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Interactive Outdoor Projection
CLIENT: Jameson Irish Whiskey
ON Media Group, utilizing its ON Wall Advertising product, and in partnership with City Eventions, executes a six market, six night Interactive Outdoor Projection campaign for Jameson Irish Whiskey.
The campaign ran throughout December (2008) in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis and Boston.
OBJECTIVE: To generate multiple exposures for the brand in different executions in select neighborhoods. A broader array of narrowly focused locations. Use of non traditional media that plays into the brand's discovery mode. Multiplicity is key, create a following with a sense of intimacy (not mass)
SOLUTION: Create an interactive flash program for the creation of real time messages intended for passer-bys via outdoor projections in six major markets(New York, LA, Chicago, Denver, Boston, and Minneapolis) for two weeks simultaneously. Led a 40 man production and execution team.
RESULT: Campaign received favorable trade press in Ad Age and won a 2009 CLIO award in the billboard category.


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This poem is based on a true personal problem that a friend of mine had. I hope it gave some small relief to what must be a common relationship issue. So to anyone out there with this sort of issue, remember you are not alone and there is no need to feel as though you are a failure or in any way inadequate. You are not the first and you will not be the last.
Submitted:Oct 28, 2007 Reads: 134 Comments: 4 Likes: 3
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Other writing by Brian Peza Perrins A glorious morn Because? Before it's too late Mom Always near Black Country Times - part 1 Bless this day
Poetry, Love, Poem, Life, Death, Pain, Sad, About, Heart, Depression, Hurt, Romance, Hope, Sadness, Hate, Dark, Loss, Lost, My, Girl, God, You, Alone, Suicide, Broken, Fear, Me, Time, Nature, Friends, Friendship, Family, Dreams, Tears, Anger

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Project preserves, digitizes maps of thousands of mines
Federal and state mining officials who hope to one day have "every acre of coal-mining country" covered by reliable maps said a $200,000 project in Pittsburgh is helping to bring them closer to that goal.
More than 8,000 maps, some dating to the 1800s, are being preserved and digitized for uploading to the Internet through a collaboration between Cecil-based Consol Energy Inc., the state Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining.
Public safety is a key aspect of the project, officials said.
"Quecreek raised our awareness of the need for historical maps," said William S. Plassio, district mining manager for the DEP.
Nine miners were trapped July 24, 2002, in the Quecreek Mine in Somerset County when they breached the abandoned Saxman mine and flooded the tunnel they were working in. All nine miners were rescued after 77 hours.
The miners relied on inaccurate maps that showed them to be 300 feet from the Saxman mine.
Some mine maps have been lost; others, forgotten, Plassio said. Private collectors hold some.
"Our goal is to put as many as we can on the Web," he said.
The oldest map in the collection is of Penn Borough in Westmoreland County in 1861, said Jeanann Haas, head of preservation and special collections.
Miners aren't the only people interested in the maps, said Rush Miller, university librarian and director of the University of Pittsburgh's library system.
Engineers building the Mon-Fayette Expressway consulted the maps, as have home builders.
"They are absolutely a treasure," Miller said.
Library archivists are restoring the maps, some of which haven't been unrolled in a century, through a tedious process that includes wiping years of coal dust away by hand with a sponge, humidifying and flattening. They are then transported to the Office of Surface Mining in Green Tree, where they are scanned and then returned to the library for storage.
The maps are a testament to the draftsmen who created them, said James A. McCaffrey, a senior vice president at Consol.
"They are more than just industrial material -- they are works of art," he said.
Consol pledged $100,000 to the project. DEP is providing $75,000 and the Office of Surface Mining, $25,000.
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Churchill a neo-con (Jacob Heilbrunn, Book Review, Feb 27, page 27)? I don't think so.
He famously once said "jaw-jaw is better than war-war!" A proposition decisively rejected by the neo-cons.
He also served in the Liberal Government of the early 1900's that introduced Old Age Pensions and Unemployment Insurance and Labor Exchanges -- all anathema to today's neo-cons.Link to New York Times


text:
Make your juice fresh with the Waring BJ120C electric bar juicer and give your customers the quality they've come to expect. Great for easily creating large amounts of pure, healthy juice from any citrus fruit in a short amount of time! Equipped with a universal reamer, the Waring BJ120C can extract juice from the smallest lemon to the largest grapefruit. A 1 liter serving container is included, so there's no wait from the time you start juicing to the time your customers start enjoying their beverage. The compact design and easy-to-use ON/OFF toggle switch make this juicer an excellent addition to any hotel, hospital, restaurant, or bar.
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text: Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images [ Bob Bradley Fired By Scott Prather July 29, 2011 For many U.S. soccer fans, the announcement yesterday that coach Bob Bradley was dismissed as the U.S. men's coach was no surprise. The news of his firing comes a little more than a month after the U.S.'s 4-2 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final. Read More|Comment Category: National Sports Tags: bob bradley, gold cup, mexico, soccer, sunil gulati, u.s. soccer, world cup Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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NEW JOB AD! Street Fundraiser – Greenpeace - £9/hour Guaranteed – Full time - Leeds
£9/hour basic wage plus bonus. Full time hours – 35 hours/week. Approaching people on high streets in your area. Raising awareness and funding for environmental organisation, Greenpeace. The Role • The purpose of the role is to raise money for
- Temporary


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Edward Marc Brands Named to Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000
Our company is honored to have made Inc. Magazine's annual list of the the fastest-growing private U.S. companies at number 769.
With a growth rate of 588 percent, our company ranks 29th in the Food & Beverage category, 17th in Pennsylvania, and 2nd overall in the Pittsburgh metro area.
Thank you for five wonderful years-Pentagon store closing Jan. 29th
Valued patrons,
As some of you may have heard, after a wonderful five-years of contributing to daily life at the Pentagon, Edward Marc is making the difficult decision to close the store effective January 29, 2015. Please note that all Sweet Rewards program points must be redeemed before January 29, 2015.
The Edwards family and the entire Edward Marc team wishes to express our deepest gratitude and humility for the opportunity to serve you. We have been fortunate to be a part of you and your families' lives during the holidays or just your afternoon chocolate cravings. Supporting you, our military community, has truly been an honor.
While Edward Marc will no longer have a physical presence within the Pentagon, our salted caramels, Terrapins, and other seasonal products can still be shipped to your homes via online orders from www.edwardmarc.com.
Additionally, we hope that you will continue to follow Edward Marc's chocolate success story as we focus on our youngest brand, Snappers™. Snappers™ is a pretzel, caramel, and chocolate snack that is available at a retailer near you. For more information on product availability, please like Snappers on Facebook and follow Snappers on Twitter.
We appreciate your service and the work that you do for our country, and we look forward to serving you in the future.
With humble regards,
The Edwards Family and the Edward Marc Team
National Confectioners Association
Salty, Sweet Snappers Snacks Hit Mass Markethttp://2014.candyandsnacktoday.com/CST/ProductSpotlight.shtml
Candy Industry Magazine
State grants to help with $2.5-million investment, which will create a 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and 51 new jobs.http://www.candyindustry.com/articles/86479-edward-marc-brands-to-expand
Office of the Governor Press Release
#MakeItInPA: Governor Corbett Announces Food Manufacturer Edward Marc Brands to Expand and Create 51 New Jobs in Allegheny Countyhttp://www.pa.gov
Pittsburgh Business Times
South Side chocolate maker to start Lawrenceville manufacturing facility.http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2014/10/21/south-side-chocolate-maker-to-start-lawrenceville.html?page=2
Eating Edward Marc Chocolatier
This Halloween, indulge in treats that will do the trick! Try the brand's special sweets, from chocolate pops to dipped Oreo cookies with adorable, festive, candied decals.
Bridal Guide
Confection Perfection
Make your wedding even sweeter with artisanal chocolate treats.
Wedding invitations by Edward Marc Chocolatier.
People Magazine
For the Foodie
Pecan Cranberry Terrapins from Edward Marc
Every Day with Rachel Ray
Party Favors
There's no debate here: These election-themed edibles made politics a little easier to swallow.
On The House - Dessert is officially in session! Sink your teeth into lollipop replicas of the U.S. Capitol, cast in dark and milk chocolate.
OK! Weekly
Shop Pink!
Pink Salted Caramel Apples, Edward Marc Chocolatier, $15 for set of 3; edwardmarc.com. 100% of proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
ELLE Magazine
Glamping Shopping List for Camping
Edward Marc Chocolatier Chocolate-Covered S'mores, $4.50 each; edwardmarc.com
Good Housekeeping
Milkshakes and Meals
This week we took The Milkshake Factory's advice and paired milkshakes with meals. Turns out shakes aren't just good for an afternoon snack or after-the-movie treat! Here in the Good Housekeeping Research Institute we were pleasantly surprised to discover how well they complement more than a burger and fries.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh's Milk Shake Factory shakes things up
Like everything else, shakes no longer come in just vanilla and other simple flavors.
At The Milk Shake Factory on the South Side, which aspires to not only local but also national fame for its shakes, you can choose from at least 55 flavors, including Dulce de Leche and Red Velvet.
On its menu, chocolate and vanilla get the words "classic" put in front of them. If you want to live in the now, try ordering a Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate Blueberry, or Peanut Butter and Jelly -- the last being one that was recently made permanent by customer voting via social media.
Martha Stewart Real Weddings
Assorted treats were passed amond the dinner tables.
Statue of Liberty squares by Edward Marc Chocolatier
Chocolate nonpariels by Edward Marc Chocolatier
Washingtonian Bride & Groom
Edward Marc Chocolatier White Chocolate Capitol Dome featured and photographed in "Editor's Letter," Summer/Fall 2012 issue
US Weekly
Mommy Must-Haves
Katie Holmes, 33, rewards Suri, 6, with Edward Marc Chocolatier's candy-topped pops. ($2.50, edwardmarc.com)
Anderson Cooper
Win Anderson's Mother's Day Prize Pack
The studio audience, packed with moms, left with special Mother's Day gifts from Red Door Spas, Satya Jewelry, Teleflora, Edward Marc Chocolatier and more. Now, it's time for our viewers and AndersonCooper.com fans to enter for a chance to win these special gifts for any mom!
