Thursday, July 31, 2008

Music of a more poetic side

Well, as most of you can now see that I haven't been writing a lot about music these days. Well actually if you have notice myspace I’m venturing out of my ordinary trail to find my comfort zone. The European side of the story. I’ve always been fascinated by the music of Italian, the strong yet romantic dialect. Or the sweet caresses of the soft French. Or the upbeat passionate Spanish.
All of that and so much more. I’m getting to know the people from the other side of the business. Some of the doing a lot of modelling and a couple that’s hoping to go into movies. I was meeting them and chatting with them too.
I’m more of a people guy. Though my first sentences maybe a simple hi or thanks but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. I understand why some of you are cautious. I don’t really mind that. You will know I’ll do no harm when you come to my blog. I don’t really do negative. Some jokes maybe but no gossip. I’m more into the person behind the movie or the story. It is just a fictional story and fistional character when you watch a movie. They get more fictional when you watch the tabloids. But if you simply dump all that. And just listen closely. Just like some one said it. if the thing didn’t come out of my mouth literally, it’s not true. So if the very person involve doesn’t say anything we are just beating the wind hoping we’ll catch the fly. A great waste of time.
I have some fun chatting up with some former child actor the other day. It’s a great chat. He is modest and living great right now out of the lime light. It’s great to hear that because truly. If you really like the work as an actor or a musician focus on that. Fame is not really part of the deal and it comes and goes. Nor are they really the representation of the real person. They are just hype up story of a person. So you work and you live your life. If it’s not even in the business it’s all right. It is your life. A normal life is good enough. Many of the people I’ve met have gone out of it. I won’t denied that some crave the attention. I do too. Sometimes. But not the kind that have 100 cameras and flashlights sticking up to your nose that kind. I’d prefer the attention of good friends, family, new friends.
There are a lot of things that meant nothing. Or just an illusion. I hope people does snap out of it and get into their own life some day.
I often see news like that we are a free country but there’s not enough censorship on TV or not enough censorship in the news or the internet to protect our kids. Yet I wonder. Why you want to wait for other people to do the job for you. Learn then how to talk to your children about issues like sex, friends, peers pressure, smoking, drugs and drinking. Don’t ask for the protection of the law to do the work or the school to do the work for you. Take the initiative to get to know your own children and be their guidance. We are the parents. We may not have control of everything, that’s how we learn as a parents and how they learn to be a human being. There’ll always be confrontation and indecent material out there. It’s how to educate ourselves to educate our children that’s important. Take the lead, learn to fight, for yourself and your loved ones. No school, or Law maker or TV or internet knows better. So take the leash by the hand and hold on to it. They are your children, they are your loved ones.
Best of Luck. Peace. Love.

Movies on DVD

Well, what can I talk about today. I was watching some of my favourite video and I thought why not list some of the movie I like the most.
This won’t be the movies that usually prove to be popular blockbuster or OSCAR worthy, But they are some of the categories that’s in my heart the most amazing

Let’s start this with the Best movie of all time. Titanic. I know I know it’s cheesy. There are Scarface, there are Godfather, even Lord of the Rings. But let’s discuss about this. The idea is young, the story is old, it’s a love story, it’s an adventure movie, it’s a inspiring story, it’s beautifully done, it’s just the right size (the length of the movies wise.) healthy dose ticket sales. It’s even advance in visual effects and the cast fits the glove perfectly. Well, if most of you kids out there have no idea what the story is about. It’s about the largest ship ever build in the 1920’s where it sank on it’s maiden voyage from England to America near the north pole. Depicting the story underlying story line is a humane story of all the passenger that either survive the crash or sacrifice during the endeavour. And the main story is not exactly the sinking of the ship. It’s the story of two different people from 2 very different world when human are still divided into classes. So the lame story line and also the most amazing story is that they fall in love and the experience the love forever changes the life of this two person.

Well, the best fantasy movie I’ll give that to The Never Ending story. HAHA! Most of you will never agree with this one because it is the story of my time. and many youngster now have no idea this story ever existed. One indicator that the producer might wanna remake it HAHA! Anyway this is one story that actually teaches me how to read and imagine. The fun of reading a book. A child brought a book back from a book store. The never ending story is the title. Simple enough. and yet it’s a magical story book that literally unfolds when you read it. it is not a book written before you read it. it is a story that is written by the kid’s own imagination. So it’s a story of good and evil while the evil is taking over the world in the book. Disaster also started to appear in the real world. At the end of the story, it’s either the children save the world in the book or we’ll all die with it. Yet what makes it special it the character of the book. The Indian, the flying fluffy dragon, the child-like empress the connection between the kid and them all.

The ultimate adventure movie is The Goonies of course. HAHA! Well, again another really old story. The Coreys will sure remember this one. It’s about a bunch of kids that found a map and when they thought it’s a treasure map it leads them from the suburb to the cave and chase by a bunch of... kind hearted bad ass. They in the end found the real treasure. The 16th century pirate’s ship.

