Saturday, August 29, 2009

VISUAL ILLUSION

I always love a good visual or optical illusion now and then. I found a pretty good one on youtube and I want to share it with all of you guys. Do take a look:


dNeero has been slow recently to ignite new conversations but I am glad things are finally picking up. The latest is a nifty and fun conversation by Visual Talking. I think that its very innovative and a creative new way to communicate all via pictures. Do try it out for yourself and have your say in the matter.

Monday, August 17, 2009

GETTING JIZZY WITH EMBEDDED VIDEO

I saw this video a couple of days ago and its quite funny. The subject matter might probably be a little offensive to some people but nevertheless it will at least put a smile on your face or make you LOL! Just watch it to find out.


On another note, dNeero has been quite lately with new conversations far and between. Well it looks like they have been messing around with some new features like embedded video. Not sure whether that is a welcomed feature for users but you'll never know unless you give it a try.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

MICHAEL JACKSON ON OPRAH AWKWARD QUESTIONS

I want to share this video that I found on youtube with everyone. It is about the time when Michael Jackson was on Oprah and he was asked very personal and difficult questions. Though I believe most of us are interested in what Michael had to say about them. Here are the questions asked:
1. Are you a virgin?
2. Why do you always grab your crotch?
3. How much plastic surgery have you had?

Now here is the video clip:

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

HEAL THE WORLD

One of Michael Jackson's song that truly touched my heart and soul is Heal The World. That song is very powerful in the message that it is trying to get across the globe, traversing across boundaries of countries and religion. May the people of the world not forget Michael Jackson through the passing of time.

Michael Jackson - Heal The World Live


What are the world events that you care about? I have taken part in dNeero's latest conversation on the topic and here are my results:

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

CARE OR DON'T CARE?

With the recent passing of the King of Pop: Michael Jackson, the world is once again shining the spotlight on him. It is ironic how one man can only be redeemed in death and not when he was alive. The recent media coverage has amassed a huge following on Michael Jackson including both existing and new fans alike. Here is the original video for Michael Jackson's They Don't Care About Us.


And this is Michael Jackson's final rehearsal video before his untimely passing featuring the same song:


It is sad to see that Michael Jackson was wronged when he was alive and now idolized when he is gone. May he rest in peace.

Latest dNeero conversation is about what you care about in life. Here is my take on it:

Saturday, July 4, 2009

THE SPIRIT OF ENDURANCE SPORTS

Ever since dNeero ignited the previous conversation on endurance sports I have started doing some low impact exercises so that I can work up a good sweat. Usually I feel much better after that. I saw this video clip on youtube about The Spirit of the Marathon and I would like to share it with everyone. It has some interesting and insightful information on the sport of Marathon and it is definitely worth a look.

The Spirit of the Marathon


Continuing the previous conversation, dNeero has ignited a new one this time focusing on the questions asked by fellow dNeero-ites on endurance athletes. My question also appears in this one so do take a look and feel free to participate.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

COME FLY WITH ME

Recently I have been infatuated with Michael Buble's rendition of Come Fly With Me. Then after surfing videos on youtube I stumble across the original by Frank Sinatra. Check out both of them below and tell me which one you prefer.

Michael Buble - Come Fly With Me


Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me


Personally I like Michael Buble's version because its been updated with the times to be relevant in terms of styling. But Frank Sinatra's version will never get old and great to listen to now and then.

The latest conversation on dNeero is about Love Songs. Check out my participation below.

Friday, June 19, 2009

MOVING HOUSE

While browsing through youtube, I stumble across an interesting video about moving a building. Instead of moving to an new house, the possibility of moving your house with you to a new location is something to think about. Here is the video that I found:


On another note, how much are you willing to pay for help if you are moving? The latest conversation from dNeero is for charity and focus on this topic.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

DAWN TO DUSK IRONMAN CHALLENGE

It always amazes me to watch endurance sports. It takes a lot of dedication, discipline, commitment and not forgetting years of strenuous physical training to condition the human mind and body to cope with the endurance sporting events. Here is a shortened video which shows some behind the scenes of the 2008 Ironman event at Sherborne UK.



