Avatar is one of the coolest movies I've watched recently. There will be detractors, but I loved the movie for it's simple storyline (which tried to pack all the complex moral lessons of today), stunning graphics and Zoe Saldana. Wife and I plan to watch the 3D version!
Enjoy a little featurette on how the hell they made the Na'Vi look real (from 3 minutes on).
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
News which made my day
Dec 15, 2009
MediaCorp ends TVMobile
Said a MediaCorp statement on Tuesday: 'Having carefully evaluated the viability of the service, MediaCorp has decided to discontinue the service upon expiry of its current agreement with SBS Transit.' -- PHOTO: MEDIACORP
AFTER nine years, the ubiquitous TVMobile service on buses will end on Jan 1.
MediaCorp, which operates the free to air mobile television service on 1,500 SBS Transit buses, said that the major contributing factor is commercial viability.
It said in a statement on Tuesday: 'The resources required to operate and maintain the service are substantial.
'Having carefully evaluated the viability of the service, MediaCorp has decided to discontinue the service upon expiry of its current agreement with SBS Transit.'
It will re-deploy all its TVM staff to other operations.Nunbun: good bloody riddance. Back to the good old days of the sound of the engine of the bus to enjoy a nice nap. Excluding those idiots who listen to their MP3 phones without their earphones.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Film Reviewed before the Film is Made
Amazing stuff - a revered blogger who critiques scripts before they are made into the multi-million dollar money-spinning figments of imagination:
http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/
How we wish we could have done that to movies like Kanthaswamy.
http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/
How we wish we could have done that to movies like Kanthaswamy.
Nudged by Apple?
No offence to iPhone users, but I found this bloody hilariously serious post on iPhone users:
iPhone users are delusional, consultants say
The finely calibrated minds at Strand Consult have taken this analysis to a particularly simple conclusion: iPhone users are, the consultants say, really quite nuts.
The full article is here.And the cause of this article, a report by Strand Consults, adds salt to the wound by listing the defences made against the iPhone, thereby listing all its initial (or existing?) flaws!
1. The first iPhone was not a 3G phone: What do you need 3G for? You can easily use the iPhone without using a 3G network and anyway, 3G is not particularly widespread, so this is not a problem.
2. The phone cannot send MMS: There is no need to send MMSs, hardly anybody sends MMSs.
3. You cannot forward a SMS: This is a function that hardly anybody uses and was therefore not included in the first iPhones.
4. The phone has a poor camera: The built-in camera is perfectly adequate and the iPhone takes fantastic photos with its camera.
More.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Hoopla!
I went to get an iPhone the day after it launched, being so happy that I had switched to M1 a year back. Apparently M1 leads the pack with the best data plans.
So I went to the nearest M1 shop near my workplace, which is at Change Alley. There was a long queue, and this service staff comes over and asks me if I was there to collect the iPhone. (Note: People were asked to register to get their iPhones a few weeks before the launch [like how Singtel did], because it's as phenomenal as National Day). When I said I was there to buy a new phone on the spot, because I'm a rational-minded customer who believed that there was enough stock to last the nation for 3 more years, the dude's jaw dropped lah!
He just couldn't fathom the fact that I had the bloody audacity not to register and just walk-in and buy an iPhone. What a cardinal sin! But wait - he told me of a way out of this quagmire and redeem myself: "Sir, I'm sorry. What you can do now is put yourself on the waiting list, then we'll update you."
Absolutely. Without the iPhone, my liver will burst and my brain will experience spontaneous combustion, releasing poisonous fumes into the air. Yes, I need the iPhone at all cost and please, put me on the waitlist. I will reform, I promise.
Pure, 100% bollocks. Please don't hype the thing until to this extent lah. It's just a bloody phone. You will surely have excess stock which you will try to clear before the next version 4GS iPhone with 200GB internal memory and a 5 megapixel camera comes in like 3 months? Then why this elaborate song and dance?
I turned downed the staff's irresistible offer and earned myself a place in i-Hell.
To hell with all the hoopla!
So I went to the nearest M1 shop near my workplace, which is at Change Alley. There was a long queue, and this service staff comes over and asks me if I was there to collect the iPhone. (Note: People were asked to register to get their iPhones a few weeks before the launch [like how Singtel did], because it's as phenomenal as National Day). When I said I was there to buy a new phone on the spot, because I'm a rational-minded customer who believed that there was enough stock to last the nation for 3 more years, the dude's jaw dropped lah!
He just couldn't fathom the fact that I had the bloody audacity not to register and just walk-in and buy an iPhone. What a cardinal sin! But wait - he told me of a way out of this quagmire and redeem myself: "Sir, I'm sorry. What you can do now is put yourself on the waiting list, then we'll update you."
Absolutely. Without the iPhone, my liver will burst and my brain will experience spontaneous combustion, releasing poisonous fumes into the air. Yes, I need the iPhone at all cost and please, put me on the waitlist. I will reform, I promise.
