Categories
Book Reviews Non-Fiction

Confessions Of A Microfinance Heretic By Hugh Sinclair

The idea is beautiful.  By giving small, low-cost loans to the poor, entrepreneurial potential may be unleashed.  Profitable local businesses can lead to prosperity to the poor and to the community.  World poverty can be ended.  There are inspiring stories and photographs on how a mere $100 loan can change the life of a poor.  Royalty and celebrity alike lends support to this good course.  Money in the form of institutional and personal investment as well as donation pours into the microfinance industry.  Marketing campaigns target on our good human nature, letting us to see how poverty can be rid of one family at a time.  Would you want to help ending poverty?  And at the same time receive a return on your investment?

Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus also known as the father of microfinance once said in an interview (2011 New York Times), “I have never imagined that one day microcredit would give rise to its own breed of loan sharks.  But it has.”

Hugh Sinclair – author of this book – who has worked in the microfinance industry from ground up gives a very different account on what this industry really looks like from the inside.  He has worked at a microfinance institution that distributes loans to the poor in South America and Africa.  He has seen how high the interest rate could be (in excess of 100%).  How in real life, many of the loans go into consumption (like buying a TV).  That because the investment comes from foreign countries, the money eventually gets out of the community leaving the poor poorer.  And how operationally inefficient these institutions can be with high salaries and overheads, commercial contracts going to relatives and friends.  He has seen the misalignment between the reality and the vision and mission statements like the one illustrated below.

To help the women in […] to relieve their poverty via self-employment, providing microfinance and technical assistance, while respecting their culture and human condition.

To be a self-sufficient microfinance institution with the principal objectives of poverty alleviation and the comprehensive development of the region.

Sinclair then moved up and worked in a Dutch microcredit fund management firm.  He has seen first hand how fund coming from the investors is channeled to the microfinance institutions with little due diligence.  At times, even when the fund managers know something is wrong with the microfinance institutions, so long as there is a good profit potential, they turn a blind eyes to the issues on the ground.  What about ending poverty?  Does it really matter when the investors are getting a return?

Sinclair tried to expose these irregularities, with the help of the rating agencies, even directly to the investors.  To his surprise, not even the investors want to listen to or action when the facts are laid clear on the table.  Meanwhile, with his passion of genuinely wanting to help the poor, again and again he was fired from his jobs.  The latest resulted in a Dutch court case.

That fortnight was tense.  I hardly slept.  Should I never have embarked on this battle in the first place?  A 99 percent chance of success is also a 1 percent chance of failure.  Taking on the beast is a noble idea, but had David missed Goliath with that fateful catapult shot, the story would probably not have made it into the Bible.  Professionally the situation could also be quite unpleasant.  How would I explain this to a future employer?

With all the evidence he has gathered throughout the years, he has turned into an activist.  He has become the ‘heretic’ voice on the microfinance industry that is seemingly corrupted from the investors to the major financial institutions, from the fund managers to the microfinance institutions.  There is a clear lack of regulation.  Self regulation is oxymoron.  Sinclair’s final breakthrough is getting Times‘s attention.  An article on this very topic was published revealing the ugly side of the sector to the public.

So, what is the problem with microfinance?

The problem is neither that the entire microfinance sector is evil, nor that the basic model is fatally flawed.  It is that greed, lack of oversight, recklessness in investing other people’s money, and ill-aligned incentives have allowed large parts of the sector to ignore the actual impact they are having on actual poverty reduction.

There are a few enlightened MFIs and funds that do actually benefit the poor […] Ethical funds do exist – they’re just hard to find.  The model does work.

I enjoy reading Confessions of a Microfinance Heretic.  Part of the book reads like a diary of Sinclair’s adventure to the developing countries.  Part of the book reads like a detective story as the author gathers evidence against the entire sector.  Although majority of the book talks about what does not work in this sector, there are some heartwarming stories whereby they show that when done right, microfinance does help the poor.

Sinclair’s approach is thorough.  From the investors and the intermediaries to the poor, looking at the operational,  political, and social angles, working through the legal system, the journalists, and eventually as an activist – I truly admire the author’s courage to speak up and telling the world that something is not right about the current state of microfinance.

This book may open up your eyes, like it does to mine.

Visit the author’s microfinance site here:  http://www.microfinancetransparency.com/

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (July 9, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1609945182
ISBN-13: 978-1609945183

Categories
Diary

Looking At My 2-Year-Old-Ish Niece With Curious Eyes

My niece Bethany called me last Saturday while Cynthia and I were totally distracted by the aftermath of a glass jar jumped off a cabinet smashed into pieces.  No one claim responsibility.  But that was a great deal of debris to clear.  I heard the call but was unable to take.  Fortunately, I have invested in a digital answering machine.  Bethany promptly left me a message in English, after the beep I suppose.

“Kaofu, I want to see you today. Call me.”

Note: Kaofu is how she addresses me in Cantonese.  In Chinese culture, we don’t address each other by names.  Instead, by titles that indicate seniority.

