Local (SG) Christian bookstores

The only bookstores we have publicly are mainly Tecman: http://www.tecman.com.sg/Home.html at Bras Basah, Victoria St or the ones at our own churches. Mine at Ebenezer Church hasn't seen any new incoming books for a number of years, so its a bit like stunted growth; and it's more like a library and the books are antiques. I still like that I can open a book and it crackles...

Anyhow, some months back I had a whole luggage-full of Christian books in my abode and thinking they would all go to waste hidden in the rural corners of my clothes cupboard, I fished out as many as I thought appropriate and surrendered them to the Librarian for vetting of their contents. It has yet to turn up in the library proper -.- The Librarian is still settling into her job.

http://navmedia.com/wp/ 
In the meantime, I've found a couple of reliable places to purchase a booklet or two on quality Christian Living. The Navigators' Media in S'pore has a good plethora of books and booklets that have been used by Bible Leaders and passed on. The booklets even come with Bible Study questions (their resource lah)... So far I discovered classics like "My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Boyd Munger and "Man of Faith" by George Mueller. I can't find them online, so you may have to wait for the next shipping or phone in a request.

http://www.shalomrb.com/SCM/contactus.htm
Shalom Christian Church has their bookstore on premise in Paya Lebar Industrial Estate, so the best means to get any books would be to get your butt there instead of ordering online (website's not totally fixed up). But no matter 'cos you can't be disappointed. Inquire with Uncle Francis, the guy in charge, and you can stroll through 4 walls of Christian books and a whirly stand of booklets. They're a bit pricey, but that's not the point.

Another Laugh a Day

I wish laughter was really a medicine, that could take away this blasted flu and sore throat. I'm supposed to have a lovely lunch fellowship tomorrow afternoon and not spread the lurve!

Anyway, I found another interesting website that would entertain you not just with laughs, but also with other media paraphernalia like wallpapers and stuff. Their photos are awesome! http://www.christian-wallpaper.org/

The brothers at Navigators in school (SP) always have a set database in their heads, stored full of Christian jokes... I guess they can come in very handy when you find the conversation becoming slack or you just want to impress the girls. Dish out a joke at random with the usual unabashed "Let me tell you a joke...", 'cos it never fails to impress the gals =D

A Laugh a day...

Cool website that has daily comics on the Word and other stuff of heavenly content. If it weren't copyright, I'd have one on printed on my t-shirt everyday =D

ReverendFun--http://www.reverendfun.com/index.php?date=19971202

The Dark Knight movie specs

Trailer: www.thedarkknightmovie.com
People: Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman.
Director: Christopher Nolan, written by Jonathon Nolan

When my pal Lewis told me Inception was cooler than The Dark Knight 'cos it was directed by Christopher Nolan, I was convinced there and then to watch Inception. hahax! And boy, am I still watching re-runs. I just can't get enough of epic-ness.

With that, I went back to Dark Knight and realised I hadn't done a review on it. Released in the summer of 2008, man, I should have waited a little more for the behind the scenes DVD to come out. I'm hooked on all stuff Nolan now, it's like he wanted his fans to become idiots by ensuring that he did his movies to the utmost chim-ness so we had to watch and re-watch them to understand anything in it.

I mean take a look at The Prestige. It was absolutely deliberate! Simple and nice, intense plotline. Easy to follow through, right? Wrong. Nolan had everything chopped and shuffled here and there so not many scene were in sequence and I had to watch it 3 times to get it; 3 times staring at a 2-hour movie; 3 times Hugh Jackman takes forever to die (don't get me wrong, the 1st time was riveting and dramatic it set me on tenterhooks).

it's the bleeding same with Memento isn't it? The poor man has an already smouldered mind and has no recollection of anything every 7 minutes, but that doesn't mean we have to be subject to the same device. My mind was only newly developed and matured, but then I watched it, the poor man's life flashing in our eyes backwards, and I could only feel utter sympathy 'cos my mind was starting to go on reverse itself. I worried i would horrendously end up like him. God, please no.

