Stephen King

Also known by his pseudonyms Richard Bachman and (to a lesser extent) John Swithen, storied horror and fantasy novelist Stephen Edwin King has authored in excess of 200 stories including 50 bestsellers like Carrie and Misery. In my book, scribes such as J. K. Rowling are but one-trick ponies whereas King is the real deal.

Girl on the Bus

Siow Fern is so preoccupied with an indecent proposal from her immediate supervisor that she forgets to 'de-bus'.

The Medallion

Encased in a 2-inch-thick bulletproof glass showcase under 24-hour surveillance by heavily armed guards in a laser-secured history museum, it'll take more than a VISA card for Jackie Chan to get his hands on this medallion - even with a tuxedo.

La Felina

In case anyone should be so quick to deem former WWE Diva/current TNA Knockout Gail Kim a pushover, she notedly nabbed the WWE Women's Title in her debut bout and is also the first ever TNA Women's Champion after prevailing in a 10-woman gauntlet elimination match.

Yee-haw!

This rodeo rider certainly appears to be a lot busier than that phony cowboy Jay Chou.

Suicide Bombers (NC16)

Give way! Move aside! The Unabomber's gas truck is running behind scheduled time to blow up yet another foreign embassy... Fark! I feel like an arse mocking honest, hardworking laborers striving to make ends meet on a day-to-day basis...

Flying Humanoid

Several years ago, a municipal police officer in Monterrey, Mexico, reportedly saw a 'flying humanoid' - described to be a 'she' who wore a black gown and had "large, completely black eyes with no pupils" - gliding across the rural sky before slowly descending from the trees and then 'attacking' him. Think it's horseshit? See for yourself here.

茶 道 - The Way of Tea

Why are the Japanese so particular about sadōs (or traditional tea ceremonies)? I believe I've witnessed them being performed in documentaries (or was it during JAPAN HOUR?) and thought they were excessively scrupulous. Then again, what does this uncultured, uncivilized clodhopper know?

Chic Decor

If you could live like a king for a day, what kind of lifestyle would that be? A palace adorned with chic decor? Royal servants at your beck and call? Free cable TV for one and all? I love matching proses!

Misty Cat

Rendezvoused with Super Saf5(AKA Miss Paranoid) on Saturday to watch THE MIST6 Damn, those 'tentaclaws' are huge!

Two Missed Calls

...and one text message from the LTNS Maddy Tan, who spotted me leaving Tiong Bahru Plaza yesternoon. Sorry tagala, I didn't see you :-(

The Chicken Rice Shop

Recalling my last (and only) tryst with Rinnuwatanabe at Singapore's Largest Retail and Lifestyle Destination, where I blanja-ed her dinner at the titular restaurant, yours truly had steamed chicken rice while she had roasted chicken rice. Overvalued repast, especially since one can easily source a superior substitute at the trusty Tanjong Pagar Food Centre. Ask me, and I'll tell you which.

Ngee Ann City

Ngee Ann City's centerpiece attraction Civic Plaza is a 3,000 sqm semi-circular courtyard suitable for all kinds of outdoor events like dance competitions and community fiestas. This shot was taken from a bus I was riding on today.

Location Shooting

Why do recces (as in reconnoiters) fancy rooftops so much when it comes to location shooting? What's with pipes and compressors that attract filmmakers? The most famous movie I can think of that features a rooftop confrontation is none other than the 2002 Hong Kong cops-and-robbers drama INFERNAL AFFAIRS with Andy Lau and Tony Leung.

Tall Man

For fans unfamiliar with the Tall Man, he's a nefarious undertaker from the cult PHANTASM series who employs evil gnomes and flying silver spheres (known as Sentinels) to do his bidding. Sinuous, huh? Si lao lang.

Bak Kwa

Every once in a year or so (you know roughly when), my immense inclination for bak kwa (barbecue dried pork) comes back to tempt me. Last weekend, mom bought some from Lim Chee Guan in Chinatown and I'm nearly done with them as I type (only two pieces left). Hmm...shall try Bee Cheng Hiang next. Heard theirs are 'waxier' = nicer. To heck (for the time being) with calories and cholesterol!