My niece Bethany seems to like this photograph a lot. She kept on going back to this one as she browsed the album on my phone.

Wow, kids grow up fast these days.  She even has this notion of: If you don’t come and see me, I shall go and see you.  Impressed by my niece’s desire and determination to visit and since Cynthia took the car for her haircut appointment, I patiently waited at home, for Bethany and her entourage a.k.a. mom and dad to arrive.

The last time I met Bethany was half a month ago.  We went to Sentosa celebrating her mother – my sister – ‘s birthday.  Even till that very moment, my 2-year-old-ish niece hardly spoke a word to me or did we manage to have any meaningful conversation.  All was about to change last Saturday, when her linguistic ability [towards me] was unlocked.  Just like Stephen Hawking once described and made famous by Pink Floyd, she began to talk.

For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We began to talk.

I could only imagine the joy of a 2-year-old when all of a sudden, she is able to articulate her thoughts and communicate with the external world her wants and desires.  All those years of crying, not knowing how to speak, vanished in thin air.  In return, the floodgate of words pour out from within.  She has learned to speak and listen.  Perhaps, that’s why as adults, we shall continue to learn new skills and sharpen existing ones so as to be able to do something we have yearned for, but are unable not do or do that well.  To articulate our musical thoughts, to cook a delicious meal, to play a beautiful sport, or to write something inspiring – all lead to moments of joy that can be invigorating and liberating at the same time.

I am not a fan of candies.  That explains why a box of candies next to my amplifier is still full.  In every visit, Bethany always attempts to open the box of candies, tightly sealed in a plastic container.  I was so used to talking to her as though I was talking to myself.  So subconsciously, last Saturday, I said to her, “Candies are bad for health.”  And I added, “Chocolate is also bad for health.”  Her parents smiled at my comment.

To that, Bethany replied with one word and she spoke slowly, “Moderation”.

I am sure all kids are super kids.  And I don’t suppose Bethany is any different from others.  This revelation has shocked me in a few ways.

  1. She appeared to listen to what I’ve said.
  2. She appeared to understand what I’ve said.
  3. She appeared to form an opinion and disagree with what I’ve said.
  4. She appeared to articulate the reason why candies and chocolate may not be all that bad.

I was shocked, and am impressed.

After that defining moment, I have come to the realization that this little one may be able to understand what I say.  Not only that, she begins to articulate what she wants.  We played some music – I was on the guitar and she on percussion.  We played a game she called duck-duck-goose, which is more or less like a hide-and-seek on steroid.  Bored of all the games we have played, she led me into my common bedroom.  And she said, “Close the door”.  My interpretation is that she likes things in order.  Open doors are to be closed, crumpled floor mats are to be straightened.  I promptly closed the door and observed her next move.

She went through my notepads and picked one that was blank.  She then chose a pen and has started drawing.  Frustrated by her lack of progress, she handed me the pen and said, “A dog”.  I doodled a dog.  Then she said, “A sheep”.  We took turn to draw and it went on and on until both of us were tired.

Bethany asked me to draw a school bus.  And I did.  She then ask me to draw a person.  Two, and three.  After I was done, she took the pen and started drawing vertical lines on the picture.  I asked, “What is that?”  She answered, “Rain”.  She passed the pen back to me and said, “Umbrellas”.  So I drew three umbrellas, one for each person (I presume her mom, her dad, and herself).  She then requested, “Draw thunder”.  I frowned and replied, “We can’t draw sound.  What we can do is to draw lightning that caused thunder.  Is that OK?”  She nodded and hence, I draw a lighting bolt.

Bethany then climbed to the guest bed, tugged herself nicely with a blanket.  I sat next to her pretending to dose off.  And I asked, “Bethany, tell me a story”.

“You tell me a story!” she giggled.

“No, you tell me a story!” I insisted.

She gave up and started a story, “Once upon a time …”

I looked at her closely and she giggled.  Bethany continued, “Once upon a time, there was a little Kaofo“.

At that my moment, my eyes were moist and my heart was melted.  She was telling a story about me!  Indeed, once upon a time, I was as little as Bethany.  What was on my mind back then?  Who did I want to be when I grew up?  What was my dream?  My mind drifted until Bethany pulled me back to reality.

“Once upon a time, there was a little Kaofo … [giggle] … you tell me a story!” said she.

I smiled and said, “Once upon a time, there was a little Kaofo.  He liked to play guitar … and he lives happily …”

To my surprised, Bethany completed my story with two words: Ever after.

My heart leaped in joy.

Before she left the common bedroom, she went through my oil painting collection.  Staring at the first one on the stand, she asked, “What is that?”  I replied, “These are wine bottles”.  Onto the second one, same question.  I replied, “This is Stitch, you favorite cartoon character”.  Onto the third one, she paused and rubbed her hands all over the painting.  Normally I would be quite mad.  But I recalled Randy Pausch‘s last lecture: The importance of people versus things (people come first, always!)  I laughed it off and gently told her that this might dirty her hands.  She seemed to get the message and she asked, “What is that?”  I stared at my third painting.  I genuinely did not know how to explain.  So I said, “I don’t know really.  This is abstract art”.