Now we fly to Inception. I like that this time, there are not as many flashbacks as he liked to, and that none of that ruined the story. In fact the story was close to perfect that I screamed at the blank screen at the end. Aside from these laudable portions, I re-watched the DVD out of greed for the epic-ness, and I realise his new ploy in this movie, to make the audience blur out from the moment they sit in their comfy theatre chairs, chewing on popcorn and enjoying the aircon, is to start the movie 2 levels into dream share. That got a quarter of unsuspecting people lost. To further confuse ppl, the very ploy was to have most of the characters speak in whispers and mumbles so we only barely catch them. Theories and logic on how dreams and creation and the inception job work are lost to the untrained ear. That got the half of the remainder of the theatre ppl. By the time they got to the 3rd level of dream during the job, they realise they were just cheated of their money by Nolan and the cinema.

Ok Dark Knight is a very typical hero vs villian story in the comics. But the theme of the hero turning the villian is very prominent, making the idea of human effort to make the world better all in vain. This episode is sad 'cos Harvey didn't deserve that end. btw, his face was marked with dots to track the burnt side of his face to make the CGI eroded skin tissues. I wondered how they created a model on his face with so many holes... Their ad campaign is so cool I just regret I didn't read the newspapers during the sec 4 exams in sec sch. The ad campaign was an election style campaigning for Harvey for Mayor friendsofharvey.org. Too bad i think they had it in Singapore too but i missed it. Just like I discovered LOTR only after my exams tt year GAH!

The Dark Knight revisited

I was at the Dark Knight movie website: thedarkknightmovie.com and was playing around with the stuff, especially with all those downloads =PP

Here's a silly little thing I got for playing one of their games there...
Wow, kinda big, but cute!

Dare to Go M.A.D.

 Rainer a member (from left), Chin Kai and Vid Club officer.

An article written for fullStoP magazine in SP. It got chopped into bits and pieces tho...

Singapore Polytechnic (SP) Environment Club recently helped SP attain the President’s Award for the Environment 2010 in conjunction of mutual student-school support for greening the campus and raising awareness for our environment. But what does it mean to be in Environment Club (SP Env Club)? Is it just donning boots and treading in mud and sand? fullStoP talks to Ruskin Ong, President of Env Club.

Aiming to “advocate the environment messages and to raise awareness of the environmental issues to the SP population and public”, their focus is on environmental sustainability. Ruskin chuckles to have to explain it so formally. But it is not just a politically correct statement put forth, as it can be backed up by not only the Director of Architecture and Built Environment, but also SP’s principal. With many student-initiated green events under their belt (Earth Hour, Green Bazaar, etc), it is also no wonder they are highly commended.

Bernard Lim (left) and Ruskin Ong, the Prez of Environment Club.

For two years, Env Club has been involved in Hemisphere Foundation’s awareness campaigns for the environment. Volunteering for informative talks and presentations on climate change to secondary school students, Club members are trained by professionals from Hemisphere. Members have opportunities to participate in environment-related camps and “Actions for Earth” competitions; more than 600 teams took part in this year’s competition with SP Env Club first in outreach website presentations and second for the “perfect” green room model category.

Edward Giauw, who won the green room competition, said: “It definitely feels good to win the competition but nothing comes without hard work. In retrospect, our little escapade had a lot of ups and downs, but it’s all for the environment.” Needless to say, the many opportunities to make “green” happen are endless, but notwithstanding the degree of difficulty in achievements.

 Heritage Tree trail in SP

Hosting down-to-earth events like Mangrove Salvation, Env Club allows students to work really close to nature and reforest swamps. Really closely. And besides the herb garden plots situated behind Moberly building, you can look forward to other green works: a tree house along the Eco-trail, bird houses to complement The Sanctuary at T7 and other efforts like butterfly and firefly conservations in the future. It seems there is nothing this candid group of students can’t think of.

Env Club members are as passionate about being environmentalists and saving Gaia. “Members who join events don’t just participate, but they also get involved. Even alumni are willing to return because of the support they get from school; SP is a good platform,” Ruskin said.

Collaborating events with other student clubs are also a means “to incorporate eco-friendly values into other clubs and so they don’t always stick to their club lifestyle”. Ruskin then goes on a barrage of ways that clubs can reduce their carbon footprint, like keeping the air-conditioner at 25°C or putting computers to hibernate after use…

 QuickMark software in smartphones to scan barcodes for info of each tree.

