Benchwarmers / Imagining Argentina - movie review

Benchwarmers - starring Rob Schneider & David Spade. A group of guys who are considered nerds in the neighbourhood teamed up to play baseball against a group of school-age kids' team. When this kids' team coach knew it, he threw a challenge in which Rob responded that his team of 3 guys will over run the kids' team. Win they did. Rob knows how to play baseball and it was him who wins the game single handedly. His 2 other friends were enjoying it as well. The 3 of them could recall that they have been lousy in sports and never got the chance of playing for a team.

A millionaire guy who was often being looked down during his younger days felt for them too and promised to set up a competition with few other well-organised kids' teams. With proper gear this time, the team of 3 was so happy. This is actually a comedy movie and I really did laugh out real loud while watching the movie. But towards the final of their baseball game, the 3 guys eventually gave up their places in their team and invited some kids to play in the final instead. These are the kids that you could see good in their studies but very poor in games type.

Imagining Argentina - starring Antonio Banderas & Emma Thompson. This movie was made based on the hard handed tactics used by the Argentina government during the oppresive times in the 1970s under Peron era. People disappeared without trace or were killed to wipe out any opposition. Both Antonio and Emma are husband & wife in this good movie. Nothing much of an action but they did play their role very well indeed. Emma, a daring journalist, wrote something about the government and was taken away by the intelligence force.

Antonio, in his search for his wife, discovered he could read people's mind especially those whose family members that have disappeared as well. His action caught the attention of the authorities who took his only daugther away and locked up with the mother in a secluded place. Thereafter, the tension and anxiety that Antonio has to go through got even worse when his theatre was closed down by the authorities and his business partner was taken away too because of Antonio's nosey character. A well recommended movie which depicts the life of people during that oppresive era.
Tags: Movie, Review, Cinema, Benchwarmers, Imagining Argentina, Rob Schneider, Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson

Semua Boleh..Malaysia Boleh...Awak Pun Boleh

The objective of SPM (a high school examination similar to UK's O Levels) is to pass people?

How do you explain the fact that 87% of the students passed the examinations of the SPM recently? When during your grandfather's time only 10% would have passed? Are students getting smarter? Or are SPM questions getting easier? Let me put things in their proper perspective.

During your grandfather's time, they would ask exam questions like:
"In what year did Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka?"
The correct answer was "1402", and they found that only 10% of the students managed to answer the question correctly. This didn't go down too well with the authorities, because the objective of the exams was to pass people. I mean, what's the point of having exams if people fail?

So later, they found another way to ask the same question:
Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year:
(a) 2001
(b) 2004
(c) 1986
(d) 1975
(e) 1402
Tick the correct answer.

The results were better in that 20% of the students passed.

But it was still not good enough, so the authorities tried a different tactic a few years later.
"Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402. True or false?" Well, half of the students guessed "True" and the other half guessed "False".
Fully 50% passed. The results were getting pretty acceptable by now but still not good enough. Most other countries would be satisfied with a 50% passing rate, but not us. We are a better country, because we are a boleh (in english means "can") country.

The authorities then cracked their heads and then came out with this one:
Read the following sentence carefully.
"Parameswara, the cousin of Proton-Iswara, founded the kingdom of Melaka in the year 1402. Underline the name of the person who founded Melaka."
60% underlined "Parameswara", 30% underlined "Proton-Iswara" and 10% underlined "1402". Yeah!!!!....60% managed to pass! So krever! But for some reason, the authorities were still not contented.

So last year, they came out with this gem:
"One day in the year 1402, Parameswara founded the kingdom of Melaka. Then he went home to have dinner. What did he eat?"
13% (smart students - as this group of students were really confused) handed in blank answers, 57% wrote "Maggi Mee", and 10% wrote "Kentucky Fried Chicken", and 20% wrote "Nasi Lemak". The official answer was anything concerning "Food" of course!

After the marking was over, it was found that 87% of the students had passed. 87%!!!!!............ now that's pretty impressive!

So it's true. So now the authorities are very happy that the students are indeed getting smarter? Well done Boleh-land!
Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humor, Exam, Malaysia, Parameswara, Melaka, SPM, Education, Proton Iswara, Maggi Mee, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Nasi Lemak

Art Exam in Secondary School

After dinner yesterday night, we sat down to chit-chat and a colleague shared a scenario he could remember during his schooldays. It was during the art exam in school where each person was to pick a title from a list and draw something about it.

This guy picked the title called A football match!. He dived straight into drawing it and finished his master piece real fast.
And this was (as above picture) what he wanted to hand in. I'm sure if you were the teacher, you would have asked the student which title did he pick. The teacher thought that he was lazy and insist that he finished up his drawing according to the title. The guy said he has finished and then the teacher asked "If that's the case, where are the footballers on the football pitch."

The classmates who sat nearby and knowing what was happening gave a standing ovation to that guy's reply. Answer given was (I almost fell off my chair too) ........

"Miss, it's half time"

Tags: Drawing, Art, Football Match, Football Pitch, School, Half Time, Exam

HIV Cure Available

The cure's claim was there but widely condemned. Why?

The President of Gambia (located at West Africa), Yahya Jammeh, has claimed that he could heal people from the Aids disease within 3 days. The Gambian Health Minister has mentioned that the secret medicine is taken orally and cannot be revealed at the moment. Something like the OSA cases in Malaysia for the Toll and Water Tariff Agreements.

Even the World Health Organisation has no comment on this claim. (source: BBC News/Africa)

If you have watched the Blood Diamond movie then you should understand this - T I A.

Tags: HIV, Aids, Gambia, Disease, Africa

Expose War Crimes: Criminalise War

Perdana Global Peace Organisation has started the Expose War Crimes: Criminalise War conference cum exhibition at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur beginning today till 7 Feb 2007.

Following are the speakers for the conference:-
* Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad - former Prime Minister of Malaysia & Honorary President of Perdana Leadership Foundation
* Mr. Denis Halliday - former United Nations Assistant Secretary General
* Mr. Hans-Christof Von Sponeck - former United Nations Assistant SecretaryGeneral
* Professor Francis A Boyle - Professor of law, University of Illinois School of Law
* Professor Dr Michel Chossudovsky - Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa

(Photo sourced from Screenshots)

Tags: War Crimes, Exhibition, Conference, Peace, War, Perdana Global Peace Organisation, Putra World Trade Centre, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Denis Halliday, Hans-Christof Von Sponeck, Francis A Boyle, Dr Michel Chossudovsky

Customer Feedback

A little boy went into a store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits. The store owner observed and listened to the conversation.

The boy asked, "Ma'am, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?" The woman replied, "I already have someone to cut my lawn."

"I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." replied the boy. The woman responded that she was very satisfied with the person who was presently cutting her lawn.

The little boy was even more perseverant and said, "I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm Beach, Florida." Again the woman answered in the negative. With a smile on his face, the little boy placed the phone receiver.

The store owner, who was listening to this conversation, walked over to the boy and said, "Son...
I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."

The little boy replied, "No thanks, I was just checking my performance on the job I already have. I am the one who is working for the lady I was talking to just now.

Dare to try this with your existing customer??
Tags: Customer Feedback

Island House - For Sale

Your idea of a dream house has changed after seeing the above picture?

This private is located at Lavallette, New Jersey, USA. It has 5 large bedrooms. You could travel there by helicopter landing on its own helipad or via boats (part of the package), one 19' & another at 25'. The island also has an in-ground pool, bocce court, jogging path and a beach. For sale at US$8.5 million.

Tags: House, Home, Island, Estate, Property, Lifestyle, Luxury, Lavallette, New Jersey