It was a brightly lit room, with florescent lights lining the sides of all the metallic walls. In the middle of the circular chamber was a high chair surrounded by flashing control buttons. The place had a very sterile feel, and endless sea of aluminum punctuated with an occasional flashing red button.
One of the many doors let out a quiet hiss as it opened, and in strode a tall, chisel jawed man. He had a purposeful demeanour about him, eyes sharp in a no-nonsense way. His strides were quick and long, but as the approached the centre of the room, he started slowing down. He stared at the creature occupying the high seat and sighed.
"Every bloody morning, he takes the seat first. Stupid dick," he muttered under his breath.
On the receiving end of the scathing attack was a fat boy with a rat's nest for a head of hair. He wore a black T-shirt with the words 'I am emo' and had a perpetually glazed look in his eye as if he was high on blow. His chubby fingers danced absently over the controls, occasionally poking one of them. No one really knew if his actions were of his own volition or just another random response. If he heard the comment, he didn't show any response.
The doors opened again, and in strode a rather small fellow. He wore a brightly coloured tie-dye shirt and tattered jeans, and walked as if someone had taken to his testicles with a cricket bat. When he saw the fat kid in the seat, he sighed and turned to leave.
But before he could step out, the tall man spoke.
"Annoying bugger isn't he. Ever since he moved in, he's been hogging the controls at the start of the day. Hell, I can't even remember the day I started at the helm."
Facing the tall man, the flamboyant dude snorted. "You don't say."
"Oh, I guess its worse for you Impulse. Your size does make it a little hard for you to jostle your way in. But you have to say don't you, that ever since this kid came about we've been a lot worse off. I dare say that I'd win the approval of everyone should it go to vote, me against him."
"I'm sure you would, Confidence, but you know very well it would change nothing. He will still be there every morning, leaving whenever he feels like it."
"Can't he see that no one likes him? And that he is doing us all a lot of harm."
"Actually, I wouldn't say that everyone has a problem with him. Have you seen how Logic and him get along? Everytime Logic walks in and sees him, he thinks that there is a problem. You know, sullen looking Goth kid who looks like he could use a week in rehab? The problem starts when Logic starts spouting solutions. Those two cannot work together. Remember last week? I got dragged into that as well, and it turned out to be a bit of a mess. Especially when Anger stepped in."
"Yea. I remember that. You know, Anger is very useful sometimes, but I really hate it when he turns on us. He seems to have a bit of a tiff with you doesn't he Impulse?"
"Don't remind me. I still get aches in the places that he broke my bones the last time. But even he is no match for that kid. No one knows how he does it, but when you can turn the whole room black and start shooting lightning bolts out of nowhere, people stop messing with you."
"Yea, but it doesn't stop Anger trying though. Always leaves the room in a bloody mess after they fight."
There was a moment of silence at that point, both the men staring at the child in the chair.
Confidence tried what he tried every morning. "Excuse me, would you mind moving aside and letting someone else pilot for a moment?"he asked.
His reply was a dry crackling in the air as sparks started bursting around the kid.
"Okay. Okay. Just asking. I'll leave you alone." The two of them turned to leave the room.
As the walked down the corridor, they met Wit. "Hey guys! Same story again this morning?"
Confidence answered. "Yes, same thing again. No one seems to be able to dislodge Loneliness at the start of the day."
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
The world is doomed.
Every so often, you come across things that you wish you never knew existed. It could be some form of evil. Or stupidity. Or something else equally depressing.
And you wonder how things like this can exist? What kind of cruel twist of fate put them on Earth? To read work that is bad is one thing. To read stuff that is so shallow and yet at the same time, blindly narcissistic is depressing on a whole new level.
It can actually sap your will to live. It makes you want to shoot yourself.
Sigh. Why la?
And you wonder how things like this can exist? What kind of cruel twist of fate put them on Earth? To read work that is bad is one thing. To read stuff that is so shallow and yet at the same time, blindly narcissistic is depressing on a whole new level.
It can actually sap your will to live. It makes you want to shoot yourself.
Sigh. Why la?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Movie critics.
Seriously now, I'm starting to get a little annoyed with them. I understand that they are paid for their reviews and therefore are expected to give a good one. I know that comparative analysis is inevitable when reviewing movies, and having read the book that spawned most of the movies, most reviewers use their prior experience reading the book and compare it with the movie.
Almost always, the movie ends up taking a beating. I have two examples. The Golden Compass was written based on the book Northern Lights, and the one review I have read has slammed the director for 'destroying one of the best pieces of child fiction ever written'. I know how he feels. I believe him when he said that the movie had been dumbed down by Hollywood. The generally happy, cheery feel to the movie doesn't quite capture a sense of epicness the way a dark tale spun around a properly scary Magisterium would. And not having happy endings is never an option with Hollywood, but it is in the world of books. So I guess for a sense of realism and immersability, book audiences will always be expecting something more than the usual children's fare.
I am Legend suffers from the same fate. The context of the title has been completely turned around, and now I actually find myself wanting to read the book, even if it is 50 year old science fiction. The movie is so much simpler than the book, but the idea in the book is just so bloody brilliant, I am actually a little upset that the producers didn't try to make it work on screen.
This is where my rant comes in. These movie reviewers are so used to a fare of intelligent story telling that everything else seems to suck in comparison. Most people I know found the Golden Compass to be a good movie. I didn't like it for the way the director made the movie or for the way the special effects were done. I loved it for the concept. I loved the idea of a nation of warrior polar bears and of a world that operates using a completely different set of rules of the universe. I'm sure the book did all that better, but it doesn't change the fact that the unacquainted will still be rightly impressed.
What I'm trying to say is very simple. If movie reviewers were wine tasters, they are only catering to the connoisseurs, the elitist bastards that uncork a bottle and sniff at the wine before pouring it in a glass and swirling it gently to oxygenate the bloody alcohol. Very few of their readers are that kind of people. We are social drinkers, happy we're even drinking wine at all. So fuck the flavour of the bloody thing, as long as it hasn't turned to bloody vinegar (which means very bad movie, like anything with Britney Spears or Madonna in it) then we would happily wolf it down and ask for a refill.
Almost always, the movie ends up taking a beating. I have two examples. The Golden Compass was written based on the book Northern Lights, and the one review I have read has slammed the director for 'destroying one of the best pieces of child fiction ever written'. I know how he feels. I believe him when he said that the movie had been dumbed down by Hollywood. The generally happy, cheery feel to the movie doesn't quite capture a sense of epicness the way a dark tale spun around a properly scary Magisterium would. And not having happy endings is never an option with Hollywood, but it is in the world of books. So I guess for a sense of realism and immersability, book audiences will always be expecting something more than the usual children's fare.
I am Legend suffers from the same fate. The context of the title has been completely turned around, and now I actually find myself wanting to read the book, even if it is 50 year old science fiction. The movie is so much simpler than the book, but the idea in the book is just so bloody brilliant, I am actually a little upset that the producers didn't try to make it work on screen.
This is where my rant comes in. These movie reviewers are so used to a fare of intelligent story telling that everything else seems to suck in comparison. Most people I know found the Golden Compass to be a good movie. I didn't like it for the way the director made the movie or for the way the special effects were done. I loved it for the concept. I loved the idea of a nation of warrior polar bears and of a world that operates using a completely different set of rules of the universe. I'm sure the book did all that better, but it doesn't change the fact that the unacquainted will still be rightly impressed.
What I'm trying to say is very simple. If movie reviewers were wine tasters, they are only catering to the connoisseurs, the elitist bastards that uncork a bottle and sniff at the wine before pouring it in a glass and swirling it gently to oxygenate the bloody alcohol. Very few of their readers are that kind of people. We are social drinkers, happy we're even drinking wine at all. So fuck the flavour of the bloody thing, as long as it hasn't turned to bloody vinegar (which means very bad movie, like anything with Britney Spears or Madonna in it) then we would happily wolf it down and ask for a refill.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Social responsibility.
