Thursday, September 03, 2009
Chicken Soup for the Cat's Soul
Get A Life, I Am Sleeping!
A typical scene in our home... the cat needs the chair, no one dare wake her up! A little standing and typing works just as well!
Note: No humans were harmed during the capture of this image
Note: No humans were harmed during the capture of this image
Lost Baby
An amazing thing happened yesterday.. we'd had dinner and were lazing around when there was a meouw at the door. We were surprised, because we were pretty sure both our cats were nicely curled inside!
I opened the door, and guess what?
It was one of the 3 babies born to Catrina - Casatta's brother, Mango. Shyly, he meowed again. We gave him some milk, which he quickly drank. Waited outside until I went to him and caressed his neck... he rubbed against my back, and then walked right in, searching for his sister and mom!
Sanam had tears in her eyes, and I dare say, we did too!
I opened the door, and guess what?
It was one of the 3 babies born to Catrina - Casatta's brother, Mango. Shyly, he meowed again. We gave him some milk, which he quickly drank. Waited outside until I went to him and caressed his neck... he rubbed against my back, and then walked right in, searching for his sister and mom!
Sanam had tears in her eyes, and I dare say, we did too!
Movie Review: Quick Gun Murugan
Lol lol, go watch it, I say! And mind it, leave your brains at home, I say!
Our Indian cowboy will wow you with this gun handling skills, shooting faster than everything except his dialogues, I say! Saving vegeterianism, cows and the ladies - our green, red and leopard dressed super-hero will keep you laughing for most part of the less than two hour movie...
Now, if only there was a little less blood and gore, I might have even recommended you take your kids to the party!
Perfect for a team movie, I say!
Ok, enough, I say!
Our Indian cowboy will wow you with this gun handling skills, shooting faster than everything except his dialogues, I say! Saving vegeterianism, cows and the ladies - our green, red and leopard dressed super-hero will keep you laughing for most part of the less than two hour movie...
Now, if only there was a little less blood and gore, I might have even recommended you take your kids to the party!
Perfect for a team movie, I say!
Ok, enough, I say!
India Loses a Good Leader
Andhra CM was finally traced in the jungles of Nallamalla, dead in his helicopter crash.
And while we mourn the death of yet another seasoned leader, I want to ask the question... isn't this reason enough for governments to spend millions on upgrading the planes and the security of our politicians? We get upset at the cordons, or when Mayavati orders her new jet plane, but aren't they so necessary to safeguard the lives of our leaders, good or bad, who are such pillars of our democracy, irreplaceable in loss?
And while we mourn the death of yet another seasoned leader, I want to ask the question... isn't this reason enough for governments to spend millions on upgrading the planes and the security of our politicians? We get upset at the cordons, or when Mayavati orders her new jet plane, but aren't they so necessary to safeguard the lives of our leaders, good or bad, who are such pillars of our democracy, irreplaceable in loss?
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Vet
My cat was unwell - and we suspected poisoning. Along with Betnesol, my vet recommended an injection - if it's not poisoning, it won't harm. But if it's poisoning, it will save her life, he told me.
So off I went to the pharmacy, got the vial and the syringe and the needle, set up the contraption, took her hind leg skin in my fingers and administered the dose.
Out it spilled into my fingers. I hadn't managed to poke her.
Thankfully, half the vial was available for a second try.
This time, I felt the needle go in, the cat yelped, and a new vet was born.
She's fine now. It wasn't poisoning, it was constipation. She had to be given an anema, but this time, I got the vet to come home and do the dirty job himself!
I am one vet who will only do the glamorous stuff. Like injections.
So off I went to the pharmacy, got the vial and the syringe and the needle, set up the contraption, took her hind leg skin in my fingers and administered the dose.
Out it spilled into my fingers. I hadn't managed to poke her.
Thankfully, half the vial was available for a second try.
This time, I felt the needle go in, the cat yelped, and a new vet was born.
She's fine now. It wasn't poisoning, it was constipation. She had to be given an anema, but this time, I got the vet to come home and do the dirty job himself!
I am one vet who will only do the glamorous stuff. Like injections.
Indian Sports
When I was in school, we really didn't have much to cheer for in sports... hockey had gone past its prime already, and Dhyan Chand was history. Cricket was fun, but bearing those losses to Pakistan every time was too painful to endure, whether Pakistan won because we capitulated in front of Akram or the umpires!
This week saw Force India take podium in Belgium. The next day, India lifted the Nehru Cup in football. Yes, we are far from the Brasils of the world, but it was a good win anyway!
In cricket, we've put the ghost of the Pakis far behind us, and even the Aussies have conceded defeat.
And now, we have new heroes. Leander and Bhupathi, and Sania. Vish Anand in chess. Saini in badminton. Jeev Milkha Singh. Vijendar in boxing.
Still a long way to go, but winning the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune last year is perhaps a good indication that the country is finding its rightful place in the world of sports too!
This week saw Force India take podium in Belgium. The next day, India lifted the Nehru Cup in football. Yes, we are far from the Brasils of the world, but it was a good win anyway!
In cricket, we've put the ghost of the Pakis far behind us, and even the Aussies have conceded defeat.
And now, we have new heroes. Leander and Bhupathi, and Sania. Vish Anand in chess. Saini in badminton. Jeev Milkha Singh. Vijendar in boxing.
Still a long way to go, but winning the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune last year is perhaps a good indication that the country is finding its rightful place in the world of sports too!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Golden Baby
Check this amazingly rich gold cocoon...
Didn't meet the lucky guy in there, but he's surely got more than a silver spoon in his mouth!
Didn't meet the lucky guy in there, but he's surely got more than a silver spoon in his mouth!
Reismagos Beach
The beautiful rock-strewn Reismagos beach...
A very interesting feature of this beach is that the rocks seem to appear and disappear every once in a while! Something to do with erosion? Some other tidal impact? I don't know! But one thing is sure, a few months back, there weren't as many rocks!
A very interesting feature of this beach is that the rocks seem to appear and disappear every once in a while! Something to do with erosion? Some other tidal impact? I don't know! But one thing is sure, a few months back, there weren't as many rocks!
Country Roads.. Take Me Home...
A collage of beautiful roads on the way from Pune to Goa... the 4 laned superbly maintained NH4 from Pune gives way to the tree-lined road to Ajra and Amboli, where the mist-laden ghats lead you down into Konkan. A short cut to Banda gets really narrow and exciting, cutting out 15-20 kms and the town of Sawantwadi, getting you to Goa half an hour before schedule!
Big Foot
Can you guess the shoe size of this shoe?
Tell you what - the feet are mine, and I am a size 7. That's big enough, normally! This giant is my nephew, Kunal, he's 6'4'' and his shoe size is an unbelievable 13!
Tell you what - the feet are mine, and I am a size 7. That's big enough, normally! This giant is my nephew, Kunal, he's 6'4'' and his shoe size is an unbelievable 13!
Movie Review: Kaminey
Here in Goa, away from the shut multiplexes of Pune, I finally got the chance to catch Kaminey... the 11.15 pm show also meant we were part of a small group of twenty odd bleary eyed guys, and we thought, the chances of catching the lovely flu were minimal anyway...
The movie itself is a mixed bag. Shahid does another great job after Jab We Met, Priyanka is subdued and has a pretty small role as Sweetie, a Marathi mulgi, but comes across pretty hot and sexy in the few scenes she shares with Shahid and Amol Gupte as Mr Bhope (no, not Mr Bhobe) is pretty interesting too. The editing and cinematography is top class, and very Hollywood-ish, although the camera work does get to you sometimes. Dhan Te Nan sounds good on an audio CD, but is difficult to watch. The rest of the songs (I think there was at least one more) are very forgettable.
Watch it for the different treatment and the film-making, but it's not one of the absolute musts for me! OK to give a miss, if it keeps you safe from the flu!
The movie itself is a mixed bag. Shahid does another great job after Jab We Met, Priyanka is subdued and has a pretty small role as Sweetie, a Marathi mulgi, but comes across pretty hot and sexy in the few scenes she shares with Shahid and Amol Gupte as Mr Bhope (no, not Mr Bhobe) is pretty interesting too. The editing and cinematography is top class, and very Hollywood-ish, although the camera work does get to you sometimes. Dhan Te Nan sounds good on an audio CD, but is difficult to watch. The rest of the songs (I think there was at least one more) are very forgettable.
Watch it for the different treatment and the film-making, but it's not one of the absolute musts for me! OK to give a miss, if it keeps you safe from the flu!
One More To Go!
As you may have guessed from my long silence on the blog, I have been away in Goa... No matter how many times I come here, and for how long, it always hurts the day I need to go back. I love being back in Pune, after all, my entire life revolves around it, but it's really difficult leaving this home where I spent all my childhood, the fish, the people, the late mornings, the evenings on the beaches... and of course, the rain! The amazing rain of Goa!
But hey, I still have one more day to go here :) For the next twenty hours or so now, the attempt will be to slow down time, to live every second, to soak in the atmosphere to the maximum, then, the moment we leave from here, the need will be to gobble up the 500 kms as fast as possible...
Until, the door opens, and I greet my two cats in the warm comfort of my own home...
If ever there was a guy torn between two homes, it has to be me!
But hey, I still have one more day to go here :) For the next twenty hours or so now, the attempt will be to slow down time, to live every second, to soak in the atmosphere to the maximum, then, the moment we leave from here, the need will be to gobble up the 500 kms as fast as possible...
Until, the door opens, and I greet my two cats in the warm comfort of my own home...
If ever there was a guy torn between two homes, it has to be me!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
BJP Losing It?
The BJP today summarily expelled one of its most senior leaders, Jaswant Singh, from the party, for his alleged "glorification of Jinnah", which "crossed the party's ideological Laxman Rekha"...
No show cause notice, not explanation asked, dismissal conveyed on the phone.
I am not a historian, nor do I have any authority to comment on how parties should be run, but is a book on a topic 60 years old so critical for the BJP in today's times? Is this what their Chintan Baithak will be debating today?
In a democracy, is this what freedom of speech means to the party that has governed this great country not too many years back?
Karan Thapar made a very strong point today - he's been given marching orders for allegedly saying something which is actually very much in line with the party's official stand! He asks, has the BJP president actually even read the book?
I am worried... The Congress is doing a great job governing us, but where is the opposition? The Left? The SP-BSP? Or the BJP? Are they even capable of being a responsible opposition?
No show cause notice, not explanation asked, dismissal conveyed on the phone.
I am not a historian, nor do I have any authority to comment on how parties should be run, but is a book on a topic 60 years old so critical for the BJP in today's times? Is this what their Chintan Baithak will be debating today?
In a democracy, is this what freedom of speech means to the party that has governed this great country not too many years back?
Karan Thapar made a very strong point today - he's been given marching orders for allegedly saying something which is actually very much in line with the party's official stand! He asks, has the BJP president actually even read the book?
I am worried... The Congress is doing a great job governing us, but where is the opposition? The Left? The SP-BSP? Or the BJP? Are they even capable of being a responsible opposition?
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Chilli Bomb
Scientists of the DRDO and HEMRL, Pune have come out with the latest weapon against terror - a non-lethal chilli bomb made from the most pungent chillis in the world, the Bhut Jolakia chillies from Assam :)
It won't kill, but it will definitely make you run away from your hiding place! Would also be extremely effective in controlling riotous crowds...
It won't kill, but it will definitely make you run away from your hiding place! Would also be extremely effective in controlling riotous crowds...
Reliable and Fresh? Check the Expiry Date!
I went to one of the large retail chains promising "reliable fresh" stuff, and guess what, I found Tropicana juice packs dated Jan 09, with an expiry period of 6 months... the latest stock I could find was from. And remember, this is now August, and AFAIK, Tropicana juice sells like hot cakes... yes ok, cold cakes... whatever...
So next time you drop by one of these outlets, be very careful with the expiry dates!
So next time you drop by one of these outlets, be very careful with the expiry dates!
Papads
For all ye papad lovers out there, here's a refreshing look at where they come from... this is view from my office building, the object of my affection being the tin roofs of the various sheds and huts in the mini-slum behind us :)
If you can't figure out, look for the lady walking on the roof with the mat in her hand, and those cute looking yellow somethings spread on the mats laid out, and the ones that didn't find a place, spread right on the roof...
Swine Joke
The US Embassy has issued an urgent cirdcular to all Gujratis - please do not apply for H1N1, it's a virus, not a visa!
He He He, sorry Gujjus, no offense meant, especially since this one was forwarded to me by a Gujju himself :)
He He He, sorry Gujjus, no offense meant, especially since this one was forwarded to me by a Gujju himself :)
Joke for the Day
Elephant to nude baby boy... I am amazed, how do you manage to eat with a trunk that small? :)
lol, lol
lol, lol
My Reading List
Been reading a lot of interesting books these days, with my outdoor extra-curricular activities severely limited because of the flu.
