To Die in Jerusalem

Last night I went to the Verdi Cinema for the European premier of the film "To Die in Jerusalem." The director, Hilla Medalia was present and the audience was able to ask her questions at the end and have a little discussion.

The documentary based on the suicide bombing by a 17 year old Palestinian girl that killed a 17 year old Israeli girl revolved around the mothers and families of the two girls. No matter how well you think you know the Israeli-Palestinian situation, seeing it from this angle was just brutal. I found to movie to be pretty unbiased, ofcourse if you leave aside the fact that its focused on the killing of an Israeli by a Palestinian. You see the aftermath of the bombing in the Jerusalem supermarket, and then the two families, the Israeli and the Palestinian. The Israeli family (supposedly a low class-not rich family) lives well, and the mother can only think about the loss of her daughter. The Palestinian family lives in horrible conditions, where death and suffering are daily routine.

The climax of the movie rotates around the conversation between the two mothers via a satellite meeting, and you see a stark contrast. The Israeli mom thinks of her loss as unique and is indignant about losing her daughter, while the Palestinian mum cannot accept that her daughter's death was caused for nothing. She fights for the principle her daughter died for, whereas the Israeli mum categorizes it all as violence. The highlight of the movie for me was when the Israeli mother said to the Palestinian mother, 'can you stop talking about politics?' Israelis can actually think of separating politics from feelings, whereas the Palestinians are struggling for their basic needs.

This conflict only gets worse through the generations. When we exchanged our thoughts with the director afterwards, one of the things she mentioned was that in her parents' time they had quite a few Palestinian friends. While she was growing up, that interaction reduced, whereas kids growing up in Israel today are completely oblivious to the suffering that goes on on the other side of the recently mounted wall. She visited a refugee camp for the first time in her life, when she was shooting the film. The compulsion for all Israelis to go to the army according to me, is a major reason that the Palestinian is automatically seen as an enemy and a terrorist.

I say go see the documentary if you can. This issue can never be solved unless people are made aware of it and bring it out in the open, and by resisting extremist policies. The Israeli "left" has to awaken and fight its extremist leaders. But who knows if that is possible... as far as this movie is concerned, any hope for understanding in Gaza seems unfortunately, practically impossible.

Quote for the Day

Am I lame or what? I dont write in months, and when I do, its to put up a quote or a thought.
Hmph. Anyway, yaani, check this out.

Christopher Marlowe - "Money can't buy love, but it improves your bargaining position."

Holidays are Great

I made a trip to Puerto Rico last month. Was wonderful to be in a tropical place in the middle of winter. Reminded me a little of Thailand (everytime I go to a remotely tropical beach, I'm reminded of Thailand). How I wish I could just pack a backpack and head to Thailand.

Anyway, we did have a Thai connection in the time I was in PR. On Christmas Eve we made a vegetarian Thai dinner which was just delicious, and then opened our presents that Niño Jesús got us. I got lovely yoga pants and a black cap which rocks. I loved seeing my friends in PR, which is a Spanish family that I met in Atlanta years ago while I was studying at UGA, and because they were like my first Spanish family, literally.

Then a few days later I headed to NYC. Who wouldn't like to head to NYC to celebrate new year's eve. That wasn't a question, by the way. My better half decided last minute that he'd like to join me, so there we were, visiting the sights of the city in minus 5 to minus 12º C weather. I've never been colder in my life, it was as if no matter how many layers you put on, you're still gonna be cold. So you may as well get used to it. I guess they sell specific clothing for extreme cold, and I guess that that is what you're supposed to have when you visit NY around new year's time. And we thought we went prepared...no, at the end of the day we were like two clueless Spanish-Indian people. But then it is also a city (country) thats extremely well heated indoors. In Spain people are more conscious about energy from a young age and minimise its use. They bundle up in order to save energy, in the US, its snowing outside and you sit inside your living room in a t-shirt, imagine the disparity.

We had a blast partying NY style, and the best part was the reunion with old friends again.

Love the holidays!

I like these...

"Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out."

"I must be a mushroom because I'm always kept in the dark and fed bullshit."

"Yesterday scientists revealed that beer contains small traces of female hormones. To prove their theory, the scientists fed 100 men 12 pints of beer each, and observed that 100% of them gained weight, talked excessively without making any sense, became emotional, and couldn't drive. No further testing is planned."

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."

"When was a lad, there was only one Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Khazachstan, Eusbekistan, Bosnia, Herzegovina; and then it all changed. And then it all changed back again. Those changes cost the lives of 66 million people. But it didn't cost me a penny -- 'cause I kept my old atlas."

"There's too much blood in my caffeine system."

International Animal Rights Day

On December 10th each year, the International Day for the Rights of Animals is celebrated all over the world. Check out the history and why this day in particular came into existence as one of 365 dedicated to animals.

There's a demonstration planned for Barcelona by the organisation "Libera!" on Sat, Dec 8 at 12h in The Ramblas. See ya there!

Wounded in Love

So, I used to get these emails from Paolo Coelho's fansite or something, called "Warrior of the Light," which I unsubscribed from, cos I just got plain bored of the stuff... but then today, my sis who's a total sucker for the guy ('s work) and who continues receiving these emails, sent me this. and I think its pretty cool...


Convention of those wounded in love

General provisions:

A – Whereas the saying "all is fair in love and war" is absolutely correct;

B – Whereas for war we have the Geneva Convention, approved on 22 August 1864, which provides for those wounded in the battle field, but until now no convention has been signed concerning those wounded in love, who are far greater in number;

It is hereby decreed that:

Article 1 – All lovers, of any sex, are alerted that love, besides being a blessing, is also something extremely dangerous, unpredictable and capable of causing serious damage. Consequently, anyone planning to love should be aware that they are exposing their body and soul to various types of wounds, and that they shall not be able to blame their partner at any moment, since the risk is the same for both.

Article 2 – Once struck by a stray arrow fired from Cupid's bow, they should immediately ask the archer to shoot the same arrow in the opposite direction, so as not to be afflicted by the wound known as "unrequited love". Should Cupid refuse to perform such a gesture, the Convention now being promulgated demands that the wounded partner remove the arrow from his/her heart and throw it in the garbage. In order to guarantee this, those concerned should avoid telephone calls, messages over the Internet, sending flowers that are always returned, or each and every means of seduction, since these may yield results in the short run but always end up wrong after a while. The Convention decrees that the wounded person should immediately seek the company of other people and try to control the obsessive thought: "this person is worth fighting for".

Article 3 – If the wound is caused by third parties, in other words if the loved one has become interested in someone not in the script previously drafted, vengeance is expressly forbidden. In this case, it is allowed to use tears until the eyes dry up, to punch walls or pillows, to insult the ex-partner in conversations with friends, to allege his/her complete lack of taste, but without offending their honor. The Convention determines that the rule contained in Article 2 be applied: seek the company of other persons, preferably in places different from those frequented by the other party.

Article 4 – In the case of light wounds, herein classified as small treacheries, fulminating passions that are short-lived, passing sexual disinterest, the medicine called Pardon should be applied generously and quickly. Once this medicine has been applied, one should never reconsider one's decision, not even once, and the theme must be completely forgotten and never used as an argument in a fight or in a moment of hatred.

Article 5 – In all definitive wounds, also known as "breaking up", the only medicine capable of having an effect is called Time. It is no use seeking consolation from fortune-tellers (who always say that the lost lover will return), romantic books (which always have a happy ending), soap-operas on the television or other such things. One should suffer intensely, completely avoiding drugs, tranquilizers and praying to saints. Alcohol is only tolerated if kept to a maximum of two glasses of wine a day.

Final determination: Those wounded in love, unlike those wounded in armed conflict, are neither victims nor torturers. They chose something that is part of life, and so they have to accept both the agony and the ecstasy of their choice.

And those who have never been wounded in love will never be able to say: "I have lived". Because they haven't.


PS. I claim and declare and whatever else, that the text below is NOT mine or written by me. It was taken from the "Warrior of the Light" emails from Paolo Coehlo's fansite.

Thought for the Day

I think George W. Bush himself may have invented this:

"I believe in peace, even if we have to kill to get it."