Photoblog [2005/12]

Fisheye in Singapore

2012-01-18T21:28:00.005+08:00

All images taken with Sony NEX-3 with 16mm f/2.8 lens with Sony VCL-ECF1 fisheye adapter.

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Here is the characteristic of a fisheye lens. It distorts the view of the scene as the light enters the lens moves further away from the lens' central axis - turning a straight line into a very curved shape at the edges of the image like how you see here. Simply saying, the central axis of the lens, where the X and Y axis is in a coordinate system, the image stays distortion free. Knowing this information, you can now create an image with the fisheye, without giving the look of a fisheye lens.

Here's how. Notice how I've put the horizon of the scene at the smack center of the image below? That's how. Subjects which does not have a known straight line or a known shape, for example, a human form; the human brain does not know whether the subject is distorted in the image or not.

Enjoy the rest of the images here. Some using the trick I have just taught you above, some using the exact opposite method to enhance the curves.

From the Double Helix Bridge, Singapore

2012-01-16T07:43:00.003+08:00

20120115_0130, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony NEX-3
Exposure 5
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 16 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias +1 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

Mother and Child

2011-12-12T03:22:00.002+08:00

11Dec2011_2229, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony NEX-3
Exposure 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 55 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Exposure Bias -0.3 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

Baby Hwa Ean

2011-12-04T01:25:00.003+08:00

03Dec2011_1839, originally uploaded by william leong.

Shot with A77 and 50mm f/1.4. Flash triggered wirelessly facing ceiling to give a wrap around lighting bathing the baby from above.

Putrajaya on holiday

2011-11-29T00:11:00.001+08:00

Putrajaya on holiday, a set on Flickr.

Sony Alpha A77 firmware 1.04 is ready for download

2011-11-24T16:36:00.009+08:00

Here's the latest update for your Sony A77 firmware to version 1.04

Click here and follow the instructions.

http://www.sony-asia.com/support/download/478891/product/slt-a77v

After upgrading, I found that the dial response time does have a slight improvement. Higher ISOs are a tiny bit cleaner than ver.1.03

I don't like it that all my previous customization is reset back to factory default and I have to re-do everything all over again.

Puma Social Club - Here's to the After-Hours Athlete

2011-11-13T03:27:00.002+08:00

Aimed to be a platform for social exchange and friendly competition, the Puma Social Club is bringing you a whole load of fun.

Launched at Cosmic Bowl, Mid Valley, media and socialites alike are introduced one of the many elements of Puma Social's latest campaign, which includes a personality test and a 'pimped up' version of bowling.

This time around, a new club event is known as the Puma Social Club Nights, where Malaysian after-hours athletes will have a chance to experience Puma's quirky interpretation of bowling at designated corners within each participating club. Apart from Klang Valley, the club events will also be held in Fuel, Autocity, Penang on the 2nd of December; Movida, Melaka on the 9th December; Hola Pub and Bistro, Johor Bahru on the 10th of December; and Ecoba - Damansara Perdana, Movida - Sunway Giza, Klang Valley on the 25th November and 26th November respectively. The grand finale will take place on the 16th December at Cosmic Bowl.

Log in to http://puma-social.com.my and answer 3 questions will stand a chance to win Puma vouchers and score invites to the Puma Social Finale Party.

A not so quiet evening

2011-10-31T01:43:00.002+08:00

29Oct2011_1319, originally uploaded by william leong.

CameraSony SLT-A77V
Exposure0.5
Aperturef/4.5
Focal Length45 mm
ISO Speed400
Exposure Bias-1 EV
FlashOff, Did not fire

Sony Alpha 77

2011-10-30T01:05:00.004+08:00

24.3 Megapixels, 12 frames per second rivaling any competitors' flagships which costs 4 times as much, best electronic viewfinder on a dSLR/T... I bring you Sony's new king of APSC, the A77.

And with that, my old pal A700 which have served me well time and time again, will be moving on to better hands.

Ok, after a bit of time of fiddling and shooting, here are some of my initial findings:

Single handed operation is very very easy. You do NOT need to remove your eye from the viewfinder for almost anything, except for accessing items in the menu. For example, on the A700/850/900, deleting a photo involves 2 handed operation.

Though buttons are a lot, which is also a good thing, layout and common used buttons are very well placed. Nearby buttons are separated with enough distance and height to be differentiated without looking.

Exposure compensation button should be swapped with WB button as WB will be used more often than EV comp (which I have customized to be adjusted from the rear dial).

EV comp button cannot be customized as well which is a waste as it is one of the many buttons that has little or no usage.

Shut down is slow. VERY slow. Although the screen has already blacked-out, the shutting down process is still in progress, shown by a much delayed cocking of the mechanical shutter and lens returning to infinity.

When using mechanical first shutter, shutting down takes about a second longer compared to electronic first shutter. I believe it's due to the need to return the mechanical shutter back to home position.

As opposed to popular believe, turning on the camera isn't that slow. Upon power on, the image feed immediately comes on the rear screen. Followed by a delayed information data to show on the screen. From turn on to 1st click, I would say it's pretty short at about a little more than 1 second.

My images from A77 doesn't actually turn out particularly cooler than from the A700. Except that now a lot of my shots are a tiny bit underexposed due to the much much wider dynamic range of the sensor when my exposure compensation is at 0 (zero). I was using the body's metering, so it has nothing to do with the translucent mirror. The histogram is smack right in the middle and the peaks are all concentrated in the center - indicating everything is within range. So I have to expose right to get things back to where I want. Then again, I was using matrix metering as opposed to center weighted or spot which could be more precise. Zone focusing is pretty handy where you don't have to cycle along all individual focusing spots to get where you want. It's very precise for everyday use. For the extra finesse, there's always local focus points to choose from.

I'll update more as needed.

To be a Jasmine

2011-09-12T02:38:00.002+08:00

11Sep2011_0534, originally uploaded by william leong.

CameraSony DSLR-A700
Exposure0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperturef/10.0
Focal Length100 mm
ISO Speed800
Exposure Bias-1 EV
FlashOff, Did not fire

Jeram Toi Waterfalls @ Jelebu

2011-09-02T13:51:00.002+08:00

01Sep2011_0105, originally uploaded by william leong.

Very nice place to spend the morning.

Bring along some food and get there early. It's a great place to chill, literally, because the water is really cold!

If you don't mind some hiking, go upstream where the cascades are more beautiful. But if you're there with kids and are less adventurous, there's a man-made pool downstream which is deep enough to have a swim in.

You will be able to arrive in about 80 minutes if you're driving there. These are the coordinates should you be interested. Coordinates: 2.864414,102.014118

This is your Captain speaking

2011-08-28T04:29:00.004+08:00

28Aug2011_9827, originally uploaded by william leong.

CameraSony DSLR-A700
Exposure86
Aperturef/10.0
Focal Length17 mm
ISO Speed160
Exposure Bias0 EV
FlashOff, Did not fire

30Aug2011_0060, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 104
Aperture f/10.0
Focal Length 17 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

DIY macro softbox

2011-08-20T20:04:00.004+08:00

One Saturday evening gone ;)

This is basically a DIY softbox to diffuse flash lighting for close up macro shots.

But really soft shadows... me likes...

One glitch, TTL doesn't work, flash has to be used in manual. These 2 shots were at 1/8 power

I've put a reflective piece of board at 45 degrees to direct light more effectively towards the opening to reduce light loss

Here are the measurements in "cm" tailored for A700 + F58 + Minolta 100mm f/2.8 macro

View larger here

My Best Friend's Wedding (not the movie)

2011-08-15T22:40:00.011+08:00

Dedicated to my bestest sis. Wishing you a happy married life ^^

No, not the monkey and turtle, silly!

She was already so busy prepping herself up early in the morning, a very unusual routine for her on a weekend ;) oops!

Oh look, that's the handsome photographer buddy buddy she's with...

The bride's (not-so) patiently awaiting the arrival of the groom.. so that she could play tricks on him, apparently.

There, even before the groom manage to exit his carriage, he'd been swarmed by the bride's minions to have him sign a contract for a multitude of gadgets and toys... (Can I have a 70-200 G SSM please?)

Oh, shucks! The groom brought along HIS minions as well >.<

Along with his 'battle cruiser'..

Peek-a-boo! Chak!

Cookie monster found his cookie and goes... om nom nom nom nom nom

Oh look, there's the handsome photographer buddy again!

Congrats Sis!

Buka Puasa bersama Klang Executive Club

2011-08-15T00:09:00.002+08:00

Selamat Berpuasa to fellow Muslim friends around the globe.

But especially for those living in and around Klang and Kuala Lumpur, there's a treat for you, as Klang Executive Club in Klang is now having a Ramadhan Buffet Break Fast session. If you have difficulties locating where the club is, its just right next to Jusco, Bandar Baru Klang.

View Larger Map

With its variety of food of nearly 100 strong, you'd never run out of choices to break fast together with friends and family.

Head on there before the Ramadhan period ends else you'd miss out on all the good food!

It is only RM42 (for KEC club members), RM48 (non-members), and RM20+ (kids & senior citizens).

There's plenty of parking in and around the compound, so parking isn't much of an issue.

To book, call 03-33446810

Images courtesy of jerinelay.com

COWAY brings Soft Water to Malaysians

2011-07-12T10:27:00.002+08:00

Bet anyone of you in Malaysia have noticed the hazy conditions which is worsening lately. Doing anything about it? Surely you can't hide indoors 24/7 infinitely, can you?

Comes COWAY Spa Water Softener. It's able to transform normal tap water at home into soft water, making it a healthier option for your bodies, at the same time giving smoother and softer skin with usage as little as 2 weeks.

There's 48 units installed in and around Sunway Lagoon Theme Park should you wish to try it out for yourself. It's absolutely free! Feel the difference when using Soft Water to wash yourself off chlorine after a day's fun in the pool. And if you still want to try out more in the comfort of your home, you can actually request Coway for a 2 week free trial - how's that for a great bargain?!

For more information, contact:

Woongjin Coway (M) Sdn Bhd
Tel: 03 2059 0000
Fax: 03 2166 1677
Email: wshoo@coway.com.my

Comes free with a sexy girl in your bath tub when you order one today... lol, nah... just pulling your leg on that!

The water system is even sanctioned by our own local celebrities as well, shows how trusted the brand is amongst them.

Hayden is so happy after taking a SOFT shower using COWAY Spa Water Softener at Sunway Lagoon!

I, personally is eyeing on this ;) huhuhu...

Look who's loving COWAY already! ^^

FattyCrabs.com @ Jalan Bukit Raja, KL

2011-06-02T00:41:00.002+08:00

At first glance, you may relate this to the 2 other restaurants of nearly the same name at Taman Megah and Seri Kembangan, but I assure you it is in no way related to them. This is FattyCrabs with an 'S' where they have a hotline by calling in at 1-300-222-100.

What sets them apart from the rest is that they do delivery, yes, DELIVERY for crabs right to your doorstep, for no extra charge! If I'm not mistaken, McDonald's charges a small delivery fee ;) And now you know what's the toll free number given above is for ;)

That's how they started off.

Now, something even better has kicked off! A newly opened restaurant where we can now go to for a seat down meal. Conveniently located in Taman Seputeh, it noticeable along Federal Highway. When coming from City Centre direction, turn as though you are going towards Tien Hau Temple. It takes a fair bit of locating, but it should be easy when you can find the road sign for Jalan Bukit Raja. Follow the road downhill and you will find it, just next to 7-11.

Full address to Fatty Crabs as below:

No. 62-2, Ground Floor, Jalan Bukit Raja, Off Jalan Seputeh, Taman Seputeh, 58000 Kuala Lumpur.

Now, lets start off with some appetizer, shall we? Tau Foo Kang, loosely translated as beancurd stew.

Absolute savory and tummy warming, nice to be taken on a cold day or to start off any meal with. Preps my stomach up for more good food to come.

The Yellow Emperor Bean Braised Soong Fish Head, this, my mom will love! Anyone who eats fish head knows how soft and juicy the meat is, easily the next best part of a fish after the cheeks. On any given day, I could finish an entire bowl of rice with the gravy alone, no joke.

As a side dish, the Prawn and Fish Otak Otak could stand on its own. The proportions are big to be shared among 4-5 people. Wrapped in banana leaves as how otak otaks are traditionally made, give it a try and rate it for yourself.

Milky melt butter prawns goes really well with the next dish which I'm about to introduce. Mmmmmm, the melted butter... need I say more?

Lala Meehoon - Thai style. As its name suggests, the Thai in it is the bit of soury taste as most Thai meals are. Not too spicy, you'd be able to eat it together with the Melted Butter Prawns and not lose the butter taste. Do dig a bit for the 'Lalas' though, 'cause they use the smaller variety of 'Lalas' which has a better taste and texture.

Now for the Stars of the night.

Sea salt baked 'Dong Quai' crab - Dong Quai, being a Chinese medicinal herbal root that is good for vitality, baked with sea salt, infuses its fragrance, both from the Dong Quai and sea salt into the crab's meat. Easily the best dish shown in this post. The crab retains it juiciness and aroma where most crab lovers swear by.

Next up is the Bei Foong Thong garlic crab, as a garlic lover, I personally find the fried garlic isn't fragrant enough. But the mild garlic aroma does linger around at every bite of the crab meat. Some might like it for not being overpowering the crab, but I'd like more garlic please, thank you ;)

Malat Sze Chuan crab

The Red Sweet and Sour Crab is really full of gravy and is really good to go with the free flow of mantou, not too big proportioned, not too small. Just nice.

For more information, head over to FattyCrabs.com or call toll free 1300-222-100 for reservations now.

