Ah? Speak Now-Ah?

Swearing In Cantonese 101

2008-04-29T02:16:00.006+08:00

With sincere apologies to those who don't understand Cantonese (& not to those who are easily offended), couldn't resist posting up this video of a Hong Kong Uni professor who apparently had conducted a study on the use & misuse of the fine art of swearing in the Cantonese dialect. Hmmm, what other kind of study will they think of next???

Mini Story Part 2

2008-04-06T02:07:00.009+08:00

It's not exactly ready yet as there's still some work to be done & some detailing as well but we're getting there....

Bali Babi Blowout 2008

2008-04-05T23:36:00.021+08:00

Sunset at Tanah Lot Temple

Barong

Typical Balinese Gate

Have finally found a little window of time from what's been a real hectic 3 weeks since we came back from another excellent trip to Bali. First trip was back in early October 2005, about a week after the 2nd Bali bomb went off at Kuta Square. Naturally the place was pretty much dead then as whatever remaining "kwai lou" had high tailed out of this tiny terrorist haven then. There was not much change in the scene when we were back 6 months or so later with another 6 friends in tow. It was a real bad time for the locals as quite a high percentage of them rely on the tourist income. It was so bad that Doris was actually recognised by one of the shopkeepers on Legian, even though the trips were like 6 months apart!!

Happily for the Balinese people, things are about as normal now as it could get. Though March is not yet the peak season for tourist arrivals, you could tell that things were better in the way the shopkeepers on Legian refuse to let you haggle away too much. Prices have generally gone up a little bit since our last trip in May 2006 but still, with cheap fares from Air "ManUre" Asia, its pretty much an affordable overseas holiday that I think most Malaysians will enjoy. Not just for the thrill of being able to declare yourself a millionaire (sadly though in Rupiah, & not Euro or pound sterling) but also everything from food, accommodation and shopping is relatively cheap and affordable. It helps also of course in that Bali can boast a very interesting art, cultural & religious showcase not to mention also the beautiful landscapes - from clean white sandy beaches to tropical rainforests & terraced rice fields, there is something here for everyone. Hence we've enjoyed each & every trip we've made to Bali, enhanced with the company of good friends.

Our group of 10 arrived in Bali in good spirits not only because its a vacation but also in knowing the brilliant election results the day before. Save for Sean and his wife Vivien, it was the same group which made the trip back in 2006. As we've previously been to all of the usual sights and sounds Bali had to offer, the tours we arranged this time round was really for the benefit of the "Bali Virgins" - Sean and Vivien. As they say, "...been there, done that & bought the souvenir t-shirt too". As expected, they too were just as taken by Bali in all aspects as we were the very first time we were here.

For the rest of us in the group, Wong, Siew Bee, Celine, Peter, Mei Peng, Jon, Doris & myself, the main highlight of our trip was really to get down to the serious matter of savouring (once again!!) the excellent Balinese fare called 'babi guling'. Bali, as opposed to the rest of Indonesia, is a predominantly Hindu society and an upshot of that, to our delight, is the free availability of porcine related meals in almost every restaurant or warung. When we arrived & after checking in, we were ready for dinner and off we headed to a German restaurant we know on Legian for a generous serving of pork knuckle, meatloaf (pork of course), Schwein (that's "babi" in German) sausages & barbecued pork spare ribs washed down with Bintang beer. Of course we did the healthy thing in putting in 2 orders of chicken salad for some greens but you know what? I believe the chicken in the salad was probably grilled with pork lard...

Bintang time!!

Pork knuckle

BBQ Pork Ribs & Schwein Weiners

The real highlight in our little Piggy Trail though came on the third day of the trip when we moved from Kuta to stay in Ubud for 2 nights, where Bu Oka's Babi Guling warung is located. This traditional Balinese fare is made up of a mixture of garlic, cili padi, ginger, lemongrass, peppercorn & some other herbs & spices which is then stuffed into the cavity of a suitably sized suckling pig. The cavity is then sealed and roasted over an open fire pit for between 4-5 hours with coconut water being rubbed onto the skin to give it a nice sheen. The marinated pork meat is served with a slice of the crispy skin, deep fried intestine & liver sausage. The combination of fragrant spices & crispy skin is just heavenly.

