Of Magic ... not again

Why is it that people always expect magic again and again. The same thing happened to Bilbo Baggins of the Shire in "Hobbit". He helped the dwarves on one occasion, it then becomes his responsibily to do so thereafter. Once you help someone you are expected to do the same again and again. That is what you called raising your own standards. Is this the same as "cutting your own legs?". Maybe or may not be.

Well, coming to the point of cutting your own legs, Manipur has outdone many such things. How can you expect the students from this state to compete with the other students in the country when the schools are forced to close for more than a month. What would be its adverse affect?

PS:

Had an off day at office yesterday due to failure in a link connecting the customer's site. Sometimes an unplanned holiday is relished with utmost joy. I remember those numerous occasion when the school has to be closed for those many reasons (read strikes and Bandhs). We were children then.

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Blowing in the wind

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Ps:- Love this song by Bob Dylan.Wonderful lyrics. This song can be relate
to the endless sufferings and cries of the people that echoes all over my
birth-place "Manipur".
How many such incidents will it take for the Govt. to put a halt.
The answer is of course blowing in the wind.

BLOWING IN THE WIN...

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Of this and that

Would like to list few movies that I saw recently :-

1. Inglourious Basterds : The misspelling in the title is the Quentin Tarantino's way of saying things in his own way. Based on the World War II, its again another movie depicting plots to assassinate Hitler. And this time surprisingly the plan is executed with success. Brad Pitt is the only thing that I could remember after watching the movie.Still watchable.

2. Grave of the Fireflies: A really touching Japanese movie based on the story of two siblings - Setsuko and Seita during the World War II. The movie depicts the pain and ordeals faced by the people during that period. But the most touching being the relationship between the two siblings. One of the best anti-war movie ever made I would say.

3. Children of Heaven: Another touching movie on the two children- brother Ali and sister Zahra. Its an Iranian movie which depicts the tender relationship between the siblings when Ali accidentally lost Zahra's sneakers. Then follows the hardship and adventures to cope up the loss which includes sharing Ali's shoe together. Hiding from their parents about the loss and finally Ali participating in a race so that he can win a pair of shoes for Zahra. One of the best CHildren movie ever seen.

PS:
Down with flu(hope its the common flu), so took off from office for the first time in this calender year. I don't want any of my colleague grinning with suspicion whenever I sneeze. The thing is that too much information is sometimes dangerous. I googled "swine flu symptoms" and clicked the first page hit. It listed the all those symptoms that I am suffering from. So I just closed the page and start listening to my favourite play list.

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Of Manipur : the killing field of the East

This article was published in yesterday's Hindu edition. As a manipuri, I can very clearly understand what the article wanted to convey. Its very common that some serious thing happening in this eastern part of the country does go unnoticed.When the whole media is busy gathering on the Swine flu victims toll, there is this state where unconditional curfew has been imposed for more than two weeks hitting the very normalcy of the people.
SRK's detention at the Newark airport occupied the front page for few days in all major news channels and news paper. When the multiplexes and public places were halt down for a day in Mumbai due to fear of the Swine flu spread, it gathered news. But what about this eastern state being forced to shut down everything for more than 3 weeks. No one seems to bother what is happening in this tiny state. The news channels would rather telecast some cheap reality shows just for the TRPs they generate. This is not new to the manipuris and the people there. . What should the people of manipur do to gain the attention of the Government and the media?? This time its the killing of a "suspect" in a pharmacy and the death of a pregnant woman during the chase (this is what the police claims).Ask a child studying in a 5th standard, he would convincingly tell you the truth without blinking an eye. This kind of incident is not new. Its only that a local photographer happen to capture the incident in his lens.Otherwise it would go as another incident and go off as usual.
But the demand is not new. The people are protesting against the AFSPA(Armed Forces special Power Act)that is being imposed in the valley. There has been countless incidents of killing innocents in cold blood by the so called security forces. It is really heartening to find that the numbers of civilians that is being killed in the past 10 years outnumbered the underground activist and the security personnel. And this is a plain fact.
Every now and then the violence in the state erupts for one reason or another. And the Government knew that it will subside by applying plain brute force such as curfew and firing tear gases and the lathi charges. This is the cycle that is happening.
And in the midst of these, its the whole young generation that is suffering. The schools are being shut down. How can you expect them to compete with the rest of the country when the students are not allowed to study in freedom. Its a problem will surely grow out of proportion if remain unaddressed. And its the Central Government in whose hands the future of this state lies.

PS:-
People says its like a lottery in Manipur. Everyday people get killed . They say you are alive because you are lucky.

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3 yrs completed in Chennai

Honestly, I never thought I would be staying this long in Chennai. When I moved in , I thought I would hardly stay for a year. But then things are unpredictable and they just happen and its been 3 years of stay here in Chennai.
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Watched the movie "Into the wild". Its altogether a different movie. Its based on a real life story of Christopher McCandless. Its about leaving everything behind and going to the nature's arm. Some quotes are really touching especially this one "I read somewhere... how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong... but to feel strong. " Still thinking if it is really possible to leave everything behind and trying to live in the wild on your own. But then another quote "The core of mans' spirit comes from new experiences" just leave me wondering.
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PS:-
Its not that it happened the first time, its just that it happened to Shah Rukh Khan. It just happen that the Immigrant Officer didn't knew Shah Rukh Khan. It just happen that his name is Khan.

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Of Love these (and those) days

I have not been watching any new Bollywood movies recently, the last one being (Bachna ae Haseenon). Yesterday watched "Love Aaj Kal" without (carrying) any expectations.

I don't know how to chew on this movie "Love Aaj Kal". Literally it means "Love these days".But the movie tried to portray "Love those days" too. So an apt title should have been "Love aaj aur Kal". News says it has broken all the records these year surpassing "Ghajini". Sometimes, you don't have to try too hard to get a hit.

And about the actors, Saif has done well. But we have seen him in similar avatars earlier (in Hum-Tum) playing a care free lad (read khula shaand). Then his role as the young sardar who is very serious in love too fits quite well. About Deepika, some people say she is good at keeping mum. As soon as she utters, all the charms fumes out. Her voice is not that ear friendly but anyways I'm always a fan of hers. And there was this lady Harleen Kaur. Just came to know that she is not an Indian but a Brazillian model Giselle Monteiro. She was here and there, but nowhere in the movie :)

And about the songs in the movie, I don't remember any :). Maybe I need to listen them again and again to appreciate it. So on a whole, its a movie you can still watch.


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PS:
Once you do a magic, you are expected to do it everytime. Sometimes expectations become a burden.

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"All that is gold does not glitter"

Started reading "The LOTR" again. This time its the Strider whose character inspires me. Although Frodo and Gandalf have been my favourite but the Strider a.k.a Aragorn has the guts in him. He is the one who went to the mountain of death and convinced those who have abondoned. Neither does he panic in the times of peril. It was he who challenged the indominable army of Orcs at the Black Gate to divert the attention of Sauron so that Frodo and Sam can reach the mountain of doom to melt the One Ring.

Rightly, Gandalf had wriiten about him the following lines :-

"All that is gold does not glitter,
not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither,
deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
a light from the shadows shall spring;
renewed shall be blade that was broken,
the crownless again shall be king.”

-JRR Tolkien, LOTR

PS:
Some people are just like Aragorn. They remain quite and show their true qualities at difficult times. Lets hope that Michael Schumacher will hit the F1 track again like a champion. All the very best.

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