Monday, August 15, 2005
manga to miyazaki, august 5 - 18th
Japanese Animation: Manga to Miyazaki National Film Theatre, South Bank, SE1 8XT
In the late 1980s, Katsuhiro Otomo's cult classic Akira began a wave of Japanese manga imports. Characterised by beautiful artwork and appalling voice acting, these were cartoons of wildly varying quality. Two decades on, Western audiences have become more discerning, and film-makers like Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli are receiving full cinematic releases for their startlingly original animations.
This short season at the NFT attempts to explore a broad spectrum of the possibilities offered by this deeply mysterious Oriental art form. Set in Victorian England, Katsuhiro Otomo's 'Steamboy' (2004) is the most expensive manga yet created. By contrast, lyrical sci-fi romance Voices of a 'Distant Star' (2003) was made on a Macintosh home computer using off-the-shelf software. Satoshi Kon's surreal thriller 'Paranoia Agent' (2004) has drawn comparison with 'Twin Peaks' for its cast of eccentrics, while 'Tokyo Godfathers' (2003) is a heartwarming Christmas comedy.
The highlights of the season are the two Studio Ghibli films, 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989) and 'Princess Mononoke' (1997), inspired fairytales by the team behind 'Spirited Away', jam-packed with vivid action sequences that demand to be seen on the big screen.
In the late 1980s, Katsuhiro Otomo's cult classic Akira began a wave of Japanese manga imports. Characterised by beautiful artwork and appalling voice acting, these were cartoons of wildly varying quality. Two decades on, Western audiences have become more discerning, and film-makers like Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli are receiving full cinematic releases for their startlingly original animations.
This short season at the NFT attempts to explore a broad spectrum of the possibilities offered by this deeply mysterious Oriental art form. Set in Victorian England, Katsuhiro Otomo's 'Steamboy' (2004) is the most expensive manga yet created. By contrast, lyrical sci-fi romance Voices of a 'Distant Star' (2003) was made on a Macintosh home computer using off-the-shelf software. Satoshi Kon's surreal thriller 'Paranoia Agent' (2004) has drawn comparison with 'Twin Peaks' for its cast of eccentrics, while 'Tokyo Godfathers' (2003) is a heartwarming Christmas comedy.
The highlights of the season are the two Studio Ghibli films, 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989) and 'Princess Mononoke' (1997), inspired fairytales by the team behind 'Spirited Away', jam-packed with vivid action sequences that demand to be seen on the big screen.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
blue light
"Blue Light" by Bloc Party
You'll find it hiding in shadows
You'll find it hiding in cupboards
It will walk you home safe every night
It will help you remember
If that's way it is
Then that's the way it is
I still feel you and the taste of cigarettes
What could I ever run to
Just tell me it's tearing you apart
Just tell me you cannot sleep
And you didn't even notice
When the sky turned blue
And you couldn't tell the difference
Between me and you
And I nearly didn't notice
The gentlest feeling
You are the bluest light
You'll find it hiding in shadows
You'll find it hiding in cupboards
It will walk you home safe every night
It will help you remember
If that's way it is
Then that's the way it is
I still feel you and the taste of cigarettes
What could I ever run to
Just tell me it's tearing you apart
Just tell me you cannot sleep
And you didn't even notice
When the sky turned blue
And you couldn't tell the difference
Between me and you
And I nearly didn't notice
The gentlest feeling
You are the bluest light
bush pushing intelligent design
From the BBC News website
President George Bush has started a national debate in the US over the teaching of evolution in school.
The president has suggested that a theory known as "intelligent design" should be taught in the classroom.
It proposes that life is too complex to have developed through evolution, and an unseen power must have had a hand.
President Bush's championing of intelligent design will be interpreted as further evidence of the growing influence of the religious right.
The US president told newspaper reporters in Texas that children should be taught about intelligent design so they could better understand the debate about the origins of the universe.
Intelligent design differs from biblical creationism in that it is not tied to a literal interpretation of the biblical book of Genesis.
Nevertheless, intelligent design points to the role of a creator, and it has become increasingly influential in Christian circles.
Scientific arguments
Yet even those on the religious right, such as Republican Senator Rick Santorum, are cautious as to how it should be taught.