OK! Weekly
OK! Gift Guide
Katie Holmes: These Edward Marc Chocolatees are a fave of the famous mom.
Delish Indulgence
Chocolate Pecan Terrapins
From Politics to Sweets
In the HBO film Game Change, an actor plays Chris Edwards, a staffer in the 2008 GOP campaign assigned to Sarah Palin. At the Washington premiere, Edwards rubbed shoulders with movie people and old friends from the political wars. A week or so later, he was hawking chocolate samples at Dean & DeLuca in Georgetown. It turns out Edwards's family has been in the chocolate business since 1914 with Sherman Edwards Candies, based in Pittsburgh. He and siblings Dana Manatos and Mark Edwards initially opted for political careers. All three worked for President George W. Bush, but after the Republican defeat in '08, they jumped into the family business, renaming it Edward Marc Chocolatier and repositioning it with an active website and clients such as Dean & DeLuca and Saks Fifth Avenue. They also landed a contract to be the only chocolate shop in the Pentagon, where their biggest seller is - not surprisingly - chocolate Pentagons. Here's a conversation with Chris Edwards.
US Weekly
Sweet! Jennifer Garner and Julianne Moore crave this gourmet candy.
Women's Day
Best Ideas for Christmas
Rudy Delight
Sweeten the Christmas haul with these hand-made chocolate pops.
US Weekly
Suri Cruise, 5, lost her scoops from Pittsburgh's Milk Shake Factory Oct 3
Watch the Edwards Family appear on Emeril's Table airing October 18th!
The Edwards Family will be making an appearance on the Hallmark Channel's new show hosted by the world famous Chef Emeril Lagasse. Emeril's Table will feature the Chocolatiers on October 18th at 11:00am on the Hallmark Channel.
Click the link below to preview Emeril's new show and look out for the Edwards family making their famous Cajun Chocolate Shake. Come to The Milk Shake Factory and try one today!
To check your local listing, search the channel locator at: www.marthastewart.com/marthatv
In Style Magazine
Inside the Day of Indulgence Party
After grabbing a handful of Edward Marc's salted caramels, Jennifer Garner went on the hunt for kids clothes, picking up pieces from Little Woo. Garner also found a few things for herself, including Cosabella intimates and necklaces from Lizzie Scheck.
New York Times
Chocolate Navigator
Check out the Chocolate Navigator recommended by The New York Times.
Bloomberg Businessweek
Stumping For Chocolate
Few former Bush aides still have a foothold in the Pentagon, but Christian Edwards and his sister, Dana Manatos—both of whom were aides for President George W. Bush—are more firmly ensconced there than ever. This time, as chocolatiers.
The Washington Post
Edward Marc Chocolates, based in Pittsburgh, have been crafted since 1914, but the company just opened a shop in the Pentagon concourse (at the Metro entrance) in February. Its pecan caramel terrapins are made with fat Texas nuts and are some of the best turtle confections we've tried. Covered in milk or dark chocolate: 12-ounce box, $20; 20-ounce box, $30. Call 877-488-1808 to order, or go to www.edwardmarc.com.
Source: The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com)
Pittsburgh Magazine's 40 Under 40
Mark Edwards named to the Pittsburgh's 40 Under 40 list.http://40under40pittsburgh.org/?cat=3
Capitol File Magazine
A Sweet Deal
Christian Edwards can tell you the exact page in Sarah Palin's book where she mentions his peanut butter meltaways.
As Palin's deputy chief of staff, he stocked the candidate's plane with chocolate from his family's company, Edward Marc Chocolatier. "Knowing that Governor Palin felt better after a long day just by eating our chocolate was very rewarding," says Edwards.
He and his sister, Dana Edwards Manatos (she's married to Tom Manatos, an advisor to Nancy Pelosi), are fourth-generation chocolate makers who run the company from a chic townhouse in DC's West End. Their brother Mark is the CFO and oversees manufacturing in Pittsburgh.
Inside Weddings
Bridal Sweet
Edward Marc Chocolatier offers amazing customized products for weddings. Menus printed on rich slabs of milk, dark, or white chocolate are a delicious twist on the traditional tabletop staple, while medallions with custom monograms can add a sweet touch to cakes, favor boxes, or napkins. In addition to providing unique and delicious accouterments for your big day, Edward Marc will also give 20% of the purchase to your choice of eligible charitable organizations through their One Sweet Gesture Program. Call for lead times and pricing on personalized chocolates; edwardmarc.com, 412.488.1808.
Last Minute Mother's Day Frenzy at The Pentagon
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is the epicenter of our nation's military and a hub of activity. An estimated 25,000 people work at this largest low-rise office building in the country.
It is also home to more than a dozen shops located in the Pentagon concourse.
The 96-year-old family-owned Edward Marc Chocolatier and Conklyn's Flowers were packed with people Friday, making last minute Mother's Day gift purchases. Both stores report high traffic and huge sales for the Mother's Day holiday.
NBC Miami
Make A Marc
KOOKY FOR COCOA: Get on mom's sweet side with a box of Edward Marc chocolates. The 95-year-old, family-owned company has box sets made especially for Mother's Day. The Pearl Tower is a 32-piece gourmet assortment of chocolate truffles and roasted almond bark, while the Chocolate Indulgence will bring mommy a year's worth of all kinds of chocolate treats once a month.
POLITICO Playbook
At the Pentagon today -- Edward Marc Chocolatier grand opening: The brother and sister team of Chris Edwards and Dana Edwards Manatos, both alumni of the Bush White House, expand their retail operation to D.C. with the opening of their newest chocolate shop -- inside the Pentagon. Through a competitive process, they were awarded the DOD contract in August 2009. The store serves the nearly 30,000 people who work at the Pentagon daily.http://www.politico.com/playbook/0210/playbook944.html
The Knot
Rich & Tanecia's Valentine's Day Wedding
"A Valentine's Day wedding would not be complete without a chocolate table by Edward Marc Chocolatier. Our guests were able to fill up a box with the chocolate they liked to take home." - Tanecia, bride
FOX News
Sneak Peek into Santa's Sexy Stocking
Who doesn't love chocolate? Edward Marc, the prestigious 95-year-old- Pittsburgh-based gourmet chocolatier, is delighted to announce its ongoing charitable initiative, 'One Sweet Gesture', which allows customers to contribute 20 percent of the proceeds from the purchase to the company's partner charities: the Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Children's Institute and the Wounded Warrior Project.
The Dr. Phil Show
Edward Marc Chocolatier featured on the Dr. Phil Show
Edward Marc Chocolatier was featured on the Dr. Phil show as part of the 'Holiday Surprises' episode . Iron Chef Cat Cora used Edward Marc white and dark chocolate to create her delicious desserts!
Top Sellers
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Snappers 24 oz Shop Now »
Salted Caramels 8 pc Shop Now »
Pecan Caramel Terrapins 12 oz Shop Now »
Original Pretzel Snappers 24 oz Shop Now »


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|Product #: EMC2806055_TQ
Word Play: Synonym Soiree (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 6
Ships Free!
Please Note: This ebook is a digital download, NOT a physical product. After purchase, you will be provided a one time link to download ebooks to your computer. Orders paid by PayPal require up to 8 business hours to verify payment and release electronic media. For immediate downloads, payment with credit card is required.
This Vocabulary Fundamentals activity for grade 6+ presents a one-page word play in which students identify two synonyms based on an antonym of the words and solve a coded message. Includes answer key.
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text:
Bayonetta Video Review
There's no denying that this game is absolutely nuts. But fun? That's for Ryan to decide.
Shhhhh, people are trying to watch weird internet videos.
Bayonetta Slows It Down
Witch Time! It's like bullet time... but for witches.
Bayonetta's A Cat Lady
Did you know that Bayonetta can turn into stuff? Well, she totally can.
Bayonetta Dev Diary: Dark Arts of Destruction
You will need Hideki Kamiya himself to explain what the hell is going on in this trailer.
The Weapons and Combos of Bayonetta
The things you could do with that hair!
Bayonetta Trailer: Hair and Guns
Those guns are still strapped to her feet, in case you were wondering.
Quick Look: Bayonetta Demo
Yep, that's a giant hair dragon.
Bayonetta E3 2009 Trailer
Somebody should tell that librarian to put some clothes on.
Bayonetta Trailer: The Story So Far
Snazzy, sexy action from the people at Platinum Games.
Giant Bomb at TGS Day 01
We take a quick tour of Capcom, talk to a naked Ben Judd and throw in some Bayonetta!
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Instant "Members Only" Coupon Codes Emailed NOW When You Sign Up for FREE Membership!
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Please check your email inbox for a confirmation message.
Just click the link to complete your subscription and receive your coupon codes.
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A stay at Sofitel Hamburg Alter Wall places you in the heart of Hamburg, walking distance from St. Nikolai Church and Neuer Wall. This 5-star hotel is within close proximity of St Nikolai Memorial and Bleichenhof-Passage Hamburg. Read More About Sofitel Hamburg Alter Wall
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EU Regulation of GMOs
Law and Decision Making for a New Technology
(If any tax is payable it will be calculated and shown at checkout.)
Preview (read now) Add to my own site Give this ebook to a friend Add to my wishlist Author's page Publisher's page
moreGenetically modified organisms (GMOs) are an extraordinary innovation, raising great expectations of economic prosperity and improved capacity to address pressing problems of poverty and environmental degradation, at the same time raising great concerns about the type of social and physical world they promise. Finding space in regulation to consider the full range of issues provoked by GMOs is a huge challenge. This book explores the EU's elaborate regulatory framework for GMOs, which extends far beyond the process of their authorisation (or not) for the EU market, raising issues in disparate legal disciplines including intellectual property, consumer protection and civil liability. The regulation of GMOs also highlights questions of legitimacy in a context of multi-level governance, both internally towards national and local government, and externally in a world where technologies and their regulation have global impacts. This book will be of interest to academics and students in both law and social sciences, as well as practising lawyers and policy makers. It addresses questions that are significant for those involved in environmental or food issues, as well as specialists in GMOs. less
Edward Elgar Publishing; September 2008
296 pages; ISBN 9781848443969
Read online, or download in secure PDF format
Title: EU Regulation of GMOs
Author: M Lee
296 pages; ISBN 9781848443969
Read online, or download in secure PDF format
Title: EU Regulation of GMOs
Author: M Lee
Buy, download and read EU Regulation of GMOs (eBook) by M Lee today!
