Popeyes Chicken

While the costlier Popeyes' cajun flavors are no match for KFC's original recipe infusing 11 secret herbs and spices (sounds yummy already), the former does provide a viable alternative for chicken feasters temporarily sick of Colonel Sanders. And just how does the Louisiana Kitchen bake its signature 'biscuits' (which are more like buns)? They taste sooo niceee!

Major Spillage

The crude oil spill caused by the collision between the MV Waily bulk carrier and the Malaysian-registered MT Bunga Kelana 3 tanker has been giving us Singaporeans a bad headache - literally speaking (due to the offending smell). Changi Beach, East Coast Park and Pulau Ubin are all affected. Oh, no! The ecosystem of Chek Jawa! :-(

GSS Returns

It's that time of the year again to swipe those cards until your bank account bleeds dry. Wastrels will find it all worthwhile. Whatever floats their boat.

Utt the Thief

In an incredible tale, MTV Asia has underpaid VJ Utt (AKA Greg Uttsada Panichkul) so much that he decided to steal from them.

THE VIEW

Who watches THE VIEW? This female-skewing morning talk show's been around since 1997, but I strongly posit that its core TV audience comprises only housewives, homemakers and domestic engineers (yes, they mean the same thing). For starters, aren't Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg a wee bit over the hill?

Suntec Bonsai Garden

Or, more expressly, a table in the balmy Suntec Bonsai Garden - one that's made of marble and with a decorative procelain center consisting of an ovum and spermatozoa (see above left).

Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall

Attended a Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) concert here during my non mihi solum days for a General Paper (GP) assignment. Splendid acoustics in my inaugural exposure to 'artistic appreciation'.

Going Green?

Today is Vesākha, or Buddha's Birthday as it's informally known. Not as widely observed in Singapore as, say, Christmas, Vesak Day nonetheless bears the significance of remembering the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Siddhārtha Gautama. So, will my Burmese chums and coworkers be vegetarians for a day?

Recruit Takeshi

Channeling memories of Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Masquerade

off with the pretenses and be the politicking backstabber that you really are

More Clogs

Judging by the number of wooden clogs strung up over at 23B Coleman Street, it's clear that there are many many despicable miscreants who deserve the proverbial 打 小 人 treatment. Where are the paper effigies? Time to give them a good beat-down!

formspring.me

Excited Enard has already answered a slew of questions. Now's your turn.

Conquest

Joined by Caspian X and the Prince of Persia, we will set sail on the Dawn Treader, fend off pirates of the Caribbean and the East India Trading Company, and bring all the gold back to Baghdad to celebrate Arabian Night with Ali Baba and his forty thieves.

Lôôk Behind

You know how horror movies are usually framed - tight, with nary an extra inch of screen to see beyond what you're supposed to see (yet plenty of room left for imagination). Either that, or there's an inordinate amount of space (so much until the entire image composition is lopsided) - making the viewer suspect someone/something is 'lurking' behind the subject.

Star Trek Convention

I don't know why, but there's something sad about comic/ horror/ science fiction conventions. Yes, they're supposed to be interest-/knowledge-based platforms for like-minded individuals to network and socialize (and also receive the latest updates/information on their favorite indulgences), but don't these people feel silly coming to such gatherings or communicating with the 'outside world' about, say, Captain Kirk and the Klingons? Shouldn't they move on with their lives, instead?

Neat & Tidy

not oldspapers, but bales of cloth meant for tailor-mades

Pamper Yourself

MEN, WOMEN AND EVEN CHILDREN TODAY, THEY ALL WANT TO LOOK AND FEEL GOOD - WHICH IS WHY BEAUT HAS COME UP WITH A RANGE OF ACCESSORI AND FASHION AP TO SUIT EVERY NEED. CHECK OUT OUR STORE NEAREST TO YOU!

Canadian Cryptid?

Dragged inland from Lake Ontario by a dog, this unnamed and unidentified critter has been (unofficially) 'classified' by Lon Strickler of Natural Plane as a mink, beaver, fisher, muskrat, pine marten or Northern river otter. What do you perceptive readers think?

Navy Open House

5Hey, I got an 'invite' to Changi Naval Base! Shuttling off from Singapore Expo Hall 1 via chartered SMRT buses.

5Okay, so this is a huger version of my pamphlet (*rolls eyes*). Perfect backdrop for photo posing?

5Inside those air-conditioned tentages are model displays and interactive games to engage and entice the crowds.

5An RSN Frigate, but the one we boarded and toured around was a Landing Ship Tank (which culminated in a high-speed water-splashing ride on a Fast Craft Utility from the welldock). Super fun!

Aya Ueto

Lingo-san said I would take a fancy to this Japanese starlet, and she's right - I do. Pegged a 'tarento' (someone who's famous for being famous, without any discernible talent), Aya Ueto has nevertheless headlined the 2003 avenger feature AZUMI.

Garland

can your scruff sustain all of this weight?

Ikan Satay

Tasty fishy treat from Mom's Tandoori Sultanat guest, whose sister 'smuggled' it out of Malaysia. Any added preservatives?

THE FOREST SPIRITS

It's always heartening to see aspiring amateurs doing their part for the fledgling local film industry. He may not be Kelvin Tong or Royston Tan (yet), but Ting Szu Kiong (MY KEYS, MICHELLE, THE TRIUMPH) possesses the ambition and aptitude, all right. His latest(?) project THE FOREST SPIRITS may lack the production values of, say, THE MAID or 881, but his team's makeshifting of props and improvising of locations are no less applaudable.

