Le Cirque De Ma Vie

For The Hardcore At Heart

2006-12-04T20:25:00.000+08:00

The picture above says it all about the marathon. One race, a thousand reasons... and for the hardcore at heart. Rema Chai, 1st time marathoner, pulled a tyre, cans and other recylables to raise awareness of environmental issues (a standard car tyre weighs anywhere between 5 to 10 kg by the way). A colleague of mine asked me how was my weekend. I told him I ran the marathon. He went "Holy Moly!". Yeah, bit the bullet, did not train, took my stiff back and almost-recovered knee to the Esplanade at 6am yesterday morning and gave the 42.195km whatever I had. It was a humbling experience and a priceless lesson on what it means to not give up. My colleague told me I am hardcore. I told him the Kenyan runners are the real hardcores, running in record time at their blistering pace. It is really an awesome sight seeing them Africans run up close. But he made a rather good point in reply - "For them it's their bread & butter, it's the ones who don't train and do it anyway who are hardcore." - The line can be very fine between insanity and inspiration but I'll take his compliment. Thanks Lawrence. Of all the different characters that ran the race, the ones who really left an impression on me were the couples that literally went the distance together, side by side, for some hand in hand. There was this young couple that ran and stopped whenever either felt the pain and fatigue. I saw them at the 30km mark where both were evidently struggling with cramps and strains but they managed to hang on and finish the race. They caught up with my cluster of runners near the end and crossed the finish line just behind us. Regardless of whether they were married or dating, in an age where words often speak louder than actions, it was really sweet and heart-warming to see 2 people physically committing themselves through sweat and toil. There may be hope after all where 'for better or for worse till death do us part' is concerned.

Ed-titudes

2006-11-17T00:03:00.000+08:00

Was sharing this with some friends. Apart from fearing God, here's 10 timeless 'teachings' that I carry with me... haha

1) 'But' is the most cruel word in the English language - Everything before it doesn't mean jack shit eg. 'You are a nice guy but...' or 'I like your idea but...'

2) Would you rather be the face that launches a thousand ships or the face that confronts those thousand ships?

3) A woman who thinks she's smart demands equality; a woman who's really smart doesn't.

4) In the land of the brave, heroes die young.

5) A 90 year old man can stroke a girl's butt and walk away smiling; try that when you are 30.

6) Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.

7) Every kingdom needs a king and queen; never two kings.

8) Love your woman, or some other bugger will.

9) It's better to ask questions and be stupid for a minute than to keep your mouth shut and be stupid for life.

10) The road to hell is paved with good intentions while the stairway to heaven is fraught with obstacles.

The Tutors

2006-11-01T09:30:00.000+08:00

The people who taught us for 2 weeks...

Chris & J, keepers of the puke buckets

The Playground

2006-11-01T02:00:00.000+08:00

The Wingate Lab

'Death By Pedaling'

All it takes is 30s before them puke buckets come into use

The Running Lab

'Death By Running'

Really... people do really fly off the treadmill here

Biomechanics Lab

'Death By Physics'

Force measurements, electrical activity in muscles, movement analysis, video capture... the 'nightmare' of applied science

Outdoor Lab

a.k.a. The Oval

'Death By Heat & Flies'

Apparently there are only 3 running tracks in the whole of Perth

... and obviously none are at ECU

The K-WESS Experiment

2006-11-01T01:39:00.000+08:00

Members of the K-WESS Experiment

(6th to 22nd October 2006, Perth, Australia)

Enjoying a cold beer over a weekend bar-b in the sunshine

p.s. Gentlemen, I will never run 6 x 2.4km again

Back Home

2006-10-23T08:42:00.000+08:00

As the plane began its descent into Singapore, an aussie kid looked out the window and asked her father 'Daddy, why can't we see the ground?' Her father replied 'We are still in the clouds sweetie.' At under 10,000 feet with 5 minutes till the runway, landing gear down and all, you are not suppose to be in the clouds - That was how bad the haze was from up in the air. Them poor tourists.

Liverpool 3 Galatasaray 2

2006-09-28T09:18:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: N.A. (Did not watch the game)
Goals: Crouch 9, 52 Garcia 14, Umit 59, 65

COMMENTS:
Thank God we survived Galatasaray's fightback after bagging in our 3. Crouch was man-of-the match. That's the thing about the Champions League - the quality of the teams involved ensures that every (ok, almost every) game is contested right to the death, which makes for great entertainment. 6 points from 2 matches. Well done team.

Jackie Wu's Music Lesson

2006-09-26T20:38:00.000+08:00

This is a MUST WATCH - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR5PdsiUhw4 - HILARIOUS!

Liverpool 3 Tottenham 0

2006-09-25T12:08:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 8/10
Goals: Gonzalez 63, Kuyt 73, Risse 89
Ratings:
- Goalkeeping: 6/10
- Defence: 6/10
- Midfield: 8/10
- Attack: 7/10

COMMENTS:

The first half was a dud affair but what a second half it turned out to be. Just when we thought we were going to be punished by Spurs for pushing too far up, we counter and score. Cheekily smart fake by Gerrard on the right to square the ball for the 1st goal. 2nd goal was pure conviction by Kuyt but Risse's goal was the best of the lot. 2nd time this season he's fired such a rocket into goal; the last was against John Terry in the Charity Shield. Sweet, really sweet. With Man U drawing at Reading (WELL DONE READING!), our season is back on track. After Galatasaray on Wednesday, we go to Bolton on Saturday. Wonder if a bung would be enough for Big Sam to give us a win there. Oops... ssh, no mention of the B-word.

Light A Candle

2006-09-23T18:05:00.000+08:00

(Courtesty of The Lady) Light a candle for the innocent victims of online child abuse. Children sexually abused on internet pornography sites cannot speak for themselves. But with your help, we can eradicate this evil trade. All we ask is to light a candle of support. Together, we can destroy the commercialisation of internet child pornography and protect the lives of these children. Click here to light your candle.

