The End of An Era in Sandakan

Sandakan's 1st KFC. It's gonna be closed soon as the 2 "FOR RENT" banners indicated. As evident from the photo, it's on a prime location, in one of the busiest junctions in Sandakan.

One of the main attraction of the premise is that it's the best location for people watching. Of course during my school time which was at least 15 years ago, it's the prime hang out place. And of course, there's no Starbucks or Coffee Bean around so KFC is the "in" hang out place after school, birthday party venue and gathering/meeting place as well.

I had lots of memories of this place. I remembered I bring my parents to have their 1st KFC here too. Both me and my sister belanja them. There was another time I remember after some First Aid Competition where all of us had some meals there and did some nasty stuff there. Some of us put some ice chips into the tomato/chilli sauce bottles and some were being reprimanded and scolded by the managers there too!!! Hahaha... not me though.

So, what about you????

NOTE : I had my last KFC in 2009 today, courtesy of the cash coupon from Esther. Thanks!

Happy New Year 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010

Hope it gets better
cox
that's the only way to go
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary and Max (2009)

Mary and Max (2009)
Toni Collette, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Humphries, Eric Bana
Tagline : Sometimes perfect strangers make the best friends

Max : (to Mary) Dr Bernard Hazelhof said if I was on a desert island then I would have to get used to my own company - just me and the coconuts. He said I would have to accept myself, my warts and all, and that we don't get to choose our warts. They are part of us and we have to live with them. We can, however, choose our friends and I am glad I have chosen you.

Thanks to Sherry, I had the chance to watch this underdog gem. It officially jumped into my top 10 movies of the year. I somehow had the same feeling while watching Wall-E few years ago. The movie is basically a galore of quotes in its dialogues that made you think of your life and friends and family, a perfect movie to end the year especially if you are in the recap and review mode like me. Sherry said "it's a tad sad but perfect" which I totally agree. Luckily it was sad ending rather than the typical Hollywood-type cheesy happy ending. The movie was based on true story which I gotta check out soon.

Music-wise, Que Sera Sera was impeccably used in the movie in a memorable scene. I always think that the song has an inert creepiness in it and the movie utilized it to the max. It has the same effect as "End of The World" by Skeeter Davis used in Girl, Interrupted (Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie). Well, go figure!

P/S : To all my friends, I am glad I have chosen you and got chosen back as well.
P/SS : WATCH THIS!!!

I See You

Reporting from my avatar....... I SEE YOU !!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas 2009

courtesy of Getty Image

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

2009 Recap.........

..........gonna invest some time doing the recap.

You Understand This? (Mandarin & Cantonese Proficiency Required)

Kudos to Hu Jin Tao for being able to suppress his laugh or even his smile at the lousy Mandarin by the new Chief of Macau Special Administrative Region, 崔世安. His Mandarin is definitely on par with the likes of Ekin Cheng and Louis Koo. Have a good laugh for the week ahead.

Two Lovers (2008)

Two Lovers (2008)
Joaqui Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rosselini
Tagline : Sometimes we leave everything to find ourselves

OK. I can hardly finish the movie. It's a rare occasion for me to abandon the movie (even if it's watching DVD) half way and I did just that for this. According to IMDB, this movie got rave reviews and most of them gave 8-10 stars out of ten and I TOTALLY didn't get it at all. I think the plot is lame and kinda predictable. The reviews raved about Phoenix's performance but I just didn't get it. Maybe it didn't appeal to me so that's my own personal problem. For Paltrow, I always think she's not the classic beauty but she has something in her though she didn't do much here. Isabella Rosselini is great as usual but that's enough for me to endure the whole film. Having said that, you should try it yourself. And let me know. I feel sorry for not finishing the movie.

《聖誕快樂》- （1984）

I never know that this song was actually featured in the movie. The movie is like the must-watch come every Christmas when I was a small kid. Of course, at the time, there were not many TV channels around, not even TV3 let alone paid cable. The movie will be shown without fail in TV2 or RTM2 at that time EVERY Christmas.. I mean... EVERY Christmas, just like another movie during Chinese New Year (let that be another post in the future). Helmed by Karl Mak and Paula Tsui, this feel-good movie also starred a lot of actors who's not here anymore, i.e. Leslie Cheung and Danny Chan.

