Good question

My friend asked me a really good question that I've never really thought about before:

When Del Piero retires, will you still support Juventus?

It sounds like a simple question. I said yes of course.

But it's actually a rather complicated question. I realized that all these years I've remained loyal to Juventus (many would say I'm unfaithful due to my affection for the Rossonerie as well but who cares) because Del Piero is Juventus.

Sure they had Zidane, Inzaghi, Baggio, and all that. But they left. Del Piero remains as the only reason why I track Juve's progress. When he retires one day, will I still support a team that is carried by Trezeguet, Simao, Camoranesi... I mean, who are these guys? I mean, Simao?

Yea there's Nedved too. He's close to being a Juve icon, but he's not Del Piero.

*

Which goes the same for AC Milan.

Would I actually be supporting them if not for the fact they have the most beloved Italian players? Quite frankly, probably not.

I used to believe that there's a difference between supporting a team and supporting a player, and I still do believe that today. It's just I didn't realize that I support a player in Juve more than I support Juve itself.

Teams like Ferrari and the Phoenix Suns, I support the team. Teams like the Italian national football team, I support the team.

Juve?

I support Del Piero. Why do I support him?
Wait till he retires lah, then I'll write him a nice football eulogy.

SHAWN MARION, read this.

This is my contribution to whatever fan base that is calling out to Shawn Marion to not leave the Phoenix Suns.

*

Dear Shawn Marion,

Please. Why do you want to play alongside Kobe Bryant and er... who? Finish as the number 5 seed, and get knocked out by some championship team?

Why do you want to play alongside nobodies in Utah and possibly not even make it to the playoffs.

Stay where you are. With MVP-Nash, FutureMVP-Amare, AntiKobe-Bell, and AllStar-Hill. Not to mention the 6thMan-Barbosa and MostImproved-Diaw. And AllStarCoach-D'Antoni.

Come on man, this is the year the Phoenix Suns can actually destroy the San Antonio Spurs, if you choose to stay here. So please, Mr.Marion, stay here. The team needs you.

And you are the key to my bragging rights over that ego-infested cellmember of mine, Joel. Who lords his boring Spurs team all the time. I need to kick his butt, and you, Mr.Marion, is the only person who can actually play defense against that stupid team.

Sincerely,
Meng Yoe
the most avid Malaysian Phoenix Suns fan.

It begins

The Idiot News of Faltasia

Alternate Titles:
Idiot News
Idiot the Third
Idiot 3
Idiot 3: Return of the Idiots


Everyone please encourage Eddie to start his own series of political nonsense based on another country, not too far from Faltasia. Neighbour.

*

Anyway, the shoot starts tonight, so keep your fingers crossed.

One more from the wing

Perhaps one of my favorite scenes from the series. For all sorts of reasons.

*

We move to the LOBBY where Cathy meets Sam as he enters.

CATHY
You’re late.

SAM
I’m having kind of a weird day. [They begin walking.]

CATHY
Leo’s daughter’s class is waiting with their teacher and a couple of parents in
the Roosevelt Room.

SAM
I don’t know what to say to them.

CATHY
You’re supposed to tell them about the building and its history. Do you need anything?

SAM
I need someone to tell me about the building and its history.

CATHY
Just fake it.

SAM
I can’t fake it.

CATHY
Of course you can fake it.

THE ROOSEVELT ROOM. Fifteen or so fourth-graders, dressed in their White House best,
are sitting patiently along with their teacher, Mallory. Sam and Cathy pull around
the corner and stop outside the door.

SAM
Which one is Leo’s daughter?

CATHY
What does it matter?

SAM
I want to make a good impression. What does she look like?

CATHY
I don’t know.

SAM
Okay. I just want to thank you for all of your help.

CATHY
Sure.

Sam tries to open one of the doors, but finds it locked. Cathy opens the other
door for him.

SAM
Hi, I’m sorry to be late.

MALLORY
Mr. Seaborn. Mallory O’Brian.

SAM
Hi.

MALLORY
And these are the fourth graders at Clearlake Elementary School who wrote the best
essays on why they wanted to visit the White House.

