P Ramlee would have been 88 today

Opening Google today brought up a surprise Google doodle.

If P Ramlee is still alive today, March 22, he'd be 88 years old.

The Google doodle depicts a caricature of P. Ramlee sitting in the director's chair holding a megaphone and a music sheet. Beside him is a guitar.

It symbolises his achievements in the Malaysian entertainment industry as an actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer and producer with more than 60 films and 250 songs to his credit.

P Ramlee on Wikipedia..

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Teuku Zakaria Teuku Nyak Putih (Jawi: تاوكو زكريا تاوكو ڽق ڤوتيه), commonly known as P. Ramlee (22 March 1929 – 29 May 1973) was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, which began with his acting debut in Singapore in 1948 to the height of his career then later moving to Malaysia in 1964 onwards to his death, he is regarded as a prominent icon of Malay entertainment; with his fame even reaching as far as Brunei and Sumatra, Indonesia as well as in Hong Kong and Japan.

Source: Bing.com

Red Hong, a Talent from Sabah, East Malaysia

The Star highlighted a talented artist from Sabah who has been invited to speak at a conference in the United States. She will be among the 60 invited speakers at a e.g. Conference.

Twenty-six-year-old Hong Yi, an architect by day and an artist by night, is one of the two Malaysian speakers at the three-day e.g. Conference in Monterey, California, which started yesterday. The other Malaysian to speak at the event is Ren Ng, founder and chief executive officer of California-based start-up company Lytro that develops consumer light-field cameras.

Source: The Star

Nicknamed Red Hong, the Sabah lass said in a recent interview said she is honoured to be one of the 60 speakers and “I'm very excited but incredibly nervous because everyone there is super brilliant and I'm like this kampung girl who uploads videos.”

After the Yao Ming caricature, she used coffee cup stains from about 20 cups of coffee to produce an image of Taiwanese singer Jay Chou. The Zhang YiMou protrait in the image above is made from socks, pins and bamboo sticks. Below are the videos showing her working on the three portraits. Interesting and very talented!




Expect an exhibition of her works when she has enough of them to put up. I look forward to it.

Samsung home theatre system

These days, a house with ample rooms would normally see one of the rooms being made into a family recreation/entertainment area. This is where the family can get together for some family fun together.

A home I had the pleasure of visiting the other day has a family room so well done up, it took me by surprise - comfy seating enough for at least ten people, appropriate lighting system, even a drinks bar. Of course it shouldn't surprise me because the entire house is exquisitely furnished being one in an exclusive neighbourhood.

For a family who loves movies and singing, their trusty samsung home theatre system must be giving them hours of pleasure and entertainment. When they entertain, karaoke sessions would normally extend past midnight. This room is sound-proof so no fear of disturbing the neighbours though the next house is quite a distance away. Nice.

Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79

Elizabeth Taylor, the actress who dazzled generations of moviegoers with her stunning beauty and whose name was synonymous with Hollywood glamour, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 79.

The cause was congestive heart failure, her publicist, Sally Morrison, told The Associated Press.
More..Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79 - NY Times

Elizabeth Taylor: 'The last movie star' - MSNBC

Remembering Elizabeth Taylor - See unpublished pictures from LIFE

R.I.P., Ms Taylor.

Sources:
- NY Times
- MSNBC
- LIFE

Picnic catering the professional way

If you have ever organized a gathering for family and friends, you would know that it takes a lot of effort. What about organizing a community picnic? Fortunately, we can pass the headache of organization to the experts - event-organizers. Picnics on a larger scale are not common here but are popular in the west especially in the U.S.

MBS Caterserve, organizing picnics since 1993, provides all-inclusive picnic catering planning services for company picnics and events, church picnics, high school and family reunions. Anyone or any company engaging them can count on their professionals to handle the coordination of the event in meticulous detail making the day an incredible success. The kind of food provided, activities and entertainment arranged will have people raving about them.

With over 17 years experience booking and coordinating all types of picnics, MBS Caterserve has become a leader in their industry covering the State of New Jersey, Philadelphia, New York City, and Rockland County, New York. If you are looking for picnic catering nj or picnic catering ny, you need look no further. MBS Caterserve has to be the picnic caterer that will make your event not only a resounding success, it will surpass all your expectations.

Get your tickets from Ticket America

Want tickets for major events but don't know where to get them?

TicketAmerica is a licensed ticket broker that has the largest selection of top quality event tickets, at the most competitive prices available. TicketAmerica.com is where you can get tickets for the Superbowl, World Series Tickets, the Final Four, concerts, theatre shows, musicals, ballet and dance shows, awards ceremonies and more.

Did you know that at Fenway Park where the Red Sox play, the field boxes are the best seats in the house? According to Gary Ketchum, CEO of TicketAmerica.com and who travels extensively to attend various concerts, sports, and theatre events, the Red Sox dugout sits in front of sections 22-28. The visitors dugout sits in front of sections 61-68. These seats are the most expensive but if you want to see the color of the players eyes, then these seats are it.

