Initial D follow up

J-Lo: 10 reasons to watch Initial D
According to J-Lo, "Word is, this show is sold out in most TGV Cinemas untill 1st July 2005".

Golden Screen Cinemas isn't showing the movie. That's the main reason for the sold outs...

Coming out of retirement

There will be a 3-on-3 basketball competition this July 3 2005 (Sunday), at SMK Lok Yuk Likas. Called the Fireball Challenge, it is organised by the school and participation is open to all basketball players under 19 years of age. The categories are Boys Under 19, Boys Under 16 and Girls Under 18. As far as I can remember, this is the first high profile 3-on-3 basketball competition organised by a school and open to public participation. So lots of kudos to the guys at SMK Lok Yuk.

I am rather reluctant to participate. I'm retired, so to speak. I have not trained since March, after the end of MSSG Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu Unified School Sports Council) basketball championship. But seeing the enthusiasm shown by friends, I guess I'll be playing after all come this July 3.

What we have in mind is to just go out and have fun... And hopefully I won't look like some old uncle on the court. =)

Initial D... hottest movie at the moment

Initial D premiered Thursday night. Starred by big names in the entertainment industry like Jay Chou (who is making his silver screen debut), Edison Chen and Anthony Wong, plus all the hype and publicity that the movie is getting, there is no surprise that it's the hottest movie at the moment.

Image credit: The Star Online

Since the premiere, all subsequent shows are sold out, including all of today's. I've been planning to watch the movie tonight, but that's not going to happen because I couldn't lay my hands on any ticket. I'll have to wait for next weekend. Oh, tonight will be boring.

Untitled... I couldn't think of one.

What's a personal blog without some mindless ramblings and rants?

...Um, figure that one out if you're inclined. It's just an unconscious habit (until this moment, that is) of mine to start a composition with a question.

I have not been posting as much as I like to. School-related matters make it unfeasible. Maybe I'm getting more responsibilities in school than I should. It's not like I volunteered to do them -- I tried not to get involved at all -- but somehow they just seem to find their way to me. I quote myself, "If you're good, people will find you." ;P

I should be doing my experiment reports now...

School life is best when it's a nostalgic memory. Hey, you can quote me on that.

Not-so-obvious

I'm sure we don't pay much attention to the small details in a website. We are too busy for that. But take a few seconds to actually scan through this blog. Did you notice these things?

1. The "Dispose in garbage bin" print on the big box up there is actually a computer effect.
Not-so-obvious rating: 2 out of 5 stars

2. Look at the bottom of this page. This blog is Made in Malaysia.
Not-so-obvious rating: 1 out of 5 stars

3. Then, shift your eyes to the bar code. There are meanings to the numbers, 9 071286 727532. 9 is the usual first number in bar codes (I didn't bother to find out why). 071286 is my birthday in dd/mm/yy format. And lastly, 727532 is my landline number.
Not-so-obvious rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What do you think of the Not-so-obvious ratings? Are they accurate?

Nigerian Scam - Part 2

It seems to me that the Nigerian Scam people really liked the publicity they get on this blog. Barely two days after posting Nigerian Scam, I received another e-mail of the same nature (well, great! I couldn't think of anything to post today actually). Here is another variation of the scam:

From : Stella Dikko Samba
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
West Africa.
TEL +225 07 81 95 57


APPEAL FOR URGENT BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.

ATT: DIRECTOR
MY Dear ,

Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I got your name and contact from the Ivoirian chamber of commerce and industry. I prayed over it and selected your name among other names due to its esteeming nature and the recommendations given to me as a reputable and trust worthy person that I can do business with and by the recommendation, I must not hesitate to confide in you for this simple and sincere business.

I am Stella Dikoo Samba the only daughter of late Mr. and Mrs. Dikko samba. My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory coast, my father was poisoned to dearth by his business associates on one of their outings on a
business trip .

