Merry Christmas to all!
Time has passed so quickly and pretty soon, 2011 will be coming to an end. Before we welcome 2012, let's immerse ourselves in the Christmas spirit!
Here's a short video for everyone. Enjoy! :D
Space KITAAAA!!!!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Korean Music Showcase: Mnet Asian Music Awards 2011! :D
K-pop artistes who had arrived for the event included Miss A, Girls' Generation, Super Junior, Leessang and 2NE1. With the Korean Hallyu fever raging strongly in Singapore, there is no doubt that this is a widely anticipated event. Many fans had queued up early to attend the show!
In order not to spoil for those who missed out on the event, I shall give a brief outline of who are the biggest winners of this year's MAMA Awards.
1. Girls' Generation
Awards: Artist of The Year, Best Female GroupOne of the biggest winners this year, they gave the audience one of the most powerful performances of the night. Singing their latest hit "The Boys", the girls wowed the crowd with their dance moves and strong vocals. Their stage's special effects are so good, they left the members of Miss A stunned! :O Pity they only sang that one song though.
Check out their performance in this video:
2. Super Junior
Awards: Album of The Year, Best Male Group, Singapore's Korean Singer Popularity Award
SM Entertainment's biggest boyband returned home with a total of 3 awards. Given their popularity in Singapore, it is little wonder they were awarded the Singapore's Korean Singer Popularity Award. For their special stage section, they belted out hits like "Super Man", "Mr. Simple", and of course hot favourite "Sorry Sorry".
3. 2NE1
Awards: Best Vocal (Group), Song of The Year
One of the hottest girl groups in Korea won 2 awards in this year's MAMA Awards. Both wins were well deserved, as the girls showed their vocal prowess in "Lonely" and "I Am The Best" was one of the most popular hits. Dara's hair was one of the coolest that day, with her amazing, gravity-defying ponytail frozen on her head. The quartet also showed in their special stage session why they are the best:Other award winners include Beast, Kim Hyun Joong, Hyuna and Baek Ji Young. Even though I did not get to go for the awrds show itself, watching it live via streaming is still epic enough to experience the atmosphere at Singapore Indoor Stadium. I look forward to next year's edition! :)
* Credits to slam10 for photos of SNSD, 2NE1 and Super Junior. Thanx. :D
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Interesting Read -- The Case of the Missing Servant
Just a few days ago, the Harris bookstore near my house was having a storewide sale, and all books were sold at a 30% discount. Not wanting to miss out, I went in the bookstore and got myself a couple of books without hesitation.To my pleasant surprise, one of the books I have bought was a great find. Prior to purchasing this title, I have never heard of the author Tarquin Hall himself. After reading through "The Case of the Missing Servant", I took an instant liking to the book.
The story starts off with the titular character, India's most private investigator Vish Puri (also known as "Chubby")in a midst of his investigation work. Ably assisted by his undercover assistants, namely Tubelight, Flash and Facecream (Being Punjabi, the detective had various nicknames for his colleagues, friends and family members. For example, Flush got his nickname because he has a flush toilet at home, a first for anyone in his village in the state of Haryana. Talk about convenience.), Puri handled his cases with the aid of modern techniques and the sharp wit of a detective.
When renowned lawyer Ajay Kasliwal is accused of murdering his maidservant, Puri's resources are finally put to the test. The only clue he was given is that the maidservant was known only as Mary, and his job is to find her whereabouts in a population of more than one million. To make matters worse, Puri becomes the target (and nearly victim) of a mysterious shooting incident, and his mother insists on playing sleuth to find out the culprit. How would Delhi's most private investigator handle the situation this time?
This book was first published in 2009 and was the first of the Puri series (Hall followed up with a second book "The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing" in June 2010). Hall's ability to brilliantly capture the sights, smells, sounds and foibles of modern India, not to mention the nuances of English-Indian speech, captivates my attention as I read the book. This is perhaps due to the fact that Hall is also a journalist and has lived in India for a period of time due to his job, that he was able to describe India so well. Even if readers have never been to India before, they can certainly experience the bustle of Delhi streets, to the remoteness of the mines of Jharkhand.
The many twists in the story also made the story all the more interesting and until the very end, there is no telling of who the real culprit was. Puri's wit and intelligence has also left me in awe, and his style reminds me of another fictional detective, Hercule Poirot.
So, do check out this book "The Case of the Missing Servant" and experience the spirt of India for yourself!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
생일 축하합니다 Biwen!
Last Sunday, Biwen invited me to his birthday party held at SAF Changi Seaview Resort. As it was pretty far away from my house, I met up with a couple of friends first before heading for our destination together. In an attempt to make the party livelier, I decided to bring all my Korean songs music videos to the party.
Truth be told, the weather that day was as unpleasant as one can imagine. It was pouring heavily as we traveled on the road and visibility was poor. Luckily, we still managed to reach Biwen's party on time and the weather got slightly better by then. Biwen's party was held in Changi Haven, a resort function room which is normally used for cohesion and meetings, hence the place is much smaller compared to a chalet. However, it is definitely good enough to hold a party as there are many facilities available, including two video players, a video projector and a large projector screen. Just as I thought my plan of playing all my videos was about to come true, it dawned on me that the video players are unable to play .mp4 format. Luckily, Biwen prepared a couple of movies on his own so we were not deprived of our source of entertainment.
A while after we arrived, the horrible weather returned for a rematch with us. The heavy rain that dogged us on our way to the party came again and many guests were delayed as a result. Fortunately, the party still went on as planned.
The food and the atmosphere was great! Although most of the guests invited work in the department beside mine, I do not really know most of the guests well. Through card games, discussion on K-pop etc, we managed to hit it off well and knew each other better.
At about 7.30pm, the big moment came -- it's time to cut the cake! The cake looks awesome!
The party ended at around 10+, and I must say I really enjoyed myself! Thanks for inviting Biwen, and before I forget, 생일 축하합니다! :D
 |
| Birthday boy! |
A while after we arrived, the horrible weather returned for a rematch with us. The heavy rain that dogged us on our way to the party came again and many guests were delayed as a result. Fortunately, the party still went on as planned.The food and the atmosphere was great! Although most of the guests invited work in the department beside mine, I do not really know most of the guests well. Through card games, discussion on K-pop etc, we managed to hit it off well and knew each other better.
At about 7.30pm, the big moment came -- it's time to cut the cake! The cake looks awesome!
 |
| Looks delicious! :P |
The party ended at around 10+, and I must say I really enjoyed myself! Thanks for inviting Biwen, and before I forget, 생일 축하합니다! :D
Friday, November 11, 2011
Connect With The World...via Postcrossing!
Finally, November is here! :D It's been so long since I last posted, but better late than never!
Anyway, it's been an awesome month so far, and I recently came across an interesting hobby. If you are the sociable type and would like to make friends from around the world, this is the hobby for you!
Introducing Postcrossing, which is an online project launched in July 2005. Postcrossing allows its members to send and receive real postcards from random places in the world. As of September 2011, Postcrossing had over 251,000 members in 198 different countries who had exchanged over 8.4 million postcards.
Signing up to be a Postcrosser (as the members are called) is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes. Once you have registered as a Postcrosser, the first step is to request to send a postcard. The website will display (and send you an e-mail) with the address of another member and a Postcard ID. You then mail a postcard to that member. Similarly, you will also receive a postcard from another Postcrosser from a different country. Of course, where you send the postcard to and receive from are anonymous. You can have up to 5 postcards traveling at any single time. Every time one of the postcards you send is registered, you can request another address.
If you are an avid stamp or postcard collector, this is another good reason for you to join in the fun. You will be able to exchange and receive postcards and stamps from different parts of the world. If you are lucky, other Postcrossers may even generously send you more than one postcards or stamps at the same!
Anyway, it's been an awesome month so far, and I recently came across an interesting hobby. If you are the sociable type and would like to make friends from around the world, this is the hobby for you!
Introducing Postcrossing, which is an online project launched in July 2005. Postcrossing allows its members to send and receive real postcards from random places in the world. As of September 2011, Postcrossing had over 251,000 members in 198 different countries who had exchanged over 8.4 million postcards.Signing up to be a Postcrosser (as the members are called) is very simple and only takes a couple of minutes. Once you have registered as a Postcrosser, the first step is to request to send a postcard. The website will display (and send you an e-mail) with the address of another member and a Postcard ID. You then mail a postcard to that member. Similarly, you will also receive a postcard from another Postcrosser from a different country. Of course, where you send the postcard to and receive from are anonymous. You can have up to 5 postcards traveling at any single time. Every time one of the postcards you send is registered, you can request another address.
If you are an avid stamp or postcard collector, this is another good reason for you to join in the fun. You will be able to exchange and receive postcards and stamps from different parts of the world. If you are lucky, other Postcrossers may even generously send you more than one postcards or stamps at the same!
So what are you waiting for? Get started with Postcrossing now!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Interesting Read -- Crescent Dawn
Crescent Dawn is the 21st book and the latest installment in the series, and is co-written along with his son Dirk Cussler. It was only released in 2010, so it's actually quite recent. When I saw it displayed at the library shelves under the "New Titles" sections, I swooped in for the kill without hesitation.
