Sunday, October 28, 2007

Penang's Malam Bangsa Malaysia

Although I'm unable to attend this event, I would like to highlight it to all Penangites.
Event : Malam Bangsa Malaysia

Date : 3rd November, 2007

Time : 8.00pm

Venue : Room A, Dewan Sri Pinang, Pulau Pinang.
There will be a charge of RM10 per person to cover rental and refreshment costs.

The event can only accommodate 200 people and attendance is by invitation.

The organising team has also put together a forum entitled ‘One People, One Nation’ which is open to all who are registered to attend the get-together later that night.

The forum is scheduled to start at 5pm. Registration will start at 4.30pm.

Speakers for the forum are :
1. Dato Lim Chong Keat (pending confirmation )

2. Khoo Kay Peng - independent political analyst

3. Malik Imtiaz Sarwar - human rights lawyer

4. Haris Ibrahim

5. P. Ramakrishnan - Aliran president
___________________________________

What you need to do to get an invitation

Firstly, as places are limited, please be sure that you can attend before you ask for the invitation.

If you are very sure that you can make it, please send an e-mail to bangsamalaysiapenang@gmail.com

In your email, please provide the following details :

1. Name ( as per IC ) and IC number

2. Contact number

3. A liitle bit about yourself ( where you’re from, what you do . Also tell us what your feelings are about the last fifty years of independance and what your hopes are for the coming fifty years. Also, share your thoughts on what you think needs to be done to make the aspiration of one people, one nation a reality in Malaysia.

All e-mails will be replied.

All particulars furnished will be treated with utmost confidence.




Friday, October 26, 2007

The Way I Are

by Timbaland feat Keri Hilson & D.O.E.


"The Way I Are" music video by Timbaland

This is one song I'm very fond of at the moment. I really find the musical arrangements done by Timbaland to be works of wonder. Maybe he has the music world equivalent of the Midas Touch or something because everything he touches now seems to turn to gold. Take this song for example, what a great hit it is. Why they don't play this more often at clubs and pubs, I cannot understand.

So far, every song released from the Timbaland Presents Shock Value are hits. It is fair to say he successfully transformed the bird-girl-wannabe Nelly Furtado from someone who sings really whiny, I'm high on drugs songs to a real entertainer that can really hold the attention of her listeners. Ask any teenager that loves her current hits like Give It To Me and Promiscuous if they knew she's the same crazy chick that sang I'm Like A Bird. They'll probably shake their heads in disbelief. I'm sure you yourself can see the improvement from her hippie chick, tree hugging, Tweety Bird days.

Tweety Bird

Even Justin Timberlake has benefited from collaborating with Timbaland. Do you actually believe he can bring SexyBack all by himself? Please...it's the sexy man behind his back that made it all possible. Wait a minute, that didn't sound right. Oh heck, you know what I mean.

I would really like to know what magic he can conjure with other artistes. Seriously, if he can transform a cuckoo like Nelly Furtado, he can do it to anybody. On second thoughts, maybe not. There's just no hope for this guy.

William Hung
[Source: williamhung.net]

William Hung's She Bangs anyone?




Thursday, October 25, 2007

Wine Racks For Your Wine Collection

I'm a wine lover. I don't fancy beer that much compared to wine and hard liquor such as vodka, rum and whisky. I have a few bottles of wine lying around the house for those special occasions and I do aspire to have my own wine collection in the future.

To maintain your own wine collection, you need the appropriate equipment too apart from good vintage wine. You need the right room to store it in with the right humidity, temperature and darkness. Not everyone can have their own wine cellars but a simple one is not out of reach for most wine lovers.

One place you can find a wide variety of wine racks is The Vine Store. They sell both wooden and metal wine racks. You can find hanging wine racks, wall mounted wine racks, wine rack furniture and specialty wine racks of different sizes and in a variety of bottle capacity to meet both residential and commercial needs.

