What is a pooh anyways?
Friday, November 19, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis in Friends With Benefits (Red Band)
A simple take on a massive issue. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis tackle the one thing that comes up in everyone's life, the Friends with Benefits factor. The trailer is red band and the movie won't come out till July 2011, but it looks like its gonna be awesome since Mila Kunis is all sorts of amazing and Justin Timberlake seems to be making it in comedy, something normally reserved for SNL. But hey, parry that with his job in The Social Network and it seems he has a pretty balance acting resume'.
Anywho check out the trailer, and if you need more Mila Kunis, check out her scene with Zoe Saldana in After Sex....hot.
Anywho check out the trailer, and if you need more Mila Kunis, check out her scene with Zoe Saldana in After Sex....hot.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Simon Pegg, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, and Seth Rogen in PAUL
Just your run-of-the-mill road trip with an English speaking alien story.
Simon Pegg, oddly enough, has a great ability to spot a cult classic. His latest Paul, looks no different. With an amazing cast, I'm gonna say this looks very strange but very promising.
Simon Pegg, oddly enough, has a great ability to spot a cult classic. His latest Paul, looks no different. With an amazing cast, I'm gonna say this looks very strange but very promising.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Pirates striking terror in Asian waters
By Swadesh M Rana/New York
South and South East Asia are faced with the likelihood of profit-motivated-pirates committing acts of terror and politically-driven terrorists resorting to piracy. Unlike terrorism that emanates from South/South West Asia and piracy that originates from South East Asia, terropiracy is linking South and South East Asia as a contiguous unit of operation.
With the Durand Line as the epicentre of global terrorism, the Taliban on both sides of it see no barrier separating the South from South West Asia. For the pirates in and around the Straits of Malacca, the peninsular confluence between South and South East Asia is but a choke point to disrupt the supply chain of global trade. Over 90% of it is conducted by sea with Singapore as the world’s busiest port and its largest container trans-shipment hub for a network of 250 shipping lines connecting it to 600 ports in 123 countries.
The Taliban under attack for nine years by over 110,000 US led troops and the pirates being pushed out of business from the Straits of Malacca with joint naval operations by at least 20 countries stand to gain by swapping their tools of combat and tricks of trade. The Taliban have light weapons to spare that pirates find handy to carry in their small and swift boats.
The Afghan-Pak theatre is a virtual warehouse for bargain deals on light weapons with some going for a penny to a dollar. Tens of thousands of assault rifles, AK 47’s, Kalashnikovs, hand grenades and other man-portable weapons were amassed during the Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989.
Since the 2001 US-led military action there are also more stolen weapons, weapons mistaken for exploded, weapons resold by small business contractors in the surplus industry, and weapons simply unaccounted for.
The pirates are skilled in hijacking ships with cargo that may include materials for Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) that the Taliban find easier to assemble, harder to detect and cause more panic when exploded than a combat with conventional light weapons.
Indonesian authorities see the entire South and South East Asian region as vulnerable to piracy attacks by politically motivated Free Aceh Movement ( Gerakan Aceh Merdeke:GAM) seeking independence for a gas and oil-rich region in Sumatra. Some Asian intelligence agencies reported links between GAM and Al Qaeda as the latter considered shifting its base from Afghanistan to Aceh and launched a naval offensive against its target vessels by ramming, blowing-up, air striking or torpedoing them with underwater suicide bombers aboard small, swift dinghies.
Without any reported links to Al Qaeda, such dinghies were used in successful recent attacks on tankers and smaller vessels, according to the Shipping Association of Singapore. The Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai has recently banned small mechanised vessels called dhows from sailing south and west of Oman and the Maldives amid reports of clandestine trading in drugs and weapons between the pirates in Kismayu in Somalia and contraband traders using the Indian port state of Gujarat on the African east coast off the Arabian Peninsula.
As soft targets of terropiracy, the governments concerned in South and South East Asia need credible assurances that the arms and ammunition brought into Afghan-Pak theatre by the ISAF do not fall into the “wrong hands”. A key challenge is to find a forum to raise the issue with a three-point agenda for action:
nA common position on licensing the production and permitting the sale of ammonium nitrate to keep this substance from falling into the hands of terrorists and pirates for making IED’s.
nA closer look at the IAEA’s regulations and IMO’s Dangerous Goods Code on radio-active materials to remedy any loopholes for applicability to the storage and disposal of medical waste by the hospitals using radio-active materials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
nA joint proposal for the forthcoming UN Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty in 2012 for a global standard on inventory taking of the weapons brought into and taken out of an area of insurgency by an external power directly engaged in the counter-insurgency operations. — Global Expert Finder (www.globalexpertfinder.org)
* Swadesh M Rana is a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute New York, former chief of the Conventional Arms Branch in the Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations and United Nations Global Expert (www.globalexpertfinder.org)
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South and South East Asia are faced with the likelihood of profit-motivated-pirates committing acts of terror and politically-driven terrorists resorting to piracy. Unlike terrorism that emanates from South/South West Asia and piracy that originates from South East Asia, terropiracy is linking South and South East Asia as a contiguous unit of operation.
With the Durand Line as the epicentre of global terrorism, the Taliban on both sides of it see no barrier separating the South from South West Asia. For the pirates in and around the Straits of Malacca, the peninsular confluence between South and South East Asia is but a choke point to disrupt the supply chain of global trade. Over 90% of it is conducted by sea with Singapore as the world’s busiest port and its largest container trans-shipment hub for a network of 250 shipping lines connecting it to 600 ports in 123 countries.
The Taliban under attack for nine years by over 110,000 US led troops and the pirates being pushed out of business from the Straits of Malacca with joint naval operations by at least 20 countries stand to gain by swapping their tools of combat and tricks of trade. The Taliban have light weapons to spare that pirates find handy to carry in their small and swift boats.
The Afghan-Pak theatre is a virtual warehouse for bargain deals on light weapons with some going for a penny to a dollar. Tens of thousands of assault rifles, AK 47’s, Kalashnikovs, hand grenades and other man-portable weapons were amassed during the Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989.
Since the 2001 US-led military action there are also more stolen weapons, weapons mistaken for exploded, weapons resold by small business contractors in the surplus industry, and weapons simply unaccounted for.
The pirates are skilled in hijacking ships with cargo that may include materials for Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) that the Taliban find easier to assemble, harder to detect and cause more panic when exploded than a combat with conventional light weapons.
Indonesian authorities see the entire South and South East Asian region as vulnerable to piracy attacks by politically motivated Free Aceh Movement ( Gerakan Aceh Merdeke:GAM) seeking independence for a gas and oil-rich region in Sumatra. Some Asian intelligence agencies reported links between GAM and Al Qaeda as the latter considered shifting its base from Afghanistan to Aceh and launched a naval offensive against its target vessels by ramming, blowing-up, air striking or torpedoing them with underwater suicide bombers aboard small, swift dinghies.
Without any reported links to Al Qaeda, such dinghies were used in successful recent attacks on tankers and smaller vessels, according to the Shipping Association of Singapore. The Directorate General of Shipping in Mumbai has recently banned small mechanised vessels called dhows from sailing south and west of Oman and the Maldives amid reports of clandestine trading in drugs and weapons between the pirates in Kismayu in Somalia and contraband traders using the Indian port state of Gujarat on the African east coast off the Arabian Peninsula.
As soft targets of terropiracy, the governments concerned in South and South East Asia need credible assurances that the arms and ammunition brought into Afghan-Pak theatre by the ISAF do not fall into the “wrong hands”. A key challenge is to find a forum to raise the issue with a three-point agenda for action:
nA common position on licensing the production and permitting the sale of ammonium nitrate to keep this substance from falling into the hands of terrorists and pirates for making IED’s.
nA closer look at the IAEA’s regulations and IMO’s Dangerous Goods Code on radio-active materials to remedy any loopholes for applicability to the storage and disposal of medical waste by the hospitals using radio-active materials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
nA joint proposal for the forthcoming UN Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty in 2012 for a global standard on inventory taking of the weapons brought into and taken out of an area of insurgency by an external power directly engaged in the counter-insurgency operations. — Global Expert Finder (www.globalexpertfinder.org)
* Swadesh M Rana is a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute New York, former chief of the Conventional Arms Branch in the Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations and United Nations Global Expert (www.globalexpertfinder.org)
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Adrian Brody is WRECKED
Looks like a new subgenre of singular, introverted conflict is brewing...first Buried, now Wrecked
Monday, October 4, 2010
Snyder to Direct Superman
It's the most coveted directing job in Hollywood right now....and it's all Zack Snyder's. Word has just been announced that Snyder has beat out Robert Zemeckis to direct the legendary comic book superhero in the upcoming film. Tack that on with producer Christopher "I Can Do No Wrong" Nolan and writer David Goyer, and the production looks promising to say the least.
Details are pretty tight right now, but rumor has it that General Zod maybe returning to play the villain in the upcoming film. Let's see if Terence Stamp is called out from retirement to reprise the role. Here's hoping.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Spike in Pirate Attacks in Indonesian Waters Raises Warnings
Sara Schonhardt | Jakarta
In the latest of a series of attacks in Southeast Asian waters, armed pirates attacked a Japanese chemical tanker off the Indonesian island of Mangkai in the South China Sea. Indonesia and its neighbors are coordinating efforts to fight the pirates.
Pirates armed with guns and knives are increasing their attacks on ships passing by three Indonesian islands off the east coast of Malaysia.
The International Maritime Bureau says 27 pirate attacks have been reported in the South China Sea since January, up from only seven in all of 2009. A spate of attacks since mid-August has deepened concerns at the maritime crime monitor, which warns ships to remain vigilant in the area.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Monday the country's navy is coordinating with the navies of Singapore and Malaysia to respond to the issue. He says the government plans to increase naval patrols in the area.
"The South China Sea is a very busy sea lane of communication, including the Strait of Malacca in Singapore," he said. "It is important on our part that we conduct coordinated patrols as well as close communication."
Globally acts of piracy are down this year, but an Asia security agency called ReCAAP reported a 40 percent increase in armed ship attacks in the region in the first half of 2010. So far the attacks have been minor, with no hostages taken or ships seized.
In an attack Sunday on a Japanese-owned tanker traveling from Singapore to China, the pirates stole cash and ransacked part of the ship, but the crew was not injured.
Faizasyah says Jakarta takes piracy very seriously. After a spike in pirate attacks in the late 1990s, Indonesia partnered with Malaysia and Singapore to ensure the security of the seas they all border. That cooperation helped stem the attacks.
Faizasyah says it is important for ships passing through the region to keep in close contact with authorities in the area. The International Maritime Bureau says pirates often abort their attacks once they are spotted, and that is where communication between ships on the water can make a difference.
In the latest of a series of attacks in Southeast Asian waters, armed pirates attacked a Japanese chemical tanker off the Indonesian island of Mangkai in the South China Sea. Indonesia and its neighbors are coordinating efforts to fight the pirates.
Pirates armed with guns and knives are increasing their attacks on ships passing by three Indonesian islands off the east coast of Malaysia.
The International Maritime Bureau says 27 pirate attacks have been reported in the South China Sea since January, up from only seven in all of 2009. A spate of attacks since mid-August has deepened concerns at the maritime crime monitor, which warns ships to remain vigilant in the area.
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said Monday the country's navy is coordinating with the navies of Singapore and Malaysia to respond to the issue. He says the government plans to increase naval patrols in the area.
"The South China Sea is a very busy sea lane of communication, including the Strait of Malacca in Singapore," he said. "It is important on our part that we conduct coordinated patrols as well as close communication."
Globally acts of piracy are down this year, but an Asia security agency called ReCAAP reported a 40 percent increase in armed ship attacks in the region in the first half of 2010. So far the attacks have been minor, with no hostages taken or ships seized.
In an attack Sunday on a Japanese-owned tanker traveling from Singapore to China, the pirates stole cash and ransacked part of the ship, but the crew was not injured.
Faizasyah says Jakarta takes piracy very seriously. After a spike in pirate attacks in the late 1990s, Indonesia partnered with Malaysia and Singapore to ensure the security of the seas they all border. That cooperation helped stem the attacks.
Faizasyah says it is important for ships passing through the region to keep in close contact with authorities in the area. The International Maritime Bureau says pirates often abort their attacks once they are spotted, and that is where communication between ships on the water can make a difference.
Finally...a new "MONSTERS" trailer
Looking good. I can see previous monster movies being to this what Batman & Robin was to Batman Begins....turning the ridiculous in realistic.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
"Rare Exports" is coming to town
Finland's Jalmari Helander wants you all to know something. Don't believe what you've been told about Santa. It's all lies.
Helander's Rare Exports - a throwback to the dark children's adventure films of the early 80s - will soon be taking its North American bow at TIFF and to let people know that maybe Santa coming to town isn't such a good thing after all they've just released a new trailer. Check it below.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
The MONSTERS are coming....to Mexico?
This could be the District 9/Cloverfield sleep hit of the year. The trailer looks like its gonna be a fun ride regardless. According to IMDB the plot is:
Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life form began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures"...... Our story begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.
Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life form began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain "the creatures"...... Our story begins when a US journalist agrees to escort a shaken tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.
Say Hello to SHERLOCK
Is it bad that I'm now jealous of the BBC? Or that upset that it took someone this long to use Sherlock in the modern age. I mean, with all the CSI: anywhere's, and Mentalists and NCIS, you'd think someone would have gone back and revamped the original forensic detective years ago. And while I understand it would seem somewhat disingenuous for America to use Sherlock in a show, we did use Robert Downey Jr. in the movie.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Asia’s anti-piracy strategy paying dividends
I mean really...somebody call me a damn researcher cause I called this shit years ago.
By Teri Weaver
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 24, 2010
TOKYO — Pirate attacks in the South China Sea have doubled in the first half of this year, according to the United Nations-sanctioned group that monitors attacks at sea worldwide.
But that increase remains relatively small — there were only 13 attacks in the same waters in all of 2009 — especially when compared with the 100 attacks off Somalia in the first half of 2010.
And the attacks in the South China Sea and other Asian waters rarely involve the hijacking and violence seen closer to Africa, where 27 hijackings took place from January to June, according to the International Maritime Bureau, the only group that tracks pirate attacks worldwide.
The stark differences in at-sea crime rates between Africa and Asia are partly due to geography. In Asia, shipping canals flow through straits that prove easier to monitor. Ships sailing around Somalia must make it across a million square miles of ocean where pirates attack more brazenly in plain sight.
But Asia’s anti-piracy strategy is about much more than narrow sea lanes. The region has the political will to work together — and the financial backing of the United States — to go after suspected pirates in the Malacca and Singapore Straits, says Ian Storey, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies who studies piracy.
Six years ago, the U.S. military approached Indonesia and Malaysia to offer help at sea. The countries, which border the Strait of Malacca, declined the offer, according to Storey. They worried about sovereignty issues and thought U.S. Navy ships might draw the attention of terrorists as well, Storey wrote last year in the East-West Center’s Asia Pacific Bulletin.
But the countries found another way to accept help and by 2006 were cashing checks from the U.S. Department of State for training, equipment and support to fuel anti-piracy efforts in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. To date, the money has added up to about $50 million in support, according to Storey.
“This has been done very quietly,” Storey said in a phone interview from Singapore earlier this month. “It’s been phenomenally successful.”
Overall, the Straits had only 11 attacks in all of 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
It clearly helps, too, that the Asian countries have working navies and structured governments. Pirates off Somalia find a safe harbor in a land that has no rule of law.
“That’s a big problem,” the bureau’s Noel Choong said earlier this month. “If Somolia had a central government, the pirates wouldn’t be able to spend their money and come back to land.”
Worldwide, pirate attacks are down so far this year, with a total of 196 incidents reported in the first six months of this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau. There were 240 incidents in the same period last year.
The bureau said the South China Sea remains a small sore spot in Asia, in part because no one country has taken the lead in patrolling the larger body of water.
And there may be more attacks than the bureau records. To report a pirate attack, ship crews or governments must contact the bureau on a certain radio frequency and communicate in English, Storey says. It’s unclear if all attacks or attempted attacks get recorded.
Piracy remains a crime of opportunity. As long as Indonesia and others keep up their efforts, Choong said, the criminals will stay away.
“So far, so good,” he said. “As long as they maintain, it will be good.”
weavert@pstripes.osd.mil
By Teri Weaver
Stars and Stripes
Published: July 24, 2010
TOKYO — Pirate attacks in the South China Sea have doubled in the first half of this year, according to the United Nations-sanctioned group that monitors attacks at sea worldwide.
But that increase remains relatively small — there were only 13 attacks in the same waters in all of 2009 — especially when compared with the 100 attacks off Somalia in the first half of 2010.
And the attacks in the South China Sea and other Asian waters rarely involve the hijacking and violence seen closer to Africa, where 27 hijackings took place from January to June, according to the International Maritime Bureau, the only group that tracks pirate attacks worldwide.
The stark differences in at-sea crime rates between Africa and Asia are partly due to geography. In Asia, shipping canals flow through straits that prove easier to monitor. Ships sailing around Somalia must make it across a million square miles of ocean where pirates attack more brazenly in plain sight.
But Asia’s anti-piracy strategy is about much more than narrow sea lanes. The region has the political will to work together — and the financial backing of the United States — to go after suspected pirates in the Malacca and Singapore Straits, says Ian Storey, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies who studies piracy.
Six years ago, the U.S. military approached Indonesia and Malaysia to offer help at sea. The countries, which border the Strait of Malacca, declined the offer, according to Storey. They worried about sovereignty issues and thought U.S. Navy ships might draw the attention of terrorists as well, Storey wrote last year in the East-West Center’s Asia Pacific Bulletin.
But the countries found another way to accept help and by 2006 were cashing checks from the U.S. Department of State for training, equipment and support to fuel anti-piracy efforts in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. To date, the money has added up to about $50 million in support, according to Storey.
“This has been done very quietly,” Storey said in a phone interview from Singapore earlier this month. “It’s been phenomenally successful.”
Overall, the Straits had only 11 attacks in all of 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
It clearly helps, too, that the Asian countries have working navies and structured governments. Pirates off Somalia find a safe harbor in a land that has no rule of law.
“That’s a big problem,” the bureau’s Noel Choong said earlier this month. “If Somolia had a central government, the pirates wouldn’t be able to spend their money and come back to land.”
Worldwide, pirate attacks are down so far this year, with a total of 196 incidents reported in the first six months of this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau. There were 240 incidents in the same period last year.
The bureau said the South China Sea remains a small sore spot in Asia, in part because no one country has taken the lead in patrolling the larger body of water.
And there may be more attacks than the bureau records. To report a pirate attack, ship crews or governments must contact the bureau on a certain radio frequency and communicate in English, Storey says. It’s unclear if all attacks or attempted attacks get recorded.
Piracy remains a crime of opportunity. As long as Indonesia and others keep up their efforts, Choong said, the criminals will stay away.
“So far, so good,” he said. “As long as they maintain, it will be good.”
weavert@pstripes.osd.mil
Zack Snyder Presents "Sucker Punch"
Yeah I know the title sucks...but everything else looks like a nerdgasm.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
New Teaser for The Social Network
The Facebook movie isn't going to be allowed to advertise on Facebook. Why? The new teaser for David Fincher's The Social Network makes all clear. Flattering? Not even a little bit.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
LET ME IN
So Matt Reeves, the director of Cloverfield, felt that the Swedish hit, Let the Right One In deserved an English remake. Judging from the trailer, he was spot on. This looks like a spinal tingling, vampire noir that cannot arrive soon enough.
PS: the creepy Morse Code at the end...HELP ME
PS: the creepy Morse Code at the end...HELP ME
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Game of Thrones
So apparently this is supposed to do to fantasy what Deadwood did to western. Given its HBO presentation, it could have amazing potential, especially with zero competition in this genre.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Mortal Kombat Rebirth
Yes! A new revamp featuring noir overtones for an adult audience. And Jeri Ryan and Michael Jai White...could be some much more decent than that shit from years ago.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Coast Guard bares new modus operandi of foreign pirates
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday disclosed a new modus operandi of pirates which involves seizing vessels plying international routes before selling these as renamed ships to unsuspecting buyers.
PCG commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the scheme was uncovered following the recent arrest of seven suspected Indonesian pirates in General Santos City.
Tamayo said pirates now resort to seizing the entire ship, citing at least two cases where foreign ships and their crew traveling along international waters were abducted by these sea outlaws and brought to Mindanao.
“In order to avoid detection, pirates would rename the tugboats or vessels," Tamayo said, adding that pirate attacks are usually carried out at night.
He explained that after defacing the name tags of the seized vessels, the pirates would sell it to prospective buyers, including those from the Philippines. These vessels are sold legally for about P20 million.
The first incident, according to Tamayo, involved the MT Asta seized by pirates on February 7 and renamed Roxy-1. The “new" ship was later found in Surigao del Norte.
On April 27, pirates likewise took hostage the Malaysian tugboat Atlantic 3 as it was towing the barge Atlantic 5. The tugboat, which was renamed Marlin VII, was later retrieved in General Santos City, resulting in the arrest of the seven Indonesians.
In all incidents, the pirates would eventually release the ships’ crew, who would then be allowed to board a life raft near the Spratly’s Islands.
Test case
The case involving the arrest of the Indonesians would thus serve as test case for piracy, according to Tamayo. “Before, we only filed armed robbery cases because pirates would only board vessels to take valuables and then leave the ships," he said.
Tamayo called for cooperation among neighboring countries in a bid to address sea piracy following the discovery of the new scheme.
“(Sea piracy) adversely affects our local shipbuilding industry. There is a need to establish closer monitoring and information sharing with neighboring Association of Southeast Asian Nations," he said.
He said they have stepped up efforts to gather information and are now drawing up measures to understand the pattern used in the modus operandi to counter the pirates’ illegal activities.
He likewise asked neighboring countries to report similar incidents in their respective countries to Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia-Information Sharing Center (RECAAP-ISC).
The Office of Transportation Security (OTS), Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-Marig), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are working with the PCG to locally address the problem of piracy. - JA/KBK, GMANews.TV
PCG commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the scheme was uncovered following the recent arrest of seven suspected Indonesian pirates in General Santos City.
Tamayo said pirates now resort to seizing the entire ship, citing at least two cases where foreign ships and their crew traveling along international waters were abducted by these sea outlaws and brought to Mindanao.
“In order to avoid detection, pirates would rename the tugboats or vessels," Tamayo said, adding that pirate attacks are usually carried out at night.
He explained that after defacing the name tags of the seized vessels, the pirates would sell it to prospective buyers, including those from the Philippines. These vessels are sold legally for about P20 million.
The first incident, according to Tamayo, involved the MT Asta seized by pirates on February 7 and renamed Roxy-1. The “new" ship was later found in Surigao del Norte.
On April 27, pirates likewise took hostage the Malaysian tugboat Atlantic 3 as it was towing the barge Atlantic 5. The tugboat, which was renamed Marlin VII, was later retrieved in General Santos City, resulting in the arrest of the seven Indonesians.
In all incidents, the pirates would eventually release the ships’ crew, who would then be allowed to board a life raft near the Spratly’s Islands.
Test case
The case involving the arrest of the Indonesians would thus serve as test case for piracy, according to Tamayo. “Before, we only filed armed robbery cases because pirates would only board vessels to take valuables and then leave the ships," he said.
Tamayo called for cooperation among neighboring countries in a bid to address sea piracy following the discovery of the new scheme.
“(Sea piracy) adversely affects our local shipbuilding industry. There is a need to establish closer monitoring and information sharing with neighboring Association of Southeast Asian Nations," he said.
He said they have stepped up efforts to gather information and are now drawing up measures to understand the pattern used in the modus operandi to counter the pirates’ illegal activities.
He likewise asked neighboring countries to report similar incidents in their respective countries to Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia-Information Sharing Center (RECAAP-ISC).
The Office of Transportation Security (OTS), Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-Marig), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are working with the PCG to locally address the problem of piracy. - JA/KBK, GMANews.TV
Shanghai
John Cusack, Ken Watanabe, Chow Yun-Fat, Jeffery Dean Morgan, and the creepy neighbor from Disturbia....you know who I'm talking about.
Nothing is what it seems in this Casablanca-style international thriller set in the ancient Chinese city a week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Secret Agent Paul Soames (John Cusack) has just arrived to investigate the murder of his best friend, only to become quickly immersed in a web of conspiracy and lies that beset the city. Shadowed by a Japanese intelligence officer Tanaka (Ken Watanabe), Soames' investigation quickly centers on a charismatic local gangster, Anthony Lanting (Chow Yun-Fat) - and Lanting's beautiful wife, Anna (Gong Li). Before long, Soames and Anna are involved in an affair that will put everything they have at stake. As national loyalties are traded fast-and-loose for those of the heart, Soames and Anna must race to solve the mystery and make it out of occupied China before the city's collapse.
Nothing is what it seems in this Casablanca-style international thriller set in the ancient Chinese city a week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Secret Agent Paul Soames (John Cusack) has just arrived to investigate the murder of his best friend, only to become quickly immersed in a web of conspiracy and lies that beset the city. Shadowed by a Japanese intelligence officer Tanaka (Ken Watanabe), Soames' investigation quickly centers on a charismatic local gangster, Anthony Lanting (Chow Yun-Fat) - and Lanting's beautiful wife, Anna (Gong Li). Before long, Soames and Anna are involved in an affair that will put everything they have at stake. As national loyalties are traded fast-and-loose for those of the heart, Soames and Anna must race to solve the mystery and make it out of occupied China before the city's collapse.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
George Clooney in "The American"
Following up his Ian Curtis bio-pic, Anton Corbijn takes a swing at a very used story. In this talented drama, an aged hitman takes his final job, though falls for a woman in the process. This could have potential since Corbijn brings a unique aesthetic to the picture and using George Clooney never hurts. The man is one of a tiny number of Hollywood stars actually allowing himself to age on screen and he's becoming more and more interesting as a result.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
How Bruce Lee Changed the World - History Channel
Great documentary which covers Lee's influence from movies to UFC.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Fear of Science Will Kill Us
Really good talk...try to give it an unbiased listen.
Michael Specter is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of "Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet and Threatens our Lives." TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading," hosts talks on many subjects and makes them available through its Web site, http://www.ted.com/
Michael Specter is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of "Denialism: How Irrational Thinking Hinders Scientific Progress, Harms the Planet and Threatens our Lives." TED, a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading," hosts talks on many subjects and makes them available through its Web site, http://www.ted.com/
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"Paper Man" aka Ryan Reynolds independent superhero movie
A once-successful novelist (Jeff Daniels), constantly attended by the imaginary superhero who has been his pal since he was a kid, struggles to recover what made him great while watching his marriage fail. He derives some inspiration from his platonic friendship with a Cape Cod high-school girl.
This seems like what a indie is supposed to be. A ridiculous circumstance drives X to meet Y, which helps X like Z with Y. Seems simplistic enough but it allows known actors to play in unknown, uncomfortable or out-of-element situations, kinda like practice. I mean really, just listen to the pitch, "Jeff Daniels, you're going to be a once-successful novelist who's only friend is an imaginary superhero who has aged with you since you were little. Oh, and your marriage is failing. GO." I don't know, seems tricky to nail...So I'll probably see it...
This seems like what a indie is supposed to be. A ridiculous circumstance drives X to meet Y, which helps X like Z with Y. Seems simplistic enough but it allows known actors to play in unknown, uncomfortable or out-of-element situations, kinda like practice. I mean really, just listen to the pitch, "Jeff Daniels, you're going to be a once-successful novelist who's only friend is an imaginary superhero who has aged with you since you were little. Oh, and your marriage is failing. GO." I don't know, seems tricky to nail...So I'll probably see it...
"Unthinkable"...WWSLJDO?
So what would Samuel L. Jackson do as a terrorist interrogator? Or really, what wouldn't he do. I can hear "Say what again!" popping up in this movie.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Next District 9....Erik Carl Rinsch's "The Gift"
The Next 'District 9' May Have Been Found
By: Erik Davis on April 9, 2010 at 2:25PM Comments (22)
Ever since District 9 hit theaters and surprised everyone with its excellent low-budget effects and well-written (read: smart) script, Hollywood has been on watch for the next round of do-it-yourself sci-fi to make itself known online. Remember, District 9 was born from a short film that director Neill Blomkamp put together himself, and now other up-and-coming directors are taking similar routes by producing their own out-of-this-world shorts in an effort to sell Hollywood on their smart, original, unique ideas.
'The Gift'
And it seems to be working, as a bunch of studios are now in a bidding war over a project from director Erik Carl Rinsch that's based on his short film, The Gift. Rinsch is a commercial director who's heavily involved with Ridley Scott's production company and is also said to be dating his daughter. He was also the chosen director for the new Alien movie but Fox decided to go with Ridley Scott instead because of Rinsch's lack of experience. Not for nothing, but his lack of experience certainly doesn't show in this short film.
The short was put online during the week, and shortly after a number of studios began battling for the rights to a feature based on only a few minutes of what looked like a really cool futuristic robot-centric, Bourne-like action movie.
Not long after that, word came down from Slashfilm that the feature film they were all bidding on was actually already written, designed and a lot further along in development than most of us had thought. The site also shared a few concept pieces that feature big robot creatures in snowy regions (the original short takes place in Russia). The feature film is called Small, and it's said to pick up right after the short ends. Since Ridley Scott has a deal with 20th Century Fox, most feel the feature will end up there.
Check out the short below and let us know if you think this has the potential to become the next District 9. There's definitely a similar vibe in the whole human vs. creature thing, and I also feel like there's some fascinating social commentary underneath it all, too. Watch and you'll see what I mean…
By: Erik Davis on April 9, 2010 at 2:25PM Comments (22)
Ever since District 9 hit theaters and surprised everyone with its excellent low-budget effects and well-written (read: smart) script, Hollywood has been on watch for the next round of do-it-yourself sci-fi to make itself known online. Remember, District 9 was born from a short film that director Neill Blomkamp put together himself, and now other up-and-coming directors are taking similar routes by producing their own out-of-this-world shorts in an effort to sell Hollywood on their smart, original, unique ideas.
'The Gift'
And it seems to be working, as a bunch of studios are now in a bidding war over a project from director Erik Carl Rinsch that's based on his short film, The Gift. Rinsch is a commercial director who's heavily involved with Ridley Scott's production company and is also said to be dating his daughter. He was also the chosen director for the new Alien movie but Fox decided to go with Ridley Scott instead because of Rinsch's lack of experience. Not for nothing, but his lack of experience certainly doesn't show in this short film.
The short was put online during the week, and shortly after a number of studios began battling for the rights to a feature based on only a few minutes of what looked like a really cool futuristic robot-centric, Bourne-like action movie.
Not long after that, word came down from Slashfilm that the feature film they were all bidding on was actually already written, designed and a lot further along in development than most of us had thought. The site also shared a few concept pieces that feature big robot creatures in snowy regions (the original short takes place in Russia). The feature film is called Small, and it's said to pick up right after the short ends. Since Ridley Scott has a deal with 20th Century Fox, most feel the feature will end up there.
Check out the short below and let us know if you think this has the potential to become the next District 9. There's definitely a similar vibe in the whole human vs. creature thing, and I also feel like there's some fascinating social commentary underneath it all, too. Watch and you'll see what I mean…
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Finally Arriving..."SPLICE"
Has potential especially with Adrian Brody, but then again he's doing another Predator's movie so....ehhh.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
An Epic of Epic Epicness
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/scottpilgrimvstheworld/
So I'm not gonna lie, I'm actually totally pumped about this movie. Not because of its highly, comic book stylization, or its numerous cameos from Jason Lee, Brandon Routh or Chris Evans...no, but because it plays on Michael Cera's weak, bitch boy image and then unexpectedly does the 180 to supreme bad-ass.
Based on the popular cult comic by Canadian writer Brian Lee O'Malley, the series is composed of 6 volumes, each dealing with Pilgrim's misadventures. vs. The World (Vol.2) is only one small piece of the larger puzzle, following Scott's interest in Ramona Flowers and having to battle her 7 evil ex-boyfriends, so hopefully more big-screen adaptations will follow. And hopefully they will all be directed by the stylized genius Edgar Wright, who also directed cult classics such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
Couple this with comic book adaptations like Kick-Ass and I believe we are seeing the emergence of a totally new genre of movies that offers much more to a wider audience range. You get a little love story, a little comedy and a good bit of violence all rolled into one.
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/scottpilgrimvstheworld/
So I'm not gonna lie, I'm actually totally pumped about this movie. Not because of its highly, comic book stylization, or its numerous cameos from Jason Lee, Brandon Routh or Chris Evans...no, but because it plays on Michael Cera's weak, bitch boy image and then unexpectedly does the 180 to supreme bad-ass.
Based on the popular cult comic by Canadian writer Brian Lee O'Malley, the series is composed of 6 volumes, each dealing with Pilgrim's misadventures. vs. The World (Vol.2) is only one small piece of the larger puzzle, following Scott's interest in Ramona Flowers and having to battle her 7 evil ex-boyfriends, so hopefully more big-screen adaptations will follow. And hopefully they will all be directed by the stylized genius Edgar Wright, who also directed cult classics such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
Couple this with comic book adaptations like Kick-Ass and I believe we are seeing the emergence of a totally new genre of movies that offers much more to a wider audience range. You get a little love story, a little comedy and a good bit of violence all rolled into one.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Neofonie WePad Is An 11.6", Android-Based iPad Killer - HotHardware
Neofonie WePad Is An 11.6", Android-Based iPad Killer - HotHardware
Posted using ShareThis
It's a tablet-eat-tablet world out there, and with Apple's iPad starting a trend that isn't likely to die throughout 2010, you can imagine that all sorts of lesser-known contenders will be popping up with tablets and slates of their own in order to strike while the iron is hot. Today, Neofonie is introducing the WePad, a German-made unit that promises "fast Internet connectivity, a complete world of ready-to-use applications and easy access to books and photos, as well as magazines and newspapers from various publishers via the WeMagazine ePublishing Eco System."
At its heart, this is a fairly robust machine with an 11.6" display (1366x768), a rather quick 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, a webcam (for video chats, we imagine), two USB sockets, a flash card reader, integrated WWAN modem, GMA3150 graphics (far better than on most e-readers) and a battery that is said to last six hours, though that claim doesn't come with a pre-qualification of under what sort of workloads you could expect that sort of performance.
The company makes no bones about the product they are targeting, saying that their tablet is far larger and more capable than the iPad. There's also a set of built-in speakers here, and since it's based around Google's open Android operating system, applications can be loaded on to it after purchase. Other specs include 16GB of NAND Flash (32GB optional), a 1.3MP webcam, SIM card slot, Flash/Adobe AIR support, access to the WePad AppStore and Google's own Android Marketplace, multi-tasking support, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, optional GPS, an ambient light & motion sensor and an internal microfan to keep things cool.
On paper, this certainly looks like a legitimate iPad contender. Android is a robust OS, and this expansive display will allow a lot more action to be shown on-screen. Unfortunately, there's no solid mention of a price or release date, so it's still stuck in vaporware status for now. We're guessing it'll be out in a few months, but who knows how many people will hold off from Apple's offering for that long. Let the games begin...
Posted using ShareThis
It's a tablet-eat-tablet world out there, and with Apple's iPad starting a trend that isn't likely to die throughout 2010, you can imagine that all sorts of lesser-known contenders will be popping up with tablets and slates of their own in order to strike while the iron is hot. Today, Neofonie is introducing the WePad, a German-made unit that promises "fast Internet connectivity, a complete world of ready-to-use applications and easy access to books and photos, as well as magazines and newspapers from various publishers via the WeMagazine ePublishing Eco System."
At its heart, this is a fairly robust machine with an 11.6" display (1366x768), a rather quick 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, a webcam (for video chats, we imagine), two USB sockets, a flash card reader, integrated WWAN modem, GMA3150 graphics (far better than on most e-readers) and a battery that is said to last six hours, though that claim doesn't come with a pre-qualification of under what sort of workloads you could expect that sort of performance.
The company makes no bones about the product they are targeting, saying that their tablet is far larger and more capable than the iPad. There's also a set of built-in speakers here, and since it's based around Google's open Android operating system, applications can be loaded on to it after purchase. Other specs include 16GB of NAND Flash (32GB optional), a 1.3MP webcam, SIM card slot, Flash/Adobe AIR support, access to the WePad AppStore and Google's own Android Marketplace, multi-tasking support, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, optional GPS, an ambient light & motion sensor and an internal microfan to keep things cool.
On paper, this certainly looks like a legitimate iPad contender. Android is a robust OS, and this expansive display will allow a lot more action to be shown on-screen. Unfortunately, there's no solid mention of a price or release date, so it's still stuck in vaporware status for now. We're guessing it'll be out in a few months, but who knows how many people will hold off from Apple's offering for that long. Let the games begin...
