Man Behind Lens

They Shoot Lo_Yusheng with P&S Don't They?

2012-01-24T13:18:00.000+13:00

A reunion dinner is held on New Year's Eve of the Chinese New Year, during which family members get together to celebrate.

This CNY eve, thanks to Michael and Debbie Moon we (Le General and Ming) were invited to their family reunion dinner :)

I brought along two sets of Yusheng and we also bought two thick slices of fresh salmon to add more oomph to the mix ;)

Since most of the Moon clan has not experience "Lo Yusheng" before, I thought it will be a refreshing experience for them.

Yusheng come in different styles, this one was from Janet in Auckland.

According to Wikipedia...

While versions of it is thought to have existed in China, the contemporary version of Yusheng is created and popularised in Singapore in the 1960s amongst the ethnic Chinese community and its consumption has been associated with Chinese New Year festivities in Singapore as well as in neighbouring Malaysia.

In Singapore, government, community and business leaders often take the lead in serving the dish as part of official functions during the festive period or in private celebrity dinners. Some have even suggested that it be named a national dish.

Le General getting the Yusheng ready while Debbie look on.

Ming getting the Yusheng ready for the other table.

The fun part of Yusheng is the "Lo Hei"...

Yusheng, yee sang or yuu sahng (Chinese: 鱼生; pinyin: yúshēng; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hî-seⁿ or hû-siⁿ), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo hei (Cantonese for 撈起 or 捞起) is a Teochew-style raw fish salad.

It usually consists of strips of raw fish (most commonly salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients.

Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish (鱼)" is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance (余)", Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.

Our Generation Z got into the traditional "lo hei" with vigor :)

Baby boomers were having fun at "lo hei" too :)

After posting above pictures in Facebook, a friend asked me what camera I used to shoot them; when I told him it was my Canon G12 P&S, he thought I was pulling his leg because he pointed...

1. The G12's only zoom to 28mm wide and these shots look like being taken by much wider lens.

2. The G12's miserable built-in flash cannot provide what look like bounced flash in the pictures.

Ha ha ha... you cannot fool him, he is good!

Those pictures were taken with my G12, BUT with some "extras"...

G12 with extras ;)

My G12 I used was fitted with the Nikon WC-E75 wide converter lens, this solid hunk of glass turn the 28mm to 18mm ultra wide! You can read about it here.

For soft shadow free light, I attached the small but powerful Sunpak RD2000 external flash to the G12's hot-shoe.

So who need a heavy DSLR?

Footnote:

I got my yummy yusheng at R&S Satay Noodles House in Cuba Street you can call Sarah at 04-385-1496 to order yours. One day notice is needed for preparation.

You can have your "Lo Hei" at R&S or take-away.

Happy Dragon Chinese New Year!

2012-01-22T00:10:00.004+13:00

Thousands of NZ Chinese will welcome the year of the water dragon on Monday.

Prime Minister John Key open the Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day at ASB Showgrounds today, without an incident.

I remember he fall off the stage at the same function in 2009! He broke his arm in three places!

He commended the extremely safe stairs set up by the organisers this year.

As a matter of fact, "If I fall off it I'll just be confirming I'm an idiot." ;)

No prize for telling who is the most popular photo opp!

Hopefully the year of the Water Dragon will bring some good luck to this Land Of The Long White Cloud.

Last year the Tiger has no mercy on this country of 4 million something who suffered a devastating earthquake at Christchurch.

Here's wishing all our readers a Happy & Prosperous Year of The Dragon!

Canon G1-X, the King of P&S!

2012-01-10T14:19:00.002+13:00

The number "1" is suddenly very fashionable this year, Nikon launch their Nikon1 with J1 and V1 and yesterday Fujifilm’s beautiful X-Pro1 mirror less camera was announced.

However, the "1" camera that kept everyone waiting and guessing was launch by Canon. The G1-X, is a new G-series camera line and offers a sensor large enough to call king among all the point and shoot!

Like father and son.. the new G1-X beside the G-12.

The rear of the G1-X, just like a G-12!

Last three generation of "G"s, from top; the G7,G9,G12 and the G1-X.

Personally, I am very excited about this point and shoot; if you have been following my blog you know that I like my "G"s a lot.

In December 2010, I wrote in my "Canon G12, Best of the G?"...

"Ten long years after Canon launched the G1, the latest ten generation G12 became one of the most advanced fixed lens cameras on the market."

twelve years after the G1, Canon proved everybody wrong by squeezing a LARGE 1.5" CMOS into a slightly larger than G12 body and became the leader of the pack :)

To get an idea how much larger the G1-X sensor is, take a look at this chart.

The Canon G1-X is able to deliver image quality previously only possible with a Canon DSLR with APS-C size sensor.

This is Canon's first compact camera to feature a large, 4:3 aspect, 14.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor measuring 18.7mm x 14mm – similar in height to the APS-C sensors used within EOS DSLR models.

It features the same pixel size as the EOS 600D, and a surface area approximately 6.3 times larger than the sensor in my beloved G12, I expect it to provides DSLR image quality in a body small and compact enough to carry anywhere.

Other Features...

A newly developed Canon 1.5-inch, 14.3 Megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with the DIGIC 5 Image Processor creates Canon's HS SYSTEM for outstanding low-light performance up to ISO 12800.

Full range of shooting and recording modes including 14-bit RAW + JPEG, as found in Canon DSLR cameras for the ultimate creative control.

Shoot beautiful 1080p Full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button; zoom while shooting and play back videos on an HDTV via the HDMI output.

4x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, plus a 28mm Wide-Angle Lens delivers exceptional image quality and allows you to capture more in your frame.

Intelligent IS automatically chooses from six different modes to optimize image stabilization for the shooting condition.

Bright 3.0-inch Vari-Angle PureColor System LCD with 922,000 dots for shooting at a variety of angles plus an optical viewfinder.

High-Speed Burst HQ allows for continuous capture at a maximum of 6 frames* while maintaining superb image.

Compatible with Canon Speedlite flashes for additional creative lighting options.

Mode Dial and Front Dial provide intuitive manual adjustment.

High Dynamic Range scene mode combines multiple shots into one picture showing greater image detail.

In my posting on Pixel Peeping between the G12 and E-P2, I know how capable the small sensor in the G12 in delivering a competitive image; now the 6 times larger sensor of the G12 replacement will no doubt excels!

This is one of the sample image in the Canon U.S. site. It was taken with the G1-X at ISO 100, f5.6; the one below is a 100% crop from this image.

What a lens and what a sensor!!

I can imagine this will be a much sought after point and shoot!

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Canon G, Gs; You Came A Long Way!

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Nikon 1 V1 - My Like & Dislike

2012-01-10T00:08:00.000+13:00

On the third day of Christmas, the little Nikon 1 V1 came all the way from Kuala Lumpur and now returned to where it came from.

I kind of missed the little snapper.

During our short acquaintance, here are some of my like and dislike of this new Nikon offering.

Like...

The incredible high frame rate of the electronic shutter, couple with the very fast focusing; and the compact 30-110 zoom, a great little camera and lens combo for shooting actions!

I re-look at the shots I took at the Karori Park...

This was the only opportunity I had for action shots, it was none stop rain the next five days!

All the shots were taken with the 30-110 at the 110 mm setting. Aperture priority at f5.6 and ISO 800.

Dislike...

The softness of the images from the 30-110 lens, I expected sharper results.

Also if you are shooting RAW and JPEG at the same time, you will be lucky to get 6 or 7 frames and the camera will freeze when the buffer run out.

Like...

How the shooting info are display on the screen, oh... the incredibly true to life EVF (Electronic Viewfinder), especially in low light!

The very large thumb rest on the top right, may be it should be raised slightly to prevent your right palm activating the other dial and button.

Dislike...

The very loose mode setting wheel which get accidentally adjusted every time you pick up the camera!

For instance, I notice a decisive moment shot, lift the camera from my chest and fire... guess what the bleeding wheel was accidentally moved to movie instead of the green "Still Picture" setting!

Like...

The "magnifier" button which allowed me to change shutter speeds or apertures settings easily.

Dislike...

The "F" button which let you select the type of shutter to use! Hello... why do you need to change to electronic or mechanical shutters often?
Don't you think this button is more useful if it allow you to switch between shutter or aperture priority mode?

Like...

The tiny SB-N5 flash and the ability to bounce in different angles and direction.

Dislike...

Very costly, very low output; to bounce effectively you need to use ISO 800 and above and f4.5 minimum!

The beauty of bounced flash, soft shadowless light.

I wish I have more time to test the other features of this new little Nikon, I would like to thank Nikon Malaysia for loaning me the test set.

Nikon D4 - DSLR King?

2012-01-06T23:07:00.001+13:00

After a year of rumors, leaks and speculation; Nikon finally announced its new D4 DSLR!

Yesterday Nikon gave a detailed presentation of the impressive new D4 at a UK press event. They even provided a PDF download of the 45 presentation slides.

However, the PDF is a whopping 45MB download; so for the benefit of our readers, I have screen grab them below.

A stunning video by Corey Rich, shot exclusively with the D4!

WHY - Nikon D4 Release Video from Corey Rich on Vimeo.

Itsy Bitsy Nikon SB-N5 Speedlight for V1

2012-01-06T14:22:00.000+13:00

Unlike the J1, the more "pro" V1 do not come with a built in flash; to provide extra illumination you have to purchase the tiny SB-N5 Speedlight.

At NZ$328.00 a pop, that is a lot of money for very little light! You have no other alternative either, because the "hot shoe" on this camera only accept this itsy bitsy flash! Not that it is all bad... the combo look really neat!

A handsome match, the made for V1 SB-N5 Speedlight mounted on the left side of the camera.

Other advantage of the V1 only design is the quick release in mounting and dismounting the flash from the proprietary "hot shoe".

The strong full metal "shoe" contain a whole row of electronic contacts which might cause havoc with dampness or dirt. The camera was given to me without the shoe cover, which I imagine can be easily misplace or get lost. Not good!

The tiny flash draw it's power from the camera battery, the flash can double as a continuous light source illuminating for six seconds during both Motion Snapshot and Smart Photo Selector modes. I am concern how much power is drawn if the flash is use continuously!

What about the light output from this tiny flash unit?

With a guide number of 8.5m, the mini SB-N5 is far less powerful than the Sunpak RD2000 for my G12, the Sunpak which cost NZ$198.00 pump out a whopping guide number of 20.0m!

The much more powerful Sunpak RD2000 flash on the Canon G12 and the Nikon 1 V1 with the SB-N5 Speedlight.

What about the ability to bounce the light output? Thought you never ask! If you read my previous post, you would realise that if possible; I always try to bounce my flash for softer, more even result.

The SB-N5 excels in bouncing with multi rotating flash head. The Sunpak can only bend upwards and bounce in a single direction!

The SB-N5 bouncing side way.

The SB-N5 bouncing it's output backwards.

Mirror mirror on the wall... watch me bounce the Speedlight :)

Because of the rather low output of the Speedlight, the following bounced test shots were all done at ISO800.

Direct flash was used on the top picture of our living room and bounced light for the bottom take. If you compare the two carefully, you will notice the direct flash gave a harsh and flat result. The bounced on the other hand, delivered 3D like rendering; compare the two coffee table and you will see what I am talking about.

Ming -N getting ready to serve the roast vegetables for our New Year Day dinner. The bounced light compliment the soft late evening sun from the kitchen window.

Meng, explaining the shooting menu on the Canon S90 to our friend Ken; looking on is Evelyn. The Speedlight was turned side way, left; to direct the diffused light on the subjects.

The scrumptious honey mustard glazed ham that Ming-N prepared. A straight forward bounce off the ceiling.

Jeff carving the ham for our New Year Day dinner.

This deep fried NZ blue cod in sweet and sour sauce was shot at our dinner last night. The SB-N5 was bounced off the restaurant's ceiling. ISO800 and f5.6 were used.

Same lighting set up was used for this dish of white-cut chicken. Notice the accurate colour the flash delivered. This of course will depend on the ceiling it is bounced on, in this case; the reflecting surface is very neutral and gave a accurate and pleasing rendition.

Famous Last Words...

The tiny SB-N5 Speedlight is a versatile flash unit with a weak output. Personally I feel Nikon should have made the flash slightly larger (own batteries) for higher light output, as it is; the miserable guide number of 8.0m made most bounce result none effective!

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Nikon 1 V1 @ Wellington Rose Garden

Encounter Of The Nikon 1 Kind!

Nikon 1 V1 @ Wellington Rose Garden

2012-01-04T04:19:00.000+13:00

♬♫♪♬♫♪ I Beg Your Pardon, I Never Promise You Rose Garden... ♬♫♪♬♫♪

The second day (29 December) after I received the Nikon 1 V1, the sky opened up and we had none stop rain for five solid days! As if Wellington need a good cleansing to welcome 2012!

Today (Tuesday 3rd) the sun came out full broom, the air was crystal clear and snappily cool on this public holiday :)

What better time to test the Nikon 1 V1 at our Wellington Botanic Garden! I knew that roses are in full bloom at the Lady Norwood Rose Garden which is on the left end of the garden.

Beside the V1 with the 10-30 kit zoom, I also took with me the E-P2 with the 14-42 for comparison; the other two lenses are the 1Nikkor 30-110 and the Panasonic 7-14 ultra wide zoom.

The award-winning rose garden has 110 formal beds, each representing a different variety of rose.

It includes newly released roses and traditional favourites.

If you want to test the colour fidelity of your lenses, this is the best place to go; when the roses are in season that is.

The top picture was shot with the V1 and on the bottom, with the E-P2. Both were taken with their kit zoom at ISO 200 f5.6 and these are straight RAW to JPEG files, no other adjustment were done to them.

Notice how neutral the Nikon V1 file is, the E-P2 is a bit warmer; a little more yellow. Both cameras did a great job in rendering the full colour range.

Did you expect the half size (to M4/3) smaller sensor Nikon will loose out to Olympus? Duh!

I notice to my amusement, there are some tourist taking pictures with their iPad :)

Using mobile phones as cameras are very common!

How both cameras render bright red colour can be seen from the two pictures above. Which one do you prefer?

To find out if there are any subtle colour tonal differences between the Nikon1 RAW and JPEG, I opened both in Adobe Camera Raw...

The colour of the RAW file look more intense and the JPEG lighter. The quality of the JPEG is so good, I was doubting the advantages of shooting RAW ;)

A rose named Warm Wishes

The Nikon 1 V1 with the very light 30-110 (80-300) zoom on the cafe table where we had lunch.

Across our table was a little boy having lunch, I took some candid; the camera is so silent that no one took any notice! The focusing is lightning fast!

A stunning looking rose called Sheila's Perfume!

The sun drenched resting "room" to the Begonia House which contains tropical and temperate displays, including seasonal displays of orchids, tuberous begonias, cyclamen, ornamental, and others.

The tropical end also features a lily pond containing aquatic plants and a giant water lily.

