Boring Post Vol.1

Beware: This is a long and boring post full of pictures of old building! If you don't appreciate old buildings then you can be forgiven for skipping this post altogether but if you like old buildings then knock yourself out!

Last Sunday was Open Day at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens and everybody is free to check out this historical building that was built way back in 1880 during the gold rush.

The building was the first building in Australia to achieve World Heritage listing meaning its important to all peoples of the world. The building is still being used for different events throughout the year but most events have been moved to the new exhibition centre on the Yarra river.

There were a lot of guides dressed in 19th century clothings to show people around the building and to explain all the different areas of the building and its history. On a normal day a tour of the building would cost $5 but today it was free!

Check out the paintings on the walls and arches, imagine the time you have to put into all that details. And preserving the paintings! That's got to be expensive, no wonder we get taxed so heavily!

Even the roof of the dome is painted to great detail, much like the Sistene Chapel in the Vatican. Well maybe not that elaborate but still very intricately done. Am I boring you to death already or not?

I went up to the next level to get a different angle of shots and it does highlight the magnificent wooden floor. I wonder if that is the original timber floor because it would've been all worn out by now.

In 1901 the building hosted the opening of the first Federal Parliament. The Duke of Cornwall and York declared the opening in front of 12,000 dignitaries and guests. So you see Melbourne used to be the center of power once before before they had to go and build Canberra!

If you've come this far then you do enjoy old buildings so do you want to see more? Since this is vol. 1 so its a safe bet that there's going be more! Till next time, yippity yippida that's all folks!

My Bloody Hot Water Heater!

My bloody hot water heater had been playing up for quite a while now but I've always put up with it and managed it the best I could. Yesterday was the last straw for me! I decided that today was D-day, the day I finally get it fixed once and for all!

The problem I was told was with the relief valve (indicated by the arrow). It's supposed to regulate the hot water by releasing a trickle of water when the water is too hot or the pressure inside the heater builds up.

But for a some reason it's gone berserk so when the water started to boil inside the heater, it released a torrent of water out through the relief pipe! What I've done all these time in putting up with it was to turn the temperature down to the 2nd notch and that helped prevented the water from wasting away.

The drawback of that is it'll run out of hot water very quickly especially when taking showers. So I decided to turn up the temperature a bit and that's when all hell broke loose! Water was gushing out spilling onto the walk path and into the backyard so I had to turned the temperature back down and decided to call for professional help.

Help came real soon, I was pleasantly surprised what with the way the trades people here are famed for. The plumber confirmed the faulty relief valve so he replaced it. Now I reckon I could replace that if I knew what the problem was and it would've been much cheaper!

How much did it cost me? $186.00 installed with 12 months warranty on the new relief valve and 3 months warranty on workmanship. I would've save half that if I did it myself, right Ah Pek?

Thieves Screwed!

There's a growing number of registration plate thefts in Melbourne and police have launched Operation Safe Plate to combat this crime by installing "one way" screws which cannot be removed by standard screw drivers.

I took Terese's car in for the free installation this morning. When I got there a queue was already lining up. Who doesn't want free screws right? Don't want to miss out on the free tax dollar funded screws!

While the police was directing the traffic, State Emergency Services (SES) volunteers were changing the screws off everyone's number plates. Once you've installed these unremovable screws you can only have them removed by the police for a legitimate reason.

I just had to get out of the car to see them doing it. One volunteer unscrewed the old screws and another screwed in the new screws. I'm doing my bit to fight crime, let's see how they're going to steal my number plate now. They're screwed!

Here's a close-up look at the screw, its very simple but effective. The head is shaped in such a way that it can only go one way and thats to screw in but not out. Thieves would just have to rip the whole thing out!

AT-TE Tank Gunner

I've been rather lazy and disinterested in blogging and more obsessed with collecting more and more Star Wars figurines. What's wrong with me? This is unhealthy not mentioning getting expensive!

Today's post is brought to you by the AT-TE Tank Gunner, an elite clone trooper specialists that received advance training under ARC troopers on Kamino. They have specialised skills to operate the AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) tanks and other armored vehicles.

The package comes with a removable helmet, an addition to the helmet, a blaster, a pistol and a standing platform made to look like the landscape of Kashyyyk where this trooper was based.

Oh it also comes with a removable shoulder/chest strap and left shoulder cap. With the standard clone trooper's helmet on he looks just like any other trooper.

But you can change the helmet by putting that additional piece of covering for the helmet so he becomes the tank gunner. Also you can remove his left shoulder cap to reveal the Republican insignia?

In case you don't know what an AT-TE is, those big armor vehicles with 6 legs in the background should give you an idea. They made their debut appearance in Star Wars in Episode II: Attack Of The Clones and Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith as well.

