Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #20 - Is there still money left in the Night Club?

The Night Club is making a loss. A 40 billion huge loss. Is there any more money left? The Citi band has been fired, the newly employed scapegoat has bailed, what is there left for the Night Club? But alas, the lady boss has other plans for the staff bonus...

大马喜夜总会这回亏大了，一共四百亿这么多！少奶奶要怎么向老爷交待？花了一大笔钱从美国请来的花旗大乐队被她开除掉了！花了更大一笔钱请回来摆上台的好年薯片先生也跑了！难道大马喜夜总会这个老字号就这样完蛋了？不！其实夜总会里还是有钱的！还有员工们的花红！

PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #19 - Hunted by the Red Gang

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Nokia N97 Camera Test - Outdoor Shots

在National Orchid Garden里用了Nokia N97的5MP Carl Zeiss lens拍了一些户外的照片。那时是下午三点多，顶着个大太阳在头顶上。本来还对这个相机蛮有信心的，因为到现在为止拍出来的照片都很清晰，但没想到结果它的auto white balance并没想象中的理想的说！看来以后还是自己调white balance好了！

未整理之前：


调整过颜色，光线，又crop了之后：


用Canon 400D DSLR拍出来的是这样子的：


未整理之前：


调整过颜色，光线，又crop了之后：


用Canon 400D DSLR拍出来的是这样子的：


未整理之前：


调整过颜色，光线，又crop了之后：


用Canon 400D DSLR拍出来的是这样子的：


未整理之前：


调整过颜色，光线，又crop了之后：


用Canon 400D DSLR拍出来的是这样子的：


未整理之前：


调整过颜色，光线，又crop了之后：


用Canon 400D DSLR拍出来的是这样子的：


结论是... Nokia N97的相机真的是“傻瓜相机”！用的时候真的不可以懒惰，一定要自己调white balance啦！

Beautiful orchids at the National Orchid Garden

最近才发现原来还蛮多人不知道在植物园里有一个胡姬花园（National Orchid Garden）喔！其实它就在Ginger Garden旁边，但得付$5的入门票。也可能因为这个$5的入门票，我在胡姬花园里看到的大多数都是旅客，本地人就只有小猫三两只！不过如果是要练习拍macro的话，我倒觉得这是一个蛮不错的地点哦！






不知道怎的，我们的国花都是这里一两朵，那里一两朵那样子，好像有点少咧... 朋友说会不会是都拿去做标本当纪念品卖掉了？不会吧...










感觉上白色的胡姬花有一种很zen的美，看了就觉得心平气和的







在Cool House里看到这朵样子有点诡异的胡姬花。Cool House里种植的是高山上的植物，所以这是胡姬花园里唯一一个有冷气的“温室”，每隔一段时间就会喷水雾。在大太阳底下走了那么久后，有Cool House真的是太棒了！




这朵不是胡姬花，是会吃昆虫的肉食花啦！


还有更多的胡姬花在 Cloudywind's Picasa Album

Thanks for conning me $8k, now please accept my $2k!

Few years back, a colleague received one of those "Congratulations! You've won yourself a trip to Bali!" call and after listening to hours of coaxing, signed up a ten years package with the resort agency and paid $8k+. That Oriental Travel company claimed that they represented Gold Crown Resort and promised to offer super duper good unbeatable hotel deals for most five stars hotels around the world for their members. Yah, I know. Sounded just like those typical Time Share Scams. But, my colleague had paid, so, oh well...

Eventually, I've been listening to my colleague grumbling that he has got so much problem trying to talk to anyone on the hotline (too hot for the agency to handle?) and even when he emailed them, nobody bothered to reply. And one fine day when a living human being eventually did answer the call (must be his lucky day, wonder did he go buy 4D), my colleague requested quotation for a five stars hotel in Hong Kong. Guess what? The room rate that they quoted him (that special membership rate as promised!) was higher than any random quotes on any online hotel booking sites! Heck! Even any random tour agency at the basement of Peoples' Park can give my colleague a better quote!

