Fun Facts: Going Undercover With The Penguins of Madagascar

“Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.”

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private; the world’s most renowned spy penguins go undercover once again as they’re making their triumphant return through the spin-off of the “Madagascar” film series, “Penguins of Madagascar“.

From being the supporting characters of “Madagascar” film series to playing lead characters in their own animated TV series and feature film, these scene-stealing penguins from Madagascar are undoubtedly some of the most lovable characters in the animated world. Each of the penguins have distinct and strong personalities, but they’re better as a group, especially under the wing of Skipper the leader.

All thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, the origins of these penguins will finally be unveiled through DreamWorks Animation’s “Penguins of Madagascar“. The film is directed by Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith with characters creator Tom McGrath returning to voice Skipper. In the spin-off film, the penguins will be joining forces with a chic undercover inter-species spy organisation called The North Wind to defeat the villainous Dr. Octavius Brine and stop him from taking over and destroying the world.

Whether or not you are planning to watch this film, here are some of the things you might want to know from the set of “Penguins of Madagascar”:

1. Benedict Cumberbatch’s first-ever comic-con

Despite his breakthrough role in BBC TV series “Sherlock“, British actor Benedict Cumberbatch had never been to San Diego Comic-Con until he scored his role as Agent Classified in “Penguins of Madagascar”. Needless to say, the Dreamworks panel became one of the most popular panels at the comic-con. The actor also shared the stage with host Craig Ferguson, Penguins directors Simon J. Smith and Eric Darnell, Madagascar co-creator and voice actor Tom McGrath, and Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich.

2. Penguins almost got cut from the first “Madagascar” film

According to Tom McGrath, the penguins of Madagascar almost got cut from the first “Madagascar” film due to their short-lived appearance in the film. However, their short-lived appearance also helped the producers expand their characters and story through the other 2 “Madagascar” films, 80 episodes of an animated TV series, and 10 video games.

3. “Airplane” star Robert Stack could’ve been the voice of Skipper

Tom McGrath, who is also the creator of the characters originally wanted “Airplane!” actor Robert Stack to voice Skipper. However, the actor passed away before the film production even began. Thus, McGrath took over the voice acting job while directing the “Madagascar” film series.

4. John Malkovich was offered the role 3 ½ years ago

Set to be the main antagonist of the film, Oscar-winning actor John Malkovich who has also attended 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, revealed that he was offered the villainous role 3 ½ years ago. He thought it was a funny idea to have him to voice an octopus but he accepted the role as it will be his first animated role in his entire life.

5. Benedict Cumberbatch’s favourite Agent Classified line

Before the film was releasead, DreamWorks held an online Q & A session “Dashboard Confessions” for fans to connect with Benedict Cumberbatch on Tumblr. When asked about his favourite Agent Classified line, Benedict Cumberbatch answered, “It’s like trying to talk to my parents.” He then jokingly said, “My parents will never forgive me for that.”

6. The Aquarium of the Pacific named a baby penguin after Skipper

Due to Skipper’s popularity, DreamWorks Animation celebrate the debut of “Penguins of Madagascar by naming a baby penguin after Skipper. Skipper the baby penguin can be seen at the Aquarium of the Pacific in the US.

7. 4-issue comic series based on Penguins of Madagascar

The penguins of Madagascar will make their comic book debut soon as Titan Comics is set to launch an all-new Penguins of Madagascar Comic based on DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming film of the same name. Titan’s new 4-issue comic series is written by comedy genius Alex Matthews (Phoenix, Dandy) with eye-popping art from Lucas Fereyra. The first issue is scheduled for release at the end of 2014.

8. Many voices of “Penguins of Madagascar”

Besides providing voices for Kowalski, Miller is best known for directing “Shrek the Third” and “Puss in Boots “. He worked as a story artist for “Shrek” and voiced the Magic Mirror and Geppetto characters for the film. He also provided the voice for the puppet master and the mascot in “Shrek the Third”. Miller is currently set to direct “Puss in Boots 2: Nine Lives & 40 Thieves” and the film will be released on November 2, 2018.

As for Tom McGrath, he worked as a voice actor for DreamWorks animated features like “Flushed Away” in 2006 and “Shrek the Third” in 2007. However, he is best known for his voice as Skipper. Christopher Knights, on the other hand, is the voice of Private. He launched his voice acting career by voicing the Three Blind Mice in the “Shrek” film series. Conrad Vernon is the voice actor for Rico but also signed on as a writer for “Shrek” and was responsible for the voice of Gingerbread Man. He made his directorial debut through “Shrek 2”.  He is also the voice of chimpanzee in the “Madagascar” film series,

The best way to identify the penguins are through their personalities and their appearances. Skipper is the team’s fearless leader that demands loyalty from his regimented flock. He has a very fragile ego and has a soft spot for Private. He values order above anything else but cannot take the blame when he’s at fault.

Rico can be recognised through his feathers that resembles a Mohawk on his head. He lives to blow things up and his favourite catchphrase is “KABOOM!”. He could be an effective weapon when he’s kept on a tight leash. Private is the “baby” of the group that speaks with a perfect British accent (but Skipper and the others think that his accent is fake). Despite being the most inexperienced member of the group, he has the biggest heart of them all and turned out to be a very good fighter in the animated TV series.

As for Kowalski, he is the smartest, tallest penguin in the group. He is the Second Commander to Skipper and always forms plan for the group. Although his knowledge is much needed, he also tends to unnecessarily over-analyse simple situations.

10. Penguins of Madagascar: Black & White Christmas Album

Other than the original soundtrack album, Relativity Media Group will feature 5 holiday songs in their upcoming Christmas album, “The Penguins of Madagscar: Black & White Christmas Album”. The film’s original music is composed by Lorne Balfe (Megamind, The Dilemma, The Bible) and the album will be released on November 25, 2014.

Presented in 3D, “Penguins of Madagascar” is slated for release on November 27, 2014. The film also starred Benedict Cumberbach, Ken Jeong, Peter Stormare, Annet Mahendru, and John Malkovic.

For more information, check out their official website or their Facebook page.

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Man Faked Going To Work In front Of Wife For 3 Months During MCO

A man who lost his job due to MCO (Movement Control Order) didn’t have the heart to tell his wife; so he posed every morning like he’s going out for work.

The man shared his story with Suria FM during a call session. He explained that he felt guilt and remorse towards his wife, who inclined him to put on a facade for 3 months.

For all those months, he went out wearing his usual attire but had brought extra clothes with him. The man also took the initiative to accept any part-time work he could get his hands on, while also looking for a new permanent job.

He told the radio station, “I didn’t have the heart to tell her. Plus, everyone is struggling to find a job now. I did daily part-time jobs. I’d leave the house wearing my usual work attire, but I had stored clothes inside my motorcycle. I didn’t want her to know that I’ve been fired. However, I never stopped looking for a new (permanent) job.”

Luckily for him, he told the station that he managed to get a new job on 14th September. When he got news of the interview, the man didn’t hesitate to share the good news with his wife. Nevertheless, he still hasn’t told her that he was jobless for 3 months.

Twitter user @AnisRidduani, shared this man’s story in her tweet recently which caught the attention of netizens. A number of them could relate with what he did, but some netizens shared their opposing thoughts on his action:

To my future husband please don’t do this. If you have a problem share with me. We solve this together okay. ❤ https://t.co/OjRsxdr9w5

— his little devil 𓆩𓆪 (@mcswennny) September 29, 2020

please don't do this to me 🥺 we'll get through everything together. don't hide anything from me especially things like this 🥺 https://t.co/pRYxzF0JTZ

— mygustd (@notzuzupls) September 29, 2020

please don’t keep things from your loved ones. These things need to be shared and discussed. Your personal feelings aside, these things affect others. So share and find a way together. https://t.co/hm88txOFI5

— 🏴 Q (@aqilahsulaiman) September 29, 2020

Back in June, Mr Lai, who used to earn a 6-figure income, resorted to becoming a rider for Foodpanda in order to put food on the table. Feel free to read his story here.


#TheInterview: Sony Pictures Cancels Movie Release Amidst Threats

Following the monumental Sony Pictures hack, the company has finally announced their painful decision to have their upcoming “The Interview” movie shelved. This is coming after the “Guardians of Peace” hackers, believe to be from North Korea, made references to 9/11 and threatened to movie theatres should Sony Pictures have gone ahead with the “The Interview” release.

To be honest, they might as well because most major theatre chains have earlier announced that they would not display the film given the threatening circumstances. Upon the decision, Sony Pictures release an official statement.

In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theatre-goers. Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.

In case you didn’t hear, “The Interview” is a film is about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

On 8th Dec, a “Guardians of Peace” hackers group which claimed to have hacked Sony’s servers demanded that its movie studio pull the movie, which led people to believe that North Korea was behind the unlawful intrusion. But on Sunday (7th Dec), North Korea denied involvement in the brazen cyber attack on Sony Pictures. They did, however, praise it as a “righteous deed” potentially orchestrated by supporters furious.

Watch the trailer for “The Interview” here:

The massive hack also led to embarrassing Sony Pictures “intellectual property” leaks, ranging from stolen scripts to unleashing of celebrities’ private files into the waiting arms of media outlets around the world – to say the least.

Until now, the US government is still considering a “range of options” on how to respond to the attack.

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Into The Wild KL: 5 Immersive Highlights To Experience When You Follow The Panther’s Footsteps

Just a few days ago, we were given a preview of Cartier’s latest exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, titled Into The Wild KL. Designed as a cultural event, you are all invited into the world of the panther as Cartier takes you on a journey through a travelling installation.

Over the years, the Cartier panther has become a precious symbol of free and assertive femininity. Into The Wild KL looks back into the history of this feline collection shaped by visionary Jeanne Toussaint and the team of exceptional craftsmen. It’s an immersive experience unlike any other as the panther guides the visitor through time, form and space while showing intimate details of a now signature savoir-faire.

