SPIDER PIG
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
don't shoot the messenger
*long entry*
I have to emphasise my enormous amount of hate for the LIVE EARTH promotional video that Channel 5 was airing a couple of weeks leading to 07.07.2007.
Basically it showed a mix of female (who are "naked" - well, we're shown their naked shoulders so what's that supposed to imply?) and male (completely dressed) "celebrities" (u call that host of spell cast a celebrity, not that there is anything inherently wrong with him) making "green statements" that "need your attention".
Things like "they're not exaggerating" or "if you don't do something, who will?" - gives me the goosebumps - actually i think its the way they say it PLUS their facial expressions combined. they speak with such fervour that i find it almost repugnant enough to contribute to alot of global warming by dumping all those plastic bags in the garbage.
But i will not.
The same thing when An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary by Al Gore, highlighted climate crisis and eventually teamed up with Kevin Wall (the same producer who did Live8) to stage Live Earth - received much flak from critics and skeptics.
Critics - including Live8 founder and humanitarian Bob Geldorf - criticised the documentary and the giant-scale concerts as "political" in nature (although Mr Gore maintained that he wouldnt run for presidency) and are mere acts of his political strategy. Bob Geldorf was "furious" when he heard about Live Earth, calling it a "replica" of Live 8 just without the "purpose" - and of course, Mr Gore's choice of name, Live Earth, is seen as one that's riding on Live 8's fame.
I actually did watch 85% of Live Earth - but slept for about 15% - didn't miss much. I get to see keane, rhcp, madonna, the whole sydney, some enrique, some shakira, some BEP, razorlight, smashing pumpkins, metallica etc etc. i did miss john mayer and damien rice though - but i caught the act online.
I was bombarded with heaps and heaps of information. things like what i could do at home to save electricity. something simple like using Energy-Saving lightbulbs - well that's something my house has been doing for the past 10 years at least. things like pluggin out your charger cos they still drain energy.
i was even more determined to live a greener life after Live Earth. Not because Madonna pranced and danced like a 20-year-old. Not because RHCP sang and danced like 20-year-olds. Not because Keane or Damien Rice or John Mayer asked us to remember why we're watching the show.
I feel the show definitely created awareness - it is important to show the world what is going on like in the coal-mining industries amongst others that are contributing to global warming yet nations couldn't do without because thousands of lives depend on it for livelihood.
the dilemma is one decision that politicians and rulers of countries have to face and solve - but often neglected.
yet, as individuals, there are little things that we can do - through little actions of ours in our daily lives. so you saw tobey maguire replaced his old kitchen towels with one made of recycled paper and jennifer garner using reusable coffee filter and ben affleck picking out discarded soft-drink cans from a garbage bin and dumping them in a recycling bin.
and then critics condemned their "celebrity" ways because they jet around in private planes which consumes an enormous amount of fuel which inadvertently emits an obscene amount of CO gases into the atmosphere - contributing to the rise in sea level - because the earth becomes warmer.
when Leonardo DiCaprio stood up for Al Gore and said something (can't remember what) about wanting to make a film about global warming - journalists and media asked if he came for the event via his private jet.
he of course got agitated and even more so when the journo asked him if he felt it was hypocritical of celebrities proclaiming to go GREEN when their lifestyle and habits are in conflict with what they say.
to which he replied something (and i can't remember what) - and also "DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER".
i didn't agree at first - but after Live Earth, i actually do.
The concerts might be an avenue for "dying" artists who see this chance as one that will propel them to fame considering the whole world will tune in to watch. And especially for old bands - sad to say - my favourite band, Smashing Pumpkins.
They recently reunited - if you have not heard of - Live Earth is one of their first few performances as the reunited Smashing Pumpkins. And i was elated to watch. :D
Unfortunately i can't help but think and feel (and kinda know) that Live Earth was a platform for them to "announce their reunion" as well as to "seek publicity" and also one avenue for them to showcase their music to the "new generation".
