Brian organized a photo shoot in SPUG cos he lately purchased a camera and is into photography now. There were discussion of a photo shoot in SPUG for some time already cos there were a few photographers but it didn't fall through somehow. 5 of us turned up, Fish, Mark, HongJia, Brian and me.
Actually I was late, very late. In fact I didn't go for the photo shoot cos I dozed off just 2 hour before the meet up. It was raining and the weather is so nice, and I dozed off after chatting with Brian on msn that we'll meet up to chit-chat even though it's raining. My mobile happened to be on silent mode so didn't hear the calls and smses from them.
Eventually I woke up in 2 hours time, went down to meet them, and they have came back from shooting at Fullerton. But on my way back, I took this new road tot he highway and took a shot of the night skyline. And also another on the highway.
This Sunday we'll be going to Changi for another SPUG photo shoot.
Was fiddling around with Photoshop and also going through photos on Karan's and Axelle's facebook which they took in BKK. Came upon their Happy Friends' Day photos where they played with shutter speed and their theme was "Possessed", thus inspired me to do a movie poster from the photos they had, and with halloween round the corner.
Our family has a new member. Let's welcome Terine to the family. My brother got married and I wish him all the best and a blissful marriage.
The dinner went well at Novotel Clarke Quay and the food was great. It was fun, high and dry. It's one of those occasion which gives you the excuse to drink a lot, and yes I did. My brother can't hold his liquor at all and I stepped in to help him on the cheers by his friends. Even stayed back after sending the guest off and continue drinking with his friends. Came back high and dry.
Here are some photos I took and a video.
The BMW Z4 as his wedding car. It's one hell of a ride. We took it out for a drive and gosh the power of this car is fantastic!
Our youngest aunt, Janet and 3rd aunt
Uncle Patrick (Janet's husband) checking out the sucking pig
Him teasing Zachy
Gabby enjoying her Huat Kueh
Snacks made by mum and sis
Video taken in the morning, fetching the bride, being "played" by the sisters and footage in ECP
[差一点] by 阿杜's new album [差一点] and here's the MV. It's been some time 阿杜 come up with some good songs. This sounds not bad. Plenty of jokes were cracked on the song's title [差一点] as well. Hehe...
Was home for the past few days and went on a movie marathon. Haven not visited the cinemas for a long time and I got this stack of DVDs which I've not watched.
Here's the list of movies I've watched in a day. WIth my ratings and links to the trailers.
Transformer 7/10 A war re-erupts on Earth between two robotic clans, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, leaving the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. High-school student Sam Witwicky buys his first car, who is actually the Autobot Bumblebee. Bumblebee defends Sam and his girlfriend Mikaela Banes from the Decepticon Barricade, before the other Autobots arrive on Earth. They are searching for the Allspark, and the war on Earth heats up as the Decepticons attack a United States military base in Qatar. Sam and Mikaela are taken by the top-secret agency Sector 7 to help stop the Decepticons, but when they learn the agency also intends to destroy the Autobots, they formulate their own plan to save the world.
Gridiron Gang 8/10 Teenagers at a juvenile detention center, under the leadership of their counselor, gain self-esteem by playing football together. The movie is based on a true story of a juvenile detention camp probation officer Sean Porter (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson), who is frustrated by the 75% recidivism rate of the teenage felons that he is responsible for at Camp Kilpatrick. Sean Porter, a former college football star, comes up with an idea to form a football team. Porter believes that football will teach the teenage inmates what it takes to be responsible, teammates, and be winners for the first time, not losers. Porter and probation officer, Malcolm Moore (Xzibit) become the coaches, and they only have 4 weeks to get a team together before their first game. The juveniles must give up their gang rivalries on the gridiron to unite as a team.
DOA: Dead or Alive 5/10 The movie adaptation of the best selling video game series Dead or Alive. A number of fighters are invited to DOA, an invitational martial arts contest. They travel to the tournament island by plane, until they have to jump out mid-flight with parachutes, and then have until sundown to reach the main island to be entered into the tournament. Fighters are then pooled against one another in a knock-out style tournament, with the loser of a battle sent home, and the winner progressing to the subsequent round. The plot revolves around four female fighters who begin as rivals, but subsequently find themselves teaming up against another force.