Undercover Economist is an exciting peek into how markets and economies work, and how it impacts what we buy and how much we pay for it. Along with Freakonomics, it makes for a very interesting read.
I have also been readong Ann's book on handwriting analysis, a skill I picked up many years back, and have used effetively during personal as well as professional interviews. For the disbelieving, you should know that graphology is a statistical science, just like medicine and psychology, and works on determining patterns and then applying it to your case. When I first heard about it, I was doubtful too, which is when I started learning it, and fell in love with it.
Have also finished reading Dad Rules, a must-read for all wannabe dads (and their spouses too!). I wrote to the author, Andrew Clover, and got a personal reply immediately :)
Siddesh,
You are kind. I'm busy trying to do a new one now - all about how to be a good husband, and am worried that Dad Rules hasn't sold like it might've. Do please recommend it to your friends. Would you also consider doing a review on Amazon or Waterstones website? Have a wonderful summer. What are you up to?
Andrew x
So for the sake of my new found author friend, all ye dad's-to-be, please buy one copy. And if you aren't dad-to-be, then be one!
Another book I picked up from my collection of bought-but-not-read for reading finally is on Intuition. Started off well, but has too much of "divine" stuff in it. I would have preferred something that told me it was scientific, and helped me improve my ability to catch it and work with it... so it's kinda lost out.
I also recently finished reading this leather-bound reproduction of a 1850s account of a Britisher's first visit to Portuguese Goa. Fascinating, although depressing, given the amount of negativity and poverty and wretchedness described in the book.
Another superbly funny and well-written book is "all a man needs to know about work and sex". Just an awesomely funny and enlightening read!
And finally, to top the list, is Buzan's Mind Map series. A revolutionary way to think and improve memory, I am just too lazy to try it, but I will. A friend recently used it to understand a pretty revolutionary paper I wrote on thought leadership in solutions management, and she claims it all became pretty clear to her.
Thinking back, I am not sure that was a compliment to me, my thoughts or my writing... maybe it was for the book :(
Undercover Economist is an exciting peek into how markets and economies work, and how it impacts what we buy and how much we pay for it. Along with Freakonomics, it makes for a very interesting read.
I have also been readong Ann's book on handwriting analysis, a skill I picked up many years back, and have used effetively during personal as well as professional interviews. For the disbelieving, you should know that graphology is a statistical science, just like medicine and psychology, and works on determining patterns and then applying it to your case. When I first heard about it, I was doubtful too, which is when I started learning it, and fell in love with it.
Have also finished reading Dad Rules, a must-read for all wannabe dads (and their spouses too!). I wrote to the author, Andrew Clover, and got a personal reply immediately :)
Siddesh,
You are kind. I'm busy trying to do a new one now - all about how to be a good husband, and am worried that Dad Rules hasn't sold like it might've. Do please recommend it to your friends. Would you also consider doing a review on Amazon or Waterstones website? Have a wonderful summer. What are you up to?
Andrew x
So for the sake of my new found author friend, all ye dad's-to-be, please buy one copy. And if you aren't dad-to-be, then be one!
Another book I picked up from my collection of bought-but-not-read for reading finally is on Intuition. Started off well, but has too much of "divine" stuff in it. I would have preferred something that told me it was scientific, and helped me improve my ability to catch it and work with it... so it's kinda lost out.
I also recently finished reading this leather-bound reproduction of a 1850s account of a Britisher's first visit to Portuguese Goa. Fascinating, although depressing, given the amount of negativity and poverty and wretchedness described in the book.
Another superbly funny and well-written book is "all a man needs to know about work and sex". Just an awesomely funny and enlightening read!
And finally, to top the list, is Buzan's Mind Map series. A revolutionary way to think and improve memory, I am just too lazy to try it, but I will. A friend recently used it to understand a pretty revolutionary paper I wrote on thought leadership in solutions management, and she claims it all became pretty clear to her.
Thinking back, I am not sure that was a compliment to me, my thoughts or my writing... maybe it was for the book :(
Swine Flu Updates: None
For the last couple of weeks, all we read was about the flu. TimesOfIndia.com only had flu news on its front page. Yesterday, that changed, and flu was given space on the side bar. Today, I can't find the flu :)
Today, it's SRK.
Much better, even though it's not such a pleasant news item!
Today, it's SRK.
Much better, even though it's not such a pleasant news item!
Detaining Obama?
Picture this. President Obama on a visit to India. Gets detained at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Why? Because he has a Muslim-sounding name. Rubbish. He's the President of the United States, everyone knows him!
Muhammad Ali on a visit to India. Gets detained at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Why? Because he has a Muslim-sounding name. Rubbish. Everyone knows him!
Salma Hayek on a visit to India. Gets detained at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Why? Because she has a Muslim-sounding name. On come on, that's got to be utterly rubbish! Everyone has the hots for her!
Shah Rukh Khan on a visit to the US. Gets detained at Newark Airport. Why? Because she has a Muslim-sounding name. Aah, that's perfect. American security forces are on high alert. Their intelligence is of the highest order.
I feel safe in America now!
Muhammad Ali on a visit to India. Gets detained at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Why? Because he has a Muslim-sounding name. Rubbish. Everyone knows him!
Salma Hayek on a visit to India. Gets detained at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Why? Because she has a Muslim-sounding name. On come on, that's got to be utterly rubbish! Everyone has the hots for her!
Shah Rukh Khan on a visit to the US. Gets detained at Newark Airport. Why? Because she has a Muslim-sounding name. Aah, that's perfect. American security forces are on high alert. Their intelligence is of the highest order.
I feel safe in America now!
Movie Reviews: Border
Well, swine flu isn't going to stop me from reviewing movies! But I cannot help that Kaminey is out of bounds for me (theatres are closed, and in public, I cannot admit to watching pirated DVDs, or even give any hints to that effect...), so here comes Border :)
Border was the first movie I watched in Dolby Surround sound :) at the Topiwala theatre in Goregain West. I was studying at IIT Bombay at that time, and movies were few and far between (others at that time included Pardes at some really sidey theatre in Ghatkopar, and The Peacemaker at the IITB convention hall cum theatre), so when we went for Border, it was such an amazing experience - as the bullets flew on screen, different speakers in different parts of the theatre came alive, when the fighter flew overhead, the sound did too!
Anyway, that's why Border is so memorable, and when I saw it listed on UTV on Independence Day, I thought, why not! I had missed a significant part of the movie already, and I was hoping I didn't miss much of the fight... and had to spend the next hour or so "being primed" on the human angle, the lives of the soldiers back home... boodhi, andhi maa, ek adhuri suhaag raat, cancer se mar rahi biwi, tuta hua chhat, and a few songs to boot. Yes, the movie could have easily been sniped and stripped of all this drama, and it would probably be a lot more fun.
Border is the story of the battle of Longewala on the night of Dec 4th during the Bangladesh war of '71. Most of you guys would not even have been born by then (neither was I, lol). A small contingent of the Indian army led by Major Kuldeep Singh was left defending the Indian border post of Longewala against the advancing tank regiment of the Pakistani army, with plans to "have breakfast in Jailsalmer, lunch at Jodhpur and dinner in Delhi". Air support wouldn't be available until morning, since the Hunters stationed at the nearby airbase were not capable of fighting in the dark. The company commander was given the option of abandoning the post and retreating to safety, bu the and his men bravely chose to fight. And won. A historic battle that perhaps epitomizes the "yeh dil maange more" attitude of the Indian armed forces, brought to the forth time and again in subsequent battles. An attitude that truly distinguishes the armed forces of this country from the rest of the world, an army where senior officers do not fight from air-conditioned bunkers, but go out there in front of their troops, leading by example.
The Indian contingent had 120 soldiers and one jeep mounted M40 gun. And they were joined by 5 aircraft in the morning. The Pakistanis had 2800 soldiers, 65 tanks, and over 100 other military vehicles and arms including anti-aircraft and artillery fire. At the end of the battle India had lost 2 soldiers and the jeep, Pakistan lost 200 and more than half their tanks and vehicles.
Here is a satellite grab that shows the desperate moves made by the Pakistani tanks to try and escape the assault by the Indian hunters on the morning on Dec 5. The circles mark the destroyed tanks. Apparently, the Americans just couldn't believe that their favourite Pattons had met such a desperate end at the hands of the outdated Hunters :)
For more on the battle itself, Wikipedia has a nice page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Longewala.
Border was the first movie I watched in Dolby Surround sound :) at the Topiwala theatre in Goregain West. I was studying at IIT Bombay at that time, and movies were few and far between (others at that time included Pardes at some really sidey theatre in Ghatkopar, and The Peacemaker at the IITB convention hall cum theatre), so when we went for Border, it was such an amazing experience - as the bullets flew on screen, different speakers in different parts of the theatre came alive, when the fighter flew overhead, the sound did too!
Anyway, that's why Border is so memorable, and when I saw it listed on UTV on Independence Day, I thought, why not! I had missed a significant part of the movie already, and I was hoping I didn't miss much of the fight... and had to spend the next hour or so "being primed" on the human angle, the lives of the soldiers back home... boodhi, andhi maa, ek adhuri suhaag raat, cancer se mar rahi biwi, tuta hua chhat, and a few songs to boot. Yes, the movie could have easily been sniped and stripped of all this drama, and it would probably be a lot more fun.
Border is the story of the battle of Longewala on the night of Dec 4th during the Bangladesh war of '71. Most of you guys would not even have been born by then (neither was I, lol). A small contingent of the Indian army led by Major Kuldeep Singh was left defending the Indian border post of Longewala against the advancing tank regiment of the Pakistani army, with plans to "have breakfast in Jailsalmer, lunch at Jodhpur and dinner in Delhi". Air support wouldn't be available until morning, since the Hunters stationed at the nearby airbase were not capable of fighting in the dark. The company commander was given the option of abandoning the post and retreating to safety, bu the and his men bravely chose to fight. And won. A historic battle that perhaps epitomizes the "yeh dil maange more" attitude of the Indian armed forces, brought to the forth time and again in subsequent battles. An attitude that truly distinguishes the armed forces of this country from the rest of the world, an army where senior officers do not fight from air-conditioned bunkers, but go out there in front of their troops, leading by example.
The Indian contingent had 120 soldiers and one jeep mounted M40 gun. And they were joined by 5 aircraft in the morning. The Pakistanis had 2800 soldiers, 65 tanks, and over 100 other military vehicles and arms including anti-aircraft and artillery fire. At the end of the battle India had lost 2 soldiers and the jeep, Pakistan lost 200 and more than half their tanks and vehicles.
Here is a satellite grab that shows the desperate moves made by the Pakistani tanks to try and escape the assault by the Indian hunters on the morning on Dec 5. The circles mark the destroyed tanks. Apparently, the Americans just couldn't believe that their favourite Pattons had met such a desperate end at the hands of the outdated Hunters :)
For more on the battle itself, Wikipedia has a nice page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Longewala.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Clap Clap to the Government
We rarely appreciate the working of our government, but I want to make sure we take a moment to do so today.
In a country like ours, I think the government has done a fantastic job in reassuring the citizens, and taking measures to control the spread of the swine flu virus.
After days of TV channels freaking people out, the government clamped down and asked them to toe the line. And suddenly, Times Now is now focussing on the heroes of Pune, the release of Kaminey, the North Korean ship "stranded" in Indian waters, Saina's loss in the QF, three Mumbai cops-turned-criminals, the BJP fight and so on... life quickly seems to be back to normal agian :)
Have you thought how difficult this task must be? We expect the government to take control. Have you thought of what it will mean in a country like ours?
And it's not just the flu, right? Terror - tomorrow is Independence Day, remember? And the newly setup NIA made some important arrests today. The army has gunned down 4 Huji militants in Jammu. Wonder how many terror attacks are thwarted by our armed forces - and we never know!
And then we have the recession. A failed monsoon. And we expect the government to take control and solve the problems.
On the occasion of Independence Day, let us take a moment to think about what we expect from our government, how much we contribute to the solutions AND the problems, and let us say a silent thanks to the countless men and women who work so hard behind the scenes so that we can go about having a safe and happy life as free citizens of this great country!
In a country like ours, I think the government has done a fantastic job in reassuring the citizens, and taking measures to control the spread of the swine flu virus.
After days of TV channels freaking people out, the government clamped down and asked them to toe the line. And suddenly, Times Now is now focussing on the heroes of Pune, the release of Kaminey, the North Korean ship "stranded" in Indian waters, Saina's loss in the QF, three Mumbai cops-turned-criminals, the BJP fight and so on... life quickly seems to be back to normal agian :)
Have you thought how difficult this task must be? We expect the government to take control. Have you thought of what it will mean in a country like ours?
