Honoring Dr. King, Chinese pro-democracy movement, Occupy Wall Street (with Video)

I’m Shen tong

In honoring Dr King’s legacy, I’m standing here, as a Chinese exile from Tiananmen, and as an Occupier, to pledge again my commitment to nonviolence, to civil disobedience, to social and economic justice.

Back in 1989, we were inspired by non-violent principle and carried out the largest scale civil disobedience with over 100 million direct participation in street protests.
Our struggle ended with bloodshed, and I narrowly escaped the Tiananmen Massacre.  But we have continued our struggle non-violently.
I want to honor Dr. King’s legacy today by honoring my colleagues in that struggle
Ai Weiwei – the outspoken dissident artist
Liu Xiaobo – the Nobel Peace laureate of 2010 who is still in jial along w  hundreds of thousands of dissidents.

While in exile, here in America – the land of the free, I’ve learnt the precious but fragile nature of democracy. Democracy has journeyed from,
1 propertied white man 1 vote,
to 1 white man 1 vote
to 1 white person 1 vote
and with Civil Rights movement comes 1 person, 1 vote.
Now we are trending to $1m, 1 vote.

How do we revive our democracy?
I say: Step up and occupy
I say: non violent civil disobedience.

22 years ago today, I had the special privilege soon after my exile to speak the following words in the Church Dr. King once worked:

… the principle of non-violence…is the only way for China and for the world if we are to survive.  Our various communities struggle to achieve justice and equality, freedom and human right.  We must join our hands and stand as one.  As Dr. King once said, “ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.  Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”

We must learn from each other to find that crystal way which will lead to the crystal goal.  And together, as one movement, we will be able to look at the tyrants and oppressors of history and repeat Dr. King’s words, “ We have matched your capacity to inflict suffering with our capacity to endure suffering.  We have matched your physical force with soul force.  WE ARE FREE.

My speech at Occupy Wall Street Thanksgiving

Honored to be invited to speak at Zuccotti Park using the now iconic people’s mic of the Occupy Movement. The content is largely what I’ve learned from and been inspired by the movement. Zuccotti Park/Liberty Plaza is not Tiananmen. And America is not a dictatorship, we can still change this country peacefully.
(the line breaks and dashes in the text are stops while People’s Mic repeats the speaker.)
————————————–

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, OCCUPIERS
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, brothers and sisters of the NYPD

I’m an exiled student from TIANANMEN 22 years.
As a new immigrant, a new American,
I am thankful
to that faithful winter,
when America’s first immigrants
were saved by NATIVE AMERICANS.
I am thankful
to you, occupiers,
You inspired me to be part of this.

That winter was the beginning
of the beginning of a great nation.
Like our forefathers – with a new-born Nation.
Occupy is in our infancy.
My goodness,
Doesn’t this baby cry loud!
Occupy is in our infancy.
This is a cry — from the heart of the world
Occupy is in our infancy.
We are thankful to other 99%ers.
Occupy is in our infancy.
we are even thankful to the 1%ers.
They have energized our movement,
when our non-violence stares down the ARROGANCE
OF CORRUPTED POWER

——–
Immigrants, are the 99%
The Jobless, are the 99%
Students, are the 99%
Labors, are the 99%
So are YOU
- you, the NYPD.
- You, the middle class.
- You, who has made money — through your honest hard work
- you all, — the responsible citizens —- of America,
Don’t keep your heads down – don’t just get along.
Step up and occupy — step up — STEP UP — and restore our democracy, to restore the American Dream.
We call upon all 99%ers — to step-up and occupy.
Occupy Wall Street,
Occupy your campuses,
Occupy the corrupted establishment,
Occupy your apathetic heart
- with flames of justice

———-
We dare to imagine
This is the beginning of the beginning for this great nation once again!
BECAUSE
The people united,
will never be defeated.
The people united, will never be defeated.
The people united, will never be defeated.
The people united, will never be defeated.