The immortal Cartier panther has travelled through the centuries since 1914 when it first appeared in the form of spots on a watch. Unique, wild and magnetic, it reinvents itself in each era according to the unbridled desires of its creators. The installation invites the visitor to take a journey through the history of the panther, but also to experience a truly immersive experience where time passes on the walls on which sketches, authentic documents, videos and photographs from Cartier’s archives are displayed.

There are places that are charged with history. Even more so when they are occupied by singular creative minds. Upon entering the office of Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s first female creative director, the visitor enters intimately into the story of Cartier. Voiced by actor Édouard Baer and designed as a portrait-show, the journey of this founding figure reveals the story of a demanding, free and committed creator through a series of dynamic projections. A story of assertive femininity becoming a lifestyle.

Abstract, graphic or naturalist, the Cartier panther is a source of infinite inspiration constantly reinventing itself. The creative minds at Cartier bring it to life just as they imagine it, according to requests and collections, but always to a unique and inimitable standard. In this room, the visitor meets all the different facets and personalities of this complex animal. From its wildest to its most docile, from the most realistic to the most figurative.

To produce a Panthère creation is to combine different kinds of expertise. Designers, Sculptors, Casters, Jewelers, Gemologists, Gem-cutters, Polishers and Gem-setters unite around a single piece with the same criteria, that of Cartier. This room provides the visitor with the genesis of the panther. A detailed journey into the hands of those who together use techniques from the past in the present to create the high jewelry of the future.

The meeting point is a hall of fame with portraits of The Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellowes, Maria Carla Boscono, Chang Chen, Ella Balinska, Jisoo… the community of Panthère de Cartier enthusiasts, from generation to generation. Strong personalities brought together by the panther.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Online registration is required and for more details, please visit https://intothewild.cartier.my/.


AirAsia Expected To Launch Free Seats Promo In September

Still feeling blue on this week’s hump day? We might just have the perfect solution for all you wanderlusters.

Word on the street has it that AirAsia will be having their next Free Seats promo in September. This will also coincide with the MATTA Fair that’s about to take place again.

According to our source, AirAsia tends to hold 4 Free Seats campaign per year. It’s usually every March, May or June, September, and November or December. Earlier this year, the first 2 campaigns were held on 10th March and 16th June. The next Free Seats is expected to launch sometimes between 8th to 15th September.

The company will generally drop a teaser 1 week before the launch date. That said, you can start paying close attention starting next week. In addition, wanderlusters are advice to sign up as an AirAsia Big Member as some of the privileges include having access to the Free Seats 1 day in advanced.

In the meantime, AirAsia is currently running the Merdeka promo with 20% discount off on flights. The promo also extends to hotel bookings and is valid till 1st September. Meanwhile, the travel period is from 2nd September till 19th November 2019.


Hype’s Must Watch: Insidious Chapter 3

The first quarter of 2015 is almost over, which means tonnes of summer blockbusters are ready to be shown in the cinemas soon. While we await the release of these highly-anticipated movies, we were treated to a new trailer of “Insidious: Chapter 3”.

“Insidious: Chapter 3” is a highly anticipated horror movie because it is the 3rd instalment of the”Insidious” franchise. Similar to the previous films, several unexpected plot twists and endless jump-scares are expected to be seen in the threequel.

When director Leigh Whannell was working on “Insidious: Chapter 3”, he revealed on Twitter that the film is set to be a prequel for the franchise as it will be a lot more like part 1 than part 2. Thus, the 3rd instalment will no longer revolve around the Lambert family from the first 2 chapters.

The film will now focus on a new family who seeks help from gifted psychic Elise Rainier to rescue their teenage daughter from a dangerous supernatural entity. The origin of the evil is expected to be told in the film as it will be revealing more mysteries behind the realm known as “The Further”.

Dermot Mulroney, who is best known for his role in 1986’s “Young Guns”, is set to lead the film alongside former Disney star Stefanie Scott. Lin Shaye will return to the franchise as Elise while both Angus Sampson and the director himself will reprise their roles as ghost hunters Tucker and Specs.

The film is written by Whannell from a story he hatched with producer James Wan. Jason Blum of Blumhouse is producing the film alongside returning producers Oren Pali and Wan, who directed the previous movies in the “Insidious” franchise. Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Steven Schneider, Charles Layton, and Xavier Marchand serve as the film’s executive producers.

“Insidious: Chapter 3” is scheduled to be released on 4th June 2015.

For more information, visit the movie’s official Facebook page.

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5 Disturbing Movies Based On True Stories!

You like horror-thriller type films? Great. We’ve got five films that were based on true stories. Some of which, you would’ve already known about at the time of the said movie’s release. But we bet you didn’t know the gory details. Ah hah! And that’s what we’re here for. So, here are five disturbing movies that were based on true stories:

The film is based on the real-life case of a German Catholic girl named Anneliese Michel, who suffered from epilepsy in Germany over 40 years ago. Or at least medically, they said she was suffering from epilepsy. What really went down was Anneliese suffering through her vicious fight against the so-called “epileptic seizures” that would take hold of her, and Anneliese being put through four-hour exorcisms on 67 occasions for the span of 10 months.

In the end, her body succumbed and her death certificate stated that she died from starvation and dehydration. Anneliese’s painful demise led to the courtroom battle lines that were drawn in “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”.

Ah, who doesn’t love little indie films that successfully break into the box office? Made on a miniscule budget, “Open Water” has a story line that centers on a couple who were accidentally left for dead in shark-infested waters after a scuba diving mishap. The couple, Tom Lonergan and Eileen Lonergan were a married couple from Louisiana, United States.

They were mistakenly stranded in the Coral Sea while they were with a group of divers off of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in 1998. Needless to say, Tom and Eileen were never seen again, but the movie posits that sharks were responsible for their deaths.

Aileen Carol Wuornos was an American serial killer who was convicted of killing seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. The narrative of “Monster” is very much rooted in factual events, including Wuornos claiming that her victims had either raped or attempted to rape her while she was working as a prostitute.

She also claimed that all of the killings were committed in self-defense. In the end, Aileen was convicted and sentenced to death for six out of the seven murders and was executed by the State of Florida by lethal injection in 2002.

The “Zodiac Killer” was a serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. “Zodiac”, the film, chronicles the legendary real-life terror that consumed the Bay Area as the mysterious and terrifying killer amassed victims in the San Francisco area between 1968 and 1972.

The killer originated the name “Zodiac” in a series of taunting letters sent to the local Bay Area press – letters that included four cryptograms (or ciphers). Of the four cryptograms sent, only one has been definitely solved. The killer’s identity is still unknown.

“Jack the Ripper” is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverish areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1988. The killer’s victims were typically female prostitutes from the slums whose throats were cut prior to abdominal mutilations and the removal of internal organs from at least three of the victims led to proposals that their killer possessed anatomical or surgical knowledge.

“From Hell” is based on the case, with grounds on a hypothesis that “Jack the Ripper” was actually the Royal Family’s physician concealing a scandal that the family would desperately want to keep hidden. In reality, the killer was never caught.


#MTVMovieAwards2015: New “Pitch Perfect 2” Clip Released

The 2015 MTV Movie Awards showed that it was not only about the accolades because a huge amount of movie trailers were also released. “Pitch Perfect 2” built anticipation for its upcoming release by giving the audience a sneak peak of the movie. “Avengers: Age of Ultron“, “Paper Towns“, “Scream”, and “Ant-Man” also presented their trailers during the award ceremony.

The movie proved its continued popularity when cast members Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfield, and Rebel Wilson (or better known as Fat Amy) appeared at the award show for the premiere of a new trailer. Wilson stole the limelight as she walked onstage with a huge pair of angel wings while her co-stars were presenting the “Best Male Performer” award.

The first in the series, “Pitch Perfect” followed a college a cappella group as they compete against other groups to win Nationals. The movie, which propelled Rebel Wilson into mainstream fame, is the second highest grossing movie in the music comedy category.

As for “Pitch Perfect 2”, the story will centre on the group again as they compete in the world championship, or to quote Snow, “We’re not only taking on other people, but now we’re taking on the world. So stakes are a little bit higher because… the world.”

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, “Pitch Perfect 2” will be released on 15th May 2015.

Can’t wait to watch the film? Quench your thirst by watching the new trailer below:

For more information, hit up the movie’s official website or Facebook page.

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#StarWars: “Episode VIII” Has A Strangely Adorable Working Title

Yay, “Star Wars: Episode VIII” has a title!

Last week, it was announced that production has kicked off on the set of “Star Wars: Episode VIII”. The official announcement also came with news of confirmed cast members Benicio Del Toro (of “The Usual Suspects” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” fame), Laura Dern (of “Jurassic Park” and “Wild” fame), and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran.

Now, the “Star Wars” producers are famed for being tight-lipped. But with the production in full swing and “Star Wars” fans waiting with bated breaths for more “Star Wars: Episode VIII” news and teasers, Carrie Fisher has taken the liberty to unveil the too-adorable-to-ignore working title:

— Carrie Fisher (@carrieffisher) February 19, 2016

That’s right. It says “Space Bear: Episode VIII”, complete with a little panda bear emoji.

Of course, this will not reflect the “Star Wars: Episode VIII” plot at all (no, it’s not going to be a movie centred on the Wookiees) and we doubt that it’s meant to provide any hints about the new movie. What we do know is that it’s a fake title that was discovered as far back as 2014 and confirmed back in January.

And just in case you think that using peculiar working titles is a little strange, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” had the working title of “Foodles Productions Ltd.” – a reference to the Disney-affiliated snack of the same name. “Return of the Jedi” was made under the title “Blue Harvest”, while the prequel trilogy was made under the name “JAK Productions”. Don’t ask us where they get their inspirations from!

We gotta say though that that’s a pretty good decoy title to throw people off, if any of the cast or crew had to refer to it outside of the set. Also, for those curious, no, that dog is not part of the “Star Wars: Episode VIII” cast – that adorable dog is Carrie Fisher’s pet bulldog Gary, and he has his own custom action figure:

New @starwars action figure acquired: @carrieffisher's dog Gary ☺🐶 https://t.co/YiLkJ2Aemh pic.twitter.com/gbULACWk9B

“Star Wars: Episode VIII” will be released on 15th December 2017.

