Kenshuin Blog

My new iMac has arrived.

2011-05-21T15:28:00.006+08:00

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Just wanted to give a shoutout that last Wednesday (18 May) I got my new Imac 27". It comes with an Intel Core i5, 2.7 GHz quad-core, 8 GB of RAM and hard drive capacity 1 TB.

I've copied everything over now and everything is going smoothly.

Click on the above photo for high-res image2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with 6MB on-chip shared L3 cache.

Little Heron displays Fishing Tactics

2011-04-04T19:08:00.008+08:00

I spotted this Little Heron (Butorides striatus) in the shallows of a lake in Japanese Garden, Singapore, and watched it stealthily, stalk around on the hunt for small fishes. This bird thinks critically just like a human to catch fish. It uses a piece of bread as bait to lure the fish within range for it to prey on.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageCrouching motionless, it waits to ambush its prey.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageUses a piece of bread as bait to capture fish.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe neck extended to make a swift strike at the fish.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageResumes crouching position and wait for the next fish victim.

The Pelican Flower

2011-03-01T15:57:00.019+08:00

Aristolochia grandiflora - or Pelican Flower - is a herbaceous vine with heart-shaped leaves that is native to the Caribbean. It is commonly known as the Pelican Flower because its unopened bud resembles a sleeping pelican.
The flower buds open early in the morning and the flowers only last for roughly 12 hours. They emit a foul smell and attract flies which are their natural pollinators. The opened flower has a brownish-purple background that is covered with a complicated network of white veins which radiate outwards from the central, intensely dark purple throat towards the edge of the lobe.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageFrontal view of the spectacular, foul smelling flower. Heart-shaped, about a foot long and 8 inches wide. As added adornment, a foot-long, slender tail hangs from the flower.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe name "Pelican flower" was given to Aristolochia grandiflora because its unopened bud resembles a sleeping pelican.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageWhen the flower opens it emits a somewhat foul odor. The flies, attracted to the smell of the open bloom, alight on the inner walls of the flower, which then closes, trapping the flies inside until the male flower has matured.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA close-up view of the bloom showing a pollinating fly inside the open flower.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe high climbing plant with heart-shaped leaves up to 10 in. (25.4 cm) long.

Plucking the Greens 采青, Chinatown 2011

2011-02-07T19:49:00.026+08:00

From Wikipedia: During Chinese New Year, lion dance troupes will visit homes or businesses to perform what is called “plucking the greens” (採青 – cǎi qīng), a quest by the 'lion' to pluck the auspicious greens normally 'vegetables' like lettuce which in Chinese is called 'cái' (菜) that sounds like 'cái' (财) (fortune) and auspicious fruits like oranges tied to a "Red Envelope" (known as Hóng Bāo in Mandarin, Ang Pao in Min Nan, Lai See in Cantonese) containing money either hung high up or just placed on a table in front of the premises. The lion will dance and approach the "green" and "Red Envelope" like a curious cat, to "eat the green" and "spits" it out leaving the peeled oranges in a nice arrangement like some auspicious Chinese characters but keeps the "Red Envelope". The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the troupe is rewarded with the "Hóng Bāo".

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThese musicians are members of the Singapore Chin Woo Athletic Association (新加坡精武體育會), one of the oldest troupes in Singapore. They accompany the lion dancers, playing gongs, cymbals and drums. Every gesture made by the lion dancer is choreographed to a particular beat in the music.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageLion dancers getting ready to perform the Cai Ching ritual of plucking the greens at a storefront in Trengganu Street, Chinatown.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageSome dramatic head thrusts to the sound of drums and gongs.
Shake it to the left, shake it to the right . . .

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Lion made great use of its prancing legs in its dance.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageBefore approaching the Greens, the Lion has to move about cautiously to ensure a safe path to the lucky green.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe ‘Greens’ (or the “food” for the lion) is usually presented to the Lions together with a "Red Packet" ( Ang Pow) and some oranges.

Click on the above photo for high-res imagePeeled oranges spat out by the Lion were arranged into auspicious Chinese characters -吉祥如意 ( ji xiang ru yi ) which literally means "Good fortune as one wishes; good luck and happiness to you". Thanks to かつなが for the translation.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA close-up view of the Southern Lion's head.

Olive-backed Sunbird

2010-12-20T17:33:00.015+08:00

Three sunbird species are said to be common here. They are the Olive-backed (which is the commonest species of sunbird in Singapore), the Crimson (the island’s national bird), and the Brown-throated (the largest of the three and also known as Plain-throated).

The sunbirds are a group of very small birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding their young. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings.

Click on the above photo for high-res image This is a female Olive-backed Sunbird. I was lucky that she perched there long enough for me to get a close-up shot. And she's got some nectar at the tip of her beak.
This bird is also known as Yellow-bellied Sunbird,  and its scientific name is Cinnyris jugularis (formerly Nectarinia jugularis).  The Olive-backed Sunbirds in this blog were spotted at Sengkang Riverside.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageIt is really interesting to watch these little sunbirds visiting flowering plants to drink the nectar and forage for insects - they are a real jewel in a concrete jungle.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA female Olive-backed seen sipping nectar from the flowers of the Water Canna plant (Thalia geniculata).

Click on the above photo for high-res image Most species can take nectar by hovering, but usually perch to feed most of the time.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageOlive-backed Sunbirds are fun to watch whilst feeding.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe non-native Water Canna is a favourite of the Sunbirds at Sengkang Riverside.

The forgotten Railway Line.

2010-08-02T16:17:00.033+08:00

How many of you do remember the old Jurong railway line? This line was actually part of what was called the Bukit Timah Siding. It was on 11 November 1965, when a six mile-long extension line was added to the Singapore main line branching out from the Bukit Timah railway station to Jurong Port via Clementi, Ulu Pandan and Teban Gardens. This railway extension was intended for goods transportation as Jurong lacked good roads during that time. Unfortunately, it failed to generate satisfactory traffic and was consequently closed in the early 1990s. Parts of the railway had since been partially dismantled.
It has been roughly 20 years since the line's closure but most of it are still around. Old rail bridges, tunnels, crossing arms, tracks, and even railway signs are still out there albeit some are becoming obscured due to overgrown thick vegetation. I have managed to take some pictures of them for posterity.

A bird's eye view of the railway bridge over Sungei Ulu Pandan.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Click on the above photo for high-res imageAt a quick glance, the railway crossing that spans Sungei Ulu Pandan has an uncanny resemblance to the bridge in the 1957 movie, “Bridge On The River Kwai”. Close your eyes, and maybe you can hear the sound of POWs marching and whistling to the “Colonel Bogey” tune.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe view of the railway track just before crossing the bridge. Below it flows the Sungei Ulu Pandan.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThis photo shows the remnants of the railway track that runs over the now disused bridge.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe railway crossing over Sunset Way.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageRemnants of the railway track at Sunset Way now covered with thick vegetation.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageI have no idea what this is. Found it on one of the concrete piers supporting the railway bridge spanning the Sungei Ulu Pandan. Does anyone have any clue?

Bukit Timah Railway Station

2010-07-23T02:00:00.042+08:00

History has forgotten about Bukit Timah railway station. Constructed between 1900 and 1902, it was opened in 1915 as part of the Singapore-Kranji Railway.
Today, Bukit Timah Railway Station is just a passing loop railway station used for train crossings and there are no longer boarding/alighting of passengers or collection of cargo.

Click on the above photo for high-res image Directional sign pointing the way to the Railway Station, in case you forgot to bring along your GPS.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageJust to remind you that you are standing on KTMB property.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe signbnoard tells passengers that they have reached Bukit Timah. For south bound trains, the next station is "Singapura" (Tanjong Pagar). North bound would be Woodlands.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Bukit Timah Railway Station was once a place where trains used to stop for passengers to board or alight. After the Malaysian Immigration decided to move to Tanjong Pagar station, the Bukit Timah station now serves as an interchange for trains that are meant to cross with each other. Besides this function, it also carries out an interesting daily routine which is the exchange of "key tokens", a traffic management system to prevent collisions on single-track lines.
There are three lines at the station. The first, nearest to the station platform is the mainline. The middle line is called the loop line and is used to keep a train waiting for a crossing. Crossing means two trains crosses with each other at the station. One of the trains will proceed into the loop line and wait till the train occupying the main line is cleared. The last line is for emergency purposes such as to keep defective wagons or to unload cargo.

Click on the above photo for high-res image(KTMB) Trolley P0206 passing by Bukit Timah Railway Station

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA south bound train slows down for the "key token" passing ritual as it approaches Bukit Timah Station. The engine driver would place the "key token" on to a pole for the Station Master to pick it up. In return, he will be given a new "key token" before proceeding to the next station.
Gaining the "key token" signifies permission to proceed, based on security and traffic conditions.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageHaving collected the "key token", the Station Master returns to his office.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA railroad switch.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe truss bridge across Bukit Timah Road

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Click on the above photo for high-res imageIn Singapore, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) operates the narrow "metre gauge" tracks (1000mm).

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Tanjong Pagar Railway Station to close by July 2011.

2010-06-19T16:00:00.052+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway station currently in operation at Tanjong Pagar will be relocated to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint by 1st July, 2011. Designed by D.S. Petrovich of Finland, it was built by Swan & McLaren in 1932.
We have only a few months left to take photos of the KTM Stesen area before having to bid farewell to another old friend.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThis picture shows the train stopper. Singapore has KTM's only hydraulic buffer stops made by Ransomes & Rapier.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThis is the termination point for both "Arrival" and "Departure" platforms. On the right is the "Arrival" platform.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Railway Yard.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageHigh up on a wall in the lobby are the antiquated initials for the Federated Malay States Railway, (the original operator) and the FMSR's crests.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe ticketing booth at KTM Tanjong Pagar

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Eastern & Oriental Express (E&O) is a luxury tourist train for holiday and sightseeing trips. It plies the route between Singapore and Thailand and is operated by the legendary Venice Simplon Orient-Express Limited.

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Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Malayan Railways Limited (KTMB) Auxiliary Police
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Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe entrance to Tanjong Pagar Railway Station with the four pillars of Malaya's economy, Agriculture, Commerce, Transport and Industry.

The Tigers in HortPark

2010-05-12T14:38:00.010+08:00

These photos of the Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus chrysippus) were taken at the HortPark this morning. Outside Asia, this butterfly is also known as the African Monarch. It belongs to the Danainae (“Milkweed butterflies”) subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe Plain Tiger is rather local in Singapore, where it generally stays within the vicinity of its caterpillar host plants, Asclepias curassavica or Calotropis gigantea both of which are not commonly cultivated in Singapore.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe butterfly has a rich fulvous orange forewings with a broad black apical border bearing a series of white spots. It occurs in two forms - form chrysippus which has orange hindwings, and form alcippoides which has white hindwings. Males can be distinguished by an additional brand on the hindwing.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageSingapore is host to both forms of the Plain Tiger with the white-hindwinged form-alcippoides being the more common of the two forms. The species is distasteful to birds.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageA male Plain Tiger attracted to the developing fruits of the Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe male Plain Tigers are irresistibly attracted to the Heliotropium indicum.

Do you remember AKC "REGAL" Cinema ?

2010-04-10T18:08:00.009+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res imageIt's hard to imagine that this building at Gillman Village was once a cinema in the 1950s. Yes, you are looking at the former REGAL Cinema. If you look closely, you can still see the AKC (Army Kinema Corporation) logo proudly displayed on the wall.
After the Second World War, the British War Office in London established the Army Kinema Corporation (AKC) and set up cinemas for the entertainment of their soldiers stationed in the various army bases around the world. The REGAL Cinema at the former Gillman Barracks was just one of them. Today this building has been converted into an eatery.
In 1965, The Royal Air Force Cinema Corporation merged with The Army Kinema Corporation (A.K.C). and formed The Services Kinema Corporation (S.K.C.)

