RIFLE RANGE BOY

A simple period drama (set circa 1936 -1939) with minimal of the now often seen pyrotechnics and special effects wizardry commonly associated with Hollywood blockbusters. Anyway it is a British production. It basically illustrates the inferiority complex of the Prince Albert, his poor relationship with his elder brother, Prince Edward who abdicated his throne to marry the twice divorced (who is portrayed in an extremely bad light - cunning, manipulative and possible links with Nazis!), his stammer, his morbid fear of public speaking, his tutorship and friendship of a unqualified Australian unorthodox speech therapist and his success in delivering the all important radio broadcast speech to the British Empire when war with Germany is declared. Overall, it is a good movie with excellent good old fashion acting unlike the newer movies which have no qualms about exposing flesh at the drop of a hat!

I do not know which part of the world was Belinda Carlisle referring to when she sang her 80's hit song (one album wonder?) ' Heaven is a place on Earth' .  I do know, however, that the theologists were not amused by her personification of any place on Earth to something heavenly like Heaven. I think John Lennon also ruffled some feathers when he sang, "...above us only sky..." in the evergreen anti-war song 'Imagine'. The Malays has a saying that Heaven is at your mother's feet. (even though if it is infected or gangrenous?) Now you know, just in case you landed in Liverpool (John Lennon International) Airport and are wondering why they have engraved on its wall, 'Above us only sky'. The lasts of Tasmanian Aborigines Something close to what of us have a description of Heaven can be seen indeed on Earth is tiny (in comparison to the adjacent island-continent of Australia and it is called Tasmania. Tasmania was named the fearless sea-...

Suddenly, many citizens of the Islamic world have raised their voices to be heard by the world community against the tyranny of the their leaders who have been leaders by self appointment and have no plans to step down from their posts after years of warming their seats but plan to continue their legacy via their offspring. This is exactly what they should be doing than blaming their woes on the Jews, Americans and everybody else in the world except themselves!

Continuation from 1st October 2010 ... 'Down but not out'  "Not bad," I thought to myself. After being unconscious for a month since the first day of Aidilfitri, being in the twilight of things in a world of paranoia, delusions and hallucinations afterwards, recovering from nosocomial infections, recovering from cellulitis after a poorly set infusion line, pressure sores, and still recovering from the weakness of both upper and lower limbs, it is nice to see Farouk alert, jovial and poking fun at himself after five months of hospitalization! And I have not gotten to the point of asking about his experience after 12 cardiac arrests. And he has not even completed the narration of his escapades in the four different hospitals in the Klang Valley. He attributes his victory so far to good deeds that he must have done, and God is slowly deducting them one by one. Looks like he has a lot of catching up to do to replenish his good records after this ordeal is all over! B...

Neil Armstrong’s’ famous lines as he set foot on the moon (that is if you believed that he actually did) on 21st July 1969 were, ‘A small step for mankind, a giant step for mankind!’ Giant step? The newspaper today complains about men hogging the ladies-only LRT coaches in the city. I remember watching Tamil movies where they apparently had public buses only meant for ladies in Chennai after the ladies there had been disturbed continuously, catcalled, groped and touched inappropriately by the highly sex-strung Indian men who could not keep their hands to themselves. Or maybe the ladies were so conceited (they thought that they were such ravaging beauties) that they believed every man on the street was out to get them under! They also had Police Station manned (or rather womaned) by an all-female crew, so that women would not shy away from reporting sexual crimes. The powers that be did not want the female complainant to be sexually disadvantaged and be seen as being sexuall...

Tuesday January 25, 2011 CERITALAH By KARIM RASLAN Malaysia can take a leaf from what’s ailing Britain today, though the challenges Malaysia faces are not so deep-rooted. If we wish to grow and develop, we will need to avoid the pitfalls of the British THE Malay elite (including myself) have long viewed London as their second home. We’ve tended to see Britain through rose-tinted lenses – following in the footsteps of the nation’s founding fathers, Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak. Karim Raslan The pound sterling’s current depreciation has enhanced the love affair, as we’re now enjoying more bang for our buck at Selfridges and Harrods. For us, England is unchanging and unchanged: it’s what we want it to be because we’re not too interested in what it has become or is becoming.In reality, contemporary Britain is a society in crisis, slowly crumbling under the weight of mismanagement, its faltering economy and its misplaced post-Imperial ambitions – witness Tony Blair’s un...

