Sea Gypsies: The Life Of The Bajau Laut People

The Bajau Laut people of the south-western Philippines and Indonesia live their entire lives on the sea. Known as “sea gypsies” or “sea nomads”, they inhabit amazing villages built on stilts in the middle of the ocean.                                                      

Many Bajau people do not set foot on land except to trade fish and sea cucumbers for rice and (ironically) water, build new boats, or bury the deceased. In fact, they sometimes report feeling “landsick” when they do!

Even when their fragile, driftwood settlements are decimated in the typhoon season, or ransacked by pirates, they just take to their boats and start to build a new house.

These amazing people are so at home in the water that their bodies have physically adapted to it, giving them better underwater vision and the ability to hold their breath for up to five minutes while free-diving for their dinner.

New Study Reveals We Are Happiest At Age 33

Forget the old adage that your schooldays are the happiest of your life - a study has found that 33 is the age at which people are most content. Seven out of 10 people over the age of 40 picked the year they turned 33 as their happiest in a survey by website Friends Reunited.

More than half of those surveyed - 53 per cent - said life was more fun and 42 per cent said they felt more optimistic about the future.

One in three said their happiness stemmed from having children while one in five said happiness came from success at work.

Chemical in fake tan and make-up is linked to obesity and diabetes

Chemicals called phthalates in plastics, cosmetics and toys are the latest reasons why one may have higher chances of developing diabetes, a study reveals. A study in Sweden has found that people with 'modest' levels of the chemicals in their blood are twice as likely to develop diabetes.

Phthalates are used as a softening agent in plastics but they can be used in cosmetics such as self-tan and perfumes.

The researchers analysed data from 1,000 people aged over 70, of which 114 developed diabetes. After taking into account factors known to cause type 2 diabetes, including obesity and high cholesterol, they found people with higher levels of phthalates were more likely to develop diabetes, the journal Diabetes Care reported.

Monica Lind, associate professor of environmental medicine at the Uppsala University, Sweden, said: "Although our results need to be confirmed in more studies, they do support the hypothesis that certain environmental chemicals can contribute to the development of diabetes," according to a university statement.

Starbucks Uses Insects In Strawberry Frappuccinos

Starbucks uses cochineal extract, which is the ground-up bodies of INSECTS, as a dye for their popular rose-coloured Strawberry Frappuccinos.

Bugs from mainly Mexico and South America are dried out before they are ground and used in the milky-based Frappuccino drink. As stomach-turning as it may sound, the ingredient is in fact harmless. Commonly used to help liven up the dull hues of jams, meats, cheese, baked goods, alcoholic drinks and more, cochineal extract has been used as a colouring agent in food and drinks for centuries. It has been deemed safe by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration.

Starbucks said it had decided to use cochineal extract to help limit the use of artificial ingredients in its products.

India Introduces Stylish Stilettos for Men

According to The Times Of India, stilettos for men have recently been introduced in fashion circles around India. The ‘heels for men’ are aimed at the elite class, going by the price range – anywhere between $500 to $5,000 a pair – way out of the regular man’s budget. Opinions among Indian designers and celebrities about the fad are pretty much divided. Some say it will never last, and others claim heels for men are here to stay. According to designers like Manish Malhotra and Ravi Bajaj, the use of men’s stilettos will be marginal because guys might find it more difficult to keep their balance in them than women. Bajaj says that rather than stilettos, a more tapered, chiseled heel could be appropriate for men who are interested in wearing them.

Indian comedian Vir Das, who isn’t exactly known for his height, says he definitely won’t try them. “I’m happy with my feet,” he says. “As for the height issue, I’m a funny guy so having a sense of humor is far better than wearing a pair of heels.” Then there are those like popular VJ Cyrus who are all gung-ho about