When asked what superpower he would personally covet, Ruskin was honest though blatant: “Brainwashing powers to make the leaders of the world go green for real. Seriously! They can then work together to sustain nature socially and economically. I want to be a change agent; I am willing to push for change no matter how hard the work. All one would need is the passion and really wanting it to work.”

And so if you think you have got what it takes to weather the mud and rain to make your cause heard, look no further. Change is in your hands.

For more information, check out SP Env’s website at spenv.cca.sg.

FaceBook is http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/SPENV

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~Techy Romantics~

A lil' late review tt i did for Singapore Campus Magazine, a magazine for tertiary institutes. They published the write ups on The Standards, Techy Romantics and David Choi. I didn't get permission for David Choi's pics tho, so no pics here =P 

I checked all their profiles and seems that none of them will be having any tours this mth or the next...

Held at the high-end performing arts centre Esplanade on Friday 20 August to Sunday the 23rd, BayBeats
featured local as well as international bands from different genres and walks of life. Admission was free and warranted a successful turnout amongst the youths, but one would only find out about the existence of BayBeats if one were sauntering down Singapore’s Formula-1 race track towards the “Durian”. Much as I would have liked to run around interviewing the 30-odd number of bands on all three days, Singapore’s sporadic wet weather only permitted me to do so much…

TECHY ROMANTICS

I stopped Techy Romantics immediately after their assigned first half-hour performance timeslot so to catch them still absorbed in their little Cloud 9s. Hailing from the Philippines, they were so amiable a group one would wonder why they specialized in  emo-love songs mashed with techno music. “Different tastes,” agrees the band with a lot of head-nodding and back-slapping, “but there is equal collaboration, with what you call a free flow of music.” Dondi Virrey, who creates samples from his computer, was looking to form an electronic band so he sought Camyl Besinga who could sing and her then-boyfriend-now-husband Ryan Villena who could strum. When they formed and performed live in small gigs, Ryan made most of his riffs impromptu, very jazzy, for which the concept I fell in love almost immediately. Their first single which came out in 2008 was mainly “a new wave pop with a 70’s feel” that I would attribute to the sounds of Savage Garden.

Dondi, in a high-spirited manner, had a piece of honest advice for young musicians: “Be courageous and write. Your songs may suck, but it’s good to take the criticism.” With a gorgeous face and to-die-for voice, Camyl is befitting as lead singer of the group as she can visually grip any passer-by. Even Kevin Mathews from PowerofPop.com admits it. All the songs of electro-pop, it is mostly techy and introspective though accompanied with monotonous beats. The techno kills the quality of the jazzy moods but get their album if you are in the mood for hip-hopping or some remixed versions of Simon Webb.

CHECK THEM OUT

ONLINE: Facebook.com/techyromantics
Myspace.com/techyromantics

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: Get it On, Out of My Mind

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~Jon Auer~

JON AUER

Jon Auer is your nondescript, semi-depressed blues singer from out of Lush99.5 FM. His unkempt hair and slipshod attire along with his occasionally angry electric guitar instrumental breaks resonating Adam Sandler’s Somebody Kill Me made me initially apprehensive (he does Indie, Folk and Power Pop by the way). But he is approachable and patient and more fatherly than he appears. Growing up with a
musician dad, surrounded by guitars and a home recording studio, Jon made his career of music at 17. It was the period in High School where you “go out and hang out with girlfriends and compose music”, that you can incorporate “the emotional turmoil, pain and things that hurt you”. “The blues have people talk about horrible things, but they share it and it goes away,” says the married father of two with a reassuring smile. As the founder and songwriter of The Posies at a tender age of 17, he was quite a success at single-handedly producing a first record. Later, The Posies worked with label DGC/Geffen in the 80’s, then reproducing 3 more records, where one song was covered by Ringo Starr. The  Posies still exist and are touring. Jon is looking to directing or soundtrack recording someday; I would hire him if I were making films. His songs resemble acoustic covers of what could be rock pieces if you add the drums. Quiet and strangled, he exudes the persona of a toned-down Elton John, but the music is so soothing it makes for a good lullaby.

CHECK HIM OUT

ONLINE: Facebook.com/jonauer
Myspace.com/jonauermusic

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: Tuesday, Misfit Kid

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~The Standards~

Flying over to the rocking fun side, I couldn’t help but stamp my feet like a spoilt child when I found out that I had missed two great Singapore bands who got me head banging while I chowed on Mr Bean. Cockpit and Fishtank disappeared into the night just as I loitered around backstage hoping to interview these sensations.

I planned to do that for a few bands that evening, but some media personnel stopped me and informed me nicely that I had to arrange with Esplanade’s PRs (ie. Winnie) to make their bands and myself more comfortable indoors instead of out in the drizzle and noise. Point noted. They should provide some of those cocktails in their interview lounge though (one can get thirsty interviewing or after rocking real hard).

THE STANDARDS

Matt approached me so quickly I had little time to think he was the leader of the pack. He then began talking so fast I could only barely say I would like to interview the whole group, whereupon I realized it was the odd-couples group, a mix of three Thais and two English cockneys. I was about to protest, that the catalogue stated “Thai” band, but over-enthused Matt started a power-drunken rant again that I felt it best to carry on fast before I lost my thoughts. Formed in June 2007 by Matt Smith, The Standards is a growing British-Thai pop icon in Bangkok. Matt Smith is the lead singer, Paul Smith on guitar and back-up singing, Sithikorn “Mackay” Likitvorachai on bass, Manasnit Setthawong on the keyboards and synth, Ayu Charuburana as the drummer. They started off in Khaosan, with a monthly party called Popscene and under the influence of alcohol and a straying Matt, the gigs became ever more popular. A live music promoter Mind-The-Gap took notice of them and brought them onto the world stage. So from the rock and rolling in night clubs and getting bottles thrown at them to events like BayBeats, it’s hard to understand the struggle The Standards went through to make a name. I asked what alternative career paths they would have chosen if the band hadn’t formed, Paul laughed: “Premiere League football player”. Mc would have decided to become the proud “owner of a kindergarten” and Ayu was happy to be a “lap dancer”. The Standards have set their own standards, to basically sound like they should and not conform to the Thai music scene. Matt said, with beer bottle in hand, that their music would be: “Good rock and roll with passion. It is music to like. It is good when you can feel the bass lines through the ground”. And I definitely felt their gig before I could hear it.

CHECK THEM OUT

ONLINE: Facebook.com/jimmylivewire
Myspace.com/thestandardsmyspace
www.thestandards.tk

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: The Proposition, Jimmy is a Livewire

WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM NEXT: Monthly gig at Popscene, 19 Prachathipatai Rd, Bangkok. Not released yet.

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~Santamonica~

SANTAMONICA

In the meantime, I interviewed Santamonica, a well-established husband-wife duo from Jakarta. It was almost obvious they were a couple when Anindita dominated the forum and Joseph deigned to silently listen. The music says it too. In 2001, Joseph Saryuf finished his studies in Hamburg, Germany and returned to his hometown in Jakarta to go full-time into music. Along came Dita, full time fashion editor for Elle Indonesia and freelance illustrator. They met through friends, they like the same music and he likes her voice and thus Santamonica formed in 2003. Thereafter they married in 2005. But how could a magazine editor turn into part-time musician? “I had to start listening to a lot of music. I actually have a bit of an arts background,” Dita said through her cigarette on Esplanade’s rooftop. “I take it as a hobby, a stress relief. I go to concerts and gigs to chill sometimes.” When I asked what sort of music they drew inspiration from, they provided a variety: Bloody Valentine, Carpenters, Franz Sinatra, LCD Sound System, European movies, surreal art and anything electronic, synthesized or weird. Talk about eclectic. She adds: “It’s very organic, natural. The first album (an EP titled “189”) had an unexpected sound. The second one (Curiouser and Curiouser) is very different. You never know what’s gonna’ happen next.”

Santamonica, signed by JVC-Victor Japan, released “Curiouser and Curiouser” under Sinjitos Records in Japan in April 2009. Dita has lovely, mesmerizing vocals, as talkative in the song as she is in conversation. But pair her with a jazzy/indie/electro-pop husband and they tango just fine.

