Well this long Dusshera weekend was spent chilling, cooking Chinese food (only on Dusshera) and watching the new Amazing Race that has started on AXN. I also read the newspaper, heard the crackers and bought a new fridge and a new washing machine for our new apartment, which we will be shifting into shortly.
It's difficult setting up a new house; and quite an expensive affair. Thankfully our families have chipped in so it's not as hideously expensive as I thought it would be. And I will get a chance to try out my cooking skills... hmmmm.....
So this weekend I watched two films - Outlander (2008) and Observe and Report (2009).
Let me just say on the outset, that no one in their right minds should watch Observe and Report. It is a sad sad movie which is just so bad that one can't imagine how they got the money to make this film and the person who thought up the concept was just so sad that he came up with this film. Ugghhh...
Outlander on the other hand is an interesting film. Set in the times of the Vikings, it shows what happens when a stranger (Outlander) comes crashing from outer space (maybe from the future?) and brings with him an alien dragon. Yes, this plot is totally unrealistic, so far removed from reality that you will actually sit on a Saturday evening and watch what can only be termed as brainless entertainment and feel better having watched it. But it is still better than Observe and Report (2009).
I've started to read The Bronte Project by Jennifer Vandever. It's going okay right now - the main character appears very sad and forlorn, with no direction or sense of purpose. Another thing about these Bridget Jones types of books is that they all seem to say that "If you aren't married - there's something wrong with you" or something to that effect. I wonder what the silent Victorian (the main character in the book studies old letters by Charlotte Bronte) will do later on in the book.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
State of Play (2009)
I watched this movie a bit blurry eyed. Russel Crowe plays an intrepid, yet sloppy reporter for the Washington Globe covering a major story that has the potential of bringing down a US Congressman who is in the midst of a very important corporate hearing.
A conspiracy theory though is abound and like all slick Hollywood movies, this one directed by Kevin MacDonald unfolds at a fairly good pace. It'll hold your attention and keep you guessing.
Russel Crowe's partner in reporting is the pretty Rachel McAdams. I really liked her in The Notebook and she's pretty good in Red Eye as well. She's playing the lead role in The Time Traveller's Wife opposite Eric Bana. That looks like a good movie as well.
I don't know how people think up books like The Time Traveller's Wife. I read it last year and it is a good yarn - a little bizarre but once you get used to the plot, it gets believable. One thing about that book is that it is very well written and you can't put it down. I would recommend reading the book because I'm sure the movie will not be able to match up to it.
It's also my baby brother's bday today!! Happy Bday little bro!! :)
A conspiracy theory though is abound and like all slick Hollywood movies, this one directed by Kevin MacDonald unfolds at a fairly good pace. It'll hold your attention and keep you guessing.
Russel Crowe's partner in reporting is the pretty Rachel McAdams. I really liked her in The Notebook and she's pretty good in Red Eye as well. She's playing the lead role in The Time Traveller's Wife opposite Eric Bana. That looks like a good movie as well.
I don't know how people think up books like The Time Traveller's Wife. I read it last year and it is a good yarn - a little bizarre but once you get used to the plot, it gets believable. One thing about that book is that it is very well written and you can't put it down. I would recommend reading the book because I'm sure the movie will not be able to match up to it.
It's also my baby brother's bday today!! Happy Bday little bro!! :)
Friday, September 18, 2009
El Khader
El Khader is a site of ruins located in the West Bank, Israel. National Geographic wrote about it as this:
"The ruins of El Khader (seen in the picture enclosed), a cross-shaped church built sometime between the fourth and seventh centuries and rebuilt by 12th-century crusaders, still stand on the outskirts of the town. For nearly a millennium after Christ, such Christian villages dominated the rocky hilltops of Palestine, declared holy ground by the emperor Constantine after his conversion to Christianity in 312."
Looks like an interesting place to go - right?
TATA Nano
Well, why am I writing about the TATA Nano?
First and foremost, I saw one of my first TATA Nanos on the road - that also on the Kalka-Zirakpur Highway a few weeks back. It looks like a cute little car - silver colour with little wheels and a little body...
What I've heard is that it is not advisable to drive this car on long journeys - it's more like a car you'd buy your veggies in and take the kids to school and back. It's meant for cities - and that too with loadsa traffic jams so that the slow pace of the car makes up for the lack in the engine capacity.
That's what I've heard.
Another big controversy is how this Rs 1 lakhs car (roughly $2000) is going to create a ruckus on the roads because obviously its low price is going to make it affordable to many more people. Eminent scientists and environmentalists have raised their objections on the car and how much pollution it'll add.
But a car is a car. I never saw anyone say anything when rich families were buying Skodas and Mercedes - just because they can afford more than one does it mean someone from a low class can't buy a cheap car? The "class" argument just didn't make any sense to me.
Plus I do think that our public transport deserves a lot of the blame. I haven't been in a bus since my college days - but I will tell you this - I didn't like getting mauled; I didn't like getting brushed up against; I didn't like getting my pocket picked; I didn't like almost dying because the bloody bus wouldn't stop for more than 3 seconds at the bus stop...
