Neeya Naana: What Makes a Boy a Good Boy.

I  recently watched an episode of Neeya Naana that was aired on the 24th of August this year. The topic of discussion interested it me as it was about what makes a boy a good boy. On one side we had young men who represented the today's 'boys'. On another side were mostly parents, teachers and other members of society, including girls and young ladies.

The discussion started out with the host asking the members of society side what, according to their own code of conduct, makes a good boy. This is what they said:

1. The way he stands.

Boys who stand with their hands on their hips like the guy in purple are not good boys in one panelist's opinion. 

Standing crossed armed like this guy here is an indication of a good boy according to the panelist.

2. His hairstyle. 

A second panelist said a good boy always maintains a classic haircut like the guy standing. 

When asked, he pointed out that he does not favour this hairstyle as the hair is combed upwards and not to the side. 

3. The way his shirt is buttoned. It should be buttoned to second highest button and nowhere lower.

4. His dressing code. Regular shirts and long pants are a good indication with no excessive rings and wrist bands. 

5. The way he greets and addresses adults. Calling them sir, miss or madam is a positive sign. Bowing down a bit instead of saluting adults like movie stars is a good sign. 

6. How he socializes with the opposite sex. He should treat them like he would treat his sister.

7. He listens quietly to adults without talking unnecessarily and only speaks up when needed.

8. He does not poke fun at others or makes jokes at others' expense.

9. He only wears loose shirts that does not reveal the biceps and his underwear when bending over.

10. He maintains a calm and quiet attitude. An innocent look on his face is a good sign.

11. He is always reading something. It is an indication he is ambitious.

12. He mainly hangs out with his family rather than with friends.

Next, the host asked the boys side how they usually behave so people around them would think or notice they are good boys.

1. Standing up when their teacher enters their class with their notebook readily open in front of them.

2. Always pretending they are busy even though they are not.

3. Getting adults' blessings by bowing to their feet before leaving for some place or during special events like birthdays.

4. Doing their beds after they have gotten up.

5. Giving their seats to adults, particularly the teaching staff at wherever they are studying.

6. Always with a book no matter where they are.

7. Pretend to reject money given by adults before eventually taking it.

8. Quickly switching to the news channel when parents are around.

9. Pretend to agree with adults although we do not agree to what they are saying.

Now this gentleman down her should start his own class on how to behave like a good boy. He has done the following that has gained him the reputation of a good boy.

1. Welcome guests and offer them drinks.

2. Offer prasadam to adults and let them put holy ashes on their foreheads.

3. Asking permission from adults to leave when going out.

4. Offer to help teachers carry heavy stuff.

5. Handing in assignment much earlier than the submission date.

6. Asking adults how they are doing when they are not feeling well.

7, Doing charity and voluntary work.

Next, the hosts asked the parents and teachers in the panel what they would tell their sons and male students in order for them to grow up to be good boys.

1. Do not make friends with naughty kids.

2. Come home early.

3. Strict prohibition on bad habits such as drinking and smoking.

4. Keep sons busy with extra-curricular activities.

5. Place primary importance on studies and secondary importance on sports.

6. Waking up early in the morning.

7. Be honest about what they are doing and with whom and where.

9. Teach them about religion.

Just thought I would share this as it was an interesting topic. =)

Who Are We?

We are the people of the world 

The collective, 

The masses, 

The capitalistic, communal fascists, 

We are you.

We are ready for action,
For tragedy,
Atrocity, hostility
And fashion.
We are the impersonal.

We love great films
But do not live great lives.
We create drama
But shy away from real life.
We are an army of sheep

We fight for causes
And stand up in the streets.
We fight for clauses,
Throw stones and bombs
And then build tombs with our feats.

We are an amorphous blob
We are a greedy fat man
Standing in a cue
Unnoticed, a nobody
A slob.

We are nameless
So that we can be shameless.
We are the mob,
The headless god.
We are blameless.

