Fitna.

Responses like this only prove Geert Wilders point. Fitna, although redundant (see th, could be said to be a brilliant bait tactic. They- the extremists- have bitten it; bitten hard. And in the process, they are making Islam look like a religion for third world monkeys. Which is, oh, is exactly what Wilders is trying to point out. Ah...

Some Muslims need to learn a thing or two about the Christian response to stuff like the Da Vinci Code.

Why I Want This DSLR

Casio does not make exactly drool-worthy DSLRs, but their latest offering, the EX-F1 has features to die for. For example, it takes videos at 1200fps. Yep. That's as close to bullet time as you're gonna get on prosumer gear without CGI. Yes, I guess I so so want it because of that alone (of course, it's equally quick at taking pictures). And looking at how cool videos look already at 300fps, who needs a camcorder?

Days of Heaven

I've been an admirer of Malick's films ever since I saw The Thin Red Line at the age of 12 and felt I was watching something special. Some might say that if you've seen one of his films, you've seen them all.

Still, there's no denying that they are good. He has made four feature films (another in production) and I've watched three. Days of Heaven is the third. It was the last movie he made for nearly 20 years. Cormac McCarthy called it "an awfully good movie."

As a movie it has been regarded as "great" by many reviewers. I don't quite share their opinion; I would say it's not as matured as the later Malick films. It contains some flaws, such as establishing the rhythm of a scene and dropping it so soon after you got the mood. But even for that, I'm not sure if that wasn't intentional.

I sure did enjoy it. It's meditative, it's poetic. But there is a thin line between pretty pictures and meaningful imagery; stale dialogue and verbal contemplation, and Days of Heaven awkwardly treads in between.

See some screenshots of the movie here (it won an Oscar for Best Cinematography).

P.S. This is is my 200th post. Whooo!!!

I wouldn't mind living here, you know...

Either the condo behind me, or that house overlooking the lake. XD

Finally, they start blogging.

Khir Toyo has started blogging. Yup. Of course, he's surely not one of those low, base, opposition supporting scum of a blogger.

It's about time though. I would like to see more BN politicians/spokespeople blogging. While Malaysia's most popular blogs are almost always slanted towards the opposition, I don't see any famous BN supporting blogs out there. Come to think of it, it's about time the Government employed cyber-apologists to voice out their views (in America, there are outspoken Democrat bloggers and outspoken Republican bloggers; both sides have their vocal advocates).

The Malaysian "debate" is pretty one sided on the Internet.

The city, the city.

Where we live, where we look too. I took this picture on a clear, clear day. But it seems to be that that veil of grey is here to stay. Muahaha, me rhyme!

Macs & PCs: Pots calling Kettles black...

Hahaha...Mac OS X hacked in 2 minutes; Vista and Ubuntu still unscathed...rofl.

Criticism, pointless.

My brother and his schoolmates have a project: they're writing a critique of The Golden Compass entitled, oddly enough, "The Silver Compass". I find that particularly bizarre; a bunch of fifteen year olds critiquing a children's fantasy book for admirable but undoubtedly ideological purposes. I'm not sure how well versed they are in theology, which is always a prerequisite before engaging in apologetics.

Of course, since becoming a rather self-effacing Christian, I tend to keep as quiet as possible about such matters. But ah, being approached for help on their project, I didn't quite mind after all (it's gonna get published...if it's good). Either way, I don't lose anything (I'm gonna hide behind a pseudonym, hehehe) and it helps if someone who actually knows what to do is involved.

Apparently it's going to be a serious book. I suggested something more funny. But I would suppose they want it to be serious.

But remember, most people (except those convinced) balked at critiques of, say, The Da Vinci Code. Someone commented that those books made a good doorstop (then again, most litcrit tomes make good ones as well). In a sense, they're kinda pointless to people who are wise enough to not take such works of fiction seriously.

But of course, there's always the not so privileged minority.

I would say that writing such a book is pointless. You're just preaching to the choir. Maybe a few children might better informed, and some might think that that is worthwhile.

Methinks 50,000 words are better spent on a pure presentation of the Gospel, and not wasted on attacking a book about golden compasses, young heroines and talking polar bears.

Oh, if you still don't understand why I want to use a pseudonym, check out the "official" website here.

