No, JOANNE PEH did not make it to the SINGAPORE STAR AWARDS 2007 TOP TEN LIST. And it isn't her fault.

I mean, who cares? For those who won, some do not even have screen persona as JOANNE does. Honestly.

I have deliberately shown pictures of top Singapore Media Corp artistes to Film Directors from the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand, and they have shortlisted JOANNE PEH to be one of the hot favourites in terms of "picture-presence".

Regional Film Producers think she is an "unpolished" gem too. So there! All she needs now is a right film break on the big screen, and it looks like she is heading in that direction soon.

YES, she has been cornered by bad press from time to time. Which popular star hasn't? Gossip is news. The more they write about you, then you are newsworthy....got value.....you have substance over form......ah...."bad press" sells. Right? Better than no press.

There's no business like show business, where vicious vibes. petty jealousies and bitchiness prevail. There's no immediate escape route as you are a piece of "public property" for the public to scrutinize. Learn the rules.

But hey, JOANNE has always been giving show business her best shot.

Though quintessentially disarming about her views in life and career, she has recently chose to remain reticent in order not to be misquoted.

Life has its share of heartbreaks, joy and love, of course. Like no other.

It has been rumoured that JOANNE is dating a popular actor, a fellow colleague, but she remains mum about this.

She has style and grit, is intellectual and well-read, writes well, maintains her own personal blog where she keeps in close contact with her fans.

Smart lass. This one will go a long way, mark my word.

So Singapore Media Corp. Take note!

Some months ago I wilfully stopped posting comments from readers on my Blog as it's meant to  be a platform for my rants and musings.

I've been real busy with ongoing production projects, notwithstanding creative content work to focus on anything else. My sincere apologies.

This blog is only 6 MONTHS old and I will always do my best to write interesting, food-for-thought and newsworthy stuff.

Of late, there has been a spate of readers wanting upldates on CHAIWAT THONGSAENG, that hunk who debuted in BANGKOK LOVE STORY,

Some critics panned this film as an "insipid and woefully box-office hit".

You are the best judge, whether you agree to this one or not.

If there's any truth, than POJ ANON the director who is working non-stop film-after-film on features of this "queer" genre would really be out of business.

Critiques may try to shoot him down, but POJ ANON is meanwhile, laughing his way to the bank. So there!

Box office success counts.

Now to appease enquiries from readers for latest bits on CHAWAT THONGSAENG - here goes:

BANGKOK LOVE STORY is one weepie of a movie about a sullen and brooding hitman who ironially fell for his handsome victim played by CHAIWAT THONGSAENG.

This movie received scathing reviews from critics and the saving grace was the excellent cinematography by lensman TIWA MAITHAISONG plus the lead actor CHAIWAT who can easily pass off as a Korean, Japanese or Chinese actor.

He gave a terrific performance, intense and complex, and became an instant  hit. The rest is history.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is currently the hottest celebrity hunk in Thailand.

He is only 20 years of age, mind you, but you can always cast him in a 20 mId-something role unlike teenage icons MARIO MAUER or WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL (both from LOVE OF SIAM fame) who definitely look like kiddos, so to speak.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is the epitome of the ultimate sex symbol, the 2-in-1 pretty boy model cum rugged film star: a semblance of physical harmony.

He has a body to die for, so when it comes to doing fashion spreads, his stylists often insist that he strips to his undies to exploit  his glorious torso and abs.

Showing undies is OK, but CHAIWAT's not ready to expose his well toned butt cheeks nor "full frontal". No way.

Unless there is a renowned film director and a great script that can tempt him to drop his "Adam's leaf", he prefers to keep his genitalia discreetly covered. This  "restricted zone" is made available for his girlfriend's private viewing only.

Quite a quintessential guy, his experience both as a fashion and catwalk model has earned him the respect for being a Thai fashionista. 

Good looks are truly skin deep. Performance is lasting.

Physical fitness isn't only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.

You are the most important person in your life. The fact is, if you're not looking after yourself, you are in no position to look after others.

In humid Bangkok, where temperatures can be sometimes merciless, CHAIWAT knows how to look hot in scorching style, both in attire and without.

Just take a peek at some of the pictures provided here.

CHAIWAT THONGSAENG has plans for a movie musical in 2009 where there is a hilarious scene of him doing the tantalizing STRIP TEASE with some of Asian pop divas.

We are living in a pained world and the poem EMOTIONAL NUDITY by GEANTI LIGHTBOURNE aptly describes it:

"Remove the thongs of this world's

hatred and prejudice from my hips and slide

them slowly down to the floor.....

Where they can be no more,

Undress me until I am stripped bare of this world's evil and tainted essence

Until, like the day of my birth -

I emerge BEAUTIFUL, UNTOUCHED and UNPOISONED."

Sexy, isn't it?

 

 

SURPRISE. SURPRISE.

Guess who's the reigning queen of Sex Appeal in Asian Cyberspace?

It's VIVIAN HSU.

Miss popular perennial sex pot HSU QI does not even comes close, in terms of votes.

IF LOOKS CAN BELIE, then the face of VIVIAN HSU tells a thousand tales.

Her sweet, angelic face and doleful eyes certainly reek disarming innocence.

She is the kind you'd want to shield from being engulfed by this dangerous show business arena.

If you follow entertainment gossip closely, then you'd know that the celluloid world is very much like the naughty Hollywood series SEX AND THE CITY.

Of course sex sells, and maybe we should take a cue from EDISON CHEN who taught us on how to perform diabolical sex to silly aspiring nymphets. 

Now back to VIVIAN who is cool, stoic, street-smart and is anything but her "child-like" demeanor

She is also one incredibly sexy woman, and oozes immnese appeal, has substance over form and a "please help me" pixie look that can get any awestruck guy all hot and heavy.

VIVIAN is likened to the 60s French sex kitten called BRIGITTE BARDOT who "purrs" pure sex at all times.

Most sexy sirens are positioned as the "come-hither-fuxx-me" type - bitchy and forgettable, but VIVIAN has a virginal sweetie pie face that "dwells" atop a voluptuous body.

That's what makes VIVIAN so special.

And VIVIAN is Taiwan's sultry export to the fickle world of sexism and fickle entertainment.

She is hugely popular in JAPAN and KOREA, where she is attaining A-lister STAR immunity by now.

So are you man enough or.... can VIVIAN wet up your sexual appetite with a little bit of wild and frenzied imagination?

You can't deny it's great for an uplifting sex life, a la tantric sex. Ha Ha.

Here's how JAY O'TOOLE sums up sex appeal:

"We know how fickle bodies are, 

Attraction will be gone,

We hope to some day be a STAR

but end up known by none.

How sad that sex appeal's so thin

The beauty that we hoped to win,

Now sings another's song!"

VIVIAN was discovered in 1990 when she won a talent contest in Taipei. Immediately after, she was contracted as one of the trio in a female band called SHAO NU DUI or PRETTY GIRLS BAND.  Unfortunately this "PRETTY" band did not see the light of day, and suffered a sad fate.

Smart VIVIAN went on to "take the short cut route" by doing a sensual nude photo album called ANGEL HEART in 1995, and was soon awarded with 2 movie offers for artistic soft porns.

One was called NAUGHTY ANGEL and the other  - ANGEL HEART, a la Lolita genre.

The nude albums and flicks brought her instant stardom, much to her relief and spurred her to do 2 more nude photo albums, this time called VENUS and DEVIL ANGEL in 1996.

JAPAN took notice of her nubile beauty and dare-to-bare artistry and encouraged by the unwavering support of the Japanese, she decided to sing again.

She released a hit single simultaneously in JAPAN and TAIWAN in 1995. Results were amazingly successful.