Pure, 100% bollocks. Please don't hype the thing until to this extent lah. It's just a bloody phone. You will surely have excess stock which you will try to clear before the next version 4GS iPhone with 200GB internal memory and a 5 megapixel camera comes in like 3 months? Then why this elaborate song and dance?
I turned downed the staff's irresistible offer and earned myself a place in i-Hell.
To hell with all the hoopla!
Monday, December 07, 2009
Sequel
We went to the gyne last week to check on Baby #2. He's doing well, about the same size as Zayed (elongated like Pops) but doesn't move around much like Z did. Calmer dude?
So it's that time of the 9-months that we have to choose a name. And away we go on a search. It'll probably be along the lines of someone dear to the Prophet (s.a.w.), one of the sahabah, nice-sounding. Erm.
It's going to be an exciting time for Baby when he pops (different from "Pops' mentioned above). We'll all be in a much more happier state of mind, and he'll have a older brudder to look up to for guidance in whining, disobeying his parents, scratching Pops' face causing blood, and giving a cute smile to forgive all the afore-mentioned misdemeanors and get a kiss on top of that.
So it's that time of the 9-months that we have to choose a name. And away we go on a search. It'll probably be along the lines of someone dear to the Prophet (s.a.w.), one of the sahabah, nice-sounding. Erm.
It's going to be an exciting time for Baby when he pops (different from "Pops' mentioned above). We'll all be in a much more happier state of mind, and he'll have a older brudder to look up to for guidance in whining, disobeying his parents, scratching Pops' face causing blood, and giving a cute smile to forgive all the afore-mentioned misdemeanors and get a kiss on top of that.
Ache
I'm aching all over now. We met for some physical activity yesterday evening at Queenstown Stadium at sunset, where we did some jogging and static exercises. We were instructed to some stomach crunches, leg raises, push-ups and lunges for about an hour. Torture!
A note about the instructor: Mr Jalsa. He's a trained physical trainer. We appreciated his taking time off in the evening to hang with us, even after completing a 10km Stanchart run in the morning. But we felt like strangling him during the lunges/push-ups where he decided to make long conversation at the "hold it there" parts...
Great to have a free fitness coach!
A note about the instructor: Mr Jalsa. He's a trained physical trainer. We appreciated his taking time off in the evening to hang with us, even after completing a 10km Stanchart run in the morning. But we felt like strangling him during the lunges/push-ups where he decided to make long conversation at the "hold it there" parts...
Great to have a free fitness coach!
Friday, December 04, 2009
Sick of it
I'm done with it. My Samsung Omnia is not doing a good job these days. I know, many ex-Omnia owners have moved on to greater things, like the iPhone or HTC Hero. I was in denial for close to a year, tolerating the slow processing speed, hanging-by-the-side stylus, 3 software reloads (which meant loss of all my data 3 times due to software errors). But no more. I have had enough of this crap.
I'm still confused. I haven't decided if I like touchscreens or good ol' fashioned button technology. Maybe I'll just get the iPhone and put an end to my curiosity.
I'm still confused. I haven't decided if I like touchscreens or good ol' fashioned button technology. Maybe I'll just get the iPhone and put an end to my curiosity.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Launching Google Street View
Give these guys a chance, and they will even photograph the ant in the toilet in the 5-room unit #13-56 in block 167.
It's unreal!
Google Maps - Street View
It's unreal!
Google Maps - Street View
More than minarets
The ridiculous referendum in Switzerland to ban minarets re-emphasises the dire need to communicate with our non-Muslim counterparts at every level. It seems to be much worse in Europe, where globalisation (leading to an influx of a variety of ethnic groups, including Muslims) is causing xenophobic reactions, reductionist populist views and a whole lot of misinformation.
"... I have been repeating for years to Muslim people that they have to be positively visible, active and proactive within their respective western societies. In Switzerland, over the past few months, Muslims have striven to remain hidden in order to avoid a clash..."
"... I have been repeating for years to Muslim people that they have to be positively visible, active and proactive within their respective western societies. In Switzerland, over the past few months, Muslims have striven to remain hidden in order to avoid a clash..."
More here.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Jog
Last Sunday morning, Jalsa organised a morning jog & "TV-style" exercise routines at McRitchie. It think it's a superb idea to mix health, friends and nature.
Anyway, after the 3 hours or so, the body began to "pain" a bit. (Needless to say, it got worse the next day - please note that I have not lifted my butt for any aerobic activity for the last 9 months). That TV-style workout was absolutely crazy. Jalsa is a slave-rider baby.
Looking forward to next Sunday's session. In case you're finding it hard to move your own butts to do some jogging, read this.
Anyway, after the 3 hours or so, the body began to "pain" a bit. (Needless to say, it got worse the next day - please note that I have not lifted my butt for any aerobic activity for the last 9 months). That TV-style workout was absolutely crazy. Jalsa is a slave-rider baby.
Looking forward to next Sunday's session. In case you're finding it hard to move your own butts to do some jogging, read this.
Enchanted
The Health Minister's blog is quite an enchanting read - easy, informative, and comes across as being honest. A brave experiment!
http://mohsingapore.blogspot.com/
http://mohsingapore.blogspot.com/
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