Self-Love : The Economics Perspective

Alright, this is 90% cut and paste work, but it's worth a read.

“Man has almost constant occasion for the help of his brethren, and it is vain for him to expect it from their benevolence only. He will be more likely to prevail if he can interest their self-love in his favor, and show them that it is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of them.

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.

Every individual neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it.

He intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it.”

Adam Smith - Passages from The Wealth of Nations.

Main reason why I'm studying Economics. It justifies all kinds of evil in a logical way.

The Beauty And The Beast

Once, I thought this was beauty.



As I grew up, I felt that this was beauty.



Still, at one point in my life I felt that this was true beauty.



At times I was almost sure that this was beauty.



Then again, at times I felt that this was it.



But at then end of all comtemplations, I stumbled upon a truth. The truth that man sees beauty with the heart, and not the eyes. I come to realise, how volatile beauty is to the eyes alone, that man can choose to see beauty in anything and anyone when he wants to. At the same time, man can choose to not see beauty, at his leisure.

At the end of it, I realised that I still have not found beauty, because I am the contradiction of mankind. The beauty that I see with my eyes alone often stays, but the beauty that I see with my heart, is the beauty that is volatile. It is then that I come upon the conclusion that my heart is volatile, that I can never trust my heart.

And yet, when all else fades, I realise that I have found that beauty after all, where neither my heart nor my eyes cheat me. The beauty that resides in my subconscious. The beauty that is unchanging, in all circumstances. The beauty that is eternal. The beauty that is, love.

I have found you, beauty.



Thank you for your love.

P/S: Happy Birthday, Sis.

Earth To Bella

Before anything else, I just want to wish Mom,

Happy Birthday!

But this is not a boring birthday shoutout post, don't worry. There is so much to blog, but so little space. So many words to type, but so little time. So much thoughts, but so difficult to express. So, take a ride with me.

Many of you must be wondering if Rubella killed me. Well, no. I'm alive, and probably more alive than before. Yes, for those still in the unknown, Rubella struck when I had my Raya break. Basically, it's a holiday gone wrong for me. The only few days in beautiful Ipoh had to be spent stuck in my room, reading Calvin and Hobbes (the only comfort I had). But who could I blame? It's I, who hugged my Rubella stricken friend in the first place and stole the disease from him. It's I, who refused the vaccination provided by my beloved university. In exchange for a healthier body, and a stronger immune system, I chose the road not taken.

The road of Rubella.

Well, in the few days I spent itching, groaning, and cursing Rubella, I could only say I learnt nothing but endurance. It was one of the most torturing diseases one could get. You feel hot, you feel cold, one right after the other. Your throat feels so dry that you need fluid all the time. You can't sleep at night because of the heat from your body and the cold air from the air-cond. Your body contradicts and you suffer the consequences. Not forgetting the lumps, which stiffen the neck and it's painful, for goodness sake. Well, the after-effects couldn't be less worst either. I had a post-viral arthritis syndrome, where all my joints (fingers, wrists, legs) are swollen and they are kinda painful, similar to that of arthritis; the only difference being its temporal nature. Of course, as the rashes subsided, there was the itch which caused me two sleepless nights and thwarted my attempts at catching some afternoon naps. And one of the post-Rubella effects that I'm still wallowing in is dried lips. So dry, that it bleeds for no reason in the morning. The bleeding stopped by the way.

Many of my friends laughed at me, because I was laughing and joking all the time about the Rubella outbreak in my university before this. Some of them laughed, because they felt that I was "stupid" enough to refuse vaccination. But I, I will have the last, and perhaps, the longest and loudest laugh. Because at the end of it, I can point a finger at all of you who have not been through what I have been through and say, I did it my way. I made it, I survived, without man made, artificial immunity, which weakens the body's immune system eventually. I will laugh because all of you laughed at my wisdom which you labelled stupidity. I will live longer than every single one of you. I will be doing your eulogy. Muahahaha.

Hello Blog, Goodbye Blog.

No, I'm not wearing a straight jacket. I'm fine, thank you.

