AVP - Requiem

They are hailed as the universe's most deadly species....and they are set for battle again. This Christmas, the Aliens and Predators wage WAR!!

Diwali @ the Moots's

Well, it was the festival of lights again and it was truly a pleasant time at my home!

Black Tie and Diamonds - It was NOT just an Affair!

The HELP Matriculation Centre Student Council recently organised its annual ball themed Black Tie and Diamonds and WoW! What a rocking night it was!!

HALO 3 - Gameplay

Fallen Son - A tribute

I created this video as a tribute to Captain America....a true American hero!

Please provide your comments. Tq

Iron Man rules!

In the Marvel Civil War storyline, A Superhero Registration Act has been passed, requiring all individuals possessing paranormal abilities to register their powers and identities with the government. Disagreement over the Act split the super hero community in two, with Tony Stark, Iron Man, as the figurehead of the pro-registration, and Steve Rogers, Captain America, leading the anti-registration rebellion.

Amidst all the super charged Civil War violence, the perception of Iron Man has been put to test. However, with the release of the Iron Man movie in summer 2008, it promises a new start for this iron-clad superhero!

The Cherating tale

Fun, Sand and Sun.

That's how I can describe my weekend during the HELP Matriculation Centre (HMC) retreat at Impiana in Cherating, Pahang.

Well, we all left on Friday morning at 8.00 a.m in Gobi's car in anticipation of a long drive. But, personally, the ride was fun with a varying sceneary along the way. There was also Vincent and Husnizar to provide loads of laughter during the trip.

Upon arrival, unable to resist the temptation, myself, Gobi and Vincent plunged into the swimming pool. GOSH, what a lovely feeling it was...the sun and the warmth of the pool water was really soothing for our bodies.



After lunch, we got on to the first session of the day conducted by Mr Gerard Louis from HELP's Careersense. We started with introductions of ourselves and our stint at HELP.

Following that was buka puasa dinner....and my god, was there a variety of food. Char koey teow, roti canai, nasi briyani, spiced chicken, fried fish, lamb, ais kacang.....what a mouth watering time.

Then, it was light and easy time. We all adjourned to the pub where we had karaoke, pool, and a fun time at darts. Pool was an eye opener for me and so was darts. And, gosh......what a hustler Husnizar was at the table.

A stroll by the beech began my day the next morning. The sounds of the lapping waves sang tunes to my ears. After a sumptuous breakfast, it was back to sessions of us relating to the team on our personal drawbacks which was followed by input from the team on the individual's strengths.

That evening, we had a furious game of beach soccer, beach ball and water polo in the pool. Man, it was revitalising!

Saturday night's dinner was a feast at restaurant Duyung. Buttered prawns, fried squid, kangkung, venison, rice, mixed vegetables....(my god, my mouth is starting to water again.)

Sunday ended with the HMC staff relating their personal goals in the morning session. And, after lunch, we all left with a heavy heart. What a joy it had been.

Cherating was a timely and well-deserved get-away; I truly enjoyed every moment with my colleagues!

p.s. I can still hear the sound of those waves!

Delving in to the depths of Spawn

Watching HBO's Spawn: The Animated Series certaily took me down memory lane.

It was as if reliving the days when I used to read Spawn comics. The series captures all the elements of brutality, corruption, powerplay, sex and drugs as narrated by Todd Mcfarlane in his comics.

Well, it's one of the best cartoons I’ve ever watched and Spawn the series still holds up after nearly 15 years. Definately the best thing the Spawn franchise has to offer, improving on practically everything that made the comic book enjoyable. If you’ve never had the pleasure of watching it, then give it a shot.

p.s: Watch The Clown in action....he is erotically demented and sadistic as ever!!

Watchmen - Super-powers and the superpowers

"The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking...the solution of this problem lies in the heart of mankind...If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker." - Albert Einstein

You know, I should slap myself stupid for not having read The Watchmen when it was released. It is not your typical superhero graphic novel but more of an anti-hero piece.

Watchmen is set in 1985, in an alternative histroy United States where costumed adventurers are real and the country is edging closer to a nuclear war with the Soviet Union (the Doomsday Clock is at five minutes to midnight). It tells the story of a group of past and present superheroes and the events surrounding the mysterious murder of one of their own. Watchmen depicts superheroes as real people who must confront ethical and personal issues, who struggle with neuroses and failings, and who - with one notable exception - lack anything recognizable as super powers. Watchmen's deconstruction of the conventional superhero archetype, combined with its innovative adaptation of cinematic techniques and heavy use of symbolism, multi-layered dialogue and metafiction is really a deep reflection of our daily lives.

Ploughing through the pages of the Watchmen, we are taken into the past (time of Nixon, John. F Kennedy) and through present times where life itself is seen from varying perspectives.

