Farmland Fashion

A rural Chinese woman has gone viral online for her creativity, transforming farmland into a dazzling catwalk by designing dresses from only natural materials grown in the countryside. 

The vlogger, known online as “Village Magical Treasure,” boasts over 152,000 followers on Douyin and hails from Hengzhou in Guangxi province, southern China. 

In her videos, she artfully uses materials like peanut shells, red beans, sweet potatoes, dried grass, corn kernels, and corn husks to craft unique, rural-inspired clothing. 

She models her creations confidently, strutting through fields and showcasing what she proudly dubs “countryside fashion”. So far, she has posted 178 original videos. 

In one viral video from August, she crafted a dress entirely out of peanut shells, paired it with a red bean “necktie”, and walked through the fields. The clip garnered over 180,000 likes. 

She has also launched several vegetable-themed fashion shows, featuring outfits such as the “sweet potato dress” and the “long bean outfit”. 

And in a more recent video, she created an elaborate dragon robe from corn leaves, complete with a crown made of corn kernels, while reciting lines from the popular 2015 Chinese TV drama "The Legend of Mi Yue". 

“Every piece is crafted by me. The patterns and styles reflect my hobbies and preferences. All the fruits and vegetables used were grown by the elderly members of my family. I hope that, with this attention, I can help promote local agricultural products from my hometown”, she shared. 

In an interview with Chongqing Broadcasting Group, the vlogger revealed that she has never received any professional training in art or design. 

“This is simply a personal hobby. I’m not a professional designer and have never undergone formal training", she explained. 

“I’ve loved making clothes from different materials since childhood, always using eco-friendly items like vegetables or recyclable plastic bags. Whenever I see materials in abundance, I feel inspired to create outfits. Some are suitable for sewing, others for gluing, and I use a variety of tools depending on the material”, she added. 

Her creativity has sparked lively discussions across social media, with many online viewers in China marvelling at her talent. 

One commenter joked: “I crown you the Corn Empress. You are the ruler of all corn”. 

Another noted: “Each piece is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. This isn’t farming; it’s pure art”. 

A third remarked: “She is so creative. This deserves a Guinness World Record!” 

Kimchi: No Longer Solely Korea’s

Kimchi (김치) is a traditional Korean dish made from fermented cabbage, radish, or cucumber. It is often categorized by the main vegetable ingredient used to make it. 

Kimchi is a staple food in Korean cuisine. It's an accompaniment to almost every meal in Korea, usually as a side-dish (banchan). It is said to be consumed daily by 95 percent of Koreans – 2 million tons annually.  

The most popular kimchi includes baechu kimchi (made with napa cabbage, 배추김치), kkakdugi (made with radish, 깍두기), and oi kimchi (made with cucumber, 오이김치). 

The "Korean Wave" (Hallyu, 한류) has made Korean cultural exports popular all over the world. Everything from K-pop to K-dramas and more. Including Korean food that has become familiar to us such as bibimbap, bulgogi, jjigae, tteokbokki, kan poong gi, and yes, kimchi.

As the home of kimchi, South Korea dominates global exports. In fact, global demand for Korean kimchi continues to grow, with exports on track to hit an all-time high in 2025. 

According to trade data released on November 24 by the Korea Customs Service, South Korea’s cumulative kimchi exports in 2025 reached $137.4 million as at October, up 2 percent from a year earlier.

And yet, kimchi’s place as a uniquely Korean dish is being threatened by China’s exploding exports of the spicy dish. Especially, to South Korea itself. 

The fact is, more South Koreans are consuming Chinese-made kimchi, making it very likely that South Korea will post a kimchi trade deficit. Persistent inflation and the 2024 surge in domestic cabbage prices, caused by extreme weather, have continued to push demand for cheaper Chinese-made kimchi. 

Imports of Chinese kimchi hit a record $189.86 million in 2024, up 16.1 percent from 2023. During the same 10-month period, imports amounted to $159.46 million, rising 3.1 percent and outpacing the 2 percent growth in exports. 

As a result, the kimchi trade balance so far in 2025 remains in the red, with the deficit widening 10.3 percent from a year ago to $22.07 million. 

In the meantime, shipments of Korean-made kimchi are expected to hit another record in 2025, surpassing 2024’s all-time high. Exports totalled $163.57 million in 2024, double the figure from 2017, and have steadily grown on the back of rising global interest in K-food and heightened health awareness during the Covid pandemic. They reached $148.12 million in 2022, $155.6 million in 2023, and then set a new record in 2024. 

Japan remains the largest market for Korean kimchi, importing $47.55 million worth as at October, a 4.4 percent increase from a year earlier. The United States brought in $36.01 million, a 5.8 percent decrease, which marks a notable shift for a market that had seen rapid growth since 2019. In Europe, the Netherlands imported $7.97 million, a 3.3 percent decline. Canada imported $7.63 million, up 17.6 percent, while Australia saw a slight increase to $6.68 million. 

Indeed, the world may be eating more Korean kimchi but South Korea is importing more of it from China!

World No. 7 Sivasangari Subramaniam saw her hopes of retaining the HKFC Squash Open title dashed yesterday after falling to world No. 11 Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt in the final. 

The top seed was beaten 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-4 in just 36 minutes – her second defeat to Fayrouz in four meetings. 

Sivasangari will now aim to bounce back at next week's Hong Kong Open.

Prized Japanese Oysters Are Dying

In August 2023, Japan began dumping over a million tonnes of radioactive wastewater from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean. The IAEA said it was safe. The world agreed. 

China banned Japanese seafood immediately, citing radiation concerns. Everyone called it politics. 

Fast forward to November 2025: Japan's prized oysters are dying at rates up to 90%. Scallops too. 

The official explanation? "High water temperatures". But is that really the whole story? 

Remember, China warned us! Isn't it strange that Japan's not testing for radiation in these dead oysters. Why?

The graphic speaks for itself!

Baltic Nations Want EU Bailout

Baltic states are grappling with the economic fallout from EU sanctions on Russia, Politico reported on Thursday. 

This has seemingly compelled the European Commission to provide financial aid next year, citing officials familiar with the plan. 

Tourism and investment have slumped across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, while cross-border trade has “largely collapsed” due to the loss of long-standing commercial ties with Russia, the media outlet said. 

Anonymous EU officials told Politico the initiative is intended to boost the economies of the Baltic states and neighboring Finland, with Regional Commissioner Raffaele Fitto expected to lead the effort as the countries come up with an extensive list of demands. The aid plan will reportedly be discussed at an Eastern European leaders’ summit in Helsinki, Finland next month. 

Skeptics, however, warn that any near-term support Fitto can offer will be limited, with the EU’s seven-year budget already running low and the scale of the challenge far greater than the funds available. 

All four nations share a border with Russia and have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions since 2022, while tightening entry rules for Russian citizens. Cross-border trade has been effectively shut down as a result. Furthermore, the downturn has been aggravated by post-pandemic inflation, which has surged across the region. And so, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland have all taken a hit. 

Despite the economic pain, the Baltic states remain among the most hawkish EU members on Russia and even pressing for further military buildup. 

I don't see an end to this economic quagmire and it can only get worse. In fact, Europe is gearing up for war with Russia. And it will surely happen as soon as they can cajole courage to come out of hiding. 

Sivasangari Subramaniam is only one match away from retaining the HKFC Squash Open title. 

Yesterday, her semi-final match against France's Mélissa Alvès saw the former triumphant 3-0 over the latter. The world #7 made a confident start, always ahead on the scoreboard as she took a two game advantage (11-7, 11-5). Alvès went 4-0 up in the third but the Malaysian regained total control to close out the match in 26 minutes.

SAL Persuasive Speech Contest

On Thursday, I was invited to attend Speakers and Leaders' Persuasive Speech contest at KEPENTAS HQ in Sunway Mentari, Bandar Sunway, a township within the larger city of Subang Jaya. 

There were five contestants and I am glad I went because all their speeches were really good. The contest judges were from MAPS (Malaysian Association of Professional Speakers), in case you're interested to know. 

I even received a door gift and a memento:

This English-speaking club – a Sandy Tan initiative – celebrated their second Anniversary yesterday. 

Photos captured at the said contest: 

Defending champion Sivasangari Subramaniam, who received a bye in Round One, defeated world No. 32 Tomato Ho of Hong Kong to reach the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Football Club Squash Open on Wednesday. 

The world No.7 Malaysian won 11-2, 11-6, 13-15, 11-9 in 38 minutes.

The following day, she beat compatriot and world No. 22 Rachel Arnold 3-0: 13-11, 11-8, 12-10 in 29 minutes.

Top seed Sivasangari will meet world No. 19 and fourth seed Mélissa Alvès of France in the semi-finals today.

Butts for Nuts

It’s no mystery that garbage is one of the most pervasive issues of our time. From oceanic microtrash to seeping landfills, people are trying to work out how to address the world’s garbage crisis with increasingly grand ideas. 

Corvids have long been associated with garbage, sometimes acting as agents of litter themselves – but one such idea asks if they might offer a solution.

And one Swedish start-up company, Corvid Cleaning have been successfully implementing their new project since 2022 to train crows and other corvids to collect discarded cigarette butts and clean urban streets. 

When these stubs are deposited in specially designed machines, small amounts of food – peanuts, according to one report – are given to these feathered cleaners. 

The Swedish city of Södertälje spends 20 million Swedish kroner annually on street cleaning, with cigarette butts accounting 62 percent of total trash. Company founder Christian Gunter-Hansen says the corvids learn the job in just a few hours and the behavior is more likely to affect other ravens quickly. 

Urban waste specialist Thomas Turnstrom noted that the project will not only save 70-75% of urban cleaning costs but also provide “live training” to improve environmental awareness among citizens.

Martin O'Neill (left) delivered Celtic a parting gift as he led them to a huge 3-1 Europa League win against Feyenoord yesterday. With the 73-year-old set to step aside for Wilfried Nancy to take permanent charge, his aim was to bow out on a high in Rotterdam and which he delivered. 

It didn't start well though as the Dutch side fired in the opener on eleven minutes. But the Scottish champions hit back with two goals before the break. Luke McCowan's lofted pass found Reo Hatate, who hooked the ball to the far post where Hyun Jun Yang netted from close range in the 31st minute. And they took the lead when the home goalkeeper gifted them a second 12 minutes later. Under pressure from Daizen Maeda, his attempted clearance went straight to Reo Hatate, who rolled home into an empty net. 

Celtic rode their luck in the second half, but stood firm with Benjamin Nygren coming off the bench to fire a left-footed shot in a third off the underside of the bar in the 82nd minute for their first victory in the Netherlands since 2001, a game O'Neill was also in charge of. In fact, it was a welcome return to winning ways on the continent for the Scottish side, who were comprehensively outplayed by FC Midtjylland in their previous Europa League outing on November 07. 

Celtic climb into a play-off position after their second win. They play Roma and Utrecht at home, either side of a trip to Bologna, in their three remaining league-stage fixtures.

Before that, Celtic make a trip to Easter Road to face Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday and then they play Dundee on December 03. 

Uncrewed Shenzhou-22 Sent to Tiangong

A Long March 2F/G rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Tuesday and successfully sent the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to China's Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit. 

The vehicle is uncrewed as it is meant to serve as the ride home for the orbiting outpost's three current residents. 

Those taikonauts are on the Shenzhou-21 mission but the spacecraft they rode up on was pressed into service to take their predecessors, the Shenzhou-20 trio, home on November 14. [Refer my November 16 post, "Shenzhou-20 Taikonauts Return Home After 9-Day Delay"]. 

This whole exercise demonstrates the country's ability to make an emergency launch of a new spacecraft on short notice. And it highlights that the Chinese space program remains well prepared for unexpected contingencies, and is able to respond rapidly to unplanned incidents.  Kudos to China!

Liverpool's horror show persisted as they suffered a miserable home defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League yesterday. 

The ragged Reds, on their worst run since 1953, have now lost nine of their last 12 matches across all competitions as they were destroyed 4-1 by the Dutch side at Anfield. 

Arne Slot's domestic troubles are well-documented, coming into this match off back-to-back defeats by a three-goal margin, but the Champions League has provided some respite for the Dutch manager and his struggling side. Three wins in four matches, including a brilliant victory over Real Madrid last time out, had put Liverpool in a strong position in the league phase. But defeat here left Slot facing grave questions about the current state of his team and just how he is going to fix it.

Virgil van Dijk's bizarre handball gifted PSV a 6th minute penalty which they shot home. Ten minutes later, Dominic Szoboszlai equalized with a tap-in but on fifty-six minutes, the Dutch league leaders restored their lead. Then, two defensive errors allowed them to capitalise and their sub scored a brace (73, 90+1) to really humiliate Anfield. 

Arne Slot selected the same team, bar the forced change in goal (Giorgi Mamardashvili replacing Liverpool’s No. 1 because Alisson was said to be ill) and Hugo Ekitike taking over from the abject Alexander Isak*, as he did for the defeat to Nottingham Forest, and got the same result. Liverpool don’t just look disjointed, they look utterly lost for ideas. 

[*Isak did come on when he replaced Ekitike, who worryingly limped off after an hour, and I have to say the former's stint on Merseyside continued to disappoint. He found himself marooned on the flank, bereft of options and reduced to a couple of snapshot efforts. Regardless of the absence of a pre-season for the £125m Swedish striker, it was not supposed to pan out like this! 😡😡😡]  

But I can't totally blame the players because methinks, they are disadvantaged by the system in which they are playing. Somebody should tell Slot (left) to return to something more basic, as there is little indication of what the current plan is – I daresay it is a confused mess because Slot himself is a confused mess! – and the only thing that is clear is that IT ISN'T WORKING.