On Power 98 with DJ Sebastian

2006-09-23T16:24:00.000+08:00

Went on air with Seb today on his show This Is Football. My first gig as a soccer pundit. It was fun. We've been toying with the idea of doing a football talk show for a while now but we haven't been able to come up with any novel concept. Any suggestions anyone? Well, it was a clean and tidy start for our first broadcast together and let's see what we can come up with here on of. For the first time in my life I heard myself over the phone - man do I sound funny. I sound like a kid actually, then again my voice never really cracked. Fortunately what needed to grow grew. Phew.

Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0

2006-09-21T10:03:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: N.A. (Did not watch the game)
Goals: Kuyt 29, Alonso 79
COMMENTS:

Phew, finally a win after 2 bad outings. Alonso scored from inside his own half. WOAH. Kuyt is finally off the mark. GOOD. A bit less tension now. But I'm still perplexed about not playing Gerrard down the middle. Gerrard only played 4 mins yesterday btw. Yes, rotation, rotation. Garcia was the captain of last night's side. Talk about perplexing.

Chelsea 1 Liverpool 0

2006-09-18T21:57:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 7/10

Goals: Drogba 43

Ratings:

- Goalkeeping: 6/10

- Defence: 6/10

- Midfield: 7/10

- Attack: 7/10

COMMENTS:

We deserved the draw. Drogba's goal was pure brilliance. Kuyt smashing the bar was pure unlucky. But thank you Arsenal, thank you for beating Man U at home and keeping the gap alive. Nice goal.

PSV Einhoven 0 Liverpool 0

2006-09-18T21:41:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 6/10
Goals: nil
Ratings:
- Goalkeeping: 6/10
- Defence: 6/10
- Midfield: 7/10
- Attack: 6/10
COMMENTS:
We did what we had to do. Nothing fancy, nothing spectacular. It was a clinically professional point won. The Champions League is Rafa's playground, he knows his way around. If only he can translate that to the EPL. C'mon Rafa, c'mon!

The Sprite Zero Experiment

2006-09-16T10:33:00.000+08:00

For those who have seen the 'Mentos Experiment', this should be of interest to you. I bought two 500ml bottles of Sprite Zero from 7-11 a couple of days back. 2 for $2, cheap. Anyway, when I got home, I needed my caffeine fix and decided to add some concentrated instant coffee into the Sprite. Don't ask me why, it's just me, I have my moments or 'episodes' as some shrinks would call it. I took a teaspoon of instant nescafe, mixed it with a teaspoon of hot water in my jigger, poured the black stuff into the bottle and before I could say 'what the @$@$!', the Sprite erupted. It foamed and just kept flowing and flowing and flowing. Here's the interesting part. Mentos removes the fizz from whatever carbonated drink you put it into; coffee apparently doesn't. At this point in time, I don't know why; more testing is needed, but just for the record, I'm sipping what's left of my Sprite Zero as I'm blogging this - with fizz still inside. Any Einsteins out there?

Champagne Breakfast

2006-09-13T01:10:00.000+08:00

Champagne for breakfast??... FOR BREAKFAST???

(Notice that the greenery in the background ISN'T that of the Botanic Gardens, where this gig is supposed to be... The pink ballooned basket looks like it's sitting on some reclaimed land off Marina Park or in a SAF live firing area. For my money, I'd go for something like 'A Prata Breakfast In The Park' or 'Visit The Botanic Beer Garden' instead... Botanic Beir Garten yah!)

p.s. Thanks Vonne, this poster really tickled me pink - no pun intended :P

Ball Magic

2006-09-11T01:36:00.000+08:00

The best to have ever hit, head or handle something round.

My Injury List

2006-09-10T21:01:00.000+08:00

Sorting through old stuff today, I came across some old medical documents. Boy have I really busted myself up over the years...

A - 1991. Lower Back. Muscle strain and nerve impingement from hockey. Still recurs now and then.

B- 2006. Knee. Strained Medial Cruciate Ligament (MCL) from soccer. Still recovering.

C- 1993. Knee. Swollen cartilage from excessive running. Recovered.

D - 2004. Lower Leg. Double fracture of fibula from soccer. Metal implants inserted. Recovered.

E- 1984, 2004. Ankle. Mild comminuted fracture after a fall in '84. Torn ligaments from fibula fracture (above). Recovered.

F- 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995. Ankle. Repeated sprains from soccer. Tore ligaments in '95 while in army. Recovered.

Everton 3 Liverpool 0

2006-09-10T12:37:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 2/10
Goals: Cahill 24, Johnson 36, 90
Ratings:

- Goalkeeping: 2/10

- Defence: 2/10

- Midfield: 4/10

- Attack: 2/10
COMMENTS:

SHAMBOLIC! Everton deserved the win. We played like shit. Terrible, terrible, terrible. There are serious questions to be asked about Rafa's tactics yesterday but none as glaringly serious as WHY IS GERRARD PLAYING WIDE RIGHT? Like I've mentioned before, WE BUILD THE TEAM AROUND GERRARD Rafa!! We have bought wide players like Bellamy, Pennant and Gonzalez; so why the @#$% is Gerrard still pegged on the flank when every mother's son knows our captain is most lethal bombarding down the middle. Screw the element of suprise Rafa, don't over-worry about our opponents, let them worry about us and let them stop us if they can. The classic Paralysis-From-Analysis took place yesterday. And where were the long balls that Crouch needed? We have the head of a 7-ft target man to aim at so why were we trying to square the ball to his feet instead? Crouch had to drop so far back to fetch & carry the ball it effectively cancelled him out as a goal-scoring threat, leaving (the not so fast & sharp anymore) Fowler by himself to hustle with Everton's centerbacks. Bizarre lah Rafa, really bizarre your tactics yesterday. International duty is a poor excuse for such a rotational disaster of our line-up and formation. I hate to say this but you flunked your test this time round Rafa. FAIL.

