I watched Obama's historical inauguration ceremony and speech this afternoon. I must admit it that despite that I have been against past US administrations or not be the greatest fan of rhetoric used in US speeches, this one was felt. It had an understanding and respect of history, an unwavering stance on the crisis of the US and a vision of a viable, peaceful future; environmentally, militarily, socially. He spoke truthfully and fairly bluntly about the Bush administration. As far as we know, it was written primarily by himself and the young 27 year old, Jon Favreau (not the actor). Obama seems to have a sense of humility yet the integrity of a leader. A leader the world needs.
Excerpt from the speech:
"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and travelled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and ploughed the hard earth."
"As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."
The full speech in both text and video here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/obama_inauguration/7840646.stm
I'm clearly not American, but this afternoon I felt proud to be human.
- J
* title taken from the final words of Dr Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
With Hart
The much loved Tony Hart passed away today. He hosted this children's TV show called Take Hart and later, Hart Beat. I grew up watching it avidly. Both him and my brother fuelled my love of drawing which continued to college where I became fairly masterful at it. The show also gave us the plasticine character 'Morph' and 'Chad' (whose inventors eventually became Aardman Animations of Wallace and Gromit fame). Morph and Chad had their own language of sounds. They could also 'Morph' into different shapes. So basic yet so entertaining.
Tony Hart no doubt inspired a generation of children to study art and design- some of whose work we may see around us today in architecture, product design, exhibitions, films, production design, costumes, fashion and any other visual medium.
I think even today when working out compositions for shoots, this mostly came from a drawing background understanding how to envision 3D shapes, negative space and perspective into a 2D space.
One should never underestimated the influence of inspiration. Thanks Tony...
- J
Tony Hart no doubt inspired a generation of children to study art and design- some of whose work we may see around us today in architecture, product design, exhibitions, films, production design, costumes, fashion and any other visual medium.
I think even today when working out compositions for shoots, this mostly came from a drawing background understanding how to envision 3D shapes, negative space and perspective into a 2D space.
One should never underestimated the influence of inspiration. Thanks Tony...
- J
Friday, January 16, 2009
Only Life
As far as I remember, I don't normally blog that much at the beginning of the year. This may have to do with the lack of things happening. Work is normally very slow this time of year. I thought I was lucky though. I had 3 music videos lined up, a viral and a instructional video. So far, I have only done the viral. 2 of the music video's budget got cut and cannot hire me anymore and the other is postponed. The instructional video also seems postponed. It was not just one instructional video, it was about 6 over the next few months. We'll see. So back in the customary January unemployment land again. It does give me ample time to study my languages, research about China and catch up on films.
I met a few visiting from overseas friends that I have known for a number of years recently. In our ages of early to mid thirty somethings, I find it interesting at how many of them have made much progress in our respective professions. Not only that- some of them are still searching for what they want to do. I have not made massive progress either though am fortunate that I know what I want to do and am making slow progress. I feel unfortunate that many of my friends don't know what they want to do- let alone having progressed in a field of vocation.
Speilberg shot Jaws when he was 23. Che Guevara overthrew Batista at 29.
Did the turn of the millenia see us thirty somethings stumbling out of the 20th century like a bar we got kicked out of and still trying to recover from a hangover? The ever increasing lower middle classes all competing for work in an increasingly globalised world.
The film Fight Club (1988) had already ushered in this generation that end up working in jobs they hate though unable to find the will to seek new direction. Despite new technologies that made communication and information flow available at a click of a keyboard, it seems to have brought not only new opportunities, but equal competition and distractions.
I can't help but assume that reality tv, myspace and facebook have all contributed to a virtual world where we compete for virtual friends because, it certainly beats looking for another dead end job. Anyway, I already have my dream job in Second Life...
