Letting go: September 2006

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

SuperBand Compilation Album Autograph Session

Fans of SuperBand will be thrilled to know this: the Compilation Album will be released very soon and you can even meet the Top 4 bands (MiLu Bing, SOUL, Lucify and J3) for an autograph session! It's time to whip out your cameras and whistles again!

Click here for the album song list...

SuperBand Compilation Album Autograph Session

Date: Saturday, Sept 23, 2006

Time: 2pm

Venue: Far East Plaza Concourse A

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Things You Don’t Know, Can’t Know and Don’t Want to Know

By MARIAN BURROS
Published: September 13, 2006

Make That a Skim Mocha

Your morning Starbucks latte may never seem as sweet again.

If you thought you were being nutritionally virtuous by stopping at Starbucks instead of McDonald’s, the Center for Science in the Public Interest says, “Wrong!’’

A venti — or 20-ounce — Caffè Mocha with whipped cream has 490 calories, equivalent to a Quarter Pounder with cheese. And a 24-ounce Java Chip Frappuccino with whipped cream has 650 calories, not to mention almost an entire day’s allowance of saturated fat.

According to the center, a nutritional advocacy group, the Frappuccino is equivalent in calories to a McDonald’s coffee plus 11 of their creamers and 29 packets of sugar.

Keeping the Mystery in Meat

There was little attention in August when a case of mad cow disease was reported in Canada. It was the country’s fifth case this year and the eighth since 2003. Most occurred in Alberta, the province from which the United States imports most of its Canadian beef and cattle.

This would have seemed an opportune moment to move ahead with Country of Origin Labeling for all meats, scheduled to take effect at the end of this month under federal law. But some of the biggest players in the meat industry formed the Meat Promotion Coalition and hired a lobbying firm to see that the regulation was delayed until 2008, even though 86 percent of the public says it wants to know where its meat comes from, according to a survey published in The Packer, the newspaper of the beef industry. Cargill, TysonFood , the National Cattlemen’s Association and the National Pork Producers Council are the best known members of the coalition, which says the labeling costs too much.

Et Tu, Ben and Jerry?

First Chicago banned the sale of foie gras. Then Whole Foods stopped selling live lobster. Now Ben and Jerry’s has pledged not to use eggs that come from a farm that the Humane Society of the United States has accused of being cruel to its laying hens. Animal rights activists are on a roll. While they pursue high-profile cases they are also signing up farmers who, in exchange for taking a pledge to treat their animals humanely, are permitted to label their products “Certified Humane.”

In its latest efforts on behalf of animals, the Humane Society has shamed Ben and Jerry’s into changing to eggs from cage-free hens by calling the company hypocritical for criticizing “giant industrial farming operations” on its Web site.

Meanwhile, back in Chicago, the Illinois Restaurant Association, along with other interested parties, has sued the city to halt enforcement of the foie gras ban.

And Whole Foods is reportedly building special housing to make lobsters more comfortable in its stores so its customers won’t have to go elsewhere to buy them.

Ham and Virus on Rye, Please

Add a stew of bacteria-killing viruses to the already complicated safety protocols for food produced on an industrial scale.

The Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it is safe to spray a mix of six viruses on deli meats like bologna, liverwurst and ham. These foods are generally not cooked after they are purchased, and so they are particularly vulnerable to listeria, bacteria that can cause listeriosis, especially dangerous for pregnant women, fetuses and newborns.

For years the agency wanted manufacturers of such products to clean up their plants so that listeria could not survive. But it turned out to be easier to spray themix of viruses, called bacteriophages, on the meat to kill the listeria, than to get the plants to clean up.

The agency says the virus mixture is safe. Does that mean children can eat hot dogs right out of the refrigerator?

If a bacteriophage that kills E. coli bacteria is approved, some will say it won’t be necessary to clean up the slaughterhouses.

News Flash: Soda Is Fattening

Add a report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to the growing list of evidence that sugary soft drinks are adding pounds to kids. The report, a meta-analysis of others’ scientific research, says one extra can of soda a day can translate into 15 pounds a year. The report concludes: “Although more research is needed, sufficient evidence exists for public health strategies to discourage consumption of sugary drinks as part of a healthy lifestyle.”

And, as certain as night follows day, the sugar industry begs to differ.

Stamps That Go With the Grain

Instead of waiting three or four or more years for the creaking bureaucracy of the Department of Agriculture to come up with labeling regulations for whole grain products that contain meat, poultry or eggs, a private organization took matters into its own hands.

The Whole Grains Council, a consortium of food companies, scientists and chefs founded by Oldways Preservation Trust, a nonprofit food research group, introduced a brown and gold Whole Grain stamp last year that can be used on products with significant amounts of whole grain. In June, it improved the stamp by including the exact amount of whole grains in each serving: the minimum is eight grams of whole grain, equivalent to one-half serving, according to the federal dietary guidelines.

The stamps are already found on foods regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, products that contain no meat, poultry or eggs. Last month the Agriculture Department gave permission to use the stamps on the remaining products, which it regulates, like sausage-topped pizzas and chicken pot pies.

These food can't mix when eating

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Rioters, police clash again on Budapest streets

By David Chance

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany on Wednesday blamed opposition parties for a second night of clashes between rioters and police, saying they had failed to deliver on a pledge to calm protests.

The violence was sparked by the prime minister's admission in a tape leaked to media on Sunday of lying to win an election.

Police said 60 people were injured and nearly 100 people were arrested in a second night of turmoil. The demonstration was less serious than the previous evening's riots when more than 150 people were hurt.

More demonstrations, which have spread across the country, are likely for the evening, and tensions could ratchet up further with a planned big demonstration by students on Thursday, and a rightist opposition gathering on Saturday.

"There is order in Budapest and the country, the police have mobilized large forces and defended the city and its people," Gyurcsany said at the beginning of a cabinet meeting.

"I am afraid that those political parties which could have stopped this and called the people back ... failed to take the steps which we had discussed in parliament.

"Radicals are using peaceful demonstrations to cover crime."

The protests were triggered by the leak of a tape on Sunday in which Gyurcsany said he and his party lied repeatedly to win a general election, and that they "did nothing for four years."

Gyurcsany, a 45-year-old millionaire, has vowed to stay on in the face of his biggest crisis during two years in power, and continue with his tough and unpopular budget reforms.

The turmoil, the worst since the fall of communism in 1989, has slightly weakened the forint currency and equity markets also opened softer on Wednesday.

Tensions boiled over in the early hours of Wednesday as riot police, some on horseback, made several runs at small groups of protesters who had broken away from the main demonstration and sporadically threw cobblestones, attempted to set up barricades, broke store windows and set fire to a police car.

TEAR GAS AND WATER CANNON

Police responded with tear gas and water cannon. Most of the crowd had left without trouble before the clash and by Wednesday mid-morning there were no protesters on the streets.

Young, successful and energetic, Gyurcsany was seen as a modernizer equipped to lead the EU country to greater prosperity, but the leaked tape has badly damaged his credibility in the eyes of many Hungarians.

In a poll by the Szonda-Ipsos agency after Monday's violence, 80 percent said the riots were unacceptable but 39 percent also blamed the government for the trouble.

The popularity of Gyurcsany's Socialists has slumped to 25 percent from 40 percent in April's election and they face a major test in local elections on Oct 1.

And the question remains as to whether Hungarians feel comfortable with a leader who said: "We lied in the morning, we lied in the evening."

"We have to get rid of them," said Dezso Farkas, a 64-year- old entrepreneur who attended the protests.

Gyurcsany also has to continue to convince members of his own party that he is a credible leader. So far he has received ringing public endorsements from top Socialists.

But he is demanding the party abandon the spendthrift ways which caused Hungary's budget deficit to surge to 10.1 percent of gross domestic product this year, the fifth year of overshoots under a Socialist-led administration.

That is the highest level in the European Union and far from the 3 percent of GDP needed for the euro to which Hungary aspires, which means the country has the highest interest rates in the EU to fend off the ever-present risk of a market crisis.

"We expect fiscal tightening plans for 2007 to remain intact as all the revenue-side measures have already been passed into law," said Nora Szentivanyi, an analyst at JP Morgan.

-- with additional reporting from Balazs Koranyi

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

PSS 2 Audition 2: Add-y some spice into the competition!

September 19, 2006

We’re not sure if the Devil truly wears Prada, but it seems he carries a pair of hair-snipping scissors. Addy Lee, famed local stylist/hairstylist, played devil to 200+ contestants at the Project SuperStar Round 2 open auditions last weekend. Hear what the horn-y one had to say…

Kwok Kar Peng


How would it feel to have the fates of 200 people in your hands??	Successful contestant Chris Goh with his mum Xia Hui, a famous singer in the 1970s.

If Project SuperStar 2 is ever in need of an imaginative judge to pick on contestants’ sartorial sense and physical appearance, they can go straight to Addy Lee, famed local hairstylist and stylist. At least we know he delivers the wits and sarcasm.

Tried and tested in last weekend’s Project SuperStar Round 2 open auditions at Toa Payoh’s HDB Hub, the man had a field day letting loose biting criticisms on more than 200 male and female fashionably-challenged singing wannabes.

A taste of his memorable barbed stings:

- “Your look today is just so salah lor.”;

- “Do you think you are pretty? You are not pretty lor. You must choose to be a character singer instead.”;

- “My mum wouldn’t even wear the clothes you are wearing!”;

- “What did you do to make your head look so big?!”;

- “Your boots are very nice, but it’s so wrong to tuck your pants into your boots!”