Next the Best animal story is Free Willy. I think this one I would have no one to argue with me. You might say lessie or homeward bound. But that’s just it, you got too many dogs and cats and horses. You ever seen an orca? A real live one? And the actor actually got to be in the same frame with one. That’s awesome and the one and only. So Willy is the whale, the orca, being captive in a pool in the amusement park and in the end the own try to kill him with by damaging the pool and claim for insurance and so the Kid, try to save Willy and free him to his family.

Well, kids story aside. The best literature adaptation and longest fantasy movie will be The Lord of the Rings. I love the story, I love the created culture and language of the movie. The ultimate fantasy movie of all fantasy, written and publish as 6 books in the beginning, then made into 3 movies that ‘s meant to be watched in one shot. (watch the complete version please. 12 hours is not such a big deal really. ) Anyway, you got human, dwarves, elves, dragon, horses, orgs, all of that comes into line. Which tell a story of friendship, forge and broken, sacrifices and glory, evils and good. It’s just the most complete story. Male essential though because the love story between men in war are not things that mix and so it’s kept in minimal.

The best sci-fi story of all time. the Abyss is my pick. There’s a lot. But this is mine. Simply because I like the spookiness and the conspiracy. It’s out there but it’s not really said out loud. I love the under sea theme, the inner terrestrial being and their ships. And the almost disaster movie cum aliens story.

The best monster movies to me is Aliens. Definitely. What could be more monster like and more remotely monstrous than that? You go into out of space. Meet hostile aliens and you try to kill them all.






However the Best Alien movie to me is E.T. which I'd say is the Best Kids movie as well. you might say that I'm old minded. But Kids if you don't start them with something bad I figure there's good that will shines out. E.T. a kid who find a friend in an alien. and it suggest the possibility that not all aliens life form are a threats to earthlings or treatens to kill us all all the time. just alike people from different culture which we do not understand, or people with different ideology. there are millions and millions of people and no matter how you want them to conform you can't. there's no reason to force them to either. because they could bring something different or even better to you.


Best action movie will be either Matrix or Speed. Both have great action and one is realistic and heart pounding. The other is..... lets say the sci-fi version of what a special effected action movie should be like. State the obvious and move to the action. The ultimate play ground for an action movie matrix is. Because you simply play with everything. Fresh, new, unchartered territory and totally handsome.

The Best Disaster story. My pick will be Deep Impact. The one Elijah Wood is in. Not the kick boxing or the other kung fu fighting soldier, 2nd rated movie. Why not Armageddon you ask. Well I know that Armageddon made most of the big screen idol today we have. But one thing that it’s lack of is the real story behind all normal people, when disaster strikes. Not just focus on some 2-5 heroes. So the movie may not help the fame or name of the actor work on it. but the story telling of how ordinary people can do great things too. Out of love and humanity.
Well Comedy and Scary movies, 2 of the category that I actual watch the least. Comedy is because I’m pretty uptight. There I said it. HAHA! I was. And I don’t really laugh at any funny movie. Or Maybe it’s because I watch too many I Love Lucy in the old days that I have very little left for the comedy today. I’ll tell you who is the comedian I love the most. Whoopi and Robin William.

The silly comedy I choose Mrs. Doubtfire, for the smart comedy I’ll take The Truman Show. I’d have choose The Mask if the really silly movie is not taken. But The Truman show, the movie that actually started the whole reality show trend and sticked the idea into the producer’s mind. Must be mentioned. It's the first ever movie that talks about millions of camera onto one person's life in a studio. and so it's far more nutshell than anyone would have thought. and the movie end with Truman leaving the studio and start and new life (real life).







Oh! Scary movie, I’d take I Know What You Did Last Summer. I’m the teen then you can’t blame me.

The Best musical, must be the Sound of Music. I doubt anyone that really have watched a musical have not seen this one.

Oh the all time out of space movie for me definitely is Star Wars. You can’t beat an original script like that.


And the Best superhero movie is.... Superman. I’m embarrass to admit it. Now you know my sexuality..... NAH. Just kidding. Man who wears his underwear on the outside is not such a big deal. Silly sometimes. But not really that big a deal. Just that as I mention, when I’m young the cinema at the back of my house is still operating, they bought the showing rights of all superman movies. Back when they are still using film. So when they didn’t book any movie for the week, they have these discounted shows of the superman movies at 20-50 cents a show. So I go watch all the time and in the end it stuck and never came out. LOL! Though I’m not really that into Christopher Reeves. But he is a great person, in real life. Shown how a superman should be like in real life truly. Anyway, that was my first superhero. probably my first movie even. I can't remember.





But one I do remember if Gandhi. This is my pick for the best historic biography movie. not that I've ever really finish watching it. I'd have selected Schindler list for my own generation's pick. but this one is the first that got to me. Back when it's showing. I use to go watch it. then go back home to take my bath and take a nap half way and then go back to catch some more of it. that's how long the movie felt to me. So I've never really watched it one shot through. even until now I still haven't have the courage to actually buy it and watch the whole story on DVD. reason probably it's too much of a memory to me and to me the peaceful mind or my mind's way of peaceful protest is sleeping. HAHA!