It's not that I think a career should be priority, I don't. I think being fairly happy with what you do for 9 hrs a day is. I guess it just makes me wonder about all us thirty somethings and how we have gone from one job to another in our twenties and by the time our thirties have rolled up, we still haven't made any significant strides. I have a few friends who are in their early twenties. I wonder where they will be 10 years from now? They seem driven and ready to take the worlds but then, I am sure many of us were back then. The good thing about being 30 something is that you know yourself better and are more equipped at dealing what is thrown at you. You might still be indecisive but you know more about how the world works- the stuff they never teach you in academic study. Young enough to start over, and old enough to know more about the way things work. Time becomes increasingly more precious.
I do believe in perseverance in achieving goals. Not that i believe one ultimately achieves what one wants through persevering but without it, one has no chance. Luck and timing makes up the other parts. Maybe destiny too.
There is a man named Zhou You Guang. He invented the system in which Chinese became romanized (Pin Yin) in the mid 20th Century thereby helping turning China from a largely illiterate country into a majority literate one. Here is a short video on him. He is 102 years old.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/feb/20/zhaou.youguang.pinyin
I watched CCTV recently and a man who participated in the ParaOlympics was interviewed. He was a swimmer with no arms. Truly amazing, truly inspiring.
- J
I met a few visiting from overseas friends that I have known for a number of years recently. In our ages of early to mid thirty somethings, I find it interesting at how many of them have made much progress in our respective professions. Not only that- some of them are still searching for what they want to do. I have not made massive progress either though am fortunate that I know what I want to do and am making slow progress. I feel unfortunate that many of my friends don't know what they want to do- let alone having progressed in a field of vocation.
Speilberg shot Jaws when he was 23. Che Guevara overthrew Batista at 29.
Did the turn of the millenia see us thirty somethings stumbling out of the 20th century like a bar we got kicked out of and still trying to recover from a hangover? The ever increasing lower middle classes all competing for work in an increasingly globalised world.
The film Fight Club (1988) had already ushered in this generation that end up working in jobs they hate though unable to find the will to seek new direction. Despite new technologies that made communication and information flow available at a click of a keyboard, it seems to have brought not only new opportunities, but equal competition and distractions.
I can't help but assume that reality tv, myspace and facebook have all contributed to a virtual world where we compete for virtual friends because, it certainly beats looking for another dead end job. Anyway, I already have my dream job in Second Life...
It's not that I think a career should be priority, I don't. I think being fairly happy with what you do for 9 hrs a day is. I guess it just makes me wonder about all us thirty somethings and how we have gone from one job to another in our twenties and by the time our thirties have rolled up, we still haven't made any significant strides. I have a few friends who are in their early twenties. I wonder where they will be 10 years from now? They seem driven and ready to take the worlds but then, I am sure many of us were back then. The good thing about being 30 something is that you know yourself better and are more equipped at dealing what is thrown at you. You might still be indecisive but you know more about how the world works- the stuff they never teach you in academic study. Young enough to start over, and old enough to know more about the way things work. Time becomes increasingly more precious.
I do believe in perseverance in achieving goals. Not that i believe one ultimately achieves what one wants through persevering but without it, one has no chance. Luck and timing makes up the other parts. Maybe destiny too.
There is a man named Zhou You Guang. He invented the system in which Chinese became romanized (Pin Yin) in the mid 20th Century thereby helping turning China from a largely illiterate country into a majority literate one. Here is a short video on him. He is 102 years old.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/feb/20/zhaou.youguang.pinyin
I watched CCTV recently and a man who participated in the ParaOlympics was interviewed. He was a swimmer with no arms. Truly amazing, truly inspiring.
- J
Monday, January 12, 2009
You're Aging Well
I have this theory based upon the big bang theory or the universe that things are always going in one direction no matter what decisions we make, were the ones we inalienably were supposed to make. Though it does throw me sometimes.
I decided over the weekend that I would not go on that trip around rural China that has been more or less, offered to me. It is not my time. I am on the the verge or continuing journey of making a decent career of doing cinematography. This is important to me. Traveling in rural China is important to me too but I feel it is not the right time. I am tired of having money for half the year and not much at all for the other half. I am tired of low budget shoots struggling to get things decent. I am tired of not having my own place.
Although I have changed in my main paradigms of career/money/family/own place from idealism to realism- these ting remain as goals to attain. I have traveled much and wish to do more. I wish to live and work in China. But for all that to happen, I must or rather, want to attain a good position in my career that allows me to comfortably attain those other things. Which right now, I am not. But I may be at a good position to do so. To go to China for a year and come back with the same financial position at 35- I don't want to be. One year to be away is just too long in those circumstances. Many would jump at the chance. I did. Though after more information and thought, I realized that I need roots in both my career and financial stability. Years are going by so quickly I do not want to be 40 and have not both of those things. They may take 5 years but I cannot spend one year exploring unknown territory.
Something does tell me that I have to go and the other half tells me that I need to do something else. The trip would mostly be to satisfy my own means though I admit, I am not there for anyone else. Everyone who will benefit then or in the future is by default. I am not ready to do that. I am responsible for other people and I do not want to live with the independence of a alone- ness existence.
It is so unknown, I am not willing to take that risk. If anything were to happen while I was away, I cannot take the next flight out. Rural China does not have airports.
It's not just the career/financial reasons. If I am traveling for a year, that also puts any possible relationship out of opportunity.
Hearing various people/friends who are in their early thirties, I also came to that even though I am on my way to getting the career I wanted for a while, I am not quite there yet and putting it back a year isn't probably going to help. I must make use of each year that comes as it has taken me this long to get to where i am now.
In the film, The Score, Robert De Nero says, 'decide what you want in your life and try to get it bit by bit'.
I have run for miles. And am learning to walk again. Although the road signs have been good, one has to take the roads that lead us to the destination we are going.
For Dar Williams.
- J
I decided over the weekend that I would not go on that trip around rural China that has been more or less, offered to me. It is not my time. I am on the the verge or continuing journey of making a decent career of doing cinematography. This is important to me. Traveling in rural China is important to me too but I feel it is not the right time. I am tired of having money for half the year and not much at all for the other half. I am tired of low budget shoots struggling to get things decent. I am tired of not having my own place.
Although I have changed in my main paradigms of career/money/family/own place from idealism to realism- these ting remain as goals to attain. I have traveled much and wish to do more. I wish to live and work in China. But for all that to happen, I must or rather, want to attain a good position in my career that allows me to comfortably attain those other things. Which right now, I am not. But I may be at a good position to do so. To go to China for a year and come back with the same financial position at 35- I don't want to be. One year to be away is just too long in those circumstances. Many would jump at the chance. I did. Though after more information and thought, I realized that I need roots in both my career and financial stability. Years are going by so quickly I do not want to be 40 and have not both of those things. They may take 5 years but I cannot spend one year exploring unknown territory.
Something does tell me that I have to go and the other half tells me that I need to do something else. The trip would mostly be to satisfy my own means though I admit, I am not there for anyone else. Everyone who will benefit then or in the future is by default. I am not ready to do that. I am responsible for other people and I do not want to live with the independence of a alone- ness existence.
It is so unknown, I am not willing to take that risk. If anything were to happen while I was away, I cannot take the next flight out. Rural China does not have airports.
It's not just the career/financial reasons. If I am traveling for a year, that also puts any possible relationship out of opportunity.
Hearing various people/friends who are in their early thirties, I also came to that even though I am on my way to getting the career I wanted for a while, I am not quite there yet and putting it back a year isn't probably going to help. I must make use of each year that comes as it has taken me this long to get to where i am now.
In the film, The Score, Robert De Nero says, 'decide what you want in your life and try to get it bit by bit'.
I have run for miles. And am learning to walk again. Although the road signs have been good, one has to take the roads that lead us to the destination we are going.
For Dar Williams.
- J
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
The Final Solution
The coverage of the invasion into Gaza continues. IDF ground forces has moved in. The number of civilians murdered has risen from 400 to 600 in a few days. International ‘leaders’ have voiced ‘concern’, ‘restraint’ and called for a ceasefire- but the UN has done nothing- due to the US stance. I watched a French news report called, ‘Can Israel defeat Hamas?’.
Anne Applebaum wrote in the Washighton Post:
“There is no point in bemoaning the passivity of the Bush administration, the silence of Barack Obama, the powerlessness of Arab leaders or the weakness of Europe, as so many, predictably, have begun to do. It's no outsider's "fault" that the fighting continues, and pretending otherwise merely obscures the real issues. Diplomats might be able to slow its progress, but this war won't be over until someone has won.”
This war has been going on for 60 years. I don’t think the next 40 will be this way. The US has been the most powerful nation in the past 60 years (with of course Russia having a significant portion of that power till the end of the cold war). But it won’t be for the next 40. Balance in global power is changing.
This is a war that no one will ‘win’. You cannot defeat that Hamas ideology. Just as you cannot defeat Zionism. My thoughts on an eventual solution are: The UN should create a buffer/observer zone between Israel and Gaza and too from the West Bank side. Israel will have to dismantle it’s settlements in the West Bank or issue a right of return for Palestinians into Israel, and Hamas would have to recognize Israel. Jerusalem will HAVE to be shared. I do not know how to solve the issue regarding the refugees right of return if the Settlements are dismantled... In this simplistic and basic solution reside a multitude of complications. This would be a long process, but it could work. Anything worth doing, takes time and, is difficult to achieve.
These days, I am reminded of my time in Jerusalem and the West Bank in 2006. At the Makassad Charitable hospital I met a willful 10 year old who was shot through both legs by an IDF soildier. I asked myself, ‘What kind of person shoots bullets into a child?’. And then I watch the news now and see the blood of children’s faces pulled from rubble and the burial of 3 young brothers. And I hear Obama say that he is, ‘concerned’ and Tony Blair just came back from holiday. I guess I would be a little ‘concerned’ too if the shells and bullets that kill small children are the same ones we gave them. But not too concerned, after all… they aren’t my kids, and they aren’t Israeli either.
Humanity is quick to judge but slow to change. But the solution is out there.
- J
Anne Applebaum wrote in the Washighton Post:
“There is no point in bemoaning the passivity of the Bush administration, the silence of Barack Obama, the powerlessness of Arab leaders or the weakness of Europe, as so many, predictably, have begun to do. It's no outsider's "fault" that the fighting continues, and pretending otherwise merely obscures the real issues. Diplomats might be able to slow its progress, but this war won't be over until someone has won.”
This war has been going on for 60 years. I don’t think the next 40 will be this way. The US has been the most powerful nation in the past 60 years (with of course Russia having a significant portion of that power till the end of the cold war). But it won’t be for the next 40. Balance in global power is changing.
This is a war that no one will ‘win’. You cannot defeat that Hamas ideology. Just as you cannot defeat Zionism. My thoughts on an eventual solution are: The UN should create a buffer/observer zone between Israel and Gaza and too from the West Bank side. Israel will have to dismantle it’s settlements in the West Bank or issue a right of return for Palestinians into Israel, and Hamas would have to recognize Israel. Jerusalem will HAVE to be shared. I do not know how to solve the issue regarding the refugees right of return if the Settlements are dismantled... In this simplistic and basic solution reside a multitude of complications. This would be a long process, but it could work. Anything worth doing, takes time and, is difficult to achieve.
These days, I am reminded of my time in Jerusalem and the West Bank in 2006. At the Makassad Charitable hospital I met a willful 10 year old who was shot through both legs by an IDF soildier. I asked myself, ‘What kind of person shoots bullets into a child?’. And then I watch the news now and see the blood of children’s faces pulled from rubble and the burial of 3 young brothers. And I hear Obama say that he is, ‘concerned’ and Tony Blair just came back from holiday. I guess I would be a little ‘concerned’ too if the shells and bullets that kill small children are the same ones we gave them. But not too concerned, after all… they aren’t my kids, and they aren’t Israeli either.
Humanity is quick to judge but slow to change. But the solution is out there.
- J
Saturday, January 03, 2009
"Gotto be the shoes..."
Some news articles for the new year...
Muslim family thrown off US jet because of 'remarks':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/airtran-flight-muslim-passengers
I guess we should be glad the plane wasn't airborne while this occurred... I can just hear the cabin crew telling the boy as she straps a parachute on him, "Just pull this cord after 15 seconds, it's just like a detonator..."
though the Washington Post does this story far more justice
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010201695.html
in this article, the Airline had already apologized on the 2nd Jan and offered to pay for the return flights... Shame on you The Guardian. Is this lazy reporting or simply withholding key information in order to weigh the story with bias?
Good to see all the protest around the world re Israeli's bombing of Gaza:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/gaza-israel-protest-shoes-london
Perhaps though, that all peoples protesting would be launching more than their shoes if they had access to military projectiles... I by no means advocating military projectiles at anyone or Israel. Far from it. I also don't believe what in Hebrew is,
עין תחת עיןIn : , ayin tahat ayin;
and in Arabic:
العين بالعين, al'ain bil'ain
So I agree with Mahatma Gandhi that
"An eye for an eye makes the world go blind.."
But of course, it's hard to do when you're people are being consistently suppressed and murdered by an occupying force that has strong support of the US.
- J
* "Gotto be the shoes" is taken from Spike Lee's 1989 commercial for Air Jordon/Nike Inc
Muslim family thrown off US jet because of 'remarks':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/airtran-flight-muslim-passengers
I guess we should be glad the plane wasn't airborne while this occurred... I can just hear the cabin crew telling the boy as she straps a parachute on him, "Just pull this cord after 15 seconds, it's just like a detonator..."
though the Washington Post does this story far more justice
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010201695.html
in this article, the Airline had already apologized on the 2nd Jan and offered to pay for the return flights... Shame on you The Guardian. Is this lazy reporting or simply withholding key information in order to weigh the story with bias?
Good to see all the protest around the world re Israeli's bombing of Gaza:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/gaza-israel-protest-shoes-london
Perhaps though, that all peoples protesting would be launching more than their shoes if they had access to military projectiles... I by no means advocating military projectiles at anyone or Israel. Far from it. I also don't believe what in Hebrew is,
עין תחת עיןIn : , ayin tahat ayin;
and in Arabic:
العين بالعين, al'ain bil'ain
So I agree with Mahatma Gandhi that
"An eye for an eye makes the world go blind.."
But of course, it's hard to do when you're people are being consistently suppressed and murdered by an occupying force that has strong support of the US.
- J
* "Gotto be the shoes" is taken from Spike Lee's 1989 commercial for Air Jordon/Nike Inc
Friday, January 02, 2009
Manifest Destiny
During this turning in to a new year for me hasn't begun with so much as a mouse fart in terms of physical activity, but instead, big strokes of intentions and plans are being put into motion. More about things I spoke of a week or so ago...
Finalizing a montage reel for David Mullet to give to RSA with hopefully a good chance to get me on their roster of DP's shooting music videos. I helped him shoot a reel for years to eventually get rep'd and now he is helping me do simarlarly. This is something I have been waiting years to happen.
Travelling around China has been an even longer dream although it's one of those dreams you never think you will realize and as each year passes, it gets more realistic although more difficult due to commitments and responsibilities to various things. When you're 20 it seems like something you are automatically going to do by the time you are 30. In fact, One thinks one may have done everything and married and settled down by the time one was 30. In reality, One is only getting started in their late 20's and making those things happen during their 30's.
First time I was properly in China was in 2006 in Beijing. And I loved it. A few months ago I went back to see if I could live there and that was settled. My friend introduced me to a photographic book shot, worte and self published by a man named Agang. The book is called Discover China and is a photographic diary of his travels in rural China. It is a beautiful book full of humanity. Unfortuately it is only available (for now) in China. I am currently trying to get Taschen to publish it.
He is planning another trip and was looking to have someone document it. It would be for a year starting this year. I was indirectly offered and immediately began considering this trip of a lifetime. Although it frightened me, it's something I am meant to do- I just didn't know that I would get the oppotunity to do it so soon in life. It may be, the perfect oppotunity. I have no real commitments personal, financial or vocational at present.
Today I got word that Agang is happy for me to travel with him. I only met the man once and we were both very courteous to one another. My friend Dong Hong has become friends with him in Beijing. As with all things, there is a beginning.
I would have to move to Beijing for a month to live together with him and the third person. Though I suspect I will be there for a month before even that. Though I am unsure of when this will be.
Although I am filled with new thoughts of solid plans, those plans contain unknown experiences I cannot foresee.
- J
Finalizing a montage reel for David Mullet to give to RSA with hopefully a good chance to get me on their roster of DP's shooting music videos. I helped him shoot a reel for years to eventually get rep'd and now he is helping me do simarlarly. This is something I have been waiting years to happen.
Travelling around China has been an even longer dream although it's one of those dreams you never think you will realize and as each year passes, it gets more realistic although more difficult due to commitments and responsibilities to various things. When you're 20 it seems like something you are automatically going to do by the time you are 30. In fact, One thinks one may have done everything and married and settled down by the time one was 30. In reality, One is only getting started in their late 20's and making those things happen during their 30's.
First time I was properly in China was in 2006 in Beijing. And I loved it. A few months ago I went back to see if I could live there and that was settled. My friend introduced me to a photographic book shot, worte and self published by a man named Agang. The book is called Discover China and is a photographic diary of his travels in rural China. It is a beautiful book full of humanity. Unfortuately it is only available (for now) in China. I am currently trying to get Taschen to publish it.
He is planning another trip and was looking to have someone document it. It would be for a year starting this year. I was indirectly offered and immediately began considering this trip of a lifetime. Although it frightened me, it's something I am meant to do- I just didn't know that I would get the oppotunity to do it so soon in life. It may be, the perfect oppotunity. I have no real commitments personal, financial or vocational at present.
Today I got word that Agang is happy for me to travel with him. I only met the man once and we were both very courteous to one another. My friend Dong Hong has become friends with him in Beijing. As with all things, there is a beginning.
I would have to move to Beijing for a month to live together with him and the third person. Though I suspect I will be there for a month before even that. Though I am unsure of when this will be.
Although I am filled with new thoughts of solid plans, those plans contain unknown experiences I cannot foresee.
- J
Thursday, January 01, 2009
"Oh say can you see..."
I wasn't in the mood anyway but celebrating the new year seemed off. Israel launched is disproportionate response to Hamas rockets last week and then rejected calls for a ceasefire. So far 4 Israeli's have been killed and over 400 Palestinians, women and children included. I worked in the West Bank and Jerusalem and have met people from Gaza (enties Sept 06).
There is another really important reason why I support China's rise as a world power. Because it may in time, have enough military, economic and diplomatic clout to intervene and challenge US hegemony. Because at the moment, no other country has the capability of rising to this status. Furthermore, China is not interested in being a hegemonic state.
Jitet Kustana/Indonesia
For more:
http://peoplesgeography.com/2008/06/30/the-international-gaza-cartoon-cntest-2008-winners/
Also in cartoon/animation the recent film, 'Waltz with Bashir' is really good. Really powerful account of the 1982 Lebanon war.
- J
There is another really important reason why I support China's rise as a world power. Because it may in time, have enough military, economic and diplomatic clout to intervene and challenge US hegemony. Because at the moment, no other country has the capability of rising to this status. Furthermore, China is not interested in being a hegemonic state.
From the The International Gaza Cartoon Contest.
Jitet Kustana/IndonesiaFor more:
http://peoplesgeography.com/2008/06/30/the-international-gaza-cartoon-cntest-2008-winners/
Also in cartoon/animation the recent film, 'Waltz with Bashir' is really good. Really powerful account of the 1982 Lebanon war.
- J
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