Last Christmas - WHAM

A classic though not conventionally a traditional Christmas song; just the title comes with the Christmas word but the whole mood (err....and the music video anyone??? hahhahahaa) with the synthesizer music kinda made it. Enjoy.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Tagline : Prepare to get served!

I think the recently wrapped up delegates at the climate conference in Copenhagen should be shown this. It's light hearted but at the same time loaded with tonnes of environmental messages. Also filled with the ironic take on the consumer pattern. Had a great fun watching and laughing.

Be Mine (2008) - Aditya

I think the album is quite nice. Didn't think it get good response in Indonesia though. Another case of less-appealing appearance I guess. The track list:

1. All About Me
2. Cinta Sesaat
3. Be Mine
4. Love Will Find You
5. Get A Room
6. Diamnya Dirimu
7. Salah
8. In The Night
9. Sangat Rindu
10. Kurelakan

After Sunshine Cleaning, Smart People starts to learn How To Lose Friends & Alienate People while understanding The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin
Tagline : Life's a Messy Business

I was sold after knowing Amy Adams and Emily Blunt helmed this little indie vehicle. Upon watching it, there's Alan Arkin in it as well!!! (Arkin is everywhere nowadays especially after his winning of the Best Supporting Actor for Little Miss Sunshine). The movie itself is a delight, not trying to be artsy-fartsy with its simple-regular-person dialogues. Adam is extremely lovable with her girl-next-door charm, not too sugary but "plain" enough to be able to squeeze her best in every character she's in. Emily Blunt is another delight. Already stealing scenes in Devil Wears Prada alongside Meryl Streep, she's destined to shine more hopefully with more meaty characters come to her. Alan Arkin, however charming he is, was just merely repeating what he does best and somehow feels like an extension from his character in Little Miss Sunshine.

Smart People (2008)
Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, Thomas Haden Church
Tagline : sometimes the smartest people have the most to learn

Dennis Quaid carried his character of a widowed smart-ass-i-don't-care-what-the-world-thinks language lecturer with ease. Parker really had problem broaden her scope after her stick-in-your-mind character in Sex & The City; she's really so-so here as the romantic interest for Quaid, an ER doctor. Ellen Page is good as Quaid's daughter, a replica of Quaid's personality and in constant pursue of her dad's approval and affection trying to be perfect scoring the highest SAt etc. Haden Church again proves to be born with the talent to portray scruffy unreliable jack ass as he did in , here as the adopted brother of Quaid's character.

How To Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)
Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Megan Fox, Jeff Bridges
Tagline : Brace yourselves, America. He's across the pond, and out of his depth.

Here's some little Brits flavor for you; well... Simon Pegg is here (remember Hot Fuzz???). Based on a book, it's a story of a British writer who was hired to work with a glamourous magazine in New York by Jeff Bridges character (great grey hair by the way). Kirsten Dunst is again doing her Spiderman's character here, an aspiring novel writer trapped in the hi-so working environment of a glamourous lifestyle magazine. Megan Fox is the hot siren here doing nothing really notable except being seductive and sexy. In some angle, she kinda looks like a slimmer and taller version of Salma Hayek. Oh.. the Agent Scully of X-Files fame (anyone remember her????) is here as Fox's manager.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore, Maria Bello, Monica Belluci, Keanu Reeves
Tagline : The life you love maybe your own. She lived many lives - except her own.

Lots of big names here and I think Penn was in a rare chance to be able to carry a title character with so many stars complimenting her. Commendable effort though I think the story sounds too familiar in a way. Ohh.. Alan Arkin is here too! Julianne Moore strikes again. The movie is directed by Rebecca Miller, wife of Daniel Day-Lewis and daughter of the famous Arthur Miller.

THE MOVIES ABOVE... ALL COURTESY OF MY BEST MATE SHERRY!!!

Dia - Maliq & D'Essentials

My Favourite Indonesian Group, Maliq & d'Essentials (DIA)
Read about my write up about them...
(HERE) and
(HERE)

We Still Have Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar!!!!!

From mysinchew.com.... by Tay Tian Yan..............

50 years ago, everyone said Malaysia was the best, even better than Hong Kong and Japan.

30 years ago, they said Malaysia was not that bad, at least we were as good as Korea and Taiwan (Hong Kong and Japan were no longer mentioned by them).

