Saturday 30 August 2008

Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams; U2 + Green Day- The Saints Are Coming

This track's not too old. It's no stranger to many. And I'm sure many have also heard the mash-up between this track and 'Wonderland' by Oasis.

So let's back-track...

Verve ->[made 'Bittersweet Symphony]-> Oasis ->[songs mashed together]-> Green Day -> ?



That question mark is U2. Unlikely partners in crime, but it was Hurricane Katrina that gave these two bands the opportunity to work together on 'The Saints Are Coming'.

Watch this space as I show link number 5 and 6.

Oasis - Wonderwall

From The Verve, who originally created 'Bittersweet Symphony', We move on to another band who did a cover for 'Bittersweet Symphony', Oasis.



Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

Backbeat the word was on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
I don't know how

Because maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after all
You're my wonderwall

Today was gonna be the day?
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now

And all the roads that lead to you were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
I don't know how

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after all
You're my wonderwall

I said maybe
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?
And after an
You're my wonderwall

Said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me


By the way, yes. I'm getting on a six-degree-of-separation experiment on musicians who are related one way or another, be they partners in producing an album, or if they ever collaborated before, maybe they sang different songs with the same title; whatever it is, it's a six-degree of separation between musicians.

Thursday 28 August 2008

The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony


Pretty sure you've heard of a certain part of this song before, at least once in your lifetime.

I've been wanting to know who or what band made the song that had that little solo violin part in it. It's just so distinctive and universal, yet not many knows the full song.

Well, here it is. The Verve, with Bittersweet Symphony. It is a pretty old song, but I still think it's nice...

Wednesday 27 August 2008

Favourite links for the moment.

As you may have realised by now, my blogging schedule has become very irregular.

For that, I apologise.

I just finished my first prelim period. I said 'first' because I'm having another set of prelim papers after the September holidays. Namely, Add Math Paper 2, Phy Paper 1, Art 3, and Chem Paper 1.

Anyway, in the midst of all these, I found a couple of links that I want to share!

Firstly, it's Shazam. OK, this will only get the attention of, like, the 5 people whom I know that own the iPhone. But I'm sharing it nonetheless. It's an iPhone app that helps you identify what song you're listening to over the iPhone microphone. How? Just launch the app, put the microphone over your radio speakers [or over your headphones, with the music blasting out of your headphones] for approximately 12 seconds. Then, wait a while as the app submits the sample online and communicates with its servers. In a matter of seconds, the app will then show you the artist info, song title, album, and genre! It's like the details of a certain music you get when watching MTV, but a little more on-demand! Oh, if you have iTunes, you can buy the track on the iPhone too.

Next up, it's not really the first time I mentioned them, but it seems that nobody I know uses them, except for Ryan Lee and myself [don't know why. Could be because of the Mac Cult thing]
  • Last.fm. Lets you 'scrobble' songs you play on iTunes and iPods [i.e.: update the play count]. From this, you can make charts like my screwed-up one on the right. [It's screwed because there's a bit of problems with iPod touch and iPhone OS X]. It also shows you cool stuff like upcoming concerts around you [e.g.: Kanye West@Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sep 17, Baybeats on 29-31 Aug, etc.]
  • Twitter. Micro-blogging, where you summarise the answer to the question 'What am I doing now?' in 140 characters. There's solutions to help you twitter on your mobile phone, iPods, etc.
If you happen to use the two social networking sites above, do add me as a friend!

Oh, one more site that I seldom mention, and I think I should mention them more often. It's Digg.com, a 'social news site' where users get to vote stories up until it reaches the front page. I have gained lots of blogging items from Digg, and I think I should mention them. They're pretty good at filtering more than just the plain, typical news. You get to read the wacky stuff that the general media does not even dare to talk about.

Speaking of Digg.com, I found this link over at Digg. They show a couple of neat Photoshop tricks, mostly futuristic and sci-fi-ish in theme / tone. Well, my photoshopping skills aren't as 1337 as JY's, but f you want to say you are better than him, or if you are patient [I hate to paint], go dip yourself in the awesomeness of the guides!

ok. ciao!

Sunday 24 August 2008

damn it. SIM card activation tomorrow...

I'll let twitter do the intro...

Ronald Liongronfiles Nerdgasm.
Icon_star_empty
Icon_trash
Ronald Liongronfiles Got my iPhone 3G at last!!! Super elated!

Yes, iPhone 3G.

I spent approximately 2hours, from finding the START of the queue [they broke it up into segments...], waiting in the rain, trying the phone out, filling up some forms, talking to people, holding umbrellas [it rained so badly, one segment of the wet weather queue was affected by rain, so we had to hold an umbrella, let go as the queue moves, and then hold another umbrella. think of it as 'passing the parcel', only the person holding the parcel moves, while the parcels stay where they are].

Then, my nerdgasm starts.

