The Hobbit

In preparation for the movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in December this year, I just finished reading The Hobbit! I felt like I read a brand new story all over again (I had forgotten most of it!) and loved it even more than I did two years back.

The Smaug I pictured was more pink and less-evil looking!

The style of narration and the vivid descriptions of Tolkein are EPIC, for lack of a better deserving word in my limited vocabulary. And he didn't forget to add in a good dose of humour here and there for chuckles! For the whole book, I felt like a child very eager to keep on reading to see how the story unfolded. The voice in the book takes his time with the narration too, so that I was able to picture all the mountains, the rivers, Gollum, the dwarves, the elves, Gandalf, the eagles and of course Smaug the dragon in full colour while 'listening'. I suppose watching the Lord of the Rings movies helped with the imagination of scenes and characters. Fantasy elements aside, this heart-warming story shows so much courage in the face of odds, friendship among the main characters and even some darker sides of 'human' nature. I can't wait to see how the movie (or movies, rather) turns out! I am glad they decided to make more than one movie to try and cover all the details in this book, or justice will not be served in one rushed movie. The price to pay is having to wait till 2014 to see the third concluding movie.

December, I look forward to you!

Just one blog post ago, I was harping about practicing equality and tolerance towards differences so when I saw it, I couldn't resist the urge to pick on an article like this one! I suspect bad translation skills also played a part in addition to narrow minded views, bad research and poorly planned content behind this article.

Quote (in black)-

The Education Ministry had endorsed "guidelines" to help parents to identify gay and lesbian "symptoms" in their children so they can take early corrective measurements. 

Translate: The highest government authority that represents intelligence and knowledge has called upon parents with immediate urgency to identify any symptoms in their children relating to this horrifying disease of homosexuality so that together, they may avoid an epidermic of catastrophic proportions and possibly eradicate it like small pox.

The guidelines list four symptoms each of gays and lesbians:

Why stick to four, is it a magic number?

Symptoms of gays:
Have a muscular body and like to show their body by wearing V-neck (the key letter here is "V" shaped, no, not "U" shaped or "W" shaped) and sleeveless clothes; Prefer tight and light-coloured clothes (that is such an over-sized generalisation, but that's okay, light-coloured clothes still make up 50% of all clothes, compared to dark-coloured clothes); Attracted to men (notice how this is symptom number 3); and Like to bring big handbags, similar to those used by women, when hanging out. (if he is carrying a sporty bag when hanging out, then relax, he's definitely not gay) 

Symptoms of lesbians:
Attracted to women; Besides their female companions, they will distance themselves from other women (wow, these lesbians are so anti-social); Like to hang out (who doesn't luurve to hang out?), have meals (Oh, they like food too!) and sleep in the company of women (wait, isn't that duplicating symptom 1?); and Have no affection for men (no affection even for male friends, male teachers, fathers or brothers? So depressing. Tsk Tsk)

"Once the children have these symptoms, immediate attention should be given," the guidelines warn.

Translate: RUN. TO THE NEAREST MENTAL HEALTH INSTITUTION/ POLICE STATION/ EXORCIST. GET THEM CURED AND PLEASE HURRY. IT MIGHT BE CONTAGIOUS.

-Unquote

Give me a freaking break, Education Ministry of Malaysia.