2007-08-03

2007 Euro Tour --- Day One 8/2

We arrived at our cute little boat house today, it was perfect. We had a little living room, a small kitchen and two bedrooms. With the canal just underneath us, what more could one ask for. After paying my father's former workplace a visit, we set of for the famous Van Gogh museum. We spent a little money and got ourselves audio tours. It felt great to find myself standing in front of the wonderful works of Vincent Van Gogh. Even though I've seen most of the paintings but it is nothing compared to the real thing. The audio tour was also definitely worth it, I used to just look at a painting and think, "Hey, it's beautiful!", and then continue to the next painting. However, with the audio tour, I know what details to look for and what makes this piece of art so special. The museum was packed with tourists including a group of korean student.
It became evident enough to us as we grew tired that we did not have enough rest on the plane, as a result we had to make a change of plans. Instead of going to the Rijksmuseum straight away, we went shopping along Kalvaarstraat. I got the mushroom shrubber Mom had specifically asked for, but it had a better design than it had eleven years ago. Instead of the white plastic handle on the top, there was now a wooden shape mushroom. It was rather cheap, too.
We went back to our boat house feeling terribly tired. After resting for an hour, we decided to catch a free canal tour around city. It was amazing! The view was breathtaking and it was totally worth the cold. We even passed a huge Chinese restaurant floating on the river! We also floated past the Anne Frank House, there must have been over a hundred people waiting in line. The captain of the ship certainly knew his way around the wheel, though he did bump the side of a tunnel while making a really hard turn. After the tour we set of for dinner. We went to a shop where we could get a free dinner with our Amsterdam pass. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to bring my guide book, so I decided to order something else. The man who was sitting next to me was really helpful, he recommended what he reffered to as the best in Amsterdam, the "Americaine", minced beef with herbs. It was really delicious! Strange enough, I seemed to have tasted it somewhere before.
It was rather late when we got back to our boat house, and we perpared to go to bed. It was at this point did we realise the down side on living on the canal. As boats occasionaly passed by our canal, we could feel the boat rock gently as the ripples hit the boat. Well maybe that will make getting asleep easier. XD For now.

2007-08-02

2007 Euro Tour --- Flight KL0878

I had no idea that the new terminal was so beautiful!! It's soooo much better than the old first terminal, but I heard that the new terminal leaks on a rainy day. Somehow, I'm not surprised. We were very lucky to have the seats next to the doors for ourselves, we can stretch our legs as much as we like ^^ The flight to Bangkok was very pleasant, the flight attendant was a bit old, but had a great sense of humour and was more than happy to help us out. We changed crews when we transferred at Bangkok, the new flight attendants were HOT, but I wasn't really satisfied with their service. They were always too busy to help you, and once I pressed the light to ask for the flight attendant, and 10 minutes later no one came, so I gave up in the end. We saw patches of bright light as we flew over the Netherlands, turned out they were farms for growing vegetables as well as flowers. We arrived at our destination at 5:45 in the morning....to be continued.

2007-07-23

Jon Stewart Quotes

Jon Stewart is currently the host of the highly popular show "the Daily Show", I've watched loads of his shows and I love it, how I wish there was somebody like him in Taiwan. Americans should be proud that their education system can produce someone like him. Here are some quotes I like.

I really thought that the make-up artist for Cinderella Man should have won. I mean it's so hard to make Russell Crowe look like he got in a fight.

If there's anyone out there involved in illegal movie piracy... don't do it. Take a good look at these people. These are the people you're stealing from. Look at them! Face what you've done! There are women here who can barely afford enough gown to cover their breasts.

I mean, 300 camera crews outside a courthouse to see what Kobe Bryant is wearing while false information used to send our country to war goes unchecked? What the f**k happened?