What If John Woo Had Directed Star Wars?

Sengkor suggested something that got me thinking, what if John Woo had directed Star Wars? What would we expect to see in a John Woo's Star Wars film? Hypothetically we would see all his trademarks that he does so well.

All clone troopers would be carrying two guns instead of one for twice the impact and twice the firepower! This so call "Double Automatic Guns-Slinging" is becoming very fashionable in Hollywood and a lot of directors are copying it for their own movies.

Then there's also the "Ballistic Shoot-outs" scenes that John Woo is so famous for where you can expect to see bullets(in this case laser bolts) flying everywhere and bodies falling over all in slow motion!

There's also the "Back-to-back" where our heros come together to exchange a few words and to reload their guns in the midst of a gun fight with enemy fires going off all around them. It would be so cool!

Last but certainly not least we must have the "Face-to-face Stand-off" where two foes meet in an intense stand-off with both aiming their guns at each other! So it would certainly be exciting if John Woo were to direct Star Wars.

Gorillapod

I was thinking of getting a tripod for my camera since forever but never made up my mind on what kind of tripod to get. There are so many different kind of tripods ranging from the very basic to the very expensive!

But yesterday while I was reading the newspaper I saw the tripod I've been waiting for, its the Gorillapod by Joby! This tripod is the best creation ever to come out since the digital cameras.

Affordable to every amateur photographer, this tripod costs only $39.95 and its quite new to the market. I went to one camera shop and the salesman didn't even know what it was!

But I did get one from Camera House in the city and its basically a small tripod but extremely flexible in that it can bend and twist into whatever shape you want but yet very stable to be used on a flat surface as well.

I wanted to demonstrate how it works but because I do not have another camera to demonstrate with, I had to use a mirror to do the trick and set the camera on timer shot.

Because the camera was trying to focus on the mirror instead of its own image, some of the pictures may be a bit blurry but taking pictures using a tripod gives you the most stable focus you can get. See how it can just about stand on any surface like a roll of paper towel in the toilet!

Again you can see that the camera actually focus on the mirror frame instead of its image but this picture just demonstrates how flexible the gorillapod is, even on a bar so why would you need a traditional tripod anymore!

You can also wrap it over the LCD monitor and it will be just as sturdy as you place it on a flat surface. Very good for when you are outdoor but needs to take a group photo but you can always wrap it around the road sign or a small tree!

It can wrap itself around anything and still gives you a secure hold for a perfect shot! You can also get one that is suited for SLR cameras and flash clip in the near future. To know more go to their website here.

When I got home later I just had to try it on the lampstand. This was taken in my bathroom infront of the bathroom mirror. Do yourself a favour and go buy yourself a Gorillapod. You'll be glad you did!

501st Legion Clone Trooper

I'm having so much fun playing with my Star Wars figurines when the blogosphere is so quiet. I can post whatever I want with no one to complain about the stupid toys I post on my blog!

Today I take a look at the 501st Legion Clone Trooper. Like the Shock Troopers, these clone troopers were retrained on Coruscant in advanced infantry, commando and space-combat techniques.

The 501st Legion is also know as "Vader's Fist" because they serve under Darth Vader and were considered to be the best of the best. The legion was later assigned to the 1st Death Star as a security force.

The helmet of this figurine is removable as well to reveal the clone face of Jango Fett. It also comes with a standing platform but the arms are limited in their movements so there's not many poses I can make it do.

In the movie Revenge Of The Sith these were the troopers that stormed the Jedi Temple with Darth Vader to wipe out the Jedi Order. Everyone perished including the younglings... Die Jedi Die!

My Nose Bleed Wouldn't Stop!

Hi everyone! I'm still enjoying my break but thought you might enjoy this picture my friend emailed me today...I know I do.

So have fun, don't drink and drive and play safe! Or and could somebody please buy her a set of clothing coz my nose bleed wouldn't stop!

Siaran Tergendala

Minta Maaf. Siaran tergendala sebentar.

Even Superman needs a break. I'll call you when I come back!

Clone Shock Trooper

Time for my Star Wars figurine again since its so quiet and peaceful. Everyone's on holiday over the long weekend except me!

Today's figurine is the Clone Shock Trooper, a specialist clone troopers trained to operate as law enforcers on Coruscant protecting key installations like landing platforms and the Senate.

The package came with 2 blasters and 2 shoulder caps so it can become Commander Thire with the insignia on his left shoulder cap...

...or he could be a normal trooper without the insignia but has the rifle blaster!


These shock troopers eventually became the Coruscant Guards, distinguished by their crimson armours and tasked with enforcing law on Coruscant.

Spiderman Spiderman

I saw this window cleaner one day and the Spiderman theme song came to mind but I've changed a few words that I think fit the pictures. Sing along to it, not just read it. Sing to the original Spiderman tune from the TV so long ago.