The same went for Live Aid when many "dying" bands revived after Live Aid, and Bono's album sales went a notch up after the performances.
Before you go - gross, all these hypocrites - think before you judge.
As much as the performers, the organisers, the sponsors etc has a different and often hidden agenda, other than that explicitly said of - in this case, climate crisis awareness - the message did get out. And i'm sure a million other people benefitted from the funny, witty and often hilarious recycling short films and the "Answer The Call" messages on how we can make "green" a part of our daily lives.
All i want to say is as much as you feel (or I feel) the ads are gross, mediacorp's green logo is gross, al gore is so gonna run for presidency when the time comes, and di caprio just wants publicity and rhcp is dying for the extra fame (though they really dont need it, i reckon) - don't let all these cloud your judgment and let the message slip through the fingers.
being critical and being aware of all these, puts us in a position where we can objectively choose what goes into our ears and brains. to let all these messages & information affect your judgment and your behaviour and action is to do your intellect a huge dishonour.
Aristotle said "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
Recycling is a habit.
Everyone should make it a habit of their own. I don't even have a green shirt or even a green underwear.
But i am a greener person than those who proclaim and "encouraged" people to wear green to support Live Earth.
*Angry Expletives-Driven Nonsensical Rant* [Fuck lah, wear green means you're environmentally friendly? You're only nice to your mother on mother's day lah?] *had to get it out of the system for underneath all these supposedly fluency of english, i'm really a vulgar ah lian]* so you can actually ignore this part.
I decline plastic bags when i buy stuff from provision shops downstairs and 7-11. Once i bought a bottle of coke and the shopkeeper gave me a plastic bag to which i declined and he gave me a 10cents discount.
and almost 100% of the time, they ask me why and i said, save plastic bags, "huan bao".
they might not understand the true meaning of it - but at least they have encounters with someone who recycles.
Now i will remember to plug out my charger and try my best to use recycled items (even if they're more expensive) and continue my recycling efforts.
DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER.
it basically means - don't chastise the carrier of the message and focus on the message alone - if you didnt already know.
ANSWER THE CALL.
Haha - that was a sarcastic and sartorial take on the Live Earth message.
I'm not shooting at the messenger.
I'm laughing at them.
I have to emphasise my enormous amount of hate for the LIVE EARTH promotional video that Channel 5 was airing a couple of weeks leading to 07.07.2007.
Basically it showed a mix of female (who are "naked" - well, we're shown their naked shoulders so what's that supposed to imply?) and male (completely dressed) "celebrities" (u call that host of spell cast a celebrity, not that there is anything inherently wrong with him) making "green statements" that "need your attention".
Things like "they're not exaggerating" or "if you don't do something, who will?" - gives me the goosebumps - actually i think its the way they say it PLUS their facial expressions combined. they speak with such fervour that i find it almost repugnant enough to contribute to alot of global warming by dumping all those plastic bags in the garbage.
But i will not.
The same thing when An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary by Al Gore, highlighted climate crisis and eventually teamed up with Kevin Wall (the same producer who did Live8) to stage Live Earth - received much flak from critics and skeptics.
Critics - including Live8 founder and humanitarian Bob Geldorf - criticised the documentary and the giant-scale concerts as "political" in nature (although Mr Gore maintained that he wouldnt run for presidency) and are mere acts of his political strategy. Bob Geldorf was "furious" when he heard about Live Earth, calling it a "replica" of Live 8 just without the "purpose" - and of course, Mr Gore's choice of name, Live Earth, is seen as one that's riding on Live 8's fame.
I actually did watch 85% of Live Earth - but slept for about 15% - didn't miss much. I get to see keane, rhcp, madonna, the whole sydney, some enrique, some shakira, some BEP, razorlight, smashing pumpkins, metallica etc etc. i did miss john mayer and damien rice though - but i caught the act online.
