McD and Levi's Ad...

A random check on Indigofan blog shown that awesome award winning Levi's advert for keep. Whilst searchin for that over YouTube, it spun me into checking out the famous McD's advert showing a Jimmy Dean lookalike with song by David Essex's Rock On...definitely cool. I saw it back in Perth during the mid 90s over the idiot box and it forever etched in my mind since then...

Disney x Medicom x Roen ~ Mickey Mouse Guitar and Grunge versions.

Mickey is a punk

Minnie is a runt

They both went down to Berlin, joined the Ice Capades

And oh, I don't know why

Oh, I don't know why

Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah!

Minnie is a punk

Mickey is a runt

They both went down to Frisco, joined the SLA

And oh, I don't know why

Oh, I don't know why

Perhaps they'll die, oh yeah!

~ based on The Ramones, "Judy Is A Punk".

Takara Transformers Masterpiece MP 01 ~ Optimus Prime

Name : Optimus Prime.
Affiliation : Autobot.

Function : Autobots Commander.

Technical Specifications :

Strength ~ 10 of 10.

Intelligence ~ 10 of 10.
Speed ~ 8 of 10.
Endurance ~ 10 of 10.
Rank ~ 10 of 10.
Courage ~ 10 of 10.
Firepower ~ 8 of 10.
Skill ~ 10 of 10.

" Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. "

Optimus Prime is the largest, strongest and wisest of all Autobots. Feels his role is the protection of all life, including Earth-life. Fights unceasingly to defeat the Decepticons. Splits into three autonomous modules: 1) Optimus Prime... the brain center known as the Commander; 2) Roller, the Autobot scout car... a spy who operates up to 1200 miles away; and 3) Autobot Headquarters... the combat deck equipped with a versatile mechanic/artillery robot. Injury to one module is felt by the other two.

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Got this from Sungei Wang Plaza, as it was sold out everywhere when released. Paid original retail price, this is one awesome model, which basically make my fanboy dream come true...super articulation, well balance, posebility is numero uno, with die cast parts and realistic rendering of the cheesy G1 animation Optimus Prime into a tangible product. This is version Japan, which has taller smoke stacks and not battle damage, as oppose to Hasbro US market release. Called Convoy instead of Optimus Prime. Comes with grey ion blaster, removable light-up Matrix of Leadership, a miniature gun-mode Megatron with stock, scope and silencer for Opie to hold, as well as the energy axe seen in one of the TV episodes. This first model does not come with the trailer. Instead, have an option to use the box which can be folded into a trailer. Takara has since reissue Opie with a full proper trailer but however, a Roller figure was not included. The ion blaster is also now color corrected in black.

Takara Transformers Masterpiece MP 05 ~ Megatron.

Name : Megatron.

Affiliation : Decepticon.
Function : Decepticons Leader.
Technical Specifications :
Strength = 9 of 10
Intelligence = 9 of 10
Speed = 4 of 10
Endurance = 9 of 10
Rank = 10 of 10
Courage = 7 of 10
Firepower = 10 of 10
Skill = 6 0f 10

"Peace Through Tyranny."

Megatron combines brute strength, military cunning, ruthlessness and terror. Aches to return to Cybertron to conquest after destroying all Autobots on Earth. Plans to possess all Earth resources. Incredibly powerful and intelligent. Fires nuclear-charged fusion cannon. Can link up interdimensionally to a black hole and draw antimatter from it for use as a weapon. No known weakness.

