A Gonzo Journal

Making Up For Lost Time Is Exhausting

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:28:35 +0000

This weekend, I returned home for a short break.

However, it was a mad dash to catch up with my life away from work. The day would begin at 8am with me rushing to have breakfast with my immediate family, followed by driving in a hurry to meet up with contractors to check the status of my house renovations and then visiting furniture stores to finalize things like mirrors, fixtures, wallpapers etc.

It’s like I’m making up for lost time. I would make dates with my old grandparents to have dinner with them and they would beam because hey-would-you-belive-it, it’s the return of the prodigal son.

It’s coming to the point where I’m glad to be going back to China, where at least weekends can be spent lazing in bed.

FML it’s only Friday

Cowboy Caleb — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:30:56 +0000

How fucking sad is my life?

I’m in the Hong Kong International Airport. Have been since 9.30am today for a 1.30pm flight back to Singapore. Instead of going shopping for birthday gifts for my brother and mother, I’m chained to a desk in the lounge because I have to WORK at sending emails and making phone calls.

Going back to Singapore on short home trips is incredibly stressful because it disrupts my work in China.

FML

Drunk, Literally

Cowboy Caleb — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:58:19 +0000

Power.

Power corrupts. There is no doubt now. Faced with a plethora of god-like powers, Zeus is resisting the urge to do bad things like punishing those who displeased him in the past and rewarding his sycophants.

It also creates a lot of stress. When each decision is made, Zeus wonders how people are perceiving him. Is his decision a short-term or a long-term solution? Is it a popular or unpopular decision?

And so Zeus drinks. A lot. Bottles and bottles of hard liquor hardens both his soul as well as his liver. The lines on his face grow more defined and the eye bags get darker. His face is coated in an unhealthy yellow pale sheen.

Power corrupts you. Both inside and out.

Power.

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing.

Twitter, Internet play a key role in China’s latest bout of ethnic unrest

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:27:27 +0000

Since the outburst in the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi, the Chinese government has blocked Twitter and Facebook, scrubbed news sites, unplugged the Internet entirely in some places and slowed it and cell phone service to a crawl in others to stifle reports about the violence — and get its own message out that authorities are in control.

What stuntmen think are the best stunt films of all time.

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:56:48 +0000

What stuntmen think are the best stunt films of all time.

National Library Board of Singapore’s Digital Media Collection

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:31:12 +0000

This just in from Preetamrai via twitter

With OverDrive Media Console v3.2 for Windows®, most audiobooks can now be transferred to the iPhone™ and the iPod®! In just a few clicks, send audiobooks to your Windows-formatted iPod using the built-in Transfer Wizard! The ‘Plays on’ icons at this site indicate whether titles are compatible with Apple® devices.

My respect for the NLB grows by leaps and bounds. Check this shite out!!

They’ve got ebooks and audio books available - online. Your tax dollars are being used well.

OMG!!!!!!!!

link

4chan may be behind attack on Twitter

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:53:46 +0000

4chan may be behind attack on Twitter - a huge influx of fake accounts on Sunday, pushing the NSFW trending topic, #gorillapenis, all the way to the top of the list. Popular image board 4chan /b/, along with other various sites, appears to be behind this latest raid on Twitter.

Frankly, We Couldn’t Care Less But We’d Rather You Stay Away From Our Little Hive Of Scum & Villainy

Cowboy Caleb — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:15:11 +0000

An incident happened, which is both ridiculous and sad.

Why my rather thoughtless comment created a maelstrom which soon I get sucked for I really have no idea. I can’t help but feel I was picked on and singled out, after I was subsequently told by a friend that the entire group of them were already acquainted with one another from the already notorious Cowboy Bar – an online wretched hive of scum and villainy.

The question posed on Plurk was simple - “You see a man and woman arguing on the street, and the guy starts grabbing the girl and shaking her around. Step in / don’t step in?”. Your response to “not step in” obviously exposed your lack of civic consciousness and also maleness. Did you expect any less?

And then you go and write a long rant about why you are right , citing reasons like “the girl could be a prostitute” and how Singaporeans are all simple-minded biased sheep.

Worst of all, you decide that everybody against you are part of a group called “The Cowboy Bar” which you deem “an online wretched hive of scum and villainy”.

So in summary, when your opinions are not accepted with glee, then basically everybody is against you and you feel the need to blog about it to vindicate yourself. Also, you need to insult them.

