Kobacabana

from anime to live action movies

2011-05-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Beck

I loved the anime. It's about a shy boy who befriends a talented guitarist and they go on to a wildly successful rock band Beck.

GANTZ

The manga is notable for its alien gore and babe galore so I was really surprised to learn that it's being adapted for the big screen. The use of CG in the manga comic is already pretty impressive so I'm looking forward to catching this at the theatre. There's no sign of the aliens in the trailer; I wonder which of the gruesome, ugly, ridiculous ones will appear in the movie... (Off hand I can remember the Shinto god statue aliens, dinosaur aliens inspired by Jurassic Park, giant-bird-in-human-body aliens!)

Human Projectiles

2011-03-29T18:45:00.001-07:00

Smartphones have turned us
into eyes-glued-to-the-screen
Human Projectiles

危ない！

BBC documentary about blind man's travels

2011-02-19T06:10:00.000-08:00

While waiting for Jazz to go for dinner, I found a BBC documentary about a blind journalist Peter White's travels to San Francisco and Istanbul. He seems to be having a good time "people-hearing", walking, attending a baseball game and talking to people. It's pretty amazing how a blind person can travel alone (I assume) and create a radio story without the need for sight. Here's what he says:

I’ve avoided (describing what can be seen) because I avoid it in real life. I personally don’t want people describing views to me because, having never seen, they don’t mean much.

Click to listen Peter White's travelogue.

the fullerton hotel

2010-10-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Beautiful isn't it, the Fullerton? I took this shot on my iPhone--its camera is definitely exceeding my expectations. The auto focus and exposure is so intuitive and matches where I want focused when I tap on the spot. It's amazing!

Since the opening of the casinos the number of visitors coming to Singapore has gone up. More and more people will come and admire the lovely colonial architecture alongside the dazzling new casinos and skyscrapers.

sigh-kus..

2010-10-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

Found 2 haikus from Shanghai trip my itouch transferred to my mailbox without my knowledge.

Down at the west lake

Emperor's tea and pagodaa

Sun drenched, crowd swamped day

Beautiful Suzhou

Gardens stone and museum

Alas have no heart

a short story

2010-09-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

So there are friends who still keep up with my life through this rather dormant blog. Thought maybe I'll put up this very short account of my journey to work this morning. Maybe it's the hours spent listening to Karl Malentes' gripping Vietnam War novel, I'm inspired to write some of my own nonsensical life down.

morning muse...

With a hundred metres remaining between him and his office, O decided not to take the chance. He swerved into the YMCA, making his way down to the basement and knowing the holy grail is within a minute’s dash.

The toilet auntie looked at him quizzically as he scrambled past her pail filled with detergent water, saying to his back, “Be careful ah, the floor is wet.”

“Ok, thanks!” he replied. He would go in even if there was flood. He was seconds away from his deliverance.

He opened the wrong door. Behind it there was no pit. He cursed himself for it; he had been there a million times before for gym workouts.

“The one on the left. The left,” the cleaner auntie yelled, sensing the urgency in O. He remembered laughing at his shih tzu scrambling and turning frantically on the grass under the same circumstances and thought he must have appeared the same to the auntie.

Finally, he reached the drop zone, started the engines, dropped his wheels, wiped clean the seat and took off. He imagined himself a B-52 pilot on a death mission. He flamed Berlin like there was no tomorrow. He bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki with no remorse.

“Boy, got paper inside?” the cleaner auntie shouted, afraid she might have missed something in her daily to-do checklist. She felt guilty not mopping the place dry, thinking nobody would visit the hell-hole in this hour.

“Got!” He replied, annoyed he couldn’t be left alone in his moment of solace.

“HUH?”

“Got! Got! Have!” O shot back, and decided it was time he got back to work.

思わず君のことが好きになった。。

2010-09-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

そう言ったのに、今から君に会うことは大変になってしまったかなぁ。。じゃ、自分を幸せしてくださいね。僕も静かに頑張らなきゃ！

五月天－天天想你

2010-09-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

寝られないんだ。。

2010-08-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

日曜日なのに、６時起きてしまった。まだ疲れているけど、寝られないなああ。昨日、映画が三部見た。

フィシュストリ

＜ミメミメ＞はさっきフィルム祭り見た映画（＜空気人形＞と＜水の花＞）と同じ。主人公は寂しくて幸せに探していた女の子たちだ。ちょっと悲しい気持ちあった。運良く次の２部映画は違った。＜フィシュー.ストリー＞は面白いし、可笑しいし、楽しんだ。最初にプロットは半分分からなかったけど、映画の最後２０分と明白になった。大好きな映画だった。

LIVE TAPE

最後、＜LIVE TAPE＞はすごく斬新なフィルムだ。ショットは一つだけ、カットしなくて、面白いんだ。

無理しないで

2010-08-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

2010-08-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

今日、抹茶を飲んだ。苦いけど美味しかった。PQさんの日本語上手だな。前こちらあった広告は捨てたんだ。

shanghai...

2010-08-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

日本語練習したいから、日本語で書こう。この写真ドイツパヴィリョン外で撮った。ドイツからのビートボクスバンドが演奏した。面白かったのに、暑いし遅いしまだ日本のパヴィリョン見てないし、コンサートの終わり前僕たち出た。

もう書けない。知っている言葉が十分じゃない。頑張らなくちゃ。。０＿０！

Shanghai trip haiku

2010-08-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

Shanghai in summer.
Tourists packed in sardine tins
and cooked in slow heat.

My first listing on eBay

2010-07-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

This is pretty fun, my first listing on eBay to sell off the iPod I got from my friend and there's already a healthy bidding competition over it. (the link button is not working on blogger now, if you want to check out my listing, go to http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220643002936&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:SG:1123 )

This blog's been going through a long limbo. So am I. I will post something soon.

i wanna take off for the world!

2010-05-13T01:23:00.000-07:00

of samurais and j-rock

2010-05-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

It had been so long since I last posted anything, but today I want to highlight the blog, soundofonehandclapping, I haven't visited for months. The link will take you to her story about a restaurant in Kyoto and the intrigue and liaisons that took place there during the bakumatsu - politically tumultuous period in Japan leading to the end of samurai rule. Or basically my favourite history. Ever.

