Nov 28, 2009

Agents - Mini Series

Whoops! Its been almost a month since I last posted anything. Sorry about that but I've been really busy with some stuff, but enough about that.

Over the past two days I have been learning and practicing Adobe After Effects as some friends and I have been planning to make a mini-series called "Agents". Anyway, here is what I've come up with for our "Promo".

The actual filming of "Agents" will not begin till mid December. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Oct 27, 2009

Photography

Anyone who knows me probably knows that I own a camera because I have a tendency to want to take photos of anyone. To me photography is just an outlet for emotions that I have. Lately, however, I feel as though I have been kept from expressing myself as I have been busy and a bit down. I enjoy taking photos not only for feelings, but also to see a moment captured in time, whether it be good, bad or blurred. Scanning through an album or files brings back the mood and atmosphere that the photo portrays, and with it we find ourselves smiling, crying or perhaps just thinking.

Moving on, I realize I haven't updated this blog in almost a month, *gasp* and I apologize. Included with this post are just a couple of photos that I took and, albeit slightly, move me.

In date order of newest first:






Sep 21, 2009

Female Phenomena

In an astounding event that befell the world earlier today, billions of women came to a complete halt. Our sources believe that there is a 65.4 percent chance this marvel is religion related. Females around the globe dropped their handbags and makeup to adopt two Buddhist Mudras:
  • The raised hand is known as Abhaya (Fear Not) and is a gesture of fearlessness and protection.
  • The lower hand, named Varada (Welcome), represents the granting of wishes to those who welcome the teachings of Buddha.
The entire female gender maintained this position for exactly 8 minutes. According to researcher Jerry Mort, the number 8 "is an important figure in Buddhism as the Dharmacakra, a Buddhist symbol that represents the Noble Eightfold Path, has 8 spokes. The Noble Eightfold Path is also embodied by Eight Great Bodhisattvas whilst Buddha's birthday was on the 8th day of the 4th month of the Chinese Calendar."

We asked Mort if he thinks there is a connection between the phenomena and Buddhism. "There is a small chance that this peculiarity is related to Buddhism; however, it is my belief that this is all a coincidence and that funds that support researching of this event are going to waste.

More on this story will be released as more information is released.

*Photo taken by me

Flying Lights Attack Cameraman

Last night, in a tragic event that unfolded at a local park in Kaohsiung, cameraman William Roubenberg was brutally attacked whilst filming the sleeping habits of geese. What was it that attacked him? Police forces announced that their main suspect was a Taiwan Macaque, that was until Roubenberg awoke from his coma and stated the following:

"I remember that I was filming a family of geese as they were sleeping when I noticed some bright lights that seemed to be coming closer. They were enchanting at first, and had a powerful presence. However, the atmosphere around me turned into a feeling of pure evil, and the geese knew it too. Before I knew what was happening a great pain had come over me and all I could see was bright light."


Before finishing his story Robenberg fell back into his coma induced from his arduous wounds. After of which the Head of A.P.A (Almost-Paranormal-Attack), Cohen Zhang. retracted his departments previous statement, that suspected monkeys, and announced that "the attack on William Roubenberg was a near-paranormal phenomena" that needs to be investigated further.

Professor Ronan Lee, of National Taiwan Prosper University, believes the attack to be a form of justification saying "the orbs of light may believe that what Roubenberg was doing, filming geese sleeping, is morally wrong. These orbs have specific colors depending on their temperament, we believe that warmer colors, such as red and orange, show a calm orb, whilst stronger colors, such as green, show a more violent orb." If you click on the photo above, you can clearly see orange orbs and a green orb outlined.

However, some, like Equality Activist Rachel Lin, adhere to a more serious topic as a reason for the attack, discrimination. "These dishonorable globoids are beginning to believe they are of higher stature than humans, and thus believe they can treat us any way they want. This is a cause for concern and if nothing is done about it soon, we will be doomed."

