Outdoor Graduation Photo shoot

Ok..i know this is not nice to post it here but hey..i just receive the pictures wor...so bear with me sia.These are taken on the commencement day.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well,ok...back to the original theme.... I know this is long overdue, but hey, I did specifically book this date down as shown in the blog entry here. hehe....so do bear with me for this long and colourful display of my cohort. But hor, not nice wor, I fell sick after that..wah piangz...
First I meet up with others from Chinese class. The photos we took:


This are my chinese class classmates.


This one I took with Kaiqin, I quite like this photo. I look nice right? hehe...ans so is she...




Here are some that I took with Delcine.



Here are some scenic photos that I took myslf. Feels very much empowered by my A540. Very artisitc shot right?


Suet here.


Me..hehe.....ok looking?


Ok, then I had to rushed to meet my CNM classmates at the esplanade which turn out to be opposite of the supreme court.. Gosh...we are a whole pack though there are others like from engineering.
Here are the photos.

This is a warm up photo.


Gosh, guys will be guys. So bu yao lian. Geez...bear with them.



Reverse shot.


Another of the guys attempt. Dun they get tired?

Here comes the girls. hehe..we dun have too many tricks huh.



A larger version



This is what we term as the very philosopical shot. I would say, hey that looks like a successful businessman in making.

Here is one group photo. Geez..not bad right.hehe...



Someone has this stupid idea of jumping hehe...wah piang. Now we try out to see if it is possible.

Presenting to you this solo, star-shaped jump. Not bad huh? Good model right? Poor gal.


This is one attemptesd stunt to signify soaring high. A Bit inconsistent huh? :P


Even the landing also not good huh..... but still we have fun.


Another attempted jump by a smaller group. Dun you think some look like rabbits?

Doesn't all these ladies look beautiful? Potential for movie poster.haha...


Here are the guys attempt at looking professional again. What do you think?


Ok..here is one that is looking afar. How will we be in a few year's time?


Another shot inside the esplanade. Well, we should milk all the worth of the academic dress including the mortar board, dun you think?


Well, zhong yue gong xing here. Now I know why guys like polygamy. Look at that smug look.



Another exterior shot before we move to the supreme court. hahaa...

Ok, here are some more shots as we move to the supreme court..haha....
Down the escalator to the padang then the supreme court.haha...

The underpass linking esplanade and supreme court.haha...cool huh?

During the walk across the padang, we see...oh oh.....there is already a group of engineering students at the supreme court. SULK....
Bo bian, someone brillantly come up with the idea of taking photo at the padang. So here we go..


My shots first ok...here are the 4 beauties regardless of differences..hehe...

Attemped stunt here...hope not too bad...reach out for the stars and be awed...hehe


This is what the leads call the hiao shot. I would say heng girls have long hair to pull, but the guy must be wondering where he should pull. Mustache?


They are wondering and dreaming...................


Oei....they wun want this to happen in the future isnt it?


Well, these guys are mei yiqi, should have throw together lor...but then...this one certainly look nice.

Finally the group clear and off we go. hehe.....a lot of by-passers got surprised seeing us. Some of them from the duck tour even waved to us...hehe...

Here we are, throwing our stuff at one side..hehe...


As usual, my photos 1st.hehe....


Another one with the breeze..

Wah...so tired meh? All slump together.....kau.....oh..one more thing, the guys here are unattached..hehe....u know what i mean.


This is like a perfect shot for certain minstry. Guide your way to the future and show them the knowledge. hehe...


Alamak! What is the thing that is giving them headache huh? Very aunty gesture!! hehe..


Oh mine!! Bollywood!! Isnt this the hot topic that we used to do our project every semester? Dun see why it is bollywood? Well see how the lampost blend in with the coconut tree which lined the padang. Arent this the familiar running around the tree scene?


Looking at this photo again give me this very professional and successful feel. Like some advertisng photo to show how successful you will be when you join them. hehe.....

After the smaller group photos, we took individual shots.hehe....


Out! you damned pimple! haiz..so obvious that even concealor cant do wonders to it. anyway...not that bad lah hor.....


Finally this mass hat throwing that we have been anticipating for so long! haha...but hor..we are also wondering how to recognize our mortar board. Well, we have couple of jokes...some even know which are their motar board by trying. Say that the hat is mound to their head size. hehe...clever hor...
Oh, you wun see me here as i am in the last row. Why in the last row coz no 1 behind me so if i can throw backwards, i can retrieve mine easily.hehe.....

Another shot of different angle.
This is one of the most lang bei shot. Coz everyone throw backwards and me in the last row gonna heit but tonnes of boards. So wat i do is I throw mine gently and catch it, quickly bend down and protect my head with my mortar board.haha.......well guys saw me and laugh....wat to do? I am afraid of pain. hehe.....



Finally we settle down and organized into this beatiful shot. Me a bit too white hor...bo bian....white balance off sia...


That's the end of outdoor shot.hehe...show u the wear down door of supreme court as an end.hehe...off we go to have dinner.


Dinner time
We go to the Marina Square like a bunch of illegal gatherers. haha....Well, Kenny Rogers dun want us but luckily Sweet Recipe can accomodate us. You know why? Coz not much pple there mah..haha....

Settling down and having a drink..this is obviosuly a candid shot courtesy of Qin lor. Who else so naughty huh?


Lizzie gal took this...not too bad huh??
haha.......
ok..end of my pictorials huh!!!...so tiring to upload all at once. One at a time leh coz the blogger system a bit down lah.....so damn slow..haha....

