happy halloween first and foremost. to the thousands of devils and evil spirits, enjoy while you can and where you can roam. whahahahah. but i wasn't in the mood to celebrate. guess i am really out of this age. perhaps it's not the age..

a couple of days ago, a friend asked, what's worse than lonely? i shrugged my shoulders.

" Dunno leh.. but i let know if i got the answer."

i wasn't sure if i were to feel this way. but it killed the jumping beans in me. loneliness. something which many feared. i never feared that nor awared of its existence. but yesterday, it came visiting me and i was taken back on how much it hit me. to an extent, i am awared i am missing someone; yet with so much of interruptions interfering.

i guess the saturation point of loneliness is when you can't be with someone at a period yet being together. the frequency of thoughts about that person increase whenever you saw something/ some place that will reminds you of that person. the depression sets in when you have something joyous to share and she's/ he's not there.

Every endless night has a dawning day.
Every darkest sky has a shining ray.
And it shines on you baby, can't you see..
You're the only one who can shine for me.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

- 2 0 4 6 -





Category: Drama
Duration: 127 minutes.

2046's story picks up right by the end of In The Mood For Love: after Su Lizhen (Maggie Cheung) leaves, Zhou Muyun (Leung Chiu-Wai) becomes a very lonely writer. He meets a prostitute (Zhang Ziyi) and spends a night with her at room 2046, the very same room he had an affair with Su Lizhen. Then he starts writing a novel called 2046, in which he reunites with Su Lizhen. Chang Chen and Lau Kar-Ling play a couple of lovers; Wong Yaye and Kimura Takuya plays a pair of robot lovers. They are all characters in the book, and they are all from the future. It is sort of a sequel to In the Mood For Love.

think some of clips are censored. DAMN!! kinda draggy towards the end. but it's good. Catch the fantasy film by Wong Kar Wai if you appreciate his art.

i wished i own one of such camera. candid shots. real shots. those shots that tells bush( pronounce bullshit in 0.1 seconds) or carry thingy whether they are crap or wayang( army context for acting). and you never know when somebody take a picture of you digging nose like above. our president of the sleeping giant is pretty exhausted from managing 1 Billion and more people. then again, it's only human to do such things. who don't fart in the public.

the shots remind me of times at TP during orientation period. when i was pretty bored in the auditorium control room, i will scrolled and sniped at people who's stretching their neck muscles with their eyes closed, mouth half/wide opened; self-indulge in fingering with their nose for pleasure or reading a book in extreme dim lightings. let me tell you, the fun and thrill comes when they see( if they are awake) themeselves on the projector screen. wahahha *evil laugh*

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
another friday column of Mr Brown - iPod, uPod, lah ... iCool, u ... well ...

JUST when you thought you have joined the ranks of white iPod coolness, Apple decides to make black the new white.

Witness the U2 Special Edition iPod, in black. Suddenly, my white iPod doesn't look as cool anymore. And iPod accessory makers everywhere are tripping over themselves to make black iPod accessories.

Like screaming girls in a shoe shop sale, we geeks gathered around the computer screen of one of our own, "Ah Beng", as he ordered the black digital music player without blinking an eyelid, his renovation budget be damned. Mission one: U2 iPod ordered. Mission two: Figure out how to tell the wife-to-be that the walk-in shoe cabinet will have to wait till the next bite of the HDB cherry.

Marketing genius, I tell you. People don't shell out the bucks because they want an extra gigabyte or two, or they want an FM radio thrown in. People buy what looks appealing and what makes them look appealing. You can't wear an extra gigabyte, but you can show off white headphones.

I think Apple should go the whole hog with this. Let's see a PAP Special Edition iPod. If the Men in White can party at Zouk, they can have an iPod named after them. It will be white, of course, and the lightning logo will go nicely over the iPod's round jog wheel. You can have the PM Special Edition, SM Special Edition, and the MM Special Edition, all autographed by the relevant minister.

Included in the package would be mp3s of all that minister's speeches, for your leisurely listening. Cool, right? However, I don't think Singaporeans can ever be totally cool, even carrying an iPod, if we never learn to dress appropriately.

What's up with the shorts and slippers every where we go?

Sure, the weather here is hot as heck, but surely there's a place for shorts and a place for long pants? I don't care if you are the whatever vice-president of whatever leading company that designs and manufactures whatever high-tech products. Dress right to be treated right.

Some guy wrote in to the paper not long ago to complain about how some restaurant at Ritz-Carlton Millenia hotel made his friend, a vice-president of some big company who wears shorts every where, put on some baggy long pants provided by the hotel, because that restaurant has a dress code.

And it became some kind of anti-colonialism letter because later, other ang mohs who wore shorts were not turned away or made to wear restaurant--provided pants (apparently, the restaurant ran out of stylo long pants, they only had four).

Come on, lah. First of all, why you have to write in for your friend? Your vice-president friend cannot write in himself, issit? And if he is so accomplished, surely he knows that the clothes maketh the man. Your vice-president friend doesn't wear shorts to work or to meet clients, does he? Of course not, because his staff and his clients will think he is an unprofessional slob.

So, now it's okay to be an unprofessional slob outside of work?

The only thing the hotel seems to be guilty of is not having enough long pants (four is hardly enough for ultra-casual Singaporeans). So please go and buy some more, and maybe in a few more colours and styles. Get some formal leopard print ones too, I heard those are "in".

I have seen Singaporeans wear shorts and sandals to church (my God is very casual one, He won't mind) and other places of worship. I have seen them go to high-end theatre events without even a tie..I have seen jeans (Singaporean's definition of "smart-casual") at weddings and gala dinners too. Why dress up? I am not the groom or the bride, what!

Maybe we should just make shorts the national dress. Next National Day, everyone could show up in T-shirts, shorts and sandals, because it can get really hot on National Day Parades. Our leaders can sit in the VIP stands, casually dressed, listening to their PAP Special Edition iPods.

Speaking of gadgets and computers, I understand that there is help on the way for SMEs to buy original software at discounted prices soon. This is to help lessen the impact of the upcoming tougher copyright law.

Wow, how exciting. Imagine that, SMEs can now stop using their pasar malam copies of Microsoft Office, and buy a second original copy for the office of 10 people. No more sharing one original copy with 10 people. With the discount plan, SMEs can now share TWO original copies with 10 people.

Right now, my colleague, Ah Beng, is laughing with glee, squealing like a little girl, and gloating to all of us that his credit card has been deducted for the black U2 iPod he has ordered. I have never seen a person so happy that Apple has taken a bite from his wallet. The rest of us are staring at our computers, fingers quivering over the keyboard, wondering whether to order it online too. And wondering what excuse we can give our wives.

I would love to buy the new toy, but there is the baby milk powder to think about. Oh, why oh why, didn't I ask the wife to breast-feed all the way?

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He is very happy that Singapore has beaten Iraq and Pakistan in the recent Third Annual World Press Freedom Index conducted by Reporters Without Borders.