Chinatown celebrates Chinese New Year

2010-02-08T20:28:00.020+08:00

Chinese New Year is a major highlight on Singapore’s cultural calendar. In the Chinese lunar calendar, each year is represented by one of twelve animals from the Chinese zodiac. This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 14 and will usher in the Tiger.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageWelcome to the Year of the Tiger! Here are some pics taken from Singapore Chinatown just before Chinese New Year. These cute Tigers are just located at Chinatown Point.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageRows of lap cheong (Chinese dried sausages) and waxed ducks in Chinatown. Basically, there are 2 types of lap cheong. One is what you normally see - red and made purely out of pork. The other is darker in colour which is made out of liver, usually duck liver.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageWaxed delicacies still remain a must-have food item for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Waxed duck or lap ngap in Cantonese, is made by preserving a flattened, deboned bird in salt, spices and fat.
Extremely salty and leathery in texture, the duck is cut into bite-size pieces, steamed and eaten with rice congee or porridge.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageCookies for Chinese New Year selling for five jars for $6. Come Chinese New Year's Eve, the price will be slashed to about fifty cents per jar.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageGroundnuts and melon seeds in different flavours. . .Groundnut is one of the popular or hot items during Chinese New Year. It symbolises longevity. The word 生 in 花生 (groundnuts in Chinese language) means life. Eating melon seeds suggest proliferation of offspring. Chinese like to play with words and symbols.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageLim Chee Guan is the most popular bak kwa (barbecued dried pork) shop in Singapore. During the run up to Chinese New Year, be prepared to queue for long hours.

Farewell to the Aussie Pig at the Singapore Airshow 2010.

2010-02-05T20:30:00.016+08:00

In Australian military and aviation circles, the F-111 Aardvark is affectionately known as the "Pig", due to its "Terrain Following" ability,
Singapore was privileged that the RAAF’s F-111C commemorated its last flight at the Singapore Airshow 2010 before flying into the sunset. The F-111C lighted up the skies above Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC), when it performed the trail-blazing “Dump and Burn” fuel dump, a procedure where the fuel is intentionally ignited using the aircraft's afterburner. This was awesome !

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe RAAF is the sole remaining operator of the F-111C Aardvark strike aircraft. This Aardvark is from No 6 Squadron and flew in from RAAF Base Amberley, outside Ipswich, Queensland.
I am glad I had the chance to bid farewell to A8-138.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageClose-up view of the F-111C twin-engine swing-wing aircraft. It can take off and land at relatively low speeds with the wings swept forward, then fly at more than twice the speed of sound with its wings tucked back. It can fly close to the ground at supersonic speeds, following the terrain to avoid detection.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageYou are looking at the business office of the Aardvark.

Click on the above photo for high-res imageThis is the hot end of the F-111C. Note the Aardvark's fuel vent (between the two exhaust nozzles).
More pictures taken at the Airshow can be viewed HERE.

MV Doulos - world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship

2009-12-20T18:36:00.018+08:00

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Last Friday, I spent some time on board the MV Doulos. She is currently the world’s oldest ocean-going passenger ship with the hull built in 1914, just 2 years after the famous Titanic. This is her last voyage to Singapore as she is due to be decommissioned at the end of this year. What a great pity but understandable given the age of the ship.

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MV Doulus arrived in Singapore a few days ago and will be here until December 26, 2009. She is currently docked at the Harbour Front, Vivo City.
This 94 year old ship has gone by many names over the years such as the SS Medina, the SS Roma, and the MV Franca C.

One of the life-boats on board Doulos.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Doulos (meaning "Servant" in Greek) is operated by the non-profit charity organization Gute Bücher für Alle (“Good Books for All”), based in Germany.

MV Doulos shifted from Vivo City to
the Marina at Keppel Bay on 27 Dec 2009.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Dairy Farm Nature Park

2009-09-18T17:17:00.000+08:00

Went for a walk yesterday morning in Singapore's newest nature park, the Dairy Farm Nature Park. Located just next to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, it was officially opened to the public on 5 September 2009.

I was interested to take a look at the Singapore Quarry after reading the news reported on AsiaOne and National Parks Board.

New Corolla Altis 10th Gen

2009-04-17T22:04:00.016+08:00

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Took delivery from BM this morning.

According to Wikipedia, Altis was a location in what is today Peloponnese in Greece. Altis was also referred to as the Sanctuary of Zeus by the Greeks.

The new Corolla Altis feels roomy and spacious. The floor in the back is virtually flat, so middle seat passengers will have less to complain about. Switching on the ignition the car starts with the smoothest sound. The engine is well refined with slick gearshift. The car accelerates smoothly and the steering wheel feels super light. Maneuvering the car is easy thanks to the light feel Electronic Power Steering.

You'd be forgiven for mistaking the Altis for its expensive sibling, the Toyota Camry if it's the first time you see the car on the road. If you look at the picture of the Camry and Altis side-by-side, you will realize where the styling cues have been taken from.

To view slide-show, click here .

Henderson Waves

2009-03-26T19:43:00.013+08:00

Visited Henderson Waves yesterday in the late morning. This 300-metre bridge is a part of Southern Ridges, a 9 km chain of greenery, which consist primarily of three large hill parks - Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park.
One end of the bridge connects to Telok Blangah Hill Park, whilst the other end connects to Mount Faber Park.
Henderson Waves was officially opened on 10 May 2008.

View from Telok Blangah Hill Park.Click on the above photo for high-res image

The bridge has a unique wave-form made up of seven undulating curved steel “ribs” that alternately rise over and under its deck. The curved “ribs” form alcoves that function as shelters with seats within.

At a height of 36 metres or 12 storeys from the road, it's the
highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Hornworm (Sphingidae)

2009-02-18T11:18:00.005+08:00

Sphinx Moth Caterpillar.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Stumbled across this little guy in HortPark feeding on the leaves of the Congea tomentosa (Shower orchid or Wooly congea).

In the US, these caterpillars are called "hornworms" because they have a conspicuous horn or spine on the top of the last abdominal segment. Hornworms are the caterpillars of sphinx moths and are classified in the moth family Sphingidae, in the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).

The name "sphinx" is probably in reference to the sphinx-like position that some of the caterpillars assume when disturbed.

Chinatown in Singapore

2009-01-03T11:29:00.015+08:00

Singapore Chinatown is known to the locals as Niu Che Shui (牛车水) literally translated as “Ox-cart water” because during the 19th century Chinatown had to collect fresh water from the wells in Ann Siang Hill and Spring Street, using bullock-drawn carts.

The year of the Ox is arriving soon and
Chinatown prepares to usher in the Ox.
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The senior citizens (ah-pek) absorbed in Chinese chess.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Senior citizens mainly the old chinese men ( otherwise locally known as ah-pek) spent their morning playing Chinese chess. This is my favourite shot . . . a very typical scene found in Chinatown. I love the different expressions found at each of their faces with regard to the game.

The heart of activity is in the Trengganu/Smith Streets area.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Marina Barrage

2008-11-18T15:46:00.012+08:00

Officially opened on 31 October 2008, the Marina Barrage spans the 350-metre wide Marina Channel separating the water in Marina Basin from the seawater thus creating Singapore's 15th reservoir.

The Barrage.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Marina Barrage consists of a dam that also doubles as a pedestrian bridge that links from Marina South to Marina East.

What better way to find out about this new dam than to go to the Barrage itself and take some photos since I heard that it's a pretty scenic place.

The Green Roof.Click on the above photo for high-res image

The city skyline looking towards the "Flyer".Click on the above photo for high-res image

The viewing pad.Click on the above photo for high-res image

The photos turned out pretty well in spite of the overcast sky. Thankfully, I didn't get caught in the rain because I was only there for a short period of time.

Alexandra Arch

2008-09-03T10:20:00.008+08:00

The bridge, with its curved deck and tilted arch, spans across Alexandra Road like an opened leaf. On one end, it continues to Forest Walk, which is made up of an elevated walkway for pedestrians and earth trails for cyclists through the secondary forest of Telok Blangah Hill Park. On the other, it links via a floral path to the Horticulture Park - or HortPark for short.

Although white in colour during the day,
at night it is illuminated with colours. Click on the above photo for high-res image
The steel elevated walkway leading towards the Forest WalkClick on the above photo for high-res image
The end of Alexandra Arch is the start of Forest Walk, a steel elevated walkway that one walks viewing the forest surrounding it.
Forest Walk can only be done in the daylight as there is no lamp-post. Not only that, there is also no toilet too but there are a few stairs that bring one down to the forest to answer nature’s call.

Long tailed Macaque, the guardian of Forest Walk.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Exiting the Forest Walk via this zig zag elevated steel walkway
will bring you to Telok Blangah Hill Park.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Quaint Lamp Posts

2008-08-02T10:52:00.014+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res imageAbout thirty of these quaint lamp posts now at the old Seletar airbase will be preserved for use after the area is transformed into a modern aerospace hub. These quaint lamp posts are believed to date back to the British era. I find their ornamental design rather unique.

Click on the above photo for high-res image These lamp posts will soon be taken down as they are affected by the major road works slated in the area. Let us hope that these too will also be re-installed at the Seletar Aerospace Park.

Durian Fever

2008-07-07T23:14:00.022+08:00

101 Durian Stall, Smith Street, Chinatown.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The King of Fruits, Durian, is in season now. This time around, Malaysia has a bumper harvest and truckloads of the spiky fruit are rolling in from across the Causeway everyday, causing the prices to plummet. For durian lovers in Singapore, this is truly music to their ears.

The Legendary 猫山王 Mao San Wang.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The durian most in demand this season is the new cultivar called "Cat Mountain King 猫山王" ("mao san wang"). Haven't tried it yet. It's a special crop and is only grown in Pahang... currently the most expensive in Singapore. ( from 15 to 20 bucks per kg). In Malaysia, the locals there call this fruit "Raja Kunyit". The legendary "mao san wang" durian is characterized by its small seeds and creamy flesh . . . sweet with a slight tinge of bitterness.

Al fresco dining.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Even "Ang Mohs" cannot resist the durians.Click on the above photo for high-res image
My favourite stall is the one at Smith Street in Chinatown. Here we whack the durians "al fresco" style. I was surprised to see "ang mohs", Japanese ladies (tourists) and some Indian tourists tucking in the king of fruits like connoisseurs.

The "kampong durians going for $2 per fruit".Click on the above photo for high-res image
The price for the the "kampong" durians (or wild strains of durians) ranges from 50 cents per fruit to $10 for 3. ( prices depend on the size of the fruits ). As for me, I am quite happy with the usual "kampong" ones taking my picks from the 1 for $2 pile . . . small fruits but shiok. After eating 3 of these durians, I am too full to try others.

Oooh . . . Look at the bright yellow, custard like flesh ! .Click on the above photo for high-res image
Also on display were the premium varieties such as D24, Golden Phoenix, XO, and D13, but I find them too overhyped and usually overpriced.

A tip from the older folks to getting rid of the smell from your fingers. Get some water and pour it into the empty cavity of the durian shell and then wash your fingers using this "bowl". Some versions say add some salt into the water. Supposed to work very well.

55 year old hotel makes way for MRT

2008-06-28T14:58:00.012+08:00

The Preferred Budget Hotel in Singapore.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The latest to bite the demolition dust is the New 7th Storey Hotel in Rochor Road. Built in 1953, the New 7th Storey Hotel is a landmark of a bygone era. Evidenced by an ancient lift, probably the last mechanical lift in Singapore with its own operator and an exterior spiral staircase. This iconic spiral staircase has been a favourite backdrop for many photographers.

The Spiral Staircase at the rear of the Hotel.Click on the above photo for high-res image
By the end of the year, The New 7th Storey Hotel will be demolished to make way for the new Bugis MRT station for the Downtown Line. The hotel’s owner and occupants will have to move out of the premises by the end of December.

However, I can’t help but to express my disappointment that this small but quaint hotel - popular among backpackers - has to go the way of the red-brick National Library Building in Stamford Road. Already fading in our memories, is the former National Theatre.

The Möhne Dam

2008-05-16T16:44:00.023+08:00

A warm welcome to all who are interested in aviation history.

65 years ago tonight, the RAF's 617 squadron set off to target three dams in Germany's Ruhr Valley near Dortmund.

Nineteen Lancaster bombers departed in three waves from R.A.F Scampton on the night of 16th May 1943. Nine were to attack the Möhne Dam, then proceed to the Eder; five were to attack the Sorpe; and five constituted a 'flying reserve'.

In the early hours on 17 May, the bombers managed to breach the Möhne and the Eder. The Sorpe was attacked by Lancasters from the reserve force but, though hit, it was not breached. Severe flooding occurred where the Möhne and Eder were breached. The raid proved to be costly in lives as almost 1,300 people died in the floods following the dam bombing (more than half the lives lost belonged to allied POWs and forced-labourers).