*     *     *     *     *

There is so much to learn from my 2-year-old-ish niece.  I can now understand why kids can be so addictive and adorable.  And I wonder when she will visit me next.

Categories
Comedy Movie Reviews

TED – What A Naughty, Naughty Teddy Bear

Finally, TED has arrived in Singapore.  I have been anticipating this film for ages.  Courtesy of omy.sg, Cynthia and I had a real good laugh watching TED in a preview screening session.  What’s there not to love about Ted the teddy bear who talks bad, takes drug, and gets drunk?  It’s hilarious.

Think on it, this film could have gone wrong in so many different ways.  Two grownups and a talking teddy bear living in our modern day society?  Miraculously, this film pulls through as something ‘believable’.  Thirty years ago, a boy made a wish for a teddy bear as a Christmas present.  That wish came true.  Later on, he made another wish that the bear would be able to talk.  Lo and behold, because magic could exist, we have a living and breathing teddy bear becoming the little boy’s new best friend.  The teddy bear has become headline news.  Alas, like all things in life, novelty wears off.  Thirty years later, no one cares for a talking teddy bear.  Life moves on.

The story then begins with the little boy John now grown up (Mark Wahlberg) and so is Ted.  John has fallen in love with Lori (Mila Kunis).  But will a man who still hangs out with his teddy bear be able to truly love another person?  Well, that is where the drama begins.

TED is a joy to watch, all credit to two ingredients.  First, the teddy bear on the big screen does look realistic and appears to interact with the actors well.  Remember Star Wars I when Jedi Liam Neeson couldn’t see eye-to-eye with Jar Jar Binks?  Ted the teddy bear seems very much alive in the movie.  Second, the script coming out from Ted’s mouth is hilarious.  At some parts of the film, the scriptwriter has established a pattern so well that the audience would laugh even before the line is out.

Fun stuff aside, TED is a heartwarming film.  There are some tearing moments.  Above all, the chemistry between Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis is convincing.

TED is about changes in life that upset the status quo.  It is a story of growing up and learning to live with someone new.  On a separate note, watching TED reminds me of a novel written by Clifford Chase called Winkie.  In that book, the story begins with Winkie the teddy bear arrested for terrorism because he happens to be at the wrong place in the wrong time.  That book too is hilarious, more so in a dark comedy’s way.  I think I may pick up Winkie when I have the bandwidth to do some reading.

Categories
Diary

So I Tried Out The 1-For-1 Exchange Policy

Technology hates me.  That is an open secret.  Millions of people may have no problem with a particular product or service.  But when it comes to my hand, things just go wrong.  Friends would point their fingers at me and say: It is you!  Fair enough.  How am I to dispute?  Like the two phones of the exact model I bought a year ago.  One for Cynthia and one for me.  Mine has to die first.

I always return to a particular shop to buy technology related stuffs.  Not only because they allow me to do a bit of bargaining.  But also at the bottom of the pricing sheet it says 30 Days 1:1 Exchange.

This is the first webcam of my life!

One day after work, I drove 20km shopping for two webcams.  One for my front view.  One for my side view.  Yes, that is how much I love myself.  I bought Logitech HD Webcam C525.  Two of them.  And I have bargained the price down by 10%.  That is fair, I think, since the sales assistant has no value add except telling me that most people buy Logitech webcams.

I am sure millions of people have no problem with Logitech webcams.  I did.  Cynthia and I tried out Google Hangout (you don’t think both are for me, do you?!)  One with acceptable quality.  The one was blurry.  The white balance was off.  Could it be the subtle difference in lighting condition?  I put both webcams side-by-side.  The difference in quality was vast and obvious.  Had I bought one, I guess I would accept either one as it was.  But I bought two.

I have tried re-installing driver and software, swapping the webcams from the two computers of ours.  Nothing changed.  When I held out a piece of Sudoku newspaper cutting as the yardstick, one webcam was clearly blurry.  Perhaps something to do with auto-focus.  The only thing I haven’t tried was to flash its firmware.  On a hindsight, had I done that and purposely killed the webcam by interrupting the update, I could have had a much easier job in asking for an exchange.

So I packed the sort-of-faulty webcam back into its original packaging condition.  On the next day, I drove 20km and requested for a 1-for-1 exchange.  I first approached the Filipino.  He is a friendly guy and he has assembled a few of my computers.  I explained my problem, he looked at my receipt and said, “Talk to the blue shirt guy, the one who sold you the webcam.”

I moved deeper into the shop and approached the Blue Shirt Guy who looks like one of the vampire from Twilight Saga.  The better looking one.  Blue Shirt Guy remembered me and I explained my problem.  Yada, yada, yada.  From his expression, I could almost mind-read him saying, “Hold on a sec.  Let me get you a new one.”

