This Week In Controversy

Just when you thought that the photogate, which mesmerized and provided daily fodder for the better part of early 2008, is over and life is boring again, Cecilia Cheung hit you with a 300 pound interview that promises the controversy to live on. Probably infuriated or at least disturbed by Chen's latest publicity tour or so called trial in Canada and his incessant pleads to the media to let the girls stand up again, Cheung finally speaks up. With a touch of make-up, slicked back hair, and a black and white checkered pillow-collared sweat shirt that not only makes her look good but also promises a good sleep in any cross Atlantic flight, Cheung basically calls Edison Chen a hypocrite and questions his new found Christian faith. As expected there are moments of choked-ups and tears. And over all, Cheung comes across as strong, responsible and above all just another ordinary Hong Kong girl who can't quite pronounce the word "I" correctly. She has a loving husband and families that stand by her during the most trying time of hers. Instead of blaming on Chen and the media, she owns up her mistakes and emphasizes it was never the fault of the media but only Chen and hers. (Which is in sharp contrast to a certain Ngai and Chow couple who issued the stupidest press releases to blame the gutter press and everybody else for their pathetic existence.) The media are going to love Cheung even more and for good reasons.

If for some reason you think Cecilia Cheung or the photogate is so passe so 2008 and so vulgar, then perhaps another Cheung (or Chang), that is Eileen Chang may capture your elitist imagination. Chang who died in 1995 never leaves the minds of her fans death or alive. Her private secluded life and ultimate death only add to her allure. Her novel named Little Reunion which was completed in 1976 finally got published in 2009, thirty three years after its completion and fourteen years after her death. The publication, to some, is not meant to happen, as her will* stated that "Little Reunion" is to be destroyed. As a blogger, that's the irresponsible kind, I have not sourced any evidence except other blog posts like from Chang's estate administrator Roland Soong's. My opinion as a reader is let's publish it. I believe Chang would like to see it published too. I can't imagine doing otherwise, that's, a major work by one of the most popular if not greatest modern Chinese writers got destroyed per her will. Plus I think her works acquire the kind of importance that they basically have a life of their own and in some way, most likely not legal, they really belong to the public. To destroy Little Reunion is unthinkable.

*updated 3/2, further blog reading suggests that wasn't actually in her will, so who knows.

Update 3/20, Roland Soong updated his blog with the Chang's "Last Will And Testament" which made no mention of destroying "Little Reunion." People want to believe what they want to believe. From day one, I think to destroy "Little Reunion" is unthinkable.

Chinese Gourmet Takeout

The gourmet part is a stretch but I like to exaggerate. Sometimes we order take out or take away from them. I think they might have changed owners. The food has been reasonably good. I couldn't find their old menu so I looked it up online and found their website which is actually better than a lot of websites out there. It has three JPEGs showing the special, the menu in both English and in Chinese. Simple and effective. The food should be here in fifteen minutes or so.

Free At Last

Got to Go.

My 16 Things About Photography

1. As a kid, I enjoyed making faces when being photographed, by a family friend who shot with a TLR.

2. My family's first camera was probably an Agfa. It came with a beach carry-all bag. Beach and camera that was the idea.

3. I bought a Ricoh SLR in middle school. I don't know where it is now. I was inspired by an Uncle Ng in middle school. It's all his fault.

4. I bought a Nikon FE with a 50mm f1.4 later before me and my friends took a trip to Beijing by train. I still use it. Over the years, I bought a 35~105mm f3.5~4.5, 24mm f2, and a MD-12 motor drive.

5. I used it in a college photography class. My professor was frankly impressed with my knowledge in anything photography. She was good. I knew everything I needed to know about photography already except the darkroom bit. That was my ego talking. My friend ghorse and most other people know much more than me. I am just too lazy.

6. The camera survived a car crash on Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. I got the camera and lens fixed in HK, thanks to my brother. The lens was left with a big scar on the barrel but works just as smooth.

