*starofnite*

June 20, 2009

Amazing Grace the movie

Just finished watching the movie "Amazing Grace", a stirring yet compelling real-life story account of William Wilberforce, the 18th century activist who brought about abolition of the slave trade with his like-minded friends. Really, the movie deserves more than the 5 star rating by the Amazon.Com reviewers. Esp the actor Ioan Gruffudd [ acted as Dr Reed Richards in Fantastic Four the comic movie ] who portrays Wilberforce with such magnetism and reality and insight into Wilberforce's character and his anti-slvery work.

Info about Willliam Wilberforce on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilberforce

Wilberforce [1759 - 1833] was a deeply religious English member of parliament and social reformer who was very influential in the abolition of the slave trade and eventually slavery itself in the British empire.

William Wilberforce was born on 24 August 1759 in Hull, the son of a wealthy merchant. He studied at Cambridge University where he began a lasting friendship with the future prime minister, William Pitt the Younger. In 1780, Wilberforce became member of parliament for Hull, later representing Yorkshire. His dissolute lifestyle changed completely when he became an evangelical Christian, and in 1784 joined a leading group known as the Clapham Sect. His Christian faith prompted him to become interested in social reform, particularly the improvement of factory conditions in Britain.

The abolitionist Thomas Clarkson had an enormous influence on Wilberforce. He and others were campaigning for an end to the trade in which British ships were carrying black slaves from Africa, in terrible conditions, to the West Indies as goods to be bought and sold. Wilberforce was persuaded to lobby for the abolition of the slave trade and for 18 years he regularly introduced anti-slavery motions in parliament. The campaign was supported by many members of the Clapham Sect and other abolitionists who raised public awareness of their cause with pamphlets, books, rallies and petitions. In 1807, the slave trade was finally abolished, but this did not free those who were already slaves. It was not until 1833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire.

Wilberforce's other efforts to 'renew society' included the organisation of the Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1802. He worked with the reformer, Hannah More, in the Association for the Better Observance of Sunday. Its goal was to provide all children with regular education in reading, personal hygiene and religion. He was closely involved with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was also instrumental in encouraging Christian missionaries to go to India.

Wilberforce retired from politics in 1825 and died on 29 July 1833, shortly after the act to free slaves in the British empire passed through the House of Commons. He was buried near his friend Pitt in Westminster Abbey.

Amazing Grace ~ the lyrics

Amazing Grace (How sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snare,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall profess, within the vail,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be for ever mine.

~ lyrics taken from http://www.amazinggracemovie.com

February 22, 2009

Pink Panther 2 !

Despite the bad reviews on Pink Panther 2, i still went ahead to watch PP2 with my family and the movie is damn silly and funny with stellar comedian Steve Martin & his funny French accent as Inspector Clouseau. Found a premiere pic of the huggable Pink Panther Mascot with Steve Martin & Jean Reno which made me wish that the Pink Panther mascot is mine to hug...

February 20, 2009

Art making ? Just an opinion...

Being an artist is a self enpowerment to watch the world goes by in perfect
harmony and/or disharmony. It's a self made privilege that is only
sustainable if: (1) your spouse and parents are rich enough to support you,
(2) APPRECIATION level for what you do is high and people/company/ authority
are willing to support out of appreciation, (3) you strike To-To, (4) you
inherited some stolen fortune of a distanted relative, (5) all the above.

Without the above, you must be totally talented to endure in any of the
following:
(1) eternal suffering in poverty for the rest of your life.
(2) forced to be part of a business guru's master plan to benefit himself.
(3) curry flavour with perfect sweet tongue and honeyed words for the
support that you will need.
(4) become a business man yourself.
(5) just do what you are told to do and use only successful formulae of
others.
(6) lose your ability to speak honestly.
(7) become a perfect entertainer for the crowd...

With great vision that we can believe in, is a world in order and grace.
With great illusion of material gain, we all are too busy snatching and
dominating our properties and food.

But, a perfect renunciation of materials is too lame to be workable in the modern
times, and a perfect achievement of materials is too clever for its own good...