<步步惊心>

看了<步步惊心> 和<梦回大清>, 我最崇拜,仰慕的人竟然是康熙帝的十三阿哥, 拼命十三郎----胤祥。
起初，我认为这个人的一生很可悲，大起大落。先失母，后被太子的事件而被幽禁10年，放出来时，已是个沧桑的中年人了。幸的雍正帝赏识，可后又染重病致死。
后来，渐渐了解这个人，才发现是天妒俊彦。允文允武，活脱脱是个风流雅士，流浪江湖的侠客，而非束与紫禁城的贝勒。
我被他的文采，人品所吸引。他讲义气，重感情，试问现今社会可有这般风流人物？
天啊！我居然回对一个已死了283年的人心生向往，我真是疯了我！

Homecoming 2006

Well, this is a tradition for us. This the the second homecoming for our department due to the fact that our head is from America.
I had mixed dates up so I had to go to this career fair for Vivocity with Ling and I jio my classmate, Qin with me so that later we could head to the Uni for the Homecoming.
Quite a lot of pple attended the fair but being new to this, I duno wat to expect so I just take a light-hearted approach.
On the way to school, we meet up with Zhen but she has to buy something so we set off first.
Another surprise we had was that a pair of tourists asked us how do we get to the cable car. God knows how long I have not been on one.
Then at the bustop, we saw a senior, Shaun. Wah...so long nvr see still ever the same.hehe...
the bus ride was pretty fast and we reach a good ten minutes earlier so we walk around the empty school..
here are some pictures.



Empty corridors.




This is the lecture theater that allows me to meet my fave lecturer, Dr Shim and help me made my decision on my major.




The top of AS7. Though not the highest building but one of the secret walkways that link up buildings. IF you are not a chinese major, you wun know this. Hell, I am consider half of them. hehe.




This one overlooked the Port. haha...nice view.

Yup..So we go on to the Homecoming. Meet a lot of friends and we start to chit chat, food was great!
Then we naturally took few pictures.
Alas! I din take out my cameras so hehe...see how if i can manage to secure the photos then.
WE saw a couple of lecturer's kids and gosh, aren't they clever? Expecially the little girl who know s how to be the centre of focus during photoshoots.Wah piang. Guys are just accessories. Machiam she qian tu wu liang.
Saw a couple of seniors and they are like hanging on their own. Wah kau. DAO is the word for them. anyway, din like them. I also saw the XXX's ex bf. Well, I get to see him every 6mths even though we graduated liao. Haiz.wonder wat's wrong with me or him. Anyway, he doesnt seem to recognise me so i dun bother lah. But given his present profession, supposedly to notice details, i would say to his trainers, BUCK UP guys, u got a long way to go. haha....
The food is fantastic.hehe....wah...only wonderful thing there besides sitting with friends.
that's all, yawnz..gonna sleep soon.

Pirates of the Carribean: dead man's hairy chest?

Well, Cap-Tain Jack Spar-roW, dear Wil-Liam Turn-Er and Darling ElisaBeth SwanN.
Haha....Maybe I expect a Little bit better than the previous part. Well, it fulfill the role of what we call the middle part lapse just like the Matrix and other series, Leads on to a better part at the end.
Well, this bridge part is certainly entertaining. Not only you see a lot of Hairy Men's chests, you get to feel the vibes of the cannibals, the quirky humour of Johnny Depp, the emotional feelings of Will and his father Bootstrap- Bill Turner and the ever courageous Elisabeth Swann.
Since we are seated at what Val's brother called the best seat, which is true for your head dun need to roll but the audio system is definitely not for weak hearts. I am scared by the part that JAck Sparrow was gobbled up by the weird sea creature.
haha.....
Definitely can watch if you dun mind Johnny Depp, Disney and being the middle part.

Oprah and mother

When I started to watch Oprah's show, I was like, Huh? Who is she and why is she so big?
Then as I watch, I started to say to myself, well, this is one helluva show. If only we have more on TV, but alas, there is only one Oprah.
There is a particular episode that I would like to point out.
This is one episode that solve one of my many puzzles that I have no answers to.
Well, this episode shows the relationship between mothers and daughters. You have no idea that how much tensions and hurt there can be in this kind of seemingly close relationship.
Then I realise why everything seems to go wrong in my life whenever I had a fallout with my mother. That include why we do not speak to each other, why we do not care for each other and so on for a period of time. Worse still, she seems totally inaffected by our strained relationship as if all the bad luck just befall on me. As if it was my fault and I had to bend my back to her.
Strangely, everything will be fine after I did that.
The big WHY has been at the back of my mind for years.
Now I know and it struck me just like that.
Not dramatics or theatrics but it happens so.
It is the pressure that I perceived that mum put on me during our fallout.
She wants me to go this way but I just do not think so.
To her, that is rebellious. She cannot tolerate such kinda things.
Another thing is, she has unrealistic expectation of me. Things that I can never be or should never be.
She would criticised me like why arent you pretty? Why arent you running? Why arent you doing this or that?
Then she would say there is nothing good about you from head to toe, from inside to outside.
To her, I was just an bad egg.
A black sheep in the family.
Wat to do?
I just continue to torture myself. Feeling depressively that I dun care anything so nothing will hurt.
You can ask me wat is the part I most wanted to change?
I would say nothing. Not because I feel everything is wonderful but so wat if I care?
Things are still gonna be the same isnt it?
Still the same ugly self.
right down to core.
So as long as can see who I am can liao.
So who cares about others?
What for?
I dun get appreciated.
That's the scary part about mother's influence.
Their love is great but their criticism always hurt you the most.
You are not wat they think you are.
Their perception of you as their children matters the most to anyone, regardless of gender.
Amazing isnt it?
yeah....that's why everything goes wrong for me for I received nothing but criticism.
If you are talking about low confidence, low self-esteem, that's me though I know I try to toughen up. But inwardly that's me a scaredy kid.
wat to do?
Grow up, defend myself??
I doubt my defensive barrier will work.