A little bit more and we could have beaten Bhutan.

Category: Drama (ADULT Content)
Duration: 2 hrs. 10 min.

Recommended by Dickson. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci; written by Gilbert Adair, inspired by his novel "The Holy Innocents".An American college student, Matthew (Pitt), pursuing his education abroad in Paris in 1968 becomes friends with a French brother, Guillaume (Garrel), and sister, Danielle (Green), through a shared love of the cinema, while the May, 1968 Paris student riots (which eventually shut down most of the French government) are happening in the background.

It's political uprising, the glory of French cinema, and misconstrued sexual movie. some arty farty film. some might see it as porn. A whirl of sensuality, youth and rebellion set in Paris during the riots of 1968, ablaze with poetry and danger, and suffused with an odd kind of intellectual kitsch. seriously, you need to tweet your head before you can get the story. watch it if you are really into art. qoute "irreversible" otherwise you might just watch porn.

i am chilling now at vicky's place. With nigel and dickson. yesh i getting the wireless cheap thrill of getting online. of course chat online and in the restroom. so those who i've chat last nite. DO YOU SMELL?!??!?!? we are watching this gangster cum police movie" Long Zai Jiang Hu with Andy Lau as the gangster and Louis koo in it. there was this scene where the superintendent is talking to the undercover in the toilet. wahahah. all the confidential stuffs was echoed in the toilet. think they were screaming too.

and seriously, if you were at HK that time and just sell knives. i think you will earn big bucks. all gangsters waved knives when there's a fight. *w a h a h a h a h a h a* what happen to the guns?? thought the secret societies earn millions of dollars???

unlike the infernal affairs shown in the movies recently. the police only talked to the undercover on rooftop, morse code, and bla bla bla... so gangsters and police nowadays morphed to be more creative and techy.

Last night was a weird session at Balaclava. the whole time there was like speedating. Met up with nigel and dickson, raymond (nigel's fren); and 2 frens who sat there and complained my butt is too near her face or we talked with our saliva. duh~ can't help it when both of them were sitting down. Met Sam( who i kept thinking he was another alex), his gf( oh dear, what's her name), kelvin, kelvin's gf chelsea. and they left for zouk.

came another group who shared seat with us and emerged a crazy drinking game. i thought we were just to chill. vicky and gerry came and too joined in the crazy drink game. but in the end when they left, i only remembered geradine, one of carol's old fren. HAH!! singapore is indeed smaller than i thought.

Then came another group. gerry brought her frens over to share the seats. met jennifer, fang fang...errr renny...err.. gregory... and.. and who else...seriously i can't remember their names. i have to admit i am half-gone. but that wasn't the case. i can't remember names just by talking to them for a few seconds. i have no photography memory. wahahaha.

At least i know something. Speed dating company will never have my name in their membership.

Look at the picture above. in case you can't make it out what it is. i tellya. it's the driving license in IRAQ. i was wondering which lady is behind those curtains. and a brillant idea to observe their customs and taking photos. you never know who is behind the wheels and sped the highway across Baghdad. wait! is there highway in IRAQ?

at least those guys there in IRAQ can't fake a driving license that easily. *laughs*

Take the quiz: "What does your birth month reveal about you?"

July
Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood.Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets.Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying

i am fun to be with. ( ooh baby just wanna have fun~)

i am secretive. (hmmmm.. Mr Mysterious)
i am difficult to fathom and to be understood. (hmmmm.. too profound)
i am quiet unless excited or tensed. (what happens when i am excited?)
i am takes pride in myself. ( i am !!)
i am honest. ( of course )
i am concerned about people's feelings. (hmmmm..)
i am tactful. ( of course )
i am friendly. ( errr.. think so)
i am approachable. ( that's friendly too...)
i am emotional temperamental and unpredictable. ( wahahahah)
i am moody and easily hurt. ( mood swing everywhere...my heart is make of glass)
i am witty and sparkly. ( keke.. witty)
i am not revengeful. ( i am forgiving but never forgets, the most i'll hand pig's head at your doorstep)
i am sensitive and forms impressions carefully. (S.N.A.G??)
i am caring and loving. (but my heart is made of glass..??)
i am treats others equally. ( justice is my middle name, you heard it)
i am strong sense of sympathy. ( but my heart is made of glass...??? glass??)
i am wary and sharp. (Sharp..? *ouch*)
i am judges people through observations. ( told you my middle name is justice)
i am hardworking. ( definitely )
i have no difficulties in studying. ( i was born smart)


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
another friday column of Mr Brown - Poetry with swear words

When bad rap happens to good folk ... and kids, downloading illegal music is very bad


ONE of the problems with listening to MP3 music that your friends, er, "lend you to try", is that occasionally, some songs that come out of your iPod are, let's just say, not to your taste. Please note that I am not advocating music piracy or downloading illegal files, because that could result in a six-month jail term and heavy fines under a new proposed law. Plus, I hear that they are considering additional penalties of making you listen to the "Sars Rap" non-stop.

My friend only lent me a few songs to listen to, songs which I had every intention of returning to him right after I sampled them, to see if I like the music enough to buy the album. So, remember, kiddies, downloading illegal music is bad. If you do not listen to Uncle brown, we will be forced to put stickers of diseased lungs and exploding brains on new computers to deter you. Sermon over.

As I listened to my iPod in the car, my wife was listening right along with me as I drove us to work. The song in question started innocently enough, with a nice beat and the female singer going:

All you ladies pop that thing like this

Shake your body don't stop don't quit.

Before you could say, "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics", said singer was telling her listeners (me and my missus, in this case) how to "lick it" (again and again). I almost drove my car into a tree. My wife looked at me with a very disapproving look on her face and said: "Why you listen to this kind of song one?"

"Sorry lah, dear. I didn't know what kind of song it was when I transferred the song from my computer. This is my first time listening to it, too," I said, quickly hitting the Forward button, and the iPod helpfully played another song, this time by male rapper Nelly, which starts with: Drop down and get your eagle on, girl (flap your wings)

This earned me another stern rebuke. Even with the limited knowledge she had of rap music, the missus knew that Nelly was not rapping about the endangered American Bald Eagle. Later, I found out that the song that got me in trouble was called My Neck My Back, rapped by Khia. You cannot blame me for not spotting that one. I mean, I thought the song was about poor posture!

And the version I had on my player was already the "clean" version. I shudder to think what the explicit version sounds like. I must say that the singer was a cunning linguist. I am sure there are people out there reacting to this news in one of two ways:

Either you are now picking up a pen to write an angry letter to your MP and the newspaper forum page, about how evil music is eroding our Confucian values.

Or you are saying to yourself: "Please lah, brown, you such a prude one. This song so old already. Nowadays they are singing about their sexual relationships with farm animals liao!"

All this puts me in a dilemma. I like rap music, I like the beats and the clever sampling. The rhyming is, at its best, poetry. I confess I am a Lau Yankee (Old man trying to be hip). In fact, my little girl likes rap music, too. She seems to respond in a positive way to the rhythms and the music videos (I once saw her stand in front of the TV transfixed by a Beastie Boys music video). Something about the beat and the rapping tickles her autistic sensory system.

