Saw Fong Sai Yuk yesterday (see IMDB for more details). Good fun - the violence was a little graphic in places, but there was some quite neat character development; and it had exactly the opposite political message to Hero.
Actually, in some ways this brings up an interesting point for NZ Maori - is it better to live in a society that is prosperous and healthy but was built on injustice (and try to change things on that society's terms), or to attempt to overthrow that society, even if it brings hardship to the innocent? My gut feeling is that the situation depicted in Ancient (or Modern) China differs significantly from Northern Ireland, which differs again from modern NZ - but how much of that comes from how much I understand or empathise with the different groups involved? (Or rather, my preconceptions of those groups?)
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They're offering the 100-year Winter Huffer hoodies again - last day to order them is Friday. I really don't need another hoodie, especially not a $120 one... even though that's cheap for a Huffer hoodie... and even though the embroidered weta and snowflake are pretty awesome... and even though they look pretty cool...
No! No, I shall be strong! I only need to hold out until tomorrow, and the temptation will disappear!
And anyway, it'll be Kong Gear time before too long, and I'm sure I'll be able to waste plenty of money then. :)
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Good on ya for bringing kid's slang to the people, Ministry of Youth Development! Their translation of "Fo’ shizzle ma nizzle" to simply "I agree" is particularly unhelpful in terms of giving insight, I suspect.
"Wiggidy-wack?"
"No - just regular type."
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Just before Kung Fu Cinema, they were showing a 48 Hr film (because the guy who organizes the movies was on the team). Didn't see much of it, but it was a musical; and chatting to one of the guys who was on the team, it sounded like they found it pretty hard, because no-one liked the genre.
It made me think - while I was quite confident that we'd be fine if we got Musical, I'm not sure everyone else shared my confidence; and we certainly had some problems writing rhyming lines for Mr de Rezney. I tried a quick google for a site with tips for writing comedy songs, but failed miserably... does anyone have a good site or two? Would anyone be interested in stuff I've thought about regarding the problem?
Actually, don't worry about answering the second question - I'm sure if it interests me enough, I'll write it regardless of the suffering it causes others. ;)
Posted by svend at May 19, 2005 11:55 AMInteresting idea, but the injustices in New Zealand society - indeed, in most society - go beyond those done to the Maori, or other ethnic minorities; our society is built on injustices that were done, and are still done, to the poor and working classes. So I think the obvious answer is, overthrow, overthrow, overthrow. Not that I'm acting on that conviction any time soon.
Posted by: Hugh at May 19, 2005 6:00 PMActually, it makes me wonder whether revolution is ever worth the attendant suffering. My feeling is that yes, it can be - but a hell of a lot less often than most of those willing to advocate it would have you believe. And without a plan beyond "punish those causing/perpetuating the injustice, and become the boss"... well, vengeance is not the same as justice.
The Belgian Congo seems like a place where revolution would have been the right answer - NZ, markedly less so.
Posted by: Svend at May 19, 2005 6:43 PMRevolution, done right, can be utterly bloodless. The collapse of the communist governments in Eastern Europe is probably the best example of change 'done right'.
One of my most depressing moments a couple of years ago when Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic and a man who's about as close to being my hero as anybody gets, endorsed the invasion of Iraq. This is somebody who once held the flag for peaceful change against a hostile, intransigent, violent regime. I felt like writing him an email asking what changed his mind. But I couldn't find his address. ;-)
Posted by: Hugh at May 19, 2005 11:05 PM