Orinity

Would you eat such a ‘delicacy’?

Shopping online at blog shops is popular at the moment, so is buying products from well known American brands. I was looking around some local based blog shops browsing for some Christmas shopping ideas. However, I discovered something rather alarming. When one buys something from a blog shop or a spree based in the United States, one will have to pay in greenbacks and thus, there is always the matter of currency conversion. The one I saw at PrettyDolls is a rate not seen in Singapore for quite a while. The exchange rate stated there is US$1 = S$1.60. As someone who work and deal in US dollars regularly, I would say it is hard to swallow even though it is stated that the rate is to cover shipping and other costs. The actual current exchange rate, according to XE, is US$1 = S$1.449 at this very moment. I believe that it is high time PrettyDolls revise their rates soon to match up to the market forces. MDS Collections, a online store that Cyrene reviewed last month, is operating on live rates from what I can see. That is a route that I approve. Edynae has a slightly better rate compared to PrettyDolls. It is still a some way from the live rates but I feel that it is quite acceptable.

Here’s a list of rates I managed to find on short notice:

• PrettyDolls: US$1 = S$1.60
• MDS Collections: Live Rates
• Edynae: US$1.53 = S$1.53
• The Secret Closet: Live Rates by Oanda
• Spree Organizer: US$1 = S$1.485

If there was any spree organizer that made a deep impression on me, it would have to be this organizer:

The first thing I noticed, was the definition of the term ‘Spree’. For people who are not yet familiarize with the term completely, this is a great explanation, coupled with case studies to compare the prices. I have seen websites that have a truckload of words that seem to drown me, but this website is really easy to navigate, straight to the point and with really pretty (and related) pictures of shoppers. Some organizers like to have background music for their sites and personally, I do not have that preference. My belief is that, I am here to shop, not to be distracted by songs that I am probably not in the least bit interested in. I admit I was a little bit irritated when I heard some voice talking, but when I realized that the video that was playing is actually an audio guide/walkthrough about this website, I was even more impressed. Never in my life have I heard instructions being read out at a spree website!

About a month back, my interest in Taiwan sprees have decreased at an alarming rate. The items are become more common, such that there is no exclusiveness any more. So when I discovered that Spree Organizer’s Sprees are all U.S sprees, I was overjoyed! Once you click on the vendors on the left column, a short description about the site and useful information (such as the average price and offered discount) will appear on the right. There is a legend on the website, stating the status of the vendors, such as whether the organizer is currently opening a spree from the vendor. There is a animated message that goes past under the main tabs, that states how much more (order) prices an active spree can take in. You are also welcomed to request for any vendor you like by clicking the ‘request’ link at the bottom of the vendor list.

One of the best things about spreeing with this organizer is the rate. As of now, The usual rate I see is 1.58 or 1.6, so you can imagine how astonished I was to find that their exchange rate is $1 USD = $1.485 SGD, which is the BEST rate I have seen so far! So, do drop by Spree Organizer today! As their tagline goes, we shall all “Spree Together, Save Together!”

I have this colleague who always never cease to provoke a reaction from me, and I don’t mean it in a good way. Last Saturday, my office management finally replaced the faulty security key system at the side gate. The security key number is the same, except that this time, we have to key in a ‘#’ after the number.

I shall name this colleague Elephant (You will know why later). Well, Elephant came in later in the morning as he was out at the sales counters settling some stuffs, I presume. So he saw the new security keying device and attempted to key in the previous number. After multiple persistent tries, he was debating whether to detour to the main gate (which was very much a hassle as our office building was sandwiched between two other buildings), or to climb over our metal gate barrier. Guess what he did?

Seriously, I wonder about our metal gate barrier’s purpose of existence. And so, the clever man waved to a passer-by to hold on to his briefcase so that his hands would be free to help him climb over the metal gate. Then, he jumped over into our office compound, took his bag from the passer-by and thanked him, then goes into our office. He told us today, “Climbing the metal gate makes my foot hurt real bad.”

Well, I would guess that this is pretty mild from the other of his antics, like insisting on drinking and then puking all over the table at a company corporate dinner. Up till now, as long as he has a little sip of alcohol, he’d go around having that I-am-drunk face, as if he wanted to tell everyone that he’s drunk. But who in their intoxicated minds will go around telling people that they are indeed drunk?

The little things that he makes annoys most of my colleagues, such as always using speaker phone to talk, having really embarrassing ringing tones, running in a super loud manner as though he is an elephant, playing said ringing tones with his phone cum mp3 player and attempting to talk to another colleague despite that colleague gesturing that she was busy on the phone. The two weeks that he went for his <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reservist” target=”_blank” title=”Reservist.”>reservist</a> training, were the most peaceful days in the office.

I can’t imagine he’s in his mid-thirties. He doesn’t behave like his age. Oh, he just asked me if I know how to use 3G technology, probably indirectly showing off his new cell phone like he did this morning.

I have always been intrigued by unknown creatures, particular marine creatures. I am a person who gets scared easily from hearing ghost stories and yet I am interested to hear about unknown creatures, so this combination still baffles me.

The earth is but one really tiny planet in a gigantic galaxy. We might even have more galaxies than we think we have. And that means that there are other creatures yet to be discovered. Are there hundreds of them? Thousands? Millions? What might seem like a normal creature on planet Earth might sound absurb to another being on another planet (if it is true). We would even be considered as ‘aliens’ to these beings!

Back to the video clip, I can’t help but wonder if the creatures are real, as we all know, most things aren’t what we see them to be. And who can forget the hoaxes that accompanies almost every unknown creatures’ story? Next on my question list is, “Are these creatures really a species not yet discovered? Or are they a result of earth’s pollution?” The latter theory is shown in a fictional 2006 South Korean movie called The Host and you can view the trailer HERE, which mentions how some poisonous chemicals are dumped into the sewage system (which is linked to the sea) and a mutated creature is formed (It is interesting to know that the movie is inspired by an actual incident where incident in 2000 in which a mortician working for the U.S. military in Seoul dumped a large amount of formaldehyde down the drain) .The DVD for this superb movie is out for some time already, go watch it!

More interesting reads from:

6 Weird Creatures You Don’t Wanna Meet, Psychedelic Octopus, Weird Creatures, Weird Creature Found.