20 years ago, they said Malaysia was still quite okay, at least we were better than China and Thailand (Taiwan and Korea were no longer in the same league).

10 years ago, they said Malaysia could never be like Vietnam or Indonesia, no matter how terrible it was (China was not in the same category any more).

Today, Vietnam and Indonesia have far outpaced Malaysia in economic development, the gap is fast closing in.

What to worry? We still have Philippines, Cambodia and Myanmar!

Time for SOS?

Is it the time for distress call? I don't really know but it feels bad to be reading news in Malaysia now. And of course, I am not referring only to the online media but the MSM especially the racist ones (in a way, which MSM is not???) also portrayed the same distressed feelings, of course not by telling the truth but non-stop spinning which reflected the distress in terms of the stupidity of the moronic political animals in the country.

Pissed off!!!!!!!!!

Berhenti Berharap - Marcell

A nice song by Indonesian singer, Marcell.

Spy Hard

There's nothing better than watching a James Bond spoof in the boring after-workday time in a depressing rainy KK evening. Spy Hard stars Leslie Nelson (I think Steve Martin took over his part after his death) and Nicolette Sheridan (the sultry seductress in Desperate Housewives). It's stupidly funny and reminded me of Stephen Chow. All in all, I had a good laugh!

Gomen Sedang Tension........

You got it! That's GST for you!!!!!!!!!!! Gomen Sedang Tension. Tension apa you ask? Where else to get more money after forcing its citizen to pay RM50/credit card?????????

The age of GST is here....

Congratulations Johnny and Jasmine

Love is patient and kind;

love does not envy or boast,

it is not aroogant or rude.

It does not insists on its own way;

it does not irritable or resentful;

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,

but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things

hope all things, endures all things.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three

but the greatest of these is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

the service of holy martimony

Congratulations to my friend, Johnny Lim and Jasmine Tan. A nice church wedding indeed.

Karaoke Theme Night Series 1 : Groups and Bands

We had our 1st theme-night karaoke. Nope, I am not talking about costume-theme but songs instead. This session, the theme is groups and bands. No restrictions on language, be it Mandarin, Cantonese, English or even Malay and Indonesian.

The Torturers Involved : CK, Esther, Sophia, Erin & Buddy

(photo blurred to protect the safety of the torturers)

Songs List

1. Viva Forever - Spice Girls

2. Say You'll Be There - Spice Girls

3. Spice Up My Life - Spice Girls

4. Who Do You Think You Are - Spice Girls

5. Wannabe - Spice Girls

6. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) - Backstreet Boys (BSB)

7. I'll Never Break Your Heart - BSB

8. As Long As You Love Me - BSB

9. I Will Come To You - Hanson

10. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5

11. Chasing Car - Snow Patrol

12. Miss You Like Crazy - Moffats

13. Shape of My Heart - BSB

14. One - Blue

15. 真爱 - 183 Club

16. 我难过 - 5566

17. 流星雨 - F4

18. 绝不能失去你 - F4

19. Lonely - 草蜢

20. 镇守爱情 - 动力火车

21. 不甘心不放手 - 动力火车

22. 靠在一起 - 山脚下男孩

23. 小情歌 - 苏打绿

24. Sha La La - 温拿

25. Falling In Love - Baby

26. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

27. 而我知道 - 五月天

28. 人生海海 - 五月天

29. 你们是我的星光 - 星光帮

30. You Make Me Wanna - Blu

31. Drowning - BSB

32. Get Down - BSB

33. Barbie Girl - Aqua

34. My Oh My - Aqua

35. Turn Back Time - Aqua

36. It's My Life - Bon Jovi

37. Bye Bye Bye - N'Sync

38. The Actor - Michael Learns To Rock

39. Don't Speak - No Doubt

40. Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden

41. Waterfall - TLC

42. Fool Again - Westlife

As it's evident from the list, this session released the inner boyband/girlband discreet fan in the torturers hahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to the time limit, some songs selected were just remained selected, i.e. Warisan Wanita Terakhir (Teacher's Pet), You Give Love A Bad Name (Bon Jovi) and some others that I forgot cox not my selection hahaha.... Also worth to note was the unavailable songs even we selected i.e. Suci Dalam Debu (Iklim).