You can also find various accessories such as wine tasting tables, wine coolers and wine glasses to make your wine collecting and tasting hobby complete. You don't always get the full picture just by reading a paid review so why not hop over to the site yourself to see what they have to offer yourself.




Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Jit Shiong Wanna Be A Model

This post is in support of my friend's bid to be a model through 8TV's I Wanna Be A Model Season 2.


(click to enlarge)

He is currently in the Grand Finale of 8TV's Chinese reality TV show that airs on Sundays, 7pm. He's up against Michael in this final round and stands to win a modelling contract if he wins. I've always said he has what it takes to be a model and now that will become a reality. Just based on the final photo shoot, I'll say Jit Shiong will win hands down but it doesn't hurt to ensure his landslide win by voting for him, no? ;)

If you would like to get to know him better, you can read his blog (that has not been updated for ages) or visit his Friendster profile. If you would like to vote for him, type VOTE JIT and send it to 36677 now (and continuously until 28th October 2007)!




Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Entertain Yourself With Some Online Trivia

I like trivia. Yes, I'm a sucker for trivial information. Shows like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and Jeopardy! are based on answering trivia questions and I just love watching them. One of the reasons I find such quiz shows interesting is they give my grey matter such a good exercise everytime I watch them.

Trivia quizzes can now be found online too and one place you can find such online trivia is Trivia On Net. You can also take part in such online trivia yourself and not only cheer for your favourite participant from the comforts of your living room couch or shout out the answer at the TV screen, jump up and down like a monkey and lament how the participant can be so daft not to know it.

Through the trivia quizzes online, you can put yourself to the test on topics such as TV, movies, sports, music and general knowledge. Also, you stand the chance to win some money if you're good or even the jackpot if you're that good, which currently stands at $500 for the sports category and over $3600 for the entertainment category.

There's just so much a paid review can tell you. So what are you waiting for? Check out the site yourself!




Sunday, October 21, 2007

Blog Feng Shui

Is there such thing as blog feng shui?

I'm not sure myself but ever since the last blog makeover, certain things have not worked out for me so well. Maybe it's just a coincidence that those things turned for the worse after I changed the layout of the blog. Maybe it's not just a coincidence and all that was manifested due to the change? Don't get me wrong, there were some positives too but the negatives just seem to outweigh the positives.

So I've decided to give up on the one month old or so template and go with this new look. It's actually still a work in progress but I feel refreshed already. I had initially chosen another template with green and nature motifs but it just didn't fit the contents of my blog. I had to resize pictures and videos of my previous articles and that just seems like too much work.

I've also taken this opportunity to fully migrate to the new Blogger platform. I don't really like the new Blogger as you are limited to how much you can tinker with the CSS and HTML codes, unless you fully understand how the new codes work. That again will take up too much time and even the professionals out there are still figuring out how to fully play around with the new Blogger. I did however learn a few things in the process of getting this layout to work nicely with the contents of my blog. To me, the new platform is something that newbies and those who lack the knowledge of CSS and HTML would really appreciate very much. For those of us who actually know quite a bit of CSS and HTML, we will feel restricted using the new Blogger.

There are of course a few features that I like in the new Blogger, hence the jump to this new platform despite its shortcomings. I'm sorry if you have to adapt to a new layout again so soon after the previous change but I'm sure this is an improvement from the previous one. Please bear with me as I may still tinker with this layout to get it just right but it shouldn't deviate too much from what you see now. The car in the header is nice and all but I'm thinking of replacing it to differentiate and personalise the look of the blog. Meanwhile, I hope you like this new layout. :)




Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Understanding Asperger's Syndrome Through Books

Have you heard of Asperger's Syndrome? How about Attention Deficit Disorder? I've heard of Attention Deficit Disorder but Asperger's Syndrome is totally new to me. It sounded more like asparagus to me to be honest.

Asperger's Syndrome is actually one of several autism spectrum disorders, named after Hans Asperger, described children characterised by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted and stereotyped interests and activities.

Annie Books Series helps people understand these two disorders better through the eyes of the child and would be suitable for any parent, teacher, professional or child with the challenges of of Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder.

