The Garfield Evolution

[The left panel is taken from a 1980 strip; the right is from a 1990 strip.]

Was reading about Garfield on Wiki. They speak about how the Garfield appearance changed over years, as is seen in the panels above. The description given is - "...The appearance of Garfield was probably the most notable; he underwent a "Darwinian evolution" in which he began walking on his hind legs, "slimmed down", and "stopped looking [...] through squinty little eyes".

Why does it sound similar to my evolution? :P

Math-e-magic :)

Got these links - link 1 and link 2 - from the blog "The futility closet" Truly awesome :)

Ambedkar Aur Gandhi

Read the synopsis of a play that is going to stage tomorrow evening at Ranga Shankara. It's a Hindi play called Ambedkar Aur Gandhi .

This is the synopsis of the play as they give it :

The play brings to us the long drawn debate between Gandhi and Ambedkar. Though both worked towards the upliftment of the so called backward community their methods were as different as chalk and cheese. Apart from concentrating on the correspondence between Gandhi and Ambedkar that led to the Poona pact, the playwright underlines the benefits that Ambedkar’s proposals will bring to the lower castes and Gandhiji’s concerns regarding the removal of division between the upper and lower caste Hindus.

I would go with Gandhi's view, than Ambedkar's. 'Cause all the reservations and the so-called efforts to 'uplift' the 'backward' class, have only increased the divide. While these methods don't really help the people in rural area, where the discrimination actually happens; in the urban areas, in minds of the student community, it has only created an anti-reservation attitude, to the point where the quota candidates are looked down upon, as intellectually inferior, having gotten in only on basis of their caste. How does this even help remove the barriers of caste system?? How I wish the Indian Constitution acted on the ideals of Gandhiji, instead of those of Ambedkar!! [Difficult, when the latter wrote the Constitution!] The concern should be to eliminate caste system, and how can we achieve that when every damn application form in the country asks you to state your religion and caste?

The Basterds and the Nobel

I thought I won't start of by speaking about the Nobel - which is what I seem to be doing since yesterday. But, couldn't resist myself from commenting on this idiotic ass-licking that the Nobel committee seems to be doing. A great man, who united the masses and fought a 'war' of independence by non-violent methods apparently didn't deserve the Nobel but a guy who had barely been in office for 2 weeks when the nominations were filed, and who - so far - has only made promises - was given the Nobel !! Apparently, in Stockholm, words speak louder than actions.

Anyway, watched the Inglourious Basterds recently. Ultimate paisa vasool movie. Been a long time since I enjoyed a movie so much. Had been to Quick Gun Murugan with NiNa, hoping to have a jolly laugh - was a huge disappoinment. Went to see the Basterds without too many expectations - but was pleasantly surprised! I did like Kill Bill [after all, isn't it thrilling to pluck an eye out and smash it under your foot!] but this movie had more than just beautiful action, violence and gore !! And, got to hear some French after a long time and realised I still remembered some - could comprehend a lot more than 'oui', 'non', 'merci' :)

Finished catching up on House MD season 6 , HIMYM and BBT - all episodes so far. Waiting eagerly for the fresh ones.

Must say I have made full utilisation of my boss's absence !!

The Lost Symbol

Picked up Dan Brown's latest from the Papyrus desk yesterday. Read about 50 pages. So far no one has died a gruesome death, nor has any ancient mystic secret been revealed - though, a person has gotten initiated into a secret society :D It stars his all-time favourite hero Langdon, but no cute attractive, slim-trim-beautiful lady on the scene as yet.

The book has not been impressive this far, made evident by the fact that I didn't stay up all night to read it :) , but let's see how the plot proceeds :)

Apart from this, read a few Matthew Reillys recently. 'Contest', his first novel, was strictly OK , the plot making it obvious why no publisher wanted to publish it and why Matt Reilly himself had to put in funds to print the first 1000 prints :D . "Ice Station" was humongous - a whopping 700 pg novel. But, it was good. The plot was gripping, the twists nice - it was like reading an action movie :) "Hell's island" was pathetic - I thought it was utterly crappy, and got published or read only beacuase it was in an omnibus version with "Ice Station"; till I read online that it was a novella written for people with reading disablities. Now, I think both the novel and the idea are utterly crappy :P Why would reading about a mutant genetically engineered gorrilla race, built for the kill, encourage anyone to read any more??? Blood-thristy Gorrillas tooting M-4 Colts, controlled by radio waves transmitted to a chip implanted in their brains - not exactly my idea of nice English literature!!!

Anyway, looking for a really good book to read - something as nice as "To kill a mocking bird". Any suggestions?

Women's secrets :)

Went lingerie shopping with old friends on Friday, at a lovely store on Brigade road. Was observing all the women who'd come to shop. Most of them did not fit into the mold of Victoria's Secrets models :) Some were fat, some skinny, some fair, some dark, some plain, rest- plain ugly! But, yet, as they looked at the lingerie, one could see the transformation happen. I realised lacy lingerie was not just meant to make one look sexy, it made one feel sexy, made one feel desirable and did great wonders to one's self image!! And, I realised one need not be size zero to look wow, one could even be shape zero, yet feel wow... and, a woman confident about her looks is any day more sexy and more alluring than a woman who is anorexic and insecure. Beauty comes from within, truly ;)

Would you capture it or just let it slip?

Two years before, on this day I faced a question. A question like none that I had faced in any interview, one that was both exhilarating and unnerving, one that would just blow me off my feet and turn my world upside down. I had my own sweet time to answer the question - and the time sure was sweet!! :) I had my one shot, my one opportunity..... To seize everything I ever wanted in one moment - I took my chance, seized the moment... and, must say, life has turned out to be very beautiful indeed!!