#FightOfTheCentury: Mayweather Loses Welterweight World Title He Won In #MayPac

Remember when 38-year-old “undefeated” Floyd Mayweather emerged victorious from the most lucrative fight in history aka the #FightOfTheCentury, beating Manny Pacquiao via a wide unanimous decision in Las Vegas? It seems like all of that was for, well, pretty much nothing.

Apparently, the World Boxing Organization (WBO)  has stripped Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the welterweight world title he earned when he defeated Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather, whose victory in the fight earned him $200 million, failed to pay a $200,000 sanctioning fee he owed the WBO by a Friday (3rd July) afternoon deadline. He also failed to relinquish the junior middleweight title he held prior to the 2nd May fight, violating the WBO rule prohibiting its fighters from holding simultaneous titles in different weight classes.

According to ESPN, it is against sanctioning organization rules for boxers to hold world titles in multiple weight classes. The WBC and WBA had been breaking their own rules by allowing Mayweather to hold their titles, but the WBO upheld its rules. Typically, the WBO will allow a fighter 10 days to decide which weight class he wants to continue to hold the title in if he wins titles in multiple weight divisions.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. had 2 whole months to decide.

The WBO World Championship Committee is allowed no other alternative but to cease to recognize Mr. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. as the WBO Welterweight Champion of the World and vacate his title, for failing to comply with our WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.

According to Reuters, he has 2 weeks to file an appeal.

Boohoo. So much for the #FightOfTheCentury, eh?

After hearing that they're stripping Mayweather of his belt… #FloydMayweatherhttp://t.co/94qfixSFEe pic.twitter.com/jM7KGDbe4y

In other news, one good and extremely profitable thing did come out of the fight though!

According to CNN, tickets for the event sold out in minutes. Some were exchanging hands on the black market for as much as USD350,000 before the fight. Even closed circuit relays of the match in Vegas were reportedly selling for as much as USD3,500 a ticket, while millions of viewers (boxing fans and non boxing fans alike) tuned in from every corner of the globe on pay-per-view channels.

Sources: TIME, Reuters, ESPN, CNN / Featured image from ABC.

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Netflix’s “The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness” Documentary Review: Don’t Watch This With The Lights Off

At the end of David Fincher’s “Zodiac”, we remember leaving the theaters with a distinct feeling of dread. A film based on the real-life events of an enigmatic killer who left a trail of murder and carnage. After enduring nearly 3 hours of chilling twists and turns, the film ends on an eeriely ambigous note. In spite of the case being solved, there were lingering questions. The kind that made you question what humanity was capable of. Few films in our lifetime have invoked such feelings of fear and terror within the human condition. Documentaries, rarer still. Netflix’s “The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness” just so happens to be one of them.

We’re no stranger when it comes to crime documentaries and strange cases. In spite of the exploitative nature of framing very real deaths for entertainment sake, we can’t get enough! From spooky hotels to creepy catfishers, our hunger for the morbid and macabre is insatiable. So when we first saw “Sons of Sam”, a documentary telling the story of a Satanic murderer who hunts women on the dirty streets of New York, we knew we had to get on it.

This documentary miniseries tracks mainly three narratives here. The first is the story of the public responding to the sudden wave of random murders in New York city in the 1970s. The city is in a panic. The police are at their wits’ end as the killer taunts them. The media is busy capitalising of the many, disturbing letters sent by the Son of Sam. Women are afraid to walk the streets. The second is a picture into the mind of the apparent lone killer, David Berkowitz. As we go deeper and deeper into the man behind the myth, we soon realize the horrifying truth behind it all. The killer was not acting alone.

Then, there’s the story of Maury Terry, an investigative journalist on the hunt for the Son of Sam. A man determined to sift through the rumours and tabloids to find the truth. All these stories meld together to give us, the viewers, a bigger picture into this strange and disturbing story of murder, sexual violence and Satanic cults. Beyond that, we dare not give anymore details.

Believe us when we say that “Sons of Sam” was a proper thrill-ride from start to finish. So many times do these crime documentaries become this boring patchwork of disjointed footage montages and talking-head interviews. “Sons of Sam” is honestly one of the most cinematic documentaries we’ve seen in a very long time. The whole things play out like a detective film you’d see on screen. The documentary never has to rely on violins stings or dramatic editing to make its source material engaging. It simply allows the evidence to tell the story and boy is it one for the books!

The moment the narrator read the first letter from the Son of Sam killer, we were immediately enthralled by the rest of the documentary series. From there, the series proceeds to ramp up the tension with the rest of the episodes slowly deconstructing the case.

The firsthand accounts of Berkowitz and his letters were beyond insanity. The man had claimed that he was influenced by a 6000 year-old demon, who possessed his neighbour’s dog, to go out and murder women. Then we learn that he was involved in a cult and how he wasn’t the only one involved. There’s also an abusive, horrible man named Sam who contributed to the myth behind the Son of Sam. There is an air of mystery and nagging uncertainty about the whole case. The sheer madness of it all threatens to overwhelm us.

Sometimes though, the weird isn’t enough. It has to be structured in a way in which everything feels connected and relevant. There’s a tendency in Netflix documentaries to stretch themselves too thin by asking everyone and their grandmother what they thought of the case. Yet at the same time, you can’t just dump all this info on the audience and expect them to figure it out without perspective. Thankfully, fimmaker and documentarian Joshua Zeman finds a brilliant solution to this dilemma in the art of storytelling. Simply put every villain needs a heroic foil. In this case it’s Maury Terry.

In spite of the fact that Maury is dead, Zeman uses interviews from his colleagues and loved ones alongside footage to create a character before our very eyes. One that feels as real and relatable as if he were still alive. In many ways, he’s meant to be framed as the documentary’s version of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Robert Graysmith. A man consumed by the mystery, desperate to find the truth. He’s not just a conduit for the audience to process the disturbing details. Rather, he serves as a pivotal piece to solving this entire case. He is both narrator and player throughout this whole drama.

Netflix’s “The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness” is the gold standard when it comes to gritty, creepy crime documentaries. Through expert filmmaking and masterful editing, Joshua Zeman manages to create a palpable sensation of terror and dread in the here and now from murders long past. By the end of the whole affair, you’ll be left satisfied, if not mentally scarred. You can now catch “The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness” on Netflix today!

So what’s your favourite creepy true-crime case? Are there any ones you’re dying to have us check out and review? Be sure let us know in the comments down below!

Netflix's "Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness" is the gold standard when it comes to gritty, creepy crime documentaries. Through expert filmmaking and masterful editing, Joshua Zeman manages to create a palpable sensation of terror and dread in the here and now from murders long past. By the end of the whole affair, you'll be left satisfied, if not mentally scarred.


dUCK Cosmetics Launches X-Men: Dark Phoenix Makeup Collection

Local beauty brand dUCK Cosmetics has collaborated with 20th Century Fox to launch a limited edition dUCk x X-Men Dark Phoenix makeup collection called Rise of the dUCk Collection.

“For dUCk Cosmetics to be involved in such an epic collaboration involving a franchise that’s a household name globally is just, EPIC. Introducing our Rise of the dUCk Collection, a limited edition make-up set created for the soon to be released X-Men: Dark Phoenix Film,” dUCK Cosmetics founder, Vivy Yusof posted on Instagram.

For dUCk Cosmetics to be involved in such an epic collaboration involving a franchise that’s a household name globally is just, EPIC. Introducing our Rise of the dUCk Collection, a limited edition make-up set created for the soon to be released X-Men: Dark Phoenix Film. This collection features two stunning eyeshadow palettes and four gorgeous deep-toned, earthy lipsticks. I created two eyeshadow palettes to represent both Jean Grey (Ashes) and Dark Phoenix (Ember). To reflect Jean’s calm and stoic nature, the Ashes palette features natural toned shades – with a hint of that classic X-Men blue. The Ember Palette represents the wild and untameable Dark Phoenix entity, with fiery toned shades. Both palettes have a mix of matte, shimmer and duo-chromatic crystalized shades. Snag this collection now. – D. #duckcosmetics #DarkPhoenixMY

A post shared by  dUCk Cosmetics (@duckcosmetics) on May 25, 2019 at 8:23pm PDT

X-Men fans – this one is just for you! Who knows what our new limited edition collection is called? Comment below and fill in the blank if you know: Rise of the ____ – D. #duckcosmetics

A post shared by  dUCk Cosmetics (@duckcosmetics) on May 25, 2019 at 7:12am PDT

The Rise of the dUCk makeup set features 2 stunning eyeshadow palettes which were created to represent both Jean Grey (Ashes) and Dark Phoenix (Ember).

“To reflect Jean’s calm and stoic nature, the Ashes palette features natural toned shades – with a hint of that classic X-Men blue. The Ember Palette represents the wild and untameable Dark Phoenix entity, with fiery toned shades. Both palettes have a mix of matte, shimmer and duo-chromatic crystallised shades,” read the post.

Trying to choose a side? I say why not both? While both Ashes and Ember eyeshadow palettes are remarkable on their own — each with stunning and pigmented shades, together they are truly extraordinary. These magnetic palettes create a complete silhouette of Jean Grey and Dark Phoenix when put together. Get either palette on its own or together as a set so you can create even more amazing eye makeup looks! Available now at Sephora and soon at #theduckstore and online! ? – D. #duckcosmetics #DarkPhoenixMY

A post shared by  dUCk Cosmetics (@duckcosmetics) on May 26, 2019 at 6:34am PDT

The Rise of the dUCk lipsticks are just what you need in your makeup stash! From a vampy deep maroon (Madame) and sultry fuchsia (Perfection) to a brown (Flare) and warm nude (Spark) — these lippies are perfect to take you from a day at work to a party with your gal pals. Whether you wanna be sweet or sassy, these lipsticks won’t let you down — especially since they’re packed with Vitamin E for a boost of hydration. Who’s in the mood for these new lipsticks? – D. #duckcosmetics #DarkPhoenixMY

A post shared by  dUCk Cosmetics (@duckcosmetics) on May 26, 2019 at 8:11pm PDT

The collection also features 4 gorgeous deep-toned, earthy lipsticks which are packed with Vitamin E for a boost of hydration. The colours include a vampy deep maroon (Madame), sultry fuchsia (Perfection), a brown (Flare) and warm nude (Spark).

