Watch out! It’s LOOKISM folks……

Wow, I think a lot of us are still a bit stunned at the shocking revelation by the ceremony’s music director Chen Qigang about the little girl who was just not pretty enough to show up to sing live at the Beijing Olympics Opening ceremony.

The little song bird Yang Pei Yi, who was slated to be a rising star, has buck teeth and a chubby face.

When interviewed by the Beijing People’s Broadcasting Station, music chief Chen said that leaders from various government agencies came to watch the opening ceremony rehearsals in the Bird’s Nest and “…a leader from the Politburo, who gave us his opinion, (said) this has to change”.

So the cuter pig tailed Lin Miaoke came into the picture. She was apparently “flawless in image, internal feelings, and expression”.  Oh, but can she sing? Not good enough obviously. Solution, get Lin Miaoke to lip sync the recording of patriotic song Ode to the Motherland  sung by Yang Pei Yi as China’s national flag was carried into the stadium, a key moment in the three hour ceremony.

In the end ….  What we heard, was the perfect voice of Yang. What we saw, was the perfect face of Lin. Problem solved. 

My two sen worth. There’s a word in the English Language for discrimination or prejudice based on appearance. It’s not widely used but can be found in major English Language dictionaries. The word is  LOOKISM.  The word may be uncommon but sadly, this form of discrimination is NOT so uncommon. Let’s see how lookism is practised as defined by Wikipedia:

• “Researchers have found that good looking students get higher grades from their teachers than students with an ordinary appearance.
• … attractive patients receive more personalized care from their doctors.
• Studies have even shown that handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less attractive convicts.
• How much money a person earns may also be influenced by physical beauty. One study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary looking people, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those who are considered good looking.”

What is beauty? Some people say beauty is all about symmetry. Some say it is youth. The media also strongly promotes beauty as being light on the scales. The whitening cream people will tell you its a fair & white complexion. The list is endless. What happened to – Inner beauty. Grace. Personality. Intelligence. Elegance. Charm. Oh well, you might as well throw it out of the window I guess. Useless, they say. Not so useless, I say.

Universal though lookism may be, the perception of beauty is however a harder subject to tackle. Just how do we discriminate between a beauty and a non beauty. It is not an exact science I’m afraid. It isn’t just about the pursuit of the perfect symmetry or looks. I’m sure if you throw a Twiggy like figure (when she was young) in front of Michelangelo he’d flip in his grave. After all, he is responsible for producing the sculpture of David which is a famous work on symmetry.  If stout figures were desirable during the Victorian Ages, its obviously history. Today, the complete opposite look is desirable. Stick thin figures rule bringing on the onset of eating disorders like bulimia & anorexia.  But then again, our perception of beauty is very much influenced by the media and the entertainment industry. So kudos to brandnames like Dove who have promoted advertisements featuring plus size women and ordinary day to day women.

Beauty is also culturally sensitive. A Polynesian man would view a woman with an ample figure of voluptuous proportions as beautiful, but in other cultures this very same woman could be labled ‘obese’. Or if you throw a bride in front of a tribal man in the Lao Cao region (in Vietnam) with a row of straight, WHITE teeth, he’d say – she’s not beautiful enough. Bring the charcoal – her front teeth need to be blackened. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder indeed!

I’d like to end this blog with a tribute to Little Yang Peiyi, you might not be considered pretty enough to be shown in the Olympics ceremony but hey, you’re beautiful enough in our eyes. You have a beautiful voice and you are beautiful in your own way, buck teeth and all.  Beauty is skin deep but inner beauty lasts forever.

P.S. Here’s a little glossary for those who are not too familiar with 2 expressions with the word beauty in it:

• Beauty lies/is in the eye of the beholder – Literal meaning. It means that beauty is very much an individual opinion. Different people might have different perceptions of beauty.
• Beauty is skin deep. – It alludes to the fact that physical beauty is superficial. Outward appearance is not as important as inner beauty.

Snobbery is alive & kicking!

I’m ‘happy’ to report that snobbery is alive and kicking. Name dropping. Flaunting of wealth. Flaunting of education. Just to name a few.

Snobs look down on people who are part of groups that they regard as inferior or flaunt their wealth in order to make others feel inferior. They say women carry the torch for snobbery dictating the likes of ‘where to live’, ‘what to wear’. ‘whom to see’. ‘what to drive’ ….. ummm, I’m not too sure about the last claim on ‘what to drive’ … but I think snobbery is non discriminating between sexes & let’s face it, its UNIVERSAL ….

Here are some accounts of snobbery which I have encountered or heard of …

Professional SNOB –  A lawyer friend has had his shirts scrutinised & ties flipped .. he’s had to suffer comments such as this “What on earth are you wearing, John Master?”. “You’re a lawyer. For God’s sake get a decent shirt”.  This same lawyer friend also preferred taking the LRT to the courts (those days when it was next to the Sultan Abdul Samad building) to avoid traffic jams. Needless to say, he received due admonishment for this blaspheme to the profession … “Hey, you’re a lawyer aren’t you – not an L.A. (legal assistant) – why on earth are you taking an LRT?”…. Sigh…. talk about job hazards – keeping up an appearance apparently is top priority in this profession. Well, today, this friend has stepped up and his SNOB friends would be proud of him as he drives a Merc & sports Hugo Bosses …. Apparently the new look is good for business. Clients are more confident of lawyers who are well dressed, hence they get more business. This is the very mantra preached in “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” – Robert Kiyosaki’s and Sharon Lechter’s best selling book on how to achieve financial independence through investing, real estate, owning businesses, and the use of finance protection tactics. They say the broker who is clothed expensively and drives the flashy car gets the business, as he projects the image of success & accomplishment in his ventures. ….  So do not downplay the ‘importance’ of snobbery in life. It has an economic, and socio economic role to play. No wonder, a lot of car nappers now come cloaked in expensive clothes & they too drive expensive cars to hoodwink unsuspecting drivers leading up to a successful car nap …  

Car SNOB – A friend of ours was recounting how knowledgeable her nephew was about cars & apparently he was raving about the Proton Persona (for reasons I have forgotten) & her nephew recommended that she buy it. She then proceeded to tell me with a cringe shaped into her face,  “We are not interested in local cars like Proton….we prefer Japanese cars”.  Fat Dragon & I both drove Protons then … umm… it took us from Point A to Point B…. but yeah …. the goal of snobbery achieved… it made us feel inferior… just for a few seconds maybe …. But hey, don’t underestimate the powers of snobbery, we have changed one of our cars to a Japanese car – ahahahaahahah!   

