| Full Moon Party: 'Crash' Patch a Welcome Addition For Revelers | ||||
| UPDATE : 13 April 2010 | ||||
As the boat approaches the island of Koh Pha-Ngan, the sound emanating from Haad Rin Beach almost reaches fever pitch. It's great to return to the popular party island again, my first visit since the year 2000. I'm greeted by a huge welcoming committee of joyful, dancing revelers. My first impression is that everyone is pretty much intoxicated and enjoying a 'devil-may-care' state of mind, so I guess I better start by getting myself a drink. It looks like everyone's already been hard at it for quite a while and it's still only midnight!
Taking place on a monthly basis, Koh Pha-Ngan's Full Moon party is one of those happenings that everyone really ought to experience at least once during a lifetime. And it really does seem like 'time flies' when you're participating in one, since most people involved tend to get 'lost' either in the music or the atmosphere (or both). In terms of the music, I'll have to be honest and say I found it to be 'okay' at best – I'll probably never fully appreciate trance, although I guess at least it provided a reasonable soundtrack for an evening of dance, albeit a sweaty and boozy form of dance! A pleasant surprise It was exactly 10 years ago that I last attended a Full Moon party on Koh Pha-Ngan. So on my return, I was already to be a 'casual observer', enjoy a few drinks, sit back and declare: “Yeah man, but it's nothing like it used to be!” But the fact is, little has changed really: boys and girls dance the night away, while various forms of booze and mixers are for sale on the beach. Just like during my previous visit, some of those enjoying the celebration start squinting as the morning starts to approach and begin wondering as I did back then: “Whoops! Now how do I get back to my bungalow?” Fortunately, a new development has helped to ensure that this is now less of an issue. As I wander across the beach, I notice an area that was definitely not there 10 years ago. Close to an area of beach crowded with revelers near Paradise Bar – one of the beach's best known clubs - is an area featuring a sign stating 'Sleep Area'.
Before I know it it's 6 am and the moon has begun making way for the sun. During this visit the sand is fine and clean unlike 2000 when it was covered in an unusual looking form of phosphorescent algae, so 'thank heavens for small mercies'. The Sleep Area has already become packed and apparently there's no form of discrimination towards either gender, nationality, or age. It certainly offers revelers an added bonus as it provides those who may a little more inebriated than they had planned to be with a clean and safe place to crash out.
As I wait for a boat to take me back to another part of the island where my accommodation is located, I rest my head near the Sleep Area, where numerous youngsters are snoozing away. I hear a Scandinavian girl lying on her back, talking to her friend. “I love this stuff [the music],” she says, reminding me in some ways of a punk rock singer. I gaze across and she catches me playfully with her 'Lucy in the Sky' eyes. The next Full Moon party at Haad Rin Beach, Koh Pha-Ngan will take place on April 28. Transport connections: Boat: Koh Pha-Ngan is about two-and-a-half hours away by boat from the coastal town of Surat Thani. Five boats operate between the hours of 6 am until 11 pm. They travel back from the island between 7 am and 10 pm. From Koh Samui, boats take about 45 minutes to reach Koh Pha-Ngan from Na Thorn pier, leaving five times a day between 8 am to 5 pm and returning five times a day between 7 am and 1 pm from Thong Sala. Another service operates between Bo Pud pier and Haad Rin between 9.30 am and 2.30 pm, returning between 10.30 am and 3.30 pm. | ||||
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 25 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553
Full Moon Party: 'Crash' Patch a Welcome Addition For Revelers
Bang Luang Market: Ancestral Origins a Source of Civic Pride
| Bang Luang Market: Ancestral Origins a Source of Civic Pride | |||
| UPDATE : 5 April 2010 | |||
Located 60 kilometers southwest of Bangkok in Nakhon Pathom province's Bang Len district, Bang Luang Market has been enjoying a new lease of life since being formally launched as a cultural attraction early last year. The community market comprises several rows of antique, wooden shop house buildings that feature a rare combination of Chinese, Thai and Western architectural influences that really took off in commercial centers across the kingdom at the beginning of the 20th century. A sense of civic pride But members of the Bang Luang community don't wish to solely focus on the physical preservation of the site of their historic market, as they also want to share some interesting anecdotes relating to their ancestors, who played a key role in establishing the community. Somsak Youmak, the 44-year-old president of the Bang Luang Market development committee, says the village was established by a group of Chinese migrants who spoke the Teochew dialect, which was then widely used in China's eastern coastal region of Chaoshan. During the early years of the 20th century, Bang Luang village was crowded and prosperous due to trade and commerce relating to river travel. The village was once a transportation hub through which people heading for the southern provinces along the Tha Jeen River would pass. An old, wooden building featuring high ceilings that was once used as a cinema hints at the area's prosperous early years, along with a shop house building that was once used as an opium house. But when the move away from river transport toward road transport began taking place, the community slowly began to lose its luster as many of the younger residents opted to leave for more lucrative opportunities in Bangkok. "We've got some interesting resources tourists can tap into to learn about our history and way of life. We believe tourism is a way of generating income for members of the community, so we can make a reasonable living and continue to live here," Somsak says. As well as the neighborhood's interesting architectural attractions, local food is another draw card among tourists since these dishes also help visitors to learn about local culture. Several kinds of Chinese noodle dishes and desserts that are difficult to locate in other parts of the country can be found within the Bang Luang community.