But why does all the rap music I like have to be about "hos" (derogatory term for a promiscuous woman) and drippin' and lickin'? Maybe they can rap about other things, wholesome stuff like fighting Sars or doing well for your PSLE exams, or paying your taxes on time.

Ok, maybe not. (Can't stop thinking of noooooo … "Sars is a virus, I really want to minus ")

Wah lau eh, rap music's obsession with swearing and sex can be a bit much lah. However, please don't start asking for more censorship. There is such a thing as the "Off" button and parents should manage their kids' media consumption themselves, rather than whining about why the Government is allowing all manner of evil to enter our fair land. On the topic of fair lands, some of you may know I just returned from a lovely holiday in Melbourne. It is always an eye-opener when we frogs leave the well that is Singapore and see how other cultures and countries do things differently.

For instance, we saw many public toilets with syringe disposal units. I am told that it is for diabetics. I am also told it is for the drug addicts. I understand now why they keep reminding passengers coming into Singapore, about the severe penalties for drug possession here.

Some drug addict may approach a Singapore cop to ask where the toilets with the syringe disposal boxes are, only to be introduced to the Uniquely Singapore Rope.

Also, their toilets are way cleaner than ours. We will lose to them in International Toilet Competitions. I also noticed that on the roads, right of way belongs to the trams, the cows, the kangaroos and other assorted animals. Cars have very few rights.

Not like Singapore, where the car is King ("I paid a princely sum for my car, so I am going to drive it like a King The King of Jerks").

"Give way to Livestock" is something you see a lot Down Under. I wonder if the cows come with ERP units to deduct toll charges should they walk on tolled highways. And if they do, do they pay in milk? Oh, in case you are wondering, they also have Australian Ah Bengs in their Ah Beng sports cars, too, blasting rap music about "hos", drippin' and lickin'. But they just don't squat as much as Singapore Bengs do.

Which reminds me, I need to return my friend the dirty MP3 songs he lent me. Don't steal music, kids.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He wants his readers to know that they can read this column online, too, at the Today website. No need to register at all.

thanks Bee Q aka wen lie for the today's ride to Joo Koon Circle. Study hard lah. and good luck for your exam.

Today is just another day of long discussion. and yesh Simon, if you are reading this. i am sitting on the same boat as you. work work and work and work..... *rock the boat baby rock the boat~*. Welcome to the corporate ladder....i mean corporate boat and cruise to retirement with cloudy balloons of bags of cash in the future..

I was meeting this cilent at Joo Koon Circle today. if you type Joo Koon circle in street directory online; it's located somewhere after SAFTI, after NTU. yesh, one of the super ulu( malay context for secluded) area in singapore. you will never touch these places if you have no business there. But then again, it wasn't that far compared to Ian's place in singy. Remb the horrid walk out from his place.

After the sales call with the cilent was the time that i stared hard and wide opened to the skies.. how the hell am i going to get out of here?!?!?!? the bus-stop? oh you mean there is one? i can't see leh * after walking for a while*

i was getting abit pissed and decided to call a cab when a lorry stopped beside me.

" you wanna hitch a ride out, young man??? "

xiaoqiang smiled, " yeah, thanks a million ".

i didn't know holding a cell phone in your hand can hitch a ride. this lady waskind enough to drop me at the road. she was even kinder to drive me to raffles place 'cos she was going there too. * awww~* where can you find such kinded-soul nowadays????

xiaoqiang looking at the lorry , " hey, you drove for this company? to deliver goods?"

" yeah, sometimes."

"sometimes?"

"yeah, i got to go, can't stay here for long. here's my namecard."

xiaoqiang looking at the namecard," Bye, and thanks for the ride."

?!?!?! CEO !?!?!?

The Painting
Over 2,000 years ago a young Greek artist named Timanthes studied under a respected tutor. After several years the teacher's efforts seemed to have paid off when Timanthes painted an exquisite work of art. Unfortunately, he became so enraptured with the painting that he spent days gazing at it.

One morning when he arrived to admire his work, he was shocked to find it blotted out with paint. Angry, Timanthes ran to his teacher, who admitted he had destroyed the painting. "I did it for your own good. That painting was retarding your progress. Start again and see if you can do better."

Timanthes took his teacher's advice and produced Sacrifice of Iphigenia, which is regarded as one of the finest paintings of antiquity.


In Myths and Stories of the Trojan War
One of the more unpleasant stories about Agamemnon was that when he had gathered the ships of all the Greek armies at Aulis, ready to sail for Troy, unfavorable winds kept the fleet from departing. Agamemnon had offended the goddess Artemis, and he was told that he could placate the goddess and get favorable winds only if he sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia. Some variants of the story say he did; some say he didn't. Some say that although he offered Iphigenia as a sacrifice, Artemis took pity and substituted a deer for the girl. Artemis took Iphigenia to Tauris, where she became a priestess. Euripides, a classical Greek playwright, wrote two Iphigenia plays, one about her sacrifice at Aulis, and another about her years in Tauris.

In seventeenth century France, Racine retold the story of Iphigenia at Aulis, modifying the ancient Greek story with neoclassical French sensibility. The Greek army is gathered at Aulis, the winds are unfavorable, Agamemnon is told to sacrifice his daughter. He waffles, saying he will, saying he won't. Ulysses pressures him into doing it, because the army would rebel if he did not. Agamemnon sends a letter to his wife, Clytemnestra, asking her to send Iphigenia to Aulis, where he will marry her to Achilles (who knows nothing of this). Then Agamemnon tries to send another letter, telling them not to come, but it is too late.

Iphigenia arrives and finds out what is in store for her. She is an amazingly dutiful daughter, and is willing to die for her father and the Greek cause. She is taken to be sacrificed, but at the end a messenger comes, saying that she had disappeared from the altar, and been replaced by a deer.

...the picture to which all our accounts refer is the grief exhibited in varying degrees by the bystanders. The countenance of Calchas was sorrowful; that of Ulysses still more so; that of Menelaus displayed an intensity of distress which the painter could not outdo; Agamemnon, therefore, was represented with his face covered by his mantle, his attitude alone suggesting the father's poignant anguish. The description is interesting as illustrating the attention paid in this period to the expression of emotion. Timanthes was in spirit akin to Scopas. There is a Pompeian wall- painting of the sacrifice of Iphigenia, which represents Agamemnon with veiled head and which may be regarded, in that particular at least, as a remote echo of Timanthes's famous picture. F.B. Tarbell A History of Greek Art.

the painting above is The Sacrifice of Iphigenia, a 1st Century AD Roman copy of a 4th Century BC painting by Timanthes, discovered at Pompeii, and now in the Museum at Naples. Timanthes of Cythnus or Sicyon, a Greek painter of the 4th century BC. Like all other painters none of his works survived. Cicero (Brutus, xviii.70) listed him among the painters who used a four-colour palette. Timanthes defeated with The Sacrifice of Iphigenia Kolotes of Teos in a competition.