I was finally inside Singtel ComCentre, waiting for my queue number [yeah. that long queue going around comcentre? that's a queue for a queue number! how fun!]

my turn.

That was 1 hour 10 minutes. Not too shabby, considering the rain, and the amount of time the queue entertainers actually let me TOUCH and USE an iPhone 3G. Which, by the way, feels like a nice pebble / paperweight. PERFECT stone!

Gave them the forms I had to fill up. Told her I wanted the BOM plan which costs $19.90 / month. [remember my last post?] [btw, BOM = Broadband on Mobile. this is the only place where saying 'bom' won't get you pummelled onto the ground by a huge guy]

She spent around 30 minutes trying to figure out WTF is this BOM plan. within the first 15, she found out what it's called. BOM Plus.

The first 15 min is partially my bad, i guess.

The next 15 minutes? She was figuring out how to find BOM Plus under the service activation programme / web page on her PC. Could be because they haven't implemented it on the systems yet. So, she asked me to pick up the BOM 1000 instead. $22 per month, 50GB data, rather than 500MB of Plus, but 1Mbps DL speed. heck, the iPhone ain't a PC, anyway. So, I said ok.

let's see, 1h 40 minutes.

the last 20 minutes was mainly another 15 minutes of figuring out why my existing 3G SIM card doesn't work.

She gave me a new sim card, but told me I can't use it till tomorrow, coz they need to activate it first. Urgh!

Then, payment time, and then chow time.

Anyway, yes, I effectively just bought an iPod touch + paper weight. not an iPhone. this is, of course, EFFECTIVELY.

But, just you watch. by tomorrow, I'll be making calls on an iPhone. and iPod touch + a phone.

Oh, the GPS is only a bit more sensitive than the touch for some reason. Can't lock onto GPS signal, even from outside my home. Can someone help me out?

Thursday 21 August 2008

Questions and doubts...

A few months ago, the person at Singtel Ngee Ann City asked me if I wanted to keep my current plan.

I said yes.

I thought that meant 'keeping with my current contract'.

Today, a page over at CNET Asia says that you MUST recontract or sign up for a new plan.

Whoops.

Make that double whoops. If I were to downgrade or cancel the contract, that's a 800-smackeroos-sized hole in your wallet.

OK, if that's the case, I better keep my current plan, iOne Plus [the cheapest one], sign up for the $19.90/mth, 3-months contract on Broadband on Mobile, cancel BOM when I leave Singapore, and pass my SIM card to some needy dude. [i mean someone else in my home who needs to get off prepaid.]

k. bio

Whoa...



Look at the glowing Apples!
[and that Dell guy in the first row.]

You know someone's desperate...

...for an A1 in Biology or the study of the brain [neurology] when they are learning about the brain, from the Brain.


Oh, if you take Bio, I hope this helps!

Tuesday 19 August 2008

Starting to miss home...

I'm mugging for SS right now...

But I just cant help thinking about a couple of things... All quite significant to a certain extent [yes, I'm studying SS. As proven / highlighted in the use of the word 'extent']

  1. iPhone coming out. I'm getting mine from Ngee Ann City on 25th, Sci Practical day.
  2. History paper the day after, and SS tomorrow. Why the f*** am I stil procrastinating?
  3. Been thinking how some people have been treating me recently. Not naming names here, but if your first name is your surname, then yes, I'm talking about you people. [lol. that's pretty good way to be vague, yet specific. Just hope I drew the boundaries in my venn diagram correctly. Yes, I have E Math tomorrow as well.]
And about the title, yes, I kinda miss home. I wanna go back to Jakarta...

Then again, my parents moved house, and I haven't seen my new room yet. Should start planning on what to fill that room with. maybe a 32" HDTV [I like my screen small], an Apple TV/mac mini, JBL SoundStiks / some 5.1 set-up, a Ps3? yum... Oh, A Rasterbated image as my ACTUAL WALL wallpaper, of course. [no, it's not porn-related. Well, yes, you can relate it, but most of the time, no.]. Just hope there's internet connection there. :[ (psyche! I used an emoticon!)

Ok, Back to the books. Just done with Chapter 2 of Sec 3 book. lol. Good thing I'm done with Venice, Transnational Terrorism and Globalisation... Oh, did I mention most of the History topics as well?

Sunday 17 August 2008

8.



This is indeed one of the most amazing Olympics games.

8th month of the year 08. 8 gold medals. And at that 8-letter sports segment
[swimming], in that 8-letter major sporting competition [Olympics].

Michael Fred Phelps
. US Swimmer. 8 times Gold medalist at this year's Olympics Games.



Aside from this, Congrats to the Singapore Women Table Tennis Team consisting of Feng Tianwei, Li Jia Wei, Wang Yue Gu, and the coach Liu Guodong. Finally, a medal for Independent Singapore at the Olympics, eh?