I quote here Dr Manhattan, one of the characters from the book:

"It is the oldest ironies that are still the most satisfying: man, when preparing for bloody war, will orate loudly and most eloquently in the name of peace. The dichotomy is not an invention of the twentieth century, yet it is in this century that the most striking examples of the phenomena have appeared. Never before has man pursued global harmony more vocally while amassing stockpiles of weapons so devastating in their effects. The second world war-we were told- was The War To End Wars. The development of the atomic bomb is the Weapon To End Wars. And yet, wars continue"

Another beutiful quote is from Rorschach:

"This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not god who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It is us. Only us."

Watchmen is truly a graphic novel that has revolutionised the comic industy. With its thought provoking story line, you may just wonder how far we would go to sustain the balance in the human race.

By the way, Watchmen won the Hugo Award and is one of Time Magazine's 100 Best Novels. It is writen by aclaimed and controversial writer, Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, From Hell and Swamp Thing). Need I say more?

The Evil that Men Do

An 8-10-year-old girl...sexually and physically abused, brutally murdered and dumped in a gym bag.

Is this one of life's sick and erotic jokes?

I don't understand how it is humanly possible to perform such a brutal killing on a child. There are just too many sick bastards out there who have gone beyond boundries.

How can we feel secure again to walk the streets with our children? Why prey on the innocent children? Why?

This has got to end. For the sake of the children, THIS HAS GOT TO END!

"The world I'd tried to save was lost beyond recall. I was a horror; amongst horrors must I dwell"

The Prisoner Is In!!!

"Darwin wins inside these walls, not Einstein"

Well people, buckle up cause Prison Break: Season 3 has begun a roller-coaster ride full of thrills that will keep you at the edge of your seats.

Michael Scofield engaes in a deadly cat and mouse game once again; but, this time, there seems to be a better twist in the tale.

Incarcerated in Sona (a prison where one walks in and never walks out), Scofield is left delirious over his present situation. As usual, there are the prison mobs who run the priosn with an iron fist. There are also characters (or scoundrels) from the previous seasons to mess things up here. So, Scofield deffinately has his hands full.

The plot this time around seems intriguing enough but, then again, what is Prison Break without intrigue?

I am not going to let the cat out of the bag at this point. Just watch it. No regrets!

New Straits Times's Hulla-Hulla!!

Well, this Saturday was interesting as I accompanied my wife to her company's family day celebration titled Circulation Hulla Night 2007!

Ha Ha....what a celebration it was. Held at the Mines Golden Spa and Resort, it was an entertaining night with loads of laugh too.

The food was appetising with overflowing dishes of sea food....Prawns, crab, oysters and there were the usual BBQ chicken and sausages. Of cause, not forgetting Satay, fried rice, mee hoon, apple pies, chocholate fudge cakes etc....etc.

to add to that ambience, there were loads of games and tonnes of prizes to win. There was the "Guess the number of Peanuts in a jar" game, bursting of balloons and Karaoke sessions that depicted many talents (and the not so talented...like those who can break glasses with their voices).

For me, I thought the highlight was the Limbo Rock. Gosh, watching the young and old bend over like that drew so many laughs from the audience.

It was an enjoyable night with food to satisfy my tummy. And my wife won the grand bonanza prize of Ikea shopping vouchers during the lucky draw. So, I am not complaining! Ha Ha.

When the children speak!

"Children show me in their playful smiles the divine in everyone. This simple goodness shines straight from their hearts and only asks to be lived." - Michael Jackson

My recent visit to the Shelter 1 home with my students was truly an eye opener. I seem to have forgotten what it takes to be a kid and how it is to be loved.

The 15 odd kids in the home were all smiles when they saw us there. Jumping and screaming, they seemed to have walked into a Disneyland of sorts. Never letting my students any time to breathe, they danced, sang, ran and mingled with them making it a blissful moment to witness.

The sad part ot all this is that these children are neglected, sexually and physically abused.....by thir own parents!

I sometimes wonder what defines us as human beings. How is it we walk through life by setting moral examples and in the very next instant, we can resort to unthinkable violence! I mean....CHILDREN.....what do they ask of us but love and care? Did they ask to be brought in to this world to be the brunt of our sick and erotic jokes of life?

Take Madeleine McCann for instance......missing for 128 days (to date). Her own parents have become suspects in her sudden disappearance.

I have a younger brother who is 25 and he is a slow learner. He never asked to be put in such a situation in life....but he strives to make the best of what he can. Innocent as he is, he is my kid brother. And, as my parents always say, he is God's child.

And believe it people....All children are God's children.

Today's visit to the home was part of a community service project that me and my students are working on. It's called Pack the Floor for 24; A 24-hour dance marathon cum fund raising event for the children out there. Log on to http://www.p24dancerathon.blogspot.com/ for more information.

So, let us all wake up. Let us all stand up and dance for the kids. Why? because we can! And, because children are God's blessings to each and everyone of us.