In reality, he said, “Let me talk to my boss”.  His boss looked scary, located at the deep end of the shop.  The most unfriendly looking guy on this floor.  Blue Shirt Guy explained my problem – yada, yada, yada – in Chinese.  Somehow his speech didn’t seem to have the punch.  Therefore I offered my help, put on my charm, trying my best to present my case on why this working webcam has to be replaced.

Then there was whispering between Blue Shirt Guy and the Boss.  Like some sort of argument.  After what appeared as an eternity, Blue Shirt Guy said, “Come, walk with me”.  He led me to his back office operation center, which is a few shops round the corridor.  New computers are assembled in there.  Faulty computers are fixed in there.  As we walked, he explained, “I told my boss we don’t have a computer to test but he insisted.”  He then let out a long sigh.  All these seemed like an extra unnecessary job for him.  I got it.  It was an extra unnecessary walk for me too.

I always bond well with back office guys.  Because I am one too.  After Blue Shirt Guy explained Boss’s request, Back Office Guy protested, “We don’t have a spare computer for testing!”  Blue Shirt Guy concurred, “That is exactly what I said to him!”  Almost too comical.  I would have laughed out loud had my fate not hung on these two’s hands.  Blue Shirt Guy left shortly after the brief introduction and returned to the shop.  What was I suppose to do again?

Casually, Back Office Guy grabbed a newly assembled computer from the ground.  One that I assumed to be delivered to a customer very shortly.  We installed the driver and software, turned on the webcam.  I almost felt sorry to the unknown customer who now has some irrelevant stuffs installed into his or her computer.  Once we started the software, lo and behold, the sort-of-faulty webcam worked almost too perfectly.  The color seemed right and the auto focus seemed fine.  I was dumbfounded.  Without a comparison, it was hard to tell if the webcam was at its finest quality.  I wished I have brought the other one along.

So I stood there, totally awestruck.  And I tried to reason with the Back Office Guy that I wouldn’t have driven 20km had this thing worked perfectly.  We stood in front of the webcam for ages, with me trying to making faces to it from near and afar.  It just worked.  But I could not bring it back because I knew this one was not as good.

What’s next?

The Back Office Guy looked at me sympathetically and said, “I tell you what to say.  You say the image is a bit blurry and I have tested it.”  I repeated the password after him, word-by-word, and he nodded.  I almost wanted to give him a hug when I bid him goodbye heading back to the shop.

The Boss looked too fearsome.  So I approached the Blue Shirt Guy and repeated my password.  He smiled, more than willing to grab a new one for me.  I was pleased and said, “Would you like to call your guy to verify?”  He waved and mouthed: no need.  While he explained this glorious and groundbreaking finding to the Boss, I chitchatted with the Filipino for a bit.  Blue Shirt Guy returned with a white piece of paper and he asked, “What shall I write?”

I suppose he needed to return this sort-of-faulty unit to Logitech with a report.  I repeated the problem – yada, yada, yada – and he said, “Is that all?”  I was unsure how to make the report more dramatic so I nodded.  He passed me a new unit and I bagged it.  Then it was my turn to ask, “Is that all?”  He nodded and I left the shop.

The replacement unit definitely works much better than the sort-of-faulty one.  The same quality level as the other one I have.  Why this inconsistency in product quality?  Now I recall.  I once imported a Logitech Squeezebox from US.  My buddy bought one too.  His remote control worked well with a headphone while mine did not at all.  Perhaps with Logitech, there is a 50-50 chance that you would end up with a faulty unit?

Categories
For the Geeks

Why Guild Wars 2 Is Promising

As someone who has sunk in thousands of played hours and thousands of dollars into a single online game World of Warcraft, since 2004, no game has managed to tempt me to look the other way.  Until now.  I have recently participated in the Guild Wars 2 final beta weekend.  Putting my hyper-optimistic hat on, the game has blown my socks away.  Even with my skeptical hat on, S$59.99 is a no-brainer for such a fine game that has no monthly subscription fees.

When considering a MMO game, money is not the major component.  Time is.  In this blog post, I am going to critically look at Guild War 2 from the eyes of a WoW veteran as well as a loyal Blizzard customer.  I am not going to clinically dissect Guild Wars 2.  That I have already done so in Google+ and  the original write-up will be shared at the end of this post, together with a link to some of my favorite screenshots taken during the beta weekend.

Aesthetically Pleasing

From character customization to the environment, the art and graphics is top notch.  I have played many video games.  None has empowered me to create a truly beautiful and unique looking character to my liking.  From the finest facial features to body shape and height, even down to costumes and make-up.  I could spend hours customizing my character, name my character with a unique family name, and create a personal story. Why is this important?  As a role-playing game, emotional attachment is a key factor.  Guild Wars 2 just have that very edge.  To get us attached to our characters, and to the virtual world that is so beautiful to look at.  I want to be inside that world.