I'm sometimes too generous with my opinions. I try to justify that by telling myself that I'm making a positive change, but I can't help but to wonder just how positive is positive. If I hadn't been such a nihilist in the past, I might have spread more gloom over the future. That would have been bad.
Having long talks with people has me asking if spreading the ideas that I have cultivated is really something that I should be doing at all. I mean, its instinctive, but I can at least try an put a cap to it.
Am I doing a service to society or am I spreading misguided half truths? I am fairly certain that I will find the ideas that I hold now to be quite childish and naive in the future, the same way I find the world view I had five years ago to be badly lacking proper perspective.
I know of people who think that I am better off not expressing anything at all. Those are the people who also have a tendency to try and sway others to their philosophies as well, so I'm not surprised at that kind of view. We sometimes hold diametrically opposed viewpoints.
But good thing or not, I do seem to have a lot of faith in my stands, however flawed they may be. With these kinds of posts, I might seem riddled with self doubt, but thats just the checks and balances that keep me somewhat rooted.
So I'll keep preaching.
Having long talks with people has me asking if spreading the ideas that I have cultivated is really something that I should be doing at all. I mean, its instinctive, but I can at least try an put a cap to it.
Am I doing a service to society or am I spreading misguided half truths? I am fairly certain that I will find the ideas that I hold now to be quite childish and naive in the future, the same way I find the world view I had five years ago to be badly lacking proper perspective.
I know of people who think that I am better off not expressing anything at all. Those are the people who also have a tendency to try and sway others to their philosophies as well, so I'm not surprised at that kind of view. We sometimes hold diametrically opposed viewpoints.
But good thing or not, I do seem to have a lot of faith in my stands, however flawed they may be. With these kinds of posts, I might seem riddled with self doubt, but thats just the checks and balances that keep me somewhat rooted.
So I'll keep preaching.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Whats with Lim Kit Siang?
I don't know the full details of what he actually says, but that man sound to me like a bloody loose cannon. He seems to oppose for the sake of opposing, even if there really are little grounds to pick a fight. Provoking the BN MPs seems to be some past time that he enjoys very much.
Apparently, he called somebody a goblok in Parliament the other day. His defense was that he meant 'go blog', meaning that he was telling that person to start blogging. I'm sure there are contexts in which that phrase can make sense, but I am very skeptical that Kit Siang wasn't out to cause trouble.
I've seen his antics in parliament as well, and they aren't what I would call civilized. I mean, the BN backbenchers are a bunch of uncouth monkeys, but that doesn't mean that the opposition lender needs to stoop to their level to engage with them. I actually pity the speaker of the parliament. He always seems helpless in those situations, his repeated pleas for everyone to sit down and calm down are always ignored. Its like he's scared of the MPs or something. How is a mediator supposed to do his job when he has no power?
Watching the way Kit Siang handle situations has substantially eroded the credibility that he has with me. It makes me question the questions that he raises and every allegation that he makes is greeted with a healthy dose mistrust. I actually wonder why he is still opposition leader because I seriously doubt DAP is that devoid of talent. Maybe its one of those 'old farts that refuse to let go' problems that seem to plague other political parties.
Apparently, he called somebody a goblok in Parliament the other day. His defense was that he meant 'go blog', meaning that he was telling that person to start blogging. I'm sure there are contexts in which that phrase can make sense, but I am very skeptical that Kit Siang wasn't out to cause trouble.
I've seen his antics in parliament as well, and they aren't what I would call civilized. I mean, the BN backbenchers are a bunch of uncouth monkeys, but that doesn't mean that the opposition lender needs to stoop to their level to engage with them. I actually pity the speaker of the parliament. He always seems helpless in those situations, his repeated pleas for everyone to sit down and calm down are always ignored. Its like he's scared of the MPs or something. How is a mediator supposed to do his job when he has no power?
Watching the way Kit Siang handle situations has substantially eroded the credibility that he has with me. It makes me question the questions that he raises and every allegation that he makes is greeted with a healthy dose mistrust. I actually wonder why he is still opposition leader because I seriously doubt DAP is that devoid of talent. Maybe its one of those 'old farts that refuse to let go' problems that seem to plague other political parties.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Kiam Siap.
The Chinese are scrooges. Thats the stereotype that has been perpetuated for generations, and I was a little skeptical about it. I figured times have changed, and so have people. Working has just shown me that old habits really do die hard.
For the first few weeks of work, I was content with taking orders and punching them in. Until the store manager decided that we need to make more money and told us all to push the average purchase of each customer up. There are a number of ways to do this, of which the easiest is to suggest extra cheese. Then we could ask if they would like some fries or some more bread or ice cream for dessert. RM15 per customer is supposed to be the target.
It was only when I made a conscious effort to see if I can sell more did I notice who were the people that usually do the buying. Customers coming in are split pretty even between the Chinese and the Malays. Indians show up only occasionally. Of the groups, this is how I would rank their tight-fistedness. The freest spenders are the middle easterners, (who thanks to MMU show up in respectable numbers) followed by the Malays, Indians and then the Chinese.
The middle easterners are not really open to suggestions. They typically know exactly what they want, and will order a lot of it. Screw combo meals, its ala carte all the way. And I never have to ask if they want extra cheese. They will ask for it right after making a pizza selection.
The Malays on the other hand, always seem to be looking for a good time and are normally quite happy to follow you as you lead them around the menu. "Nak extra cheese tak?" A lot of the time, the answer is "Boleh lah". They are also more likely to pander to their kid's request for a milkshake which would add substantially to the bill.
Now when I ask if a Chinese family if they want extra cheese, the person with the menu normally furrows his/her eyebrows and look at the rest of the family. The whole clan will then come to the conclusion that the extra expense is unnecessary and will politely decline. The Chinese are also much more likely to try and make the set meals work for them, adjusting preferences and decisions so that they may save RM14.50. And when I walk away from a table with a order for one set, and nothing else to go with it, you can bet that it was a Chinese family.
I think all this scrooginess is in the Chinese blood. Its been passed down from generations ago, and I think the position that the Chinese have in the economy right now can be credited to the kedekutness that they show. Its not really a bad thing actually. I think I have a bit of that streak as well. =)
For the first few weeks of work, I was content with taking orders and punching them in. Until the store manager decided that we need to make more money and told us all to push the average purchase of each customer up. There are a number of ways to do this, of which the easiest is to suggest extra cheese. Then we could ask if they would like some fries or some more bread or ice cream for dessert. RM15 per customer is supposed to be the target.
It was only when I made a conscious effort to see if I can sell more did I notice who were the people that usually do the buying. Customers coming in are split pretty even between the Chinese and the Malays. Indians show up only occasionally. Of the groups, this is how I would rank their tight-fistedness. The freest spenders are the middle easterners, (who thanks to MMU show up in respectable numbers) followed by the Malays, Indians and then the Chinese.
The middle easterners are not really open to suggestions. They typically know exactly what they want, and will order a lot of it. Screw combo meals, its ala carte all the way. And I never have to ask if they want extra cheese. They will ask for it right after making a pizza selection.
The Malays on the other hand, always seem to be looking for a good time and are normally quite happy to follow you as you lead them around the menu. "Nak extra cheese tak?" A lot of the time, the answer is "Boleh lah". They are also more likely to pander to their kid's request for a milkshake which would add substantially to the bill.
Now when I ask if a Chinese family if they want extra cheese, the person with the menu normally furrows his/her eyebrows and look at the rest of the family. The whole clan will then come to the conclusion that the extra expense is unnecessary and will politely decline. The Chinese are also much more likely to try and make the set meals work for them, adjusting preferences and decisions so that they may save RM14.50. And when I walk away from a table with a order for one set, and nothing else to go with it, you can bet that it was a Chinese family.
