Errr.. I can't hear the word beer?

I was listening to the radio as usual, Hitz.fm on my way back from work. So happen the latest hit song "If I were a boy" by Beyonce, that I realized that something was amiss. I heard the song at one time with something "silent" out, and on the second time I heard it it confirmed my suspicion; they silented the word BEER!!!

It was something like " go out drinking ....... with the guys".

Gosh, are the sensors so protective that they assume ppl will drink beer after listening to beer? Its not like she sang that she will go drink Clasberg, Iceberg, Anchor, VB or Budweiser, it is just the word beer!!!

Another reason NOT to buy ORI or local version. Better download at this rate.

Year End Wedding (my cousin's)

Yesterday was my cousin's wedding whereby my cousin was the bride. So naturally my family was at her house to welcome her future husband when he come to collect her in the morning. The usual procedure is that the groom comes, tips the person to open the door, tip the house (parents, sisters, friends guarding the door), meets up with his bride, offer tea to the bride's relatives (unhygienic as they use the same cup for the tea ceremony, can't they use disposable colored cups), then off they are on their way to the groom's house.

But unfortunately for the groom, the bride's friends has a little bit too much time on their hands. Instead of asking the groom for more money and tips, they made him and his friends so some time wasteful stuff.

Basically it was like this:-
1) Groom arrives, unfortunately due to lack of coordination from the bride's friends, made him wait out in the car for a while so that they can get the stuff awaiting him ready. Booboo 1: They should let the groom in as soon as possible and not wait outside in his car.

2) They want the groom and his friends to do some "chores". They even came out with a list of stuff the groom have to do b4 he can enter. The chores are:-
a) Eating some food blind folded and with hands tied. Very bad since the groom is already dress up nicely and done his hair etc. Also you let him eat some food might cause him to have stomach upsets on his biggest day ever.
b) Brushing teeth with wasabi... which made him cry and his eyes red. YOU WANT HIM TO SEE THE BRIDE LIKE THIS?
c) One guy lie down on the floor, banana in the mouth, and the groom has to eat that banana. AGAIN, THE GROOM HAS DRESSED UP NICELY AND YOU WANT TO RUINED HIS SUIT?
d) Give big fat ang pow to the groom's torturer's, which was ok, till they counted EVERY FRICKING SEN INSIDE THE ANG POW. LADIES, THE ANG POW IS MEANT AS A SYMBOLIC GIFT, NOT YOUR INCOME!!! EVEN THEN IT IS TO THE BRIDE!!! THEY EVEN COMPLAINED IT HAS TOO MANY COINS (which the bridegroom mentioned, want it to be 8.88)

3) They ask him some questions like:-
a) when was their 1st date (wow, can remember, even I dunno when)
b) Time and location where they propose
c) How to write the bride's name in chinese (I will kalah teruk this one, as even I can't write my name in chinese)
d) How many molds does the bride have (errr..... what about areas I can only see AFTER the wedding night?)

So it took 1 hr from the car to the bride's room, at which point the groom is sweating a BIG river in his best suit of his life.

My parents were not amused at the bride's friends antics, as during their time it was short and simple and none of this nonsense, which I think it true since weddings are supposed to be simple and not to squeeze the groom dry. Ladies, the more you go on like this, the more we are reluctant to marry you (well, not that it matter anyway, since this is the age of the Alpha-female). This is one chinese custom I am willing to omit and let go.

It really did not help that during the wedding dinner the bride's friends jokingly said that the ang pow collected is enough to cover the wedding! Again in extremely bad taste. I know they did not count every sen, but certain things are better left not said. Well I guess such things are funny to accountants since my cousin is an accountant and her organizers are from the same university.

So all the guys out there, better negotiate with your future wife on how you gonna pick her up on your wedding day, otherwise you will kena tortured like the above!

Merry Christmas!!

Its time of the year again! Where there are Christmas trees decorated and carols blasting from the speakers everywhere!

Merry Christmas EVERYONE!!

Yes, that is Santa sitting next to the Christmas tree!

Arrgh!

Ever encounter a situation like this?

You spent the entire morning preparing your materials to meet your client, only at the last minute your senior comes in, have a look at have you have prepared, only to say that you should add in this and that or you miss out something?

Well when you are new this always kinda happens since you dun know what is required or simply dun know what you ought to do (which unfortunately this can only be learned by experience lol). However when you realized what's lacking it really makes you wanna scream "AARRRGGHHHHHH~!!!!!"

Other than that, had the usual lazing and digging up the store during Hari Raya Haji weekend. Miss those days where I had more toys in better condition that it is now. Among the toys I used to have:
Lego sets, ranging from Airport to Parking Garage with elevator
Matchbox cars, lots of it with some HoT wheels, Tomicas and Majorettes and Corgis as well as Cap Ayam brands.
Micro Machines playset, got toolbox, carwash, bridge, motel, quarry, train and aircraft carrier

and basically those were the big 3 types of toys which I remembered having the most nostalgic value. They simply DUN MAKE TOYS LIKE THEY USED TO.

Micro machines> small and easily chokable. Lawyers today are too free. Or many too labor intensive.
Lego> Not as detailed as last time, and alot of unique pieces. Look at the airport set of today against the one from the 1980s, the old one is WAY BETTER.
MB> Bought over by MATTEL, heresy to the MB brand

And dun get me started on cartoons (good old days where ppl shoot each other with guns are long gone).

Of course during the whole weekend I was thinking, I really ought to be going out with someone :(

Vintage Tomica Tomy Die-cast car

Taking advantage of the slightly long holiday, I decided to dig up my store to see my die-cast cars which I used to play years ago (and extinguish the nagging feeling of "where the heck is everything?").

What I found brought back some nostalgia to me, but I was surprised that even back in the 1984-1990, I had a few Tomicas in my collection!

But unfortunately they were bought back then, I used to PLAY with them instead of collecting them. Play = treat them like toys. Collecting = treat them like collectables, keeping the paint mint, the box intact etc.

Anyway, these toys have come a long way since then and somehow it is still playable, although they are paint is worn off and some parts are missing :)

There are 5 tomicas I have here:-

• Toyota Celica XX 2800GT
• Nissan Caravan Ambulance
• Nissan Diesel Truck Crane
• Big Rig Racer
• Moon Craft Special
  

Toyota Celica




Nissan Ambulance




Nissan Diesel Crane



Big Rig Racer




Moon Craft Special



So will these toys live up till the day my cucu-cicik be able to play/collect it? Well judging from how intact it is (except the paintwork), I believe it could tahan until then.

The best part was that I DID NOT EVEN KNOW I HAD VINTAGE TOMICAS UNTIL TODAY!! Hey as a kid I only know Matchbox and Hot Wheels, but never in my mind it occur to me it there were Tomicas!!!

BEWARE OF WHEN RECEIVING MSN PMs!

Was listening to music from my computer when an msn pm arrive from someone in my contact list. Hmmm she rarely MSN me b4. So I decided to have a look at the pm.



Looks like a message from her. But something just isn't right. I know her not that well but I suspect something is not right coz:-
1) I heard she dun like to go clubbing, so its odd for her to have party photos (from her blog somemore she is working her socks off)
2) Even then she is not the type to share photos
3) We are not VERY close friends, not even in her click
4) Why is her photo account using my MSN nick ljm16? Shouldn't it be her msn account?
5) Some really unknown website, unlike photobucket/flicker/imageshack
6) Plus she is offline

I really felt something is not right with this message. This is not the first type of message coming from her account. Previously alot of other similar type of message coming from her, but maybe just the usual spam.

So I decided to click the link mentioned and see what the website show. I was expecting some porn website, since it has such a suggestive message.



You will come to a page asking for your msn nick and password. Which to me is weird coz PHOTOS SITES such as Photobucket/Flicker WILL NEVER ASK FOR YOU MSN account or password to VIEW the stuff. Unless the user set a password, which is 100% not tied to your msn account.

True enough, a simple google of "cefcell.com" reveals this page.



SO please, if you receive any MSN from me, or anyone from that matter, PLS BE ALERT. My MSN nick is quite common and worth alot (ljm16), so there could easily be alot of impostors out there. ALWAYS SPY-CHECK! (like in Team Fortress2)

Red Alert 3

Been playing the newest Red Alert recently, Red Alert 3. Graphically it is wayy more superior than the previous versions. Since they added more naval warfare into this game, they made the water effects extremely nice to look at, with reflections of the units on the water.

The story is wayy over the top this time around. Red Alert 1has a more serious tone to the units and story took a slightly more realistic path with units based on their real-life counterparts. Red Alert 2 was slightly wacky, with its expansion going wayy over the top with flying saucers, giant brain on treads and mind controlling botak fellas.

Red Alert 3 throws everything out of the window. Its so over the top that EA decided to make it more like Boob/Playboy Alert 3 with the more female characters and cleavage. The hero for Allies, Tanya, is now a blond, which unfortunately as expected from a blond, isn't that very good in the game. Previous Tanyas from RA1 and RA2 can mow down infantry like a giant lawnmover. This Tanya lacks range to kill infantry and can be killed by even a big group of conscripts. Last time Tanya range is wayy more than normal infantry range, hence can mow down infantry which is what she excels at.

Other than that, the units are also bizarre or copied from elsewhere. The developers really took their imagination way ahead than any sane designer would do. The most ridiculous is the Japanese Hero unit which is a ..... school girl. NO JOKE!!! Geezz you think they would think of a more crazier unit.

Anyway:-
Mecha tengu = Macross veritech with gerwalk and jet mode
King Oni = Giant Gundam
Athena cannon = Take the Hammer of Dawn from Gears of War and make it a giant trailer
Mirage Tank = Mirage tank and prism tank in one, but with less range.
Dolphins = Like in RA2
War Bears = War Bears that can attack ppl

Ok, there is alot of units, but if you think EA did a QC check before shipping the game, you are wrong. The game is buggy out of the box. Luckily mine is ori so can patch it up and now it is running ok.

The problem when you play it for the 1st time is that the game will try to access the EA site to check for updates, hence freezing up the main menu. I solve the problem by literally pulling my LAN cable out of my pc, to stop it from connecting to the internet. Makes you think if they did it on purpose....

Anyway the game is quite simply, WHY SO SERIOUS?

Unlike other serious game like World in Conflict, which other game got gerwalks? Might be cartoony to some ppl though, hence it is sometimes called Toy Alert 3.

Some Lego I want

I always liked Legos. Especially the ones where there are big, complex, expensive and quite unlikely your parents will buy it for you if you ask for it.

So when I saw the latest Clone Wars stuff from Lego, I kinda like the Clone Republic Gunship. Its big, has lots of stuff and unfortunately, overpriced. Here it costs a WHOPPING RM 800 (or 799.9999999999). I could have sworn I saw it costing SING 199.90 when I was in Singapore (or was it? cannot remember). Converted to Ringgit, even if it is SING 1 = RM 2.50 it is still less than RM 500!!! Tempted to get one, but after seeing how overpriced this thing in M'sia (like CBU/CKD/any car here), potong stim to get it. Available funds I have, but too much to buy over a short period of time, so buying one of these will easily blow 2-3 months allocation for "other stuff". And by the time Masterpiece Grimlock arrive which will cost more than this thing I think got no money left :P

Some pictures of it.




The one available is the second version after the Episode 2 version shown below.

The vista isn't fully clear.

On the online dictionary, vista means:-

–noun

1.	a view or prospect, esp. one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage, as between rows of trees or houses.

2.	such an avenue or passage, esp. when formally planned.

3.	a far-reaching mental view: vistas of the future.

sauce:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vista

But on my computer, Vista is an operating system from Microsoft which installed when I bought it. Since my pc is a new pc and is capable to run Vista, plus a graphic crad which utilizes Vista's Direct X 10, I decided to install Vista Premium with almost all the fancy bells and whistles. Vista Ultimate was in a way, overpriced.

Anyway, like the title, the vista isn't fully clear.

Some wierd things about Vista:-
1) I have to DISABLE the firewall that it came with so that Windows update can contact its server. You heard it right, I have to off Windows Firewall coz W. Firewall is blocking Windows update and W. Update cannot contact server. To think that both are from the same family....

Oh, apparently Windows firewall doesn't like Windows Defender as well...

2) It will pop up a window asking to continue or not whenever I try to do some things which it thinks is supposed to be the work of the admin.

Like to disable firewall it will ask if I should continue or not.
Like trying to run an install program on an ORI CD game it will ask if I should continue or not.

I have heard that it is good in the sense that if a malware decides to install something, the pop-up will come out, so its a mixed blessing.

3) My computer can start up on its own when there is power connected to it.

No, my house dun have ghosts, but kinda weird when you are half way sleeping and it turns on by its own. I dun remember my XP or windows 98 pc turning itself on when I was in college. I dun remember my parents calling my why my pc suddenly turn on its own.

Could be the "wake up on LAN" is enabled, but I never had a problem with previous pcs. Wierd.

So these are the 3 things which I find it weird on my pc.

Trying to think of something to post

*** Blogger's block ****

Arrghhhh..

Tomica 2008 Subaru Imprezza WRX STI and EVO X

Managed to find a car which I really want recently; the 2008 Subaru WRX STI hatchback 4 door tomica car. Bought it from the Litt Tak shop in Sg. Wang 6th floor for RM 12.90. Jusco MV had them at a discount, but yesterday I when I was there, there were NONE. NO Yellow hat GTR, no Subaru.

I saw the real thing when I was in Singapore, ironically looking for the tomica version of the same thing. Up close, it is a car you really want to get if you can afford. Taking styling cues from the Ford Focus, Subaru made its latest Imprezza a hatch instead of a sedan. Better try something different than going against another sedan AWD which is the EVO X. Nonetheless both stand out against each other quite well.

The box for the Subaru and EVO X


A face-off between the 2


Ready to race?


Subaru can open bonnet, EVO X the 2 front doors


Pictures of the real thing



A picture of the Choro-Q WRX with other Choros

Takara Tomy Drift Light Package Nissan Skyline R34

When I first saw that a small remote control car capable of drifting would be available soon, I immediately thought it was worth checking out. Afterall, it is small, about 1:26 scale and costs less than RM 150.

So recently I bought the Takara Tomy (Takara merged/marry/combine with Tomy) Drift Light Package Nissan Skyline R34. Basically it is the small version of the Drift Package where the car is 1:10 and the budget and track required is much much bigger.

Bought mine from the same place as tkt, Litt Tak shop at Level 6 Sg. Wang.

The car I bought is the Yellow R34 Skyline. There is also red AE86, white with Carbon fibre bonnet RX-7 and blue Nissan 180zx. I would like a Subaru Imprezza, but the next best thing would be a skyline.


In total it needs 5 AAA batteries; 3 for the car and 2 for the controller. I would prefer it uses 2 AAs since AAs are more common and an even number would make buying batteries easier, since batteries always come in even numbers.


The back of the box showing its key feature. Too bad its in Japanese and I got absolutely no clue what it being written


The overall content of the box. There is a manual (100000% in Japanese but with informative pictures), an insert showing the other drift cars, decals for the car, the car body in a protective cardboard compartment, the chassis, the wheels and drivetrain package, the controller and other stuff. Oh, they give you 3 sets of wing mirrors just in case you drift too close to something or crash (where you will for the 1st time). I am impressed by the fact that the packaging is extremely neat and they use minimal plastic bags and cellophane tape to wrap the bags. Like 1 plastic bag can have 2 compartments to store 2 different items and still need 1 cellophane tap to wrap. And they wrap it extremely small too so save space in the box.



The size of the drift light package compared to its bigger brother. As you can see it is wayy smaller than the big one (and waayyyyyyy smaller than the real thing)


If you have assembled a Tamiya 4wd car before, then you know what to kinda expect, simple snap into plastic pieces. However unlike a Tamiya car you will need a philip head screw driver to unscrew the plastic holding the batteries. Also you do need to make sure the contact points of the motors are proper since the first time I played the steering didn't work (motor contact points not properly touching).

Once you get it up and running it can really drift, and best of all, you dun really need a big room. I have seem ppl drifting on a conference table!

I have yet to place the stickers on the car, but the car body even without the decals it looks GOOD. The paintwork is better than my BT-19 (uneven blue) and BT-20 even.

Short trip to Bentong, Pahang

On the 12th of August made a trip to Kuantan to hand over some a Bomba submission for a project in Pahang. Since the project is quite a large project, a 10 storey condo at the top of Bukit Tinggi, Bentong, Pahang, the Bomba submission is to Bomba HQ in Kuantan. Would prefer it to be in Bentong since it is nearer KL, but oh well.

Getting to Kuantan is easy using the East west tolled Highway, but the sheer distance and length of time needed to get there is too long.

On the way back from Kuantan stopped by the local authority office in Bentong to ask a few questions. Also went around town to see how it has developed since I was last there. You see, my family stayed in Bentong since before I was born and came to Subang Jaya after when I was standard 1. So standard 1 I was in Bentong, SRK Sg. Marong to be exact.

How has it changed?

Alot actually as well as same things remain. The road system in town has changed that some roads are one way. The town padang is still there, the hospital is still there, SM Sulaiman has increased the number of blocks (I used to play in their field since my mom was a teacher there), the Shell and Esso stations are still there, the Majlis Perbandaran Bentong is still there, SRK Sg. Marong is still there in one corner and even the shop which made the upholstery for my Wira 14 years ago is still there (so my Wira DID venture to Bentong last time).