A.U.S.T.R.A.L.I.A

2006-09-06T11:12:00.000+08:00

My friend in Melbourne was exasperating yesterday about how slow her paperwork was being processed by the City Council over there. It seems that inefficiency is somewhat of a tacit public administration protocol in her part of the woods. Poor girl. We came to this conclusion. A.U.S.T.R.A.L.I.A = An Undeniably Strong Tradition of Real Authentic Laziness Instilled in All. Imagine the Australian version of the show The Office...

It Doesn't End With Federer

2006-09-04T10:02:00.000+08:00

Well, it did not end like I wish it did but boy was it an amazing standing ovation the crowd gave Agassi. I have never seen a farewell like that for any player, not for Lendl, not for Edberg, not even for Sampras... maybe Connors, but I was too young when Connors played his last game to register any memory of that. Hobbling with a bad back, there was nothing much Agassi could do against the 25-year old Becker after the 2nd set. Speed and power prevailed eventually. Damn them new rackets really pack a punch. Looking at how the 50,000 strong crowd at Arthur Ashe stadium cheered, cried and chanted Agassi's name, it just goes to show that when you give what you do everything you have got and stick around long enough to touch people with your own special magic, they remember, and they will remember for a long long time.

Helping The Poor

2006-09-03T10:18:00.000+08:00

THE SUNDAY TIMES, 3rd Sept 2006 - 'Airfare, lodging and meals:$2,000; Leave from work: 2 weeks; Helping poor villagers abroad: PRICELESS' "Singaporeans are taking time off from work to do volunteer work overseas". Volunteer Tourism, that is what it is apparently called and these 'goodwill tourists' travel to remote areas of China, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and India to build schools, orphanages and houses. While it is good that Singaporeans are taking their generosity and compassion abroad to help the less fortunate, I cannot help but wonder about the poor back here in Singapore and how they can benefit from such benevolence and charity. Although we do not see squatter villages, homeless children and beggars around us here in Sunny Singapore, there is a segment of our population that exists in financial and social poverty. There are individuals and families that are struggling to get by in our growingly expensive-to-live-in country. They may not be poor by global standards but relative to a S$2,000 a month pay-cheque (which I consider very average pay here), some families in Singapore have to survive on half or less than that every month. Families mind you. Include the unemployed, the elderly, the disabled, the sick and the orphaned, we do have people in our own backyard who not only need monetary help but also a helping hand, literally. Take away the 'Tour' from Volunteer Tourism and you get Volunteerism. Perhaps we should focus on that first before exporting our goodwill in such a wholesale fashion. As the saying goes - 'Charity begins at home'.

End It With Federer

2006-09-01T13:33:00.000+08:00

There are tennis players who are great, there are tennis players who last a long time... and then there is Andre Agassi. From The Las Vegas Kid to The Living Legend, there is no denying the greatness of his longevity. For my generation of tennis fans and players, we grew up watching this guy - his brilliance, his madness, his women, his fall and his resurrection - it was there for all to see. We even dressed like him and bought them ultra-florescent nike sneakers. As the superlatives roll on about Andre The Great, I hope he will be able to last long enough at Flushing Meadows to end his career the way I see befitting - at the hands of World No. 1 Roger Federer. Some players choose to end their career at the peak of their powers but for Agassi, there will definitely be no shame in ending his against the finest tennis player on earth at the moment; and poetic justice it will be for the tennis that he has given us all these years. So go on Andre, end it with Federer.

Age 20... (1990 U.S. Open)

Age 36... (2006 U.S. Open)

The World Without America

2006-08-31T00:40:00.000+08:00

What will the world be like without America? Imagine if America were to be attacked from the inside, through a hostile takeover of their land-based nuclear arsenal by some inspired terrorist consortium hell bent on creating a new world order - at any cost. At the push of a few buttons, every state in America is pulverized into nothingness. No more America. Uncle Sam is dead. Which countries will rise and which countries will fall? Which countries will whore themselves to the 'New World'? What will happen to America's friends? What will happen to America's enemies? If Uncle Sam dies, what will the world be like without America?

The Woman Equation

2006-08-28T23:07:00.000+08:00

From one of my students' blog. But as the saying goes,

'What is life without problems?'

Sumo Ulcer

2006-08-28T15:50:00.000+08:00

Finally! After 2 sickening weeks, my lower lip is free of the sumo ulcer from hell. After ineffective medication for the 1st 10 days, things took a turn for the better over the last 4. How? Well, this is my little medical epiphany: You do not need fancy medication to combat a stubborn ulcer. Just salt your ulcer, yes, SALT IT! Your mother may ask you to gargle your mouth with saltwater but I took it 1 step further - 1 teaspoon of salt with 10 teaspoons of water, stir, dip in a cotton earbud and rub it into your ulcer - and you will, I guarantee, send yourself on a 3o-second rocket ride of unadulterated pain. Yes, IT WILL HURT BADLY! VERY! But after you are done cursing every person and thing you know in your favourite dialect, you will feel a pleasant numbness around your ulcer. Yes, burn the ulcer into submission, BURN IT! This cure is not only cheap and fast, it is wickedly effective. Try it if you dare.