And it's not just the flu, right? Terror - tomorrow is Independence Day, remember? And the newly setup NIA made some important arrests today. The army has gunned down 4 Huji militants in Jammu. Wonder how many terror attacks are thwarted by our armed forces - and we never know!
And then we have the recession. A failed monsoon. And we expect the government to take control and solve the problems.
On the occasion of Independence Day, let us take a moment to think about what we expect from our government, how much we contribute to the solutions AND the problems, and let us say a silent thanks to the countless men and women who work so hard behind the scenes so that we can go about having a safe and happy life as free citizens of this great country!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
You Swine!
OK, enough has been written about the most unwanted flu on earth, but how can I not comment on it? :)
Just some random thoughts as they come...
I hate the turn it has taken, almost a doomsday scenario being painted by the press and news channels, and I hate it. I think the media should desist from creating panic, and instead be objective and true.
Yes, we have swine flu, and it's contageous, and we have 400 cases. But there have been lakhs of cases in the West! We are a country of a billion people. Yes twenty have died, and maybe a lot more will follow. But what about the history of the deaths? Why not reassure people that proper timely treatment can cure it? How about letting people know that those who died did so because of complications related to chronic heart or lung diseases?
Why not give constructive suggestions about cleaniless, and hygiene? Why not reasure people?
On the other hand, maybe panic is a good thing after all? Maybe people wouldn't take things so seriously!
Maybe it's good to shut down the cities after all!
I think we need to praise the government in the way it is trying to handle the flu> Screening passengers, trying to contain the disease, getting political parties together to try and cancel public religious celebrations... remember, we are a poor country with limited resources, and I think we are doing fantastic in terms of trying to contain this virus.
At the end of the day, like every other such calamity, I am sure man will survive, and come out wiser. I am sure the vaccines are coming out as I write...
Till then,
Wash your hands regularly, keep hand sanitizers with you at all times, and keep your hands away from your mouth and nose
Don't cough or sneeze unless you cover your mouth and nose (this is to protect OTHERS!)
Keep your mouth and nose away from others - especially if they are sneezing or coughing - DO NOT KISS!
If you see flu-like symptoms, consult your GP - don't rush to the swine flu testing center! Common cold and flu is common!
And overall, don't panic.
Just some random thoughts as they come...
I hate the turn it has taken, almost a doomsday scenario being painted by the press and news channels, and I hate it. I think the media should desist from creating panic, and instead be objective and true.
Yes, we have swine flu, and it's contageous, and we have 400 cases. But there have been lakhs of cases in the West! We are a country of a billion people. Yes twenty have died, and maybe a lot more will follow. But what about the history of the deaths? Why not reassure people that proper timely treatment can cure it? How about letting people know that those who died did so because of complications related to chronic heart or lung diseases?
Why not give constructive suggestions about cleaniless, and hygiene? Why not reasure people?
On the other hand, maybe panic is a good thing after all? Maybe people wouldn't take things so seriously!
Maybe it's good to shut down the cities after all!
I think we need to praise the government in the way it is trying to handle the flu> Screening passengers, trying to contain the disease, getting political parties together to try and cancel public religious celebrations... remember, we are a poor country with limited resources, and I think we are doing fantastic in terms of trying to contain this virus.
At the end of the day, like every other such calamity, I am sure man will survive, and come out wiser. I am sure the vaccines are coming out as I write...
Till then,
Wash your hands regularly, keep hand sanitizers with you at all times, and keep your hands away from your mouth and nose
Don't cough or sneeze unless you cover your mouth and nose (this is to protect OTHERS!)
Keep your mouth and nose away from others - especially if they are sneezing or coughing - DO NOT KISS!
If you see flu-like symptoms, consult your GP - don't rush to the swine flu testing center! Common cold and flu is common!
And overall, don't panic.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Movie Review: Love Aaj Kal
After a disastrous Luck last weekend, and not having found anything interesting in New York, I was beginning to wonder what had happened to all the movies Aaj Kal!
After the superbly made Jab We Met, Imtiaz Ali delivers another beautiful movie, a very contemporary love story that is refreshing, happy and true to life. If you are one of those millions of 18 to 35 something (see, I made sure I was included in that range!) Indian youth with a practical outlook towards love and life, you will see yourself in every minute of the movie, you will identify with every dialogue, you will understand exactly what is happening out there. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will want more and more - because it's rare that a movie actually includes you so totally in the experience.
Jai and Meera are like you and me. Young, with big dreams, and a very liberal view towards love and friendships. They meet over cups of black coffee, they go to discs, they have a good life with each other in London. They fall in love. But they also have their dreams, one wants to go to San Francisco and build bridges like the Golden Gate, the other loves to resurrect old frescos and wants to be in Delhi.
The movie starts with their breakup, an open conversation with each other where they decide to part ways, knowing that they'll stay in touch, but also knowing, long distance relationships won't work. That's Love Aaj Kal. Real and practical.
What they haven't counted on is what happens next. Can they really break up? Can they really find love again? More importantly, can they ever live happily ever after, without each other? They try, hard. But will they succedd, or will love get them back together?
Rishi Kapoor plays Jai's mentor, inspiring him with his own forties romance with saddi Harmeen Kaur. In my time, I had to give up love so I could work and be worthy of her, he tells Jai. Now, you are giving her up for your work?
The movie is fast paced, with a couple of not-so-unexpected twists and turns. But it's short, just above 2 hours, and it will leave you hungry for more - not because it's incomplete - no way - but because you just can't have enough of it.
Everything about the movie is fabulous. Let's start with Jai and Meera. The characterization is perfect. Saif excels in every movie, and his growth as an actor has been phenomenal from his Bekhudi days. Deepika proves that she act, and does a great job. Some of her scenes are just so real, so true and so damn touching, it will bring tears to your eyes. She's confident too - check out the Chor Bazaari song, and you will know what I mean. Here's an actor that's come into her own now. And she's beautiful and she's hot. Her dress designer can definitely take credit for ushering in a whole new era in fashion in India. Watch out for it. The rest of the cast, including Rishi, fit the bill just perfectly.
The locations and cinematography are also top class. San Francisco, London, Delhi, Calcutta. And the key props - the beautiful bridges. Some amazing camera work, you will want to take in every inch of the screen.
What I loved most was the scripts and the dialogues. They're crisp, contemporary, and again, very real. The songs are good, too, and will grow on you. Chor Bazaari has been wonderfully choreographed. Yeh Dooriyaan and Main Kya Hoon are also very well done, all 3 songs add so much to the script - they probably cut an hour from the story telling!
This one will bring you back to the theaters, again and again. Love Aaj Kal totally rocks!
After the superbly made Jab We Met, Imtiaz Ali delivers another beautiful movie, a very contemporary love story that is refreshing, happy and true to life. If you are one of those millions of 18 to 35 something (see, I made sure I was included in that range!) Indian youth with a practical outlook towards love and life, you will see yourself in every minute of the movie, you will identify with every dialogue, you will understand exactly what is happening out there. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will want more and more - because it's rare that a movie actually includes you so totally in the experience.
Jai and Meera are like you and me. Young, with big dreams, and a very liberal view towards love and friendships. They meet over cups of black coffee, they go to discs, they have a good life with each other in London. They fall in love. But they also have their dreams, one wants to go to San Francisco and build bridges like the Golden Gate, the other loves to resurrect old frescos and wants to be in Delhi.
The movie starts with their breakup, an open conversation with each other where they decide to part ways, knowing that they'll stay in touch, but also knowing, long distance relationships won't work. That's Love Aaj Kal. Real and practical.
What they haven't counted on is what happens next. Can they really break up? Can they really find love again? More importantly, can they ever live happily ever after, without each other? They try, hard. But will they succedd, or will love get them back together?
Rishi Kapoor plays Jai's mentor, inspiring him with his own forties romance with saddi Harmeen Kaur. In my time, I had to give up love so I could work and be worthy of her, he tells Jai. Now, you are giving her up for your work?
The movie is fast paced, with a couple of not-so-unexpected twists and turns. But it's short, just above 2 hours, and it will leave you hungry for more - not because it's incomplete - no way - but because you just can't have enough of it.
Everything about the movie is fabulous. Let's start with Jai and Meera. The characterization is perfect. Saif excels in every movie, and his growth as an actor has been phenomenal from his Bekhudi days. Deepika proves that she act, and does a great job. Some of her scenes are just so real, so true and so damn touching, it will bring tears to your eyes. She's confident too - check out the Chor Bazaari song, and you will know what I mean. Here's an actor that's come into her own now. And she's beautiful and she's hot. Her dress designer can definitely take credit for ushering in a whole new era in fashion in India. Watch out for it. The rest of the cast, including Rishi, fit the bill just perfectly.
The locations and cinematography are also top class. San Francisco, London, Delhi, Calcutta. And the key props - the beautiful bridges. Some amazing camera work, you will want to take in every inch of the screen.
What I loved most was the scripts and the dialogues. They're crisp, contemporary, and again, very real. The songs are good, too, and will grow on you. Chor Bazaari has been wonderfully choreographed. Yeh Dooriyaan and Main Kya Hoon are also very well done, all 3 songs add so much to the script - they probably cut an hour from the story telling!
This one will bring you back to the theaters, again and again. Love Aaj Kal totally rocks!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Rab Ne...
Saw Rab Ne again last night... Suri, Raj, Taani, the language, the songs, the dance... brings a huge smile, lightens the heart and gives a new color to everything gray...
I love that movie...
I love that movie...
Movie Review: Luck
Luck sucks. And many more such 4 letter words! It's not about the money - but if you spent 3 hours of your weekend on Luck, then I am sorry my friend, it was pretty bad luck!
Here's the deal. With movies like Dhoom, the standard for action has been set very, very high! A few parachute jumps, and some stupid fighting on top of a train doesn't excite anyone any more!
Musa Bhai is bored of the standard ways of making money in the criminal world. Drugs, smuggling, betting on cricket, aah so boring. Musa is into the world of betting on the lives of people. His crony Tamang scouts around for lucky people in search of money and glory, and then transports them to South Africa for a macabre game of life and death. From shooting at each other, to jumping off helicopters, who will survive and who will get eliminated tonight? Survive till the end, and you win your 20 crores. Needless to say, our hero saves his love, and his friends, and we all live happily ever after. Why? Because he is lucky. His heart is on the right side.
Imran, I predicted that you had it in you to be the future King Khan :( That seems like pure blasphemy right now! Kidnap could have passed as as aberration. But what's the excuse now?
Sanjay Dutt has played the bhai at least a few dozen times, but wasn't there more he could do other than walk around with his cronies, and mouth some absolutely corny poetry?
Shruti Hassan has to live up to her dad's legacy. She doesn't really cut it - but then, other than wearing a sexy bikini (which does make her look very hot!), and fending off some lusty moves, she doesn't have much to do anyway! Hopefully, she'll find a director who can give her some acting to do. And maybe she can take some tips from Soha. By the way, she's a Sonali look-alike - and for Sonali fans, it's going to be very uncanny watching her!
Chitrashi Rawat has started getting on my nerves with her I-am-too-sweet-while-being-a-tapori look. Mithun plays yet another very forgettable role. Danny was the best of the lot and added whatever life to the script.
Trust me, it's not worth your time.
Here's the deal. With movies like Dhoom, the standard for action has been set very, very high! A few parachute jumps, and some stupid fighting on top of a train doesn't excite anyone any more!
Musa Bhai is bored of the standard ways of making money in the criminal world. Drugs, smuggling, betting on cricket, aah so boring. Musa is into the world of betting on the lives of people. His crony Tamang scouts around for lucky people in search of money and glory, and then transports them to South Africa for a macabre game of life and death. From shooting at each other, to jumping off helicopters, who will survive and who will get eliminated tonight? Survive till the end, and you win your 20 crores. Needless to say, our hero saves his love, and his friends, and we all live happily ever after. Why? Because he is lucky. His heart is on the right side.
Imran, I predicted that you had it in you to be the future King Khan :( That seems like pure blasphemy right now! Kidnap could have passed as as aberration. But what's the excuse now?
Sanjay Dutt has played the bhai at least a few dozen times, but wasn't there more he could do other than walk around with his cronies, and mouth some absolutely corny poetry?
Shruti Hassan has to live up to her dad's legacy. She doesn't really cut it - but then, other than wearing a sexy bikini (which does make her look very hot!), and fending off some lusty moves, she doesn't have much to do anyway! Hopefully, she'll find a director who can give her some acting to do. And maybe she can take some tips from Soha. By the way, she's a Sonali look-alike - and for Sonali fans, it's going to be very uncanny watching her!
Chitrashi Rawat has started getting on my nerves with her I-am-too-sweet-while-being-a-tapori look. Mithun plays yet another very forgettable role. Danny was the best of the lot and added whatever life to the script.
Trust me, it's not worth your time.
Movie Review: New York
OK, this one has me confused.
