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Ludacris set to open chicken eatery in Atlanta airport Posted: 26 Aug 2012 06:15 PM PDT Chris "Ludacris" Bridges: To close Singapore-inspired Straits in Atlanta. — AFP pic NEW YORK, Aug 27 — Rapper actor Ludacris has announced that his Chicken and Beer restaurant will be landing at Atlanta airport next year. After taking to Twitter earlier this year to announce his next project, the entertainer put a date to his eatery's arrival on the same microblogging site this week, saying that the restaurant — named after one of his most successful albums — "Chicken-N-Beer" released in 2003 — will open in concourse D at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport next in 2013. It's not the first time a rapper has decided to parlay his fame into a chicken joint. After a brief, unsuccessful stint in eastern Iowa, rapper and reality TV celebrity Flavor Flav opened a deep-fried chicken joint in Las Vegas earlier this year called House of Flavor. And while the main link between Ludacris and his future restaurant is an aptly named album, Flavor Flav had graduated from culinary school and worked as a head cook before finding fame in the entertainment industry. Lucadris is likewise no stranger to the restaurant business as he opened an Asian fusion restaurant Straits in Atlanta, inspired by Singaporean cuisine. The rapper said he planned to close the restaurant in order to focus on his upcoming airport venture. He also co-owns Conjure Cognac and Soul headphones. — AFP/Relaxnews

Fictional food character releases ‘gastronomy guide’ Posted: 26 Aug 2012 06:05 PM PDT NEW YORK, Aug 27 — Twitter avatar Ruth Bourdain — the culinary mashup of Anthony Bourdain and Ruth Reichl — is releasing a book next month described as a gastronomy guide filled with chapters that chronicle the importance of celebrity chef hairstyles and Mexican food-themed yoga poses. In what promises to be as cheeky and irreverent as the anonymous personality's famously snarky tweets, Comfort Me with Offal: Ruth Bourdain's Guide to Gastronomy is set to be released on September 4, by Andrews McMeel Publishing. The 204-page book also includes culinary pick-up lines, a primer on how to achieve the orgasmic potential of chocolate, and yoga poses inspired by the burrito, taco and quesadilla. Apparently. The fake Twitter account for Ruth Bourdain was created in 2010 and mashes up Reichl's haiku-like tweets with a few f-bombs and Bourdain's signature acid-tongued sarcasm becoming a viral hit among online foodies. The anonymous Twitter avatar, who has succeeded in concealing his or her identity, also won the James Beard Foundation Award for Humour last year. But in recent months, Ruth Bourdain has had some online rivalry, with the appearance of Angry BFlay parodying Bobby Flay in seriously bitter but funny 140-character tweets. As of August 23, Ruth Bourdain had about 57,000 followers, while Angry BFlay had 26,830. Comfort Me with Offal will be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Virgin coconut oil: Eat it and wear it! Posted: 25 Aug 2012 07:21 PM PDT Tan Boon Yoong of BIOCOCO says that the vitamin E content in virgin coconut oil is 60 times more potent than other oils. — Picture by Choo Choy May KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — When you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, the last thing you want to consume is coconut oil right? That was what Tan Boon Yoong thought anyway until he tried virgin coconut oil.  Tan did not want to continue taking statins — a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol — for the rest of his life as he was concerned about the drug's side effects, so when he heard about the health benefits of virgin coconut oil, he decided to give it a try.  And after taking it daily for three years, his cholesterol level has dropped from 5.8 to 3.6! Today this former advertising executive runs a company that manufactures and sells virgin coconut oil.  "I started this company five years ago. At that time, the awareness of virgin coconut oil was not widespread and it was tough the first two years. My friend who is an agronomist is in charge of manufacturing and I handle the marketing and advertising," said Tan.  BIOCOCO's Skin Repair Serum is light and is absorbed into the skin easily. — Picture by Choo Choy May BIOCOCO's virgin coconut oil is 100 per cent natural and the company uses Absolutely No Heat technology to extract the oil. BIOCOCO manufactures virgin coconut oil for consumption and skincare.  "Basically, we have six product categories. The virgin coconut oil is for consuming. We also have a moisturiser which is basically coconut oil and essential oils — it is very good for dry skin and eczema. Two and a half years ago, we decided to add the serum with tocotrienol vitamin E. Very few oils have this amount of vitamin E which is 60 times more potent than normal vitamin E. The serum is good for anti-ageing and pigmentation. We got a lot of good feedback for this serum.  "The Skin Repair Serum is meant for the face because women don't mind spending for the face. Then we came up with a fourth category which is soaps because my motto is 100 per cent natural. Oil and water doesn't mix so we decided to just come up with bar soaps. There is no water at all and we don't put in any preservatives. Liquid shampoo or soap is a result of water and oil mixing and you need an emulsifier and usually a chemical is used to emulsify but because my products are 100 per cent natural we do not have liquid shampoo and soaps.  "The fifth category is hair treatment and the sixth one is hair soap," added Tan.  Oil and water don't mix and that's why BIOCOCO offers bar soaps instead of liquid soaps.l — Picture by Choo Choy May Tan said that the hair soap does not contain any sulphates which is a harmful chemical. He read about another company that created natural products which is owned by the editor of an international beauty magazine.  The owner said that natural products should have very few ingredients and that these ingredients should be ingredients you can find in Nature. If you see chemical names and so on, then the product is no longer "natural."  "I advise parents to use virgin coconut oil for their babies and children because unlike other oils, virgin coconut oil has lauric acid which is found in mother's breast milk. It is anti-bacterial and anti-viral which are an added bonus," said Tan.  He recommends that people drink a minimum of one tablespoon of BIOCOCO's virgin coconut oil a day. "The most you can drink is four tablespoons and if you find the taste unpleasant, you can add it to juice, or any other beverage."  Water doesn't mix well with oil so please don't try adding it to water! And according to Tan, once you get used to the taste, you will reap the benefits of the oil. For people with gum problems, you can gargle with BIOCOCO's virgin coconut oil.  BIOCOCO products are not sold everywhere though. Tan works closely with organic shops to sell the products.  "Our stand is 100 per cent natural and secondly, we use pure ingredients. We decided to be niche and we don't want to go into the mass market where sometimes it is diluted or too many chemicals are used. Our essential oils come from Europe and are all natural," he said.  The complete range of BIOCOCO products are made of virgin coconut oil, palm oil and essential oils and do not have suspicious chemicals in them. — Picture by Choo Choy May Both Tan and his associate business partner do extensive research on the benefits of virgin coconut oil and refer to international standards for compliance.  "There is this organisation in the US that gives information about products called EWG which stands for Environmental Working Group. From there you can see if a product has chemicals. We use that site as a guideline to help with our research."  The price range of BIOCOCO products is between RM36-RM140 which is pretty reasonable for something fully natural and beneficial.  Check out the entire range of BIOCOCO products on www.biococo.com.my

US gynaecologists alarmed by plastic surgery trend Posted: 25 Aug 2012 09:03 AM PDT File photo shows a surgery to fix a cleft palate on a patient. In the US, female genital cosmetic surgery is a small segment of the US plastic surgery market, but it is growing, with thousands of women estimated to undergo such procedures every year. That growth comes despite a warning from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, in a 2007 notice to member physicians, that strongly questioned the medical validity and safety of female genital cosmetic surgery. – Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 – Trained as a gynaecologist and reconstructive surgeon, Dr John Miklos calls himself a "medical tailor," specialising in surgery to reshape a woman's private parts. The Atlanta surgeon, who has performed gynaecological surgery for nearly 20 years, cites cases of patients who say their sexual response improved after vaginoplasty, a procedure to surgically tighten a vagina stretched by childbirth or aging. "Women come to me and say they don't have the urge to have sex anymore because they don't feel anything," Miklos said. "I guarantee that if a man didn't feel anything, he wouldn't have sex either." Female genital cosmetic surgery is a small segment of the US plastic surgery market, but it is growing, with thousands of women estimated to undergo such procedures every year. That growth comes despite a warning from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG), in a 2007 notice to member physicians, that strongly questioned the medical validity and safety of female genital cosmetic surgery. Earlier this year the group debated the trend at its annual meeting in San Diego. "None of these procedures have proven effectiveness, and there is potential for harm," Dr Cheryl Iglesia, a Washington, D.C., gynaecologist and former ACOG committee