Commencement Day!

Ok...in case you are wondering about what in the hell is Commencement Day, it is my school's version of Convocation Ceremony. It signifies the start of a new phase in life.
That Day unfortunately is on the 10th July 2006, 8pm. Can you imagine having to wait and have your god-damn graduation at the evening??
Well, I was pretty nervous and wore down that day after having a mini quarrel with my dad.
We were arguing about the time and venue which I feel is pretty obvious.
But he isnt...anyway..let's not go into the details which will only make my blood boil.
Yup..but I managed to get there on time.
But the Robing room was still close so we had to make do with the ladies room.
haha....Sum1 say I looked shuai in my robe..here are a few photos before the ceremony..
Mum, Dad and Brother was off somewhere having some tea and coffee.
hehe...
Here are some pictures before the ceremony..


Notice that this is taken before we wear our robe.haha...so damn white sia. You know why? Coz the school tell us that White is the best colour for our gown.haha....



Here is one with my friend who got the job...haha...she manage to rush here after work. Man! Her workplace is damn close to the school. Lol.



Ok...Here is one whith all those girls that I like to hang out with in the School.haha....we almost did all our projects together wor..

Then we start to have what we called the department photo. Haha...so many of us that there are hardly nice and eazy to pose.
Why? you would ask?
Well, unlike primary and Secondary school where there are benches and stuff, this one got absolutely nothing.So manay of us has to bend a bit.
Worse still, suddenly as the professional photographer takes photo, there were hundreds of flashes ranging at the same time.
Just like the walk of Fame down Hollywood for a movie premiere, starring all of us!
There are family members trying to get a picture and of course some duno what instant photo photographer trying to take picture so that can earn 5bucks per instant photo.
My eyes see stars all the way...

Can you spot me here??

Then we tried to collect our bags which we put at one corner.
Guess what???
Our bags are gone. Someone said it is with the security.
God-damn efficient security we have here, huh?
Hope they did not mistaken all of them as terrorist package huh!
What a scare they gave us!

Next we move to the robing room, pin up our sash and adjust the mortar board.haha...People were saying I look good with my hairstyle.haha...worse the money and the 5hours.

Following which, we move to the hall. That's where I realise where our school fees are gone.
Damn cold Air-con, the smoothly polished parquet floor that even flies will slide down, let alone me in heels.
Anyway, I found my seat which was at the corner.haha...a lot of space along the aisle.
Anyway, things start to get boring during the ceremony then suddenly, I saw someone fidgeting in his seat in the saw row as me.
Ohmigod! He lost his attendance card. It was a must that nite as you need it to enter the auditorium as well as scanning it for flashing your name according the screen while you are awarded the cert.
How could he have enter the auditorium yet lose the card?
Anyway, we called the usher to solve the problem.
Then the usher took the guy's matric card and went out. Minutes later, he returned.
Since I sit at the corner, he told me to pass the message to the guy. He said quite loudly," Tell him that this is the last card that we have. Ask him to keep properly."
Geez, I swear to say that my otherwise cool classmate was blushing. Man wat a rare sight to see him blushing with embarrassment in his goatee.
Then the ceremony went on and on.
After that I tried to find mom but not avail!
Turn out she has a very embarrassing story of her own. About a ring...Gosh, I am not supposed to say it.
Here are the remainder photos haha....



Here is one of my groupmate who a lot of girls thinks she is beautiful and shapely. Nice looking right?



This is the picutre taken with our 1st class Honours Caizi and his best friend, also mine too.





This one is taken with a good-natured gal in our class. Always pink up on her cheeks, ooh..she likes sports a lot, mind you.



This is one of the informal family photo. Haha....seen how the peaks and valleys are formed here.haha...mum was quite sore about this. haha....



Haha....here is one intimate photo with mama..haha....notice her wu-nai expression. haha......just love this photo. Very natural right?

Huang Yida

Haha.....I guess after listening to his new album online, I realise something.
I only like his rap or rock songs but I cannot stand his Shu Qing's songs.
Duno why..but I quite like his vocals, his lyrics and music...
haha...
Eversince his "Lan Tian".
Then you know, I was watching "Devil Beside you" and his song was the theme of the drama so naturally, I get attracted by it.haha....yeah....

so here is some mv for his song, "Chou Nan Ren".
Really like the lyrics though....no offense to guys....
For your information, The Devil Beside you which is based on a manga called Akuma de Sourou (The devil does exist)
:P


Yeah...here is the starting part of "Devil beside you" with the song.



another version of the video with snippets of the shows.

some beautiful scenes

With a digicam, everything seems possible now..so unbelieveable....
I like my 4x optical zoom cam...so those horrible SL Square terror uncles and horrible trips I can put aside....
it is worthwhile..
But I think my brother thinks it is a waste of $$ lah...haha...



See the cresent? I tried to enlarge it.



Still in the process of trying...hehe...




See nearly got cut off.....