Well, if you are looking for some great DVDs and haven't got any of the above you must check these out then.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Pure Legend

I was pretty into the whole greatest hits collection this month.
Just got my hand on some of the greatest artist that I’ve admire for ages and no chance to really get my hand on their CD.
The one that I’m really into right now is Bonnie Raitt, Tim McGraw, Aretha Franklin, Donna Summer and the true survivor of the music industry. Ms Madonna.

I’ve only known Bonnie Raitt after she is half retired and when I’m started to get into the whole music thing. And the first time I saw Ms Bonnie perform in the Grammy’s with some other guest performers. The collaboration is simply perfect. And throughout the years and decades past whenever once a year or so the performance is topped with another even better duet or collaboration. I’m just amaze and really admire this woman on the guitar. She is just the legend and the best musician out there. To have seen all her works on songs that’s not even hers. So I decided to get her songs and see what a great musician she is before I learned of her. And the experience is somewhat ecstatic. Because in a greatest hits collection you’ll get the best of every year the person is in the business and you get the really young version of some of the pretty well-known songs and you go like, OH that’s how she started and now.... it’s a really big gap sometimes. Still it remains a great experience to see how such legend came to be.

Mr. Tim McGraw, came along when I was really into another legend, Garth Brooks. I can’t talk about Tim without mentioning Garth. At the time I thought they are rivalry. As I learn later there’s no such thing in an life experience that’s gonna have such Drama that could last for a long time. and even if there’s one ever. 2 of the greatest country singer in the world today surprisingly, I only have their wives CD on my collection all this while. HAHA! (Garth has too many great songs to begin with so I give up on getting one and decided I’ll get the 5 disc collection when I have the chance. And for Tim now only I got my hand on a released collection.) I’m never a big fan of hits collection, I’m more of an album and evolution interested guy. Anyway, Tim, Oh! How we talk about Tim. The Sexiest Man Alive? The Singer Turn Actor Turn Singer that really turns head? In reality, in the midst of my confusion in the old days. I’ve listened to more of Tim’s songs than Garth. Because by the time I really sink my teeth into the who art, Garth is already a legend and before I really get on him, he’s already moving on to leaving the scene. Yet Tim just start to make it and I was on the same plain with him then. So I was very very into this person who have that great country sound and embrace and iconize the whole country music stream for me. So he is the one, my first country male singer. (Sorry ZZ Top and Brooks and Dunn, you guys are still my first country group.)

On the side note strangely enough my first country female singer isn’t even one, Bette Midler. Well, who can ever resist the ultimate muse of the industry. Not because she’s into it all, not because she’s in movie more than music. My heart is taken then and there the first day I heard Bette Midler and that personality. Her voice is majestic and yet her humor and demeanour is totally down to earth and very approachable, even for a young kids living on the other side of the earth. She is the wind beneath my wings.

Anyway, talk about goddess and royalty, who could ever compare to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Each growl, each notes, each shout, each sweet rendition is so full of soul that you simply lifted up to the sky. And with every sound of her voice, she does demands respect and you’d not dare to defies it. It is simply a joy and exciting experience to see such legend working the natural God given cords. Every sound that comes out of the Queen’s voice are just Angel trumpet sounding on top of Mount of Olympus.

The first disco sound I’ve ever heard even before I got my own CD is this person’s. Back when I was just 5 and my dad still have a cassette stereo and the huge Cassette player in our old car. My dad use to let us dance to the songs in the house. Donna Summer, the first ever dancing Queen, My ultimate Disco Diva, my first music that got my feet moving to a real beat. Miss Donna Summer, I don’t care whatever other people said. Even if it meant just one songs, you are my first ever Goddess that have guide me the way to move my feet with my heart. I salute you.

Well, Madonna. The one person that can actually get my mom talking about something remotely related to music and the entertainment industry. HAHA! Since the start of Material girl, my mom was like this is a plague. HAHA! Funny enough back then when fashion is about shoulder pad and totally big, huge design and only this glamorous is on the runway and never translate to the street but the high shoulder. It’s really funny to see woman then to imitate her yet fear that people will know that they are. Anyway, it’s been a great experience to go through life seeing one person going for rag to riches to rag and back into riches and then something else. Something that’s totally out of any category and became her own. She is the ultimate survivor and most notorious trendsetter the world ever has and most likely will ever see. She is the first ever girl power.

Movie vs the Summer Games


Well on the movie Scene this week.
With the Olympics looming in the air, it seems that the movie producer have scattered and left the hottest month of the year to the Olympians.
This week opening today will be the new and Chinese culture infused The Mummy 3 – Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
It’s still starring the humorous Brendan Fraser, who this year alone had and will be adding up to 4 movies on the movie board. An impressive line up in a year for one A- listed actor, though he had been missing for quite sometimes now.
Anyhow the movie also starring Jet Li, who was thought to be retiring into his charity work but I’ve seen so much more of him than any other Chinese actor this year.
And of course not to forget Datuk Michelle Yeoh, if some of the US peep don’t know what “Datuk” means, it’s something like Lord or Knight in England.
Now all jokes aside, the movie is actually pretty good. I’m not sure how the visual effect is going to be. But I believe the storyline is good enough. With one of the main character played by newcomer Luke Ford as Brendan’s son, though Brendan looks like he’s not really a father with such a son that old. Luke played a pretty convincing role. Anyway before the movie cool comes before the games, you might wanna catch this last breeze of summer Blockbuster. So enjoy the same excitement you have for the last 2 movies. But I’m pretty sure you’ll miss Rachel Weiss present in the series.


