Kung Fu Hustle

Now this film was a startling surprise. Without much thought I'd written it off as some kind of cheap Jacky Chan nonsense, but no, its hilarious, dramatic, with great fights, myths and even a love story to boot. I think there are a few Asian motifs at play which I obviously haven't grown up with i.e. the significance of the toad but it doesn't matter. Its like a don't take yourself so seriously Matrix in gangster-land.

Life and the mean

From early maths lessons I remember there are three ways of measuring averages: mean, mode and median. I also remember upper and lower quartiles and have a vague recollection of standard deviation. I am no mathematician.

But I have done a lot of biology and one thing I am certain of is that life systems care very little about averages. Life is about maintaining equilibrium, and uses extremes to regulate and perform control operations between systems. I am referring to systems like hormone, nervous or immune regulation, where triggering happens when thresholds of chemicals are breached so invoking a response.

In the current debate on climate change the politicians are constantly referring to average temperature rises. Like in the body, this is largely irrelevant. It is the extremes we need to be worried about. We may well be able to survive a summer where the mean rise in temperature is 3 Celsius but what will happen if 1 of those days is 10 Celsius above the mean. The most recent heat waves have killed hundreds of thousands, and climate change seems to be promising even greater extremes.

The climatologists are under-egging the problem we face. Predictive models of future mean temperatures are not taking into account the seriousness of extreme cases. Life systems are extremely fragile, ecosystems are easily disrupted. Maybe there is a bacteria in the soil that is only just managing to out-compete a much more deadly one, a 10 Celsius rise on one day could wipe it out and an epidemic break out that kills all adults between 25-50. Then we'd be really screwed.

Edge cases are the most revealing when looking to the future. We're lacking imagination.

The Last King of Scotland

Beautifully shot, something akin to old grainy archive footage, this is a film about Idi Amin from the perspective of a naive recently graduated medical student. Amin is played superbly by Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy plays Nicholas Garrigan a young man out for fun and adventure but with small-town blinkers on with regards to the Africa he lands, fatefully right into the center of. Amin adopts Garrigan as his son and sets him up as his chief advisor and personal doctor. Garrigan lives in the lap of luxury while Amin sets about massacring his opposition.

Thankfully this certificate 15 does not save our sensibilities when it comes to portraying the brutality of Uganda in the 1970s. This aspect of censorship seems to have become more enlightened recently with Pan's Labyrinth and Apocolypto both showing us some horrific scenes. I am all for us being allowed to witness, from the comfort of our seats how sadistic the Atzecs, Nazis and here this corrupt African regime actually were. I believe in our tuning our minds to reality and in the case of art, our being reminded how ignorant and brutal we are all capable of being.

I am not sure how true an account of history this film is and with tone being so important in film then I am sure I have come away with a perverse sensation of the reality. With film being about good and bad too often this did at least allude to the idea that Amin was one of a long line of dictators in a bloodthirsty country. He died in Saudi Arabia, that is fact, and an interesting place to seek exile (from wikipedia entry):

In October 1978, Amin ordered the invasion of Tanzania while at the same time attempting to cover up an army mutiny. With the help of Libyan troops, Amin tried to annex the northern Tanzanian province of Kagera. Tanzania, under President Julius Nyerere, declared war on Uganda, then began a counterattack, enlisting the country's population of Ugandan exiles.

On 11 April 1979, Amin was forced to flee the capital, Kampala, when the Tanzanian army, aided by Ugandan exiles who had united as the Uganda National Liberation Army, took the city. Amin fled to exile, first to Libya, departing Uganda in a Bell UH-1 registered 5X-UWG, where sources are divided on whether he remained until December 1979 or early 1980, before finding final asylum in Saudi Arabia. He opened a bank account in Jeddah and resided there, subsisting on a government stipend. The new Ugandan government chose to keep him exiled, saying that Amin would face war crimes charges if he ever returned. The Saudi motive was to silence him because of the harm they believed he was doing to Islam.^{[citation needed]}

In 1989, Amin, who had always held that Uganda needed him, and who never expressed remorse for the abuses of his regime,^[9] attempted to return to Uganda, apparently to lead an armed group organised by Col. Juma Oris. He went as far as Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), where Zairian President Mobutu forced him to return to Saudi Arabia.

On 20 July 2003, one of his wives, Madina, reported that he was near death in a coma at the King Faisal specialist hospital in Jeddah. She pleaded with Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni that he might return to die in Uganda. The reply was that if he returned, he would have to "answer for his sins."

Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia on 16 August 2003, and was buried in Ruwais cemetery in Jeddah. On 17 August 2003, David Owen told an interviewer for BBC Radio 4 that while he was the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary (1977–1979), he had suggested to have Amin assassinated. His idea was directly rejected. Owen said: "Amin's regime was the worst of all. It's a shame that we allowed him to keep in power for so long."

Babel

It seems as though we've been treated to some incredible films lately: King Kong, Pan's Labyrinth, The Last King of Scotland and now this latest film by the director of Amores Perros, Alejandro González Iñárritu.

This is a rich tapestry of themes, never made too explicit, with stunning acting, powerful screenwriting and a wonderful soundtrack. Brad Pitt was good again but the star for me was Rinko Kikuchi whose portrayal of loneliness's is perfect.

On the themes then the obvious one is communication and the ways different cultures (including deaf communities) have evolved to express themselves, and hence the biblical reference in the film title. But for me this didn't stand out as very important. Globalisation is there, with the seemingly insignificant effect of the gift of a gun to a Moroccan guide triggering an international event where the Yanks over-react in the false-paternalistic Way as usual (American Dad). There's the trauma to a couple caused by a still-birth. There's the tear-your-hair out frustration of political borders, namely the US-Mexican (another one of Bush's favourite vote winners).

Although I think it cheating to make a film incredible with music, this film certainly did, and here we have Gustavo Santaolalla to thank.

I don't know if I am changing in the way I see films but this is another treat I feel I could just keep watching.

Cyberdisinhibition

According to Daniel Goleman the Internet degrades human interaction because it allows us to communicate in a way that bypasses normal communication protocols that control 'flaming' or losing ones temper.

This may account for my rant about Tony Blair earlier this week.

I was aware when writing I was going over the top but it felt good to do it. I am doing no harm (except perhaps to my own credibility) and it felt good to write in a 'disinhibited' way. Most of my rationale thoughts are in this post they are just not dressed up in neutral emotional language (words that disguise my anger).

Anyway, according to Goleman (author of Emotional Intelligence) the Internet and my mind cannot be in tune because humans have evolved to expect face-to-face feedback that regulates
emotional and social well-being.

I stand corrected. (Blair, I still think you are a tosser :-) ) Tourettes, shit, fukk, w******

Letter

Dear L Sanders,

I am writing to see if you can help me raise my concerns effectively regarding the Oxfordshire Transport Plan. I have been following the issue of air pollution in Oxford for a number of years and made enquiries (or tried to at least - a good 80% of local and national government officials seem to ignore emails) with members of the city council, county council, DEFRA and the local health organisations. This has all come to no avail.

The present situation regarding levels of Nitrogen Oxides and Ozone in Oxford are completely unacceptable. There is a proven severe health risk and the objectives that are supposed to be followed (as set by the EU and DEFRA) are being flagrantly ignored.

I would ask if you have not already to read the 2006 survey here which states that air quality is a top priority for residents of Oxford:

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/community/talkback-panel-reports.cfm

Then to read chapter 15 of the Oxfordshire County Transport Strategy amounts to Oxford's response to this requirement, EU and National government directives.

The first thing about the transport strategy you could notice is the poor spelling, quality of writing and the way that the authors have tucked away dealing with air quality to the last parts of each chapter throughout the report. Big words about the environment are used throughout but when you finally find some words that should amount to something more concrete there is nothing. What's more the language used ('may be a problem') flies in the face of the evidence on Oxford City Council's own web site:

http://www.oxford.gov.uk/environment/air-pollution.cfm

And according to National Statistics Oxford has some of the worst air quality in the UK (which can't leave it being one of the worst places anywhere).

Oxford is denying it has a problem. It is refusing to deal with it because it is stuck in some 1980s vision of the economy. It is still being ignorant enough to do what is right on some antiquated and frankly corrupt view of 'the economy'.

There is not a single economy, it is not a static concept. What the report is saying is that the version of 'the economy' which we subscribe to, our current vested interests considered is one where we feel we must continue polluting. And if you are wondering why I use the word corrupt it is simply because there is absolutely no indication of the cost to the NHS of the air pollution in the budget model, neither is their reference to macro-economic models such as the Stern report.

I would ask you as my representative within the local government to help me take these issues further. I regard this transport plan utterly unacceptable. I am determined that these bogus arguments are not allowed to come part of a strategy that fails to deal with real issues, and what's more costs residents of Oxford millions of pounds.