Devil by your Side

Well, the starting really look a lot like Meteor Garden's opening where Dao Ming Si is so dominant. haha.......I am starting to laugh like mad. Mum duno wat I am doing too..hehe

人与人之间

这些日子, 我觉得很不开心。
有些人会问我：

你在家，吃好睡好，怎么会不开心？

因为我终于感觉到朋友所经历过的压力。
大概是人与人之间的相处时间太久，久到没有私人空间，所以彼此感觉快要窒息了，才不停的伤害对方。
言语上的无心才是最致命的武器。
以前我们没有察觉这点因为我们都很忙碌，没有太多的相处时间。求学的求学，工作的工作， 各司其职。难得聚在一起，所以才感到温馨。
朋友说你这人很糟糕，你回笑着不去在意。因为你有家人做后盾。
但是当家人都这么说你，再坚强的铁衣都会瓦解。

你这个人怎么这么糟糕？全身上下都是缺点，连一点优点都没有。
讲你，你又不听。你到底想怎样？叫你改，你又不肯。

连过去最支持你的人都这么说你，试想想，身为当事人的你又会做何反映？
尝试一笑置之？一语带过？
其实心早已百孔千穿。无人之际，还会泪流满颊，质问自己是否有这么糟糕？难道自己什么优点都没有吗？
你鼓起勇气问他，他毫不迟疑的回答

是！

你又如何？
继续堕落下去，自卑感越来越重，将自己吞毙。直到死的那一天还是把自己给瞧小了。
还是缩进保护壳里，自舔伤口？
反抗？
怎么可能去扭转别人的印象？
感觉上就的伤口刚结痂，却又添新伤。怎么可能好的了？
有些事情是不能勉强，不喜欢就是不喜欢，难道就病急乱投医，庸庸碌碌过一生？谁先开口要我，我就跟谁？
我做不到。
感觉好累。外表可能若无其事，谁有能体谅我内心的伤口？
哈！
好累！真的！我快喘不过气了，想出国，却没钱。
更惨的是，是我欠他，还得继续依赖他，叫我情何以堪？
能怎么样？
没办法了，死路一条。

Bao!!

Yeah..as you know, I am known to cook or rather specialised in small chinese Dim Sum.
Today, mum has to the urge to eat Bao so we decide to make lor...
We tried a different recipe and it works though we have to wait a little bit longer.
So with the new A540 in hand, let me show u some of the finished work.
Oh, we used wheat flour so it appears darker so hehe....though look not nice but taste very good..hehe....





The ingredients and the finished product.




An enlarged version of the Bao I made. Sorry ah..I haven perfect the art of making folds yet..hehe

World cup and TV

Everyone seems to be talking about World Cup so let me frame this very very HOT topic in another dimension and share with you what I have seen so far.
The main thing I see is the power of TV though everyone of you will say...INTERNET should be the one you should say is sensational because of technologies and website like YOUTUBE.

Like everyone say, YOUTUBE is sensational as it allows you to upload and share with others the sensational moments in the matches and benefit those like me who only have free-to-air channels and love to continue fighting against the invasion of Starhub into our houses. I do not deny that perception either. In fact I totally agree..

Then you ask me what is my case for TV?

Well, I would like to ask you to view from a social perspective.
In contrast with INTERNET, TV seems more like the old FRENCH cinemas in view of the World CUP.

People who know about my course will say...EXCUSE ME????!!!

Traditionally TV is view like a silo for each family unlike the mass entertainment like cinemas where people gather to watch shows.

But as you see in World Cup, people prefer to gather in groups be it in pubs, mass fields, central areas and so on, view the matches from a projecter screen or large TV.

When reporters asked me why they gather, audience say they want to feel the atmosphere and see if there is any allies in supoorting a certain team.

TV here is no longer a silo but more for social bonding in this case.

Furthermore, who say that in the INTERNET AGE, people becomes more withdrawn and prefer their own computer platforms?

Well, World Cup proves you wrong and this applies to certain people.

Most people will gather for special occassions.

Community is still there.

We can still see that in South Korea, thousands if not hundred thousands are at the central square. I am amazed by the image. S. Korea is another quite advanced country in terms of internet penetration and computer per household figure yet they show this phenonmena. We can say that humans have different choice of medium for different purpose to achieve their gratifications. Not neccessary always the same choice.

Another issue is that someone once mentioned that INTERNET will take over TV as the medium of choice for the mass.
I will say....hey....please wake up...please wake up...
I think they may merge but they will not mutally replaced each other.
Too overarching statements isn't it. Especially with World Cup.

Yeah..this is my different viewpoint. Hope you don't mind my nagging...

:)

Camera

YEY!!!
Finally got my own camera. Whew! I think mine is quite cool coz got some manual things to play on and I can accomodate my family.hehe...
Mine is Canon Powershot A540.
I quite like the size though it may seem bulky by today's minaturised standards.
Nonetheless, after days of haranguing with the salesmen, totally chauvinistic pigs species they have there at SL Square, you will be surprised by the going to be extinct species...
I finally bought this one within my limit. and it is cheaper by $50 as compared to market rate after I throw in the accessories.
Cool Huh!!
I haven been so happy with a toy as now. Not that happy these few days i think.
And I realise that I haven been blogging so......to pacify my readers...i hope there are a few....here are some astro pictures that I like..oops...courtesy of NASA website....Enjoy..
Ciao...


APOD turn 11th


Nice sunset


Sun's halo


Enceladus Ice Volcanos

ANALOG cameras?

These days is full of shopping sprees so no wonder my piggy has gone thinner...sob sob...
Anyway, that's not the point.
The point as you know is the title above.
While shopping with my mum sumewhere near Bishan, I chance upon this big electronic store.
I was browsing through the digital cameras sections to show my mum the cameras that I would like to have.
Yeah..then as we go around searching for it, the cameras were divided into digital and analog.
I was like.........HUH??
I retraced my steps and take a look at the word analog more closely.
DUH??!!
Then I look at the cameras under it.
IT is just TRADITIONAL cameras with the film and then u do point and shoot.
I was thinking.........arent they traditionally called cameras?
Furthermore, the word analog as the dictionary refresh my memory, is transmitting some signals across the frequency and stuff like TV and radios, some handphones..when has it become cameras?
IF.....
analog cameras and the cameras as we known in general are the same, then why bother to put analog in front?
WEIRD??!!

Weird Burial Place

haha.....This is one of the cutest and most bizzare case of burial.
The thing that pop into my mind is

WHAT WILL THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY?

