man to man

starring: joseph fiennes, kristine scott thomas, iain glen, hugh bonneville, lomama koseki, céile bayiha

it is always fascinating to observe humanity as it was. and in retrospect, as it is. this film is about 18th century europe, when it had had for a time come to terms with mankinds true origins thru the theories of charles darwin. at this point, mankind had lost that privileged place of being the center of all nature. it has turned on into itself. it created a heirarchy of humans, with the caucasians at the top, because it had probably had the most bruised ego being the first to discover, and negroids at the bottom.

the story begins with dr dodd's capture of the two pygmies. toko (male) and lumiko (female). they were in the beginning treated/regarded as animals. dr. dodd's interaction with them brought him to the realisation of his prejudices. this is a clear message of how to cure prejudice. why prejudice is wrong. the story ends with the roles of who is the real savage reversed.

we all have prejudices against other people. wrong notions about people based on the color of their skin, gender preference, creed, their age, their sex.

rating 5 out of 5 *****
we are all human beings.

Cute But Good Love Songs

I've never really understood this madness they call romantic love. All I know is it makes people do good and stupid things. Anyway here's a list of my favorite cute but good love songs:


5. Wooden Heart - The Lizards' Convention

An improvement over the Elvis original. Your traditional feel good romantic tune.

There's no strings upon this love of mine
It was always you from the start


4. Separate Lives - Stephen Bishop

Ouch. The original Stephen Bishop version has much more emotion and impact than its more popular Phil Collins counterpart. The singer vividly describes feelings of hurt and isolation after a devastating breakup.

You called me from the room in your hotel
All full of romance
For someone that you met
Telling me how sorry you were
Leaving so soon
And that you miss me sometimes
When you're alone in your room
Do I feel lonely too?

You have no right to ask me how I feel
You have no right to speak to me so kind
Someday I might
Find myself looking in your eyes
But for now we'll go on living
Separate lives


3. The Longest Time - Billy Joel

I love this song. It captures exactly the feelings of being in love. Hearing this brings back fond memories that you know will always be there.

Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time

Who knows how much further we'll go on
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself
Hold on to your heart
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far
And it's more that I hoped for


2. Out Of My League - Stephen Speaks

This reminds me of a girl I admired from afar that I never got the courage to talk to because I was so intimidated with her whole mystique. And though nothing ever happened, you're still thankful for the butterflies and wonderful feelings you went through whenever she was there. Those uncertain emotions of swimming in that strange sea, being high up looking down on the land. Perhaps someday...

It's her hair and her eyes today
that just simply take me away,
and the feeling that I'm falling further in love
makes me shiver but in a good way.
All the times I have sat and stared, as she thought fully thumbs through her hair.
And she purses her lips, bats her eyes and she plays with me, sitting there slack jawed and nothing to say.

Cause I love her with all that I am,
and my voice shakes along with my hands.
Cause she's all that I see, and she's all that I need, and I'm out of my league once again.

It's a masterful melody,
when she calls out my name to me.
As the world spins around her she laughs rolls her eyes and I feel like I'm falling but it's no surprise.

Cause I love her with all that I am,
and my voice shakes along with my hands.
Cause it's frightening to be swimming in this strange sea, but I rather be here than on land.
Yes, she's all that I see, and she's all that I need, and I'm out of my league once again.


1. Go For You - Basia

Not your typical Basia song and one of the quirkiest love tunes ever written. Describes that moment when you start to lose it, not wanting to show weakness by falling over yourself, yet being unable to control your feelings of love.

I'm through with love
It's only a madness
I'm finished with this
This moment was never my joy
Who needs a heart break
Don't want anybody to call my own
But when you're near
The sweetest sensation
Takes over my heart
I feel like I'm losing control
These moments of weakness
Allow me a glimpse of heaven

It could be so good
I'm wishing anew
Or why should I resent something I've always missed
What's the point in my pride
if I cannot deny
that I could really go for you
What's the point in my pride
if I cannot deny
that I could really go for you

Firewall

The trailer advertises this movie as a high-tech thriller, with Harrison Ford playing the role of a computer security guy who discovers that his family is kidnapped and is forced to use his skills to steal from a large bank under the threat that his family will be killed.

