Mat Selamat found?? ....

An introduction to 2 great sources of

Local (Singaporean) News

.

I was just reading the news on ChannelNewsAsia today and came across something interesting.. Read the article here.
.

2 entreprising youths decided to manufacture T-shirts with Mat's face.. for a good cause! Yeah.. it's not just some quick money making scheme whereby they just order cheap printed tees from Beach Road 'Army Market' at SGD 5.00 and sell them for SGD 16.00 per piece.
.
It's for the greater good. All should look beyond the tiny sum of 16 bucks for the sake of national security.. It's good that we are all doing our part to aid in the recapture of Mas Selamat..
.
As usual, talkingcock.com , has reported new 'gahmen' initiative as part of Total Defense - The new Toilet Defense, which activates civilians to take up roles as counter terror agents. And formation of a new crack team, to hunt down the escaped terrorist. As part of total defense.. a hand held terrorist spotter kit is also readily available for download by the website.
.

.

Recaptured?

I also read with interest and surprise.. UNCONFIRMED reports of Mas Alamak's capture.

Some say that he was caught in the CBD due to the ingenious taxi stand scheme by the gahmen . Others believe that increased security (and delay) in crossing the Causeways was key in the recapture of the fugitive.

.
The ever creative and generous cock crew of talkingcock.com has also released a new game: PAC MAT (modelled after PAC MAN) to curb boredom over the Easter Holidays. PAC MAT is a nice, good ol' fashion 2D arcade style game whereby you control Mat Selamat and try to escape the 'gahmen' while amassing arms and cash.

Courtesy of TalkingCock.com :

.
For game info/download, click here.

.

You start of as Mat, who escapes from Whitely Road Detention Centre. As the game progresses (from lvl 1 -5 ) , he takes on various disguises. Initially, the 'patented toilet break' escape technique is useful in confusing the policemen. However, towards the end, this trick isn't as useful in confusing the ministers, who personally appear to aid in the capture of the fugitive. Have Fun!

An Interlude

A hauntingly beautiful piece Ryuichi Sakamoto..

If you're wondering.. this song was used in the recent Singapore film , The Leap Years, starring Wong Li Lin.

Postcard from Melbourne: Life with the Lensmen

Yay! The prevous write up I did on the Lensmen caught the eye of Marketing Manager, Desiree. I was then invited to contribute an article to their e-newsletter. The article can also be found on their website: http://www.thelensmen.com/promotions/viewfull.asp?c=185226

Moomba 080308

MOOMBA

08-100308

Moomba aka Moomba Waterfest, has been established in Melbourne since 1955. Like all festivals, it comes in the form of a Carnival (like Royal Melbourne Show). Like all Water Festivals... it involves *gasp* WATER. Situated along the Yarra River, from games to rides to water skiing, outdoor movie screening, river fireworks display... they have it all!

Abstract from Melbourne City's Official Website:

.

One of the largest and longest running festivals in Australia, Moomba has survived in spite of its critics, and it commands a strong place in the social history of the city.
Moomba has always sought community involvement. In early festivals, post-war migrants typically displayed their ethnicity through traditional costume and performance and in the mid 60s, with a turn towards a more arts-orientated program, Aboriginal, Jewish, Italian and Latvian arts featured prominently. Multiculturalism has been widely accepted since the early 1990s, and from this period particularly cultural diversity has been well represented in Moomba.

More info on Moomba can be downloaded/found here.

.

Before moving out...

.

LUNCH @ Yiwen's Place

It really pays throwing a house party!!! First, we got invited to Yiwen's place for Lunch. We had delicious Mee Siam (Prima Deli.. lah) and ... Laksa-flavoured Mee Tai Mak. It was really good for an instant, I thought I was in Singapore again!

.

Thanks Yiwen and HaoNa for the Yummy Meal!

Gosh! I got a photo with the Chef!
After that.. we stayed on @ her place until it's time for... Dinner.

.

As I was saying, it really paid to invite so many people over for our House Warming. The next day, Carolyn invited us over to her place for Dinner too.. Yay. Anyway, we met up with our seniors, 5th year Optom students Lynette and Corinne. We decided to have dinner @ Shanghai Village, in China Town.

.

Cheap.. and good.

Pic below:

.

Back Row: Jasmine and YiWen

Front Row: Rachel, Lynette and Corinne

It doesnt HURT to be the only guy sometimes.