Argh.....
GO NANO!!!!!!
First and foremost, I saw one of my first TATA Nanos on the road - that also on the Kalka-Zirakpur Highway a few weeks back. It looks like a cute little car - silver colour with little wheels and a little body...
What I've heard is that it is not advisable to drive this car on long journeys - it's more like a car you'd buy your veggies in and take the kids to school and back. It's meant for cities - and that too with loadsa traffic jams so that the slow pace of the car makes up for the lack in the engine capacity.
That's what I've heard.
Another big controversy is how this Rs 1 lakhs car (roughly $2000) is going to create a ruckus on the roads because obviously its low price is going to make it affordable to many more people. Eminent scientists and environmentalists have raised their objections on the car and how much pollution it'll add.
But a car is a car. I never saw anyone say anything when rich families were buying Skodas and Mercedes - just because they can afford more than one does it mean someone from a low class can't buy a cheap car? The "class" argument just didn't make any sense to me.
Plus I do think that our public transport deserves a lot of the blame. I haven't been in a bus since my college days - but I will tell you this - I didn't like getting mauled; I didn't like getting brushed up against; I didn't like getting my pocket picked; I didn't like almost dying because the bloody bus wouldn't stop for more than 3 seconds at the bus stop...
Argh.....
GO NANO!!!!!!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
30 days of night (2007)
I don't know why I didn't end up writing about this movie.
Now it's a typical slasher type film. There are vampires that descend on this little Alaskan town that goes through a phase of 30 days of complete darkness. They speak an eerie language and are creepy little critters on the whole with an insatiable taste for blood.
What more would one expect right? They are vampires after all!!
Why I write a separate blog on this is because of one of the lead characters, played by the cutie Josh Hartnett who plays the macho sheriff. He is just so good looking.... sigh!!
All in all, not a bad tv movie to watch on a Saturday with your own cutie on Star Movies.
Now it's a typical slasher type film. There are vampires that descend on this little Alaskan town that goes through a phase of 30 days of complete darkness. They speak an eerie language and are creepy little critters on the whole with an insatiable taste for blood.
What more would one expect right? They are vampires after all!!
Why I write a separate blog on this is because of one of the lead characters, played by the cutie Josh Hartnett who plays the macho sheriff. He is just so good looking.... sigh!!
All in all, not a bad tv movie to watch on a Saturday with your own cutie on Star Movies.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Khap Panchayats
In Haryana, a long established system of justice is still alive in the form of Khap Panchayats. Times of India today ran a full page segment on this system of law and order.
While there may be some benefits of having the local elders deciding on how punishments should be metted out, what is disturbing is what are considered crimes by these elders and how these crimes are punished.
From what I have read, the punishments range from flogging, rape and eviction. Some of the crimes include marriage within the same gotra and love marriages.
One quote that has become famous is "Love marriages are dirty, I don’t even want to repeat the word...Only whores can choose their partners". This was reported in Times of India today.
One awful story told was that of a young girl who fell in love. She was apparently stripped naked and hung from a tree.
Education is frowned upon by these panchayats, who state that this is the reason for most of the errant behaviour. This in a state that has the lowest sex ratio in India, and competes with Punjab for that position.
What should the government be doing about these honour killings I wonder?
While there may be some benefits of having the local elders deciding on how punishments should be metted out, what is disturbing is what are considered crimes by these elders and how these crimes are punished.
From what I have read, the punishments range from flogging, rape and eviction. Some of the crimes include marriage within the same gotra and love marriages.
One quote that has become famous is "Love marriages are dirty, I don’t even want to repeat the word...Only whores can choose their partners". This was reported in Times of India today.
One awful story told was that of a young girl who fell in love. She was apparently stripped naked and hung from a tree.
Education is frowned upon by these panchayats, who state that this is the reason for most of the errant behaviour. This in a state that has the lowest sex ratio in India, and competes with Punjab for that position.
What should the government be doing about these honour killings I wonder?
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The Ancient City of Petra
I recently got hooked on one of National Geographic's programmes called "Ancient Megastructures". Every week they cover a huge structure made in ancient times -- and it's amazing to see how the structures came together. I saw one episode on Angkor Wat; yday I saw one on Petra.
I haven't been to Petra. My sister has - she was in Israel and she went on a tour to Jordon just to see it. I heard from her just how beautiful it was. So when the programme outline talked about it, I was sure I would watch it.
Interestingly enough, Petra was constructed by a group of very wealthy traders called Nabataeans. There had been settlements before that, but it was the Nabataeans who using their genius on water engineering and dams managed to create a city that had water supply all year around. Apart from this though, is the architectural feat achieved with the building of the Khazneh.
The Khazneh was in all probability a burial site, and hence is a tomb of some sorts. Recent archaelogical digging has revealed that beneath the Khazneh were more rooms.
It is intriguing to come across cities that are so ancient and beautiful. Earthquakes they say have led to a lot of the damage seen in the structures... there is a lot of debate on the exact nature of the sculptures and rock art seen around Petra. But no one denies that it is a wonder.