VIVIAN HSU finally achieved her dream to release her solo CD album called ANGEL DREAMING in 1996. She also recorded the KOREAN VERSION of this album after only 2 weeks of crash learning of the KOREAN language.  Such was the experimental side of VIVIAN.

She made JAPAN her base in 2001/2 where she was a regular host and guest of JAPANESE VARIETY PROGRAMS.  She even formed a JAPANESE BAND then.

In 2003 she flew back to TAIWAN and continued working there after achieving break-through fame in JAPAN and KOREA.

She has another latent talent - lyrics writing.

She has written for JAY CHOU and LEE HOM, to name a few.

Her star is on the rise year by year, specially so in KOREA and JAPAN.

In native TAIWAN, she is respected as an established artiste, but the adulation is never the same.

As you can see, everything is always "angel" about VIVIAN HSU.

It's the word that garners fame for her for more than one decade.

And that's a pretty long time by now.

Now, with an angelic face to die for as in VIVIAN's, how can one possibly go wrong?

This is evident in her constant demand of appearing in KOREAN soaps and films and product endorsements.

VIVIAN HSU. Waif-like innocence and naivete personified.

I am now putting the lid on the FINAL INSTALMENT of the Thai movie LOVE OF SIAM.

Enough has been written. It's time for one grand FINALE.

Then I'll move on with my other articles.

This last one is for die-hard fans.

This film scored for MARIO MAURER and WITWISIT  HIRANYAWONGKUL who went on to become teenage icons even long after all the brouhaha has died down.

Never before has a THAI movie carried so much "steam".

It's one that you have to watch with your eyes, see with your heart and experience the remarkable tenderness of LOVE OF SIAM.

Even I was amazed.

The audience's response was unpredicted and unprecedented as the film was originally slated to be "just a simple love story" to tug at your heartstrings.

LOVE OF SIAM did more than just that.

It brings home a message that:

IF IT'S LOVE or IF YOU ARE IN LOVE,

JUST FOLLOW YOUR DREAM.

LIFE HAS NO FINER MOMENT.

The film's signature song KAN LAE KAN or translated as "JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE" sums up the many facets of love.

Love can lift you up, and let you down sometimes.

Love is agony, hurt and longing all rolled into one.

But what is life without love?

KUDOS to WITWISIT and MARIO for their superb sensitive acting in their debut feature.

The scene whereby WITWISIT sings to MARIO, you can almost feel the intensity of their love. The exchange of  adoring glances between them speaks a thousand words.

It's like embarking together on a journey of life and hope.

NOW, here's the condensed version of the lyrics of "JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE" that I have translated personally as a befitting tribute to this wonderful film LOVE OF SIAM by CHOOKIAT SAKVEERAKUL:

"IF I had told you that this SONG was penned specially with YOU in mind,

You may not have believed,

It might not have been as lovey-dovey as the other ballads,

Yet love songs cannot be written

without true feelings from the heart,

As it was for you,

The words just flow freely......

You could have listened to a thousand ballads,

Some may touch you deep inside

And mean nothing more

But the moment you hear this song,

You'd know at once that the lyrics are dedicated to you only,

We have this beautiful memory that we should cherish.

It's as though we are embarking on life's journey

by listening to the pitter-patter of our own heartbeats,

Wasn't I there for you?

And I know you'll always be there for me too,

Having you by my side,

I believe there's no obstacle I cannot overcome,

I see our world as .......

JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE."

REALLY SAPPY, isn't it?

As I have said, if you believe in LOVE,

JUST FOLLOW YOUR DREAM,

BECAUSE LIFE  HAS NO FINER MOMENT.

It's hot-hot now in THAILAND.

The paparazzi is "pushing" the heat by relentlessly stalking the formidable CHAIWAT THONGSAENG and his buddies WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL and MARIO MAURER for juicy bits of scandal, that is, if they can salvage any. 

Under the constant glare of media scrutiny surrounding the the young actors' private lives, here's revealing their ages:

CHAIWAT - 20  (Flagship film BANGKOK LOVE STORY)

WITWISIT -  18  (Flagship film LOVE OF SIAM)

MARIO      - 19  (Flagship film LOVE OF SIAM)

These are Thailand's emerging TEENAGE ICONS who command handsome amounts to grace shows and endorse brands.

And are repeatedly being sought after for magazine covers, no less.

Age-wise, they are only a year apart from one another, but it's CHAIWAT who's also a catwalk model that outshines the other two in stature and size. CHAIWAT stands at 6 feet tall, has a chiseled body and hits the gym every other day.

WITWISIT and MARIO tend to look really young, but CHAIWAT can pass off as a cool 24 year old due to his "bigger body frame" and an omnipresent charisma.

Ah, what price fame?

It's earning one fat bank account and MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.

 BIG on excitement. BIG on deals, about striking the right perfection balance.

CHAIWAT, WITWISIT and MARIO are still  varsity undergraduates - and already blazing the trail and are currently the hottest 'flavors' for this season. No doubt they are counting their blessings.

This awesome trio has only hit one year in show business and already reaping lucrative returns.

"Making film is fun, specially if you get to do the right role with a great film director," all three quip, "but the experience can get physically draining as well, after one month or so of non-stop shooting."

Best of pals?  Hard to say.

Theirs is a hi-and-bye friendship that's really "blowing hot and cold", depending on which way the wind blows.

They are playing smart, but let's see if they are able to retain this tempo for long.

They come from privileged family backgrounds and are working hard to accomplish their varsity studies and the occasional film project. There's hardly time for them to savour social life, despite being successful.

The perks? Able to fly first class and living the good life, as money can afford them. Not bad.

Because in the celluloid world, myriads of pretty faces come and go, unless they have "substance over form" as in the case of ANANDA EVERINGHAM (of SHUTTER fame), who's now suffering from over-exposure and therefore, a dearth of challenging roles.

While CHAIWAT, WITWISIT and MARIO are still bankable now, maybe one smart film maker should cast the three of them in a romantic feature.

We all know that most teenage actors tend to lose their "charm" and "cuteness" when they mature.

CHAIWAT is the handsome hunk, MARIO the heart throb and WITWISIT the cute boy-next-door.

Casting them together in a film would be the perfect blend, a sure-fire box office surety.

Another LOVE OF SIAM sequel? Or BANGKOK LOVE STORY?

Fans are waiting with bated breath.

Only time can tell.

And with the number of new faces on the rise each year plus a fickle minded audience that knows no loyalty, who can ensure that fame can last?

Strike while the iron is hot, right?

 

 

  

 

WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL and MARIO MAURER. The oh-ga-ga Thai pretty boy actors that are currently making waves all over ASIA.

They are teenage icons, strapping, successful and much sought after by the Thai international advertising agencies for lucrative product endorsements, popular magazines for fashion spreads and a gush of film offers.

They are still university undergraduates and now.. pretty rich too !!

And all because one debut film LOVE OF SIAM shot them to super stardom overnight.

LOVE OF SIAM is a commercial juggernaut albeit soul-lifting film that touches on broken homes, teenage angst and struggling sexual identities.

It's a sorry yarn of one boy-drawn-to-another in a complexity of confused love that does not leave us with any stale aftertaste because the film director CHOOKIAT SAKVEERAKUL treads on society's sensitivity and fills us with warm, tingly feelings. He is a rare and competent story teller.

CHOOKIAT includes a sappy and beautiful musical score that will surely tear at your heartstrings.

Now what price CUTENESS and FAME?

These are transient by-products of life, because beauty and popularity will never last forever and is a subject of sense and sensibility.

WITWISIT and MARIO shared an affable chemistry on REEL, but what about in REAL life?