He also defeated Parrhasios in a competition on Samos (Pliny, XXXV.64, 71, 73–4). Parrhasios painting showed Ajax, who according to a story in the Aethiopis and Little Iliad was defeated by Odysseus in the competition for the arms of Achilles. When Timanthes obtained the first prize Parrhasios said that Ajax has suffered a second indignity.

interesting hor??

i knew i was supposed to mention this yesterday. but it just slipped off my mind. you see, i was on my way to Orchard Mrt after a fruitful trip at Kinokuniya.

As i entered the station, a girl just came up from the escalator stopped me. then she went, she is from Johor. She can't find work. Her mum on danlysis. no money to buy food. Gave a $10 dollar note.*damn, would have given her $2 dollar note if i have one* NO. she is not super pretty, or revealing anything. i can't comment on my actions either.

She followed me down to the control station. kept thanking me and said she will return me the money. i rejected. nah. i don't think we will ever meet again.

till now that that i am typing this incident out. i still can't comment/ figure my actions. it's even harder for the flag girl to get 20 cents from me, let alone $10. i only know that a coin has both sides. head and tail. reality bites real hard on one when logics acts on her. but if she chose to con hearted souls * pointing to xiaoqiang*, that's it.

who would resort to lower themselves to beg from strangers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i was searching some medical terms online and found some interesting facts about it. most sites link the dianogsis to babies. my friend, if you are reading this. i'm not sure if you should laugh about it. but still something to take note of. STRESS and Avoid milk products.

got from PAGEWISE:

It's estimated that 15 to 20 percent of all babies will exhibit signs of colic. In some ways, colic is a medical mystery. It appears to be digestion-related and tends to worsen in the evening hours. Though babies suffering from this malady will cry, scream, kick, and appear totally miserable, they are generally healthy from every other standpoint. There is usually no fever, diarrhea, weight loss or other measurable symptoms. During crying spells, the baby is usually inconsolable. Colic usually peaks at the age of six weeks and has usually resolved itself by three months.


There are several theories as to causes of colic.

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES. Since babies grow and develop rapidly in the months after birth, it's possible that bodily functions are not quite refined yet. The processes of digestion and peristalsis (the movement of food through the intestines) may simply be "out of whack." This is supported by the fact that most babies outgrow colic rather quickly.


EMOTIONAL STRESS. Stress has long been known to have an adverse effect on the digestive process. There are studies that show that first-born infants are more likely to be colicky than subsequent siblings, suggesting that the anxieties of a new mother are transferred to the baby. It does seem to be true that confident mothers are less likely to have colicky babies.


DIFFERENCES IN TEMPERAMENT. Just like adults, babies have very different temperaments and physical make-ups. Some babies that appear to have colic may simply be naturally more fussy than other babies. Others may be suffering from acid reflux (heartburn), which can result in colic.


DIET. Colicky babies do seem to digest lactose (milk sugars) more poorly than other infants. However, studies show that there is no statistical difference in the chance of developing colic between breast-fed babies and formula-fed babies. Yet there may still be a link to fussiness ¡V breast-fed babies tend to be hungry again sooner after a feeding, as their stomachs empty more quickly. With some babies, an iron-fortified formula seems to reduce the symptoms of colic. There is always the possibility of food allergies as well.


One of the most commonly used medications to treat colic is Mylicon, an over-the-counter pharmaceutical that prevents gas formation. Use this only on the advice of your pediatrician however. Sedatives and antihistamines (like Benadryl) at one time were commonly used to reduce crying, but are out-dated approaches to colic and should never be used.


Perhaps the safest of the colic remedies is the herbal approach. Chamomile has long been used around the world to settle stomachs. Other herbal remedies include ginger, catnip, and peppermint. Up to four ounces a day of herbal tea can safely be administered to infants. More than this may result in inadequate nutrition, if the baby refuses formula because his tummy has been filled by the tea.


The most holistic approach to treating colic is the lifestyle approach. Certain behaviors do tend to help prevent colic attacks. Try the following:

- Carry your baby with you during the day. Some studies have shown that babies who are carried at least three hours a day are less colicky. Other studies refute this opinion, but it is impossible to spoil an infant of under four months with too much attention.

- Respond to your baby's cries quickly. Letting an infant "cry it out" is not effective in the long run and leads to more crying.

- Don't smoke. Second hand smoke does seem to be a risk factor for colic and other early disorders (such as ear infections, colds, etc.)

- Relax. Babies pick up on your tensions and internalize them.

- Be patient. All babies outgrow colic. Remember, this too shall pass. Don't let your frustrations cause you to lash out at a defenseless infant.

- Avoid milk products. This means using a lactose-free formula, or having the mother avoid ingesting lactose if she is breast feeding her baby.

- Try more frequent burping. Colic may be related to gas. Try stopping a feeding every few minutes for burping.

- Feed more often. Babies who ingest less food more often have smoother digestive processes.

currently playing Ian Brown - F.E.A.R

came across this article. just how many of you believe in rebirth? What is truly worth living for? If you believe in rebirth, you can have countless more lives to go. But since each will expire... then what is truly worth dying for?

From The Daily Enlightenment

' '.......It's been a few months since I moved in a highrise apartment. One of the reasons I bought it was for its terrific open paranomic view. From its windows, I could see the city skyline up to the sea. Waking up unwillingly for work this morning, I was washing up half-heartedly in the bathroom when I caught a glimpse of the scenery out there. For a moment, I was pleasantly surprised. I had clean forgotten about the magnificent view for about a week. Not that I had gotten sick of it, but I had begun to take it for granted. It had become an insignificant backdrop of daily life... having become a flat and lifeless piece of wallpaper instead of being what it really was - a dynamic three-dimensional world with a life of its own.

This happens when we get lost in our relatively unremarkable routines of life, forgetting the great scheme of things. When we lose mindfulness of our blessings and our larger purpose, we get ourselves stuck in the muck and mire of mundanity. When we forget the real reason we are living for, the worldliness of life becomes quicksand that sucks you into a spiritual vacuum. When that happens, we live less and less; we merely stay alive.

When we micro-manage and over-plan our life's mundane details, we become "penny wise and pound foolish", risking becoming blind to our spiritual life. See the big picture at your spiritual window! Deeply breath in the breath-taking view of boundless potential. Know where you are and where you are going! Don't get mindlessly caught up in the mechanical "rituals" of work, play and other whatnots. I'm going to brush my teeth while looking out of the window everyday to remind me of this. I'm going to greet the world and let it greet me. I'm not going to fret that it's just another day, but remember that the promise of a new day comes from living it well with appreciation and mindfulness.

