Hungarian GP

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro moved to within 19 points of Championship leaders McLaren Mercedes after Kimi Raikkonen scored eight points for Ferrari at the Hungarian Grand Prix yesterday and McLaren failed to score. This followed a stewards' ruling against McLaren after they were judged to have imposed orders which cost Lewis Hamilton the chance of a second qualifying run in the third session of qualifying. The team is appealing.

Fernando Alonso and Hamilton had set the two fastest times, but the Spaniard was penalised five places on the grid for his part in the affair. Hamilton went on to win, challenged all the way by Raikkonen, while Alonso scored a close fourth place behind Nick Heidfeld. Felipe Massa, destined to start 14th after a mistake by the team in the second session of qualifying, failed to scored points so that the Ferrari are pair are 20 points behind championship leader Hamilton.

As ever, on a circuit as difficult to overtake on as the Hungaroring, much was decided in qualifying - perhaps more than usual. Hamilton inherited Alonso's pole position with Heidfeld starting alongside. Raikkonen lined up third behind Hamilton with Nico Rosberg's Williams in fourth place. Ralf Schumacher was fifth from Alonso sixth. Then came Robert Kubica and Jarno Trulli.

The start was obviously one of the best opportunities for place changes and Raikkonen took full advantage, overtaking Heidfeld off the line and into the first corner. Rosberg remained fourth from Schumacher, then Kubica and Mark Webber and Alonso in eighth, having lost two places.

Hamilton drew away during the opening stint, having a 3.9s lead on lap 18 before the leading pair both made their pit stops. Heidfeld slowly dropped away before stopping first on lap 17, and Rosberg also dropped away. Schumacher, however, stayed close to the Williams driver, pushed throughout by Alonso who stopped, like Heidfeld and Rosberg, on lap 17.

Hamilton came out of the pits with a two second lead, and within eight laps, Raikkonen was on his tail, but there he would remain. The pair were now over 10s clear of the rest of the field, led by Heidfeld. Behind Rosberg, Kubica had leapfrogged ahead of the Schumacher-Alonso duel and when Rosberg made a second of three stops, he moved up to fourth.

The BMWs were also on three stops, making the second just after the forty lap mark. Raikkonen came in on lap 46 which was four laps ahead of leader Hamilton, and when the McLaren emerged from the pits, he was 4.4s ahead. But both drivers were now on the softer of Bridgestone's tyres, and the Ferrari seemed to be better suited to them, with Raikkonen now the quicker driver. Within six laps, the 4.4s gap had largely disappeared, and now Raikkonen was on Hamilton's tail.

But there, again, he would remain for the final 13 laps of the race, setting fastest lap on the very last of the 70 laps, and finishing 0.715s behind the McLaren. Heidfeld finished a distant third place, while Alonso got the better of Schumacher in their final pit stops and then closed on the BMW Sauber, shadowing it all the way to the chequered flag. Kubica finished fifth from Schumacher and Rosberg.

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My drool factor at the moment

Yes... I think he's hot!

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Insensitive

a silent move that we make
when we awake

my conscience
come and going come and go
a troubled mind and twisted hand
we use everytime this everytime…

all the sentimental feeling
that sometimes makes our heart burning
we surrender to a strong desire
ignorant to the needs of other
little whisper of little voices
that calls when we make desperate choices
are we that oblivious?
so insensitive

so many choices to be made
so little time to decide
so little guilt on our side

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Sleepers

This book review is long over due, just like many other books that I’ve yet to review.

I read this on my trip to negeri di bawah bayu back in May.

Those who know me would have known that I am a fan of the movie Sleepers. I remember watching that movie when I was still in secondary school and it leaves such an impact. The horrible things men do to satisfy themselves…

I learn the movie was based on a true story and that the horrible journey of those four young boys was documented. I’ve been looking for the book, being a bookworm freak that I am, ever since. After several years of searching, I managed to obtain the book on March 6, 2006 via amazon. The book however just sat there on my bookshelves. I’m too scared to open the first page as the dreadful scenes from the movie are still so fresh in my mind.

Before my journey to Sabah, fortunately I only left with two books that are yet to be read. One of it is Sleepers and the other one is the Dragon Rider.

So as I have promised in my journal, here is the review of the first book: Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra. This is a true story of friendships that run deeper than blood.

Lorenzo and his three friends: John Reilly, Tommy ‘butter’ Marciano and Michael Sullivan, shared everything and has undying loyalty to one another. But on one fateful summer day, a hotdog cart prank went awry and the boys nearly got a man killed. Lorenzo and his friends were sent away to a reformatory school.

There begins the life of hell for these young boys. Any vestiges shred of innocence was stripped away as the guards; Nokes, Stylers, Ferguson and Addison, repeatedly beat, brutalized and raped them. When I read the words written, it became so graphics that it all seems so real. Even more so as I was alone in a hotel room in a place that is so alien to me. I get light-headed and was chilled to the bone reading what was done to the boys. It dawn on me then and I came to realize for the first time that evil can be wearing the mask of men. But we better known those attribute simply as inhuman.

There are two incidents of brutality that I still remembered clearly (it has been omitted from the movie). It happened to Lorenzo himself when he was called to the guard office to get the parcel that was sent by his mother. Among the food that his mother sent was a rosary beads. When asked by Nokes what it was for, he answered it was for prayer. Nokes and his crews then make him say the prayer while Styler slid the front end of a baton inside him. Yes, inside him! A baton!

The other was during Lorenzo’s last night at the Wilkinson. Nokes make him watch as his crews tore at his friends, raped them and attacked them as if they were animals freed from cage. He wrote later that a part of all of them was left in that cell that night. Who wouldn’t?

(Geez, I still got Goosebumps. My heart still pounds so hard and my hand is trembling like mad. I could not even imagine putting myself in their shoes.)

The boys emerge after a year of torture, changed beyond recall. John and Tommy took to a life of violent crime as mobster killers, Lorenzo became a journalist and Michael a prosecutor with the DA’s office. The only constant was their undying friendship.

Ten years later, Tommy and John came face to face with Nokes at the Shamrock Pub. They confronted him, revealed their identities and shot him dead in front of several witnesses. If you asked me, Nokes gets what he deserved and so much worst.

In the trial that followed, the four friends were brought together for one spectacular, audacious last stand. Michael was the DA for the trial and without the knowledge of Tommy and John (who couldn’t believe Michael took a case against them), and with help from Hell’s Kitchen community, they exacted punishment for what had been done to them as children.

(To know the exact details of the punishment and what happened to these four friends, pick up the book and read it yourself. That or you could ask me personally.)

Sleepers is an unforgettable story of childhood friendship. It is a stunning account of four men who risked their lives and their freedom in a desperate attempt to reclaim each other from the anguish consuming them. This book gives me nightmares for several days and although I love the movie, it does not do justice to the book. The movie omitted many of (I think) important things that happened to them before they were sent away and during their stay at Wilkinson. But thanks to the movie I was able to put faces to the characters which gave me genuine pleasure when I was engulfed by this non-fiction book.

Last but not least, my heart goes out to Lorenzo who selfishly and valiantly recounted his own personal nightmares. I could never have that kind of courage…

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Simpsons the Movie

A classic Simpsons this movie is. I started laughing from the minute the 20th Fox Entertainment gets on the screen till the very end. And I wasn't the only one. You'll see what I mean when you go and watch it (and you must!)

The story begins with Green Day performing on the river. As many other rock stars that visited Springfields, they faced the same fate. At their memorial service, Grampa was sent a doomsday message. Marge figured that the prophecy must have something to do with the pig that was adopted by Homer. The adoption led Bart to feel less loved by his father so he seek to Mr. Flander for substitute. Then Homer did what he was warned not to do by Marge. He pollutes the river when he dumped the pig's shit in there. EPA then came into play. To contained the pollution, the government put a dome on Springfield. Homer loses his job and when the citizen of Springfield mob his house and demanded that his family should all be hang, Maggie found the way out through the sink hole. So they went to Alaska to start a new life. All is well until they learn from the news that the government wants to blow up Springfield. Homer had to come back and save Springfield from destruction since his family was caught by the EPA.

