CONTENT ADVISORY (LANGUAGE)
Try to put aside your Bollywood dreams for an hour. Just watch a doc on LINK TV :
"Nearly 200,000 farmers have committed suicide in India over the last 10 years. But the mainstream media hardly reflects this. Nero's Guests is a story about India's agrarian crisis and the growing inequality seen through the work of the Rural Affairs Editor of Hindu newspaper, P. Sainath.
Through sustained coverage of the farm crisis, Sainath and his colleagues created the national agenda, compelling a government in denial to take notice and act.
Through his writings and lectures, Sainath makes us confront the India we don't want to see, and provokes us to think about who "Nero's Guests" are in today's world."
Please share if you are moved or enlightened as I was.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Versailles Revisited
It takes decades for some pop music to gain lasting
relevance. Depeche Mode's '80s music totally fits the bill
here as it finds itself elevated into a classic by Dior.
relevance. Depeche Mode's '80s music totally fits the bill
here as it finds itself elevated into a classic by Dior.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Norah Jones New and Exclusively on Italian TV
This has nothing to do with Poona/Pune except that I witnessed Norah's Dad Maestro Ravi Shankar perform in Poona once upon a long, long time ago. That's stretching the connection but hey....I wanted to save this video and decided to use my latent blogger capabilities, so you win. You get the most up-to-date video clip plus you get to see a photo I took in Las Vegas of someone who looks a lot like Norah. Hope you understand spoken Italian, which you won't need anyway, since she sings in her normal English language.....Ciao !
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Kolaveri Song Reaches Pune Traffic Cops
A bit old by today's standards.....but I just had to share it here, where
it belongs....
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
9-11 Reflections
Fragments of a person's mind, ten years after the tragedy......Glenn Losack
was in NYC http://www.flickr.com/photos/glosackmd/6118661918/in/photostream
while I was in Houston, Texas.
The picture below is from 1996, the last time I saw the Twin Towers.
I cannot share anything new with you today about my reflections of that place on that day.
It was before cellphone cams became the norm, and so I have nothing to add in that
respect either. All I can say is that I can never watch any NYC scene ever again without
some discomfort, because I invariably experience pain deep inside. Even some of my favorite
old Hollywood NYC scenes have taken on a new, tainted dimension as I get flashbacks, in a
manner of speaking.
Luckily, Glenn has been biding his time and finally finished his dedication for all of us to see,
the two 9-11 videos below. All the photos, lyrics and music performances on all instruments
are Copyrighted and courtesy of Glenn Losack, MD
"Dedicated to the 10th year anniversary of 9-11-2001 and to the brave soldiers who
die/d for our liberty protecting our freedom of speech and right to protest among
other freedoms we enjoy."
~ Glenn Losack
Related link : http://virtualpoona.blogspot.com/2009/09/where-was-i-on-9-11.html
was in NYC http://www.flickr.com/photos/glosackmd/6118661918/in/photostream
while I was in Houston, Texas.
The picture below is from 1996, the last time I saw the Twin Towers.
I cannot share anything new with you today about my reflections of that place on that day.
It was before cellphone cams became the norm, and so I have nothing to add in that
respect either. All I can say is that I can never watch any NYC scene ever again without
some discomfort, because I invariably experience pain deep inside. Even some of my favorite
old Hollywood NYC scenes have taken on a new, tainted dimension as I get flashbacks, in a
manner of speaking.
Luckily, Glenn has been biding his time and finally finished his dedication for all of us to see,
the two 9-11 videos below. All the photos, lyrics and music performances on all instruments
are Copyrighted and courtesy of Glenn Losack, MD
"Dedicated to the 10th year anniversary of 9-11-2001 and to the brave soldiers who
die/d for our liberty protecting our freedom of speech and right to protest among
other freedoms we enjoy."
~ Glenn Losack
Related link : http://virtualpoona.blogspot.com/2009/09/where-was-i-on-9-11.html
Sunday, September 04, 2011
I Remember Mama Mia
This has some strange meaning to me in more ways than just the immediate desperate
message to humanity in the video. Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Salma Hayek, Jessica
Alba and countless other celebrities have all visited poverty-stricken countries and
been moved to join the crusade to bring attention to the dire conditions children face
in poorer nations.
Today's UNICEF post on Facebook featured Woody Allen's ex-wife Mia Farrow
who has been garnering attention for her untiring work in the Horn of Africa. Today
I am pleased beyond measure with her efforts, even as I remember with mixed emotions
the day I met her. What follows is a highly condensed version of that day.
Back in Sept.'94 as a Limousine Driver I found myself on the premises of Mia Farrow's
Connecticut farmhouse just after her divorce with Woody Allen came through. I was
responsible for transporting the Marquesa de Varela
(PIC COPYRIGHT Peter Dench http://www.peterdench.com/ )
the Editor and the crew of Hello magazine European edition to interview Ms. Farrow in
Connecticut. My mind was a mess. First day on the job with a new Limo company and I was
going to meet a legend !
A couple of hours after the drive from NYC I naturally got as curious as the average
star-struck person and decided to try and get a peek of Ms. Farrow. I walked to the
front door, knocked, and was greeted with curiosity by a little boy who was obviously
Woody's son. It was like someone had taken Woody's nose and glasses and stuck them
on the kid, like one of those Groucho Marx masks. He just stood and stared and I guess
he didn't speak much yet. Well, the babysitter directed me to an outhouse kind of
residence where I helped myself as I began to feel like a real servant in the 'Servants'
Quarters'.
As I kept out of listening distance, the interview continued outdoors on the banks
of Ms. Farrow's own private lake where they were barbecuing hamburgers and
hot dogs that survived the transition to a new humongous refrigerator that was hooked
up while I was there. The amount of wasted food that was being thrown out was amazing
but somewhat understandable given the presence of 12 kids. No, Soon-Yi was not there
anymore. She left with Woody when the farmhouse was awarded to Mia as part of the
divorce settlement. As I got hungrier by the minute at the aroma of all the grilling,
I also found myself taking a disdain towards my client who I later discovered was known
as the 'Nutty Marchesa' in Europe. She was a full-fledged Marquessa and her royal
blood and cash connections are what landed her this interview so soon after the divorce
(I believe). Almost the entire trip from NYC and back consisted of the Marchesa behaving like,
well, a European Marchesa with no time for small talk with small people. Fine, that was
acceptable in my situation. Limo drivers should be seen, and not heard, as I was to learn that
day.
But my roots of Indian hospitality towards all, regardless of one's station in life were shaken.
I bristled at the total disregard of my presence while they gorged themselves but was not
even offered a glass of water. While I was driving, the Marchesa demanded I first dial
Mary Pierce at the US Tennis Open, and then make contact with the late Natasha Richardson
(who had just married Liam Neeson), and while I was struggling with the international codes
with one hand on the wheel she very loudly remarked so I could hear, "Not very professional ! "
But I digress....
During the final minutes of this ongoing adventure the heat and humidity gave way to
a tempestuous thunderstorm akin to the best Monsoon I have ever seen as an Indian. We set
out back to NYC, but only after I spent 15 minutes holding an over-sized umbrella over Ms.
Farrow, who seemed immune to the downpour in her Mac and gumboots. She was completely
drenched as she chatted with the Marchesa, and I was soaked to the skin on the one side
that wasn't protected by the umbrella. It took 3 hours for me to dry out as we drove back to
the Intercontinental Hotel in NYC.
So the strange part I mentioned before is.... ? It just struck me as ironic that Mia should be
struggling to help feed children across the globe all these years after she threw away (in true
American style) humongous amounts of food along with her old fridge.
Please do watch the video and help if you can !
message to humanity in the video. Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Salma Hayek, Jessica
Alba and countless other celebrities have all visited poverty-stricken countries and
been moved to join the crusade to bring attention to the dire conditions children face
in poorer nations.
Today's UNICEF post on Facebook featured Woody Allen's ex-wife Mia Farrow
who has been garnering attention for her untiring work in the Horn of Africa. Today
I am pleased beyond measure with her efforts, even as I remember with mixed emotions
the day I met her. What follows is a highly condensed version of that day.
Back in Sept.'94 as a Limousine Driver I found myself on the premises of Mia Farrow's
Connecticut farmhouse just after her divorce with Woody Allen came through. I was
responsible for transporting the Marquesa de Varela
(PIC COPYRIGHT Peter Dench http://www.peterdench.com/ )
the Editor and the crew of Hello magazine European edition to interview Ms. Farrow in
Connecticut. My mind was a mess. First day on the job with a new Limo company and I was
going to meet a legend !
A couple of hours after the drive from NYC I naturally got as curious as the average
star-struck person and decided to try and get a peek of Ms. Farrow. I walked to the
front door, knocked, and was greeted with curiosity by a little boy who was obviously
Woody's son. It was like someone had taken Woody's nose and glasses and stuck them
on the kid, like one of those Groucho Marx masks. He just stood and stared and I guess
he didn't speak much yet. Well, the babysitter directed me to an outhouse kind of
residence where I helped myself as I began to feel like a real servant in the 'Servants'
Quarters'.
As I kept out of listening distance, the interview continued outdoors on the banks
of Ms. Farrow's own private lake where they were barbecuing hamburgers and
hot dogs that survived the transition to a new humongous refrigerator that was hooked
up while I was there. The amount of wasted food that was being thrown out was amazing
but somewhat understandable given the presence of 12 kids. No, Soon-Yi was not there
anymore. She left with Woody when the farmhouse was awarded to Mia as part of the
divorce settlement. As I got hungrier by the minute at the aroma of all the grilling,
I also found myself taking a disdain towards my client who I later discovered was known
as the 'Nutty Marchesa' in Europe. She was a full-fledged Marquessa and her royal
blood and cash connections are what landed her this interview so soon after the divorce
(I believe). Almost the entire trip from NYC and back consisted of the Marchesa behaving like,
well, a European Marchesa with no time for small talk with small people. Fine, that was
acceptable in my situation. Limo drivers should be seen, and not heard, as I was to learn that
day.
But my roots of Indian hospitality towards all, regardless of one's station in life were shaken.
I bristled at the total disregard of my presence while they gorged themselves but was not
even offered a glass of water. While I was driving, the Marchesa demanded I first dial
Mary Pierce at the US Tennis Open, and then make contact with the late Natasha Richardson
(who had just married Liam Neeson), and while I was struggling with the international codes
with one hand on the wheel she very loudly remarked so I could hear, "Not very professional ! "
But I digress....
During the final minutes of this ongoing adventure the heat and humidity gave way to
a tempestuous thunderstorm akin to the best Monsoon I have ever seen as an Indian. We set
out back to NYC, but only after I spent 15 minutes holding an over-sized umbrella over Ms.
Farrow, who seemed immune to the downpour in her Mac and gumboots. She was completely
drenched as she chatted with the Marchesa, and I was soaked to the skin on the one side
that wasn't protected by the umbrella. It took 3 hours for me to dry out as we drove back to
the Intercontinental Hotel in NYC.
So the strange part I mentioned before is.... ? It just struck me as ironic that Mia should be
struggling to help feed children across the globe all these years after she threw away (in true
American style) humongous amounts of food along with her old fridge.
Please do watch the video and help if you can !
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Unique Superman Parody
This was just too entertaining to remain unseen by fans of DC Comics' Superman
and those people worldwide who are fascinated by everything Bollywood. But this
is in no way reminiscent of the glamor and money associated with Bollywood. No, this
is an extremely low-budget creation that isn't missing any high ideals, where the creator
possesses an admirable freshness of vision and drive that cannot be ignored.
There is talent, ingenuity, small-town charm and humor in this Documentary film
from the 'Witness' series by the Al-Jazeera network :
" Far away from the glamorous film world of Mumbai, there are many enthusiasts
making films on a fraction of Bollywood's budgets. A film enthusiast in India's Malegaon
decided that it was time for some Indian parody so he bought a video camera and set
out to make a film, Superman of Malegaon."
The rest is hysterical.......22 minutes of sheer enjoyment for all ages, everywhere !
and those people worldwide who are fascinated by everything Bollywood. But this
is in no way reminiscent of the glamor and money associated with Bollywood. No, this
is an extremely low-budget creation that isn't missing any high ideals, where the creator
possesses an admirable freshness of vision and drive that cannot be ignored.
There is talent, ingenuity, small-town charm and humor in this Documentary film
from the 'Witness' series by the Al-Jazeera network :
" Far away from the glamorous film world of Mumbai, there are many enthusiasts
making films on a fraction of Bollywood's budgets. A film enthusiast in India's Malegaon
decided that it was time for some Indian parody so he bought a video camera and set
out to make a film, Superman of Malegaon."
The rest is hysterical.......22 minutes of sheer enjoyment for all ages, everywhere !
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Extraordinary Accordionistas
Valledupar is famous as the birthplace of vallenato, an upbeat
accordion-driven folk music that plays constantly in streets, shops,
buses and
restaurants across northern Colombia and has become popular
across Latin America.
Music........
Magical, mysterious, mesmerizing, moving and more. From the first cry of the newbornbabe as heard by the mother to the ceremonial dirges for the departed, Music always
remains an unquestionable driving force in our lives. Some musicians make it their life's
chosen task and manage to make a living from it even as more people make a living selling
it nowadays than the musicians themselves.
Then there are some who play music solely for survival, like the raggedy urchins I watched
as a child in India. Playing for pennies, severely undernourished, publicly abused and
humiliated on a daily basis, their unfortunate situation broke my heart forever.
Many years later when I played in a Blues-Rock band, it was one of my secret desires to
get one of those waifs off the streets and train them to perform with me at all my high society
gigs. But I was just a struggling young adult myself at the time and my 'Pygmalion' dreams of
those days were never realized.....but neither have they faded. And so today, reading about
the Turco Gil Academy in Colombia immediately touched a nerve.
Thanks to the 20-plus years efforts of Accordion Maestro Turco Gil, the students at his
Academy have been able to turn away from a life of crime, drugs, homelessness and
exploitation and instead found themselves performing in talent contests where the
winners sometimes get to entertain world leaders like Bill Clinton and Hugo Chavez.
" Gil has about 1,000 students sharing 60 accordions, and he says that about 80
percent are refugees from violence or live in poverty. They attend the school for free,
supported by donations, earnings from concerts, and tuition from wealthier students who come
from as far away as Europe, Mexico and the United States to study with the accordion master. "
Read more at Smithsonian Mag
Many thanks to
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