Change the world* - Eric Clapton

I am only one But still, I am one I cannot do everything But still, I can do something And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do
Edward Everett Hale

*Taken from the soundtrack of the brilliant movie, Phenomenon, Babyface sang back-up for it too.

I love Paris* - Frank Sinatra

I finally watched Ratatouille a couple of weeks ago. To be honest, i was lil disappointed wif it. That's not to say i din enjoy it. But the reviews have been so good and word of mouth has been praising it a lot. It was therefore hard to keep my expectations at a reasonable low level. In the end, it was just alrite for me. No regrets watching it but won't be seeing it again.

It had its moments and i know there has to be a suspension of reality whenever i watch an animation movie. But it went too far - for me - when Remy started to control the movements of Linguini just by pulling his hair!!! It's almost like the writers just couldn't figure out a way for Remy to take charge of Linguini's cooking.

And another small matter - everyone in Paris was speaking English??? Albeit in a French accent?????? The best of Pixar still has to be a toss-up between Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo. To me, anyways.

Still, i enjoyed it for the depictions of Paris!!!!

Taken from Pixar's site for this movie

Ah.... it brings back so many memories. The Seine, Notra Dame, the cobblestone streets, the roadside cafes, the night views!!!!

Paris will always be special to me. It was the place where i went wif me flat mates during spring of 2006. It was also the place where we last saw Alberto who returned to Italy after the trip. Talk about dramatic, we said our goodbyes on the Eiffel Tower itself!

Then i went back there again in autumn, spent one nite there wif a couple of me mates and stayed on for another 5 days, just wondering around on me own.

I did my Monet rounds and saw all of his paintings in Paris...

It was an emotional trip for me and watching the movie raised those emotions again. Paris also happens to be her favourite place. Me? It'll always be London. But Paris is not that far behind.

p/s - coming up soon, my take on Hairspray!!!! In a nutshell? Brilliant!!! Couldn't stop tapping my feet, drumming me fingers and had that stupid smile cemented on me face - even after the movie ended!!! :-)

Poster taken from a link in IMDB

*Originally sung by Lilo in the musical Can-Can, this version is prolly more well known.

The power of love* - Huey, Lewis and the News

Loving kindness doesn't mean you never get angry, but understanding how anger springs up when you feel threatened loosens its grip - that brings strength. It's not power that corrupts, wrote Aung San Suu Kyi, it's fear.

Whatever the outcome of the monks' revolt, their courage in stepping outside the monasteries to stand by ordinary people is a victory in itself.

The monks are honouring the Buddha's words, teaching that loving kindness is also a call to action. Just as a mother would risk her life for her child, her only child, so let one cultivate boundless love towards all beings.

(Taken from here)

What really struck me when i read the excerpt above is Suu Kyi's quote. Being a law student once (and now taking the position on the other side of the lecture hall), i have been taught - and can never forget - the maxim that "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely". I still hold on to it but Suu Kyi's view gives a whole new twist to it. It explains why absolute powers corrupts absolutely. It is fear.

And we all know that a little green CGI fella once said, "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering".

On the other hand, the Bible tells us that love is the absence of fear. 1 John 4v18 tells us that "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love".

I am impressed and inspired by the exhibition of love by the monks in Burma. Some of you would know that i am also a long time admire of Aung San Suu Kyi. I am not a Bhuddist. But i respect them. Unlike a certain other religion which calls for violence and murder each time they feel offended (and it's pretty often), they believe in the opposite.

Sometimes, as a Christian, i feel ashamed that we are not displaying love as much as we should be - after all, we do claim that we are receipients of God's great love.

*Their first #1 hit, it was written for the brilliant movie, Back to the Future, which to me, is the most accurate and goof-free time travel show ever. It was also featured in the 2 sequels.

More than words* - Extreme

More updates on the situation up north:-

The Burmese state radio station, Radio Myanmar, reported that one person had been killed and three others injured - the first official confirmation that the violence had caused casualties.