This is the second time Vivy Yusof’s makeup brand collaborated with a movie studio. Last year, dUCK Cosmetics collaborated with Warner Bros (WB) to launch a make up line for the movie “Crazy Rich Asians”.

dUCk x X-Men Dark Phoenix. ??? So proud I’m emo. Thank you guys for the love and support. First, Crazy Rich Asians collab, now this. ALHAMDULILLAH ❤ @duckcosmetics #soproudoftheteam

A post shared by  Vivy Yusof (@vivyyusof) on May 25, 2019 at 9:11pm PDT

Rise of the dUCk Collection is now available at Sephora and will soon be available at dUCK store.

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#Penang: Uber Driver & Passengers Harassed By Limo Drivers Outside Of Airport

The harassment towards Uber drivers has been ongoing with the latest incident taking place at the Penang International Airport yesterday (Sunday, 9th October).

A couple was taken aback when their Uber driver was stopped and cornered by several airport limousine drivers. The incident was recorded and uploaded on Anti Penang Airport Limos’ Facebook account on the same day.

In the short clip, a man in a black shirt with shades can be seen messing with the car’s viper, while continuously knocking on the, asking the driver and the passengers to turun (translation: get down from the vehicle).

According to a report by The Star, one of the passengers, Debbie Wong, claimed that 2 men with walkie-talkies had demanded she and her husband to step out shortly after they got into the Uber driver’s vehicle outside the airport arrival hall. “Our driver took out his camera to take pictures but they turned their backs and walked away,” the 32-year-old lady recalled.

Unfortunately after driving a short distance, their pathway was blocked again a limousine and several other airport taxi drivers. “Another group of men demanded that we step out of the vehicle. When we did not, they started banging the window and shouting at us. That’s when I phoned the airport police,” Debbie said.

The aggressive drivers only dispersed when the police arrived. Debbie added that the Uber driver went to the airport’s police station but could not confirm if a report was lodged against the troublemakers. Fortunately for the driver, he has the recorded smartphone videos as evidence.

Netizens have also expressed their disagreement and disgust towards the behaviours of the aforementioned taxi drivers. Facebook user Gurmeet Singh suggests, “Dear taxis, try striving for better service rather than the current thuggish service. Till then, the majority are with Uber. Their money, their choice.”

His sentiments were echoed by Darius Dafoe, who commented, “Incredibly stupid taxi drivers… Why do they always resort to violence? Such attitude is totally acceptable! Everyone wants to cari makan (translation: earn a living). I have been using Uber for a year and I am totally in love with their great service.”

We agree in the sense that brute force isn’t the answer and will only turn more customers against taxi drivers. What do y’all think?

Sources: Anti Penang Airport Limos’ Facebook, The Star.


#IWantYouToKnow: Zedd & Selena Gomez’s “Matchmaking” Track Released

Just yesterday, after weeks of teasing and leading their fans on, Zedd and Selena Gomez finally released the track that they were working on, titled “I Want You To Know”. It was important to Zedd, Selena, as well as their legions of fans because this could’ve very well been the song that “pulled” them together.

Because, oh you know, the dating rumours (poor Biebs) and all that jazz.

Of course, you would know by now that this young EDM genius scored big time in the past with his other tracks such as “Clarity” and “Stay The Night”, which always features incredibly talented (but perhaps underrated) female vocalists. He even went on to win the highly coveted Grammy in 2014 for “Clarity”. This time is a little bit different though, we have to say, because Selena was never known to be a vocal powerhouse per se.

That having said, “I Want You To Know” co-writer Ryan Tedder commented earlier this month after having heard the final product:

He crushed it, “I Want You To Know”. I went on a run today and listened to it on repeat in my headphones. And Selena did a bang-up job. She killed it.

Hey, if Ryan has insinuated that it’s awesome, perhaps it really is?

Like it? Don’t like it? If you want the song, get it off iTunes here.

Zedd and Selena Gomez’s “I Want You To Know” is likely to be featured in Zedd’s upcoming album. Now, where’s the music video that this duo were apparently working on?

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#Subang: Bomb Hoax In Subang Airport Causes 4-Hour Flight Delay

Passengers were left stranded at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport in Subang yesterday (Tuesday, 17th May) when a bomb hoax caused a 4-hour delay for an international flight.

The plane had taken off around 7:40pm to Singapore. Shortly after, the airport’s management received 2 anonymous phone calls around 8pm. The calls were minutes apart and are believed to be from the same person. In the first call, the man conversed in English, but the line was disconnected. In the second call, he spoke in Bahasa Malaysia.

The male caller claimed that there was a bomb on the plane, said Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Zani Che Din. The plane turned around after the threat.

The air control tower was alerted to the threat and the plane was ordered to turn back.

It made an emergency landing back at the airport around 8.20pm.

Upon landing, the commercial aircraft, which was from a local airline, was isolated on the tarmac as passengers and crew were ordered to evacuate. The plane was inspected and swept by a bomb squad but no explosives were found.

30 passengers and 4 crew members later boarded a second plane and resumed their flight to Singapore around 11:40pm.

“We are investigating the case under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation,” said Mohd Zani.


The #WilliamYau Inquest Begins Today

On 16th January 2013, six-year-old William Yau Zhen Zhong went missing after he was left in the family car with his elder brother and one-year-old sister while his parents went to a nearby electrical shop at Putra Heights to look at washing machines. His body was found floating in Sungai Klang at a jerry in Kampung Sireh on 24th January 2013, slightly more than a week after he went missing.

Because of the state of his body, the post-mortem that was conducted could not determine the cause of William’s death but it was revealed that he may have been alive for one or two days before his body was found. However, the police and authorities are still puzzled at how he ended up in the river, which was about 3km away from where he was last seen.

Hence, the police and authorities have since called for an inquest to ascertain the circumstances leading to the death of William Yau.

District police Chief Assistant Commissioner Yahaya Ramli confirmed that it will be held at the Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court where it will be decided when the inquest proper will start and how many witnesses will be called to give evidence. Police had interviewed a total of 54 witnesses from the time William was reported missing until the time his body was found but not all witnesses will be called to the stand.

William’s father, 38-year-old Yau Kok Kang is expected to be called as the first witness. William’s mother, 26-year-old Goh Ying Ying and William’s seven-year-old are also among those on the witness list. Deputy Subang Jaya OCPD Supt Tan Ah Chua said the inquest could begin the same day as the mention of the case.


#Kingsman: Sequel Set For Release In 2017

Not sure what that means? Then let us teach you a lesson ;)

“Manners maketh man” is the tagline from this year’s surprise hit, “Kingsman: The Secret Service“.

Directed and co-written by Matthew Vaughn, the film starred a slew of Hollywood A-listers including Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael Caine. It also introduced us to the young rising stars Taron Egerton and Sofia Boutella.

The movie is based on “The Secret Service”, a comic book series created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons. It is considered Vaughn’s most successful movie to date as it received mainly positive reviews from critics and has grossed over USD401 million at the global box office.

With its tremendous success, it was only a matter of time before 20th Century Fox announced the sequel to this spy-comedy film.

Earlier in April, various insiders confirmed to TheWrap that a sequel is indeed in the works. Vaughn also said he’s working on the script, but there’s no indication whether he will return to helm it.

None of the actors except Egerton are confirmed to be returning for the 2nd instalment as well.

Egerton originally had a scheduling conflict with the project, as he was supposed to work on Lionsgate’s “Robin Hood: Origins” in February next year. This created a conflict with the sequel’s start date, as Fox wants to begin filming “Kingsman 2” in April 2016.

But now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, things worked out between the 2 studios. Lionsgate decides to shoot its film after “Kingsman 2” wraps its production, which will likely be at the end of summer 2016.

Egerton will now become the star of 2 studio franchises.

“Kingsman 2” is confirmed to be released on 16th June 2017. It will go head to head with Warner Bros’ “Wonder Woman” in the 2nd weekend of release.

Vaughn is currently developing “The Golden Age”, a film adaptation of a comic book about superheroes in a retirement home at 20th Century Fox. He also produces “Eddie the Eagle”, an upcoming British-American sports comedy drama film that stars Egerton and “X-Men” actor Hugh Jackman.

He was lined up to direct the reboot of “Flash Gordon” for Fox too.

Sources: Heroic Hollywood, Variety, THR.

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B.o.B Soars With “Strange Clouds”

Atlantic recording artist, B.o.B celebrates the release of his sophomore album, “Strange Clouds” which arrives in stores and online today. Strange Clouds comes as a follow up to 2010’s Grammy-nominated, gold-certified debut album, “B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray“, which spawned the multi-platinum hit singles such as:

Strange Clouds sees the Atlanta native pairing with the likes of T.I., Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Ryan Tedder, Chris Brown, Trey Songz and more, with productions from Dr. Luke, Salaam Remi, Ryan Tedder and even B.o.B himself. The acclaimed MC has also joined forces with retailer Target for an exclusive, two-disc deluxe edition of the album, which includes five brand new, unreleased songs.

Heralding the release of his new album, B.o.B is already earning praise from critics including Entertainment Weekly, who praised B.o.B’s musical diversity saying, “The guy knows how to hang in nearly every sonic situation, and master it – just like a real rock star!” while The Source acknowledges that “…there are enough solo gems to show how much talented than the average Bobby Ray really is.”

B.O.B second single, “So Good” and third single “Both of Us”  (featuring the country starlet darling Taylor Swift) has captured the attention of many as the airplay on their radio stations have been on high rotation for both singles:

[youtube id=”1sa9qeV6T0o” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Sweet! We’re already expecting to hear it on our local radio stations and watch it climb our Malaysian charts.

For more information, visit his official website or follow him via his Twitter account.


#Uber: Enjoy 10 Free Rides Worth RM5 In Malaysia; Airport Promo To Last ‘Til 31st Dec

In an effort to remind those living in Malaysia of how awesome weekdays are, Uber has rolled out yet another promotion for all you riders out there.

Instead of just limiting it to a specific district or city, Uber’s latest promo is available to use anywhere in Malaysia. The promo started yesterday (Tuesday, 23rd November) and will last until next Friday (2nd December).

As aforementioned, the free rides isn’t just restricted in the Klang Valley but for all rides in Malaysia, including Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Melaka, and Penang. The maximum discount is only RM5 for each ride (up to 10 rides).

Riders will get to enjoy this discount every weekday (from Monday to Friday only), between 8am – 8pm. Their intention is to help get you to work and back, and everything in between. All you need to do is key in the promo code in your Uber app:

Aside from that, Uber is also running their airport promo where Uber users will be able to enjoy rides to/from KLIA or KLIA2 at only RM60. No promo is required but do note that the fare excludes tolls incurred during the trip. The airport promo starts today and will run till end of the year (31st December).

