Harry Potter, Spongebob and Teletubbies

Puhleeeeeese..

Some people must be totally jobless and have nothing better to do.

That's why we have these sudden bursts of insane enlightenment from them when they liken Teletubbies and Spongebob to gays and Harry Potter books to Dark magic.

The first time I read about this (this was after Book 4 in the series was just published), I couldn't even believe it.

Now, I know that these periodic eruptions will happen again (it was someone from the Vatican this time, making this claim) and I can't be bothered to try and infuse them with any semblance of logic.

I enjoy the Potter books immensely and to me, they depict good vs evil, with good ultimately triumphing. As for reading into their sub-plots and subconsious images, allegories, etc, just to come out with something so far-fetched...count me out!

I think that maybe I am just jealous. Yes, really! I do not possess the kind of mind that looks beyond the mundane - I cannot see the intricate and invisible patterns and what they convey. I am too much a fan of calling a spade a spade, so how can I even spot the dark designs embedded in the spade and see them for what they are?

Try as I might, I can't see anything but a silly, pesky sponge with a cutely irritating laugh in Spongebob. And Heaven help me because I failed to spot the true meaning of his holding Patrick's hand.

I can still remember that when I was younger, holding someone's hand only meant that you were their friend. Now it means you are gay. Believe me, nowadays, I hesitate to hold even my daughter's hand in public......

Ps and Qs

It's happened at last. We do, from now on, have to mind our Ps and Qs while blogging, as our Ministerial services department has so kindly told us. As far as the Government goes, image is everything!

Whew, at least, I can still blog (like I have anything useful to blog about is entirely a differernt matter!)

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Had a nice little quake here y'day that rattled the windows quite impressively. 4.5 on the Richter and epicentre about 5 km from here. My first while on the 12th floor.

Bollywood = culture = India?

That's the impression I got from watching the finale of the Commonwealth games in Melbourne.

Sure, I know we can deliver the goods any time, as we have the capacity, and that we'll put a good show in Delhi in 2010. (By the way, the appetiser we got in Melbourne was pretty good too.) But it's the way the delivery gets done that sometimes irks.

I don't know if I was the only one who felt this way, but increasingly, I have seen that of late, the term Bollywood (embracing all India-made films) is the only cultural face of India that is presented to the world (with NZ being no exception).

Nothing wrong with it being presented to the world, but my question is: Is it the only one that is worth being presented? Are we taking the easy way out?

To be sure, last night's extravaganza did have some real slickly made docos on other things Indian. But Bollywood overshadowed everything.

Unlike a new country like the US, we do have a long and awesome cultural background. When you have it, why not flaunt it as well, along with Bollywood?

In case I sound like one of those hide-bound traditionalists, let me tell you that I am not. Far from it. I enjoy movies and have a pretty tolerant outlook. But this thing really gets to me.

I am hoping that maybe I am wrong. And maybe that 2010 will have the best of Indian culture and not just only Bollywood. Or will it all be just a Bollywoodised version?

Questions, questions, no answers! Not yet, at least!