SAM
Well, that’s just great, why don’t we get started. [walks around the table] My name
is Sam Seaborn and I’m the Deputy Communications Director. What does that mean
exactly? Well, to begin with, I’m a counselor to the President, mostly on domestic
matters, though generally not security related. I work with Toby Ziegler, the
Communications Director; and C.J. Cregg, the Press Secretary, on crafting our
message and getting it out through the electronic and print media. And while my
functions here are generally perceived to be politically skewed, it’s important to
remember that it is not the D.N.C., but rather your tax dollars that pay my salary.
So I work for you whether you voted for us or not.
There’s an awkward silence in the room before--

MALLORY
Mr. Seaborn, maybe you could give us some history.

SAM
Sure. I graduated law school eight years ago and started working for
Dewey-Ballantine where I--

MALLORY
Actually, I’m sorry to interrupt, actually I meant a history of the building.

SAM
The White House.

MALLORY
Yes.

SAM
Sure. [pause] The White House, as you know, was built several years ago. Mostly, if
I’m not mistaken, out of cement. The room we’re in right now, the Roosevelt Room,
is very famous. It is named for our 18th President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The
chairs that you’re sitting on today were fashioned from the lumber of a pirate ship
captured during the Spanish-American--

The students are enraptured, but Mallory becomes upset.

MALLORY
[stands] All right. Kids, I need to speak with Mr. Seaborn. Sit tight for a second.

Sam follows Mallory into the HALLWAY.

MALLORY
Hi.

SAM
How ya doin’?

MALLORY
I’m sorry to be rude, but are you a moron?

SAM
In this particular area, yes.

MALLORY
The 18th President was Ulysses S. Grant, and the Roosevelt Room was named for Theodore.

SAM
Really?

MALLORY
There’s like a six-foot painting on the wall of Teddy Roosevelt.

SAM
I should’ve put two and two together.

MALLORY
Yes.

SAM
Look, the thing is, while there are really a great many things I can speak with
authority, I’m not good at talking about the White House.

MALLORY
You’re the White House Deputy Communications Director and you’re not good at talking
about the White House?

SAM
Ironic, isn’t it?

MALLORY
I don’t believe this. [starts to go back into the room, but Sam stops her]

SAM
Wait a minute. Wait. Please. Could you do me favor? Could you tell me which one of
those kids is Leo McGarry’s daughter?

MALLORY
Why?

SAM
Well, if I could make eye contact with her, make her laugh, you know, just see that
she has a good time, it might go a long way toward making my life easier.

MALLORY
These children worked hard. All of them. And I’m not inclined at this moment to make
your life easier.

SAM
Ms. O’Brian, I understand your feelings, but please believe me when I tell you that
I’m a nice guy having a bad day. I just found out the Times is publishing a poll
that says a considerable portion of Americans feel that the White House has lost
energy and focus. A perception that’s not likely to be altered by the video footage
of the President riding his bicycle into a tree. As we speak, the Coast Guard are
fishing Cubans out of the Atlantic Ocean while the Governor of Florida wants to
blockade the Port of Miami. A good friend of mine’s about to get fired for going on
television and making sense, and it turns out I accidentally slept with a prostitute
last night. Now. Would you please, in the name of compassion, tell me which one of
those kids is my boss’s daughter.

MALLORY
That would be me.

SAM
You.

MALLORY
Yes.

SAM
Leo’s daughter’s fourth grade class.

MALLORY
Yes.

SAM
[pause] Well, this is bad on so many levels.

Random quotes from The West Wing

President Josiah Bartlet: Sweden has a 100% literacy rate. 100%! How do they do that? Leo McGarry: Maybe they don't and they can't add.

*

"The reason I would run, were I to run, is I have a great belief in this country as a country and in this people as a people that go into making this country a nation with the greatest natural resources and population of people, educated people."
[makes a shotgun motion with her arms]

*

C.J. Cregg: There were 36 homicides last night. 480 sexual assaults. 3411 robberies. 3685 aggravated assaults, all at gun point. And if anyone thinks those crimes could have been prevented if the victims themselves had been carrying guns, I only remind you that the President of the United States was shot last night while surrounded by the best-trained armed guards in the history of the world.