Two varieties of Begonia Hybrids captured with the compact 1Nikkor 30-110. The light inside the "house" is strong yet soft enough to give a 3D like effect!

The more I use the 30-110 compact zoom, the more impressed I was! Look at the whites on the lily, plenty of detail and not blown out like some lens do.

A job for the ultra wide! At 7mm (14mm equivalent ), the Panasonic made this shot possible. The lily pond brought back memory of my dear dad and mum when they were in the same green house many moons ago :)

My dad and mum, how I missed them!

On our way to my car, I thought I will give those flying bumble bees another go..
Bumble bees are tough to photograph, their erratic flight path are impossible to predict and the motor-drive on your camera better be damn fast ;)

This is the only camera I ever used that captured me a flying bumble bee! I love the second shot of the bee's approaching the flower! How sharp do you think the bee is? I blow it up 300%! Take a look below :)

It has been a very productive "test day", I am finding out new capabilities that the little V1 can do. I love how fast the camera is, both in focusing and exposing. May be now you understand why Nikon has decided on this "small" sensor, it is for speed.

We will look at next, the part or function of the camera that I think can be improve upon :)

10 Most Popular MBL Posts Of 2011

2012-01-02T18:15:00.000+13:00

As 2011 came to an end, here’s a look back at 10 of our most popular articles from the past year:

1.    My Leica E-P2

2.   Funny Royal Wedding Pix Not!

3.   Canon G12, Best Of The G?

4.   Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 7-14 mm F4.0 ASPH

5.   Remembering The Highland Towers Tragedy

6.   Ultra Wide WC-E75 Canon Power Shot G12!

7.   Brian Me That Brake Was Good!

8.   Nikon E2 DSLR - Redux

9.   Bounce Flash For G12

10. My Lancer VRX Sportback

We started with a 23,000 page views in January 1911, today we are at the verge of breaking the 80,000 mark.

Thank you for all the support and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our readers :)

Encounter Of The Nikon 1 Kind!

2011-12-30T00:30:00.001+13:00

♬♫♪♬♫♪ On the third day of Christmas my friend Meng brought to me...

One Nikon 1 V1 mirrorless camera,

Two Nikon 1 zoom lenses;

And a toy size Nikon Speedlight... ♬♫♪♬♫♪

After three long years of intense research, on September 2011 Nikon Inc.
announced a revolutionary new digital imaging system built from the ground up to empower users with new ways to tell stories through photography, driven by imaginative next-generation technology.

The iconic new Nikon 1 system is designed to become one with the user and their lifestyle, providing a unique form of expression with amazing image quality, speed and portability.

They said it, I did not ;)

Almost immediately their "NEW DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM" are being torn to pieces by famous reviewer the like of Ken Rockwell!

This is what he said about the new gem from Nikon -

"A little-sensor (2.7x crop factor) digital replacement for the Pronea series of APS cameras of the late 1990s.

Costs as much as a real DSLR with the performance of a compact.

It looks like another incompatible system, just like APS, soon to be orphaned in several years."

He made those comments WITHOUT even using or trying out the product! DUH!!

Mind you, there are reviewer like Gordon Laing of CameraLab who did an excellent job of reviewing the camera!

In conclusion, Gordon has this to say about the little Nikon 1...

"The Nikon V1 and J1 are two of the most unique and exciting cameras I've tested this year.

And yet the Nikon V1 and J1 are also arguably the most misunderstood cameras of recent times.

Many were disappointed when they discovered the new CX-format sensor was not only smaller than the APS-C chips in Sony's NEX ILCs and Nikon's own DX-format DSLRs, but even smaller than Micro Four Thirds.

Couple this with the fact the new J1 and V1 cameras were also neither smaller nor cheaper than existing ILCs and many declared the system dead on arrival."

This is exactly what I am trying to find out the last two days, is the TWICE as large micro 4/3 sensor that much better than the "TINY" Nikon 1 CX-format sensor?

The new Nikon 1 V1 is quite chunky, a full palm full!

If you have been following my previous Nikon 1 V1 article, you knew that, thanks to the good folks at Nikon Malaysia; my ex colleague YC Meng was bringing a set of V1, all the way from Kuala Lumpur; thousands of miles away, for me to test.

When I received the V1 two days ago, holding it in my palm; I was amazed how hefty and solid it feel! It is quite chunky, kind of like the Canon G12; minus all the dials and buttons... it actually look like a mini DSLR!

Apart from the "standard" 10-30mm kit lens, I was also given the very compact 30-110 zoom (with an equivalent range of 81-297mm) to test.

The very compact and light 30-110 zoom, beside a iMac mouse for comparison.

Also included in my "test kit" is the spanking new, toy like SB-N5 Speedlight, you gotto see this tiny flash to realise how small it actually is!!

The V1 only Speedlite is so small you got to hold to believe it is real!

For the next half an hour I was trying to find out how to change my shooting mode to "aperture priority"!

This must be one setting change that take too many steps to perform! Sorry Nikon, but this irritating steps alone might turn many "pro" shooters away ;)

The sun was setting, I gave up looking and just grab the camera and went to our Karori park. I lock on the 30-110 zoom.

I was trying out this camera and the long zoom the first time, on two brothers mucking around in the field. The setting sun was dimming fast, I was shooting at ISO 800 and in fast burst with the in build electronic shutter (V1 only)... I was really jaw dropped by how fast the very faint shutter "brrrrrrr" blazing away at more than 25 frames per second burst!!

It was like a machine gun!!

With a little practice, I think the V1 would be a real winner in school sports and capturing running kids! Believe you me, the focusing was FAST! VERY FAST!!

Now lets go and pick on someone LARGER than the V1!

After the tear down of an V1 by Chipworks, everyone now knew that the "tiny" sensor inside the Nikon 1 is from Aptina Imaging, NOT Sony!

So how good is this half-sized micro 4/3 sensor compare to the Sony big brother inside the Olympus E-P2?

Physically, the new Nikon 1 is as heavy and as big as the Olympus E-P2! Some photographers complained it should be smaller, I think it is about right; you won't be able to hold it properly otherwise!

I devised a simple, "everything being equal" test to compare the two cameras.

I was happy that BOTH cameras have the similar kit zoom with similar focal range.

This scene looking down from our house deck was shot with both cameras in different ISO values and the yellowed area were blow-up for quality compare. The crop was "brutal", it is like a 300% crop :)

We will start with ISO 400...

I leave the conclusion to you, after you have carefully scrutinized the results and most likely you will conclude that THE SMALLER V1 sensor is AS GOOD or even a little BETTER than the much larger micro 4/3 chip set!

My favorite Wellington vista shot with the Nikon 1 V1 at ISO 800

So I have show you up to a point, that it is a fallacy that "a larger sensor is better"!
The authoritative DXOmark has shown that and now I reconfirm that in real world situation.

** More tests will be carry out the next few days before the camera set is return to Nikon Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, do check back :)

A Nikon Fanboy's Confession !?

2011-12-20T01:38:00.000+13:00

Fanboy is a term used to describe a male who is highly devoted and biased in opinion towards a single subject or hobby within a given field. Fanboy-ism is often prevalent in a field of products, brands or universe of characters where very few competitors (or enemies in fiction, such as comics) exist. -Wikipedia -

So am I a Nikon fanboy? I will not call myself as such but I do like Nikon cameras a lot, in my long career with different newspapers; my camera of choice has always been Nikon.

I started photography in 1966 with a used Zeiss Super Ikonta 120 range-finder camera, through the years I have used many other medium format cameras.

The variety of 120 medium format cameras that I have used.

My acquaintance with a 35 mm SLR was in 1967 when I went to Melbourne to further my education. My dear father bought me a Pentax SV with a 50mm f2 lens as my go away present.

It was with my SV that I entered the 1968 Victoria Inter School Photo Competition. Representing my high school, I won the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize of the nature section and Oakleigh High received a Minolta SRT SLR with a macro lens and a copy stand.

Me? I received a A$50.00 photo voucher from Wagner (the sponsor) and a small Japanese doll from Minolta. Silly me went and bought a microscope adapter for my Pentax and never got to use it at all ;)

This is the 2nd prize winner, I cannot find the picture that won the Minolta; but I will one day!

I like the Pentax so much that I bought a Sportmatic the next year.

Where and when was Nikon came into the picture?

I used mainly larger format cameras in my study

It was during my photography course study at the R.M.I.T. that I came to own a second-hand Nikkormat SLR.

Wikipedia will inform you that...

Nikkormat (Nikomat in Japan) was the brand used by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K. (Nikon Corporation since 1988).

The Nikkormat SLRs were moderately priced, advanced amateur level stablemates to Nippon Kogaku's premium priced, professional level Nikon F and F2 SLRs.

Just as the Nikkor and Nikon brand names had established Nippon Kogaku as a world class maker of lenses and high-end cameras, respectively, with professional photographers before it, Nikkormat made amateurs sit up and take notice.

Alas during my schooling in Melbourne, my first Nikon was taken to a pawn shop when I was broke and I never manage to have enough fund to get it back!

My acquaintance with Nikon went into fast forward when I joined The Star as their Photo Editor in 1974. First there was the Nikkomat, then the FM, FM2, F2, F3, F3T and a couple of F3P!

These are the pioneer lensmen of The Star, all using Nikons; oh... I also have a Leica!

Most of my best news pictures were taken with my Nikon, the camera was super tough; I don't think any other brand were able to take the kind of abuse a news photographer gave to their cameras!

Waiting, waiting... my trusty Nikon F2 beside me. Another F2 on self timer took this picture.

Nikon was there when I waited patiently for more than 10 hours, the arrival of our pride and joy at the Seven Day Adventist Hospital; Penang.

A prize winning picture of our pride and joy, taken with a Nikon F2.

That was then, this is now...

Today I still have FOUR Nikons in my possession.

From the front, counter clock wise; the D300, Coolpix 8400, F3P and F2.

I still use the D300 DSLR, the Coolpix 8400 is in cold storage. The work horses F2 and F3P are in mint conditions. These were bought new and hardly used! Any offer??

My collection of old Nikkor glass, still as sharp ;)

Those are my collection of Nikkor manual focus lenses. From the left front are the 50/1.4, 20/2.8 and the 1.4 tele converter.

The big, short 135/2 is beside the converter. The second row from left are 80/2, , 35-70/3.5 two touch zoom. The 105/2.8 micro and the super compact 300/4.5 IF-ED.

The last three on top are the 80-200/4 zoom, the 180/2.8 and the 300/2.8 monster ;)

Would you believe I still got a Zero Halliburton case, with authentic Nikon stickers that appeared in 1985.

May be I am a Nikon Fanboy after all!!

Famous Last Words...

Any fanboy will tell you that it cost $$$$ to keep our "addiction" going!

After a L-O-N-G L-O-N-G wait, like Johnny Come Lately; Nikon finally waded into the mirrorless, lens-swapping game with their new Nikon 1 system.

Wikipedia has this to say about Nikon's new EVIL (Electronic-Viewfinder-Interchangeable-Lens) camera!

The Nikon 1 series are high-speed mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras. Announced on 21 September 2011, Nikon claims that it is "Nikon's most significant announcement since we introduced our first digital camera 14 years ago".
The series currently includes Nikon 1 J1 and Nikon 1 V1.

High-speed is characteristic: At the time of announcement it features world's fastest autofocus with 10 fps even during videos based on hybrid autofocus (phase detection/contrast-detect AF with AF-assist illuminator).

World's fastest continuous shooting speed (60 fps) among all cameras with interchangeable lenses including DSLRs completes this. Slow-motion movies can be captured in up to 1200 fps with reduced resolution.

Does ALL that goodies make all Nikon Fanboy droll? Ha ha ha!

I WANT ONE NOW!

I have one small problem though, Le General has issued an ultimatum that I am NOT to buy ANY MORE camera, or else!

But when you are desperate, you will find a way ;)

EIGHT DAYS from now, on the 28th December; 3 days after Santa left town, YC Meng; friend and ex colleague will arrive with his wife. They are having a holiday here till 8 Jan next year.

YOU GUESS IT! Meng will bring with him a set of Nikon 1 V1 with two lenses and the made for V1 speedlight for me to "test"!

How did I pull that off?

When Meng told me about his holiday plan two months ago, I told him about my V1 plan. I got him to talk to the good folks at Nikon Malaysia and the rest is, like they say; history ;)

So all you Nikon Fanboys, Nikon 1 lovers or you just wanna find out how Nikon latest offering perform in the REAL WORLD; do check back after December 28!

Oh.... if you are expecting me to shoot some BRICK WALL to test the V1, sorry; you will be disappointed ;)

Latest:
Encounter Of The Nikon 1 Kind!

NOSTALGIA - Picture Without Permission!!

2011-12-11T00:15:00.001+13:00

nos·tal·gia, noun - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life...

Going through some of my "junk" recently, found a box of old black and white post-card size prints taken during my schooling years in Melbourne; Australia.

Ahh... those were some of the best days of my life :) And like the famous Kodak Eastman slogan, "We (pictures) capture your memories forever!"

This photo for instant...

A single shot taken with a film camera hidden inside a plastic lunch box, while I was attending our biology class in Oakleigh High School in Victoria, Australia; FORTY FIVE YEARS ago!

Confession is in order, as a student in 1968; I always admired how stunning our biology teacher, Mrs Dawson look! I would love to take some pictures of her but was too chicken to ask ;)

This picture was taken without her permission but without any other motive, I am very sorry I did that; Mrs Dawson. 45 years on, you are still as good looking as ever :)

They say- "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away..." this was one of the moment :)

Among the pictures is a shot of me in the Oakleigh High School's class room, snapped by my classmate with my Pentax SV SLR camera.

Famous Last Words...

Every memory is precious. Whether it is a bad one or a good one, they overall shape us for who we are today. So don't let any of them go.

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A Blast From The Past!

Buying a SAFER House In New Zealand

2011-12-04T22:23:00.001+13:00

Saturday 7.19pm, I was preparing dinner in the kitchen; my wife was at her PC in the lounge yelled, "EARTHQUAKE!" One second later our house was shaking violently, it was like 5 full second... my wife was screaming and I was marveling how powerful that quake was! GeoNet inform me later it was of magnitude 5.7, 30 km east of Picton and 60 km deep. It was the second strongest one we felt since we are in NZ.

Le General do not understand why with all the rock & roll, I remained "so calm"! I did not tell her it was because I know our house can take lots more pounding before I started screaming ;)

That is the main point of my story, how to buy a safer house in New Zealand! A question I have been asked many times by new immigrants and friends.

The advice I am giving in this story are my personal experience and my own research, so please take it with a pinch of salt ;)

The Ring Of Fire...

All of you who intended to migrate and to make New Zealand your home, ought to realise this beautiful Land Of The Long White Cloud is sitting right smack on top of "The Ring Of Fire". And it got nothing to do with Johnny Cash ;)

According to Wikipedia...

