boon's log 0504.05
Happy Chinese New Year! Day 9
Chinese New Year came and almost gone - like a flash. It is funny, that even though the authorities issued strict laws against fire crackers, fire crackers were released almost every other minute. The other question besides how the people were allowed to release the fire crackers is WHERE did they get them in the first place! :) BUT... hey, I am not against fire crackers. I seriously think that they really create the ambience for the season. I am all out for it, provided that it is done within limits. Some folks decided to release these fire crackers at 2-3 AM in the morning, now... that really is out of bounds. And of course don't go blowing off your hands and legs... Anyways, I really miss those days that where red fire crackers were hung and released in front of people's houses and the floor was red with the remains of the red fire crackers.

Well, in Penang, also one of the major Buddhist-populated city in Malaysia, many people visit the temples during the festive season. One of the more famous ones is the Kwan Yin Temple in downtown Penang. Here are some of the images of that temple...


Kwan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) Temple


Joss sticks


Much bigger joss sticks.


Temple with "incineration tanks" on the fore-ground


Act of charity - this couple came with a trunk load of lunch boxes to distribute amongst the homeless who "hang out" at the temple.


The less fortunate


Chairs of "deity"

All in all, it was a good time to meet up with relatives and friends and exchange news and stories. A good time to reminisce.

"Hey, remember that time where you crashed my motorbike trying to do the willy? The mud guard is still bent because of that.", "Remember that time where we were caught by the headmaster and was called to his office?", "Remember when you used to date TS? I am meeting up with her tonight!".

And then there are newer news...

"Hey, make sure you are available this December, I'm getting married." , "Did you know Steven's got a baby girl?", "How's your son doing in Kindergarten?".

The older news brings you back in time and makes you feel kinda young when you laugh about it... but the newer news makes you feel... old. Sigh... I find that time does fly faster as you grow older. Just this CNY, I met up with some relatives (you know those whom you only meet during CNY?) and their kid is already going to college! It was just like yesterday (just a figure of speech!) when he got himself into trouble, fighting with another kid in Kindergarten.

Well, I guess it is something to thank God for - to be able to sit down with old friends and relatives and look back and talk about the colours of life, and laugh about it. Ain't it?

Then of course, there is the thing that most people look forward to during CNY - gambling. Shhh! don't tell anyone... :) Huh? What gambling? Who's gambling?

Well, how did your CNY go?

boon out...

boon's log 0304.04
Classic case of Mr. Bean?
I saw this car when I was in KLIA to sent off a friend of mine.



This Proton was quite old and shabby looking with a thick layer of dust on the surface. We were wondering if the car has been there for a while and we were also wondering whether the lock and chain was put there by the owner or did the KLIA authorities chained and locked the car due to some security issues.

This reminds me (kind of) of an episode of Mr. Bean where Bean uses a padlock to lock the car doors to his mini cooper. Speaking of which, wouldn't it be nice if there is a new installment of the Mr. Bean series (aptly called The New Bean) where Bean drives the latest Mini Cooper S (yeah, make it his trademark Green Mini Copper S)?

boon out...

boon's log 0304.03
Creativity vs Vandalism
Hmm... Can you make out what is written on this "sign"?



Few will disgree that this is a very common sight as you journey around Malaysia. People try to create "new" words by altering the words on signboards, road signs, etc. by omitting or adding characters to them. What I think are the words in the above signboard reads...

Lagenda Langkawi
Medan Letak Kereta
Medan Letak Van/Koc
Masuk

This sign basically means "the Carpark for cars, vans, coaches for Langkawi Legend". Took this while in a coach during my visit to Langkawi recently.

There is so much energy, enthusiasm and creativity in the individuals who took the time to figure out which character to take out to alter the pronunciation of the word (though it may mean nothing at all!). I still remember seeing a "TO LET" sign hung outside a house but was converted to being "TOILET" and what about the "No Parking" sign became "No Barking". If there is only a way to channel this creativity to something more useful...

boon out...

boon's log 0304.02
Free Screening
Yesterday was the Opening for the GSC Gurney Plaza in Penang. My mates and I were few of the MANY who turned up at 11AM in Gurney Plaza top floor. There must have been about 200 to 300 over people there on a Monday morning lining-up to get free tickets. There was even a TV Crew there capturing the Movie Madness at Penang's newest and latest mall. It kinda reminds me the London Film Festival when all the latest movies were just selling at £1 per movie for one day. We would line up at cinemas such as Empire (one of the best around town) in the cold to get the real-low-priced tickets.

Well, this is even better, it's FREE SCREENING! But the movies are not quite old ones, though. But, what the hey, right? It's Free!

With the opening of this new 12-screen cineplex, it will definitely pose a strong competition to the cinema group down the road, who once monopolized the movie market in Penang. This healthy competition is good in a sense that it will help to "motivate" the cinema groups to continuously improve on their audio visual systems - I mean, you need to see (or hear) it to believe it.

Two of my worst cinema experiences were when I watched LXG and Die Another Day in Penang. For LXG, the sound system was so terrible that I cannot make out what the actors/actresses were saying, and I had to resort to reading the Malay subtitles (and we know the level of accuracy or our local subtitles, don't we? Frodo from the Shire was translated to "Frodo dari Kampung"! - which literally means "Frodo from the village"). The guys in bow-ties said that they cannot fix it as it is the speaker issue.

As for Die Another Day, the picture was totally out of focus! Ironically, just before the movie, there was a notice that said that Pirated VCDs are bad for your eyes! I had to complain to our bow-tie buddies about the picture TWICE before the picture focus was rectified!

We'll see how things work out. From a customer's perspective... it is good to have competition. Say, when is TGV coming to Penang! :)

boon out...

boon's log 0204.05
Beware the Lycans

Moon shot on 0204.04

Watched Underworld last night. It is basically a movie about the battle between Vampires and Lycans or plainly put, Draculas versus Werewolves - with a pinch of Infernal Affairs thrown in (the undercover/spy portion). The movie was okay, with a notice-able British accent in most parts of the movie. The movie gives me a "Matrix-wannabe" impression, with black long, heavy rain-coat robes, verticle projectiled debris from walls as bullets punch through them. Some critic said, "It is everything you hated about Matrix Reloaded". I wonder why the movie was not shown in Malaysia cinemas. It wasn't THAT gory or bloody to start with. I think the same question still rings in our minds why DareDevil was banned in Malaysia as well... Well, that is a different story. That is good, I guess, banning some certain movies from hitting the silver screen, as that supports the "local cottage industry", if you know what I mean! Ahem!



Well, in the midst of all the fighting, with abundant supply of UV-packed bullets and liquid-silver-packed bullets - there is romance! Whaddya expect? Keanu Reeves? ;) Yeah, the main actress (Vampire) falls in love with "The One", who once thought was just a mere human being, but later found out that he is the one who will bring balance (no, not to the force) to the Vampires and the Lycans - enabling these two "species" to be merged into one entity, with powers greater that the Vampires and Lycans. Then there is more fighting, with Matrix-like music in the background and vampires leaping off tall buildings and landing on the ground... sounds familiar? "Tank, load the Jump program!"

Well, of course the happy couple lived happily ever after and the big boss dies, but none is mentioned about the undercover/spy character, though...

overall... i think it earned a 2.5 out of 5. What do you think of the movie?

boonout...

boon's log 0204.03
Kopitiam
This is Hai Ean Coffee Shop along Burma Road in Penang. This is a real authentic kopitiam (coffee shop in Hokkien) in Penang. Actually, there are quite some authentic coffeshops in and around Penang. Once in these shops, one must pay close attention to the surroundings, e.g. the fan, the furniture, basically, the entire setup of the shop. It gives you a kind of good feeling, beaming you back 30 to 40 years in time. Even though these shops are not equipped with air-conditioners, but it is very cooling, comfortable and cozy...


