Happy Eid Adha!

Happy Eid Adha Everyone!

Cryptic McDonald's Message

I just received a weird SMS from McDonald’s today. It said: Head to a Mcdonald’s restaurant this Saturday (21-11-09) to celebrate the return of a loved one. Get ready for a pleasant surprise.

It is very cryptic and a little bit creepy too. I wonder...

Update: The Prosperity Burger is back! Well, it least it is cheaper now.

Mangas to Review

I just received a stack of 6 mangas to review a couple of days ago. Since I have not posted anything in over a week, I thought I would share my first impression of these mangas with you.

Free Runners
Story: Bill Strauss
Art: Jennyson Rosero

This is the first Canadian manga I have ever seen. The story centres around a kid called Steep (named as such because according to his brother he is deeper then deep. I know it does not make sense, most things in mangas do not.) If the title did not give it away, Free Runners’ “gimmick” is free running (aka parkour.) With this manga I am looking forward to seeing how an art that is rooted in motion is depicted in the static pages.

Momogumi Senki
Created by Eri Sakondo

This is the only true manga in the bunch. The story is loosely based on a popular Japanese folklore about an ogre slaying warrior called Momotaros. The hero of the manga is Yuuki. A disaster magnet, Yuuki turns out to be the reincarnation of Momoratos. I admit that I am unfamiliar with the legend this manga is based on. All I know is that this manga reminds me a lot of Kamen Rider Den-O.

Hero Tales
Original Story: Huang Jin Zhou
Story and Art: Hiromu Arakawa

The synopsis of this manga reads like a JRPG. There are seven heroes of destiny, each bearing the power of one of the seven stars of the big dipper. Two of these star/heroes are destine to do battle and as a result, plunge the world into chaos. It looks like a typical coming of age turn hero’s destiny sort of affair, but I have high hopes for this manga. The art and manga adaptation is done by none other than the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Cyber Doll
Story: Orebalgum
Art: Park Sung Woo

This full coloured manghwa (Korean Manga) is so full of clichés I am dreading the day that I have to review it. Although the story is about a war in a parallel world and the heroine that protects our world from it, it looks more like an elaborate excuse to use cameos of other more famous and established characters from other mangas, animes, and even videogames.

Daring Students’ Association: First Semester
Daring Students’ Association: Final Semester
Story & Art: Cha Min-Yi

A two volume mini-series, this manga promises to be mediocre at best. It seems to be the typical high school manga filled with shenanigans, some drama, a little bit of magic, and of course romance. It is not my cup tea, but once in a while, mangas of this ilk manages to surprise me.

Game Vault: Ipoh's Premier Table-Top Gaming Shop

When people talk about games, they usually refer to electronic games like computer or video games. However, before the revolution of digital gaming, there were table-top games. These games needs little more that a group of friends, a comfortable location, some free time, and a little imagination to play.

Though table-top games such as board games, card games, pen and paper role playing games, and miniature war games have slipped into obscurity in the mainstream, there is still a bastion of this almost forgotten past time, right here in Ipoh.

Located in a row of shops behind and facing away from Kinta City Shopping Centre, Game Vault is the premier table-top gaming shop in town. Ran by Wearn Chong, a table-top gaming fan, this little unassuming shop has becomes the hot spot for Ipoh gamers, newcomers and veterans alike.

Game Vault is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm – 7pm. In stock are various Collectable Card Games like Magic: The Gathering , designer board games like Settlers of Catan, and various other table top games.

In addition to selling games, Game Vault also hosts gaming events, like tournaments, and provide a safe, friendly environment for gamers to play in. There is even a small collection of board games, contributed by long time patrons to the shop, for visitors to play with for free.

So if you are ever in the mood to make friends and play a game or two, come on over to Ipoh’s own Game Vault.

Game Vault

15A Jalan Medan Ipoh 6,

Bandar Baru Medan,

31400 Ipoh.

Tel: 012-387 6288

Cheat Sheets

My post on the 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost first visit to Ipoh has to be the most reworked piece of write-up I have ever done! It was not meant to be a report, but I still managed to botch some of the details. I guess reporting is harder than it looks.

I learned something though: I need cheat sheets when I write for an event.

A cheat sheet to me is a page full of facts about the subject I am to write about, a fact checking report, if you will. I usually use cheat sheets only when I review stuff, to keep my information true. Review cheat sheets are easy to make. A wiki page here, a technical specification page there, and you are virtually done.

I call them cheat sheets because I feel that I should know the data on these pages. I should remember the details of the subject I am going to write about, but I do not.

When it comes to event cheat sheets, it is not that simple. More often than not, you would have to make one yourself. Sure, reporters call it “notes”, but where is the fun in calling it that!

The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost's Inaugural Apearence In Ipoh

A special thank you to all the members of the 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost who came down to Ipoh. Thank you for letting this geek hang around and help out, it was like a dream come true.