It seems that The Dark Knight is riding the Bat-mobile pretty well this year. Everybody is still flocking to watch the Dark Crusader this week, making it the fastest rising movie to hit 300 Million in 10 days. While people are not bothered by the long 3 hours show, like me, I guess it’s really possible that the ensemble will be riding straight into the OSCAR hall. Let’s keep the finger cross.


While we have not gone out of the subject I’d like to give a shout out to all the Olympians who are now in the stadium of China now. Best of Luck guys.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Strange and stranger vs SEX

In my regular summer movie run out, I was unaware this week is going to be a reminiscent of old times.

I walk into the theatre knowing that I’m gonna go for the X-File. It’s apparent nowadays the audience is far more tolerance to anything strange in this world.
In the old days, we are far too innocent and ignorant. Area 51, anything strange like the Fly or shape changelings are all new ideas and strange to the audience to watch in TV and even Movies. But after the culturing of the TV series for years and the advancement of the movies these days, this trip proves to be one those that’s only to remind us of the good old times, when dark movies are only about the story and not the cinematography. When the first moon start and the first sound of the shows signature opening music, it’s set, that the audience is on a ride down memory lane. There’s no exchange of surprises. Just a lot common nodding of the plot, and “so that’s how it is”. I’m not exactly the fan of the first movie because it’s hanging in the air because you need to know the series to know the going of it then. But this time, everything has settled in, every dust is on the ground after almost a decade of waiting. It’s more satisfying to see Scully and Molder together, 2 of the most celebrated character ever again duelling it out on the screen. A simple nod from everyone in the cinema in the middle of the show and then at the end some “Oh!”s that signified an understanding from all the audiences. It’s hard to not realise that at the end of the movie, X-File was and still is one of the most celebrated show on TV. It is it’s first. Original and never before still now have there be a show with such material around 2 character that have the same chemistry and excitement that could compare. Not yet that is. Which makes you wonder will there ever going to be a revival of the series. But it is at the end about Mulder and Scully that makes it work. It won’t be a success otherwise. The audience knows it by heart and so do the producers.


And accidentally, I was off to another mall after the movie. I thought I’m gonna be going for a comfort stroll and buy some stuff. Instead I just can’t seem to stop passing by the cinema and the bookshop is closed for renovation. With not my usual coffee shop where I can go and have my usual coffee and read my new book. I just thought why not. I just gone in a bought the ticket to a movie that I know will be cut into pieces by the censorship. Sex and the City. Another TV series turn movie. Now this one is a totally different story when you go into the cinema. On the notion that almost half of the people going in don’t know about the show or love it. (most of the audience here have no idea what the movie is about because the TV doesn’t have the final run of the show on television because of the material not going through censorship for TV.) Some goes in because of ladies, some for simply the word sex and some simply don’t know what they are into. So when the show start, we are already seeing people leaving their seats when the pink started. While we who have watched the show religiously over the past decade, know exactly where to laugh, how to laugh and sad for Samantha’s breakup and Big’s and Steve’s betrayal, one third of the audience have already left with the cancelation of the wedding. I guess guys just can’t really stand the pressure of the commitment and don’t understand why they are so upset and think it’s simply too chicky or boring. I’m even hearing a gentleman at the back of the row snoring by the time the ladies in Mexico.... of course there’s no doubt that the ladies still look as good as ever. Cleverly covering a lot of the signs of revealing veins and visibly there’s hardly any wrinkle. It’s a the triumphant cry for the ladies who still lunch in NYC. The last word is truly true “Oh! Since when did we forgot about the Cosmopolitan?”. All of the humor and the anguish and the writing is still heartfelt, just like every good script and plot that comes in. It is still the best ladies show on earth.


