Belloc by Gill
I have been asked if I know who owns the original of this sketch of Hilaire Belloc by Eril Gill. I'm afraid I don't. Does anybody else?
30 November 2008
Bath at the Stoop
Harlequins 21 Bath 14
An excellent win in a tightly fought game of rugby for Harlequins today. It was a cold, cold day in Twickenham but a hot performance by both sides with neither giving much except a few penalties away. As a result, Nick Evans for Quins and Butch James for Bath kicked three apiece.
Bath are a scary side to play. Even without mad Danny Grewcock in the side, they had some big players in the side who I would not like to tackle. Or even be near when they had the ball. Nevertheless, and fortunately for the fans, the Harlequins were not so fussed. Thump, thump, thump! But down the Big Units went.
After half time, the game opened up a little. Bath had been the leading side all afternoon, going 0 - 3, 3 - 6, 6 - 9 up. Finally, they broke the home side's defence, scoring a try in a far corner of the Stoop. Unfortunately for them, they could not convert it.
In between times the Quins faithful got annoyed by some of the referee's decisions, especially by his failure to send a Bath player off when he seemed to spear tackle a Quinsman while either falling or sitting down!
Once Bath went ahead, Harlequins showed admirable guts by picking up where they had left off before the try had been scored and that meant pressing for a try of their own. About 15 minutes after the Bath try had been scored, Jordan Turner-Hall crashed over the tryline to score Quins' first. Not long later, prop Ceri Jones burst through the Bath defence to deliver the coup de grace.
Bath fought bravely on, but when the lost they ball in the 80+ however many minutes, Quins couldn't hoof the ball into the crowd quickly enough. Game over. A really great win over a tough side had been secured.
Bath are a scary side to play. Even without mad Danny Grewcock in the side, they had some big players in the side who I would not like to tackle. Or even be near when they had the ball. Nevertheless, and fortunately for the fans, the Harlequins were not so fussed. Thump, thump, thump! But down the Big Units went.
After half time, the game opened up a little. Bath had been the leading side all afternoon, going 0 - 3, 3 - 6, 6 - 9 up. Finally, they broke the home side's defence, scoring a try in a far corner of the Stoop. Unfortunately for them, they could not convert it.
In between times the Quins faithful got annoyed by some of the referee's decisions, especially by his failure to send a Bath player off when he seemed to spear tackle a Quinsman while either falling or sitting down!
Once Bath went ahead, Harlequins showed admirable guts by picking up where they had left off before the try had been scored and that meant pressing for a try of their own. About 15 minutes after the Bath try had been scored, Jordan Turner-Hall crashed over the tryline to score Quins' first. Not long later, prop Ceri Jones burst through the Bath defence to deliver the coup de grace.
Bath fought bravely on, but when the lost they ball in the 80+ however many minutes, Quins couldn't hoof the ball into the crowd quickly enough. Game over. A really great win over a tough side had been secured.
The Perils of Blogging
Alex Hilton, who writes for Labourhome and Recess Monkey is being sued over an article written in the former blog. The case, as presented by Hilton at Labourhome, makes for regrettable reading. The offending article was deleted when the complainant contacted Hilton and the same person was offered a right-of-reply. Rather than take it up, they are going to the court.
When it comes to grievances, the organisation for which I work promotes the obvious and excellent idea of the two parties talking to each other before pursuing the matter formally. In the case of Labourhome it really is a very great shame that when one party is willing to address a complaint made to it that the other declines to do so. Will or can the judge tell them to do so?
I suppose we will have to wait and see. To read more about the matter, and Hilton's appeal for donations to support his case, click here.
H/T Mars Hill.
When it comes to grievances, the organisation for which I work promotes the obvious and excellent idea of the two parties talking to each other before pursuing the matter formally. In the case of Labourhome it really is a very great shame that when one party is willing to address a complaint made to it that the other declines to do so. Will or can the judge tell them to do so?
I suppose we will have to wait and see. To read more about the matter, and Hilton's appeal for donations to support his case, click here.
H/T Mars Hill.
England's indiscipline bad for her and the sport
A bad day for England yesterday - as predicted, I should think, by absolutely everyone. But while the 6 - 32 loss to the All Blacks could have been seen a mile off, the manner of the defeat in respect of the sin binning of no less than four England players, is frustrating.
The England rugby team is not as bad as it has made itself out to be in the latest autumn series of tests. The players are good, they just haven't jelled together as a team yet. That they are capable of doing so was proved by their getting to the final of the world cup last year. So, how did four players get yellow cards? New Zealand pressure? Maybe, but James Haskell's sin binning after he stuck his elbow in Rodney So'oialo's face did not come about as a result of pressure but sheer bad play unbecoming of a professional. Martin Johnson has really got his work cut out for him if he not only has to form a team out of fifteen individuals but teach them how to play in a sportsmanlike manner.
Speaking of being good sports, the All Blacks could learn a thing or two there. Apparently, it is okay for them to perform their war dance - slashing throat movements and all - but if the opposition should have the cheek to not just stand there and take it, that is being disrespectful. From the Come All Within website:
The England rugby team is not as bad as it has made itself out to be in the latest autumn series of tests. The players are good, they just haven't jelled together as a team yet. That they are capable of doing so was proved by their getting to the final of the world cup last year. So, how did four players get yellow cards? New Zealand pressure? Maybe, but James Haskell's sin binning after he stuck his elbow in Rodney So'oialo's face did not come about as a result of pressure but sheer bad play unbecoming of a professional. Martin Johnson has really got his work cut out for him if he not only has to form a team out of fifteen individuals but teach them how to play in a sportsmanlike manner.
Speaking of being good sports, the All Blacks could learn a thing or two there. Apparently, it is okay for them to perform their war dance - slashing throat movements and all - but if the opposition should have the cheek to not just stand there and take it, that is being disrespectful. From the Come All Within website:
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has urged England to respect the haka when the teams meet on Saturday in the final game of the All Blacks' tour.If Graham Henry was so concerned about when the game was going to start, maybe he should suppress the haka. At any rate, he could do a lot better than be so precious about the way the opposition react. The full article and responses can be read at CAW here.
Last week Wales' response was to stand still and stare out their opponents, which upset some New Zealand players.
"They thought that was the best way to respond, I just wanted to know when the game was going to start," said Henry.
"I hope there's no copycat situation".
28 November 2008
Curiouser and curiouser
The Curious Case of Damian Green. It would make a good title for a novel, wouldn't it? But right now, the reality of his arrest by the police on suspicion of conspiring to 'commit misconduct in a public office' is far stranger than fiction.
1. The suspicion relates to leaks from the Home Office. But leaks are part and parcel of politics. All parties benefit from them. Including, in times past, none other than Mr. Gordon Brown.
1. The suspicion relates to leaks from the Home Office. But leaks are part and parcel of politics. All parties benefit from them. Including, in times past, none other than Mr. Gordon Brown.
2. The heavy handedness of the police. Are they too stupid to know how to deal with politicians? Do they wilfully use a sledgehammer to break a nut? It is only a year since the ruthless Lord Levy and cunning Ruth Turner were busted at dawn by the boys in blue. Why?
3. Involvement of anti-terrorist police. According to the Met, 'some counter-terrorism officers were involved because they were the most "appropriate" to carry out such an operation' (as with the above this quote is from BBC On-Line). Appropriate! What, did they think Damian Green might be armed and dangerous?
4. The ignorance of Downing St and Jacqui Smith. David Cameron was told what was about to happen, as was Boris Johnson and Michael Martin... but not the Prime Minister and Home Secretary. Hmm.
5. Michael Martin letting the police into the palace of Westminster. I would like to know more about the legal position of the police entering the palace. Iain Dale reports that,
One MP I have spoken to tonight said that he would have physically barred their way and shouted for help to assist him in preventing their entry.
Paul Burgin counsels caution. But even if Mr Green is convicted of the charge laid against him during the one hour out of nine that he was held in custody by the police yesterday, the police have big questions to answer over their conduct. Oh, and if he is convicted, then Damian Green will be a bona fide hero for the risks he has taken to hold this wretched government to account.
Belated Happy, er...
America celebrated Thanksgiving on Wednesday. While not wanting to diminish any Americans' enjoyment of the day, I have to admit that it will be a long time before I forget Jim Whittaker's description of the occasion in Easy Virtue.
John Whittaker's American wife Larita brings in a roasted turkey for the family to enjoy. Why? asks one of the daughters - to celebrate Thanksgiving, replies Larita. What's Thanksgiving? asks said daughter, "The celebration of the annihilation of an entire indigenous population." replies Jim as matter-of-factly as you could imagine.
John Whittaker's American wife Larita brings in a roasted turkey for the family to enjoy. Why? asks one of the daughters - to celebrate Thanksgiving, replies Larita. What's Thanksgiving? asks said daughter, "The celebration of the annihilation of an entire indigenous population." replies Jim as matter-of-factly as you could imagine.
A city by any other name
What's in a name? Most of the press coverage of the terrorist attacks in India refer to the city of Mumbai. Despite its very modern dumbing down of standards ('Celebrity Sightings', anyone?), the Daily Telegraph is still clinging to something of the past by referring to the city of Mumbai as Bombay. Personally, I think Bombay is the nicer word but if that is what the Indians call their city then who are we to call it something else?
But if that is the case, what about Roma, Firenze or Venezia? Well, I was wondering about this and - because, let's face it, it is not the most pressing question in the world - I wasn't really hopeful about finding out the answer. But, God bless it, the Guardian has some answers. Check them out here.
But if that is the case, what about Roma, Firenze or Venezia? Well, I was wondering about this and - because, let's face it, it is not the most pressing question in the world - I wasn't really hopeful about finding out the answer. But, God bless it, the Guardian has some answers. Check them out here.
23 November 2008
Easy Virtue - dir. Stephen Elliot
Spoilers!
Last Monday, I saw new British film Easy Virtue. You can tell it was British - four companies financed it and I bet the budget was not fifty million dollars. Or pounds. Anyway, in common with the last British film I saw - Stardust - Easy Virtue is a little frayed round the edges but is an excellent little film.
The plot comes from a Noel Coward play about an American woman who marries into an upper class English family. Her husband's mother, unfortunately, is a snob of the first order and is determined to drive her new daughter-in-law away from the family house. But she is American and will not, therefore, take this lying down. Cue a battle of wits. Who will triumph?
Easy Virtue stars Jessica Beil as Larita Whittaker, American wife to John Whittaker, played by Ben Barnes. Kristin Scott Thomas plays Mrs. Whittaker; Colin Firth is Mr. Whittaker. Scott Thomas' and Firth's pedigree must be well known. Ben Barnes is relatively new to the silver screen but following a cameo appearance in Stardust he took the lead in Prince Caspian as the eponymous hero. Of Jessica Beil I had no knowledge before this film but unlike one or two critics, I thought she was a good lead.
