Lostword

Got some feedback for Scenes of the Father - my new book with Chee. It's an illustrated storybook.

Rushing to get everything done for the four-five titles we are publishing in three months, we left out the foreword/afterword thing I wrote in January.

So, for posterity's sake, here it is:

Afterword (or Foreword, whichever fits)

This book is a lie. 

Things didn’t happen as they did – not exactly. Some of the dates I might have gotten wrong. Some of the quotes, the images inside your head – they’re all wrong. Not exactly right.  

These are viewed through my own fuzzy memories of stories told by an old man through his own fuzzy recollections. And then Chee came into the picture and he brings his own fuzzy brushes to draw this book.

His art is amazing, of course. All my friends are extremely talented and Chee’s drawings are exceptional, though as with the famous pipe painting, these are not exactly how things are or were.

But such is the nature of writing or any attempt to capture any details or nuance from real life – it will always fail. In Chee’s case, it fails in spectacularly beautiful fashion. I can’t be more pleased with how the art turned out for this book.

And thank you, my friend, for liking my little story enough to breathe new life into it.

At the time of writing, my father is warded in the hospital (he's now out). His health has deteriorated slowly over the years, having suffered from four strokes and a host of old people’s ailments. Only one good thing came out of it – a couple of years ago, he forgot to buy cigarettes so now he doesn’t smoke.

Aside from that, it has been painful, watching him grow old and frail ever so slowly. Despite the fact that he shouldn’t be able to walk, he sometimes does so out of sheer willpower.

He doesn’t ride on his tractor anymore – the old thing is just gathering dust and rust.

Instead, my father’s ride is now a wheelchair, which he hates.

Nobody knows who’s going to go or stay, when or where we will leave forever. But I hope that whenever that happens for my father, for all his good and evil deeds, that the journey would be a peaceful one. 

And that’s the truth.

Amir Hafizi
Jan 15 2016

Rant: Batman v Superman Mic Drop

This is the link to my professional review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (BvS).

I write for a business paper mainly read by business people, so it's unseemly to do a rant over there. So if you want a more civil whatever, go read that.

This, this is personal. This will be a rant. Warning: Spoilers.

First up, fuck you, Zack Snyder.

Zack Snyder Origin Story

Never have I seen a movie done by a director with such contempt and hatred for the source material. There is no other explanation other than Zack Snyder hates Superman with the intensity of a thousand suns.

I think when Zack Snyder was a kid, he was walking around with his dog when a robber in a Superman costume started pulling a gun at his dog.

Robber in a Superman Costume: Hey, Zack Snyder's dog! Gimme all your money!

Zack Snyder's Dog: Woof?

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Pearls flying everywhere.

Zack Snyder: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Thus began Zack Snyder's convoluted revenge fantasy on Superman. It culminated with BvS.

BvS Begins

The movie opened with a Batman origin story. I'm happy Jeffrey Dean Morgan or whatever got a job as Thomas Wayne. But... necessary? No, it was not necessary. So was the sequence with Young Bruce surrounded by bats and flying through the air. Oh, sure, dream sequence.

Then we see Bruce Wayne 18 months ago, when Superman was fighting Zod in Metropolis. He arrived at Metropolis and immediately called his staff at Wayne Finance to evacuate the building.

The staff, an old man called Jack, then said, "Okay, guys, the boss wants us to evacuate the building!"

Wait. What? Two super-powered aliens are levelling buildings left right and center, and there is a huge fucking tripod thing - a motherfucking dubstep machine - destroying the city and surrounding buildings, and YOU FUCKERS HAVEN'T EVACUATED YET?

You're actually waiting for Bruce Fucking Wayne, the fucking OWNER of your company to tell you what to do? Does Bruce Wayne cut their overtime if they were to evacuate the building when a super 9-11 event is happening WITHOUT his okay? Get the fuck out of my face.

So, anyway, despite the bullshit, this was a good sequence to show Wayne being all, "fuck this alien shit". Good buildup, I must say. So far, 8-10 minutes in, I'm okay.

Then we see a guy somewhere in the Indian ocean diving for kryptonite. Whatever.

Then we see Lois Lane in Nairomi, Africa. I shit you not. Nairomi, Africa, that I presume is just a misspelling of Nairobi, Kenya?

So anyway, Lois Lane is going for this interview with a terrorist. A Muslim African terrorist. He was like, "I didn't know you were a woman?" What a dumbass line. Lois Lane was like, "I'm not a woman, I'm a journalist."

I was like, yeah, Spotlight and shit.

And then her photographer gets searched by White Terrorist Guy (WTG). He starts dismantling this photographer's film camera - fucking hipster douchebag photographer - and finds a tracker the size of Zack Snyder's nipples. I mean, it was fucking huge!

The tracker is a big ass thingamabob with a huge flashing light that beeps like BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. Must have been a hipster douchebag tracker from the 1960s.

So WTG shoots hipster photographer in the head. Oh, and you know what? Subsequent interviews with Snyder revealed that this douchebag hipster photographer is Jimmy Fucking Olsen.

Jimmy Olsen is dead within the first 10 minutes of the movie. Bullet to the head.

Lois gets dragged into the house of the Muslim Terrorist guy. Outside, WTG gets his buddies to kill everyone in the village - bullets to everyone's head - and then leave.

Superman then comes to rescue Lois. I was like, "Damn, dude, the photographer got killed just now. Where were you, assface?"

Superman would only care about Lois' safety cause she gave him pussy. If Jimmy Olsen was sucking his dick on the side, then maybe Superman would have saved him. But he didn't.

Then we cut to a hearing chaired by Holly Hunter. An African woman was telling them about how Superman brought death to the village because of his actions. The Nairomi Government killed everyone and shit.

Holly Hunter was like, "We will hold Superman accountable for this shit." and the woman was like, "I don't think Assface cares, bitch." And she was right.

Assface was busy fucking Lois in a bathtub scene with Amy Adams showing her half-boobs.

Luthoran Sins

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor was hosting Holly Hunter and that hot chick Mercy and some US Generals. That hot skinny chick, she was Mercy. I didn't know till later. But she's exactly my type.

Anyway, Luthor was like, "I'm an eccentric billionaire and my father used to be poor and I have just the thing to handle this Superman threat - kryptonite. But I need just one thing from the US Government to make sure I can handle Superman."

And everyone was like, "He is asking the US Government for one thing so he could handle Superman. What is it? Some nuclear bombs? A spaceship? Kanye West? Adam West?"

No. Lex Motherfucking Luthor, evil genius, wants a fucking IMPORT PASS. That's right. An IMPORT PASS. For kryptonite.

What?

WHY. THE. FUCK. couldn't you just smuggle the shit? Why ask for an import pass? Why alert the US Government you have found kryptonite? If I was the CIA, I would be like, fuck this shit, I'm taking the kryptonite myself.

Meanwhile, another US Government dude took Luthor to the side and said, "Hey, I can hook you up with anything else."

And THEN Luthor asked for more important stuff. On the side. As an afterthought. He wanted the Kryptonian spaceship the US had, and he wanted Zod's body.

Then we see Luthor slicing off Zod's fingerprints and gluing them on his hands and then using that to open up the spaceship.

Seriously? Kryptonian technology that can travel faster than light, that can terraform entire planets and even bring things back to life, is FOOLED BY PASTED ON FINGERPRINTS? What the fuck, dude? What the fuck?

And the computer was like, "Oh, our archives got access to knowledge from 100,000 worlds and shit."

And Luthor was like, "Teach me, bitch."

And Kryptonian Siri did just that. The knowledge of 100,000 worlds taught in like, 20 minutes.

Dreams and Nightmares

Meanwhile, Batman has turned cruel and Alfred notes this fact, shrugs his shoulders and moves on.

Batman has been getting these dreams. In fact, most of the cool stuff we see in the trailers are just Batman's dreams. Was Zack Snyder trying to audition to be part of Nolan's Inception franchise? There were three or four dream sequences and they didn't go anywhere.

Anyway, Batman needs to get some intel from Luthor's house so he goes to a party organised by Metropolis library or something.

When he taps into Luthor's server room, Clark Kent could hear him talking to Alfred so he tails Bruce very obviously and Bruce Batman Wayne - motherfucking Ninja Batman, didn't even see him. Which is fine, because he's Superman, but then the Man from Krypton gets distracted by... a fucking TV report about a fire somewhere in Mexico?

How does this work, Snyder? I went on a holiday recently and whenever I turn on BBC in the hotel room, all they talk about is some disaster or war or some shitty thing.

