Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's in Baltimore

Okay, I have to admit -- New Year's Eve in Balmer is pretty damned impressive. Some fireworks are legal here, but even the ones that are not are beyond the power of the cops to impede. We're not talking sparklers -- we're talking full-on skyrockets, of the sort normally seen at professionally-run shows, zooming out of backyards and alleyways. It's bizarre. Unrestricted. A little frightening. Airborne insanity.

Sssissssshhhhh fpop Ka-POW! fizzle fizzle fizzle.

We found a "high ground" position and had a spectacular 360 degree shock-and-awe view. I can't say I approve. But...but...DAMN!

It sounded like the British were attacking Fort McHenry again.

Other than that, 2012 has been rather dull so far.

FAVOURITE SOUTHEAST ASIAN FILMS I SAW IN 2011

I made this list for Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa.

1. ANTHEM (2011, Proxy, Thailand, video installation in an exhibition curated by Josef Ng at WTF Gallery)
http://wtfbangkok.com/index.php/2011/11/19/proxy/

2. LEASTWAYS/MODERATE WAYS/EXTREME WAYS (2011, Tritos Termarbsri, Thailand, 90 min)
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2011/12/leastwaysmoderate-waysextreme-ways-2011.html

3. FORGET ME NOT (2010, Napat Chaithiangthum, Thailand, 30 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf9YXI3fJcI

4. WHY DO YOU JUMP? (2011, Korn Kanogkekarin, Thailand, 19 min)

5. GAZE AND HEAR (2010, Nontawat Numbenchapol, Thailand, 10 min)

6. UNDO (2011, Cierlito Tabay + Moreno Benigno, Philippines, documentary, 19 min)

7. ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (2009, Rob Lemkin + Thet Sambath, Cambodia, documentary)

8. ONE SUNNY MORNING (2011, Bk Lim, Singapore, 18 min)

9. THE TANK (2011, Gino Santos, Philippines, 7 min)

10. AFTERNOON RIVER EVENING SKY (2010, Edmund Yeo, Malaysia, 19 min)





Roman Candle Batting Practice

One drop locks up an ocean

Advertorial

First off, happy new year everyone!!

Today my advertorial will be on a product series that is already super well-loved!! Perhaps you already know what it is from the title?


Hint: It's for skin and will make your skin all bouncy and QQ!!


And since one drop locks up an ocean... It is also super hydrating...

That's right it's HADA LABO!!

Hada Labo arrived in Singapore just last year but it's already super popular... The SHA Hydrating Lotion (that's what we Singaporeans know as toner) is the no. 1 face lotion in Japan!

The star ingredient is their Super Hyaluronic Acid which can retain 12 litres of water with 1g, giving you bouncy awesome skin!

Also love that the Hada Labo skincare philosophy is PERFECT X SIMPLE - all unnecessary additives such as colourants and fragrance are omitted, leaving only the good stuff to ensure maximum effectiveness.

And guess what? I've actually been a Hada Labo user since my Tokyo trip with Cheesie in 2010! She also did an advert for them and I saw Hada Labo in a store and asked her, "Eh, really good not?" She said a resounding YES! and I've been using their moisturizer ever since.


And look at the Hada Labo products I got!! *lucky*

I know they look confusing coz of all the Japanese text, so I wrote out the functions of each one. 


Their stellar product has the words there proudly proclaiming that 1 is sold every 4 seconds in Japan. I'm telling you, this is an amazing statistic because the Japan market for skincare is crazy saturated! Whenever you see a product that says "xx sold every xx second in Japan" JUST GRAB AND BUY! Confirm good one!


The toner has a watery but gel-like texture that really quenches your skin's thirst and won't dry skin like some toners do. No smell either.


One drop locks up an ocean... So LOCK UP ALL THE OCEANS!! Yes I'm aware my picture says "unlock" wtf I got mistaken when I photoshopped it. (And that's a 9gag reference)

Check it out... On the left my sponsored product, on the right my own limited edition Minnie Hada Labo lotion bought in Otaru! YOU JELLY?? I wish Singapore has these pretty things sigh... At least we can still buy boring version Hada Labo. LOL


Their essence is also very popular, winning Women's Weekly and Her World beauty awards in 2011.


Texture is firmer than the lotion... I love this! Once it hits the skin you can feel it being absorbed. And it leaves a velvety texture!


Their Hydrating Milk (moisturizer) is one of my FAVOURITE skincare products. I love how hydrating it really is and it spreads easily and doesn't cause me any pimples like some of the more heavy oil-based moisturizers do. AND AND AND THE BEST THING???????