Erin commented that no more band/group night because we lost our voices after that. Now pondering what theme should the next session be.....

Wow.... MCA not only Mau Cari Angpau Tapi Manyak Cantik Acting

i think cai gao and sei lai lai have to surrender to these two buggers lah!!!!!! LAUGHABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

StarMovies Show A LOT of Chick Flick

1st of all, no offense for the usage of Chick Flick to describe the movies I watched; it's used in IMDB too.

One of the peril of going outstation is staying in boring hotels, especially if you are staying in small town with nothing much to do; just stay in the room and hope to sleep early. And normally I will rely on the movies shown in the TV channels available in the hotel I stay to either induce my sleep or keep me boredom away.

For the past 2-3 weeks I watched some movies I never watch before and of course, as it's StarMovie channel, you expect to see some re-run . And Thank God it's StarMovies as it will be even worse if the hotel has Cinemax instead.

13 Going 30 (2004)

Helmed by Jennifer Garner in her rare comedic role, this is a pure chick flick. It's fun and entertaining to watch though, I hate to admit. And Mark Ruffalo is definitely going to be typecast as the SNAG (oppss... guess this description is sooo out now!!!). Just watch, laugh and do not think too much.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

Tagline : Sometimes What You're Looking For Is Right Where You Left It

Helmed by Reese Witherspoon, this include some notable cast such as Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey and Candice Bergen is another enjoyable time filler, that's all. Typical plot.

While She Was Out (2008)

Kim Basinger

She was the only thing notable of this straight-to-DVD-cable-TV movie and it's definitely sad to watch Basinger in this C-flick. I mean, it's Kim Basinger!!!!!!!! I mean, it's Kim Basinger of 9 1/2 Weeks and L.A. Confidential!!!!!!!!!!!

Mermaids (1990)

Cher, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci

Tagline : This is our mother. Pray for us

I truly enjoyed this movie. Though it was made 19 years ago, it's still feels interesting. Told from the perspective of the character of Winona Ryder, the story revolves around the flamboyant and loud, insecure-being-dumped-by-husband mother played by Cher and her 2 daughter played by Ryder and Christina Ricci respectively.

Cher really shines here. This was the movie after her Oscar-winning turn in Moonstruck in 1987. If Madonna is being labeled as the come-back queen, Cher is another one though keep on having her last concert being held again and again. And in terms of acting skill, she definitely won over Madonna hands down. Winona Ryder was her usual coming-of-age huge eye teen. And Christina Ricci is VERY cute!!! She's like the Abigail Breslin of the 90s.

Huh.... 2 weeks of chick flicks!!!!

Coal Coal Coal.... NOThing can stop the lunatics!!!!!

OK, the coal fired power plant issue showed without doubt how rhetoric the Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan slogan is. No one in the Sabah BN government is interested to know what the citizen (rakyat) think about the whole issue, let alone release informations or at least let the people know what is all about!!!!!!!!!!!

Consider this :

1. Sabah especially the East Coast consists of Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau (where the palm oil "cluster" - the buzz word after the collapse of the corridors...) is having power shortage AGES ago.... since my school time. Blame it on the incompetence of SESB alone is useless.

2. News out that a coal-fired power plant will be built. Why coal? Sabah has coal???? Rumours saying that our government signed a deal for coal to be supplied from Indonesia. How true is this? The train didn't stop here.... If you are concerned about being squeezed by the balls if the supplier decide to increase the price, don't worry... we actually have coal in Sabah!!! where???? Maliau Basin voila!!!!!!!!!! Long live the logging activity!!!!!!!! No more curi-curi like what happen now in the Danum area. How true is this? Well... still rumour..... You decide.

3. Ration on the electricity supply occurs on-and-off.

4. Now an Aluminium smelting plant is in plan in Sabah. Why Aluminium??? Do we have the supply? I thought Sarawak is having the same plant as well??? Oh.... looks like smelter plant is a HUGE electricity consumer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like a 3.0 engine guzzling petrol!!!!!! Why oh why???? Aiya.... you guys still dunno? So, you guys can't resist the power plant loh... cox that's why they have to build Bakun in Sarawak mah!!!!!!! So, are these true???? Again... it's rumour again. You decide!!!!

