The Monuments Men Movie Preview

During World War II, an unlikely team of soldiers was charged with identifying and protecting European cultural sites, monuments and buildings from Allied bombing. Officially named the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section, this U.S. Army unit included art curators, scholars, architects, librarians and archivists from the United States and Great Britain. The unit quickly became known as the Monuments Men. Towards the end of the war, their mission changed to one of locating works of art that had been looted by the Nazis. The Monuments Men recovered some of history’s greatest works of art hidden across Germany and Austria—some in castles, others in salt mines.


"The story is fascinating, but this film's good intentions are 

hampered by its lack of pace, direction, tone and 

properly fleshed-out characters."


I went for the preview of Monuments Men, and though the movie was boring, slow going and got to be quite a  drag despite having big names like George Clooney, Cate Blanchaett, and Matt Damon.

However, I did learn about the Arts, and some background info on the war.....

And well, since it is based on a true story, I must commend the accuracy of war history of the film.

About the Movie

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history,The Monuments Men is an action drama focusing on seven over-the-hill, out-of-shape museum directors, artists, architects, curators and art historians who went to the front lines of World War II to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners. With the art hidden behind enemy lines, how could they hope to succeed? But as the Monuments Men found themselves in a race against time to avoid the destruction of 1,000 years of culture, they would risk their lives to protect and defend humankind’s greatest achievements

Monument Men rescuing stolen pieces of priceless Art.

"It was brazen and outrageous: the Nazi push to destroy and loot art all over Europe.

That looting spree -- tons of works taken from both personal and public collections -- was perhaps the great pillage in history."

Pictured below: Germans holding a painting stolen by the Nazis.

Germans soldiers are pictured holding Botticelli's masterpiece, "Camilla and the Centaur," taken by the Nazis from the Uffizi in Florence.

 NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

Rescuing Michelangelo's Madonna and Child

The Madonna and Child is now on my bucket list of "to See"

 List, 

Madonna of Bruges

The Madonna of Bruges is a marble sculpture by Michelangelo of Mary with the infant Jesus. Michelangelo's depiction of the Madonna and Child 

Artist: Michelangelo

Location: Church of Our Lady, Bruges

Created: 1501–1504

Media: Marble

Periods: Italian Renaissance, Renaissance

Subject: Mary, Madonna and Child, Jesus Christ

 a Rembrandt is also on my bucket list now

Rembrandt

http://www.nndb.com/people/224/000044092/

Screening Details
Date: 18 February 2014 (Tuesday)
Time: 9.00PM
Venue: GSC Paradigm
Redemption time: 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Note: Please bring along your Identification Card for ticket redemption at the Redemption Counter.



The Monuments Men

Win exclusive "The Monuments Men" Preview Passes! 

Based on the book "The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves And The Greatest Treasure Hunt In History" by Robert M. Edsel, the film will concern the story of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program, an Allied group, tasked with saving pieces of art and other culturally important items before their destruction by Hitler during World War II. George Clooney directs and stars with Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett.

Directed by George Clooney, "The Monuments Men" stars George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin & many more.

"The Monuments Men" opens in cinemas 20 February 2014!

To win yourself exclusive "The Monuments Men" preview passes; all you have to do is answer one (1) simple question and complete the tiebreaker. Entries with the correct answer and the best tiebreaker win!

Click HERE for more details on "The Monuments Men".

Man gets epileptic fit while driving and causes accident.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152864852569572&set=vb.331481044571&type=3&theater

Maid died a slow death

Police: Maid who allegedly killed stepbrothers died a slow death

SHAH ALAM: The Indonesian maid who allegedly killed stepbrothers Koay Jia Hong, five, and 18-month old Melvin Selvam Joseph before committing suicide on Tuesday is believed to have died a slow death.




Sungai Buloh OCPD Supt Junaidi Bujang said that the belief was based on the maid's condition upon being found in her employer’s house.

“There were air bubbles in the blood vessels. When air bubbles travel to the heart and block the blood flow, the person can die of air embolism. We are still waiting for the official post-mortem report,” he said.

Police have also ruled out foul play as four Rottweilers owned by the maid’s employer were guarding the house at the time of the incident.

He said the dogs are known to bark at and even attack strangers.

Supt Junaidi added that police are working closely with the Indonesian embassy to ascertain the real identity of the maid.

The two stepbrothers were found sprawled in a pool of blood at their home in Taman Sri Putra on Tuesday evening.

It is learnt that the boys’ 27-year-old mother, a coffeeshop operator, returned to her home at about 7pm to find the boys and the maid dead, with their throats slit.

boys' mother, only 27 years old

Initial investigations revealed that the maid, in her 30s, had slit the throat of five-year-old Koay upstairs before killing the younger stepbrother in the same manner on the ground floor near the kitchen.

The maid is then believed to have slit her own throat.

SUNGAI BULOH: Two stepbrothers, aged one and five, are believed to have been murdered by their Indonesian maid, who later committed suicide.

Their bodies were found sprawled in a pool of blood at their home here in Taman Sri Putra Tuesday evening.

It is learnt the parents, a coffeeshop operator and his wife, returned home at about 7pm, to find the three of them with their throats slit.

Sungai Buloh OCPD Supt Junaidi Bujang said initial investigations revealed that the maid, in her 30s, who had no documents, slit the throat of the five-year old on the upper level of the double-storey terrace house before the one-year-old boy's throat was slit on the ground floor, near the kitchen.

Supt Junaidi said that the maid then slit her own throat after murdering the two boys.

He added that there were three knives found beside the maid.

S. Sivakumar, 34, a neighbour who lives two houses away, said neither he nor his family members heard any noise from the house at the time of the incident.

"The family usually goes out in the morning to operate their restaurant nearby, leaving the maid and the two boys at home," he said, adding that there were nine people living the house including the three deceased.

‘Perfect maid’ murder poser

Melvin’s father, Selvan Joseph, 44, said the maid, known as Agnes, was introduced to him and his estranged wife by their former maid, who had moved to Johor with her husband.

He said Agnes, who was from Flores Island, was able to speak Mandarin and, although he and his wife knew she was residing in the country illegally, her language skill overrode other matters.

“She was also a good employee. She was hardworking and friendly and treated the children as if they were her own,” said Selvan, an independent IT consultant.

“We initially wanted a Filipino maid but when we met her and found out she could also speak Mandarin, we decided to employ her.”

Police said Agnes slit the throats of the stepbrothers in their home at Taman Sri Putra here before slitting her own throat.

“I can’t understand why she would commit such a horrible act,” said Selvan.

“Just the night before the incident, my wife and her family took Agnes out for a nice dinner with them.

“They said she was acting normal and there was nothing to indicate she had planned to kill the children.”

The boys’ mother, Koay Wan Nee, 27, and grandparents were at the coffeeshop they own when the incident took place.

Sungai Buloh police chief Supt Junaidi Bujang said the three bodies were discovered in a pool of blood by the boys’ grandmother who came home at 7.45pm.

The maid who slit throats of brothers and herself had no 

freedom, was cooped up in the house from morn to night 

and was driven to distraction, while missing her two own 

children.

Selvan, who lives in another house nearby, said Agnes had on several occasions mentioned to him how much she missed her child back home.

“Whenever she watched me play with the children, she would tell me she missed her child and that she wanted to go back,” he said.

“Unfortunately she had no documents that would allow her to travel, so I told her she should meet the person who brought her into the country and ask for his help.”

Junaidi said police have ruled out foul play as the house was protected by four Rottweiler dogs known to bark at strangers who approach.

He also said the post-mortem result revealed the maid had died a slow death.

“The port-mortem revealed all three had died from incised wounds to the neck.

“The doctor who conducted the autopsy confirmed the maid had committed suicide based on several stab wounds to her chest and three small injuries at the left side of her neck before she slit her own throat.”

Neighbours were puzzled by the incident.

R. Vajenthimala, 35, who lives next door, said Agnes was seen working throughout the day.

“She never left the house without the family,” she said.

Another neighbour, S. Arumugan, 26, said he had met Agnes a few times when the family brought her to neighbourhood functions.

“She would keep to herself and tend to the children,” he said.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/perfect-maid-murder-poser#sthash.XenLt3OZ.dpuf

Snippets of Jakarta Group's Visit

The Jakarta group had a whirlwing 2 and a half day visit to Kuala Lumpur

Meeting the contingent at the airport

me waiting at Shiok Cafe with the goodie bags for them

some of the stuff in the goodie bag

the first group arrives

ordering a la carte

going back to the hotel with their goodie bags, yes, that's Siti Norhaliza's image on the bags!

at 4, the DG (Eva) is met on arrival

that night we had dinner at Moon Palace for the signing and welcoming ceremony

they gave us gifts of jadeite pendants with the Rotary badge

mine is the yellow round one

Jenny and me sporting the pendant gifts

 yummy food chinese banquet style

 signing of the sister club

group photo for posterity

last year's group photo at Jakarta

 the next morning we took them sight seeing at KL City Gallery (I myself have not been there!)

the president

Rio

Angie

the girls find it blisteringly hot!

group photo (almost group)

next, we had retail therapy at KLCC

Note that Rio is carrying Ted Baker bag for DG Eva tucked under his armpit

at 4 it was durian feast at SS2 Durian.com

at night we had wheelchair presentation ceremony

at Beautiful Gate 

 then we went to Setia Walk for clubbing and karaoke, and the above group went pub crawling at Bangsar

 having fun on the streets of Bangsar

and Changkat Bukit Bintang till 3 a.m.!!

 Next morning, we gave them a bak kut teh breakfast

delicious bak kut teh with  soup, dried, trotters, chicken feet, tendons and yau cha kuai

at 3 they toured Putrajaya and caught their flight at 5.

at 7.17, Rio texted me that he is at the airport, Jakarta!

Hectic but fun 3 days 2 nights in Kuala Lumpur!!!!

Malaysian child hit over 1,000 times, Swedish court told

Last year, I read in the newspapers that a husband and wife 

(Secondary school teacher Shalwati and Azizul, who is a Tourism Malaysia officer based in Stockholm) 

were detained in Sweden for smacking their chidlren's hands for not praying

When the court case started in Sweden, the shocking truth came out.......


he was beaten by his mother over 1,000 times

 last year!


his mother had hit him with canes and a carpet cleaner! - 

carpet cleaner

other objects used for beating him: hanger, belt, ratan (rotan)

http://www.astroawani.com/news/show/pernah-dipukul-seribu-kali-dakwa-anak-30467

Malaysian child hit over 1,000 times, Swedish court told - See more at: http://m.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/malaysian-child-hit-over-1000-times-swedish-court-told#sthash.Ys17RdBv.dpuf

These are the various occasions when he was beaten - 
once when he was playing music loudly while doing his homework;
 another during an argument with his sister at a car ride to school; 
and another time while he was studying the Quran with his mother, Shalwati. 
The child also reportedly said that Shalwati frequently hit him whenever he watched YouTube videos instead of joining the family for dinner,
 or whenever he talked back to her 
or stomped his feet. 

One of the children was also reported by Astro Awani as saying that 

his father beat him over 100 times last year.

The child also accused Azizul of making him stand in a corner of the house for the whole day as punishment. 


he was hit so often by his mother that the 

beatings no longer hurt. 


He described two clear incidents where he was allegedly beaten by his mother and father.

The first incident was when he was listening to loud music while doing homework and his mother hit him with a hanger to punish him.

The second incident was when he and his sister had an argument in the car while their father was driving them to school. He said he was hit in the shoulder by Azizul after hitting his sister

Read more at:http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/couples-son-identifies-objects-used-to-hit-him-on-the-second-day-of-trial-30441?cp

Sweden, in 1979, was the first country in the world to outlaw corporal punishment.

The husband and wife were arrested on December 18th after police received a report that they had repeatedly hit their four children, aged nine to 14-years-old.  Malaysian newspaper The Star reported that the police report stems from an incident in which the Muslim couple struck their 12-year-old son on the hands for refusing to perform his prayers.

The boy told his teachers in Stockholm about the incident, which was then passed along to the school's counselors, who in turn notified police. It has been illegal in Sweden for parents physically punish their children since the late 1970s.

A day later, authorities arrested the parents and placed the children in foster care while their parents await trial, The Star reported.

the four children with their mum, a school teacher

the four kids following their own news in all the local papers

they are now back in Malaysia and have started school

(From left to right) Aisyah, Ammar, Arif, Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin and Adam poses for a photograph at KLIA this morning. Pix by Mohd Fadli Hamzah

Read more: Children of Malaysian couple in Sweden back home - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/children-of-malaysian-couple-in-sweden-back-home-1.474822#ixzz2uIJktce1

1. Hearing of Malaysian couple held in Sweden for alleged child abuse ...

   www.thestar.com.my › News‎
   

   
   

   Jan 30, 2014 - STOCKHOLM: The hearing of a Malaysian couple under remand inSweden for alleged abuse of one of their four children is reportedly ...
2. 
   

   Malaysians arrested for hitting kids in Sweden - The Local

   www.thelocal.se/.../sweden-holds-malaysian-pair-over-child-abuse-claim...‎
   

   
   

   Jan 23, 2014 - A day later, authorities arrested the parents and placed the children in ..."[The Swedes] must understand the difference between abuse and ...
3. 
   

   Children of Malaysian couple in Sweden back home - Latest - New ...

   www.nst.com.my/.../children-of-malaysian-couple-in-sweden-back-hom...‎
   

   
   

   Feb 1, 2014 - SEPANG: ALL four children of the Malaysian couple detained bySwedish authorities over allegations of child abuse arrived at the Kuala  ...
4. 
   

   Three things about: The alleged Malaysian child abuse case in ...

   www.themalaymailonline.com/.../three-things-about-the-alleged-malaysi...‎
   

   
   

   6 days ago - KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 ― So is it child abuse or a clash of cultures? ...Since Sweden banned corporal punishment in 1979, 30 countries ...
5. 
   

   Malaysian couple held in Sweden over claims they smacked their ...

   www.mirror.co.uk/news/.../malaysian-couple-held-sweden-over-305035...‎
   

   
   

   Jan 22, 2014 - A campaign is underway to free the pair, with politicians in Malaysia describing the children being separated from their parents as 'abuse.'.