Please look at the picture. It comes in a squeezable bottle NOT A TUB!! You may think this is a very small thing but I really hate digging moisturizers out from tubs. It's so unhygienic to use your fingers and so troublesome to use a scoop. I love how convenient this is. GOOD JOB ON THE DESIGN!

Here's the milky texture. That small amount is enough for the whole face, believe it or not.


If you don't like the Hydrating Milk Hada Labo also came up with a SHA Hydrating Cream... The cream is light and non-greasy and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. WANT!!


Found another product I love. Their Hydrating Face Wash!! I don't know why and how but a very small dollop lathers sooooo much foam and as promised, not drying! Just clean.


Love my Hada Labo!

Are you thinking of giving Hada Labo a try but you don't wish to part with your money? NO WORRIES PLEASE THEY ARE GIVING IT OUT FREE!!! FOR REAL!!

Click HERE to go to their facebook page and just hit on Like to get a free sample!

Additionally, Hada Labo is giving out 31 days of Rewards this whole month! Just go to their facebook and for every single day for 31 days they will pick a lucky fan to win a daily prize. It could be bags worth $200 or dining vouchers worth $100 or Hada Labo products!!


Hada Labo is sold at Watsons, Guardian, FP, Sasa, Unity and major departmental stores.

Prices range from $13.50 - $34.90

Taxing Romney

Josh Marshall delves into the question of why Romney won't release his tax returns. He thinks that the issue may have to do with the infuriatingly small amount his pays. A week ago, I offered the same thought. It has been estimated that Romney, though super-wealthy, pays only about 14% in taxes.

But there is another possibility. Romney is a Mormon, although some have questioned whether he is serious about his Mormonism. He is supposed to tithe to his church. Do you really think that's happening?

The issue won't go away. The DNC has made Romney's tax returns the topic of a video. Romney's son got into trouble when he said his father would release his tax returns when Obama released his grades and birth certificate. This has been derided as a "birther" joke, one which made Mitt look bad, but the college transcript business is a rather different matter. Some have questioned whether Obama even went to Columbia.

Legal Insurrection proclaims "“Tax returns for college transcripts” will not work." Maybe not, but we can't be sure until we give it a chance.

Mitt refuses to go along with his fellow Republicans on getting rid of the capital gains tax. If that conservative desideratum were achieved, the people -- yes, even the dim-bulb American people -- would learn that our rulers often live off of capital gains, and thus would pay no taxes. As the Washington Post noted...
Over the past 20 years, more than 80 percent of the capital gains income realized in the United States has gone to 5 percent of the people; about half of all the capital gains have gone to the wealthiest 0.1 percent.

“The way you get rich in this world is not by working hard,” said Marty Sullivan, an economist and a contributing editor to Tax Analysts. “It’s by owning large amounts of assets and having those things appreciate in value.”
Releasing Romney's returns would debag that cat.

MUSIC W.E. - ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE - MUSIC COMPOSED BY ABEL KORZENIOWSKI - 2011

♥ LOVE ! ♥ ! LOVE ! ♥ LOVE ! ♥





Happy New Year 2012 Have a good Time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


P.L. 2011 2012 Liverpool Newcastle

30 December 2011
Anfield,
Liverpool

Referee: L. Probert
Attendance: 44372 


 A la lutte pour revenir parmi les qualifiés à la prochaine Ligue des Champions, Liverpool a fait une très bonne affaire en surpassant un adversaire direct, Newcastle (3-1). A domicile, les Reds se sont pourtant fait peur dans la première demi-heure de la partie. En effet, c'est le malheureux Daniel Agger qui a ouvert le score avec un but contre son camp (25e). Un avantage qui n'aura cependant pas permis aux Magpies d'espérer bien longtemps. Dans la foulée, les hommes de Kenny Dalglish sont revenus dans la rencontre avec une égalisation du Gallois Craig Bellamy (29e). En seconde période, l'attaquant a même signé un doublé sur coup franc qui a donné de l'air à son équipe (67e). Pour asseoir son succès, le club de la Mersey a enfoncé le clou par Steven Gerrard, tout juste entré en en jeu (79e). Au classement, les Reds reviennent donc à la hauteur de Chelsea, qui est 4e, avec 34 points. Mais les Blues joueront ce samedi pour tenter de se redonner de la marge. Avec ce 5e match de suite sans défaite en championnat, Liverpool redevient un candidat sérieux au podium cette saison, et va pouvoir passer un bon réveillon. 

Codec H264, Mkv
Bitrate 1000
Sound 128 kbps
French Comments
Pass : thewildbunch22
Full Game


First Half
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DS6QZHPB

Second Half
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YMCPJCPQ


Caps







AGAIN with the Biden/Clinton thing...?