Rubella, Rubella, go away. Come again another day.

=)

Why Am I Only Able To Write Blog Posts When It's In The Odd Hours Of The Beautiful Morning.

There are two reasons why I can only blog when it's 4.00 a.m. in the morning.

a) I am nocturnal. I am inspired by the morning air.

b) Due to the extremely advanced WIFI technology of my beloved UM, the connection is only stable during this hour of the day.

Well, there is no clear objective or motive to this post. I am just floating about. So, if half-way down this post, you feel that it is not making sense, or worth reading, stop reading, and blame it on the morning air.

First of all, one of the urgent issues I would like to address would be the "Wadefish" issue. Around April this year, I gave birth to a monster named "Wadefish". From that moment onwards, "Wadefish" was seen everywhere, from Garena to MSN. What really was the problem was this. Nobody could understand nor pronounce the name properly without asking me an explanation. And so, what I get is people calling me wade ( the act of walking through water or mud ) -fish. Also, I have a friend who calls me waterfish, which, literally translated to Cantonese, would be sui yue, which would mean "scapegoat" in English. Confusing, yes, but the point is this. I need to clarify this so people would stop asking the same question so many times that it plots an exponential graph.

Before I proceed, there are 3 options you can choose to go from here.

a) If you're an overly free person, read this. If you're not mentally challenged in any way, and you're able to read and think like a normal human being, I believe this post would clear the air on the etymology of "Wadefish" and the right pronounciation that comes with it. Then, after reading, you can resume playing Who Has The Biggest Brains in Facebook, or resume nudging people in MSN, and need not continue reading this post, which by now, you would have found it to be rather stupid.

b) If you're an overly busy person, but so happened to be here because you love me alot and you're concern with what's latest in my blog, but you just don't have the time to read an old post which after reading you will find that it doesn't make sense, scroll down and you will find a summary which obviously functions to sum everything up, from the etymology of "Wadefish" to the right pronounciation of it.

c) If you're crazy and you know it, do all the above. *ClapClap*


Wadefish - The Etymology
The origins of the word came during enlightenment which I achieved when I spent my time meditating on how to make the world a better place for you and me to live in, and how to promote a cause in the world and improve the moral standards of humans at the same time. The moment of revelation created this urge to lessen the usage of words considered foul, rude, rough, uncouth, discriminating and denigrating in nature and at the same time, promote the noble cause of conserving animals, working with WWF ( World Wide Fund for Nature ) in achieving this purpose.

But how can this be done? As everyone knows, the act of killing two birds with one stone is logically impossible. And English came up with this illogical metaphor just to sound impressive, but then again, it illustrates the point to the point ( no pun intended ). And so, together with the board of directors, we brain-stormed for, well, quite some time I would say ( I don't want to exaggerate it so that this would sound real ) before we eventually came up with a brilliant idea on how to pull this off. The idea was to have people around the world to participate in a conscious effort to distort words deemed "unholy" by replacing them with names of animals facing the dangers of extinction.

I chose to distort the classic, most notorious, and the mother of all "unholy" words. Now, I can barely remember what "What The F*ck" is, for "What The Fish" has completely dominated the war I wage against the terrorism of words. And so, after a little adaptation, some adjustment, and a few touch-ups, "What The Fish" evolved into the now famous but often misconstrued and mispronounced "Wadefish".


There. That's a little too long for a summary, but I guess I'll have it. Why did I start the post with "First of all" when there is no "Secondly" following? Why did I say "one of the urgent issues" when there are no other issues I wish to address in this post? And why did I even mention that there is "no clear objective or motive to this post" when obviously I made a contradicting statement in saying that I wish to clarify the "Wadefish" issue in this post? Lastly, "I am nocturnal. I am inspired by the morning air" is a paradox, I just noticed. Now, that's what we call TRIVIA, baby!

And, voila! Another masterpiece creates herself in the wee hours of the day.

I never could have written this any other time of the day.

Hum Hallelujah

A picture speaks a thousand words. Or feelings.

I did not get the Sime Darby scholarship.

Once again, Scholarship won. To date, the score is 3-0.

It's time for a reality check, bro. What's wrong with you? The answer, you are not good enough. No, not even for a simple scholarship. You had everything ready, just the funding, and you screwed it up in the interview. Don't give interview-a-phobia as a lame excuse. You sucked, and you know it.

And while the 50 inside me rejoices that I'll be staying in Malaysia after all, the other 50 is killing me with derogatory words. Like the above. I keep asking the same question, Why? They were offering 20 places to overseas. 20. No, not 1 or 5. But 20. And I could lose out. I do not like losing. I hate losing. It makes me feel low. It makes me feel useless. It makes me feel that whatever I have achieved so far is of no value. I hate the inferior feeling I get when I lose.

It was 50-50 all the while. But I thought that if I don't get the scholarship, the 50 who rejoices would be the louder voice. I guess I'm wrong. Nothing, no one, is more important than my ambitions, my dreams, my aspirations. And therefore, the other 50 inside me is consciously puncturing my confidence now.

Maybe, it's time for new ambitions. It's time for new dreams. It's time for new aspirations. And it's all gonna be here, in my beloved Malaysia. God, I will swallow this with joy. And it's time I learn a lesson.

"God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."

James 4:6

Shatter my confidence, Lord. Crush all my self-belief. Overwhelm my pride, my ego. For Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Carry me to the lowest, for there will I learn.

And I will rise again.

The bowman could not release his arrow after all. Maybe it's time I try some sniping. Could at least kick some ass in COD4.

I'm no good, I'm no good, I'm no good.

"So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."

Luke 18:19

The Bro Code

For origins of The Bro Code, click on the link in the title. This would run for some time in my blog, I guess. Till I have better posts.

The Bro Code Article #60

Should a Bro be near to closing with a girl, his Bro shall do anything within his means to ensure the desired outcome, up to and including the seduction of said girl’s wildly unattractive cousin / friend / mother.

Many more to come, ladies and gentlemen. Guess me + Yo will do some editing to Barbanas Stinson's Bro Code. Here are some extended articles, by the Great Yohanand.

Article 26
Article 53
Article 89
Article 63

Enjoy.

The Bowman

It is manifest that the same thing cannot do two opposite things, or be in two opposite states, in the same part of it, and with reference to the same object, so that where we find these phenomena occuring, we shall know that the subjects of them are not identical, but more than one.

Let us come to a still more exact understanding, lest we should chance to differ as we proceed. If it were said of a man who is standing still, but moving his hands and his head, that the same individual is at the same time at rest and in motion, we should not, I imagine, allow this to be a correct way of speaking, but should say that part of the man is at rest, and part in motion : should we not?

And if the objector should indulge in yet further pleasantries, so far refining as to say that at any rate a top is wholly at rest and in motion at the same time, when it spins with its peg fixed on a given spot, or that anything else revolving in the same place is an instance of the same thing, we should reject his illustration, because in such cases the things are not both stationary and in motion in respect of the same parts of them, and we should reply that they contain an axis and a circumference, and that in respect of the axis they are stationary, inasmuch as they do not lean to any side; but in respect of the circumference they are moving round and round: but if, while the rotatory motion continues, the axis at the same time inclines to the right or to the left, forwards or backwards, then they cannot be said in any sense to be at rest.

Then no objection of that kind will alarm us, or tend at all to convince us that it is ever possible for one and the same thing, at the same time, in the same part of it, and relatively to the same object, to be acted upon in two opposite ways, or to be two opposite things, or to produce two opposite effects.

The bowman analogy is the perfect cry of my soul. It would not be right to say of the bowman, that his hands are at the same time drawing the bow towards him, and pushing it from him, the fact being that one of his hands pushes it from him, and the other pulls it to him. The left hand pushes the bow out, and yet, the right hand cannot function the same way. The right hand has to function as an antagonist, the rebel of the movement procured, in order for the bow to work. And so, the right hand pulls the bow towards the bowman. As the tension increases, the right hand eventually has to give in. Two opposite actions then converge into one, resulting in the bow releasing the arrow, meeting its mark.

