Le Grand Voyage

I had been feasting on juicy sweet oranges this chinese new year holiday. Since most shops were closed, I just stayed at home these past 2 days. Unfortunately, my stock of oranges finishes today..so I am “forced” to go out. I catched a very engaging movie Le Grand Voyage (the great journey).

It’s about a father and son’s journey by car from France to Mecca. Dad insists on doing the journey by car rather than the plane…and son has no other choice but to drive his dad there, because the old man cannot drive.
Son, Reda, is a modern french teenager who has little interest in his Morrocan roots and religion. The father is a conservative Morrocan immigrant who has been living in France for 30 years. You can just imagine the cultural and generation gap. Theirs is an extremely strained father-son relationship. As you may have guessed it already, the 3000 miles journey is not merely a pilgrim’s journey through most of Europe before entering Arabia, but a journey of meaning of some sorts for both son and dad who can barely find a common point of view between themselves.

It’s definitely a movie I can relate to very much, and I think anybody can relate to it as it touches on the universal theme of humanity-family, spirituality and more. For the first time ever, a shooting was made right inside the Masjidil Haram in Mecca. Its a thought provoking movie towards the middle and extremely moving towards the end. I saw a lot of people wiping tears from their eyes (yes, including the men) before they left the movie hall. What I regret most about the movie is what was left unsaid between them, when there is sooo much that could be expressed and shared. It was just left there, unsettling. Maybe that’s the message: Cherish your loved ones and don’t let things go unsaid and unsettled, otherwise you will regret it.
The timing for this movie release is just apt. In this time when Muslims are receiving an unfavourable image of violence and terrorism, this movie manages to realistically potray the calm and humane aspect of the Muslim world that usually escapes the media. For the young generation of muslims living in modern societies, Le Grand Voyage will make them reflect upon themselves and rethink some of the modern negative cliches about the meaning of family and living a muslim life.

Google succumbs to China

Soon, Google will be having a new home in China ie. www.google.cn. However, it comes at a hefty price: Google has already agreed to comply with the Chinese Government’s request to omit certain webpages which will alter the accuracy of its search result, something in which Google is known to be obsessed about. Topics like Taiwan’s Independence, the Tianenmen Massacre which are forbidden by the Chinese Government will be pulled out by Google from its search index.
This decision by Google comes at a time when it has recently rejected to cooperate with the US government to use its search logs, supposedly to prevent child pornography abuse. Weird, don’t you think? At one place, Google hails freedom of speech..at another Google just signed the deal with the Chinese government as if freedom of speech has never existed in the first place. But the decision makes perfect financial sense. China is the fastest growing economy in the world with currently 100 million internet users, and that figure is growing every day. So Google wants a piece from the economic pie and makes itself more accessible to one of the largest nation of internet users. However, gmail and Google blogging service will not be offered in China as Google fears the government will request access to Google users’ gmail and blogs.

Source: CNN , Boston Globe.

Top 5 Horror Films

My choice of top 5 horror films:

1. Shutter

2. Nang Nak

3. The Ring (Original Japanese Version)

4. The Skeleton Key5. The Exorcist

I just learned that Nang Nak is a legendary Thai horror story that has been passed down for generations. Many Thai children grew up listening to the tale of Nang Nak. I noticed that most of the tales behind the movies involved tragic and sad events. Like Sadako’s horrific murder in The Ring, the outrage of modesty and betrayal in Shutters and Nang Nak’s sudden death. When I think about it from that perspective, it is not that scary afterall.

