AN INTERESTING MERCEDES BENZ TV COMMERCIAL

(Mercedes Benz TV commercial from Youtube)

Usually I don't like to copy some one's photos or videos for my blog, because I prefer to show originals. But this time, I just can not help to post this commercial!

As most formula one fans know, the competition (both on and off track) between 2 McLarne's drivers is so obvious. This time Mercedes Benz made it real in TV commercial. It is quite a funny and creative work, and you can see 3 F1 stars in this commercial; Alonso, Hamilton and Hakkinen.

"EL TANOURA", THE EGYPTIAN SPINNING DANCE (VIDEO UPLOADED)

During the Egypt trip in 2004, we had a dinner cruise on the Nile River in Cairo and enjoyed watching belly dance and El Tanoura which is the Egyptian spinning dance. I have seen several times belly dance on TV, but it was the first time to see El Tanoura; it was quite impressive and amazing to see a dancer performing such a dance for over 30 minutes without feeling dizzy.

My uncles said he also saw belly dance and El Tanoura in Turkey, but they are more like a part of religious ceremony.

MiG-29 AEROBATIC SHOW IN MALAYSIA, 2005

(formation of MiG-29N flew over Sepang International Circuit)

(formation of 4 MiG-29N)
(another view of MiG-29N formation)

After the open house of Sung Shan AFB, friends complained the air shows were not as exciting as seen at other AFBs, because the formations were not low enough to impress visitors. They could not feel the power of jet engines.

I did not see any air show in Taiwan before, but I agreed with my friends. I think air force cared more about safety than exciting performance, because Sung Shan AFB is also an airport for domestic flight and it is near residential area.

During the Formula one Malaysian GP, Malaysian air force performed MiG-29N aerobatic shows for 3 days. 6 MiG-29N (4 for formation, 2 for solo) really impressed visitors and gave them a unforgettable good memory. Maybe their performance was not as exciting as Thunder Bird, Blue Angels, and Thunder Tiger, but I did enjoy the shock from powerful jet engines.

Maybe this kind aerobatic show costs too much, so they canceled the show since 2006.

OPEN HOUSE OF SUNG SHAN AIR FORCE BASE

(Mirage 200-5DI from Shin-Ju AFB)
(F-16B MLU from Hwa-Lian AFB)
(F-CK-1 from CCK AFB, Taichung)
(paratrooper show)
(BH-1900C and a female pilot who is a major )

For celebrating 70th anniversary of 814 Victory, Air Force arranged an open house at Sung Shan air force base in Taipei. In fact, this event has been delayed twice due to 2 typhoons.

It is really hard to see such a air force event in Taipei, so I grabbed my camera and went to the base around 9 o'clock. It seemed this event did get people's attention, it was so crowded there; I even met some friends!

Because Sung Shan air port is also for domestic flight, so there was no aerobatic show, but quite a full display of all equipments and aircraft of R.O.C. Air Force. It was a great event for airplane fans and general public; at least we knew how air force spent the tax money.

More photos...

MY FIRST PRIVATE RIFLE

(shooting type 56 carbine)
(loading ammo)
(target at 50 meters)

OK, you can call me gun maniac! I bought my first private rifle just few weeks after my student life started in US. Because Georgia is one of the earliest 13 states, so they still keep the tradition for owning weapons for sporting, hunting, and self-defense. At that time (1992), I just needed to show my driving license, filled up a form to answer some funny questions and paid around USD100 (cheaper than any one of my BB gun today). Then I could have my rifle.

This rifle is a Chinese made type 56 semi-auto carbine which is the SKS rifle in Russia. I kept this rifle for almost one year till I traded in for another rifle. I enjoyed sports shooting pretty much due to the cheap Chinese ammo. (USD110 for 1000 round 7.62x39 ammo).

p.s. I have to thank the owner of the gun store. I could not enjoy sports shooting without his assistance.