Monday, March 22, 2010
Update: Chris Evans Offered Role Of Captain America
Update: Chris Evans Offered Role Of Captain America
It appears that the race for the title role in the upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America may soon be coming to a close. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Fantastic Four's former Human Torch, Chris Evans has been offered the coveted role.
Of course, it's not that simple. (Is it ever?) Scheduling conflicts are now his biggest obstacle. Evans is apparently tied-down by a commitment to a romcom with Anna Faris called What's Your Number, which is shooting this summer around the time that First Avenger was set to be shot. The upcoming Avengers prequel is set for release on July 22, 2011. Therefore, this decision needs to be made quickly, as the shooting schedule (and possibly the costume) may end up being uncorfortably tight. (Remember what happened to X-Men Origins: Wolverine?)
How did the ascendancy of Chris Evans occur? Let's recap.
A late addition to an illustrious original list of candidates for the role, the 28 year-old Evans would later be joined in the rumor mills by bigger-named latecomers such as Channing Tatum and Ryan Phillippe. However, what Evans would bring, is big-budget superhero blockbuster experience. (Evidenced by the fact that he did not even need to screen test.) It seems that Marvel's priorities for the project had them looking beyond the prospect of established stars. Despite being recognizable from the Fantastic Four films and Push, Evans is far from a household name. Should he be able to work out these scheduling issues, that would certainly change real quick.
However, the prospect of his landing the gig is still a rumor. In fact, when the folks over at SuperHeroHype attempted to obtain a confirmation from Marvel, they were given the "no comment" cold shoulder, dismissing the claim as "rumors." Similar brick walls were hit by attempts by others to contact Evans' agency over at CAA. Therefore, the "rumor" status will have to remain for now.
What are your thoughts on Chris Evans? Does his involvement in the Fantastic Four films (which Fox are already planning to reboot) taint his viability? He may have the look, but does he have what it takes?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/703362/Update-Chris-Evans-Offered-Role-Of-Captain-America.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=TheFeed#ixzz0iv1lAX02
It appears that the race for the title role in the upcoming The First Avenger: Captain America may soon be coming to a close. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Fantastic Four's former Human Torch, Chris Evans has been offered the coveted role.
Of course, it's not that simple. (Is it ever?) Scheduling conflicts are now his biggest obstacle. Evans is apparently tied-down by a commitment to a romcom with Anna Faris called What's Your Number, which is shooting this summer around the time that First Avenger was set to be shot. The upcoming Avengers prequel is set for release on July 22, 2011. Therefore, this decision needs to be made quickly, as the shooting schedule (and possibly the costume) may end up being uncorfortably tight. (Remember what happened to X-Men Origins: Wolverine?)
How did the ascendancy of Chris Evans occur? Let's recap.
A late addition to an illustrious original list of candidates for the role, the 28 year-old Evans would later be joined in the rumor mills by bigger-named latecomers such as Channing Tatum and Ryan Phillippe. However, what Evans would bring, is big-budget superhero blockbuster experience. (Evidenced by the fact that he did not even need to screen test.) It seems that Marvel's priorities for the project had them looking beyond the prospect of established stars. Despite being recognizable from the Fantastic Four films and Push, Evans is far from a household name. Should he be able to work out these scheduling issues, that would certainly change real quick.
However, the prospect of his landing the gig is still a rumor. In fact, when the folks over at SuperHeroHype attempted to obtain a confirmation from Marvel, they were given the "no comment" cold shoulder, dismissing the claim as "rumors." Similar brick walls were hit by attempts by others to contact Evans' agency over at CAA. Therefore, the "rumor" status will have to remain for now.
What are your thoughts on Chris Evans? Does his involvement in the Fantastic Four films (which Fox are already planning to reboot) taint his viability? He may have the look, but does he have what it takes?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/703362/Update-Chris-Evans-Offered-Role-Of-Captain-America.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=TheFeed#ixzz0iv1lAX02
"Predators" gets a surprisingly good cast and large budget
Adrian Brody, Lawrence Fishburn and Topher Grace in a Predator movie....what?!?!?
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Terror threat in Malacca, Singapore Straits (Update)
Terror threat in Malacca, Singapore Straits (Update)
PETALING JAYA: Authorities have said that a terrorist group may be planning attacks on ships in the Straits of Malacca and the Singapore Straits.
International Maritime Bureau piracy reporting centre head of Asian region Noel Chung said the organisation was alerted by a foreign agency to this threat and has passed on the alert to the relevant regional authorities in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
He said that while threats of piracy were common in both straits, a terror threat against ships was new to the waters.
“This alert was not issued by us, so we cannot tell you what level or how serious the threat is,” he told The Star.
Chung advised ships plying both straits to be extra vigilant and conduct radar lookouts.
“Usually, ships keep a lookout after dark to thwart pirate attacks. We are advising them to keep a 24-hour watch,” he said.
International news agency AFP reported that an unidentified terrorist group is planning attacks against oil tankers in the Malacca Straits, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, quoting the Singapore Navy and a shipping association on Thursday.
The Singapore Shipping Association said it had received an advisory from the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre about “an indication that a terrorist group is planning attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Straits.”
It said “this does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo.”
“The terrorists’ intent is probably to achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group,” the Singapore Navy said in its advisory.
It reminded shipping operators that the militants could use smaller vessels such as dinghies and speedboats to attack oil tankers and urged them to take precautions.
Pirates and robbers have also used small fishing vessels to board ships during previous attacks in the Malacca Straits, it noted.
Security analysts have said that the Malacca Straits, bordered by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, is a prime target because more than 30% of global trade and half the world’s oil shipments pass through the narrow waterway.
“If the Singapore Navy is providing this information, it should be taken very seriously,” said John Harrison, a maritime security expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
He said that on the threat level scale, an “indication” is lower than a “warning”, but precautions should still be taken.
A “warning” refers to a credible threat that an attack is likely to be carried out against a target over a specific time frame, while an “indication” is gathered from a series of suspicious activities in a certain area.
“Certainly, we do know that there has been a long-term concern about terrorism in the Malacca Straits but the threat level remains fairly low,” Harrison told AFP.
“That said, it was very prudent for the Singapore Navy to pass this warning along because it keeps the threat level where it is.”
While the Singapore Navy did not name any group, Harrison said the South-East Asia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group or al-Qaeda itself could not be ruled out.
“JI could certainly be one of the groups. We have not seen any public evidence indicating they have the capability to operate but that does not mean they are not developing them,” he said.
In its advisory, the Singapore Navy recommended that ships should “strengthen their onboard security measures and to adopt community reporting to increase awareness and strengthen the safety of all seafarers,” according to the shipping association.
Singapore, one of Asia’s most affluent cities and a regional base for thousands of multinational companies, is a prime target for attacks by militant groups, officials have said.
One of the plots foiled by Singapore authorities was a plan by Islamic militants to hijack an airliner in Bangkok and crash it into Changi airport in 2001 following the September 11 attacks that year in the United States.
Singapore has also arrested several militants involved in a plot to bomb the US embassy and other targets in the city-state.
PETALING JAYA: Authorities have said that a terrorist group may be planning attacks on ships in the Straits of Malacca and the Singapore Straits.
International Maritime Bureau piracy reporting centre head of Asian region Noel Chung said the organisation was alerted by a foreign agency to this threat and has passed on the alert to the relevant regional authorities in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
He said that while threats of piracy were common in both straits, a terror threat against ships was new to the waters.
“This alert was not issued by us, so we cannot tell you what level or how serious the threat is,” he told The Star.
Chung advised ships plying both straits to be extra vigilant and conduct radar lookouts.
“Usually, ships keep a lookout after dark to thwart pirate attacks. We are advising them to keep a 24-hour watch,” he said.
International news agency AFP reported that an unidentified terrorist group is planning attacks against oil tankers in the Malacca Straits, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, quoting the Singapore Navy and a shipping association on Thursday.
The Singapore Shipping Association said it had received an advisory from the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre about “an indication that a terrorist group is planning attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Straits.”
It said “this does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo.”
“The terrorists’ intent is probably to achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group,” the Singapore Navy said in its advisory.
It reminded shipping operators that the militants could use smaller vessels such as dinghies and speedboats to attack oil tankers and urged them to take precautions.
Pirates and robbers have also used small fishing vessels to board ships during previous attacks in the Malacca Straits, it noted.
Security analysts have said that the Malacca Straits, bordered by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, is a prime target because more than 30% of global trade and half the world’s oil shipments pass through the narrow waterway.
“If the Singapore Navy is providing this information, it should be taken very seriously,” said John Harrison, a maritime security expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
He said that on the threat level scale, an “indication” is lower than a “warning”, but precautions should still be taken.
A “warning” refers to a credible threat that an attack is likely to be carried out against a target over a specific time frame, while an “indication” is gathered from a series of suspicious activities in a certain area.
“Certainly, we do know that there has been a long-term concern about terrorism in the Malacca Straits but the threat level remains fairly low,” Harrison told AFP.
“That said, it was very prudent for the Singapore Navy to pass this warning along because it keeps the threat level where it is.”
While the Singapore Navy did not name any group, Harrison said the South-East Asia-based Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) militant group or al-Qaeda itself could not be ruled out.
“JI could certainly be one of the groups. We have not seen any public evidence indicating they have the capability to operate but that does not mean they are not developing them,” he said.
In its advisory, the Singapore Navy recommended that ships should “strengthen their onboard security measures and to adopt community reporting to increase awareness and strengthen the safety of all seafarers,” according to the shipping association.