A narrow escape from a pirate attack by a Roman galley in A.D. 327, a mysterious explosion of a British warship in the North Sea in 1916, and a cluster of mosque bombings in Turkey and Egypt in the present day. How are all three unrelated events intricately linked together? As Pitt and his son Dirk Jr. investigate the truth behind the spate of strange happenings, evildoers Ozden Aktan Celik and Ozden's sister, Maria, who are bent on Muslim domination of the Middle East, are determined to restore the prestige of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, their investigations may well lead them to the existence of a mysterious "manifest" lost long ago. The plot thickens...
Generally, the Dirk Pitt series are written in the style of fast-paced action, and follow a simple storyline. Most of these stories start off with a historic event, which will ultimate lead to the main story and Pitt's intriguing adventures. In this latest installment, it covers the events pertaining to HMS Hampshire and Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, as well as the attack on a Roman sea galley. What attracted me to this series is the highly detailed descriptions of these events. Cussler's detailed style of writing also extends to the protagonists' adventures, as well as other events and technology that are not necessarily mandatory to get the story across.
Aside from being envious of the various places that Pitt travelled throughout his adventures, I have always been inspired by the protaganists' tenacity and determination to overcome adversity and near-impossible odds (in this case, the deaths of their allies and friends and of course, the relentless and mad pursuit of the Celik siblings). It has taught me to believe that nothing is impossible so long as one perseveres.
Overall, being a fan of the Dirk Pitt series, reading
Crescent Dawn has left me wanting for more adventure! If you are new to this
sreies, start by reading this book (and perhaps search for its previous
installments as well) and engage yourselves in an adventures that will bring
you across land, air and sea!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Start Your Season with FIFA 12!
Finally. The moment I have been waiting for...
My copy of the highly anticipated FIFA 12 is finally in my hands! (Cheers)
Prior to the game's release, there have been talks of how EA Sports have planned to give a complete overhaul of the franchise this year. This was more or less expected actually, as FIFA 11 was disappointingly more of an expansion pack to its predecessor than an improved game by itself. These are what I felt about the changes:
1. One of the most greatly discussed changes in FIFA 12 is Tactical Defending. Players should have known what they are in for when they start the game off with a tutorial on defending. The past iterations have been using Legacy Defending. To start off, let's differentiate between these two defensive styles.
Legacy Defending -- A button press will cause an AI player to hone in on the player in possession of the ball. Classic Fifa defending style.
Tactical Defending -- Pressing the Tackle button in this new system will not result in you going for a conservative tackle. Instead, it positions you to contain your opponents. This means gamers still have to do the tackle themselves, meaning timing and tactics are crucial.
To be honest, tactical defending is much closer to real-life defending, where players have to decide and know how to position themselves for a tackle or an important interception.
So after trying Tactical Defending for quite a while, it took me a flurry of red cards, matches strewn with defensive errors, and a losing spree to finally get used to this new system. Now I can interchange between both legacy and tactical defending. Yay.
2. Player Impact Engine is the new physics engine used in this game. It is built to deliver real-world physicality throughout the game. It also directly affects injuries sustained by players during a match. This makes contact and interactions between players more realistic, but I felt that the impact engine could have been too sensitive. A light tackle on your opponent will see him stumbling or falling too easily from the challenge. I think being a new system implimented in the game, the impact engine is not too bad, just that it has greater room for improvement.
3. Understandably, the AI of the players have greatly improved. Compared to previous editions, even playing semi-pro on this version does not guarantee the gamers to win by a landslide. ( But then and again, this could have been attributed to my poor skills. However, being an AWESOME guy, I prefer to push the blame on the enhanced Pro Player Intelligence.)
4. For the first time ever, two broadcast teams will be featured – Martin Tyler and Alan Smith and Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend. Fans can customize audio to their preferred commentators for any matches. However, the commentary seems to be off sync from the on-field action at times.
5. My favourite part of the game, Career Mode has been greatly improved with the calendar, news story displays and news feeds, which aim to make information such as upcoming events, transfers, and rumours more accessible. Transfer markets in Manager Mode and Player-Manager Mode are closer to real-life situations, with rival clubs targetting your best players and last-minute transfers. Unfortunately, Player Career mode seems to get too stagnant for me, as gamers only play matches like a real-life player and there is little interaction with other aspects of the club.
Overall, FIFA 12 is a great step forward in making the football experience more surreal for gamers. Possibly one of the best games to have this summer! :D
My copy of the highly anticipated FIFA 12 is finally in my hands! (Cheers)
Prior to the game's release, there have been talks of how EA Sports have planned to give a complete overhaul of the franchise this year. This was more or less expected actually, as FIFA 11 was disappointingly more of an expansion pack to its predecessor than an improved game by itself. These are what I felt about the changes:
1. One of the most greatly discussed changes in FIFA 12 is Tactical Defending. Players should have known what they are in for when they start the game off with a tutorial on defending. The past iterations have been using Legacy Defending. To start off, let's differentiate between these two defensive styles.
Legacy Defending -- A button press will cause an AI player to hone in on the player in possession of the ball. Classic Fifa defending style.
Tactical Defending -- Pressing the Tackle button in this new system will not result in you going for a conservative tackle. Instead, it positions you to contain your opponents. This means gamers still have to do the tackle themselves, meaning timing and tactics are crucial.
To be honest, tactical defending is much closer to real-life defending, where players have to decide and know how to position themselves for a tackle or an important interception.
So after trying Tactical Defending for quite a while, it took me a flurry of red cards, matches strewn with defensive errors, and a losing spree to finally get used to this new system. Now I can interchange between both legacy and tactical defending. Yay.
2. Player Impact Engine is the new physics engine used in this game. It is built to deliver real-world physicality throughout the game. It also directly affects injuries sustained by players during a match. This makes contact and interactions between players more realistic, but I felt that the impact engine could have been too sensitive. A light tackle on your opponent will see him stumbling or falling too easily from the challenge. I think being a new system implimented in the game, the impact engine is not too bad, just that it has greater room for improvement.
3. Understandably, the AI of the players have greatly improved. Compared to previous editions, even playing semi-pro on this version does not guarantee the gamers to win by a landslide. ( But then and again, this could have been attributed to my poor skills. However, being an AWESOME guy, I prefer to push the blame on the enhanced Pro Player Intelligence.)
4. For the first time ever, two broadcast teams will be featured – Martin Tyler and Alan Smith and Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend. Fans can customize audio to their preferred commentators for any matches. However, the commentary seems to be off sync from the on-field action at times.
5. My favourite part of the game, Career Mode has been greatly improved with the calendar, news story displays and news feeds, which aim to make information such as upcoming events, transfers, and rumours more accessible. Transfer markets in Manager Mode and Player-Manager Mode are closer to real-life situations, with rival clubs targetting your best players and last-minute transfers. Unfortunately, Player Career mode seems to get too stagnant for me, as gamers only play matches like a real-life player and there is little interaction with other aspects of the club.
Overall, FIFA 12 is a great step forward in making the football experience more surreal for gamers. Possibly one of the best games to have this summer! :D
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Something I Heard Off The Radio...(which I thought was good)
Heard this off the radio this morning...
I thought it was well-written, because it fully captures what the roles of a wife and a husband in order to make a family complete. What makes it more interesting is that both statements follow the numerical order from one to ten, using words with similar pronunciation to replace some of the numbers. It's in Chinese, but here we go.
To the husband:
一个温暖的家；两只操劳的手；三更不熄等你归家的灯；四季注意身
To the wife:
一个男人的责任；两肩挑起的重担；三更半夜的劳累；四处奔波的匆
And because my translation skills are pretty bad, I shall not trouble myself in case I mess it up. Anyway, the English translation doesn't really encapsulates the original meaning as well as its Chinese version or come across as poetic either. Yea.
I thought it was well-written, because it fully captures what the roles of a wife and a husband in order to make a family complete. What makes it more interesting is that both statements follow the numerical order from one to ten, using words with similar pronunciation to replace some of the numbers. It's in Chinese, but here we go.
To the husband:
一个温暖的家；两只操劳的手；三更不熄等你归家的灯；四季注意身
To the wife:
一个男人的责任；两肩挑起的重担；三更半夜的劳累；四处奔波的匆
And because my translation skills are pretty bad, I shall not trouble myself in case I mess it up. Anyway, the English translation doesn't really encapsulates the original meaning as well as its Chinese version or come across as poetic either. Yea.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
New Design for My Blog! ٩(●̮̮̃•̃)۶
Haha.
As the title states, I have finally come up with a new picture to put as my blog design.
Enjoy. ٩(-̮̮̃•̃)۶
As the title states, I have finally come up with a new picture to put as my blog design.
Enjoy. ٩(-̮̮̃•̃)۶
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Kick It With Fifa Online 2! ^.^
While waiting for Fifa 12 to appear in stores starting from 27/30 September 11, I decided to look out for alternative sources to satisfy my footballing craze.
And here we go: Fifa Online 2. This game has been around for quite a long time since 2006 and is jointly developed by EA Singapore and Neowiz Games. Teams and their kits have been updated tokeep up with that of the current real-life season. Users can either play through a season or to play against other online players. Playing matches earns you LP, which is the in-game currency used to buy stuff in the game.