The Pacific Ring of Fire (or just The Ring of Fire) is an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. In a 40,000 km (25,000 mi) horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements. The Ring of Fire has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes.It is sometimes called the circum-Pacific belt or the circum-Pacific seismic belt.

About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 89% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

An early winter sunrise at Karori, New Zealand

Wikipedia also has this to say about earthquakes in New Zealand...

Earthquakes in New Zealand occur as the country forms part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is geologically active. About 20,000 earthquakes, most of them minor, are recorded each year. About 200 of these are strong enough to be felt. As a result, New Zealand has very stringent building regulations.

Please don't be paranoid about that 20,000 quakes a year, we have been in Wellington since 1988 and we only experienced half a dozen mild one and two really strong one. There were no property damages.

No doubt "New Zealand has very stringent building regulations", but there are also thousands of older houses that might not meet the earthquake regulations; put it this way, in an earthquake prone country like NZ, there are NO absolutely safe house; but with experience we can try and buy our-self a SAFER house!

Things to look out for in a NZ house...

You probably came from a country that houses are built with bricks, after arriving in NZ I am sure you will notice the majority of buildings here are constructed with timber; for a good reason, during an earthquake; wood flexes and "move" with the shake and usually recover unscathed after the rock and roll is over.

There are still plenty of older brick and mortar buildings in NZ, if you look at pictures of the Christchurch quake; I am sure you will notice most of the collapsed buildings were build with bricks.

So Rule Number 1...

DO NOT BUY A BRICK HOUSE! GET A WOODEN ONE! :)

Our humble abode, a house constructed of solid pine.

If the house came with a brick chimney on the roof, during a quake it can fall through the roof and cause extensive damage and injuries, even if it survive the shake; it might sustained hidden damage and become deadly!

If you already bought the house, CHANGE THE CHIMNEY to a modern, light weight stainless steel type.

Believe you me, it will cost you MORE money if the old brick chimney fall through your roof!

A modern light weight chimney.

Talking about roof... Most New Zealand tile roofs are made from either concrete (heavyweight) tiles or steel metal (lightweight). It is a no brainer which type will keep you and your family safer in an earthquake?

A house with tiled roofing can have 2/3 of the total house weight on the roof, during a violent quake the falling crumpling tiles can bury you alive!

After the Christchurch quakes, the Education Department has instructed ALL heavy TILED ROOFS of all the school to be replaced with the lightweight steel roof.

So please remember... a steel roof might not LOOK AS NICE as a tiled roof but it can save your life in an earthquake!

Foreground, a house with steel roof and two houses of tiled roofs; background.

Looking at the picture of our house, you will notice that the building is "half sitting" on a double garage.

If you intended to buy a similar constructed house, take a good look in the garage; take notice if the garage wall which support half of the house are properly braced. Better still, they should be anchor bolt to the concrete floor. To increase support and prevent the house collapsing onto my parked Ferrari (kidding), a huge steel girder is used (see picture).


The steel girder inside the garage, giving extra support to the living room above.

Most New Zealand house started with a wooden frame, walls are created by covering the frames with ply wood or GIB board, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper. It is used to make interior walls and ceilings.

Wooden frames of a new house.

Many years ago, when my dear dad and mum were in NZ for a visits, I took them to look at some new houses being built, he examined the stucco cladding of the new houses and he was shocked at the "cheap way" they were made ;) "How can they last?" he gasped.

Alas, that was long before we know about the LEAKY BUILDING fiasco and because of our shoddy building standard it cost the tax payer billions of dollars!

Bless his soul, my father saw it coming! ;)

Not all NZ houses are shoddily built though, there are houses constructed of solid wood (usually NZ treated pine wood) that even my dad approved :)

When we saw this house way back in 1996, I wanted it! I for one is a real sucker for house constructed of SOLID WOOD!

This is a Lockwood home, why is it special? This is from their web site...

"The fundamental strengths of a Lockwood home are unique. Lockwood walls are locked together, not nailed together. This locking system, combined with the use of vertical tie rods in the walls is what gives it the strength to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes all over the world.

The low maintenance qualities of Lockwood houses, the appealing designs and the ease and speed with which they can be built, makes Lockwood the perfect choice. Lovers of Lockwoods say they enjoy living in the natural timber home, and that they feel more relaxed, as though they are on holiday all year round. Some say they “feel healthier” and that their home is warmer and drier."

No bull... no, I do not work for them ;)

Dad and mum at a Lockwood show home :)

There are other hidden hazards in Godzown!

Other hazards to look out for...

The Evil Black Water Pipes...

You are satisfied the house you love is pretty good in earthquake standard AND it is not a leaky building (you might need a qualified person to check), now please make sure the connecting water pipes in the house are NOT the black plastic type.

Why? If they are, sooner or later; usually when you are on a long holiday, you might come home to a badly FLOODED house! If your dream home have walls of GIB, they will turn into mush... go read about our WET! WET! WET! experience ;)

I will change ALL the pipes to the approved GRAY coloured one (usually $3,000-4,000) or go buy another house ;)

Breaking In Is Not Hard To Do...

In 1988, when I was working as a Picture Editor at The Dominion; I can hear the police scanner at our crime desk; I had a cultural shock of the huge number of burgaries happening around Wellington everyday!

Cul-de-sac galore ;)

You might think that your dream home have lot of privacy because it is hidden in a cul-de-sac, well; the burglars love that too ;)

A "Burglar Unfriendly" drive way sandwiched by neighbors.

To prevent them carting your treasures away, you gotta think like them; they don't like to go into houses that have open space where your neighbors can see them. A long drive way they also hate, they can be seen walking out with your stuff!

Oh... a house alarm is a definite plus :)

Content Insurance...

For newly arrived and new house owners, please make sure your property insurance consists of HOUSE insurance AND CONTENT insurance.

In Asia, house insurance is but one insurance; I know of a friend who bought only the house insurance but not content and when his house was burnt down, the insurance company built another house on the land; but he did not get a cent for his treasures! Just replacing the carpets and curtains cost him thousands!

Famous Last Words...

It is also NOT a good idea to buy a property that sits on a fault line. You can check with the council where the fault line is in that area.

That's it...

Happy house hunting and enjoy your stay :)

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Decisive Moment 2.... are you READY?

2011-12-03T22:27:00.001+13:00

"To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

I was covering a job at the old folk's home in Penang, I saw this boy with a food basket; I changed to a 105 mm lens, the boy started distributing bananas; I focus on his face and shot at f4. First shot was slightly out of focus! This was the second shot and there was no third because he left :)

Those were the days without the luxury of hi-speed auto focus, you learn to quickly twist your focusing ring to snap your image out of whack and in another split second, twist the lens again to get it back in focus!

I remember fondly noticing photographers "turning" their lens left, then right; again and again, trying to find sharp focusing point. By then the brain is so confused, the resultant image will be blurred!

Were you ready?

"To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

You were doing your zoo round... you noticed some commotion and excitement in the lion's cage. The big cats were stalking all those delicious lamb chops outside the cage, so near yet so far!

You quickly changed to the 80-200 zoom, at 200 mm you compressed the perspective between the chops and the cats for a stronger composition.

I was ready... were you?

"The creative act lasts but a brief moment, a lightning instant of give-and-take, just long enough for you to level the camera and to trap the fleeting prey in your little box." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

You were covering the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia. You had your 600mm big lens aimed at the VIPs.

The fireworks went off prematurely, seconds before Queen Elizabeth II declared the Games closed! The VIPs reacted... I squeezed off half a dozen shots, did you?

Were you ready?

"If I have any ‘message’ worth giving to a beginner it is that there are no short cuts in photography." – Edward Weston

I was covering the Malaysian general election in Penang, at the Pulau Tikus polling center I spotted this boy waiting for his mother to cast her vote.

There were two issues here, you spotted the boy; you realised it is a decisive moment; the next FIVE seconds will decide how FAST and how well PREPARED you are with your camera!

Within seconds the boy left, the moment was; decisive after all!

The picture was ran on the front page of The Star.

The same picture was again used for the front of the 1999 General Election Special of The Star! It was also made into buntings and backdrops and were erected all over Malaysia.

A rough calculation will tell you that this pictures has been printed more than a MILLION TIMES! Wow!!

How is that for a record?

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Vienna - Best Quality Living Standard In The World!

2011-11-30T23:12:00.001+13:00

Vienna has the best living standard in the world, according to the Mercer 2011 Quality of Living survey.

According to MarketWatch...

"Living conditions are analyzed according to 39 factors, grouped in 10 categories, including politics and social environment, economic environment, health and sanitation, education, transportation, housing and recreation. Mercer’s Quality of Living index covers 221 cities, ranked against New York as the base city."

According to Mercer, Quality of Living Ranking; the Top 5 Cities are:

We remember Vienna, we were there for ONE night ;)

Friendly Vienna kids at the city square.

We remember the majestic palaces...

I remember the grand interior of the Schönbrunn Palace, where "Photography Not Allowed!"

Why? I don't know! May be they changed the rules now?

Tell me how many UNESCO World Heritage Site that you are not allowed to take pictures!

According to Wikipedia...

Schönbrunn Palace (German: Schloss Schönbrunn) is a former imperial 1,441-room Rococo summer residence in Vienna, Austria. One of the most important cultural monuments in the country, since the 1960s it has been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. The palace and gardens illustrate the tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Habsburg monarchs.

We also have fond memories of St. Stephen's Cathedral...

Where Le General took picture with a living statue ;)

From Wikipedia...

St. Stephen's Cathedral (German: Stephansdom) is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP.

Its current Romanesque and Gothic form seen today, situated at the heart of Vienna, Austria in the Stephansplatz, was largely initiated by Rudolf IV and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first being a parish church consecrated in 1147.

As the most important religious building in Austria's capital, the cathedral has borne witness to many important events in that nation's history and has, with its multi-colored tile roof, become one of the city's most recognizable symbols.

Le General remember the shop-till-you-drop feeling at the famous Kaerntner Strasse. Kärntner Straße (German for Carinthian street) is the most famous shopping street in central Vienna

We remember the US$30.00 sea food lunch...

"Dogs" in foreign name taste just as good ;)

Mozarts Geburtshaus Who? I think it meant Mozart's House?

While visiting Vienna in 1781, Mozart was dismissed from his Salzburg court musician position. He chose to stay in the capital, where he achieved fame but little financial security.

During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of his death.

The circumstances of his early death have been much mythologized. He was survived by his wife Constanze and two sons. - Wikipedia

Mozart's full name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart ;)

Vienna is also a romantic place, you don't believe me? Take a look at this candid capture!

We miss this lovely city, Vienna; we will be back!

On The Other Hand...

The Economist's World's Most Liveable Cities 2011 (Top 10)


	City	Country	Rating
1	Melbourne	Australia	97.5
2	Vienna	Austria	97.4
3	Vancouver	Canada	97.3
4	Toronto	Canada	97.2
5	Calgary	Canada	96.6
6	Sydney	Australia	96.1
7	Helsinki	Finland	96.0
8	Perth	Australia	95.9
9	Adelaide	Australia	95.9
10	Auckland	New Zealand	95.7

Digital Zoom vs Optical Zoom

2011-11-29T21:36:00.001+13:00

Most point & shoot cameras came with digital zoom feature, you might even been impressed by the "extra pull" that the digital zoom on your P&S can do; what exactly is digital zoom?

Wikipedia explained...

"Digital zoom is a method of decreasing (narrowing) the apparent angle of view of a digital photographic or video image. Digital zoom is accomplished by cropping an image down to a centered area with the same aspect ratio as the original, and usually also interpolating the result back up to the pixel dimensions of the original. It is accomplished electronically, with no adjustment of the camera's optics, and no optical resolution is gained in the process."

Huh? A bit too much for you? ;)

What it meant was digital zoom is actually taking your picture with the optical zoom at it's longest focal length, then electronically enlarged the centered area, in camera; to give an impression that your zoom lens is much longer!

The digital zoom of my Canon G9 made it look like I was right behind the photographer, I was actually so far away that these tourists don't even know I snapped this shot :)

About photography dot com advised...

"If you are using a digital point and shoot camera you may have something called "digital zoom". In order to preserve maximum image quality you should avoid digital zoom whenever possible. If it is your only option, use it. If you have the option of optical zoom, use that instead."

Is the quality of digital zoom really that bad?

That candid shot outside the Colosseum look pretty decent for a A4 print, as a matter of fact; it still look pretty good when pushed to A3!

A 300% cut from the JPEG file that was shot in digital zoom mode

The Birds Return...

Not that kind of birds, duh! I am talking about the gregarious Tuis that visit the huge NZ flax plant outside my dinner room window.

I did write about my obsession on this native NZ birds :)

I decided to try the digital zoom of the G12 on this active bird.

Active was the understatement, the way my Tui boobed about made it really tough to get a decent frame! Here are three of the best ;)

They all look pretty decent images but can the quality withstand more blow-up?

This is a 300% cut of the first picture, not great but passable; I was surprise how well the G12 pixels hold up! After being blow-up by the digital zoom, I expected worst!

To find out how much better an optical zoom can do, I took out my E-P2 and my old faithful; the 25 year old Nikkor 80-200 f4 zoom. These are the best two. Both were shot at 200 mm, on the E-P2 M4/3 format; that was a 400 mm FOV!

I will blow-up the second picture and you can see for yourself how much better is optical zoom.

The quality of a top optics, 25 years old and still deliver top notch result!

How about a prime lens? Can a 25 year old Summicron 90/2 perform in this situation? Here are the best three. Since the Summicron have a 180 mm FOV on the E-P2, the image of the bird is much smaller than those shot with the 80-200.

The image of the bird taken by the 90 mm might be small but take a look at the blow-up!

May be now you understand why a Leica prime lens cost an arm and a leg ;) And mine is 25+ year old!

Famous Last Words:

I discovered there are such a lot of paranoid advice on digital zoom!

One site advice...

"Do me a favor. If your digital camera offers a digital zoom option, go get your camera right now and turn this option off! Don't use it... ever"

Serious!!

My advice?

If you need it, use it! And only by using can you find out the good and bad (it is NOT all bad) of this pseudo zoom!

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You Can Have Your Cake Lapis And Eat It Too!

2011-11-26T10:16:00.001+13:00

If you read my 2009 posting of "Nyonya Food At Its Best, In Auckland?!", you would know Charles and Janet. Charles and me go back a long way, he was the News Editor and I the Picture Editor of The Star in Penang, way back in the 1970s! We were the pioneers. We covered some serious news jobs together :)

Charles and Janet were the owner of the Sri Intan Malaysian & Vietnamese Cuisine in Mt Albert, Auckland.

Charles and Janet at Sri Intan time...

So when Janet asked daughter Mei to pass me one of her Kek Lapis, would I say no? Hee hee...

For all of you who don't know what Kek Lapis is, here is a bit of history...

According to Wikipedia:

"Spekkoek (also called Spiku in some cities in Indonesia) or more popularly called lapis legit in Indonesia is a Dutch-Indonesian layered cake. It was developed during colonial times in the Dutch East Indies and may have been based on Dutch cake recipes using local ingredients.