No. 62-2, Ground Floor,
Jalan Bukit Raja, Off Jalan Seputeh,
Taman Seputeh,
58000 Kuala Lumpur.

If you feel lost, key in GPS coordinates (3.120127, 101.679754) and you'll be on your way.

Hilton's newest offering to the mass!

2011-05-05T23:12:00.004+08:00

The name Hilton would definitely ring a bell for many. Being a world reknown hotel chain, its surely to make one smile just to think of spending a night in Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

Known for their hospitality and accomodation, little do many know that they have a huge array of services and offerings as well, such as food and beverage promotions, culinary activities, exclusive hotel functions, behind-the-scenes scoops on special events, celebrity sightings and interview with guests' chefs just to name a few.

With so many events to run through, now there's a way for you to get in the know with what is going on and what is in store for you, right at your fingertips. Check out Hilton Kuala Lumpur's new website, www.life.hiltonkl.com today!

The main focus of the website although show great images of the hotel's cuisines and dedicated websites for its signature restaurants and bar with all the information that you'd ever need, the site also includes other hotel informations that would interest visitors as well.

There's a multitude of information to share that its nearly impossible to tell them all here in this blog of mine, so, as a wise man once said, "To know more, head on to the source." here at www.life.hiltonkl.com.

(That wise man is actually none other than your's truly)

Oh by the way, did I mention that there's an online contest running at this very moment over at www.life.hiltonkl.com as well? You could be one of the lucky winners to grab prizes worth over 5000 Ringgit! This includes complimentary stay in the hotel's GRAND EXECUTIVE SUITE and DELUXE ROOMS, exclusive treatments at its high end spa and dining vouchers at some of their signature restaurants. What you need to do you ask? Just head on over to www.life.hiltonkl.com and answer 8 simple questions, complete a slogan (as always) and you're on your way! Be quick, contest ends 31st May 2011...

Michael Jackson (RIP) Live 2011

2011-04-19T22:16:00.002+08:00

15Apr2011_1685, originally uploaded by william leong.

"All I wanna say is that, they don't really care about us..."

Ang Moh in Hush Puppies

2011-04-13T21:55:00.002+08:00

10Apr2011_1345, originally uploaded by william leong.

Wow, I hope spiders won't make this a home soon.. >.<

Hot babe from 大嘴巴 (Da Zui Ba)

2011-02-24T07:37:00.005+08:00

Taiwanese hip-hop band made up of MC 40, DJ Chung Hua, male vocalist Harry, and female vocalist Aisa.

Speaking of Aisa Senda (千田愛紗), she's of Japanese heritage, appearing in a number of commercials, programs, and television dramas with the famous one being Meteor Rain, the sequel of the famous drama Meteor Garden, starring the Pop Group, F4.

This is her official website. She's hot, sizzling, sexy and to a point, have very very seductive eyes. And guess what, she has the same astrological sign in the Zodiac as me!

More 'seductive' pics after the jump...

Please tell me she's hot, because if this isn't, what is?

Sony Alpha Convention is BACK~!!!

2011-02-16T23:38:00.003+08:00

Those who missed out on the Sony Alpha Convention more than 2 years back, better get ready to register now.

Now comes the Sony Alpha Convention 2011! Coming this 11th to 13th March @ KL Convention Centre Hall 1, you'd better register fast as seat are getting taken up extremely fast!

With a myriad of speakers this time, I'm sure there will be informative tips and tricks to be given out to all of you who attend.

Rizal
Khairul Azhar Ramli
U-Wang
Sham Shahrin
Wong Zheng Huan
Gary Friedman
Bazuki
Tse Chien
Kim Mun
Kevin Ng
Matchy Teoh
Nikt Wong
Azrul K. Abdullah
Steve Chong
Darren Chang
Grant Corban
Bernice Chauly
Eiffel Chong
Ho Mun Keat
Wesley Wong

Who says Alpha is all about DSLR/T? Sony's new NEX system is up in the menu as well. Those of you who owns a NEX 3/5 will get a chance to know how to utilize and maximize your new system with photo 'gurus' to guide you.

As warned, be quick as you only get to choose 6 slots out of the MANY offered.

Head on to Sony Alpha Convention 2011's website to register yourself.

I'll see you there! :)

Geláre Cafe e@Curve, nom nom-ous ice cream!

2011-02-11T23:47:00.003+08:00

Want to know what Geláre is about?

Super premium ice cream, Great tasting Waffles, Superior Coffee
World Class Products......for people of all ages

Now that is Geláre!

Mon goes om nom nom nom nom nom~!!!

Geláre ice creams sold at the outlet can be divided into 3 different types; Super Premium Ice Cream, Low Fat Frozen Yogurts and Sorbets.

Their Geláre Super Premium Ice Cream alone has this amount of varieties to choose from:

Banana Walnut
Butter Pecan
Cappucino
Chocolate Overload
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Cookies 'N Cream
Green Tea
Honey Malt Crunch
Jamaican Chocolate
Macadamia Nut
Mocha Chip
Oregon Mint Fudge
Passionfruit
Pistachio Nut
Pralines 'N Cream
Rum 'N Raisin
Swiss Chocolate Caramel
Tiramisu
Tropical Mango
Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Chocolate Chip
Wild Strawberry

MUUUUUACCCCCKSSSSSS~!!!!!!!!

Contact them at:

Geláre Cafe
e@Curve,
Level G-30 & 31,
Mutiara Damansara.
Tel: 03 - 7725 7586

Facebook and Webpage

Valentine's Day a stone's throw away...

2011-02-03T00:42:00.003+08:00

Have not gotten any plans for the upcoming Valentine's Day this year? Search no more and make block up your calendar, free up your nights and make your reservations at Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites Subang.

You will have 3 styles of dining to choose from depending on how you like your ambient to be. Choose from Palm Terrace Coffeehouse's Buffet of Love, CIBO Ristorante Italiano - San Valentino - Amore Infinito or The Inn of Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant.

With Palm Terrace Coffeehouse's Buffet of Love, enjoy a spread of gourmet western and local delicacies with mouthwatering desserts to fill your sweet tooth's desires. For RM98.00 per person, you can eat till you fill your heart's desires.

CIBO Ristorante Italiano - San Valentino on the other hand, can enchant your Valentine no matter how picky she is. Featuring authentic Italian classics such as Pistachio crusted Quail Leg with Fine De Claire Oyster served with Honey Glazed Dry Apricot with Lemon Froth... phewww.. now, that's a mouthful! Or how about, Homemade Ravioli stuffed with Ricotta Impastata cheese served with Grilled Spinach and finished with roasted red pepper pesto cream cheese. Typing this itself is already enough to make me salivate. The Amore Infinito Set Dinner is available only on the 13th and 14th February 2011, with a price of RM140 per person, it includes a glass of premium wine per person and the icing atop the cake is that there will be door gifts for the ladies.

Lastly, The Inn of Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant.. ok, less talk, more pics...

Grilled Unagi Onigiri and Golden Almond Flake Stuffed Scallop cake with Fish Paste served with Yuzu Orange Wasabe mayo. I LOVE the Scallop Cake, especially with the almond flakes on top. It's brings out the flavor when the 2 fuses in your mouth.

Double boiled Chinese style Chicken Froth served with Kumonoto Oyster and Lychee Jam. Drink up while the soup's still hot. Slurpsss...

Vietnamese style Rack of Lamb and Salmon Fillet seared 'til perfection served with Chef's Specialty Salsa.

Beef Medaglione Al Forno topped with Mushroom ragout, reduction of berries Balsamico and raisin Bordelaise sauce. (CIBO Ristorante Italiano)

And the man behind the great food...

Chef Azram!

9, Jalan SS12/1,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor

+603 5633 8788

http://www.holidayvillahotelsubang.com

ESPN STAR SPORTS PRESENTS CASTROL FOOTBALL CRAZY!

2011-01-30T13:59:00.003+08:00

Hosted by two new Malaysian presenters, Adam Johan Carruthers aka Adam C and Jason Desmond aka JD, the locally produced Castrol Football Crazy will continue to combine football, humour and entertainment into a fun mix that is dished out in a series of new programme lineups.

Castrol Football Crazy’s light-hearted and engaging take on the world's move beloved game takes a turn for the eccentric and zany.

Brand new segments like the “Headline Grabbers”, “Random Ref” and “Host Challenge” and “Castrol Rankings”, promise to make you laugh your hearts out.

Catch Castrol Football Crazy, every Thursday at 8pm (HKT),only on ESPN, Channel 812. For more details, head on to their Facebook page and click on 'Like' for regular updates.

Hahah.com.my brings you Pacific Coffee. The new BUZZ in town.

2011-01-29T00:26:00.003+08:00

Located at 2-G, IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 5, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong, Selangor, you will find a nice hangout place at a corner (just opposite The Library). They have 2 other branches here in Kuala Lumpur, one at Pavilion and another one at Fahrenheit88.

Look how cozy it is inside. They do provide free internet access, and also a few computers, free to be used. At the corner, you will find shelves with books to read. Suitable for families to bring their kids for a Sunday tea, where parents can talk over a cup of coffee and their kids mesmerizing away with a book in their hands deep in fantasy-land.

The selection of coffee here is abundant! Not to mention, their selection of non-coffee beverages is plenty as well.

Look at Eric's face, high on coffee!

Blueberry Cheese Cake - fresh berries on top of creamy cheese cake; heaven!

Vanilla Butterscotch Cake - a simply MUST TRY! Heated right before serving, so that the butterscotch melts in your mouth.

The best thing now is that if you head on to Hahah.com.my, you will get deals on these beverages:

Espresso Mocha Chillino
Berry Frenzy Chillino
Passionfruit Chillino
Caramel Swirl

Their original price goes for RM13 each. But given the fact that one seldom goes to coffee alone, with Hahah.com.my's deal, you can now BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!!!

Buy 1 Free 1 for an Alto Sized Chillino (large) at only RM 13

Hahah Rewards Multiplier: Free Brewed Coffee (Worth RM 7) after 30 units are sold

Deal Period: 29 Jan 2011 - 2 Feb 2012

T&C:
This voucher is redeemable at all Pacific Coffee Company locations (IOI Boulevard, Puchong / Fahreinheit 88 / Pavilion KL) in Malaysia only.
Validity is for two (2) months from the date of issue and expiry date is non-extendable.
E-Vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash or its equivalent.
E-Vouchers are limited to one (1) time redemption per person and not transferrable.
Cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offers, discounts or privileges.

Head on to their Facebook for more updates as well.

Pacific Coffee Company
42-G, IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 5,
Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47170 Puchong,
Selangor, Malaysia,
T: (603) 8070 8095. F: (603) 8070 7734

Pacific Coffee @ Pavilion
Lot No. : 2.75.00,
Level 2, The Pavilion
Tel. : 03- 2141 2646

Pacific Coffee @ Fahrenheit 88
1-03 (01) & 1-03 (02),
First Floor, Fahrenheit 88,
179 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
T: (603) 2141 0312. F: (603) 2141 0314

10 Canine Commandments

2011-01-28T23:21:00.000+08:00

Hahah.com.my giving good deals at Skewers

2011-01-24T00:56:00.005+08:00

Signing up to Hahah.com.my will definitely land you great deals whether you like it or not! No joke, c'mon, it's not even 1st of April yet.

And since good things are meant to be shared, Hahah.com.my have this idea that the more the great deal is shared, the better the deal becomes. Fair enough? I think so too.

This is not the 1st good deal from Hahah.com.my, and since I'm out to spread the word of joy to you, go to Hahah.com.my and after you grab the deal for SKEWERS, go out and have a ball.

Where?

It is located at Subang Avenue, next to the Carrefour/Subang Parade in Subang. Plenty of car parks (did I mention FOC?) and easily accessible via KTM.

Here's the address.

Here's the DEAL

Original Price of Skewers Combo: 4 Options (ranges from RM 50 - RM 65)

Hahah Deal: Buy 1 Free 1: Skewers Combo at RM 60 (Serves 2 - 3 pax/Combo)

You still want more?

There's more...

Hahah Rewards Multiplier kicks-in if 20 units are sold!!!
FREE Soft Drinks (1 per pax)

The Deal Period is from 25th to 29th January 2011 (Tues - Sat) and is valid for 2 months from date of issue. (Date: 31st Jan 2011 – 31st Mar 2011)

What are you waiting for?

Oh, and by the way, the food's fantabulicious!!!

Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Wings, my favourite - with or without beer!

Fried Red Beancurd Chicken

Salted Egg Prawn Fritters

Rosemary Beef

Teriyaki Chicken

Another one of my favourite, the Sambal Fish Burger...

After filling up your stomach with meat, indulge in their wide variety of desserts (if your stomach still allows it).

Skewers BBQ & Grill
SG-01 Subang Avenue
Persiaran Kemajuan,
SS16 Subang Jaya

Tel: 03-5632 1368

Don't miss out on this deal from Hahah.com.my, it's definitely a deal that doesn't come often.

Add them up on their Facebook too!

Pillars and I

2011-01-18T23:51:00.002+08:00

09Jan2011_5881, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/13.0
Focal Length 17 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

Fallen

2011-01-13T10:51:00.002+08:00

10Jan2011_5728, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 210 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

Celebrating Chinese New Year with GAB in Style

2011-01-12T21:15:00.002+08:00

An energetic grand performance of 9 Dragons and 99 Drums outside of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur marks the launching of Guinness Anchor Berhad's (GAB) CELEBRATE TOGETHER WITH THE BEST 2011 Chinese New Year Campaign.

