Media

On a more serious note, this looks like a profound and powerful documentary movie (even if it is presented by Leonardo DiCaprio) that I just watched on Apple Trailers - The 11th Hour - kind of an environmental wake-up call to gas guzzling USA.

”The 11th Hour” is the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how we’ve arrived at this moment — how we live, how we impact the earth’s ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders who discuss the most important issues that face our planet and people.
Directed by: Leila Conners Petersen, Nadia Conners
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio
(from Apple.com/trailers)

Just found this trailer on Apple Trailers - The Ten.

Comprised of ten vignettes, each one inspired by one of the Biblical commandments, The Ten is an irreverent but hilarious illustration of how bad behavior makes for good comedy. With each story told in a different style, but containing overlapping characters and themes, the film is a grand burlesque boasting an all-star cast that puts the sin back in cinema.
Directed by: David Wain
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jessica Alba, Winona Ryder, Adam Brody, Gretchen Mol
(from Apple.com/trailers)

Here's the YouTube version of The Ten trailer …

Don't know whether anyone saw this programme, which I think was broadcast on Sky Two here in the UK about a year ago, but I've just discovered it on YouTube.

The beginning of the programme is an insightful assessment of conspiracy theories on the underlying reasons for the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. The second half, though, constructs an alternative picture of the motives for the invasion that is less conspiracy theory and more a theory of conspiracies - US hunger for oil ¹, the petrodollar^{2 3} and the American need to reassert US global economic, military and political dominance.

Make sure you watch to the end to get the full exposition of the theory of conspiracies.

So, as you'll know, I love Mr Deity. But this episode in particular, Mr Deity and the Book, I found both hilarious and poignant.

After studying Advanced Workshop, and in partiular my essay on Joshua and Ricoeur's hermeneutics of suspicion and retrieval, I've been reinvigorated in my search to rediscover the Bible after being wounded by faith, life and the text. Mr Deity indicates many of the themes that I find myself wrestling with, and offers are somewhat anarchic solution - 'Let's Job the guy'. Not necessarily the non-violent path I would have preferred, but probably more humourous, let's face it.

I've been watching Mr Deity for a couple of months now and thought it was about time I shared it here, if you've not seen Mr Deity already.

I came in on episode 3, Mr Deity and the Light, which is just hilarious. But the first episode is great, and obviously, being episode 1, is the place to start.

As I understand it Brian Dalton, the writer and director of Mr Deity who also plays Mr Deity himself, wrote the first episode as a personal response to the Asian tsunami of Christmas 2004. And then, realising that he'd hit on a cracking theme, carried on making episodes of Mr Deity. I've just watched episode 9, Mr Deity and the Book, through the Mr Deity podcast feed in iTunes (or you may like to go to the podcast RSS feed), but it's not available on YouTube yet so I can't put it in here.

Anyway, here is Mr Deity episode 1, Mr Deity and the Evil.

The topic for discussion on Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 yesterday was fascinating!

Melvyn's topic for the day was 'Altruism' and in particular he was discussing whether and how evolutionary biology can explain it. His guests were …

• Miranda Fricker, Senior Lecturer in the School of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London
• Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University
• John Dupré, Professor of Philosophy of Science at Exeter University and director of Egenis, the ESRC Centre for Genomics in Society

A new 3-part series is beginning on BBC Radio 4 tomorrow morning, which looks like it might be a fascinating series to listen to. 'Humphrys in Search of God' is broadcast on Tuesday 31 October, a week later on 6 November and third programme on 13 November at 9am.

From the programme website...

John Humphrys as you've never heard him before - talking with religious leaders about his unfulfilled desire to believe in God.

How is faith possible in a world of suffering, much of it arguably caused by religion or religious extremism and to which God seems to turn a blind eye? Is there a place for religion in an age dominated by science?

His guests are the Rt Rev Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury; Professor Tariq Ramadan, Muslim academic and author; and Sir Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi.

Tim Evans's tour across England to challenge negative stereotyping of young people is gonna be on the radio!

Radio 5 Live, 10-10.30am, Thursday 21 September.

And it's also World Peace Day - how appropriate, eh?!

I watched the trailer for the forthcoming film 'The Ground Truth' on Apple Trailers today - seems like a pretty profound and powerful movie about the reality of life in the modern armed forces.

The blurb on Apple.com's The Ground Truth trailer page says … 'The filmmaker’s subjects are patriotic young Americans - ordinary men and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq - as they experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the struggle to reintegrate with families and communities.'

Here's the YouTube.com trailer:

In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust, and ran without gasoline. In 2002, General Motors pulled the plug on their innovative EV1 electric car, despite an outcry and public protests. By the end of 2005, every car had been crushed and recycled in the GM Desert Proving Grounds.

Who killed the electric car?

Visit the movie site, www.whokilledtheelectriccarmovie.com, to see the suspects and hear the story.

Or watch the Who Killed the Electric Car? YouTube trailer...