How I spent my Nov 2007 weekends

Most of my weekends in November 2008 I spent on fixing the Gundam kits I bought from Taiwan, while video chatting online with GF + watching Mandarin dubbed Cantonese movies on cable television Star Hub+ occasional web searching. For lunch and dinner, I ate whatever food stuff I can find in the house without going out.

Really Otaku (stay in the house) weekend life. Talk about multi-tasking.

Dunny: Auction Won from Ebay!!

Bought these 2 dunnys from Ebay. Cost me a BOMB!! Well, this was my 1st Ebay Purchase.

The 1st one is Lennin, from the famous Bolshevik Revolution of Russia. This is my favorite dunny so far.

The 2nd one is Mao Zhe Dong. This dunny was sold in 2005 and only 1098pcs was sold. Among the 1098pcs, 989pcs is Mao Zhe Dong and 109pcs is the rare Zhiang Ching. Now Zhiang Qing is going for nearly USD1,000.

Well, this 2 dunnys are very meaningful as they represent 2 of the most influential people in the modern history of the world!!

Dinner with Friends (7th Dec 2007)

Managed to caught Aik Hong and wife just after reaching Singapore from my Bangkok trip. We ate Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet) at Takashimaya Ngee Ann City, orchard road.

Well, all fried stuff, Fried Pork Cutlet, Oyster, Prawn with bread crumbs. I love the food, so was anxious to introduce to my friends.

Read this!! Fellow Malaysians

Finished this book, learned a very important piece of history of our country. By knowing the fact behind May 13, commoners would not have supported BN (Malay "Elites" capitalists who strongly withheld the "Malay special rights", supported by Chinese Biz men whose sole interest is their own $$ but not of the Chinese they represent, and the Indian "follower") but the Opposition Parties.

I am taking the synopsis from this site.

Synopsis:

This is the first credible account of the May 13, 1969 racial riots in Malaysia, using documents recently declassified at the Public Records Office, London, after the lapse of the 30-year secrecy rule.
These documents provide the only available confidential observations and memorandum by British and other foreign embassy operatives based on their intelligence and contacts with local officials and politicians. They include dispatches by correspondents which were then banned in Malaysia.
A social scientist, Kua Kia Soong provides a fresh political analysis of this "May 13 incident". In his view, the riots were by no means a spontaneous outburst of violence between Malays and Chinese but rather a planned coup d'etat by the ascendant state capitalist class against the Tunku-led aristocracy. He discusses the contradictions of the post-Independencec Alliance racial formula and traces the rise of this new Malay capitalist class which has ruled Malaysia since 1969.
These documents clearly show who were responsible for the violence and pose the question why the security forces allowed the violence to go on. With this publication, it is hoped that the frequently raised "spectre of May 13" by the Barisan Nasional government will be forever put to rest.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Kua Kia Soong is a director and founding member of human rights organisation, Suaram. He was a Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya (1990-95), a former political detainee during Operasi Lalang (1987-89) and former lecturer at the National University of Singapore (1978-79).

Golden Compass not for kids

Watched this on Saturday night. Very disappointed. And the mentioning of Daemon (pronounced as Demon) really stirred up some issues among Catholics Community. I agree with the Catholics as the movie will mislead children about the real meaning of Demon.

And the main character Lyra, the kid with the compass, she really set a bad example for kids. She is practically lie-ing her way through every obstacle she faced. I like Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins better. Their character and personality is really Good, compared to Lyra.

The Plus side of the movie is all the nice computer animated graphics. Basically the actors are all acting behind green screen most of the time. Nicole Kidman is beautiful and elegant. But that's all about it.

Overall, this movie is a no no for kids.

Kinokuniya Christmas Sales!! 20% off Books & Magazines

Hi Guys! Book Sales is on in Kinokuniya from 7th Dec to 1st Jan 2008. Any body wants to save on buying books just let me know. I will be back b4 CNY to give it to you. Surely wont pass them during CNY.

Power to the People!!

Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

Just finished this book after 3 weeks. This book is thick and full load of information on how corporations and certain "elites/privileged" have used "Shock" Method or "Shocked" situation created by nature or human to exploit the public/nation.

Well, this book seems to be really well researched and edited, with facts backing up most of the claims. Histories and current affairs, on the evil face of Capitalism and Neoliberalism (a political movement that espouses economic liberalism as a means of promoting economic development and securing political liberty. in an easy word, more privatization and less government control). This did widen the polarization
of the wealthy and the poor where only the "elites" and corporations extract enormous wealth while leaving the public with huge debt and very little money just to barely survive.

Well, it was like reading a history book, I just read through it quickly to get the whole idea and message this book is trying to convey. This book really covers a lots of topics. Can be used as a very good reference tool in the future.

From this book, it leads to another 2 books I just bought:
1. The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek (Liberal, Capitalism, free from States)
This book is promoting liberal capitalism, free from states and government control. Human should have freedom from the control of government. Anti-communist. This powerful and famous book was ban in Russia and China.

2. The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money by John Maynard Keynes (pronounced as "Cains") (Socialism)
This book is the oppose of the ideology of The Road to Serfdom, (although Keynes praised Hayek on writting the book), believing in wealth creation and distribution by wise government and responsible corporation and individual. (After the great depression, America achieved great economic growth in creating the vast majority of middle income population, seems was based on the ideas of Keynes.)

So... will try my best to finish this 2 books and compare their ideology. And go for Karl Marx famous book later.

Well... History and Politics are some of the most important subject we should learn from young. Really regret for not knowing the importance of it during school days, slept through most of the history classes at school.