We tried to contact the Orb Athorities for comments but were left with only this message. "If you are calling to find a new source of energy to keep your light lit, press one. If you are calling to apply for a visa to Earth, press two. If you are a human calling for information about the recent attack, press doom. To repeat this menu, press star."

Sep 10, 2009

Fake Phones, New Born Baby Shopping and a Flat Tire

So much stuff has happened in the past 24 hours.

Fake Phones

You hear a lot about fake designer bags or fake games, but other than the I-Phone, I've never heard much about fake mobile phones. Recently, a family member of mine brought home what I thought to be two Nokia phones and 2 HTC phones. I was wrong. I laughed hard when I saw that Nokia was really "NCKIA" and "HTC" turned into "THC".
I didnt realize just how fun these cheap phones could be though.
For example, they both have the ability to pick up local TV stations that you can watch on your phone, which is something my real Nokia N93 can't do. The touch screen functions that both types of phones have is useful when I have to type in Chinese, because when I use the Taiwan-Chinese "Alphabet" I text very slow.

Both phones also accept 2 sim cards at once which is very helpful considering I have two phones, but I'm going to stick with one in my original phone.

All-In-All, these phones are great to have, they really are fun to mess around with.

Shopping For a Newborn

Today I received a text from one of my Japanese friends. She as finally given birth! The baby weighs in at 2.85kg, which is a bit small. So what do I do? I instantly go and look for something to give to the baby as a present. I am officially "Uncle Ben", though I am actually already an uncle, and no I am not the "Uncle Ben" who does that packaged rice.



I, being male and having no affluence to shopping for babies, was not really sure what to buy. What I did end up looking at was Kaloo, which is a designer brand for baby toys/bibs/blankets and even baby PERFUME! Why babies need perfume is beyond me, though some suggest the scents used help the baby relax.

I really wanted to buy a set which included a Bib, a Blanket and a Toy, but man was that price tag high.

In the end I settled for a pretty large (compared to the baby) soft stuffed toy dog. I thinks its cute, so the baby better think it is.


Flat Tire

So while I was shopping for the baby's present, my scooter was in the underground parking lot with its back wheel dying. I'm all done with my shopping and I hop on the scooter to head home when whats this? My back wheel is sliding all over the place when I try to turn... I ended up having to travel at 10km/h all the way to the nearest repair shop. Thank god they were still open at 10pm.
The mechanic tests the wheel I end up having a hole in the tire. Great, after only around 4-5 months of use as well. I figure tomorrow I'll get to the place where I bought the scooter and demand for a new tire! Hopefully the warranty covers that, I'm not sure because I can't read Chinese well enough to read the warranty.

Sep 6, 2009

How To Lose Weight, The Mixed Guy's Way

Some of you may know, but most of you won't, that I lost a significant amount of weight in a short time span. Seeing as people keep asking me how I did it, I've decided to post about it.

Note: This is probably not a healthy way to lose weight.
Disclaimer: This is just my personal experience and should not be your guide to losing weight unless you know you will be safe using it.

What You Will Need:

  • Weight to Lose (Seriously, there is only so much you can't weigh.)
  • Motivation
  • Tuna
  • Celery
  • Chicken Breast
  • Lettuce
  • Soy Bean Milk / Low Fat Milk
  • Mayonnaise
  • Bread / Wholewheat Cereal (No sugar, chocolate etc.)
  • Water, and lots of it.
Daily Routine:
Throughout the day: Just keep drinking water.
Breakfast: Everyday this will consist of a slice of bread or a bowl of cereal and tall glass of Low-Fat / Soybean Milk. Remember to keep the portion small.
Lunch: This meal will alternate everyday between Celery with a Tuna-Mayo dip / Grilled Chicken Breast on a bed of lettuce with no dressings. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese if desired. Try to eat this meal as late as you can possibly stand because...
Dinner: This is going to be the hardest part because... you don't get to eat dinner! This is where drinking water comes in handy, just keep drinking water and it will start to make you feel full.
Tips:
  • Every 3 days you can treat yourself to something like a cup of chocolate.
  • Soybean Milk contains protein needed to build muscles if you are looking to lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
  • Stay away from Carbohydrates like potato/rice/noodles ect. as if you do not use the energy they will turn into fat.
  • If you do start to feel peckish, just take out a stick of celery and gnaw away.
  • To get off this routine, slowly start to incorporate more foods into your diet, however, do not go back to eating like you did before as you will probably end up like you were and all the work will have been in vain.
F.A.Q
Q: But I really love to eat, is there anyway I can lose weight while eating a lot?
A: I've heard about losing weight by eating a lot, but thats not what my routine was like, so go find another diet.