Geez! Checkout the maturity of this dude

We feel sorry for you and your superiority complex.

EVE Online Banker Embezzles To Cover Kid’s Medical Bills

Cowboy Caleb — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:15:16 +0000

EVE Online Banker Embezzles To Cover Kid’s Medical Bills - it’s great to wake up on a Sunday and read shite like this.

This Cannot Be Explained

Cowboy Caleb — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:37:56 +0000

This Cannot Be Explained - there is no hope for blonde women

“Centrepoint Kids” is a term used to describe the social phenomenon of groups of youths who used to hang out at shopping complexes in Singapore during the mid 1980s.

Cowboy Caleb — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:15:05 +0000

“Centrepoint Kids” is a term used to describe the social phenomenon of groups of youths who used to hang out at shopping complexes in Singapore during the mid 1980s. Other similar moral panics that have appeared in the Singapore media includes the McDonald Kids (early 1980s), the Marina Square kids (early 1990s), the Far East Plaza Kids (1980-3 and re-lapse again in mid 1990s) and Daimaru Kids (1983-6).

Hello to @SingaBeng

Cowboy Caleb — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:08:18 +0000

I really like @singabeng who tweets under the twitter nick “Singa Courtesy Lion” and is a self-described “Guai Lan Courtesy Lion” (more about that on Wikipedia)

Some examples of recent tweets:

You all today got call your mother anot?

Say thank you or I beat you.

(NSFW) If you’re a Seinfeld fan, don’t click here

Cowboy Caleb — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:51:06 +0000

(NSFW) If you’re a Seinfeld fan, don’t click here

Watching This Singaporean Twitterer Flick Her Hair Has Healing Properties

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:48:53 +0000

Watching This Singaporean Twitterer Flick Her Hair Has Healing Properties. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Quick get it before she realizes what I’ve done and takes it down.

Walter Robot has directed a new music promo for Death Cab for Cutie.

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:47:14 +0000

Walter Robot has directed a new music promo for Death Cab for Cutie.

The Coolest University Website EVARRRRR

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:37:33 +0000

The Coolest University Website EVARRRRR

Expect Massive Layoff At Malaysian Companies

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:18:00 +0000

The Malaysian government has announced that the 30% bumiputra quota (read: Malay) requirement for companies seeking to list on the Malaysian Stock Exchange has been done away with under an overhaul of the Government’s economic policies.

Do you know what this means?

Any company listed on the stock exchange is probably now exploring the possibility of retrenching 30% of their employees.

There really is no reason to retain their headcount now, is there?

I know this is mean, but wtf hahahahahahhahahahhahaa.

link

(NSFW): Nude Air New Zealand Flight Attendant Ad Hopes to Boost Sales

Cowboy Caleb — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:03:42 +0000

(NSFW): Nude Air New Zealand Flight Attendant Ad Hopes to Boost Sales - I don’t think this will work. Maybe they should dress up (cosplay!) like elves and hobbits instead?

Is Oral Sex Good for Your Fetus?

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:05:31 +0000

Is Oral Sex Good for Your Fetus? There is no hope for the human race.

PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO BECOME A MERMAID! PLEASE!!!!!!!

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:03:58 +0000

PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO BECOME A MERMAID! PLEASE!!!!!!!

Michael Jackson and the Zombieconomy

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:19:30 +0000

Michael Jackson and the Zombieconomy - If the world’s biggest pop star only made $25 million a year in total, something’s very, very wrong. Where’s the rest of the money? Why can’t a resource as scarce as the King of Pop capture more value?

50 Books For Our Times

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:20:59 +0000

50 Books For Our Times
What to Read Now. And Why - The fact is, no one needs another best-of list telling you how great The Great Gatsby is. What we do need, in a world with precious little time to read (and think), is to know which books—new or old, fiction or nonfiction—open a window on the times we live in, whether they deal directly with the issues of today or simply help us see ourselves in new and surprising ways.

The Board Game No One Wants to Play More Than Once

Cowboy Caleb — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:58:26 +0000

The Board Game No One Wants to Play More Than Once (unless of course, you’re a Nazi)

(NSFW): Silly China University Schoolboy Graduation Photos

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:42:49 +0000

(NSFW): Silly China University Schoolboy Graduation Photos - MINE EYES, THEY’RE BLIND. AIIEEEEEEE. DAMN YOU!!!!