Set in the backdrop of 9/11, the movie attempts to look at the deeper question of whether terrorists are created by the very system that's trying to eliminate them. Neil Nitin Mukesh is in the US for a stint at NYU, when he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Katrina. Alas, Katrina is already head over heels for John. 9/11 happens - and while the world watches the carnage in horror, Neil watches his love crying on the John's shoulders. His dreams crushed, Neil walks away.
Cut to present day NY. The FBI is hot on the trail of a terror plot, and John is their primary suspect. Neil is arrested on charges of aiding terror, and then given a deal - help us nail John, and we will let you go. Neil turns up in the home of his old friends, his mission to spy and find out what is going on. Is his friend really a terrorist?
Katrina looks absolutely ravishing, and some of the songs will linger for a long time in your heart and on your lips. Some good action, an interesting story. But overall, Neil and John lacked punch, and the dialogues could do with some polish.
And as far as the message goes, I am perplexed by the question Neil asks of the FBI at the end - yeh sab karke humne kya paaya? I mean, we did end up preventing a major terror attack for the price of one good-guy-turned-terrorist (aren't they all good when they are born?) and his unfortunate, but knowing accomplsh in crime. Wasn't the lives of those hundreds in the FBI office worth doing this for?
Not for kids, but a worthy movie.
Set in the backdrop of 9/11, the movie attempts to look at the deeper question of whether terrorists are created by the very system that's trying to eliminate them. Neil Nitin Mukesh is in the US for a stint at NYU, when he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Katrina. Alas, Katrina is already head over heels for John. 9/11 happens - and while the world watches the carnage in horror, Neil watches his love crying on the John's shoulders. His dreams crushed, Neil walks away.
Cut to present day NY. The FBI is hot on the trail of a terror plot, and John is their primary suspect. Neil is arrested on charges of aiding terror, and then given a deal - help us nail John, and we will let you go. Neil turns up in the home of his old friends, his mission to spy and find out what is going on. Is his friend really a terrorist?
Katrina looks absolutely ravishing, and some of the songs will linger for a long time in your heart and on your lips. Some good action, an interesting story. But overall, Neil and John lacked punch, and the dialogues could do with some polish.
And as far as the message goes, I am perplexed by the question Neil asks of the FBI at the end - yeh sab karke humne kya paaya? I mean, we did end up preventing a major terror attack for the price of one good-guy-turned-terrorist (aren't they all good when they are born?) and his unfortunate, but knowing accomplsh in crime. Wasn't the lives of those hundreds in the FBI office worth doing this for?
Not for kids, but a worthy movie.
Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
It's time to stop making more Harry Potter movies. This one is so uninteresting and so freaking boring that I barely managed to keep my eyes open for the first hour or so, and then walked off.
Avoid at all costs.
Really. Watch Doordarshan instead.
Avoid at all costs.
Really. Watch Doordarshan instead.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Collections
Every kid I know has had some kind of collection or the other... I had many of my own too... although most of it is now lost or "archived" somewhere in Nerul...
Greeting cards, of course. And the usual stamps and old coins. The coins got a mjor boost when we sifted through the soil to make a lawn at home... and out came dozens of really old coins! The stamp collection, every kid's favourite, was fun too, until my dad went ahead and bought me a huge collection from a collector in Mapuca... from then on, I lost interest - I had just so many, collecting more didnt matter any more :)
I also have an amazing collection of match boxes - literally hundreds of them. While all my childhood in Goa I knew only Chavi and Ship, one trip to South India exposed me to the hundreds of brands available there, and that's where the craze began. I had all sorts, including giant ones, rub-any wheres, plastic cases, wax matches and so on...
And then I had the unique collection of "beach sands", collected from different beaches in Goa, and some from rest of India. It's amazing how the sand varies from beach to beach... the texture, the color, the grains... and one day, it was attacked by a gang of cockroaches and in exasperation, I threw it all away :(
Then comes the photographs - cuttings from magazines and newspapers of cricketers, tennis players and footballers. Old and new, black and white and colored. I used to go simply crazy looking at all the sports magazines with those glossy cricket pics...
And oh, I have this big bunch of phone booth receipts from every call I made to Madhavi when I was at IIT Mumbai, and then the 3-4 months in Pune before our marriage.
Now, it's books. Hundreds of them. And blue shot glasses - one from each city I have been to in the US and Europe. And refrigerator magnets. I do keep all the bills for telephone, electricity, cell phone, credit cards and so on... for the past ten years and more... and I don't really need to keep them, so I guess it's more of a hobby than anything else!
And my diary... a daily record of my life since 1987 :) Yes, every single day. Would make amazing material for my biography after I am dead...
I'd love to collect cars, and holiday homes, and some stuff like that now... all I need is a little more money :)
Greeting cards, of course. And the usual stamps and old coins. The coins got a mjor boost when we sifted through the soil to make a lawn at home... and out came dozens of really old coins! The stamp collection, every kid's favourite, was fun too, until my dad went ahead and bought me a huge collection from a collector in Mapuca... from then on, I lost interest - I had just so many, collecting more didnt matter any more :)
I also have an amazing collection of match boxes - literally hundreds of them. While all my childhood in Goa I knew only Chavi and Ship, one trip to South India exposed me to the hundreds of brands available there, and that's where the craze began. I had all sorts, including giant ones, rub-any wheres, plastic cases, wax matches and so on...
And then I had the unique collection of "beach sands", collected from different beaches in Goa, and some from rest of India. It's amazing how the sand varies from beach to beach... the texture, the color, the grains... and one day, it was attacked by a gang of cockroaches and in exasperation, I threw it all away :(
Then comes the photographs - cuttings from magazines and newspapers of cricketers, tennis players and footballers. Old and new, black and white and colored. I used to go simply crazy looking at all the sports magazines with those glossy cricket pics...
And oh, I have this big bunch of phone booth receipts from every call I made to Madhavi when I was at IIT Mumbai, and then the 3-4 months in Pune before our marriage.
Now, it's books. Hundreds of them. And blue shot glasses - one from each city I have been to in the US and Europe. And refrigerator magnets. I do keep all the bills for telephone, electricity, cell phone, credit cards and so on... for the past ten years and more... and I don't really need to keep them, so I guess it's more of a hobby than anything else!
And my diary... a daily record of my life since 1987 :) Yes, every single day. Would make amazing material for my biography after I am dead...
I'd love to collect cars, and holiday homes, and some stuff like that now... all I need is a little more money :)
No Longer A Kid...
You know you are no longer a kid when...
Your daughter's friends call you uncle (actually, it happens a lot earlier... when ANYONE calls you uncle!)
When you say "I can STILL play cricket pretty well"
And when the next day, every part of your body aches as if you've been run over by a road roller
When you start worrying about whether you have hair, and not whether it's styled properly!
When you'd do with hair of ANY color, as long as it is there!
When everything you eat needs to be sugar free, oil free, and fun free
When you end up wanting to say "no longer a kid" instead of "growing older"
When your memories are history lessons for some of the other people you know!
When you tell others to wear a helmet and drive slowly
When you think, I need to rest
When you realise your favourite movies are shown during the "classics" slot on TV
When Teen Diva and Splitsvilla seem stupid and kiddish
...
When you don't remember the other 10 things you had in mind when you started writing a blog post!
Your daughter's friends call you uncle (actually, it happens a lot earlier... when ANYONE calls you uncle!)
When you say "I can STILL play cricket pretty well"
And when the next day, every part of your body aches as if you've been run over by a road roller
When you start worrying about whether you have hair, and not whether it's styled properly!
When you'd do with hair of ANY color, as long as it is there!
When everything you eat needs to be sugar free, oil free, and fun free
When you end up wanting to say "no longer a kid" instead of "growing older"
When your memories are history lessons for some of the other people you know!
When you tell others to wear a helmet and drive slowly
When you think, I need to rest
When you realise your favourite movies are shown during the "classics" slot on TV
When Teen Diva and Splitsvilla seem stupid and kiddish
...
When you don't remember the other 10 things you had in mind when you started writing a blog post!
Fish
Check my new fish here ->
Yes, really, these are live fish :) They stay in my blog. Click your mouse in their aquarium to give them some food, and see how they swim to you! And yes, keep your cats away!
Yes, really, these are live fish :) They stay in my blog. Click your mouse in their aquarium to give them some food, and see how they swim to you! And yes, keep your cats away!
Rains...
Missing rains terribly this year... we've had just one or two good showers all of June and July, and otherwise it's just been a very dull pitter patter, barely enough to wet the streets...
Rains in Goa were so awesome... the coconut trees swaying, the calm before the storm, the noise of the monsoon thunders, the hammering of the rain drops on the tile roofs, the scurrying for cover, the flooded streets, the torrents of gushing water... the earthworms, the greenery every where...
Pune is a good place, and we get good fish too! But the rains in Goa is one thing that tugs at the heart and makes me want to go back to Goa... wonder how long I will be able to stay away...
Rains in Goa were so awesome... the coconut trees swaying, the calm before the storm, the noise of the monsoon thunders, the hammering of the rain drops on the tile roofs, the scurrying for cover, the flooded streets, the torrents of gushing water... the earthworms, the greenery every where...
Pune is a good place, and we get good fish too! But the rains in Goa is one thing that tugs at the heart and makes me want to go back to Goa... wonder how long I will be able to stay away...
HTC Touch Viva
Got a very sexy HTC Touch Viva from my office today. Running on Windows, I must say I have been pretty impressed so far... except that there's really nothing to beat the usability of a Nokia (and especially so with me, since I have been using them for over 10 years now). Email is extremely convenient to read and delete, although I am still getting used to typing on the touch keyboards.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Pepsi Ad
And here's a very interesting Pepsi ad... Today, Pepsi would like you to try a Coke, it says! Loved the idea...
Newspaper Collection
Here are some front pages from my newspaper collection covering some of the interesting events of the last few years...
Cricket victories were hard to come by when I was a child... we always lost to Pakistan, we always lost the big games, we always lost the series. But then the tide turned with the advent of Dada and his young guns. I gave up collecting these headlines after some time, but here are some of the best - including the thrashing Sachin gave to the Aussies in Sharjah and India's test victory in Pakistan.
Dada's departure from the team, and his unbelievable come back. Some more of these are in my office desk... and they never fail to inspire!
Anthrax, US missiles in Afghanistan, security blanket in India, missing nuclear scientist in Pakistan... this was the backdrop against which Sanam was born on 25th OCt 2001!
The Kargil war kicks off in earnest with the air force joining the campaign...
These special issues bring back very poignant memories, as well as a swell of pride and patriotism. Some beautiful pictures too....
The T20 World Cup... a tournament into which we went as complete newcomers, and ended up coming home with the trophy! Beating Pakistan in the finals made it that much more worthwhile!
Back to 1998, and India's nuclear tests... the last major event in the world while I was still a bachelor :) I married barely a week later!
Shocking news of the Tsunami - the depth of the disaster didn't strike us for many days, until more and more videos and pictures started pouring in from around South Asia
And here's something very interesting... a big hip hip hurray when the sensex crossed 6K... people made "wild" predictions of 10K and 20K, and a few years later, those wild predictions came true! For the sake of posterity, it may be noted that after touching 20k levels, the sensex today is at around 14K, in the midst of the economic downturn!
View From My Living Room
This is what I see when I lie down on the couch watching TV... a beautiful green backdrop, trees that were planted when we moved in, but have now risen well above our second floor. Add the chirping of all the different birds that habitate the society, the cats in my lap, and the lack of traffic noise, and we're very close to feeling like we are in Goa!
Now, if only, we had some more rain...
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Economics
It is the month of August; a resort town sits next to the shores of a lake. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted.
It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.
Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town.
He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.
The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher.
The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig raiser.
The pig raiser takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.
The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that he rented.
The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.
At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.
No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism.
It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.
Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town.
He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.
The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher.
The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig raiser.
The pig raiser takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.
The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that he rented.
The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.
At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.
No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Movie Review: Bolt
Bolt is a cute puppy, and the star of the super-dog TV show - Bolt. He doesn't know he's on TV, he's completely convinced he's a real super hero, always saving his beloved Penny from the "green-eyed" bad guy.
And one day, he gets lost, and is parcelled off to faraway New York. And then begins his journey back to Hollywood, in the company of his enemy-turned-friend, Mittens the Cat, and his big fan, Rhino the Hamster.
The journey is a revelation to him. First the disappointment of finding out he's not a super dog after all - none of his powers are working any more. His super bark is just like any other. He bleeds. He gets hungry. But then, Mittens teaches him to be a real dog. The simple pleasures - sitting by the rug, putting his tongue out, chasing other dogs, fetching the ball... You know why we hate dogs, she asks him. Because we want to be dogs, we have dog-complexes, she says :)
Check out the scene where the two cats try to irritate him. Or when Mittens teaches him to beg, and then tries to beg herself and gets greeted with a flying pan. Or Mitten's introduction with the Godfather music in the background. Just beautiful :)
If you love cats and dogs, you will LOVE this movie. If you have kids, or if you have ever been one, go for it... you will want to see it over and over again!
