My Little Log Book

Here is my review of Kaminey. For those of you who haven't watched it - Kaminey is a Vishal Bhardwaj movie. Vishal Bhardwaj of the Maqbool, Omkara fame as also Makdee and Blue Umbrella - two of the best children films made in recent times. Vishal doesn't make apologies in his movies. He shows blood, gore in full measure. But there is just one line he refuses to cross - a line that would have catapulted the films to macabre and maybe mediocre - and staying within that line his movies somehow turn out to be brilliant. The complex emotions, situations, dramas, climaxes that Kaminey portrays are the hallmark of all Vishal Bhardwaj movies. Kaminey is an intensely complex movie. It is fast paced - but with brilliant editing there are hardly any loose ends. The movie is all Shahid Kapur (wonder what he did previously to inspire such confidence in the producer/director). It is the role of a lifetime for Shahid Guddu Charlie Kapur. And the movie is all about villians too. There are vill...

Watch this Sonu Nigam Mimicry video. This is a video of a young Sonu Nigam taking on colleagues in an episode with Johhny Lever in Johnny Aaley Re. It sure is a fun video and an antidote to all the H1N1 gloom! Enjoy.

It has been quite a long time since I last blogged here. Pretty remiss of me! If I start a blogging site - its my responsibility to keep it updated. Mea Culpa. But I have reasons. I had guests at home - lots of guests. I have been travelling - lots of travel too. Singapore, Langkawi, Redang, Cameroon, Mumbai - so dear readers, you can except a lot of boring details and updates soon! What has happened in the time I have been away? The fake IPL player has not revealed himself, Susan Boyle has not won Britain's Got Talent, India has not won the T20 World Cup, there is no coalition Government in India and Laloo is not Railway Minister (I know I have never covered poilitics - but Indian politics is still news I have to follow since I feel it concerns me). Of course much else is happening around - but I have not even followed the online trends to keep anyone updated. Mea Culpa again! The stock market is up. Hoorah! I have not looked at my investments for some time now. Will need to do it...

All those of you who have been following the IPl regularly - hope you haven't missed out on the fake IPL player's blog! Its worth reading, believe me. The "fake IPL player" apparently belongs to the Kolkata Knight Riders and gives juicy insider reports of the KKR and IPL happenings straight from South Africa. Sample what he has to say about yesterday's meeting between Bangalore and Kolkata. "It's almost like a battle for the bottom of the barrell. Both of us have tried every rule in the book to ensure that we finish last." and more - "Entering the meeting room I got a really funny feeling. Boy George, Bhookha Naan, Phoren Babas and the entire coaching staff (which now probably is larger than the playing staff) was seated and looking at us as we entered. Somewhat like the 70s films when the worker's union went in to negotiate with the management." He talks of a mutiny in the KKR team and how with just 11 players left no one else can be s...

WHO has raised the swine flu alert to pandemic level 5. Keep up with the swine flu updates at the WHO website. So far 148 people have been reported affected with the virus worldwide with 8 deaths (7 Mexico, 1 USA) Keep up with the virus status here. Swine Flu Updates from WHO

April 22nd is Earth Day. The Day when environment hogs the limelight, the day where all the right forums express the correct environmental concerns. When the vox populi through various media expresses its anguish over the ozone layer, the dwindling rivers, rising sea lines, carbon dioxide, toxic wastes, environmental changes, melting arctics and Himalayas, rising hometown temperature, acid rains. School students make posters and learn how far the and how fast the Mother Earth is headed towards self-destruction. This building up of the concern was the main reason Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day. To get the people and politician involved and more proactive in conserving the planet. However we laymen cannot really shape the oil policies or halt the erosion of the ozone layers or the Arctic caps other than by expressing concern. What we can do, what we need to do and what we should teach our children to do are still a lot. Here’s a small list starti...

My son is ten years. He wants a cell phone - now. Should I give him one? Of late, my son has been pestering me to get him a cell phone. He first wanted the one I use and said I had better change to a new slick model. Since that was way too funny, he dropped the idea. Now he wants the slightly older Nokia Model I keep as a stand – by. His arguments interspersed with undeniable logic literally leave me gasping, with horror and shock. Horror, at his determination to wheedle a phone out of me at any cost - and shock, that he has grown up so much! Sample his logic. He needs a phone because he might get lost. The city has recently had a spate of kidnappings. To make him more aware I made him read the articles in newspapers and gave him a long lesson of safe behavior. He goes to a tutorial and basketball after school hours a few days a week. He goes chaperoned of course. But he tells me if the Driver shows up late, he can ring me up immediately and inform me. If his Basketball gets cancelled,...

