Mid-Autumn Festival 1

They have lighten up the China town for decoration.



the famous Otaru River


















I was thinking of making it into slide again, but the server is absolutely tragic to load things up..

Will try to post some more photos then..-_-!

Enjoy the 1st gp.

Little Albert's latest performance in Sydney

Journey

HADY the Idol..!!!

The Singapore Idol winner..!!

The one I supported and I spent 60 cents to vote against most of my colleages..!!

Johnathan Leong was strong 'cos he is the most locals and sang local rock song in his final which attracted numerous vote I would assume....

Both of them will get signed for contract and get music published. Hady possibly need to be controlled by the show whereas Johnathan is free to tour around and most possibly shipped to Taiwan for more opportunities..!?

The winner, is actually the Phone company as got all the SMS and calls charges.. The show never shown up any number about voting. Results could be a well calculated commercial decision and the national voting is just a gimick...

They said the result was handed in by a representative from the phone company, that didn't happened in this year at all... so, who knows...!?

For the South East Asia market, they made a right choice... for the big china? not v good but even you get reaching there, you gonna lost money by being pirated...

Ended of a series, feel contented...! Congraudlation, Hady Mirza!

Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress

featuring Kit Chan

Well presented as a local production. Simple items for background but still changeable into different forms of scenrio and mood. Music by Dick Lee which is guranteed to be good, though the last piece sang by Kit was a bit repeated and tiring.. that Ms Chan finished her tone in a "middle crisis" note.. (which fine in beginning and end dropped a bit in middle as it sound). Not to mention one of the concubine candidates was terribly sang in shaking voice as if she caught a cold in the first scene... (get well soon)

The plot is good as keep drawing attention to people till the end... Indeed, a harsh comment to say, would be something like serving chinese food in China town in a western country. Elements like love (painter and journalist), sex (whore house, jokes), kung fu movements, expats relationship (e.g. the King and I) and remix chinese-style music into contemporary.. Indeed the most original chinese musical would be 京劇 (beijing opera) that wouldn't have a chance to bought into a global market. The work of transforming is necessary to make non chinese people easy to understand and digest story of aceint china... something like sweet & sour pork, long noodle, short noodle etc *(which never been real chinese food..?!)...

A good try and wish they could be succeed in the global level.

p.s. "writing something suitable for the reader..." by George, surely it is a commercial world and one of the theme (indeed the musical are one of the examples). Stimulate analytical thought when we perceive things hopefully..!

Singapore Dreaming

Another Singapore family movie reflecting reality.. By watching it, you know how a typical life of a Singapore family..

It happenes in every family for sure, different struggles and problems, expectation in people minds and dynamics between members. From housing, to maid, to work, husband and wife, boss and staff, hope to hopeless... Just like watching one-self, producing own reflection so that you can apply on your own...

5 Cs..., really the ultimate goal of one's life? Or all went to the 6's C (coffin) as Mr . Peng said..?!
Also the chinese lady also speaking inspiring words on dream, that's where the theme of the movie came from (望春风 Bong Chun Hong)?!

Tears comes off with the flash back, also with the theme song played at the end... like a dream... Waking up at the end of the show, what would you as you back in life again...!

Temporary flower

Just happened that these days were the International Monetary Fund Meeting which the country is equipped with highly security. Never see police in every junction of Orchard Road... (photo not taken due to security reason..!)

The flower market is so popular even they put up flower along the famous Orchard.. That's how they decorate the country (for main road only).

Up till today, it will be removed..?! Would everythings back to normal... (not as Thailand' army commander just staged a coup....!)

Noise Reduction

Reading the news and found out there's a product called noise-reduction headphone. It seems to be quite amazing with that other sound could actually be blocked?! I have heard technology like that in some supre deluxe car which the car would be absolutely quiet by active cancelling the engine sound with physics like sound wave destruction.

I intend to get one as my room is too close to public in the place where I am staying. I searched from the internet after reading local news on technology, got to the shops for it, not trying but a heart of trust. It looks very simple and china-made (well, we should trust our mother land?!).

The small little device box which need an AAA battery to switch on. The volume does boast up (does it mean using big volume to cover noise?!) after swtich on. Anyway, the ear-plug type headphone got me sometime to adapt to. It works when music is on but not work when it was silent (you just heard the current noise from the headphone).

Happy about it? Abit dissapointment but at least it will be handy on the plane and during long trip for blocking out all the sound.

Gigolo Wannabe

Interestingly the japanese name of the movie is called "Waters".