member, wrote in an editorial published in the June issue of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. "Women are being misled or are confused about what is normal," she wrote – and about what constitutes a condition that can actually be helped through treatment. Critics say the trend is the latest service aimed at women pursuing an impossible ideal of physical perfection, hyped by Internet pornography and advertising by surgeons who may not explain all the risks, such as infections, scarring, pain and the loss of the very sensations some patients seek to enhance. "Even when women are told of potential complications, like insensitivity of the clitoris ... they still may be unstoppable if they have the notion that they need a younger-looking or more perfect or more desirable vulva," said Harriet Lerner, a psychologist specialising in women's issues. More than 2,140 US women underwent "vaginal rejuvenation" last year, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons put the US total at nearly 5,200 in 2010. Experts note such figures do not include the many procedures done by gynaecologists. ACOG not only points to the risks of genital surgery but also emphasizes that female sexual response is driven by psychological factors rather than genital appearance. The group has asked its members to be aware of how they might unwittingly influence a patient to consider surgery. In practices across the country, doctors say more women, from teenagers to those in their late 70s, want to discuss the procedures, which can cost between US$2,500 (RM7,752) and US$12,000 and are usually not covered by insurance. "I tell every patient you are normal the way you are," said Miklos, who each year performs as many as 180 labiaplasties to cut back the skin flaps surrounding the vaginal opening. "I would never suggest that they get one. What is the right size of a nose, or a chin? That's up to the individual. It's her right to decide." FROM REPAIR TO AESTHETICS Corrective gynaecological surgery has been available for decades, including procedures to alleviate incontinence or sagging of the vaginal canal after childbirth. In the 1990s surgeons began offering procedures that promised the improved aesthetics, self-esteem and confidence associated with nose jobs or other plastic surgeries. "One side was longer than the other side. ... It was something that bothered me," said Kari, a 36-year-old labiaplasty patient of Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Fardad Forouzanpour. (She did not want to give her last name.) "It makes me more comfortable. I like the way that it looks." She said her boyfriend was not involved in her decision, but she did "look at a few Playboys here and there." One patient, who did not want to use her name, said she had surgery because she hated the look of her labia, even though her husband had no problem with her appearance. Other procedures include creating a new hymen for "revirgination" and "G-spot amplification," which involves injecting the area in the front wall of the vagina with collagen or another filler to enhance sexual gratification. In some cases, patients may not leave satisfied. One way Miklos seeks clients is by running a website called botchedlabia.com, where women who have already experienced complications can get advice on revisions. UNDUE INFLUENCE Surgeons say many patients have been influenced by images of the waxed, buffed or surgically altered genitals of porn actresses. "They see these porn stars who have things done, and they look so nice and clean-cut," said Forouzanpour, who does 15 to 25 labiaplasties a month. "It is normal to have some extra skin, or some discoloration." While studies have shown some social advantages to plastic surgery that improves a person's overall appearance in public, like a nose job or face-lift, there is no data showing the benefits of altering one's genitals. "The ethical question is: How much are you playing on women's insecurities?" Dr Iglesia said. "Women are getting very much duped into thinking there is a standard look for the vulva." By all measures, Miklos has thrived on his expertise. Along with partner Dr Robert Moore, he now has practices in Atlanta, Georgia and Beverly Hills. He says he tries to stay away from procedures with more dubious outcomes. For example, surgery claiming to enhance the "G-spot," which may play a role in sexual arousal, raises red flags as no controlled studies have been done, or are likely to be done, to show whether it has any effect. "I don't routinely do them. People ask for them, but I don't want someone to pay US$1,000 and have high hopes," Miklos said. "People get upset when there is no response." – Reuters

