ARTHOUSE FILM NEWS - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene at Facets, Chicago 11/29/23

From US Campaign for Burma website: " Show Your Solidarity With the Saffron Revolution We are working on bringing in as many world leaders, celebrities, news agencies on board with this story, but you need to play your part as well. It will not just be Americans working for this, but a global movement as well. Starting this Wednesday (September 26th) we will begin a global week of ACTION. With an explosion of action we will make sure that everyone from world leadersto your next door neighbors have their eyes focused on Burma. Having this global focus will not only help in the protection of those demonstrating, but also make sure that the calls of the monks and civilians gets turned into international action. HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO: - Be a part of our 88,000 signatures campaign. I am asking people to collectively gather 88,000 signatures from around the world, calling on Chinese President Hu Jintao to compel Burma towards valid national reconciliation. Sign the petition here o

Here is the website for US Campaign for Burma , the Washington, DC based activist group that is working to bring democracy to Burma. Lots of information there about the current situation in Burma & how you can help the Burmese people. - Sujewa

Read about the junta's crackdown on peaceful protests here at Mizzima News . When peaceful protests are crushed, more Burmese might turn to violence & armed rebellion in order to improve their living conditions, as the people written about in this article at The Independent have had to do. - Sujewa

Mizzima News ; "Specializing in Burma related news & multi-media." Check them out for a lot of info. & updates re: the largely peaceful (on the side of the people at least), Buddhist monks led revolution/anti-junta protests going on in Burma right now. - Sujewa

This BBC article provides some answers. - Sujewa

Latest re: the situation in Burma & the UN's response to it, at the BBC site . - Sujewa

Full disclosure: one of my relatives is a Buddhist monk, belonging to the same school of Buddhism - Therevada - that the Burmese monks belong to, and having been raised Buddhist (although I am no longer one; happily agnostic now) in Sri Lanka, and being aware of the activist nature of the Buddhism taught in Therevada Buddhist countries (initially as a revolt against Hinduism, and in more recent times as an anti-colonial & anti-despotic force - which has in Sri Lankan history also sadly led to, at times, being an anti-minority (Tamil/Hindu/Christian, etc.) voice; very un-Buddhist IMO, anyway, a different subject for a different day there), the monks led protest in Burma is of great interest to me. This event in Burma is probably the first time in my life that I've seen the social engagement & activism potential (and, as I can see, activism mandate) in Buddhism being wielded as a weapon (a non-violent weapon) at such a large scale (a recent monk led march was estimated to hav

BBC article about how Burmese bloggers are working around tight internet restrictions to tell the world about people's protests & government reprisals. Ko Htike's blog w/ updates from Burma. - Sujewa

Saw Hollywoodland last night, very good movie, but the use of motion picture film & the period production design kind of kept me at a certain distance from the movie. Saw the film Cache tonight, another very good movie. Enjoyed (well, enjoyed might be the wrong word given the subject matter of Cache, but lets say an aesthetically engaging experience) it a lot more, was able to get into it more because the director Michael Haneke used video (HD most likely) to shoot the film, all the lighting was as natural as could be, star Juliette Binoche looked like an ordinary person/more approachable/vulnerable/and thus more likeable in this movie (compared to a handful of other movies I've seen her in). So, motion picture film is definitely more visually beautiful, but video resonates more emotionally, a higher degree of emotional beauty in that medium, at least for me. Motion picture film is like a well lit/studio photo of a hot model, a stranger. Video is like a good photo, take

Heard about this book while visiting a relative last night. Sounds very interesting, I am ordering a copy to check out. Claims to have proof of a pre-Vijaya (Indian prince credited with starting Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC) dynasty that traded with other kingdoms & states in various parts of the world. Here is the Amazon link for the book, title The Lost Dynasty: Uncovering Sri Lanka's Secret Past - by Nishantha Gunewardena. A description from the Amazon page: " It is the story of a king, shrouded in mystery, introduced as fiction, betrayed by history, unveiled by a tsunami that reintroduces himself, his kingdom, and his dynasty ... as true history. For centuries Sri Lankans and many historians have believed that the Sri Lankan civilization begins with the arrival of Vijaya, the supposed first king and progenitor of the Sinhalese, from northeastern India in the sixth century BCE. "If so," the author asks, "how is it that Egyptian Pharaohs, Prophet Moses

BBC report on YouTube re: the latest wave of Buddhist monks led anti-junta protests in Burma: Related: a video using probably a Burmese song, dedicated to the monk protesters: - Sujewa