Where is Bluffmaster? This is probably the longest hiatus from the blogsphere. Just not in the right frame of mind for blogging. Things have been a bit perturbing and droning since last one and a half month. I am slowly becoming an insomniac.
Anyway, the carnage is still on and expected to go on for a few months. Not sure when the next post will come. Could be a few days or even months. The idea of upcoming posts has been suspended till then.
11 April, 2006
11 March, 2006
Wanted: Morons For Sify
i. If you loathe your existence.
ii. If you are a sick moron.
iii. If you are an A-grade idiot.
iv. If you specialise in making trivial tasks difficult,
If you satisfy the above criterion, then you are an ideal candidate for a managerial post at Sify Online. The stronger the aptitude, the greater are your chances of climbing up Sify's corporate ladder.
Chronicles of their pathetic service:
1) My Internet account back home expired on 18th February. They haven't renewed it despite getting several reminders well before the expiry date. Apparently they have no intention of making money. Such delays have been persistent for last one year, every time the account expires. Earlier the hold-ups used to last for a week or two; however, this time they have surpassed their own incompetence. Is it really that hard to renew it?
The renewal procedure itself is quite stupid and gratuitously encumbered. What's the point of getting a "pack" renewed every month or a fixed period of time if they are unable to renew it on time? It should be uninterrupted and straightforward, with users liable to pay every month or any fixed period to avoid unnecessary disconnection. Here one has to depend on the local service provider for that. I always make it a point to remind them well in advance to get an uninterrupted Internet service; still those lethargic minds can't react on time. The renewal procedure should be as simple as a mobile phone top-up: just pay-and-go. Here I am ready to pay, but there's no one to accept it.
2) Last month I had asked — in fact reminded them several times — for a six-month renewal pack to avoid monthly disconnections. The bastards still gave me the same one-month pack.
Apart from making several phone calls, I had sent an E-mail to them clearly mentioning the required six-month pack in the subject and the body of the e-mail. Their supervisor replied me by saying they had renewed with the "1-month pack".
3) If that's not enough, there has been a technical glitch at my local service provider's terminal since 9th March. The rascal hasn't done anything about it. His name is Parminder Singh. He is a capable moron — ideally suited for Sify Online. He refuses to answer my calls on his mobile phone and goes underground whenever I have to renew my pack or pay the bill.
Sify Online is too miserable to do the simplest task of renewing an account. I have only one thing to say, "GET A LIFE, BASTARDS!"
Other news:
The last couple of weeks have been very challenging. The carnage is as persistent as it is implicit. The term will conclude on 31st of March. I am taking a hiatus from the blog world until then.
ii. If you are a sick moron.
iii. If you are an A-grade idiot.
iv. If you specialise in making trivial tasks difficult,
If you satisfy the above criterion, then you are an ideal candidate for a managerial post at Sify Online. The stronger the aptitude, the greater are your chances of climbing up Sify's corporate ladder.
Chronicles of their pathetic service:
1) My Internet account back home expired on 18th February. They haven't renewed it despite getting several reminders well before the expiry date. Apparently they have no intention of making money. Such delays have been persistent for last one year, every time the account expires. Earlier the hold-ups used to last for a week or two; however, this time they have surpassed their own incompetence. Is it really that hard to renew it?
The renewal procedure itself is quite stupid and gratuitously encumbered. What's the point of getting a "pack" renewed every month or a fixed period of time if they are unable to renew it on time? It should be uninterrupted and straightforward, with users liable to pay every month or any fixed period to avoid unnecessary disconnection. Here one has to depend on the local service provider for that. I always make it a point to remind them well in advance to get an uninterrupted Internet service; still those lethargic minds can't react on time. The renewal procedure should be as simple as a mobile phone top-up: just pay-and-go. Here I am ready to pay, but there's no one to accept it.
2) Last month I had asked — in fact reminded them several times — for a six-month renewal pack to avoid monthly disconnections. The bastards still gave me the same one-month pack.
Apart from making several phone calls, I had sent an E-mail to them clearly mentioning the required six-month pack in the subject and the body of the e-mail. Their supervisor replied me by saying they had renewed with the "1-month pack".
3) If that's not enough, there has been a technical glitch at my local service provider's terminal since 9th March. The rascal hasn't done anything about it. His name is Parminder Singh. He is a capable moron — ideally suited for Sify Online. He refuses to answer my calls on his mobile phone and goes underground whenever I have to renew my pack or pay the bill.
Sify Online is too miserable to do the simplest task of renewing an account. I have only one thing to say, "GET A LIFE, BASTARDS!"
Other news:
The last couple of weeks have been very challenging. The carnage is as persistent as it is implicit. The term will conclude on 31st of March. I am taking a hiatus from the blog world until then.
27 February, 2006
Answers
Following are the excerpts of my question & answer segment at Yahoo:
Bluffmaster: Should India support USA in its movement against Iran?
Zendog13: No. In fact, the USA should make no move against Iran. If necessary, we should go in with a multinational force and the blessing of the UN. The brutal truth is that our armed forces cannot mount another unilateral campaign. And the fact that ALL of the players are nuclear powers means that we need to really exhaust the efforts of diplomacy — not make believe, like we did leading up to the invasion of Iraq.
Joseph: India is no little child that needs to suckle on America's tit! We are quite capable of taking down Pakistan on our own, we did it without the US three times. Let Iran join the fight for Kashmir, I doubt they have any reason to. Kashmir is an issue that goes back to the time of independence for both the nations (India & Pakistan). India is neither liable to the US nor is its lap dog.
