Heyloz (again)!

Okay, I know I haven't been writing for quite some time, so here it goes:

Man, I'm currently enjoying myself in Singapore (quite the case, since there are some work to do). Allow me to present....

Day 1 (20 December 2007)
Left Kuala Lumpur at around 8.55 a.m.
It's way later than we expected since we (Mom and I) were seemingly hogging everyone.
When we reached there, though, I have only seen Grandma and Aunt Suet Chin.
Merissa, Katrin and their parents were actually getting themselves breakfast outside! Time-lagging....
Fortunately the car was enough to fit all those packed things; luggages, sling bags, presents (lots of them) and all. And still enough to fit 6 people in a car!

Then, the journey....
Halfway in Ayer Keroh, my Mom was worried that Aunt Suet Chin did not have enough petrol to last the drive. The meter said that it was around 176 kms left.

Okay.

However, it started raining when we reached Johor (in fact, halfway towards the Pagoh exit). The rain was pretty heavy; it seems that area is flood-prone (remember the 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters'?). But it hasn't flooded yet.

Good.

But...
When we reached the Senai Airport exit, my aunt's car was running low on petrol. Grandma said that once the meter shows nearly rock bottom, the meter will move faster than usual. It proved pretty true; the meter was hitting almost rock bottom when we reached the last toll plaza in the Second Link, and Mom was doing a countdown on how much kms the car could actually go.
Fortunately, there was a Shell station somewhere along the way...and we had a good run for it.
(The meter, by then, was showing 4kms left.)

Great.

Then, we had to go past the Tuas Checkpoint. There were fewer glitches than usual: maybe the public holiday has caused that. In addition, we were the last to go past the counter for checking-in before it closed for the day.

Phew.

Reached Singapore by then. The usual unloadings at destination after that.
And started decorating the Christmas tree. ;)

Later, we had to fetch Aunt Pek Cheng and Uncle Chee Wah from Copthorne Orchid Hotel (it's the Singapore stop for the Nice coaches travelling from Malaysia to Singapore).
Not many glitches, too.

After that, Aunt Suit Fong (my close relative in Singapore) have taken all 10 of us (Uncle Teik Soon was out of the country, cousin Sara fell sick that day) to Boon Tiong Lim for dinner.
But when we reached there, we were told that there weren't any tables at that moment; we had to wait outside. This made it quite unfair since my aunt had booked a reservation at that restaurant in advance.
To add salt to the wound, one lady bringing a large group of people came barging to the counter and told the lady in charge to give them a table straight away while we were waiting. Apparently they were trying to go past the waiting crowd, claiming that they are regular customers there.
The lady, however, did not allow that to happen.
After a few minutes, the lady gave us a table upstairs before the charging group. (It seemed there was a miscommunication downstairs: that's why the reservation did not go in.)
The charging group then came upstairs about 15 minutes later, going to another table.
The food there, other than the chicken and lotus root, were nothing much to shout about.

There was nothing much after that.

Haha.

Sorry for the late posting...had a lot of stuff happening lately. That's what you get in ACCA. ;)

On to stuff:

The portions of these video (after the opening song) is the highlight of the whole thing. The sleeping scene and the morning after that. Laugh at your own risk! XD

If you would like my opinion on this show, I'll tell you this:

There are some very exaggerated and outrageous scenes, and some that can make you laugh and cry at the same time.
I find myself pretty much like Xiang Qin (the lead female character), but I like Zhi Shu (the male lead) the most.
Fortunately, this one's pretty light, so you won't get any lasting feeling for the night, or maybe a few those nights.

If you are looking for some villain characters creating a good impression of themselves, it's a strong 'NO'. They do not plan their stuff either!

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BTW, got hooked into this by a few friends of mine.
And my mom seems to be addicted to it now. XD

I need the Security people

Thanks, Mr. Jay!

Quote of The Day

"When a psychologist or psychiatrist testifies, he shall wear a cone-shaped hat that is not less than two feet tall. The surface of the hat shall be imprinted with stars and lightning bolts. Additionally, he shall be required to don a white beard that is not less than eighteen inches in length and shall punctuate elements of his testimony by stabbing the air with a wand. Whenever a psychologist or psychiatrist provides testimony, the bailiff shall contemporaneously dim the courtroom lights and administer two strikes to a Chinese gong."