*

Toby Ziegler: He calls you and me the Batman and Robin of speechwriting.
Sam Seaborn: Well, I don't think he does.
Toby Ziegler: He doesn't but he should 'cause that's what we are.
Sam Seaborn: Okay.
Toby Ziegler: We are Batman and Robin.
Sam Seaborn: Which one's which?
Toby Ziegler: Look at me, Sam. Am I Robin?
Sam Seaborn: I'm not Robin.
Toby Ziegler: Yes you are.
Sam Seaborn: Okay, well, let's move off this.
Toby Ziegler: You bet, little friend.
Sam Seaborn: Listen, we're really not Batman and Robin.
Toby Ziegler: No, we'll keep those identities secret. I'm Bruce Wayne and you're my ward... Dick Something.

*

Leo McGarry: We spent millions of dollars developing a pen that could write in space. Do you know what the Russians did?
Josh Lyman: Used a pencil?
Leo McGarry: Used a pencil.

*

President Josiah Bartlet: [trying to wake up his wife] Abbie... Abigail... Abbie, the kids are eating sugar.
Abbey Bartlet: Uh... [wakes up]
Abbey Bartlet: Oh!
President Josiah Bartlet: How you doin. You know I gave the kids candy all the time, right? Abbey Bartlet: Behind my back?
President Josiah Bartlet: Yes.
Abbey Bartlet: You bought their love.
President Josiah Bartlet: Well, it was for sale, and I wanted it.

*

Danny Concannon: We're both about to fall off a cliff. And I don't know what I'm gonna do with the rest of my life, except I know what I don't wanna do. And on Inauguration Day, you're going to be released from that glorious prison on Pennsylvania Avenue, with...
C.J. Cregg: No human skills?
Danny Concannon: Seems to me...
C.J. Cregg: I should punch you in the face.
Danny Concannon: That's what I'm talking about.
C.J. Cregg: Keep going...
Danny Concannon: So, if I'm gonna jump off the cliff, and you're gonna get pushed off the cliff, why don't we hold hands on the way down?

*

Truth.

"Lina Joy wanted to change her surname (on her IC), she was never not allowed to convert to Christianity or whatever religion..."

- Malaysian Foreign Minister, on Hardtalk, BBC News.

And by the way.
She got her way with the glasses.

If I can come to the place where I consciously, at all times, understand that God has something to do with every single thing that happens in my life, including allowing the consquence of my mistakes to take place, then I suspect I would be a much happier person.

Introduction to Timeline

It's an old book, one that I like.

Some science-fiction sort of thing by Michael Crichton. He's not as good these days.
But I like to read his introductions and his acknowledgments because he gives fresh perspectives on real world issues. Not always correct, but fresh nonetheless.

"As for the old reputation of medieval times as a dark time of parochialism, religious prejudice and mass slaughter, the record of the twentieth century must lead any thoughtful observer to conclude that we are in no way superior."

"If a benighted medieval world has proven a durable misconception, it may be because it confirms a cherished contemporary belief - that our species always moves forward to ever better and more enlightened ways of life. This belief is utter fantasy, but it dies hard. It is especially difficult for modern people to conceive that our modern, scientific age might not be an improvement over the pre-scientific period."

There's a page's worth on how despite all scientific advancements, humanity has no idea what lies ahead in the 21st century, but it's too long to copy, and I don't want to overquote.

And by the way, I saw the Richard Donner adaptation of this book recently, and it's a torrid and horrid experience. So read the book. Don't watch the movie.

Save the last dance for me

Just to prove that this blog is a two way communication thing. I'm blogging on a topic a friend requested. Save the last dance for me.

*

on a valentine's day, quite some time ago, she danced with me in the universe. She led me through the stars. We bounced on every twinkling thing the eye could see. That night, Earth would've saw a thousand shooting stars, yet not receive a single meteor, for it was not balls of fiery rock that littered the night sky, but it was us. From left to right. Twirling from star to star in single leaps and bounds.

She danced. I followed.

Then she put me back down on my rooftop, kissed me goodnight and goodbye, then spun into the sky, disappearing from me forever and ever.

That pig.

Told you pigs could fly.

And I blame Tinkerbell and the magic in her pockets.

*

Screening Dates/In Production/Any Other Business

Idiot Nation will follow the FreedomFilmFest schedule for the remaining two stops in Penang Sept 21 - 23, then to Johor on Sept 28 - 30. Check out the website here for full details of screening times and synopsies of various films shown at the festival.

