The Mothman

The Mothman may not be classified under my pet subject of cryptozoology, but I'm intrigued by it all the same. This strange (and scary) creature, which was sighted several times in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, between November 1966 and November 1967, is widely believed to be associated with paranormal - or even cataclysmic - occurences (ref: the collapse of Silver Bridge in '67, killing 46). In short, it's a premonition of disaster and tragedy. Spooky. But I like it.

Pom Pom!

How many times do you shower in a day? Hmm? Once? Twice? Thrice? None at all? Tsk tsk. And how long does it take you to shower? Hmm? Five minutes? Ten minutes? Fifteen minutes? An hour? Tsk tsk. For me, it's twice and five. I know of people who spend an hour or more in their bathtubs (usually of the jacuzzi variety) scrubbing their asses off. If you ask moi, being clean is one thing, but being overly obsessed with hygiene is quite another altogether. Think hypochondria.

AM @ Delifrance

Well, this is how it looks like - or at least the outlet at Tiong Bahru Plaza. And by morning I mean 8.15 a.m. I don't see a single person - no cashier, no customer. I wanted to grab a croissant on my way to work, but ended up getting a sandwich from BreadTalk next door, instead.

BATTLE ROYALE

42 Students • 3 Days • 1 Survivor • No Rules
ARE YOU READY?

Stylo Milo

Wish to look like the late Christopher Reeve (AKA Superman) or James Marsden (AKA Cyclops) from X-MEN? Come to our state-of-the-art salon, where our team of specialists can give you the hairstyle you desire. Call today for an appointment. If all our lines are busy, then please hold; your call is important to us. Men only need call. Thank you.

Viscosity

Taiwanese street snacks franchise Shihlin offers four main items on its spare menu. I've already sampled the XXL Crispy Chicken. Too much seasoning. This Handmade Oyster Mee Sua (sold at $3.00) ain't fantastic, either. Too bland (but the broth's thick enough). I shall try one more item, and then it's three strikes.

Another Moment in Time

Jingyi and her fiance Matthew soaking up plenty of sun while vacationing somewhere in the (South?) Pacific. None of my business.

Hmm...

If we passengers aren't allowed to take this elevator, then may I ask who is? Granted, it may be used for conveying cargo, but surely passengers have to be present to push these crates of cargo, right? Oh, forget it. I'm just being nitpicky again...

Paging Ellen

519-year-old Canadian actress Ellen Page, who gained substantial attention for her compelling turn in HARD CANDY (will we get to see it here in Singapore, dear censors?), purrs as the intangible Kitty Pryde (AKA Shadowcat)6in X-MEN: THE LAST STAND.

Mobile Radio Station

DJ: Yes, can we have the next caller, please?
Caller: Hello?
DJ: Hello! You're on air! What's your name?
Caller: Hello??
DJ: Yes, hello. Can you hear me? You're on air on Mobile Radio 99.5FM.
Caller: Is this Ah Heng Casket?
DJ: No, sorry. This is Mobile Radio 99.5FM.
Caller: Oh, sorry. Wrong number.

Shop Till You Drop!

Shopaholics alert! The Great Singapore Sale is back in town! Get ready that shopping list and those cash/credit cards, standby your caddy and call your (marriage) counsellor. Things are about to get hairy. The last GSS attracted 1.6 million international arrivals to our country and generated around S$650 million in revenue. If that's not a sign of times, I don't know what is.

Pinhead

In Clive Barker's HELLRAISER, a British blood-curdler adapted from the English author's own acclaimed novella The Hellbound Heart, an antique puzzle box opens a portal to the alternate realms of pleasure and pandemonium. Some of us call it Hades. Here, the Cenobites (an archaic Latin word meaning "members of a communal religious order") rule. They are led by Pinhead (pictured and portrayed by Doug Bradley), the Angel of Suffering, who was once an explorer and WWI vet, but subsequently possessed by the mythological spirit Xipe Totec (AKA God of Agriculture). Is anyone following any of this??

Hay Mee (Tng)

Some personal druthers when it comes to eating prawn noodles: (1) always have them in soup (and not with soup), 'cos dry noodles should be stir-fried altogether (or at least that's my belief) (2) extra sprinkling of cut red chilli (best if it's chilli padi) (3) copious amounts of white pepper and light soy sauce. Chopstick's 'Dragon Lady' charges $3.00 for a bowl like this.

YOUR American Idol - Taylor Hicks

And, YES, you do make us all proud! Congratulations to the Soul Patrol!

Jang Nara

Despite being billed as a multi-faceted performer in music, television and the movies, Korean star Jang Nara may not belong to the same tier as BoA or Jeon Ji-hyun.
Regardless, the 25-year-old stunner from Seoul did land the leading role in the record-breaking drama series, SUCCESSFUL STORY OF A BRIGHT GIRL, which sort of says it all.
Jang was last seen here in the 2003 comedy farce OH! HAPPY DAY!

X No X Evil X

My lovely colleague at West Coast, Ms. Hanim Binte Arif (left), and her wacky cuzzies doing a 'Hear No Evil / See No Evil (hey, that's Kane's new movie!) / Speak No Evil'. Just don't ask me why they did it. Tee hee!