Before

During

After

Understandably, both Sean & Vivien initially couldn't understand our general excitement about going to a little warung for some roast pig. But I assure you, this ain't no ordinary roast pig from an ordinary warung & indeed they concurred with our opinion after trying it out. Bu Oka's Babi Guling is said to be amongst the best in Bali but out little survey amongst the locals seem to confirm that her version is the best of the lot. The evidence can be seen from the crowds, both locals and tourist who throng her place daily. I suppose her popularity and fame may also have been boosted by a spot on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations programme where he declared openly that of all the babi he's had (& this bugger has had a lot from his travels round the world) Bu Oka's porcine dish is the best. If you are thinking of trying it when in Bali, do remember that her place is only open from about 11am to 2pm or so. Apparently they sell a maximum of 5 pigs a day and is usually sold out by late lunch time. Obviously, we had a 2nd round of it on the afternoon before we left Ubud for Kuta again.

The remainder of the trip? Just a blur of shopping, shopping & more shopping....

P.S. If you're an animal lover & take offence at my posting, I make no apologies so please do click the big red X button on the top right of your screen and PISS OFF....

People's Power!!

2008-03-09T09:18:00.003+08:00

A brand new era for Malaysia has dawned with the capture of the Penang, Kedah, Selangor & Perak state governments by Barisan Rakyat and Pas' retaining Kelantan with a bigger majority. Overall, Pak Lah's Barang Naik party is well & truly fooked with the overall losses in many places & some surprises as well including Uncle Samy (Happy Birthday & Selamat Bersara!!), Kayveas in Taiping, Shahrizat in Lembah Pantai (bloody well done Nurul!), Koh Tsu Koon in Batu Kawan Penang & Lee Hwa Beng at Kelana Jaya (Correct! Correct! Correct! Its Gwo Burne!!).

With Barisan Rakyat in power, especially in the economically vibrant state of Selangor, be prepared for more revelations (with facts & figures) of the far reaching extent of corruption, cronyism & nepotism in these states in the coming months. However more importantly, the Barisan Rakyat who have for years made many promises on what they'd if they were in power. So now is the time for them to live up to those promises & work for the people and not end up with power in their heads. At the end of the day it is up to us, the people, to be ever vigilant to any signs of abuse of power by the government of the day. remember, we, the citizens & tax payers are their bosses and not the other way around.

I'm keeping this post short as I'm rushing off to pack! We're off to Bali for a week!! Third trip in 5 years & still looking forward to it. Yes, we do so love Bali!! Will post some pix, food reviews etc. when we're back. Babi Guling here we come!!!

Syabas Barisan Rakyat!! MAKKAL SAKTI!!

Comedy Court Presents.....

2008-02-21T18:07:00.009+08:00

Most of you will know Dad had passed on on 26/12/2007, hence the lack of postings & also cos of heavy workload. But for my first post of 2008 (& knowing Dad who likes a good laugh), here's Comedy Court with their latest...! Have fun.

Dedicated in memory of Chong Oi Keong (1935-2007). RIP...

Dude...!! Where's my car???

2007-10-20T15:49:00.000+08:00

2007 is turning out to be a bad year for me by all accounts.

Sometime in January, my wife, Doris, was victim of a lone Mat Rempit snatch thief in front of SS2 McD's. She was about to cross the road with my elder son, Ewan, when the perpetrator struck. Doris fell down and suffered some bruises and scratches on her knees and shoulder but thankfully nothing more than that as we all have read of snatch theft victims who have died or suffered serious injuries as a result of impact to the head.

Then in February, a couple of idiots came by the office during lunch time and took off with my laptop. At that time, only one of my staff was left in the office and without looking, she allowed 2 chaps in when they pressed the intercom and claimed to be courier boys. Upon gaining entry, they started their sales pitch about selling carpets as both of them had a rug with them. Whilst one of them was talking to my staff, the other fellow quickly sneaked into my office. When my staff realised one of them had gone in, she asked both of them to leave which they did and when she went into my office to check, the laptop was already gone together with the perpetrators. One of my client arrived at the same time when the 2 fellows were making their get away but later told me that she did not see them carrying anything else other than the rug. I'm pretty sure they had hidden the laptop under the rug & buggered off with it. Since then, I've made it a point to back up my files at least once a week. It is annoying to lose the lap top that way but to me, its the documents & nearly 10 years of precedents that's more important than the hardware itself as insurance took care of the replacement, albeit partially.