Singapore, one of Asia’s most affluent cities and a regional base for thousands of multinational companies, is a prime target for attacks by militant groups, officials have said.
One of the plots foiled by Singapore authorities was a plan by Islamic militants to hijack an airliner in Bangkok and crash it into Changi airport in 2001 following the September 11 attacks that year in the United States.
Singapore has also arrested several militants involved in a plot to bomb the US embassy and other targets in the city-state.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
From the Creator of "The Crow"...Frame 137
This kid's a bad-ass...He'll kick your ass, set you on fire and down a shot while watching you burn...Pretty messed up but should definitely be expected coming from the mind of James O'Barr.
Frame 137 Teaser from Judd L. Tilyard on Vimeo.
Final Red Band "Kick Ass" Trailer Definitely Seals the Deal
That's it....I'm seeing it and so should you.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" Teaser
So I'm as over Shia LeBeouf as the rest of you, but I do think bringing him back to face Gordon Gekko could be the perfect fit.
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi875627545/
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi875627545/
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
77 Sequels in Development
Check the list...some i really cant believe someone is putting up money for this.
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/405391/77_movie_sequels_currently_in_development.html
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/405391/77_movie_sequels_currently_in_development.html
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
"A.D." Teaser....Zombies get animated
CG zombies...that's like a whole new level of slow moving, brain eating, apocalyptic goodness!
Vietnam is Russia's Biggest Arms Customer
Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 7 Issue: 22
February 2, 2010 03:12 PM Age: 17 hrs
Category: Eurasia Daily Monitor, Home Page, Military/Security, Russia, Southeast Asia, Featured
By: Stephen Blank
It may surprise readers to learn that in 2009 Vietnam was Russia’s best customer for its arms exports (www.defensenews.com, January 21). During 2009, Vietnam bought six Russian kilo-class submarines and 12 Su-30MKK fighters (Hanoi, VNEXpress, December 16, 2009; Kommersant, December 18; Interfax, December 15; RIA Novosti, December 4). While Vietnam most likely bought these weapons to counter the growing might of the Chinese navy and its continuing claims to the Spratly Islands off Vietnam’s coast, the motives for both sides are deeper. Although Vietnam’s fleet is antiquated, it clearly has decided to develop those capabilities to counter China’s claims and power (Agence-France Presse, December 17). Nonetheless, both sides have a broader agenda.
For Hanoi, this deal involves more than simply buying weapons. It reportedly entails the construction of naval infrastructure in Vietnam, including a naval base, repair and maintenance facilities, and a communications center, as well as the training of specialists (www.defensenews.com January 21). However, it also is part of an ongoing arms buildup. Vietnam’s leadership has been traveling the world seeking military sales from the US, Canada, and France (Straits Times Online, January 4). Beyond the search for arms and related infrastructure to meet the Chinese challenge, it has clearly made a major gesture to Moscow to upgrade bilateral relations also to counter China. Thus, Vietnam wants Russia to participate in its priority projects, seeking low-interest Russian loans resembling those granted by the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA). It also is pushing for a bilateral free trade agreement (ITAR-TASS, December 14). Beyond that, it apparently is offering Gazprom a stake in Petovietnam gas, Vietnam’s gas distribution firm (Interfax, ITAR-TASS, December 15). Moreover, Hanoi promised to facilitate Russian investment in Vietnam and wants Russia to build its first nuclear power plant (Vietnam News Agency, Interfax, December 15). Thus, the Vietnamese government is soliciting a large-scale Russian presence in its country to balance Chinese economic and political power, and ensure its energy security, even as it also seeks to check Chinese naval power in the South China Sea.
For Moscow, this deal offers many incentives, but it equally raises some significant questions. There is no doubt that Moscow has long sought to sell arms to Southeast Asian states on a regular basis and develop energy cooperation with them. It has sold arms to Indonesia in the past. And during 2009, it was busy trying to interest states like Brunei, Malaysia Thailand, and Myanmar in both its military and energy products (ITAR-TASS, Interfax October 14; Interfax, October 19; RIA Novosti, August 19; Interfax, December 4; Bangkok Post, January 1, 2010). The Irkut Corporation, for example, is ready for joint drone projects throughout Southeast Asia (Interfax, December 4). Indeed, in late 2009 Myanmar bought 20 MiG-29 fighters and 6 to 10 Mi-35 helicopters from Russia (Pravda, December 24).
While these deals attest to local states’ heightened anxieties about China, they also represent an opportunity Moscow has long craved to play on a global as opposed to regional stage. Russia has long implied that its weapons’ quality signifies its greatness on the world stage, which explains the domestic alarm about Algeria returning planes and the failure of the Admiral Gorshkov to be built on time for India, as well as repeated examples of the poor quality of Russian weapons, since it strikes at Moscow’s amour-propre. Conversely, these sales will be used to justify Moscow’s standing as an Asian and global power, even though weapons and oil are about all that Moscow has to offer and the former’s quality is decidedly dubious, given its past record.
Moscow is also seeking to reorient its arms sales base away from China, because of Chinese piracy and since Beijing also wants the highest technology products Russia possesses –a desire that raises Russian suspicions over China’s intentions (Interfax, January 28). Nonetheless, this is a course that raises some interesting problems. Despite the strains in the Sino-Russian arms relationship, China still buys a large proportion of Russian arms and remains a major customer for Moscow (RIA Novosti, January 31).
At a time when Moscow is falling deeper into obligation to Beijing in the Russian Far East, a turn away from China toward states who are clearly building up their armed forces to counter growing Chinese capabilities and potential threats would not sit well with Beijing and might undermine the previously close bilateral relationship. Neither should one overestimate the presence Russia can have in Southeast Asia, as apart from guns, nuclear power, and oil it has nothing to offer these states and China’s economic power throughout the region and willingness to use it are clearly growing, a process that on the one hand contributes to Southeast Asian apprehension, but on the other is an extremely powerful factor in their policies.
Russia may be beginning to feel pinched by Chinese economic power and growing military might and may be seeking to rebalance its Asian profile through such sales to Southeast Asian states. But it remains to be seen just how much influence the connection to Russia gives these states, and vice versa the level of leverage its presence in Southeast Asia gives to Russia vis-Ã -vis China in Asia. As the Chinese proverb notes, “distant water cannot quench a nearby fire.” For Russia, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia, China is the nearby fire and these states relate to each other in fact as the distant water and so it will be most interesting to see just how sustainable the previous Sino-Russian partnership remains under the new strains generated by China’s rise and the regional as well as global repercussions of China’s rising power.
February 2, 2010 03:12 PM Age: 17 hrs
Category: Eurasia Daily Monitor, Home Page, Military/Security, Russia, Southeast Asia, Featured
By: Stephen Blank
It may surprise readers to learn that in 2009 Vietnam was Russia’s best customer for its arms exports (www.defensenews.com, January 21). During 2009, Vietnam bought six Russian kilo-class submarines and 12 Su-30MKK fighters (Hanoi, VNEXpress, December 16, 2009; Kommersant, December 18; Interfax, December 15; RIA Novosti, December 4). While Vietnam most likely bought these weapons to counter the growing might of the Chinese navy and its continuing claims to the Spratly Islands off Vietnam’s coast, the motives for both sides are deeper. Although Vietnam’s fleet is antiquated, it clearly has decided to develop those capabilities to counter China’s claims and power (Agence-France Presse, December 17). Nonetheless, both sides have a broader agenda.
For Hanoi, this deal involves more than simply buying weapons. It reportedly entails the construction of naval infrastructure in Vietnam, including a naval base, repair and maintenance facilities, and a communications center, as well as the training of specialists (www.defensenews.com January 21). However, it also is part of an ongoing arms buildup. Vietnam’s leadership has been traveling the world seeking military sales from the US, Canada, and France (Straits Times Online, January 4). Beyond the search for arms and related infrastructure to meet the Chinese challenge, it has clearly made a major gesture to Moscow to upgrade bilateral relations also to counter China. Thus, Vietnam wants Russia to participate in its priority projects, seeking low-interest Russian loans resembling those granted by the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA). It also is pushing for a bilateral free trade agreement (ITAR-TASS, December 14). Beyond that, it apparently is offering Gazprom a stake in Petovietnam gas, Vietnam’s gas distribution firm (Interfax, ITAR-TASS, December 15). Moreover, Hanoi promised to facilitate Russian investment in Vietnam and wants Russia to build its first nuclear power plant (Vietnam News Agency, Interfax, December 15). Thus, the Vietnamese government is soliciting a large-scale Russian presence in its country to balance Chinese economic and political power, and ensure its energy security, even as it also seeks to check Chinese naval power in the South China Sea.
For Moscow, this deal offers many incentives, but it equally raises some significant questions. There is no doubt that Moscow has long sought to sell arms to Southeast Asian states on a regular basis and develop energy cooperation with them. It has sold arms to Indonesia in the past. And during 2009, it was busy trying to interest states like Brunei, Malaysia Thailand, and Myanmar in both its military and energy products (ITAR-TASS, Interfax October 14; Interfax, October 19; RIA Novosti, August 19; Interfax, December 4; Bangkok Post, January 1, 2010). The Irkut Corporation, for example, is ready for joint drone projects throughout Southeast Asia (Interfax, December 4). Indeed, in late 2009 Myanmar bought 20 MiG-29 fighters and 6 to 10 Mi-35 helicopters from Russia (Pravda, December 24).