Fast forward to a few years later today, my colleague came into office furiously, ranting that a manager from the Oriental Travel had setup a meeting with their members and told them that due to the overwhelming number of members they have got, they could not provide efficient service to all members (Har? Cannot employ more employee meh? If can't afford expensive Singaporeans, still got the cheaper ones from China and India what!) and thus the members have 3 alternatives to solve the issue now:

• Pay another $16k+ to upgrade to the oh-so prestigious 95yrs membership package
  WTF?! Because they screwed up on their $8k 10yrs membership package, you should pay another $16k to join their 95yrs membership package?! And 95 years? I wonder where will my colleauge, who is 40yrs old now, be travelling to on his 94th year! Will he even be around?


• Terminate the current membership. Will be able to retrieve back $16k+ or a minimum of 75%, but have to pay $5k+ of admin and legal charges upfront
  Wait a minute... pay $5k to get $16k? It sounds just like those "Pay just a little admin and legal fee of a few thousands to receive a few millions of lottery prize" old school email scam!
  


• Terminate the current membership. All the $8k+ previously paid are down the drain, but have to pay $2k+ of admin and legal charges upfront
  Is it just me, or is their admin and legal charges abit too flexible? How can it be $5k and $2k at the same time? And WTH? After paying $8k for nothing, now you have to pay another $2k to terminate the con? I reckon their accountants can start applying for jobs at Temasek.

So I asked my colleague, so now what? And his reply?

"Just pretend all these are just a bad dream and forget about the whole damn 8k!"

Goodyear ran far far away already~

Picture taken using Nokia N97 camera

哇~ 老大不易当啊！
以其坐在那边等被人家摆上台，不如跑为上着！
Adidas X Goodyear，跑路最紧要是要够快！

Singapore through my N97 - Hi-end durians with hi-end price tags

那晚和几个朋友一起去717吃榴莲。之前已听说过他们的榴莲品质是上等的，当然价钱也是上等的！不过怎么说也应该去试一试吧？总不能只吃过超市卖的盒装榴莲吧？

到了那边已经有好几桌人在吃榴莲了，坐我们隔壁的一桌OL的桌上就有好几粒！是谁说现在经济不景气的？虽然我们有五个人那么多，也只是叫了一粒D24和一粒猫山王，但这两粒小榴莲就已经整五十大元了咧！汗~

不用说，两粒小榴莲当然不够五个人吃啦！所以后来又叫多一粒D24和一粒猫山王。这回两粒小榴莲就花了三十元。不过那粒D24实在是太过分的小了啦！只有四粒肉那么多！昏~

上等榴莲的味道真的不是盖的，尤其是猫山王，味道是重重的苦中带甜，肉质是绵绵厚厚的，最重要的是种子是小小的！哇~ 这样子我以后要怎么继续买超市盒装榴莲啊？


Picture taken using Nokia N97 camera

Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #19 - Hunted by the Red Gang

It has started. The attack of the Red Gang. Passengers were caught off guard, and there was no way for them to hide their food and drinks. The Red Gang are firm and they take no excuses. To them, there is only one mission. Catch all who eat and drink on the train. Nothing more, nothing less.


江湖上盛传出现了一个新的帮派，叫做红衣派。他们专在列车上擒拿吃吃喝喝的违例乘客，开罚单的手法干脆利落，豪不留情！就算你企图把鱼圆吞了，就算你的宝贝的奶已经要喝完了，就算你只是喝了一点白开水，红衣派使者也绝不会网开一面！就如红衣派帮主所说的：“我们的目的，是要杜绝乘客在地铁车厢或月台上吃喝的陋习”。看来江湖上将会有一场血腥暴雨的降临啊！


PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast (in mandarin!) #19 - Hunted by the Red Gang

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Cloudywind Podcast #18 - Do these women deserve it?

Can a national swimmer dip herself into politics? What kind of fresh ideas can she contribute in representing the young and sporty ones? Can an anti-gay professor teach human rights law? How right will then be her thoughts of human rights? Can a beauty queen keep her title when her erotic pictures are flooding the internet? Well, if the naked scholar gets to keep her scholarship, why don't we give the beauty queen a break?


一个国家游泳女将凭什么参加政治？她真的可以让楼上的听到年轻的民众的呐喊吗？她可以提出一些什么建议让让小岛的体育发展更上一层楼？一个反对同性恋的女博士凭什么去一间美国大学教人权？在她积极的反对删除一条压迫男同性恋者们的古老法律后，她有权讲人权吗？一个美姐的意淫照片在网上流传后，她凭什么继续出国参赛？但这些在她获得选美比赛冠军前私人拍的意淫照片跟她的选美比赛有关系吗？如果她的出国参赛的资格应该被取消的话，那么那个裸走的女博士生的奖学金应该被取消吗？


PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast #18 - Do these women deserve it?