I have also joined the recent dNeero conversation which highlights endurance sport. There are some interesting questions in there and do check it out if you are interested.

Friday, June 12, 2009

MAKE LOVE AND MUSIC

I have always wanted to compose my own music tracks. But I always get put off by the complexity of the equipments involved and the high cost of the required equipments. Add those up to the fact that I have no prior experience in the field and you will see that this is not as easy as I thought it would be.

Recently I have been able to rekindle my love for music making, thanks t my stumble upon an Ableton Live video on youtube. The music making process is highlighted and seems pretty straight forward. The video is a s follows:

Make music with Ableton Live


True to the theme of making love and music, dNeero has recently ignited their latest SpitzTunes conversation. Do check out my results below:

Friday, June 5, 2009

FAST AND EASY HAIRSTYLE

I was browsing through youtube trying to find some useful videos on hairstyles when one of The Bubble Gum Princess video caught my attention. It is a fast (5 minutes to do), simple and effective hairstyle to tidy up your hair for the summer. And it looks nice and pretty as well. I'll be sure to show this to my boo.



It is true how one's hair can tell a lot about a person. The hairstyles that you choose can also affect you emotionally and mentally on how you perceive yourself. dNeero has ignited a followup conversation about hairstyles and the following are the results of my participation.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

HAIRSTYLING YOUR LIFE

Our hair is one of our most prized asset in life. Besides providing protection for the head, the hair is a major factor determining our outward appearance by others. Having the right hairstyle that suits your facial shape is very important. Here is a useful video detailing suitable hairstyles to match various facial shapes.


If you have your own views and opinions on hairstyles, do participate in dNeero's latest conversation on hairstyles. Here are the results of my participation.

Monday, May 25, 2009

MAKE LOVE NOT WAR

War is bad for everyone except those that started it for their own personal gain. The only war that should exist is war games and for recreational purposes. There should be less fighting and more communication and cooperation to ensure mutual understanding between countries. Check out my idea of war which is only for fun.


Memorial day is near and it is a day to remember those who gave their lives fighting for their country. Do you have anything planned for that day? Do participate in the latest dNeero conversation on memorial Day and share your views.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

TWITTER+YOUTUBE=BUZZTRENDZ?

I just love using twitter and catching up on my favorite videos on youtube. My current favorite on my playlist is Jai Ho by the Pussycat Dolls ft. A. R. Rahman. Check it out below:


I have been wondering if there is a way to combine the best elements from twitter and youtube in a Digg like manner where users can buzz the items that interest them or zap those that they dislike. Once again I must thank dNeero for introducing me to buzzTrendz via their recent conversation. Looks like buzzTrendz is just what I was looking for! Here is the result of my conversation participation:

Monday, May 11, 2009

YOUR TAKE ON TATTOOS

Tattoos are nice and a creative form of art. But the process of getting one is painful. Here is an interesting video showing the process of having a tattoo "imprinted" on the human body. There are also some interesting facts about the significance of having tattoos in Japan.

When dNeero ignited a conversation about tattoos naturally I quickly jump on to participate. Here are the results of my participation.

If you are looking for a good movie about tattoos, check out My Love For Life Review. They got The Tattooist movie review. Do check it out.

Friday, May 8, 2009

SCIENCE IN LIFE

Just came across an interesting video about Earth. It is quite an interesting watch as it tries to explain one of the conspiracies of science: Is the Earth growing in size? In the first couple of minutes you might feel dragged down to quit but just bear with it until the end and you will gain some valuable insights.


