I bought the Debut Album of Susan Boyle last Wednesday (16/12). I loved it. I asked hubby to guess, based on the voice, how old is the singer. He analysed "considering it's very youthful sounding but had a slight maturity especially on the lower notes, reckon the singer can't be teenage, so should be easily 25-28 years of age"... hehe.... boy how off the mark he was, but yes, I'd agree with him... She has such a youthful voice, no wonder there are parties who accused her of miming to someone else's voice. I chose to belief it's her real voice.
Verdict: Go get the album!
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
Movie Review: 2012
I had mixed reviews from friends & family on this movie. There's about a 50:50 split between people who liked it (& generally this group will also said tht it made them appreciate their family more & vow to spend more time with them) vs. people who find it too fake (not the cinematography / effects, but the storyline about how the whole world's plates are shifting at once). Most of them who fall in the 2nd group entered the cinema expecting something more factual / related to current climate change to the extent tht the line between facts vs fiction is blurred (like Da Vinci Code - the book, not the movie). To the extent tht it's something believable & can actually happen to us in the near future if we don't protect our environment. It was this expectation tht made their experience fall short of the mark.
Amazingly, the crowd for this movie was so huge even after 1 mth on the screen, tht hubby & I had a hard time getting tickets for the movie had we not paid the additional RM1 for booking fee. Anyway, I entered the cinema with very low expectation & I after watching the whole movie, I finally understand the commentaries of all the other movie goers. I'd say my thoughts on this movie is a bit of both the group.
Firstly the synopsis. It's about a young Indian "scientist" / some worker of a coal mine detecting the rise in temperature below the earth surface. He called a good friend of his from the US, who upon knowing the implication of the rise in temperature + some elements released from the sun & its interaction with the earth's crust + the timing of earth destruction, rushed back to the US & finally through some minister, sent the message to the US President. The US President then shared this information with the rest of the leaders of super power nations & collectively they build this craft called Arcs... similar to Noah's Arcs, but slightly less noble because tickets are sold at USD1bln per person, so only the rich can afford to board the craft... and maybe a few intelligent ppl with "good gene pool". They also had animals of various species male + female gathered into the craft.
As the story is building about powerful men & their vast resources building the Arc, alongside, it slips in the story of a divorced book writer who only published 1 book throughout his 30/40+ years of his life. His 2 children (1 son + 1 daughter) is living with their mother who remarried a plastic surgeon.
This writer stumbled upon the classified information tht the government knew about but did not inform the Public to avoid chaos - via a "madman". This so called "mad man" is the DJ of his own independent radio station tht provides updates on the condition of the earth & managed to develop a conspiracy theory tht the government of the world is covering up the truth from the people. Dismissing all this as gibberish / talks of a mad man at first, he finally believes it when he overheard the sons of a rich man saying "while we survive in a ship, you & your family will die" (or something along tht line). Tht's when he connected the dots & rushed to get his children + wife + new husband of wife all packed up in a limo just when the road is "falling" into molten lava & later board a small aircraft avoiding tumbling skyscrapers (this is the part where the 2nd group was complaining abt lack of realism... but the cinematography was brilliant).
Through sheer luck & lots of perseverance, they managed to reach Tibet / Mongolia, where the Arc was built & board the Arc. Along the way the group increased to include the mistress of a rich boxer (don't ask... long story), a young Tibetan monk & his grandparent & the brother to the Tibetan monk who worked for the past few years building the Arc. They managed to infiltrate into the Arc right at the point when the ministers were arguing about whether to open the Arc's doors to allow more ppl (including the Chinese workers who build the Arc) in. Finally sense of humanity won & the Arc doors were open to allow everyone on the platform outside to enter, just before the great Tsunami hits the Arc.
At this point I should mention tht the "Arc" is actually more like a submarine where it's all covered to allow water to come crashing from any direction and the fact tht the US president + the Italian president decided not to board the Arc, giving away their space to others. Reason? US president: because he's an old politician & wht's the use of an old politician when his seat could be used for a young & bright scientist for e.g. He misses his deceased wife & wanted to be with her anyway. The Italian president: because he entrusted his life to faith - he & his family were at the Vatican City praying for the safety of the ppl on the planet when the earth quake happened & the whole dome of St Peter's Cathedral came rolling down.
