Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Subtle...

Tum the, ya khushboo hawaaon mein thi
Tum the, ya rang saari dishaaon mein the
Tum the, ya roshni raahon mein thi
Tum the, ya geet goonje fizaaon mein the
Tum the mile, ya mili thi manzilein
Tum the, ke tha jaadoo bhara koi sama

Do pal ruka, khwaabon ka kaarvaan

Aur phir chal diye, tum kahaan, ham kahaan......

Monday, July 30, 2007

Moving to Springfield!
I'm Simpsonized! :-) That's what I would look like in the jaundiced world of Moe and Mr. Burns. Try your own picture out at www.simpsonizeme.com. Its a Burger King web plug - nicely done. Would recommend you try close up pictures with as little background noise as possible.
I would probably be the Town Drunk. In Simpsons land, one would probably be the witty, wine-smelling, womanizer with a know-it-all air that pushes Reverend Lovejoy to elope with Ned Flander's wife to a world outside Springfield.
I see yellow people...

Caught Matt Groening on the Daily Show, who claimed that the Simpsons Movie took 3-and-a-half years to make. 2 of those years were, of course, spent on coming up with the title.

But as much as one would feel that your laugh-ability for anything that features the Simpsons clan would not be able to exceed 30 minutes, one was wrong. The Simpsons Movie was a revelation. Exceedingly funny at times, it has people rolling in the aisles with laughter. Of course, it had the capability of showing a lot of things that they couldn't show on television - such as Homer 'flipping a bird'.

On your way home, you can't help but hum "Spiderpig, Spiderpig. Does whatever a Spiderpig does. Can he swing from a web? No he can't. He's a pig".

This paves the way for "Family Guy: The Movie". Please, oh, please! As Stewie would say, "How wonderful! Can you imagine?"

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Pearls of Wisdom...

.. from Last Comic Standing:

"America is a small town-country. Its all about the small towns. Why do you think its red, white and blue? Redneck, White Trash and Blue Collar...."

High-larious

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Live Earth - Crowd Shot!

80,000 people! Wow, this was one helluva day! That's John Mayer doing the now-ridiculously-popular "Waiting on the World to Change"!


Keep that shirt on!!!

Salman Khan's new venture, Marigold, has its music out for listening, on Smashits. The song that really stands out is "Yeh Pyaar Kya Hai" by Shaan - the opening notes bear a striking resemblance to Bryan Adam's Summer of '69 - the format of the song, too. Catch it if you can.

In other news, was watching the CNN-You Tube Democratic Debates - with Anderson Cooper doing a fine job of moderating. You know what's interesting about these debates? Now, these are a group of finely educated, well-groomed, finished adults, who are supposed to be idolized by millions around the country, as future leaders of this glorious nation. Then, why, pray tell, can they NOT answer a single question straight? Masters of spin, they. They convert any question into a campaign plug. I mean, it wentsomething like this.

Anderson: Are the troops not coming back from Iraq, a part of the Republican's spin machine?
A: When I am President, Anderson, it will be my opening initiative to ensure that the troops come back to the US safely and as soon as possible.

Anderson (wishing he did a shot of Cuervo before the debate): Senator, I believe the question was whether the troops.....
A: I believe the question should be whether any of my worthy opponents would be capable of executing a successful exit strategy by March 2008.

Anderson: *sigh*

Hilarious.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

And for the last time....

To my Faux Angrez peeps... its "I will appreciate IT!" ... NOT "I will appreciate"....

"I will appreciate if you will call me back", it seems. I will appreciate??? What are you?? A structured note going up in value in a bullish market? Where'd the IT go? Grrr!

Yes, and I spell it "wierd". So we're even, world.

Peace out.
RW Hit list so far

21 Club, Megu, Lupa, Le Cirque, Jojo and Nougatine. All recommended!

And counting :-)
Take that skirt off, so we can smoke it!

Many a time, we end up saying certain things in post 2 AM, wierd, almost acidtrip-like conversations, which makes us think in sheer amazement as to whether there has been, is, or will be anyone who has uttered this very sequence of words. Will wonders ever cease?

