Munich

Munich is a really good movie. Intense, absorbing and constantly interesting. It deserves and earns your utmost attention. Yet it has caused some controversy. The movie does not demonize the Arab perpetrators, nor paint the Mossad agents as heroes. Instead Spielberg leaves the moral compass in the hands of his audience. This choice, though it may cause unease for some, makes the movie a lot more interesting. Eric Bana is fantastic, he deserves some reward for his work here.
A few scenes really stand out. The opening scene. A fascinating conversation between Avner and a member of the P.L.O. The scene with the Dutch woman at the bar. The time Avner spends with Louie's father. The scene in which we finally see what actually happened to the hostages.

There is a lot of good stuff here. Excellent work Mr. Spielberg.

"Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values."

I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!

I will be quite surprised if anyone reads this, seeing as I haven't posted in a while, and blog readers are notoriously fickle..(ahem, not you of course.)

Well I am back from Mont Tremblant, in one piece. Which definitely seemed an unlikely outcome after my first attempt at snowboarding. So I am happy about that. It was definitely great to get away from home for a bit, you know, from the daily grind. My snowboarding adventures were shortlived, due to severe instructions received from my ass. The skiing however, was fantastic; the company very enjoyable. We ate, drank, watched DVD's, Curb Your Enthusiasm, played poker ($1 tourneys!), and ate some more. Lots of fun...I will post a pic up when I find one.

Today is the big game: Liverpool vs Everton. For those of you without a clue, this is the so called Merseyside derby, a derby being a game played between two teams from the same area/neighbourhood. In this case, Everton and Liverpool are two clubs separated by a couple of miles in distance and about 1000 miles in class (guess who has more...). The games between these 2 sides contain a rivalry that is unmatched in England and perhaps anywhere in sport - may the mighty Reds reign triumphant.

Cheers!

Vacation time

Hi all,

Just a quick post to say I will not be posting for at least a week. I leave this morning for Mont Tremblant with a few good friends, and good times are sure to ensue. I will try my hand (or my ass I should say) at snowboarding...though skiing remains the focus of the trip. There will of course be lots of alcohol, poker, and all around high jinx. I hope to have a few good stories for y'all upon my return. Have a great week.

Your humble blogger,
M.

Bow to the King.

What are you doing reading? You should be running. To your nearest cinema. To see King Kong. What an incredible film. I'm not going to say anymore, because I tend to overhype things that I really like, which inevitably leads to the path of disappointment. Yet it's strange, because King Kong was the most massively hyped movie of this or any year, and the feeling I left the theatre with was one of wonder and delight, like finding a diamond in the rough. It exceeded my expectations. That has been quite rare of late. And for that I am very thankful.

cheers.

Another filet mignon please waiter...

Add taxi driver to my growing list of occupations. It's almost 3:30am and I leave in 20 mins to take my bro to the airport. He is off on a Caribbean cruise with some mates. Key West, Calica, Cozumel, Grand Cayman. If that sounds familiar, it is. Those are exactly the same ports of call that were on my last (and first) cruise about, oh, 5 years ago. Although I am really excited about going on a ski trip in a few days to Tremblant, looking outside right now I can't help but feel that I would be more excited to be going on a cruise.

You know, food 24hrs a day. Buffet, buffet, followed by a spectacular dinner in the main dining room, filled with sun-broiled guests dressed in their finest. In between the two buffets you are still eating mind you; who can resist a slice of pizza at 4pm? Or burgers by the pool at 2pm? Anyhow in the dining room you are greeted by your personal group of attendants, comprised of but not limited to, your own host, waiter, busboy, and wine taster girl.

This will have to be continued, for my fare has just arrived.

cheers.

SA boy makes good.

Hey kids,

This just in... Neil Blomkamp was just chosen to direct the live action Transformers movie for Dreamworks. Who the hell is he you might ask? A little checking reveals he's a 26 year old South African kid! Check out one of his short films, pretty remarkable.

http://ia300227.us.archive.org/3/items/ALIVE_IN_JOBURG/
Alive_in_Joburg_compr480.mov

Maybe it is possible for the Levy bros to take on Tinseltown...

cheers!

Movies....

Hey peeps,

I haven't updated this blog in a while, partly due to lack of poker, partly due to lack of anything extremely exciting. Most of you know may know that I am a movie fanatic. I guess I have been since I was a little kid. Surprisingly, I remember only a few of my movie-going experiences as a kid. But I remember everything about them. I remember who I saw the movie with, which movie theatre, which actors were starring in it, which scenes I liked, whether I had any snacks or not. This is the "Rain Man" quality that I possess; it is perhaps my gift and my curse. I remember seeing "The Living Daylights" in the theatre, starring Timothy Dalton as James Bond. I remember my big crush on the leading lady, Maryam D'Abo. I remember them escaping the bad guys on her cello case, through the snow. I remember the romanticism of Afghanistan and Morocco, and the great theme song by A-ha. I was literally 8 years old when I saw this, and I still really like the movie even though critics didn't think it stood up to the best Bonds - i.e. Goldfinger, From Russia With Love.

I remember seeing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, at the giant cinemas at the beachfront, (Durban, South Africa). You could buy cotton candy right outside the theatre. Candy apples too. I remember leaving the darkness, smelling the crisp salt-tinged air, thinking that this had to be the best movie I'd ever seen. In particular, I remember one key scene at the end, when Indiana, in order to save his dying father, is advised by one remaining knight from the Crusades, to choose the Holy Grail from among thousands of cups. The bad guy goes for the shining, jewel encrusted cup. He chose poorly. Indy of course chose wisely, and all ends well.

I remember seeing Return to the Blue Lagoon with my sister, at the Wheel Cinemas (Durbs....). Good popcorn, even better slushies. I remember seeing "Dead Poet's Society" with the whole family, and "A Few Good Men" too. I liked both those movies, though at the time I could hardly confess to knowing their plots. I remember seeing "Master's of the Universe" and being confused about the dwarf-ish character with the " musical key" - I mean he wasn't in the series, who the hell is he?

There is something about that feeling you get after watching a powerful movie. It's sort of like you're on a high. It's like a drug, it's something you want to experience again soon.

It's funny the things that linger in your memory, waiting to be cued by some sound, sight, or smell.

What are some of your earliest most memorable movie-going experiences?

Peace.
M.L.

You'll Never Walk Alone.

This emblem inspires fear in opponents, and passion in the players and supporters. You'll never walk alone...

Poker's gone to the dogs!

Yes kids, it's happened again. After barely staying even for a couple of days, my luck truly turned sour, and I am now taking a break from online poker. I'm not sure how long, maybe a week, maybe two, maybe forever. There are only so many bad beats one can take in a day, but take that number and imagine it happening in 3 hours. In case you're wondering, yes, I still have my bankroll, and yes, it is still a nice number. But, poker has started to play a bigger part in my life than I'd like. I am more reclusive, and less productive. More stressed, not at my best.

At one particular table, the proverbial last straw if you will, one particular person called me 3 times in one hour, with only a gutshot straight draw, to my trips on the flop. No flush draw, no pair, just a hope, and a prayer to the poker gods. We put all the money in, and 3 times he hit the gutshot, meaning 4 cards in the deck. Literally, the guy was the biggest fool ever, and yes, I do want people calling me with those cards, for all my money, as a 95% favourite to win. But for me to lose 3 times in just 45 minutes with those odds is mind-blowing and morale sapping.

So on to more constructive things. The job search continues, the quest for U.K. grows unabated. Poker has been good to me. Over the last 4 months I have managed to take a little knowledge, a little heart, and little talent and combine them all to wreck the dreams of fellow poker wannabees. I've stolen pensioner's pensions, and cocky teenagers' daddy-funded bankrolls. I've raided the raiders, I've plundered the pirates. I've managed to earn a decent amount at the same time. But most of all it's been fun. Now it's time to take some risks of another kind.

Peace out.

M.L.

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"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

Bah Humbug!

It has been a while since I updated this thang, because I was waiting for something interesting to write about. Alas, that hasn't happened. These last two weeks have been slowwwwww...like molasses going uphill, in winter. Or Roseanne in a foot race. Poker is bleh! Weather is bleh! I feel a bit like Ebeneezer...you know. Bah humbug! I think maybe it's all that bloody Christmas music on the radio, it's enough to drive you insane. It's enough we have to hear it at the malls; it's become like a bizarre soundtrack to my life, following me everywhere I go. I am not dreaming of a white Christmas, or chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and jingle bells don't rock.

Why can't one of the Yiddisha boys make a Hannukkah album? You know, a Barry Manilow record that we can inflict on the masses? As payback!? An eye for an eye and all that. Think of the set list for Barry: "My zaida's Latkes" or "Geld Geld Geld" (sung to Abba's "Money Money Money")....

Sheesh.

And I'm outta here.

M.L.

Liquor up front....poker in da rear.

Poker update: The wild swings of Omaha caught me in their grasp this week. On one day in particular I lost to four one outers on the river - translation: when it's about 95% certain I will win the hand (with one card to come), my opponent hits the one card in the deck (out of 40 let's say) to win the hand. Let me repeat that: 1 card to win, and it happened 4 times! So that was mildly irritating never mind unprofitable. Next, I made quads on the river, only to be beaten by an opponent with higher quads!!! Now that is just crazy.

Anyhow, for the large part of the week I was down...-$700 at worst, however, over the past 2 days I'm +$800, so apparently the poker gods are appeased.

Peace out.

Shout outs...part 1.

I have been hounded by fans for a shout out on this blog. Really this thing has taken on a life of its own.

Now I cannot respond to all, for that would take an eternity, but I can respond to a few. Now I will not be crude enough to name names, and if I do miss out a couple, you are probably not that important to me. Just kidding, it's because your bid on the "shout out" was not high enough. So don't get mad, get money, and send it to martymarto@theinternet.www.google.com :

To the mad Turk, I put you up here in spite of your lack of goal scoring this season, so that will undoubtedly mean a lot to you. Please get mama Turk to send some Turkish delight in the mail. And no, I am not talking about a mail order bride.

To the infamous Zigzag, whose notoriety has spread across the Atlantic, Pacific and G-d knows where else: I hope to be having a pint with ya real soon....maybe even some bangers and mash served with a side of snobby emperialism. Keep up the good work in Blimey, and try not to get too many locals preggers.

To the mad Russian: Mr. Gecko called, he wanted to tell you "Welcome to the club". He also said something about ripping your throat out and shitting down your skull, but that's just semantics. Nazdarovya.

To the one and only Jet, you are both a gentleman and a scholar, now all you need to do is work on your poker game! :)

To the man formerly known as SAJ (remember ICQ??), I bow in honour of your recent academic achievement. Dare I say Mr. Gecko will be calling you soon as well...? B.S.B for life baby!

To my fellow Scouser and boet, I say hurry up and become a millionaire so we can buy out the Reds and spend the rest of our days on the fair Mersey shore, dining with Stevie and Luis.

that concludes part 1.

if you are incensed you did not make the cut, wait for part 2, or leave a comment.
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M.L.