Wine SNOB – A friend told us he was entertaining a customer at a BISTRO in Centre Point, Bandar Utama. The customer insisted on buying the wine. When shown the wine list (with prices ranging in the lesser hundreds) by the owner of the establishment, the customer frowned and said ‘Is that the best you can offer?”. “Get me your most expensive wine!”.  A thousand ringgit wine apparently was produced & till today, this friend of ours doesn’t remember what wine it was … only the price! What a laugh! For all you know the wine was not worth half the price. The price was probably inflated during the night itself…. Well that’s what wine snobbery is about. It’s all about lables  & prices.

(I had the opportunity to speak to a wine trader who travels round France to purchase boutique wines (i.e. wines from smaller, less commercialised private family owned vineyards) recently and he says that Malaysians do not really know their wines. So, they rely heavily on reviews, lables & price.  Don’t be surprised if someone tells you that a certain wine, which has received great reviews, tastes good even though it has oxidised (which is not surprising given poor storage conditions and the temperature in M’sia). But I guess you can’t blame us. Traditionally, we are not wine drinkers hence we’re not so educated in the science of tasting wine .. (for an idea what to look out for, check out this link)…. but don’t tell that to the Wine Snob… lables and the size of the price matters.)   

Travel SNOB – Fat Dragon & I have encountered more than a scoff or two when we told people that we planned to travel to Mt. Bromo, Indonesia. “Where?”. “Why are you going to Indonesia, of all places? “. But critics have been silenced when they saw pictures of our travels there. Another example is when I was asked by a friend where I thought would be a nice city to go  ….I mentioned Beijing & I received a weird look. I guess Asians expect answers like London, New York…or whatever snob place alike … but hey – I don’t think I need to defend my answer after the Olympics this year. The city can boast of a few more places of interest which have reached an iconic status i.e. the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube … but hey – I don’t wish to impose my travel preferences on you lest I be labled a snob too…..

Job SNOB – Oh, this tops the list. The snobs of society ….. do not view free lancing, home based activities  …. & being a housewife as a REAL JOB. I can attest to this being a free lancer myself and many a homemaker friend has also complained that when they are asked what they do … people just give a polite  & sympathetic smile in response when you answer “Home Maker”… More than a few ‘home makers’ have found themselves trying to justify how busy they are ferrying their children & attending to the household needs …. so, I say… RELAX. There are some of us who are not SNOBS….  we may not be the majority given that snobbery is in the pink of health but “we are out there”… ! So, I’d like to toast all freelancers & homemakers out there who dare to be different, who listen to your hearts & who sacrifice yourselves for the sake of others. Kudos to you & don’t mind those who think you are any lesser. Just think of them as being foolish enough to succumb to a weak, malicious vice …. 🙂 

Snobbery is really not all bad. It does have an economic role which is exploited by high end retailers. Mission: Target the branded snob. This group dictates a certain brand name as a ‘must have’. Then a group of ‘followers’ takes this for the gospel truth. They in turn flock to buy this ‘must have’ to keep up with the Jones.  Believe it or not, this very mechanism keeps up the purchasing interest for branded items ………………… Just take the latest I Phone for example. A consumer who lined up 2 days to be one of the first to buy the phone during its launch in Japan, said he realized that the phone has Blue Tooth limitations but he said because its an ‘IN’ thing & since everybody raves about it as a ‘must have’, he too needed to purchase one. 

Like I said, snobbery is alive, kicking & in the pink of health. A word of caution … don’t let it turn into a malicious DISEASE!  Believe me, you & I are guilty of snobbery be it consciously or unconsciously, some time or other … Just be mindful that snobbery when practised with malicious intent is damaging and hurtful. And, if you’re the recipient of snobbery, hey – don’t be victimised by it. Just sit back, take the good and laugh at the bad of it.

 

…. of pigtails & aphrodisiacs….!!!!!

We were breaking plates…. We were guzzling German Weisen beer (dark wheat beer)……We were sucking gravy laced fingers & slobbering away – Our motto for the night “Bring on the cholesterol!”…

…Definitely not a typical Wednesday night but what the heck, we were having a ball of a time celebrating the homecoming of Pink Jeans & ML who are back for their summer hols at El Cerdo’s situated along the very hip Changkat Bukit Bintang. It was a night to EAT, DRINK and be VERY MERRY for Doug, Mich, Yit, VM, ML, Pink Jeans, DS, FD & I ….. 

