An Irish Joke

Let us have some harmless fun.

The story of a Parish Boy's Confession

'Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl'.

The priest asks, 'Is that you, Kennie?'

'Yes, Father, it is.'

'And who was the girl you were with?'

'I can't tell you, Father, I don't want to ruin her reputation.'

'Well, Kennie, I'm sure to find out her name sooner or later, so you may as well tell me now. Was it Mary Allen?'

'I cannot say.' 'Was it Tess Hillary?'

'I'll never tell.'

'Was it Marilyn Simpson?'

'I'm sorry, but I cannot name her.'

'Was it Nellie O' Hare?'

'My lips are sealed.'

'Was it then Sophie Cassie?'

'Please, Father, I cannot tell you.'

The priest sighs in frustration. 'You're very tight lipped Kennie, and I admire that. But you've sinned and have to atone. You cannot be an altar boy now for 4 months. Now you go and behave yourself.'

Kennie walks back to his pew, and his friend Jojo slides over and whispers, 'What'd you get?'

'4 Months holiday and five good leads'.

Worthless Mutiny

Mutiny on the Bounty, the latter version starring Marlon Brando, Trevor Howard, Richard Harris and Tarita is wonderfully woven to emotively graft you to the pulse of the voyage of the Bounty,the anxiety for mutiny and the arson and sinking of the Bounty.

Apparently,a re-look ar the naval archives found the movie has overtly over-painted the cruelty of Captain Bligh over the treatment of his crew. He was actually more lenient than most captains of the day.

Brando, as the more disturbed second-in-command, finally took over the ship after being angered by a series of corporal punishment meted out by the high-handed and tyrannical Bligh,which caused death to members of the crew. He was portrayed as more human and caring as contrast to Bligh's iron fist command of the Bounty and its crew.

A wonderful movie with great biting dialogue, it effectively captures the mood and effervescence of the South Seas as well as the spontaneous and friendly nature of Tahitian society. Tarita provided appealing eye candy and in actual life married Brando for many years before divorcing him.

I belief the ending where Fletcher was burned to death was chosen to be a more dramatic and fitting ending to reflect the man. In real life he was killed on the Pitcairn Islands by unhappy natives over his leadership.

Great movie. I really enjoyed it.

The Star-Spangled Banner

Interestingly,when watching many American movies, we tend to see the patriotism and compassion in the eyes and demeanor of the American audience as they responded in homage and respect to their national anthem.

I sometimes wonder what is so special about the Star-Spangled Banner compared to our Negara Ku.

Let us look at the lyrics and perhaps you may see some difference.

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust":
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The Indefatigable Mary Poppins.

One great revisit. View Mary Poppins for old time sake.

Wonderful movie, wonderful songs, great feelings.
Julie Andrews was her charming self and her acting as a nanny is superbly natural. She deserved her Oscar! As usual Dick Van Dyke was a super duper dancer.

Have a spoonful of sugar while watching the movie!

Rage and Outrage

It is rather strange that some people you did know to be at first, considerate and understanding can suddenly be possessed by an towering rage that cannot be contained.

Like a lawyer,they trooped out all the points to continue their rage at something that has long passed on. A a rationale person would have let it go. A person in rage goes on plain fault finding and making mountains out of all molehills.

So how would you respond to this kind of person? They are needling you all the time.Grind your teeth and bear it? Turn a deaf ear? No can do.

You can forget about suggesting an anger management course. It will only fuel the fire and enrage a tsunami of sorts.

Maybe they need a dose of counseling. The religious type!

Darkest Congo!

The Dark of the Sun was released in Malaysia as The Merceneries. It was one shocking movie when I saw it in Form 4. Unused to violence, you can feel your skin creep at the helplessness of people who are victimised by wild rebels and they virtually chop you up with machetes or skewer you to death. Biting fear!

The place-the Belgium Congo. The time-in the 60s when anarchy prevailed. Rod Taylor (Curry) and Jim Brown braved themselves as paid mercenaries into the Congo to save missionaries as well as collect US$50 million in diamonds. Continues to be suspenseful in spite of it being filmed in 1968. Yvette Mimieux provided the female attraction.

Watchable film even by today's standards. The closest to rival it was Hotel Rwanda.

Not Tippi's Best

Marnie is a psychological Letdown

Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie was meant to be a hair-raiser-a psychological thriller. It had the then famous and beautiful Tippi Hedren and the debonair Sean Connery as star billings. I believe this was one of the duller Hitchcock films. The usual sound and visuals may have worked in those days but they pale in comparison to the wizardry of special effects today.

Not exceptionally great story line. It was reported that Tippi had a hard time with Hitchcock and fell out with each other after Marnie though Hedren was the hot favourite of Hitchcock after The Birds. Also, Hedren's beauty did not shine through in this role as the fearful Marnie.

Nothing great about this movie. Give it a miss.