Musical youth The development of the old market is not the only effort launched by the villagers to ensure that the community remains dynamic. In 2004, it was decided to try and revive a traditional Chinese musical troupe in a bid to inject a new lease of life into the neighborhood. The troupe is now playing a major role in the community by performing live during various ceremonial events. Several senior members of the community were involved in getting the project off the ground, and these individuals share the same desire to pass on their skills to young people in the neighborhood. "The troupe is the pride of our community," says Wiroon Leowongphuthorn, the 43-year-old director of the troupe, who is also one of five instructors. The string section includes 45 children aged from seven to 16 years old. Among the instruments used by members of the troupe are flutes, fiddles and guitars, along with drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments. Music lessons include an introduction to the hundreds of traditional Chinese songs that feature lyrics in the Teochew dialect. Practice is usually held in the evening after school within the courtyard of the community's local Chinese shrine. New members step in to replace the ones that leave the village every year to begin their higher education. Among the opportunities during which the youngsters can show off their musical skills are major festivals and events, such as the Chinese New Year festival, the celebration of the birthday of the goddess known as Tubtim, along with a number of other significant ceremonial events. Typically, the troupe makes its way around the community's streets and sidewalks playing their instruments in unison during these kind of performances.
The revival of the musical troupe represents just one effort by Somsak's generation at promoting a sense of community among local youths. However, he says that the older generations tend to enjoy stronger ties among themselves. “Senior members enjoy strong social ties [with each other], as well as with the community,” says Somsak, who is a member of the fourth generation to have descended from the original settlers. Parents and grandparents within the community have successfully managed to bring together within a single plot all the individual plots of land that were owned by early settlers. This is managed under the jurisdiction of the Bang Luang Samakkee Company, a firm established by active members of the community over 20 years ago as a strategy aimed at preserving the original land ownership structure and to prevent changes in ownership. In compiling the land, Somsak says the company had to buy back some individual plots that had previously been purchased by folks not living within the community, using donations made by members of the community. This land accounts for a site covering 23 rai (3.68 hectares). "Our parents and grandparents managed to demonstrate their great efforts at preserving our ancestral settlement," Somsak says. "They've already set a path that allows us to live gracefully here." Maintaining standards Since tourism can bring about both positives and negatives, Somsak points out that the committee decided to establish some regulations aimed at preventing any negative impacts that have been experienced at similar sites. Somsak says villagers agree with the committee that they do not seek to generate large profits from tourism, as they would rather benefit from activities that comply with the idea of a simple, rural life. To achieve these goals, villagers have agreed that they will only sell locally-sourced products or products that have a meaningful link with the community to visitors. They also intend to avoid the establishment of tourism-related businesses by non-residents. Somsak has made a personal sacrifice that's related to these rigorous regulations. He chose to stop working as an agent for a satellite television network since the committee urged members of the community against adding or adjusting anything that could create an eyesore within their community. "The sense of community established by our ancestors remains strong among our members," he says. "We want to show tourists only the features that relate to our traditional ways of life." | |||
วันศุกร์ที่ 23 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553
Bringing vampires back home -- to Britain
Bringing vampires back home -- to Britain
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| By Manager Online | 19 April 2010 11:31 |