It has been rumored that both are envious of each other's popularity and therefore, not the best of pals.

Each adopts a "facade" whenever there's a chance encounter, and there's this superficiality that is so noticeably adherent by everyone but themselves.

WITWISIT is the one with the musical talent, being an accomplished singer/composer leading his boy band called AUGUST, but it is MARIO who is the much drooled-after cutesy pin up boy.

Besides, MARIO won a BEST ACTOR award for THE LOVE OF SIAM, whereas WITWISIT had a nomination but did not win.

Animosity or petty jealousy aside, GREGORY JAMES best sums up this "put on" friendliness with his short poem:

"I am nobody's monsoon of consummation,

The closer you get to me

The uglier I become,

I am a tropical thunderstorm

But the more you get to know me

The less it matters

Maybe by tomorrow

The clouds will part

And my eyes will reveal

The meadow of rainbows within."

Human nature stipulates that you can't be firm friends with your closest rival.  There is always this uncomfortable feeling in show business, when someone who has the same good looks and talent as you have is doing far better than you.

Check this out.

You just have to be at the right place at the right time.  It's more a question of timing.

MARIO MAUER is a half-Farang, of German and Thai-Chinese parentage.

Thailand has always been one of the few countries in Asia who adores mixed heritage in their performing artistes. They clamor for the exotic Eurasian look.

However this is not so in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan or Korea. It is a trifle difficult to cast a half Farang in a local film, unless the role calls for such a character.

As WITWISIT is a Thai-Chinese, he has a strong fan following in China, Taiwan and Singapore.

Personal conflict or not, there is a strong possibility of a LOVE OF SIAM sequel, due to the colossal box-office success of the original.

So WITWISIT and MARIO might be sharing intimate moments on REEL LIFE again.

Ahhh.....THE WORLD IS A STAGE and we are just mere players...

This is what we called fate...

Carpe diem (seize the day), man !!

The other day I was enjoying an old AUDREY HEPBURN's 1957 classic movie musical called FUNNY FACE on DVD. It's this dreamy feel-good yarn of a Miss plain bookworm-turned-beautiful fashion model.

As Co-Actress KAY THOMPSON belted out the snappy but whimsical song THINK PINK!! with the beautiful scene bathed in glorious CHRISTIAN DIOR's pink....it suddenly occurred to me that the word PINK has a different connotation these days, one of a sexual gender.

Think PINK?

Because if you do, you may be treading on solid paths of gold.

Do NOT undermine the true value of the PINK dollar.

These days, the PINK dollar can garner votes, wields so much power, too much strength.

Even our singing divas, MADONNA and KYLIE MINOGUE know this and play by the rules.

In return, they earn the unwavering support of the the international gay community, thus accounting for their "star staying" power and their consistent growing CD album sales. Where many failed, they have succeeded. Smart manoeuvre.

Even ace film director ANG LEE is no exception. In his early directorial career in Taiwan, he helmed a very successful family but gay genre film called THE WEDDING BANQUET, a 1993 breakthrough film about a chinese son based in the USA who was torn between parental expectations to marry and his closeted sexual identity.

THE WEDDING BANQUET was all-at-once funny, touching and poignant.

In 2005, ANG LEE took the ACADEMY AWARD for Best Director in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, a tragic tale about two lustful but confused cowboys and their marital angst.

In 2008 it has been earmarked that ANG LEE is exploring again, the making of a new gay-themed Hollywood film revolving around the 1960s WOODSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL.

The glowing success in terms of box-office popularity of ANG LEE's gay-theme genre has inspired many of his ASIAN counterparts and paves the way for them to jump onto the bandwagon.

Targeting the PINK dollar is brisk business these days for film makers, executive producers and investors.

And how are we going to ensure a surefire successful formula?

Rule Number One : Throw in  gorgeous hunks with chiseled bodies. Go fishing, cast your net wide and audition, audition, audition with help from your neighborhood's friendly media. Before this, arm yourself with a solid script and a competent storytelling film director.

Rule Number Two: 
Add a couple of beautiful actresses but get them only for cameos. They are after all, "vases", but an inspiration to the core story. Hey, surely you are not going to make a film featuring guys only? My bet is that it's going to be so boring !! We need nubile belles for eye candies thrown in for a measure, lo.

Rule Number Three: Next, infuse sizzling scenes of half-draped hunks in " scanty white undies" or "dare-to-bare-all" shots of the aspiring actors. If these hunks are hungry for fame, undressing to make it big would never be a problem.

Rule Number Four: Then the FINALE.  The lead hunk must die, for whatever tragic reasons.  It is a love that is never meant to be.  This is to induce the audience to leave the cinema with misty eyes and clamoring for more.  Sex sells, so do tragedies, given that myriads of die-hard fans craving for Korean soap operas these days.

Now let's talk about the success stories on the ASIAN circuit and the LEAD ACTORS who had since made it big on the big screen:

HONG KONG celebrity-stills photographer-turned-motion-picture Director YANG FANG paired newcomers DANIEL WU and STEPHEN FUNG in the 1998 controversial gay-themed flick BISHONEN on the unlikely tale of a young policeman and his gigolo boy friend. BISHONEN made superstars out of DANIEL WU and STEPHEN FUNG and was YANG FAN's best film to date.

In 2002, award winning Hong Kong director STANLEY KWAN took a gamble on the then unknown CHINA actor LIU YE to play the lead in LAN YU, a tragic story about a bankrupt middle aged businessman who sought solace in the arms of a call boy. LIU YE disrobed to reveal his flaccid pecker in a bedroom scene that was deemed not absolutely necessary, but garnered media attention anyway.

LAN YU went on to win many festival awards. including BEST ACTOR for LIU YE.  Today, LIU YE is much sought after, super rich and successful.

Taiwanese director LESTE CHEN helmed the production of a similar ETERNAL SUMMER in 2006 and launched the career of wannabe BRYANT CHANG who won a best new performer award for his screen debut.

In the PHILIPPINES we are lauded with a slew of gay related films that were hurriedly made between 2007 and 2008 on digital beta and HD mostly, usually produced on very modest budgets. Not easy, therefore we should take a lesson from our Pinoy friends for their unwavering belief to stay "within budgets" and schedules. Dedication to the art reduces operational overheads and saves costs.

Such were MAN IN THE LIGHT HOUSE, DAY BREAK, SIKIL and the most recent SERBIS to mention a few.

HARRY LAUREL and COCO MARTIN are stereo typed in a number of these flicks where they get to display their "precious jewels" in full glory.

COCO MARTIN is one smart actor who believes in crafting his art by venturing into a variety of roles in the direction of a la EWAN McGREGOR to establish his portfolio's stronghold. His performances are a delight to watch and gives fellow actor JERICHO ROSALES  (who is now better known for his love escapades), a run for his money.

HARRY LAUREL's daring erection saw his popularity soared immensely as a no holds-barred gay icon.

Yet despite all the brouhaha, HARRY is still awaiting his big break into the foray of serious acting.  No concrete offers yet, apparently.

From exotic THAILAND, it was CHAIWAT THONGSAENG, a new Thai hunk who stole the thunder in BANGKOK LOVE STORY in 2007 with his vivid portrayal of a rugged policeman who fell desperately for a hitman and neglected the needs of his exasperated fiancee.

The ending was predictably tragic. CHAIWAT THONGSAENG has since gone to do serious roles and is now preparing for a movie musical in 2009.

From the shores of rigid SINGAPORE, young directors KAN LUME and LOO ZIHAN co-directed an eye-popping SOLOS depicting the perplexed love of a junior college student for his male teacher.  This Singapore film was withdrawn from the Singapore Film Festival in 2007 on the pretext that graphic homosexual love making scenes and other content needed to be cut. Audience outside Singapore are looking forward to the screening of SOLOS.

A trite sad for the Singaporeans, but kudos must be given to the entire production team for their commendable effort.

KAN LUME, LOO ZIHAN and BOO JUN FENG (of short story KELUAR BARIS 2008) are the multi-talented next-generation wave of film directors to watch out for in the Asian film circuit.

So think PINK. 

It's the battle of the PINK dollar these days.

In tinseltown the PINK dollar ensures brisk business.

And for sure, which true-blue film maker who believes in the magic of BOX OFFICE clout, would ever want to ignore this fact?

It is apparent, however, that a very large proportion of modern advertising is by no means limited to the purpose of giving useful information to the public. Its primary object is not to inform but to persuade. Sometimes the informative and persuasive functions of an advertisement are so closely linked that it is difficult to separate them. A publisher's catalogue, or a list of steamship sailings, may be regarded as primarily informative. But the question will be one of degree. If, for example, the publisher takes a large space in one of the Sunday papers, decks it out attractively and quotes extracts from the more favourable reviews of his books; or if the steamship company adds to the bare notice of a forthcoming sailing some enticing descriptions of the places to be visited; then it is fairly safe, to assume that the main purpose is not to inform the public, but to persuade them to take some action which mil be of benefit to the advertiser; to buy the book or to register for the cruise in preference to spending their money in some other way.

Now this is the kind of advertising that gives rise to the main questions dealt with in this book. Advertising which is purely informative in its object can be ignored for our purpose. Very little observation or reflection is needed to jihow that it is a small proportion of the whole. Yet it is important to notice the distinction between the informative and the persuasive functions of advertising, since some writers have sought to use this distinction as a basis for their separation of the sheep from the goats.

Nearly all modern advertising is persuasive in intention. Some advertisements mingle much information with their persuasive appeal, some little, and some none at all. But for our purpose advertising may be regarded as a vast apparatus of persuasion, by which the eyes and ears of the public are constantly assailed with cunning inducement to do this, or to buy that, or to think favourably of the other. It cannot be rightly justified or condemned by its incidental effects, though some of these, to be considered in their place, are of very great importance. The information given by advertisements is generally only incidental to their main purpose, which is persuasion. Is this vast business of persuasion really necessary? Does it serve a useful social purpose? These are the main questions to be answered in judging modern advertising.

It was not until the hostilities of war in 1939 that it was realized, by the Nazis, thattelevision can be ‘a tool to manipulate the masses’ (Inventions that changed the world,BBC). Goebbels, Hitlers propaganda minister, is quoted to have said ‘The NationalSocialist State considers it a first duty to infuse into art, new impulses which shall deepenpublic understanding of the greatness of the time (Sington and Weidenfeld, 1942). Thiswould lead us to assume that the Nazis considered that television would be a ‘newimpulse’, using the technology to infuse or ‘advertise’ the ‘greatness’ thus meaningHitler, of that time.

The power of television from that point was evident, convincing theGerman people that nothing out of place was happening around the country, that all of thepropaganda that the allies were spreading was false and that they were winning the war.

This showed that it was perfectly feasible to tell your audience anything and if it wasbeing shown on television then it must be right. We can consider the idea that the fantastic technology [television] was so new at the time that it would have been all themore believable to the audience who were used to listening to the radio or watchingnewsreels in the cinema.

These moving pictures on this small box in their living room must be showing wonderful and truthful things.

Junt aquests adjectius malignes, també s'haurien d'eliminar aquells verbs i adverbis que puguen alterar el nou llenguatge que es crearà.

Primerament el que s'hauria es d'establir uns adjectius, verbs i adverbis estàndards per a definir objectes i persones, ara mateix jo no puc fer una tasca de tal volum, per això es nombraria un consell de savis. Un consell de savis sincers, compromesos amb la causa, d'aquells que busquen en l'home la perfecció. Estoics? Idealistes? Seguidors de la teoria del super home de Nietzsche?( ojo, dic la bona, no la lliure adaptació del nazis ). Al cap i a la fi homes compromesos amb LA CAUSA. Al acabar aquesta selecció, es seguiria amb un altre pas, el millor, el més sensat de tot. És el següent:

Seguidament es seleccionaria a tot un seguit de xiquets acabats de nàixer, aquests xiquets tenen que ser sords i muts, així no tindran la possibilitat d'expressar amb paraules pròpies -inventades- cap adjectiu, verb o adverbi que afecte al sistema de parla que s'ha creat. Aquests xiquets serien rescatats d'un orfenat i introduïts a un centre que, des de xicotets, seran ensenyats a parlar mitjançant un llenguatge de signes adaptat, acotat. Després se'ls manipularia geneticament per a eliminar les cordes vocals, les seues i les de la seua descendència, així solucionaríem la possibilitat que els fills d'aquests tingueren fills que pogueren expressar oralment.

Aquests xiquets serien ensenyats mitjançant classes amb pantalles on es seguiria tot l'estricte programa d'aprenentatge. Els xiquets poc a poc anirien creixent i aprenent les justes paraules per comunicar-se. Aquests, a l' arribar a l'edat preestablerta segons el programa serien alliberats.

Però abans hi ha un pas que s'ha de fer: Morir, morir totes les persones que en aquell moment hi són al planeta. Si, tu, jo i tots aquells amb qui alguna vegada has establert una conversació. Com ho faríem? Al món s'haurien instal.lat un altaveus amb prou potencia per a que s'escoltara arreu del planeta tots els cd's de Operación Triumfo. Si, Nahim, Natalia, Beth i Manu Tenorio i Carrasco. I Bustamante per als més resistents. Vosaltres podeu pensar: " Si fiques la música alta pots rebentar els oïds i estem tots sords i així no cal morir" No, senyor. Consciencieu-vos, redéu. Ací hi ha que morir. I si es de dolor, millor. Sinó no te gràcia. Hi ha que ser un bon màrtir. Un màrtir que busca una nova societat. Una societat lliure d'adjectius, verbs i adverbis subjectius.

Llavors començarà una nova epòca per a la humanitat. Eradicat tot allò dolent del llenguatge, només es divisarà esperança per aquesta nova societat. Llavors si que estarem a un mundo feliz. Sense soma ni res que ens altere. La pau interior absoluta.

Per cert, l'idioma elegit seria l'euskera altnavarrés occidental. Poca broma. Si ens posem, ens posem be.

]]> http://jotambe.wordpress.com/?p=304 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:17:36 +0000 Marc http://jotambe.wordpress.com/?p=304 I ací la segona i última tongà. En el poema nº3 està ficat també, com els dos poemes anteriorment penjats, el nom de la xica entremig d'una paraula, al 4t poema no succeeix el mateix, i es que aquesta xica tenia un nom més estrany per a poder combinar entre paraules. Espere que les gaudiu de les meues arts:

3

Ets malvada. Passió vivent.

Jugues amb el meu cos fins deixar-lo inert.

...

El dimarts, enalteixes

Les teves arts.

Els dijous, mon cor

d’alegria es jou.

...

Et vaig besar aquell dia a la boca,

diria encara més,

et vaig besar les dents.

Llavors esclatà la meva ment.

Em pregunto que es el temps

quant ets absent.

...

L’encontre bisetmanal,

un mal acceptat.

Els demés dies:

Un desert abismal.

...

Marxes i quedo mort

Te’n vas per tornar

Conto minuts, hores i segons

...

4

Els píxels de la teva mirada

deixa la gent encisada.

Tothom queda absent.

Sota el teu pas lent.

...

Quin valor sortir al carrer

deixant a la gent sense alè.

