Go-Starn

To "go-starn" in the Malaysian lingo (didn't want to say, Malaysian English as it translates across all the Malaysian languages) means to go backwards or reverse. It is not unusual to hear the instruction directed by back-seat drivers to their unfortunate drivers to "go-starn, go-starn lah!"
Which would translate as "Kindly reverse up old chap" in the more genteel word of middle England (if you had Biggles and Bertie Wooster as neighbours)

Do you know where the term comes from?





It derives from the nautical term of "go astern". the Stern being the back of a ship; therefore meaning to go to the back, or reverse. Translated by Malaysians... "Go-starn lah!"

Gattaca in Blu

I've just watched Gattaca on BluRay.

Oh it's a yummy film. So elegant and stylish. And the colours that come through in High Definition!!! Oh... Gershwin for the eyes!!!

Don't you just love that spiral staircase!

One more for the "Bucket List" - the list of things to do before kicking the bucket.

Mercury's Retrograde

My horoscope constantly warns me about being careful, especially with regard to electronic and mechanical equipment when Mercury (my ruling planet) is in retrograde (I don't know what that means either!!)





Being educated in a world of science, I did not pay much attention to such warnings, however with Mercury being in retrograde much of this month, and with the car breaking down last week, and to top it off the car being bumped into last night whilst it was parked in a car park last night; as Mulder would say... "I believe"

I need a new car!

My 14 year old Camry broke down last night.

It took me 3 hours to get it sent to the work-shop.

With 250,000 km under its belt, it looks like I better get serious about getting a new car, but with the current economic situation and with a new house in the pipe-line to pay for, a few adjustments may have to be made.

Angels and Demons

Last night I watched "Angels and Demons".

Once again, Tom Hanks reprises the role of Dr. Robert Langdon; the role he played in "The da Vinci Code" and once again, Tom Hanks's hair style was a distraction throughout the movie as it's now quite ordinary and the fact that it is so and not the distraction it was in the earlier film, makes it even more distracting! (If you know what I mean)

Apart from the haircut, the film was an enjoyable romp through the Vatican, though I'll always appreciate the book more then the film, especially as I was reading it during the ascension of Pope Benedict XVI; the book helped me appreciate the significance of the colour of the smoke emanating from the chimney of St. Marks Cathedral.

However the most sexy thing about the film was not the divine Ayelet Zurer, but the super sexy black Alfas, the police used to whirl around the Vatican with. That defined the tempo of the film, it was a non stop chase; a sort of Italian Job meets Indiana Jones.

Stalker - A great Detective Story

According to information I've gathered from Sitemeter, recently (15th May 2009) someone in Brisbane Australia, did a "Vanity Search" for me and perused this blog-site for 5 minutes. Then they quit this site after reading my profile.

Yes! My first Stalker!!!!

Would this stalker please identify himself/herself.

Talking about the Weather

The recent heat-wave in Malaysia has turned Malaysians into Brits, Always talking if not complaining about the weather.

Please Allah, let us have some rain...

A Year On

Sung to Sargent Pepper's Lone Heart Club Band

It was a whole year ago today
When I decided to start this blog
It was when I needed a rile
A blog was very much in style

So may I introduce this blog
The one and only "Cincaluk"

Views from the Sofa and the gang...

Revenge is Sweet!!!

This is soo... funny I had to share it!!!

From the BBC's daily Gossip posting.

Angry Chelsea supporters want to get their own back on Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, who made a number of controversial decisions in the Blues' Champions League semi-final, second leg against Barcelona. They have set up an internet campaign to stop Norway winning the Eurovision song contest.
(Full story: Daily Star)

Abba winning the 1974 Eorovision Song Contest with "Waterloo"

For those of you who have never seen it; the Eurovision Song Contest, this singing competition is held annually between European Nations and is seriously naff. It's a joke of a contest which can list Abba, Cliff Richard (before he was sired) and Bucks Fizz as previous contestants.

And by the way, Norway has led the way in scoring zero points in the competition regularly.

Heatwave

Here's a video which aptly describes the weather we are experiencing in Malacca right now.



Oh the wonderful Marilyn, the saucy innocence. And she can sing as well. They don't make them like her anymore.

Star Trek

The Old and The New

Once again we've begun the season of the Summer Blockbusters when Hollywood traditionally releases it's best films; so once again I brave the gaunlet of incredulous comments from the cinema's gate-keepers. "Yes, I do know where the screen is"; "Yes, I do want that seat"; "Yes I do know that it's two rows from the screen"



So off I went to watch the new re-imagining of Star Trek, where the baddie, Nero slips back in time to prevent his home world of Romulus from getting blown up; here he meets the young team of Kirk, Spock, "Bones" McCoy, Scotty and Ohura who are of course there to stop him from destroying all the Federation home worlds.

This of course causes a split in the Space Time Continuium, and history from this moment on is on a different path thus enabling the Rodenberry family to further cash in on the franchise by producing more films based on this new time line. Clever that. An interesting aside is the blossoming romance between Spock and the bodylicious Ohura. Look out for that in the next few films. (What is the Universe coming to!!?!)

Anyway, back to the film. As one would expect for a modern, big budget film, the special effects are extremely good, lots of whizz bangs and explosions. Also watch out for the kick arse warp-speed effect.

A typical feel-good Star Trek movie. Once again allowing us to venture into plots where no Trekies have gone before.

Word of the Day

The word on the sofa last Friday was Opulent.

op⋅u⋅lent

–adjective

1.	characterized by or exhibiting opulence: an opulent suite.

2.	wealthy, rich, or affluent.

3.	richly supplied; abundant or plentiful: opulent sunshine.

---

Origin:
1595–1605; < class="ital-inline">opulentus wealthy, equiv. to op- (s. of ops power, wealth) + -ulentus -ulent


The discussion started off on the cut-backs which one has to make to our current live-styles due to the current economic climate; it then went on to more personal level as the "Sage on the Sofa" was chided of leading an opulent live-style, for driving not one but TWO German cars. He went on to defend his "Spartan" live-style, by pointing out that one of his German cars was 14 years old and it's wipers did not work. And he tried to sell this car to me!!! Hmm....

Well the evening went along the same vein with everyone justifying their opulent aquisitions.

Needless to say that as a Baba, by definition, I did not have much to defend.

The Economics of Swine Flu

Below is a link to a BBC article regarding the Swine Flu and the impact it may have on the economy, (mainly the British economy but still applicable to the world economy.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/stephanieflanders/2009/04/economic_impact_of_swine_flu.html

It's worth a read.