For those that don't know, I have just returned from spending a week in Delhi, India. One of the most densely populated cities in the world. With over 13 million people in the city alone, there are 9294 people per sqaure kilometre. And that fact is certainly experienced.

This picture on the left barely does justice to the situation. Everywhere you go in the city, the sense of being surrounded seldom, if ever, leaves you. And with so many people in such a small area, there is bound to be poverty. But the poverty in India, and in particular Delhi, is different. It impacts you in ways you cannot imagine.

But what is so remarkable is that the people without don't look longingly at those with much. It is a very different mindset.

Of course, here in South Africa poverty is abundant. But those in poverty feel like the world owes them something. Beggars expect to be given to. It is their right. And this is wrong. But let me not digress...

The poor in India accept their circumstances, and the only reason they beg is because they have nothing else left. It is their only hope for survival. Take this woman for instance...

She was one of many that wrenched my heart. She expected nothing. She is the epitomy of pure poverty. Nothing left. Not even her dignity.

Oh Jesus, give me the Grace to outwork your love for people like this in the physical realm. You would have held this woman in your arms. Embraced her. While thousands pass her by each day, your love would have penetrated her heart as you showed it to her in action. Jesus, your Gospel is for everyone, especially the poor. Open our hearts to this Truth. One of the many that transpire from the Message of Love that is the Gospel.

I am back in South Africa now, and I will be posting an entire album of my truly remarkable experience in India on my website www.sonicsubstance.com within the next week.

I've been waiting to write a post about the movie The Dark Knight for a long time. Reason being, it ranks right up there as one of my all time favourites.

With the announcement of the nominees for next year's Academy Awards not far away, I thought now was the best time to let my opinion be heard.

It's not one of my favourites because of it's heart-stopping, edge-of-your-seat action. Nor it's breathtaking cinematography. Nor was it Christopher Nolan's interwoven, unpredictable storyline. Not even Heath Ledger's unforgettable, spine-chilling performance as The Joker makes it a favourite. Although all of these factors certainly have been taken into account.

What makes this July 2008 masterpiece one of my personal favourites is it's frighteningly accurate comment on society today, and where we are as a people.

The Dark Knight is more than a movie. It is art. And it most certainly isn't abstract art either.

Art is renowned for taking a dig at where society is at. Whether it be the political agenda of the day; be it certain limitations and restrictions on a certain people, whatever. Art always has a message. And it uses its chosen medium to get that mess age across.

Christopher Nolan (The film's director) uses film, and the Dark Knight in particular, to tell the world how fickle we really are. We so quickly want a saviour when things aren't going all that well for us. But once our chosen saviour has served their purpose, we are so quick to discard them.

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

One of the pinnacle lines of the movie. And it su ms up exactly where we are as a people. We don't want our heroes to die heroes. Once they've served their purpose as saviour, we want to find what it is they've done wrong. And how bad they really are.

And I say all this because this is the reason the latest installment in the new Batman franchise will win "Best Picture" at the 2009 Academy Awards in February next year. Big call, I know. But this film has it all. Superlative acting, sublime screenplay, scintillating action, and serious cinematography. This film has it all.

The only film ever to gross more than $500 million at t he box office, Titanic, won Best Picture in 1997. No other film until now has ever broken through the $500 million barrier. Last time I checked, the Dark Knight was sitting pretty at $528 million.

A movie doesn't rake in that kind of cash because it packs a real punch, no... More than that, tt brings in the masses because it's a darn good movie!


Have you seen the movie? Let me know what you thought, and if you agree with my comments above!

Until next time…

Well, just as I assumed (as did most the world) Barack Obama won the race to become the next President of the USA. That's if he can hold on until the 20th of January. The day he gets sworn in. (Until then he's just the President Elect).

But what I didn't predict was the huge margin by which he beat his opponent John McCain. It was quite something.

I do feel for Johnny. Both candidates were very humble in the way they accepted the result. I guess due to the margin. They were both humbled, for different reasons.

But it was nice after the bitter comments made in the past by Al Gore and John Kerry. So there you go Democrats, you finally won! Enjoy it.

Time will tell whether Barack can withstand the pressure of this most difficult of roles.

God speed sir.

Who do you think?

Without any shadow of a doubt, the ignoramuses in the Western hemisphere. The U.S.A..

5% of the world's population consumes more than 25% of the world's most valuable resource. Oil. That is immoral. To say the least.

I recently watched the eye-opening 2005 blockbuster film "Syriana". The one where George Clooney won an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor". What a great comment about the American's consumer mindset. And what was so refreshing, was that it was made entirely by Americans.


It is about time they started evaluating their ominous situation.

The film is a clear statement concerning America's lust for oil. And how their government will do whatever it takes to obtain the precious commodity as cheaply as possible. Of course it has taken artistic license here and there, but considering it is based on a book by Robert Baer (a former C.I.A. agent) it poses a lot of deep questions.

The producers of the film (Academy Award Winner Stephen Gaghan) aimed to do exactly what I am expressing here: Reveal America's out-of-control consumerism, and the price they are willing pay to keep that self-destructing ball rolling.

But what is most startling is how true to fact it really is. Here we are: November 2008. 3 years on from the film's release.

The world markets are among the most volatile in history. Swiss banks are going bankrupt! Entire nations are going bankrupt! (Greenland)

Why?

Because the Americans can't stop consuming. That is what it comes down to. The American people couldn't help themselves, and their banks were happy to keep lending at ridiculous rates. The banks found themselves in trouble. So did their markets. And before you know it, the insecurity this all created for Wall Street became too much. Their markets crash. And so do the rest of the world's.

And the Chinese are smiling all the way to their preverbial reserve bank!

The Bible is full of warnings against such gluttony. Proverbs 23:2 is probably the most severe:

"...put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony."

Our world has forsaken the sanctity of the Bible. The West questions it as the infallible word of the living and personal God.

Pity, because now look at the hole the West finds themselves in.

What am I not saying?

I am not saying that we should live as monks and not enjoy life. We should enjoy ourselves. And that of course costs money. But for crying out loud! Let's live within our means!

I read a remarkable truth recently: The world goes into chaos when the rich are struck by severe financial crisis. But for centuries we have turned a blind eye to the constant tragedy of those in poverty.

Come on world. Wake up.