Idiocracy-- hows that for a change?

If there is one thing on which the 'evolutionaries' and supporters of Intelligent design would concur, it would be on the impossibility of Idiocracy.Evolution is the survival of fittest supported by intelligence and can go only forward.And as far as Intelligent Designers are concerned ,its all been already planned and thought of .

Well Mike Judge and Etan Cohen doesn't seem to think so and so does the hilarious movie they made an year back.Idiocracy is all about the reversal of evolution or biological devolution and how stupid the world can end up being if things go the way the movie says its going.

But as in all American movies the world in this one also means America & Americans(all of whom look like immigrant labourers from Mexico,whether a pun was intended is still unknown at this point of time).May be Mike and Etan had second thoughts on portraying their idea on a planet earth scale due to obvious reasons which need not be made explicit(Did you not see the word 'Obvious'??).

Well those who want to know more about the movie can read on here.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/idiocracy/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiocracy

Christopher McCandless

I doubt if anyone knows this guy.

It was in a small article in last week's TIME that I came to read about this guy.Sean Penn is making a movie on him,after the best selling book on him by Jon Krakauer 'Into the Wild'.Curious to know what this guy was all about I did some research and well ,not a day has passed since without looking up and finding something about him.He was no scholar,actor,statesman or biz leader,just a 24 year old guy who got fed up with the world and went into the wild to bring sense to life.

Chris McCandless(Feb 12, 1968 – Aug 1992) came from a well to do family,graduated from the Emory(FYI..Salman Rushdie teaches there now..)and at the age of 22 severed ties with the whole world,burned all the money he had,hitch hiked around North America under the name Alexander Supertramp and disappeared into the Alaskan wilderness only to return dead.

Was he an anarchist? He was no Abbie Hoffman.But what he did was anarchism of a different order to the world. To him, it was the only way , the true way.

To me he embodies the thirst for realization and courage to go to any extreme for that.He once remarked to his friend (who employed him as a help for a short while) ,

“Sometimes I wish I hadn’t met you though. Tramping is too Easy with all this money. My days were more exciting when I was penniless and had to Forage Around for my next meal… I’ve decided that I’m going to live this Life for some time to come. The Freedom and Simple Beauty of it is just too good to pass up.”

Chris died of starvation.His body was found by moose hunters in an old abandoned bus in the woods.Whether he found what he set out for is something nobody knows.And what he would have told the world had he come back alive is also something we dont know.

But he set out..he had the courage..

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1661699,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_McCandless
http://www.chipbrown.net/articles/intowild.
http://www.emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=24126

Missing the company..

In the past few months, the thought of again being an active blogger must have crossed my mind atleast a zillion times.But everytime it just whooshed away through my stray thoughts and nothing happened.

Its not just me.I have seen a lot of active bloggers in the same path.It was not a
sudden disillusionment of sorts,but more of an uncalculated drift away from writing stuff.
It starts with long gaps between posts,once the gaps become too long,it is again broken
with a comeback post.Two or three more may follow to keep company,but the same story
follows.Sort of a slow death for which nobody might ever write an obituary.

The count of 'dead blogs' all over the net are increasing day by day.Atleast a dozen I
regularly tracked have completey withered down save the lone comment by a stray scavenger.
Sometimes I wonder..where are these people? Who used to post by dozens every week?
All the Comments and courtesy comments? Was blogging just a fad of the time?

Where are you guys?

See this..

"It will take time to restore chaos" -George .W. Bush

It is quite obvious that he did not have any idea regarding what he was talking about(well he rarely has !), but I guess this will go down in history as one of the most prolific philisophical quotes ever made
by a dumb politician.

What Dubya intended to convey will always remain a mystery like his political intellect or administrative prowess.But taken as an independent quote, the interpretations this quote has received hints that the butterfly effect of this will be tremendous.

I have attached the video for your reference :

Does it really matter?

The Indian political scenario currently is very active thanks to the upcoming presidential poll.

Speculations on who will get to laze around(there are exceptions) as the first citizen of the world’s largest democracy have almost come to an end, though some still believe that it is still not a lost cause and is worth putting more time and effort into. It really amuses me, that people can( me included) get hooked to something in which they have the least or almost no choice and which never has been a cause of terrible nightmares.

Historically, the office of the Indian President has always been just another office in New Delhi. A sort of five star retirement home for the old political stallions who could no more win a derby,but wanted very much to be part of it.They never intended to do anything great,nor felt it was a really great office that mattered.