7 With passive aggressive tactics, I broke down my wife to finally buy me a Nikon F5.

8. I did not even use it with an AF lens until much later.

9. Basically I used my F5 like once a year during Christmas and New Year times. Now I don't even actually use it.

10. I bought a Coolpix 990 together with a fish eye add-on.

11. I broke it or it died on me. Anyway it's gone for good.

12. Then I got a Canon G3, I still use it.

13. Then I got my Nikon D70, Nikon's major success in the pro-sumer DSLR space. I think it's very nice even to this day except "excessive" noise in shadow area by today's standard.

14. I can't keep up with this digital revolution.

15. I am all behind in Photoshop and whatever editing skills essential.

16. I bought a Yashica Mat-124 G and started in earnest in medium format. OKAY, not so earnest.

17. Then I got myself a Hasselblad 500C/M with the 80mm lens. It isn't perfect but it works.

18. I admire photojournalists especially war time photographers. They are crazy people who are ready to die on their job. I think women dig them too.

19. I got "published" once. It wasn't a big deal at all, it was just some reader's submission. I think the publication sent me some voucher, I put it inside a desk drawer otherwise known as the mess and somehow it just got lost.

20. The award winning picture was a picture of my friend at the Hong Kong tram station next to a mirror column showing him and his reflection. The editor was impressed how steady my hand was given that it was hand-held at a slow shutter speed. But he missed my point totally: the duality and twisted personality of my friend.

21. That was it. I had reached the pinnacle of my photographic Everest. From that point on, everything went downhill.

22. Pictures look better with me behind the camera. Not because of my aesthetics or technique because I wasn't in the picture.

23. I know my pictures are boring.

24. I mess up all the time.

25. I thought I loaded up my Yashica Mat-124 G, but I didn't. So I have been pretending shooting around town for the past few days.

Inspired by Michelle (not the mess up parts)

State Of The Union Address

Basically it's uplifting. Nancy Pelosi is the biggest and probably the oldest cheerleader in Congress. She pretty much stood and applauded on every line Obama delivered. But I don't hold it against her, the President did what he does best: talking big. The problem is can he deliver? Or do all the plans work? Or more importantly, do I benefit? Personally I want a stimulus plan for myself too, like a plan to redo my kitchen with a Viking range and a Sub-zero fridge.

I am surprised a lot of folks were asking for the President's autograph as he found his way out of the chamber after the speech. I fully expect to see his autograph on ebay now as the economy is so bad members of the Congress will no doubt have to auction off his autograph. I was thrilled to see Clarence Thomas who was famous, allegedly, for accusing someone putting pubic hair on his can of coke; perhaps his most enduring legacy, that's all I can remember of him, which sadly speaks volumes what a person I really am.

The Republican response or rebuttal or prepared speech as delivered by Louisiana's Bobby Jindal could not be more freaky. I mean not the content per se but the guy's persona as coming through the TV. I wouldn't be comfortable sitting with the guy in the same room, not that it's going to happen ever.

Affordable And Reliable Gas Range

I am just wondering what's the most reliable stand alone gas range and oven out there that's somewhat affordable and last a lifetime if you so choose. What I have now is a gas standalone oven with a 4-head range stove top and does a reasonable good job. I never ever need to service that except the two front burners don't light up that well and very rarely the pilot lights may go out. Other than that it has been faultless. What I am afraid of the new ones are they won't last a year without sinking in a boatload of time and money for parts and repairs. I am willing to blow away like $1,000 max with tax and installation just to help the American economy.

Miscellaneous Rip Off From The NYT

While your money continues to burn, the economy on life support, and the stock market brought us back to 1997 level, the rich and famous were spending a record of $264 million on the first day of Yves Saint Laurent's posthumous garage sale. All those artifacts from the past were selling at record breaking prices so far, with the exception of a Picasso. So the rich are still insanely rich and immune to this god awful economic downturn. Just don't expect to find a $49.99 polo shirt at the garage sale. I read somewhere long time ago that some guy admires Mr. Saint Laurent for his eponymous YSL polo shirt, I guess Mr. Saint Laurent would be flattered . . . or rolling in his grave should he learn that he was remembered for some polo shirt made by franchisees. One of the more interesting reportage from the hyperlinked article is that Mr. Saint Laurent's long time partner Mr. Berge, at 79, clearly spoke his mind when he refused to hand back two of the controversial artifacts to China acquired through legitimate purchases but were originally looted from China. When you are that independently well-off and at that age, I guess he can afford to speak his mind without fear, unlike Christie, the auction house that orchestrates the auction.