The cake may be connected to a type of Dutch biscuit called speculaas and the mixture of spices is similar to kek lapis, with the pepper being replaced with mace and anise. In Indonesia, the cake is very popularly known as lapis legit, which literally means (very) sweet layer-cake.

The name of the cake is derived from the typical bi-coloured layered structure which is reminiscent of bacon (lit. bacon-cake). This layered structured is achieved by using two colours of batter, dark and light, which are poured on top of the cured layer consecutively. This makes the baking of spekkoek a very labour-intensive process.

In Indonesia, spekkoek is enjoyed during Chinese New Year, Eid ul-Fitr and Christmas celebrations. It is also served or given as gifts in many local festivities, sometimes in a birthday party and wedding."

The rather heavy (in weigh) layered Kek Lapis from Janet

My favorite recipe site Nyonya Food Rasa Malaysia has this to say about this aromatic cake:

"Kek Lapis is a very unique cake where spices are added in to give the sweet aroma smell. It is a very rich cake with very high contents of eggs and butter. Therefore, it is usually served in very small pieces.

Making Kek Lapis is a very tedious job but it is worth the hard work when you see the beautiful layers of the cake. More so when we see our friends and loved ones enjoying every bite of it. Kek Lapis is not actually a Nyonya recipe, but a great baking recipe to share with Nyonya Food readers."

I invited our friends Peter and Ivy to taste Janet's creation, Ivy; herself is exceptional in baking cakes, her ultra light and fluffy Pandan Cake is to die for!

Ivy sliced the very rich Lapis cake into thin slices.

Cake Lapis is best eaten in small portions like this :)

Well, they say "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." We all agreed Janet's cake is very moist and the texture is firm yet with just the right fluffiness.

It is rich but not overly sweet, the added spice is not over powering but Ivy and I prefer a bit more all spice; but that is just her and me ;)

The cake is very rich, I think two slices will satisfy your craving; the rest of the cake can be kept in the freezer and left to thaw at room temperature before eating.

Charles email me...

"CY,

Please tell me whether you enjoyed the cake.

We used 20 eggs, cordon bleu brandy, sugar, spices etc. to make the cake. Each layer has to be baked separately one on top of the other -- takes three hours to complete one cake.

It's really painstaking. It's a labour of love.

Janet is selling it to friends in Auckland for $48 each. They collect from the house. She delivers to her mahjong kaki.

Mei is coming to Auckland on Boxing Day for two weeks. If you have friends who are interested, she can return with one or two personally but more than that will be problematic.

Basically it is for Aucklanders.

So far, feedback from cake lovers here is favourable.

They can call Janet on 09-8488033 or 021-948333.

Charles

Thank you Charles and Janet, we really enjoyed the cake!!

You lucky Aucklanders, if you crave for Kek Lapis, you know who to call!

**
Special thanks to Ivy for her tasting and professional feed back :)

Going Out Station In My Lancer VRX Sportback

2011-11-20T19:42:00.001+13:00

In case you are wondering what "Going Out Station" mean, it is the Malaysian way of saying "going out of town"; or taking a longish drive to another town. ;)

If you read my "Family Week End @ Napier", you knew that we drove more than 680 km to Napier and back in my Lancer VRX Sportback.

Mind you, I only drove half way there and May-N drove the rest and all the way back.

So how did the VRX performed on a long trip?

My VRX Sportback on top of Te Mata Peak, Napier.

The first leg of our journey was to cross the ridges from the Hutt Valley to Featherston and beyond by driving up the Rimutaka Range.

I find the VRX have plenty of uphill power provided you drop to 3rd gear with the paddle shift!

You do not want to get carry away with some of the sharp corners though, if you lose control; you will end up in the ravine because there are no Armco barrier to stop your car!

Some part of the Rimutaka do have Armco to prevent car bungee.

The road going up the Range is not particularly smooth, then there are a few road work and I was disappointed how harsh the suspension are, the ultra low profile tyres not helping!

It was bone jarring on some rough stretch!

After the Rimutaka I was glad May-N took over.

She quickly found and used the steering mounted cruise control and believe you me, on long trip and to maintain a constant 100 kph; the control is priceless!

Cruise control on the VRX steering.

This is how you use the cruise control:

Turn on the cruise control by pressing the ON/OFF button and the cruise lamp will light up on the dashboard.

Drive to your desired speed, for NZ; 100 kph and press the COAST SET button. From then on, the VRX will maintain that speed even when you are going up a steep slope or cornering!

You can hear and feel the engine and gear box work seamlessly to maintain your cruising speed, it is like magic ;)

You can cancel the control by pressing CANCEL of just by touching the brake or accelerator pedal.

When press and hold, the ACC RES button let you increase your set speed slowly; if you press and release it will make the car go 1.6 km/h faster.

Another thing we find annoying is the rather loud road noise generated by the "standard issued" 18" ultra low profile (215/45R18 89W ) Yokohama Advan tyres.

Ten spoke alloy wearing 18" ultra low Yokohama rubber.

I am sure this high performance tyres are engineered for smooth autobahn high speed road. New Zealand roads are really rough and this contributed to the road noise from these otherwise excellent high performance rubber!

The cornering prowess of these fat & low Yokos are well documented though, check out this video below of May-N charging down the narrow road on Te Mata Peak!

She had the paddle shift set to 3rd gear and traction was impeccable!

The video was shot with me on the back seat with the Olympus E-P2 outside the window, the ultra wide Panasonic Lumix-G-Vario 7-14/4 provide the incredible view!

My VRX Sportback parked on the summit of Te Mata Peak.

Overall my Lancer VRX Sportback did very well, May-N was impressed with the power, the marvelous Cruise Control; she did not complain about the road noise though :) She reckoned may be I should have bought a Toyota Corolla which she think is "more economical", but "not as much fun", I retort! ;)

Our younger daughter Ming-N was impressed that she is able to plug her iPod into the cd/radio which then play her selections.

It was dizzying on our way back to Wellington, descending the Rimutaka is much safer than going up. Take a look at this video, notice the wired wooden stakes for out of control car... ha ha ha... these Kiwis sure have a strange sense of humour ;)

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NOSTALGIA - BIKINIS Pictures NOT Allowed!!

2011-11-16T23:51:00.001+13:00

nos·tal·gia, noun - a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life...

Malaysia's leading English diary newspaper The Star was born on 9 September 1971.

From day one; Mr K.S.Choong, the founder decided that a bikini clad "Beach Girl" will grace Page 3. "Page 3 girls always sell paper!" Choong reckoned ;)

I remember fondly that I went to a lot of these "Beach Girl Job", usually the News Editor; Charles Chan will assign a cub reporter to tag along for "job experience".

Charles comment recently...

"Come to think of it, The Star's circulation was truly boosted by boobs, cleavages and miles and miles of legs. People of Penang must truly have been missing something vital in their lives!

CY, in my next life I want to come back as a pixman!"

Ha ha ha...

Reporter Gerrie Teng who had been to many of this "envious jobs" with me said...

"Yes, Leow, those were the fun days where bikini-clad girls were our page 3 girls!! and you remember.. we have to go along the 'tourist belt' then to get those sporting Mat Salleh girls to pose for us.

Must have made them feel like beauty queens!!"

This is a clipping of one of my beach girl, Christine Chang; who was 27 when I took her photo.

Where are you now, Christine? S.F. or may be settled in Penang under the Malaysia's My Second Home programme? :)

But good things always come to an end...

November 11, 1975 in The Star

The sad part of that "law" was even bikini clad women are not allowed!

I can understand the "public morality" on topless girls and "peek-a-boo" blouses, but bikini?

After November 11, 1975; The Star was never the same again :(

Famous Last Words...

One of the Editor from The Star told me:

"CY, I was at that meeting on behalf of The Star.

Those ministry killjoys might as well ban pictures of any woman in the newspapers.

They even had a restriction regarding the thickness of the strap for a one-piece swimsuit.

The way a woman displays her hands -- whether they are on the hips, raised behind the head exposing the armpit or placed strategically across the bosom --- no can do!

Even the famous half-smile closed eyes and pouting lips pose made famous by Marilyn Monroe was taboo.

I've never met a more ridiculous bunch of censors."

Shame on you! You bunch of HYPOCRITES!!!

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Family Week End @ Napier

2011-11-15T20:05:00.001+13:00

Family outing is very important to us, due to our busy schedules and May-N (our eldest daughter) working in London; do not make it any easier to have a short quality time together.

Last week end, since she is back in Wellington for a short break; we head for Napier to spend our week end together. The last time our family were holidaying together was in April last year, we had a great time in London, Rome and Paris :)

This time round our trip is much shorter and a lot nearer ;)

According to Wikipedia...

Napier (called Ahuriri in the Māori language) is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about 58,600 as of the June 2010 estimate.

Napier is about 320 kilometres northeast of the capital city of Wellington.

I estimated a leisure 5 hour drive (including lunch stop) over the Rimutaka Range will get us there.

I never fancy driving up the Rimutakas, take a look at the video grab below :)

Part of the Rimutakas road are line with wooden stakes and wire!

Yes, hard to believe but true; part of the road on the highest part of the range are only line with "wooden stakes" and wires, as if they are gonna stop your out of control car going down 100 meters into the ravine!

It was like that in 1988 and still the same now ;)

After lunch May-N took over driving, how time flies; she is a much better driver than me :)

We reached Napier at 2.15 pm and check into Navigate Seaside Accommodation.

We had a family room for NZ$200.00 a night.

Nice spacious family room plus two single beds in a separate bedroom.

At the corner of the room there is a balcony with a lockable big sliding glass door, when the door is closed; the huge glass panel next to the door is invisible and one of us bump right into the glass!

Clear and Present Danger! Can you see the glass panel on the right side of the locked door?

I can see that this is a potential disaster waiting to happen, especially excited running children who might just crash through the invisible glass wall!

I did made a long comment in the hotel guest comment card, I hope they rectify the problem. It can be as simple as covering the bottom part of the glass panel with a translucent film.

Le General at the hotel's veranda.

** Latest... Received an email from the Property Manager of Navigate today (16 Nov)

"Dear Mr Leow,

Thank you for choosing Navigate for your stay in Napier and also for taking the time to complete the Guest Comment Card. Your feedback has prompted me to look at a strip to put on the slider window to avoid any mishaps. I am pleased to read that you enjoyed your visit to Napier and most importantly that your accommodation met your expectations."

I am impressed! Great service :)

Wikipedia inform me that...

Napier is a popular tourist city, with a unique concentration of 1930s Art Deco architecture.

Thousands of people flock to Napier every February for the Art Deco Weekend event, a celebration of its Art Deco heritage and history.

Other notable tourist events attracting many outsiders include the region's annual Wine & Food Festival (named Harvest Hawke's Bay), and Mission Concert at the Mission Estate Winery in the nearby township of Taradale.

We took a walk around the city, the ladies looking for shops and I for Art Deco architectures.


The Daily Telegraph building in Napier. The Daily Telegraph Building is considered to be one of Napier's classic Art Deco buildings. It is the third Daily Telegraph building to be built in Napier. The Daily Telegraph newspaper was established in February 1871.

Hawke's Bay Today - local paper

Most of the shops are closed for the week end in Napier.

Sunday morning coming down... Lone cyclist at the shopping area.

Even coffee shop in Napier are arty ;)


The Public Trust Office, Napier. The firm of Hyland and Philips designed the Public Trust Office in a stripped classical style. It was completed in 1922 but was repaired and strengthened in 1931 after the earthquake.

Napier Municipal Theatre.

According to the Napier City Council web site...

The Napier Municipal Theatre's unique Art Deco heritage has been preserved with the skillful addition of modern theatre facilities making it the best provincial performing arts centre in the nation. The theatre is a model of architectural beauty and Art Deco style and its stage has been graced with international acts and local performers alike.

The theatre has a seating capacity of 993. The stunning auditorium is available for hire for everything from stage productions to corporate launches.

The circular Pan Pac foyer offers yet another stunning environment in which to entertain, exhibit, conference or simply hold an unforgettable function.

Seating 300 theatre-style or 80 banquet-style this attractive foyer is an ideal small entertainment venue complete with full bar servery facilities.

The Pan Pac foyer is also home to the Napier agency of Ticketek and TicketDirect two of New Zealand's largest ticket booking agencies.

Our hotel is right on the foreshore area of Spriggs Park, we had a stroll along the beach; the Park is Napier's playground.

Mega buck sea front property in Napier, opposite Spriggs Park.

Mega buck automobile parked at Spriggs Park foreshore.

Smile! You Are On Candid Camera!

The "black" sand beach at Spriggs Park, Penangites probably wonder what the fuss is all about ;)

Ahh.. what was it like to be young again?

Most of New Zealand beaches look like this, you either love it or loath it ;)

There are two more attractions we are going to visit before driving back to Wellington.

Te Mata Peak which is behind Havelock North, gives a 360° views of Hawke’s Bay. Rising 399m above sea level, the peak is steeped in Maori legend.

The peak also provides prime sites for hang gliding and paragliding, mountain biking and road cycling, abseiling, orienteering and Nordic walking.

The Clean Green New Zealand landscapes!

The worn "Danger Keep Off!" sign, it is a mighty deep drop after the sign!!

On a clear day you can see forever..

Last stop, food glorious food at the Black Barn Vineyard's prize winning bistro! It was named "Cuisine NZ Winery Restaurant Of The Year 2011".

The Black Barn Vineyard

The simple bistro with a view of the vineyard.

May and Ming at our table, look at all the wine glasses! Alas, we don't drink :)

Le General under the yum yum tree, I mean FIG tree :)

So what did we have for lunch? Well for starters, we shared...

Crispy Local Whitebait with potato and thyme. “Humminghill” organic egg frittata, gremolata dressing; chargrilled lime. $23.00

Pressed Free Range Duck and Pork Terrine scented with orange and ginger pistachio and sage
Braeburn apple and herb chutney $19.00

Our mains...

May-N and Le General had:

Twice Cooked Free Range Pork Belly
pear and apple syrup glaze
chilli pineapple salsa
sesame bok choy
kumara and ginger mash
asian broth
$34.00

Ming-N choosed:

Spatchcock Poussin
barbecue tamarind marinated
coriander, cashew, radish “slaw”
kaffir lime scented glass noodles
rock sugar dressing
$33.00

I went for New Zealand lamb!

Hawkes Bay Lamb Shortloin
rubbed with Orcona paprika
smoked beetroot
spinach and Hohepa ricotta dumplings
lamb broth
$35.00

Our lunch bill (plus 4 fruity drinks and GST) came to NZ$ 238.00, I can hear our Malaysian friend's chin drop ;) that amount is equivalent to RM 580.00!!

That amount, in Malaysia; is 1/3 monthly average pay for millions of wage earners!

Have you not notice we were the only Asian dinners there? Ha ha ha...

How was the taste?