Seems the story is no longer so.Ever since Abdul Kalam, the accidental president, turned things around in Rashtrapathi Bhavan by making sensible use of the office as well as the paraphernalia that came along with it, the Presidency of the Union of India seemed to have gained much charm,even to the surprise of those who made him the first citizen.

But it’s a sad thing that none of the political parties of India have not learned from this example.They still want it to be part of their extended political ego rather than a symbol of Indian unity and belief in democracy.

Im not here to comment on the credentials of the others in the fray, for it serves no purpose.Any candidate can invite the wrong questions,for the age we live in is filled with events that creates the reasons for these questions.But atleast we could have found someone like Kalam,to whom the entire nation looks up to,adorn the position.

Afterall this is one position whch holds minimal powers, but a lot of respect; Can't we just think beyond the silly differences ?

Or is it too much to ask?

Jhansi ki Mademoiselle..

Saw the kid on her back?

Good! So you know where its all going to...

Hotel Rwanda

The high...

I am going through a bout of laziness,which of course is an every now and then thing for me.Its again therapautic.You feel so pissed of with yourself at the end that you finally start doing things ..yeah we do!


All sorts of things happen in between.Visions of life a going to be wasted,dreams of operating the tv remote with the mere spark of a thought,the fear of de-evolving into one of those slimy slothy creatures which sleeps for a 100 years,wake up to walk a millimetre,eat a fly and go back to sleep for another 100 years..all the while the delusions seem to echo with the angry words of somebody's wife..(yeah it has always been a little vague)


And when the high is reached,well always a new one every time,you just cant believe you are there,and when its over you just feel proud , of having experienced a never before feeling ...It might seem abstract,but thats the whole philsophy of it..


hehe..:)

'Barber'ic

Which canthree are you fam?
India..
U speak guth engleas far Endians…
Thanks!
And you mam?
I cam from the Nederlands..u kna Hollanth?
Of course I ve learned in geography?
U wenth to collage in Endia?
Yes.

Whath didh you larn?
Computers..
Ok u on business?
No Im a consultant..u know..

Ya..u like America..
Just moved in…
You?
I don’t….too hot here…Nederland is cold…I like Cold..
So you wanth it shorth?
Yes..

Size 4 or 2..?
I dint get you..?
Short or too short?
Sides and back …too short
Up and front …short..

Client demo follows.

Will that do?
Yep…

Roar of machines..
Is that fine?

Nothing was left..,it was the most tragic sight..the magic tuft which strategically covered my forehead was gone..
Light took turns in bouncing to and fro from the head of the guy in the front me and.. well my own….

total tragedy..

It hot in Bombay?
Yes..
You like America…?
No
Why… ?

Ith too cold..
I wanth to go back to Endia….i like. hoth..

Missing..

Its been over a month now here in the US..And for all its greatness,America seems to me as a superbly boring country..Empty roads,sleepy malls..and silence all the way ..you might as well believe this is a huge empty parking lot rather than the united states of..

All the thank yous,welcomes and the courtesy bickerings seems to be taking its toll on me..No filled up transport buses blowing up the dust,not autorickshaws to have bumpy rides ending in arguments..no paan stains on the walls..no crowded theatres..no cricket,no spicy fish curries..no cow dung on the road,no elephants blocking traffic..

I guess I'm missing India, and missing it badly..

Those days...

I hope all of you ,if not at least most of you might ,or maybe at the least some of you might be very familiar with 'Malgudi days'.I am not talking about the book,which incidently I have not read,but about the televised version which I saw as a kid every week in Doordarshan some 20 years back.

The reason why this has come back to my mind and fingertips is that I happened to read about this somewhere in the net last week,and I happened to get this link( of the copyright owners)where you can see some of the episodes.

Casually I hovered over the links wondering whether I had enough time to spent over this, but ultimately made the click.I was riveted for the next 2 hours and watched 4 episodes at a stretch.

The freshness of Malgudi and the innocence of Swami (played by Manjunath) took me back through my memories to the nights when we three kids,Achan,Amma and Babychechi,our maid servant ;used togather in front of our old Dyanora TV to catch 30 minutes of Malgudi.Babychechi did not understand a bit of Hindi,but laughed along with us when my eldest sister gave the running translation for each of the dialogues.Achan of course was the serious one,breaking out with a laugh only once in a while.

It was not just Malgudi,there was Wagle ke Duniya,Fauji and Mahabharath..of course everything used to be in Hindi,we were sad that nothing was there for us in the south.But all of them had some standard and the whole neighbourhood could enjoy them.(Something like the Bill Cosby Shows in US)

My parents always made it a point that we watch all these as a family,if not as a neighbourhood.Everybody was welcome.
And these 30 Mins played a very important role in building up our characters as kids,it was not just the show.