The pace of japanese movie is very fast ( I mean making movie according to hot topics like Train Man and this one). The idea of "host club" poped up in japan for quite a while and now blew up as a film. The theme is attractively enough for the audience to have a glance how the hidden industry is all about (well, hong kong called "duck shop", means night club to entertaining woman).

Would it be something like "Full Monty"(though I never exactly watched that film)? Indeed, it got a story by its own from the main character, who started as a street performance and got a dream for world tour..

Internally inside one's heart, it is always confusing when facing oneself. Knowing what exactly what the others' wants and needs are not an easy task as well (need much much listening and observation work). Things within the heart could be a forgotten realationship, dream, hidden emotions, memories....etc. To be truth to ownself and knowing what direction to go would be the energy for life to live on. Through sharing to the others hopefully life could be inspiring...

A suprised ending, but indeed the idea of Snow white and 7 dwafts were always a fairy tale to people who like fantasy...

When will Hong Kong movie could take the pace and take the movie lead again in asia ..?!

A quote from a book

"True friendships can only flourish between people who regard each other as equals - where there is an opportunity for mutual sharing of strengths and weaknesses. "

by Ian Stuart Gregory

Brain Age

An NDS all time favour game not because it has so many stages or endless adventure but become part of the routine to keep the brain train-up.

I played it everyday for the sake of exercise my brain, hoping to keep it sharp. Whether it is true or not is very hard to say. But somehow, you feel great in breaking records and see some improvement with the graph, to be smart again perhaps..?! ^_^

the Island, Ubin ....!

An escape, went out to an island of Sg.. Palau Ubin. Quite an undeveloped place that could be explored with a rental bicycle.
We started the joruney from the pier by jumping in the bumble boat. $2 not expensive but you need to wait for 12 people to start the trip...



The arrival was just one of the small little pier..! Nothing complicated. How do you get around?



On the Road..! ("new cover"..:P)

To the Durian Road..!

Want to see more? Not until I uploaded the photo album..! :P

hm.... but how do i know who want to browse my album -_-...!?

Lest we forget 2001

The lessions, not to the American only, but to the world, about war, about fear, about conflicts, about hate, about race, about values, about respect, about peace, about love...

Hornet - the RC car

RC = Radio Control

20 years ago, my brother and I took my father to the model shop close to our primary school. Pointed to the celling shelf that contain a big box of a model car, we asked for it as a new year present or some sort... (father is always that kind..)

That was not a simple model car but a remote control which was by far very advance and complicated..! Ended up 3 men screwing up the car ( I didn't help too much as know nothing on model, possible do some paint work?!) and finally got it run in the Princess Terrance... where we met another RC car called "Hot-shot" the 4WD.

What a long story to tell and enjoyed at that time. These 2 models remind where the old days were..

"Nothing new under the sun", the trend is start to get hot in Singapore perhaps..?!

Beach with sunset in Singapore in 9/9

Some photos fr East Coast Park, Bedok jetty in Singapore, looks good.....

Click the youtube if u want to find out how big it is..!

thank you

mom and dad and last but not least, Heavenly Father. ^_^

Slide show: Sg Aftdrk

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Singapore Idol 2006

Singapore Idol

It's an imitating show adopted from the US. For sure the quality and the excitement are all different stories from the former one. The local channel just want to catch the wave after the American Idol (A.I.) concluded around May... a strategic move.

What's intereseting, is the setting and the presetnation of it. Contestants are young as if they just finished hi-school without a job. Maybe more mature singapore people will still regard show business as an open face thing which they rather be conservative to do their routine office work for the society... possible chinese culture, things like that..?

Back to the show, the host(s) were terrible. Gromit Singh is well known in the locals as an artist with Indian origin. He surely is good in acting but not hosting. Especially when quotating the famous saying from Ryan Seacrest (A.I. host) "After the break' was just an impression of copy-cat and plagirism. Not to mention the uncontrolled screaming from the fans and absolute annoying prolonging way in presenting who will be out (no excitement at all as the pace of the program was being dragged too long, also trying to put words into people mouth by asking difficult question ("do u think Singapore made a right choice?"). Acceptable?

Discrimination? The best singer Mathilda was out 'cos she didn't have enough support? Or 'cos she is an indian without a perfect body/look? The "good-looking" but "terrible-singing" people continues their journey up to the final months.. The era of 'buying-face', superficial and naive, especially lots of the voters are under 18 hi-school kids just got their mobile phone to vote vote vote with their unlimited pocket money? (thanks for the rich and unlimted-love parents). THe generation nowadays seems to be tasteless and well-tolerated with terrible-singing"(or noise, off-tune/ flated). Karaoke room, parties.. not a well quality/standard performance anyway.