Through it all, Lisa found herself an Irish boyfriend, Bart relationship with Homer went from up to down and up again, Homer loves for his family rekindled while Maggie and her pacifier was inseparables as always.

The movie is filled with laughs all the way through; some slapstick humor for kids and some more grown up humor with some adult themes. Kudos to the producers who had delivered us with an excellent movie after 18 years of the show being on air. Some may criticize the movie and say its too like an extended episode of the show but that can't be help can it? It is kind of obvious as it does have Homer, Marge, Lisa and Bart in it as well as the countless other characters from the show, not to mention few other guest artists. I also can see why they were proudly advertise that it is a 2-D movie. If it is a 3-D, I doubt if it will be as good. Somehow I think it will lost it's Simpsonness.

I am definitely recommend this movie. Two thumbs up from me and it is a must watch if you call yourself a Simpson's fan.

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Honey and Clover II

I was first introduced with this anime when it was shown on Astro channel 25 but unfortunately I was not able to follow the series.

I bought the DVD last week (both season 1 and 2) and once I started I could not stop. Nevermind if I have to be awake at 4am in the morning as long as I finish it. It was addicted and with every chapter I fall in love more and more with the characters. This is the first anime that I do not have any antipathy towards at least one of the character. Imagine that!

I can assure you that even viewers outside the target demographic attest to its greatness, pointing out its heartfelt storytelling and unique visual style. It was supposed to be just good enough for sophisticated female viewers—and it ended up being good enough for everyone. Funnier than most comedies and more touching than most dramas (even the live-action ones), Honey and Clover has emerged as one of the best anime I had ever watched, and I've watched plenty.

The story begins right in the middle of things—Takemoto in his second year of college, Mayama nearing graduation, and Morita stuck in seventh-year hell. Then Hagu-chan came into the picture. She simply joins the cast, and the drama-go-round begins. There is no epic quest to fulfill, no convoluted conspiracy to unlock, no childhood friend to win over—it's just a bunch of college kids figuring out what to do with their lives, and it is fascinating. Every character gets a moment in the spotlight, with story arcs transiting flawlessly between each other. Even Takemoto, who spends most of the series as a neutral observer, closes things out with an inspiring personal triumph. The mood of the show switches effortlessly from madcap comedy to utter heartbreak and everything in between, yet nothing feels out of place. Within a single episode, a game of Art School Twister takes humor to new heights, and yet minutes later, Takemoto muses upon the meaning of friendship.

Honey and Clover succeeds because of its characters' complex personalities. Morita emerges as a quick fan favorite with his bizarre antics and affinity for money, but to focus on him is to miss out on the intricate relationships between everyone else. I can see myself dating him in real life. My heart reach out for Takemoto as well in his struggle to wins Hagu-chan love. In particular, Ayumi's unrequited attachment to Mayama is sure to arouse plenty of indignation about the portrayal of women in Japanese entertainment. But maybe that anger is because Ayumi openly reveals everything we hate about themselves: weakness, insecurity, and the tendency to do really stupid things in the name of love. She is the most human character in a cast of incredibly human characters.

If Honey and Clover has any faults, it's that you want it to keep going after it's over. It ends just like it begins—right in the middle of things, with so much more yet to be experienced. Without realizing it, you've become part of that circle of friends: you've shared their heartbreaks and triumphs, walked alongside them as they poured out their feelings, and watched each one of them learn a little bit more about themselves. Whether in school or not, who hasn't asked themselves at some point: "What do I want to do? Who do I want to be?" Honey and Clover may not have the answers, but it's all about trying to find them.

The other thing I realize when I had finished this anime is this: people do drifted apart as we get older...

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