The root of all evil??

Channel 4, from the UK, aired this no-holds barred 2-part series on religion, hosted by none other than Oxford Professor Richard Dawkins. The avowed athiest, in this show, challenges what he describes as 'a process of non-thinking called faith'. The videos are available as torrents via..

part 1 (mininova)
part 2 (mininova)

(If you arent familiar with torrents, download and use Azureus to get the videos..
or maybe if you ask me real nice I could get them to you on a CD... :) )

Anyway, the documentary is astounding.. but my fear is, as with all the debates regarding science and religion, it will be ineffective... for whatever Dawkins is trying to say. It is not going to change any minds coz, as always, those believers in science already know the facts.. and those with blind faith in their religions (over science) refuse to budge from the stand they have taken. And the in-betweens really don't care about the debate.. It's quite sad really.

Wish some US Network would have enough cojones to air the documentary in this country!

Anyway, I can go on a rant about it for ever.. I'll save y'all that and you can just do yourselves a favor and watch the documentary..

It doesn't matter what you believe in.. or don't believe in.. it is a must watch documentary.

And once you're done watching it and thinking... WOW... damn... scary... shieeeeet.. and all that... head on over to this page about the American Taliban and get scared even more.

Yup.. that's the country.. and the world we live in.

Thanks to Lapax, the panopticist, and boing boing for the links and sources..

heaven help us...

From The Telegraph

Bushism precedes Bush to India - Presidential jitters in Washington, optimism in Delhi
K.P. NAYAR (www.telegraphindia.com)

Washington, Feb. 24: US President George W. Bush's penchant for malapropisms and for putting his foot in his mouth will keep Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior members of his cabinet on tenterhooks during the 60 hours or so that Bush will spend on Indian soil next week.

That nervousness is something the Indian leadership will share with the US President's aides, if the last three days of preparations here for the Bush trip are any indication.

Bush nearly turned America's long-standing Kashmir policy upside down on Wednesday when he spoke at the Asia Society about his upcoming trip to India and Pakistan.

The President said: "America supports a resolution in Kashmir that is acceptable to both sides." And in saying so, he dropped a bombshell.

For more than 40 years, America's policy on Kashmir has favoured a solution that stresses three elements: India, Pakistan and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. In one stroke, Bush jettisoned four decades of finely-crafted US diplomacy on Kashmir when he eliminated Kashmiris from the entire dispute and made it an issue solely between India and Pakistan.

As soon as he got off the Asia Society's podium, state department and White House aides pulled Bush aside and told him to do quick damage control, according to sources in the Bush administration.

Their stakes were high. With that single statement, the entire presidential visit to India and Pakistan could have become mired in controversy.

Precisely one-and-a-half hours later, Bush used an interview in the White House to set the record straight.

"America supports a solution that is acceptable to all sides," he hastily clarified.

"As you might recall, in my remarks, I said 'to both sides'. I would like the record to be so that the world hears me say 'all sides'. I fully understand that the deal has to be acceptable to the Indians, Paks, as well as the citizens of Kashmir."

But in making the clarification, Bush further put his foot in his mouth. "Paks" or "Pakis", like "Japs", are derogatory terms, carefully avoided in public, though commonly used in private to reflect the true feelings of someone towards the Pakistanis or the Japanese.

And he offended the Indians by talking about the "citizens of Kashmir" without obviously realising that Kashmir is not an Independent country and that its people are Indian or Pakistani citizens depending on which side of the Line of Control they live on.

What followed during the White House interview was like the late night comedy shows that Americans are glued to every night.

Singh and Pervez Musharraf may read the transcript to prepare themselves for the bricks Bush might drop on their feet during conversations in New Delhi and Islamabad next week.

"Is the US more comfortable dealing with dictators and monarchs?" one journalist asked Bush.

THE PRESIDENT: Do what now? Do I feel comfortable doing what?

Q Dealing with dictators and monarchs?

THE PRESIDENT: Do I feel comfortable dealing with them?

Q No, the US.

THE PRESIDENT: The US feel comfortable with dealing with dictators?

Q And monarchs.