One of the titles in the series, A Prairie Day with Annie, by Michelle Fatig explores the many challenges of a girl named Annie who suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Inattentive Type. Students will be able to relate with Annie and her constant distractable thoughts, while wonderfully creative, frequently results in failure. As such, students with ADD will develop negative internal beliefs.

Professionals who handle children with Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder have been known to use this book with children and parents to identify and understand these disorders.

Instead of just believing what you read in a paid review, why don't you drop by their website to see what they have to offer. What you see may surprise you.




Monday, October 15, 2007

Earth Song

by Michael Jackson


"Earth Song" music video by Michael Jackson

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain

What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine

Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son

What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine

Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Hey, what about yesterday
What about the seas
The heavens are falling down
I can't even breathe

What about apathy
I need you
What about nature's worth
It's our planet's womb

What about animals
We've turned kingdoms to dust
What about elephants
Have we lost their trust

What about crying whales
We're ravaging the seas
What about forest trails
Burnt despite our pleas

What about the holy land
Torn apart by creed
What about the common man
Can't we set him free

What about children dying
Can't you hear them cry
Where did we go wrong
Someone tell me why

What about babies
What about the days
What about all their joy
What about the man

What about the crying man
What about Abraham
What about death again
Do we give a damn

Do you realise Earth is not in a very good shape at the moment? It has not been for awhile now and it's getting even worse with every passing second. While our neighbouring countries have taken steps in the right direction such as drastically reducing subsidies for petroleum products to help curb wasteful usage of this polluting and non-renewable energy, and introducing tax rebates to promote the use of green cars, we are still naive in protecting our oil and gas, and automobile industries.

How about purchasing hundreds or thousands of newspapers just to get a contest entry form that is no larger than a quarter of a page? How many trees have fallen just so you could increase your chance of winning? A student of mine just asked me very recently, do we have that many trees to print all that newspapers everyday? Of course thanks to recycling efforts, we can reduce the number of trees that end up as pulp but there's still the chemical used in the deinking process that is not exactly kind to the environment. So what do you do when you win the prize money? Any thoughts given to the environment you've ravaged just to participate in the contest? In the end, all of us are losers when we neglect the environment time and again.

Open burning is still a major issue in this part of the world, what with the Annual Indonesian Haze and all. The haze is even more consistent than the menstrual cycle. Without fail, it will pay a visit to its neighbouring countries the same time every year, choking the lungs of millions. My neighbours just love to start a nauseating bonfire every now and then. Instead of following in their footsteps, I choose to bury my garden waste instead.

There are many things we can do to improve the Earth's state of health. Walk, cycle or take public transport instead of starting up the car. Recycle and reuse, we already don't have enough land to go around for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes, what more landfills. Discard harmful materials in the proper manner, lest the toxic materials come back to haunt us. Change your lightbulbs to more energy efficient ones and ensure the next time you purchase an electrical equipment, it is an energy efficient model.

These are just a few simple steps you can take to make a difference. There are many more things we can do to save the environment. So, what are you doing about the situation?




Friday, October 12, 2007

You Know Men Have Better Friends

You know men have better friends when you compare these two very similar situations but with very contrasting results.

Friendship Between Women:

A woman didn't come home one night. The next day she told her husband that she had slept over at a friend's house. The man called his wife's 10 best friends. None of them knew about it.

Friendship between Men:

A man didn't come home one night. The next day he told his wife that he had slept over at a friend's house. The woman called her husband's 10 best friends. Eight of them confirmed that he had slept over and two claimed that he was still there.





Saturday, October 06, 2007

You Raise Me Up

by Josh Groban


"You Raise Me Up" music video by Josh Groban

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened be
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit awhile with me

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up, to more than I can be

This song is dedicated to all the champions that came to lift my spirits the past few days, by chance or intentionally. I believe that certain things happen for a reason and God send angels to your aid when you need them most. In fact, we have guardian angels all around us. They may seem like syaitans or devils but in actual fact, they are angels in disguise. We just don't know who they are until they come running to your side to help you pick up the pieces. It may be an unexpected email, a short instant message or a surprise outing, whatever it is all played a part. For this, I feel blessed to have them around. This song is for you all.