Random Movie Review

In a bid to save the economy only an American knows how to, I consumed. I descended to Circuit City like a predator looking for preys and finally made two big ticket kills or purchases, that's for 2 DVDs originally selling for $24.99 and $21.99, now after 50% off, they were miraculously and mercifully sold for $11 each. Surprise. They are Indiana Jones, Kingdom of Crystal Skull and Wanted. I honestly don't know which one is worst. Perhaps Crystal Skull I think. I actually have no problem of it "nuking the fridge." I mean it's a fantasy movie after all. The bigger problem is the story taken as a whole just lacks momentum, it's like who cares. Maybe I have grown up and the franchise hasn't. I remember I was unbelivabley entertained by the first one when it first came out in 1981. I thought Gee, this movie is genre defying, it has everything, minus the porn. As a kid I was really seriously fascinated by the movie magic that was Spielberg and Lucas, there were just so many memorable scenes. By comparison, the Crystal Skull is just underwhelming and destined to be remembered as the worst one of the trilogy.

I remember I also enjoyed The Matrix tremendously but that was light years ago. With Wanted, you got bullets that can curve instead of dodging bullets. So there is hardly anything new except the patricide bit. But that isn't really a great plot twist anyway. Basically it's just another movie to showcase Angelina Jolie's well endowed (or overdeveloped) lips and breasts. James McAvoy is a looker and does a decent job as would be assassin Wesley Gibson. But overall it's just an average action movie with a sophomoric philosophical message like what have you done with your boring life that kind of existential silly question only a 17 year old pimple face can ask.

Seriously, I think I should give up on action movies. Just stick to dramas.

Oscar

Fashion Week New York done. Oscar Award done. What happened to Brangelina? Well, it's official now, the Academy doesn't like Brangelina. Ben Button didn't get no love despite it has like a thousand nominations breaking all records or something. I have been living under a rock, I have not seen any one of the award winning movies, at all.

Ritz Losing Its Glitz

Going Strong! Like How?

Ritz is losing its glitz. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, the company is filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. What a way to celebrate. The company is owing Nikon some 26.6 millions, wow, that's a lot of Nikon D3X there. Personally I have never shopped at any one of their stores, online or not.

As reported by bizjournals.com and pdnonline.com.

Ubuntu And Flash Finally Work Together

This has been long plaguing my system from day one. In the beginning when it was at its very worst, it could actually bring down the browser, yes, the plugin actually brought down the browser. Then things got a bit better since Firefox 3 and Flash 9 onward, only the plugin went crazy, like totally gobbled audio, without bringing down the browser. But still, almost all web sites unfortunately use some form of Flash to pretty up themselves, sometimes to make up for lack of contents. So without a working Flash plugin, my Linux box is greatly handicapped. That's until today when I got some time in hand and did another search to solve this issue. Some of the resolutions, you just knew are basically mid wife's tale with no technical sophistication or merit like you call the help desk, the guy on the other end keeps telling you it's your fault or you have been playing with the computer and his sole resolution is to ask you to reboot the machine a hundred times.

OKAY enough of my bull. Here is the real McCoy for fixing this perennial problem.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=4928900 Apparently it has something to do with PulseAudio. "Apparently" that is after 20/20 hindsight. psyke83 is a genius and he or she is from Ireland. I just followed the instructions and now I can play all the Youtube video without problems. There are still great people out there.

A Couple of Pictures

Two photographs taken some time ago. The pictures have certain poignancy that I like.