Many apologies to the organizers for being unable to attend the screenings. And thanks to producer Fikri who ran around town making sure the film got screened. Literally Kobe-bryanted the submission (if u don't get the expression, don't worry about it. It's just an analogy where Kobe takes over the game at the last quarter of the match and scores like 30 points to put the Lakers on top.)

*

In production - The Idiot News of Faltasia. The big-four are confirmed. The underrated and undermentioned voiceover for the films, Anna, is also returning. The script is done. Issues being discussed includes vegeterianism and er... Zul's sex scandal. Just trying to get hold of some equipment, trying to determine some technologies (Fikri and me are considering some green screen thingy which I've not done before. Saw some of his test videos and it looks pretty good, except for the 2 or 3 seconds where I thought I was watching the incredible Hulk :D)

*

May Yee is persuading me to join this food competition with her. It's some 30-60 second video thingy which well... Ok I honestly don't know the details but she wants to do something about chicken wings. I think we should do something about sushi but you know, May Yee can be quite manly when she wants to do something and kicks me around.

*

I'm most likely getting a small little Christmas skit going for my church's annual dinner event sometime in December. The script has been approved, and I just need time to rewrite some (or most) of the lines, find 5 or 6 willing souls who are willing to be yelled at by me, and another 5 or 6 people to build things for me and also be willing to be yelled at by me.

My human resource assistant is Ryan Teoh, a young man who has had experience in the recent Easter play. He was on the balcony doing the lights, and he never got it right until the day itself. He has been subject of my screaming from all the way down at the stage. He would tell you that he'd daydream during practices, until he sees me waving my hands like a lunatic, then he'd remember to do the lights. So. Yes. He'd explain the rigors of my lunacy when doing a stage performance.

And mind you, I'm a lunatic with stage plays because I'm not familiar with it, and am not used to rounds of practices for a performance that will be over in one take. It's wayy too risky and heartstopping. I can't call 'cut', or 'take 10547' during a performance. Still a noob at this you know.

*

I am still waiting for Paul to pass me a copy of the 365 Student Ministry promo that we worked on for the past couple of months. It's the staple promo video for our youth group for the next two years. It features a hot chick, who is not blond, who also came up with the concept. Which I happily expanded on and made it doable (it was initially a lot more epic and budget consuming. But I have an unspoken principle that I will not shoot anything for more than fifty bucks until I am rich) and shot the stuff then Paul took it and sliced and diced my tapes like he always does.

*

I am DYING to make a romance but am just too busy to do anything.

*

And Sarah's attempt to get me to buy a striped shirt was foiled once again. I think she will be attempting to make me wear moon shaped glasses one day but that's another battle for another day.

*

Oh me and Fikri conducted a day long video workshop on Saturday, teaching three students some of the basic filming stuff. We shot something on the day itself, which I must say was really fun. I think it'll be an incredibly slapstickyishly funny short film. But we didn't manage to cut it because.... the new computers in the Monash Media lab... disappointed us tremendously.

*

I have class later. I am teaching a subject called "mass-communication". I've been gritting my teeth for the past two weeks teaching some introductory stuff and as closely to the syllabus as possible. Today's the day I give up trying to teach 'mass communication' and tell them that there's no such thing as the 'mass' so get a life and stop having this beautiful impression that the world is one big crowd of eager audiences.

*

This is an incredibly long post! Wow I haven't typed so much in one go before.

*

Look I really need to finish my notes for later. But I suspect that I'll be resorting to my favorite technique: Rambling.

*

Juventus lost. I am shocked and pained at such a horrible piece of news. It's disaster.

*

Fikri just smsed me about a transforming dream. Interesting.

*

And the other day when Scotland beat the living crap out of France for the Euro 08' qualifiers I rejoiced greatly. Then I heard that Italy pounded Ukraine that same night, which led me to punch my fist up in the air while driving (I was listening to the news). The result meant Italy bumped France to 2nd place in the group standings behind Scotland. I messaged my brother (who is a loyal French supporter, though for what reason I do not know) and taunted him and he replied "Oh shut up".