More Law
Picking Cotton 2010 US$ 9.99 304 pages
Law in America 2002 US$ 2.99 225 pages
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Special Order: Not Stocked In Stores (?)
Select the store nearest you to check available inventory* on item #: AARPIZ01S
*We highly recommend that you call to verify the information shown above before visiting the store.
This high visibility LED sign lets you stand out of the crowd and sell!
This PIZZA restaurant sign offers three display modes: "steady on", flashing, and crawling. Choose whatever display mode you would like to grab your potential customers' attention!Other features for this LED lit PIZZA restaurant sign are:
Ace Mart™ is a registered trademark of Ace Mart Restaurant Supply Co.
© Ace Mart Restaurant Supply Co. All rights reserved.
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The book you requested is no longer published at Smashwords.
It's possible the book you're looking for has been republished as a newer title. Try searching by author name or book title in the search box above, or to view other books at Smashwords, go to the home page.
For other books by Lilith Cassidy, view Lilith Cassidy's Smashwords author profile page.
For other books published by Paranormal Passions, view Paranormal Passions's Smashwords publisher profile page.


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Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)
July 12, 2006
Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor), photo by Wrobel Photographic Arts
Paul Wrobel writes
These little guys change colors depending on their surroundings and the temperature. Here he is just starting to change from gray to green. This is a full grown adult about two inches in length. With legs extended he is about 5-6 inches long.
Our good friends at the UM Animal Diversity Web have more information about the Gray Treefrog (including pictures and sounds).
10 Responses to "Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor)"
July 12, 2006 at 8:10 am
I can't believe how beautiful this picture is! Great job, Paul!!
July 12, 2006 at 9:24 am
Nice job. Very professional approach.
July 12, 2006 at 11:00 am
what a beautiful picture! Very nice job!
July 12, 2006 at 2:23 pm
i love the tree grogs. you take wonderful photos
July 26, 2009 at 11:55 am
omg soooooooo cute hey if you know where i could catch one and or buy one really cheap email me to tell me
May 9, 2010 at 7:11 pm
We see these around our house frequently. The other day, I found one in our unused firewood. I captured it (very easy, actually) and showed it to my 7-yr-old son. As we handled it (~60 sec), we noticed bright yellow coloration in all four "armpits." Very striking. Put him/her in the very moist woods behind the house and waved good bye. We'll see more.
June 13, 2010 at 10:39 am
It was late spring and we kept, what we thought was a wood pecker calling out to mate, very loud chirping sound which we could hear in our house even with the windows closed. Come to find out the next couple weeks we kept hearing the chirp and and then another returning the chirp right next our pool. I took my flashlight and scanned the pool and low and behold I had 3 tree frogs, that decided to make my solar cover their lilly pad. Biggest noise makers I have ever heard very cool to watch croak though. We have named the largest Mr. Big Noise. The next morning I woke up and looked at my solar cover and found hundreds of eggs on it, not so cool.
July 14, 2010 at 4:13 am
One night I left my window open and the day I saw a cute tree frog he/she was awsome so for like 3 hours. To figure out what they eat he keeps fallowing around the house and keep climbing on my head so I'm thinking of keeping he/she so I want to what eat I think thay eat grass hoppers. So if anyone knows what they eat what envirmont they live in I'm making a small home for him/her. If you have any info please tell me by sending the info to firstname.lastname@example.com thank you
August 25, 2010 at 3:43 pm
sooooooooooooooooo cool
August 4, 2011 at 7:25 am
[…] through to read much more and also check out the Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor) on Michigan in […]


text:
Reminders stopped working
Reminders stopped working in my Android app. I notice also that my device keeps disappearing in the list of devices in the "reminders"-tab of the settings in the Todoist web-app.
All responses
I should add that I have tried to use Todoist together with Lightflow. But this did not work satisfacty, so I switched off Lightflow for Todoist. After that, the issue stated above appeared.
Please try to uninstall Lightflow completely as well as our app (after you sync all tasks) and then reinstall our app and let me know if it helps.
Also, you're welcome to try the beta version of Todoist 2.0: https://plus.google.com/communities/108057919781399570441?hl=en the final release will be available in the upcoming week. Let us know if the problem persists in this version too.
Best regards,
Hi David,
I followed your instructions and unfortunately, only newly added tasks have working reminders. I have quite a lot of existing reminders with deadlines. Can you suggest a way to get those working again too?
Thank you for your invitation for the beta version of Todoist 2.0, I'll look into that also.
Regards, Mark
Could you please access these tasks with reminders on the web, right click on them, go to the "Reminders" menu and check if they are still there? And if so - are these relative or absolute reminders? That is - did you add them using the <remind tod at 2pm> tag or are these supposed to be the default "30 minutes before" reminders?
The version 2.0 of our app not only improves reminders as they work, but also gives you access to manage existing reminder on tasks, add multiple ones etc. so hopefully this will solve this issue and activate the old reminders.
Best regards,


text:
Island Bottoms and Tops – Short Term Reversal Patterns
Manny Backus •March 31, 2010• Be the First to Comment
Type "Island bottom" into your favorite search engine, and chances are you'll get something other than the chart pattern that's the subject of this episode. Island bottoms — along with island tops — are rare… But when you are able to spot them, they have an amazing level of accuracy.
In a recent study, the island bottom was found to have a success rate of 85%, versus a failure rate of 13%. For island tops, the success rate was 77% versus a failure rate of 10%.
Intrigued? Well, keep reading and watch the video for more info.
In this episode, you'll learn:
– What constitutes an island bottom (1:15)
– What constitutes an island top (2:25)
– The statistical success rates of island bottoms and tops — along with the size of the average profit made trading them (3:06)
We also outline what island bottoms and tops look like using simple line-art graphics, and explore the "narrative" of both chart patterns so that they're easy to understand.
By mastering the island bottom and top chart-pattern formations, life really can be a beach. Although the patterns are rare, they're easy to spot when the do occur, and they typically produce big gains for savvy traders.
Happy Trading!
Manny Backus
CEO, Wealthpire Inc.
P.S. Next week I'll show you how to become one with the Force… The Force Index, that is!
Episode 44 – Island Bottoms and Tops – Short Term Reversal Patterns


text:
Fractal-Based Point Processes
(If any tax is payable it will be calculated and shown at checkout.)
Preview (read now) Add to my own site Give this ebook to a friend Add to my wishlist Author's page Publisher's page
moreAn integrated approach to fractals and point processes
This publication provides a complete and integrated presentation of the fields of fractals and point processes, from definitions and measures to analysis and estimation. The authors skillfully demonstrate how fractal-based point processes, established as the intersection of these two fields, are tremendously useful for representing and describing a wide variety of diverse phenomena in the physical and biological sciences. Topics range from information-packet arrivals on a computer network to action-potential occurrences in a neural preparation.
The authors begin with concrete and key examples of fractals and point processes, followed by an introduction to fractals and chaos. Point processes are defined, and a collection of characterizing measures are presented. With the concepts of fractals and point processes thoroughly explored, the authors move on to integrate the two fields of study. Mathematical formulations for several important fractal-based point-process families are provided, as well as an explanation of how various operations modify such processes. The authors also examine analysis and estimation techniques suitable for these processes. Finally, computer network traffic, an important application used to illustrate the various approaches and models set forth in earlier chapters, is discussed.
Throughout the presentation, readers are exposed to a number of important applications that are examined with the aid of a set of point processes drawn from biological signals and computer network traffic. Problems are provided at the end of each chapter allowing readers to put their newfound knowledge into practice, and all solutions are provided in an appendix. An accompanying Web site features links to supplementary materials and tools to assist with data analysis and simulation.
With its focus on applications and numerous solved problem sets, this is an excellent graduate-level text for courses in such diverse fields as statistics, physics, engineering, computer science, psychology, and neuroscience. less
Wiley; October 2005
628 pages; ISBN 9780471754701
Read online, or download in secure PDF format
Title: Fractal-Based Point Processes
Author: Steven Bradley Lowen; Malvin Carl Teich
628 pages; ISBN 9780471754701
Read online, or download in secure PDF format
Title: Fractal-Based Point Processes
Author: Steven Bradley Lowen; Malvin Carl Teich
Buy, download and read Fractal-Based Point Processes (eBook) by Steven Bradley Lowen; Malvin Carl Teich today!
More Mathematics
IB Mathematical Studies Standard 2012 US$ 58.40 624 pages
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Algebra 2009 US$ 17.99 208 pages
Extended Mathematics for Cambridge IGCSE 2011 US$ 38.40 480 pages
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text:
Bob Tippee
Throw away the apple from a bowl of rotten fruit, and what do you have? A bowl of rotten fruit.
The US Senate on June 21 rejected punitive taxes on the oil and gas industry but still passed a stinker of an energy bill.
Its discarded package of tax changes would have cost the industry an estimated $26 billion over 10 years (OGJ Online, June 20, 2007). There went the rotten apple.
Remaining, however, are major new favors for makers of biofuels and a measure that would make it a crime to charge "unconscionably excessive" prices for oil products in times of strained supply. Other manipulations, less directly related to oil and gas, also fester in the bill: toughened fuel-economy standards for new vehicles, new energy-efficiency standards for appliances and lighting, and spending for the development of fuels politicians like but cost-conscious energy consumers don't.
The bill pushes the US further down a dangerous road toward fuel choice by politicians. Peril already is evident in the leaping food costs that have accompanied congressionally mandated use of corn for fuel. The Senate bill would aggravate the problem.
The political thinking behind these mistakes is equally putrid.
