If I were to attempt to review Transformers right now, I would sound like an absolute raving lunatic. So I’m just going to say some things, in no particular order:

1. I had towering, ridiculous expectations. It exceeded them.
2. For me, it was the best movie ever.
3. ZOMGWTFBBQ WHOA SHIT MAN!!!
4. The movie was exhausting, during and for at least an additional hour after. There wasn’t a moment to rest between all the whoas, the laughter, and the gushing over the movie as I was walking out.

Watching this movie, made me fully realize, just how much I loved the Transformers as a kid.

/thud

1,169,403 views, 7485 ratings, 10482 times favorited on Youtube.

Don’t ask. I have no explanation. Must… stop… rewinding…

HAI
CAN HAS STDIO?
VISIBLE “HAI WORLD!”
KTHXBYE

Imagine programming like that. They call it LOLCODE. (Thanks to William for the link.)

For the longest time, I thought that all the cute cat-graphics with geek talk and atrocious (but strangely appealing) cat-English plastered on them was a phenomenon resulting mainly from computer games. However when I started finding sites like I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER? and the LolCat Builder, I began to realize that it was part of something bigger. Example images below (taken from the I can has cheezburger site above) :

There are also a good number which aren’t based on cats.

This article from the Houston Chronicle covers the phenomenon quite well, and below is an image of the original article in the actual print.

Personally, my original experience with animal images with atrocious English was furnished by one Alamo from World of Warcraft. “Alamo teechs u 2 play DURID!” is an infamous guide to playing a druid in World of Warcraft, mainly due to the language, and the accompanying images.

I wonder how annoying it is when such language is actually used in conversations. Being a rather cutesy person at times, I find it quite charming when used correctly. In World of Warcraft’s guild chat, I routinely use extremely geeky terms, and I am especially fond of ‘kthxbai’, a word or phrase which I find William equally loves. However I still get ‘huh?’ reactions from people when using things like ‘lol’ in everyday conversations.

The evolution of language is quite the interesting thing no? Too bad such materials aren’t used in English classes though. Imagine the delight students would have if ‘correct the English’ exercises had images of cute cats. :)

Although Malaysians won’t see too many local names in this new ranking system for huge corporations, we will still recognize a lot of the multinational companies that sell their products here. This is a good chance to spend our money in support of companies with a green conscience.

Check it out by clicking the image (the actual rankings are sorted by sector at the bottom of the page linked):

You can read an article about the ranking here, here and here. I am personally always a bit skeptical about any kind of rankings, but this should serve as an interesting general guide. Their criteria seems to be quite detailed.

Apple and Google have both protested their low scores on the ranking system. Steve Job’s open letter about his company’s environmental policies can be found here, and Google have since announced plans for going carbon neutral.

Other interesting links: Greenpeace’s parody of the Apple website demanding a greener apple.

Warning - watching this video may ruin your day somewhat.

Thye Shin sent me this link the other day.

One, like what one of the video commentators said, I don’t think it’s proper to judge what a culture considers acceptable as food. Some practices are healthy, some are not, but when there are no health concerns, most people end up judging based on one’s own preference and prejudice alone.

Two, I am not under the illusion that dolphins are completely docile, lovable creatures (although it is still true that they are still most often so). They may be branded as man’s best friend in the water, highly intelligent and so on, but their sometimes brutal acts against each other as a species are well documented.

Three, is this any different from a fishing net full of struggling fish just drawn out of the ocean? I don’t know. Maybe I feel it is different because the dolphin can breathe outside of water. A better reason could be that dolphins demonstrate aspects of human intelligence that gives us an empathic link with them.

Having said all this, OMG. THE HORROR. Does it have to be done this way?

Shortly after I got my job last June, I ran into a new student during his first (or second?) week of classes. She stopped me by saying, “Excuse me, sir. Where is [...]” That’s when it struck me. I’m no longer a student in this university. I’m working here now. Or to put it in the HR director’s words, “Willie, you’re an officer now.”

Enter my conversation with my trusty friend E:

Me: Dude

E: ?

Me: Is it weird for a staff to ask a student to go hang out and watch a movie?

E: Well, if they didn’t know each other well enough, it’d be a tad weird

Me: uh huh

and how exactly do they get to know each other well enough?

E: I dunno

Therein lies my dilemma.

Those who knew me before: I’d like to say that people treat me differently now that I’m a staff, but that’s too general, and isn’t true in some cases. Take Edo for example. He comes up to me, makes a funny face, says “screw you” and generally shock the other students around him who’s seeing him do it for the first time. (Actually I think he has fun doing it. Puts him in the spotlight.) Me becoming a staff didn’t change much of anything with him, because we’re already friends, before ’staff’ ever got a chance to get in the way.