Friday, October 05, 2007

Why I Want To Eat At Friday's

First of all, who doesn't? Everyone will pawn off their first-born in a second if that could ever get them to dine at TGI Friday's. OK, I was just kidding there. Don't go dragging your child to the nearest pawnshop now. Seriously! Put your child down now and nobody gets hurt. Slowly now. Slowly. Slowly. Slap! What kind of parent are you, trying to pawn off your child for a piece of meat! Go sit in a corner and think over what you've just tried to do. The things people will do for a dining experience at TGIF. *shakes head*

Where were we? Oh yes, why I want to eat at Friday's. Ever since the opening of the Penang outlet at Queensbay Mall towards the end of last year, I've been yearning for the chance to dine at this place. So, what's so special about this place? I don't know, maybe you should ask the people that queue up for an hour or so just to get a table? Also, don't forget the ridiculous amount of money they have to part with on top of all that waiting. Crazy don't you think? I'll probably faint from hunger if not from seeing the bill but they tell me it's definitely worth the wait and every sen that came out of their pockets.

Wait a minute. Were their food/drinks drugged or something? How could kiam siap (cheapskate) Penangites even consider paying so much for their food and not have anything to complain about? Hmm, maybe the waiters and waitresses double up as hypnotists and put you in a trance after you've paid the bill and about to leave the premises. Yes, that has to be it. There's no way Penangites are so generous with their praise and hard earned money. Unless...unless it's really that good?!?

So here I am, after saving enough money (and constantly envious of those who were fortunate to have dined at TGIF), I've enough money and the right occasion to taste the food and atmosphere at TGIF - my mom's birthday at the end of the month. I even cashed out my paltry earnings with Nuffnang to ensure I have enough to cover for the bill. To rub salt on my already gangrenous wounds, the good people at Nuffnang saw it necessary to tax RM1 from my earnings, dubiously referred to as a transaction fee. Great, one less teh tarik at the mamak stall. Hopefully the cheque will come in time or I may end up washing dishes at TGIF for the next fortnight to pay off my debt.

Sorry to have digressed. You see, I get easily distracted when it comes to money especially when it involves money taken from me unexpectedly. Yes, money trumps food anytime. You can't get good food without money. No money, no TGIF. No TGIF, no good food. No good food, me no happy. But all of that is about to change (hopefully). *fingers and toes crossed*

The good people at TGIF (through good people at Nuffnang) have decided to sponsor 50 lucky souls for a dinner treat at TGIF. Without a doubt, I do hope to be one of those selected. Best of all, you get to bring a friend or even your family along! Wouldn't it be great if I were to be one of the lucky bastards and I could celebrate my mom's birthday there and I get to keep that money I've put aside to get myself an iPod for a rainy day? (Even better if I won the grand prize!) I hear they make a great place for birthday celebrations but I doubt they will announce the winners by my mom's birthday come the end of the month. Fret not, my birthday is only two weeks later so it's still ok, I can still find a use for it then. *wink wink*

So that's about it. Have I convinced you why I want to eat at Friday's yet? Maybe I should put the ten reasons I want to eat at Friday's (and deserve the treat) in a list for easier reading.
  1. I've not been to ANY Friday's outlet EVER, even when my friend had TWO free Sizzling Fajita meals (that selfish bastard).
  2. I want to celebrate my mom's birthday at THE most happening place to celebrate a birthday but I'm dead broke. Nuffnang made me poorer by RM1. *sob*
  3. Bottomless drinks! We Malaysians just love to abuse free refills, don't we? Admit it!
  4. Mocha Mud Pie to die for, so they tell me.
  5. Alcoholic beverages!!! Yes, it's a bar too! Yam Seng!
  6. To be in a position to laugh at the losers who have not been to Friday's like how I've been laughed at all these while. Power. Ultimate power! Muahahahaha....
  7. Erm, erm....I really, really, really love TGI Friday's and Nuffnang?!? (shameless ass-kissing...tsk-tsk)
Did I say ten? OK fine, I lied. I only had six. Give me the dinner treat and I'll give you the rest after having a jolly good time at Friday's. Deal? ;)

And that wasn't a request!!!