Sources: The Independent, /FILM, Jedi News.


Four Points by Sheraton Is The Latest Hotel In Malaysia To Close Down

Earlier last month, we list down 7 hotels in Malaysia that have either close down or will be singing its swan song soon. Four Points by Sheraton is another hotel to join the list.

Last Sunday (31st May 2020), the Four Points by Sheraton in Sandakan, Sabah announced its official closure by sending out “thank you” messages.

Netizens shared that at 7:30pm, the 5-star hotel began lighting up room light arrangements with the messages “Thanks All” and “Take Care” to the Sandakan folks, staff, and patrons.

It’s sad to see Sandakan’s only 5-star hotel, Four Points by Sheraton, shut down after 7 years of operations. Although there are still other branches in the Klang Valley (including Puchong), rumour has it that the Kuala Lumpur branch will be sold off soon.

A post shared by Sabah Info (@sabah.info)

Ever since the Covid-19 outbreak swept the world, the tourism sector is one of the industries that have been hit the hardest with little to no income over the past few months.

Industries have even discussed what will befall on the remaining hotels in the country. More on that here.

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Unemployed Man From Port Dickson Arrested For Breaking 18 Car Windows

An unemployed man from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, has been detained by the police for his strange hobby of smashing car windows for fun.

Port Dickson district police chief Supt. Aidi Sham Mohamed said that the 24-year-old culprit was arrested by the Port Dickson Criminal Investigation Division team at about 3:30 pm yesterday (Sunday, 21st February).

According to him, initial investigation found that the suspect committed the crime alone and was also active around the housing area in Port Dickson, Teluk Kemang and Lukut. “Bricks used (as a weapon to break the windows) were collected by the roadside around the scene,” the police chief was quoted as saying.

“As a result of further inspection, the police also seized three motorcycles with keys, a helmet and clothes used by the suspect while committing the crime at a workshop in Batu 9, Teluk Kemang. So far, a total of 18 reports over the past week have been received by the police regarding incidents of breaking car windows using bricks, believed to be linked to the suspect,” Aidi Sham further added.

The suspect was remanded until next Wednesday to assist investigation and the case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code. If found guilty, he could be sentenced up to 5 years imprisonment, fined or both.

Sources: Harian Metro, The Sun Daily, Facebook.


WINNERS: MTV World Stage 2012 Tickets Giveaway!

All y’all had about a week to spam your photo caption entries for our tickets giveaway and word has it that all y’all did excellent jobs! You guys are champs! And now the list of winners are finally in our hands. Are you excited?

First of all, congratulations to our TWISTED winners for the Twisties MTV World Stage 2012 Contest! These were the wackiest, boldest, and most unpredictable entries we received and each of them will be receiving a DOUBLE PASS to MTV World Stage 2012 on 14th July 2012 (Saturday) in Sunway Lagoon!

See what we mean? We’re thoroughly surprised! A big thank you to all the TWISTED people who took part!

Text100 will be contacting the winners directly to facilitate the prize redemption. So keep checking your e-mail inboxes. Also, a very big thank you to our good friends at Twisties and Text100 for making this happen. Yay!

For more information MTV World Stage 2012, check this out or hit up their official website.


Tomorrowland Unite Barcelona 2017 Evacuated After Huge Fire Engulfs Stage Structure

Over 22,000 partygoers at Tomorrowland Unite Barcelona 2017 were evacuated just hours ago when a massive fire broke out on site. The one-day festival, which was held in the city’s Parc de Can Zam de Santa Coloma de Gramanet, was supposed to see Steve Aoki, Afrojack, and Ingrosso take the stage, and the party was set to continue until 3am.

Scores of fans have since taken to social media to share images and videos of the fire.

Sano y salvo #TomorrowlandBarcelona pic.twitter.com/xVJL9WqGnO

TomorrowLand Barcelona esta on fire! pic.twitter.com/0p2f7u6VQS

— Viajero del Tiempo 👁 (@Maestro_Blaster) July 29, 2017

Dios mío el #UNITEWithTomorrowland ardiendo pic.twitter.com/U2qJcVZ2Yh

Incendio en el escenario de Tomorrowland de Barcelona #tomorrowland 😓😱🔥 #unitewithtomorrowland #barcelona pic.twitter.com/KftbWCuQkI

— Vini🕺🏿🎶 (@TitoFlorenReal) July 29, 2017

Several eyewitnesses said that the stage “exploded” just as they were watching the livestreamed acts from the Tomorrowland Mainstage in Belgium. As at time of writing, the cause of the fire is not yet known, although it is believed that it was triggered by a pyro/firework display that was part of the festival.

Thankfully, no injuries have been reported, but firefighters are said to fear the stage’s structure could collapse.

On their Facebook page, the Tomorrowland organisers posted up an update confirming the incident and said, “Tonight, July 29th 2017, the UNITE Barcelona stage caught fire due to a technical malfunction. Thanks to the professional intervention of the authorities all 22.000 visitors were evacuated safely and without reports of injuries. Authorities will follow up and continue the investigation with the local Spanish organiser of UNITE.”

According to local media, the festival organisers have vowed to refund the evacuated concertgoers.

Meanwhile, Tomorrowland Unite Taiwan 2017 in in Kaohsiung City has also been cancelled by the order of the local government due to the impact of Typhoon Nesat.

Sources: Tomorrowland, Your EDM, The Independent, Tomorrowland Unite Taiwan / Featured image: @susanadesplat on Instagram.

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#WorldStageMY: All You Need To Know

Just few months ago, we caught up with MTV VJ Hanli and VJ Alan to talk about what to expect from MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014. Through the interview, the VJs are expecting MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 to be a whole lot crazier with more screams, more excitement, and more energy!

Although Jennifer Hudson will not be performing at the concert anymore, the artistes including Yuna, Boys Republic, and B.o.B will be rocking out with the crowd at Surf Beach, Sunway Lagoon on 16th August this year!

Now that we’re only a week away from the highly-anticipated one-night-only outdoor concert, here are some of the things you should know about the MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014:

Last year, we got a taste of the Malaysian hip hop scene from our homegrown talent Joe Flizzow who performed his hit single, “Havoc”, at MTV World Stage Malaysia 2013. This time around, Thai-American hip hop group Thaitanium will be joining the artistes’ lineup for MTV World Stage 2014 in Malaysia!

Formed in 2000, the group is among the first to break out from the local hip hop scene in Thailand and has released 5 albums in the span of 14 years. The hip hop group has previously collaborated with Joe Flizzow to produce the upbeat track “Do It Big”. More recently, they featured American rapper Snoop Dogg in their latest single “Wake Up (Bangkok City)”. On top of that, they previously performed for the MTV Asia Awards and was an opening act for 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg.

2. Aric Ting is the new MTV World Stage Insider!

Oh look! VJ Alan finally found the guy who nabbed “the coolest 10-day job” for MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014!

21-year-old Malaysian student, Aric Ting Sie Yee has been appointed as the MTV World Stage Insider to provide exclusive behind-the-scenes details for MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014! From 7th August onwards,the insider will be connecting the MTV Experience with fans through MTV’s social media sites (together with the MTV social media team) to post regular updates about the concert. Aric will be given the option to do his internship at MTV as well after the 10-day engagement.

They don’t call it “the coolest 10-day job” for nothing, right?

3. All-expense paid trip to 2014 MTV EMA

Are you going to show up at the event? Because if you are, you might stand a chance to win an exclusive all-expense paid trip for two to the 2014 MTV EMA in Glasgow! In fact, the 2 lucky fans will be able to take part in the 20th anniversary celebrations with other attendees at the 2014 MTV EMA on 9th November as well!

How? Well, just show MTV & Xpax your most creative selfie taken at the concert and upload it to Instagram! Before submitting it,  you must complete this sentence in your Instagram caption: “I wanna be at @MTVEMA because…” and hashtag #worldstagemy!

Yes, it’s that easy! For more information, check out their official website.

In case you haven’t heard, there will be a 2-day roadshow happening on 9th and 10th of August, where you can win yourselves both passes to the concert and the chance to get up-close and personal with your favourite performing artistes! Oh yes, we are talking about the exclusive meet-and-greet passes that everyone has been dying to get their hands on!

The 2-day roadshow will be held at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall (Blue Concourse) with plenty of exciting activities (including an audition for Boys Rebpublic’s girlfriend) hosted by VJ Hanli and VJ Alan! On top of that, the sponsors will be joining the fun and giving passes through a series of activities as well.

You better be there, or be square. And you don’t wanna be square.

Can’t make it to the concert night? Fret not!

MTV World Stage 2014 in Malaysia will be recorded live for global telecast and the show will premiere on 20th August at 8:30pm, with repeats on the same day at 12AM in Malaysia. For other locations, viewers are advised to check local listings to catch all the artistes’ performances!

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#MAS: Malaysia Airlines Enlists Farah Khan To Redesign Uniforms

Shortly after confirming that they’re revamping the economy class meals on short and long-haul flights in an effort to improve customer service, Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAS) dropped another major announcement.

MAS has enlisted a strategic partnership with fashion brand Farah Khan to re-energise the design aesthetic of the national carrier’s iconic kebaya and other uniforms.

Through the partnership, fashion brand creative director Dato’ Farah Khan, will design the full range of uniforms of various departments of the airline, including its flight deck, cabin crew, airport, and engineering outfits.

For those of you who are not in the know, Dato’ Farah Khan is the founder and president of Malaysia’s leading luxury retailer, The Melium Group as well as the creative director of her namesake label Farah Khan. She is regarded as a style-icon and ranked amongst the best esteemed Malaysian designers such as Jimmy Choo and Bernard Chandran.

To date, Farah Khan has dressed celebrities, style luminaries, and personalities. The Farah Khan label can be found in 70 cities worldwide.

MAS chief commercial officer Paul Simmon said that the uniforms, especially the kebaya, has served as an iconic symbol and a source of great pride for generations. “With this collaboration, we look forward to taking this a step further, creating a fashionable and functional new collection,” he said in a statement.