No prizes for guessing what was for dinner. PIG of course….or PIGLET to be exact. Well, we all sobered up as required by decorum, when the hostess offered to tell us the story of our little friend who was lying inate on a wooden platter, all browned & roasted into a crispy delicacy … waiting to be devoured. You see, as introductions went by, we found out our little cooked friend was a German. It was only three weeks old. It had its body bathed in a white wine marinate for 3 days before it was thrown into a ‘roaring spit’ so to say……… (Please don’t be fooled – not one Roaring Fortier batted an eyelid upon hearing the narrative – Pink Jeans  commented, “I’d eat it even if it had a name” – “Aye! Aye! PJ”. We meat eaters should just be upfront about it. No room for hypocrisy here)……. And so it goes, that the crispy, juicy  carcass was to be chopped into small pieces with plates by the guys…. Yup, you read right, you get to chop it up yourself with a plate, not a knife. You even get to break it into a wooden bucket, with a noisy clang -for GOOD LUCK apparently. Wasteful you say? Oh heck – break away – you’re paying for it)  …….. The finale entails our little roasted buddy being  eaten from “nose to tail” as the restaurant’s tag line suggests… Ah, bliss!!! (Apologies to vegetarians if this sounds offensive)

Needless to say, gluttony ruled that night & the nose to tail experience was so good, we ordered a second piglet for the night. (Sigh…gotta exercise harder the next day… oh but that’s another day)………….

Now, whilst the two piggies were being gobbled up, the usual jostling & fighting for choice pieces came about until we reached the “apple stalk of a thing” with a curl at the end resting on the laurels of our roasted piggy……..i.e. the tail –  “You eat it”, “No You eat it”…. DS ended up eating the first pig tail and then when the 2nd pig tail was up for grabs, the guys suggested “Why don’t one of the girls eat it……” ….. Now the hostess could not help overhearing and decided that some intervention was required. “NO!! GIRLS CANNOT EAT IT”. “Do you know what happens if you eat the tail?” …..which prompted a quick “NO”  from all of us. “TELL US!”. “Shan’t tell you guys until you decide who’s going to eat the 2nd tail”……. “Aw come on …” … and then it was decided ….. “VM – YOU eat the 2nd tail!” …

Then she lays it on us….. (looking at VM & DS)….. “The PIG tail is going to make the guys strong tonight!” which produced an all round “Whoa!!!”  from everyone …. curious eyes darting back & forth between DS & VM. Pressure Pressure. Well, the pig’s tail is apparently an aphrodisiac.

First I’ve heard of really!

According to Wikipedia,

“An aphrodisiac is an agent which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality. Throughout history, many foods, drinks, and behaviors have had a reputation for making sex more attainable and/or pleasurable”

I’ve heard of animal based aphrodisiacs like tigers’ penises & rhinoceros’ horns  but pig’s tail is new to me. Now male libido is clearly linked to the levels of testosterone right? So it is alleged that you can elevate it by eating parts of male animal anatomies. As for the pig’s tail? What if the tail came from a female? Wouldn’t that boost your estrogen levels? Now would that still give men the desired effect … anyway, awaiting feedback from VM & DS. Who knows, if the tail came from a female piggie it may even boost your alternative sexual desires!!!!! Food for thought.

YUM SENG EVERYONE! … eh heh heh heh …..

 P.S. Welcome back Pink Jeans & fly, ML & fly.

P.P.S. To the rest of the party – Viva la Good Food, Good Drinks & last but not least Good Company!

P.P.P.S. Viva la Non Halal Restaurants the ultimate EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY experience. In case you’re interested in going to El Cerdo, the address is No. 43 – 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang.  For a quick guide on where Changkat BB is, refer to this map, courtesy of Radius Hotel. El Cerdo is not far from the hotel.

The size of your feet tells all…

It all started with a joke between Cyclist, Fat Dragon, Short Stuff & myself. Cyclist was telling us about his theory regarding the size of a man’s foot being in corelation to the size of a man’s peeing organ & his sexual prowess. Well, I had the smallest feet in the group, but since I was the only person of the opposite gender in the group – all eyes suddenly dropped to Short Stuff’s feet!!!!! Poor guy ….. ahahahahaah!!! Given his silence, we are resigned to the fact that he was not willing to prove or disprove the theory … so we’re all left wondering, still …

This brings to mind a couple of associations between certain physical attributes & a person’s capabilities, character or destiny….. Fact or Myth, I really don’t know but these are just old wives tales which I have heard and compiled in passing  🙂

Big Long Meaty Ear Lobes  – This is quite an age old theory and is supposed to signify longevity. I have met quite a number of geriatrics who have long hanging ear lobes – so yeah, maybe its true after all. Take a look at Dr. M’s ear lobes. I’d say they’re pretty long & he’s an octogenarian.

Big nose (meaty but must not have big nostrils) – Sign of prosperity. Sure to be good at making money. Well, a friend of mine has this really huge nose, supposedly to be in the proportions of a wealthy businessman. Well he never fails to remind me that he has not given up & is still waiting for this ‘prophecy’ to come true. [Ahahahaha. I hate to break this to you, THS – but have you ever considered the fact that your nose is not so big after all if you talk about proportions? After all, your face is BIG too.] 

Big Nostrils – Very spendthrift & not good at saving money. This is based on the fact that if these two orifices are too big, then of course, money flows out of that big nose of yours. AHAHAHAHAAH!!!!!~! Oh well, perhaps I’m a walking testimony of this physical attribute. Big Nostrils I have and big savings, I don’t have. (We went trekking to a waterfall with a big group once. One of our friend’s daughters, when she was about 7 years of age stood in front of me. She suddenly looked up & asked me seriously…’Auntie, why your NOSE so big one’…I felt like answering “ALL THE BETTER TO SMELL YOU WITH” ala the big bad wolf. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance coz the mom,  absolutely shocked & embarassed, quickly reprimanded the kid. But hey… I understand perfectly. From her angle down under, perhaps my NOSTRILS looked huge & cavernous) Poor kid 🙂

Curly Haired Men – I’m afraid this physical attribute is a bit discriminatory as it applies to Chinese men only. Given it is norm for Orientals to have straight  hair, apparently curly haired Oriental men are great philanderers. Anybody knows if that famous ancient Chinese character Wai Siew Poh (the one with the seven wives) had curly hair?