Employee of The Month 6/10 At Super Club, a large warehouse store, the employees strive to obtain the "Employee of the Month" award with the benefits of having their picture featured on the wall of fame in the staff lounge. Zack Bradley, a box boy, and Vince Downey, a cashier, are two competitive Super Club employees. Vince has become head cashier of the store and winner of seventeen consecutive "Employee of the Month" awards. Zack, on the other hand, is a slacker but is popular with his colleagues. Zack has not won any "Employee of the Month" awards and has no desire to except when Amy, a new cashier who only dates "Employee of the Month" winners, transfers to the store. Zack and Vince compete to get Amy's attention through competition and courtship. Vince attempts to impress Amy with skills as a cashier and his seventeen "Employee of the Month" awards, while Zack attempts to use several methods of charm and comedy to win her affection. After realizing that Amy is falling for Vince, Zack believes his only chance to get her is to win Super Club's next "Employee of the Month" award.
Tazza - The High Rollers, also known as The War of Flower 7/10 The story involves a group of grifters involved in the Korean card game called Hwatu. Go-nee has lost his entire savings, saved over a period of 5 years, at a gambling joint. While Go-nee drinks heavily, determined to throw away his life, he discovers that he was swindled by professional fraudulent gamblers, so-called ‘slickers’. To regain his sister’s money, Go-nee begins training to be the best slicker under a master of gambling, Mr. PYEONG. Go-nee becomes famous, wandering about different gambling places throughout the country with PYEONG. Moreover, Madam JUNG who has never gotten along with Mr. PYEONG, begins to show interest in Go-nee…
The Show Must Go On 7/10 In-gu (Song Kang-ho) is a kingpin in a dark world. However, hes the sweetest husband and dad, full of love for his family. His only goal in life is to build a picturesque house out in the country and live a gracious life with his family. But, theres a problem. His daughter, going through puberty, is embarrassed about her dads job and stays away from him. And his wife nags him constantly to get a stable job. Nonetheless, he tries even harder to keep his syndicate together, thinking that the only way to be a good dad is to work hard and bring home the bacon. However, in reality, family matters get in the way of his business. To make things worse, he faces a power struggle against an ambitious underling.
Breach 8/10 "Breach" is based on the true story of former 25 year veteran FBI Intelligence agent Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper). In December 2000, Hanssen, one of the best Intelligence agents at the FBI, was reassigned to the Washington D.C. FBI Headquarters to head up a new division to protect all the FBI's classified information. Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is a young surveillance and computer specialist who hopes to become an FBI field agent one day. Eric is recruited to his dream job in Intelligence at FBI headquarters to clerk for Robert Hanssen. Eric soon finds out why he was really assigned to work for Hanssen. Hanssen is suspected of being a traitor and selling American secrets to the Soviet Union for years. Eric must discover Hanssen's secrets and bring them to the light of day, before more damage is done to the security of the United States.
The Holiday 8/10 Movie trailer editor, Amanda of Los Angeles, CA and journalist Iris of Surrey, England live five thousand miles apart and have never met, but are dealing with the same problem: men. Amanda having just broken up with her cheating boyfriend, Ethan and Iris having pined for her ex, Jasper, becoming engaged to the woman he left her for decide to take a vacation during Christmas. They come upon a website called home exchange and swap houses for two weeks both with a goal to forget their troubled love lives. But love ends up finding them anyways. Amanda starts a romance with Iris' older brother, Graham, a book editor and Iris starts a romance with a movie composer named Miles. With new found romance, both their lives change forever.
Sunflower 9/10 After dropping out of high school, Tae-sik sweeps out bullies on the street with his bare hands. Whenever he drinks alcohol, he becomes doglike and he is called "mad dog" because of not being afraid of a knife or blood. He is paroled, but Min-seok--who Tae-sik harasses---has become a detective. Yang-gi and Chang-mu, Tae-sik's ex-followers, become enemies of each other and people surrounding them are tense. Not concerned about this, Tae-sik holds a diary in which are written promises to keep, including staying away from booze, fights and erasing his tattoo. He goes and sees Deok-ja, who gave him the diary, and she welcomes him like her true son. Tae-sik begins a new life with Deok-ja and her daughter, Hee-ju, at a quiet diner at Sunflower, however, nobody believes him except the mother and daughter. At the end of cold distrust, the unimaginable counterattack of despair comes... will his wish be realized?
The music video. I so like the OST. Although I don't understand Korean, the singer's voice bring the feeling so much into the song!