Science is essential in our lives. It is one of the major support pillars of human civilization and science history facts must be preserved. Science museums are also not spared from being affected by the recent recession. dNeero is doing its part by igniting a charity conversation to help out. Here is my reply to support the good cause.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

OPRAH ON TWITTER AND LARRY KING

My sister was really into Oprah a few years ago before she moved to the big city and started her working life. She has been too busy with her work since then to catch Oprah. Now that she is thinking of changing her career path I wonder whether if she will start watching Oprah again. I told her the other day about WhoCelebsTweet.com and about twitter in general and she got excited about the whole thing. When I mentioned to her that Oprah is on twitter she quickly signed up and followed Oprah on twitter. I think it's rare to have someone else interviewing Oprah for a change and I managed to find this gem of a video:

Oprah on Larry King


I am grateful to dNeero for introducing me to WhoCelebsTweet.com as now I tend to monitor that site almost on a daily basis. Here is the followup dNeero conversation on celebs and twitter.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

OPPORTUNITY IN A CRISIS

I am a strong believer to the age old idiom "Every dark cloud has a silver lining". The idiom literally means difficult times are like dark clouds that pass overhead and block the sun. When we look more closely at the edges of every cloud we can see the sun shining there like a silver lining.

In times of crisis and hardship, there will always be hidden opportunities if we look hard enough to find them. One good example which definitely applies to us all is the current global economic depression. While we have been taking things for granted by living our lives in material comforts, we will never know how long this trend will last. Thus this economic depression period teaches us to spend wisely and establish the much needed emergency savings fund to prepare for the worse times ahead.

dNeero has posted up a conversation covering the changes in lifestyle that people take to lessen the burden of the economic crisis focusing more towards financial institutions. There are some great ideas from others so do take a look.

HATSUNE MIKU - WORLD IS MINE


Recently I find myself fascinated with Hatsune Miku. I am going to get my hands on my very own figma Hatsune Miku soon and I will post up a review on that in the future.

Hatsune Miku is my favorite vocaloid idol because she is so darn cute and unique. Some may find that her vocals can be a bit squeaky at times but Hatsune Miku is well suited to perform Japanese songs. That being said, she will have trouble doing renditions of English songs, making them sound more artificial and less accurate in the pronunciations.

My current favorite song of Hatsune Miku is 'World is Mine' which the vocaloid wiki explains as follows:
"The song is about a spoiled girl who believes herself to be a "princess" that the world revolves around, and her struggles with falling in love with a standoffish boy. There are many PV variations for this song, but the narrator is almost always portrayed as a short-tempered and fickle Miku (interesting because of the meek and sweet-tempered manner that Miku is often portrayed with.)

In addition to the Miku version of World Is Mine, called the "Women's Side", there is a "Men's Side" performed by Kaito telling the story from the "prince's" point of view. There is also a version that mixes both the Men's and Women's Sides, making a complete story.

"World is Mine" is very popular among female singers on Nico Nico Douga and Youtube, and has received multiple covers."

Here is the video for Hatsune Miku's World is mine.

BARACK OBAMA ON TWITTER

I think Barack Obama marks a new generation of American leadership which Americans have been longing for quite a while now (ever since George dubya's presidency). This is also the first time an African American become the President of the United States of America. I became interested in Obama after watching the following video of him telling who he is and why he decided to run for president.

Unlike previous candidates Obama can easily connect with the people with his views and ideals. He speaks and thinks from the same perspective of the American people and most importantly he listens. I have been following Obama on twitter ever since dNeero covered the subject in one of their conversations.

dNeero recently has compiled all the best responses from their tweets regarding Obama and ignited a conversation which I have joined gladly to express my views. Check out my replies below and feel free to join in yourselves.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

CELEBZ ON TWITTER

I have been using twitter for some time now and I find it a great social tool to tell my followers what I am up to and also keep myself abreast of their happening as well. One of the more popular feature of twitter is that you can keep tabs on celebrities as well. Do not be shocked to find out that Britney Spears, Robin Williams, 50 Cent and even Mariah Carey is on the twitter network!

But truth to be said, I seriously don't think that they are personally behind their tweets, most probably they hire someone to do it to boost their popularity. Nevertheless there are a few who seem genuinely personal behind the tweets like Ryan Seacrest (Sadao team Seacrest!) and my current favorite Jason Mraz (Love Lucky!).