Green is the New Sexy




Well I think it’s time to renew one of my vows to be green.
Well you guys have heard about it all. I just realise there’s only a few ingredients we need for all domestic cleaning purposes. What you need is vinegar, baking powder, lemon(for both cleaning effects and the good smell), and soap (organic preferably and less usage as possible). You can clean anything with vinegar and baking powder and water mixture really, even the insecticide on vege and fruits. And if you prefer to get rid of the smell of vinegar, then let in a few drops of lemon. There you have something that’s ever so friendly to the earth and effective too and most probably much cheaper than most of the over the counter cleaning solution really. Try it out. I did. Just remember not to use soap on anything that’s you are going to eat.
Besides that something else you can just do is that buy a water bottle and not mineral water. One you are creating plastic waste, even if it is one bottle a day, that’s still one bottle. And there’s the hygiene and plastic tocsin release from refilled plastic bottle. So it’s easier to just get rid of it one and for all and just use a better bottle. As for plastic bag, if you must ask for paper or bring your own none plastic bags for shopping. Just put it into your handbag.
Then one more things that‘s beneficial both financially and eco-friendly is changing one light bulb at a time. change to energy saving light bulb, because one light bulb may cost 5 dollars more but in one month you’ll get it back from the electric bills and it last at least twice as long as the usual one. Of course on the energy saving side, it’s always a good trick to adjust 2 degree higher on your air-con.
And for health reason, and a little bit of eco-friendliness, look for organic food. You’d get less harmful chemical in those products, I mean in all eatable product try to look for that and the less we demand it the less people are going to use it. it’s a bit more expensive, but my thought is it’d do good on my health bill if I don’t get my body sick more, and I sure don’t mind a better and longer life.

Life in retirement else where


A couple of days ago I was watching the news that they did a story about a couple of retired foreigners living in Malaysia. It got me wondering, how much do we need to actually retire?
So it got me thinking and I start punching the numbers in my mind. For a normal American to be living in U.S.A. without saving for a Ruth 101, you may not have enough to stay in America, because of the Health Insurance and all. But if you have retired, that means you’ll have life support every month, which will not be enough to cover even your daily expenses.
Maybe if you are staying in a expensive area, you might want to consider to move to a place that’s less expenses, on rent or real estate or food or gas. Well, gas you can’t escape if you still stay in America. Go inland. Be creative. Live in the suburb than the city. Half an hour to the city isn’t really that far.
Have you ever consider staying outside of America? Canada, Australia and Europe is a bit too expensive, but why not consider India and South East Asia.
Though India may be too crowded.
Well, why not Malaysia? It dawn on me really when the news feature is about the couple in Malaysia.
Here we have newspaper in 4 languages, with English, Malays, Chinese and Indians in all news booth. There’s McDonalds and KFC and even Kenny Rogers and Starbucks in every major city. If you are living in the suburb the rent is only less than 100 bucks and most area in the cities won’t go higher than 300 Bucks a month. We have the widest Broadband coverage with easy access in almost everywhere. That’s including even the smallest villages, because it’s run by the telephone company, as long as there is telephone line running in the area you can apply for the access, which is only 20 bucks a month. The only reason there’s at least 35% of the locals don’t have access to the broadband internet is because they are old folks who are not computer literate. So all children and adults he have enough coverage for broadband access really and You can video conference with your family abroad all you want. Other than that we also have satellite cable, which at the cheapest package at less than 20 bucks a month, the highest won’t even get over 50 bucks. You can get all the latest news and tv cable channels you are getting in the US. Well, besides that with the high gas prices, the Gasoline prices here is less than 30 bucks a gas tank. If you are like me who like to go about a bit a week you may need only 30 bucks. Of course, the most important thing is the normal stuff. Food are not really that pricy. Food at most of the food stall here is about 1-3 bucks a meal per person. Most stall are within walking distance. And you can choose from the most tasty and original, Chinese, Indian, Malays and fusion food. As I say fast food are available in most mainstreet. Western are available in most food stall if not all at a higher price, about 4 bucks a main meal. For gourmet food there are plenty middle priced food less than 10 bucks a meal. There’s plenty to choose from. But if you choose to cook at home like me, you can get the vege and meat from most market. Vege is at about 30 – 50 cents a kilo and meat are a bit higher, about 3-5 bucks per kilo. It’s cheap. I bought my grocery with less than 10 bucks a person for one week’s worth of food. And with chocolate or ice cream or pasta may reach 15-20 bucks a week max. It’s really affordable. And you can get all foreign or tropical fruit at less than a quarter of the price you paid for in US.
All together every month you only need around 300-500 bucks depending on how much you need to travel or eat, that’s including unlimited cable and internet access and a family packaged cell phone.
That’s cheap enough for me. And if you are worrying about healthcare, there’s clinics at almost every block of the city and every suburb, who pay house call. There’s no high rise healthcare insurance premium every month, and if you want to get one you can at your own will. Every trip to a normal clinic for normal diseases like a sick stomach, flu or fever would only cost about 10 bucks at most. That’s including one week’s worth of prescriptions filled. So there’s no reason to worry. The most expensive only happen in specialist hospital which may cost about 100 bucks a night. Government hospital is a bit packed but it’s free.
Oh! One more reason to stay in Malaysia is that Asian country’s bank gives the highest interest rate in the world. If you have a saving of close to 300 thousand, the monthly interest alone is enough to support a modest life here in Malaysia, and I mean not one penny you need to lose every month you can survive here. That’s a really good deal after my calculation. If you have a million bucks or even 500 thousand you can already feed a family of 3, including the kid’s formula, tuition funds and everything, with just the interest rate from the bank. So can you imagine that? You don’t have to work. Imagine if one of you can get a part time job? You can live like a king really.
I just thought if you really are fearing your world might collapse holding around 500 thousand in your retirement fund and don’t know what to do with it. Maybe moving to a foreign country could be one of the option.
One more thing if you are worrying about political instability. If you are not in the Capital central every hour of the day, you can hardly feel the pinch. Political discussions are pretty private. And most political games are played by the politics not the common citizen. And Malaysia besides the drama that the politician are playing in the media. The normal citizen sadly/ or should say are gladly not to be included actively, there’s hardly any effect on the normal living lifestyle of the normal citizens.
Not to mention, that we have some of the beautiful beaches. Oh! Beaches area are mostly village and not consider city area. If you live like 10 miles from the beach, you’ll be in some of the cheapest suburb in the area. And the cheapness is not because it’s not safe to live. It’s just cheap compare to US standard it’s middle class to Malaysian standard. And some of the most amazing malls, and one more fact is that we have the most sophisticated Cineplex at only 3 bucks a tickets. Cheapest even in Asian standard. So here you have it, why I’m such a movie and TV buff. As for the music side, that ‘s my interest. The textile and CDs and DVDs product tax are a bit high here. Yet still the price is almost the same as American and lower than European, only we are not the cheapest in Asia.
So if anyone of you are looking for a good trip here. Give me a call. I rent a whole apartment at only 100 bucks a month with 3 rooms and 3 bathroom so it’s comfortable. Only an hour drive from the nation capital. And trust me even if you are a bit celebrity in America, they hardly notice you if you are not on a promo tour. Who’d believe that a celebrity would go out to the mall with a normal dude? HAHA! Well anyway if anyone does realise you can simply come back to my peaceful apartment or just hop on the next plane home, it’s just 30 min drive from where I am. But I’d probably skip you 2 my home town where there’s even less media and celebrity doob people there. It’s more like a small, really small town with about 2000 people minding there own peaceful everyday life. Asian local are pretty free spirited and none of those celebrity drama, unless you are in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, where it’s so small and you have no where to escape. Malaysia, it’s small enough to go everywhere in a week, big enough to have plenty of geographic and locale buffer, it’s progress enough that transportation is just one carpool or bus ride away and it’s modern enough that you can get the comfort of every normal things and beyond in technology you all have in U.S.A. Our villages and small island villages have even better access to Broadband and Satellite television than the cities. So you can imagine, we are no less knowledgable than any people around the world or developed country. In some way we may have more, just that the general funding pool and income per capita here in comparison might be lower than the western and the Down Under. Which is a perfect place for high income per capita country’s people to stay in if they have enough and no need to work anymore or have less worries.
We have the most advance and largest indoor rock climbing facility in Asia and second in Karaoke facility than those in Japan I think. There are still plenty of fitness and yoga facility here and dance studio is a sport here. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it here. For about a couple of month that is before you get bored HAHA!