Dimpled Cheeked Women – Ahhh! They say that women with dimpled cheeks can drink like fish & hold their alcohol real well. I really don’t know many women with dimples but the ones that I know of, look real cute but don’t drink all that well. All I can say is its easier to tell with men .. don’t need to look out for dimples. Just look out for the beer belly!!!!

Short Statured Men have big egos – Well, historically proven. Look at Hitler and Bonaparte. Powerful, conquering men with ‘miniature’ statures in comparison. Influential but dangerous men. Could it be their physical shortcomings drove them to overcompensate by fighting for power, authority & control?  

Thin lips – Apparently, people with thin narrow lips are very cold and frigid. I suppose this is true in terms of perception. Thick lips tend to project sensuality, sultriness etc, thus thin lips project the opposite image. Hey, why else would botox be doing so well, if not for the demand for Angelina Jolie lips eh?

Well, it is all very interesting be it true or not, but I would end with a word of caution to all …. BEWARE of people with faint or no eyebrows. Somehow, the people with this physical attribute (or should I say, lack of it) that we have crossed paths with in our lives … seemed to be weak minded, manipulative & lacking in integrity …… But then again, that’s just my opinion :-p

No end to Hollywood cliches!

The Free Online Dictionary defines cliche as :

“A cliché (from French, klɪ’ʃe) is a phrase, expression, or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially when at some time it was considered distinctively forceful or novel. The term is generally used in a negative context.”

The operative word here being ‘overused’ & Hollywood is good at it!

It sucks to go to the movies these days. Ever since Iron Man came into the circuit 2 months ago, Malaysian movie goers have been hit with one superhero movie after another!  There is the Incredible Hulk, Wanted, Hancock, Hellboy 2 ………….. We are completely inundated – I mean it was fun at the beginning but then we’ve seen one too many unassuming fellows, millionaires & even drunkards turning into buffed up superhero types. Why is Hollywood so cliched? It’s like flogging a dead horse I say. Please GIVE US A BREAK!

It doesn’t just happen with movie themes. Let’s take the film stars or should I say the babies of film stars for example. When one starts having a baby, suddenly everyone’s having babies. It’s suddenly fashionable to show baby bumps, to wear designer maternity evening gowns down the red carpet etc with the likes of Angelina Jolie, Christina Aguilera, Nicole Ritchie, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Alba etc. (Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against pregnancy or babies but it is the overpublicity and hype that goes with it now. 10 years ago when movie stars became pregnant, they avoided cameras, much less strut down the red carpet … hardly any designer would be interested in dressing them then – but that was the cliche back then).

It is also suddenly fashionable to be adopting babies i.e. Angelina (AGAIN) , Madonna, Nicole Kidman (although she professes to be Aussie – but lets face it Nicole, Hollywood made you) . Hey, we’re not even talking about adopting American babies, we are taking it one humanitarian step further! They adopt Vietnamese children, African, Cambodian children etc. Well, good for the kids really but then how cliched it all is. I sincerely hope that these are genuine moves and not  publicity stunts. Are these children going to actually get the sincere love and attention of these glamourous stars or are they just going to be part time children – raised mainly by expensive nurses & nannies. You tell me.

Talking about cliches, reality shows top the list. It all started with ‘Survivor’, and then you have all the other shows ‘The Amazing Race’, ‘The Apprentice – Donald Trump’, ‘The Apprentice – Martha Stewart’, ‘Project Runway’, ‘America’s Top Model, “Bachelor’, ‘Bachelorette’, ‘The Contender’, ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, ‘Restaurant Makeover’, ‘Trading spaces’, ‘While You Were Out’ (The list is endless) …. And then the reality shows took it a step further by tying in with phone companies to sweeten the deal further – so you end up with shows like  ‘American Idol’, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ & god knows how many more which sizzled out early….

It’s all fine at the beginning to see all these contestants or reality show participants fight it out for the million dollar contracts or prize money or dream job, from surviving the jungle to boxing to modeling to cooking – you name it …..(umm, wonder if there are any reality shows for porn – oh dear…don’t tell me – I don’t wanna know!!!!!).

In short, you get hit with one series after another. You wonder ……. have they run out of fresh ideas???? The original brainchild behind this idea struck gold really. It not only boosted network ratings, it was lucrative too from the merchandising and advertising point of view especially shows like Project Runway & The Apprentice. Don’t we just love the back biting, back stabbing, the politicking etc of it?  Now the wonderful thing is, based on the ratings, it is evident that some of these shows have been highly successful – so in essence, we love seeing people scratch & claw their way to success.

Then you begin to wonder……Is society too becoming cliched? Yikes, God help us!

Give us something new before we turn into walking cliches!

P.S. Check out this link for more Hollywood cliches related to Movie Plots….. Good one!

P.P.S. I have another Hollywood cliche to add to the link above … there is almost always a token Asian role created nowadays & most times they are either the supporting roles or the baddie roles …. sigh!

The good ol’ days of theatre going ….

A recent discussion over Fat Dragon’s Chinatown blog prompted this post…

Remember the good ol’ days where we went to see movies in real theatres. Stand alone. Majestic. Cool. Well, for the Roaring Forties generation anyway.

Some names of KL theatres come into mind. REX. FEDERAL. CATHAY. ODEON. – For English movies. CAPITOL, PAVILION – for Chinese movies. MAJESTIC – for Indian movies. These were run by Shaw Brothers, Cathay cinemas as opposed to todays Tanjung Golden Village, GSC & Cathay cineplexes.