What is the big picture? We are all here only for a short while. What is truly worth living for? If you don't believe in rebirth, this is it. Is it good enough for you? If you believe in rebirth, you can have countless more lives to go. But since each will expire... What is truly worth dying for? It is tempting to simply call it quits. But rebirth will only lead us back full circle. What you don't learn well of you will suffer of, time and again. Same old, same old. Thus what is truly worth doing is to understand the nature of life and death, so as to be able to live well and die well, and transcend life and death altogether in spiritual liberation. And this meaningfulness of life can be mutliplied infinitely when we help others realise the same......... ' '


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another weekly column of Mr Brown - Roughing it Down Under

Life moves more slowly in Australia or maybe it's just this 56k modem

YOU will not believe it, but I am writing this on a coin-operated Internet terminal in Victoria, Australia. I am in a backpacker's hostel, writing in the middle of the night, because it was the only place I could find with Internet access at this hour.

I am on vacation with my wife and we are having a great time exploring the Great Ocean Road near Melbourne. It's just that I never thought I'd be writing my column on a terminal that looks like an arcade machine with a keyboard and a trackball bolted onto a stainless steel top.

When I inserted the $2 coin, the terminal proceeded to dial out. Yes, it is using an old--school 56k (or less) modem — when I heard those modem squeals and whistles, I thought I had entered a time warp. I am speaking like a typical Singaporean, of course. Always comparing things overseas with what we have back home.

As you may have guessed, I have no idea what is going on at home. I have not looked at a Singapore newspaper or news site for almost a week. So, if we had another blackout, or a new government committee has been created, or another country has called us a booger, I am unable to comment.

All we get here on Australian TV is Australian news. I must say I am appalled. Back home, our news channels carry at least a bit of news on Australia. The least they could do is offer some Singapore news, right? At the moment, all I know is that Australia's ruling party won in a big way and the opposition was thrashed. Wait a minute, that sounds a bit like the political situation at home.

We've noticed that outside of Melbourne, most of the buildings are low-rise. I mean, coming from Singapore, where almost every building is tall, it was a culture shock.

We drove for kilometres without seeing a single HDB high-rise. People here seem to enjoy living close to the ground. It seems a waste of vertical space, if you ask me.

I have to say, though, cars are really cheap here. We've spent many evenings watching Australian TV (because the shops generally close at 5pm — another alien concept to Singaporean shoppers) and have seen a lot of car commercials. Many of the cars here cost less than a COE back home!

Another thing we have explored in Australia is the food. I have so far seen durian gelato ice cream, bak cho mee (minced pork noodles) and "Singapore fried noodles". I was glad to find Singaporean fare here, but what on earth are Singapore fried noodles? It seems to be a dish that Singaporeans can only get if they travel overseas.

One thing you need time to get used to here is the crazy weather. One moment it is cold and windy, with a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. The next it is 32 degrees in the shade.

Coming from Singapore, where the weather is uniformly hot, adjusting to the weather changes has been a challenge.

I am surprised the government here doesn't do something about it.

If the Singapore government had to deal with such wildly changing weather, it would come up with some kind of law, a committee and maybe a campaign to look into how to create consistent weather.

I have to say, though, that Australians know how to take care of their elderly and disabled people. Many of the attractions we visited had disabled access and even buggies for wheeling old folks around. Have you ever seen a buggy service for old folks at a Singapore attraction?

The Singapore approach seems to be: "You die your business" (to quote an old Cantonese saying). And if you are too old to walk to the nature attraction, maybe you should be at home watching TV instead of inconveniencing us able-bodied folk.

I have to go now; my Internet time is almost up and I'm out of coins. I promise that next week, I will make fun of local things again. Thinking of home, I really miss my kids and my laptop.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He will never complain about his computer again.

I'm sure many of you watched the recent taping of the Oprah Winfrey show where her guest was Tommy Hilfiger. On the show, she asked him if the statements about race he was accused of saying were true. Statements like: quote - "If I'd known African-Americans, Hispanics, Jewish and Asians would buy my clothes, I WOULD NOT have made them so nice. I wish these people would NOT buy my clothes, as they are made for upper class white people". - unquote;

His answer to Oprah was a simple quote-"YES" unquote;. Where after she immediately asked him to leave her show. Suggestion?

If we are small, then send it to the whole community that's not white people and see the result. We have to see the result of unity. Let's find out if Asian and Non-white really play such a small part in the world. Stop buying any range of their product, perfume, cosmetics, clothes, bags, etc. etc.

Scene took place on a BA flight between Johannesburg and London. A white Woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess.

"Madam, what is the matter," the hostess asked.

"You obviously do not see then? she responded.

" You placed me next to a black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat."

"Be calm please", the hostess replied.

"Almost all the places on this flight are taken.

I will go to see if another place is available."

The hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later.

"Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the economy class. I spoke to the captain and he informed me that there is also a seat in the business class. All the same, we still have one place in the first class."

Before the woman could say anything, the hostess continued:

"It is not usual for our company to permit someone from the economy class to sit in the first class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting."

She turned to the black guy, and said,

"Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in first class."

At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow -


Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Thriller
Duration1 hr. 47 min.

Famous scientists around the world have mysteriously disappeared and Chronicle reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) along with ace aviator Sky Captain (Jude Law) are on the investigation. Risking their lives as they travel to exotic places around world, can the fearless duo stop Dr. Totenkopf, the evil mastermind behind a plot to destroy the earth? Aided by Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie), commander of an all-female amphibious squadron, and technical genius Dex (Giovanni Ribisi), Polly and Sky Captain may be our planet’s only hope.


it's an old plot where an hero save the world, he got a damn pretty girlfriend. the evil has nothing else better to do than take over the world. but it's MUST WATCH movie, i must say. I AM A SCI-FiC fanatic. the entire movie kept giving me surprises. it's definitely worth the money if you are a sci-fi fan. and Gwyneth Paltrow still looks gorgeous in the old-school trench coat.

got the pictures from adrian(mah). i was saddened when i saw the news that christopher reeves passed away. i remembered "SUPERMAN" was one of the movies, i wanted to watch whenever there's a episode. like "STAR WARS". those were the days. now that it's history. i felt something in me is missing. i was a fan of him.



maybe you won't understand. it's a childhood thingy i guess. i guess there's always a hero when you are young.

do you know that...

1) Ants stretch when they wake up in the morning! (hmmm...)

2) It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland! (awwww...)

3) Thomas Edison, lightbulb inventor, was afraid of the dark! ( that's the objective!!!)

4) Dolphins sleep with one eye open!

5) About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30! ( oh dear, no wonder the egyptian women are unhappy)

6) A sneeze travels out your mouth at over 600 m.p.h!( Wow! )

7) The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year! ( do they count wetdreams too??)

8) Lightning strikes about 6,000 times per minute on this planet!

9) Owls are the only birds who can see the color blue! ( the only bird could watch blue-films...?)

10) A jellyfish is 95 percent water! ( can we drink jelly fish when we are thirsty??)

11) The elephant is the only mammal that can't jump! ( it will be hell loose if they can)

12) The penguin is the only bird who can swim, but not fly!