"The time has come for us to give the same kinds of incentives to other industriesalternative energy, renewable fuels, clean-coal technologies, and so forththat the oil and gas industry has enjoyed for decades and decades," opined Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.).
Yes, incentives for the production of oil and gas have come and gone over the years. But when was there anything like the simultaneous market mandates, protectionist tariffs, and whopper tax credits now creating a boom for otherwise uneconomic ethanol and biodiesel?
And where is the one no-cost move Congress can make to give US energy supply the meaningful and economic lift it needsopening off-limits federal land to oil and gas leasing and development?
Nowhere, of coursenot in a political climate misshapen by spite over the price of gasoline. That void, which no one is talking about filling, makes the Senate's bowl of rotten energy produce smell all the worse.
(Online June 22, 2007; author's e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com)


text:
Salinger Emerges
Any chance of spotting Thomas Pynchon at the next IPL, you think?
(Link via email from Kind Friend.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
By Category
By Date
My first novel, My Friend Sancho, is now on the stands across India. It is a contemporary love story set in Mumbai, and was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2008. To learn more about the book, click here.
To buy it online from the US, click here.
I am currently on a book tour to promote the book. Please check out our schedule of city launches. India Uncut readers are invited to all of them, no pass required, so do drop in and say hello.
If you're interested, do join the Facebook group for My Friend Sancho
Click here for more about my publisher, Hachette India.
And ah, my posts on India Uncut about My Friend Sancho can be found here.
Any chance of spotting Thomas Pynchon at the next IPL, you think?
(Link via email from Kind Friend.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
Varun Gandhi's infamous hate speech and journalist Soumya Vishwanathan's murder will be made into a film titled Ganatantra, being directed by JP Dutta's assistant Surender Suri.
Rajan Verma, who essayed the role of Kasab in Total Ten, a film on the 26/11 terror attacks, is now playing Varun Gandhi. He says, "The film shows Gandhi in positive light.. as an able man, not given the place he deserves in the political party. The film will also depict a love story between the characters played by Varun and Soumya."
The only thing not WTF about the above excerpt is that the actor who played Kasab is now playing Varun Gandhi. The rest of it leaves me speechless. I especially wonder what poor Soumya's friends and family feel about this. Who thinks up these storylines?
That isn't the only WTFness in that article. A gentleman named Kanti Shah is quoted as saying:
Yes, I am making a film on the Shiney Ahuja rape case. Shooting will begin soon. It is titled Rape and newcomers Imran and Sapna will play the characters of Shiney and the maid. Although the film will be based on true events and there will be no fictitious details added, there will be song and dance sequences.
Go figure. 'Tasteless' doesn't begin to describe these guys. I need a plastic bag.
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Media | News | WTF
Former Bond girl Denise Richards has done some passionate scenes with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar in Kambakkht Ishq and says he is a good kisser.
Richards insists that no man in Bollywood can match his skills, reported contactmusic.com.
I'm guessing Richards must have done a rigorous survey of Bollywood kissers to come to such a conclusion. Like, she walks into a mall and catches a good-looking young man (GLYM) who looks like he might be in Bollywood (but isn't really).
Richards: Hey, you there. Are you a Bollywood kisser?
GLYM: Er, well, ahem, yes, I could be.
Richards: Okay, then I need to kiss you. [She gives him the deepest kiss ever, her tongue almost coming out of the back of his head.] Mmmm. That was nice, but I'm afraid you're not as good as Akshay Kumar.
GLYM: I see. Um, well, there is something I can do better than him, you know.
Richards: [Already getting ideas and feeling horny] And what may that be?
GLYM: Um, do you need any C++ programming?
Bonus link: Check out these slideshows about "Bollywood's most kissable celebs": From Rediff; and AOL. Any excuse to put together a slideshow with hot pictures.
Posted by Amit Varma on 25 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News | WTF
The WTF headline of the day comes from PTI:
George Clooney hires psychic to connect with dead pig
The report says that Clooney has "hired a psychic to help him contact his favourite pet, a black pig named Max who died three years ago."
I can just imagine how it all plays out. Clooney and his psychic are sitting at an ouija board in a dark room.
Psychic: George, I will tap on the board three times to say hello, and then you will hear three more taps on the board. After that, my body will be possessed by Max's spirit, and you can talk to Max through me. Ok?
Clooney: Okay. But you know what, don't mind and all, but I'm a skeptic about these things. So first I'll ask you, I mean Max, a couple of questions to make sure it's him.
Psychic: Sure. [He taps three times on the board. Three more taps are heard after that, and then the psychic throws his head back as his eyes start rolling in their sockets.]
Clooney: [Very excited] Max, Max, is that you?
Psychic: Squeal!
Clooney: Max, Max, I need to ask you a question. Are you listening?
Psychic: Grunt!
Clooney: Max, Max, when you saw me for the first time, what were your first words to me?
Psychic: Oink oink!
Clooney: Max! Max! It's really you! [He hugs the psychic, who dirties his pants, thereby increasing Clooney's ferocious nostalgia.]
Ok, fine, that's a bit cruel. George, if you're reading this and are offended, I apologize. But really, dude, a psychic to contact your dead pig—what were you thinking?
(Link via email from Mahendra.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 23 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Dialogue | News | WTF
In the course of an email discussion, Udhay points me to this superb venn diagram by Bud Caddell on the subject of success and happiness:
In the last couple of years, I've moved from "Learn to Say 'No'" (journalism) to "Learn to Monetize" (writing novels)—which is problematic, because you can't really learn to monetize in this field. Being a novelist is not like any other profession, and even publishers will tell you that they don't really know what makes a book tick. You could write kickass books year after year and not have anyone notice; or you could be in the right time, at the right place, and be an overnight success. Unlike other professions, there's no road map to success.
I made the choice that I did knowing the tradeoffs involved—I wouldn't make anywhere near the kind of moolah I'd make if I stayed in journalism or went back to television; but I'd wake up every morning looking forward to getting down to work. I think that's worth it—until my savings run out and I can't meet the rent. Thankfully, MFS has sold well enough to ensure that won't happen anytime soon. (15,000 copies so far, my publisher tells me, which makes it a huge bestseller by Indian standards—the benchmark for being a bestseller in India is 5000 copies.) My earnings from this don't cover opportunity cost, of course, but they keep me afloat while I write the next one, and that gives me more joy than all the journalism I ever did.
While on success, Udhay also points me to a lovely essay by Po Bronson on the subject. Here's an excerpt that sums up my feelings on the subject quite exactly:
There are far too many smart, educated, talented people operating at quarter speed, unsure of their place in the world, contributing far too little to the productive engine of modern civilization. There are far too many people who look like they have their act together but have yet to make an impact. You know who you are. It comes down to a simple gut check: You either love what you do or you don't. Period.
So do you love what you do?
Posted by Amit Varma on 19 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | My Friend Sancho | Personal
In response to a friend's comment on Facebook that Bengali paunches are holy, I offer you this little rhyme:
Ode to a Bengali Paunch
by Amit Varma
A Bengali paunch may be roly-poly,
But I deny rumours that it's holy.
It is the center of base desire,
The origin of a Bong's carnal fire.
We get turned on by mastaard feesh,
By paabda, rohu and illeesh.
Porn for you is chingri for me,
It's divine, but not holy, you see.
Would you like a Lobongolotika?
Also see: Farmers are Dying in Vidarbha.
Update: Subrata Majumdar has a rejoinder:
The New Erection
by Subrata Majumdar
Would you like a lobongolotika?
Or some other form of aphro-desi-ka?
The holy paunch faces serious threats
From Gold's Gym and such bourgeois outlets
Preserve our bhuri, we Bengalis must
A symbol of our glory, about to bite the dust
Let the paunch be the new erection
To show young bongs the right direction
I propose a paunchy statue as public art
To grace the crossing at Gariahat.
Posted by Amit Varma on 17 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Personal
Behold Rudyard Kipling's "If", read by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal:
(Link via email from Griff.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 08 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Sport
The sentence of the day comes from a piece by Mridula Koshy on Malayalam literature:
Malayalam writers are in the enviable position of writing for Adiga's rickshaw puller and not just about him.
'Enviable' is exactly the right word there. Indian writers in English don't have access to that rickshaw puller as a reader—quite apart from the fact that most of us wouldn't have the ability to make it worth his while even if he read in English. By virtue of the language we write in, our readerships in our own country are constrained. At the same time, of course, it is easier for us to reach out to a global audience—though I wish some of our writers didn't pander only to them.
As long as India in all its mad and magnificent diversity is available to me as subject matter, I can live with the fact that my possible readership is just a small fraction of my countrymen. If she can't be my lover, I'll make her my muse.
While on Koshy, her debut collection of short stories, If It Is Sweet, is out in the market. I've only read one story so far from the collection, "The Good Mother", and I was blown away by it. Right at that masterful first paragraph, you know this woman can write. I can't wait to get at the rest of the book.
Posted by Amit Varma on 08 June, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Small thoughts
Readers of India Uncut will know how much I love Alice Munro's work (1, 2, 3), and I'm delighted that she's won the Man Booker International Prize. (This is different from the Man Booker Prize, in that it's not given for a single novel, and is akin to the Nobel Prize.) Literature isn't a horse race, but if I was forced at gunpoint to name who I consider the greatest writer alive, I'd pick Munro. Indeed, if she wrote nothing else but this story, I'd pick Munro. Much joy.
And if you haven't read her, this is a good collection to begin with: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage. Masterful writing.
Update: Check out what Joni Mitchell once said of Munro.
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
Nobody messes with the national anthem. Rediff reports that the Supreme Court has slammed Ram Gopal Varma for his "distortion of the national anthem in his forthcoming film Rann." The "vacation bench" has been quoted as ruling:
We have read it. It gives a totally negative sense. It seems every line of national anthem has been proved wrong. Nobody has got a right to tinker with the national anthem.
So remember, not only do you not have the right to express your opinion on a song, but songs, especially anthems, have rights. Don't tinker with them.
Also read: The Anthem and the Flag.