Kopitiam in Penang

Well, this particular kopitiam is famous for its Hokkien Mee (Penang Prawn Noodles with Pork Ribs in Soup) and Loh Mee (Noodles in thick gravy). Actually, the main specialty is the Hokkien+Loh Mee or locally coined as "Loh cam Teng" meaning "Thick Gravy mixed with Penang Prawn Noodles Soup" - as shown at the bottom in the featured picture. Another popular item is the Koay Teow Teng (Flat Rice Noodle in Soup). Other commendable delicacies include Lobak (deep-fried pork wrapped in bean curd skin) which also includes fried tofu and fried shrimp pancake served with 2 sauces: hoisin & chili; Half boiled eggs and toast with butter and kaya (local bread spread made of coconut and egg with pandan leaves).

And of course, you have to wash them all down with a soothing cup of local coffee. You can drink your coffee two ways in Penang (or Malaysia) - either drink it from the cup itself or pour it out on the saucer and then sip it from saucer, like what the local Ah Peks does. When you see a sight like that, it is like the MasterCard advertisement... Priceless...

Man, all this talking about food is making me hungry. Do give this place a try when you are in the neighbourhood. You'll definitely not regret it... ;)

gotta go get some food...

boon out...

boon's log 0204.02
2 Absurd Speed Limits
I was driving to work this morning, and guess what?! Yeah, man - Absurd Speed Limits Part II!

Just as you exit the Penang Bridge and enter the Coastal Highway, you can actually see the following speed limit roadsign... (quite a blurred image, will try to get a better one tomorrow.)


40km/h on Penang's Coastal Highway.

An amazing 40km/h! I'm totally speechless. Did the JPJ (Road Department) actually do a proper analysis before putting up such absurd speed limits? Mind you, this is an abrupt reduction because the previous speedlimit sign was 80km/h - you almost have to jam on your brakes to achieve that speed. Well, if you really did that, you'd probably get acquainted with the lorry driver behind you... :P WHAM!!

boon out...

boon's log 0104.04
Happy New Year
A very Happy and Blessed New Year 2004 to all readers of boon's spot. How did you usher in the new year? Well, this time around, I ushered in the new year in quite a unique way - I attended a colleague's/friend's wedding dinner.

"WHAT?!"

Yeah, a wedding on the 31st of December; I guess there's no reason to forget THIS anniversary, huh? Well, the reason for choosing this particular date was due to some undesired consequences, which I think it is better not to disclose...

Anyway, the wedding dinner was nice with ample food (can really feed five thousand...). We were supposed to stay back for the countdown. (yeah, it is part of the wedding dinner package, in the hotel ballroom...) But as the night drew to an end, most of the guest have left the hotel for their own plans... So, what the hey! I left as well-lah. Felt sorry for the newly weds who really organized everything so well but hey! y'can't have a party with too few people, can ya? So, said our goodbyes and left. ended up watching CNN at home... :P

Well, new year with new year resolutions! Say, I can't even remember half of last year's new year resolutions! Well, as the CEO of my company said, there is no real sign of recovery in the computer industry as yet, but it is going to be another challenging year ahead - I guess it is going to be another challenging year for me as well... What that really means is "Dude, just work your butt off and don't hope for a big fat increment - 'cause ya ain't gettin' it!"

It truly will be challenging, as things begin to unfold. I guess I have enough of resolutions making, so I am just going to stick with making more money this year! Like what my engineering physics teacher used to tell us in class, "If you are dreaming of earning big bucks, then you are in the wrong class, you need to go down to Petaling Street and learn from the Ah Pek (elderly man, in Hokkien - refer to boon's log 4803.04) on how to char koay teow (Fried Rice Noodles, in Hokkien). Haa! How true... they are driving Mercedeses and BMWs. So yeah, you might just find me frying koay teow in a hawker stall near you, folks! ;P

Well, 2004, I guess above all else, here's wishing everyone good health and happiness, the simple "bear" necessities of life (the tune is humming in head...), followed by prosperity and good fortune.

God bless...

boon out...

Oh hey! Don't forget to check out my latest Polls on best coffee vendors...