13) Q is the only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States! (now thats interesting.......)

14) America once issued a 5-cent bill!

15) Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different! ( imagine saliva slurp over the bank book...)

16) Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung!

17) A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue! ( yucks... imagine eating wax)

18) Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!

19) Bats always turn left when exiting a cave!

20) Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!

21) You blink about 84,000,000 times a year!

22) In England, in the 1880's, "Pants" was considered a dirty word!

23) A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans! ( probably why the death toll went up after "Billy the kid" was shown..)

24) Every 45 seconds, a house catches on fire in the United States!

25) The sun is 330,330 times larger than the earth!

26) A hummingbird weighs less than a penny!

27) The Earth weighs around 6,588,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons! ( now tell me where can i find such a weighing machine..??)

29) A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!

30) The most used letter in the English alphabet is 'E', and 'Q' is the least used!

31) Dogs and cats, like humans, are either right of left handed... or is that paws?!

32) The opposite sides of a dice cube always add up to seven!

33) Men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lighting than women! ('cos we have something that points north??)

34) Of all the words in the English language, the word set has the most definitions!

35) Bulls are colorblind, therefore will usually charge at a matador's waving cape no matter what color it is -- be it red or neon yellow!

36) Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the mornings! (that's a new addiction..)

37) Smelling bananas and/or green apples (smelling, not eating) can help you lose weight! ( it's definitely a cheaper way to slim down, now down with those slimming ads in the media..)

38) After eating, a housefly regurgitates its food and then eats it again! Yuk! *puke*

39) Tomatoes are also known as Love Apples.

40) you can do something else better than reading all this...

currently playing The New Amsterdams - The spoils of the spoiled


dickson and his opium poise....one of the spoil of the spoiled.

the song you listening now is recommended by D I C K S O N . dickson, you seen it now. i mentioned your name. click on his name to go to his site.

taken from 'A Whack on the Side of the Head ' by Roger von Oech,Ph.D


Several centuries ago, a curious but deadly plague appeared in a small village in Lithuania. What was curious about this disease was its grip on its victim; as soon as a person contracted it, he would go into a very deep almost deathlike coma. Most individuals would die within twenty-four hours, but occasionally a hardy soul would make it back to the full bloom of health. The problem was that since early eighteenth century medical technology was not very advanced, the
unafflicted had quite a difficult time telling whether a victim was dead or alive. This didn't matter too much, though, because most of the people were, in fact, dead.


Then one day it was discovered that someone had been buried alive. This alarmed the townspeople, so they called a town meeting to decide what should be done to prevent such a situation from happening again. After much discussion, most people agreed on the following solution. They decided to put food and water in every casket next to the body. They would even put an air hole up from the casket to the earth's surface. These procedures would be expensive, but they would be more than worthwhile if they would save some people's lives.

Another group came up with a second, less expensive, right answer. They proposed implanting a twelve inch long stake in every coffin lid directly over where the victim's heart would be. Then whatever doubts there were about whether the person was dead or alive would be eliminated as soon as the coffin lid was closed.

What differentiated the two solutions were the questions used to find them. Whereas the first group asked, "What should we do in the event we bury somebody alive?", the second group wondered, "How can we make sure everyone we bury is dead?"

Moral of the story?

You can always find more solutions by changing the wording of the question !

hasn't been writing for this week. busy busy busy BUSY BUSY!!!!! B U S Y!! was reading this email by my friend. pretty interesting. it was fascinating when researchers came out with results of their findings. more fascinating when you knew about their objectives of their research. like the one mentioned below. but then again, happiness for sale?

By Marina Krakovsky
Summary: Why we find material goods less fulfilling.

Choosing between a new sweater and a pair of concert tickets? Buy the tickets, suggests a new study on whether our spending habits are likely to make us happy.

Philosophers since Aristotle have claimed that experiences fulfill us more than material goods. To test this claim, a pair of psychology professors examined discretionary spending on material purchases (such as jewelry or clothing) and experiential ones (such as vacations or tickets to a concert). In a nationwide phone survey of 1,279 adults, respondents were much more likely to claim that a prior experiential purchase made them happier than a material one-57 percent versus 34 percent-even after accounting for differences in price.

Of course, some items-such as books or sports gear-are both material and experiential. And one person's splurge may be another's must-have. So the researchers simply asked respondents to think of purchases they'd made "with the intention of advancing their own happiness."

The researchers, Leaf Van Boven of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Thomas Gilovich of Cornell University, found some demographic differences in strength of preference: A higher percentage of women, for example, were happier with experiences than
were men. Individuals with higher incomes and more education especially tended to prefer experiential spending-perhaps because the less discretionary income you have, the more any purchase will improve your quality of life. Even so, not a single segment reported being happier with their material buys.

Unlike possessions, our experiences get better with time. "We redefine and reconstrue them as we retell them, and they continue to be a part of who we are," says Van Boven. The research is scheduled to appear in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

this is a chain mail. a chain mail. CHAIN MAIL!!!!!

Nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them. Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear. Don't cry over anyone who won't cry over you. What do you do when the only person who can make you stop crying is the person who made you cry? If love isn't a game, why are there so many players? Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget. You can only go as far as you push! Actions speak louder than words. The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love somebody else. Don't let the past hold you back, you're missing the good stuff. Life's short. If you don't look around once in a while you might miss it. A best friend is like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.

Some people make the world special by just being in it. Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us. When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there. True friendship never ends. Friends are forever. Good friends are like stars....you don't always see them, but you know they are always there. Don't frown, you never know who is falling in love with your smile. Everything is okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end. Most people walk in and out of your life, but only friends leave footprints in your heart.

If u love something...let it go.
If it comes back to you its yours....
If it doesn't then it never was.
A kiss is just a kiss until u find the one you love.
A hug is just a hug,
until its from the one ur thinking of.
A dream is just a dream until u make it come true.
LOVE is just a word until its proven 2 u.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another Column of Mr Brown - Ah bengs, heirlooms and aphrodisiacs

strap strap strap

I think Singapore may have found a solution to our low national sex drive and low birth rate. Yes, Singaporeans need to follow the example of our northern neighbours, specifically Kelantan, and swallow. Swallow live mudskippers, I mean. And it shouldn't be the women who do it.

That's right, men, you can improve your flagging libido, your missing mojo, your ... er ... poor blood circulation by swallowing live mudskippers from Kelantan as an aphrodisiac. And you have to swallow them LIVE, Fear Factor-style. The men from the villages there swear by this fish's potency. Many of them eat four or five of the critters a day, which they catch in nearby mangrove swamps. I can imagine their wives' reactions when these men get home from work after taking side trips to the mangrove swamp. With their men full of eastern promise, like corks about to pop, their wives probably say: "Oh that fish smell on your breath! You've been eating that fish again! Too bad I have a headache!"

The report fails to mention whether the fish help the women in any way. I doubt it. Fish breath is never listed as a turn-on in women's magazines. Not in the issues I read, anyway ("Better Sex: Getting your man to share his inner fish") Next they'll be telling us that smearing live mudskippers on your face improves your complexion and gives you bigger breasts.

