Cirque du Soleil -- Varekai

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On Sunday night I went to see Cirque du Soleil currently in Seoul. What a magical experience the Cirque du Soleil performances are. The whole set-up is so surreal that one is quickly spirited away into an other-wordly experience. It's not only about people doing "acrobatic tricks", it is everything: the costumes, the lighting, the music, the décor, the fantasy inspired plot. It's a grand theatrical extravaganza that is dificult to explain if you haven't seen it. This was the second time for me to see a Cirque du Soleil performance. The previous time was in 2007.

If you have never experienced circus at its best, I highly recommend putting a Cirque du Soleil performance on your bucket list. 

Obama's Birth Certificate LOL!

Whohahahahaha! Whahahaha! LOL!!! Tears are rolling down my face, this is so freakin' funny! Whahahaha!

Source: White House -- Download Link

Okay, so I have a Degree in Graphic Design, which make it easy to see the obvious, glaring, issues with this document, which is clearly a fake. But come on! You don't need a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design to see this.

Apart from the obvious issue of the green background grain not matching up, here are some other things to look at.

• Notice the State Registrar's Stamp at the bottom of the page. There is a spelling error: "ABSTRACT OF TXE RECORD". You wanna tell me that the State Registrar used a stamp with a spelling error in it? If so, then we need to compare this with other certificates from the same time and see if those too have this error on it, which I hard to believe.
• Is that a smiling face in the first A of the Registrar's signature? Zoom into the signature and look at the A in "Alvin". Yes it could be an ink smudge, but we don't see that type of splattering to this extend elsewhere in the signature.
• Notice the colour mismatch of the green thatched paper on the outside border and the grey-green mismatched colour where the new layer clearly begins. It looks like they took a photocopy of some sort, selected all the "white" and deleted it leaving the transparent background (except for the grey areas), and then pasted the whole thing onto the green thatched background. 
• Look at the Department of Health number at the upper right corner: 61 10641. Zoom in so that you can clearly compare that last one with the other numbers. It is strikingly obvious to anybody that has ever worked with computer images that the last number has been added as an image. It is clearly pixelated, when compared to the other numbers and the font is not exactly the same either.
• Below the Department of Health number look at the date. What's up with that comma (heavily pixelated) behind the 4 (day).

Now, I'm not saying that this certificate proves President Obama is not an American or anything like that. What I am saying is that this document is HIGHLY suspicious. I have to wonder why the White House would provide such a clearly altered document to the public? Surely there are better graphic designers in Washington! With enough time I would have made a better document and I'm not even an actively practising graphic designer anymore.

Armageddon is not starting today

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No, Armageddon is not starting today and the rapture is not going to take place.

The sad thing about this is that the Bible is actually full of surprisingly accurate prophecies that have been confirmed historically. Unfortunately people are following their own unbiblical methods of Bible interpretation, resulting in such queer eschatology as that of Mr Harold Camping, who predicts the start of the end of the world will begin today.

Also, the idea of a rapture apart from the Second Coming is foreign to the Bible; especially the idea that the "church" will be spirited away and spared from the Great Tribulation. No, the Bible, if actually read properly, does not suggest that Christians will be taken out of the world when the Great Tribulation occurs; just like the Israelites were not spirited away before the plagues hit ancient Egypt. The Israelites only left Egyptian captivity after the plagues and tribulations. Christians sealed by God are promised protection from the plagues, but no mention is made of some kind of rapture that takes them out of the time of tribulation. Such theories are based on the idea of dispensations which is another concept foreign to the Bible, but believed by many evangelicals. God is ". . . the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8), there are no dispensations in which God relates to us differently. The covenants have always been based on the same principle of God's grace.

I fear the followers of Mr Camping will experience a "great disappointment", which will unfortunately give his (atheist) opponents fodder for mockery, not only of Mr Camping's and his followers, but of all Christians.

If only they had read Matthew 24:36:

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." 