The romantic idealism of the bakumatsu has fascinated me ever since I watched the Rurouni Kenshin anime when I was a kid. So fascinated I majored in history only to realise a) there weren't many Japanese history modules available and b) samurais didn't fight all that much during the Tokugawa period, except towards the end where the anime's story takes place.

Hmm.. Japan history and J-rock, in the form of L'arc en ciel. Hardly anything has inspired me as much recently, even to cough out a few lines here. -_-

2010-02-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

haven't posted anything in the longest time. partly because i haven't been on my powerbook much these days since i've got my hands full with the ipod. (seriously thinking of getting an ipad for that matter) i just saw this on my friend's blog and like him, i am smitten by this track. :)

Tis the season to be grateful

2009-12-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

I made a small donation to the This American Life podcast and Wikipedia today. Both of these web services make such a big difference to my life and yet they remain free to everyone. That is pretty amazing. You might consider donating to wiki and have your name on the wikipedia donor list alongside thousands(possibly a lot more) of people from all over the world. That list really demonstrates the power of the web as a platform that brings people and their resources together for something truly great.

To subscribe to This American Life on iTunes, click here.

Blogging is lazy

2009-12-02T07:02:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon Mary Pols' blog the other day. She is a blogger, journalist and author of "Accidentally on Purpose: True Tale of a Happy Single Mother". In a post comparing blogging and writing for magazines, she said how the latter forces to write better, because she's writing for an editor. A good editor will improve her "game" like a good tennis opponent does. On another self-loathing day, I might expand this into a self-criticism about not writing and improving my game instead of hating my work. But this is not the day.

I'm now reeking of alcohol and tired. Post-gym dinners with Bern and Steph are always nice chatting sessions about life and work. Today's a little awkward because B had been having a lousy day. Luckily, some thrash-talk and a little alcohol lightened the mood and he was laughing again.

We talked a little about the fresh troops Obama will be pouring into Afghanistan. "Nothing has changed, right?" Steph was disappointed because he thought Obama would be a peacenik and end the war.

"It's the same strategy again." Personally, I feel the Americans are doing a thankless but vital job in maintaining peace in the Middle East. And I share the sympathy Tony Blankley expressed on radio recently for those statesmen who are making difficult decisions that have no consensus between the hawks and doves while trying to keep the warring factions from bombing the world out of existence. Good luck, Mr Obama, I hope you accomplish everything they give you the Nobel Prize for.

Blogging is lazy. Holiday planning is mind-boggling. Finally booked a nice Tudor-styled hotel in Cameron Highlands for my family vacation-our first! Usually I like serendipity and adventure, but I this time I'm putting in the effort so my parents don't get lost with me in Malaysia. I think I will enjoy a slow, relaxed holiday on the cool highlands with hot tea. :)

Let's end this nonsensical post with Green Day's "time of your life". Oh I can't wait for their concert here in Singapore!

Guests at a mice wedding

2009-11-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

guests at a mice wedding
Originally uploaded by Kobacabana.

Just uploaded a couple of photos from my Lumix onto flickr - no shot in particular that I like, but well...

This exhibit called The Mice Wedding was pretty cool. It was a depiction of the final scene from this folk story about how a mice couple who wanted to marry their daughter to the Sun they thought was the biggest stud in town. The daughter, of course, had already a lover. Luckily for her, the Sun said he wasn't the most powerful person as the Cloud make him disappear. The Cloud said the same about himself and pointed to the Wind, which did likewise and pointed to the Wall. Finally the Wall said it's not the most powerful because mice can make holes in it. The parents realised their folly and married their daughter to her sweetheart. Aww.. As do most parables, this one has plenty of meanings you can draw from yourself.

A separate point, I watched The Informant today and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The comedy drama has the usual sardonic black humour expected from director Steven Soderbergh, and Matt Damon was very funny as the incorrigible liar who helped the FBI expose an international price fixing crime.

Mexican art show @ SAM

2009-11-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

Hey History Nuts, don't miss this exhibition! The theme of modernity is familiar - see how Mexican artists dealt with tumultuous changes in their country from the 1900s to the 1950s. Though I don't think I saw anything as dramatic as Picasso's La Guernica, there were definitely similar 'modern' sensibilities present at this dark and thought-provoking show. On second thought, maybe the piece showing pierced arms and mutilated bodies - a scathing critique of the Spanish conquistadors (I didn't note down the art's name) - does come close to Picasso's vision of maimed horses. I also think the addition of a mini Philippines 'modernity' gallery was a nice touch - a conscious effort by the curator to conjoin the two countries' shared experiences?

Will definitely go back again with my camera.. haha.. The one that really caught my eye was Raul Anguiano's 'The Thorn' - the lithograph above showing a sagely Mayan removing a thorn from her foot. Look at that cool poise, ya?

Morning muse

2009-10-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

It is a few minutes past nine and I just reached the office. I love the golden sunshine that floods the space outside the museum at this time of the day. Everything feels so alive and colourful, it's as though the day holds so much wonderful possibilities ahead. Would love it even more if the sun wasn't so scorching hot.

真的爱你

2009-10-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

blown away by hong kong the oriental pearl

2009-09-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Photo taken with Lyn's Canon.

Just back from a memorable trip to Hong Kong over the long Hari Raya Puasa weekend.

A great song to lift the Monday blues!

2009-08-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Crack economics

2009-08-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

Daily doodle #1

2009-08-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Since I got my Audible account I've downloaded two Seth Godin audiobooks. He's funny and delivers with marketing advice with attitude and humour. There's probably nothing revolutionary in his message: Be extraordinary. Be different. And don't waste money on advertising if your product's no good. Still, he's entertaining and the for that, probably more effective than most.

By Leonard Cohen..

2009-08-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ring the bells
That still can ring
Forget your perfect offerings
There's a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in

L found the title for Leslie's song

2009-07-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have this song on my playlist for the longest time but I never knew the song title. Finally found it today!:)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror...

2009-07-05T02:51:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to MJ's songs in the office since news of his death broke. I've always loved his songs of hope and compassion and I wonder how he became the sad figure as portrayed in the media. I doubt there will be another pop icon as great as him in my lifetime. Thank you, Michael. You have left the world a better place with your wonderful music legacy.

