Tuesday, November 25, 2008

there's something about ..... hero

Played Guitar Hero in xbox 360 on Sunday at Coolcat's house with Bryan.

The gadgets namely the drum set and the guitar set is impressive. So professionally designed and constructed.

Had a good time playing. At least no young punk tried to embarass me.

Came across this video "bike Hero". It's a parody of sort for Guitar Hero.

there's something about ..... facebook

My wife last night asked me about facebook. She heard about it, but wasn't too sure what it does. Yes.. she is not exactly very up-to-date about such things.

So I told her that facebook is a website that lets people "show off" their lives. Putting up their photographs "to share" but really it's about showing off their perceived coolness to their friends.

And also to tell their network of friends what they were doing in their normal time, assuming their network of friends really want to know what they were doing in their normal time.

And to play some silly poking games that is nothing but alerting your friends to look into your photographs and looking at what you are doing in your normal time.

And a mini competition on who has the most friends... so you added more strangers as friends to boost your ego.

narcissism

And she replied.... "orhh.. like blogging? but no words lah."

She asked "Do you have a facebook?"

.... "yeah".....

Friday, November 21, 2008

there's something about ..... allan

I got a new name.

Given to me by a Maid Agency.

One day the maid agent called me up and starting rambling off "Allan... your maid.........."

As I didn't store his number in my mobile phone as yet, I thought it was a wrong number initially until I heard the whole sentence.

By then, it was too late for me to correct him and I continue with the conversation.

So since then, I am known as Allan. I wasn't too sure whether he named me as Alan or Allan, but if I am to be on the wrong identity, might as well take the longer name.

And so, whenever I called him or emailed him, I have to identify myself as Allan.

I am so easy-going.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

there's something about ..... young punks

Last weekend, I was at Plaza Singapura to do some shopping.

While my family members went on with their shopping, I decided to "hang out" at Best Denki to play XBOX 360.

The game on demo was "fifa street 3".


I have some experience playing Fifa street from the 1st version during the black xbox days. So it wasn't too difficult for me to start playing even though I wasn't too fluid about it.

Just when I was playing, one young punk asked to join in. He is probably about half my height, one third of my age, 1/10th of my penis size.

Immediately I could tell that he plays this very regularly (perhaps at home, or he comes to Best Denki every day to play) because he immediately knew how to select his favourite players from "Brazil" while I used default players from "England". I didn't know how to select players.

When we played our 1st Game, this young punk showed his arrogant side. He probably think I was lousy when I was playing alone and he wanted to "trash" or "humiliate" me.


The worst humiliation anyone could do to you, is if the "GOALKEEPER" is to score a goal against you. This young punk has that in mind!!!


His Goalkeeper dribbles all the way, leaving his goalpost unattended, bypassing 2 of my onrushing players trying to tackle him, and when he was about to shoot, my last defender managed to tackle him and got the ball back to my possession.


"Fifa street" is not exactly a real football game. It's a fantasy game. Fantasy game comes with unrealistic moves. Unrealistic moves comes with computer bugs.


The moment I got the ball back just in front of my goalpost, I hit "shoot" and the ball flew into his goal! 1-0 to me.


This young punk couldn't accept his humiliation was on him, and he tried to do that 2 more times. The score 3-0 to me.


I won the first match handsomely.


The second match, he decided to play normal. And you know he can play very well if he is not arrogant.


He trashed me in the second game. We are even at 1-1.


The third game, all dirty moves, football knowledge came into play. It was negative football at it's best. Nobody is conceding unnecessary goals. We played rough tackles. We keep possession etc.

He scored the first goal.


And it looks to be the winning goal with about 15 secs of game time left....


I couldn't penetrate his defence.....


He was too good to "choke"....


Looks like I have to eat humble pie to a young punk....


However, a young punk will always be a young punk. They lacks maturity. They are too arrogant.


After he suffered the first self-inflicted humiliation, he decided that it's time for me to be "humiliated".


With 15 secs to go, his goalkeeper decided to dribble out and again leave his goalpost unattended.


His intention was obvious, he will play "monkey" with me with his goalie. He was not contented about just winning the game. He wants to win it in style.