The Indian government has stated that the US need not interfere with intimate Iranian matters of state. The US swiftly acted on that decision as irrational and threatened to stop US investments in India. India has always been a follower of NAM (Non aligned Movement). Which is a safety stand for a developing nation. We get oil form Iran and we have never had bad ties with any Muslim nation other than Pakistan, we want to keep that track record straight. It's easier to do business that way. India should in no way be a subject to bullying and we won't.
Sandislandtim: India should choose its own path, and does not need to align itself with the US on all issues. But India should also understand that its and the US' interests are the same in so many ways. The US government deals with India as a partner and equal; we do not wish to see any sovereign democracy become our "lap dog."A nuclear-armed Iran would be much more dangerous to India than to the US, because Iranian ballistic missiles have the range to hit India but not the US. There is long-simmering resentment in the Muslim world because of perceived repression of Muslims all over India. Then, of course, there is the dispute over Kashmir.The free nations of the world, including both India and the US, should unite in their push to stop the tyrannical theocracy of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.There are many areas of diplomacy, trade, military matters, etc. in which cooperation between India and the US would be fruitful for both countries.
Bluffmaster: Should India support USA in its movement against Iran?
Zendog13: No. In fact, the USA should make no move against Iran. If necessary, we should go in with a multinational force and the blessing of the UN. The brutal truth is that our armed forces cannot mount another unilateral campaign. And the fact that ALL of the players are nuclear powers means that we need to really exhaust the efforts of diplomacy — not make believe, like we did leading up to the invasion of Iraq.
Joseph: India is no little child that needs to suckle on America's tit! We are quite capable of taking down Pakistan on our own, we did it without the US three times. Let Iran join the fight for Kashmir, I doubt they have any reason to. Kashmir is an issue that goes back to the time of independence for both the nations (India & Pakistan). India is neither liable to the US nor is its lap dog.
The Indian government has stated that the US need not interfere with intimate Iranian matters of state. The US swiftly acted on that decision as irrational and threatened to stop US investments in India. India has always been a follower of NAM (Non aligned Movement). Which is a safety stand for a developing nation. We get oil form Iran and we have never had bad ties with any Muslim nation other than Pakistan, we want to keep that track record straight. It's easier to do business that way. India should in no way be a subject to bullying and we won't.
Sandislandtim: India should choose its own path, and does not need to align itself with the US on all issues. But India should also understand that its and the US' interests are the same in so many ways. The US government deals with India as a partner and equal; we do not wish to see any sovereign democracy become our "lap dog."A nuclear-armed Iran would be much more dangerous to India than to the US, because Iranian ballistic missiles have the range to hit India but not the US. There is long-simmering resentment in the Muslim world because of perceived repression of Muslims all over India. Then, of course, there is the dispute over Kashmir.The free nations of the world, including both India and the US, should unite in their push to stop the tyrannical theocracy of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.There are many areas of diplomacy, trade, military matters, etc. in which cooperation between India and the US would be fruitful for both countries.
24 February, 2006
Get A Life, Bracewell
John Bracewell, you bastard! You unethical sportsman. You are a disgrace to cricket! Asshole! When you dropped Astle after 90* vs Sri Lanka last month, you talked too much to media and even tried to find flaws in his match-winning knock. Then your selectors were forced to recall him because of injuries to other players. Since your moronic blabbering he has made the following scores (source wisden cricinfo): 90*, 47, 90, 2, 118*. Much to your misery, has just scored 118 not-out, including 3 sixes off last 3 balls. So what are you going to say now? Will you drop him again, sucker? Get a life!
18 February, 2006
Citizen Kane
I read the following review at Yahoo! Movies, written by a user named accattone_rof. It's as good as the movie itself. A classic example of thorough evaluation:
Yahoo! Movies
by "Accattone_rof "
25 October, 2003
There is a scene in the middle of the greatest film ever made, where Mr. Kane, his wife, his mistress and Big Jim Gettys are gathered in an apartment. Having discovered the affair, Gettys offers Kane the option of stepping down from the governer's race in exchange for secrecy. Kane refuses. As the governer walks away, Kane shouts out, "You can't do this to me! I'm Charles Foster Kane!" This sums up not only the arrogance and folly of the character, but also the arrogance and folly of his creator, Orson Welles. For the greatest film ever made would be the downfall of Welles.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Citizen Kane, whether by viewing, or simply reading about it. The film is almost universally recognized as the greatest. But a surprising number of people haven't seen the film. So let me attempt to explain why this film is so worth seeing.
The most striking feature of the film for me is the cinematography. This must be equally attributed to Gregg Toland as to Welles. Never before had the camera itself been so integral to the story. There are so many techniques at work here: tracking shots, deep focus, forced perspective, low angle, high angle, trick photography — and all done with careful precision. This was done at a time when the camera was typically stationary in motion pictures. There was really nothing like it.
Consider the use of low angles. During this time period, low angles were not used indoors for a very simple reason: the sets had no ceilings. Thus, this was one of the first films, if not the first, to feature ceilings. Granted, the ceilings were no more than cloth hiding the microphones. But it was still quite revolutionary.
Big deal, you might say. That's common nowadays. Well, so is the inability to hear what the actors are saying over the many layers of foley. But I digress.
