Moving Base

Just for kicks! Pls update links if any, to

http://slumberman.wordpress.com

Incredibly Done Hulk

The Incredible Hulk - another marvel comic mutant hero, picuturised and picturised well! The green animated mutant did impress, and was very expressive.

Character wise tho', I like Ironman better, he much more gadgety and coool!

Ed Norton, whose Fightclub and Illusionist, are my personal favorites, did an excellent role in this as well, perhaps, there could have been someone better.

Critics say, the Computer graphics are supposedly much better than Wolverine which is expected next summer. Hopefully, it does equally amuse.

The Himesh Abomination

I'm so eager to watch Dasaavatharam - the much talked of movie, for 2 reasons.

1. Kamal Haasan's performances are always commendable, though the story is a total drawback.
2. A sum of Rs. 80 crores has been spent on it. I must contribute to the GDP.

But... the is one HUGE reason which shadow the above two, and that is Himesh has composed music for this movie.

Was there a scarcity of music directors that Kamal Haasan had to choose him!

Blood Brothers

An interesting short movie - spanning only 18 minutes, but extremely apt, and meaningful. Every player in the movie has played an exceptional role, and is covered brilliantly.

I admired each bit of it totally.

Have a look for yourselves.

Subjects I've been wanting to address

I wonder whether I've been lazy or whether it's my lack of knowledge causing lack of confidence that I haven't been able to write up on these subjects, but I shall soon.

1. The social statuses in the Europe, emphasis on the recent shocking events about incest - Joe Fritzl.

2. The primaries that led to Obama's first victory.

3. Inflation in double digits.

4. BJP's win in Karnataka

5. Americas blaming India for causing increasing food prices.


Sharath would have had an edge on these topics and I would have just had to comment to keep pace, but then the bugger has gone silent!

I'll gear up faster than never to try and opinionate.

Mark Knopfler - Living legend

Was opportunistic to see Mark Knopfler live. Having heard his songs all thru college, and loving the music each day, it was a treat to see him perform at the Royal Albert Hall.

http://www.kmsdirect.net/ is HOPELESS

KMS direct, sells iPod accessories along with other small little things you might find useful but provides hopeless service, hopeless prices, and hopeless delivery times!

Better not shop there even if u c it on Amazon

Ankle let down

Sprained my left ankle last evening while playing badminton. Nevertheless, called a good reason for a sick-leave.

It indeed gave me sometime to find out where the Hospital in Swindon was. Also tried making Channa Masala and Brinjal curry. Surprisingly both turned out well.

Iron Man - Impressive OST

Praises for "The Pianist"

"The Pianist" is a brilliant movie. Simple, meaningful, and just apt.

I haven't been a fan of World War movies, especially those with gruesome killing and disparity against Jews, but this one is certainly done well.

Summer Joy begins!

The well-awaited summer has finally arrived. After all those cold nights and short days, the change is now so very much appreciated.
The first weekend of May is generally a long weekend in Britain, and weekend plans while the summer is on is grand!

We, Abhi, Venki, Hari, and I took off to Wales, supposedly another country. A 3-day trip it was, covering close to 450 miles. There were a few places we wanted to visit, we headed out

Destination One - Bristol, Abhi lives in Bristol, so squeezed into his apartment for the night. Friday nights aren't generally called off too quickly. Strolled the water front pub gazing!

Rose and departed early, Destination Carmarthen. A good samaritan had suggested the temple visit - Skanda Vale. It took us around 2 hours to get there, apart from which, there wasn't any road during the last bit of the drive. The temple in itself was very holy, and energetic. The rituals performed were very homely, as in resembled those as would have been done in Southern India. It was very surprising to see the Welsh/British takeupon themselves such kind of rituals, perhaps, they did find sanctity in their deeds. Extremely delicious food was served as offerings. We did a short climb to the top of the hill to another of the series of temples. The Maha Shakthi temple at the top of the hill also contained a small number of animals to enhance the place's beauty. There were a couple of peacocks, geese, and there was an elephant as well.

Before we left for our journey, I had called up a few places to enquire for accomodation. Fortunately, I happened to call this lady who said she had a two-bedder acco on the beach front. We wanted to position ourselves close to Swansea, but then this offer was very irresistable.
So, we drove ourselves to find this huge colony of new flats right in front of the beach. Destination LLanelli, (pronounced as Thla nethli). The flat was simply gorgeous, big, spacious, well furnished, and right in front of the beach. We thought no more and considered to make this holiday- Very Relaxed! To home it all, we played a lot of monopoly, and enjoyed the beach front. The beach, though, was quite weird. The water always drew back during the morning and night, but was up in front during the noons, and early mornings

The next day we did the Kidwelli castle, the castle was very nice, and not lavish, and opulent like the Windsor castle. It had resemblences to the Golconda Fort back in Hyderabad.

We left the apartment Monday morning, and headed to Caswell Bay, a much more happening beach than that we lived in front. Frisked a frisbee around for a while, rugbied a rugby ball and dared to get into the water. The water, though, was freezing. It was as if, i was forced to fold my legs when i stepped into the water. Not wanting bad cold week ahead, we kept away and shortly then headed to Mumbles for lunch. Lunch was good at CJ's, some random Italian place in Mumbles.

