there's something about ..... twitter

busy busy busy...

It's almost impossible to update this blog regularly. I still have lots of things to talk about, but simply no time to write about them.

Therefore, I have decided to add a twitter to this blog.

I'm a virgin in twitter so bear with me.

My user name in twitter is cowdunk.

Perhaps.. you will see more updates there.

there's something about ..... uphill task

It was great to know that some ladies managed to conquer Mt Everest. This is exactly the kind of things we need to know in a economy crisis like this. Our PM says that if these ladies can overcome the difficulties, so can we.

There is a slight sexist tone to it. If woman can climb mount everest, all these men out there should be ashamed of yourself if you ever worried about job certainty and other stuffs. If these ladies can conquer Mt Everest, we can get over the economy crisis.

I am just glad.

Suddenly, all these make Khoo Swee Chiow looks like sissy. Khoo Swee Chiow has always make this out to be a Superman task and only he could do it and no one else. We are all in awe of his achievements. I mean, I couldn't even climb bukit timah hill and this guy climb mount everest.

But now, after the ladies achievement. I really think climbing mount everest is as easy as scoring 250,000 in Bejeweled Blitz in FB. Difficult but possible, as long as you practice well with the right gadgets.

One of the team members were not able to reach the summit because of chest pain. The team leader upon reaching the summit call her at the base camp and says "this is also for you!!"

I think there lies the difference between ladies and guys.

Firstly, guys would not be too bothered about making that call.

Secondly, the guy receiving this call would probably curse at that call. "NINABEH... HAO LIAN AH!!!"

When the ladies returned back to Singapore and was asked what they will do now, one of them mentioned about making rounds the schools for motivational talks. KACHING!!! KACHING!!!

That is what all these are about man!! Motivational Talks!! Like what Nanz Chong is doing. Nanz Chong makes obscene money by giving motivational talks about her past failures.

I congratulates these ladies. They really show me that if I can buy the right mouse, I can really do well in bejeweled Blitz.

there's something about ..... unease

Damn it...

I felt a certain unease the whole day... I kept asking myself why.. I knew there is something I wanted to do but I forgot to do...

Or is it something I wanted to watch but I forgot to watch...

Something that I look forward to so badly and I kind of miss it...

And I finally remember it at 5pm today what I missed!!! WTF!!! I am totally gutted!!!

4 full days after the event and I just only remembered!!!

I forgot to watch S-Factor Finale on Sunday!!!

Told u... Damn it!!!

there's something about ..... everything anything

I have been so busy... new company, new directions, launches, lunches, meetings... plus family committments, plus planning to sell house, buy house...plus bejeweled blitz in FB...

So you could imagine blogging kinda take a back seat.

So this is like a multiple blogpost combined into 1.

********

So Mas Selamat is found in JB. It's not like we dunno he is there. We have always suspected, JB always have that "selamat datang" or Welcome Selamat.

One thing I don't like about this capture is the constant reminder that it was US who tipped the Malaysians, it was due to our fantastic intelligence from our ISD.. blah blah blah... US.. US... US...

It's like after we make such a stupidity mistake that allows a terrorist to escape, we have to emphasise to everyone that we are not stupid afterall.

Of course, "Improvised Flotational Device". The government just need to emphasise again how smart we are to have help with the capture of Mas Selamat, we have to show our intelligence by naming a low-end-discarded-rubbish with a high end cheem cheem name. So a rubbish became a device.

Excellent.

But seriously, that name is just a smokescreen to show how inept our shoreline patrolling is. We have to say something sophisticated to give credit to Mas Selamat, that something so "jungle warfare", that Mas selamat is smarter than our Police. It's that reason why Mas Selamat could swim across the sea without being detected.

It's not the police fault, it's because of such a fantastic device that we could not be able to detect him.

So we have to use such high tech name.

You could imagine the Home Affairs having a ministerial meeting to brainstorm a word for the rubbish.

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

Recently, due to my new work environment, I have been shopping regularly at G2000. Shopping at G2000 is like buying shares in stock market.

You see, like Giordano, shopping at these 2 brands require precise timing, to achieve maximum savings. At any time, when you walk away with a merchandise from G2000 happily thinking that you have purchased at the bottom, the market plunged further.

And because of that, you average down your losses, by buying in more. And again the market dipped. And you buy in more.

Real life example:

3 weeks ago, I bought a business jacket. The original retailing is like $219. They had a promotion at $199 plus.. they give you a matching trousers that is worth $79 for free.