----
I heard the song Man in the Mirror not so long ago on the radio show This American Life which as entertaining as it is educational. I do think it might be a better idea to make fans pay a nominal sum to maintain the podcast. The rest who wants it free can easily download it from the dozens of file hosting sites out there.

Khalsa Dharmak Sabha

2009-06-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

Khalsa Dharmak Sabha
Originally uploaded by Kobacabana.

It has been a long while since I hit the roads and taking photos of the sights of Singapore. Was walking in the Mt Sophia area when I saw this pretty temple. I am once again reminded there are interesting things to see in Singapore despite its small size. One just has to walk with eyes open.

A little break from the grungy sappy songs

2009-06-17T01:24:00.000-07:00

beyond burma

2009-05-31T07:14:00.000-07:00

I just had dinner with prof at the nice, trendy restaurant at the guild house. Returning to nus on a sunday reminded me of the days holed up in the library, reading up on Burma for my paper on the drug trade there. A year had passed between those stuffy days in the library and now. Burma - the country, the people, the politics - is now tucked away like the volumes of FEER in a corner of the journals section - even as the clash between the junta and democracy continues to still rankles.

And its true we are immune
When fact is fiction and tv
And we sing the rebel tune
when indifference is our real enemy
...holding on to peace hard-won
till death itself is undone
Sunday Bloody Sunday, U2 (bootleg in my ipod)

japanophile

2009-05-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

I found Janice Tay's blog today. Her Letters from Kyoto column in the Saturday papers almost always makes me wish I was her, living in the land of samurai and geisha and writing about it with such poetic charm every week.

I want to go to Japan again.

恋爱ing-五月天

2009-05-23T22:21:00.000-07:00

Someone told me the songs I've been listening aren't very healthy for the psyche. The depressing nature of late is wholly unintentional and Mayday shall help to make amends with this cover originally played by cutesy band Wang Fu. (or is it the other way round?) :DDD

Goodbye

2009-05-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

The Chair

2009-05-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

Just hanging around.

Wu's Pandas

2009-05-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

Wu Guanzhong's pandas, splashed across the bus, caught my eye yesterday. Now I can't wait to see them at the museum!

The Red

2009-05-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning and fiddled with facebook on my ipod when I saw this tee design. Yeah, I love the colour red.

Lovers in Japan

2009-05-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

This post is just an excuse to put up Coldplay's Lovers in Japan. I've never been a fan of the band and I think this video would have been vomit-inducing if the four swaggering stoned middle-aged men were not in one of the world's biggest bands right now. haha.. No, really, this song is really good - especially the lush guitars that conjure the image of two lovers running down neon-lit Tokyo...

Oh, the hunter will sin for your ivory skin

2009-04-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

I wonder if Bono's ever met someone as mesmerizing as you before...

Oh, the hunter will sin for your ivory skin
Took a drive in the dirty rain
To a place where the wind calls your name
Under the trees the river laughing at you and me
Hallelujah, heavens white rose
The doors you open
I just can't close

Well you lied to me 'cause I asked you to
Baby, can we still be friends?

U2, Who's gonna ride your wild horses?

Viva la ipod! diary of an ipod virgin

2009-04-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

Finally hopped onto the ipod bandwagon and I'm feeling really good about it. In fact, retail therapy never felt this good before. I especially enjoyed the free Tap Tap Revenge, a game app, as its name suggests, is a distant cousin of the dance dance revolution for the ipod touch:)
It took me a long time to decide to buy it, bearing in mind it is not cheap. I already had a handphone I could use to listen mp3 and FM radio. Sure enough, I haven't managed to install this wonderful flashcard software, Anki, which happens to be the main reason I bought the pod, so I can memorize those nasty vocabulary when I commute.
Finally, with a decent 8gb storage, ipod is a great learning tool on the go. I just downloaded Robin Sharma's Extraordinary Leadership from Learnoutloud.com and I can't wait to listen to Obama's audacity of hope from audible.com.

What would life be like without love and music?

2009-03-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

l.o.v.e.

2009-03-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

like false starts in the stock markets now, i can see where we are headng. this song has been seared into my memory for as long as i live.

L.O.V.E by Olivia Ong - Click here for this week’s top video clips

true love waits

2009-03-19T11:54:00.000-07:00

life has been running into tailspins lately. heartfelt appreciation to the many people who care. 3am thursday, eye patched and tired. haven't had this hapless feeling in a long while, not especially when taking control has always been my topmost priority. soothing and poignant, thom yorke's song is gently lulling me into a sense of quiet tranquility, much needed after what has been going on. there are so many things to do and i haven't got started. :( goodnight.

Under the bridge

2009-03-01T06:12:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's her chirpy outlook or her beauty, I am unmistakably enraptured.

It's been some time since my last entry. My poor health has been creeping up on me and I am having less time for books. The Outliers was a good read in so much it articulated so well my own thinking that circumstances make the man, even though he seems to be to be pushing his argument a bit too far. I'm grateful to Dave for leaving that book, along with Playing the Enemy by John Carlin, in the kitchen so I can read them. PTE is a gripping account of Nelson Mendela's shrewd strategy of reconciling the antagonistic races in his country through the rugby World Cup, applying his wisdom of the fact that sports possess that ethereal bond between people that makes it a viable political tool. Anyways, I only have time for that whimsical emo-chic comic Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine. :p

Mad Hatters 2009

2009-02-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

CALLING ALL HISTORY ALUMNI!

Come to Mad Hatters 2009 – an event where the outgoing Honours class
comes together with the History Faculty and Alumni for a formal
photo-taking session.

The Twist? The Honours Class will be wearing their graduation gowns
and a MAD HAT -- a baseball cap, cowboy hat, full-face helmet, or
whatever for this MEMORABLE EVENT!

Not only will you get to meet your cohort mates but also welcome the
outgoing Honours class into the Alumni Association on the eve of their
graduation.

So come down and JOIN US at the posh new Alumni House for MAD HATTERS 2009!

13 March 2009, 7.00 – 8.30pm
NUS Alumni House, Benefactors' Lobby, Level 2

Kindly RSVP before 2 March to history_alumni@gmail.com to avoid disappointment.