And yes, there's Tao Li. First Singaporean to reach a Swimming final in the Olympics.

Then again, I can't say the same for the guys at badminton. No, not just Susilo, but Taufik Hidayat as well. Kinda felt sorry for them. Google for their results...

Btw, I mention 8 olympians [coaches included] in this post. And count the number of times the number in my title appears in the post. is it ........

Saturday 16 August 2008

800th post, 08/08

1+242+291+265=799

archives| we're like the library of congress, only smaller


Plus this post, 799+1 = 800!
This is officially my 800th post on da ron files on Blogger!
Amazing? I think so...

Well, What fun is an 800th post without any content, and just an announcement?

Here's a special music list different from any other that I have made.

How so?

Well, if you have a blog linked to my blog, and you posted music that I like, then you probably have a part to play in this decision-making process!

I actually went around my links to find what youtube music video or music widget people are posting on their blogs, and I checked out their selection. From there, I narrowed down the selection!

So enjoy! and Thanks!

My favourite music list, as shared by my blog links...
  1. Sheryl Crow
    Letter to God
    Source: Zul
  2. Madonna
    Frozen
    Source: Mr Stanley Ho
  3. Sheryl Crow
    So Glad We Made It
    Source: Mr Stanley Ho
  4. Norah Jones
    Sunrise
    Source: Benjamin See
  5. Hillsong Live
    Take It All
    Source: Darien Chua
  6. Lifehouse
    Broken
    Source: Daryl Pung
  7. Armour For Sleep
    Kind of Perfect
    Source: Jeremy Tan Sheng An
  8. Colbie Cailat
    Realise
    Source: Jasper Yee
  9. Regina Spektor
    The Call
    Source: Daryl Pung
  10. Hillsong
    Desert Song
    Source: n422
Hope you appreciate this list!

Thursday 14 August 2008

Feel-good, feel bad.

Oral went well.

Not the best, and quite a lot of pauses / stuttering, especially in picture discussion and conversation. But hey, NO prompting required! That's a first!

Now, the feel-bad.

My right wrist feels weird. As if it was knocked.

Also, I'm getting more and more tired. Not saying much, except that my fatigue is getting worse and worse. Won't be surprised if I fall...

Swim tomorrow! w00t!

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Darn it, let's do this!

I shall ace English Oral.
--MY New Year's Resolution.

Great tissues of Ronald's nervous system, let us work together in harmony and do this! For the Politburo!

Ya, you can tell I've been learning a bit too much of Chinese politics.!

Tuesday 12 August 2008

August 22nd!

Subject: It's coming on 22 August 2008!

Date: August 12, 2008 5:51:41 PM SST

Wednesday 6 August 2008

HINT! HINT! 请注意!

I'l cut to the chase.

Look.


From: iPhone@Singtel
Subject:
iPhone 3G NEWS from SingTel
Date: August 6, 2008 5:09:34 PM SST
To: ronaldliong


Sunday 3 August 2008

Coping with exams well...

http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/exams.html

See if this helps.

passing the message(s).

Got this from my CG's blog. been meaning to post this on my own blog for those who don't visit that blog, and I finally did.

Thanks to Matthew Ho for posting this on the n422 blog!

Emergency Telephone Numbers

These are more effective than 911

When -
You are sad, phone John 14
You have sinned, phone Psalm 51
You are facing danger, phone Psalm 91
People have failed you, phone Psalm 27
It feels as though God is far from you, phone Psalm 139
Your faith needs stimulation, phone Hebrews 11
You are alone and scared, phone Psalm 23
You are worried, phone Matthew 8:19-34
You are hurt and critical, phone 1 Corinthians 13
You wonder about Christianity, phone 2 Corinthians 5:15-18
You feel like an outcast, phone Romans 8:31-39
You are seeking peace, phone Matthew 11:25-30
It feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone Psalm 90
You need Christ like insurance, phone Romans 8:1-30
You are leaving home for a trip, phone Psalm 121
You are praying for yourself, phone Psalm 87
You require courage for a task, phone Joshua 1
Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone Mark 10:17-31
You are depressive, phone Psalm 27
Your bank account is empty, phone Psalm 37
You lose faith in mankind, phone 1 Corinthians 13
It looks like people are unfriendly, phone John 15
You are losing hope, phone Psalm 126
You feel the world is small compared to you, phone Psalm 19
You want to carry fruit, phone John 15
Paul's secret for happiness, phone Colossians 3:12-17
With big opportunity/ discovery, phone Isaiah 55
To get along with other people, phone Romans 12

Alternate Numbers
For dealing with fear, call Psalm 47
For security, call Psalm 121:3
For assurance, call Mark 8:35
For reassurance, call Psalm 145:18

All these numbers may be phoned directly.
No operator assistance is necessasry.
All lines to heaven are available 24/7.
Feed you faith, and doubt will starve to death.