Therefore, your so call "gain" or discount is 33%. $199/$298

2 weeks ago, they have a 30% storewide on business pants and shirts. So I bought 2 more of the matching pants to my suits at 30% discount.

Last week, the store got 40% discount on the shirts plus if you use UOB card, you get additional 25% off the final bill. Plus if you spend above $100, you can get the jacket at 50% off the retailing price.

Total spent before last week = $199+110.6 = $309.6

If I buy last week = 3 pants (including the 'free one) at $79 * 40% = $142.2
Jacket = $219 * 50% = $109

Total = $251.2 * 25% (uob) = $188.4

Total lost in 2 weeks = 121.1 or about 40% loss.

I know how Temasek feels right now.

***************
Jeannette Aw of little Nonya fame.

Not too often you can say a TCS actress spread her legs in front of you. I can now say Jeannette Aw did that in front of me, with a very satisfied look. Somewhere in the 6th second of the advert.



***************
I want to marry the cashier girl from NTUC. If NTUC do not give me her contact number, I will sue them for misrepresentation. No where in AMK Hub NTUC, can I find a cashier so pretty. They make me go NTUC so often in search of the girl, and subconsciously buy groceries from them, where otherwise I could have bought from Shengxiong.

there's something about ..... $40

It's not alot of money.

You can spend it on a meal.

You could watch 2 movies with your love one over 2 weekend.

You could spend a night at Hotel 81.

It's not enuff to purchase the cheapest concert ticket, but I don't think the best concert could provide the kind of entertainment the AWARE EGM could provide you.



Seriously, looking at the crowd. I see alot of kay poh people who just want to witness the saga more than the interest in the direction of AWARE. In other words, it's like watching a show.

You see people jeer and cheer and doing the Kallang wave. I mean, those jeers and cheers reminded me of the days of Malaysia Cup. You could almost see the glee on these people when they were jeering the "opposition".

Sometime u just wonder.

The only wrong thing the ex-new-guard did was to plan for the coup. You can't really fault them on their intention, which is, to steer the direction of AWARE back to where they thought it was previously.

They could have voiced this up during AGM, make this an issue via proper channel, and no one would probably feel that their point of views were wrong.

And now, everyone feels that their point of view is flawed.

Since when did Singaporeans became so pro-lesbian and pro-homosexual? I dun think they are. I dun think most would give a damn really.

But the manner in which the old guard was "ousted", created a saga and everyone became interested on the saga itself. Not on the issues.

They took sides because they felt the old guard was being bullied out. They took sides because they think Thio Su Mien was arrogant. Not really because they think that anti-gay was wrong, not pro-gay was right.

The surge in memberships feels more like a entrance ticket to witness the saga. It's worth every cent of it.

These same people who signed up over the weekend will most probably not care about AWARE 3 months later.

Just a thought... what if... it's really just a show. The old guard and the new guard had planned this to create awareness and memberships. What if.

there's something about ..... swine

Swine Flu. We may have a major problem of global scale, and the person who discover this have a couple of minutes or more, to think of a name for it.

Calling it Pig Flu, just doesn't seem to have that swankiness like SARS. Also calling it Pig Flu is less professional they reckon. Afterall, pig is often associated with laziness, dirty, whatever.

So it's called Swine flu.

I am sure opposite camps for AWARE would want the other group to kenna swine flu.

Ironically, all of us now are now aware of what AWARE is all about. Prior to the saga, most may be aware but not very aware. Now, all of us are not only aware, but very aware.

Also most will not be too aware on what the acrolyms is for AWARE.

It stood for Association of Women for Action and Research. This name also not very clear on what their direction are. Action and Research??!?

And why is is called AWARE and not AWAR? Afterall, this saga does represent a war.

Given my understanding about their objective, wouldn't it be more appropriate to call "Aid to Women of Abuse and Rape". But this would be too focus on one direction, therefore, in order to expand their role to cover all aspects, they must have a vague name.

But in order to cover more aspects, wouldn't this also include the minority group consisting of lesbians as well.

Don't get me wrong. I am not "FOR" the old group.

In fact, after reading all facts, I'm neither "FOR" the new group.

While we should be tolerant against the existence of Lesbians and Gays, we should not advocate for their existence, especially through a group like AWARE where their established network allows them easy access to schools etc.

The Lesbians and Gays could form their own groups, at least Institutions like schools or companies would know their objective and could decide on their alliance with them.

AWARE is mainstream. It's not their role to preach about sexuality. If you are a parent, wouldn't you be worried about AWARE making those statements to your kids?

While I do not like the new group. You must not forget that their "coup" is all legal and according to their own constitution.

