http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/ownwords
Without a doubt the bravest political speech I have ever heard. The bravest speech (not political per se) I've ever listened to (albeit it many years after the event) was Winston Churchill's on the beaches. The silliest speech was by Saddam's Iraqi Information Minister insisting that they were repelling the US Invaders. The dumbest speeches I have ever heard are everytime I hear George W say anything. The best speeches - (and here just ones I have heard live) - Rob Muldoon Timaru 1985, Bill Clinton Christchurch NZ 1999, and Jim Anderton Wellington 1993. But the Barack speech today, which I watched when it was a couple of hours old - rates with these three.
19 March 2008
Recycling Trash
None of us can escape the discussions around global warming, carbon emissions, rubbish, recycling, pollution, renewable energy issues.... I was taken some years ago by the idea of zero waste. What a great idea!
Try as I might I can't see how to reduce my rubbish to zero. I've been looking at the rubbish I throw out and I've come to two startling conclusions:
1 It's 50 percent packaging. Since the health Nazis began insisting everything is wrapped I seem to be buying packaging from the supermarket to throw out. In my father's youth biscuits were sold out of barrels and wrapped in paper for you, sweets were bought out of jars, and bread was in a roll of paper. Today everything comes in plastic and (apart from bread in the previous examples) wrapped in several layers. Did anyone in NZ ever die from germs on a boiled lolly that wasn't encased in plastic? I don't know but I'll bet none. So I have to pay for all this packaging and then feel guilty about having to throw it out.
2 Much of the stuff I buy - which isn't edible - is not made to last. It can't be repaired and even if it can it's much cheaper to biff it and buy a new one. Kitchen implements, buckets, garden tools, children's toys, shoes, you name it -it's cheaper to throw it out. (And it's all wrapped in plastic you need a disposable electric saw to open).
So while I'm sympathetic guilt-tripping ordinary consumers is just trash.
Try as I might I can't see how to reduce my rubbish to zero. I've been looking at the rubbish I throw out and I've come to two startling conclusions:
1 It's 50 percent packaging. Since the health Nazis began insisting everything is wrapped I seem to be buying packaging from the supermarket to throw out. In my father's youth biscuits were sold out of barrels and wrapped in paper for you, sweets were bought out of jars, and bread was in a roll of paper. Today everything comes in plastic and (apart from bread in the previous examples) wrapped in several layers. Did anyone in NZ ever die from germs on a boiled lolly that wasn't encased in plastic? I don't know but I'll bet none. So I have to pay for all this packaging and then feel guilty about having to throw it out.
2 Much of the stuff I buy - which isn't edible - is not made to last. It can't be repaired and even if it can it's much cheaper to biff it and buy a new one. Kitchen implements, buckets, garden tools, children's toys, shoes, you name it -it's cheaper to throw it out. (And it's all wrapped in plastic you need a disposable electric saw to open).
So while I'm sympathetic guilt-tripping ordinary consumers is just trash.
03 March 2008
02 March 2008
Out organised - the story of a political defeat
For those of us following the US election the interesting issue is how long Clinton can survive. She is playing the HDDVD to Obama's Blu-ray.
When the whole campaign is dissected I think the key issues that will emerge and nasty politics from Clinton and poor campaign organisation.
Clinton hired her friend Patti Solis Doyle was hired as campaign manager. She did win over the latino vote but didn't do many other things, like organise internet fundraising or ensuring that the on-the-ground organisation in some states was up to it.
While Obama's campaign raised huge sums on the internet the Clinton campaign ran out of money, the staff started to forego wages and Hillary had to lend her own campaign $5m. That was when Solis Doyle 'resigned'.
Tellingly though it seems from what I read that the Obama campaign is just better organised. clinically so.
The latest thing is this - Hillary puts an ad out (3am) questioning who would the US want in the Whitehouse if the phone goes at 3am because there's something going on.
The Obama campaign - recreated a very closely similar ad and had it on air in about 12 hours!!!!!!
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/02/29/daaamn-that-was-fast.aspx
When the whole campaign is dissected I think the key issues that will emerge and nasty politics from Clinton and poor campaign organisation.
Clinton hired her friend Patti Solis Doyle was hired as campaign manager. She did win over the latino vote but didn't do many other things, like organise internet fundraising or ensuring that the on-the-ground organisation in some states was up to it.
While Obama's campaign raised huge sums on the internet the Clinton campaign ran out of money, the staff started to forego wages and Hillary had to lend her own campaign $5m. That was when Solis Doyle 'resigned'.
Tellingly though it seems from what I read that the Obama campaign is just better organised. clinically so.
The latest thing is this - Hillary puts an ad out (3am) questioning who would the US want in the Whitehouse if the phone goes at 3am because there's something going on.
The Obama campaign - recreated a very closely similar ad and had it on air in about 12 hours!!!!!!
http://slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/02/29/daaamn-that-was-fast.aspx
01 March 2008
Reviews
I have a play on in Wellington at the moment and it is the best, deepest, most layered and polished play I have written and it is being screwed by one or two critics. They can't separate the script from the performance.
Anyway the good news is that I don't have revenge fantasies anymore. I would write a play about murdering play reviewers, but it's been done (The Real Inspector Hound by Stoppard for one). I think about banning reviewers from my plays (been done, by Fo I think). I think about laughing it off - ho ho ho.