My encounters with Fifa Online 2 hd actually spanned over a couple of years. I started playing in 2009 but did not immediately fell in love with the game. While I was immensely glad that I had finally found a free downloadable soccer game, I was not particularly impressed with the graphics of the game and the lagging gameplay (partly due to my ailing computer, but mostly because of the slow connection to the servers) then.It was not long when I became frustrated of Fifa Online 2's shortcomings and quitted the game altogether. Seriously, take a look at that screenshot on the right, and you will figure what I mean.
It has been 2 years since I last touched this game, and when I tried it again for the second time, I was surprised by its many changes. The first thing that caught my attention was its considerably upgraded graphics. Players on Fifa Online 2 now looked much realistic and more alike to real-life players. Gameplay is a lot smoother and more challenging. Every touch of the ball by the players felt pretty real and it was as though I was orchestrating a real match. Now Peter Crouch looks a whole lot happier.
There is also a new World Cup 2010 mode, in which players can lead their favourite national teams to winning the coveted trophy. I tried playing with team Singapore and managed to lead them all the way to the quarter-finals until Paraguay gatecrashed the party with a Lucas Barrios penalty. Oh well.
In addition, there's also the team report card, which gives users an in-depth analysis of each team's performance. This includes personal performances of the players, as well as fouls, shooting accuracy and pass successful rate. Users get to better experience how it feels like to be a manager, who only gets to build the team and strategise tactics in the past before the major upgrade. Users can use the teams they build and play against each other in the PvP mode.
Overall, if you are looking for a online soccer game, this is the game to go for. It's not as brilliant as Fifa 11 or the upcoming Fifa 12, but it more than holds its own as an online game. Get kicking with Fifa Online 2 now!
And here we go: Fifa Online 2. This game has been around for quite a long time since 2006 and is jointly developed by EA Singapore and Neowiz Games. Teams and their kits have been updated tokeep up with that of the current real-life season. Users can either play through a season or to play against other online players. Playing matches earns you LP, which is the in-game currency used to buy stuff in the game.
My encounters with Fifa Online 2 hd actually spanned over a couple of years. I started playing in 2009 but did not immediately fell in love with the game. While I was immensely glad that I had finally found a free downloadable soccer game, I was not particularly impressed with the graphics of the game and the lagging gameplay (partly due to my ailing computer, but mostly because of the slow connection to the servers) then.It was not long when I became frustrated of Fifa Online 2's shortcomings and quitted the game altogether. Seriously, take a look at that screenshot on the right, and you will figure what I mean. 
It has been 2 years since I last touched this game, and when I tried it again for the second time, I was surprised by its many changes. The first thing that caught my attention was its considerably upgraded graphics. Players on Fifa Online 2 now looked much realistic and more alike to real-life players. Gameplay is a lot smoother and more challenging. Every touch of the ball by the players felt pretty real and it was as though I was orchestrating a real match. Now Peter Crouch looks a whole lot happier. 
In addition, there's also the team report card, which gives users an in-depth analysis of each team's performance. This includes personal performances of the players, as well as fouls, shooting accuracy and pass successful rate. Users get to better experience how it feels like to be a manager, who only gets to build the team and strategise tactics in the past before the major upgrade. Users can use the teams they build and play against each other in the PvP mode.Overall, if you are looking for a online soccer game, this is the game to go for. It's not as brilliant as Fifa 11 or the upcoming Fifa 12, but it more than holds its own as an online game. Get kicking with Fifa Online 2 now!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
No Pokemon On Facebook? Be A Tamer At Monster Galaxy!
Calling all Trainer wannabes! For those who are unable to satisfy your Pokemon trainer dreams on Facebook, then this is the game for you!
Monster Galaxy is developed by Gaia Interactive. Like Pokemon, it is a role-playing game where players can fight and collect over a hundred wild monsters. The monsters, known as Mogas in Monster Galxy, have various element types which are classified according to Zodiac. A Moga with a certain Zodiac type has its strengths and weaknesses when facing off against Mogas of other Zodiacs. For example, a Turtlenie (which is of Virgo zodiac) is very good when battling against Aquarius Mogas but will fare poorly against Sagittaurus Mogas. This makes it challenging and interesting for Moga trainers, as they have to pick the right Moga to battle their opponents. Luckily, Monster Galaxy also gives Tamers a guide on how your Moga will fare in each battle (e.g. 3X more effective, less effective etc.), hence removing the hassle of memorising the strengths and weaknesses of each Zodiac.
As the game is still rapidly developing, Monster Galaxy is still adding new Mogas to its list. Wild Mogas can be found at every location, and its availability and capture rate is highly dependent on its Rarity, so it is not everyday you get to find a Legendary Moga. Monster Glaxy has also recently added the new feature of evolving your Mogas. To evolve a Moga, tamers will have to catch a certain number of the same Moga and possess a certain munber of Evolution Potions, depending on the species of the Moga. Naturally, evolved Mogas have much stronger stats and are much rarer. As Monster Galaxy is still adding on to its Moga variety, there are still many unknown evolutions and thus, many surprises are in store for us.
Other than the variety of Mogas one can collect, Monster Galaxy also has loads of quests that can engage the players in. These quests will reward Tamers with Blue Coffee (which is equivalent to Max Revive of Pokemon), Starseeds (like Pokeballs). Of course, adding to the challenge and fun is the Collection system, whereby Tamers can trade in Zodiac cared collections for items like Starseeds, and sometimes even Rare Mogas that can never be found in the wild! These cards can be found randomly after battles.
So what are you waiting for? Put on your Tamer boots and start your adventure in Monster Galaxy!
Monster Galaxy is developed by Gaia Interactive. Like Pokemon, it is a role-playing game where players can fight and collect over a hundred wild monsters. The monsters, known as Mogas in Monster Galxy, have various element types which are classified according to Zodiac. A Moga with a certain Zodiac type has its strengths and weaknesses when facing off against Mogas of other Zodiacs. For example, a Turtlenie (which is of Virgo zodiac) is very good when battling against Aquarius Mogas but will fare poorly against Sagittaurus Mogas. This makes it challenging and interesting for Moga trainers, as they have to pick the right Moga to battle their opponents. Luckily, Monster Galaxy also gives Tamers a guide on how your Moga will fare in each battle (e.g. 3X more effective, less effective etc.), hence removing the hassle of memorising the strengths and weaknesses of each Zodiac.
As the game is still rapidly developing, Monster Galaxy is still adding new Mogas to its list. Wild Mogas can be found at every location, and its availability and capture rate is highly dependent on its Rarity, so it is not everyday you get to find a Legendary Moga. Monster Glaxy has also recently added the new feature of evolving your Mogas. To evolve a Moga, tamers will have to catch a certain number of the same Moga and possess a certain munber of Evolution Potions, depending on the species of the Moga. Naturally, evolved Mogas have much stronger stats and are much rarer. As Monster Galaxy is still adding on to its Moga variety, there are still many unknown evolutions and thus, many surprises are in store for us.Other than the variety of Mogas one can collect, Monster Galaxy also has loads of quests that can engage the players in. These quests will reward Tamers with Blue Coffee (which is equivalent to Max Revive of Pokemon), Starseeds (like Pokeballs). Of course, adding to the challenge and fun is the Collection system, whereby Tamers can trade in Zodiac cared collections for items like Starseeds, and sometimes even Rare Mogas that can never be found in the wild! These cards can be found randomly after battles.
So what are you waiting for? Put on your Tamer boots and start your adventure in Monster Galaxy!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
19 Aug 11 -- Ubin Adventure! :D
Haha, finally a post in Aug! It has been a busy for me, hence things have been pretty quiet here. But at least, I am BACK! XDAnyway, just last Friday, my department went to Palau Ubin for a branch cohesion. Admittedly, I was both a bit apprehensive and excited about going to Ubin. Such mixed feelings were due to the fact that I have not stepped on the shores of Ubin since 12 years (hence the excitement) and the prospect of cycling there scares me (I told you I can't cycle -- hence the apprehension!). Luckily, the organiser decided that we should just walk all the way to Chek Jawa, and that had me heave a sigh of relief.
Anyway, we set off for Palau Ubin via speedboat at about 9am, and it took up a 10 minute ride to reach the shores of Palau Ubin. Palau ubin has changed massively since the last time I had been here. All the residents have since moved out, and all that is left on the islands are just the eateries and bicycle rental shops to cater to the visitors of the island. Hence, it was as though this is my first time here.
A 40 odd minute-walk from the jetty into the depths of the well-preserved rainforest brought our group to an information counter at the heart of the forest, where a tour guide offered to bring us futher into the forest and to our destination Chek Jawa.