Got more buildings compared to last time, the market is still there but very neglected (no new paint), the cinema is still there but portions of it is for shops now, the 2 doctor clinic's are still there.

So ya, it was a trip down memory lane for me. A good 16-17 years since I left Bentong. Now as an adult I went back to town since I got a project in the area :P

Anyway, I took this picture on the way back.




Along this road there is a Chinese school, and some of the students there use bicycle to get to school. Compared to here we are all so pampared got driver/parents to fetch and send us to school in air-conditioned comfort. Also quite safe to cycle in a small town since not many cars.

Trip to Singapore August 2008

Last week spend bout 3 days in Singapore to lepak and for shopping. Took the bus there from Sunway Pyramid to Harbourfront in Singapore. The bus we took wasn't the usual express bus where it is driven by Hamilton or trying to break the KL to Singapore record though. The bus we took is the double-decker Aeroline bus. The trip to and fro costs roughly RM 160, or RM 80 per way. Quite steep compared to the regular Bas Express, but then you get comfy seats, an onboard meal and a small lounge to lepak (too small unfortunately). Plus there is a someone like a flight attendent in addition to the driver if you want anything. Oh, got on-board movie too.


The bus before departing Sunway Pyramid at 9.30 am


The onboard meal; Subway with turkey breast and ham



Stayed at the Oxford hotel somewhere near Bugis area. Within walking distance to Orchard Road and the Bugis Junction shopping complex. Our first stop was the Singapore Flyer. This is not some small ferries this is something like the London Eye, only bigger (so they claim).


The Singapore Flyer is located at Marina Bay, near Suntec City and right next to the Singapore GP grandstands and pits. From the Flyer can see the grandstands and pits under construction.


Across the river/sea/creek/bay/whatever can see a golf course


As the canopy/bubble reached the top of the wheel, can see the Singapore skyline


The Pan Pacific hotel can be seen a short distance nearby. We are higher than the penthouse now :P


After the highest point the new Casino development can be seen under construction.


Another picture of the Singapore skyline before my handphone battery went dead. I was busy snapping away when it suddenly died. Must be too much for something like an N95 where I checked my GPS location in the bus on the way down to Singapore and took alot of photos:P


After that not that many pictures coz it was then whole day shopping along Orchard Road :P From one end to the other end:P

The return trip was from Harbourfront back to Pyramid. Depart at around 6.30pm and arrive bout 11.30pm.


Overall it was a pleasant trip, with me bumping into Woon at Bugis since he had a game of Mechwarrior there. But over in Singapore I can't help but marvel just how efficient their transportation and taxis service there. Not to mention it was as clean as Japan. No wonder Singaporeans like their country so much, since their government really take care of them. Compared to here...... dunno where to start.

And things seem to be affordable too. If you earn in Sing (dollar to dollar comparison) the costs of things there are cheap. Again, compared to here... dunno where to start.

Oh, Singapore is also very very liberal. Enter their bookshops and their magazines are different. Example: Compare Singapore version of Stuff to our version, ours seem more covered up :(

Kelana Jaya Putra LRT Station parking Part 2

This is Part 2 of how its like to park your car at the LRT station and coming back at night. I can't help to wonder if RapidKL or the Gov aka Pak Lah ever care for us. A picture tells a thousand words, so I'll show you who it is like when you come back after a Looong day at work.

There are not much lights for the area right next to the station, except maybe this small illuminated part. That part used to be part of the main parking area. What a great waste of resources.


Now for the view from where my car is. Dark isn't it?


Looking towards the east it is no better


As I sat in my car ready to move out, a train passed by.


Picture taken when i was about to leave. Have not on the headlights yet, but at 8:11 it is VERY dark


Do note I took the photos with my N95 with night mode on and it is still dark!!! If a main station is like this, I wonder how it is like for those smaller lesser known stations.

In fact this week, Pak Lah, as part as the by-election propaganda campaign, decided to take the KTM and Putra LRT to work. He made it as though he finally realized how severe the problem is. Fact is, the problem has been ignored for FAR FAR too long.

Sorry my dear PM, it's a case of "its too late to apologize" by One Republic.

On the good side, atleast someone in RapidKL took the initiative to order more trains for the Putra line. Hope it arrive sooner :(