5. Some say the power plant will be built using a 2nd hand power plant from China. Again... it might be rumours....

6. Come on.. some assemblymen already threatening the rakyat.... "have the power plant, if not, no electricity, don't blame gomen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Of course, maybe their English is worse than this or even if they speak in Bahasa Melayu, it won't be any better as well.

But after all these so-called rumours above and if you are aware of the situation in Sabah now... you should had firmly decide for yourself whether they are rumours......

I Try - Macy Gray

Games, changes and fears

When will they go from here

When will they stop I believe that fate has brought us here

And we should be together

But were not I play it off but I'm dreamin of you

I'll keep it cool but I'm fiendin.

I try to say goodbye and I choke

I try to walk away and I stumble

Though I try to hide it it's clear

My world crumbles when you are not near

Goodbye and I choke

I try to walk away and I stumble

Though I try to hide it, it's clear

My world crumbles when you are not near

Audacity of Hope

The cliche is that, the higher you hope, the bigger the expectations. Does it mean that we need to discard hope when we want to avoid disappointments?

I remembered Obama had a book called Audacity of Hope. Well, I do not know whether I still have the audacity to hope anymore.

Jamie Cullum is Back

After "Catching Tales" and "Twenty Something" which received heaps of praises and acclaims, Cullum is back with his new album to be released in March 2010; the 1st one in 4 your years hiatus. Heard his new single via CR903. Hmm... waiting for the better 2nd single I would say....

This IS How Parliament in Malaysia Bersidang

Idiot will always remain as an idiot.

Yes, in this case, I am making personal reference and not about what they talk about (in a way, both KTK and OTK are not worth defending, from any angle). These two idiots were definitely treating the August House as their stage for their antics. These are our Parliamentarians (of course.... who can forget the "monthly-leak" performance from our resident clown BMR), for God's sake!

God Bless Malaysia.

All Is Not Rosy and Chirpy in Malaysia.....

Khoo Kay Peng summarised few points on the financial condition of our beloved country and it's a great pain to see the squanderings done to the already-ailing coffers.

Read more here

The Best Comedy Of The Year Is..........

MCA!!!!!!!!!!!

No doubt. Hands down.

Another Round of Privatisation???

I don't know about this. I kinda troubled by the statement on privatisation in PM's budget speech. And of course, I am not an economy expert but speaking from a layman's term, I am quite puzzled with this.

Excerpt from Bernama...

Najib, who is also the Finance Minister said to ensure this, the government will privatise companies under the Minister of Finance Inc (MOF Inc) and other viable government agencies.

call me an extreme skeptic but that translate to me as "privatising" the money-making agencies to the "selected few"

"High impact projects by the private sector will be undertaken jointly with the government.

high impact translate to me as high risk, high investment. so for these kind of project, government will "join force" to shoulder the risk. another PKFZ in making?

Sigh~~~

Man and Wife - Tony Parson

Just finished the book. A look at what being together means.

Rome (Roma), Italy (2005)

A "return" post for Cruel Angel

As I browse my previous posts, I found this and it reminded me that I am not able to attend the wedding dinner (or a prison-entering ceremony as he put it) of this dear friend of mine. So, I repost this and wish him a HAPPY MARRIED LIFE in advance and I offer my prayer to his wife-to-be, Lilian hehehehehe......

ORIGINAL POSTED March 23, 2007

I have never been a starring or centre character of any media production, be it electronic or printed ones and thanks to my dear friend Alan Cruel Angel, I am the focal point of one of his post in his post (see below):

http://thesisofacruelangel.blogspot.com/2007/03/roomate-from-hell-this-guy-name-is-chin.html

So, to show my appreciation, I have to "return post" 正所谓， 礼尚不往来， 非礼也 !

This guy's name is "Lai Ai Lun". He used to be my worst nightmare though I don't really "HATE" him that much. I was surprised that my essay was photostated by his resourceful mother (how his mother get that essay is really a wonder!) as his reading material and that really freaked me out!!! We were classmates since standard one and YES, we are totally different in lots of ways! Yes, he got the last laugh cox his blog has more reader than mine and most importantly HE'S EARNING BIG BUCKS IN TUPAI !!!!!!!!!!! So, to all the students out there..... IF YOU WANNA EARN BIG BUCKS, FORGET ABOUT BEING TOP STUDENT ETC BUT GET A GOOD PAYING JOB BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT BORN RICH, NO MATTER U STUDY AS A DOCTOR OR LAWYER OR WATEVER, THE MONEY JUST WILL NOT COME TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Taken in the Stella Maris hostel during Form 6 (1997). Nope, the flower was actually a gift for Emily (I think, if my memory doesn't fail me) for her birthday

He's having fun practising his prank to be perfect, I have to pretend to be perfect because I am the Head Prefect.