Spiderman, Spiderman
Climb tall buildings like he can
Wash your windows yes he can
Height is of no hindrance
Look out, here comes the Spiderman

Spiderman, Spiderman
The things he's seen through window panes
That's why he loves his job so much
Getting paid he wants not
Voyeurism's all he needs
Look out, here comes the Spiderman

Spiderman, Spiderman
So when you're doing the dirty deeds
Make damn sure your curtains shut
You never know who's out there
Cleaning your window panes!
Look out, here comes the Spiderman

If This Is Not A Meme Then What Is It?

This Is Not A Meme…

…is the topic of the meme for today. And I'm so memecited!


The above picture has nothing to do with the post, just wanna show you this miniature Tudor Village. Now on with the meme..

Got tagged by Laksa and the rules of the game are as follows…

RULES: Ten Stupid Question Meme
1. Place a copy of the rules with the not not a meme
2. Answer the ten stupid questions of whoever tagged you
3. Write ten stupid questions for others to answer
4. Tag three people

And the 10 questions I’m supposed to answer are as follows (with my answers in bold):

1. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

Yes it is! And what you need to do is go find the sane personality inside him to talk to the insane personality into giving up that stupid idea of killing himself unless it wasn't the insane personality that threatens to kill himself in which case you need to find the logical personality to figure out which personality in him was responsible for the threat. Once the guilty personality has been found the just personality can decide on a punishment for the guilty personality which is to suppress him deep deep into his subconscious so he'll never go and do it again! Makes sense?

2. Where do forest rangers go to “get away from it all?"

Forest rangers go to the concrete jungle to "get away from it all". There they can go see the concrete mountains and mechanical animals that follow each other in between the concrete mountains, stopping occasionally to look at some pretty red lights before moving on when the green lights come back on!

3. What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

Its OK, extinction is part of evolution. One specie has to perish so another can take its place so don't worry too much coz its the way of nature.

4. If the “blackbox” flight recorder is never damaged during a plane crash, why isn’t the whole damn airplane made out of that stuff?

That's because the blackbox is made up of some super duper indestructible metal like "alamantium" inside Wolverine but its quite heavy so to build a whole plane with just this metal would make the plane too heavy to fly which means passengers would have to be halved, cargos halved which means air travels will be too expensive which means no more Airasia, Virgin Blue or JetStar!

5. Why do toasters always have a setting that burns toast to a horrible crisp which no decent human being would ever eat?

Simple! Same reason why cars are made to go faster than 100 km per hour when the speed limit is only 100! You would not buy a Ferrari if you cannot go faster than 100 km per hour so why would you want to buy a toaster that will only toast your bread just right only. You'd want it to be able to burn your bread should one day for some unforeseen circumstances you need a burnt crispy bread!

6. Why do the alphabet song and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” have the same tune?

One word, "Plagiarism!" Next!

7. Why is bra singular and panties plural?

You can have singular and plural in both bra and panties. Bra is short for brassiere, you can have 2 bras similarly panties is more than 1 panty! Comprente?

8. Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

That's because glue needs oxygen to reacte with the chemical in glue to solidify thus drying and stick! So when the glue is still inside a sealed bottle there's not enough oxygen in the bottle for it to "stick". See, I'm not just a pretty face!

9. Can you cry under water?

Of course you can! Where do you think all these water comes from?

10. Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?

Aiyo..you bought the wrong meat liao! That's for a roll, you can get the sandwich meat which is square and similarly you can also get square cheese slices!

I'm supposed to come out with 10 questions of my own and tag 3 people to answer them but I won't coz I'm afraid you might think my questions are too silly, crappy, stewpig, juvenile and rude! So I won't...hehe.

Who Wants To Come With Me?

Terese tends to sweep through the newspapers for competitions and hands them over to me to enter either via sms, phone call or email. Every week she would hand me a pile of competition to enter and I can't remember how many I've entered and I don't even know what competitions I've entered.

So when I received a letter from Herald Sun newspaper I knew I must've won something again. If you've been following my blog you would know by now that I do win a few freebies every now and then from these competitions Terese told me to enter. You gotta be in it to win it!

So what did we win? A family pass for 2 adults and 3 children to AFL World in the city! I've never been there but its more for kids and football fans crazy for the Australian Football League or Aussie Rules. I've checked on their website that normally a pass like this is worth $49.50 so its quite a win I supposed. Its valid till June next year so there's plenty of time, besides the season's over now. I'll go when the season's started so there's more happening. I'm not really into football but I wouldn't mind going for a "look see". Now all I need is 3 children to tag along, who wants to come with me? You have to be under 14 years old or look like a kid!