Lucky -Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat


If you haven't done so join twitter today and follow me on what's going on in my life and I'll do the same for you as well. You watch my back and I watch yours! This is all thanks to dNeero for starting the conversation on whoCelebsTweet.com and introducing me to this interesting site. Here are the results of the conversation that I took part in.

Monday, April 20, 2009

AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 8: ADAM LAMBERT

It is the high tide for American Idol fever and fans already have their own winners this season. One of the noteworthy contestant this season with outstanding talent and prowess is Adam Lambert. He has so far wowed the audiences and impressed the judges with superb performances and customized renditions of popular songs to match his own styling. One of the most heated controversies surrounding Adam Lambert was the emergence of photos showing him kissing another man which he confirmed, saying that he has an open life with nothing to hide.

American Idol is about talent and Adam Lambert has got lots of it. This season will be interesting if he manage to snag the winning post even though he is shadowed by the controversy. Here is a video showing his performance of "Mad World".

Adam Lambert - Mad World AI season 8


For those who support Adam Lambert you can show your dedication by taking part in the following dNeero conversation which asks fans on how to ensure that Adam Lambert will win this season's AI. Every little bit helps in the long run.

Friday, April 17, 2009

DNEERO FOR CHARITY: LUNG CANCER

Dneero has been contributing to charity with their conversations and each time they do so I'll be sure to help out anyway I can by participating in them. You can do the same too by just joining in the conversation and the earnings will be donated to charity.

The latest charity conversation is about lung cancer. I must admit I didn't know 60% of lung cancer patients are non smokers! That comes as a shock to me. Anyway do check out other interesting facts by going through my results of the conversation below. Thanks for caring.

FIGMA MADNESS: HARE HARE YUKAI


I recently caught Figma Madness right after my Gundam Fever and ordered a few Figma figures from Ebay. I just hope those Figma figures are authentic instead of fake since I have been hearing about fake Figmas though I have no idea how to differentiate between the two.

Anyway I have come across a very cool stop motion video featuring Figmas performing the Hare Hare Yukai dance from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. I present you the original animated version of the video first. Its really well done!

Original video sequence of Hare Hare Yukai


Figma version of Hare hare Yukai


I am impressed! It is hard work to produce that video which can closely mimic all the movement of the characters in the Hare Hare Yukai dance sequence.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

MUSIC CONCERT MANIA

Have you ever been in a concert where the crowd goes into mania frenzy? The sudden uncontrollable burst of frenzy causing music mania. These occurrences can be unsafe at times causing injuries to the audiences. Music is a powerful form which greatly affects the human emotions.

dNeero recently launched a new conversation on Concert Mania which piqued my interest on the subject. Quite an interesting conversation and I am looking forward to the results!

LWDRAGON GUNDAM SANDROCK ASSEMBLY PART 1

Previously we took a look at the unboxing of the LWDragon Gundam Sandrock. Now we are going to have a closer inspection of the runners before the actual assembly process of the model.

First up is the runner which contains parts for the head, shield, arms, feet, chest and torso of Sandrock Gundam. Try to spot which which parts goes where in the pic. The head parts should be pretty obvious, the two parts at the top left corner.


Next we have the runner with parts mainly for the legs. There are parts for the torso, chest exhausts and the head too. One can easily spot the part for the head's V fins which comes uncolored.


This runner unlike the others is molded in purple. Parts for the shoulders, front skirt, backpack and weapons (beam machine gun and twin heat shotei blades) are housed on this runner.


Now this runner comes in metallic gold. I think this is an extra runner thrown in for good measure by the Chinese manufactorer LWdragon. THis contains the parts for a bazooka type weapon though not compatible with the Sandrock Gundam to use.


This runner made from rubbery PVC contains the joints of the gundam which allow for movement of the limbs for poses.


Here is the stickers which come with the gundam model kit. Notable are the stickers for the shield, front skirt and the head. Try to spot which 1 is for the eyes (hint:bottom right corner!)