This morning, prompted by increasing concerns about terrorism, oil prices reached a record high as the cost of a barrel of crude is a whopping $44.34. Wow, it seems shocking that a product of finite supply gets more expensive the more we use it.... Now the terror alert means higher oil prices, which oddly enough means higher profits for oil companies giving them more money to give to politicians whose policies may favor the oil companies such as raising the terror alert level. As Simba once told us — it's the circle of life.

he Bushes hosted their predecessors at the White House yesterday, for the official unveiling of Bill and Hillary Clinton's White House portraits. The occasion moved the current commander in chief to a rare show of gracious bipartisanship.... Bush then handed the mic over to Clinton. It's been a long time since this skilled orator spoke in the White House. I'm sure he's got some profound words to share.... [clip of Clinton: 'All those kind and generous you said, made me feel like I was a pickle stepping into history.'] ... Uhhh, I don't get that at all. As a matter of fact, if I remember correctly, your pickle's already stepped into history.

If you're keeping score at home, so far our war in Iraq has created a police state in that country and socialism in Spain. So, no democracies yet, but we're really getting close.

President Bush announced we're going to Mars, which means he's given up on Earth.

If the events of September 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American — our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had a press conference at the Pentagon. If you listen to him speak, it really makes you wonder what the fuck he's thinking. [Shows clip of Rumsfeld threatening to hold Syria and Iran accountable for hostile acts against the U.S.] Do you see what he just did there? We're in the middle of a war, and he's starting another war. We're already fighting Iraq and he's like, 'Syria, you want a piece?' ...There is nothing like a cantankerous old man who takes a hey-you-kids-get-off-my-lawn approach to foreign policy. The guy's literally just like a drunk swinging a broken bottle at people. 'Hey, Netherlands, you looking at me?'

The United States Central Command of the Armed Forces has asked Geraldo Rivera to leave Iraq. It should also be noted that the only three other people that the U.S. military has asked to leave Iraq are Saddam Hussein and his two sons.

We have it. The smoking gun. The evidence. The potential weapon of mass destruction we have been looking for as our pretext for invading Iraq. There's just one problem — it's in North Korea.

President Bush delivered his first State of the Union address, riding high on an 82 percent approval rating, and with Attorney General John Ashcroft dispatching agents to interview the other 18 percent.

President Bush announced his new economic plan. The centerpiece was a proposed repeal of the dividend tax on stocks, a boon that could be worth millions of dollars to average Americans. Well, average stock-owning Americans. Technically, Americans who own a significant amount of shares in dividend-dealing companies. Well, rich people, that's what I'm trying to say. They're going to do really well with this.

On a personal note, I'm a comedian who makes fun of what I believe to be the absurdities of our government. Tomorrow when you go to the polls, make my life difficult. Make the next four years really hard, so that every morning all we can do is come in and go, 'Madonna is doing some Kaballah thing, you wanna do that?' I'd like that. I'm tired.

With the situation in Iraq growing ever more dangerous, the 34-member Coalition of the Willing are, one by one, dropping out to join the other coalition known as Most of the Rest of the World.

Spain's new Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced he will soon call back Spain's 1,300 troops from Iraq — meaning the Coalition of the Willing is fast turning into a Duet of the Stubborn.

After going to war against the U.N.'s expressed wishes, the U.S. is now admitting it needs the U.N.'s help. It's the geopolitical equivalent of the 2 a.m. phone call every parent dreads: 'Mom, I'm not saying I wrecked the car, but I need a ride home.'

What was God thinking in putting all his holy sites in one area? Like two blocks from each other. Is the idea for God ... He just put it in there like, 'I just want to see who wants it more.'

You know if I had a nickel for everytime Bush has brought up 9-11...I could raise enough reward money to go catch Bin Laden!
(You know if I had a nickel for everytime Chen has brought up 2-28...I could raise enough reward money to go catch the Ten Most Wanted!)

[regarding the lawsuit against Napster]
The judgment marks a key victory for the recording industry, in its aggressive battle against poor high school students and fun.
[about an increase in college crime rates]
This is what happens when you take away Napster.

*sigh* Wish Jon would comment on our stupid administration.