The film turned out to be a big letdown, even lower than my low expectations. This is easily one of the the most inconsistent, illogical, inaccurate, boring movies I have watched in a long time. There were just too many plot holes, childish contrived scenarios, and unimaginative action scenes.

How did the bad guys get into the gated security? Why did the wife act surprised when Paul Bettany wasn't the pizza man she thought he was. Did the family actually order pizza? Do the pizza delivery guys have a free key to the gate?

Why use Harrison Ford in the first place when you already have his identity? Was the whole kidnapping really necessary? What the hell was the 'gambling thefts via identity theft' for in the initial scene?

Why waste time having the family try to escape the kidnappers? Oh I get it, it's to keep the audience in suspence for a few minutes.

Why do what 99% of all action/suspence movies do by having the good guy fight the bad guy in hand to hand combat in the end.

Why is there free wifi in isolated city streets and remote countryside regions? Man, I would love to have Harrison Ford's laptop, the one with the free internet connection everywhere he goes.

Why waste Virginia Madsen with such a useless role?

Why waste the audience's time with the all too common practice of having the handsome and gentlemanly villain?

Why does computer security expert Harrison Ford have such a lame easily breakable four character password?

Why were the bad guys too nice?

Why was Harrison Ford so lucky that the kidnappers decided to bring along the dog, which ultimately allowed them to be traced to their "secret" hideout. It still bothers me that Paul Bettany would have gotten away if not for the dog.

Why give the only two interesting characters in the movie, Ford's secretary, and the X-Files guy, such limited roles?

Why start with such an interesting premise, then stoop down to the lowest common denominator by using contrived, overused plot devices?

Why didn't I stay home instead of watching this crap?

Rating: 1/5 *
Watch CNN instead.

The Best Books of 2005

Well not really. This is actually a list of the best books I've read in 2005, regardless of when the book was published. You might also want to check out Roehl's 2005 book list, as well as my 2004 top 10 list.


Alright, here are my ten best books of 2005:

10. Prisoner's Dilemma - William Poundstone

This is a fascinating read. If I could summarize what this book is about in one sentence, it can be described as a technical discussion of game theory and other theoretical thinking/decision scenarios. When does it pay to cooperate with your opponent? Is there a single line of action that will assure a win no matter what the scenario? Poundstone describes interesting puzzle games such as the prisoner's dilemma, honor among thieves, and my personal favorite - the dollar auction. You think through the solutions to these problems. You can relate these to real life scenarios and it serves as great mental exercises.

There is also a side story on Von Neumann and the various cold war strategies employed by the US and Soviet Union. How the US government employed cooperative game theory in outmaneuvering their cold war rivals. Great stuff.


9. Armchair Economist - Steven Landsburg

This book opened my eyes to the economist's view of the world - a much different way of looking at things than we are used to. For instance, is pollution bad? Not if it lowers rent costs and real estate prices, which gives opportunity for lower income people to afford their own place.

Or imagine a scenario where farmers grow wheat, which they export to distant lands, and in exchange receive shiploads of Japan-made cars. It doesn't matter where the cars are built. It is as if the vehicles are grown directly in the farm. Growing wheat -vs- building cars has the exact same net effect - you get cars in return. Is inflation bad? Inflation causes prices to rise, which raises the cost of living, and directly causes interest rates to rise, which nets you a higher return on your investment. So it is neither good nor bad. When you set a dollar bill on fire, does the value of that dollar get lost forever? Or does it raise the value of every other dollar bill, which benefits everyone else. Thus, there is no net loss in the burning of your dollar bill.

The negatives: Some of the ideas are not presented in a very coherent manner. And you get the feeling that the author is too full of himself and feels superior to the reader. Still, whether you agree or disagree with the ideas or like the author, this book will change the way you think.


8. Freakonomics - Steven Levitt, Stephen Dubner

Reading this is like eating junk food. It's fun, tastes good, and you want to eat more. This book is the main reason for the current popularity of economics texts. You'll find lots of interesting out of the ordinary conclusions based on the authors' research.