(Link via email from Gautam.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Freedom | India | News | WTF
In a Facebook conversation where I was moaning and agonizing over the brilliant Adam Lambert not winning American Idol, Salil Tripathi pointed me to this splendid commencement speech by Ellen DeGeneres:
I love the guy on the left of the screen. He's having a good time.
Posted by Amit Varma on 21 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Miscellaneous
I'm pleased to inform you that My Friend Sancho, my first novel, has started hitting the stores. We're having a phased nationwide release, and the book should be in stores in Mumbai
today (or latest tomorrow) by Saturday, and in the rest of the country before May 12. I'll also be having launch events in five cities. All five events are open to the public, and India Uncut readers are invited to all of them. The details are below—as are links to the Facebook event pages to confirm your attendance:
Mumbai, May 9: 6 to 9pm at Crossword, Dynamix Mall, Juhu. (Basically, the Juhu PVR building.) Sonia Faleiro will be in conversation with me, and that will be followed by coffee and snacks. Here's the Facebook page.
New Delhi, May 13: 6.30 to 9.30pm at Agni, The Park. Nilanjana S Roy will be in conversation with me—and there will be cocktails and nude belly dancers from Arabia. (Ok, no belly dancers. Sorry.) Here's the Facebook page.
Kolkata, May 15: 6.30 to 9.30pm, Oxford Bookstore, Park Street. Anjum Katyal will be in conversation with me. Beverages and snacks will also be there, mixing discreetly with the crowd. Here's the Facebook page.
Bangalore, May 16: 6 to 8pm, Crossword, Residency Road. Anjum Hasan will be conversation with me. Here's the Facebook page.
Chennai, May 18: 6.30 to 9pm, Landmark Bookstore, Nungambakkam. Sharanya Manivannan will be in conversation with me. Coffee and snacks will follow, like demented stalkers. Here's the Facebook page.
Do drop in for any or all of these events and say hello.
Slightly disappointing news for overseas readers: Due to all kinds of complications, MFS won't be available on Amazon etc for at least a couple of months. It's a massive bummer for me, as many of you had written in asking when you could buy it in the US or UK. We're hoping to fix that by July, and I'll keep you updated.
Posted by Amit Varma on 07 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | My Friend Sancho | Personal
The WTF comment of the day comes from S Sreesanth, who, while denying a link-up with an actress named Daisy Bopanna, says:
I don't think that I would stoop so low that I have to date an unknown, struggling actor.
That shows his class, doesn't it? He only dates people based on their social status. I can imagine Sreesanth, thinking he's a stud and all that, hitting on a hot chica at a party.
Sree: Hey baby! I am India fast bowler, I want to daaance with you, rowmaaance with you, want to come on a date?
Chica: Sure!
Sree: Good. But first, tell me what you do?
Chica: I am an actor.
Sree: What kind of actor, have you done any big roles? Have you starred in a Yash-Raj film? Do you have an agent in Hollywood?
Chica: Er, no, I've just started out, and…
Sree: Oh, I see. You're an unknown, struggling actor?
Chica: That's right.
Sree: Okay then, date is cancelled. Bye bye. I don't stoop so low.
Harbhajan Singh, if you're reading this, please go to wherever Sreesanth is hanging out these days and slap him again. Do it for your country. India needs you.
Posted by Amit Varma on 07 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | Sport | WTF
Carol Ann Duffy has pulled off a three-in-one achievement by becoming Britain's newest poet laureate: she is the first woman, the first Scot and the first openly gay person to hold that distinction. In the year that America elected a black president, this is most fitting. I'm rooting for the amazing Adam Lambert to win American Idol, which will make him the first gay winner of that show—and what a landmark year it'll be.
Anyway, to celebrate all this, let me share with you a poem by Duffy that I rather like:
Mrs Darwin
by Carol Ann Duffy
7 April 1852
Went to the Zoo
I said to him — Something about that chimpanzee over there
reminds me of you
Speaking of simian beasts, did you know that Shamita Shetty's room was ransacked by baboons in South Africa recently? Even baboons, it would seem, have evolved to the point that they're besotted by celebrity.
(Shamita link via email from Nishit.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 05 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News
You've heard Susan Boyle, you've heard Paul Potts—now check out Jamie Pugh:
[I'd embedded the video here, but its embedding has now been disabled. Click here to watch it.]
After Boyle's performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables, the sales of that soundtrack soared. And now Pugh. Good for the soundtrack, good for these singers. Les Misérables forever; les misérables no more.
Posted by Amit Varma on 03 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
You can't accuse Sanjay Gupta of understatement. Speaking about Feroz Khan, he says:
There are two things one can never forget. The first time one has sex and the first time one meets Mr Feroz Khan. He was awesome.
If I elaborate on the image that came to my mind when I read that, you'll stop reading this blog. The horror.
(Link via email from Dev.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 02 May, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News | WTF
Salman Khan will. In the WTF piece of the day, Salman writes:
Sometimes, when I am restless or upset, I walk up to the corridor of my house and look at the watchman. I come back quietly to my room and thank God for He has given me so much. I sit and count my blessings and the love that people have been giving me at every step.
It's good to reflect on how lucky we are, but this dude has to go look at the watchman for that?
I wonder how the watchman feels about it. There he is, sitting quietly, bored senseless, looking out at the random fans waiting outside the gate of the house, waiting for his shift to end so he can head back home and sleep, and Salman Khan comes out and stares at him. Then Salman smiles, flexes his muscles, and heads back in with a lilt in his step. I wonder if, at times like that, and others, the watchman reflects on how very lucky he is.
Posted by Amit Varma on 28 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News | WTF
Via Nilanjana S Roy's obituary of JG Ballard, I come across this splendid quote by Ballard:
We live in a world ruled by fictions of every kind — mass-merchandizing, advertising, politics conducted as a branch of advertising, the instant translation of science and technology into popular imagery, the increasing blurring and intermingling of identities within the realm of consumer goods, the pre-empting of any original imaginative response to experience by the television screen. We live inside an enormous novel. For the writer in particular it is less and less necessary for him to invent the fictional content of his novel. The fiction is already there. The writer's task is to invent the reality.
Actually, we lived in a world of fictions even before all the things Ballard mentions came about—for how we see the world and ourselves, and the narratives we construct to make sense of everything, are also fictions of a kind. But yes, many more subplots are formed and crystallized by the media around us—not that it helps us make better sense of things.
It's all such a mess that if God existed and was a writer, and sent Her work to a publisher, She'd get a rejection straight away. Or Her publisher would send Her a note: "Manuscript accepted. Much editing needed. Editor on way."
And then a man in a black hat and overcoat would step up and say, "Hey, we meet again. Remember me? Lucifer. We dated once. I'm your editor for this book. Let's cut your work down to size, shall we? To begin with, we need to get rid of those 100 million blogs you've put in there. Major excess, Girl, pure self indulgence."
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
Early one morning, as the clock strikes five, Salman Khan steps out of his house. He's wearing a tracksuit and sports shoes, and attached to his arm is a nifty iPod. He starts playing his Himesh Reshammiya playlist, and begins to jog.
Salman jogs. Himesh starts singing "Aashiq Banaya Aapne". Tere bin sooni sooni hain baahein/ Teri bin pyaasi pyaasi nigaahein/ Tere bin bin asar meri aahein/ Tere bin.
Salman begins to run. Tere bin lamha lamha sataye/ Tere bin bekarari jalaaye/ Tere bin chain mujhko naa aaye/ Tere Bin.
Salman begins to sprint, sweat pouring down his bare chest inside his tracksuit. Aashiq banaya-aa-aa/ aashiq banaya-aa-aa/ aashiq banaya aapne!
And then, when he's really engrossed in the song, Salman feels something beneath his feet. Damn, he thinks, Mumbai's roads suck.
Just then, someone starts shouting at him. He switches off the iPod and turns around. It's a pavement-dweller, a woman, standing there and screaming at him. Then Salman looks down at her feet and realises what he ran over: two other pavement dwellers. This woman's family. No wonder she's screaming.
"Hey, lady, I'm sorry," he says, in that weird accent that passes for foreign in some of his films. "I didn't mean to run over them. But you should chill, you know. I'm saving the planet. What's a pavement dweller or two in that cause?"
"Saving the planet?" asks a blogger who happens to be there, leaning against a lamp post. "What do you mean, saving the planet?"
"I'm running to lose weight, man, I'm running to be more slim. So I'm saving the planet."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I forgot the link man, here you go: I'm saving the planet."
That night, Salman has a nightmare. He dreams that he is in a forest, and there is a chinkara in front of him. It holds a gun.
Posted by Amit Varma on 20 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Dialogue | Miscellaneous
Actor and Samajwadi Party leader Sanjay Dutt was on Saturday booked on an obscenity charge for allegedly saying that given a chance he would give jaadu ki jhappi (magical hug), made famous by his Munnabhai flicks, to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.
"A case has been registered against Sanjay Dutt for making derogatory and undignified remarks against BSP supremo Mayawati during an election rally on the K.P. Hindu College ground in Pratapgarh on April 16," a senior police officer told PTI.
Mr. Dutt allegedly said he "will give jaadu ki jhappi and pappi (magical hug and kiss) to the people of Pratapgarh and given a chance I will do the same with the Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati."
I find obscenity laws immensely silly, and it's quite WTF that when politicians are going around spewing venom at the each other, this dude is getting booked for jokingly offering jhappi and pappi. Yes, Dutt has the brain of an infant, but unless he actually forces himself on Behenji and gives her a jhappi-cum-pappi, the law shouldn't come into play. Are we such an immature nation that we can't even talk of these things?
Anyway, imagine this: Mayawati hears of Sanjay's comments, and expresses disgust. She finishes her work for the day and goes to bed. And then, lying alone in the darkness, turning with a heavy heart on a soft bed, thinking of all the sacrifices she has made for her people, she sighs softly. She remembers: Jhappi! Pappi!
Just then the doorbell rings. She waits, and the seconds seem like hours. Then the intercom buzzes.
Madam, her minion says on the other side of the line, A politician from the Samajwadi Party is here to see you. He's a filmi kind of guy.