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April 19, 2010 LONDON (Reuters) - A British university is to hold a conference on Vampires in an effort to counterbalance the "Americanisation" of the fictional genre. Delegates to the University of Hertfordshire's "Open Graves, Open Minds: Vampires and the Undead in Modern Culture" conference to be held on April 16-17 will have their food served to them out of coffins as part of a mission to encourage students of all ages to study literature. English lecturer Sam George, who has just launched a Master of Arts degree in vampire fiction at Hertfordshire, said the most famous vampire narrative of all, Dracula, was written by Irishman Bram Stoker and set in London and Whitby in Yorkshire, but that now with the "Twilight" saga and "True Blood," modern vampires have become Americanised. "It's amazing how many British actors have played Dracula on screen," George said in a statement on the university's website. "I aim to put the British vampire back on the map." | ||||
"The new breed of vampires are far from monstrous, they are glamorous and sexy and have an emotional side," she said. "Their (teenagers') attraction to vampire figures provides a safe way for them to acknowledge these desires." Conference lectures will be delivered by academics and author Marcus Sedgwick, who writes young adult fiction with a vampire twist. Panel topics during the two-day event will include "Dracula Lives," "Appetites of the Undead," "Undead Victorians," "Undead Teens," "Politics of the Undead," "Undead Romance," "The Gay Undead," "Undead TV," "Undead in the New Media," "Identity, Legality and the Undead" and "Gendering the Undead." (Reporting by Paul Casciato, editing by Stephen Addison) |
Scientists find aging gene is linked to immunity
Scientists find aging gene is linked to immunity
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| By Manager Online | 19 April 2010 15:03 |
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By Kate Kelland, April 19, 2010 LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists studying the genetics of aging said on Thursday that experiments on laboratory worms showed that a specific gene is strongly linked to lifespan, immunity and disease resistance. Since the gene, called DAF-16 in worms, is found in many animals and in humans, the finding could open up new ways to affect aging, immunity and resistance in humans, the scientists said. "We wanted to find out how normal aging is being governed by genes and what effect these genes have on other traits, such as immunity," said Robin May of the University of Birmingham, who led the study. Populations across the world are aging at a staggering pace, posing potentially big challenges for health and social care systems. A study by Danish scientists last year found that half of babies born in the rich world today will live to celebrate their 100th birthdays. Scientists are keen to find out how people age to try to develop drugs to help them stay healthier as their lives extend. "What we have found is that things like resistance and aging tend to go hand in hand," May said in an interview. May's team compared longevity, stress resistance and immunity in four related species of worm. They also looked for differences in the activity of DAF-16 in each of the four species, and found that they were all quite distinct. | ||||
May said DAF-16 was active in most cells in the body and was very similar to a group of human genes called FOXO genes, which scientists believe play a role in the aging process. "The fact that subtle differences in DAF-16 between species seem to have such an impact on aging and health is very interesting and may explain how differences in lifespan and related traits have arisen during evolution," May said. The study was published in the Public Library of Sciences (PLoS) One journal. In a commentary on the study, Professor Douglas Kell of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which funded the work, said the findings would help scientists understand some of the mechanisms that determine how humans age. "It is very important to develop a good understanding of healthy aging if we are to appreciate what happens to an older person's physiology when they become unwell or experience difficulties with everyday tasks such as recalling memories or moving around," he wrote. |
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 11 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553
Back to his best
Back to his best
Kittipong Thongsombat talks to Pongsaklek about the latest chapter of his career
- Published: 11/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Sports
Reborn Pongsaklek Wonjongkam proved that ambition and discipline can be the key to earning success after he regained the WBC flyweight belt last month in Tokyo.
WHO’STHE BOSS?: Pongsaklek masters KokiKamedain Tokyo
The Nakhon Ratchasima native was believed to have an outside chance against Koki Kameda but won the fight with a unanimous points victory to get back the title he lost to Daisuke Naito in July 2007.