R U Man Enuff, Brudder??

Not only must you be male, you have to be an alpha male sporting 'swoosh' hair and manly sideburns. Further to that, you must also take after a kung fu comic book character, which requires you to be Chinese. Then, and only then, can you gain entry into this yam muan. Understooded?

Yoshinoya

At last weekend's road show, which could be described as a 'runaway success' by indiscriminating standards, 'Da Mei Lin' and myself decided to indulge in some 'sinful' Yoshinoya fare for dinner. This was what we had.

(Above left): The saliva-inducing Salmon Bowl ('Z' for 'Zorro'?). Tastes even better with beef gravy (thanks for the tip, Mad!).

(Above right): Miso soup - quintessential to the meal. AKA 'hair shedding' MSG soup. Hah!

Codebreaker

The long wait is finally over. From May 19, 2006, the world will witness the "biggest cover up in human history".
THE DA VINCI CODE, the pricey event picture shrouded in so much secrecy that not even the press could get a whiff of it heretofore, promises to reveal a secret "so powerful it will devastate the very foundations of mankind"...
.
.
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But wait just a minute here.

Say, is this the same Audrey Tautou from AMELIE? Man, she's cute! Every time she appeared on screen my lil' peepers would light up like fireflies on a dark summer night. Forget the Holy Grail. As of now, I'm completely smitten by this mademoiselle!

Jerry-san

When we adopted Jerry as my birthday present from SPCA on November 25, 1997, he was but a lazy one-year-old boy who didn't attempt to 'impress' us (like the other cats did) by purring and rubbing our legs; instead, the ash-furred feline merely minded his own business and snoozed away atop the steel cage door. This is him now, unlaxing on our kitchen stove.

'Santa Fe' Promo Poster 2

Junsheng: I've been waiting for a moment like this for as long as I can remember. Now, it’s like a dream come true.
Jaime: You're not gonna get all mushy on me again, are you?
Junsheng: After all this time? I think I deserve to be a little.
Xiaohan: I hope you realize how fortunate it is to have someone care about you so much – to be receiving rather than giving.
Jiayan: I'm glad you pointed out the irony.
Xiaohan: What irony?
Jiayan: That you don't practice what you preach.
Maya: You should've told him yesterday.
Naya: I didn’t think it was right to surprise him like that on his birthday.
Maya: But you promised.
Naya: I promised I would try.

Tasmanian Devil

A far screech from its real-life counterpart, the largest living carnivorous marsupial in the Australian Outback, the Looney Tunes version of Taz is a lovable animated cartoon character created by one Robert McKimson. Wonder if they'll ever make a beanie baby out of a Chupacabra...

Before There Was Maria...

An Anna Kournikova ruled the courts. Sort of. They coined/spinned on the phrase/movie title "From Russia with Love ('zilch' in tennis lingo)", perhaps, as an allusion to her prolonged inability to procure a single Grand Slam Championship?
No wonder she went on to do commercials (for timepieces and stuff) before backpedaling to Obliville altogether.

Children of Heaven

"I have many beautiful flowers", said the Selfish Giant, "but children are the most beautiful flowers of all." Indeed so, for children are pure, innocent and untainted by worldly turmoils. Unlike adults, they are happy and content. Do you wish to be a child again? Do you wish to never grow up? Oh, the heavenly bliss of childhood...

It's Winter Time!

Went jalan-ing while on duty at last weekend's road show @ Yishun's NorthPoint SC. Stopped by this store selling winter wear and snapped this photo. Probably won't need any of these since Country Bumpkin here doesn't travel.

Kurt Angle

In the kayfabe world of professional wrestling, one man represents the gospel truth. The Rock may be the Most Electrifying Man in all of sports entertainment and Stone Cold Steve Austin may be the toughest SOB in the history of this business, but real-life Olympic hero Kurt Angle is the real McCoy.
Capturing the coveted gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Atlanta Games "with a broken freakin' neck", the proud American quickly made a name for himself by joining the then WWF as a 'heel' (i.e. rulebreaker).
Motto: Intensity, Integrity, Intelligence. Entrance music: Medal (sang to the lyrics "YOU SUCK!"). Finisher: Angle Slam, ankle lock. Quote: "Oh, it's true. It's damn true!"

Ugly Shoes!

Hands down - rather, feet down - the most hideous footwear to ever walk the face of the earth. It's such an eyesore just to look at it. So the next time I see someone wearing these Crocs shoes I'm gonna bash that bugger up, for sure. Ugh!

Go, 5566!

The popular Taiwanese quartet were in town over the weekend for a one-night-only charity concert organized by local health company BWL (whatever that stands for). Amongst the other stars were Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah and Love 97.2FM DJ Dongfang Billy. Check out this personalized placard made by my godsis ^_^

Buttons & Holes

Question: What do these images6have in common (other than pattern and symmetry)?

Hint: They're both associated with Scientology. Nah, just kidding! Think subway (",)

SUPERBAND

Who do you support? My faves are Lucify (too bad they've been cut; hope they score at the revival round) and Qi:Nobe (only because they had the balls to challenge Jay Chou's inimitable Huo Yuan Jia).