As we made our way towards Chek Jawa, the tour guide shared with us many stories as well as information on the plants and animals that still live in the forest. After a 15 minute trek, we finally reached Chek Jawa. It is very different from the last time I was here! Back then, when I was on a cycling trip with classmates and teachers (of course, I am not the one cycling.), there was no proper road for cyclists or trekkers, so it as a pretty muddy trip for our class. Fast forward 12 years later, shelters and elevated walkways have been built for people to walk/cycle and at the same time, look out for the natural wildlife living in the rich ecosystem there. As we reach Chek Jawa at about 10-10.30am, the tide was about 1.1m high and hence, we missed out on a lot of creatures like the Noble Volute (a large, beautifully marked snail som
etimes encountered on sandy areas near seagrasses and coral rubble, but frankly, they are all buried in the day so there was no way we could have seen them around at that time) and the Common Sea Star (which is ironically not very common given the fact that the tide was pretty high and more importantly, the massive flooding in Johor during early 2007 nearly wiped them out). However, we did manage to catch a glimpse of Fiddler crabs and mudskippers.
After enjoying the scenery at Chek Jawa, we travelled back to the jetty via the same route. We had lunch at an eatery near the jetty before we travelled back to mainland Singapore.
Personally, this is an enriching experience as it is near impossible to observe such wildlife in mianland Singapore, where everywhere is surrounded by buildings, vehicles and roads. A pristine, natural habitat in Ubin cannot be found in most parts of Singapore anymore, and this is a sad fact.
etimes encountered on sandy areas near seagrasses and coral rubble, but frankly, they are all buried in the day so there was no way we could have seen them around at that time) and the Common Sea Star (which is ironically not very common given the fact that the tide was pretty high and more importantly, the massive flooding in Johor during early 2007 nearly wiped them out). However, we did manage to catch a glimpse of Fiddler crabs and mudskippers.
After enjoying the scenery at Chek Jawa, we travelled back to the jetty via the same route. We had lunch at an eatery near the jetty before we travelled back to mainland Singapore.
Personally, this is an enriching experience as it is near impossible to observe such wildlife in mianland Singapore, where everywhere is surrounded by buildings, vehicles and roads. A pristine, natural habitat in Ubin cannot be found in most parts of Singapore anymore, and this is a sad fact.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Wild Idea Indeed... T.T
Recently I came with a wild idea to write my stories... and I thought the best way is to write it via a blog.
I admit my English is not outstanding, but hey, I've always thought it is worth a try.
So off we go...after various crashes to my 4 year+ computer, and stupid errors like forgetting to save my drafts, the first chapter is finally out!
Enjoy!
Note: If any resemblance of the characters is observed, it's a coincidence.
I admit my English is not outstanding, but hey, I've always thought it is worth a try.
So off we go...after various crashes to my 4 year+ computer, and stupid errors like forgetting to save my drafts, the first chapter is finally out!
Enjoy!
Note: If any resemblance of the characters is observed, it's a coincidence.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Flash Games FTW! :D
Flash games are always my favourite. Compared to other games, they are much easier to download, and they require little waiting or hassle. Most importantly, some of them are actually pretty fun and worth playing. Hence, whenever I am tired of my Nintendo DS, flash games are always the next in line as my source of entertainment.
As usual, I always like to go to sites like Armor games and Newgrounds to search for newly-released games. This week, I found a couple of awesome flash games that kept me well occupied!
1. Kingdom Rush
Ah, strategy games. I
am not very good at strategy games (and hence my dislike for them) but this one caught my full attention. Produced by Ironhide Game Studio this year, this games bears resemblance to a typical Tower Defense game. However, it stands out on its own because of its creativity and graphics. In Kingdom Rush, you have to defend your realm against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and other nasty fiends; armed with a mighty arsenal of warriors and mages of your own.
The controls are fairly simple; all you have to do is click on a plot of land and you can start building your tower. There are four different types of tower, each having its own set of advantages and upgrades. My favourite towers are definitely the Musketeer Tower, which can hit high area damage when equipped with the ability Shrapnel Shot, and the Arcane Wizard Tower, which can penetrate physical defenses and comes with a Death Ray special.
Adding to the fun
are the many types of enemies you can fight against. Ranging from the simple, weak Goblin to the tough, powerful (but luckily slow) Yeti, the game provides no end to the types of enemies availab
le. Kingdom Rush is also user-friendly such that it provides the description of each type of enemy and gives you tips on how to deal with them effectively. My personal favourite is the Spider Matriach, which can be ridiculously hard to defeat for novices due to its high magical resistance and its ability to spawn spiderlings. And I never liked spiders anyway.
In additions, here are many types of terrains available, ranging from a town to the frosty icelands. Each terrains has own challenges, hence the same strategy cannot be applied across all the stages.
However, one downside to this game is that it restricts where you place the towers. Plots of lands have already been allocated for you to place your towers, so it reduces the flexibility of your set-up. But other than that, it is overall a cool game to play.
2. Achievement Unlocked 2
Always dying to u
nlock all the achievements in a game? This is definitely the game for you! Achievement Unlocked 2 is the sequel to the original game and has definitely increased in difficulty level. You will be playing as an elephant, and your objective is to be able to touch all the squares in the playing field and 
of course, complete all the achievements to win the games. The graphics are fairly simple, but it is the challenge of completing all the objectives that leaves you wanting for more! There are in total 250 achievements, ranging from a simple (but dumb) Playtastic (unlocked by finding the Play button) and Rollout (rolling the mouse off the game) to Best of all, you can either play alone, or you can play together with your friends in a single game!
P.S. Dying is also an achievement! Cool story bro!
What are you waiting for? Get started now! :)
As usual, I always like to go to sites like Armor games and Newgrounds to search for newly-released games. This week, I found a couple of awesome flash games that kept me well occupied!
1. Kingdom Rush
Ah, strategy games. I
am not very good at strategy games (and hence my dislike for them) but this one caught my full attention. Produced by Ironhide Game Studio this year, this games bears resemblance to a typical Tower Defense game. However, it stands out on its own because of its creativity and graphics. In Kingdom Rush, you have to defend your realm against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and other nasty fiends; armed with a mighty arsenal of warriors and mages of your own.
The controls are fairly simple; all you have to do is click on a plot of land and you can start building your tower. There are four different types of tower, each having its own set of advantages and upgrades. My favourite towers are definitely the Musketeer Tower, which can hit high area damage when equipped with the ability Shrapnel Shot, and the Arcane Wizard Tower, which can penetrate physical defenses and comes with a Death Ray special.
Adding to the fun
are the many types of enemies you can fight against. Ranging from the simple, weak Goblin to the tough, powerful (but luckily slow) Yeti, the game provides no end to the types of enemies availab
le. Kingdom Rush is also user-friendly such that it provides the description of each type of enemy and gives you tips on how to deal with them effectively. My personal favourite is the Spider Matriach, which can be ridiculously hard to defeat for novices due to its high magical resistance and its ability to spawn spiderlings. And I never liked spiders anyway.In additions, here are many types of terrains available, ranging from a town to the frosty icelands. Each terrains has own challenges, hence the same strategy cannot be applied across all the stages.
However, one downside to this game is that it restricts where you place the towers. Plots of lands have already been allocated for you to place your towers, so it reduces the flexibility of your set-up. But other than that, it is overall a cool game to play.
2. Achievement Unlocked 2
Always dying to u
nlock all the achievements in a game? This is definitely the game for you! Achievement Unlocked 2 is the sequel to the original game and has definitely increased in difficulty level. You will be playing as an elephant, and your objective is to be able to touch all the squares in the playing field and 
of course, complete all the achievements to win the games. The graphics are fairly simple, but it is the challenge of completing all the objectives that leaves you wanting for more! There are in total 250 achievements, ranging from a simple (but dumb) Playtastic (unlocked by finding the Play button) and Rollout (rolling the mouse off the game) to Best of all, you can either play alone, or you can play together with your friends in a single game!P.S. Dying is also an achievement! Cool story bro!
What are you waiting for? Get started now! :)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Drawing Using Com Is A Challenge!
Recently I started to draw using editing software.
It's very much different from freehand drawing, and the challenge is that you need to know and understand how to use each of the functions before you can get down to drawing.
And I used what I have self-taught to draw my favorite singer.
Presenting the HOTTEST, BADDEST female from Seoul! :D
Perhaps, if I even have the time, I might even draw all four members of 2NE1. Hmmmm....
It's very much different from freehand drawing, and the challenge is that you need to know and understand how to use each of the functions before you can get down to drawing.
And I used what I have self-taught to draw my favorite singer.
Presenting the HOTTEST, BADDEST female from Seoul! :D
Perhaps, if I even have the time, I might even draw all four members of 2NE1. Hmmmm....
Sunday, July 10, 2011
COOOOL Body Facts That You May Not Know!
I was listening to a radio program the night before and learnt some new information about the human body. Piqued by my increasing interest, I went online to find out more. The following are the top 5 facts that I thought was the coolest and the most amazing:
1. 80% of the brain is water. So people keep describing the brain as the "grey matter" within your thick little skull. However, it actually is a squishy, pink and jelly-like organ due to its high blood and water content of the tissue. So in Mandarin, people tend to use the words "大脑进水" to describe someone who is crazy. And unfortunately, they are factually correct.
1. 80% of the brain is water. So people keep describing the brain as the "grey matter" within your thick little skull. However, it actually is a squishy, pink and jelly-like organ due to its high blood and water content of the tissue. So in Mandarin, people tend to use the words "大脑进水" to describe someone who is crazy. And unfortunately, they are factually correct.