Needless to say, the family of the book writer survived this catastrophe & even regained love for each other. After many days, everyone on board looked out to the new earth with hope for a new beginning. The earth surface has re-aligned & the Himalayas is no longer the top of the world, replaced by Africa!
Overall an enjoyable experience especially in cinema screen - you need tht wide screen to really feel / enjoy the power of the tsunami, waves & earth quake. Don't expect too much of facts / a reflection of current realities & it'll be an enjoyable experience.
p/s: Makes me wonder what I'd do if / when the time comes for us to face such catastrophes.
Amazingly, the crowd for this movie was so huge even after 1 mth on the screen, tht hubby & I had a hard time getting tickets for the movie had we not paid the additional RM1 for booking fee. Anyway, I entered the cinema with very low expectation & I after watching the whole movie, I finally understand the commentaries of all the other movie goers. I'd say my thoughts on this movie is a bit of both the group.
Firstly the synopsis. It's about a young Indian "scientist" / some worker of a coal mine detecting the rise in temperature below the earth surface. He called a good friend of his from the US, who upon knowing the implication of the rise in temperature + some elements released from the sun & its interaction with the earth's crust + the timing of earth destruction, rushed back to the US & finally through some minister, sent the message to the US President. The US President then shared this information with the rest of the leaders of super power nations & collectively they build this craft called Arcs... similar to Noah's Arcs, but slightly less noble because tickets are sold at USD1bln per person, so only the rich can afford to board the craft... and maybe a few intelligent ppl with "good gene pool". They also had animals of various species male + female gathered into the craft.
As the story is building about powerful men & their vast resources building the Arc, alongside, it slips in the story of a divorced book writer who only published 1 book throughout his 30/40+ years of his life. His 2 children (1 son + 1 daughter) is living with their mother who remarried a plastic surgeon.
This writer stumbled upon the classified information tht the government knew about but did not inform the Public to avoid chaos - via a "madman". This so called "mad man" is the DJ of his own independent radio station tht provides updates on the condition of the earth & managed to develop a conspiracy theory tht the government of the world is covering up the truth from the people. Dismissing all this as gibberish / talks of a mad man at first, he finally believes it when he overheard the sons of a rich man saying "while we survive in a ship, you & your family will die" (or something along tht line). Tht's when he connected the dots & rushed to get his children + wife + new husband of wife all packed up in a limo just when the road is "falling" into molten lava & later board a small aircraft avoiding tumbling skyscrapers (this is the part where the 2nd group was complaining abt lack of realism... but the cinematography was brilliant).
Through sheer luck & lots of perseverance, they managed to reach Tibet / Mongolia, where the Arc was built & board the Arc. Along the way the group increased to include the mistress of a rich boxer (don't ask... long story), a young Tibetan monk & his grandparent & the brother to the Tibetan monk who worked for the past few years building the Arc. They managed to infiltrate into the Arc right at the point when the ministers were arguing about whether to open the Arc's doors to allow more ppl (including the Chinese workers who build the Arc) in. Finally sense of humanity won & the Arc doors were open to allow everyone on the platform outside to enter, just before the great Tsunami hits the Arc.
At this point I should mention tht the "Arc" is actually more like a submarine where it's all covered to allow water to come crashing from any direction and the fact tht the US president + the Italian president decided not to board the Arc, giving away their space to others. Reason? US president: because he's an old politician & wht's the use of an old politician when his seat could be used for a young & bright scientist for e.g. He misses his deceased wife & wanted to be with her anyway. The Italian president: because he entrusted his life to faith - he & his family were at the Vatican City praying for the safety of the ppl on the planet when the earth quake happened & the whole dome of St Peter's Cathedral came rolling down.
Needless to say, the family of the book writer survived this catastrophe & even regained love for each other. After many days, everyone on board looked out to the new earth with hope for a new beginning. The earth surface has re-aligned & the Himalayas is no longer the top of the world, replaced by Africa!
Overall an enjoyable experience especially in cinema screen - you need tht wide screen to really feel / enjoy the power of the tsunami, waves & earth quake. Don't expect too much of facts / a reflection of current realities & it'll be an enjoyable experience.
p/s: Makes me wonder what I'd do if / when the time comes for us to face such catastrophes.
Rich Son Poor Son
This was an advert some time back. I vividly remembered it because the message on filial piety was really powerful. So when someone sent it across to me, I immediately thought of sharing it in my blog. Made me feel bad at times... Am I being the rich son here?... Hope not...
A time for reflection during Christmas season.
Friday, 11 December 2009
Snatch Thieves - Prevention
Refering to my earlier article on Snatch Thieves, here's some advice to keep you & your family safe.
It is not easy to identify snatch thieves or pick pockets. Each visit to crowded place, each 'accidental' bump from someone, each 'innocent' passer-by is a possible addition to the statistics of such theft. The chances of retrieving your possessions may be slim. The hassle is vast, but the prevention is simple.
Prevention
· Avoid carrying excess cash and displaying it in public. Bring just enough for your purpose.
· Use a purse or wallet instead of a big bag (sling or hand carry) best kept in a pocket which can be buttoned.
· If you have to use a sling bag, keep it in front of you so that you can keep an eye on it and hold it close. Make sure it is properly fastened or zipped.
· Do not leave your handbags in your shopping basket or trolley.
· Avoid being at over-crowded places or scrambling with others onto a public transport. Check your wallet or handbag immediately if someone jostles or bumps into you.
· Walk on the opposite direction of the road or against the flow of traffic.
· Avoid being alone in the dark, deserted areas or while taking the lift.
· While driving, do not leave your bags at the passenger seat of your vehicle.
· Keep windows and doors locked as soon as you enter your vehicle. Be wary of people around you, especially strangers.
If you are a victim of snatch theft
· Do not struggle or fight back if the perpetrators are after your personal belongings. Your belongings could be replaced but not your life.
· Attract attention by shouting for help.
· Take note of the appearance, race, license plate number, vehicle model, colour, etc.
· If the perpetrators are still at the scene, immediately leave the location for a safer place.
· Subsequently lodge a police report at the nearest police station and inform your bank and credit card company to have your ATM and credit card cancelled.
Source: Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation
It is not easy to identify snatch thieves or pick pockets. Each visit to crowded place, each 'accidental' bump from someone, each 'innocent' passer-by is a possible addition to the statistics of such theft. The chances of retrieving your possessions may be slim. The hassle is vast, but the prevention is simple.
Prevention
· Avoid carrying excess cash and displaying it in public. Bring just enough for your purpose.
· Use a purse or wallet instead of a big bag (sling or hand carry) best kept in a pocket which can be buttoned.
· If you have to use a sling bag, keep it in front of you so that you can keep an eye on it and hold it close. Make sure it is properly fastened or zipped.
· Do not leave your handbags in your shopping basket or trolley.
· Avoid being at over-crowded places or scrambling with others onto a public transport. Check your wallet or handbag immediately if someone jostles or bumps into you.
· Walk on the opposite direction of the road or against the flow of traffic.
· Avoid being alone in the dark, deserted areas or while taking the lift.
· While driving, do not leave your bags at the passenger seat of your vehicle.
· Keep windows and doors locked as soon as you enter your vehicle. Be wary of people around you, especially strangers.
If you are a victim of snatch theft
· Do not struggle or fight back if the perpetrators are after your personal belongings. Your belongings could be replaced but not your life.
· Attract attention by shouting for help.
· Take note of the appearance, race, license plate number, vehicle model, colour, etc.
· If the perpetrators are still at the scene, immediately leave the location for a safer place.
· Subsequently lodge a police report at the nearest police station and inform your bank and credit card company to have your ATM and credit card cancelled.
Source: Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation
What Has Happened to TGIF?
Maybe it's just the Garden's outlet, but did TGIF's quality just dropped?
Yesterday we were treated with a year-end team lunch at TGIF, Gardens. The starters were good, so no complaints there.
Since we'll not be working after the long lunch, I went ahead & order the Jack Daniel's half Ribs & shrimps. All I can say after eating it was tht the fries was good.... tht's it! Apart from the fries, nothing else is good.
1. ok the shrimp wasn't bad.... but not fantastic... so....
2. the sauce is soooooooo sweet..... it was so good & gooey last time tht 1 serving is not enuff & I wish for more... now I can't even stand the sauce on the ribs, let alone add the separate serving provided!
3. the ribs was a disaster... it was so over cooked tht the edges was burnt crisp hard (strangely it wasn't black... just hard. The rest of the ribs including the middle was so dry tht when I cut it, the meat comes out in dry floss. Even my mates looking at my plate, without even tasting it can tell it was really dry & over cooked.
Next was the staff... You'd think tht if we're paying so much for a meal, we'd at least be waited by staff who can at least speak understandable English! The one tht waited on us can't even pronounce the stuff on the menu. When he said, "let me repeat the menu", tht was all we understood... What he rattled after tht was total gibberish... We ended up staring at him open mouthed & just said yea... whatever... tht should be right. :-)
When the "Earl Grey Tea" ordered by a friend of mine came in the form of a "Cappucino", we called the captain who promptly took it to the waiter to check the order. Back came our good friend, bringing the same cup of coffee & insisted the coffee is tea, when 1 whiff is enough to confirm it's definitely not tea. My friend gave up & just accepted it. As she was stiring the sugar in, another waiter (presumably instructed by the captain) arrived with the tea...
Not tht I condemn the waiter... I'm sure he has best intentions at heart... but I think the problem is with the management - in sourcing for the right ppl for the right job. It's 1 thing if you're operating a road side seafood dai chao / mamak stall to have staff who can't even understand the customer; but it's an entirely different story for a restaurant tht charges abt RM50-60/pax (& tht's on a tight budget) to get such untrained staff.
For RM500 for 6 pax.... Don't think we can accept such quality.... It may sound snobbish, but really felt tht we're not getting our money's worth.
Yesterday we were treated with a year-end team lunch at TGIF, Gardens. The starters were good, so no complaints there.
Since we'll not be working after the long lunch, I went ahead & order the Jack Daniel's half Ribs & shrimps. All I can say after eating it was tht the fries was good.... tht's it! Apart from the fries, nothing else is good.
1. ok the shrimp wasn't bad.... but not fantastic... so....
2. the sauce is soooooooo sweet..... it was so good & gooey last time tht 1 serving is not enuff & I wish for more... now I can't even stand the sauce on the ribs, let alone add the separate serving provided!
3. the ribs was a disaster... it was so over cooked tht the edges was burnt crisp hard (strangely it wasn't black... just hard. The rest of the ribs including the middle was so dry tht when I cut it, the meat comes out in dry floss. Even my mates looking at my plate, without even tasting it can tell it was really dry & over cooked.
Next was the staff... You'd think tht if we're paying so much for a meal, we'd at least be waited by staff who can at least speak understandable English! The one tht waited on us can't even pronounce the stuff on the menu. When he said, "let me repeat the menu", tht was all we understood... What he rattled after tht was total gibberish... We ended up staring at him open mouthed & just said yea... whatever... tht should be right. :-)
When the "Earl Grey Tea" ordered by a friend of mine came in the form of a "Cappucino", we called the captain who promptly took it to the waiter to check the order. Back came our good friend, bringing the same cup of coffee & insisted the coffee is tea, when 1 whiff is enough to confirm it's definitely not tea. My friend gave up & just accepted it. As she was stiring the sugar in, another waiter (presumably instructed by the captain) arrived with the tea...
Not tht I condemn the waiter... I'm sure he has best intentions at heart... but I think the problem is with the management - in sourcing for the right ppl for the right job. It's 1 thing if you're operating a road side seafood dai chao / mamak stall to have staff who can't even understand the customer; but it's an entirely different story for a restaurant tht charges abt RM50-60/pax (& tht's on a tight budget) to get such untrained staff.
For RM500 for 6 pax.... Don't think we can accept such quality.... It may sound snobbish, but really felt tht we're not getting our money's worth.
Where Does Women's Money Go
I received this funny video the other day. I think they should do another 1 for handbags.... ;-)
And They Wonder Why There's So Many Snatch Thieves Around.....
I was given the following statistic & was appaled by the was our resources are being distributed.... Take a look at the police force for example:
It's bad enough tht abt 38% of the total number of police belongs to the "management" group, we have another 33% in a section called "Internal Security"?!? and a further 7.44% in Special Branch who basically are also being used for the "Internal Security". We're then left with slightly less than 22% to manage traffic (logistics), get drugs off the street so tht our kids are safe from such vices, investigate death cases (**wink**) & of course the safety of the general public...
So, do we need to ask why crime is rising? Cut the economic crisis bullshit & sorry excuse tht "our statistics is actually not tht bad... Philippines / Thailand registers higher crime rates" (**rolls eyes**)...
Now I know how my tax monies are being spent... Not to protect me on the streets, in the car (yea... they've started to attack cars too)... but to protect the "government"; which is of course "for the general benefit of the people" to prevent "huru-hara" (sarcasm...)
It's bad enough tht abt 38% of the total number of police belongs to the "management" group, we have another 33% in a section called "Internal Security"?!? and a further 7.44% in Special Branch who basically are also being used for the "Internal Security". We're then left with slightly less than 22% to manage traffic (logistics), get drugs off the street so tht our kids are safe from such vices, investigate death cases (**wink**) & of course the safety of the general public...
So, do we need to ask why crime is rising? Cut the economic crisis bullshit & sorry excuse tht "our statistics is actually not tht bad... Philippines / Thailand registers higher crime rates" (**rolls eyes**)...
Now I know how my tax monies are being spent... Not to protect me on the streets, in the car (yea... they've started to attack cars too)... but to protect the "government"; which is of course "for the general benefit of the people" to prevent "huru-hara" (sarcasm...)
Friday, 13 November 2009
Business Trip to Manila, PH (9-11th Nov)
The last time I was in the Philippines, was in 2006 with my previous department for a meeting. Can't belief tht I'll be having another chance of visiting this country again in 2009.
I was really nervous leaving for this trip because it's to attend a meeting among my boss' peers. What if the ideas I have to contribute is too shallow? What if I don't portray the standards tht they expect of me (like the last disastrous encounter that totally demolished my self-confidence in carrying "intelligent conversation")? What if my performance in these 2-3days became the lasting impression on my overall performance / work, that even if I do a thousand good, 1 err here would turn it to dust (forgotten)?!
Sigh... since when was I so pessimistic & unsure of my abilities?.... Oh yea... tht stupid comment from an ignorant fool who formed his opinion in the first 10mins of my conversation with the top management rep. Jeezzz.... I shouldn't allow myself to be "stepped" on & remain down forever... I should redeem myself & show everyone tht I have something to offer & tht fool was wrong!!
& with that thought, I tried my best to mingle with everyone, get involved in as much discussion / conversation, share my views & thoughts, ask questions & try not to be too quiet. The only part I struggle was when there was a game of "LaserExtreme" as part of the team building activity. Picture this, it's a game similar to paint ball but less messy & a whole lot less painful (I dunno tht paintball was painful since I've never played it, but the rest of the team who did, profess to it, so it must be true). We have to wear a jacket with lighted sensors on our shoulders, ribs & back. The aim is to "shoot" our laser to the sensors & for each "hit", the lights of the "victims" vest would turn off for 3 seconds where he / she can't be shot at & can't shoot others as well.