Breach in the Möhne Dam (Morning after the attack). Click on the above photo for high-res image
The British casualties for the raid were high. Of the nineteen Lancasters that took part in the raids, eight were damaged or shot down, and of the 133 aircrew, 53 were killed and three captured.

Oldest Bus Stop in Singapore

2008-04-02T14:36:00.006+08:00

Click on the above photo for a bigger picture
Singapore's oldest bus-stop is at Old Chua Chu Kang Road . . . where service no. 172, 975 & 405 plies. There are four of these along Old Choa Chu Kang Road. Built in the 1970s, they have been slated to be torn down as part of improvement works by the Land Transport Authority.

Oleander Hawkmoth Cat

2008-03-19T00:38:00.011+08:00

Check out this beauty!

I found this little guy (8 cm long) enjoying the leaves and shoots of my potted Desert Rose (Apocynaceae Adenium obesum). Seeing that it had a voracious appetite I had to quickly relocate the caterpillar to another spot in the garden where it would not do so much harm to my beautiful shrubs!

Common Name : Oleander Hawkmoth
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Daphnis
Species : D. nerii
Binomial Name : Daphnis nerii

Click on the above photo for high-res image

Labrador Jetty re-opens today.

2008-02-01T22:30:00.023+08:00

At last, this is the day all anglers have been waiting for. The Jetty was closed for upgrading works during the past three and a half months. The re-opening today is very timely as now is the season for blackbarred halfbeaks (Hemiramphus far), commonly known as "putput" by the Malays.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Common Name : Blackbarred Halfbeak
Genus: Hemiramphus
Species : far
Binomial Name : Hemiramphus far

Click on the above photo for high-res image

Apple Launches MacBook Air

2008-01-16T01:20:00.013+08:00

The star of the 2008 Macworld Conference & Expo at the Moscone Center in San Francisco was the ultra-thin, ultra-light MacBook Air, which was unveiled yesterday during the opening keynote address by Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

MacBook Air.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Claimed to be the thinnest notebook in the world, as one would expect from Apple the new addition to the Macbook range has been beautifully styled. With a sleek wedge shaped anodised aluminium case the Air weighs only 1.3 kg and boasts a variable thickness of 1.9 - 0.4 cm; this is despite its 13.3″ widescreen display, full size keyboard and extra large touchpad. An I/O door on the Macbook’s side neatly hides a headphone jack, USB port and micro-DVI output.
Click here for video showing the launch of MacBook Air by Steve Jobs.

DAIWA Freams KIX 1500

2007-10-29T20:11:00.001+08:00

I was down in Changi Village today when the Freams Kix 1500 caught my eye. This reel has been my first choice for light and/or medium luring. A reasonably priced "Made in Thailand" reel, it is very smooth and has a great drag system.
Bought it and had the spool loaded with 114m (125 yds) of 8lbs Berkley Fireline. Will be pairing it with my Bassterra S65MH.

My latest addition to my family of reels.Click on the above photo for high-res image
:::... DAIWA Freams KIX 1500 ...:::Click on the above photo for high-res image

My first Peacock Bass

2007-09-26T22:55:00.001+08:00

"Monkey God Tree" creates a stir.

2007-09-18T20:29:00.000+08:00

I made a trip to Jurong West Street 42 yesterday to check out the much-hyped Monkey God Tree.
During the middle of the week (14.9.07) there were a few newspaper reports (in Singapore) on the discovery of monkey images appearing on the tree bark of an old tree by the roadside along Jurong West Street 42. Since that day, many people have been making a little 'pilgrimage' to the tree to pay their respects to a tree trunk that they believe houses the spirit of the legendary 'Monkey God'.

Can you see the monkeys ?Click on the above photo for high-res image
People from all corners of Singapore came to gape and gawk at this treeClick on the above photo for high-res image
Devotees believed that the images are either a manifestation of the Monkey God, a deity from Chinese mythology, or Hanuman, the monkey deity in the Hindu pantheon, and that praying to them would bring them luck.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The Straits Times has a good article on this, with quotes from different camps of people — believers, scientists, tree experts and assorted professors. Read it here.

Awesome Cobia

2007-08-05T13:01:00.005+08:00

Kudos to Ms Michelle Ho for landing a magnificient Cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus,1766) on the west coast of our shoreline on 26 July 2007. The length of the Cobia (also known as Crab-eater (after its favorite food), Black Kingfish, Lemonfish, Ling, Aruan Tasik and Hai Lei) was about 1.1 metres with an approximate 24 inch girth. Since the fish was not weighed, there will always be fertile fodder for tall tales. However, by employing the standard accepted formula used by most anglers (girth x girth x length divide by 800), the Cobia was estimated to weigh around 13 kg plus. The last time I heard of a Cobia this size (landed in the west coast) was some 7 mths ago.

Incidentally just last Wednesday on 1 August, Peter (my fishing buddy) and I met Michelle by chance at our favourite fishing ground. According to Michelle, the Cobia took the fresh tamban bait attached to a long snood bottom feeder just when the rain started to fall. She was using a Lemax Grand Tournament 7 ft rod that was paired with a Shimano Slade SL4000FB reel and loaded with 14lb Berkley FireLine Crystal. She told me excitedly that her adrenalin was cruising through her veins at Mach 3 when her Lemax rod displayed a tremendous bend. Michelle slugged it out with the Cobia for the first five minutes of the run. Everyone soon gathered around her shouting instructions causing disorder and confusion. When the Cobia finally surfaced but refused to come in, Michelle handed the rod to 'Uncle Yan' (a veteran angler) who skilfully steered the Cobia to within gaffing distance. Fishing "gurus" like "Uncle Hai" and Sunny were on hand to ensure that the prized catch was securely gaffed and landed safely. Surely Michelle was the happiest person that day as she proudly showed me some photos of her fantastic catch.

Nice Cobia Michelle . . . it always feels great to land a personal best.
Peter and I wish we were there last week just to watch the fight . . . .

Acknowledgements: Thanks to "guest" from Fishing Kaki for the use of his photos which I have made them into a slide-show at below

Tight lines and screaming reels always.

"To go fishing is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of sun on blue water ......... And it is discipline in the equality of men - for all men are equal before fish."

- Herbert Hoover

Let's Go Deutsche

2007-07-18T20:59:00.000+08:00

There was a cause for a small celebration today as "Lady Luck" casted her smile on Guan Kim. To celebrate his windfall, we decided to give Paulaner Bräuhaus a visit as this place offers freshly-brewed German beer and traditional Bavarian cuisine. Established in 1999, Paulaner Bräuhaus is Singapore’s only German microbrewery and restaurant located in a unique three-storey glass building at Time Square @ Millenia Walk. Of the three levels, the bar is on the ground level. The restaurant is located on the second level where the familiar Maibaum (Maypole), a 16th century Bavarian architectural feature, takes centrestage.

At Paulaner Bräuhaus Singapore, the resident brewmaster Alexander William Buchner brews two signature handicraft beers; Munich Lager and Munich Dark, according to the strictest and oldest regulations of brewing as set out in "The German Law of Purity", issued in Bavaria in 1516 by Duke Wilhelm. The yeast added in the fermentation process stays in the beer, and this contains vitamins.

Munich Lager
A bright, golden brew with lots of rising bubbles and a great head. A smooth taste and a fine hop presence, the Munich Lager contains 4.7% alcohol and has a perfectly balanced flavor.

Munich Dark
Hazy dark amber color; big creamy off-white head. Crisp, a bit roasted flavor., with some nice hop and some caramel. The specialty of Munich, the Munich Dark contains 4.8% alcohol and is light-bodied, easy to drink.

The beers both got a big thumbs up from Guan Kim and I. So much for the German Lagers, and now for some hearty old-fashioned German fare. The waitress drew to our attention regarding the Speedy Set Lunch promotion where we pay $12.50 for any choice from a selection of German sandwiches, sausages and pasta. Add in an additional $8 and we get 2 glasses of 0.3L freshly-brewed Paulaner beer. This recommendation sounded good to us.

What better way to start our meal than with a Round Bratwurst with Rösti Potato and Mushroom Stew. We ordered a platter each. Now a trip to any German eatery will not be complete with their signature Grilled Pork Knuckle – Gegrillte Schweinshaxe ($26.50). As the serving was quite sizeable, we decided to share this dish. The pork knuckle was light and crispy on the outside, yet tender and succulent on the inside, perfect with the Munich Lager. Rather substantial, this main course was served with German bread dumplings and sauerkraut, which translates literally as sour cabbage.

Desserts at Paulaner are in a class of their own. We were stuffed all right but against our conscience and better judgement, we ordered their Rote Grütze ($9). I found it a bit of a tangy concoction. Actually they were fresh mixed berries stewed in red wine and served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Oh, what a decadant way to end off our meal.

Hic! Bottoms up

MAAF Singapore Squadron Crest

2007-07-13T21:32:00.000+08:00

MAAF is the acronym for Malayan Auxiliary Air Force. The Singapore Squadron was formed in 1950 and finally disbanded in 1960.
The Squadron Crest features a gold lion passant on a tower surrounded by the words "Malayan Auxiliary Air Force Singapore Squadron; surmounted by a crown; with the motto : "USQUE AD ASTRA". . . . which is Latin for "All the way to the Stars."

Thanks to Peter Chew Kok Wei for the Squandron Crest. Peter is the son of Squadron Leader Jimmy Chew, former Adjutant with MAAF (Singapore Wing).

Brewing @ Brewerkz

2007-06-23T14:18:00.000+08:00

Mein guter freund Guan Kim took me to Brewerkz, the most amazing place in Singapore to sit, sip a beer and watch the world go by. It is a rather large establishment with gleaming aluminum tanks (beer vats) of premium beer filling the cavernous interior. Opened in June 1997 Brewerkz is located at Riverside Point in Singapore and combines an 18-hectoliter brewery with a restaurant and bar serving a range of beers and American-style food. The Brewerkz’s custom-made Microbrewery is run by Brew Master Scott Robertson, a former Canadian physicist, who began brewing at his family’s Regina, Saskatchewan, brewpub in 1991.

It was almost noon on a Wednesday afternoon when we dropped in the brewpub and chose a table (located in the Tap Room) with the brewery as backdrop. We managed to get the incredibly busy staff to bring us the menu. The pricing of their menu is quite unique in the fact that the price of their beer changes depending on the time and day. This means that a pint (470 ml) of beer can cost as little as 3.49 Singapore Dollars in the weekday and as much as 11.99 in the evening on the weekend! From the seven different brews listed in the Draft Selections, we narrowed down our choice to a jug (1400 ml) of "Golden Ale"... brewed right at this microbrewery. It is touted as their best seller, and can be described as hazy golden colour with a large white head, low in bitterness and a floral hop character. "Golden Ale" is a light beer. The alcohol content is a mild 4.5%.

Of course we must have some food to go with the beer. Guan Kim ordered the Rib-Eye Steak, a tender but tasty 300 grams of beautifully marbled, nicely aged, Australian beef. Mine was the New York Steak, a classic flame-grilled sirloin cut of 200 grams from flavorful Australia-raised, hormone-free beef which is one of the best steak I have ever tasted. The soup of the day costs 8.99 Singapore Dollars if ordered individually, but if we were to order any food item, we can have the soup for only 2.99 Singapore Dollars. I love Brewerkz !

Overall, it has been quite an experience. Brewerkz should be the top of the list for any beer lover that visits Singapore. In the interim before I leave, I would like to add that this was something I was not planning to write but seeing Guan Kim talk about one of his favourite watering holes, I thought I too should share this little prayer with all fellow beer drinkers :-

"Our lager, which art in barrels,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy will be drunk, I will be drunk, at home as in the tavern.
Give us this day our foamy head, and forgive us our spillages, as we forgive those who spill against us.
And lead us not to incarceration, but deliver us from hangovers.

Barmen."

The "Ugly Stik" is beautiful.

2007-06-18T13:36:00.000+08:00

This 10 footer surf fishing rod has been on my wish list for quite some time and I finally got one today. It is the legendary Shakespeare "Ugly Stik Gold" . The model no: is USG-GPS100A2. The rod comprises 2 sections and features 7 "Fuji" guides + tip. This surf rod is suited for medium/heavy action with a line rating of 6 ~10 kg, just nice for surf fishing from the jetty or shoreline.

I was rather surprised to find the "Ugly Stik Gold" in a local shop as all the while I thought it is only available in Australia. Shakespeare had launched the "Gold" series in Australia (way back in 1998) to offer the consumer a more affordable high quality fishing rod. The RRP in Australia is AUD 145.00.