Liverpool 2 West Ham 1

2006-08-26T21:24:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 7/10

Goals: Zamora 12, Agger 42, Crouch 45

Ratings:
- Goalkeeping: 6/10
- Defence: 6/10
- Midfield: 7/10
- Attack: 7/10

COMMENTS: Lucky again. It should have been 2-2 but heck, we'll take the win and the 3 points. Agger, Crouch and Kuyt played well. Finnan, Aurelio and Zenden didn't. Our defence was really square today due largely to Finnan being out of sorts at rightback and Aurelio still blurring out at leftback. The Brazillian looks really lost at times. He's a good free-kicker though. Carragher's absence in our defence is very very glaring. Going down to Zamora's fluke goal was a real sucker punch but wasn't Young Agger's equaliser a beauty! It was an unstoppable rocket of a bender. He looks like an exciting prospect. The boy uses his brain when he moves forward which is extremely encouraging. Our midfield did what they needed to do but looked lacklustre and unsure at times where they wanted to go. Once again, Gerrard had to anchor the midfield 4 from deep with Alonso doing the bulk of the distribution. Garcia's reverse pass to set Crouch up for our winner was a sweet move and Crouch did well in heavy traffic to put the ball away; he made it look easier than it was. Kuyt was very impressive when he came on. He really should have scored. A bit unlucky he didn't get the rub of the green. He has this presence and confidence about him. He's not afraid to ask for the ball and give directions. At one point he was telling Reina where to release the ball. Reina threw it the other way though. Amusing moment. He made several intelligent runs and seems to have a well developed footballing brain built into that strong physique of his. I like intelligent players. Intelligent players create intelligent play and Kuyt looks to be a really really good buy; the best of the new lot so far. Lee Bowyer very nearly tied the game for West Ham in the dying minutes but luckily his shot brushed the wrong side of the upright. Well, 3 points is 3 points and the good thing is no one got injured. Now we have a 2 week break for international matches. Please come back in one piece boys. It's the merseyside derby next.

TV Cooks

2006-08-26T15:37:00.000+08:00

Here's a quick run-down on Discovery Travel & Living's 'star' tv cooks/chefs, their shows and some of the dirt that I managed to dig up on them...

1) KEITH FLOYD (British) (Floyd on Fish, Floyd on Fish, Floyd on Food, Floyd on France, Floyd on Britain and Ireland, Floyd's American Pie, Floyd on Oz, Floyd on Spain, Far Flung Floyd, Floyd on Italy, Floyd on Africa, Best Of Floyd, Floyd Uncorked, Floyd on GMTV, Floyd's Fjord Fiesta, Floyd Around the Med, Capital Floyd, Floyd's India) The old man of tv cooking. He has been around for 2 decades or so. Prolific drinker, quick-witted and possesses a strong penchant for throwing and tossing things whilst cooking. Funny bugger, especially when he is not sober. Floyd was banned from driving for 32 months in November 2004 after crashing his car into another vehicle while three-and-a -half times over the legal alcohol limit. He was also fined £1500. Another 8 months to go.

2) NIGELLA LAWSON (British) (Nigella Bites, Forever Summer with Nigella) Of Jewish descent, Lawson is currently married to Charles Saatchi (17 years her senior) whom she re-married in 2003 after her first husband John Diamond died of throat cancer in 2001. She started her affair with Saatchi before the death of Diamond, albeit with his consent. I do not like her. Her techniques are amateur and her show borders on food porn. She will cry and die in a real restaurant kitchen. That double-handed curved blade she uses to chop her vegetables is, to me, a cheap ploy to wiggle-jig her chest in front of the camera and her constant finger licking I feel is best left in the confines and privacy of her bedroom with Mr Saacthi. She should stick to writing and leave her suggestive descriptions about oozing, dripping, rubbing etc. on a food column instead of bringing it into the tv kitchen. But I must admit the interior design of her house and kitchen really rocks.

3) JAMIE OLIVER (British) (The Naked Chef, Return of the Naked Chef, Happy Days with the Naked Chef, Jamie's Kitchen, Return to Jamie's Kitchen, Oliver's Twist, Jamie's Great Italian Escape, Jamie's School Dinners) A dyslexic with only primary school qualifications, this fella needs no introduction. He is everywhere. The David Beckham of quick-fix cooking. He seems like an honest bloke who befriends anyone who wants to befriend him. Brilliantly marketed with a sparkling down-to-earth personality to match, he is first and foremost a good teacher in my opinion. People get what he is trying to say. People trust him. But then again his detractors might argue it is because he cooks simple grub which makes it easy to 'educate' the masses. You decide. Oliver was ranked, in 2003, at number 28 in UK Channel 4's poll of "100 Worst Britons". You either love or hate this guy. He is probably never ever going to get a michelin-star for his pit-stop style and often less than hygienic way of food preparation (he never washes his ingredients, utensils, cutlery or hands if you have noticed) but I like his recipes because it serves as a good base to create your own improved version of his.

4) KYLIE KWONG (Australia) (Kylie Kwong: Heart and Soul, Kylie Kwong: Simply Magic) Her favourite word is 'CARAMELISED'. Watch her shows and she mentions it again and again. I wonder if she realises it. I like the kitchen in her show. Nicely done up with lots of gadgets around. She has stuck close to her roots and made her name in Chinese cooking; in Australia that is. How authentic is her Chinese cooking? Well it is a healthy mix of predominantly old style Cantonese fare infused with a distinct western influence - She is 5th generation Australasian after all. Her restaurant in Perth is considered an institution of (Australian) Chinese cuisine so I guess the food must be pretty good. In January 2005, Kwong was fined $AU750 and had her drivers' licence revoked for 3 months after pleading guilty to low-range drink-driving. A fan of Floyd's?

5) BEN O’DONOGHUE & CURTIS STONE (Australia) (Surfing the Menu) For 4 years, O’Donoghue worked at The River Café in London before joining his best mate Jamie Oliver at the exclusive Monte’s Club as head chef. He has worked with Oliver as a consultant food stylist as well as assisting him with various outside catering functions, including cooking for Tony Blair and the Italian Prime Minister. Melbourne-born Stone was studying his Bachelor of Business before deciding his heart was actually in food. Not prodigously talented or charismatic individually, these two dudes make up for it as a pair. They will hold your attention for the half hour when they are on. They are living proof that you do not need 2 gay men in front of the camera in order to have good mano-de-mano chemisty on tv. Thank God.