There's a controversial chapter that discussed the dramatic reduction of crime in the 90's, and how the Roe v. Wade supreme court decision to legalize abortion was the main factor behind it. It studies the statistics behind internet dating sites, which factors maximize results, and why having blonde hair for a woman is worth its weight in gold. There's another chapter that gives a good illustration of how people respond to incentives. When a school gets funding based on the test scores of their students, it results in an increased cheating rate done by the teachers themselves. Each argument and conclusion is presented well, supported by facts, and written in a very entertaining way. This book is just plain fun to read.


7. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Another very entertaining book. Though I was put off by the lame ending and felt the author didn't go far enough. If you're going to write a fiction book about the descendants of Jesus Christ and the location of the Grail, might as well go all the way. I loved all the historical references and the idea that the history which we all take as fact could very well have been altered by those in positions of authority to suit their own objectives.


6. Learning Python - Mark Lutz, David Ascher

Only one computer book made the list this year and it happens to be a tutorial book on my new favorite programming language - Python. This book guides the beginner on using Python language features and writing useful programs. Python offers a low stress development environment, it's like writing pseudocode that runs. And it doesn't bog you down in language details that interrupt your flow of thought. A cool language and a practical book.


5. The Motley Fool You Have More Than You Think - David Gardner, Tom Gardner

I've read a bunch of personal finance books, both good and bad. A lot of them rehash the same principles over and over again - put away 10% in savings per month, pay yourself first, have 6 months emergency fund, pay down your debts, blah blah.

Ah, but the Fools put their own slant to the personal finance stuff. It is presented in a more practical, detailed way. My favorite chapter is the one about the value of a dollar. How much is the value of a dollar - not much you say? Actually the value of a dollar is worth more than a dollar, and they explain the reasons behind it. The Fools also tell you when you should not invest your cash, how to get a good deal when buying a car or house, and even some basic info on how to read those numbers and symbols you see in the stock market. All told in a humorous fashion making it fun to learn what used to be a dry subject. There is even a joke chapter on how to teach your dog tricks and make extra money, which caught me off-guard thinking it was serious advice. It would be nice to teach high school kids the concepts presented in this book.


4. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell

One of two books written by Gladwell that made the list. The guy is an amazing writer. He puts into words old concepts that have existed for a long time, which we didn't have a name foir. For instance, take the concept of the Tipping Point. That phenomenon where a product or idea gathers momentum and slowly makes its way to the mainstream. One day it hits that magical tipping point where it gains critical mass and becomes a marketing success.

Gladwell describes exactly how the tipping point is achieved. It takes the work of key individuals such as connectors (people who connect you to other people) and mavens (people who are experts and an information resource that other people rely on). There is also the stickyness factor - how an idea can be 'sticky' which gives it a longer life. And the Law of the Few - a few key people can matter a great deal.

This book is sometimes sold as a marketing book, or business book. But I think the text is more about human nature and life lessons. Gladwell sometimes has the tendency of repeating the same point over and over again, with different examples, which can be repetitive reading sometimes. Still this is a great book and a bonafide classic. And it probably deserves to be higher on the list than just #4.


3. Blink - Malcolm Gladwell

Sweep! Two for two for Malcolm Gladwell in 2005. This is an incredibly interesting and fascinating book. It is about how humans think and perceive things. We look at the world around us and constantly make snap decisions without being aware of it. We think this item is good, this one is bad, this place doesn't feel safe, that tennis player will miss the shot.

Instinctively we know all this stuff. The most powerful computer in the world, our human brain works constantly, thin-slicing our gut reactions. We are taught in school not to make snap judgments. To use critical thinking, decision matrices, flowcharts and other aids. To minimize our instinctive reactions that we learn are not accurate. Gladwell's hypothesis is that our gut reactions to common everyday things are just as accurate, or even more accurate than if we spent a couple of weeks consciously mapping out which will be the best decision to make.

He also gives counterarguments as to why snap judgments may lead us to the wrong path. There is one interesting chapter on the race prejudice test where we tend to associate black with bad and white with good. Sometimes think-slicing doesn't work as well as we want it too. This book has it all, unique insights, new ideas, and an enjoyable read.


