Flight Etiquette

Since I have been travelling by air a lot for the past year, I have noticed a few things that annoy me no end, viz.

• People scrambling for the aisle space as soon as the flight lands. If you are in the aisle seat and you are patient enough to sit till the time you reach the aero-bridge you might get trampled by the folks sitting beside you.
• People who turn on their cell phones as soon as the wheels touch the ground. Their favourite celebrity was kicked out of Big Boss and they cannot wait to tweet about the injustice.
• The fact that they change the gate of the flight many times and you are left running from one gate to the other at 5am when you can only do so much to stay awake. They don't even announce the change!
• Air India flights that keep you in the plane for over two hours and then ask you to shift to another after going through all the checks again.

Maybe its just me that gets frustrated with these things. Maybe its just that I am mostly sleepy and cranky while flying. 

Freedom of speech! Whats that?

There has been much ruckus lately in both the houses of Parliament regarding the various communal speeches including the ones that were made inside the house by MPs. No legislative work could be taken up in the past week. 37 bills had been scheduled for this session and none of them have been cleared in both houses, most of them not even introduced. This raises the question as to whether the opposition's holding of the parliament to ransom has any merit which offsets, the importance of the legislative work at hand. It didn't work with the last government at least. No doubt it could be a tool to keep the government in check. But if it defeats the purpose of having sessions of parliament, what is the use? Also the opposition continuously harping about the speeches made by the government MPs brings into spotlight another debate, that of the freedom of speech.

It is true that what has been said is not something you should be saying on any public forum let alone in the parliament but everyone has a right to make a fool of himself/herself. Protesting against it and making a point that such views are only helping erode the fabric of society is also fine. But not letting the parliament work for days together because you do not agree with someone's statement? There are so many more important issues to be debated. As much as everyone has the freedom of  breathing, they also have the freedom of saying anything they wish with total impunity against hurting anyone's sentiments, however racist, sexist, communal etc. these might be.

As Bill Maher said in one of his shows, "I have a problem when people say things like 'freedom of speech is all fine, BUT!" He is absolutely right. There cannot be a 'BUT' at the end of this sentence. Freedom of speech should be all pervasive. Which means books should not be banned, newspapers should not be attacked and religion should be something you practice within the confines of your own home and without the sensitivity of a pouting child. People should be able to say what they believe in. Putting boundaries to the freedom of speech is self defeating and paradoxical.

Either way the politicians need to see how they are wasting the time of the parliament with this logjam. And they should give some credit to the people here by not considering them so gullible as to get swayed by one or two speeches in parliament, which most of the country does not even watch.

The Dark(est) Knight

Jumping to #1 in the IMDB top 250 films of all time within 3 days of getting released is an unheard of achievement. Yet it has been managed by the recently released The Dark Knight. Being more of a psychological thriller than a superhero flick this movie presents a completely new take on the battle between Batman and his nemesis The Joker. At the end of the movie what remains with you is the mind games played by The Joker and the moral dilemma faced by both Harvey Dent and Batman. Heath Ledger as The Joker is the most menacing villain I have ever seen. His mannerisms, dialog delivery, ruthless attitude and a dark psychotic philosophy really make you pray for his victims. The rest of the cast is just as good but The Joker steals the show all the way. Also this is the first time I have seen a superhero movie with such an intricate plot line which actually works. The story has space for everything from action, revenge, drama, to shock value. For me it is the best superhero movie ever. Well whatever said about the movie is less. Just go and watch....

Ice Ice baby!!

Saw this somewhere online. Can't make out whether its real or morphed. Can you?

Change of Gaurd

Just finished watching the best Federer - Nadal final ever. Still can't believe it. The best possible description of it was given by the Commentator

" They don't bring out just the best in each other anymore, they bring out the Superhuman"

How true....

Lonely Root Three

Its amazing how you end up finding pieces of brilliance in the most unexpected places. Recently I had gone to see Harold and Kumar - Part 2. Expectedly it was a pure slapstick comedy (a genre which is most overdone and extremely painful to endure) but quite bearable as compared to its other contemporaries (Will Farrell, Adam Sandler fares). Anyways I never had a lot of hopes from this movie. But in the climax an innovative piece of poetry made it all worth the time I spent watching the rest of it. Here it is for all those who have not seen the movie, enjoy...

I’m sure that I will always be
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
with just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun, as 1.7321
Such is my reality, a sad irrationality

When hark! What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued
Your love for me has been renewed

Of Resolutions and Inspirations

Lately I have been in possibly the biggest rut of my life. And whenever I find myself in this situation I have a very typical way of getting out of it. I will make unrealistic resolutions and pursue them with a lot of passion for about as much time as it requires for me to stumble upon something else I find interesting...which is not very long mind you. Suddenly my passion for my earlier pursuit is substituted by a very distinct sense of disinterest and the new one posseses me completely (I wish I had the same attitude towards girls). I have gone through phases of trying out swimming, percussion, singing (my close friends will differ on whether I have moved on from this one though), astronomy, the regular culprits like stamp and coin collections, painting cartoons, reading, football, and very recently snooker, bowling, beer, rifle shooting and keyboard.

That first rush of learning something new is actually what drives me. The thought of producing something that gives me immense pleasure and the satisfaction of doing something well enough works as my inspiration to attempt the impossible.

I went on a similar spree recently and one of the things that I took up was learning violin. Within the few days that I have been trying to learn this instrument I have understood that I am going to have a tough time. Needless to say that I really suck at it at least right now. Every time I practice my arms hurt, I get frustrated at the fact that I cannot get the simplest of notes right. The instrument makes noises that can at best be described as braying (an uncanny similarity I must say). But on the other hand getting even the slightest most easiest piece right gives me the kind of joy that I have not experienced in a long time. And that I think, is the key towards persisting with a certain activity. Every time I hear the Bombay theme, The Godfather theme, a symphony it makes me want to achieve that sound, that feel and that skill. Given the fact that I have taken up probably the most difficult instrument to learn of one's own self I guess I have few very tough times ahead of me. But as they say no pain no gain.

So I hope I sustain this enthusiasm and I can inspire some of you to take up something you never thought you would.

Till my next big pursuit...