Crash: It's about Power

When I was in 6th grade, my best friend was black; we were the only non-Caucasian kids in my 6th grade class in Watkins Mill Elementary School when I first came to the States. My best friend in Junior High was a Sheik, and I attended a High School program where a third of the kids were Jews. Most of my college friends are Korean Americans, but most of my colleagues are Caucasians and Indians, and my latest good friend is a German.

One of the biggest ironies I felt about racism, was how striking it is that the same person who would spew racist slurs at the slightest provocation during a minor altercation with a stranger or while making stereotyping remarks about another, could also be a capable of being a kind, a loving or a noble person. Prejudice, it turns out, is not a character, but a preconceived judgement that can blind even the keenest of the mind and the kindest in the heart. They say 'racism is ugly,' but it often reflects the rawest and the most inhibited hatred that seems to come out of nowhere.

By showing how the issues each character struggles with in the storyline lead to prejudice and manifests in racism, Crash shows that it is the alure of power and control, especially in the context of helplessness, hopelessness and frustration, that the characters seek as a form of escapism through racistic abuse of one another; and it suggests that an honest introspection that examines the skeletons in one's closet, and an open dialog that leads to acceptance of one's true vulnerabilites and brings about understanding, compassion and healing, that are keys in shining hope onto confronting and eliminating racism.

Crash never seems intimidated in illustrating different ways racism manifests, covering the entire range from subtle display of contempt, to explicit and perverse violence (PC audience is well advised to steer clear), yet what lifts it from the realm of simple and obvious moralistic fable is the generouos sprinkling of humor and humanity that heightens the impact of main convention of twists and revelations.

On a much lighter note, I thought that Matt Dillon's casting was an unexpected surprise (I cannot think of another actor who could have played this role better), but the bigger mainstream actors like Sandra Bullock and Brandon Frasier were miscast. The acting chops of the likes of Don Cheadle and Terrence Howard definitely add the requisite gravita, and Ludacris injects a light-hearted (or as light-hearted as you can get with subject like racism) comic touch that makes this movie that much more... accesible.

Rent this one, friends. You'll definitely have some meaningful conversations over beer in a pub afterwords on this one.

On a side note, I'm thankful for all of your differences; it certainly makes my life a whole lot more interesting and colorful! :-)

Do No Evil

The world is a f*ckin' scary place. Evil lurks in unexpected places -- in the shadow of happiness, on the flip side of goodness -- and it infuriates me that it often preys on the innocent under the facade of kindness and love; those of tender hearts that are more susceptible to being guiled by such guises are often the ones that ultimately pay with their blood and tears. And it breaks my heart that I feel utterly helpless at times in the face of such atrocities.

The types of evil that you encounter grows more sinister and insiduous as you grow older, the infectious decadence ever so corruptive and spiteful. Those infected become drones whose God-given talents become instruments of evil to inflict nauseatingly foul tragedy on another human being to satisfy the festering selfish motivations and animal instincts.

God remember your children.
God protect the innocent.
God preserve goodness in this world.

Growing up is scary because you have fewer mentors who protect you from evil or illuminate the way; it's even more scary because you become depended upon to be that mentor at times, and most of the time, you are just as lost and vulnerable yourself.

I pray that evil don't happen in the first place to my loved ones and that I'd be strong enough to shield them from it; but I also wish that I would have the wisdom to be able to provide them with healing and guidance if I was not strong enough.

Do no evil, friends...

What Would Chuck Norris Do?

If you find this funny, you share the same sense of sick, twisted, absurd, silly, crazy, Beavis-n-Butthead humor as the Lee boys (this had me literally rolling on the floor, laughing myself until my belly hurt like hell)... courtesy of my brother:

• Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
• When Chuck Norris has sex with a man, it's not because he's gay, but because he's run out of women.
• If you ask Chuck Norris what time it is, he always says, "two seconds till." After you ask, "Two seconds till what?" he roundhouse kicks you in the face.
• Chuck Norris uses ribbed condoms inside out, so he gets the pleasure.
• Since 1940, the year Chuck Norris was born, roundhouse kick related deaths have increased 13,000%.
• There are no disabled people, only people who have met Chuck Norris.
• There is no chin behind Chuck Norris' beard. There is only another fist.
• It was once believed that Chuck Norris actually lost a fight to a pirate, but that's a rumor created by Chuck Norris himself to lure more pirates to him.
• Chuck Norris once lined up to kick the winning field goal for a high school football game. When the football went flat, he persuaded the referees to let him kick the field goal with a 3 month old child. Chuck roundhouse kicked the baby 60 yards through the uprights and then proceeded to bang every girl in the stadium.
• Those aren't credits that roll after "Walker Texas Ranger" or any of his films; it is actually a list of people that Church Norris roundhouse kicked in the face that day.
• When Church Norris' wife burned the turkey one Thanksgiving, Chuck said, "don't worry about it honey," and went into his backyard. He came back five minutes later with a live turkey, ate it whole, and when he threw it up a few seconds later it was cooked and came with cranberry sauce. When his wife asked him how he had done it, he gave her a roundhouse kick to the face and said, "Never question Chuck Norris."
• Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer and AIDS. Too bad he's never cried.
• Chuck Norris does not have AIDS, but he gives to people anyway.
• Rather than being birthed like a normal child, Chuck Norris instead decided to push himself out of his own mother, roundhouse kicked the doctor and shortly after grew a beard.
• Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen that coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month along with Jesus Christ.
• Jesus has a beard only because Chuck Norris allows it.
• Chuck Norris orchestrated 9/11 and roundhouse kicked all of our nation's leaders in the face and persuaded them to believe the Middle East is responsible.
• Chuck Norris often asks people to pull his finger. When they do, he roundhouses them in the abdomen and then farts.
• Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming "Law & Order" are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
• If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you might be only seconds away from death.
• Chuck Norris uses a live rattle snake for a condom.
• Aliens do exist. They're just waiting for Chuck Norris to die before they attack.