In Japan, Hideto Tomabechi claims to have developed a ringtone that can increase the breast size of those who listen to it. He is working on other ringtones that will improve your memory, increase your attractiveness to the opposite sex, cure hair loss and help you quit cigarettes. I am not making this up. His breast ringtone is a runaway success, as breast-challenged Japanese women (and their boyfriends and husbands) download the tune to upsize their chests.

No word on what effect it has on men's chests though. I'd put that phone on silent mode, men, if I were you. We don't want this ringtone enlarging stuff we don't want enlarged, do we? Speaking of family heirlooms, a few Hong Kongers had their family heirlooms crushed recently. Before you wince and say ouch, I meant the non-biological kind of heirloom. Not the other kind of family jewels.

Apparently, due to human error, a DBS bank in Hong Kong took 83 security deposit boxes full of valuables to a scrap yard, where they were destroyed. The contractors were supposed to dump the empty ones, but took the full ones from the bank vault instead. Haven't those guys heard of the advanced safety deposit box verification technique known as "Opening the Safe to Look Inside First"? And didn't anyone notice that the full deposit boxes seemed a little heavier than they should have?

I can feel the pain of those people as they try to explain to the bank what was in their boxes in order to claim compensation.

"Yes, that's the 25th Anniversary special edition Playboy magazine, commemorating the handover of Hong Kong. It is rare and priceless."

But how do you put a price tag on the Secret Kung Fu No-Shadow Kick manual that your ancestors passed down to you? Or the handkerchief Andy Lau blew his nose into when you attended his concert in 1991? Or the missing books of the Kama Sutra that your grandfather told you keep for the next generation ("The Missing 26th Position: Back to Back"). Without those missing books, you'd probably have to rely on some kind of course to learn how to do it. Which is why my helpful colleague, Ah Beng, sent out an email inviting friends and co-workers to a "Free talk on the Art of Love". The email said that a Love Coach would cover topics such as "Romancing the Beloved and Integral Tantra" in the free talk.

I don't think Ah Beng expected the overwhelming response to his message.

From Leonard: "I am quite concerned that you sent me this ... but if you insist, you and I must go, then you'll have to pay for me."

From me: "I feel you are trying to say something to me with this email. I know our relationship has not been that good lately, honey. We will work things out. I will take you out more often and buy you flowers, okay? Right after I get back from my vacation with my wife."

From a lady colleague: "Is this one of those tantric things that Sting does? Will there be a demo?"

From Michelle: "What's wrong with your sex life?"

From Charles: "Please take me off this list."

Ah Beng will probably think twice before he sends another email invitation ("Free talk on Live Mudskippers as Aphrodisiac"). That's what you get when you try to help others with their love lives. Wait until you lose your Ancient Chinese Love Manual in a crushed safety deposit box. Ah Beng won't be there to help salvage your love life.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He is working on a ringtone that will help banks remember to check their safety deposit boxes before crushing them.

this entry is the 7th entry which i am going to talk about the 7 sins. it will be written from a generic view, perspective, focus. as this might arouse, provoke the pinch in you. please read it as non provocative manner.*wink* what trigger me to write such a thing, you might ask. well, it all started when things in your life aren't gonna be what you least expected. it's the surprise of the surprises.

i will try to do it on weekly basis.( ayy i am busy with my work k~) And most of you know, my ink-girlish not the very powderful. so you have to ta-han with my D7 grammatic expression in words. ( then why bother to attempt it?? duh~)

Jokey Synopsis< What it is: Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

Why you do it: You're shiftless, lazy, and good for nuthin'.

Your punishment in Hell will be: You'll be thrown into snake pits.

Associated symbols & suchlike: Sloth is linked with the goat and the color light blue.


sloth( P ) Pronunciation Key (slôth, slth, slth)
n.
Meaning:
1) Aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence.

2) Any of various slow-moving, arboreal, edentate mammals of the family Bradypodidae of South and Central America, having long hooklike claws by which they hang upside down from tree branches and feeding on leaves, buds, and fruits, especially:

i) A member of the genus Bradypus, having three long-clawed toes on each forefoot. Also called ai1, three-toed sloth.

ii) A member of the genus Choloepus, having two toes on each forefoot. Also called two-toed sloth, unau.

3) A company of bears. See Synonyms at flock1.

Medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas said Sloth is "sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good... [it] is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds."

also From the Pocket Catholic Catechism:

....Sloth is the desire for ease, even at the expense of doing the known will of God. Whatever we do in life requires effort. Everything we do is to be a means of salvation. The slothful person is unwilling to do what God wants because of the effort it takes to do it. Sloth becomes a sin when it slows down and even brings to a halt the energy we must expend in using the means to salvation...

i qouted a simple event. i have a relative. god knows when it started, but the image she portrait seems to be scale more towards the lazy side. and times when she ask for my help, i try to. when i can't, i refer her to the elders. then she will said like they dislike her lah, or condemn is too strong for it. they won't help lah. when i spoke to the elders, they refer her as a lazy attitude.

just as simple thing like she won't come over to help out in the grandma's kitchen or just stay at home. by the way, she stayed close to my grandma. others will be looking at her, the attitude she portraits.

it seems to me that she does have a pessimistic personality. she also does lack of the eagerness to learn and the positive attitude. then again, does family and friends play a part to upbring this character.

sloth often associated with lazy as one of the sins that it's easily in front of most eyes. i am just plain lazy. i admit it. but the foremost life i want to pursue is not lazy but more like a wandering, worries-free. maybe idle on a un-stationary platform. i.e. to say a vagabond. but then again, this is singapore and the blood flowing in my body doesn't allow me to do so.

sometimes( or maybe most of the time) you find xiaoqiang is full of power, full of energy. that is because he can't sit still. there are so much of enthusiasim and curosity in his head. the flame of discovering new things and trying new things was eternally burning in that pig-brain of his. yet as much of learning and conquering new difficulties, i also see a sluggishness and weariness in this frame of burning torch.

not sure if this is a shortcoming. but xiaoqiang is not going to let this passiveness down. he will move on.. and on... and on.... and on.....

of all 7 sins mentioned over the past entries. they continue to live in you since the day you are born. it depends on how you look at it, and how you handle it. it then evolves to what you groom it/ them to be. but don't let these sins lead you down. afterall, you are only human. human err.

Currently playing Michael Jackson - Heal the World

In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 36/67 declaring an International Day of Peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution 55/282 declaring 21 September of each year as the International Day of Peace. Click http://www.worldpeace.org/peaceday.html to find out more.


I thought today was World Peace Day. But it turned out to be 21st Sept. I was pretty surprised when i heard of such day. maybe it's because i was bornt and bred in such a peaceful country. where violence is kept at minimum. wher you can walk on the streets at 12am; without fear of some dodgy fellow hiding at one corner.

and playing wacko Jacko's song reminds of several efforts to help and maintain peace throughout the third rock from the sun. despite that the self-claimed islamic terrorist groups are still haunting most people. then again, will Osama be so kindhearted to let 21st Sept be the only peaceful day?