Each of the offering have their own very distinct flavor which is quite subtle, not over powering like Chinese cooking. I suppose "Fine Dinning" is an acquired taste ;)

Our main took one hour to arrive, I think that is pushing "a relaxing lunch" a bit too far!

All in all, we all had a very enjoyable week end.

The drive back was pleasant, May-N made my Lancer VRX Sportsback did all the work; the cruise control is performing very well, but that is another story ;)

I look forward to our next family outing!!

New Zealand rank 4th Most Prosperous Country?!

2011-11-08T23:23:00.002+13:00

The 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index is out, New Zealand and Australia up one better than last year's rating to become 3rd and 4th!

What is this index all about? It is NOT all about how "wealthy" $$$ your country is... or else China will be number one ;)

According to Wikipedia...

The Legatum Prosperity Index is an annual ranking developed by the Legatum Institute of 110 countries, according to a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth, personal well being, and quality of life. Norway topped the list of the 2010 (and 2011) report.

Queen Street, Auckland; New Zealand.

The 2010 Legatum Prosperity Index is based on 89 different variables analysed across 110 nations around the world. Source data includes Gallup World Poll, WTO, World Development Indicators, GDP, World Intellectual Property Organization, UN Human Development Report, World Bank, OECD, World Values Survey. The 89 variables are grouped into 8 sub-indexes which are averaged using equal weights. The 8 sub-indexes are:

Economy
Entrepreneurship & Opportunity
Governance
Education
Health
Safety & Security
Personal Freedom
Social Capital

Sky Tower reflection on a skyscraper in Auckland.

For example, Personal Freedom includes freedom of speech and religion, national tolerance for immigrants and ethnic and racial minorities.

The Social Capital sub-index includes the percentage of citizens who volunteer, give to charity, help strangers, and who feel they can rely on family and friends.

Anti racism march in Wellington, New Zealand.

2011 Top 10 Country:

1. Norway 2. Denmark 3. Australia 4. New Zealand 5. Sweden
6. Canada 7. Finland 8. Switzerland 9. Netherlands 10. United States

Father and son, Copenhagen; Denmark.

Where is Malaysia and Singapore placed?

Singapore rank 16 and Malaysia a disappointing 43! China, by the way is 52!

My MacBook Pro Return From Death

2011-11-05T15:32:00.000+13:00

Shortly after Steve Jobs died, my beloved Macbook Pro kicked the bucket too!

It happened when I was getting rid of OS-X Lion and just reinstalled Snow Leopard.

The MBP booted up with its startup chime, but there was nothing on the screen!

Like a good Apple user I reset the PRAM and the NVRAM, no go; I then connect the MBP to another screen, still nothing!

A search in Google confirmed the fault most likely was caused by the Nvidia fiasco!

According to Apple:

"In July 2008, NVIDIA publicly acknowledged a higher than normal failure rate for some of their graphics processors due to a packaging defect.

At that same time, NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected.

However, after an Apple-led investigation, Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected.

If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty."

Happier time... my MBP driving the Viewsonic VP2250wb 21"

To tell you the truth, I was worried! Why? Because my MBP was bought in San Francisco Apple store way back in 2007 and it just pass the 4 years entitlement!

A quick search told me there are only TWO authorised Apple repairer in Wellington...

Service Plus which will courier my sick MBP to Hamilton, 500 Km from Wellington! I don't think so ;)

And, there is YOOBEE in town! YOOBEE? Eh?

Then I found out YOOBEE is the new MagnumMac, a re-branding by Apple distributors Renaissance (who bought MagnumMac) etc etc...

Whatever!

Since my previous experience with MagnumMac was not encouraging, I was a bit skeptical when I took my MBP to YOOBEE!

Imaging my surprise the NEXT DAY, when I received a text message on my mobile phone:

Regarding YOOBEE repair xxxxx :

Hi C.Y, Your repair is now in progress. We will be in touch with you shortly with an update. Any queries call 08004966233. Thanks

I was IMPRESSED!!

Another text message the next day got me calling YOOBEE and I was told that they confirmed the fault is due to the Nvidia graphic chip, to fix the problem a new logic board (motherboard) costing $1,200 is needed! And that is not including labour charges which I estimated to be another $400!

With that amount I can get a NEW MBP in San Francisco!

I told them since it is the Nvidia chip, I feel Apple should fix it FOC; they say I have to talk to Apple myself and I was patched to Apple in Australia, who then patched me to Apple South Asia Pte Ltd at Ang Mo Kio; Singapore!

I was most impressed by the Support Advisor who handle my case!

She told me she will get back to me the next day, she did and I was told Apple will replace the logic board, FOC! Thank you for your excellent service Cherrie!

On the same day YOOBEE txt me that they are waiting for the part (logic board), ETA 2 days and sure enough I got back my MBP 2 days later!

I am sure YOOBEE, Apple has gone into great pain to give this kind of A1 service; how can I not love Apple products? :)

Oh... the day my MBP died, I went and bought a new 21.5" 2.5GHz iMac for $1,999.00 This model still come with Snow Leopard! Yeepee!!

My revived MacBook Pro with my new iMac driving the Viewsonic on Thunderbolt.

Famous Last Words:

I was hooked on Apple way back in 1992 when I was working for the Singapore Chinese Newspaper Group. I was amazed all the reporters were typing their stories (in Chinese) on tiny Apple Macintosh!

In the same year I convinced my boss, Mr Loy, the Group Editor; who has the vision to approve the purchase of a Quadra 950 which cost a whopping S$30,000 to form my first electronic picture desk.

Four months later, with the help of interest free company loan I bought myself a Quadra 840AV costing S$8,700. My wife think I am going mad ;)

From left, the floppy disk only Macintosh; the Quadra 840 AV and the 950.

In the same year I had my 840 AV, I also bought a PC with a 486 chip. It was during that time I found out the advantage of the Mac over the PC, which; crashed so often I forgot to count ;)

The Mac?

Ken Rockwell have this to say why he use Mac and I quote...

"Why do we use Mac? Simple: It just works.

We get more done in less time without any aggravation.

It's not just how fast it runs benchmarks. It's mostly because it just runs without the viruses, spam, crashes and constant need for support, reboots, upgrades, defrags and maintenance without which Windows simply stops working after a few weeks. I only have to reboot my desktop Mac when I return from a trip during which I turned it off! It runs smoothly for months at a time!"

Through the years I also owned G3, G4 and at work I use G5.

Thank you Steve Jobs for your vision and created user-friendly computing. I hope Apple continue to innovate and create the future that you envisioned!

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Color Fidelity Of E-P2 Kit Lens

2011-11-01T01:03:00.000+13:00

It is Halloween again :)

We got home rather late at 7pm, get our sweets and lollies ready and watch group of fancy dressed children walk past our house!

Eh? They came for trick or treat last year, why not this time?

We only learn why when a visiting neighbour told us the kids only knock on door of house when they see a balloon tied on the fence!

When was that rule implemented? DUH!

Thank goodness some kids did come or we will have to eat all the lollies ourselves!

Waiting for the BIG HAND OUT ;)

This little Spider Man (boy?) simply refuse to look at my G12 :)

Little Spider Man crawling away when Le General try to hold him :)

Mum keeping an eye on her little "monster" coming up our drive way.

Those shots you see above were shot with my Canon G12, it was 7.20 pm, I was a bit disappointed with the rather "cold" color of the point & shoot.

From memory, light at this time (7 pm +) of the year should be "warm" and wanting!

When I saw our next door neighbour's kids approaching, I went for my Olympus E-P2.

Wow! Look at the colour fidelity of the "cheap" kit (zoom) lens on the E-P2!

Diwa Labs did test this Olympus 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom, the result was not very exciting; especially the chromatic aberration was "annoying" in all f stops!

Can you see any CA on the above picture?

I cannot!

Famous Last Words:

Stop worrying about what the lens test show... lenses are for taking pictures, not shooting charts!

Oh... contrary to popular believes, a "kit zoom" can produce beautiful colour fidelity too!

Remembering Wakefield Market In Wellington

2011-10-24T23:00:00.003+13:00

Migrants from Malaysia and Singapore are more "tum chiak" (greedy for food in Penang Hokkien) than migrants from other countries ;)

We belongs to that tum chiak group! We came from a small island (Penang) synonymous with good food. Penang is well known for its abundance of authentic hawkers’ delights which the locals claim, cannot be duplicated elsewhere!

Shortly after we arrived in Wellington, 1988; we found to our horror; there were no hawkers fair in this "Coolest Little Capital" of New Zealand!

All you can get is "take away" of adulterated "Chinese food" to suit local taste!

We were ecstatic when our friends took us to the only "hawkers centre" at 181, Wakefield Street! The "centre", a small space on top of an office block has only four food stalls; beggars no choosers, we were happy!

Hawkers centre or Asian Food Court come and go in Wellington, the last one was situated at Wakefield Market. We loved this old, run down venue!

From the outside the market looks old and really run down. There was only a small sign on the wall, indicating that they sell food in there. But once you enter the place, you can smell food, glorious food!

There were a range of stalls, mainly Asians; Indian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican foods were on offer. They were all very good and the price was cheaper than any where else!

My favorite was the stall serving Malaysian and Singaporean food, it was operated by two friendly young Singaporeans. I love their nasi biryani!

A popular Indian Muslim dish of saffron rice and meat. It is sold by both Indians and Malays, and is essential at Malay weddings.

Sorry I forgot your names! But thanks for your excellent services, great food and big smiles! Hope you girls find what you are looking for!

Then there was the stall that sell our favorite "won ton" dried noodle! Their BBQ pork was really yummy too!

Ah Kim, owner of the said noodle shop with his staff. Kim has passed away couple years ago :(

Ah Kim at his stall, notice the sign board on the wall showing all their famous dishes at $8.50 each!

The popular Roti Chenai and Lion City food stalls at the Wakefield Market.

On the 28 October 2007, Wakefield Market is closed for good. The building is torn down and to be made into a fancy apartment block by Watermark.

Famous Last Words:

We drove pass the demolished site this afternoon, what do you know; it is still EMPTY ;)

According to the National Business Review...

"The scale of Wellington luxury property development Watermark has been slashed after the struggling project’s financial issues reached tipping point."

Adios Wakefield Market, you will be missed!

Hotshots - A Tribute To Photographers Of The Star

2011-10-18T23:12:00.000+13:00

I step into our office at 9 am this morning and our receptionist told me there is a courier pack on my desk!

What can it be? I don't recall I ordered anything from the net.

My heart missed a beat when I remove the content from the pack!

A spanking new, hot off the press copy of Hotshots, a commemorative coffee table book of "40 years of great news images by The Star photographers"!

40 YEARS LATER, ITS ABOUT BLOODY TIME!! I can't help but muttering to myself ;)

There is also a thank you card inside the courier bag.

The card is from June H.L. Wong, Editor of Hotshots and Managing Editor of The Star; she thank me for my help and input.

"You are such an important part of the book as well as Star's history. Thanks again for all your generous help."

My generous help were the hundreds of emails between me and young YC Meng (Meng Yew Choong) who is a writer for the book.

So what is the book like?

To tell you the truth, it has been doing its round at my office and everyone who browse through it; was impressed! All think the cover design is really professional :)

Back home, I myself only have a chance to go through the book, page by page; at 8 pm! I can't let the book go till I am at the last page! It is that kind of book... but may be I am getting old, melancholy!

After I finished, I had tears in my eyes! Why? This compilation of 40 years of great, historical; decisive news images by EVERY Star photographers, past and present is like a VINDICATION of sort...

A vindication for the team of photographers I lead in my third time as Picture Editor at The Star, where the team of Editors have no respect for our work!

Thank goodness to the present team who finally show the world The Star have some of the best photographers!

Who said a hard as nail old photographer cannot shed tears ;)

If after reading my rant and you still want a copy of Hotshot, here is the good news; this large, hi gross; 250 page book is selling at RM59.90 at bookstores.

Now the BAD NEWS... Star Publications will launch this historical pictorial somewhere in November this year.

Because of that I cannot show you whats inside the book :(

Sorry you will have to wait, but believe you me; the waiting is WORTH IT!

Footnote...

I remember June when she was a cub reporter and the time we were looking for "human interest" pictures at Zoo Negara.

My shot of the "Nervous Monkey" with June's snappy caption made it big in The Star.

But did you know she took some sequence shots of the naughty monkey trying to relief me of my Nikon SLR? Ha ha ha...

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Soul Of Our Nation - Other Communities

2011-10-16T14:39:00.003+13:00

ADDING onto the already multi-cultural, multi-ethnic
population of Malaysia are smaller communities scattered throughout the peninsula and in Sabah and Sarawak.

Officially, these groups are classified as Lain-lain or Others.

Although they are only a small minority on their own, the Lain-lain groups collectively form a sizeable portion of Malaysia's almost 21 million people.

In the peninsula, orang asli, Portuguese, Eurasians and Malaysian Thais are just a few of these small communities.

Orang asli are scattered throughout the peninsula, from the Malaysia/Thai border to Johor. Generally categorised as bumiputras, orang asli are divided into three groups - Negritos, Senois and Proto-Malays.

The present population of orang asli is 92,529, according to statistics compiled by the Department of Orang Asli Affairs (JHEOA). Of this, 2,972 are Negritos, 49,440 Senois and 40,117 Proto-Malays.

Up until the 1960s, most of the orang asli were jungle dwellers who foraged in the vast forests of the peninsula for their daily subsistence. Being animists, they depended on the spirits in their surroundings to keep them safe, often invoking their help in cases of illness or strife in the community. This was done mainly through a sewang (seance) session which was almost always a village-wide affair.

Nowadays, with changes brought about by religion, education and the cash economy, many orang asli have given up their traditional lifestyle.

Almost five centuries of European presence, starting with the Portuguese conquest of Malacca in 1511, then the Dutch and later the British, was bound to leave its mark on the social make-up of Malaysia.

A prominent aspect is the presence of a sizeable community of Eurasians who are descended from inter-marriages between locals and Europeans, and also between Europeans and children of Chinese and Indian immigrants who had earlier made this country their home.

Among the Eurasians, the Malaysian Portuguese stand out as a distinct group of people who are linked together by their beliefs, religious practices and language. To this day, the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca remains their cultural and religious meeting point; the place where they congregate in their thousands to celebrate important festivals like Festa de San Juang and Festa De San Pedro. Festivals are usually celebrated with spirited singing and robust dancing.

Up on the northern frontier, a community of Malaysian Thais makes another piece of the colourful and intricate jigsaw that is the Malaysian populace. In Kedah alone, there is an estimated 26,000 Malaysian Thais residing in some 55 villages. The rest are scattered around Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Penang.

Members of the Malaysian Thai community are linked by their religious beliefs (most are Buddhists), the use of a common dialect called Pai Thai and a rich cultural heritage related to Thailand. Besides Pai Thai, they also speak the more conventional Bahasa Malaysia, English and Hokkien. The Hokkien influence is the result of inter-racial marriages and living with Chinese people in the same village.

