Rules of Life

The 5 Rules of Life:
1. Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle.
2. Forgive your enemy, but remember the bastard's name.
3. Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you when he is in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it's illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol doesn't solve any problems, but then, neither does milk.

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

Official website: http://www.disney.com/pirates
Main cast: Johnny Depp & Penelope Cruz
Director: Rob Marshall
Release date: 20 May 2011
Running time: 2 hours 17 minutes

Plot:
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penelope Cruz), he's not sure if it's love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge," the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack's longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egoQRNKeYxw

Cinema: Golden Village Plaza Singapura
Ticket price: S$10.50
Rating:
Plot     9/10
Effect  9/10
Scene  9/10
Cast    9/10
Overall 9/10

Favorite Quote:
Jack Sparrow: "Have you been there?"
Teague: Does this face look like it's been to the Fountain of Youth?

Jack Sparrow: (standing on a cliff edge) "You know that feeling you get when you're standing in a high place... sudden urge to jump?... I don't have it.

Hector Barbossa: (catching a poisonous frog from Gibbs's shoulder)"What be wrong with an old man having a hobby?"

Republic of Singapore Air Force Open House 2011

Fantastic, Awesome & Hot! Yes, the weather was super duper hot, superheated with the display of advanced weapon, machinery and military air transport at Paya Lebar Airbase. The open house by Republic of Singapore Air Force is only held for two days (today 28th and 29th May 2011) which was also last held 2 years ago.

Arrived early around 10am at Eunos MRT to catch up with free shuttle by RSAF direct to their airbase in Paya Lebar. Super long queue was snaking around the Eunos bus interchange yet luckily we just waited for 30mins plus before getting aboard RSAF free shuttle.

Weather was cloudy from 10am-1pm, best for hangout at open air display although the crowd was overwhelmingly huge. 1pm+ onwards, crowd started to disperse slightly, finding their way into the air-conditioned area of exhibition halls and dining hall as temperature was extremely hot with scorching sun.

Hanging out at the airbase for more than 6 hours just for the sake of watching the aerial demo at 4.30pm. Visually and audibly awesome with the taking off, high soaring and landing of super aircraft like F-15SG, CH-47 Chinook, C130 Hercules and also anti-air vehicles such as IGLA-Integrated Fire Unit (IFU).

Warming up of F-15SG

Parachuting

Performance Hall

Aircraft:

Arming demo on AH-64D Helicopter

Video: AH-64D & CH-47 aerial demo

Video: F-15SG taking off 

Video: F-15SG cruising

Aircraft's weapon:

Anti-air vehicles:

Video: Aircraft landing

Bolognese Pasta @Bugis Junction

My second set of pasta is Bolognese. Unfortunately, I don't eat beef thus only got to finish up the rest except beef. I love it more than Tomato Pasta. I wonder if it is available with chicken instead.

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: Food Court Level 2, Bugis Junction

Preview: Republic of Singapore Air Force Open House 2011

Aircraft lovers, don't miss this annual open house by Republic of Singapore Air Force this Sat & Sun (28-29 May 2011).

11-11-11

Celine Dion (Part 3)

When I was in upper secondary school, I loved to do homework at a designated study table on the first floor of my home. I could do my additional maths for 3 hours continuously at night while listening to radio. Celine Dion's hits were frequently aired on the radio that her "All By Myself" was part of my study tune. Her latest rendition of "All By Myself" as below is unbelievably as powerful and beautiful as what she did in 1996. Unlike many other singers who perform at a lower par as compared to their first performances. I wish I could watch her singing this melancholic and nostalgic hit live one day.

Elegant and powerful "All By Myself"

More to come...

Insidious

Official website: http://www.insidious-movie.com/
Main cast: Patrick Wilson & Rose Byrne
Director: James Wan
Release date: 1 Apr 2011

Screening: Filmgarde Iluma Bugis
Ticket price: S$10.50
Rating:
Plot          7/10
Effect        8/10
Scene       8/10
Cast         8/10
Overall   7.8/10


Plot:
The writer-director team behind "Saw" and the filmmakers of "Paranormal Activity" redefine the haunted house genre in "Insidious". This horror film is the terrifying story of a family who shortly after moving discover that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to discover that it was not their house that was haunted.


