Superman as, err, superman...

The following quote about the Incredibles, from the Christian Science Monitor, should really be sent to Private Eye's Pseuds Corner:

"I can't help thinking of [philosopher Friedrich] Nietzsche and his idea that some people are better and more deserving than others," says Mikita Brottman, professor of language and literature at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

"The movie salutes Superman," Dr. Brottman adds. "Not the 'superman' in comic books but the one [despots] believe in. Its idea seems to be that even in a democracy some people are 'more equal' than others, and the rest of us shouldn't be so presumptuous as to get in their way."

But...

To a certain extent it's probably true. Pixar's movies tend to be morality plays that encourage, beg even, this sort of reading too much into them. They are also pretty good at playing it both ways.

My Mum's convinced, for example, that A Bug's Life is a sort of updated Ragged Trousered Philanthropists for the ADD generation. And it's an entirely reasonable interpretation, especially if you look on the grasshopper's as a sort of bourgousie exploiting the ant workers, and view the ant's finally standing up to them as the sort of collective action that propelled the unions.

The film, however, also managed to play it the other way by centering on a group of misfits who's individuality is what makes them special. Flik, the main ant, is the sort of Capraesque everyant who's slightly skewed look on things gives him an insight into what's right that is much more profound than the staid committees that he pushes against.

So, plucky individualism trumps the inertia that unions can create...

Wait, what was the message again?

Of course, Shark Tale is definitely about coming out.

Swells Funny Shock

Steven Wells in the Graun is often a little too self conciously "mad" for my tastes and his recent article about American Brass bands at sporting events is quite the frenzied example of this. However, as Lisa over at the Rage Diaries points out, this description of a marching band is hilariously accurate:

Dressed in Little Richardesque uniforms - the sort of thing Liberace might have insisted upon had he ever commanded a 19th century British cavalry regiment - these amazingly talented kids (way, way more talented than the dumb psychos in the football uniforms) perform incredible acts of co-ordination while hammering out note-perfect brass'n'drum versions of irresistibly ultra-dumb punk rock'n'roll classics. Imagine the Brighouse And Rastrick brass band dressed by Leigh Bowery, choreographed by Busby Berkley and scored by John Phillip Sousa, Joey Ramone, Phil Spector and Jim 'Meatloaf' Steinman. On crack.

Music Critic Discovers Pop

In what is surely a heartfelt plea for tolerance Nick Duerden in the Guardian creates a straw-man that rock lovers and pop lovers are seperate and distinct individuals and then goes on to argue that there's a bit of each in both of them. Or, at least, rock lovers secretly love pop.

Then again his article does contain the line "U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, [is] a magisterial record from the world's best band", which shows just how out of whack his critical facilities are.

Even the most jaded rocker has a small place in his heart for pop. If he says he doesn't be sure that there's a small but terrifyingly complete shrine to Kylie in his attic.

Rules Rule

The Graun ask Julian Baggini, the author of What's It All About? Philosophy and the Meaning of Life, for a few rules to help make modern life more bearable. His list is a pretty decent start:

• You should not accept or continue a phone call if a shop assistant is serving you.
  
• You should never text anybody while in the middle of a conversation.
  
• You should always monitor your volume when chatting on your mobile.
  
• You should only send email round robins in extremis.
  
• Stop for pedestrians at pedestrian crossings.
  
• On public transport, allow people to alight before you board.
  
• Do not put your feet up on the seats.
  
• Do not smooch in the company of others.
  
• Always dump in person, not by text, fax or email.
  
• If you go through a door first you should always hold it open for those who follow.
  
• Offer your seat to the elderly, but don't assume they'll want it.
  
• Offer your seat to a pregnant women.
  
• If invited to someone's house for dinner, don't be one of the ungrateful fed.
  
• Don't drink more at a party than you brought.
  
• Do include little Emily and baby Jack when addressing Christmas cards to their parents.
  
• Never tell somebody else's child off in front of them, or criticise adults for their poor parenting. Except when you should.
  
• Do not undertake.
  
• Wipe down gym equipment after use.
  
• Stick to the swimming lane that's right for you.
  
• Remember that neither the cinema nor the theatre is your front room.
  
• Don't punctuate your sentences with profanities in public.
  
• Don't think "I was here first" is a trump card.
  

