Monday, June 30, 2008

Saving Face - Joan Chen, Michelle Krusiec & Lynn Chen (my favourite)





Saw "Saving Face" today. I had caught a bit of it before on HBO but did not get to see it properly. Downloaded it. Fantastically funny and cute movie. It had me laughing in most places and smiling through the rest. IMDB describes the movie's plot as "A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations"

That description is correct. But before you tag it as just an other lesbian / gay movie. You should see it. I have not seen many gay / lesbian movies that I remember except for things Debbie did with her girlfriend in Dallas (good "movie" too).

I loved Saving Face.. it was different and sweet.

"Krishna Menon was a Bachelour, just like his father"

It was a comment from one of our Generals about the most infamous Minister of Defence that India has had. He was a bureaucrat, a diplomat and then the Minister of Defence. People who remember him remember as the most useless human being who got to stay and stand tall bcoz he knew how to kiss ass.

There are more like him in today's Congress. Old guys, who kindle familiarity and loyalty to The family, to stay in power. It is difficult to enumerate what they lack... there are far too many things wrong with them. Before signing off, I will list the number 1 in the list Character.

Congress (I am a congress voter) has to drop these guys before it can grow a spine to support it in the coming elections. Otherwise, it is screwed.. and this time for good.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

BMTC - Par for the course

Took a Bangalore Metropolitan Transportation Corporation (BMTC) bus tour of the city. The BMTC offers a full day pass for Rs. 30/-. Wanted to see how much of the city, I could cover in about 8-10 hours. Not a bad service. Reached the International airport in about 1 hour 15 mins. The normal BMTC bus does not take you right upto the airport. It stops at along the main road from where they operate a shuttle buss service for R.10/- to the airport. Service is ok. But if you are carrying luggage you need to travel by the special and dedicated bus which cost upwards from Rs. 80/- and above with Taxi drop to the designated bus stops extra at Rs. 100/-. The airport is nice looking but dead. No crowd mostly empty. Unlike airports like Dubai international which sees a plane taking off every 3 minutes. BIAL does look like a middle airport though... sits alone is an open dusty land. High dusty winds finish the picture.

Took a total of 15 buses to cover BIAL, Majestic, Banshankri, Silk Board, K.R. Puram and White field. For those of you, who have not visited Bangalore, those points make up the major extremes of Bangalore. I did miss Kengeri (Bangalore University) in the south west corner. But I had already visited that place this week and there is not much to see there.

Point to note.. if you are at silk board never visit Total Mall. Badly placed and lousy maintenance and staff.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister

Broadband and Bittorrent are god given tools to overcome bad programming on Cable TV. Downloaded all the seasons of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. The show is one of the most brilliantly funny series to come from BBC. Paul Eddington plays the Minister / Prime Minister while Oscar nominated (for madness of King George) Nigel Hawthorne plays his Permanent Secretary.

I have read the books too. Books are funnier. They have got letters queries by the Minister in the margins and subsequent evasive and incomprehensible replies by the Secretary etc which reminded me about my own office and how closely the series recreates the way government functions.

I first saw this series when I was 10 years old, when I did not follow English very well. But I did manage to understand some of the jokes. Saw it again years later.. it blew me away.

It is still funnier than most sitcoms that are on TV.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Minister

Holy Cow by Sarah MacDonald

Read it over the week. An ok a book. Light reading. Written by an Australian Radio host about her stay and travels in India, while living with and marrying ABC's reporter. It is her account of her stay. Filled with some funny anecdotes and comments. Not an all together true account :) . Aah for that read V.S. Naipaul. If you can that is... A bit too honest .. he is a keen observer. Sarah on the other hand tries to be nice to every religion she meets in India and Pakistan. She is hard on Parsis and overly accommodating about others. I think she did not want to go into hiding like Salman Rushdie. Overall it is a travel account and lightly entertaining.

Indian leader fades away.. no one to take his place.

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw faded away. His "state funeral" was not attended by the head of state and our bureaucracy the President, not by our very well educated Prime Minister, not by the Service chiefs of an army which is fast turning into a branch of the administrative services, and not by senior members of the administrative services. The Field Marshal has led the nation and the army through some of the most crucial moments of the nation's history. He leaves no one to take his place.

Point to note :-
The former President Abdul Kalam had visited the Field Marshal in the hospital, when the later was admitted in 2005.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

China, Communists and their dogs in India

Pardon my Chinese... but it is true. Chinese have let loose their dogs in India. The dogs do what they do best.. bark... Bark at anything. Spineless, godless and unpatriotic.. their bastions are Kerala and West Bengal, and the forested areas of Andhra and Central India. There are two types of red dogs. One is the public face aka Communist Party in different flavours that we see in the State Assemblies and Parliament and then the gun touting cadres in villages and forest who are driven by guilt that they never got to suck Chairman Mao's cock.

I am sorry that I spew here. But they are bastards. Neither of this country nor of their promised land. Communism as been proved to be the biggest lie of the 20th Century. Yet these bastards continue to screw the nation of their birth. They turn their noses up at faith, organised religion yet talk in terms of communism uniting the world in a kind of "Umma". They are an aberration that puts its faith on a philosophy, which is alien to this country, against free will that drives humanity and its creativity, in a leadership which is foreign, in a violence, that is against our upbringing.

They talk against nuclear issue as it may be used against China, they talk against being closer to Israel and US as it may be used against China, they arrest Tibetans in Kolkatta because they protest against China, they talk about Arunachal Pradesh as a disputed territory.

Unfortunately, except for Shiv Sena, whom I hate just as equally, no one else is willing to stand against these bastards to expose them as liars and traitors. The words from half a century ago "better dead then red" does come to mind. But I think what is called for here.. One give no quarter to the Maoist guerrillas and two, prevent the bureaucrats, politicians and businessmen from giving a raw deal to villagers on many issues, and lastly don't be shy to term communists to be liars and traitors. Tough? Then lets get ready for a long red season.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Bangalore University.



This University is supposed to be the pride of Karnataka education system. However, this institution spread over an entire section of Bangalore Map, lacks lustre. Most people don't know where it it. Many believe it to be one of its satellite offices in the city. Successive governments have brickered over the choice of VC, courted conterversies.

Went to the university for buying an application. It is on the way to Mysore. The best way to get there is to head towards the City Market, go over the elevate road towards Mysore. Follow the road all the way, I counted around 3-4 signals before we reach the University Gate. Cant miss it. Big circle-cum sign board, the road leads under the southern railway line. You can get there by bus too from Shivajinagar, Majestic or City Market. I think there are about 3-5 buses stops within the university grounds. The Centre of the university is the Jnana Bharathi (Main Administrative office).

This was my second visit to the Unversity. The last visit put me off drinking coffee at the canteen. Saw monkeys stick their tongue down used glasses of coffee and plates.. licking them clean. I don't know if they (canteen) cleaned the glasses after.

It is a massive institution and does its job for most of the colleges in Karnakata. I usually try and get my younger fellow students interested in visiting the University atleast once. Just to see the place. The reality is ... It is large, most of its grounds are empty and barren, dry as the African grass lands during drought, an unhelpful and sick little extension of state government offices.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum


I must have been less than 10 years old, when I first visited the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum in Bangalore. I visited it again today. Nice. Not much for me to do.. A few interesting items on display. A replica of the wright brother's plane, a huge network of rails through which plastic balls are constantly sent like a roller coaster, 3-D movie theatre experience was pretty decent etc. But the museum was more for the kids. More of adults though. The kids were excited and pushy. The adults were pushy and rude. Kids must have got it from someone. I never got to check how much I weighed as a large family hogged that exhibit . It our weight and flooded a large glass pillar with water to show how much of our body was water.

Anyway, overall the experience was decent. The museum had ofcourse changed since I last visited. There was only one item that I remembered from my last visit. Lots of interactive stuff lying around for young and old. Entrance was Rs. 10/- and the movie show was Rs. 20/-

Monday, June 23, 2008

HDFC Gig



If you thought private Banks in India are giving government banks a run for their money in terms of products and services, think again.