Favorite Quote:
Elise Reiner: It's not the house that is haunted. It's your son

Sing Your Heart - All Stars Charity Concert 2011

Royal International Group with co-organisers YouthBox and Forest Talent have proudly presented Sing Your Heart - All Stars Charity Concert 2011 at Iluma Bugis on 22 May 2011 7pm-9pm. Local and overseas recording artistes participated in this charity awareness concert include Elson Soh , Bryan Teoh, Peter Ng, Joanne Chan, Joseph Hui, Yumi Beh, X-Clusive and Koko. The aims of this concert is to promote the awareness for charity and the right way to donate.

#1 Poster

#2 All Stars gather on stage to deliver their messages

 as to promote the awareness for charity

#3 Important messages from artistes on charity

Apocalypse almost

Prior to Rapture Day:
Believer: "I am firing my boss right away, selling off my apartment, spend all my saving and dance till the end of the world!"
Bystander: "Is anything happening?"

Aftermath of Rapture Day:
Survivor: "Life is so cruel and hard. Utterly disappointed and regret"
Bystander: "Cheer up, it's not the end of the world"

Modern Children (Hong Kong)

Singapore Baybeats 2010 @Esplanade brought in Modern Children, an Indie band from Hong Kong, who not only uses guitar, drum and bass in their performance. Various toy instruments are utilized to make their musics even lively, colourful and fun. Their live performance was expectedly entertaining and great.

Modern Children's Spirit Bird, intro song 

Star Train, my favorite song of which its new single is
coming out soon. See trailer here

Tree of Life, with toy instrument

End of the World 21-05-2011

Rapture, Armageddon, Apocalypse, Judgement Day, End of the World on 21 May 2011 Saturday. Yet no major earthquake, mega tsunami, volcanic eruption, nor impact from outer space and perhaps Alien invasion is happening today yet. Perhaps God might be mercy to spare us this sunny happy Saturday. Enjoy your Saturday :P

Weather Forecast (Courtesy of Cakalusa)

JPL reports: May 21 - a beautiful and quiet day in Earth's neighborhood. Enjoy!
(JPL's Near Earth Object Office coordinates NASA's efforts to detect, track & characterize potentially hazardous asteroids & comets that could approach Earth.)

Yong Tau Fu @JB City Square Food Junction

Sweet-tender noodle with 3 pieces of "Yong Tau Fu" (RM5.00 size-up from normal RM4.00) 

Rating: 8/10
Location: JB City Square Level 5 Food Junction

Gossip @workplace

As being said here before, I was approached by a senior who asked if I would like to be permanent staff in his company.

Senior:(ending the conversation)"Keep it to yourself"
Me: "Of course"

I was expected not to disclose any of our discussion regarding the offer to anyone. That was Sunday 15th May.

When I come back to office on 20th May, surprises bounce in one after another..

#1
Immediate senior: "Has Jennifer told you anything?"
Me: "What's up"
Senior: "Let me know your contact no and prepare your CV"
Me: "Huh...resume?"
Senior: "Yes, boss may want to ask you something later" (interview me, I think)
I downloaded my CV from my website and waited for nothing happen the whole working day.

#2
New staff: "I heard from them that the company is offering you a permanent position. Why you don't want it and prefer with agency?"
Me: .... (What?)

#3
Senior: "I heard that the company already buy you over"
Me: ....(What???)

I am anticipating for more surprises next Monday, wait... perhaps tomorrow.

2AM vs 2PM results in One Day.

I bet whoever watch Korean drama and love OST would find 2AM and 2PM sounds familiar as they participated in OST. 2AM and 2PM are both South Korean ballad boyband consists of 4 and 6 members respectively. I came across a youtube on 2AM and 2PM's back-to-back performance and wonder if they will ever do duet as "One Day" band.

2AM (Left to right: Seulong, Changmin, Jokwon, Jinwoon. 
(Courtesy of AIKEN)

2PM (Chansung, Wooyoung, Nichkhhun, Junho, Junsu, Taecyeo). 
(Courtesy of KoreAM)

2AM vs 2PM performance

Actually they are originally from a same group of 11 members, called as One Day! 4+6=11? Yes and no, as one of their member had left the group due to his controversial personal blog, dated 6years ago, resulting in the splitting of One Day in 2009. So blog wise and never leave a trail of shame or guilt as they will come back to you as karma in your next life if not this lifetime!