Incites al plaer.

...

Series la cura universal

Però ets el virus letal

Els homes, de les virtuts deserten

Ja ni les menten.

Retornen als valors inicials:

Les passions terrenals.

...

Notes explicatives al possible lector:

Com no, tinc que apuntar alguna dada per a que sapigueu per que faig aquests poemes d'aquesta manera:

Al 3r poema, tinc que explicar que a la xica a la qual li feia estudie anglès, igual que jo, i que anem a classe els dimarts i dijous de 8 a 10 del matí. Per això escric un vers fent referència al dimarts i el dijous. En este poema vaig voler explicar que la xica i jo només ens veiem els dimarts i els dijous, i que els altres dies de la setmana desapareix i jo quede desfet per la seua absència.

Al quart i últim poema faig dos referències informàtiques: els píxels de la mirada i virus letal, i es que la xica en qüestió, anteriorment havia estudiat una enginyeria informàtica o alguna cosa així.

I açò es tot, espere no tenir que escriure poesies d'este tipus durant un temps.

 

 

There's this recent spate of news that bad boy EDISON CHEN is hogging the limelight again and has plans to resurface with a comeback movie in spotless Singapore (of all places) starring alongside sexy Taiwanese actress SHU QI.

It has been slated that this particular film has a Singapore-cum-Foreign investment of 13.8 million dollars but nothing has been defined whether the said amount is in Singapore or US dollars.  But for a made-in-Singapore film, this budget is pure fine dining....in other words.. colossal.

How much of this is celebrity gossip, we can never tell for sure at this juncture.  

EDISON has just publicly sworn to "retire" from show business "indefinitely", and if this one thing is true, then he is mincing his own words, not that he owes anybody an explanation.  It's entirely his private business and not ours to interfere with his life's directions and goals.

But the star line-up of EDISON CHEN and SHU QI is pure chemistry and a sure success formula, despite what we may have read about many advertisers dumping EDISON from product endorsements due to his famous indiscretions over his sexual pictures posted all over the internet earlier this year.

Frankly, unless that particular product that EDISON is endorsing has a squeaky clean wholesome product positioning, smart advertisers are better off using EDISON now, as he has never been better known now than before. As an indirect manouver, sex sometimes sell in more ways than you could ever imagine to create the necessary top-of-mind awareness in any brand campaign for the broad-minded audience.

I mean, who can say that they have never heard of EDISON CHEN now? He is prime time news.

Let's not be hypocritical here.  We just enjoy reading celebrity dirt and sleaze, knowing fully well that a screen celebrity is a normal human being endowed with genitalia like we do, similar fallible habits and forbidden desires. You dare dream?  To err..........hmmm......is human, which is why we go to Church to seek redemption.

Just check how many people browse the internet for juicy bits of news regarding EDISON CHEN these days. They are hoping that some new nubile starlet in a sexual romp with EDISON may appear once again on the internet for gleeful enjoyment and downloading.

Indeed public scrutiny and condemnation have pressurized EDISON CHEN to be a more mature professional, to work out his own healing strategies. There is no escape route and it's either life goes on or life goes out. Choose.

I have immense respect for this dude as he has adopted doctrines that many of us may not even think about:

FORGET YESTERDAY'S MISTAKES

Today is a new day, your mind has been refreshed by sleep, and there's no need to believe in yesterday's misjudgments. Or misfortunes will repeat themselves. Learn from past mistakes and move on!

DECIDE TO BE HAPPY TODAY

Your happiness is in your own hands as you decide on your own code of action.  There are always mistakes of the past to haunt you, but just imagine that a robber has visited you in the night and made off with all your past bad experiences and ingrained habits.  You are, for the moment, free of any burden you choose not to accept. See what it feels like - for a while - to be the new person you wish to be.

EDISON is trying to shed off his bad boy image by humbling himself as of now.

So let's give him kudos for at least trying. That's a positive move.

Life's not easy, so let's take a lesson from here.

 

 

BANGKOK LOVE STORY was the movie that established CHAIWAT THONGSAENG as a promising NEWCOMER, probably the hottest in Thailand now. It was his lucky break and right opportunities just don't happen all the time.

But CHAIWAT's second shot at stardom in a follow-up film by the same director POJ ARNON in HAUNTING ME or THAILAND GHOST STORY does not live up to critics nor fans' expectations.

In this highly competitive albeit relentless world of film making, you need a resourceful manager, an established producer and a competent film director to get your acting career going. You may be endowed with youthful good looks and a chiseled body attained by vigorous hours of gym training, but acting is more than just being a popular pretty pin-up boy.

So what's in store for CHAIWAT THONGSAENG now?

To begin with, CHAIWAT is a modern day academic, a metrosexual with a positive zest for life and living.  Here's his philosophy to deal with negative situations on days when things simply "go wrong" :

TRUST IN LIFE's FLOW

IF you find that you are struggling to achieve a desired result in any situation, it could be that you are trying to force the issue. Instead, sit back and accept whatever happens.  That which is rightly yours will come back to you. Nothing takes place before its designated time.

ACCEPT CHANGE.

NOTHING stays the same forever. True relaxation comes not from controlling life's flow, but from allowing yourself to be carried along by the flow without fear of the future or nostalgia for the past.

LET GO OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES

THERE will always be opportunities in your life that you didn't take, because you didn't see them, because you were already committed, or because you valued something else more highly.  Rather than cursing yourself for missing these opportunities, remember that you made the best choices you could at the time.Look ahead and follow your chosen path, seeking the doorways that are open to you and forgetting about those you have closed.

Barely 23 years of age and with a brain to match, let's say CHAIWAT THONGSAENG is set to go places as he has already charted his course.

His management is finalizing negotiations for CHAIWAT to star in an ASIAN MUSICAL FILM featuring popular young artistes from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines to be shot in CHIANGMAI (Thailand) and IPOH (Malaysia) in the beginning of 2009.

So stay tuned for CHAIWAT's singing-and-dancing prowess, guys !!!

 

The famous line-up above is pretty stark here. Top most (from left to right) are SHU QI, TANG WEI and VIVIAN HSU.

Right below, pretty-in-pink, is sultry PAI LING.

These are Asian beautiful women with immense sex appeal, whether you care to admit this or not. They grace myriads of magazine covers and are also renowned screen actresses, with million of dollars stashed in their bank accounts for the advertising product endorsements they gave.

Paparazzi will camp outside their residences to get latest bits of information about their lifestyles and then "juice" it up to enhance magazine sales.

There you are, it pays to be famous despite your loss of so-called privacy, as fame comes alongside recognition and that fat dollar bottom line !

Which other job can bestow you with such enriching perks ...... to be rich, successful and famous? Indeed, life is never fair.  Some people toil for donkey years to earn what these stars can fetch in a single day.

All the above actresses got their big breaks from Asian supposedly soft porns and they are smart enough to ride on "this calculated break"  as part of a strategic direction they set their minds on. They are endowed with looks, bodies and and "brains to match". They are definitely nobody's fools and sometimes in this filmsy world of show business, artistry "sacrifices" in choice of film roles and proper planning are key ingredients to a successful entertainment career.

CONNECTIONS are all that important and taking short cuts to garner media attention is better than than waiting for years for a plum role to land on one's lap !

It is a clear cut fact why some artistes fail miserably in this endeavour. Even before fame really beckons, they are adopting "attitude" tantrums. Get real, falsies ! Learn from the veterans as you are a product of the media machine, whatever the media make you out to be. The media can either make or kill you.

Just take note that every other day, a new star is born and another competitor is already in the pipeline. A square example is ZHANG ZI YI. She was the media's overexposed darling until director ANG LI groomed new starlet TANG WEI for his latest film LUST CAUTION.

For any artiste, established or aspiring, it pays not to adopt the media offensive stance.

SHOW BUSINESS can be quite a sleazy business, and sometimes things that you may have read or been told may be a little too close for comfort. But not necessarily untrue.

Because as you know, there's no business like show business.  Neither is there any fire without smoke.

 

 

TOP 2 ROWS show CHAIWAT THONGSAENG, Thailand's hottest male sex symbol in a series of sultry poses, after his successful stint in his home-run movie BANGKOK LOVE STORY.

BOTTOM 2 ROWS feature new and strapping Thai singer-cum-actor OAT SURACHAI.

ThESE DAYS, even men are at it, giving the female gender a competitive run for their money.

JANE AUSTEN was the author of the much-read literature-novel SENSE and SENSIBILITY. To borrow a pun from her, we are now touching on the subject of SEX and SEXUALITY or the WAR of the GENDERS.

In this time and age, it is common for men to strive to oust the women in the game of sex appeal and body beautiful.

15 years ago, it was deemed "sissy-ish" for men to adorn make-up and go for facials, but how time changes everything !

For the men, competition takes the form of the popular man-versus-female song "Anything you can do, I can do better !"

Look at the male pageants all over Asia where men dare strut the catwork displaying their well oiled and toned bodies in skimpy bathing trunks to conceal their precious "jewels". If you ask them to sashay butt-naked, I am sure there will be many who will be more than willing to oblige for the price of fame and fortune.

As always, reality bites.

I know this once-upon-a-time Asian actor in the 90s whose make-up kit was bigger than those of his female colleagues, thereby making himself the prime target of some silly sexist jokes. He did not even bat an eyelid then, but look at him now. His popularity has sunk deep, and he is shunned by his peers and bosses for being a "wimp". Worse still, he no longer takes an interest in his looks and has preened himself for the role of an "ageing uncle". Quite the opposite for someone as vain as this dude, who once lived for the purpose of stirring media attention.

Hey, TIME DOES NOT JUST STAND STILL.  We will all grow old someday, all of us. There's no escaping fate.

Look at Asia's best loved actors CHOW YUN FAT and TONY LEUNG.  In their hey days in the 80s they were both touted to be the ultimate Asian sex symbol in terms of looks and charisma.  Well, they are both going on strong in terms of successful careers as leading men. We dare say their looks have matured gracefully and we still hold them in the highest regard as our matinee idols.

So what price sex appeal? The perfect body with looks to match plus a certain kind of charm. Oh yes, sex appeal cannot be cultivated.  Either you have it or you don't.

It is au natural.

So YOU are the gorgeous hunk today. Good luck.  Tomorrow's another day.

Treasure those around you - your family, friends and pets.  When your looks and body wane, they may not be there to root for you.  People come and go. Life goes on.

Maintain your courtesy. Because arrogance and pretension in an artiste  can kill you one day, when you have slipped from your pinnacle.  And when your sunshine friends no longer take a vetted interest in you or your welfare.

So NURTURE YOUR BRAIN, because when you are in the passe stage, you can trust that this is one thing that's not going to let you down.

Good luck to all aspiring artistes !!!

SHE is Filipina by birth - beautiful, young and vivacious.

She is one of the Philippines's top celebrities - a well sought after actress, singer and VJ extraordinaire.

Her name is HEART EVANGELISTA and she is barely 23. And for her, life has never been happier, with a blessed accomplished career and a doting celebrity boy friend JERICHO ROSALES.

Her personality sparkles with radiance because she has clear directions in her life to keep things going.

"Be the gatekeeper of your own HEART. Vigilantly check everything that passes through the gates in either direction.

Open the gates to those who come in peace or love.

Bar entry to anything that will disturb your inner peace. Open the gates to allow your HEART to extend its caring touch. Close the gates to contain any impulses that may cause harm.

Imagine you are walking into the auditorium of a huge theatre just as the audience is leaving after a performance. The stage is being cleared. You wander onto the now empty stage and sit on a chair, looking out across the endless rows of vacant seats.

You are struck by the absolute stillness. Your mind becomes empty like the stage. Your HEART becomes silent, like the auditorium. Your spirit is at peace."

We should control our life and directions, and not the other way round.

Now everything lies in the HEART of things, doesn't it?

El packaging d'un producte es important en el lloc de compra. Aquest ajuda a concretar la decisió de compra, es l'extensió de la filosofia de marca i del producte al lloc de venda, l'últim esquer creat per una empresa. Si aquest es visualment mes atractiu te moltes mes paperetes de ser comprat pel potencial consumidor. Moltes vegades abusar dels programes de retoc, com el Photoshop -beneit siga- i el FreeHand pot fer que -i ho fa- es distorsione la imatge del producte. Mes brillo, menys contrast, fica-li unes verduretes de mes a la foto, afegís-li un troset mes de menjar, utilitza un recipient mes modern o mes casolà segons el concepte de producte, etc.

Hi ha gent, i no es mentira -veus tu ara, jo m'apodere de la veritat- que es dedica la seua feina a treballar amb la presentació del producte. Un exemple típic que podem dir es quan, a la televisió, veiem com cau de la botella de renta vaixelles un liquid perfecte a sobre d'una esponja o quan, veiem com es diposite perfectament la pasta de dents al damunt del raspall. Digues-li "màgia publicitària".

Ací vos adjunte uns quants exemples, per a pugueu observa aquesta distorsió entre realitat i publicitat.

Nyam, nyam, eh? Menys mal que a aquests productes no se li apliquen valors humans com a la roba ni l'alcohol... La publicitat no pot fer meravelles si el producte no va amb sintonia amb els valors i nivell de qualitat que demana la companyia que s'expose en la campanya del seu producte. No hi ha millor producte que aquell que es ven pel boca-orella entre la gent. Es la millor publicitat, i la mes barata. Si el producte es bo, la publicitat pagada serà innecessària. Però com tots -cadascú en la seua mesura- som influenciables, ja se sap...

TAMBOLISTA is one film you either love or loathe, depending on whether you are a mainstream or art house buff.

It is another ADOLFO ALIX JR feature.

In 2007 alone, ADOLF has already finished 3 film features....no mean feat for a young director. I have heard of another arrogant Pinoy director, news that I have picked up from the internet, who had made an award winning film in 2005, and has not been offered any work since then. Maybe it is not just talent alone. It is a sure thing about ACCEPTANCE and ATTITUDE.

ALEX likes to delve into subjects of ordinary people and their not-so-ordinary lifestyles, and gets the best out of his actors by putting them in impromptu situations and giving them the impression that their performances, and even their jobs, are at stake.

FOUR TIPS on surviving the FILM ARENA war, ASIAN style:

1. BE NICE. RESPECT THE PROFESSIONALS IN THIS INDUSTRY.

2. EVERY FILM MAKER IS BUSY WITH THEIR OWN PROJECTS. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE. ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS. KEEP YOUR PROMISES.

3. GO AGAINST THE ESTABLISHED WAY OF DOING THINGS. MAVERICKS TEND TO PUZZLE FILM VETERANS USED TO THE FORMULA.

4. NEVER FIGHT FOR PERSONAL GLORY. IF YOU DO, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST ONE DEAD. ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD CAUSE ON HAND.

Now back to the TAMBOLISTA film:

THIS DRAMA unfolds through the eyes of a 14-year old played by JIRO MANIO (above 1st picture), a fervent drummer wannabe. Hence the title of the film - TAMBOLISTA or drum beat.

JIRO has an older brother played by COCO MARTIN (above 2nd picture) who is in the habit of having unprotected sex with his girl friend, thus landing up in "hot soup" with his girl pregnant.