Twenty years later we have more than 300 channels nationwide,but not a single program or channel has been able to replicate the magic which DD did for us.India has changed a lot,the people,the economy,lifestyles..and I sometimes feel that those good old days were the best,though they were not the best in all ways.And these thoughts are reinforced by the trash we have in TV now..

Clearly,Those were the magical days; when even TV serials had souls..:)

:)

hihi..

Its been no blogging for quite sometime now..and i felt i was out of this..but i guess, i can never leave it alltogether and that i have to make visits often if not every now and then.



So many things happened meanwhile..I got married , bid goodbye to my bachelor life, had an exciting duel with chikungunya(spell check:)),missed a honey moon,moved to theUS for a while
and missed out on many things which i loved doing..



Reading,writing,movies..it all seems long ago now..I guess everyone has one of these phases in which they lose touch with what they used to enjoy doing.. due to domestic and other reasons.

But its sort of good,because it makes the stuff more exciting and fullfilling..:)



Well guess now its time for me to be back in action ....and lets see how long i last this time..:)

A GOOD YEAR

REVIEW :A GOOD YEAR (2006) Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Russell Crowe, Tom Hollander, Marion Cotillard

A Good Year is a good movie..:)
Apart from the histrionics of Russel Crowe, Tom Hollander and Marion Cotillard, the movie also boasts of engaging dialogues, wonderful screenplay and picturization.

The Story by Peter Mayle, is nothing exceptional.It asks us to take a break from our busy lives and look beyond everything to what life actually is..in this case what the author thinks..more precisely a relaxed life in a French Vineyard..maybe possible for the lucky few who have the double luck of being able to afford to chuck out a high profile job as an investment banker and at the same time inherit a chateau in France.

But the movie by Ridley Scott makes it feel better.The humourous dialogues ,the frames dipped in gold and ofcourse Rusell Crowe as Max..

Well nothing exceptional... yet not that bad..

A Good Year is a good movie...:)

hi...

Im on my way back....

mmmmh...

Im getting bored..its time I went on another trip to some place weird..the rains have
also subsided a little...the calm before the storm.I thought Ill take rest this weekend..
and stay put at home ,wash all the pending clothes,clean up and relax with a book...

I did everything and felt happy..but feel as though the weekend is wasted...no movies..no treks..
I think i too got bit by the outdoor bug...thouh shi would disagree every bit...well I would explain it as " for every ten times the bug bit shi,it bit me once..." :)

Travelling is really therapeutic ; with the new air and light,it brings new life to all those who experiences it too..

Apart from the treks ,the last I went out was with my project team for a trip..which was ,well a routine thing..
and i missed the Raigad trek due to exhaustion..got to make up for it sometime in September...
the next thing on cards was white water rafting in Kundalika...with heavy rains around,that too seems a
distant possibility...

staying indoors is taking its toll,and most unexpected thing that could have ever happened has happened,I got bored with Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy ...and I seem to have got fed up with the rains,even before it has properly poured.

I am waiting for september,when everything hopefully will clear up ..

:)

I hate the rains...I hate it...
ruined my shoes....
every year the same thing happens...
I get better shoes and the rain gets worse....aargh.!

And now its time for a new one..:)
Finally..! Did away with all the collateral guilt of getting a new pair of shoes..:)

Pataleshwar...

It has started raining in Pune and our weekend jaunts were seeming to get infrequent.

So as soon as we saw the Sun yesterday,we decided to hit the road.

Our Primary aim was to hang out a little ,scout some bookshops and have an evening walk along
the Fergusson College road..lazing around.And then we decided ;that we will visit Pataleshwar,
the 1300 year old caves temple right off JM Road.

It was something which we both had in our minds for some time but some how did not materialize so long.. We had seen piks of the Baner caves and Pataleshwar together,almost an year back; and we did the Baner hill expedition then itself..But Pataleshwar was waiting for the right time ..I guess, because we have made countless visits to Deccan,but skipped it everytime.
Everytime the bus passes over,and we decide..next time .. One place which we have now almost missed out due to this procrastination is Chattushringi..and so this timewe made a strong decision ...to make it.

It was not exactly sunny,there was a slight drizzle..the air was cool and the light breeze made Pune more charming..Soon we reached our destination and walked in with anticipation..but was taken aback to see a quite normal temple;which we soon learned was the famous Jangli Maharaj temple after whom JM Road got its name..