- “Your face looks just like a prata on the television screen. You’ve got to watch your make-up skills.”

Strong-willed contestants who managed to keep their wits under the intensity of a thousand pairs of eyes and stood their grounds were matched with the same vociferous tenacity from Addy. Sample: “The judges from Round 1 told me I should put on make-up,” Girl X defended. Addy retorted: “Make-up is a must, but you don’t have to draw yourself up till you look like a ge-tai singer! Your foundation base can’t be too pale and you certainly can’t paste two ang ku kueh on your face!”

Ouch! Suffice to say, you really wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of Addy.

The other five judges present last weekend were former singers Jimmy Ye Liangjun and Zheng Zhanlun to assess the contestants’ singing prowess; stylist/hair-stylist Addy Lee to provide pointers on image; and two MediaCorp senior production staff to evaluate the contestants’ potential.

Eighty-eight male and female contestants were selected to enter the third round of auditions where 20 males and 20 females will be further selected. The fourth and final audition will be held on Sunday Oct 8, 1pm at Suntec City Tropics Atrium. Project SuperStar judges Lee Wei Song, Dawn Yip, Roy Lee, Anthony Png and Billy Koh will personally select the Top 24.

Just some successful contestants:

Monday, September 18, 2006

Guang Liang - Yue Ding

光良 - 约定

说好的三年不见面用我们的爱把时间留住
你笑着说这是我们的考验我们的约定

就这样三年又过了我还是回到这个地方
闭上眼等你的出现空气中吻你的脸

我还记得我们的约定
一辈子幸福的约定
为你写的那首歌
他也偷偷的掉泪了

我还记得我们的约定
我比以前还更爱你了
连那风都笑我了
我想他会告诉你的我更爱你了

就这样三年又过了我还是回到这个地方
闭上眼等你的出现空气中吻你的脸

我还记得我们的约定
一辈子幸福的约定
为你写的那首歌
他也偷偷的掉泪了

我还记得我们的约定
我比以前还更爱你了
连那风都笑我了
我想他会告诉你的我更爱你了

你会记得我们的约定
一辈子幸福的约定
为你写的那首歌
他也偷偷的掉泪了

你会记得我们的约定
我比以前还更爱你了
听着风我也笑了
他一定会告诉你的我更爱你了

Guang Liang - Di Yi Ci

光良 - 第一次

当你看着我
我没有开口
已被你猜透
还是没把握
还是没有符合
你的要求
是我自己想得太多
还是你也在闪躲
如果真的选择是我
我鼓起勇气去接受
不知不觉让视线开始闪烁
喔第一次我
说爱你的时候
呼吸难过
心不停地颤抖
喔第一次我
牵起你的双手
失去方向
不知该往那儿走
那是一起相爱的理由
那是一起相爱的理由对我
那是一起厮守
喔第一次吻
你深深的酒涡
想要清醒却冲昏了头
喔第一次你
躺在我的胸口
二十四小时没有分开过
那是第一次知道
天长地久
感觉你属于我
感觉你的眼眸
第一次就决定
决不会错

Sweetbox - Miss You

(Verse 1)
Don’t be afraid to cry
It wasn’t wasted time
We just couldn’t win that fight
And I knew you couldn’t stay
You had to go your way
There’s really nothing left to say
But every now and then you cross my mind
And I try not to think about where you are tonight

(Chorus)
But I miss you
’Cause I really miss you
There’s no going back ‘cause what’s done is done
But I miss you ‘cause I really miss you
But sometimes love just ain’t enough

(Verse 2)
Hey
We didn’t write the rules
It wasn’t me wasn’t you
We both know that life is cruel
I know we can’t go down that road again
And it hurts too much to think what might have been

(Repeat Chorus)

(C Part)
I know we can’t escape from the paths that we have chosen
But every now and then, I’m reminded

I know we can’t go down that road again
And it hurts too much to think what might have been

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Lighter Shade Of Blue

She doesn't smile like me
She doesn't make you weak
And she'll never know
How to make you laugh
But she wont make you cry
She'll never break your heart
Like I used to
If you only knew all the words I couldn't say

When I close my eyes I see you
In my dreams you will be near
Won't let you disappear
But I'm here on my own
When I close my eyes and listen
I am crying out for you
In the center of my heart
But I'm hear on my own

Oooooooooo, baby
Oooooooooo

I think I'm over you
But it's not true
It's just a lighter shade of blue
Oooooooo

Can you still hear me breathe
When you touched me deep?
Can you hear the sounds?
Can you feel the heat?
I was just to scared to let you own the deepest part of me
I left paradise and I did not even say good bye

Ooooooooooo
(when I close my eyes I see you)
Yeah
(In my dreams you will be near)
(Won't let you disappear)
No
But I'm hear on my own
(Hey)
When I close my eyes and listen
(Oh)
I am crying out for you
In the center of my heart
(My heart, my heart)
But I'm hear on my own

Oooooooooo
Baby
No
Ooooooo
Oooooo
Oooo
I think I'm over you,
But it's not true
It's just a lighter shade of blue

I think I'm over you,
But it's not true
It's just a
A lighter shade
A lighter shade of blue.

Sweetbox - Life Is Cool

(Verse 1)
I never really tried to be positive
I’m too damn busy being negative
So focused on what I get
I never understand what it means to live
You know we all love to just complain
But maybe we should try to rearrange
There’s always someone who’s got it worse than you

(Chorus)
My life is…
My life is so cool, my life is so cool
Oh yeah, from a different point of view
My life is…
My life is so cool, my life is so cool
Oh yeah, from a different point of view

(Verse 2)
We’re all so busy trying to get ahead
Got a pillow of fears when we go to bed
We’re never satisfied
The grass is greener on the other side
So distracted with our jealousy
Forget it’s in our hands to stop the agony
Will you ever be content on your side of the fence?

(Repeat Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Maybe you’re the guy who needs a second chance
Maybe you’re the girl who’s never asked to dance
Maybe you’re a lonely soul
A single mother scared and all alone
Gotta remember we live what we choose
It’s not what you say, it’s what you do
And the life you want is the life you have to make

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Liberty

(Verse)
One life wasted
No one can replace it
Candles burning
But the world’s still turning
Did you want this? Did you think it over?
Your mother sits there crying
What do I say to her?
Oh…

(Chorus)
Is there liberty? Gravity?
Do memories remain?
Did you find freedom or did you break free?
Liberty? Gravity?
Do memories remain?
Did you find freedom or did you break free?

(Rap Verse)
I never knew why you gave up early
I think of the times you were depressed and it didn’t concern me
Days we had the good and the bad
But all that’s gone now and who wouldn’t be sad?
Who could have saved you from cutting your life short?
The answer is priceless but definitely something to fight for
Holding on to our memory the tears unfurl
To the world you were someone and to someone the world…

(Repeat Chorus)

(Rap Verse 2)
Is there anger? Is there pain? And do the faces stay the same?
Is there justice? Is there blame? Or do we all just end in vain?
Tell me…tell me…
Is there mercy? Is there fame? Did you find a better way?
Do you feel us? Do you see us? Do you hear us when we pray?
Tell me…tell me…

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Lacrimosa

Ooh…yeah…
Ooooh…oooh…yeah…yeah…

(Rap Verse)
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have
Nothing in this world but distress, anger, and wrath
The nearly unbearable pain and agony
Turning me insane, gradually
I’m in the zone
It’s like I’m millions of miles from home
But still I’m right here, with tears in my eyes
It feels like I’ve cried for light years, yeah…

Wishing upon falling stars…

(Chorus)
Lacrimosa
Another story for another tear
Lacrimosa
A thousand tears start to ---
Lacrimosa
Another story for another tear
Lacrimosa
A thousand tears start to fall…

(Verse)
Empty moments, hope is stolen
One more love that might have been
And the soul mates scatter
Another candle on the water
A million hearts
Wishing upon falling stars

(Repeat Chorus)

(Bridge)
(Why does it hurt so?)
Every teardrop (teardrop) has a journey (a journey)…
Through your heart and mind… (yeah)
More (yeah)…more (yeah)…more (yeah)…more (yeah) tears…
A million hearts wishing upon falling stars…

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Killing Me Dj

One, two, three
Kill me!

Killing me DJ
with another sad song
Killing me DJ
with another sad love song
ten feet under now
singing wow, wow, yeah, yeah
(x2)

I’m gonna burn your letters in the morning
put all the faded pictures in a box

But till then (killing me dj)
(killing me dj) I just need my time
before I face the end
ohhh!

Killing me DJ
with another sad song
Killing me DJ
with another sad love song
ten feet under now
singing wow, wow, yeah, yeah
(x2)

No one said the best loves last forever
and even the strong ones need to cry
I just can’t stand to lose (killing me dj)
I know it just takes some time (killing me dj)
for a heart to mend, for a heart to mend!

Killing me DJ
with another sad song
Killing me DJ
with another sad love song
ten feet under now
singing wow, wow, yeah, yeah
(x2)

Yea hee, ya-yahee, ya-yo
If I could turn back time
I would do it again
(x2)

Another mistake for me to live through
but I already knew that heroes fall
If I could turn back time (killing me dj)
I would do it again
Oh, I’d do it again

Killing me DJ
with another sad song
Killing me DJ
with another sad love song
ten feet under now
singing wow, wow, yeah, yeah
(x3)

Killing me DJ
with another sad song
Killing me DJ
with another sad love song
ten feet under now
singing wow, wow...