Drove 200 miles back after a heavy sumptous meal, and that was dangerously difficult. Nevertheless, a coffee did the trick, and we were back in Swindon after dropping Abhi back in Bristol, just in time for Venki and Hari to catch their bus to London.

Good trip it was indeed... Pics linked

Homely Holiday

Was desperate for a holiday, more from the place than work!! Destination Dubai it was.

The plan was to stay at home with my folks as i hadn't done so for a very long time. My leaves were planned well in advance and I had two good weeks of vacation. My mom had insisted that I visit them in Dubai rather than in India, for her own good reasons.

This was a place where I had spent 10 years of my childhood. UAE was then itself a rapidly growing country with evident development all around. Since i left, the place has grown to riches!! Though capitalism flows through the dictators of the Arab world, the intention of projecting Dubai as a spot icon on the global map seems indeed a success story.

Currently, the major attractions I wouldn't want to miss mentioning are the Dubai Metro, Hot-Property-real-estates, tall-taller-tallest buildings, extravagant-6-laner-roads!!

However, that is no reason what i went there for! Intentions clear, I wanted to spend time with my Mom and Dad! The love and food my Mom fed me on and the warmth I fleeced on my Dad was simply priceless!
I was on a holiday, putting my feet up. My usual holiday-day started at late morning 11, with a dozen of idlis or dosas - I totally love iddlies and dosas;relish them wholy - laze around till lunch time watching crappy movies. Hog a glorious lunch when dad arrived from work and then doze of to deadly siestas!! This part of the day was generally in trance, I used to be intoxicated just with food, and each moment I glorified very much!
Evenings were generally times where we'd roam around, meet up with old folks, catch up for parties, go back into memorablia and rejoice times spent...
Well, for having said all that, this holiday was really joyful, and thats not all, my mom even packed food sufficient for 10 days for a full-appetite-glutton(that covered most of my check-in luggage)...

Thanks amma and appa - I had a wonderful time!!

More pictures linked

Living Cold in the Cold

The chill in the air does get to you, and your continual tempestuous attitude is frozen.

Does it happen to all around the world? but it certainly does to me.

I've been numb for a while, contemplating within, about the things i intend to do.

I shall blog something interesting soon... Procrastination continued...

The common man target - I'm Lovin It!

The common man is THE target for all marketing strategies these days.

First there was McDonalds 20 Rs. burger, that reached the common man, with glossy ads and umpteen faces. Well, you might end up spending more after reaching an outlet but then again, you have an option to constrict your wallet. Though not very healthy, it is certainly very appealing.

Then there was Deccan airways with RK. Laxman's common man mascot dragging crowds from all over the ruralest of India. The service was well appreciated by the masses until King [Fisher] Mallya decided its not very good for itself. But then again, the common man appeal.

And then, there is the Tata Rs. 1 Lakh car, that has caught quite a worldwide eye. Yet to be released but certainly well awaited. The common man appeal yet again.

And now it's laptops, that are being driven towards the common man. Recently Allied Computers idea-stormed to come up with a Rs. 15,000 laptop.

The common man must be very happy for things are very well in reach for him, but what does categorise this common man is a step-back thought. The common man classification would consider that most part of the population would fall under that category. Now this maybe a vague ideology but may stand out to say that these are the most dynamic part of the population. Allegedly, if this sect does consider participating in economic and social reforms it wouldn't help really much to the economic stand of the country as a whole.

Issue apart, for products marketing officials this group is certainly the main target. From, burgers, to laptops, to air tickets, they do have the purchasing power and they are interested.

Humble Descent

The tiff between India and Australia off the field seems to have caught much an eye than the sultry test matches! Perhaps, for a reason other than the unperceptive, witless umpire decisions!

A descent that has been considered disgraceful, and for even more with a stronger familiarity. Symmonds who anyone at a first glance would have been staunched as one perhaps has had more occassions being called so.

This Australian strategy will certainly drive them to succumb to their animal races very soon!

Benazir, the debacle

Its been close to 2 weeks since the assasination of Benazir Bhutto, and thus far, there has been no concrete statement of the leader's death.

The assasination certainly needs condemnation but alongside she has gloriously announed as one the greatest leaders. She was indeed a voice of democracy, but was she a democrat for the people is a question that would always remain.

This article published by a known columnist William Dalrymple points out the political unjust arose during Benazir's rule. Allegations involve being sacked as Prime Minister twice on grounds of corruption, involvement in the assasination of kin Murtaza, and several other money-laundering activities. Weirdly, on an ethically economic perspective, the Bhutto's hailed from sounds backgrounds and were inclined towards the welfare of the country, but to news as that, it seems quite insane to loot the treasure of an economy which is barely trying to breathe. The paradoxical ingenuinity seems to call for pity. Further, even satirically, she was invited by Prez. Mush to get into a coalition so as to hang in with power. An attempt of one offender hiding another's stinking arse!

On the flip side, it was surprising to notice that Pakistani economy had been doing quite well, despite all these mishaps and uneven ruling. Yes, they are known to be a nuclear weapon armed nation and religiously well stood but to mark a growth of 7% for the last 6 years is indeed outstanding, that too without complete democracy!

Gravely, I do mourn for the death of a person as any other, and do hope that Pakistan will come out of its miseries and bring stability in its economy at the earliest!

- Friendly neighbour!