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What tweeters are talking about Singtel's iPhone 3GS launch

Supersham87: iPhone 3GS coming out tmr at singtel comcentre.. But I got turned off after looking at the price.. Will look forward to next year..

wenjie: I received a pamphlet from Singtel today abt a recontract offer for iPhone 3GS. I am confused. Think I call them up tomorrow.

kulturbrille: What does Singtel do with all the iPhone 3G(s) that people are going to trade in?

chuyeow: @rsilvers The iPhone 3GS launch in Singapore will be at Singtel Comcentre - this map should be useful: http://gothere.sg/directions#comcentre:

paddytan: Most of the gang not willing to get singtel 'upgrade' offer for iPhone 3Gs. Getting it fm hk instead. I hv no love for Apple n singtel

rsilvers: Maybe it's because I've been doing advertising reading, but there are a lot of things wrong with singtel's iPhone launch promo material.

lucretius: Apple Singtel Iphone loophole?? http://web.me.com/lucretius/home/prerogative/Entries/2009/7/8_Singtel_Iphone_Warranty_loophole..html

guyswithiphones: Eh SingTel. Your iPhone 3GS website sucks lah. Still not working. Sheesh.

tazmanian_sg: SingTel not truthful in the price plan, 1st gen Mio has to pay $848 for 32GB iPhone...$100 off only if you subscribe to Mio Home!! Sucks!

kulturbrille: It doesn't make sense for Singtel to charge $600 for upgrading current iPhone 3G contracts if more than 12 months have passed.

Supersham87: Singaporeans having difficulty getting iPhone 3GS.. http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_400511.html - Registration Traffic too much for Singtel to handle?

babydicey: @M1 when will your iphone launched??? B4 i switch to SINGTEL!!!

geekparrot: lol singtel is telling me I can terminate my current iPhone contract @ $600 to get iPhone 3gs.

JoeAugustin: Hey there. If anyone is doing PR work for Singtel, please let them know that they managed to piss off a whole bunch of iPhone users.

Cloudywind Podcast #17 - Good serial dramas are made of these

What should good serial dramas be made of? How can a serial drama mesmerize the audience, and be good enough to be rewarded at the Black Stars Award? The story has to be an extremely sad family tragedy with betrayal, law suits, love triangles and not forgetting rape! Or better still, start a war!


怎样才可以算是一出好的电视剧？就是要收视率高，又可以提名黑星星大奖！怎样的故事才可以拍出一出好的电视剧？男主角一定要和女主角们一起从年轻演到老，故事里一定要有人被抛弃，有人被出卖，有好多人一起谈三四五六角恋爱，最重要的是一定要有人被强奸！


PLAY >> Cloudywind Podcast #17 - Good serial dramas are made of these


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Modesto's thin and crispy pizzas

那天跟朋友一起去Modesto's意大利餐厅用餐。不是我们有钱，是因为有一张买一送一的固本啦！由于我们有三个人，没理由叫两份意大利粉嘛，当然就叫了两份regular的大皮萨啦！看菜单上Modesto's的皮萨种类有超过20种，就叫了两份$20.50的皮萨，一个是有tomato，cheese，chicken sausages的Wurstel，另一个则是有tomato，cheese，black kalamata olives，garlic，oregano的Mediterranea。

等了一会儿后，两个皮萨上桌了！我们叫服务生把cheese，chili flakes和tobasco sauce拿过来准备开动！不过为什么在廉价Pizzahut那边他们会主动把这些配料放在桌上，但在这边的高消费意大利餐厅却还要我们向服务生讨咧？啊！难道因为吃高级皮萨是不可以放配料的？就好像吃法国牛扒不可以放辣椒酱一样？

吃了那两个皮萨后，我们发现其实它们的味道好象一样的咧，只是Mediterranea上有橄榄，而Wurstel上有鸡肉香肠罢了... 不过好在皮萨的饼皮本身还蛮好吃的，香香薄薄脆脆的，所以还ok啦！而且可以肯定的是，三个人吃两份regular的大皮萨，再加上免费送上的餐前面包配橄榄油，再加上几大杯的白开水，是很饱的喔！