(Lee Strobel's The Case For Christ,
1990, page 192, lines 1-11)

Imagine having a female psychiatrist or psychologist to do that...wait, shouldn't that be chanting incantations over a stick pot?
Come to think of it, do courtrooms have sufficient space to place the stick pot(s)? XD

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BTW, this quote is taken based on an amendment suggested in 1997 by Duncan Scott, who thinks the experts who 'testify that the defendants are insane'.

"Apparently Scott's cynicism was shared by a majority of his colleagues - they voted to approve his tongue-in-cheek proposal!

The joke got asfar as the House of Representatives, which eventually blocked it from becoming law."

At least....XD

A Short Tribute

"And I never want to let you down

Forgive me if I slip away

When all that I've known is lost and found

I promise you I, I'll come back to you one day

Morning is waking up

And sometimes it's more than just enough

When all that you need to love

Is in front of your eyes

It's in front of your eyes."

(February Song, Josh Groban
from his 2006 album, Awake)

Happy Father's Day, everyone.

Arguably the best album composed by Kitaro, Kojiki is one of the main gems of classical new age. This album is based on the Japanese version of how the world actually formed, as differ from the Chinese. All the songs in this album interrelate to each other as they depict a story of their own; from joy to battle to festive mode. From the beginning to the end, you'd be truly mesmerised by the sheer instrumental brilliance of the songs...some even more poignant than the rest. The songs are repeatedly played countless times; in concerts (notably the U.S. concert) and in numerous occasions and ceremonies, but haven't been transcribed into a play or a musical (yet).

No, this is not your typical noise ground: Kitaro conjures melodies that will be music to your ears (Silk Road, The Soong Sisters OST, anyone?)...but not as melancholy as his earlier compositions.

Playlist:
1. Hajimari (In The Beginning)
"In the beginning, the heavens and the earth were one. The sky was of angry black clouds and the sea was nothing more than a seething, murky swamp. Life as we know it did not exist.
Then one day the clouds began to swirl and grow, thunder crashed and a terrible rain began to fall. It rained night and day for weeks and months, as if it had done so forever.
At last the rain stopped, and the heavens and the earth had separated. From the waters and the mud the gods began to appear, like young shoots of grass springing forth from the east.
This is how the world began."

This is very apt: the melody composed brings in the beginning of a story.
"Once upon a time..."

2. Sozo (The Birth Of A Land)
"The last of the gods to rise up from the chaos were Izanagi and the goddess Izanami. From the Bridge of Rainbows in Takamagahara, far above where the other gods live, they stirred the sea with a spear. When they withdrew the spear, the drops of mud that fell from it created a most beautiful group of islands. Izanagi and Izanami went to live in the land, and were married. There, Izanami gave birth to many gods including those of the wind, the sea, the mountains and the earth."

This song gives a mood of accomplishment; one that is slightly victorious, but not too much.

3. Koi (Love And The Death Of Izanami)
"The last god to be born was the god of fire, after which Izanami died. Her death caused her son Mikoto, the god of the night, terrible pain and grief. At last his father, Izanagi, disturbed at his son's weakness, expelled him from the land of the gods. After much wandering, Mikoto, found himself in a village terrorized by the Eight-Headed Dragon and where the beautiful maiden Kushinadahime lived. It is here that Mikoto first discovered love."

Ahem, a little romance in the middle?

4. Orochi (The Eight-Headed Dragon)
"The Dragon was a terrible creature with eyes as red as Chinese lanterns. It had eight giant heads and tails long enough to span eight mountains and valleys. The monster dragon had already destroyed the village and devoured Kushinadahime's seven sisters, and it was feared he would soon return to claim the fair maiden. Using all of his cunning and strength Mikoto defeated the monster in a long and brutal battle."

One of my favourites of this album, this is battle royale. Although the plot goes slightly slow and a tad redundant, this song is great. Simple.

5. Nageki (Sorrow In A World Of Darkness)
"After Mikoto was thrown out of the land of the gods, his sister Hikaru, goddess of the sun, took pity on him and invited him to come live with her in Takamagahara. Mikoto was happy to do so, but his mischief soon caused Hikaru much grief. Hikaru fell into great despair and went to hide in the Celestial Rock Cave, plunging the world into total darkness. For this, Mikoto was thrown out of Takamagahara."