An amazing animation movie, I believe it's also available in 3D...
And one day, he gets lost, and is parcelled off to faraway New York. And then begins his journey back to Hollywood, in the company of his enemy-turned-friend, Mittens the Cat, and his big fan, Rhino the Hamster.
The journey is a revelation to him. First the disappointment of finding out he's not a super dog after all - none of his powers are working any more. His super bark is just like any other. He bleeds. He gets hungry. But then, Mittens teaches him to be a real dog. The simple pleasures - sitting by the rug, putting his tongue out, chasing other dogs, fetching the ball... You know why we hate dogs, she asks him. Because we want to be dogs, we have dog-complexes, she says :)
Check out the scene where the two cats try to irritate him. Or when Mittens teaches him to beg, and then tries to beg herself and gets greeted with a flying pan. Or Mitten's introduction with the Godfather music in the background. Just beautiful :)
If you love cats and dogs, you will LOVE this movie. If you have kids, or if you have ever been one, go for it... you will want to see it over and over again!
An amazing animation movie, I believe it's also available in 3D...
Movie Review: While She Was Away
Another of those typical many-people-will-die-before-it-ends movie, with a twist. The "victim" is doing all the killing.
Kim Bassinger is a mother of 2, ill-treated and beaten her husband. It's Christmas night, and she's out of gift wrapping paper for her presents. She goes to the mall, where she runs into a bunch of hooligans. When the mall security guard intervenes to disperse them, he's shot dead. She screeches away, crashes and is trapped.
Will she be able to save herself from her lusty predators?
Not recommended, unless you have nothing else to do. Just one of those nothing-in-it movies...
Kim Bassinger is a mother of 2, ill-treated and beaten her husband. It's Christmas night, and she's out of gift wrapping paper for her presents. She goes to the mall, where she runs into a bunch of hooligans. When the mall security guard intervenes to disperse them, he's shot dead. She screeches away, crashes and is trapped.
Will she be able to save herself from her lusty predators?
Not recommended, unless you have nothing else to do. Just one of those nothing-in-it movies...
Movie Review: Terminator Salvation
The latest in the terminator series, the story gets pretty complicated with the twisted timelines - people from the future sending people from the future back in time so that people back in time can give birth to people in the future who will then get back in time... whatever... it's 2020 something... the machines have destroyed most of the world in nuclear attacks, and only a few humans remain - the Resistance
And the machines are planning the final move...
Will the resistance be able to thwart the final blow?
No Arnold, but trust me, this movie has some of the special special FX action seen in recent times... the opening sequence is great, and the bikes coming out of the mega-robot's knee is a WOW moment..
And the machines are planning the final move...
Will the resistance be able to thwart the final blow?
No Arnold, but trust me, this movie has some of the special special FX action seen in recent times... the opening sequence is great, and the bikes coming out of the mega-robot's knee is a WOW moment..
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (Ads)
Bajaj DTSi - The Fastest Indian ad... a very interesting concept, and very nicely executed!
Fiat Punto, Honda Jazz and Maruti Ritz - wierd looking cars, and some very boring ads
And the ugly - undoutedly, the baby, the mom, and the umbilical cord (yucks!) in the Bullet ad.. come on guys, don't make me puke before every movie in the theatres!
Fiat Punto, Honda Jazz and Maruti Ritz - wierd looking cars, and some very boring ads
And the ugly - undoutedly, the baby, the mom, and the umbilical cord (yucks!) in the Bullet ad.. come on guys, don't make me puke before every movie in the theatres!
Movie Review: Hangover
With one of the biggest openings in the US, Hangover has suprised box office pundits with a similar smashing opening in India too.
Hangover is the story of a bunch of friends who sneak away to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, and wake up in their hotel suite in the morning to the company of a hen, a tiger, and a baby, and with one of their friends missing. How did they end up here? No one can remember - courtesy the date drug they've consumed last night. Where's their friend? Who does the tiger belong to, and how did it end up in their suite?
Will they get over and get back in time for their friend's marriage?
An adult comedy, but definitely one of the best!
Hangover is the story of a bunch of friends who sneak away to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, and wake up in their hotel suite in the morning to the company of a hen, a tiger, and a baby, and with one of their friends missing. How did they end up here? No one can remember - courtesy the date drug they've consumed last night. Where's their friend? Who does the tiger belong to, and how did it end up in their suite?
Will they get over and get back in time for their friend's marriage?
An adult comedy, but definitely one of the best!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Changing Times
During my first trip to the US, I was fascinated by things that seemed so common there, and yet, completely new to India - vending machines, for example. Limos were another phenomenon that spellbound me. How in the world could someone drive something that long? And the police - those sexy uniforms, the flashing lights...
Things are changing here now...
On Saturday, I saw my first Merc Limo in Pune. I envy, and pity, the driver! I have problems squeezing my simple sedan in the traffic sometimes - how in the world does he manage his train?
Later in the evening, we were trying to cross this busy junction that was saturated with traffic after a politician's motorcade had just crossed by. Along comes this sexy police bike with lights flashing on its leg guards, tells me to follow him, stops traffic for us, and sees us through! Wow :) Now I know why those politicians love their motorcades!
We went for dinner to Green Park - and guess what, we had this electric buggy picking us up from the parking lot to transport us to the lobby!
And today, Mumbai gets its own icon - the Worli Sea Link. An amazing structure that I have blogged about before - an engineering marvel that will provide all Mumbaikars something to be really proud of. Can't wait to go and check it out for myself!
Things are changing here now...
On Saturday, I saw my first Merc Limo in Pune. I envy, and pity, the driver! I have problems squeezing my simple sedan in the traffic sometimes - how in the world does he manage his train?
Later in the evening, we were trying to cross this busy junction that was saturated with traffic after a politician's motorcade had just crossed by. Along comes this sexy police bike with lights flashing on its leg guards, tells me to follow him, stops traffic for us, and sees us through! Wow :) Now I know why those politicians love their motorcades!
We went for dinner to Green Park - and guess what, we had this electric buggy picking us up from the parking lot to transport us to the lobby!
And today, Mumbai gets its own icon - the Worli Sea Link. An amazing structure that I have blogged about before - an engineering marvel that will provide all Mumbaikars something to be really proud of. Can't wait to go and check it out for myself!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Amazing Coke Ad
Have you checked out the Coke Ad that's on air these days? The one about the girl and the guy in the library, sketching on their arms and having the coke flow from a bottle on one arm to the ice cube filled glass on the other? Coke claims it's about how coke brings people together.. but the fluid flowing from one to the other, he he, that's not really too innocent now, is it?
Either way, the execution of the ad itself is just totally amazing!
You can watch it here.
Either way, the execution of the ad itself is just totally amazing!
You can watch it here.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
This is one of my oldest books, and I picked it up once again after having first read it almost 12 years back... the book really mesmerizes me with Pirsig's philosophical discourses interspersed with some amazingly beautiful descriptions of his 17 day motorcycle journey across the American heartland with his son and a couple of his close friends...
A little heavy, but so definitely worth a read!
A little heavy, but so definitely worth a read!
Friends...
A thought...
Friends come in the dozens, and most of them will share their happy moments with you. They'll love you and talk to you and share with you.
However, only the very true and best friends will stand by you in your worst moments. In your defeats. In your most unreasonable times.
When you are at your worst, look around for the person who stands by you.
Keep that relationship, no matter what it takes. It's the only one worth it.
Friends come in the dozens, and most of them will share their happy moments with you. They'll love you and talk to you and share with you.
However, only the very true and best friends will stand by you in your worst moments. In your defeats. In your most unreasonable times.
When you are at your worst, look around for the person who stands by you.
Keep that relationship, no matter what it takes. It's the only one worth it.
Movie Review: Love... and Other Disasters
Jacks shares an apartment with her gay friend Peter, a screenwriter. Afraid to get into a serious relationship, Jacks prefers to spend her free time with her friends and sleep with her ex-boyfriend, James. It gets more complicated with the entrance of Paolo, a photographer, who loves Jacks, and who Jacks tries to get hooked up with Peter. As the film develops, they come to realize their mistakes and eventually reach their happy endings.
Watch if for the very pretty and very cute Brittany Murphy, one of my favourites.
Watch if for the very pretty and very cute Brittany Murphy, one of my favourites.
Movie Review: Bride Wars
Bride Wars is about two best friends with a common dream - to get married at the Plaza in June. But their relationship is tested when circumstances force them to share the date and the venue, pitting them in an ugly no-holds-barred war against each other...
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway should be reasons enough to watch the movie, but both definitely have looked much better earlier! I guess, as I say, people do look their worst when they are getting married :)
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway should be reasons enough to watch the movie, but both definitely have looked much better earlier! I guess, as I say, people do look their worst when they are getting married :)
Movie Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins is a slightly long, most times boring, at times exciting special effects fare, tracing the birth of the X-Men. People find Hugh Jackman interesting, but I don't like his monkey look at all, and for me, that was a major turn off throughout. The special effects are OK - nothing too special about them. I did like the scene where he jumps off to cut the rotor blades of the chopper...
Watch it before the next weekend comes with it's bouquet of new movies!
Watch it before the next weekend comes with it's bouquet of new movies!
Movie Review: 17 Again
17 Again is about a 40 something guy (Matthew Perry) who's not exactly having the perfect life - in office, he is passed up for promotion every time, at home, his wife is leaving him, his kids ignore him. One day, as he reflects on his past and how he could have pursued his basketball dreams, he meets his "spirit guide" who gives him a chance to be seventeen again.
Will he be a hero again? Will he pursue his basketball dreams? Or will he once again give it all up for his family? What is his true calling?
The movie has its very funny moments, and is a good watch. Thomas Lennon does a great job as the "peacocking father" of the 17 again Mike, played by the absolutely delicious looking Zac Efron. He's a treat for the girls... your girlfriend will love you for taking her to this one :)
Will he be a hero again? Will he pursue his basketball dreams? Or will he once again give it all up for his family? What is his true calling?
The movie has its very funny moments, and is a good watch. Thomas Lennon does a great job as the "peacocking father" of the 17 again Mike, played by the absolutely delicious looking Zac Efron. He's a treat for the girls... your girlfriend will love you for taking her to this one :)
Monday, June 15, 2009
E75 Update
I can say it again - this is an amazing phone; if you looking for a stylish, sexy, easy and effective business phone, look no further. And at barely 22K, it's a steal.
India Crash out of T20 WC
After a string of mediocre outings, India crashed out of the WC T20 last night at Lord's with a 3 run defeat to England. Disappointing as it is, one must admit that India didn't really deserve to win this one. The bowling, batting and fielding was shabby, and a few decisions b y Mahi didn;t make much sense - bringing in Jadeja ahead of Yuvi, himself and Yusuf, for example, when chasing a decent target. Overall, the only take away from the WC - we beat Pakistan in the practice match, keeping our all-wins credentials against them in WCs intact, Yes, right, it's not much of a take away :(
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Cricket, Again!
Today was my second cricket session - and today was awesome! I scored 33 in 3 overs - including 2 towering sixes and a few boundaries. The sound of the ball getting whacked by the meat of the bat is just so, so sweet! I also rolled my arm around and bowled 5-6 fairly decent overs - medium pacers, got a few wickets too, including a couple of clean bowled. Best part was that the ball is now starting to stick in my hands... caught a few catches. And my running has definitely improved from last time.
Overall, an awesome session today. 32 overs in all for around 2.5 hours.
I have a very hurting shoulder right now, and I do hope it's just stiffness and not a tear, but it feels like heaven!
Overall, an awesome session today. 32 overs in all for around 2.5 hours.
I have a very hurting shoulder right now, and I do hope it's just stiffness and not a tear, but it feels like heaven!
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Cricket!
Played cricket yesterday. A few of us from office have been playing for the last few Saturdays at the Ideal Colony ground in Kothrud, but my weekends in Goa meant I had not been able to join them.
We met around 615 am, and played from 630 till close to 900. First in pairs, each getting 3 overs, and then a 6 overs match. Positives for me - I hit 2 very beautiful shots down the ground for 4, a few other good middle-of-the-bat hits, bowled a couple of fairly decent overs, got a wicket, and helped in a run out. Things that need to get better - the ball still barely sticks in the hand, and running is still very poor.
After the match, we all met at Durga for its very special cold coffee!
At 34, with a job that keeps you hooked to the laptop 24*7, I had pretty much given up any hope of ever getting back to the sport I loved so much - it had been almost 2 decades since I played a real match, unless you count those stupid one bounce affairs where so much as hitting a ball directly to that silly wall 10 feet away can get you declared out :)
The rains will probably bring in some disruption, but I eagerly look forward to this continuing for ever...