September was when Dad was diagnosed with cancer and although we're keeping our chins up on that issue, it is still a very depressing piece of news. He's gone for a 2nd round of chemoteraphy last Wednesday and outwardly, have not shown any decline in his general state of health. We'll only have a clearer picture if he has responded well to chemo after his third round early next month when a CT scan is done. Am keeping all fingers & toes crossed for good news.

Then on Wednesday (17/10/07), my 6 year old Perdana was stolen right in front of my office. After picking up my Dad & Mum from SJMC, I went back to the office and parked it at a busy side lane just 2 doors from the office. Doris came back to the office about 4.30pm & said she noticed where I had parked the car. I was supposed to send Ewan for his tennis lessons at 5.30pm but lo & behold, the car wasn't where it was anymore. Doris & I immediately went over to the Brickfields Balai to lodge a report. The investigating officer (IO) was efficient in getting my statement recorded but I suspect it was because he was in a bit of a hurry to knock off as he was nearing the end of his 24 hour shift. i had informed him that my neighbour had a CCTV installed facing the direction of the lane where the car was parked but he was not willing to come over to take a look at the video but instead, asked me to view it myself & send him a copy. So much for a dedicated police force.

I only managed to have a look at the CCTV recording the next day & the images was that of at least 2 persons doing the job. But only one of them could be seen as the other fellow remained in the car they came in. But once the coast was clear the guy, probably using a master key, very casually unlocked the car, started the engine & drove off all within a space of 2 minutes. It was like a scene out of 'Gone In 60 Seconds'. As my neighbour only had the CCTV installed not too long ago, they weren't very sure how to zoom in or if they could burn a copy of the video. They'll be calling the CCTV installers for help in that aspect as their car number plate could be seen clearly as well but then again, it may be a fake. For whatever its worth, once I have a copy of the recording, I'll pass it on to the police & let them get on with their investigations, if they're bothered at all to do it.

Initially, I really don't know WTF these dweebs want to do with a 6 year old car but I've only 2 theories, either they're gonna send it to the chop shop or use it for some criminal activity. However according to a reliable source (which I shall not reveal too much about but suffice to say, this person have some shady links), the car is already in pieces & they know the group of people these perpetrators belong to also. But I'll leave the matter to the cops & not go to the extent of getting even as it may easily lead to further complications, if you know what I mean.

There was nothing important kept in the car but my house keys. After lodging the report, it was straight to the locksmiths to get a new set of padlocks & getting 3 good ones set me back RM250.00. Then I had to cut a bunch of keys with remote control for the gate & that was another RM100.00 gone. But what I've lost also was my Metallica Black Album (Japanese import version), a Janis Joplin compilation CD, one Jimi Hendrix CD from a box set & a James Brown CD which was in the CD changer. I'm pretty sure I can get the Joplin & James Brown CDs but not too sure about the Metallica & Hendrix. In any case, its gonna be expensive to replace the Hendrix CD as it came in a box set.

As for the car, I'd rather prefer to get my insurance claim than for them to find the car as I don't intend to keep the car even if they find it. But in a depressed 2nd hand car market, it may be more difficult to get rid of it & get a good price for it. I'm told I'll have to wait a few months before I can get the cops to issue me with a letter confirming they can't find the car before the insurance claim is processed. I've been informed also that its a common policy that insurance companies will only pay 80% of the current market value but my uncle told me that this can be increased with some...err "persuasion". What I mean is that the insurance guy get a small cut from the increased pay off. Don't know if I'll do that or not, but will cross that bridge when I come to it.

New car? Am not gonna contemplate that yet until I see my insurance money as I have access to my mum-in law or my Dad's car if we need a 2nd car to run about our business. Until then, its gonna be the fuel guzzler Naza for a few months at least.

And oh...good bye my dear faithful Perdana! :(

John Fogerty/Creedence Clearwater Revival - Suzie Q

2007-10-07T01:27:00.000+08:00

Another classic track for your listening pleasure...