A favorite scene of mine involves the young Kane. His mother is signing the papers of ownership to the gold mine they are acquiring. Charles can be seen playing outside, through a window. Inside the house, the camera does a nice little track backwards, from the window to the living room, and on into the kitchen. Then, it tracks back into the living room. The entire time, both the principals in the house and Kane are in focus. This is what is called deep focus, and it looks incredible, especially given the tricky tracking shot done at the same time.
The film is full of these amazing shots. The filmmakers carefully crafted each scene, and there is never any wasted space in the frame, not even in the busiest of shots. The mise en scene is impeccable. Every frame of film is a work of art. The attention to detail is something that is rarely seen much in film these days. Of course, it's known that Orson Welles was a stickler for these details, to the point of annoyance. But it's worth it to the viewer.
As a result of this, the picture jumps out at you, because it's like nothing you've seen. Instead of focusing on some actor's "good" side, the camera is really telling the story.
And that story also endears this film to people. At the time of its release, Citizen Kane was already doomed because of one man: William Randolph Hearst. I won't elucidate on this, as there are plenty of sources available that do it just fine. The story in the film concerns Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate who rose to the top, and fell. In the beginning of the film, he dies, leaving behind just one word: "Rosebud". A reporter is put on the case to find out what this word meant. From there, we move back and forth in time, reliving key moments of Kane's life, as told by his friends and his enemies (of which he has plenty).
What angered Hearst, apparently, was not the thinly-veiled attack on him. He was angered by the portrayal of his second wife as a drunk. Whatever the case, he tried to suppress the film, and mostly succeeded at the time. But in the end, the film became bigger than the man himself.
Yet this film is not just about Hearst, or Kane. It's about power, arrogance, and the corruption of values that they bring. It's about one man's attempt to leave his mark in the history books. And it begs the question; can a man's life be summed up in a single word? For me, the answer is yes.
I say yes because "Rosebud" does seem to sum up his life. What Kane always talked about wanting was love. But it was always love his way. He could never really find it. He was never satisfied. However, there was a time when we saw him truly happy; his youth. At the moment he was taken away from his mother, his life fell apart. In the end, money can't buy anything, and after his second wife left him, he realized that all he wanted was to be back home in Colorado, living his simple life with his mother.
Back to the point I made at the beginning of this review. The cast of Citizen Kane was comprised mainly of Mercury Players, who worked on Orson Welles' hit radio shows. They put in some fine performances, and some, notably Joseph Cotten, went on to long careers. But this film belonged to Orson Welles. He immersed himself into the character as if he was playing himself. And in a sense, he was Charles Foster Kane. Like Kane, he was very gifted in what he did; he was given the keys to the kingdom without really paying his dues, and he stumbled very badly when he got to the top, unable to handle the adulation and attention. He thought he was too big to fall. He was quite wrong. Perhaps he went down screaming, "They can't do this to me! I'm Orson Welles!"
Source: Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
by "Accattone_rof "
25 October, 2003
There is a scene in the middle of the greatest film ever made, where Mr. Kane, his wife, his mistress and Big Jim Gettys are gathered in an apartment. Having discovered the affair, Gettys offers Kane the option of stepping down from the governer's race in exchange for secrecy. Kane refuses. As the governer walks away, Kane shouts out, "You can't do this to me! I'm Charles Foster Kane!" This sums up not only the arrogance and folly of the character, but also the arrogance and folly of his creator, Orson Welles. For the greatest film ever made would be the downfall of Welles.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Citizen Kane, whether by viewing, or simply reading about it. The film is almost universally recognized as the greatest. But a surprising number of people haven't seen the film. So let me attempt to explain why this film is so worth seeing.
The most striking feature of the film for me is the cinematography. This must be equally attributed to Gregg Toland as to Welles. Never before had the camera itself been so integral to the story. There are so many techniques at work here: tracking shots, deep focus, forced perspective, low angle, high angle, trick photography — and all done with careful precision. This was done at a time when the camera was typically stationary in motion pictures. There was really nothing like it.
Consider the use of low angles. During this time period, low angles were not used indoors for a very simple reason: the sets had no ceilings. Thus, this was one of the first films, if not the first, to feature ceilings. Granted, the ceilings were no more than cloth hiding the microphones. But it was still quite revolutionary.
Big deal, you might say. That's common nowadays. Well, so is the inability to hear what the actors are saying over the many layers of foley. But I digress.
A favorite scene of mine involves the young Kane. His mother is signing the papers of ownership to the gold mine they are acquiring. Charles can be seen playing outside, through a window. Inside the house, the camera does a nice little track backwards, from the window to the living room, and on into the kitchen. Then, it tracks back into the living room. The entire time, both the principals in the house and Kane are in focus. This is what is called deep focus, and it looks incredible, especially given the tricky tracking shot done at the same time.
The film is full of these amazing shots. The filmmakers carefully crafted each scene, and there is never any wasted space in the frame, not even in the busiest of shots. The mise en scene is impeccable. Every frame of film is a work of art. The attention to detail is something that is rarely seen much in film these days. Of course, it's known that Orson Welles was a stickler for these details, to the point of annoyance. But it's worth it to the viewer.
As a result of this, the picture jumps out at you, because it's like nothing you've seen. Instead of focusing on some actor's "good" side, the camera is really telling the story.
And that story also endears this film to people. At the time of its release, Citizen Kane was already doomed because of one man: William Randolph Hearst. I won't elucidate on this, as there are plenty of sources available that do it just fine. The story in the film concerns Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate who rose to the top, and fell. In the beginning of the film, he dies, leaving behind just one word: "Rosebud". A reporter is put on the case to find out what this word meant. From there, we move back and forth in time, reliving key moments of Kane's life, as told by his friends and his enemies (of which he has plenty).