ARE OUR CHILDREN OLD ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE HOOTERS EXPERIENCE?

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:27:26 +0000

ARE OUR CHILDREN OLD ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE HOOTERS EXPERIENCE?

Did you ever wonder how Fall Out Boy would sound, if they already made music 30 years ago?

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:49:56 +0000

Did you ever wonder how Fall Out Boy would sound, if they already made music 30 years ago?

How Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, and Harry Potter are Actually the Same Movie

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:52:19 +0000

Hold On, I’ve Seen This Before: How Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, and Harry Potter are Actually the Same Movie

Cowboy Caleb Reviews The HTC Magic Phone

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:39:45 +0000

Nuffnang kindly asked me to review the HTC Magic mobile which has been touted as an alternative to the Apple iPhone because it sports the Google Android Operating system. So here goes, and note that my usual phone is a Blackberry.

The general feel
The phone feels solid, and it is thin. Much thinner than the iPhone so it’s more lady-like in that sense. There is no keypad, but the onscreen keyboard feels great on the touchscreen. SMS’s were very very easy to send!

The Android Operating System
The HTC Magic is powered by the Android operating system, which was created by Google. The user interface is pretty amazing. Flicking the screen with your fingers allows you to move and navigate fluidly. The applications are always easy to access. And there’s the Android Market, which is like the Apple App Store, but more user-friendly with plenty of free things to download and explore. The shelves in the Android Market are quite full and most of them are very useful.

Google Internet Services
Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps etc are also present on the HTC Magic, but they feel… much more tightly integrated into the phone. Maybe because everything comes from Google?

For the busy execs
As with most busy people, mobile phones these days are being increasingly used for emails. Don’t worry because you’ll have 3G, HSPDA and also Wi-fi with this mobile. The HTC Magic also handles word, excel, pdf’s just fine so don’t worry about not being able to read anything you receive. And the internet browser included will allow you to surf all websites with no problem at all. In fact, I think the internet browser on the HTC Magic is better than the one on the iPhone!

Trackball
The HTC Magic has a very useful trackball that alerts you when you have a SMS or a missed call by lighting up. The trackball also allows you to view the web page easily by pressing on the trackball twice. The web page zooms out to fit the height of the screen and the magnifying window appears. A very nice touch methinks.

Locking/Unlocking
The phone allows you to customize your own pin using a pattern instead of just numbers. Very very ingenious.

Viewing & Recording Media
A 3.2 megapixel camera will allow you to take great-looking photos and record videos. Don’t worry about running out of space because there’s a microSD card slot on the phone.

Battery Life
The HTC Magic got me through an entire day of constant calls and several 2 hour long conference calls before I had to recharge it. Impressive is you take into the account all the whiz and bangs that is already running on the phone.

Conclusion
The HTC Magic is a light and slim phone with great productivity and connectivity. I had great fun reviewing it. The Android operating system certainly is polished, and I’m seriously thinking of switching over to it soon.

Look out for the 3 HTC trolleys this weekend at Suntec City from 1 - 7pm and next weekend at Orchard Road from 1 - 7pm.

Ask for a demo of the new HTC Magic, experience the various applications that you can download from the Android Market and stand a chance to win the HTC Magic too!

There will be magic performances by the magician Azim to promote the HTC Magic!

[click to enlarge]

Taken

Cowboy Caleb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:50:16 +0000

Bored of being enclosed in the safe haven of my hotel room, I went out for a spot of sight-seeing. There are large tracts of shops nearby which I’ve never ventured to, so I headed there.

Therein lies my mistake. The areas I walked to were rather poor, being mainly populated by the hardworking folk that make up the bulk of the labour in the nearby factories. The correct term to describe the place might be ’slums’.

To make a long story short, when I got back, I found that the plastic bag I was holding had been slashed with a knife. My mobile phone which was inside the bag was now missing.

I’m not upset or anything, in fact I’m rather calm. I know I still look like a foreigner in China, and that makes me a target. I’m not going to go out walking in those poorer areas of the city in the future.

Update:
This is fantastic. NOBODY CAN CALL ME BWAAHHAHAHAHA. I’m having a great morning in the office!

Michael Jackson’s fateful prediction just a week before his death

Cowboy Caleb — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:33:50 +0000

‘I’m better off dead. I’m done’: Michael Jackson’s fateful prediction just a week before his death