Food and drinks (but no hats) will be provided.

We hope to see you there!

I <3 旺福

2009-02-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

I'm glad I didn't back out from the huayi gig with Lulu and Jianhua. Wonfu is the funniest Chinese pop band I've ever seen and I can't stop listening to their catchy and happy songs now.

Watch more Tudou videos on AOL Video

Blah blah blah. (Where is my mind?)

2009-01-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

The CNY Long Weekend is coming to an end. Rummaged through my old stuff at my mom's place I found Chuck Palahniuk's book of short stories titled "Stranger than Fiction". I wanted to savour the stories and stopped myself from finishing the book, putting aside the book after reading one or two stories. More than half a year later, I'm still not yet halfway through the book.

I have sympathies for Palahniuk's worldview, more so than I care to admit. Anarchic, anti-capitalist, and overall pessimistic about the human condition, Palahniuk reminds me of the fiery nativist anti-modern rhetoric from prewar Japan. With boundless energy and creativity, we are destroying ourselves and our planet, lavishing a minority with lavish consumer goods while millions live in destitution and poverty. Then again, it's easy to denounce capitalism and its attendant sweatshops and financial fat cats. Palahniuk's Fight Club was made into a chic Hollywood blockbuster, as cool as a Che Guevera T-shirt.

Okay, I haven't explained why I was sympathetic to his worldview. It's late and I've to work tomorrow, definitely not the right time for a lengthy exposition of my opinions about the world. Besides, I had intended to talk about Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers and Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational. Dammit, where is my mind?

Red_Cliff2

2009-01-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

The movie was thought-provoking on a few levels. First, if Woo had really meant to say that nobody wins in wars, why not kill off Zhou Yu's wife instead of making him utter an apologetic "Everyone loses" refrain. Maybe it's because I don't view Caox2 so much as villian than an over-ambitious statesman with a weakness for women. He doesn't deserve having to lose his entire army while the wussy Liu/Sun alliance loses a minor character and suffers the humility of Zhou's wife serving tea for the enemy. Oh well, life's not fair and Caox2 should be grateful he's still alive for going up against the almighty poster boys Misters Zhuge and Zhou. (Takeshi Kaneshiro is defintely more convincing as a suave and sagacious military advisor than as Andy Lau's idiot kid brother in that other movie where he keeps saying: "大哥永远是对的。") Ok, let me continue word-vomitting, second, I've become so de-sensitized to these epic war movies that the extended battle scenes at the end don't really shock nor excite me anymore. Oh, there goes another dead man. Oh, he's got three arrows through his chest and he's still going at it. The hint of Band of Brothers in the explosion scenes actually made me consider buying the DVD set from HMV. Lastly, this movie made me think about how I am closer to the current conflict than many people than I actually care to admit. And it will stay that way until a) I find a new job or b) people learn to go past deep-seated ideological differences and live with one another in harmony. Back to the movie. I like it that Woo provided a glimpse of the profiles of the lowest soldiers on both sides. They fight the war to give their families peace.

Here's a cool Dragon Ash vid to shake off the blues.\

Sky Crawlers

2009-01-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

I am an idiot for missing this anime by one of my favourite anime directors...

NatMuse: Still the most beautiful building I ever worked in

2008-12-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

Went museum-hopping with Angie today. One day I'll work in such an inspiring environment again.

Of money

2008-12-26T05:39:00.000-08:00

I am amazed at how versatile a tool Facebook can be. People don't simply poke and make friends, the philosophically-inclined can even post 'notes' and share their deepest inner conundrums. One such note belongs to my friend. It struck a chord with me, so much so it roused me from my blogging hibernation to say something about it.

The gist of her note is that a life spent on a shitty job with a shitty pay sucks. And life will be good if she can have all the fun she wants but reality dictates that she must work to be able to afford playtime. Yet the proverbial dream job-one that you both love and pays well enough-is elusive or at best in the reach of a select few.

I can empathise with her because I like the activities she likes: travelling, hiking, or enjoying the great outdoors in general. However, where I differ from her is that I think it is possible to make a good living doing the things one loves and enjoys. I don't have the answers but I believe it is possible and it only requires hard work and some ingenuity to get there.

To paraphrase my dear mentor: just ** it and enjoy life while it lasts!

Cape No. 7

2008-12-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

好久没看到一部让我笑又让我感到温馨的电影了。理想。自由。请别将手放开。

Joke of the Day

2008-11-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Nai's invite to attendthe Cold WAr seminar held by History Channel, I got the impetus to read through some of the emails I saved from university. It's barely five months since I've graduated and they're already coming in handy. Nostalgia can be therapeutic at times. Here's an excerpt from a BPF email:

"You are not asking about argumentative methods, you are asking about analytical methods. If you want to practice argumentative methods, there are two ways:

"Get married;

"Choose a career your parents disapprove of."

Gosh, I miss school.

Oops, thanks to SN for advice on the correct use of inverted commas.

2008-11-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

海阔天空

2008-11-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

I was disappointed the Beyond concert wasn't what I expected. It felt more like a commercial ripoff than a commitment to their music. It was painfully sad. But even aging rock stars need to move on.

An Orgy of Paper Planes

2008-11-12T04:32:00.000-08:00

I love this picture I took on the job. A paper plane expert was giving a workshop on paper plane making and at the end of it he got everyone to throw their planes together, letting loose a paper blitzkrieg and, unsurprisingly, a hall of screaming, running and frightening-hyper kids. That anarchy was a picture-perfect opportunity but I wasn't prepared for it at all. The batteries in the flash were almost flat, my focus failed to keep up with the supersonic kids, launching their imaginary B-52s and F-15s before darting off to pick up another that crashed nearby. Camera at waist-level to avoid shy faces taking flight, I fired away, anxious I might not get any good shots. That will inevitably lead to me getting a good ear lashing from the Boss. No, I'm kidding. But I'm happy with this one. I can explain away, i mean, photoshop away the blur.

Goo goo dolls - iris

2008-10-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Chorus: And I don't want the world to see me, 'cuz I don't think that they'd understand.

If I could be.. where you wanted...