Just give me some time

Sweetbox - I'll Die For You

Intro:
I just got one thing to say
it should have been me
instead of you
I'll die for you

Chorus:
I'll die for you
all I do, I do it just for you (x3)
I'll give my life for you

Rap:
tell me what does it take
to make the worst shit happen
imagine you be the one they bagging
imagine you and your loved one too
you'd go crazy
and just maybe lifestyles
would change daily
it don't phase me though
'cause most can't even see me
or have the courage
to even bee me, freely
I give my life completely
no second guessin'
if it was me instead of you
they'd learn their lesson
blessed all the souls that roam
in the night
who am I, hoo, I control the light
right on time I'm gonna find you
and when I do you through
so get ready 'cause, baby, I want you

Chorus: repeated

Rap2:
take a look at my life
and tell me what it's lackin'
imagine this shit really didn't happen
imagine you didn't get shot
I didn't get hit
and just maybe I might get through this
now I'm gonna take in something
so I can get into it
yeah, watch me now as I go and do it
through it
I give my life completely, no second guessin'
if it wasn't you then i'd let it rest in peace
not the least you choose your play
the day you took him away
bye, bye I say
so let me get it started
oh yeah, it's true
everything I do, I do it just for you

Bridge:
ain't no doubt, I know I'll find you
whatever it takes, I'm gonna be with you
ain't no doubt, I know I'll find you
whatever it takes, I'm gonna be with you
(I'll die for you)
-acap

Sweetbox - I'll Be There

Yeah
We all know how it is
Sometimes, you need a shoulder to lean on
And when that time comes
You know I'm there, come on
(I'll be there...I'll be...)

Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
Doesn't matter when the tears hurt your eyes
I'll be there, I'll be there it's alright
I will care...I wish share...I will take you out of the dark
Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time

Yeah, if I'm down cause I lost my job
And I'm feeling depressed
Would you help me relieve the stress
What if I'm sick and I need to rest
Would you tuck me in, feed me soup and rub my chest
And then the times when I just need somebody to talk to
Are you the right one I can walk to
When I'm down, the tears is pouring, its three in the morning
Would you pick up the phone when I'm calling?
Tell me girl

Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
Doesn't matter when the tears hurt your eyes
I'll be there, I'll be there it's alright
I will care...I wish share...I will take you out of the dark
Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time

Yeah...
You know I need someone during for serious times
You know

We all go through our ups and downs
At times I wanna cuss and frown
When bad luck sucks you down
I need someone to cheer me up, make me laugh
Splash away the grief when we take a bath
And in my time of my need
She'll be there for me always
And we can chill and relax on our off days
It's only right to give her all praise
Cuz when the time gets tough
She'll be killing me softly as she says:

Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
Doesn't matter when the tears hurt your eyes
I'll be there, I'll be there it's alright
I will care...I wish share...I will take you out of the dark
Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time

I know it isn't easy
I know it isn't fair
I know that life is heavy when no one cares
And we all need a shelter
We all need a home
So come with me cuz I will never let you cry alone

Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
Doesn't matter when the tears hurt your eyes
I'll be there, I'll be there it's alright
I will care...I wish share...I will take you out of the dark
Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time

Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
Doesn't matter when the tears hurt your eyes
I'll be there, I'll be there it's alright
I will care...I wish share...I will take you out of the dark
Doesn't matter when you call me at night
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time
I'll be there, I'll be there all the time

Sweetbox - How Does It Feel?

Look at me, that silly girl
Gave all I had just to be in your world
Now look at me, I'm not the same
Don't look so mad cuz a lot has changed, yeah

So you called, cuz you miss me
You want me back and you say you love me
Get over it, you're such a fool
My life is good and I ain't thinkin' 'bout you

Ooh, how you gonna think
I'm gonna sit around and wait for you?
Ooh, find another girl to play

How does it feel?
When you're the stupid one
And all your games are done
I really wanna know, how does it feel?
To see me pass you by
All hugged up with some guy
I really wanna know, how does it...

Now look at you, who's cryin' now?
Did you think that I'd never catch up
To your lies, your life of shame
You hold me tight then forget my name, yeah

Now I'm back, I'm feelin' good
Just runnin' game that I learned from you
You really think I'd take you back?
My life is good and I ain't thinkin' 'bout you

Ooh, how you gonna think
I'm gonna sit around and wait for you?
Ooh, find another girl to play

How does it feel?
When you're the stupid one
And all your games are done
I really wanna know, how does it feel?
To see me pass you by
All hugged up with some guy
I really wanna know, how does it...

How does it feel?
I really wanna know
Yeah, how does it feel
To see me over you?
I wanna know
Yeah, how does it feel?
How does it.. feel

Don't give me that look
You messed up, what can I say?
I'm lettin' you know

Oh oh, oh oh
Oh oh, oh oh
(How's it feel?)

How does it feel?
When you're the stupid one-

Sweetbox - Here On My Own

She doesn't smile like me
She doesn't meake you weak
And she'll never know how to make you laugh
But she won't make you cry, she'll never make you cry like I used to
If you only knew the words I couldn't say

When I close my eyes I see you
In my dreams you will be near
Won't let you disappear
But I'm here on my own

When I close my eyes and listen
I am crying out for you in the center of my heart
But I'm here on my own

Ooooh

You used to hear me breathe
When you touched me deep
Can you hear the sounds?
Can you feel the heat?
I was just too scared to let you own the deepest part of me
I've left paradise
And I did not even say goodbye

Oooooh

When I close my eyes I see you
In my dreams you will be near
Won't let you disappear
But I'm here on my own
Heyy
When I close my eyes and listen
I am crying out for you in the center of my heart
But I'm here on my own

Ooooh baby

Oooooooh

I think I'm over you
But it's not true
It's just a lie in a shade of blue
I think I'm over you
But it's not true
It's just a lie in a shade of blue

Oooooh

(Violin outro)

Sweetbox - Human Sacrifice

(Verse 1)
Do you still remember when you promised me the perfect love
And I gave you everything and still you said it wasn’t enough
When you hit me verbally put me on my knees and blamed it on me
And I’d swallow it down

I let you break my wings chose to become your caged up bird
Ate your bull shit promises and cherished every fucking word
Now like a freedom phoenix burning from a rising sun
Here is my vindication

(Chorus)
Alright, okay
You’re gonna get a taste of my heartbreak
Right now, today
I’m gonna make you regret all your dirty ways
Alright, okay
You’re gonna get a taste of my heartbreak
Right now, today
I’m gonna make you become my human sacrifice

(Verse 2)
Let’s go back into the time you stained my heart like merlot wine
Didn’t care if I was sick you left me alone to cry and die
Your human sacrifice alone in your church of love and lies
I did not forget
I’m back with ammunition on a mission that will make you pay
Back with a bazooka and a bullet where I wrote your name
Risen up from the ashes ready for my justice day
Here I come for you

(Repeat Chorus)

(Repeat Verse 1)

(Repeat Chorus Out)

Sweetbox - Hate Without Frontiers

Hate…

Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…
Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…

My aching world is fading
Pulses, heartbeats, oxidized
My one temptation, last sensation’s only suicide
My blisters bleed
My hunger screams
And even then I try
To find the places where the pieces of my heart collide
Where I am flying
Totally weightless
In a desert sky
Exploring, soaring in the deepest corners of my mind
And like a phoenix out of fire
I’ll be reborn to try
Ashes to dust, and dust to life

Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…
Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…

Hate…

Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…
Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…

Hate without frontiers…
Aah ah…
Hate…

Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…
Hate without frontiers…hate without frontiers…

Hate without frontiers…

Sweetbox - For The Lonely

This is for the lonely
This is for the lonely
Sometimes I think
I wish on the wrong star
Cause I always seem so far
but the one that I dream of
It's hard to wait for love
but I make it on my own
Cause I'm learning to be strong
but it's never easy standing all alone
Chorus:
This is for the lonely
This is for the lonely
We all live underneath the same blue sky
This is for the loneliness tonight
I'll help you find a way to hold on
At night I cry (At night I cry)
But noone's by my side (Noone's by my side)
My tears they go unheard
So I look for the words
to raise my heart
Now I sing this prayer
That somehow and that somewhere
I would turn around if I love spending there
Chorus:
This is for the lonely
This is for the lonely
We all live underneath the same blue sky
This is for the loneliness tonight
I'll help you find a way to hold on
This is for the lonely
This is for the lonely
We all live underneath the same blue sky (we love, we love)
All my tears may go unheard
cause no one's by my side
It's hard to be unloved
It's hard to wait for love
Oohhoo...
This is for the loneliness tonight
I'll help you find a way to hold on (I'll hope you find a way, You'll find a way)
This is for the lonely (I know you love me)
This is for the lonely (I know you love me)
We all live underneath the same blue sky (I'm gonna help you to hold on)
This is for the loneliness tonight (Ohh..)
I'll help you find a way (I'll help you find a way)
This is for the lonely

Sweetbox - Fool Again

(Verse 1)
I’ve never been the type to carry on like this
And I’ve never been the type to be a sucker for your shit
So I don’t know why do got me going insane
And I don’t know why you think you can just come here again

Ooh…

(Chorus)
I don’t wanna be your fool again…no, no
I’m not gonna be your fool again…no, no
I don’t wanna be that dumb little girl you’re walking on again
No I won’t be your fool again
No I won’t be your fool again

(Verse 2)
Remember that fight
We had last New Year’s Eve
When I slapped you in the face for calling me a sleaze
Everybody just stared
They thought I was insane
But they just don’t know how you got me so wrapped up in your game

Oh, God…

(Chorus)
I don’t wanna be your fool again…no, no
I’m not gonna be your fool again…no, no
I don’t wanna be that dumb little girl you’re walking on again
No I won’t be your fool again
No I won’t be your fool again

(Chorus Repeats Out)

Sweetbox - Far Away

I love you…
I love you…

(Verse 1)
Here we are now
Sleeping in the same bed that we don’t share
Walking in the same room but breathe different air
Excuse me but I don’t think that I know you
And at night
I walk around and think of you in your own shirts
I’m tired of trying to drink away all the hurt
‘Cause when I lose myself I just find you…

(Chorus)
You’re so far away
You’re so far away, you’re so far away
I need you to say…
I love you…

(Verse 2)
Oh, God…
I swear I’d rather have you scream or cry
Than have to look at your cold, quiet eyes
How can I be lonely right by your side?