Life and probability


I was watching this show on TV the other day called Million 2 One, and I thought it’d be nice to write a piece about probability and life.
Here’s one interesting fact, here’s a reason why we shouldn’t live life trying to please everyone. Even a presidential candidates who win the election with a majority votes of 55%, he/she would still have 45% of people that‘s not agreed with what he/she doing. So, we should instead just live our lives as it is. When we are doing something that’s agreeable of 99% of the people in the world there’s still that 1% that won’t agree with us. That’s 1% would represent the more than one million of people. That’s a lot. Yet still if we can get over that facts and just enjoy that even when the time is 0.1% of the population that would be fine. Because in the end it is ourselves living our own lives with the people we care about. And that is good enough even when it’s only 1%.
Another great Stat is that in the Games of a million to one, where there’s more than a million people playing, there’s bound to be one or two person that’s going to win the game at the end of the day. The game is called Life on Earth. So at the end of the day you either win or lose, and there’s going to be more than one game a day and we are bound to win one or two of them. That’s the story of life. One minute you win, one minute you lose. There’s more than one game and most of the time we might lose, but there’s no reason to be afraid or give up. We just hold on and stand back up, the next game there will be another chances.
Australia after newly 2 century got a taste of first snow again today. And people are snowboarding on snow with their wakeboard! LOL!
So have hope, have faith. And enjoy the ride. And it’s a beautiful and exciting one.

Friday, July 25, 2008

A few more stars is lost to the universe

"Last Lecture" Professor of Carnegie Mellon, Randy Pausch has passed away after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer. Our loving condolences to his family and friends.

Professor Randy have made a deep impact on a lot of people's lives in the past months after his video of his "Last Lecture" at Carnegie Melloe lecture hall surface on the internet. Millions of people have watched it. and millions of them are inspired to live. Death is nothing to be scared of. even when you are declared you will be. we all dies. Professor Randy a great researcher and a brilliant teacher, both in his own field and in life, teaches us one thing, you can die gracefully if not, peacefully or bravely. We still have our time on earth and it's that time we have that meant the most now if you know you have terminal deseases. So you make the best of it. or we should make the best of it every moment we lived. because we never know when we will die. tomorrow? maybe. enjoy the video and be inspired




** If you are unable to view the video here, you may search for it on any video channel online. I'd advice you watching the full 1 and a half hour lecture. If only my computer science lecturer is as cool as him. You'll learn a lot I assure you.




on one more note we'd like to pay tribute to the most loved Golden Girls, Estelle Getty who has passed away a few days back. we offer our deepest condolenzes to the family and friends.