We met around 615 am, and played from 630 till close to 900. First in pairs, each getting 3 overs, and then a 6 overs match. Positives for me - I hit 2 very beautiful shots down the ground for 4, a few other good middle-of-the-bat hits, bowled a couple of fairly decent overs, got a wicket, and helped in a run out. Things that need to get better - the ball still barely sticks in the hand, and running is still very poor.
After the match, we all met at Durga for its very special cold coffee!
At 34, with a job that keeps you hooked to the laptop 24*7, I had pretty much given up any hope of ever getting back to the sport I loved so much - it had been almost 2 decades since I played a real match, unless you count those stupid one bounce affairs where so much as hitting a ball directly to that silly wall 10 feet away can get you declared out :)
The rains will probably bring in some disruption, but I eagerly look forward to this continuing for ever...
Movie Review: Angels and Demos
Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is at it again - this time, saving the world from the cataclysmic scenario of anti-matter meeting matter, and saving the Vatican from the "Illuminati", a secret organization rumoured to be out for revenge for its persecution by the church for its refusal to toe the church's stand on issues of Goa versus science.
The Pope has been poisoned, and the bishops are in their Conclave to elect the next Pope. Can the symbologist and his attractive physicist partner (but his earlier partner in Da Vinci was a lot better!) win the race against time to find the "path of illumination", the four churches where the Illuminati secretly worshipped the four elements of nature - Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, and where the top 4 bishops will be killed in a very symbolic fashion, the terror culminating at the Church of the Angel, where the anti-matter will finally collapse in a blinding explosion of light, destroying the Vatican and most of Rome with it?
Does the Illuminati exist, or is there a even more sinister plot behind all this?
The movie is extremely fast paced, shot in the beautiful locales of Rome and the Vatican City, and is a treat to mystery buffs. Hear the dialogues carefully, don't question too much, and enjoy the plot.
Not for kids, though.
The Pope has been poisoned, and the bishops are in their Conclave to elect the next Pope. Can the symbologist and his attractive physicist partner (but his earlier partner in Da Vinci was a lot better!) win the race against time to find the "path of illumination", the four churches where the Illuminati secretly worshipped the four elements of nature - Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, and where the top 4 bishops will be killed in a very symbolic fashion, the terror culminating at the Church of the Angel, where the anti-matter will finally collapse in a blinding explosion of light, destroying the Vatican and most of Rome with it?
Does the Illuminati exist, or is there a even more sinister plot behind all this?
The movie is extremely fast paced, shot in the beautiful locales of Rome and the Vatican City, and is a treat to mystery buffs. Hear the dialogues carefully, don't question too much, and enjoy the plot.
Not for kids, though.
Movie Review: 99
Cyrus Broacha (was he really that fat, or was it good make up?) and Kunal Khemu work for a Mumbai don, and are in Delhi to recover money owed to the don by a compulsive gambler, Boman Irani. Soha Ali plays Kunal's love angle, a receptionist at the five star hotel they are put up in. Throw in a few other characters, and what you have is a nice cocktail of fun. I especially liked the goon from Delhi, although I am too tired right now to go searching for his name...
Don't have too many expectations, listen to the dialogues, and you will have a good time. We saw a Hindi movie after ages - given the producer-multiple conflict that was going on for the last few months. And even though there were just 10 people in the theatre, including 5 of us, the movie was a lot of fun...
Oh, and yes, I absolutely loved the opening credits - beautifully done!
Don't have too many expectations, listen to the dialogues, and you will have a good time. We saw a Hindi movie after ages - given the producer-multiple conflict that was going on for the last few months. And even though there were just 10 people in the theatre, including 5 of us, the movie was a lot of fun...
Oh, and yes, I absolutely loved the opening credits - beautifully done!
Cats and Parrots
There seems to be an invasion of animals and birds in Nerul. Apart from the usual culprits like sparrows and crows, and the odd cuckoo, this time there was a huge contingent of parrots - see if you can spot some of them in the picture below (taken from a cell phone so please don't crib about the quality!)
There are also some VERY healthy cats around... none of them belong to us, yet all of them think they live with us! Guess the presence of a large labrador or a guy from Pune who can't resist wanting to pick them up and smother them with kisses, doesn't make much of a difference, going by how much they love to lounge lazily around the house.
There are also some VERY healthy cats around... none of them belong to us, yet all of them think they live with us! Guess the presence of a large labrador or a guy from Pune who can't resist wanting to pick them up and smother them with kisses, doesn't make much of a difference, going by how much they love to lounge lazily around the house.
Metrosexuals :)
Siddha and I had went to the Snip Salon and Spa the other day for 3 hours of heavenly pampering, with a pedicure, a manicure and a 45 min Asian Head Massge :) Never before has someone so lovingly cut my nails, brushed off the dead cells and rough edges, polished my teeth-ravaged nails, and then brutally assaulted my body with elbows in the guise of a massage... transporting me from a deep slumber to terror, and back to slumber... And while at times I did feel like a broiler chicken being cleaned for a tandoori kebab, I would gladly do it again, and again!
And all this for only 1900 :)
And all this for only 1900 :)
First Rains
Everyone should experience the rains in Goa, especially the first showers... when the thirsty earth soaks up the drops, the aroma of the earth spreads arounds, a beautiful smell you just can't get enough of... the plants, the trees and every thing else shakes off the dust and grime and look fresh and happy... the temperature drops, the cold wind blowing in bringing smiles and chills... the pittar patter of the drops on the tiled roof, the undulating rise and drop in intensity of sound in tandem with the force of the rain - a sound so beautiful with its pattern of irregularity...
No, don't even try and imagine experiencing this in the city...
No, don't even try and imagine experiencing this in the city...
First Impressions...
A few years back, a visit to Goa meant being taken in by the natural beauty and cleanliness. Today, ugly haphazard constructions and piles of garbage and plastic bags dotting the landscape meet the eye. Maybe the average Goan has got used to seeing this, day after day. For an outsider though, this is shocking and ugly compared to the beautiful memories we carry. And I have to admit, each time I go back now, it shocks and saddens me, and makes me very sad.
As the bus rolls into Goa and the first light of the sun hits the coconut trees, one starts noticing the piles of garbage and plastic dumped by the side of the road near the Damian De Goa showroom in Porvorim. More plastic all over Porvorim plateau. More ugly, stinking garbage at the Malim fishing jetty. Take the Verem-Nerul road, and it feels like one is passing through a garbage dump near See You bar and restaurant. Ugly concrete structures of Nerul tinto give way to the beautiful Nerul bridge, but the very next moment one passes through yet another garbage dump on both sides of the approach road on the Candolim side.
Some immediate measures we can probably take up in Goa to tackle this:
1)Ban plastic bags of all kinds
2)Ban dumping of construction debris along main roads and highways
3)Make village panchayats responsible/empowered for scientific disposal of garbage
4)Provide plastic collection centers in all cities/villages
5)Conduct urgent and immediate clean up drives along key roads, highways, and in key tourist places to collect and dispose of plastic and garbage that’s accumulated over the years
6)Involve villagers, hoteliers, and other stake holders in the programme to maintain cleanliness
7)Regulate construction to avoid ugly, haphazard concrete eye sores from coming up every where
In contrast, when we reach Pune, we are greeted by broad tree-lined avenues, very clean footpaths and roads, and in general, a beautiful city. I think the PMC and the administration here definitely deserve a round of applause!
As the bus rolls into Goa and the first light of the sun hits the coconut trees, one starts noticing the piles of garbage and plastic dumped by the side of the road near the Damian De Goa showroom in Porvorim. More plastic all over Porvorim plateau. More ugly, stinking garbage at the Malim fishing jetty. Take the Verem-Nerul road, and it feels like one is passing through a garbage dump near See You bar and restaurant. Ugly concrete structures of Nerul tinto give way to the beautiful Nerul bridge, but the very next moment one passes through yet another garbage dump on both sides of the approach road on the Candolim side.
Some immediate measures we can probably take up in Goa to tackle this:
1)Ban plastic bags of all kinds
2)Ban dumping of construction debris along main roads and highways
3)Make village panchayats responsible/empowered for scientific disposal of garbage
4)Provide plastic collection centers in all cities/villages
5)Conduct urgent and immediate clean up drives along key roads, highways, and in key tourist places to collect and dispose of plastic and garbage that’s accumulated over the years
6)Involve villagers, hoteliers, and other stake holders in the programme to maintain cleanliness
7)Regulate construction to avoid ugly, haphazard concrete eye sores from coming up every where
In contrast, when we reach Pune, we are greeted by broad tree-lined avenues, very clean footpaths and roads, and in general, a beautiful city. I think the PMC and the administration here definitely deserve a round of applause!
Ford Ikon
I got a lot of time in this trip and in the last few weekends I have been to Goa to drive my sister's Ford Ikon - and I must say, it continues to be an amazing car. And it's just got better from the 1.3 CLXi I bought 9 years back... the engine growls like a tiger on the prowl, the pick up and manoueuvrebility is better than ever before, and the way it grips the road on tight curves easily beats the Fiesta. When I got my Fiesta, I thought the reason it didn't feel that stable on the turns was because of the power steering, when compared to the manual Ikon. So it's the suspension and the low COG which makes the Ikon such a beautiful driving experience! Of course, with its much higher power, the Fiesta still has a better pickup and acceleration, and of course, is much roomier, and is a lot of fun too... but then, this is a needless comparison :)
Navigator Upgrade
When I bought my MapMyIndia navagator a couple of months back, my first question had been - when will you update the maps? Even though there were extremely detailed maps of over 200 cities and towns in India, I could see that they were at least 2-3 years or more older... places like the University Flyover in Pune were not updated on the maps. They had assured me the maps were to be updated my May/June, and frankly, I did not believe them.
A few days earlier, I got a mail from them saying new maps were available, and all I needed to do was transfer 500 Rs into their ICICI account, and they would dispatch them to me.
I got the SD card the day I left for Goa, and I carried my navigator with me in the bus to check out the changes.
I was left stunned. The maps have been completely redone - this time, they are not vectorized graphics, but satellite based images with amazingly high quality - includes detailed layouts even of traffic islands. In most cases, one way streets are marked out. There's huge content - for example, a search for restaurants in Calangute threw up 99 entries! And everywhere I went in Goa, including when we went to Molem and Tambdi Surla, the navigator knew exactly where I was - and could even point out untarred pathways in many cases!
The applicaiton also has been updated - has much better search functions, is very usable, and is a pleasure to use. Having the navigator on while driving is not just useful when you don't know the road... but is a lot of fun even when you do!
And all this for a 500 Rs upgrade!
I seriously love these guys, and I wish I could do my bit to sell more of their kits!
A few days earlier, I got a mail from them saying new maps were available, and all I needed to do was transfer 500 Rs into their ICICI account, and they would dispatch them to me.
I got the SD card the day I left for Goa, and I carried my navigator with me in the bus to check out the changes.
I was left stunned. The maps have been completely redone - this time, they are not vectorized graphics, but satellite based images with amazingly high quality - includes detailed layouts even of traffic islands. In most cases, one way streets are marked out. There's huge content - for example, a search for restaurants in Calangute threw up 99 entries! And everywhere I went in Goa, including when we went to Molem and Tambdi Surla, the navigator knew exactly where I was - and could even point out untarred pathways in many cases!
The applicaiton also has been updated - has much better search functions, is very usable, and is a pleasure to use. Having the navigator on while driving is not just useful when you don't know the road... but is a lot of fun even when you do!
And all this for a 500 Rs upgrade!
I seriously love these guys, and I wish I could do my bit to sell more of their kits!
Tire Burst
The journey to Goa wasn't that uneventful this time... a few km out of the city, our bus had a tire burst, the front one at that... the vehicle wobbled seriously for a few seconds, but our driver kept his cool, and his control of the vehicle and pulled over. Maybe it was overheating... the tire was pretty new actually, but just burst open in the middle of the side walls. For the record, it was an Apollo, not a Bridgestone :)
We spent 40 mins or so while the crew replaced the burst tire, and were finally on our way... for exactly 2 mins. A few meters down the road was the dinner stop! If only we knew earlier...
We spent 40 mins or so while the crew replaced the burst tire, and were finally on our way... for exactly 2 mins. A few meters down the road was the dinner stop! If only we knew earlier...
Sleeping in the Car...
We had a power cut the other night in Nerul... some kind of overload and tripping, for more than an hour. It was humid and unbearably hot, so Sanam and I found a solution. We went and slept in Shweta's car :) With the AC running, we had an amazing hour or so of sleep before the power came back on and we had to reluctantly return to our bedroom...
Nokia E75 and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
We bought two very, very sexy phones yesterday, for myself and Madhavi. Mads went for the 5800 for its touch screen, something she was very keen on having. It's a nice phone, pretty sleek too, and has some sweet applications like a touch screen enabled piano and guitar... a good phone for the music inclined. Also, with it's orientation sensor and stuff, some exciting games too.