These names really stir up fond memories. Bruce Lee blazed and kicked his way through the silver screen in REX. The sen-surround vibrations of EARTHQUAKE the movie & the chariots of BEN HUR, shook the seats of ODEON.  Jacky Chan snaked & eagled his way through PAVILION. Crocodile Dundee knifed his way through in FEDERAL. Bobby sang and danced his way in Majestic. Gosh, such fond fond memories indeed.

Although the theatres were scattered all over – Rex (Jln. Sultan) near Chinatown, Cathay & Pavilion (Jln. Bukit Bintang), Capitol & Federal (Jln Chow Kit), Majestic (Jln. Tuanku Abdul Rahman), theatre times were almost always fixed at 11am (morn matinee), 1pm, 3pm, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm. I remember being able to catch 3 shows in a day during peak movie runs. For eg. you can see a movie in Federal and then pop over to next door to Capitol (which is in Jln Chow Kit) for the 1pm and 3pm movies respectively and then take a bus for another movie at 7pm say in Cathay or Pavilion.

I also remember rushing for shows after school on Fridays with my friends as BBGS was only about 15 mins walk to Cathay or Pavilion. Note it was done only on Fridays coz we were let off school early. Then we would run along Jln. Bukit Bintang, grab a roast beef sandwich or something like that from Arby’s or a burger from Mc D & run off  to catch the 1pm show there. The thrill was to run, buy food & yet catch the movie on time. 

The movie experience itself was also different. There were two levels of seats. Downstairs and upstairs. For the downstairs seating, there were the RM1.25 seats (which were close to the screen – those days the gradient of the cinema floor was non existent and you had to crane your neck to watch the movie) and the RM1.60 seats (which were from the middle upwards). Upstairs was 2 or 2.50. Cant really remember coz we usually bought the RM1.60 seats.  You normally only bought upstairs tickets when it was a special occasion, or if you were to watch with parents (coz that meant they were paying) or that special someone. So it was somewhat of a novelty to sit upstairs.  Then also there were the FREELIST tickets. Till today I’ m not quite sure how ppl get hold of these tickets.

Those days the seats were not as comfortable as now but then there was always an usher with a torchlight who would show you the seats if you came in late and the lights were switched off. Talk about service right???

And the tidbit stalls… can you remember you could get jagung boiled in salted water, boiled kacang in paper cones, kacang putih, ice cream, crackers, all sorts of noisy snacks ….  It was a cycle galore of multi racial vendors peddling all sorts of snacks.  They were the illegal ones of course as the cinema management would always have a store of their own. But hey, contraband snacks always taste better, no?  

By the time we could drive, I remember having to line our cars to wait for cars of movie goers for earlier shows to vacate the parking lot …. so so fun indeed.

Now alas, it is the age of cineplexes, where you can catch all movies under one roof. There is no need to run for shows. No need to juggle schedules for theatres in different locations. No need to line your cars up in a neat row to drive into the vast sandy lots. No ushers .. Oh I do miss the simplicity (or the young ppl would say the complexity, given the inconvenience) of those days ….. Oh but that’s the movie experience of a Roaring Fortier that once was….

GREAT FUN I SAY IT WAS:-)

 P.S.

• Rex theatre is officially still a movie theatre but it really is endangered given the preference for newer multiplexes. 
• Odeon showed movies until 1997. It has since been turned into an arcade selling saris, clothes and knick knacks of sorts.
• Coliseum‘s colonial style theatre continues to show Indian movies, is now privately owned by a doctor. The building gazetted by the govt to be a National Heritage.
• Federal was turned into two cineplexes but eventually closed down in 2001
• Capitol was a Chinese movie hall until 1996. After that it switched to Indian movies and eventually closed down in 2000.
• Pavilion closed down in 1996, became a dance club after that and the building was eventually demolished in 2000. Cathay  closed down shortly after Pavilion in 1997. They are both now parking lots. Sad.

 For a complete list of classic movie theaters in Malaysia and a glossary of their history, check out this link.

 

Passing the buck generation…….

Well, there have been many titles coined for the various generations… baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Y & apparently now its the Cosmic Generation. Whatever it is, a few personal experiences has prompted this blog. It is making me rethink whether the new generation of today deserves such lofty titles. I think a simple Passing the Buck generation will suffice.  

Well..the young today seem to have silver spoons ingrained in their mouths..or should I say golden spoons.

With the maid culture and all, I have personally witnessed children screaming at the top of their voices to the maids for a drink to be brought right in front of them when the kitchen could only be a few feet away from them.

The work culture has also changed. The youths today seem to be the ones selecting the jobs asking more questions of the employers i.e. “Is it 5 day week?” “How many days leave do I have” etc. A friend even told us that an applicant came late and he had the cheek to say the he was late because it was his mother’s fault. She was late picking him up. Hey, if you’re old enough to look for a job, you should be well equipped to go for an interview on your own, right? This is just one example but I notice the youths today are filled with  excuses, excuses, excuses. There is no accountability at all. It’s always someone elses fault. Sigh.  

Where has their sense of responsibility gone? Is it their inborn nature or is it their upbringing?

2 cases in point.

A young staff wanted to take off earlier from work despite the prevalence of a deadline to be met. He apparently had to attend his father’s (a renowned corporate figure) birthday party. The superior refused to release him. Lo and behold, the HR dept got a call the next day ticking them off for working his son so late the day before. Believe it or not.

A manager and her team went for a marketing visit. The visit was to be followed up by a formal quotation. Despite the manager’s urging & threats, the quotation was not done and the manager had to do it herself, or risk losing a lucrative deal. The young staff just didn’t care. All they had to lose was their jobs.  Believe it or not.

Well, believe it. There are a lot of children out there whose parents have already set aside trust funds for them, insurance funds, investment funds – you name it & quite a few have 6 digit account figures. Seriously, their monthly salary is probably just treated as pocket money for shopping.