(Repeat Chorus)

Yeah, yeah…yeah, yeah (2x)
I love you…
Yeah, yeah…yeah, yeah
I love you…

Ooh…so far…
You know that I need you…
I need you to say…
I love you…but ---

(Repeat Chorus)

I love you…
I love you…
I love you…

Sweetbox - Falling

(Chorus)
I was falling, falling
I was running, running
You’re just crawling, crawling
You’re just hiding from it
I was falling, falling
I was running, running
You’re just crawling, crawling
You’re just hiding from it

(Verse 1)
It’s a shame
That you live on the safe side
It’s a shame you hate to cry
It’s a shame that you’re not fighting to get more
It’s a shame
That you’re scared to take a chance
It’s a shame you never dance
It’s a shame you wanna live behind closed doors

(Repeat Chorus)

(Verse 2)
It’s a shame
That you’re afraid of getting hurt
You only learn by getting burnt
It’s a shame you wanna stand outside the fire
It’s a shame
That you think that I’m a fool
‘Cause I don’t live with rules
It’s a shame you’ll never get to understand

(Repeat Chorus)

(C Part)
You think that it’s weak not to resist
And you don’t live you life you just exist
But I won’t be the one outside the fire
And I won’t be the one that’s scared to fly
I wanna live my life not merely just survive

Ooh…
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Everytime By Sweetbox

Everytime by Sweetbox

Sometimes I question you and me
The reasons I’m here get hard to see
But when I feel your fingertips brush mine
I swear I see heaven for a moment in time
Been running and hiding
So scared of love

And everytime you kiss my lips good night
The honesty’s too much
It’s in the way we touch
It gets me everytime
Anytime you look at me that way
There’s so much said when
there’s nothing to say
The sweetest thing I’ve heard
without a single word It gets me everytime

Sometimes I wake up next to you
And I wonder if you knew
That you would change my life with just one kiss
That you would be the one I’d fall in love with
I’ve been ruanning and hiding
So scared of love

The sweetest thing I’ve heard
The sweetest thing I’ve heard
It gets me everytime It gets me everytime

Sweetbox - EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE ALLRIGHT

Sweetbox - Everything's Gonna Be Alright

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright

Who ever thought the sun would come crashing down
My life in flames my tears complete the pain
We fear the end, the dark as deep as river bed
My book of life incomplete without you here
Alone I sit and reminisce
Sometimes I miss your touch your kiss your smile
And meanwhile you know I never cry
'Cos deep down inside you know our love will never ever die

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be okay
Everything's gonna be alright
Together we can take this one day at a time
Can you take my breath away
Can you give him life today
'Cos everything's gonna be okay
I'll be your strength, I'll be here when you wake up

Take your time and I'll be here when you wake up

I never thought my heart would miss a single beat
Caress your hand as I watch you while you sleep
So sweet I weep as I search within
To find a cure, to bring you back again
And the sun will rise open up your eyes
Surprise just a blink of the eye
I tried I tried to be positive
Your a fighter so fight, wake up and live

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be okay
Everything's gonna be alright
Together we can take this one day at a time
Can you take my breath away
Can you give him life today
'Cos everything's gonna be okay
I'll be your strength, I'll be here when you wake up

Everything's gonna be alright

I'd give my life to only see you breathe again
Hand in hand as we walk on the white sands
To hear your voice rejoice as you rise and say
This is the day that I wake and pray okay
Today's silence as time just moves on
You can't hear it though, but I'm playing my favourite songs
I miss you much, I wish you'd come back to me
You see I'd wait a lifetime 'cos you're my destiny

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be okay
Everything's gonna be alright
Together we can take this one day at a time
Can you take my breath away
Can you give him life today
'Cos everything's gonna be okay
I'll be your strength, I'll be here when you wake up alright

Everything's gonna be alright
Everything's gonna be alright

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Sweetbox - Everytime

Sometimes I question you and me
The reasons I'm here get hard to see
But when I feel your fingertips brush mine
I swear I see heaven for a moment in time
Been running and hiding
So scared of love

And everytime you kiss my lips good night
The honesty's too much
It's in the way we touch
It gets me everytime
Anytime you look at me that way
There's so much said when
there's nothing to say
The sweetest thing I've heard
without a single word It gets me everytime

Sometimes I wake up next to you
And I wonder if you knew
That you would change my life with just one kiss
That you would be the one I'd fall in love with
I've been running and hiding
So scared of love

The sweetest thing I've heard
The sweetest thing I've heard
It gets me everytime It gets me everytime

Sweetbox - Everybody

(Verse 1)
In your mind, in your soul, do you hear me
Moving blind, in control, do you fear me
I’m the fight in your bones when you’re weary
But like a star in the day you can’t see me
The angels shut my eyes
But I’m still with you inside so
When you close your eyes and pray
I’m not too far away

(Chorus)
Everybody has to learn to let go
Even though it’s hard some days I know
Everybody has to learn to let go
Lalalalalalalala
Everybody has to learn to let go
Even though it’s hard some days I know
Everybody has to learn to let go
Lalalalalalalala

(Verse 2)
You would scream in the night wishing I was there
Lost your faith, mad at God thought he didn’t care
All those nights, through the stars I could see you
Did you know when you fell I carried you
The angels shut my eyes
But I’m still with you inside so
When you close your eyes and pray
I’m not too far away

(Repeat Chorus)

(Bridge)
Can you hear me
Can you hear me, can you hear me,
Can you hear me, do you really feel me
Can you hear me,
Can you hear me, do you really feel me
Can you hear me, do you really feel me
Can you hear me?

I know you loved me, don’t cry for me…

(Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Don't Go Away

Who ever thought the sun
would come crashing down
My life in flames
My tears complete the pain
We fear the end, the dark as deep as river bed
My book of life incomplete without you here
Alone I sit and reminisce
Sometimes I miss your touch,
your kiss, your smile
And meanwhile you know I never cry
'Cos deep down inside you know our love will never ever die

* Everything's gonna be alright
Together we can take this one day at a time
Can you take my breath away? (yeah)
Can you give him life today? (no doubt)
'Cos everything's gonna be okay
I'll be your strength I'll be here when you wake up

Take your time and I'll be here when you wake up

I never thought my heart
would miss a single beat
Caress your hand as I watch
you while you sleep
So sweet I weep as I search within
To find a cure, to bring you back again
And the sun will rise open up your eyes
Surprise just a blink of an eye
I tried I tried to be positive
You're a fighter
So fight, wake up, and live

I'd give my life to only see you breathe again
Hand in hand as we walk on the white sands
To hear your voice rejoice as you rise and say
This is the day that I wake and pray okay
Today's silence as time just moves on
You can't hear it though, but I'm playing my favourite songs I miss you much,
I wish you'd come back to me
You see I'd wait a lifetime 'Cos you're my destiny

Sweetbox - Crazy

I'm a wild one
I'm lots of fun
What can I say
I betcha you're gonna like it way yeah yeah
Don't really care
I know I'm not the girl next door
But I can give you much more and
Make you scream make you lose control

Yeah, I'm gonna drive you crazy
I'm crazy, real crazy
What you think don't even faze me
I'm crazy, can't tame me
I'm crazy, real crazy
What you think don't even faze me
I'm crazy, can't tame me

I break the rules
'cause I don't care
Do what I wanna do
I stay out late and wear what I wanna wear
Have you ever had a girl like this
So untamed
I can break you down
With just a kiss
Gonna make you remember this
So I like to have a little fun
I've always been a real wild one
And I know that you really like it that way

Sweetbox - CINDERELLA

Cinderella are you really that happy?
Cinderella are you really that lucky?
I wanna know is your life like you dream?

Here I am, trying to find my way,
I've kissed so many frogs but I never found a prince.
I think they lied, I was promised much more than this,
where's my happy ever after all?

Cinderella is the queen of a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my happy end?
Cinderella got a prince and a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my fairy-tale?

Something's wrong 'cause all my glass shoes break,
and no once ever helped this damsel in the stress,
the hell it is, I'm not gonna waste more time,
I won't wait and fight, prince show me!

Cinderella is the queen of a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my happy end?
Cinderella got a prince and a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my fairy-tale?

Cinderella are you really that happy?
Cinderella are you really that lucky?
I wanna know is your life like you dream?

Cinderella are you really that happy?
Cinderella are you really that lucky?
I wanna know is your life like you dream?

Here I am, trying to find my way,
I've kissed so many frogs but I never found a prince.
I think they lied, I was promised much more than this,
where's my happy ever after all?

Cinderella is the queen of a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my happy end?
Cinderella got a prince and a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my fairy-tale?