With about 5 secs to go, I managed to tackle his keeper and manage to hit "shoot" just in time and I equalised!!!


1-1!!!!!!!


I let out a sarcastic "Ha ha ha". I was unhappy at his arrogant antics.


I could have made it a bigger celebration but I didn't have time as the game continues. Whoever score first in the extra time will win the match.


After I scored that equaliser, this young punk must have gotten a rude shock on his ego. I think it rattles his confidence so much, I think he was crying silently, I think he was experiencing a feeling very much equivalent to the 900 retrenchment staffs at DBS......because soon after in extra time, I SCORED MY WINNING GOAL!!!!!


2-1!!!!!



2-1!!!!!

I was worried about his mental upbringing after this defeat, but then, what the heck... and to rub salt to injury, I shouted out a "YEAH!!!"

And to rub sand into injury, I decided not to play and therefore walked away on the high!!!


And to urinate into his injury, I am going to post his picture here...



Punk!!!







Saturday, November 15, 2008

there's something about ..... survival guide to Crocs sale

I sold out!

Yes. I am man of no principles.

Yes. I, now, declared a member of Phua Chu Kang Fan Club.

Yes. I survived Crocs Sales today.

If you think the Hello Kitty Craziness 8 years ago was bad, this is war.

Below is the survival guide to Crocs sale. It's till tomorrow at Expo.



1.) Depending on your tolerance level for waiting, you may go at 9am to queue up. The door open at 10am. I arrived at 9.50am and I was already queuing very near the Taxi stand. The exhibition hall is at one end, and the taxi stand is at the other end. Just to give you an idea the length of the queue.

However, once the door open, the queue move relatively fast. It takes me 20 mins to enter into the exhibition hall. Total time wait: 30mins.

2.) Do not bring bags inside. they won't allow it. Ideally, you should go with 1 more adult. That place is not exactly kid-friendly near the sales tables. You need someone to look after your kid.

3.) Sandals and ladies shoes are the hottest section. Go there first.

4.) After that, kids and men's clogs. Men Shoes are the least popular.

5.) For every section, smallest size is on the left. Biggest size is on the right.

6.) Size 7 and 8 are the hottest.

7.) Don't bother to be friendly.

8.) Pushing is sometimes necessary.

9.) Don't bother to be quiet. You will never get what you want.

10.) Shout the colour and the size, eg "RED 11" "Blue 8". The salespeople do not make eye-contact, they just take whatever they hear. And they will just hold out your order and wait for someone to take it away from their hand. So it's useful if you have long hands.... and big lungs... and loud voice.

11.) When u are done and about to pay up, you will see a very long queue forming. Not to worry, most of them are not ready to pay up as they are "chopping" the queue. "TISSUE PAPER CHOPPING" is not very useful here. Just go up to the sales staff and tell them that you are ready to pay and you will go directly to the front of the queue.

12.) I left at 11am, and there is another long queue outside that couldn't go it. So it's better to go first thing in the morning.

13.) Social Behaviour will cause you to buy things irradically. I bought 7 pairs.

Friday, November 14, 2008

there's something about ..... paper or rubber

Just came back from a location in Singapore where they hold regular warehouse sales.

In what was consider a disturbing sight for me, I witness how people chosed to spend their money during this recession in Singapore.

God's know whether this will be the worst recession ever, but when it comes to spending, Singaporeans knew their priorities.




















The picture is taken from MPH warehouse sales today in the afternoon.

Quite healthy turnout, I must say. People do know the importance of books.

Self-improvement in times like today is so important, so that you continue to enrich yourself and hopefully you could starve off retrenchment or make yourself more employable.

People also know the importance that the journey to recovery is a long way. The road to survivorship is bumpy.

Unemployment could be on the rise, going for numerous interviews could be common.

Therefore a comfortable shoes is still a necessity.

Not just your ordinary comfortable shoes, it must be RUBBER, it must be in bold colours, it must be of a international brand, nevermind it's ugly, but it must be comfortable.... and cheap.


CHEAP?