Socrates, in Plato's Republic, stated that a man's soul contains two principles, distinct one from the other. The part of the soul with which it reasons is given the title of the rational principle, and to that part with which it loves and hungers and thirsts, and experiences the flutter of the other desires, the title of the irrational and concupiscent principle, the ally of sundry indulgences and pleasures.

The rational principle in me would be the left hand of the bowman, while the irrational principle, the right. Rational pushes me, confirming that I will go if I get the scholarship. But the state of my heart is the opposite. The irrational principle holds me back, pulls me the other way. Eventually, the latter principle will give in to the distinct and stronger principle; the former principle. And that is where two opposite states converge into one; realising my dreams, my aspirations, my ambitions.

Tomorrow, is the dawn of a new beginning. Morning jog will start. And I will be fasting and praying for 3 days. For my grandmother, my family, and for my friends.

Can I live on water?

"And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. "

Luke 4 : 4

Thank you, brothers and sisters, for all the encouragement.

I value them, more than anything else.

I got through the Sime Darby assessment, and I'll be going for the final interview tomorrow.

Which way will I go?

What will it be?


Life is waiting for you
It's all messed up but we're alive
Life is waiting for you
It's all messed up but we'll survive

Our Lady Peace - Life

I have so randomed-thoughts in my mind that I do not know how to begin.

Today, I realised I am not special.

Not unique, not exceptional, not remarkable.

Not gifted, not talented, not wanted.

Today, I don't feel belonged.

Today, I don't feel loved.

Today, I realised I am nobody.

I have always felt the opposite about myself; maybe partly due to the comfort zone I was in, the people I was around; who made me feel special, made me feel that I am someone. People who affirmed me, who let me know I can do great things.

Today, I thought and I realised, I am nothing. What I thought I was good at, there are always people out there who are better. I am alone; I lack the support I get from you guys back at home.

I am common.

I am just a speck in the world.

An insignificant speck.

In social animals, the alpha male is the individual in the community to whom the others follow and defer. In some groups, the alpha males are overrepresented in the genetics of a population if they are the only ones who breed successfully.

Chimpanzees show deference to the alpha of the community by ritualised gestures such as bowing, allowing the alpha to walk first in a procession, or standing aside when the alpha challenges. Canines also show deference to the alpha in their pack, by allowing them to be the first to eat.

The status of the alpha is generally achieved by means of superior physical prowess; however, in certain highly social species such as the bonobo and humans, a contender can use more indirect methods, such as political alliances, to oust the ruling alpha and take his place.

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Bedshaped

An overview of the beautiful room I currently reside in.

E316.


The humble abode.


The rest.


The locker.


The desk.


The air-cond.


The hermit.

There. Sorry for the low quality photos. All taken with my laptop's integrated webcam.

A World Of Thoughts

I am no orator.

How I long to verbalize my thoughts.

Often I find myself thinking, but always unable to turn thoughts into spoken words. I can only pen them down; how I wish I have the gift of an orator.

Indeed, I am an unintelligible teacher.

Unable to cope with verbal communication, I am left trapped in a world of ideas. Many may disagree with this statement, but free yourself from delusion; for I only impress with meaningless words.

I want to speak with substance. I want to make myself heard; not in the same manner anymore.

I want to speak with the mind.

The ideal state is a state ruled by philosophers.

From UM With Love

Dear all,

It's been one of the longest weeks in my life, but nevertheless, I survived the orientation.

Everything's fine here, the room's okay, my roomies are alright, and basically, I met many new friends. Language is a problem though because I don't speak Mandarin. Guess I have to adapt. Food's edible, though at times I have to swallow them. The orientation week sucks big time. I guess some people just don't grow up. But it's OVER. And life begins.

Bad news for the week as my grandmother had a stroke. She's stable now, but still under observation. Prayers are needed, thank you.

Have been nourishing myself with food and sleep after one week of "torture". Went to gramps and bro took me around abit for the food debt I owe my stomach. And when I say torture, please don't have in mind any kinds of Nazi-style punishment or the like. The torture in my case is more inclined towards mental torture, where they try to kill you with boredom.