Random Musing

I like to waste time on my own term not dictated by somebody else like in the Post Office. I was waiting in one post office and the line was moving at a glacial speed pre-global warming. I couldn't stand it. I have absolutely no patience for any line poorly organized. People waited at the wrong line because of poor direction on the part of the post office, people couldn't fill out any form correctly because they are just too dumb. I just walked out and drove another 15~20 minutes to another post office where things were much better, like the line was actually moving and there weren't any crazy people there except me. Overall the time I spent to get the things I needed done might be the same if I were to wait in the first post office but I like to waste time on my own term.

Valentine's Day

To all the singletons out there, congratulations.  Because you don't have to feel pressured to do anything to express your love to anybody in any god awful way as crass merchants intended to.   You don't have to act like an absolute idiot to buy a big bouquet of flowers so your loved one doesn't feel like she is being left out.  You don't have to spend a night at some restaurant where you can't pronounce the names of its entrees, at least not correctly.  You can just go to see whatever movie you like all by yourself, with like-minded people around in a theater or in the comfort of your abode of course, without compromising your viewing pleasure and artistic integrity.  Go check out Friday the 13th and Gomorra because these are the movies a man should watch not some chick flicks.  Friday the 13th is probably shitty but that's what a man needs.

However if you must celebrate Valentine's Day, keep it simple.  I mean let's get back to the true meaning of the Day (like as if I really know what it's about) ....

Valentine's Day

New York Fashion Week

Random Picture

Stimulus Package

Obama's fledgling administration wants to make sure that we got sufficiently stimulated with this giant package of $1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 billion dollars. I can't wait to get seriously overly stimulated.

Timmy got off on the wrong foot when he made his debut yesterday. And Wall Street hated him. With hatred, they accused the back tax payer is a man without a plan. Wall Street needs a life line, a good detailed rescue plan. Lacking such a plan, the Dow nose dived 2,000 points. Let's see what's going to happen tomorrow.

The Elephant

Aravind Adiga is at it again. Same place, very similar story, it almost reads like a prequel to its much acclaimed and award winning debut The White Tiger. The protagonist Chenayya in The Elephant is a cart puller who seems just like the father of Balram Halwai in The White Tiger. The story has the obligatory man shitting in the open, and to top it off, it has a plum prostitute doing her trade in the open got smeared with cow dung, so bad that the dung got all over her face and into her mouth. So Adiga has a fondness to use animal names as his book or novel titles. I surmise the title The Elephant is an allusion to the stupendous injustice in India.

The Elephant is full of youthful angst and indignation. Just like The White Tiger, except it's much shorter. It appears in The New Yorker.

Wozniak Can Dance

Steve Wozniak is going to be on Dancing With The Stars. Woo hoo.

via Macrumors.

情人

Weekend Shopping.

Like a vulture preying on the dying and the dead, I descended on a Circuit City store hoping to find something I don't need but want at a bargain basement price. Was there any Blu-Ray players left, no. There were still racks and racks of DVDs and CDs. But they were hardly selling at a bargain even factoring in the 30% off store closing discount. A Dark Knight single disc was selling at more than $21, so at 30% off, it's almost $15. I can easily get the same price from Amazon though I couldn't get instant gratification. Then they had the cameras. I was able to find a Canon G10 on display. I played with it a bit. Despite the mixed reviews on noise and whatnot, I thought the camera is really well-built. It feels very solid and you feel like you can shoot with the thing--no battery couldn't test. But the sales person told me the model was sold out. I wonder if they would sell the floor model and at what price. A spanking new model is fetching around $417 (or $419) from a store in NJ. I ended up buying nothing from them. Perhaps next week they would have 70% off, that would be the time to buy.

Good Morning

I can hear some birds chirping outside in the morning. Can Spring be too far away?

Journey

My mom turned the knob on the electric fan to zero. The fan slowly stopped oscillating and then the four green blades came to a full stop in their quiet majestic way. She picked up one of the white jade magnolia flower buds from the shallow dish and dabbed it behind her ears before pinning it down on the fold of her blouse. I swore I could smell her starched sun dried outfit despite the haunting smell of the magnolia. We were ready to go to the market.