In one play about a play about a play I wrote I had fake reviews in the front of house. Just for prosterity here are the surviving ones
“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
Reviewed by Alan Smithee – Katipo Times
A nice modern tale transported back to 12th century Scotland. Clearly though the plot is clumsily modeled on recent developments in the National Party. Despite this the story has promise.
This promise was lost, however, in a similar way to Shakespeare’s other recent outings; the Beckham’s transported back to Italy as star-struck lovers; or the story of Jonah Lomu badly disguised as a jealous general; or the earlier plots of Shortland Street renamed “Much Ado about nothing”.
All of these plays are far too obvious and a little unbelievable. This is made worse by their excessive length; there is no reason why a modern play cannot be wrapped up in 90 minutes.
Macbeth also suffers from being too obvious. Spurred on by his wife (Gerry Brownlee, ho ho) decides to kill the king (surprise surprise). He gets caught, and brought to justice.
The predictability was lessened with the use of some novel ideas. These included a camouflaged army, a metaphor for the secret plotting of politicians, a device that this reviewer felt failed. This was overshadowed by some non medical nonsense suggesting that someone born via a caesarian is not of woman born. While this assertion about the primacy of natural childbirth was interesting it was totally irrelevant.
The funniest if not the most insulting aspect to the play was portraying the media and the parliamentary press gallery as three old witches. Not the best way to make friends.
Finally though the most telling problem – lots of words and no action. All the action takes place off stage; the murder of Bill English, the battles, and most of the conflict occur off stage.
“The Caretaker” by Harold Pinter
Review by J Browne in the ComPost
This is the latest of Pinter’s plays performed in Wellington and really it should be the last.
Long pauses ensure the action is never fully realized. The internal structure is hampered by slow and repetitive slow revelation of both character and plot.
Mr Pinter has clearly not learnt from comments made by this reviewer and others during the Birthday Party on the need for clear exposition and dialogue. While one actor did his best the other mumbled and paused his way through.
The play drools to a painful conclusion an hour later than the five minutes of plot deserved. Honks like a goose.
“Art” by Christina Rezos
Reviewed by Leslie Locke in the Listener.
A promising premise. Three friends divided over a piece of modern art. A chance to explore the views on modern art.
Although there is plenty of talking, nothing much happens. Gone are the days when plays can be just talking heads. More action is required.
Worse still it turns out the painting itself is simply white, disappointing as it is clearly implausible.
Anyway the good news is that I don't have revenge fantasies anymore. I would write a play about murdering play reviewers, but it's been done (The Real Inspector Hound by Stoppard for one). I think about banning reviewers from my plays (been done, by Fo I think). I think about laughing it off - ho ho ho.
In one play about a play about a play I wrote I had fake reviews in the front of house. Just for prosterity here are the surviving ones
“Macbeth” by William Shakespeare
Reviewed by Alan Smithee – Katipo Times
A nice modern tale transported back to 12th century Scotland. Clearly though the plot is clumsily modeled on recent developments in the National Party. Despite this the story has promise.
This promise was lost, however, in a similar way to Shakespeare’s other recent outings; the Beckham’s transported back to Italy as star-struck lovers; or the story of Jonah Lomu badly disguised as a jealous general; or the earlier plots of Shortland Street renamed “Much Ado about nothing”.
All of these plays are far too obvious and a little unbelievable. This is made worse by their excessive length; there is no reason why a modern play cannot be wrapped up in 90 minutes.
Macbeth also suffers from being too obvious. Spurred on by his wife (Gerry Brownlee, ho ho) decides to kill the king (surprise surprise). He gets caught, and brought to justice.
The predictability was lessened with the use of some novel ideas. These included a camouflaged army, a metaphor for the secret plotting of politicians, a device that this reviewer felt failed. This was overshadowed by some non medical nonsense suggesting that someone born via a caesarian is not of woman born. While this assertion about the primacy of natural childbirth was interesting it was totally irrelevant.
The funniest if not the most insulting aspect to the play was portraying the media and the parliamentary press gallery as three old witches. Not the best way to make friends.
Finally though the most telling problem – lots of words and no action. All the action takes place off stage; the murder of Bill English, the battles, and most of the conflict occur off stage.
“The Caretaker” by Harold Pinter
Review by J Browne in the ComPost
This is the latest of Pinter’s plays performed in Wellington and really it should be the last.
Long pauses ensure the action is never fully realized. The internal structure is hampered by slow and repetitive slow revelation of both character and plot.
Mr Pinter has clearly not learnt from comments made by this reviewer and others during the Birthday Party on the need for clear exposition and dialogue. While one actor did his best the other mumbled and paused his way through.
The play drools to a painful conclusion an hour later than the five minutes of plot deserved. Honks like a goose.
“Art” by Christina Rezos
Reviewed by Leslie Locke in the Listener.
A promising premise. Three friends divided over a piece of modern art. A chance to explore the views on modern art.
Although there is plenty of talking, nothing much happens. Gone are the days when plays can be just talking heads. More action is required.
Worse still it turns out the painting itself is simply white, disappointing as it is clearly implausible.
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