Happy holidays everyone, don’t say we didn’t share ?

For more information, visit Uber Malaysia’s official website and Facebook page.


#Spotify: Jay Chou’s Latest Single Available As Global Exclusive!

The moment all Jay Chou fans have been waiting for is finally here. No, we’re not talking about his wedding, not just yet.

Released as a global exclusive on Spotify, the Taiwanese singer-songwriter’s latest single, “算什麼男人” (What Kind of Man Are You?) is now available on Spotify from 16th – 18th Dec. Jay Chou‘s single single is a follow-up to “鞋子特大號” (Extra Large Shoes), from his upcoming new album. With Jay Chou’s latest album,”哎呦, 不錯哦” (Aiyo, Not Bad), slated to be released on 26th Dec, Spotify is offering fans a glimpse into one of this year’s most anticipated album days before the album’s official mainstream release.

Just as well, since Jay Chou was recently revealed as the most streamed Asian artist on Spotify. On top of that, his latest album will also celebrate the region’s most iconic artiste’s return to the pop charts after a 2-year break.

Don’t forget to follow him on Spotify here!

For more information, visit Spotify Malaysia’s Facebook page.

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Bad Boy Cooks & Brasserie Enfin’s Sparkling Chandon Infused Launch

The Chandon Summer Edition Bottle elevates the atmosphere at Oasis Damansara!

Considering that summer is an all-round affair in Malaysia, Bad Boy Cooks and Brasserie Enfin celebrates their conjoint launch with a nautical and beach inspired poolside party at Oasis Damansara. Celebrating yet another gastronomical affair, the launch also marked the return of Chandon Summer’s limited edition bottle.

As nautical glamour was the order of the day, some of Kuala Lumpur’s most popular faces including Sarah Lian, TVB Hostess and Miss Astro Chinese International 2011 Belle Theng, radio announcers Janice Yap of Capital FM and Jeremy Teo of Red FM were ushered into the American Style diner by Chandon Summer Sailors. Staying true to the theme, Chandon Summer Sailors also assisted Chef Patron James in welcoming and serving attendees.

Throughout the night, guests were treated to a continuous flow of sparkling wine paired with Bad Boy Cooks’ signature dishes while enjoying other energetic engagements including a burger eating competition, Remote Control Boat races and exhilarating matches of Chandon Bounce It. The night was made even more delightful with a series of Lucky Draws that allowed winners to walk away with two bottles of the desirable limited edition Chandon Summer Bottles.

A must have this summer, the limited edition Chandon Summer Bottles are colourfully wrapped in eye-catching stripes and adorned with a nautical inspired design which will get patrons noticed as they sip in typical Chandon style. Well known for its vibrant and sophisticated aperitif style, Chandon Brut makes the perfect treat for our hot Malaysian weather.

More pictures from the launch can be found below:


#Temple: Baauer, M.I.A, & G-Dragon’s Collaboration Is A Total Banger

Harrison Bauer Rodrigues aka Baauer has teamed up with rapper M.I.A and Korean pop idol G-Dragon for the smash hit single “Temple”, the latest track off the beat-maker’s debut album “Aa” (pronounced as “Double A”).

Fans got their first taste of the track when Baauer premiered “Temple” at Alexander Wang’s New York Fashion Week show last month. The producer previously released 2 collaborations with some dope vocal guest spots: “Kung Fu” featuring Pusha T and Future, along with “Day Ones” featuring Novelist and Leikeli47.

Baauer, who was the man behind the viral success hit “Harlem Shake, shared with The Fader about how his collaboration with M.I.A came about: “M.I.A. was a dream idea. And we managed to do it through different people, we reached her and she was down. Most of the collaborations were long distance, but I worked with M.I.A. in London. She was a huge influence when I was younger. I think she’s so sick.”

Sick is exactly what this new song sounds like. “Temple” kicks off on a mellow note, one that is relaxing and rather calming. But as soon as producer Baauer drops his head-bobbing beats, M.I.A brings the song into its melodic trap glory. The rapper is right in her zone and she fires off some mean bars.

As G-Dragon takes the reigns, the BIGBANG frontman pronounces his greatness over the naysayers, reminding us once again of his reign as K-Pop royalty. Unsurprisingly, M.I.A. and G-Dragon’s individualistic rap styles results in a melting pot of sounds on “Temple”.

As Tamar Herman points out, this collaborative track explores what music can be like when geographical boundaries are surpassed and conventions are broken.


The Public Wants RON92 Petrol To Make A Comeback. Is It A Good Idea?

The prices for petrol and diesel may have gone down today (Thursday, 23rd November) but prior to this, it was on a constant hike.

Based on the rising cost affecting mostly the middle and lower income group, there is now a request for the government and petrol companies to bring back the RON92-grade petrol. For those that don’t remember, RON92 was discontinued in 2009 in favour for RON95.

Deputy president of Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations Yusof Abdul Rahman suggests that the reintroduction of RON92 could help to offset the rising cost of living. “RON92 could be used for vehicles with lower engine capacity, which mostly belong to those in the lower income group,” he was quoted as saying. This proposal was also brought up by then deputy finance minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan back in September 2013.

However, reintroducing RON92 may not be the best solution after all as most of the automotive industry has adjusted to the broad usage of RON95 as the minimum standard. “New cars are made for RON 95 and above. Going back will only create havoc to the industry,” said Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz.

Having said that, the Finance Ministry has announced the government will intervene if fuel prices for RON95 and diesel exceed RM2.50 per litre for 3 consecutive months.

Sources: PaulTan, The Sun / Featured image: The Borneo Post.

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#Emoji: Unicode Announces 79 New Potential “Future Emojis”

More new emojis? We say, keep ’em coming please!

The much talked about, long-awaited set of new emojis just rolled out for iOS users a couple of months ago and already, we feel like we need more. “Why isn’t there a groom emoji?” and “Wouldn’t it be great if we had a pancakes emoji too?” and “There needs to be a Batman/bat emoji” and “They forgot to make a butterfly emoji?!” and “There is no bacon emoji, I cannot deal.” and “Seriously, no butterfly emoji?!”, we could go on and on.

Emojis have become such an integral part of our conversations that we can’t do without some of the important ones i.e. bacon. Why write out “bacon” in your Instagram caption for your awesome flatlay brunch picture when you can use an emoji to best express yourself, right? It’s so essential that even Kim Kardashian has her very own set of emojis!

Luckily, the Unicode Technical Committee just announced 79 new candidates to satisfy your emoji-cravings. Amongst the potential contender announced are such as the avocado, facepalm, butterfly, shrug, groom, bat, pancakes, and bacon emojis.

Check out the full list of potential new emojis below, courtesy of Unicode:

We’re rooting for quite a handful of “future emojis” on that list above. Imagine the wonders they’d do for our WhatsApp chats and Instagram posts (since Instagram allows for emoji hashtagging now). Tumbler glass? Yes! Pancakes? Of course! Butterfly? Oh my gosh heck yes!

The only problem is not all the emojis on the list will make the final cut. And even if they do, it’ll be a long wait for them to be released plus, it’ll be up to the makers of member platforms like iOS and Android to implement the new Unicode standard.

Remember when the middle finger emoji was only released more than a year after the news first surfaced? Exactly. Let’s hope that they all make it into the next update.

(insert hand with first and index finger crossed emoji here)

Sources: Unicode, Emojipedia.org / Featured image from Emojipedia.org.


Top 15 Best Movies of 2017

Warning! Warning! Read the disclaimer below and save a starving kid’s life.

“Dunkirk” has hardly any dialogue and the characters are paper thin. Even Bane himself, Tom Hardy grunts about two words every 15 minutes. There is no backstory. There is no “how did we get here” talk. Characters do not sit around a fire and talk about their pregnant wives or a hooker they just boned because they were worried they weren’t going to make it out alive. This is in many ways the anti-“Hacksaw Ridge”, a movie that you will find higher up on this list.

This isn’t to say the film is completely void of character. The most important character in this film is DUNKIRK (or more specifically, War in general). Nolan has crafted this movie in a way that he wants the audience to be a part of this war with the soldiers. And in an interesting shift in style, “Dunkirk” is a quiet film — Nolan’s movies are usually very loud. Here he once again teams up with his frequent collaborator, Hans Zimmer, whose music is surprisingly subtle.

Perhaps I’m cheating a little here. “Three Billboards” will only have a limited release in Malaysia in February 2018, but I was lucky enough to catch an early press screening of it last week. Since I caught the movie in Malaysia in 2017, I’m putting it on my list.

Here’s a movie that isn’t about the story — There isn’t a start (we don’t see the rape taking place) and there isn’t an end (we don’t know if justice will be served). “Three Billboards” allows its characters to bask in the spotlight.

When the mother of a rape and murder victim puts up three billboards, challenging local authorities to solve her daughter’s murder, it sends the town into a frenzy. It is this frenzy that we get tangled up in. “Three Billboards” is one of the crassest, most hilarious movies of the year and it is definitely not for the faint of heart, nor the easily offended.

Even without THAT twist, “Split” is a fantastic watch. With THAT twist, it’s at a whole different level. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it means you have not caught this movie, in which case, you should get on it right now.

Whether it involves our favourite sports team, an athlete, a pro-wrestler or a character in a movie, we all love a good comeback story. My God what a comeback story this has been for the man who helmed The Sixth Sense. M. Night Shyamalan is back! “Split” is Shyamalan’s best movie in more than a decade.

Here he tells a story of three girls who are kidnapped by a man suffering from multiple personality disorder. Shyamalan isn’t afraid to take his time. This is a slow burn and the best thriller since David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” in 2014.

James McAvoy plays the kidnapper, Kevin, in his best performance to date. He shows a ton of range, bringing nine of Kevin’s 23 personalities to life. Anya Taylor Joy is also excellent, proving to be one of the best young talents in the industry right now.

I can’t fault anybody for shitting on this movie because they didn’t get the war movie they were hoping for. After all, Fox did run a misleading marketing campaign. “War for the Planet of the Apes” was billed as a MASSIVE war film. We were going to get humans with machine guns on one side, apes on horses on the other. Both sides were going to charge at each other like it’s motherf**king Battle of the Bastards.