2. The Joy of Laziness - Peter Axt, Michaela Axt-Gadermann

I have a confession to make - I'm lazy. I have a hard time getting up in the morning. If I didn't have to go to the office, I'd probably sleep till noon everyday. Also, I hate exercise. The thought of going to the gym repulses me. I'd rather go for a long walk rather than go jogging or lift weights.

Conventional wisdom says you need to wake up early, have breakfast, join a fitness club, run marathons, eat five meals a day. Could it be that we were wrong all this time? That lazy people actually live longer and stay happier than their fitness-obsessed, always on the go counterparts? This is what this book is about. It describes a lifestyle change wherein we conserve energy, avoid stress, relax more, and have periods where we do nothing. Written by two doctors, one of them being a former marathon runner who found out that excessive exercise actually brought more harm than good.

Rediscover the lost art of relaxation. For exercise, take brisk walks rather than going jogging. Cancel breakfast or dinner once in a while, fast one day of the week to lower daily calorie intake. Start waking up later rather than earlier to give our body much needed rest and recuperation. Avoid job promotions that take away our peace of mind and relaxation. Be lazy and indolent - these are the heart of good health. Something I already knew but was always afraid to say out loud. Highly recommended to challenge conventional thinking.


1. Million Dollar Habits - Robert Ringer

Our top book of the year. Written more than a decade ago by the great hard-nosed, no-nonsense motivational author Robert Ringer. Not to be confused this with Brian Tracy's recently released book of the same title. Don't get that, get this one instead. I found an old copy in the public library. Took it home, liked it so much I reread it again immediately after finishing it the first time.

What makes this book great? First of all, this is an extremely practical book. Each piece of advice is solid, sound, can be readily applied in real life. There are no shortcuts or tricks. There are no magic words to use, or cute statements to fool yourself into thinking you are successful or happy. Just good practical advice which you can use.

You can access an outline of each of the principles mentioned in the book here. To summarize, you have to live in reality, not a fantasy world. You should not fool yourself into thinking your situation is better (or worse) than it actually is. You have to keep things in perspective. Losing your job may be bad for you, but there are far worse things (starvation or war for instance). You should live in the present, set in motion a cycle of good thoughts and success. You should not lie even if it will give you an advantage (very hard to do). By preserving your integrity, you are giving yourself true freedom and peace of mind which cannot be bought by any sum of cash.

You should practice good human relations. Be respectful to others, cooperate with them. Practice tactfulness and tolerance for other people's beliefs. Keep things simple rather than complicated. Avoid negative people who drain you of valuable energy. Practice self-disciple and learn to develop a laser-like focus on stuff that is most important to you. Take action - this is the best cure against adversity.

All of this stuff probably sounds like common sense, or mere motherhood statements. But Ringer writes in a clear manner with lots of examples from his personal life. He talks about the mistakes he made and life experiences he had which illustrates the point of each habit.

The title 'Million Dollar Habits' is a bit misleading. This isn't a book that will help you earn a million dollars. It's not even remotely concerned with making money or with achieving the illusions of "success" and all its trimmings. This is a book about life. Living in a manner that will give you great satisfaction, happiness, and true success.


Honorable Mention:
- The Okinawa Program
- How to Make Luck

Got some books you've enjoyed reading lately? Let us know in the comments section!

stage beauty

this movie is acute in illustrating how we are so preoocupied with gender roles. men are expected to behave this way and women are to behave another way. mannerisms brought about by the culture that fosters them. creating strict expectations and thus self limitations, by which everyone must adhere to, or suffer the consequences.

the story takes place in 17th century england. it starts with a very famous actor, mr. kynaston who plays women. at this period, women werent allowed to take on any roles on the stage. purposely prohibited by guess who? ^_^ and so it was up to the men to take on women parts. and for some rather exceptionally. up until the king who was very liberal, turns about and decrees that women be allowed to play women roles. this new decree, beside the obvious implication of advancing womens rights in society, takes away the jobs previously available for said actors.

my favorite part was when the king was deliberating on the subject of allowing women to act on plays. and one argued that france, a neighboring country, had always been doing it for years. although said in jest, its a tribute to a culture that has always been progressive, socially that is.

also i find this film to be mocking of how things are still today. we still have the same players who oppose social progress. we have the same people who in power to allow or prohibit these advances to happen.

rating 4 out of 5
i like comedy