What angered Hearst, apparently, was not the thinly-veiled attack on him. He was angered by the portrayal of his second wife as a drunk. Whatever the case, he tried to suppress the film, and mostly succeeded at the time. But in the end, the film became bigger than the man himself.
Yet this film is not just about Hearst, or Kane. It's about power, arrogance, and the corruption of values that they bring. It's about one man's attempt to leave his mark in the history books. And it begs the question; can a man's life be summed up in a single word? For me, the answer is yes.
I say yes because "Rosebud" does seem to sum up his life. What Kane always talked about wanting was love. But it was always love his way. He could never really find it. He was never satisfied. However, there was a time when we saw him truly happy; his youth. At the moment he was taken away from his mother, his life fell apart. In the end, money can't buy anything, and after his second wife left him, he realized that all he wanted was to be back home in Colorado, living his simple life with his mother.
Back to the point I made at the beginning of this review. The cast of Citizen Kane was comprised mainly of Mercury Players, who worked on Orson Welles' hit radio shows. They put in some fine performances, and some, notably Joseph Cotten, went on to long careers. But this film belonged to Orson Welles. He immersed himself into the character as if he was playing himself. And in a sense, he was Charles Foster Kane. Like Kane, he was very gifted in what he did; he was given the keys to the kingdom without really paying his dues, and he stumbled very badly when he got to the top, unable to handle the adulation and attention. He thought he was too big to fall. He was quite wrong. Perhaps he went down screaming, "They can't do this to me! I'm Orson Welles!"
Source: Yahoo! Movies
Edit: Sunday, 13-6-2010
I don't know what's the matter with Yahoo Movies. They have tweaked the dates of the reviews. For e.g. the above review was written in 2003 but now it reads 2008. The reviews that I had written in the year 2005 have been changed to 2007, 2008 or 2009; the dates and months, too, have been changed. Strange.
05 February, 2006
The Brave Police
Delhi police should get a life. I despise them for ending Hansie Cronje's career, which ultimately lead to his death. His only fault was that he spoke the truth. On the contrary, the real match-fixing king-pins are living freely.
Is catching bookies really that important? Now you people are waiting to pounce on Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje for match-fixing inquiries — a matter which is dead and buried by now. You are invoking unnecessary controversies that are of no relevance anymore. Is match-fixing more important than national security? Aren't you supposed to hunt for dreaded criminals, terrorists, rapists etc. instead of catching bookies and people like Herschelle Gibbs? What should get the priority? Look at the alarming increase in the rate of inhuman crime like rapes. According to Times Of India's statistics, forty-eight rapes take place everyday in India. Ninety-five percent of the accused in rape cases walk free due to corrupt judicial and social structure. Delhi is one of the most unsafe places for women. And here you are only concerned about trivial things like match-fixing, MMS cases, harassing youngsters sitting in parks etc. Spare the kids, at least, you hypocrites! There are surely more meaningful and imperative things to do.
Is catching bookies really that important? Now you people are waiting to pounce on Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje for match-fixing inquiries — a matter which is dead and buried by now. You are invoking unnecessary controversies that are of no relevance anymore. Is match-fixing more important than national security? Aren't you supposed to hunt for dreaded criminals, terrorists, rapists etc. instead of catching bookies and people like Herschelle Gibbs? What should get the priority? Look at the alarming increase in the rate of inhuman crime like rapes. According to Times Of India's statistics, forty-eight rapes take place everyday in India. Ninety-five percent of the accused in rape cases walk free due to corrupt judicial and social structure. Delhi is one of the most unsafe places for women. And here you are only concerned about trivial things like match-fixing, MMS cases, harassing youngsters sitting in parks etc. Spare the kids, at least, you hypocrites! There are surely more meaningful and imperative things to do.
01 February, 2006
Bluffmaster's Picks
Seems to be a new trend in the blogsphere. So here's a list of my favourite movies in no particular order:
1. Scent Of A Woman (1992): When I heard of it, I assumed it to be a droning romantic film, because of its title. But it turned out to be completely different. Never in the history of cinema has anyone portrayed a visually impaired character with utmost perfection as Al Pacino. Whoooooa!
2. A Few Good Men (1992): "You can't handle the truth!" An excellent movie about a navy lawyer's struggle to unveil the truth behind a court martial. The script is close to perfection and Jack Nicholson the "misunderstood hero" is top notch in this thumping performance. Tom Cruise glows with brilliance. It has a series of other good actors like Kevin Bacon, Kevin Polak, Demi Moore, and Keifer Sutherland.
3. Schindler's List (1993): A Steven Spielberg classic about the real-life hero Schindler. The highlight of the film was, in fact, it's black & white cinematography. The climax is very moving.
4. Devil's Advocate (1997): I remember watching its ads on Star Movies back in the late 90s, but never paid much attention. Devil's Advocate is a modern parable with elements of mystery and intrigue. Al Pacino excels once again in a role that he seems to be born to play. I can't imagine anyone else fitting into this character. The unforeseen climax takes you by a jolt. Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Connie Nielsen are impressive as well. One must play close attention to Milton's hidden jokes.
5. Back To The Future I & II (1985-89): I have combined the parts 1 & 2 because they are in an essence the same film. Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis churn out a classic. It's a very humorous complemented with good acting by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Their comical timing and face expressions are excellent. The part III was disappointing, but without any doubt Back To The Future I & II remain as one of the most memorable films ever made.
