My Magical Journey

The third installment of the seven-part Chronicles of Narnia will hit the theateres this coming December. Having watched the first two installments in this series, I think we're going to be in for a treat because my gut feeling tells me this is going to be a great movie.

What more, it's going to be screened in 3D-trim too! As such, just imagine seeing Aslan as if he were really there, right infront of you. I think that'll be super cool and awesome. Also, I am looking forward to seeing the return of Reepicheep, the tiny but brave warrior mouse of Narnia.

Besides, the trailer of the movie looks fantastic, so theoretically, the movie should too. I see a whole lot more of mystery and adventure as the main characters in the film, Lucy and Edmund, have grown up considerably. Therefore, there should be no 'babyish' nonsense on the part of Lucy like what we saw in the first two movies.

Once again, let's hope this masterpiece of C.S.Lewis will leave us captivated beyond our imagination as he leads us into his magical, mystical and fantastical world of Narnia for the third time.

 Reepicheep, a fearless Narnian warrior

Aslan, the guardian and saviour of Narnia

Here's a brief synopsis of the movie:

Return to the magic and wonder of C.S. Lewis' beloved world – via the fantastic Narnian ship, the Dawn Treader. In this new installment of the blockbuster "The Chronicles of Narnia" motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace and their royal friend King Caspian, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. As they embark on an incredible adventure of destiny and discovery, they confront obstacles beyond imagination.

Here's a good deal for you if you're a movie buff:

Get a GSC-EON Bank Credit Card to enjoy up to 10% discount on normal tickets purchase when you use your GSC-EON Bank Credit Card at all GSC Outlets. You will also enjoy the following benefits:

- Priority Ticketing Lane, allowing you to purchase your tickets faster

- Great Refreshments Offers, allowing you to receive exclusive discounts when you purchase refreshments from the concession

- Exclusive Dining Privileges At GSC’s Food & Beverage Outlets, allwoing you to receive discounts when you dine in GSC's Food and Beverages outlets

- Incredible Bonus Value Privileges, allowing you to buy tickets at discounted prices

- ... and a host of other benefits

 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Poster

Are Cartoons Still Entertainment For Teenagers?

Who’s never watched, let alone heard, of SpongeBob SquarePants? I am sure most teenagers of today know that cartoon very well like the back of their hand, and some are maybe even addicted to it.

 The cartoon’s main character, SpongeBob, is the face of the cartoon industry, distinct and wacky in ‘his’ own rights. Which teenager can genuinely claim that he or she has never laughed or gotten amused seeing SpongeBob’s antics? None, I suppose.

Therefore, I am of the opinion that cartoons are still entertainment for us teenagers these days despite the fact that the times have changed. The only major difference between cartoons of the yesteryears and those of today is the degree of sophistication of the graphics and animations involved.

No doubt, we’ve got so little spare time to spend these days with tuition and studies and everything else that watching cartoons has become some sort of a privilege. But when we do watch cartoons, good cartoons that is, it is entertainment nonetheless.

However, I feel that teenagers these days won’t want to waste their time watching cartoons that have no particular outstanding feature. The best types of cartoons are certainly those with intelligent and distinctive plotlines coupled with quirky conversations (think SpongeBob).

Action-genred cartoons are losing their popularity simply because teenagers can be more entertained by either playing action games or watching action movies.

Besides that, cartoons that are based on movies also turn out to be great cartoons. This is because the movies are already an established entity and the cartoons will further exploit on the success of the movie. For instance, Star Wars fanatics can watch the Clone War series while those who adore Mr. Bean can watch the cartoon version of it.

Another element that makes a good cartoon is the use of a wide array of colours. We have become accustomed to seeing a dull world filled with less greenery and more shades of black-and-white that a colourful cartoon offers us a respite and enriches our eyes with colour. But it’s important not to overuse the colours too, because then it will become too childlike.

As much as I feel that cartoons are still a form of entertainment for teenagers today, I doubt that’ll be the case for long. In time to come, teenagers will be very much in their own world that they will barely have enough time for themselves so cartoons will, at best, be a secondary form of entertainment for them.

If you're a teenager, or even not one, are cartoons still a form of entertainment for you? Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Where the Next BIG War Could Begin

Ever since the dawn of civilisation, mankind has been enveloped in one war after another. From the time of the Roman Empire when King Arthur summoned his knights to stand up against the Saxon invasion of Britain to the US-led invasion of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq in 2003, millions of precious and innocent lives have been lost.

Throughout those thousands of years, the function of a war has remained the same – either to conquer new territories or to maintain one’s stranglehold on power. The only thing that has changed, perhaps, is the types of weapons in use. Back then, we fought using swords and shields; now we have nuclear bombs.

As technology has developed ever so rapidly over the years, a single bomb can now kill up to a million people. And now, we don’t even have to be physically present in a battlefield. Everything can be remote controlled – from fighter drones to missile attacks.

However, the repercussions of a war are extreme. That’s why we haven’t seen a full-scale, all-out war for quite some time. Governments now think twice before launching any attacks as a war would inadvertently lead to a weak and unstable economy for any given country, besides causing all sorts of social havoc and political turmoil.

Then, there are all sorts of atrocities during wartime such as torture and abuse. As such, I believe none of us would want a full-scale war to break out anytime soon, would we? But for those who live in war ‘hotspots’, they never know when a war might break out. And when a war might claim their lives.

Here, allow me to examine three such war ‘hotspots’ which are most susceptible to not just any war, but a big war from breaking out in the near future.

North Korea

This is the last communist dynasty in the world. It is also one of the poorest countries around, and thousands of its people die of famine each year. However, the government of North Korea doesn’t seem to care much about the plight of its people as it is busy chasing after its own dream – perfecting a nuclear weapon that.

Nuclear reactor in Pyongyang

Apart from neglecting the welfare of its people, the North has a volatile relationship with South Korea. Tensions are running high between the two nations especially after the recent sinking of a South Korean warship and a war looks like a glaring possibility.

One wrong foot put by either government could lead the people of both countries to endless amount of suffering. This is because a nuclear war would ensue and matters would only get more complicated when the U.S. steps in and joins the party.

Iran

They have a similar agenda to North Korea. At least that’s what the U.S. claim. Iran has made no secret of its nuclear ambitions, but has always maintained that it is only for civilian purposes. The U.S., of course, think that there is a hidden agenda, an ulterior motive.

The 'Revolutionary Guards' of Iran

However, the good thing is that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon as of yet. But analysts have not ruled out an attack by the U.S. on them if all diplomatic avenues to halt their nuclear program are exhausted and the United Nations-backed economic sanctions levelled at them bear no fruit.

When and if the U.S. does indeed launch an attack, Iran won’t just sit still and watch. They would strike back. Hard. The Revolutionary Guards (Iran’s army) are known to be a well-organised unit and sooner rather than later, the whole of the Arab world could be dragged into a regional conflict.

Israel

They have been ruthlessly subjecting the people of Palestine to years of torment now, so it would hardly come as a surprise if the Muslim nations of the Arab world such as Syria, Lebanon and Iran stand up for their brethren and gain revenge by taking matters into their own hands.

Israeli tank in action

Besides, Israel has been causing all sorts of other problems for the Muslim nations too. A few years ago, the President of Iran, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, had even famously said that “Israel would be wiped-off the world map”. Now, that’s a powerful statement from a powerful man.

The worst part is that if Iran and the others do really attack Israel on an all-out basis, the damage done would be enormous. Why so? Because Israel is a nuclear-state and its number one ally is – you guessed it right – the U.S. Oh gosh!

In a nutshell

Wars cause a whole lot of collateral damage, but none as bad as taking away the lives of innocent people. As we can see, errant governments who put their personal interests ahead of that of their people are the ones who would most likely cause a war to start.

Even if war becomes a necessity, I feel that the use of nuclear weapons in particular should be a no-no to minimise the effects of the war on the general populace. And probably it’s about time the U.S. stopped poking its noses into people’s businesses as usually when there is a war, the U.S. is somehow or another involved.

Where do you think the next 'big' war could break out? What is your take on war? Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.