The stiff ones whom I just got to know: Then there’s Pu, Sa and LeHo - student leaders whom I got to know after I became an officer in the university. They’re decent people, I have the utmost respect for their opinions and good work in the university. Under any other circumstances, my relationship with them would be like two individuals who respect each other’s thinking and work. But there’s a ’stiffness’ about our ‘friendship.’ A polite question here, a careful answer there, etc. It’s quite different from what I have with Ra, whom I met while I was still a student. We’re not really close friends, but we toss each other smart remarks every now and then. Pu, Sa and LeHo doesn’t do that though. (Doesn’t dare?)

(I know these short forms are getting tiring, but I’m trying to make them long enough for the individuals to realize it’s them I’m talking about, without being explicit.)

So this isn’t really a generation gap is it? I’m barely older than they are. I am however in a better position to affect change, often for their benefit, and I like to think of myself as quite experienced in this university’s voluntarism/activism landscape. It’s feels more like a staff gap? Are they worried that I’d ruin their society’s plans or rat them out to STAD or … I think I’ve quite clearly demonstrated that I’m not about that. But there’s that gap. I know that back when I was an active student, and there was a staff like me around, I’d hang out, even if it’s just to get some favors for my own organisation. Heh.

Is it because they’re trying to show respect? Well, every human being deserves respect to some extent, but I don’t see why some deserve more than others just because they’re staff or whatever else. At least, that’s true for me. And is being slightly distant and being extra careful in conversations a sign of respect? I definitely don’t think so. I personally think that without a bit of jibing and some friendly embarrassment, one can never really enter the social circle of another.

The non-stiff ones who I just got to know: Wait - there are one or two who can be quite relaxed around me. Si acts almost like Edo does, although he’s a bit less forward - but that’s okay. We don’t really know each other that well after all. He doesn’t act stiff around me though, and that’s refreshing.

The ones who think I no longer remember them: And earlier this morning, I ran into yet another type. I know Sunshine (heh it’s not technically a name so I get to use it right?) from a club we both were in a year or so ago. I saw him like four times during the whole orientation programme, but I wasn’t sure if he remembers me. I didn’t really have a chance to say hi - couldn’t really catch his eye the first three times. This morning he was standing right in front of me, and I waved him down and spoke to him. Turns out he remembers who I am, and relaxed considerably. Why does that happen? Even if I don’t remember who you are, when you think maybe I should, it should be my embarrassment and the apology for forgetting should come from me. Don’t have to go about avoiding me in case I don’t remember…

The ones who thought I’m not friendly: This one’s harder to classify. You meet a bunch of faces, don’t really have the chance to get to know them, but you remember those faces. And you keep smiling at them, and they smile back, and that’s it. It gets a bit annoying - I feel that it’s better to know someone, rather than superficially smile at/with them all the time. Even if I forget names, at least I know, that I know this person. If you get my drift. Yeah I know - I should do my part too by stepping up and chatting people up. I do! But imagine the number of nice people I don’t get to meet because others don’t dare to step up to me.

There’s always the possibility that it’s all me. Maybe I’m not happening/crazy/relaxed enough. Anyone wanna come and give me some pointers? I’d love some tips. I’m finding it hard to balance on that thin line between ‘appropriate’ and ‘friendly’. Or is it that now that I’m a ’staff’ there must be limits on how close I can get with the students? Considering that it’s part of my job to connect with the students on as many levels as possible, I hope that’s not true. At least not for a bunch of years more.

Many questions and much ramblings. Herm… So, can I ask anyone to go hang out for a movie? Will anyone ask me?

EDIT: Ok re-reading this made me realize that it sounds like I’m feeling really lame trying to connect with the students. It’s not really that bad. Just that the formalities and how some students freeze up around me can be a bit annoying. Relax dudes!

I was superbly exited about Longhorn and Blackcomb. I lost that excitement somewhere between a bunch of years ago and now. When I was given a Beta version of Vista to try out (I was an intern at a tech magazine for four months), I didn’t even install it. I’m not exactly sure why. When Vista came out, I didn’t really bother. When they started giving out Vista for free/cheap in the university campuses, I stayed in bed despite the strings I could’ve pulled to get myself a copy.

I think I have been :

1. purposely ignoring Vista’s features
2. purposely ignoring Vista reviews
3. telling myself that it’s not worth it upgrading now (better to wait for the bugs to be ironed out)
4. telling myself that I don’t really need to change right now, being happy with my box atm
5. telling myself that I can wait for my next hardware upgrade
6. worrying about backward compatibility problems despite the fact that I know there will be very few of them

Today, I read these two articles.

