In Hell I'll Be in Good Company

 

In Hell I'll Be in Goody Company  by The Dead South

from the 2014 album Good Company

The Dead South, a Canadian quartet formed in 2012, has crafted a unique identity in the music world by seamlessly blending traditional bluegrass with innovative modern influences. Their ability to honor the genre's roots while infusing it with fresh energy and unconventional storytelling has earned them widespread acclaim. With their raw intensity and authentic artistry, The Dead South captivates a diverse audience and stands as a modern force in folk and bluegrass music. By continuing to push creative boundaries and refine their storytelling, the band is poised to further solidify their legacy in the genre.

“In Hell I’ll Be in Good Company” exemplifies their talent for merging traditional and contemporary elements. Its catchy melody, sharp lyricism, and visually compelling music video have cemented it as a defining hit, showcasing The Dead South's ability to create timeless and memorable music.

Wolf Totem

 

Wolf Totem by The HU

released on Youtube in 2018

The HU, a Mongolian folk-metal band formed in 2016, has gained international acclaim for their innovative fusion of traditional Mongolian music with contemporary rock and metal. Utilizing traditional instruments such as the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) and tovshuur (lute), as well as throat singing, the band weaves ancient Mongolian war cries and poetry into their lyrics, creating a sound that is both culturally rich and modern. One striking example of their artistry is the song “Wolf Totem.”

“Wolf Totem” is a powerful anthem that showcases The HU’s ability to blend cultural heritage with contemporary musical sensibilities. Its raw energy, cultural depth, and commanding presence have made it a standout in both the metal and world music scenes.

This track is a groundbreaking and unforgettable work of art, cementing The HU’s place as a unique and influential force in the global music landscape.

Rasputin

 

Rasputin by Boney M

from the 1978 album Nightflight to Venus

“Ra Ra Rasputin, Lover of The Russian Queen..."

Grigori Rasputin was a close confidant and advisor to Tsar Nicholas II and his family in early 20th-century Russia. Infamous for his reputation as a playboy, mystical healer, and political manipulator, his life ended tragically after several attempts to kill him.

Boney M’s “Rasputin” masterfully combines historical storytelling with the infectious dance rhythms of the 70s. Retelling the tale of the so-called 'Mad Monk' through a disco lens, the song is a timeless classic with its irresistibly catchy melody and delightfully dramatic delivery. It’s a track that practically demands you move to its beat.

The accompanying video features Boney M’s unforgettable live performance at the 1979 Sopot Music Festival in Poland. Bobby Farrell’s electrifying dance moves and flamboyant stage presence take center stage, perfectly complementing the bold narrative of the song. Meanwhile, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett delivered strong, polished vocals that created a harmonious balance with the energetic choreography.

This performance remains one of the most iconic moments in Boney M’s career, showcasing their ability to captivate audiences with a unique blend of theatricality, playful charm, and boundless energy. It is a testament to their status as true legends of the disco era.

偏偏喜歡你

 

偏偏喜歡你 by 陳百強 Danny Chan

from the 1983 album 偏偏喜歡你

Let’s switch things up and dive into Cantonese today!

Released in 1983, this deeply moving pop classic beautifully captures the emotional highs and lows of love and loss. Its melancholic yet flowing melody strikes the perfect balance between tenderness and sorrow, making it unforgettable.

Danny Chan’s heartfelt vocal performance, combined with the poignant lyrics and haunting tune, made this song a standout in the golden era of 80s Hong Kong Cantopop.

It’s one of my personal favorites, and I hope you’ll love it as much as I do. Enjoy!

I Can See Clearly Now

I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash

from the 1972 album I Can See Clearly Now

It's the second day of the new year! I hope you all had a refreshing holiday season and are ready to dive back into your routine... or whatever brings you joy. Today’s song pick is here to add a little extra cheer and motivation to your day. 😊

Johnny Nash’s 1972 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, I Can See Clearly Now, is a timeless classic. This pop gem, infused with reggae rhythms, is celebrated for its uplifting message and soulful delivery. Its relaxing groove and simple yet powerful lyrics make it universally relatable—a song about overcoming challenges and finding hope in every moment.

Easy to sing along to and guaranteed to lift your spirits, this track is perfect for brightening your day. Enjoy!

Supermarket Flowers

Happy New Year, everyone, and welcome to my new project - "A Song A Day". 