Among the list, my favourite's gotta be Sunflower. The story line not only touching, it also strike home some reality. Well, I also quite like Gridiron Gang and Breach cos I'm one who like to watch movies based on a true story. Like wise for The Holiday, heart warming, just like Love Actually, moreover I like the UK accent in some movies. Which is why I would prefer UK/Ireland flims. Just love that accent. I quite like Korean movies as well. Their slapstick comedy and expression, it's just so funny!
I prefer movies which are based on true stories, foreign languages and love movies. Some action movies is fine but not really a big fan of them.
Happy Birthday to my dearest nephew, Zachary! He's 3rd birthday and this boy is getting cuter as the day goes by!
Mum was the chef of the day and she cooked up one helluva feast for everyone! Chef Jenny doing her stuff!
This is Zachary's birthday cake. Baked by his mum. Cupcakes as birthday cake. Dark chocolate cupcake covered with nutella and sprinkles.
Look at the table full of food need to be cooked!
Beancurd mixed with chestnuts, prawns, carrots and then cut into pieces ready to be fried. With a dip of Thai chili sauce, this is the most popular dish of the night.
Duck braised with wine that were made from glutinous rice and vinegar that were left over for days, which produce this wine called ShaoXing.
Broccoli, as a base for mushrooms to be placed on top of it.
This is my favourite! Although I don't really like spicy food, this sambal prawn and squid with lady fingers is super delicious! Everyone agrees that this dish is good and it was finished by the time the party ends! All left were some lady fingers.
The spread!
One of my younger cousin, YanLing. Taking her 'O' levels this year. Camera shy as well.
Zachy boy is sitting on my 3rd grand aunt's lap while being "lectured" by grand aunt Janet. Who is my youngest aunt.
Zachy with sis, cousins and friends. There were still about 10 more babies in the house. The one day that I see so many children in the house... Scary sight... :P
Zachy, grandma and Gabby (Zachy's sister)
Zachy and grandma
Zachy being cheeky
Another cousin of mine, Vanessa, with YanLing enjoying the cupcakes. I got 4 younger cousins, YanLing, Clarissa, Nicholas and Vanessa. YanLing the eldest, Vanessa the youngest.
Was reading through some magazine and came upon this article on the new Maserati GranTurismo. It's saying hot hot hot hot all over the car! Wooooo..... How nice if I can afford it......
But, while surfing the net to know more about the GranTurismo, I surf upon Ford's website and came upon the GT500! GOD! THIS IS SO SO SO MY CAR! Muscular, sleek, sexy, gorgeous, I'm lost for words to describe such a car! The Shelby GT500KR!
Here's the article about this hot ride!
At the New York Auto Show this year Ford will be unveiling the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 KR "King of The Road" limited edition Mustang. The Shelby GT500 KR Mustang will feature a 540 horsepower 5.4L supercharged V8 with Ford Racing Power Pack upgrade, 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, short throw shifter and a beefed up suspension. The exterior of this beast will get a unique Carbon composite hood, 18-inch wheels and special 40th Anniversary badging along with GT500 KR striping.
Celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra GT500KR, Ford and Shelby collaborate on a new 'King of the Road' Mustang with the 2008 Shelby GT500KR. Shelby GT500KR features an estimated 540-hp 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack, 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, short-throw shifter, and unique suspension tuning. Exterior design draws inspiration from the classic Shelby KR Mustangs and features unique carbon composite hood, wheels, and special 40th Anniversary badging and unique striping. Shelby GT500KR arrives in spring 2008 in an exclusive run of only 1000 units. Ford and Shelby Automobiles are at it again, this time in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR. To be unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR-the most powerful Mustang to date-will once again mark Mustang as 'King of the Road.'
"I'm proud to once again be a part of an historical moment, bringing back the 'King of the Road' Mustang, and collaborating with Ford SVT and Ford Racing" said Carroll Shelby. "I'm committed to continuously upping the ante when it comes to performance, and it's great to be doing it with Ford." "The return of the Shelby GT500KR further establishes Mustang as the true king of the pony car segment," said Robert Parker, manager of Ford Car Brand. "With the unveiling of the new KR we are staying true to the promise we made our loyal Mustang fans to continue Mustang's prowess by bringing new, exciting and more powerful Mustangs to market."
Forty years ago, at the 1967 New York Auto Show, Ford introduced the most powerful Shelby Mustang ever. Like every Mustang that bore the name 'Shelby,' the GT500KR carries with it its own unique story.