The Freedom to Progress

A typical online game usually consists of quest givers standing or pacing around a known location, dishing out known quests for us to earn experience points and rewards.  Collect 20 dried wood pieces and 20 metal scraps.  Kill 20 boars and loot 20 snouts.  Sure, there are quest texts that tell you why these wood and metal pieces, boars and snouts are so important.  Chances are, you yawn, skip the text, and do what is asked of you.  Everything is linear.  Predictability is a key feature for the traditional MMO games.

In Guild Wars 2, while there are still quest givers (like a few in the entire zone), most quests are driven by dynamic events.  What do I mean by that?  You venture into an area.  All of a sudden, there is a call-out signaling to you that there is an event happening nearby.  The farmers need some help.  You walk into the farm while other players may have already progressed into the event.  The event scales up as more players are in the area.  Multiple objectives are shown on your screen.  You can either help to drive out the waves of bandits.  Or put out the fire on the burning crops.  Or you could do some weeding, feed the cows.  The choice is yours.  If you feel like it, you could stay throughout the event, drive out as many bandits as you can or feed as many cows as you like.  Alternatively, after a certain level of contribution, you could walk away and do something else.  Chances are, there is another event happening next door.

So, what is the point in doing dynamic events?  Depending on your level of contribution, you may earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal that has a direct impact to your in-game currency and more.  But you don’t have to get a gold medal all the time.  You don’t have to collect 20 dried wood pieces, 20 metal scraps, kill 20 boars, and loot 20 snouts if you don’t feel it.  Participation is key.  You don’t enjoy the event?  Do a bit or none, then move on.  You like what you are doing?  Stay long enough and get a gold medal.  The choice is yours.

Another thing I notice is that in Guild Wars 2, there is no quest log, which in a traditional MMO, it is essentially a list of to-dos.  Online gaming should not feel like work.  As I enter a designated quest area, a quest would suddenly show up on my screen.  As I venture out of the area perhaps distracted by a nearby dynamic event, the quest would disappear, but the progress is saved.  The next time I return, the quest reappears, together with my past progress.

A Fresh Approach to Combat System

I wouldn’t say Guild Wars 2‘s combat system is far superior than other MMO games.  It is certainly sophisticated.  In a traditional MMO like WoW, you tend to have 20 or 30 buttons lined up on your screen.  You stand still, lock a target, and you cast a spell.  You mix a few spells according to some priority or rotation systems.  You may be required to occasionally move out of danger, or switch targets, that’s about it.  And then in a dungeon setting, there is this tank-heal-DPS trinity.  Each has a role to fulfill.  There is no go till the trinity is formed.

In Guild Wars 2, every profession (i.e. class) has a self-heal spell.  There is no tank or DPS concept.  Fallen allies can be revived.  You can move while casting spells.  You have a finite number of spells (like 10) depending on your profession and the weapon type.  You may switch to another weapon in the middle of a fight to switch 5 spells and potentially change your strategy.  Casting spells generates unique profession specific resources that can be consumed for a more powerful ability.  Even when defeated, you can still fight to survive using 4 abilities.  When you win, you get back up.  Is this a better combat system?  Too early to tell.  But I welcome a fresh approach.

The Freedom to Play When I Want, However Little I Want

Traditional MMO build their business model on recurring income.  To get you paying a monthly fee and continuing to play the game, they put in place incentives that compel you to play regularly.  Most are repetitive contents that may not even be fun by the time you have done it zillions of times.  But you will do it nonetheless; keep paying while you are at it; keep paying even when you hardly log on.

Guild Wars 2 by and large frees us from the above scenario.  You pay once and you can play as much or little as you like.  There is no monthly fees.  There will be micro-transactions though.  But I wouldn’t mind paying if the game is fun, although I don’t have to.  This is a fairer deal, I think.

A Few Other Things

Honestly speaking, I have no idea what the end game is like for Guild Wars 2.  Those who enjoy PvP would indulge into World versus World battle.  The level cap for PvE is 80 so I reckon there should be enough things to do before reaching there.  Cynthia and I have already pre-purchased the game and we will have a head-start this Saturday.  The game will be launched next Tuesday.  To join us, more information can be found in my Google+ profile.

  • Click here to see the beautiful screenshots I have taken during the beta weekend.
  • Click here to read more about my first impression.

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

The Expendables 2 – Now, That Is Entertainment

Watching The Expendables 2 has reminded me what I love about The Expendables.  Its non-stop entertainment value.  The big guns, loud explosion, over-the-top sequences, head-shots, enemies blown up into pieces, and more.  You name it, you have it.  And then, there is this casting full of stars.  Even Arnold Schwarzenegger took a break from his day job and acted a few scenes in this movie.  I’ll be back.  I am back.  And more I’ll be back.  Yes, Mr. Governor.  We love the fact that you are back.

