The DVD Category has also been expanded to include:
A new Keongomaniac Past Year Commendation has also been added as a miscellaneous, plus the all-important Keongomaniac Lifetime Achievement Awards where recipients will be knighted with the Sword and Shield of the High King, the highest honour in Haz Wayne's World.
Jennifer Aniston bares all except for an all American patriotic tie in the latest cover for GC magazine. Famous for her role as Rachel Green in popular TV sitcom Friends, the magazine declares "Is it just us or is Jennifer Aniston getting hotter?". Well she better be if they are only giving her a neck tie for a cover shoot!
As the year approaches to an end, crisis dawn on Haz Wayne's World as shocking news reveals The Keongomaniac has no apparent contender for the Keongomaniac Male (Artiste) of the Year award! The Keongomaniac Female and Male of the Year are widely considered to be the top-most recognition for any artistes in the entertainment industry. Last year's Female of the Year was won by newcomer Megan Fox for her role in Transformers while Male of the Year was given to Justin Timberlake for his Futuresex/Lovesounds album which also won Album of the Year.
This year, singer-songwriter Mariah Carey has been speculated to win the Keongomaniac Female of the Year, though actress Natalie Portman has also been mentioned as a likely contender. This has led to the highly-anticipted Battle of the Queens due to the fact that both Queen Mariah and Queen Natalie are vying for dominance in their respecive royal rule. 
Early this year with Sir Heath Ledger's untimely death, some has expected The Keongomaniac to present the Male of the Year award to him. Sir Heath has already be conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award and named the Keongomaniac Villain of the Year for his Joker role in The Dark Knight. Hence the only contender so far is the late Heath Ledger. But with such lack of male prominence this year, who else could possibly be named 2008's Keongomaniac Male of the Year??
Both TV series do share somewhat similar issues of the day. For its background they depict the affluent class of peoples - the rich and famous. Set in the New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge is prominently featured in the cinematic zoom-outs. In fact, one of the episodes in Dirty Sexy Money depicts Jeremy Darling's 25th birthday bash at the Bridge, to reflect the kind of insane things the insanely rich could afford to do. What is interesting, the series attempt to show the viewers that being rich is not all roses as most of us would think. But ironically too, these kind of series give us the very insight into the affluent lifestlye that governs their daily routine, making "envy" an obvious choice of words to describe it at the very least. The contradictory nature of American TV serials? I think so. While we watch and aspire and drools, we wonder in our little hearts whether we can ever get to wear the same shirt or skirt of the characters.
In Dirty Sexy Money, the rationale mind of the key figure and family lawyer Nick George (Peter Krause) is juxtaposed with the ludicrous spendings of the Darlings, a filthy wealthy family. The eccentricities of its various family members are the highlight of the episodes, as Nick attempts to unravel the mystery behind his father's untimely death. Gossip Girl too plunges head-on on the apparent class divide issue, a modern Austen of sorts. Commoner Dan Humphey (Penn Badgley) manages to climb the social ladder by managing to win the heart of one Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), whose very name sounds aristocratic. Viewers seem to still love a love story classicly divided by class, albeit set in an updated 21st Century setting. The idea that Prince Charming need no longer be a prince per se, nor a knght in shining armour for that matter, is not altogether revolutionary, but could still be presented in a fresh way.
What is it like to be rich, and inevitably famous? These series do stir in a directi
on which says that being richer, their problems are correspondingly bigger. Cleverly too, Dirty Sexy Money shows how the very fact that you possess richness becomes the gap that separates essential bonds like that of parents and children. Rich parents become completely dismissive of the wants and needs of their born-wealthy children. This is seen in Tripp Darling's relations with Patrick Darling and Jeremy Darling, and the Archibalds in Gossip Girl. Nate Archibald gives a classic resistence to the parents' dogmatic will, and eventually the young would stir the old back to the right direction. But does being rich, or having really loads of money makes one a different person, say, if he or she were not as rich? Jeremy Darling did muse that perhaps the problem lie with the fact that they are so insanely rich. He subsequently decides to take on a job and learn responsibility, even realising that people sees him only because he's a Darling. Same goes forKaren Darling and Serena van der Woodsen.
At the start of every Dirty Sexy Money episode Nick George narrates that "money is the root of all evil, or so they say". In Gossip Girl the Humphrey males are not tempted to be bought with money, but nonetheless do acknowledge that it is the means to go places. If truly it is the root of evil why would the capitalist world sought it? Because it brings with it the source of comfort and power those without it would never dream to know. For me personally, watching these series makes me aspire more to be part of a higher class of society, no matter how shallow that might sound. Climbing the social ladder is not a crime, but to lead a simple life one has to be simple-minded enough to wish it. Life is anything but. So why settle for less? It is a material world, its unequal. We can be atas, as long as you stay true to what it has taken to get up there. I would very much love to be rich and famous one day.
But rich, famous and beautiful? That would be the life.
Earlier today The Keongomaniac announces Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama as this year's Keongomaniac Person of the Year. This is in conjuction with the first day of polls for the United States as they start off the much-anticipated Presidential Elections. While Illinois' Senator Obama, whose full name is Barack Hussein Obama II, has been highly tipped to win the Person of the Year recognition, the timing to declare it during the start of voting (rather than after he wins presidency) signifies that The Keongomaniac sees him as the Person of the Year regardless the results of the elections.