The Skeleton Key

I'm a huge fan of horror movies and for years I have this opinion that Hollywood's horror movies are never as scary as the Asian horror flicks. I mean, whenever a supposedly scary scene in a Hollywood movie showes up on the screen, I feel more like laughing. Gruesome murders, vampires and violence are the main elements hollywood scary films like to use, and I have never think of those elements as terrifying at all.
The Skeleton Key took me by surprise. It is about Caroline, a hospice worker (excellently played by Kate Hudson) who takes the job of taking care of a dying and paralyzed old man, Ben, in his huge but run down house in Louisiana. The mysterious ways of Ben's cold wife makes her so suspicious that she resolves to dig out the couple's secrets. She later learns that Ben fell in the attic room, before he was hit by a stroke and became completely paralyzed. Using a skeleton key, she makes her way to the attic room where she finds all sorts of Hoodoo stuff. Hoodo is an ancient African magic, which supposedly works only if the person believes in it. Now I think the Hoodoo concept is the strength that glues this supernatural thriller altogether, and makes it stand out from the rest. Hoodoo exists out there, and it is still very much alive. Oh yeah, the ending. You just have to love the ending. As shocking as it can get. So get yourself spooked by this tale of magic and sacrifice. As long as you don't believe in it, it can't hurt you (Or so the movie says).

Google Desktop, etcetra

I have been using Google Desktop for almost a month now and it seems to be a neat little software that comes very handy, with lots of practical use. I have also downloaded some plug-ins for Google Desktop, a timer and a word-a-day. There are many other plug-ins like a calendar, a calculator and a audio plug-in which lets you control your iTunes from the Google Desktop. All fits neatly at the side of your desktop, which can be set on autohide if you need more desktop space.

When downloading the GD thing, I went through the routine procedure of accepting the terms and conditions of using the software, which I had never really cared to read. But, this time, it says"this is not your usual yada..yada..". It says downloading Google Desktop will allow Google to search through all your files, documents, internet history etc…and index the search data to let the GD serves its purpose or something like that. I was like, ok, no problem. Mine is just a personal laptop with absolutely no top secret info whatsoever. Its not like the people at Google are going through my files or anything, right? Its just the machines doing the job and saving the search data for my own use.

However, Google made the news in the paper yesterday when it refused to comply with the US state government to let the authorities access Google's search logs data. Of all the searches made on the internet, half were made through Google Search. The news article also stated that Yahoo!, Alta Vista and AOL have complied and allowed the government to go through their search logs. I'm not very happy with this news, for obvious reasons. Google is not like other search companies…now Google is entering into our own desktop and we have allowed it to search through and index each and every files in our hard disk. This does not just affect the people in the US but people everywhere in the world. What business is the US government to make companies grant them access to international community's search logs? Are they going to do that? What if Google is forced to comply? That is very likely, and when that happens, Google Desktop sure won't be my favourite neat little software anymore.

This is not Google's first brush with negative media report. Google Earth was accused of allowing anyone with an internet connection and a Google Earth software to view satellite images of anywhere in the world, which was said to help people who harbour terrorist thoughts plan their attacks. While Google Earth is certainly not the first software of its kind, the popularity of Google made the software extremely accessible and widely known. When I use Google Earth, I think its great for educational use. Has this become the question of whether we should ban the knife because it can cause potential harm and injury? Or is it the question of putting the guns in the wrong hands?

On one hand, Google is trying to put the power of information in the hands of internet users through its powerful search engine and other range of softwares, while the US authorities think too much information is not good for the people (and the world too, it seems).

Weird Things People Say

A weird thing happened one day when I was on my way to work. My workplace is located in a shopping mall right beside Somerset train station. I was just alighting from the train, and stepped onto the escalator when I heard a men infront of me saying : ” Make money..” to his friend who was standing beside him. The two words caught my ear, while the rest were blurred. The phrase registered in my mind, because it was not a familiar phrase in my vocabulary. I then walked past the two men and was about to enter the shopping mall, when I heard someone saying: “Make money..”. Those two words again within a span of 2 minutes! I quickly turned my head to see who said that, I thought it was coming from the same men I saw in the train station. It wasn’t the men this time, because I saw two women talking enthusiastically about making money. Sheesh! I think the street name should be changed from “Orchard Road” to “Make Money Road”.

On another occasion, I overheard a salesperson approaching two men on a busy street asking them for a moment, “excuse me, have you got a minute?” One of the men said, “No, we have to rush to somewhere”. The salesperson was persistent, she said “oh, where are you going?” Then the man said, “We are going to rob a bank!”. I was walking right behind the man, and I just had to laugh. Unexpectedly, I saw an ATM machine few centimetres away, where two policemen were standing. It seemed the joke was said at the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the policeman gave the joker a suspicous look, but eventually let it pass.