He added that them new uniforms would continue to be a point of pride for Malaysians as well as mark a fresh new start of MAB transformation for all customers who fly with the airline.

Meanwhile, Farah said MAB clothes were a composite of many facets that fascinated her and her team, while the designs were a sum of their inspirations.

“I am hugely excited about this partnership and the opportunity to make a positive impact in terms of the comprehensive look of cabin crew, ground staff and the rest of Team Malaysia Airlines,” she said, adding that her aim was to present Malaysia’s graciousness, warmth and hospitality.

The new collection is expected to be unveiled in the 4th quarter of 2016, going into production soon after.

Source: Bernama / Featured image: Branding In Asia.


#SayMyName: Bryan Cranston Pushes The Button For Above & Beyond At #EDCLV2015

Bryan Cranston is definitely not your average EDM fan. In fact, you weren’t really at the 2015 Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas if you didn’t witness him pushing the button for Above & Beyond.

Cranston surprised fans at the carnival on Saturday (20th June) by kicking off the British DJ/producer trio’s set that introduces the song named after his infamous “Breaking Bad” character, Walter White.

In a video posted on Above and Beyond’s official YouTube channel, the crowd can be seen cheering for Cranston as he made a surprise appearance onstage. “Say my name,” the actor said to the audience, referring to the iconic catchphrase by his “Breaking Bad” character’s alter ego, Heisenberg. The crowd erupted in cheers and Cranston responded by yelling, “You’re goddamn right!”

“Walter White! Above & Beyond!” he shouted and dropped the beats by pushing the button that kickstarted Above & Beyond’s set. He can also be seen jumping and dancing to the track alongside the Above & Beyond members.

Before leaving the carnival, Cranston shot some video of the EDC crowd and shared it on Twitter.

He said, “Leaving EDC – Vegas right now. Pulled an all nighter. Old, my ass… Old, my head. Old, my feet… Happy Fathers Day“:

Leaving EDC – Vegas right now. Pulled an all nighter. Old, my ass…Old, my head. Old, my feet…Happy Fathers Day! pic.twitter.com/uZ4k61rsBE

— Bryan Cranston (@BryanCranston) June 21, 2015

According to Rolling Stone, “Walter White” is a track inspired by their all-time favourite TV show, “Breaking Bad”. They recorded the track back in 2013.

Take a listen to the original mix below:

Walter White is presumed dead in “Breaking Bad”, but Cranston and the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, teased that White might be resurrected in the future, especially since he did not close his eyes in the series finale. No official announcement regarding the series has been made, but at least we know Cranston likes to listen to EDM when he’s not cooking drugs.

Sources: Rolling Stone, MTV / Image source: Rukes.com via Above & Beyond’s official Facebook page

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Can’t Get Enough Of “Before You Exit”

“Before You Exit” is evidence that boy bands continue to be on a rise. And they don’t even have to be pop-skewed per se. Before you ask, “What is this Before You Exit you speak of?”, let us assure you that they’re only a small part pop and a big part rock. We say that because they’re less manufactured than you’d like to assume – they even play their own musical instruments!

Also, “Before You Exit” comprises of three Orlando-based brothers; Connor, Riley, and Toby. Three very young brothers – they’re all under the age of 20. But their age shouldn’t fool you because they’ve garnered such a huge following across all their social media platforms that their fan base in already in the tens of thousands.

With their EP titled, “I Like That”, we’re pretty sure that the number of fans is already steadily on the rise as we speak.

“I Like That” is a gem with six songs which aims to properly introduce “Before You Exit” and encompasses the boys’ new style. We say “new” because although the EP is new, the band isn’t. “I Like That” opens with “End of the World”, which is as chirpy as you can imagine. Almost immediately, as a listener, you’d get sucked in to its happy chorus. Not bad for an album opener.

And then there’s “I Like That”, the title track off the EP. Tell your friends about this one after you’re done listening to it and wait for it to get stuck in their heads too:

[youtube id=”TFZr36HqKdY” width=”600″ height=”350″]

How can anyone hate on anything that sounds that cute, really? So don’t hate, just dance. Or, you know, stomp your feet from 1:45 onwards.

Finally, and here’s the icing on the cake, we totally dig “A Little More You“. Nothing says “teenage love” quite like this one. There’s no official music video for this one yet but we’ll leave you with the stripped down version. It’s even better, if we may honestly comment:

[youtube id=”jRlU8VOXNME” width=”600″ height=”350″]

“I Like That” is out in a music store near you now. Go get!

For more information, visit their official website or Facebook page.


#AngryBirds: Movie Trailer Pits Birds Against Villanious Green Pig Antagonists

Everyone’s favourite mobile game (okay, maybe not everyone), “Angry Birds”, will be making its way to the big screen and we now have a trailer for the animated feature film.

Similar to the movie stills that were released a couple of weeks ago, the trailer actually heightened our anticipation a little more because it looks like it’s going to be a fun film!

Sony Pictures won the worldwide distribution rights to this animated film back in 2013. The movie will explain why the birds are so angry and their war against the pigs. As explained by producer John Cohen (of “Despicable Me” fame), it is “the origin story for how that conflict came to exist between birds and little green piggies.”

Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Jason Sudeikis is voicing Red, the leading character of the film and one of the “beaked denizens on an all-bird island paradise”. However, he’s also a “misfit” as his feather gets ruffled very easily. He will be joined by a pair of birds with similar anger-management issues. The yellow hyperactive speedy Chuck is voiced by “Frozen” star Josh Gad while the volatile Bomb is voiced by Danny McBride.

Together, the 3 misfits (Red, Chuck, and Boom) will fight against a group of green piggies that infiltrated their nest. The snouted intruders are led by their porcine representative, Leonard (voiced by Bill Hader).

A plethora of SNL cast members have joined the cast too, including Kate McKinnon, Keegan-Michael Key, Tony Hale, Ike Barinholtz, Hannibal Buress, Cristela Alonzo, and Jillian Bell.

“Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage will voice “The Mighty Eagle”, the most powerful bird in the Angry Birds universe while Maya Rudolph will voice Mother Hen of the flock, Mathilda. It was reported that Latin musician Romeo Santos and YouTube stars Smosh (Ian Andrew Hecox and Anthony Padilla) also joined the voice cast of the film for unspecified roles.

Watch the first teaser trailer for the film below:

“The Angry Birds Movie” is due to be released in Malaysia on 30th June 2016.

For more information, visit the movie’s official Facebook page.

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#Apple: #iOS8 Now Available For iPhone, iPad, & iPod Touch

Time to back up all your files, Apple users. The iOS8 is here!

Prior to the release of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple’s latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS8 has been available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch for download. As usual, the new operating system was released at 1pm ET, the “traditional time of its mobile operating system upgrade launches”.

To download the new operating system, Apple users must clear out 5.7GB of the space to install iOS8 on an iPhone. But of course, it’d be better to back up all your data and settings in your iOS devices through iTunes or iCloud. Rest assured though, Apple has confirmed that their iCloud service is safe as long the users keep their passwords and security question answers secret.

Although the changes are subtle, the overall functionality of the Apple devices depend largely on the new operating system. Some of the major changes include the improved notifications that let users to instantly reply by text or email from within the notification banner.

Previously, only Apple-made widgets were allowed in Notifications but the new operating system allows third-party widgets to be installed in Notifications as well.

The new Family-Sharing feature will make sharing easier as it allows up to 6 people with iTunes accounts to share apps, iBooks, music, movies, using the same credit card. Similar to the Find My Phone app, the notable feature in Family Sharing is its Find My Friends that allows users to track their kids’ whereabouts.

Other than that, the messages are more manageable now as they are available on all your Apple devices, which means users can send text or audio messages and initiate phone books through the Mac. Spotlight search function allows us to search better and faster while Quicktype function is a smart keyboard that offers word suggestions when a message is typed.

Speaking of better search functions, the photo app has also been redesigned with a new iCloud library that allow users to upload their photos and videos to iCloud so that they can be downloaded to any device. The storage capacity has been increased while the price of the packages has been lowered. The editing tool now allows third-party filters to be installed and it has new controls for exposure, lighting adjustment, focus, and colour.

First announced in June at its World World Wide developer’s conference (WWDC), HealthKit is a back-end framework that helps to sync third-party fitness apps with Apple’s new health tracking app, Health. It allows users to update their health info including weight, sleeping hours, and calorie intake in their devices. However, some users might have problem with the new HealthKit as it has been pulled back after last minute delays. Thus, the Health app is now largely unstable until they fully launch the HealthKit.

Time for you to upgrade your iOS version, peeps! Go, go, go.


PDRM Confirms Addy Kana & Goh Yeong Leong As Macau Scam Agents

Over recent weeks, the “Macau Scam” syndicate, related to money laundering and celebrities in our country has been the talk of the town and main focal point of certain authorities.

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) recently confirmed that Addy Kana and Goh Leong Yeong @Alvin acted as agents or coordinators in providing facilities for the money-laundering syndicate.

According to Sinar Harian, Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Huzir Mohamed stated that an investigation found that the two individuals mentioned were hired to provide housing facilities, call centers equipped with computers and telecommunications facilities, as well as internet access in the country. The facilities are then used by the fraud syndicate to target the people in China.

“The call centers that operate in luxury residence units and offices conduct daily operations by targeting people in China as victims of gambling activities, Forex investment frauds, and fraudulent purchase of goods, as well as claims of goods including scams,” stated Comm Huzir.

Comm Huzir went on to clarify that the allegations by certain parties linking the fraudulent activities in our country with Addy Kana and Goh Leong Yong are inaccurate. According to him, the fraud activities in the country are carried out by other syndicates.

He added, “The allegation that Addy Kana will be released is also inaccurate because he is currently being detained under the Prevention Of Crime Act (POCA) along with two other individuals. We are also still tracking Alvin who escaped MACC’s HQ in Putrajaya on 11th October.”

Comm Huzir also stated that details of the fraudulent activities carried out by the two individuals will be revealed in the nearest time. It will be officially announced to avoid further misunderstandings of the issue among the locals.