Recently also read a article that a woman claimed that she had jacko's twins. frankly speaking, i can't think of anything besides money as a the main factor why she claimed that she carried his children. tell me would you tell the whole world you slept with him? or tell your children that MJ is your dad? if i am the child, i would ask,

" Mummy, where daddy's skin colour is different from mine?"


- A New Police Story -

Starring Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu
Directed by Benny Chan

JACKIE Chan returns to his low-fidelity version, yet the US$15m action extravaganza in New Police Story, the fifth in his Police Story series. And he tries this again in New Police Story, where he has long, drawn-out emotional and often weepy scenes. His character also spends plenty of time drinking in bars, wandering around drunk and moping.

New Police Story has Senior Inspector Wing (Chan) and his elite team chasing down a gang of ruthless bank robbers who derive more pleasure from gunning down cops than getting hold of money.

But after a tragic incident, Wing takes solace in the bottle, almost giving up on his career and his long-time girlfriend Ka Yee (Charlie Young), until Frank (Nicholas Tse) tracks down his idol and forces him to wake up to reality.

He convinces Wing to resume his investigation on the gang, who have been at it again.

After making Hollywood flicks like The Medallion and Shanghai Knights, it is comforting to see Jackie back on Asian soil again. But this comeback is not one to make you laugh as he is obviously taking New Police Story very seriously.

There are the occasional funny moments, but almost all the action sequences, while still nail-biting, are very strait-laced. Jackie does not attempt to weave in much humour as he throws punches and sends the baddies flying across the room, unlike his previous movies where comedy is an integral part of the action.

There is an attempt to attract a young audience with pretty boys like Tse and Daniel Wu (who plays gang leader Joe), as well as scenes of kids doing stunts on half-pipes, and playing computer games. For a while now, Jackie has been trying to prove that he’s not just an action star, like in Gorgeous where he romances Shu Qi.

Partially, i was looking forward to see Charlie Yeung in the movie. OMG! she still look that good that gorgeous. *blink blink*

Last is watch this movie if you are a Jackie Chan fan.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another Mr Brown column - Normal people, it's time to remove those blinkers


Let's put in as much effort nurturing special talents as we do policing chickens and eggs

OK, Singaporeans can breathe easy and stop rationing those eggs now that the import ban on Malaysian poultry and eggs is being partially lifted. Right now, chickens across the Causeway are renewing their passports as we speak, and packing for their trip down south.

With the ban partially lifted, the prata man will not laugh at you anymore when you ask for prata with egg. That omelette you get with your plate of nasi lemak will now be opaque instead of transparent. And your elephant-heart-stopping plate of oily oh luak (fried oyster omelette) will go back to having more eggs than oysters. But it was nice to actually see the oysters for once, during the egg shortage.

Welcome back, dear northern chickens and eggs. We missed you.

I am sure Singaporeans are all relieved to be no longer paying a silly 60 cents per egg, which you bought by getting all your children to line up at the supermarket checkout (since the ration was commonly two measly cartons per customer). The egg savings will come in handy ... for your electricity bill, which has risen yet again. Hey, you can't have your egg and eat it too. There is equilibrium in Singapore life.

I remember buying those import-ban-era eggs not long ago and telling my wife to be extra careful with the eggs when we loaded the car with our groceries. You'd think we were transporting very fragile abalone from the way we were protecting them. Eggs worth their weight in gold, not unlike inkjet cartridges (buy a printer for $199 and our refills for $50!).

It makes you realise how vulnerable a little country we are. Water, have to buy from other country (that, or we drink our own pee). Electricity, powered by gas from another country. Eggs, laid by chickens from another country. Not enough local chicken talent.

Speaking of local talent, I got to see my Orange Fish daughter take on a new role on Thursday. She was a green Power Puff Girl at her special school's Children's Day Celebrations.Dressed in a green outfit lovingly handmade by her teachers (we got to keep it as a memento too), her identity as a mild-manner three-year-old was masked by silver paint drawn around her eyes. Many could not recognise her beneath that disguise (like Superman wears glasses, and suddenly he is Clark Kent).

A line of silver face paint around both her eyes and voila! Power Puff Girl! Her secret identity was almost revealed when she rubbed her eyes in sleepiness, resulting in silver paint all over her hands and face. Good thing she did that after her performance.

Needless to say, I caught all of that on video and I will be making a DVD out of it, so that I can force guests to my home to watch it over and over again.

I also learned that it is hard to operate a video camera at the same time as a regular camera. The human body is not designed to operate two cameras at once. Either you end up recording moving images of your shoes while trying to snap a photo of your kid on stage, or you get your video aimed right but snap a shaky photo of your shoes. I plan to explain my shaky shots as my attempt to capture that NYPD Blue TV series look.

It was great to attend my first Children's Day concert. You have not lived till you've seen special needs children dance to Backstreet Boys music, or prance onto the stage as Superman and Spiderman (complete with a can of "web" spray, which was sprayed onto the front row of guests a little too enthusiastically).

And I bet you haven't seen teachers as enthusiastic as the ones I saw yesterday, dressed up as the Incredible Hulk and a Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle (or is that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle? I always mix it up). When you see the Three Little Pigs performed with such gusto, you almost forget the presence of the stainless steel walking crutch. When you see the joyful dancing, you almost forget that the dancer is on wheels.

When you see the Power Puff Girl point and respond to the music on stage, you almost forget that this is a little girl who has trouble maintaining eye contact. These are kids, who like "regular" kids, just want to have fun, to laugh and to be loved. And also to learn, on their terms.

However, it is a little hard to learn when your education is viewed in a different light from "normal" children. While "normal" kids have compulsory education and all the infrastructure that goes with it, special needs children have to deal with a waiting list a mile long when it comes to getting into special schools.

Surely that is not "normal", nor should it be so.

After all, if you can set aside money for school children to learn how to play golf, or gifted children to be more gifted (whatever that means), you can surely put some serious money and effort into helping special needs children learn how to deal with the basics of walking and talking. The children I saw yesterday showed me that they are special indeed. Despite having their own physical, sensory, physiological and mental challenges, and no formal educational infrastructure to rely on, they showed me that they too, can laugh and play with joy.

They too, can learn to dance with crutches and wheelchairs.

These are not other people's children. These are Singapore's children too, your friend's kid, your neighbour's kid, your relative's kid.

They should not be seen as economic burdens to society, but an integral part of it. They are our future Supermen, Spidermen and Power Puff Girls, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, able to run, able to fly.

But first the rest of us "normal" people need to remove our own blinkers, and crutches and excuses.

And may be put in at least as much effort nurturing these special talents, as we do policing eggs and producing scholars.

mr brown is the accidental author of a popular website that has been documenting the dysfunctional side of Singapore life since 1997. He is a regular dude who is happy to be living in this island