I mean, come on, how can the likes of Henry and Trezeguet be more lovable than Del Piero Gatusso Pirlo Cannavaro (THE GREAT WALL OF ITALY) Buffon Camoranesi Inzaghi (THE MAN!) Toni Materrazzi (THE CONQUEROR OF ZIDANE a frenchman) so on and so forth.

*

They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops, and that's true.

* * * * *

Superman Returns.

*

Friendly Face(s)

So today I found out Huey (an old friend/fellow committee fellow from CF days) works near me. About a minute away by foot. Quite honestly, I was incredibly happy to have a friend nearby. The thought of the occasional 'hi' and 'bye' and 'yamcha' brought a smile to my face this morning. (I don't smile alot in the morning because I'm really not a morning person)

It's not that I'm unhappy at work. I'm actually fine. The people here are decent. And I do smile at/with them, and those are sincere smiles. But the thought of having an old friend nearby, the smile, is one that has some scars of former battles, and past endeavours. A member of the small group of people that I once made a comment that "if there's a group of people I'm willing to go to hell and back with, it's them."

Yea Sue, come here too. And yes, you too Peter. And when you get back, Michael.
All come here. Make me smile.
And I hope I make you smile too.



I actually miss those days.
Especially breakfast at Susanna's. That's one of my top ten memories of all time.
And it's really REALLY because of the food.

In Dreams

How many strangers do you think have met you in their dreams?
Do they remember your face?
Do they forget you upon their awakening?

How many strangers do you think have met you in their dreams?

Been a while since someone asked me

Truth be told, I haven't had a lot of opportunities to talk about film in the past few months due to the lack of time and some changes in life. Still love'em, but just not able to catch anything and everything in the world anymore. Plus I've passed the phase where I felt like I needed to watch everything.

But anyway, yesterday, on the way to lunch with some of my students, this kid asked me who's my favorite director. And I found myself rattling a number of names to him and telling him why I like them. And then I notice I've never really rattled about that here. But then people rattle so much about the head, I think I want to ramble about certain members of the crew that sometimes I feel play a bigger part in making the films better.

*

Pietro Scalia - Probably my favorite Hollywood editor. Black Hawk Down is still to me the best edited film of all time. He's editing yet another Ridley film next, American Gangster.

Chris Doyle - Taiwanese photographer who shot Hero, which to me is the most beautiful piece of photographic work in cinema.

Chris Lebenzon - Hm. If you watch the movies he edited, you can tell that even editors have style. He's edited a ton of Michael Bay movies, like Armageddon, Enemy of the State etc... and then I watched Deja Vu (brilliant movie by the way), made by Tony Scott, and within 5 minutes I thought to myself, 'this feels like a Michael Bay movie'. Of course it wasn't. It was Lebenzon. So now I wonder, how many percent of a movie's nuts and bolts are attributed to the editor. It's an ambiguous question, really. Not putting down the director, but trying to elevate the editor.

Phillip Glass - I've talked about Johnny Williams and Hans and Hisaishi way too often so I'll give you another composer on my top 10 list. Phillip Glass. Listen to The Hours. If you don't like it, listen to The Illusionist. If you still don't like it...

Scott Farrar - Even CGI artists have style! I was one of the few people in the world that liked A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. And I loved Minority Report. Visually, these two are among the most chunted futuristic sci-fi movies I've seen. Yeah credit to designers but the CGI sure scored high. This man also did the latter Star Wars films, and most recently did the CGI for Transformers. I didn't know it was him till the credits rolled.

John Toll - Before I knew Chris Doyle, he was my favorite photographer. Thin Red Line was no.1 on my personal favorites list for a good few years. He also shot Braveheart, The Last Samurai, and Legends of the Fall.

Bruce Fowler - Without him, most of Hans Zimmer and his Media Ventures/Remote Control studios composers would be out of jobs. Bruce Fowler orchestrates and conducts every note these composers write and turns them into actual music.

Many more names but now I actually need to work.

*

By the way, I have 4 new roles I need for Idiot 3. Any takers?

Anyone with any potential to look like an idiot would do.
Just think May Yee, Fikri, Eddie and Lynette. If you can remotely emulate their... idioticness. No problem.

*

In light of recent events, I find this psalm reassuring.

*

I trust in the Lord for safety,
How foolish of you to say to me,
“Fly away like a bird to the mountains,
because the wicked have drawn their bows
and aimed their arrows
to shoot at good men in the darkness.
There is nothing a good man can do
when everything falls apart

The Lord is in his holy temple;
He has his throne in heaven.
He watches people everywhere
and knows what they are doing.
He examines the good and the wicked alike;
The lawless he hates with all his heart.

He sends down flaming coals and
burning sulphur on the wicked;
he punishes them with scorching winds.
The Lord is righteous and love good deeds;
Those who do them will live in his presence.

*

If

Djokovic actually makes it to the US open final, Federer just might lose.
That's if Federer makes it to the final too.
I mean, I can sense it.

Don't know bout you but

check this out



I haven't been lazy. Really.

After eons of impatience

The score by Steve Jablonski will be released in October.
Spread the word.

Goodness me what took the studio so long.

*

Am resorting to re-runs of Wallace and Gromit to remind me of rabbits for some time.

I am

back from lunch

I want to

eat my lunch now

The Idiot Nation of Faltasia screenings

Freedom Film Fest 2007

50th Merdeka: The Untold Human Rights Stories

14- 16 September 2007

Kuala Lumpur – Central Market Annexe

3rd FloorCentral Market Annexe

Jalan Hang Kasturi

50050 Kuala Lumpur

*

Idiot Nation screening is 8.30 p.m. - Friday the 14th, 2007

*

There's a Penang and Johor swing a few weeks later too.

How I can love rivals

Juventus has retained its glorious 100% win record since its return to the Serie A. Milan has been on scintilating form lately too. Now to be frank, I know people say that it's impossible to support both Juve and Milan (cos it's like supporting both Malaysia/Singapore, Man Utd/Chelsea, Real/Barca) but I do. It's probably 55% - 45%. More to Juve of course.

I mean, how not to support a team with so many Italian heroes like Maldini, Pirlo, Gatusso, Inzaghi, Nesta, Ambrosini, Gilardino and Oddo, and world class superstars like Kaka, Seedorf, Jankulovski, Kaladze and Dida?

Then, how do you NOT support a team loaded with other Italian heroes like Del Piero (still regarded as my all time number one), Iaquinta, Buffon and Camoranesi (technically Argentinian but ok), and stunning players like Nedved, Trezeguet (the most underused French striker), Tiago, and Jorge Andrare?

But mostly. These are the two teams I saw when I was young. When Milan destroyed Cagliari 6-2 (in my earliest memory of a football match maybe 15 years ago) and Roberto Baggio slammin the goals for Juve and Italy in the mid-90s.

I remember a Man Utd game too. One where they beat Chelsea 4-0 in an FA cup final. Paul Ince scored the last one in the last minute. I remember that too but Man Utd offended me by beating Juve once during a crucial match so nah, they suck. Don't know how that works, but I guess they didn't win my heart.

If I were to name my 20 favorite players that I've seen (as in, in my era) ... not necesarily the best, just my favorites...

Not in order other than the top name.

1. Alessandro Del Piero (Italy)
2. Paolo Maldini (Italy)
3. Pablo Aimar (Argentina)
4. Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
5. Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands)
6. Phillip Cocu (Netherlands)
7. Juan Pablo Sorin (Argentina)
8. Kaka (Brazil)
9. Zinedine Zidane (France)
10. Jay Jay Okocha (Nigeria)
11. Shunsuke Nakamura (Japan)
12. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
13. Kakha Kaladze (Georgia)
14. Lilian Thuram (France)
15. Karlheinz Riedle (Germany)
16. Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina)
17. Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)
18. Zainal Abidin Hassan (Malaysia)
19. Sergio Conceicao (Portugal)
20. Raul Gonzales (Spain)

This list varies from time to time. If I were to write it again in a week. You'll find Filippo Inzaghi on the list. And maybe Rivaldo. Maybe McManaman or Le Saux. Perhaps Desailly. Probably Edgar Davids and Michael Reizeger. And Zenden. Wait. Where's Trezeguet? And don't forget Romario and Bebeto. Chilavert. Gustavo Poyet. Sinisa Mihailovic (however u spell it), Nakata, Sami Al Jaber, Overmars. Ian Wright (one of the few England players I truly like).

Ah football.

Girls, David Beckham is nowhere near the top 200 on my list.