Winners at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards 2011

 By: ryan    4:02 PM  Worth A Read   No comments

The Oscars night has handed out all the statues on the biggest night of award season. Just as it led with the most nominations, The King's Speech dominated the awards sweeping four Oscars, which included best director, best actor, and best picture.

Here are the winners list at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards 2011.

Best Picture: 'The King’s Speech'
Best Director: Tom Hooper, 'The King's Speech'
Best Actor: Colin Firth, 'The King's Speech'

Best Actress: Natalie Portman, 'Black Swan'

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, 'The Fighter'
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, 'The Fighter'

Best Visual Effects: Inception
Best Film Editing: Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter, 'The Social Network'
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, 'The King's Speech'
Best Original Song: We Belong Together, 'Toy Story 3'

Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, 'The Social Network'
Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, 'Alice in Wonderland'
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, 'The Social Network'

Best Foreign Language Film: In A Better World (Denmark)
Best Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland
Documentary (short subject): Strangers No More
Documentary Feature: Inside Job
Best Sound Mixing: Inception
Best Sound Editing: Inception

 Best Makeup: The Wolfman

And here are some pictures for the red carpet entry

For more pictures, click here

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Eraser and Pencil

 By: ryan    2:57 PM  Worth A Read   No comments

I read this on my FB's wall today. Think to share this wonderful post with you all

Pencil: I'm sorry....

Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

Pencil: I'm sorry cos you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

Eraser: You see, I don't really mind.  I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad. :)

Very inspirational. So in your life, who's your eraser? Or are you an eraser to someone else?

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Happy Chap Goh Meh

 By: ryan    2:16 PM  Worth A Read   No comments

Chap Goh Meh or Tzap Goh Mei literally means "fifteen night" (Hokkien dialect) represents the fifteenth and final day of the Lunar Chinese New Year period and also is the occasion of the first full moon of the New Year.

Normally the occasion is marked by feasting and various festivities, including the consumption of tangyuan Glutinous rice ball). In traditional Chinese culture, it is also celebrated as the Lantern Festival or the Shang Yuan Festival.

But in Southeast Asia, however, it coincides with the Chinese Valentine's Day. On this day, it is also when young unmarried guys or gals gather to toss tangerines (written with contact number or email address) into the lake, in a hope that their future boyfriend / girlfriend will pick it up. Do you know, this is a custom that originated in Penang, Malaysia. Now only I know Malaysian are very good in marketing themselves. Wishing you all a Happy Chap Goh Meh and Chinese's Valentine.  

(pics from funandcool.com)

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Sugarcane and the Ninth Day of CNY

 By: ryan    11:26 AM  Worth A Read   No comments

As early as 6.40am, I already awake by the noisy car door's slamming before these people leaving to the wet market behind my house. 7.25am, I past by the wet market place and saw many aunties uncles carrying sugarcanes. Then I wonder what and why with all of these sugarcanes? Then only I recall tomorrow is the ninth day of Chinese New Year.

"The ninth day of the New Year is a day for Chinese to offer prayers to the Jade Emperor of  Heaven (天宮) in the Taoist Pantheon. The ninth day is traditionally the birthday of the Jade Emperor. This day is especially important to Hokkiens. Come midnight of the eighth day of the new year, Hokkiens will offer thanks giving prayers to the Emperor of Heaven. Offerings will include sugarcane as it was the sugarcane that had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago. Incense, tea, fruit, vegetarian food or roast pig, and paper gold is served as a customary protocol for paying respect to an honored person." - Wikipedia

Why all the sugarcane? There are many versions of the why sugarcane is the main and essential item that offered to the Jade Emperor. And here is the version where I heard from my Hokkien friend.

Once upon a time, the Hokkiens in dunno which part of China were trying to escape from an ethnic group who attempt to kill all the Hokkien-Chinese. The Hokkiens fled into the forest which was surrounded by sugarcanes. Because they keep prayed to the Jade Emperor for help, no matter how the ethnic group tried to enter the forest, they were severely cut by the leaves of the sugarcane. So the ethnic group unable to locate the Hokkiens people in the sugarcane's hideout until the 8th day of Chinese New Year. After being tired of searching and the wounds caused by the sugarcane's protection then only the ethnic group flee. Therefore, on the 9th of the Chinese New Year, these Hokkien-Chinese only went home and re-celebrated their Chinese New Year. Not only did they celebrate their new year on the 9th day of CNY but on these day too they pray for the Jade Emperor to thanks him. Some would say that on the 9th day of CNY is also the birthday of the Jade Emperor.

Normally on the eighth day of Chinese New Year, you will see many Chinese families put sugarcanes in front of their house on this day. They believe that the sugarcanes can protect their family from harm and enemies throughout the year.

On this very day, Hokkien-Chinese family members will gather together (something like reunion dinner) before 12 o'clock to count down the coming ninth day of Chinese New Year. The Hokkien-Chinese prepare roasted-pork, red cakes (Fatt gao), vegetables and fruits as thanks to the Jade Emperor and gods. By 12 o'clock some will let off fire-crackers, fireworks and also lion's dance to mark the arrival of their New Year.

Wishing you all a Happy Chinese New year :)

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New Shaolin Temple 新少林寺

 By: ryan    12:08 PM  Movies   No comments

China is plunged into strife as feuding warlords try to expand their power by warring over neighboring lands. Fuelled by his success on the battlefield, "young" and arrogant warlord Hou Jie (Andy Lau) sneers at Shaolin masters when he beats Jing Neng (Wu Jing) in a duel. But the pride comes before a fall.

Soon, Hou Jie is betrayed by Cao Man (Nicholas Tse), who is the 2nd-in-command and his buddy, and walks right into a trap and gets waylaid by rival warlord Song Hu (Shi Xiong Hong). To make matter worse, his wife (Fan Bing Bing) deserts him, while his child is killed. The crestfallen and heartbroken Hou Jie seeks refuge at Shaolin.

Hou Jie is on the verge of giving up his life when he becomes acquainted with the cheery Shaolin cook Jackie Chan who helps him see through life. He also resolves his conflicts with fellow monks Jing Neng, Jing Hai (Yu Shao Qun) and Jing Kong (Xing Yu). After becoming enlightened, he takes the tonsure.

As the civil unrest spreads and the people suffer, Hou Jie and the Shaolin masters are forced to take a fiery stand against the treacherous warlord Cao Man and his collaborator Suo Xiang Tu (Xiong Xin Xin). Led by Hou Jie, they launch a daring operation.
- Netease, Sina, Sohu, China Film

What I liked about the movie:
- the action and martial arts part are great!
- storyline and plots are good
- the actors and actress's acting are superb, you'll like Andy Lau. If Jackie Chan is not in the film, I think the whole movie was tense and sorrowful.

A very good movie combination of action, comedy and martial arts. A truly great movie with great Dharma  lessons. 

Below are trailer and OST for the movie:

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Happy Chinese New Year

 By: ryan    3:51 PM  Dear Diary   No comments

Happy Chinese New Year to all of you and your family. May the year of Rabbit having a great and vibrant year. Also wishing may all your dreams come true in this year of "two" having "two" great wealth and prosperity. And of course a wonderful and perfect health "two".

~~~~~~Happy Chinese New Year~~~~~


**in chinese "two" sound like rabbit

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