How did "Ugly Stik" gets its name ? Check it out here.

 

Porridge - "Sashimi Ala Cantonese"

2007-06-01T14:57:00.000+08:00

Just two days ago, Peter and I headed to Ah Chiang's Porridge in Tiong Bahru for breakfast. This is a no-frills coffeeshop that serves Cantonese styled rice porridge eaten with plates of raw sliced fish - "Sashimi Ala Cantonese". The fish that is used to make this raw-fish salad is the 'Chirocentrus dorab' otherwise known as Wolf-Herring or Ikan Parang as the locals call it.

The Wolf Herring is served sliced really thin due to the fact that they have really tiny bones which ran longitudinally down the length of the fish and it is really difficult to remove them. So by cutting it really thin and across the grain, you will make the fish-bone hardly noticeable. Just slap on the red chilles, slivers of ginger, chives, drowned with sesame oil, and sprinkle a little soya sauce to complete the taste. I usually plonk the plate of raw-fish salad into my bowl of steaming hot porridge and leave it to cook themselves. Accompanying this with a bowl of sliced 'you tiao' (deep fried crullers) and you will be in heaven. I find that the deep fried crullers is an excellent companion to the porridge.

Besides the raw sliced fish, Ah Chiang also serves porridge with various toppings such as minced pork (bak chor), fish belly, innards and century eggs.

Nah Sih Gua Uh Ji Pa Ban (If I have a million dollars)

2007-05-10T12:50:00.000+08:00

A Hokkien song by Freddie Huang Yi Fei.
This is the all-time Singaporean dream.
May all your dreams come true !

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban
Gua uh ji pa ban, jit si lang tio khin san

Bo khong bo lang jai, kong tio chin pai seh
Chiak kak hia nih tua hanh. ko mm pat je puey kee
Pah piah hua chuey ni, bo chia bo chu ko bo ai lin
Kua lang chua bo ko chuey sing di, wu jii ko wu seng

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh je puey kee
Wa beh ew seh kai, ha wa ee sai dai yang
Lit pun chiak su shi (Wa chia li chiak su shi)

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh buey chia buey chu
Sang ting ka hai bi, siang lang ka ho kih, lai hor wa cho bo

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban
Nah sih li wu kiam eng jii, khui chui bien keh khi

Bo khong bo lang jai, kong tio chin pai seh
Chiak kak hia nih tua hanh. ko mm pat je puey kee
Pah piah hua chuey ni, bo chia bo chu ko bo ai lin
Kua lang chua bo ko chuey sing di, wu jii ko wu seng

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh je puey kee
Wa beh ew seh kai, ee tah li lim ko pi
Loh pi chiak speh ge ti (Loh pi chiak speh ge ti)

Nah si gua wu ji pa ban, wa beh buey chia buey chu,
Buey tiam lai siu chor, eng eng bien cho kang, chua kow ki san por

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban
Nah sih li wu kiam eng jii, khui chui bien keh khi

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban
Chap cheng puay cheng teh ki eng
Bien huan ma boh bun tuey (huan chien pu se wen ti)

Nah sih gua uh ji pa ban, ji pa ban…
Wei, peng yu eh, li siong ji pa ban, chin chuay ah?

Air Show Salutes Fallen Blue Angel Pilot

2007-04-24T12:19:00.000+08:00

The pilot of Blue Angel #6 that crashed during the final minutes of an air show in Beaufort, South Carolina on Saturday, April 21, 2007 has been identified as Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. "Kojack" Davis.
The air show in Beaufort continued on Sunday without the Blue Angels, but with a tribute to the pilot who was killed. In a sombre salute, a team of six GEICO Skytyper jets flew in traditional "Missing Man" formation at the start of the air show as Taps was sounded during a moment of silence . Then one jet peeled off to honor the F/A-18 Hornet and its pilot, lost when the jet plummeted into a neighborhood near the air base. The “Missing Man" formation is the traditional salute for a lost military aviator. For Sunday’s "Missing Man" formation, pilot Jan Wildbergh, who flies the No. 6 plane for the Skytypers, was chosen to peel away from the formation because Davis was also a pilot of a No. 6 plane, the opposing solo position.Click on the above photo for high-res image
A sad day indeed not only for the Blues and the Navy, but for the aviation community.

Requiescat In Pace, sailor.

Blue Angels Jet Crashes at South Carolina Air Show

2007-04-22T22:33:00.000+08:00

I have been a long time fan of the Blue Angels, so it pained me to learn about the Blue Angels aircraft that went down during the final minutes of an air show in South Carolina yesterday afternoon.

Here is an excerpt from Salem-News.com:

"(BEAUFORT, S.C.) - An F/A-18A Hornet assigned to the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) crashed during the final minutes of an air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., at approximately 4:00 PM EDT, on Saturday, April 21.
Navy Blue Angel No. 6 is shown minutes before crashing during an air show at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort, S.C., Saturday, April 21, 2007.
(AP Photo/Birmingham News, Mark Almond)Click on the above photo for high-res image
The pilot did not survive. The pilot of the jet was joining the DELTA formation for the final of the aerial demonstration when the mishap occurred. It was his second year on the team, and first year as a demonstration pilot. The DELTA formation, what the team was setting up for:Click on the above photo for high-res image
The other five Blue Angels jets were not involved in the incident and landed safely moments later.
The crash occurred approximately three miles outside the air station in the vicinity of Pine Grove Rd. and White Pine Rd. One civilian on the ground reported minor injuries and was transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Some houses in the area received damage, the extent of which is unclear at this time.
The name of the pilot is being withheld pending the notification of the next-of-kin. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation."

The Blue Angels returned home today to Pensacola Naval Air Station with heavy hearts and decided not to participate in a weekend air show in Vidalia, Ga.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Blue Angels in the loss of their teammate and to their families.

The Beauty of Maths !

2007-03-31T17:42:00.000+08:00

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?

And finally, take a look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Help us put an end to Whaling

2007-02-28T22:51:00.000+08:00

Hello all,

This morning I received the following mail:

Hi,
www.whalesrevenge.com is trying to get a million people to sign a petition to stop whaling.
If you could tell as many people as you can about our website, that would be a great help.
Thanks for your support and remember to sign the petition.
I think this is a great initiative, so I went to the website and signed the petition. If you feel the same, follow me and 310737 others. Of course it would be great if you could send this message to all your friends or post it on your weblog.

Thanks.

The Apple iPhone has arrived.

2007-01-10T14:36:00.000+08:00

After weeks of speculation and expectation, Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs introduced the Apple iPhone at the Macworld Conference and Expo 2007 in San Francisco yesterday. This is really a cool product and I am quite impressed with it. Not only is it a phone, but also an iPod and an internet browser as well. For more details, check out the iPhone site and even watch the Steve Jobs presentation of the iPhone.Steve Jobs highlights applications on the new iPhone..
"This is a day I've been looking forward to for two and a half years," said Jobs. "Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. Well, today, we're introducing three revolutionary products of this class," said Jobs. "The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary mobile phone. The third is a breakthrough Internet communications device. "In 1984, said Jobs, Apple introduced the Macintosh, and changed the computer industry. In 2001, Apple introduced the iPod, and changed the entire music industry. "These are not three separate devices," said Jobs. "This is one device. And we are calling it iPhone. Today Apple is going to reinvent the phone."The Long-Awaited iPhone.
iPhone will be available in the US in June 2007, Europe in late 2007, and Asia in 2008, in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac. iPhone will be sold in the US through Apple's retail and online stores, and through Cingular's retail and online stores. Several iPhone accessories will also be available in June, including Apple's new remarkably compact Bluetooth headset.
 

15th Asian Games ~ Doha 2006

2006-12-16T17:16:00.000+08:00

The 15th Asian Games, (officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event) was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to 15, 2006. Now that the Games are over, there is much to celebrate, for Team Singapore went home with 27 medals, 8 gold, 7 sliver and 12 bronze. Congratulations to Team Singapore especially the Keelboat crew in the Beneteau 7.5 Open Match Racing. The Keelboat quintet of Teo Wee Chin, Ivan Tan, Roy Tay, Renfred Tay and Justin Wong beat India 3-1 to claim Singapore's 8th gold medal of the Asian Games.
Match racing debuted at the Asian Games in 2006 with most sailors coming across from various double handed classes. Competition was close throughout, with boats consistently finishing within seconds of each other.
Team India, the Asian champions and experienced favourites looked strong in all the preliminary rounds. But Singapore's youthful and light five-man crew prevailed.
In a tense finale, Singapore beat India after India was penalised for infringing a right of way rule just before the finish line. Korea and Thailand battled it out for the bronze with Korea cruising to an easy victory. “Just metres from the finish line, we jibed on port and they were on starboard so we had to give them right of way, but . . . .".
Ivan Tan, one of the winning Singapore crew described the race and how the team came together, "Awesome, awesome, the whole unit just functions together. We are such a great team. I have never been to anything like this [Asian Games]. I had the opportunity to come here and it has just been the best experience.
"It was very, very close. We led for most of the race. We were first to the first bottom mark, then we got some breeze and took off, then they got breeze.
“At the bottom mark we called water on them (had to allow buoy room), then they lifted (got a wind shift).
“Just metres from the finish line, we jibed on port and they were on starboard so we had to give them right of way, but while we were giving them room they jibed back onto us infringing the right of way rule so they had to do a turn and that allowed us to win the race.
"The results show who is on top, but they don't show how close the races have been. Today [Wednesday, 13 December] it came down to who sailed a little bit better, and we somehow managed to sail a bit better." The Asian Games 2006 Gold Medal . . . picture courtesy of Lucilla and Melissa.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Jaunt through Kampong Glam

2006-11-14T22:36:00.000+08:00

Kampong Glam takes its name from the Gelam tree (malaleuca leucadendron) that once grew in abundance in the area. Medicinal oil was extracted from Gelam tree while its bark was used by the Bugis and Malays to caulk the seams of their boats. Originally a fishing village at the mouth of the Rochor River, Kampong Glam was also the historic seat of Malay royalty in Singapore.
Yesterday, I took a jaunt to this historic area starting from the former Istana Kampong Glam (Istana means Palace in Malay) which now houses the Malay Heritage Centre (Taman Warisan Melayu).

The Malay Heritage Centre.Click on the above photo for high-res imageBuilt in 1840s as the palace of residence for the last Sultan of Singapore, Sultan Hussein Muaazzam Shah ibni Sultan Mahmud, this historical two-storey Palladian architecture-styled building was meticulously restored in 2003 to retain its flavour and authenticity. The Malay Heritage Museum now showcases the rich history and culture of Singapore’s Malay community.

The Sultan Mosque (Masjid Sultan).Click on the above photo for high-res imageLocated at Muscat Street is the grand Masjid Sultan or Sultan Mosque crowned by its golden dome. It is the largest mosque in Singapore with the capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 Muslims in congregational prayers.
Originally built in 1824 by Sultan Hussein, the mosque features a massive golden dome and is one of Singapore’s most imposing religious institutions. The mosque is a blend of classical Turkish, Moorish and Persian style which brings out the magnificence of the era of colonial architecture.

Bussorah Mall.Click on the above photo for high-res imageNo trip to Kampong Glam is ever complete without visiting Bussorah Mall, a pedestrian street of conserved shophouses which is closed to vehicular traffic. Fronting Sultan Mosque, Bussorah Mall cannot be missed. Tall graceful palm trees lined both sides of the street where the beautifully restored shophouses sell traditional clothes, artefacts, handicraft, furniture and jewelry.

Haji Lane (The narrowest street in Singapore).Click on the above photo for high-res imageI made a little detour down a small lane halfway down Arab Street and found this quaint little street. It is barely the width of two cars ! Yes! This is the famous Haji Lane where the shophouses were all built in the pre-war era, and have now been conserved. Many of the old tenants and businesses in these shophouses are no longer around, although the architectural character has remained largely unaltered.

The Alsagoff Arab School. Click on the above photo for high-res imageBuilt in 1912, the school was named after Syed Ahmad Alsagoff, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who was very influential in Singapore's early colonial days. It is the oldest girls' school in Singapore, and was the island's first Muslim school.