It's not just the defeats that is upsetting me; it is the manner in which the same mistakes are repeatedly being made.

Two Anfield defeats in the space of a week, and a home loss to Man United in the not-too-distant past! Liverpool are literally and absolutely screwed!!

Book Promotion Talk @ Shah Alam Toastmasters

Saiful Ikram Selamat bought "The Pearls of Your Speech" from me and then invited me to the Shah Alam Toastmasters Club meeting.

It was held at property developer Suntrack Development Sdn Bhd's Erat Residence Show Gallery located at Jalan Hang Nadim in Seksyen 35, Alam Impian in Shah Alam, Selangor. 

Saiful was the Toastmaster of the Evening yesterday and upon my prompting, he was kind enough to grant me 5 minutes to promote my books. And I had a good outcome because I sold 4 TDIYS and 4 TPOYS.

During the Table Topics session, club president, Safura Atan volunteered me to be the first speaker. I was more than happy to speak; in fact, I was itching to speak! And from the five who came forward, I was voted Best Table Topics speaker.

Photos from the meeting:

The First Kiss Dates Back 21 Million Years

Humans do it, monkeys do it, even polar bears do it. And now researchers have reconstructed the evolutionary origins of kissing. 

Their study suggests that the mouth-on-mouth kiss evolved more than 21 million years ago, and was something that the common ancestor of humans and other great apes probably indulged in. 

The same research concluded that Neanderthals may have kissed too – and that humans and Neanderthals may even have smooched one another. 

The scientists studied kissing because it presents something of an evolutionary puzzle – it has no obvious survival or reproductive benefits, and yet it is something that is seen not just in many human societies, but across the animal kingdom. 

By finding evidence of other animals engaging in kissing, scientists were able to construct an "evolutionary family tree" to work out when it was most likely to have evolved. 

To ensure that they were comparing the same behaviour across different species, the researchers had to give a very precise – rather unromantic – definition to a "kiss". 

In their study "A comparative approach to the evolution of kissing", published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour and that was made available online on November 19, 2025, they defined kissing as non aggressive, directed oral-oral contact "with some movement of lips or mouthparts and no food transfer". 

"Humans, chimps, and bonobos all kiss", explained lead researcher Dr Matilda Brindle (left), an evolutionary biologist from the University of Oxford. From that, she concluded, "it's likely that their most recent common ancestor kissed". 

"We think kissing probably evolved around 21.5 million years ago in the large apes". 

In this study, scientists found behaviour that matched their scientific definition of kissing in wolves, prairie dogs, polar bears (very sloppy – lots of tongue), and even albatrosses. 

They focused on primates – and apes in particular – in order to build an evolutionary picture of the origin of the human kiss. 

The same study also concluded that Neanderthals - our closest ancient human relatives that died out around 40,000 years ago – also kissed. 

One previous piece of research on Neanderthal DNA also showed that modern humans and Neanderthals shared an oral microbe – a type of bacteria found in our saliva. 

"That means that they must have been swapping saliva for hundreds of thousands of years after the two species split", explained Dr Brindle. 

While this study pinpointed when kissing evolved it was not able to answer the question of why. 

There are already a number of theories – that it arose from grooming behaviour in our ape ancestors or that it might provide an intimate way to assess the health and even the compatibility of a partner. Dr Brindle hopes that this will open a door to answering that question. 

"It's important for us to understand that this is something we share with our non-human relatives", she said. "We should be studying this behaviour, not just dismissing it as silly because it has romantic connotations in humans".

Book Promotion Talk @ Money Mastery Toastmasters

Yesterday, I made my way to Jalan Tandang, PJ for the Money Mastery Toastmasters meeting.

I received a 3-minute slot to promote my two books on public speaking. Additionally, I was invited to deliver an Invocation for their meeting which had the theme "Peaceful Hearts". 

The way I see it, it relates to mindfulness. Being mindful can lead us to be at peace with ourselves. That's because we focus on the present moment. 

I had said that even in a Toastmasters meeting, we can also have mindfulness. We remain calm and at ease, we display the quietude of confidence and importantly, we are present. I gave the assurance that we can present our speeches well and without any anxiety or apprehension. Public speaking is more than articulating thoughts, expressing ideas and verbalizing content eloquently. It's about being authentic. And a peaceful heart helps us to be true, genuine and real. 

This time around, I only managed to sell one TPOYS. It's alright. One book sold is still one book sale. [To be fair, the last time I went to this club, i.e., March 25, 2025, I sold 2 TDIYS and 2 TPOYS].

Selected photos of the said meeting: