Blog Catalog. I recommend that you join them both even if you don’t plan to interact. Many bloggers have widgets on their site to show the most recent visitors from these communities. They will see your images and often visit your blog in return. This is great networking and free advertising.

These two websites have brought the most interactive crowd of visitors to Sense to Save.

Google Adwords - as low as $0.10/visit
4:52 average time on site / 253 visitors (since December 14th, 2008)

Find quality, targeted readers.

Google Adwords is a service you can use to advertise through Google Ads. To sign up, you create your advertisement text and chose which search terms will show your ad. You may be able to find free signup bonuses for Google Ads through some website promotions (we received $50 through Bluehost).

Google Ads have never caught my attention, but the outcomes of advertising through them are surprising. On average, a visitor from Google Ads stays on Sense to Save for 5 minutes. Why is this the case? Each visitor searches for a topic relevant to your blog, and then is interested enough to click on your ad. The ads are therefore focused.

Other sites - Reddit and Facebook have also been worthwhile for us.

These have been the top 5 advertisement sites to bring Sense to Save traffic - now go give them a try! Note that social networking on multiple websites can build off each other; while I’m dropping EntreCards, MyBlogLog and Blog Catalog users see that I have visited.

If you want more blogging tips, two of my favorite blog resources have been ProBlogger’s beginner’s guide and The Simple Dollar’s build a better blog for 2007. Please contact me via Kacie’s email if you have any questions (I helped LJ fix her blog in Internet Explorer the other day - I am always glad to help with technical stuff).

As a final note, here is a "thank-you" to blogs that have sent the most traffic to Kacie’s site (ordered by most visitors):

1. Biblical Womanhood
2. Paid Twice
3. Handmade by Cole
4. Be Thrifty Like Us
5. Home Ec 101

Frugal Ways to Build Your Blog

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:43:09 UT

A Harley for those Rainy Days

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:15:14 UT

Ask any rider and they will tell you there is not greater thrill than riding a motorcycle. But what about those rainy days when your little beauty is resting in the garage? This may be the solution.

Granted it isn't going to break the land speed record, or even the local parking lot speed limit for that matter. All in all, it's still an amazing piece of artwork.

The bike is handcrafted wicker and is thought to be a full scale replica of Harley-Davidson's new FLSTSB Cross Bones. Mini-ape hangers and springer fork make up the front while a single seat, side satchels and dual exhaust finish out the rear.

Other than that, not much information available as the originating site is in Russian. Who knows, maybe it can solve your rainy day motorcycle dilemma?

After Death, Take a Trip to the Moon

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:04:37 UT

f you are looking for a different way to depart this life, perhaps it's time to take a look at Celestis, a Texas company that will begin launching human cremated remains to the surface of the moon by 2009.

Cartridges that contain cremated remainsCartridges that contain cremated remainsBut beware: This final sendoff comes with a price - the "Luna" burial package costs about $10,000 to $15,000. However, it comes with a customized DVD of the launch and includes a memorial service. When considering that most funerals these days cost more than $6,000, perhaps this service is not all that outlandish.

The company asks people to attend the launch of someone's ashes in the same fashion as they would attend someone's funeral.

According to the company's Web site, "Leaving Earth to touch the cosmos is an experience few have ever known, but many have often dreamed of. Space Services makes it possible to honor the dream and memory of your departed loved one by launching a symbolic portion of cremated remains into Earth orbit, onto the lunar surface or into deep space. Missions into space that return the cremated remains to Earth are also available."

Celestis already has had some high-profile people use its service as it has been sending cremated remains into space for several years. The company sent the ashes of James Doohan, who played Scotty on Star Trek, into space in two separate memorial spaceflights.

What do you think about this innovative business concept?

Ryuki Omura Crowned Japan's Pen-Spinning King

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:11:27 UT

A pen is spun in the hand, flicked from the little finger to other fingers, then tossed and bounced off the thumb before being twirled in the palm...

Ryuki Omura, a 16-year-old Japanese high school student, has become the first nationwide pen-spinning champion with such slick maneuvers, a group devoted to the pastime said on Monday.

Omura was among the 16 finalists chosen from 276 video entries to showcase his moves in Tokyo on Sunday in a contest organized by the Pen Spinning Association Japan.

"The most important thing is to make the combination of tricks as smooth as possible," said Mitsuhiro Nakamata of the group.

Contestants, performing a 30-second routine in front of a crowd of 400 including journalists and other pen-spinning aficionados, were assessed for technique and artistry.

Toy maker Takara Tomy Corp has even designed a pen specifically for spinning, which is longer than ordinary pens and has adjustable weights on both ends.

According to the Pen Spinning Association's Web site, spinning tricks range from "normal" -- resting the pen on the side of the middle finger, then flicking it to writing mode -- to "sonic" -- holding the pen between the middle and ring fingers, and twirling it so it rests between the middle and index fingers.

Champion Omura went a step further, showing off a quick combination of tricks that takes the pen from his little finger to the rest of his fingers, then to his palm and the back of his hand. The video clip he submitted for the contest is posted on the group's Web site (http://ptj2008.pen-spinning.org/).

"Pens are always around, so you can practice and enjoy pen-spinning anytime, anywhere," said Nakamata.

"If we can find a sponsor, we want to take this contest international."

World's First Eyeball Tattoo - Ouch!

BIENTHUY — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:41:47 UT

July 31, 2007 -- IF you think tattoos are so over, you've got another think coming. The latest in permanent ink? Tats on your eyeball. That's right - a sharp stick in the eye.

When doctors do it, it's called corneal tattooing; but when perfectly healthy folks looking for new horizons in tattooing, piercing, scarring, etc., do it, it's nuts.

Last month, the online magazine BMEzine.com (short for Body Modification) started chronicling three people's efforts to turn the whites of their eyes blue.

To tattoo the eyes, they used two different procedures. First they used a traditional needle with ink on it, but when the ink didn't hold, they switched to a syringe that injected ink into the eye. The most recent posts indicate that all was well, with one of the guys saying it felt like he had something in his eye.

"It's quite amazing," says Lane Jensen, who saw the tattooing take place at a Canadian body-modification convention earlier this month. "Over the last couple weeks, it's flooded across the white and stained the eyeball perfectly," Jensen, who also publishes Tattoo & Piercing magazine, tells The Post. "It's trippy - and definitely starts some interesting conversations."

But that's not to say it's a good idea.

"Cosmetic tattooing of the cornea can be extremely dangerous," advises Dr. Sandra Belmont, a clinical associate professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital.

"Infection, perforation and hemorrhage are among the potential complications," she adds.

There are, however, good reasons for getting an eye tattoo. If a person has suffered eye trauma - burning, laceration or bruising - scars can result, which a tattoo can cover. It can also help people with leucoma - an opaque blemish, usually white in color -and return the eye's appearance to one of more normalcy.

While corneal tattooing is readily available in New York City for patients, customers will have a harder time convincing a doctor to do the procedure. Jensen, the Canadian tattoo fan, says that while doctors were willing to consult on the procedure, none would actually perform it, leaving it to a tattoo artist.

"I certainly recommend corneal tattooing in a patient with a corneal scar - but I do not recommend these procedures to be performed solely for the purpose of body adornment due to significant vision-threatening side effects," Belmont says.

Not least of which is difficulty of removal. If you worry about regretting that yin-yang symbol on your ankle, just think how you'll feel with kaleidoscope eyes.

Slideshow BIENTHUY ROCK YOU Have Music

BIENTHUY — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:33:08 UT

http://apps.rockyou.com/rockyou.swf?instanceid=108044209&ver=102906

6 Reasons to Not Want to Be a Doctor in Japan

BIENTHUY — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:24:08 UT

Moms and Dads everywhere want their kids to grow up and be doctors. Especially in the U.S. How else can anyone pay for health care unless you can get your own kids to treat you?

In Japan, there's a doctor shortage. You'd think that students would want to fill the need, especially if it is relatively easier to do so.

It's not happening.

1. Everybody in Japan has health coverage. What that means is that doctors work grueling hours - think 36 hours straight. Doesn't take long before the doctoring needs doctoring.

2. Japan's population is ageing rapidly. Foreign doctors aren't allowed to practicjapan.hospital.doctor.jpge and doctors have salary caps.

3. "Level-two" hospitals, those which treat common injuries are declining. Level-three hospitals, those for emergency services, are picking up the slack. Patients being accepted for lesser injuries are putting at risk those who come in with serious injuries. What's a doctor to do?

4. Doctors face intense emotional and physical stress.

5. Doctors have no desire to specialize as salaries are kept stagnant by the Japanese government.

6. Instead of busting their rears in hospitals, capable people are choosing to set up a private shop, write prescriptions for eye glasses or dispense the same medicine to clear up an ear, nose or throat ache. The pay is the same as that of the doctor in an overworked emergency unit.

In 2006, Japan finally let nurses from the Philippines go to work in the country. Can they let doctors from other countries in next?