I said that the film was a little frayed round the edges. I'm thinking here of the way in which it combines comedy and tragedy. Mr. Whittaker survived the Great War. In accordance with his class, he was a captain and lead men into battle. Unlike other officers, he tells Larita, he was not able to bring any of them home. Colin Firth is excellent as Mr. Whittaker, capturing the guilt ridden essence of his character well with his dry humour. But somehow, this aspect of the film does not sit comfortably alongside the humour. I'm not sure why. It is a shame that the film seems to have had only a limited release - it has already left my local cinema - meaning that watching it again will be difficult or impossible. Over the last few days, I have been watching Shakespeare in Love again. I think it combines the comic and tragic very well indeed. As do the films of Charlie Chaplin, which Arathorn has also been watching.
While Easy Virtue is not a musical music does play a small and entertaining part in the evocation of the 20s mood. I don't know if this has been done before, but the film also takes some late twentieth century classics (Tom Jones' Sexbomb and Billy Ocean's When The Going Gets Tough) and converts them into interwar hits. The result is very entertaining if not plausible! If anyone likes twenties music or the idea of Sexbomb sung by a gentleman with a cut glass accent, I thoroughly recommend the film soundtrack.
I haven't said much about the film's humour or some of the performances apart from Colin Firth's. As with most comedies, Easy Virtue is successful in parts, less so in others. For example, Mrs. Whittaker's chihuahua meets an untimely end under the rear end of Larita. I can imagine worse ways to go... This gag is played not once, but several times as she is forced to stand up and sit down in quick succession. Kristin Scott Thomas has the best line in the film, which comes when she meets Larita for the first time. "Oh, you're American." is delivered in a wonderfully withering manner.
Since watching Easy Virtue, I have been thinking about the plot. It ends quite unconventionally. How I think it should have ended is that Mrs Whittaker was defeated in her machinations and John and Larita drove off to London together - just as they planned to do at the start of the film. How it actually ends is that John stays at the house to become the future lord of the manor and Larita leaves after being exposed as a 'murderer' (she gave poison to - euthanised - her dying first husband). But she does not go alone. Mr. Whittaker follows her. Unconventional as it is, this ending makes perfect sense. Larita is a city girl and her personality clearly incompatible with Mrs. Whittaker's, for as long as the latter continues to be a snob. Mr. Whittaker never wanted to return home after the war, he was just too weak to fend off his wife when she came looking for him. The ending is not morally ideal, but is plausible and most of all one feels appropriate given what we know about the characters.
Easy Virtue is a gentle film. Its humour is bawdy in parts. The actors give every impression of having rather enjoyed making the picture; I hope they did because it brightens up these days of little light and long nights wonderfully. Highly recommended.
The plot comes from a Noel Coward play about an American woman who marries into an upper class English family. Her husband's mother, unfortunately, is a snob of the first order and is determined to drive her new daughter-in-law away from the family house. But she is American and will not, therefore, take this lying down. Cue a battle of wits. Who will triumph?
Easy Virtue stars Jessica Beil as Larita Whittaker, American wife to John Whittaker, played by Ben Barnes. Kristin Scott Thomas plays Mrs. Whittaker; Colin Firth is Mr. Whittaker. Scott Thomas' and Firth's pedigree must be well known. Ben Barnes is relatively new to the silver screen but following a cameo appearance in Stardust he took the lead in Prince Caspian as the eponymous hero. Of Jessica Beil I had no knowledge before this film but unlike one or two critics, I thought she was a good lead.
I said that the film was a little frayed round the edges. I'm thinking here of the way in which it combines comedy and tragedy. Mr. Whittaker survived the Great War. In accordance with his class, he was a captain and lead men into battle. Unlike other officers, he tells Larita, he was not able to bring any of them home. Colin Firth is excellent as Mr. Whittaker, capturing the guilt ridden essence of his character well with his dry humour. But somehow, this aspect of the film does not sit comfortably alongside the humour. I'm not sure why. It is a shame that the film seems to have had only a limited release - it has already left my local cinema - meaning that watching it again will be difficult or impossible. Over the last few days, I have been watching Shakespeare in Love again. I think it combines the comic and tragic very well indeed. As do the films of Charlie Chaplin, which Arathorn has also been watching.
While Easy Virtue is not a musical music does play a small and entertaining part in the evocation of the 20s mood. I don't know if this has been done before, but the film also takes some late twentieth century classics (Tom Jones' Sexbomb and Billy Ocean's When The Going Gets Tough) and converts them into interwar hits. The result is very entertaining if not plausible! If anyone likes twenties music or the idea of Sexbomb sung by a gentleman with a cut glass accent, I thoroughly recommend the film soundtrack.
I haven't said much about the film's humour or some of the performances apart from Colin Firth's. As with most comedies, Easy Virtue is successful in parts, less so in others. For example, Mrs. Whittaker's chihuahua meets an untimely end under the rear end of Larita. I can imagine worse ways to go... This gag is played not once, but several times as she is forced to stand up and sit down in quick succession. Kristin Scott Thomas has the best line in the film, which comes when she meets Larita for the first time. "Oh, you're American." is delivered in a wonderfully withering manner.
Since watching Easy Virtue, I have been thinking about the plot. It ends quite unconventionally. How I think it should have ended is that Mrs Whittaker was defeated in her machinations and John and Larita drove off to London together - just as they planned to do at the start of the film. How it actually ends is that John stays at the house to become the future lord of the manor and Larita leaves after being exposed as a 'murderer' (she gave poison to - euthanised - her dying first husband). But she does not go alone. Mr. Whittaker follows her. Unconventional as it is, this ending makes perfect sense. Larita is a city girl and her personality clearly incompatible with Mrs. Whittaker's, for as long as the latter continues to be a snob. Mr. Whittaker never wanted to return home after the war, he was just too weak to fend off his wife when she came looking for him. The ending is not morally ideal, but is plausible and most of all one feels appropriate given what we know about the characters.
Easy Virtue is a gentle film. Its humour is bawdy in parts. The actors give every impression of having rather enjoyed making the picture; I hope they did because it brightens up these days of little light and long nights wonderfully. Highly recommended.
Wales vs New Zealand
Wales haven't beaten New Zealand on the rugby pitch in over fifty years. At half time yesterday, at the Millennium Stadium, when they lead 9 - 6, it looked like that record might end. But as I have seen with sundry Quins games this season, the team that goes into the dressing room ahead can all too easily be blown away in the second half. So it happened in Cardiff. Loads of territory, loads of possession and twenty unanswered points from the All Blacks saw them swat aside the Welsh team - currently the strongest of the home nations.
I only saw the second half of this game, and such was NZ's domination that it was hard to believe that Wales could ever have taken the lead in the first place. But really, the second half was as much about the All Blacks getting their act together and not giving the Welsh the chance to play the game rather than the latter doing anything particularly badly (although their kicking game did leave a lot to be desired). Earlier in the day, England were thrashed 6 - 42 by South Africa at Twickenham. If they don't get their act together over the next week, goodness knows what New Zealand will do to them next Saturday.
As for Wales, they did score a sort of victory. Following the All Blacks' haka - which ended with the slit throat motion - instead of dispersing, the Welsh team stood their ground to stare the New Zealanders out. Top stuff.
I only saw the second half of this game, and such was NZ's domination that it was hard to believe that Wales could ever have taken the lead in the first place. But really, the second half was as much about the All Blacks getting their act together and not giving the Welsh the chance to play the game rather than the latter doing anything particularly badly (although their kicking game did leave a lot to be desired). Earlier in the day, England were thrashed 6 - 42 by South Africa at Twickenham. If they don't get their act together over the next week, goodness knows what New Zealand will do to them next Saturday.
As for Wales, they did score a sort of victory. Following the All Blacks' haka - which ended with the slit throat motion - instead of dispersing, the Welsh team stood their ground to stare the New Zealanders out. Top stuff.
Quins have no bite
Leicester Tigers 27 Harlequins 14
During the week I received an e-mail from a depressed friend who is an avid Tigers fan. We have lost most of our team either to the internationals or injuries, he told me, We aren't going to beat the Quins on Saturday.
Of course, I knew better than to believe him. Leicester Tigers are the Manchester United of the rugby world. As their first XV is better than most others, so will be their second and even third. That is my explanation for this defeat at Welford Road, yesterday. Of course, I could also point to the fact that Harlequins had a few players missing to the internationals and injuries.
The Telegraph reports that Tigers new man Hougaard was the key figure on the pitch:
During the week I received an e-mail from a depressed friend who is an avid Tigers fan. We have lost most of our team either to the internationals or injuries, he told me, We aren't going to beat the Quins on Saturday.Of course, I knew better than to believe him. Leicester Tigers are the Manchester United of the rugby world. As their first XV is better than most others, so will be their second and even third. That is my explanation for this defeat at Welford Road, yesterday. Of course, I could also point to the fact that Harlequins had a few players missing to the internationals and injuries.
The Telegraph reports that Tigers new man Hougaard was the key figure on the pitch:
Hougaard ran a controlled show and put in a display of unnerving accuracy with the boot.
He nailed four from four in the opening half, the first coming after a dreadful mix-up in the Quins defence led to winger Johne Murphy scoring for Tigers within a minute.
Further kicks on seven and 12 minutes were added to on the half-hour when the 25-year-old converted his own try, a product of sharp work in midfield by the excellent Aaron Mauger and Dan Hipkiss.
While The Times reports that in the second half...
Part two of this season's Tigers - Quins encounter will take place on 27th December at Twickenham Stadium.Quins did raise their game going into the final quarter but they were always playing catchup rugby. Leicester’s defence, boosted by some terrier-like tackling by the fit-again Lewis Moody, was in its usual mean mood. When Junior Polu threatened to break through, it was Moody and Hamilton’s double tackle that brought the Harlequins scrum-half down to earth.
Although Chris Brooker, Quins’ replacement hooker, did manage to scamper over three minutes from time, it was still a day when just about everything clicked for the
home side.
22 November 2008
W. - dir. Oliver Stone
Last night, a group of us went to see Oliver Stone's latest film, W. This, as is well known, is his biography of George W. Bush. Also well known is that the 'W' is pronounced not 'double - u' but 'dubya' according to the Texan accent. Despite that, when we went to buy our tickets, I still asked for one to see 'double u' and only just managed to spit out 'dubya' in case the ticket man had confused W. with another similarly titled but differently pronounced film. Hmm. As for the other guys, including L., they made no cultural compromise and simply asked for tickets for double u. Take that, American cultural imperialism!Anyway, the night before, L. and I had been at the same cinema to see Quantum of Solace. The adverts, as at the first screening, went on interminably. We knew that the adverts preceding W. would not be quite so many, but entering the auditorium at 6:10 (with the programme having been advertised to start at 5:50), we reckoned we would be Just In Time for the start. Not quite. As we walked in, Colin Powell (brilliantly played by Jeffrey Wright - Felix Leiter in Q of S) was talking about a possible invasion of Iraq. Perhaps not so surprisingly, W. had not really appealed to advertisers.
As I understand it, Oliver Stone is a leftie, although what that term means in America, I am not so sure. Fr Longenecker believes that Barack Obama is a socialist (see here) but so is Tony Benn and I am pretty sure that Mr Obama and Mr Benn do not share anything like the same political outlook. If President Obama starts nationalising various industries and taxing the rich heavily then I will change my mind.
