We saw it coming!

After all the noises made at Gwen's recent concert, nobody would believe that Beyonce will actually rock the stage without her being told to cover up for our own benefits.

[Source] JUSTIN Timberlake boasted about 'bringing sexy back' in his recent hit, but he shouldn't try that in Malaysia.

Some of the world's top pop stars are holding concerts in Muslim-majority Malaysia this year, but they are facing growing pressure to keep skimpy outfits and steamy dance moves off the stage.

Event organisers said yesterday that conservative Islamic critics have protested against some acts because they believe liberal Western performances can corrupt youths.

Gwen Stefani made what she called 'a major sacrifice' by donning clothes that revealed little skin at a Kuala Lumpur performance on Tuesday, after Muslim students and political activists called for her concert to be scrapped because of her sexy reputation.

Instead of her usual skimpy wardrobe, Stefani covered her tight-fitting tops in jackets and sported leotards under her dresses and mini-skirts during her two-hour concert.`

She said: 'I've been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I'm facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me.'

Promoters have announced that R&B superstar Beyonce, who is known for her sultry image, is scheduled to perform on 1Nov with outfits that are more conservative than what she is used to.

'We've informed Beyonce's management about this issue of clothes, but it takes some of the fun out of it,' said MrRazlan Ahmad Razali, chairman of Pineapple Concerts, which is organising Beyonce's planned concert.

'Beyonce won't be able to do the kind of show here that she does elsewhere,' Mr Razlan told The Associated Press.

'She's a fashion icon, and we know that she often wears mini-skirts and clothes that expose her navel during her performances.

'It's a pity to restrict her because her costumes are all tasteful and glamorous.'

Concert organisers are taking extra pains to ensure that performers cover up because of the uproar caused by a Pussycat Dolls concert last year.

The five-member US girl group performed in Kuala Lumpur last August wearing revealing outfits and doing raunchy dance routines.

The organisers for that concert were fined RM10,000 ($4,400) after the group was accused of flouting decency laws.

Malaysia's guidelines for public performances require a female artiste to cover up from the top of her chest to her knees, including her shoulders.

Performers may not hug or kiss, and their clothes must not have obscene or drug-related images or messages.

Grammy-winning hip-hop star Kanye West was also made to follow these rules when he performed in Kuala Lumpur in April.

The outspoken rapper had to omit one of his biggest hits, Jesus Walks, due to sensitivities surrounding the title of the song, said Mr Razlan.

Such concerns have made Malaysia less appealing to some stars.

A concert promoter, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the hassle about clothes was one of the reasons that sultry US pop diva Christina Aguilera skipped Malaysia.

Her recent Asian tour included Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

That's why promoters are hoping that successful concerts by Stefani and Beyonce will help lure other big acts to the country during Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which accused Stefani of promoting promiscuity and corrupting youth, says it will probably protest further if Beyonce, Timberlake or Kylie Minogue perform here.

'Even with Gwen Stefani, we're not satisfied just because she covered up at the concert,' said party official Kamarulzaman Mohamed.

'Outside, she still wears sexy clothes and influences teenagers who idolise her. It's bad to have immoral artists visiting Malaysia.'

Now come on, immoral artist? It's solely their personal perceptions. If them coming here induces bad habits-slash-impacts, it can only be blamed at our education level and self morality and senses for acting the way which might be against the religion, humanity or the legislations. I think the nonsensical protests should be put to rest when these artists even have the initiative of stopping by. Ugh.

And if, abiding to the traditions and customs, will those people actually come up with costumes like these for concerts? Definitely inappropriate (although the cheong sam looks half great), if to be performed with up-tempo hits like Crazy In Love and Deja Vu.

In Baju Kebaya...


In Cheong Sam...


In Sari...

Correction: Twins Protected!

After watching the video numerous times, one could somewhat tell that Beyonce wasn't entirely exposed during her concert in Toronto. When her dress blew up, it seems quite clear that she wore a protection underneath it all. Well, with all those low-resolution videos in Youtube, we can only make certain assumptions. Perhaps, we need better sources...

[Source] A rep for Beyonce said the singer was wearing a flesh-toned bra when her top flew up over her head during a concert in Toronto. It wasn't a "flashing," her publicist tells People magazine. "She's wearing a flesh-tone bra. Do you really think Beyoncé would go onstage like that?" She adds that her mother, Tina Knowles, "is the quality-control officer" on the singer’s tour, making sure that an accidental exposure of the twins would never happen.

Oh no she didn't!