You're telling me that Clark Fucking Kent, a journalist, is suddenly distracted by a fucking news story? There are ALWAYS shit going down somewhere. He just decided to get distracted when he was following Bruce because it is convenient.

Anyway, as Supes flies off, Batman gets beaten to the chase to rob Luthor of data by Wonder Woman.

They flirt a little as Supes does all these obligatory Zack Snyder poster shots. Holly Hunter adds into the Superman debate when she is asked by an interviewer - 'must there be a Superman?' Well, the answer to that, according to Zack Snyder must have been - HELL NO!

Because in ALL orf Superman's scenes, it is always people talking TO him. They don't talk with him, he doesn't tell people shit, he just stands or sits there and people just flap their mouths at him.

Lois talks TO him, Ma Kent talks TO him, Luthor talks TO him, Batman talks TO him. And when people are confused or pissed off or afraid of Superman, what did he do? He doesn't come out and say anything.

If Superman just went and said, "Hold up, bitches, I got this shit." the whole entire shitty consequences in the movie would not have been that way. If he had released a Press release, tweeted or instagrammed some shit, people wouldn't have to die.

And people die. By the truckloads. They drop off like flies.

I'm getting ahead of myself. Ah, fuck it, the movie doesn't make sense anyway.

Wandering Woman

So let's get to Wonder Woman.

I love Gal Gadot and think that even though she doesn't have any tits, they should just go with that as an updated version of the ideal feminine beauty in this century. When Wonder Woman was created decades ago, she was a busty amazon because that's the standard of beauty back then. Gal Gadot is the current definition of beauty, so the costume could have been more steamlined and I wouldn't care.

Wonder Woman is also a badass, but here are problems with the character and it is all Zack Snyder's fault.

First up, Wonder Woman has absented herself from our world for close to 100 years. Okay. I get it. Then she resurfaces because... there is a picture of her during WW1. Like, what? There is ONE FUCKING PICTURE and you just resurface to get a DIGITAL COPY of that picture?

What the fuck, Diana?

And then, despite flirting a bit with Bruce Wayne/Batman, Wonder Woman was about to go back into hiding or whatever, when - again - there was a news report about some lightning shit happening in Metropolis.

Then she just ups and appears as Wonder Woman. WHAT. THE. FUCK?

The only thing she knew was that there were some lightning-y shit happening in Metropolis. She didn't know Doomsday was coming out. Assface and Batman weren't fighting Doomsday yet, so why did she almost blew her cover to save their asses?

It makes no fucking sense. Wonder Woman disappeared after WW1. She left us when Hitler was gassing all those people in WW2. She left the world alone when two - TWO - atomic bombs killed thousands of people. She ignored a fucking world war, three to four major wars after that, some sizeable conflicts and multiple genocides, not to mention Zod destroying half of Metropolis 18 months ago ... and she comes back because some lightning-y shit was happening? And it was earlier because of some grainy black and white photo that was digitised and of which an infinite number of copies could be made?

Descent Into Madness

Anyway, I lost where I am because I am so angry. Let's just say Superman, Assface, went to a hearing and a guy who was a former employee of Bruce Wayne and now recruited by Luthor, blew everyone up in the hearing thing setup whatever.

Oh, oh, I forgot. As part of the storyline to make Luthor seem like a super menacing villain, he had an exchange with Holly Hunter. She said some sass to him about "You can take a bucket of piss and call it Granny's Peach Tea but I won't drink it." earlier.

So at the hearing, Holly Hunter saw a jar right on her table, and it was labeled Granny's Peach Tea. And the room blew up. Because of the wheelchair bomb by the former employee, not Granny's Peach Tea, which is urine.

Aw, man. This movie is so horrible, I don't think I'm making sense even to myself anymore.

Anyway, Lois Lane finally figures out that Lexcorp or someone connected to Lexcorp is trying to frame Superman. And that this conspiracy probably figured out that she is connected to Superman, and maybe they figured out that Clark Kent is Superman.

Now, what does she do with this information? ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING. She met Superman a few times after that and NEVER TELLS HIM this news. WORST. GIRLFRIEND. EVER.

If she just told Superman, maybe send him a text or a Whatsapp, "Hey, man, there are people trying to set you up and they probably know you are Clark Kent, so you maybe would want to keep your loved ones (me and your mother, and Jimmy Olsen - oops, he's dead) safe or something."

Luthor is played as a young billionaire with speech tics. He seems more like The Joker than Luthor. Luthor is Lawful Evil, not Chaotic Evil, dumbass Snyder.

Okay, so after the hearing place thing - some court on capitol hill or whatever, got blown up, Batman steals the Kryptonite from Lexcorp. Oh wait. Hold up.

Before this, Batman found out Luthor was smuggling kryptonite into Metropolis. So what does he do?

1. He fires a huge, HUGE tracker on the truck transporting it. This tracker of course has a big-ass beeping red light on it.

2. He chases the truck in his Batmobile. This is a great action sequence. Would have enjoyed it but it didn't make any fucking sense. If you have a tracker on, why did you have to follow it? And Batman killed a few of the baddies here. I don't really care that Batman kills. Okay, so this version kills people, but he's so un-Batmanlike when he kills. At least show some remorse, bitch.

3. Then Superman just stops his car.

Superman didn't know he was chasing after a truck, didn't check on the truck and did not show any inclination to hunt down Batman but he showed up anyway, ending Batman's chase.

So after that Batman goes home and he sees the tracker showing him that the truck is in Lexcorp research facility or some shit.

In the Lexcorp place, the tracker is still there - still huge, still blinking LOUDLY, and nobody notices a goddamned thing.

So as the Superman hearing got blown up, Bruce Wayne was in his office, seething. He's angry because that dude in the wheelchair has been sending back the cheques he was supposed to have received every month with shit written on it to goad and poke Bruce Wayne.

The writings are all, "Wake up, Bruce Wayne." "You're blind, Bruce Wayne" and "You let your family die."

These letters, these fucking letters written as if it was by The Joker, pushed Batman off the edge so he steals the kryptonite from Lexcorp.

Wait a minute. What?

So all it took, to push Batman to try and kill Superman, was a bunch of letters? This was referenced later in the movie when Luthor admitted to Superman that it was in fact he who sent those cheques back. He wrote those letters and that it was easy to goad Batman into trying to kill Superman.

Batman, the World's Greatest Detective, fooled and manipulated by Luthor using snail mail. We have a Wonder Woman who is concerned about a black and white photo, a Superman who doesn't communicate even though he's a journalist, and a Batman who can be tricked with pen and paper. FUCK YOU SNYDER.

SO anyway, Batman does a training montage. He takes a sledgehammer and pounds on a bus tyre. Now, I think Snyder went to his gym and asked his trainer, "Bro, what's the coolest way to train your upper-body so you'd look like a duck wearing body armour?" "A duck wearing body armour, you say? Take a sledgehammer and pound a bus tyre, bro. That's some hardcore cross-fit shit right there."

Here's a thought - doing any kind of strength training in a short period of time won't increase your strength immediately. It will take time -months or even years, before they bear results. You basically tear your muscles and wait for it to heal - oh whatever.

Batman turns most of the kryptonite into a spear, and the shavings into some sort of kryptonite gas. He makes three 40mm kryptonite-gas grenade or something.

Then he shines his bat signal to the sky, waiting for Superman.

Dead Father

Superman was doing his mopey shit up some mountain somewhere when he had a vision of his dead father. His dumbass dead father who killed himself by not allowing his superpowered son to save him in Man of Steel. But that's another movie. Allow me to UGH! Allow me to say what's wrong with this appearance.

Superman's dad told Superman, "You know, one night it rained so hard the farm almost got flooded. I worked with my dad and we managed to divert the water. Then your grandmother baked me a cake - a hero cake - and I ate it. It was the next day when we found out we diverted the water all right, but it went to Lang's farm. As I was eating my hero cake, their horses were drowning."

Okay, so Superman's dad saved his own farm but in so doing flooded another farmer's land, killing their horses. What's the moral of the story here? What can we learn from this shit parable?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

You save yourself, then other people get fucked? What? So... save myself? Don't save myself? What?

Then Superman's dad, he said that he hears the horses in his dreams every night. I'm surprised that he's not Horseman or some shit because in Snyder's world, anyone traumatised by any animal in his dreams becomes a superhero with that animal's traits.

Superman's father then said the voices of the horses only stopped when he met his wife.

So... sex absolves all guilt? Is this the lesson you're trying to impart? Cause I'm pretty sure sex, while excellent, also comes with it a sense of guilt. SO it doesn't make sense - well, the whole movie doesn't make any sense.