In fact, it made it to the list of the new seven wonders of the world. FYI the list is as follows:
Giza Pyramid Complex (Egypt)
Chichen Itza (Yucatan Mexico)
Christ the Redeemer (Brazil)
Colosseum (Italy)
Great Wall of China
Petra (Jordon)
Taj Mahal (Agra)
I am happy to report that I have seen three of these seven wonders.
You gotta have something else to do with your life right?
I haven't been to Petra. My sister has - she was in Israel and she went on a tour to Jordon just to see it. I heard from her just how beautiful it was. So when the programme outline talked about it, I was sure I would watch it.
Interestingly enough, Petra was constructed by a group of very wealthy traders called Nabataeans. There had been settlements before that, but it was the Nabataeans who using their genius on water engineering and dams managed to create a city that had water supply all year around. Apart from this though, is the architectural feat achieved with the building of the Khazneh.
The Khazneh was in all probability a burial site, and hence is a tomb of some sorts. Recent archaelogical digging has revealed that beneath the Khazneh were more rooms.
It is intriguing to come across cities that are so ancient and beautiful. Earthquakes they say have led to a lot of the damage seen in the structures... there is a lot of debate on the exact nature of the sculptures and rock art seen around Petra. But no one denies that it is a wonder.
In fact, it made it to the list of the new seven wonders of the world. FYI the list is as follows:
Giza Pyramid Complex (Egypt)
Chichen Itza (Yucatan Mexico)
Christ the Redeemer (Brazil)
Colosseum (Italy)
Great Wall of China
Petra (Jordon)
Taj Mahal (Agra)
I am happy to report that I have seen three of these seven wonders.
You gotta have something else to do with your life right?
Passengers (2008); Haven (2004)
Passengers (2008)
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia.
Now I really don't want to give too much away about this film. So I won't say too much about it. It's a good movie to watch once.... and you will not guess the ending. The conspiracy angle about the airlines - if you're a fan of Plane Crash Investigation like I am, then you will like this film.
Haven (2004)
Directed by Frank E Flowers.
This is a wierd film. It's set in the Cayman Islands and talks about tax havens... but it's not just about that. It's about teenage animosity and things going wrong... and some things going right. I felt that at some points, the film was just WRONG.
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia.
Now I really don't want to give too much away about this film. So I won't say too much about it. It's a good movie to watch once.... and you will not guess the ending. The conspiracy angle about the airlines - if you're a fan of Plane Crash Investigation like I am, then you will like this film.
Haven (2004)
Directed by Frank E Flowers.
This is a wierd film. It's set in the Cayman Islands and talks about tax havens... but it's not just about that. It's about teenage animosity and things going wrong... and some things going right. I felt that at some points, the film was just WRONG.
Friday, September 4, 2009
For Matrimonial Purposes by Kavita Daswani
This book follows the traditional now almost cliched view of the traditional marriage system in India where parents arrange marriages between their children.
First and foremost, the novel is NOT that well written. It is a good attempt; but a bit stunted. The ending comes on too fast; you feel you hardly know the character developed and Anju's life in New York at times appears sad ... in fact in the beginning they dwell on this aspect as well, saying that the life she is leading is superficial and empty.
In fact Jhumpa Lahiri's writing has more depth. This book was actually just what the cover promised - a good beach read.
Unfortunately I have read it in Delhi while sitting on bed with fever.... on a sunny afternoon just after the monsoons have hit....
I wish I were on a beach in the Caribbean... or even in Goa....
First and foremost, the novel is NOT that well written. It is a good attempt; but a bit stunted. The ending comes on too fast; you feel you hardly know the character developed and Anju's life in New York at times appears sad ... in fact in the beginning they dwell on this aspect as well, saying that the life she is leading is superficial and empty.
In fact Jhumpa Lahiri's writing has more depth. This book was actually just what the cover promised - a good beach read.
Unfortunately I have read it in Delhi while sitting on bed with fever.... on a sunny afternoon just after the monsoons have hit....
I wish I were on a beach in the Caribbean... or even in Goa....
Thursday, September 3, 2009
I just want you to know....
"The Reason" I'm not a perfect person There's many things I wish I didn't do But I continue learning I never meant to do those things to you And so I have to say before I go That I just want you to know I've found out a reason for me To change who I used to be A reason to start over new and the reason is you I'm sorry that I hurt you It's something I must live with everyday And all the pain I put you through I wish that I could take it all away And be the one who catches all your tears Thats why i need you to hear I've found out a reason for me To change who I used to be A reason to start over new and the reason is You and the reason is You
I'm not a perfect person I never meant to do those things to you And so I have to say before I go That I just want you to know I've found out a reason for me To change who I used to be A reason to start over new and the reason is you
I've found a reason to show A side of me you didn't know A reason for all that I do And the reason is you
Courtesy Hoobastank
I'm not a perfect person I never meant to do those things to you And so I have to say before I go That I just want you to know I've found out a reason for me To change who I used to be A reason to start over new and the reason is you
I've found a reason to show A side of me you didn't know A reason for all that I do And the reason is you
Courtesy Hoobastank
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