In related news, two famous celebrities in the entertainment industry will be called by the MACC to assist in the ongoing “Macau Scam” syndicate investigation. The two artists are also known to be entrepreneurs and very well-known on social media, having more than one million followers each.

The MACC has requested the presence of the male actor and female TV host after no other local celebs came to testify voluntarily. Having said that, Sharnaaz Ahmad recently spoke out regarding the issue, stating that he will give full cooperation to assist in the investigation.

The actor said, “Either way, if (I was) called or not, I will give my full cooperation to the relevant parties.” Sharnaaz revealed that he previously gave his statement to the MACC but didn’t want to elaborate on it as to avoid disrupting the ongoing investigation.

He is also grateful that his “Bubble Bee” business has been running as usual and unaffected despite the franchise being allegedly related to the “Macau Scam” syndicate. The actor added, “We should not be afraid if we are not wrong.”

The MACC also has a list of female celebrities and Instagram influencers charging up to RM40K per night in a high-end prostitution ring. Read about it here.

Sources: Sinar Harian, Harian Metro, Berita Harian.

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Khairy Jamaluddin Reveals Ceiling Price Of Covid-19 Vaccine

The ceiling price for the Covid-19 vaccine offered by the Covid-19 Global Vaccine Access (COVAX) plan has been revealed to cost US$21 (RM87.60) each.

Science, Technology and Innovations Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin, announced in a Dewan Rakyat session today (Wednesday, 4th November), that the government is currently in the final stages of negotiations to take part in COVAX.

He added that the official discussions are also being done with the Finance Ministry, Health Ministry and Attorney-General’s Department. There is also a need to familiarise with a few clauses in the agreement.

“We hope that we are able to sign the Covax agreement soon. However, I want to clarify that this is only part that we (Malaysia) need in the acquiring of the vaccine. The bigger part of this procurement process will be achieved via two-way negotiations between Malaysia and other countries,” said the minister.

He was responding to a question by Libaran MP Datuk Zakaria Edris regarding the indicative price for the vaccine. Khairy was also asked by the aforementioned MP on the progress of the vaccine attainability and price.

In response to Papar MP Ahmad Hassan’s question on the method of fair supply of the vaccines, Khairy stated that the vaccine is expected to be obtained in the first quarter of 2021, with priority given to 3% of the country’s population.

“The first group consists of frontline personnel covering the health and safety sectors. This includes doctors, nurses, police, as well as prison and immigration officers. Vaccine access to those in rural areas will also be refined and elevated as a priority,” Khairy was quoted as saying.


National Climber T. Ravichandran Is The First Malaysian To Conquer K2 Summit Despite Being Disabled

Recently, we celebrated N.Elanghovan’s triumph against the Mount Everest this year and prior to that, we had two Malaysian students who have successfully conquered the mountain as well. Now, despite his weakness, another Malaysian mountaineer has climbed his way to victory!

Last Friday (22nd July), National climber T. Ravichandran has made Malaysia proud with his latest achievement, conquering K2, the second highest summit in the world in Pakistan, along with five other world-class solo climbers, accompanied by five Sherpas (mountain guides) to guide them throughout their expedition.

Despite being a person with disabilities (PwD), Ravichandran has become the first Malaysian to raise the national flag Jalur Gemilang at the peak of the 8,611 metre-high K2 summit, which is only 250 metres shorter compared to the world’s highest summit—8,848 metres—Mount Everest.

As a matter of fact, this is not the first time 57-year-old Ravichandran went against all odds to achieve such an accomplishment. He has conquered Mount Everest twice in 2006 and 2007 prior to his third expedition up the highest mountain again on 12th May this year.

As an expression of love for his country, the mountaineer has gifted his recent success to Malaysia in conjunction with the upcoming National Day celebration. “Love for the country, living in peace and harmony, these are the keys to unity instilled in me that proved to be a source of strength for me in facing the difficulties throughout the climb,” he stated.

Ravichandran expressed his gratitude to his wife—the pillar of strength for his success—as well as the support from his family, friends, sponsors and Malaysian citizens who inspired him to reach the peak. He said that being with disabilities had not hindered him, rather he has proven that a disabled person could be as strong as the rest.

According to his Facebook page, it seems like having a good long rest is not an option for the national climber as he has already made plans for future expeditions, one being his fourth climb to Mount Everest.

Sources: The Rakyat Post, New Straits Times

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article

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#AmericanIdol: Mariah Carey Calls Show Fake & “The Worst Experience” Of Her Life

Now that one of the world’s longest-running reality talent show is finally being canned, Mariah Carey let the cat out of the bag. Or rather, opened an entire can of worms.

Depending on which way you want to look at it.

The former “American Idol” judge called in to an Australian radio show yesterday (Thursday, 28th May) where the hosts asked if she would be open to returning for the talent show’s final episode. To which Mariah replied, “Hell no! Absolutely not. That was the worst experience of my life.”

Which is kinda odd if you think about it, considering the fact that she reportedly earned USD18 million for just that one season as an “Idol” judge alongside Randy Jackson, Keith Urban, and Nicki Minaj. That having said, it’s no secret now that at that time, her main issue was the “obvious” feud between her and fellow judge Nicki Minaj.

Mariah even admitted, “I don’t think they had any intentions for us to have a good experience doing that show. Pitting two females against each other wasn’t cool. It should’ve been about the contestants instead of about some nonexistent feud that turned into even more ridiculousness.”

On top of that, she even went as far as to call “American Idol” fake. And by fake, she means that she had to make up things to say about people when really, all she wanted to do was to call a good performance good and end it there. Her final verdict?

I would never want to be involved with it again. But everyone else can like it!

Whoa, she definitely totally ripped the show apart, eh?

“American Idol” returns for its 15th and final season in January 2016.


#Singapore: Man Caught Recording Video Of Female Passenger In MRT

What would you do if you see a stranger recording a video of you?

On Monday (16th May), a Facebook user known as Uma Mageswari shared that she caught a man recording a video of her on the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) in Singapore on 13th May (Saturday).

“This is a video that I had recorded on 13th May 2017 Saturday at 7:40pm a minute or so after I had boarded the train at Outram MRT. I was heading towards Harbourfront to meet a friend. This guy quickly plonked himself on the seat opposite mine though it wasn’t as if the train was crowded and he had to race to get a seat,” she wrote.

Uma also added that was seated at the far ends of the carriage. She continued, “He then proceeded to whip out his phone and I think the rest speaks for itself once you view the video.” In the 1-minute clip, the suspect can be seen holding up his phone while pretending to act disinterested in Uma. The reflection of the window behind him clearly shows that he was filming her.

“The dumbass didn’t realise his folly obviously. I made my own recording of him but understandably lost my temper afterwards when confronting him over his actions. The MRT staff were most helpful and the SPF (Singapore Police Force) arrived at the scene within minutes. Upon further investigation this chap was found to be in possession of similar videos though I am told they were rather obscene in nature of unsuspecting victims,” Uma said.

Besides that, the man, who has been identified as Suraj, said that Uma “was like his sister” as his “feeble” attempt of an apology. “Please always remain aware of your surroundings and never be afraid to speak out against such acts that may be committed against you or others around you. You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances. Ever,” she emphasised.

As at time of writing, Uma’s video was viewed over 1.8 million times and her post has been shared more than 11,800 times.

While many netizens expressed concern for Uma, others praised her for taking action. Dharma commented, “Thank you for standing up and taking action. Women are facing much harassment from these idiots from where he is from. The victims I know so far don’t wanna take action or call the police. Thank you once again.”

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation as Uma, don’t be afraid to seek help.

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#GST: Malaysian Prepaid Users To Receive Year-Long Rebate In 2016

Good news to all prepaid users in Malaysia!

According to a report by The Malay Mail Online, Malaysian prepaid customers will enjoy a GST rebate for a Goods and Services Tax (GST) rebate for one whole year, effective 1st January 2016.

The Communication and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia (CFM) said in a statement yesterday (28th December) that the rebate, which is equivalent to the GST, would be credited directly to customers’ prepaid accounts. For example, a customer who tops up RM10 will initially get an airtime of RM9.43, but will be given a rebate of 6% GST (57 sen) in 24 hours.

“Customers will receive the rebate within 24 hours. The GST that was paid by Malaysian prepaid users will be collected and paid to the Royal Malaysian Customs, in accordance with the GST law and guidelines for all goods and services consumed,” it added.

The CFM also said that after 1st January, service providers will be given 15 days to ensure that all their dealers and agents will sell old prepaid reload stocks at the original price.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the rebate when tabling Budget 2016 in Parliament earlier in October this year. He said that the Government realised that many mobile phone users especially youths depended on the prepaid services.

For more information about the GST rebate, visit the CFM website.

Sources: The Star Online, The Malay Mail Online.


#Piracy: The Most Pirated Movies Of 2015 Include “Interstellar”, “Furious 7” & More

The year 2015 saw some of the best movies debuting on the big screen.

From “Mad Max: Fury Road” to “Furious 7” to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens“, these are just some of the films that became critics’ personal favourites this year. However, no matter how much we enjoyed watching these movies, in no way do we condone piracy because streaming or downloading unauthorised copyrighted content is illegal.

Piracy continues to persist as a major problem for the movie industry and a recent report by Variety showed that the download number the problem is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

While it’s not shocking to see some blockbusters being pirated the most, the download numbers sure came as a surprise to us. Though it was released in 2014, Christopher Nolan‘s “Interstellar” was named the most pirated movie of 2015. Piracy-tracking firm Excipio revealed that the film was illegally downloaded for 46.8 million times.

Other movies that were pirated the most include “Avengers: Age of Ultron“, “Furious 7”, “Jurassic World“.

Check out the list of the top 10 most pirated movies of the year below:

J.J. Abrams “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” didn’t make it into the list and it is most likely because the movie has yet to show up on piracy sites. Thus, it is possible that that it will top the same list in 2016.

The report proved that piracy has increased from time to time because 2013’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”, which was the most pirated movie of 2015, was downloaded for 30 million times. The amount is significantly lesser than the Nolan film’s 46.8 million downloads.