.................................................................................................................


A Boom Beyond Burials (Forbes.com)

In life, radio disc jockey Roby Yonge was pretty weird. Best known for propagating on-air the "Paul is dead" rumor about Beatles member Paul McCartney in 1969, he believed in life on other planets and was obsessed with discovering the mythical lost city of Atlantis. Now, nine years after his death, Yonge's family has found the storied city for him -- in name, at least -- and plans to make it his final resting place. Under construction three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida, Atlantis Memorial Reef is an underwater graveyard and scuba attraction that will open in July, and eventually hold the remains of up to 80,000 people whose families are willing to pay between $900 (sharing space with others in a base) and $250,000 (for a custom 18-foot sculpture in bronze, limestone or concrete). You can get a 20-square-foot family mausoleum, with four columns and two lintels, for only $50,000.

This Disneyland for the dead is the curious fixation of Gary Levine, 58, who used to build docks and seawalls but is a bit new to the burial business. Once it's complete, the site will span 15 acres of ocean floor and consist of five concentric circles, based loosely on an account of Atlantis in Plato's dialogue Timaeus. Levine has planned 40 themed areas, including love, education, the military and the zodiac, all overseen by a bronze display of winged lions and three dolphins pulling a chariot of the Greek sea god, Poseidon. Tacky? Even Levine has limits. "We're not making a bust of someone's wife or their German shepherd," he insists. "If someone wanted diamond eyeballs we wouldn't do that, either."

Who would back such a kooky venture? Levine, who owns 47 percent of his AfterLife Services, isn't naming names but says a dozen investors coughed up $350,000 toward the $10 million construction cost. A colleague arranged a $200,000 bank loan, and Levine scraped together another $250,000 between his own savings and those of friends. The startup capital was enough for him to get through the arduous permit process and launch a small marketing effort. (See Forbes' slideshow Six Options For An Alternative Burial)
Like many a caprice, this one came about during a sunset stroll on the beach. Levine told a friend, "When I'm gone I want to be in the water with the fish." That got him researching reef burial sites. You can find at least one outfit working offshore, with sites from New Jersey to Texas (California and Oregon have no provisions for man-made reefs), that mixes cremated remains with cement for burial among artificial reefs made of junked parts of steel bridges, sunken barges and leftover construction debris. Levine wanted more, so he recruited an old sculptor friend, Kim Brandell, who designed the steel globe outside Trump International Hotel in Manhattan's Columbus Circle. The two sketched out something similar to the set of James Cameron's The Abyss, the 1989 underwater sci-fi thriller.
But where to locate? Levine needed a wide, level and coral-less stretch of ocean floor deep enough for tall sculptures but sufficiently shallow to allow sunlight, plants and recreational divers. The site also had to meet a Coast Guard requirement of 25 feet of clearance from the tops of structures to the water surface. An ideal spot in Miami-Dade County turned up. Levine found an eager advocate in Brian Flynn, a manager in charge of reef projects for the county, who was impressed by the detailed renderings, cost breakdowns and time lines. Atlantis got an OK in January 2005. Levine plunked down $84,000 to engage a marine engineering firm.
Not so fast. Within a month or so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began questioning the unusual proposal. A 30-day public notice period was set, and everyone piled on -- the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Department of Environmental Protection. "The bureaucracy was just running wild and the questions just kept coming," says Levine. "There were times when discussions got a little heated," recalls Audra Livergood, a fishery biologist with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. "I couldn't believe there could be a project like that; I'm still skeptical about its habitat value." Would Atlantis interfere with any natural fish habitat? The point was debated for months until Levine offered ocular proof there'd be no problem -- four hours of underwater video, coordinates logged along the way via GPS. "What did we see that whole time? Not one single fish," Levine says.
But without the requisite permits Levine couldn't raise any more money or solicit customers. That didn't stop him completely. He sank $180,000 into steel, fiberglass and rubber for casting the concrete structures, until the funds started drying up last November. When the permits still hadn't been approved by December, even that work groaned to a halt. "These were painful months, and 'painful' is a gentle way to describe it," says Levine, who had to lay off a receptionist, a graphic designer and an event organizer. Meantime, he continued to print brochures and business cards and to spam politicians for support. A part-time chief financial officer and a web designer worked without pay, and Levine, a divorced father of four, says he gave his kids an IOU for Christmas. He himself lived on borrowed money the first two years of the startup and took a $26,000 salary only last year.
The waiting game finally ended in January, when the Army Corps issued the permit to the county. Levine raised another $300,000 from investors. He is meeting with funeral homes, beginning with those in Florida, offering a 20 percent commission.
Levine insists he can make this nutty project work. AfterLife, he says, will break even after 14 months or less of operation, on revenue of $3.3 million. There's at least one thing in his favor. More Americans are choosing cremation -- 30 percent of the 2.4 million people who died in 2004. (See Forbes' slideshow Six Options For An Alternative Burial)

All girls gathering

HAh! Finally get to watch the movie that I have anticipated for a very long time since last year when I watched the trailers.
AS u might have guess.............

DA VINCI CODE

Well, I read the book about 2-3 years ago so can roughly remember the gist but not the details.
I would say first of all it is a good start to read the book before embarking on the movie.
The movie is a very very condensed version of the book.
I have a few things to say about the movie so do bear with me if you do not agree with me.
If you like, u can skip the part.
Afterall, I am entitled to my own opinions.

1. I dun quite like the actor Tom Hanks. I find him too, u know, mature.
I tot that Robert Langdon suppose to be some sauve guy. Well, that's one part I din quite like. You can say I admire youthfulnes and probably abit narcisstic.