Someone suggested I explore some fun activities in my retirement, and I thought, why not give this a try? Starting today, I’ll be sharing a daily song that’s left an impression on me—some deeply, others just in passing. My taste in music is pretty eclectic, so expect recommendations from all corners of the globe.

I hope you enjoy discovering these songs as much as I enjoy sharing them!

Let's kick off with the first song in 2025!

----------------------------------------------------------

Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeren

From the 2017 album ÷ (Divide)

This deeply personal and emotional song was written by Ed Sheeran as a tribute to his late grandmother, capturing the rawness of grief and love. With simple yet poignant lyrics, it’s hands down one of my favorite songs of his. It never fails to bring a tear to my eye every time I hear it.

When the album was first released, the song didn’t have an official music video. However, two years later, Warner Music Japan re-released the track on YouTube with a beautifully animated video by award-winning cartoonist Yoriko Hoshi, a recipient of the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.

The video features Ed Sheeran and his beloved cats, Calippo and Dorito. It’s a touching visual complement to an already moving song. I hope you enjoy it!

Greetings from 2021! 😅

I promised to stop at TWO

It was going to be just the 12-50mm kit lens and then a 20mm f1.7 Panasonic Lumix prime lens (from Adorama btw). I promised to myself.

Then Amazon had a major discount on the 45-200mm telephoto. So I got to have it.

Can't resist the wonderful 25mm f1.4 Panasonic Leica DG Summilux and took the plunge. Ordered from BHphoto and arrived today.

So much cheaper than buying locally in Singapore.

Now I end up having 4 lens. So much for keeping to my word. I think I've stopped believing in myself.

But damn do I love these lenses. Especially the 25mm. Don't tell the others. :)

Here are a few shots taken with the 25mm for your enjoyment:

Seeya!

The World in A Day - 15th May 2012

Capturing life around the world in a single day... on May 15th 2012 - aday.org

I took over a thousand photos in that one day. Not on purpose for this project.

Rather, it's because of two significant events on that day.

It's the first time I tried sports photography. My colleagues were playing basketball and armed with my spanking new system camera, why not?

Most photos turned out terrible. Haha... But here are my submissions to aday.org

The first time I've tried sports photography and it's a rooftop basket session with my colleagues. I've just bought a new Olympus OM-D E-M5 so... why not? :)

Then I was off to the Diablo 3 launch at Funan Centre. These photos were sent to aday.org as well.

A small part of the 6000+ maddening crowd who turned up at the Diablo 3 launch event in Funan Centre, Singapore.

Sion Touhig, award-winning professional photojournalist shows us that it is not necessarily the best camera that makes a photo, it's the photographer with what he has. Thus, leaving the DSLR in the bag and taken pictures with a mobile phone in hand.

Well, at least that's my interpretation...

Hey look! It's Kenny!

It has been years since I watched South Park. Whoever killed Kenny and made him a cap... YOU BASTARD!!

The precious 2 pre-order cards to claim 2 box copies of the game Diablo 3.

A lady demon hunter appeared in the midst of the Singapore Diablo 3 launch event.

I submitted a total of 10 photos. So here are the remaining 2.

Typical scene on a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Train in Singapore.

These are the guys perched on top of my monitor bobbing their heads away. They are the mentors I report to at work everyday.

That about wraps it up.

Diablo 3 Launch Event in Funan IT Mall Singapore

[UPDATE] I've gotten over it. Lvl 9 Wizard btw. Add me if you like. dereth#1136. :) Will have the photos up today!

I have no photos to post. I'm feeling very hurt right now.


At the Diablo launch in Singapore, I was humiliated. I know I'm fat and an overweight pig.


The emcee could obviously tell I'm twice the weight and twice the age of that other guy on stage. Yet, we're required to do push-ups to win?


It's super obvious who will win right? I'm into my late 30s, overweight (OK fine it's my fucking fault OK?) and the other guys is... 18? And a slim guy no doubt.


I really regret going up the stage to be laughed at like this. I did not see any other contestants needing to do push-ups. At most rush, a for the mic. I almost even fell off the stage getting up.


I was there to take photos and blog about the incident. Right after the embarrassment on stage I just stopped doing so.


Why are you guys doing this to me?! I'm so angry and hurt now I'm not even trying to play the game anymore.


Does it feel really good to attack someone like this? You had your fun now?!

Custom SLR Glide Strap with C-Loop

Cam-In Calf Leather Wrist Strap - S$22
Custom SLR Glide Strap with C-Loop - S$88

The amazing glide strap lets me use the camera in a "gunshot" style. I can just slip out of the wrist strap and leave the camera hanging at my side. 