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KISS hails Gaga, others like ‘garbage collectors’ Posted: 26 Aug 2012 09:11 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 — Musicians in today's rock bands look like "garbage collectors" and the only true new star is Lady Gaga, members of the legendary heavy metal group KISS said in a chat with AFP. "There are a lot of bands that have something. What's missing is stardom. The ability to get up on stage and rule, bigger than life," said KISS bassist and singer-songwriter Gene Simmons. Gene Simmons, bassist of US rock group Kiss. — AFP/Relaxnews In a conversation during a promotional appearance on Tuesday for the "KISS Monster Book", the band explained their decision to record their next disc, "Monster," with analogue equipment. They also defended the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, whose members were sentenced to prison last week in Moscow. "There are no stars. There's no Elvis, there's no ... even Prince," said Simmons. "Stage presence — none of the bands have it, they look like garbage collectors. They look worse than the audience that comes to see them." "There's no pride," said the 62-year-old, who is known for his own on-stage persona as "The Demon" in a band that flaunts over-the-top costumes and black-and-white make-up. KISS's four band members spoke to reporters in The Viper Room, a renowned Hollywood bar where the actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose in 1993. Dressed in black, without make-up, in silver neck chains and long hair, the creators of rock hymns like "I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night" and "I Was Made for Lovin' You" agreed the extravagant Lady Gaga stands alone among new performers. "The only new rock star is Lady Gaga. That's it. She's a star," said Simmons, in white crocodile skin cowboy boots and a silk scarf. "There are some very, very good bands, I'm a big fan of Foo Fighters, but give me the stars." It's not just about the show, he said. "Elvis could walk up on stage with nothing. But charisma. Image. Mystique." Paul Stanley, the group's star and lead vocalist, went further. "Musicians who look like the delivery boy ... don't realise that there's more. When big bands go on stage, they deliver their goods," he said. "That's why we've been around 40 years, because people know when they come to see us, they're going to get their money's worth and they're going to be entertained. We are proud to be entertainers and a hell of a rock band." Stanley, who was wearing a black jacket and checker-board shoes with silver studs, and Simmons are the last members of the original KISS, which they formed in the early 1970s. Lead guitarist Tommy Taylor and drummer Eric Singer were brought in later as replacements after a break up in the original line-up. Asked about the Pussy Riot furor in Russia, Simmons said they're "not a good band, but they have the right to do whatever they want to do. And it's too bad that politics gets in the way of rock bands." Stanley said: "A strong country should never be afraid of freedom. And with freedom comes independence, a sense of independence, and many countries still want to squash that." The band is promoting its megabook as a collector's item. A limited-edition of 1,000 copies, it is individually signed by the band's members and spans KISS's 40-year history. It includes 127 photographs, some never published before. The affable rockers, who showed little trace of the fearsome personas they project on stage, told AFP they are recording their next album using analogue equipment, seeking beauty in imperfection. "Monster", their 20th studio album, is scheduled to be released in October. "All the greatest music that was ever made, was made on tape, was analogue. The problem with computers and technology is, when it's not used for enhancement, it becomes a noose around your neck," Stanley said. "You wind up looking for perfection instead of passion. And all the music that we grew up loving — Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones, James Brown, Motown, you name it — none of them were perfect, and that's what made them great." — AFP/Relaxnews

Venice’s Golden Lion not a sure ticket to box office success Posted: 26 Aug 2012 12:52 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 — The most prestigious award of the Venice film festival, whose 2012 edition begins on Wednesday, is no guarantee for box-office success. The ten recipients of the festival's Golden Lion — from 2001 winner "Monsoon Wedding" to 2010's "Somewhere" — failed to bring in big box office money: their total earnings of US$377 million (RM1.17 billion) pale in comparison to the winners of Cannes's Palme d'Or (US$505 million) and rank just ahead of the winners of the Berlin festival's Golden Bear (US$330 million). Among the ten films that were awarded a Golden Lion between 2001 and 2010, only six went past the threshold of US$20 million in global earnings. The most lucrative is Ang Lee's "Secret of Brokeback Mountain", the winner in 2005, which raked in US$178 million. Getting past the US$100 million threshold remains a rare feat for the movie world's major festival winners. Over the past ten years, it's only been reached three times: 2002 Golden Bear winner "Spirited Away" earned US$275 million at the global box office and two Palme d'Or winners, "The Pianist" (2002) and "Fahrenheit 9/11" (2004), join this exclusive club with respective earnings of US$120 million and US$222 million. Ang Lee's Venice "Lust, Caution", which won the coveted prize in 2007, is the second highest-grossing film among Golden Lion winners, with global earnings of US$67 million. Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" comes in third, with US$45 million. Alexander Sokourov's "Faust", which won last year, was not taken into account for this list since its global earnings have not been made available yet.  — AFP-Relaxnews