I was bombarded with heaps and heaps of information. things like what i could do at home to save electricity. something simple like using Energy-Saving lightbulbs - well that's something my house has been doing for the past 10 years at least. things like pluggin out your charger cos they still drain energy.
i was even more determined to live a greener life after Live Earth. Not because Madonna pranced and danced like a 20-year-old. Not because RHCP sang and danced like 20-year-olds. Not because Keane or Damien Rice or John Mayer asked us to remember why we're watching the show.
I feel the show definitely created awareness - it is important to show the world what is going on like in the coal-mining industries amongst others that are contributing to global warming yet nations couldn't do without because thousands of lives depend on it for livelihood.
the dilemma is one decision that politicians and rulers of countries have to face and solve - but often neglected.
yet, as individuals, there are little things that we can do - through little actions of ours in our daily lives. so you saw tobey maguire replaced his old kitchen towels with one made of recycled paper and jennifer garner using reusable coffee filter and ben affleck picking out discarded soft-drink cans from a garbage bin and dumping them in a recycling bin.
and then critics condemned their "celebrity" ways because they jet around in private planes which consumes an enormous amount of fuel which inadvertently emits an obscene amount of CO gases into the atmosphere - contributing to the rise in sea level - because the earth becomes warmer.
when Leonardo DiCaprio stood up for Al Gore and said something (can't remember what) about wanting to make a film about global warming - journalists and media asked if he came for the event via his private jet.
he of course got agitated and even more so when the journo asked him if he felt it was hypocritical of celebrities proclaiming to go GREEN when their lifestyle and habits are in conflict with what they say.
to which he replied something (and i can't remember what) - and also "DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER".
i didn't agree at first - but after Live Earth, i actually do.
The concerts might be an avenue for "dying" artists who see this chance as one that will propel them to fame considering the whole world will tune in to watch. And especially for old bands - sad to say - my favourite band, Smashing Pumpkins.
They recently reunited - if you have not heard of - Live Earth is one of their first few performances as the reunited Smashing Pumpkins. And i was elated to watch. :D
Unfortunately i can't help but think and feel (and kinda know) that Live Earth was a platform for them to "announce their reunion" as well as to "seek publicity" and also one avenue for them to showcase their music to the "new generation".
The same went for Live Aid when many "dying" bands revived after Live Aid, and Bono's album sales went a notch up after the performances.
Before you go - gross, all these hypocrites - think before you judge.
As much as the performers, the organisers, the sponsors etc has a different and often hidden agenda, other than that explicitly said of - in this case, climate crisis awareness - the message did get out. And i'm sure a million other people benefitted from the funny, witty and often hilarious recycling short films and the "Answer The Call" messages on how we can make "green" a part of our daily lives.
All i want to say is as much as you feel (or I feel) the ads are gross, mediacorp's green logo is gross, al gore is so gonna run for presidency when the time comes, and di caprio just wants publicity and rhcp is dying for the extra fame (though they really dont need it, i reckon) - don't let all these cloud your judgment and let the message slip through the fingers.
being critical and being aware of all these, puts us in a position where we can objectively choose what goes into our ears and brains. to let all these messages & information affect your judgment and your behaviour and action is to do your intellect a huge dishonour.
Aristotle said "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
Recycling is a habit.
Everyone should make it a habit of their own. I don't even have a green shirt or even a green underwear.
But i am a greener person than those who proclaim and "encouraged" people to wear green to support Live Earth.
*Angry Expletives-Driven Nonsensical Rant* [Fuck lah, wear green means you're environmentally friendly? You're only nice to your mother on mother's day lah?] *had to get it out of the system for underneath all these supposedly fluency of english, i'm really a vulgar ah lian]* so you can actually ignore this part.
I decline plastic bags when i buy stuff from provision shops downstairs and 7-11. Once i bought a bottle of coke and the shopkeeper gave me a plastic bag to which i declined and he gave me a 10cents discount.
and almost 100% of the time, they ask me why and i said, save plastic bags, "huan bao".
they might not understand the true meaning of it - but at least they have encounters with someone who recycles.
Now i will remember to plug out my charger and try my best to use recycled items (even if they're more expensive) and continue my recycling efforts.
DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER.
it basically means - don't chastise the carrier of the message and focus on the message alone - if you didnt already know.
ANSWER THE CALL.
Haha - that was a sarcastic and sartorial take on the Live Earth message.
I'm not shooting at the messenger.
I'm laughing at them.
I'm Not a Plastic Bag
Yes. I'm gonna get my hands on this one.
In case you've NEVER heard of this bag? Or you haven't read the news or watch the news that says it caused quite a stir in HK recently.
It is quite the IT bag of the moment, with all that "climate crisis" stuff going on across all platforms and in all media. And of course, LIVE EARTH, and Al Gore, and Leonardo DiCaprio, all played their part in making sure words like "climate change" and "global warming" and "climate crisis" appear regularly in the media who pound on celebrities, politicians wanting to "make a difference".
I have to sincerely apologise for my OVERUSE of the "Inverted Commas" in this entry - to make sure i highlight words that do not come from my heart. SO BEAR WITH ME.
The bag made its first appearance in London, UK -retailing at 5 pounds to much success. It is the brainchild of celebrated London designer, Anya Hindmarch. She's the first one to pioneer customised images on your bag - every other designer who followed suit, followed Anya Hindmarch.
Everybody - from students, to housewives, to men, to gays flocked to queue hours for the affordable bag. It was an initiative to use her influence and power as a designer to raise awareness about "climate crisis", hence the birth of I'm Not A Plastic Bag, at an affordable price. What made it exclusive in a way is that only hundreds were made - so the thousands of people who queued for the bag, some had to go home empty-handed.
Then it was launched in US at a similar price, only slightly more expensive - and it was blue words with blue trimmings.
Anya Hindmarch will launch the Asia version - grey words with grey trimmings - in July. and will retail at SGD$65.
I went to the Anya Hindmarch boutique at Ngee Ann City only to hear that they "don't know" when stocks will come in and that "waiting lists are closed" with "1000 over names waiting" and only "100 over bags" coming in.
Won't be my turn one lah - all the celebrities and socialites and VIPs of Anya Hindmarch who regularly splurge 1000s over, will be on their list - so i am destined not to own one.
Well, maybe not. I bought mine on EBAY for SGD$250 including shipping and will arrive pretty soon!! So i can't wait to carry it.
Non-insiders may say, slaves for fashion, or i'm just trying to be part of the whole bimbotic community of fashion who champion "climate crisis" by spending an obscene amount of money on a bag - and a wannabe for wanting to make a difference.
Maybe yes, i wanted to satisfy my bimbotic alter-ego by carrying an IT bag that nobody else has - cos mine is the US version - haha :D
But i practice what i preach.
I'm an avid recycling person.
Ex-colleagues would know that I collect used paper - those used on both sides - and i would bring it downstairs to the recycling bin for recycling. They laugh at me for being a "recycling freak" and probably thinks that i think i'm one level higher than them as a human cos i recycle - but in actual fact, i DON'T.
I've never chastised people who share different values and beliefs from me.
i don't eat shark's fins because it's a personal choice - cos i feel no demand, no supply and that poaching and cruelty to the sharks would be reduced via this action of mine.
At wedding dinners, i'd just decline my bowl or give it to someone else.
But i've never said stuff like - u know the sharks are innocently killed for their fins, therefore i don't eat and therefore i'm a higher human and you're not.
Haven't you met over-enthusiastic and over-zealous "non-meat" (cos they're technically not vegetarian by definition) eaters who chastised our love for bak kut teh, bbq chicken wings, roast duck and char siew - because they are inhumanely killed so as to end up as delicacies on our dinner table?
i'm sure you get my drift.