THE PRESIDENT: And monarchs? Well, I mean, I have got a great relationship with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. (Laughter) She is a lovely lady and a great figure in a country that is an important ally. And, of course, that monarchy is very supportive of a free and open and democratic system."

When Bush wanted to terminate the interview and sought the final question, one of the journalists tried to get the President's view on cricket and Bollywood.

Q Between a cricket match and a Bollywood movie, what would a -

THE PRESIDENT: Cricket match and a -

Q You like watching?

THE PRESIDENT: What was the second?

Q It's between a Bollywood movie and a cricket match.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm a cricket match person. (Laughter) I appreciate it. As I understand it, I may have a little chance to learn something about cricket. It's a great pastime. (Laughter)

What took the cake, however, is this segment.

Q Mr President, what is your earliest memory of India?

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: We have got to go to the next one.

Q What is your earliest memory of India and Indians?

THE PRESIDENT: My best memory?

Q Earliest.

THE PRESIDENT: At least memory?

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: Earliest.

THE PRESIDENT: Earliest. (Laughter)

Q Earliest.

The exchange, which is typical of Bush's conversations in private and public would be funny, not tragic, if the person at the centre of it all was not the most powerful man on Earth.

today

Chhimi said I haven't posted in a while.. so here is a post for chhimi. :)

Happy b'lated b'day btw dude.

----
I really liked today's thought of the day -

Let us face a pluralistic world in which there are no universal churches, no single remedy for all diseases, no one way to teach or write or sing, no magic diet, no world poets, and no chosen races, but only the wretched and wonderfully diversified human race. -Jacques Barzun, professor and writer (1907- )

ok - that's my post. Unlike some of my friends who can sometimes even post more than once a day, I do not really feel this obligation nor motivation for a daily/regular posting pattern... That way, hopefully, a new post always comes as an unexpected and maybe pleasant surprise, huh?

Also, like we debated yesterday about the propriety of writing about others in a public platform, the etiquette involved, or the different expectations of the subjects... it becomes difficult to really post openly and frankly about (some) things after a while... specially as the readership grows. A weblog definitely is a powerful public medium.. and a public theatre.

The consequences of my writing on myself, I can be responsible for.. but i will not be responsible for the consequences on others. So I will post... as I have posted... without informed consents... and without the need for informed consents...

An exercise in 'social' restraint? anti-(we)bloquaciousness?

oh well..

know your nemesis ...

Sun Tzu said something like "Know thy enemy.. blah blah"...

Hence...

read this for information...

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

Damned Cold..

behen de takke !!

That (behen de takke) - which was subtitled as "idiot" - was DJ's (Aamir Khan) favourite line in the latest hindi blockbuster, Rang De Basanti.. Lava, Archita and I drove down to Boston on Thursday to watch the movie!! Met up with Burcu, Kim, Nazia and a bunch of others in Boston so had a healthy crowd in the theatre! :) And the healthy crowd stayed behind till the end to applaud for Ashu when his name came up in the ending credits. Hooohaa

The movie is very very enjoyable and I definitely recommend it to anybody. No vested interests believe me. I won't say much of the plotline/storyline coz obviously you want to experience all that on your own right?

All in all, worth the 200 mile drive for a single movie. :)

In love... all over again...

...and for those who get those thrills by livin' their lives vicariously through me, NO, its not about a woman.

In love with music all over again..

I've been, for the past so many months, almost years, been gradually losing patience with the process of searching for or discovering new music. Seems like I am now only the source of music referrals or recommendations for other people, not the target. No, don't get me wrong, I don't mind that. I love sharing music, and exposing people to my choices and music, and spreading my "awesome music taste".. ;).. But even I want new music right? Even I want someone to tell me.. "Anuj, doood, you gotta listen to this song/ band/ tape/ single/ CD/ album/ mix/ lyrics/ music.. whatever..." Like the good ole days.

And the radio stations ain't much help in this. A handful of stations.. Classic Rock? they repeat a bunch of great classic songs a million times. Its fun, but nothing new right? Same with the other pop songs of the 70s, 80s and today type of radio stations. And then those radios with "todays HOTTEST latest hits" ?? Well, even if you like a song, you hear it about 15 times in an hour and you quickly, VERY QUICKLY, get weary of that song.. and don't even get me started on the commercials.