CHECK THEM OUT

ONLINE: Myspace.com/santamonica

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: Anais Lullaby, Ribbons and Tie

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~Chicosci~

CHICOSCI

Tattoos, 25-year old boys and a loud rock band, Chicosci was a gathering of high school kids, who are still single by the way, back in 2000. After five major releases and several music awards, the band now includes Filipinos Miguel Chavez for vocals, Mong Alcaraz on guitar and synths, Calde on bass, Ariel Lumanlan on guitars and Macoy Estacio the drummer boy. When I sat them down, the jokes started coming, bringing alive their motto “Funny guys are famous” and Miguel began a string of famous funny people off the top of his head. Their inspiration for music was listening to UHS albums they brought back from the States, MTV, hard rock, and whatever was juxtaposition or an “Ariel assault”. And talking about odd jobs, if they had no band career, Calde would want to be a pet doctor, Ariel a nurse, Mong would have been in an ad agency, Macoy a Silvanas Bakery businessman and Miguel in jail or in another band or a tattooist or a comic artist or having had his own studio. “Listen to your heart,” Mong says to budding musicians and bands while Miguel adds: “Do it for fun, not fame. You’re there when you see the chicks, because comedians get the chicks,” and chicks in the room (including Winnie, Esplanade’s PR) giggle loudly. Harmonious beats though shy belting from the vocals, the guitars work the music to mimic sounds of My Chemical Romance and Green Day. Chicosci has all the appeal of a boy band.

CHECK THEM OUT

ONLINE: Myspace.com/chicoscikills
Twitter.com/xchicoscix

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: Diamond Shotgun (Lock and Load), A Promise

'10 Bay Beats boomz: ~David Choi~

Day 2 for me saw more interviews and some with the bands sitting in for conferences at the Observation Deck (Library) of the Esplanade with only ample room for 100 youths. When it neared evening on that Saturday, 21st August, more students were piling into the front of the library waiting for the prominent singer/songwriter/cover singer David Choi to show. He was an hour late and it was not all glamorous standing there in a peak hour MRT scenario.

DAVID CHOI

Indeed, seeing David Choi in the hot seat with girls and guys alike ogling at him brings back memories. He video-collaborates with other Youtube musicians like MysteryGuitarMan. But what catches my guy friends’ attention is David’s “cool dance moves” where he stays stiff-like and begins a nerdy swinging of his arms side to side to the beat. Whilst wearing a panda headdress. California Gurls is just the referral point. A few months later, at the BayBeats 2010, with a preened David at the Observation Deck in Esplanade surrounded by over a hundred youths, by then I had forgotten whether this was the same comic I had seen online doing that “Panda” dance. He enters and everyone hyperventilates. Someone in the back with camera in hand whispered: “He’s so cute. I feel like putting him in a box.” He needs no introduction, but he doesn’t fail to add his birthday is on 22 March 1986, at which point two members of the audience produce wrapped gifts for him and the crowd goes wild. He then talks about weird encounters with fans: “After a show, I go to the bathroom and someone says hi to me. And I need to go really badly. And yes, there was once when I was in the midst of action…” Chuckles echo around. When someone asked how Singaporean girls are compared to the West, he says: “Beautiful. All women are beautiful. Then again they all look like women.” Do you clean your room? “Room’s pretty clean. No need to make beds because you’re gonna’ mess it up again (yeah).” Is it hard as an Asian in the US? “It is. It’s no different from any youth, but it’s the support. I’m not gonna’ be the first Asian-American to break the charts though. I can write and I wanted to... I was trained to play classical and I didn’t know you can make stuff  instead of ‘learning’. You can invent music. And that’s what I did.” He has the sounds of “a lita bita of dis and lita suma dat witta bita lita dis ena hinta bita dat” as his MySpace profile explains. He adds that Youtube is an experiment to the response for his music, so check out his goofy covers and new hit singles.

CHECK THEM OUT

ONLINE: Davidchoimusic.com

Myspace.com/davidchoimusic

WHAT TO DOWNLOAD: That Girl, Won’t Even Start