My Favourite Album of 2006....

This year was a flurry of new releases from all my favourite bands. Iron Maiden finally stick with Bruce Dickinson as vocalist, and get this they're the only band with 3 guitarist - Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers, with Steve Harris still their bassists and Nicko McBrain still the crazy drummer. This is the same line-up eversince Killers, Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind... oh man they are my heroes for all time! Give me 5 secs of any song intro and I can name you the title.

Another new album release, which I had anticipated always is Gamma Ray, the frontman Kai Hansen still going strong. He should go back to Helloween and make great music with Markus Groskopf, but what to do sometimes great minds can't work together. I actually emailed Markus a few years ago, and he really did email me back. I was so amazed, and in the email he really doesn't want to explain about the break up. Anyway Gamma Ray still makes me high with the speed metal riffs.

Another one, Slayer also pushed out their new one, with xxxx Illusion. Man this band still retains their same bandsmen - Tom Araya (for info he used to be a dentist), Dave Lombardo, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, the same guys since Show No Mercy, Seasons in the Abyss... I don't think they have ever mellowed down. Its still aggressive and fast, and good arrangements of riffs.

Metallica is another favourite, or should I say ex-favourite, eversince the St.Anger mess, I don't think they can come with another masterpiece like Master of Puppets, Ride the Lightning, or even the Justice for all, at least the Black Album is still listenable. After that Load and Re-Load was total crap! Anyway not sure whats the development of this band.

But surprise - surprise, the favourite album for me, the one I have been listening to always, is My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade This is the best album I ever heard for this year, all the songs sound so good. Melodic, fast and progressive. I'm not sure what categories it falls into, but I think the band has been called Emo Rock as in emotional rock (not sure what it means though). It seems they change direction recently, and took a gamble with this type of music. Ok I know, this band can't be placed in the same category as the bands above (the ones I grew up with), its like metal vs rock... but in terms "syokness" I have to put this one as my all-time favourite for this year, because I can't stop listening to the songs, and its the one album always in my Mp3 player, never got deleted ever since. I think age is catching up to me, that's why I'm mellowing down, but deep down I'm always a metal head! Up your Irons!"

Read it, don't have to watch it...

Here's a good link for movie buffs...
http://www.themoviespoiler.com/
If you're too scared to watch the movie or want to save that 10 bucks, or just plain lazy to sit through 2 hours just to see the ending...

Leave days

3x says "Adui lenguhnya satu badan lepas main tennis dan badminton friday night. Ingatkan takdelah penat sangat, pasal berdiri aje lepas tu tepuk bola aje dengan raket. Pagi bagun nak angkat cawan kopi untuk minum pun tangan boleh mengeletar...

Anyway today's entry is actually about my leave, or rather the number of days I have to clear before the end of this year. How many... 20 days, and the other 5 days (max) can carry forward to next year. By November I was in a frenzy to find the dates to clear, as I remembered last year 5 days got burned because didn't get to take.

So I took 2 weeks in December for the Langkawi trip 4 to 15 Dec, which is 10 days. Another 4 days I applied for every Monday and Friday this month. which leaves another 6 days, and thats not including the entitled 2 days child care leave. Where do I slot the 8 days? December already took the 2 weeks, and then work for 1 week, and then the college block leave for 1 week. So that means I work only 1 week in December. If I apply for that week, that means the whole of December I not working at all. Hopefully , the 3 engineers under my charge will be on auto-pilot and not screw anything up while their "Master Jedi" (thats what they call me) is away. They starting to worry about my absence in December, but I told them if anything I'm reachable via handphone.

By the looks of it, if I can't find any slot for that 8 days, then it will get burned like last year. Well what to do... tried to exchange the days to money - not approved, and tried to carry it forward (max. 5 days) to next year - also not approved.... damn! every year always waste leave. Does this happen to you? Bingit lor..."

Malaysia channel video streaming

http://syoktv.net/player.html
Enjoy all of the Malaysia channel..
TV3 - RTM1 - RTM2...

25th Anniversary of Al-Ansar

3X says "Looking at my hard disk right now, the Alansar folder, which holds 40gb worth of data - pictures, raw videos, rendered videos, audios, titles.... its the folder that I have been double clicking everyday night/day/morning since the last few weeks. Thank god for Adobe Premiere pro, not once did it crash on me (unlike the previous version 6.5, that crashes every time, this ver is THE one if you are into editing videos).

For the tribute to Cg Ahmad Manap, you may notice that its a little long, but I couldn't bear to cut what the nice things the staffs have to say about him. Doesn't matter if half the audience is not interested at all, I'm sure he would like to hear it, and appreciates it. He spents most his lifetime doing good work, so whats ten minutes for his tribute. Anyway I did see him from afar and he is watching it, luckily not distracted by the food. I imagine what goes through his mind, hopefully touched by all the comments.

