Goodbye Pebbles

Well, that's that. My dog, Pebbles, just passed away. Time, however, will not allow me to write an lament and epitaph for her until later.

Here's to one the great companions

Censoring Discovery

I have to admit that I'm a Discovery Channel and Nationaly Geographic junkie. I'm into the predators, crime stories, science and all that jazz. Very guy stuff.

However, yesterday my favourite past time was interrupted. While I was throroughly enjoying Urban Legends, I noticed a gap in the narration. At first I though it was just a bad signal. Then it happened again. After the thrid time, I realised, to my horror and disgust, what was happening.

DISCOVERY CHANNEL WAS BEING CENSORED!!

I couldn't believe it. I still remember one of the lines that was censored. Urban Legends was covering the story of a woman dying after trying on a coat from the Burlington Coat Factory. It was later found that there were baby snakes in the coat, and that they had bitten the unwitting customer when she tried on the coat. Urban Legends later explained that the story was false, but the reasons why it was so prevalent was:

"... because we're aware that most textiles and fabric products are manufactured in third world countries like (blank), (blank), and Mexico where exotic and venomous snakes are also found."

This dialogue was censored while Indians were on-screen.

So, was the dialogue censored in deference to the Indians in Malaysia? But why? Do Malaysian Indians feel some sort of nationalistic loyalty to a country to which they're only related by name. Or would Malaysian Indians feel that Urban Legends is talking about Malaysian Indians in general?

Also, who determines what we learn from Discovery Channel? The act of selectively censoring what we learn on educational channels seems questionable. Granted, Urban Legends isn't the last word in education, but what's to stop the board from censoring other programs on other educational channels. Unless, I call the censorship board, I'll probably never know the reasons why.

Whatever the reasons, the real issue was why they chose to save India from being called a snake exporting, Third World country, but not Mexico. Mexico should be just as worthy to receive 'protection' from bad press, shouldn't it? Is it because it's acceptable to diss other countries other than the countries of which your own ethnic groups are named after, if not your own?

What about you? What do you think about Discovery being censored?

Perwinkle Patch

Just thought I'd drop in a shout out for a couple of friends who're starting up a business.

If you're ever in need of facial showers, body creams, or perfumed oils, look no further than Perwinkle Patch.

From Shame to Passion

I've always been the one to tout that we should stick to buying original works, even if it's stuff from Hollywood or Microsoft. Those guys who work hard at what they do, and deserve to reap the rewards of their work, despite the fact that they're disgustingly rich. It only encourages these industries to continue creating quality work that we all can enjoy. This being said, I've always bought original goods.

However, I didn't have a problem with using pirated movies and software, so long as I wasn't the one who bought them. This has led me to pick out movies or software for Dad, so that he could get them. Dad doesn't have the same problem about pirated goods that I have, plus he enjoys the movies that I pick, so he buys them.

Now that I've written this out, I feel quite disgusted with myself, and I'm sure you are too. And you know what? I had to have someone point this out to me and scream bloody murder before I realised the wrong in this. It was the worst thing ever to have happen to me. It illuminated that fact that I've become the very thing I've vowed not become, a supporter or piracy.

So now, I've not only taken it upon myself to stop buying pirated VCDs, DVDs, software and what have you, but to also stop using them too. So for you guys who've inviting to watch movies over at my place, sorry. I'll no longer send out invitations to come over unless I've got some original stuff to show on the silver screen. The goes with those that need to use my computer.

As for software, I'm deleting what I've got. Songs, deleting. Time to clean out my stuff and start afresh.

DVDs and softwares aren't cheap. But that doesn't mean that we should cut corners to get them. It only hurts someone. So, just like the people who work hard to create such things, we should work just as hard to save so that we can enjoy these creations that corporations and studios bestow upon the world.

Okay okay, I've been tagged.

Well, I've been tagged by Jolene, and that was back in August, so this post has been long overdue. So now I have to list 10 things I like about anything, and then tag 5 other blogs,

Instead of 10 songs I dig, as dear Jo did, I'm gonna name 10 baby names that I'm want to use when I'm a father:
1. Penelope
2. Danielle
3. Alexandra
4. Caitlin
5. Erin
6. Bishop
7. Conrad
8. Gael
9. Fox
10. Zeke

I know I'm cheating, having half boy and half girl names, but who cares? Anyways, I'm not saying that I want ten kids, but I'd like a name list to work with, just in case.

Who am I gonna tag right now? Gonna tag a couple a friends from Singapore: Dawn and Diane, How Chun, Shawn and Ken Lai.

Have fun guys!

Ode to Coffee

Coffee. There is none in my brainstem.
Too much blood in my coffee system.

It is past one in the noon.
I've fallen asleep too soon.

Inspiration dost lie in shambles.
For now I can best only ramble.

I think I may have an addiction.
Or is that a thought of fiction.

My thoughts unclear.
My sight so blear.

Body within has no coffee.
World waking I shall soon not see.

Travel to yon coffee machine I need.
For my brain is filled full of coffee greed.

- Ode of the bleary eyed coffee addict copywriter.

Echoes of Silence

My Sis and family came home from Singapore to celebrate her son's (my nephew's) birthday and stayed for the whole of last week.

Reason why I didn't post this earlier was because I wanted to post up pictures of them, but alas, I haven't got round to it yet. So I'll post this first while I get round to it.

Anyway, it had been a great week. Got to see my neice and nephew. The yells and screams when they demanded attention. Late night chit chats and dream sharing with my sister. Played tons of Scrabble with my Sis and girlfriend.