It sucks that we didn’t get that. But what we actually got is also great. “War for the Planet of the Apes” is a psychological film and an emotional character study. The final shot of the film will leave a lasting impression. This is one of the best character arcs (over the course of a trilogy) of all time.

I urge everyone who felt cheated watching this Matt Reeves movie, to revisit it with an open mind.

This is the first out of the two Netflix Original movies that made it to my top 15 list, this year. Mudbound is a beautiful and brutally honest story about racial relations and sexism during the World War II era. What’s interesting is seeing how very little has changed over the past 77 years. Racism still endures, an orange, brainless, preacher of sexism is the leader of the free world, and where there were Nazis, now are Neo-Nazis.

“Mudbound” has everything you’d expect from a movie like this — moments that will make you sad, moments that will make you angry and moments that will make you sick to your stomach — but it’s also a surprisingly uplifting movie; one that will leave you with hope for the future.

I’ve never really been a fan of monster movies. “Kong: Skull Island” is aggressively mediocre, “Pacific Rim” is Guillermo del Toro’s least interesting film, and I’m very sure the moaning couple sitting two seats away from me had more action in between them than the entire two hours of “Godzilla.” With that said, “Colossal” is a Kaiju movie I actually like.

This, along with “Mother” are perhaps two of the most ORIGINAL and interesting movies of the year. I’ll say as little as possible, because half the fun of this movie is discovering where it’s going to take you. But I’ll give you a tiny, hopefully, head-scratching, hint: In one scene, Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is fish drunk. She dances and jokes around without a care in the world. She’s clearly out of it. As a result, the Kaiju in which she’s telepathically connected to causes major destruction, killing hundreds of people in the process.

Picture this: You’re on vacation with your boyfriend in a secluded, quiet area. You decide to spice up your relationship by engaging in some kinky fun. Your boyfriend handcuffs you to the bed and right when you’re about to get it on… your boyfriend gets a heart attack and dies. What now?

“Gerald’s Game” is one of, if not the best horror movie I’ve seen in ages. Forget “Conjuring”, forget “IT”; The simple, immensely realistic concept of this Stephen King adaptation is what makes it truly terrifying.

That very premise alone is brilliant, but “Gerald’s Game” is so much more. I’m reminded of some of the best survival movies out there, like “Wild” and “127 Hours”. Here, Carla Gugino’s Jessie learns about herself and the metaphorical demons that have been haunting her throughout her life. Monsters are real, they just don’t look anything like the shit you see in your typical horror movie.

I have never been a huge fan of Edgar Wright. I’ve always appreciated and studied his storytelling methods, sure, but none of his movies clicked with me on a personal level. Call me crazy, but it actually took me three tries to get through “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”.

Then came “Baby Driver” and holy shit is this movie AWESOME or what? “Baby Driver” may not be my favourite movie of 2017, but it is the most fun I’ve had in theatres all year. In typical Edgar Wright fashion, this movie is more about the storytelling than it is the story.

The premise is simple: A young getaway driver is forced to partake in a heist that is doomed to fail, when all he wants to do is run away and live happily ever after with his new girlfriend. This is the simplest of fairy tales told in the most absurd, fantastical way. The manner in which Edgar Wright crafts each sequence to match the soundtrack is simply genius.

“Baby Driver” would be higher up on my list if it weren’t for its slightly disappointing climax.

“Wonder Woman” may not be excellent throughout — the third act is mostly a giant, explosive letdown — but it is one of the most important films in pop culture. Patty Jenkins has accomplished what many people thought to be impossible: A female-led superhero movie, directed by a female, grossing over $US 800 million at the global box office on its opening weekend, and universally lauded by critics and fans alike. “Wonder Woman” is a significant film and it will be remembered for a very, very long time.

This movie is extremely feminist and also has my favourite line of the year: “It’s concluded that men are integral for reproduction, but unnecessary for the purposes of pleasure.” Mic f**king drop!

“Baahubali 2: The Conclusion”, is the sequel to “Baahubali: The Beginning” and it is the most accomplished Indian film ever made. The most accurate way to describe this S. S. Rajamouli epic is: “The Lord of the Rings” meets “Game of Thrones”, only not as great but still bloody awesome. There are strong female characters, great action sequences and many scenes that will send shivers down your spine.

If you did not catch this movie in cinemas, do check it out on Netflix. Be sure to watch the TAMIL version and not the dubbed HINDI one.

We have seen great X-Men movies in the past, but none are as powerful as this. “Logan”, directed by James Mangold, is one of the few comic book movies, like Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” and Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman”, that transcends the comic book movie genre.

“Logan” isn’t a comic book movie, but a character study and a family drama, that so happens to be about comic book characters. We’re used to seeing Wolverine as the cool, invincible lone wolf. But here we see age and mortality catching up to him and Professor-X; And the pain and suffering that comes with that.

“Logan” is the least exciting, most inspired X-Men film to date and both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart deserve Oscar nominations for their performances.

I’m usually not a fan of musicals but boy did this one resonate with me. You would think that La La Land is a romance movie about two individuals who are in love with each other. I disagree. La La Land is romance movie about two individuals who are in love with their passion.

There is a scene in this movie that I particularly love and will probably remember for a very long time. Seb enthusiastically and angrily explains to Emma Stone’s Mia on the beauty of Jazz. He wants her to understand and appreciate Jazz as he does. I can relate. It’s exactly how I am with movies, perhaps much to the annoyance of my friends.

“La La Land” is an inspirational film helmed by one of the best young directors working today, Damien Chazelle. Also, be sure to check out his previous film, “Whiplash”.

There are two Denis Villeneuve movies that hit the big screen in 2017, “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049”. Both are excellent films that solidify Villeneuve as a masterclass filmmaker. But it is “Arrival” that I keep on revisiting. Not only is this Villeneuve’s best film to date, it is also one of the best pure Sci-Fi films of all time.

“Arrival” is not your typical alien invasion film. There are no badass heroes, kickass action sequences, and unlimited ammunition semi-automatic weapons. If you want those, then check out the Alien franchise, the Predator franchise or heck, maybe even Chicken Little. This film is quite frankly not about aliens, though it does have aliens in it. This is a drama, shot like a thriller, that centres around the importance of language and communication, using a real-world linguistic hypothesis.

Also, you can add Amy Adams’ performance here to the list of worst Oscar Snubs in history.

Say what you want about Mel Gibson’s personal issues, but put him behind a camera and you can bet he’ll shit out greatness. Sadly, the same can’t be said about him in front of the camera. WTF “Daddy’s Home 2”.

Hacksaw Ridge is based on a true story about a young army medic named Desmond Doss, who served in the US military during the battle of Okinawa. Because of his religious beliefs, he refused to carry a weapon, nor kill anybody, even if it’s to protect himself. But “Hacksaw Ridge” isn’t self-righteous, nor does it hit you on the head with religious ideas — Mel Gibson shows you both sides of the argument.

Interestingly enough, while Hacksaw Ridge is a war movie, Mel Gibson spends a large portion of the film exploring the characters. “Hacksaw Ridge” is an emotionally trudging character piece. And when the war finally comes, it hits you like a truck moving at 180 Km/h.

And for the third time in a row, my favourite of the year is a Star Wars movie. But this time, it wasn’t as easy a decision as it was in previous years. “La La Land”, “Hacksaw Ridge” and “Arrival” are three films that are pretty much flawless in my eyes, while “The Last Jedi” has the infamous Canto Bight sequence (which admittedly touches on great themes, despite its poor writing and pacing).

But I have to be honest with myself when making this list. The more I watch “The Last Jedi” — five times and counting — the more I love it. I LOVE THIS MOVIE. “The Last Jedi” is a deconstruction of Star Wars. It is the first Star Wars movie that examines the franchise on a deeper level and makes us question the very lore that we’re devoted to. This is a challenging Star Wars film; one that sparks debate, analysis, and discussion among its most rabid fans.

“The Last Jedi” also brings up real-world themes such as the consequences of male ego, the importance of failure, and war profiteering. Rian Johnson also challenges us to strip away the mysticism and look at the Jedi for what they really are.

“The Last Jedi” is a beautifully told story — one that is also terribly depressing. It has some of the best action sequences in all of Star Wars and hands down the best character exploration. This is not just the best Star Wars movie to date… it is a Goddamn masterpiece!

Hey you! Yes you, hot stuff. Agree with my list? Want to murder me for this blasphemous list? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Also, don’t forget to share it with your buds.

And you can follow me here: @dedpewlsays

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8 Exciting Fun Facts About Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone” Season 2

Thank the Saints “Shadow and Bone” fans everywhere because the fantasy series is back for a second season! The show’s first season had all the trappings of a great YA guilty pleasure. Cue the young, outcast Alina Starkov, a girl who seems to be destined for mediocrity until she does the miraculous. She soon finds herself tossed into a world of political drama, dangerous rogues and religious prophecy. All while the mysterious, sexy General Aleksander Kirigan takes an interest in our sweet protagonist. There’s also a pretty intricate and fascinating magic system that sees gifted individuals born with magical powers called Grisha being inducted into military service. The first season of the series ended on a pretty spicy note that you should check out for yourself.

We have high hopes that “Shadow and Bone” will take itself to next level but till it comes out, here are some exciting facts you need to know before heading into its second season!

At the end of the first season, we see that General Aleksander Kirigan, played by Ben Barnes, survived his time in the Shadow Fold. Though severely scarred and wounded, the Darkling is not quite done with the world of Ravka yet, nor is he finished with Alina and her friends. For those wondering if Kirigan and the Sun Summoner would meet again this season, rest assured that they certainly will. At some point in the second season, Alina, played by Jessie Mei Li and her best friend, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev played by Archie Renaux are ambushed and captured by Kirigan and his followers. From there, Kirigan reveals to Alina that she’s got more to worry about than just Volcras.

Beyond the winged Volcras that stalk the Shadow Fold, there is a new foe that Alina and her friends must face this season. In the final scene of the first season, we see Kirigan walking out of the Fold alive but before going forward he makes a command: follow.

From there, we see two faceless, humanoid-like shadow creatures emerge from the wall of darkness. Judging by their appearance, they fit the description of another one of the Black Heretic’s creations in Leigh Bardugo’s second book in her “Shadow and Bone” trilogy called “Storm and Siege”. They are the Nichevo’ya, also known as the Nothings. These creatures created by Kirigan are completely subservient to Kirigan’s will and cannot be destroyed by light. Needless to say, Alina’s in trouble.

