Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Oscar

Watched the Oscar show in half hour flat - thank god for the remote! I liked the opening musical number, have always been a sucker for it since the Billy Crystal days.  Quite a few teary eyes after the Selma number. Fully expected Chris Pine to wipe away his tears for Lady Gaga as well.

Wasnt sure how to interpret the pitch for equal wage what with all the mother sentiment, but totally loved Merryl Streep's reaction.The top speech is that of Moore, writer of Imitation Game. I especially liked that he didn't feel compelled to explain on stage he was not gay. Reminded me of Edmund Hillary who didn't disclose who between him and Tenzing Norgay really ascended the peak first.  [Particularly because I read somewhere that Tenzing later said it was Hillary]. 

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Fifty Shades

Last weekend saw the movie debut of the mother of all best sellers - Fifty Shades of Grey. As if there isn't enough publicity as it is, there were all kinds of take on the movie - the importance of consent in BDSM lifestyle, whether it should be welcomed by feminists or not, if the book is ultimately just a sweet romance, whether it is bigger than Jesus or not [in case you are wondering, that was a Fortune article on the relative box office numbers of Passion of the Christ and Fifty Shades].

I haven't read the book. No, not because of any moral or even literary objections, I simply haven't gotten around to it. When it comes to the movie though I am pretty sure I am not going to go to watch it. No, again not because of any moral objections. I would have if it had been Matt Bomer.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Bye Jon

Oh no! Jon Stewart is leaving the daily show.  But why? To direct a movie? To campaign for 2016?

What'll I do on sleepless late nights now? How will I know whats going on in American politics? How will I get introduced to talented folks like John Oliver, Jessica Williams, Asif Mandvi or Jason Jones [And learn about India]?

I'll simply have to cry myself to sleep from here on.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

AAPu

After a really long time got caught up with the never ending news cycles thanks to the AAP sweep in Delhi. There are smarter people than me who have written smarter things about the reasons for the victory, have predicted or warned that its not going to be a happy ending etc. But this is a big enough news for an intermittent blogger like me to wake up and add my two paise worth opinion.

The biggest lesson in all this is the power of showing up. In other words, the need for perseverance and endurance and organization at the face of defeat. Three years later the civil society seems to be in a disarray, most of the stalwart members from then floundering about now, except for those in AAP. I think its because they continued to show up even after the results of the last election, even after getting hit, even after an ill received resignation.  Showing up, inspiring volunteers, relentlessly being at it.

There are countless of those who persevere longer under tougher circumstances who dont always win and who knows how this win will change AAP. All said and done, the title of the blog post is not a typo. It is a translation defying Tamil slang that describes the situation aptly. 'Vachitanya Aappu..'


Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Meaning of it all

What's up with these astrophysicists? Is it the countless hours of contemplating black holes and red giants, grappling with worm holes and space-time, or pondering about expanding and alternate universes? Is it the requirement to be able to think on things that are so abstract and so unreal?  What is it that makes them transition to the realms of philosophy so easily and so beau...tifully?

I am talking of course of Neil deGrasse Tyson's answer to the little boy who asked him what was the meaning of life. The answer was simple yet profound - I especially liked his words, a bit of paraphrasing - Meaning is not something that is waiting there somewhere to be discovered but it is something you have to make for yourself. You have to make your life meaningful in ways that makes sense to you.