2. The scenery and stuff is breath-taking. It is very cool and probably worht a tour of these places. Well, the travel companies already got the hint and smell opportunities over here.

3. The pace with Silas breathing down their neck is good but towards the end where the mystery is supposed to be unravelled and the supposedly climax of the show, well to me seems anti-climax. Duno why but I just feel that way so a bit disappointing.

Yup, that's all...hehe

Oh the trip to the book sale at Expo is great. Found a lot of books at cheap prices. So cool!!
But ah the bad thing is that it does not accept cash. So we have to go all the way to Hall 1 to withdraw money.
As usual, long queue then we quickly q up and luckily we got the money.
But when the queue reach Ling ah, the atm machine well is spolit.haha....
Poor pple behind us.

CNM gathering

WEll, it is a gathering that I would never have expected to attend.
1st thing, it is organised by someone unexpected.
2nd thing, it is at a condo that I duno where the hell it is.
With that, I go ahead.
Well, 1st thing I meet Yee then subsequently, a lof of classmates gather at the YCK mrt. So cool as I have never spoken to them in class b4.
Amazing
then we waited for everyone that we are supposed to wait then we cross to the unknown place.
At least some1 has the common sense of printing the map.
WE trooped over...believe or not in TWOs.
Yup, like primary school mates...in TWOs.
So orderly.
If course the in the front is the girl with map.
haha...that's what we learn from education.
Then the gal gets lost and so does everyone
so once again every1 turn and guess wat..
me being in the last initially now become in front of the lineup.
SO ORDERLY!!!
Then we reach there...
Guess wat. the security guard want to register us with IC.
Being the students of CNM, we all know the danger of identity theft...haha...
Inside so few of them
then there is this guy who dress so old lah..
then Yee tot it was the classmate's father...I think the guy scrowled so did the gf..
The Beehoon is so salty...I bet the Soy sauce is free
but she did dish out a lot of food so cant grumble
Then we chat.
As usual, the hottest topic will be internship experience and the hot question: "Have u found a job?"
haha...we did take some photos.
here is one of them
overall, quite fun.

French are the "Dao" people?

Hmm, I stared at the English Tabloid, "The Sun" for a moment on this report.
Gonna be kidding right?
French Leh?
Aren't they supposed to be passionate?
Fun-loving and Wine-loving, romantic kind?
It is not as if I dun have French classmates b4.
They dun have much AP lor.
They are caring and nice guy to be with, soft-spoken and yeah.. a bit nerdy.
The accent is abit harder for us since we are so used to the American Drawl and well, English pitch and tone.
Other than that, they are fine.
I even have an online friend who is also nice as well.
Hmm..I wonder is it their sampling problem and they picked the "Dao" guys or wat?
Cant be I am so Heng to mit with these two nice guys?
hmmm...Makes me wonder too...

Actor Depp tops autograph survey Actor Johnny Depp is Hollywood's best autograph signer and Cameron Diaz the worst, according to a magazine survey.
Depp tops Autograph Collector's 14th annual survey of celebrity signers. George Clooney is second.
"Many stars become bad signers once fame and fortune hits, but not Depp," said editor Steve Cyrkin.
But he said of Cameron Diaz: "Instead of just turning down a person's autograph request, she'll just lecture them about how dumb autographs are."
TOP FIVE CELEBRITY SIGNERS
1. Johnny Depp
2. George Clooney
3. Matt Damon
4. Al Pacino
5. Tom Cruise Source: Autograph Collector
"She may be a talented actress, but she's persistently a terrible signer," Mr Cyrkin added.
George Clooney won praise for joking as he signs for fans.
"He'll make fun of how he looks in photos he's handed to autograph," he said.
Russell Crowe would have been named the worst autograph signer, but Mr Cyrkin said he had been nicer to fans in recent months.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/4769903.stm

Shopping for Shoes

Today went out with Val. Looking and hunting for shoes.
Guess wat?
No suitable size for me again.
Wargh!!
Despite the back muscle strain, I carried on searching for it.
Yeah, you may wonder, how come she is able to go out when last time she has to stay at home to rest?
Nope, I am not cheating you but, the story goes.
I was nursing my ache while playing the pirate games, then I got excited manning the ship by myself and was tossing and turning around. Then by the time the game end, I found myself with a better back...
Amazing isnt it?
Haiz..sounds like I am the prince in the Cinderella story, hunting for the right shoes...so sad...

Gaming Community

Games as we know is something we used to relax and to find new friends. This has become with inventions of new games especially from South Korea. But I realise that one of the philosphers once say that, with the existence of people, there is politics.
I don't believe in this initially until I played the games of pirates if you people have been conscientiously following.
We are like an company of pirates. The politics are horrible. People bitch about each other. Calling each other stupid during testing time. Wasting time and resources online, try to stab each other, betrayal, blood and carnage everywhere.
It is a power struggle. An reflection of reality. Who say that virtual world cannot be real?
Well, the backstabbings and those evils in humans released by the Pandora's box all exist.
I am so sick of it, though I desire to continue playing it. This bloodbath will continue everywhere even in the reality. So tiring. If the realw orld and virtual world are the same, so why do we bother about virtual world. Such a lame space.

hmmmmm......Bodyworlds

An old old post...sorry ah..press wrong button..

Ha..nice morning.....I tnk I have recovered from the flu liao though yday I had running nose..I am feeling ok tday...hehehee......so Val Ganbatte....erm..as for ur Blog's background...go to ur blogger a/c, click template, check thru the template that u are currently using....clear away the colours after " background-color". the u add in this line anywhere after the 1st line normally ur blog title...
then u click preview to c if it works. If workable , then click save.and republish ur work...