The first season of the show was mostly based on Bardugo’s first novel of the same name. That being said, there is a major change that showrunner Eric Heisserer made. Remember the gang of cutthroat thieves and rogues called the Crows? Yeah, they’re supposed to be in the show. In fact, they don’t ever appear in Bardugo’s entire trilogy of books, only in another book called “Six of Crows”.

We can’t speak for fans of the book but we absolutely love the trio. From the steely-eyed leader Kaz Brekker, played by Freddy Carter, to the deadly knife-wielding Inej Ghafa, played by Amita Suman, to the delightfully promiscuous gunslinger Jesper Fahey, played by Kit Young. Based on the teaser released at this year’s TUDUM event, we know that the Crows will be returning for the second season! So get ready for some more glorious mayhem.

A fan-favourite of the books, the dashing Prince Nikolai Lantsov will be showing up in the latest season of “Shadow and Bone”! The disgraced royal turned privateer will be aiding the Darkling in his quest to capture Alina and Mal, all while leading the flagship Volkvolny. His identity is concealed at first as he goes by the name of Sturmhond.

While Lantsov is under Kirigan’s command, he’ll soon find his allegiance in conflict when meeting the Sun Summoner herself. Will he find the strength to break free from the clutches of the Black Heretic? You’ll just have to wait to find out! Our dear prince will be played by Patrick Gibson, who also played Steve Winchell in the Netflix sci-fi series “The OA”.

Throughout the first season of “Shadow and Bone”, viewers were introduced to the magical world of Ravka. We had full of wondrous creatures like Morozova’s stag and hellish beasts like the Volcra. Get ready for more fantastic beasts because the Rusalye is making its way into the show. In Ravkan folklore, it is a mighty sea dragon that is drawn to beautiful maidens. Much like the stag’s horns, its scales are amplifiers to a Grisha’s magical abilities. A prize that Kirigan plans to seize with Alina as the bait. We’re excited to see how Netflix will handle the Rusayle’s appearance in the second season as the Volkvolny goes on the hunt for the great ice dragon!

While the Darkling gathers forces to dominate all of Ravka, Alina and Mal are not alone in the fight. One of Alina’s most loyal allies throughout the Grishaverse trilogy, Tamar Kir-Bataar will be appearing in the series, played by Anna Leong Brophy, along with her twin brother Tolya Yul-Bataar played by Lewis Tan. Initially a member of the Volkvolny under Kirigan, she soon turns on the Black Heretic to aid the Sun Summoner in her battle to save Ravka’s soul. She’ll eventually train and lead an army called the Soldat Sol, a militia group dedicated to serving the Sun Summoner. War is coming to Ravka and Alina is going to need all the help she can get.

One of the most heartbreaking scenes in the first season of “Shadow and Bone” was seeing Matthias Helvar renounce his love for the Grisha Nina Zenik after she has him imprisoned to save his life. Throughout the first season, their steamy romance played a major role in the show. The story of how a hunky, zealous Grisha-hunting Drüskelle fell in love with the very thing he swore to destroy. He sacrificed his duty for Nina, only to end up hating her again.

Thankfully, Nina may just get a chance to see him again. At the end of the first season, we see Nina, played by Danielle Galligan meeting up with the Crows, who just happen to need a Heartrender in their crew. In the teaser for the second season, we see a shirtless Matthias played by Calahan Skogman being escorted by two guards. It’s been confirmed that both actors will be appearing in the second season. We’re sure that Matthias and Nina will meet again and hopefully under happier circumstances.

The inclusion of the Crows, Nina and Matthias in the first season of Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone” has been a most curious decision. Seeing that these characters don’t appear in the original book trilogy but rather in a spin-off book series set in the same universe called the “Six of Crows” duology. Another key character in the “Six of Crows” storyline is a young demolition expert named Wylan Hendriks. It just so happens that actor Jack Wolfe will be appearing in the second season as well. Could showrunner Eric Heisserer be setting up all the key players for a new series based on the “Six of Crows” books? It would seem so for now but be sure to stay tuned for any new updates.

The second season of “Shadow and Bone” is set to release in 2023, till then you can catch the first season on Netflix!


“Gremlins” Remake: Screenwriter Carl Ellsworth To Pen The Script

First rule of developing a movie remake in the Hollywood: You’ve got to hire a veteran screenwriter, or at least, the one who has written many other remakes.

While we are not exactly fond of the idea of watching more movie remakes, we can’t say we aren’t excited for some of them either. After it was announced that Warner Bros will develop a remake of 1984’s “Gremlins“, EW confirmed that screenwriter Carl Ellsworth will pen the script of the film.

“Gremlins” is a horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante and written by Chris Columbus. It centres on Billy, a young man who received Mogwai a.k.a Gizmo from his father. However, it is not easy to take care of this warm and furry little creature because it comes with a great responsibility.

The creature will multiply itself when it gets wet and transform itself into a tall and scaly creature known as gremlin if anyone feeds it after midnight. However, it will also die when it’s exposed to sunlight or bright lights.

Columbus will return to produce the remake along with Steven Spielberg, who served as a producer in the original film. No directors were attached to the project, but as previously mentioned, Ellsworth will pen the script.

Ellsworth is a rising screenwriter who is best known for his work on Wes Crave’s “Red Eye” and the recent remake of “Last House On The Left”. He began his screenwriting career with the supernatural costume-shop episode of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”. He then wrote the script for the Shia LaBeouf teen thriller “Disturbia” and the upcoming “Goosebumps” movie.

We’ll leave you now with the original “Gremlins” trailer, just in case you’ve forgotten:

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#AAG: AirAsiaGo Celebrates 10th Anni With A Mini Cooper Giveaway & Other Prizes!

Get ready to make some extra room in your garage!

AirAsiaGo.com is officially 10 years young and they’re celebrating it for 3 whole months. Yes you heard that right! The one-stop online travel portal is holding a nationwide contest and the top winner drives away with a spanking new 3-door Mini Cooper 1.5L worth RM188, 888 – the small car with big fun ;)

Bent on celebrating this milestone with a bang, aside from a gleaming new limited edition orange-coloured Mini Cooper as the main prize in this 10th year anniversary celebration, AirAsiaGo.com is also giving away travel packages and hotel stays worth up to RM57, 000 to top holiday destinations such as Maldives, Perth, Kaohsiung, Hanoi, and more.

To participate in the contest, all participants are required to:

(For existing members, just remember to login!)

The contest commences today and ends on 23:59 of 28th February 2017.  During the contest period, each submission by a Citibank credit card holder will be counted as two entries and transaction made with an AirAsia-Citibank card will be counted as three entries.

For more information, hit up www.airasiago.com.my/contest and https://www.airasiago.com.my/g/rf/pm-tnc-aag-sale for terms and conditions. Don’t forget to follow AirAsiaGo’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram.


#DrDre: New Album Title, Release Date & Track List Revealed

Dr. Dre is finally giving fans new music to listen to. The music producer, Apple executive, and N.W.A. rapper announced that his long-awaited follow up to  “2001”, his second studio album released in 1999 is finally on its way! The album, appropriately titled “Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre” is his first album in 16th years and will serve as the soundtrack to the upcoming N.W.A. biopic “Straight Outta Compton”.

“I was leaving the set, going to the studio, and I felt myself just being so inspired by the movie that I started recording an album,” Dre said on Saturday during his weekly Beats 1 radio show, “The Pharmacy.” “I kept it under wraps, and now the album is finished. It’s an ‘inspired-by’ album, it’s inspired by Straight Outta Compton,” the new N.W.A. biopic coming out this month. The album will be exclusive to iTunes and Apple Music.

Dre’s announcement also marks the official death of Dre’s long-in-the-works album, “Detox”, which was originally planned for a 2011 release. Slated for a release on August 7th (Friday), the full track list for “Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre” can be seen below.

1. “Intro”
2. “Talk About It” (feat. King Mez & Justus)
3. “Genocide” (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius & Candice Pillay)
4. “It’s All On Me” (feat. Justus & BJ the Chicago Kid)
5. “All In a Day’s Work” (feat. Anderson Paak & Marsha Ambrosius)
6. “Darkside/Gone” (feat. King Mez, Marsha Ambrosius & Kendrick Lamar)
7. “Loose Cannons” (feat. Xzibit & COLD 187um)
8. “Issues” (feat. Ice Cube & Anderson Paak)
9. “Deep Water” (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Justus)
10. Jon Connor – “One Shot One Kill” (feat. Snoop Dogg)
11. The Game – “Just Another Day” (feat. Asia Bryant)
12. “For the Love of Money” (feat. Jill Scott & Jon Connor)
13. “Satisfiction” (feat. Snoop Dogg, Marsha Ambrosius & King Mez)
14. “Animals” (feat. Anderson Paak)
15. “Medicine Man” (feat. Eminem, Candice Pillay & Anderson Paak)
16. “Talking to My Diary”

We leave you today with one of our favs, “The Next Episode”. Enjoy!

For more on Dr. Dre, stalk him via these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


#Cadbury: JAKIM Validation Puts An End To False Claims About Halal Status

Cadbury Malaysia strongly welcomes the statement from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) (published on 18th November) confirming Cadbury chocolates made and sold in Malaysia are halal.

A little history lesson for those of you who missed out on all the Cadbury Malaysia drama – in May this year, the Health Ministry “announced” that it detected pig DNA in samples taken from Cadbury’s Dairy Milk Hazelnut and Dairy Milk Roast Almond products already out in the market, sparking an uproar among Muslim groups:

However, JAKIM quickly swopped in with an analysis by the Chemistry Department of samples of the 2 products taken directly from Cadbury’s factory that showed no traces of porcine contamination.

The Cadbury chocolate variants that were affected by the claim were the Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut (with batch number 200813M01H I2 that expires on November 13, 2014) and Cadbury Dairy Milk Roast Almond (with batch number 221013N01R I1 that expires on January 15, 2015).

Needless to say, the “finding” caused an uproar as more than 20 Malay-Muslim groups called for a nationwide boycott on all Cadbury products, saying that a holy war needs to be waged against the confectionary giant for allegedly attempting to “weaken” Muslims in Malaysia.

However, as mentioned above, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) has now officially confirmed that Cadbury chocolates made and sold in Malaysia are halal.

Upon the announcement, Head of Corporate and Government Affairs of Cadbury Malaysia Raja Zalina Raja Safran (pictured above) said:

We are extremely pleased JAKIM has, once again, stated categorically that Cadbury products made and sold in Malaysia meet with their Halal guidelines. After months of speculation, we hope this clear statement will remove any remaining confusion about the halal status of Cadbury in Malaysia, leaving consumers free to enjoy our delicious treats once again.