Anyway, what I meant to say was that Oliver Stone is a leftie. Despite that, he has portrayed Bush in a very positive light. The film is all the more generous because there is no attempt to hide George W. Bush's flaws, both serious and frivolous; so, for example, in the flashbacks that dominate the film (the 'present time' of which is the lead up to the Iraq war), we see his heavy drinking and failure to settle in any job. And as president, we get to revisit several of the humorous malapropisms for which Bush is famous.
What defines the generosity of the film, however, is the fact that it portrays Bush as being well intentioned in his decision to go to war against Saddam Hussain. There is no hint at all, for example, that he did it for oil. Members of Bush's administration are treated in a less favourable light. The Iraq war for Vice President Dick Cheney (really excellently played by Richard Dreyfuss) is all about oil and American control of it.
George W. Bush is played by Josh Brolin. Just as Robert Downey Jr really made Chaplin with his portrayal of the comedy genius, so Brolin does here. He has the accent and mannerisms down to a tee. That said, he is helped very well by the support cast. Scott Glenn is an appropriately aggressive Donald Rumsfield while Thandie Newton - as with Drefuss with Cheney - just becomes Condoleeza Rice. Unfortunately, I haven't heard Miss Rice speak often enough to know if Newton acts the part well, but the similarity of look is uncanny. One character often in the background is Karl Rove. I know that he was Bush's agent and has a reputation for skullduggery but beyond that, I don't even know what he looks like. Toby Jones plays him in an understated, obedient way that doesn't really accord with this image, though.Brolin's Bush is tormented by his relationship with his father. Jeb Bush, his younger brother, is regarded as the clever one who will go places. Even when George W. becomes Governor of Texas, George Sr will not speak to him face-to-face. He fails to realise, though, that this is not because his father dislikes him, but it is not in his way to do so. Very English, really. When the search for weapons of mass destruction starts to go awry (or rather, when it becomes clear that there are none), George W. has a nightmare in which he is chastised by his father for his failure. Although W. focuses on George Jr, writer Stanley Weiser's eye is not taken off George Sr. He is a little distant and patrician but still a loving father who wants only the best for his son and is still willing to help him despite the many mistakes that junior makes.
It is fashionable these days to make fun of George W. Bush for his malapropisms, the fact that he 'cheated' his way to the presidency in 2000 (liberals and leftwingers tend not to remember that so did John F. Kennedy in 1960, courtesy of his father and the Chigaco mob - maybe it is something about elections carried out in a year ending in 0) and the Iraq war, although the lack of daily coverage that it receives these days indicates that it is under control. But it is far too early to make a statement about where Bush's presidency stands in the annals of American politics or world history. He is, after all, still in office. If anything, this is the ultimate failure of W. Although it gives a convincing account of Bush's White House in the lead up to and aftermath of the Iraq war, there must be much that is still secret that will colour or change our understanding of those heady days in 2003. W., then, as well written and acted as it it, may in due course become obsolete as we learn more in the years to come about what really happened.
20 November 2008
Unlikely Bedfellows
The BBC reports that Gordon Brown is not ruling out changing the law so that instead of having organ donations we get organ confescations instead. This is despite the fact that a panel of experts has said that such a change would not work.
I don't know what the position of the Catholic Church is on this issue, but would hope that it is not beguiled by the confescators' argument. If the Church came out against state snatching of what does not belong to it, I wonder if she would find an ally in pro-abortionists. After all, they disapprove of the Church having any kind of say over what they do with their bodies. To be consistent, they would presumably be equally disinclined to give the state a similar role.
I don't know what the position of the Catholic Church is on this issue, but would hope that it is not beguiled by the confescators' argument. If the Church came out against state snatching of what does not belong to it, I wonder if she would find an ally in pro-abortionists. After all, they disapprove of the Church having any kind of say over what they do with their bodies. To be consistent, they would presumably be equally disinclined to give the state a similar role.
19 November 2008
Educated Catholics: Sowing Dissent
Now, I can't abide stirring any more than Damian Thompson can abide gossip, but I do find myself wondering, how come this story has not found itself onto Holy Smoke?
The Rt Rev Patrick O'Donoghue, the Bishop of Lancaster, has claimed that graduates are spreading scepticism and sowing dissent. Instead of following the Church's teaching they are "hedonistic", "selfish" and "egocentric", he said.Full Article here
In particular, the bishop complained that influential Catholics in politics and the media were undermining the Church.
17 November 2008
bzzzzzz - swat!
Harlequins 32 Wasps 10
An excellent performance by Harlequins saw them tear the visitors apart at the Stoop yesterday. After walking into Twickenham from Richmond, I was still scoffing my hastily bought beefburger when Quins kicked off. The ball was immediately returned by Wasps. Fly Half Chris Malone picked it up and scored a superb drop goal from near the half way line.
Wasps had lost nine first team players to their respective countries, but could still boast players of the quality of van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Voyce, Betsen and Worsley. Despite this, they just didn't function as a team. The game saw some really bad errors from various players. One Wasp, trying to punt the ball up pitch, let his foot skim right over it. Later on, an attempt by van Gisbergen to catch the ball in the Wasps' end zone ended up with the ball hitting in on the head and bouncing away for Chris Robshaw to ground for a try. For Wasps, it was One Of Those Days.
The man of the match for Harlequins was Nick Evans, making his first start since Harlequins' opening game of the season against London Irish. What a game he had! By the end, he had scored nineteen points, including five for an absolutely fantastic try at the end of scything run past the Wasps defence.
Wasps had lost nine first team players to their respective countries, but could still boast players of the quality of van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Voyce, Betsen and Worsley. Despite this, they just didn't function as a team. The game saw some really bad errors from various players. One Wasp, trying to punt the ball up pitch, let his foot skim right over it. Later on, an attempt by van Gisbergen to catch the ball in the Wasps' end zone ended up with the ball hitting in on the head and bouncing away for Chris Robshaw to ground for a try. For Wasps, it was One Of Those Days.
The man of the match for Harlequins was Nick Evans, making his first start since Harlequins' opening game of the season against London Irish. What a game he had! By the end, he had scored nineteen points, including five for an absolutely fantastic try at the end of scything run past the Wasps defence.
This Christmas, Quins play Leicester Tigers over the road at 'HQ' - Twickenham Stadium. They will be playing in redesigned - or rather, recoloured - shirts in support of Cancer Research UK. A very worthy cause (more info on the Quins site here). Mad Max the announcer was sporting the shirt on Sunday, as were one or two other Quins' staff. I wonder what readers think of rugby players (apart from those of Stade Francais) wearing pink!
14 November 2008
Cat Herders
Petrarch's Muse alerted me to this video (and the previous one) today at The Guardian website. The cat herders is my absolute favourite:
13 November 2008
11 November 2008
The Holiday - dir. Nancy Meyers
In an effort to cheer myself up following Sunday's viewing of Gomorrah, I have been watching The Holiday over breakfast these last couple of mornings. As I mentioned on this blog after seeing it at the cinema it is a very silly film and in some respects hardly worth the effort. Two things about it, however, are making it very worth watching. Firstly, the presence of Kate Winslet. A beautiful and excellent actress. The second, Eli Wallach's character.Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) exchange homes in Los Angeles and Surrey one Christmas. While in L.A., Iris meets o.a.p Arthur Abbott. It turns out he was a screenwriter during Hollywood's golden age. While Amanda meets and sleeps with Iris's brother Graham (Jude Law), Iris listens to Arthur's anecdotes about the old days. Amanda's storyline is dull as being so very normal. But it isn't every day one meets a link with a great age now passed, especially with such a pleasing smile, and it is this that is helping to elevate the film's storyline. It is a nice way to start the day.
Remembrance Day
In common with the rest of the country today, my workplace fell silent at 11am. Except, it didn't. Two unfortunate members of staff were in the middle of telephone calls. They saw them through to the end, which, in the circumstances, was rather a brave thing to do. And, I think, the right thing. I wonder though, would they have been justified in bringing the calls to an otherwise premature end in order to observe the silence? And what are we to make of the callers? Perhaps they didn't realise what day and what hour it was, otherwise, why would they have rung? It could have happened that way - I had forgotten what was going to happen until the alarm went off to signify that it now was.
***
It is always with a sense of unworthiness that I think about our armed forces. As with the priesthood, soldiers are a heroic breed. When they join up, that heroism is there in embryonic form. Depending on how their assignments go, they will be given a chance to display the heroism that is within them. As mentioned on television reports a day or so ago, Captain David Hicks received that chance and took it with both hands, even at the cost of his own life. What can we who are left behind - who never put ourselves in his boots - say that doesn't sound ever so trite?
***
It is always with a sense of unworthiness that I think about our armed forces. As with the priesthood, soldiers are a heroic breed. When they join up, that heroism is there in embryonic form. Depending on how their assignments go, they will be given a chance to display the heroism that is within them. As mentioned on television reports a day or so ago, Captain David Hicks received that chance and took it with both hands, even at the cost of his own life. What can we who are left behind - who never put ourselves in his boots - say that doesn't sound ever so trite?
***
Damian Thompson refers to white poppy wearers in his usual blunt fashion. If ever a symbol were unnecessary, it would be this one. Wearers of red poppies, after all, are not indicating a love of war but remembrance of the dead. With that said, Thompson's suggested riposte was equally unnecessary. Thompson is the Donal Blaney of Catholic politics but there is a time and place for pitbull posts and today was not, I would suggest, it.
Damian Thompson refers to white poppy wearers in his usual blunt fashion. If ever a symbol were unnecessary, it would be this one. Wearers of red poppies, after all, are not indicating a love of war but remembrance of the dead. With that said, Thompson's suggested riposte was equally unnecessary. Thompson is the Donal Blaney of Catholic politics but there is a time and place for pitbull posts and today was not, I would suggest, it.
10 November 2008
Dorian Grey in Fleet Street
If Donal Blaney did not exist, someone would have to invent him. In an increasingly faux-nice political world, it is not only good but necessary to have someone who is both intelligent and not afraid to forego niceness for febrility. Blaney's Blarney adds a definite spice to Britain's political discourse. That he manages to do so without swearing like a trooper is his stroke of genius for it puts him in directly in the the tradition of satirists such as Jonathan Swift. Take a look at how often he swore in A Modest Proposal. Clue: he didn't and AMP is one of the greatest works of satire ever written. Of course, Blaney is not a latter day Swift and is certainly not to everyone's liking but Swift aside I like to think at the end of a hard day's blogging the Arch-Attack Dog of Right Wing politics could share a drink with his political foes or even those of different Conservative wings (e.g. Tim Montgomerie).
Which is more than can be said of certain newspapers, which are popmpous, boorish and jejune as a matter of course. Blaney has received word that The Daily Mirror intends to run an attack on him tomorrow following Blaney's, ahem, suggestion that Barack Obama used his grandmother's death on 3rd November to garner more votes and his comparison of Obama's rallies to those of Nuremburg (see here). Having been owned by Cap'n Bob (helpfully pointed out by Mr. B.) the Mirror really ought to know about satire. Though perhaps they have long since gone beyond it.
Now, I am not going to defend what Blaney said, although I am sure I am not the only one to have noticed the photograph of Robert Mugabe on Obama's desk in one of his campaign ads, but his response to the Daily Mirror is very entertaining. Read all about it here. What will they print?
Now, I am not going to defend what Blaney said, although I am sure I am not the only one to have noticed the photograph of Robert Mugabe on Obama's desk in one of his campaign ads, but his response to the Daily Mirror is very entertaining. Read all about it here. What will they print?
On Her Majesty's Secret Service - Ian Fleming
In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, James Bond picks up the trail of Ernst Stavro Blofeld following the interlude of The Spy Who Loved Me. It takes him from France to the Swiss Alps and involves two excellent chase sequences - one on skies and another on bob sleigh.
The book opens in Royale-les-Eaux, the fictional Normandy city, where Bond fought Le Chiffre on the gambling table and where Vesper Lynd is now buried following her suicide. We learn that Bond returns to Royale every year to unwind at the Casino Royale. Given what happened to Vesper, it is a deeply significant choice of location.
By the time of On Her Majesty's Secret Service takes place, several years have passed since the events depicted in Casino Royale. Several years and numerous women have come and gone Bond's way and it is in this fateful city that Bond meets the disturbed young contessa, Teresa di Vicenzo, who will become his wife.
The scenes with Teresa (or Tracy, as she is more commonly known) form the best and worst parts of the book. Fleming is at his absolute best when he describes her intervention at the gambling table - gambling with money she doesn't possess. She loses. And what happens when you lose? You become blacklisted throughout Europe, liquidated if you are not careful. The way Fleming builds up the pressure on Tracy is super. It makes one want to jump into the novel to save her.
Not that Tracy is worried about the pressure - she is suicidal; she does not want to be saved. Not knowing this, James Bond steps in and bails her out. Very soon they end up in bed together. What happens there is described in a tremendously evocative scene. Tracy is a woman who has stepped into an abyss of self-loathing and hatred. This is evinced superbly when she invites Bond to have sex with her however he wishes. It is a very brave scene for Fleming to write because in doing so he is effectively undermining Bond's casual attitude to sex.
Having introduced Tracy in such a promising manner, it is then a shame that Fleming took the book in the direction that he did. First of all he has her father, a crime lord, offer Bond money to marry her. A ridiculous proposition. Then, he writes Tracy out of the story altogether until towards its end. A shame. Tracy di Vicenzo is the most significant Bond girl since Vesper Lynd - perhaps the only one not melt in Bond's arms; she deserved to be in the story more.
However, Bond is on the trail of Blofeld and it is to this pursuit that Fleming now turns. We do so via an unlikely place - the College of Arms in London and the altogether unlikely named Sable Basilisk. Intriguingly, the story is co-dedicated to a Sable Basilisk; surely this is a nom-de-plume?
Anyhow, it is not long before Bond has managed to wangle his way into Blofeld's mountain fastness. He does this by pretending to be a member of the College of Arms who is investigating Blofeld's claim to nobility. He is living in the Alps under the name Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. A few weeks ago, I spoke to L. about OHMSS and he said that of all the assumed names Blofeld could have chosen, de Bleuville was really at the more obvious end. He was right, but then, we happily accept that nobody knows that Clark Kent is Superman.
As it turns out, Blofeld is brainwashing some young ladies so that they will carry biological agents back to Britain to destroy her agricultural economy. Naturally, Bond puts a stop to this devious plan. Once he has done so, he returns to Tracy. And how. Right at the start of the book, fed up with his lot in life, Bond drafts a letter of resignation from the Service. It gets put to one side as he draws closer to Blofeld. But, after meeting Tracy, and independantly of her father's financial offer, he decides to marry her. Following the destruction of Blofeld's lair, he travels to Munich to follow this plan through.
Bond's and Tracy's marriage stretches the bounds of credibility. People do engage in shotgun marriages but after having only known each other for a few days? Maybe it happens, but, unfortunately, Fleming doesn't really pull it off convincingly.
Another unfortunate matter is that while she does not become one of the more simpering Bond girls, Tracy in her marital joy loses the edge that she has at the start of the book. This causes her to also lose a little (just a little) of her distinctiveness as a character.
As anyone who has seen the film version of On Her Majesty's Secret Service knows, Bond's and Tracy's marriage is destined to be a short one. Blofeld esaped from his Alpine home and wrecks a horrible revenge on Bond as a result. Very appropriately, everything happens with great suddenness. This is Fleming at his best again. They are driving, there is gunfire, their car crashes. Tracy is dead and Bond is a broken man. A sad, but exciting, end to the book.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a good Bond novel, though not nearly of the same quality as Casino Royale, Moonraker and From Russia With Love. It is worth reading for the scenes mentioned above involving Tracy di Vicenzo. As much as I could not wait for the release of Quantum of Solace to see how Daniel Craig's Bond reacted to the death of Vesper Lynd, I now cannot wait to see how Fleming's Bond reacts to the death of Tracy in You Only Live Twice.
The book opens in Royale-les-Eaux, the fictional Normandy city, where Bond fought Le Chiffre on the gambling table and where Vesper Lynd is now buried following her suicide. We learn that Bond returns to Royale every year to unwind at the Casino Royale. Given what happened to Vesper, it is a deeply significant choice of location.
By the time of On Her Majesty's Secret Service takes place, several years have passed since the events depicted in Casino Royale. Several years and numerous women have come and gone Bond's way and it is in this fateful city that Bond meets the disturbed young contessa, Teresa di Vicenzo, who will become his wife.
The scenes with Teresa (or Tracy, as she is more commonly known) form the best and worst parts of the book. Fleming is at his absolute best when he describes her intervention at the gambling table - gambling with money she doesn't possess. She loses. And what happens when you lose? You become blacklisted throughout Europe, liquidated if you are not careful. The way Fleming builds up the pressure on Tracy is super. It makes one want to jump into the novel to save her.
Not that Tracy is worried about the pressure - she is suicidal; she does not want to be saved. Not knowing this, James Bond steps in and bails her out. Very soon they end up in bed together. What happens there is described in a tremendously evocative scene. Tracy is a woman who has stepped into an abyss of self-loathing and hatred. This is evinced superbly when she invites Bond to have sex with her however he wishes. It is a very brave scene for Fleming to write because in doing so he is effectively undermining Bond's casual attitude to sex.
Having introduced Tracy in such a promising manner, it is then a shame that Fleming took the book in the direction that he did. First of all he has her father, a crime lord, offer Bond money to marry her. A ridiculous proposition. Then, he writes Tracy out of the story altogether until towards its end. A shame. Tracy di Vicenzo is the most significant Bond girl since Vesper Lynd - perhaps the only one not melt in Bond's arms; she deserved to be in the story more.
However, Bond is on the trail of Blofeld and it is to this pursuit that Fleming now turns. We do so via an unlikely place - the College of Arms in London and the altogether unlikely named Sable Basilisk. Intriguingly, the story is co-dedicated to a Sable Basilisk; surely this is a nom-de-plume?
Anyhow, it is not long before Bond has managed to wangle his way into Blofeld's mountain fastness. He does this by pretending to be a member of the College of Arms who is investigating Blofeld's claim to nobility. He is living in the Alps under the name Comte Balthazar de Bleuville. A few weeks ago, I spoke to L. about OHMSS and he said that of all the assumed names Blofeld could have chosen, de Bleuville was really at the more obvious end. He was right, but then, we happily accept that nobody knows that Clark Kent is Superman.
As it turns out, Blofeld is brainwashing some young ladies so that they will carry biological agents back to Britain to destroy her agricultural economy. Naturally, Bond puts a stop to this devious plan. Once he has done so, he returns to Tracy. And how. Right at the start of the book, fed up with his lot in life, Bond drafts a letter of resignation from the Service. It gets put to one side as he draws closer to Blofeld. But, after meeting Tracy, and independantly of her father's financial offer, he decides to marry her. Following the destruction of Blofeld's lair, he travels to Munich to follow this plan through.
Bond's and Tracy's marriage stretches the bounds of credibility. People do engage in shotgun marriages but after having only known each other for a few days? Maybe it happens, but, unfortunately, Fleming doesn't really pull it off convincingly.
Another unfortunate matter is that while she does not become one of the more simpering Bond girls, Tracy in her marital joy loses the edge that she has at the start of the book. This causes her to also lose a little (just a little) of her distinctiveness as a character.
As anyone who has seen the film version of On Her Majesty's Secret Service knows, Bond's and Tracy's marriage is destined to be a short one. Blofeld esaped from his Alpine home and wrecks a horrible revenge on Bond as a result. Very appropriately, everything happens with great suddenness. This is Fleming at his best again. They are driving, there is gunfire, their car crashes. Tracy is dead and Bond is a broken man. A sad, but exciting, end to the book.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service is a good Bond novel, though not nearly of the same quality as Casino Royale, Moonraker and From Russia With Love. It is worth reading for the scenes mentioned above involving Tracy di Vicenzo. As much as I could not wait for the release of Quantum of Solace to see how Daniel Craig's Bond reacted to the death of Vesper Lynd, I now cannot wait to see how Fleming's Bond reacts to the death of Tracy in You Only Live Twice.
Gomorrah - dir. Matteo Garrone
Last night, I travelled with Pidge and Binger to Swiss Cottage to see Gomorrah, the film adaptation of Roberto Saviano's book of the same name. The film is a bleak unravelling of the lives of various Neapolitans who are involved in different ways with the Comorrah - the Naples mafia.We see two feckless teenagers who want to be gangsters but are reduced to jelly when assaulted by real mafiosi, a boy not yet a teen who betrays a mother to her death, an unscrupulous businessmen illegally dumping poisonous waste in the Italian earth, and more. Gomorrah is 15 rated - there is lots of gunfire and blood but few (if any) graphic scenes of gore - and deserves to be shown in schools. There is no glamorisation of violence in this picture. It shows the true, ugly, corrupt and evil face of gangsterism. As a result, the film is very sad and uncomfortable, though necessary, viewing. For Roberto Saviano, the writing of Gomorrah has been very dangerous - he is now in hiding and under permanent police guard following threats from the real life Comorrah. That tells you all you need to know about the stance of the film.
The vision of Italy that Gomorrah is one sided. We see nothing of her beauty whether in terms of her people or culture. This was a shame as this was certainly a film that needed a little gentleness from time-to-time. Instead, there is just the echo of better things, for example, in young Totò's David Beckham shirt. He clearly likes calcio, but we never see him watching a game.
Despite everything, Gomorrah does not end hopelessly. The wages of sin are death and, sadly, this is what comes to some of the characters, but two others decide enough is enough and in very understated scenes - very in keeping with the low-key, realistic approach of the picture - they walk or drive away from their old lives.
Petrarch's Muse saw Gomorrah a few weeks ago and when we spoke about the film today she - who is Italian - was at pains to point out that the Italy of Gomorrah was not representative of Italy as a whole. Indeed, she herself barely recognised the landscape of Gomorrah's Naples.