Setting Up The Big Shit

Lois Lane was kidnapped by Luthor and they have a chat before Luthor pushes Lois off his building. Of course, Superman appears whenever Lois is in trouble and saves her. He even kisses her on the ground. No wonder people could figure out your secret identity, Assface. Anyone who has EYES can just deduce that Superman is the dude banging Lois Lane.

And why didn't he save her when she was being kidnapped? Why did he save her only when she is falling off a building?

Superman had his chat with Luthor when Luthor told Superman, "I got your mother." and shows him pictures of her just like The Joker did to Batman and Gordon in The Killing Joke.

So Superman is blackmailed to go fight Batman. Before he does so, he goes to Lois, who was almost in a cab, and they talk.

"I have to get him (Batman) to help me, or I might have to kill him." Said Superman. And then, "Nobody stays good forever."

Dude, you killed people. You personally killed Zod and worse - you allowed thousands of people die. You don't allay the fears of these dumb humans and you don't explain yourself or take the time or trouble to understand delicate situations in Nairomi and everywhere, causing the deaths of lots and lots of people. You are, by all intents and purposes of Zack Fucking Snyder, an asshole - a selfish bastard who causes the loss of life, limb and property. You have NEVER been good.

So anyway, after showing to the cab driver that YES - Superman's secret identity is whoever is banging Lois Lane - Superman flies to Batman.

Setting up The OTHER Big Shit

Just before Superman fights Batman, the movie completely stops for like, 5 minutes as Wonder Woman gets an email from Bruce Wayne. In the email attachment we see files from Lexcorp - they were doing surveillance on meta-humans (members of the Justice League.)

They had their logos and shit!

Apparently, Lex Luthor called up some branding agency or graphic designer or some shit and paid them to create logos for these superheroes. Cyborg had a C and Aquaman had an A and The Flash had a lightning bolt. ANd Wonder Woman had the double Ws. WHAT THE FUCK?

So LEX FUCKING LUTHOR OWNS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF THE HEROES IN JUSTICE LEAGUE?

It was such a lazy way of shoehorning a promo for the Justice League movie. And such a clumsy way of slotting it in. I don't want a Justice League movie. I don't want anything from the DC cinematic universe.

The Big Shit

Now, Superman could have just said, "Batman, I need your help. Luthor kidnapped my mother." But he didn't did he? He just goes and says meaningless drivel before Batman sets off traps against Superman.

This series of traps could have worked if they showed Batman gave absolutely no chance for Superman to say or do anything. Just one after the other, bam, bam bam. But noooo. The gap between traps is so long, you could fit in another movie inside each one.

One time, Batman sets off a regular smoke bomb and that fucking fooled Superman. Superman, with X-Ray vision, couldn't see through a goddamned smoke bomb.

So anyway, Batman uses kryptonite gas to weaken Superman so he could fight him. Kryptonite gas should just kill Superman, but whatever.

So one time, Batman has Superman on the ground, right? He ties Superman's foot up and goes for a... sink? Batman has a badass Superman-Buster/Kryptonian-Killer armoured suit on, worth at least a bajillion-kajillion dollars, with like, a grandzillion horsepower or some shit - and he just did some sledgehammer on bus tyres crossfit - AND HE REACHES FOR A PUBLIC TOILET SINK? To hit SUPERMAN?

What the fuck is wrong with you, Zack Snyder?

Throw a batarang. Kick his head in. Chokeslam the fucker. A PUBLIC TOILET SINK?

And then... and then we go to the worst part of the movie. The Absolute Worst.

The Absolute Worst Part of Batman v Superman

As Batman was about to drive a kryptonite spear through Superman's chest, Superman Assface says this: "Martha! They're gonna kill Martha!"

He meant Martha Kent, his adopted Earth mother.

Batman was like, "Why'd you say that name?". He raises the spear higher.

And then Lois Lane rushes in and yells, "That's his mother's name!"

And Batman remembers that his own mother's name is Martha - Martha Wayne - and FUCKING THROWS THE SPEAR AWAY AND IMMEDIATELY BECOMES BEST FRIENDS WITH SUPERMAN.

He was all like, "I promise you, man! Martha won't die tonight!"

So here is a man who probably pounded on a bus tyre for 2 years with a sledgehammer, who stole and killed to prepare for killing Superman, and he stopped BECAUSE THEIR MOTHER'S NAMES ARE THE SAME? Are you fucking kidding me?

Of all the stupid things that have been done in all movies in all of human history, there has never been something as stupid as this. Congratulations, Zack Snyder. You have killed Superman, DC and Warner Brothers.

Fuck them and fuck you too.

I just can't go on. I feel so goddamned tired right now.

In Conclusion

BvS is not a Superman movie or a Batman movie. It's not a Justice League movie. In fact, it's not a movie. It is not even a story.

Stories tell you stuff. Reasons why this or that happens. At the very least gives you a chance to figure it out.

Unfortunately, un-fucking-fortunately, none of the things that happened in the movie had any reason for being, none of the characters had any motivation to do anything they did, none of the plot points were introduced or resolved properly.

Here's the thing: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is just a series of posters with absolutely nothing stitching them together. It's bloated and gaudy and stupid.

It is insulting not just to DC fans or comics fans in general - it is a fuck you to general audiences and normal humans as well.

It is clear that Zack Snyder finally had his revenge on Superman. He finally has his emotional and moral as well as creative comeuppance against that robber dressed as Superman who most surely have shot and killed his dog those years ago. Because there is no other explanation for such hatred on Superman and the Superman mythos.

Go fuck yourself, Zack Snyder. May you make more pieces of turd, each worse than the other. And may they bomb at the box office, permanently killing Warner Brothers so we would never EVER have another DC film ever again.

BatMe v SuperMe: Don of Chastise

I watched Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on Wednesday morning, as part of a Press preview. I then announced on Twitter that I will be doing a review and it will come out in The Malaysian Reserve next week. Could have done it sooner but I wanted to watch it again on Thursday as I really disliked that movie and needed an extra viewing to compose my thoughts.

I wrote the review today and it is ready to be submitted.

The story I want to tell here is what I experienced after I hinted that I disliked the movie. People began to show their displeasure at me. Someone even told me to go and have sex because the lack of fucking is the sole reason I disliked BvS.

I countered by saying that I have had more sex than the average human male would in his lifetime, but that statement was met with derision.

I began to observe that for most humans, if you do not share their views, then you are automatically against it. For example, I don't think people should have children because resources on this planet are not enough and most parents can't afford their children's education funding.

I also do not like children.

This does not mean I will be sneaking into people's houses late at night and slitting their children's throats while they sleep. It also doesn't mean that I actively petition stupid politicians to do a culling of humans in order to conserve Earth's resources - as any Malthusian should. I also don't haul a loudspeaker in front of their homes and shout what I believe in all day, every day.

However, it seems that these primitives only see anyone else as imposing their views upon them, because they do it. Yes, these breeders and people who like BvS want everyone to have the same views as them, or they are trying to convince them that their views are wrong.

Let me assure everyone that I have no interest in the views of others. I like Terminator Genisys, Jurassic World and I loved the hell out of Star Wars The Force Awakens and I have never sought to 'correct' those who do not share the same views. I have no interest in them or their views and I am sad that I have to state this as a fact rather than for it to be understood as a general ground rule.

I am a confirmed bachelor, like Bruce Wayne, but without the money or the PTSD. Or the big dick Ben Affleck is packing. I don't like politicians, I don't like lying and I believe everyone can do their jobs well and/or live their lives without lying.

I believe that we should all be responsible for any child we bring forth to this increasingly warmer planet and also all the horrors the children will face in the next few decades. This includes a potential world war, environmental apocalypse, economic collapse and ultimately - death.

What I believe in is not in any way what I want you to believe. I do not care about you or your beliefs. I am self-absorbed, and therefore only concern myself with what I believe in. Case in point: I only read my own Facebook profile and no one else's.

I think marriage is expensive and unnecessary and have never found anyone worthy of all the trouble. Okay, maybe two girls are worth it - Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson. But they, too, will get old and they will die. One day they will say something stupid or tell a lie and that's it - attraction gone.

I consider all humans to be inferior, but that does not mean I see myself as superior. Humans are just fucked up flawed lying idiots. So if you'll keep yourselves away from me, I'd be much obliged.

And so, I end this with BvS sucks!

P/S: Buy my book! Click on this link!

Lies

Caption: PICTURE IS UNRELATED

So some time ago, I found myself in a bar in Pattaya with a girl making googly eyes at me. I had rung the bell at the bar, which means that I bought everyone a round of drinks. Since there were only five people at the bar, this came to five drinks at a very affordable THB500 (RM50).

So I was fretted upon. They fussed over me, making sure I had fresh coasters for my orange juice - my Jaka Denial days behind me - because I kept tearing them apart. Carlsberg or Tiger coasters, when wet, can easily be picked with fingernails.

Anyway, we got into a conversation. I began telling the girl of my rambunctious exploits in the world of Malaysian cinema.

Me: And then I told the director that I thought the voice over was horrible... and later found out it was HIS voice!

She laughed. She then proceeded to tell me her story - about how she came from the village and got a job in Pattaya and is now saving up for a trip to Europe.

Girl: I lie!

I fixed my gaze directly into her eyes. I hate liars and I was stunned as to why she would lie about going to Europe.

Me: I don't lie.

She looked perplexed. The other people at the bar - a mamasan and a ladyboy waiter - began coming to her aid, checking up on me and offered me another drink, on the house.

The girl's lower lips were trembling as she said,

Girl: But I lie you! I lie you too mutt!

Me: Ah, I said. I like you too.

The Persistence of Dickery

Evil is comical, I must assure you.

I have seen, in recent weeks, a millionaire dangling a job in front of another millionaire, thinking the other guy is some sort of urchin trying to beg for money.

In fact, the first millionaire - Millionaire A - might have less money than Millionaire B. Millionaire B just sat there, quietly, and watched all this with a bemused look on his face.

I was also dangled a lot of things in front of my face by people who think I desire anything. Jobs, pussy, money. They think I operate like they do. Like I don't know which hole they came from. Because I've been to that hole before.

My ego, of course, started jumping up and down.

"You DARE dangle anything in front of me? ME? The Greatest Mind of the 21st Century?"

But... it is correct to simply sit and see these performers jump from one leg to the next, thinking he's such a great intellect and how everyone is beneath him.

My ego sensed their egos and wanted to jump. This is my training, to sit down quietly. To not react.

In Pendekar Laut (Tigershark) comics published originally by Ocean Creative or whatever, Pai Zonan went to an asylum to train his patience.

I feel like Zonan, even though I have always hated that character. Sang Elektron - Tony Loy - was more my style. A man who took on the entire universe. He died, of course.

Righteous Bothers

One of the biggest Intellectual Property rights gossip in the animation industry where one party had all their IP practically robbed, elicited this comment from someone: "I spoke to them, and they learned a lot from the experience."

She was trying to sell this regretful occurrence as something good for everyone.

It's like saying, "Oh, that girl got raped, and she learned A LOT from that."

I've been approached by more and more people with greed in their eyes these days. It sickens me. Almost as much as people who lie to me. I keep my memory pristine. I remember each and every lie, every attempt at manipulation.

I don't take it personally, of course. Maggots would eat any corpse. You just have to keep moving so they don't crawl up your ass.

My ego sometimes flares up. "How dare you try to lie and/or cheat ME? I am the Greatest Mind of the 21st Century! The Destroyer of Worlds! With a wave of my hand, I will destroy everything! And you will gaze upon me - beautiful and terrible to behold on a landscape of ashes."

And then half an hour later, the anger passes as actions and plans form and require attention. Rather unfortunate because none of this is necessary. But it is.

We have so many horror stories about robbed IPs in this country that it would be extremely stupid not to learn from them and take steps to make sure it never happens again. IPs on their own are not worth much, unless significant effort is put into them, but the rights of creators will be protected, come hell or high water.

Unnecessary Evil

I don't understand it.

For most of the evil I see being committed around me, they are usually totally unnecessary. If one had stayed honest and true, and not overcome by stupid greed, everything would be fine.

Unfortunately, here we are. And even bigger evil is done if these are allowed to fester.

All one can do, though, is to protect one's self and whenever possible, to stop evil from happening.

It's nice to know that with one well-placed word, evil can be stopped.

Negotiations

Here's what you need in order to negotiate properly:

1. Buddhism.

Leave any desire out the door. This means no expectations, no dreams, no goals. Let it all go. The opposing party would want to exploit any and all desires you have.

For example, a lot of women believe I want to fuck them. Around 12 years ago, this was true. I wanted to fuck all women.

Then I went to Thailand and trained under the Whore-Priestesses of Shabda-Oud. I realised that sex is only RM50. So any kind of the most debased fetish-filled fucking is only worth two cab rides to work.

I am sex-proof, in the nerdiest way possible.

Then, they think you'd want money. They think you want THEIR money.

After the heart attack in 2014, I realised that money is not everything and I mean that in the most non-cynical way. In fact, the greed or desire for money will make you lose money. Only when you allow money to come to you would you be able to make any significant financial progress.

2. Realise that you are not a slave and can walk away at any time

"You don't have to be nowhere forever" - Delirium, The Sandman Comics.

If things don't happen, or happen, the world will not stop spinning, and I mean that in the way galaxies spin or maybe the universe spins. I don't know that shit.

3. Finding true happiness is finding true wealth

If money or sex is no issue, and we have an over-abundance of food, then what is true wealth?

True wealth is time and happiness. The time to allow yourself to be happy. Happiness doesn't come from others or from things or from circumstances. Happiness is an absence of desire.

Let go of everything and be the wealthiest man alive. Or dead. Nobody cares.

Hal Hal Bosan Berunding Dengan Penerbit/Stesen TV

Kepada penulis skrip, biasanya korang akan bercakap dengan penerbit atau stesen TV untuk jual skrip ko. Ini aku senaraikan beberapa benda yang diorang biasa cakap dan bagaimana ko boleh jawab.

Sebelum itu, beberapa cadangan:

1. Tinggalkan dunia produksi.

Rezeki di tangan Tuhan, bukan di tangan industri yang dangkal ini. Pergilah cari kerja lain. Mula berniaga ke, mintak derma keluarga diraja Arab Saudi ke.

2. Lepaskan nafsu untuk melihat karya ke layar

Dunia takkan berhenti berpusing kalau karya ko masuk TV atau masuk panggung. Lepaskan nafsu ini, demi mendapat kekuatan dalam rundingan. Lepaskan semua nafsu lain untuk beroleh kekuatan rohani yang tidak terkalah.

3. Semua orang penipu

Jangan percaya sesiapa pun.

Okay, sekarang kita beralih ke dialog biasa bersama penerbit.

1. "Ko buatlah projek ni untuk exposure. Boleh letak dalam CV ko. Jadi, harga ko tak payah tinggi sangat sekarang, nanti naikkan kadar bayaran ko, bila ko dah power nak mampus."

Terjemahan: "Jadilah hamba abdi kepada kami dengan bayaran seperti kena rogol kat lubang jubur."

Bila ada penerbit cakap camni, bangun dari kerusi dan mula berjalan ke kereta/stesen LRT/motor. Start motor, blah dan jangan sekali-kali toleh ke belakang. Kalau ko toleh, ko akan nampak pernbit tadi jadi hantu penanggal nak isap darah ko.


2. "Kitorang takleh bayar ko lebih atau bagi ko percentage sebab stesen TV yang menindas kitorang dan ambik semua hak."

Terjemahan: "Kalau ko berani, pergile saman stesen TV yang ada lawyer ramai gila tu. Ini bukan salah aku, walaupun aku perdulittaik pasal hak ko. Aku nak duit je. Ko boleh pergi mampus la."

Kalau dia cakap macam ni, ko terus book flight ke Siam, ko jadi hamba abdi pengupas udang. Sesungguhnya hidup sebagai hamba abdi pengupas udang mungkin lebih baik daripada jadi penulis skrip.

3. "Ko kena paham, kitorang dah keluarkan duit. DUIT! Ko paham tak kitorang dah keluarkan DUIT? Kitorang buat suatu kerja yang murni sebab melaburkan sesuatu yang kau takda."

Terjemahan: "Dengan nama Ringgit Malaysia yang Maha Hebat lagi Maha Kacak. Tiadalah Tuhan melainkan Ringgit Malaysia."

Sebenarnya, usaha dan idea kau sebagai penulis juga satu pelaburan dan satu aset. Masa yang kau sumbang untuk membuat apa-apa juga ada nilai. Dan duit stesen TV atau syarikat penerbitan bukanlah istimewa sangat sebab kau boleh dapatkan duit yang sama, mungkin dalam jumlah lebih banyak, kat tempat lain.

Dan sememangnya biasa untuk syarikat atau individu melaburkan duit ke dalam sesuatu projek untuk mendapatkan sebahagian daripada pulangan, biasanya bukan SEMUA pulangan. Jadi melaburkan duit bukanlah benda yang macam makhluk asing merogol anjing di lubang jubur di tengah hari.

4. "Kitorang je yang melabur dalam produksi tempatan. Kitorang je yang membela nasib produksi tempatan."

Terjemahan: "Hisaplah kote kami."

SEBENARNYA, semua stesen TV perlukan pengisian tempatan. Local content. Kalau kau ada data penyiaran, rangkaian yang menyiarkan pengisian antarabangsa (kalau ditolak bolasepak), angkanya agak kecil.

Aku kira-kira bodoh yang content antarabangsa di TV menarik lebih kurang 300-500 ribu orang sahaja. Netflix ke Malaysia, hanya relevan untuk beberapa ratus ribu orang.

Rangkaian TV yang menyiarkan pengisian tempatan pula mencecah angka penonton berjuta. Sebab itu Netflix/iFlix pun sudah mula mencari rancangan tempatan, begitu juga HBO Asia atau apa-apa yang lain.

Masa depan SEMUA stesen TV ialah pengisian tempatan. Oleh itu, pengeluar pengisian tempatan sebenarnya memegang telur semua orang dalam tangan.

Alihkan semua pengisian tempatan sama ada ke Netflix/iFlix atau mana-mana syarikat yang mahu bertapak di Malaysia, dan secara perlahan-lahan (5-15 tahun), kita akan lihat kehancuran.

Juga, alihkan semua pengisian tempatan ke platform lain seperti YouTube dan jual di situ. Adalah tidak mustahil, pada hari ini, untuk menjual pengisian di platform Internet dan meraih jutaan ringgit. Bukan bermaksud senang - boleh tekan butang dan tetiba jadi kaya, tetapi ini hanya salah satu saluran untuk usaha.

Dengan wujudnya ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) dan perjanjian TPPA, pengeluar pengisian tempatan atau pengisian rantau dalam posisi yang agak baik.

AEC membuka pasaran kepada Asia Tenggara yang ada setengah billion penduduk. Belum ada mana-mana entiti atau individu yang mengusahakan platform pengisian yang mampu menangkap pasaran ini, tetapi aku fikirkan hanya perlu tunggu dalam 5 tahun untuk sesuatu seperti YouTube berbayar rantau Asia Tenggara.

Entiti pengisian seperti HBO Asia dan studio pengisian dan pengedaran seperti Legendary pun sudah mula melabur dalam local content dan online content. Sesetengah projek itu sudah menjana keuntungan berpuluh juta dolar US dengan kos yang rendah.

Kita sekarang berada pada titik pusingan kuasa untuk pengisian, apabila dunia sudah mula melangkah ke alam baru. Apa yang aku impikan pada 30 tahun yang lalu dan apa yang aku hadapi 10 tahun yang lampau sudah banyak berubah.

Mari kita lihat apa akan jadi dalam gerak perlahan.

Hal-Hal Bosan Penulisan Skrip

Aku nak korang baca email Alfie Palermo kepada Ketua Pengarah Finas ni.

Alfie menyuarakan kebenaran. Selama ini, penulis skrip di Malaysia secara keseluruhannya dilayan seperti hamba abdi pengupas kulit udang di Siam.

Semasa FINAS membuat kenyataan bahawa industri ketandusan skrip yang bagus, hal sebenarnya ialah penjanaan skrip tidak dibuat oleh penulis skrip, tetapi oleh penerbit.

Penerbit fikir skrip jenis rempit buat backflip atas lori sambil Whatsapp "Ucux nx tmn qaw bt ittew" boleh jual dan paksa penulis skrip tulis. Ini antara sebab banyak filem tempatan kalau kau tulis skrip pun, rasa malu nak bagitau orang kau yang tulis.

Untuk mereka yang bergantung sepenuhnya kepada penulisan skrip, pilihan yang ada biasanya ialah: tulis cerita merapu dalam jangkamasa yang amat terhad sebab penerbit nak buat duit sebanyak mungkin, atau mati kebuluran.

Sebab inilah aku tidak pernah menjadikan penulisan skrip sebagai mata pencarian utama aku. Aku bernasib baik. Ramai lagi penulis skrip yang tahu mereka buat kerja bodoh, tapi buat je pasal berdepan kebuluran.

SEMUA rintihan artis atau krew, pasal takde simpanan, insurans, KWSP, penerbit lari, bayar lambat atau tak bayar langsung, juga berlaku kepada penulis skrip.

Makin teruk lagi, penulis skrip juga tiada kuasa dalam menentukan integriti kreatif karya mereka, tetapi selalu dipersalahkan kalau pelakon tak reti berlakon, pengarah jenis ketua kampung melawat kawasan atau penerbit jenis melompat tak tentu pasal dan tak paham yang dia takde taste dan tak layak menentukan halatuju kreatif apa-apa industri, hatta industri katalog barang pencuci tandas.

Bukan semua penerbit bodoh piang, tetapi cukup ramai untuk menjadikan ini satu masalah. Bukan salah diorang je, tapi salah satu industri. Penulis skrip sendiri pun sebahagian masalah ni, kadang-kadang sebab taknak bersatu sokong bila ada penulis yang berani seperti Alfie Palermo yang memperjuangkan sesuatu yang perlu.

Aku kata Alfie berani sebab aku boleh maki sebab aku tak bergantung pada kerja daripada mana-mana syarikat penerbitan atau penerbit. Aku pernah tolak tawaran syarikat gergasi nak beli skrip aku dan diorang terperanjat. Aku pedulittaik? Aku nak pegang hak untuk buat komik berdasarkan skrip filem aku dan itu pun diorang tak bagi, pasal diorang nak pegang semua rights. Jadi aku bagitau diorang, diorang boleh fuck off and die.

Alfie bergantung sepenuhnya pada penulisan skrip. Sebab dia bersuara dengan lantang, ada kemungkinan dia akan disenaraihitamkan oleh sesetengah syarikat atau penerbit. Seruan Alfie agar kita mengikut Writers Guild of America (WGA), selaras dengan negara ini menandatangani TPPA ialah sesuatu yang hanya akan memperkasakan industri filem. Tetapi harganya mungkin mahal untuk Alfie.

WGA menjamin:

1. Hak menentukan kredit dalam mana-mana produksi.

SEMUA kredit di US atau mana-mana negara maju yang bertamadun, tak ditentukan oleh editor atau pengarah mahupun penerbit. Mereka hanya menghantar cadangan kredit kepada WGA yang akan menentukan siapa dapat kredit apa.

Ini menghalang mana-mana pengarah tak sekolah yang meletakkan nama mereka sebagai penulis lakonlayar dan penulis skrip sebagai 'penulis skrip' sebab FFM ada anugerah hanya untuk penulis lakonlayar dan bukan penulis skrip. Malaysia ialah satu-satunya negara yang aku tahu tidak memberi kredit lakonlayar kepada penulis skrip, sebaliknya kepada pengarah. Tak dibuat dek orang, ko tau?

2. 3++% across the board

Penulis skrip dapat 3++% across the board untuk semua duit yang dapat kepada sesuatu IP menerusi apa-apa platform. Ini gross, bukan nett.


3. Menjamin semua hak yang lain

Banyak sangat nak tulis.

Sebab dah ada orang macam Alfie, aku memutuskan untuk kembali daripada persaraan untuk menulis skrip balik, tetapi aku bersumpah:

1. Aku hanya akan tulis skrip kalau aku dapat sekurang-kurangnya apa yang WGA jamin. Ini bermakna aku akan tulis skrip yang hakciptanya aku boleh pegang, atau sekurang-kurangnya 3% of gross revenue across all platforms.

ATAU

2. Aku dibayar dengan lumayan untuk menulis skrip. Lumayan bagi aku dalam lingkungan RM40,000-100,000 untuk satu skrip filem.

3. Kedua-dua syarat di atas bergantung pada pengehadan bilangan draf kepada 3 (nak rewrite lelebih, aku caj) dan terma bayaran yang mengikut cadangan Alfie (pergi baca seruan dia).

Sekarang ni aku tulis skrip komik Nafiri pada hujung minggu dan waktu lapang, juga mula menulis benda lain kalau jalan. Semuanya aku pegang IP/hakcipta. Kau boleh ambil hak aku bila kau bunuh aku dan banish roh aku ke neraka.

Komik Tempatan

Sudah ada ramai orang cuba buat sesuatu untuk memartabatkan industri komik tempatan. Aku rasa tak layak dipanggil induatri, tetapi wajar digelar 'scene'. Aku tak tau apa perkataan yang boleh ganti 'scene'. Sebab tak cukup besar nak dipanggil industri.

Ada dah dibuat majlis anugerah, pesta, pasar, dan macam-macam lagi. Ini semua okay, tapi sebenarnya scene komik tempatan ketandusan satu benda - data.

Komik tempatan perlukan maklumat pasal 'industri'. Berapa orang artis komik yang ada? Penulis? Penerbit? Berapa ramai yang aktif? Apakah takrifan aktif? Berapa judul yang diterbitkan setahun? Berapa jualan?

Sebenarnya, tanpa maklumat pasal 'industri', apa-apa aktiviti atau program susah hendak dibentuk dan disasarkan tujuannya. Kalau ada duit pun, nak disalurkan ke mana duit tu? Kat member-member sendiri? Baik pergi rompak bank.

Dengan adanya data, kelemahan dan kekuatan scene boleh dikenalpasti. Juga, satu database yang sekurang-kurangnya hampir lengkap boleh menyalurkan kerja kepada mereka yang dalam 'industri', seperti satu guild.

Oh well. Dah lama aku tak menelaah sampel data yang besar.

When Evil Had Its Day

Some of my friends said I am more positive now after the heart attack rather than before. She said this a couple of weeks ago and I have had time to think about that comment.

I disagree. I'm still the distrusting paranoid wreck I was and forever will be. I am convinced that people are inherently, by nature, petty and evil. It is up to them to evolve beyond that and very few actually do.

What has changed could be that my friend has had time to know me a little better. Or perhaps I had more time to explain myself.

Inside my head are complex ideas and thoughts that I could never bring forth in their entirety in just one session or speech. There is so much information and I always believe that people need all the information I have before making a decision.

Unfortunately, this is not true. I collect information. Tons of it. It is in my nature. But most people would find all that information useless.

I entered the media industry precisely because I was weak in communication. Writing was my weakest subject in primary school. In high school, I trained myself to write better, but my connection with people still suffered.

I'm socially awkward in the way I always find myself feeling like I'm trapped in a glass bottle with all this information and I can't transfer them all to the other subject via telepathy. And you need ALL of it.

But you don't, do you?

What if the objective has changed? What if the game has shifted? It is not about how much information I can or should give you, but what kind of information do I decide you will have, in order for you to do what I want?

That sounds really evil, doesn't it?

Well, maybe not.

DnD: Bard Yang Kesuntukan Masa

Aku bermain DnD dengan satu kumpulan geek sejak tahun lepas. Watak aku ialah seorang Bard halfling bernama Bardrolhisham Bidin. Nama timangan: Bard.

Peranan seorang bard dalam sesuatu kumpulan ialah sebagai 'watak sokongan' yang memberikan semua orang bonus ketika bertempur. Tetapi, baru-baru ini, dalam salah satu pengembaraan kami yang membawa kumpulan ke Neraka, Bard telah mendapat sebilah tongkat sakti yang ada sihir lightning bolt tahap tinggi.

Sejak itu, semua lawan yang sukar, jenis raksasa kelas tinggi, ataupun perajurit yang kuat-kuat, semua perlu dibunuh atau dilemahkan dengan tongkat sakti itu. Naga, hantu penanggal, Lunar Nagas, Knight, Warrior, Hydra, semuanya terkesan dengan tongkat sakti.

Tongkat sakti itu sekarang tinggal 22 atau 21 caj sahaja. Selepas habis digunakan, tiada cara untuk caj balik dengan murah. Aku sedang memikirkan dan menyediakan cara untuk mengimbal-balik kegunaan Bard dalam pertempuran sebaik saja caj dalam tongkat sakti itu habis.

Aku sedang mengumpul spell yang boleh digunakan dalam banyak keadaan. Tapi itu tidak cukup. Juga, ilham untuk menggunakan Alchemist Fire sebagai senjata baling belum boleh berhasil sebab kekuatan Bard hanya 5, yang membuahkan modifier -3.

Hmmm...

The Amir Hafizi Diet Plan

I had some success with my initial diet plan, losing 20++ kg in a span of six months, so I'm listing it down here. I'm currently working on a different diet that is more sustainable but would still make me lose weight at a slower pace. Some calculations might be a bit off. In any confusion, reduce the amount, never increase.

So here goes:

The ORIGINAL Amir Hafizi High-Fibre Diet and Exercise Plan

What you need:

1. Willpower
2. Swearing off ALL food not listed here
3. Psyllium Husk
4. Oats. Loats of oats
5. Lots of water
6. Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (for diabetic patients)
7. Fresh food stuff
8. Blackmores Multivitamins

So here's the list of breakfasts:

Monday:
Psyllium husk and water
Oats and some low fat milk

Tuesday:
Psyllium husk and water
2 Weetabix and some low fat milk

Wednesday:
Psyllium husk and water
Oats and some low fat milk

Thursday:
Psyllium husk and water
One banana

Friday:
Psyllium husk and water
Oats and some low fat milk

Saturday:
Psyllium husk and water
Oats and some low fat milk

Sunday:
Psyllium husk and water
Oats and some low fat milk

Lunch is served!

Monday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Tuesday:
Four slices of Gardenia Purple Wheat bread
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Wednesday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Thursday:
3 chappatti + dhal
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Friday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Saturday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Sunday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce

Dinner:


Monday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Tuesday:
Four slices of Gardenia Purple Wheat bread
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Wednesday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Thursday:
3 chappatti + dhal
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Friday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Saturday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce


Sunday:
Faiza Taj Mahal Herbaponni rice (100gm of pure cooked rice)
100gm chicken fillet, no skin, no fat - actually 200gm, cooked for two meals, lunch and dinner. cooked with two tablespoons of oil, garlic, onions, ginger, curry/kurma powder, star anise, water, half a teaspoon of salt.
100gm veggies, preferably butterhead lettuce

Snacks:

1. Oats
2. Fruits - pears, apples, oranges, bananas. Limit to two a day.

Exercise:

Best to walk/run for 5km daily or one hour cardio at a heart rate of 140-ish. Higher if you are healthy and have no medical conditions. Or swim for an hour.

If you eat this, and absolutely nothing else - this means absolutely NOTHING else - I guaran-damn-tee you will lose weight at least in the first five weeks. The exercise helps start the burn process. After that initial period, you need to get creative.

Iklan Tidak Berbayar: Maple Comics Sebuah Syarikat Penerbitan Polos

Beberapa kali, Melayu jenis urban berkata kepada aku, "Kau berniaga ni, kenalah ada untung."

Aku biasa senyum saja. Ya, aku tahu untung-rugi tu apa. Aku pernah ambil Kemahiran Hidup masa tingkatan satu-tiga.

Bila aku menjelaskan polisi dan prinsip Maple Comics yang sebenarnya mengikut ramai penerbit komik dan buku yang lain, tetapi bukan yang bernilai berbillion-billion, mereka akan marah. Menggeliat-geliut seperti cacing kepanasan.

Kenapa Maple Comics memberikan sepenuh hakcipta kepada pengkarya? Kenapa Maple Comics memberi kebebasan berkarya (tetapi hanya kepada projek dan pengkarya terpilih)? Kenapa kami tidak mengusahakan penjualan barangan? Kenapa kami tidak mahukan duit?

Kenapa aku begitu bodoh dan dangkal?

Maka ketahuilah dan beritahulah kepada semua manusia, bahawasanya Maple Comics ialah syarikat penerbitan komik bebas (indie) yang begitu baik hati dan mesra-pengkarya. Malah, kami memberikan deal yang cukup hebat kepada artis.

Sebenarnya, Maple Comics ialah syarikat yang sustainable tetapi tidak profitable. Maksudnya apa-apa pendapatan kami daripada jualan satu judul komik hanya cukup-cukup untuk menerbitkan judul yang seterusnya.

Aku senang dengan cara ini. Tidak perlu pening kepala dengan tuntutan lembaga pengarah ataupun pemilik saham. Kami bebas menerbitkan apa saja judul yang kami rasa menarik.

Aku amat gembira apabila pembaca membeli komik-komik kami dengan muka yang ceria. Aku teruja bila komik dihantar sampai ke rumah, dan aku membeleknya buat pertama kali. Aku sering tersenyum apabila membaca pdf atau imej komik sebelum diterbitkan.Aku kagum dengan ramai bakat komik yang menghantar cadangan karya ke email kami di komikmaple@gmail.com. Sama ada kami tolak atau terima, lain cerita. Yang penting - masih ada yang berkarya.

Ada banyak karya aku terpaksa tolak atas pelbagai sebab. Dan ada beberapa projek terpaksa dibatalkan sebab terlampau lambat untuk disiapkan. Apapun, aku gembira dengan judul-judul yang kami terbitkan. Semuanya berkualiti dan mempunyai je ne sais quoi.

Pasal untung pula, aku hanya perlu pastikan, setiap jualan atau promosi tidak merugikan dan adalah sedikit margin yang tidak besar sangat.

Sekarang, pada tahun kedua Maple Comics, aku memikirkan beberapa hal yang sukar. Maple Comics sebagai sebuah entiti penerbitan, menjadi semakin kukuh dengan lebih banyak judul tahun ini berbanding tahun lalu. Kami juga sedang memikirkan pengembangan bentuk niaga ke arah yang lebih lebar.

Aku dan beberapa rakan telah membuat Ma-Play Card Game - satu permainan kad yang bakal dicetak sebaik sahaja para artis siapkan lukisannya.

Aku sudah memikirkan cara pemasarannya. Ada beberapa idea yang aku fikir boleh dipertimbangkan secara serius, tetapi memerlukan penyertaan pihak lain. Sebab kami sahaja tidak mampu hendak buat semua benda.

Dan kalau ada pihak di luar sana yang mahu bekerjasama dengan kami dan pengkarya yang menjadi rakan niaga kami, adalah amat dialu-alukan. Cuma perlu diingat yang kami menegaskan hakcipta sepenuhnya milik pengkarya dengan hanya hak adaptasi ke barangan cenderahati atau medium lain yang menjadi medan rundingan.

Kami tidak teruja dengan godaan untung PULUHAN ringgit.

Aku, Maple Comics dan Memelihara Hakcipta

Sudah tiga orang yang mengatakan aku bodoh atau sekurang-kurangnya dangkal sebab mengurus Maple Comics seperti yang aku uruskan.

"Kenapa kau bagi pengkarya pegang hakcipta? Patut kau penerbit, kaulah pegang!" kata seorang yang bekerja di Malaysia.

"Kau seharusnya buat duit, bro. Kau perlukan duit," kata seorang dari negara jiran.

Setiap kali mereka berkata begitu, aku rasa sangat mulia. Seperti aku menjadi Siddharta Gautama yang melepaskan semua nafsu dan mengikut Jalan Lapan Lapis. Akulah Boddhisativa Hakcipta! Arhat Harta Intelek! Avalokitesvara Tanda Niaga.

Seolah-olah aku telah menolak berjuta-juta ringgit, malah mungkin berbillion, sebab aku tidak mengambil hakcipta daripada pengkarya. Mulia, bukan?

Sebenarnya, aku malas. Ya. Itulah sebab sebenarnya. Aku memang pemalas.

Aku lebih suka Maple Comics menumpukan usaha kami yang masih terhad ini kepada menerbit dan memasarkan komik. Dengan ada milikan hakcipta dan harta intelek, peluang dan potensi untuk membuat duit memang ada, tetapi adakah kau fikir semudah itu? Hanya pegang hakcipta dan semua benda - uang dan perempuan - akan bergolek ke kaki?

Semata-mata kau buat mainan atau t-shirt daripada sesuatu harta intelek, adakah kau fikir ia akan terjual dengan sendiri?

Tidak ada satu sen pun duit yang datang dengan mudah. Semuanya harus diusahakan. Komik perlu dijual, pemarasan, branding, product visibility, product availability, storage, logistics, front desk, back-end, ease of payment, fulfillment, crisis handling, error and risk management.

Aku tahu bagaimana hendak buat duit - kalau terdesak sangat, ko boleh hisap kote politician - itu bukan cabaran minda yang menyeronokkan, tetapi hanya cabaran stamina. Aku akui, aku tiada stamina untuk mengeksploitasi semua harta intelek aku sendiri, apatah lagi harta intelek orang lain?

Jadi, jawapan mudahnya, aku malas.

Satu lagi ialah pasal keadilan. Aku juga pengkarya dan setakat ini walaupun sudah 12 tahun bekerja dan pernah menulis 6 filem, beberapa siri TV dan benda-benda lain, aku tiada harta intelek di luar sana yang aku boleh eksploit.

Aku tak pernah minta milikan harta intelek projek-projek ini sebab aku dibayar untuk kerja aku. Walaupun bayaran picisan, itu ialah kadar yang aku sudah persetujui secara bertulis.

Namun aku fikir jika seorang penulis, misalnya, menulis cerita garpu yang jatuh cinta dengan pinggan, maka dia berhak memiliki cerita dan watak itu secara keseluruhan, tanpa soal. Tak kisahlah idea dia bodoh atau bagus.

Lagipun, apa yang penulis itu ingin buat dengan hakcipta itu pun? Dia hampir pasti tidak mampu mengadaptasinya menjadi siri TV muzikal atau persembahan pentas. Hakcipta dan milikan harta intelek, kepada seorang pengkarya yang tiada pengalaman dan dorongan nafsu komersial, samalah seperti seorang budak dengan bantal busuk.

Biarkanlah si pengkarya terjun dengan harta inteleknya. Biarkan, biarkan.

Adalah amat kejam kalau dalam hidup seseorang pengkarya yang hanya ada sebuah kisah cinta yang takde la best mana pun - dan itupun dirompak dan disamun oleh mereka yang akhirnya gagal mendapatkan apa-apa keuntungan sebab mereka tidak faham yang harta intelek tidak menjamin apa-apa pulangan mudah dan harus diperah sampai separuh mati, dalam jangkamasa yang agak lama. Sama macam kerja lain.

Sebab pada akhirnya, harta intelek dalam apa jua bentuk - mug, t-shirrt, seluar dalam - harus dibeli oleh seseorang kalau hendak ada keuntungan. Siapakah orang ini? Kenapa dia ingin membeli barangan itu? Kebanyakan pelabur tahap atasan tidak mampu membayangkan transaksi tahap bawahan ini. Mereka yang berada di atas piramid buta kepada dasarnya.

Kalau kau mahukan pulangan pantas dengan jumlah untuk yang tinggi, kau pergilah jual kuih. Ini aku cakap dengan serius. Sesetengah kuih dan air berperisa, kadar keuntungannya mungkin setinggi 70%.

Jadi, kesimpulannya, aku ialah orang mulia yang malas.

The Mosque Project

Years ago, I developed The Mosque Project with a friend who have now parted ways with me.

We have our differences and The Mosque Project is one of them. He saw The Mosque Project as a means to funnel funds to mosques. I don't think mosques need funding to build more stuff on their grounds.I think mosques should emulate churches in the kind of shit they do.

I believe that mosques could be used as a means to do a few things, namely:

1. Show the people that they are not helpless and can actually do shit.

2. Showcase the practical and philosophical aspects of Islam rather than the mystical mumbo-jumbo bullshit like bomoh hujan or magic shit.

3. Give some Muslims something to do rather than take up arms and bombs and kill themselves for ISIS.

4. Improve the community through shared activities and bring people together through mosque activities that are actually beneficial

5. Make charity programmes work like crazy.

The majority of the people in Malaysia are Muslims. So it is natural to tap into this segment to do shit. Shit like, handling natural disasters or some shit. The kids are now dumb as nails so the community can do shit about this through mosques as a center for education.

Okay, here's how I see it. Mosques have two resources:

1. Space - this shit is vital, brah! Space can be sued for lots of shit, like turn it into a tuition center for stupid kids or poor kids or something. The grounds can be turned into a small business arcade for say, single mothers or former junkies or 'at-risk' motherfuckers.

2. Access to the community - free manpower, bitch! Get them engineers and get them to teach math once a week to stupid kids. Get the lawyers to reach readin' or whatnot. Once a week. Don't tell me you can't commit to once a week? Talk to the kids, man. They stupid.

Major programmes could include:

1. Natural disaster relief.

Imagine a network of mosques, during floods or earthquakes. A mosque in affluent Bangsar or Damansara can collect donations be it money or in kind. Then they funnel it to a sister/partner mosque in Temerloh. Let the mosque attendees form their own committees and handle collection on one end and distribution on another.

Other mosques can source for volunteers to go and clean up houses or whatever the fuck.

If any kid gets kidnapped, then round up a posse from the mosque. Or use the mosque as a situation room to round up the search posse.

2. Improving the economy of people in shitty circumstances.

We got single moms, addicts, homeless folks, crazy folk, blind niggas, whatever. Open up the mosque grounds and do business arcades like the one at Bangsar mosque. Sell books or some shit.

3. Engagement with stupid kids

The skilled fuckers can teach the dumb fuckers. Nuff said.

The impact from all this will be Islam in a positive, proactive light. Islam has been facing a public relations war for decades if not centuries, but most Muslims are too goddamned stupid to combat this. Except with heavy weapons. And violence doesn't work, unless you have lots and lots of nuclear weapons.

So it alleviates suffering in the country, empowers the people doing these projects - of their own initiative and volition, and it improves Islam's image.

Now, the Gov KENOT do this, because a top-down approach will not work. The problem with Malaysians is that they are apathetic motherfuckers. We, as a people, believe that everything is set by higher powers. That shadowy conspiracies rule our world and that we are powerless to do anything. So we do nothing.

You want these mosque fuckers to do this shit, you have to inspire them to do so.

Which means a multi-year, sustained multimedia campaign to show examples of such successful programmes in other mosques. Eventually, perhaps a few at first, then several then more, then perhaps more and more mosques will do it.

The Government MUST be instructed to "move bitch, get out tha way." The Government KENOT interfere. They will just stand by the side and nod.

Politicians KENOT take control or assume a point of leadership in any of the programmes. They must serve either as lieutenants or balacis, if they want to gain any credit at all. In fact, it is best if politicians get the fuck out.

Which is why this project will fail its original objective - to empower people.

To convince Malaysians that they can do anything and that there is no higher power other than God and their own free will. That money is a false God and so is the Government.

Do you really think the politicians will allow anything that convinces the people to be independent from their bullshit? Something that empowers people to the point that they realise they don't need any of these politicial parties - they can do shit on their own, thank you very much.

Hahahahaha.

And so it will fail. And they will all continue going back to the mosque and talk about how wrong other people are and everyone will stay stupid and poor and the politcians will win and their conspiracies will kill us all with red dust.

I just needed to write something stupid cause my brain doesn't work anymore.

Fuck off and die!

Porn Sacrifice (Not Really)

I spent five hours today in KL trying to fix my PC.

Last night, it kept detecting and not detecting my hard drive. Another hard drive died recently as well, so there were only four possibilities:

1. Fucked up SATA cable
2. Fucked up hard drive
3. Fucked up power supply unit
4. Fucked up motherboard.

I have five deadlines today, so getting my PC up and running was imperative. I also decided it's time to check out what this Mara Digital thing has to offer. I mean, fuck the politics and the racist bullshit surrounding it. Fuck the Malay-Chinese bullshit. I needed to fix my PC and I didn't care who could do it.

So I went to Mara Digital first. I used to go to LowYat since 1999 but moved on cause the traders there became so 'lansi'. They even laughed at me when I was looking for a Blackberry phone.

Fuck you, man. Blackberry forever!

So I got to Mara Digital and it looked okay. I was going around carrying my PC when a kind dude showed me where the repair shop is. Apparently, Mara Digital has only ONE - that's right, ONE - repair shop.

I know we're under the age of 1Malaysia and 1MDB, not to mention One Direction and 1Israel, but fuck having just ONE repair shop in all of Mara Digital.

And guess how many techs they have at the single repair shop in all of Mara Digital? That's right - ONE.

I told him my problem and the initial diagnosis. He said he could check the PC for me in 3-4 days. I was like, "Hell naw!" And picked up the PC and made a beeline out the door.

Then I doubled back and wanted to buy a SATA cable. At least I could fix that myself.

The guy called someone on his phone and texted whoever before telling me they don't sell SATA cables.

I felt the burning hatred building within me like the intensity of a thousand suns, so I picked up the PC and stormed out before I did anything stupid.

Went to a shop downstairs to cool down and eat something. The cashier was on her phone and totally ignoring all her customers, including me. Fucking bullshit.

So I went to the mamak shop across the road, thinking mamaks might know how to do business. No chance. They also completely ignored me and I had to order from the drinks dude myself. Apparently, everyone was on their phones.

I was like, fuck this shit and hailed a cab and went to LowYat Plaza. This was the first time I went to LowYat since I dunno, 2005?

So I searched and found the most Cina-looking dude in C-Zone, which I'm convinced meant Cina-Zone and pressed him for answers about my PC. I grilled him to see how he would react and it was acceptable - one lansi smirk and I would have fucking killed him with my Blackberry. I would have Theon-Greyjoyed him on the spot. I would have Rob-Starked him. I would have cut off his head and sewn his dick in its place.

But it was adequate. He diagnosed my hard disk in 10 minutes and said it has bad sectors and I needed a replacement. This meant sacrificing all my porn, accumulated over 10 years, but it was necessary.

So I bought a new hard disk from him and asked him to install Win 7 on it. I already brought my ORIGINAL copy because I wanted a new hard disk anyway. But that was on the condition that he could do everything in an hour. That was the time he quoted me, so I went off for a simple meal of chapatti nearby.

It took him 55 minutes, but he did it. And so fast forward, I am now home and typing a blog entry before I go do my actual work.

I must say that it is early days for Mara Digital. They just opened in December and focusing on high-margin trade of laptops and phones. Didn't check the prices cause I was so angry. I did notice lots of old people in kopiahs buying stuff there, so the business model is wayyy different than LowYat's. It's for dead end users and old people scared of being scammed in a world they are unfamiliar with.

Mara Digital needs shops that offer the same services as C-Zone, Jayacom and the like. They need places where people can fulfill all their computing needs. They need more techs and more supplies.

One of the more lucrative businesses is supplying offices with computers and currently, I do not see them being capable of doing so. If you don't even have a fucking SATA cable, fuck you if you think I would buy whole systems or furnish an entire office with your PCs.

LowYat 's PC businesses survive not on single sales to desktop jockeys like me, and the overclocking scene is niche. The PC gaming scene is niche. They make big money by supplying offices, where volume makes up for thin margins. As it stands, if I had a business that needs multiple computers, I would go to LowYat.

It would be great for consumers like me to see competition based on price and service quality rather than  politics or racist sensibilities, either by the Cinas in LowYat or the Malays in Mara Digital. You think I give a fuck? You think a majority of businesses and people give a fuck? It's Service number one, and Price number two. Race is like, fuck your mother with a dog.

I wish that Digital Mall in PJ is better than LowYat and run by people not from LowYat. And I wish that there are vibrant IT sections in all shopping malls. It would be easier for me when things like this happens, and they will, because computers are not perfect.

I also wish Mara Digital would get their act together. You can't call yourself LowYat 2 if you don't offer the same or better services and products than the original.

State of the Ultron Address

It is 2.20am. I got back home at 1am and immediately did a few documents and sent them to relevant parties who were waiting for them. Then I printed a few things for an important meeting tomorrow. Transferred a video file to a thumbdrive... and we're all done.

My father was warded a few days ago. Some recurring minor complications that I hope would not turn out to be a painful experience for him. I'm slated to go back in three weeks' time, for Chinese New Year.

Some people have been spreading malicious rumours about me, as they always do, but I know the truth and God knows the truth. Everything and everyone else are irrelevant and a waste of time.

Maple Comics is making strides after we decided to make some changes. It is still not profitable, simply sustainable - each title we do pays for the next one, often leaving the bank balance at zero. I recently discovered that some people think I have money, and the fact that I do this comics publishing thing for fun makes them think I have even more insane amounts of money.

Because who does things for fun anymore these days but the wealthy?

Ah, but I do consider myself wealthy. I enjoy an obscene amount of fun, free from hate and despair, away from idiots and evil people. I enjoy long chats with some treasured friends, talking about nothing and relating stories to one another.

I dare say that even if I were to win the lottery this weekend and gain say, RM13 million - which is the amount of the current jackpot - I would probably do exactly the same thing.

Comics is also a lifelong dream, fulfilled.

It's my little hobby that I share with some friends, as is my DnD campaign. I am now a Level 6 Halfling Bard who has recently turned Chaotic Evil after my propensity to torture prisoners for information. I also eat them afterwards. And sometimes, I would cut off their heads and sew their foot in its place. I will one day create the 'tiga kaki' logo, just for fucks. We play almost every weekend.

My health is okay, though I need to decide on a date to quit vaping. Also need to get some fish oil and schedule more exercise sessions. I'm averaging twice a week now, which is lower than 2015's four times a week.

Also planning a holiday soon. So many trivial things to tend to, and I am happy to have a very quiet life, away from any spotlight.

I will never do anything more significant than enjoying my limited time on earth and watch the world end.

Kekecewaan Pertama 2016

Dah 2016, tapi ramai gak Melayu percaya pada Konspirasi Rahsia Yahudi dan Kristian untuk menjatuhkan Melayu.

Melayu dah lama jatuh dah, bodoh.