PORN NOT COOL IN SINGAPORE

Just ask Tran Nghia Hong, a U.S. citizen who brought along 58 of his favorite DVDs when he moved to Singapore last year.

Tran wound up in jail, according to Reuters:

The films, found by Singapore customs officers in a shipment of [Tran's] belongings from California, included titles such as "Frivolous Lola," "Copulation Nation" and "Lord of the Strings."

"I was handcuffed and put in a lock-up for four hours after I was charged," the report quoted Tran, 35, as saying.

Tran, a financial controller at U.S. Internet equipment maker Cisco Systems, could have been fined up to S$500 for each disc, up to a maximum of S$20,000, or up to six months in prison, or both.

Despite efforts to loosen some of its social controls, many tough rules remain in Singapore. "Playboy" magazine is banned, while oral sex remains technically illegal under a law that says "whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals" can be fined and jailed up to 10 years, or even for life.

In recent years, Singapore has partially relaxed its famous ban on chewing gum, allowed some bars to stay open for 24 hours and ended a ban on the popular U.S. sitcom "Sex and the City."

In case you're wondering, "Lord of the Strings" is a "flesh-filled parody" of Tolkien, with throbbits instead of hobbits. It's also apparently filled with skanks. Just FYI.