I did have one complain about The Expendables.  The lack of female presence in that team of mercenaries.  As though Hollywood has read my mind, in The Expendable 2, Jet Li is out.  As he jumped out of the plane for a permanent vocation, he promised, “You’ll find another minority.”  And so, the Chinese actress Yu Nan is in.  Now, what I found strange is that she is not credited on the posters.  Yet, she has played as big a part as Jet Li did on the previous installment.  I found Yu Nan charming.  Though my friend TK may not agree with me.  Beauty is only skin deep my friend.

There is not much point talking about the plot.  It is the Rambo style of blowing things up.  The lines are cheesy as ever.  But that is part of entertainment.  Hearing actors poking fun on each other, making references to their past successes, I laughed out loud throughout the movie.

The one-on-one fight between Stallone and Van Damme is exhilarating.  That is how men should fight.  I wish that scene lasts much longer.  I was so overwhelmed that after the movie, I said to TK and Cynthia, “Now, how I wish the fight between Batman and Bane is as epic as this!”  Both of them simultaneous gave me that you-are-an-idiot look.  I should have known better not to provoke a Batman fan.  Or two at the same time for that matter.  Interestingly, the filming of The Expendables 2 may have damaged the population of bats in one Belgium cave. It is a true story.  OK, that is totally random and unrelated.  Forget that I have mentioned the bats.

Rumor says that there may be an all-female Expendables.  Who would you like to see?  If I was the producer, I would want the following in my movie.

  • Carrie-Anne Moss
  • Uma Thurman
  • Kate Beckinsale
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Milla Jovovich
  • Scarlett Johansson
  • Lucy Liu
Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

The Bourne Legacy – A Rather Average Film

I am not sure why this film is worthy to bear the Bourne title.  It is like watching a Spiderman movie without Spiderman.  Or Lord of the Ring without the ring.  Jason Bourne is nowhere in this movie.  OK, a photograph of his has shown up like a couple of times.  The beginning of Bourne Legacy is – if I remember correctly – the ending of Bourne Ultimatum.  Jason Bourne was swimming underwater.  That’s it.  If Jason Bourne has indeed left a legacy, I can’t find it in Bourne Legacy.

To give credits to the actors, Edward Norton plays a fine antagonist.  His primary role – I think – is to shutdown an operation by killing off their agents on the ground who rely on a regular intake of some super power pills to enhance their physical and mental ability.  Jeremy Renner plays the main character.  He looks like someone who is ready to take over the helm of 007.  Unfortunately, Jeremy Renner is no Matt Damon.  He just doesn’t seem to radiate the same level of mental intelligence like Matt Damon does in the last three Bourne movies.  When I look into Matt Damon’s eyes, I see a smart agent.  When I look into Jeremy Renner’s eyes, I see someone who is ready to fight instead.

If there is one thing that Bourne Legacy has exceeded the previous Bourne movies, that would be the on-screen chemistry of the main character and his love subject.  The 42 years old Rachel Weisz has bettered my expectation.  She has a better role to play too.  Her character as a scientist has some major contribution to the plot.  Not always the case for the previous installments.

This time, the scriptwriter of the previous movies, Tony Gilroy, has moved onto the director seat.  First 30-45 minutes of the film can be rather confusing and uneventful.  There seems to be a constant escalation of situation but I had no idea what it is or what it really does.  Had Bourne Legacy been a TV-series, it would have been a dead series.  But like some good storybooks that are utterly boring in the beginning, once passed the halfway mark, Bourne Legacy gets exciting.  Especially when the backdrop has moved to Manila.  It is action, action, and more action, without the shaky camera effect like the last Bourne movie.

The core of the story is about the blue pills and the green pills.  One boosts physical ability and another one boosts mental ability.  To keep the agents loyal to the agency, they have to receive a constant dosage throughout their missions.  Or they will face degeneration.  This idea does not sound original to me.  I have seen a similar story in Limitless.  There is a twist to this story too.  As in, there are ways to permanent lock the enhanced ability.  That is when the scriptwriter lost me.  It trivializes the entire plot making me wonder what they are fighting for in the first place.  I also found the need to separate the blue and green pills due to some plot twists rather unsatisfying.

A rather average film that would have done better had they lost the Bourne title.

Categories
I See I Write

Assumption Of Mary: A Personal View

Yesterday, Cynthia and I have celebrated the feast of The Assumption at the Cathedral.  Quite honestly, the Cathedral is likely the most uncomfortable place in Singapore to attend a Mass.  It is warm inside, even in the evening.  The noise from the main streets surrounding the Cathedral can be distracting.  So are the fans inside blowing at full blast.  Part of the ceiling is falling apart.  Paint work is coming out.  In short, our Cathedral is in dire need of a major renovation, if not a rebuild.

But, if you are looking for an authentic experience, the Cathedral is the place to be.  Part of the Mass is celebrated in Latin.  The choir members dressed in robes, their singing may well rival the angels from Heaven.  The priest, though old, is filled with spiritual energy.  I sat my back straight throughout the sermon, absorbing each and every word the priest said.  He often strikes me as someone who is so absolutely ready to embrace Heaven, in a mental and a spiritual sense.  If you meet him on the street, he may look like a frail old man.  But he has an amazing aura that touches people’s heart.