Spend RM99 or above on any GAB brand brew which includes Tiger, Guinness, Heineken, Anchor, Kilkenny, Paulaner, SOL and Strongbow in a single receipt at selected pubs and bistros and you will be awarded with an exclusive and limited edition gift pack.

From 14th January till end of February 2011, with GAB's biggest on-ground events with 99 'Get Together Nights' events are held at participating refreshment outlets nationwide. At some of these events, you can purchase VIP tables at only RM99 to enjoy priority table seating, priority serving by brand ambassador (aka leng lui), one pack of 'yee sang', 4 big bottles of Tiger Beer and 3 big bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout as well as a chance to be in a lucky draw to win RM999.

The best has yet to come. 9.9 million big bottles of Tiger, Guinness and Heineken are distributed across the nation and you could be the lucky one to walk away with some of the RM999,999 cash prizes from 1st of January till 17th February 2011.

Why I said so? Because in those bottles of Tiger, Guinness and Heineken, are bottle caps lined with one of six colors with different cash prizes value. Amongst those are 9 pieces of RM99,999 lucky liners waiting to be claimed. There's no real loser here, is there?

Collect 9 red cap liners: You can redeem a pair of auspicious chopsticks.

Blue cap liner: Discount of RM0.99 when purchasing the beer.

Green cap liner: Discount of RM9.00 when purchasing the beer.

Black cap liner: Cash prize of RM99

Orange cap liner: Cash prize of RM999

Red colored number '9' on cap liner: cash prize of RM99,999

For more details, log on to http://www.gab.com.my/cny2011

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Have a prosperous year ahead.

Dog

2011-01-04T18:01:00.003+08:00

Touching, originally uploaded by william leong.

42 East Restaurant & Bar, TTDI - E42T

2011-01-02T00:26:00.002+08:00

Located in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, opposite One Utama is where you'll find this awesome place to chill.

Their specialty is the Margarita, which is pretty unusual. They have their own icing machine JUST to make iced Margarita, Slurpee-style.

How much you ask? RM 18 during happy hours. That's a great price if you ask me.

Surely, all the drinks that we've ordered must be for a reason. Washing down all these awesome food...

These bacon strips are RM13 each, but I can assure you, they taste GREAT! Usually, the bacon strips that I've had before are pretty salty, this tastes just nice, with crispy bite-sized servings, it goes well with the beer they serve.

I know you want one.

Cheesy Wedges at RM9 a plate. The cheese could be a bit thicker I feel, then it'd be perfect!

Pot of Clams, with a slices of bread for the soup for you to dip in. The soup's thick enough to keep your stomach warm and fuzzy on a cold, rainy day.

The next big thing on their menu that you absolutely MUST try is the BBQ pork ribs - glazed with Connors Stout.

We even had the Hot and Spicy Pork ribs.

The ribs are really tender and juicy. Soft enough to be easily cut into respective sticks of rib.

A full whole slab for RM55, or try the half slab for RM32.

I'd recommend to skip the half slab and go straight for the full slab. It's worth it!

Where is this place?

Head on over to:

42 East Restaurant and Bar
42, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, TTDI,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 60000
03-7728 7688

Chelsea vs Manchester United viewing party in Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya this coming Sunday, 19th Dec 2010

2010-12-15T01:04:00.004+08:00

As the title has stated, Chelsea vs Manchester United viewing party in Padang Timur, Petaling Jaya this coming Sunday which is on the 19th Dec 2010.

Everyone.. Well, nearly everyone knows I'm not much of a football/soccer fan. I only watch 'em once every 4 years, with the last one being at South Africa with the vuvuzelas blaring away, on television.

What's so special about it this time?

Ever want to find out what the LARGEST TV screen in South East Asia looks like? Then this is where you'd find out! It will be played LIVE for you at Padang Timur. There, you can catch with your favourite football club footies and have a cheer of your lifetime rubbing elbows in the excitement.

Want to keep yourself updated with the latest update on the teams? You can check them here at their website under 'The Stadium'. At their website as well, you can chat with fellow footie fans, giving comments and feedbacks which will definitely proof useful for improvement.

Guess what? You will be getting exclusive TM Man United merchandise and FAN ZONE seats when you sign up for any TM products or services... Easy as ABC!

Go on, go and 'like' EveryoneConnects facebook page and get a cool EveryoneConnects wristband at the TM booth on that day!

Now hurry up, what are you waiting for? Head on over..

Newest Sony Alpha A900 and A850 version 2.0 firmware update

2010-12-03T23:32:00.003+08:00

For download of firmware for Sony Alpha A900 and A850, please head on over to this site for download. The links are at the bottom of the page where you would need to click agree on the disclaimer before being able to download the firmware updates.

http://bit.ly/hYbXf7

How to determine the firmware version on your Full Frame Alpha?

1. Slide the POWER switch to the ON position.
2. Press the MENU button.
3. Press the DISP button while the menu is displayed.
4. The firmware version is shown in a window on the LCD monitor.
5. Press the centre of the multi-selector to exit.

Note: if the firmware version is already "Ver.2.00", then the firmware update is not required.

These are the improvements that Sony have said to be in the new firmware update.

Improvements

This utility upgrades the DSLR-A850 / DSLR-A900 firmware to version 2.00, and provides the following benefits:
[Release w/o Lens] item has been added in the Custom menu 2
You can release the shutter even when no lens is mounted on the camera (P/A/S/M and Auto mode).

The range of the exposure compensation has been expanded
The range of the exposure compensation is expanded to ±5 EV (Before the update: ±3 EV).

An additional setting of the exposure step for the bracket shooting has been added
The following setting has been added to the continuous bracket and single bracket shooting functions:
The exposure bracket can now be set in 3 EV increments and the camera shoots three images ([3.0 EV– +3.0 EV]). (Before the update: Up to 2.0 EV).

The AF function has been improved
The speed of autofocus has been improved. The improvement will be most noticeable when using a tele lens, however the effect is dependent on the shooting condition.

System Requirements for the firmware update to be successfully installed in your Alpha.

Computer hardware
A USB port or a card slot compatible with the recording medium that will be used.
At least 5MB free hard disk space.
At least 32MB RAM memory.

Power source for the camera
When performing the firmware update, please make sure that the NP-FM500H battery pack is fully charged or that you use an AC adapter/charger AC-PW10AM (sold seperately).

USB cable
USB cable supplied with the camera.
(If your computer does not have a card slot which is suitable for the recording medium)

Note: operations are not guaranteed if a cable other than the supplied one is used.

Recording medium
One of the following recording media is needed:
A Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo* with a capacity of 16MB or more.
* "Memory Stick Duo" will be the term used on this section.

A CF (CompactFlash) card with a capacity of 16MB or more.
Note: the recording medium MUST first be formatted with the camera. Please backup your data before formatting, as all data will be erased (including protected images) during the formatting process and cannot be restored.

Download and Installation procedure

Step 1 - Download the firmware update to your computer

Make sure that no program other than your Internet browser is running.
You must accept the terms of the End User Licence Agreement at the bottom of the page. After reading this agreement, click the "I have read the disclaimer and agree to the terms and conditions." check box found in the download area corresponding to your camera model and operating system.
Click the arrow on the right side of the screen.
Save the file to the Desktop of your computer (recommended).

Step 2 - Extract the downloaded file.

Double-click the downloaded file to extract it. Depending on your Operating System, the file may be automatically extracted after downloading.

The following file is created: "DSCA850.APP"* [File size : 6,895,968 bytes ] or "DSCA900.APP"* [file size: 6,893,472 bytes] depending on the file you downloaded.
(*)The file extension may not be visible depending on your Operating System settings.

Step 3 - Copy the update file to the recording medium (Memory Stick Duo/ CF card).

Prepare the recording medium (Memory Stick Duo / CF card) to use for the update, then format it with the camera.

Notes:
If it is not formatted, the firmware update may not start.
Please note that all data including even protected images will be erased by formatting and cannot be restored.

How to format the recording medium:

Slide the POWER switch to the ON position.
Press the MENU button, and check the "Memory card" to the proper type you use for update (Memory Stick Duo / CF card ) in the Setup menu-2.

Select the "Format" in the Playback menu-1 with the Multi-selector then press the Center button of the Multi-selector.

The confirmation window appears. Select [OK] with multi-selector, then press the Center button of the Multi-selector.
After the format is completed, press the MENU button to turn off the menu.

If your computer has a card slot compatible with Memory Stick Duo or CF card:

Insert the recording medium formatted with the camera in the card slot of your computer.
Copy the update file "DSCA850.APP" or "DSCA900.APP" (depending on your camera model) to the root directory of the recording medium.

Note: the recording medium MUST first be formatted with the camera. Please backup your data before formatting, as all data will be erased (including protected images) during the formatting process and cannot be restored.

If your computer does not have a card slot compatible with Memory Stick Duo or CF card:

Insert a formatted recording medium into the camera (make sure the recording media is formatted with the camera, not with the computer).
Insert a fully charged battery (NP-FM500H) into the camera or connect the AC adapter to the camera.
Slide the POWER switch to the On position.
Press the MENU button to display the Recording menu.
Select the page 2 of the setup menu with the multi-selector, and check that "USB connection" is set as "Mass Storage".

If not, please change it to "Mass Storage" as follows:

Select "USB connection" with the multi-selector.
Press the centre of the multi-selector.
Select "Mass Storage" with the multi-selector, then press the centre of the multi-selector.

Press the MENU button to turn off the menu.
Connect the camera and the computer with the USB cable that was supplied with your camera.
Copy the update file "DSCA850.APP" or "DSCA900.app" (depending on your camera model) to the root folder of the recording medium inserted in the camera.
When the file is copied, disconnect the USB cable.

Step 4 - Update the camera firmware.

Important:
when performing the firmware update, please use a fully charged battery pack NP-FM500H or the AC-PW10AM AC adapter/charger (sold separately).
Do not remove the battery or the AC adapter during the firmware update process, otherwise the camera may be permanently damaged.

Slide the POWER switch to the ON position and select the type of Memory Card that will be used for the update (Memory Stick Duo / CF card) then slide the POWER switch to the OFF position.
Now insert the recording medium containing the update file in the camera. Press and hold the MENU button while sliding the POWER switch to the ON position.

The confirmation window appears.

If the confirmation window does not appear on the LCD monitor:

If the recording medium is not formatted, the firmware update may not start.
Please make sure that the update file "DSCA850.APP" or "DSCA900.APP" is in the root folder of the recording medium.

Use the multi-selector to highlight "OK", and then press the centre of the multi-selector to confirm. If you select "Cancel", the operation will be cancelled.

The updating process starts.

When the update procedure is completed, a message appears, stating that the update is completed and that the camera will automatically restart after approx. 10 sec.

Please wait for the camera to restart.

Slide the POWER switch to the OFF position after the camera has restarted, and remove the recording medium.

Step 5 - Check the firmware version.

Slide the POWER switch to the ON position.
Press the MENU button.
Press the DISP button while the menu is displayed.
The firmware version is shown in a window on the LCD monitor.
Press the centre of the multi-selector to exit.

*information sourced from http://bit.ly/hYbXf7*

NIKON, CANON, SONY ALPHA, OLYMPUS, TAMRON AND SIGMA SERVICE CENTER IN MALAYSIA

2010-11-26T01:35:00.006+08:00

I find it quite hard to look for a contact list of major camera/lens distributors and Service Centres in Malaysia over the internet. So, from what I've gathered so far, this is the list to ease some of you looking for this piece of information. Hope every bit helps.

NIKON SERVICE CENTRE MALAYSIA

SELANGOR

Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
11th Floor, Block A,
Menara PKNS,
No. 17, Jalan Yong Shook Lin,
46050 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Operating Hours: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm, Mon-Fri (Closed on Public Holidays)
Tel:603-78093688
Fax: 603-78093633
Email:Consumer.Products@nikonoa.net

KUALA LUMPUR

Nikon Centre Kuala Lumpur
Lot 01-10, Level 1, East Wing,
Berjaya Times Square,
1 Jalan Imbi,
55100 Kuala Lumpur,
Wilayah Persekutuan.

Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 10.00 pm, Mon-Sun (Open on Public Holidays)
Tel: +603-21420218, +603-21420219
Fax: +603-21420229
Email: nikoncentre_kl@nikon-asia.com

PENANG

Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
Suite 8.01, 8th Floor,
MWE Plaza,
No. 8, Lebuh Farquhar,
10200 Penang.

Operating Hours: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm, Mon-Fri (Closed on Public Holidays)
Tel: 604-2627378
Fax: 604-2630809

CANON SERVICE CENTRE MALAYSIA

SELANGOR

Canon Customer Care Centre
Block D,Peremba Square,
Saujana Resort,Section U2,
40150,Shah Alam,
Selangor.

Operating hours:Open Mon-Fri from 8.30am to 7.30pm(closed on public holidays)
Tel:603-78446000,603-78450055
Fax: 603-78450505
E-mail: helpdesk@cmm.canon.com.my

SONY ALPHA SERVICE CENTER MALAYSIA

SELANGOR

Sony Service Centre @ Sony Style The Curve
188 1st Floor The Curve Shopping Centre
No. 6 Jalan PJU 7/3
Mutiara Damansara,
47800,Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.

Operating Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm Mon – Sun
Tel:1300881233

KUALA LUMPUR

1.Sony Service Centre @ Sony Style KLCC
322-324 Level 3
Ramlee Mall Suria KLCC Shopping Centre
50088,Kuala Lumpur.

Operating Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm Mon – Sun
Tel:1300881233

2.Sony Service Centre @ Northpoint
B-G-2 Ground Floor Northpoint Midvalley City
No.1 Medan Syed Putra Utara
59200,Kuala Lumpur.