2. Monday is the day of the week when the risk of heart attack is the greatest! Another good reason to whine about Monday blues! A 10 year-study revealed that 20% more people die of heart of heart attack on Monday as compared to any other day of the week. Perhaps it's the stress of getting back to work after partying too much during the weekends.
3. Women with larger breasts "have higher diabetes" risk. To the well endowed ladies, you have been warned. Young women who have a fuller figure are at greater risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes only occurs when the body becomes non-responsive to the insulin produced by the pancreas, hence unable to bring the glucose level down. The fatty tissue in the breast, known as adipose tissue may have contributed to the percentage of fat in the abdominal area. And as we all know, obesity, especially fat storage in the abdominal area, has long been pegged as a key contributor to the ailment.
However, there isn't much to worry about yet! There are many other factors that contribute to diabetes, including an unhealthy lifestyle. So as long as you eat healthily and exercise regularly, you should be able to steer clear of many health risks! :D
4. A normal human produces enough saliva to fill up two swimming pools during his/her lifetime. Saliva plays an important part in the digesting system by keeping the mouth lubricating and breaking down the food via the enzymes present in saliva, and your mouth produces quite a bit of it on a daily basis. But two swimming pools worth of saliva...? Ewwww...
5. We are about 1cm taller in the day as compared to in the evening. Our cartilages between our bones get compressed by standing, sitting and other daily activities throughout the day, making us a little bit shorter by the end of the day. Darn, I bet I always took my height measurement at the wrong time of the day! I knew I was taller! :D
However, there isn't much to worry about yet! There are many other factors that contribute to diabetes, including an unhealthy lifestyle. So as long as you eat healthily and exercise regularly, you should be able to steer clear of many health risks! :D
4. A normal human produces enough saliva to fill up two swimming pools during his/her lifetime. Saliva plays an important part in the digesting system by keeping the mouth lubricating and breaking down the food via the enzymes present in saliva, and your mouth produces quite a bit of it on a daily basis. But two swimming pools worth of saliva...? Ewwww...
5. We are about 1cm taller in the day as compared to in the evening. Our cartilages between our bones get compressed by standing, sitting and other daily activities throughout the day, making us a little bit shorter by the end of the day. Darn, I bet I always took my height measurement at the wrong time of the day! I knew I was taller! :D
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Rushing With Your Best Buddies! :D
This was purely coincidental, but guess I got a lucky break. :D
After getting tired of m
y collection of games, I decided to look for greener pastures. And I finally found myself new entertainment.
Top on my gaming list currently is Buddy Rush, a single-player, action role-playing game application available on Facebook. This means that so long as you have a Facebook account, you can play the game - simple. There are a couple of reasons why I almost fell in love with this game.
1. First of all, it's 3D! This makes it stand out among most of the games on Facebook
, as many of them are 2D. and the characters are so cute!!!! ^.^
2. There are many fun quests for you to complete, and they can done together with your friends on Facebook or with NPCs, so this makes the gaming experience more interactive.
3. Other than playing on a computer, you can also play Buddy Rush on your iPhone and iPad, so you can go rushing with your best buddies no matter where you are.
4. Out of stuff to do? Well, you can go challenge in the arena or dungeon at higher levels, or go fishing! In addition, if you have completed the quests once, there also the Hard version of the quests which you can attempt. Believe me, they have stepped up a notch on the Hard version, so it's not as easy as previous attempts.
5. Finally, it's simple and user-friendly. All you have to do is click! Many new players prefer to start and stick to a new game if it is easy to understand and the controls kept simple.
However, I felt that there are certain things that still need to be sorted out, as these niggling imperfections reduces the gaming enjoyment slightly. Firstly, the inventory items cannot be sold , and this means you have to clear out your inventory spaces for more stuff. It would have been cooler if iems that players no longer want could be exchanged for chips to buy stuff or new rushers. Next, the game tends to have some connection problems when saving one's status after clearing missions. It can get a bit frustrating after a few times.
But overall, despite the slight problems it have, it is a pretty fun game to play on Facebook! What are you waiting for? Start your rushing today! :)
After getting tired of m
y collection of games, I decided to look for greener pastures. And I finally found myself new entertainment.Top on my gaming list currently is Buddy Rush, a single-player, action role-playing game application available on Facebook. This means that so long as you have a Facebook account, you can play the game - simple. There are a couple of reasons why I almost fell in love with this game.
1. First of all, it's 3D! This makes it stand out among most of the games on Facebook
, as many of them are 2D. and the characters are so cute!!!! ^.^2. There are many fun quests for you to complete, and they can done together with your friends on Facebook or with NPCs, so this makes the gaming experience more interactive.
3. Other than playing on a computer, you can also play Buddy Rush on your iPhone and iPad, so you can go rushing with your best buddies no matter where you are.
4. Out of stuff to do? Well, you can go challenge in the arena or dungeon at higher levels, or go fishing! In addition, if you have completed the quests once, there also the Hard version of the quests which you can attempt. Believe me, they have stepped up a notch on the Hard version, so it's not as easy as previous attempts.
5. Finally, it's simple and user-friendly. All you have to do is click! Many new players prefer to start and stick to a new game if it is easy to understand and the controls kept simple.
However, I felt that there are certain things that still need to be sorted out, as these niggling imperfections reduces the gaming enjoyment slightly. Firstly, the inventory items cannot be sold , and this means you have to clear out your inventory spaces for more stuff. It would have been cooler if iems that players no longer want could be exchanged for chips to buy stuff or new rushers. Next, the game tends to have some connection problems when saving one's status after clearing missions. It can get a bit frustrating after a few times.
But overall, despite the slight problems it have, it is a pretty fun game to play on Facebook! What are you waiting for? Start your rushing today! :)
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Interesting Read -- Boom! + In The Miso Soup
Recently, I have made a trip to Kinokuniya to search for good books to read.
I think I definitely made a few good purchases in this trip, which is why I am going to introduce 2 books in 1 post this time.
First up is the book "Boom!" which attracted me due to its neon orange cover and a very simple picture of a rocket in front. It turns out that it's a pretty interesting book for a light, leisurely read. It is written by Mark Haddon in 2009. This was originally adapted from "Gridzbi Spudvetch!",
another of his works. However, due to the complexity of the name, it wasn't really very well known when it was published then and rapidly went out of print thereafter ( as Haddon puts it in his foreword, "It was a ridiculous thing to call a book. No one knew how to pronounce it... As a result only twenty-three people bought the book."). In 2007, he received feedback from a teacher on how her students enjoyed it everytime it was read to them and was finally persuaded to give the book a total revamp. And "Boom!" was born.
The story is about a boy called Jim, who was fearful of being sent to "that school in Fenham" because of his poor performance in school. To confirm his fears, he along with best friend Charlie went to tap in on their teachers' conversation, only to find them speaking in a strange language. After some detective work by the two boys, they realized to their horror that their teachers were aliens all along. At the same time, Charlie was also kidnapped by the aliens, so Jim and his 16 year old sister Becky went on a chase to rescue him...
I like the book because while the plot is simple (and perhaps a bit illogical), the writer's humorous and witty style of writing caught my attention. This is definitely a good book for a light read. (Note: just don't think too much while you are reading this. have fun and enjoy the book! :D)
The next book, Ryu Murakami's "In The Miso Soup" takes on a darker and more mature theme, as it explores Japan's pink industry. The story's protagonist, Kenji, is a "nightlife guide" who specializes
in sex tours for foreign tourists. A day before New Year, he was hired by an American tourist, Frank to take bim on a guided tour of Tokyo's night spots. At the same time, it was also reported that a high school girl had been murdered and her corpse dumped at a trash collection site afew days before. Frank's odd behaviour causes Kenji to suspect that his latest client may be linked to the murder. As the tour progresses, Kenji finds himself embroiled in greater trouble...and greater peril.
I like this book because of the surprises it gave me throughout the book, but the horror parts left me a bit shocked and a bit hard to digest. But this book gave me an insight of Japan's sex industry and some of its traditional cultures. Infused with horror akin to a slasher film, this is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
So make your pick, the fun, entertaining "Boom!" or the dark, ambiguous "In The Miso Soup". Whichever you pick, you are bound for an entertaining read! ;)
I think I definitely made a few good purchases in this trip, which is why I am going to introduce 2 books in 1 post this time.
First up is the book "Boom!" which attracted me due to its neon orange cover and a very simple picture of a rocket in front. It turns out that it's a pretty interesting book for a light, leisurely read. It is written by Mark Haddon in 2009. This was originally adapted from "Gridzbi Spudvetch!",
another of his works. However, due to the complexity of the name, it wasn't really very well known when it was published then and rapidly went out of print thereafter ( as Haddon puts it in his foreword, "It was a ridiculous thing to call a book. No one knew how to pronounce it... As a result only twenty-three people bought the book."). In 2007, he received feedback from a teacher on how her students enjoyed it everytime it was read to them and was finally persuaded to give the book a total revamp. And "Boom!" was born.The story is about a boy called Jim, who was fearful of being sent to "that school in Fenham" because of his poor performance in school. To confirm his fears, he along with best friend Charlie went to tap in on their teachers' conversation, only to find them speaking in a strange language. After some detective work by the two boys, they realized to their horror that their teachers were aliens all along. At the same time, Charlie was also kidnapped by the aliens, so Jim and his 16 year old sister Becky went on a chase to rescue him...