Debates, chat shows, votes of the public
And no opinion of our own
Online indulgence
Typing thoughts
Borrowed from a borrower
Selected, educated
And thoroughly plagiarised thoughts
Do’s and ought’s,
Typed, copied,
Copied, pasted,
Pasted, passed,
Passed in unprinted pages
Of a virtual web
Denser than the dark ages.
Thoughts we copy right,
Thoughts we own
And thoughts we’re not
thinking alone.

Everybody writes about it,
Thinks about it,
Talks about it,
But if somebody is actually doing it,
Nobody gives a shit.

The We.
The fancy lives of the We.
Making news out of lipstick
Travel and choice of ice cream,
All frivolous news
That comes out of our pockets
And leaves a nation starving.

We, the people
We, the classes
We, the businessman,
The poor man
And the ladies who pout with the fat off their arses.

Our self worth
Rests on the opinion of others,
On magazine covers,
On how many more overs,
On frequent lovers.

We, the masses,
The people,
The system,
The supporters,
The obedient payers of taxes.

We are to blame
And we should be ashamed.
We have neighbours,
We have money,
And we have poverty.
We have each other.

We are the problem,
And we are the solution.
We could know who we are,
We could go far,
If we just stopped being so wee.

Kalki Koechlin 

15 Places You Should Visit In Malaysia Before You Visit Their Foreign Counterparts

Malaysians who can afford it love going abroad on holidays. But for those of us who are still staking up to make a foreign trip, we might want to consider some of these great places right here in our shores before visiting places abroad. Here is a list of 15 places you should visit in Malaysia before you visit their foreign counterparts.

1. Before you lose yourself in the beauty of New Zealand...

Get awed by what Kundasang has to offer.

2. Before you stare into the night lights of New York City's skyline...

Consider first the magnificent skyline of Kuala Lumpur.

3. Before you pay the Blue Mosque of Turkey a visit...

Pay the Federal Territory Mosque of Kuala Lumpur a visit.

4. Before you go jungle trekking in the Amazon...

Give Taman Negara a try first.

5. Before getting dwarfed by Christ The Redeemer in Brazil...

Get dwarfed by Lord Murugan at Batu Caves. 

6. Before taking a stroll down a Sakura park in Korea

Take a stroll down a Tabebuia Rosea driveway in Penang.

7. Before taking photographs of Tudor buildings at Stratford-Upon-Avon 

Take some photos of the ones up at Cameron Highlands.

8. Before taking a selfie with US Marine Corps War Memorial Monument in Washington DC...

Take a selfie at the Malaysian National Monument in Kuala Lumpur.

9. Before you relax on the beaches at Phuket in Thailand

Go chill out at one of our many beaches, like the one in Redang.

10. Before you visit the Guilin Caves in China...

Pay Gua Kelam of Perlis a visit. 

11. Before taking a candid picture with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy...

Take a candid at the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan.

12. Before you take a turn into Piccadilly Circus for some shopping....

Take a turn into Bukit Bintang and visit the shops there.

13. Before you go scuba diving at the Reef in the Maldives...

Take a deep in the waters of Sipadan.

14. Before visiting the town of Colmar in Alsace, France...

Visit its Malaysian replica in Bukit Tinggi.

15. Before you walk into the Mountain River Cave of Vietnam...

Walk into the Deer Cave of the Mulu Mountains.

Dumbledore’s Army Reunites at Quidditch World Cup Final

By the Daily Prophet’s Gossip Correspondent, Rita Skeeter

There are celebrities – and then there are celebrities. We’ve seen many a famous face from the wizarding world grace the stands here in the Patagonian Desert – Ministers and Presidents, Celestina Warbeck, controversial American wizarding band The Bent-Winged Snitches – all have caused flurries of excitement, with crowd members scrambling for autographs and even casting Bridging Charms to reach the VIP boxes over the heads of the crowd.

But when word swept the campsite and stadium that a certain gang of infamous wizards (no longer the fresh-faced teenagers they were in their heyday, but nevertheless recognisable) had arrived for the final, excitement was beyond anything yet seen. As the crowd stampeded, tents were flattened and small children mown down. Fans from all corners of the globe stormed towards the area where members of Dumbledore’s Army were rumoured to have been sighted, desperate above all else for a glimpse of the man they still call the Chosen One.