The formation of Malaysia in 1963, when Malaya and two former British in Borneo - Sabah (then North Borneo) and Sarawak - federated together to become a new political entity, led to further enhancement in the social milieu of the entire nation.

Like Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah were also a melting pot of diverse ethnic communities and immigrant groups which had coalesced after a few centuries of living together.

Unlike Malaya's population which could be generally classified into three distinct groups, Sabah's and Sarawak's were made up of a great diversity of linguistic, cultural and ethnic groups ranging from relatively large communities like the Kadazandusun (Sabah) and Iban (Sarawak) to small groups such as the semi-nomadic Penans (Sarawak) and the Lundayeh (Sabah).

Although it covers an area 124,449 sq km in size, Sarawak is relatively underpopulated when compared to other Malaysian states like Selangor or Penang.

However, its population of only 1.9 million people is a bewildering mix of 29 indigenous groups including Malays, and immigrant groups comprising the Chinese, Indians and others, mainly Eurasians and Europeans.

For administrative purposes the people of Sarawak are respectively categorised as Iban, Bidaytih, Melanau, Malar, Orang Ulu, Chinese, Indian and Others.

While Ibans make up the largest ethnic grouping, Melanaus are reportedly one of the earliest groups to inhabit Sarawak. Bidayuhs are believed to be the original settlers of Kuching, the state capital and the Kayans are the largest sub-group under the Orang Ulu category.

Though not a thorough representation of the people in the Land of the Hornbills, this section will attempt to provide a glimpse of life among the Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau and Kayan communities.

In the Land Below the Wind, the populace is also a highly diverse composition of both indigenous and non-indigenous groups. First, there are the indigenous and mainly non-Muslim communities such as the Kadazandusun, Murut and Lundayeh.

Included under this category are various sub-groups such as the Rungus, Lotud and Kwijau (Kadazandususn) and the Timogun, Tagal and Peluan (Murut). Traditionally agriculture-based, a large section of these communities have now become urbanised or live in suburban residential areas.

Muslim indigenous such as the Bajau, Suluk, Illanun, Brunei and Kedayan make up the next group. In this group, the Bajaus are the most numerous and can be categorised into two groups, the west coast Bajau and east coast Bajau.

Immigrant groups who settled in Sabah over the past 100 years - the Chinese, Europeans, Bugis, Filipinos, Timorese and other Indonesians - make up the rest of the population.

A unique group of immigrants are the Cocos, a culturally and economically vibrant community who live in the vicinity of Tawau, Kunak and Lahad Datu on the east coast. A throwback to colonial times, the Cocos were originally inhabitants of Cocos Island in the Indian Ocean. They were accorded bumiputra status when they arrived between 1949 and 1952 in a (British) government-sponsored immigration program.

Intermarriage between members of Sabah's different communities, which was popular in the passband remains so in the present, has led to a linguistic and ethnic polyglot that is hard to find anywhere else in the world.

With each group in possession of distinctive cultures, traditions and customs, there are presently more than 50 languages and well over 100 dilates in use in Sabah.

Taken as separate entities, the smaller communities are without doubt a minority, but each group has indelibly carved its own mark on the large Malaysian society.

* Text taken from page 120 to 123 of "Soul Of Our Nation" under Other Communities.

Attired in full traditional costume and astride their equally well-decorated horses, the Bajau "Cowboys of Borneo" are a spectacular sight to behold. Bajaus comprise the largest Muslim indigenous group in Sabah and the population is split between the east coast and west coast.
Although both share a common heritage, there are distinct differences in the lifestyle between each group. The west coast Bajaus are more land-oriented with agriculture being their main occupation.
The vast plains drained by the Kedamaian Tempassuk Rivers in Kota Belud offer good agricultural land which supports a system of mixed farming and animal husbandry. For this reason, the west coast Bajau enjoy good repute as rearers of buffaloes, cattle and horses.
As a reflection of their sea-based lifestlye, the Bajaus of the east coast especially Semporna and its nearby islands are represented by the lepa, a traditional fishing boat.

Tied to the sea. Over the past few decades, majority of Bajaus in the east coast have taken to land-based activities such as agriculture, business and formal employment in government and private sectors. Some, however,still look to the sea for their livelihood and spend most of their time on boats as they move from one place to another harvesting the riches of the sea.

A traditional Kayan wedding in Long Liko, a village in the upper readies of the Balui River, a tributary of the Rejang. Bride and groom are both seated on gongs. The Kayan people, a sub-group under the Orang Ulu category, are found mainly in the middle Baram. Upper Rejang and the lower Tubau river systems in Sarawak. Kayan oral traditions trace the history of the Kayan people only as far as the Apo Kayan, Kalimantan, Indonesia. Kayan weddings are occasions for grand celebrations, particularly for those who can afford it.

Two ritual specialists officiate during a Bungan religious ceremony. Bungan is a syncretic religion which incorporates elements of both Christianity and traditional Kayan belief.
Founded in the late 1940s, it emerged in the Apo Kayan, Kalimantan, as a consequence of contact between two cultures: western Christianity and Borneo paganism.
To free themselves from taboos associated with their old religion, many Kayans have embraced either Islam or Christianity over the last few decades. Other became followers of Bungan.

In olden times,the Lundayeh bridegroom had to prepare stacks of firewood which would be used by the bride's family to cook for the wedding festivities. The practice is maintained even though most households now have kitchens with modern equipment.

A Lundayeh wedding feast in Long Pasia, Sabah. The Lundayehs are an indigenous ethnic group who are found in the interior highlands of Borneo Island. In Sabah, they live mainly in villages in the Sipitang and Tenom districts. Literally meaning people of the interior, Lundayeh is a self-referrent term for people who speak a variant of Lundayeh,a language which predates those of other Bornean stocks. Majority of the Lundayehs are Christians, for those living in their customary homeland, agriculture is the main occupation. Others who have moved to towns work as government servants and in the private sector.

A Lundayeh bridal procession on its way to offer wedding gifts to the groom. In Lundayeh weddings, the exchange of gifts between bride and groom is a very elaborate and expensive affair. In the past, gift would include between10 and 20 buffaloes, one or two treasured heirloom jars and slaves. Nowadays, about 40 tekiding (native baskets) filled with household goods, and cash are the norm.

The Punan Vuhang in Long Lidom are among the least known ethnic groups in Sarawak. Despite the trappings of modern civilisation, these two men who live in a remote kampung near the Iran mountain in Central Borneo still sport the traditional forms of body adornment - tattoos and elongated earlobes.

The practice of wearing heavy earrings to elongate
the earlobes, a thing of beauty in the past among
many of Sarawak's Orang Ulu communities, has become
unfashionable with the younger generation.


Traveling by boat is the best means of getting around between Punan Vuhang settlements. Dressed in their traditional finery, the ladies are attending a cultural festival.

A man of means. Personal adornment such as bronze earrings, gold-capped teeth and beaded necklaces reflect the wealth of this Punan Vuhang man.

Two dancers attired in costumes of the Cocos. When their tiny island homeland in the Indian Ocean was threatened by overpopulation, group of Cocos islanders were offered new homes in other British colonies. About 200 families agreed to migrate to Sabah and settled in the East coast mainly in Lahad Datu, Tawau and Kunak. Like other communities in Malaysia, the Cocos people have also added their own unique cultural styles such as their dances - the densa and lenggok - to the Malaysian mainstream.


In the few longhouses that remain in Sabah's Rangus heartland, the shared veranda is the meeting point where the inhabitants come to exchange gossip, work on their handicrafts or just while away the hours before night sets in.

A deft hand with the traditional loom ensures a good income for this Rungus lady who lives in Matunggung, Sabah. Most Rungus weavers spin their own thread from home-grown cotton. A sub-group of the Kadazandusun, the Rungus mainly inhabit the Crocker Range foothills in the Matunggung sub-district near Kudat and the Bengkoka peninsula. Most are farmers who cultivate a mix of cash and subsistence crops such as wet and hill padi, ginger,groundnuts, vegetables, palm oil and coconuts. While the more educated ones have found employment with the government and private sectors, others have taken to learning old community skills like wearing and making handicrafts. They used to live in longhouses (called binatang in the native language) of bamboo and attap construction. These forms of dwellings, however, are now no longer popular and the few that are in existence nowadays are used as tourist attraction.

A dancer with a cultural troup dressed up in a modified version of the Rungus traditional costume. The actual costume comprises a black, knee length, cotton sarong which is tied across the chest. It is normally accessorised with coils of brass wire around the arms and legs, and beaded necklaces and belts. A sandayon (shawl) placed on the shoulder completes the outfit. The costumes are worn during special occasions such as weddings and the celebration of harvest festival which involves much merry-making and the performance of the Rungus traditional dance, the Mongigol.

Members of the Bidayuh community in Kampung Benuk, Kuching, dress up in traditional gear to welcome a VIP visitor. The Bidayuhs, the third largest ethnic group in Sarawak, live mainly in the hinterland of the Kuching and Samarahan Division. Also known as Land Dayaks, the Bidayuhs are believed to be among the earliest of Borneo's inhabitant. Many in the community are now professionals and intellectuals who work for the government and in the private sector. However, farming, especially planting cash crops like pepper, cocoa and wet padi, remains on important economic activity for the Bidayuhs living in rural areas.

Dressed in their native costumes, Iban ladies stand in a line to welcome visitors to their kampung. Ibans presently make up about 30 per cent of Sarawak's 1.9 million people. They first came to Sarawak from Kalimantan in the 16th century, settling in different river catchment areas and often adopting the name of the river they pioneered as their group identity. In traditional times, they depended on shifting cultivation and lived in longhouses which afforded protection against enemies. Through education, many Ibans have discarded the old way of life and are now occupied in modern economic activities. Living in longhouses, however, continues to
be popular especially in the more remote kampungs.

Feast in an Iban longhouse. The veranda (ruai) of the longhouse is the main venue for large community meetings and celebrations.

A Mah Meri woman from Kampung Bumbun, Carey Island off Port Klang, weaves a
headgear from nipah leaves similar to the one she is wearing. The headgear is usually worn during the Mah Meri New Year's Day festivities. The Mah Meris are a sub-group of the Senoi tribe and are well-known for their wooden masks and other handicrafts.

With nothing much to do at night, the ]akuns of Tanjung Keruing village in Cini, Pahang, usually gather around oil lamps to chat and listen to traditional music played by the menfolk. Here, a villager entertains his family and friends with a violin which he made himself.

Easter is an important religious celebration among the largely Catholic Portuguese. On Good Friday, they flock to the church to participate in the veneration of the Cross to remember Christ's death.

Candles are lit in church during Easter to mark the triumph of Christ's resurrection.

The dances of the Malaysian Portuguese are usually a swirling flash of colour as ladies dressed in colourful boleros, flared skirts and aprons (saia), and men in boleros, sashes, white shirts and the traditional hats (carapusas) prance energetically to a variety of ZT (CampUSaS) pmiUX ener^y to a variety of stirring Portuguese rhythms.

The Malaysian Thai community honour its chief monk during his birthday. As part of this annual celebration, the chief monk walks on a human bridge that stretches from the village wat to an altar which has been built especially for the occasion.

A Melanau woman in Kampung Medong carries a tray of food to offer to the guardian spirit oft the beliseng during a kaul (native word which means gathering). Kampung Medong is just one of the many villages inhabited by the Melanau people who make up seven per cent of the population of Sarawak. Living mainly along the coast from Kuala Rejang to Miri, they are engaged in a wide range of economic activities including sago processing, fishing, logging civil service, business and politics. The lifestyle of the Melanaus is basically determined by their religious beliefs. There is an equal number of Christians and Muslims and a sprinkling of those who continued with their animistic beliefs.

New motifs on their traditional garb, for example the State Crest on the hats usually worn by the Ibans, reflects the dynamism of Sarawak's people.

Devotees place offerings in the structure which holds the beliseng, an assortment of charms and amulets believed to have spiritual power. Performed during kaul beliseng, this animistic ritual has seen little change since its inception more than 200 years ago.

A regatta normally marks the end of a kaul. Moving in a convoy, the boats which are decorated with bamboo streamers and colourful buntings travel upriver along the village and then back again. The lead boat carries the seraheng, a basket filled with food offerings.

Christmas is celebrated with relish by Christian Melanaus. As their kampung is by the river, the carollers usually go from house to house by boat.

A Melanau enjoys a traditional delicacy, siet, (sago worms).

A Kenyah mother and her children. The Kenyahs are one of Sarawak's minor ethnic groups and are categorised together with other minority indigenous groups such as the Kayans, Kelabits, Lunbawangs, and Penans. The Kenyahs are settled mainly along the lower and upper reaches of the Baram River in the Miri Division and Balui River in Kapit Division. To date, large groups of Kenyahs still live in longhouses which are normally sited more or less parallel to a river. The Kenyahs practise a number of decorative arts such as woodcarving, beadwork (as seen in the beaded baby-carrier) and painting wall murals.

Rich cultural mix in Sarawak, Land of the Hornbills. Festivals are occasions for Sarawakians to put on their traditional costumes.

This concluded the book "Soul Of Our Nation".

You Might Also Like:
Soul Of Our Nation - The Book
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Soul Of Our Nation - Chinese Community
Soul Of Our Nation - Indian Community
Soul Of Our Nation - Other Communities

Is Nikon 1 Still What I Want?

2011-10-14T23:15:00.002+13:00

What is this hype about being "THE ONE"?

Yesterday I received an invitation that said "TAKE 1 FOR A DRIVE!"! That was from BMW on their "ALL-New" BMW 1 Series.

What make them even think a poor photographer is THE ONE who can afford their 1? Hee hee...

A couple of months ago Nikon try to get the eagle photography community excited with their bold black and yellow banner, screaming; "I AM COMING!"

But when their "ONE" came, somehow; to a lot of upset fan-boys; like fail sex, instead of reaching a climax, became an anti climax ;)

What then was the problem?

From what I can gather from various previews, size does matter! In this case, it was the controversial new sensor size featured in the new cameras!

Since time immemorial, we want things BIG; BIG house, BIGGER cars.

Luckily, for the photo community; we seems to want SMALLER cameras :)

The size of sensors is a different story though...

Popular http://blog.digitalrev.com/ claimed and I quote:

"The thought of Nikon making a mirrorless camera is enough to garner a huge amount of attention in the photography world. But I think that it has missed the mark by a long way.

The main thing that is going to bug people is that the sensor is a “CX” sensor, which equals to a 2.7x crop over the standard 35mm format."

However, the authoritative dpreview published a well written article explaining "Why make a small mirrorless camera"; defending Nikon, who is "bridging the middle ground".

Dpreview claimed that Nikon is "Producing a relatively small sensor mirrorless system provides a middle ground between compact cameras and DSLRs - precisely the kind of need that Panasonic, Sony and Olympus have been explicitly targeting."

But how "small" is the new Nikon CX sensor? Is it really that small? The chart below might put it in perspective.

Surprise? The CX sensor is more than two times larger then the G12, however the micro 4/3 is much larger than the Nikon.