I like the book because while the plot is simple (and perhaps a bit illogical), the writer's humorous and witty style of writing caught my attention. This is definitely a good book for a light read. (Note: just don't think too much while you are reading this. have fun and enjoy the book! :D)
The next book, Ryu Murakami's "In The Miso Soup" takes on a darker and more mature theme, as it explores Japan's pink industry. The story's protagonist, Kenji, is a "nightlife guide" who specializes
in sex tours for foreign tourists. A day before New Year, he was hired by an American tourist, Frank to take bim on a guided tour of Tokyo's night spots. At the same time, it was also reported that a high school girl had been murdered and her corpse dumped at a trash collection site afew days before. Frank's odd behaviour causes Kenji to suspect that his latest client may be linked to the murder. As the tour progresses, Kenji finds himself embroiled in greater trouble...and greater peril.I like this book because of the surprises it gave me throughout the book, but the horror parts left me a bit shocked and a bit hard to digest. But this book gave me an insight of Japan's sex industry and some of its traditional cultures. Infused with horror akin to a slasher film, this is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
So make your pick, the fun, entertaining "Boom!" or the dark, ambiguous "In The Miso Soup". Whichever you pick, you are bound for an entertaining read! ;)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The ChaeRa Sisters
I got to admit, 2NE1 is my favourite girl groups.
Their style is different from a typical cookie-cutter girl band. (Note: I am not referring to any groups in particular.) Be it whether they are on stage, or offstage, they just want to enjoy what they are doing and have fun.
Their bond is so close, that they really looked like sisters if you haven't known who they are.
Especially the ChaeRa 'sisters'...their chemistry is pretty awesome.
Note: Even if you do not know what they are saying, the actions are still quite cute and funny.
Their style is different from a typical cookie-cutter girl band. (Note: I am not referring to any groups in particular.) Be it whether they are on stage, or offstage, they just want to enjoy what they are doing and have fun.
Their bond is so close, that they really looked like sisters if you haven't known who they are.
Especially the ChaeRa 'sisters'...their chemistry is pretty awesome.
Note: Even if you do not know what they are saying, the actions are still quite cute and funny.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
29 May 2011 -- Sailing On Stranger Tides!
Being a fan of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, there is no way I am going to let the opportunity of watching the 4th installment pass. So when my friend thought of watching it as part of the movie outing, I was pretty much excited!
Anyway, this is the summary of the story:
Captain Jack Sparrow travels to London to locate his impersonator, who has reportedly been recruiting a crew to search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. First Sparrow rescues his
former first mate, Joshamee Gibbs, who is about to be hanged, though the two are captured. Jack is brought before King George II, who wants him to guide an expedition to the Fountain before the Spanish find it. And heading the expedition is Jack's old ally/nemesis(?), Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now in service to the British Navy.
As Jack escapes, he met his father who warns Jack about the Fountain's tests. Jack also discovers that the impostor is his former lover Angelica (Penelope Cruz), daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard, who wants to escape his death prophecy by finding the Fountain of Youth. Jack is forced to join Blackbeard's crew and to lead them to the Fountain. Meanwhile, Gibbs, who memorized, then destroyed, Sparrow's map, barters with Barbossa to lead him and his crew to the Fountain. And this is where all the adventure starts to unfold...
Johnny Depp works his charm as usual in this movie, as the witty and cheeky Jack Sparrow. However, Sparrow's antics may seem a bit lethargic and somewhat predictable for viewers who have viewed the last three movies. Still, he is the crux and provides the main entertainment in this movie.
For viewers who miss the Turner/Swann romance of the first 3 movies, this movies provides some sort of replacement in the form of a romance between Philip, a missionary captured by Blackbeard's crew, and Syrena the mermaid. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite have the same entertainment appeal as compared to that of Turner and Swann.
For people who are familiar with the franchise, I felt that the movie took a refreshing change as it now focuses on Captain Jack Sparrow's solo adventures after "At World's End". This, basically means no William Turner (Orlando Bloom), no Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and no more of the couple's romance story. It's ALL about Jack Sparrow. I thought it is more of a standalone movie rather than a continuation to the trilogy. Therefore, new fans of the franchise do not have to go through the first 3 films before watching this movie, as "On Stranger Tides" has little/no relevance to the previous installments, save for a few titular characters (including Jack Sparrow, obviously.).
This movie is definitely worth watching, and viewers get to enjoy the awesome and captivating scenary of Hawaii, where the movie is filmed. Oh, don't forget to stay back after the movie to take a look at the short but interesting post-credits scene. :D
On another note...after watching this movie, a couple of interesting questions popped up in my mind. Here's a few questions to share:
1. Blimey, is Blackbeard real?
Well he is real. According to a purple-covered book I have in my drawer (where the b
ook is left to collect dust), Blackbeard definitely exists in history. Born as Edward Teach in Bristol, he was famous for being a vicious pirate and died in 1718, when he was killed by a small force of sailors led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard. References to other websites also showed that he and his crew operated and terrorized sailors mainly on the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea from 1716 through 1718. However, unlike in the movie, Blackbeard is definitely not looking for the Fountain of Youth. But we all know the movie is just fiction, although speaking of which...
2. Does the Fountain of Youth exist?
Yes and no. A search on the National Geographic website did state that this legendary spring, which has the ability to restore youth of anyone who drinks its waters, is sought after by many throughout history. Writings on Alexander the Great did have some references on this magic waters. However, the name linked most closely linked to the search for this legendary spring is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. Accordingly to the stories, he believed that the Fountain of Youth is located in a place now known as Florida. No wonder, as de Leon's name did pop out a couple of times throughout the movie.
Anyway, this is the summary of the story:
Captain Jack Sparrow travels to London to locate his impersonator, who has reportedly been recruiting a crew to search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. First Sparrow rescues his
former first mate, Joshamee Gibbs, who is about to be hanged, though the two are captured. Jack is brought before King George II, who wants him to guide an expedition to the Fountain before the Spanish find it. And heading the expedition is Jack's old ally/nemesis(?), Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now in service to the British Navy.As Jack escapes, he met his father who warns Jack about the Fountain's tests. Jack also discovers that the impostor is his former lover Angelica (Penelope Cruz), daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard, who wants to escape his death prophecy by finding the Fountain of Youth. Jack is forced to join Blackbeard's crew and to lead them to the Fountain. Meanwhile, Gibbs, who memorized, then destroyed, Sparrow's map, barters with Barbossa to lead him and his crew to the Fountain. And this is where all the adventure starts to unfold...
Johnny Depp works his charm as usual in this movie, as the witty and cheeky Jack Sparrow. However, Sparrow's antics may seem a bit lethargic and somewhat predictable for viewers who have viewed the last three movies. Still, he is the crux and provides the main entertainment in this movie.
For viewers who miss the Turner/Swann romance of the first 3 movies, this movies provides some sort of replacement in the form of a romance between Philip, a missionary captured by Blackbeard's crew, and Syrena the mermaid. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite have the same entertainment appeal as compared to that of Turner and Swann.
For people who are familiar with the franchise, I felt that the movie took a refreshing change as it now focuses on Captain Jack Sparrow's solo adventures after "At World's End". This, basically means no William Turner (Orlando Bloom), no Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and no more of the couple's romance story. It's ALL about Jack Sparrow. I thought it is more of a standalone movie rather than a continuation to the trilogy. Therefore, new fans of the franchise do not have to go through the first 3 films before watching this movie, as "On Stranger Tides" has little/no relevance to the previous installments, save for a few titular characters (including Jack Sparrow, obviously.).
This movie is definitely worth watching, and viewers get to enjoy the awesome and captivating scenary of Hawaii, where the movie is filmed. Oh, don't forget to stay back after the movie to take a look at the short but interesting post-credits scene. :D
On another note...after watching this movie, a couple of interesting questions popped up in my mind. Here's a few questions to share:
1. Blimey, is Blackbeard real?
Well he is real. According to a purple-covered book I have in my drawer (where the b
ook is left to collect dust), Blackbeard definitely exists in history. Born as Edward Teach in Bristol, he was famous for being a vicious pirate and died in 1718, when he was killed by a small force of sailors led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard. References to other websites also showed that he and his crew operated and terrorized sailors mainly on the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea from 1716 through 1718. However, unlike in the movie, Blackbeard is definitely not looking for the Fountain of Youth. But we all know the movie is just fiction, although speaking of which...2. Does the Fountain of Youth exist?
Yes and no. A search on the National Geographic website did state that this legendary spring, which has the ability to restore youth of anyone who drinks its waters, is sought after by many throughout history. Writings on Alexander the Great did have some references on this magic waters. However, the name linked most closely linked to the search for this legendary spring is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. Accordingly to the stories, he believed that the Fountain of Youth is located in a place now known as Florida. No wonder, as de Leon's name did pop out a couple of times throughout the movie.