Are you planning to attend a Chicago Cubs game anytime soon? At Wrigley Field, just about any seat is a good one according to Gary. Compared to many Major League ballparks, Wrigley Field is one of the smallest which makes it's upper deck section not so bad and prices for these seats are usually the cheapest, especially if you choose to sit in the far corners.

The next time you go to New York and want to watch the New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden or in Los Angeles and want to catch an LA Lakers game at Staples Center, you know where to get tickets. Yeah, at TicketAmerica.com where they provide unparalleled 100% money back guarantee if Ticket America or its sales staff are at fault. They also have a 24-hour hotline for any and all customer service issues. TicketAmerica is all about entertainment!

I Saw "Michael Jackson: This Is It"

I watched Michael Jackson: This Is It yesterday (second day of screening) but I missed MJ's special message to his genuine fans as tipped by Anonymous in his comment on my Oct 13 post - This Is It - Michael Jackson's New Song.

So, if you are going to watch it, stay back for MJ's special message to all his genuine fans. Too bad I read Anonymous's comment too late.

What do I think of This Is It? If you are a fan or if you are like me, interested in behind-the-scenes kind of stuff, this documentary is for you. Some of the numbers MJ sang include Jam, Bad, Billy Jean (with a very brief moonwalk), Earth Song, Black or White, Thriller (great set), Smooth Criminal, Man in the Mirror and a medley of Jackon 5 hits. You'll also get to see the dancer selection - sexy - and dance practices including suggestion of the right way of holding the crotch! LOL!

Looking at Michael perform, even though they were rehearsals, you wouldn't think he was sick though I think making it through 50 rounds of such a gruelling routine would have been tough. MJ was so thin that he could pass for one who is a user who has gone overboard on one of those best weight loss pills. Oops!

The beginning was touching. It got me welled up as the principal dancers spoke about how they felt. A few even got choked up.

Go see it just to see the man alive, albeit in rehearsals. It'll be two hours well-spent. I believe the actual concert in London would have been a blast! The movie/documentary will run for two weeks only.

Oh, I was amazed at how Michael was spoken to - so much respect there, and how much he knew his music. Eye-opening.

Btw, do you think MJ's death is a hoax? Check out comment left by Anonymous in my Oct 13 post - This Is It - Michael Jackson's New Song.

Time well-spent at Kindergarten Concert

I watched a kindergarten concert at a shopping mall the other day quite by accident and I might add that I was pleasantly entertained by the very little ones. With their colorful and pretty costumes, they all look simply adorable.

I wonder if its adhd in children that makes them talk and jump about non-stop or are all children naturally energetic. It was an hour well-spent, I should say.


Picture source:
bi-lingual.com

Jalan P Ramlee is So Happening!

Drug abuse can be staring us in the face and yet we may not be aware of it. A newspaper reported a raid last week at an unnamed club and found street pills (methamphetamines, I think) all over the floor. Police staked out that club for a week before they moved in. Looks like a lot of people here need help or drug rehab.

Speaking of clubs, the other day, I was driving along Jalan P Ramlee (KLCC area) and was surprised at the number of clubs that have sprung up along that short stretch. It was like the Las Vegas Strip. Alright, not that posh but still so happening! Have you been to that part of the world?   If you visit Kuala Lumpur and enjoy clubbing, that is the place to check out - where the fun starts when the sun goes down.

Tickets to Michael Jackson's Memorial Service

The migration has begun as lucky fans who received tickets to Michael Jackson's Memorial service on Tuesday begin to travel to Staples Center in Los Angeles which will be admitting 11,000 people. 6,500 will be admitted at the Nokia Theater nextdoor. Streets around the stadium will be closed to prevent those without tickets from trying to attend.

Winners received a unique code via email and instructions on how to pick up their tickets Monday. When they pick up their tickets, a wristband will be placed on their wrists.

To prevent ticket scalping, fans must have both the ticket and the wristband to enter Staples Center on Tuesday. Wristbands that have been ripped, taped or tampered with will be voided.

Winners were selected from an online registry on Staplescenter.com. Each winner will be issued two tickets.

Only U.S. residents can apply for tickets, according to the Staples Center Web site. No details of the memorial service itself have been released.

The memorial service will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen but will be broadcast on five television networks, NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment. Malaysians will be able to watch it on Astro then.


Related articles:
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'King of Pop', Michael Jackson is dead

'King of Pop', Michael Jackson is dead

This is indeed sad news for the entertainment industry and for fans around the world. Michael Jackson has left the building, for good.

As a tribute to Michael Jackson, I have put together here, reports of his death from all the popular news sources.

The entertainment industry has actually lost two famous people at the same time, the other being Farrah-Fawcett Majors, one of the original Charlie's Angels of the 70's. In fact, she was the most popular of the three angels back then. Farrah-Fawcett succumbed to cancer.


'King of Pop', Michael Jackson is dead - CNN

Michael Jackson, the show-stopping singer whose best-selling albums -- including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" -- and electrifying stage presence made him one of the most popular artists of all time, died Thursday, CNN has confirmed. He was 50.