This is the beginning of the beginning for this great nation.
BECAUSE
We are unstoppable,
another world is possible
We are unstoppable, another world is possible!
We are unstoppable, another world is possible!
We are unstoppable, another world is possible!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Review of Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris

The Good

I happen to have my own artistic and literary heroes the same as in Woody Allen’s latest 2011 romantic comedy Midnight in Paris, so I loved the film.  Brunel, Dali, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Picasso… Is there room to fit more, yes, Rodin, Monet, TS Elliot…  A fitting comparison for the viewing experience would be an accidental find of an antique shop full of all the items you fantasized about from a previous golden era; and then some that you didn’t know you would fall for, nonetheless fall for them with wide eyes, a pumping heart, and a few giggles.  The cultural references may be highbrow, but Allen redeemed himself by making the quirky one liners humorous, if you get his references that it.  Woody Allen’s movie is rarely for everyone.  I’d think any attempt on the whimsical and the fantastic with a narrow set of references would not be an easy path for universal enjoyment.  Kids in a candy store can pass for the universal; but baseball cards of all MVPs of “world championship” MLB would not – as strange as this may sound to Americans.  I happen to love Paris, so listening to a love song written by Allen set in night clubs on Left Bank, slow walks around the White Church or in drizzle on the New Bridge, or panorama view from the center of the city worked just fine.

The Bad

It has been a tiring discussion that Allen is no Kubrick.  He does repeat himself a lot – Purple Rose of Cairo, Everybody Says I Love You, Bullets over Broadway, Vicky Christina Barcelona, to name just a few; though new elements do occur such as time travel within a literary and philosophical context that serves to the main plot and themes of the movie.  As much as I love all the cultural references, it does feel like indulgence at times, partially because they are simply piled up or laid one next to each other like library reference cards, or reading notes in a forgotten drawer.  Let’s try a more engaging metaphor, an avocado salad with froi gras, toro, uni, grilled salmon skin, cold smoked sable, colored with saffron and topped with condensed teriyaki sauce, all serve on top of a East Coast oyster in a half shell.  Yes, you indulgent food lovers, you know what I’m talking about.  Some Iron Chef would try and get away with it for novelty and excess in Las Vegas, but even the most indulgent Roman during a food orgy probably would wish that they come as six separate servings.  Plus, we would indulge ourselves to expect more sophistication from Allen at this point in his long accomplished career.

I’d see potential in a rough cut, if this part of the film – some three quarters of the whole movie – was a research first draft of compilation of a roster of famous actors doing auditions for their respective art and literature giants from a century ago.  For that reason, their acting also suffers.

The Ugly

The baseball cards reference is fitting here since almost all characters are cartonized.  While so many references jammed through the mid-night transcendence of the almost funny Owen Wilson – partially the charm of the movie – you may argue that it is hard to develop any of these characters.  You would be right, underdeveloped as characters, their lines are often forced.

Review of Source Code

The Good

Think of combining Three Days of The Condor and Moon, and then gamify the hybrid, you get Source Code – almost. A highly enjoyable movie experience with the suspense, the pace, the unknown identity (not quite as exciting and intense as the first Borne Identity movies though), and the pressure to piece together a puzzle that will save a city and redeeming a personal love discovery.  Duncan Jones proves he can delivery even more than Moon.  And Jake Gyllenhaal’s acting was solid.

 

The Bad

The premise of the story is flawed.  It doesn’t take much away, but left you wonder after leaving the screening on that premise – did Colter live on in the alternative universe accidentally created by Source Code through the 8 minutes of memory flashback of Sean the teacher?

Goodwin’s humanity, and Dr. Rutledge’s drive for success is quite cartonized, so was the bomber, and even Colter’s personal redemption with his father.   Think of the Unthinkable, a thriller that gave every character some layers that as extreme as their actions might be, there is a psychological accessibility for the audience.