Do you agree with the above list? Let us know what you think in the comments box below.

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#100ReasonsToLive: Gareth Emery Reveals New Album Title + Tracklist + Release Date

When he announced his hiatus back in 2014, he also promised that he’ll be back in 2016 with a new album. He wasn’t lying :)

Over the weekend, UK producer, songwriter, and DJ Gareth Emery (otherwise more affectionately known as “Gaz”) revealed the title and release date of his forthcoming album.

“100 Reasons To Live” will be released by Garuda and Armada Music on 1st April; first single “Reckless” feat. Wayward Daughter has been launched accordingly and is available as instant gratification with album pre-order.

Known all over the world for his keen ability to blend house, progressive and trance into his own style of music, Gaz continues to build on his reputation for the follow-up to “Drive” and debut album “Northern Lights” in 2010.

Fans have already gotten a taste of the album through radio smash “Hands” with Alastor feat. London Thor and “Until We Meet Again” with Ben Gold. Other featured artists joining in on “100 Reasons To Live” include Christina Novelli, Corey Sanders, Joseph, Gavrielle, and Alex & Sierra.

The album will be supported by a tour across North America, allowing for Gaz to pass through renowned boutique clubs in Washington, San Francisco, Boston, Toronto and more, offering his fans a chance to experience the album via DJ sets in an intimate setting.

We’ll leave you now with a brand new music video for “Reckless”, off “100 Reasons To Live”:

To pre-order “100 Reasons To Live”, go here.

For more information, hit up Gareth Emery’s website or Facebook page.


#Marvel: Stan Lee Teaches Celebs The Art Of Cameo In New Audi Ad

So what if there wasn’t any post-credit scene for Marvel‘s “Avengers: Age of Ultron“? Stan Lee‘s cameo appearance alone was enough to make it a lot more fun than it seemed. Although Lee is best known for co-creating many of Marvel’s comic book superheroes, he is also known for making cameo appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In the latest ad for Audi, the comic book legend spoofed himself by teaching multiple celebrities the art of mastering cameo acting in a workshop.

“I didn’t get to be the world’s greatest cameo actor overnight,” Lee said. “It took years of hard work.”

The ad was directed by Kevin Smith, who also made a cameo appearance in the 2-minute clip alongside Tara Reid, Michael Rooker, Jason Mewes, and Lou Ferrigno. Rooker, who starred in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy“, previously worked with Smith in 1995’s rom-com, “Mallrats”. The actor also made a reference to the movie in the short clip.

It was a star-studded ad, but the real star is Audi’s A8, in which Lee was seen entering and exiting in the clip.

This wasn’t the first time that Audi has worked with Marvel because its R8 supercar was used as the personal car for Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) in the past 3 “Iron Man” films. Audi’s A8, S7, and Q7 models have all appeared in the MCU because the car maker currently has a 8-year partnership with the studio.

Audi marketing executive Giovanni Perosino said in statement:

The character of Tony Stark continues to evolve and represents a truly modern Renaissance man. It’s this type of innovator that carefully selects their cars and is exactly who would be driving the next-generation Audi R8.

A redesigned 2016 iteration of R8 was featured in “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, as well as Audi’s TTS and A3 cabriolet models.

Though their latest ad, Audi was able to introduce the new A8 Sport, which is set to go on sale this summer. Check it out:

You can also check out some of the behind-the-scenes photos in the gallery below:

Stan Lee is expected to make a cameo appearance in Marvel’s “Ant-Man“, which stars Paul Rudd as the titular character.

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#LeeKuanYew: Former Singapore PM’s Condition Worsens + Death Hoax Alert

Crowds gathered at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and social media was abuzz on Wednesday (18th March) night after news broke that former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was critically ill. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement that the health of Lee, who is in SGH’s intensive care unit, had deteriorated further.

The update prompted a flurry of condolences and activity online.

Last night, screenshots were circulated of a fake website bearing the PMO logo and announcing Lee’s death. The hoax led some foreign outlets, including CNN, China’s CCTV, Sina, and Phoenix Chinese News to report that Lee had died, only to retract the reports later. CNN Breaking News’ Twitter account posted up the following (now removed) tweets shortly after 10pm last night:

While Sina and Phoenix issued apologies for their errors, CNN Breaking News (which has over 25 million Twitter followers) didn’t. Shortly after, the PMO said it’s lodging a police report about the hoax site and added that no new information had been released about his condition since the afternoon.

Meanwhile, 91-year-old Lee Kuan Yew was visited yesterday by family members and relatives, including his eldest child, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 63, and grandson Lee Yipeng, 32. The Singapore General Hospital (SGH) hospital lobby was crowded with journalists, some flying in from around the region, including those from Japan’s NHK TV and the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper as well as Phoenix Chinese News.

Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first and founding Prime Minister, has been in hospital with severe pneumonia since 5th February. His worsening health was first announced on Tuesday (17th March) when the PMO said he had an infection and was being treated with antibiotics. It said doctors were monitoring his condition. Lee Kuan Yew was also reported to be sedated and on a ventilator in SGH’s intensive care unit (ICU).

Online, there was an outpouring of good wishes for modern Singapore’s founding prime minister to get well soon, including from ministers and MPs. Lee Hsien Loong’s Facebook update on his father’s health drew almost 4,000 shares and 3,000 comments within hours:

Our thoughts and prayers are with Lee Kuan Yew, his family, and his loved ones during this difficult time.


#VeuveClicquot: A Bubbly Lunch Date With VC Winemaker Pierre Casenave

Veuve Clicquot Winemaker Pierre Casenave recently treated us to a scrumptious afternoon!

Champagne, normally uncorked for New Year’s is too often dubbed as a celebratory drink for toasts and overlooked as a light, crisp companion for food. To explore its versatility and precious characteristics, visiting Winemaker from the House of Veuve Clicquot France, Pierre Casenave recently hosted media in an extravagant food pairing luncheon at Brasserie Enfin.

Upon arrival at Brasserie Enfin, guests were welcomed with a beautifully decorated setting with a flute of the signature Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, a common favourite amongst invitees. Apart from the Yellow Label Brut, guests were also treated to 2 other variants:

Then luncheon began with Pierre raising a toast with all those present, marking the start of the culinary journey through the heritage of the House of Veuve Clicquot, its vineyards and winemaking process, paired together with the specially prepared menu by Brasserie Enfin’s executive chef and owner, Chef James Won.

The scrumptious lunch pairing journey started with a delighted serving of the first entrée; scallop torchon with chicken skin and caviar, binded together with an oyster emulsion. The freshness of the seafood in the entrée was brought to life and a harmonious finish as it was paired with the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut. The pairing of the seafood and champagne proved to be a perfect complement, cutting through the brininess of the caviar and freshness of the scallop.

Next up was grain fed lamb eye of short loin carpaccio served wit ha confit of strawberries, puff cherry, tied in with a champagne mustard. The dish was boldly paired with the refreshing and sweet flavours of the Veuve Clicquot Rosé. The pairing brought out the flavours of the carpaccio and red fruits as the fruity essence of the red and white blend Rosé ignited the full-flavours of the strawberries and cherries, making the lamb carpaccio a favourite, even amongst non-raw meat lovers.

Up next was the main course for the afternoon. Comprising of a premier plat with three cuts of pork; shoulder, belly and ribs, the dish was paired with the splendidly lush Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004. The drink, which was our favourite, made a delightful finish to the main dish. This vintage, made from a special harvest of perfectly healthy grapes, was peerless with the hearty meat dish as it showcased perfect combination and balance of flavour, texture, and structure.

It was then time for the final dish – dessert!

Served with an enjoyable sweet pairing of a citrus gelée and cloud served with the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, the pairing highlighted the fresh and citrus assemblage notes in the Yellow Brute Label, keeping the palate fresh and balanced with additional richness and persistence to the fruity citrusy finish.

As the culinary journey came to an end, Pierre reminded guests that good champagne isn’t only a good pairing for any food adventure, it’s also a bond which unites daring, confident, and sophisticated individuals just like the woman behind this fine quality champagne; Madame Clicquot.

Check out the gallery below for more pictures from the lunch pairing:

For more information on Veuve Clicquot is available via its official website and at MHD.

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#PervertAlert: Man In Car Masturbates To Passersby Near HELP Subang Campus

It appears that a weird man in a car has been lurking around HELP Subang 2 campus, showing off his “willy” to passersby, especially girls.

This is no ordinary flasher. Apparently, the pervert, whose car number plate is BGN 2385, will wind down his car window and masturbate in full view of those who walks past his car.

Facebook user, Wen Sara, took to Facebook to post up a status detailing the said pervert to warn students who study nearby. She unfortunately encountered the man, who is probably in his 30s or 40s, on Wednesday (16th June) around noon. According to her, the man would park his silver car at one spot, then drive off occasionally just to come back to the same spot.

“I couldn’t take a picture of his face because his window was half blinded already,” wrote Sara.

She is not the first victim to run into such an unpleasant experience. One of her friends from HELP known as Deborah Chou commented that she came contact with a similar episode before. Deborah wrote, “Actually, there are many cars like that. I forgot whether if it was the same car, but he stopped in front of the school and kept calling me, ‘Amoi, amoi, mari mari lah’.”

Help spread this to your family and friends who study or live around the HELP Subang 2 area so that they’re aware of this pervert as well.


#AntMan: Superhero Movie To Feature 2 End Credit Scenes

When Marvel did away with the post-credits scene in “Avengers: Age of Ultron“, fans of the movie were, understandably, disappointed. But it seems like they are atoning for it by including 2 end credits scenes in their upcoming superhero venture, “Ant-Man”.

Several members of media were treated to a press screening for the upcoming “Ant-Man“, and all of them have disclosed that the movie will have a mid-credits scene, as well as an end credits tag. To avoid spoilers, none of them revealed the content for the scenes, but it was described as “good” and “a must-see”

The press screening was held on the night of Thursday (25th June), and press members were allowed to tweet their responses to the movie. Most of the reactions were positive, with critics praising the film’s sense of humour and fun execution. As “Ant-Man” was meant as a heist film, several press members also compared the superhero movie to 2001’s “Ocean’s Eleven”. Michael Pena has also gained recognition for his outstanding performance in the movie.

Directed by Peyton Reed, “Ant-Man” was produced by Marvel president Kevin Feige. It was based on a screenplay by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, and Paul Rudd, which was in turn adapted from a story by Wright and Cornish. “Ant-Man” will bring a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the 1st time, with Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Dr. Hank Pym planning and pulling off a heist that will save the world.

Paul Rudd will be playing Scott Lang while Michael Douglas will be playing Dr. Hank Pym. Additional cast includes Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket, Bobby Cannavale as Paxton, Michael Pena as Luis, and Tip “T.I.” Harris as Dave.

“Ant Man” is slated for cinematic release on 16th July 2015.


Netflix’s “Why Did You Kill Me?” Documentary Review: Mother Uses MySpace To Hunt Down Daughter’s Murderer

Ah, Netflix. Your one-stop shop for all things true crime. At this point, the streaming service seems hellbent on curating every novel murder case, serial killer story or white collar heist under the sun. We’ll admit that we have partook in the spectacle from time to time. We even found some morbid delight in documentaries such as the likes of “Crime Scene: The Vanishing At The Cecil Hotel”, “Dont F**k With Cats” and “Tiger King”. Are these documentaries a tad sensationalist, if not downright exploitative? Sure but there was always enough substance to justify the theatrics and madness.

So now we come to yet another entry in Netflix’s museum of the strange and macabre. Does “Why Did You Kill Me?” measure to the shock and awe of some of its more popular cousins? Well, let’s find out.

The premise of the documentary sounds like something right out of the plot of some B-grade crime thriller film. On one tragic night in 2006, 24-year old Crystal Theobald was shot in the head by a Latino gang member during a drive out with her boyfriend. For the longest time, the authorities were unable to identify the perpetrator or any other member affiliated with the 5150 gang.

Crystal’s mother, Belinda Lane, refused to give up on justice for her daughter. Together with her niece Jamie, Belinda uses MySpace to track down her daughter’s killer. Setting up a fake account using her daughter’s photo as a way to bait gang members into revealing the details of the murder. By hook or by crook, she will make them pay for her daughter’s murder.

It’s important to temper your expectations upon entering into “Why Did You Kill Me?”. If you’re the kind of person looking for the gory details and nothing else, then this won’t be your cup of tea. This documentary of a little over an hour and twenty minutes doesn’t attempt to play up the grizzly details of the shooting. Nor does it place any particular emphasis on the power of social media as a weapon for criminal justice. The narrative of the documentary is locked squarely on one thing: the fallout and tragedy of Crystal’s death.

It’s more melancholic than it is blood-chilling or shocking. Through a single death, we see how so many lives are broken in the wake of it. It begins with Belinda and her family grieving the loss of Crystal. Then, it goes into Lane’s family history of drug abuse, crime and pain. From there, we learn about the various members of the Latino gang that were caught up in her murder. William Sotelo, or “Jokes”, who falls in love with Belinda’s catfish account “Angel” and how he inadvertently gives damning evidence to the crime. The Lemus brothers who are forced to choose between their lives or their adopted gang family. Even the murderer himself gets a solid few minutes of backstory to establish empathy.

The real star of the entire documentary, though, is the mother Belinda Lane. This lady is straight-up fearless and wild. We follow her, as her quest to avenge Crystal becomes more hateful and destructive. During the early 2000s, social media was still in its infancy. The concept of “catfishing” wasn’t really something people were aware of, and she used her power of anonymity to devastating effect.

She’d gather information on various gang members online and then send immigration officers after them. She’d instigate gang-wars in a wrathful bid to kill the perpetrator by chance. This lady even put out a hit on anyone who was driving a white Ford Expedition! Ultimately, the documentary is about Belinda finding closure and peace with her daughter’s death. Whenever, it leaned into her perspective, we were thoroughly engaged. She’s a pretty colourful character with a checkered past.

While the details of the case and the portrait into Belinda Lane are riveting in their own right, there simply isn’t enough of it to fully justify the runtime. This would explain the reason behind the documentary’s need to branch out into various segments exploring the Lane family and the 5150 gang. Some of them do play a role in piecing together the puzzle of her murder. Others, however, feel loosely relevant at best and utterly pointless at worst. This whole case could have been easily summed on an episode of CBS’ “60 Minutes”.

Then there’s the issue of the manner in which the narrative and facts are presented. There isn’t a ton of footage focusing on the night of the murder. Therefore, “Why Did You Kill Me?” primarily uses interrogation videos, talking heads interviews and static conversations on MySpace to convey the plot. None of them feel like they belong in a glossy, high-budget Netflix documentary.

A prime example of taking dry facts and transforming them into a cohesive and engaging investigation would be “Operation Varsity Blues”. We would have loved to have seen some sleek visuals and charts depicting the trajectory of the bullet, the timeline of events or even the possible suspects. Instead, we have to settle for long talking heads exposition and a lackluster figurine model illustration.

Netflix’s “Why Did You Kill Me?” is more suited to being a brief segment on Vice News or Vox than it does on a high-end streaming service. The novelty of an avenging mother on social media can only carry it so far. Alas, it is more anecdotal than it is informative or entertaining for that matter. If you’re having trouble falling asleep and are looking for a curious little watch before bed, we recommend watching it small chunks. Those hungry for real-life stories of murder and madness will definitely need to look elsewhere.

You can now catch “Why Did You Kill Me?” on Netflix today! What do you think of Netflix’s latest true crime documentary? Should social media be weaponised as a tool to track down criminals? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

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Interview: 15 Questions With “BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky” Director Caroline Suh

The girls of BLACKPINK are reliving back their earlier K-pop days with their upcoming documentary, “BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky”.

The Netflix original project, directed by Caroline Suh, chronicles the journey of the four female members of the sensational musical ensemble – Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa – from their pre-debut times all the way to their present days, breaking boundaries and records with their booming hits.

To get you all dosed up before the premier of “BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky”, our friends from Netflix managed to catch up with Caroline to dish her thoughts, as well as the process of creating the documentary. Check it out:

1. How did you come to direct this documentary? Were you a big K-pop fan before?

Well, I’m Korean American, so I tend to be supportive of all things Korean (laughs). My nephew knows everything you can possibly know about K-pop, so I knew a little about K-pop from him, and the team at Netflix had the vision to make a film about BLACKPINK. At some point in the process, they asked if I was interested, which I was, and brought me on board. After that we had a series of meetings with YG Entertainment, and luckily, it all came together.

2. Once you were signed on, what were your first impressions once you looked into BLACKPINK and took in more of their music?

Well, just in general about K-pop: I naively didn’t realize what a huge industry it is, and what a big business it is for Korea, so it was really interesting to learn about the larger context. Then, as I started watching BLACKPINK’s videos, I was blown away by how cutting edge they are in terms of their incredible production value, from the costumes to the set, and just how well produced all of the music is. Once you start watching, it’s hard to stop.

3. How long was the research period, and how long did you follow BLACKPINK to film this documentary?

It was a matter of a few months before we actually started filming, and then we took two trips to Korea. We flew once in the fall of 2019, and then we went back right before Covid-19 really took hold in early 2020. We’re so lucky that we were able to go before everything shut down. It was just before people knew what was to come, but as usual, Korea was totally on top of things—they were already doing bio readings in the hotels when you entered.

I had met Teddy (Park) before they agreed to make a film, and I had also gone to see BLACKPINK at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. That concert was my first real time seeing how devoted the fans were, how enthusiastic they were. It was a huge arena and it was packed with all sorts of different people, and it gave me a real sense of how broad their audience is.

4. BLACKPINK has to keep projects confidential all the time, and maintain a sense
of mystique with the public. How did it feel being in their inner circle? What kind
of precautions did you have to take to keep this film a secret?

Every documentary is always very secret, and we’re always very careful not to share things that you’re shooting with the outside world, so that was pretty much as usual. But then I came to understand how sought-after information is about whatever BLACKPINK does – from their personal lives, to what fashion choices they are making, to the music.

The members are constantly working on songs that aren’t released to the public. That was the interesting thing: It’s not the impression that they’re constantly in the studio, trying out new songs and deciding what works best.

5. What were they working on during filming?

When we were there, they were working on what’s being released now, so we got to film them listening to “Sour Candy”, their collaboration with Lady Gaga, before it got released. That was very cool and I love that song!

6. It was surprising to see that the members got so deep into talking about their trainee program – an incredibly intense “K-pop school” that most stars have to go through for many years before debuting – because K-pop idols often don’t share much about it.

They were very open about it, which I was very pleasantly surprised by. It was nice that they felt comfortable speaking openly about how intense that experience was. In a way, that’s really the heart of the film: They entered that process as teenagers and then, through sheer force of will, they made it through. By the time they debuted, they were totally prepared. They talked about how hard it was, but that’s something that each of them had in common in their interviews – they all said, “I’m not going to quit.”

7. Let’s talk about the individual members, one by one. First up, Jisoo, the eldest member and the only one to be raised in Korea for all of her childhood.

You know, as she says in the film, she’s the unnie of the group — the oldest — and she definitely takes on that role, looking out for everyone. But what I love is what Teddy said about her: People think she’s book smart, but she’s very street smart. She’s very, very composed. There’s something about her that is quietly strong. You might underestimate her strength because she’s so gentle, but she really is a powerhouse.

8. And then there’s Jennie: She’s so fierce as the main rapper in videos and on stage, but she’s really quite different offstage. What other side of Jennie do you think this film will show fans?

Jennie is super honest and real. She calls things like she sees them, which I was very impressed by. She describes herself as being painfully shy, which a lot of people would be surprised by. And she’s really a perfectionist. All during filming she was very communicative about what we would shoot with them to make sure it was real. And she’s very expressive. I love watching her interviews because there’s no artifice.

