A few more nostalgic pix...

Of course this was way before my time. My memory of this area is the stinky market, Lim Seng Seng Bus (which served Ayer Itam area), The Yellow Bus (which ploughed Gelugor and beyond to Balik Pulau -No. 66) and Hin Company which combed the beach district of Tanjung Bungah and beyond. Sri Negara (till Bagan Jermal area) and MPPP bus (No.2) had a stop there. After watching Deepavali movie, we had to run around for LSS bus 91A which plied Jln Boundary. Sometimes, we took the No. 91, walked to RRF from Kampung Bharu market.

The run down Rex theatre. My sister and I watched the first English movie together - 'Earthquake' in sense surround sounds. I also have fond memories of watching the mind boggling action adventure packed from beginning to end with no time to recover in the Indiana Jones first of the trilogy (Raiders of the Lost Ark) here with PFS buddies. And my best film of all time 'Back to the Future 1' when I was in USM.

The Victoria street MPPP bus terminal where I spend waiting for No. 1JB, 10 or SC6.  With me waiting will be Eddie Lee Leong Teik (who stayed in Bakau Street). He took No.3 for Jelutong. Just beside the public toilet (right of pic where the plant stands) used to be a ice vendor selling Soya Bean Milk and Liang Hoon Water -black jelly drink. Being thrifty one, I would watch Edidie and the others enjoying and slurping their Liang Hoon noisily!
The MPPP buses have a unique numbering system. The above bus (No. 37) is usually used for Route No.7 but this this time it is for Route No. 2. Bus No. 38 is for Route 8 to Penang Hill. All in all they had up to buses No. 108. Too boring to recollect all the numbers.

And he made others laugh!

Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle
24 March 1887 - 29 June 1933
mentored Charlie Chaplin, discovered Buster

Keaton and Bob Hope, contemporary of
Harold Lloyd.

My wife cannot understand why I keep on watching murder movies (the spouse is the usual perpetrator) and even reading crime dramas, like the current one I am reading on 'Crimes of the Century'. I simply tell her, " You never know when it may come in handy!"
I read this sad true story of a silent movie star (Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle) who had a sad life from birth, achieved unenviable stardom as a comedian and got entangled in a nasty murder case which made him a pariah amongst the movie industry and drained all his earnings.
He was born as a 13lbs baby raising suspicion on paternity by his father that he actually named him Roscoe Conkling, after a philandering politician whom he despised (the exact name)! His mother never recovered from the traumatic birth. She became chronically ill and died 12years later. His father refused to care for him after her death needing him to fend for himself. Roscoe had been called 'Fatty' all his life as he remained big. He was however quite agile and could sing well. So when a fat slob sang with an angelic voice, it naturally excited a singer who took him under his wings. And the next thing that happened was that he was a bumbling comedian after an accidental fall into the orchestra while performing! And he became the first performer to gross $1million annually!
All that came to zilch one fateful day when he feted his friends with drinks at the a room in a hotel that he rented. America, at that time was going through a period of self-realization and self righteousness. It banned liquor beverages of more 2.9% alcohol content; that started the many gangs and corrupt enforcers.
Among the many invitees were also gatecrashers. An aspiring actress of questionable reputation got intoxicated and Roscoe helped her to the rest in one room. The next thing thing he knew was that the girl was dead due to a ruptured bladder and peritonitis. Her companion with a history of giving false evidence in court vouched for Roscoe to be sexually involved in her demise!
That started the never ending saga of trial by journalist, question of decline of morality in US and the film fraternity with their hands all dirty, three trials, Roscoe losing  all his saving, Roscoe's movies being banned on both sides of the Atlantic and essentially a fall from grace that Roscoe never recovered. In spite of the long trials, Roscoe could not be convicted but instead was issued an apology by the courts.
His clean bill could not undo the damage done by the press. He tried to make a comeback as a director with a pseudonym with little success.
He died an unhappy man at the age of 46 battling the bottle, in his sleep.

The jury statement as read by the jury foreman stated:

Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done to him... there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime. He was manly throughout the case and told a straightforward story which we all believe. We wish him success and hope that the American people will take the judgement of fourteen men and women that Roscoe Arbuckle is entirely innocent and free from all blame. 

A Wedding Speech

My years ago, being a patriarchal community, Indian parents have to cough out a fat dowry to marry off the their daughters. They (daughters) became a bane for many families. Female children were considered a burden as they did not have the earning power and was good enough a reason for female infanticide. With the opening of educational opportunities, Indian ladies have a wider earning and thinking capability. Even though the dowry system have long been abolished, I think it stays subtly unspoken in the community. Nowadays, the dowry money is channelled to a lavish wedding bash (ala Monsoon Wedding). Recently, a close friend's daughter wedded in a truly glamorous fashion with a dinner fit for the king and entertainment as well decoration to match. Always being the fall guy, what started as drafting a speech, I was arm-twisted to give a speech for the bride's side! Here a sample of it...

