Archive for September, 2007

Posted on September 28, 2007 - by Abner

Pirated Fake Artifical Egg… Yucks

What in the hell…!
I am not sure that I am proud of their scientific achievement but apparently it seems China has somehow managed to produce fake eggs. Its only one-tenth the cost of a normal egg but it makes me feel nauseous just thinking of it. The main ingredients are food additives, resin, starch, solidifier, and pigments and tests shows that over consumption will damage the stomach and cause symptoms such as loss of memory and mental retardation, etc. It’s like dying a slow death comparable to smoking.I don’t think it’s worth it for cheaper raw material.

This phenomena is not new to them as courses in making artificial eggs are widely advertised online and the classes could take one or two days. Some training centers even boasts that “You can hardly tell the difference in appearance and taste between our product and real eggs.” Gosh… It won’t be long before someone makes a huge ass fake egg posing as Humpty Dumpty at a low cost. No worries about him having big falls anymore then. Hahaha…

And I am starting to suspect my recent spate of forgetfulness. I might be consuming dirt cheap chemical made eggs all these while for all I know. Oh no…

I did a Google search on “making artificial eggs” and sure enough there are some explanations on how-to. You could learn and start to poison people with your dishes. Evil… and they won’t know.

Read : China’s Artificial Foods Spotlighted in Korea

Learn : Method for making artificial egg yolks in the form of a cylinder

My search on ways of telling difference between real eggs and artificial ones did not show any dependable results. It may be because it’s not a widespread thing yet or they are becoming so retarded. Anyone has any idea?

Be forewarned as this is not the only artificial food available…
A research center based in Fengtai, Beijing, claims that “Our company has been spreading the technology in making artificial eggs. We trained over 70 thousand students in over 20 provinces in the country. We also provide technologies to make “artificial grapes,” “artificial beef and chicken,” and “making hawthorn flavored candied fruit without using hawthorn fruits.” Duh…..

Update :
False alarm on this issue. It seems that it was a hoax just like the China cardboard bun issue.

Read : What Tian Has Learned – Hoax Chinese Counterfeit Eggs

Thanks Yvonne

Posted on September 28, 2007 - by Abner

Cheer Bear Glitter Series

Finally I got my hand on a Cheer Bear from the New Glitter Glow-A-Lot series. Yup its a plush toy that glows. A cute one to boot. When I got it I had doubts that it was a fake as I could not find it in the PlayAlongToys website. They had a Glow-In-The-Dark Cheer Bear but the design are different without the ribbon on the head, the rainbow across the chest is bigger, the colour was light pink and the eyes were different. Damn… It had me going into a search frenzy in Google and what a relief when I finally saw it staring back at me from the screen. The same Cheer Bear I had in my arms.
Got this from AllAboardToys.com
Check out the gif animation I did. It might take some time to load though.

For those of you who wants to get hold of a Care Bear figure, it’s kind of hard to get it in Malaysia as I have tried going to quite a number of departmental stores and toy shops but came out empty handed. Well can’t blame them because Care Bears series has not been aired on our TVs for a long time. This will be a present for dearest. Mission Extract Care Bear has been accomplished and the secondary mission is to launch a surprise. How shall I present it? Mmm.

Note: Was interrupted during this posting by housemate to catch a cockroach. Kill! Kill!

Posted on September 27, 2007 - by Abner

Japanese High On Cellphone Novels

It’s really an eye opener to read about this, keitai-shousetsu (mobile phone novels). The tech-savvy Japanese nation has once again ventured into a realm of internet literature that I had not the faintest inkling about. And yet the latest entertainment fad has been floating around in the web sphere seven years ago. A Japan community-based Web site, Maho i-Land brought this idea online when it made it much easier for the hidden novelists in us to turn our stories into a real book complete with cover page and chapters. But it wasn’t till telco companies in Japan offered affordable rates and high-speed mobile Internet when it really fuelled the craze bringing it to its current status. Fat chance for us, Malaysians though as our technology are still a far cry from the Japs and the eye-popping charges our telco charges are enough to make us, the commoners cry. Boo hoo.