9. And Rosé, the Korean-Australian member, really goes through an arc in this film.

Rosé is very driven. She’s really trying to grow as an artist, which is intimidating for her, and it’s really fascinating how she pushes herself to do things that are putting herself on the line creatively. One of my favourite parts of the film is when she’s in the recording studio trying to write a song. She kind of forgot that we were there as she was working – it wasn’t for show.

Then there’s a moment later when she says she misses being in training surrounded by music all the time, and now she has to stay up all night to find time to experiment. That shows how committed and passionate she is.

10. Last but very far from least, tell us about Lisa, the youngest member and the true spark plug of the group.

She just has a great disposition. All of the members have a real appreciation for Lisa — all of them always spoke incredibly glowingly about her. I think she picks up every one’s spirits, and also they said that during training, she was the best in everything and just born to do it. But that said, she still doesn’t take herself too seriously. She seems very comfortable with herself.

11. A huge star of this documentary is Teddy Park (whom the girls refer to as the 5th member), YG Entertainment’s top producer and a main mastermind behind most of BLACKPINK’s biggest hits. We don’t normally hear much from him, because he’s such a legend in K-pop — tell us about talking with him.

There’s a lot of mystery around Teddy, definitely. When I met him at first I found him to be extremely nice and thoughtful but intimidating. He really didn’t want to be in the film; he hates being on camera. At the beginning, he only would agree to do an audio interview.

But as time went on, and we kind of got to know each other better, he agreed to do an interview on camera. You know, sometimes what happens with people who really don’t want to participate — they end up having a lot to say.

He is incredibly well spoken, and all the girls talk about him fondly, but also as a revered figure, and over time I could understand why. He does have this kind of very old soul. He really is a great friend to them.

12. When you were filming BLACKPINK, they were laying down the groundwork to really explode in 2020. Did you get a sense that they felt like this period was a big turning point in their careers?

You know, I kept on posing questions that started with, “Well, now that you’ve made it…”, and all of them said, very sincerely, that they don’t feel that way. They feel like they’re in the middle of it, still. They just want more and more experiences.

As Jennie said, she feels like they have more to show everyone. I think a lot of people would feel pressure — like, “we were so successful, we have to top ourselves” — but I really feel like they’re enjoying the ride.

13. Were there any moments where you really got a visceral feel for how popular they are, or how intensely loyal their fans are?

They were doing an event at a mall where the first hundred people could get their autograph, and it was amazing. All these fans had gifts for them, and the members had to sign 100 autographs. It just seemed exhausting, but they were so kind to every single fan and all the fans wanted an emotional connection with them. I thought, “Wow, they really have a lot of endurance.” They’re super professional.

14. What sense did you get about the bond between the members, their whole sisterhood?

In a way, they seem like sisters – they’re a family, basically. They all talked about the balance of the group. It’s almost like a selfless thing, how they manage their own feelings and emotions and life so that it works with the group.

They’re all very conscious about the little ecosystem that they live in. They all want it to be happy and healthy and they all want positive things for each other, and realised that once they joined the band, they were now responsible to other people.

15. What do you hope viewers of this documentary come away with after watching it?

It’s kind of a simple story – it’s about young people realising their dreams through a lot of toil and some heartache, and I think that kind of story is always inspiring, to see people who are totally devoted and pushed through. There’s a lot expected of them as idols, so I hope the film helps humanise them, so people can see them as actual people.

For those interested, feel free to check out the girls’ groundbreaking career timeline below:

Mark your calendar, BLINKs! “BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky” is now available on Netflix. In conjunction with the premiere in your area, these music icons will also become Netflix profile icons!

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Uber Malaysia To Launch UberEATS (On-Demand Food Delivery Service) In KL Soon!

Yiss. UberEATS is finally coming to Kuala Lumpur!

This was confirmed by Uber Malaysia themselves via through Instagram posts. Uber also confirmed that trial runs are currently underway in Kuala Lumpur, and lucky users may just be able to spot the riders on the streets ;)

We’re not the first city to get the on-demand meal delivery service, of course.

UberEATS first launched in Toronto and it is already available in 14 other cities such as New York, Paris, and Melbourne. Last year, UberEATS launched in its first Asian market – Singapore. The first standalone app from popular ride-hailing service allows Singaporeans to order food from about 100 of the country’s restaurants.

How does UberEATS work? It utilises the same map-routing algorithms Uber uses to connect drivers and passengers as quickly as possible to avoid cancellations. How does UberEATS get the orders to its customers? It will use a mix of current Uber drivers as well as its own fleet of motorcycle riders to send food to its customers.

But the real challenge lies in gaining and retaining users as there’s already a host of well-established food delivery services in Malaysia such as FoodPanda and PappaDelivery. Still, we can’t wait to give UberEATS a shot. Om nom nom :)

Download the UberEATS app via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and prepare to get started!

Sources: Lowyat.NET, uber_my / Featured image: uber_my.


Indonesians Trend #ShameonMalaysia On Social Media After #SEAGames Blunders

For the first time in 16 years, Kuala Lumpur is playing host to the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). More popularly known as Kuala Lumpur 2017 (#KL2017 on social media), the multi-sport event kicked off over weekend (19th August 2017) and is now underway, with 404 events in 38 sports in its schedule.

Alas, a couple of blunders have tainted the games, and it’s only the 3rd day.

For starters, there was an error on page 80 the SEA Games booklet, where the Indonesian flag was printed upside-down by mistake. Indonesian Youth and Sports minister Imam Nahrawi spotted it and tweeted about it, which set things off.

Malaysian Minister of Youth & Sports YB Khairy Jamaluddin acted swiftly, issuing a public apology on Twitter before meeting Imam Nahrawi in person to apologise. The official Kuala Lumpur 2017 Twitter account also issued an official statement regarding the blunder.

But Indonesian netizens would have none of it.

Before long, Imam Nahrwai’s tweet trended heavily amongst both Indonesian as well as Malaysian netizens. While Malaysians expressed regret and embarrassment over the error, Indonesian social media users didn’t mince their words. To make matters worse, another error was spotted on page 40 of the booklet, which mixed up Indonesia’s and Thailand’s flags. A Malaysian daily newspaper also allegedly made a similar blunder with an upside-down Indonesian flag.

Stupid people who doesn't know about anything of their neighborhood, even the flag they doesn't know it. Retard Country #ShameOnYouMalaysia

— Fead Patria (@feadpatria303) August 20, 2017

This is our FLAG,our IDENTITY, as they said"forgot"!Please hire the very professional+educated person 2 do the big things!#ShameonMalaysia pic.twitter.com/uf4ZiPYFn2

— Diana Christy (@eyesofdiana) August 20, 2017

Fuck after booklet, this morning at newspaper!!!Morron!!#ShameonMalaysia macam mana jendral @Khairykj pic.twitter.com/PxnDIRo56P

Coming soon malaysia flag in Asian Game 2018 #ShameOnYouMalaysia #ShameOnYouMalaysia pic.twitter.com/9rcOPHMDgD

— Vallerian (@karasu036) August 21, 2017

What a shame.. Even in newspaper BAD Sea Games EVER!! Merah Putih is not just a Flag.. Merah Putih is INDONESIAN BLOOD! #ShameOnYouMalaysia pic.twitter.com/F5H3bIveCA

— عبد العزيز (@aziz_thegreat) August 20, 2017

As seen in the tweets above, amongst the hashtags used were #ShameonMalaysia, #ShameOnYouMalaysia, and #ShameOnYouMalay.

Following the blunders, 27 Malaysian websites were defaced by Indonesian hackers today. They were mostly private and business blogs i.e. Malaysian-based logistics delivery service Easyparcel.my. In the image left by the hackers, the Jalur Gemilang was purposely turned upside-down. Other hacked sites, including Be A Happy Millionaire, featured an image of the original SEA Games booklet with the message “Bendera Negaraku Bukanlah Mainan” (translation: “My national flag is not a play thing”). The Indonesian patriotic anthem, “Tanah Air Beta”, can also be heard playing in the background.

Meanwhile, distribution of the flawed booklets have been halted with immediate effect and a new version of the SEA Games booklet with the accurate Indonesian flag will be issued to replace the misprinted version.

Sources: ShameonMalaysia, ShameOnYouMalaysia, Stadium.MY, Imam Nahrawi, Khairy Jamaluddin, KL2017 / Featured image: Twitter.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Z. Tao (黄子韬) – 19 (十九岁)

Known as the Chinese rapper of EXO, no one was aware of his singing talent.

Former EXO-M member Tao, currently performing under the new stage name Z. Tao, has been releasing a string of songs, including a collaboration with Wiz Khalifa. But none of them prepared us for this track, “19 (十九岁)”, that would render us emotional train wrecks.

With bittersweet lyrics like “regrets will become beautiful images carved in our hearts”, this original soundtrack from “Edge of Innocence (夏天十九岁的肖像)” features both romantic and heartbreaking footage from the movie. Without revealing too much about the movie, the music video allows us to get to know the characters and how their relationship blossomed, while still retaining a mysterious element to it.

One of the scenes at the beach, showing the characters enjoying each others’ company, is guaranteed to melt your heart while another scene, showing an emotional argument between the main characters, will tug at your heartstrings.

In the press preview for the movie, Z. Tao was also asked a few questions regarding SM Entertainment, but refused to answer, stating that he had “no interest”.

However, he became emotional and burst into tears after watching a video message from his grandmother, explaining that he felt sorry and responsible for the hate comments directed at his family, even though they’ve not done anything wrong.

Celebrities are people too. Do people really have the time to attack me and my family online? They could be using that time to better themselves. I never killed anyone or broke the law. I’m just living my life.

“19 (十九岁)” will be included in Z. Tao’s yet-to-be released 1st studio album “The Road”.

“Edge of Innocence (夏天十九岁的肖像)” tells the story of the innocent and beautiful encounter of 2 19-year-olds, Kang Qiao and Xia Yingying. The film stars Z. Tao as Kang Qiao and Yang Cai Yu as Xia Yingying, with additional casts Calvin Tu and Li Meng.

It is slated for an 8th July release in China, but it is unknown if the movie will premiere in Malaysia cinemas.