Searching for Utopia

I just want to let you all know that I’m still alive here in Singapore. I have just received the latest book of Professor Tolkien — published 30 years after his death. The thing is, I have started to write a book of my own three years ago and have been working on it seriously only these last couple of months. Hopefully it can be published before 30 years after I die though.

However, this may mean that I will no longer have all the time in the world for blogging. My apologies. But basically I’ll still write whenever I have a spare moment — which probably will not be very soon

Large is the realm of Indonesia. But she is acquainted with grief for every wound she has suffered throughout her span. Another day could mean another wound, as today had proven.

‘She is standing upon the ring of fire,’ some wandering men cried. But some others answered, ‘No, this is merely punishment for the folk’s insolence and folly!’ Some sought counsel in their inmost thought and believed that they were doomed to death.

Whatever betides; is there naught we might do? Shall we wait till we all fall lifeless?

Following is a list of some of the disasters to hit Indonesia from Reuters since the Asian tsunami of 2004:

Dec 26, 2004 - Nearly 132,000 Indonesians are killed and more than 37,000 listed as missing after a 9.15 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia and a tsunami triggered by it in the Indian ocean region. The toll in affected Indian Ocean countries reaches 230,000 dead.
Feb 21, 2005 - At least 96 are killed in landslide that sweeps through two West Java villages near a garbage dump.
March 28, 2005 - Nearly 1,000 are believed killed after a quake of magnitude 8.7 hits the coast of Sumatra.
July 20, 2005 - Indonesia confirms first deaths from bird flu. To date the disease has killed 63 people in Indonesia, the world’s highest bird flu death toll.
Sept 1, 2005 - Landslide on island of Sumatra kills 14 and leaves more than a dozen missing.
Sept 5, 2005 - Domestic airliner operated by local carrier Mandala Airlines crashes in residential area of Indonesia’s third biggest city Medan, killing 102 aboard and 47 local residents in an inferno on the ground.
May 15, 2006 - Mount Merapi volcano erupts with clouds of hot gas and rains ash on surrounding areas.
May 27, 2006 - Earthquake rocks area around ancient royal city of Yogyakarta killing at least 5,000 and destroying or damaging 150,000 homes.
July 17, 2006 - A tsunami after a 7.7 magnitude quake in West Java province kills at least 550 people. At least 54,000 people are displaced.
Dec 30, 2006 - A ferry with at least 600 aboard sinks during a stormy night voyage as it traveled between Borneo and Java.
Jan 1, 2007 - An Adam Air passenger plane flying from Surabaya to Manado with 102 people aboard crashes into the sea off the west coast of Sulawesi.
Feb 22, 2007 - At least 42 people are killed when fire breaks out aboard a ferry which was heading from Jakarta to Bangka Island off Sumatra.
March 6, 2007 - Two strong earthquakes kill at least 31 people and injure dozens in the West Sumatra provincial capital of Padang.
March 7, 2007 – Domestic Airliner operated by Garuda Indonesia crashes in Yogyakarta, killing many of its passengers.

“It’s very fashionable to be in rehab. This whole thing is a total indulgence. Britney and Robbie need to get a grip. We’ve allowed these people to feel sorry for themselves. I don’t know what’s going on in Britney’s head but my attitude is I couldn’t care less. She should go back and live with her mum for six months.”

“I would make it compulsory that they have to go and live in a developing country for a couple of weeks. And then when you get home, as your butler is opening your curtains and making sure your bath water is the right temperature, you’ll realise everything is fine.”

…”Britney Spears isn’t exactly working in a coal mine is she? Everyone will agree with you and physically making an album is a doddle.”

…”I’ve heard Rudebox and it’s terrible. If it was by anyone else, it wouldn’t have been released.”

- Music Rooms

He hits the nail on the head this time. Team Simon!

It may be a slow news day, but it doesn’t stop us from getting “that” book. So go grab your copy and make sure you don’t miss Chapter 16!

