Diana

On this very day 12 years ago, Diana Frances, Princess of Wales, perished in a fatal car accident when the Mercedes-Benz S280 she was traveling in with lover Dodi Al-Fayed crashed into the 13th pillar of the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris while they were attempting to elude the paparazzi. She was 36.

Ice Queen

Sounds like 'ice cream' (for poor 'dictionists' like Ris Low)? Maybe that's the whole point? This ½-kg Ice Queen butter cake (with white cream & strawberry topping) from BreadTalk carries a steepish price tag of $28 (which is standard), looks sugary + fattening (but really isn't), and will prolly last me for the week. Mm...

Martin Chew

Chew Soon Chiang in full, Marbin (his cartoon dog) in short. Self-confessed "neglectful husband" and "irresponsible father" (or vice versa), but we know it's not true. Haven't caught up with him since Y2K+, hope he's keeping well!

Let Your Hair Down!

Let it blow in the 'hazified' wind. It's the weekend, what's the worst that can happen?

Don & Udon

I'm no speaker of Nihongo, but I'm guessing don means rice and udon means noodles? Anyways, the pictured salmon don (top left) and fish katsu curry udon (top right) were somewhat substandard considering the former used only plain rice (as opposed to sticky rice) and the latter's curry gravy tasted suspiciously like a certain brand of instant noodles.

ONE FINE DAY

5Looking back: In a time when Mae Whitman was small, George Clooney had black hair and cell phones were huge.

Don't we incurable romantics just dig movies about loggerheads who turn into lovers? When busy single parents Jack Taylor (Clooney) and Melanie Parker (Michelle Pfeiffer) - he a laid-back reporter, she an on-the-go architect - first meet at the beginning of a hectic working day (in the Big Apple, no less), they're practically at each other's throats. Before the credits roll, Batman and Catwoman are sharing a couch moment in mutual embrace. How sweet!

Where to Park?

When the marketing department relocates to South Bridge Road by the end of this year, our manager Steven will have no place to park his car. Coupons are going to cost him a bomb (think CBD charges) and public transport is not an option since he has to visit preschools in the day. So how? It's a predicament.

Pinch My Ear

"Bloody hell, I should be so ashamed of myself for ogling other vomen from the bus. Better pinch my ear before Shanti does vhen she finds out."

Miss Venezuela Is Miss Universe - Again

For the sixth (and first consecutive) time, Venezuela took the coveted crown. Now they're only one sash behind the States. Stefanía Fernández, who not only won the eventual title of Miss Universe 2009, also catwalked away with the subsidiary Face, Body and Elegance awards. Washed-out Dean Cain (I had to single him out) was one of the judges at "the most important pageant in the world" according to proud/conceited executive producer Donald J. Trump, who promptly added (in case anyone had any doubt/rebuttal): "I know, because I own it."

JBP Surplus

Opted to post up this one last pic from my BirdPark photo batch. Won't be revisiting the place anytime soon, so might as well retain some memories of it ^-^

A Conversation Between C-3PO and R2-D2

C-3PO: Beardy's such a bastard. To think he'd abandon us here in this record shop shabbier than RadioShack. Whatever happened to National Archives or the Smithsonian? Do you feel my pain, Artoo?

R2-D2: *&^%$#@!

Witchcraft

From THE CRAFT to THE CRUCIBLE, Hollywood, it appears, is piqued by witchcraft and witchery. Bitches on broomsticks, after all, have been the subject of great fascination and disputation for ages. Is it the spells and symbols? Or the curses and cauldrons? Must be something, since Hermione and Ginny didn’t exist back then.

A Time to Kiss

Montessori cherubs (are they both girls??) snogging in Stamford Room – without the presence of Pam, Pooja, Usha or Vicky – seconds before our 6.30-to-9.30 p.m. students start streaming into class. Well, I had nothing better to do that day...

Bodoh Brain Teaser

Q: Why did the zebra cross the road?

A: Because it was stapled to the chicken.

Funny? Yes? No? Any further questions?

Saoirse Ronan

At 13 years of age, Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was one of the youngest to be nominated for an Academy Award (for her supporting role in 2007's ATONEMENT). Now 15, the star of Peter Jackson's new fantasy drama THE LOVELY BONES (about a murdered girl who watches over her grieving family) had apparently impressed the LOTR director so much that he personally handpicked her for the part.

Paradise @ Palawan

Where's the best place to enjoy sun, sand and sea? California, of course! But (what) if you have only 3 bucks to spare? Sentosa's Palawan Beach (AKA "Singapore's Happiest Family Beach") will do just fine!

5Welcome to the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia (to the Equator, that is). And this ignoramus always thought it was the coastal tip of India. Thank PAP for causeways and connectors!

5A shaky suspension bridge borrowed from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Here, we're accosted by two camwhoring Chinamen. Help us, Indy!

5Isn't this a wonderful way to spend a weekend afternoon? You bet!

Barry Horowitz

Whilst most wrestlers were busy forging their legacies by chalking up wins, one Barry Horowitz seemed to function in exact reverse. A recurrent jobber of the WWF roster, the Florida native was so used to losing that when he finally picked up a pinfall victory over Bodydonna Skip in 1995 even commentator Jim Ross couldn't believe it: "Horowitz wins! Horowitz wins!"

