Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Time To Go

"M" dies at the end of the movie. There I said it.  The organizers at the premier viewing of "Skyfall" last night passed out a leaflet giving specific instructions not to blog about it, but no true 007 fan could resist a challenge like that.

But it was a good way for James Bond's spymaster boss to go. Besides, the new M (Ralph Fiennes as Mallory) had already told her about the forced retirement plan, all because she lost a hard drive. In real life, Judi Dench is getting on with years. Born in 1934, it was reported her failing eyesight required her to memorise the lines as she could no longer read the script. At least she gets to go off with a bang (another spoiler - she was shot). That way we get to remember her at her best, who not too long ago was by a margin voted "the greatest actor of all time" in an exhaustive poll of the readers of The Stage magazine.

The other interesting segment involves a new Q, the official quarter master who issues Bond his weapons of mass destruction, a youthful geek who pooh-poohs the veteran of spy trade with a disarming "Age is no guarantee of efficiency". Daniel Craig is not that old, age 44, and he is signed up for another two installments of the James Bond franchise.

Still, old timers must always learn to give way to the energies of the younger generation. After all, what has an octogenarian got to teach today's youth, save hackneyed war stories about frightening communists. The same communists the world is embracing with open arms because of their new found economic clout. When asked what she thought about the Tienanmen incident, the PRC exchange scholar at our local university said she wasn't even born when it happened. It is so convenient to forget the atrocities of the past, except when a living relic is still walking around to remind one of the abuses in a bygone era.

42 comments:

  1. Have you read the late Professor Enright`s Old Men and Comets? The quote from Swift sums up what you say:Old men and comets have been reverenced for the same reason; their long beards, and pretences to foretell the events.And, in the case of old men, the tendency to dwell on bygone times.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Perhaps PRC schools are forbidden to discuss about the Tiananmen massacre and hence explains the PRC exchange student's ignorance of the atrocities. It makes me wonder too what this exchange student will say to the living relic who deemed it justifiable to shoot 200,000 students to ensure 100 years of stability for China.

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  3. At first I thought you are talking about HC as M. It's her time to go too. If 44 years is considered old, what about the 60 years old on the dragon's seat. Two instalments are already more than enough. I hope he is not hallucinating that he is as fit as Daniel Craig.

    ReplyDelete
  4. In the spirit of goodwill;
    I dedicate this song to our Millionaires-In-White:

    "Time to Say Goodbye"
    Sarah Brightman

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thXKwGEXyQo

    Please go.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, high time to go! If you have used up your sell-by date, then go. I repeat this admonition by Oliver Cromwell, on 20 April 1653, to the English Parliament:

    "You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately... Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

    Use your own substitution to see who the above quote is referring to.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No one is indespendable. That is something all of us must remember. Same principle applies to commoners and those in power.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Correct, with this qualifier - non-commoners can do uncommon harm if the overstay their welcome.

      Delete
  7. "Lee Kuan Yew’s greed knows no bounds. Despite of all these social ills, he has continued till this day to import foreigners massively, further pushing up our property prices and reducing our birthrate.

    Lee Kuan Yew succeeded in Singapore not because he is smart but more because Singaporeans, the majority of whom are Chinese, are able to take his abuse and turn bad things into good." unquote.

    (Another View of Singapore Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/another-view-of-singapore/


    (Questions of Meritocracy under Capitalism and Socialism Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/questions-of-meritocracy-under-capitalism-and-socialism/

    (Sociopaths – Controlled and Uncontrolled Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/sociopaths-controlled-and-uncontrolled/

    (Should We Adopt “Business Friendly Low Taxes” Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/should-we-adopt-business-friendly-low-taxes/

    (Has It Been Proven that “Capitalism” Works Better Than “Socialism” Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/has-it-been-proven-that-capitalism-works-better-than-socialism/

    (The Banksters – Enemies of Mankind Robert Lindsay)
    http://robertlindsay.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/the-banksters-enemies-of-mankind/

    (Money Changers Documentary - YouTube)
    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD49A79058034B013

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
  8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYYXq1Ox4sk

    The "superior genes" of the old man, his clan, his party and his blind followers can go. So the rest of the 40% can resume this land of their mother nature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no U Turn.
      The Fate is seal.
      The End is near.
      The Man will bring Sin
      with him when he goes home.

      Delete
    2. And the lower mortals, those without the "superior genes", are dying out with a fertility rate lower than replacement level, giving a perfect excuse for those affiliated with the relic to import more serfs and royal, meritocratic clansmen. (Notwithstanding that "superior genes" can confer albinism, is still deem more meritocratic than those peers with superior scholastic achievements but without the "superior genes".)

      Delete
  9. We live in an empire, has anyone heard of ex-emperors? No, they never abdicate unless barbarians are at the gate, in which case they flee with their looted jewels. Emperor lives, loot is secure, emperor goes, barbarians will pillage the loot. Supporters and beneficiaries of the loot cannot allow that to happen. Just look at Dr M, he won't go and they won't let him go.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Damn you.

    I have you on RSS. You could have made your point without spoiling the freaking movie, at least not with your first sentence. Asshole.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My sentiments exactly. Is it so hard to type the words "SPOILER WARNING"?

      Delete
  11. Looking back at hindsight, how come the wooden one has to make way at his peak while for the living relic and his chosen one, both can continue to rule for as long as they wish ? But if it was time for the wooden one to go then, why is he still around now ?

    Kind of not as simple as it seems, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  12. The reality is that the old ones are the ones with money...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Who does not die ?

    It is what is remembered of the dead that matters in history. And only man of extreme quality is remembered for his, her deeds.

    The rest are out of sight out of mind.

    Want to be remembered? Be a great villian and history will bear the name for sometimes. Much longer than a normal kind person.

    ReplyDelete
  14. "The country is groaning and moaning and screaming for change."
    - Bill Clinton

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nothing is perpectual. Please read today's paper. Even Moaism is being thrown out by the Chinese Ruling Party. Maybe one day they will also decided to move his body out of sight too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. >"M" dies at the end of the movie.
    Of course, and that is the flaw of the Bond movie. But if they had MM, who never die....

    ReplyDelete
  17. You're not being edgy and rebellious by spoiling the movie (which, as of the date and time of your post, was not in wide release) for others in the first sentence of your post. That's just being an inconsiderate asshole.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Am very disappointed that you posted a spolier about Skyfall.

    Treat others as you would like to be treated.

    Its less painful than karma eventually coming to bite you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sorry, my bad! I guess the double-0 licence doesn't apply to blogging :(

    ReplyDelete
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