Tuesday January 25, 2011 ARTICLES OF LAW By BHAG SINGH When a word used is found to be offensive, the circumstances surrounding its usage and the community involved need to be considered. ONCE again a controversy has erupted arising out of a word in a book that some see as offensive and unacceptable, while others see it as harmless. Those who complain and object to the use of the word in the book are concerned about the negative implications and effect of the word. After all the Oxford Dictionary gives its meaning as a person who is not acceptable to society and is avoided by everyone. However, the use of the word deserves a more detailed consideration. As was said by Raja Azlan Shah many years ago as the judge in the case of Public Prosecutor v Ooi Kee Siak & Ors: “A meaningful understanding of the right of freedom of speech under the Constitution must be based on the realities of the Malaysian society”. Of course, his lordship was concerned about a case relating to sedit...

We finally collected the framed picture from Ms Loh's shop. Over the years, we have seen Ms Loh mature and prosper from a petite 17 year old girl who started working as a clerk in a shop which made photo frames and mirrors. After learning the nooks and corners of the business while working in the same premises over the past 10 years, she has finally opened a new shop after renting a shop lot in a new housing estate. Ms Loh is now running the business with her husband also giving a helping hand. She seems quite excited about the business and we wish her all the best for her boldness in entering the field shark eat shark world of business! Ms Laxmi who also completed her studies at the same year as Ms Loh. Not performing as well as she should to continue her studies; she started to work as an assistant nurse in a clinic. Over the next 10 years, she got hitched, started her family, become a mother of 3 children but remained put in her place of employment (her employer is so nic...

So, the curious cat in me, even though by the Chinese zodiac I am a tame rabbit, took the better of me to indulge in a little of culture. Anyway, myriad of folks of different walk of life have had their 2sens' worth of input of this topic. Ministers are having emergency sittings to discuss it, attention seekers are burning the book (like the Chinese did in the Cultural Revolution), aspiring politicians rather spend a night in jail than hanging around Batu Caves fulfilling their religious vows and so on and so forth. I am talking about the introduction of the book 'Intelok' for the Form 5 Malay Literature. This book was actually written way back in 1971 by a Malaysian laureate, Abdullah Hussain. Nobody had heard (at least I have not) of him since this brouhaha. Most Malaysians know A. Samad Said and Shanon Ahmad, but Abdullah who? Literature has never been my forte since school. 'The 20,000 leagues under the sea' and 'King Solomon's mines' that I studie...

The eyes of a killer? The past two events over the past two months really leaves a bad after taste in the mouth. I am talking about the Cameron Highlands bus tragedy killing 28 Thai tourists and the ruthless mauling of a Irish voluntary helper  by two mongrels in an organic farm in Penang. Just as fast the news was publicized, the predictable knee-jerk type reached its climax.  Most Malaysians are lull to these responses (no sense of deja vu here!) as these actions and reactions are so predictable. Comments like 'we would look into the matter', 'no stones would be left unturned', 'the findings would be made public' or 'a royal inquiry would be set up' are sine-qua-non as press statements of officials after a national catastrophe. It has been going on from the days of Highland Towers tragedy and will go on. Just like the croaking of toads after a torrential rainfall, silence would fall after the crescendo and it can quite deafening at times! Just ...

Just like in Edinburgh, I found the workers in Melbourne showing great dedication in their work (profession), (i.e. if and when they decided to work). In Edinburgh, (whilst gazing out my window between my preparation for my exams), I was particularly impressed to see how the sanitation department employees, i.e. rubbish collectors, actually placed the lid back on after disposing off the garbage and also putting back the bin at its designated place. This is a far cry from what we have in Malaysia, where blue collar workers of crony owned companies originating from third world countries of the lowest rung of the ladder trying to impart their brand of work ethics here. Evidence of the garbage truck having done their round need not be guessed as it and its workers would have left an apparent trail of evidence - bits of trash strewn around, garbage bins and lids all over and 'aroma' from leachete left dripping from the truck to deodorize the Taman! Over Great Ocean Rd In that as...