"I am really proud of myself for winning back the title," said the 32-year-old southpaw.
Pongsaklek was crowned the WBC 112lb king for the first time in February 2001 when he stopped then champion Malcolm Tunacao of the Philippines in the first round.
He then went on a run and defended the belt 17 times before being outscored by Naito three years ago.
The power puncher said the feeling of regaining the belt this year still did not measure up to the elation he felt when he obliterated Tunacao almost a decade ago.
"I was really excited when I was crowned as world champion for the first time," said Pongsaklek.
"This time I am just proud of doing it and not too excited, even though I won the title abroad."
Pongsaklek, who is nicknamed 'Korn', plans to get married later this year.
And despite looking forward to that event in his life, he described how he had been desperate to prove that he was still a force to be reckoned with in the boxing ring.
"Some of the media said the fight was fixed when I lost the belt to Naito and others blamed me," he said.
"Anyway, I know I already tried my best at that time."
Despite trying in vain to beat Naito and win back the title in August 2008 (the fight was a draw) Pongsaklek said he didn't become discouraged and trained while hoping for another shot.
Promoter Wirat Vachirarattanawongse kept him busy with marking time outings and then landed an eliminator with Mexico's Julio Cesar Miranda last April.
Pongsaklek cruised to victory to set up the match with Koki, who toppled Naito last November.
Wirat revealed Pongsaklek had never said he wanted to retire and that he always kept faith with his boxer.
The promoter also controls Panomroonglek Kratingdaenggym, who has been the mandatory challenger for the WBC flyweight belt for more than a year.
As for Pongsaklek, he attributed his victory over Kameda to a long and punishing training routine.
"It was my best-ever preparation for a fight," he said.
"I trained very hard for three months and ran for 20km every day.
"I was really in the best shape."
Although Pongsaklek is flying high again, he admitted that time is running out to cement his legacy.
"My dream is to add the WBA belt and IBF belt to my collection," he said.
"I will get more money and recognition fighting abroad. I still have to support my family."
Pongsaklek has only had only five fights abroad in a 79 fight career and all have been in Japan.
His promoter Wirat disagreed and said it was not possible for Pongsaklek to pick and choose.
"Whether it is in the country or abroad, you have to fight when the chance comes," said Wirat, who has come under fire from some quarters for not getting Pongsaklek a big fight in America.
Pongsaklek thinks he still has two years left at the top and would like to stay active with regular fights.
Trainer Payak Chor Pimol echoed his words and said he thinks the Thai is the best in the division.
"He is second-to-none but how long he will remain as the champion depends on his fitness," said Payak.
"As he gets older, he does not need to train on technique so much but must stay as fit as possible."
After springing the upset over Kameda, it appears that this new chapter in Pongsaklek's career could just turn out to be the best of all.
About the author
- Writer: Kittipong Thongsombat
- Position: Reporter
The Muses of Songkran
The Muses of Songkran
Celebrating the upcoming Thai New Year with the divine ladies of Songkran
- Published: 10/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Muse
Happy new year! Well, not quite, but we believe many 'Muse' readers have already packed their bags and are ready for either a great holiday escape or hitting the road home to visit their parents outside the chaotic City of Angels. Many others, however, are probably busy searching their attics for their water pistols in preparation for the wettest celebration ever.
Whatever the case may be, the beginning of this long holiday is marked by the time the sun enters Aries according to the ancient Indian ephemeris, thus signifying a new year. Apart from the usual ceremony of paying respect to elders and ancestors, what many Thais look for at the beginning of a new year are predictions of what is to come. (As evidenced in the Bangkok Post's much awaited annual horoscope published on the first of January each year, ahem!) As for Songkran, the predictions come in the presence and posture of the divine, mythical ladies that are Nang Songkran. How will the weather be? Will the economy prosper? Will a fatal pandemic strike? How will crops yield? These common concerns for the largely agriculture-based Thai society will be answered by a simple calculation of the time the sun enters Aries - which indicates which one of the seven Songkran goddesses descend to Earth and in what posture she comes.
