Monthly Archives: July 2006

Why Matrix-i?

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“Sir, would you like to apply for a credit card?”
“No thanks, I do not wish to be caught in the evil trappings of credit cards.” (I actually said that. Without looking at the guy, of course.)

“So… how many credit cards do you have?”
“Er… none, why?”
“Wah, you so rich ah?”

I’ve always paid cash upfront for everything before this.

It wasn’t until YK told me how he got his Visa Electron, that I decided to get myself one. No, not a credit card; a debit card which could be used at most credit card terminals. So I’d head over to a Public Bank one of these days.

It was the beginning of the month, and I was depositing some cash in my savings account in Bank Simpanan Nasional. As I walked out, I saw a banner advertising their Matrix-i card. I quickly turned back and applied for one there itself.

Why BSN?

There is no kiasu queue of annoying, annoyed aunties and uncles. The tellers are polite, friendly Malay ladies in tudungs. Heck, they are forgiving to newbies! (Probably because they don’t have the annoyed crowd.) I would not have to line up behind an impatient businessman. Everything is relaxed. They have a numbered ticket machine (in some places.) They aren’t Maybank.

There was no hassle filling up the form, with an upfront payment of RM50. (Of which RM8 went to making the card?) Two weeks later, it was ready.

On a side note, when I was a kid, I wanted to be an inventor. I used to draw all sorts of contraptions. I found these inspiring links:

The MAKE Blog

What to do with your old computer
Nintendo controller phone
Cap-on macro using binocular lens

If I had space in my room, I’d do this:
Golf Ball Pool Table

Project Bazooka Flipsyde

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Man, this is more than a month old. Albert is back in backdated season! (This should give all of you an estimate as to when the bucketload of pictures will arrive…)

Project Bazooka Band Night, 15th June 2006.


Broken Scar Broken Ska is on the list tonight, with blues-playing Curtis Blues Review.


Broken Scar Broken Ska. The colored spotlights were scorchingly bright that night, allowing me to get an exposure of 1/25 seconds, F2.6, at ISO200.


The same manual settings, with flash. However, flash must be set to maximum power so it will reach the back, and it has to be ISO200 (or else the flash won’t reach the background.) This effect is only possible when the spotlights overpower the flash. For digital cameras without manual settings, just set to Auto, flash on, point into the dark crowd, half-press the shutter, then point at the scene and snap.


Curtis of Curtis Blues Review is jamming up his funky blues and soul. Sadly they were a three-piece band that night, as the other guitarist couldn’t make it, so they relegated to covers instead.


And this is how you tap the bottom end!

I now break my own rules and skip big gigs (don’t worry, I will post pictures from Fete De La Musique 2006 when I feel that I’m up to the arduous task) in favor of this small Flipsyde showcase at Zouk, 8th July 2006.


The tuning song. Flipsyde is rock-infused hip hop, with Santana-esque rock solos thrown in, and an acoustic guitar making the funkiest riffs since Baby Bash – Suga Suga.


All tuned in? Let’s go!

Dave Lopez is technically solid on electric guitar, despite his quote:

“I’ve been in rock bands my whole life, and no one ever cared about my playing. But some of these hip-hop kids have never heard a guitar solo. We did a tour with Snoop Dogg, and I’d go out and solo, and the kids would go wild. They thought I was Jimi Hendrix!”


Nothing is cooler than a guitarist strumming and rapping at the same time. He can’t help but sound like Eminem though. It’s the white boy rap I tell ya. (Though sounding like Eminem or Anthony Kiedis is a compliment. Really.) And does anybody notice the guitar solos in some Eminem songs? I do!


Slayer T-shirt and a G&L ASAT! There was no drummer because the DJ has all his beats laid down on the house, yo.


Yes that’s right, an eBow! Just like the one I have! At least he has an electric guitar to max out its effects…


Check out the pedals… and the set list. I saw that extra song down there, so we knew they were coming back for an encore.