The Bodyworlds is extending till 21/3 leh......hehehehe....so pple hurry go and watch..oh by the way, the CCS dramashow "LIM NEE SOON" is showing on 20/21 Feb at YJC auditorium. tiks @ $6 onli...Me going to watch on 21/2...any1 coming??

A cute story!!

A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 potatoes. The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.

Days after days passed by,and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended....

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?". The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime???"

Moral of the story:
Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you
will not carry sins for a lifetime. Forgiving others is the best attitude
to take! Love others even if you don't like them

True love is not loving a perfect person
but loving an imperfect person perfectly

MI:III and outing

Yeah..for those who know me...WHAT!!! You watch Tom Cruise??!!!
Who manage to point a gun to your head???
Wah...so clever..manage to push the bullet through your head and make you watch sia!!
Yeah...it is called social or group confromity mah...
I dun want to be labelled as wet blanket sia.

Anyway, the show ah..because we watch in a digital enhanced theatre so the special effects, SHIOK man!!!
But my ears actually going ringing sound...haiz....
The later parts are all spoilors or boring stuff...if you dun want to read it...go ahead and skip it
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The plot ah....u know hor...is the same lah...Alpha White, male, hero, saving from the US and world from his fellow white counterparts. Stereotypical sia.
The Black as sidekick and with bias (once again).
Nerds as sidekick, sacrificing job for greater good (once again).
But what I find it interesting in this entire movie, yes, just one interesting thing is that how this movie is able to relate to technology ethical dilemma.
Yup, I dare to die by taking a philo style course on ethics in information age.
Very interesting course and I learn alot.
One thing that the actor mention is about the speed of technology. It is developing and it may developed till it is at the speed of light.
This is sychronous with the ethical decisions which must be made as well at the speed of light. Impossible isnt it? But the technology has forced us to do it.
This is no technology determinist view but rather a very rational view on the technology. It is forcing us to do things yet people still feel that we have control over technology. Like what Heidegger says, yeah, we are one of the four causalities or factors that build up technology but we are definitely not the only one shaping technology. We cannot see the other 3 causalities because we are contectually and historically situated.
Same thing, due to the speed of technology, it seems to empower only the white, male and elite. But what about the oppressed like women, LDCs and other racial groups??
Well, this movie shows it all. Those it is a bit irony that it is the show which is also a tool of technology to reveal all this to us yet in the later part, it reverts back to the hero ideology that US has always embraced.
The traitor, Musgrave, belongs to the R & W pple, believing in using technology to solve the problems of technology that it created. So ridiculous. If it is causing problem in the first place, so what makes you so sure that the solution to the first problem will not cause any problems?
The agent is himself in dilemma as well, ethically speaking.
A question that I had is that would speed be a factor in making him make such a decision? The speed of technological development terrifies him so he took such a decision?
Even though he tries to speaks from an oppressed standpoint, I feel he is benefiting himself only, the whites and elites. Nothing grand and no further details on what happens after he succeed.
The question remains: So what???
Yeah..that's the strongest thing i felt.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After that, we girls went shopping but I still feel uncomfy dragging a burden as Xin called it, but I prefer to call as a pair of twins. Duno how to shop, wait get lost then how.
Anyway, my luck continues to be down. Every shoes that I want has no size to fit me. haiz...Poor thing ah...
I see Cowsy so sick, I also feel sad. She reminds me of how I used to be like rushing for exams. Nearly want to puke!
Saw CZ. I feel reluctant to go there but since we meet face to face and Cowsy sort of signal us, I walked over lor.
I find him change a lot. Reminds me of Jianfa. Maybe they are buddies so more or less the same.
Sort of having a fake mask on. I don't like. If you don't want to talk to me say so, no point distorting your character to speak to me, no point really. I already know what kind of person he is. I am not intruding into his privacy, since he post his blog addr on friendster and I happen to see it. I storngly feel there is no private sphere on the internet. So cut the crap of private and public difference to me.
Haha...suprisingly, no pain liao...finally reach this stage. This is wonderful. Just chunk it aside and everything will be fine as normal.
Yeah.... it is.

Chong Pang good Food

Whew!! Finally finish my exams, so naturally I will gather a lot of "Zhu Peng Hao You" ....eh.....incorrect hor..."Qin Peng Qi You" to gather and go shopping.

My first target is of course my mum lah...so we go the place we always like, Chong Pang.
Yeah....I like the Hokkien Mee, the Portugese style curry puffs and You Tiao. haha....
We bought a lot of things like neccessities and my mum even got a lot of clothes..
Haiz..But hor..me not so lucky leh...I want to buy shoes..But my size already sold out.
Wah!
So Singaporeans have roughly the same size of feet as me???
So small? Sure or not???

Aiya...nvm lah..my ultimate aim is to eat good food so we trooped down to the Hawker Centre. Guess wat!!!
The Hokkien Mee has finished all its ingredients so it is closing early!!
Boo Hoo!!!!

><
__

So Nvm calm down and find the next stall, the delicious curry puff...better that those in yellow packaging if you know what I meant.
But....
WHAT!!!
The shop totally close down!!!!
Repeat!!
Not resting lor...It is CLOSE DOWN!!!!
My black pepper chicken curry puff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the lip-smacking sauce..........
WARGH!!!!!!
sob sob..........................................................
I ate once and it has closed down!!!
Can you believe this??!!!

Haiz...no heart to eat in Chong Pang liao...so I went to have Qiu Lian Ban Mee and some Cantonese Porridge.....
Haiz.....
Why like that??!!!!!
So XXXXXXXXXX......

Difference between Dae Jang Geum and chinese historical dramas.

Well, a lot of you may have know I major in media culture studies so I am very particular about the dramas especially from China and so on. Recently, you may know that I am obssessed with the Dae Jang Geum(DJG). That's why I am able to make some basic comparisons.