(Shoot. I don't think they bought that act. I knew I should have added some pictures. Damn! Where's a first-born when you need one. *runs off to fornicate*)




Blood Donors Needed At Lam Wah Ee Hospital

Received an email requesting for blood donors especially AB+ and O+ blood groups. Not exactly rare blood types (like O-) but she's in the ICU, she currently needs a lot of blood and it's a call for help. So, anyone who's willing to help, please do so.

Dear all

Need help from everyone who can donate their blood PREFERABLY TYPE AB & O POSITIVE. Please go to LAM WAH EE HOSPITAL during the following periods:

SATURDAY (9.00AM - 1.00PM)

SUNDAY (9.00AM - 1.00PM)

Mention patient's name LEE AI LING in LAM WAH EE HOSPITAL. Currently in need of a lot of blood .

Any inquires, please contact Miss Chuah at 012-4520580.


THANKS FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT !!!




Thursday, October 04, 2007

Free Burma!




Wednesday, October 03, 2007

That's NOT What Friends Are For

This post has been in draft for months collecting dust and no time is better than now for me to complete it as recent events have definitely made it relevant again.

I've heard it said to my face a few times, the phrase "that's what friends are for". I'm sure you've had your share of hearing it too. However, there has been a few times that phrase was preceded with another phrase that didn't really go down too well with me - "friends are meant to be used". So it ended up being "Friends are meant to be used. That's what friends are for." and I couldn't disagree more. So, this post is dedicated to all those out there who believe in using their friends like cold, heartless tools and I'm here to tell you that that's NOT what friends are for.

Sure there are times that friends are being used in certain situations and friends let you use them in certain ways that they usually won't in normal circumstances but friends are definitely not like sanitary pads where you use them when you need them most to soak up all your troubles and you just throw them aside when you're done using them.

It is easy to neglect your friends and take them for granted. I myself is guilty of neglecting my friends especially those who are in distant places. Well, everyone's just busy with their own lives so you can't really blame one for not keeping in touch all the time, can you? I apologise for my part in this. That's why you will feel so excited to hear from an old friend because you have not heard from them for so long and truly missed them.

Friends are not tools that you just put aside and only call upon them when you need them. It may be a strange concept to some but those friends need your attention too and the relationship is a two way street. Yes, it's bidirectional and not just a roller-coaster ride where it goes in one direction and you just get off the ride when you're done.

You expect your friends to be a phone call or instant message away but surprisingly, you do not reciprocate. Instead, you squeeze them emotionally, physically and mentally dry and when you're done with them, you just leave them to pick themselves up when they need someone the most.

Take it from me, it's horrible to always be the go-to guy. Most of the time it's very tiring and nothing flattering at all, especially when you're not truly appreciated for what you've done. Sure you get the joy of helping someone out but most of the time you'll remain in the periphery of that person's thoughts after his/her problems are resolved. The only time you return to their memories is probably the next time you are needed. It's bad enough that you are ignored but even worse would be to have that person hurt you in the process with his/her actions/inaction.

When you put your neck out for someone, you definitely don't expect that person to bring out an axe to chop your head off, especially so when that person is someone you regard as a friend. Unfortunately, this happens quite often between friends who excel at using their friends. Fortunately, certain friend are able to grow his/her head back time and again but there will come a time when the blow is so severe that there's no chance of that happening and the friend is out of your life forever. Everyone do have their limits and tolerance levels which you hope never to cross, if you know what's good for you.