Case point - HDFC. My first hand experience with HDFC Bank includes being told that none of their branches Karnataka accepts Ration Card (with photo) issued by Karnataka Government as ID proof for opening accounts. If you were to deposit money into your HDFC account from another HDFC branch.. there is a service charge of Rs.100 even if the branch is just 5 Kms from your branch. I have so far spent 20 days and Rs.1000/- plus to open a joint account. The other account holder has already signed and submitted completed form to the Bank. But they don't believe their account holder, they don't believe in Karnataka Government and they now need a new application if we are going to submit a newly issued PAN Card (applied for especially for the great HDFC account). Unfortunately the other account holder is not in the country and when he returns there will be no reason to apply for the joint account.

Fuck HDFC!!!! Is all I can think of. Not going back to that shit hole. "Government undertaken" Bank of Baroda gives a grander service.. without any young idiots thinking they got it made with a job in a private bank.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Gujjars, Gurkhas, Sikhs.. and others on the NH

In the good old days, only thing holding up traffic on the National Highways were half finished stretches of road or accidents. Things have come a long way now. Most NHs are completed upto nearly 75% of the way. So they are repairing the completed part all the time.... Thats is because it happens only in India.

I am not sure who started it.. to my memory it could have been the Gujjars but may be somebody else did it first... Now every protester knows that for best results, you blockade the city / state's life line... the National Highway and railway tracks. New Delhi, Maharastra, Sikkim.. Funny thing to note about Sikkim. This state is cut off from the rest of the country thanks to the Gurkha protests in the neighbouring state. The only outsiders to visit Sikkim this week were the Chinese troops. In today's succession ridden India, it is good to note that the people of Sikkim were not happy with their visitors.

There are many contributing factors to this broadside against civil society. I wont chorus with the media to say there is a lack of political will. That refers to passing of legislative bills. It is a lack of leadership. We have no leaders who will stand by their decisions. Everyone talks about the qualifications of our Prime Minister. Yeah, we are proud to have him.. But then aren't our bureaucrats qualified. Why do we need to elect a leader if qualification is all that it takes to run a country like India? In an interview about Indira Gandhi, Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw recalled the Prime Minister asking him to help the rebels in East Pakistan (Bangladesh). When he told her that it could lead to a war.. "if it is war, it is war" was her reply.

Strong leadership is lacking in the country. No imagination, no new ideas and as a result the nation is adrift. Every protester, every political denomination, anyone with a grouse can bring the country to a standstill. The prices would have surely risen this week in Mumbai. There is no one to put a stop to it. Our Ministers are in Saudi Arabia and Australia. The only people to get a raise in their salary this year were the bureaucrats.

Thankfully, Karnataka is bandh free for a couple of months now (touch wood)... but my petrol is taxed more than the national average... May be I should pitch a tent on the national highway too!!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

The Women of Toon town


I was looking up possible names for my blog (This is my first). I was going through my past for ideas. Looked into my favourite tv series, movies, cartoons etc on the net. Came across Smurfs, which I used to love watching when I was about 7-9 years old. I was living in the Middle East then. The series came in the afternoons and was dubbed into Arabic. I did not understand Arabic but understood the cartoon. It got me thinking of one of my favourite characters - Smurfette. I have not thought about her for over 2 decades!

She was terrific. Readers who don't know me and the idiots I know, kindly understand that this is not anything perverted. She was nice, cute and perfect for a little boy.

There have been others since.. ofcourse. Richie Rich's girlfriend Gloria Glad,
Jane Jetson (I know most guys I know, would have picked Judy but she is an airhead), and the squirrel from Walt Disney's Sword in the Stone.

I do have my favourites from my comics. It is a tie on top with Mary Jane (Spiderman) and Betty (Archie). Others include Midge (Archie again), Jane (Tarzan).. in some versions and Diana (Phantom).

Japanese cartoons never did grow on me. Anyway, by the time Hentai came into the picture.. I knew "what went where" and real women who filled their dresses were the way to go.

I wish I could have picked a different start to my blog. But this is me.. Thanks for stopping by.