Friday, May 20, 2011
17 May 2011 -- Let's Play In Orchard!
I was given two choices to spend my time on this public holiday, and these two requests came from two separate set of friends.
1) Go cycling in Palau Ubin at 8 a.m. It actually is a brilliant idea, but I ain't exactly very keen about waking up so early in the morning just to cycle. And I can't cycle, for one thing.
2) Have lunch at Orchard 313. This looks appealing too, but stuff in Orchard are pretty expensive, and I am a bit tight in my finances lately...
So after a period of consideration the night before, I have made my final decision.
...
Cycling in Palau Ubin just doesn't sound cool to me. Sorry to those who went(you know who you are!). And so I headed off for Plan 2.
We had our lunch in RamenPlay located in 313@Somerset. I normally do not like to have noodles, especially when I am eating out, because noodles take very long to cool and I will take very, very long to finish eating a bowl of noodles. But hey, after seeing and tasting my bowl of ramen, I agreed it was really worth coming.
I ordered their house specialty the Tonkotsu Ramen, and I must say, it's really worth every dollar. The serving is pretty large,so it was awesome for me. The pork slices are also very tender and has absorbed the flavour of the broth, thereby enhancing the taste of the pork slices. Speaking of the broth, I must say that I really loved the soup. It's not very salty and one can taste the very essence of miso and pork marrow bones. Most importantly, the noodles are well cooked. It definitely left me wanting for more...yum yum.
The next stop... is of course dessert. So off we went to Orchard Central, where our next destination awaits. I was recommended to a cafe called Fruit Paradise, which is well known for its fruit tarts. By the time I reached Orchard Central, I was so full from my previous course that I decided to just order a ice mocha, while the rest ordered a fruit tart along with a pot of floral tea. Now, allow me to show you how wickedly awesome and tantalising the fruit tarts are...
Awesome eh? Just looking at it makes one feel like eating it. Fruit Paradise is a good place to have your afternoon tea, when you can enjoy your tea and slowly indulge in your cravings for a sweet fix.
With our dessert settled, we went off to have a game of pool until 6pm, when I left for home while they went for dinner. I definitely enjoyed my day in Orchard, where there are many places for good food at affordable prices - the two places I went to are very good examples. Look around carefully the next time in Orchard, and I am sure you can definitely find places like these. :D
1) Go cycling in Palau Ubin at 8 a.m. It actually is a brilliant idea, but I ain't exactly very keen about waking up so early in the morning just to cycle. And I can't cycle, for one thing.
2) Have lunch at Orchard 313. This looks appealing too, but stuff in Orchard are pretty expensive, and I am a bit tight in my finances lately...
So after a period of consideration the night before, I have made my final decision.
...
Cycling in Palau Ubin just doesn't sound cool to me. Sorry to those who went(you know who you are!). And so I headed off for Plan 2.
We had our lunch in RamenPlay located in 313@Somerset. I normally do not like to have noodles, especially when I am eating out, because noodles take very long to cool and I will take very, very long to finish eating a bowl of noodles. But hey, after seeing and tasting my bowl of ramen, I agreed it was really worth coming.
I ordered their house specialty the Tonkotsu Ramen, and I must say, it's really worth every dollar. The serving is pretty large,so it was awesome for me. The pork slices are also very tender and has absorbed the flavour of the broth, thereby enhancing the taste of the pork slices. Speaking of the broth, I must say that I really loved the soup. It's not very salty and one can taste the very essence of miso and pork marrow bones. Most importantly, the noodles are well cooked. It definitely left me wanting for more...yum yum.
The next stop... is of course dessert. So off we went to Orchard Central, where our next destination awaits. I was recommended to a cafe called Fruit Paradise, which is well known for its fruit tarts. By the time I reached Orchard Central, I was so full from my previous course that I decided to just order a ice mocha, while the rest ordered a fruit tart along with a pot of floral tea. Now, allow me to show you how wickedly awesome and tantalising the fruit tarts are...
Awesome eh? Just looking at it makes one feel like eating it. Fruit Paradise is a good place to have your afternoon tea, when you can enjoy your tea and slowly indulge in your cravings for a sweet fix.
With our dessert settled, we went off to have a game of pool until 6pm, when I left for home while they went for dinner. I definitely enjoyed my day in Orchard, where there are many places for good food at affordable prices - the two places I went to are very good examples. Look around carefully the next time in Orchard, and I am sure you can definitely find places like these. :D
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Auto-Correct Needs To BE Corrected...Somehow.
Whew, what a scare!
As many may have known, Blogger was down for more than 20 hours due to a maintenance-related glitch. That had me worried for quite a while. Luckily, Google managed to get Blogger back online, just in time for me to update! :D
Anyway, I was scouting for cool sites to go to, and then I finally found one.
We rely a lot of technology in our daily communication. So sometimes, we become so overly dependent that it does not matter whether you type a word incorrectly. Why so? Well, there always the autocorrect function to help amend your typo errors. Not saying that autocorrect is not good, but I just felt that it can lead to disastrous (read: hilarious) results. So this website I am about to introduce gathers all sorts of mistakes made by the Auto-Correct function on iPhone.
Introducing: Damn You Auto-Correct! It's a website where netizens post their screenshots of Auto-Correct failures, and I can guarantee lots of entertainment by looking at some of the screenshots.
In order to uphold the clean image of the blog (although I felt that this image was somewhat ruined by my previous post "What If My GP Teacher Was A Geisha?"), I have decided to look for a less obscene example to post here:
A: What do you want with your chicken?
B: Umm I'll have porn.
B: OMG I mean corn!
B: Stupid spellcheck!
A: Um excuse me!?
B: :(
To end off, if you need something that can keep you entertained for the day, don't hesitate to search for this website!
As many may have known, Blogger was down for more than 20 hours due to a maintenance-related glitch. That had me worried for quite a while. Luckily, Google managed to get Blogger back online, just in time for me to update! :D
Anyway, I was scouting for cool sites to go to, and then I finally found one.
We rely a lot of technology in our daily communication. So sometimes, we become so overly dependent that it does not matter whether you type a word incorrectly. Why so? Well, there always the autocorrect function to help amend your typo errors. Not saying that autocorrect is not good, but I just felt that it can lead to disastrous (read: hilarious) results. So this website I am about to introduce gathers all sorts of mistakes made by the Auto-Correct function on iPhone.
Introducing: Damn You Auto-Correct! It's a website where netizens post their screenshots of Auto-Correct failures, and I can guarantee lots of entertainment by looking at some of the screenshots.
In order to uphold the clean image of the blog (although I felt that this image was somewhat ruined by my previous post "What If My GP Teacher Was A Geisha?"), I have decided to look for a less obscene example to post here:
A: What do you want with your chicken?
B: Umm I'll have porn.
B: OMG I mean corn!
B: Stupid spellcheck!
A: Um excuse me!?
B: :(
To end off, if you need something that can keep you entertained for the day, don't hesitate to search for this website!
Friday, May 6, 2011
My Hallyu Top 5! :D
I was exposed to K-pop at a much later stage compared to many other Hallyu Wave fans, but nevertheless, I find that the songs are quite cool. The emergence of so many different artistes and groups,however, can be quite confusing though... :-S
When I listen to K-pop, what attracts me is actually not the appearance of the artistes (although it is, a contributing factor to how much I enjoy that song). Rather, I like how some of the songs can make one feel like dancing along with the tune, and how some of the music videos are filmed.
I have friends who tell me that since they don't understand Korean, it's a bit pointless listening to K-pop. In my opinion, language is not a barrier in the world of music. As long as people enjoy a song, it is good music.
Frankly, I am not a fan of K-pop, but I am definitely a fan of good music. :D I don't have a lot of Korean songs in my MP3 player, but these are my top 5 favorites on my playlist. Enjoy...
5. Orange Caramel -- Bangkok City
As many would have known, Orange Caramel is a subgroup that contains three members from the girl group After School. They released their latest digital single this year. I liked this song because it is very catchy and the tune just doesn't go away, although the pretty Raina, Nana and Lizzy are a bonus.
4. IU -- Marshmallow
Released on November 2009 in the album "IU...IM", this song did not initially endear to me. In fact, I found the song too sweet and it took a couple of times for me to finally get used to it. Watching the MV makes me want to be the marshmellow in there... :D
3. TVXQ -- Keep Your Head Down
I have to admit, this song is the first I've heard of TVXQ. Even though they have been in the K-pop for very long and have gone through a lot(e.g. the departure of three of the members), they are still one of the strongest bands. Keep Your Head Down marks their return as a two member group.
2. 2NE1 -- It Hurts (Slow)
The first song that got me listening to K-pop is 2NE1's "I Don't Care", but I like this song because it shows a different side of this girl group. 2NE1 is known for their techno-pop its like "Go Away" and "Can't Nobody", but this song proves me wrong...they can sing anything!
1. Big Bang -- Tonight
Big Bang returns with this wonder of a hit, Tonight. The album, which also goes by the same name, went on to become a chart-topper upon its release on many Korean music chart.
So that's it, my personal K-pop favourites. Enjoy the MV!
When I listen to K-pop, what attracts me is actually not the appearance of the artistes (although it is, a contributing factor to how much I enjoy that song). Rather, I like how some of the songs can make one feel like dancing along with the tune, and how some of the music videos are filmed.