2008-10-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of unfamiliar songs into concert, the crowd went wild as Ash played onen nof their early hits, Kung Fu. Lulu and Kenny started hopping like bunnies on amphetamines to the music.
It's not just the beer they downed earlier that caused such ecstacy. Lulu seemed really happy Ash came back--ten years ago he was still too young to see them perform in Zouk.

The turnout for that humid night was pathetic for a band like Ash. Maybe it's the expensive tickets. Maybe people forgot about them. Or maybe it's just Thursday night, and I felt silly in my leather shoes, which got stamped on by slam-dancing teens, and worried if I could get up for work the next morning.

To be sure, Ash still rocked--in a way most has-been bands can only dream of. (What happened to the the opening act Fishtank--which used to be one of THE local ska bands--is a case in point.) Ash played their brand of pop-punk (whatever you call it) with such dynamite that is unmistakably emblematic of youth. Who can forget the anthemic "Girl from Mars"?

And if Youth were simply reckless adventure, it certainly had left us slowly and surely. Gatecrashing no longer seem to excite us, even though we got into the venue through the wrong entrance with no security in sight. I couldn't believe we even dutifully made our way to the door and gave our tickets.Some things never change though, we'd rather walk a good distance than pay for the rip-off beer at the beerfest.

Not wanting to waste my time at a good gig, I didn't rue the passage of youth for very long. As Tim Wheeler ripped through the riffs of Goldfinger, I flung my heavy bag to Kenny, looked Lulu in the eye, threw myself over his shoulders and into the moshpit.

Emo's out but who cares.

Chasing Tail-lights

2008-09-30T10:29:00.000-07:00

Met up with wax to get my birthday present-Radiohead's best-of collection. As we drove down the familiar bends behind NUS for our favourite duck rice, I fiddled with the camera in my hands. Tried to get a shot of the raindrops on the windscreen with light bouncing off from the tail-lights. This was as interesting a shot as I could get.

22

2008-09-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

sgcityscape
Originally uploaded by Kobacabana.

Saturday afternoon.
A few hours before work.
No spa weekend.
Twenty-two floors above
at a travel photo talk.
It made me yearn
for my blueberry moment,
y'know that movie
where Norah Jones left New York for Memphis
on a whim.
We left before it ended,
Faye and I.
While she's at the ladies
I soaked in this
magnificent cityscape
twenty-two floors below.
No this ain't New York,
but where's Memphis?

Addendum-sigh, Jake said my blueberry moment may never come. Foucaldian anopticons, systems, complacency... whatever. How strange to find an interesting colleague only to see him leave so soon.

Quips from the Crypt

2008-09-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

one would.
Originally uploaded by antimethod.

Today I attended my first ever editorial meeting. She looked sheepish as the chief editor fired off trenchant criticisms as she presented the articles in the upcoming issue. I've yet to write my first article, but I imagine how it would feel to have the chief read the first sentence of my first paragraph and remark sardonically:
"Hello? Run out of vocab ah?"

8th asian film symposium... what a great opening night

2008-09-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

As we sat on the posh leather lean-back seats in the picturehouse theatre, ah tan, jo, j-ho and i started gushing about the fabulous deal j-ho got for us tonight. for a mere twelve bucks, we were able to stand first in the buffet line for a delightful spread of local dishes that included very delicious curry chicken in the vip lobby, with second helpings to boot!

kiasu hounds we may be, we were not there solely for the pre-reception food. the main attraction of the event - opening night of the 8th asian film symposium organised by the substation - is the back-to-back lineup of two asian films, 'kawaii' and 'lovers on the road'.

both films fall somewhere in the seldom trodden reaches of the love genre. in 'kawaii', a japanese man and a taiwanese woman come togther for a transient relationship on a roadtrip to another town in taiwan. 'lovers on the road' continues the underlying theme of travel; a hongkong couple relocates in beijing in this long-drawn break-up movie in which separation is painfully inevitable. boy doesn't meet girl and live happily ever after. i'd prefer happy endings, but the whimsical travel scenes worked for me anyway.

it is a pity the theatre was not fully booked. it was an enjoyable sunday night of films. at least there wasn't a crowd jostling for the buffet.

check out the rest of the programmes at the substation website.

Soundtrack my life - under age's song

2008-09-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to this song on repeat on my way to work at my new job over the past few days. I have no idea what Kenji's singing in this uplifting song, an apt rhapsody that expresses how I feel about this new part of my life journey.

Peranakan culture is unique

2008-08-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

I wrote this for a test; rather than leave it in the abyss that is my junk, I'll let y'all read this brief intro to Peranakan culture.

Peranakan is a Malay term meaning locally born, and it was first used to distinguish the local-born Chinese from those born in China. When southern Chinese merchants first arrived in Southeast Asia from as early as the 14th century, little did they know that they would settle and develop a unique Peranakan culture in the region.

Over the course of their presence in Malacca, and later to the other British Straits Settlements in Penang and Singapore, the Peranakan Chinese adapted to the local environment in a way that did not result in a loss of identity, but enriched their Chinese heritage. This is keenly reflected in their language. Instead of the Chinese language, the Peranakans speak a Malay dialect peppered with Chinese Hokkien words.

Peranakan customs are also patently Chinese in both structure and spirit. For example, the Peranakan wedding is initiated by a matchmaker, who is reimbursed usually with the front leg of a pig, an angpow (red packet containing money) and a huge pair of red candles. The Peranakans even continued observing some aspects of the wedding and funeral that were so traditional the Chinese had forgone.

It is in the material culture and lifestyle of the Peranakans that show more of Hindu-Malay influence. The nonyas (women) wore kebaya, a type of blouse, over a batik sarong and adopted the Southeast Asian custom of chewing betal nut. Peranakan cuisine is hot and spicy, and takes many hours to prepare.

The beadwork and embroidery (see photo) practised by the nonyas is a particular aspect that distinguishes Peranakan culture. Traditionally, young nonyas spent most of their time at home learning domestic arts from their elders. Not surprisingly, this intricate craft became the measure by which the young nonya was judged to be suitable as a bridal candidate. Pieces made for the bridal trousseau provided an opportunity for showcasing the bride’s artistic talent through her work on display for the groom’s friends and relatives on the eve of the wedding.

Indeed, Peranakan culture speaks for many generations of Peranakan Chinese who adopted a hybrid of cultural elements and made it their own.

Image source: http://oceanskies79.blogspot.com/2008/05/nonya-beadwork-embroidery.html

References:

Peranakan Museum : A-Z guide (Singapore : Asian Civilisations Museum for the Peranakan Museum, 2008).

Peranakan heritage : National Museum of Singapore (Singapore : Friends of the National Museum, 1988).

And you coming back to me is against all odds...

2008-08-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

Dan said to me the other day, "What's so special about your blog? Posting youtube videos anyone can do!"

Yet she visits my blog. I'm flattered. :p

Lately there hasn't been anything that inspired me enough to write about. Not the Death Cab for Cutie concert. Not my enjoyable part-time work at the museum. Not my dreadful job hunt either. Not even the string of runs over the next few months - I imagine will be torturous - that I let Colin persuade me into joining.

If I haven't raved on about it already, the Chicago Public Radio show This American Life is da bomb! It has some of the best stories I've ever heard and not to mention, the soundtrack for the show is beautifully done, drawing ever so carefully from the world of music from classic to pop to punk in order to create the right moods for the stories. Phil Collin's Against All Odds is in the 'Breaking Up' episode, how apt!

Now there's something that got me a teeny wee bit inspired. It is a wet and grey Saturday morning, so I gave myself half an hour to try my hand at a little story myself. I only managed a paragraph and I doubt I'll finish it any time soon.

A few days back, a small package arrived from New York and sat on my desk. My father collects the mail everyday and leaves them in my room when I’m not around. Mostly bills and credit card promos and junk in general. Amid all the clutter the big black envelope immediately caught my attention. Then it struck me immediately why she asked for my address that day.

-----

It was at the unforgettable summer camp I met Cris. It did not take very long for us to get together…

Chinese retro pop night

2008-08-09T01:26:00.000-07:00

Over three thousand Chinese pop - Singapore xinyao pop to be exact - enthusiasts turned up for this huge outdoor singalong at the Creative Tech atrium last Saturday. My attendance was a serendipity. Faye gave me the ticket that belonged to her unlucky friend who was down with a bad stomach. I was the last candidate she considered handing over the ticket to.
"You're too young to like these songs. They're from a different era," she said.
She was wrong about the constitution of the audience; it cut across generations. The 40-plus uncle sitting beside me was, for that matter, singing hoarse his throat to the fare of xinyao songs, SBC serial drama theme songs and notably Liang Wenfu's songs.
So this is what a singalong is, I thought. A sea of karaoke aficionados singing along to a live band basically playing the minus-one track. Lyrics to the songs were even flashed on a giant screen for the clueless. Truly an eye-opener. I might have been swept over by nostalgia by some of the songs if not for some of the grating moments though. I wished the guest stars, who included Mavis Hee and that dude from DreamzFM, did more singing!
I guess the other History Boys (and JianHua) would have enjoyed the event way more than I do. They have already been singing some of those oldies during our K sessions.

thou shalt not kill sharks

2008-07-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

my sweet yap holidays #7
Originally uploaded by pats0n.

I must admit, sharks never strike me as beautiful or anything the conservationists claim; i don't want to be anywhere near them nor do they stir anything in me the way pandas do when they appear on tv. however, i see the necessity of conserving them for their important function as a potential keystone species, regulating the food web in the marine ecosystem. i doubt the government would risk the ire of the citizens and cripple a multi-million industry for the sake of a disappearing species, important as they may be for the good of the environment. what we can do is contribute to the growing awareness that we all risk dangerous environmental repercussions if we consume sharks to their extinction.
no, i'm not an ardent crusader for shark conservation; this is just a response to my friend's blog post.

?_? Ronald?

2008-07-13T02:21:00.000-07:00

This cacophonous video gives me the creeps. Ronald McDonald like you've never seen him before.

the velvet bridge

2008-07-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

the velvet bridge i was building to reach
you
came crumbling
down

but it's alright
there's more where it came from

About a girl

2008-06-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

Was at Partyworld KTV with the history boys a few weeks ago. It amused me to find Nirvana's About A Girl in the song list. It was even more amusing the backing track was some cheesy MIDI music and I couldn't listen to it, let alone shout along with it. Shout, because I can't sing for nuts.
Anyway, I haven't been drawing for some time. No points for figuring out who that girl is.

B&W-riverraft pt. 1

2008-06-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

B&W-riverraft pt. 1
Originally uploaded by Kobacabana.

Clearing my room of junk, I found a stack of old photos I developed in the darkroom years ago. Scanned and uploaded them on flickr. I haven't got anything to blog about lately, so I shall write about them over the next couple of days.

This one is taken during the singapore polytechnic river raft race 2000, which held a joint photo contest to jazz up the event. Back then, I was taking the SAFRA monochrome course and the photo was used for the contest and to fulfill my course requirements.

And the delicate little raft sets sail...

i've got a feeling

2008-06-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

For those who know me, Beck is easily one of my most favourite anime series. It's been a long while since I attended any gigs and seeing this anime music video (AMV) brings back nostalgic memories. This is a Beatles song and it's a great way to while away the time strumming on the guitar along with it.
Speaking of gigs, my friend Rocky will be going to the San Francisco Outside Lands music festival. (www.sfoutsidelands.com) That lucky guy! He even got to watch Iron Maiden's concert recently, and was raving about the pyrotechnics and giant devils. For now I'll just make do with youtube.

Elliott Smith - Needle in the Hay

2008-05-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

A beautiful sad song. Elliott Smith is an extremely talented singer-songwriter. I first heard his song on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack and ever since I've associated him with tragic folk ballads.

Anyway I got to know this song through Sad Kermit, who did a rather good cover of it:

wat i missed..

2008-05-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

The history boys came back from their Southeast Asian tour and I was shocked to hear that they did not catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Apparently there's a new pricing for viewing the sunrise that I didn't encounter when I was there. The Angkor Wat is replete with cosmological meaning and its builders intended for the sun to rise directly behind it. It was a pity I missed it too. I had everything arranged; the tutuk driver came to pick me up at 5am but alas, it was an overcast morning and I my stomach was troubling me, probably from overeating the night before, and I stayed in the hotel puking and passing diarrhoea that morning. :(

erm.. ayat ayat cinta..