Mini Story - Part 1

2007-10-06T14:23:00.000+08:00

After many months of persistent nagging & promptings by Bala, I've finally got round to sending the Mini off to the body & paint shop to give it a total makeover last week. We've had the Mini for about 4 years now & used it for over a year mainly for short trips to the neighbourhood shop. It was in good running condition when we got it save for the inconsistent air-conditioning - sekejap ada sekjap takda. However we've neglected the car for at least a year & a half now due to a combination of preference for modern conveniences such as a cool a/c & auto transmission. Eh...damn tiring to drive on stick if you're caught in city traffic. It's not as if I have so much spare cash lying around but if I don't have it done now, there'll be more problems later not to mention the escalating bills for repairs too.

In the time that it was in semi-retirement, the Mini was not totally abandoned as it became an abode for the friendly neighbourhood rodents. These fellas obviosly had a good time pissing & crapping all over the place and leaving remnants of their wild parties all over. We even got a note stuck on it from DBKL asking "pemunya kereta buruk" to remove it failing which they'll have it towed away for being an eyesore. What did I do at that time? Have it pushed across the road so that it sit right in front of the house so that there's no notion at all of it being an abandoned vehicle! There were also quite a few offers to purchase notes stuck to the windscreen but we never really entertained the idea of selling it.

Finally a few months ago, I had the car towed over to Bala's mechanic & after some cleaning up & minor wiring repairs, the car was back in running condition. Had to replace all four tyres as the 1 1/2 year of neglect had taken a toll on the condition of the rubber. Of course once it was back home, apathy & procrastination took over once again & guess what? The former tenants moved back in!! This time, their stay was not for too long as the BBQ we had last week & Bala's naggings prompted me to have the car sent, finally, to the paint & body shop owned by a family friend.

Wong, the body shop guy managed to get the engine running & told me, when I paid him a visit this morning, that it was purring like a dream. There'll be a few major things to be done but for a start, Wong will be sending the car off to the upholstery fellow to remove all the seats & carpets before they send it back to him. The car will be checked for any rust damage especially to the undercarriage. Once all that is taken care of, the body will be sprayed to a shade of red called 'Tornado Red' which is the same as that used on the current model of the VW Golf (see colour swatch above). Check out the VW website for a pix of the Golf & you'll get a better idea. The pearl white roof will be maintained, perhaps maybe needing just a minor touch up. The white stripes running down the front of the bonnet will be sprayed on as opposed to bunging on a sticker like what it is now. Matching white stripes will be sprayed on to the back too.

In the meantime, decisions have to be made as to the interior, ie. seats, carpets, inside of door etc. Fabric or leather? Or a combo? What about colour scheme? The dash board will also have to be fixed up as it is falling apart & with a matching colour to boot. This 'kepala pusing' decision will be left to the Boss, ie the wife, to decide. Various parts of the engine has been corroded no thanks to rat piss I suspect & I'm told needs some kind of a clean up & paint job. However, I'm not entertaining any ideas of chroming the engine as I'll be fooked to have to spend my weekends with toothbrush in hand cleaning the damn thing.

I'm sure there'll be various other issues, both major & minor, which will crop up as and when the repairs & makeover move along. But this time, I'm determined to bring the shine back to this British icon & have it restored to a "Pimp My Ride" kinda condition, albeit on a tight budget of course! Will post updates with pix as and when this project progresses.

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

2007-10-04T23:47:00.002+08:00

Greatest song ever? Highly debatable but more likely to be within Top 10 of all time classic rock songs ever written...

Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes - The Lemon Song

2007-10-04T23:35:00.002+08:00

Not the original but close enough, if not better!!

Dad updates...

2007-10-04T17:55:00.000+08:00

Well, Dad's begun his first round of chemo last week & is expected back for another round on the 17th of this month. So far, he's not had any adverse reaction to the medication, granted that's its just a mild dosage. He's still going about his usual routine, albeit the nights out will be far less frequent than before, and which is good. Amy, my elder sis will be relocating back to KL for good by next month after a long hiatus in London without having been back even for a holiday. I'm sure Dad was very happy when he heard that but just wished that Amy had other reasons for coming back instead of Dad's illness. Hope to have more positive news to report on Dad's condition by the time Amy is back.

In the meantime, and what with September being a month of full of distressing news on the health front, not only concerning Dad but also the mum of a dear friend, my contractor friend Wong & myself have decided to go get ourselves a through check-up including for cancer etc. We nearly died of a heart attack though when we found out the cost quoted by a "health centre" for a thorough check. With prices starting from RM1,600.00, it's a real expensive business to be assured of your health. But WTF do these people call themselves a 'health centre' when the prices are near astronomical. But I suppose you'll be told you get what you pay for & if you want to pay a pittance, you can piss off to your friendly government hospital.