She pauses. Ask him to wait five minutes, I'll just get ready.
She gets up, switches on the light, and in record time combs her hair, washes her face and brushes her teeth. She puts on her best silk salwar suit. And she applies a dab, just a dab, a subtle pappilicious dab of lipstick. Then she picks up the intercom and says, Send him in.
A few seconds go by.
And then Amar Singh walks in.
(Link via email from Archana.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 20 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Freedom | India | News | Politics | WTF
If this doesn't send a chill up your spine, stand on your head naked with an ice cube tied to your ass.
Have I mentioned before that I love television? Oh yes—I have.
(Link via separate emails from Peter Griffin and Kislay Thakur.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 15 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
The launch dates for my first novel, My Friend Sancho, have been finalized, and I'm pleased to share them with you now. I had earlier mentioned that the book would be out by the middle of April, but we had to delay that just a bit, and it will now be in bookstores across India in the first week of May. The launch dates:
Mumbai: May 9, Crossword, Kemp's Corner.
Delhi: May 13, Agni, The Park
Kolkata: May 14 or 15, Oxford Book Store
Bangalore: May 16, Crossword
Chennai: May 18, Landmark
I'll confirm all these details closer to the dates. Barring Delhi, all the other events are open, and India Uncut readers are invited to come and throw tomatoes. I'll be in conversation with Sonia Faleiro at the Mumbai event, and with Nilanjana S Roy in Delhi. We haven't yet finalized the details of the other events, so watch this space.
Posted by Amit Varma on 14 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | My Friend Sancho | Personal
To get a glimpse of the future of Indian television, consider these two news items:
1. Rakhi Sawant has announced a new reality show on NDTV Imagine in which she will begin "a nationwide search for her perfect husband along with the support of the audiences." Fifteen dudes will be shortlisted, and at the end of the season, she will marry one of them. (If the marriage doesn't last and the show is a success, she could do it again next year.)
2. A study has revealed that Varun Gandhi has "emerged as the new favourite of prime time TV news in the past two weeks." After his controversial comments against Muslims, he "managed to achieve 22.57 hours of prime time coverage across six prominent channels," about 9 hours more than the IPL, which was the second-most talked about topic.
You know where all this is going, don't you? Yes, I hereby propose that Varun Gandhi be enticed to take part in the NDTV Imagine show, Rakhi Ka Swayamvar. He is eligible and from a noted family, she is voluptuous and hunting for a groom, and they both generate TRPs like cows generate milk. (Don't ask why that image came to mind.) Also, it will keep the man out of politics, and the country needs that.
And will he win? Well, duh! I mean, imagine the Q&A round:
Rakhi: If someone attacks me, what will you do?
Varun: If someone raises his hand against you, I will cut his hand off.
Rakhi: If someone forcibly kisses me, what will you do?
Varun: If someone kisses you, I will cut his head off.
Now, in this context, she is totally going to find his comments romantic, not repulsive. And even if Varun doesn't cut off Mika's head, he could certainly take a leaf out of his father's book and get forcible nasbandi done on Mika. Imagine the TRPs if that happens live.
Also imagine if, while walking to the mandap, Rakhi and Varun fall into a well and are trapped inside. Oh, the news, the viewers, the ratings, the media planners swirling in ecstasy! I have seen the future, and it is this, it is this, it is this…
(Rakhi link via email from Kind Friend. More Rakhi on IU: 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 08 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Dialogue | India | Media | News | Small thoughts | WTF
One of the things I hate about the Indian literary scene is the writers who set their stories in India but write for a foreign audience. So instead of 'dal' they write 'lentil soup', and instead of 'silk kurta' they write 'loose-fitting silk shirt', and so on. I call them 'tourist-guide writers', more concerned with catering to Western demand for exotica than to the authenticity that would be true to their subject matter. Whatever. At least there is some rationale to their approach.
But why would an Indian publication, catering to Indian readers who know what Indian words mean, adopt the same approach? My readers know how very fashionable I am when it comes to clothes—except those who have met me personally—and I've been following the local coverage of the fashion weeks pretty closely. And time and again, I see Indian clothes being referred to in Western terms. For example, churidars are constantly being described as 'leggings'. This is understandable if someone is writing for the US edition of Vogue, but all the local newspapers, as well as Rediff, which caters to an Indian and NRI readership, have taken to this.
I find this inexplicable for two reasons: One, 'churidar' is a lovely, sonorous word, and all Indians know what it means. Two, leggings tend to be form-fitting all the way from the waist to the ankle, while churidars are generally looser at the thighs. Besides being unnecessary, the substitution is also wrong.
There is similar confusion over salwars. Consider the outfit Shah Rukh Khan wore at the Manish Malhotra show a couple of days ago, which has been described variously as 'pathialas' [sic], 'an Afghani salwar' and 'black harem pants'. Now, folks over in Patiala and Afghanistan can argue over the first two, but how is that thing he's wearing 'harem pants'? Why do we need to make our writing Western-friendly even when writing for Indian audiences?
Is it because the correspondents in question are so enthralled by coverage of Western fashion in foreign magazines that they find it necessary to stick to their glossary of terms? Or that Indian words, somehow, have become infra dig?
Also, does this attitude reflect something broader around us?
Posted by Amit Varma on 02 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Journalism | Media | Small thoughts | WTF
I love this video, and as blogging has been slow recently, let me share this with you:
The chica is hot, isn't she? And the character David plays in this video, for some unfathomable reason, reminds me of Aurelio Zen. I'm sure absolutely no one else feels this way, but I'm a bit weird sometimes.
(Video link via Madhu.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 02 April, 2009 in Arts and entertainment
In an earlier post featuring Sanjay Dutt's neanderthal (or simply pre-modern) comments about women, I'd quipped that I wondered if he's put a dog collar on Manyata. An interview of his in today's Hindustan Times indicates that he has—and she's tied to the kitchen. Check this out:
HT: Did your wife convince you to get into politics?
Dutt: Manyataji takes the decisions in the kitchen.. aaj biryani banegi ya phir kabab or chicken. That's where she rules. In other matters I decide what's to be done.
I guess Dutt thinks this kind of talk is very macho—'See how I keep my woman in line, I'm a real man, asli mard, ha ha ha.' And if he is elected as an MP, he will no doubt have the same attitude towards his constituents as he does towards his wife—he will rule them, not serve them. During elections, he'll fold his hands and will show much concern towards their needs—like a man wooing his beloved. Once he's elected, if he is, he'll only see what he can get out of them, and not give a damn about what they need, or what he had promised on bended knee. 'Biriyani jaldi lao, bhook lagi hai.' That kind of shit.
Such irony it is that his father was so different in both regards. How far this seed has fallen from the tree…
Posted by Amit Varma on 29 March, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | Politics | WTF
The London Telegraph has a story on Camilla Power and Chris Knight, two anthropology lecturers who are leading demonstrations against the G20 summit. It tells us:
Educated at the Skinners' Grammar School for Boys and University College London, he is a founder of the Radical Anthropology Group (RAG), which explores the origins of society from a Marxist standpoint. The pair have developed theories on the central role of women's menstruation cycles in the development of civilisation.
Instantly I Googled, and found this study. It features the magnificent sentence, "The coalition of non-cycling females needs to grab any female who is menstruating, preventing philanderer males from taking her away." I so want to read the Amar Chitra Katha issue on this—and imagine the fun if Ekta Kapoor comes across this study.
Also, imagine how differently human civilisation would allegedly have evolved if sanitary pads had been invented a few centuries ago.
(Telegraph link via email from BD.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 23 March, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | WTF
Aishwarya Rai, in an interview with CNN-IBN, says:
He [Abhishek Bachchan] is the real 'Padma Shri' and I'm his 'Padma Shrimati' (giggles).
Immensely cloying cuteness, but they're a young couple, so fine, we can forgive them that. But if we are to take this line of thinking further, Amitabh is Padma Babuji, Jaya is Padma Mom, and Amar Singh is Padma Uncle. I think all government awards are a waste of taxpayer resources—true achievers hardly need government validation—and this is a perfect opportunity for the government to stop this Padma nonsense. "No more government awards," the minister in charge should announce. "Our sentiments have been hurt."
(HT: Nishit.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 11 March, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Old memes | Taxes | WTF
Immense celebration happened on the day the Oscars were announced, for I'm a huge fan of AR Rahman and was overjoyed to see him win. And immense WTFness happens today, for Rahman says:
This award legitimises our music and the aspirations of hundreds of other musicians.
Legitimizes our music? All these years, all 17 of them since Roja, millions of us have loved Rahman's music—so it wasn't legitimate all this time? The crores of records sold in India, the four national awards, the 11 Filmfare awards, hell, the love of all his fans—and it takes an Oscar to "legitimize" his music? Et tu, Rahman?
I know many Indians still have this pathetic colonial hangover that leads them to crave validation from the West. I'd assumed that Rahman, just by virtue of being so good, had more self-respect than that. Well, such it goes…
(HT: Mahendra Shikaripur.)
Update: A number of readers have written in to say that maybe Rahman just happened to use the wrong word, that English isn't his first language, that maybe he simply meant to say that Indian music has now got its overdue recognition from the West. I guess that's a fair enough explanation of what may have happened.
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
Much fun:
I love Facebook but hate the Superpoke application, for what it's worth. In fact, I Superhate it. So there.
Posted by Amit Varma on 27 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Science and Technology
Immense national pride comes at sharing with you the astonishing news that Abhishek Bachchan is planning to make "at least six public appearances in as many cities in 12 hours" in his effort to enter the Guinness Book of World Record. I kid you not:
On Friday, Abhishek Bachchan may make and break a unique Guinness World Record. It's that of a film star making the maximum number of public appearances in 12 hours. Beginning Friday morning, when Delhi-6 releases, Abhishek will travel to as many events in as many cities as possible within 12 hours.
Speaking from Dubai yesterday, where he was attending the film's premiere, an excited Abhishek said, "I heard of some German actors who set a world record by making five public appearances in 12 hours. I want to beat their record. I will do at least six to seven appearances in 12 hours in six cities. It could even go up to seven cities."