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Nine out of ten kids who grew up in the 80s would have known The Transformers. Shown over RTM (or TV3?) at 5pm, it was one of the classic cartoon series I would not miss. Looking back, it was kinda cheesy, with an equally cheesy storyline. But it is the cheesiness which endeared this series to millions of kids including me back then. This was the Ipoh years, where each time mom or dad bring me and my kid sister to the shopping malls (now defunct Super Kinta or Cresendo), I would spend my time at the toys section pouring over the Hasbro selections. Costing at between MYR20 to MYR 200, it was still expensive at that time (considering a bowl of curry noodle cost only 0.60 cents with 2 fish balls back then). Then, each Transformers would come with their own motto, and on the back of the box, there would be a tech spec, in form of a graph, of their abilities in rate of between 1 to 10. A red plastic sheet would be available for us to impose over the spec for a clearer visibility of the chart/graph. There would also be a sticker of the logo which is heat sensitive ie when rubbed, it would change color. Earlier still was the Diaclone range, and my very first Transformer was Grimlock which come with a miniature person of about an inch tall, and had a pair of actual magnets on its feet. The catalogue which came with it showed Grimlock battling some dinosaurs. The next one was the orange crane truck whose name slipped me (was it Hook?) and finally, Galvatron. All three were handed down to various younger cousins whom did not keep them anymore...thus, it is great for Takara to finally announced and issued the definitive version of Transformers with their Masterpiece line. About this Megatron model, it has me drooling when it was announced. However, unlike Optimus model, Meg seems to lack balance and articulation. The leg is also so...skinny. But I reckon the designers did their best as Meg is always top heavy. Luckily, unlike other eventual Masterpiece which shrunk in height, Meg stands about 12 inches, on par with Opie. Comes with Kremzeek the living energy imp, the energy mace, the laser sword and pistol used in The Transformers : The Movie (1986). Does not come with the barrel extension/silencer, and shoulder stock. This is also the first few which does not have the orange plug on the gun barrel due to safety concern.

Glass frame.

Received an inquiry about the brand of the eyewear, well, I could not really read Japanese so, here is the brand and a little spec for details. It is not carved out of wood though, just textured plastics, matt black in color. Got it for about MYR300 at a local eyewear retailer located in Bangsar Shopping Center. Initially I wanna get an ic berlin come to think of it, but that would set me back quite abit in terms of budget, so this will do. For the weekend, though I received much flak from Esther who thought I really looked like some creepy old man from U.N.K.L.E. instead of The Satorialist's type coolness...

Soaking those denims...

Soaked the 3 jeans yesterday, its hard work. First, I subject them to a warm temp tap water for about an hour or 2 max to rinse out the starch and so. I did not turn them inside out as I wanna rinse out the excess indigo as well. After that, I turn them inside out and dried them in full sunlight. Luckily it wasn't raining as past few days. When they are about 90% dry, I applied some mink oil onto the leather patches to minimise extreme wrinkling...those Eternal patch are really nice. I applied only a little bit onto the SDA's cordovan patch though. The toughest part was turning them inside out, particularly the Samurai and Eternal which weighted 17 and 18 oz respectively. Imagine soaking, washing those 21oz and above denim....probably twist my dainty wrist for the second time! Heh.

Curiously enough, the SDA, which has the highest indigo dyed counts (at 28 times) was the least darkest post soaking. Samurai and Eternal remains almost the same tone...

Malacca.

Went back to Malacca for the postponed CNY reunion dinner with Esther's family last Sat but unfortunately, I was downed with an incredibly resilient flu bug, basically in near comatose state all the time after being pumped full of anti-biotics....Chloe was down with fever as well, thus we cut short our trip there and backed by Sun morning instead of Mon (being public holiday~Thaipusam celebration).

The Seven Great Singing Stars.

Happened to come across and bought a CD which only cost me MYR 9.90! Titled "Gloden Memories Of 1940 to 1950 Vol.1" (yes, it is spelt and printed that way on the sleeve, which should be Golden, but Gloden sounds good too, like some post modern irony ala cool Ah Pek style) at Speedy Video Store. It featured great Chinese songs from that era, majority from the "Seven Great Singing Stars (七大歌星), who are the seven most renowned singers of China in the early 20th century . Really nostalgic, I am glad to own a copy. In one way or another, I would had come across these songs, either through some black & white old Chinese or HK movies but most via Redifusion which my late grandma installed in her room. Even though I don't read or understand a single Chinese...There are 3 other volumes which I am tempted to get as well... the songstress include Bai Guang aka White Light (白光), Bai Hong aka White Rainbow (白虹), Gong Qiuxia (龔秋霞), Li Xianglan aka Yoshiko Otaka (大鷹淑子 ie 李香蘭), Wu Yingyin (吳鶯音), Yao Lee aka Silvery Voice (姚莉), Zhou Xuan aka Golden Voice (周璇). At one point or another, they also appear in several movies during that period. In particular, it is interesting to note that Bai Guang's tomb is located in this country in Semenyih. It is quite unique from what I heard, as it has a built in piano which plays her music. Whilst I absolutely have no idea about these songstress, I find that Zhou Xuan to tbe the most attractive, followed by Li Xianglan who somehow evoke this femme fatale look to me.