Enough said bout the negatives. UM is a good place, with lots of monkey. We practically saw a live invasion by one of the monkeys into a room. Economics faculty is about 10-15 minutes walk everyday, so I guess I'll be fitter with time. And not forgetting, the babes =) Yea, don't be jealous. The population of male and female in my college is by a ratio of 1:3. HAHA. =) My timetable's cool too. Quite relaxed everyday, just a few hours of lecture and tutorial. On Fridays, the class is till 10 a.m., so it will be convenient for me to go back to Ipoh.

Oh well, I'm onlining using one of my newly met friend's friend's account. Still waiting for approval for my registration. Will be done in about a week, hopefully. These are some updates.

With love,

Clarence

Short Titles, Long Posts Ain't Cool; Long Titles, Short Posts Are.

Once, a friend of mine said, "Time flies like birds." The moment we heard it, many of us burst out in laughter at the queer statement. Yes, he got rather tongue-tied and brain-jammed when it was his turn to share in a group.

Now, the question posed would be, why birds? Why not, "Time flies like concords"? or "Time flies like light"? Why choose an organism with limited velocity to illustrate speed and not something more accurate, something with more velocity?

With utmost respect for my friend, I would say it doesn't make sense; and come to think of it, it was a rather stupid illustration. But then again, I often find myself referring to this metaphor when it comes to the motion of time. Why?

The truth is, birds are indeed the best epitome of time. Often, we do not notice the presence of the many birds around us, going about their day. They fly freely; often out of the boundaries of our vision and to lands unknown. And when we start to notice them, we realise that they have grown much; before they fly off again.

In the same way, often we get too caught up with life that we lose sight of time. We cease to remember that time is living, and it's moving. When our conscience hits us and time flies within the grasp of our vision again, we come upon the realization that time indeed has grown, and so have we. And then, time flies off again.

Memories are sweet, at the same time nostalgic. I wish I could stop reminiscing. Time indeed flew like birds.

This post would be around for some time folks; until I get my electronic wife to KL.

Death And All His Friends

Farewells are not sweet, no matter how near you are leaving to. Life changes. There are crossroads, intersections, in which we either meet, or part.

I guess this is the time of the latter.

Eliza told me, she hates all this. She wants it to go away. She wants everyone to stay. Take away my rational and my cry would be the same.

I can understand how Eliza feels because nobody likes farewells. There are two kinds of loss in this world, which somehow intertwines with each other. One would be the simple farewell, growing up and going our own separate ways. Recently, many of my close friends left for their studies and things were never the same again, apart from one or two exceptional cases. There is no reconciliation needed for the loss, because it's never a loss of a relationship from the moment we part ways. It is a causal loss in which the relationship changes, yet never broken. The changes could either be negative or positive. Enstrangement or the reverse effect. Friendships would usually take on the former change while family relationships, the latter. And as one move on in search of medication for the less desirable change, one would find comfort in new relationships which ultimately leads to the same ending. The process is repeated as one grows and stops only when life ceases.

And death would be the second kind of loss in which all men have to face. This loss is similar to the first in the way that it is a repetition in our lives but with different characters; until we actually play the main cast ourselves. But for this loss, there is no remedy.

Ever since Dad left, Mom has been the dearest person to me, the person I love most. And as I enjoy my final week in Ipoh, my heart grows heavier by day. The comfort of home, the nest that I nurtured in, I will be leaving it. The nest will be empty.

Mom has been the only person to tolerate so much of my nonsense in love. And there is none like her; no care, no love in the world that can compare. I've given her so much problems; my addiction to computer games, accidents after accidents, my studies, my relationships, my lifestyle. But she bore through them with me, her love never changing, loving me for who I am.

Yes, it may just be KL, and I will be back. But I'm going out now, and life will never be the same. It's an independent road, where I slowly move out from under my mother's wings. I must grow up. But just as how it was for my siblings, I pray that this separation would only draw me closer to my mom than I ever was. Yes, it is paradoxical.