6) MICHAEL SMITH (Australia) (Beach Cafe) Smith is a young surfer and an exceptionally talented chef. He is only in his mid-20s but he runs his kitchen like an old hand that has been at it for decades and he speaks about his food with an uncanny maturity. Although not as effervescent and charming as Oliver, Smith's geekiness works in his favour. He personifies the phrase 'Looks can be deceiving'. This series is based on his diary, set over a Cornish summer running The Porthminster Café in the UK. Experts place him as the next big thing.

7) BOB BLUMER (Canada) (The Surreal Gourmet) Blumer was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. He travels around America in his van-truck with his portable 'Bread Toaster' kitchen in tow. He actually cooks in that tin can, which I think is a safety hazard. A gas leak will blow it up and an electrical trip will set it on fire and fry him to a crisp. I hope he has insurance. Although Blumer has a surreal kitchen, his recipes are unfortunately not surreal. He does play on the presentation of foods to inject more 'fun' into the dish but with a show name like The Surreal Gourmet, I would expect wierd, experimental and unheard of recipes that will stir viewer curiousity and fire their imagination, perhaps even causing the occasional upset stomach for those who dare try them out in the name of food exploration. Instead, it is more like a 30min cooking circus on wheels whenever he rolls into town. He should take a sabbatical in Asia, gastronomically surreal Asia. I highly recommend it.

8) DAVID ROCCO (Canada) (Don't Forget Your Passport, Avventura: Journeys in Italian Cuisine, David Rocco’s La Dolce Vita) Rocco is not a chef but lucky for him he is Italian, quite good looking and speaks the language. He has focused his show, brand and tv marketing solely on Italy, Italian cuisine and being Italian. Formerly a model and actor, he and his wife Nina produce the shows and they travel around Italy enjoying 'the sweet life' a.k.a la dolce vita. He first started out featuring how different popular Italian dishes were prepared in their native regions in Italy. Then he tried his hand at cooking. He looked amusingly clumsy preparing and cooking his food. It was apparent that his aptitude for the culinary arts lay in the left half of the cooking bell curve. To his credit, his technique has improved and in his latest series, he looks more competent at the chopping board and in front of the stove. Rustic and at times romantic, his La Dolce Vita series reeks of the enjoy-life-with-buddies-I-cook-for-them concept that Oliver has used in his shows. Expressively, Rocco still has got some way to go with his hand-waving rantling that the Italians are so famous for and there are times when he tries too hard to be Italian. Poser as some may say.

9) GUY RUBINO & MICHAEL RUBINO (Canada) (Made to Order) Older brother Guy runs the kitchen and younger brother Michael runs the bar at RAIN, their restaurant in Toronto. They own another restaurant, LUCE, also in Toronto. Their restaurants are apparently amongst the best in that part of Canada. Everything is about style and presentation where these 2 Italian-Canadians are concerned. Guy is a master presenter of food. His creations (and matching cutlery) look emaculate and it is worth a minute's stare before you dig in. I suspect he aced his art & craft classes as a kid. Their show is about making food/dishes/menus to order, hence the name. Customers either come in with personal requests eg. impressing dates, wedding proposals, anniversaries etc. or dinner party bookings that require customised menus and dining experiences. Guy would then crack his head to serve up the right stuff while Michael will scour to find the appropriate booze to match. The show's videography is undeniably sexy but you never actually get to see how a dish is prepared from start to end. Guy will briefly go through the ingredients and method but no exact details are given. Protecting their trade secrets? Beats me. Guy seems more interested in showing how he is going to dress up the dish; he gets a high from that I think. Conducting a cooking class, I suspect, does not feature high on his agenda for the show. It is kind of like the Project Runway of cooking shows come to think of it.

10) ANTHONY BOURDAIN (America) (A Cook’s Tour, No Reservations) Last, but definitely not, by no small measure, the least. Mousier Bourdain is noted for being a bit racy and hardcore. He is a French prick bred in the Big Apple and the quintessential 'In Your F---ing Face, Screw You!' New-Yorker. Bourdain is an unrepentant smoker-drinker and a former user of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and LSD. He makes no qualms about it. He never cooks on his shows. He despises those who do; and made it clearly so in his book Kitchen Confidential. He went on to mock Oliver and Lawson in his book A Cook's Tour. He would definitely spit-shit the others I have mentioned before him, even if it is just for the fun of it. The Rubinos and Smith may be spared by virtue of the apparent authenticity of their craft, but that is just my BIG assumption. Bourdain's acid tongue regularly needs caustic exercise and there is real potential that should their paths and/or views ever cross, Floyd may well give him a head-butt le'zidane on network tv. I would pay, yes pay, to watch Bourdain in episodes where he has to travel and cook with each of the celebrities who are on this list. "New To View: Bourdain & 'Friends' " Will Lawson chop off his 'Michael Ballacks'? Will Oliver run him down with his Vespa? Compelling tv it can be, very compelling. In a nod to Bourdain's two-pack-a-day cigarette habit, renowned chef Thomas Keller once served him a 20-course tasting menu including a mid-meal 'coffee and cigarettes' dish of foie gras with tobacco-infused custard. His liberal use of light profanity and sexual references in No Reservations has netted the show a viewer discretion advisory shown in the beginning and every time it returns from commercial breaks.

The Accidental Martini

2006-08-26T00:04:00.000+08:00

Bored with the usual beer, wine or whisky after a long day, this is what I managed to whip up using what I had in my fridge. Very refreshing and easy to make. Nice balance & sultry colour this concoction has. If you want to tip the balance in favour of vodka, you know what to do. Looks somewhat like a Cosmopolitan. I'll call it the ACCIDELITAN. Haha. Time for another one...

The Mix:

- 300ml packet green tea (Yeo's extra 20% packs)

- 6cL (45mils) vodka

- 2cL (15mils) ribena syrup

- 1cm-thick cross-sectioned slice of lemon (squeezed)

- 1 handful of ice

- 1 big glass (300ml++ of fluid plus ice is quite a bit to hold)

- Serve it in a martini glass or just drink it straight

On His Back We Ride

2006-08-25T19:38:00.000+08:00

On his back we ride, on his back we ride...

Colonial, Local or Imperial?

2006-08-24T18:22:00.000+08:00

The Chinese in Singapore are an interesting lot. Unlike our cousins back in the motherland of a few billlion who can be considered somewhat more culturally homogenous, we here have evolved, in my opinion, along 3 subclasses. On the left of the picture is the 'Colonial Chinese', with the 'Local Chinese' in the middle and the 'Imperial Chinese' on the right. As their names suggest, each subclass has its unique characteristics, behaviours and practices. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't seem to see many Colonial ones around any more. Where have they gone to? Hmmm...

Maccabi Haifa 1 Liverpool 1 (Liverpool 3-2 on aggregate)

2006-08-23T17:36:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: N.A. (Did not watch the game)

Goals: Crouch 54, Colautti 63

COMMENTS: Done deal. Champions League qualifier out of the way and group stages here we come. I hope we don't get drawn in some group of death. However it was, yet again, a costly outing as 2 more of our boys got injured (Warnock - ankle, Sissoko - knee) and judging from the match reports, it was not that pretty a game, again. Uefa.com reported, 'Liverpool, who had Mohamed Sissoko carried off on a stretcher with a serious-looking injury, finished the match in unconvincing fashion.' A professionally sterile performance. 4 injuries in 2 games (3 ankles & 1 knee) - our boot room must look like some makeshift ER right now. The conditioning level of our boys doesn't seem quite right. We have had similar problems in the last 2 seasons and we cannot afford players dropping like flies so early in the campaign. Well, I hope we get through this weekend's match against West Ham casualty-free with all 3 points and I pray &amp; pray & pray Steven Gerrard does not get injured.

Losing Weight

2006-08-21T15:24:00.000+08:00

"To effect meaningful weight loss through exercise, each exercise session should last at least 60 minutes at sufficient intensity to expend 300kCal or more. Training only 1 day a week generally does not meaningfully change anaerobic or aerobic capacity, body composition, or body weight." - Taken from EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance (6th Edition), Ch21, McArdle, Katch & Katch (2007)

Well, its only weight loss through exercise. Fret not all you non/anti-exercise buffs, you can still lose weight by:

1) Starving yourself (less muscle, less bone density, less blood volume; very Somalian)

2) Dehydrating yourself (less water less weight; no brainer)

3) Eating only proteins and fats (which will send your liver & cholesterol levels into outer space)

4) Rigging your weighing scale to your desired weight

Quotes From My Students

2006-08-20T10:28:00.000+08:00

My students were asked "From your experiences, in your opinion, which aspect of change is the most difficult - the physical, emotional or mental? And why?". Here are some of the responses they gave in their reflection journals:

"Guess we'll just have to deal changes all the time and get used to it. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. "

"Sometimes some people may not even have the strength to move on or adapt to emotional changes. That is where they just break down and just stop living."

“It is all in the head/mind”

"From my experience, the one thing that is the most difficult aspect of change is my physical body! I was once considered thin..."

"I must say I don’t get the part on emotional change..."

"At the end of the day I think the show/work must GO ON!.."

Sheffield United 1 Liverpool 1

2006-08-19T21:47:00.000+08:00

Overall Rating: 5/10

Goals: Hulse 46, Fowler 70 (pen)

Ratings:

- Goalkeeping: 7/10

- Defence: 5/10

- Midfield: 4/10

- Attack: 4/10

COMMENTS: Played Well: Gerrard, Bellamy, Reina. Played Badly: Kromkamp, Zenden, Aurelio. Best Moment: Gerrard driving forward to win the penalty. Worst Moment: Conceding the stupid, stupid goal. Stupid goal. Ghastly marking led to the first goal. Aurelio has to take the blame for that. Riise & Carragher got injured. I hope they recover soon. Makeshift backline of Kromkamp, Hyypia, Agger & Aurelio looked vulnerable. Midfield mispassed considerably. Gerrard should have been playing in the middle and Zenden out wide. Zenden is not a central orchestrator. Why Rafa? We built the team AROUND GERRARD remember?? We had no axis of attack down center. With a congested 5-man Sheffield United midfield supporting a packed defence and no Crouch to aim at, we had no clear target when crossing infield from out wide. And by not hustling our way in the middle of the park, we got stuck. It did not help that our front men misread most the passes that came through. Garcia & Alonso were really missed today. Not good. Our offence had no cutting edge. Ironically Sheffield United's nickname is The Blades. Our blade was bloody blunt. In basketball terms, our transition game sucked. We were very lucky to have been awarded the penalty. I am not pleased at all and borderline pissed.

3 Points Or Bust

2006-08-19T17:30:00.000+08:00

It's two hours before kick-off and as far as I can remember, I've never felt such anticipation waiting to watch Liverpool play their 1st match of the season. The media has been playing up Liverpool's title chances for this campaign and even the bookies have reduced the odds from 8/1 to 6/1 after our Charity Shield win last week. Nice. I guess what is different now is that we can actually SEE that our team is ready. I SALUTE YOU RAFA. Yes, we are READY. Ready to take on each premiership team as they come our way. Little will be left to chance this season. Our open secret is to win the premiership, but our immediate objective now is to win the match before us. Like in tennis, a point at a time; you NEVER pre-occupy your mind with winning the set but focus instead on winning each point... and may our play be as inspirational as Roger Federer's while we are at it. No longer can there be comfort sought in draws and the solitary point it gives. Hope wins you no championships, POINTS do, and '3-points or bust' is the mantra from now on. No more excuses gentlemen. Time for results. 3-POINTS OR BUST!