In other news, just started with Kiran Desai's Inheritance of Loss today. I know I'm a bit late to get on to this boat, but I'm so glad I got a seat. Visual artistry in her words.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Yes! Finally!

Its not Christmas! Its not Kwanzaa! Its ... ITS .. RESTAURANT WEEK!

10 days that let you experience the best, classiest and most "usually-out-of-reach" restaurants, at affordable prix-fixes. The past few years, this has been some of the best ways to experience the best that the city has to offer, in terms of food, ambiance, decor and views.

And after much research, reviews and planning, here are my top picks for Restaurant Week 2007:
Le Cirque
Megu
Del Posto
21 Club
Lupa
Mercer Kitchen
One if by Land Two if by Sea
Gramercy Tavern
Eleven Madison Park

Also, the three classics - Vong, Spice Market and Nobu.

Detailed reviews at the end of the week!

Beastly Beelzebubs, Batman!

Wow! This would have done wonders for HIV-AIDS and safe sex campaigns back in the '80s, if only just marketed well. :-)

Can cut the corniness with a knife!! "Don't be shame, be game"??????? That's just wrong!
When its over, its over

True that!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Monday'n (pronounced: mundane)

Hate that Monday morning work feeling.

But, memories of an incredible Saturday does let the medicine go down easier.

Ah, Live Earth. 07/07/07. 7 hours of heat, music and energy. If there ever was singeing testimony of the existence of Global Warming, it would have to be the near-100 degree weather, that day. And, probably the only down-side to having *cough* dead-center floor seats (notice how I slipped that in there? subtle, no?).

Gotta admit it. Al Gore certainly knows how to throw a rockin' party.

Highlights of the evening (and do catch these on YouTube, if you can):

(1) KT Tunstall's loop-machine usage on "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" - amazing to see this live.
(2) John Mayer's extended and passionate guitar solo on his new song, Gravity - this was really sick!
(3) Alicia Keys and Keith Urban doing Rolling Stones', "Gimme Shelter", together!
(4) Two words: Petra Nemcova.
(5) Kanye West's violin crew!
(6) Akon getting carried around through the crowd, while singing an upbeat Save Senegal-type track.
(7) Zach Braff finally giving Giants Stadium the recognition of being in the 'lovely state of New Jersey', much to the crowd's appreciation.
(8) "Elegant in black" Petra Nemcova forgetting her lines, and then saying "Sorry, I'm a model, I have just one brain cell" - classic! kudos to her publicist, who has clearly trained her well.
(9) Alicia Keys rendition of Marvin Gaye's Mercy, Mercy Me and best of all, her unplugged piano solo - "If I Ain't Got You" - the way she excitedly jumps on the piano chair, as the song reaches its crescendo - god, how adorable; she's still a child, but with the voice of heaven.
(10) Bon Jovi - kicking it up a notch and raising the bar of the night, with Living on a Prayer, Dead or Alive, Who Say's You Can't Go Home (with an additional reprise and a spirited new ending) and Its My Life! - What a set!!!

In other news, angry-dyke Melissa Etheridge needed a tranquilizer shot (Jane "Gorillas in the Mist" Goodall was one of the announcers, and should have done the honors!) as she ranted, raved and spewed much venom at our world and how we live it, in the middle of her Oscar-Winning song, for nearly 45-minutes, as her weary band-members plotted to kill her. And funnily, as Al Gore spoke on about his cause, a small airplane hovered over the stadium, dragging a sign saying "Don't Believe Gore! DemandDebate.com". Freedom of speech at its loftiest elevation, is it not?

Although the undercurrent (or rather, overcurrent) of Global Warming and its impacts were lectured and dinned into the audience, in an almost madrasa-like fashion, it did become apparent that a lot of Kevin Wall's Alliance's future depended on the messaging of these events. Although, the theme was more about the solutions, one feels that Live Earth was more about the awareness.