One story passed down by generations goes something like this.  After Jesus has died and resurrected, his mother, Mary, has lived to the age of 65.  Whether Mother Mary has died or has gone into a deep sleep – a debate we still have till today – she was buried inside the tomb of Jesus.  Thomas, the disciple who was always late for everything arrived at the tomb one day late.  When Thomas opened the tomb, lo and behold, Mother Mary’s body was no longer inside.  It was then said that her body was taken to Heaven leaving nothing behind on Earth.

Now, that is just a story.  A story shared by the Priest with repeated reminders that this story is not Gospel.  It is not until November 1, 1950 when Pope Pius XII solemnly declared the following:

By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

As a dogma, we Catholics must believe that Mother Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven.  But why is it so important to the Catholics where Mother Mary’s body and soul has disappeared to?  To answer that, we have to go back to Garden of Eden.

In the beginning, God created Adam.  Adam took a piece of his rib bone and created a woman.  He named her Eve.  Both Adam and Eve were having a great time in Garden of Eden, the paradise until the snake tempted Eve (and later on Adam) to eat the forbidden fruit that opened their eyes.  God was angry.  Adam and Eve were forever banished from the paradise.  For dust you are and to dust you shall return, so said God.  Just like that, they have lost their immortality.  From Adam and Eve onward, we bore the Original Sin.  Each of us die to our Original Sin.  Generations by generations, until …

… Jesus Christ came and has freed us from sin by his ultimate sacrifice on the Cross.  His resurrection has showed us that death can be conquered and those who follow Him will get to Heaven.  All is well, but here is one question.  If Jesus was born as a man, wouldn’t he too inherit the Original Sin from Mother Mary?

To tackle this question, we have to first look at where Jesus came from.  Catholics believe in the Trinity aspect of Divinity.  There are three aspects of Divinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  To me, God the Father is not bounded by time or place, exists everywhere and throughout the scale of time.  When God the Father sent his Son to us more than two thousand years ago, that aspect of Divinity was bounded by time and place.  God made man – Jesus, his Son – lived with us and taught us love during His stay in flesh and blood before returning to Heaven.  God was physically among us.

Now, since Jesus was born as a Divinity, at and from the time of His conception, Mother Mary must have been kept free of Original Sin.  Because Jesus is without Sin (hence, the dogma of Immaculate Conception).  Since Mother Mary was free of Original Sin, she must have triumphed over physical death.

But that is not enough.  By Mother Mary’s actions as recorded in the Bible, we believe that she must have ascended to Heaven.  Therefore, she must have triumphed over spiritual death too.  What is spiritual death?  It is things we do that forever deny us from entering Heaven.  In another word, Mortal Sins.

Why does it matter to us that Mother Mary has assumed into Heaven, body and soul, and that she has triumphed over both physical and spiritual death?

It does.  Mother Mary is our role model and if we keep our body and soul pure and follow the teachings of Jesus, we too may enter into Heaven when the time comes.

Below was the first reading during the Feast of the Assumption (Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10).

Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it.  Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake and violent hail.

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, robed with the sun, standing on the moon, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.  She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth.

Then a second sign appeared in the sky: there was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet.  Its tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and hurled them to the ground, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was at the point of giving birth, so that it could eat the child as soon as it was born.

The woman was delivered of a boy, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had prepared a place for her to be looked after for twelve hundred and sixty days.

Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Salvation and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the accuser, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down.

PS. I am not trained in theology.  This blog entry is based on my personal view and understanding.

Categories
Diary

On Lora’s Birthday Bethany And I

Lora is my sister.  Bethany is my niece.  On Lora’s birthday Bethany and I built sand castles at Palawan Beach, Sentosa.  After that joyful afternoon, it took me two days to recover from my muscle strain.  Oh little Bethany.  How you have worn me out.  But that was worth it.  Because  she seems to be friendlier towards me after I have spent some quality and quantity time playing with her.  Her mom was munching under the shade most of the time.  My wife Cynthia too was munching and has elected to supervise the end-to-end process instead.  Her daddy’s job was to fetch sea water.  As for me, I was the designated photographer and the co-sand castle builder.

So the plan was to meet at 10am.  The night before we went to sleep, Cynthia asked if we needed to set the alarm clock.  I casually and confidently waved her thought away and said, “How is it possible not to wake up by nine?”  At 9.50am, Cynthia woke me up from my beauty sleep and we both screamed at the clock.

A few days ago, my sister has this sudden urge wanting to build sand castles by the beach.  Jolly well.  I love the sand and the beach.  It was a warm day.  The afternoon sun was rather punishing.  Fortunately there are shades everywhere in this resort island of Singapore.  I often think that Bethany – like my sister – is a more indoor sort of person who prefers air-conditioning to tomar el sol.  I was quite surprised that Bethany could be pretty active in the outdoor.  Her determination to build sand castles was admirable.  Except, no matter how hard we tried to show her, she used dry sand instead of wet sand.  That did not work out.  Halfway, she gave up and played with sea water instead.