The Price Of Fame

2006-08-16T19:43:00.000+08:00

When a man does the seemingly inhuman, we say he's a god,
When a man is called a god, people forget that he's a man,
When a man behaves like a god, he will forget that he's a man,
When a man thinks he's seemingly inhuman, we say he's mad,
Such is the price of fame…

Synthetic Insanity

2006-08-14T12:01:00.000+08:00

There has been much talk about drugs in sports of late and in no small part or measure, the media has Mr Landis and Mr Gatlin to thank for giving them such a big fat horse to flog (coincidentally horses are superb test subjects for performance enhancing substances). But while the phrase 'Synthetic Testosterone' has gotten somewhat of a bad reputation, I feel that we all need a dose of 'Synthetic Insanity' from time to time. In the grind and routine of everyday life, we not only do the same old things repeatedly, we often also do the SANE old things. What better way to lift your spirits, get the blood flowing and feel alive than to do something INSANE. Short of breaking the law, your loved ones' hearts and parts of your body, synthetic insanity, unlike natural insanity, can be controlled by you and engineered to your specifications. So go crazy and supplement your mental and emotional fitness with a healthy dose of this free invisible drug. I suspect the shrinks hide this fact from their patients because they know it works.

ADIDAS Reds 2 , ADIDAS Blues 1

2006-08-14T00:02:00.000+08:00

We beat Chelsea... again. We looked comfortable. The new kit looks comfortable. The floppy collars will take a little getting used to though, but at least Adidas gave our jersey a different cutting from the rest of the teams who are wearing their new shirts this season. Everything went according to plan. This season we really have options in attack and young Daniel Agger looks to have the goods as Hyypia's replacement in a season or two. Nice way to start our 2006/07 campaign but as Steven Gerrard's somewhat ambivalent expression during the prize presentation showed, this win is merely symbolic more than anything else. Only first blood has been drawn; no glory yet. Liverpool represented the whole EPL today and I hope the league will take comfort in knowing that Chelsea CAN BE BEATEN if you set up your stall right. Misters Ferguson and Wenger would have been watching the proceedings closely and to them, I say the ball is getting rounder when Chelsea plays these days. Jose Mourinho must be so sick at the sight of us I wonder what else has he left to say in the dressing room about WE the men from Anfield.

Perfect Imperfections

2006-08-13T22:53:00.000+08:00

COMFORTABLE

(by John Mayer)

I just remembered, that time at the market

Snuck up behind me and jumped on my shopping cart

And rode down, aisle 5

You looked behind you to smile back at me

Crashed into a rack full of magazines

They asked us, if we could leave.

Can't remember, what went wrong last September

Though i'm sure you'd remind me, if you had to

Our love was, comfortable and

So broken in

I sleep with this new girl i'm still getting used to

My friends all approve, say 'Shes gonna be good for you'

They throw me, high fives

She says the bible is all that she reads

And prefers that I not use profanity

Your mouth was, so dirty

Life of the party

And she swears that she's artsy

But you could distinguish

Miles from Coltrane

Our love was, comfortable and

So broken in

She's perfect, so flawless

Or so they say, say

She thinks I can't see the smile that she's faking

And poses for pictures that aren't being taken

I loved you

Grey sweat pants, no makeup, so perfect

Our love was, comfortable and

So broken in

She's perfect, so flawless

I'm not impressed, I want you back.

3 Questions To A Guard On Parade

2006-08-11T20:32:00.000+08:00

Question 1: " Is your armpit wet?"

Question 2: " Does your crotch itch?"

Question 3: " How full is your bladder? Shooo shooo..."

The Twist

2006-08-10T21:04:00.000+08:00

I am currently nursing a twisted knee. Doesn't seem to be getting better but it's only been 2 1/2 weeks and on average it takes 4 -6 weeks to heal. My love affair with football has come to an end. Kinda like ditching a mistress after realizing things will never work out. Unlike Whitney Houston, I ain't saving all my love for you football. I have given you twisted ankles, strained calves, a broken leg & now a twisted knee in return for the fantasy and romance of playing the beautiful game. Thanks for the memories. Some of the goals over the years were really sweet. My 1 week recovery estimate after 'the twist' was denial at its finest. Elisabeth Kubler Ross would have had a good laugh at my quasi-lunacy, but I've more or less passed the 5th stage (acceptance) and it's down to the business of letting my God-given body fix itself; well at least I hope it will. It is times like these that I truly feel the authenticity of being mortal - flesh, bone and all. Fantastic but delicate our bodies are. Am tempted to go for a scan just to make sure I don't need surgery. Week 4 lah, I'll wait till week 4. By then I should have a clear idea if I am on the mend or something is seriously wrong *fingers-crossed*. Upper body swimming for the last couple of weeks has been fun and the strokes have improved, but what I miss is running & damn do I miss her badly.

The One Man Band

2006-08-09T11:56:00.000+08:00

What comes to your mind when you hear that someone is a 'one-man band'? Amazing, capable, multi-talented? Well, from the picture, being a one-man band looks rather silly. I think being good at ONE instrument with swanking confidence would be a better choice. Think Alicia Keys, John Mayer and Beyonce Knowles. Applying it to life, we should find something that we really like to do, be really good at it, complement others and let them complement us. Tiring this one-man band business looks.