Operating Hours: 8.30am – 7.30pm Mon – Fri
Tel:1300881233

3.Sony Service Centre @ Northpoint (Spare Parts)
8th Floor Block B Northpoint Midvalley City
No.1 Medan Syed Putra Utara
59200,Kuala Lumpur.

Operating Hours: 8.30am – 6.00pm Mon – Fri
Tel:03-22950523

4.Sony Service Centre @ Sony Style Berjaya Times Square
01-10A 1st Floor Berjaya Times Square
No.1 Jalan Imbi
55100,Kuala Lumpur.

Operating Hours: 10.00am – 10.00pm Mon – Sun
Tel:1300881233

PENANG

LKH Sales & Services
2 Ground Floor Jalan Pantai Molek
10470,Tanjung Tokong,
Penang

Operating Hours: 8.30am – 5.30pm Mon – Fri
Tel:04-8982335
Fax:04-8982409

OLYMPUS SERVICE CENTRE

KUALA LUMPUR

Suite D-10-P1,Level 10,Plaza Mont Kiara 2
Jalan Kiara,Mont Kiara,
50480,Kuala Lumpur.

Operating Hours: 9.00am – 5.30pm Mon – Fri
Tel:60362033882
Fax:60362033885
E-mail:service@olympus.com.my

PENANG(COLLECTION CENTER)

Suite 3A.6,Level 3A,
Wisma Great Eastern,
No 25,Lebuh Light,
10200,Penang.

Operating Hours: 9.00am – 5.30pm Mon – Fri
Tel:04-2622832
Fax:04-2625832
E-mail:service@olympus.com.my

KUCHING(COLLECTION CENTER)

Level 6-5A,6th floor,Menara MAA Lot 86,
Section 53,Jalan Cebtral Timur,
93300,Kuching,
Sarawak.

Operating Hours: 9.00am – 5.30pm Mon – Fri
Tel:082-253885
Fax:082-256885
E-mail:service@olympus.com.my

TAMRON SERVICE CENTER MALAYSIA

SELANGOR

Futuromic Photo AV Sdn. Bhd.
16, Jalan PJU 5/16, PJU 5
Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara,
47810, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor,
Malaysia.

Operating Hours:8.30am – 5.30pm (Monday – Friday)
Tel:603 6156 6633
Fax:603 6157 2166
Email:marketing@futuromic.com

SIGMA SERVICE CENTRE

SELANGOR

Audio & PhotoDistributor (F.E.) Sdn Bhd
No. 3-8C (Lots 3-19),
Jalan PJU 8/3A,
Perdana Business Centre (D19),
Bandar Damansara Perdana 47820
Petaling Jaya,Selangor.

Tel:60-3-77100050
Fax:60-3-77103372

Experienced Camera Technicians (for Minoltas and out-of-warranty Sony lenses)

Cheah Camera Repair
012-6679756
568, 1st Floor (Next to Digicolor)
Lot 15, Mutiara Complex
Batu 3 1/2, Jalan Ipoh
(Give them a call first to confirm if they are in)

International Camera Repair
03-26986610
Lot 119, Pertama Complex
Jalan Dang Wangi
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Monday to Saturday: 11:15am to 9pm; Sunday: 12noon to 9pm

YL Camera
03-21487810
FB-3, 1st Floor Pudu Plaza
Jalan Landak, off Jalan Pudu
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Monday to Saturday: 11am to 8:00pm; Sunday: 11am to 6:00pm

Shout! Awards 2010 @ Bukit Jalil Stadium

2010-11-22T00:56:00.003+08:00

I'm so sad as I did not have any pictures from the event. Why you might ask, as I was somehow informed that cameras will not be allowed into the stadium, and since in no way I will leave my gears unattended in the car, I decided not to bring.

#ShoutAwards hashtags have been flooding the social media sites for many weeks prior to the event itself. Imagine how big the event is!

This year’s installment will introduce four new awards on top of the existing 13 awards.

They are: the Music Video Award, the Breakthrough Local Feature Award, Favourite TV Personality Award, and Mobile Artist of the Year Award for the most downloaded ‘ringback’ tone.

The event will kick off with an exclusive look at the purple carpet featuring various celebrities, artists and personas of the entertainment industry.

The Shout! Awards is brought to you by Celcom’s Xpax!

Read more: SHOUT! Awards 2010 | Dhiya Faris : EventList http://event.dhiyafaris.com/archives/shout-awards-2010#ixzz15wB50qKh

Here is a list of nominations for each category of Shout! Awards 2010:

Rockstar Award

Azlan & The Typewriter
Bunkface
Faizal Tahir
Rain
Meet Uncle Hussein
Pop Shuvit

Popstar Award

Aizat
Dato 'Siti Nurhaliza & Kris Kristofferson
Jaclyn Victor
Mizz Nina
Yuna
Zee Avi

Vocal Power Award

Azlan & The Typewriter
Black
Dato 'Siti Nurhaliza & Kris Kristofferson
Faizal Tahir
Jaclyn Victor
Rithan (Deja Voodoo spells)

Flava Award

Altimet
DJ Fuzz & Malique
Joe Flizzow
Malique
Mizz Nina
Sonaone

Music Video Award

Prom Queen (Bunkface)
Osaka (Disagree)
Do It, Money (Joe Flizzow)
Mirage (aircraft)
Distress (EAR Project)
Cosmic Love (The Fabulous Cats)

Break Out Award (Best New Act)

Azlan & The Typewriter
Black
Mizz Nina
Monoloque
Yuna
Zee Avi

Best On Screen Chemistry Award

Afdlin & Kate Jasmay (Papadom)
Upin & Ipin (Upin & Ipin)
Remy Ishak & Tiz Zaqyah (Nur Kasih)
Farid Kamil & Lisa Surihani (The Legend of Devil Boy)
Giler Wakaka & Crew Battle Crew (Showdown 2010)
Afdlin & Rashidi Ishak (Stamp)

Fresh TV Series (New TV Series)

Adamaya (MIG Productions)
Arjuna (KRU Studios)
Blogger Boy (Red Communications Sdn Bhd)
Turbulent Heart Sara (Suhan Movies & Tradings Sdn Bhd)
Nur Kasih (Flimscape)
Qalesya (Nusantara Seni Karya Sdn Bhd)

Breakthrough Feature Award

Wash The Musical (Tall Order Productions)
Geng: The Adventure Begins (Les' Copaque Production)
Devil Boy legend (Sharad Khan)
Papadom (Gayathri Su-Lin Pillai)
Razor blade (Lina Tan)
Stamps (Gayatri Su-Lin Pillai)

Favorite TV Programs

Young priests
One In A Million Years 3
Melody
Raja Lawak 4
Anugerah Juara Lagu 24
Showdown 2010

Favorite TV Personality Awards

Ally Iskandar (AJL 24)
Early Ashaari (Fuhh!)
Aznil Haji Nawawi (Do not Forget Lyrics)
Daphne Iking (The Breakfast Show)
Henry Golding (8TV Quickie)
Zizan Raja Lawak (Raja Lawak 4)

Coolest Radio Announcer Award

Faizal Ismail (HotFM AM Krew)
Hafiz Hatim (FlyFM Night Flight)
Jeremy Teo (RedFM Evenings)
Hunny Madu (FlyFM Mix Chart)
Fara Fauzana (HotFM AM Krew)
Richard Ward Hair Phat (FlyFM Morning Show)

Favorite Radio Show Award

The Red FM Breakfast Show with JD & Dilly (Dilly & JD)
Fly FM Morning Show (Phabes, Ben & Nadia)
Malaysia's Hottest Music - Hot 10 @ 10 (Hunny Madu)
Fly FM Mix Chart (Hunny Madu)
Hot FM AM Krew (Fara, Faizal & AG)
Fly FM Rush Hour (Jules & Prem)

Hot Chick Award

Maya Karin
Mizz Nina
Nora Danish
Nur Fazura
Scha Al-Yahya
Imran Vanidah

Hot Guy Award

Faizal Tahir
Farid Kamil
Hans Isaac
Henry Golding
Remy Ishak
Sam Shaheizy

Mobile Artiste of The Year Award

6ixth Sense - Cinta Khatimah
Aril - Staring
Saleem - Tinggal Kenangan
6ixth Sense - Tanpa
Yuna - Dan Actually
Alif Satar - Simply Beautiful

For the full list of winners in each category, click on...

Here are the full results winning Shout! Awards 2010 :

1. Rockstar Award Winner - BUNKFACE

2. Favourite TV Personality Award - Raja Lawak Zizan

3. Local Feature Breakthrough Award - The Legend of Devil Boy

4. PopStar Award - Yuna

5. Power Vocal Award - Faizal Tahir

6. Fresh TV Series Award - Nur Kasih

7. Favourite TV Program Award - Showdown 2010.

8. Video Music Awards - BUNKFACE

9. Flava Award - Mizz Nina

10. Hot Guy Award - Henry Golding

11. Hot Chick Award - Scha Al Yahya

12. Coolest Radio Annoucer Award - Babes Phat Fly FM

13. Favourite Radio Show Award - Hot FM AM Krew

14. Best On-Screen Chemistry Award - Papadom

15. Mobile Artiste of The Year Award - Sixth Sense

16. Break Out Award - Yunalis Zarai

17. The Ultimate Award - Yunalis Zarai.

Congratulations to all the winners! You deserve them! :)

What kind of Malaysian Police Sergeant is this? Pls RT

2010-11-16T10:12:00.002+08:00

What shit system is this in the Malaysian police force?

My pal recently knocked his car on the pillar inside his parking lot in his Condo, having need a police report for insurance claim, he did so at the station in PJ state.

Guess what the Sergeant asked from him? RM200 'duit kopi' so that he won't issue a summon. Firstly, it's on private property, so he asked if he can actually give him a summon, the sergeant quickly said, "Kalau saya nak kasi saman, saya boleh kasi" (I can issue summon if I feel like it). "Nak saman ke nak bayar?"

My reaction: Holy crap, you actually bargained with him for RM100 instead?

The thick faced, low ranking sergeant actually settled for RM150...

Thing is, my pal did not take down the sergeant's pin number. Only known as Sgt. Zul.

WHAT SYSTEM IS THIS? BPR, are you actually doing your job?

XplayShout! Party

2010-11-15T02:36:00.005+08:00

To those of you who miss out, there was a XplayShout! Party at The Library at e@Curve last weekend. Free flow till 11pm... So you can imagine how crazy the night become!

>

But it's not over yet... The best is yet to come as on the 20th of November 2010 at Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil from 6pm onwards, there will be MORE partying as the SHOUT AWARDS commences!

Ready to PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR?!!! Got X, Got it ALL!

RSS Feed in iTalk Whoa!

2010-11-03T18:57:00.009+08:00

Hello people, Deepavali coming soon. Any plans for the long weekend?

Been spending too much time in front of the computer and not spending enough time with your family because you need to keep going back and forth clicking on your favourite sites checking for updates?

Well, fret no more, welcome RSS! And now in iTalk Whoa! http://www.italkwhoa.com/

What RSS Feeds does it that it enables you to get news feeds and updates on any topics that interest you fast and easy. You don’t have to check or be on the lookout on what’s coming. It delivers the headline, short summary and a link back to the full text every time an RSS news feed is updated.

How does it benefit you?

- If you have been worried about giving your name and email address to subscribe to any newsletter, the RSS feed in iTalk Whoa! has come to your rescue. Subscribing to RSS feed does not require you to do so. No more e-mails and no spams too. Your privacy is assured.

- You will get updates automatically on your iTalk Whoa’s account.

- For those who have got used to bookmaking pages, this is no longer necessary.

- If you are a content owner or publisher, you are able to distribute your contents without being sent to the junk folder.

How to configure RSS feeds on your iTalk Whoa’s account? Simple!

Select the RSS Feeds under Mail panel and click on New Group to create a new category/group

Pop up box [RSSFeed Category Name] will appear and please input any name for the new group – example News

Then click on button [Add]
Automatically the News Feeds will appear in current Category Panel

To input any info on News category, just search for RSS News that interest you. In the example, the feeds gather from The star newspaper.

Just go to the The Star Url - http://thestar.com.my/
Scroll further down till the end of the webpage and you will see image as below:

The RSS icon placed on the right side and click on it.

You may input or place any RSS in iTalk Whoa! for any website that have the RSS icon

Just right click on the RSS icon besides the Sport News and select ‘Copy Link Location’.

The RSS url will appear and click ‘Add New’ button and the RSS will appear in the Feed Name Box

To view all the RSS Feeds, just click on the link and will be able to be read at the Mail Panel:

All the highlights will be displayed immediately and you can just click on any link to read/view the full story of the day.

Notes:
Sometimes, the link create does not appear immediately. Thus user need to wait for a few minutes before the link to appear. Or user may logout and login again into iTalk Whoa! to view the link.

XPLAY satisfies your passion for music and thirst for awesome parties

2010-10-22T23:19:00.002+08:00

To many, XPLAY is as common a name in music as McDonalds is in the fast food chain. For those still in the dark, XPLAY is a series of music events nationwide that brings various genres of music together - bringing only the best local and international DJs under one roof to blow your night away. Experience a party like never before with beyond-imagination line-ups and ground-shaking music to give you one of the most memorable nights you will ever have. The Big Bang Theory? That is for geeks! Theory-scheory, XPLAY will bring you back to the very singularity of time!

And in conjunction with XPLAY, SHOUT! AWARDS will also be running alongside. What is Shout! Awards you say? The Shout! Awards is an entertainment award show created to celebrate the Malaysia entertainment industry. The award recognizes people of music, television, film and radio industry as well as the entertainment industry as a whole.