Estelle is a true legend. she have passed so many laughter to the public. she is the angel. even so she is a comedian, she offers humor in the most dignifying ways a human being should. Here we salute The funniest lady in the world, Estelle Getty.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

What!? It's Hot.... It's summer



It’s official. The gold standard of all music entertainment magazine has declare the new boys band of the century. The New Hanson and maybe the new Bee Gee. Is......(drum roll please)....... The Jonas Brothers.
There’s no doubt now that the Jonas Brothers will be as big as any Boys Band gonna be and beyond.
This month issue of Rolling Stone have featured The Dynamic trio on the front page of the magazine and a full length features inside. Including some inkling of who is the ex and maybe the now new GF of Joe and Nick. ??! How come it’s always about the Eldest and the youngest? HAHA! Nope look closely. Joe is now all grown up and totally attractive. Yup, they are and they have out grown the teens period and now marching on into the tweens phase.
I’m sure that there will be more and more girls swarming into the concert hall and any cinema for the movie of these three heartthrobs and soon they will totally out sale Miley Cyrus..... Or will they? Anyway they are the highest selling boys band today no doubt. And they are sure to stay for a little while longer. And the music industry are keeping their finger cross on the next album. One advice for the bosses of the company is that it’s time to take it up a notch when you got into rolling stone and that cover shot is totally hot..... Well done to the photographer of catching this accidental shot.




While we are riding on the young angst of the teens. Even months before we are going into the summer. The hottest show this summer will definitely be Gossip Girl. For the show’s promo ride have already started and these days it seems the youngster are totally taking the lead in movie’s and tv’s box office. Well, the Gossip Girl by this time next year. I proclaim will be the most watched show. And 90210 though making a comeback, it’ll at most get only the head that gossip girl has this year. There’s no chance it’s gonna walk over this hot show. (that of course as always is yet to decide before the first punch is thrown.) Yet the first preview of Gossip Girl has already start cruising the circulation on both TV and internet and it’s Hotter than ever. One advice to the parents though, parent’s guidance is adviced........(Tacky! Tacky moves guys.) Enjoy this season’s teaser poster.



Well, What else is hot. According to this week's comic con. Wolverine and Twilight. You wonder what the buzz is about. One is the total Spin of of X-Men snd naturally it's appropriate to be in the Comic con Buzz center. and everyone is hype to know and see who's coming on board. which mutant is coming out this year and which is taken but how many great looking dude and gals. As far as we know. Gambit will finally be on the list, so do Sabertooth, there's Deadpool, Beak, Silver Fox and Lumberjack. wow it's a gathering really.



What about Twilight? OH! haven't you heard? the new Harry Potter? the new books that's taking over the abandoned fans of the magical world? They Witch and warlord clinging clan now have plunges straight on into the world of Vampire and a not so really normal human girl. Of course a beautiful and handsome cast won't hurt. Starring the once Harry Potter Star, Robert Pattinson. (here comes another heartthrob in the making.) and this one is totally a love story guys. it might get a bit chicky.



of course not to forget will be the G.I. Joe. and a not so hotly promoted Dark movie called The Day The Earth Stood Still. Keanu does what he does best. act in a action fantasy. this time another calls for the world to end in the hand of a alien invasion..... or something like it. Oh the robot alien are not quite like the old movie. silver with hands and legs and on beam of lazer eyes. this one is Keanu handsome face and still all human get crush by him/it.




surel action figure enthusias is already riding the G.I. Joe ride now. with the poster of all of the character out. Channing Tatum leading the good guys. and of course the ninjas and the cobra and the snakes will all be there. so join in the fun of it.


There you have it. We'll keep you up to date on further buzz.

** oh FYI, comic con is a million dollar business if not billion now a days and most of the top 10 highest paid movies are from this formerly Geek central. So don't judge.

Life and Books





Just finished the second book of the Inheritance trilogy, while people are contemplating on the failure or success of the first instalment of the movie, I’ve already begun my journey longer down the road and finish it and awaiting the last book to be released this year. At such a young age Christopher Paolini is a genius in his own write. For writing such amazing story at the age of 16 and now only 25 already getting his third book out. And it’ll sure to be a sold out straight away.
Anyway the Eragon saga will end for the literature world by the end of this year and it’s a shame that we can’t see the realisation of the whole saga in movies because of the box office. I do hope that one day we’ll get into it.
While we are talking about books, after finishing another fantasy I think it’s time to get back into my ”self preservation” projects. After finishing The Secret and A New Earth, the next most natural selection would surely be the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff collection.
I just want to say. The way I take the journey. I was dumb founded when I first started. Angry, frustrated, unsatisfied and not in a good sense at all. Then come The Secret. The arrangement of how these 3 books comes about to be is a miracle by itself. This which is a great blessing really.