.
We couldnt finish our meal.

.

Next we took a stroll down to the Yarra River.. beside Federation Square. It was packed. The crowd was steadily streaming in for the Fireworks display at 9.30 pm.

A reminiscence of the Royal Melbourne Show:


Look at the all the crazy rides!

My hair is on Fire.


Next we found a spot just on the bank of the Yarra River.. where we promptly sat our behinds or the next 30 min or so in anticipation of what's to come. We were lucky enough to be seated directly in front of a firework launching platform (or whatever you call that), which was floating in the river.. just 50 m or so in front of us!!!
.
As a result.. the fireworks were VERY close to us and... VERY VERY LOUD!! W00t!

As I sat there gazing at the lights/sound display.. I suddenly realised.. erm.. what's all this fascination about fireworks? I mean.. its just.. explosions in the air.. shouldnt we be scared and hide? Is this really productive? So there I sat, completely lost in the enchantment of the moment..

.

Soon after, we joined up with another senior, Diana - a bubbly girl with a sunny disposition. She was proud to tell me that she and her twin sister (dizygotic - they don't look alike) where the first pair of IVF twins (aka test tube babies) in Singapore history! Their parents must be real proud of them

After getting ripped off AUD 10 bucks from a *cheating/lying/scum- of - Carnival games store operator, we decided we had enough and headed home.

.

* Rach and I shared 5 bucks each on 6 balls. The aim was to throw the ball into these HUGE buckets.. any 2 balls that successfully got in, we win a prize.. (HUGE soft toy of our choosing). It looked so SIMPLE.. yet somehow.. the balls we threw in never failed to bounce out.. Yiwen managed to get one in though. And yet the BIG signboard on top says... 1 out of 2 players WIN... Yeah right.

Rachel, Jasmine, Yiwen, Lynette and Diana.

.
The following Monday (2 days later). Moomba took the streets!!

.
I just came home from school and had luck has i that I made it in time for the Moomba parade. Its VERY VERY similar to our Chingay Parade.. but nonetheless, it was fun to watch.

Nice view from my living room eh?


I really loved the Fire Works.

Till next year.

My New Home + House Warming Party!

WELCOME TO UNILODGE

on Swanston

.

Hey everyone, this is my new home in Melbourne!! After being evicted from College Square due to the absurd increase in rent. Yes.. to protect me from the increase in rent, I was simply kicked out.

Anyway, this new place is really convenient! Situated just beside Melbourne Central and across the road from Victoria State Library and QV Mall, it's like a stone's throw away from..EVERYTHING.

The building's about 30 years plus old now.. so conditions arent exactly pristine, but at least we have a habitable room, after much help from the cleaning and maintenance department.

.

I'm sharing the same 3 BEDROOM apartment with 2 of my friends, Rachel and Jasmine to keep down costs. Things are definitely more lively than living alone back in College Square.

.

Even the area is more noisy at night, compared to College Square on Lygon (with the cemetery as your neighbour.. I'm pretty sure you'll WANT it to STAY quiet at night).

*gasp* UNVEILING THE APARTMENT *gasp*

The Kitchenette

Jasmine's Bedroom

(with Qoo Doona!?)

Rachel's Room

My Room: Err.. I mean the toilet.

My Room:

Our Living Room/Lounge:

House Warming Party!!!

Nothing better than making your new house/apartment look 20 years older than it really is by throwing a house warming party!!

There was FOOD.

Notice how bright it is outside at 8p.m.
On the menu: Roast Chicken, Salmon, Mixed Vege and... Minced Meat vege?
We also engaged the services of live performer, Choy Haozhen - Our resident professional singer.

Chhheeerrs *hic*
Let's sit here and look pretty while the rest clean up and do the dishes! Tee-heeeee..

That's a drumstick in my hand..
Excluding me: From left: Carolyn, Rachel, Jasmine, Yiwen, Haozhen
No, the girl on the right is NOT a clown. It's Jasmine. Door Gift collection: Each guest was given an Easter Bunny on their way out (all sponsored by Schweetie Jasmine)
Yay! Our house is sufficiently warmed up now!
It's a roaring success!! - Many people took turns to sit on our dirty sofa (the one WITHOUT the bedsheet over it)! It's now clean enough for us to use it =)