Sure Win

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And now, to announce the winner of the 6th instalment of Guess That Trashcan!

I wanted an answer
Not a riddle or a question
Sure, smashpOp was a hinter
Cameron Highlands? He’d be mistaken

Steph does not win either, having answered correctly but guessed again after that.

This shows that all of you are dirty, littering buggers who don’t care for public cleanliness. I dispose of my trash in trashcans. Do you?


However, Sher Vin is a sure win!


Pictured here is me and her ‘trigger‘ camwhore pose. Sadly, her digital camera is broken. Even if monetary contributions are not your forte, I hope at least to propagate her camwhoring pose, and acknowledge her as the initiator of such a pose. That way, when Taiwanese artistes are doing her trigger pose, we can ask for royalties. (And then, maybe, she can get a brand spanking new digital camera!)

P.S. The trashcan was in the lower Genting Skyway.

Comic Trash

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When you need a fix of the zany and absurd, read Cyanide And Happiness! Such genius, such comic expression in such a simple drawing of a face! I suggest you click on their First strip, then keep clicking Next, because their earlier works were more consistent.

There’s even one with a Rubik’s Cube (though it is technically wrong because there are only 6 colors on a cube, not 7.) They even have more cowbell!

There’s amazing artwork in the Perry Bible Fellowship as well. Way more bizarre than Bizarro.

And now, for the sixth trashcan in the Guess That Trashcan series!

As usual, first correct answer gets a free pimping.

Taking The STAR

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Personally, I never tire of taking the LRT, depending on where I’m going, because there are always females of varying attractiveness at varying times and varying locations.


But hey, if you’re bored… use the STAR LRT’s inertia and metal seats to slide slowly towards a subject.


…wait for the prey to be distracted…


…then pick up your camera like it was your funky new phone with long zoom.

P.S. I know I owe a bucketload of people a bucketload of pictures, so hold your bucketload of horses as I haven’t had the time to reply your bucketload of emails.

Xplore ‘er And Sing Song

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And now, for more delayed pictures from March 2006. Presenting the Xfresh Xplorer, our very own luxury transforming bus!


The Xfresh Street Surfers went to schools, colleges and universities with the bus.


From left to right, top to bottom:

  • On the inside.
  • Everyone wants to get in and be in.
  • Everything and the kitchen sink.
  • Crib, y’all.
  • Broken Scar shows us where we can hide our stash.
  • Waiting for something. (Note the sound console in the background.)


From left to right, top to bottom:

  • On the roof; one has to climb through a manhole.
  • Rails set up, mikes grounded.
  • There’s also a Playstation 2 with wireless controller and plasma TV!
  • In order to get in, you gotta play games.


Top: Panning shots of Farahwahida and one half of Mass Raw superimposed; left: Doul; right: the Xfresh Xplorer, fully transformed, complete with yellow curtain and emcees on the deck.


We now teleport to May 2006, the Xfresh photoshoot. Picture may be strangely familiar.


Men fret though about the stability of their cameras.


Note the happy couple. 😀


From left to right, top to bottom:

  • A 3D Mark-like scene, with overexposed leaves.
  • Same concept, on the floor, ala Unreal Tournament 2004.
  • Containers ala Counter-Strike.
  • Uh… cute antenna.


Run for the picture!


Trigger snappy.


Alright, show’s over.

On a side note, and to prove that my backdated blog entry has some relevance, the Xfresh Xplorer will be coming to Cineleisure Damansara!

What: MYSO Jam Fest
When: 5pm to 7pm, 13th to 16th July 2006
Where: Main entrance, Cineleisure Damansara
Who: Performances from Samir, Liang, MIX, Lips, C.Loco, Premelodic, Estranged, Broken Scar, Shazzy and Doul!
How much: Free; how would we charge you anyway?

MORE DETAILS AND FUNKY GRAPHICS BY SMASHPOP HERE.