The Cadbury products we make and sell in Malaysia are, and have always been, halal. When the false claims about our chocolates emerged in May, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia thoroughly tested our products and production processes and confirmed our stringent hygiene, quality and safety standards are in full compliance with JAKIM’s halal guidelines.

Despite this, unfounded allegations continue to circulate in media and online. We believe Malaysian consumers deserve better. They are entitled to honesty about the ingredients in the food they feed their families and friends and we will take strong action against any individual or organisation that spreads misinformation about our products and disrespects the millions of Malaysians who love our brands.

During our 40 year history in Malaysia, we have built our reputation for providing Malaysian consumers with delicious, high quality products they can trust and enjoy. We understand and respect the importance of ensuring the cultural and religious interests of all Malaysians are met. Hence, we have never compromised the integrity on the halal status of our products.

To avoid such mistakes from happening in the future, JAKIM has developed a standard operating procedure in alignment with other government agencies including the Ministry of Health. A strengthened network for reporting will ensure that all matters relating to halal compliances are only conducted by JAKIM.

To avoid any confusion related to the issue of halal, all parties are urged to refer to JAKIM’s official website http://www.islam.gov.my or the Halal Hub Division website at http://www.halal.gov.my and not refer to any invalid source. Inquiries regarding the halal status of any product can be directed to the Halal Hub Division, JAKIM at 03-8315 0200.

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What Will We Do Without Julie Thompson?

Where she comes from, it’s perpetually cold, gloomy, and rainy. So she took it upon herself to turn United Kingdom’s temperature up a little with her warm vocals.

Julie Thompson already knew what she was in for even at a young age – she started singing, writing songs, and playing the piano when she was only 14 years old. The music industry was her dream, and she made it come true when she moved to London in an attempt to pursue what she truly loved.

Some people make the wrong career hoices in life, but not Julie, no siree. Her leap of faith landed her right smack in the middle of a production for London producer James Holden’s “Nothing”. The track found it way into an impressive pile of compilations such as:

She then, she has toured around Europe and South East Asia to perform in numerous gigs and festivals. The exposure allowed Julie to fall right into (then No.1) DJ Tiësto‘s radar, who approached her for a collaboration. The track “Do You Feel Me” became one of the tracks in one of Tiësto’s highly successful albums, “Elements of Life”:

[youtube id=”vp-1qF-SBcs)” width=”600″ height=”350″]

To add on to her already impressive CV, Julie was then asked to join Tiësto’s  “Elements of Life” world tour to sing before hundreds of thousands of people. While on tour, she teamed up again with Tiësto to write and record “Somewhere Inside”.

Needless to say, that track made it to the very strict selection of tracks for Tiësto’s “In Search Of Sunrise: Volume 6” and even received a full single release on Black Hole Recordings.

And now, Julie Thompson is coming to Malaysia for the very first time to perform alongside Richard Thompson and Dash Berlin at Music Conference Asia 2012!

While partygoers are prepared to have their minds blown away in a few days, Global Sound Masters takes her aside for an exclusive interview:

Hello Julie. Could you share with us how did you start your career?

“I started my career at 15 playing singer songwriter clubs in London as a pianist/vocalist. Back then I wanted to be Kate Bush! From there I went to Paul McCartney’s music college in Liverpool where I spent 3 years writing songs and recording in the studios on site. I then moved to London and became a session singer for pop writers until I managed to convince some of them to co-write with me. When I got my first ‘cut’ I signed my first publishing deal initially to write songs for other artists but around that same time I ended up collaborating with James Holden (Holden & Thompson ‘Nothing’). That release opened up the world of dance music and soon I had many producers approaching me asking to do collaborations. The rest is history!”

What was the biggest highlight of your career so far?

“The highlight of my career is being involved in the Tiesto Elements Of Life tour. Going from playing 1000 capacity clubs to 25,000 capacity arenas was amazing. The other highlight was making my first album for Black Hole Recordings. I had always dreamed of making my own artist album.”

We love “Diamond in the Sky”! How was it like working in the studio with Richard Durand?

“It was great working with Richard. Normally with collaborations a producer sends me a track I write the top line and send back the files. This time I flew to Amsterdam and we worked together from scratch in the studio. I like working like that as u jam around and write the song first. The track comes later. It’s more of the pop way of working which is what I prefer.”

“I have many idols. I love great songwriters. Jimmy Webb is one of my favourite writers. True artists like Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Ian Brown.”

Mind sharing with us what you are working on at the moment?

“I’m currently working on my new album. All the songs are already written although as I’m working with different producers on each track, with all the finishing touches we’re still a couple of months away from completion which is a bit of a logistical nightmare! I’m also developing some new artists.”

Besides touring and making new music, what do you do during your free time?

“To be honest I don’t have that much free time at the moment. I spend 1 day a week mentoring young musicians which I think is a very important thing to do. I love the cinema and going to gigs, plus relaxing with friends for a drink or two. And occasionally hitting a few golf balls out on the driving range or on a course!”

This would be your first time in Malaysia, what can we expect from your show?

“You can expect lots of energy lots of audience participation – and hopefully lots of fun!”

What would you like to say to your Malaysian fans?

“Thanks so much for your support! Im really looking forward to seeing you all and I hope you enjoy the show!”

We can’t wait to see you too! Peeps, do not attempt to leave the dance floor this Saturday. You’ve been warned.

Credits go to Global Sound Masters for the exclusive interview.

For more information on Julie Thompson, visit her official website or Facebook page. Or stalk her via  Twitter!

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(UPDATE) Hype’s Now Playing: Disclosure – Magnets (Ft. Lorde)

Music “royal”ty (no pun intended) Lorde dominates the world again with her hauntingly beautiful vocals in “Magnets”, a song she collaborated with producers Guy and Howard Lawrence of Disclosure.

The song premiered on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show Wednesday afternoon before the release of Disclosure’s sophomore album “Caracal” today.

“Magnets” was highly anticipated by fans because it is Lorde’s first new song since she released “Yellow Flicker Beat” for “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1” soundtrack.

Regarding her collaboration with the British sibling duo, she told Lowe (via Mashable) that “she related to them” because they were all so young and often unable to attend shows at the venues they’re playing.

The song is about the moment you’re about to do something wrong and you’re not in your right mind because you’re blinded by how badly you want to do whatever it is.

“And sometimes you’re coerced by someone, ‘C’mon let’s do it you’ll enjoy it, just let go,’ and sometimes you’re doing the coercing,” she added.

Lorde previously performed together with Disclosure and AlunaGeorge at the 2014 BRIT Awards for the combined version of “Royals” and “White Noise”.

Her latest collaborative track with Disclosure is featured in “Caracal”, the follow up to the sibling duo’s debut album, “Seattle”. It is one star-studded album as multiple award-winning artistes such as Sam Smith, The Weeknd, and Miguel are lending their talents to the LP too.

The full track list of “Caracal” is as follows:

“Caracal” is currently available for purchase on Apple’s iTunes.

Disclosure has dropped the official music video for “Magnets”, a song they collaborated with Kiwi pop star Lorde.

Lorde showed off her acting chops as she is starring in the video as the main protagonist. It’s a side that we’ve never seen from her as she plays a seductive woman in raunchy scenes, but that’s before she donned black leather to take a brutal revenge on the douchebag who’s determined to shake her.

As explained on her Twitter, the video fulfilled one of her life goals to “burns alive douchey boyfriends”:

Watch the music video for “Magnets” below:

For more music updates from Disclosure, visit their official website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


#FiftyShadesOfGrey: James Foley In Talks To Direct Sequel

James Foley is the frontrunner to direct the sequel of “Fifty Shades Of Grey”.

It looks like Universal has closed in on finding a director for the second instalment of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise. While no offer has been deliveries, Variety reports that James Foley (of “Hannibal” TV show fame) is the frontrunner to score the “Fifty Shades Darker” job and that an offer should be made shortly for the TV and film helmer.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson are said to reprise their roles, while author E.L. James, Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing. E.L. James’ husband Niall Leonardwill pen the script of “Fifty Shades Darker“.

Execs had been meeting with directors over the past few months since announcing the departure of Sam Taylor-Johnson, the director of the first of the trilogy. Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2016, with the film set for release on February 17th, 2017, giving Foley time to assess the script and form his strategy.

Casting will get under way once Foley’s deal is worked out, but sources add the process will be straightforward since the leads are already in place.

Foley is also known for directing stylish dramas of the ’80s and ’90s including “After Dark, My Sweet”, “At Close Range”, “Fear” and “Glengarry Glen Ross”. His first film was 1984 romance “Reckless”, which starred Darryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn as lovers from opposite backgrounds.

What are your thoughts on James Foley being the frontrunner to direct “Fifty Shades Darker”? Let us know by sounding off in the comments section below.

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#Penang: Gurney Drive To Be Transformed Into A New Waterfront Public Park

Penangites are expected to see the coast along Gurney Drive transform into a new international standard waterfront public recreation area called Gurney Wharf. The Penang government is hoping that this seafront public park will be comparable to Fishermen’s Wharf in San Francisco and Canary Wharf in London.

A preview of Gurney Wharf was explained through a series of images and illustrations displayed at a public exhibition themed “My Gurney Wharf” in front of the Popular Bookstore at Level 2 in Komtar.

During the exhibition launch, Penang Chief Minister Y.A.B. Lim Guan Eng said, “Acknowledging the importance of Gurney Drive and the emotional attachment it brings forth in the hearts and minds of Penangites, the State is proud to propose a masterplan concept to create a new iconic waterfront destination for Penang, for the benefit of the people of Penang, and one that Penangites would be proud to call their own.

“Drawing inspiration from some of the world’s best public spaces we aspire to create a spacious, multi-functional public park-in-the-city that is international in standard yet 100% Penang in spirit,” he added.

The proposed Gurney Wharf concept masterplan features 4 distinct character areas: Seaside Retail F&B, Water Gardens, Beach, and Coastal Grove. According to the plan, Penang’s seafront will be occupied by a waterfronting public promenade as well as dining outlets that includes Penang’s famed hawker fare and a pier walk.

The Water Gardens will consist of lush greenry, ponds, and wetlands with its most unique attribute being the landscaped water gardens with innovative storm water filtration systems, and is modelled after Singapore’s Gardens By The Bay.