At the end of it, goodbyes, partings, farewells, and separations eventually lead to a common, painful event which we call death. Death and all his friends are an inevitable part of life. It doesn't matter, because there's nothing we can do about it but to wake up everyday, knowing this truth, yet rejoicing in the hope of meeting in the world on the other side. This hope is waiting on us; if ever this world fails us.

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

I Corinthians 15:21-22

Tag & Go

Ladies and gentleman, I proudly present my first tagged post. ( Thanks to Joan )

I don't care about who I'm supposed to link, tag, what rules, or what crap. I'm just bored so here are 8 random things about me.

1) I love my family.
Blood is thicker than water.

2) I love sleeping. But the love of this sport pales in comparison to football.
Makan bola, tidur bola, minum Coca-Cola.

3) I love music and I'm all for polygamy. Err. In a music sense.
Five For Fighting.

4) I love movies with plots that make me think.
You shall not pass!

5) I love to think, to be deep in thought.
Great minds think alike.

6) I love sports.
This fire.

7) I love to talk.
Freedom of expression.

8) I love to be loved.
I Corinthians 13.

8 things don't sum me up.

Mixed Tape

I sat and pondered upon the results of the public university. It's been hellofarollercoasterride for me. 2006, God-given results, yet was stuck in Form6. They say that lightning doesn't strike twice.

I guess they were wrong.

Here I am, 2008. Stuck, without any scholarship offers. My innermost desire is overseas. I have everything ready, including a placement in two of the universities in UK. But I have failed to get any scholarships, except for one last hope - Sime Darby. Well, that hope looks as bleak as can be. No news so far, except one mail which told me I've got the interview and I've to confirm my acceptance of it.

Lord, where?

First choice - USM, Mass Comm. They gave me UM, Econs instead. I'm not utterly disappointed, downhearted. I'm just amazed at how inefficient the whole system can be. Take a look at these two links below which Chris sent to me.

http://www.malaysia-students.com/2006/05/updates-from-stpm-upu-front.html

http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=14956

Again, I gratefully accept things which come my way. Everything is God-given, none of it of my own. Why should I fret? Why should I complain and count my woes? Lord, just show me what are Your plans for me. I've asked and I'm asking again that if it's Your will, so be it, whatever it may be. Anywhere You say, Lord.

This is the mixed tape of my life.

The rest is still unwritten.

I once knew a girl in the years of my youth
With eyes like the summer, all beauty and truth
But in the morning I fled, left a note and it read
"Someday you will be loved"

I cannot pretend that I felt any regret
Because each broken heart will eventually mend
And as the blood runs red down the needle and thread
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved, you'll be loved
Like you never have known
And the memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved

You may feel alone when you're falling asleep
And every time tears roll down your cheeks
But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
And someday you will be loved

You'll be loved, you'll be loved
Like you never have known
And the memories of me
Will seem more like bad dreams
Just a series of blurs
Like I never occurred
Someday you will be loved
Someday you will be loved.

No Country For Old Men

Alright, folks. Not exactly the best person to write posts on movies but I'm compelled to do so. For the always-surfing-the-net-and-reading-movie-posts people, don't be disappointed or disgusted with this. Just. Bear with it.

*WARNING : Spoilers Ahoy*

The Story
1980, West Texas. In a voiceover, the local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) tells of the changing times as the region becomes increasingly violent. Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), while hunting pronghorn, stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone awry. Corpses, guns, vehicles are seen everywhere. One surviving Mexican is seen asking Moss for "Agua" (water). Moss ignores him and walks around, inspecting the site. After a fair bit of observation, he finds the ultimo hombre under the shade with the coveted 2 million in a satchel. Finders, keepers, and Moss goes home with the satchel to his waiting wife. Later in the night, he suffers a pang of conscience and returns with water for the dying Mexican. Incidentally, returning gangsters discover him and this sets off a cat-and-mouse game for the 2 million.