Truth is - Recycling is a habit - once you have it - it's like brushing teeth, you don't forget and if you do, you reprimand yourself for forgetting to do it.
I can absolutely carry that very expensive bag of mine proudly because my conscience is aboveboard and clear.
Not some hypocrite who screams "SUPPORT LIVE EARTH" or "DO YOUR PART FOR CLIMATE CRISIS by WEARING GREEN" - who probably "almost" never (give the benefit of the doubt that this person has at least done it once) recycle and drives a non-environmentally friendly car that consumes fuel and contribute to the emission of CO gases into the environment. In case you think being Green is about wearing green, YOU ARE SO WRONG. and IGNORANT.
This is like a prelude to my next entry - on LIVE EARTH.
Huan Bao = Recycling
My mum just showed me a whole mountain of plastic bags - those clear big ones used to store clothes?
She then said to me, throw them away on your way out.
Then i looked at her with horror in my eyes - and said NO! We must HUAN BAO.
So she asked me - What is HUAN BAO?
I said, HUAN BAO is to ZHEN JIU DI QIU (Save the Earth) - cos MEI YOU DI QIU (Without the Earth) - JIU MEI YOU NI (There won't be you)!
To which, she said SIAO (CRAZY) and ignored my "LIVE EARTH" message.
Regarding Live Earth - you must've guessed i would have an opinion on that!
:)
I actually do, but im too tired everytime after work to even blog about my opinions.
But i eventually will.
Live Earth is a godsend - to concert junkies like me.
I just need to shout this out.
Recycling is a habit. It is not a movement - because only you can make it a movement and make everyone else a part of this moment.
It is not about wearing GREEN to show your support.
And definitely not appearing on TV and chastise people "If you don't do something, who will?"
It is ABSOLUTELY NOT about saying and proclaiming things like "I SUPPORT LIVE EARTH" because it is all talk, and no action.
How many of those who say they "support LIVE EARTH" - actually recycle?
It is not about using both sides of the paper.
it is about putting USED paper (as in both sides are used) into the recycling bin. I was the only one in my office who actually do that.
It is also about reusing plastic bottles - and/or placing them in recycling bins.
it is not about screaming out your "green" message on MSN or tell people to wear green to support or to make your logos green *ahem* *mediacorp* *cough* to show support.
it is such a joke.
alright - my rant stops here - so i can blog objectively about LIVE EARTH in my next entry.
She then said to me, throw them away on your way out.
Then i looked at her with horror in my eyes - and said NO! We must HUAN BAO.
So she asked me - What is HUAN BAO?
I said, HUAN BAO is to ZHEN JIU DI QIU (Save the Earth) - cos MEI YOU DI QIU (Without the Earth) - JIU MEI YOU NI (There won't be you)!
To which, she said SIAO (CRAZY) and ignored my "LIVE EARTH" message.
Regarding Live Earth - you must've guessed i would have an opinion on that!
:)
I actually do, but im too tired everytime after work to even blog about my opinions.
But i eventually will.
Live Earth is a godsend - to concert junkies like me.
I just need to shout this out.
Recycling is a habit. It is not a movement - because only you can make it a movement and make everyone else a part of this moment.
It is not about wearing GREEN to show your support.
And definitely not appearing on TV and chastise people "If you don't do something, who will?"
It is ABSOLUTELY NOT about saying and proclaiming things like "I SUPPORT LIVE EARTH" because it is all talk, and no action.
How many of those who say they "support LIVE EARTH" - actually recycle?
It is not about using both sides of the paper.
it is about putting USED paper (as in both sides are used) into the recycling bin. I was the only one in my office who actually do that.
It is also about reusing plastic bottles - and/or placing them in recycling bins.
it is not about screaming out your "green" message on MSN or tell people to wear green to support or to make your logos green *ahem* *mediacorp* *cough* to show support.
it is such a joke.
alright - my rant stops here - so i can blog objectively about LIVE EARTH in my next entry.
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