Since it’s a community based thing, mobile-novel writers get instant feedbacks from their readers which egg them on and even plays a part in changing the course of the stories. But with every hand trying to get a dip in the bottle of honey, it almost always creates some sort of negativity. It might tighten the creativity rein of the writer who now have to write to please and that’s not fun. Chaco felt pressure that’s for sure. She is the writer for “What the Angel Gave Me“. Another writer, Satomi Nakamura even broke a blood vessel on her right little finger while tapping away on her tiny cellphone screen. Ouch…

Publishers are even cashing in on the mobile-novel genre. To date, it has been over two dozens of popular stories on Maho i-Land being printed. And it seems to be turning into collectibles too. Cool idea into a  money-spinner.

Go read the whole article by Yukari Iwatani Kane – Ring! Ring! Ring! In Japan, Novelists Find a New Medium at Wall Street Journal site.

Other reads :
O’reilly Radar – A mobile read (with white spaces)
Cellphone novel downloads outstrip paper books in Japan
Cellphone novels bring kinky storytelling to the hard of seeing – 2006 news

Posted on September 27, 2007 - by Abner

Transformer : Bumblebee Recycled

This is way sick… the way this fellow WonderDasher, did to his recycled packagings. Check out his process. Though its not that detailed but it’s still a good read. Am sure his upcoming projects will be archived in a more descriptive manner. Keep a tab on him. His site is mainly in Chinese but this project has translation.

The final ‘product’ Transformers : Autobots Bumblebee

Posted on September 27, 2007 - by Abner

To do list : Climb Climb Climb

Today I went climbing again. This time in Summit. Saw a few familiar faces and some asked me where I was for so long… *wink wink* Xes and evil@lai said I should do it more since I ponteng so many times and am out of form. Manage to grab a quick dinner with my sis Qiqichan since she said she was camping out in her office. She is stressed with work from the looks of it. All the best. Take care ooo. And enjoy your well deserved break this weekend ya. Come back with a tan!

Will be climbing again tomorrow. It feels good to have aching muscles. Argh…

Oh and I just joined the GeCKo-Malaysia – a Malaysian climbing community. A lot of climbers I know are there. But have not fully checked it out just yet.

Crappy night shots.


Tired. Need sleep.

Posted on September 26, 2007 - by Abner

Hong Kong Fixed Gear Crew : HKFixed

I know how to ride a bicycle. I know how to brake. But I know nothing about fixed bikes. Calvin (in white), a buddy of mine co-founded the HKFixed outfit with founder Brian in Hong Kong and this is an excerpt from the site for the curious cats :

what is fixie?
fixie is short for “fixed gear,” meaning the rear wheel and the pedals are connected through a single gear anchored to the rear wheel. Unlike standard road bikes, there is no way to coast, there is only one gear and brakes are optional. Simply put, when the wheels are moving, the rider’s legs are moving. As with a child’s Big Wheel, if you want to stop, you have to use your leg muscles to slow the bike. Many riders, but not all, add a front brake, but the pure and brave of heart scoff at the notion. Oddly, when this configuration was first introduced in the late 19th century, it was known as a “safety bicycle,” since it replaced the “high wheel”

Calvin’s ride. Manisnya.

Thirst for more? Go check out their website which has links to their blog, product trade, bike gallery (though only 4 but am sure it will grow out of proportion soon) and other sweet info. There’s a cute fanny bag too, bet it’s expensive. And I see some way out messenger bags in their blog too. Yummy.

Check this out :
HKFixed The Official Site
Simple how-to get your own fixed bike
HKFixed in the spotlight

All these bicycles reminds me of an old movie, Quicksilver.

Note : Cla check this out since you are itching to have a bike of your own. Wish I had the money to build myself one of these baby.