Me and Mrs. King

So there you are, our favorite neighborhood stray! You really got us (me and mom) worried sick because we thought you'd gone missing. Worse, we thought something unpleasant (abduction, accident, etc.) had befallen you. Good to know you're safe and sound - and only relocating to the opposite end of our block =^_^=

Oscar & Co.

By "Co." we refer to Oscar's two 'frontal friends' (i.e. his overjet).

Excerpt from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally Speech

"When companies like Rolls Royce decide to site projects here and put a plant here, they spent years to study and decide but they are really betting on Singapore, not just for five or 10 years but for the next 20 or 30 years. In other words, the next four, five or six elections. So take it seriously."

Ed: Hint, hint?

Don't Try This at Home

polynesia's really got talent!

Cat Chow

Cats are such fussy pussies. Take my brats, for example. They can tell if their dry kibbles are fresh or fusty just by smelling them. When they sense we're trying to pull a fast one by offering stale food, it's a no-go. Gotta keep those containers purrfectly air-sealed.

Cheeky Bike (not an expletive)

I know I'm being anthro-pomorphic again (can't help it), but doesn't the anterior of this motorcycle bear some resemblance to a Kamen Rider from Japan? An overactive imagination? Hmm...

Yellow Pages

IN THE PAST, WE USED TO LET OUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING. THESE DAYS, THE YELLOW PAGES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR HEIGHT BOOSTING, HEAD WHACKING AND KACANG PUTEH WRAPPING. BASICALLY, ANYTHING BUT FINDING YOU A PLUMBER.

Ed: Don't believe me? Enter "plumber" into the search bar at the Internet Yellow Pages and see how many results it returns.

Fiddlesticks

whatever shields radiation and supports ventilation, works

Hot 'n' Cold

Fried Mars balls (with chocolate ice cream) from Chippy British Take Away @ Central. Not bad, boy!
Price: $3.50 (regular) / $5.00 (upsized)

SEINFELD

For a "show about nothing" (that really was the pitch, folks!), NBC's observational comedy ('obcom'?) SEINFELD sure rolls out (present tense attributed to perpetual re-runs) heaps of laughter. Tom's Restaurant at Broadway and Jerry's apartment on the Upper West Side, resultantly, should be such familiar fixtures to hardened fans.

Hu's the Boss?

That would be Mr. Weaving, hoi polloi.

My Pouch

God knows I must be guilty as a gaylord for carrying this (grubby) camouflage hand phone pouch. Go ahead and call me names. After all, what's Butter Fingers gonna do? Tak boleh tahan having my poor PF supplier crash into pieces all of the time, tio bo?

Anthony Wong

I have a plenitude of respect and admiration for Hong Kong character actor Anthony Wong Chau Sang, who not only has appeared prolifically in over a hundred motion pictures since the mid '80s, but is also a three-peat honoree at the prestigious Golden Horse Awards. At 47, this half-gweilo is, in fact, just starting to age like fine wine.

Jurong BirdPark Super Series

5Haven't been (back) to this site - the world's highest man-made waterfall - since 1983, during a Primary 3 school excursion. (Oops, that means my age's inferrable :-X)

5Greetings from World of Darkness and Pelican Cove.

5Penguins are always a hit with families owing to films like SURF'S UP, HAPPY FEET and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS.

5Come on, flamingoes! Let's do the flamenco dance!

5Besides 8,000 birds of 600 species (of which 29 are endangered), the 202,000-sqm landscaped park also boasts - amongst other special attractions - Asia's first Heliconia repository.

5Lest anyone thinks there are no real animals in JBP, here's some proof. (Don't really like taking photos of live animals because they don't usually pose for you?)

The Pledge Moment

DON'T RECALL ANY SIRENS SOUNDING. DID THE HORNS BREAK DOWN?

Niecekin Returns

Forgiveness granted. Divinity gained?

Drier with Dryer

Don't think we don't know what you're thinking, you lecherous Lothario. Not drying your hands completely after wetting them and then groping your girlfriend's buttocks? Smart, but sleazy!

Seamstresses at Work

Woman: NDP's right around the corner, Ah Lau. We better get these alterations done and ready for the PA by then.
Man: What PA?
Woman: People's Association, lah. For their mass display.
Man: I know. Can't you see I'm already raising my arm doing the needle-and-thread thing?
Woman: Can you raise it higher like me?

Sky High

View from the top (is Alvin Tay paying attention?)

...and bottom (from the spare 29th capsule)

extra

$5 Dinner

After scrimping on lunch a few days ago, I found myself (heedlessly) splurging on dinner earlier this evening. How can a plate of mui fan - however huge a serving it may be - cost five Yusof Ishaks? It's preposterous! I don't believe the rents over at Orchard Towers are that high.

P/S: Wanted to confront the towkay, but one of his kitchen helpers was having a fit of sort, so I wisely constrained thyself.

JUDGE DREDD

5Court's adjourned: Calling upon his Rambo roots to rid Mega-City One of its scum.

Honestly speaking, JUDGE DREDD isn't as horrendous as many make it out to be. In a time (ref: 1995, pre-ID4) when big-budget summer movies were far and few between, this one had a genuine blockbuster feel to it. Sylvester Stallone, as the titular futuristic enforcer (read: judge, jury and executioner), can't be faulted since one doesn't pay good money to see the Italian Stallion do Shakespeare; we want Sly to kick ass and spout cheesy one-liners like "I am da law", which the man does with great conviction and authority. Oh, and Rob Schneider as his sidekick Herman is a deserving comic relief. Funny guy.