I think the number of runners for this NG (no grade) 1/144 scale Sandrock Gundam is ok, nothing to shout about though you do get the extra metallic gold runner for an extra bazooka weapon which once assembled cant be used by Sandrock Gundam :(.

Friday, April 3, 2009

BEYONCE - IF I WERE A BOY

When I first heard "If I Were A Boy" I totally got hooked! This single release from Beyonce's latest album I am Sasha Fierce is definitely a prominent showcase of Beyonce's singing prowess. With lyrics that most can relate to about love relationships between a man and a woman, "If I were a boy" is a great hit with the masses. Go ahead and take a look at the video below!

Beyonce's "If I were a boy" music video


Coincidentally I found out that dNeero is running a new conversation with major tie ins to this song and I joined in straight away! Take a gander on how I answered and feel free to join in too.

Friday, March 27, 2009

ROCKING TO SPITZTUNES

I think the closest rock music I can get to like is Aerosmith. I am not too keen on the extremely loud head banging rock music. Don't see the point unless someone has got too much energy cooped up inside waiting to be released. But I am a strong supporter of the fact that music is a universal language.

Nowadays you can hear all sorts of profanity in lyrics of popular songs. Is that too much freedom that the artists get to show their musical talents? Young listeners might get the wrong idea. I think this ties in very closely with freedom of speech. But in music it can be widely distributed easily as with the current pop culture.

This topic is an interesting debate and dNeero has started an interesting conversation around this. Feel free to participate.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

LWDRAGON GUNDAM SANDROCK UNBOXING

Greetings gundam fans! Today I'll be covering the unboxing of Lwdragon Gundam Sandrock. This is a 1/144 scale gundam Sandrock model kit by Lwdragon. Notice how they replace the word "Gundam" with "Warrior" to avoid copyright infringements.
This is the frontal shot of the box. The design is similar to that of Bandai's showing "Warrior" Sandrock with its signature "Heat Claw" shield.
Cover box opened side by side with lower box containing runners in clear plastic bags.
Box and runners all spread out with stickers and instruction manual. Notice in one of the runner bags there is one piece of shiny golden runner. That in fact is an extra runner not needed for the assembly of Sandrock. It is for a bazooka weapon which ironically won't fit into the hands of the Sandrock.

Friday, March 20, 2009

RAPPING TO SPITZTUNES

Music has a powerful effect on our soul. It is sometimes called the universal language that all can relate to no matter which part of the world you are from. But for me I prefer music that brings calmness and peace. As for rap music, it is ok to listen to when the mood is right. But I can never fully understand metal or metal rock or metal rap music styles as there are really loud. What do you think about it?

LWDRAGON GUNDAM WING 0 REVIEW

As promised here is a review on the completed model of Lwdragon's Gundam Wing 0. The model has been snap fitted and all the stickers applied. In terms of its appearance I must say some painting will definitely boost its appeal since the color the parts came in are not a 100% match to the anime.
Generally the model is presentable right out of the box but you can never compare this with the quality of Bandai kits.
The articulation is acceptable for this kit as the price is cheap, about 3-4USD and it can transform to flight mode as well(I did not have any pictures of that, will post them up in the future). The model can easily perform the kneeling pose...
This is the view from the side. The shield a.k.a. the front nozzle tip of the flight form called the Neo-bird form can bee seen clearly. Notice how the colors on it are from stickers. I will look better when using detailed painting instead.
Now the rear view of the model. I really like the design of the two thrusters on the backpack. Those will transform to become the wings of the Neo-bird form.
Overall I am pleased with the quality of this model with the cheap price tag. A few negative points though:
- Joint connectors on the hips to the legs are quite loose so will need some modifications to make them sturdier for more dramatic poses
- Parts will need sanding to remove the excessive plastic from the rough plastic injection molding process
- Certain color of the parts (e.g. head) are sprayed on instead of using the proper color plastic

Monday, March 16, 2009

TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH

Nowadays people in general are much more aware and conscious about their health than before. I know of a guy who cycles to work everyday, rain or shine, one way taking him about 1 hr to reach the office from his house which is around 20KM apart. And Borneo Falcon of Borneotips made a pledge that during his hunt for blockbuster exclusive scoops to post on his blog, he will reduce his carbon footprints by solely relying on his trusty bicycle (which recently had a change of metal pedals).