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Robot cat Doraemon receives residency in Japan city Posted: 25 Aug 2012 09:43 PM PDT Doraemon at the Kawasaki City Fujiko F. Fujio Museum. — Afp pic TOKYO, Aug 26 — Doraemon, Japan's robot cat from the future, will celebrate turning minus 100 years old by being given official residence of the city where he will be born, a city official told AFP.  The electronic blue feline, whose cartoon exploits have captivated children across Asia, is to be given a residency certificate for Kawasaki, a city near Tokyo, on September 3, exactly a century ahead of his supposed birth.  The city, in which the character's creator lived, is also home to a popular museum of all things Doraemon and plans to issue copies of the time-travelling robot cat's residency certificate to fans and visitors.  "Doraemon was created and born in Kawasaki city. In that sense, he has always been a city resident," Mayor Takao Abe told reporters, according to the online edition of the local Kanagawa Shimbun newspaper. "I hope (the residency certificate) will bring the museum closer to many people," he said.  The certificate will give Doraemon's birthday as September 3, 2112, as well as listing his likes — pastries — and his dislikes — mice.  Doraemon was sent back in time from the 22nd century by a young boy who wanted to alter his family's historical misfortune. His magic pocket provides an endless supply of fantastical gadgets that help his young friend Nobita Nobi navigate the trials of everyday life.  The character first appeared in manga strips in 1969, making the transition to small and big screen over the following decades. Doraemon remains enormously popular in Japan, serving as an instantly recognisable cultural reference across generations.  The cartoon series also has a large following in the rest of Asia, including in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. — Afp-Relaxnews

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Aktivis Bersih, Maria Chin dipanggil polis Posted: 26 Aug 2012 02:10 AM PDT SHAH ALAM, 26 Ogos — Aktivis Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) yang juga pengarah eksekutif Pusat Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower), Maria Chin Abdullah telah dipanggil oleh OCPD Dang Wangi dipercayai berkenaan dengan program NGO Gabungan Janji yang akan berhimpun di Dataran Merdeka dan beberapa negeri lain pada malam ambang merdeka. Gabungan Janji dianggotai oleh 47 NGO dan Empower adalah salah satu daripada anggotanya. "Maria Chin diminta oleh polis untuk melaporkan diri di Ibu Pejabat Polis (IPD)Dang Wangi jam 2.00 petang esok. "Dia akan ditemani oleh peguam dari Empower," kata Hishamuddin Rais, jurucakap kepada Gabungan Janji ketika dihubungi oleh The Malaysian Insider. Pada 30 Ogos ini dimalam ambang kemerdekaan, Gabungan Janji akan berhimpun di Dataran Merdeka dengan berbaju kuning. Dalam sidang akhbar Jumaat lalu, Gabungan Janji memberitahu bahawa perhimpunan pada malam ambang kemerdekaan akan turut diadakan di negeri lain seperti Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka dan Johor. Perhimpunan ini bertujuan untuk menuntut kerajaan menunaikan lapan tuntutan Bersih seperti pembersihan daftar pemilih, penggunaan dakwat kekal, kempen pilihan raya sekurang-kurangnya 21 hari, akses media yang adil kepada semua pihak, kukuhkan institusi awam, hentikan rasuah dan hentikan politik kotor. Ketika dihubungi, Maria mengesahkan bahawa beliau telah dihubungi oleh polis pada Jumaat lalu untuk bercakap tentang program Gabungan Janji. "Polis hubungi saya Jumaat lalu pada sebelah petang. "Mereka nak tanya tentang program Gabungan Janji seperti yang kami umumkan dalam sidang akhbar pada sebelah pagi," kata Maria. Menurut Maria, beliau akan ditemani oleh peguamnya, Honey Tan yang juga merupakan anggota Empower. Sasterawan negara, Datuk A. Samad Said yang juga pengerusi bersama Bersih akan membacakan sajak khas pada malam ambang kemerdekaan tersebut di Dataran Merdeka. Pada 28 April lalu, perhimpunan yang dianjurkan oleh Bersih bagi menuntut pilihan raya bebas dan adil dicemari dengan insiden keganasan. Kawat dawai yang dipasang untuk menghalang perserta masuk ke Dataran Merdeka dipecahkan menyebabkan gas pemedih mata mula ditembak.

