Defiance

Defiance concerns will and power.
Or will to power.

Defiance can simply be a defiant act.
But if you look for other meanings, you will learn that defiance is an intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude, a hostile challenge, the act of defying, putting in opposition, or provoking to combat; it's also a challenge, a provocation, a summons to combat.

But more, it's a state of opposition, a willingness to flight, a disposition to resist or the contempt of opposition. It is a casting aside, a renunciation, a rejection too.

So why should I defy you ?!
Why should I defy the ones I love ?
And why should I ever defy even myself ?

I know my answer.
Can you take a guess ?...

Need a hint ?... Here's a defiance I don't agree with.
retro defiance noun. Hostility towards current ideas about healthy living, which includes a return to allegedly non-healthy activities such as smoking cigars, drinking martinis, and eating steak.

Second thought

A single thought is not enough.
Seize the importance of second thoughts.

"But on second thought, after I decreed the state of emergency, I came to the conclusion that that was impossible to achieve without bloodshed because the street protesters were full of anger and nearly out of control. This is why I thought we needed to find another way out."

          - Eduard Shevardnadze

Ultimately, this is what our parents have been teaching us since we started to utter words. Whe must think before we speak...

We do have a lot to gain from that.
On first and second thoughts.

Leadership = ?!?!?!

Such a personal issue, I'd say.
Would you rather be a leader or a follower ?

What are the qualities one should have to be a leader. Does it have to do with good communication, capacity of learning, what ?!... Here's a quote from someone who did know about leadership. It was natural, for him.

"Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.".

          - Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi

What I could learn from his words/acts was:
"Never surrender leadership to problems."

Hidden Messages (pt.2)

Capture what a couple of verses would be.
Starting today, two verses of a song of mine are hidden within this very text. And there are 2x31 clues to it.

Syriana connections

Raw, cruel, disgusting... REAL !!!
Just watched "Syriana".

Didn't know americans could improve this much on making movies (I guess "Crash" made me suspicious, yet uncertain). I did know that both the war & oil businesses produce innumerous connections in our (globaliZated and werterniZed) world. And they make it go round.

Also, I did know the pivotal connections americans have in this regards. And both Z's were used on purpose. And the word "movies" too.

Happilly, George helped exposing things.
In a very polite & political way.

I'll try to keep this apolitical.
So, enough said.

Munich (dis)connection

I went to watch the "Munich" film (by one Steven Spielberg, you may have heard of him...) last friday night, in a well-known cinema theatre in Lisbon. The picture is quite impressive despite being inspired by true facts and not a real story.

I also got disconnected throught the process. My cell phone was missing in action and I can't locate it ever since. Indidently, I had asked for some posters (after they're removed from the foyer walls) in that same place and was left empty-handed as the kids who work there distributed them amongst themselves, never caring for the reservations made (this is an unnoficial process, as the posters are property of the distribution company, who never claims them back). Talking to the theatre manager is pointless, as both of them are too young to look for a solution... and barely able to gather the appropriate words that mean "It's out of my control!".

So, my Ugly Duckling poster from "Chicken Little" and also the spectacular 15-foot high "Corpse Bride" poster got to some juvenile hands and its present whereabouts must be related to some flee market. I sincerely hope that my cell phone is not on the same path...

Well, back to "Munich"...

The main plot is centered on the Olympic Games murder of the israeli athletes inside the olympic village. What happened next ?... That's what this 120+ minute feature attempts to explore.

Basically, the question is answered in a well paced yet balanced rhythm. A team is gathered to revenge the israeli athletes and everyone turns from hunter in hunted, as it so often happens. One would say "all is well when it ends well" but this is definaltely not the case...

Nothing is left to chance. Even israeli Ayelet Zorer (pictured here) and canadian Marie-Josée Croze (pictured here and here also) provide the essential feminin touch, personifying the woman in her most/pivotal extreme positions... the mother and the killer, respectively.

Sunday morning

Again, what is poetry ?!
Who decides ?!...

There was this girl who wrote some simple/nice words (attached to a groovy ska song). And it's pointless to discuss how poetic or relavant it is.
Today it is, says I.

"Sappy pathetic little me
That was the girl I used to be
You had me on my knees

I'd trade you places any day
I'd never thought you could be that way
But you looked like me on Sunday

You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure had changed since yesterday
Without any warning
I thought I knew you, I thought I knew you
I thought I knew you well...so well

You're trying my shoes on for a change
They look so good but fit so strange
Out of fashion, so I can complain

You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure had changed since yesterday
Without any warning
I thought I knew you, I thought I knew you
I thought I knew you well...so well

I know who I am, but who are you?
You're not looking like you used to
You're on the other side of the mirror
So nothing's looking quite as clear
Thank you for turning on the lights
Thank you, now you're the parasite
I didn't think you had it in you
And now you're looking like I used to!

You came in with the breeze
On Sunday morning
You sure have changed since yesterday
Without any warning
And you want me badly
You cannot have me
I thought I knew you
But I've got a new view
I thought I knew you well... oh well"

          in "Sunday Morning"

This was written by Gwen Steffani.
Published in "Tragic Kingdom" in 1995, an album by "No Doubt" (yes, the one where one can find "Don't Speak" which pained our ears for more than a year then).