When I need to use it, merely glide it up to my torso easily and take the shot.

One thing about using this on the OM-D E-M5 as oppose to using a traditional leather neck strap... the lugs on the camera does not get in the way of pressing the shutter.

This just hits the sweet spot. Highly recommended.

Photos taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Art Filter

How does the 3 different Gariz half-leather case look like on the Silver Olympus OM-D E-M5?

Here you go.

The BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 (Part 1)

Edit: This post was completed and supposed to be published on 2nd Sep 2011. Somehow it's been sitting in draft and I cleanly forgot about it. I'll have a quick Part 2 soon and share my thoughts on the 3 months that transpired since.

The BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900.

Most good remarks can be retrieved off the numerous reviews from the net, such as speed and web-surfing improvements in OS7. I'm here to share my cons after a day of bonding with the 9900...

1. The camera really suck balls - No autofocus and everything look damn grainy even in bright light. Really loses to the 9780 and even 9700's autofocus. It's not something they can correct with a firmware update I suppose. The camera button is not even a half-press key. EDoF is just overrated and terrible.

2. Lack of a Left Side Convenience Key - It's really is well... inconvenient. I'm too used to having it as my LOCK key.

3. Touch screen not very accurate - Sometimes I can't hit the smaller links on a webpage. Could be due to the depth of the digitizer?

4. Battery blocking SD card - Yes I'm used to taking the SD card out occasionally to transfer photos. Now I have to either remove the battery or use a USB camera to transfer. Then again... why should I bother even taking photos with the failed piece of shit camera?

5. For a device this wide, the profile is too slim - I don't care who the *beep* comes out with the smallest paper-thin phone/tablet/toilet. This is ergonomics. It's not as comfortable to hold the phone in both hands and type like it was on the Bold 9000. (The keys are wonderful on the 9900 though)

6. The back battery cover is now slippery plastic instead of svelte leather. Not the best grip I expect to have on this phone. And a fingerprint magnet for my sweaty paws.



RIM. You suck. Now you're forcing me to keep an iPhone in my other pocket just for picture taking. Or go everywhere with my Panasonic LX3 (mighty fine compact enthusiast camera btw).

I wouldn't have minded points 2, 3, 4 and 5 and would have never written something this scathing if they had not crippled the camera. Well, I love a good camera on my mobile phone. It's great for taking impromptu pictures of happenings, food and idiots. Or for scanning a document. The 9900 can't even focus on the text on a book to take a clear picture. Isn't this a step backward for a premium flagship line?

The reason I stopped using Sony Ericsson phones was because SE refused to improve the video camera quality on the C/K (Cybershot) series and chose to diversify their products lines thinking they can target different phones at different market. Think Stereo Audio on the W (Walkman) series and Video Camera on the P (PDA) series.

Hey, I have the money to buy the damn phone! You can diversify your products all you want. You can make your cheap zero-dollar phones I don't care. I just need you to give me all you have in 1 convenient package so I do not have to make a choice and sacrifice something else.

I was so tempted to embrace Nokia at that time because of their ultimate N series with everything but the kitchen sink. Maybe there was a promo that bundled an N95 with a kitchen sink. I wouldn't have mind paying a premium for it but well.. Symbian happens to be something I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. ;)

Something else of note today.

My wife asked me a question over BBM which shocked me so much that I immediately called her up to clarify that it was a serious question and not a joke.

"When is the iPhone 5 coming out?"

She was, well, you can say a little anti-Apple when she acquired her Bold 9700 2 years ago. I was merely telling her that she is now eligible to re-contract her mobile line, expecting her to ask about the newest BB.

RIM, you're in serious trouble.

A Long Awaited Picture of Olympus' New OM-D E-M1 Camera!

Found by accident at clubSNAP forums while deciding between a Panasonic GX-1 or Sony NEX-7.

A full picture of the new OM-D E-M1 mirrorless camera by Olympus.

Update: Additional information on this camera can be found here.

Update 2: Camera name is E-M5 instead.

New Blogger

Wow. It's been a good while since I posted anything at all. Blogger seemed to has gone through a fair bit of redesign and it looks mighty interesting...

Time to explore.

TRUE STORY TODAY

I have a Kingston 1gb Elite Pro SD card that kinda broke today. Nothing could read it. Neither a HP nor Dell laptop. Not even my Panny LX3 camera recognizes it. Can't remember what was on the card but it was probably nothing important.