Q: I need to go out with friends to eat at a restaurant, what should I do?
A: To be honest, this happened a lot with me while I was dieting and I just ate like I normally do when I go out. Becareful though, don't go in saying "well if I can lose weight while eating like noramlly, then I don't have to stick to the routine." or you will lose your motivation.

Q: How much weight did you lose and over how much time?
A: Well, for the first 3 weeks, I lost 10kg, but after that it became a much slower process as I began to start eating more. All in all I lost 18kg in a bit less than 3 months.

Aug 28, 2009

5 Playstation 3 Games That I Will Buy

In no particular order...

1. Infamous

Why: Running around an entire city with electrical powers at my disposal sounds cool to begin with. Add in the facts that you get to choose to help that citizen or obliterate him, fly around in an unconventional manner, and have the city evolve depending on my actions, its no wonder I want this game.






2. Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Why: I've been a fan of the Ratchet and Clank series from the start. The wacky gadgets and weapons, the humorous plot and most of all the adventure have all had me playing this series for hours on end. In the latest game we have a bunch of new weapons that I just have to try out, such as the Tornado Launcher, Jello Gun and something called a Groovitron that causes enemies to dance. Disco Anyone?





3. Fallout 3

Why: The first 2 games were amazingly good and although this latest version differs a lot from its predecessors I hear it is amazing. It is time to get out my plasma rifle and blast the flesh off those mutants face's, and why stop at the mutants? Lets blow up every survivor of nuclear war! Either that or I could help them, but why would I do that? Apparently I'll spend a lot of time exploring, but it has to be an exciting experience in Post-Nuclear War.




4. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2

Why: To be honest, who hasn't thought about being one of Marvel's Superheroes? Now that a Civil War has broken out amongst the heroes, you can take up the position on either side and battle your way through opposing do-gooders. With online and offline four player co-op mode, this game is sure to be a super-blast.






5. Grand Theft Auto IV

Why: I have no doubt that I'll spend countless hours beating citizens of Liberty City up, stealing their cars and destroying the peace, but how is that different from any of the other GTA games? I don't know but I always did like doing it. What I do know is that it has multiplayer. You can play with up to 15 of your friends! Its too bad no one I know owns a PS3. Eitherway the multiplayer option itself is enough for me to buy the game, I'll just have to add random people that don't speak English, where is that Indonesian Dictionary?

Aug 21, 2009

Cookie Coffee Ice-Cream Recipe

I have a sweet treat for you today. That is if you own an ice-cream machine. If not, then too bad. I made this recipe earlier today, and it tastes pretty good, if I may say so.

To make approx. 14 half cup servings, I think:

Ingredients:
  • 5 Oreo Cookies
  • 3 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 1 and 1/2 Cups Milk
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • Instant Coffee (Or brewed coffee if you prefer)
  • Coffee Liqueur

Method:

  1. Set up your Ice-Cream Machine according to instructions.
  2. Take the cream out of the Oreo cookies. Eat them if you'd like beacuse we won't need them.
  3. Smash the Oreo cookies into bits. As big as you want or as small as you want.
  4. Make some highly concentrated coffee by using only a tiny bit of hot water to dissolve the Instant Coffee.
  5. In a large bowl, mix the Cream, Milk, Sugar and Coffee.
  6. Add Coffee Liqueur to taste and mix again.
  7. Pour the mixture into your Ice-Cream Machine and switch on!