There’s also the KL Sing Song 2006 at KLPAC.

What: KL Sing Song 2006 – Performance 1
When: 8:30pm, 14th July 2006
Where: Pentas Dua, KLPAC
Who: Mia Palencia, Shelley Leong, Reza Salleh, Ariff Akhir, Pak Pandir, Fathulistiwa Soundscapes
How much: Adult RM25, Student, Elderly & Disabled (limited to 50 seats) RM15.

What: KL Sing Song 2006 – Workshops 1, 2, 3 & 4
When: 1pm to 5:30pm, 15th July 2006
Where: Indicene, KLPAC
Who: Shelley Leong – “Singing With Style”
Shelley Leong and guitarist Az Samad share useful handy tips on performing with panache
Pak Pandir – “Lyrics & Creativity”
Pak Pandir talks about how to explore your environment through lyrics
Shanon Shah – “Make It Live”
Shanon Shah shares his experiences onstage and what it takes to be a live performer
Pete Teo – “The Indie Path”
Pete Teo talks about how to build a music career as a solo independent performer
How much: RM20

What: KL Sing Song 2006 – Performance 2
When 8:30pm, 15th July 2006
Where: Pentas Dua, KLPAC
Who: Pete Teo, Shanon Shah, Mei Chern, Meor, Broken Scar, Rhapsody
How much: Adult RM25, Student, Elderly & Disabled (limited to 50 seats) RM15.

More details here!

So You Wanna Sudoku

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What: Mensa – Nestle Honey Stars Sudoku Competition
When: Saturday, 8 July 2006, 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Where: National Science Centre, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
How Much: RM15/person, kids 7-12 years old RM5/person

FOR MORE DETAILS CLICK HERE.

I’ve volunteered to be an invigilator (though I gotta leave at 4pm). Yep, MENSA qualifying tests are also held.

Azlexisley

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On the 10th of June 2006 (oh no I’m going back to a picture backlog of about a month) I got on the bus from Ampang Park to Alexis at Great Eastern Mall, Ampang, to catch the return of Shelley Leong and Az Samad to our acoustic singer-songwriter scene.


Yes, the caption is there just to fill up the space from merging two unaligned pictures, both 15 second exposures. It’s one of the rare occasions where I break my 400 pixel wide barrier for 600 pixel goodness. Don’t worry I’m not even breaking anyone’s view in 640×480 yet!


But first, Ampang Park LRT has a redeco.


And back to Az, always in motion, with the flow, playing virtuoso acoustic fingerstyle.


Shelley plans to take over the world.


Okay fine flash her, she’ll look alright.


New songs include Perfect World (with some Hendrix-like chord plucking) and Fragile Hearts.


Kevin Theseira can’t go wrong with the bass player’s tummy of tone.


Shelley is hip, yo.


Bow to the double bass.


This Washburn guitar hasn’t been christened with scratch marks by Az’s violent playing yet.


Random Alexis candle.

Blasted Off

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And now, for a blast from the past, more like blast from Blast Off! Season 2, which ended February 2006, but which pictures from various shows I never got round to posting until now:

Left: Solsta* had a cool britpop vibe with singer bobbing his head while singing Supergrass; right: Jiaja has the Hendrix riffs and fashion sense, rightfully winning the competition, proving that Malaysian voters have their head on straight. This 2006, at least, compared to the bum notes that were 2005’s reality TV show winners.


Top-left: Fugitives rock AC/DC style.
Top-right: This dude from 3Flow looks like smashpOp.
Bottom-left: The Exilers got to the finals. Thank goodness they sharpened up and stopped playing emo punk at the end, excelling instead at power metal.
Bottom-right: Mariam the hothothot host. I wish I had a clear picture of the hothothot Belinda C. too.


Nuk‘s bassist strongly planted the stoic KoRn pose for the rest of the band to follow.


Yeah, again, the dude from the Fugitives.