While taping their interviews with the staffs, it was amazing how sincere they all were. None of them were prompted or told what to say, what they all said was really I can feel comes from the heart. He must be a really swell guy to be looked up to and most regard him like a father. Heck I don't know anyone who's look-up to as a father figure by so many people.

Well the event was quite interesting, especially the singing muslimah, got to give them props for getting up on stage and singing in tune, but out of tempo. The food was quite in abundance, at least at our table, because the kids are not eating. Iman sakit perut, and Juliana not feeling well, Nadhirah didn't eat much and the wife keep going to the toilet (red flag day). Anyway our table number (16) did win the 26th table draw, so each one of us got a mat for prize.

*yesterday after so many days and weeks, got home and got to lay my head on the pillow without the need to switch on the PC....... well at least not until Monday - the Centennial server configurations, IPcam server project and the Mac OS server sharing mapping drive tasks still awaits me at work.

Juliana's Report Book

Congratulations to Juliana,
she got 4th place in her class.
Well done!

Better Man

3X says "Some days you feel like singing a song that reflects your mood... One song hit the spot, when you can't live up to people's expectations. Better Man by Robbie Williams. When you think of your past and present, failures and mistakes. Some days you put up a brave front, ignore the pain and carry on... but there are days where you just simply succumb to your feelings."

Better Man by Robbie Williams
Send someone to love me I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm In pouring rain
Give me endless summer Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old Before my time
As my soul heals the shame I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can To be a Better man
Go easy on my conscience 'Cause it's not my fault I know
I've been taught To take the blame
Rest assured my angels Will catch my tears
Walk me out of here I'm in pain
As my soul heals the shame I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can To be a Better man

Welcome to the Black Parade

3X says "This song is the most fun song I ever heard - Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. The change in tempo, chord progressions, nice melody and beautiful harmonics.
Amacam Herman, Is, Yan, boleh bawak tak lagu ni? Power!"

We'll Carry On! We'll Carry On!

Holier than thou...

3X says "Of recent days, there were some "What happened?..." and "Why until like that?...", and the answer is simply unknown. What transpired so much hatred is really unthinkable.

And the most disturbing thought is, who is it directed to? a person or a unit of people? Only god knows... I dwell into speculations and accusations only to feel guilty of even thinking about it. And this speculations and accusations are what making it dangerous right now.

But if you can't stand the 'smell', stand far, far away as far as I'm concerned. I'm not writing this because I have anything to do about it (repeat, reason really unknown)... but immaturity and arrogance have no place in my circle... and if you're too good for my circle - Get Lost!"

I wrote this email to someone from work, read it and do your own interpretations....

I want to break free...

3X says "I am hooked! I am addicted! I can't stop myself! What is it that I'm addicted to... Prison Break... after watching the first 2 episodes I can't wait for the next week to see what happened... anyway don't ask me where I get, but I got the whole seasons episodes - all 22, plus 9 more from second seasons. I won't disclose where I got it - but I can tell you having a big 'pipe' is good.

This show has so much twists and turns, that makes you want to know so much about all its character, and why they do what they do. If you been watching the first 5 episodes (shown on TV), you know that the guy Michael Scoffield, purposely commit a crime to go to jail to save his brother. He is a genius, and it is so addictive to find out what he has been planning in every episodes. Initially he had to make so much bad blood with some prisoners, but eventually his enemies becomes his gang, as he leads them to escape.

One character I enjoy watching is T-Bag, this violent gay criminal is the most interesting character in the show. He speaks in a southern accent and he have no problem hurting anybody. Watching him walk like a model is so much fun. A really freaky psycho! Watch him and you will either like him or hate him.

Needless to say, many character will get killed, innocent or otherwise. Even a kid will get killed in episode 12.

16th episode, it will take you back 3 years when it began. Lincoln had to commit a crime to pay the $90K he borrowed. The deal is to kill the Vice President's brother. Initially he had to borrowed that amount of money for his brother Michael, but Michael only knew that he got the money from his mother's life insurance. This money is what help his brother's educations and eventually makes him a successful guy. When Michael finally finds out what his brother have done for him, he had to save his brother from execution.

Anyway in episode 13, the story unfolds that the VP brother was not actually killed, he is still alive. Living with his sister the VP, who will become the President. Anyway just so you know... Nick will die from Abruzzi's henchman at the last episode of the season 1, and Veronica will be shot dead in the 1st episode of 2nd season. And yes, they all did escape in the last episode. So the 2nd season does not have any prison scenes, its all outdoors from there. After that Bellick and Pope got dismissed from their job, and Abruzzi also died when the FBI caught up with him. Anyway there will be 2 guys chasing the prisoners, the FBIs and the President's henchmen. And the prisoners did find the $5million dollars... and I have to watch Episode 8 Season 2 to tell you what happen next...."