Anyway... what this rant is leading to:

there's this AWESOME new service online music suggestion service called Pandora, created by The Music Genome Project. My words will not be able to justify the service. You have to try it...

but, in short.. it is a simple music suggestion service. Say you want to know or discover more songs/artists that sound (musically) like a song/artist that you like in particular. Go to the site, type in your song/artist, and it creates a "radio" channel for you.. and that channel streams different songs and music from various artists that sound like the one that you entered. Some that you've never heard of.. and so can discover.. It is like a streaming, personalized, favouritized, genre-fied radio station with no commercials ever...

and its free.. and you can save your favourites and create upto a 100 channels and basically let it replace your CD collection or your iTunes.

It is like listening to a mix-tape that's been gifted to you by a friend, but one that's unlabelled, so that you dont know what's on it, so every song is a surprise..

Try it... am freaking out right now on my "J.J. Cale Radio" ..

Oh yes, the next best thing.. one on my wish list.. is a Squeezebox 3. It is simply a box that connects to your computer (thru Ethernet or wirelessly) and reads your music files in your computer and plays them through your (maybe expensive but gathering dust) stereo system. (Ya ya, I know apple has some airport express stuff that kinda does that with itunes and all that crap, but that's for mac users. This one is for Mac, Windows, Unix. And its cool)

So anyway, 300 bucks and you have access to your computer's music anywhere in your house that you like.

And now add up the two cool things..
This Squeezebox 3 now directly (with your remote control) streams from Pandora.com.

Et voila.. isn't that enough to make you fall in love again?

WHAT? for real? what's with Texas?

Here is the news story..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4689428.stm

Read it please..

There are "hunting" ranches in Texas, which stock exotic endangered animals, animals that are no longer present in their natural habitats in Afria and India etc, but are being bred in these ranches. For what? For a chance to shoot them, for about $8500 a pop!!

And there are over 500 of these ranches in Texas. Stocked with rare Antelope, Giraffes, Gazelles, other species of deer... And these guys actually have the audacity to say that they are helping in conservation of the animals! How twisted can some logic get? Breed and raise endangered animals to shoot them? and then claim that you are protecting them.

And the best part ...

...recent decision by the Bush administration... granted a special exemption to hunting ranches, removing protection for certain endangered animals.

It means hunters can continue to hunt and kill three species of endangered antelope in captivity - the dama gazelle, the addax and the scimitar-horned oryx - so long as they give 10% of profits to conservation.

?????????????????????????????

..that's probably because the president's buddies all run these ranches and i'm sure the president himself takes much pleasure in going down to these hellholes to shoot a few endangered creatures once in a while.. How wrong can something be??

I remember being confused and surprised by a scene in the movie "Syriana" where one of the lobbyists is shown shooting gazelles in Texas. So this is what it was huh? I'm speechless. This is so wrong. so so wrong.

Use it or lose it....

Ever heard of Brain Training??

Well, me neither, until I read this blog...

Now, okay, seriously, read that post.. or at least glance thru it picking up the salient points..

So just going to the gym ain't gonna do it huh? Healthy body doesn't necessarily mean healthy mind! So you have to train your brain too.. Well, reading aloud seems to help in Brain Training.. does reading non-aloud count? I wonder.. coz if it did, I have a very sharp brain right now, believe me.. the amount of reading i've been doing lately...

Soduku everyday should help? Maybe doing tough math problems for fun! ...if not, then brain atrophying.. So mental calisthenics is certainly required. I remember (oh the good ole days) doing the "Incredible Machine" puzzles.. the Rube Goldbergian PC "game".. that kept me glued to the monitor, irresponsibly, for hours on end. Well, at least that was definitely better than being glued to the monitor for hours reading crap online - like RIGHT NOW.. A lot of things online nowadays with a lot of people with a lot to say.. and only about 0.000000001% of it is consequential in any form.

Oh well.. explains my 5:30 AM post. the insomnia bug strikes again.

Liar liar pants on fire

Blair is as bad as Bush.. I guess many of you knew that anyways!!

Anyway, this article, from The Guardian, is an interesting one..