A more unfortunate effect is that these false prophets are crying wolf, so that when the true warnings go out, the hearers will not take head. My heart goes out to these people that will be sorely disappointed today and the mockery they will have to endure in the weeks and months (and years) to come. Some of them will give up their faith completely; hopefully others will not give up on their search for Truth.

Khawuleza!

I was suddenly in the mood for Miriam Makeba and went to YouTube to listen to some of her songs. The first one I listened to was the song "Khawuleza" in which the child tells his/her mother to hurry up, because the police are coming.



It's seventeen years after the change of government and I wonder what has changed as far as the police is concerned? Police brutality in South Africa is something that's making the news quite often these days. Again, I think, the children are shouting "khawuleza, mama!" South Africans do not trust their police. I know that I do not. When I see a police officer in South Africa I feel nervous instead of safe. They say you only need to fear the police if you are guilty of some crime, but that is not true. There is good reason to feel afraid. Afraid because police corruption is so rampant. Affraid because tsotsis sometimes dress-up as police officers. Afraid because we saw what happened to Andries Tatane. "Khawuleza, mama, khawuleza!"

So while South Africans wait to hear the result of the elections yesterday, here's another Miriam Makeba song:

A Short Rant About Koreans and Their Colours

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Something that can really irritate me about some Koreans (and "some" here refers to a rather large portion of the population) is their idea about colours and that the Korean language is so much better because they have so many more different words for different colours than English does. This either drives me up the walls or make me want to puke. Whenever the topic of colours come up, Koreans tell me how limited the English language is compared to Korean that has such a big lexis of colour related words. Koreans seem to think that the spectrum of colours in English is limited to Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple / Violet, Brown and shades of light or dark (e.g. light red, dark blue, etc.). All this illustrates to me is an ignorance of English and a limited vocabulary.

I get angry at this because it has happened enough times now that I have to accept that Koreans have been indoctrinated to think that English (and other languages?) is limited in colour vocabulary and so Korean is vastly superior. Then I start to name them some colours in English: lime, azure, teal, crimson, tan, olive, khaki, periwinkle, maroon, amethyst, turquoise, sage, sapphire, jade, ivory, clover, saffron, cream, amber, eggshell, terracotta, denim, mustard, bronze, auburn, chestnut, plum, sienna, coral, aqua, aquamarine, indigo, navy, salmon, garnet, burgundy, apricot, cerise, magenta, beige, pearl, ruby, chocolate . . . these examples do not even include the noun phrase colours (i.e. modifier adjective-noun colour combinations) like: light green, dark green, military green, forest green, fern green, sea green, spring green, yellow-green, pine green, pale green, sap green, neon green, Islamic green, Irish green, atomic green, moss green, bottle green, puke green, blue-green, lime-green (which is different from just lime), kelp green and the list goes on. (Afrikaans: En laat ons nie vergeet van Afrikaans se kakgroen en kapoen nie!)

So don't come and tell me that Korean has more greens (noksaekeui 녹색의, chorokbiteui 초록빛의, pulbiteui 풀빛의) than English.

The first couple of times I told Koreans I plan to translate Korean poetry into Afrikaans and English they told me it would be impossible because English does not have enough colour words. Nonsense. Yes, in some cases it is impossible to do direct translations but it is hardly because of a limit in vocabulary; rather it is because of the differences in thinking. (Koreans have a high context culture, while Afrikaans is used by more low context cultures, and this is reflected in the respective languages.)

And did I mention that only Korea has four seasons? I kid you not!

WhatsApp Messenger

Hey, I just downloaded WhatsApp Messenger on my Android. It is a Smartphone Messenger which replaces SMS. This app even lets me send pictures, video and other multi-media! WhatsApp Messenger is available for Android, iPhone, Nokia and BlackBerry and there is no PIN or username to remember - it works just like SMS and uses your internet data plan. Get it now from http://www.whatsapp.com/download/ and say good-bye to SMS.

In short, I can now SMS friends and family with smart phones (regardless whether they are Android based, Apple, or Blackberry) for free.

WhatsApp Messenger: Android + iPhone + Nokia + BlackBerry

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My Talk . . . uhm sermon . . . no, talk on Romantic Poetry

This past Sabbath I gave a talk on Romantic Poetry at an international church (i.e. the congregation is English speaking) here in Seoul, Korea. The talk took around 40 minutes, and even though it started late, I didn't see anybody dosing off, which was a good sign. I got some very positive feedback including one lady who came to me afterwards, took my hand and responded with a "Bravo!" The pastor who invited me to give the talk seemed pleased. A couple of people requested the script. One theologian remarked that it was a very "useful" talk.

I can't really take credited for the success as I merely reiterated the arguments of such great scholars as Karen Armstrong (regarding "Mythos") and C. S. Lewis (regarding "Numinous"), both of whom I quoted in my talk. Also, since this was a talk on Romantic Poetry and Christianity, one ought not forget the possible impression of the Holy Spirit, regardless of the speaker's eloquence.

In any case, I've made the script available at my slightly more academic blog. You can read it here: Mythos & Numinous: Two “Profitable” Things for the Christian from Romantic Poetry

A Call from Frontier Advisory

Today I received a call from Frontier Advisory in Johannesburg, South Africa. I was in Taekwon-Do training at the time and missed the call. I'm very curious about the call because it was made to my landline number in South Africa that is automatically redirected to my phone here in Korea. It is an unlisted number and a very specific group of people have the number and none of them works for Frontier Advisory. Also, it is not the type of number one would accidentally call as it is not a typical land line number. I returned the call, but the phone operator could not help me determine who the call was from.

Here's what I'm wondering: How did they get my number? And why would they call me?

English Register Role Playing

Because the Korean culture is so heavily influenced by Confucian ethics, there is a big emphasis on hierarchy. This is reflected in the language, particularly the Korean vocabulary. Different words are used when addressing people of higher up or lower down the status hierarchy. Register in Korean is very clear cut. In English we also use different register when talking to our seniors versus to our peers, in formal settings versus informal settings. But because register in English is more a way of talking, than just a choice of vocabulary, Korean students seem to think that English does not have register. To help my one class today see how different register is required I had them pair up and do a role playing game discussion exercise to the following roles:

• Master / Slave
• Employer / Employee
• Parent / Child
• Teacher / Student
• Newly Weds
• CEOs of two big companies

They enjoyed the exercise and hopefully understood the lesson as well.

Tearchers' Day

Yesterday, 15 May, was Teachers' Day in Korea. On Teachers' Day, students give their teachers cards, carnations and gifts.Since Teachers' Day fell over the weekend this year, students celebrated it either on the Friday before or the Monday after the weekend.

This is what I got:

A carnation, of course, since it is traditional. I got a carnation both on Friday and today (Monday).

Some lemon scented shower gel and body butter from The Body Shop.

Chocolates.

A shirt with bow-tie from STCO (Shirts & Tie Coordination). Blue is not the best colour on me, but I'll make it work by combining it with browns. Apart from the colour, it is too big so I will try and exchange it if possible (and maybe even choose a more flattering colour). I like the bow-tie. It will make me look much more like a typical English literature professor.

Emily Browning -- "Sweet Dreams"

Sora Lee 이소라 -- "No. 1"

(Or watch it at DaumTV.)

Sora Lee's recent performance of the song "No. 1" on the TV show I am a Singer 나는가수다 is absolutely riveting. Not only is the music itself such a wonderful evocative piece (listen to a solo piano rendition of it here to hear what I mean), but Sora Lee's ability to infuse it with emotion leaves me in awe. She completely adapted her normal singing voice to achieve this amazing heart-wrenching sound. You can enjoy a YouTube playlist of some of her music here; compare how she usually sounds, with how she performs "No. 1".

The show I am a Singer is currently airing in Korea and focusses on the actual singing ability of the participants, rather than on appearance, dancing ability and so on, as is often the case in the entertainment industry. Since the focus is on the participants singing almost exclusively, this naturally insures better music that is not diluted with other marketing effects. I am a Singer plays on MBC TV-channel. I do not own a television, but luckily the songs are also viewable online at DaumTV. It is nice to be able to hear some non-mainstream Korean music. (Although I think with the popularity of the show, these artists are becoming quite mainstream in their own right.)

