Comments for CJ Writer

Comment on What’s wrong with my name? by cj

cj — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 05:29:57 +0000

Hi, geezzzz, do I need to change mine too !!! lol

Comment on The Books That Changed My Life (part one) by cherikooka

cherikooka — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:15:16 +0000

I love reading your blog. So, I am giving you a 6 word memoir assignment:
http://cheribomb.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/tag-your-it/

Comment on An open letter to the Turkish Ambassador by Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:23:18 +0000

I just saw a reference to the lifting of the ban on hakpaksak.wordpress.com (post for 23 April), but nowhere else. (I’d link to it, but Akismet seems to have me in its crosshairs.)

CJ: Thanks, Jennifer. I hadn’t seen that post; I can’t find confirmation either, but April 23 would match the above comment… I just would have thought we’d have heard before now if the ban had been lifted across all of Turkey. Perhaps it’s been lifted by certain ISPs?

Comment on Indy Rides Again by Back to Year 12 (for real this time) « Bobby’s media studies blog

Back to Year 12 (for real this time) « Bobby’s media studies blog — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:35:49 +0000

[...] Jones movie. I’m thinking of doing a post about that; I know a lot of other people have already done posts on that subject, but I saw it from the perspective of someone who knows very little about the [...]

Comment on The modern face of racism by Priya Raju

Priya Raju — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:34:19 +0000

While I wouldn’t rate “Lost in Translation” as my favorite - I wouldn’t call it racist either. I actually felt like beating up Scarlett J’s character for not taking charge of her life - being an emancipated alpha woman, I couldn’t forgive her Bill Murray was fantastic though.

Perhaps the depiction of Japan wasn’t realistic enough, I don’t know - but that isn’t the same as racism. The film simply portrays Tokyo as it appears to the main characters - who don’t have an in-depth understanding of Japanese culture & way of life.

Racism is alive & thriving, especially in the developing countries. I live in India, which still follows the caste system. The caste system is loosely based on race - with Brahmins on top & the indigenous tribes (who were subjugated) are “untouchables”. Emphasis on that has come down a lot these days, especially in the cities.

The brahmins have more Central Asian blood than most, especially in South India. As a brahmin myself, I feel deep shame & guilt for what my ancestors did. Perhaps that’s what most white Christians feel in the US & Australia.

CJ: I’ll give you that about Johansson’s character; she is rather annoying, particularly at the beginning! Supposedly Coppola based some of the character on herself, so maybe she was meant to be more observing and analytical of everything… I guess that’s what directors do?

It could be that about Tokyo. My feeling watching the film was that the Japan we see at the beginning is something of a caricature because of how alienated the characters feel at that time; like the scene in the elevator, I’m not sure if Murray’s character was meant to be that tall, as in other scenes, once he has seen more of Tokyo and is less isolated, it’s not like that at all. I took it more as a storytelling element, which is why I thought the film was well crafted… Tokyo might not have been depicted realistically, but as you say, I don’t see how that’s racist either.

I’m sorry to hear that about India. I had hoped that things might have started to improve after so long but I can imagine how difficult change must be, particularly when feelings like race and superiority reach so far. It’s like that in Australia as well. I’m ashamed of the way our governments have treated Aboriginals over many years; communities consistently have an increased mortality rate and less opportunities for healthcare, welfare, education and jobs, and that’s not even getting into past policies of taking children from their parents… perhaps the greatest duty of my generation is to find a way forward and express how sorry we truly are.

In the end I think ignorance is the true cause of racism. It’s much harder to hate someone if you know them, if you know their history, their culture, their life… perhaps until people are willing to truly learn and embrace different cultures, then racism will always be a part of our lives. If that’s the case then making a difference, one person at a time, is the most important thing we can do.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Priya; I really appreciate it, and my apologies for the delay replying. Here’s to hoping to better times ahead, eh?

Comment on The Books That Changed My Life (part one) by Priya Raju

Priya Raju — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:32:34 +0000

Interesting list. Sherlock Holmes is a perennial favorite - I don’t think Agatha Christie comes anywhere close. Even though Hercule Poirot is very charming.

I can never interest myself enough to read Anne Frank’s diary, regardless of the sympathy I feel for the victims of the holocaust.

Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” would probably be on the top of my list.

But the 1st ever books that fascinated me were “Gray’s Anatomy” (my ped was kind enough to lend me her copy), “Our Solar System”, a kid’s book on Astronomy.

I mostly grew up on a staple of quaint books. Bronte sisters, Hardy, Austen etc. Being a kid in India then meant a supply of books from USSR. I still have this book - “Kids & Cubs” by Olga Perovskaya. A hunter’s kids raise various animals like tiger, fox, wolf etc. I still love it

And Shakespeare, Marlowe, Shaw etc. I still can’t get over “Macbeth” (love the witches), “Othello” (though to my dad’s horror, I admired Iago), “Dr Faustus” & “Pygmalion”.

But it was Bertrand Russell & Somerset Maugham who truly made an impact on my life & my thinking. And C.E.M. Joad’s “Story of Civilization” - an open enquiry on the meaning & evolution of human civilization.

CJ: Hi Priya, glad you enjoyed the list. It’s just the first part and probably won’t look right until the other part is done (it’s taking me a while!), but it’s been a fun project to do. It’s been very rewarding to look back on so many books.

That’s interesting that Gray’s Anatomy and Our Solar System were the first two books to inspire you. Makes sense. Looking back I had a book of mythology that had a big impact on me; eventually that led me to writers like Joseph Campbell, who have had a big impact on the direction my life has taken. Perhaps sometimes it’s the more unexpected books that have the biggest impact on our lives.

The Brontes and Austen are wonderful; I particularly love Wuthering Heights, just the structure and Heathcliff as a character are very striking. I’ve never really gotten into Shakespeare as much, though I do like Julius Caesar; it’s mainly Hemingway and Kafka that have influenced my thinking. They’ll both be on the next list.

You reminded me, though, that I’ve not read Things Fall Apart. I’ve wanted to for years so I’ll have to find it; it’s one of those books everyone should read, particularly writers. It’ll give me something to post about too.

Comment on Where does your country rank? by tapan

tapan — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 20:36:54 +0000

india is certainly best..because it gives freedom to press and speech with no conditions.

CJ: Is India best? The Indian Constitution provides for more freedom but there are laws like the Official Secrets Act which circumvent it. And RWB lists India at #120.

Comment on Indy Rides Again by museditions

museditions — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:25:30 +0000

Finally saw this film, and I liked the storyline a lot. The action sequences were quite good, the music, as you said was fresh as well as giving us quotes from the first films.
The most chilling sequence in the movie for me was the nuclear test in the Nevada desert. It was so real to me as I’ve seen footage and read reports of tests just like this. How Indie gets himself out of that situation is…interesting. All the actors were great, and the ending was a nice surprise.

CJ: Glad you liked it, Muse! Wasn’t the music great? I was starting to wonder if Williams was past it but I loved his work here. The only small disappointment was when I bought the soundtrack; the music’s still good but they’re not the tracks I would have chosen. There’s nothing at all from the Nevada warehouse scene which was so memorable.

The nuclear test was very chilling… I did wonder about how Indy escaped, though. Perhaps it was actually that Indy had drunk from the Holy Grail (in the third film) that saved him? It was a lot of fun, so I’m glad most people have liked it, even if it is different to the others… now the question is if there’ll be a fifth film! Indiana Jones and the Grandchildren of Doom?

Comment on I love a good mondegreen by carl

carl — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:57:30 +0000

Has anyone else thought that “Mony Mony” sounds like guacamole?

CJ: Can’t say I have. But Weird Al Yankovic did a parody called Alimony. That’s very funny.

Comment on Indy Rides Again by writerchick

writerchick — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 03:56:15 +0000

Hey CJ!
Wow, I’m glad to hear that it is a good film. I was afraid after all this time they would go and wreck things - I think I’ll go see it soon - though knowing me, I’ll wait til it’s out on vid. Nice review.
WC

CJ: Thanks, WC! I was worried they’d wreck it too; I thought they might call it Indiana Jones and the Retirement Home for a while. I enjoyed it, although not everyone has; I know Simonne didn’t like it at all and I can see some of her points. I think you’d like it, though; and if you miss it, it’s only a couple of months to the DVD! You can control the volume then too.