Najib minta rakyat tidak buat perubahan yang belum pasti kebaikannya Posted: 26 Aug 2012 12:42 AM PDT Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hari ini meminta rakyat supaya tidak membuat 'perubahan' yang belum pasti menjamin kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan kepada mereka. — Gambar AFP PEKAN, 26 Ogos — Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hari ini meminta rakyat supaya tidak membuat 'perubahan' yang belum pasti menjamin kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan kepada mereka. Bukan semua perubahan membawa kepada sesuatu yang baik, kata Najib sambil mengingatkan supaya rakyat tidak menukarkan sesuatu yang mereka boleh bergantung harapan daripada memberi kepada pihak lain yang ternyata belum terbukti rekod perkhidmatannya. "Kita mestilah berpegang kepada sesuatu yang kita tahu, Insya-Allah kita (kerajaan BN) akan membawa kepada keadaan yang lebih baik pada masa akan datang," kata Najib ketika berucap pada majlis rumah terbuka Aidilfitri yang dihoskan beliau dan isteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor di Taman Tasik Sultan Abu Bakar dekat sini, hari ini. Najib mengingatkan rakyat supaya jangan mudah termakan janji manis pembangkang yang ternyata gagal mentadbir empat buah negeri yang dimenangi selepas pilihan raya umum 2008. Katanya tidak semua perubahan yang dijanjikan akan memberi kebaikan kepada rakyat namun kerajaan pimpinan BN sejak era Tunku Abdul Rahman telah membawa pelbagai perubahan yang kini dinikmati oleh rakyat. "Kita tak boleh tukar kerajaan sebab (semata-mata) sudah sampai masa kita (perlu) buat perubahan, tapi (sebaliknya) kita (BN) bukan nak bawa perubahan tapi nak sesuatu yang lebih baik. "Tidak semestinya (semua) perubahan itu membawa kepada kebaikan ada juga membawa kepada sesuatu yang tidak dijangka malah lebih buruk dari apa yang kita kecapi hari ini," katanya. Kerajaan BN sekarang meneruskan kesinambungan perjuangan pemimpin-pemimpin sebelum ini dalam usaha menambah nilai dan membina perubahan yang lebih baik untuk mencapai Wawasan 2020. Beliau berkata negara maju pun jika tidak ditadbir dengan baik dan gagal membina kekayaan baru ia juga akan runtuh dan menyebabkan ekonomi negara mereka gawat seperti yang berlaku di beberapa negara Eropah yang mengalami masalah pengangguran dan kemelesetan ekonomi. "Hakikatnya kita tak boleh terima bantuan demi bantuan tanpa memikirkan macam mana nak mencipta dan menjana kekayaan...negara yang bagi bantuan tanpa jana pndapatan baru, ekonomi negara akan menghadapi masalah," katanya. Tengku Mahkota Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah adalah di antara lebih 70,000 tetamu menghadiri majlis rumah terbuka Perdana Menteri itu. Turut hadir Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob dan barisan kepimpinan negeri. — Bernama

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Chick flick syndrome Posted: 25 Aug 2012 05:29 PM PDT AUG 26 — Did I mention I hate chick flicks? They're so full of unrealistic relationships and pretty gals and cute men who happen to be rich, romantic and understanding.  The other thing I hate about chick flicks is that they create "chick flick syndrome" in women and gullible girls.  Chick flick syndrome results in girls being alone and single because they are day-dreaming about a knight in shining armour.  How do you know you have chick flick syndrome?  Answer these questions:  You believe in chance encounters with strangers (this means bumping into someone at book stores!). You have a vision of an ideal man. You have never been in a serious relationship or hardly ever.  You believe you will mysteriously hit it off with him and sparks will fly, and you will get butterflies in your stomach and you will just know he's special.  You believe that sometimes when you argue with a guy, the two of you will turn into a romantic pair.  You believe he will woo you and do everything he can to attain you while you casually go about your business and at some point you'll fall hopelessly in love with him. You believe you don't have to lift a finger to get a man.  You don't believe in being set up by a girl friend as this takes away from the "chance encounter." You don't believe in primping yourself or making an effort to look good because your two personalities will just hit it off.  You don't believe in making the first move and talking to a guy you like because you think if he's interested he'll chat you up. As you can see, if you agree with the above statements, you have chick flick syndrome.  You actually think some man will bump into you, say something funny that will make you say something back which will lead to more conversation and you two will hook up. It doesn't occur to those with chick flick syndrome that relationships take work, will often hit many bumps and will usually go through tests that may strengthen or break it.  The problem I have with these syndromes is that it leaves nice girls alone and single, wondering why romance doesn't come their way — then they conveniently blame God and say that God arranges everything.  I'm sorry, but God is busy trying to hook you up with your gal pal's friends — if only you would quit expecting some charming guy who fits your idea of the ideal man to come rescue you from a locked tower.  