Needless to say, I'm right behind him—India needs this record. In fact, I propose that Bachchan tries to do 60 cities in 12 hours instead of just 6. How can this be done? Simple. He should hang upside down from a private helicopter, which then then flies across the country, swooping down low over every big city on the way. The helicopter can even hover at some town squares so he can drink some water and sign an autograph or two, so that Guinness can't complain that hanging upside down from a helicopter isn't really a "public appearance." 60 cities, I'm thinking, is a cinch.
And what if he gets bored during all this because he has no company? No problem. Masakali, dude!
(HT: Deepak.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 19 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
Here's an SMS I've received a few times in the last couple of days:
Help Operation Flood! This Friday Oscar nominated gay film Milk is releasing (with NO cuts) in Mumbai & Pune. Only if it does OK here will it get national release. Please pack theatres with friends & family to help Milk send a strong signal for tolerance and gay rights. Please forward this to friends.
I was planning to watch the film anyway this weekend, and I hope it does get a national release. But I wonder why the author of the message chose to call Milk a "gay film." I would have thought there should be no such thing as a "gay film", just as there's nothing called a "straight film" or a "left-hander's film" (if a film stars left-handers). I loved Brokeback Mountain because it was such a beautifully told love story, and the fact that its protagonists were gay is just detail. Equally, I enjoyed My Brother Nikhil, which, to its credit, unlike most other Indian films, showed its gay characters and their relationships as something utterly normal, requiring no explanation. I don't think either of these films deserved to be slotted into a "gay film" pigeonhole, as if they are about gay people alone, and there is something there that the rest of us don't get. If Milk is a well-made film, which by all accounts it is, I'm sure I'll feel enough empathy with Harvey Milk, and enjoy the movie—I don't need to be gay for that.
Anyway, when I saw the first of these SMSs, I thought of starting another chain SMS that began with the words, "Help Operation Barber." But I'm too old for such frivolity now, so there it goes…
Posted by Amit Varma on 19 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Small thoughts
British reality TV star Jade Goody says she may allow her death to be filmed for a reality show.
"I've lived my whole adult life talking about my life. The only difference is that I'm talking about my death now. It's OK," she told the News Of The World in an interview published Sunday.
"I've lived in front of the cameras. And maybe I'll die in front of them. And I know some people don't like what I'm doing but at this point I really don't care what other people think. Now, it's about what I want," said Goody, who has cancer and been given only months to live.
My fondness for reality shows is known to you—but I don't quite think I'll be watching this. It's icky and disturbing.
That said, if art aims to reveal the human condition, then this is all reality shows had left to do. You're only really taking on life after you come to terms with death. Mostly, we ignore it—and now it'll be on reality TV. I predict millions will watch, fascinated, unable to switch the TV off, seeing themselves in the sad, pathetic figure of Jade Goody—as sad and pathetic as our species itself.
Posted by Amit Varma on 16 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Media | Small thoughts
There is a Facebook meme going around in which people have to write 25 random things about themselves, and then tag various other people. Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with my list now. I can't help but point you to Ol' Bill Shakespeare's list, though. (Yes, this meme's been around!)
My favourites:
5 Sometimes I thinke plays are all Talke, Talke Talke, and wish for a cart-chase scene. I tried one in The Merry Wives, but it looked like Shitte, so I cut it. The men playing the horses were so Pissed at me.
14 On the topic of dating, my daughter Susanna loues to remind me: ~Jvliet was only thirteen! And I remind her that i) she was Italian, an impulsive race ii), she was actually played by a middle-aged Eunuch named Ned, and iii) she died. That always shvts her right vp.
23 Euery time we do the Taming of the Shrew, some pvnter wants his Money backe, because we don't actually show a shrew getting tamed.
There's potential here for a whole series. Let me offer you a sampler:
Nero: "I'm good with the lyre, but my fiddling needs practice."
Aurangzeb: "I actually think these Brahmins walking around shirtless are quite… hot!"
Lalu Prasad Yadav: "I, um, like cows."
Karan Johar: "I like girls."
Pramod Muthalik: "I have a folder in my hard drive called 'Paris Hilton'. It is 125 GB."
And so on. You write the rest.
(HT: Boing Boing.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 09 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Miscellaneous
Once again real life imitates farce. The Economic Times reports:
After courting controversy days ahead of its release, Shah Rukh Khan's latest film 'Billu Barber' will see the term 'barber' dropped from its hoardings and posters across the country following objections from an association of hairdressers, terming it "derogatory".
The actor-producer, who spoke to representatives of the Salon and Beauty Parlors' Association over the issue, on Sunday said his production house Red Chillies Entertainment will ensure that the term 'barber' is removed from all hoardings.
"The Salon and Beauty Parlors' Association" sounds like it's right out of satire, doesn't it. If Raj Kapoor's Shri 420 was released today, a Thieves and Dacoits Association of India might well have turned up to protest at the title—and the producers would then have to cut "420" from the title, leaving just "Shri." All you Bollywood producers reading this, idiot-proof your titles right away.
(Link via email from Paras Berawala.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 09 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
Here's Shahid Kapur on Kareena Kapoor:
I would like to work with her again. I feel that as an actor if my producer wants me to romance with a cow or a buffalo also, I'll do it because that's my job.
Maybe there's a film in there called Jab We Milked?
(HT: RK. Previous posts on cows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 , 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 08 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
I love this headline.
Someone should make a totally pulpy Bollywood horror film out of this. Like Duel on steroids, with Ramsay Brothers production values, and maybe a song or two. It could begin with Delhi police inspector Khiladi Singh (Akshay Kumar) getting married to his childhood sweetheart Sallu (Katrina Kaif), with much song and dance. Then, just as he's about to proceed on his honeymoon to China, a phone call comes. It's the DSP (Paresh Rawal). Killer trucks are on the loose in Central Delhi, he says. Fifty people are already dead.
"How many trucks," asks Akshay.
"At least six," says the DSP.
"I'll come right away. I'll get those drivers, dead or alive"
"Wait—there's something you need to know first."
"The trucks have no drivers."
So Akshay goes after the driverless killer trucks, asking Katrina to stay at home. She turns on the TV. She sees pictures of havoc and destruction, and a TV presenter (Esha Deol) is mowed down from behind by a killer truck while talking to the camera. So, presumably, is the cameraman. The screen shows static. And then a commercial comes on.
Katrina decides to go and join her man in his battle for civilization. And, as we find out in the end, it is just this decision that saves Delhi.
Coming soon to no theaters near you.
Posted by Amit Varma on 02 February, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News
There are few things as poignant as a great artist, in the autumn of his career, getting embittered by the success of younger artists. I am a fan of Jagjit Singh, and his petty outburst today against AR Rahman and Gulzar is pathetic. Particularly this bit of WTFness:
After lambasting Rahman's work, saying it's just an imitation of Western music, Singh has now challenged the Oscar-nominated composer to sing ghazals to prove his talent.
Rahman hasn't got his Oscar nominations for Best Musical Performance in Ghazal Singing, so I don't see the relevance of Singh's challenge. Of course Rahman would be unable to do justice to "Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho"—but he'd be no worse than Singh trying to sing "Tere Bina" from Guru or "Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera" from Swades. So fricking what? They're both exceptional at what they do, and while Singh has a right to his opinion, this kind of public petulance lowers him in everybody's eyes.
Singh, by the way, had asked the government a few years ago to "ban Pakistani singers from performing in India." I wonder if that was motivated by misplaced nationalism, as I had then assumed, or something else.
Update: Bharat Dhurka emails me a link to a video clip of Singh talking about Rahman and Gulzar. In the clip, Singh asks Rahman to compose a ghazal, not to sing one—HT's quotes might well be taken from something Singh said elsewhere, of course.
In any case, that demand is as absurd—like Paul McCartney challenging Eminem to write a ballad to prove himself as a songwriter. How silly would that be?
Posted by Amit Varma on 31 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
I really should have blogged about this earlier, but it's never too late. A superb show of oil-on-canvas paintings by Sonatina Mendes gets over
tomorrow today in Mumbai, and if you have the time and are in the vicinity, I recommend you check it out. The partner has curated this show, and while I don't understand modern art too much, I love Sonatina's work. I find her paintings moving and powerful; they don't scream out with anxiety like the work of so many painters of her generation, but draw you in gently. Examples:
House in Nowhere
(more below the fold)
Posted by Amit Varma on 30 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Personal
From Due Considerations, here's John Updike on my favourite game:
Poker is eminently human. Its strategy and parameters are based not merely on cards but on personalities, the tics and habits revealed over years of acquaintance. In my group, the Bad Loser growls and slams down his hand. The Bluffer blithely raises and, when called, fans out his cards in good-natured surrender, announcing, "I've got shit." The Bottom Feeder taciturnly sticks around, hoping to sneak away with a piece of a cheap pot. Mr By-the-Book, glancing down into a winner, raises and telegraphs his hand and everybody folds, except for the Long Sufferer, who says, "Well, it's only money," and yields up another dollar with a sigh.
Always being in character is a bad ploy. Never making a mistake is a mistake. A failed bluff may pay off a few hands down the road, when you really have the goods, and everyone, remembering the failed bluff, stays against you. Poker, like statecraft, tends to steer by the last miscalculation, trying to avoid it this time. Which can also be a mistake. Our group has given up, by and large, on poker faces; we know each other too well—how we fold, why we stay. We've given up, too, on insisting that a player call his card correctly; we're getting senile, and let the cards speak. It's a comfortable group. Many the Wednesday evening, escaping from a domestic or professional crisis, I settled at the table as if my noisy buddies would protect me from life itself. In my one poker story, the hero has just been told he is fatally ill, and decides to go to poker anyway, and takes comfort by looking around and realizing that we are all dying—reaching out, gathering in, relinquishing. It was a story based on real life, though I didn't die; I was simply scared that I would some day.
RIP, John Updike. Also, in an internet poker player's parlance: gg.