Kampong Glam Cafe.Click on the above photo for high-res imageFinally, I made a pit stop at this cafe along Baghdad Street where I had my "brekkie". I counted at least half a dozen Arabic cafes along Baghdad and Pahang Street serving Middle Eastern food and drinks. Baghdad Street is a favourite haunt of taxi drivers who stop by for Singapore's best "teh tarik" (sweet tea with evaporated milk and sugar, served with a thick bubbly froth created by pouring the piping hot tea from a mug into a serving glass.)

Art by the Singapore River

2006-10-11T22:28:00.000+08:00

As you walk along the Singapore River, you can find many interesting sculptures. Kucinta cats, kids jumping into the river, men in pigtails and a bullock cart. These are some of the public sculptures installed along the Singapore River since the opening of the promenade, to add a touch of art to this “river of life”.
Many of them is sure to remind you of the good old days along the banks of the Singapore River.

Sculptures of Kuchinta, the Singapura Cats.Click on the above photo for high-res imageA playful family of sculptured Kucinta Cats (river cats) sits on the corner of the Cavanagh Bridge at the southwest abutment. They are recognised as one of the smallest breeds around the world.

Title of sculpture : First Generation.
Sculpted by Chong Fah CheongClick on the above photo for high-res imageThis bronze sculpture located along the Singapore River shows 5 kampong boys (stripped to their birthday suit) jumping into the river for a swim.
It captures the simple and happy lifestyle of people once living along the Singapore river.

Bumboat with touristsClick on the above photo for high-res imageMoments later, a bumboat arrived and the tourist couple seems to have been taken aback by the life-like image of the five kids jumping into the water.

Forget 'emoticons' - use your own smiley face.

2006-08-22T00:24:00.000+08:00

"Software that contorts an image of a person's face to express different emotions could enrich text-based internet chat.
The researchers behind the system say it can quickly transform a user's face to convey any of six emotions, ranging from anger to happiness.
A user first uploads a picture of their face with a "neutral" expression. Then they use their mouse to mark the ends of their eyebrows, the corners of their mouth and the edges of their eyes and lips."

Click on the link below for the full article:
http://www.newscientisttech.com

The Lord of Latin Love

2006-07-19T23:20:00.000+08:00

Julio Iglesias performs the Spanish version of "Begin the Beguine".

Noordin Beach, Pulau Ubin.

2006-06-28T16:15:00.000+08:00

The sign says it all.Click on the above photo for high-res image
I went to Pulau Ubin today, the last reserve of the kampongs. Except for the absence of chickens, ducks and turkeys, [the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has banned all poultry on Ubin since 17 June 2005 as part of ongoing efforts to keep the deadly bird flu out of Singapore] the island has not changed much since my last visit some 15 years ago. The rustic settings and slow pace of life in Pulau Ubin is still well preserved and is a refreshing change from the main island of Singapore.
The Gazebo in the afternoon.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The abandoned Pekan Quarry.
Today, it remains as a picturesque relic of Ubin's history.Click on the above photo for high-res image
First thing I did on arrival was to make a bee-line to the NParks Info Kiosk and say hello to the friendly staff out there. Unlike most visitors who rent a bike to explore the island, I decided to walk instead. Took a leisurely stroll through the village town center and headed towards Noordin Beach. The scenery is beautiful and after passing Pekan Quarry, I spied a number of durian trees heavily laden with fruits. After slightly more than an hour or so, I arrived at Noordin Beach. It is a small beach, and the view was ruined by the "fence" that was erected to thwart the landings by illegal immigrants.
Noordin Beach.Click on the above photo for high-res image
I continued to explore Noordin beach. There was a lone feral dog that kept following me around. I saw a pair of Grey Heron perched on the "fence" motionless waiting for prey. As thunder clouds started to gather, I decided to head back to the village town centre.
Road sign-post in Pulau Ubin.Click on the above photo for high-res image
I was sun-burnt, hot, sweaty and tired. My leg muscles were aching and I thought it was best to stop at a roadside stall for some fresh coconut juice before catching the bumboat back to Changi Point.

Test shots using my Nikon 4T.

2006-05-17T23:44:00.000+08:00

Received the airmail package containing the Lens Adapter Tube for my Nikon 4T on Monday, 15 May.

Went to MacRitchie today and took some test shots with my Nikon 4T. Whilst prowling along Petai Trail, I met Peter San who is a Macro enthusiasist. He is using a Lumix FZ10 coupled to a Nikon 6T. When two Lumix users meet up, there is bound to be plenty of yakking and exchange of views. I must thank Peter for his tips on Macro shooting. Will try out his suggestions on my next outing.

Posted below are some of my test shots, (still a long way to go !).
Click on the above photo for high-res image
Click on the above photo for high-res image
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Cycad Blue. [Chilades pandava pandava]Click on the above photo for high-res image
Tyriobapta torrida Kirby, 1889.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Simpang Kiri Park Connector

2006-04-12T23:11:00.000+08:00

This is the entrance to Simpang Kiri Park Connector, located at Canberra Link near to Yishun Industrial Park A. The jogging track begins just after the bollards. Along this track, (adjacent to a wide canal which ultimately flows into the Johor Straits) you'll find fitness stations and benches to rest your tired feet.
Click on the above photo for high-res image
The jogging track is 2.8km long, starting from Yishun Avenue 2 and stretches to the end at Tanjong Irau beach next to the Bottle Tree Village. Good place for in-line skating, cycling and jogging.Click on the above photo for high-res image
This jetty fronts the Bottle Tree Village (where the Sembawang Sea Sports Centre used to be) and offers a beautiful view of the Straits of Johor and Malaysia..Click on the above photo for high-res image

Jelutong Tower

2006-03-13T21:47:00.000+08:00

The Tower.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Named after a common forest tree, the Jelutong Tower allows visitors to have a bird’s eye-view of the varied terrain of the MacRitchie Reservoir and the skyline beyond. This seven-storeyed observation tower (reaching 20m in height) can be reached via three access routes – the Golf Link, Sime Track and the Rifle Range Link. I took the Golf Link route, a boardwalk that hugs the reservoir's edge of the Singapore Island Country Club (Bukit Location).
An exhilarating view from the top of the Tower. See the Reservoir beyond ?Click on the above photo for high-res image
This trail leads to the HSBC TreeTop Walk.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Are the distances displayed correct ?Click on the above photo for high-res image

Closure of Sime Track (from Petaling Hut to the Ranger's Station).Click on the above photo for high-res image

The "top of the world" feeling.

2006-02-16T21:48:00.000+08:00

The suspension bridge is 250m long and 25m above ground (at the highest point).Click on the above photo for high-res image
Situated amidst the MacRitchie forest, the HSBC TreeTop Walk (free-standing suspension bridge) is a first of its kind in Singapore and enables us to have a rare bird's eye view of the forest canopy level. Drawing inspiration from those who have been to the Tree Top Walk (TTW), I became very excited over the idea of experiencing what it'll be like to overlook the Central Catchment Area from an unobstructed, panoramic view, never made available before. Taking advantage of the good weather this morning, I took to the Terentang Trail and headed for the TTW which is located in mature secondary forest between Bukit Kalang and Bukit Pierce, the two highest points in MacRitchie.

A breathtaking view of the Upper Peirce Reservoir and lush greenery.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Getting to the TTW involves going through an undulating trail with steep slopes and long stretches of mud track strewn with stones and broken bricks. Proper footwear and clothing are necessary in such a terrain. Just as I was wondering if the trail will ever end, the service road of Singapore Island Country Club at Island Club Road looms into view. From there, it's another 20 mins of walking to the Ranger's Station followed by some panting uphill climb before reaching the bridge itself. The view from the bridge is quite a sight to behold. I was earlier informed by one of the NParks staff that the Sime Track (from the Ranger's Station to Petaling Hut) is affected by a landslide and is currently closed until further notice. To get back to the Ranger Station, he advised me to follow the pipeline track at the half-way mark of Petaling Trail. The return route takes visitors up and down a series of boardwalks. What a relief when I finally reached the car park at Venus Road.

Croc sighted at SBWR

2006-01-16T21:33:00.000+08:00

Estuarine Crocodile, [Crocodylus porosus] .Click on the above photo for high-res image
Spotted this croc at Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve this morning. I was walking along the Mangrove Boardwalk looking for butterflies when this reptile caught my attention. It was about 2 metres from head to tail and look deceptively coy ! If you ever go down to the Mangrove Boardwalk, do precisely as what the signboard says - "WATCH IT !"

Radjah Shelducks (Tadorna radjah)

2005-12-20T17:53:00.000+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res image
These wild ducks caught my attention when I was at the Singapore Botanic Gardens yesterday. There were three of them, all with the same color markings. The head, neck, and under parts are white whilst their wings and a band across their breast are black. The secondary feathers are metallic green with white tips. Legs, feet and bill are light pink.

Click on the above photo for high-res image
Click on the above photo for high-res image
Thanks to Ms Jacqueline Lau (ecologist and nature photographer cum nature guide) for ID-ing them as "Tadorna radjahs". They are also commonly known as White-headed Shelducks or Black-backed Radjah Shelducks.

Click on the above photo for high-res image
Tadorna radjahs are definitely not native to Singapore. They are mainly found around the coast of New Guinea and on the Moluccan Islands, the Aru Islands in western Papua, and on Fergusson Island. These birds prefer marshes, lagoons and swamps of shallow brackish or saline water. Both sexes are vocal, even when flying. Females sound like a harsh rattle, males sound like a hoarse whistle.

Click on the above photo for high-res image
Radjah ducks feed mostly at night by grazing in pastures or by dabbling in the water. They eat mollusks, insects, sedge materials, and algae.

Green Iguana (Iguana Iguana)

2005-12-06T20:03:00.000+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res image
Spotted this handsome Green Iguana at Sungei Buloh today. As Iguanas are not native to Singapore, I suspect that this one has been (illegally) released into the freshwater ponds at Buloh. This beautiful reptile was sunning himself at the lily pond. He was easily 1.5 to 2 meters long from head to tail. He nodded his head (and the dewlap under his throat swung like a pendulum) just before disappearing into the bush. I understand from fellow photo-buffs that there is another one at the Botanic Gardens which I have not come across yet.

Labrador Nature Reserve (Labrador Park)

2005-12-02T10:41:00.000+08:00

Click on the above photo for high-res image
Labrador Park is well-known for its natural rocky seashore and coastal vegetation, and has been gazetted as a nature reserve in 2002. However, it is more than a nature reserve. Labrador is also a park rich in history. In its midst are historical war relics and bunkers that date back to the 19th century, when the British identified Labrador as a strategic site for the defence of Singapore. View of the Labrador Jetty from the aerial staircase.Click on the above photo for high-res image
The cliffside aerial staircase offers a good view of the Southern Islands of Singapore. In the distance, the chimneys of Pulau Bukom's oil refineries stand out clearly against the blue sky (though perhaps not on camera). The Jetty is also known to be a good fishing spot and is very popular with local anglers.
Click on the above photo for high-res imageThe above is one of the two 6-inch Rifle Bridged Loading (RBL) guns deployed at Labrador during the war and is an apt reminder of the role played by the Labrador Battery during the battle of Singapore in February 1942.

The Little Heron (Butorides striatus)

2005-11-28T12:55:00.000+08:00

I spotted this juvenile Little Heron (aka the Mangrove Heron or Striated Heron) at the Singapore Botanic Gardens this morning. It was standing on a water-lily pad hunting for little fishes.
Click on the above photo for high-res image

Changeable Lizard at Kent Ridge Park.

2005-11-10T20:33:00.000+08:00

This morning I went to Kent Ridge Park with the simple intention of wanting to try out the Canopy Walk. Kent Ridge did not disappoint... The Canopy Walk.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Another view of the Canopy Walk.Click on the above photo for high-res image
I was hanging around at the Look-Out Point till noon, when I then went in search of the legendary alligator at the pond. Just imagine, some wise guy saw a Monitor Lizard and later the story went around that he saw an alligator ! Whilst walking along the edge of the pond, I saw a juvenile Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis) or Pucong Kuning (Malay name) on the opposite bank. It is not easy to spot a Yellow Bittern because of their supreme camouflage. They are usually seen only in flight, and their flights are usually brief and low. Couldn't get a good shot, as it darted quickly into the thick undergrowth to hide.
As I made my way back to the Canopy Walk, a Changeable Lizard (Calotes versicolor) ran across my path just in front of me. It was a matured male in red crested breeding regalia. He seems to be less fearful of people. I leopard-crawled to within 3 feet of this agamid ( See photo below). This agamid froze momentarily on hearing my footsteps.Click on the above photo for high-res image

Hindhede Nature Park

2005-10-28T23:43:00.000+08:00

Went to Hindhede Nature Park this afternoon for these pics despite the partly cloudy sky. Strolled up the gentle winding boardwalk to the lookout point where I was rewarded with a lovely view of a water-filled disused quarry. From the dense forest across the water, I could hear the chatter of monkeys and the garrulous call of the white-crested laughing thrush. This is one of my favourite scenic spots at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Very calm and peaceful surrounding, reminds me of the same tranquility that I experienced at Tasik Kenyir.