The 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500KR was a mid-year introduction, based on the 1968 Shelby GT500. Ford added 'Cobra' to the Shelby's moniker to help usher in the beginning of a new performance era at the company. The Cobra name referred to the new 428 Cobra Jet V-8 that was planted under the KR's custom fiberglass hood. It was the engine that would once again vault the Mustang to the head of the pack.
Ford conservatively rated the 428 CJ at 335-horsepower, but in reality it made more than 400-horsepower and 440 pounds-feet of torque. The KR model was also equipped with a modified suspension and was offered both in fastback and convertible models. Ford dealers sold 1,570 GT500KR models in 1968, 1053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles.
While the name 'King of the Road' may have been the perfect fit for the world's most powerful Mustang, it also provided Shelby the chance to steal the thunder from cross-town rival General Motors. As the legend goes, Shelby learned that GM was planning to introduce a high-performance model and call it 'King of the Road.'
Since he had always wanted to use the name, and as one to never miss an opportunity, Shelby set his organization in gear, registering the name and designing new badging for the Cobra Jet-powered Mustang, christening it the GT500KR, and bringing Ford's 'King of the Road' to market before GM ever got a chance to apply the name to their product.
Thoroughbred Pedigree Just like its 1968 namesake, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR builds on the strong foundation of the Shelby GT500. Packing 40 more horses under its custom-designed carbon composite hood, the GT500KR is the most powerful production Ford Mustang ever produced.
The modern Shelby Mustang line-up started with the 2007 Shelby GT500 coupe and convertible. With the recent launch of the 2007 Shelby GT, the 2008 Shelby GT500KR becomes the third production high-performance Mustang brought to market through the relationship of Shelby Automobiles and Ford. Ford and Shelby Automobiles also partnered up with Hertz to produce a special limited run of 500 Shelby GT-H "rent-a-racer" Mustangs available only for rent.
The 2007 Shelby GT500 has been one of the most successful vehicle programs in the 14-year history of Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT) and that success has opened the door for more performance collaborations with Shelby Automobiles and Ford Racing. Working together, these three performance powerhouses are driving Mustang momentum on the street and on the racetrack. Dealers cannot keep the cars on their lots, customers are clamoring for more, and racers are bringing home championships.
Shelby Mustangs have already achieved some impressive highlights showcasing an enthusiast demand that is unmatched in the business: # The first 2007 Shelby GT500 available to the public sold for $600,000 dollars at the 2006 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, AZ benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation. # 2007 Shelby GT VIN#1 also went for $600,000 at charity auction, this time at the 2007 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction (and the winning bidder also took the opportunity to purchase VIN#2 at MSRP). # Shelby GT-H coupes auctioned off to Ford dealers after completion of Hertz rental duty consistently average $50,000, with high auction bids of $90,000.
The Shelby GT500KR will be produced in an exclusive run of 1000 units and will begin arriving in Ford dealers in the spring of 2008.
Crowning the New "King of the Road" Doug Gaffka, Ford SVT chief designer, and his team worked closely with Carroll Shelby and the Shelby team to make certain the new KR was crafted in the spirit of the original Shelby muscle car.
"This was a great effort between Ford and Shelby Automobiles," said Gaffka. "The Shelby team and I were in constant contact melding Carroll's classic design cues with some modern concepts and ideas and finessing them into the design of the new KR."
Gary Davis, vice president of production and product development for Shelby Automobiles, played a key role in defining the look of the custom designed carbon composite hood for the GT500KR. His knowledge of the original GT500KR helped sculpt a modern interpretation of the original's bulging hood scoop, a visual indication of the extra horsepower packed beneath it. The hood is secured by a pair of stainless steel, twist-down hood pins. The composite front valance houses a pair of chrome-trimmed, functional brake ducts to cool the large 14-inch, vented Brembo front brakes.
Side stripes are true to the original KR right down to the font used for the 'GT500KR' lettering, while the classic LeMans-style striping that races down the center of the car has been deleted between the leading forward edge of the hood scoops and the front of the hood, accenting the scoops and giving the KR its distinctive face. "That was Shelby's idea," said Gaffka. "It's a special touch that adds some down-the-road differentiation. There will be no doubt that it's a 'King of the Road' Mustang that's filling up your rearview mirrors."
The show car wears exclusive, Shelby-designed 20-inch, forged, polished aluminum wheels with special custom center caps, mounted on Pirelli rubber. Production models will arrive with an 18-inch version of the design.