It's a wake up call to anyone. You must always Take AGM seriously.

On a separate note.....

Perhaps AWARE should now ask Jeanette Aw to become a member. I think she is now feeling hurtful not being chosen as the winner for best actress.

While I applaud Mediacorp for their fairness in this category, I think it's still a farce that best supporting actress got 2 winners.

I do not remember ever seeing that in all major awards be it Golden Horse or OSCARS.

Voting panel always comes in odd numbers. So that you will always have clear winner.Even if the voting are split among 3 actors, where the top 2 share the same vote, you re-vote again removing the rest of the nominees.

I remember couple of years in Golden Horse where Tony Leung and Andy Lau was vieing for the best actor for the show Infernal Affairs. It was such a a close call, that voting was carried out twice.

So someone up there in Mediacorp must have decided that it's "fun" to do so. But you set a precedent like this and you will have problems later.

Like why Jeanette Aw couldn't have the same fate as also winning the best actress?

there's something about ..... discovery

Sometime couple of months back, I was asked if I wanted a free copy of "Discovery" Magazine from my credit card company.

"Discovery" as in the Discovery Channels that we watched. Great channel.

And of course, you say "Yes" to free things, especially if it is a credible magazine from a credible company.

One month later, I received a letter from them.

This letter asked me for a payment for a year's subscription. While asking for payment, they also sent out the second month's copy of the magazine to me.

Since I didn't say "no" to it, they assume that I say "yes".

It's like spam mails. Unless you "unsubscribe", they will continue to send you spam mails on their latest promotions.

Unlike Spam mails, which all they do, is advertise their products... Discovery ask for money for a service they assumed I want and they unilaterally execute the performance.

They are, in my opinion, worse than those telemarketers who offer 1-week free trial at some "Spas", "Gyms" and "Yogas", because they give you something free, but they don't assume you want it but they try to convince you take take it.

Or...

They are, in my opinion, worse than TIMESHARE companies who offer you free gift so that you can listen to 3 hour talk, but they don't assume you can afford it or pay it but they try to corner you into a corner to accept it.

BUT...

Discovery just up the marketing ante. They just simply take it that you want it, no need to sweet-talk me, no need to call me, no need to ask me whether I want, no need for me to say "Yes, I want". They just take it that I want because I never say "No.".

Of course, I refused to budge. In fact, since no one calls me, the only way I can refuse to budge is to refuse to act. I totally ignore the reminder letters. I simply just want to see what else will they do over a few magazines.

Don't talk to me about legality stuffs. I know my consumer rights. I simply just want to see what they would do.

They sent me 4 letters, each subsequent letters sounded sterner than earlier, which I have attached.

I have totally lost my respect I have on Discovery.

I can't wait for the 5th Letter.

there's something about ..... red spiders

Saw both Red Thread and Fighting Spiders on Channel 5.

What a contrasting production values. Red Thread is so "Masters Of the Seas", so drama, so "SBC".. that I didn't think we have progressed that much since "Masters Of the Seas".

It's kinda shock to see how bad the show is.

Compelling storyline perhaps. Somehow, it didn't quite matchup the kind of standard the chinese counterparts could do in Channel 8.

The only reason why I watched even espisode 2 yesterday is to examine and confirm that Celeste Chong has a botox injection on the lips.

Poor Celeste Chong. It's the first time I see the ill-effects of Botox Injection and it has to be on her. Her upper lips is so stiff, it seems like she talks only moving her lower lips and lower jaws.

Also, the director should be shot.

In it, Adrain Pang, a blind lawyer, is supposed to "settle" the rape accusation of the family's elder son is a supposedly "subtle" manner. However, in both the "settlement" meetings with the "victim" family in the office, the meeting door was not closed.

Little detail but...

The production value is really poor. It feels like they were working on a tight budget, thus every scene and production sets is "INDOORS" within Mediacorp.

This contrasts so widely with "Fighting Spiders". You could see the producers and director of "Fighting Spiders" really taking a lot of efforts to make this "artistic" and "meaningful".

The outdoor shots are excellent, the pace of the show is excellent, the dialogue is witty, the storyline interesting, the acting is natural and not over the hill, you have "freddy Mercury" lookalike in the show... They indeed have live up to the hype surrounding it.

Why is this show so different from Red Thread? Aren't both produced by TCS?

If you wait for the end credits of both shows, you will see that "Fighting SPiders" is externally produced and directed, while "red thread" was Mediacorp productions.

I simply love Fighting Spiders.

Do catch it on Tuesdays 8.30pm.

I bet Red thread will be canned after 20 espisodes.