Windows Vista: More than just a pretty face

Windows Vista: Under the Hood

All I gotta say is - damnit.

Those reviews detailed some stuff which I remembered from my Longhorn and Blackcomb craze days. They also reminded me to a fact which I already know - Vista isn’t just a cosmetic change, but actually have some real improvements as an OS. Not to mention that the articles patiently and successfully describes why Vista is a big stop forward for Microsoft. There’s a third part to those reviews coming too.

I still haven’t installed Vista yet though, and I’m not likely going to anytime soon. Reason? It costs a bomb. Strange huh. I really, REALLY don’t feel like installing a pirated version of Vista even though they’re floating around all over the place over here. I’m working now. I think it’s about time. But buying Vista here is like paying half the down payment for a second-hand, five-year-old car damnit. (Home/Basic Edition? No thanks.) And I think owning a car is a higher priority.

But hey - you never know.

… in the vast majority of cases :

A statement or opinion that must be received (and in some cases asked for) due to procedure (or because it makes the individual/organisation look good) with a polite smile and a courteous manner, in order to be replied to the feedback/criticism giver, or in postmortem meetings, with rhetoric or statements of good intention or common understanding, and subsequently, completely ignored. Should the feedback/criticism giver be a colleague, he or she should be immediately identified as a ‘boat rocker’ and be treated differently in the future, preferably with the raising of eyebrows whenever the word feedback or suggestion is mentioned.

Examples of usage :

Feedback: Hey - those two counters are for Milo and Coffee respectively right? I was thinking that the signboards pointing to the counters can be misleading. The signs says “Orange” and “Grapefruit” respectively. Maybe we should just label the signs “Milo” and “Coffee”?

Reply: Thank you for the suggestion. But in the three-page letter (and five page appendix) that we sent our customers, we have already informed them clearly that Orange represents Milo and Grapefruit represents Coffee! They should have the initiative to read the letter!

Feedback: A lot of people were generally unhappy with the situation today. Perhaps we can do [...] to improve the situation.

Reply: Ah it’s true. It was quite [...] wasn’t it. But you know how the world works. Haha - people are never satisfied especially when it comes to matters of [...]. We have to see what our limitations are of course.

Feedback: There are clear steps we can still take within our limits to further improve the situation.

Reply: I’m telling you, no matter what you do, no one will ever be satisfied.

Feedback: There were some things which could have worked better if we did [...].

Reply: Ah true. However, based on our observations regarding the situation, we found that

[insert completely sweeping assumptions and generalizations here],

and that if we

[insert bombastic sounding plan which states the fulfillment of agreed objectives without detailing the steps to achieving those objectives here],

then the situation will improve tremendously. We must of course, take all the factors into consideration, such as

[insert a myriad of limitations here, without an analysis of what is possible should available resources be managed better].

I believe we have the situation well under control.

The actual unsaid conversation taking place in replies to feedback or criticism in the vast majority of places:

Feedback: Perhaps it is a good suggestion if we [...]. OR Perhaps we can improve by [...].

Actual reply: Since I am [older/senior/paid more] and that this is my project, accepting your criticism would show that I am not a perfect human being who does everything perfectly. Since that I care more about my boss thinking that I am absolutely perfect rather than receiving good feedback to ensure that the task is carried out better, I must reject or defend against your criticism even if it is given with good intentions to assist me in better fulfilling my work. However, since that I am [older/senior/paid more] and I must display maturity in handling all things, I must be polite, smile, and accept the criticism gracefully, while using my full abilities in twisting language and coughing up pointless rhetoric to ‘handle’ this feedback from you without damaging myself, and getting absolutely nothing done to address the problem in the meantime.

Alternatively, instead of reading this post (which you’ve already done if you’ve reached this point :P) you could just read Dilbert every day. Scott Adams is a genius. /worship

Edit: I was told this is probably true in a many many other places on Earth too. Woe be to those of us who actually wish to get things done, and done well!

In an article on The Star today :

Terengganu Tourist Association chairman Wan Mohd Ariffin Wan Long had suggested that a dress code be introduced so that tourists know how to dress appropriately, and it could be published in brochures and pamphlets.

He said the move would address the sensitivity of the local culture, as some tourists were seen clad sexily.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Thankfully, the government decided that it was unnecessary. What a strange turn of events. Tourist Association comes up with silly suggestion, government turns it down. Shouldn’t that have been in reverse?