That is the perfect irony of humanity, where there is only the possibility of a perfect storm
but not an utopia in this lifetime. We can be one step closer to a perfect vision,
but never totally there. With this, we need to admit the imperfection of ourselves
and not try to cast our shadows on others.

This is my "perfect" suggestion for "perfect arts" at this point in time:

Generous doses of APPRECIATION <=> Generous gift of HONESTY

~ written by Tan How Choon
Artistic Director Director (Education)
for ECNAD as posted on Arts Community Yahoo! Group

February 11, 2009

The Lonely Dragon by Theresa Heine

The Lonely Dragon by Theresa Heine

A dragon is sad
Because everyone thinks
A dragon is fierce and brave,
And roars out flames,
And eats everybody,
Whoever comes near his cave.
But a dragon likes people,
A dragon needs friends,
A dragon is lonely and sad,
If anyone knows
Of a friend for a dragon,
A dragon would be very glad.

January 18, 2009

Orange Moon

Frankly i normally have a distaste for certain kind of mandopop esp those cutesy cum no substance ones. But recently i favored one despite Khalil Fong 方大同.

The only song i used to be familiar was "Love, Love, Love" which was broadcasted on tv once in a while. But then i really took to him when i was on my way back home in SG on the plane from my Taiwan holiday. I was like browsing thru the mandopop music collection on the flight. Too many those lullabic tunes until i was listening to Khalil fong's music collection titled "Wonderland".

I was drawn to his musicality and his soulful vocals which was so near to those Western R&B and soul musicians like Stevie Wonder. It's amazing how he could sing those genres in Mandarin and not make them sound like chinked out/watered down like LH & JC. He even sounded better than David Tao as i felt that DT had lost his unique R&B style over the years.

No wonder ppl says that Khalil Fong is the next best singer beside Eason Chan in HK where Cantopop is dwindling or sucky. Yes, he have a fan in me and the next thing i knew is that... i bought up 3 albums of his - Wonderland, His live concert DVD and the latest offering "Orange Moon" - which i think is the best of his 3 albums so far.

See "Orange Moon" review and hear tracks ~ http://aznplay.com/2008/12/21/review-khalil-fong-orange-moon

December 01, 2008

Goodbye to my K2s...

As this new term starts at my work place, i was somewhat not very enthusiastic about it.
Upon seeing my K2s or rather my ex-students, my heart gave a funny lurch.

I felt sad when i saw them entering the K2 classroom and I was in the PG/N1 class. I didn't even look at them in the morning when i took the PG/N1s away to wash hands. The bond between me and the PG/N1 is missing as this is the 1st time i took them. I had already felt unhappy even during spring cleaning because of my 2 partners and the way they work. I just kept quiet.

The whole day i couldn't help but worry abt my remaining students in Jo and Ke's class - Alicia, Faith, Meredith, Justin, Russell, Hao Ze, Ho Ping and Lucius. I talked to Russell briefly and later Justin, Alicia Faith and Meredith and it was great to talk to them. They still greet me cheerfully as usual and I had a extremely hard time keeping my voice at a neutral tone.

At the end of the day, when i was packing my things at my cupboard, Meredith and Faith kept shuttling and giggling behind me at the glass door parting the PG/N1 class and the K1/2 class. Meredith even asked me why i was no longer in the K2 class. Tears just welled up and i had to fight valiantly to control them. The bond between me and my K2s is strong and i've seen how they had grown and progressed and improved sicne Jul 2007 last year till Nov this year.

I really, really miss them terribly and i treasure the times since last year when they are in K1 and i believe that the memories will hold me forever. I'll treasure the remaining times we have left in school and Teacher Ching Mei will keep you in my heart...

September 13, 2008

Hana Yori Dango... Final !

Watched HYD final thrice - crazy rite ? I'm a big fan of Hana Yori Dango [HYD] series which i have the VCD/DVD of the the 1st 2 copies. Despite unflatttering review of the final instalment, i still love HYD. Frankly the J version of HYD is much better than the T version as it's more fast paced and had some new scenes. Loved the glittery poster too...