Today I came across a neat review on the Crazy Horse Paris in Singapore:

The show was pure eye-candy and because of the fantastic lights, most of the time, I couldn’t even tell if the performers were nude. The theater is pitch black (no photography allowed!) and the playful lights are perfectly choreographed with the dancers such that you think you’re in a dream. So if you’re expecting porn, stay home and watch a DVD as I think this would get a PG-13 rating.

Yeah, whatever. Folks, in case you’ve been in Mars for the past few days, the topless show is leaving Singapore this Sunday due to financial loss. I actually couldn’t care less about it, particularly because naked chick is not of my interest. What is most interesting, though, is how people seem to put the blame on the government. Since I’m now too lazy to provide you with a link or two, you can just google it if you want. If not, then just trust me. Sheesh.

Eng Wah Organization, the local promoter, mentioned among the reasons of its failure was the publicity restricitions. Ms Goh Min Yen, the managing director said, “For the first eight months, we could advertise only in the newspapers’ movie listings. No images. No pictorials. Even famous brands like Prada or Louis Vuitton have to continuously advertise.” For God’s sake, does the red light district gets better treatment than that? I don’t remember I saw any advertisement for prostitution at the aiport either. Yet I know it survives. And how about cigarette? We have smoking prohibition in public places, age restriction, and even those scary pictures on the packs—but still people are buying it.

I think that it is simply out of place to have Crazy Horse here. I understand that they think Singapore is dull and stoic , and they want to change it. But let’s admit it, most people go to Singapore for its bustling commercial life. We don’t go here for burlesque show. If it’s what we wanted, then we could have gone to Paris, NYC—or maybe Bangkok. Well, maybe you can argue that the last one is a bit different, but you get the point. I don’t think that Crazy Horse would give a significant boost to tourism industry in that way. Well, not for $88 anyway. And I doubt that the locals would spend that much everyday for the show; no matter how great reviews said about it.

I could jump on the bag wagon and blame the publicity restrictions; but I won’t. Call it art, but I’m sure most women would be happier to see their husbands watching Star Wars than Crazy Horse. We like it dull and stoic!

Ouch, I’m a C-lister! What about you? Click here to find out.

Yay!!! Just when I thought shitty music has gone out of fashion in 2006, John Mayer came and saved the day. Click here to watch his live performance on MSN Music. Now I just wished Viva would read this blog *sigh*

Hungarian soccer legend Ferenc Puskas died today in Budapest’s Kutvolgyi Hospital following six year suffering from Alzheimer. He was 79.

Born in April 1927, he was the brain of the “Magical Magyars”, Hungary’s wonder team which beat England by 6:3 to be the first ever foreign side to win at Wembley. In six years during the 1950s, the team only suffered one loss—that is at the 1954 World Cup final against Germany.

Ferenc Puskas in action

In 1958, he joined Real Madrid, won six domestic titles and conquering Europe afterwards. In 1960, Real won the European Cup for 7-3 over Eintracht Frankfurt. He scored four goals in the particular match. He retired in 1967, went on to coach clubs in several countries. He led Panathanaikos to the European Cup final in 1971.

In 2000, he was admitted to hospital with arteriosclerosis and was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which left him struggling with financial problems since then. On August 14, 2005, Real Madrid travelled to Budapest to play a testimonial in his honor. The game had supposedly been conceived as a means of helping to pay for his treatment. However, Real Madrid reportedly commanded expenses of £892,000 to play the game And when the sums were done, the Puskas family received just £7,000.

Ferenc Puskas Stadion

The International Federation for Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) classed Puskas as the most successful first-division player of all time, having scored 511 goals in 533 first-division matches. We mourn his death and express our condolences to his loved ones.

[MSDN]

It reads “koruptor“, which means—if it’s not obvious—corruptor. The accompanying words more or less mean: “don’t keep it wet. Just HANG it! So it will dry faster.” [Kompas]

Spread the words!