While these deals attest to local states’ heightened anxieties about China, they also represent an opportunity Moscow has long craved to play on a global as opposed to regional stage. Russia has long implied that its weapons’ quality signifies its greatness on the world stage, which explains the domestic alarm about Algeria returning planes and the failure of the Admiral Gorshkov to be built on time for India, as well as repeated examples of the poor quality of Russian weapons, since it strikes at Moscow’s amour-propre. Conversely, these sales will be used to justify Moscow’s standing as an Asian and global power, even though weapons and oil are about all that Moscow has to offer and the former’s quality is decidedly dubious, given its past record.
Moscow is also seeking to reorient its arms sales base away from China, because of Chinese piracy and since Beijing also wants the highest technology products Russia possesses –a desire that raises Russian suspicions over China’s intentions (Interfax, January 28). Nonetheless, this is a course that raises some interesting problems. Despite the strains in the Sino-Russian arms relationship, China still buys a large proportion of Russian arms and remains a major customer for Moscow (RIA Novosti, January 31).
At a time when Moscow is falling deeper into obligation to Beijing in the Russian Far East, a turn away from China toward states who are clearly building up their armed forces to counter growing Chinese capabilities and potential threats would not sit well with Beijing and might undermine the previously close bilateral relationship. Neither should one overestimate the presence Russia can have in Southeast Asia, as apart from guns, nuclear power, and oil it has nothing to offer these states and China’s economic power throughout the region and willingness to use it are clearly growing, a process that on the one hand contributes to Southeast Asian apprehension, but on the other is an extremely powerful factor in their policies.
Russia may be beginning to feel pinched by Chinese economic power and growing military might and may be seeking to rebalance its Asian profile through such sales to Southeast Asian states. But it remains to be seen just how much influence the connection to Russia gives these states, and vice versa the level of leverage its presence in Southeast Asia gives to Russia vis-Ã -vis China in Asia. As the Chinese proverb notes, “distant water cannot quench a nearby fire.” For Russia, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia, China is the nearby fire and these states relate to each other in fact as the distant water and so it will be most interesting to see just how sustainable the previous Sino-Russian partnership remains under the new strains generated by China’s rise and the regional as well as global repercussions of China’s rising power.
Friday, January 22, 2010
MacGruber Trailer!!!!!
Sorry but I'm a huge fan of the SNL skit. I definitely think it could be the greatest SNL movie adaptation since Blues Brothers. If you've never seen the skit, look it up, especially those with Shia LeBeouf, possibly his best acting ever.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil
Im not gonna lie....i'll probably end up checking it out. Reasons to come later....
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
70 To 80 Percent Of Publishers Making Natal Games
70 To 80 Percent Of Publishers Making Natal Games
Whether you think motion-controlled gaming is the wave of the future or a gimmicky trend that should motion its way to the nearest gutter, either way, it's going to be around for the foreseeable future, so you’d better get used to the idea.
Case in point, Canada’s CBC News (via Gamasutra) reports that between 70 and 80 percent of publishers are currently developing games for Microsoft’s Project Natal.
"Our first party studios are [also] very focused on this,” said Microsoft’s entertainment and devices divisions’ president Robbie Bach. "We want to have a few titles from Microsoft that show the way and then we want the breadth and power of the ecosystem from our partners to bring lots of new ideas, new innovations, new concepts to the marketplace. Xbox games don’t go away; you have to think of all this as additive. I think it adds to the beauty of what’s going on."
Microsoft has been talking a lot lately about sticking with the 360 for the time being, rather than fully looking ahead to the next generation of consoles. The company has said that extending the console’s life through hardware and software improvements is the current strategy, and with the kind of support Natal is receiving from publishers, it appears that the strategy has the potential to be a very worthwhile one. That is, assuming the Natal-powered games can deliver the kinds of groundbreaking experiences Microsoft is promising.
Source: CBC News (via Gamasutra)
Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/701808/70-To-80-Percent-Of-Publishers-Making-Natal-Games.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=TheFeed#ixzz0cRDVixVg
Whether you think motion-controlled gaming is the wave of the future or a gimmicky trend that should motion its way to the nearest gutter, either way, it's going to be around for the foreseeable future, so you’d better get used to the idea.
Case in point, Canada’s CBC News (via Gamasutra) reports that between 70 and 80 percent of publishers are currently developing games for Microsoft’s Project Natal.
"Our first party studios are [also] very focused on this,” said Microsoft’s entertainment and devices divisions’ president Robbie Bach. "We want to have a few titles from Microsoft that show the way and then we want the breadth and power of the ecosystem from our partners to bring lots of new ideas, new innovations, new concepts to the marketplace. Xbox games don’t go away; you have to think of all this as additive. I think it adds to the beauty of what’s going on."
Microsoft has been talking a lot lately about sticking with the 360 for the time being, rather than fully looking ahead to the next generation of consoles. The company has said that extending the console’s life through hardware and software improvements is the current strategy, and with the kind of support Natal is receiving from publishers, it appears that the strategy has the potential to be a very worthwhile one. That is, assuming the Natal-powered games can deliver the kinds of groundbreaking experiences Microsoft is promising.
Source: CBC News (via Gamasutra)
Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/701808/70-To-80-Percent-Of-Publishers-Making-Natal-Games.html?utm_source=g4tv&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=TheFeed#ixzz0cRDVixVg
News: Have Your Say: Has The 'Reboot' Trend Run Amok?
News: Have Your Say: Has The 'Reboot' Trend Run Amok?
Posted using ShareThis
by Todd Brown, January 11, 2010 11:29 PM
Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, USA & Canada
Yes, I know that a good number of re-boot films have come off rather well in the past few years and I certainly prefer making a fresh start to beating a dead horse into the ground, but this is madness. I go into hospital for a few days and in that time Sam Raimi objects to the rushed timeline being forced on Spider-Man 4, either walks or is bounced or - more likely - some mutually agreed upon combination of the two, and already Sony has cut bait and moved on, announcing that their upcoming fourth film will bring in fresh talent - Maguire's gone now, too - and will reboot the franchise with Peter Parker still in high school.
I understand the trend to reboot 80s horror franchises, long buried under the dead weight of hideously substandard sequels. Superman made sense, too, what with the time gap and Richard Pryor and attempted foray into teen girl fandom. Batman? Anything that got Joel Schumacher away from that franchise was good by me. And as weird as I found rebooting the Hulk after just one film, at least it was a refreshing admission that the first one just didn't work they way they wanted it to. But this? Sure, the third film isn't great but this is still a franchise at its peak, with a ton of stories still to tell, just being tossed aside onto the scrap heap. Madness, I say.
Posted using ShareThis
by Todd Brown, January 11, 2010 11:29 PM
Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, USA & Canada
Yes, I know that a good number of re-boot films have come off rather well in the past few years and I certainly prefer making a fresh start to beating a dead horse into the ground, but this is madness. I go into hospital for a few days and in that time Sam Raimi objects to the rushed timeline being forced on Spider-Man 4, either walks or is bounced or - more likely - some mutually agreed upon combination of the two, and already Sony has cut bait and moved on, announcing that their upcoming fourth film will bring in fresh talent - Maguire's gone now, too - and will reboot the franchise with Peter Parker still in high school.
I understand the trend to reboot 80s horror franchises, long buried under the dead weight of hideously substandard sequels. Superman made sense, too, what with the time gap and Richard Pryor and attempted foray into teen girl fandom. Batman? Anything that got Joel Schumacher away from that franchise was good by me. And as weird as I found rebooting the Hulk after just one film, at least it was a refreshing admission that the first one just didn't work they way they wanted it to. But this? Sure, the third film isn't great but this is still a franchise at its peak, with a ton of stories still to tell, just being tossed aside onto the scrap heap. Madness, I say.
Monday, January 11, 2010
News: J Blakeson's THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED To Appear On US Screens In 2010
News: J Blakeson's THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED To Appear On US Screens In 2010
Posted using ShareThis
by Todd Brown, January 7, 2010 8:00 PM
Thriller, UK, Ireland, Australia & New Zealand
How fond am I of J Blakeson's tightly wound thriller The Disappearance of Alice Creed? Fond enough that when the film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival I commented that Blakeson may very well be the next Danny Boyle. Which is to say rather a lot.
In other years, when distributors were throwing money at substandard films like drunken sailors Alice would have been the type of film to spark an absolute feeding frenzy but things are quieter these days and very little has been heard about the picture since. Until now.
I've just gotten word that The Disappearance of Alice Creed has been picked up by Anchor Bay - who appear to be positioning themselves to step into the indie distribution void left by so many poorly managed companies exiting the sector over the last couple years - and that they are planning a platformed theatrical release for the picture, which means it'll start on limited screens and then push progressively wider if and as it performs.
This is a good one, people, so keep an eye out for it. And, in the mean time, check out a trio of clips from the film below.
For those of you who don't know who Danny Boyle is, he is the mastermind of Transpotting, Sunshine, and Slumdog Millionaire. While its not too far off to compare Blakeson with Boyle's rise from indie director to Academy MVP, I'd like to say that for this particular movie, I'm seeing thriller/ suspense comparisons to Rian Johnson's Brick.
Prediction: Low-Budget, small cast mystery driven by incredible dialogue and acting that covers a spectrum of emotions. Cult classic.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What Have I Been Saying?