There will be a 400-metre man-made beach which will allow public to access it for recreational activities. Plus, there will also be a skate park for teens and youths within the Coastal Grove. The existing casuarina trees – a signature of Gurney Drive – “will be mindfully preserved”.

A series of exhibitions will be displayed at Komtar and Gurney Plaza from this week till next week, and members of the public are encouraged to provide feedback on Gurney Wharf.

“The public can give their feedback and views over this concept. The consultants will make the necessary adjustments based on feedback before having another round of public consultation. We will then exhibit the findings again,” said state exco member Chow Kon Yeow.

Once the project is approved, the first phase of Gurney Wharf (the park) is expected to be completed by mid-2018 while the second phase (the seafront retail outlets) is scheduled for completion by 2020.

Sources: The Sun Daily, The Star Online, Malay Mail Online, Penang Property Talk.


Asian Shark Conversation (ASC) Launch

This morning, a group of individuals, the Asian Shark Conservation (ASC), concerned with the future of shark population specifically launched its shark sighting database, which will collect accurate data on shark populations in Asia Pacific. With aims to raise awareness of declining shark populations, the database will then be used for submission to any government and research institutions.

ASC has collaborated with Amber Chia Academy, Canvas of Nature, Ocean Elements, Project AWARE, Reef Check, TRACC, and WWF-Malaysia for this campaign

The campaign will also feature activities throughout this weekend such as a marine art exhibition, live paintings, ocean art auction, and various talks on marine and shark conservation at Fahrenheit88 along Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Here are some things you need to know about shark conversation:

Being on top of the food chain to maintain the balance of the marine eco-system, the depletion of sharks will result in death of commercial fisheries and unforeseen changes to the species diversity of the ocean. The environmental effects of losing sharks forever are so unsettling that leading marine scientists can only predict ecological devastation.

For more pictures from the event, click!

Don’t think that you’re too little of a number to help a good cause. It’s as simple as saying NO to Shark Fin Soup. And if Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airlines can take the step to contribute to shark conservation, why not us?

The ASC’s shark conservation awareness campaign will be running from 12th to 14th October 2012 at Concourse area, Fahrenheit 88. For more information, visit their website or their Facebook page.

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Groom Gives A Pair Of Pythons To His Bride As Wedding Dowry

“Strange but true!” The famous saying would be an accurate expression to describe this pair of newlyweds from Indonesia.

The lovebirds broke the tradition when the groom gave a pair of one-metre long pythons as wedding dowry. This one-of-a-kind wedding took place in Kampung Pasir Jambu, Sukaraja, Bogor.

In an interview with the press, the groom, Sigit Agus Setiawan, said the idea to present the exotic animals as wedding dowry came after their visit to a reptile exhibition. The snakes were bought specially for his beloved wife, Tiara Puspita Dewi, before their wedding ceremony.

At the same time, Tiara also revealed that she was excited after seeing the snakes at the exhibition. However, she had no idea that her husband would purchase it for 2.7 million rupiah (~RM772) for their marriage dowry.

Interestingly, the reptiles were also displayed to the guests who were in attendance during the event. It even became the centre of attention during the bride and groom’s photo session on the bridal dais.

“Even at the reception, we brought the snakes along with us. But we didn’t bring it to the religious affairs officials,” Tiara told the news outlet. Sigit then chimed in by stating that the limbless reptiles caused quite a stir among the people at his hometown. “Neighbours from afar, even the near ones were fussing about the snakes dowry,” he was quoted as saying.

He also shared that their families were initially against him giving the snakes as a dowry. They eventually agreed and allowed it after Sigit explained the reason behind this approach.

The snakes, according to Sigit, symbolise the beacon of their marriage. Additionally, it also serves as a memento of the unification of their everlasting love.


#BatmanvSuperman: New Stills Released; Director Zack Snyder Spills More Details

Warner Bros’ upcoming DC Comics film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice“, earned itself a full coverage in the latest issue of entertainment magazine Empire recently.

In the issue, Empire sat down with the cast and director Zack Snyder to learn more about the movie, including Batman’s connection to “Suicide Squad“, Aquaman‘s cameo, and many more. Unlike the cover of Entertainment Weekly‘s special double-issue Comic Con Preview, the cover image for Empire’s latest issue emphasises on the fight between the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel.

When speaking about his decision to don the cape and cowl, Ben Affleck said:

Initially I thought, ‘I’m older, it doesn’t seem like the right sort of fit for me. Then Zack pitched me his concept for this older, more broken, kind of f**ked up Batman. It was something we haven’t seen. We have seen that Batman is willing to cross the line to protect people. That vigilantism has been a part of his character all along, and we are tapping into that mentality when faced by something as potentially as deadly as Superman.

Snyder also confirmed Affleck’s statement as he was quoted as saying:

We are playing him 45 or 46. He has been Batman for 20 years. All the history is there. Was there a Robin at one time? Possibly. We want to assume that Batman has reached this point in his life and career as a superhero, and Superman represents a sort of philosophical change. He is a paradigm shift for Batman: “I’ve been fighting criminals all my life, trying to find justice, and now I am confronted with a concept that is transcendent to me.” In the face of Superman, a man robbing a bank doesn’t matter. He’s having a crisis of conscience. “Am I really just a vigilante who stalks the alleys of Gotham?” It is rich stuff that he deals with. Ben does an amazing job.

Regarding of the state of Batman’s world, producer Charles Roven hinted at the death of Robin and his Gotham PD ally Jim Gordon by saying, “He has lost those near and dear to him, and not necessarily from old age or disease…”

Batman’s appearance in the recent “Suicide Squad” trailer is no coincidence, as Snyder confirmed that it is “a prelude to the events of that film” in which Batman captures Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie), the right-hand woman for The Joker (played by Jared Leto). It was confirmed that the Caped Crusader is responsible for putting all the criminals of Task Force X for Amanda Waller (played by Viola Davis) to do as she pleases in Belle Reve Penitentiary.

Snyder also spoke to Comic Book Movie about how all the upcoming DC solo movies are crucial to “Justice League“.

What we are doing is ground up all the way. It is one giant story. The first thing we had was the Justice League concept. The other movies, in a way, have to support that. That is our Wonder Woman, our Aquaman. They have their own creative concepts that supports them, but they do serve Justice League in the coming together of those heroes. I want all the other directors of the other films to be able to stretch their legs and do what they want, but at the same time there is a big interconnected universe. I have given everyone amazing access to our story, to me, and what we are doing. All the films have like-minded conceptual jumping on points.

Roven then revealed how Warner Bros. and DC will connect all these solo movies. “We call it the sandbox,” Roven said.

It has borders around it, but everybody gets to play in the sandbox. On “Suicide Squad”, David Ayer has a lot of specific control over his area of the sandbox. Even if he crosses the line a little bit, we see if we can push our boundaries back a little bit.

As for the cameo appearance of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Snyder confirmed that it is just an “elusive cameo”. He simply stated, “You will understand he exists”.

Take a look at all the new stills and some behind-the-scenes photos below:

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is written by Chris Terrio from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. It is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer, and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.  It stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred. Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane will return to star their respective “Man of Steel” roles while Jesse Eisenberg will play Batman archenemy, Lex Luthor.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is slated for release on 25th March 2016.

Sources: Empire Magazine, comicbookmovie.com, batman-news.com

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One Direction Upset Over Leaked Song

Popular boy band One Direction recorded a cover of Blondie’s “One Way or Another” to support UK’s charity Comic Relief (a cause which uses entertainment to raise money to take on poverty and social injustice). It was intended to be One Direction’s “Red Nose Day” single.

However, just a few days shy from the boys’ official debut of the retro hit, a low-quality recording of the song somehow managed to end up online.

Sure, it sounds like an ordinary act of leaking songs before its intended release but this one could cost Comic Relief hundreds of thousands of pounds. Eep!

Clearly upset, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson took it to Twitter to express his anger when he tweeted:

Oh dear. So much for trying to do something for a good cause.

As we speak, an investigation is underway to discover the leak of the song. A source at One Direction’s record company, Syco, also said that Simon Cowell himself had ordered execs to find out how the song was leaked and who was responsible. Uh oh. Somebody’s going to get a hurt real bad.

[youtube id=”i-fzAxFHZzI” width=”600″ height=”350″]


Instagram Now On The Web (Sorta)

Two months ago, they released their friendly green robot app, much to the delight of Android users. But less than a week after, it was made known to the world that Facebook had acquired Instagram. Cue all the conspiracy theories you can ever imagine or come up with.

Stories and theories aside, we now learn that what used to be just an iPhone-centric app has now gone beyond just Android handsets and into Facebook. Instagram is now on the web. Well, sorta. A little bit.

All you gotta do is click on someone’s Instagram photo link (either via Twitter or Facebook). When the page loads (and the page has been redesigned too, by the way!) you will find that you can now like and comment on the said picture. While it’s great and all, there are some downsides:

That aside, you’ll find that you can also work on your Instagram profile online such as editing your profile, changing your password, and even managing the apps which have access to your Instagram account.

Although the web Instagram is still super small (in terms of development), we suspect there may be plans to add in more functions in the future. And when that happens, really, how do we escape all those awesome filters and sharing of awesome-r photos?


Kronenbourg 1664 Introduces Its “Taste The French Way Of Life” Campaign

Every now and then, it’s okay to indulge in a different way of life.

By that we mean, the French way with Kronenbourg 1664, of course. Unlike the French who are known to enjoy life, Malaysians are more hard workers who tend to neglect life’s simple pleasures. Noticing this, Kronenbourg 1664 decided to merge the work-life balance over a nice cold of beer. Encouraging Malaysians to not over work and to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, Kronenbourg 1664 brought this idea to life at the recent Kronenbourg 1664 barbecue party held at the panaromic Stratosphere, the Roof where over 200 urbanites got together to “Taste The French Way of Life” championed by the premium French beer brand.

Introduced by Kronenbourg 1664, “Taste the French Way of Life” is a new and unique campaign that features fun filled anecdotes. Encouraging Malaysians to kick back and relax, the campaign focuses on providing people with a delightful atmosphere where they can get together and just let loose.

“We at Kronenbourg 1664 believe it’s time to enjoy the little pleasures in life amidst our busy alliance in the corporate rat-race. Urbanities like us should get work-life balance right, just the way the French do. That is why we are inviting you to join our “Taste the French Way of Life’ campaign and together, we will champion the art and beauty of work-life balance by simply treasuring good conversation and company,” Henrik J. Andersen, Managing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia said at the recent launch of the campaign.