Just for fun, I chucked the card into my IPAD via the CAMERA CONNECTION KIT... Lo and behold! It prompted me to import photos... which I did. And since my iPad is jailbroken, I fired up a file browser and copied everything off the card.


Things on the card were nothing I'll miss though. Took the card out, back to the laptops and camera, no go.


Back to the iPad and there it is again! Everything! Holy-I-Want-One-Of-Those-Super-Ipad-Thingamajig-Cos-It-Rescues-SD-Card-Batman!


Well that's kinda freaky but I'm also extremely impressed... :D


Now I wonder... How does the iPad and its Camera Connection Kit do that?

VLC Player for iPad Finally Available!

One of the best media players on Mac, Windows and Linux is finally out for the iPad. And it's FREE.

I've tried several paid solutions like CineXplayer and OPlayer but... They just didn't work as well as I want them to. Files slightly higher in quality than regular DVD quality just plainly chokes them out.

I hope VLC does better. :)

Update

I'm not blown away. OPlayer wins hands down. VLC still isn't able to tackle even the small RMVB files that OPlayer has no problem with. There is subtitle support for VLC though it plainly couldn't handle even a 1.4gb BDRIP MKV.

VLC gave a warning that it will not be able to able a 720p Video. Indeed it couldn't and the video pixelates and constantly freezes. Oplayer could do so albeit with heavy frameskipping.

VLC for iPad is definitely not the best solution at this point. There are no configurable options and the app crashes out on unrecognizable file formats while loading the video previews (default view, non-changeable, bummer).

At least it's a start. On he bright side, it's Free and it's the good old VLC we all love. :)

I find myself eagerly looking forward to the next version. No doubt better things to come.

Are you using Dropbox?

 









 

Join Dropbox now using my link and get 2.25GB instead of the default 2GB!

Sync your desktop with iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch/BlackBerry/Android now!

http://db.tt/JmxSwQd

SingTel... Yet another fail.

A slot was allocated for the delivery of my wife's new Blackberry Bold 9700 today between 6-9pm. And yes I got into the first 200 pre-orders and was promised a Jabra Stone.

Fighting the grogginess induced by my cough syrup, I waited up for it.

It is now 10:30pm. No show. No call. Nothing. Zilch. Nada.

I called them up and the poor lady on the other end was lambasted by me when she was not able to provide any updates on the delivery status, claiming SingPost (Another fail-bait) is now closed and unreachable. And I should call them myself tomorrow.

I was like OMGWTFBBQ?!?! YOU WANT ME TO CALL THEM MYSELF??!?! TOMORROW!?!?! TO ASK WHY MY BLOODY ORDER DID NOT ARRIVE YESTERDAY?!?!?!

C'mon SingTel! What the heck happened to you!? It's fun to play with consumers yah? Is that how you run your business?! So customers are just crap to you!?

And what happened to the call I made 2 days back regarding the change of my wife's BlackBerry subscription. "Someone will call you back..." HELLO!?!?! WHERE IS MY CALL BACK?!

Calling them and getting through to the right person is just so damn hard. One department throw to another. We'll call you back... They'll call you back... Someone will call you back. Nope. We really don't want to call you back. Bleh.

This is not the first time and I'm sure it will NOT be the last time! CUT COST CUT COST CUT COST! CUT CUT CUT!!!

CUT CUSTOMERS LAH! I HELP YOU!

The both of us has been a loyal customer of SingTel since 1998 (Started on some SingTel POD Plan) and so are quite a number of our family members. I think I've had enough. I think we've had enough. Enough shortchanging us. We're still paying pretty much the same as we did 10 years back. Nope. More. Now we have to add on the bloody Caller ID for FIVE MORE FREAKING DOLLARS!

ARGH!

So... M1? Or StarHub?

Afternote:
I apologized to the patient lady on the other end after my outburst. I know we're all pawns in this big corporate game and she's just making a living. I was frustrated and a frustrated man makes for a crazy man.

I'll supposedly get a call back tomorrow and I think someone will make a feeble attempt with a vague answer and tell me what the heck happened. I will reluctantly accept the explanation which he/she pulls out of a tin of Standard Answers and life goes on for everyone.

So alas, no unboxing to be done today.

Can hardly keep my eyes open... medicine... good nite...

Zzzzzzzzzzz....