In case your sense of direction isn't too good, this map will put you on the right track.Click on the above photo for high-res image
View of the quarry from the lookout point.
The TAS VHF Station is at the top of the quarryClick on the above photo for high-res image

Clouded Monitor

2005-10-19T09:34:00.000+08:00

Photographed at MacRitchie Reservoir, Singapore
Family : VARANIDAE
Species : Varanus bengalensis nebulosus.Click on the above photo for high-res image
Whilst on the way to the Tree Top Walk, I encountered this specimen as it was digging amongst the leaf litter searching for beetles and other insects. The hike to Tree Top Walk had to be abandoned due to bad weather.
The Clouded Monitor is often mistaken for the Malayan Water Monitor due to similarity in appearance. The Clouded Monitor is distinguished by the position of the nostrils which lie mid-way between the eye and snout.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

2005-10-14T20:06:00.000+08:00

This is the mouth of Sungei Buloh Besar with the town of JB forming the backdrop. Click on the above photo for high-res image
There are three walking trails in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR). On my previous visits, I managed to complete "Route One" and "Route Two" but somehow I took a wrong turning and missed the "Tower Hide".
This morning I visited SBWR again and chose to do "Route Three" which is approximately 7 km long. It took me about 4 hours to complete this trail. This time with the aid of a trail map I made it to the "Tower Hide". Here are some pictures that I took from the top level of the "Tower Hide" :-
Can you see the "Bird Observation Hide" on the left ?Click on the above photo for high-res imageAnother view from the topClick on the above photo for high-res imageDuring the course of my hike, I came across quite a number of Malayan Water Monitor Lizards (Varanus salvator) sunning themselves. There is a large community inhabiting the Aquatic Pond. Another common sight is the "Common Sun Skinks" and the "White-breasted Waterhen". The star attraction of SBWR is of course the migratory birds that feed on the mudflats. I couldn't get any good shots with my camera as they were out of range. Time to get a more powerful zoom ?
Whilst on the way back to the car park, I spied a "Pink-necked green pigeon" (Treron vernans) feeding on the the ripened fruits of a palm tree. Here is the shot :
Pink-necked Green PigeonClick on the above photo for high-res imageWhen I next come back to SBWR again, I intend to explore the 2 km long "Kranji Nature Trail" which is the green corridor linking two wetlands, the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Kranji Reservoir Park.

Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

2005-10-01T11:54:00.000+08:00

Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra will tour China and Singapore in October, performing two concerts in Beijing, one in Shanghai as part of the prestigious China Shanghai International Arts Festival and two in Singapore.

Photo Credit: Mark Lyons
Tour at a Glance
 • Friday, October 21: Beijing, Great Hall of the People
 • Saturday, October 22: Beijing, Great Hall of the People
 • Monday, October 24: Shanghai,* Shanghai Grand Stage
 • Wednesday, October 26: Singapore, Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay
 • Thursday, October 27: Singapore, Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay

Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay is Singapore’s national performing arts center. It boasts superb adjustable acoustics — by world-renowned acoustician Russell Johnson — found only in four other halls globally.

I have two of the Pops recordings, both are on TELARC label. One is "Time Warp" with Don Dorsey on the synthesizer keyboard and the other is "Round-up".

Globalogue Forum - Launched Today

2005-09-25T16:33:00.000+08:00

A new forum, "Globalogue", has been launched today at :

http://globalogue.org/forums

What is a forum ? (an uninitiated may ask.)

A forum is a place for online discussion, debates, dialogues and information sharing. It allows you to post messages for everyone to read, and in turn read the messages of others. Forums are an excellent place to learn and share knowledge with other people from around the world.

In "Globalogue", there are a number of topic areas in which global affairs are discussed. These and other topics are listed on the forum's topic index page.

Check here for their WELCOME MESSAGE.

See, Hear and Feel the Sound.

2005-08-20T15:02:00.000+08:00

You are invited to "see, hear and feel the sound" of Dolby.
Stereo speakers recommended.
( See the video )

Mighty Mouse is here !

2005-08-02T20:39:00.000+08:00

Apple today introduced Mighty Mouse, its next generation mouse with several innovative new features that make using a Mac even more powerful and easy. Mighty Mouse offers power users up to four independently programmable buttons, without compromising simplicity for users who prefer just a single-button mouse. Mighty Mouse also introduces an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users scroll in any direction—vertically, horizontally and even diagonally. With the Scroll Ball, users can scroll with natural, fluid movements, making Mighty Mouse perfect for applications from viewing web pages and photographs, to video editing and music creation. Mighty Mouse is priced at just S$88.

Check this review: http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/

I think I'll wait until Apple releases a Bluetooth version of this mouse before shelling out money.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

2005-07-20T21:33:00.000+08:00

Went trekking at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve this morning as the weather was cool and breezy.
Situated within this 164-hectare (400 acres) of nature reserve is Bukit Timah Hill, the highest point in Singapore standing at a "towering" height of 164m. I took the shortest path to the summit because of time constraint.
Summit Path
The shortest trekking route to the summit follows what the park has labeled as the "Red Walking Trail" which is just over 1 km and follows a paved road heading northwest from the the Nature Reserve's Visitor Centre. From the Visitor's Centre to the entrance of the Nature Reserve, I encountered a rather steep climb, (about 60 degrees incline) which actually provided me with some good exercise as I plodded my way up the hill.
Saw many interesting insects along with the Plantain Squirrels (Callosciurus notatus) on my way up. I also spotted two beautiful butterflies - the Blue Glassy Tiger and the Common Palmfly.The Blue Glassy Tiger.Click on the above photo for a high-res image
The Common Palmfly.Click on the above photo for a high-res image
Watching these butterflies feeding from flower to flower in their natural environment is always fascinating and rewarding.
The whole Nature Reserve has four clearly marked trails. The shortest one takes about 20 minutes while the longest route will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete at a leisurely pace. Throughout all the routes, there are many simple jungle-themed shelters which provide rest as well as shelter from the rain for the visitors.
Bukit Timah Hill was once an active quarrying site in the mid-1900s. One abandoned quarry has been developed as a park. Hindhede Nature Park is now a popular spot with visitors who come to enjoy the quarry’s scenic beauty.

I saw Batman Begins

2005-06-21T21:40:00.000+08:00

I saw BATMAN BEGINS yesterday. Whilst strolling along Orchard Link, I decided to walk over to Cathay Cineplex Orchard and view the cinema posters. I was curious about how many people would turn out to see BATMAN on a Monday so I purchased a ticket to the 1:40 PM show and was surprised to find the theater to be only half full!

If you are a fan of the comic book series , GO SEE THIS FILM! It is the closest you're going to get to the comic book. It is different from all of the other Batman movies in that it is made much more in real life style. It is serious all the way through. Christian Bale did great! Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman were brilliant too. Michael Caine's portrayal as Alfred was amazing and as for Ken Watanbe, I wish he had more words to say ... I love his acting and totally enjoyed his character as Katsumoto in "The Last Samurai". By the way, Gary Oldman is perfect in his role as Commissioner Jim Gordon! After seeing this film, I think I can safely say that this is one of Christopher Nolan and David S Goyer's best films without a doubt. The cinematography and the bat effects are fantastic! I must confess I was literally in awe after watching this movie.

One drawback was that the fight sequences in "Begins" were edited too quickly, and the lighting too dark so that you really couldn't tell what was going on and determine who was hitting who. Hopefully the next film will open up the fight sequences so that we can actually see Batman use the martial arts skills he developed during his exile.

Looking forward to the sequel !

VLC media player

2005-06-12T13:51:00.000+08:00

VLC (VideoLAN Client) is a multi-platform multimedia player. It handles most MPEG, AVI (including DivX), ASF, WMV, OGG, MP4 and WAV files as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.

I stumbled across the latest release of VLC (version 0.8.2 - test2) during the latest round of my never-ending search for a way to play back WMV files on my iMac. Couldn't be happier with this Mac OS X version ... the only drawback is that VLC does not support the WMV3 sound or video format due to no suitable decoder module for fourcc WMV3.
When you try to play WMV3, you get only audio, no visual, most probably due to M$'s new Digital Rights Management (DRM) structure.

By the way, WMV3 is the fourcc code of the WMV9 codec, so both are the same thing. WMV3 itself is just an updated version of Microsoft's MPEG4 codec variant and will only work in Windows.

Chronicling the first week with the iMac G5

2005-05-26T13:17:00.000+08:00

Exactly one week ago, I received my iMac G5 and eagerly unpacked and installed it.

Plugging in the necessary peripherals was easy.

Last step was to attach the power cable and switch on the iMac G5. Gingerly I pressed the power button (located at the back) and "BOING!!!" the Apple startup sound was so damned loud I almost fell off my chair. (Sidenote: Unfortunately, the loudness of the iMac G5 does not extend to the OS sounds - all other sounds other than the startup sound are very muted even on max volume.)

I saw the grey Apple logo and a revolving thing on my screen that spins and spins for a good few minutes. After a while, I got to the registration and setup screens and after duly filling them in, I was deposited at the Finder. At last, a proper taste of Mac OS X Tiger.

I started to explore more of Tiger. The first couple of days was just spent tinkering with the OS, trying out stuff and setting preferences. Notice 'home and 'end' keys don't move to the beginning and end of a line as in Windows - I miss that. I am now trying to get use to the one-button mouse.

Switched to Mac OS X today

2005-05-20T13:10:00.000+08:00

I collected my new (up-graded) iMac G5/2Ghz 20" from SGL today.

The original iMac G5 was with this specs :-

20-inch widescreen LCD
1.8GHz PowerPC G5
600MHz frontside bus
512K L2 cache
256MB DDR400 SDRAM
160GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-loading SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
64MB video memory
56k internal modem
Includes Mac OS X Panther

After the upgrade, the specs now is :-

20-inch widescreen LCD
2GHz PowerPC G5 - BETTER
667MHz frontside bus - BETTER
512K L2 cache
512MB DDR400 SDRAM - BETTER
250GB Serial ATA hard drive - BETTER
Slot-load 8x SuperDrive (double-layer) - BETTER
ATI Radeon 9600 - BETTER
128MB DDR video memory - BETTER
56k internal modem
Airport + Bluetooth - NOW FREE
Includes Mac OS X Tiger and iLife .... plus loads of new stuff !!!

Tiger roars on April 29

2005-04-28T10:05:00.000+08:00

At last, the TIGER is available tomorrow - Friday, April 29, 6 pm

The latest version of the Mac OS X operating system called TIGER is to be launched globally tomorrow at 6 pm. Three groundbreaking features are Spotlight, Dashboard and Automator.
Spotlight - is a search engine for the desktop similar to a feature Microsoft is touting in its next Windows release, Longhorn — which won’t be out for at least another year. .
Dashboard - A visually stunning set of tiny applications called Widgets that provide weather, stock price, flight tracking and other sorts of data.
Automator - allows a user to automate repetitive tasks.

Toki No Nagare Ni Mi Wo Makase

2005-04-01T22:57:00.001+08:00

The song you are now listening to, is the Japanese version of the Mandarin hit "I Only Care About You" 我只在乎你. The singer : Teng Li-Jun.