6. Forver Young (1992): An emotional, romantic tale with a twist that completely changes everything. Elijah Wood, ten years old at that time, is awesome.
7. Catch Me If You Can (2002): A real-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr. played aptly by Leonardo DiCaprio. It turns out to be another Spielberg classic. The good background music and skillful camera work add to the atmosphere.
8. American Beauty (1999): When I first saw it in 2000, I regarded it as an average film. But after watching it again I realized the essence and the beauty of this magnificent piece of art directed by Sam Mendes. It's not just a movie, it is life. The background score is haunting and Kevin Spacey shows a wide range of emotions at best. American Beauty captures the realities of the world on how we put false fronts to hide who we really are. A beautiful film indeed.
9. Road To Perditon (2002): Another masterpiece by Sam Mendes — completely different from American Beauty. It is a great revenge saga set in the era of depression. Cinematography is awe-inspiring. The mesmerizing background music reminds of American Beauty. Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Jude Law are first rate.
10. The Living Daylights (1987): Now this is what you call Ian Fleming's Bond. The airplane action scene is brilliant. A good action film that veers from the customary artistry and gives more insight on Ian Fleming's 007, something that's missing from the contemporary films that seem to be dominated by visual effects and animations and they all have the same save-the-world theme. I also liked From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, Licence To Kill, and Goldeneye.
11. Shawshank Redemption (1994): A very touching film about hope and friendship, followed by splendid swerve before the climax!
12. Mackenna's Gold (1969): A remarkable adventure/western classic with good performances by Omar Sharif, Gregory Peck and others. A memorable journey to the good old days. One of the most captivating and entertaining films ever made.
13. Raging Bull (1980): Raging Bull is an example of flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese. From the initial inspired shot of Jake La Motta shadow boxing in the ring, we know that we are experiencing a work of true cinematic art. It combines brilliant and innovative film technique with a deep and provocative character study. Robert DeNiro's dedication to the role is astounding. He first worked hard to build a boxer's physique and competed in three boxing matches. Later on he gained 50 lbs to play the bloated Jake LaMotta. Raging Bull is one of cinema’s masterworks.
14. The Godfather (1972): A class act that is universally hailed as a masterpiece by everyone. Marlon Brando gave a sublime example of acting.
15. Psycho (1960): There's a lot more to this film than the shower sequence. Psycho was purposely shot in black and white, because Hitchcock knew it wouldn't work in colour and he was, of course, right. It is a visual treat that leaves you spell bounded. Who can forget the Psycho house.
It is difficult to compress the list to 15. It comprises several other masterful pieces.
1. Scent Of A Woman (1992): When I heard of it, I assumed it to be a droning romantic film, because of its title. But it turned out to be completely different. Never in the history of cinema has anyone portrayed a visually impaired character with utmost perfection as Al Pacino. Whoooooa!
2. A Few Good Men (1992): "You can't handle the truth!" An excellent movie about a navy lawyer's struggle to unveil the truth behind a court martial. The script is close to perfection and Jack Nicholson the "misunderstood hero" is top notch in this thumping performance. Tom Cruise glows with brilliance. It has a series of other good actors like Kevin Bacon, Kevin Polak, Demi Moore, and Keifer Sutherland.
3. Schindler's List (1993): A Steven Spielberg classic about the real-life hero Schindler. The highlight of the film was, in fact, it's black & white cinematography. The climax is very moving.
4. Devil's Advocate (1997): I remember watching its ads on Star Movies back in the late 90s, but never paid much attention. Devil's Advocate is a modern parable with elements of mystery and intrigue. Al Pacino excels once again in a role that he seems to be born to play. I can't imagine anyone else fitting into this character. The unforeseen climax takes you by a jolt. Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Connie Nielsen are impressive as well. One must play close attention to Milton's hidden jokes.
5. Back To The Future I & II (1985-89): I have combined the parts 1 & 2 because they are in an essence the same film. Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis churn out a classic. It's a very humorous complemented with good acting by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Their comical timing and face expressions are excellent. The part III was disappointing, but without any doubt Back To The Future I & II remain as one of the most memorable films ever made.
6. Forver Young (1992): An emotional, romantic tale with a twist that completely changes everything. Elijah Wood, ten years old at that time, is awesome.
7. Catch Me If You Can (2002): A real-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr. played aptly by Leonardo DiCaprio. It turns out to be another Spielberg classic. The good background music and skillful camera work add to the atmosphere.
8. American Beauty (1999): When I first saw it in 2000, I regarded it as an average film. But after watching it again I realized the essence and the beauty of this magnificent piece of art directed by Sam Mendes. It's not just a movie, it is life. The background score is haunting and Kevin Spacey shows a wide range of emotions at best. American Beauty captures the realities of the world on how we put false fronts to hide who we really are. A beautiful film indeed.
9. Road To Perditon (2002): Another masterpiece by Sam Mendes — completely different from American Beauty. It is a great revenge saga set in the era of depression. Cinematography is awe-inspiring. The mesmerizing background music reminds of American Beauty. Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Jude Law are first rate.
10. The Living Daylights (1987): Now this is what you call Ian Fleming's Bond. The airplane action scene is brilliant. A good action film that veers from the customary artistry and gives more insight on Ian Fleming's 007, something that's missing from the contemporary films that seem to be dominated by visual effects and animations and they all have the same save-the-world theme. I also liked From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, Licence To Kill, and Goldeneye.
11. Shawshank Redemption (1994): A very touching film about hope and friendship, followed by splendid swerve before the climax!
12. Mackenna's Gold (1969): A remarkable adventure/western classic with good performances by Omar Sharif, Gregory Peck and others. A memorable journey to the good old days. One of the most captivating and entertaining films ever made.
13. Raging Bull (1980): Raging Bull is an example of flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese. From the initial inspired shot of Jake La Motta shadow boxing in the ring, we know that we are experiencing a work of true cinematic art. It combines brilliant and innovative film technique with a deep and provocative character study. Robert DeNiro's dedication to the role is astounding. He first worked hard to build a boxer's physique and competed in three boxing matches. Later on he gained 50 lbs to play the bloated Jake LaMotta. Raging Bull is one of cinema’s masterworks.
14. The Godfather (1972): A class act that is universally hailed as a masterpiece by everyone. Marlon Brando gave a sublime example of acting.
15. Psycho (1960): There's a lot more to this film than the shower sequence. Psycho was purposely shot in black and white, because Hitchcock knew it wouldn't work in colour and he was, of course, right. It is a visual treat that leaves you spell bounded. Who can forget the Psycho house.
It is difficult to compress the list to 15. It comprises several other masterful pieces.
23 January, 2006
Stranger Comes To Town
The stranger is in the town. The journey was good and the food too. Looking forward to the summer holidays. The temperature at this point of the year is the same as home. Haven't tasted the local wine yet. The banks here play hard to get. I will have to wait for 2-3 weeks to open a bank account.
This place sometimes reminds me of an old "city" back home. But of course, it is more spacious and cleaner. I hope to set up a bank account soon. I have to register with a doctor as well. If I fall sick, no doctor will treat me unless I am registered with them. I hope to stay fit for the time being.
This place sometimes reminds me of an old "city" back home. But of course, it is more spacious and cleaner. I hope to set up a bank account soon. I have to register with a doctor as well. If I fall sick, no doctor will treat me unless I am registered with them. I hope to stay fit for the time being.
04 January, 2006
Bunch Of Jokers?
New Zealand selectors and their coach John Bracewell have proved that they are a bunch of jokers by dropping Nathan Astle from the Sri Lankan series. This is very surprising considering the fact that he scored match-winning 90* in the last ODI. They have retained Jamie How and Fulton, which is a good sign, but surprisingly they are still persisting with Hamish Marshall who has done nothing fruitful in the last one year. Very shocking indeed. There's nothing wrong in playing Fulton and How, but they have actually sacked Astle in place of Marshall and cleverly used Fulton as their shield. This strategy is very similar to Engand’s axing of Thorpe in place of their pet Ian Bell, where they used Pietersen as a shield to prevent media’s rebuke.
Over-obsession of Marshall will dearly cost them in future. There is no doubt that Marshall is talented, but he has got several chances, and now he must spend more time playing First Class cricket to get back in form. They still continue to have problems with their feeble bowling department. Jacob Oram still remains their favourite bowler, particularly in the slog overs. Their batting order is also mind-boggling. Styris, who made superb 101 in their record-breaking chase against Australia, has been dropped down at number six and Chris Cairns is batting at numbers seven or eight these days.
Hamish Marshall has made following scores this year (source cricinfo) : 9, 7, 8, 3, 16, 7, 3, 5, 10, 27, 16*, 12. No, this isn’t his telephone number. This lad is a top-order batsman who will continue to represent New Zealand in future. What's next? If Astle is dropped despite making 90* in last innings, then they must drop every ‘old’ player from the team, and then think about making nonsensical statements to the biased media. People like John Bracewell will always be a menace to the game. We can do without such politicians.
Over-obsession of Marshall will dearly cost them in future. There is no doubt that Marshall is talented, but he has got several chances, and now he must spend more time playing First Class cricket to get back in form. They still continue to have problems with their feeble bowling department. Jacob Oram still remains their favourite bowler, particularly in the slog overs. Their batting order is also mind-boggling. Styris, who made superb 101 in their record-breaking chase against Australia, has been dropped down at number six and Chris Cairns is batting at numbers seven or eight these days.
Hamish Marshall has made following scores this year (source cricinfo) : 9, 7, 8, 3, 16, 7, 3, 5, 10, 27, 16*, 12. No, this isn’t his telephone number. This lad is a top-order batsman who will continue to represent New Zealand in future. What's next? If Astle is dropped despite making 90* in last innings, then they must drop every ‘old’ player from the team, and then think about making nonsensical statements to the biased media. People like John Bracewell will always be a menace to the game. We can do without such politicians.
31 December, 2005
Bluffmaster's List
List of Bluffmaster's favourites and bête noires:
Cricket
Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid, Michael Bevan, Michael Hussey, Stephen Fleming, VVS Laxman, Mark Waugh, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, W.J. Cronje, Graham Thorpe, Mohammad Azharuddin, Stephen Waugh and Lance Klusener.
Movies
Actors (female): Sharon Stone, Andie MacDowell, Jennifer Connelly, Ann Todd, Kim Novak, Demi Moore, Eva Mendes, Shannon Tweed.
Actors (male): Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpai, Al Pacino, Aamir Khan, Christian Bale.
Directors: Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Vishal Bharadwaj.
Tennis
Thomas Muster, Patrick Rafter, Goran Ivanisevic, Pete Sampras, Sergi Bruguera, Steffi Graf
Wrestlers
Robert Szatkowski, William Jason Reso, Michael Hickenbottom, Bret Hart, and everyone from the Old School.