Xplay Shout!, brought to you by XPLAY, is the pre-show party for Shout! Awards happening at The Library e@Curve on 13 November 2010 to celebrate the nominees. There will be performances by the 2009 Shout! Awards winners and also DJs. People will also get to mingle with the Mobile Content Award 2010 Nominees at the party!

Who's gonna be there to rock your night?

Want to get invited yet? I bet you do!

You can register for your exclusive FREE invitation from the Xpax Facebook at www.facebook.com/xpaxfb

1. Join as a fan and click on the “XPLAY” tab

2. Register for a FREE invitation.

3. 1st 150 customers to register on Xpax Facebook will get Free Drinks as well! (If you are an Xpax or U.O.X. member, you’ll get 2 drinks!)

For Celcom customers, you stand a chance to win FREE passes to the Shout! Awards on 20th November at Stadium Bukit Jalil, simply by just downloading 3 Call Me Tones of the Mobile Content Award 2010 nominees from www.channelx.com.my.

This is brought to you exclusively by Celcom XPLAY!

WTS - Tamron SP AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Sony Mount

2010-10-22T01:52:00.002+08:00

WTS - Tamron SP AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Sony Mount

Warranty - Not Available (3 years warranty service if you are in Japan)

Price - RM1750 (nego)

Condition - 9.9/10 (unused)

Age of item - 2 months

Contact - leave a comment or lwliam@gmail.com

Deal Method: COD/Postage

COD Area - Prefer Sunway area/ Kelana Jaya/ PJ

Package - WYSIWYG

Sample image from this lens ;)

Which taker are you? I am... THE LEADER.

2010-10-20T12:09:00.006+08:00

You are not a doer, you're a strategist. You like to figure out puzzles and are always a few steps ahead of the gang. Those around you look up to you because you always have a plan and they can depend on your sharp insight.

So, which taker am I?

Want to know which Taker are you? Head on over to this link.

Screening Details:
Date: 25 October 2010 (Monday)
Time: 9.00pm
Venue: GSC Mid Valley

SONY PICTURES and Sirens Media are gonna give away some tickets for the movie - Takers.

Check out this website to know what else are up for grabs apart from tickets, and I from what I can see, they're pretty sweet grabs.

The winners stand a chance to win a pair of Preview Passes to the premiere of TAKERS screening on the above mentioned date, the BEST 3 also wins TAKERS' goodie bags. You can also stand a chance to win the 2 lucky draw prizes - 2 SONY WALKMAN W-Series (NWZ-W252/W) which is to be given away in the lucky draw.

So, what is this movie about?

The movie follows a group of professional bank robbers (Michael Ealy, Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, Paul Walker, Idris Elba) who specialize in spectacular robberies, as they are pulled into one last job by a recently paroled cohort (T.I) only to be pitted against a hard-boiled detective (Matt Dillon) and his partner (Jay Hernandez) who interrupt their heist.

Another take at it is that TAKERS takes you into the world of a notorious group of criminals (Idris Elba, Paul Walker, T.I., Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen and Michael Ealy) who continue to baffle police by pulling off perfectly executed bank robberies. They are in and out like clockwork, leaving no evidence behind and laying low between heists. But when they attempt to pull off one last job with more money at stake than ever before, the crew may find their plans interrupted by a hardened detective (Matt Dillon) who is hell-bent on solving the case.

Gotten you hooked yet?

So, which Taker am I?

I am indeed the leader. Hand me a problem, and I will let you know what's needed to get it done. So, you'd better get it done! *cues evil laugh*

Visit http://www.sirens.com.my/ and do the quiz Which Taker are you? And then blog about your Taker Character in a creative way.
Once you have finished your post, please send your blog post address to contest@sirens.my Please submit it before 21st of October, 2010.

SEOUL GOOD Promotion at CINNAMON COFFEE HOUSE, ONE WORLD HOTEL

2010-10-19T16:47:00.008+08:00

Feel like having a hearty Korean cuisine lately? Sudden hunger pang for crunchy, sour Kimchi? Longing for slices upon slices of fresh cut sashimi melting on your tongue?

Then look no further.

Pick up your empty stomach and head on over for the SEOUL GOOD Promotion at CINNAMON COFFEE HOUSE at ONE WORLD HOTEL, Bandar Utama.

Promotion period: 15th till 23rd October 2010

No wonder some people say that fod is better than sex.

Buffet Lunch (Monday to Friday)

12 noon till 2:30 pm

RM72++ per adult
RM36++ per child aged 4-12 years

Buffet Dinner (Monday to Sunday)

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

RM85++ per adult
RM43++ per child aged 4-12 years

For reservations, please call Cinnamon Coffee House at 03 – 7681 1157.

One World Hotel First Avenue, Bandar Utama City Centre.

Bikinis, Zucchinis, Martinis

2010-10-05T01:10:00.003+08:00

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 60 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias +1 EV
Flash On, Fired

02Oct2010_1883

2010-10-03T00:04:00.000+08:00

02Oct2010_1883, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.02 sec (1/50)
Aperture f/8.0
Focal Length 11 mm
ISO Speed 640

Taiwanese Yummies

2010-09-28T20:02:00.000+08:00

15Sep2010_0613, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture f/3.2
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias +0.7 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

15Sep2010_0603, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture f/3.2
Focal Length 60 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias +1 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

15Sep2010_0601, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture f/3.2
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias +1.3 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

15Sep2010_0598, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture f/3.2
Focal Length 35 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias -0.3 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

Zero hour

2010-09-14T12:34:00.001+08:00

0day, originally uploaded by william leong.

For your safety, and the safety of those around you, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened, seatback and tray table in their full upright and locked position, and all luggage stowed until the aircraft arrives at the gate and the Captain has turned off the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign. Please use caution in opening the overhead bins, as the items you placed there may have shifted during flight.

Thank you for flying with us and have a pleasant trip.

1 day for me to REALLY REALLY pack my stuffs

2010-09-13T22:10:00.002+08:00

1day, originally uploaded by william leong.

Lets double check

A700
battery grip with both batteries inside
SAL 11-18
S 24-70 f/2.8
M 70-210 f/4
M 50 f/1.7
F58 'cobra'
3 formatted memory cards with 20Gb worth of storage
12pcs AA batteries
battery chargers
tripod

*fingers crossed that I did not leave out anything*

Did I hear someone saying clothes? Bahhhh, who need clothes. Buy and wear on the spot, that's the way to go!

Yup, it's 6 days away

2010-09-08T21:51:00.002+08:00

6days, originally uploaded by william leong.

Selamat Berpuasa to fellow Muslim friends and buddies

2010-09-06T10:03:00.000+08:00

In conjunction with the soon arriving bulan Syawal festivities, TM iTalkWhoa! is now offering an additional of 20% talk time credited into your account of you activate or reload your iTalk card from 1st September 2010 until 31st October 2010.

For example; a top up of MYR20 will entitle you an extra MYR4 of extra talktime, MYR50 will earn you another MYR10, and MYR100 will get you MYR20!

You can now get more info on these awesome deal from the following websites:

http://www.italkwhoa.com

HyppTunes (www.hypptunes.com.my)

E-Browse (www.ebrowse.com.my)

B-SmartXpress (www.bluehyppo.com)

Gamezone (www.hyppgames.com.my)

MUTV online (www.hypp.tv/manutd)

Selamat berpuasa everyone!

PC Fair Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre August 2010

2010-08-11T14:30:00.003+08:00

Wow, it'd really been some time since I've roamed around PC Fair. Haven't been there cause I don't need anything there. Since recently I wanted to get a new CF card, and just so happened a bunch of photogs ~~forced~~ invited me to tag along with them for some ~~stalking~~ shooting, I kindly obliged.

My haul that day? Sandisk Ultra 8Gb Compact Flash for RM106 (free 4 pcs of Sony Alkaline batteries ~~after much sweet talking the salesgirl~~. Could use them as emergency backup for my flash.)

This time, I fully utilized my battery grip's potential by shooting entirely in portrait orientation =P The girls are sporting enough to let the 5 of us shoot, kudos to all of you, hahaha.

For the complete collection from this series, please click on this Flickr link.

Black with white stripes or white with black stripes.

2010-08-09T23:48:00.001+08:00

08Aug2010_2156, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/8.0
Focal Length 200 mm
ISO Speed 800
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

25Jul2010_1999

2010-07-30T13:57:00.001+08:00

25Jul2010_1999, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 30 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias +1 EV
Flash On, Fired
Location Sepang International Circuit

My first time on panning

2010-07-29T02:21:00.002+08:00

25Jul2010_1948, originally uploaded by william leong.

Camera Sony DSLR-A700
Exposure 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture f/20.0
Focal Length 135 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias +0.3 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire

2010-07-24T01:49:00.001+08:00

Wedding Collage 1, originally uploaded by william leong.

iTalk Whoa SMS and Calls' Promotion to 5 Major Countries (limited time only - grab it quick!)

2010-07-19T01:54:00.004+08:00

How have you all been with iTalk Whoa so far? Bet you guys and girls enjoyed it a lot.

Did I mention to you before about the lowest call rate of RM0.07 a minute to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and China? I haven't? So I have just told you a couple of seconds ago, this is because this special rates promotion is valid from 15^th July 2010 till the end of the year, yes, 31^st December 2010. So now you can get in connected with all your friends and family anywhere around the world and update your Twitter page via iTalkWhoa.

Short Messaging Service is only RM0.10 each.

Here is the list of countries involved in the promotion (MYR)

Countries	Fixed	Mobile
China	0.07	0.08
U.S.A	0.07	0.10
U.K	0.07	0.85
Canada	0.07	0.14
Australia	0.07	0.81

While saying that these are the countries being involved in this promotion, it does not mean at all that iTalkWhoa user cannot make calls and sms to other countries. Only that the promotional rates would not be applicable.

For the first timers, this is how you make a call from iTalkWhoa.

Login to www.italkwhoa.com. And click on the “Phone” tab. Choose the international destination and enter your phone number. Click “Dial” and enjoy the conversation. Do ensure that you have sufficient iTalk Credit before making any calls.

Kitt and Louise

2010-06-15T22:15:00.006+08:00

more coming soon

O_o stare at you can sot you one err

2010-06-14T23:29:00.001+08:00

01May2009_3421, originally uploaded by william leong.

http://www.italkwhoa.com/ - SMS function

2010-05-24T01:43:00.000+08:00

As many of you all know by now, iTalkWhoa is a melting pot of multiple functions of email, twitter, sms, calendar and your contact book all into one.

If you haven't noticed by now, short message service or more reknown simply by its acronym, SMS has been a daily staple of anyone who is tech savvy enough to use a mobile phone.

iTalkWhoa took it a step further by introducing this widely used function into the world wide web, specifically at http://www.italkwhoa.com/

Users need only do 3 steps: Key in phone number of recipient, type the message, and click SEND. Now, even my grandmother knows how to do that. Right below the composing box, is stated your credit, so you'll never be caught off guard on running out of credit in the midst of texting your lollipop from across the globe telling him/her how much you feel like eating skewered shrimps.

At the bottom of the page, you'll have a detailed list of whom you sent SMSes to and when it was sent, right to the very second, cool huh!?

Psst! IDD rate's an all time low with iTalk's IDD calls to (nearly) any numbers overseas. As how you'd normally call, country code, area code, phone number and listen as your loved one magically becomes audible over the earpiece - all coming from some telephoney wizardry behind the scenes over at TM. I guess I'll order a delivery of Mandarin chicken from Szechuan Palace and a regular Pepperoni Special from Luigi's Pizzaria now.

Ah bollocks! Gotta go grab myself more credits now, texted too many buddies for the past few days, need a quick top up! Willy, signing off! -SEND-

MP-03 Masterpiece Starscream

2010-05-20T18:00:00.004+08:00

More than meets the eye!

My newly acquired Masterpiece Starscream, codenamed MP-03, with Generation 1 (G1) decals.

No, the flashdrive does not come along with it, it is there for size comparison. Comes with a display base though.

Decepticon's insignia all over the aircraft.

Hideaway landing gears...

Functional air-brakes - the hydraulics are painted metallic.

A figure of Dr. Archeville from the TV animation series in the pilot seat.

The nose cone can be opened to reveal a radar transceiver.

Decepticon's 2nd in command. Starscream!

Hafiz Hashim vs Joachim Persson @ Thomas Cup 2010, Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil

2010-05-12T23:36:00.002+08:00

Latest news on Thomas Cup 2010, Malaysia at Stadium Putra, Bukit Jalil.

Malaysian 3rd singles and final hope, Hafiz Hashim beat Danish, Joachim Persson in a straight set, bringing Malaysia forward into the Semi-finals against the Chinese on Friday, 14th May 2010.

Miss ICE Mag 2010 Finale - Grand Launch

2010-05-03T17:46:00.005+08:00

Location: Club Republic, Sunway Pyramid

Time: 29th April 2010 - 19:00

Sorry, just pics this time. Nothing much to elaborate on. Girls goes for pageant, girls pose, 3 girls get crowned. The end. ROFL... Enjoy the pics.

Congratulations Ginny Gan!

Dude.. when wanna go hang out again? Coming back yet? Let's go do something crazy!

2010-04-15T15:39:00.002+08:00

TM iTalk Whoa!

2010-04-05T11:03:00.000+08:00

TM iTalk Whoa!

Recently, with all the buzz around the world wide web with everyone updating status messages and micro-blogging on Google Buzz, twitter and Plurk, Malaysia's own Telekom Malaysia is too jumping into the bandwagon with its own rendition of an online portal service, nicknamed TM iTalk Whoa! Whoa! What a name right!?

TM iTalk Whoa! is a platform for users to gain access to their twits (Twitter), emails (gmail, yahoo, hotmail, you name it) and even this - SMSes! Now thats fresh! How cool is that?!
All you need to do is just to first register as a member, where 1st time members will need to key in the username and password for the various accounts mentioned above - needing only just one entry. In the future, all you need to do is just key in your iTalkWhoa! username and password and you're all set; all the accounts will be logged in automatically - just like magic!

You will be able to access your beloved twits from anywhere you are at that moment - all from ONE website.. http://www.italkwhoa.com/

I believe by now, those who have read till this far, you will have a couple of basic questions you'd want to find out.

For those who are overseas, wondering whether are they still kept in the loop to use iTalkWhoa! Like I mention earlier, that this is a portal service, hence, irregardless of your location, you will be able to access this service with the same rates as mentioned above.

As with any mobile services out there right now, users are also able to purchase prepaid credits them off the (virtual)counter from Maybank2U, CIMBClicks and all (physical) stores displaying the iTalk sign - just like any other phone or idd call cards. Talk about convenience!

As of the writing of this article, only Malaysians are able to purchase the credits, but future development will expand purchasing service to all users worldwide, with dates as soon as June 2010; so to our supporters out there, fret not, we hear you! :)

Feeling excited? Having the urge to know more? What are you waiting for? Head on here on this link to check out what TMiTalkWhoa! has to offer @ http://www.italkwhoa.com/

bambooNINE's 'PHOTO - GRAPHIC' the nite of fla$hing lights

2010-03-09T00:19:00.004+08:00

bambooNINE recently held a photographic event at their bar at TTDI Plaza, inviting photographers from all brands to go have a shot at winning some pretty sweet prizes.

Since it starts at 8pm, I could get off work, take a quick meal (although I should've had something heavier) and shoot off to TTDI plaza just in time for the event, but since that day I had to stay back a while to settle some stuffs in the office, I couldn't go get a proper meal as planned.

1st 50 photographers who registered at the counter will get a mini bottle of Glenmorangie's single malt scotch whiskey and Leonardo's art's calendar by flashing their gears to the counter-person.

There were also 10 hired professional models to be photographed at the event, which I only photographed about half of them.

I personally like this model as her features are very strong. I feel that she stands out from the crowd the most. Which incidentally, is also the one being photographed the most as well. This is also where I tested out the low-light capabilities of my newly acquired Tokina 28-70 constant f/2.8. At the 70mm end open wide, it gives a certain softness that complements nicely with a properly diffused flash onto the model which I really like.

As I mentioned earlier, it was partly a competition with prizes to be won - with the categories being; Best party scene, Best portrait shot and Best product shot.

Proudly, I swept away both 1st and 2nd prize in the Best Party Scene category - which won be 2 70cl bottles of Glenmorangie. Was I happy? You bet!

Toes

2010-02-25T02:22:00.003+08:00

In the heat of the night, I was thinking of what to do, so I randomly twitted, not hoping to get any replies.

But suprisingly, I did!

source: HERE

Click image for large size.

13th January 2009 - Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2010-02-15T23:18:00.003+08:00

Upon arrival and checking into our camp for the first night, we headed for Borobudur, our 1st UNESCO site of the trip.

Indonesia Team 1 (from left): myself, Aaron, Daniel, Lasker, Elise, Angeline, Satkuru, Ai Ling, Emily, David

The room's not the biggest I've stayed in, not to say the smallest either. Hey, at least it's air conditioned.

And the landscape's rather good.

Headed out to get some 'missing' necessities when we found this sign on a fence. I guess it's a big enough problem for the authorities to put up a sign telling not to pee on the fence (which is facing a busy road FYI).

This was Daniel's lunch.

Indon's famous bebek, which translates to duck (I think). Comes in varieties of either deep fried or grilled. I chose the grilled one. The meat's really tender, pretty juicy to a certain extend and very flavorful. Could use a bowl of creamy soup to go with the rice though.

After a whole day at Borobudur, with sweaty pits and dusty feet, we headed back to camp for a refreshing shower before moving on with a free and easy night on the streets for dinner. The pool's lovely, but we didn't had the chance to jump in, there weren't enough time to do so.

Day 2 coming up.

An apparent backpack in Indonesia

2010-01-27T02:40:00.002+08:00

Destination Yogyakarta - Jakarta - Denpasar (Bali).

MORE awesome views will be up shortly.

Awana Genting Trailblazer 2009

2010-01-21T17:34:00.004+08:00

1st November 2009 was the day we got down and dirty.

Like the Trailblazers before, there's a buffet dinner the night before the run.

Here, I present you my running partner, Ms. Lau.

Walked around a bit after dinner, but since its Awana, there's nothing much to see nor do there after dark.

Headed back to the room to do some silly stuffs.

It was one misty morning. There's already people jogging and warming up while we were walking to the field for gathering.

I didn't follow the crowd. Wahahhahaha...

Morning aerobics led by instructor from Celebrity Fitness. Loosen up, loosen up!

As expected, things got real muddy and sweaty. Dipping your mud drenched shoes into the cold running water is really refreshing! A tip for those who plans to join Trailblazer 2010, remember to bring along a pair of disposable gardening gloves and wear them during the hike. It helps a lot during the descent using the ropes.

Going again next year? Depends on my mood and stamina then.

Hannah Tan - Live in Concert (Christmas Special)

2010-01-03T02:43:00.003+08:00

20th December 2009

Location: Gardens Ballroom, Midvalley City

Performing Artists: Harith Iskander, Hans Isaac, Pietro Felix, Daphne Iking, Jojo Struys, Reefa, Sasi The Don, Meet Uncle Hussein, Reymee & Sam of Innuendo, Caprice, The Fabulous Cats, Dennis Lau, Atilia, Liang amongst others.

Special Guest: His Excellency Masahiko Horie, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia

Turnout of the concert: near fullhouse!

Digitized Hannah Tan takes to the screen!

The host sings!

Liang sings too.

Jojo Struys doing the tap dance move!

and she sings GOOD~!!!

The beautiful Daphne Iking did a piece as well.

Harith Iskandar cracked some jokes (which incidentally is pretty true in nature).

Artists and a few of us photographers had a small break after the concert at Starbucks, The Gardens.

How could I miss out the chance to have a shot taken with the pretty Hannah Tan, right?

Gatecrashing @ Ricoh's Snapshot Workshop =P

2009-12-18T04:48:00.005+08:00

ROFL-ed @ the title above. Actually I was invited by a close aide to Ricoh's Snapshot Workshop held in Annexe Gallery, Pasar Seni on the 17th December sponsered by futuromic.com

There was a pre-production unit of Ricoh's newest GXR which carries the so called "world's first interchangeable lens camera system" whereby the lens and the sensor is in one package and is detachable from the body the way normal dSLRs change lenses. It comes with a 50mm F2.5 MACRO camera unit (which I personally think it focuses too slow even for a PnS standard - which it claims NOT to be a PnS - the salesman claims that it is due to the 'macro' function in the lens that makes the focusing slower than usual) and the 24-72mm F2.5-4.4 camera unit )which focuses much faster than the former mentioned 50mm.

It works like this, the lens system and the imaging sensor is in a package. So for the above example, with the 2 lenses, where Ricoh would rather call, '2 camera units', you basically have 2 lenses and 2 imaging sensors. Then there's the body where the control buttons, shutter trigger, screen, battery etc. etc. is at.

The main catch in this design is that while conventional dSLR users would cringe at changing lenses in a dusty environment, GXR users would do that with no issue at all as the sensor is not exposed at all to the elements.

I personally love the screen's resolution, with its hi-def 3 inches 920,000-dot VGA LCD display, the quality is really good. Same spec as my A700 though - but the GXR's fonts are smaller, which makes it looks sharper and more eye catching.

For more data facts and images, head on to dpreview here.

Now, on with the photo shooting at the end of the session.

And my favourite shot of the night...

Malaysia looks like still Boleh!

2009-12-10T14:01:00.005+08:00

Malaysia’s MOL Global will buy US social-networking service provider Friendster Inc.

MOL Global Ltd expects to generate US$110 million in annual revenue from the takeover, chief executive officer Ganesh Kumar Bangah told reporters in Kuala Lumpur after the signing ceremony today.

MOL Global Ltd expects to generate US$110 million in annual revenue from the takeover. - Bloomberg

source: here

Kimi & Mika the mixed breed Malteses

2009-12-01T11:26:00.004+08:00

Did a bit of pets photography a couple of days back. Note to self, hyperactive pets need a hyperactive photographer to keep up with the pace. Phew! I was sweating so much, equivalent to a half an hour workout.

After the little cuties eventually ran out of juice, it was much easier then.

For more puppy love, click here

More coming up!

Sony SAL-1118 | DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6

2009-11-19T23:16:00.003+08:00

I'll do the review when I have the chance to fully utilize it in the real world.

for larger images, please click here

Ms. Hypertune @ Mist Club, Bangsar

2009-11-12T10:11:00.007+08:00

My media pass sponsored by Sony Xplod Car audio system and Sony Alpha brought me to Mist Club last Saturday for the Ms. Hypertune semi-finals. But since I had to leave early (read: 22:30), I didn't stay for the main stage event where the casual wear and more racy outfits were donned.

Coming weekend (Saturday) will be the finale and if nothing comes in the way, I will be there to get it all down for you people to enjoy! *wink*

"Less talk, more pics" I hear?

The entire Beemer's body is carbon fiber!

More hot stuffs after the jump!

She's one of the judges. A hottie all by herself as well.

5 and a half days in Bangkok

2009-10-21T12:38:00.007+08:00

Been to Thailand for work related training recently for a little less than a week. Arrived at airport 2 hours before the departure time for the prerequisite check-in. Since we had time to spare, my colleague and I decided to take the shuttle train to the satellite building for a little stroll - looking out for the price of the liquors in duty free stores.

Stopped by Coffee Bean for a quick coffee break with their daily brew and a scone.

Having the A and B seats and flying North in the evening means you'll have a full view of the setting sun at 35,000 ft above sea level.

On the 110 minutes flight, light refreshments were given - to us, dinner was served. With a choice of chicken or beef, I opted for beef to go with an order of red wine. Portion's not what you would call large either. Just enough for me with still quite a bit of space for more, but not wanting to make use of the puke bag later on should the ride get bumpy, I call it a pretty decent meal.

Accommodation was pre-arranged by the Thai engineers @ All Seasons Gold Orchid, 375 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Bangkok.

After unpacking and quick freshing up, we went down for a bit of local tour on our own. We had dinner at a hawker stall right in front of the hotel - which turns out to have the best tom yam fish soup we've had the entire trip this time. 2 of us, tom yam soup with lots of fish slices, boiled fish fillet with fried garlic, thai sambal vege, rice and a big bottle of LEO beer only costs us 220 Baht. That's only about RM11 for a meal with 2 dishes of fish and a resulting stuffed gut, absolutely nice!

We continued walking down to see what's around the corner. Small sellers on motorbikes and trishaws selling more food along the road. Grabbed a grilled minced meat stuffed into a sausage jacket for 5 Baht each. Tasty sh*t!

Not being able to find a normal convenience store, we walked into 7-11 to get beer and chips. Beers for 25 Baht a can and big bags of chips for 20 Baht. I smiled.

Headed back to hotel (seen in picture above with green and blue neon lights) and called it a night.

Birds in the sky

2009-10-03T11:16:00.002+08:00

It so happened that I brought my gears to work.

Tip: When planes are not in view, don't aim your camera at where the sound is coming from!

All images captured in RAW for maximum flexibility.

Sony Service Center service dissatisfaction

2009-09-05T02:05:00.008+08:00

My A700 is barely 3 months old, but due to frequent lens changes, a couple of dust spots are visible on my images even at mid aperture ranges. So, I decided to bring it to Sony's Service Center at North Point, Midvalley for a sensor cleaning since it's free of charge within warranty periods.

Sending it there was ok, the person at the counter was friendly to talk with, apart from my A700, I even asked if the rubber grip on my A100 could be replaced for free as well. She wasn't sure of it but assured me that she will ask the technician the next day since it was 18:30 by the time I reach there after work.

The problem was when I went for collection. A different person served me. I asked if Ginny (not real name) was there as I wanted know on the status of the A100. Ting (not real name) went to the back after keying in my details and got Ginny out to talk to me. After clarifying that the A100 need to be charged for the rubber grip, I told her that I refused to get it done and thanked her for the effort.

From then on, I dealt with Ting on the collection of my A700. After getting back my body, I tested it on the spot, to my horror, there was this much LARGER piece of dust stuck to my sensor! Nearly 1mm big I assure you (to those less tech-savy, a 1 mm dust on a 12 megapixel sensor is like the size of a car in a football field). Near-furious, I showed her proof that its a job NOT done and demanded a rectification. Ting disappeared to the back of the office, appearing a while later saying that all the technicians have all went back and I would need to leave my camera there if I want to get it cleaned again. They could have checked it thoroughly before informing me that it is cleaned/fixed and ready for collection. By the way, it was nearly 5 working days since I sent it in. But while she was at the back, I took my blower, tried pumping some air towards the sensor hoping to dislodge the piece of dust. Thankfully, it helped and there isn't any dust left.

So ok, fine, I let that go. I asked again if I could have a flashgun to test on my A700 as I also requested them to check and tighten on the hotshoe. To my disappointment, Ting, without a moment's hesitation immediately said no. I then asked again if there's any test unit that they use to test fixed units around at the back. She still insisted not having any. Well, I'm not asking for much, the very least you could do is make an effort to look for one or ACT you're trying to help as much as you could.