Before many of us get confused, we have to make one point clear. The Nang Songkran we're talking about here is not the winner of a beauty queen contest who is carried on a palanquin in the grand Songkran parade you see all over Thailand during the festival. Actually, the Nang Songkran beauty queen and her parade is the secular imitation of the real celestial Songkran parade celebrated by higher beings, centred around the female deity, the mythical Nang Songkran.
According to Hindu mythology, the celestial parade of Songkran involves the story of a wise man named Dhammabal and Maha Brahma named Kabil Brahma, who rules the third level of the Brahma celestial world (located above heaven) and also is the father of the seven deities known collectively as Nang Songkran. The great Lord of Brahma in the celestial world learned about the Dhammabal's intellect from hearing his praises and wanted to challenge the human with a riddle, placing his own head as a wager. Dhammabal, who had mastered bird language, overheard the answer to Kabil Brahma's riddle from a conversation between two eagles and Kabil Brahma had to behead himself at the loss. However, he summoned all his seven daughters, who were god Indra's ladies-in-waiting, to bring the tray to carry his head, which could cause a lethal cataclysm should it fall to the air, onto the Earth or into water. His eldest daughter, Tungsa, then carried the head around Krailas mountain for 60 minutes before putting it safely in Khanduli cave, deep inside the mountain. Since then, each of the seven daughters, joined by deities and higher beings in heaven, would take turns carrying the head around the mountain each year. As the word Kabil also means "red", the implication of this story is inseparable from the occurrence of the sun entering the first zodiac sign which signals the beginning of a new year.
The seven daughters of Kabil Brahma also represent each day of the week and ancient astrologers know which of them will descend to Earth by using ephemeris to find out on what day of the week the sun enters Aries. Each of these deities is identified by the colour of their dress, their ornaments, choice of weapon and food, and means of transport symbolised by animals as follow:
The Nang Songkran for Sunday is Tungsa, who wears clothes in the colour of red stone. The pomegranate flower and ruby are her ornaments. She carries a discus in her right hand and a conch shell in her left. Her food is fig and she travels on a garuda.
The Nang Songkran for Monday is Koraka, who wears clothes in the colour of the moon. Indian cork and pearl are her ornaments. She has a Phra Khan (small sword) in her right hand and a stick in her left. Her food is ghee and she travels on a tiger.
The Nang Songkran for Tuesday is Rakso, who wears clothes in the colour of zircon. Sacred lotus and jasper are her ornaments. She has a trident in her right hand and a bow in her left. Her food is blood and she travels on a pig.
The Nang Songkran for Wednesday is Monta, who wears clothes in the colour of emerald. The chakpak flower and chrysoberyl are her ornaments. She has a Marlin spike in her right hand and a stick in her left. Her food is milk and butter and she travels on a donkey.
The Nang Songkran for Thursday is Kirinee, who wears clothes in the colour of chrysoberyl. Egg magnolia and emerald are her ornaments. She has a mahout's hook in her right hand and a crossbow in her left. Her food is sesame and peas and she travels on an elephant.
The Nang Songkran for Friday is Kimita, who wears clothes in the colour of diamond. White water lily and topaz are her ornaments. She has a small sword in her right hand and a harp in her left. Her food is banana and she travels on a buffalo.
The Nang Songkran for Saturday is Mahotorn, who wears clothes in the colour of black stone. Water hyacinth and black sapphire are her ornaments. She has a discus in her right had and trident in her left. Hog dear is her food and she travels on a peacock.
Ancient astrologers defined different interpretations for each day of the week the sun enters Aries - which is called Maha Songkran day (the end of old year), as well as the following two days, which are called Wan Nao (Preparation Day) and Wan Taleung Sok (New Year's Day). For example, crop yields will not be good if Maha Songkran falls on a Sunday, while senior state officers will be recognised overseas should Maha Songkran day fall on a Wednesday, as is the case this year.
The posture of Nang Songkran, which is calculated by the time the Sun enters Aries, also holds a key to predict the year ahead. Nang Songkran will stand on the animal's back if she comes in the morning, ride on its back if she comes in the afternoon, recline with her eyes open if she comes in the evening and recline with her eyes closed if she comes past midnight. The standing posture is related to trouble and suffering, the riding posture signifies pandemic, death and disaster, the reclining posture with eyes open signifies peace and happiness while the reclining posture with eyes closed reflects the glory of the monarch.