Sometimes, to be sexy is to take risks. Wardrobe malfunction has been the 'it' term since Janet's Superbowl incident. And recently, Beyonce has became the next victim of WM. Reading the feedbacks on the current incident, many believed that she did it on purpose, which was possible. But heck, she sacrificed her all in putting a great show, and a bra would most probably ruin the whole look of that loosely designed skimpy dress. In the midst of strong wind during her Canada concert, it finally exposed her voluptuous twins...

[Source]US singer Beyonce Knowles exposed her breasts on stage at a concert in Canada during a 'wardrobe malfunction'.

The Bootylicious singer's shirt flew up as she was dancing at a concert in Toronto - and she was not wearing anything underneath.

Clearly embarrassed, Beyonce moved backwards and pulled down her flowing shirt, holding on to it as she completed her dance routine.

Fans who captured the scene on mobile phone cameras have already begun posting the footage on You Tube.

Talent Time!

Monash Performing Arts Club is organizing a Talent Showdown Party on the 7th of September. Tickets are sold at RM10 each. Refreshments are included. And hey, I'm one of the contestants. Look, I'm listed as the 6th individual competing under that respective category in the audition results posted around campus. I ain't a good singer, but I'll just do my best that night, hopefully. Will be doing a couple of Japanese songs, which are unconfirmed since I don't have the instrumental music yet. It's just way too hard to look for karaoke version of songs from the late 80s and the early 90s. Help, anyone?

Pleasant? Or unpleasant?

I'm not sure if this is one good news or not. It is extremely exciting to be notified that Beyonce will be coming to Kuala Lumpur on the 1st of November to throw a little show for her beloved local fans. However, if the controversy revolving Gwen's gig is showing sighs of more rules and regulations and tighter speculations and consideration, I'm pretty sure that similar oppositions will repeat. All these while I've been waiting for this to happen, and I hope that the best will occur, instead of the worst. Not long ago, Christina Aguilera, had toured in Thailand and Singapore, but missed Malaysia. Did she not get the approval from our national authority? Possibly, yes, since she's well known for the sex appeal. Will Beyonce suffer from the same predicament? The rule of covering from the top of the chest till the knees and the shoulders is rather ridiculous. Beyonce's famous for her booty-shaking and aggressive dances. Without the appropriate apparels, her show will flunk. But of course, her undeniable powerful voice swill somehow save it all int he end. Well, all in all, I'll just wait for further details to be released...

[Source] PETALING JAYA: Beyonce, one of the world’s biggest rhythm and blues stars, will perform in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 1.

Malaysia will be one of the stops, besides Thailand, for the award-winning singer’s debut appearance in South-east Asia.

Pineapple Concerts chairman Razlan Ahmad Razali said Beyonce’s management had agreed to stage a concert in Malaysia.

“We are now working out details, such as the terms and conditions and the venue,” he told The Star in an interview.

Pineapple Concerts is well known for bringing big bands into the country, including Earth, Wind and Fire and Grammy winner Kanye West earlier this year.

Beyonce Knowles, 26, rose to stardom as the lead singer of all-girl trio Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s.

She released her debut solo album in 2003 and grabbed five Grammy Awards the following year.

Beyonce’s latest album, B’Day, won her another Grammy this year – making it her 10th in all – in the Best Contemporary R&B Album category.

She has also won awards for hits such as Deja Vu (which she also recorded in Spanish), Beautiful Liar (a duet with Shakira) and Irreplaceable, and led the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards with seven nominations.

Beyonce has acted in several movies, among them Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Pink Panther and Dreamgirls.

Dreamgirls garnered her nominations for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and Best Original Song (Listen).

She is also a songwriter, model, record producer, dancer and fashion designer.

Disney Jelly Slurp

Products of Disney are simply innovative and creative. And the people behind the company are smart in marketing their products. Mickey Mouse is always the artificial ambassador who draws high sales and attention. Well, I bumped into this product a while ago, and it's called Disney Jelly Slurp. Originated from China, the drink is a mixture of juice (grape, apple, etc.) with jelly. Being sold at around RM1.90, this product can be obtained from Jaya Jusco or Carrefour. Once, I bought them from Bon Odori, and the price was marked-up to RM2.50. Anyway, as a whole, this jelly drink is refreshing and cooling, but it would be rather appalling when it comes to the taste of the juice. The blackcurrent is okay, but the apple flavor is rather wicked. Still, it's a good treat once in a blue moon. Try it!

Nutrition Facts

Blackcurrent Jelly Drink

• Calories: 60 kcal
• Energy: 252 Kj
• Sodium: 60 mg
• Total carbo: 16 g
• Vitamin A: less than 2 %
  
• Vitamin C: 120%
• Calcium: less than 2 %
• Iron: less than 2 %

And the only difference between the facts for Apple Jelly Drink is that its total calories is just 10 kcal higer (70 kcal)!