I say the young have become a passing the buck generation because they feel that there’s always someone who will pick up after them. Someone who will come up with a safety net when they fall. I fear that the young today will have very high IQ’s but very low EQ’s. Being apart of the cosmic generation also means that their lifestyles have also turned inward as they get more and more preoccupied with computers, computer games, surfing etc. How well does the social media of today help develop a child’s EQ, their sensitivities towards others, their sense of caring, their appreciation of others? How well does Facebook, WAYN, Friendsters etc develop us emotionally?  How well does the social media of today inculcate values such as responsibility, accountability etc?

Well, you tell me.   

 

And what did the girl mean by “Miluju Tebe” in ONCE???

What a beautiful movie, “Once” is!

I know we Malaysians are catching it late but at least GSC’s international cinema circuit is showing it. Thanks for that!

“Once” is an Irish film that is essentially a love story told through music. A street vendor is attracted to a busker cum vacuum cleaner repairman’s musical efforts and a friendship strikes between them. Things are complicated by external factors i.e. the girl is married with a daughter & her estranged husband is away in the Czech Republic. The boy on the other hand yearns to be reconciled with his ex. In the middle of all this, they both share a passion for music and eventually develop feelings for each other. On the musical front, the both of them joined up with 3 other musicians to make a recording of the boy’s compositions in a bid for him to get some recording deals in London.

The movie stars real life musicians Glen Hansard (songwriter, vocalist & guitarist for Irish rock band The Frames), & Marketa Irglova (songwriter, musician, singer).  All but one were original songs written by them in the movie. It was refreshing to be able to explore  the on-screen character’s emotions and thoughts through songs in the movie. Feel the pain of unrequited love in Marketa’s life as it is depicted to be an uphill climb in the song “The Hill”. Feel the intensity of the guy’s frustrations as he goes through the motions of lost love with his ex – girlfriend. Join him in the emotional roller coaster as he grows red singing songs like “Say It To Me”, “Lies”, & last but not least “Falling Slowly”.  And yet …… it all came together so romantically, in the movie.

My take on the movie….I think its original, it deals with real life people with real life ups and downs, its totally unpretentious & authentic.

Some quick facts on the movie:

1. The Movie was done on a shoe string budget.

The movie was shot for only €130,000 ($160,000),  75% was funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann (The Irish Film Board), plus some of director John Carney’s own money. How did they do it for so cheap?

• The director sacrified his own salary to give to the two actors.
• Expensive lighting was dispensed of, so natural lighting was used.
• No sets were built, some scenes were even shot in friends homes for eg. the musical party scene in the film was shot in Glen Hansards very own flat.
• The skeleton crew shot the movie in only 17 days. The speed of the movie probably explains why the Dublin street scenes were done without permits.

2. Did you realize the GUY and the GIRL are unnamed in the movie.

Interesting. Although their names are not revealed to us, we the audience, still managed to feel a closeness to the characters. We sensed their pain, their frustrations, their hopes. Maybe it is this very anonymity that drives through the point that it could be you or me or anyone in the audience experiencing all these emotions in the movie. Brilliant.

3. Other Glen Hansard / Marketa Irglova collaborations besides acting together in the movie.

• Hansard collaborated with Irglova in composing and performing all but one of the songs in the movie. The soundtrack album was released on May 22, 2007 in the U.S. and on May 26 in Ireland.
• Hansard’s first solo album, released Apr 21, 06, The Swell Season, on Overcoat Recordings was in collaboration with Irglová, and 2 other musicians.
• They are a also a “collaboration” in real life. They got together while doing a promotional tour in the U.S. although Glen acknowledges that he knew all along he was falling in love with Marketa but had reservations because she was too young. Marketa was 17 when she made the movie and Glen 36. Well, their passion for music seems binding enough. They now live together in Hansard’s flat in Dublin.

3. Glen Hansard was not the first choice to play the lead role

Director John Carney wanted Cillian Murphy, an actor, to play the lead role. Cillian was to be one of the producers & investment partners too. However he pulled out when he heard that his co star was going to be a 17 year old. He did not think the film would work out.

As for Hansard, he was originally called to  provide songs and anecdotes of life as a busker given that he’s busking since the age of 13. After Cillian turned the role down, it went to Hansard. Well, there’s no denying, the film worked out fine, winning the World Cinema Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007. As for the 17 year old issue, that worked out fine too since Glen’s song collaboration with Marketa  won them the Best Original Song for the Academy Awards 2008. The song “Falling Slowly” even peaked at #2 for the Irish Song Charts.

4.  Great acceptance speeches at the Awards ceremony, if only there was time for 2 speeches ….

When Glen Hansard & Marketa went up on stage to give their thank you speeches … poor Marketa was cut off as soon as she started to speak by the orchestra music (which was a cue to indicate that their time was up). The organisers insisted that it was an accident but the host Jon Stewart was gracious enough to invite Marketa up again to give her thanks.

Check out the blooper and both their acceptance speeches here  in this link.

5. Some production secrets. 

The movie was filmed using two handycams and through a long lens. This meant that the actors did not have to mind the cameras too much. This way, they could be act more naturally and this was important given that most of the actors in the film were relatively inexperienced or not experienced at all. A bonus that came out of it was that this gave rise to some script improvisations which added to the authenticity of the movie. In fact, some of  the street scenes were truly authentic as passersby did not even realize that a film was being made.

6. And so what did she mean by “Miluju Tebe” …?

This was one of the most memorable moments in the movie. On a romantic motorbike jaunt, the ‘GIRL’ reveals, much to the ‘GUY’s’ consternation, that she is married, though her estranged husband is back in the Czech Republic. When the guy asks her if she still loves her husband, she replies in Czech, “Miluju tebe” but coyly declines to translate what it meant.  