What I don't understand about my Sis is how she can keep scoring an average of 15 points a round and how she can keep scoring 30+ points using just 2 letters. Her skill at infuriating me astounds me.

Anyways, I got back at her when we played Boggle with her and everyone else (everyone else being: Dad, Mum, Brother-in-Law, and friend. Girlfriend slept after Scrabble).

Yesterday, my parents sent them home to Singapore via the North South Highway. Now the house is devoid of the sounds of the little ones and a sister. I'm missing them very much. Perhaps I shall make my way down to Singapore soon.

I'm Qui-Gon Jinn!

Had nothing better to do, so I took this Star Wars Personality Test. After numerous tries, this is the one I consistently got



Admittedly, there was once when this came out:


The shame... the SHAME!! Its unbearable! I don't even know how I got that!

Interested to find out who you are? Click here:
Star Wars Personality Test

Cutsie Wutsie Stuff

I'm a sucker for really sweet story stuff. Hence the reason why I'm linking to two flash clips of a Korean cartoon about love story between a guy cat and a girl bunny. You don't really have to understand Korean to appreciate this. Here it is:

There She Is
There She Is, Step 2: Cake Dance

Be patient as its gonna take a moment to load this flash movie up.

Lets clear things up

A friend just brought up a very real and valid point about the ONE Campaign. What's the point of educating, lets say, 100 million people if there aren't 100 million job openings to support them? Can the impoverished country's economy sustain so many workers?

To quote the old saying:
Give a man to fish, you him feed for a day,
teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

Basically, its a question whether or not this campaign is a single pronged attack on poverty...

I'm just going to say that its a multi-pronged attack against poverty. I suggest that you DO visit the link to the ONE Campaign by clicking on the image below or the banner further down to find out more.

ONE Campaign

Alright. If you don't know what the above is all about, its time to bring you up to speed:

There's going to be a G8 summit next July.

And it will decide how much the US Government will spend in humanitarian aid.

The ONE Campaign is an American initiative aimed at convincing their government to dedicate, at least, ONE more percent in humanitarian aid from their federal budget.

You think that's not much? Think about this...

ONE percent out of their federal budget means 25 billion US DOLLARS for impoverished nations. That means:
•It can help prevent 10 million children from becoming AIDS orphans
•It can help get 104 million children into grade school.
•It can help provide water to almost 900 million people around the globe.
•It can save almost 6.5 million children under 5 from dying of diseases that could be prevented with low-cost measures like vaccination or a well for clean water.
•It can build a better, safer world for all.


The ONE Campaign has ONE single goal... to make poverty history...

One by one.

Click on the link above and find out how you can make your contribution. They're asking for your voice, not your money.

I'm a bloody sad case

Last night I stayed at work till midnight trying to write up some heart wrenching story in less than 20 words. And came up with zilch! Makes me wanna shoot myself on the foot. Oh well, at least someone else managed to do it, so all is not lost.

Anyhoohow, my day's just dandy today. Some lady at McD's made the act of accidentally spilling her Coke all over the floor such a great big soap opera. I mean, who drops a coke and then gasps so loud as to drown out an entire restaurant during lunchbreak? Sheesh! Not only that, she managed to get the coke all the way up to my pockets! I mean, I was standing right next to her, and the coke fell on the floor, but how does it reach my pockets!?

Thank God for Silhouette

Well, last night I was reading a Discworld novel 'Lords and Ladies' authored by none other than Terry Pratchett, when I fell asleep.

No, it wasn't because it was boring. I was just dead tired. I'd recommend that you guys read any of the Discworld novels. They're hilarious. Anyhow...

So there I lay, asleep, with the room light still on (yes, I know I'm not doing Earth a favour), and my toes freezing. My butt's protected by a good layer of fat, so that part was just cool.

When I woke, I found that I had taken off my glasses during the night and had rolled all over the bloody thing while I was asleep. Funny thing is, that though I must have rolled over it a 100 times over the night, my glasses were still intact... and they were still under my butt when I found them.

Thank God for the good people of Silhouette who made my glasses. Now I don't have to wonder whether I'm smashing into a bag of potatoes or an iguana while I'm driving to work.

Pinching an Inch... and then some

Yeah. I've grown really fat. I can pinch more than an inch of fat off my tummy right now. And its all thanks to that trip down to Ipoh with my girlfriend for her Mum's birthday. It should be a crime to have so much good food in such a tiny place. It's really bad for my health.

Alright... time to do some mental exercises...

Back from Blogging Hiatus

Nyeh, for those of you that care, I'm back to blogging.

Anyhow, just wanted to announce a really sad predicament. I'm addicted to backgammon. Despite the fact that the computer is such a loser, which make for repetitive and boring games, I'm still playing it. I should consider getting a PSP.

Update for the technogeeks out there. I've got a U2 iPod for my birthday. WOOHOO!! That was a couple of months back, but yeah, I'm still totally geared up about it.

Oh, for those of you still not in the know, I've managed to get a trainee copywriter position at an advertising agency. At first I dreaded the idea that I might have to regularly stay late for work, but I've come to enjoy the late nights. Hence my constant demands that someone give me something to do. This job is awesome.

I'm totally hyped up about this year's upcoming films. Its like a total revolution in the film industry. I mean, when in our history had we so many comic book movies being released in a single year? Woe to the man that doesn't visit the silver screens this year.

One more thing... if you like dogs then you're in for a treat: