Photoblog: It Came One Morning
Published by simon on June 21, 2005Early in the morning, I saw the light from the alien mothership through the foliage… Yes, they have finally answered my call to take me away…
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Early in the morning, I saw the light from the alien mothership through the foliage… Yes, they have finally answered my call to take me away…
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For those of you that have seen my car, they can attest how many of the following points are true. Nine years on the road, one major accident, (and a few minor ones) this road warrior has definitely seen better days… Now that his comrade 8555 is famous, this old junk is in severe depression…
Top Ten Signs Simon needs a new car
The big buzz today is PPS is being mentioned in the Star, together the prominent bloggers of our blogtal. So congratulations to Aizuddin and the bloggers. Like I said, Aizuddin, you’re becoming a celebrity alright!
So to commemorate the grand occasion, today’s top ten list (well, it’s actually 5 + 5) will be for the co-founder of PPS.
Top Five Reasons Aizuddin co-founded Project Petaling Street:
Top Five Rejected Names Before ‘Project Petaling Street’ was chosen:
(To all readers: It’s all untrue, just a parody, OK? Just joking ah Aizuddin, don’t send your lawyers down here aa?)
Took this photo last year outside the KLCC park… Looks like some David Copperfield trick…

I know this is old news, I read about it on Thursday but didn’t have time to blog about it until today.
Jeff Ooi has voted as the Freedom Blog, Asia, organized by Reporters Without Borders defending freedom of expression. You can also read his entry about it here.
I’ve have not met the great man, and he definitely does not know me. But I have been an avid reader of his blog, especially those on Malaysian socio-political issues. Since I have never commented on any of his postings (I don’t think I am at that level yet…), I’d like to offer my heartiest congratulations here.
To freedom of speech, Mr. Jeff Ooi. As the man always say, “Thinking Allowed, Thinking Aloud” and “Can you handle Freedom of Speech?”
Two or three times a week I have breakfast at this huge nasi kandar restaurant somewhere in Ampang. The food is OK, the place is clean, the service is quite acceptable. But there’s something I just don’t understand about that place.
Every time I go, I order the same thing. Two roti kosong (they chop it up) and one ‘teh ais’ (I can eat this stuff 3 meals a day).
But every time I got and pay at the counter, I get a different price. Sometimes RM3.10, sometimes RM3.20. The cheapest I got was RM2.40, the highest was RM3.60.
Every time it is different. There can’t be a mistake in the tab, since they use mark out your order on a bill and pass to you.
Today I asked the guy manning the cash register (It’s the same guy everyday). This guy has a perpetual look of boredom on his face (Why? Isn’t it an exhilarating job?).
So I said in Malay, “Boss, do you know that each time I come here, I order the same stuff, but the price is different every time?”
“Huh?” came the reply (no change in glazed expression).
So repeated the question (He may need a ‘talian hayat’ to understand the question, folks!).
He replied, “You mean at this shop?”
No, I meant the Lobby Lounge at the JW Marriot, you genius.
When I said yes, he took a few seconds to digest the info, at the same time giving me this baffled look as if I just explained Fermat’s Last Theorem to him.
Anyway, I didn’t have all day, so I just asked him for the ‘price of the day’ (today it soared up to RM3.60 again).
Since there is no price list anywhere (or one that I can see), I’m guessing the correct price should be RM3.20. Or maybe it IS like the share market.
My friend company, a mid-sized, multi-national corporation, is going through some restructuring. By product of that process, the staff is put through some re-evaluation/soul-searching/identity crisis sort of thing. They each have to list down 5 priorities of their job, so he came to me for help.
Well, since I’m happy at my job (and based on my experiences with my previous jobs), I was more than glad to lend him a hand.
So I recommended the following 10 priorities for him to give his management. I know they asked for five, but by giving 10, it is called being ‘proactive’ and ‘efficient’. Which, by the way, is applicable for ANYONE in ANY JOB in the world:
OK, so let’s run them head-to-head, just like in those magazines…
The Ride
Batman – The cool Bat-mobile. So many different versions, but the most popular one is the original long one. With flaming exhaust. As seen in the first movie.
Darth Vader – No specific ride, except a special edition Tie Fighter, as seen in Episode 4. Got his ass kicked by Han Solo.
The Crib
Batman – He has the Wayne mansion. Yawn. And also the Bat-cave. Housemate? Alfred the butler.
Darth Vader – Death Star. Now this is cool. Plus if some planet is blocking your way, Kaboom!
The Girls
Batman – Lots of love interests: Julie Madison, Chase Meridien, Vicki Vale, Talia al Ghul, etc. Something about girls being attracted to the strong silent type.
Darth Vader – No love life since Padme Amidala. Anyway, since that incident in the volcano, it has left him, how shall we say, incomplete…
The Clothes
Batman – Originally, was the cloth suit, then it was rubber/latex, lately he’s more inclined to metal. Worst thing is spending 20 minutes putting on that armour and then you have to pee.
Darth Vader – Metal armour suit. Poofter cape. Shiny helmet with X-ray vision. (“Hot babe coming! Hot babe coming!”). Definitely cooler.
The Army
Batman – Fights alone. Well, sometimes Robin the Gay Icon helps. But not much. Seeing that kid’s hairy naked legs just turns you off.
Darth Vader – Massive army of Stormtroopers, Battle droids, officers, etc. The ultimate dictator-Dark Lord.
The Rogue’s Gallery
Batman – The most impressive array of baddies in comic-dom: Joker, Two-Face, Riddler, Bane, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Ra’s Al Ghul, Man-Bat. So many more. Whipped everyone of them.
Darth Vader – Hmmm… Betrayed Obi-wan. Killed Mace Windu. Betrayed his own Master, Sidious. Beaten by the rebels.
Final Score: Tied at 3-3.
Looks like we need to have a rematch. To be continued…
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And so the Batman Begins hype is starting. Just as well, the Darth Vader jokes were getting old…
Top Ten Disadvantages of Batman Working in KL instead of Gotham City by Simon (who, by the way, used to be the mechanic for the Batmobile)
Somehow I don’t know why I’m reminded of this song today. I’ve always like the song since I first heard it as a small kid. This was the age of the New Romantics, but this song is not typical of that age.
Through the Barricades
Mother doesn’t know where love has gone
She says it must be youth that keeps us feeling strong
I see it in her face that’s turned to ice
And when she smiles she shows the lines of sacrifice
And now I know what they’re saying as our sun begins to fade
And we made our love on wasteland and through the barricades
It’s a song about growing up in poverty, something I (and many people out there) could relate to. From the opening acoustic chords, it just brings me back to another place…
Father made my history
He thought for what he thought would set us somehow free
They taught me what to say in school
I learned it off my heart but now that’s torn in two
And now I know what they’re saying in the music of the parade
And we made our love on wasteland and through the barricades
My dad of quite cool in the face of hardship. He never once flinched, I guess I take after him in that sense…
Born on different sides of life
We feel the same and feel all of this strife
So come to me when I’m asleep
We’ll cross the lines and dance upon the streets
And now I know what they’re saying as the drums begin to fade
And we made our love on wasteland and through the barricades
As I grew older I realized the song was also about falling in love with someone very different from you, someone from a different life.
Oh turn around and I’ll be there
There’s a scar right through my heart but I’ll bear it again
Oh I thought we were the human race
But we were just another borderline case
And the stars reach down and tell us there’s always one escape
I don’t know where love has gone
And in this troubled land desperation keeps us strong
Fridays child is full of soul
With nothing left to lose there’s everything to go
And now I know what they’re saying it’s a terrible beat we made
And we made our love on wasteland and through the barricades
But perhaps why the song speaks so much to me at that time was the bit about broken love…
And now I know what they’re saying as our hearts go to their graves
And we made our love on wasteland and through the barricades
Through the barricades, indeed…