May 29, 2008
Clay Aiken: Article in Today (Singapore) newspaper, May 29, 2008
Anyone see the article on Clay in today’s TODAY (Singapore)?
What a really good surprise to see this article! Made my day.
When a friend, a Clay fan, told me about it, I had to ask, “Is it a good article?” And when I in turn told another friend (so that she too could go find her own copy), she asked the exact same question.
How sad is it that we have to ask this question of one of the most clean-living celebrities around today!
And Clay addresses that in the interview, joking that: “That’s what’s so great about America,” he said, laughing. “One of our valuable amendments to the Constitution — freedom of the press — is also one of the crappiest. You can write anything you want. You don’t need to have any proof or any truth to what you write.”
Check out the rest of the article at the todayonline.com site:
May 28, 2008
Sharon Stone, and belief in divine justice
This is all over the news today:
Actress Sharon Stone has sparked criticism in China after claiming the recent earthquake could have been the result of bad “karma”. The US star, speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, linked the recent disaster to Beijing’s policy on Tibet. She said: “I thought, ‘Is that karma?’ When you are not nice, bad things happen to you.” (BBC News, 28 May 2008, Anger over star’s quake remarks).
I see lots of commentary already about the inappropriateness and insensitivity of her remarks. And I’m not going to add to those (although I personally believe such a remark is very insensitive, and I wonder if she’s applying the concept of “karma” correctly).
What’s interesting to me is the fact that this is not the first time that someone has attributed a disaster or tragedy to some kind of divine judgment, a punishment as it were.
Is there a divine force which rewards our good deeds and punishes our bad? It’s something that’s definitely comforting to believe in, when we see injustice happening every day around us, and we want to “know” that the people who are hurting others will get their come-uppance somehow.
But I’ve never been able to convince myself of the idea of divine justice or retribution. It seems to me that bad stuff is just part and parcel of the mystery of life, where good doesn’t seem to be able to exist without bad. Disasters involve loss, but it also provides the potential to manifest the positive; for isn’t it in times of tragedy that people are jolted to think beyond themselves to reach out to their fellow human beings; that courage, perseverance, love, compassion, all the better sides of human nature, are seen in sharp relief?
I’m especially wary of the concept of divine justice when applied in the opposite direction, when certain religious organisations try to say that God rewards the faithful in material wealth. I can’t get beyond this: shouldn’t your “reward” be something in the order of inner balance and peace?
Well, as you can see, all I have are questions, and I’m still searching…
Another fantastic live performer — Jason Mraz
It popped back into my mind yesterday that Jason Mraz has a new CD out: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
So, last night, I listened again to my Tonight Not Again: Jason Mraz Live At the Eagle’s Ballroom
And was reminded again of how absolutely amazing he was when I went to see him what, two, maybe three years ago (haha, very precise, right?) when he performed an acoustic set here in Singapore — at the Mosaic Music Festival. Before the concert, I already liked his quirky way with lyrics and rhythm, but watching him live underscores that he can really sing as well.
He just stood there with his guitar and sang, and had the entire audience hanging onto every note. I think what it was was that he seemed in thrall with his music, and thus we were enthralled too.
I wonder when he’ll be coming by this way again…
————
Music Video – “I’m Yours” (Track 2 on We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things)
Crooked Turret 