Given up hope on Ting, I packed my gears into my bag and left, not before I gave her a stare and telling her that to make sure she inform her technical department that they DID NOT do a good job in a simple task.

Furious I tell you, furious!

To be sure that it is not a mark on the table or on the lens, I use 2 different lenses and focused at different ranges using small apertures. Both dust spots appear on the same exact spot.

Langkawi Day 2 [end]

2009-09-01T23:10:00.003+08:00

Waking the next morning wasn't easy, all because of the cold air conditioned room. Took me a while to be able to lift my butt out from the warmth of the blanket (however small piece which is left of it) and step onto the cold cold tiles. Everyone's still soundly asleep - either in the room or camping out in the living room; which of course is at a much cozier temperature.

Quickly washed my face and don my jacket, gave David a bit of a nudge to wake him up; and off we went down the nearby shore to get some dawn shots. Too bad the weather wasn't good that morning. Looming clouds over the horizon blocked most of the sun's view.

We were due of an island hopping session later that morning. After having cup noodles for breakfast and preparing some sandwiches for later, we headed out to Awana Porto Malai for a quick walk along the famed boardwalk. With all honesty, I feel it looks much nicer in photos by comparison. After a bit of monkeying around, we headed out to wait for our tour guide to go catch a glimpse of some real life monkey action.

Pulau Dayang Bunting - roughly translated as Pregnant Maiden's Island; was our 1st stop. Upon docking, we could already see herd of primates running around looking for opportunities to grab food from any unsuspecting tourist foolish enough to leave their food lying around in plain sight.

After a quick dip in the fresh water lake at the middle of the island, we hiked back down the hill to our awaiting boat-ride to the next point.

Eagle spotting. Somehow I think the eagles are already accustomed to boatmen throwing food at the archipelago at certain hours of the day, so they would congregate for the benefit of bird watchers. With the boat bobbing up and down - although the waves weren't that strong - its quite hard to get a sharp image of the soaring raptors in the sky.

Taxied for 20 minutes or so, we left for a beach where we all got into the water for a bit of splashing around. Also took my 1st bath ever using water pulled out from a well. Pure underground water, which kinda smells funny - lets hope there's no nearby drainage pipe supplying water to it.

Finished our island hopping around 1pm, took a drive around town to have our lunch which took us more than 2 hours due to shortage of kitchen helpers and then we went for a little bit of shopping... Langkawi-style!

Headed to the beach for a cuppa and waited for sunset. Eventually, we had our dinner there as well. Pardon me for not mentioning the names of the places that we went, as I forgot to jot down the names, hence the misnomers.

I stayed back at the cafe watching after their bags while they stood by the water's edge. Armed with my 300mm, I'm pretty sure I could snipe in a bit tighter than a couple of them using kitties standing 500 meters further away ^^

When some of them headed back to the table, I went out. Seeing this, I quickly asked to borrow Aaron's attached kitty to swap with my 28mm prime so that I could take it all in.

Hung around had some beer till 9-ish, and we took a drive around the island, burning off whatever fuel we've got left. So we decided to go to 'Eagle's Square' to pop off some night shots since we won't be having ample time to do it the following morning - we've got an early flight to catch back to LCCT.

And that's all folks! My maiden trip to Langkawi! Definitely a recommended place to go to get piss drunk! ^^

Primarily Prime

2009-08-23T22:55:00.004+08:00

Primes, known for their sharpness due to the simplicity of glass structures. Second piece of prime, gotta love it!

Ok, so I cheated, the first 2 photos were not taken by my primes, but with my kit lens.

But all the following shots are by primes.

Now, to go find for more detail shots!

Poor man's dunny

2009-08-18T22:19:00.004+08:00

What do you do when you've got a bit of time on your hands, want a little bit of luxury/necessity and got the means to do so?

You build things... not exactly build per se, but well, you'll get what I mean.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't ask much for an RM150 single room rental in a dense USJ, Subang area.

Langkawi 2009 - Day 1

2009-07-31T10:39:00.002+08:00

I really believe this post is long overdue. Due to the busy nature of my new job, I've not been able to have the mood to start a post everytime I get home after work.

Furthermore, I've only just recently gotten back my internet connection - I had to apply for a new line for the house I'm living in right now, previous owner of the house has already migrated, canceling whatever line they had previously.

Langkawi, my 1st time stepping into the famous land of famed Mahsuri. Legend says that she was framed of committing adultery and is sentenced death, upon sentencing she cursed Langkawi to *I kinda forgot what she cursed* and the blood she shed turned white (proving innocence)!

Anyway, having booked cheap air tickets from nearly 7-8 months back, the day finally came for the 9 of us to travel once again. Oh by the way, if you are into drinking alcoholic beverages, Langkawi is the place for you.

Upon arrival, we got hold of our booked rented cars and headed in to town to grab a quick lunch.

Once we had our tummies filled and since we still had an hour or more to burn before we were able to check into our rooms, we took a walk along the beach of a random resort we laid our eyes on.

Later that day, we went up Langkawi's highest point via cable car, which is kinda like the must-do if you're in Langkawi for the 1st time - it's not in stone and blood though.

The journey up was rather scenic, we could see the bay of Langkawi where (nearly) everyone anchors their yachts.

Tried waiting till late evening for the sun to set, but since a couple of us were already tired, guess some of us had to skip that plan - actual sunset was not for another an hour and a half.

Here, we have David doing his 'tai chi' pose - no, actually he was kinda directing everyone to get in line for a group photo.

Stay tuned for Day 2..

King of Pop

2009-06-26T08:58:00.003+08:00

We will all have a moment of silence now for the passing of Earth's King of Pop due to cardiac arrest.

We will remember Michael Jackson as the person who we all grew up with, listening to his songs, following his moves on the dance floor.

He was 50.

Phai Lin Restaurant (Thai & Chinese Food)

2009-05-26T01:12:00.004+08:00

I was invited for a meal here recently by a friend, having not been there before, I keyed in the address into my E71 and followed where the GPS lead me.

Phai Lin Restaurant
Sri Damansara Club
Lot 23304,
Persiaran Perdana,
Bandar Sri Damansara,
52200 KL.

+603 6273 1509

The Chinese owner of the place is from Siam itself, serving authentic Thai cuisine with a bit of Chinese twist in the style of cooking. Even the waiters, waitresses to the chefs are brought in from Thailand.

Now, the restaurant might be placed inside Sri Damansara Club, but this club is accessible to the public unlike many clubhouses around whereby only members of the club are allowed entrance. The location of the club is place just outside the busy city centers and jams, so getting there won't be a stressful ordeal.

For appetizers, there was spring rolls served with Thai sauce. They're not very special in anyway, but because it's served fresh from the kitchen, the fillings are still warm and juicy. Just right to lift up your appetite for the dishes to come.

Price of the dish: RM13 (all the prices stated here onwards are quoted for the large portion of the meal fit for 10 pax - there's also a medium sized portion.)

Next up, there's a Claypot Glass Vermicelli with Prawn. I particularly like the prawns in this one as they are really fresh and the vermicelli is a nice change from the normal ones I used to eat in typical restaurants which will be a bit soggy. Here, the claypot manage to dry them up just enough so that they won't get to soak up much liquid; giving a nice bite to the vermicelli.

Price of dish: RM22

Deep Fried Garoupa with Sweet & Sour Sauce - the fish isn't fried till the flesh is dried up, maintaining it's consistency in the flesh throughout. Again, the party piece is not in the fish itself, but in the sauce. It brings a little bit of spiciness but not too overpowering until it numbs your tongue; and since it's of Thai origin, there's also a hint of sourish Thai paste mixed in as well. The sauce goes very well with the white rice that we ordered, so much so that by the end of the meal, the dish was wipe clean, even the bones were nowhere to be found on the lazy susan. Also the most pricey dish of the night.

Price of dish: RM35

Our next dish was Deep Fried Chicken Wings with Herbs Thai Style. Once again, not over-frying the meat is the key here. I personally believe they did marinate the wings with some special sauce before frying as the meat itself brings a bit of fragrant flavor. Stir-frying it with the herbs and shallots then again brings out more flavor in every bite.

Price of dish: RM18

This is my personal favourite. Seafood Tom Yam Soup. How can one miss out this dish when having real Thai cuisine? It's blasphemy if you ask me. ROFL... I literally cleared out the bowl when everyone was done with it at the end. If you ask me, the flavor is just nice; sour, spicy and the meat inside is all done very well. I definitely recommend this dish!

RM28

This is a familiar face if you frequent chinese restaurants for lunches or dinners. The Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables is a mixture of baby maize, peas, button mushrooms, brocollies and sliced carrots drizzled in a light corn starch gravy. Great if you're vegetarian, but it's a bit on the pricey side at RM17 a dish.

For dessert, we had the Mango Salad. Shredded young mangoes, chopped onions and peanuts drizzled with sour sauce. Gives a nice tingle to your pallate which will go well after a mouthful of tom yam soup earlier.

RM15

The Raw Prawn Salad was a suprise of the evening. Fresh raw prawn just stripped of its exoskeleton, served with chopped mint and garlic. You just have to taste it to believe it. The mint and garlic sauce somehow reminds me of the condiments that came along with the balut I ate in Cambodia a while back.

Warning: Not for those who will not touch sashimis even if their life depends on it.

Price of dish: RM22

The setting of the restaurant is very typical of any Chinese restaurants found nationwide. Suitable for weddings and celebration parties - although size wise, will be limited to around 30 tables max.

Updating firmware for Sony Alpha DSLR - A700 to version 4

2009-05-25T13:41:00.007+08:00

To those who are still having version 1, 2 or 3 firmwares, it's time to update to version 4.

The new updates will cover the following firmware additional features and improvements for your Sony camera.

1. Add the choice of “2 steps/ 3 shots” to auto exposure bracketing (single and continuous)

2. Add the choice of Off to the High ISO NR feature

3. Improvement of the image quality in high ISO setting

4. Improvement of the performance of the auto white balance and the D-Range Optimizer

5. Improvement of reliability for communication between camera body and vertical grip when attaching the vertical grip

To check of your unit needs updating, the firmware version is indicated on LCD display of a unit when pressing 'MENU' button followed by 'DISP' button.

Now that you know if your gear needs an update, read on for the procedures.

Before starting, make sure your memory card is formatted by the camera and the battery is charged (as update will take up to a minute with the camera ON).

Now, head to this site to download the firmware updates into your computer.

After obtaining the file, double click the .exe file to extract it into a separate folder (preferably somewhere you will be able to find).

Download and extraction procedures

1. Double-click the downloaded file DSCA700v04.exe to extract it.
* Depending on your Operating System, the file may be automatically extracted when downloading.

2. After extraction, the following file is created.
- DSCA700.APP [ File size : 4,719,092 bytes ]
* The extensions may not be displayed depending on the computer.

Copy the update files to the recording medium

Copy the update files to the recording medium (Memory Stick Duo / CF card / Microdrive) with one of the procedures below depending on your environment.

- If your computer has a card slot which is suitable for the recording medium

1. Insert the recording medium formatted with the camera in the card slot of your computer.

2. Copy the update files DSCA700.APP to the root folder of the recording medium.

- If your computer does not have a card slot which is suitable for the recording medium

The camera is connected with the computer with the USB cable, and the update file is copied onto the recording medium.

1. Insert a formatted recording medium in the camera.

2. Insert a fully charged battery (NP-FM500H) in the camera, or connect the AC Adaptor to the camera.

3. Slide the POWER switch to the On position.

4. Press the MENU button and select the Setup menu-2 with the Multi-selector.

5. Please check that Mass Storage was chosen in USB connection of Setup menu. If it was not chosen, please set to Mass Storage.

How to set the USB connection

1. Select the USB connection with the Multi-selector.
2. Press the Center button of the Multi-selector to display the options of USB connection.
3. Select the "Mass Storage" with the Multi-selector then press the Center button of the Multi-selector.

6. Press the MENU button to turn off the menu.

7. Connect the camera and the computer with the USB cable.

8. Copy the update file DSCA700.APP to the root folder of the recording medium inserted in the camera.

9. When copying is finished, disconnect the USB cable.

Update the firmware

Before the update, please check the Memory card setting.

1. Slide the POWER switch to ON position

2. Press the MENU button, and check the "Memory card" to the proper type you use for update (Memory Stick Duo / CF card / Microdrive) in the Setup menu-2. If the setting of 'Memory card' is different, please set it to right.

3. Press the MENU button to turn off the menu, then slide the POWER switch to OFF position.

Update the Firmware

1. Insert the prepared recording medium (Memory Stick Duo / CF card / Microdrive) in the camera, then slide the POWER switch to ON position while MENU button is pressed.

2. The confirmation window appears.
Note: If the confirmation window does not appear on the LCD monitor:
*If the recording medium is not formatted, the firmware update may not start.
*Please make sure that the update file (DSCA700.APP) is in the root folder of the recording medium.

3. Use the Multi-selector to highlight OK, then press the Center button of Multi-selector.

4. Updating procedure starts.

5. When the “Update is completed.” message appears, the camera automatically restarts after approximately 10 sec. Please wait for the camera to restart.

6. After camera restarted, Turn the camera off, then remove the recording medium.

Check the camera firmware version after updating

1. Slide the POWER switch to ON position.

2. Press the MENU button, then LCD monitor displays menu.

3. Press the DISP (Display) button while menu is indicated.

4. A window will show the firmware version on LCD monitor. Check the version number has changed to "Ver.4 ".

5. Press the Center button of Multi-selector to close the version number display.

Note:

* If updating procedure was not completed successfully or the camera cannot turn on, please consult your local authorized Sony service facility.