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Outside of Providence

Providence is a beautiful town, and although I had spent a woefully short time there (mostly in the winter, mostly stuck in the client office in Woonsocket, RI), it will always be remembered with fond memories.

Flipping through the TV at the hotel, I caught the beginning of a movie on Starz; the scene was of a buddies' poker scene around a working-class dining table -- a bunch of middle aged guys chewing out famous male figures for being gay. What kept me from flipping the channel was the sight of an out of shape Alec Bladwin in wife-beaters and boxer shorts and gym socks, swearing with thick New England accent while watching TV. The ensuing plot -- about some troubled adolescent's coming-of-age experience with the usual themes of rebellion against authority, innocent love and meaning of friendship -- was rather obvious, but it was simplistic in a black-and-white kind of way that was kind of refreshing.

I doubt that this movie ever made a top 10 list (for one, I've never heard of it), and I've only caught the title at the end of the credits, as Starz does not feature commercials. Right now, I'm attending a fancy seminar in a plush Westin at the Peachtree area in Atlanta, enduring through chest-thumping speeches by Big Swinging Dicks (reference to Liar's Poker... I always get a kick out of that term), my head full of technical terms that I need to research later on my own to not fall behind my colleagues, my suitcase full of back copies of The Economist with which I'm always struggling to catch up... it's really refreshing to be reminded of innocent love, standing up against injustice and reminder that family, no matter how they show (or don't) it, is always there for you. What is more important in life? I'm always reminded that success and happiness is not something you can hang on the wall or something you can count by the number of zeroes in your bank account.

Check it out if you get a chance, yeah? (Uh... and ignore the cheesy DVD cover.)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305744475/qid=1140145092/sr=8-4/ref=sr_1_4/103-7893031-7960613?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

I'm surprised to find out after reading the Amazon.com description that it's a Farrelly brother piece... interesting...

What the *&%$ is a "Perth"?

A brief search in everyone's favorite search engine reveals clues that it can either be a city in Scotland or the name of a dance. Either in themselves are insignificant, but give it some English gentry title, such as "Duke" and you've found yourself in one of my favorite pubs in Chicago: Duke of Perth.

What I realize, is a key characteristic of a good pub, is the absence of TVs in the room; I get ESPN on cable at home, and if I wanted to watch a sporting event on TV, there are plenty of sports bars in Wriglyville area where I can rub shoulders with drunken sports fanatics or fight to get the barkeep to serve me a Budweiser. Of course, the aforementioned household appliance is blissfully missing at the Duke and you get to know the waitstaff by first name by the next night you show up; and the patrons congregate for conversation, the awesome selection of Scottish and British beers and scotch, and if they're like me, to get the *&@! away from the cookie-cutter Wriglyville/Lincoln Park bar setup.

The following review has some nice pictures to give you an idea of what the place is like:

http://www.chicagobarproject.com/Reviews/Duke/Duke.htm

I'm sipping a pint of Belhaven Wee Heavy as I'm updating this entry, courtesy of the free wi-fi at the Duke... 11:44 PM on a Monday night. Thats two more hours 'till last call.

Funeral

A great album by Arcade Fire... I got this a while ago, but it's been on a heavy rotation on my iPod the past few days. Last Tuesday, I got words that one of my friends, passed away from a heart attack, and I was in Los Angeles over the weekend to attend the funeral. For some reason, the themes from many of the songs resonated with the weekend.

A Korean proverb goes: "Tigers leave behind their fur; people leave their legacy"

Displayed prominantly near the casket at the funeral service were the artifacts that were supposed to represent the various aspects in his life that was supposed to define the friend. Among the things: his PhD diploma, picture from his wedding, his snowboard, bottle of whiskey. Ironically, what really defined who he was, and how he lived, was not on the stage; but the congregation that gathered for the service... the friends and family who carried little artifacts of him in their grieving hearts.

One of my best friends was also at the funeral, and as I sat among the congregation, with my hand wrapped around his shoulder to comfort him in his grieving (he was sobbing like a little girl), it occured to me that, I too, am storing up the artifacts of my life in the souls of the friends and family. What really matters, I am humbly reminded, is not what might inevitably be unpacked for a few hours from packing crates to be displayed with my casket.

A huge crowd gathered to honor his memories -- a true testament to how he's lived. May your soul find itself in the company of the saints and other believers in heaven. I will always remember you as one of the most genuine people I've ever met in my life.