Along comes SID LUCERO (above 3rd picture) who is a streetsmart dandy, gigolo and devious guy who would stop at nothing to achieve his means.

They all live in a small town where anything can happen here, and you can't really trust anyone, even your friendly neighbours. It is a poor town and everybody lives in deprivation. One event leads to another episode and in the end, the three guys turn against one another, culminating in a heartfelt tragedy.

JIRO MANIO and SID LUCERO give stunning and indepth portrayals of a friendship that has gone wrong and where there's no turning back.

It's really a mind-boggling movie.

I must admit that I tend to watch Filipino films with some kind of trepidation. Because most Filipino movies are steeped in Pinoy culture and rarely reach our shores, due, perhaps, to a lack of cohesive effort in their way of worldwide marketing and distribution.

Yet BATANES could spearhead what the Philippines cinema is all about, with its stunning cinematography from RAMONCITO REDOBLE coupled with the artistry of the film's young director ADOLFO ALIX JR.

BANTANES the movie serves up a feast of pinoy production talents with its assortment of established and younger stars, and is a premier production, being a joint collaboration of IGNITE MEDIA and GMA FILMS.

Taiwanese Singer KEN ZHU from the now defunct F4 group was roped in to be the male lead, playing opposite gifted Filippino actress IZA CALZADO.

KEN ZHU may garner box office magic in the Philippines, but in other parts of Asia, the Chinese community is not just about to rush into the cinema to watch his films. The days of the F4 are long gone, as all members of the group have gone their separate ways, and none of these four singers are considered to be serious actors anyway.

Such is the irony, and we are treated to a less youthful and more rotund KEN ZHU with puffy cheeks in BANTANES.

BANTANES explores the universal theme of LOVE amid a breathtaking landscape of sparkling blue seas, sprawling beaches and the islands' soulful serenity. There's also a haunting musical score that tears deep into your heartstrings as you watch the heroine pining for a lost love that could never be around any more.

Pretty city girl working in Manila meets handsome country man from Batanes on a chance encounter. They are two exact opposites. Yet they connect, heart, soul and all.

THINK ABOUT IT,

THERE MUST BE A HIGHER LOVE DOWN IN MY HEART,

OR HIDDEN IN THE STARS ABOVE,

LOOK INSIDE YOUR HEART

AND I'LL LOOK INSIDE MINE.

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person PERFECTLY.

So the girl relocates to Batanes, marries the simple man and lives the idyllic life by the sea. But is it?

This hunk loves to sprout wise sayings, with the girl gazing lovingly and adoringly in his arms, until one fine day the ocean comes to claim him.

The lovelorn girl is devastated and all her hopes of life and living are dashed. That is, until one day, the sea washes someone ashore. He is a Taiwanese fisherman by the name of KAO who suddenly appears out of the blue into her life.

BATANES is layered with a rich tapestry of idealism, hope, loneliness, longing and love. isn't what life is all about? You can achieve success, but what is success when you have no one to share with?

Is there a second chance in life to love again?

Let yourself go, and BATANES the movie will lift you up in a spirit of aestheticism and transport you to a realm of being...a beautiful haven so serene...where there is indeed, somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue........

But BATANES has its share of flaws too. The styling is just too picture-perfect...too fashionable.

The male and female Filipino leads sometimes look like they are working out of a fashion spread....isn't the guy supposed to make a living out of the sea....?

And KEN ZHU looks a trifle awkward in his role as a washed ashore Taiwanese fisherman. He simply does not have the cut enough to be a rough-and-tumble hunk. He is uncomfortable in his Mandarin diction in scenes where he is interacting with his fellow Filipino actors.

But putting those aside, BATANES is an enjoyable film.

If you believe in love and are in love, follow your dream.

Life has no greater moments.

TWO EURASIAN BEAUTIES.

JENNY HU, 1960s Shaw Brothers actress, very, very beautiful, of German and Chinese descent.

She had been nicknamed the Audrey Hepburn of the East and she shone in many of her screen roles. She was truly versatile and had played a gamut of roles from the sweet nubile gal, the naughty seductress and the lovelorn mistress.

I think that in some kind of poetic way, JENNY HU was not only an accomplished actress, but a hopeless romantic, devoted to her husband and son.

In other words, despite her fame and fortune during her hey days, she was willing to step down and lead a family life and migrated to the USA in the late 70s.

MAGGIE Q, of mixed Vietnamese and Polish-Irish American bloodline, is multi-talented and has already carved a name for herself in Hollywood starring alongside big wig actors such as Bruce Willis and Tom Cruise.

"Now that Hollywood has open doors for me, you are expected to do better than anyone else in Hong Kong."

MAGGIE was referring to the hazy days when she was just a mere supporting actress in Hong Kong who played second fiddle to fickle Hong Kong actresses. She was shunned by the Colony's paparazzi. Sweet is the revenge now, after making her foray into Hollywood, the same paparazzi who had been ignoring her, are pursuing her now for juicy bits of news.

Life is real and you are as successful as your last role. MAGGIE Q is making her own way and will not rest on her laurels.

With the passing of LYDIA SUM, her teenage daughter JOYCE CHENG now begins her courageous return to total independence, adjusting to the pain of heartbreak of losing a mother-cum-confidante so dear and to adjusting to a new life.

It's not going to be an easy journey of healing, but life has to go on.

It's a known fact that LYDIA had always showered her affection for her daughter when she was alive, and recent televised clips of the famous mother-and-daughter display of genuine adoration in public really warm our hearts.

There is no greater love on earth than the love of a mother. Isn't it?

In her tearful eulogy to her mother, JOYCE CHENG enunciated that "Have you seen a shooting star? No? Well, they are very rare. When they appear, they are so brilliant, so bright. You are my shooting star, Mum." 

George Eliot, British novelist once wrote that 'life began with waking up loving my mother's face'.

I remembered vividly now that I used to defy my hapless mother during my primary school days. I was disobedient, rebellious and headstrong and brought tons of problems to my family. How I hated my mother and thought of her hating me too.

But one decade later, when the business that I had set up went on a tailspin due to management chaos, and all my so-called wonderful friends forsook me, it was my mother who stood by me and gave me the money to settle all my debts. By then, I was just too shameful and perplexed to think properly.

Didn't someone once said that 'a mother is a bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries'? How true, I finally realized.

A mother's love is like an island in life's ocean

A peaceful, quiet shelter

From the wind, the rain, the tide,

'Tis bound on the North by Hope

By Patience on the West

By tender Counsel on the South

And East by Rest

Above it like a beacon light,

Shine FAITH and TRUTH and PRAYER

And through the changing scenes of life

I find a HAVEN there.

Let us not take our mothers for granted. Lest it is too late for regrets.

SHANGHAIist, a notable BLOG, ran a summarized article on EDISON CHEN's return to Hong Kong and the reactions of the paparazzi. Kudos for this wonderful write-up.

I would like to share this informative 'nutshell' feature with all of you here, courtesy of SHANGHAIist.

After this, we should let EDISON take his time to heal and sincerely wish him all the best in his future endeavours. At this point in time, this man needs loads of understanding and encouragement to move on with his life and career.

Who knows, he might pop up in Hollywood and garner better achievements than in Asia?

"Yesterday, the man finally returned to Hong Kong to host a long-awaited press conference with 300 journalists. He admitted that the photos were taken by him and stolen from his computer, and also apologised to the women involved in the scandal, as well as their families. More shocking was his announcement that he will leave showbiz. Here are some quotes from Edison compiled from various sources.