For me personally, I do some exercise daily early morning for about 5-10mins. There are mostly low impact body movements like standups, arm swings, shoulder flexes and hip twists. I think your daily diet is crucial to maintain your health in life. Most people who are office workers like me tend to have a problem: after lunch we just sit and work for roughly 4 hrs. That will be a huge contributing factor for beer bellies!

Do you have any thoughts or opinions on the matter? Feel free to join this dNeero conversation about Health and let the community know what you think.

LWDRAGON GUNDAM WING 0 REVIEW

Recently I have picked up a new hobby: Gunpla! Here are some quote from wikipedia's gundam model entry:

"Gundam Models refers to plastic and non-plastic model kits depicting the mechas, vehicles and characters of the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam universe. These kits have become popular among anime fans and model-lovers, especially in Japan and in other nearby Asian countries since 1980s. The popularity of Gundam models increased in 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam through television, video and manga. These Gundam Models may also be called Gunpla (ガンプラ Ganpura?), a portmanteau of "Gundam plastic model". "Gunpla" more commonly refers to the practice of building Gundam models, rather than the models themselves."

I bought an imitation 1/144 scale gundam wing 0 model kit by Lwdragon. I think the full name for Lwdragon is Little White Dragon. Here are the much awaited pictures of the kit:

The box cover design of the kit. While the picture closely resembles that of the original Bandai kit, Lwdragon has replaced the "Gundam" wording with "Warrior". It goes without saying that the cover design will heavily influence the buying decision of potential customers and I guess I am no exception either ^^.


Here is a picture of the front cover and the runners still in sealed plastic bag side to side. So far the Lwdragon kit has managed to imitate the unboxing feel that you get with a Bandai kit.

Here are all the runners laid out in one complete photo shoot. I am surprised that Lwdragon can follow most of the color schemes of the original Bandai kit. But truth to be told, the plastic quality of this kit cannot come close to that of a Bandai kit. But with less than half the price of the Bandai kit, I think the Lwdragon quality is acceptable. But you will need to put in extra effort like sanding the sides of the parts to produce a better looking model. I will do another post on the completed model soon.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

A LITTLE SIDE INCOME

I have a friend who I have encourage into blogging. He was reluctant at first because of the complexity of the task. I assured him that it is like typing on a word processor and inserting a few pictures. I even helped him kick start his blog by registering its name and configuring its first template layout. Over a year has passed and he has grown into his own style of blogging.

I am proud of the guy to have come so far from the inexperienced rookie to the now current dare devil reporter of Borneotips! Throughout his journey into the world of blogging, he has learned first hand of the dos and don'ts of blog posts. At one time he was scared out of his pants because he posted an article about the local mobster in his town and that post might bring him unwanted attention. Fearing for the safety of his newly wed young wife and his parents, he took down the article on a whim and changed his dare devil reporting methods to a more milder visitor friendly approach. He is now a self proclaimed ambassador to his town of Sibu which is located on the Island of Borneo.

His regular posts on Borneotips include insider's perspective to his work as a ship superintendent, his witty reviews on computer components like power supplies and his love for badminton. During special occasions his visitors will be treated to detailed reports of his romantic outings with his wife and their honeymoon in Singapore is also covered comprehensively. Juggling his work and personal life in unison, he has managed to find time to continue producing interesting posts on Borneotips mostly on a daily basis. Kudos to you my friend!

He is a fanatic of vintage toys like Mask and Transformers. There were a few earlier postings about his toys but he scrapped them due to the lack of popularity. I have been trying to get him to invest in a few Gundam models but he still seemed reluctant. I guess in this case perseverance is the key.

I have been trying to get him to join dNeero as well so he can contribute like what I have been doing thus far for the dNeero community. It is a great place for helpful discussions for everything under the sun and more. Just like this latest conversation I have joined: