The Dark Knight July 27, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , add a commentThere’s something deeply appealing about the dark edginess of Batman, and particularly Gotham, the city of which the Joker once said “Decent people shouldn’t live here. They’d be happier somewhere else”. It’s rarely daylight in Gotham, and Batman is the dark hero it deserves. Cameron Bale’s arrest last week seems almost in character.
The late, and much lamented, Heath Ledger stands out with a superb turn as an insane, devious Joker who’s only objective is mayhem. Its hard to believe this got a 12A rating, given the violent menace Ledger creates as he explains how he got his smile-shaped scars while holding a knife to a victim’s face. The Dark Knight seems far more in need of censorship than the sensitively portrayed tragedy of Brokeback Mountain, rated 15, given current fears about knife crime.
Ledger is certainly the highlight of the film, which is otherwise exciting, aesthetically pleasing in a black, mechanistic sort of way and in serious need of being a good 30 minutes shorter.
Cameron Bale’s Batman is overshadowed by the Joker and, to a lesser extent, Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, the idealistic district attorney who competes with Batman for the heart of Maggie Glynhaal’s Rachel Dawes and ends up driven over the edge by her death.
And where on earth is Michael Caine’s accent supposed to be from? It sounds like Bruce Wayne’s faithful English butler, Alfred, is an American trying to sound Cockney. Very odd indeed.
Go for Heath Ledger and the cityscape and forgive Michael Caine.
Sainsbury’s Wine by the Glass July 26, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , 1 comment so farIt’s amazing what you discover when trying to find the right brand of catfood. Out of my small friend’s favourite Gourmet at 9pm, I ventured to the big Sainsbury’s on Camden Rd. It’s not my usual haunt, and in fact I haven’t been in such a big supermarket for years.
I’m deeply disappointed that my phonecamera was out of battery, because this really needs a picture. Two plastic glasses, filled with a red liquid purported to be wine, sealed with tin-foil and wrapped in cardboard. Ideal for a picnic or if you’re meeting a friend. I certainly hope I don’t have any friends like that.
I like screw tops, can see the point in wine on tap in pubs, but this is a clear sign that the collapse of civilisation is upon us. Revolting.
Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely July 21, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , add a commentIt says a lot about economics, that there have to be studies to show that people do not always, perhaps even often, behave in an economically rational manner. It also says a lot about the lack of realism in modern politics that the ideas put forward in this book are considered revolutionary.
Through a series of studies, mostly on MIT or Harvard undergraduates, no doubt an excellent representative sample for the general public, the author looks at how people make decisions and conduct themselves in economic situation. It is useful that he establishes clear evidence for some pretty obvious things - that its one thing to say you’ll use condoms in a survey, quite another in the heat of the moment, that if the doctor gives an expensive medicine, we’re more inclined to get better than if he just gives some advice (yes, the placebo effect works - otherwise, how would homeopathy ever have any credibility), that if you expect to do well in a test, you may do better than if you expect to fail.
Although the conclusions reached may not be very surprising, it may be revolutionary to bring them to the attention of policymakers and politicians, with evidence to back them up and separate the common sense from the common nonsense.
It does point to simple but potentially effective policy interventions. For instance, if employees had to opt out of company pension schemes rather than opt in, its likely that more would stay in them. As someone who managed to miss out on three years of a fixed salary pension scheme once, through a combination of laziness, mistrust of pension plans and always thinking I’d leave the job soon, I’d have gained from that one.
Given that advertisers and marketers have known a lot of this for a long time, it is also useful for spotting sales techniques and not automatically falling into their traps. For instance, when faced with two different options, and a third option similar to, but less good than, one of them, people are inclined to go for the more attractive of the two which are similar, neglecting the one which does not have an obvious comparator. Knowing that, one can consciously ignore the less attractive, and concentrate on the two different options.
A lot of what we do is not particularly rational. Understanding that gives us a chance to think our way through the mass of ingrained habits and skillful marketing which contribute so much to our choices and actually make some good decisions.