In the past, I'm not one to simply put my neck out for anyone except for myself and my loved ones but that has changed in recent years. I started to slowly stick my neck out on occasions I usually wouldn't. Too many times has my head fallen to the ground during that phase only for a new one to regenerate. In the past week or so, that process has been a little slower than usual. Growing back that head has become a little more difficult. I'm no Claire Bennet or newt, you know. The only way now seems to try reattaching that fallen head before it decomposes any further and render it totally useless.

In hindsight, I should probably have kept my neck in at all times instead of putting it out for anyone at all. Selfish it may sound but at least it ensures that you won't be disappointed and you'll still continue to have a head and a pulse instead of being a Headless Horseman. Everytime the axe falls, you just get back on your feet and put your head back on the chopping board. It is only when it hits the right nerve will you sit up and realise your folly.

Friends may come in many forms. Some are your traveling friends, some are your fishing friends. Some are your movie friends, some are your hiking friends. Some are your clubbing friends, some are your driver friends. You can have a wide variety of friends but they may not be your close friends.

A close friend would probably be someone you spend time more than one or two activities together. You're comfortable telling him/her certain things you don't divulge to any Tom, Dick and Harry. They will lend a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on when called upon. They pick you up when you're down and they're usually the ones you go to when in a fix.

A true friend however is someone who will do all that and even more. Instead of questioning them, you hold their outstretched hands and take the leap of faith with them. Instead of trusting them, you believe in them. Even if the action you are about to take sounds totally outlandish and may even bring harm to yourself, you'll probably do it for him/her. With true friends, you usually think with your heart rather than your head.

You always hope and believe certain individuals have changed for the better until you see the old them creeping back. You are blinded by the new them and ignore the signs that the old them is still very much alive beneath all that new exterior. It is only when it's too late that you discover you've been fooling yourself all these while.

I'll probably not stick my head out anymore and expose myself in such manner again, at least not to certain individuals. I just don't know how much more my head can take it. I may just lose my head forever the next time it happens. In the most recent episode, I was very close to losing it. There will be no more outstretched hands either lest they get bitten off once more. I do not want to end up with stumps for hands. From now on, I'm looking out for myself. There will be less pain and agony this way.

I don't know why I even bothered writing this post since the person(s) who are suppose to read it won't even know it is them since they are just too ignorant. The innuendos contained in this post doesn't exactly help make it any easier for them. Worse still, friends who actually care will mistakenly think themselves as the ones being referred to here. However, I've no choice but to write this since I needed to blow off some steam and blogging is suppose to be therapeutic, no?

It is only when you lose something that you realise how much you truly treasure that something. Maybe the only way for these people to appreciate their friends instead of constantly using them is to lose some of the friends they've relied on so much but have taken them for granted all this time. Maybe then will they realise friends are not meant to be used like tools. That's NOT what friends are for.




Tuesday, October 02, 2007

NFL Uniforms As Halloween Costumes And Pajamas?

With Halloween just around the corner, have you decided on your Halloween costumes yet? Well, here's an idea for you. How about NFL Uniforms from Franklin Sports? They apparently make good pajamas too!

I don't know about you but seriously, I've definitely not heard about NFL Uniforms being used as Halloween costumes. Isn't Halloween suppose to be scary or something? I just don't see anything scary about NFL Uniforms. A life threatening football injury, yes. But aren't NFL Uniforms meant to protect you exactly from that? Pajamas I can still understand. People wear practically anything (and nothing) as pajamas although I wouldn't wear the football helmet and protective pads to bed for obvious reasons.

Truth be told, the uniforms sold at Franklin Sports are not meant to be worn during a competitive match but more for recreational purposes, thus suitable as gifts for Halloween or any other holidays for that matter. You can pick from a variety of football teams of your liking and even iron on numbers of your favourite players. Well, it would probably be advisable to iron on the number of your kid's favourite player instead of yours.

There's just so much that a paid review can tell you so I would recommend you to browse through the site yourself and see what they have to offer. They have a variety of selections on offer for your four to ten year olds and all orders are shipped within three days. Do give the site a visit.