Earlier, a hospital source in Rangoon told the BBC that the monks were beaten with rifle butts, and that taxi drivers had transported the injured to nearby medical facilities.

There were unconfirmed reports of at least three deaths on Wednesday, including a civilian, and two monks who were killed near the Shwedagon pagoda. State radio spoke only of one death.

Read the report here. (Photo taken from BBC News Online).

If you wanna see more pics (and even some videos), head over to this Burmese blogger's site here.

ADDENDUM: Here's the latest from BBC Online (as at 0331 hours, UK time). While most of us here in M'sia were sleeping last nite/early this morning, authorities stormed into monasteries and arrested "scores of monks" in an attempt to try to "stem a rising tide of protest". Read about it here.

On a side note, while many nations in the west are calling for sanctions and/or other measures (including a threat from Brown himself!!!) so that the junta stops the violence, guess what was M'sia's response? Oh, they were concern alright. Concern for THEMSELVES!!!! Not long after spouting crap on BBC's Hardtalk recently, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar was quoted saying that the situation in Burma is worrisome - because it is an embarrassment for ASEAN!!! He went on to say that if not settled, it would be a joke on ASEAN that it could not resolve it!!!!!!!! Don't believe me? Read it here.

Malaysians, think hard before voting in the next elections.

Back on the home front, i called up me mate yesterday at about half 12, checking to see if the lawyers were all beaten up and thrown into jail. They weren't. They were just starting their march!!!!

She explained that the delay was caused (they were supposed to start the march at 11 am) because authorities did not allow the buses ferrying the lawyers into Putrajaya!!!!

So in the end, all these lawyers had to make the trek all the way into Putrajaya under the afternoon sun, all decked in their black suits!!!! Must have been quite a sight to behold.

I must ask wat is all the bus-stopping all about???? Is the government afraid of a group of lawyers walking peacefully, protesting against corruption? Was it a desperate attempt to to stop them?

Well, they (the lawyers) stood their ground and physical inconvenience did not deter them. Good for you all!!! One blogger even commented that in view of this, there'll be no more lawyer-bashing jokes... for one month!

p/s - pic of lawyers marching taken from The Star Online.

*Arguably, their biggest hit ever, peaking at #1 in the US in 1991, arguably their biggest hit ever. Kinda ironic since they are a funk metal group and this is an acoustic piece.

Nothing's gonna stop us now* - Starship

Latest breaking news from BBC News Online:-

Burma riot police beat back monks

Burmese police have used batons and tear gas to beat back monks and other protesters at the Rangoon pagoda used as a rallying-point for marchers.

...police beat their shields with their batons and yelled orders to disperse before giving chase.

Some demonstrators were beaten and dragged away in trucks and dozens were arrested.

Eyewitnesses saw a number of protesters fall to the ground amid the chaos.

"We have already decided to risk our lives for the people, although there might be some clashes," one senior monk told AFP news agency before the baton charge.

"We will show our kindness first."

Read the report here.

On the home front, in spite of unjustified criticism by a certain politician who just can't seem to keep quiet, the members of the Malaysian Bar marched to the PM's office to hand over a memorandum to the Prime Minister's office, calling for a royal commission to investigate the authenticity of a video clip showing a senior lawyer purportedly brokering the appointment of judges with a senior judge.

Apparently, according to this politician, by doing so, the lawyers are stooping to the levels of the opposition parties. What the...???? I guess he prolly doesn't think highly of people like Gandhi, the monks in Burma, the Chinese students at 天安门 Square, etc. And this came not too long after he said that the parents of the little girl who was murdered can be charged in Court for a criminal negligence. How very sensitive.

*Featured in the movie, Mannequin, it hit #1 in 1987, listening to it still brings back memories of those days!

Waiting for that day* - George Michael

23 days have passed by since i started work here. That means around 550 hours. Or over 33 thousand minutes.

Another minute has passed by since i started this post.

