@Google Talks

Besides the inevitable, yet entertaining, comic videos posted on YouTube, such as this hillarious collection of people's reaction to "2 girls 1 cup" (a film I'm proud not to have watched), we've previously established the opposite end of the spectrum, where renditions of Beckett or readings of Pinter can be observed. Indeed, today I stumbled on this video of Christopher Hitchens at Google Talks. I was initially surprised not to have discovered this earlier, and for that matter, the other countless speakers they've presented on the web. It is over an hour in length, so get comfortable, but it's well worth your attention, as Hitchens is on fine form. As one for immeasurably knowledgeable discussion, and sharp wit, Hitchens delivers his spiel with aplomb. In the past I've watched Hitchens debate with Dinesh D'Souza, one of the more prolific and commendable pro-religious intellects (the author of a book, What's So Great About Christianity, that counters the atheists' argument), however, I sense that on that particular evening Hitchens was partially intoxicated and thus renderred slightly indifferent to the outcome. I've also watched him speak in Toronto where his fist shook with increasingly assured anger to fantastic effect. At Google Talks though, Hitchens finely addresses the balance between humour and timely seriousness, consequently enlightening his audience superbly.

Roll on the P.C. back-lash

Woolworths have pulled furniture branded under the name, 'Lolita', from their range, reacting to protests from web-friendly mothers who see the name as "sexually charged". Now, call me old-fashioned, but that's a bit rich coming from the same people who spread anti-birth control propaganda in the 60s and 70s. Those same mothers who preported to the ridiculous mewlings of Nancy Keenan when she said: "In a perfect world, no teenager would be having sex." Those feminists who targeted the recent RyanAir billboard, which can't be all bad seeing as broadcasters are still showing it. Those feminists who attacked WHSmith for stocking Playboy branded merchandise and stationary (at least they showed some welcome resillience and continued to stock the products). It's only a matter of time before overall public opinion quashes the collaborative efforts of stupid, uninformed, scolding, politically-correct individuals. Bring-on the backlash; the elastic band has stretched far enough.

Pratchett and Alzheimer's

Stem Cell research was at the forefront of Alzheimer's research until a few days ago. Apparently, stimulating a deep center of the brain can increase memory recall. This was, incredibly, discovered when surgeons accidentally misplaced a diode inside an obese man's brain (someone who wanted to lose wait by surgically reducing his appetite). This could come as good news to the magical Terry Pratchett, who has been recently diagnosed with the degenerative disease. Also, this snippet of news outlines an old fact we all care to forget once in a while: exercising increases the length of your life. Surely not.

Fuck you, MonkeySquirrel!

This sketch about the writers' strike negotiations from Simpsons collaborator, Seth MacFarlane, is both clever and hilarious - a winning combination in social satire. Keep hold of your sides...

Religion and Bush

Right at the end of this article on Bush's plea to congress we come across this overshadowed statement that sticks out like a sore thumb: "But he did not give up entirely, announcing a $300m programme to strengthen religious schools in poor neighbourhoods." By now we have firmly established my views on religion and children (an immoral combination), but this harks to another point that Christopher Hitchens is outspoken in criticising in Britain. Incidentally, the first act on the American Bill of Rights forbids state subsidy of any organised religion, something that we fundamentally counteract in Britain; the monarchy is, by definition, interrelated to the church, and the British government provides tax exemption for all places of worship. Ahh, but has the Bush administration wormed its way through a loophole yet again with this massive gesture of good-intent? Answers on a postcard. While I'm here, I'd like to offer my suggestion to a question posed by Richard Dawkins during his publicised conversation, The Four Horsemen. Dawkins asks, why is it that religious critics are viewed as strident and arrogant, often attacking the sensitivities of religious individuals? And why is it, he asks, that one can attack someone's preferred football team without fear of offending them, but as soon as we attack their religion, this transpires as directly insulting? What followed was an unsure response to a question with, what seems to me, an obvious answer: uncertainty. I support this with a simple thought experiment. Picture yourself with your closest, religious friend. If you were to tell him: your wife doesn't love you, you have wasted your life; he would stand slightly baffled but secure in the knowledge that, in fact, she does love him, and he hasn't wasted his life. However, if you were to tell him: god doesn't exist, you have wasted your life; it would irritate the very fabric of his being. Not because he has dedicated more time or effort to religion than to his wife, but because he is unsure of himself when it comes to the existence of god. This scenario can be seen in other, less complicated scenarios - if we know something to be true, we are unlikely to be offended or fazed when someone claims otherwise. Yet when we believe, or hold the opinion, that something is true, we are aggravated by those who don't share or views through intra-personal uncertainty. So, Mr Dawkins, there's your answer.

'Laura' by Vladimir Nabokov

Admittedly, I am not the most well-encompassed Nabokov reader, but I have read Lolita to, I'm almost disappointed to say, little effect. Perhaps I fall under the category of what Dmitri Nabokov (Vladimir Nabokov's son, now 73) calls a "Lolitologist", or a "misinterpreter". Either way, I feel wholly sympathetic to his current moral dilemma - posthumously appease his father's wish and burn the unfinished manuscript of his work, Laura, or agree to the impassioned appeals of the literary world and publish the work, going against the perfectionist methodology of his father. This case reminds me of Samual Beckett's wish not to have his unfinished play, Elutheria, performed. (The tide seems to be turning on this case however, as the text was published in 1995.) In both cases, the living relatives of the writer should be allowed ample time and dedication of thought, without the pressure of hungry academics, to come to a conclusion. What impassions them more, for example, should be at the forefront of their choice-making.

9/11 and Diana

British people look at the hysterical American reaction to 9/11 and frown somewhat condescendingly, but we only have to look back a few years to notice that we did exactly the same thing when Princess Diana died. As you may remember, I'm not in the least bit interested in the surrounding media palaver, but I am intrigued about the American reaction to a seemingly unconnected, insular tragedy. Dominic Dunne has written an article where he comments and analyses the events in Britain encumbering the Royal Family from an outsider's perspective. What annoyed me however, was the misinterpretation of off-hand conversation. He claims: "Ten years have gone by and people talk about the accident [Diana's car accident] casually. There are no longer hushed tones." Now, just because we've been desensitized dramatically to the once-relevant national tragedy through article upon article of procrastination and intrigue doesn't mean we were ever "hushed" or any less "casual". This event was never taboo to discuss, thanks to our ever-ruthless tabloid media. I feel this, and the ongoing reaction to 9/11, is a cultural difference lost in translation.

Markensen (Follow-up)

Well, its no wonder the good doctor Kermode has taken a shine to Mr Mortensen (here with here), but I'm sure I'm not the first to point this out.

Eastern Promises

This film is another Cronenberg masterpiece. As you know, I am not someone to use that word nonchalantly. We follow the drama, as it unfolds, from the position of an innocent maternity nurse (Naomi Watts) and the driver (Viggo Mortensen) of a Russian mafia cartel situated in London. As critics have already pointed out, this is the first film set in London where I don't recognise any of the set pieces. Mortensen is a fine actor as demonstrated in A History of Violence, which I commented on previously, and I can only echo the words of Mark Kermode: "Viggo Mortensen is the new Robert DeNiro". The film deals with themes of identity, vulnerability, the family unit, social construction, conflict, and (undeniably) homosexuality. It's a film I feel inclined to watch again for the subtle nuances that surmount the final scene. I strongly urge people to watch this film with concentrated interest.

Martin Amis 2

The Second Plane is Martin Amis' latest book. It's a collection of essays and short stories written in the wake of 9/11. We follow Amis' thought processes that achieve the conclusions outlined below. The book was appraised on Newsnight Review this week and received a big thumbs-up from two out of three armchair critics (the third was, in fact, a Muslim). I feel this is a book I should order immediately. And before I forget, my brain wasn't what it should be last night and I forgot to include Saturday (my favorite McEwan novel) in my examples of his religious criticism.

Martin Amis

Martin Amis has been at the center of controversy of late due to his comments about Islamism in Britain. He suggested we target the Muslim community as a whole in retaliation to the planned Heathrow attacks; treating them as figures of suspicion by logically identifying them as threats, searching them more often than their white counterparts, for example. That would disgruntle all practicing Muslims across the country and pressure them into decrying the Jihadists and Islamist fundamentalists. In a BBC interview this morning he defended his position and reiterated his respect for Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. Amis is a friend of Christopher Hitchens and the brilliant Ian McEwan, both of whom have been outspoken about their derision for religion - god is not Great and Enduring Love, respectively. Moreover, Manchester University has been criticised for employing Amis as a professor of Creative Writing, with a salary of eighty grand a year - extortionate in comparison to the other visiting professors.

Hitchens' Human Side

Inhaling recent issues of Vanity Fair, as I am, I'm naturally drawn to Christopher Hitchen's articles on everything from dentistry to Britishness. Readers of VF would have noticed over the past months that Hitchens is doing his merry best to lose all aspects of what makes him quintessentially British. In December's issue he had his back, sack, and crack waxed, and had his teeth replaced. There I was thinking Hitchens has merely altered the visual stereotypes that pigeon-hole Britons as a nation, only to be lambasted as a hobbyist, eccentric, simpleton, exploited by witty comedy like Fawlty Towers in his January article on Britishness. Well, the above maybe true, but that doesn't stop Hitchens being as British as an Etonian schoolboy with a frumpy blazer and a floppy haircut, sans chin. Good on you for trying Chris - I can't wait for next month's edition.

Announcements

A couple of announcements for your assumed enjoyment. If you're like me, and were drawn to Antony and The Johnsons after they won the 2004 Mercury Music Award with the sublime I am a Bird Now, then you'll be excited to discover that their forthcoming album, The Crying Light, is due to be released in Autumn. Also, Bret Easton Ellis has had an unlikely week in the news. Firstly, it is reported that his sequel to Less Than Zero has actually come to fruition (perhaps three years of silence has reaped a reward) - namely, Imperial Bedrooms. The speculation rages. What's more, a cast member for The Informers film has died. Brad Renfro was 25 when found dead from a drug overdose. Fortunately, however, we're told that filming has concluded...every cloud. Obviously, his death was slightly overshadowed by Heath's, but hey.

Stiglitz v. Bush

Joseph Stiglitz had a very interesting article in December 2007's edition of Vanity Fair: 'The Economic Consequences of Mr Bush'. Good title, eh? I first came across Stiglitz through his 2006 book, Globalization and its Discontents; very much an awareness raising analysis of what is more commonly known as "Americanization" - the act of publicising every asset, from hospitals to the government. He described the actions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and how their unguarded persistence led to fiscal decline throughout much of China and the East. It was an awakening read and a book I highly recommend. Here, he describes the devastation caused by Bush's policies on national economics, let alone the knock-on effects of the war in Iraq; something, he says, that will take generations to resolve (that's assuming an adept president is elected next time around). Depressingly, Stiglitz runs out of column inches to suggest ways that these circumstances can be reversed. Perhaps then the damage is irreversible.

Wrapping it up

Well, my presumption that Heath Ledger committed suicide has unsurprisingly been exposed as false. Yet that hasn't stopped these fascist, bigoted, Baptist Christians from protesting at his funeral. He portrayed a gay. Portrayed?! This acts as a convenient indication of religion's universal danger, whether Quaker or Muslim, a point that Christopher Hitchens makes to his credit during The Four Horsemen, a video I mentioned earlier. On the continuum of celebrity, Scientology is under threat; war has been declared. Very very interesting.

Light Amusement

To relieve your momentary anxiety following my previous two posts, watch this video of Goths, who come across quite well given their squeaky clean voices and L'Oreal haircuts; that and a dog leash. Look out for the part where he calls it "a symbol of trust". A leash? Hilarious. Also, if you nurture a curiosity concerning your reading ability, this online test is quite enlightening, letting you view yourself in comparison to other readers. It only takes a minute and it recommended I stopped internally vocalising the words I read. Spot on - I shall do just that.

Suicide 2

Heaven forbid I should momentarily forget the human atrocity of suicide bombing, something that has always struck me as mentally primitive - that romanticised idea most boys toy with at an early age - if you had to die, how would you do it? Sod knows, but I'd take a lot of people I don't like down with me. Obviously, it would be daft of me to compare this to the plagiarised lies of the Koran's message, but the principle remains the same. And yes, yesterday saw the bombing of a primary school in Baghdad. We can identify that Al Qaeda have narrowed their attacks to upset the communal security of innocent civilians, yet simultaneously we should recall the sexist practises of many fundamentalist Muslims who firmly believe women should not be educated. As that inhumane discrimination has gradually begun to overturn in the past years, those with the backing of God shed no tear for the maiming and killing of young Iraqi girls. Monstrosity returns.

Suicide

Firstly, I feel I must apologise for the below post as I was in a state of euphoric anguish as I struggled with sleep deprivation and irritability. I appreciate that any newcomers to this blog would have been put off wholeheartedly. Having said that, I shall keep the post online as a reference of my warped ambition. For those who know me, that political rant may have made some sense, moreso than to others. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The news today has been coincidentally dominated by one underlying theme: suicide. If you weren't already aware of the cult of suicide present in Japan where suicide is often seen as honorable in comparison to shame, here's a quick overview. This seems to have sparked a following from internet-swayed Britons, which, in turn, has cast another investigative eye on profiling sites, particularly Facebook. What's more, the man who jumped from his balcony window in Crete, clutching his infant children was unbelievably found not guilty with regard to his derailed mental state: utter bollocks. I sympathise strongly with the mother's words: "Liam lost his life for nothing". A little further afield, and a little presumptuous, but Heath Ledger has done himself a huge injustice by "catching the bus" early. More is still to be discovered about the cause of his death, but let's assume it was suicide; who then was in a more stable state? Ledger, or the falling father? A simple thought experiment for you.

Three's a crowd

As if the Weapons of Mass Destruction saga wasn't enough, the old mantra has come back to haunt us...twice. Remember what happened the first time the American government dolled up their claim of WMDs, leading the consensual US (and other allied nations) to war, only to realise that, in fact, they were wrong, leaving us with a moral detritus. Oh, and remember when Bush centered his Iranian foreign policy on the latent danger of nuclear fission techniques? What happened? That's right, the intelligence services deemed that claim no longer relevant too, and we're caught between a rock and a wall of scepticism, suspicion, derision, and frustration, not least on part of the American people. Let me make a clear distinction; as these events have unfolded there are certain dangers and scenarios that have required the military interruption of our allied forces that I fully support, but that is for another post. However, the way these claims have been hyped, and then rubbished, has led to the effects noted above. Anyway, only recently we have been fooled yet again. Remember when American ships were supposedly threatened and taunted by Iranian ships along the Straight of Hormuz, which almost led to the American's opening fire. Again, this was revealed as the next concrete argument in Bush's arsenal that fell to pieces - it appears the taunts the American ship's heard via radio were simply the prankish chants of a local lunatic. So, the ineffectual, whimsical, almost childish shout of: "You will explode" could have kick-started a firefight with Iran. Don't get me wrong, the way the Iranian's treated the British sailors during their period in captivity early last year was inexcusable, and our damp-squib government earned that title yet again. But the voters of America and its allies cannot go on being misinformed in this way. The work of the 82nd battalion is worthy of our utmost praise, yet their efforts could be historically squandered if the US government persists in this way. Think before you speak.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Time magazine hasn't got the most reputable history when it comes to choosing their 'Person of the Year'; winners in the past have been tarred by the absurd inclusion of George W. Bush. They admit this is not a popularity contest, rather they focus mainly it seems on the individual's global impact. For example, JK Rowling came an acceptable third. Although this article is lengthy and laborious, it's written with precision and affectation, with interview extracts and impressions included. Upon reading this piece there's no denying the Russian faith directed at Putin, and he's orchestrated a cultural revolution - something almost invisible during Yeltsin's slurring rein. The readers of Time have voted 4:1 against their decision to name Putin man of the year, who even adorning him "Tsar of the New Russia". Ironically however, those writing into the editors have been majoritively in support of their choice, and, in my opinion, rightly so. Well done Time magazine.

Radiohead's Recent Exposure

You may have come across Radiohead's New Year's Eve webcast, Scoth_Mist. If you haven't already, their YouTube page lies here, with all the visual and audio mastery brought together on one self-maintained webpage. Amidst other artistic pieces such as Stanley Donwood's short stories, the band played through their latest album, In Rainbows, with utter finesse. Incredibly, just five days ago they announced another play through of In Rainbows at the Rough Trade record store in London. Needless to say, Radiohead naively estimated the amount of people who would turn up at short notice, and the police made them move the gig up the road to 93 Feet East. One hundred and fifty people, from well over a thousand, were let into the store. In recent Radiohead style, they broadcast the show online at radiohead.tv - recordings available all over the fan site. All those who read this blog should be converts by now, so your mouths are well and truly drooling. But before you go, listen to the recording from Thursday when Radiohead took over Radio 1 from Zane Lowe. I hope he was taking notes, as Ed and Thom played a superb mixture of contemporary alternative music. All for your pleasure.

YouTube Sunday

If you type various high-art names into the YouTube search engine; names such as Pinter or Beckett, you'll uncover short wonders ranging from Pinter's lament, Art, Truth, and Politics, to Beckett's mini-play, Ohio Impromptu. I was fortunate to discover this some time ago, but it seems the world has caught up with me, as our friend Bryan writes in the Sunday Times this morning. Obviously, you can be left cold by something such as Damien Hirst's (whom I'm not alone in finding insufferable) production of Beckett's television piece, Breathe. If you are interested, click this amazing performance of Lucky's speech from Waiting for Godot, by Alan Mandell. Also on the subject of online video, I pick up fro where I left off with regard to my anti-theistic teachers. The Four Horsemen is a cleverly named discussion piece forged by Christopher Hitchens, Dan Dennet, Sam Harris, and Richard Dawkins: something well worth your time.

Hello, World - I'm back

Like a lonely hedgehog standing on his hind legs for the first time, following a winter of biting cold and prolonged hibernation, I have summoned the necessary enthusiasm and inspiration to take up the reins of my fling into the blogosphere. Hello to those of you who regularly checked back daily over the winter period, nursing the hope that I might counter my prediction and post during the break. Sorry for being away for so long. However, it has been noted, part of being a good writer is being a good reader. And so, I have undertaken a binge of literary supplements, contemporary literature, and opinion articles all for your intellectual satisfaction, gratification, and stimulation. Let me be the last person to welcome you into 2008, realising that the world has continued to revolve in my cyber-absence, mewling and puking up new and wonderful stories to delve our interest into. Incidentally, my new year's resolution was to cover more pertinent stories on my blog rather than clinging to the brief, arcane, non-happenings that have previously left us cold. Inevitably, there will be those that break the colander of selection, but having subscribed to Time magazine over the break, I feel it my duty to comment on the issues that affect us all. Only this week, each one of my habitual passions, namely Radiohead, football, and good read have been stirred into action. More on that to follow shortly. In the mean time, I see my nemesis Milliband is showing far more political flare than that other guy, oh, what's his name, Gordon something; this time, tackling Russian relations. Ironically, Putin was named Time's 'Man of the Year'. Rightly so?