Susan Boyle did a little jig, told about her household with her cat Pebbles and said she was 47 years. One could see no one took her seriously - that is till she opened her mouth to sing (I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables). One could easily see the sniggers make way to disbelief and applause. Last heard of - Simon Cowell's production label was signing a deal with her! And that is definitely not the last the Music World is going to hear of her. The video's embedding has been disabled. Here is the youtube link to watch Susan Boyle sing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Take this simple test of the Conficker Eye Chart by the Conficker Working Group to find out if your PC is infected with the Conficker worm. The Conficker virus is revealing more of its nefarious purposes as the financial angle and the real intention of the Online Piracy group is getting more disclosed on a daily basis. The latest news is Conficker is installing a rogue anti virus in infected computers. The "scareware" identifies threats that it offers to remove for $49.95! Read more on the threat here.

Watch this Sound Of Music Video. This video has gone viral on the web! This Sound Music Video is taking the net by storm. On first view this looks like a group of travelers breaking into an impromptu dance at a station on the popular Sound of Music song Do-Re-Mi. Apparently its a Dutch TV talent hunt clip shot at the Antwerp station and is staged, not an impromptu event. However the video's popularity establishes the fact that Sound of Music and Maria Von Trapp haven't lost any appeal and there are a lot of closet Sound of Music fans!

Watch this video of a Polar Bear attacking a woman at a Berlin Zoo! The woman swam the moat around the bear enclosure (to pat the Bear or what!) and was attacked by one of the four huge furry bears in the enclosure. The woman apparently wanted to meet (and shake hands probably) with Knut - the World's most famous Polar Bear! Here are the pictures, video and full story of the Polar Bear attack. Thankfully, the woman is still alive...

American Idol Top 10 (oops 11) contestants performed to the theme Motown songs mentored by Grammy Lifetime Achievement winner Smokey Robinson. The contestants sang classic Motown including two of Robinson's (Tracks of My Tears, Ooo Baby Baby). There were some great performances. Check out some Motown songs here as well as Adam Lambert's much raved about performance of Tracks of My Tears Motown Songs Here's a recap of what happened at Idol Motown night American Idol Top 10 Recap

How to ask for a pay raise at work is a pretty tricky business. You have been working at the same salary for some time now. You believe you are invaluable to the Company. You like to think that the Company believes the same too. You also believe you are overdue for the raise. However your Boss shows no signs of acknowledging your monetary worth. More often than not, you are the one to have to raise the issue. So how do you ask for that raise? Here are some tips to keep in mind while asking for that all important salary increase. • You find out your worth. The best way to do it is talk with your peer group in the same profile outside your company. Or you can consider a hypothetical situation – if you were to walk out, how much salary would you be likely to get? • If you are in sales or customer service – you can easily find out the business or repeat sales you have generated for your Company. That should form the benchmark for your raise. • Find out inflation related changes since your ...

I have just received a job offer? Should I take it up? This question has been giving me sleepless nights the past week. What better forum to open my mind than here? My parents, husband and children are biased in this regard. My Mom, because she doesn't want her daughter to work too hard, my husband - because he knows that anything he says will be thrown back at him! "You told to work, didn't you?" or "You are the one who didn't allow me to work!" So anytime I want his opinion, I am met with scowls, glares or silence. My son can’t decide whether he wants me to work or not. He wants me to work - because he is missing those extra toys, gizmos, games he was getting while I was also providing to the family kitty, as also increased time at the computer he will be getting with no one to supervise. He doesn't, because he likes to see a relaxed Mom at home when he comes back from school! Now I will elucidate my pros and cons. First - why should I? The offer h...

Pink Chaddi (Pink Panty) is "A Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women" with a mission to send the Ram Sena and its Chief Pramod Muthalik a Pink Chaddi. Why send the Ram Sena a pink chaddi? Remember, the Ram Sena and its goons beat up young women in Mangalore for apparently going to pubs and with a dire warning not to celebrate Valentine's Day. And, hilariously, the Ram Sena says "no one from good families would resort to such cheap steps" - meaning they come from "good families" beating up women for going to pubs or dressing "indecently"! The Pink Chaddi campaign is a message that beating up Indian Women in public is against "ummm... AGAINST INDIAN CULTURE" too. This is by far the best step Indian women and men have taken to stand up to right wing extremists and their arm twisting terror tactics! The facebook page already has more than 21000 members of either gender. You can join at Facebook here http://en-gb.facebook.com/...

There was a time when I got the Best Valentine cards, Guys wanted to be close to me like mad. I got the best of best friends too Who vied to pay attention to me and woo. I am 40 now and not getting young, Crying for all the love and attention and a bit of song My husband forgets the V'day My son so young and gay does only stuff that his girlfriends say! 20 years older and 40 pounds heavier Oh how weary and dull life seems now If I was a bit thin or a lot cool I could still conquer the world For don’t I know it all! All of you out there, the young uns So full of love and life and laughter Please resist those chocolates As you might be me twenty years on!

There are actually two popular versions of the Mom's Song, one is by comedienne Anita Renfroe set to William Tell's Overture and another by Northland Church found at their site Morthlandchurch.net. The Northland Church version has however been removed from their site at the request of Anita Renfroe Management (was it because it became way too popular). The singer for Northland church does an amazing version of the song! The song is still available on youtube. The lyrics are onscreen - but I am putting it here so you can just enjoy the song. As you can see the song is about what a Mom has to go through in a day. I know I say the stuff the song says often enough! Get up now Get up now Get up out of bed Wash your face Brush your teeth Comb your sleepy head Here’s your clothes And your shoes Hear the words I said Get up now Get up and make your bed Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you wearing that? Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at? Grab your coat and your gloves...

Obama's Car nicknamed "The Beast!"

There's a new game on the internet. Its called nail the thief. In the game, the player gets to throw as many rotten rotten eggs as possible at ex-Satyam Boss, Ramalinga Raju. The site www.nailthethief.com and the game has become extremely popular on the net in the last few days. The game requires quick reflexes with Raju's face popping in and out from behind a panel. The setting is a typical MNC office with paneled walls. And its a slippery affair to hit Raju! So all the people out there who have lost money or their jobs with Satyam - there's no better way to vent one's anger. Wish there was a game that would mete out same treatment to Satyam's auditors!

Evolution of Dance ia a highly popular youtube video of a dance sequence by Judson Laipply on - as the title says - evolution of dance, modern dance, that is. The video, posted sometime in 2006, has 109 million hits and fast reaching the 110 million mark! The six minute highly entertaining post is the one of the top rated, most viewed youtube videos ever. Here is the EOD website . Here's the video. But there's more to the Evolution of Dance story. Laipply spurred on by the EOD success has launched Evolution of Dance 2. Check out Judson Laipply performing at the Evolution of Dance debut on The NBC Today show! Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy Here's the Evolution of Dance - 2 video at Youtube. This is sheer fun!

While on Tintin, I came across this fan site of Tintin www.tintinologist.org - the Cult of Tintin. The site claims to be the oldest and largest English Fan site of Tintin. Tintinologist has some pretty interesting resources like Tintin Books guide, Tintin characters guide, Tintin shop directory. There is even a section on Captain Haddock's curses! There are a lot of Tintin news and articles on the Boy adventurer. The forums at the site are pretty active and responses are fast and furious. Needless to say there is a raging discussion on now on Tintin being or not being gay! If you are a Tintin fan (like me), this site is a must visit.

Tintin just had his eightieth Birthday. And in true 21st century manner the hot topic out there is whether Tintin is Gay or Not! Does Tintin Have To Be Gay? There are many out there who believe that. I mean a man has to wave his sexual preferences with a red flag to be considered not gay! I am old fashioned. I believe everyone is straight unless they say they are not. Herge decided not to highlight anything about Tintin's girlfriend or women in his life. Fine. He didn't even talk about his parents, siblings, schooling, in fact anything personal. So why should he talk about his sex life. No, the people out there are just looking to fill spaces/columns with sensationalism. I think Tintin was just Tintin - a character made for adventure. Sample what one "gay" advocate for Tintin says "What debate can there be when the evidence is so overwhelmingly one-way? A callow, androgynous blonde-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his...

I just came across this website cutelittlethingsfallingasleep.org. No website name could be more appropriate! Cutelittlethingsfallingasleep has videos of cute animals falling asleep, dozing off...At far as cuteness quotient goes, this website takes the cake...and eats it too! So go watch the video of the cute little baby fight sleep and doze off or those cute little puppies and kittens or even a baby bear go...go...go...zzzzzzzz Here's the link.

My friend Faryal just forwarded me this email. It's really funny and I feel I have to share it! I dont know its original source (since this mail seems to have been forwarded many times). My apologies to the original provider for sharing without permission but the message is too funny to ignore! So find out how far logic will take you:-) "Real life algebra..... Equation 1 Human = eat + sleep + work + enjoy Donkey = eat + sleep Therefore, Human = Donkey + work + enjoy Therefore, Human - enjoy = Donkey + work In other words, Human that doesn't know to enjoy = Donkey that works ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= === Equation 2 Men = eat + sleep + earn money Donkeys = eat + sleep Therefore, Men = Donkeys + earn money Therefore, Men - earn money = Donkeys In other words, Men that don't earn money = Donkeys ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ==== Equation 3 Women = eat + sleep + spend Donkeys = eat + sleep Therefore, Women = Donkeys + spend...

My elder son is just about the age when he starts having an opinion on everything. Thankfully, he has not yet reached the age when he shuts himself out! Normally hubby and I discuss the day’s events and gossips with some amount of bitching. Of late my son has started participating. Not obtrusively of course. Just eavesdropping. Its when he doesn’t understand something and asks me the meaning that I get to know that he has been listening all along! Like he asked me the meaning of "gay" two days back. I had to tell him Dumbledore was gay. He asked – who was he gay with. I had to say - Grindelwald. He explained to me Dumbledore and Grindelwald were just friends – how could they be gay? He further explained to me – I have a friend Kevin, we are very good friends, does that mean we are both gay? I hastened to add - of course not! Then, I am ashamed to admit – I retracted my statement that Dumbledore was gay. So is it the time to tell a ten year old about birds and bees and human n...