1. DJG is more of a micro-level of history and CHD (Chinese historical dramas) are more of macro-level perspective on history.

2. Both Korean and China started of with mystification of historical characters to kickstart the production in historical dramas. China has a lot of dramas on historical figures like Zheng He, HZGG and so on...

3. DJG is more focused on arousing audience's emotions and feeling while CHD is more focused on arousing and challenging the wits of audience.

4. Both shows the evils of the courts and the entire palace.

5. DJG is slower in pace than CHD.

This is my rational opinions after watching and pacifying my emotions.
Very different indeed!!

Unfortunately, we do not have a rich culture to draw from. Otherwise, this is definitely a niche market for us!!

Last exam !!

Hmm.....I am a bit sad that this is my last exam but at the same time I am pleased that I have finished this semester and get out of this hell. Friends have been asking me if I has planned to further my studies...I am not too sure about it....After all, it is in the future tense.
A lot of people when comes to studying tend to measure in terms of the returns and benefits that they can reap after they get the certificates. So to them, it may sound a bit infeasible to continue studying as the fees for studying is really high.
Though I am not rich, I beg to differ. Studying is more of enriching yourself and what you want to achieve in your life. It is not just some economic cost and benefits so simplistically put forward. I don't like to hear my friends say that, though a lot of them have mentioned that to me.
Maybe I don't like studying at first because I am slow at remembering and catching the concepts but I do like to study after all. Yup..such a nerd right??
A bit sad now that I have completed the primary tier of my entire education. A bit scared to get of comfort zone i guess...But I have to make the first step isnt it???

I wonder.....

Sometimes, I wonder, why we have to be humans?
Why we have to do a lot of things that we don't want to do?
Why do we have desires?
Why do we have to CURB desires?
Doesn't anyone know that it is bad for health?

Instead, people say those who can curb their desire can become great man!
Why?
It sounds so much like child's play.
Things you cannot do are considered as good.
Hmm....human complex nature.

You may wonder why I have been harping on this topic...
Just some thoughts I had during exams..
I find it amazing that I have the time to blog during exam..
Talking crap that is....

Guess why I say this is because I have been barred from watching DAE JANG GEUM.
IT is like getting rid of addiction..
Haiz....desires on my part....lurking behind the walls of my houses, huge stacks of notes and the black box...
haha.......

Oh..by the way elections are coming. Haiz...the rallies and stuff...why cant they wait till my exams are over...it is so loud...
But who cares about me??
I am just a small fry...
But I really wish to go and hear...haiz.....though distracting...

Oh...one more thing....DO NOT try to blog things about elections like your opinions and stuff....might get caught as anything related to political contents are sanctioned...
Careful there...
Hehe....

Dae Chang Geum

Oh no....I am getting the craze of Dae Chang Geum!!!
Here are here is the opening song that I like best.
Enjoy!!
I encourage you to watch it...it is good

infuriating!!!

I am very mad now..But I have no punching bag and so on...so I will vent it online..
I thought I get a very good group this semester because it is like elites so sure that pple will do work one. But in the end...what happens??
I was responsible for all the technical aspects of the work so I did not write the main paper..I still spend quite sometime to do stuff ok...it is not ez to do the technical part. Guezz what??
I did the presentation slides and that took me hald a day to do as I need to find pictures and so on.
The work upon review by others, gets erased...
NVM not that good....but the point is they did not tell me what they want...
So they redo everything again...
Again!!!
Waste of my time....
NVM.....I bear with it...but I am already very pissed off but since this is a groupwork I tolerate
Then the presentation..i make a slight error...but I know that cost me quite a bit...
Now, I did my fair share of work....guess what!!!!
I get the lowest grades of all my groupmates!!
I did the fair bit of job but guess what..some1 must have thot that I did not do my work....
that cost my grade....
the project itself is below average...can you imagine!!!
C'mon...this is the last sem...cant be nice to me a bit??!!
Not as if I did not do my job and that I am a sore loser...
I am very pissed off now...very very pissed off...
I think I know who are the ones who give me such low grades...
Don't tell me that I am wrong. Coz there are only 4 other members and that 3 of them we have work b4...
previously ..i got low grade as well....
so pissed off now..
Never be tolerant and nice....must fight till death at others' expense!!
Duno how to salvage my results...
That project is 40%....The final is 30%...can you imagine how to get back???
The class itself is so powerful....
haiz...
why does my last sem has to be pain in the ass!!!

quick update before exam.

Well...Exam is tomorrow. Haiz...so sian but have to study nonetheless.
I sort of lazy and took my time to sufe some of my friends' blogs. Quite interesting activities and comments there.
Very interesting.
Sometimes, I wonder, why cant I be like them? Don't self-censor??
But I just cant get past my own barriers.
Well, We have the sedition act you know.
And of course the full obligations and responsiblities under the MDA code of practice where youa re automatically under regulation if you are content provider. so blog is actually a content provider in a way.
Difficult huh??
That's my ethical dilemma here.
Haha...too technical for you??
Yeah, I guess so.
Anyway, I saw some pictures of old friends and I was smiling and so on....
Wait a min!!
I saw that person who caused me pain and hurt and I can still smile??
GOSH!!!!
That means......
I am healed!!!
By time and space....very traditional way of saying...
But it holds true always.
haha.....
now I can declare to the world....

我不痛了。
我不会再为她伤心难过
我不再在乎这个人
甲乙丙丁早已走出我的世界
我的人生将从此与她是两条横线

Summer time!!

Whew!! I know I am slacking here..But I just want to show you the cherry Blossom of singapore.
Surprise??
Nah..here are some pictures that will convince you that it is cool!!
Enjoy!!