Wink ;)

I've been learning some punctuation recently; more specifically, I've been learning to use the semicolon (;). It's certainly tricky. Since I know zilch about grammar (well, except what nouns and verbs are; it starts getting hit and miss when we come to adverbs and adjectives), learning the proper usage tends to boil down to intuition. I intuit a sentence's proper construction, and I think I get it right most of the time.

But I've probably made a few mistakes in the above paragraph, and so I gotta keep learning. Spellcheck helps (yes, even when it comes to grammar, although it does get annoying when you are trying to construct unorthodox but technically correct sentences).

Perhaps one of those mistakes would be using Mr. Semi Colon too much. Then again, who's to say what? ;)

P.S. If you don't know much about the semi colon, this will help you get started.

What did they do wrong?

Try and figure it out...

Javier Mascherano: "I don't know why I was sent off."


and

Idris Jusoh, red carded by the Palace, can't remember if he did anything wrong.

In front of the screen...

One thinks to himself: can you spend time using the computer too much? Sometimes I use it up to 12 hours in a day, unable to stay away it from long. It amazes me. Then again, I find how refreshed I am when I stay away it for several days. I don't suffer from withdrawal, only renewal. Hmm...

Stuck in meh head.

The price you pay when you listen to a catchy song.



The Funeral
Band of Horses

Opinions.

I realize that often my views on various issues and ideas differ radically from that of my peers. It is tempting to think of myself as the sole person who is "different", and the rest a uniform, machinelike mass.

Alas, that is not true. I have met people who are far stranger, far more ideologically divergent than anyone else I've ever met. I either respect or loathe them, depending on what kind of view they hold. I'm sure that's what some people might think of me. They might either like or dislike me, depending on my opinions. I am rarely bothered. And although I would love to expound them to others who hold different positions, I hardly do so. People don't like their worldviews to be shaken, their beliefs questioned. I am too people pleasing in that respect.

If someone wishes to differ with me, I am all for a good conversation. I try not to carry out such conversations verbally, for the simple reason that while explaining ideas orally is popular, it is not the ideal platform for the discussion of ideas (which would be the written word). As such, I always try to shun verbal debate, preferring writing as the optimal means for such important matters.

Anyway. How do I form my opinions? Thinking and reading. Yes, the cart of thought before the horse of ideas, but almost always that's how I form my opinions. Sure, I must have some idea of what to think about. Most people build upon prior ideas; the roots of many modern beliefs (say, Darwinism) preempted many years prior to the person they were named after. Of course, there must be a root to such ideas, which cannot extend ad infinitum.

I find that most of my ideas come to me unaided. I am trying to distance myself from that means now, and turning more to what others say, and pondering on their thoughts. This might mean that I am not wholly original. Still, ideas sometimes come out of thin air for me, and for that I am certainly grateful.

It's almost comedic (I would say it makes an interesting case study) when someone vehemently defends an opinion, no matter how flimsy. You wonder how the human mind can so efficiently delude itself. And yet, it happens. Of course, thinking of someone as "wrong" presupposes that you are "right". That's inevitable.

There is an arrogance ascribed by our westernised society to the assertion "I am right". The application of that rule is inconsistent however. Politicians like Bush are chided, Clinton not. Both are equally arrogant, although it is clear that one cannot claim arrogance of that person when he or she holds the same views you do.

I try to be right about most things (although I do shy away from things I have not a clue about). I don't think that makes me arrogant, only a little studious about making sure my beliefs correspond to reality.

Which is, in fact, a most noble task.

PhD on the cheap.

USD$249.00 and people can call you "doctor". I'm not joking. It's amazing how people can get hired with unaccredited degrees. See here.

Back.

More updates coming your way, soon. My mental machinery continues to churn. Expect the fruits of its labour here. :P

Hiatus

I'm away somewhere. Will be back soon. Expect lots of filler posts to cover up for my absence. :P

Disunity...everywhere.

“Whatever happens in Perlis and Terengganu, one thing is certain. A constitutional crisis seems to be looming with the stand taken by the royalty against the expressed wishes of the prime minister,” said a constitutional expert. [Source]

Well, it looks like the Opposition isn't the only one having troubles. If I may say, the Sultan of Perlis is only making things worse. Going against BN a.k.a. UMNO isn't, um, very nice.