Beyonce To Release Spanish Language EP.

[Source]Beyoncé Knowles' total entertainment domination continues this month with the release of her Spanish language EP Irreemplazable.

Since capturing this year's Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B album with B'Day, Beyoncé has set her sights on new challenges, overcoming language barriers with her newest project Irreemplazable. Scheduled for release on August 21, the eight track EP features original material as well as Spanish versions of songs from her multi-platinum sophomore release B'Day and platinum soundtrack Dreamgirls.

In addition to the title track "Irreemplazable" (Irreplaceable), which is included both in its original form and as a Nortena remix, Beyoncé's set includes a Timbaland remix of "Get Me Bodied" featuring Reggaeton artist Voltio as well as "Oye," the Spanish version of Dreamgirls' Oscar nominated song "Listen."

Other standout features on Irreemplazable include Beyoncé's duet, "Amor Gitano," with Alejandro Fernandez, which hit the top of the Spanish single charts and serves as the theme song for Telemundo telenovela "Zorro." Irreemplazable also serves up three versions of Beyoncé's collaboration with Shakira, "Beautiful Liar" - one in Spanish, one in Spanglish (featuring B's alter ego Sasha) as well as the English version.

Wal-Mart is also offering an exclusive CD/DVD version of Irreemplazable featuring special content including a behind the scenes documentary La Evolucion Latina de Beyonce (The Latin Evolution of Beyonce) and the music video for the "Get Me Bodied" Timbaland remix featuring Voltio.

Seriously, Beyonce works too hard. Well, her holiday must have served up well, as she is not showing signs of stopping yet!

Beyonce stars in Armani ad campaign!

[Source]Diamonds are certainly a girl's best friend as far as singer Beyonce is concerned.

The 25-year-old pop superstar has become the face of Emporio Armani's new perfume, 'Diamonds' and stars in the company's new ad campaign.

The songstress has also added her own take on the Marilyn Monroe song 'Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend' for the advert.

The new fragrance features notes of lychee and raspberry.

The singer says she has learnt from experience to be prepared when she goes to photo shoots.

She carries three pairs of sunglasses (black, gold and brown) in her bag and not one but two pairs of Christian Louboutin heels, in nude and gold, in case she needs to glam up an outfit at a moment's notice.

A favourite with the paparazzi, who follow her every move with their cameras, she says she's not worried about them taking shots of her from unflattering angles.

And she says she loves fashion and shopping far too much to give it up because of a few photographers.

I just love how Beyonce is playing her game. She might be busy touring right now, but her ad has been released few days ago. Have a look at it! (Beware: Wear your shades if you may! ROFL)

Isn't she gorgeous?? I think Armani got the right person to represent that new fragrance!

Nightmare Detective; Ratatouille

Watching movies is such a routine to me. At least a movie every week, I keep telling myself. Let it be new, old, any genres, any languages, any color. To date, I've seen almost 88 movies, an average of 3 movies a week. Of course, not all of them are released in the cinemas, and some of them are way back-dated such as the Evil Dead and Red Dragon. Anyway, I went for the preview screening of Nightmare Detective 2 weeks ago. At first, the movie occurred to be pretty cool to me, but after watching Nightmare on Elm Street, there seems to be quite a few similarities on concepts between the two movies. Basically, the title of the movie explains a lot of what one should expect and get from the movie. Japanese horror flicks are frequently to be missed whenever possible, but I seriously think that this one is a tad noteworthy among the bunch. ****

Just this evening, I won another pair of tickets to the exclusive preview screening of Ratatouille in GSC 1 Utama. Ever since I saw the trailer months ago in the cinema, I've always been wanting to catch this one as soon as it's up on the screens. Seriously, I had pretty high expectations from this new digitally animated film. But, I have to admit that it did disappoint slightly!, but as a whole, it's still a great, presentable movie. The story is pretty simple; it tells a tale of how a rat achieves his dream of becoming a chef. The moral value of courage, bravery and bond between organisms are instilled here. Overall, Pixar and Disney have created yet another masterpiece, as far as I'm concern. Love it. ****1/2

Some of the movies that I have yet to watch: Harry Potter, The Simpsons Movie, Rush Hour 3 & Rise: Blood Hunter.

Rose Camellia!

Weeks ago, Adrien actually introduced me to one of the coolest online games I've ever played. The rule is simple and easy to be understood. The technique required is on the movement of your hand through the mouse. Accuracy and speed comes together in this case. The game is called Rose Camellia, who is the main character that has to defeat all other villains. About 5 of them all together. And guess what, the main focus of the game is, bitch slapping. Isn't that cool?