The answer was unsubtitled. So the audience is left wondering, “Did she say YES or NO?” …..  but actually, she was telling him “I LOVE YOU”.…. if only he knew what she had just said.

I shan’t spoil it for you by telling you if the love between the two of them is requited or unrequited – so go watch the movie if you can…

7. Well, the movie title ONCE is more ominous for both Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova than you think.

Both Hansard and Irglova give the impression in interviews that they are unlikely to pursue further acting, so this could be a one off thing for them. Irglova has spoken about being nervous in front of a crew, saying “I don’t think I would be a good actress, overall”, and Hansard generally refers to the movie as a one-off, talking of “moving on… living a different life”.

 Well, I do hope they will change their minds coz I really like these two. They seem so natural, so genuine and a critic even described Marketa as being ‘luminous’.   Yes, I certainly hope to see more of them, so for me….

ONCE is definitely not enough.

 P.S. Check out Glen Hansard’s guitar in the movie (& in the pic above)…its seen better days & sports a huge hole in the middle. But I thought it showed great character and seemed to be a convenient resting place for Glen’s fingers 🙂 BTW, it truly is Glen’s guitar in real life.

P.P.S. For a sampler of some of the songs in the movie check out these links:

• Falling Slowly
• The Hill
• Lies
• What does it feel to be in love
• Minds Made Up
• Say it to me now

 

 

 

Musophobia anyone????????

 IS HE CUTE???????

It was close to midnight…. I was alone as Fat Dragon was out entertaning. I was happily watching a delayed telecast of the results show for American Idol last Friday …anxiously awaiting the announcement of the results…. deep in concentration as I rooted for David Cook to win…. 

All of a sudden, there was a huge ruckus in the kitchen. As our house in Mentakab had an open concept between the living room, dining & kitchen, it just took a turn of my head for me to witness a dark furry speedy little figure jumping  through the kitchen window from the outside, onto the sink (PLONK PLONK) & dashing madly towards a trolley full of utensils (CLING CLANGING away) & …………………….. What on earth?????? YIKES SHRIEK

……There would be another speedy figure in the house,  dashing in the opposite direction, that night…. i.e. ME!    Up the stairs I ran,  to deposit myself into the bedroom, away from the frontlines of mousy danger.  Despite my shivering constitution, I quickly grabbed whatever newspapers I could find in the room to stuff into the crack underneath the door, just in case. 

My next course of action – Send out SOS MESSAGEs to Fat Dragon! The messages are as follows:

SMS1 : Dar, a RAT just jumped into the kitchen

SMS2 : OMG what shall I do! All the food there, doors r closed. How’s it gonna get out? The fruits OMG OMG

SMS3 : RAT IN THE HOUSE – HELP!

Thank goodness the SOS messages were effective. Fat Dragon came back shortly to launch a noisy midnight search for the mousy intruder.  Broom sticks were hitting the fridge, the kitchen cupboards, the rubbish bins, the trolley, the stove cupboard. Hmmm… He must be gone. After all, no four legged friend of ours could survive such a noisy ‘hunt’ without getting freaked, right? He would try to escape a.s.a.p., right????

“All clear!” Fat Dragon declared with confidence. Well, maybe not so confidently after all … coz he suggested we leave the house for a midnight snack. “Let the little guy have some space….We’ll leave the doors open, so he can escape!” Hmm… hardly comforting words..you mean he could still be in the house?!

Next morning which was a Saturday, Fat Dragon gave the kitchen another lookover before going to work. Nothing. Well, that’s it. he must have escaped somehow when I was upstairs the night before. OK. Phew. I survived! Although my heart did get a little more exercise than it’s used to!

Being an Obsessive Compulsive, this meant that I was in for a busy morning coz I was committed to giving the sink & all the utensils a washover to clean out the path run over by little visitor. Now after I was done, I happened to notice a dark patch underneath the double burner stove seated on a stove cupboard next to the sink & utensil trolley. Hmmph, I must have dropped a vegetable leaf …. let’s lift the stove & get rid of it! So lift up the stove I did …………

& AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHH…….. SHRIEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Two beady eyes stared back at me & I FREAAAAAKED. I SLAMMED THE STOVE BACK DOWN and in replay, dashed back up the stairs & LOCKED MYSELF IN!!!!!! This episode brought on even worse physical effects. Not only did the heart pound, my hands and legs were shivering …………… AGAIN, I sent out an SOS … this time I called – fingers too shaky to SMS! “Aargh … I thought you said the place was CLEAR???????????” HELP! 

Well, the good news was, I found him right?  I exiled myself in the bedroom for a good two hours that morning … lying in wait for Fat Dragon’s return (Thank God it was a Saturday – half day work. If not, I would have been in self exile longer). Fat Dragon arrived home soon enough & was directed immediately into the kitchen by yours truly. “Check under the stove” “If you see a dark patch … that’s him!”. …Well, minutes later Fat Dragon confirmed ‘”Yup, he’s still there. So what do you want me to do? KILL HIM….?!!”

Umm…I might hate these little suckers but gee.. you know what…I felt an overwhelming pity & admiration for this poor little bugger in particular. Something drove him into our house, I suspect it could’ve been a cat or something like that, given his panicky dash. Thinking of my own pumping heart muscles, I really wonder what all that banging and clanging from the night ‘hunt’ must have done to him. And to imagine having a stove slammed down on him the morning after & still have the courage (or is it stupidity) to remain where he was. WHAT AN ORDEAL it all must have been…..& I couldn’t forget the look on the pair of beady eyes…kinda tugs at your heartstrings a bit.  So I said…”NO, let’s just scare him out of the house.”  And that’s exactly what we did. We wheeled the stove cupboard out into the back yard quietly. Then Fat Dragon lifted the stove loudly. Lo and behold the frightened creature scrambled up to wall to safety & we left it at that.  Let’s hope the ordeal is enough to remind him not to come in to this particular house … … FINGERS CROSSED – I could do with a little less cardiac exercise.

