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Written by Ron B
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Saturday, 13 December 2008 |
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 The Sea Inside - Spanish DVD | The Sea Inside (2004) A movie about euthenasia didn't sound like my cup of tea - but it won awards and gets great reviews. So this movie, The Sea Inside (Spanish: Mar adentro) by the Spanish/Chilean director Alejandro Amenábar, surprised me. It is based on the real-life story of Ramón Sampedro (played by Javier Bardem), a Spanish ship mechanic left quadriplegic after a diving accident. Sampedro fought a 28-year campaign in support of euthanasia and his right to end his own life. | We get to know Ramon largely through his interactions with family members who are the carers, and then lawyers and others who play a role. These people mostly have anti-euthenasia attitudes, some state them, and some keep their ideas quiet. It's a movie that uses all these relationships to help you form your own view - and it is cleverlly done.
|  The Sea Inside - Rosa visits |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 13 December 2008 )
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Written by Ron B
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Saturday, 13 December 2008 |
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 Code Breakers DVD | Code Breakers (2005)This movie was made for TV (ESPN) and is based on real events in 1951 and the West Point Academy. Many cadets were involved in a ring that was cheating in the exams - and many of them were football players. The drama builds as the idealism of some cadets is contrasted with the ruthless objectives of the football coach and some other officers and parents. The cinematography and casting are great, and the story, based on true events, is gripping. | | | |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 13 December 2008 )
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Images for our Xmas e-mail |
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Written by Ron B
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Monday, 01 December 2008 |
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| | Images for our Xmas e-mailA poolside picture showing Di, Claire and Hendra with Veuve Cliquot in April this year | Iskandar, Dominic and Ron in one of Lovina's newer restaurants at the end of December.
| | | | Mary and Chonki at the Water Gardens in Tirta Gangaa, East Bali last May.
| Animated gif
| | | | A beer by the pool
| A night view
| | | | Pool at sunset
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 24 December 2008 )
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Written by Ron B
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Saturday, 22 November 2008 |
 Little Pond, Sanur | A Week in PenangOur flight out was to be at 6am, suggesting we should get to the airport at 4:30am. So we discovered a new affordable spot to stay in Sanur - about 25 minutes from the airport. It is Little Pond on Jl Danau Tamblingan and is Rp90,000 (about US$9) for a fan room. Here, Lyndall and Linda are in the pool. | I caused a minor drama at the airport next morning. I had totally forgotten that I needed to get an exit permit. This was discovered at passport check so quickly to the immigration office where the staff were changing shifts. They eventually arrange an Emergency Permit (at a price) - so as Lyndall pleaded with Air Asia to hold the flight, we rushed through the paperwork etc and only held up the flight by 5 min - but it was a bit of a panic and we arrived at the plane without boarding passes, but nobody seemed to mind.
|  Ngurah Rai Airport |  Food Court near Pinang Gallery | One of the many food-courts in Penang. On the bus from KL to Penang Hendra had been creating some jokes which he related at meal times. Here is one of them. A geeky nerd arrives for the after-life and finds himself facing God. So he asks God for direction to Heaven. God says "Take the first left, then the second right, and then go right to the end and you will find the pearly gates on your left - and they will open for you". The nerd follows the directions carefully, finds the gates, but they don't open. He curses under his breath and waits - still they do not open. So he re-traces his steps and finds God still there. He says "I think I followed your directions correctly, but the gates did not open". God says that he will come and check - so they go back together to the gates which now open. God says "Wait a moment while I check what is happening". He returns, the gates close, and he says "You should not be asking me - you should be Googling it". | Here we are on the waterfront near the old town and fort. We are looking north-west to Gurney Drive which has a string of high rise hotels and up-market apartments. There were many cafes and restaurants - but not so cheap.
|  Waterfront near Pinang Gallery |  Street Market with Hardware | Here is one of many street markets in the older area of Georgetown. This one specialzed in hardware and services like key cutting.
| | Queensbay Mall is some distance to the south of Georgetown, so you take a bus or taxi. It claims to be the longest and biggest and is not quite 1 year old yet. Many designer labels, coffee shops and food outlets. |  Queensbay Mall |  Sudoku Contest | Here in the basement, a Sudoku contest was underway. After several heats, this was the final for the day, and the winners would go on to a national competition The girl facing us on the left of the photo has just finished (she's first) and in a couple more moments the boy in the yellow shirt also finishes. There are many temples and heritage houses to come - you may need to click "More ..." |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 22 November 2008 )
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Read more...
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Written by Ron B
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Sunday, 02 November 2008 |
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 21 - the team in Vegas | 21 (2008)Adapted from the Ben Mezrich bestseller Bringing Down The House, this movie tells the story of Ben (Jim Sturgess) a Boston student who wamts a scholarship to med school but is told he lacks life experience. He then gets recruited into a team led by a math professor (Kevin Spacey) that travel to Vegas each weekend and makes a killing by counting cards. Ben makes enough money to go to med school, but then loses it all. Thus the movie is dressed as a cautionary tale, but is not all that believable. | It seems that this roller coaster ride, where the honesty he started with is discarded, does in fact, constitute "life experience". It made me wonder whether people brought up without crises or traumas in their lives are actually missing something. I enjoyed the movie but its not a great movie. |  21 - celebrating with the Professor |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 02 November 2008 )
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