Anyway here's the introduction on Rose Camellia:

Newly wed to Shunsuke, eldest son of the historied Tsubakikoji family, Reiko suffers the loss of her husband the very next day. Under the cruel and unceasing mockery of the aristocrats, Reiko's common-born blood sets to boil. Clutching the rose Shunsuke gave her to her bosom, Reiko issues a defiant challenge to the house. "I am the widow of the eldest son of the Tsubakikoji family. This house is mine!" ...This is the elegant art of feminine conflict.

She was the first opponent. All you have to do is to attack...


And to evade when she attacks back. On top of that, counter-attack is also possible.


Alas, victory is found after defeating the big fat medusa lady.

Play the game here.

A HP in 4 days.

A couple of good things to talk about. Firstly, after just 4 days of release, I actually finished the seventh/last book of the Harry Potter story, entitled The Deathly Hallow. With just over 600 pages, the suspense starts from page one up till the end. The epilogue offers some surprises to readers, too. All had came to an end, finally. I remember my copy of HP - Philosopher's Stone - roughly dated back to year 2000 when I was in Form One. Or was it Standard Six? Phew, almost 7 years since I knew Harry. That's long, isn't it?

Unlike the fifth and the sixth book, which were rather slow moving and boring at times, this book thrills fruitfully. It was ecstatic reading the pages on War of Hogwarts. It would have been could I was one of the wizards there, fighting against Voldermort. As war took place, death is inevitable. Some favored and disliked characters were unexpectedly (readers) but intentionally (J.K.) murdered, killed or victimized. However, readers won't be too sad over who died and who survived. Instead, they will be overjoy with the ending, wouldn't they? All in all, love the book!

Pocky, anyone? No it's not the ordinary chocolate or strawberry flavor, but apparently, in Thailand, chocolate banana flavor seems marketable. However, being a banana lover, I didn't really like the taste of it which certainly failed to meet my expectations. Nevertheless, worth a try since it's not in the market all the time.

UPDATES on Be Like Beyonce Contest which happened last month. I won something afterall. Just received their notification mail few days ago, infoming me about the details of the prizes and the address for collection. So, in the end, I won a copy of Beyonce B'Day Deluxe Edition CD and 1 WEP200 Bluetooth Headset! I'm pretty content over it, but I doubt that the headset will work compatibly with my V6 Maxx.

Cover Up!

Conservatism can be good, and sometimes, could be bad too. Here's a a recent case to support that. Gwen Stefani has been making headlines since months ago being an internationally established artist who would be throwing a concert here in Malaysia this month. However, there is a recent attack, forcing the concert to be canceled. The objective is to protect our moral values, it seemed. What the heck. Although I ain't going to the concert, but to what extend can she spoil us all? I do think that it's our right to attend the concert as we wish, and even if we will be influenced, in this case, badly, it is still our own responsibility to take as we can consume. Certain groups can't just make something out of nothing. Ridiculous! Luckily, Gwen will be abiding to the stupid code of conduct such as "no jumping" just to carry own with the concert. Approaching nationhood for 50 years now, our country need to revise these laws for the performers. Anyhow, here's a article I found on the net (source):

Gwen Stefani to cover up for Malaysia show

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - There will be no revealing costumes at U.S. singer Gwen Stefani's concert in Malaysia this month, a newspaper said on Saturday, after a Muslim student group demanded that the event be cancelled as being too obscene.

Although Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country with sizeable non-Muslim minorities, conservative groups often frown upon departures from strict Koranic injunctions.

Malaysian mobile phone firm Maxis Communications, which is promoting the August 21 show as part of Stefani's "Sweet Escape" tour, promised it would feature no revealing costumes, the Star newspaper said.

"She will abide by the Malaysian authorities' guidelines to ensure that her show will not be offensive to local sensibilities," it quoted a Maxis statement as saying.

Malaysia's official guide for performers says women must be covered from the top of the bosom to the knees, the Star said.

Jumping, shouting and the throwing of objects are barred, while performers may not hug, kiss or wear clothes with obscene or drug-related pictures or slogans, it added.
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On Tuesday, an official of the 10,000-strong National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students said Stefani's video promotion clips were obscene and the event would clash with local Asian and Islamic values.

"We want the organizers to cancel the concert, failing which we will ask the authorities to intervene," said Mohamad Hilmi Ramli, the group's president.

Ethnic Malays, who are by definition Muslims, make up just over half of Malaysia's 26 million people, while ethnic Chinese and Indians, who are mostly Buddhists, Christians or Hindus, account for most of the rest.