Blade Runner @ MindSay 
Blogging Update and the "Blade Runner" Hype Machine
I've been feeling the want to post here again. Some may be wondering where my planned series of S/S Norway posts is. These posts have been taking a lot longer to write than I thought they would, due to troubles finding truths and an unexpected emotional toll. I'm taking a break from writing them, but I'm also not going to use them as an excuse not to write here, either. I will post here as I think of things and write those Norway posts on the side as I am able to.
And so I soldier on...
This weekend I finally saw "Blade Runner". 12 years after chilly made it his mission to introduce me to that movie, we finally sat down to watch it on Saturday. It didn't live up to the hype. Now, before you all start blasting me on that sentence, let me remind you that I had 12 years of hype leading up that viewing. No movie could have lived up to that hype. I've never seen "The Godfather II" and I know that even though it's a classic for the ages, it's not going to live up to the 15 years of hype I've got built up for it.
And now that I've had my fun with some hype-based drama, I'll go on record and say that I really enjoyed the movie. I'm looking forward to watching it again in a few more weeks. Director Ridley Scott has released about 46 (read: 5) different cuts of the movie. Our plan is to watch a few more of these cuts over the next few months to compare and contrast. The fact that I'm looking forward to watching 4 more cuts of the movie is a good sign that I really enjoyed it, even if it didn't live up to the hype.
And so I soldier on...
This weekend I finally saw "Blade Runner". 12 years after chilly made it his mission to introduce me to that movie, we finally sat down to watch it on Saturday. It didn't live up to the hype. Now, before you all start blasting me on that sentence, let me remind you that I had 12 years of hype leading up that viewing. No movie could have lived up to that hype. I've never seen "The Godfather II" and I know that even though it's a classic for the ages, it's not going to live up to the 15 years of hype I've got built up for it.
And now that I've had my fun with some hype-based drama, I'll go on record and say that I really enjoyed the movie. I'm looking forward to watching it again in a few more weeks. Director Ridley Scott has released about 46 (read: 5) different cuts of the movie. Our plan is to watch a few more of these cuts over the next few months to compare and contrast. The fact that I'm looking forward to watching 4 more cuts of the movie is a good sign that I really enjoyed it, even if it didn't live up to the hype.
The blade runner
Last Sunday in Sheffield at the Norwich Union Super Grand Prix, I came face to face with the Blade Runner - South Africa paralympic star and double amputee Oscar Pistorius. Chatting with him you get a feeling of his passion to live his life to the fullest. A very simple and extremely polite guy.
I just wondered why so many people especially the arrogant British press refused to give this brave guy a chance to achieve the best he could ever be. Why they are so self preserving and so worried that this guy, born without fibulae in both legs due to a congenital condition, would one day beat their underachieving able-bodied athletes.
Is it petty jealousy? or maybe overzealous xenophobia? I was at the mixed zone after his 400m race, when one disillusioned gentleman who works for UK Athletics gleefully announced the blade runner had been disqualified for running out of his lane in the 400m claiming "now he has nothing to prove" and The BBC also describes him as angry
Looking back at all the fuzz made before the race especially by the tabloid and the tabloidised BBC 606, one cannot but wonder why there was so much attack on the poor guy.
One commentator on BBC 606 known as funkymonkey79 confidently said "his prosthetics must surely give him a advantage other able bodied athletes" without any valid proof, research findings or otherwise.
The only sensible post i could see from the whole lot - all 148 of them- was by a guy known as vertigo_timbo who seems to realise what the original idea of sport was.
He wrote: "the best stories are always a triumph over disaster, the whole idea of the olympics is it's supposed to encourage our kids to take something up and all the multiple benefits this brings. This guy is a real role model for all people not the david beckhams of this world."
I am appalled at today's commercialisation of the sport to the extent people will now do anything to win. That's why people use drugs and cheat. The essence of sport should be to participate and give your best, what follows, triumph or defeat should be secondary.
I am sure the father's of the modern Olympics would also be appalled at what the sport has now become, that in 2007 we are here debating whether a disable athlete should or should not compete at the Olympics if he is brave enough to want to.