Notes on "Notes on..."

Jamie Fristrom, Manager in a Stranger Land, continues his consistently readable and thought-provoking "Notes on ..." series about different games that have caught his interest with a look at Doom 3.

Footballer's Houses

The Guardian has a look at a few of the palatial abodes that are de rigeur for today's young millionaire footballer and, surprisingly, finds one or two that don't make you go "Eeeewwww!" (though including David Seaman is probably cheating slightly). The snark is in full effect for all the rest, though:

The reason for such conformity is this. Top footballers are as imaginative as lemmings. There they go now, diving after the Beckhams, who have sunk the flag of St George into the Dubai real estate empire. Last year they bought a £1.6m villa at the Palm, an exclusive development off Dubai's exclusive Jumeirah coast, that will be - oh yes! - visible to orbiting astronauts when it is complete next year. Each villa will have its own own 130ft private beach and swimming pool. Now 11 England players, including Michael Owen, Kieron Dyer, Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge, have bought up £1m-plus holiday homes there.

Tony on Tony

I feel that many on the left regard Tony Benn as the thinking person's leftie. Despite, or probably inspite, of the times when he seems a little muddled, or just plain odd, the feeling he was always a little ineffectual and that whole nuclear power thing.

Every so often he'll pop up again to remind you why you like him, why you'll miss him when he's no longer here and to make you wonder where the politicians who didn't mind letting a little ideology get in the way of their popularity have gone.

This time he's having a restrained pop at Prince Charles, and his most recent gaffe:

This is why Prince William is now being carefully promoted, in case it is thought necessary to skip a generation and allow him to succeed the Queen and thus keep this absurd and undemocratic constitution safe for the next generation.

Britain is gravely handicapped by this medieval system of government which gives us a president without any checks and balances, and keeps the serfs firmly in their place. Any serious democratic reform of our constitution would give an elected parliament control of all executive powers, firmly cap the fount of honour, and arrange for the election of a small senate to act as a revising chamber, whose speaker could occasionally act as head of state for ceremonial purposes.

This would have the advantage of liberating the royal family, leaving them free, as citizens, to live their own lives, say what they like, and take part in elections like the rest of us. They could then safely vote for King Tony and his neoconservative courtiers, at No 10, knowIng that New Labour could be trusted to preserve privilege in Britain.

Disclaimers

I've mentioned the move by some Americans to have stickers put on books that teach evolution previously. Well, Colin Purrington, has decided that a few more stickers might be appropriate, for example:

This textbook contains material on gravity. Gravity is a theory, not a fact, regarding a force that cannot be directly seen. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered.

For your edification, if not education, Colin has also included some links to Creationist sites. As he suggests a stiff drink is in order if you do check them out. As one sticker states:

This book mentions Creationism, New Creationism, Scientific Creationism, or Intelligent Design.
All of these beliefs rely on the action of a supernatural entity to explain life on earth. Scientists rejected supernatural explanations for life in the 1800s, and still do today.

Talking Bonollocks

I can't claim any credit for this neologism, I found it on No Rock 'N' Roll Fun. I will, however, be using it at every available opportunity.

The only thing I'm not sure of is the stress on the "no" part, should it be "Bow-no-locks" or "buh-nol-locks"? I'm tending more towards the latter.

But you can imagine the usages for it:

"Well, I have a contract with my fans. Two shit albums and I retire."
"Ah you're just talking bonollocks there."

"You've got to admit 'Tonight thank god it's them instead of you' is an important line"
"Bonollocks!"

Good Point

Teresa at Making Light makes a great observation:

One of the reasons I’ve never believed satanic ritual abuse narratives—the ones where the supposed victims are always being “groomed” (they always use that word) to become the high priest or priestess of the group—is that their stories are devoid of normal human complications. Nobody ever develops chest pains, and has to be gotten out of their ceremonial robes and rushed to an ER. Nothing funny ever happens. Nobody ever fluffs a complex ritual. The air conditioning never breaks down. There are no theological or procedural disputes, no arguments about bookkeeping, no rebellious music committees. Satanic covens are never incapacitated because the potato salad sat out too long before the pre-ceremony setup session potluck. But most tellingly of all, no satanic group is ever riven by dissension because a couple of its members have started selling Amway and they won’t shut up about it.