I think all this scrooginess is in the Chinese blood. Its been passed down from generations ago, and I think the position that the Chinese have in the economy right now can be credited to the kedekutness that they show. Its not really a bad thing actually. I think I have a bit of that streak as well. =)
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Am I just being too cynical?
I'm a bit annoyed right now because I just sacrificed one mark from my tennis subject. I missed out on that one attendance credit because I was trying to explain what I thought to the Soka Gakkai people in the CLC on Wednesday.
They were there collecting signatures to petition the Malaysian Government to do its part in nuclear non-proliferation. I'm all for nuclear non-proliferation, but I didn't sign the damned thing.
I'm not too clear as to why myself. It could be the religious tangent that these people were taking. They seemed completely convinced that peace on this planet can be achieved if we just believed very, very hard that it can be. If we can get humans to think peace first when they are faced with any conflict, then we will not have wars. I like the concept, but I just find it a little bit flimsy.
I argued long and hard that humanity is programmed to serve itself first, then look at lofty ideals. Find some food, don't get killed, get married. All those always take priority over the principle of non-violence. At least thats how I see the world. In response, I was shown the greatness of Ghandi and Nelson Mendela. When I asked the dude I was talking to if he actually believed that it was Ghandi's non-violent protests that put the British in the mood to be charitable to the Indian people and to give them the independence that they want, he actually gave me a solid yes.
I should have wised up at that point and just thanked him and walked away. It really is quite pointless trying to engage him when we disagree on such a fundamental level about human nature. But I kept going on.
I might have offended him a bit when I told him that I thought the entire exhibition made a mockery of an actual peace process. I thought it made a mockery of humanity, for them to assume that something can be achieved if we repeatedly tell people the same intangible moral principle. Any solution that isn't rooted in the basest urges of humanity is doomed to fail. There is always a reason, and if we can understand the reasons behind the actions that lead to conflict, then we can try to stop it degenerating into violence. Admittedly, my take on it is just as intangible, but I concede that every conflict is different. To propose a blanket solution that will bring world peace is just something that I expect to hear from a beauty pageant contestant.
At least I did tell him that I was going to be honest, and wasn't trying to offend him before I actually said all that. Being a good, but perhaps slightly confused Buddhist, he kept a perfectly straight face.
But they really did make me wonder for a moment if such blind faith in the natural goodness of humanity can actually work out. I've certainly seen stranger things happen.
I'm still a bit sore about that mark lost though. =P
They were there collecting signatures to petition the Malaysian Government to do its part in nuclear non-proliferation. I'm all for nuclear non-proliferation, but I didn't sign the damned thing.
I'm not too clear as to why myself. It could be the religious tangent that these people were taking. They seemed completely convinced that peace on this planet can be achieved if we just believed very, very hard that it can be. If we can get humans to think peace first when they are faced with any conflict, then we will not have wars. I like the concept, but I just find it a little bit flimsy.
I argued long and hard that humanity is programmed to serve itself first, then look at lofty ideals. Find some food, don't get killed, get married. All those always take priority over the principle of non-violence. At least thats how I see the world. In response, I was shown the greatness of Ghandi and Nelson Mendela. When I asked the dude I was talking to if he actually believed that it was Ghandi's non-violent protests that put the British in the mood to be charitable to the Indian people and to give them the independence that they want, he actually gave me a solid yes.
I should have wised up at that point and just thanked him and walked away. It really is quite pointless trying to engage him when we disagree on such a fundamental level about human nature. But I kept going on.
I might have offended him a bit when I told him that I thought the entire exhibition made a mockery of an actual peace process. I thought it made a mockery of humanity, for them to assume that something can be achieved if we repeatedly tell people the same intangible moral principle. Any solution that isn't rooted in the basest urges of humanity is doomed to fail. There is always a reason, and if we can understand the reasons behind the actions that lead to conflict, then we can try to stop it degenerating into violence. Admittedly, my take on it is just as intangible, but I concede that every conflict is different. To propose a blanket solution that will bring world peace is just something that I expect to hear from a beauty pageant contestant.
At least I did tell him that I was going to be honest, and wasn't trying to offend him before I actually said all that. Being a good, but perhaps slightly confused Buddhist, he kept a perfectly straight face.
But they really did make me wonder for a moment if such blind faith in the natural goodness of humanity can actually work out. I've certainly seen stranger things happen.
I'm still a bit sore about that mark lost though. =P
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Movies...
I'm not a movie buff, and I only ever go watch them if it seems to be a convenient thing for me to do. I never actually go out of my way to go to the cinema, which means that I'm normally quite behind when it comes to whats hot in movieland at the moment.
But in the past three weeks, I have watched Lions for Lambs, Hitman, and the Kingdom, in that order. That is courtesy of MBO cinemas having those movies at very convenient times for me and my classmates (a little free time vacuum for most of us, an exceedingly rare phenomenon.) I still haven't watched Beowulf, but I got a very stern warning from my brother that its the single worst movie he has ever watched in his life. Apparently, the story is dumb, the physics illogical to the point of unbearablility and the entire movie is filled with little scenes that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot. The movie's only saving grace, which is apparently the gore, couldn't quite compensate for the incredible stupidness of everything else. Thats what my brother said. I haven't watched it, so I don't know. But if I'm honest, I have to admit that I'm pretty apprehensive about Beowulf now. (Even if I get to see Angelina Jolie and a naked succubus.)
But back to the main issue, the movies that I have watched. I'll give you the bad news first. Hitman sucked. I never played the game, but I always found the concept to be exceedingly cool. A mute, merciless killer who strikes and no ones is none the wiser until he's safely immersing himself in a jacuzzi after extraction. But the movie completely betrayed agent 47 (I think that was his number) He becomes a gung ho, trigger happy, not particularly witty and bald version of Jason Bourne. Its hard not to make comparisons of the two movies, especially when the scene where the Hitman proves his observational powers to his pantyless pretend girlfriend is a blatant rip off from the first Bourne movie. The Hitman is supposed to sneak, poison, trick and strangle his way to mission objectives. He does not walk into a room full of gangsters and let rip with two sub-machine guns. The real Hitman would have found that approach vulgar. Even for an action movie, its weak. But then again, I have been spoilt not too long ago by the Bourne Ultimatum (which I think is one of the best movies this year, hence the constant comparison). So here is a warning. If you loved Hitman as a game, and would like to be spared the agony of watching him turn into a pussified, gunslinging man who is betrayed by his own agency for no reason other than to satisfy some Russian president, then stay away from the movie. Go rewatch Nacho Libre or something.
Now I have two more movies to talk about, both of which I have to admit I liked very much. The latest one I saw was the Kingdom, which is about terrorists in Saudi Arabia blowing Americans up. The FBI rightly gets pissed off, but because the American government is so buddy buddy with the Saudis, they can't get a team onto Ground Zero to do investigations. What follows is the usual story about a particularly ballsy FBI agent who blackmails his way into Saudi Arabia, solves the case, and puts him and his entire team in the line of fire. What particularly unnerved me about this movie is the fact that I actually felt pissed off when I saw the Muslim extremist give his inflammatory speech. Suddenly, my dim view of religion got even dimmer. Its all nice and good for the moderate Muslims to denounce the terrorists and loudly proclaim that the terrorists have no right to call themselves Muslims. It doesn't change the fact that they do call themselves Muslims and their murder is derived from the very same book that the moderates get their values from. I'm sure that there is nothing wrong with the teachings in the book, as everyone of the faith will proclaim. But over the many years that civilization has existed religion has time and again proven that its not something that the human race is ready for. I don't think that the fact that some people can take the text in a non-murderous and non-bigoted way can be used an excuse for the continued preaching of it.
I was throughly depressed at the end of the movie, even if I didn't really show it. The stark truthfulness of the entire movie reminded me of how fucked up this world really is. The ending definitely left an impression. The same promise made by the FBI agent and the dying terrorist cell leader, "we will kill them all". The message couldn't be clearer. The senseless killing will not stop until either side is wiped out. And some people actually argue that cultural relativism is actually a good thing. /wrist
Right, on to Lions for Lambs. (If you have read this far and still remain vaguely interested in what I have to say then, thank you.) =P. This movie has three stories running parallel. There is one part with a reporter being given a scoop on a new American initiative in Afghanistan by the Senator who is running the whole operation. The other is about a disillusioned political science student who called in to see his professor. And the third is about two American soldiers that are stuck in the Afghan mountains, awaiting rescue. I found the first two deeply entertaining, the third to be some kind of compulsory action sequence that movie makers seem obliged to do.
The first scenario was sparring by a liberal (the reporter) versus a war hawk (the senator) on the issues on global terror and the war in the Middle East. I actually found both sides well represented, although I generally tilt towards the anti-war hippie camp. I found the
Senator's arguments compelling, and I think that movie did a lot to help me understand his side of the story, and the reasons behind all the war mongering.
But it was the second scene that struck a chord. A professor sees a bright student lose interest, and decides to intervene. The student is adamant that the world is fucked up, and not worth saving, so he might as well go and live his own comfy life in the corporate world instead of making the change that he feels needs to be made. The situation really is deja vu. It wasn't so long ago that a very cynical me sat before a particularly well read and optimistic old fart and trashed out the issue with him. That ended with him declaring that I'm there is little hope left for me and that he is saddened that a person that has reached my level of reasoning should choose a path of doom and gloom. (At least thats how I saw it). Well times have changed, and I've grown up a bit, so I'm actually not naive enough to authoritatively predict doomsday within the next generation. So if a right cause comes along, I might actually do something. (maybe the fight against domestic violence, but AWAM seems to ignore my attempts to contact them.)
Still, that movie gives me the sense that I'm not alone in my disillusionment. It says loud and clear to me that just because no one else seems to care or even seems bothered to know, it doesn't mean that you should be like that too.
So, yes. If you have time and cash to spare, do watch the two movies. But don't blame me if you don't like them. I do have really weird tastes.
But in the past three weeks, I have watched Lions for Lambs, Hitman, and the Kingdom, in that order. That is courtesy of MBO cinemas having those movies at very convenient times for me and my classmates (a little free time vacuum for most of us, an exceedingly rare phenomenon.) I still haven't watched Beowulf, but I got a very stern warning from my brother that its the single worst movie he has ever watched in his life. Apparently, the story is dumb, the physics illogical to the point of unbearablility and the entire movie is filled with little scenes that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot. The movie's only saving grace, which is apparently the gore, couldn't quite compensate for the incredible stupidness of everything else. Thats what my brother said. I haven't watched it, so I don't know. But if I'm honest, I have to admit that I'm pretty apprehensive about Beowulf now. (Even if I get to see Angelina Jolie and a naked succubus.)
But back to the main issue, the movies that I have watched. I'll give you the bad news first. Hitman sucked. I never played the game, but I always found the concept to be exceedingly cool. A mute, merciless killer who strikes and no ones is none the wiser until he's safely immersing himself in a jacuzzi after extraction. But the movie completely betrayed agent 47 (I think that was his number) He becomes a gung ho, trigger happy, not particularly witty and bald version of Jason Bourne. Its hard not to make comparisons of the two movies, especially when the scene where the Hitman proves his observational powers to his pantyless pretend girlfriend is a blatant rip off from the first Bourne movie. The Hitman is supposed to sneak, poison, trick and strangle his way to mission objectives. He does not walk into a room full of gangsters and let rip with two sub-machine guns. The real Hitman would have found that approach vulgar. Even for an action movie, its weak. But then again, I have been spoilt not too long ago by the Bourne Ultimatum (which I think is one of the best movies this year, hence the constant comparison). So here is a warning. If you loved Hitman as a game, and would like to be spared the agony of watching him turn into a pussified, gunslinging man who is betrayed by his own agency for no reason other than to satisfy some Russian president, then stay away from the movie. Go rewatch Nacho Libre or something.
Now I have two more movies to talk about, both of which I have to admit I liked very much. The latest one I saw was the Kingdom, which is about terrorists in Saudi Arabia blowing Americans up. The FBI rightly gets pissed off, but because the American government is so buddy buddy with the Saudis, they can't get a team onto Ground Zero to do investigations. What follows is the usual story about a particularly ballsy FBI agent who blackmails his way into Saudi Arabia, solves the case, and puts him and his entire team in the line of fire. What particularly unnerved me about this movie is the fact that I actually felt pissed off when I saw the Muslim extremist give his inflammatory speech. Suddenly, my dim view of religion got even dimmer. Its all nice and good for the moderate Muslims to denounce the terrorists and loudly proclaim that the terrorists have no right to call themselves Muslims. It doesn't change the fact that they do call themselves Muslims and their murder is derived from the very same book that the moderates get their values from. I'm sure that there is nothing wrong with the teachings in the book, as everyone of the faith will proclaim. But over the many years that civilization has existed religion has time and again proven that its not something that the human race is ready for. I don't think that the fact that some people can take the text in a non-murderous and non-bigoted way can be used an excuse for the continued preaching of it.
I was throughly depressed at the end of the movie, even if I didn't really show it. The stark truthfulness of the entire movie reminded me of how fucked up this world really is. The ending definitely left an impression. The same promise made by the FBI agent and the dying terrorist cell leader, "we will kill them all". The message couldn't be clearer. The senseless killing will not stop until either side is wiped out. And some people actually argue that cultural relativism is actually a good thing. /wrist
Right, on to Lions for Lambs. (If you have read this far and still remain vaguely interested in what I have to say then, thank you.) =P. This movie has three stories running parallel. There is one part with a reporter being given a scoop on a new American initiative in Afghanistan by the Senator who is running the whole operation. The other is about a disillusioned political science student who called in to see his professor. And the third is about two American soldiers that are stuck in the Afghan mountains, awaiting rescue. I found the first two deeply entertaining, the third to be some kind of compulsory action sequence that movie makers seem obliged to do.
The first scenario was sparring by a liberal (the reporter) versus a war hawk (the senator) on the issues on global terror and the war in the Middle East. I actually found both sides well represented, although I generally tilt towards the anti-war hippie camp. I found the
Senator's arguments compelling, and I think that movie did a lot to help me understand his side of the story, and the reasons behind all the war mongering.
But it was the second scene that struck a chord. A professor sees a bright student lose interest, and decides to intervene. The student is adamant that the world is fucked up, and not worth saving, so he might as well go and live his own comfy life in the corporate world instead of making the change that he feels needs to be made. The situation really is deja vu. It wasn't so long ago that a very cynical me sat before a particularly well read and optimistic old fart and trashed out the issue with him. That ended with him declaring that I'm there is little hope left for me and that he is saddened that a person that has reached my level of reasoning should choose a path of doom and gloom. (At least thats how I saw it). Well times have changed, and I've grown up a bit, so I'm actually not naive enough to authoritatively predict doomsday within the next generation. So if a right cause comes along, I might actually do something. (maybe the fight against domestic violence, but AWAM seems to ignore my attempts to contact them.)
Still, that movie gives me the sense that I'm not alone in my disillusionment. It says loud and clear to me that just because no one else seems to care or even seems bothered to know, it doesn't mean that you should be like that too.
So, yes. If you have time and cash to spare, do watch the two movies. But don't blame me if you don't like them. I do have really weird tastes.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Emboldened Malaysians.
Wow. Another rally? That whole Bersih thing seems to have given Malaysians some serious balls. I must say, I found this rally to be really amusing. Asking the Queen of England for help to sue the British government is plainly ridiculous. But thats also missing the point of the petition. The aim of the rally was to make some noise, and it sure did. I had never even heard of Hindraf before this. As a publicity stunt, it was bloody brilliant.
But to me, it serves another purpose. It further shows the levels of intolerance that our government has for any opposition to their stand. The violent response shown will only make the international community who might have been skeptical about all the reports of Malaysia not really being democratic after all believe all the stories circulating around the internet.
Confirming the stories of your opponents is not very smart. But I can't even begin to imagine what the government is doing. Everything they do flies in the face of logic, and I can't honestly say that my evaluation and my game plan would work any better for them. Because I don't know what their agenda is. I can't call them dumb, because they might see things that I don't see....
Oh well...
But to me, it serves another purpose. It further shows the levels of intolerance that our government has for any opposition to their stand. The violent response shown will only make the international community who might have been skeptical about all the reports of Malaysia not really being democratic after all believe all the stories circulating around the internet.
Confirming the stories of your opponents is not very smart. But I can't even begin to imagine what the government is doing. Everything they do flies in the face of logic, and I can't honestly say that my evaluation and my game plan would work any better for them. Because I don't know what their agenda is. I can't call them dumb, because they might see things that I don't see....
Oh well...
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I wonder...
A couple of years back, the Black Eyed Peas hit the scene. Everyone was introduced to 'Where is the love' and for a while, I actually listened along happily. Then they started showing what they were really about. Completely meaningless lyrics sung to catchy tunes. Reminds me of the joke that Chris Rock told about rap music. Women who love rap music don't care about the lyrics. For them, if the beat is right, they will dance all night.
Black eyed peas lyrics makes me want to put an ice pick through my skull. The problem is, I also notice that there are other artistes that sing stuff just as dumb as they do, but I don't feel any murderous impulse when I hear them. Snoop dog, 50 cent, and to a lesser extent, Sean Paul, they all rely on the beat and the cool factor to sell. But I don't hate them. In fact, I actually like some of their music. Okay, maybe not Snoop Dog, but the rest are passable.
Here is a line from Timbaland and Keri Hilson - They way I are
I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped
Can you handle me the way you are?
Blatant references to things impolite. Things that will make most people cringe in everyday conversation. Yet, I love this song.
And for some comparison here is the song by one of the BEP members gone solo.
If the girl real pretty,
Nine times out of ten,
She pretty like her mama.
And if her mama real ugly,
I guarantee ya she gon’ be ugly like her mama.
Everytime I hear this, I change the station.
I wonder what the difference really is. It can't be the complete disregard for general politeness and gender political correctness. Snoop dog is as misogynistic as rappers get, and yet I don't hate his music enough to avoid it.
It can't be the stupidity of the lyrics either, because I've heard lyrics just as stupid, and had no problems with it. Hey Ya by Outkast is a perfect example of this. Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbour? Shake it like a polariod picture? It doesn't get any more senseless than that, yet I have no problems with that song.
Then I thought maybe it was because I had a problem with Fergie being a sellout to the whole female gender, making me have a problem with her, and by extension, the people associated with her. I mean, she did introduce us all to her humps, her lovely lady lumps. But the pussycat dolls ask you to 'loosen up their buttons', females acting totally trampily. Yet I don't really have a bone to pick with the dolls.
As of now, I'm content to leave it as 'I just have a problem with you, never mind why'. But I'm still pretty damned curious as to why. Any ideas?
Black eyed peas lyrics makes me want to put an ice pick through my skull. The problem is, I also notice that there are other artistes that sing stuff just as dumb as they do, but I don't feel any murderous impulse when I hear them. Snoop dog, 50 cent, and to a lesser extent, Sean Paul, they all rely on the beat and the cool factor to sell. But I don't hate them. In fact, I actually like some of their music. Okay, maybe not Snoop Dog, but the rest are passable.
Here is a line from Timbaland and Keri Hilson - They way I are
I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped
Can you handle me the way you are?
Blatant references to things impolite. Things that will make most people cringe in everyday conversation. Yet, I love this song.
And for some comparison here is the song by one of the BEP members gone solo.
If the girl real pretty,
Nine times out of ten,
She pretty like her mama.
And if her mama real ugly,
I guarantee ya she gon’ be ugly like her mama.
Everytime I hear this, I change the station.
I wonder what the difference really is. It can't be the complete disregard for general politeness and gender political correctness. Snoop dog is as misogynistic as rappers get, and yet I don't hate his music enough to avoid it.
It can't be the stupidity of the lyrics either, because I've heard lyrics just as stupid, and had no problems with it. Hey Ya by Outkast is a perfect example of this. Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbour? Shake it like a polariod picture? It doesn't get any more senseless than that, yet I have no problems with that song.
Then I thought maybe it was because I had a problem with Fergie being a sellout to the whole female gender, making me have a problem with her, and by extension, the people associated with her. I mean, she did introduce us all to her humps, her lovely lady lumps. But the pussycat dolls ask you to 'loosen up their buttons', females acting totally trampily. Yet I don't really have a bone to pick with the dolls.
As of now, I'm content to leave it as 'I just have a problem with you, never mind why'. But I'm still pretty damned curious as to why. Any ideas?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Goodbye England.
The score says it all. England 2 - 3 Croatia.
When it all started, England looked like a shoo-in to the finals in 2008. A string of screw ups later, they have been dumped out of the competition.
I'm not whooping in joy at the English failure. But I don't mourn for them either. I think that they are the most overrated team in the world, partly because their league is marketed so well.
They lost to both Russia and Croatia. Both teams have players that I can't even name. Yet they beat a team whose players I can easily identify. If that isn't proof of overhype, I don't know what is.
The pundits are harsh, especially the English ones. Every last one of them has declared the English team undeserving of a spot at Euro 2008.
For me, all this means is that the likes of Lampard, Gerrard, Wright Phillips, Rooney and Beckham are not as good as the football pages and EPL pundits would like to paint them to be.
When it all started, England looked like a shoo-in to the finals in 2008. A string of screw ups later, they have been dumped out of the competition.
I'm not whooping in joy at the English failure. But I don't mourn for them either. I think that they are the most overrated team in the world, partly because their league is marketed so well.
They lost to both Russia and Croatia. Both teams have players that I can't even name. Yet they beat a team whose players I can easily identify. If that isn't proof of overhype, I don't know what is.
The pundits are harsh, especially the English ones. Every last one of them has declared the English team undeserving of a spot at Euro 2008.
For me, all this means is that the likes of Lampard, Gerrard, Wright Phillips, Rooney and Beckham are not as good as the football pages and EPL pundits would like to paint them to be.
Tired at wrong times of the day.
Work is annoying. But interesting. And somewhat frustrating.
Its annoying because its tiring. And it eats my weekend up. And leaves me looking forward to Wednesdays and Thursdays as my days of rest.
So far, it has remained somewhat interesting. There are still subtle little things for me to learn, and unlike most of my colleagues, I actually look forward to taking down orders. Walking someone through what he or she wants sure beats cleaning up the bloody mess they leave behind. And seeing different kinds of people eat, handle their children and work makes for an interesting spectacle.
And its also frustrating. Because I know that the job pays peanuts. And I also know that I would slip into severe depression if I came to a realization that I would be doing the same routine thing for the rest of my life with little chance of escape. I suspect those are to prospects that face some of the long term staff there. Its hard to take pride in the work I do. With the kind of pay it receives and the rate of staff being hired and leaving, I can't seem to shake off the feeling that I'm doing something anyone else can do. I think I'm getting a clearer picture of how some people end up finding their jobs meaningless and hollow. But have to do it anyway, because its just what they do. And I hope it never happens to me. I am really scared of getting stuck in a 9 to 5 job that has me groaning every morning and staring blankly at the wall in the evening.
The temptation to quit is there, but I'm going to see this through. Just need to keep telling myself that it could be much worse.
Its annoying because its tiring. And it eats my weekend up. And leaves me looking forward to Wednesdays and Thursdays as my days of rest.
So far, it has remained somewhat interesting. There are still subtle little things for me to learn, and unlike most of my colleagues, I actually look forward to taking down orders. Walking someone through what he or she wants sure beats cleaning up the bloody mess they leave behind. And seeing different kinds of people eat, handle their children and work makes for an interesting spectacle.
And its also frustrating. Because I know that the job pays peanuts. And I also know that I would slip into severe depression if I came to a realization that I would be doing the same routine thing for the rest of my life with little chance of escape. I suspect those are to prospects that face some of the long term staff there. Its hard to take pride in the work I do. With the kind of pay it receives and the rate of staff being hired and leaving, I can't seem to shake off the feeling that I'm doing something anyone else can do. I think I'm getting a clearer picture of how some people end up finding their jobs meaningless and hollow. But have to do it anyway, because its just what they do. And I hope it never happens to me. I am really scared of getting stuck in a 9 to 5 job that has me groaning every morning and staring blankly at the wall in the evening.
The temptation to quit is there, but I'm going to see this through. Just need to keep telling myself that it could be much worse.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I'm getting really annoyed.
Its 1 a.m. and I don't normally blog at this time, not unless I'm super emo or something. But I've spent a good portion of tonight reading about the bersih rallies, and I'm getting really pissed off.
I'm not pro-opposition, just anti-stupidity. Someone sent me a link to our information minister's telephone interview with Al-jazzera. I thought Syed Hamid Albar was rubbish on Hardtalk. That was enough to make me rant and rave for a good 15 minutes. Zainuddin's performance on the other hand makes me contemplate denying being a Malaysian when people ask where I'm from. The simple mindedness and the utter childishness of the accusations that he hurled at the news network is something I would expect from a name-calling match between 12 year olds.
I really wonder if he realizes how stupid he actually sounded. He probably doesn't, seeing how he probably gets away with that kind of rethoric on home ground where the press is held at gun point and the people are fed government or anti-opposition propaganda on a daily basis. But Al-jazzera is an international news network. What you say is going to be broadcasted to millions all over the world. If it was me, I'd be shit nervous. I would really hate to say the wrong thing.
But even if you did ambush me, an engineering student who has never really played politics, and has no experience dealing with the press, I don't think I would have cocked up that badly. He is the information minister. How the hell did such incompetence find its way up the ranks of our government?
And how is this for scare tactics? RTM 1's report on the rally ended with footage from other violent protests from other countries and the message "Demonstrasi selalu berakhir dengan keganasan". All reports in the local newspapers were similarly biased. The way that this is being handled either shows complete idiocy on the part of the government or a severe underestimation of human intelligence. Seriously, if this is the best the can come up with, then they are morons. If they can't be bothered to do better because they know that they are going to get away with all this, then they are insulting my intelligence. And I'm tired of it. Everytime this happens, all I see is this patronizing old man patting me on the head like I'm a 5 year old child and telling me to behave myself and to listen to him because he has 'eaten more salt than I have rice'. Well, I have read more books than you have words, so there.
Disillusionment really is reaching its tipping point.
I'm not pro-opposition, just anti-stupidity. Someone sent me a link to our information minister's telephone interview with Al-jazzera. I thought Syed Hamid Albar was rubbish on Hardtalk. That was enough to make me rant and rave for a good 15 minutes. Zainuddin's performance on the other hand makes me contemplate denying being a Malaysian when people ask where I'm from. The simple mindedness and the utter childishness of the accusations that he hurled at the news network is something I would expect from a name-calling match between 12 year olds.
I really wonder if he realizes how stupid he actually sounded. He probably doesn't, seeing how he probably gets away with that kind of rethoric on home ground where the press is held at gun point and the people are fed government or anti-opposition propaganda on a daily basis. But Al-jazzera is an international news network. What you say is going to be broadcasted to millions all over the world. If it was me, I'd be shit nervous. I would really hate to say the wrong thing.
But even if you did ambush me, an engineering student who has never really played politics, and has no experience dealing with the press, I don't think I would have cocked up that badly. He is the information minister. How the hell did such incompetence find its way up the ranks of our government?
And how is this for scare tactics? RTM 1's report on the rally ended with footage from other violent protests from other countries and the message "Demonstrasi selalu berakhir dengan keganasan". All reports in the local newspapers were similarly biased. The way that this is being handled either shows complete idiocy on the part of the government or a severe underestimation of human intelligence. Seriously, if this is the best the can come up with, then they are morons. If they can't be bothered to do better because they know that they are going to get away with all this, then they are insulting my intelligence. And I'm tired of it. Everytime this happens, all I see is this patronizing old man patting me on the head like I'm a 5 year old child and telling me to behave myself and to listen to him because he has 'eaten more salt than I have rice'. Well, I have read more books than you have words, so there.
Disillusionment really is reaching its tipping point.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Lets fighting love - Part 2
Micheal found himself in a very familiar alley, walking home following the path less taken. He actually found himself wondering why he was taking this route at all, considering that was his emo path. He never took that route unless he felt like cutting off the rest of the world.
He shrugged and kept walking. Then he saw something that left him reeling for a while. There was a couple walking in the very same alley. He couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Holding his breath and closing his eyes, he strained hard to hear for the rapid pitter patter that would confirm his fears. It didn't take long. The near silent footsteps were even coming from the exact same direction.
Micheal opened his eyes and looked at the couple. It wasn't the same two people. Odd. If this really was a recurring nightmare, he would have thought that the participating characters would have been the same. Different couple, but still instantly recognizable people to Micheal. Before the realization of the implications could hit him, the ninja had burst into view.
The attack was exactly the same, a sharp blow straight to the head of the unsuspecting boy. The girl spun around and screamed, and Micheal found himself responding. Just like before.
But this time, he knew better than to use the shoulder barge. He still gave his most bloodcurling scream to get the ninja's attention, but led with his fists this time. Apparently, he wasn't the only one with memories of a parallel scenario, because the ninja had turned around to face him and taken off his mask, a big grin on his face. The girl no longer in immediate danger, Micheal slowed down to a walk. The ninja had something to say to him, and he wanted to know what it was.
"Hey there, twin," started to ninja.
Micheal stole a glance at the girl. She was frozen with fear, mouth agape and eyes staring into nothingness. He wished she would at least look for a way out of this, but he remembered the throwing stars. No, running away would be a bad idea.
The doppelganger saw his eyes travel, and added, "Lovely isn't she? Almost makes killing her hard. But after what she has done, its never a problem."
"What did she do? I have never had thoughts of murdering her before. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you were taking too long. So I decided to move things along. This avenger gets bored easily."
"She doesn't deserve to die."
"Yes she does. As do you."
"Me?"
"Yes. You are going to try and save her. And you will fail again, just like before. And for being such an idiot, you will deserve to die."
"This is ridiculous."
"I'm sure it is. And now I'm bored. Chop Chop!"
Weapon drawn, the ninja shuffled his way towards Micheal. The katana became a blur as the ninja started showing off. But as he drew closer, he started slowing down. In fact, he slowed down so much that Michael could very easily dodge the slash. And just as easily, he dodged the second one, and soon after, a third.
Micheal was puzzled. And from the look on the ninja's face. so was he.
"What the..."
Impressed with himself, Micheal decided to press the advantage. His punch caught the ninja by surprise, and left him with a bloody nose. Getting very annoyed, the ninja renewed his attacks, the flurry of swordplay doubled in ferocity.
But Micheal emerged unharmed. Screaming in frustration, the ninja reached down and grabbed his throwing stars. Micheal thought that they were meant for him, so he waited for them. But the ninja turned around and threw the blades at the paralyzed girl. Her fate had seemed to be sealed at that point, her eye right in the middle of the weapon's trajectory. Micheal was running forward, instinctively trying to save her. And he found himself running faster than the weapons were flying. He suddenly felt like Max Payne and Neo combined.
He plucked the flying stars out of the air and flung them back at the ninja. There was no escape for him, the sharp blades slicing into his kneecaps. Half screaming and half cursing, the ninja collapsed.
"This is impossible."
Smiling, Micheal replied. "I know. Tell me about it. This is great."
"But how?" the ninja asked, still confused.