Posted on September 26, 2007 - by Abner

Mooncake Celebration

Celebrated my mooncake festival with Derrick, Didi, Azhar, Alif and Ezer (in attendance order) at Shah Alam Xtreme Park right after dinner. Been ages since I climbed with them and according to them I MIA-ed. Haha…
Never been to the park at night and the last I was there the road was still dirt and muddy. Now they have paved a nice tar road and planted trees and grass. Boy, have I been missing for way too long. It was fun climbing while listening to RAGE, G’N'R and SOAD . It kinda motivates you to climb huh… *nudge nudge*
Left at 12a.m. as it just began to drizzle.

Howl…

Lead climbing and top rope walls

Bouldering wall – Elephant

The skate park. Derrick trying on his battle worn blades.

Lanterns sponsored by Derrick and mooncake courtesy of Didi. Yum…
Although I sucked at climbing but I had fun anyway.
How was your celebration?

Posted on September 25, 2007 - by Abner

New logo for Adobe Photoshop

Drumroll please…

Claps and wolf whistle or do i hear howls of boos and sighs of disbelieve + discontent?
Adobe recently redesigned Photoshop’s logo. And I still can’t believe what I am seeing. Speechless. Best if you head over to this post to read more about it. Honestly, it does not appeal to me at all. Maybe I have seen too much of these effects around. Gosh… I will go roll down the stairs to clear my head. Tata.

Read to believe : 30gms.com
See to double confirm : Adobe.com

Posted on September 25, 2007 - by Abner

The Anatomy Tattoo Gallery

Permanent ink anyone?
I have none on me but I enjoy looking at tastefully done skin art. But I try not too spend too much time looking at it as it makes me feel uneasy inside after a while. I realized that when I chose it as my design subject back in college. I was researching on it to a point where I was no longer interested in it. Some were just gross. After numerous hours and stares at grotesque permanent epidermis ‘art’ my only response was to finish the damn assignment be it shitty looking or not.

Would love to have a nice one on me but the idea of it drooping and discolouring under layers of flabby skin during my later years always gets to me. And I bet the tattoo artist won’t entertain me by flipping back and stretching my old skin and re-inking my ‘art’. Witnessing some history on shirtless uncles don’t exactly encourages me more.Anyway this anatomy tattoo gallery I found today is way cool. It’s really worth checking out. I particularly like the muscle one shown. Enjoy!

View : Street Anatomy Tattoo Gallery

Oh and I heard that tattoos with godly icons should be always be done above the waist. A friend once told me, that a friend of a friend once did an image of Kuan Yin on his thigh and the moment he walked out of the tattoo parlour to cross the street he got knocked down by a car. Fatal or not I have no idea but talk about instant karma. Stupid decision.

Posted on September 25, 2007 - by Abner

Mooncake Galore… not

Happy Mooncake Festival people!
Have you had your share of mooncake? I had eaten half of a Snow Skin Yam Paste Single Yolk already… since last 3 weeks. Mmm… I think this is my 10th year spending it away from my family. I won’t be having any celebration too tonight for I will be on my own. No lantern and no mooncake. Only Chang-er staring down at me laughing gleefully.

But wait… I could go and climb. Fellow climbers, Derrick and DD suggested going over to Shah Alam X-treme park to climb tonight. I have not been there at night. A couple of hours blanketed by the dark night skies sound tempting. No stars as we are in the city except for the Orion’s Belt and friends. Let’s hope it don’t rain. Need to reconfirm their kind offer. Could take some photos of the park too.

Oh and to sponky, there should at least a decent park for you to jog right? Get a good pair of trainers and do some laps. That should burn some calories. Alternatively, you could take the ferry over to Hong Kong every now and then to get some workout. Both you and your wallet will be losing much weight over time. Hehe… And don’t worry, you were always the pudgy one among us. Happy Mooncake Festival from us here at home.

By the way, why haven’t any suppliers send any mooncakes to my workplace this year? Last year we had a lot and I managed to eat a few mooncakes for tea time. Actually I was the one who ate the most. With yolk or without yolk also I sapu. This year I have yet to see any… geez… burn. No free mooncake binge.

Note : I need to get a USB Bluetooth dongle to transfer some images taken with my phone so I can share my bad quality photos.