He always copy my homework, I always copy other people's homework.

He always looking for ilham by playing blackjack, I am pretending to have all the ilham and be a smartjack.

He always asking morally-challenging questions such as, "If Brother C%$#l&* gives you 1 million to &^%$ you, u want or not?", I am listening to my walkman and offering answer such as "Please spare me some peace, can or not?"

He is everybody's cool man, I am seen as trying-to-please-everybody-man.

He is seen as somebody with attitude, I am seen as somebody without one.

He had fun by challenging rules and becoming warrior, I was deprived of fun and becoming a teacher's servant.

He had the blessings of God to wash his clothes, I has my two hands to wash my own.

He soaked his clothes in Dynamo for weeks, I have to stand the stinking smell of the oversoaked for weeks.

He had Lim Wai Keong to accompany him to study for STPM by playing 2-person blackjack, I have everyone to accompany me in the study room while I was sleeping.

He didn't get direct to uni but earn more pounds in Tupai, I got entrance to uni but spend most of my time dreaming of earning big bucks in Tupai.

He is funny and hilarious as a speaker, I am boring, formal and dull speaker.

He tries to be every girls playmate and hitched some playmates himself, I am some girls' soulmate and got myself as my own playmate!

Taken during the 2nd day Chinese New Year in 2007. Thanks for his "coklat berkurma" from Tupai, though most of it was eaten by those who came to my house that day.

After 9 years,

He got a tummy, I got a life as boring as a mummy.

He may look like an uncle but with a fat dompet, I looked like an uncle way long time ago with a flat dompet.

He may be one every mama sue in law, I dun think I will have a mother-in-law.

He never takes life seriously and have fun, I take life seriously and deprived of all the fun.

He writes his blog funnily, I write funnily unfunny one.

By now, you should know why he used to call (maybe still) himself ALAN THE GREAT (in-line with Alexander the Great I'm sure). I salute his creativity, which is spontaneous and spot-on most of the time. Well, his mom used to thank me when we met in the street in our little Sandakan town for taking care of her son, Alan the Great during the Form 6 Benildus House time but I think I should thank her instead for an interesting roomate.

Venice (Venezia), Italy (2005)

Florence (Firenze) 2005

Can't wait for my next travel trip..........

When and where?

Learning From TV (# 7) - Six Feet Under

I am having the re-run of the Six Feet Under again. So, it's gonna be a dark and gloomy season again. Some memorable quotes from the series:

Brenda (played by the mesmerising Rachel Griffith) talking to Nate (Peter Krause) at the cliff where they're gonna have their wedding ceremony held.

[Brenda]:

All we have is this moment....

right here, right now...

The future is just a fucking concept that we use to avoid being alive today.

So.... be here..... now.

Maggie (step sister of the Fisher family when her father married the creepy Frances Conroy and Ruth, the mother) told Nate.

[Maggie Sibley]:

I know that if you think life's a vending machine where you put in virtue and take out happiness, then you're going to be disappointed.

Nate and David (both the Fisher's brothers) having conversations about David's constant grip with pain:

[Nate] :

You hang on to your pain like it means something, like it's worth something. Well let me tell you, it's not worth shit. Let it go. Infinite possibilities and all he can do is whine.

[David] :

Well, what am I supposed to do?

[Nate] :

What do you think? You can do anything, you lucky bastard, you're alive. What's a little pain compared to that?

[David] :

It can't be so simple.

[Nate] :

What if it is?

Come to think of it, Six Feet Under's not all that gloomy after all right???

