mrbrown.com

the mrbrown show: Malaysia's new super spies

Malaysia may get a new spy agency! Check it out at mrbrownshow.com!

Win Gala Premiere tickets to the movie “300″!

Contest details at seewhatshow.com! Sunday the 4th of March 2007, midnight, is the deadline for entries, so go! Go! Go!

Why Oscar speeches are so long and boring

Reasearch has shown that it is because the audience is too supportive (from washingtonpost.com):

One series of psychological experiments offers insight into why the stars regularly underperform at the Academy Awards -- and what can be done about it. Contrary to the widely held belief that a supportive audience improves the performance of people under pressure, these experiments show exactly the opposite is true. All those fans, friends and family in the auditorium may make the stars feel good about what they are doing on stage, but it is probably making the show more boring for the rest of us.

via Tyler Cowen

the mrbrown show: only the lonely

Sign up for the new gahmen website to help deal with the elderly's biggest worry, at mrbrownshow.com!

iNeedToNameMyProductsBetter

Someone should tell OSIM to rethink their naming strategies... I mean, for goodness' sake, iPOKE?!!!

iAmAppalled.

Autism and ADHD workshop

There is a two-day Autism and ADHD workshop conducted by Dr Michael Reiff from University of Minnesota, a specialist in Autism, on the 3rd and 4th of March 2007 (this coming Saturday and Sunday).

Details at Center for American Education website and a pdf can be downloaded here.

the mrbrown show: more fishballs

Bigger balls at mrbrownshow.com!

A presentation on School 2.0: Do You Know? (Youtube)

Thought-provoking presentation on the need to prepare your kids for the future, done by educator Karl Fisch (remixed by Scott McLeod). You can get the Quicktime and Powerpoint slides from their sites if you want it.

Teachers, students and anyone interested in education should watch this 6-minute presentation. Cool stuff.

(Youtube text link)

the mrbrown show: political transformers

Mutant beings spotted at mrbrownshow.com! There is even a contest at the end of the show, to win Transformer movie posters!

See What Show 02: almost all Oscar movies

Episode 2 of our new weekly movie, tv and dvd review podcast series, See What Show! We talk about Letters from Iwo Jima, Babel and more! At seewhatshow.com.com!

the mrbrown show: the arena

Learn from some real debaters at mrbrownshow.com.

Expat Banner Ad

Expat realty ad seen by Axegal on some website when she was surfing for vets.

We find homes for expats who are rich enough not to care if the parking auntie books you? We find homes for expats in estates where the parking auntie is very on-the-ball so that you will always have a parking lot? What does it all mean, dammit!

the mrbrown show: gahmen greetings

Chinese New Year greetings with heart! At mrbrownshow.com.

See What Show 01: Week of 16 Feb 2007

Check out our new weekly movie, tv and dvd review podcast series, See What Show, at seewhatshow.com.com!

Booking via Shaw Cinema online

Update: I received a very swift reply from Shaw Online when I sent them my feedback. Kudos for the proactive service. Oh, they also said that contrary to what was said here by a commenter, there is absolutely no secret group involved in writing reviews for them, and that they "are totally against that". They also said, "We let the movies speak for themselves and also do not influence the external reviewers in anyway."

Here is an excerpt from the rest of the email I received from Shaw Online:

Hi Mr. Brown,

Thank you for your feedback and encouraging words.

We are puzzled as we have done testings for the website for Firefox 1.x and 2.x, Opera 8.x and 9.x, Safari (Mac) and of course IE and had no problems with the booking engine.

I personally just did another booking using my own card and FireFox :
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.1) Gecko/20061204 Firefox/2.0.0.1

and the transaction went thru fine.

Can you describe the problem so that we can look into it with our developer?

...We value our customers feedback a lot and will do our best to improve our services to make the movie going experience a better one.