Alien Invasion

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In a vocabulary class we covered words related to emergency situations, evacuation plans, and the like. I gave me students an assignment in which they had to write an emergency plan in case of an alien invasion.

Some of their suggestions, in no particular order, include:

• Steal the alien technology and destroy the aliens with their own technology.
• In case you fail to escape, disguise yourself as an alien.
• Find something that the aliens like and negotiate your get-away.
• Flee to the mountains; basement, subway.
• Flee to the underground subways.
• Fight back mercilessly.
• Don't attack them without a good strategy.
• Enlist in the military
• Learn the alien language
• Pledge your allegiance to them

Some things that students think imperative to include in their survival kits include:

• Canned food (obviously)
• Perfume (to hide your smell from not washing)
• Chocolates (for bribing aliens)
• Digital cameras (to take pictures of the aliens)
• Extra underwear
• Alien anti-biotics
• MP3-player

Thoughts on Osama bin Laden's Assassination

Well, first, I don't believe whatever the White House is saying. Even their own official spoke people contradict each other, how can they expect us to believe them? Read about some the contradictions as well video's of some of the White House briefings at Politico. So let's for a moment put aside the alternative media and conspiracy theorists' belief that Bin Laden has been dead for a number of years now and that this was all a staged event . . .

So an American friend asked me the other day how do I feel about Bin Laden's killing and in particular, how do I feel about American's celebrating his killing. (As a New Yorker my friend admitted to cheering at the announcement of Bin Laden's death.)

Personally I think it is terribly sad. People think that through his killing they have attained justice. The supposed mastermind behind 9/11 has at long last been brought to justice. I beg to differ. Firstly, 9/11 was just as much an inside job as an outside terrorist attack. If you don't believe it, then answer the Building 7 question. Secondly, there is no justice in the assassination of Osama bin Laden. Yes, the United States got even, like when a child pulls the hair of the girl that pulled her hair first. Tit for tat. You performed a terrorist attack on us, so we will perform terrorist attacks on you. (And that is basically what America has done with it's invasions, wars, and continuous drone strikes in Pakistan wherein numerous innocent people are regularly killed.) I'm sorry, no justice has been served. If they really wanted justice, they should have captured Bin Laden (and don't tell me the most elite combat squad in the world aren't capable of it). They should have captured him, and took him before a court of law, preferably an international tribunal. Then we would have had justice. But what makes me really sad about this whole thing is that people are cheering death. They are finding joy in the death of another person. They are not cheering for Justice -- in the virtuous sense of the word, but for getting even; they are cheering revenge. I see a depiction of an elementary, a childish morality; definitely not a matured morality or sense of ethics. America has not shown itself to be morally better or ethically superior to its enemy. They are on equal plains. An egotistical you-hit-me-I-hit-you-back-harder attitude that will only escalate mutual hatred and cause further terrorist (revenge) attacks.

Furthermore, people celebrating at the death of Osama bin Laden, thinking that this means the end of the wars, are naive. Sadam Hussein's death did not signal the end of the Iraqi war. Bin Laden's death will not result in the immediate end of the Afghani war. And the secret war in Pakistan continues. The wars continue.

Good, Osama bin Laden is dead; but so is Justice and any hope for reconciliation. And the vicious circle of revenge and hate continues. It's a cause not for celebration, but for crying.

Below is an example of something worth celebrating.

Lady Gaga's "Judas" and the Battle with Sin

A friend practically begged me to translate into English the post I did in Afrikaans about Lady Gaga's new single “Judas”. I was reluctant because it requires time – something I'm stingy of, but I'm giving into her request; although this will be a very direct and very sloppy translation:

Lady Gaga's new song “Judas” from her most recent album “Born This Way” is not finding favour in South Africa. Many radio listeners have requested that it be removed from the air.

The speaker in the song says that she is in love with Judas and that she washes the feet of Judas with her hair. The speaker draws thus a parallel between Jesus and Judas and like Mary Magdalene washed the feet of Jesus and dried it with her hair, so the speaker will also wash the feet of Judas. In effect, Judas becomes a parallel Messiah of worship deserving figure. Her love for Judas is unconditional. She will forgive him if he were to “lie through his brain”; even if he were to cheat on her “three times,” she would still forgive him. Judas is not good for her, nonetheless does she love him unconditionally and therefore she describes herself as a “Holy fool.” By implication, Jesus is also a “Holy fool” because he loves us unconditionally and because he forgives us ceaselessly.

The song makes a strange turn in the bridge when the speaker describes herself as a “fame hooker, prostitute wench” that “vomits” her thoughts. The prostitute that washed Jesus' feet, found forgiveness for her sins in Jesus. The speaker in the “Judas” song finds her forgiveness in Judas: “Judas kiss me if offensed.” She is unhappy that her loyalty to Judas is incomplete because “something's pulling me away from [Judas].” That something that pulls her away from Judas is Jesus. She finds herself in a double bind: “Jesus is my virtue, / Judas is the demon I cling to.”

What exactly Lady Gaga's intention is with this song I do not know. If Judas is a symbol for the sins in her life with whom she has a relationship, then I have much sympathy for her. I have also written about my (love) relationship with sin – poems inspired by my battle with habitual sins.

[I'm too lazy to translate the poems.]

And just like Lady Gaga have I described myself as a whore, in much worse terms than those she use in her song.

Anyone that has an honest recognition of his or her own sins knows that it is a type of love relationship one has with the deed. You know that it is bad for you, but you can't help it. Even the Apostle Paul was honest about this:

Romans 7:18, 19, 24 (my translation): “For I know that in my, that is in my flesh, resides nothing good; for to do is present in me, but to do good, I find not. Because the good that I wish to do, I do not, but the evil I wish not to do, that I do . . . O, woeful human! Who will save me from this body of death?”

Paul was of the opinion that as a Christian one is in a double bind battle: “For I embrace the law of God to the inner man; but I am aware of another law in my body that fights against the law of my mind and captures me under the law of sin that is within me” (Romans 7:23, my translation.) There are two laws in us; two forces: one good and one bad; the influence of Jesus and the influence of Satan. Lady Gaga describes it in her song as “Jesus is my virtue, / Judas is the demon I cling to.”

There is a moment of hope in Lady Gaga's song; that line: “Jesus is my virtue.” Nowhere is she trying to redeem herself. She is a “Fame hooker, prostitute wench” that clings to sin – almost without hope. Paul's exclamation is similar: “I, woeful human! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

But then Paul answers his question: “ . . . Jesus Christ, our Lord!” (Romans 7:25); like Lady Gaga: “Jesus is my virtue.”

I'm not trying to defend Lady Gaga's song. I agree that it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Nonetheless, it reveals a pertinent Christian point: The battle with sin is an intimate reality – almost like being in love or addicted; however, there is hope: “Jesus is my virtue.” Paul continues in his argument saying that “the Law of the Spirit of the life in Christ Jesus freed me from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2, my translation). Paul's advice is to keep our hope in God and to turn our thoughts away from the “fleshly,” and rather contemplate spiritual matters. It requires a conscious purposeful choice to rather think upon the “spiritual things” (Romans 8:5). Eventually, like Jesus said, we have to choose—we cannot follow two masters. Either Judas or Jesus.

Until you have not had the experience of struggling with personal intimate sins, be not too hasty to judge Lady Gaga.

There are two things that I can say about Lady Gaga. It is not my type of music, but there is no question that she has an excellent voice and is very talented. Secondly, she is brave. Not any person can do what she does. Call it sensationalism if you wish. Nevertheless, it requires guts to expose yourself like that.

Lastly, what do I think about the reaction of South Africans and them requesting the song being removed from the airwaves. I like it. Consumers need to be more proactive in what they want. It is not necessary for us to just gobble up everything the mass media throws at us. We need to be given a choice and we need to strive for quality. I hope that South Africans will also start to criticise all those other (Afrikaans) trash that are polluting our radio waves.