What is with Malaysians and dress codes anyways? I’ll be the first to agree that long hair on most Malaysian students look extremely ugly, but does it really affect their education or their ability to be disciplined? Or is that just the Malaysian tempurung against globalisation?

*brainwashing voice on* Western influence is evil! You shall remain… local… and stuff… *brainwashing voice off*

History is written by the victors - but what if the victors made sure the history for the defeated got written too. I was very impressed, and quite excited when I heard about Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, two movies directed back to back by Clint Eastwood about the Battle of Iwo Jima. One movie took the American point of view of the battle, and the other took the Japanese point of view. Of course, large parts of both stories are fictional, although closely based on historical events.

Flags, made for the American audience, focuses on how a photograph of several American marines raising an American flag on Mount Suribachi was exploited back home in the US to raise funds for the final push of World War II. A user comment from imdb :

Flags examines the lives of those in the photo who survived the battle, their reluctance to be called heroes, the demons that they faced while on the battlefield, the constant reminder to kill or be killed, the lies they have to tell to sell, and their sense of morality sacrificed for the lesser of two evils.

Letters, which is in Japanese, focuses on the last stand that the Japanese forces made to defend their home land from invasion. Again from user comments on imdb :

To the Japanese, Iwo jima was a part of their homeland where a foreign invader was going to land and begin its invasion on Japanese soil. Throughout all of recorded Japanese history, never had a foreign invader prevailed in war against the Japanese on Japanese land. The imperial Japanese government of that time used this when they sent fighters to Iwo jima. These fighters were to ordered to “fight to the death” defending their country. That to lose and not die fighting would bring disgrace to self and family. They knew that America was planning to send an overwhelming force and they knew that they were being sent to die.

Both films shows plenty of battle scenes, from the point of view of the respective armies. There’s plenty of zipping bullets, exploding grenades, leaking entrails and spewing blood. There’s plenty of ‘dangerous soldiers from the other side who’s going to kill me.’ However, unlike too many other war movies that’s been made, neither of the stories describe an army sent to kill another, and is righteous in its victory or defeat. Instead, both movies was simply about a battle between two sides. I read somewhere that any honest statement about war, is by itself an anti-war statement. This is superbly reflected in these movies.

In my search for balanced opinions about these movies, I’ve come across a lot of criticism, mostly leveled against Letters. Many called it a revisionist telling of history. The Japanese general’s blood thirstiness wasn’t evident enough, the mutilation of American soldiers by the Japanese was not shown, etc etc. Well, watch both the movies. An American soldier was brutally mutilated - in Flags. And if the waves of soldiers dying on the beach isn’t clear enough an indication that Kuribayashi’s goal was to kill as many of them as possible, I don’t know how else the telling could be more accurate without having him morph into a werewolf at full moon in the movie. Most people will unsurprisingly watch only one of the movies - Flags tickets sold like hot cakes in the States, whereas Letters sold out in Japanese cinemas.

Clint Eastwood probably directed the movies for their respective audiences, bearing in mind that presenting the image of brutal Japanese soldiers mutilating American soldiers would not sit too well with a Japanese audience. Actually, Letters did have such a scene, although not as brutal as the one in Flags. The movies had to sell to their respective audiences after all. Clint Eastwood’s success at sending such powerful messages through two mainstream movies however, is what makes these movies great.

There’s also an interesting criticism made about Letters, saying that it glorified American culture by having the two Japanese commanding officers who’ve been to America appear more humane and civilized than their counterparts who have not, showing compassion and fairness towards their American enemies. LIKE DOH. If you’re a Japanese who’ve hung out with Americans for a bit, no matter where your allegiance lie, and no matter how loyal you are, you know that they’re not uncivilized fools and barbarians intent on killing for the sake of killing. Indoctrination and prejudice doesn’t work on you - you’ve freaking met them.

All in all, these are the greatest war movies I’ve ever watched. If you watch one, you should watch the other. Saving Private Ryan drops to number 2, versus Flags + Letters.

Comparing the two movies against each other though, I’d have to say that I like Letters - several times more. Letters carried a unique atmosphere that portrayed desperate but resolute soldiers not commonly seen in movies. Although the movies do not have to be seen in any particular order, I’d suggest that you watch Flags first. If nothing else, it’s more familiar - with western actors, western jokes, western action… etc. Watching Flags first gives you the setting, then Letters will blow you away.

To end, an opening quote from Flags of our Fathers :

“Every jackass thinks he knows what war is. Especially those who’ve never been in one.”

Yep - I’m a jackass, but thanks to these two movies, I’m hopefully slightly less so.