Musophobia according to Wikipedia: 

“Fear of mice and rats is one of the most common specific phobias. It is sometimes referred to as musophobia (from Latin mus for “mouse”) or murophobia (a coinage from the taxonomic adjective “murine” for the Muridae family that encompasses mice and rats), or as suriphobia, from the French souris, meaning mouse.”

Yup, I am guilty of Musophobia as charged.  So, despite beady eyes & all …….  NO – HE IS NOT CUTE!!!!!

  

 

P.S. It is indeed disconcerting to have a phobia of rats given that they are common pests which can be found in a lot of places. While it is not pleasant to suffer from this phobia, I am quite lucky to declare this is the worst of worsts for me. I am fearless when dealing with lizards, cockroaches, even the snake which I found in our backyard one day. However, I do understand how paralysing (emotionally and physically), it is to suffer certain others phobias for eg.  baccillophobia (fear of bacteria) as everything we touch would probably have germs anyway, or maybe claustrophobia (fear of crammed spaces) especially for those working in a highrise building. I dread to think that the person will be sentenced to a lifetime of climbing stairs to his workplace for fear of entering the crammed space of a lift. Given the changing lifestyles of modern times, we also have to deal with ‘newer’ listings for phobias such as homophobia i.e. the fear of homosexuals.

P.P.S. For a list of phobias, check this link.  

Our beloved Zoo Negara…

      …..      Look how well camouflaged this winged friend of ours is amongst the flora & fauna…..

I know a lot of people (especially those bringing children) visit the zoo and complain complain complain… & compare compare compare – no animals, boring, nothing compared to the Singapore Zoo etc etc etc.

But Zoo Negara has its charm, for me & Fat Dragon anyway.  I suppose the Zoo holds a place close to our hearts.  It is situated in Ulu Klang, near Taman Melawati which was our place of residence from 1992 – 2006. The Zoo was practically our neighbour & some of the free roaming white storks in the zoo actually perch themselves on street lamps in the roads & grazed in a playing field in the Taman Melawati primary school. I kid you not.  (Wonder if the birds are amongst the ones in the pic below…. NO… those are pink flamingos!)

The Zoo’s 120 acre tract of land is very close to the spectacular limestone hills of Taman Melawati & a valuable piece of green lung in the middle of the city. That is the reason why there was a controversy some time back about the relocation of the Zoo. I guess some quarters felt that the piece of land is wasted if it wasn’t developed for commercial use. There was a proposition to relocate the zoo to Putrajaya but its a good thing it didn’t come through. The Malaysian Zoological Society runs it and the zoo’s operations are funded purely through ticket sales, donations & private company funding.

Putting sentimental reasons aside, I agree. The Zoo is not perfect. The animal shows are a bit too contrived. Some of the staff seem to lack a genuine passion for animals – as evidenced in the Petting Zoo where the guy in charge was looking really bored & uninterested in educating the visitors. Some of the air conditioned train stops were let’s say… aired but not conditioned! It was blowing hot air only. The venue that housed the KFC restaurant is now abandoned. The maps showed a Mary Brown restaurant but I guess that too went bust. And the so called ‘Bee’ exhibit is a real STING..as in a con job. Don’t go in.. its just a place showcasing ‘dead’ bees & its just a gimmick set up to sell wild honey.

BUT…….  I’ve always enjoyed walking in the grounds. I’ve always enjoyed the natural surroundings and although the S’pore zoo (which is where Zoo Negara is always compared with) has a lot more animals, some of the glass enclosures don’t appeal to me. Zoo Negara is more natural. I thought the tiger enclosure was very authentic, green & natural with a ‘moat’ running around it. The Bear complex too housed quite a number of bears i.e. sun bears, honey bears etc. A pair of Brown Bears caught my eye though. They were gigantic. And NO, there are no polar bears in Zoo Negara. Big deal. The puma & black leopard enclosures although natural looked unkempt though. The Safari Walk,  a long strip of land housing the giraffes, the zebras, the ostriches was nice. It’s open concept allows the animals to mingle and move freely & that was an appealing sight indeed.

Well, for me, visiting the Zoo is a wonderful experience & I’d like to share some animal sightings & surroundings with you.. I say to you, go with an open mind. Don’t explore with too critical an eye and you just might change your views of the zoo a little bit towards the positive ….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. The entrance fee has gone up to RM15 for adults. Parking is per entry at RM3.

P.P.S. Getting There

• Using Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) – from Ampang, u-turn at the Taman Melawati exit and take the first left; from Gombak, take the first left after the Taman Melawati exit flyover.
• Hop on the Metrobus bus 16 from Central Market. This bus will bring you to the zoo entrance.
• Using Kelana Jaya Line LRT, get down at the Wangsa Maju LRT station and take a taxi or the feeder bus to the zoo.

P.P.P.S. here are 16 exhibits in this zoo. They are:

• Reptile Park
• Monkey/Lesser Apes
• Malaysian Elephants
• Lake Birds
• Bird Aviary
• Nocturnal Exhibits
• Wallaby/Kangaroo/Pademelon
• Children’s World
• Bear Complex
• Savannah Walk
• Nile Hippopotamus
• Mammal Kingdom
• Freshwater Aquaria
• Cat Walk
• Ape Centre
• Amphibian World

Click this link for a map showing the locations of the various exhibits within the grounds of Zoo Negara.  

p.p.p.p.s. Last but not least… you homo sapiens better not monkey around with the chimps at the primate exhibit area …. coz they’re smart enough to … well let’s just say the warning sign explains itself –