I have friends who tell me that since they don't understand Korean, it's a bit pointless listening to K-pop. In my opinion, language is not a barrier in the world of music. As long as people enjoy a song, it is good music.
Frankly, I am not a fan of K-pop, but I am definitely a fan of good music. :D I don't have a lot of Korean songs in my MP3 player, but these are my top 5 favorites on my playlist. Enjoy...
5. Orange Caramel -- Bangkok City
As many would have known, Orange Caramel is a subgroup that contains three members from the girl group After School. They released their latest digital single this year. I liked this song because it is very catchy and the tune just doesn't go away, although the pretty Raina, Nana and Lizzy are a bonus.
4. IU -- Marshmallow
Released on November 2009 in the album "IU...IM", this song did not initially endear to me. In fact, I found the song too sweet and it took a couple of times for me to finally get used to it. Watching the MV makes me want to be the marshmellow in there... :D
3. TVXQ -- Keep Your Head Down
I have to admit, this song is the first I've heard of TVXQ. Even though they have been in the K-pop for very long and have gone through a lot(e.g. the departure of three of the members), they are still one of the strongest bands. Keep Your Head Down marks their return as a two member group.
2. 2NE1 -- It Hurts (Slow)
The first song that got me listening to K-pop is 2NE1's "I Don't Care", but I like this song because it shows a different side of this girl group. 2NE1 is known for their techno-pop its like "Go Away" and "Can't Nobody", but this song proves me wrong...they can sing anything!
1. Big Bang -- Tonight
Big Bang returns with this wonder of a hit, Tonight. The album, which also goes by the same name, went on to become a chart-topper upon its release on many Korean music chart.
So that's it, my personal K-pop favourites. Enjoy the MV!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Interesting Read -- Packing For Mars
Whew, what a busy month this is!I had such a packed schedule, that there was no time to update the blog! :D
Anyway, I have been picking up some cool books from the library to read, one of which will be introduced in this post.
Presenting: "Packing For Mars" by Mary Roach!
Mary Roach has previously combined science with topics like sex (Bonk -- The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex), and even investigated the possibility of an afterlife in "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife". This time round, she tackles the topic of space travel and life without gravity.
Have you ever thought about how food in space taste like, or how much time and resources are required to plan a simulated moon expedition, or even how to answer nature's call in space? Well, this book covers a wide range of topics regarding space travel that will keep you entertained throughout the book.
Reading through scientific books can sometimes be a bother, because the content can be pretty dry and hard to digest. However, Mary Roach's humorous and witty writing style, combined with interesting scientific knowledge and real-life examples, got my attention. I was reading through the chapter on answering nature's call in space travel, and to illustrate that clearing fecal waste in space can be a frustrating matter, she provides this excerpt from the Apollo 10 mission transcript:
Cernan: ... You know once you get out of lunar orbit, you can do a lot of things. You can power down... And what's happening is --
Stafford: Oh -- who did it?
Young: Who did what?
Cernan: What?
Stafford: Who did it? [laughter]
Cernan: Where did that come from?
Stafford: Give me a napkin quick. There's a turd floating through the air.
Young: I didn't do it. It ain't one of mine.
Cernan: I don't think it's one of mine.
Stafford: Mine was a little more sticky than that. throw that away.
Young: God almighty.
[And again eight minutes later, while discussing the timing of a water dump.]
Young: Did they say we could do it anytime?
Cernan: They said on 135. They told us that -- Here's another goddamn turd. What's the matter with you guys? Here, give me a --
Young/Stafford: [laughter]
Stafford: It was just floating around?
Cernan: Yes.
Stafford: Mine was stickier than that.
Young: Mine was too. It hit that bag --
Cernan: [laughter] I don't know whose that is. I can neither claim it or disclaim it. [laughter]
Young: What the hell is going on here?
Aside from the main content, the author also provides annotations at the bottom to give further explanation on some of the terms in the chapters. This allows the readers who may be familiar with the scientific terms used to further understand some of the concepts in this book.
I would strongly recommend this book to all, even if you are no fan of space travel. But if you are interested in how life is in the void, this is the book for you!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Kengsters' Outing! 美味しい！
Last Saturday, we went out for dinner at Sole Pomodoro.
Being there the first time, I was excited about what the restaurant has to offer. The Italian restaurant offers a great variety of pizza and pasta, and has been highly recommended by many, so there's no way I am going to give it a miss.
We met at Little India MRT station at 7p.m and made our way to the little restaurant at Mackenzie Road. There were actually quite a lot of people there for dinner by the time we arrived, so we were lucky enough to find seats.
As every pizza on the menu looked so enticingly good, we really could not decide on what to order! Finally, we decided on five on them, namely:
1. Diavola - Tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy salami. Liked the combination of mozzarella and the salami.
2. Siciliana - Tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, cappers. The moment I took a bite, I was overwhelmed by the taste of the anchovies - it gives me a feeling as though I was eating a seafood platter. Maybe a bit too salty for me but still palatable.
3. Bufala - Tomato sauce, Buffalo mozzarella. My favorite. The Buffalo mozzarella melted over the pizza was
awesome and it actually left me wanting for more. Unfortunately, we ordered one per flavor and there's only one per person. So oh well...4. Crudo e Rucola - The Parma ham on top of the pizza was the clincher. Yum yum.
5. Calzone Solepomodoro -Came off as a big surprise for me. It was up to my liking actually.
After we ate our fill, our food outing did not stop there. Of course, how can we miss out dessert? :D So next stop, The Cathay!
A few of us went to eat sushi, but the rest decided to have something sweet. And off
we went to Cafe Cartel to have our dessert. To our delight, all drinks and desserts were on 5% off from 9p.m onwards, so it was a pretty good deal! Unfortunately, I was so full from having 5 slices of pizza, hence I decided to order a mocha frappe. Vincent ordered a Eastside Brownie Stack while Kang Yueh ordered a Waffle with Ice Cream set. As the ice cream waffle looked so yummy (pity my full stomach), I decided to take multiple shots of the waffle as Kwang Yueh poured honey down the delicious dessert...
As we enjoyed our dessert, we talked and discussed about many things like movies etc. until about 10+ p.m, when we finally bade each other farewell and wrapped up the dinner outing.
I look forward to our next dinner gathering! :D
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Adventure Continues... In Pokemon Black and White!
About 20 days after its release, a copy of it is finally in my hands.
Introducing: Pokemon Black and White.
Having played the last few installments of the game, I picked up Pokemon Black. It was better than I expected.
The 5th generation of Pokemon introduces up to more than 150 new Pokemon to the franchise, and this time, the adventure takes place in Unova Region, which is based off New York City. The game starts off with you and two other friends receiving a starter Pokemon as a gift from Professor Juniper. As with other versions, the aim of this game is to obtain all eight badges of the Unova region and challenge the Pokemon League.
In addition to the aim of becoming the Pokemon Champion, players would also have to thwart the plans of the games' main antagonist Team Plasma, a group that seeks to liberate Pokemon from human oppression.
The game starts off at a very slow pace (for me at least) as Professor Juniper will guide players through the various aspects of the game, such as capturing a Pokemon, so as to allow players new to Pokemon familiarize with the game.
New features i
ncluded in this game include the seasonal cycle. This means that only certain areas can be accessed and certain Pokemon can only be captured in different seasons. Some Pokemon change appearance according to season as well. Another new feature to note would be the Triple Battle Mode, which increases the challenge of a Pokemon Battle.After an hour of gameplay, I find the game fun but challenging. It can be quite frustrating for new players, as battles between ordinary trainers can now be quite a challenge even for veteran players too. I was however disappointed by the absence of the mascot of Pokemon -- Pikachu. Pikachu is the reason why many fans are familiar with Pokemon, and Pikachu cannot be found in Pokemon Black/White unless you trade it over from previous versions like Diamond/Pearl/Platinum/HeartGold/SoulSilver. Without this symbolic character, I felt that the game seems be missing something.
But overall, the introduction of new Pokemon and new game features make it an equally awesome gaming experience for old and new players alike.
Before I end this post, allow me to introduce the starter Pokemon of this series:
Tep
ig - Evolves into a Fire/Fighting final stage. It has the worst Defense, Special Defense and Speed of the trio's final evolutions, but makes up for its limitations with a high HP, Attack and Special Attack. Learns several strong moves to complement its offense-based stats.Oshawott - Evolves into a Water final stage with an appearance of a sea lion.
It is a balanced starter, and can learn all three of the Water HMs, i.e. Surf, Waterfall and Dive. Good for beginner players. Its movepool is decent, with good Water moves like Aqua Tail and Razor Shell, and also stat-boosting Swords Dance and Focus Energy.Snivy - Evolves into a Grass final stage. Unlike Tepig's evolution line, it is more defense-
oriented. It has the worst HP, Attack and Special Attack of the trio's final evolutions, but does have the best Defense, Special Defense and Speed. Pity the narrow movepool though, and its only decent level-up move is Leaf Storm of base power 140, learnt at Lvl.62 (groan).So after all these talk, I can't wait to continue on my adventure in the Unova region! :D
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