In short, I would like to organise a meeting with yourself or someone you feel better suited to deal with these concerns. I also stress that time is of the essence as far as I can work out this document is currently being reviewed by the national transport department. If my concerns are to have any effect then they will need to be raised with the right people at the earliest opportunity.

Yours sincerely,

Howard Noble

The true value of flying

We have to stop talking about economic growth and talk about something else, maybe product value. Why is it good to let the state sponsor flights? How did this form of transport gain such a high perceived value that it is seen almost as a service like the NHS?

TBC later...

"Economic growth" justifies everything

Take this for example:

"But the prime minister's approach has always been that you can't address the problem of climate change by harming the domestic or world economy."

The spokesman stressed that: "The best thing to do is to have a world economy which can afford to invest in research and development for new technology.

It just seems to be complete nonsense. What do these people think 'economy' means. In this case we're talking about air flight. How would stopping flying harm the economy? It makes no sense. If we can't fly and movement is essential to maintain innovation (the real source of economic growth) then we'd find new ways to move, and perhaps focus more on the transfer of ideas.

It seems we are at an impass. The world needs a new vision for what we think economy means but we're being totally unimaginative or stubborn to explore the possibilities. I am sure there are libraries full of such ideas but maybe an ethical and accountable economy is the next thing we can move towards?

Mr Blair: Why you, like the rest of us should moderate your flying habit

Tony Blair's comments today about why he does not plan to change his flying habits just about sum up the idiot. I mean do we ever expect a politician to show conviction, to believe their own rhetoric and act accordingly. I am ashamed at myself for not having a better word for people like this but Bitch just about says it all. These are the people who are pure mouth, who just weazel their way through life, taking as much as possible putting all forms of self-reflection way beneath their egos. Blair of course is a religious nut, living his life on a heavy coctail of faith and hope. Ignoring all the science, although he knows he still has to appear to be listening to the evidence because this noble class is still managing to prop his bitch set up. So you're carbon off-setting are you - with whose money?

Anyway, why is his argument flawed. Sure we have to keep innovating but its the scientist who are going to be doing this, and the scientist are telling us to stop flying. This is his wing-on-a-prayer lifestyle again.

And why long term is flying bad - its to do with the rate of consumption. Planes embody a type of human activity that is so far from the Earth's ability to replenish. The planet has an energy clock, it ebbs and flows with the grander motions (tides, seasons, earthquakes, volcanoes, life itself) releasing and trapping energy, that in the end originates from the sun (minus the chemical energy locked in the chemicals that formed this mighty rock). So while Hawkins is telling us we have to colonise other planets, (and I would love to be around when this happens) it does not mean that bitches like Blair should be telling us what pace to live at. There is practically no science to suggest our consumption rates are even close to being sustainable. We have to jam on the breaks in a serious way. It does not help when The Big Grinning Idiot goes and says stuff like he did today. It negates all the conviction sane people are demonstrating. All the scientist working on nuclear fission, wind and solar power, all the people looking for ways to consume less while still getting essential jobs done. All the positive energy in society mocked by the one we pay to coordinate problem resolution from the center. (He of course also started a war to secure oil supplies - there will be no doubt of this when history knocks on your door Mr T).

Sometimes I wonder if the new style of politics aims to gain mind space by pissing reasonable people off. Are Bush and Blair really this stupid. Either they have a genius I cannot even begin to comprehend or they are the village idiots they appear to be. Eureka, maybe that's how it works - they appeal to religious nuts by enfuriating rational people.

Bush, I am sure belongs in some cesspit and should be left their to rot. Blair needs the good hiding his prefect chums would have dished out to his public school arse. Of course the bat would be applied in Baghdad by the millions of hearts and minds he's won over with his well planned invasion.

There is a simple political reason why Blair said what he did today. Its politcal balancing. A junior minister dared to criticize Ryanair yesterday so he has to pull things back the other way. It becomes clearer and clearer we live in an American plutocracy; we have ourselves to blame.

Anyway, its good to end missives like this on a crisp note, so I'll hedge my bets and say that the current UK Prime Minister is a total dick head. A bitch, egomaniac, who I cannot wait for some rational leadership to replace. I am tired of his tricks, grin, self-centered mission of personal agrandiosement. I will celebrate when he is removed and watch closely as his career nosedives as we all get time to realise what a depressing mess he has created.

Poodle boy, your time is up, history will not be your friend - you can play with your cronies (read Murdoch) and spin your yarns but there are millions of bloggers now who find it very easy to see past the facade.

[Seems other people have put this argument more eloquently].