"I'm not comfortable with intelligent design being taught in the science classroom," he says.
"What we should be teaching are the problems and holes, and I think there are legitimate problems and holes in the theory of evolution."
There is no science to intelligent design, it's not even a scientifically answerable question
Alan LeshnerAAAS.
The debate, though, is already having a real impact.
In Kansas, the board of education has been re-evaluating the way evolution is taught - a sign that more conservative politicians and officials want to reflect the theory of intelligent design.
Many scientists insist, though, it is just that - a theory.
Alan Leshner, the chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, says that the proponents of intelligent design are "trying to cloak a religious concept in the mantle of science".
"There is no science to intelligent design, it's not even a scientifically answerable question," he says.
In 1925, the Scopes trial marked a defeat for creationists and opened the way for evolution to be taught in US classrooms.
Eighty years on, intelligent design is offering the creationists new comfort.
Once again, they are putting evolution on trial.
President George Bush has started a national debate in the US over the teaching of evolution in school.
The president has suggested that a theory known as "intelligent design" should be taught in the classroom.
It proposes that life is too complex to have developed through evolution, and an unseen power must have had a hand.
President Bush's championing of intelligent design will be interpreted as further evidence of the growing influence of the religious right.
The US president told newspaper reporters in Texas that children should be taught about intelligent design so they could better understand the debate about the origins of the universe.
Intelligent design differs from biblical creationism in that it is not tied to a literal interpretation of the biblical book of Genesis.
Nevertheless, intelligent design points to the role of a creator, and it has become increasingly influential in Christian circles.
Scientific arguments
Yet even those on the religious right, such as Republican Senator Rick Santorum, are cautious as to how it should be taught.
"I'm not comfortable with intelligent design being taught in the science classroom," he says.
"What we should be teaching are the problems and holes, and I think there are legitimate problems and holes in the theory of evolution."
There is no science to intelligent design, it's not even a scientifically answerable question
Alan LeshnerAAAS.
The debate, though, is already having a real impact.
In Kansas, the board of education has been re-evaluating the way evolution is taught - a sign that more conservative politicians and officials want to reflect the theory of intelligent design.
Many scientists insist, though, it is just that - a theory.
Alan Leshner, the chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, says that the proponents of intelligent design are "trying to cloak a religious concept in the mantle of science".
"There is no science to intelligent design, it's not even a scientifically answerable question," he says.
In 1925, the Scopes trial marked a defeat for creationists and opened the way for evolution to be taught in US classrooms.
Eighty years on, intelligent design is offering the creationists new comfort.
Once again, they are putting evolution on trial.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
in sri lanka at the moment
I am in Sri Lanka at the moment. I am feeling a great deal of pressure because I am here to raise funds for a project. I am not finding there is much success.
Firstly, donors are a bit tsunami-ed out. What I mean is that many have given a great deal of funds to assist with rehabilitation and reconstruction and therefore have committed much or most of their money for this year and beyond.
Another problem, and this becoming more common, is that Sri Lanka is classified as a "middle income country". Many countries are redirecting there developmental funding away from middle income countries and re-directing it to lower income countries.
The third factor, and this is more specific for us, is that there is no active war anymore in Sri Lanka. What you have is a stalled peace process and things remain relatively in a holding pattern. Therefore, many donors don't see such an immediate need to channel money into the peace process.
It is harder to convince people that they need to invest in the continuation of peace initiatives to prevent a backslide into active conflict.
Firstly, donors are a bit tsunami-ed out. What I mean is that many have given a great deal of funds to assist with rehabilitation and reconstruction and therefore have committed much or most of their money for this year and beyond.
Another problem, and this becoming more common, is that Sri Lanka is classified as a "middle income country". Many countries are redirecting there developmental funding away from middle income countries and re-directing it to lower income countries.
The third factor, and this is more specific for us, is that there is no active war anymore in Sri Lanka. What you have is a stalled peace process and things remain relatively in a holding pattern. Therefore, many donors don't see such an immediate need to channel money into the peace process.
It is harder to convince people that they need to invest in the continuation of peace initiatives to prevent a backslide into active conflict.