Singer Michael Jackson dies at 50 - BBC

Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.

Paramedics were called to the singer's home around midday local time on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. A spokesman for the centre said the star died of a suspected heart attack.


Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
'KING OF POP' DIES
Singer Michael Jackson dead at 50 - MSNBC

Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the “King of Pop” and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday. He was 50.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner for Los Angeles County, confirmed his office had been notified of the death and would handle the investigation.

The circumstances of Jackson’s death were not immediately clear. Jackson was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Los Angeles home about 12:30 p.m., Capt. Steve Ruda told the Los Angeles Times. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to the hospital, Ruda told the newspaper.

Michael Jackson had been planning to start a series of comeback concerts in London and had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months. Promoters of the shows said in March that he had passed a lengthy physical examination.


Michael Jackson, 'King of Pop,' dead at 50 - Yahoo!

Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop" who once moonwalked above the music world, died Thursday as he prepared for a comeback bid to vanquish nightmare years of sexual scandal and financial calamity. He was 50.

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine said. Police said they were investigating, standard procedure in high-profile cases.


Michael Jackson's Death: The Talent and the Tragedy - Time Magazine

The tragedy of Michael Jackson's death at age 50, reportedly from cardiac arrest, pales in comparison to the tragedy of his life. To understand all that Jackson had and lost requires wiping away three decades of plastic surgeries that deformed him, erratic behavior that made his name synonymous with the warping powers of fame, and a 2005 trial for sexually abusing a child that, even though he was spared of any finding of wrongdoing, made him a pariah to all but the most brainwashed of fans.


How Michael Jackson Became a Pop God - Newsweek

He might have died a sudden death, but Jackson leaves us with a music legacy for the ages.







Michael Jackson Dies At 50 - MTV

Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon (June 25) at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest.

Reports say the legendary pop singer collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest at his home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills. A doctor present at the time of the incident performed CPR on the singer but could not revive him. He was not breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived after a 911 call around 12:26 p.m. PT. They administered CPR and took Jackson via ambulance to UCLA Medical Center but were unable to revive him.


Michael Jackson Dies after Apparent Cardiac Arrest - People

Michael Jackson, the onetime child star turned King of Pop, died in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest in his home. He was 50 years old.

Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center not far from his rental mansion in the Holmby Hills. The cause of death wasn't known. An autopsy is set for Friday.








Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett both die - The Star, Malaysia

The entertainment world suffered a double blow when it was reported early Friday morning (Malaysian time) that both pop giant Michael Jackson and 1970s TV star Farrah Fawcett had died in Los Angeles.

Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the “King of Pop” and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday at the age of He was 50.

Michael Jackson is seen in file pictures from top left, 1971, 1977, 1979, and bottom left, 1983, 1987, and 1990. Jackson has died in Los Angeles at age 50 on Thursday, June 25, 2009. (AP Photo) - The Star


























Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears Pay Tribute to the Late Michael Jackson

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are paying tribute to the late Michael Jackson, who died Thursday after going into cardiac arrest at age 50.

Spears - who performed with Jackson at a 2001 party celebrating the 30th anniversary of his career - was planning on catching one of the King of Pop's comeback next concerts next month in London

"I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour
in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him," she tells Usmagazine.com. "He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I'm devastated he's gone!"

Timberlake, who was so influenced by Jackson that he wore a fedora and glove and showed off Jackson-esque dance moves in his "Cry Me a River" video, also is mourning.

"I can't find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael’s passing," he wrote on his Web site. "We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop music but of all music."


CNN AC360 has set up a live blog at ac360.com. Here’s your chance to talk directly to AC360° during the program. Send instant feedback and sound off on tonight’s headlines. Read and react to what viewers have to say, right here, right now.


Rest in Peace, Michael..
Rest in Peace, Farrah..

Lydia Shum, Hong Kong Veteran Actress Dies at 60

Hong Kong television veteran Lydia Shum Din-Ha or Shen Dianxia, in Mandarin, succumbed to liver cancer yesterday, Feb 19, at 8:38am Hong Kong time, at the Queen Mary Hospital. She was 60.

Born in Shanghai, the actress was affectionately known as Fei-fei for her plump appearance and jolly disposition. "Living with Lydia", her work in a Singapore sitcom, won her an award as the "Best Comedy Performance by an Actress" at the 2003 Asian Television Awards.

Shum starred in more than a hundred movies, including some of Hong Kong’s most popular classic films, such as Drunken Tai Chi, Millionaire’s Express, and It’s Mad Mad World (1987), and even directed and starred in You are Wonderful. She also hosted numerous variety shows produced by TVB, most notably the popular Enjoy Yourself Tonight.

Farewell, Fei Fei, you will be missed.
R.I.P.

Related articles:
Popular Hong Kong entertainer Lydia Shum dies at 60 - AFP
Farewell, Fei Fei - The Star, Malaysia
Hong Kong veteran actress Lydia dies - Xinhua