2008-05-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

On what would otherwise be a dreary day of job interview, i went out for dinner and a movie with angela. she wasn't as quiet as she was the last time we went out and she still giggles like a schoolgirl which i found rather cute and she brightened my day. The sashimi at Akashi Paragon was delicious! It was soft and had a tinge of sweetness. Delicious. The restaurant is a little pricey though, but i didn't mind as i haven't been out in a long time. i didn't even know the link between citylink and suntec was complete until yesterday.

After dinner we went to catch the Indonesian movie, Ayat Ayat Cinta. Of course, it was the smart lass's choice; i had suggested Indy Jones. Her other choice was a movie called Angel, a polar opposite of Cinta. Angel is a movie set in Edwardian England, and is rated M18 with many sensuous scenes from what i see in the trailer. Cinta is about an Fahri, an Indonesian graduate student at the esteemed Al Azhar university in Cario, who's never had physical contact with a woman except his mother and relatives.

After the movie, angela remarked how 'powerful' and 'touching' the movie was, while i had question marks swarming in my head. At least we agreed on the parts where the corny music and the dramatic scenes felt so painfully artificial and cheesy. Probably I don't understand Islam culture at all, especially regarding its views on the issues of women and polygamy, which were dealt with in the movie. What baffles me is that the women in the movie actually wanted to marry that guy when he is already married to a woman he loves. I think the movie questions the existence of love in polygamy as well, but it conveniently kills off the second wife and leaves its audience with a 'happy' couple. It was a strange movie for me, albeit rather well-acclaimed and being a positive portrayal of Islam that has no terrorists in it.

Last day of school

2008-04-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

Finally got purged out of the education system: now for the exams. Gotta find a job soon. A career... Haven't been sleeping well over the past few weeks because of all the assignments. Mainly essays and presentations. It's a strange bittersweet feeling--having to start afresh outside just when I'm getting so comfortable at what I do.

So goodbye to all ye communists, revolutionaries, freedom fighters and imperialists!

Oh but the semester ended with a blast--kudos to Al's group for coming up with that talkshow idea. Chin Peng, the defeated defeated communist gets invited to JenSoWhat show and even has his own Sony Ericsson Chin Pink C6610i series! haha! That was masterful! Talk about a born-again capitalist!

HelliKobter!

2008-04-07T00:28:00.000-07:00

Am I bored or am I bored?

Driving to Zigzigland

2008-04-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

This film is hilarious!

caffeine!

2008-03-23T23:55:00.000-07:00

Isn't it ironic I'm struggling to finish my essay with an anti-narcotics bias but I just got high from taking in glue vapours from the renovation work going on in the library and I have in front of me a can of Red Bull and Nescafe to keep me awake. I should define drug abuse in my essay now...

Blown away!

2008-03-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Kuching

2008-03-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

Kuching still retains many of the buildings we have demolished over the past few decades, if you ask me.

lazy afternoon

2008-03-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

We went to another tribal longhouse village before we returned to Singapore. Although it is another tourist trap, the longhouse still retains some authenticity and the villagers’ lives are not obviously disrupted by tourism. The Ibans charge visitors some money which will go into the community fund for maintaining the longhouse and other services for the community. (My friend Claud complains about my laconic blog, but my tiny brain’s can’t remember much about what we did in Sarawak. My poor note-taking discipline doesn’t help either. :)
So anyway, the picture’s dedicated to my animal-loving friends. The little kitten was awakened from its lazy afternoon slumber by us crowding around them and was tried to see what was happening around it. But Mother Cat wouldn't let it go and pressed the kitten down to continue its sleep.

Another rambling post..

2008-03-06T05:34:00.000-08:00

The gardener kills the king and ascends the throne. The queen and a faction of officials pretend he is the king. Some concubines and officials disagree. Then a multi-limb statue becomes alive and kills the dissenters with its elbows. Gardener-king thinks he can remain king for a long time. Indra the deity tells a young man to go to palace to become next successor. Gardener finds out and says, ‘no one else will reign while I’m alive.’ The same statue comes alive and says, ‘you got that right!’ and kills the gardener.

This will bring a smile many years down the road. My lecturer, always peppering his lectures with colourful anecdotes, was making the point that good karma was the key for ancient Burmese kings.

Headhouses keep heads, of course!

2008-03-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Well the headhunting practice has stopped since the fifties or sixties, according to the Bidayu villagers. However, the villagers still hold annual rites to pay homage to the spirits in the headhouse that look over the village. I'm not sure if it's true, but they said some of the skulls belonged to the Japanese soldiers who invaded Borneo during WWII. Once considered as status symbols, the heads of enemies and rival tribes have now been replaced by Mercedes and high levels of education. Looks like we're all heading towards modernization now.

Bidayu headhouse

2008-03-01T05:51:00.000-08:00

What is the headhouse in the Bidayu village in Sarawak used for?
a) The headman of the village lives there.
b) It houses the heads hunted by the villagers.
c) It is the village hall.
Answer to be revealed soon...

Update

2008-02-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

To friends, if you want to know about my recent history field trip to Malacca, my classmate has a photojournal account of it at his blog, posted on Sun 17 Feb. I'm too busy and lazy to blog about it at the moment. :)

J- Don't want me for a sunbeam

2008-02-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from schoolwork.

The other day Rocky called from San Francisco to wish me a happy Chinese new year. It's no use envying him but I think it rocks to live in Schwarzenegger's state, even for a short while. On top of that, Rocky stays in an apartment with a skatepark within walking distance. No surprise--considering that's where skateboarding started. (go watch lords of dogtown starring the ill-fated Heath Ledger :( ) I imagine his snowboarding trips were fun too.

Rocky also waxed lyrical about his new Fender, amp, tuner, strings... for a little over a hundred bucks, which is unheard of here in Singapore. Not to mention also he went to the Foo Fighters concert! By a stroke of strange coincidence over one of our innumerable inane beer talk, Lulu and I voted the Foos as the band we most want to watch in Singapore. :(

That conversation with Rocky made me wish I'm in California too. Californiaaa~! I'm reminded also of Stephanie, the beautiful Asian-American girl from UC Berkeley in the aikido class, whom I daren't ask out. :( By association, the poor Issei (first generation Japanese) immigrants discriminated by the whites also come to mind. It's so easy to feel sorry for the marginalized when taking social history classes and feel myself on a higher moral ground, and I found it ironic when Rocky told me that whites are the minority in San Fran.