BooMan, the masochistic froggie whom I've swatted in the past, has responded to Robert Reich's prediction that Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden will switch gigs.
The last president to willingly switch vice-presidents was Franklin Roosevelt, who did it twice. But Joe Biden is no Henry Wallace, nor is he under indictment like Spiro Agnew. So, why does Reich think Obama will demote the vice-president?
To which lambert at Corrente responds:
BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Joe Biden's no Henry Wallace? Yeah, and Obama's no FDR, Booman. You "startlingly dumb" Fuck.
BO definitely is no FDR, but that doesn't invalidate BooMan's point. Henry Wallace said and did many admirable things -- for example, he denounced racial injustice at a time when very few others in the Democratic party were willing to do so. He came close to the presidency even though he took a stance well to the left of FDR. But Wallace also had a New Age nitwit side which made him a political liability. (The "Guru letters" did not become public until 1947, but they were known to insiders well before.)

So far, BooMan, not lambert, is the one who has it right. But then our addled amphibian gives us a nice, steaming pile of froggie poop...
Do any of you see any indicators that the president is about to lose his reelection bid? Have you seen any recent, reputable polls that show him losing to any of the clowns running for the Republican nomination? There appears to be no current 'need' for riling up the base. Maybe Reich believes such a need will arise. The future is uncertain, and it's better to have a motivated base than a "disillusioned" one. Of course, Robert Reich doesn't seem to know who constitutes the Democratic base. He seems to think its made up of Jane Hamsher, Matt Stoller, Arianna Huffington, Cornel West. and the people Reich dines with on weekends. Would those malcontents be excited by Hillary Clinton on the ticket? Do malcontents get excited?

Obama's real base is made up of the people who helped him beat Hillary Clinton, presumably (at least, in part) because there was something about Clintonism and DLC politics that they didn't like.
Oh jeez. This shit again? I thought Arianna and the gang were the crew who gave us Obama.

I see plenty of indicators that Obama is likely to lose his reelection bid. Have you seen the latest? 43% approval, 48% disapproval -- and the 43% is about as enthusiastic as a four-year-old facing a plate of badly-cooked brussel sprouts. The issue Americans care about right now is the economy, which sucks and will soon suck harder. (Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; the fundamentals are frightening.)

BO has been a terrible president, an embarrassment to the party, and he's infinitely more vulnerable than Clinton would have been at this point, had she won the office in 2008. BooMan neglects the polls which indicate that Hillary Clinton is about a zillion times more popular than Obama right now.

The seeming Republican disarray is temporary; the GOP leadership always knows how to unite the party when crunch time comes. Those guys know how to engineer a Yeltsin-on-a-tank moment for Romney, should the need arise.

(Sudden thought: Suppose a new terror incident were to hit. Would the country unite around Obama the way it united around Dubya? I don't think so. Quite the opposite: The propagandists would sound the "He didn't protect us" propaganda line incessantly.)

Take a long-term view and you'll see that today's Republican in-fighting works to the Democratic party's disadvantage. Instead of primarying Obama (as they damned well should be doing), the Dems have fallen prey to ruinous delusions about their chances.

No-one outside the masochistic frog community truly likes Obama these days. At best, Democrats consider him marginally preferable to the Republican opposition. I see no-one running toward Obama, although quite a few people are running away from Bachmann, Perry, Gingrich and Paul.

As for the DLC bogeyman: Come off it, froggie. It's hard to demonize the DLC (which is out of business, and which never had any real power) after Obama has spent the past three years espousing an agenda well to the right of Bill Clinton and Al Gore. Get a clue:
“I am a New Democrat,” declared President Obama, firmly identifying himself with the brand and philosophy, though not necessarily with the organization of the Democratic Leadership Council.
The major criticism progressives launched against the DLC was the group's endorsement of NAFTA. Guess what? Not only did Obama lie about his NAFTA stance on the campaign trail, not only has he refused to renegotiate the treaty (despite his pledges), he has gone around the world seeking more free trade agreements with Asia. That's the great untold story of the Obama years.

BooMan may be the last frog in America still high on all that Axelrod-brand junk he injected into his little green veins back in 2008. May I offer this small reminder from 2009...?

Friday, December 30, 2011

MOVIE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN - LYNNE RAMSAY - 2011

BEST PERFORMANCE FOR TILDA SWINTON !!!!

♥ LOVE ! ♥ ! MY BEST FILM OF 2011 ! ♥ LOVE ! ♥



The mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief - and feelings of responsibility for her child's actions.