Here are the lyrics:

Moshimo anata to aezuni itara
Watashi wa nani o shiteta deshouka
Heibon dakedo dareka o aishi
Futsuu no kurashi shiteta deshouka
Toki no nagare ni mi o makase
Anata no iro ni somerare
Ichido no jinsei soresae
Suteru koto mo kamawanai
Dakara onegai soba ni oite ne
Ima wa anata shika aisenai

Moshimo anata ni kirawaretanara
Ashita to iu hi nakushiteshimau wa
Yakuso ku nanka iranai keredo
Omoi de dake jya ikite yukenai
Toki no nagare ni mi o makase
Anata no mune ni yori soi
Kirei ni nareta soredakede
Inoti sae mo iranai wa
Dakara onegai soba nii oite ne
Ima wa anata shika mienai no

Toki no nagare ni mi o makase
Anata no iro ni somerare
Ichido no jinsei soresae
Suteru koto mo kamawanai
Dakara onegai soba ni oite ne
Ima wa anata shika aisenai

Together again for one last time

2005-03-08T01:16:00.000+08:00

WOW ! Shadows' fans everywhere, rejoice ! Here is the fabulous DVD of their final tour that not only meets, but exceeds all expectations. Ever since I heard their first hit "Apache" in 1960, I have been a diehard fan.
THE FINAL TOUR
The Shads (as their legions of fans call them) had not played together in several years after their disbandment in 1968. Fortunately, due to constant fan support all over the globe, they decided to get back together again on stage for one last time on THE SHADOWS' FINAL TOUR. The tour kicked off at Scarborough Futurist Theatre on April 30th 2004 and spanned the entire UK over a massive 37 dates and culminated at the London Palladium on June 14th.
THE FINAL TOUR DVD
November 8th 2004 saw the release of THE FINAL TOUR DVD which was recorded at Cardiff's International Arena on June 5th. Of course, the Shads are -- Hank Marvin (lead guitar)-- Bruce Welch (rhythm guitar) -- Brian Bennett (drums). They were accompanied on this final tour by two other fine musicians -- Mark Griffiths (bass) and Cliff Hall (keyboards).
I was over the moon when I bought a copy of this DVD yesterday afternoon. How nice to listen to the instantly recognisable Shadows sound and watch their famous routines in the comfort of your favourite arm-chair. The DVD running time is 180 minutes and features 42 tracks (including no less than twenty-one TOP 20 hits, five of which got to No.1.)
Having this DVD is a real coup. I am sure all Fender Stratocaster fans will definitely want to add this gem to their DVD collection.

Surfing on the fast track

2005-02-01T20:42:00.000+08:00

My contract has ended for Singnet BroadBand 512kbps. I recontracted for 1500kbps (unlimited plan) and today is the activation day.
In 1997, when the first broadband services were launched, the equipment was untested and thus hard to set up. Also, the expected bandwidth -- at times said to be about 100 times faster than that offered by 56K modems -- was never realised.
This led to disappointment with broadband services in the early days. Until recently, broadband has always been seen as an unfulfilled promise. But things have turned around over the past year or two. Thanks to better experience and, of late, lower prices, broadband services have become attractive to those who usually would not have considered them.
For those who have not considered getting on the broadband wagon before, now is the time to do so.

At long last, I own a JAM !

2005-01-04T23:03:00.001+08:00

I've just received my JAM yesterday evening from HELLO! at Bugis Junction. It really is a sight to behold for a Pocket PC (PPC). I never thought I'd see the day when I'd own a PPC this small and functional. Actually, I am referring to the i-Mate JAM which is another brand name for the Xda II Mini. In fact, they are also being marketed in other countries under brand names such as Qtek-S100, MDA Compact, HTC Magician and Dopod 818 (which is the Chinese version of the Mini).
i-mate JAM .... aka Xda II Mini I really like the size of the JAM. Look at the picture posted above, its smaller than my current Nokia 6150. You just got to say WOW the first time you put your hands on one of these babies....
I've had my i-Mate JAM for two days now, and it's an awesome device. The JAM is tiny (about the size of a 3G iPod, with more rounded edges) and has all the features of any PPC on the market today, minus WiFi and VGA. The lack of WiFi on the JAM does not bother me at all as I seldom go around the hotspots in town. Details of the Technical Specifications can be found HERE.
Voice quality is quite good, and the 416mhz processor is more than enough for basic PIM tasks. I intend to use a 1 GB SD card to store mp3s, (the original set comes with a 256 MB SD card).
Yeah, once you play with the Xda II Mini, you'll want one for sure, just like me.

The Bloom of a Lifetime

2004-12-27T23:29:00.000+08:00

Above photo by Wong Len Poh.
The Talipot, Corypha Umbraculifera, an Asian palm, blooms only once in its lifetime of 30 - 80 years. The inflorescence each weighs more than half a tonne (500 kgs), 6 meters tall and may bear over 20 millions fragrant tiny flowers. "Umbraculifera" means "bears an umbrella," an appropriate name for this ornamental palm. The Talipot palm's flower clusters are the largest in the plant kingdom. The plant itself can easily grow trunks up to 80 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter and leaf blades up to 16 feet in diameter. Enthusiasts can check out the ones in bloom now at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.Len Poh chanced on a rare sight while taking a retired professor from his University out on a visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens on 22 Dec. Two 79-year old Talipot Palms in the Gardens flowered for the first and last time during this Christmas. It is such a rare occasion that the Botanic Gardens put up special signs to direct visitors to the palms.
Talipot Inflorescence
Photo by Wong Len Poh
From across the vast expanse of green lawn, you can see that something special and significant is going on. Your eyes are caught by the sight of the bright flower cluster, fountaining up, out and above the massive base of stout green palm fronds. Tiny insects hover in a cloud around the inflorescence. Are they pollinating the blossoms or just admiring them?Tiny Talipot flowers
Photo by Wong Len Poh
Some of the small, pale palm flowers, which are only about a fourth of an inch in diameter, gently rain down on you as you look up, and they lightly carpet the ground below.
Sad thing is that the palm will die after the enormous effort of flowering and fruiting, for the first and last time in its life.

Yahoo! Mail now gives 250mb!

2004-12-05T10:58:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I noticed that Yahoo! allows 250mb space. Hooray and thank you! But I don't know why Hotmail still gives me a miserly 2mb.

Another delightful feature of Yahoo! is the to: / cc: addressing feature. Just type the first alphabet and the entire list offers itself to be picked.

Byte (Topper)

2004-11-17T21:40:00.000+08:00

Sailing has finally arrived at Lower Seletar Reservoir. For the past few week-ends, some members of Seletar Country Club have been practising with figure of 8, sheet-bend, bowline, clove-hitch, round turn and 2 half hitches so that they can catch the wind at Lower Seletar.
The Byte (designed by Ian Bruce) is a high performance sailboat that delivers the excitement of the Topper without the need for great body strength or weight. In fact, the Byte is just right for anyone weighing 50 kgs or more and they are gaining in popularity in Singapore schools.
The Byte was recently awarded ISAF Recognised status which is
testament to the worldwide success of the boat.
Rigging up
The local Byte fraternity has been fired up ever since Calvin Lim Zhi Yang won the World Byte Championship 2004 in a fleet of 132 entries. Lying second till the last day, Calvin managed to overtake Issac Bussin of Canada on the final day of racing. Calvin who in June won the Euro Cup is only 15 years old.
The World Byte Championship 2004 was held from 18~24 August in Kingston, Canada.
Congratulations to Calvin for an outstanding performance.

RSAF F-16s outgunned by Indian Sukhois

2004-10-26T21:06:00.000+08:00

Six F-16C/D Fighting Falcon jets from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) have been engaging in dogfights with their Indian counterparts in the open skies over Gwalior in Western India during the past two weeks. To be precise, they are participating in the first bilateral air exercise, codenamed SINDEX-04, which will end tomorrow 27 Oct 04. Curious to know the outcome ? Read on .... which is a Times of India news report, quoting IAF sources, said the Indian pilots proved more than a match for their visitors.

Don't fret if Pak gets F-16s
RAJAT PANDIT
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2004 11:24:29 PM ]

NEW DELHI: India need not lose sleep even if Pakistan manages to acquire more F-16 fighters from the US. After plastering American combat pilots in an exercise earlier this year, IAF top guns now have another reason to be gung ho: their top-notch mean machines have proved more than a match for F-16s, the much-vaunted 'fighting falcons'.
Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKI jets are apparently outgunning American F-16s on "several aspects" at the ongoing Indo-Singapore air combat exercise in Gwalior.
This is the first-ever face-off between these two sophisticated war machines originating from the two former Cold War adversaries.
"Our Sukhois are doing very well against the F-16Cs (of Singapore Air Force) in terms of manoeuvrability, sophistication of avionics and weapon systems. Similarly, our MiG-29s and Mirage-2000s are also matching up to the F-16s," say IAF sources.
IAF is pitting even its MiG-21s, which constitute over 45% of India's combat fleet, against F-16s during the 'Sindex-Ankush' exercise in Gwalior.
"Ever since the Pakistanis acquired F-16s from the US in the mid-1980s, we wanted to size them up. So, we are matching almost all our planes with F-16s of the Singapore Air Force, which are more advanced than the F-16s of Pakistan," said sources.
The IAF has also tasked its elite combat school to develop manoeuvres for MiG-21s to elude the radar cones of F-16s.
IAF spokesperson Squadron Leader Mahesh Upasani only said, "Results of the exercise will be assessed only after the debrief. It's premature to comment at this stage."
Instead of F-16s, the US had fielded the F-15C Eagles during the Cope India-04 exercise in February. So, the decks were promptly cleared when Singapore came knocking for training facilities with its F-16s.

Short trip to Pulau Tioman

2004-09-12T11:24:00.000+08:00

Socata TB9 Tampico with Berjaya's DASH 7 in the background

Sunset view of Renggis Island - photo taken by Denise Renggis Island is located infront of Berjaya Tioman Resort. Only a few hundred meters from Berjaya jetty (lalang village). Average depth is 9m and max depth is 12m. A truly wonderful dive site, this beautiful reef has many coral varieties - hard and soft - and teems with marine life - puffer fish, angelfish, butterfly fish, sting rays, moray eels, trigger fish, giant grouper and more. Renggis is one of the best sites for seeing turtles, and harmless black tip reef sharks are often spotted.

Apple Introduces New G5 iMac

2004-09-01T16:59:00.001+08:00

The half-dome base is gone, and the iMac G5 is iPod-white in colour. This is my first impression of Apple's redesigned iMac. The new iMac G5 desktop tucks all of its components, including its hard drive, processor and DVD drive, behind a wide-screen LCD (liquid-crystal display). The LCD screen is about 5cm (2 inches) thick and is mounted on a curved metal stand, has proportions similar to those of Apple's Cinema Display flat panels.
The new stunning iMac G5
The new computer was unveiled by Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing at the Apple Expo 2004 in Paris yesterday. Apple Expo is Europe’s largest Mac-dedicated event, and this year’s show takes place at Porte de Versailles from August 31st to September 4th.
Worldwide distribution is to begin in the middle of this month. The new iMac G5 features the high-performance G5 processor running up to 1.8 GHz. For details of the technical specifications, look up here. Prices for the new iMac line are as follows:

17-inch model ... 1.6 GHz SIN $2,488
17-inch model ... 1.8 GHz SIN $2,788
20-inch model ... 1.8 GHz SIN $3,588.

Today's Science Experiment

2004-08-27T22:07:00.000+08:00

Four worms were placed into four separate jars. The first worm was put into a jar of alcohol. The second worm was put into a jar of cigarette smoke. The third worm was put into a jar of sperm. The fourth worm was put into a jar of soil.

After one day, these were the results:

The first worm in alcohol - dead.

The second worm in cigarette smoke - dead.

The third worm in sperm - dead.

The fourth worm in soil - alive.

CONCLUSION: "As long as you drink, smoke and have sex, you won't have worms!"

COMEX 2004

2004-08-26T15:03:00.000+08:00

COMEX 2004 starts today at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (Suntec City) and will be on until this Sunday 29 August. This digital, IT and consumer electronics exhibition is now in its 12th year. One can expect to find great buys on desktops, notebooks, hand helds, wireless peripherals, memory devices and a host of other IT related products.
Bargain hunters like myself will enjoy comparing prices of the latest gadgets and gizmos under one bargain-packed roof.

Are you a cat lover ?

2004-08-14T00:18:00.000+08:00

U still hate cats ?

Goldie is the quiet one. She has soft and lovely fur. One thing that Goldie doesn't do is to meow and whine like Roger. I think this is called the "silent meow". She just opens her mouth and a soft sweet meow comes out ! I have heard her meow loudly before though. That's when she smells fish and wants some!

Goldie

This is Roger, very intelligent and lovable tom cat. He's a lap cat, but loves to be carried around the house especially by Denise. Whenever I'm on my computer, Roger will jump on the computer table and just walk over and around the keyboard. He does this a lot when he wants me to get him something to eat!
At present his favourite game is to attack every other cat in the house.