Cinderella is the queen of a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my happy end?
Cinderella got a prince and a kingdom,
Cinderella got the dreams she was dreaming,
I wanna know where is my fairy-tale

Sweetbox - Chyna Girl

(Verse 1)
Lies on my breath, I am drowning in my dread
The wind is getting strong
The wind is getting stronger…
There’s no second chance
When the devils make you dance
The sky is getting dark
The sky is getting dark

(Chorus)
Can’t you see, can’t you see
We were never meant to be
It’s no secret
That I’m your Chyna Girl…
Don’t you know, don’t you know
That it’s time for me to go
It’s no secret
That I’m your Chyna Girl…

(Verse 2)
No turning back
No questions left to ask
The tide is getting high
The tide is getting higher
I’m not afraid
I decided on this fate
It’s time to face the storm
It’s time to face the storm

(Repeat Chorus)

(Bridge)
You live you learn
And right now my scarlet letter burns
But I won’t hide
I’ll face what’s mine

(Repeat Verse 1, Repeat Chorus)

Sweetbox - Brown Haired Boy

One day summer afternoon
Just me nothing much to do
Then he swayed on by me
Brown hair and a wicked body
No words 'cause he was shy
I winked and just said hi
He laughed 'cause he was speechless
You're cute, you wanna come with me

I said come here, move a little closer
Leave me breathless tuggin' on my hips he said

Mmmm mmmmm mmmmm mmmm
My little brown haired boy

All day and then all night
I kissed and loved him right
I showed him a few tricks
Gave him more than a first kiss
He saw my tan lines
Found out how to have a good time
I sure miss that boy's hips
Still smell and taste his sweet lips

So I like to have a little fun
I've always been a real wild one
And I know that you really like it that way

Years later on subway train I heard a sly voice whisper my name
And lips that felt familiar gently went and kissed my shoulders
And I said: well, boy isn't this a surprise, I never thought I'd see your brown eyes
Where you been 'cause I've learned a whole lot since then.

Sweetbox - BOYFRIEND

Come on girl, all this hate you have
has really got to go
'cause he's broke and fat and he ain't
all that
But you don't seem to know
what's wrong woth you
Take a look around, see I've got men
to spare
I'm just doing my thing so about your
man, well, he just can't compare

Girls, we need to stop doin' this
All this mess has got to quit
I don't want your boyfriend

Always hatin' on me with your
talk talk talk
And your steppin' to me all your
blah blah blah
But I don't want your boyfriend
I don't want your boyfriend

Come on girl, what's it gonna take
to make you realize that
I'm in your shoes, I ain't hatin' on
you so there's no need to fight
And you see these guys they be rollin'
tight, their bond you can't divide
But a guy walks in and we can't be
friends and it just isn't right

Girls, we need to stop doin' this...

Always hatin' on me with your talk talk

Sweetbox - Beautiful

I've been feeling high
I've been feeling low
Waiting for a hand to hold
Searching faces for the one to call home
But their touch just left me cold
I don't know what went wrong
Or how I've been going on
I've been spinning round and round
Running through these ups and downs
How did I end up here?
How'd I end up here?

I know that I can be stronger
But I don't wanna be strong tonight
And you don't need to make everything all right
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful tonight
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful

I've had the view
I've had the fall
Heard my doubts in surround sound
Life's let me fly
Life's made me crawl
Learned to balance on shaky ground
I don't need your rescuing
Just help me to believe again
That broken hearts can heal and mend
And people do get happy ends
How did I end up here?
Will I always be here?

I know that I can be stronger
But I don't wanna be strong tonight
And you don't need to make everything all right
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful tonight
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful tonight

Beautiful
So beautiful
I'm waiting here
Grab my hand oh someone pull me up
Cause I don't need a hero
But I don't want to be alone
Just make me feel
anything anything anything anything at all

I know that I can be stronger
But I don't wanna be strong tonight
And you don't need to make everything all right
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful tonight
Just make me feel
Like I'm beautiful tonight

Sweetbox - Alright

(Verse 1)
I’m so hung over I can’t get out of bed
Think Jose Cuervo still is lodged in my head
My coffee maker doesn’t wanna turn on
And I keep hearing stupid Britney Spears’ songs

(Chorus)
But I’ll be alright
Gonna have a good time
I’ll be alright
Gonna go out tonight
Doin’ just fine I’ll be alright
I’m not gonna worry
‘Cause everything will be alright

(Verse 2)
My boyfriend dumped me he said I’m not the one
Says his new girlfriend is just so much more fun (God…)
I gained ten pounds ‘cause I’ve been so depressed
Drinking and smoking ain’t relieving my stress

(Repeat Chorus)
Don’t you know I’m gonna be ---
(Repeat Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Alright…
He said that I’m not the one (But I won’t cry)
‘Cause she’s much more fun (Gonna have a good time)
I’m hung over as hell (It’s gonna be…)
Aaah (It’s) gonna be alright

(Repeat Chorus Out)

Sweetbox - After The Lights

Verse 1:

He met her backstage
She was supposed to be just another girl for the night
But there was something in her smile
That stopped his breath
She made everything make sense (oh...)

Chorus:

After the lights go down
And after the screams go dead
Her voice still echoes in his head
After the lights go down
And after the lust and fame
His heart still beats to the sound of her name

Verse 2:

Sometimes he wakes up
Calling out for the one good thing he let go
In a lonely hotel room he tries to relive that night
And to see her smiling for him (oh...)

*repeat chorus*

Oh...
The sound of her name...
Oooh maybe one day maybe one day oh...
Oh...the lights...go down...oh...

Verse 3:

Years later he sees her
But when he sees her ring
His words escape
And he doesn't say he still tastes her kiss
And she's too scared to say
That her child's eyes are his, oh!

*repeat chorus*

Sweetbox - 1000 Words

I know that your hiding things
Using gentle words to shelter me,
Your words are like a dream
But dreams could never fool me
well not that easily..
I acted so distant then, didnt say goodbye before you left
but i was listening
You'll fight your battles far from me
You fought too easily
Save your tears, im coming back..i could hear that you whipsered as you walked through that door
Its still so..to hide all the pain when i turned by the hindges
Just by the friendly answer
What if i cried my eyes out and begged you not to part?
And now i have a fate to see
Whats in my heart...

Cause a thousand words
Have bowed through the ages
They'll fly to you,
I know i can see
I know there reaching you...
Suspended on Silver Wings...

Oh a thousand words
A thousand embraces
Will craddle you
Even though that your weary
They seem far away...
They'll hold you forever...

Oh a thousand words
Have never been spoken
They'll bow to you
And carry you over
All into my ARMS...
Suspended on Silver Wings...

And a thousand words
Called out through the ages
The greatest gifts
Ignore all the worry
Heres to all the happy days
I'll hold you FOREVER...

Sweetbox - Easy Come Easy Go

Hey, I’m gonna sing you a little song.
It’s not a message, just a song about life.
You know…so it goes like this…

There are times in our life
When it just don’t add up
When we don’t get it right
And we’re fed up

Well, easy come and easy go again
It’s not unfair; it’s simply how it is
So easy come and go again

So he took your heart and he walked out that door
Well I know how you feel; I’ve been there before

Hey easy come and easy go again
It’s let it rip and take it on the chin
I said easy come and go again

You’ve been reaching too far
You’ve been trying too much
You’ve been losing yourself
So out of touch

Hey easy come and easy go again
It’s not unfair; it’s simply how it is
Say easy come and go again

I said easy come and easy go again
It’s let it rip and take it on the chin
I said easy come

I wanna be a big star but I’m singing in bars
So I’m not on the top, not a millionaire

Hey easy come and easy go again
It’s let it rip and take it on the chin
I said easy come and go again

Sweetbox - Don't Go Away

Sweetbox - Miss You

Sweetbox - You Can't Hide

Chasing an illusion
I try to hide from the deepest,
Whole and the truest part of who I really was

But there's not a place to hide
When you are standing
Underneath the sky
Even though we try to
You know that you can never hide beneath the stars
You can hide from everyone but you

Life's not supposed to be easy
When we convince ourselves that happiness
Can happen casually
But every smile is precious
And every small touch of love
Are moments that we're fighting for

There's not a place to hide
When you are standing underneath the sky
Even though we try to
And you can try, you can try, you can try, you can try, you can try, you can try
But you can only hide from everyone but you

Life's not supposed to be easy
No one ever knows how their fate will play them
And if their dreams are strong enough to carry and carry them through
No one ever knows
Do we need to know

No place to hide
Beneath the stars and sky
Yourself defined....ohh....oooo...

Sweetbox - Unforgiven

Unforgiven...
Unforgiven...
Unforgiven...yeah...Oh

Keep hittin my head on the wall
Cryin out but who hears my call
Walkin on the edge but don't fall
I just wanna loose my sense of self control

Input output overload too quick
Lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose all control of this
Input output overload too quick
Lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose

Unforgiven...
Unforgiven...
Unforgiven... yeah...

Can put these voices to sleep
I need to have more room to breath
Putting my paranoia at ease
Oh I just wanna loose my sense of self control-oh!

Input output overload too quick
Lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose all control of this
Input output overload too quick
Lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose

Unforgiven... yeah
I'm unforgiven
Ooooh

I dont wanna think...
I wont care...
Come on Come on...
Hey, Hey, Hey OH!

Input output overload too quick
lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose all control of this
Input output overload too quick
Lookin for and searchin for climax to this
Screamin cryin am I slowly dyin
I'm about to loose

Friday, September 15, 2006

Sweetbox - Don't Push Me

I’m a love ‘em and leave ‘em
Touch and tease ‘em kinda girl
I’m the perfect type
For one wild night

Yeah, I suffocate quick
Does that make me a bitch?
I don’t really care, no

Well your roses were sweet
Really swept me off my feet
But I start to choke
When you say let’s elope

Yeah, I suffocate quick
Does that make me a bitch
I don’t really care, no, no, no…

Don’t push me so hard, don’t push me so far
Don’t cage me in, don’t tie me down
Don’t push me so hard, don’t push me so far
Don’t cage me in, don’t tie me down

Can we take a bubble bath have a drink and a laugh
Enjoy what we have and then leave it to the past

‘Cause I don’t give a damn
Maybe you’re the perfect man
That’s not how this story goes

You can write me fat checks or buy diamonds for my neck
Buy a big fat ring I prefer Tiffany’s

‘Cause I don’t give a damn
Maybe you’re the perfect man
That’s not how this story goes

No, no…

Don’t push, push me so hard
Don’t push me so far…no… (2x)

And I’m not trying to be giving you a bitter pill, no I…
And I don’t wanna make you promises I can’t fulfill, no I…

Don’t push me, don’t push me, don’t push me, don’t push me down
Don’t cage me in…oh…
Don’t push me – I don’t wanna be tied down
Don’t push me so hard, yeah, don’t push me so far, no, no
Don’t cage me in, come on, don’t tie me down

Woman falls onto MRT tracks; man held

By K.C. Vijayan
Sep 15, 2006
The Straits Times

A WOMAN escaped with minor injuries yesterday after being allegedly pushed off a platform and onto the tracks at Clementi MRT station.

Shouting as she fell, the woman quickly pulled herself up and managed to reach the far side just as a train pulled into the station at 7pm.

The alarm was raised and SMRT staff helped her back onto the platform.

Moments before the incident, a commuter overheard the 26-year-old woman telling a male companion in Mandarin: 'Don't push me.'

Another commuter standing nearby chased the suspect as he began to move away from the scene.

Others rushed to help and held down the suspect, also 26, until police arrived.

He was arrested, and investigations are under way, said police spokesman Mohd Razif.

Train services were disrupted for about 10 minutes, said an SMRT spokesman.

The woman, believed to be in shock, was taken to the National University Hospital.

She suffered bruises to her left forearm and complained of numbness in her right leg.

Commuter Geraldine Ong, 28, who was waiting for the same train as the couple, said: 'I was horrified when I saw her on the tracks.

'The couple may have been fooling around, but this is very dangerous.'

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Fashion Week Basks in Success of Dress

The dress emerges as a strong trend for spring 2007 at designer previews at N.Y. Fashion week

NEW YORK, Sep. 14, 2006
By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL AP Fashion Writer

(AP)

(AP) New York Fashion Week is basking in the success of the dress. It's already been a strong item for fall fashion, but it has emerged as the key piece for spring.

Tom Julian, director of trends for McCann-Erickson, said spring 2007 is taking its cue from a classic Audrey Hepburn look _ with A-line shapes and minimal luxe fabrics _ but adding a bit of a "Paris Hilton personality" with strapless tops and other sexy accents.

Shoppers will have their pick of dress silhouettes, since so many versions have been offered, including shifts, sacks, wraps, sundresses and halters.

Other things that have caught Julian's eye are trench and trapeze coats, blouses, walking shorts, miniskirts and even bold distinctive accessories.

"The checklist? The chemise, the cropped boxy jacket, the bell skirt, the angel sleeve blouse, an eyelet something," he said Wednesday.

_ Anna Sui: Sui took her audience to a bizarre "Alice in Wonderland" tea party that was crashed by some punk pirates.

Sounds about right for Sui, who relishes in her role as fashion's rebellious rocker chick, and her clothes reflected that. Many of the outfits were still wearable, even the unlikely pairing of a pretty black embroidered organza dress with a ripped mesh top.

A navy chiffon and gauze halter dress with a navy and cream striped knit T-shirt, a bold red floral print dress with a matching coat, and a drop-waist, lace-up, short-sleeve dress in the "multi tea party" print were among the looks that would look cute on Sui's sassy, stylish fans.

A red floral scarf-print drawstring dress also was adorable from the front, but the back was missing, exposing the model's floral bikini bottom. Guess that was the point.

_ Michael Kors: So many little girls dream of being a dancer. After Kors' show, many big girls will dream of wearing dancer-inspired clothing.

To a soundtrack laced with music from the Broadway show "A Chorus Line," models went down the runway in full, fluid jersey skirts _ the best ones, called "rehearsal skirts," were asymmetrical with a high slit on one side _ and soft cashmere sweaters.

A tan silk georgette pleated dress with a black cardigan and black leggings would be the go-to outfit in any woman's closet because it was sexy, sweet and modest _ and looked incredibly comfortable.

Other must-have looks were a cashmere sweater that slid down one shoulder worn with one of those tan rehearsal skirts, a feminine nude-colored silk chiffon skirt that practically floated, a jersey halter dress with a scarf that trailed behind, and a nude-colored eyelet trench coat.

Sticking to the theme, Kors offered light pink tap shorts but he balanced them with a long, slouchy blazer.

For the closet disco dancer, he showed a loose minidress covered in shimmering black paillettes and a white wrap shirt with a black paillette legging. Both outfits were full of pizazz.

A kimono-style shift in nude paillettes was a little more subtle, but just as seductive.

_ Matthew Williamson: Anyone waiting for a blast of bright colors got it at Williamson's show, held inside a newly renovated building at a Hudson River pier.

An entire group of outfits seemed to be inspired by button candy _ sweet little circles in all the shades of the rainbow.

Another section featured Southwest-style embroidery; the standout piece was a beaded dress in an airy apricot-colored fabric. There also were florals and a metallic lily pad print. Just go with it _ this is the wild Williamson we're talking about.

_ Carmen Marc Valvo: Valvo is known for eveningwear, and there were indeed many lovely cocktail dresses and gowns at his show, but it was the swimwear that really stood out.

His "full-bodied bikini" looked more like a dainty, black-lace, long-sleeve bodysuit _ but it also looked great.

Another noteworthy swimsuit was a gold wrap-front maillot with a plunging V in the front and an even lower one in the back. There also was a pretty black floral-lace beach cover-up.

A dress worth singling out was a very Old Hollywood gown in a silver hammered satin with a draped back.

_ Peter Som: With this collection, Som courted sophisticated and refined women who also want to wear the looser shapes of the season.

A feminine organdy blouse with full angel sleeves was heavenly as was a white organdy strapless dress with tiny pleats.

His coats, including a 3/4-length cocktail coat in a dove gray lace-jacquard fabric, were among the best items.

_ Ports 1961: Ports 1961, a brand that originated in Canada, made its first appearance at New York Fashion Week with a collection rooted in 1940s Argentina.

Somehow on the catwalk, though, it all made sense.

Many of the dresses were delicate and romantic, especially a gold pleated-front strapless dress with a tiny lace jacket and a light-as-a-feather capelet halter dress with an open back that was done in an airy cream-colored fabric.

There were some fiery dresses, too _ remember the Argentinian connection? A red halter dress with a fitted top and flounced bottom would be perfect for dancing.

Spanish fashion show bans underweight models

Last Updated Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:38:02 EDT CBC News

Organizers of a top fashion show in Spain say they will reject overly thin models who protesters say encourage eating disorders in girls.

The Association of Fashion Designers of Spain said it wanted to project "an image of beauty and health" for the Madrid show, which runs Sept. 18-22, rather than rail-thin looks.

Medical associations and women's advocacy groups protested last year's show, saying some models were too thin.

The show is using the body mass index or BMI, a calculation of weight in relation to height, to measure the models. About 30 per cent of would-be participants at a previous event failed the test.

World Health Organization experts recommend a BMI of between 18.5 and 25. The show has hired medics to check models. Models with a BMI of less than 18 will be turned down.

The fashion industry has a responsibility to portray healthy body images, including fuller-figured women, said Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show.

Role models for young girls

Fashion shows "are mirrors for many young women," and the women who stroll down the catwalk are role models for young girls obsessed with thinness, said Concha Guerra, deputy finance minister of the regional administration.

This is the first time extremely thin models have been excluded from a major international fashion show, said Jesus del Pozo, a designer who is part of the Spanish association running the show.

The fashion industry is being used as a scapegoat for eating disorders, responded Cathy Gould of New York's Elite modelling agency.

"I think it's outrageous," Gould told Reuters. "I understand they want to set this tone of healthy, beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer?"

The focus should be on designers' collections, not model size, a spokeswoman for the Spanish fashion designers association said.

So far, other major international fashion shows have not followed the Spanish example.

With files from The Associated Press.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Bloggers, don't forget to back up

Accidents or hackers can destroy hours of hard work, so learn to save your journal for posterity

YOU HAVE spent hours, and written volumes on your blog.

Then, one day the worst thing imaginable happens - your online diary crashes.

The good news is, that does not need to happen.

Just as you take care to back up your photos, work and other important documents, you can and should do the same with blogs.

Like other electronic information, you cannot assume that your journal is completely safe and will remain intact indefinitely.

Blogs or web-hosting providers may come and go. Hard disks on servers may fail. Malicious hackers might delete all your words and photos at will.

On a more practical level, you might decide to migrate to another provider or blogging platform. Having a backup can make the transition smoother.

Ultimately, having a backup simply means your journal has a higher chance at posterity.

Here are some tips to help you accomplish this.