Barrel wine and the war on moisturiser June 21, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , add a commentI remember now why I gave up flying. When the automaton at the airport took my conditioner because it was 150ml, not 100ml, I’m sure the free world was saved from an atrocity. It’s the first time I’ve had to do the shoe thing, which just shows how long its been. Of course, its deeply uncool now to winge about these nasty little nuisances. The terrorists won long ago, aided and abetted by NuLabor.
Greece, the sea and some sunshine are worth putting up with bureaucratic silliness, and I spent the afternoon wandering around the waterfront of Thessaloniki. Looking for dinner at about 8.30, I turned a corner and found the local Goths, though they seem to be the only life around the place. The bars and restaurants of Ladhadikha, the district behind the port, have emptied for the summer and sensible Thessalonikans have headed for the beach.
Still, I managed to find a pleasant wee taverna called Negroponte, with a drinkable barrel wine and basic menu, recommended by the Rough Guide but with local and tourist clientele. No menu, so I thought I was in for one of those kitchen adventures you occasionally get in places which don’t have a lot of tourists, where they take you out the back and show you boiling pots of stuff which smell fantastic, taste wonderful and could be stewed cat for all I know. But the waiter explained the dishes perfectly, and I found myself with a very good salad and rather boring meatballs. Eating in this part of the world is less about cuisine, and much more about being outside, taking it slowly and watching the world go by, and the bill only came to €14.
Tomorrow, museums and ruins, and trying to work out which beach to go to for the second half of the week.
Buddhism Without Beliefs, By Stephen Batchelor May 28, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , add a commentBuddhism, at least as I have seen it from Tibetan teachers, is non-theistic, with a strong emphasis on questioning, study and personal examination of the ideas presented. Every time I’ve heard the Dalai Lama teach he has talked about the need to examine the teachings critically and decide for yourself whether they are true or not. Some ancient texts have clearly been superceded by modern science, and it would be fairly unreasonable to continue to believe that the world sits atop Mt Meru, in the face of pictures of the Earth from space, or to continue to believe in ancient Indian theories of the origin of the universe, to cite two examples he gave.
What then to make of karma and reincarnation, two basic tenets which seem to underpin a large part of Buddhist philosophy, but which are very problematic, at least for this unknowledgeable student?
Karma always strikes me as wishful thinking. If life’s not going well, its all because of stuff that I did long ago in a time that I can’t remember, let alone take responsibility for. If someone does something bad, at least they’ll get their comeuppance down the line, even if they get away with it now. This idea that the universe is essentially fair sounds nice, but how on earth would it work? I listen to the teachings on the idea that things do not exist in and of them selves, but are dependent on causes. The person writing this article only exists because of her body and mind, temporary things, and she becomes even more sceptical about karma and reincarnation. The Indian philosophers seem to tie themselves in knots trying to reconcile reincarnation with the logical conclusions of their own observations.
It’s timely to re-read Buddhism without Beliefs by the English scholar and former monk Stephen Batchelor. His suggests that an agnostic position on karma and rebirth is probably the honest one, though he takes a very ‘middle way’ approach in saying that ‘we neither have to adopt the literal versions of rebirth presented by religious tradition nor fall into the extreme of regarding death as annihilation’. I’m agnostic about rebirth in the same way as I’m agnostic about Richard Dawkin’s teapots, convinced but not willing to be quite as strident as he out of respect for those who do believe.
Batchelor then goes on to show how, without these articles of faith, Buddhism still stands up as a good basis for living. He talks about it as something to do, not something to believe in. Understanding things as they are, being honest about that even if its not comfortable and trying to be more compassionate of others. Sounds sensible to me
Protesting Against the Dalai Lama?? May 27, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany, Politics , comments closedI’d been expecting Chinese protests at the Dalai Lama’s teachings in Nottingham, but not a row of about 20 monks and nuns carrying placards saying ‘Stop Lying’ and ‘Dalai Lama Give Religious Freedom’. Shouting loudly, they weren’t getting much attention from people going into the teachings. I went up and asked one what he was protesting about. He kept shouting and pointed at a nun standing at the end of the line. She claimed that the Dalai Lama was making it impossible for Tibetans to carry out a particular religious practice, for political reasons.