Soccer
Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo.
I have decided to add on to this old list of mine without affecting its originality.
Cricketers: Shane Watson, Justin Kemp.
Movies
Actors (Female): Tallulah Bankhead.
Directors: Christopher Nolan, Shimit Amin, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
When I wrote that post I was on the verge of starting a new and promising phase of my life and now that phase has ended and I am at a dead end. How different life was back them. How optimistic I used to be. If only life was that simple as it used to be.
Cricket
Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid, Michael Bevan, Michael Hussey, Stephen Fleming, VVS Laxman, Mark Waugh, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, W.J. Cronje, Graham Thorpe, Mohammad Azharuddin, Stephen Waugh and Lance Klusener.
Movies
Actors (female): Sharon Stone, Andie MacDowell, Jennifer Connelly, Ann Todd, Kim Novak, Demi Moore, Eva Mendes, Shannon Tweed.
Actors (male): Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpai, Al Pacino, Aamir Khan, Christian Bale.
Directors: Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Vishal Bharadwaj.
Tennis
Thomas Muster, Patrick Rafter, Goran Ivanisevic, Pete Sampras, Sergi Bruguera, Steffi Graf
Wrestlers
Robert Szatkowski, William Jason Reso, Michael Hickenbottom, Bret Hart, and everyone from the Old School.
Soccer
Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo.
Edit: Thursday, 22-4-2010, 11:37
Cricketers: Shane Watson, Justin Kemp.
Movies
Actors (Female): Tallulah Bankhead.
Directors: Christopher Nolan, Shimit Amin, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
When I wrote that post I was on the verge of starting a new and promising phase of my life and now that phase has ended and I am at a dead end. How different life was back them. How optimistic I used to be. If only life was that simple as it used to be.
22 December, 2005
Anger Management
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."
25 November, 2005
14 November, 2005
Sad News
Tragic loss: Eddie Guerrero has passed away. He was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday morning. Eddie, the mamacita, was a superb athlete and at the prime of his life and career. Rest in peace Latino Heat.
02 November, 2005
Face To Face With Khushwant Singh
Excerpts from Khushwant Singh's interview with Harinder Baweja:
Here are some excerpts from Khushwant Singh's article in Outlook:
As an Indian, my head hangs in shame, again, because a doubting Thomas once pointed out: "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."
Baweja: Twenty-one years later and still little justice. How do you feel?
Khushwant Singh: I am very disappointed. I was expecting a more forthright denunciation of the people involved. Ninety percent of the report is of no consequence. It is all focused on police stations and I am sure the police could not have acted the way it did unless instructions had come from the very top. Delhi burnt for four days and there was no Section 144, no curfew, no shoot-at-sight orders. Finally when the government sent for the army from Meerut, the Sikh Light Infantry came and they had to be kept in the cantonment. The government was not visible. Even the President of India, Gyani Zail Singh, didn’t matter. I called Rashtrapati Bhawan but Zail Singh didn’t take my call and instead sent me a message asking me to take refuge in a Hindu’s house. Zail Singh should have resigned, even earlier, after Operation Bluestar. His stature would have gone up. Instead, he died unsung by his own community. The Nanavati report has only targeted the lieutenant governor and the police. I am disgusted. All governments make a mockery of these commissions of inquiry.
Baweja: If someone like you felt so helpless and is now so angry, what about the common people who lost their family members?
Khushwant Singh: I have no doubt that they will be having nightmares. It is not possible to forget family members being burnt alive. Some of them must have gone crazy and some others must be drugging themselves to sleep. 1984 made me conscious of being a Sikh even though I don’t practise the tenets. But I feel the hurt of the community. I had to move out of my house and was picked up by a complete stranger from the Swedish embassy. I was living in the lap of luxury but felt like a Jew in a Nazi camp. I was an exile in my own country. What shook me was the number of Hindus who revelled in this. Girilal Jain wrote in The Times of India that the Sikhs should have known that this was coming. The Sikh community had, in fact, been let down by their own leaders. Zail Singh and Sanjay Gandhi created Bhindranwale. They let him go when he had been arrested. No one realised the ill-will that had built up against the Sikhs because of Bhindranwale. Not one Sikh leader had the guts to denounce him when he made statements like, ‘each Sikh should kill 32 Hindus.’
Baweja: How do you feel as an observer of justice?
Khushwant Singh: This is the most gross example of miscarriage of justice. Jagdish Tytler is a liar, saying none of the commissions have even mentioned him. Rajni Kothari brought out a pamphlet just after the carnage titled, ‘Who are the guilty?’ Not one of these guys, Tytler or Sajjan Kumar or Dharam Dass Shastri had the guts to take Kothari to court for criminal lies.
Baweja: You have been a close friend of the Gandhis. Be it Bluestar or the 1984 carnage, the Congress was responsible.
Khushwant Singh: My closeness to the Gandhis is much exaggerated. I defended Sanjay Gandhi on the Maruti deal. I went to see the Maruti factory and let me tell you it was worse than a mechanic’s shop. The point is and I have said this again and again — the carnage could not have taken place unless there were orders from the very top. Even on the tabling of the Nanavati Commission report, the government waited till the very last day. This shows their malafide intentions and their lack of confidence. They knew they would come in for the severest criticism. I feel personally let down by the Nanavati Commission. I went to depose and the atmosphere was that of a tea party, except that there was no tea. Every one was laughing and joking.