Review of The Adjustment Bureau

The Good

Wouldn’t it be nice to put all of our unknown fate into an identifiable shape, be Jesus Christ, Buddha, or a group of perfectly dressed, slightly understated big time bankers or law firm partners as the case officers in the Adjustment Bureau?  Wouldn’t it be nice to see, to yell at, to stare right into the eyes of fate literally; to negotiate, to inquire, to plea, or to simply to throw a fit, to be stubborn and impulsive with fate?  Don’t you wish sometimes to be able to take a left hook right into his face, to see him in pain, to condemn him… and sometimes, just “to make a run for it”!

Once again, a movie enshrines the magic of the island called Manhattan (and  Brooklyn), and downtown that even angels get confused about its streets.

The Bad

The Angels are so underwhelming.  Maybe that’s the charm?  And the story is quite incredible, saved only by the thin but convincing connection between David (Matt Damon) and Elise (Emily Blunt – thankfully, George Nolfi let her do more than Christopher Nolan allowed for Marion Cotillard in Inception).  They better, what else is there.

What criteria I use when looking at investing in Start-ups

Two of the following elements need to be ready:

• a core team,
• directly relevant track record,
• business ideas close to full business plan but changeable,
• other potential investors,
• an identifiable talent pool,
• an emerging market,
• an existing mature market attacked by disruptive technology and/or business model,
• a directly relevant following numbers in hundreds (or thousands depending on industry),
• a web of key influencer and decision makers in the targeted. markets
• similar start-ups

Review of POTICHE (Trophy Wife)

The Good

It’s a a frothy comedy, but managed to touch upon complex issues of gender, personal triumph and defeat, marriage crisis, ideologies and political dynamics intertwined with personal lives. It’s done so without getting heavy, almost effortless, making the viewing experience a delight.

Suzanne Pujol is another star vehicle for Catherine Deneuve. And no matter how many times I’ve seen this, and regardless of her age, she seems to deserve it as her birth right.  Deneuve bounced off descent performances by a star line-up of half of the who’s who in French cinema including the likes of Gérard Depardieu, and it was fun to watch.

The plot and the ending are not over the top, though very polished still somewhat true to life.  Easy said than done for a personal triumph story in a light comedy.

The Bad

Deneuve seems to be having so much fun in her role, but I never quite cared as much.  At more than one occasions, their performance may appear effortless at first, but getting thin and tiring quickly.  The characters’ youthful indiscretions, twists and turns in the plots seem to be strong spices without good food to cling on to.

The Ugly

It is so polished that, at times,  I feel three or four short trailers would have done the job. Kind of  like visiting a small pantheon of contemporary French acting Gods in a lazy Sun afternoon.

Review of The King’s Speech

A wonderful film, and a uplifting human triumph that’s authentic in life’s redemption.  With all the great efforts King George VI had made, he triumphed in being able to perform his duty that he never really wanted. One can only imagine the pain behind his coherent speech.
It’s a wonder that Firth and Rush can pull such relevant performances. Anything different from what they did in the movie will turn it probably into a comedy or total disaster.  The director choose to shoot in a more difficult and unusual way for English period piece, narrow corridors and dimmed rooms, maybe a metaphor for the suffocation the King was feeling.

Review of Black Swan

This movie will be remembered as one of the best psychological thriller ever made.  Three cheers to Darren Aronofsky. He may have missed the chance to direct The Fighter, but this one re-captured the strange beauty in his Requiem for a Dream, and the devastating redemption in the Wrestler.

The suspense, the pace of the story, the acting by Natalie Portman especially her face during the ending scenes were powerful, and even the cliché of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake music was not only appropriate to the story, but masterfully integrated into the shots.

It’s breath-taking, enchanting, tragically beautiful, and strangely true to life and beyond.

Review of Cronos

The Good

For a horror movie, the characters, especially Jesus Grits were well-developed. For what I suspect to be reasonably low-budget, Del Toro did a descent job in merging fantasy clockwork and mutant insect with human actors without too much help from special effects.

The Bad

Camera works at times were dull. As loving as the relationship as grandpa and little girl, it seemed scripted and never reaches its full potential.