We asked a gentleman where Pataleshwar was ...

"Turn left,take the steps..." and we were there..

History stood there as though engulfed in a time warp.
It was magnificient..a huge structure carved out of a single rock..the Mandapa,Nandi...the pillars..stupendous !

For a holiday,it was not crowded,except for a few couples who found the rocky temple romantic enough..and some devotees .

We went inside the caves...it was so beautiful and different..
Cool and quiet...right in the middle of the city..

We sat there for sometime..the light breeze romancing with us..the rays of sun which managed to cheat the huge pillars fell on us..
As it must have fell upon many a visitor through the centuries..

The seasons over the centuries have done little harm...so have the battles of Maharashtra..
It stands alone..strong and real..
how many men might have found shelter in it..
how many Kings,Queens and warriors have stood praying before it...
how many lovers exchanged vows in its airy corridors..
the many wars it witnessed,the thunders and lightnings of time..still it stands strong

Sometimes the visible amazes us more than the invisible...so true.

Munich

REVIEW

STARRING: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Marie-Josee Croze, Geoffrey Rush, Mathieu Kassovitz
DIRECTION: Steven Spielberg


I hate propaganda.. and especially mediums which do it...
Partly because it is always crude and partly because it always is one sided ,blatant and unjustified.
But then it can be beautifully crafted too..Crafted to make you cry for someone whom you hate,fight for a cause which may or maynot bear any significance in your life.

Munich is a beautifully crafted movie.But Propanganda? I dont know.

It portrays history of the Black september and afterwards through the life of Avner Kauffman, a Mossad officer deputed to eliminate the masterminds behind the abduction and murder of 11 Israeli atheletes in the Munich Olymbics in 1972.

The movie starts with the abduction of the Israeli athletes followed by their deaths and the deaths of the people who abducted them.

But the story of the movie is about really what happened afterwards.And it kicks off with Avner Kauffman,brilliantly brought into life by Eric Bana ;being deputed to lead the under cover counter mission by Golda Meir the Israeli Prime Minister. Avner's team members are played by Daniel Craig (guns), Mathieu Kassovitz (bombs), Hanns Zischler (forger) and Ciaran Hinds (cleanup).

The script is taut and leaves no chance for the viewers or the characters to relax.And it keeps on getting more and more tense untill the viewer empathizes completely with Avner and his team and starts hating the Palestinians.And that becomes easy since not much light is shed on thelife ,motives efforts and sufferings of the Palestinains. At this moment we will feel that Speilberg has brilliantly done his part for Israel and his religion,the ignorant audience will be manipulated.But to say that Speilberg was rude wont be true.Enough suffering has been there on both sides.

It is here where the real leit motif of the movie comes into play.That revenge does not end anything.Elimination of one evil causes the birth of an even worse one.Avner becomes a man who is confused in front of the questions he himself raised.The significance of human life and love is debated in his mind.What is important? Killing the people who caused shame to his nation or killing his own conscience.Both are the same ,he realizes eventually.

It is a question which will never be answered.A wound which will never be healed unless we all learn to forgive.

The movie is Speilbergs message to the world. Maybe one which the world badly needs.Forgive.

I miss..

We all miss a lot of things in life...pleasant moments of life..which may seem silly,stupid or illogical to others..

But in the treasurehouse of our memories,they linger on, events which eventually shaped us..thoughts which motivated us..and the life we lived and the life we relive through our memories...

thanks Anoop for tagging me...

I miss...

the days when as a kid i used to gaze upto the sky endlessly to never loose track of the stray aeroplane which flew over...wondering when ill fly.

the days when i chased butterflies in my backyard....yellow,white and a myriad of colours ...they were so beautiful

the evenings when i waited anxiously for my father to return from office...now he waits for me..

all the quarelling with my ammamma

the days when amma's fish curry was just enough for the family...

cuddling up with my sisters in the bed..listening to chinthu chechi's stories

the teachers who told me stories..who just loved us like their own kids

the lab i set up in the car shed..where everything from the search light to the atom bomb was reinvented

eating mangoes dipped in salt and red chilly powder along with Doney in my terrace..

the smokes i shared with Paul and vijeesh

getting drunk and singing with friends in college

the endless speeches i made in my college as an union leader

the fights ,strikes and suspensions ...

writing supplimentaries...

Trivandrum..

a lot...these pages wont suffice..my treasurehouse is big..

:)

:)

I have been off from the blog world for almost a month now....and the reason.?
Something really big happened in my Life....I got engaged... to this paticular girl...