Electronic lyrics

Now, my head is spinning
At the back of my mind, I think I'm winning
I was somebody falling for one who was not
Somebody tired of dreaming
Now its already dawning that this time I've got
Someone who won't leave me feeling...
Disappointed, once more
Disillusioned, encore
I think I love you, for sure
So you're not disappointing at all

Not a bad song..... courtesy Electronic...

Far from the Madding Crowd (1998)

Thomas Hardy's well known novel was watched by me yesterday evening. It took a whole 3 hrs and 15 mins while Bathsheba (What kind of name is that?) Everdene kept three men dangling trying to decide whom was best fit to marry her.

Everyone knows that Gabriele was the best suitor. Boldwood was too old and Troy too reckless and cavalier. Too big an ego. I still can't understand why he would be so angry if a pretty young thing like Fanny Robin kept him waiting at the altar. For god's sakes man, there are a million churches.

The book shows both city and rural life quite well. The adaptation version I saw was quite engrossing, and way better than many films I've seen recently. I liked the fact that Bathsheba was so fiercely independent - and that Thomas Hardy showed how difficult it was for a young woman to be accepted in society as capable of dealing in business matters. I think that this whole novel could also be considered as a feminist novel.

This story too ranks in the greatest love stories list of all time. I've written a post on this as well. See http://socialartist-mysteriesoftheworld.blogspot.com/2009/11/heathcliff-and-cathy.html. Bathsheba finally does come to her senses in the end. But she sure does take a long time to do it!!

My Life in Ruins and Public Enemy

Two movies I saw recently -

The first was My Life in Ruins (2009) about a depressed travel guide who finally finds her way. It was a cutsie wootsie story and I liked it. I like Nia Vardalos. Even though it wasn't all there - it was lovely to see glimpses of Greece. One can only imagine just how beautiful the country would be.

Public Enemy (2009) was a major let down. Do not watch it. It has a superb cast including Johnny Depp, Christian Bale), but nothing much else. It tells the story about how the FBI brings down John Dillinger, a notorious bank robber who only steals from the banks, not the customers (like isn't that the same thing?). There is a disturbing scene when the agents beat up a female. Not done at all.

Less than MRP

There exists a concept in India called the MRP - Maximum Retail Price. Shop keepers are not supposed to exceed this amount while charging their customers for the item they're purchasing. It's posted on all products - so no one feels cheated.

Now I don't know the margins people make on what they sell. But a pretty fair indication for software and hardware products for computers is in Nehru Place - located in South Delhi. Now I spent a good part of my weekend at Nehru Place buying a router for our Internet. The old router got corrupted (I don't know how).

Now something that retails for Rs 1950 MRP we got for Rs 1450 at Nehru Place. Amazing right? I often wonder at just how high the margins for electronic goods really are.

Just imagine.

So even though this is not really a mystery of the world - one can actually construe it as one.

Iran seizes Nobel laureat's medal

Shirin Ebadi, a peace rights lawyer in Iran, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 by the Nobel Foundation based in Norway.

Today I read that it had been seized by the Iranian authorities in an effort to curb "activities that they found against the state."

I have no issues with government rule of law. I do have a problem if your basic rights are curtailed.

What does it mean when a symbol is taken away? Do you think that just by taking away a medal, the authorities will accomplish much?

They say she has not paid the taxes due on her prize money (which Ibadi claims is exempt under Iranian law). Maybe because she is the only Iranian to have received the Nobel Peace Prize, the authorities may just amend the law with retrospective effect and impose a 300% penalty on the tax sought to be evaded so that they can get her good.

"Truth can not be suppressed and always is the ultimate victor. So, we should tread on the righteous path." - Yajur Veda

"Freedom suppressed and again regained bites with deeper fangs than freedom never endangered" - Marcus Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC)

Pity they still live in Medieval times, though the world has clearly moved on.

Powerful people in the world today

Forbes magazine has recently taken out a list of the world's most powerful people. Interestingly enough, because there are 6.7 billion people in the world today, the list was reduced to 67 individuals only.

I am attaching the top 10 in the list as reported on http://weeksupdate.com/2009/11/obama-tops-worlds-most-powerful-list.html:

1. US President Barack Obama

2. Chinese President Hu Jintao

3. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

4. US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke

5. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page

6. Carlos Slim, chief executive of Mexico's Telmex

7. Rupert Murdoch, chairman of media group News Corp.

8. Michael T. Duke, chief executive of Wal-Mart stores

9. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz

10. Bill Gates, co-chairman, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The list makes for interesting reading. Our Indian PM, Sh Manmohan Singh, was at no. 36 followed by Osama Bin Laden at no. 37. The only other person on the list with an Indian connection was Dawood Ibrahim, who was quoted to be the head of the "Mumbai-based crime syndicate". He was at no. 50.

Mom's favourite, Oprah was at no. 45, and the Dalai Lama at no. 39.

I think that it's sometimes scary that people who spread hope and good will are put in the same list as mass murderers and terrorists. There is something quite eerie about that. Can good exist without evil alongside?

There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil. The triumph of anything is a matter of organization. If there are such things as angels, I hope that they are organized along the lines of the Mafia.
KURT VONNEGUT, JR., The Sirens of Titan

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
EDMUND BURKE

The small man thinks that small acts of goodness are of no benefit, and does not do them; and that small deeds of evil do no harm, and does not refrain from them. Hence, his wickedness becomes so great that it cannot be concealed, and his guilt so great that it cannot be pardoned.
CONFUCIUS, The Wisdom of Confucius

A weekend well spent

Delhi was bustling with activity this weekend - but that is a wrong statement to make actually.


Delhi is always bustling with activity. But this weekend, I am happy to report, that I was part of the activity in my NCR.


The Saturday started off with a trip to the International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan. We arrived early - around 11, grabbed our tickets (barely took more than 5 mins) and entered the grounds. Good thing too - because that place was going to get even more packed!! I read an article on the Times of India website that said that "the rush on Saturday was unprecedented"!


Maximum rush was at the International stalls - where me and my Mom had also gone. We picked up quite a bit at the Pakistani, Turkey, Vietnam and Thailand stalls. The nazar bandis at the Turkey stall were very very popular.

My Mom calls them Nazar bandis - they're actually called the Nazar Boncuk Charm (or evil eye bead) - which is actually supposed to be an "eye". It is a small bead - usually of blue colour, in which is embedded a little eye looking circle. It is supposed to keep you safe and ward off evil intentions and spirits. I read that they're always put on little babies to protect them from evil.

Why blue though? Why not yellow or red or pink?

Well, actually if you think about it, Turkey is located in a part of the world where there isn't much water. So blue being the colour of water signifies something that is valuable. Plus water is essential for all life.

What astounded me was finding out that they evil eye beads predate the dawn of the Christian era. References have apparently been found on Sumerian clay tablets. In Madhubani art as well, there is a depiction of a one-eyed lady that will protect the home from the evil eye. I myself have drawn such an image.

After that, my husband and I saw a movie, while eating a whole lot of popcorn. The next day was also busy, as I had a lunch date with old friends followed by a nice refreshing walk in the picturesque Lodhi Gardens of Delhi. Very very awesome weekend overall!!