One of the more melancholy ones.

6. Matsuri (The Festival)
"Mikoto prayed and prayed to his father Izanzgi to get Hikaru to come out from the cave. Meanwhile, some of the other gods gathered around the cave to sing and dance in a happy and joyous festival. Hikaru, thinking it strange that people were holding a festival in a dark and cold world, opened the stone gate before the cave to see what was happening. Just then Tajikarao, the god of strength, pushed away the stone and pulled Hikaru from the cave. The festival had been nothing but a trick."

The most renowned track from the album, it has been played countless times everywhere. Remember the song that resembles a festive mood every time you get to ceremonies? This is one of the background music that accompanies this.

The ending shows an expectant mood as Tajikarao pulls his sibling out of the cave.

7. Reimei (The New Dawn)
"As Hikaru came out from the cave, her light shown brilliantly in Takamagahara and throughout all the lands. Flowers began to bloom, birds began to sing and peace returned. With Hikaru's blessing, Mikoto and Kushinadahime were married and lived happily ever after. It was the beginning of a new dawn in Yamato (Japan)."

Although this song carries the same mood as Sozo (and quite the same melody), the bells behind it choruses a celebratory mood: the wedding of Mikoto and Kushinadahime. Electric guitars make this sound a bit like Scorpions and Queen, but not as heavy.

Source:
Transcription from here

Oh me...this is super late!! LATE LATE LLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

But how can I not put this up? It's my all-time favourite song of hers!! XD



Although this isn't as good as Wu Niang (Dancing Diva), I'm loving this song to bits!!

Waka waka waka waka waka wakakakakakakakaka..........

EDIT: If you have wondered why the LUX logo was there, Jolin has used the tagline for Lux as part of the song title.

"Because I'm perfect." XD

Doublespeak, again

I've been thinking about this while typing: how the Malaysian government was (and still is) able to instil some glorified opinions on the nation's history, when in actual fact it still depends on an individual's opinion?

First, it was Sejarah; and now, PTK (Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan - an assessment system for government civil servants).

One of my teachers just gave me this to type, and I'm sorry to say that part of it was, erm, confusing. No, CONTRADICTORY.

(The topic was about how education personnel can interpret Vision 2020 in order to instil harmony)

'...memperkasakan sekolah...'

Hey, schools are already of good use when you need them; but memperkasakan? It's a bit too much, isn't it?

To make it more exaggerating:
'...memperkasakan pula bermaksud suatu tindakan atau perbuatan untuk menghasilkan kehebatan, kekuatan atau kegagahan.'

Can schools be dipergagahkan? Like Badang (a strong man based on Malay legend), I suppose...

'Pada saat ini kita menghargai betapa murninya masyarakat pelbagai kaum kita...'

Whoa...murni? :-S

'...mereka telah menjiwai dan menghayati naluri kehidupan di Tanah Melayu serta bersedia dengan rela hati menerima satu perkongsian.'

How's that for doublespeak? Dengan rela hati....

'...wujudlah satu bangsa Malaysia dan satu jati diri yang berlandaskan unsur-unsur keMalaysiaan'

Unsur-unsur keMalaysiaan? Do you mean that we're going to get Malaysianised?

Actually, there'll be many more after this...but this should be sufficient for now.

BTW, when I wanted to type Malaysia, I kept on typing Malaysai instead. Malay-sai!!:(
Unless we don't wake up from this mess, we're not going to forge further!

I'm simply lurvin' this thread:

Weird Words That You Use A Lot

You'll find many unique expressions...unlike some of those we'd usually say.

Jing jing jing, bing bing bing,
Ping tong wu lou, here we cling!

Global warming

Heyloz!
If anyone would like to know a good deal about this issue, check this out:

Link


(credits to Financial Times for this)

It provides a good overview of the whole issue, plus its effects on everywhere around the world: from Greenland, to the Amazons, to the Gulf States.

The most shocking from here? (may not be for some)
The Earth's temperature will rise from 2 - 6 degrees Celcius. If it's 6, we'll be in a hell lot of trouble. Imagine how stuffy and well-cooked we can get!

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Another thing:
I've just read this in HP-B, and found this:

2 SMRT 4 U


It seems that this has started since November, but since extended this year. And there's a ring available...if you don't mind ordering it for FREE through the Net. There are attractive icons and wallpapers, too!