I'm a lecturer here. Yet, i have not stepped into a class to teach. Not yet.

The others laughed when i shared during the training session that i just can't wait to start, to be unleashed onto the poor unsuspecting students!!! Perhaps, being experienced teachers, they find my naïvety cute.

Word is out among some students that i am apparently a "teddy bear"!!! Hah! How wrong can they be, and how sorry they'll feel if they come to my class thinking so.

See any common traits between me and PB???

So many ideas in me head, so many thoughts, so many lessons to share, so many experiments to try out.

But just like every other day, i'm stuck here in me cell of a room, freezing away, immersing meself with legal literature...

People react with envy when they find out i have one whole month without any classes, allocated just to prepare for the lessons. They dun know me well.

I. Can't. Wait. To. Start.!!!!!!

p/s - the bright side is that this Sat's training is postponed, so for the second time in this whole month, i get to sleep in late. Bliss!!!!

*Brilliant acoustic track written by George, he gave the co-writing credits to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards cuz he used the line "You can't always get what you want" at the end of the song.

Stand* - Jewel

Are we on the brink of witnessing history being made in Burma? Read the news report here.

Pic obtained from BBC News Online

*The 2nd single from her 0304 album, this is my fav song of that album.

Anytime you need a friend* - Mariah Carey

Is it any surprise that i turned out to be my fav character???

Which Friends Character Are You?

You are Chandler. You're funny and that's why people like to have you around. You're also a great friend, and when someone you care about is in trouble, they know to come to you for some level-headed advice followed by some sharp sarcasm.



Find Your Character here @ BrainFall.com

*The last single from her album, Music Box, it was her only single from that album which did not hit #1 and did better in the UK than in the US.

Welcome to our world* - Amy Grant

Saw this trailer before a movie (more about that movie another time) the other day. Loved it! At first, it looked pretty ordinary, but watch on!

Now there's a movie to look forward to this November!!! :-)

*This is her version of a song that we performed during Christmas years ago from a Christmas piece of the same title.

True love* - Elton John and Kiki Dee

During a discussion a couple of weeks back, we were asked how does today's culture depict "love". There were many suggestions - love today is based purely on feelings and emotions, love is sometimes equated with lust, love is always usually self-seeking - what i want, what i feel, what i can get out of it.

I watched another Jap movie last week. I was a little hessitant, to be honest. I was in the mood for some action flick - like Black Sheep, lol!!! But i've heard about this show and how good it is - so i decided to ctach it while i still can. It has been around for a while - since the Jap Film Fest last month.

The title in English is "Love and Honour".

It was simply brilliant. As i walked out of the cinema after the movie, i had that really feel-good feeling inside - the kind which i get after a very satisfactory and brilliant show. I have not had many of such moments in recent times.

It's about a samurai - but no, it's not a Jap martial arts samurai movie wif flying limbs and spraying blood. Altho the one samurai fight scene was brilliant.

No, it's a love story - and one with a so predictable ending. But to me, it's very refreshing to watch a movie about love which depicts what i believe to be true love. The love is unconditional love. The love is still given no matter how the other person changes, physically or otherwise. The love that sacrifices, that gives. The love that bears all things.

It reminds me of the famous passage in the Bible:-

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Now, that's true love!

p/s - I love Japanese movies!!! Well, except for Jap-horror flicks. A bit too scary for me! I really miss the free Japanese movies screening on campus every Friday evening. Some of the best movies i've watched are Japanese movies. They can be so hilarious and yet they touch on very simple truths about us humans. I'm always impressed by the depths of imagination that is potrayed in their movies. One of the best i've watched is The University of Laughs which simply revolves around a script writer and the Japanese goverment censor who is looking thru the script. When i came back from UK recently, i was watching another Jap movie on the plane - Christmas on July 24th Avenue. If only i have time to blog about all the Jap movies i've seen...

*The first single (i believe) from his album, Duets which went on to peak at #2 in the winter of 1993.