Chigurh, a professional hitman, has been hired to retrieve the satchel of money. Chigurh comes in at the beginning of the movie, apprehended by a deputy sheriff for possession of a captive bolt pistol. He escapes custody by strangling the deputy while handcuffed. Now two parties are hunting for Moss, Chigurh and the Mexican gangsters. Moss sends his wife back to her mom's in Odensa, while he rents a motel and hides the satchel of money in a vent. Unknowingly to Moss, there is a hidden radio transponder inside the money which enables Chigurh to track Moss down via the corresponding receiver. At the same time, the Mexicans track Moss down and wait inside his room to ambush him. Moss, however, realises the danger when he returns and rents an adjacent room and retrieved the money through the vent. Chigurh kills all 3 Mexicans in the room before realising that Moss has escaped with the satchel.

Chigurh continues his hunt using the receiver before locating Moss in another hotel. By now, Moss realises that a device is being used to track him. A firefight ensued and spills onto the streets. Moss escapes once again, heavily wounded, and Chigurh not any better, with a wounded leg from a shotgun blast. Moss awakes in a Mexican hospital, only to be greeted by another operative hired by the drug buyer, Carson Wells (Woody Harrelson). He offers to save Moss' life in return for the money. Moss rejects, Wells returns to his room, and is killed by Chigurh just as Moss calls the room. In the phone conversation, Chigurh offers a deal in which Moss' wife will be spared if Moss forfeits the money, but Moss would still be killed. Moss rejects.

Moss calls his wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) and tells her that he will give her the money and send her away, and says that once he finds Chigurh and kills him, he will join her. In a conversation between Carla Jean and Sheriff Bell, Carla asks Bell for help and protection for Moss. Bell gives his word that Carla's man will not be harmed. Unfortunately, Moss was found and killed by the Mexicans in a shootout as Sheriff Bell arrives a little too late. Carla Jean arrives later and discovers the death of her husband.

Some time later Bell visits his Uncle Ellis (Barry Corbin), an ex-lawman. Bell is planning to retire due to his weariness of the changing times, but Ellis points out that the region has always been violent. Ellis then tells him a story about Uncle Mac who was gunned down in his own porch. At the end of the conversation, Ellis says, "What you got ain't nothing new. This country is hard on people. You can't stop what's coming. Ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity."

In the meantime, Chigurh locates Carla Jean in the home of her deceased mother. They had a conversation and Carla was told that Chigurh gave Moss his word that she would die if Moss did not hand over the money. Chigurh then says that Moss used the opportunity to save her to try to save himself. Chigurh reconsiders and offers Carla Jean the same "coin flip" opportunity previously given to a shopkeeper. Carla Jean however refuses and says that she knew what was in stored for her. She says that the coin has no say, but it's just Chigurh. The scene ends with Chigurh leaving the house, carefully checking the soles of his boots, an indication, maybe, that Carla was killed. As Chigurh drives away, he was involved in a serious car accident. He paid some money to two kids on bicycles for one of their shirts before turning it into a sling for his broken arm with a jutting bone. He leaves the scene before the police arrive.

The film ends with Bell at home, now retired, reflecting on his life choices. Bell relates to his wife (Tess Harper) two dreams he had, both involving his deceased father who was also a lawman. Bell reveals that in the first dream, he lost some money his father gave him. In the second dream, they were both riding horses through a snowy mountain pass. He sees his father carrying fire in a horn, quietly passed by Bell with his head down. He was "goin' on ahead, and fixin' to make a fire" in the surrounding dark and cold. When Bell got there, his father will be waiting. Bell ends the story with, "Then I woke up."

Certain information, facts, and casting names are courtesy of Wikipedia.

Interesting stuff
There are few interesting things in the movie which captured my attention. They are :

1) Captive bolt pistol - Also known as cattlegun, used by Chigurh in blowing locks and killing his victims.

2) The conversations - The story was filled with interesting and intelligent conversations with an accent which was potrayed very well by the actors.

3) The story - It was a great movie, with a sort of open-ended conclusion. Not one where everything is predictable. One of the few movies where the antagonist (Chigurh) lives while the protagonist (Moss) dies. Injuries, deaths, and bombings were all realistically portrayed.

That's about it folks, a movie that got me thinking. =)