But the main focus is not here: it's on child exploitation through the Net. And there are two videos that show real life stories on 'almost there' incidents...they are available for viewing in Girl Talk.

Spread the word, guys and gals, don't fall into the trap!

Caught by surprise.

I was pretty surprised when I saw this:

Bloggie


Super OMG...from someone whom I would never believe to do this. Made me wonder what she had learnt from her course out there.

Oh yeah, she has an e-mail address too. FINALLY.

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"Hi, Mom!" :D:D

I was browsing through the Net, and realised this:

'In this Roadblock, one Team member had to give a nod to Malaysia's eco-friendly practice of recycling. Team members chose a bicycle with a side cart attached and scoured the neighborhood for residents willing to sell them their used newspapers. Once they had collected enough newspapers to make an eight-hands high stack, they would receive their next clue.'

Does this ring a bell to you?

The Amazing Race All-Stars!

They actually came to K.L.! And I didn't even notice them...
There's a Yield too! :(

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BTW, are we that eco-friendly?
Only when we make the profits, of course!
Plus the hospitality...too many extrinsic values being shown here.

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Oh, and a very good quote (from Mirna):

"These are future Charlas and Mirnas of the world, the juniors. Stay out of drugs. Go to school. Be a professional and you're in good shape."

Precisely...especially the drugs part.

Twist3d garbs...

...for the twisted minds. Or just pure evil.

Narbonic Labs

Had my lips twitching most of the time.
And spazzorific goodness!! Wakakaka...XD

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Okay, back to costs.

Quack.

The first thing I read today:

EXEMPTED.

Then:

"Real Property Gains Tax is abolished from April 1."

Wth...
Should I be happy, or irked?

As a normal citizen, I'll be happy as I do not need to pay tax when I sell (or buy) land, houses etc. in the future. I know it's for the good of the people and the economy (as a whole), but why now? Why did this happen only when the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) is set up?

But as a student, I'm somehow very irritated; I've learnt Real Property Gains Tax (RPGT) during this semester, and now it has to go down the dumps. And how would the Inland Revenue Board handle this? Will a new Public Ruling be handed down saying that RPGT is not assessable?
Or to be more precise, will this come out for P9 (CAT), Paper 2.3 and 3.2 this semester? :0

If this news came in somewhere around November or December last year, this wouldn't have to be very inconvenient for us!

I wonder how the tax lecturers would act to this.

What happens if...

...there is alcoholism?

BAD.

If it involves religion?

Read on...

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'The Ambassador to Saudi Arabia in Ankara, El Husseini broke with the Islamic laws of his country and served his guests alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks were served at a welcome dinner held by El Husseini and his wife (who does not wear a headscarf), for the new arrival of the ambassadors of Yemen, Qatar, Algeria and Palestine in Ankara. In yet another break with the Saudi Islamic tradition, men and women sat and dined together.'

(taken from Hurriyet)


And the government doesn't do anything to this...
In Malaysia, this could have sparked a public outcry!



But in the U.S., anything could happen. Even though the country consists of mostly Christians (and maybe Jews), there were protests from another perspective:

'There is no such thing as drink responsibly,' says the president of the Islamic Society of the East Bay

Hmm...because they're Muslims?


"We are here today to say loudly we stand together to battle the evils of alcohol. There is no such thing as 'drink responsibly,'" Mohammad Rajabally, president of the Islamic Society of the East Bay, told more than 100 Muslims gathered in the rain outside Oakland City Hall. "When you have Muslims bringing (alcohol) to people ... it is shameful."

That bad?

Members of the newly formed Muslims for Healthy Communities said they did not support the vandalism of two Muslim-owned West Oakland liquor stores in November by men who identified themselves as Muslims. Six men affiliated with Your Black Muslim Bakery have pleaded not guilty in the case.

But the coalition members said those incidents, and the ensuing media coverage, provided an opportunity for Muslims to tackle the issue of liquor stores in poor communities, particularly those run by fellow Muslims.

"If they hadn't done that, we wouldn't be here today. It was the flashpoint," said Faheem Shuaibe, resident imam of the Masjidul Waritheen mosque in East Oakland. "It was the right intent, but simply done in the wrong way."

I wonder if any Muslims here will agree with this...

Hassan, who is Muslim, said the protesters are right that Islam prohibits him from selling alcohol.

"It's not a good feeling. I think about it almost every day," Hassan said in an interview. "I would like to get away from it, but on my own terms, not by oppression from somebody else trying to judge me."

'...on my own terms'? Hmm...

Coalition members said 90 percent of Oakland's 350 liquor outlets are owned by Muslims, but Mohamed put the figure between 50 and 60 percent.

Imam Abu Quadir al-Amin of the Muslim Community Center in San Francisco said alcohol played a role in the genocide of Native Americans.

"We see alcohol in the African American community being used as a form of genocide," he said. "The people are dead, but they're still walking around."

But liquor store owner Hassan said it is not up to his fellow Muslims to judge him.

"I'm not here to hurt anybody or do anything wrong," Hassan said. "At the end, God is going to judge me."

I would agree with the last sentiment!

(taken from San Francisco Chronicle)

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These are actually found when I was surfing for info for my assignment. I haven't included those articles that showed other religions than Islam.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions above are subject to the writer's indiviual opinion.

I know this should go into my LJ, but this should be one exception to it.

Which part of your body, when being pain-inflicted, leaves you in an awkward state and hurts you the whole day without fail?

Everywhere! XD

But this time, it's my back.

To make things short, I hit the toilet flusher, sitting down; and suffered a huge impact in my coccyx (is this right?) in the process. It had me wince: from the time I have to lift my left leg, changing my sitting posture, standing up to walking. Even doing your 'business' too.
I couldn't believe how I could survive my tests and classes today, though; it seemed not to happen during those times. And to endure it for another few days..

Maybe I should get some 'tit ta jau' or medicine to treat this tonight.

And yes, it still hurts.

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EDIT: Will leave the site as it is...I'll change this way soon!

The Amazing Race All-Stars stuff...

Yup, the participating teams are confirmed. And some deserve to be in there.
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The teams on the AMAZING RACE ALL STAR EDITION are:

Dustin and Kandice (Amazing Race 10)
Eric and Danielle (Amazing Race 9)
Teri and Ian (Amazing Race 3)
Kevin and Drew (Amazing Race 1)
Uchenna and Joyce (Amazing Race 7)
David and Mary (Amazing Race 10)
Charla and Mirna (Amazing Race 5)
John and Jill (Amazing Race 3)
Ozzy and Danny (Amazing Race 2)
Rob and Amber (Amazing Race 7)
Joe and Bill (Amazing Race 1)

- quoted from The Amazing Race Asia forums (eragon)

Need a little reassurance?
CBS - The Amazing Race 11
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I'll leave it up to you guys to make your assumptions! XD

-shen-

Utada Hikaru - Boku wa Kuma

New single from Utada Hikaru, called "Boku wa Kuma." Written as the theme song for a NHK Children's Show. The Limited Edition Press Issue of the single will include a children's book created by Utada Hikaru. (Like the French part of the song. Couldn't hear anything, though; I'm at the college library! XD)

Pics From Singapore...and along the way

Along the way






Like crossing the bridge over troubled waters...

(This is in Johor...around Yong Peng. The 'troubled' waters were actually floodwaters submerging the oil palms and crops.)












(This is around the same area...nothing much to say!)













(This is taken further south. The floods aren't that serious here.)








In Singapore

Singapore was also flooded at the same time Johor's was at its worst...it affected the Novena area, especially Upper Thomson Road. The florists there had to bear a huge loss as it affected all their plants and overall sales.

To the pics:





(Taken in Sara's room. Fill me in, ya? :D)















(The entrance to Sara's room. Man, I wished I had those signboards!!)


















(My all-time favourite. Very good for my MSN user photos. :D)










(Taken in Vivocity / Harbourfront. Over the other side is Sentosa Island. If you have good eyes, you can definitely make up the Merlion and the SENTOSA signboard at the bridge.)














(Also from Vivocity. This is the side towards the port...look at the cranes!)






Oh yeah, Vivocity is something like our Mid Valley. It's for the preparation of the casino, which will be completed in 2008. Universal Studios will be in Sentosa Island.
Singaporeans like it because it's the only unorganised shopping complex...they consider it unique!