M.A.W.B. Squad

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Loosely translated, Happy Chinese New Year! Actually the New Year was Jan. 29, but no doubt the celebration welcoming the year of the dog is ongoing. In my line of work it means three days of sleep, followed by a week to catch up on work!

We may have missed the parties in Hong Kong, but you can spy on the action with these webcams.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year!

The Heated Bra AKA What Happens When Ideas Go Bad

In Japan men were encouraged to stop wearing neck ties this summer to save on air conditioning costs.  What's their idea for the female co-worker to contribute to the cause?  Meet fluffy-bunny heated bra.

A leading lingerie company has joined Japan's fight against high fuel use, unveiling a heated bra for winter.

The fluffy creation contains special pads filled with an eco-friendly gel that can be easily heated in a microwave or with a hot water bottle.

The design also includes a furry boa designed to double as a winter scarf.

A furry boa!  How can a girl resist!  You can not only save on the heating bill, but as a bonus you'll serve as a sex object for your co-workers!  Never mind that the bulk would make it impossible to wear under real clothing!  See the cute chili pepper dangling in front?  We actually mean for you to go around in winter with a bare midriff and arms.  To save the environment! Yay us!

To the men in Karaoke bars......step away from the alcohol-induced fantasies.  She was never hot for you.  She thought you were a jerk, and laughed at you behind your back wth her friends.  If you find a female willing to wear this contraption, I can assure you it would only be to lull you into a state of bliss while she makes off with your bank account, calls your wife to inform her of your relationship, then moves on to your boss who makes more money, badmouthing you during pillow talk with him until you lose your job.  Chump.

Oh, I forgot one thing......BARF.

China: Gas Lines

Although oil prices have climbed 50% since the beginning of the year, the price increase to the consumer in China has been only 15%.  Does that sound good to you?  Think again.

Hours-long queues have formed outside police-guarded stations pumping rationed oil in the export hub of Guangdong, fraying tempers -- an indication the majors may make Beijing face up to their problems with the threat of what it fears most: social unrest.

As shortages worsened, the country's top planners at the energy policy-setting National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) called in oil firm CEOs and other top officials to discuss the future of its pricing system last weekend, media reported.

Fearing inflation, which was a factor behind the Tiananmen Square protests, the NDRC has enforced price controls.  As a result, China's oil companies lose money on sales in the domestic market.  Naturally, they're exporting their product, resulting in a fuel shortage at the pumps.

China's refiners have made little public push for change, but the growing petrol queues this week pushed the official China Daily, to publish a rare and stinging rebuke to the NDRC, calling for prices to be more closely linked to market fluctuations.

"The inefficient oil pricing mechanism regulated by the NDRC is... the underlying cause," it said in an editorial titled, "As pumps run dry it is time for pricing reform." ($1=8.100 Yuan)

When the China Daily takes you on, you can be pretty sure the system is broken.  The expected fix?

The most likely result is replacing changes that usually come at least a month apart, with more frequent adjustments linked, but not slavishly tied, to international fluctuations, analysts say.

"They have to deal with the issue of full liberalisation versus this kind of price control, but I think -- as usual -- they might be doing something in between," said Kang Wu, a fellow at Hawaii's East-West Center.

We may be paying $2.50+ at the pump, but at least we're not reliving the 70's nightmare of gas lines.

In more China oil news, after giving up on a bid for Unocal, China National Petroleum Corp. has made a bid to purchase PetroKazakhstan.  Also, this young man in Pucheng, China demonstrates the preferred method for filching natural gas, on a bike no less. (via The Stalwart)