Outside, the sky was cloudless, the mid summer sun was burning and the air was blazingly hot. The flower bud on my mom just bloomed a little when she stepped outside under the sun. Or it was just my imagination. The mud road was cracked and I could almost feel the punishing heat under my slippers. Mom opened her umbrella and tried to pull me under the shade as we walked. Whenever we went to the market, mom would say if I listened to her I would get a soda of my choosing. Invariably I listened to her because she usually said nothing.

We stopped at Fat Kee store on the road side. Inside Fat Kee, there was a table of old people playing mahjong, sipping tea and smoking, just like every other day. With the slow moving overhead fan, the smell of burning tobacco just permeated the entire store. The store keeper was a woman in her fifties, always immaculately dressed. Every time I went to the store she always asked me the same set of questions, how old was I, how did I do at school, and was I a good boy. She gave me a big hug when she saw me and asked me the same questions again. I was painfully shy, even at the urge of my mom, I did not say a single word back to her, just like usual. She picked me up to slide the refrigerator door open. I dipped my hand into the cold water and picked up a Waton's Cola. Sometimes I picked a Green Spot because I knew my mom preferred me to have Green Spot which she thought was healthier. She was probably right, but I liked the fizz of the cola. My mom took a few sips from the bottle and gestured me to take a look at the TV screen. I just witnessed the moon landing on TV. This historical event would have no bearing on my everyday life at all. Except the crass merchants got caught up with this space fever. Months later, my mom bought me a "space jacket"--a puffy parka with a nylon shell and a pair of baby blue "atomic pants"--form fitting leggings like trousers. I wore this ghastly ill fitting outfit to a wedding banquet and I was scarred for life.

It was the Watson's Cola. Before long I needed to relieve myself. We were next to a couple of fish ponds. As usual I said excuse me and my mom said that with me while I was doing my deed on the roadside next to the ponds. I looked up to the sky, the sun was still burning, blinding my eyes.

******

The operating room was frigid, he was shirtless, his teeth clattered uncontrollably. The light above him was so bright that he could hardly see anybody.

He felt strong arms were holding down his feet. But he was calm, his teeth slowly stopped clattering, the tranquilizer was kicking in.

"Mr. Chan. I am sorry, we have to shock you. You are having an arrthythmia."

As he laid there dying, he could only think of the sweet scent of the white jade magnolia flower.

------------

Topic by Stone Ip (Update: I tried leaving a link there twice and a mere comment there once. They all disappered without a trace. His page hated me with a passion.)

And the usual suspects.

MidWeek In Review

Even the New York Times got into this 25 Random thingy. When the Times reported on this, you know the thing is coming to an end soon. So I am glad I was part of this cultural phenomenon or fad. That was the very first time I participated in this kind of modern day chain letter, usually I just filed those chain letters to my garbage. But I took an exception probably that has something to do with the sender and part of it was because it was non threatening--it didn't say if you don't compile then calamities will strike you and your family, that would have pissed me off right away. Anyway for whatever reason, I compiled and did it right away.

The Madoff Ponzi scheme which lost $50 billion is garnering more attention every day. Markopolos, the private securities fraud investigator and star witness to the Congressional hearing, details how basically the SEC is non-functioning and lacks the expertise to investigate securities fraud despite tips presented by Markopolos years before Madoff finally got arrested last year. Markopolos expressed fear for his own life during his investigation on Madoff. I think this is just another example of what a magnificent failure the SEC is. But as far as the Madoff case goes, most of the victims are billionaires to begin with so losing a few millions here and there, they are still multi-millionaires by and large. I really don't worry about their well-being. But of course, Congress being Congress, powerful victims got to be taken of, they got to take care of one another. I think after this financial shitstorm, we are going to have more BS regulations that make the lives of the rank and file more difficult.

Book Review

Lame-O Book Review where you find book reviews at their lamest.  Presented by yours truly with warts and all.

Animal Farm:  I read it when I was in junior high school perhaps.  I couldn't remember half of it.  So I felt like I need to read it again.  I think Molly is an interesting character, all she cares about is her ribbon and sugar.  Who cares about revolution if it takes away my ribbon and sugar.  Molly is the every man.

