Brad Pitt: Inglourious Basterds Trailer!

http://www.irrawaddy.org/opinion_story.php?art_id=15110

Skin Color and Prejudice Endangers Rohingya
By KYAW ZWA MOE Friday, February 13, 2009

Unbelievably in this day and time, skin color has become an issue in the case of the Rohingya boat people.

While much of the world has moved beyond discrimination due to the color of one’s skin (think President Obama), pockets of prejudice still exist, including in Southeast Asia.

“You will see in the photos that their complexion is dark brown,” said Burmese Counsel Ye Myint Aung in Hong Kong, in a letter to fellow diplomats, referring to the Rohingya boat people. He went on to describe the complexion of Burmese as “fair and soft, good looking as well.”

His own complexion, he said, was typical of a Burmese gentleman and his fellow diplomats could easily contrast their diplomatic colleague with Rohingya.

“Rohingyas are as ugly as ogres,” he said.

In essence, what he said was that Rohingyas couldn’t qualify as Burmese citizens because of their appearance, and they are not recognized as an ethnic group of Burma.

Thousands of Rohingyas have fled their homes in Burma and Bangladesh to Thailand and Malaysia in recent years. In 2008 alone, reports estimated 4,880 Rohingyas were arrested for illegally entering Thailand.

It’s fairly clear now that no country in Southeast Asia is willing to accept the desperate Rohingyas who wash up on their shore or enter a country by other means.

One reason is that they don’t look like ordinary economic migrants or refugees. They take to the ocean in dilapidated boats, reminiscent of the Vietnamese boat people, who also were desperate to leave an unforgiving land and would do anything—even risk their lives—to escape. In addition, they are Muslims, another strike against them in some people’s eyes.

The boat people have become an irritant for many countries in the region, especially Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Compounding the problem is the unwillingness of Burma and Bangladesh to recognize the Rohingya as citizens.

When various groups of Rohingya boat people were arrested in Thailand recently, they were beaten and tortured by Thai authorities, according to reports, and eventually towed back out to sea and set adrift with inadequate water and food in boats without working engines.

Earlier, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was quoted by reporters as saying, “They [the Rohingyas] are not refugees. Our policy is to push them out of the country because they are illegal migrants.”

More than 1,000 Rohingyas were towed out to sea and set adrift late last year by the Thai navy. Fortunately, they were rescued by Indonesian and Indian authorities. Unknown numbers, however, disappeared at sea.

Recently, the Thai premier changed his tune to acknowledge the claims of human rights groups, telling CNN in an exclusive interview, “It’s not exactly clear whose work it is.” He added, “All the [Thai] authorities say it’s not their policy, but I have reason to believe some instances of this happened, and if I can have the evidence of who exactly did this, I will certainly bring them to account.”

Clearly, the issue is now a regional issue, and the Thai government is feeling the heat of world opinion. Even a simple statement in support of the Rohingya boat people made by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, who is also a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations, during a visit to Thailand last week drew a curt response from Thai foreign ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat, who pounced on her remarks, saying, “It’s not her role to comment on the matter.”

Thailand’s army commander is now scheduled to visit Burma next week to discuss the Rohingya issue with the military government.

Really, the issue would be best addressed in a regional forum with the gravity that it deserves.

The secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Surin Pitsuwin, said in an interview: “This is not an issue for a particular country. It is a regional issue. It is also an issue for the international community.”

When Asean leaders gather for the regional summit which is scheduled to be held at the end of this month in Thailand, Surin and other Asean leaders must responsibly address the Rohingya issue.

If they fail to do so and paper over the issue with rhetorical flourishes, they will bring further discredit to the region.

im sry i cant wait till august argggggg brads scar looks kinda real kool lol

My prayers and thoughts goes out to the families of the people that have died in the crash of flt 3407 in Buffalo, and also to the family of the victim who had died on the ground. A woman who husband died on 911 was on the plane. It is so sad and tragic

Thanks to all who provided links to various info.

