Salt (2010)

Saw Salt yesterday. NOT that great a film, though it is not bad to watch on DVD. I'm just glad that I didn't waste money to see it in the theatre.
So Jolie plays this Russian-US spy who falls in love with a German arichnologist who saves her from a North Korean prison; but she only ends up getting him killed and is involved in an assassination plot to explode a nuclear bomb that is being engineered by the Russians.
Typical Bollywood - Hollywood movie.
Recommended for one viewing only. :) :)

Imagining chocolate

I've come up with a novel way to convince my brain that I've eaten chocolate. I go to the fridge, pick up the chocolate, but don't eat it. I just close my eyes and imagine that I've eaten it and then imagine the taste. Then after its consumed I imagine that the taste has gone. When I open my eyes, it's like I've eaten the chocolate, even though I haven't.
I hope this helps me lose weight!! I've got to lose at least 10 kilos in the next eight weeks!!
I'll try and go for a jog in the morning as well. I think 5/7 days should suffice. I'll put on the trainers and head out early.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Independence Day at the Lal Kila

My husband and I woke up at 4:30 am today to attend the Independence Day function at Lal Kila. It was full of pomp and show, though we couldn't see too much. We could hear the kiddies clapping and heard our hon'ble Prime Minister make the Independence Day speech. I liked the balloons that were released at the end. It was a nice sight.
No fighter jets zoomed through the sky and all one could see occassionally was a helicopter keeping vigil. I liked the whole day overall. It was a good way to start Sunday.
One must marvel at the Lal Kila. Built over 500 years ago, it is still standing. It is in stark contrast to the Commonwealth Games stadia that are disintegrating and may not even last a year - providing they last through till October. Maybe it's time we go and see how the Mughals handled corruption - though I fear if capital punishment was the solution then we may not be able to do much. I was relieved to see today's paper though where the PM has promised exemplary punishment for Games corruption.
I certainly hope so.

Slave labour

What do you do if there is slave labour but no corresponding debt? When conditions akin to slave labour arise - what does it mean for state policy? I read today that there are 10 million child labourers in India today. This in a country with rampant unemployment and underemployment of adults. It goes against all logic why there should even be employment of children.
When will things change? Governments make laws. The private sector should comply. When the market fails, the government steps in. Economists such as Keynes and civil society all agree - governments need to fill the gap. But what happens when there is government failure? When they are not regulating and supervising? Why should kids be working and wasting their youth? Why aren't they out playing in the park and worrying about a calculus question in the class test?

And why aren't NGOs - which are in a great number - along with organizations such as the UN and others being able to do something concrete about the situation?

Twilight: New Moon (2010)

Vampires and wolves - is it no wonder that we love escaping reality? Almost all of the recent hits have been based on some detraction - such as Inception, Twilight series, Avatar - makes you wonder though doesn't it?
But what would be the fun in seeing a film about our lives then?
Bella is as confused as ever. Edward is as handsome as ever. She wants to change and he doesn't. There's a new baby vampire pack in town, and as is explained, they're more powerful since they still have their human blood in their tissues. Definitely something we should all know.
It's amazing though how well the books have done and the movie franchise. I've read all the books and seen all the films, so I have no right to be sarcastic. I'm as hooked as the rest of the world.