People are crazy.

See here.

The Mist

Frank Darabont, the guy who did The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile (both great movies) keeps to the same source material (Stephen King) albeit with um, a slight decrease in quality.

But obviously, when you do horror movies (especially if you have creatures with tentacles), don't expect any Oscars to come your way. The Mist is essentially Cloverfield minus the lousy camerawork.

Don't expect a shock fest, mind you. It's mostly humans getting butchered by funny looking creatures (so cliched looking that even some of the characters don't believe it). Still, what counts is the acting and the story. And that's where The Mist excels, in providing a claustrophobic environment where people not only have to worry about them monsters, but also themselves.

Thomas Jane as the lead carries the movie quite well, although most people would say that Marcia Gay Harden (playing a kooky religious doomsayer) steals the show. Either way, the acting's good. But some of the dialogue does get a little unauthentic (especially when the characters philosophize, where I found myself chuckling).

The ending is full of irony as is befitting of a good horror book. I'm not sure if it works for movies. Still, you may yourself reminded of the Twilight Zone (this movie is essentially a longer, more polished version of a typical episode). Which I don't mind, since it works as long as you don't place too high standards on it.

The importance of tolerance.

Lim Kit Siang doesn't like a PAS MB. Fine, but I suppose he's forgotten that in the world of politics, one needs to be a little more, well, street smart. Play along. Mohamad Nizar already said that all decisions would be made collectively. It's not like PAS are gonna easily pass laws (considering that UMNO technically still holds the majority as compared to each individual opposition party, and DAP is second). Apparently, the rest of DAP are expected to defy him and attend the swearing in ceremony...

So chillax, Uncle.

Someone is still playing *that* card.

In response to DAP's move to abolish the NEP,

Penang Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim warned that if the new state government goes ahead with its plan to do away with the NEP's practices, it will anger Malays in the state.

"It will also result in unrest because they will face all sorts of hardship," he said.

Despite 50 years of Independence, Azhar said the Bumiputera's equity was still lacking by 18.7 per cent. The group has yet to achieve the 30 per cent target.

Azhar claimed the DAP, unlike Barisan Nasional, had never supported and encouraged the NEP.

"They claimed to represent the people of all races but are they really doing so?" he said.

Since the party had been chosen by the people to lead the state, along with Parti Keadilan Rakyat, they should be responsible for each and everyone's well being, Azhar said. [Source]

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Penang will hopefully be an experiment in an NEP free state. And if it works, well, we'll see...

Oh dear...

Did the elections have something to do with this?

Variables to be explored.

Post-elections introduced Malaysia to a wide variety of possible political, sociological, environmental, and what-have-you realities. It's fun to watch them unfold; even more fun to predict them and ultimately a delight for me to analyze them. I'll be watching...

It is done.

Voting is over, and the results are about in. BBC reports; see also the comments.

Never, since 1969, has such result been achieved. I'm glad to say that Malaysians have begun to see the point.

I'm also laughing at what some analysts blame as "flippant" or "comfort" working i.e. voting for the opposition for the sake of it. After all, most of the wins came from urban states/areas. Which is not entirely true, since Perak and Kedah aren't the most developed of areas, and PAS has just taken backward Kelantan by a bigger majority. Pade doh!

One could just as easily say that urban voters are smarter, more informed than orang kampung...

Oh, and BN's 2/3 majority has been broken.

We'll see the results of our actions soon enough...

As for me, all I have to say is...amen.

(Also notable: That pesky Hindraf guy who got detained under ISA for disrupting the peace and making seditious comments, among other things, got elected to a state seat. Oh the irony.)

Note to self

A very expansive, expensive advertising campaign does not equal proportional results. Marketing 101...

c.f. Barisan Nasional's 2008 Campaign

As they go a voting...

I sit here and type away. It doesn't hurt to pray to. If there's only one result we should pray for, it's this one.

Reuters, IHT, BBC, AP all report. Accordingly, BN will most probably win. The question remains: by how much? Breaking the 2/3 majority seems to be all the Opposition has in mind. If that happens, will it benefit us in the end? Logically, it seems so. Realistically, we have no idea.

10,000 B.C.

If there's a lesson to be learned from Roland Emmerich's worst movie yet, it's that to never let your music composer help pen your screenplay (Harold Kloser had a hand in writing the story, and was also the guy responsible for the movie's music).