The Potter family and the rest of Dumbledore’s Army have been given accommodation in the VIP section of the campsite, which is protected by heavy charms and patrolled by Security Warlocks. Their presence has ensured large crowds along the cordoned area, all hoping for a glimpse of their heroes. At 3pm today they got their wish when, to the accompaniment of loud screams, Potter took his young sons James and Albus to visit the players’ compound, where he introduced them to Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum.

About to turn 34, there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous Auror’s black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient twelve-year-old. The famous lightning scar has company: Potter is sporting a nasty cut over his right cheekbone. Requests for information as to its provenance merely produced the usual response from the Ministry of Magic: ‘We do not comment on the top secret work of the Auror department, as we have told you no less than 514 times, Ms. Skeeter.’ So what are they hiding? Is the Chosen One embroiled in fresh mysteries that will one day explode upon us all, plunging us into a new age of terror and mayhem?

Or does his injury have a more humble origin, one that Potter is desperate to hide? Has his wife perhaps cursed him? Are cracks beginning to show in a union that the Potters are determined to promote as happy? Should we read anything into the fact that his wife Ginevra has been perfectly happy to leave her husband and children behind in London whilst reporting on this tournament? The jury is out on whether she really had the talent or experience to be sent to the Quidditch World Cup (jury’s back in – no!!!) but let’s face it, when your last name is Potter, doors open, international sporting bodies bow and scrape, and Daily Prophet editors hand you plum assignments.

As their devoted fans and followers will remember, Potter and Krum competed against each other in the controversial Triwizard Tournament, but apparently there are no hard feelings, as they embraced upon meeting (what really happened in that maze? Speculation is unlikely to be quelled by the warmth of their greeting). After half an hour’s chat, Potter and his sons returned to the campsite where they socialised with the rest of Dumbledore’s Army until the small hours.

In the next tent are Potter’s two closest associates, the ones who know everything about him and yet have always refused to talk to the press. Are they afraid of him, or is it their own secrets they are afraid will leak out, tarnishing the myth of He Who Could Not Be Named’s defeat? Now married, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were with Potter almost every step of the way. Like the rest of Dumbledore’s Army, they fought in the Battle of Hogwarts and no doubt deserve the plaudits and awards for bravery heaped upon them by a grateful wizarding world.

In the immediate aftermath of the battle Weasley, whose famous ginger hair appears to be thinning slightly, entered into employment with the Ministry of Magic alongside Potter, but left only two years later to co-manage the highly successful wizarding joke emporium Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. Was he, as he stated at the time, ‘delighted to assist my brother George with a business I’ve always loved’? Or had he had his fill of standing in Potter’s shadow? Was the work of the Auror Department too much for a man who has admitted that the destruction of He Who Could Not Be Named’s Horcruxes ‘took its toll’ on him? He shows no obvious signs of mental illness from a distance, but the public is not allowed close enough to make a proper assessment. Is this suspicious?

Hermione Granger, of course, was always the femme fatale of the group. Press reports of the time revealed that as a teenager she toyed with the young Potter’s affections before being seduced away by the muscular Viktor Krum, finally settling for Potter’s faithful sidekick. After a meteoric rise to Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, she is now tipped to go even higher within the Ministry, and is also mother to son, Hugo, and daughter, Rose. Does Hermione Granger prove that a witch really can have it all? (No – look at her hair.)

Then there are those members of Dumbledore’s Army who receive slightly less publicity than Potter, Weasley and Granger (are they resentful? Almost certainly). Neville Longbottom, now a popular Herbology teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is here in Patagonia with his wife Hannah. Until recently the pair lived above the Leaky Cauldron in London, but rumour has it that Hannah has not only retrained as a Healer, but is applying for the job of Matron at Hogwarts. Idle gossip suggests that she and her husband both enjoy a little more Ogden’s Old Firewhisky than most of us would expect from custodians of our children, but no doubt we all wish her the best of luck with her application.

Last of the ringleaders of Dumbledore’s Army is, of course, Luna Lovegood (now married to Rolf Scamander, swarthy grandson of celebrated Magizoologist Newt). Still delightfully eccentric, Luna has been sweeping around the VIP section in robes composed of the flags of all sixteen qualifying countries. Her twin sons are ‘at home with grandpa’. Is this a euphemism for ‘too disturbed to be seen in public’? Surely only the unkindest would suggest so.

Sundry other members of the Army are here, but it is on these six that most interest is focused. Wherever there is a red head one may make an educated guess that it belongs to a Weasley, but it is difficult to tell whether it is George (wealthy co-manager of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes), Charlie (dragon wrangler, still unmarried – why?) or Percy (Head of the Department of Magical Transportation – it’s his fault if the Floo Network’s too busy!). The only one who is easy to recognise is Bill who, poor man, is grievously scarred from an encounter with a werewolf and yet somehow (enchantment? Love potion? Blackmail? Kidnap?) married the undeniably beautiful (though doubtless empty-headed) Fleur Delacour.

Word is that we shall see these and other members of Dumbledore’s Army in the VIP boxes at the final, adding to the glitz and razzmatazz of a gala occasion. Let us hope that the behaviour of two of their younger hangers-on does not embarrass them, heaping shame on those who have previously brought honour to the name of wizard.

One always hesitates to invade the privacy of young people, but the fact is that anyone closely connected with Harry Potter reaps the benefits and must pay the penalty of public interest. No doubt Potter will be distressed to know that his sixteen-year-old godson Teddy Lupin – a lanky half-werewolf with bright blue hair – has been behaving in a way unbefitting of wizarding royalty since arriving on the VIP campsite. It might be asking too much that the always-busy Potter keep a tighter rein on this wild boy, who was entrusted to his care by his dying parents, but one shudders to think what will become of Master Lupin without urgent intervention. Meanwhile, Mr and Mrs Bill Weasley might like to know that their beautiful, blonde daughter Victoire seems to be attracted to any dark corner where Master Lupin happens to be lurking. The good news is both of them seem to have invented a method of breathing through their ears. I can think of no other reason how they have survived such prolonged periods of what, in my young day, was called ‘snogging.’

But let us not be severe. Harry Potter and his cohorts never claimed to be perfect! And for those who want to know exactly how imperfect they are, my new biography: Dumbledore’s Army: The Dark Side of the Demob will be available from Flourish and Blotts on July 31st. 

Written by JK Rowling for all Harry Potter fans!

For more original writing about the Quidditch World Cup Finals and other information about Harry Potter's world, visit Pottermore.com.

Also read:

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: Top 12 Fan Theories Ranked

Ten Reasons The Harry Potter Films Are As Deep And Layered As The Books

Top 20 Times JK Rowling Used Foreshadowing Excellently in the Harry Potter Series

Top 10 Most Plausible Harry Potter Fan Theories

Top 10 Parts of The Harry Potter Books That Should Have Been In The Movies

The Story of Dolores Jane Umbridge

Harry Potter and The Holy River

Gone Girl Trailer Analyzed

Alright! So the trailer for 'Gone Girl' has been out for some time now. The film stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne respectively. David Fincher is directing, which is almost like a guarantee the film adaptation will be as good as its source material. I've never been this excited for a movie adaptation of a novel I've read since the last Harry Potter movie came out a few years ago. I also don't recall enjoying a book as much as I enjoyed the final Harry Potter book. So, you get it; I basically cannot wait for this movie to come out in October. 

The title of the movie is nowhere on the movie poster. Perhaps only those who have read the novel can guess the title from the caption stating "Amazing Amy" at the bottom. 

Now, the trailer has been receiving a little bit of mixed reception on social media. Most people are not very happy about the song that plays in the background. The last time most of us heard the song 'Her' was Elvis Costello's cover version for the 1999 British romantic comedy 'Notting Hill' with Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in it. So, I suppose I see why this song instantly evokes a more light-hearted feeling than a dark one in most people. However, the Richard Butler version accompanying this trailer has a more sinister vibe to it. Even though the original lyrics are maintained, those who have read the book will immediately understand how this song relates to Rosamund Pike's character. The description is spot on. 

Before we get into the trailer, let me tell you a bit about the story in case you have not read the book. Nick and Amy Dunne are a young married couple who are forced to move to Nick's small hometown after he loses his job. Amy has quite a bit of money from her trust fund. Together with his twin Margo, Nick uses it to open a bar. On Nick and Amy's fifth wedding anniversary, she goes missing and all the clues seem to point to him as his wife's alleged murderer.

Now, let's analyze the scenes that make up the trailer. Caution: there might be spoilers, although I would not be too worried since Gillian Flynn, the writer of the novel and also the movie's screenwriter has stated that there will be a new ending to the film version.

The trailer begins with a scene where Nick Dunne is addressing a candlelight vigil. We find out that from Nick's speech and the poster in the scene that Amy has already been missing. Mr. and Mrs. Elliot, Amy's psychologist parents are in the background.

We then cut to a scene to a shot of Amy in bed, looking up at something, probably Nick. As readers of the book already know, the story is told alternately from both husband and wife's perspectives. From the welcoming look she is giving, it is probably easy to tell that this is from Amy's version of events, if Fincher chooses to stay loyal to the source material's format. Viewers might not yet get an idea of what kind of woman she is. 

After a few other shots, we get one that is very crucial to the story - the broken ottoman in the Dunne's living room. This comes very early in the novel, which Nick sees after coming back home in the morning. It raises his suspicion that something is wrong with Amy and that she has probably gone missing. 

Next, there is a shot of Amy taking a bubble bath. Nick sort of silently stares at her as he walks by. Amy watches as he passes. We are not entirely sure what the meaning of this exchange is, but it is clear things are not really warm and cuddly in the Dunne household. 

After a few scenes of townspeople helping in the search of Amy, we come to a scene in a dark, deserted building. Nick is part of the search too. To readers, it is quite obvious this takes place in the abandoned shopping mall where we find out Amy has bought a gun. When reading this novel, this might make you think Amy feels as though her life is in danger and she needs to protect herself. 

We then see another scene filled with silent exchanges between the two characters. They both seem to almost fear one another. Nick is afraid as he approaches their bedroom. Amy almost obediently covers herself with a blanket as she is in bed. Nobody really knows what is going on here. 

And then, a few shots later, there is this one. Nick and Amy are having a very heated argument, which ends up with one of them violently pushing the other one aside. This scene can easily mislead viewers into making up their minds on who the villain is. 

Then we see Nick posing for pictures at a press conference. The media already realises he shows very little emotion for a person whose wife has gone missing. He even unexpectedly smiles to the cameras at one point, which is not something the husband of a missing wife would do. 

This does not go well with Margo, Nick's twin sister, as evident from this shot. She probably already knows that her brother is not the good husband as she always thought he was. 

Then, we see people watching a Nancy Grace-like TV show with a shot of Nick smiling next to his missing wife's poster. The case has already become a high-profile one, especially with Amy having been a child star when she was little. Nick even gets interviewed 

This scene had many people shocked. What is Tyler Perry doing in this movie? Apparently, he will be playing Tanner Bolt, a lawyer with a reputation of having defended bad husbands in court and winning almost every case. Like the audience/readers, he too is unsure of Nick's innocence. This is where the film seems to be different from the book. In the novel, Bolt is white with a black wife. 

Very quickly, this shot flashes across the scene. Even if you have not read the book, you will know this is a mystery film where nothing is what it seems, or everything is exactly as it seems.  Amy creates an infuriating treasure hunt that forces Nick to face his darkest secrets in order to find his anniversary present.

After that, there is this close-up scene where Nick and Amy are very slowly, almost reluctantly, bringing their heads together to kiss. This just further confirms there is something terribly wrong with these characters. 

We get this scene towards the end of the trailer with Affleck's voice over following in suit; "I did not kill my wife. I am not a murderer..." Which is funny to think when we are shown a shot of Pike's character seemingly dead from being drowned. 

It is great to see Fincher has maintained his iconic dark-looking cinematography which is apt for this kind of mystery-thrillers. Also, the trailer does not tell us much about the story, which adds up to its mystery.