This is about the worship of a Tibetan deity, Dorje Shugden. And here we delve into the opaque world of Tibetan religion and politics. Dorje Shugden may, or may not, be a manifestation of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva (saint) of Wisdom. He may, or may not, be a 17th century lama who remains as a protector spirit of some sort. It’s a long way from the rarefied world of Nagarjuna’s ideas on the nature of reality and the philosophical text His Holiness has been teaching this week.
In Bodhgaya in 1998, I heard His Holiness teach 100,000 people, most of them Tibetans. At that time, he explained that he believed that the Dorje Shugden practice was a large part of the karmic cause of the problems now facing Tibet, and would also shorten his own life. He asked people not to do it. He also said that if people wanted to do it, they could, but please would they not attend his teachings or religious ceremonies.
That is a lot more powerful than it sounds. Many Tibetans, and westerners who are Buddhists in the Tibetan tradition will do whatever the Dalai Lama asks them to do. His political power may be limited, but his influence is huge. There are reports that Tibetans who continue to carry out Dorje Shugden practice are ostracised, unable to get jobs and suffer persecution, though Amnesty International do not think this is bad enough for them to get involved.
So where does that leave this woolly liberal then? A man who is revered world-wide, champion of a cause for which I have the utmost sympathy, who I admire greatly, is accused of something like this.
It strikes me that if you really believe in karma and the efficacy of religious practice to influence the world outside your own mind, then you have to bear the consequences. One of those consequences surely has to be a limitation on freedom to practice anything, no matter how harmful it might be to others. Clearly enough Tibetans agree that the Dalai Lama is right that this practice is harmful, and those doing it at least believe that it is worth doing. If you operate in that sort of worldview, continuing to do the harmful practice is a bit like playing your stereo very loud all weekend - you might enjoy it, but the neighbours don’t, and eventually, if they are more powerful or have greater authority than you, you will have to stop.
Religious freedom has its limits, and those limits have to be felt when the religious practice has harmful consequences beyond the practitioners. I wouldn’t agree, say, with the re-imposition of parish tithes in the name of religious freedom. It’s just that in this case it operates inside a worldview where karma is a law of nature and religious practices have real effects. It seems that both sides of this argument share that worldview, but the dispute is over the nature of the effect of the practice. The stakes are high, and is it really unreasonable for the Tibetan authorities to try to do something about it?
Writing from the front line April 8, 2008
Posted by cathrynsymons in : Miscellany , 1 comment so farLondon’s Prospect-reading classes gathered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall last night to listen to two of our most prominent foreign correspondents give their views on Iraq and reporting from the front line.
Robert Fisk of the Independent, recently most famous for his passionate reporting of the plight of Beirut during last summer’s war in Lebanon, and Christina Lamb of the Sunday Times, who reported the lives of women under the Taliban and the Russian invasion, were chaired by Ronan Bennett.
The evening began with Bennett’s short film ‘Why this Rush’, one of the BBC’s recent ‘10 days to War’ series, all of which are available on their website, and yet another reason for paying the license fee.
Fisk started the conversation with a denouncement of journalist’s role in the Iraq war, particularly their failure to show the brutal realities of mangled corpses and the consequences of our actions there. He is harsh on his own profession, who are controlled by editors and station managers who make the decisions on suitable tea-time viewing.
Lamb talked about the difference between reporting when she first went to Afghanistan in the 1980s, traveling alongside the mujahideen with neither laptop nor satellite phone. She would go into the field for 3-4 weeks, out of touch of the rest of the world. On her return, the reports she filed could include a synthesis of all she’d seen in that time. Now, the report is of what happens in a particular time and place, on the day the report is filed. There is less time for analysis, and events in a place on a day are seen by audiences to represent a whole country.
Fisk is angry and passionate about Western involvement in the Middle East. He believes that “there is a visceral need for superpowers to go to war” and clearly includes the UK in this. We, or at least our governments, do not care about ordinary Iraqi’s. At the fall of Baghdad, the military were not interested in evidence he collected of Iraqi torturers. But he does not believe we will stay for long - “We will leave, and will say they were unworthy” of our sacrifice.