Wed to Strangers: Korean Men's Vietnamese Wives

BIENTHUY — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:21:56 UT

Wed to Strangers: Korean Men's Vietnamese Wives

Kim Wan-su, left, and To Thi Vien at a ceremony in October near Seoul. They were legally married months earlier when Mr. Kim took a five-day tour to Vietnam to find a bride.

Chinese wives have their own outside network, so they tend to be assertive, and women from the Philippines speak English, so they are confident, but other women, like the Vietnamese, are shy about seeking advice and expressing their problems, they tend to be submissive and smile at their in-laws even if there are problems, and one day they're gone.

Here are the stories of Vietnamese wives in South Korea:

The two couples' baby girls were born last month only two days apart, the younger one on the morning of the Lunar New Year. Each girl, everyone later agreed, had her Korean father's forehead and her Vietnamese mother's nose.

It was one year ago that the girls' fathers had gone to Vietnam and, in the first two hours of a five-day marriage tour, plucked their mothers out of two dozen prospective brides at the Lucky Star karaoke bar in Hanoi.

Bound by fate and the rhythms of immigration bureaus, the brides, Bui Thi Thuy and To Thi Vien, had landed together in South Korea wondering what kind of place this would be and how their husbands would treat them.

"I feel we share a special bond because we were married on the same date and we both married Korean men," Vien said. "We're the same age and we became mothers almost at the same time."

And so both new mothers now follow Korean custom by eating seaweed soup to recover their strength. Here in Kwangmyong, a city outside Seoul with a concentration of foreign workers and foreign women married to Korean men, Vien, 23, lives at the family home of her husband, Kim Wan Su, 40, a factory worker. Thuy, 23, settled with her husband, Kim Tae Goo, 56, in Yongju, a rural town southeast of Seoul where they grow apples.

The two couples, whose five-day courtship, wedding and honeymoon in Vietnam were described a year ago in an article in the International Herald Tribune, are part of a social phenomenon in South Korea. A combination of factors - including the rising social status of Korean women and a surplus of bachelors resulting from a traditional preference for sons - is forcing many Korean men to seek brides in Southeast and Central Asia and China.

In a country that defines itself as ethnically homogenous, marriages to foreigners accounted for one of eight marriages in 2006, more than triple the rate in 2000. In working-class areas southwest of Seoul, like Kwangmyong, community centers now offer services for foreign wives: Korean language classes, assistance with childbirth and for victims of domestic violence, advice on living in South Korea and with the in-laws.

But cultural gaps sometimes make it difficult to reach out to such wives.

Han Kuk Yeom, president of the Korea Women Migrants Human Rights Center, a private organization, said the government had not done enough to secure the rights of foreign wives or protect them from abuse.

Some men believe they are permitted to mistreat the women because they paid for the marriage tours and the weddings, and tend to look down on women from poorer countries, Han said. And the booming international marriage industry has drawn increasingly poor and vulnerable women here.

"Until about three years ago, more educated women tended to come to Korea, but as there are more international marriages, less educated and poorer women are coming to Korea," Han said. "And they seem to have a harder time adapting to life in Korea, learning the language and so on."

Divorce has risen among Korean men married to foreigners, according to government statistics. But it is too early to draw meaningful comparisons with the divorce rate of marriages between Koreans, which has also risen sharply in recent years.

Given the way they meet, both Korean husbands and their foreign wives have anxieties, as Kim Wan Su, removing orange ear plugs, explained during a lunch break from his job at a car key factory.

While foreign wives worry about how their husbands will treat them, Korean men harbor suspicions that the women married them merely to qualify for work here and to send money to their parents. When Vien's parents in Vietnam heard that a Vietnamese bride in Korea had killed herself, they called in a panic. And Kim fretted after hearing that three brides who had come to South Korea through his wife's agency had left their husbands shortly after arriving.

"I was worried that my wife would run away, too, but I'm not worried anymore," Kim said. "We have a child, and we are a family. "My wife didn't come here to make money."

While Kim was at work, Vien was taking care of their newborn at home. With the birth of their daughter, Dan Bi, Vien had stopped going twice a week to the local community center where she had befriended a woman from her home, Van Don Island, in Vietnam's northeast. Vien had dropped out of college, where she had studied management, because her father, a farmer, could not afford the tuition.

In Kwangmyong, the couple lives with Kim's mother and his older sister's family - a total of nine people - on one floor of a three-story brick building on a narrow street.