Those who knows me, can confirm tht I hate combat games. Though I'd say it's not rough, but it involves shooting at ppl / be shot at & tht in itself is not my favourite (not to mention I got among the lowest 2 scores). However, since everyone had fun & it was really a good workout - I sweat buckets, I'm happy.
I also notice tht the weather was exceptionally humid this time. The last time in 2006, it was cooler & easier to walk. Now, it's so hot & humid tht I can feel my foundation dripping down my "valley" (hehe.... sensor... sensor...) & if it gets any hotter, my mascara would run & I'd look like a wreak. I mentioned this to the PH colleagues & they said tht it's normal especially right after a typhoon. Hmm.... interesting fact.... So to those who plan to travel to PH, pls make sure tht it's not immediately after a typhoon. Give it a rest till it's less humid.... :-)
Unfortunately in this trip our meeting schedule was quite packed & after dinner, all the shops / malls are closed, so I didn't get to do much shopping. Was hoping tht I can stock up on my spices (McCormick spices in PH is really cheap... like half the price we got here) & buy some stuff for mum, dad & bros. The only shopping I did (if you can call it so) was at the airport where I bought a key chain (for a friend who collects it) & some bookmarks for my nieces & nephews back home.
Though I wished I could stay longer in Manila to do some shopping & walking around, but I must admit tht I love being home & being with hubby... It's good to be home...
I was really nervous leaving for this trip because it's to attend a meeting among my boss' peers. What if the ideas I have to contribute is too shallow? What if I don't portray the standards tht they expect of me (like the last disastrous encounter that totally demolished my self-confidence in carrying "intelligent conversation")? What if my performance in these 2-3days became the lasting impression on my overall performance / work, that even if I do a thousand good, 1 err here would turn it to dust (forgotten)?!
Sigh... since when was I so pessimistic & unsure of my abilities?.... Oh yea... tht stupid comment from an ignorant fool who formed his opinion in the first 10mins of my conversation with the top management rep. Jeezzz.... I shouldn't allow myself to be "stepped" on & remain down forever... I should redeem myself & show everyone tht I have something to offer & tht fool was wrong!!
& with that thought, I tried my best to mingle with everyone, get involved in as much discussion / conversation, share my views & thoughts, ask questions & try not to be too quiet. The only part I struggle was when there was a game of "LaserExtreme" as part of the team building activity. Picture this, it's a game similar to paint ball but less messy & a whole lot less painful (I dunno tht paintball was painful since I've never played it, but the rest of the team who did, profess to it, so it must be true). We have to wear a jacket with lighted sensors on our shoulders, ribs & back. The aim is to "shoot" our laser to the sensors & for each "hit", the lights of the "victims" vest would turn off for 3 seconds where he / she can't be shot at & can't shoot others as well.
Those who knows me, can confirm tht I hate combat games. Though I'd say it's not rough, but it involves shooting at ppl / be shot at & tht in itself is not my favourite (not to mention I got among the lowest 2 scores). However, since everyone had fun & it was really a good workout - I sweat buckets, I'm happy.
I also notice tht the weather was exceptionally humid this time. The last time in 2006, it was cooler & easier to walk. Now, it's so hot & humid tht I can feel my foundation dripping down my "valley" (hehe.... sensor... sensor...) & if it gets any hotter, my mascara would run & I'd look like a wreak. I mentioned this to the PH colleagues & they said tht it's normal especially right after a typhoon. Hmm.... interesting fact.... So to those who plan to travel to PH, pls make sure tht it's not immediately after a typhoon. Give it a rest till it's less humid.... :-)
Unfortunately in this trip our meeting schedule was quite packed & after dinner, all the shops / malls are closed, so I didn't get to do much shopping. Was hoping tht I can stock up on my spices (McCormick spices in PH is really cheap... like half the price we got here) & buy some stuff for mum, dad & bros. The only shopping I did (if you can call it so) was at the airport where I bought a key chain (for a friend who collects it) & some bookmarks for my nieces & nephews back home.
Though I wished I could stay longer in Manila to do some shopping & walking around, but I must admit tht I love being home & being with hubby... It's good to be home...
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