Chance encounters  The girls with chick flick syndrome hang out with their girl friends, always go to the same places and actually think someone who bumps into them will ask them for their number.  I'm sorry, but this is Malaysia, not the US. Men don't ask for a girl's number if they bump into you at the book store. Get real!  Ideal man  Sure it's good to have a certain degree of expectation. But then you have unrealistic expectations like he has to be cute with boy band looks, earns a decent income with a professional job, be a jock and be intelligent as well. News alert – those guys only exist in the movies. Jocks may not be intellectuals and likewise smarts ones aren't necessarily good looking.  Research have proven that good looking people are more confident but average looking people tend to have a more vibrant personality as they have to work harder to get friends through their humour, wit or intelligence while good looking people never have to work hard to attract attention.  Be realistic about men and learn to compromise. Real relationships are about two people willing to set aside their differences for the love of each other. No man will be perfect so stop waiting for the perfect hero.  Self primping  A lot of staunch chick flick syndrome girls do the opposite. They primp themselves and then expect some stranger to walk up to them and declare their interest in them. That's still tolerable.  It's the ones that don't primp themselves yet expect some stranger to suddenly fall in love with them and ask for their number that gets to me.  Sure you should just be yourself. And if you're a T-shirt and sports shoes kinda gal, don't change your personal style for a man. But your dressing tells people what kind of person you are. And if you don't care about making a good impression, don't be surprised if people aren't impressed.  If you are comfortable looking like a tomboy, don't get surprised that people treat you like one. If you dress like a nun, don't be surprised if men think you steer clear of men (and then they stay clear of you) unless they are looking for a very modest kinda girl.  More importantly, I don't get the women who choose to dress down (love me for my personality kinda girl) who then ONLY want cute guys. Ladies, reality check — a lot of good looking people have the option of attractive people flocking to them. Also, in relationships — it's very important that personalities and values match.  So if the men take good care in personal grooming and bother to look good, then they probably expect their women to care about their appearances too. How can you have double standards with yourself and your men? Don't complain if the good looking ones don't look at you if your personal grooming isn't up to par as it's part of a personality clash.  Cute/dashing hero syndrome  I understand that physical attraction is important. But hello, how shallow can you get? Obviously been watching too many chick flicks. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Once you know him, you'll be able to see attractive qualities in him.  That scar on his face may represent that time in the army when he rescued someone. That balding patch may represent him taking care of his cancer ridden mother. That extra pound around his waist might represent his long hard battle to overcome a genetic predisposition to being obese, which he managed to trim to only a few extra pounds.  Stop being shallow and look within. Get to know someone before deciding whether you'll marry the guy.  You believe you don't have to lift a finger to get a man  Sorry girls. But men have their moods and emotions too. Sometimes, he may get jealous. And you may need to coax him. You need to talk and communicate and set boundaries. It doesn't mean that you dress in short skirts to get his attention, but if you're sloppy and he's not, don't be surprised if he walks out.  The key is mutual commitment. He's not gonna chase you unless you are able to meet him halfway. Expecting him to bend to your ideal man/date/relationship is just courting disaster.  And that's just some of the issues I have against chick flick syndrome; compressed into a few points. There is hope however. If you have this syndrome — here is the remedy:  Meet more guys — understand them for who they are, the feelings, their reasons for their actions, etc.  Date more — have casual dates with zero expectations. Don't pre-judge a guy.  Make the first move — say hello to someone you like, or give him the look. This opens up possibilities. That's not saying you have to chase him.  Well, I hope you gals with chick flick syndrome quit watching chick flicks. Or at least understand that you're suffering from this syndrome and try to watch the flicks without getting brainwashed by Hollywood. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Rediscovering children’s books Posted: 25 Aug 2012 05:04 PM PDT Hours of reading pleasure. Best of all, I get to share these with my son. AUG 26 — Ballooning up two dress sizes and having to wear my eight-month-old in a carrier everywhere I go, clothes shopping has lost its shine for me (I pulled a muscle trying not to fall over while trying on a pair of shorts in a too-small dressing room. That was it.)  What was initially relief for my husband has now shifted to new-found horror as he learns, on a weekly basis, that book buying is far more damaging to his bank account.  