My sincerest apologies for any wrongdoing that I might have done and for any inconveniences that I might have caused.

In the interest of privacy, I deliberately wrote this post without using the names of the people involved.

Now on to the post!

The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost team up on Stage. From Left to Right : Biker Scout, Sandtrooper, Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot, Stormtrooper #1, Darth Vader, Imperial Royal Guard, Stormtroopers #2 and #3, and Imperial Crewman.

On Sunday (25th October 2009) a small squad from the 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost came down to Ipoh (Ipoh Parade shopping mall). Their mission was to conduct a charity trooping event and to help raise funds for the various homes and schools for disabled children, around Perak.

The 501st Legion is an international club for costumed Star Wars enthusiasts. With almost 5000 active members worldwide, The 501st Legion spreads and shares their love by wearing screen accurate costumes of Imperial or “Bad Guy” characters from the Star Wars universe and volunteering their time to appear for charity events and promotions.

Even though this event marked their first ever appearance in the state of Perak, in typical Ipoh fashion, no one knew that they were coming. It is not any one’s fault really. It is virtually a tradition here in Ipoh: whenever there is a large event, inexplicably, no one knows about it.

Most of the Star Wars fans I know either found out about The 501st Legion appearance by chance the evening before, or not at all. I myself found out about the event when a friend from out of town – a hardcore Star Wars fan and a member of The 501st Legion – came by to the shop the evening before, with his two friends (an Imperial Crewman and an ex-TIE Pilot), to show me his weathered Sandtrooper helmet and to invite me to the show.

The turnout at the charity trooping event was smaller than it should have been, but that did not lessen the impact of seeing characters from Star Wars come to life in front of my very own eyes. It was amazing; the squad that came to Ipoh consists of one Darth Vader, one Royal Guard, one Imperial Crewman, one Sandtrooper, one TIE Pilot, one Biker Scout, and three Stormtroopers (one of them the current Commanding Officer of the 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost).

Each character looked like they have just stepped out of the movie set; like recently liberated action figures. I was giddy like a 27 year old geek. However not everyone at the event knew who they were. While I was roaming around, trying to get good shots with my camera, I overheard people asking “who are they?” I was embarrassed.

During their initial round of trooping, I was spotted by the Sandtrooper and his two friends. The Sandtrooper and the Imperial Crewman gave me a treat by posing just for my camera. Afterwards, the ex-TIE Pilot, now a minder (someone who guards the troopers as they make their rounds and help them look their best when they do), took me “backstage”.

They say that seeing these folks out of costume breaks the illusion and lessen the magic, for me that statement could not be further from the truth.

To become a member of the 501st Legion, one must own a professional/screen accurate costume of an Imperial or “Bad Guy” character. For the men and women of The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost this means importing parts of their costumes from the overseas, ordering custom-made some parts from local shops, and fabricating the rest by hand. The result is a group of friends with incredible passion, camaraderie, and costumes that are uniquely their own.

Even though I am a “nobody” and they have never met me before, they welcomed me right in. I was overjoyed. Meeting the men and women of The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost was an honour.

It did not take long before the Sandtrooper gave me the details of his and his comrade’s costumes. He is the second living Star Wars encyclopaedia I have had the pleasure to meet. His knowledge of Star Wars is so comprehensive that most of it went over my head.

His passion is reflected in his costume. It took a whole night, 3 shades of model-train stain, and some eyeliner to make his costume look worn. He told me he often overheard people asking “why is his costume so dirty?” and “why doesn’t he go wash his armour?” It is heart breaking, but I guess the popularity of Star Wars is not as it once was.

Slowly I made my rounds, introducing myself to whoever I can, whenever I dared to, all while trying my best not to get in the way. Most of them came from the south of Peninsular Malaysia and only one of them is a local from Ipoh.

It is wonderful that they are doing what they do on a volunteer basis. Trooping is hard work and it is not as glamorous as it looks. From what I can tell it is about the friendship, to be amongst those who share the same passion, to do good deeds together, to finally try out that costume that has been worked on for so long and above all else, to dress up without looking like an weirdo!

Little by little, I made myself useful; I was slowly becoming a 501st Legion roadie. It made me think of Imperial Guard camp followers – civilians who follow the Imperial Guard – from Warhammer 40,000.

My highlight of the day was when I get to suit up Darth Vader. He is to Star Wars, like Optimus Prime is to Transformers: Iconic and the most sought after. Although I have met the guy behind the mask, chatted with him a little, and watch him slump on a chair losing his own bodyweight in sweat, and even though I helped him put on his costume piece by piece, it still send chills up my spine when he turns around looks at me and said a line from the movie. It was nerve wrecking; it was awesome!