Tips:

  • If it is not sweet enough, add more sugar. Perhaps 1 cup instead of half.
  • Same goes for Coffee, not strong enough? Add more coffee!
  • Add toppings or change the ingredients for a whole new flavor of Ice-Cream!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, because I think it turned out great! Its too bad I'm on a diet again and have to watch my family eat it all. Sorry for there being no photo. I didn't have time to take one. Next time I make something, I'll try to take a photo or two.

Aug 19, 2009

The New Threat In Town


Thinking of planning a day out? Read First!

Picnicking(1), one of the most relaxing and possibly romantic outdoor activities that millions of men, women and children across the globe enjoy. Picnicking and hiking(2), another extraneous(3) activity, have both been jeopardized by a threat other than mosquitoes(4), the Taiwan Macaques(5). In 2001 the monkeys were reported to be more than 250,000 in number. Assuming the females give birth every 1 or 2 years, the populous has more than likely exploded. Supposedly a rare species, they have certainly started to show their faces a lot.

Imagine this:

You plan a trip with your family to hike to a picnic area with a gorgeous view. Reaching the top you see a single monkey and thus do not feel threatened, therefore proceeding with the outing. Your kids are playing with a ball only a few feet away and you call them in for a sandwich. They journey, with the sandwich, to a spot in the shade and commence eating. All is well.

"Ahhhhhh!" The scream fades into a gurgle. Turning your head, a sight that will remain ingrained into your mind forever. A group of macaques has attacked your child(ren). One slashes at the face while another bites at an ankle, but the worst is yet to come. The monkeys steal that sandwich you had spent two hours making. The ham and cheese sandwich, lightly toasted with a leaf of lettuce cut into a heart, is ripped from your child(ren)'s bleeding hands and torn apart.

Something I doubt you would enjoy seeing happen, that is unless you are some sadistic creep. But what can we do to stop this menace? Unfortunately, nothing. These monkeys are protected by Taiwanese laws. If any harm falls upon the monkeys, the person(s) who caused the harm will be fined anywhere from $200,000NT ($6,000US) to $1,000,000NT ($30,000US) as well as six months to five years imprisonment.

So, if you are planning a day out with your family and/or loved one, you may want to 'think again'(6).

Extra Information

1. The act of having a picnic.
2. The act of going for a hike.
3. Synonym for 'Outside'.
4. A flying insect that is sort of like a vampire without fangs and carries disease.
5. A monkey. Threatens outdoor activity in Taiwan that ranges from 500 to 1000ft.
6. National Geographic Channel's Slogan.

Note

This post may be a bit exaggerated.
The photo of the macaque is one I took, so no copying, at least not until I say you can.

Source (peopledaily.com.cn)

Aug 18, 2009

The Art Gallery

On Sunday one of my friends had some of her art work shown in an art gallery. It was her second showing and there was a great turnout. There was even one sold before I got there, and I was half an hour early. I just wanted to show some of her pieces.



Invasion

Size: 4F
Acrylic Paint








Hurricane

Size: 20F
Acrylic Paint








Parasite

Size: 20F
Acrylic Paint








Royal Blood

Size: 20F
Acrylic Paint








Royal Blood 2

Size: 4F
Acrylic Paint






I would link to her website or her blog but she doesn't have one, if you want to contact her just ask.

I hope you enjoyed her work because thats all for now.

Ciao!

Hey!

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to my new blog! Yay!

Just to start, I'll tell you a bit about myself. First-off, I'm MEAT-BHK, Mixed English and Taiwanese born Hong Kong-nese, and no I'm not a type of meat thank you very much. Second, I'm currently living in Taiwan but have lived in both Hong Kong (duh, I was born there) and England before. That is all I can be bothered to write about myself at this moment.

This blog is going to contain stuff in my life, such as places I visit, things I do. For example, the next post will show some art work one of my friends displayed in a local gallery.

Thats all from me for this post,

Ciao.