Posted by Amit Varma on 30 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Excerpts | Sport
Jai Arjun Singh has a superb post on Chetan Bhagat, in which he quotes Bhagat as saying:
See, reactions to any book take place on so many different levels. Literary critics think my books are so safe, and that they don't challenge anyone at all, but the fact is that these books often shock the middle-class people who are their primary readers. Whether you like it or not, you have to take into account the responses and feelings of even naïve readers. In Five Point Someone, when I had the two lovers engage in pre-marital sex, I got so many responses from people who said they liked the book but felt that Neha should not have "given up" her virginity. There have even been readers who know so little about novels that they don't realise this is fiction: I get letters reproaching me for ruining Neha's life by telling this story. 'Tumne Neha ki zindagi barbaad kar di, ab uss se shaadi kaun karegaa?' ('You've spoilt Neha's chances of getting married.') I don't know how to explain to them that this is a made-up story.
This illustrates the enormity of what Bhagat has achieved: he has got lakhs of people who do not read books to try their hand at reading a novel in English. There is a family friend of mine who probably hasn't read a book in the last five years—he went out and bought all of Bhagat's three novels when the latest one was released. I once used to know a chap who boasted to me that he had only read 10 books in his life, and they were all "for studies"—I can totally imagine him buying a Bhagat book at some point. In a market where an English-language novel that sells 10,000 copies is considered a bestseller, Bhagat has sold lakhs, by writing books that people who do not read books have bought and enjoyed.
How has he done this? I have no clue. It is possible that he has captured the zeitgeist of middle-class India in a way that we elite readers of literary books simply can't fathom. It is also possible that this is less a writing success than the success of a meme, and he happened to be in the right place at the right time. Perhaps he shall write many more successful books, and sell in crores; or maybe the fashion will wear off, and other writers will take the spotlight. Whatever the case may be, he has shown one thing: there are lakhs of people out there willing to pick up an English novel and give it a chance. That is a big deal, and well done Chetan Bhagat for that.
Do read the rest of Jai's piece, by the way. On the subject of criticism, I'm on Jai's side, but Bhagat's thoughts on the subject obviously reflect how many people feel. He comes across as honest and unpretentious, and he has my respect for that.
As for what I feel about his writing, well, I'm not a fan. But as my friend Chandrahas once pointed out in conversation, most of the people who pile on to Bhagat are making a category error—he is not trying to produce great literature that reveals the human condition, but to tell interesting stories that lots of people want to read. The first demands a subjective assessment; the second has an objective measure: the sales of the books. Bhagat is succeeding at what he wishes to do, and more power to him for that.
Posted by Amit Varma on 29 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Small thoughts
The Times of India reports:
Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has fuelled a furore yet again by saying that women in the country were so beautiful that they needed military escorts to avoid being raped.
On his defence, Berlusconi said he was complimenting Italian women "because there are only about 100,000 people in law enforcement, while there are millions of beautiful women."
Berlusconi says he made his remarks in jest, which is just as well. After all, Italian men are not rats. In his intriguing history of this tenacious rodent, Jerry Langton writes:
Although all animals, especially mammals, can adapt to their surroundings, few if any do so as rapidly as rats. The reason behind this would appear to be the rat's amazing fecundity. Rats just love having sex and they do it all the time. Male rats regularly mate with underage and already pregnant rats and have even been photographed mating with dead rats, their heads still caught in snap traps. Sometimes, groups of all-male rats will have sex with one another.
Don't ask me why I'm reading that book. (Like a rat will eat anything, I'll read anything.) But I read that news piece about Berlusconi, and straight away the image of rats humping all over the streets of Italy came to my mind. What army can fight rats?
PS: Can you imagine Manmohan Singh saying something like that?
(Berloscuni link via separate emails from Shantanu and Deepak.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 28 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News | WTF
Some of my friends are at the Jaipur Literature Festival, and one of them, Sonia Faleiro, interviewed Vikram Seth on the opening day of the festival. Much fun was had by all, eyewitnesses and participants tell me. There was even some wine on stage—and why not?
Well, according to this report in Dainik Bhaskar, local writers are up in arms because they feel that drinking wine on stage was a "kalank" on "sahitya, kala [and] sanskruti", and are demanding that the state government take action. (If I was the state government, I would confiscate the bottle.) It's hilarious stuff—if you can read Hindi, go through the piece, it reads like an India TV script.
And if you can't read Hindi, even better—this Google translation of the page is much more hilarious. I especially loved what Google made of Nandlal Burner's quote:
Public exemplary conduct of the writer should be. Tire or Kabir, Rskhan or basil, or Muktibod offerings, those who write them live too.
That surely has to be the last word on the subject.
Posted by Amit Varma on 24 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Freedom | India | News | WTF
I just watched Slumdog Millionaire and enjoyed it thoroughly. It's an entertaining yarn, and really should be seen only from that prism. It rocks in the way a good pulp bestseller rocks, with a propulsive storyline that keeps you hooked, and requires a suspension of disbelief. To judge it by the standards of high art, and declare it a failure on grounds of plausibility or authenticity, is, in my book, a category error. It's an airport paperback, not a Booker nominee.
Also, I'm a fan of AR Rahman, and to see him get such attention is wonderful. I hope he wins at least one Oscar, and foreign listeners seek out his Indian work because of that.
Now, here's a question: If this film was made by a local director and not by a Western biggie, would our reaction to the film have been the same? Would we have so readily forgiven the clichés and other lapses of this film? Or would we have said, Saala, b*st*rd's making a movie for the foreign audience. Sellout. Would we have been jealous of its achievement, or less forgiving of its flaws? Would we have liked the film more or less if Sunil Tandon of Juhu had directed this film instead of Danny Boyle of Lancashire?
That's a question, not an accusation. I think I would have viewed the film differently if that were so—and I'm slightly perturbed by that.
Posted by Amit Varma on 23 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | Personal | Small thoughts
We live in times when satire is redundant—for what can beat real news such as this?
An office bearer of a slum dwellers' body has filed a defamation case against music director A R Rahman and actor Anil Kapoor [Images] alleging that the award winning film Slumdog Millionaire calls Indians dogs and slum dwellers slum dogs.
The meaning of 'Slumdog Millionaire' in Hindi is the millionaire dog of slum-dwellers, Vishwakarma alleged, adding that such a name was a violation of human rights and honour.
Vishwakarma said he has already approached the national and state human rights commissions for necessary action against Rahman and Kapoor, who portrays the role of a game show host in the film.
On an email group I'm part of, Devangshu Datta says, "Now what we need is a millionaire to file alleging insult at being compared to a slum dog." And lo, Hari Shenoy does the needful.
Also, Paras Berawala suggests: "Let's also draft a petition by dog owners against Tapeshwar Vishwakarma for implying that 'dog' is an insulting word."
The possibilities for such WTFness are endless: Someone can sue the makers of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi on behalf of God, alleging that they insult God by implying that one can see Her in any random person. Every Indian Idol contestant criticized by Javed Akhtar can sue him for the way his son sang in Rock On. The Chinese government and the Chandni Chowk mohalla committee can sue Akshay Kumar for you-know-what. Torture academies can sue Himessss Reshammiya for making them redundant. And so on and on. Immense potential simmers.
(Rediff link via Prem's Twitter, which Salil pointed me to. ??! also wrote in independently with the link.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 21 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Freedom | India | News | WTF
In the WTF Q&A of the day with The Times of India, Sanjay Dutt insists that he belongs to the 19th century.
Dutt: Girls who become part of a new family after marriage must assume their new surname and all the responsibilities that come with it.
ToI: Is that a message to Priya?
Dutt: That's a message not just to my sisters, but to all girls who hang on to their parents' surname. It's become fashionable these days. But I strongly feel that doing so disrespects the person they've married.
ToI: Those are strong words.
Dutt: This may sound harsh, but if Manyata had said that she wanted to retain her father's surname, I would've felt offended.
I wonder if he's put a dog collar on Manyata—just in case, you know. There are more priceless quotes in the interview, such as when he says, "no sister gets along with her brother's wife." And: "Politics is a golden opportunity to put an end to unwanted films."
I used to think that the misdemeanors of Dutt's youth were a result of his immaturity at the time. But it's clear now that the guy is just a macho buffoon. And what's a good place for a macho buffoon from a filmi family? Bollywood, that's where.
(Link via email from Shrabonti Bagchi.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 19 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | WTF
My reaction to this: I hope there will be songs, and dancing around trees.
Posted by Amit Varma on 16 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | Politics | WTF
I bet you never knew about this particular underbelly. See this picture. And this. The celebrities of Bombay are clearly turning this city into a city of vampires, Page 3 party by Page 3 party. They go mua, you go mua, what's that on my neck, bye bye humanhood.
Just look at these dudes scoping out victims, mouths firmly closed. Pure evil.
There's a delightfully trashy, pure timepass book in this. One of you writers reading this should really write it over a weekend or something.
(First pic via email from Aditya.)
Posted by Amit Varma on 15 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | Small thoughts
The WTF quote of the day comes from Akshay Kumar:
I'm a Punjabi. I'm not embarrassed. I can take my shirt off.
I'm half Punjabi, so, inspired by this, I shall now step out for lunch with my buttons open.
Er, wait, I'm also half-Bengali, and there are paunch issues. Hmm.
Posted by Amit Varma on 15 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | News | Personal | WTF
The line of the day comes via email from Neelakantan, who, reacting to this, says:
Clearly, setting up a terror attack in India is a lot easier than setting up a business.
There are immense satirical possibilities in the government introducing licensing for terror attacks. I can imagine a short story named "A License For Terror" in which a dude named Hari applies to the Department of Terrorism for a license to set up a terror attack. "But you're not Muslim," the bureaucrat tells him. "We can't give you a license." So Hari, desperate to blow something up, goes and converts, and comes back as Mufeed. But Mufeed now finds that the previous reason given by the bureaucrat was an excuse, the chap just wanted chai-pani. The conversion was in vain. So Mufeed…
But I'm not going to tell you how it ends. What if I end up writing it?
Update: "India terrorizes fedayeen," reports Manish Vij.
Posted by Amit Varma on 13 January, 2009 in Arts and entertainment | India | News | Small thoughts