Bleeding heart

A few years ago, I decided not to pay attention to the IPL indirectly because of one man - Lalit Modi. Paradoxically, in the past few days, I have started paying more attention to the IPL because of the same man.

Unfortunately, it is not the cricketing news that I am interested in. How sad.

Lest people think I have a grudge against the cricket in the IPL, let me clarify that I do not. The ICL/IPL model had three things going for it that pleased me immensely:

TGIF: Songs to hum - 3

Every Friday afternoon, after I am done teaching the last lecture of the week, I sit in my office, put my feet up on my desk, lean back in my chair and softly hum songs to myself, unwinding and releasing the built-up tension of the week so far. Youtube is a good companion during these times and I have my own version of Chitrahaar, with the songs following some unfathomable pattern, changing per my mood and wishes.

Here is today's trip through Youtube:

I see you, Jake. Again

I would definitely pay to watch this movie, wouldn't you?

War of the Worlds - Bollywood ishtyle

Did you know that Bollywood has already taken a stab at a proper sci-fi movie ? And I am not referring to duds like Love Story 2050. The movie I am talking about was called Wahan ke log and was released in 1967.

This is an absolute gem - a blast from the past, pun fully intended. The movie, starring Pradeep Kumar and Tanuja, finds time for item numbers, cabaret dances, and plenty of spine-tingling moments of suspense. And yes, aliens, too.

वहां के लोग हीरे हैं, यहाँ के लोग मोती हैं!



(video link via Ultrabrown)

Channeling my inner David Bowman

Many, many years ago my roommate (FOS) and I took a road trip during Spring Break. Without planning exactly where we wanted to go, we set out in his Ford Mustang ensuring that we drove south out of Chicago. Eventually we made our way to Arkansas and stayed there for a day. (Aside: I played cricket for the first time after I came to the US at an impromptu pick-up game on a tennis court after midnight. I still remember how many runs I scored and I got out that day!)

From Arkansas we meandered back north, sidestepping Chicago, and moving into Wisconsin. We did not know anyone in Wisconsin to bunk with, so as a last resort we stopped off at the Harrington Beach State Park and rented a campsite (we were smart enough to pack a couple of tents before embarking on our road trip). The campsite had a mandatory lights-out policy after a certain time and FOS and I went for a walk towards the nearby beach after dark.

As we walked towards the water, I was admiring and talking about the view when I heard a soft thump. I turned around and found FOS on the ground, staring and pointing up at the sky. I looked up and I do not know when my knees went weak and when I fell to the ground. All I know is that I was lying on my back and looking up at a sky I had never seen before.

Wandering thoughts of a random mind

As I listen to songs and let the pressures of the past week slowly ebb away, my mind jumps hoops, stopping along the way to let some of the nebulous thoughts coalesce into these points.

TGIF: Songs to hum - 2

Every Friday afternoon, after I am done teaching the last lecture of the week, I sit in my office, put my feet up on my desk, lean back in my chair and softly hum songs to myself, unwinding and releasing the built-up tension of the week so far. Youtube is a good companion during these times and I have my own version of Chitrahaar, with the songs following some unfathomable pattern, changing per my mood and wishes.

Here is today's trip through youtube:

Road from perdition

So, Tiger, did you learn anything?

(By the way, Tiger, you cannot have it both ways. You cannot ask that your private life be left private and then try to elicit sympathy from the public with commercials like this.)

Sneaking into our senses

Say what you will about the quality of the movies themselves, but the folks in Bollywood are learning how to make interesting previews these days.

V for vendetta

Most of the time I am simply irritated or bemused by the actions of the BCCI. However, sometimes I get seething mad.  Like now.

For the past few weeks my favorite website, CricInfo, has been all about the IPL, a league that I do not care about and, therefore, do not do anything more than scan the headlines before moving on. One of the headlines I scanned but did not read into was: Virender Sehwag to not play for Northants. Oh well. Whatever.

Today, on CricInfo's surfer page I came across this article by Dileep Premachandran, writing for the Guardian. (All emphases mine).