Yes. It must be cheap. Otherwise, why should thousands of people go to CROCS Sales, grabbing all colours, all designs, all sizes, so afraid of being on the losing end.




Buying just 1 pair?

Are u crazy?!?!?

The queue is about 2 hours long, and you just want to buy 1 pair??!?!Everyone I saw is buying by the truckloads. Ok... maybe not truckloads, but car-boot loads.

It's like the whole Singapore population took leave today to buy CROCS.

The price is not too bad. $20 for most rubbers. It's like alot of people who have previously baulked at paying $80 to buy a pair of rubber slipons that would make Phua Chu Kang fashionable, are there today so that they can now finally look like Phua Chu Kang.


So why am I there?

Oh... I went to the book sales lah... and I happen to just go in to CROCS lor...


Did I buy?

No...

Why?

No time to queue lah.

Anyway, Singaporeans have spoken. Rubber Slip-ons is more important than books.


picture taken of a typical load of Crocs sales today.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

there's something about ..... tissue


So some graduates are trying to change a social behaviour in Singapore.


I really think this is sad.


They don't realise this "tissue chopping seat" behaviour is phenonmenon.
This is "uniquely Singapore" as how our Tourism Board like to portray us.

This is one "invention" we can show the world and be proud of. We don't need A* Scholars to spent hundreds of thousands to think of another way of "chopping seats", like how US Nasa spent millions inventing a pen that could write in space, when Russian just uses pencil.


With about 1 million foreign workers/expats in Singapore, we can spread this Singaporean practice into a world-wide practice.


"..which aims to encourage Singaporeans to be more gracious through simple acts of kindness.." or "... a pack of tissues plonked down at an empty spot which practically screams 'Find another seat!' "


Why should putting a tissue be ungracious? Why should putting a tissue on empty spot scream "Find another seat"?

Why can't we be positive.

We should view this as an act of graciousness. By putting a tissue on the seat, the message we give is "Thank you for having interest on my seat. Sorry to inform you that I came just a few minutes before you and currently queuing up for my food before my misery 1 hour lunch-time is up. Please find another seats which I am sure you could. Have a nice lunch."

So gracious.

Not only that, we save people's time so that they do not have to second guess about the availability or asking those beside whether the seat is taken.

To me, this is the best "invention" of the last decade in Singapore.

Also interestingly, while they think that putting a tissue is ungracious, and they wanted to encourage kindness, their message on the card screams "rudeness" to me.

"The seat is NOT taken. IT'S YOURS" sounds rude, don't you think?

Monday, November 10, 2008

there's something about ..... airline

This is a true story. It's unbelievable. But it's true.

This Guy I know, has been working as a blue-collar worker since he left school. Recently, he became a white-collar worker because one of his relative hired him due to business expansion.

So one Sunday, he was told to pick up a caucasian from the Airport coming in from an European Airline in the morning around 8+.

Armed with only the caucasian's name and being told that the caucasian is about 2m tall, he went to the Airport to wait.

Yes. Just the name and his height. He didn't think it was necessary to bring along a A4 paper and write the caucasian's name on it. Afterall, how many in the world is 2m tall? They are not like NBA players. They are Europeans and based on footballers in the Barclay's Premier League, most are probably mostly 1.8m average, unless you are Peter Crouch. But you can easily spot a Peter Crouch at the Airport.

When the passengers started streaming out, he realised alot of Caucasians were very tall. So he immediately went to borrow a paper and wrote his name on it.

He waited for about an hour and still nobody came forward and he decided that he might have missed out on him.

He promptly drove over to the Hotel to see if this Caucasian has checked in himself.

When told that nobody checked in with that name, he promptly cancel the Hotel booking, and he decided that nothing much can be done, and so he decided to go back home.....AND SLEEP.

That's right. Very good EQ. When you couldn't do anything about any situation, just go back and sleep. Worry about it later.

About 4pm that day, after his sleep, he called my wife.

He asked my wife what he should do now. He is smart enuff not to call me. Or I would give him hell.

What should he do now?

He could:
1.) Quit his job.
2.) Continue sleeping.
3.) Watch TV
4.) Bring his kids out.
5.) call the Airline.