Each KR model is identified by special 40th Anniversary KR badges on the fenders and grille, distinctive body colored mirror caps and Shelby lettering stretching across the front of the hood and along the rear portion of the deck lid. A special Shelby VIN tag is affixed to each vehicle, mounted in the engine compartment.
The all-leather interior features Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and an official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate mounted at the top of the center stack.
The KR's 5.4-liter V-8 Gets the Royal Treatment Just like its namesake, the 2008 'King of the Road' packs a walloping dose of Ford performance power under its massive composite hood scoops. The Ford SVT-engineered 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is treated to a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts horsepower to an estimated 540 and torque to 510 ft.-lbs., thanks to revised ignition and throttle calibration and a cold air intake system that replaces the stock unit.
Calibration modifications include advancing the ignition timing as well as re-mapping of the electronic throttle settings to provide quicker throttle response for better off-line and mid-range acceleration. Increased throttle response will be met with a sharper roar from the Ford Racing-inspired exhaust system.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission and 3.73:1 rear axle ratio, upgraded from the standard GT500's 3.31:1. Gear selection is courtesy of an all-new Ford Racing short-throw shifter making its debut on the KR. Topped with a white ball, the new shifter is 25 percent shorter than the unit on the GT500 providing for crisper, sharper shifts.
Ford SVT, Ford Racing and Team Shelby worked together to develop the KR's suspension tuning. Based on initial work by Ford Racing and the team at Shelby, often at Shelby's own facility on the grounds of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ford SVT chassis engineers will apply fine tuning techniques to prepare it for the streets.
"The production Shelby GT500 was maximized to deliver the perfect balance between ride and handling," said Jamal Hameedi, chief nameplate engineer, Ford SVT. "In that same ride versus handling continuum, the KR will lean heavier towards all-out handling while still making it drivable on the street."
Chassis engineers worked closely with the engine department in a holistic approach to the development of the KR, tuning the suspension to best optimize the engine enhancements.
"We aren't fixing our attention on one or two attributes, but working on the vehicle as a whole," stated Gary Patterson, vice president of operations for Shelby Automobiles. "The throttle response, power delivery, exhaust note, and handling should all gel together to deliver a total driving experience."
The GT500KR will feature unique spring rates, dampers, stabilizer bars, and strut tower brace, all designed specifically for the KR, to deliver the precision handling package.
Mustang Momentum Cannot be Stopped Unwilling to wait for the impending pony car war to heat up, Ford is extending Mustang's leadership position by feeding the enthusiast demand for more models, features, performance parts, and special editions. Ford has committed to at least one new Mustang 'feature' vehicle per year. For 2007, it is the Shelby GT, and for 2008, there will be at least two including the Shelby GT500KR and the previously announced Mustang Bullitt. Ford's 'Steed for Every Need' strategy currently offers four horsepower options for Mustang, with pricing from $19,995 for a 240-hp V-6 Mustang coupe to $46,500 for a 500-hp Shelby GT500 convertible.
Ford has also introduced several special packages on Mustang further increasing its unique offerings, including the Pony Package and the California Special. In addition, Ford Racing offers a complete catalog of performance parts for Mustang fans, from custom wheels and exhausts to the complete, turn-key Ford Racing Mustang FR500C race car.
As a result, Ford offers Mustang enthusiasts the ability to buy, modify and drive the steed that perfectly fits their need.
2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – Specifications and Design Highlights 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 producing an estimated 540-horsepower and 510 ft.-lbs. of torque Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack featuring revised calibration and cold air intake system 6-speed manual transmission with 3.73:1 rear axle ratio Ford Racing performance exhaust system Unique performance suspension tuning: springs, dampers, and stabilizer bars Shelby-designed 'GT500KR' 20-inch wheels (18-inch version for production) Ford Racing short-throw shifter and front strut tower brace Unique carbon composite hood featuring classic Shelby 'KR' design Front brake cooling ducts 'Shelby' lettering across the front edge of hood and rear decklid 40th Anniversary badges on the front quarter panels Carroll Shelby signature embroidered headrests and floor mats Official Shelby CSM 40th Anniversary GT500KR dash plate
How can anyone not like this GT500?!! As much as I have doubts that they will bring it in to Singapore. It will be my dream car, for now.....
Here are some pics of the GT500 which are of different versions.
And here are some videos on the GT500! Hear it roarrrrrrrrrrrr....