Does that mean the BIGGER sensor E-P3 that much better than the SMALLER sensor Nikon 1?

ONE WEEK after Nikon show the world their new "small sensor" mirrorless wonder, the authoritative dxomark.com dropped a bomb shell by releasing their test results and comparison of the new Nikon 1 camera!

Take a look at this!

Believe you me, in real world term; the DXO Mark comparison confirmed that the SMALLER Nikon CX sensor is AS GOOD as the much LARGER E-P3, except in low light (high ISO)!

On the same token, the much SMALLER G12's sensor is nearly as good as the E-P3!

Way back in February I posted "Pixel Peeping - E-P2 v G12" and I concluded:

1. Point & shoot cameras with smaller sensors can be nearly as good as those with larger sensors.

2. In the real world you will not see the difference anyway!

3. So all of you noobs and trolls, get a life and go shoot pictures without worrying about your pixels! DUH!!

Famous Last Words:

I have some doubt about the G12 low score in high ISO usage. This picture was from my G12 Best Of The G posting.

Even at ISO 3200 the tiny G12 sensor surprise! Such quality for a P&S at that ISO were never heard of! The most amazing thing was, the E-P2's six time larger sensor seems to exhibit as much noise as the tiny G12 CCD! Mind boggles!

If Canon can achieve that kind of quality with their "Smaller Than Thou" sensor, I would believe Nikon will excels with a larger CX format!

I WANT the Nikon 1 !!

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Pixel Peeping - E-P2 v G12

Soul Of Our Nation - Indian Community

2011-10-12T01:01:00.000+13:00

INDIAN presence in this region can be divided into two distinct stages both of which involve the exchange of people, goods and philosophies albeit in varying proportions.

The Malay peninsula's initial association with Indian culture dates as far back as the fifth century. These ties were predominantly related with commerce. However, the last 160-odd years, and by far the most significant period of migration, was basically tied in with the export of labour.

While earlier Indian contacts with Malaya were motivated by individual needs,the consequent movement of Indians to this country during the 19th century was to serve the interests of their colonial masters.

The most significant wave that influenced the face of Malaysian Indians till this very day commenced with the influx of manpower in the 1830s, when Indian labour, rumoured to have started with convicts, were brought into the country to work firstly in the sugar and coffee plantations and, later, rubber, tea and, eventually, oil palm.

Along with workers for the plantation sectors, other groups also trickled in to take up menial labour work. Sepoys and domestic servants were also brought in by the British and settled in the Straits Settlements.

By 1870 there were 30,000 Indians in Malaya, not including earlier migrants who had already been assimilated with Malay communities. The size of the population parallelled the ebb and flow of the demand for rubber and later oil palm, fluctuating between 75,000 in 1891 and 625,000 by 1931.

These labour forces would also be seconded to various government undertakings: public works, municipal services as well as road and rail construction.

While labourers remain by far the most numerous immigrants throughout the migration of Indians to Malaya, there were also significant numbers engaged in commercial pursuits and in professional and clerical employment. For example, the clerical services within the growing British bureaucracy were manned by the Ceylon (now Sri Lanka] Tamils.

Those who came to Malaya had either worked with British officers in Ceylon who had been transferred to Malaya or were beneficiaries of the superior network of secondary schools established in north Ceylon by missionary organisations. Together with fellow Ceylonese from villages in Jaffna, they were eventually concentrated in certain fields of service such as the railways, public works, postal services, accounts divisions and the Treasury.

The 20th century heralded the first influx of middle-class Indian migrants with young, educated Matayalis from Kerala and the Malabar districts of the Madras state moving in to dominate in private sector posts within European firms and the plantations.

Educated individuals from other Indian communities also began to descend on Malaya around this time, including professionals like doctors, lawyers, journalists and teachers - all with high expectations.

Another category of non-labour groups were the Punjabis and other North Indians, who were recruited to the police, security services in various governmental departments and as technical personnel for the railways.

Simultaneous with this influx was the arrival of various categories of traders - lineal successors to some of the earliest Indian adventurers to this land. Parsees, Sindhis, Marwaris and Gujeratis set themselves up - from large-scale businessmen to tallest peddlers.

And one must acknowledge the pivotal role played by the South Indian Muslim businessman as far as retail trade in the peninsula is concerned. They retailed all goods of Indian origin, taking full advantage of the mass migration of Indian labour.

They were also among the first Indians to move into the Malay states and, because of their deep Islamic ties, established bonds with the Malay communities which have prospered till this very day.

The Chettiars are another prominent community that has flourished in modern Malaysia. Reputed for being trustworthy businessmen, they extended their influence through money-lending activity that was immensely crucial in the expanding economy that was Malaya.

All in, Malaysian Indians are a colourful and dynamic mix of peoples who may not always have seen eye to eye but have nevertheless evolved into a dynamic and crucial component of Malaysiana.

Telegus, Malayalis, Bengalees, Punjabis, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Tamils, Saivist... the list is endless and all have played their part in being a part of this country's rich past and even richer future.

They revel in their differences but understand each other more than they would care to admit.

* Text taken from page 84 to 86 of "Soul Of Our Nation" under Indian Community.


A family bathes in the river during Thaipusam as part of the cleansing ritual before climbing the 272 steps of Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur. Saffron coloured garments are worn as a symbol of purity. It is during this occasion that vows made to Lord Subramaniam are fulfilled. Thaipusam is a Tamil-Hindu celebration observed on a grand scale because of its deep religious significance. It is celebrated during the month of Thai when the star of Pusam is on the rise.

Thousands of Hindu worshippers throng Batu Caves every year on Thaipusam to pay homage to Lord Subramaniam, one of the more popular deities in their religion. Coconuts are broken for purification purposes and fires are lit with camphor to destroy the ego and purify the soul.

A devotee with pierced cheeks fulfilling his vow made to Lord Subramaniam during the Thaipusam celebration.

Babies, small children as well as adult Hindus take the opportunity to shave their heads during the auspicious occasion of Thaipusam.

Every year in April the Chitty community celebrate the 'parchu' festival in homage to their ancestors. Cooked food such as meat, vegetables, fruits and sweetmeats are laid out on banana leaves and prayers are offered in remembrance of the ones who have passed on.

An arch decorated with carvings of elephants marks the entrance to Kampung Gajah Berang, home to one of the oldest of Malaysian communities, the Chittys. Chittys are believed to be descendants of wealthy Indian traders from the Coromandel coast of Kalingapatnam in south India.
They came to the Malay peninsula during the Malacca Sultanate, settled down, adopted local customs and married local women. The traders were staunch Hindus but they assimilated elements of local culture, including adopting Malay as their mother tongue. About 60 Chitty families still live in Gajah Berang, Which is more popularly known as Kampung Chitty.

Children play in the vicinity of the Chitty temple in Kampung Gajah Berang, Malacca.

The planting of a tree (kalyana murugai) is an important part of a Sri Lankan Tamil pre-wedding (ponnuruku) ceremony. The sapling is taken from a tree in the garden of a married person. Once the sapling grows, it cannot be chopped down until a small part of it is used for another ponnuruku ceremony.


In a Sri Lankan Tamil wedding ceremony, the performance of symbolic and significant rituals is essential for a blessed married life.

Sri Lankan Tamils perform the Panchaalarthi at the Sri Kandaswamy Temple in Jalan Scott, KL, daily. Strict adherence to religion and the pursuit of education are the main themes in the Sri Lankan Tamil way of life.

Members of the Singhalese community in the midst of a dana sanghika ceremony. Descendants of Sri Lankan Singhalese who came mainly as jewel merchants to Singapore and Penang, majority in the community are Theravada Buddhists who still observe the custom of performing acts of charity (dana) to their monks.
Dana sanghika is meant to transfer merits to a deceased relative through good or
charitable deeds by a living member of the family, as symbolised by offering food and gifts to monks. This is believed to be vital for the dead person's next karmic evolution.


A young woman sits patiently while her hands are decorated with henna. This ritual is part of the pre-wedding Sangeet ceremony to beautify a Sikh bride-to-be in preparation for her wedding.

Besides the hands, the feet of Sikh maidens are also decorated with intricate patterns as part of her bridal accessory.

A Sikh bride-to-be has many pre-wedding ceremonies to get through. One of these is the mainya oil ceremony. The young lady is cleansed with oil, yoghurt and horsegram flour to make her skin fair and bright on her wedding day.

Sweet yellow rice is fed by the Sikh bride-to-be to young unmarried women. This signifies her hope that they will also get suitors for themselves just as she has. It is also intended to involve the younger generation in the wedding rituals which are normally conducted by the elderly folk.

These men are easily distinguishable from the rest of the population by their turbans. Wearing the turban is an integral part of the faith of the Punjabi Sikhs whose hair must not be shown.

In the spirit of tolerance and respect for all religions, Sikhs in Malaysia are permitted to wear the turban at all levels, including the armed forces and police. At their request, they are also exempted from wearing crash helmets when riding motorcycles.

Numbering over 87,000, the Punjabi community is also made up of Muslims and Hindus. First brought in by the British as Malay State Guides in 1873, they were members of the early police force who enforced the tow against the kongsi-kongsi gelap.

The community has moved from its traditional occupations of milkmen, armed forces and
administration into the professions and businesses such as textiles. The Gurdwara (temple) is the focal point point of life for the Sikhs.

Vasakhi (Punjabi New Year) which falls on April 13 is celebrated with much merry-making, with song and dance-drama parties being held in every Punjabi community.
Here is a dance drama scene about lovers meeting secretly in the bazaar while the maiden's mother and sisters haggle with a trader who is selling bangles.

The Hindu-Gurkha weddings, the element of fire (Agni) is important. The sacred fire is a symbol of the destruction of the ego and purification the soul.

The beautifully attired Gurkha bridal couple on their wedding day. The bride's saree is bright red laced with gold threads for she is depicted as Queen for the day while the groom is the King. The present Gurkhas community in Malaysia are descendants
of Gurkhas who were first brought in as soldiers from the plains of Gorkha, in West Kathmandu, Nepal during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960). Numbering about 600, the small community is popularly known as Gurkhas because of association from the past. They are actually of Hindu-Nepalese origins.

A Sindhi couple perform a religious ritual. Sindhis are defendants of seafaring Indians who wereknown to be the Phoenicians of the East and the original inhabitants of Mohenjodaro, a 7000-year-old Indus volley civilisation.
Usually identified through surnames that end with 'ani' which literally means'child of', the close-knit community of 700 in Malaysia is successful in business ventures such as real estate, departmental stores and the jewelry trade.
Their main deity is Jhoolay La'al-u, the Indus god who is believed to have travelled throughout the Sindh province on a palla fish. (The god is portrayed as sitting on a fish.) Despite their predilection for arranged marriages within their community, cross ethnic marriages haw occurred, which show Sindhis have adapted to the Malaysian lifestyle.

A custom held in high regard by the Gujerati community is Raksha Bandhan which occurs in August. It is a time where the sister(s) in each family tie the rakhi (a gaily decorated velvet patch with a wide band made of coloured thread) around the wrist of her brother(s) to protect him throughout the year against misfortune.
The 3,000-strong Gujerati community who are mainly Jains and Hindus are vegetarians and everyone is related through marriage or blood. They were mainly occupied in textile trading but now have diversified into trading other commodities such as tea and palm oil. Many are also engaged in other professions.

Malayali ladies have their own unique style of wearing the sari. The Malayalis, who originated from Kerala on the Malabar coast in south-west India, follow a system of matrilineal descent known as marumakkathayam, which is similar to that of the Minangkabau in Negri Sembilan.
Among the custom observed is the understanding that when a woman get married she is not relinquishing her right to property or other amenities in the house where she was born. However, in Malaysia, this system has not been perpetuated in full by the slightly over 100,000 Malayalis.

A Hare Krishna devotee blows the conch shell at the beginning of festivals to signify the auspiciousness of the occasion. Members of the Hare Krishna Movement, known as the International Society For Krishna Consciousness Malaysia (Iskon), observe the teachings of the Hindu Vedic literature of which The Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavata Purana are the most well-known.

A confinement lady tends to a newborn. Most Indian families continue to practice the customary ways of keeping a new baby healthy. Here, the baby is held above a smouldering fire which has been sprinkled with margosa oil, dill water and onion skin. The fragrant smoke will not only make the babies smell sweet all day but keep them from getting a chill as well.

Like some ancient merchant in his magic cave of orange beans and exotic spices, young Mohammed, proprietor of this Indian provision shop, measures out Grade A lentils under the scrutiny of his regular clientele. The small corner provision shop has traditionally been run by traders from India, most of whom still maintain close ties with family in their country of origin. Their time-tested wares range from dried chillies and spice powders to ayurvedic soaps, mosquito coils and onam water (remedy for stomach ache).

A deft hand is required in the preparation of some Indian delicacies such as roti canai.

Men take time from their nearby businesses to to discuss politics, the economy and news from home after Friday afternoon prayers at Masjid India, one of the more famous Indian Muslim mosques in Kuala Lumpur. Much of Masjid India's facade has evolved over the decades, its vintage perceivable only by the moss-eaten gate posts and the period tiles which seem to have been saved, for now.

Pyramids of all good things to eat served nasi kandar style. Its origin is attributed to Indians who, in their early days of trading, introduced many shared herbs and food plants such as tamarind, garlic, shallots, ginger, turmeric, chilli and pepper from or via India. The trade also introduced strong culinary influences, especially from Muslim India since their acceptance was easier within the Malay Muslim make-up.

This completed the section on Indian community.

NEXT : Other Communities

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Soul Of Our Nation - The Book
Soul Of Our Nation - Malay Community
Soul Of Our Nation - Chinese Community
Soul Of Our Nation - Indian Community
Soul Of Our Nation - Other Communities

Wellington RWC Quarter Final Afternoon

2011-10-09T23:53:00.002+13:00

By now all you ruby nuts knew, talk about, boast about how the Wallabies won their thrilling Rugby World Cup quarter final against South Africa in Wellington.

Me? Whatever! Do I care? No!

After a week of rain and groom, the sun finally shone on Wellington as if to welcome the thousands of visitors from all over the world! So I was in town this afternoon too, to take in the quarter final atmosphere :)

It only took me 10 minutes to drive from my house (in Karori) to the CBD, then in another 5 minutes I have park my VRX in Courtenay Central!

Did I tell you I love Wellington?

I had with me my 3 year old Nikon D300 with the 25 year old 80-200 f4 manual zoom, the Canon G12 came along as backup.

This is what I saw when I came out of Courtenay Central, the whole Courtenay Place has been blocked off from traffic since Friday night.

Looking to my right, outside Coutenay Central; towards the CBD. It is not often you can get a shot (G12) of Courtney Place like this!

Further down from Courtenay Place, the ever busy Taranaki Street look strangely deserted!

Who are they supporting? Kentucky Fried Chicken?

Are these South Africa supporters? You can see how clueless I am about rugby!