During the subsequent trooping of the day, I met up with Ipoh’s #1 Star Wars fan, a patron of the shop and the first living Star Wars encyclopaedia I have ever met. He is also the most well connected person in Ipoh that I know of.

Coincidentally his brother-in-law turns out to be school mate of mine – go figure.

At the end of the day he treated all the good folks from The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost and all the minders, to coffee at Starbucks. It was quite a sight to behold; Star Wars characters with their helmets off, drinking iced coffee. It was a sight I never thought I would see.

The charity event manages to collect 5000MYR, but only after one of the sponsors added another generous amount to their donation. Not bad, considering the circumstances.

 Sandtrooper's notes
Here are some additional notes from the Sandtrooper:

•  The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost team up on Stage. From Left to Right : Biker Scout, Sandtrooper, Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot, Stormtrooper #1, Darth Vader, Imperial Royal Guard, Stormtroopers #2 and #3, and Imperial Crewman.
  
• The beneficiaries of the fund raiser were the Loyal Hadicapped and Disabled Children Home Association, Ipoh and Sekolah Semangat Maju.
•  Parts of the costume the 501st wear had to be accuired from other parts of the wold like the U.S. and the U.K.
•  He used 3 colours of special model-train earth liquid pigment and a whole night to apply "desert" weathering onto his armor.
• He didn't mind the comments. His armor is accurate and looks like it should.
• The 501st Malaysia-Brunei Outpost present at the event were from Klang Valley, Melaka and Ipoh.
• The amount collected during the charity event was 5000MYR, but only after an additional 1924MYR was donated by a prominent sponsor.
• 4500MRY went to the Loyal Handicapped and Disabled Children Home Assiciation, Ipoh.
• 500MYR went to Sekolah Semangat Maju.
  

TV Shows I'm Watching And My Thoughts On Them

My plan for reviewing TV shows is not going so well. I’m spending more time watching them then writing about them. On one hand, I am frustrated with myself for not being disciplined enough to stick to the plan, but on the other hand, the shows this season are great.

CSI is still about the same Las Vegas crime lab, but with a new rookie, a new over-arching plot, and a whole bunch of new and creative ways to present a murder. Even after all these year, CSI still manages to be one of my favourites.

CSI Miami had a minor change but it affected the show in a major way. The two new staple characters are fun and have great chemistry. I think, ever since they became a meme, the show is playing into it instead of against it.

CSI NY’s cast of characters must be the most tightly knit bunch of all three CSIs. After a drive by shooting that caused one of them to be paralysed from the waist down, they are tighter than ever. The cases featured in this season are much darker, more thrilling, and feels more personal.

NCIS is currently all about getting their female foreign assassin/secret-agent back in the team. It is a nice change from the usual stuff but I cannot see it last for too long. I really hope this series does not become routine.

NCIS Las Angeles is very different from NCIS proper. Although the cases they investigate always begin with a murder, these cases are usually larger in impact, implication and scale. This show feels so much like a spy/secret-agency type of show instead of a crime drama/cop show.

Bones has become a little repetitive. It also reminds me of anime because it keeps using sexual innuendos, a tiring “gimmick” is you ask me. Plus the protagonist, the super logical genius doctor, is as realistic in personality, as Lara Croft in shape. I hope they are not running out of ideas.

Castle is cheesy and average, but is has an abundance of charm. How can it not with the captain from Firefly/Serenity as the lead. The premise, a mystery writer who follows a detective around for inspiration reminds me a lot of the classic TV series, Murder She Wrote.

Lie To Me started out promising. The show is about a private group of experts that has an uncanny ability to detect lies through body language. I think the series would do much better if it learned how to present the science in a more interesting way; ala CSI.

Warehouse 13 is one of those paranormal investigation shows. However, unlike the X-Files, it is more light hearted, the events always centres around an object and the low production budget shows. The show is mediocre at times, but with a little bit more effort, I bet it could be a great series.

Stargate Universe is a slow paced series. It is about a group of people who ended up on an ancient ship travelling faster than light with no way go get back home. The show’s main pull is the mysteries of the ship as it is slowly revealed. But, I think there is too much drama fogging up the Sci-Fi story.

Criminal Minds has an interesting concept: to investigate cases using mainly psychological profiling. The problem I have with this show is that it tries so hard to be gratuitously and overly shocking. However, it is interesting and engrossing, once in a while.

Law & Order is the oldest running cop show out there (well, at least that I know of). Even after all that time, it still manages to be unique and entertaining. I think this is the only show, of all the cop shows that I watch, that may not provide a closure to a case in the end.

Flash Foreword is an interesting one. The basis of the story is simple but the repercussions are deep and complex. On October the sixth, the whole world blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. And in that time, everyone saw six month into their future. It is intriguing.

Well there you have it, a list of some of the shows I am watching and my impressions of them. If you have any suggestions or what other shows I should take a look at, please, drop a line in the comments.