I told them where I had problems (just before payment) and I am going to try booking again, to see whether it is my browser or the site. Nice to know there are companies out there who respond to feedback so quickly.

----

The old Shaw website was slow and did not work on Mac's Safari. The new site seems to be better, but when I tried to use it with Firefox -- FOR PC (update: it was Firefox 2.0, to be exact) -- it could not complete the transaction and I had to fire up Internet Explorer to book my tickets.

If it wasn't for the fact that Golden Village did not have the time slot i wanted, I would have gladly bought my tickets via GV's online booking system.

Losing customers to a rival because of poor online experience, especially since you are asking your customer to self-service, is stupid. I am already booking my own tickets using your online service, AND paying $1 more for the privilege. Don't make me jump through hoops to give you money.

The site revamp was a step in the right direction for Shaw Online, a big leap from the old site's horrendous interface (you had to register to even freaking use the site back then). Now make the damn thing work with more browsers than Explorer please. Thanks.

Of all days

Flat. Tire. On. Chinese. New. Year. Eve. Wah. Lau. Eh.

Good thing I found one open tire shop (maybe they were going to eat Reunion Dinner a little later). But the patch job came up to $20. Ouch. You either pay up or spend the next four days without your ride.

This morning at the hawker centre, every shop was either closed or charged more. I had "Happiness Fried Noodles" for $3. What the heck is that?

Still can't get over the $20 for one nail, aiyoh.

You book me, I video you breaking law too

Guy allegedly turns blinkers on, stops his MPV along road with double-yellow lines, to buy a papaya for his kids who were in the car with wife.

Then kena booked by two SBS Bus Wardens... who just parked their bikes on the same double-yellow-lined road... to have breakfast.

Best lines of the video:

"We are doing our duty."

(Youtube text link)

via Tomorrow.sg

Poor Little Singapore Student

This is what happens when an education system emphasizes the ends instead of the means. Watch both Flash movies and judge for yourself.

The Animania entry by the Nayang Academy of Fine Arts student(s): The Poor Little Rich Girl

The 2005 Flash movie by crookedsixpence (Katy Towell) on deviantart.com: The Little Girl

I agree with Katy when she says, that wasn't very nice.

Seems like the entry has been pulled (but I still see it there leh).

the mrbrown show: singapore 2047

Are you looking forward to 6.5 million people living in Singapore? We at mrbrownshow.com are!

Date Night: Valentines' Day dinner at Basil Alcove

Update: We are home. Eat until cannot move, sial. Even had to "dabao" some food back but we tasted everything. My fave was the Baked Cod with Thyme and Olive Pesto, and the Seafood Pasta Cooked in a Wrap (the prawns inside were super fresh, crunchy and sweet!). Even though I am not a liver kind of guy, I appreciated the cauliflower and the raisins soaked overnight in champagne in the sixth course, the Deep-fried Cauliflower & Duck Liver pate with Raisin Rose Dressing.

The pork ribs braised in milk also very shiok, the meat fell off the bones one. Our baked apple dessert with blood-red-wine-soaked sultanas, and the home-made mint and custard ice cream were superb.

We've never taken such a long dinner before, and it was quite refreshing. Nothing like just chatting and catching up over a long dinner like this. You should try it one day. Singaporeans are always in a rush when it comes to eating, it seems. Good company and good food is a great way to spend The Date Night of the Year.

---

The wife and I are tucking in to an 18-course A'more set dinner (with wine) at Basil Alcove, in Fortune Centre, Middle Road.

The talented Chef Xander is responsible for this feast, and seen here is the first course, the Mozzarella Fritta.

We just had the third course of Avocado Gazpacho (served chilled with Servuga Caviar), and so far, everything is great. Dish 2 was Baked Mussels with Pesto and Herbed Gin (which was tested earlier by Popagandhi).

Special thanks to Popagandhi for the recommendation. We are thoroughly enjoying our alfresco meal along Middle Road, far from the Valentines' Day city crowds.