Try-athlon

2006-08-07T23:38:00.000+08:00

As requested, Mr Lee - 1st July 2006 All I can say about the triathlon is that it is a kickass sport. No need for detailed descriptions - Just go try it (no pun intended). Swim, bike and run... and then you will know why people say you need talent to do this. Talent? Oh really? I use to think that only sports which involved controlling an object or the use of an implement really needed talent. How difficult can swimming, biking and running be? All that is needed for a triathlon is a relatively high threshold for pain and a healthy dose of insanity right? Well, if you are happy just being an annual funny bunny at such races, that would be enough. Otherwise no. The ability to swim, bike and run PROPERLY is so important to be good. Most people can do all three but to seamlessly weave it consecutively is both an art and a science in itself. When you watch the pros do it, it is poetry in motion. That being said, it was a good morning of fun with Mr Lee and Mr Chow (plus our race manager Mr Low, support crew of Mrs Low, Lee and Chow). However, the day belonged to Miss Wong, who singlehandedly showed us what one woman's determination can do to three male egos. She outswum, outrode and outran us on her first try gentlemen! If that is not enough motivation to go further the next time round, I do not know what is. <Picture by M. Chow>

The Word 'ADVICE'

2006-08-07T11:37:00.000+08:00

I have been teaching polytechnic students part-time for the last 18 months and the word ADVICE has often come into contention where its usage is concerned. At the end of the day, my students have to present their work to the class and it usually involves coming up with solutions or advice. The heading 'Advices to So & So ' keeps popping up and I have had to correct my students several times. Although I am not their English teacher and I only have to teach them Enterprise Skills, it really disturbs me that such fundamental grammatical errors are allowed to be made at their level. Has effective communication dispensed with proper grammar? According to them and their online dictionary, 'Advices' is the plural of Advice. SINCE WHEN pray tell?? Where I was schooled, ADVICE is a (collective) noun and ADVISE is a verb. You 1) Give/receive a piece of advice to/from so & so 2) Give/receive some advice to/from so & so 3) Advise so & so. I asked a group of students in my class last week if their English teachers in school ever pointed out such errors to them and made sure they were subsequently corrected and not repeated. The response I got from one outspoken boy was, "Mr Foo, their English is just as bad as ours lah, how they know how to correct?".

The Type Of (Super)Men Women Want

2006-08-05T02:20:00.000+08:00

1) 'He must sweep me off my feet' - SUPERMAN
2) 'He must be the strong silent type' - BATMAN
3) 'He must be a good listener' - DAREDEVIL
4) 'He must understand my thinking' - PROFESSOR X
5) 'He must be flexible' - MR FANTASTIC
6) 'His must know when to take control' - THE HULK
7) 'He must be good to hang-out with' - SPIDERMAN
8) 'He must be an animal when need be' - WOLVERINE
9) 'Looks are not important' - THE THING
10) 'Bitch!' - CATWOMAN

The Superpowers I Want

2006-08-05T02:14:00.000+08:00

1) Invisibility
2) X-ray vision & super hearing
3) Ability to read & control minds

I think I know myself a bit better now...

Dark Side Of The Moon

2006-08-05T01:41:00.000+08:00

The Russians took this picture in 1959.
It's supposedly the dark side of the moon.
Their camera must have had a huge-ass flash.
Interesting names they gave to the spots they found.
I can fathom & accept craters on the moon...
But seas?

Capturing Thoughts

2006-08-04T23:09:00.000+08:00

I started this blog months back after being taunted by a student of mine for being behind the times. A friend of mine recently asked me if I had a blog. My answer was, "Yes, in cold storage."; his reply went, "You probably have so much to say that you won't stop if you really start writing." Haha, quite true J, quite true. Plenty floats around in my mind and ever since JC, I've stopped writing regularly. P was a such a joy to correspond with. So hopefully I will resuscitate this habit of capturing thoughts in writing. Yes, capturing thoughts...

Five Jets Aflying

2006-08-04T22:30:00.000+08:00

Come August 9th, five jets aflying will mark the pride of Singapore
Come August 9th, five jets aflying may see more dying in Lebanon
Is waging a terror-ble war the way to win the war on terror?
Is the blood of the innocent worth so little today?
Where have all the wise men gone?
Where on God's good earth will you be come August 9th?

Me In Mono

2006-06-21T15:48:00.000+08:00

Me in monochrome, digitally shot & thresheld for effect

Champions No More

2006-03-11T23:22:00.000+08:00

12 months ago, we were doing exactly what Benfica did - dumfounding europe with a seemingly ridiculous ability to kill off the juggernauts of Champions' League football; 12 months down the road, the 5-stars above the Liverbird seem insignificant in the wake of being dumped out of europe in such embarassing fashion. To put it simply, WE SUCKED. Yes, we had countless missed chances, hit the post twice and slammed the side-netting once. If, if, if... enough of them 'ifs'! We now know that we really have serious problems with ALL our strikers, but what was more worrying was the fact that the desire to win the game was non-existent. Gone was the gung-ho 'all or nothing' gusto of last season and what replaced it was a collectively psyche of expecting the tactical plan to win the game for the team. This was a night where a bit more heart than head was needed when it mattered. With a misfiring front line and a 3-goal deficit to make good, not many would have blamed the team if they chose to adopt a more cavalier approach moving forward. The irony was that we kept too good a shape, a shape that Benfica figured out quickly and were more than happy to defend against because it hardly changed and our predictability cushioned their game plan nicely, so very nicely. Sigh. Well, the post-mortem can go on and on, and I can go on and on where Liverpool is concerned but incriminations aside, it's time to really sober up to the reality that Liverpool FC is still a team in transit; work still in progress. The Istanbul fairy has officially left the building ladies and gentlemen! What lies ahead is undeniably hard, back-breaking work for Rafa & Co. to bag the ultimate prize that all associated with the club really, really, really want to see - Liverpool FC's 19th league title.