Good Evening,

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have been given the dirty job of telling some little secrets about Malini so that Dave would know what he is getting into. Some of these vital information may be extremely useful for Deva when her next birthday comes.
Malini came out with a bang on 23rd March many years ago. Just like her brother, her father, Mr Guna, had planned to have her delivered in Butterworth… but Malini just could not wait. She wanted to be a city girl! Mrs Guna, Veni, went into early labour in Kuala Lipis and had to be transferred to Kuala Lumpur for safe delivery. Everything went on well and we are here all laughing about it now.
As a child, Malini was a quiet girl but she used to hate travelling. Every where she went, a plastic bag was her company retching all the way from Kuala Lipis to Butterworth. So, Deva, next time you consider travelling with her anywhere, consider flying. Anyway, now everyone can fly (with wings), but may be not for long.
Some more hints for Deva, if you think of buying chocolates for Valentine, forget it. She is not really sweet toothed and is not one who goes for the sweet stuff. Hence, do not expect her to make Nei Orundeh for next Deepavali. Also do not think getting teddy bears or anything furry with feathers – she hates them. There is one thing that she goes gaga over is shoes. In your new house, make sure you have a big shoe cabinet. She may also take over your side of the cabinet and even Imelda Marcos or Datin Seri Rosmah a run for their money.
Have a happy and blessed life as husband and wife.
Let me share some interesting quotations for both you to ponder,
· Marriage should be a duet, when one sings, the other claps,
· The bonds of matrimony are like any other bonds – they mature slowly!
· But: When a man opens a car door for his wife, it is either it is a new car or a new wife.
And do you know that Apple Computers have come out with a new product and it is not i-pod 3, it is called i-pay! That is what Dave would saying when Malini goes on a shoe buying spree!

Good night.

Not your typical flick!

Beginner(2010)
A weird movie with equally weird plot and a dog - always a dog. There is a confused man, Oliver, whose 75 year old father comes out his closet after the death of his wife of 44years to state his sexual preference...

The story is told both in present time after the death of Oliver's father where he is confused about his feelings for a girl he met, in flashback of the time after his father's confession of sexual preference, his boyfriends and his dying days after being diagnosed to have lung cancer. In between are inserted of stories of Oliver's childhood, his relationship with his mother and the sparse relationship between his parents. We are also told of his father's gay feelings starting way back before his wedding but married anyway due to societal pressures. 

We can gather that Oliver slowly comes in terms with his father's needs and his partner.

Oliver's relationship with his girlfriend grows serious but both are unsure about each others' feelings and they decide to call it quits. After some soul searching, Oliver, initially phobic of commitments, decides to give it a go.

This film is not your typical story where there is a beginning, plot, drama, climax and the end. The story is intertwined and it needs certain amount of maturity and imagination to put things in perspective and digest the gist of the message in the story. Christopher Plummer as Olivier's gay father did a good role on his part and many accolades for it.

Get ready for d World Friendliest Day street party at Changkat, KL this 17 Mar with #GuinnessStPats

Get ready for d World Friendliest Day street party at Changkat, KL this 17 Mar with #GuinnessStPats

Of Father and son...

For generations, the older generations have pouted and frowned upon the subsequent generation. And they keep telling the end is near with their loss of inhibition as their actions seem to imply.

Recently, I heard an interesting interview of a learned who disagreed with his father's opinion, but both parties appear to respect each other's viewpoint. The father, being a professor in Malaysian history, seem to think that the legend of Hang Tuah is a tall story devoid of historical evidence. The son, on the other, seems to believe that it is all right to romanticise the concept of an invincible warrior to spur the people to strive harder and have a national figure to look up to. The son,  in spite of being his father's ferocious critique, still manages to pen a foreword for his father's new autobiography.

The offspring will only awe upon the parent until his thinking cap is dormant. Once he is opinionated, we should agree to allow the other party to disagree. Their opinion may not be wrong; they are looking at the issue from another angle. Instead of looking at it as half empty, they insist on looking at it as half full. They both may be right.....

Some people thrive on hatred?

Look around the world! There is much so of hatred all around us. There is division all around us. Even amongst apparently homogeneous appearing societies, there is suspicion and desire to dominate over the other clan. There is the West and East, North and South, Muslim and Christians, the fair skinned and the dark skinned, Sunnis and Shiates, indigenous people and immigrants, moderates and conservatives, between differing political ideologies and the list goes on.
Left in desperation with the will to survive against a common enemy, people will flock together and put their resources together. This is evident from scenes from major catastrophe like earthquakes and tsunamis. Even then, there would be people with economic reaping on their mind rather than helping the downtrodden. Maybe, we are waiting for Armageddon or attack from an alien civilization to take over Earth like in 'War of the World' by H.G.Wells.
After the dust has settled from the tumult, leaders will instigate  fear by dousing suspicion against fellow beings to garner support and loyalty to usurp power and stay there.