Claypot Rice - Sans Claypot!

Is this equivalent to having chicken rice without chicken, or prawn noodles without prawns, or - better yet - seafood steamboat without the steamboat?! (That's 20 points deducted, boss.) Otherwise, this claypot rice served every Wednesday at Thano Café (Level 4 of Olid...I mean, Orchard Towers) is somewhat sapid. And it only costs $3.00. (Good thing, then, it doesn't come with the pot!)

500

This is my five hundredth post here on

.: Photo Finish :.
HIP HIP HOORAY! (*Goes berserk and starts smashing things in the room*)

Boring Looking Structure Part Deux

Why's this thing so flimsy looking? I've never seen a wall so wafer-thin before - have you? I bet if King Ghidorah (who/what?) was rampaging the metropolis, he'd walk right through it. What was the architect thinking when he designed this building? And why am I yammering so much?? Must be male PMS!

Gong Li vs Zhang Ziyi

Both women have, at one point or another, been Chinese Fifth-Generation auteur Zhang Yimou's muse.
Gong Li (top left), 40, is arguably the Mainland's most bankable and exportable star. Having anchored most of Zhang's early films from JU DOU to RAISE THE RED LANTERN, Gong was all-but instrumental in the former's success.
Zhang Ziyi (top right), 27, came into the scene when a post-Gong Li Zhang was facing his impending downfall. He cast her in THE ROAD HOME, but it was Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee who launched the ingenue into the international circuit with the Academy Award winning CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.
The two Zhangs would later collaborate again in HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, while the two women would 'co-exist' for only the second time after Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai's 2046 - not surprisingly playing rivals - in Rob (CHICAGO) Marshall's MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. What a storied history!

Drawing Restraint 9?

Contemporary media artist Matthew Barney may be interested to include this contorted piece of sculpture in his new 'film' (and I use that term loosely) CREMASTER 6, or 7, or whatever installment it's currently at.

Worms in a Plate

Goodness gracious me! Is that the way to describe a delectable plate of mee rebus? This Malay speciality dish contains such ingredients as yellow egg noodles and sweet-spicy gravy. It's usually garnished with a hard-boiled egg, green chillies and calamansi limes. Compared with mee siam and mee soto, I still prefer this :-)

Men at Work 2

Man 1: Eh, how? Can fix or not?
Man 2 does not answer.
Man 1: Eh, I'm asking you, can fix or not??
Again, Man 2 does not reply.

Man 1: Eh, friend...
Man 2: Eh, can you STFU or not?? Damn irritating!

Man 1: What's 'STFU'?

Man 2: 'Shut the fuck up', lah!
Man 1: Ooh...

Man 2: 'Ooh' some more. Now pass me my spanner!

THE FUGITIVE

5Don't shoot!: Dogged U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard (Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones) doesn't care if Kimble (Harrison Ford, not pictured) has actually killed his own wife or not.

"Our fugitive has been on the run for ninety minutes. Average foot speed over uneven ground barring injuries is four miles-per-hour. That gives us a radius of six miles. What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area. Checkpoints go up at fifteen miles. Your fugitive's name is Dr. Richard Kimble. Go get him."

French Loaves - Good for 'Ooning' Curry

I'm not much of a bread person. Uh-uh. I do love how pastries smell when I pass by a patisserie, but there's a fine line between baking a pie and eating it. (I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but it sure sounds pseudo-slick when you say it.) And who buys french loaves, anyways? Just how long does it take for one to finish a loaf??

SuzOO

It took some unsolicited 'hustling' on my part to get Ms. SuzOO to grant me carte blanche to upload her snapshot here (gosh, so many 'to's in a single sentence), but on one condition: her mouth must be smudged. Does that leave much room for imagination?

Photosynthesis (Another Lame-ass Post)

Who would've thought that a plastic leaf could look so lifelike?

The Boulder

Can I get any lamer? I mean, I'm taking a picture of a rock - yeah, you can call it a boulder or landscaping or whatever, but we all know it's just a bloody piece of rock - and posting it here on my flagship blog site. What's my aim or objective of doing so? What do I plan to achieve or accomplish in the process? I don't know. Maybe I'm bored. Or maybe I've lost it. In any case, doesn't the picture of the rock - I mean, boulder - look nice? :-P

2039 AD

In the post-apocalyptic future, civilization will cease to exist. The world will be ruled by robots, who will construct complex cubic mazes to hold their small colony of human survivors captive. The periodic permutation and reconfiguration of the cubes4 ensure that these 'prisoners' have no way of escaping. Make sense??

Maggie Q

Fact file

Full name: Margaret Denise Quigley

Date of birth: May 22, 1979
Star sign: Gemini

Place of birth: Honolulu, Hawaii

Nationality: Vietnamese American

Height: 168 cm (some sources indicate 170 cm)
Weight: Unknown
Occupation: Model / Actress

Selected filmography: GEN-Y COPS (2000), RUSH HOUR 2 (2001), AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (2006)

Grin and bare it?: Maggie Q donning an elegant [insert brand/designer name here] evening gown at the M:I-3 world premiere at Rome's Cinema Adriano.