The title incidentally describes the age of the plot accurately. There's nothing new to be seen here: Apocalypto practically scooped this movie. And even if that movie was not as visually fancy, it sure is twice as gritty and gripping.

You see, I don't mind movies that are all style and no substance. Most big budget movies nowadays are exactly that, and I do get my fair share of enjoyment from them. But alas, 10,00 B.C. is not as visually exciting as Emmerich's previous films. And what is most painful is that this movie somehow manages to outdo Star Wars in terms of wooden, corny lines. Almost every single piece of dialogue spoken is utterly unimaginative.

The premise is simple: You have a hero (Steven Strait, whose looks middle somewhere between Brad Pitt and Colin Farrell) and a damsel in distress (Camilla Belle, who is in there to provide a pretty face and also possibly serve as the MacGuffin).

There is no saving grace in this movie to make it worth watching. Do you remember the saber-tooth you saw in the trailers and the posters? It's not a saber-tooth. It's the deus ex machina, only there to play it's usual cameo role, and subsequently vanish. No, the main killers in these movie are regular men (boooring) and man-eating ostriches (scary!).

Those who watch this sad excuse of a movie either were ignorant (excusable enough, since I was one of them!) or downright masochistic. Only go to see it if you can stomach non-stop corniness. Oh, and lots of woolly mammoths. How fun.

The moment of truth...

...draws upon us.

I'm not going to say anything else.

We shall see.

Person Pitch

Person Pitch by Panda Bear is more sound than music, but alas, to many, there is no difference between the two. Which makes it all the more hard to listen and to evaluate music made with that philosophy in mind.

Sure, it's experimental. You hear lots of...sounds. Some of his songs do sound good. But most are repetitive, bizarre auditory cacophony; tardy and tedious. I am confused. People are raving (some review magazines named it best album of the 2007!). I was left entirely baffled and nonplussed. This is not my idea of music.

The "M" Word.

LA Times has an interesting report on the debate on same sex marriage in the California Supreme Court. The various comments are worth reading, although this sentence particularly struck me:

Lawyers in favor of same-sex marriages said a 1948 California Supreme Court ruling that struck down a ban on interracial marriages set a precedent for upholding a fundamental right to marry the person of one's choice.

Person of one's own choice eh? If you happen to have read my posts arguing why same-sex marriage should not be legalized, then this is one good reason. If a man can marry a man, why can a man not marry a dog? Do deny him the right to marry an animal seems discriminatory, IMHO, as if marriage is something that can only be restricted to human beings (an arbitrary assumption).

It might be reality that same sex couples want to marry, and it might be reality that other people might want to marry animals or fruits, but that doesn't mean reality ought to become law. No, no.

Tralalala, work and study...

Take my pick of the Universities I want to go to? Hard to say. I have ashamedly said "I don't know" to every "What do you plan to do" question. Right now, I would like to work, but somehow I have managed to loathe every single job I've worked in so far. The options are not bright. Not cool. I don't want to study all my life either, but in this wonderful life of ours, sometimes a piece of paper can bring you a long way. That, and some working experience.

Work and study turns our minds into putty.

Tralalala...

Spiritual aids.

For my "devotion", I utilize Carson's For The Love of God (Vol. 2), purchased at discount price. As a devotional book it is stilted and wooden (by today's standards, which almost always includes an anecdote to illustrate a point).

As a commentary it works decently well. Carson's stated purpose was to write a devotional that brings a different approach to the biblical text. I would suppose he succeeded. Either way, I think we're too accustomed to the "Daily Bread" approach for devotion. Light and Easy. But ah, I don't really like old songs. I don't like fluffy anecdotes to illustrate a point either (at least, we've had too much of that). Give me exegesis anytime, man.

Because I am a spartan

...stylistically speaking.

Weird college I am in.

This story was written as part of an assignment. It's the weirdest assignment yet. Of course, I'm not complaining, since it's a free 10% for my total score. Woot.

Complaints, complain...

BN has infiltrated our Yahoo inboxes. Bleh.

Oh, and want your voice to be heard? Sure. Check this site out.

Random blessings.

E.g. your torrent is kind enough to let you download two movies in two days. Sweet!