**William Leong will not be held responsible for any damage caused to your gear while updating firmware based on texts above. Update with own risk.

MAS Cabin Crew Experience (8th May 2009)

2009-05-14T15:24:00.010+08:00

I left Cyberjaya early in the morning to avoid the rush hour jam only to be greeted with a clear path all the way to the Malaysian Airlines Academy (MAA), except for a few crawls near toll booths.

Arrived nearly an hour earlier, where I was greeted by Salina at the guard's booth. After obtaining my pass and escorted to the parking bay, I took a light breakfast at the cafeteria while waiting for the rest of the invitees to arrive.

While waiting, I could notice MAS crew trainees walking about, looking their best, carrying themselves full of confidence. I envy them... a lot actually.

When everyone arrived, we led upstairs to a briefing room, we got ourselves up to speed with what they do there, what are the criteria that is needed and drilled in to the crew before they are fit to represent the MH idealism in the skies.

So, what are the qualifications you might ask. The list goes.

Minimum SPM: Pass in 4 subjects including English and Bahasa Malaysia
Mentally and physically fit
Good vision and not color blind (in case you wouldn't get to differentiate blood and grape juice)
Height: Men 165cm, Ladies 157cm
Fluent in oral and written English and Bahasa Malaysia
and one of the more important characteristic (if not most important), a pleasant personality

Have you what it takes?

First of all after the short briefing, we were brought to the grooming hall; and since first looks give the biggest impression, we were shown on how to look our very best at all times. Make up sifu Ms. Ka Won gave a quick masterclass make up session with a test subject from one of us bloggers - Elena.

Here is vanilla Elena (rhymes doesn't it?) before everything, we took it to make comparisons.

Ms. Ka Won starting her transformation on Elena into an MAS stewardess' look.

All those work on Elena looks daunting if you did not see the process with your own eyes.

Inclusive of hair set up, everything is done within 10 minutes flat! (to you girls out there that thinks leaving your bf waiting for an hour so you can look good now can think again, LOLz)

How can we miss out a camwhore session of the final product with the sifu herself?

Later, the bunch of jakuns aka us, were brought to the medic/first aid class where a class is already in session, teaching cabin crew-to-be on how to treat hypo and hyperglycemic patients; followed by CPR and defibrillator drills in reviving passed out passengers while in the air.

Linora and Min Li caught camwhoring while we were brought to a mock cabin of a B 747-400 where crew are trained in an environment as close as possible to the real aircraft that they will be servicing on. Nearly every single detail on the mock aircraft is made to match with the real ones flying in the air at this very moment.

All of us were took on a tour of the entire plane. To those who have not been to the upper deck and first class cabin of the 747 (me!), it was definitely an eye opener. Wider seats, larger leg space and space to walk around puts even the most luxurious sedan to shame - all with a premium price tag of course.

Remember our cabin crew for the day, Elena? She was forced to serve us bloggers who have a huge appetite for comfort and total relaxation! Muahhahaha...

The exclusivity of the first class cabin opened only to us!

But at the very end of the day, Yatz still prefers the cozyness of the economy class. Well, whatever makes you happy right? ;)

Look at this...

.. now compare it with this... WHAT A HUGE DIFFERENCE! Hahahaha...

After the session of camwhoring (and signing of the indemnity form - should anyone lose a limb or fried his hair) we were given a taste of what happens should any emergency occurs. The cabin you see below is rigged to a system of hydraulic pumps and suspensions, and moves about while you and the crew are strapped to your chairs inside. The system operator sounds the buzzer and trained crew members will run through their drill in evacuating everyone to safety via the inflatable slide.

Cabin crew threw the door open for emergency clearance of the cabin.

Everyone was successfully evacuated, they even have time to camwhore at the end of the slide.

Right after that, the crew (real ones) were 'pushed' into the water for their water drill. Their exercise was on threading water to safety and gather all the crew in a tight spot.

The reason for keeping the circle tight is so that body heat would not be lost as quick as floating individually. Nearly 90% of water fatalities are due to drowning and nearly half of those are attributed to the effects of immersion in cold water resulting in hypothermia.

Once an aircraft or any search and rescue vessel is detected, the group will span out and try to make them more visible by kicking up water.

Then they were trained on getting aboard a survival raft, which need to be done with extreme care. If done wrongly, the worse can that can happen is someone being trapped below the raft and drown.

Once aboard, those on top will need to assist those who are getting up without hurting them in the process.

Here, the crew is demonstrating on how to position the raft for a certain direction - instead of utilizing the entire crew, a 2-man team is sufficient in doing so, enabling rotation of teams to reduce fatigue. There are much to learned here, but our time of merely 3 hours is definitely insufficient.

So, who's up for a bird's eye view from high above where they ~~go beyond expectations~~ serve with the Malaysian Hospitality.

At the end of the day, a fellow blogger, Lex is surprised with a birthday cake courtesy of MAA.

Heng Kia & Mavis Leong (preview)

2009-05-04T18:59:00.003+08:00

Will be heading to Taiping for 2nd round in 2 weeks time for more photos.

MDeC Sports Day 2009 Photos

2009-04-30T16:44:00.017+08:00

Dear MDeCians,

Please place your order for the images found in:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/william6/sets/72157617590232055/ (Sports Day)

and

http://www.flickr.com/photos/william6/sets/72157617894176595/ (Kappa Celebration Gala)

For ordering, please include your:

NAME

DEPARTMENT/DIVISION

CONTACT NUMBER

EMAIL ADDRESS and

FILENAME and number of copies (ie. 30Apr2009_047 - 1 copy)

of the image that you wish to develop into the comment box below.

Per piece will be RM1 and any orders above 15 pieces will be at RM0.80 each.

I will be leaving it for orders for 2 weeks before I compile the final amount.

Please contact Muhammad Aziph (Kappa Kappitan) or myself, lwliam[at]gmail.com for further details.

Cambodia - Siam Reap day 5

2009-04-15T10:07:00.003+08:00

It's the last day of Cambodia, there wasn't much to shoot now that we've already covered most of it. It's more or less the same thing you'll see earlier on in the trip, ruins and more ruins - just minor variations compared to one another.

The day before, we went up Kbai Spean. The journey up the hill takes nearly 30 minutes of climbing through light shrubs and stoney grounds.

The 'pamacis' in the group. No worries should anyone falls ill, there's always charcoal pill.

Heading home, early morning at the airport. Aaron's probably not fully awake just yet.

Cheong Ai Ling didn't want to go home, she's walking the other way round only to be stopped by runway traffic officers.

Memorabilias, our Angkor ticket stubs which we need to carry with us for the past 3 days.

A chapter now closed, awating for my next journey.

Cyberpark Sunset Adventure

2009-03-19T00:59:00.006+08:00

Got back after work, watched a little bit of the movie 'Role Model'. It was hilarious! You just have to watch it to believe it.

Seeing that I did intend to go do a sunset shoot for the last past couple of days, but just didn't have the mood to do so. Today I finally did it. Drove myself to Cyberpark at 7pm (+8GMT) to catch sundown - the nearest water feature within my vicinity.

28mm
exposure: 1/400 sec, f/11 @ ISO200

This one with a particularly cool hue is due to my unchanged white balance from my previous shoot. Unintended, but it turns out absolutely the way I like it.

tip: do not delete pictures on site, frame your picture in-camera - do not rely too much on post processing to rotate/straighten your image (you'll lose precious megapixels)

28mm
exposure: 1/100 sec, f/11 @ ISO200

The bamboos growing by the edge of the lake makes good frame for the lone tree in the distance.

28mm
exposure: 1/20 sec, f/9 @ ISO200

Tried out some angles with off-camera flash. Still doesn't meet my requirement as yet. Needs more attention.

28mm
exposure: 2 sec, f/8 @ ISO100

tip: do not pack up and go home when the sun has set, it is now that the colors really emerge from the horizon. no bright hotspots to worry about!

28mm
exposure: 1 sec, f/8 @ ISO100

yet another tip: with diminishing light, shutter speeds easily shoot up into region of seconds! the use of a sturdy tripod is a requirement, not an option.

28mm
exposure: 5 sec, f/6.3 @ ISO100

28mm
exposure: 30 sec, f/4.5 @ ISO100

It is already pitch dark over at the park. Normally, these trees would not grab my attention. I just happened to turn my head right as I was walking towards my car. A soft silhouette from the tree line stands out from the final warm glow in the horizon.

18mm
exposure: 13 sec, f/4.5 @ ISO100

18mm
exposure: 30 sec, f/4.5 @ ISO100
My absolute favourite from the night's haul.

Cambodia - Siam Reap day 4

2009-03-02T11:09:00.005+08:00

Day 4, we were told to wake up early the night before.. and by early, I mean 4 plus in the morning early. Obviously, the sky's still in pitch darkness. After freshening up, which would take nearly an hour for the whole team to get ready, it's almost 5.

Mr. Aya is already waiting for us downstairs with the usual inviting smile in his face - and we then drove off into the night. Streets were still pretty empty, apart from the occasional lorry carrying goods and early workers.

This morning, we're off to catch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. By the time we were there, the sky's already turning a deep violet hue. But the land is still too dark to capture anything without the use of a sturdy tripod. The 7 of us walked closely to Mr. Aya to bring us to the spot where we could view the sunrise with most effect over the land - guided by occasional beams of light from torchlight carrying tourists.

We were brought to a small lake in front of Angkor Wat. Lilies were growing abundantly. I found a nice spot which protrudes out of the grassland where everyone else is 'pitching camp' and set up my tripod close to the ground to capture more foreground. Without artificial lighting, the bright pink flowers would not be visible. I fired my flash off camera manually on the surface of the lake within the shutter period.

After the sun is fully up, we headed back to Jasmine Lodge for breakfast, a quick toilet break and we're off again to Ta Phrom, where the famous silk cotton trees which grows up ON the buildings itself florish.

We spent most of our morning there walking around the ruins, climbing through half collapsed buildings and rubbles.

What do you see in this picture below? No, not Mr. Aaron posing with his camera.

With a bit of imagination, it does seem that baby Aaron has just been defecated out by the tree, no?

Earlier back in Phnom Penh, we wanted to try out the infamous 'balut' (duck's egg where the duckling died before managing to hatch), but none of us dared be the 1st to try. Over here, Mr Aya introduced to us and had the 1st one. I followed suit. The rest of them looked at me anticipating something eye popping to happen. I dissapointed them by saying it tastes just like chicken egg, with additional soft, gooey substance - which is the half developed duckling's embryo. In the end the 2 of them tried after I assured them that there's no weird taste to it, just that it looks unappetizing, thats all. My picture's not here 'coz I was busy eating

Later that night, we had buffet dinner at Amazon Angkor Restaurant - which is already included into the budget. Everyone gorge down food (maybe not everyone, mainly Aaron did... kidding ya Uncle Chua!)

After dinner and performances, we asked the tourguide driver to drop us off at some nearby market where we would take tuk-tuks back to the lodge on our own.

You don't mess with the Cheong Ai Ling...

'07 - '09 Banner Compilation

2009-02-28T19:46:00.001+08:00

I took a look at my collections of pictures to find this. My old collection of banners I've once used.

So for the fun of it, I'll post them all up here for memory's sake :)

.. and finally, the current piece.

What's your say?

-end-

.. and just for fun...

If I were the boss - Hitz FM (Beyonce - If i were a boy parody) with lyrics

2009-02-27T13:53:00.002+08:00

Lyrics after the jump...

If I were the boss
*mornin boss how r u? bagus bagus...*
Even just for a day
*one chance only u know..what will u do ar? tats y im tellin u la..wait la..*
I would change the station name from Hitz to Radio Ean and JJ
*tats a nice ring to it.. tats y, just for u bro..*

If I were the boss
*wat will uuuuu do?*
Work will start on Tuesday
*wat do u think? i like i like, Wednesday also can*
We will end the week on Thursday and everyday will be halfday
*maybe 2hrs onli..better*

If I were the boss
I think I could understand
How it feels to work on budget
And give a raise of 20cent
Hang out with the girls
*babe apa khabar?..bagus~*
And be hard on the guys
*sori ar brother..have to la, cari makan*
Might dispatch me riding Harleys
Our trips will be to Bali
If we bankrupt I will break down and cry

If I were the boss
I will come up with a plan
*check it out ar..ehem ehem*
Make everyone do all the work
Take the credit and look like the man
*wah banyak handal ar u..thank u thank u*

If I were the boss
My lunch break will be 2days
*wah so long ar..yala then onli enuf time to eat*
I have PS3 in my room 200inch LCD and play all day
My way..JJ

If I were the boss
I think I could understand
How it feels to work on budget
And give a raise of 20cent
Hang out with the girls
*u looking very pretty today, naik gaji*
And be hard on the guys
*hey she looks pretty ok u do all her work..nonsense*

Might dispatch me riding Harleys
Our trips will be to Bali
If we bankrupt I wil break down and cry

Cause I will always come in late
Just to show who I'm
And if I was a girl I wil make them all call me Mam
*mornin Mam*
If you thought I wud be nicer
Then you thought it wrong~
*adui sakit..tarikla sikit*

But we are not the boss
*i knw tis sadly..haih...*
So we cannot cuti....cannot cuti..
Come to office really early
To try to make some money
So we can open stall jual nasi

*goreng, pattaya, kandar, lemak, wat else ar? ah..dagang.. so now wat do we do? i dunno..wait for the song to finish la cuz we r not the boss.. o yea...tunggu boss cakap la..boss..boss..okok thank u...ok bye boss..*

-A production by the Hitz.fm Morning Crew JJ and Ean-