January 05, 2010
Rheny Pulungan
Taking On Regional Piracy Calls for New Direction in the Malacca Strait
To most of the world, Somalia could easily be renamed the land of pirates. Hijackings have become routine off the coast of this East African nation, earning it the unenviable title of most dangerous waters in the world. There have been 147 attacks in the Gulf of Aden between January and September 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur.
The second most dangerous waters are closer to home in the Malacca Strait, the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, this strait has been a pirate haven for years.
The Malacca Strait, together with the Singapore Strait, are some of the most important waterways in the world. The Malacca Strait provides the shortest route for tankers trading between the Middle East and East Asian countries and sees approximately 60,000 vessels a year. Furthermore, there are a large number of local vessels dealing with trade across the straits and various fishing vessels can be encountered in most areas.
The Malacca Strait is also vital to international energy trade — about 30 to 40 percent of the total traffic in the straits of Malacca and Singapore are oil tankers. About 80 percent of that oil is imported by Japan, South Korea and China from the Persian Gulf.
Prior to 1989, the Malacca Strait was relatively safe with, on average, only seven reported cases of piracy and armed robbery every year. In 1989, the number of cases increased to 28 and rose significantly to 50 cases in 1991. In 2004, about one-third of the 325 cases of armed robbery and piracy against shipping worldwide were in Southeast Asia, including the Malacca Strait and Indonesian waters. In the last three years the number of piracy attacks has declined, but attacks remain a significant threat for shipping in the region.
Often the pirates have satellite phones and can eavesdrop on communications from the targeted vessels. Moreover, assaults are becoming more violent — automatic assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades are increasingly carried and used by pirates. Ships and their crews are facing regular threats of unauthorized boarding; theft of personal property, cargo and the ships themselves; and violence against, and kidnapping or murder of, seafarers.
How have the three littoral states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, reacted? Thus far, not nearly enough to suppress piracy and armed robbery against ships. For example, in 2004 the countries joined forces on “coordinated naval patrols,” each nation contributing up to seven patrol ships that remained under their separate national commands. In practice, the action will not solve the problem because it is carried out on an infrequent basis, depending on the situation or, more obviously, depending on international pressure.
The coordinated patrols conducted by the littoral states are obviously a great change in relation to suppressing the act of piracy and maritime terrorism in the Strait of Malacca. However, since these are not joint patrols, meaning vessels of each country remain in their own territorial waters, they have limited implications especially in relation to reducing the act of piracy.
Joint patrol areas should cover the areas where there are the most incidents of piracy against vessels plying through the straits, particularly if these areas are where the territorial boundaries are undecided. The joint patrol areas may also include waters within the territorial sovereignty of one or more states. By such an arrangement, the three countries would effectively give each other “quick” permission to enforce jurisdiction within the joint patrol areas, even if the incident occurred in the territorial waters of another state.
In relation to the joint patrol areas, the three states could also agree to pass domestic legislation stating that all acts of piracy conducted against vessels and persons in the joint patrol areas is a crime under their domestic law and will be punished with severe penalties. With this arrangement, no state would complain if, for example, Indonesia and Singapore made attacks against pirates in joint patrol areas in the Singapore Strait even if the crimes were conducted in areas beyond the territorial waters of the arresting state.
An argument can be made to assert the right to such jurisdiction, since acts of piracy in the strait run counter to the fundamental interest of each state and the safety of international shipping.
One major difficulty in protecting shipping from pirate attacks is related to the fact that perpetrators and law enforcement officials are not bound by the same rules. Pirates do not respect maritime borders or national sovereignty, while law enforcement and military officials respect both these limits. Due to a lack of mutual trust, law enforcement vessels in pursuit of criminals have not been permitted to enter foreign territorial seas. Particularly to Indonesia and Malaysia, sovereignty is still a crucial issue when we talk about allowing foreign vessels to enter territorial waters. Thus it often happens that when Singaporean authorities are in pursuit of a pirate ship, this ship merely escapes to Indonesian waters.
Recently, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to allow countries to send warships into Somalia’s territorial waters to combat pirates. None of the three countries in the Malacca Strait are failed states such as Somalia, however, meaning that no foreign vessels would have the right to enter their territorial waters in the name of antipiracy efforts. Nevertheless, we have to be aware of the fact that there have been some attempts, supported by the Singaporean government, to invite US and Japanese warships to help patrol the Malacca Strait.
The answer to this problem is quite clear: mutual cooperation among the three littoral states. An agreement that allows other county’s law enforcement officials to enter the territorial waters of another country in the incidence of piracy, without having to wait for permission, is inevitable. Together with information sharing and joint patrols throughout the strait and in surrounding areas, such cooperation can be the answer to combating piracy at home and across the region.
Rheny Pulungan is a doctoral candidate in law at the University of Melbourne .
Rheny Pulungan
Taking On Regional Piracy Calls for New Direction in the Malacca Strait
To most of the world, Somalia could easily be renamed the land of pirates. Hijackings have become routine off the coast of this East African nation, earning it the unenviable title of most dangerous waters in the world. There have been 147 attacks in the Gulf of Aden between January and September 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur.
The second most dangerous waters are closer to home in the Malacca Strait, the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, this strait has been a pirate haven for years.
The Malacca Strait, together with the Singapore Strait, are some of the most important waterways in the world. The Malacca Strait provides the shortest route for tankers trading between the Middle East and East Asian countries and sees approximately 60,000 vessels a year. Furthermore, there are a large number of local vessels dealing with trade across the straits and various fishing vessels can be encountered in most areas.
The Malacca Strait is also vital to international energy trade — about 30 to 40 percent of the total traffic in the straits of Malacca and Singapore are oil tankers. About 80 percent of that oil is imported by Japan, South Korea and China from the Persian Gulf.
Prior to 1989, the Malacca Strait was relatively safe with, on average, only seven reported cases of piracy and armed robbery every year. In 1989, the number of cases increased to 28 and rose significantly to 50 cases in 1991. In 2004, about one-third of the 325 cases of armed robbery and piracy against shipping worldwide were in Southeast Asia, including the Malacca Strait and Indonesian waters. In the last three years the number of piracy attacks has declined, but attacks remain a significant threat for shipping in the region.
Often the pirates have satellite phones and can eavesdrop on communications from the targeted vessels. Moreover, assaults are becoming more violent — automatic assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades are increasingly carried and used by pirates. Ships and their crews are facing regular threats of unauthorized boarding; theft of personal property, cargo and the ships themselves; and violence against, and kidnapping or murder of, seafarers.
How have the three littoral states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, reacted? Thus far, not nearly enough to suppress piracy and armed robbery against ships. For example, in 2004 the countries joined forces on “coordinated naval patrols,” each nation contributing up to seven patrol ships that remained under their separate national commands. In practice, the action will not solve the problem because it is carried out on an infrequent basis, depending on the situation or, more obviously, depending on international pressure.
The coordinated patrols conducted by the littoral states are obviously a great change in relation to suppressing the act of piracy and maritime terrorism in the Strait of Malacca. However, since these are not joint patrols, meaning vessels of each country remain in their own territorial waters, they have limited implications especially in relation to reducing the act of piracy.
Joint patrol areas should cover the areas where there are the most incidents of piracy against vessels plying through the straits, particularly if these areas are where the territorial boundaries are undecided. The joint patrol areas may also include waters within the territorial sovereignty of one or more states. By such an arrangement, the three countries would effectively give each other “quick” permission to enforce jurisdiction within the joint patrol areas, even if the incident occurred in the territorial waters of another state.
In relation to the joint patrol areas, the three states could also agree to pass domestic legislation stating that all acts of piracy conducted against vessels and persons in the joint patrol areas is a crime under their domestic law and will be punished with severe penalties. With this arrangement, no state would complain if, for example, Indonesia and Singapore made attacks against pirates in joint patrol areas in the Singapore Strait even if the crimes were conducted in areas beyond the territorial waters of the arresting state.
An argument can be made to assert the right to such jurisdiction, since acts of piracy in the strait run counter to the fundamental interest of each state and the safety of international shipping.
One major difficulty in protecting shipping from pirate attacks is related to the fact that perpetrators and law enforcement officials are not bound by the same rules. Pirates do not respect maritime borders or national sovereignty, while law enforcement and military officials respect both these limits. Due to a lack of mutual trust, law enforcement vessels in pursuit of criminals have not been permitted to enter foreign territorial seas. Particularly to Indonesia and Malaysia, sovereignty is still a crucial issue when we talk about allowing foreign vessels to enter territorial waters. Thus it often happens that when Singaporean authorities are in pursuit of a pirate ship, this ship merely escapes to Indonesian waters.
Recently, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to allow countries to send warships into Somalia’s territorial waters to combat pirates. None of the three countries in the Malacca Strait are failed states such as Somalia, however, meaning that no foreign vessels would have the right to enter their territorial waters in the name of antipiracy efforts. Nevertheless, we have to be aware of the fact that there have been some attempts, supported by the Singaporean government, to invite US and Japanese warships to help patrol the Malacca Strait.
The answer to this problem is quite clear: mutual cooperation among the three littoral states. An agreement that allows other county’s law enforcement officials to enter the territorial waters of another country in the incidence of piracy, without having to wait for permission, is inevitable. Together with information sharing and joint patrols throughout the strait and in surrounding areas, such cooperation can be the answer to combating piracy at home and across the region.
Rheny Pulungan is a doctoral candidate in law at the University of Melbourne .
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