1984.  Since I read Animal Farm, might as well read 1984.  The middle got a bit long winded when Orwell talked about Oceania and the wars and what Newspeak is.  It's bit complicated but overall I really like how he puts things together.  The story is depressing with a capital D and very intelligent and cerebral.

The Road.  You think there is something going on on the next page, no there isn't.  It's page after page after page of despairs and hungers.  This is just post-apocalyptic at its very worse.  If you've already felt like to kill yourself then don't read it.

Australian Open

The Australian Open came to an end on Sunday. I didn't see the final live and heard the result from radio even before I saw it on TV. But it really didn't hamper my enjoyment of the match, not that much. I couldn't possibly ask for a better final, a re-match between Federer and Nadal, two of the best players around.

Nadal beat Federer in a five set match that wasn't as good as the Wimbledon final but no less entrancing, at least from the perspective of Nadal who beat Federer in both occassions. The Spaniard robbed Federer of tying Pete Sampras 14 Grand Slam titles. Nadal coming in after a 5 set and 100 hours victory against fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, he still looked terribly and terrifyingly fit (Verdasco probably would have won the match if he didn't care too much his hair standing up nice, he never towelled off his oh so styled hair, he cared his hair more than winning the match I suppose.). Federer, dejected and couldn't hold back his disappointments, just sobbed in front of the audience during the Championship Trophy ceremony. But he gathered himself shortly and spoke before Nadal so as not to have the "last word" at the podium. Nadal, always a gentleman, in the cermony, still addressed Federer as the best player ever even he keeps on beating him. I meant that was not only great tennis but great sportsmanship on display. Both men display tremendous talents and grace on and off the court which we come not to expect from most sports nowadays.

25 random things about me

Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 24 people to be tagged, plus the person that tagged you (for a total of 25 people tagged in your note). If I tagged you, it's because I think it would be great to know more about you.

To do this, go to "Write Note" on your profile page; paste these instructions in the body of the note; type your 25 random things; tag 25 people by clicking "More Options" at the bottom of the note and fill in the "In This Note" field... then click "Post."

1)  Married

2) Have two boys.

3) I don't shave too often, maybe once a month or so.  Never liked electric shavers.  Always wet shave or no shave.

4) I wear eyeglasses.  I am long sighted in addition to short sighted and having astimatism (read: I am OLD)

5) One of my photographs actually got published in Hong Kong.

6) One of my drawings actually got published in Hong Kong.

7) Both 5 and 6 happened when I was young.  Everything went downhill after I turned 12 or so.

8) Last real book I read "1984."

9) Owned an iBook G3 and thought I was thinking different and cool.  Then it died on me after one year, logic board failure or some shit, got it repaired, then died again.

10) I pay about $7 ~10 for my haircut.  I don't use conditioner.  I don't wash my hair every day, maybe twice a week.  I don't use any hair products except shampoo and a comb.  I don't go to a stylist, I go to a barber.

11) I do shower every day.

12) And change my underwear every day.

13) I wear the same  jeans just about every day and wash them about once a week.

14) I wear size 42 (not my pants size yet, jacket size)

15) I own two Schott 141.

16) I wear Blundstone 550 every day.

17) I like to sharpen my knives.  I like kitchen knives and pans.  They are expensive so I only bought a few like many years ago.  They were honestly made and last forever.

18) I want to buy a Dovo straight razor.

19) I have less than five friends on Facebook.  And one I don't even know personally.

20) I don't IM

21) I don't Photoshop because I don't know how to.  Photoshop is for people who make $300 an hour.

22) I want to get an enlarger to print my own black and white one of these days.

23) I pay $9.75 to develop, proof and scan my 120 films.

24) Using expensive cameras and lenses give me confidence.  I don't have too much confidence.

25) I bought my FE and 50mm f1.4 when I went to Beijing many many years ago.

PS:  the above are pretty random and I try not to censor as best as I can.  I selectively follow the rules.

Originated from Reservation under C&C