No offence to ardent fan of 2AM/2PM, I don't have the "burning-crush" as I have for Celine Dion and Mariah Carey to catch up with every songs and news of them. But 2AM's musics video on their recent "You Wouldn't Answer My Call" is surprisingly good. Not a typical boy band hit.

2AM's "You Wouldn't Answer My Call"

Devil, God & Life

I was taking an afternoon nap yet still overheard a spiritual awakening argument at my place between a mother and a teenager in my subconscious state. Apparently the teenager is sick of her mother controlling her life and intruding her private space.

Teenager: "I have been suffering all the time...... (follow by indefinite complaints which only stops once someone interrupts in)
Mother: "There are four phases of life with suffering.Childhood, teenage, adulthood, and old day. Your state of mind is not stable at this stage of life and I will always need to look after you. I am not a devil. I am a god."

Celine Dion (Part 2)

I only realized that Celine Dion was the singer for "Because You Loved Me" when I bought my second cassette, "Falling Into You" in 1996 (other than CD, VCD and DVD, 90's baby may not know what cassette is; and I am from 80's baby generation). Her album "Falling Into You" is in fact the best album at her peak popularity with her greatest hits like "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and "All By Myself".

This is how a cassette looks like. If you want to know how 
this cassette is played, go google :P (Courtesy of Johnny42strom)

"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" MTV was then so popular and frequently aired on TV. I love the MTV storyline and its beautiful scene.

                                             "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" MTV

More to come...

Tomato Pasta @Marina Square

I had never intended to taste any pasta before this as I thought it looks plain and not really appetizing. Perhaps due to my period of "brain-emptiness" without employment, I had my first pasta ever, started with tomato sauce base. Not bad. Will try other pasta in near future.

Rating: 7/10
Location: Food Court Level 3, Marina Square

Workplace

At workplace.
Senior Engineer:"We would like to buy you over and retain you here. It may sound horrible but that's the truth. Would you like to be permanent or prefer a contract?"
Me: ...........("Isn't there an obvious answer to this question?")

The job offer is very likely better but I am not too happy soon cos I don't think my current boss will let me go easily. My prospective employer may risk to pay high premium to terminate my contract or I end up looking for more OT from my prospective employer. Whatever outcome, I stay relaxed and easy.

Malay Nasi @National Youth Council, Somerset

Salty Cabbage + Hot & sweet Ayam Merah (S$3.00)

Rating: 8/10
Location: National Youth Council, Somerset

Celine Dion (Part 1)

Celine Dion is one of the best diva, an icon to high-pitch voice and remarkable wide range of vocal notes. A Canadian performer who never cease to captivate me since 1996.

It started in 1996 with "Because You Loved Me". The first time I heard this song was when it was being aired on TV advertisement in the occasion of 1996 Mother's Day. I didn't know who the singer was, yet the beautiful melody captivates me till this day. Lyrics is poetically awesome and meaningful, thanks to the writer, Diane Warren. The notes, especially in the end of the song, are extreme which render it quite a tough song. So far only Charice is able to perform this song as well as Celine.

Celine's 1996 live performance on 

"Because You Loved Me"

Charice's rendition of "Because You Loved Me"

More to come...

Salmon Chicken Pepper Rice @Pepper Lunch Bugis Junction

Sizzling salmon chicken pepper rice @Bugis Junction Pepper Lunch!

The cheapest way to enjoy Japanese "steak"

Rating: 8/10
Location: Bugis Junction

Rare scene in Singapore

"Look! Pillow and his mates are swimming in Kallang river with beautiful background scene of Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands. What a rare scene!"

Hong Kong Porridge @Kakalok (家家樂) Restaurant Taman Johor Jaya

JB is a heavenly good place for delicious yummy food. Last Sunday, we had breakfast @Kakalok Restaurant which offer a wide range of variety of Hong Kong porridge; namely chicken, pork, abalone,  frog-leg (田雞) and many more. The porridge costs from the lowest RM4 to the highest RM20 per bowl.

I had chicken porridge. It was very good; soft yet not too watery and deliciously hot. Kakalok also serves home-made soya bean. However, the drink was added with too much sugary water.