OT It so sad to hear about Usher’s wife. She had a heart attack while getting anesthesia for surgery

Passing Through @ 02/13/2009 at 9:12 am
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HOT OR NOT? THE MANY LOOKS OF BRAD PITT (in his movies)…
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“…let’s face it: he could spackle his hair with river mud and tattoo obscenities to his forehead and women would still swoon at the sight of him.”
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Yep, that sounds about right. lol
Maybe Finch and Bradley can try out that look in a future collaboration.

Wow…this thread is deader than the skin on X’s face! Where’s everybody at?

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Val @ 02/13/2009 at 10:42 am That’s very sad for Usher’s wife, hopefully she completely recovers. I went in for nose job consultation and plaxel lazer. My friend works at surgeons office and his track record is great. So my friend got me a complimentary lipo on any area I chose. And at first I was like sure why not. but then I looked in the mirror and I was like nope, dont need the lipo anywhere let me leave well enough alone. But I did choose a new nose for myself and I can hardly wait to get it done. I did all my testing and everything seems fine so hopefully there will not be any mishaps.

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I agree about the lipo. Usher’s wife needed to give her body some time after her latest delivery. You have to work your body - I fail to believe that she couldn’t have gotten back in shape by normal means. She can even afford a personal trainer and personal chef - so there’s half the battle. She was taking the easy way out and sometimes there’s a price to pay for that.
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Lipo has a lot of downside to it. Your body has a natural shape and that’s what you should strive for - your natural figure at its best. I let myself gain a lot of weight for a few years a while back ( age has an awful effect on body metabolism ) and when I decided to take control of it I simply went to Weight Watchers for the first half of my weight loss and started an exercise regimen all by myself - no personal trainer not even going to a gym. I just parked my car and started walking and taking the subway and found an old exercise tape and exercised to that faithfully every night including free weights. By the end I had lost everything I gained and was in better shape than I had ever been before. All my old size 2s and 4s fit perfectly. I was so proud of my great behind that I got all these pencil skirts to show off. Even my stomach was flat again. You can do it if you make the decision and stick to it.
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Good luck with the new nose.

I was flipping channels this morning and came across a woman named Savanah Guthrie on CNBC’S political talk show “CHRIS MATHEWS” when I heard her say “….The first movie the president saw in the white house was THE “MYSTERIOUS” CASE OFF BENJAMIN BUTTON…

…she, of course, got the name of the movie wrong….but if I heard her correctly, I’m even more impressed to hear that the president has such good taste in movies!….hope he enjoyed it….

…another mention was on THE VIEW on either thursday or friday…..They had the muppet Ms. Piggie on the show, and Barbara Walters said to her “…since we have this movie HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU in the theatre’s, in honor of Valentine’s Day, do you have any advice to give women on how to tell if a guy isnt that into you?…

Miss Piggie the muppet then attempted to give the ladies a couple of examples of actions that would indicate disinterest…

…one of the examples was….”…if your in a restaurante and the the guy says, PLEASE LEAVE THE TABLE…BEFORE ANGELINA GETS BACK….” he’s not that into you….

The audience knowingly chuckled, but the ladies on the view didn’t comment. I guess the person mimicking the Ms. Piggy character didnt get the memo that THEY MUST NEVER mention the MOST POPULAR couple in Hollywood at the risk of promoting them…..(Those ****** at the view are probably upset that Brad nor Angelina dont have to do their show, and probably wouldnt even if asked, because they dont NEED Barbara Walters approval! Angie did the show back in the day with Colin Farrell so you’d think they’d have a little loyalty, but nooooo…….they welcome the from FROZEN RIVER and that snooty pretentious fake Kate Winslet to the show and say they ‘hope she wins’! What a bunch of jealous heffers!….and I’m not talking about Ms. Piggie!…

THE TRAIL LOOKS AMAZING

I F****** CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE