After his first year as President, Obama gave his first ' State of the Union' address today broadcast on TV from 6.00 PM to 7.30 PM PST. The recent loss of the Senate seat held by Ted Kennedy has given the Republicans a sudden jolt of hope and they seem to think that they now have the Democrats on the defensive. The Democrats also suffered setbacks in the Governor's race for two states. All this had given an opportunity to Obama opponents to start pulling him down. The Press joined in contributing its part by crying hoarse that one Senate seat-loss implies that the entire country has lost confidence in Obama. It is pathetic on the part of the TV and News media to use this one isolated loss as an attractive story to increase their ratings. Every news outlet now wants to be seen or heard talking about what the Massachusetts loss means to Obama or the Democrats or the whole country. The confidence with which the so called experts speak on TV programs gives you the impression that they know what they are talking. I am now totally suspicious of such people. They only know as much as any common man. The only advantage they have is that they have access to the media outlet and they are brash enough to give baseless opinions.
With this background Obama's confident and hard hitting address today was very welcome. He spoke with an authority and clarity that inspired confidence in me. He impressed that he still has the situation under his control. He has such an excellent mastery over the language and idea formation and a brilliant way of sharing his thoughts that he can win over many independent minded people to his side. He gave very convincing arguments for the bank bailout, for the investment in energy research and his push for Universal health care.
In a very combative mood he derided the people whose intention is only to block him from doing his work just to score political points over him. He said "In this new decade, it's time the American people get a government that matches their decency; that embodies their strength. And tonight, I'd like to talk about how, together, we can deliver on that promise.....". That was a very pointed reference to those people who are in the way between him and his objectives.
If anybody had thought that he will back off from his goals because of the loss in Massachusetts or the problems faced by the health care bill, he proved them completely wrong. He implored the republicans to do the right thing and not oppose him for short term gains. He said if our fathers had thought of only short term gains, America would not be what it is today.
Far from sounding disheartened he said he was never as hopeful as he is today about the bright future of US. So that is the man who reminded the voters the Obama during the Presidential campaign. I think it restored the hope and confidence Americans had in him which might have been dented thanks to the Media and his opponents going over board in reading too much into the recent short term losses.
His most reassuring statement was when he sternly said "We don't quit. I don't quit"
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Movie Review: Sin Nombre (2009 - Spanish)
Title : Sin Nombre (No name)
Spanish with English Subtitles
Starring: Many unknown actors
Writer and Director: Cary Fukunaga
Score: 8.5/10
This is the story about the aspirations of an impoverished family from Guatemala for a better life. The father and his son and daughter Seyra take up the arduous journey to come to the US border through Mexico. I am a sucker for any movie which involves the characters being on road and giving us a visual glimpse of different towns, people and terrains. This movie had all of it. The journey starts with the family getting on top of a train's roof with the intent of making it to US.
At the same time across the border on Mexico we watch the life of Willy also known as Casper, a teenager who is part of a violent gang which is involved in turf wars with a rival gang. Killing the rival gang members is their main activity. It is led by a brutal leader who shows his mettle when he kills a rival gang member and cuts him up and feed him to dogs. Willey introduces a young boy of 13 or 14 years into the gang. We watch the initiation of the boy when he is mercilessly battered by a bunch of gang members while the leader counts from 1 to 13. Since the boy survives this assault, he is now inducted into the gang. For reasons I will not divulge Willey becomes disheartened with his gang. This movie becomes interesting when these 2 stories intersect each other in the form Willey and Seyra's relationship.
The movie successfully captures the abject poverty and the resulting distress and destitution in the third world countries. This drives the young members into gangs and the related dangerous life styles. The scenes of a large group of men, women and children lying on the railway tracks waiting for the train to come is a very powerful image and gives a very good background on why the characters are trying to cross into US. The train journey and the natural landscape provide a fantastic reflection of the situations and emotions in which the main characters find themselves in. The start of a new morning also brings a glimmer of hope on the faces of the travelers. The beautiful landscape of Mexico is a great backdrop and it is a pleasure to see it amidst the couple of towns through which the train passes with these prospective illegal immigrants. One very memorable scene involves a group of boys and girls throwing fruits into the hands of these travelers much to the gratitude of the recipients . In the process of this story we are given a fantastic study of many different types of human emotions and characters. Large part of the credit should go to the script writer Cary Fukunaga for weaving a complex set of realities into a visually stunning and gripping story. The director (Cary Fukunaga again) also has exercised complete control and maturity in how he handles the story without giving in for gimmickry and populist techniques.
The photography captures the rough and beautiful terrain of Guatemala and Mexico in a spectacular style. The picturization of the train journey and choice of locales such as the desolate railway station is very effective. The music is different and is haunting. The actors have given some excellent performances. It is a very humane story exposing the way people make choices in their lives.
I am really amazed at the number of good movies that are coming out of Mexico. This one is definitely one of the most exciting movies I have watched.
This gets 8.5/10
Spanish with English Subtitles
Starring: Many unknown actors
Writer and Director: Cary Fukunaga
Score: 8.5/10
This is the story about the aspirations of an impoverished family from Guatemala for a better life. The father and his son and daughter Seyra take up the arduous journey to come to the US border through Mexico. I am a sucker for any movie which involves the characters being on road and giving us a visual glimpse of different towns, people and terrains. This movie had all of it. The journey starts with the family getting on top of a train's roof with the intent of making it to US.
At the same time across the border on Mexico we watch the life of Willy also known as Casper, a teenager who is part of a violent gang which is involved in turf wars with a rival gang. Killing the rival gang members is their main activity. It is led by a brutal leader who shows his mettle when he kills a rival gang member and cuts him up and feed him to dogs. Willey introduces a young boy of 13 or 14 years into the gang. We watch the initiation of the boy when he is mercilessly battered by a bunch of gang members while the leader counts from 1 to 13. Since the boy survives this assault, he is now inducted into the gang. For reasons I will not divulge Willey becomes disheartened with his gang. This movie becomes interesting when these 2 stories intersect each other in the form Willey and Seyra's relationship.
The movie successfully captures the abject poverty and the resulting distress and destitution in the third world countries. This drives the young members into gangs and the related dangerous life styles. The scenes of a large group of men, women and children lying on the railway tracks waiting for the train to come is a very powerful image and gives a very good background on why the characters are trying to cross into US. The train journey and the natural landscape provide a fantastic reflection of the situations and emotions in which the main characters find themselves in. The start of a new morning also brings a glimmer of hope on the faces of the travelers. The beautiful landscape of Mexico is a great backdrop and it is a pleasure to see it amidst the couple of towns through which the train passes with these prospective illegal immigrants. One very memorable scene involves a group of boys and girls throwing fruits into the hands of these travelers much to the gratitude of the recipients . In the process of this story we are given a fantastic study of many different types of human emotions and characters. Large part of the credit should go to the script writer Cary Fukunaga for weaving a complex set of realities into a visually stunning and gripping story. The director (Cary Fukunaga again) also has exercised complete control and maturity in how he handles the story without giving in for gimmickry and populist techniques.
The photography captures the rough and beautiful terrain of Guatemala and Mexico in a spectacular style. The picturization of the train journey and choice of locales such as the desolate railway station is very effective. The music is different and is haunting. The actors have given some excellent performances. It is a very humane story exposing the way people make choices in their lives.
I am really amazed at the number of good movies that are coming out of Mexico. This one is definitely one of the most exciting movies I have watched.
This gets 8.5/10
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Kannada Films - 75 years. Radio program
You can listen to "75 years of Kannada films - a flash back" interview with Dr. Puttaswamy here.Monday, January 18, 2010
Review: Gokula Nirgamana (2010)
Title: Gokula Nirgamana dance drama
Written by: Padmasri Pu. Ti.. Narasimhachar
Director and Choreographer: Gargi Panchangam
Produced by: Alamelu Iyengar
Music: Subhapriya Srivatsan and Hemmige Srivatsan
Location: Smithwick Theatre at Foot Hills College, Los Altos, California.
Score: 9.5 out 10
The great Kannada poet Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar has penned some of the best lyrical works in Kannada literature. Gokula Nirgama is perhaps the most beloved and popular among his works. I think this is not only because of the timeless and universal appeal of Krishna and Radha's romance but also because it has been captured in very beautiful lyrics with an inbuilt musicality which shows that Pu.ti.na was not only a great poet but he also had a deep understanding of music. The ending of the this story is also of great importance .
The current production which I watched was produced by the poet's daughter Alamelu Iyengar who is well known for her wide ranging involvement in cultural activities including drama. It was organized as part of a concert series by the group 'South India Fine Arts' in California.
The story is a depiction of Radha's love and devotion for Krishna. The entire presentation was in the form of a dance drama based on the Bharatanatyam dance tradition. The verses of the poet's work were performed by a live music group and the emotions in the verses were depicted by excellent dance performances set to the beat and tune of the music.
The dance choreographed by Gargi Panchangam had a class of beauty and artistry. Some of the songs are already popular among the music lovers. To watch Radha and Krishna dance to this music with the Gopikas was a feast to the eyes. Gargi as Radha was simply exquisite in her dance and in her emotions. As Alamelu rightly put it she personified the Radha of Pu.ti.na's imagination. Pushpa Ramanujam as Krishna embodied his charm and also helped to enhance the beauty of Nandagokula and his romantic relationship with Radha.
The Gopikas were a beautiful compliment to Radha and Krishna. Their dances were excellent and most notable was the Raasa Leele piece. The arathi offered to Krishna and the way the entire troupe froze in their devotion to Krishna made a deep impression.
The music provided the strong base for the dancers to perform. The composition and rendering by the troupe headed by Hemmige Srivatsan and Subhapriya Srivatsan was a display of fine artistic performance.
Stage settings and sound provided good support. The tree on the stage looked more symbolic than being a natural part of the scenery. Lighting added a lot to make the performance look as good as it did. The costumes were grand.
In an otherwise perfect execution there is some scope for improvement. The first 20 minutes or so felt a bit disjointed. Individually the dances were very good but there was no seamless transition between 2 pieces. To put it in a different way, it was after the arrival of Krishna that the audience got glued to the performance. Radhe's anticipation of Krishna was electrifying. The dances of the gollas could have been performed better as a group. The gollas could also add finer touch to their dance instead of the pop-folk style of dance. The contrast between the bharatanatyam dancers and the gollas stood out. It will be nice if the gollas' dances blend with the main style. The sticks in their hands were a distraction or they moved randomly affecting the dance. Perhaps the speeches at the end should have been without frequent interruptions. Now this one is more about the venue - it is really unfair to expect the elderly patrons and children to climb the hill. It is quite strenuous. The organizers did offer to mitigate this trouble by offering rides to people who required it. But not many people knew of it. All these external issues do have an effect on the audience's experience of the performance.
On the whole the production is commendable for its conceptualization and performance.
Written by: Padmasri Pu. Ti.. Narasimhachar
Director and Choreographer: Gargi Panchangam
Produced by: Alamelu Iyengar
Music: Subhapriya Srivatsan and Hemmige Srivatsan
Location: Smithwick Theatre at Foot Hills College, Los Altos, California.
Score: 9.5 out 10
The great Kannada poet Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar has penned some of the best lyrical works in Kannada literature. Gokula Nirgama is perhaps the most beloved and popular among his works. I think this is not only because of the timeless and universal appeal of Krishna and Radha's romance but also because it has been captured in very beautiful lyrics with an inbuilt musicality which shows that Pu.ti.na was not only a great poet but he also had a deep understanding of music. The ending of the this story is also of great importance .
The current production which I watched was produced by the poet's daughter Alamelu Iyengar who is well known for her wide ranging involvement in cultural activities including drama. It was organized as part of a concert series by the group 'South India Fine Arts' in California.
The story is a depiction of Radha's love and devotion for Krishna. The entire presentation was in the form of a dance drama based on the Bharatanatyam dance tradition. The verses of the poet's work were performed by a live music group and the emotions in the verses were depicted by excellent dance performances set to the beat and tune of the music.
The dance choreographed by Gargi Panchangam had a class of beauty and artistry. Some of the songs are already popular among the music lovers. To watch Radha and Krishna dance to this music with the Gopikas was a feast to the eyes. Gargi as Radha was simply exquisite in her dance and in her emotions. As Alamelu rightly put it she personified the Radha of Pu.ti.na's imagination. Pushpa Ramanujam as Krishna embodied his charm and also helped to enhance the beauty of Nandagokula and his romantic relationship with Radha.
The Gopikas were a beautiful compliment to Radha and Krishna. Their dances were excellent and most notable was the Raasa Leele piece. The arathi offered to Krishna and the way the entire troupe froze in their devotion to Krishna made a deep impression.
The music provided the strong base for the dancers to perform. The composition and rendering by the troupe headed by Hemmige Srivatsan and Subhapriya Srivatsan was a display of fine artistic performance.
Stage settings and sound provided good support. The tree on the stage looked more symbolic than being a natural part of the scenery. Lighting added a lot to make the performance look as good as it did. The costumes were grand.
In an otherwise perfect execution there is some scope for improvement. The first 20 minutes or so felt a bit disjointed. Individually the dances were very good but there was no seamless transition between 2 pieces. To put it in a different way, it was after the arrival of Krishna that the audience got glued to the performance. Radhe's anticipation of Krishna was electrifying. The dances of the gollas could have been performed better as a group. The gollas could also add finer touch to their dance instead of the pop-folk style of dance. The contrast between the bharatanatyam dancers and the gollas stood out. It will be nice if the gollas' dances blend with the main style. The sticks in their hands were a distraction or they moved randomly affecting the dance. Perhaps the speeches at the end should have been without frequent interruptions. Now this one is more about the venue - it is really unfair to expect the elderly patrons and children to climb the hill. It is quite strenuous. The organizers did offer to mitigate this trouble by offering rides to people who required it. But not many people knew of it. All these external issues do have an effect on the audience's experience of the performance.
On the whole the production is commendable for its conceptualization and performance.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Kannada Films - 75 years. Radio program
Dear friends,
I am doing a radio program in California. It will be on Stanford's KZSU 90.1 FM called "75 years of Kannada films - A flash back". You can listen to it through internet from any where in the world. Lively chat with our guest Dr. Puttaswamy who has authored a book on this topic. Call in and share your favorite movies, actors , songs and memories from Kannada films.
Also please listen to archives of t the kannada/Tamil/Hindi. radio programs we have been doing for the last 3 years.
Details:'75 years of Kannada Cinema - A Flash back'. Interview with Dr. Puttaswamy - author of "Kannada cinema - 75 - a flash back'
Date: Wed Jan 20th.Radio: KZSU 90.1 FM in California Bay area.Listen on the internet http://www.itsdiff.com/Kannada.html (Click on Listen Live)Time: 7.30 AM to 8.30 AM PST (Morning) California Time.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Happiness is a mode in the mind
My friend Vishvanand raised the issue of happiness and its elusive nature. To state a cliche 'Happiness is a state of mind not a goal to reach". It means that no matter where you are in life, happiness is a state which the mind takes on. In other words you can be 'decide' to be happy at anything. Off course I am not saying that you should try to be happy where genuine unhappiness is natural. I am talking day to day situations. Let us say you have decided to be at work before the boss comes to work. Your expectation is that the boss will think that you must have been at work since a long while whereas you have deftly times to be there just 5 minutes before the boss. Now this is a great idea. While boss may not even bother to think when you came, the problem is this. No matter how you try you are always late and the boss has visited your cube a couple of times by the time you show up. (so your colleague tells you)
So now that is a situation when you have to decide, in what state you want your mind to be in. You may feel extremely disappointed and unhappy that even though you know this secret recipe for success you have not been able to capitalize on it. This is the 4th year since you made this new year resolution that you will be at work early, It is a valid situation that makes you unhappy. Or you can be happy in spite of it. In that case you need to consciously 'disassociate' your happiness from this situation. Even before that you should not make this a cause for unhappiness. A good situation would be that you derive happiness from some thing else. May be playing with your kids. Could be watching your favorite program too.
One of the best quotes I have heard is " It does not matter where you live. All of us live in one place and that is our head". So if you keep your head a happy place then any place or any situation should not affect that happiness in your mind. Off course it is easier said than done.
But at least it prevents us from having wrong expectations. Expecting happiness to come 'if only you get your green card' or 'if only I got that promotion' is not the right thing. One needs to be happy in the mind irrespective of the external situation.
Other way of saying is that in order to be happy you should appreciate what you have. So whatever you have or don't have your mind should adopt a state of happiness.
You may think this is cheating oneself. But there is a well established fact that says "You are what you think". So it may be OK to cheat yourself into believing you are happy. There is no one thing which is capable of making everyone happy. So if in your mind, having nothing to so on a weekend makes you happy, I think you should believe it and just enjoy that happiness. By doing this you are training your mind to be happy independent of external situations. (i.e what happens outside does not take away your happiness).
So now that is a situation when you have to decide, in what state you want your mind to be in. You may feel extremely disappointed and unhappy that even though you know this secret recipe for success you have not been able to capitalize on it. This is the 4th year since you made this new year resolution that you will be at work early, It is a valid situation that makes you unhappy. Or you can be happy in spite of it. In that case you need to consciously 'disassociate' your happiness from this situation. Even before that you should not make this a cause for unhappiness. A good situation would be that you derive happiness from some thing else. May be playing with your kids. Could be watching your favorite program too.
One of the best quotes I have heard is " It does not matter where you live. All of us live in one place and that is our head". So if you keep your head a happy place then any place or any situation should not affect that happiness in your mind. Off course it is easier said than done.
But at least it prevents us from having wrong expectations. Expecting happiness to come 'if only you get your green card' or 'if only I got that promotion' is not the right thing. One needs to be happy in the mind irrespective of the external situation.
Other way of saying is that in order to be happy you should appreciate what you have. So whatever you have or don't have your mind should adopt a state of happiness.
You may think this is cheating oneself. But there is a well established fact that says "You are what you think". So it may be OK to cheat yourself into believing you are happy. There is no one thing which is capable of making everyone happy. So if in your mind, having nothing to so on a weekend makes you happy, I think you should believe it and just enjoy that happiness. By doing this you are training your mind to be happy independent of external situations. (i.e what happens outside does not take away your happiness).
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