At the Kronenbourg 1664 barbecue party, guests were treated to entertaining performances of fire eaters, poi acts and a two-piece band that kept the tempo going. Apart from that, guests also indulged in a scrumptious array of food, took part in the stress-o meter game, clowned around at the photo booth while enjoying ice-cold Kronenbourg 1664 lager and Blanc all night long.

The perfect end to a hectic weekend, the roof-top barbecue was the first of a series of 7 events that Kronenbourg 1664 has put together to bring the “French Way of Life” to its consumers. If kicking back and enjoying simple pleasures in life is your thing, then be sure to join Kronenbourg 1664 in the upcoming six events. These events will eventually culminate in an ultimate year-end party that is set to host city folks with a night of endless fun, simply pleasures and quality moments.

Topping off the series, Kronenbourg 1664 will be giving away Handheld Monopods to ensure that none of these moments go unnoticed. Fun, no?! :) In order to get your hands on one of these monopods, you will have to purchase a Kronenbourg 1664 beer tower, two buckets or six full pints.

For the longest time, we Malaysians have been known to put work and success over taking the time to enjoy life and  Kronenbourg 1664 is putting an end to that belief by giving Malaysians what they truly deserve.

Head to Kronenbourg 1664’s Facebook page for more information.

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Chris Hemsworth Compares The Famous Chrises; Teases Shocking Avengers 4

Chris Hemsworth is currently fresh off back-to-back blockbusters hits with “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Infinity War“.

During his recent interview with Esquire magazine, the 34-year-old actor talked about being one of the Four Famous Chrises in Hollywood. Of course, Marvel fans are anxious to know more about the upcoming “Avengers 4” and Hemsworth was more than happy to oblige.

As the self-proclaimed first Avenger to spot a beard, the 6’3″ blonde Aussie hunk has some feelings about Captain America’s facial in “Infinity War”. “I’d like to say I was the original, if that means anything. (Chris Evans) certainly, I feel like, copied me. Quite cheaply,” he told the publication. The comparison was even brought up in the movie itself during the battle at Wakanda.

So what is his relationship with the rest of the Famous Chrises like, you ask? “I have different affections for different reasons. Chris Pine is my son, on screen, with our ‘Star Trek’ history. Chris Evans is probably my closest Avenger friend. And Chris Pratt and I, it’s the freshest, newest friendship. So I’m thankful for all of their high-fives and good times that we’ve had,” Hemsworth shared.

If you thought the end of “Infinity War” was shocking, Hemsworth has some news for you. “I think the 2nd one is even more shocking, for other reasons entirely. That’s what kind of blew me away the first time I read both scripts, is how they managed to orchestrate so many different characters but give them each their own separate shot and moments, and have it be elevated and feel fresh and unique—not just like a messy, thrown-together assembly of these guys,” the A-lister said.

He added, “The 2nd one I’m probably even more excited about. Just for people to see. I just think it’s another step again. Each step we seem to take with these films, I’ve loved the fact that there’s been growth and evolution and it continues to surprise people as opposed to sort of flatlining, which was obviously always a fear—that they’d run out of ideas or run dry of creative excitement. For me, this whole experience has been incredible. In particular the last one.”

Thor-actor @chrishemsworth has made a hard-to-believe statement regarding AVENGERS 4…

— MCU – The Direct (@MCU_Direct) June 2, 2018

The currently untitled “Avengers 4” is slated for release on 3rd May 2019.


#Aaliyah: Timbaland Slams Biopic, Repeatedly Calls It “Bullshit”

When Lifetime aired their biopic “Aaliyah: The Princess Of R&B” in the United States on Saturday night, it wasn’t long before every man and his dog was very loudly voicing their opinions. The biopic was supposed to have documented the “inspirational journey” of the late R&B artiste’s life but it seems that the Lifetime film has turned around unexpectedly to bite the producers back right in the butt.

In fact, in July, Disney Channel star and singer Zendaya came out to say that she’ll no longer portray Aaliyah, like she was initially supposed to. Her reason at that time was because she wanted to “do it right”:

I just felt that the project wasn’t 100% there. I feel (that) production wise, everything just felt a little rushed. And I think because she’s someone I admire and I love so much, it can’t be done halfway, or not to the standards I think it should be done at, so I just decided not to do it.

It was later reported that the project was also put on hold due to production issues, including problems with obtaining rights to Aaliyah’s music. But it resumed when they found another actress, Alexandra Shipp, to take on the role as Aaliyah.

But as soon as the biopic was released, the masses slammed everything from the casting of key roles to actress Alexandra Shipp’s portrayal of the late, great singer and the fact that the 23-year-old’s long black hair wasn’t worn across one side of her face as the songstress was so well-known for. The other key factor was that Lifetime seemed to be relying on viewers not knowing what pivotal real-life players such as Missy Elliott, Timbaland, R Kelly and even Aaliyah herself actually look like.

Ace artiste and producer Timbaland posted a series of videos over the weekend to his Instagram account denouncing Lifetime’s controversial Aaliyah biopic, “Aaliyah: Princess Of R&B” which aired on Saturday night.

“A lot of people keep asking me if I’m watching that bullshit. Evidently not. No way. Not Timbo,” Timbaland said in one clip, referring to the Lifetime film about the late R&B singer. Timbaland posted 4 videos in total, adding that he hopes the network will “feel his wrath”:

A video posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:14pm PST

A video posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:37pm PST

A video posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on Nov 11, 2014 at 10:28pm PST

But his hatred for Lifetime didn’t stop there.

The 42-year-old and longtime friend of Aaliyah also posted a slew of memes aimed at Lifetime, mocking the film’s choice of casting as well as talk show host Wendy who served as a co-executive producer. But perhaps his most powerful message was a photo of Aaliyah with a quote about her legacy:

A photo posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:06pm PST

We can’t comment as we haven’t seen it ourselves but it’s safe to say that Lifetime has lost many “fans”, with Timbaland being the most influential, iconic, and sure as heck outspoken.

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Pangyo Techno Valley Festival: No Safety Personnel + Safety Official Commits Suicide

South Korean police said Sunday (Oct 19) no safety personnel were deployed at an outdoor pop concert where a ventilation grate collapsed, killing 16 people and injuring nine others.

“From the beginning, there were no safety personnel for the concert,” a police spokesman told reporters, according to Yonhap news agency, after about 20 people were questioned over the incident Friday in the city of Seongnam south of Seoul.

Those questioned included officials of a local Internet news provider which financed and organised the concert attended by more than 700 people, Yonhap said. A local government official in charge of safety committed suicide Saturday by jumping off a building near the site after he was questioned by police.

The victims were standing on a ventilation grating to get a better view when the structure collapsed under their weight, sending them plunging 18.7m into an underground parking area. Amateur video footage obtained by television stations showed shocked spectators surrounding the collapsed grate as the popular all-girl K-pop band 4Minute, apparently oblivious to the accident, continued performing on stage.

According to akp, most of those dead and injured are reported to be men in their 30s – 40s, but there are also a few victims in their 20s. The “Techno Valley” is home to a number of technology-related organisations and office buildings, and a large number of employees attended the festival after work. It’s also reported that there were 300 security guards for the 700-person event. An insider gave a statement saying that the event organisers repeatedly warned people to stay away from the grate.

However, witnesses have told media there were no security guards or safety fences to prevent spectators overflowing, with dozens of people chanting and dancing on the grating despite warnings by show organisers.

In more shocking findings, a South Korean safety official has reportedly committed suicide in the wake the tragedy.

According to The Telegraph, the body of the 37-year-old official, whose surname was given as Oh, was found early Saturday morning. Oh jumped off a building near the site of concert event sometime on Friday, having been recently interrogated by South Korean police and disaster response units. According to one official, the man left a note which read, “I am sorry for the dead victims … Please take a good care of my children.”

Experts described the incident as another “man-made” disaster.


#Avengers: Sesame Street Characters Parody The Marvel Superhero Team

If you loved the previous Sesame Street parody, you’re going to love this one even more.

Have you ever imagined who would play who or what if your favourite Sesame Street characters were matched with Marvel Studios’ superhero team aka “The Avengers“? Like, who would play The Hulk or who would be best fit to take on the role of Captain Ameri-cauliflower America? And more importantly, what their take on “The Avengers” would be like, you know, considering the circumstances (read: puppets)?

Sesame Street just answered all of those questions with a newly released parody short titled, “Aveggies: Age of Bon-Bon”.

As if the “Avengers: Age of Ultron” movie is not already getting enough coverage, the Sesame Street characters have taken on the challenge of coming up with their own storyline, wherein the team tries to get “Dr. Brownie” to focus, turn green, and eat the flying chocolate chip with a jam-shooting gun. And who better to take on the role of “Dr. Brownie” but Cookie Monster?

Meanwhile, if you still haven’t watched “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, well, what are you waiting for? Arm yourself with these “Avengers” fun facts as well as our movie review and then get with the program!

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is out in a cinema near you.


TVB Organizes HK$3 Million Birthday Party For Eric Tsang

Yesterday, about 700 celebrities from all over Asia turned up for an event of a lifetime. But not just any event! It was an event organized by Hong Kong broadcast giant TVB in conjunction with Hong Kong veteran actor and household name Eric Tsang’s grand 60th birthday!

The large-scale birthday party cost TVB about HK$3 million (RM1,173,798 million) to organize, with a guestlist that includes only the crème de la crème of the Asian entertainment industry. We’re talking, the who’s who like Jay Chou, Bosco Wong, Hacken Lee, Jackie Chan, Leo Ku, Flora Chan, Kelly Chen, Grasshopper, Carina Lau, Leon Lai, and many more. Even the heavily pregnant Cherrie Ying and husband Jordan Chan turned up to make a special appearance, alongside Alam Tam.

Eric’s biggest surprise, however, was when surprise was his grand daughter came all the way from Canada to celebrate with him.

Needless to say, all 70 tables were filled out with Hong Kong celebrities. The banquet was held at the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre. There was a giant statue of an animated Eric on the stage, while Eric appeared on stage with his two sons and daughter. When he shared his birthday feelings, he also mentioned the most important in life is to live in the moment. Doesn’t it sound like an awards’ show attendance to you?

Speaking to the media at the event, Eric Tsang also said his birthday wish is to give back to society, by starting a charity to help retirees and the needy. Bless his kind soul.

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