The older sister, Kim Ho Sook, had welcomed Vien and helped deflect the Kims' 80-year-old mother, who was unhappy about the arrival of a foreign bride and said repeatedly that it would lead to the family's downfall.

Last fall, the day before the couple held an elaborate wedding ceremony here after their quick wedding in Hanoi, the elderly mother - whose unhappiness was compounded by Alzheimer's disease - ran away from home for 12 hours. The family tried to hide her disappearance from Vien and her parents, who had come to South Korea for the wedding. "But somehow Vien guessed what was happening and she started crying," the sister-in-law said.

Last month, the day before Vien was scheduled to leave the hospital, her mother-in-law disappeared again, displeased that the baby was not a son.

"My mother still won't even look at the baby," the sister-in-law said. "She tells me not to like the child because it's not a boy."

Complicating matters, doctors recently diagnosed a hole in the baby's heart and are not sure whether it will close on its own.

"I miss my mother a lot, especially these days," Vien said. "I'm Vietnamese and everyone around me is Korean, so I feel a lot more ease talking to my mother. We can be on the phone for hours."

On a recent Sunday afternoon, with the baby sleeping peacefully, Vien seemed in better spirits. She and her husband sat on the living room couch, often holding hands and showing the kind of affection they had displayed during the first week of their meeting.

Both said they were more committed than ever to building a life together, though they acknowledged gaps in culture and language. Their biggest arguments have occurred after he has gone drinking with co-workers and broken a promise to come home at a certain hour.

"I'm a working man, and she doesn't understand that going out drinking with your co-workers is a necessity in Korean culture," Kim said. "I feel that Vien thinks I didn't keep my promise because she's from a foreign country and I look down on her."

Vien said that was not the case. "I'm your wife, and I don't like it when you come home so late; nobody in the family likes that," she said. "I get frustrated and worried. If I were Korean, I'd be less worried, because I'd understand exactly where you were. But I don't."

In the one-story red brick house that her husband, Kim Tae Yoo, recently had built in Yongju, a two-hour drive from Seoul. Thuy tucked in her daughter, Hyo Min. "I'm going crazy because I can't communicate with my husband," Thuy said.

Thuy, who finished high school in her hometown, Quang Yen, in northeastern Vietnam and soon after started seeking a husband, said she found learning Korean difficult. But Kim said she was not trying hard enough.

"She'll repeat a word just a couple of times and then give up," Kim said. "She should appreciate the fact that I'm trying to teach her. Our biggest arguments have been over this."

She said: "He doesn't try to speak Vietnamese," adding that he knew only how to say "hello" and "how are you?"

They live with Kim's mother and his 17-year-old daughter from his first marriage. (His first wife was Korean.) At home, though, Thuy seldom speaks with her in-laws.

"My daughter referred to her only once as Mother," Kim said. "But my mother and daughter don't dislike Thuy."

Thuy has yet to make friends outside. Although several other Vietnamese wives live in the area, Thuy, in a sign of the lingering regionalism seen among many Vietnamese wives, does not socialize with them because they are from the former Saigon, in the south.

"They're from Ho Chi Minh, so whenever I run into them, we greet each other," she said, adding that she found it difficult to befriend them.

The birth of their daughter, coinciding with a lull in the apple farming season, has given the marriage fresh meaning, the couple said. Kim, who participated little in child-rearing during his first marriage, is now actively involved, scouring the Internet for information on everything from breast milk to hiccuping to diapers, while Thuy never lets the child out of her sight.

Sometimes they reminisce about their first meeting at the Lucky Star in Hanoi.

He picked her, she teased, only after his first three choices had turned him down. He had seemed rich, she said, and she liked that he was a farmer, like her father.

"I would have led a much more difficult life in Vietnam because people are still poor there," she said.

He said he was glad about the outcome, too. "I don't want to sound as if I'm looking down on Thuy. But if I had married someone who was more educated or taller, I don't think she would have been happy here with me. So I think we are a good match for each other."

Wanted: Goth Lolitas to Teach Otaku Nerds English

BIENTHUY — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:51:03 UT

Geek ghetto Akihabara has become the site of Cosplish, Japan's first English conversation school featuring cosplaying foreigner teachers dressed in wacky costumes.

Cosplaying teachers are told to teach students how to use simple, "broken" English, while the school also plans to give instructions on "Otaku English," using mostly abbreviations, and "Anime English," which will focus on English instructions of famous lines from cartoons like Gundam.

Founder Akihiro Suzuki figured opposites would attract and started Cosplish.