In the old days when calendar wasn't available and literacy was not common, the calculation for Maha Songkran day, Wan Nao and Wan Taleung Sok along with predictions for the year would be presented to the King by the royal astrologer on the advent of the festival. The court artist would then paint a picture based on the information, showing Nang Songkran and the celestial procession. The court would then issue the "Songkran Announcement", which details the time for the new year, the auspicious and inauspicious days as well as the coming rainfalls - crucial information to members of an agricultural society.
Although a Songkran Announcement may be anachronistic with the introduction of the modern calendar and meteorology, a number of people remain interested in the announcement and rely on it for scheduling auspicious events and they continue to refer to Nang Songkran for predictions in the year to come.
What will happen in the coming year?
In this year of the tiger, the sun enters Aries on Wednesday, April 14 at 7:19am. Nang Songkran will be Monta and she will descend to the Earth standing on the back of a donkey. With Maha Songkran falling on Wednesday, Wan Nao falling on Thursday and Wan Thaleung Sok falling on Friday, the ancient method of prediction says that senior state officers will receive recognition from overseas and fruit will be expensive. The royal family will experience some anxiety. Merchants will prosper. The standing posture of Nang Songkran also signifies trouble for the people.
About the author
- Writer: Samila Wenin
- Position: Muse Editor
The Green Panel
Ideas & Innovation 
The Green Panel
- Published: 9/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Realtime
A journey to the Balinese and Thai worlds of floral art will reveal to you an endless array of tropical floral and plant materials being employed in the creation of their art. Not only are the coconut and banana very high in socio-economic value to people of the tropics, but they also prove to be indispensable materials in the fabrication of their floral art.
In Thailand, however, there is yet another plant material that is used in Thai floral art, especially in making krathong, or floating floral offerings. Though only introduced to Thailand in 1901 from Indonesia, in the reign of King Rama V, the water hyacinth has quickly made Thailand its home and now appears floating along the waterways across the Kingdom.
Forget the traditional usage of water hyacinth as the floating base for krathong, in today's floral display, it is dressed anew in contemporary flair. The stems of the water hyacinth are taking fresh new form as a green tower to display tropical blooms.
To begin, I cut the stem of water hyacinth into pieces of the length that is slightly less than the width of the metal frame. When a quantity of the cut water hyacinth stems is prepared, I use needles attached with thin strings of wire to pierce diagonally through both sides of the stems, approximately one inch from the ends. Then, I tie both strings on the top part of the metal frame and let it hang freely. Continuing to add cut water hyacinth stems, one by one, I gradually create a green panel that hangs nicely within the metal frame.
Individual vanda blossom is then placed onto the water hyacinth panel in the desired rhythm. Stems of water hyacinth hug the stems of vanda, holding it to the position. Our green panel of water hyacinth now boasts the beauty of purple vandas to all.
TIPS
1. Wooden frames of smaller sizes can also be used for similar displays.
2. Cut bamboo culm is a more permanent alternative for the panel.
3. Two floral panels can be placed on both sides of an entrance to welcome guests upon their arrival.
STEP-BY-STEP
1. Cut the stem of water hyacinth into pieces at a length that is slightly less than the width of the metal frame.
2. Use a needle attached with a thin string of wire to pierce diagonally through both sides of the stems.
3. Tie both strings to the top part of the metal frame and continue to add water hyacinth stems until complete.
4. Place vanda blossom onto the water hyacinth panel.
5-6. Stems of water hyacinth hug the stems of vanda blossom, holding it to the position.
Girliness re-defined
Girliness re-defined
- Published: 10/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Muse
Women are complex - so complex that our flighty behaviour is sometimes considered an art form. So what happens if a work of art tries to capture the essence of girliness? The results may vary greatly depending on which angle of femininity the artist looks at.
In New Girly Graphics, girliness breaks the pink and puffy stereotype of being a girl and wanders into the darker, more mysterious side. This bilingual (Japanese and English) book is a collection of current Japanese and international advertisements, catalogues, posters, shop cards, direct mail and more, under the same theme: Girly. All of the graphics are designed to especially appeal to the ladies, yet they are so varied in motive and emotion. This book, as the cover line explains, is an interpretation of lovely, sweet and glamourous designs. In New Girly Graphics, the interpretation of the word girly goes beyond feminine and cute.