Apocalypto

This film focuses on tone, that of the brutal oppression of a 'peaceful' Amazonian tribe by the Aztecs. The brutality is stunning, you really feel part of the film. Its 18 rated because of the gore, ripping still beating hearts out of human sacrifices and then throwing their severed heads and bodies down temple steps are just part of the blood bath. With the director being Mel Gibson I was suspicious of some religious undertone, or Christian historical interpretation. If it was there I could not spot it. There might have been an environmental message with the end of an empire being caused by failing crops and over consumption.

But wait, yes there was a religious message. A major theme was about fear and how it is a disease. If a society lives in fear with becomes self-destructive. Only our running man pictured above develops the self belief to continue his culture. True he gets lucky being saved by a series of highly improbable events (won't give them away - he is fulfilling a prophecy).

This brought me back to my Tarzan days, and knowing the format I could predict the next scene pretty easily. It got all the old apeman juices flowing though, and Mr Gibson I thank you for that.

I have to say I loved it. I can't see it being a box office hit simple because the sensibilities against the violence will possible be too great. Stomach it, its likely this time was as violent as portrayed so we should see that. Of course the destruction the indigenous were inflicting on each other is nothing compared to what the Spanish subjected them to.

And perhaps if we were really hunting for a message it could be about conquering powers and possible US and UK antics in our current times. Shameful stuff. At least the leaders of these armies had the guts to see the destruction they were causing. I doubt whether Mr Blair's grin would survive him seeing the damage he's sent UK troops to inflict.

Shopping. Oh Joy.

Ah, shopping, always been my favourite activity. Aside from the consumerism that I try to stay on the humble side of, there is the decision-making.

Physical shopping, i.e. shops on High Streets and out-of-town parks; well if I were to draw hell that would be my personal incarnation. I have found recently that I am practically blind in a crowd, I see no one. I stare at feet and hair simple to avoid collisions. Every advert I see I analyse to find the specific weakness a particular company is preying on.

And the Internet, well I though we would have arrived at a more metric-like system by now...and to a certain extent we are arriving at some semblance of this. It is complicated though.

At the top of the stack (the trust layer) there are three forms of web site:

1. Those that gather user feedback or reviews. Amazon, Kelkoo etc seem to be ahead of the game in this aspect
2. Then there is the professional 'watch dog' type sites like Which? I quickly found that this approach is seriously flawed - everything recommended in 'Best buys' is out of stock. Still it helps find the respectable brands (and hopefully keeps them on their toes).
3. The independent reviews. Not many of these but sites like Washerhelp are very informative when it comes to washing machines.
   

Next in the stack are the aggregators like Pricerunner and Kelkoo. These sites scrape prices and product details from suppliers and also importantly provide pretty advanced search engines. In fact the search facilities provided at this level are normally better than the supplier web sites. For example suppliers like KitchenScience don't allow you to find only appliances that are A+ energy efficiency rated.

Then there are the suppliers. You've found what you want and just need to pay for it and arrange delivery or pickup.

So you to-and-fro between these sites. Back and forth. The conscientious trying to buy sustainably, minimise transport, not use non-eco materials etc. You are also checking sizes, weights, costs, delivery times, arggghhhhhh!

One thing that is pretty spectacular is Amazon-like recommendation and category browsing. It happened so many times that I think I know what I want but then their engine shows me something better. Hours of fun putting things in your basket only to take them out.

And don't even mention eBay complications! Do I trust the vendor, what am I not thinking about with this product i.e. from the image and description. How much to bid.

These sites do seem to missing a few tricks and be harbouring a few annoyances:

• The image tells you so much, so few sites have good pictures
• Most of the specification provided about products is gobbledygook. What's the point of telling people that a washing machine is 42db? Is this good, bad, how does it compare to other machines, what is the average across all products. Perspective is missing. Too many parameters just confuses. This is especially true for audio-visual equipment
• Some key word searches are not well factored in the systems e.g. soap holder finds little in Amazon but Soap Dish finds loads.
  

The main thing I see is that consumer lead reviews need to be abstracted from suppliers. There needs to be one place to catch all reviews. Consumers would benefit as would the less paranoid suppliers.

Anyway, this is a blog so I'll keep it converted. Shopping on the Internet can actually be pleasurable. For myself I found the process quite technical but I am very picky and hate being ripped off. The killer will be when it all arrives (yes, delivery is the next hassle as I am bound to have to traipse through Oxford gangland to the pathetic post office returned goods stinky room to get the stuff. We'll see though. All in all I am pretty excited by what should be arriving in the near future(ish).

(And not to forget the mother of all web sites - the online bank and your balance.)