Courtesy of OpenRice.com

Rating: 8/10
Location: 21, Jalan Dedap 9, Johor Bahru, 81100, Taman Johor Jaya

SG GE 2011 outcome

Somewhere in the heart of KL city where it never sleep to entertain her dwellers...
1M: "PAP won 81 out of 87 seats in Singapore General Election 2011. Must be postal vote rigging and phantom voters!"
2M: "Bullshit, our filthy politic will never be any better than of Singapore. PAP never have to bring themselves to such a low level and beat its opponent with stupidity like here."
1M: "PAP haven't cos ours are more creative and dramatic too."
2M: "FML, ours are brainless and outdated to be so. Even a layman can see the stupidity and nonsense happening here. As for PAP, they are men of high caliber and meritocracy, who beat their opponents with legal channels."

Coverage @workplace

Johnny: "Welcome back, Josh. Good to see you here to help us out"

Josh: "Nah...I'll be very glad to be part of the team"

Joe: "Do enjoy the can of worms we have just left for you"

Mathematics Dilemma

Today Chinese Press brings in a topic on a mathematics problem which is supposed to be easy at elementary level. Two experts were interviewed to provide solution to this problem yet they proposed two different answers. I solved the problem too yet I don't know which one is correct. Perhaps both are correct theoretically; just that the problem lacks in real life interpretation. Should we know the actual real life problem of which the mathematical expression is representing, the rule of multiplication, division and addition within this problem shall be obvious.

Here's the problem:
6/2(2+1) = 1 or 9?

Solutions:

6/2(2+1) = 6/2(3) = 6/6 = 1
               = 6/(4+2) = 6/6 = 1
               = 3/(2+1) = 3/3 = 1


6/2(2+1) = 3(2+1) = 3(3) = 9
               = 6/2(3) = 18/2 = 9 

Which one is correct?

Vanilla chocolate ice-cream cake @Baskin Robbins Cafe Sunway Pyramid

Tasting a Baskin Robbins ice-cream cake @Baskin Robbins Cafe Sunway Pyramid is actually the most expensive experience I have in terms of money value and worthiness of course. We ordered a 9" round vanilla chocolate ice-cream cake (RM 138.00), cut into 9 slices. I had 2 slices, more than enough to excite and satisfy my taste bud.

Time for birthday song

Sweet cherry on top of vanilla ice-cream with chocolate cake bed

Rating: 9/10
Location: Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya

Passport renewal @High Commission of Malaysia, Singapore

The last time I renewed my passport at Penang Immigration, Seberang Perai in 2006, I had to return there to collect my passport after a week. This time in Singapore, I could get it right on the same day of application provided it was done in the morning within the same day. If application is submitted after lunch, you may collect your new passport the next working day. Super fast and efficient! I could have dreaded my count down to the last day I need to renew my passport in JB should I have not known that I could do it at High Commission of Malaysia in Singapore.

I just needed to bring a photocopy of Malaysia IC, Singapore IC or work permit, two passport photo plus S$124 as renewal fee and of course my old passport. High Commission of Malaysia is located at Jervois Road near to Valley Point shopping centre. Reached there around 8am by bus no 65. Form was given free at security guard house and I handed over my Malaysia driving license for the pass entry.

The form is simple and can be completely filled in within 5 minutes. One thing to take note is that the current address must be a residential place in Singapore. You may also get your photo at the same place as they have photo kiosk too. I submitted my application by 9am and was told able to collect my passport after 2pm the same day :-)

Finally I got a new passport.

Malay Nasi @National Youth Council, Somerset

Simple yet delicious Malay Nasi with cabbage curry, curry egg and curry petola (S$2.00)

Rating: 7/10
Location: National Youth Council, Somerset

Old Town Western Platter @Jusco Taman Universiti

Western Platter served with two mini sausages, french fries, plain bread with ham and butter, beans and fried egg.

Rating: 7/10

White coffee.

Rating: 9/10

Mother nature's on Singapore General Election 2011

Taxi driver: "I hope Orchard road also flood, make more headlines and favour to opposition!"

Voter: "I also psycho my mum, sisters, aunties and cousins who were staunch PAP supportes. Now they are better informed. Before this, all vote for the sake of voting and really don't know what opposition party means. Now all have been converted. Will keep going with friends and the non-converts.

"Singapore hit by flash flood again this afternoon due to heavy rain. Another "50 years" has passed since Orchard flood?"

Flood in Paya Lebar. (Photo courtesy of @angeejin)

Yishun Interchange is partially submerged in flash floods on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of @nerolijasmine)

Bus stops in many areas of Singapore were also not spared from the the flash floods. (Photo from Twitter)