My mother died when I was a baby and since then my father took me so special. Before the death of my father on January 2002 in a private hospital here in Abidjan he secretly called me on his bed side and told me that he has the sum of seventeen million ,five hundred thousand United State Dollars. USD ($17.500,000) left in fixed / suspense account in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan ,that he used my name as his only daughter for the next of Kin in depositing of the fund. He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates. That I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice where I will transfer this money and use it for investment purpose such as real estate management or hotel management .

Sir, I am honourably seeking your assistance in the following ways:
(1) To provide a bank account into which this money would be transferred to.
(2) To serve as a guardian of this fund since I am only 22years.
(3) To make arrangement for me to come over to your country to further my education and to secure a resident permit in your country.

Moreover, sir i am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of this fund into your nominated account overseas.

Furthermore, you indicate your options towards assisting me as I believe that this
transaction would be concluded within fourteen (14) days you signify interest to assist me. Anticipating to hear from you soon. Reply ma in my private mail box:jimnaya174@yahoo.fr

Thanks and God bless.

Best regard
STELLA DIKKO SAMBA

I'm really flattered to be chosen by her... The only problem is: She's 22, I'm only 18. She expects me to be the guardian of the fund? Come on girl, you've got to be smarter than that!

Nigerian Scam

Have you heard of the infamous Nigerian Scam? Also known as 419 or Advance Fee Fraud, this scam has existed for a pretty long time and in different variations. I received one a few days back in my e-mail. Take a look:

Greetings from : Williams Okadigbo,

I am a Nigerian, 27 years in possession of my dad's properties, he was been poisoned in a political rally in my country, he was the FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT, here in Nigeria before his death I have been in charge of his business and have got no problem in controlling it so far.
Few days after his death I received a letter from his bank notifying me of his account in one of the banks in Nigeria that worth 37,000,000 (Thirty seven Million USD) which he got from a supply he did with the Federal Government of Nigeria. As a result of this notification I have wrote a letter through my Lawyer to the bank to transfer the Money to a Vault House in Europe, based on the reason that they knew my dad make's a lot of money when he was still in government, so I will not like a situation that the present Government may probe his assets, I will like the money to be under your custody so that I will proceed ahead and invest it in your country.
I know that this issue is a very sensitive one and it has to be highly
confidential, why you don't send me your personal phone # and Fax # for quicker communication, the transaction is a risk free and your share shall be 30%of the total sum of this money provided you co-operation with me.
My daddy happens to be a very popular person so let it be highly confidential. Update me back with my private E-mail address (williamsOkadigb1@netscape.net)

Take care of yourself,
Williams Okadigbo

Mr Okadigbo, have no worry. I'll certainly take care of myself. Too bad for you though -- I just subscribed your e-mail to 37 000 newsletters (read: spam).

This scam, despite its popularity and lifespan, still continues to part people with their money. Don't be one of them, read more about it here.

P/s: I was kidding about the 37 000 spams, if you haven't guessed that already...

Screenshot: Act 1

Here's one for the album, a screenshot of muSION: Act 1. The design theme of the blog changes with the Acts, so I should keep graphical records of the blog. They'll prove useful in the future.

The Beginning. Act 1 : Escape from the box...

The dreams are going nowhere. Life, though not terrible, is so unfulfilling. I begin to wonder: Where are the opportunities I've been expecting? Nowhere to be seen... Am I imprisoned inside an imaginary box? That's exactly how I'm feeling! But how did I get here in the first place? Or have I been here all along and not realising it?

A few months passed. The questions remain unanswered. However, it resulted in a conscious attempt to escape from the box. This would be the first of many forthcoming changes...

muSION, obviously a blog or some sort of blog, is thus born. It will serve mainly as a journal for this journey of life, keeping track of important and mundane events as they unravel. Also, like everything else these days, muSION must serve more than one purpose (think of your mobile phone with camera). To make this blog more interesting -- because the life it documents is not (think of your old mobile phone without the camera) -- I'll write about other things as well. I'll blog on everything I find interesting. Expect muSION to be one blog full of garbage.