What I mean is, you can't expect people to exchange their Hummers for Hybrids, the day after the concert. But the messaging that the planet is in peril, and its future significantly endangered, was successfully conveyed to the people who witnessed these concerts live, and on television, and brought the issues slightly closer to the foreground of their perception. Not quite as close to the front as blazing concerns like taxes and Petra Nemcova (who sizzled), but prominent enough in their psyche, for them to act when the time is right, when the opportunity does arise for them to make a difference to their lives, and the lives of others. Of course, this is to be done by repeat visibility and even more solution/awareness-building, which is beyond events and parties, and goes right to the homes, backyards, automobile engines and offices of the people.

Clearly, its not a simple task. But if there ever was a commencement bash for a mammoth movement like this, Live Earth fits the bill to a T.

But as Bob Geldof's perception of several superconcerts like this in the past, which came, impacted and went, goes - "Its just a crazy, huge rock concert, that's what it is".

And that's exactly what it was.

One heck of a party.













Eat this, Mastercard!


For the visually impaired, that's :
Homemade T-shirts - $30
Car Tolls + Parking - $90
Live Earth Tix - $360
Bon Jovi and Kelly Clarkson in 1 Night - Priceless!
Snippets










Monday, July 09, 2007

Summer in Manipal

Began as a student amateur video, and developed into an advertisement reel for the Manipal Medical College. Its done really well - and I love the way they've desi-fied Summer of '69.

Really makes you miss/reminisce college life in India.

Sunday, July 08, 2007



Unreal

Live music!
Live performance!
Live energy!
Live Earth

Pictures and a detailed review coming soon, but the experience was far too phenomenal for words.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

LIVE EARTH!

Yes! Yes! I'm going for it! Looking forward to it like crazy!

Friday, July 06, 2007

What is wrong with this statement?

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- In the place where Dreams Come True, more than 1,000 immigrants from dozens of countries will realize their dream of becoming United States citizens during a Naturalization ceremony on the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World Resort. The ceremony will be presided over by Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Emilio Gonzalez.

Emilio ..... Gonzales???? Head of the ... (gulp) ... USCIS??? Boy, can you imagine the pressure on this muchacho?

In other news ... people, saw Angelina Jolie on The Daily Show. It is illegal to be this unbearably beautiful, phenomenally talented and piercingly brilliant! Talk about a coup. She IS beauty and brains .. she absolutely defines it. I quote Jon Stewart - "Can the burqah contain your hotness?"

Song of the Moment: Bol Na Halke Halke (OST - Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Mahalaxmi Iyer, Music: Shankar/Ehsaan/Loy) - Rahat's songs in Hindi films just get better and better - especially 'cause he adds so much of his own element to the song, musically and vocally. Each one of his songs, right from Paap and Kalyug, to Omkara and Namastey London, has been a brilliant balance of catchiness through a hook melody, and some great singing.

Tracked a killer mix of the Bacardi Mojito song, the song from that ad that just makes you wanna grind some mint, and sip a cold one. (No, its not a song. The loop was produced specifically for the commercial, and is referred to as 'The Muddle'). Check out the original, here, and the remix, here.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Spring'er up!

Someone please explain to me what exactly it is that Jerry Springer DOES on America's Got Talent???
Purposefully Obfuscatory

... in an effort to not just boggle the mind, but simulate a dream-like fantasy, and in the process, tell a story. There was S. Dali for the world of art. There's D. Lynch for the world of motion pictures. Just watched "Lost Highway", and am rediscovering the world of disconnected film-making, and starting to appreciate it a lot more than when I discovered Mulholland.

These films are so much more raw, and before this realm was commercialized and prettily packaged by films like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Nay, I wouldn't really refer to it as the same realm even.

BTW, I've discovered that watching Mulholland, Doors and Lost Highway back-to-back over three days is very crystal-meth. I see colors. And there are ninjas on the lawn trying to kill us all. And I'm using words like "Nay!". What am I? a horse? Jeez.

In other news, I'm hitting up the Accomplice adventure, this weekend. I even got my anonymous phone call, giving me the location of the secret rendezvous point. Ooh! International mystery and intrigue, here I come.