Lamb seemed more measured, more objective, and a lot less angry than Fisk. She has agreed to be an embedded reporter, despite the difficulties that presents in reporting objectively about people she depends on for her safety. Reporting in a war zone is far more dangerous now, with no-go areas and journalists seen as legitimate targets.
Measured objectivity is a trait rightly praised in journalists, but that angry passion arouses the reader. The Middle East and the state of Iraq are issues which need our passions aroused. It was good to see them both.
Put that cauliflower down, Ken April 3, 2008
Posted by cathrynsymons in : Miscellany , add a commentIn response to revelations today that he has 5 children by three different women, London Mayor Ken Livingstone said “Clearly, I don’t think anybody in this city is shocked about what consenting adults do. As long as you don’t involve children, animals or vegetables they leave people to get on and live their own life in their own way.”
It’s the big city Ken, so noone’s too worried about vegetables. If you promise not to supply any further information on the subject, you’ve got my second preference vote.
Virtual Beachcombing March 11, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , 2 commentsThe last couple of hours have disappeared down the broadband pipe, and I collected some interesting flotsam on the way.
First, a serious, if light-hearted, take on the use of web 2.0 technologies by political activists, and why it may not be such a bad thing that so many people use so much technology just to swap pictures of cute cats.
I’m starting to get worried about Phorm, a new ad-serving mechanism where your ISP logs all your traffic and uses it to let participating sites decide which ads you get to see. I don’t mind targetted advertising, but I don’t expect the pipe seller to be looking at what goes through the pipes. Sticky paws off my data, Virgin Media! I first saw this story in The Register (see related links at the end) last week, and it hit the Guardian a couple of days ago.
If you’re in the UK, and haven’t been watching The Last Enemy, download it on iplayer, and watch the latest episode now. And then worry about where the surveillance society is taking us, and whether Robert Carlyle will be the new Doctor Who. Anamaria Marinca, last seen in Sex Traffic on Channel 4, is extremely good.
Keeping an eye on sites which regularly debunk pseudo-scientific silliness is a favourite hobby. Real Climate expects you to read some maths, but rewards the effort. Ben Goldacre, writer of the Bad Science column in the Guardian is a lot more accessible, and pointed me to Phun. Just download it and watch the hours slip away.
And Phun led me over to YouTube, where I’ve been meaning to watch Sigur Ros’ film Heima. I seem to be accumulating a vast collection of 80s music videos and clips of favourite actors over there, which you can see on my YouTube profile.
Flight Deck November 25, 2007
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Miscellany , add a commentMyTravel pilot Pablo Mason has been fired for allowing a footballer with a fear of flying onto the flight deck. In these days when fear is the dominant theme of all activity to do with commercial flight, that is perhaps reasonable, but we have surely lost something.
In the eighties I had an appalling fear of flying. My job involved travelling around New Zealand by air for a large computer consultancy, so this was a huge problem. I lived in Wellington, where the airport has a short runway which is notorious for high winds and difficult landings, and occasionally passed out on landing when the brain decided that it really didn’t want anything to do with this unnatural and terrifying way of getting around.
These days, I’m a relaxed flyer, although I avoid it now for environmental reasons. I love the sensation of being up in the air, above the clouds with the world speeding by below. For that, I thank the pilots of Ansett New Zealand, who frequently let me up onto the flight deck, to sit in the jump seat behind them for the landing. I realised that the plane which feels like its bouncing around all over the sky is in fact heading straight for the runway and, with the wider view from the cockpit, is not moving around as much as it feels from the back. I learned to appreciate the calm, competent way that pilots work and to understand that there’s little dangerous about landing in a storm or strong wind. I’ve landed in thunderstorms, been on the last flight in before the airport was closed for bad weather, been through a ‘touch and take’ aborted landing and now there is little that worries me on a normal commercial flight.
My fear of flying was always about a lack of understanding and loss of control. Being able to see what was going on, combined with a few flying lessons (not, I hasten to add, in a commercial jet) and some mental techniques for dealing with fear, gave me the understanding I needed to turn fear into excitement and removed a crippling phobia. If I was to go through that now, it would be much more difficult to overcome.