Dragon Gate Inn

One half-expects to see armed bandits crashing out of this modernized 龙 门 客 栈4 through its windows at the hands of a highly skilled pugilist. This is what happens when you watch too many mindless wuxia flicks.

Good People, Great Food

Those gastro gurus over at E18hteen Chefs are certainly full of confidence when it comes to raving about their food and people. That's a sure sign of optimism, since they don't seem to believe that having so many cooks in the same kitchen will potentially spoil the soup.

Chrysler Building

Designed by architect William Van Alen before the Great Depression in America, Art Deco skyscraper, the Chrysler, located on the east side of Manhattan, is considered by many as one of the finest buildings in New York City. With that regal glass crown and tapering spire, who could argue otherwise?

Meet Manny Smith

Before he found fame with THE FRESH PRINCE, Jaden's father earned his living as a, um, living mannequin. The things honest folks do in pursuit of happyness.

Handle with Care

Hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and white mice (did I hear some shrieks from the girls behind?) are very delicate creatures that people keep as pets. They need to be handled with much care and have their diets (e.g. sugar intake) monitored closely. Are you up to the task, Eager Beaver?

มวยไทย Kickboxers

Muay Thai is a traditional hard martial art form that originated from - yes - Thailand. Despite a high concentration of Somchais and Waraporns in Golden Mile Complex, I never knew a Suphanahong training and sparring gym subsisted on the third level of this Siam Slum. Interesting.

High Flyers

More and more learning/tuition centers are now using actual PSLE aggregates of their students to do the advertising for them. Not a bad idea, we thought. Except their drill-and-practice method can hardly produce kids with humility. Take this Chiragg Thadani5(now schooling at Raffles Institution), for example - who wrote on his Facebook page: "I'm an outgoing guy who's AWESOME (not boasting but true)". We rest our case.

Mia Wallace's 冷 笑 话

"A poppa tomato, a momma tomato and a baby tomato are walkin' along. The baby tomato starts laggin' behind, so the poppa tomato goes back and squishes him and says: KETCHUP!"

- Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) in PULP FICTION

I'm Not Scooby

Nor am I Scrappy. I'm Marmaduke the Great Dane who dogs in with the Winslows. Woof!

I ♥ MUSEUMS

~ philatelically yours ~

Princess Toshi (Aiko) of Japan

Why in the world would anyone want to harm this innocent child? Getting bullied in school? Receiving death threats? Come on. Just because she was born into royalty?

Holey Seat!

Imagine this scenario: It's a rainy morning. You pass through the revolving door of a hotel and take a seat in the lobby. You're reading a newspaper when you realize someone shoving a wet umbrella into your armrest. Soon after, more people are doing the same and no one seems to care. How would you react?

SWIRL @RT

NOBARDY REALLY KNOWS WHAT SWIRL ART MEANS. IT COULD JOLLY WELL BE ANYTHING FROM STEPHEN CHOW'S LOLLIPOP TO A CURLY LUMP OF NIGHT SOIL. EE...

Knight of Valor

Valiantly guarding against any freeloaders at The King Louis Grill & Bar. Bravo!

Ring of Honor

As far as professional wrestling promotions go, Ring of Honor (ROH), founded in 2002 by ECW videographer Rob Feinstein, is the third largest following WWE and TNA. What I can't wrap my head around is why someone who once championed extreme combat is now decreeing a 'Code of Honor' (i.e. no sneak attacks, outside interference or harming the officials). Is this still sports entertainment?

My New Phone

With my new complimentary Sony Ericsson Yari, it'd appear that the days of Nokia 6230i-snapped captures are numbered...

Xin Wang Wall Art

Captain: Did you or did you not commit what the chef claimed you did?

Waitress: Hee hee! What are you talking about?

Captain: Come clean with it. The chef claimed he saw you do it.

Waitress: Hee hee! Saw me do what?

Captain: Spit into this cup of Iced Yuan Yang. Hmm?

Waitress: Hee hee!

Shing Lee

My first job after leaving school (and comfort zone) was with Shing Lee Publishers. They produce educational print materials for subjects like Additional Mathematics, which they excel in. All good, except Art Director Dave was 'borderline psychotic' and Graphic Designer Yuelong had the tendency to misspell mango as 'kango'. What to do?

RWS = Really Worth Spending?

This enormous canopy5enveloping the piazza of FestiveWalk @ Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) provides plenty of shelter for tourists and big spenders willing to part with good money (for value entertainment?). But is it really worth paying between $32 and $72 for an essentially ephemeral experience? Don't answer that, Tan Sri Dato Seri (Dr.) Lim Goh Tong.

Puffy Pouffe

recommended for hemorrhoids sufferers?

THE CENTURIONS

About the same time when the M.A.S.K.ed crusaders were working overtime fighting crime, our Centurions Max Ray, Jake Rockwell and Ace McCloud were donning exo-frames fused with assault weapon systems (supplied by Stark Industries?) to become "man and machine, Power Xtreme!" Kiddish? Yes. Do I kick myself for sprinting home from school to catch it? Of course not!

Hiranya's Hoopla

This was taken in 2007, on the eve of my birthday (does anyone care when?), at Chettiars' Temple. Back then, Simon Tay was still an integral part of the MMI management and little Hiranya Suresh (does anyone know who?) was all but six years old.