Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Way Off The Marx
A quick piece of advice - if you know anyone who would use the verb 'to Sovietise' in a positive way, consider removing them from your social circle. Rob Hinkley provides us with a superb example (from here):
'The Motor Industry must be sovietised . . . if supply exceeds demand it must be rationed.'
Whoever you are, don't have kids.
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You may have noticed I added the 'Animal Of the Day' thing to my blog a while back. I love these little fiddly bits you can stick around the place - makes it feel like home, somehow. Anyway, the other day the animal was the honey badger, 'the most fearless animal in the world' (2002 Guiness Book Of Records), quite clearly the best animal that God, Allah, Buddha, evolution, or whatever has granted us. They fulfil the two requirements of a person like me who likes childrens books and horror films, by being both cute, and unbelievably fearless. Why not enjoy the sight of one eating a scorpion?
That looks like the lifestyle to me.
Better still, watch one maul a snake.
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On to the serious business. Why has the Miranda July film 'Me And You And Everyone We Know' been given an 'R' rating in Australia, a rating that is now apparently rarely used? Well, to be fair, the MPAA rated it 'R' in the USA too, but very much needlessly so. It contains one reference to underage sex, which is verbal. Although the MPAA written warning states 'disturbing sexual content involving children', it isn't really disturbing at all, and certainly nothing remotely controversial happens.
MA15+ would really have covered it adequately, in my opinion.
Apparently, it's only necessary to hint at the possibility of underage sex in Australia to get top rating. Miranda July's allegedly excellent film has fallen foul.
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Today's final thought comes courtesy of Ofcom, who have rapped the BBC over the knuckles for their showing of Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' at the hour of 9.15. The ruling stated that the 'seriously offensive language, graphic violence and drug abuse' that mark the start of the film were inappropriate for that time of the evening.
Coming so soon after the ridiculous panicking over the screening times of 'Rome', this ruling represents another slap in the face for the BBC, and another indication of why Ofcom should be scrapped, and a genuienly 'light-touch' regulator created. Just nine viewers complained this time, out of approximately one and a half million. Apparently, this struck nobody at Ofcom as faintly daft.
The BBC countered that Pulp Fiction had been screened on that channel on four previous occasions, and that none of the content should be a surprise to the audience given the film's fame and well-known content. Ofcom rejected this, pointing out that those screenings all took place after 9.45. Ofcom concluded;
'Such intense material is not normally expected so soon after the watershed. We believe the scheduling of the film at 9.10pm was too early, given the strong, adult content from the start.'
So it's official. The watershed is no longer the watershed. 9.45 is, apparently, the new watershed. Until the next decision, when presumably that will be too early. Gah!
On future TV viewings, 'Pulp Fiction' could become a literal 'midnight movie.'
'The Motor Industry must be sovietised . . . if supply exceeds demand it must be rationed.'
Whoever you are, don't have kids.
**************************************************
You may have noticed I added the 'Animal Of the Day' thing to my blog a while back. I love these little fiddly bits you can stick around the place - makes it feel like home, somehow. Anyway, the other day the animal was the honey badger, 'the most fearless animal in the world' (2002 Guiness Book Of Records), quite clearly the best animal that God, Allah, Buddha, evolution, or whatever has granted us. They fulfil the two requirements of a person like me who likes childrens books and horror films, by being both cute, and unbelievably fearless. Why not enjoy the sight of one eating a scorpion?
That looks like the lifestyle to me.
Better still, watch one maul a snake.
********************************************
On to the serious business. Why has the Miranda July film 'Me And You And Everyone We Know' been given an 'R' rating in Australia, a rating that is now apparently rarely used? Well, to be fair, the MPAA rated it 'R' in the USA too, but very much needlessly so. It contains one reference to underage sex, which is verbal. Although the MPAA written warning states 'disturbing sexual content involving children', it isn't really disturbing at all, and certainly nothing remotely controversial happens.
MA15+ would really have covered it adequately, in my opinion.
Apparently, it's only necessary to hint at the possibility of underage sex in Australia to get top rating. Miranda July's allegedly excellent film has fallen foul.
*****************************************
Today's final thought comes courtesy of Ofcom, who have rapped the BBC over the knuckles for their showing of Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' at the hour of 9.15. The ruling stated that the 'seriously offensive language, graphic violence and drug abuse' that mark the start of the film were inappropriate for that time of the evening.
Coming so soon after the ridiculous panicking over the screening times of 'Rome', this ruling represents another slap in the face for the BBC, and another indication of why Ofcom should be scrapped, and a genuienly 'light-touch' regulator created. Just nine viewers complained this time, out of approximately one and a half million. Apparently, this struck nobody at Ofcom as faintly daft.
The BBC countered that Pulp Fiction had been screened on that channel on four previous occasions, and that none of the content should be a surprise to the audience given the film's fame and well-known content. Ofcom rejected this, pointing out that those screenings all took place after 9.45. Ofcom concluded;
'Such intense material is not normally expected so soon after the watershed. We believe the scheduling of the film at 9.10pm was too early, given the strong, adult content from the start.'
So it's official. The watershed is no longer the watershed. 9.45 is, apparently, the new watershed. Until the next decision, when presumably that will be too early. Gah!
On future TV viewings, 'Pulp Fiction' could become a literal 'midnight movie.'
Comments:
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It could have been worse - he could have spelled it "sovietize". Sovietisation is preferable to Americanization.
I remember some time ago, whilst reading my favourite book (the OED) that -ize has been in standard use since the 16th century and whilst favoured in american english it is still prefered in some british writing; whereas -ise is a largely french influence on spellings that has become more prevalent only recently. Now I don't know about you, but since the French are loath to adopt English and Americanisms into their language i tend to send the dodgy influences of those cheese eating surrender monkeys to quarantine. There are some exceptions to verb endings where only -ise is acceptable here and -ize there.
Now to my real point: leave off with the censorship - or i'll recommence my pettifogging at your pathetic grammar and syntax.. :p
bop tonight?
Now to my real point: leave off with the censorship - or i'll recommence my pettifogging at your pathetic grammar and syntax.. :p
bop tonight?
MattyG -
Your pettifogging is welcome any time, don't worry about it.
I shall look into the matter, and adjust my -ise's and my -ize's accordingly.
Sorry about last night, by the way. I only found your comment this morning. Hope you had a good one though.
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Your pettifogging is welcome any time, don't worry about it.
I shall look into the matter, and adjust my -ise's and my -ize's accordingly.
Sorry about last night, by the way. I only found your comment this morning. Hope you had a good one though.
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