Thoughts

If you're expecting an emotional rollercoaster or gripping storytelling from  Hereafter , brace yourself—for disappointment. Despite the big names attached (Matt Damon and director Clint Eastwood), the film drifts aimlessly through a series of loosely connected storylines about death and the afterlife, never quite landing with purpose or clarity. A few of us watched it at Bukit Batok West Mall, spending nearly MVR 600, including a Burger King meal—only to feel like we’d paid for a nap in a dark room. The film moves at the pace of a sleepy afternoon, with the emotional pull of a Danielle Steel novel on autopilot. The dialogue is flat, the pacing glacial, and the payoff nonexistent. If you're planning to watch it, do yourself a favour—pack an eye mask and catch up on some sleep instead.

Is there any country in the world where you can call the President a  terrorist  in public—and get away with it? Yes. That place is the Maldives. A friend of mine wrote a comment on Facebook calling President Nasheed a terrorist. He said,  "Inform the terrorist Nasheed that we are going to start something like this,”  referring to the Egyptian protests. I tried to talk some sense into him. Not to argue, but to remind him of what that word really means. Thankfully, he deleted the comment. But it made me think. In most countries, saying something like that could get you in serious trouble. Here, it’s just another comment online. Is that freedom—or just a sign that we no longer take responsibility for our words? http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=267733&id=693226722 For the record, let me just quote part of the comment thread here. Ahmed Nadeem nimal u seem to go over board with emotions by labeling people terrorists. did u know that saying things like...