All shook up

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In an age of unparalleled technological progress, many of us, particularly in the developed world, tend to get carried away with our achievements and idea of ourselves as Masters of the Universe. The South East Asian tsunami is a timely reminder of our vulnerability to the devastating forces of nature and of our own mortality. That tens of thousands of people going about their business can be reduced to a sea of rotting corpses and shattered lives in a matter minutes is enough to humble even the most staunch advocate of ‘man’s superiority over nature’ argument. For anyone who’s experienced any type of natural disaster the point is even more strongly driven home.

Only a week after returning to Japan I experienced an earthquake. It’s not the first time I’ve experienced one, I was in Japan when the Niigata earthquake struck last year and I can recall at least two other occasions earthquakes struck whilst I was in the country. According to the people who measure such things this one was only a mere 5.2 on the richter scale. Although it was a far cry from the force of Niigata last year, the close proximity to Tokyo meant I felt this quake more than any of the others I had experienced. I was woken, or more precisely shaken from my sleep at around 5:00 a.m. I quickly realised what was happening and climbed down the stairs from the loft where I was sleeping. By the time I had gotten myself underneath a door frame it had stopped.

I don’t want to overstate the severity of the quake and the danger it posed. Of course I couldn’t know it at the time but the worst case scenario for me was maybe a few bruises if I had fallen off the ladder. A few CD’s that had been precariously placed on top of the TV had toppled over. Outside there were no signs of damage and if it hadn’t been for a friend who mentioned it later that day I could almost have been convinced I had dreamt the whole episode. Almost, except for that lingering feeling of utter helplessness which took over in the few seconds it lasted - a feeling no doubt shared by the two DVD shop employees in the picture at the top of this article.

Movie Review Eyes Wide Shut

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Eyes Wide shut is one of those movies I’ve always wanted to see but for a variety not so convincing reasons never quite got around to until recently. Stanley Kubrick is known for the provocative nature of his films and the versatility of his work. He has tackled many different genres from science fiction (2001 a space odyssey) and horror (The Shining) to comedy (Dr Strangelove) and War (Full Metal Jacket). With Eyes Wide Shut Kubrick tries his hand at psychosexual drama.

At the beginning of the film we are introduced to a young, upper-class couple - Tom Cruise plays a dashing, successful doctor and Nicole Kidman his beautiful yet slightly melancholy wife. They are invited to a fancy Christmas party for one of Cruise’s wealthy patients and a few hours and one too many drinks later find themselves being hit on by other guests. Both are receptive to the flirtatious activity but neither Cruise nor Kidman engage in any extra-marital activities.

The next scene for me is the best in the movie and probably the best scene Nicole Kidman has ever shot in her career - that’s not to say everything else she’s been in was crap but she executes this scene perfectly. After returning home from the party husband and wife share a joint and recall the evening‘s events. Kidman clearly has something on her mind and questions her husband about the two women that were flirting with him. Cruise answers honestly and playfully enquires about the man he saw flirting with his wife. Cruise shows no sign of jealousy and this irritates his wife even further. As a result of the combination of alcohol, the joint and Cruises indifference Kidman launches into an interrogation of her husband’s underlying thoughts and feelings. Cruise refuses to indulge his wife’s line of questioning and tries to calm her with the usual platitudes married couples serve up to each other, whether they truly believe them or not, to reassure the other party that such thoughts never enter their mind.

Realising she’s not going to get her husband to admit to anything she stuns Cruise with a revelation of her own. She confesses her lust for a young naval officer she once saw whilst holidaying with her husband and child. Not only does she admit to it, she divulges her willingness at that particular moment when she saw the officer to give up her marriage and child just to satisfy her desires. Cruise listens in silence, completely dumbfounded as his wife pours out her true feelings. It’s not that what she says is difficult to comprehend, but that she is actually admitting to it, and admitting it to the one person who it would hurt the most. Everyone, whether married or single, has had similar urges or thoughts at some moment in their life however most would never openly admit to it except in the confidence of their closest friends, but never to their partner.

Despite our supposedly liberal minded society such thoughts as Kidman divulges are seen as a betrayal of trust and in her character’s case of the sacred institution of marriage – the thoughts of a sexual deviant, a slut, when in fact they represent the bare truth of our human nature. That’s the beauty of the scene, Kubrick shatters the charade of moral righteousness that most pretend to uphold. It’s as though a great lie everyone knows to be untrue has been exposed - as if for a moment everyone’s thoughts have been laid bare for all to see.

If that actually was the case, it would be terribly embarrassing for most people. I don’t remember the reaction to the film when it first came out but I imagine many couples quickly exiting the cinema in a desperate attempt to avoid the knowing stares of the other patrons. The awkward silence in the car on the way home, totally engrossed in thought but pretending not to be. I wonder for how many couples who saw this movie together, it was a catalyst for their break-up? Or more interestingly, I wonder how many couples sat down and had an honest conversation about what they had just seen? Something like; “Jane do you ever have thoughts like that?” “Well just the other day when your friend Mike came over and you were in the shower”, “I thought that if he wanted to fuck me on the kitchen table I would have went for it” “How about you?” “Well actually I’ve always fancied shagging your sister”

Oh yeah the rest of film, Kidman’s revelation scene sets off a chain of events that sees Cruise, now totally consumed by images of his wife getting it on with the young naval officer, get himself into some bizarre and potentially dangerous situations. If you are observant the revelations at the ending of the film come as no surprise, not that it matters though, the highlight of the film is over in the first 15minutes. Still Kubrick manages to keep you interested until the end.

What does 2 million deluded fools look like?



The annual pilgrimage to the Hajj is on again. For those who don’t know what it’s all about here’s a quick rundown. Every year the media swoops on this event with the usual fervour that such ‘news of the moment’ stories receive, only to recede into the background until next year. However since 9/11, the War in Iraq and the increasing tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims that can be felt in nearly every corner of the globe there has been a renewed interest in Muslim cultures and beliefs. Any genuine attempt to understand another way of life different from our own can only be viewed as positive in terms of promoting racial and religious tolerance. On the other hand, for the ignorant and gullible it has engendered a feeling of suspicion and fear – one that governments such as the United States actively encourage.

Back in Australia I have never seen or heard as much time devoted to Muslim issues from all media outlets. However as is typical of the media the most interesting issues are rarely brought up or if they are, glossed over. This morning I listened to a radio program that devoted considerable time to the events of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The correspondent on the ground reported a sense of excitement typical of the type of fool who gets caught up in the atmosphere with an inability to understand what’s going on around them. I believe this type of reaction is partly a result of an accompanying trend from this minor resurgence of interest in the state of Islam. That is, in this present day climate of political correctness people are afraid to criticize the Muslim faith for fear of being labelled a racist on ethnic or religious grounds.

Part of a democratic, free society is the need to facilitate freedom of thought and open debate on any issue. But freedom of thought, and debate, of which constructive criticism is an essential part, are the antithesis to any organized religion. Don’t get the idea I’m singling out the Muslim faith here, I view any organized religion with equal disdain. Organized religion in any form inculcates a climate of unquestioning faith, subjugation and for non-believers eternal damnation – just ask Salman Rushdie. One of the events of the annual pilgrimage of the Hajj is the stoning of the three pillars. This farcical ritual is an example of the kinds of meaningless customs advanced by the Muslim faith that does nothing but encourage ignorance. It’s up there on a par with the Eucharist practiced by the Christian faith. Incidently 251 people were either trampled or suffocated to death at last years stoning of the three pillars. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, precautions have been undertaken this year to prevent a repeat occurrence.

Gyms

As a regular gym goer for many years and a keen observer of human behaviour I've come to recognize certain character traits peculiar to people that frequent such places. Below are just a few of the more obvious examples.

The pretender – this fool is easily recognizable in any field of sport or physical activity. The pretender is decked out with the latest gear and equipment. He believes, although deep down he knows it be false, that looking the part will make up for a lack of skill or ability. The pretender’s main objective is to draw attention to himself. If his fashionable apparel doesn’t do the trick the pretender will resort to a combination of ridiculous lurching movements and emitting loud sounds of exertion that bear no relationship to the type of exercises being performed.

The pretender’s main fear in the gym is actually undertaking physical activity. In fact he will do anything to avoid it whilst making every attempt to make it look like he’s doing something. His ploys at deception are easily identifiable to those who know what to look for – stretching muscles that aren’t even used for the exercise allegedly to be performed, continual adjustment of equipment and taking sips from his water bottle every 10 seconds precipitating regular trips to the bathroom. Upon his return, the routine of stretching, adjusting and sipping begins all over again with the result of nothing in the way of physical activity being accomplished - exactly what was intended. On the odd occasion that he attempts an exercise, for example bench press, the pretender in keeping with his image as an experienced athlete will pile on an impossibly heavy weight and then proceed to push out 1 possibly 2 repetitions. On completion the pretender will wear a well-practiced look of exhaustion on his face and look around eagerly for acknowledgement of his marvellous feat of strength.

The assimilator - closely related to the pretender but without the need to garner attention or exhibit the latest fashions. Like the pretender the assimilator also does his utmost to avoid any kind of physical activity but doesn’t even attempt to disguise the fact. Once in the gym he has a vague idea of what he should do but absolutely no inclination to do it. Committed to doing nothing the assimilator will plonk himself down adjacent to any person doing genuine exercise and just watch. It’s as if he feels that just by sitting in close proximity to someone performing an exercise that he is able to absorb the benefits of the activity as though he had done it himself. After an hour of vicariously experiencing a workout the assimilator returns home with a nagging feeling that nothing has really been achieved - strengthening his resolve to return for another strenuous workout.

The socializer – another close relative of the pretender - he shares the desire to avoid physical activity and to disguise the fact by engaging in conversations with everyone on the gym floor. Unlike the pretender his main aim is not to draw attention to himself but to deflect attention away from his idleness and at the same time bolster his image as 'one the boys'. The socializer will show up at the busiest times to ensure a steady flow of familiar faces with which to engage his banal banter. At the slightest sign that his witticisms aren’t appreciated he'll scurry off in search of another hapless member who'll indulge his purile horseshit.

The socializer is the type of insecure fool that needs constant reassurance that people’s opinion of him is the same as the one he desperately tries to project. At social gatherings the socializer seeks to inject himself into conversations by latching onto anything that may be used to refer to himself and thereby reinforce his false perception of himself in the eyes of others. On hearing the word 'gym' the socializer can proudly announce that he too goes to the gym - which is perfectly true, he does go there, he just doesn’t do anything once he gets there.

The meathead – this slab of meat’s primary purpose is to be as large and intimidating as possible in order to gain the respect he wrongfully believes he deserves. What the meathead lacks in intelligence he makes up for in physical size. He can often be found in front of the mirror frothing at the mouth, veins popping out of his head as he strains under a massive weight. However, unlike the pretender he can actually manage a full set of repetitions. After his work is done the meathead takes on the appearance of a person with a pair of invisible beachballs lodged under his armpits as he strides purposely off the gym floor safe in the knowledge that he is the envy of the rest of the members – his lack of brainpower preventing him from considering the opposite of his imagined self-image.

The cling-on – aptly named because of his penchant for attaching himself to people who exhibit the kind of characteristics he would like to display if he wasn't completely devoid of personality and lacking any will of his own. In a group of gym goers the cling-on is easily spotted as the emasculated whelp who tries to imitate the actions and traits of others from whom he desperately seeks acceptance. He initiates nothing and blindly follows whatever his heroes decide. He'll happily be the butt of a joke and laugh the hardest but will never offer more than a snigger at anyone else for fear of being ostracized. Unlike others, he'll actually do some exercise, not because he wants to but because he thinks it will gain him approval. The unfortunate paradox for the cling-on is that because he is just a shadow with no voice of his own, his presence is superfluous to the group he so desperately wants to be part of. The cling-on is the first to recognise this situation and quickly slips away to find another crowd to suck up to and ultimately be rejected by.

Acheh and the muderously corrupt Indonesian military.

Latest estimates of the tsunami disaster put the number of dead in excess of 150,000, a half to two-thirds of those in the Indonesian province of Acheh with up to a million more Achenese affected. However if you look at the coverage of the disaster by the mainstream media networks, Acheh has received a disproportionate share of attention. Why is that? There are a few reasons – 1) up until the tsunami hit there have been tight restrictions on access for journalists and aid wokers into the region. 2) – The absence of foreigners in Acheh precludes any opportunity for the major media networks to present tear-jerking accounts of their own citizens caught up in the disaster and its aftermath.

For many achenese the tsunami disaster is just another episode in a long history of violence and terror inflicted on the achenese people. To understand the conflict in Acheh today requires an historical perspective - well summarised by this article.

The criminally corrupt Indonesian military (TNI) continues its campaign of terror and outright lies with government backing. For example, claims that military personnel formerly committed to wiping out any remants of achenese independence are now commiting themselves to the aid effort are laughable. Here are a few articles on the type of assistance being offered by the TNI.Here is another article detailing the latest cases of corruption and child trafficking by the Indonesian military in Acheh. Check out this website for more stories and links.