I bought the E75, one of the best offerings from Nokia in the business phones segment. With a better processor and lots of memory, the performance is super fast. It's sleek, will fit in any pocket, and it's chrome and silver cover elements make it extremely good looking. A full querty keyboard slides out from the side, while the standard alphanumeric keyboard on the front makes it a breeze for smsing. Setting up my office email, and gmail, was extremely smooth and took no more than a few seconds. Amazing.
Both cells support GPS and Wifi, which is really very cool too! And oh, needless to say, automatically switches from landscape to portrait mode, and has extremely effective cameras with flash (in the E75) :)
I hate having to say bye to my loyal and very efficient and effective 6300, but it had really taken a lot of rough use over the last 15 months, and was starting to fall apart... I do have to move on to the E75, but for those who are looking for a basic cellphone in the sub 10K range, the 6300 remains by far the best!
I bought the E75, one of the best offerings from Nokia in the business phones segment. With a better processor and lots of memory, the performance is super fast. It's sleek, will fit in any pocket, and it's chrome and silver cover elements make it extremely good looking. A full querty keyboard slides out from the side, while the standard alphanumeric keyboard on the front makes it a breeze for smsing. Setting up my office email, and gmail, was extremely smooth and took no more than a few seconds. Amazing.
Both cells support GPS and Wifi, which is really very cool too! And oh, needless to say, automatically switches from landscape to portrait mode, and has extremely effective cameras with flash (in the E75) :)
I hate having to say bye to my loyal and very efficient and effective 6300, but it had really taken a lot of rough use over the last 15 months, and was starting to fall apart... I do have to move on to the E75, but for those who are looking for a basic cellphone in the sub 10K range, the 6300 remains by far the best!
Back in Pune... and to the Blog :)
I am back in Pune after a week long vacation in Pune, and I have a few things to say... so watch out for some updates :)
Sunday, May 24, 2009
IPL too!
As IPl 2 comes to a close today, it's interesting that the last two teams last year, Hyderabad and Bangalore, are in the finals this time :)
We saw some good cricket this time, but in my personal opinion, both Pakistan and Australia were sorely missed. And not having the matches in India somehow robbed the tournament of the passion we saw last time... or who knows, maybe it was just the novelty rubbing off... And without Dada, KKR lost it's biggest fan (no, not SRK, me!). And without me, SRK too didn't attend any of the games... oh, guess I got something mixed up there.. anyways, I am sure you got my point...
The final is at 8 tonight, and I don't really have any plan to watch it. Yet.
One good thing came out of IPL being transferred - a super safe Indian elections!
And yes, my office group has started playing cricket on weekends... I need to start joining them, but my Goa contracts hasn't give me the opportunity yet :(
We saw some good cricket this time, but in my personal opinion, both Pakistan and Australia were sorely missed. And not having the matches in India somehow robbed the tournament of the passion we saw last time... or who knows, maybe it was just the novelty rubbing off... And without Dada, KKR lost it's biggest fan (no, not SRK, me!). And without me, SRK too didn't attend any of the games... oh, guess I got something mixed up there.. anyways, I am sure you got my point...
The final is at 8 tonight, and I don't really have any plan to watch it. Yet.
One good thing came out of IPL being transferred - a super safe Indian elections!
And yes, my office group has started playing cricket on weekends... I need to start joining them, but my Goa contracts hasn't give me the opportunity yet :(
Movie Review: Gallit Gondhal Dillit Muzhra
Yet another comedy hit from Makarand Anaspure, the movie is set in a small Maharashtrian town and traces the "struggle" of the village boy Narayan to achieve his politicla aspirations while doing chamchagiri for both the local Sarpanch and the local MLA...
A good laugh, tends to get a little boring towards second half, though.
A good laugh, tends to get a little boring towards second half, though.
Casatta Updates
I love catching the characters on TV!
Zzzzzz... I love it when Sanam puts me to sleep on her shoulder!
See, I told you!!!
I am trained to use the bathroom...
...but sometimes the basin is more fun!
A Bike Takes an Auto!
Apparently, she was too tired riding around and decided to take a ride herself... on Law College Road, some time around midnight
Britto's
Don't miss Britto's when you are in Goa. Anyone will tell you where it is, but if you are the type who doesn't like to ask - just watch out for it a hundred meters from the end of the road on the Calangute Baga beach.
Try anything and everything that used to move. Especially the crab-stuff prawns and the rava fry mussels.
Try anything and everything that used to move. Especially the crab-stuff prawns and the rava fry mussels.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Quote for the Day
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the BJP today sent a clear message to the party saying "Vikas alone is Hindutva"!
Results from Andhra, Orissa and Bihar clearly point to what India wants - development, not divisive politics of caste and religion.
Results from Andhra, Orissa and Bihar clearly point to what India wants - development, not divisive politics of caste and religion.
Interesting Times!
With the UPA coming back to power with a thumping mandate, the Left, SP and BSP out of the way of reforms and development, the stock markets reacted with a never-before rally, gaining more than 2000 points, a rise of 17%, before two successive upper circuits triggered off and halted trading for the day, first time in history. And all this in just one minute of trading!
The Indian stock market, in that one minute, has become the best performing stock market in the world this year.
While all this was happening, Sri Lanka also annouced the end of the 30 year old war with the LTTE, with the killing of Prabhakaran and most of this key leadership.
Will we soon see a similar rout of the Taliban? Are good days here again?
The Indian stock market, in that one minute, has become the best performing stock market in the world this year.
While all this was happening, Sri Lanka also annouced the end of the 30 year old war with the LTTE, with the killing of Prabhakaran and most of this key leadership.
Will we soon see a similar rout of the Taliban? Are good days here again?
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Singh is King... and How!
As the results keep pouring in now, the trends are absolutely clear! The UPA is headed for a mammoth 260+ seats, almost 100 more than the BJP-led NDA, powered by 200+ seats for the Congress itself. Manmohan Singh has proved he's King, the only PM since Nehru to be voted back to power after a 5 year term.
As Naveen Patnaik and Nitish Kumar sweep their states of Orissa and Bihar, the verdict is clear. The Indian voter has rejected divisive politics and voted for governance and stability. Lalu and Paswan have been routed, Mayavati and her bahujan politics have been relegated to third position in UP, irrespective of the number of statues of herself she's got installed all over. The Left has got their lowest ever total in decades in Kerela and West Bengal, their shameless politics of blackmail given a strong thums down.
The Congress has cashed in on the strength of the Gandhi family, Sonia and Rahul's charisma and relentless campaigning turning into a strong positive tide in their favour. But for me, the winner has definitely been the performance and the clean image of our PM, Manmohan Singh, who's truly showed his worth! With many other strong, young leaders like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Priya Dutt and NC's Omar Abdullah, the country can finally look forward to a lot more involvement and power to the youth.
What did the BJP get wrong? Everything. Having Advani fly to Mumbai to try and make cheap gains out of 26/11, even while our soldiers were still battling, a few days after having publicly taken on the ATS and its chief Hemant Karkare, was symbolic of the depth the party has sunk to. From opposing the nuclear deal, to infighting between its own cadres, to the absolutely disgusting personal attacks against a man of the stature of Manmohan Singh, the BJP has proved it's complete lack of vision and leadership to run this country!
For me, this is a red letter day in the history of this country. Finally, truly, this country has grown up!
As Naveen Patnaik and Nitish Kumar sweep their states of Orissa and Bihar, the verdict is clear. The Indian voter has rejected divisive politics and voted for governance and stability. Lalu and Paswan have been routed, Mayavati and her bahujan politics have been relegated to third position in UP, irrespective of the number of statues of herself she's got installed all over. The Left has got their lowest ever total in decades in Kerela and West Bengal, their shameless politics of blackmail given a strong thums down.
The Congress has cashed in on the strength of the Gandhi family, Sonia and Rahul's charisma and relentless campaigning turning into a strong positive tide in their favour. But for me, the winner has definitely been the performance and the clean image of our PM, Manmohan Singh, who's truly showed his worth! With many other strong, young leaders like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Milind Deora, Priya Dutt and NC's Omar Abdullah, the country can finally look forward to a lot more involvement and power to the youth.
What did the BJP get wrong? Everything. Having Advani fly to Mumbai to try and make cheap gains out of 26/11, even while our soldiers were still battling, a few days after having publicly taken on the ATS and its chief Hemant Karkare, was symbolic of the depth the party has sunk to. From opposing the nuclear deal, to infighting between its own cadres, to the absolutely disgusting personal attacks against a man of the stature of Manmohan Singh, the BJP has proved it's complete lack of vision and leadership to run this country!
For me, this is a red letter day in the history of this country. Finally, truly, this country has grown up!
3rd Weekend in Goa...
My third consecutive weekend in Goa :) And no matter how many times I come, and how inconvenient or otherwise the journey is, it's just not enough!
Really looking forward to dry fry crabs, masala squids, and rava fry shinanyo at Ritz tonight :)
Really looking forward to dry fry crabs, masala squids, and rava fry shinanyo at Ritz tonight :)
An Amazing Democracy... Maturing...
Elections 2009 have been an amazing step forward for Indian democracy... a mammoth exercise in the face of terror, a resounding success for the armed forces, for the election commission, for the politicians, and for the ever-maturing Indian voter.
Less than an hour into counting for half a billion votes, and results are already coming in for more than half the seats! Just an amazing testimonial of the maturity of this largest democracy in the world!
And the results... just stunning. Spoilers like Maya and Lalu getting routed, Nitish sweeping Bihar with his results of good governance, Left losing heavily after their politics of convenience. And most interestingly, the two main parties, Congress and the BJP, gaining heavily at the expense of the other smaller parties.
Still early hours... but with gains of around 40 seats, and a difference of almost 60 with the NDA, the UPA seems to be emerging the clear winner...
Less than an hour into counting for half a billion votes, and results are already coming in for more than half the seats! Just an amazing testimonial of the maturity of this largest democracy in the world!
And the results... just stunning. Spoilers like Maya and Lalu getting routed, Nitish sweeping Bihar with his results of good governance, Left losing heavily after their politics of convenience. And most interestingly, the two main parties, Congress and the BJP, gaining heavily at the expense of the other smaller parties.
Still early hours... but with gains of around 40 seats, and a difference of almost 60 with the NDA, the UPA seems to be emerging the clear winner...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Amazing India
Nice piece in the Express today got me thinking...
When the politicians dithered about Nano and IPL, corporate India stood up and showed the world how to do things... fast, decisive thinking, and both projects were back on track!
And when corporate India threw up a Satyam, our politicians stood up, and showed the world how severely screwed up companies can be resurrected - in a matter of 2-3 months!
I guess, it happens only in India... :)
When the politicians dithered about Nano and IPL, corporate India stood up and showed the world how to do things... fast, decisive thinking, and both projects were back on track!
And when corporate India threw up a Satyam, our politicians stood up, and showed the world how severely screwed up companies can be resurrected - in a matter of 2-3 months!
I guess, it happens only in India... :)
Confessions of a Shopaholic (Family)
We did a bit of shopping and a lot of window shopping last night...
First to Twist and Tales. Sanam wanted to read about Shivaji, having been inspired by the movie. When she couldn't find something on him, she tells me, we can buy Secret Seven instead. Lol. Anyway, finally, I found a Shivaji comic in a set, along with 9 others... and had to buy the whole bunch.
Then we went to Croma. We checked out a LCD - Sony Bravia looked great, but the moment they switched from the Hi Def Promo to Tata Sky, it suddenly didnt look as sexy any more! So we'll probably just repair our existing Bazoomba and wait for Tata Sky to deliver HD content before we splurge another fifty grand.
Sanam then wanted to check out an electronic piano/keyboard. She tells me Yamaha is the best. Apparently, she checked out features and prices on Google! Oh, and yes, by the way, she's seven and half years old.
We saw a Tata Nano there, too. Croma belongs to Tata, remember? Pretty sexy car, I must say! Good job, Rattu!
Then to Natekar sports. Some swimwear for Sanam, and a baseball bat for myself. The moment he saw it, he knew - it's to keep in the car, right? he asked me! Yes, I said, surprised. Well, everyone who buys one, does it for the same purpose, he explained!
We also checked out an exercise bike - 5K, with hands and legs support. I was curios. What if it reduced my hands and legs, but left my stomach intact? He smiled and assured me that wouldn't happen. I am not completely convinced.
Then we had some Wazwaan chicken and wazwaan fruit punch, with some other normal sounding assortments, and came back home.
First to Twist and Tales. Sanam wanted to read about Shivaji, having been inspired by the movie. When she couldn't find something on him, she tells me, we can buy Secret Seven instead. Lol. Anyway, finally, I found a Shivaji comic in a set, along with 9 others... and had to buy the whole bunch.