I thought the solution is pretty obvious. But what is obvious to me, may not necessary be obvious to everyone.

My wife then told him to call the Airline.

This guy being told of this, was not too appreciative by that obvious solution. He probably already thought of that, but didn't think it would work and called my wife, only to be given that same solution. I mean.. THERE IS ONLY 1 SOLUTION. What else could anyone do? Make a police report on missing person? The police couldn't even find Mas Selamat, with pictures!! And you think they can find a 2m tall caucasian?

He retorted saying that no Airline would bother to respond to a query like that. And even asked my wife "if you are in their shoes, would you reveal?"

After a few arguments, this guy finally realised that perhaps, there is only really just 1 solution. And so he asked my wife to surf the internet for the Airline's number. My wife couldn't do it. But really she didn't want to. And so she asked him to call 100. (I think 100 is no longer active, if I am not wrong is 77777777)

This guy probably didn't want to pay any surcharge, and he decided to try other cheaper alternatives.

He remembered he had breakfast at MACDONALD at the airport and he remember he kept the receipt.

BINGO!!!!!

YAHOO!!!!!

YEAH!!!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!!!

HOR SAY LIAO!!!!!!

?!??!?!?!?!?!?! Why????

How could Macdonald help him??

He found the phone number of Macdonald on the receipt and he called them!!!

No, he didn't call them to complement their nice food and good service. He called them to ask them to help find that airline phone number!!

The helpful Macdonald staff must be amused. They transfer his line to the Airport Police Post, after explaining that Macdonald only really sells burger and fries, and they do not own any airlines.

The police subsequently transfer his call to the Airline counter, after making sure that none of these are prank calls. I mean, if I am the police, and someone else connect the call from Macdonald asking for a Airline phone number, I would immediately notify CID.

And this guy was able to finally get the information he wants from the airline.

And my brother in law was proud of his achievement in getting things done.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

there's something about ..... cna

Channel News Asia's coverage of US election SUCKS!!!

Ok.. so they are not CNN, they are not American, they are "Asia".

But that doesn't mean they shouldn't try to be professional.

To have pixated streaming from their US's office is pathetic. It feels like watching poor quality Youtube on TV.

I am now watching it on CNN's live streaming, and it's alot clearer.

Shame on you, CNA!!

there's something about ..... US election

Today is US election... I just realised that I have followed US election since my school days... Why? I dunno.

Anyway... this year's election is interesting. New media, parodies took central stage.

Obama spent $4m on 30 minutes Advertisement last week just before the World Series on three major TV network.



McCain?

He spent $0.

He just volunteer on SNL.





Seriously....

Had it not been the "Bush" factor, McCain would have been much closer to winning.

Anyway, while all polls shows a 10pct winning margin. I would think it's about 5pct, partly because of SNL.

Bush is a joke. And Americans voted him in for the second term.

McCain is an American Hero. That deserve something. Plus the fact that he can joke about losing in SNL.. that deserve a bit more.

My heart goes to McCain. My mind goes Obama.

Monday, November 03, 2008

there's something about ..... glock

U bloody asshole!!! U single-handedly change the result of Brazil GP!!!

Because of you, I hardly could sleep last night!!!

10 secs!! All I need is 10 secs for you to be in front of Lewis Hamilton!!! 10 secs!!! If Vettel could overtake Lewis in dry tyres, I don't see why you can't maintain your BLOODY 5th SPOT with dry tyres!!!! You were bloody leading by 18 secs entering the final lap and you can't even maintain your lead with 10 secs to go till the finishing line?!?!?!?!?

10 secs!!!

10 Secs and MASSA will win the championship!!!

I will not buy a TOYOTA in future!!

*****************

A friend reminded me.

Last year Massa purposely let Kimi passed and Kimi was able to win the championship beating Hamilton by 1 point.

For that act, Massa is paying off his bad karma.

I suspect my friend is a Hamilton fan.

*****************

Just read that Lewis Hamilton has a middle name. It's Lewis Carl Hamilton.

Apparently, he was named after Carl Lewis.

In a twist of fate, he might almost be named Johnson Hamilton, after Ben Johnson.