2010 Budget and Me : I Wanna Move to Iskandar

1. Max Income Tax Rate dropped from 27% to 26%. (Hmm... am I in the bracket?)

2. Personal Relief increased from RM8000 to RM9000 (means additional RM1k in disposable income?)

3. 15% tax on employment income for those who work and reside in Iskandar??????? (what are we waiting for??? move our asses there!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

4. RM50 annual fees for credit card (ok.... gotta cut all those plastic now!!!! is imposing annual fees gonna deter people getting plastic? and RM50 goes to the bank that already amassing lots of profits from all the charges/fees that they currently imposing???? government should impose stricter conditions to weed out people who's not eligible to get the plastic instead!!!).

ERROR: OK, my bad!!! The RM50 goes to the government and not the banks. Sorry for that.

5. RM500 for broadband subscription fee in 2010-2012 (what about the speed? 50% penetration? just open up the monopoly to get Streamyx buck up!!!)

Itu sahaja? By the way, one glaring item that missing from the budget this year is BONUS for government servant. So, I think there'll be no general election, at least not in 2010 but again, to pump up the feel good factor, some sort of bonus will be announced on the eve of election as usual. Having said that, you know the government is really tight now, squeezed between satisfying the want of the oversized civil service and feeding the greed desires of the cronies grabbing for projects and "tenders". As RPK said, the "evaporating" expenses costs the country more than anything else. And to think that this kind of "evaporating" expenses go into the pocket of the selected fews really boils your blood, even on a beautiful Saturday morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would say... Cis, bedebah!!!!

The Weepies - Gotta Have You (2006 : Say I Am You)

anyone find that the tune sounds eerily similar to one of Tanya Chua's song?

New Malaysian Essay 2

Shahnon Shah's , Amir Muhammad's and Amir Sharipuddin's are the most enjoyable in this volume.

Chacun Son Cinema (2007)

This has been in my collection for quite some time. It was commissioned with 34 directors submitted 3-mins entries to commemorate the 60 years of Cannes Film Festival. With that premise, you know you will see many big names i.e. David Cronenberg, Lars von Trier, Tsai Ming Liang, Zhang Yi Mou, Ken Loach Gus van Sant, Wim Wenders, Walter Salles, Theo Angelopoulos, Oliver Assayas, Chen Kai Ge, Wong Kar Wai, Abbas Kiorastami, Jane Campion, Takeshi Kitano, Atom Egoyan, Hou Hsiao Hsien, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the one by Roman Polanski (forget about his paedophile crime for a while) the most, it's pure gag and a funny one, suitable for the 3-mins instalment. The one by Lars von Trier also is memorable. And speaking of von Trier, you might find Inarritu's work is kinda similar to the one found in von Trier's Dancer in The Dark though Inarritu's version didn't fail to evoke emotions.

I was kinda looking forward to the Coen brother's work but it's not found in the DVD because the brothers were late to submit their entry. However, thanks to the YouTube, it's here.

With Josh Brolin at the helm and a familiar face, Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) from Grey's Anatomy.

Friends Who Travel XI

Steve (UK) and Liz (Sweden)

Had a good chat with them when I offered them a ride from the roadside of the Kinabalu Park to Sandakan. Thanks for the company during the 4 hours ride! And nice evening drinking at the Balin as well!!!

Happy Travelling!!!

Everything - Buble

Buble will have his album coming out soon (or was it out already?).

Meanwhile, Everything for you. M

You're a falling star, You're the get away car.

You're the line in the sand when I go too far.

You're the swimming pool, on an August day.

And You're the perfect thing to say.

And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.

And when you smile at me you know exactly what you do.

Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.

Cause you can see it when I look at you.

[Chorus:] And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times

It's you, it's you, You make me sing.

You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,

And you light me up, when you ring my bell.

You're a mystery, you're from outer space,

You're every minute of my everyday.

And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,

And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.

Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,

And you know that's what our love can do.

House Keeping in PR

Anwar Ibrahim MUST do housekeeping in his own party. People like Zulkifli Noordin should be taken to task. PAS should do the same to its member such as Hasan Ali. Further delay will definitely affect the future of the PR coalition.

2nd Place in KK Challenge 5 Treasure Hunt

De'StoneS got #2, a whopping 15pts behind the Sabah champion, Main Tembak.

Personally, it was a satisfying result for us mainly we "sort-of" overcame our phobia for the treasure questions. However, I still feel that our performance left a huge room for improvement, which is exactly what we are doing all this while and will continue to improve ourselves.

More on the hunt here on Corny's blog.