Are Criminals Stupid?

The following is a quote from the US Non-immigrant Visa application form (DS-156)

Do you seek to enter the United States to engage in export control violations, subversive or terrorist activities, or any other unlawful purpose? Are you a member or representative of a terrorist organization as currently designated by the U.S. Secretary of State? Have you ever participated in persecutions directed by the Nazi government of Germany; or have you ever participated in genocide?

Will people who satisfy the above criteria actually going to answer truthfully? Even these “criminals” do, does the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actually thinks that these people will then send these answers in to the US ICE with their personal details, so that they can be arrested?

I know that majority of criminals are stupid, but this is a bit too presumptuous on the US ICE part.

Movie Review: The Terminal

Poster

My Rating: 5Stars

This evening I went to see the movie “The Terminal” at Broadway Cinema, Olympian City. Another late addition to my Must See Movies list.

I am again overwhelm by the great acting of Tom Hanks. The character “Viktor Navorski” is incredible. Of course, there may be other factors like, a great script or the famous directions of the director, Steven Spielberg, or the multi million dollar set of the JFK airport.

Yes, they built a set to resemble the International Hall of the JFK airport, and even painted the largest mural as a backdrop for hanging outside the windows of the terminal, just so that it will look believable when one looks out the windows of the terminal.

Tom Hanks has again added another superb performance to his repertoire: “The Ladykillers“, “Catch Me If You Can“, “Bands of Brothers“, “Cast Away“, and of course “Forrest Gump“.

I will definitely go purchase the DVD for this movie to add to my collection.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it on iTunes
1Stars Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: Open Water (2004)

Poster

My Rating: 1Stars

Yesterday afternoon I went to see the movie “Open Water” at AMC, Festival Walk.

It is my duty to inform you of this movie.

I did not plan to go see this movie, and it did not make it onto my “Must See Movies” list. To tell you the truth this was not the kind of movies I would have gone to see on my own accord, and I was proven correct.

The director of the movie attempted to create the “true story documentary” cinematography, even the playwright carried this approach. Hence, the actors’ dialogue were quite cheesy.

What else can I say? This definitely a low budget film with low budget actors, and you can spend your money on a meal at McDonald’s instead.

Rating Legend:

5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy the VCD
2Stars Rent it if you can
1Stars Waste your time elsewhere

Movie Review: The Village (2004)

Poster

My Rating: 2Stars

Yesterday afternoon I went to see the movie “The Village” at Broadway Cinema, Olympian Plaza.

I did not plan to go see this movie, and it did not make it onto my “Must See Movies” list. To tell you the truth this was not the kind of movies I would have gone to see on my own accord, but I was presently surprise.

Actually, “surprise” is what this movie is all about. But then what would you expect for a movie coming from the director, M. Night Shyamalan, who also directed: “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable“.

If I tell you any more I will ruin the whole plot for you. Like the other two movies by Shyamalan, you should avoid hearing any more about it before watching the movie yourself.

Rating Legend:
5Stars Not to be missed
4Stars Wait for the DVD
3Stars Buy from iTunes Store
2Stars Rent it on iTunes
1Stars Waste your time elsewhere

Skype Finally Available for Mac Users

Skype

Two days ago, the growing popular software “Skype“; by the company of the same name, finally released a Beta version for the Macintosh (OS 10.3.5 and later). This is after only 9 months where our friends on the Windows, Linux and Pocket PC platforms have been enjoying the features and functionalities of VoIP with Skype.

The creators of Skype are the same ones who created one of the most popular Internet software “KaZaA“; a P2P software that people used to exchange documents, MP3, movies and images.

The Skype team further enhanced what they learned from KaZaA and introduced a bunch of other technologies to produce a VoIP client that automatically locate the shortest path between Skype users.

They also have a service called SkypeOut where you can call any telephone, either fixed line or mobile, at a very low cost.

So if you have time and a microphone attached to your computer do give this software a try, while you’re at it you can drop me a line (Skype ID: “vinko66”).

Music: Duke Frosh Receive a Welcome of a “Different” Kind

Duke

This week Duke University (Durham, NC, U.S.A) welcome their frosh with more than just the 2004 Frosh Week activities and the class schedule. Every first year student received a brand new Apple iPod (4G) 20GB, plus a Belkin’s Universal Microphone Adapter. Details of the project can be found on Duke University’s web site.

It is said, the Duke U project expensed an amount of USD500,000.00 from the discretion fund, which the university allocated for innovative technology. This money paid for the iPods, staff administrator and support of the faculties participating in the project. Of course, Duke did not pay retail (USD299.00) for the iPods.

According to the project, these iPods are not for the musical entertainment of the freshmen. They are to be used for recording lectures, language studies and course work from the participating faculties.

Apple also gave each student a USD10.00 gift certificate to purchase music from the customized Duke University iTunes Music Store.

I must say, Apple made a much bigger bang with this Duke Project than what RealRhapsody did with their 80% discount of their pay-per-listen service for students of University of California, Berkeley.

Time will only tell what these competitors will come up with next in this heavily competitive online music industry.