Former British Olympian, Steve Cram is not sure Oscar fully appreciates the efforts that have been made on his behalf by the IAAF for allowing him to race against able-bodied athletes while proper scientific research into his blades is carried out.
Cram says, "I also think there's a lot of goodwill for him from other athletes, some of whom were kept out of the races he competed in at the weekend".
Sorry, Mr Cram, Pistorius only occupied a lane - Lane 9 - which is not always available on all the tracks. In any case, there is no reason why the organisers cannot organise a B race for their home athletes like it is done in some other Grand Prix meets.
I also do not think the other athletes really mind because i also spoke with Australian John Steffensen and American Angelo Taylor.
Should Oscar Pistorius be allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes at the Olympics or not? lets have your view.
Last Sunday in Sheffield at the Norwich Union Super Grand Prix, I came face to face with the Blade Runner - South Africa paralympic star and double amputee Oscar Pistorius. Chatting with him you get a feeling of his passion to live his life to the fullest. A very simple and extremely polite guy.
I just wondered why so many people especially the arrogant British press refused to give this brave guy a chance to achieve the best he could ever be. Why they are so self preserving and so worried that this guy, born without fibulae in both legs due to a congenital condition, would one day beat their underachieving able-bodied athletes.
Is it petty jealousy? or maybe overzealous xenophobia? I was at the mixed zone after his 400m race, when one disillusioned gentleman who works for UK Athletics gleefully announced the blade runner had been disqualified for running out of his lane in the 400m claiming "now he has nothing to prove" and The BBC also describes him as angry
Looking back at all the fuzz made before the race especially by the tabloid and the tabloidised BBC 606, one cannot but wonder why there was so much attack on the poor guy.
One commentator on BBC 606 known as funkymonkey79 confidently said "his prosthetics must surely give him a advantage other able bodied athletes" without any valid proof, research findings or otherwise.
The only sensible post i could see from the whole lot - all 148 of them- was by a guy known as vertigo_timbo who seems to realise what the original idea of sport was.
He wrote: "the best stories are always a triumph over disaster, the whole idea of the olympics is it's supposed to encourage our kids to take something up and all the multiple benefits this brings. This guy is a real role model for all people not the david beckhams of this world."
I am appalled at today's commercialisation of the sport to the extent people will now do anything to win. That's why people use drugs and cheat. The essence of sport should be to participate and give your best, what follows, triumph or defeat should be secondary.
I am sure the father's of the modern Olympics would also be appalled at what the sport has now become, that in 2007 we are here debating whether a disable athlete should or should not compete at the Olympics if he is brave enough to want to.
Former British Olympian, Steve Cram is not sure Oscar fully appreciates the efforts that have been made on his behalf by the IAAF for allowing him to race against able-bodied athletes while proper scientific research into his blades is carried out.
Cram says, "I also think there's a lot of goodwill for him from other athletes, some of whom were kept out of the races he competed in at the weekend".
Sorry, Mr Cram, Pistorius only occupied a lane - Lane 9 - which is not always available on all the tracks. In any case, there is no reason why the organisers cannot organise a B race for their home athletes like it is done in some other Grand Prix meets.
I also do not think the other athletes really mind because i also spoke with Australian John Steffensen and American Angelo Taylor.
Should Oscar Pistorius be allowed to compete with able-bodied athletes at the Olympics or not? lets have your view.
inspiring 
As a writer, I love words and these quotes from my favourite movie Blade Runner never fail to inspire me. Pure poetry (I must watch the movie again and again...)
Fiery the angels fell; deep thunder roared around their shores; burning at the fires of Orc.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
I of the mourning.
Now, to sleep and dream of the ominiscience of peacock eyed feathers and a king in a cocoon. It's all about chapter 14.
As a writer, I love words and these quotes from my favourite movie Blade Runner never fail to inspire me. Pure poetry (I must watch the movie again and again...)
Fiery the angels fell; deep thunder roared around their shores; burning at the fires of Orc.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near Tanhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
I of the mourning.
Now, to sleep and dream of the ominiscience of peacock eyed feathers and a king in a cocoon. It's all about chapter 14.
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