Roger

Curlie is the great hunter. Besides being an expert mouser, she also brings home bats, tree lizards and little birds.
Curlie likes to jump on my bed in the wee hours of the morning to let me know it's time to eat and pats my face with her paw to wake me up. I open my eyes only to see two eyes staring back at me!

Curlie

Bush looking for ways to harm Americans

2004-08-07T15:18:00.000+08:00

Or so he says .......

U.S. President George W. Bush has told a roomful of top Pentagon brass his administration would never stop looking for ways to harm the United States.
The latest installment of misspeak came during a signing ceremony on Thursday for a new US$417 billion defence appropriations bill.

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we".
- Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004 .

WTC SURVIVOR - Virus Hoax

2004-07-30T23:26:00.000+08:00

A friend, The Chief Abbot (not his real name) has just sent me an email entitled "Fwd: READ ASAP - VERY IMPORTANT" which contains dire warnings about emails entitled "WTC SURVIVOR". According to SOPHOS ANTI-VIRUS, "WTC SURVIVOR" is a hoax.
This email first started to circulate in (can you guess..?) September, 2001, and one had just arrived in my Inbox today. There NEVER WAS a "WTC SURVIVOR" Virus, but the hoax lives on !
Remember, the warning IS the virus ... ANY email that asks you to forward it on is a HOAX, even if it is a warning about a VIRUS !! Everyone seems to feel that it is better to send it on, not realizing that millions of other people are doing the same thing !!
REMEMBER, TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, YOU DO NOT FORWARD THE EMAIL!
Scroll towards the bottom of my Links column, on your right, and you will see the List of Top 10 Virus Hoaxes.

Google & other Search Engines hit by worm variant

2004-07-28T10:13:00.000+08:00

A new version of the "MyDoom" computer worm was spreading on Monday, (26 July) and slowing the performance of Google and other Internet search engines such as Lycos, Altavista, and Yahoo.
According to the Washington-based SANS Internet Storm Centre - a computer security firm , the new variant known as "MyDoom.O" (also dubbed as "MyDoom.M") began appearing over the weekend. This mass-mailing worm was tapping into search engines in an effort to find more email addresses with which to spread further.

Google hit by worm variant
No wonder I had a tough time on Monday when I tried to make searches using Google. Each time I keyed in a query I was faced with a message telling me that a "server error" had occurred.

iMac G5 coming in September!!

2004-07-24T20:46:00.000+08:00

According to Macrumors, Apple confirmed that they will be releasing a G5 iMac this coming September!
The new machines have been delayed due to a shortage of G5 chips. (That's what they said).
These chips are being manufactured by IBM in its East Fishkill, NY facility.
64 bit G5 Processor
Now, doesn't that old 17" of yours feel obsolete already?
Yoohoo!! ... I can't wait.

How much do you know about your Laptop?

2004-07-23T22:52:00.000+08:00

Most brand name notebooks out in the market today are not manufactured by the companies that market them. There are exceptions like Asus, Toshiba and IBM but even the latter two don’t manufacture all of their laptops.
It is always funny to hear people swear by their Dell, HP (or other) laptop. Little do they realise that they are the same laptop as you would get from NEC or Acer. You say this is all crap ? Well, here is a good article that puts things into perspective.

" The world’s largest Notebook Computer manufacturer, Quanta Computer, shipped more than 800,000 notebooks in June thanks in part to major brands like Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, NEC and Acer."

This Land is Your Land ......

2004-07-19T23:26:00.000+08:00

This is really hilarious .... See John Kerry and George Bush square off and trade insults in this can't-miss campaign spoof.
Actually this is a parody of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" ... presented by JibJab.
Click me.

How to Fly - The Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow of Flight

2004-07-14T21:57:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Victor who passed this info to me.

Come this Sunday, 18 July, there is gonna be a seminar (featuring the Eurofighter "Typhoon") at the Singapore Science Centre. The speakers are :-

Squadron Leader Martin "Geordie" EVANS,
Senior Engineering Officer, RAF Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit and

Squadron Leader Rob COLLIGAN,
Pilot of RAF Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit

Eurofighter Typhoon
Session Highlights:

* The session will include a 45-min presentation followed by a Q&A session.

* Video presentations of the Typhoon will be screened during the introduction.

* Brass plates of the Typhoon (and stationery) will be available for visitors to pencil their own autographed silhouettes of the Eurofighter, the world's most advanced superior swing role fighter in production. There will even be a chance on a first-com-first-serve basis (limited to fifty participants) for autograph by the distinguished speakers.

* Exciting souvenirs such as aircraft stickers and A4 posters, and many more to be given away!

This is surely an event that no serious aerophiles would give it a miss!

US Govt Cyber Experts Advise Browser Switch

2004-07-02T20:31:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, in response to the latest security exploit involving Microsoft products, the usually staid U.S. government's Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, published a warning strongly suggesting that users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer should switch to another Web browser, due to "significant vulnerabilities" in technologies included in IE.

The following article appeared in The Straits Times, (today's issue) dated 02 July 2004:

"THE United States government's cyberdefence experts, along with other computer gurus, are urging users to consider a switch away from Microsoft's widely used Internet Explorer (IE) because of new security problems.

The unusual - and for Microsoft, highly embarrassing - warning comes because of a security hole that has allowed hackers to surreptitiously install software on hundreds of websites that use Microsoft's Web server programs.

That, in turn, downloads spyware programs to personal computers, including one that steals credit card numbers and other forms of financial information.

'This is a wake-up call for us to advise users to switch to an alternative browser,' said Mr Johannes Ulrich of the SANS Internet Storm Centre in the US, which tracks immediate threats on the Internet. 'With Internet Explorer, you're playing Russian roulette and hoping the sites you visit aren't compromised.'

Most anti-virus software have been updated to block the specific program, the JS.Scob Trojan, but Microsoft has not, so far, been able to inoculate IE against the broad technique.

None of the most prominent alternative browsers, Opera, Mozilla or Netscape, is vulnerable to the flaw. Nor are computers running Linux or the Macintosh operating systems.

Another new threat emerged this week that might compromise the passwords and account information of users who bank online.

It targets users of IE and can be picked up from pop-up ads that secretly download software capable of capturing users' keystrokes. -- LAT"

The Last Samurai

2004-06-27T00:23:00.000+08:00

I just saw this last night (on DVD)- Tom Cruise goes from Top Gun to Shogun in "The Last Samurai". Overall, it is a spectacular and entertaining movie with outstanding acting and breathtaking cinematography. However, be aware that the movie is fictional.
Did you know that the pink cherry blossoms that Katsumoto (played by the superb Ken Watanabe) was referring to were fakes - they were made of cotton. The reason for this was because they couldn't find cherry blossoms at that time of year for the scenes that were filmed in Japan.

Fuji-yama's twin .... Mt. Taranaki, N.Z. >
Besides filming in Japan (mostly in Kyoto and at Himeji) and the States (on sets on the Warner Bros. studio lot in Los Angeles (Burbank), many scenes were also filmed on location near New Plymouth on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island, with Mt. Taranaki standing in as Japan's Fuji-yama. Take a look at the picture above and see how Mt. Taranaki closely resembles Fuji-yama!

What do you think of this NEW template ?

2004-06-23T01:39:00.000+08:00

Blogger has recently introduced a NEW interface. I took the opportunity to try out one of the new templates designed by the talented Douglas Bowman who is the Founder and Principal of Stopdesign. It's cool .... don't you agree ?
There is no longer any need to use "Haloscan" for the Comments feature.

The New 17" PowerBook G4

2004-06-20T15:34:00.000+08:00

I was in Funan IT Mall yesterday surveying the Notebooks. The one that caught my eye is the 17 inch PowerBook G4. It's simply gorgeous and undoubtably the supermodel of notebooks. Miraculously engineered, the ultralight PowerBook G4 is just 1-inch thin and 3.13 kgs, making it the thinnest and lightest notebook with a 17-inch display on the market today.

PowerBook G4 17"

Would I buy one? To be honest, I would not. Simply because the price is too high, or rather the price/performance ratio is not good enough. For the $5,288 price tag I can also buy two state-of-the-art Intel Centrino based notebooks, which might not look as good, nor have a 17 inch widescreen monitor, but will still get the job done. That does not mean I would not want to own one, it is just that in my opinion it is overpriced.

To quote from Seong Swee "Price good, wallet loose ... sure go!"
Here are the specs:

PowerBook G4 (17" 1.5 Ghz)
Processor: 1.5 Ghz PowerPC G4, 512K SRAM on-chip L2 cache.
Memory: 512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 SO-DIMM.
Display: 1440 x 900 resolutions TFT XGA widescreen.
Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM.
Hard Disk: 80 GB Ultra ATA/100 drive @ 4200 RPM.
Slots: 1 PC Card (Type I or II).
Optical Drive: Super Drive DVD-R/CD-RW.
Ethernet:10/100/1000 Base-T (Gigabit).
USB: 2 2.0
FireWire: 400 and 800.
Wireless Communications: Built-in 54Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking(based on 802.11g standard); Built-in Bluetooth 1.1
Modem: Built-in 56K V.92 modem.
Keyboard: Full size illuminated fibre optic backlit keyboard with ambient light sensor
System Software: Mac OS X v 10.3 "Panther"
Video Accessories: S-Video to composite adapter, DVI to VGA adapter.
Audio: Two built-in stereo speakers.
Weight: 3.1 kgs with battery and optical drive installed.
Dimensions: Height 1"(2.6 cm) x Width 15.4"(39.2 cm) x Depth 10.2"(25.9 cm).

Yahoo! Mail

2004-06-18T02:38:00.000+08:00

Wow! Just accessed my Yahoo! Mail and now I have 100 MB of free e-mail storage space. Sending and receiving messages has also been increased to 10 MB

Its time MSN Hotmail wakes up, its the world's largest free e-mail provider with the smallest storage. Presently, with a free Hotmail account, you receive 2 megabytes (MB) of free storage space. You can send messages up to 1 MB each, including attachments. However, MSN also offers 100 MB storage space ... if users pay US$59.95 a year.

Goodbye Windoze !

2004-06-13T12:07:00.000+08:00

I have been driven to the edge by the Microsoft Twins.

I Switched to Mozilla today !

According to Paul Roberts, IDG News Service, the new IE holes defy latest patches. This was reported in Technology - PC World dated Fri Jun 11, 2004.

Four new holes have been discovered in the Internet Explorer Web browser that could allow malicious hackers to run attack code on Windows systems, even if those systems have installed the latest software patches from the Redmond, Washington company, security experts warn.

It seems that many of the flaws which have been discovered in Microsoft products are the result of nothing more than bad coding practice and an obvious lack of testing and quality assurance.

Microsoft says that they have the "lion's" share of browsers in the marketplace. But how many browsers identify themselves as MSIE so they can use sites which use 'proprietary Microsoft features'? I know my copy of Mozilla do because I actually find them better for browsing sites intended only for MSIE than MSIE itself. At least I don't have to put up with all the advertising pop-ups and other invasions that MSIE seems to attract that seems to be suspiciously absent from other browsers.

Golden Week

2004-04-28T17:09:00.000+08:00

In Japan, tomorrow is the start of the Golden Week. During this Golden Week, there are four national holidays in combination with well placed weekends.
Trains, airports and sightseeing spots tend to get very crowded during Golden Week, and accommodation in tourist areas are fully booked out well in advance. Passengers going through security checks at both international and domestic Airports may be asked to take off their shoes for X-ray inspection as Japan beefs up her anti-terrorism measures.

The national holidays making up the Golden Week are:

April 29 "Green Day" (Midori no hi):
April 29 used to be the birthday of Emperor Showa who died in the year 1989. After his death, the day was changed into a national holiday for environment and nature since the Emperor loved nature.

May 3 "Constitution Day" (Kenpo kinenbi):
On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.

May 4 "Between Day" (Kokumin no kyujitsu):
A recently introduced national holiday to make the Golden Week a continuous holiday.

May 5 "Children's Day" (Kodomo no hi):
The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.

Panoramic night views of Seto, Japan

2004-04-23T23:23:00.000+08:00

The night views of western Japan as captured by M Murakami using the panoramic photography technique. Those who have been to Hakodate-yama, Hokkaido, will appreciate these night views of Seto. The night scenery from Hakodate-yama is said to be as beautiful as the ones in Naples and Hong Kong.
Check out some night scenes here.