I cannot fathom why she deliberately avoided the wet sand.  Maybe she prefers the lighter color to the darker one.  I do not know.  I tried to teach her to add water to the dry sand inside the cup.  But she tended to pour in too much sea water so much so that the sand turned mud got stuck inside the cup.  What should I do?  Instinctively, squatting next to her, I took the larger bucket and started to fill it up with wet sand.  Bethany followed what I did and fill it up with her personal preference: dry sand.  I mixed our sand as we worked our way and fill the bucket to its rim.  Before I flipped the bucket, I would ask Bethany where she wanted it to be placed.  She would pinpoint a precise spot and we would do the count together, looking into each other’s eyes and said …

1 – 2 – 3 … Wow!

OK.  I have to admit.  It was fun.  It went on and on and had I not stopped, the Great Wall of Sentosa would extend all the way from the tree that shaded us to the shore, which must have been fifty to a hundred meters away.

Normally I bring my 24-70mm f/2.4 lens for a general purpose photography session like this one.  That day, I brought my 70-200mm f/2.4 telephoto zoom lens instead.  I love my zoom lens.  It produces a nice bokeh.  And it collects less background distraction.  No distortion to the faces at 90mm and above.  The only drawback is that it is heavy and it requires quite a distance between my subjects and I.  In an open space like Palawan Beach, the latter is a non-issue.  It has only become an issue when Bethany got friendlier with me and started to get nearer to the camera.  That was when I had to jump backward in order to take a photograph.  All in all, no regret in bringing along my zoom lens.  My intend was to be able to take pictures of Bethany without getting too close and become intimidating.  Objective achieved.

In the past, I host my photographs within my website.  But time has changed.  I am more involved with Google+ these days.  So I am giving it a try and have uploaded the photographs there instead.  I am not sure how this will affect the non-Google+ users.  I hope it doesn’t.  Do let me know your feedback in the comments below.  I would love to hear.

  • Click here to view the photo album (29 photographs)

I am delighted to have found a new way to bond with my niece.  Sand and sun at Sentosa is very doable.  Next time, I may wish to bring my chilled picnic box and stock it up with ice cold Apple Cider.  That would be an ideal way to spend a Sunday.

Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

Magic Mike – Tastefully Done

There are two types of audience for the male strippers movie Magic Mike, I think.  The ones who like to stare at men’s near naked body down to their bare butts.  Or men who bring their girlfriends or wives to watch this film hoping to get them horny.  I, on the record, have vehemently said no to this movie.  But Cynthia insisted and kept on saying the magic word ‘Magic Mike’ every morning.  Magic Mike, Magic Mike, Magic Mike.  I gave in, on the condition that my buddy TK would agree to watch a male strippers show.  It was almost a flawless plan.  No way he would agree to it.  Except, TK had no idea what Magic Mike was and eagerly said yes, a tad too fast on Whatsapp.  The rest was history.

In the opening sense, when the perfectly oiled body of Matthew McConaughey came on stage and danced in front of a house full of cheering girl and as he slowly peeled away pieces of his costume one by one leaving only the – I presume – buffed up crotch garment on, I almost fainted.  STOP, right there!  Fortunately he left that essential piece of clothes on, like Adam and Eve and the hanging green leaves.

To my surprise, I enjoyed watching Magic Mike.  The story is original.  McConaughey plays Dallas who runs a male strip club.  One day, Mike (Channing Tatum) introduces Adam, a 19 years old teenage heartthrob played by Alex Pettyfer to the business.  Dallas dubs Adam as The Kid and Adam is an immediate success.  Money, women, and a sense of freedom – to a slacker like Adam who has thrown away his football scholarship, this new lifestyle is irresistible.  I can sense that Mike can see a younger version of him in Adam whenever he looks at Adam.

Meanwhile, there is another side of Mike who sees being a male stripper is only a mean to an end.  But to what end?  It is one man’s journey to finding his worth.  Meeting Adam’s sister  Brooke (Cody Horn) may have awaken something within him.  Dallas’s club is going big hitting Miami.  Adam being the new kid in the block has now become Dallas’s new favorite threatening Mike as Dallas’s right hand man.  What is Mike going to do?

Channing Tatum plays a charming character.  Not only on stage, but also off the stage.  I know he can dance.  It is good to see that he can act convincingly as well.  I also happen to enjoy Cody Horn’s acting.  So innocent and pure.  Matthew McConaughey has a commanding presence that is a major contributor to the theme of this show.  There is a lot of entertainment on stage.  Some of the dance sequences are hilarious.  There are a fair bit of sex scenes too.  But like the stripping act, they are tastefully done.  Magic Mike is way more than stripping.  You would end up liking every single characters, like I do.  I also like how the filmmakers handle the film’s ending.

Now, if there was a film called Magic Maggie with female strippers and all, I wonder how that would work out.