August:Osage County--Redneck Country

If there's one thing you would come away with after watching this movie,it will be the issue of the weaknesses and depravity of human beings and how, in one way or another, out of their miseries or their avarice and greed, they will stoop as low as possible, to find solace irrespective whether it is right of wrong.

In a rural town in Oklahoma, Beverly Weston, a has-been poet and constant drunkard is interviewing a Native American to take care of his drug addict wife with a mouth cancer. After this, he secretly leaves and the wife,Violet has to called on her daughters to provide her emotional support. Her husband's death brought further melancholia into the family and unknown family secrets started spilling out which pitted one member of the family against another.

Though this movie had obtained international acclaim particularly for Meryl Street and Julia Roberts, both of whom were nominated for Academy awards, I felt though there is just  too much dialogue and unnecessary overacting.

This is mostly a movie where the women including even the maid shine and the men from Sam Shepherd, Ewan MacGregor to Chris Cooper were  reduced to background characters.

Dull mainly but if you have the patience, do see to its final conclusion to see the  strength of character as manifested by both Meryl and Julia.

Malaysia-Are we in a Catch-22?

Looks like you are damned if you do; you are damned if you don't.

Either way, you have to bite the bullet bitterly.

In response to Fitch's rating downgrade on the economy, the government first rolled back its petrol subsidy by 20 sen per liter; followed quickly by a total withdrawal of sugar subsidy just after the May general elections. TNB was then allowed a 15% tariff increase and the minimum wage for Malaysians was also implemented at the beginning of  January. Bad timing!

All these hurried moves were evidently to appease foreign rating agencies and to provide the much desired fillip for companies who are seeking competitive funding from abroad.

Little did policy and decision makers realised it was opening Pandora's box too obtusely for runaway inflation to rear its ugly head. The prices of goods and services started to move up; riding on the tsunami-like inflation waves caused mainly by the price of fuel at the pump.

Prices of both cooked food and produce at the market rocketed. Coffee-shops increased the price of drinks while stall-holders ramped up their food prices by a shocking 50 sen per bowl of your favourite noodle soup or plate of economy rice!.

To stem further price increases, a moratorium was put into place not to increase highway toll rates for a year;with the government compensating concessionaires by giving them RM 400 million to boot!

Interestingly,this sudden move invited Credit Suisse to sound out a caution warning-this move may cause a further down-rating which may lead  foreign investors to sell off bonds en masse as well as take money out from Bursar KL stock market; particularly when interest rates are expected to go up in the next half of the year.

As they say what goes around will come around.  Spend like a lord, now pay your dues!

You have to pay for your excesses and we are now paying the piper!

Poor Malaysians--getting poorer,aren't we?

Seven Down and Seven More To Go

Blood, Sweat and Tears!

I was truly elated this morning to receive news from my son that he had passed the three papers that he sat in December 2013 for the professional accounting course he is pursuing.

I thanked God for His grace to see my son through.

My son is currently studying for 4 papers including Malaysian Studies which is an extra paper mandated by LAN.

As for the professional papers, he will be doing two fundamental papers and one on the professional level.

I pray to God Almighty that He will blessed my son's efforts as he studies for his exam in June 2014.

Nebraska-Quality Traveling Time

If you have an age-old father fixated on the belief that he has won first prize of a million dollars when he hasn't and didn't, would you go out of your way to fulfill that mission along with him?

That in gist is the plot line of the movie, Nebraska featuring potential Academy Award winner, Bruce Dern.

While the movie is one long journey by road and stops at Woody(Bruce)'s hometown,Hawthorne,it is a somewhat cool movie of bonding between father and son, David.

Will Bruce win the Academy Award for Best Actor?

Let's wait for 2nd March to know.

Pride of China: Li Bing Bing

High Cheek Bones

If in the past, we have the likes of Lin Dai, Betty Lo Ti, Margaret Tu Chuan and Ling Po, this however is the era of the tall, high nosed, sharp jawed; and high cheek-boned North Chinese actresses.

Captivating and Poised

Li Bing Bing is China's number one treasure.

Animated

She is extraordinary beautiful post-40-no boyfriend and current love affairs in sight- and continues to reach the heights of film-dom, moving into Western cinema with such movies as Snow Flower and Secret Fan, Detective Dee,Resident Evil-Retribution and with the soon to be released Transformers 4.

Sexy

Her best movie to date is that lovey-dovey, "I Do".

Lovable

Some interesting facts of this superstar.

Another sexy pose

Born in Harbin in Heilongjiang in 1973 on 27 February -that winter-land city of wondrous ice sculptures, she is 165 cm and only carries a dainty weight of 47 kg.

Naughty

She not only acts but sings as well.

Oriental Confidence

Interestingly she shares the same zodiac star with me: a Piscean and a Dragon to boot!

Extra Naughty

Lone Survivor-Human and Technology Blind Spots

A Sad Afghanistan Episode

This is a classic true story about bravery amidst hardship in enemy territory (Afghanistan) and the ineffectiveness of modern communication technologies.

Desperate Defense

Marcus Luttrel with a band of navy seals (The Red Wing) targeted the notorious  al Qaeda leader, Ahmad Shahd in late 2005. They apparently made an unwise on the spot decision to follow the international rules of engagement, letting go of their mountain herder prisoners. As expected information of their presence got to the Talibans and they were duly trounced by the Talibans with the sheer possibility of being decapitated if caught as prisoners.

Fear and Horror

The movie showcased the terrifying carnage of modern warfare where life is but a trifling of shattered bones,body parts and more gore and blood.

Bone Shattering Engagement

The movie attracted 2 Academy Award nominations.

Playing up the Talibans

Classic Beatles LEGO

This is a collectors item of the Beatles in LEGO.

It encapsulates the Beatles as they crossed the famed Abbey Road.

Interesting.