My latest buying streak began with the Hong Kong Book Fair in July. As Typhoon Vicente whipped through the city tearing up trees, I whipped out my credit card, almost tearing with joy.  This expedition was followed by weekly trips to the book shop with my children, which has been our routine since the summer holidays began in late July.  Then there was Taobao. I may be illiterate but thanks to my brother-in-law and his too-kind colleague, I shopped up a storm on China's answer to Amazon.com and e-Bay. Only I spent a fraction (about a third) of what I do in Hong Kong.  I can't be sure how Taobao sellers are able to price children's books (or any item they sell for that matter) at such dirt cheap prices. Some books had minor defects, others may have been cancelled orders or stock over runs. I can only hope there were no copyright infringements.  For that one special cake decorating book, I decided to order from The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.com), which is based in England. Although it offers free shipping, it was a painful 24 pounds (RM118). Never mind that I will unlikely create anything from that book; it is purely for my viewing pleasure and I wanted a genuine, defect-free copy. I think this is what economists term snob appeal.  I have deviated from my reason for writing this week's column. I want to talk about the appeal of children's books.  I have been collecting these on and off for years, picking up a copy that caught my eye here and there. This year, however, perhaps spurred by the book fair, I have been on a rampage.  The fair opened my eyes to less-seen books, predominantly older titles that have seen recent printing. These include Madeline (Ludwig Bemelmans, 1939), Inch by Inch (Leo Lionni, 1960) and The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Judith Kerr, 1973).  A die-cut image from Simms Taback's Joseph Had a Little Overcoat I have also come to enjoy well-illustrated books. I enjoyed Erin Stead's woodblock print and pencil illustrations in A Sick Day for Amos McGee (written by Philip Stead); adored the die-cut holes that help transform an overcoat into a button in Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback.  With each book I open I rediscover the simple pleasure of reading. I take in the new book smell, the smooth, crease-free pages, the rich colours, the short, simple stories (yet incredibly difficult to create).  I pick these books for myself and love sharing them with my four-year-old son whose hour-long pre-bedtime ritual involves us reading two books with him.  His favourites are the wordless books. Although he can read, he seems to enjoy creating his own words as he narrates the story based on the pictures.  His top "read/ view" as I type this is Zoom by Istvan Banyai. Starting with what looks like a portion of a star-shaped pizza, the next page reveals it is in fact the comb on a cockerel's head. Zooming out with each page, we discover that the cockerel is being watched by children inside a farm house; the farm house is in fact a toy farm a child is playing with; and this in turn is a picture in a toy magazine read by a boy on a ship's deck. Genius.  The other wordless wonders (in my opinion) are Chalk by Bill Thomson, The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney and Flotsam by David Wiesner.  In just over a month I have purchased 37 books. Now they sit in piles on the floor as I scratch my head about where to put them in my shoe-box apartment. My love affair is in full-swing.  New kid on the block  A selection of award-winning children's books at Eslite. The latest book store opening in Causeway Bay has, unsurprisingly, resulted in further spending. Eslite Bookstore, a Taiwanese import and now the the largest bookstore chain in Hong Kong, has been the cause of more snaking queues in this queue-friendly city.  A selection of award-winning children's books at Eslite. While looking at the floor directory in Hysan Place, the new mall where Eslite is home to, I overheard two Cantonese-speaking men discussing how Eslite should be pronounced in English. "E-C Lite," said one. "I think it's S-Lite," said the other.  Eslite is old French for elite and perhaps picking up on that, commentators have observed that the stylish store is for those who want to be seen as educated and well-read.  Eslite has been the talk of the town as folks rushed to check out the 41,000 square feet store occupying three floors. It is the first 24-hour bookstore here (although for now it is only opened round the clock from Thursdays to Saturdays) which has seen shoppers head there when the malls shut at 10pm.  I found Eslite too crowded for my liking on a Thursday afternoon and saw none of the "comfortable seating" bloggers raved about.  The children's section, however, held its own purely for displaying titles different from main players Dymocks, Page One, Bookazine and Commercial Press.  I give it a thumbs up for offering up a selection of popular titles in both English and Chinese (traditional) such as Eric Carle's Brown Bear.  Bookworms have much to look forward to as thanks to Eslite's entry into the market, local competitors are stepping up their game. The Causeway Bay branch of The Commercial Press, situated across the road from Eslite, is reported to have expanded its English section. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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