Sometimes its hard not to overhear other people’s conversations. But its hard to avoid laughing alone at funny incidents with yourself looking silly.

One Meebo to rule them all…

Finally…just when I think Internet messaging is getting too cumbersome to manage everytime I’m online, Meebo comes to the rescue.
How many of us are just tired of starting the msn messenger, then the yahoo messenger, or the other IM services everytime you want to see who’s online to chat with? and the trouble of chatting with contacts using different IMs simultaneously, what with the pop ups , and “are you sure you want to exit?” oh dear…
And how troublesome it is to send IM when you are using other computers whether at the library, school or the workplace where IM softwares are not installed or worst, blocked?

And how thoughtful are the people at Meebo who make all those problems history. If you are a heavy IM user, then you might want to try Meebo, where you can do your IM
using all your IM accounts (yahoo messenger, google talk, msn, icq) from one single webpage. No registration, no download or installation needed. It has never been easier.

“One meebo to rule them all, one meebo to find them. One meebo to bring them all and in the darkness, bind them”

Rameau’s The Night

This piece of French song/poetry by music composer Rameau is featured in the art film “Les Choristes”. I wonder if the English translation is really that accurate.
O Night

Bring to the earth

The enchanting calm of your mystery

The shadow which follows you is so sweet

It is such a sweet concert

Your voices chanting hope

Your power is so great

Transforming all into a dream.

O Night

O leave still to the earth

The enchanting calm of your mystery

The shadow which follows you is so sweet..

Is there anything more beautiful than a dream?

Is there any truth sweeter than hope?

p/s: Notice that the word “sweet” is mentioned more than twice, the translation is probably a little twisted.

Gombak: A Place in Thought

A Place in Thought~Memories from good 'ol Gombak, KL.

Sometimes I wonder
While flipping through the calendar
When will I get to cross the border
To the deep valleys of Gombak
Where my memories are parked
The hills I trod
I forget not.

In the mysterious shadows of the night
As darkness resides
Not a single leaf moves
When Gombak sleeps
Wind and time stand still
as if in awe of such peace and silence
Cautiously guarded by the stars up high
Probably the same stars I gaze at every night
..from miles away.

Why then can't everywhere be like the place
Where no leaves rattle
Where all trees stand straight and humble, in meditation
Where time can take a break
While we catch our breath and reflect
Engulfed in deep thought of the Lord
Creator of the hills I trod
…of the peace I sought.

The Broker by John Grisham

I have been searching for John Grisham’s latest bestseller “The Broker” for months, and last week I finally got the chance to lay my eyes on it. I found the novel sitting idly at one of Toa Payoh library’s many bookshelves.

“The Broker” is about a Washington lobbyist/power broker, Joel Backman’s escape from his own secret that can claim his life. He has an information too sensitive but strong enough to break a country’s defence and surveillance system. While reading the book, I was constantly reminded of the movie “Enemy of the State” starring Will Smith, whose character’s life fell into grave danger eversince a powerful government secret fell into his hands unexpectedly. If you like fast-paced action thriller, you will enjoy reading this novel.

The character Joel Backman really impessed me with his great survival skill and fighting spirit. He is no combat figure, only a succesful corporate and government broker, but his tactics for survival proves amazing as he fights for his own life. But at some point in the story when he was running around Europe, I find his escape from an assasination attempt by a professional assasin not convincing enough and too good to be true. I doubt if it is that simple.

My favourite part of the story is when he went to Italy, staying there for a few weeks disguising himself as somebody else. He learned Italian and hit the streets and cafes of Bologna, while trying to hide his true identity. John Grisham showcased a detailed and vivid description of Bologna and Italian culture, which was very eye-opening. Italians never drink cappucino after 10am? (but espresso is allowed)? Communism is still very much alive in Italy? Well, yes, according to the novel.
There are also many beautiful descriptions of the impossibly old buildings, sheltered sidewalks and places of interests in the Italian city. Reading those stuff made me feel like I was transported to Italy for a while.

This blend of action, culture and politics by Grisham makes a good weekend read.