First come the Secret, which smash this knuckle head of mind into realisation. So What is Law of Attraction (LOA)? It’s a simple concept that we attracted and is responsible for everything that comes our way. Not that we attract the death of other people, but we does create the reality of the event follow by it, the fear, anger and disappointment. It makes us be responsible for every action and thoughts we have and swipe away the fear, rage and doubt that slow us down in our reaction to the environment. It also eliminate the urge of worrying about the future and for it suggests that whatever we think about most affectionately will be a reality in the future. But there’s one catch. Most people don’t actually deal well with confrontation, self ego and fear. Though The Secret is a great hammer to smash all the doubt and worries, it doesn’t deal well with fear and the conscious or unconscious ego. In fact the way it come about it’s popularity is build on fear and greed on a certain level. It’s about what you want in life and actively attracting it with your thought. But you need to let go of the notion of time and how long it’s going to take to manifest. Which is pretty hard trick for people to master and in the end a lot of people may gone down with disappointment and manifested fear of losing.

Which is where should comes A New Earth. I knew from the start of the consciously or under the conscious I’m really self protected, with all the walls and the natural reaction to blame or get angry when things don’t goes as planned. A New Earth just brings everything and thought into one single point on the line. Not left, not right, not up, not down. Right in the centre of the point where we are NOW. A New Earth explains and help me how to deal with my mind and shift the consciousness of it from worries and fear and anger into the centre of myself at this moment. That is letting your consciousness accept the state of our situation, mind, mental, soul, the environment NOW as it is. Focus on the current state all of the aspect of it is NOW and then move on from there. Whenever we stray and wander, we remind ourselves and hold our ground back into the centre. Which is our own life NOW. While the LOA suggest we can only attracts whatever the situation is that’s came, coming or gonna come. It is all done in previous present and THE present moment. We are attracting it NOW with our action NOW. Which with that focus, and knowing what’s in our head and what it will bring. And then knowing that everything happens at this moment NOW. Not anything coming soon and what’s happen in the past that matters, you are more into yourself and what’s happening around us NOW, and we’ll be much more focus on whatever happening NOW. No fear, no doubt, no anger. Because we are centred and we start really living our lives. I’m not suggesting we throw away all of the emotion. They will still come when things or situation occurs. But without the confusion of the egoic mind and the out of control emotion. We can detect or get conscious about it at the point of it presents and start our conscious doing to hold or release it.

Which now comes to the third phase of the situation, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and It’s all Small Stuff, is the 2 rules that comes with the Third book by Richard Carlson. While we have certain consciousness of what’s we doing and attracting and what are our emotion are and how we are NOW. So what we should do when the times comes to really choose what’s really matters and what’s not. And what to hold and what to release. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff give us a good idea of the choice there is and how BIG they are really. It help you to choose. I don’t mean you must follow every rules that there is. Because in some other book I took it suggested the 100 rules to follow in a successful life. I don’t understand it then but now I do. You don’t really have to follow every rules that there is, for it’d be too overwhelming to monitor all that and follow all that every second of your life. Stress is not the end result we are looking for in life. Happiness is. So just relax, and go with the flow. And just relax and enjoy the ride. Though it is a roller coaster ride. Just like the detective of the CSI story, you still get tranquillity in all the chaos you just have to find the click and make the switch. So, all things are in cycle. When you are done with one stuff. Just move on then to the next projects and the cycle repeat. That is the Karma, that is reincarnation of life, that is what it all meant. We life only one life in one life time. that’s our and our own. No one can determine it for us let alone alter it. it’s ours to take. So take it. do what you want with it. Yet no one say that this one life should, will and must remain it’s current state now and in all logic suggest is that it won’t and it will. It won’t remain the same as it is when is start, it changes and revive and reincarnated over and over again from time to time and it’s a great and wonderful journey to move on, Life, Old, Sick, Die, that’s the four big stage, and when life begins and when Life ends we return to as we were when we come of being. Nothing but dust and wind. Nothing more and nothing less. Not even our skins or blood would carry any thing but a matter of going back to it’s origin, nature. That’s how beautiful life is. It’s not about fear or anger or sadness, it is a process, a journey and an experience, through which we go through as a Being, as ourselves.
As you may realise by now that all of the books talks about is about ourselves and ourselves alone. It’s not that the world revolves around your, it’s self centred in the sense that the world in not out there. The world evolves inside of you. It’s not out there and hard to grasp. It’s in all of us, we are the centre. And when everything happens if the world outside, the connection related to our inner consciousness. So it is our own world. It is self centred in a good way. And everything that’s coming from the outside, be it complains or attacks it is merely a small stuff for it is the ego of the people retaliating to your being. See the truth, see what’s truly you have done. Feel every emotion with every fibre of your being, experience what Life brings. Without prejudice, without doubt, without fear and without lost minded simple negative reaction to another simple unintentional stupid reaction of an unconscious auto-piloted being.
Here I hope that everyone would get something from this article and truly start living your life truly as it is and realise how beautiful it is.


I'm not Enlightened. For Life is not yet finish for me. I will be when my journey end. en-light-en.


NOW it's simply lighter...
Best of Luck to all of you.
Love.
Peace.