Hmm.. I feel lousy, and here's the remedy:

Nirvana - Aneurysm

Oh yeah, and the Yeah yeah yeahs rock!

Have you ever loved a woman...?

2008-02-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

High on Clapton's riffs

2008-01-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Tips for finding the largest/smallest fraction in a series.

Lately my tutee's father has been playing Eric Clapton's Live in Hyde Park DVD, and I got to admit, the music is intoxicating. Made me a bit high when I should be supervising the boy with a far more hyper imagination than mine.

It's true you learn the most when you teach, as the saying goes. I actually found a faster way to solve a question than I did as a kid.

Find the largest fraction: 4/5, 23/45, 9/10, 8/9.

What I'd do back then is to find a common denominator for all the fractions and then look for the obviously largest fraction. The problem is that it's so tedious I don't even want to attempt it here.

I should have done it the way computer programs do, compare the first two fractions for the larger one, which is then compared with the next fraction. The common denominator is easier to find for two fractions than for four at the same time. The thought process would go: 36/45 > 23/45; 8/10 < 9/10; 81/90 > 80/90; therefore the answer is 9/10.

I hope that was helpful for anyone helping primary five kids with maths. Now for the fun stuff--Eric Clapton!!

Don't miss Radiohead's Scotch Mist!

2008-01-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

Taken from Current TV's webpage,

This is Current Television's exclusive airing of Radiohead's "Scotch Mist." In this hour long private taping, Radiohead performs all of the tracks from its newest album, In Rainbows. Other elements include poetry readings and diverse imagery created or selected by the band.

I love the live versions of the album! There's an edge to more-rock-less-electronic performances in the film, with Thom Yorke's soulful singing the icing on the cake. This is definitely a must-watch for Radiohead fans. You can even upload video responses to Current TV's website at http://current.com/items/88803042_radiohead_s_scotch_mist
Get the Radiohead album In Rainbows at http://www.inrainbows.com/

Kobo gone Canto II

2008-01-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

I've always found LeeHom's attempts to make China and Chinese-ness fist-pumping, head-bopping cool a tad corny. He reminds me of those Chinese chauvinists who put on a Bruce Lee growl yelling "Yellow Power!" or those who favour the analogy of the egg yolk: Prick it and the yellow will cover the world.

Don't get me wrong; I have nothing against them Chinese chauvinists. Besides, at the rate China's growing, it won't be long before it stands on its own as a measure of greatness. But to borrow my prof's favourite phrase, "East is East, West is West. Never the twine shall meet."

I mean, something like Chinese opera is an acquired taste, and as a kid, I hated it when my mom dragged me along to watch it. (I heard these days aunties chase idols like Korean idol Rain. In a way, I guess I was fortunate.)

Nonetheless, though i doubt nubile dancers, MTV nor R&B will change my taste in Chinese opera, i find myself liking these yo! ho! gungho! hua-ren rocks! LeeHOm songs in spite of myself. :p

盖世英雄

-----
龍的傳人

-----
花田错

Kobo gone Canto

2008-01-02T16:39:00.000-08:00

Saw this on my homepage. I agree but I can't find that one thing:

The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.
- Horace Walpole

But this one in a Harvard Design Magazine article recommending tips for architecture students facing the jury just blows me away:

#37: Pull out a Pez dispenser and offer the critic, saying "Pez?" When you pull the head back to eject the Pez, giggle.
Then become enraptured by the device and keep spitting Pez out until they're all gone.
Then cry.

The latest song I'm hooked on is sung by Wang Lee Hom and Selina. I guess i have a tender spot for pop duets, eg. postal service's nothing better and jay+jolin's 手牵手song. Well I know what song to bug Jhua with next time.

Canon Rock

2007-12-29T00:16:00.000-08:00

This guy is unbelievably good!

Merry Xmas!

2007-12-28T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is a few days late but I wish whoever reads this a merry Christmas and a happy new year! This watercolour is for a friend who loves Olivia the pig and I reckoned painting her a picture of it is cheaper than buying the book! :P

Far away from home

2007-12-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

From the university campus to the construction sites, a new generation of Chinese immigrants is becoming a regular sight in Singapore. We are on our way to hitting a population of six million and I wonder how this little city will look like in a few years. I hope all this pervading din and inconvenience from the neverending (re)construction will be worth it.

utterubbish

2007-12-11T22:17:00.000-08:00

Pri 5 maths question

2007-12-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

I got stumped again this afternoon. Underestimated the primary 5 standard, plussing and minus-ing and couldn't solve this easy question:(

Find the product of X and Y in the following number pattern.

1, 8, X, 64, Y, 216...

霍元甲 (Huo Yuan Jia)

2007-12-09T06:35:00.000-08:00

I just watched Jet Li's 霍元甲/Fearless, supposedly his last martial arts movie. I had been tempted to watch it since the KBox session with the history boys the other day. Both Ah Ben's rendition of Jay's song and the action in the music video impressed me lots.

Anyway, I loved the movie. It has the usual kungfu message--"thou shalt not fight unnecessarily, ye kungfu kid," but this is the first time Jet Li is playing the antihero since my childhood days of seeing him in that righteous pigtail. So it's a little disturbing, at least until after his redemption.

Set in the late Qing period, the movie plays up the Chinese cultural pride as Li's earlier Wong Fei Hong films, albeit in a less chauvinistic, anti-imperial tone. Probably as a response to the tense East Asian relations, the central theme is friendship and harmony. Huo Yuan Jia beats the American boxer but does not kill him; and the boxer declares Huo victorious. Huo perishes in the hands of the wicked Japanese businessman, but fights a final honourable duel with the Japanese warrior.

Some snotty professor said this is what history should be really about... My classmate can write a good paper on Chinese civil society through a study of Huo Yuan Jia's Pure Martial Arts Association (精武体育会) that really existed and historians can dismiss the movie as fiction, but ultimately this excellent movie uses the past to advocate a peaceful present. Oh, and the action and Matrix effects raawwkz too!! =)