Read the documentation

There is no one single method to back up a blog, since there are literally hundreds of blogging platforms and providers out there.

Read the documentation of your blogging software or the help section of your blog provider.

If they already provide the instructions to backup your blog, it is fairly safe to follow them.

DIY

If you are hosting your own server and blog, check with your service providers to see if they generate automatic backups.

Even if they do, it would be prudent to generate your own backups and download them to your computer.

For instance, if your server has a Cpanel control panel, you might be able to select 'Backup' then 'Full Backups'.

Your hosting provider should be able to regenerate your site and blog from these backups.

Do not panic if you cannot find any documentation or backup features.

You can still get around such obstacles - just roll up your sleeves and do the backup manually.

Just as you can save a web page for future offline browsing, you can save your blog pages too.

But do not do it the slow way, opening each blog page and then saving them.

Get a tool such as HTTrack, which allows you to save whole websites for offline browsing. These tools can automatically 'crawl' your blog, saving and preserving the pages and link structure.

Two birds with one stone

Tired of service and site interruptions on your free blog provider?

Get an offline blogging tool instead. These will allow you to compose your journals on the computer without the need to log into your blog.

The good thing is that you can easily save a copy of your completed entry to your computer, then upload the entry to your blog.

Certain tools such as w.bloggar also allow you to post to multiple blogs simultaneously, which in its way is a form of backing up as well.

Help! I seem to have lost everything!

If you don't already have a backup, and neither does your service providers, your last hope would lie in the caches on the web.

How this works is that Google takes a snapshot of webpages as it crawls the web.

If your blog has been cached into Google's servers, you could then retrieve the snapshot by following the link labelled 'Cached' that appears beside the search result for your blog.

Try googling for your own blog, and then follow Google's cached pages.

IDA Technology Showcase for IMF/WB Delegates

They get first-hand look at emerging infocomm technologies for the financial sector.

Delegates in Singapore for the IMF-World Bank meetings will catch a glimpse of the future workplace in the financial industry here.

They will have a tantalising first-hand look at how emerging infocomm technologies will change the office and home environment, and enhance the working processes in the financial sector.

To promote and demonstrate the nation's strong technological infrastructure and focus, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) will unveil the Government Executives in the New Information and Knowledge Era" (Genie) showcase to the IMF and World Bank delegates.

Head of Civil Service, Mr Peter Ho said: "Infocomm will continue to be a key enabler for all sectors of the economy, including the public sector. The Genie showcase represents how infocomm can be exploited to transform the way public officers work, and to create solutions that will enhance operational efficiency and productivity for the public sector."

On display at the showcase are prototype technologies aimed at the public sector, and which would be made commercially available in three to five years. Although tagged for future development, such efforts reflect the myriad of digital possibilities that would revolutionise the workplace in years to come.

In August this year, IDA announced its dedicated investment in a "technology-enabled work environment". Challenging Singaporeans to imagine a nation in 2010 where civil servants thrive within integrated communications and sophisticated systems that are a staple of the workplace, IDA went on to sketch out plans to realise these possibilities.

And thus was conceived Genie. Launched last month, it marked the first time three major multi-national corporations - Microsoft, Intel and Fujitsu - came together with the government to put together a showcase, utilising technologies in research and development.

Mr Leong Keng Thai, Deputy Chief Executive and Director-General of Telcoms, says: "This further attests Singapore's position as a leader in infocomm technology exploitation and a global infocomm hub."

Some key highlights of the showcase are provided below:

HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY TECHNOLOGIES IN THE GENIE SHOWCASE

Technology to better manage infocomm security

• “Contact-Less” Palm-Vein Biometrics Security System checks the unique pattern of a person’s blood veins in the palm to establish identity to gain access to the office premises and desktop.

• Information Rights Management ensures documents circulated are kept confidential.

• Active Management Technology allows IT departments to better discover, diagnose and protect networked computing assets remotely even those that are unregistered or turned off.

• Virtualisation Technology allows the IT department of an organisation to perform security patches, and/or update virus definitions without interrupting the user.

• Steganography technology embeds digital information within an image, and the information will only be revealed upon authentication.

Technology to enhance productivity cum efficiency of government executives

• Microsoft Intelligent Integrated Dashboard and Universal Unified Communications Panel simplify the productivity, collaboration and knowledge sharing capabilities of users. One universal integrated interface enables access to all information such as emails, live key performance indicators data feed, project documents, calendar and notes.

• Tight integration between Operating System, Office Productivity Suite and Collaboration Tools to improve productivity and efficiency.

• Predictive Collaboration Workspace automatically generates documents and templates relating to specific tasks or projects. For example, when a workspace is generated for a budgeting exercise, the workspace automatically extracts relevant information, forms, templates, subject matter experts, policies and guidelines.

• Cross Media Retrieval Solution searches for information on the internet or within an organisation using search keys in the form of text, image or video.

Technology to enhance the mobility of government executives

• Intelligent Communications application is integrated with the user's calendar, and messages are routed to the user accordingly. For example, if the user is not at his desk, an email arriving at the desktop will be converted to a voicemail and forwarded to the user's mobile phone.

• Colour Electronic Paper stores and displays digital information such as documents and current news. It is handy and you can use it anywhere and anytime.

IMF: Risks of global economic slowdown increased

SINGAPORE (AP) -- The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that the risks of a global slowdown have increased due to higher interest rates, surging oil prices and an apparent cooling in the U.S. housing market that could slow the U.S. economy.

While the IMF said its general outlook on the global economy remains positive, "there are risks to the global economic outlook that have tilted to the downside," according to its semiannual Global Financial Stability Report.

Should global growth falter, the IMF said international financial markets could undergo a more severe correction than the one they experienced in May and June, when emerging markets in particular were hit hard.

"The recent market turbulence is a timely reminder for authorities to strengthen macro-economic policies and persevere with needed structural reforms," said the report, released a week before the Washington-based institution holds its Sept. 19-20 annual meeting in Singapore.

In its latest assessment of the global financial system, the IMF also warned that the risk of a disorderly decline in the U.S. dollar could increase unless policies are put in place to address global saving and investment imbalances.

"The potential for a disorderly unwinding of global imbalances remains a concern," the IMF said.

The IMF said emerging Asian countries should be more ambitious in increasing exchange-rate flexibility, the U.S. should consolidate its fiscal position and Europe and Japan should speed up structural changes.

It noted that foreign holdings of U.S. assets continue to grow, rising to US$6.3 trillion by June 2005 from US$1.2 trillion in 1994.

The report also said that demand for U.S. assets will increasingly depend on Asian central banks, which currently hold more than half the world's foreign currency reserves, and oil-producing nations, which have amassed substantial reserves in the last two years or so.

"There may be some shift in demand away from the highly liquid, short-duration, fixed-income assets typically held in official reserves portfolios," which could result in a disorderly decline in the U.S. dollar unless policy-makers take appropriate action, it said.

Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers plan to meet Saturday in Singapore, ahead of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, to discuss exchange rates and other topics.

Market consensus is for Asian currencies to appreciate over the medium-term while non-Asian currencies are expected to weaken, and the dollar is expected to remain relatively stable, the IMF said.

Tuesday's report gave a general indication of the IMF's outlook on the global economy two days before it releases the second part of its closely watched World Economic Outlook, which includes specific economic forecasts for the world economy and regional economies.

Despite its warnings, the IMF said it sees "a continuation of favorable developments, in both growth and inflation. Under this scenario, corporate earnings growth would remain healthy and default rates low."

The volatility in financial markets in May and June -- sparked by worries about higher global interest rates -- was "modest" and "not a harbinger of a protracted downturn," it said.

Global markets have performed strongly in recent years, resilient to several market corrections, it said. At the same time, global growth remained strong.

"Corporate fundamentals are also still solid," the IMF said. "Most companies are still expecting respectable growth in earnings over the next year or so, even after very strong growth in recent years."

However, risks remain, including inflationary pressures, particularly given soaring oil prices. It also said a rapid cooling-off in the U.S. housing market could lead to a pronounced slowdown of the U.S. economy.

"International financial markets could undergo more severe corrections, especially because markets appear to be pricing in the baseline growth scenario with little provision for risk," it said.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Who were the Ayumis and Avrils of PSS?

And also the Suns and Jolins? Who ‘washed the toilet’ during audition and who were The Others? Get the highlights of the Project SuperStar Female Auditions here!

Kwok Kar Peng

Girls are more kiasu than guys, as proven last Saturday at the Project SuperStar Female Audition at Toa Payoh HDB Hub. While the males began queuing from 3am the same day for their auditions two weeks ago, the girls ‘spoilt the market’ by forming queues as early as 9pm the night before! Spending a chilly and sleepless night on the cold hard ground was obviously not an issue of concern for these girls in their pursuit of stardom; after all, it was their parents and boyfriends who underwent the torture!

One example is Catherine Zhuo, 18, a private ‘O’ Level student. Both her and her frail-looking mum came to the HDB Hub on Thursday but abandoned their plans when they realised no one was there. They returned on Friday afternoon; again not one singing wannabe was in sight. They finally laid their straw mats and what-nots on the ground 11pm on Friday night, just when the yellow metal dividers were being set up.

“I went with my mum but she ushered me home because she wanted me to be fresh and energised for the audition. Although my mum was the first person there, I told her not to be the first at the queue because I would be nervous,” Catherine told us.

Very luckily for mother and daughter, she became the first female to get pass this first round of audition!

Catherine, in her haste to ‘change shift’ with her mother at 7am, came dressed in plain jeans, a jacket and slippers. Some of the other girls though, preened and primped themselves for this big event, like…

Catherine Zhuo and self-sacrificing mum

The ‘Ayumi Hamasaki’

- Ong Kai Li, 17, Sales Assistant cum student at the City Harvest Education Centres

The bleached blonde hair and the black hair roots… had they appeared on someone else, we’d be cringing even in our sleep, but on this petite teen, it was magic, though magic doesn’t come cheap.

The outfit, pieced together by her boss at the clothing store she works in and inspired by current Japanese fashion trends, involves putting together at least two layers of clothing and mixing four or more different colours in the ensemble. The damage: $100 for her Japanese-made sequined boots; $79.90 for her Australian crystal-studded belt; $89.90 for her denim skirt; $25.90 for her camisole; $59.90 for her shirt and $29.90 for the polka-dot tie.

The Chinese hip-hop rocker

- Yuki Long, 23, Student at Informatics

I may not know of any famous mainland Chinese rockers, but I watch TV and Yuki here looks just like one of them! The big crazy hair (short and permed at the top and long and rebonded at the back) bleached blond and a mish-mash of whatever the owner fancies (even if it clashes horribly) as long as it’s a ‘personal identity’.

For Yuki, it’s hip hop fatigue pants, a metal-studded belt, cutesy and glittery rings, pendants, bracelets and handphone accessories. Fortunately though, it’s a marked improvement from her ho-hum look at the Project SuperStar registration last year.


Yuki at the PSS registration last year

The ‘Avril Lavignes’

- Wendy Tan (registration number 3290), 19, and Tan Shan Shan (registration number 3291), 19. Both students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Media Studies (Film, Sound & Video)

Shan Shan, the presumably cooler and thus reticent one with her no-nonsense black rock outfit and big dark shades, turned out to be a talkative sweetie instead who pulls no stops at ‘acting cute’ in front of the camera.! And when she got in to the next round, man, there’s no stopping the Hokkien slang and excited words tumbling out of her mouth at 100km/hour!

Wendy on the other hand, is a cross between Jolin Tsai-sweetness and Avril Lavigne-punk. Heck, she even looks like a pubescent Jolin before the baby fats ‘disappeared’! Sadly though, it’s three times unlucky for Wendy, who failed to get the through Project SuperStar Season 1, SuperBand and Project SuperStar Season 2.


Wendy at the PSS registration last year

The ‘Sun Ho’

- Michelle Soh, 32, Customer Relations Officer

With her frilly lace dress, Guess handbag, accented English and a soft dignified presence, Michelle would be the best Project SuperStar The ‘Tai-Tai’ candidate if not for the fact that she earns her keep. And apart from her slight physical similarity to crooning sensation Sun Ho, Michelle also sings in church and, blimey, her voice even sounds like Sun!

The ‘Joi Chua’

- Ng Chew Yen, 23, Admin Assistant

Almost like local songbird Joi who waited patiently for four years to record her second album, Chew Yen began choosing her audition song for Project SuperStar 2 since last year! And she started researching on what to wear since August, flipping through fashion magazines, consulting friends and relatives and even watching music videos to see how singers chose clothes to match their songs!

Still, the long wait and thorough preparation came to naught when she was eliminated on Saturday.

The ‘Jolin Tsai’

- Hong Huiling, 35, Tuition teacher

Auntie Jolin is back! After her failed attempt at dancing Jolin’s ‘Ai Qing 36 Ji’ at last year’s Project SuperStar audition, and also flunking SuperHost, Star Idol and Never Say Die, she returned prepared this year.

She claimed she has learned proper dancing and singing techniques from community centers. She even sang a love song to Jeff Wang and demonstrated her newfound dancing skills in line dancing at the auditions.

“Of course, she didn’t make it through,” Paul Chan, Vice-President (Branding & Promotions) of MediaCorp TV told us.

Auntie Jolin at the PSS Audition last year

The ‘Others’

- Orlina Hu, 21, Part-time Mechanical Engineering student at Singapore Polytechnic

I swear I would totally believe it if someone tells me Orlina is an actress planted into the auditions to take the mockery out of me. But it has already been 48 hours later and no one has told me I’m on Candid Camera, so it means Orlina is real. God help us.

She was a real bag of confusion and contradictions, this Orlina. First, she shoved my colleague rudely and told her to “Zou kai, bu yao dang lü! (Go away, don’t block the way!)”, and when I questioned her about it later, she insisted that it was the security guard who did it. (A case of spirit possession?)

After our interview, she lingered over me with sob stories of how worried she is over getting her exam results slip this week, how she has been rejected in every job interview she goes to, how bad her English is and she practically implored me to rephrase her broken-English interview into perfect English. (You mean like, writing “very long queue” instead of your “long very queue” and “I was so nervous that I asked the judges to give me one minute to wash my face in the toilet” instead of your “I was so nervous I wash the toilet”?)

Okay, Orlina, your interview here is written in grammatically and linguistically error-free English.

- Estella Chow, 29, English teacher in a tuition centre

Estella chose this stunning outfit (I was seriously stunned) because she thinks it’s very Fish Leong (she’s singing one of her songs Shou Shou De) and because she likes blue. And Barbie too, I can see, from the bright pink watch on her wrist.

- Koh Chien Wen, 20, Cashier

This Malaysian girl chose this outfit because she wants people to notice her. Well, her wish was granted, I heard many people did. For what reason (is it her extremely short mini-skirt, her white fluffy rolled-down socks or her This Fashion-esque jacket), I’m not too sure.

- Don Li Yuan Jun, 24, Logistics Assistant

Her/His English name is masculine, her/his given name is feminine (李媛君). S/he looks like a male, but s/he was in the Project SuperStar Female Auditions. S/he even signed up for the army! Ah these gender-bending days are so confusing… One thing for certain, Don insists on keeping his/her image: “I am who I am.”

Why is it always the guys who win these competitions?

Taufik Batisah won Singapore Idol Season 1. Tan Wei Lian won Project SuperStar Season 1. Bryan Wong won Star Idol. Ng Chee Yang won Campus SuperStar. Tan Yong Meng won Never Say Die. MiLu Bing won SuperBand. Khairul Anuar won Anugerah in 2005. Shabir won Vasantham Star.

The similarity between these 10 champs (MiLu Bing has three members) is that they all carry the Y chromosome. Are guys more talented than girls? Not so. Then why are guys sweeping away the trophies to all the local talent competitions, with the exception of SuperHost?

Wei Lian shared his view with us: “I guess it has something to do with the fact that most of the voters are girls, so girls will vote for the opposite sex. The guys are too busy working and dating their girlfriends to vote for the female contestants hahah!”

Is it unfair to female contestants then?

“Winning is not the most important thing,” he continued. “I mean it doesn’t mean that you’ll be the most famous one if you are the champion. It’s all up to your own potential and what people see in you. If you are fated to be a singer, then you will become one.”

Chew Sin Huey, first female runner-up to Project SuperStar Season 1, agreed with Wei Lian. “I think guys attract girls easier and as a female myself, I realise I can really give my heart and soul and even money to vote for a guy I really admire. Guys are maybe more rational and egoistic to play the role of a besotted fan, so that’s why male contestants usually have the upper-hand.”

Sin Huey has this piece of advice for female contestants: “Consider your motive for joining the competition. If your purpose is to perform to the public and have them acknowledge your talents, then you don’t need to re-package yourself to become well-liked by the majority. You can attract people with your talents and true self. But your purpose is to win, then you have to change your image to attract the young girls and boys.”

Paul Chan, Vice-President (Branding & Promotions) of MediaCorp TV, concluded the issue when he said this, “Some guys probably think it’s not very macho to be voting. But I think as we do more and more of such competitions, it’ll become a very hip and ‘in’ thing for people to vote, so with time, guys will be more open to it.”

Out of the 5,000 (2,800 males and 3,200 girls) who auditioned, only 200 passed the first round. They will next tackle the open audition at the Toa Payoh HDB Hub this weekend, where only 50 males and 50 females will be selected.

Photo Gallery

The Applicants


Reona Chan Teng Teng took up a free trial at a makeover studio just to send a nice photo of herself to the competition!	Sixteen-year-old Chen Lu was sent away from the PSS registration last year because she didn't meet the minimum age requirement. She's back this year...	But she didn't pass the first audition. The judges felt that both the competition and school will be too much for this Chinese national, who takes her PSLE exams this year, to handle.	Chen Lu being consoled by host Quan Yifeng


Star Idol's Tan Mian Chieh has lost weight and looks fabulous but that didn't get her to the next audition.	This applicant is one of the oldest at 34 years old.	Two sisters came for the competition but only the younger one (right) got in.	No one believed she's 16 years old until she whipped out her NRIC!

Nathan Hartono, winner of Teen Magazine's Teen Idol 2005

Juz-B and BRODS

SOUL

Campus SuperStar

Ng Chee Yang, Hong Yu Yang & Chen Yi Yuan

Teresa Tseng, Geraldine See & Ng Imm Khim

Campus SuperStar Duets

Tan Wei Lian, Chew Sin Huey & Derrick Hoh

Backstage madness!

Project SuperStar Hosts Quan Yifeng & Jeff Wang


Spot the difference!	Yifeng's two-piece PSS outfit has four ways of wearing it!


Jeff mimicking a male applicant he met two weeks ago	Hosts of the auditions Lee Teng and Wu Luoyi learning dance steps from SOUL

	Why Men Never Remember And Women Never Forget
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