Girly here is defined as the heart of being a woman, and as we all know there is something about a woman's heart that bemuses males and appears to be unfathomable. Girly can be dazzling, powerful, surreal and dangerous, while it can also be pearly and dreamy.
This is not to say, however, that pastel colours and flowery patterns are non-existent in this book. In fact, they dominate the pages, but in designs and forms that are not too cliched or stereotypical. There is a touch of creative quirkiness and unexpected daring attitude - definitely a feminine trait.
The works are classified as "glamourous and poisonous", "pure and natural", "cute and rock 'n' roll" and "romantic and fairly tale". These artworks will help you explore different dimensions of being girly, and perhaps you'll realise that girls really do have more fun.
NEWGIRLY GRAPHICS Edited by Chihiro Nakagawa Pie Books, 191 pp, 3,895 baht ISBN 978-4756240095 Available at Asia Books
Femme Fatale perfume package is categorised under ‘glamorous and poisonous’
Seasonal poster for Shibuya 109 commercial facility in ‘romantic and fairy tale’ style
‘Pure and natural’ advertisement by Meiji Milk Chocolate
Stationery from Heiwa Paper in ‘cute’ style.
About the author
- Writer: Napamon Roongwitoo
- Position: Outlook Writer
วันอังคารที่ 6 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2553
Sex virus blamed for rise in head and neck cancers
Sex virus blamed for rise in head and neck cancers
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| By Manager Online | 5 April 2010 15:06 |
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By Kate Kelland, April 5, 2010 LONDON (Reuters) - The number of head and neck cancers linked to a virus spread by oral sex is rising rapidly and suggests boys as well as girls should be offered protection through vaccination, doctors said Friday. Despite an overall slight decline in head and neck cancers in recent years, cases of a particular form called oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have increased sharply, particularly in the developed world. This growth seems to be linked to cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), scientists said in a report in the British Medical Journal. Two vaccines -- Cervarix, made by GlaxoSmithKline, and Gardasil, made by Merck & Co -- can prevent HPV, which causes virtually all cases of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Many rich nations have launched HPV immunisation programs for girls to try to protect them from the common sexually transmitted virus before they become sexually active. The scientists, led by Hisham Mehanna of the Institute of Head and Neck Studies at University Hospital Coventry, said while including boys in immunisation plans has been seen as too expensive, it may be time to look again. "We need to look at the evidence again to re-evaluate the cost-effectiveness of male children in light of this new and rapidly rising incidence," he said in an interview. Analyst Savvas Neophytou at Panmure Gordon in London said such studies would dispel worries about sales prospects for HPV vaccines, and repeated his 'buy' recommendation for Glaxo stock. | ||||
Glaxo shares were slightly lower, in line with a weaker European pharmaceutical sector and down 0.4 percent by 0905 GMT. More than 500,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually in women and it kills around 200,000 a year. Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer among men and women, with about 640,000 new cases each year worldwide. A recent study found the risk of developing oropharyngeal carcinoma was linked to a history of six or more lifetime sexual partners, four or more lifetime oral sex partners, and, for men, an earlier age at first sexual intercourse. "Sexual transmission of HPV -- primarily through orogenital intercourse -- might be the reason for the increase in incidence of HPV related oropharyngeal carcinoma," wrote Mehanna. The scientists pointed to recent studies which showed a 70 percent increase in the detection of HPV in biopsies taken to diagnose oropharyngeal carcinoma in Stockholm since the 1970s. HPV-related cancer was also reported in 60-80 percent of recent biopsy samples in studies in the United States, compared with 40 percent in the previous decade, they wrote. Mehanna said the findings had other important health implications. Patients with HPV-related head and neck cancers were typically younger and employed, he said, and because their tumors appeared to be less deadly than those caused by factors like smoking and drinking, patients may also live longer with the physical and psychological effects of treatment. "This means they would need prolonged support from health, social, and other services, and may require help in returning to work," he said. (Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton and Dan Lalor) |
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