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September 26, 2006

Those young whippersnappers are getting sharper by the hour....

Parents put your computers on lock down and forget about saving passwords online. In England, a wee one by the name of Jack Neal hit Ebay and bought his mum and dad a Barbie pink Nissan. He is a all of three years old. Good ole Jack's parents were able to call the vendor and get out of the sale, but it was a close call nonetheless.

Granted this was nothing more than little kid clicking some buttons while he played on the computer, and he is too young to really have been impacted if he has stumbled upon some unsavory materials, but it makes you wonder how fast our next generations are going to be growing up and developing. Are we still giving them the chance to be kids, or is the rapid evolution of society making the young people of the world grow up too fast? Are we raising mini-adults or kids?

Posted by eva on 7:54 AM

September 25, 2006

Heartbreak Hill, Russian Hoods and the Battle between Good and Evil....

Having had a movie marathon this past weekend, I am reporting on some movies worth a watch:

This past weekend I caught the poignant and refreshing coming of age comedy called Saint Ralph. Written and directed by Michael McGowan, Saint Ralph chronicles Ralph Walker's journey toward penintance and ultimately achieving the miracle of bringing his mother out of a deep coma. Set in the Canada of the mid 50s in the confines of Catholic schools of yesteryear, this picture allows you to become overcome with Ralph's all guts determination towards sainthood (by means of running and winning the 1954 Boston Marathon) and the relationships and hardships he encounters on his quest. You can pick this up at your local rental shop/online service and selected premium movie channels.

Another intersting pick, is Oligarkh or Tycoon: the new Russian, a movie-billed as a cross between Citizen Kane and Scarface, which starts with the accidental death of Platon Makovski, one of the new corrupt oligarchs left in the vacuum of the collapsed USSR. This movie is built upon flashbacks, starting with the carefree college days towards his descent into criminality. Each part of his life is retold through the eyes of his various former associates and lovers. Definitely worth a watch, though at times the quick jumps in time can be a bit abrupt and situations are left unsettled, and assumes that the audience would have a good grasp of the turbulent Russian government and economy, as would its target audience.

And another picture from the land that gave us vodka and caviar, is the surprise hit, Night Watch, Nochnoy Dozor, which many may have caught when it was released stateside earlier this year. It has finally hit the shelves of video shops across town, offering the expanded ending that the US theatrical release did not have. An excellent fantasy thriller pitting the forces of good and evil against the backdrop of modern day Russia, the grittiness of the cinematography enhances the ambience of the picture. The sequel is in the pipeline though release dates for the US are unknown and always subject to change.

Posted by eva on 7:47 AM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2006

Latin American Literary Morsels - Brazilian Edition

Travessia -

Nem heroi, nem vilao. Apenas un homen que acertava as vezes e se confundia outras, como todos, um homen de grandes sentimentos, grandes gestos e grandes equivocacoes, como tantos outros. Un homen, afinal. Um amigo.
- Maria Luiza de Alba

In my daily grind I am fortunate to stumble upon beautiful gems of writing that often remain undiscovered by the masses, hindered by a language barrier or just lost in an esoteric sea of academia, unfriendly and uninviting. Humbly, I put forth my translation, and apologize as it does not quite have the same verve and poignancy of the original language:

"Neither hero, nor villain. Just a man who was dead on sometimes and was off others, like all, a man of strong sentiments, grand gestures and considerable doubts, like so many others. A man, ultimately. A friend."

Posted by eva on 7:00 AM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2006

Alcohol - Encourager of Awkward Social Situations...

Last night, I went out with some friends for some drinks to celebrate a birthday. After a tough week and a rainy Friday, all I really wanted to do was go to a movie or home to curl up in my big bed with a good book, but after some scolding and ridicule, I caved in and joined the convoy to our watering hole of choice. It's not that I am anti-social, but there are some nights when I am not in an outgoing mood and the maddening crush of the bar scene does not hold any appeal to me. Don't get me wrong, one the right night, I'm all about dancing, drinking and having a good time, but it gets old quickly.

As I nursed my Grey Goose Orange with cranberry, the drinks flowed freely amongst my friends, the birthday boy danced on tables, we all cha cha'd and swinged at the bar, poured shots and the typical raucous behavior of twenty-somethings out on the town. As the poor man's truth serum, I mean alcohol, kicked in awkward moments took place, which when sober, makes you a bit uneasy. More often than not those things said and done are forgotten by morning. Yet other things can make you feel a bit gauche.

In particular, an acquaintance started massaging my shoulders, on the sly, and not wanting to be completely rude, I let him, as my back has been tied up in knots. After a couple minutes, I was fine, but he wasn't stopping. Not wanting to feel like a complete ingrate, I let him continue, all the while trying to extricate myself from the situation. There I was, cornered in a bar booth by an overzealous masseur, with no way out. Finally a friend needed to go to the ladies room and everyone slide out of the booth and we all headed to the bar for another round of drinks. Thinking that the massage session was over as I leaned against the bar, to my chagrin he continued, and my annoyance grew, my brow furrowing slightly, a warning sign that only those in my inner circle know, that when followed by a cocked left eyebrow, means you're in trouble. Somehow, we were coerced into a cha cha, ending the touchy feely session for the evening and making me wish I'd gone home.

I know he meant nothing inappropriate, as I see him like a much older cousin or brother, and normally I feel completely safe around him, but it does make one wonder, how do you let someone you know that you are uncomfortable with what is happening, and not hurt their feelings? This situation makes me feel like an ungrateful @itch, but in truth, I felt that my personal space was invaded, even though I really didn't really say anything to make him stop.

Nothing really has changed in how I perceive him, but it does make it a bit awkward to say the least. As I walked to my car in the downpour around midnight, raindrops running down my head and soaking me through and through, all I could fantasize about was my warm inviting bed, ready to embrace and lull me into much-needed sleep, the only contact I needed last night.

Posted by eva on 11:15 AM | Comments (9)