Then we went to Croma. We checked out a LCD - Sony Bravia looked great, but the moment they switched from the Hi Def Promo to Tata Sky, it suddenly didnt look as sexy any more! So we'll probably just repair our existing Bazoomba and wait for Tata Sky to deliver HD content before we splurge another fifty grand.
Sanam then wanted to check out an electronic piano/keyboard. She tells me Yamaha is the best. Apparently, she checked out features and prices on Google! Oh, and yes, by the way, she's seven and half years old.
We saw a Tata Nano there, too. Croma belongs to Tata, remember? Pretty sexy car, I must say! Good job, Rattu!
Then to Natekar sports. Some swimwear for Sanam, and a baseball bat for myself. The moment he saw it, he knew - it's to keep in the car, right? he asked me! Yes, I said, surprised. Well, everyone who buys one, does it for the same purpose, he explained!
We also checked out an exercise bike - 5K, with hands and legs support. I was curios. What if it reduced my hands and legs, but left my stomach intact? He smiled and assured me that wouldn't happen. I am not completely convinced.
Then we had some Wazwaan chicken and wazwaan fruit punch, with some other normal sounding assortments, and came back home.
Movie Review: Me Shijaviraje Bhonsale Boltoy
Yet another fantastic Marathi movie! In the last few months, I have enjoyed some really good movies, and MSBB just ups the bar one more level.
Dinkar Rao Bhonsale is a middle aged, middle class Marathi manoos. He wears white formal shirts and trousers, travels by bus, and works in a bank. He buys Bombay Duck (and not the Pomfret) and waits for his arrears to come so he can buy a new shirt. His son is desperate for admission to Engineering college, but Bhonsale cannot afford the donation fees. His daughter wants to change her name to B Kala and then to a Chopra, because she finds Shashikala Bhonsale very down market. He loves to be called Baba, but the kids prefer Dad. And every South Indian and North Indian in Mumbai despises him for being a Ghaati. A typical Marathi manoos, lost in every day life, and incapable of moving in tandem with the fast moving "outsiders" in his own city.
He owns a palatial old bungalow in suburban Mumbai... When a builder eyes it, and offers Dinkar Rao an alternate bungalow in Badlapur, he refuses to move out. He wants to stay here, and he wants an apartment in the complex being built on his land. How can you non-veg fish-eating Ghaati stay in the midst of the rich vegeterian clientele, asks the builder? But Dinkar Rao is adamant. And that's when his troubles start.
From harassment by the BMC to threats and attempts on the lives of his children, will Dinkar Rao be able to fight back? Yes, he will! Because he has the support of the apparition of Shivaji and his loyal followers, who inspire and guide him to fight back, as a true Marathi manoos.
The production quality is pretty good, and for most past, doesn't feel like a movie shot on videocam (except some of the scenes of Shivaji on the horse in the city). Some of the camera angles are shots are pretty outstanding. There're a lot of laughs sprinkled around throughout the movie. The cast is perfect - every character an absolute perfect caricature of people you will meet and interact with every day. Sachin Khedekar does a fantastic job. Mahesh Manjrekar is good as Shivaji, though on close ups, he looks a little drunk and sleep deprived. Makarand Anaspure is fast proving himself to be the king of comedy in Mollywood. And as the daughter, Priya Bapat does a great job, and also lights up the screen whenever she's there!
The movie is a perfect rebuke to the antics of the MNS and other self-styled champions of the Marathi manoos. It has a serious social message, and yet, provides all the thrills and the entertainment of typical comemrcial cinema. One particular scene packs a lot of punch - when Dinkar Rao complains to Shivaji about outsiders, Shivaji retorts back, "Who asked you not to open hotels? Who asked you not to send your kids to IAS? Why do you take so much pride saying "amchi kuthech shakha nahin"?".
Should definitely make some people think...
I'm not a Marathi manoos, and I have no opinions to offer about them (at least not on this blog :)), but I enjoyed the movie, and I would highly recommend it to everyone else... as long as you can understand a bit of Marathi!
Dinkar Rao Bhonsale is a middle aged, middle class Marathi manoos. He wears white formal shirts and trousers, travels by bus, and works in a bank. He buys Bombay Duck (and not the Pomfret) and waits for his arrears to come so he can buy a new shirt. His son is desperate for admission to Engineering college, but Bhonsale cannot afford the donation fees. His daughter wants to change her name to B Kala and then to a Chopra, because she finds Shashikala Bhonsale very down market. He loves to be called Baba, but the kids prefer Dad. And every South Indian and North Indian in Mumbai despises him for being a Ghaati. A typical Marathi manoos, lost in every day life, and incapable of moving in tandem with the fast moving "outsiders" in his own city.
He owns a palatial old bungalow in suburban Mumbai... When a builder eyes it, and offers Dinkar Rao an alternate bungalow in Badlapur, he refuses to move out. He wants to stay here, and he wants an apartment in the complex being built on his land. How can you non-veg fish-eating Ghaati stay in the midst of the rich vegeterian clientele, asks the builder? But Dinkar Rao is adamant. And that's when his troubles start.
From harassment by the BMC to threats and attempts on the lives of his children, will Dinkar Rao be able to fight back? Yes, he will! Because he has the support of the apparition of Shivaji and his loyal followers, who inspire and guide him to fight back, as a true Marathi manoos.
The production quality is pretty good, and for most past, doesn't feel like a movie shot on videocam (except some of the scenes of Shivaji on the horse in the city). Some of the camera angles are shots are pretty outstanding. There're a lot of laughs sprinkled around throughout the movie. The cast is perfect - every character an absolute perfect caricature of people you will meet and interact with every day. Sachin Khedekar does a fantastic job. Mahesh Manjrekar is good as Shivaji, though on close ups, he looks a little drunk and sleep deprived. Makarand Anaspure is fast proving himself to be the king of comedy in Mollywood. And as the daughter, Priya Bapat does a great job, and also lights up the screen whenever she's there!
The movie is a perfect rebuke to the antics of the MNS and other self-styled champions of the Marathi manoos. It has a serious social message, and yet, provides all the thrills and the entertainment of typical comemrcial cinema. One particular scene packs a lot of punch - when Dinkar Rao complains to Shivaji about outsiders, Shivaji retorts back, "Who asked you not to open hotels? Who asked you not to send your kids to IAS? Why do you take so much pride saying "amchi kuthech shakha nahin"?".
Should definitely make some people think...
I'm not a Marathi manoos, and I have no opinions to offer about them (at least not on this blog :)), but I enjoyed the movie, and I would highly recommend it to everyone else... as long as you can understand a bit of Marathi!
IPL 2
IPL 2 kicked of in SA yesterday - pretty sad that it's not in India this time. Was really looking forward to it. And with Dada out as captain, with the Pakis missing, and with my TV conked off... at least as far as I am concerned, the IPL fever's yet to catch on!
Dr Phatak
Yesterday, as part of the BE Project Competition at Persistent, I had the good fortune, once again, to hear Dr D. B. Phatak, from IIT Mumbai speak to us at length about life, learning, values, ethics, India and dreams.
Be like DEW drops he said
Dream big
Enjoy life
Work hard
As always, it was an inspiring, humorous, and very memorable experience.
A piece of unsolicited advice: NEVER miss an opportunity to hear him speak!
Be like DEW drops he said
Dream big
Enjoy life
Work hard
As always, it was an inspiring, humorous, and very memorable experience.
A piece of unsolicited advice: NEVER miss an opportunity to hear him speak!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
26/11 Revisited
Bought a book on 26/11 yesterday from Crossword. A collection of articles and compilations, the book brought back vivid memories of those 60 hours of horror, with some new insights and understanding into what really happened in those hours of horror, bravery and pride. The cold and calculated planning and execution by the ten agents of death, and the unflinching bravery and courage of our officers, the staff of the hotels, and many ordinary citizens.
Do buy it, and read it.
Do buy it, and read it.
Movie Review: Evan Almighty
Saw a pretty interesting (and old) movie yesterday on HBO - Evan Almighty. When God meets and encourages a newly elected Congressman to build an ark, he thinks he's freaking out under stress. But when animals and birds start chasing him in pairs and when his beard refuses to bow to a shave, he realises he has no choice.
Why does God ask him to build the ark? Will there really be a flood on Sept 22nd?
What I liked was the message of the movie: you can change the world by doing "Acts of Random Kindness" - ARK.
Oh yes, and the animals too :)
Why does God ask him to build the ark? Will there really be a flood on Sept 22nd?
What I liked was the message of the movie: you can change the world by doing "Acts of Random Kindness" - ARK.
Oh yes, and the animals too :)
Movie Review: The Fast and The Furious 4
A treat for road action fans, F&F4 is set in the deserts and streets of southern USA and Mexico, with Vin Diesel, out for revenge against the drug lords for the murder of his girl friend (the sultry Michelle Rodriguez), teaming up with an FBI agent, Paul Walker, racing against and with each other in a deadly game of speed. Also watch out for the really hot Jordana Brewster, as the gangster's henchwoman.
The opening sequence is breathtaking, and there are a few cool segements later on, but the movie stretches for most part and could have easily been cut down by another 30 mins.
The opening sequence is breathtaking, and there are a few cool segements later on, but the movie stretches for most part and could have easily been cut down by another 30 mins.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Movie Review: 8 * 10 Tasveer
If you thought a camera clicking the future was innovative, check this out. Akshay Kumar, an Environment Protection Services officer in Canada, has a unique talent - he can stare at a photograph, and get his mind transported into the past where the picture was clicked. And yes, he can even look into the past through the eyes of those present, or not present, there. Every time he does that, he also goes close to death, and needs serious medical attention to stabilize. And yes, if someone burns the photo while he's in the past, he's going to be stuck there forever.
Anyways.
The story is pathetic, very predictable for most part, and the twist at the end is just about OK.
Akshay does a typical Akshay, and he should reasses his candidature to topple the King Khan. Ayesha is roly poly, yet very sweet and sexy. I like this girl. She's done some great movies, and she needs a good director to bring some amazing stuff out of her. Unfortunately, this isn't really one of those movies.
But yes, do watch the movie for some of the most beautiful locales ever captured in a Hindi film. Absolutely mesmerizing. Worth it, just for that.
Anyways.
The story is pathetic, very predictable for most part, and the twist at the end is just about OK.
Akshay does a typical Akshay, and he should reasses his candidature to topple the King Khan. Ayesha is roly poly, yet very sweet and sexy. I like this girl. She's done some great movies, and she needs a good director to bring some amazing stuff out of her. Unfortunately, this isn't really one of those movies.
But yes, do watch the movie for some of the most beautiful locales ever captured in a Hindi film. Absolutely mesmerizing. Worth it, just for that.
Movie Review: Aa Dekhe Zara
A camera that clicks the future. When Ray Acharya's uncle passes it on to his nephew after his death, Ray sees in it a sure fire way to unlimited riches. Just click the Playwin lottery boards, the finish line at the race tracks, the cricket score boards... bet on it, and lo! From a struggling photographer, Ray amasses wealth by the day.
He also meets, dates, and falls in love with a DJ, Simi Chatterjee.
But someone else is on his track, and desperately wants the camera, and will go to any length to get it. And things get even more complicated when the camera returns a black picture of himself - the camera's way of denoting death. And he has less than 6 days to leave.
Can he use the camera to see in to his future, and somehow, turn it around?
Overall, the movie is OK. The story keeps you wondering how it will turn in the end. Some of the locales are interesting too.
The cast, though, leaves you disappointed. Bipasha looks OK, and dances to some typically Bips steps, but Neil Nitin Mukesh is a big disappointment. He has sharp features, alright, and looks OK in good clothes, but he's literally WHITE! He's put any fair and lovely model to shame. His dialogue delivery is terrible, he cannot emote. Interesting and disappointing, also, is his character. Not a hero, not an anti hero, he's just a passer by in the movie.
Overall, OK to get a DVD and go through it when you have nothing else to do.
He also meets, dates, and falls in love with a DJ, Simi Chatterjee.
But someone else is on his track, and desperately wants the camera, and will go to any length to get it. And things get even more complicated when the camera returns a black picture of himself - the camera's way of denoting death. And he has less than 6 days to leave.
Can he use the camera to see in to his future, and somehow, turn it around?
Overall, the movie is OK. The story keeps you wondering how it will turn in the end. Some of the locales are interesting too.
The cast, though, leaves you disappointed. Bipasha looks OK, and dances to some typically Bips steps, but Neil Nitin Mukesh is a big disappointment. He has sharp features, alright, and looks OK in good clothes, but he's literally WHITE! He's put any fair and lovely model to shame. His dialogue delivery is terrible, he cannot emote. Interesting and disappointing, also, is his character. Not a hero, not an anti hero, he's just a passer by in the movie.
Overall, OK to get a DVD and go through it when you have nothing else to do.
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