"Otaku are known for their incredible customer loyalty, while schools are known for their trouble in getting customers to keep on coming back, so I figured a school for cosplayers would achieve the perfect blend," Suzuki tells Cyzo.

Suzuki has a background running maid cafes, another otaku staple. Initially, he considered dressing up foreign women as maids and getting them to give English lessons in a place he dreamed of calling Maid in English. But he decided his vision was too narrow.

"Even though the maid trade within the otaku business seems to be broad-reaching, it's actually quite narrow. It only caters to otaku who have a thing for the image of maids," he says. "I thought I'd go for something broader, which would appeal to a wider audience, which is why I decided on the cosplay idea."

Enrolling in Cosplish is simple, requiring only that students e-mail in a reservation to attend a class, with times listed on the company's official website. The monthly magazine warns that classes are often suddenly cancelled if not enough people book to take them, 20 being the required number of students needed for a class to go ahead.

Cosplish currently employs eight cosplaying teachers, most of them students recruited from universities or Japanese language schools.

"I want to start classes for kids some time in the future," Suzuki tells Cyzo. "And I'll make the teachers get dressed up in Pikachu suits."

Official Website of Cosplish, Japan's first English conversation school: Cosplish.Seesaa.Net

Wanted: Goth Lolitas to Teach Otaku Nerds English

BIENTHUY — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:46:57 UT

a Japanese salaryman's life in Japan

BIENTHUY — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:39:19 UT

One Japanese Salaryman's life and struggle against his boss, company, and his own weird fetishes.

Hello! I`m Takashi, and I`m horny horny horny. The apologies for not writing recently, but a good fight won`t fight itself. Here`s what happened last week:
Monday:
Wake up at 5:30am, in a huge bed with eight Pamela Andersons. Come to Daddy, my beauties! Wake up at 5:30am. Train at 6:30. Start work at 8:00. Email from Katushya at 10:33. Dear Nargy? I`m Kashy! Finish work at 9:00 (pm, not am, ha ha). Drinking until 11:50. Last train at midnight. In bed at 1:15am.
Tuesday:
Wake up at 5:30am, in grassy sunlit meadow with Maria Sharapova. Frolic until 6:17, then led by hand to cowshed with Swiss milking-maid. Lie on couch between milking-maid and cow. Wake up at 5:30am. Train at 6:30. Start work at 8:00. Finish at 9:00 (pm, not am, ha ha). Drinking until 10:00. Soapland until 10:12. Drinking until 11:50. Last train at midnight. In bed at 1:15am.
Wednesday:
Wake up at 5:30am. Train at 6:30. Inadvertently get in women-only car, full of contestants in 'Miss OL 2008' changing for officewear round. Ushered to jacuzzi at end of car, where Avril Lavigne is soaping Hillary Clinton. Wake up at 5:30am. Train at 6:30. Start work at 8:00. Send email to Katushya asking for kissy-play video. Finish at 9:00 (pm, not am, ha ha). Drinking until 11:50. Last train at midnight. In bed at 1:15am.
Thursday:
Wake up at 4:50am. Mrs Noguchi's curtains are open! Watch rapt until Mr Noguchi gets up at 6:15. Train at 6:50. Start work at 8:30. Yoshinaga calls from hospital (see week 15) to reprimand. Finish at 8:30 (pm, not am, and f--k Yoshinaga-san). To strip bar at 8:35. Drinking and ogling until 11:50. Last train at midnight. In bed at 1:15am.

Friday:
Wake up at 5:30am, strapped to operating table surrounded by Spice Girls in surgeons' gowns holding tubs of natto. Wake up dammit! at 5:30am. Train at 6:30. Start work at 8:00. In Yoshinaga-san's absence, choose destination for tomorrow`s office trip. Finish at 9:00 (pm, not am, ha ha). Drinking until 11:50. Last train at midnight. In bed at 1:15am.
Saturday:
Lie in until 6:40am. Follow Yoshinaga-san all day, wearing bowler hat and false glasses. He meets Katushya for dinner ... This cannot be! You. Will. Regret. This. To izakaya with colleagues and Yoshinaga-san at 8:50. Drinking until 11:50. Push Yoshinaga-san under last train at midnight. Nargy-honey this, motherfucker. Escape in confusion to internet cafe. Unable to sleep due to glee and maniacal laughter.
Sunday:
Sleeping, and dreaming dreams I can`t tell you about.

That was quite an interesting week, wasn`t it? Largely routine, until the attempted murder of my boss. Did I succeed? Did he survive? Tune in next week!