A story told to me by a business associate and a holocaust survivor. The year was 1942, during the height of the second world war. Sam was around 10 years old and was originally from Cracow Poland. During the round up of Jews, Sam somehow fled the city and was able to gaint refuge in a farm house in the outskirts. He was hidden in the attic of the farm house where he remained several months.
One day the farmer told him that he had received a report that the Gestapo was instituting a search of all the farm houses in the area looking for Jews. Sam was instructed to hide in the barn. When the Gestapo entered the barn, Sam jumped into a large oil barrel where he crouched down, attempting to remain as quiet as possible. He peered up only to see a Gestapo officer directing his flashlight into the Barrel. the officer then shouted in German to his comrades, “No one here”.
Being a member of the Gestapo, involved being ruthless, a dedicated Nazi and highly antisemitic. Yet with all these attributes,this one individual somehow was able to muster a sense of pity and compassion to act as he had.
This is a very good example of moral ambiguity
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Girlfriend Experience -A mini review
Viewed- June 28th, 2009
The semi improvisational style of this film has an immediate appeal. It has an authentic air almost too real - too honest to accept as fictional. Life as a deal, an negotiated transaction, is the pervading theme. With the talk of economic meltdown as a background melody we are struck by the profound sadness of the lives of all the characters depicted. A thoroughly asexual movie where the act of lovemaking is relegated to a mechanical, almost technical activity drained of any emotional content.. Beautifully filmed, the visuals are bordering on the surreal and minimilist. Minimilist might also describe the acting if you wish to describe what is depicted here as acting. This is certainly not for everyone.
The semi improvisational style of this film has an immediate appeal. It has an authentic air almost too real - too honest to accept as fictional. Life as a deal, an negotiated transaction, is the pervading theme. With the talk of economic meltdown as a background melody we are struck by the profound sadness of the lives of all the characters depicted. A thoroughly asexual movie where the act of lovemaking is relegated to a mechanical, almost technical activity drained of any emotional content.. Beautifully filmed, the visuals are bordering on the surreal and minimilist. Minimilist might also describe the acting if you wish to describe what is depicted here as acting. This is certainly not for everyone.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Eulogy for a dead golden retriever.
IN LOVING MEMORYI woke up this morning and my shadow was gone.For 13 years I have had the honour of loving thisspecial being. Indy. He was brought into my life by sheer fate and it is hard for me to express the gratitude that I feel for his presence in my life. He has walked many roads, swam in many streams and lakes and has left his golden fleece in many homes. I have since realized that I am proud of his character,his behaviour , his attitude, the way he loved EVERYBODY (well, almost, his barking at the Publi-sac carriers is a testament to his dislike of needless flyers). I felt pride for witnessing within him the reflections of my ideals.He was a very precious and rare soul.
And thank you, Indy. Thank you for being in our lives.Thank you for every wag,every lick, every look. I willmiss the thudding of your tail as I approach, the unexpected thud as you timbered to the ground to sleep,your muffled barks as you slept, your smell, the softness of your ears. The void you have left goes deep but it is filled with the friends you have made,many happy memories and you have taught me many things, the most important being that pure love does exist. Rest now,be well BuddhaBear.
And thank you, Indy. Thank you for being in our lives.Thank you for every wag,every lick, every look. I willmiss the thudding of your tail as I approach, the unexpected thud as you timbered to the ground to sleep,your muffled barks as you slept, your smell, the softness of your ears. The void you have left goes deep but it is filled with the friends you have made,many happy memories and you have taught me many things, the most important being that pure love does exist. Rest now,be well BuddhaBear.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
John Greenlief Whittier
For of all sad words of tongue
or pen
The saddest are these ," It might
have been!"
or pen
The saddest are these ," It might
have been!"
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Oscar wilde Epigrams
I suppose society is wonderfully delightful. To be in it is merely a bore. But to be out of it simply a tragedy.
I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.
All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy.No man does. That's his.
I hope you have not been leading a double life,pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of commonsense.
To be modern is the only thing worth being nowadays.
Each time that one loves is the only time one has ever loved. Difference of object does not alter singleness of passion. It merely intensifies it.We can have but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
The way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.
The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on; it is never of any use to oneself.
Ah, well, then I suppose I shall have to die beyond my means. (Oscar Wilde's last words)
My own business bores me to death. I prefer other people's.
One should always be a little improbable.
Education is an admirable thing, but it is as well to remember that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
The bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
To be popular one must be a mediocrity.
There is no sin except stupidity.
It is a much cleverer thing to talk nonsense than to listen to it.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied.
Time is a waste of money.
Friendship is much more tragic than love. It lasts longer.
Anything becomes a pleasure if one does it too often.
I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.
All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy.No man does. That's his.
I hope you have not been leading a double life,pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.
Nowadays most people die of a sort of commonsense.
To be modern is the only thing worth being nowadays.
Each time that one loves is the only time one has ever loved. Difference of object does not alter singleness of passion. It merely intensifies it.We can have but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
The way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.
The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on; it is never of any use to oneself.
Ah, well, then I suppose I shall have to die beyond my means. (Oscar Wilde's last words)
My own business bores me to death. I prefer other people's.
One should always be a little improbable.
Education is an admirable thing, but it is as well to remember that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
The bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
To be popular one must be a mediocrity.
There is no sin except stupidity.
It is a much cleverer thing to talk nonsense than to listen to it.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied.
Time is a waste of money.
Friendship is much more tragic than love. It lasts longer.
Anything becomes a pleasure if one does it too often.
Farewell Angelina- Lyrics-Bob Dylan -1965
Farewell Angelina
Farewell Angelina
The bells of the crown
Are being stolen by bandits
I must follow the sound
The triangle tingles
And the trumpet play slow
Farewell Angelina
The sky is on fire
And I must go.
There's no need for anger
There's no need for blame
There's nothing to prove
Ev'rything's still the same
Just a table standing empty
By the edge of the sea
Farewell Angelina
The sky is trembling
And I must leave.
The jacks and queens
Have forsaked the courtyard
Fifty-two gypsies
Now file past the guards
In the space where the deuce
And the ace once ran wild
Farewell Angelina
The sky is folding
I'll see you in a while.
See the cross-eyed pirates sitting
Perched in the sun
Shooting tin cans
With a sawed-off shotgun
And the neighbors they clap
And they cheer with each blast
Farewell Angelina
The sky's changing color
And I must leave fast.
King Kong, little elves
On the rooftoops they dance
Valentino-type tangos
While the make-up man's hands
Shut the eyes of the dead
Not to embarrass anyone
Farewell Angelina
The sky is embarrassed
And I must be gone.
The machine guns are roaring
The puppets heave rocks
The fiends nail time bombs
To the hands of the clocks
Call me any name you like
I will never deny it
Farewell Angelina
The sky is erupting
I must go where it's quiet.
Farewell Angelina
The bells of the crown
Are being stolen by bandits
I must follow the sound
The triangle tingles
And the trumpet play slow
Farewell Angelina
The sky is on fire
And I must go.
There's no need for anger
There's no need for blame
There's nothing to prove
Ev'rything's still the same
Just a table standing empty
By the edge of the sea
Farewell Angelina
The sky is trembling
And I must leave.
The jacks and queens
Have forsaked the courtyard
Fifty-two gypsies
Now file past the guards
In the space where the deuce
And the ace once ran wild
Farewell Angelina
The sky is folding
I'll see you in a while.
See the cross-eyed pirates sitting
Perched in the sun
Shooting tin cans
With a sawed-off shotgun
And the neighbors they clap
And they cheer with each blast
Farewell Angelina
The sky's changing color
And I must leave fast.
King Kong, little elves
On the rooftoops they dance
Valentino-type tangos
While the make-up man's hands
Shut the eyes of the dead
Not to embarrass anyone
Farewell Angelina
The sky is embarrassed
And I must be gone.
The machine guns are roaring
The puppets heave rocks
The fiends nail time bombs
To the hands of the clocks
Call me any name you like
I will never deny it
Farewell Angelina
The sky is erupting
I must go where it's quiet.
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