The best, for sure will be left, with good look and good vocal... hopefully. However, how it turned up to be, will be by SMS and phone call votings... as a sign of democracy? Though I haven't heard about any restriction on the number of times you can vote. So the idol must either has huge amount of fans behind, or he/she might be very rich to keep voting him/herself to be on the show... The number of vote never being disclosed in the show and the joke was, there was an error in counting vote before which a contestant had lost her place in the secure position and has to sing again for getting in the final 12...! amazing?!

Finally it's just looking for 'idol', not singer as the title of the show stated. Commerical world need a great population of consumers to accept and most importantly, "buy it"!

More and more to talk about this like the 2 judges: Jancintha's coded coments and straight -forward Ken Lim (an icon like Simon Cowell in A.I.) on contestants' identity... These topics could really write up a thesis..!?

2 more weeks to find out the results... let's see howSingapore choose...!

Standard Chartered in Sg

Well, I am talking about the Marathon instead of the bank..!

Joined it, started in Dec. How would that be? I wouldn't know. A new route, still the same distance, hope I can do better time than the one in HKG... (don't worry, is just 10km) No tunnel as I could recall the route in here..?! Also need to buy my running shoes later..! Any recommendation? People say Mizuno is cool..!?

The theme: " Run your own race" sounds abit personal, but true you are more to participate and beat your own record rather than getting prizes..?! ^_^

Start running 30 min a week, will increase the number of practice once got the running shoes..!

Little Albert

Introducing Little Albert fr Australia as he did the first possible rap song for Christian in Cantonese.

A one man production that he recorded everything by himself including guitar, synthesizer, bass, drum set... not to mention about the songs and lyrics which all composed by himself.

The lyrics, highly recommended as meanigful of every words that too afraid to be wasted.
Targeting Hong-Kees staying in a foreign land, the Little Albert possibly become the pioneer in the field of Chrisitan music.

Click it out by yourself..!

英雄 and the Last Samurai

2 old movies that I have watched on TV and do coincidentally both topic about "hero"...

1. Hero ( 英雄 by 張藝謀)
Sacrifice for history, good plot for featuring Broken Sword and Fly Snow... (3 versions for you to choose). King of Qin, one of the cruel emperor in Chinese history, was a great target for all other small countries before unification. It's true to see wars ended asap, but the policy after was horrible that never gave good impression to people after (burning books and killing educated people).

The best outcome for sure is peace under a good ruler.. which doesn't always happen in reality.

2. The Last Samurai (featureing Tom Cruise):
Admiring the Samurai Way, with all traditions and courtasy to serve. They are highly obedient to the master they serve (so as the chinese character mean). Being retired due to new technology, but the spirit should be continue. Hogan the Captain started to realise the precious of the culture, much appreciated and learned the way. But ultimately, it is unfortunate to see he ended up not in a samurai way in the battlefield.

Was it a choice of wisedom or simply a disagreement: one shall keep alive other than dying from own belief?
Let's say he just got an unfinished business to do ba..?! (more easy to accepted other than sayinh he is a betrayer)

Who's the hero? Is it "No Name"? or Captain Hogan? Both changed the emperors' hearts in someway (so as histroy?!)... Well, let it open for all.
ps. the artwork and scenerio in the former movie is unbeatable for sure!

Founde in Sg

So we have founde in Singapore Hagan Doze..
But how does it taste?

Well, it's not that great as I had it in HKG. Not sure the texture of ice-cream was too icy (frideged in the freezer?), the chocolate in bowl seems to be too sweet. Without a cup of tea/coffee it is really sticky and oily in throat..

Glad that we have a group of 10 to finish it all (with some give up in the midway...).

Maybe it is better to order cone serve or ice cream dish next time...

The Black Gold

The product has been regarded as the black gold in the Down-under Oz. It is rich in all Vitamin B with fermentated yeast. Everyone first thought it was another sweet chocolate-like product called Nutulla. But one they get a bite they found out they are poisoned.. in either way, hate or love it.
I used to spread it in every toast i have, ordered it on my toast in the faculty tuck shop with honey. I also heard someone put it on his bowl of rice..

It is called Vegemite and came into tube handy form that I bought in here, like meeting an old friend....

Death Note

Death note

- starting me a habit to keep small little paper around to note things down e.g. shopping list, phone nos.. etc
- knowing there's always supporters and oppositons
- learning people ambition to 'play god'
- knowing to cover a lie, you have to make more lies
- knowing how a story flow could be depends on the author, which gradually become irrational (another death note,
another smart guy, get mad)

p.s. hope it can be shown in Singapore..!
pps. I wonder how they make episode 2 as it would be more complicated..?!