Documentary Review: Bin Laden – Shoot to kill

Been forcing myself to complete this US-administration-produced propaganda piece (Bin Laden: Shoot to kill) which aired on Channel 4 and which featured President Obama and a number of US officials, insiders and commandos presenting (what they wish was) a conclusive narration of events leading up to and following the raid. Been watching it in small chunks over the past few weeks (and completed it this morning; hate leaving things uncompleted!) and I try not to be a conspiracy theorist but this one leaves me unconvinced. Lots of questions but lots more important things to do in life so we'll leave it at that.

Film Review: Persepolis

On my way home from Cambridge last night I came across this quote in 'emel' magazine: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." (Attributed to Aristotle) And it was with that that I put on Persepolis which aired on Channel 4 a couple weeks back and which I had saved on my digital box. Whilst it very bluntly portrays the Islamic leadership of Iran, its followers and religionists in general as backward, culture-less beings, and whilst I sat there remembering the unquestionable negative Western coverage of the Iranian elections a year or so back, I couldn't help think a trip to Iran in the near future should be scheduled! I'm not so sure how welcome I would be but the only way to verify the state of a country is to visit it 🙌 Anyway, putting those negatives aside if you can, it was a good movie from an artistic perspective and a nice coming-of-age story following a girl growing from childhood, innocence & ambition on to adolescence, mistakes & despair and finally on to adulthood & maturity.

'It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be', by Paul Arden

"Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have."

"Without having a goal it's difficult to score."

"Talent helps, but it won't take you as far as ambition."

"You will become whoever you want to be."

I had a menial task at work today so I flicked through this book from my manger's book shelf in 30-second spells when stepping away from my computer for short refresher breaks. It's a small book by a former leading figure in the advertising industry containing advices along the theme of the quoted passages above. What really struck me though was one of the closing remarks at the end of the book...

"I wish to thank my old friend and mentor... the first person to make me feel I wasn't quite as useless as I thought I was."

... and there was the answer to something I had been thinking about this past week: if I will need to find a new job (because there's no new project secured for me to move onto after the present one at my current work place), it's not so much the right job I should seek (whatever that is) than it is a good mentor who'll expand the bounds of my being.

Ambition

"Ambition creates work."
Three words.
Simple.
Yet,
these words
have me rocked.

I guess it's because I've always held 'contentment',
being happy, satisfied with what I have,
to be my high virtue,
my 'ambition' almost,
but contentment alone,
I'm starting to see,
is like living life in neutral.
It's ambition that's the gear that moves us...
and makes the world a better place :)>