"You no longer fight for what is right. She doesn't deserve to die, and you know it. When you stopped being an agent of justice, and became a pouty, self serving murderer, you stopped being able to beat me."
"Where did you get all that shit from? The compendium of paladin asswipe ideals?"
"It doesn't matter," Micheal replied. Half a second later, the ninja lay in a pool of his own blood, the shurikens on his knees now lodged in his windpipe.
He shrugged and kept walking. Then he saw something that left him reeling for a while. There was a couple walking in the very same alley. He couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Holding his breath and closing his eyes, he strained hard to hear for the rapid pitter patter that would confirm his fears. It didn't take long. The near silent footsteps were even coming from the exact same direction.
Micheal opened his eyes and looked at the couple. It wasn't the same two people. Odd. If this really was a recurring nightmare, he would have thought that the participating characters would have been the same. Different couple, but still instantly recognizable people to Micheal. Before the realization of the implications could hit him, the ninja had burst into view.
The attack was exactly the same, a sharp blow straight to the head of the unsuspecting boy. The girl spun around and screamed, and Micheal found himself responding. Just like before.
But this time, he knew better than to use the shoulder barge. He still gave his most bloodcurling scream to get the ninja's attention, but led with his fists this time. Apparently, he wasn't the only one with memories of a parallel scenario, because the ninja had turned around to face him and taken off his mask, a big grin on his face. The girl no longer in immediate danger, Micheal slowed down to a walk. The ninja had something to say to him, and he wanted to know what it was.
"Hey there, twin," started to ninja.
Micheal stole a glance at the girl. She was frozen with fear, mouth agape and eyes staring into nothingness. He wished she would at least look for a way out of this, but he remembered the throwing stars. No, running away would be a bad idea.
The doppelganger saw his eyes travel, and added, "Lovely isn't she? Almost makes killing her hard. But after what she has done, its never a problem."
"What did she do? I have never had thoughts of murdering her before. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you were taking too long. So I decided to move things along. This avenger gets bored easily."
"She doesn't deserve to die."
"Yes she does. As do you."
"Me?"
"Yes. You are going to try and save her. And you will fail again, just like before. And for being such an idiot, you will deserve to die."
"This is ridiculous."
"I'm sure it is. And now I'm bored. Chop Chop!"
Weapon drawn, the ninja shuffled his way towards Micheal. The katana became a blur as the ninja started showing off. But as he drew closer, he started slowing down. In fact, he slowed down so much that Michael could very easily dodge the slash. And just as easily, he dodged the second one, and soon after, a third.
Micheal was puzzled. And from the look on the ninja's face. so was he.
"What the..."
Impressed with himself, Micheal decided to press the advantage. His punch caught the ninja by surprise, and left him with a bloody nose. Getting very annoyed, the ninja renewed his attacks, the flurry of swordplay doubled in ferocity.
But Micheal emerged unharmed. Screaming in frustration, the ninja reached down and grabbed his throwing stars. Micheal thought that they were meant for him, so he waited for them. But the ninja turned around and threw the blades at the paralyzed girl. Her fate had seemed to be sealed at that point, her eye right in the middle of the weapon's trajectory. Micheal was running forward, instinctively trying to save her. And he found himself running faster than the weapons were flying. He suddenly felt like Max Payne and Neo combined.
He plucked the flying stars out of the air and flung them back at the ninja. There was no escape for him, the sharp blades slicing into his kneecaps. Half screaming and half cursing, the ninja collapsed.
"This is impossible."
Smiling, Micheal replied. "I know. Tell me about it. This is great."
"But how?" the ninja asked, still confused.
"You no longer fight for what is right. She doesn't deserve to die, and you know it. When you stopped being an agent of justice, and became a pouty, self serving murderer, you stopped being able to beat me."
"Where did you get all that shit from? The compendium of paladin asswipe ideals?"
"It doesn't matter," Micheal replied. Half a second later, the ninja lay in a pool of his own blood, the shurikens on his knees now lodged in his windpipe.
Whoever knew?
I certainly never expected it to happen. But Malaysians finally are starting to show a bit of spine. They are demanding fair elections in a peaceful rally that had to be dispersed with water cannons. Apparently, the gathering was illegal because the permit for it was never issued. I tried looking for justification for denying these people the permit and I could find none. I shouldn't be surprised. In a rather anti-climatic twist, here is a potentially controversial article.
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/11/find-the-patter.html
Read the link that leads to the freakonomics column.
Steven Levitt is saying that voting is pointless if you want to make a difference, and as much as it defies everything that I have ever learned, I have to say that he is right. The first thing that I thought of when reading the article was "what if everyone thought like you? then there would be no democracy". Then I realized that the scenario would be impossible because we don't vote to protect our self interests anymore. We have come to accept that our vote does nothing to change the outcome of policy. What it does do, however, is massage our egos and give us the idea that we are good citizens.
Will I vote? I guess.. Just to stick it to the big man, I will. Its my way of picking a side.
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/11/find-the-patter.html
Read the link that leads to the freakonomics column.
Steven Levitt is saying that voting is pointless if you want to make a difference, and as much as it defies everything that I have ever learned, I have to say that he is right. The first thing that I thought of when reading the article was "what if everyone thought like you? then there would be no democracy". Then I realized that the scenario would be impossible because we don't vote to protect our self interests anymore. We have come to accept that our vote does nothing to change the outcome of policy. What it does do, however, is massage our egos and give us the idea that we are good citizens.
Will I vote? I guess.. Just to stick it to the big man, I will. Its my way of picking a side.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
The 5 a.m. sleepless night rhyme
I look to my left, and I see my world,
A zone of comfort, where I seem unfurled,
At ease with the norms and expectations,
A place where I never seem out of fashion.
To my right, the great unknown,
Where seeds of doubt are too easily sown,
A place that I had been blind to see,
By circumstance of just being too mousy.
Drawn to the right, but happy with the left,
Confusion to the point of certain death,
I can see the joy that lies in store,
But if I submit to impulse, I feel like a whore.
I see examples, and I often wonder,
Whyever not, its not like the world will be torn asunder,
But something always feels out of place,
Like a duck wading around in toxic waste.
I tell myself that these things take time,
It could take years to feel sublime,
But to think of time that has gone to waste,
I can't help but to think that I should make haste.
You are who you are, I've heard that before,
But what if who you are is a bloody bore?
Do you force yourself to get with the hype?
Or do you ignore it and do what you like?
Its really no fun figuring this out,
Too bad I'm too old to sit down and pout,
So I'll rhyme my way to some peace of mind,
And hope that somehow, the stars will align.
A zone of comfort, where I seem unfurled,
At ease with the norms and expectations,
A place where I never seem out of fashion.
To my right, the great unknown,
Where seeds of doubt are too easily sown,
A place that I had been blind to see,
By circumstance of just being too mousy.
Drawn to the right, but happy with the left,
Confusion to the point of certain death,
I can see the joy that lies in store,
But if I submit to impulse, I feel like a whore.
I see examples, and I often wonder,
Whyever not, its not like the world will be torn asunder,
But something always feels out of place,
Like a duck wading around in toxic waste.
I tell myself that these things take time,
It could take years to feel sublime,
But to think of time that has gone to waste,
I can't help but to think that I should make haste.
You are who you are, I've heard that before,
But what if who you are is a bloody bore?
Do you force yourself to get with the hype?
Or do you ignore it and do what you like?
Its really no fun figuring this out,
Too bad I'm too old to sit down and pout,
So I'll rhyme my way to some peace of mind,
And hope that somehow, the stars will align.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Stupid laws.
Hilarious stuff. Talk about being outdated or sometimes, just plain daft.
The UK's top 10 most ridiculous British laws were listed as:
Other bizarre foreign laws voted by those polled included:
Sunday, November 04, 2007
I don't like British Music.
WTF.
I swear I'm right. I swear I knew it all along.