Good Ger!

This little girl is so guai. Not only is she helping mommy carry her grocery bag, she has also taken the initiative to press the 'pedestrian crossing' button (although sometimes I wonder if it actually works). At home, we understand, the 4-year-old is quite the multitasker: she cooks, she cleans, she even takes care of the pets and all electrical appliances (whenever they malfunction). With a wunderkind like this, who needs Maria or Sonny?

PUNK'D

Which was your favorite episode of MTV's PUNK'D? Mine was the one with Hugh Jackman (victim) and Brett Ratner's (perpetrator) 'House of Flames'. Felt really sorry for poor Wolverine, who went into a prolonged state of shock and disbelief, when his friend the X2 helmer's $14 million pad exploded and incinerated (due to the former's 'negligence') in one of the show's most elaborate pranks. Bad Ashton Kutcher!

OUCH!!

Let's not kid ourselves - the home is a hazardous place. Just this evening, as I was busy mopping the kitchen floor, I suddenly lost my footing (due to the slippery surface smeared with soap water) and hit my forehead on an unforgiving steel cabinet handle. By god, it hurt like hell! And now I've got a bump. Gah!

Allusion

(Above left): Can we count on Beaumont Livingston, Chris Tucker's motormouth character in JACKIE BROWN, to pop a few of these babies for our 'consumptive pleasure'? It's on the dead nigger's house, right?

(Above right): Dump these bottles of formaldehyde into our Kallang River (a la the Han River in South Korea's GWOEMUL) and see what happens to the tadpoles.

Bejeweled

想 当 年...I used to be so good in this game. Played it practically every day without fail and even set a personal record of 138,415 on July 25, 2004. 如 今...I no longer possess that same level of expertise (or enthusiasm). Sigh.

Life Is Great!

Well, and so is this skewed, 'corridored' shot of the Great Eastern Life Head Office building, doncha think? (I know I very the buay bah.) How many of you have accounts with this insurance company?

Xin Wang Hong Kong Café

Orchard Cineleisure Road Show Day 3: Aside from swatting houseflies and making casual convos with Shanghainese broads peddling creepy circus dolls, the Jimster and I shelled out a total of $53.50 to binge on some 'Kowloon comestibles' at the above.

(Clockwise from top left): Eel congee with egg, HK-style (AKA Dai Pai Dong) milk tea on the rocks, steamed chicken feet (not for me!), Four Season Beans (simply long beans) fried with sambal cili, and the obligatory (i.e. must-order) har kaus.

P/S: I went berak after the meal :-(

Vivian Chow

So what if she's 41? Seriously, so what??

"Wheels Up at 0600 Hours"

even the eminent starship enterprise has a timeline

Freedom of Speech?

Hong Lim Park at the intersection of Upper Pickering Street and the ever-so-familiar South Bridge Road is Singapore's (only?) designated area for free speech (anywhere else and you gotta pay a toll fee). Problem is, it's not been/being utilized as much as intended. Fear that the Chee Soon Juan debacle may recur? What an 1. ironical and 2. paradoxical situation we have ourselves here, my fellow Republicans.

Cactus!

You don't have to be in the Tehuacan Valley or any part of the New World to see cacti (plural for cactus?) sprouting everywhere. Many households in the HDB heartland cultivate this shrub along shared corridors and if Mick Foley were to visit these parts, I'm sure he would be more than pleased to pluck one and use it as a bludgeon.

Try for Tan?

At Fabulous Studio, we guarandamntee you'll not only walk away with a bronzy tan you always desired, but also look like Maxim/GQ models for hire. That, or your money back within 7 working days.

THE SHINING

5Here's Johnny!: Jack Nicholson in one of his most iconic roles, as a hotel caretaker gone totally certifiable.

It's true that horror movies are scarier back when you watched them as a kid. (Either that, or they don't make them screamers like they used to.) Take Stanley Kubrick's THE SHINING, for instance. I remember freaking out at the sight of the twin girls holding hands along the hallway: "Hello, Danny. Come and play with us". And let's not get started with the palindromic REDRUM.
But sitting through the movie a second time as an adult, I doubt, will give me the same chills as before. It was the case with THE EXORCIST, so this should be no different.

Ulee's Gold

Poor Ulysses. All of his 'stashaways' from the Vietnam War (e.g. ingots and what-nots) have been pilfered and are now being lay long-ed for no more than 400 baht at the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Thailand. Sayang. What with the Chinese New Year coming and all, he could've jolly well made good on his loot...

Captain Cook

3This droll figurine displayed outside Captain Cook's deli on Level B1 of Orchard Towers may resemble comedic actor Cheech Marin more than the famed English explorer himself, but as far as takeaway morning munchies go, their steamed bak pau (chicken bun) ain't too bad!

BBQ Chicken = Cancer?

In your opinion, is barbecue the best (and safest) way to cook chicken? To risk sounding like a complete bonehead (which I am), doesn't charcoal contain cancer causing agents? Can we use recycled paper, instead?

Fido Dido

When he's not out kau sua-ing Jessica Albas on the beach (ever seen that ad?), 7-Up's playboy 'poster toon' Fido Di(l)do enjoys tippling his own brand of carbonated beverage for good measure. As the (oops, Sprite?) slogan goes, "Obey Your Thirst".

Condiments

An 'all-you-can-see' condiment set 'courtesy of' PastaMania. (Actually, this photo was snapped without permission - as usual.) Let's see what we have: salt, pepper, sugar, sauce, mustard, mayonnaise, wasabi?? Why, no toothpicks?

Shriveled Globes

Haven't you heard? The once glitzy, hours-long Golden Globe Awards this year has been reduced and relegated to a crummy 60-minute news conference - all thanks to the still-striking Hollywood writers (along with unwavering, unilateral support from the SAG).

Hence, the 80 million-dollar question now on everyone's mind: Will February's Oscars submit to the same sad fate?

On the Run

+ Emergency Outcall Services Available +

Chong Kong!

Yes, my dear patrons, outside food and drinks are strictly prohibited in our cinema halls. The rules and regulations are explicitly stated so there's no dispute. Turn over your Shish Kebab now. As far as we the management are concerned, it's confiscated!

'Buried Alive'

The playful ah-melia 'drowning' in a pool of plastic balls (or are those super-sized Skittles?) in her school gym for children. Help! Is there a lifeguard nearby?? (Can't believe I'm so childish...)

Downward Crawl

SPIDEY 4 isn't set to invade theaters until the summer of 2009, but the Sony franchise is already showing signs of aging. Can the Sinister Six save the Spandex One in time?

F.I.R

Never been a devotee of F.I.R (Fantasy in Reality), but I thought their Crescent Moon Bay (月 牙 湾) was really euphonic + exotic. Oh, and congrats to vocalist Faye (飛) & guitarist Real (阿 沁, the chap on the left) for getting hitched to each other last Christmas. So lomantico, man ♥

Xin Dai

I must be suffering from premature amnesia. After all, it wasn't so long ago when I met 'Garfield' for lunch at Plaza Singapura's Kopitiam. Now, apparently, I've forgotten what the above dish, which I ordered, was ('cept it was from this Taiwanese vendor called Xin Dai) or how much it cost.

P/S: I do, howeva, remember the chicken cutlets and onion shreds tasting fine as well as the flame threatening to do a LADDER 49 on my food tray.

Wonder Woman

Whoa, look at that waist. It's so small I bet the kidneys must hurt. And to think she could actually breathe - let alone run - in that constricted costume. No wonder she's called Wonder Woman.

(Apart from that, the throwing of her golden tiara and the use of her feminum bracelets to block bullets are all pretty puerile, no?)