Still, we've managed to get a quote based on our present needs for less than half the whopper quoted earlier. Will make that appointment soon & see if I have to cut down on the pork scratchings.... :(

The Week That Was

2007-09-24T19:37:00.000+08:00

This past week has not certainly gone down well for me not only with the recent judiciary video expose but also on a personal note, Dad was confirmed to be facing the Big C (cancer). And I just found out that a good mate's Mum was also diagnosed with it as well.

We were half expecting it as during the battery of tests, Dad had to go through the same regime as when Uncle Oi Mun (Dad's younger brother) went through when he was first diagnosed as having the Big C. Uncle Oi Mun has since passed away last year, some 6 months after he was first diagnosed. We have certainly been clocking up the miles & hours running to the hospital for tests, getting reports etc and all the waiting but that's the least I can do for the time being. Everyone's worried sick of course but surprisingly, Dad seems to be quite nonchalant about the whole thing. In fact even before getting the results, he's been announcing to all & sundry about it. Well I suppose that's my Dad for you, happy go lucky & the most easy going person you'll ever meet.

We'll be seeing another doctor tomorrow for a 2nd opinion & hope the prognosis is more positive. One way or another, we're not giving up hope and will remain positive whatever the opinion may be and just hope to be able to give the best care and management to the problem as we can.

March For Justice...

2007-09-24T11:30:00.000+08:00

The Bar Council is organising a march on Wednesday, 26/9/07 at 11.00 am from the Palace Of Justice to the PM's Office in Putrajaya to hand over a memorandum calling for a Royal Commission to be set up not only to investigate the video scandal but also the ills that has plagued the Judiciary since the days of Tun Salleh Abas's dismissal in 1988.

Though the call is made out for lawyers attendance to support the Bar's request for the Royal Commission, I'm sure any right thinking member of the public disgusted with the latest unsavoury events will be more than welcome to join in the walk. Whether any good will come out of handing over the memo is not the issue, but at least the government will know that the public has had enough of their "sweep the shit under the carpet" attitude . Well I'm sorry to say, even if you sweep crap under the carpet, the smell will remain for days on end...

Join me for a morning walk on Wednesday??

Judicial Appointments Fixed??

2007-09-19T18:11:00.000+08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlROjCITFvY

Not familiar how to upload the video as part of the blog yet, but have a look at this & you make your own conclusions.

This video of senior lawyer, Datuk VK Lingam, having a telephone conversation allegedly with Chief Justice Tan Sri Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim discussing the appointment of judges was released today by malaysiakini. There have been rumours and rumblings of such chicanery for some time but this video seems to add some truth to it. The Bar Council has called for an emergency meeting amongst its office bearers and the setting up of a Royal Commission Of Inquiry to look into this and other affairs plaguing the Judiciary seems more urgent than before.
Personally, I will not pass any judgment yet until we hear from the other parties involved but all I can say at this juncture is that it really makes me want to give up litigation... :(
...& now I seem to have lots to rant & rave about.

Blog Off....

2007-09-16T18:42:00.001+08:00

So I've finally succumbed to this apparently very addictive new (well new to an old fart like me anyway...) thing called blogging & here we are, my first posting. The first of very few I suppose as middle age life with kids, parents, house mortgage, work & a dear wife to take care of will well leave me with little time to indulge in blogging.

Though I have a myriad of interests, Liverpool FC, good music, good food & a good time with family & friends amongst others, writing long opinion pieces is not one of them & I'm not gonna start now. To give you an idea, those familiar with the KL indie rock scene will be familiar with the now defunct 'Aedes' fanzine helmed by the Peter Pan of Punk himself, Joe Kidd. Publications of said 'Aedes' were few and far between 1987 - 1994 & eventually went the way of the Dodo bird. So this blog will in many ways be a replica of the publication life of 'Aedes'.....

But on & off when I really have nothing else better to do, I suppose I might put down a few gems of wisdom about nothing of real importance but which YOU have decided to read as YOU too have nothing else important to do...

So when the stars, moon & sun are properly aligned & with some prompting, I MAY mouth off about something or the other - hence the blog name - "Ah??? Speak Now-ah??"