The Dashboard Confessionals sang that and its been my little anthem since it was released.
You don't like British music huh? Apparently, Muse isn't quite your thing. Supermassive Blackhole not a good track? I believed it. Until you said you'd go to one of their concerts anyday. I shrugged. Muse had just visited, so maybe it was all the hype..
Oh. And the Sugarbabes suck too huh? And now, you liked them ever since they hit the air.
Yes, I'm nitpicking. They are non-issues. They don't matter, at least not to an average reasonable person. Yes, I'm bitter. So sue me.
I swear I'm right. I swear I knew it all along.
The Dashboard Confessionals sang that and its been my little anthem since it was released.
You don't like British music huh? Apparently, Muse isn't quite your thing. Supermassive Blackhole not a good track? I believed it. Until you said you'd go to one of their concerts anyday. I shrugged. Muse had just visited, so maybe it was all the hype..
Oh. And the Sugarbabes suck too huh? And now, you liked them ever since they hit the air.
Yes, I'm nitpicking. They are non-issues. They don't matter, at least not to an average reasonable person. Yes, I'm bitter. So sue me.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Contradictions.
I've asked these two questions a number of times and I have never gotten an answer that is satisfactory. Both have things to do with Islamic principles and government policy.
Gripe one. Muslims can't gamble. There are active steps taken to keep them out of Genting. There are signs outside 4D gambling shops warning them to stay away. Yea, sure, lots of Muslims still end up buying the stuff, but what I'm interested in is the official Government stand on this, and not the efficiency of its enforcement. So far, as far as I know, the Government discourages Muslims from buying 4D. So, in essence, the government is against all forms of gambling done by Muslims and will try to regulate and put a stop to instances of it happening.
Yet, their kids gamble all the bloody time, oblivious to the fact that they are gambling. Remember those plastic egg vending machines that seem to be in every comic book and sundry shop? Those that seem to have different content inside? Or the card vending ones for that matter. Dragonball, Power Rangers, that kind of stuff. Thats gambling right there. If it is advertised on the outside that you stand to gain a figurine of hero X when you put a dollar into a machine and twist a dial, you are promising a chance of winning. Its now a game of chance, putting it neatly into the category of judi. If that isn't a clear enough example, here is another one. I remember this from back when I was 12. There is a keropok vendor near my school, selling all manner of crackers. One of his products is a tiny little packet of nearly inedible prawn crackers with a little gift on the inside. The packet itself cost 20 cents, and most of the time, you will get a little plastic lobster that cannot possibly cost more than half a cent. But, you stand to win one of those Tamiya car rip offs that go for about 5 bucks at the pasar malam. There are other prizes too. So, a little token fee for a shot at winning something that is worth 25 times as much as the original investment. Sound familiar?
Its all gambling, and yet these people get away with selling it to Muslims, and Muslim children at that. I'm not a Muslim and if someone pulled this kind of shit of on my 12 year old, I'd get pretty pissed off. And I don't have a God promising me eternal suffering if I went near any of that. Thats just fucked up.
Now, on to the second problem. Alcohol. Muslims can't touch that stuff. (debaters not withstanding) Not even food that has alcohol in it is allowed. Chinese food that contains a bit of rice wine is not halal anymore. Even if eating 2000 portions of it isn't enough to make you drunk. (Which I was told is the main justification for banning alcohol for all Muslims. Drunk people do stupid and very un-Islamic things) So imbibing alcohol molecules in any form is dosa, correct? So whats the deal with tapai? Its served all over the place and is as part of Malay culture as lemang and ulam. But its fermented glutinous rice, and fermented normally indicates a presence of alcohol. I know, because when I smelled a batch when I was a kid, it felt to me like smelling the fumes from a bottle of VHS tape cleaner. The smell of alcohol was THAT strong. Rum and raisin has a distinctive taste of alcohol, but hardly smells that strong. Yet, rum and raisin ice cream is in a fridge that carries the warning to Muslims that rum and raisin is not halal. If this isn't hypocrisy and selective application of rules, then I don't know what is. It is entirely possible that the Jabatan Agama Islam realizes this and decided they cannot do anything about it because the eating of tapai is so ingrained into our society already. I guess they realize what a sudden decision to make tapai non-halal would bring a lot of complications and get people asking questions that they are not quite prepared to answer.
But ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. I guess with the immense control that the government has on any form of intelligent questioning, these inconsistencies can be stopped from ever surfacing as actual issues. To be honest, I think that they are non-issues too. Its just that if Malaysian Muslims are anal enough to care about the direction of the kiblat from space, and about the halalness of vaccines, I suppose something like this should be considered pretty big problems.
Gripe one. Muslims can't gamble. There are active steps taken to keep them out of Genting. There are signs outside 4D gambling shops warning them to stay away. Yea, sure, lots of Muslims still end up buying the stuff, but what I'm interested in is the official Government stand on this, and not the efficiency of its enforcement. So far, as far as I know, the Government discourages Muslims from buying 4D. So, in essence, the government is against all forms of gambling done by Muslims and will try to regulate and put a stop to instances of it happening.
Yet, their kids gamble all the bloody time, oblivious to the fact that they are gambling. Remember those plastic egg vending machines that seem to be in every comic book and sundry shop? Those that seem to have different content inside? Or the card vending ones for that matter. Dragonball, Power Rangers, that kind of stuff. Thats gambling right there. If it is advertised on the outside that you stand to gain a figurine of hero X when you put a dollar into a machine and twist a dial, you are promising a chance of winning. Its now a game of chance, putting it neatly into the category of judi. If that isn't a clear enough example, here is another one. I remember this from back when I was 12. There is a keropok vendor near my school, selling all manner of crackers. One of his products is a tiny little packet of nearly inedible prawn crackers with a little gift on the inside. The packet itself cost 20 cents, and most of the time, you will get a little plastic lobster that cannot possibly cost more than half a cent. But, you stand to win one of those Tamiya car rip offs that go for about 5 bucks at the pasar malam. There are other prizes too. So, a little token fee for a shot at winning something that is worth 25 times as much as the original investment. Sound familiar?
Its all gambling, and yet these people get away with selling it to Muslims, and Muslim children at that. I'm not a Muslim and if someone pulled this kind of shit of on my 12 year old, I'd get pretty pissed off. And I don't have a God promising me eternal suffering if I went near any of that. Thats just fucked up.
Now, on to the second problem. Alcohol. Muslims can't touch that stuff. (debaters not withstanding) Not even food that has alcohol in it is allowed. Chinese food that contains a bit of rice wine is not halal anymore. Even if eating 2000 portions of it isn't enough to make you drunk. (Which I was told is the main justification for banning alcohol for all Muslims. Drunk people do stupid and very un-Islamic things) So imbibing alcohol molecules in any form is dosa, correct? So whats the deal with tapai? Its served all over the place and is as part of Malay culture as lemang and ulam. But its fermented glutinous rice, and fermented normally indicates a presence of alcohol. I know, because when I smelled a batch when I was a kid, it felt to me like smelling the fumes from a bottle of VHS tape cleaner. The smell of alcohol was THAT strong. Rum and raisin has a distinctive taste of alcohol, but hardly smells that strong. Yet, rum and raisin ice cream is in a fridge that carries the warning to Muslims that rum and raisin is not halal. If this isn't hypocrisy and selective application of rules, then I don't know what is. It is entirely possible that the Jabatan Agama Islam realizes this and decided they cannot do anything about it because the eating of tapai is so ingrained into our society already. I guess they realize what a sudden decision to make tapai non-halal would bring a lot of complications and get people asking questions that they are not quite prepared to answer.
But ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away. I guess with the immense control that the government has on any form of intelligent questioning, these inconsistencies can be stopped from ever surfacing as actual issues. To be honest, I think that they are non-issues too. Its just that if Malaysian Muslims are anal enough to care about the direction of the kiblat from space, and about the halalness of vaccines, I suppose something like this should be considered pretty big problems.
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