Baweja: How do you see 1984 as a historian? What is the future for riot victims?
Khushwant Singh: Justice is for the rich and the powerful. Inquiry commissions just pass the buck. Any future historian will know they can’t rely on these reports and will have to seek other sources of information. Governments need to understand that a crime unpunished breeds criminals; 1984 remains unpunished.
Baweja: Are you upset that the Action Taken Report has been authored by a government headed by Manmohan Singh?
Khushwant Singh: I don’t think he has any say. We know the circumstances under which he became the prime minister. Sikh or not, he has integrity, ability and humility. The Sikh community needs to also look at the positive side. Was it even conceivable in 1984 that we would have a Sikh prime minister, a Sikh Army chief and a Sikh heading the Planning Commission?
Here are some excerpts from Khushwant Singh's article in Outlook:
I have only two words for Justice G.T. Nanavati's inquiry report on the butchery of Sikhs 21 years ago: utter garbage. I have the report in hand, all 349 pages, plus the Action Taken Report presented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government in Parliament on August 8. I thought it would take a whole day or two to go through it. It took only a couple of hours because it is largely based on what transpired in zones of different police stations and long lists of names which meant nothing to me. There are broad hints about the involvement of Congress leaders like H.K.L. Bhagat, Jagdish Tytler, Dharam Dass Shastri and Sajjan Kumar. He gives them the benefit of the doubt and suggests yet another inquiry commission to look into the charges against them. Yet another commission? For God's sake, is he serious? To say the least, I was deeply disappointed with the whole thing. But the game of shirking responsibility was to attain higher levels!
A few salutary lessons that the experience has taught us should be kept in mind by our leaders.The most important is to understand that crimes unpunished breed criminals. Another equally important thing to bear in mind is that the State must never abdicate its monopoly of punishing criminals, if it overlooks its duty or delays dispensing justice beyond limits of endurance, it encourages aggrieved parties to take the law in their own hands and settle scores with those who wronged them. If we do not learn these lessons now, we will have more holocausts in the years to come.
As an Indian, my head hangs in shame, again, because a doubting Thomas once pointed out: "We learn from history that we learn nothing from history."
27 October, 2005
The Wall Of Money
Source: Tribuneindia.com
Anyone who is aware of the niceties of cricket will know how true these allegations are. Jaggu Dalmiya, the mastermind behind BCCI, is the richest man and surely the biggest fraud in the history of cricket. Time and again cricketers have been criticized for match fixing. Fixing is a form of corruption, and that scam was nothing compared to BCCI's internal corruption. The administrators are the biggest frauds in cricket. Dalmiya is their kingpin. BCCI is also involved in several cases of tax frauds. If you remember, last year Zee TV got the TV rights for the cricket matches in India, only to be revoked after a few hours. It was Jaggu Dalmiya who botched up the TV-rights contract by creating a deadlock between Zee TV and ESPN Star. In the end, both the channels got nothing and Doordarshan got the contract once again. I don't have to rant about DD's incompetency and poor service. Doordarshan is the most undeserving TV channel to telecast a cricket match. Dalmiya is always on their side to gain political leverage and to stuff his pocket. According to some sources, BCCI has amassed such colossal amount of money that if they erected a wall their cash, the wall would never end, because of the speedy growth-rate of their unscrupulous earnings.
Punjab Cricket Association president I.S. Bindra on Tuesday fired yet another salvo at the cricket board claiming that BCCI had lost Rs 44 crore by awarding telecast rights for ODI series against Sri Lanka and South Africa to Prasar Bharti.
"Doordarshan clinched the deal after offering BCCI a deal of Rs 7.5 crore per match. Another TV company had offered the Board Rs 135 crore for telecast of 12 matches as against Rs 91 crore what it will get now," Bindra said.
The former BCCI chief said the BCCI was playing 'fraud' with the country's cricketers and the cricket-crazy public as the rights for the 12 matches had been awarded to Nimbus for 1.75 million dollars as against Nimbus' own offer of 5 million dollars.
"It is a big fraud with the cricketers, state associations and the general public. Last year, the board lost Rs 350 crore by undervaluing what it could have earned by awarding various rights," Bindra said adding that he had on Monday approached Delhi High Court regarding the alleged fraud by the board.
Bindra, who has earlier on several occasions alleged that the board was not interested in marketing domestic cricket, said the board's reluctant attitude had cost domestic players Rs 37.5 crore in 2004.
Anyone who is aware of the niceties of cricket will know how true these allegations are. Jaggu Dalmiya, the mastermind behind BCCI, is the richest man and surely the biggest fraud in the history of cricket. Time and again cricketers have been criticized for match fixing. Fixing is a form of corruption, and that scam was nothing compared to BCCI's internal corruption. The administrators are the biggest frauds in cricket. Dalmiya is their kingpin. BCCI is also involved in several cases of tax frauds. If you remember, last year Zee TV got the TV rights for the cricket matches in India, only to be revoked after a few hours. It was Jaggu Dalmiya who botched up the TV-rights contract by creating a deadlock between Zee TV and ESPN Star. In the end, both the channels got nothing and Doordarshan got the contract once again. I don't have to rant about DD's incompetency and poor service. Doordarshan is the most undeserving TV channel to telecast a cricket match. Dalmiya is always on their side to gain political leverage and to stuff his pocket. According to some sources, BCCI has amassed such colossal amount of money that if they erected a wall their cash, the wall would never end, because of the speedy growth-rate of their unscrupulous earnings.
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