I finally got myself my very own digitial camera, with the gracious help of Feeza Wydiana. Its a 10-Mega Pixel 2.5 wide LCD screen Fujifilm FinePix Z20, Japan's white limited edition. The net pictures below shows the 5 colours that they are available in. 
Red was the other choice. Loud.
Back view.
Blue was not favoured.
Joseph Benjamin Jeyaratnam
JB Jeyaratnam at Anson constituency in 1986, where PAP's hegemony in Singapore was first blemished. Also could be seen in the picture is a young Low Thia Kiang on the far left, the current Secretary-General of the Workers' Party and Opposition MP for Hougang SMC.
Once crowned as the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears made a triumphant comeback this year by winning 3 accolades at the recent 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, the event which was, incidentally, opened by her. Thanking the generous crowd for "all their love" during the opening, it proves to materialise later in 3 Moonman statuettes. Believe it or not, Britney who was first known for her hit song Baby One More Time has never receive a MTV VMA award before, making the win the first 3 of her career, all through her song Piece of Me.
Princess Britney the new Queen?
Shockwaves ran throughout Haz Wayne's World when Princess Britney beats Queen Mariah in the Best Female Video category, where Piece of Me won over Touch My Body. Some reports after the night's event also referred to Britney as a "pop queen" rather than the former princess of pop. Britney Spears's awesome win definitely had elevated her status in Haz Wayne's World, where she once had enjoyed immense popularity and recognition during her pop heyday.
From Disaster to Victor
Exactly a year ago Britney's disastrous performance at the very same event made many conclude that her so-called comeback was nothing but a joke. This year she shared a Piece of Her in a complete trinity of recognition to herself and fans alike. The Keongomaniac congratulates Princess Britney for her triple-treat win!
For full video click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4NayXtzsBo
Perhaps in honour of fellow Founder Dian Hudson's yellow-inspired tudung, the unofficial motto and mantra of the Founders Four has been adopted: "Too much cheese is not too cheesy". Coined by Founder Shukri Legolas out of his wildest imagination, one can only stop to wonder what he actually meant. The belated birthday girl nonetheless got a memorable mini Effour celebration by the Bay and Hut, quality never compromised!
First Place - Founder JolieSecond Place - Founder Legolas
Third Place - Founder Kent
Fourth Place - Founder Hudson
Dinner at the Hut
Dinner at Pizza Hut was a funny affair as usual. These 2 pics were chosen to show how wild the girls are, while we men were certainly more civilised in all respects. Hehe. Too much cheese is not to cheesy! We even thought of the official Malay translation: "Terlalu banyak keju tidak begitu keju". Ahakz. A normal day in the Effour Universe.
The tally above is the somewhat official chart with China on top due to its highest number of gold, as these charts normally depict. It is of course a fact that the US do get the most number of medals in total but by the standards accepted by all civilised nations of the world, this chart is the accepted version and thus appeared in all the newspapers in the world, except...
the American ones. The US media chose to depict the chart which shows the total medal tally as being the top. So not surprisingly, the United States is at the top of the charts, with China second. I mean, how irritating is that? This move has already drawn huge criticisms from many parties. Here is America, who could harp on Michael Phelps endlessly for his 8 gold medals, but simply feel insecure over China's overall performance in its own homeground? And they have the cheek to keep repeating on the Chinese media being too restricted when its own so-called free media has not openness enough to embrace true victory? I would say shame on you America. You are the losers. When people remembers the Beijing Olympics, surely they would know the Chinese are the real winners.
Famous amusement parks were visited, phenomenal rides taken, personal records broken. Albeit rushed and time restricted (word of the day).
"You'll be my American boy... American boooyy.." Once considered to be taboo in Haz Wayne's World, the Star-Spangled Banner is embraced in the Wild West section of the amusement park.
A typical ode to the natives of America, they who perished and exterminated by the Anglo-Saxons of yesterday, presidents of the present.
Unleashing the Clark Kent in me. Farm and barn things reduced to seats.
Now to the Pacific, and the Big Smiles of the Mysterious Ones. Those ancient race of people must have been happy people. 
Another native. Fascinating tatoos would drive any beng nuts.
Walking with the Dinosaur, transported momentarily to prehistoric times this time. 
Now to Ancient Egypt. Embracing a long-lost brother turned into stone a long time ago by the Egyptian mother.
Another long-lost brother. The Sphinx asked me: "Which creature walks with 4 legs in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 3 at night?" I answered, "That creature does not have to wait till night to walk with 3, nor does he walk with 4 only in the morning". Kinky.
Me and Jufri trying to confuse visitors on the right way to the North Pole.
Galileo was executed for saying the Sun is in the centre of the Universe. A better trick is to say the Tower of Pisa is not leaning.
The closest I've been to the Forbidden City. It once houses one of the mightiest monarchs in history, until they put a woman in-charge which ultimately destroyed 1000 years of Chinese history. 
"Mushu, ring the gong!". Erm, bell in this case. For luck I think.
After the supposed around the world tour in 3 days, back in Taiwan. At Taipei 101, the beautiful colours of life converged to erect the world's tallest building.
The ancient coins say "1-0-1". Can you see it?
Apparently Singapore is not the only place with LOVE. This one is red.
Bye bye Taiwan. Enter the Last Five Months.