Believe me, that bum is not real! Ha ha ha...

Notice the "quality" natural light here, it is strong but not overly harsh to wash out the details. Picture like this reconfirm how good this 25 year old zoom is!

This is a 200% crop from the same photo above. What a lens! If you can get it in focus, that is; the D300's focusing screen don't make it easier!!

No prize for telling who he is supporting!


Even little baby are not spared from this rugby craze!

It has been a nice afternoon stroll in town, I even drop into Little Penang; they open for business just for this special Sunday. Good on you guys!

Soul Of Our Nation - Chinese Community

2011-10-08T19:09:00.003+13:00

Majority of Malaysian Chinese are descendants of sojourners who risked the unknown to seek better fortunes in Malaya from the last decades of the 19th
century.

Before this, there had already been a sizable community of
Chinese in Malaya in states like Malacca, Penang and Kelantan.

Many Chinese Peranakan families in these states can trace their ancestors in Malaya back through eight generations. When Ming loyalists fled their country after the Manchu invasion of South China in the mid-17th century, many of them sought refuge in Malacca as there was already a Chinese settlement there.

The opening of Penang in 1786 by Francis Light further attracted large numbers of Chinese traders, many of whom eventually became permanent settlers. From then on, Chinese arriving in the Straits Settlements of Penang and Singapore grew steadily.

From this group, a discernible Chinese Peranakan community was formed as intermarriage or cohabitation between Chinese men and local women occurred.

Beginning in the 1880s, Chinese labourers, mostly from the southern provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, were brought into Malaya to work in tin mines and plantations.

Nurturing hopes of achieving prosperity in the economically vibrant Malaya then, most had left their villages to escape abject poverty and hardships wrought by natural disasters and wars, exploitative landlords and heavy tax burdens.

These Chinese immigrants had intended to seek their fortune and then return home. A few made their fortunes, but most led hard live . In time, especially after female Chinese were allowed into Malaya from the 1890s onwards, many decided to stay permanently and make their home here.

Female Chinese immigration also reversed a growing trend of marriages between Chinese men and local women. More significantly, marriages between Chinese men and women helped to preserve Chinese identity and culture in Malaya.

Although viewed as a homogeneous group - they looked alike, practised similar customs and shared the same religious beliefs - they, however, comprised different dialectal groups which in most instances were not mutually intekkigible. There were also clear-cut differences in the occupations under taken by each group.

Five of the main ones were the Hokkiens, the Cantonese, the Hakkas, the Teochews and the Hainans. These groups were further divided into smaller subgroups, each with its own traits.

The Hokkiens were mainly rice retailers, traders, agriculturalists, porters, petty traders, boatmen and masons while the Teochews were gambir and pepper planters, shopkeepers in rural areas, rice and cloth merchants, fishermen, and vendors in markets.

The Cantonese were builders, carpenters, sculptors, masons, tailors, chefs and domestic servants. The Hakkas were tin miners, medicine men, blacksmiths, textile traders and pawn shop owners. The Hainanese were chefs and domestic servants.

These sinkheh (new guests) in a strange land generally kept to their own dialect groups, while each group formed its own associations based on their place of origin in China. These dialect and clan organisations became the focal point of the immigrants- economic, social, cultural, religious and recreational activities.

They also had their own temples, burial grounds and schools.These associations also offered social welfare services to its members: providing accommodation to new members, caring for the sick and burying the dead. Hence, there was no need motivation to seek contact with Chinese from other dialect groups.

Furthermore, these immigrants had intended to return home, so it was deemed unnecessary to venture outside the refuge they knew. These entrenched social demarcations among the different dialect groups often led to misunderstanding, prejudices and conflicts and inter-group clashes frequently broke out in the late 19th century.

Ironically, it was events unfolding in China in the beginning of the 20th century that united the Chinese in Malaya. It was while fostering a Chinese consciousness in support of revolutionary activities that the Chinese here learnt to settle their differences and began to function as a group.

The anti-Japanese movement which was also very strong in Malaya also unified the Chinese here.

Another development instrumental in the Malaysian Chinese community's homogeneous identity today was the introduction of hua yu (Mandarin language] as a medium of instruction in Chinese schools.

Before this, instructions were given according to the dialect of the group sponsoring the school. The use of Mandarin became a unifying factor as Chinese from different dialect groups were educated together.

The use of Mandarin for learning, social interaction and within the family eventually diminished dialect group identification. World War II accelerated the severance of ties between the Chinese here and China.

After the war, there emerged a new generation of Malayan-born Chinese who harboured no attachments at all to the land of their forefathers. Before the war, there was little interest amongst the Chinese in the politics of Malaya.

The formation of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) in
1949 to voice the needs of the Chinese community and defend its rights, however, signalled the Chinese's active participation in nation building.

MCA together with the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) formed the Alliance which negotiated for Malaya's independence from the British.

Under the constitution of independent Malaya, the Chinese was granted citizenship on the principle of jus soli, whereby all those in Malaya would automatically become citizens.

Together with kindred communities in Sabah and Sarawak the Chinese now constitute about a third of Malaysia's population.

Within the Chinese community, the 40 years since independence have been rife with changes.

Divisions along dialect groups have blurred considerably due partly to the acceptance of intermarriages between members of different dialect groups.

The Chinese today are at ease with the Malay language, and have assimilated the cultures of the multi-racial society they are part of. The Malay traditional costume, baju kurung, is commonly worn by Chinese women.

Nasi lemak stalls and banana leaf restaurants count the Chinese as among their loyal clientele. While common cakes such as the love letters, kuih bangkit and kueh ros are enjoyed by all Malaysians regardless of their origin.

Other communities have also assimilated certain Chinese practices within their culture; the use of festive ang pow packets, for instance. Albeit with certain variations, Malays and Indians now have their own version of the famous red packet.Chinese cultural identity remains strong within the community, but its consciousness is innately Malaysian.

* Text taken from page 46 to 49 of "Soul Of Our Nation" under Chinese Community.

"Loi cha" is a traditional Hakka meal comprising braised garlic rice, a bowl of
ground tea (sesame seed, mint Icons, groundnut and tea leaves) and dishes such
as vegetables, dried tofu, dried shrimp, salted fish, groundnut or dried bean curd.

These dishes reflect the lifestyle and hardship that the migratory Hakka group faced in China. They usually settle down in mountainous and less fertile areas where fresh produce was hard to find.

Chong Choy Ngen, 30, owner of the Ho Poh Hak Restaurant in Jalan Horley, Ipoh is from the Ho Poh clan, a Hakka subgroup.

He serves loi cha )ground tea) among other Hakka dishes in his restaurant. He learnt to prepare the dishes from his grandmother who migrated to Malaysia in the 1920s from Cahozhou, Guangdong, China.

The waitresses are dressed in the traditional attire of the Hakka.

Although he is Cantonese, William Tham revels in the intricacies of the Penang Peranakan cuisine. A few years ago, the computer science graduated opted to close his family's provision shop and concentrate on marketing packaged ready- mixes. Hence, people everywhere could enjoy the delights of Penang cuisine.

The textile retail business is an industry which ha been dominated by the Hakka in Malaysia for many years. An example is Hon Ming Textile in Jalan Yap Ah Loy, Kuala Lumpur, a family business of over 50 years.

Paul Chiew, a third generation Hakka, is the manager of the company which was founded by his grandfather Chiew See Fan, an immigrant from the Da Pu district in Guangdong province, China.

Poll Ann Tong is one of the oldest medical halls in Georgetown, Penang. It continues to practice the Chinese ancient art of healing.

Chan Soo Sum (right) who graduated from the Chinese Medical College, Penang, first learnt about Chinese medicine from her father who set up the shop after World War Two. Chinese medicine goes back 3,000 years and is still revered by both the young and old.

Goldsmith has been associated with the Cantonese for generations. A dying trade, there is now only a handful of the goldsmiths or skilled sifus around.

Chow, 60, is one of them. He learnt the trade from his father, who migrated to Malaya from Nam Hoi, Guangdong, and began his apprenticeship at the age of 16. He has been the chief goldsmith at Cheong Loong Goldsmith in Kuala Lumpur for a few decades.

Fishing still plays a big part in the life of the Teochew community even though some of them have already ventured into business in the city.

Originating from a port city in China called Chaozhou, most of the Teochews arrived in Malaya during the 19th century and early 20th century and settled near the sea in places like Sekinchan in Kuala Selangor.

Waving the Malaysian flag, this young Teochew boy in the fishing village of Sekinchan in Kuala Selangor is one of the many descendants of Teochews who came to Malaya looking for a better life.

Most Teochews are involved in the fishing industry which was the traditional occupation of their ancestors in Chaozhou, China.

The art of making mien xian, vermicelli-like noodles made of wheat flour, is one of the Foochow's most enduring heritage.

Mien xian cooked with Chinese red wine is a staple dish for Foochow women in confinement after giving birth. The Foochows in Malaysia originated from the Fuzhou prefecture in Fujian, South China.

Teng Tai Ing learnt the an of making mien xian from his father; their ancestors were noodle makers in the Fuzhou prefecture in Fujian, South China. The Foochow community in Malaysia is small, but many of its members are prominent businessmen and politicians.

The main Foochow settlements in Malaysia are in Sitiawan, Perak and Sibu, Sarawak. The Foochows are well-known for their intelligence and diligence. Chilli sauce produced in Kampung Koh, Sitiawan, is famous all over the country.

Although the Hainanese were the last group of Chinese to settle in Malaya, they left an enduring legacy with their trademark chicken rice, and culinary excellence.

This form of trade began at the turn of the century with itinerant peddlers who bore their wares on shoulder yokes. They appeared wherever workers congregated, offering a refreshing cup of tea or coffee.
After a while, these temporary coffee stall, became a meeting point, a place to exchange news while sipping hot drink. When the peddlers had saved enough money, they began to set up permanent stalls.

Kopi tiam with its signature marble tables, wooden chairs and cashier counters grew from some of these humble stalls. No one is sure if the Hainanese were the first to set up coffee shops, but they dominated the trade before the Second World War.

Coming from Hainan island off the province of Guangdong, they were engaged mainly in the service industry as domestic servants or cooks for Europeans and rich Chinese tycoons. Some opened coffee shops and ran rest houses throughout the peninsula.

On April 5, the Chinese celebrate Qing Ming, a day for remembering their departed ancestors. Families will clean up their ancestors' graves, pray and give offerings.

For filial Chinese. Qing Ming is an important event. On this day, families will visit their ancestors' graves to pray, and give offerings. Food and fruits are usually offered, but some family also "send" cars, television sets, mobile telephones, clothes, and shoes, by burning paper offerings.

Prayer papers folded into cups (which resemble the shape of gold nuggets used during the olden days) are burnt to send riches to the ancestors. These days, paper offerings have become more sophisticated; paper computers and video recorders are among some of the popular items burnt to ensure that departed ancestors do not miss out on the luxuries of modern life in the hereafter.

The Peranakans in the former Straits Settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore are defendants of early Chinese settlers who married local women. Their culture is a unique blend of Chinese and Malay influences. The women's traditional costumes of baju kebab and sarong are of Malay origin.

The Baba and Nyonya bridal bed which is called ranging lok san. Following age-old custom, a boy from a good family is asked to roll on the bed before the wedding to ensure the birth of a son. On the happy occasion, the bed is usually brightly decorated. The two seats are for the bride and groom.

Nine Emperor Gods' Birthday

The Nine Venerable Sovereigns' (Kiu Ong Yah in Hokkien) festival begins on the first day of the Ninth Lunar month, and lasts for nine days. During this period, it is believed that the Kiu Ong Yah will visit the various temples and shrines devoted to these deities. Devotees throng Kiu Ong Yah temples to pray for blessings and luck.

The highlight of the Kiu Ong Yah celebrations occurs on the evening of the ninth day when devotees join processions to send off the deities. A special boat, conveyed in a decorated chariot, is filled with sacred ashes representing the deities, banners and prayer papers.

Each procession passes through an approved route, ending at the nearest beach or shore where a medium will conduct a religious service to send off the deities. The boat is then lowered on the shallow water, set on fire, and allowed to drift away.

The highlight of the Kiu Ong Yah (Nine Emperor Gods' festival) celebrations is on the evening of the ninth day when devotees join processions to send off the deities in a boat.

In the night during the Nine Emperor Gods' festival, the Tow Boo Keong temple in Ipoh is crowded with devotees making offerings to the Gods. They used to burn joss sticks which were nearly three metres high and cost about RM1,OOO each. Today, the temple authority has advices devotees to adopt a practical approach by burning ordinary joss-sticks and donating the rest of the money to the temple fund.

Once a year, during the Nine Emperor Gods' festival, 500 devotees come to stay at the 102-year-old Tow Boo Keong temple in Ipoh to purify the body and soul by praying and going on a vegetarian diet for 15 days. Some of these senior devotees have been practising vegetarianism since childhood.

When the Chinese first ventured to Malaya to seek employment in the 19th century, clan and surname associations were set up to look after the welfare of immigrants in an unfamiliar land. These associations now play a more cultural, rather than political role. Some, such as those in Penang, own sizable property.

Lion dance performances are merry affairs as crowds gather to cheer the antics of the "lions". Lions symbolise majestic strength, courage and fortitude, and lion dances are believed to herald in good luck and property. It is usually performed during Chinese New Yeat and for auspicious occasions such as the opening of a new business.

Offerings for the altar to honour the Heaven God's birthday on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year are meticulously prepared. The Hokkiens consider this day as the most important and foods offered bear auspicious sounding names to symbolise good tidings. The pineapple, or ong lai (in Hokkien), is a must for its name sounds like the word for prosperity.

Altars decked with food offerings and big joss-sticks are set up in front of
homes at midnight to give thanks for the past year's blessings and to pray for better fortunes during the Heaven God's birthday.

Bridegroom-to-be Raymund Chew goes through the cheo thau (initiation into adulthood) ceremony. In traditional times, every person who intended to get married had to go through this ceremony which was usually performed on the eve of the wedding.Traditionalists believe a person will never attain adulthood until he or she has had his/her hair combed during the ceremony which also involves giving offerings to ancestral gods.

Attired in white, the person to be initiated sits facing a table on which are placed several things, including food, which are all significant for life after marriage.

A master of ceremony then combs his hair three times. As he sweeps the comb through the hair, he recites verses wishing health, fortune and happiness for the person to be initiated. The practice, however, is now becoming less popular as Chinese families accept more modern and simpler wedding rites.

Longevity bun or mu gu (which literally means wheat turtle) is a must for celebrating Chinese religious festivities. Shaped like a turtle complete with head and four legs, these pink buns are especially popular for birthday celebrations as they symbolize longevity.

Yuan, little marble-sized glutinous rice balls, are made to celebrate the Winter Solstice, or Dong Zhi, on the 11th lunar month.In ancient times, the Chinese regarded this as the New Year. The round yuan also symbolizes unity in the family.

This completed the section on Chinese community.

NEXT : Indian Community

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