The apology:

I am deeply sorry... I admit most of the photos being circulated on the Internet were taken by me. I would like to apologize to all the ladies and to all their families for any harm or hurt that they have been feeling. I'm sorry... Most importantly, I would like to say sorry to all the people in Hong Kong. I give my apologies sincerely to you all, unreservedly and with my heart

"Very private":

These photos were very private... They were never intended to be shown to anyone. They were stolen from me and distributed without my consent.'

On his failure as a role model:

I know young people in Hong Kong look up to many figures in our society... I've failed as a role model. However I wish that this matter will teach everyone a lesson... To all the young people in our community, let this be a lesson for you all. This is not an example to be set for you.

On his decision to quit showbiz:

During my time away, I've made an important decision. I will wholeheartedly fulfil all commitments that I have to date. But, after that, I’ve decided to step away from the Hong Kong entertainment industry. I've decided to do this to give myself an opportunity to heal myself and to search my soul... I will be away from Hong Kong entertainment indefinitely. There is no time frame.

On his willingness to cooperate with the police:

I have been assisting the police since the first day the photos were published, and I will continue to assist them. After this press con, I have obligations to help them with their investigation... I hope all of you will accept my apology and give me a chance.

Batgwa.com ("Batgwa" or "八卦“ in Cantonese means "gossipmongering") reports that Edison did not take any questions after making these statements and over a hundred police officers had to be roped in to whisk him off in a Mercedes-Benz.

This whole episode has been described as the equivalent of the 9/11 in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, one that has uncovered tough questions on Internet laws, privacy laws, human rights and police procedures that remain unanswered. Also interesting is how Beijing now appears to be involved in the fight against the dissemination of the pictures. The latest Xinhua report has it that thirteen key Chinese portals have pledged to stop the further spread of the pictures."

Never before has a scandal in Chinese showbiz received as much attention in international media. We were surprised to find it even in Bloomberg. Here's what they said:
Bloomberg: Hong Kong Actor Chen Quits, Admits Web Sex Photos
AP: Hong Kong actor Edison Chen says he took racy photos, apologizes
Reuters: Hong Kong's Edison Chen quits after sex scandal
AFP: Star apologises over Hong Kong sex photos scandal
Wall Street Journal: Hong Kong Pop Star Aims to End Controversy Over Explicit Photos
South China Morning Post: Edison Chen bows out with apology [Subscription]
Shanghai Daily: Edison Chen to quit after sex picture scandal

THANK you, SHANGHAIist !!

He is your FRIEND, your PARTNER, your DEFENDER, your DOG.

You are his LIFE, his LOVE, his LEADER.

He will be yours, faithfully and true, to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

EDISON CHEN, the indisputable bad boy of Chinese cinema is at it again !

Not one who is friendly and co-operative with the Hong Kong paparazzi because of his sharp wits, nonchalance and arrogance, the press are thirsty for his blood and any breath of his slightest wrong doing would appease their "expose the truth"vengeance.

This time EDISON is back and taking a hapless aim at everything and everyone....with shocking and explicit photos of himself in bold sexual trysts with some Hong Kong's most coveted and popular young actresses. Leaving nothing to the imagination, these pictures exposed some famous female genitalia in vivid splendour, leaving nothing to the imagination.

And lo and behold, a couple of these screen actresses involved are of the sweetie squeaky clean image type, who are too bashful to kiss on the screen, yet behind closed doors, the situation proved quite another matter.

We realize that there's always a stark difference between reel life and the real life.

EDISON has this "die hard, live easy" attitude to life and work.

He was raised in Vancouver, Canada, and back in Hong Kong in 1999, he was talent scouted for a TV commercial and the rest is entertainment history.

His earlier films were of the dandy boy genre, but these days he is selective about the type of roles he is accepting, and one of his latest characters he played was that of a steely eyed Cambodian assassin. This excellent film DOG EATS DOG garnered him rave reviews as a dramatic actor.

EDISON has also cut a few hip-hop albums and is currently one of the founders of CLOT Inc., a lifestyle company specializing in street fashion for the young and trendy.

He has earned a cameo role in the forthcoming BATMAN film entitled DARK KNIGHT.

And he has found love in his latest squeeze called VINCY YEUNG and wanted to put his philandering past behind him until he made one bad mistake of sending his laptop to an unreliable Hong Kong computer centre for repair. Now the past caught up with him!!

It was there that his"private" and revealing collections of nude celebrity romp photos for private pleasure were uploaded into the internet for the world to see, for whatever reasons.

It was a field day for the unforgiving paparazzi who "camped" outside the residences of EDISON CHEN and his consort of belles who appeared in the sleazy pictures. It was Hong Kong entertainment's best scoop since the last decade, and nobody was going to let this issue just slip by with just a mere mention.

EDISON fled to Canada, leaving his beautiful friends in question to face the music. There in the comfort of his birthplace, he made a public apology to the public and the actresses involved for his indiscretions.

Meanwhile, hell was rocking for those nubile celebrities who appeared in the sultry pictures. One actress who has just gotten married and given birth is at odds with her conservative in-laws and her husband.

Another who is a demure actress had to explain at the loss of her sweetie-pie reputation.

Still another who has plans to marry into a wealthy family has her wedding plans "put on hold" indefinitely.

And all because of their trust in EDISON CHEN, who has arrived at a crossroad of confusion, because there were too many layers of problems and the situation was spinning out of control due to the immense pressure exerted by the relentless Hong Kong paparazzi.

But religion, belief and creed aside, we are all human beings. And all human beings err, which is why we are always praying for salvation. There are a few notable pointers here we have to consider:

1. We all have sex, for love and procreation. So does EDISON.

2. Some people love kinks. And that includes EDISON.

3. We make mistakes AND want to be forgiven. So why not EDISON?

4. We all want a second chance, to redeem ourselves, whenever we make a mistake. So what make you think that EDISON and friends do not feel the same way?

5. We all want privacy and respect, in whatever we do. In the same vein, we should give others their share of privacy and respect.

6. We all have brothers and sisters and loved ones. And when we are young, we tend to make silly mistakes. What if EDISON CHEN happens to be your sibling facing all this embarrassment and harassment? Would you not have defended him?

CONFUCIUS said DO NOT UNTO OTHERS AS OTHERS WHO WOULD DO UNTO YOU.

EDISON CHEN must be one hell of a charismatic and charming guy, otherwise these actresses would not have fallen in love with him.

Just be merciful....

Leave this poor guy alone. He has learnt a valuable lesson in life, and I am sure he will repent. The Chinese Year of the Rat has been a bad start for him.

Do not rejoice at another's unhappiness.

Sometimes, life can be such a pain.

Stress at work. Petty problems. Loggerheads.

So how do we liberate ourselves from all these?

Just as it takes all kinds of people to make our world so various, and so beautiful, so it takes many forms of relaxation to create rest and renewal at each level of our being, and in each phase of our lives.

True, everything we do will have an effect on your state of being, but more importantly, when you learn to create your state of being, when you establish peace in your heart, invoke love in your relationships and donate happiness to everyone around you, then you will know that your spirit is as relaxed and as joyful as it can ever be.

We live in tense and turbulent times - of that reality, there is no doubt. In fact, we can become one of those people for whom the world has a great need: those who can stay calm in a crisis, cool in the midst of chaos, and focused on the positive when all around are inclined to reinforce on the negative.

If we can stay relaxed and calm, this helps others to do the same. If we can always respond with a positive note, we help others stay in tune with the symphony of life.

If we can keep seeing life through optimistic eyes, we can brighten someone else's day in a single second. In all these ways we do much more than maintain a calm state of being within ourselves: we radiate outward an extremely positive energy, and in doing so we serve the world.

THANKS, MIKE GEORGE, for these tips !!