Funnily enough, however, she was preaching to the well converted. I have visited Italy a few times now and to me, Italy is the country of splendid churches, buildings centuries old and correspondingly beautiful, Georgio Amani and Roberto Cavalli, Michaelangelo and Rafael. And, of course, the Roman Forum.
Watching Gomorrah, not only did I not recognise its Italy but being rather partial to the one that I know, I did not want to believe that it was a true picture. Alas, however, it is. And for this reason, perhaps, maybe it was good and necessary for me to get a broader and truer picture of the country. We do no one or thing any good by putting them on a pedestal.
If you get the chance, go and see Gomorrah. You may not like it, it will certainly make you miserable, but it is a very powerful and affecting picture.
8 November 2008
Language Matters
I personally have always thought that that at the end of the day certain phrases should not be overused. It's not rocket science to understand why. To begin with they are fairly unique sayings, but, at this moment in time, and with all due respect to those who disagree with me, it's a nightmare when they become clichés. I absolutely believe this and will say the same thing 24/7 if need be. Hmm. Reading back what I have said, maybe I shouldn't of taken the bait.
Hat Tip to The Daily Telegraph
Hat Tip to The Daily Telegraph
Performative Movement in the EF Mass
Reflecting on last Monday's Mass in the Extraordinary Form at our parish, I began thinking about the movement of the Mass. It is, of course, very regulated. In fact, insofar as the priest and server move according to a predefined schedule, it is a performative movement such as you would see on the stage or in a film. As such, it may give the impression of the triumph of rules and regulations over freedom. It is probably for that reason that the more protestant a church that you attend, the less formal is the movement and thus the liturgy - to the point where there is really hardly a liturgy at all.
However, if you attend the theatre or cinema, you do not spend any time thinking about why the actors are moving in the way that they are (as a result, effectively, of rules laid down by the director). You are concentrating on the story that is developing. That is what should be happening at an Extraordinary Form Mass.
By way of an example, what story could possibly be developing when the server moves the Missal from the Epistle Side of the Altar to the Gospel side? This is not a question that a devotee of the Novus Ordo of the Mass should be asking with an air of superiority. Although the performative movement of that Mass happens less, nevertheless, the priest still moves from his seat on the Epistle Side of the Altar to the ambo on the Gospel Side in order to read the Gospel text of the day. Despite this, the above remains a valid question. For me, the answer lies in the creation of a space between the Gospel and the other readings. For, although they are part of Sacred Scripture, the Gospel is still a reading apart from them.
When the server takes the Missal to the bottom of the sanctuary and back again, he is by his actions indicating the specialness of the Gospel and so the importance of what is about to happen. The world has trumpets and fanfare to let everyone know when something special is about to take place. Typically counter cultural, the EF Mass uses silence and space.
However, if you attend the theatre or cinema, you do not spend any time thinking about why the actors are moving in the way that they are (as a result, effectively, of rules laid down by the director). You are concentrating on the story that is developing. That is what should be happening at an Extraordinary Form Mass.
By way of an example, what story could possibly be developing when the server moves the Missal from the Epistle Side of the Altar to the Gospel side? This is not a question that a devotee of the Novus Ordo of the Mass should be asking with an air of superiority. Although the performative movement of that Mass happens less, nevertheless, the priest still moves from his seat on the Epistle Side of the Altar to the ambo on the Gospel Side in order to read the Gospel text of the day. Despite this, the above remains a valid question. For me, the answer lies in the creation of a space between the Gospel and the other readings. For, although they are part of Sacred Scripture, the Gospel is still a reading apart from them.
When the server takes the Missal to the bottom of the sanctuary and back again, he is by his actions indicating the specialness of the Gospel and so the importance of what is about to happen. The world has trumpets and fanfare to let everyone know when something special is about to take place. Typically counter cultural, the EF Mass uses silence and space.
Glenrothes: Maybe a False Positive?
Gordon Brown opted to hold the Glenrothes By-Election in the wake of the American Presidential Election, probably so as to better bury the news if, as seemed likely, the result went in favour of the SNP.
Amazingly, it didn't; Labour won with a 6,000 majority. What a result for the Kremlinologists! On the one hand, it is a poor result for Labour as their majority was slashed by 4,000. On the other hand, the party was expecting to lose the seat altogether, so from that point-of-view, it was a remarkable success.
The most convincing answer to how Labour won Glenrothes was on Adam Boulton's Sky blog. On 5th November, Niall Patterson wrote that Glasgow East, the By-Election which Labour lost in spectacular style a few months ago and Glenrothes were,
Amazingly, it didn't; Labour won with a 6,000 majority. What a result for the Kremlinologists! On the one hand, it is a poor result for Labour as their majority was slashed by 4,000. On the other hand, the party was expecting to lose the seat altogether, so from that point-of-view, it was a remarkable success.
The most convincing answer to how Labour won Glenrothes was on Adam Boulton's Sky blog. On 5th November, Niall Patterson wrote that Glasgow East, the By-Election which Labour lost in spectacular style a few months ago and Glenrothes were,
... hardly parallels of each other[.] [T]he result could still go in Mr Brown's favour.If this is the case, while Labour will rightly celebrate holding onto the Glenrothes seat, they may not want to do so too loudly. For as the economic downtourn hits Glenrothes, even the Labour loyalists there might find their loyalty tested.
Why? A number of reasons. Despite the fact that the SNP won the corresponding Holyrood constituency in 2007, and that the swing needed to win the Westminster seat is less than that in Glasgow East, there is not the same level of anger on the doorstep directed at the PM.
The constituency itself is not simply the town of Glenrothes, but outlying villages as well. And there it remains difficult for people to vote anything other than Labour.
Racist Labour?
This appears to be the week for remarkable claims. First was Fr. Longenecker implicitly equating Thatcherism with the nanny state. Now, Trevor Philips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, accuses the Labour Party of 'institutional racism'. Now, many criticisms may be laid at the door of the Labour Party, but I would never have thought to accuse it of being a racist party let alone institutionally so.
Mr Philips' views carry a certain weight given that he is head of the EHRC but I wonder if he has not spoken a little too quickly here. After all, in the BBC report linked to above, he doesn't cite any specific incident where Labour has been known to act in a racist manner, but just given an opinion, namely, that,
Mr Philips' views carry a certain weight given that he is head of the EHRC but I wonder if he has not spoken a little too quickly here. After all, in the BBC report linked to above, he doesn't cite any specific incident where Labour has been known to act in a racist manner, but just given an opinion, namely, that,
"If Barack Obama had lived here I would be very surprised if even somebody as brilliant as him would have been able to break through the institutional stranglehold that there is on power within the Labour Party."
He described what he saw as "institutional resistance" to selecting black and Asian
candidates.
The nearest Mr Philips comes to providing proof of his claim is the fact that there are currently only 15 ethnic minority Labour MPs. Presumably they slipped through Labour's institutionally racist net? Or perhaps they are the first of a growing number that will come to represent the party that, according to its spokesman,
... produced, among others, the first black woman MP, the first black minister, the first black woman minister, the first black Cabinet minister, the first black woman Cabinet minister and the first black woman mayor."
6 November 2008
James Bond and the Siena Chase
here be spoilers
Following the opening car chase, Mr. White is interrogated by James Bond in an underground Sienese vault. The interrogation does not get very far, however, before a Quantum agent turns on the MI6 bodyguards. He kills them, but fails to get Bond; it is a fatal mistake, for following a chase across the rooftops of Siena, Bond shoots him dead.
The scene is juxtaposed next to the famous Palio horserace. The Daily Telegraph reviewer had this to say about the chase,
All stories are artificial constructs. The trick for writers is to hide this. In real life, James Bond would probably have died during the events recounted in Fleming's Casino Royale, that is, at the beginning of his career. That he survived another twelve books is because his author allowed him to survive experiences which would, should, otherwise have killed him. When you consider how many interventions this implies, both in terms of the thirteen books and twenty two films, to criticise Quantum of Solace because the roof top chase coincides with the Sienese Palio seems a little redundant.
The (ir)relevancy of coincidence aside, I think a case could be made for the juxtaposition of the rooftop and Palio chases in terms of the architecture of the story. The writers could have speeded up the narrative by writing the chase sequence without any alternative scene alongside it. But by inserting the Palio race, they add substance to Bond's story by embedding it in a time (summer) and place (Siena, Italy) that the audience will be able to relate to. These familiar elements give James Bond an strong 'absolute' presence in the world rather than a weaker 'implied' one. The Palio race also gives the audience a break from the frenetic pace of the rooftop race (which follows very closely from the film's opening car chase) without either boring it or, ironically enough, allowing it to catch its breath.
Why would the Quantum of Solace writers want to give their audience a 'break'? Apart from the embedding reason given above, the Palio also gives an excuse for the crowd to get in Bond's and the Quantum agent's way when they come down from the rooftop to continue the chase on terra firma. The Palio also emphasises the fact that Bond and the agent are racing for a prize. For Bond it is the prize of information, for the agent, that of freedom. The film doesn't really need to advertise this fact, that it chooses to do so may be seen as patronising, but surely the opportunity to do so in such a colourful and historical setting is well worth the risk?
Following the opening car chase, Mr. White is interrogated by James Bond in an underground Sienese vault. The interrogation does not get very far, however, before a Quantum agent turns on the MI6 bodyguards. He kills them, but fails to get Bond; it is a fatal mistake, for following a chase across the rooftops of Siena, Bond shoots him dead.
The scene is juxtaposed next to the famous Palio horserace. The Daily Telegraph reviewer had this to say about the chase,
The starting point can be nonsense - when Mr White, murderer of Eva Green's Vesper Lynd, is sprung from captivity in a dungeon beneath Siena, it's too, too Bond that it happens to be on the day, hour and very minute of the Palio horse race.I think his criticism is harsh. The chase had to take place in a moment of time - why should it not take place when the Palio begins? Of course, it is a great coincidence that it does so, but, if I should climb out of my bed at the same moment that the milkman sets down the day's milk, that also is a great coincidence, if a slightly less glamorous one; the point is, though, that even if this happened over and again, nobody would say it is too, too the dúnadan that it happened.
All stories are artificial constructs. The trick for writers is to hide this. In real life, James Bond would probably have died during the events recounted in Fleming's Casino Royale, that is, at the beginning of his career. That he survived another twelve books is because his author allowed him to survive experiences which would, should, otherwise have killed him. When you consider how many interventions this implies, both in terms of the thirteen books and twenty two films, to criticise Quantum of Solace because the roof top chase coincides with the Sienese Palio seems a little redundant.
The (ir)relevancy of coincidence aside, I think a case could be made for the juxtaposition of the rooftop and Palio chases in terms of the architecture of the story. The writers could have speeded up the narrative by writing the chase sequence without any alternative scene alongside it. But by inserting the Palio race, they add substance to Bond's story by embedding it in a time (summer) and place (Siena, Italy) that the audience will be able to relate to. These familiar elements give James Bond an strong 'absolute' presence in the world rather than a weaker 'implied' one. The Palio race also gives the audience a break from the frenetic pace of the rooftop race (which follows very closely from the film's opening car chase) without either boring it or, ironically enough, allowing it to catch its breath.
Why would the Quantum of Solace writers want to give their audience a 'break'? Apart from the embedding reason given above, the Palio also gives an excuse for the crowd to get in Bond's and the Quantum agent's way when they come down from the rooftop to continue the chase on terra firma. The Palio also emphasises the fact that Bond and the agent are racing for a prize. For Bond it is the prize of information, for the agent, that of freedom. The film doesn't really need to advertise this fact, that it chooses to do so may be seen as patronising, but surely the opportunity to do so in such a colourful and historical setting is well worth the risk?
The Iron Nanny
Fr. Dwight Longenecker takes one of his occasional pops at life in England today by referring to a Daily Telegraph report on guidelines issued by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). In a post titled 'Feed Fido And Go Directly to Jail', Fr. Longenecker has a well directed dig at socialism - never a difficult thing to do - before referring to "a law in Britain that will send you to jail for giving your pooch snacks from the table. Believe it if you can."
Of course, you can't because what the good father says is not true. But hold, he adds in the comments that he exaggerated the story for comic effect. That makes me wonder - was the previous paragraph's mini-rant also an exaggeration for comic effect? I hope it was, for then I will know that we will never have to take his tiresome criticisms of this country seriously ever again. But if not, I think he can be a little criticised for wanting to have his cake and eat it.
What makes that second paragraph so amusing though, is the thought that Fr. Longenecker's 25 years in Britain encompassed the 80s. Is there anyone alive apart from him who believes that the age of Thatcherism was the time when,
Of course, you can't because what the good father says is not true. But hold, he adds in the comments that he exaggerated the story for comic effect. That makes me wonder - was the previous paragraph's mini-rant also an exaggeration for comic effect? I hope it was, for then I will know that we will never have to take his tiresome criticisms of this country seriously ever again. But if not, I think he can be a little criticised for wanting to have his cake and eat it.
What makes that second paragraph so amusing though, is the thought that Fr. Longenecker's 25 years in Britain encompassed the 80s. Is there anyone alive apart from him who believes that the age of Thatcherism was the time when,
Every time you turned around the government was coming up with some new kind of 'nanny state' law to control everybody and turn everyone into 'good citizens'.
5 November 2008
All Souls' Day
Monday was All Souls' Day and for the first time since the introduction of the Novus Ordo Mass, the parish celebrated Mass in the Extraordinary Form at our parish church. Here are a few photos. I hope mre will follow on the Roman Miscellany. I will certainly be uploading some to the parish website and will let you know when they are there.
Your priest and his server
Close up of the altar
The Mass gets underway
The Elevation of the consecrated Host
Swish!It was a rainy Monday night, but around 70 people turned up so that must represent a good success! Big, big thanks to SisterEvs who took the photos. You can see a few more photographs on her blog here.
Going Out In A Little Style
Worcester Warriors 14 Harlequins 27
Last Saturday, Harlequins played Worcester in the last match in the group stage of the EDF Anglo-Welsh Cup. Quins were not in the running to proceed to the semi final, so for them it was a 'dead rubber'. With that said, Dean Richards, Quins Director of Rugby, was not taking the game lightly.
Last Saturday, Harlequins played Worcester in the last match in the group stage of the EDF Anglo-Welsh Cup. Quins were not in the running to proceed to the semi final, so for them it was a 'dead rubber'. With that said, Dean Richards, Quins Director of Rugby, was not taking the game lightly.
"We viewed it as an important game as it is the final one of this stage of matches and I wanted a lot of our players to try a few things out before they have a week off.The Daily Telegraph testified to the fact that Quins did not go to Worcester to lie down and take the defeat.
"The competition is a worthwhile one but if you lose the first fixture as we did against the Ospreys then you are virtually out of the competition."
BBC Website
Harlequins were already out of the competition but if anyone thought that they were going to be a soft touch, they were mistaken. Quins won here last month in the league and they used this one to lay down foundations for battles to come.Worcester could have gone through to the semi-final, if they had scored four tries and if results elsewhere had gone their way. In the event-
They could and probably should have won for there were multiple set-plays in the Harlequins 22 in the last 20 minutes. But their scrum was turned over on the opposition line and even when they finally won their own lineout in the last seconds, Tosh Masson, the Harlequins centre, intercepted and Mike Brown got away to score in the right corner to put a gloss on the scoreline.
The Times
4 November 2008
Liveblog of the American Election
Other live bloggers:
4:01am
There it is. The BBC call the election for Barack Obama. I don't think anyone will argue with that prediction! Well, it has been a good contest - very, very close. Obama dominates the Electoral College vote but seems not to have won a landslide in terms of the popular vote. While Obama has done very well to win, it seems to me that such is the closeness of many of the battles that if things went badly for Obama in office it would not take much to tip the balance in the Republicans' favour. It may not be in reality, but America does rather feel like a marginal constituancy. We'll see. In the meantime, well done to Obama and we wait to see how he will do in office.
That's it from me. Normal service on the blog tomorrow. Or rather, later on today.
3:57am
Three minutes till the polls in Calif. close...
3:51am
David Dimbleby on the BBC says that the Race to the White House could be over in less than ten minutes - once the polls close in California and the other western states. The Electoral College votes that these states have could / should push Obama to the 270 he needs for overall victory.
In the studio, one pundit has a very gloomy picture of a Republican Party that has neglected swathes of supporters and is now left with a 'white rural rump'. If it is going to win again, it needs to greatly broaden its appeal. Of course it will and it will win again.
3:37am
Ohio has been called for Obama. Will Florida follow?
3:29am
Now, that's dignity you can't buy. Elizabeth Dole lost her Senate seat this evening. In her concession speech, she asked her people to pray for the winner and promised to help make the transition a smooth one.
3:28am
Algeezer is nothing if not consistent - Ophra Winfrey appears on ITV so back we go the BBC!
3:19am
Barring a sudden swing to the right, Barack Obama will win the election, but he hasn't yet; nevertheless, an ITV journalist is now talking to the Rev. Jesse Jackson as if it was now all over. Well, it may be, but until Obama passes the 270 Electoral College mark, he really ought to have a bit more respect for the voting process.
3:11am
Eddy Izzard appears on the Beeb. Disgusted of London (Algeezer) turns the TV back to ITV. The ITV man at McCain's campaign hotel says that McCain has just arrived and is in a very low mood. As for the Republican party, after this election it can look forward to a period of civil war between its right and moderate wings. All very ominous, but weren't they saying the same thing after George Bish Sr lost to Clinton? And then came along Newt Gingrich et al. I must look that up.
Back in the studio, if I have just heard correctly, a President Obama might ask Britain to send more troops to Iraq. I approve of this. Although I am no more keen on this fight than anyone else, now that we are in it, we should see it out to the end. But didn't Obama earlier campaign on withdrawing U.S. troops from the Middle East?
2:55am
The race to the White House isn't technically over but Donal Blaney has already posted his analysis of what needs to be done next by the Republican Party in order to win the next election.
2:49am
It's time to think about the previous presidents I have known.
Ronald Reagan was the man with the lovely smile and charming manner. Despite invading Granada (ours) and Irangate, I bet I would have voted for him everytime. He spent bucketloads on the military and brought down the Soviet Union. Top Banana. I miss him.
George Bush Sr. "No new taxes!" he said before proceeding to introduce new taxes.
Bill Clinton. A sleazy version of Ronald Reagan.
George W Bush. So the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are "illegal"? Illegal to who? The UN? Quite possibly I'd buy that to get rid of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban.
2:41am
It is always funny to think that the greatest democracy in the world isn't actually a democracy at all. At least, in respect of the presidential election, not a direct one. Thus, while the share of the popular vote is only 50% - 49% in Obama's favour he is 200 - 124 Electoral College seats ahead of McCain. The winner needs 270.
2:34am
Algeezer says BBC pundit looks like Martin O'Neill! Next to him is John Bolton and his savage moustache.
2:32am
I forgot to mention that McCain won Arkensas - Bill Clinton's stamping ground. His home state of Arizona remains too close to call. I wonder what is happening in Texas. I imagine it is Republican to the hilt.
2:30am
Blimey. Now Arathorn has wandered in. No sign of the foxes though.
2:28am
Algeezer is back and the BBC are - again - calling Ohio for Obama. On Dale's blog, they are saying that CNN is about to make a 'major projection'...
2:11am
Algeezer has left the room. Will he return? Apparently the BBC are no longer calling Ohio for Obama. It's all too close! Outside, there is quiet - the foxes must be watching the election in their dens!
2:07am
Are we now already entering the endgame of this election? Obama is 175 - 70 electoral college votes up. Florida, Ohio and Virginia are too close to call - although the BBC is calling Ohio for Obama. If they do go to him, that is surely the end even though California with all its votes has yet to speak.
1:41am
The Good Ol' Boys do their duty and bring in Georgia for McCain. But I want to know about Alabama where Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café - one of my favourite films - was set.
1:33am
Disaster strikes as Berry Cat reopens a wound in my hand. On Sunday evening, in the aftermath of Lewis Hamilton's F1 triumph, I accidentally smashed a glass and then, while picking up the glass, cut my hand. The cut had been healing nicely until I started stroking Berry a bit too aggressively on his scratching post a moment ago. Of course he clawed me and of course one of his claws got the cut. Ouch!
1:30am
ITV interview a fellow who is not only British but is out for a kebab! Good to see the Brits keeping it real abroad!
1:22am
Earlier this evening I heard someone on Radio Five Live say that what was so good about Obama's candidacy was that it showed that any citizen of the U.S. could stand for the presidency. After all, if a black man could do it - the problem with this statement, though, is that Obama is a very rich black man. And rich is still what you need to be to enter the White House.
1:18am
ITV pundit says that Americans are desperate for change and that's why they are voting for Obama. But what change will he really bring? Withdrawl from Iraq and Afghanistan? Putting the UN before American interests? Free healthcare - or at least a healthcare system that doesn't rely on people's ability to pay? Obama isn't a socialist. In British terms he is a liberal Conservative, something that makes the left wing support for him in this country a bit funny (peculiar).
1:16am
Donal 'Mad Dog' Blaney said a few moments ago on Dale's blog that if McCain loses Florida he is toast. Donal Blaney is more right wing than Atilla the Hun so when he says something like that, it can't be good for McCain.
1:00am
ITV call Pennsylvania and New Hampshire for Obama. Penn' is supposed to be a key state. Is this the beginning of his march to Washington DC? Paul Burgin said that by 1am we'd know where this election was going!
12:59am
Cowboys for Barack have a website! Thanks Google. It is here. Isn't democracy grand!
12:56am
A rather camp but nice fellow from pressure group Cowboys For Barack appears on ITV. He is definitely more Heath Ledger than Clint Eastwood. Said cowboy (who lives in a city) is determined to restore the image of cowboys from that failed faux cowboy George Bush. Apparently Bush is from Connecticut not Texas where he lives.
12:49am
South Carolina being called for McCain. But on Iain Dale's blog, they are saying that McCain has made what sounds like a concession speech on his aeroplane. Oh dear.
12:41am
So, there we are watching the ITV coverage when Al Gore is mentioned. Suddenly Algeezer says "Manbearpig". Me; "Eh?". Algeezer: "Manbearpig. Wiki him up." Can't approve of this verbing of a noun (although verbing is probably not a word) but I do so. It is a reference to an episode of South Park featuring Al Gore.
ITV: Projection of vote: 49% Obama, 46% McCain. But as they say, the Presidential election is not decided by one man, one vote. Sir Bob Worcester adjusts the figure to 51% BO, 48% JMcM
12:33am
The key states of Florida and Ohio are too close to call. Ooooh. Speaking of triumphs, wouldn't it be good if the winning candidate resurrected the Roman Triumph?
12:30am
Excited Democrats arrive for what they hope / expect to be Obama's triumphal speech at a local park. Let's hope for their sake that this isn't hubris. I have to admit, though, one reason I would like McCain to win is to see the faces of all those liberals who not only support Obama but do so in such a patronising manner towards Republicans and McCain and Palin.
12:23am
I have been taking a quick look at a few of the British Catholic blogs. The election has not fired a great deal of interest there. Not a surprise, but a shame as the choice of American President will no doubt have an effect on Catholics. We are still on ITV. Berry has gone to sleep.
12:15am
Gaah! The BBC are carrying an interview with the political titan that isn't Ricky Gervais! Why?! My bruv, Algeezer, has turned the TV over to ITV in disgust. We need to get Sky TV as soon as possible.
12:05am
John McCain takes an 8-3 lead in the Electoral College (EC). A Republican rout, er, probably won't follow!
11:58pm
EXCLUSIVE Paul Burgin is calling the election for Barack Obama!
Actually, he is reporting that Fox News is calling it for the Big O (Mk II) but it feels jolly exciting saying it.
11:52pm
Alot is being made of the fact that if Obama wins he will be the first black American President. But this is no great shakes to anyone who knows their history. After all, Septimus Severus - Roman emperor between 193 - 211 - was born in Libya. McCain should have made more of this.
11:42pm
John Simpson at the Beeb doesn't think there is much anxiety among Democrats that victory will be torn away from them. This is the man who claimed that he liberated Kabul!
11:35pm
Berry Cat jumps onto my knee. Blogging could be awkward if that happens again. BBC pundit with a dodgy moustache says there have been voting problems in some areas where Obama has a lead. the ghost of 2000 looms...
... speaking of ghosts, is it just me who can't help but see the White House behind Dimbley without thinking of 1812? Hee Hee.
11:29pm
The BBC coverage of the Presidential election has just started. The polls are open for another hour on the east coast so both Obama and McCain have the princely sum of 0 votes in the electoral college. If the polls are to be believed, this is as close as the election will get tonight. From midnight onwards (when the first polls close), it will be Obama all the way.
Liveblogging the American Election
Tonight I will be liveblogging the American Presidential Election. I will try and stay up for as long as possible to give all readers (or perhaps the reader) of Cally's Kitchen the, er, best quality political insight that will not have been just ripped off from Iain Dale's Diary.
The idea for this liveblog has come from Paul Burgin at Mars Hill. He is supporting Barack Obama. Unfortunately, Paul has no Roman sensibility, otherwise he would have supported John McCain. Here are my two articles on why Caesarians should support McCain. They were first published on my Facebook group I Would Have Crossed The Rubicon With Caesar. Please excuse the earthy language in the second article - but it was a quotation.
The idea for this liveblog has come from Paul Burgin at Mars Hill. He is supporting Barack Obama. Unfortunately, Paul has no Roman sensibility, otherwise he would have supported John McCain. Here are my two articles on why Caesarians should support McCain. They were first published on my Facebook group I Would Have Crossed The Rubicon With Caesar. Please excuse the earthy language in the second article - but it was a quotation.
***
22nd October 2008.
The American Presidential election is less than two weeks away and Caesarians in that great country will be giving great thought to which candidate deserves their vote.
Or will they? The answer, after all, is an easy one: John McCain. Why? Simple, because he was a soldier and it was through their army that Rome became great.
Barack Obama is no doubt a decent chap. But his middle name is Hussein and when I think of Hussein I think of the Middle East, and that makes me think of Iran which makes me think of Parthia - Rome's mortal enemy. Then I need to go and lie down before I start thinking about Carrhae. Grrrrr.
[pause in writing while the author takes deep breaths]
Back to Barack. It's true that his oratory is pretty good. Perhaps not Ciceronian but he knows how to deliver a line. Obama's problem though is that he has been a senator for just four years. In terms of the cursus honorum, Obama is only midway through the military service that will allow him to step onto the political ladder as a quaestor.
And then, of course, there is the vexatious question of Joe Biden. Sadly, I was wrong when I said that his boringness had caused UNESCO to declare him an enemy of world peace. In fact, it wants to make him the first human heritage site. Imagine. Who would spend a dollar visiting someone so dull?
To John McCain. The biggest blot in his copybook is that he survived being captured by the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. A Roman general would have rather died than let himself be captured (even Varus managed to do this). The only thing to be said in McCAin's favour was that he was rather badly injured at the time, so perhaps not in the best shape to fall on his sword. But still, it can only be embarrassing to him that Cato managed it.
In McCain's favour is the following:
1. He is a life long gambler. "Iacta alea est" said the greatest Roman gambler of all.
2. He is a politcal maverick. Just like Marius, Sulla, Mark Antony and all the other men who meant something in Rome
3. He is a reformer (e.g. finance). Caesar in his last days had great plans to reform the state of Rome
4. Sarah Palin. She is beautiful and she hunts
5. He has overcome serious illness. Caesar, of course, suffered from epilepsy
I trust that any American reading this article is now convinced of his duty to vote for McCain. Put simply, it is what Rome would have wanted.
22nd October 2008.
The American Presidential election is less than two weeks away and Caesarians in that great country will be giving great thought to which candidate deserves their vote.
Or will they? The answer, after all, is an easy one: John McCain. Why? Simple, because he was a soldier and it was through their army that Rome became great.
Barack Obama is no doubt a decent chap. But his middle name is Hussein and when I think of Hussein I think of the Middle East, and that makes me think of Iran which makes me think of Parthia - Rome's mortal enemy. Then I need to go and lie down before I start thinking about Carrhae. Grrrrr.
[pause in writing while the author takes deep breaths]
Back to Barack. It's true that his oratory is pretty good. Perhaps not Ciceronian but he knows how to deliver a line. Obama's problem though is that he has been a senator for just four years. In terms of the cursus honorum, Obama is only midway through the military service that will allow him to step onto the political ladder as a quaestor.
And then, of course, there is the vexatious question of Joe Biden. Sadly, I was wrong when I said that his boringness had caused UNESCO to declare him an enemy of world peace. In fact, it wants to make him the first human heritage site. Imagine. Who would spend a dollar visiting someone so dull?
To John McCain. The biggest blot in his copybook is that he survived being captured by the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. A Roman general would have rather died than let himself be captured (even Varus managed to do this). The only thing to be said in McCAin's favour was that he was rather badly injured at the time, so perhaps not in the best shape to fall on his sword. But still, it can only be embarrassing to him that Cato managed it.
In McCain's favour is the following:
1. He is a life long gambler. "Iacta alea est" said the greatest Roman gambler of all.
2. He is a politcal maverick. Just like Marius, Sulla, Mark Antony and all the other men who meant something in Rome
3. He is a reformer (e.g. finance). Caesar in his last days had great plans to reform the state of Rome
4. Sarah Palin. She is beautiful and she hunts
5. He has overcome serious illness. Caesar, of course, suffered from epilepsy
I trust that any American reading this article is now convinced of his duty to vote for McCain. Put simply, it is what Rome would have wanted.
***
30/8/08) Mr Barack Obama has been making headlines this week as the first (a) black (b) mixed race - commentators seem unable to decide which - man ever to be nominated by the Democrats or Republicans as their presidential candidate.
As for Mr Obama himself, as he looks forward to a new golden age for America under his presidency, he wisely lets himself be inspired by another great time. I am sure no one missed the sight of the Doric columns at the Invesco Stadium in Denver. They invoke, of course, the memory of ancient Greece. This theme has been picked up by political cartoonists in Britain:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/christian_adams/blog/2008/08/29/roundup_of_todays_cartoons
"Hail Obama!'' It is not only Greece that is being invoked, but Rome too. As you might expect, the sight of a President Obama would not have fazed a Roman. It had an African-Roman emperor in Septimus Severus in AD 193.
As for Greece, let's hope Mr Obama does not take the analogy too far. As Mark Antony says in one of the last episodes of the splendid series 'Rome', "The Greeks. Fuck them. They talk too much." We have the United Nations to follow the ancient Greek example, America doesn't need to as well. Of course, for a while, the Greeks did get things done but then along came a stronger nation and that was that.
Meanwhile, what about Mr McCain, 'Candidate Obama's' rival claimant for the American throne? On 29th August he celebrated his 72nd birthday. Between the reigns of Augustus and Theodosius (d. 395), McCain is only younger than Gordion I (c. 159 - 238) who was 79 when he came to power and Pupienus (164 - 238) who was 74. Neither of these emperors are known for achieving great things while in office, but lest supporters of Mr Obama crow about this, let us remind ourselves that some of the most lunatic emperors were also the youngest - Nero was 17 when he came to power in 54 and Egalabus 14 when his reign began in 218.
About Senator Joseph Biden I can find nothing interesting to say. I read that he has been taken on as an 'attack dog'. From the look of him, I think he will prove as dangerous opponent as the army of the King Pharnaces II of Pontus in the battle of Zela.
As for Sarah Palin, I understand that she has called herself a 'hockey mom'. I wonder if she has the strength to be a Livia. If she does, John McCain had better watch his back if he wins the Presidency and a second term, for then he will be 77 - the age when, so it is alleged, Augustus was poisoned by his wife Livia so that her son Tiberius could take power.
***
God Bless Rome! And, of course, America.
As for Mr Obama himself, as he looks forward to a new golden age for America under his presidency, he wisely lets himself be inspired by another great time. I am sure no one missed the sight of the Doric columns at the Invesco Stadium in Denver. They invoke, of course, the memory of ancient Greece. This theme has been picked up by political cartoonists in Britain:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/christian_adams/blog/2008/08/29/roundup_of_todays_cartoons
"Hail Obama!'' It is not only Greece that is being invoked, but Rome too. As you might expect, the sight of a President Obama would not have fazed a Roman. It had an African-Roman emperor in Septimus Severus in AD 193.
As for Greece, let's hope Mr Obama does not take the analogy too far. As Mark Antony says in one of the last episodes of the splendid series 'Rome', "The Greeks. Fuck them. They talk too much." We have the United Nations to follow the ancient Greek example, America doesn't need to as well. Of course, for a while, the Greeks did get things done but then along came a stronger nation and that was that.
Meanwhile, what about Mr McCain, 'Candidate Obama's' rival claimant for the American throne? On 29th August he celebrated his 72nd birthday. Between the reigns of Augustus and Theodosius (d. 395), McCain is only younger than Gordion I (c. 159 - 238) who was 79 when he came to power and Pupienus (164 - 238) who was 74. Neither of these emperors are known for achieving great things while in office, but lest supporters of Mr Obama crow about this, let us remind ourselves that some of the most lunatic emperors were also the youngest - Nero was 17 when he came to power in 54 and Egalabus 14 when his reign began in 218.
About Senator Joseph Biden I can find nothing interesting to say. I read that he has been taken on as an 'attack dog'. From the look of him, I think he will prove as dangerous opponent as the army of the King Pharnaces II of Pontus in the battle of Zela.
As for Sarah Palin, I understand that she has called herself a 'hockey mom'. I wonder if she has the strength to be a Livia. If she does, John McCain had better watch his back if he wins the Presidency and a second term, for then he will be 77 - the age when, so it is alleged, Augustus was poisoned by his wife Livia so that her son Tiberius could take power.
***
God Bless Rome! And, of course, America.
Latin All The Way
Stop Press: Last night we celebrated Mass in the Extraordinary Form at my parish church. All things being equal, it went very well. SisterEvs took photos and they will be appearing soon - perhaps tonight if the American election gets dull.
Cyber Shot Alright
Less than two weeks ago I upgraded my mobile phone to a Sony Ericsson Cybershot. If you do the same, be mindful of the fact that although it is a sleek and lovely looking phone, it also has the ability to log you on to the internet from the mainscreen. In fact, if you are unwary and press the 'O2' button by accident, your phone will spend the whole night on the blooming internet like mine just has! I am not looking forward to this month's bill.
This is my phone. Yes, I did pick it because of James Bond. As I had no idea of what upgrade I wanted when I went to the O2 shop to choose one, a phone with a Bond theme seemed a good idea at the time! As you can see, the keys are squashed together. The offending O2 button is in the top right corner.
1 November 2008
Mass on Monday. Be There. be Holy.
This coming Monday (3rd) we will be celebrating All Souls' Day at my parish church. The 8pm Mass will be said according to the Extraordinary Form. I will be serving and Fr. Nicholas celebrating. All things being equal, we will have photographs to share as SisterEvs has agreed to take some for us. Naturally the mistakes, which I won't make anyway, will not be published! Quantum of Solace
here be spoilers
As is well known, Quantum of Solace is the sequel to Casino Royale. Vesper Lynd is dead. Whose blackmail forced her to kill herself? Bond is on the trail to find out. The pre-title sequence picks up the story with Bond transporting Mr. White - the apparent mastermind behind the blackmail and who he shot at the end of the last film - through the Italian countryside to an MI6 safe house in Siena. But if Mr. White is to be interrogated, Bond must first outrun and outwit gunmen who have suddenly appeared behind him. They are friends of Mr White. How did they find out about his capture so quickly? As Mr. White says later, his people are everywhere...
The chase is short and frenetic and defines the pace of the film. Quantum of Solace is strong on action but very weak on plot and dialogue. The harm that this does the picture, however, is limited by the fact that perhaps for the first time in James Bond's 40 year film history, this film is more about the character of Bond than the story of would-be world dominators. Quantum of Solace is Bond's dark night of the soul. How will he react to Vesper's death? The film is thoroughly uncompromising in its answer. Of course, he will go on the trail of her killers. If they oppose him, however, he will kill them. It is not long into the film that M is exasperated by the fact that leads keep running dry (or rather, dying) before information can be extracted from them.
Regarding the dialogue issue, when you have a protagonist who is a force of nature, there is really not much need for it. He says all that he needs to by his actions. So with James Bond. Apart from killing his enemies, we see him steal a photograph of Vesper and drink the vesper martini that he created in Casino Royale. It is Bond's tragedy that his dark night does not lead to any kind of redemption and peace. In this film, he almost embraces the night. It makes Quantum of Solace are heart tearingly sad film because it is not as if Bond really wants to be there. But the 'inconsolable rage' over Vesper's death, which M correctly identifies in him, is his master and he is not ready yet to let it go.
As I said, the plot is light. So far as it exists, it involves an attempt by the mysterious organisation Quantum (a modern day SMERSH) to buy a portion of Bolivian desert so as to exploit its natural underground resources. Quantum is made up of the very rich and very powerful from around the world. To make matters worse, it is in with the American government. This allows for a welcome, albeit brief and moody, return to the fray for Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). Also reappearing is Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis.
Mathis' return is quite interesting. Late in the film, we find out that 'Mathis' is actually his covername. This offers the tantalising possibility that 'James Bond' is also a covername. If it is, it would make sense of the changes of actors in the role. By-and-large, however, the James Bond film makers do not usually make such use of continuity so I doubt that it is a point that would or will be developed. With that said, past Bond films have never made a point of referencing previous pictures but we have two here - look out for the Haitian coffins (Live and Let Die) and the oily fate of Miss Fields (Goldfinger).
I haven't mentioned the villain, yet. He is Dominic Greene, played by Mathieu Amalric. As villain he does not have to extend himself too far - it is his bad luck to be in the one Bond film which really does not require an enemy - but is suitably evil when he does appear.
If the villain was hardly necessary, the same may be said for the Bond girl. Olga Kurylenko plays Camille whose family were murdered by Quantum ally and would-be dictator General Medrano (Joaquín Cosio). Naturally, she is out for revenge. But with Bond already on a revenge mission, her subplot seems somewhat superfluous. It is indicative of the emotional anguish that the two characters are going through that they never fall into bed with each other (in a wholly superfluous scene, however, Bond does bed Miss Fields). To the writers' credit, this distance is maintained to the end.
As with all Bond films, Quantum of Solace visits many different locations. Instead of using the normal plain captions to specify where we have now moved to, fonts that evoke the culture of the city or country being visited are used. This simple and very effective device also gives the film an episodic feel that helps to gives a sense of the length of time that Bond's mission takes to complete.
I referred to the pace of the film above. I must commend the action scenes. The initial car chase is, as I said, short but very intense. It is followed up by an excellent rooftop chase across Siena. The car chase was my favourite action sequence in the picture (my favourite scene generally being Bond's and Mathis's last one) but the aeroplane flight amongst the others is worthy of mention.
Daniel Craig has said that Quantum of Solace wraps up all the threads left bare by Casino Royale, but I don't think it does. Quantum is not destroyed and one villain is still free at the end. There is space for a loose trilogy to be created here. One thread which is dealt with is the matter of Vesper Lynd's boyfriend. Although it is (apparently) referred to in Casino Royale, I did not realise or remember his true role in her betrayal of Bond until the last scene of Quantum of Solace when Bond finally catches up with him. It is a very good scene.
So, despite its faults, Quantum of Solace was for me a good film. In the way it plays with Bond film conventions it manages to be both unusual and predictable. The chief memory I will have of it though is the weight of sadness upon James Bond's shoulders after the death of Vesper and its bitter consequences both for him and others. I would definitely recommend this film. Seen in its proper light it is much better than critics have given it credit for. Be warned though, you may feel the need to watch a romantic comedy afterwards. James Bond has gone from Jason Bourne to an even darker knight.
The chase is short and frenetic and defines the pace of the film. Quantum of Solace is strong on action but very weak on plot and dialogue. The harm that this does the picture, however, is limited by the fact that perhaps for the first time in James Bond's 40 year film history, this film is more about the character of Bond than the story of would-be world dominators. Quantum of Solace is Bond's dark night of the soul. How will he react to Vesper's death? The film is thoroughly uncompromising in its answer. Of course, he will go on the trail of her killers. If they oppose him, however, he will kill them. It is not long into the film that M is exasperated by the fact that leads keep running dry (or rather, dying) before information can be extracted from them.
Regarding the dialogue issue, when you have a protagonist who is a force of nature, there is really not much need for it. He says all that he needs to by his actions. So with James Bond. Apart from killing his enemies, we see him steal a photograph of Vesper and drink the vesper martini that he created in Casino Royale. It is Bond's tragedy that his dark night does not lead to any kind of redemption and peace. In this film, he almost embraces the night. It makes Quantum of Solace are heart tearingly sad film because it is not as if Bond really wants to be there. But the 'inconsolable rage' over Vesper's death, which M correctly identifies in him, is his master and he is not ready yet to let it go.
As I said, the plot is light. So far as it exists, it involves an attempt by the mysterious organisation Quantum (a modern day SMERSH) to buy a portion of Bolivian desert so as to exploit its natural underground resources. Quantum is made up of the very rich and very powerful from around the world. To make matters worse, it is in with the American government. This allows for a welcome, albeit brief and moody, return to the fray for Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). Also reappearing is Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis.
Mathis' return is quite interesting. Late in the film, we find out that 'Mathis' is actually his covername. This offers the tantalising possibility that 'James Bond' is also a covername. If it is, it would make sense of the changes of actors in the role. By-and-large, however, the James Bond film makers do not usually make such use of continuity so I doubt that it is a point that would or will be developed. With that said, past Bond films have never made a point of referencing previous pictures but we have two here - look out for the Haitian coffins (Live and Let Die) and the oily fate of Miss Fields (Goldfinger).
I haven't mentioned the villain, yet. He is Dominic Greene, played by Mathieu Amalric. As villain he does not have to extend himself too far - it is his bad luck to be in the one Bond film which really does not require an enemy - but is suitably evil when he does appear.
If the villain was hardly necessary, the same may be said for the Bond girl. Olga Kurylenko plays Camille whose family were murdered by Quantum ally and would-be dictator General Medrano (Joaquín Cosio). Naturally, she is out for revenge. But with Bond already on a revenge mission, her subplot seems somewhat superfluous. It is indicative of the emotional anguish that the two characters are going through that they never fall into bed with each other (in a wholly superfluous scene, however, Bond does bed Miss Fields). To the writers' credit, this distance is maintained to the end.
As with all Bond films, Quantum of Solace visits many different locations. Instead of using the normal plain captions to specify where we have now moved to, fonts that evoke the culture of the city or country being visited are used. This simple and very effective device also gives the film an episodic feel that helps to gives a sense of the length of time that Bond's mission takes to complete.
I referred to the pace of the film above. I must commend the action scenes. The initial car chase is, as I said, short but very intense. It is followed up by an excellent rooftop chase across Siena. The car chase was my favourite action sequence in the picture (my favourite scene generally being Bond's and Mathis's last one) but the aeroplane flight amongst the others is worthy of mention.
Daniel Craig has said that Quantum of Solace wraps up all the threads left bare by Casino Royale, but I don't think it does. Quantum is not destroyed and one villain is still free at the end. There is space for a loose trilogy to be created here. One thread which is dealt with is the matter of Vesper Lynd's boyfriend. Although it is (apparently) referred to in Casino Royale, I did not realise or remember his true role in her betrayal of Bond until the last scene of Quantum of Solace when Bond finally catches up with him. It is a very good scene.
So, despite its faults, Quantum of Solace was for me a good film. In the way it plays with Bond film conventions it manages to be both unusual and predictable. The chief memory I will have of it though is the weight of sadness upon James Bond's shoulders after the death of Vesper and its bitter consequences both for him and others. I would definitely recommend this film. Seen in its proper light it is much better than critics have given it credit for. Be warned though, you may feel the need to watch a romantic comedy afterwards. James Bond has gone from Jason Bourne to an even darker knight.
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