RATIONING WISDOM ( OR JUNK, which of course depends on perspective!)

'The way to live a meaningful life?
Work, solitude, good communication and prayer.'

THE LONG DELAYED REVIEW OF THE SENNHEISER PX100

SO here's the long delayed review of the Sennheiser PX100:-) To start with I'll tell you why I wanted to ditch the stock apple ear buds.
1. it does not fit! This was the most irritating thing about those white cans. Firstly stuffing it into the average sized ear is a painful exercise; secondly they do not stay where they are supposed to, i.e; inside your ear.
2. The bass is all but absent by which I mean that the low end has done a disappearing act.This is especially apparent when you are listening to orchestral music and club.
3. Ear fatigue is a problem due to the over emphasized high end. An hour is the most I can use these phones before my ear starts ringing like a damned Church bell!
4. The sound stage is pretty dismal.
But strangely enough these phones have some plus points too. The mid and highs are quite OK and so acoustic music benefits quite a bit from it. In fact when it comes to acoustic I like their sound better than my Sennheiser PX100! Don't crucify me for saying that. On the acoustic guitar version of 'Fur Elise' by Beethoven for instance the guitar sounds pretty clean and musical. On the PX100 it sounds fine but the brilliance becomes a tad muffled.
Anyway beside that plus point these phones were pathetic when it came to other music so they simply had to go.
The choices I had for a replacement were three; the PX100 or the CX500 or the CX300. All by Sennheiser because I have used and broken a MX550 by them and I quite liked the sound signature. After a lot of reading on online reviews I decided that I wanted over the ear mini headphones rather than the in ear canal sort. Thus the PX100.

REVIEW:
These phones are fold able to help in portability .Out of the pack it is pretty impressive coming in a sturdy and attractive sun-glass case look alike. It feels sturdy enough and the weight is not an issue at all. The cord is longer than necessary to use with a portable but while watching movies on your laptop it's pretty handy; further while carrying it around you can coil the extra length into a pretty unobtrusive size and stuff it along with the player. The pads on the drivers are not nearly as comfortable as a full sized headphone but neither are they uncomfortable. Overall it looks and feels pretty solid, though some people make an issue of it's thin plastic cum metal band...well, dude it's meant to be portable you know, duh!

Now let's move to the all important issue of sound. Surprise! Out of the pack it sounds a little underwhelming. All those super awesome reviews do hike your expectations up to an unrealistic level. Not that it's crappy mind you. They still sounded way better than the cans I ditched them for. But then I knew a secret: headphones like any good speakers need some time for burn in.
So I played all kinds of bass heavy sounds at a considerable level for some hours and sure enough I could discern a change in the sound. Gradually it improved and now that I've been using it for around three weeks I'm pretty much sold on these! Now some would call this a mental thing, like you know how its all in my head. But believe me no company can sell so many of their phones simply because of mental trickery; and by Jove, these headphones sell!

So how would I describe the sound? I'll describe the performance of these headphones on three levels- low, mid and high and I'll deal with each in a seperate post cuz I want to do a real review.

LOW END- They blow away the stock Ipod earphones a whole galaxy away! Simple as that. Not only that, in comparison with my broken MX550 too, which were substantially better than many in ears I've used , they performed exceptionally well. The low ends are produced faithfully and there is very less bloating happening. As a result electronic and club music sounds full and lively while orchestral music sounds grand! Hip hop, trance and the other genres that emphasize low ends benefit hugely too. However, a note of caution- these cans will not over exaggerate bass so for chronic bass lovers I'd say look elsewhere. My reference track for the low ends were the whole 'Sentimento' album of Andrea Bocelli, 'All I ever wanted' by Bass hunter, 'lollipop' by Lil Wayne and 'Good Morning little schoolgirl' by Johnny Lang.

Without exception the PX100 performed brilliantly on all tracks! On 'Mattinata' by Andrea Bocelli the bass string section comes through perfectly lending just enough support to the song without overwhelming it totally. Very little, if any, bloating noise is noticed, and for a headphone this size that's superb considering how orchestral music is so notorious for being hard to reproduce accurately!

On the Basshunter track the bass sound around the 16th second mark makes a confident entrance with aplomb; this particular song on the earlier ipod stock sounded positively teeny, but on these they sound marvellous!

The next track was no less challenging because it has these very low end sounds that most bass addicts call 'boom'. On less accomplished headphones they sound like a loose rubber band but on these they sound pretty good. Now given their size one cannot expect them to give the same response as high quality speakers but its impressive that one can hear these low ends at all on a headphone this size! You can hear these low end sounds boom and then spread like a nuclear explosion even without EQs, but boost the bass using a good EQ and boy, do these blow!

Finally the Johnny Lang track. Now Johnny Lang deals with that particular brand of music that's neither decidedly Blues nor Jazz but falls somewhere in between. And we all know what Blues Rock sounds like- bass lines being prominent through out the songs. On this particular song too the bass line is present in abundance and the PX100s do a darned good job of reproducing them! Even more than in the previous songs these type of songs need a very steady grip because the bass needs to sound controlled and tight. The PX 100 latches on to them bass lines and plays them like a God Sent! Just heavenly the sound that comes out on this particular track.

So then these cans rock on the bass front but what about the mids and highs? Well, you'll have to come back for an update in my next post :-) Though I hate these delay tactics I am too lazy to finish it at once and I will not compromise on the quality of my review either by adopting a short cut. So see you then.

SENNHEISER PX100

After a humongous amount of research I finally went and got myself a Sennheiser PX100 yesterday. And I am as pleased as punch with my latest toy! On a side note the seller tried to dupe me and pass off a fake as the real thing at first, but on closer observation and enquiry he finally popped the real thing out. Needless to say there was a huge difference in the sound quality between the two. It goes beyond logic to add also that the ipod stock earphones kow tow to these new headphones.

One thing I'm slowly realizing is that ipods are not exactly the most musical sounding DAP( for the uninitiated it stands for digital audio player) around. Several other brands such as creative, Microsoft Zune, Cowon and even Sansa are claimed to handle music much better. I tend to agree with this view but I don't dislike the ipod's sound signature either; nonetheless to my ears the humble 1g shuffle sounds better than all its other big brothers; dunno what Apple was thinking... So for those who want uncompromising sound quality get the Zune or the Cowon D2 instead.

Ok, coming back to headphones again, this time I went with an over the ear mini headphone instead of the usual IEM( In ear monitors). The reason was manifold-
a) Its much more comfortable.
b) It causes lesser ear fatigue.
c) It has a wider sound stage.
d) The sound also tends to be more realistic, in that it cames from outside the ear rather than from within the ear canal.

I liked the sound of these new headphones right out of the pack but I'm giving it a few more days of play for the burn in which I incidentally believe in. I am playing a loop of Pink and white noises through it which purportedly does the work of burn in quite effectively. For more info about these colorful names google them. Since these are still in the burn in phase I cannot give a full review as yet but I'll just say that they sound much better than the ipod stock earphones. If I were to quanitfy the change I'd say its about four times as good; but mind you this is very unscientific and I'm using the very dubious guessnomics as the standard here!

As to the price I paid 2,400 rs here in India which roughly translates to around 50$ according to the current exchange rate. You may get it for lesser but ebay India retails it for 2,699 and so I think it was a good price. I'll post pictures and a full review after a few days. One more thing, the gear came with a very cool case:-) Have a great day!

MUMBAI IN CHAOS

Since my last post a lot has been happening... but none has been as dramatic and tragic as the terrorist attack in Mumbai. Till the last official release the body count closes in on 200, however, other agencies report far higher figures.In the light of this mishap my last post seems almost prophetic as it dealt with the concept of doom.

India has always taken a more diplomatic stance in opposition to its neighbor Pakistan's aggressive attitude. The role of the United States as the pacifist needs no elaboration; despite the current global movement against the US its diplomatic power is beyond dispute. It in fact even managed to stave off any reactionary actions from India's side when the Indian embassy in Kabul was bombed, and Pakistani spies were found to have contributed to it logistically.

This time however things will most probably be different if the mood of the public in general and the government in particular is any indication. In no uncertain terms Prime minister Manmohan Singh has placed the blame right at the doorstep of Pakistan, and naturally Pakistan has protested. With the elections also approaching quickly the government has the added pressure of having to perform in suitable ways; we all know how the approach of elections can make politicians turn coats.

If my recent menory serves me correctly the battle of Kargil started almost too quietly. One day things were seemingly OK and the next day battle lines were drawn. With Pakistan's threat to withdraw its military from the Afghan border and deploy them along Indian lines I gingerly await news of a fresh conflict- but this time on a bigger scale than Kargil.

No, its not that I am looking forward to it but there are certain deductions that we need to make from time to time. I sincerely wish that things would settle, yet, I also know that just wishing for an ideal state is naivety. And this time around it sure looks like India is not too keen on diplomacy alone.

A subject for thought... a muslim body has refused to bury the bodies of the terrorists slain in the encounter.

TOLKIEN AND HIS PHILOSOPHY...

I am a huge Tolkien Fan despite what some critics say about the quality of his writing. I think that some of these critics dont have a clue about what they are writing anyway. So far I have read only the ' Lord of the rings' trilogy, 'The Hobbit' and listened to an audio book of 'The silmarillion'; the trilogy has been read cover to cover three times and a fourth time is soon in order! Why I like his works will not beggar any explanation if I add that I am an overly imaginative person and think Tolkien to have one of the most fantastic imaginations- ever!

I aim to write a lot about his works and in fact even hope to write an entire academic essay on the 'LOTR' trilogy. But for today I want to write a little about his philosophy; just one actually-His concept of 'Doom'.

Now normally the word doom would carry very unpleasant images, however, Tolkien treats it rather uniquely. In the story of Beren and Luthien for instance the word 'Doom' is used to imply an eventuality that is decreed by fate and is unalterable. And so is the case in other places too that concern the eldar, the elves, the dwarves and men.

I like this idea quite a lot because it removes the dread from the concept of 'doom'. We are all headed to our doom, regardless of how much we may try to change it or struggle to escape. The onus on each one of us is then to learn enough from life's experiences to be able to face our ultimate end courageously and unflinchingly. I know it sounds very idealized but I am a tragic hero of sorts anyway!LOL.

I'll leave you with this saying that your's sincerely came up with...

" The greatest thing in life is to realize that one is not truly free and yet face life with fortitude"

IN THE NAME OF THE MASTERS!

I am a huge fan of the martial arts, and though I have not undergone formal training I make sure to supplement all my work out sessions with kick boxing. However I am not what one might call hardcore, as in those who undergo brutal training. And truth be told I have not seen anyone being brutalized for the art's sake in real life.

What I stumbled upon a few days ago on Youtube however exceeds all my ideas about training. There is a certain form of fighting in Indonesia and Malaysia known as Pencak Silat. Its application as a deadly art is widely recognized among martial arts enthusiasts and masters; I have in fact known about it for quite a long time; five years if I use my guessnomics:-) Yet, all I knew about it did not prepare me for what I saw!

I am posting a link to the video below so take a look yourself. I know that most things in life are subjective and so I have no right to be berating what someone else does. But in this case I wonder if its not a case of ignorant practices being attached to an otherwise very efficient art. All my explanations will not make sense until you see it for yourself...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkhsG29VULY

Paypal and Ebay scams!

I got my paypal account some months back because i wanted to be able to buy on the internet without any fuss. However, what I saw on youtube has left me with cold feet and I aim to cancel my account ASAP. Good thing that while waiting for my credit card to be processed I have not hooked it up yet... just my debit card :-(

Watch these videos on youtube and while you're at it take a look at the videos of online email scammers too. Just type either paypal scam or email scams into the search bar. BTW the people with ebay and paypal complaints mostly seem to be sellers, but whatever the case I think its wrong to be cheating anybody. Watch out for scams people cause there are people who'd gladly rip your hard earned money off without a twinge of regret.

WINTER'S ARRIVAL AND DEATH METAL

Ok, so the weekend was rather spectacular! I hung out with a coupla friends; went to a Tibetan restaurant and pigged, and followed it up with a late night coffee session at Cafe Coffee day one of my favoritest( I know the word does not even exist ^-^) places to be. The only downside was that i had a double shot of expresso and so I could not get a wink of sleep! hohoho. Anyways sleep deprivation once in a while is not too bad...

So then coming to the crux of this post- winter. Yup, the season for lovers is here( extra cuddling ya know) and though I am quite conveniently not in love I kinda find myself being caught up in the whole fireplace thingy. The biggest attraction to winter for me is the way everything goes into hibernate mode and that is quite a pleasant change from the usual hastiness that characterizes city life. I like to sit back with a cup of coffee and quietly watch the whole world pass by and believe me winter is your best accomplice for this activity. Then there's the Christmas thing which I swear is my favorite season of the year. The gifts aside there's just something in the air that fills up your heart and makes you grateful for your life. Yup, I confess I listen to Christmas songs all year round:-) and under no circumstance am I giving that habit up. No sir!

Ok, heres another thing peeps. I've been trying to incorporate screamo and growls into my music lately. Yes, yes I know what most of you might be thinking- dude's out to ruin his voice and make a fool of himself. I thank you for your concerns and respect your apprehensions, but believe me there are correct ways of doing it; using your diaphragm and what not. But anyway, the real reason for me taking to this is not because I'm turning into a metal freak, though oddly enough I am listening to metal for the first time in my life. Its because I feel that knowing how to scream and growl gives a singer a wider scope of expression. And music to me has always been about expression. After a period of time one gets a little frustrated with just doing mellow songs and jazz cuz life is hardly one track; on the contrary there is an entire gamut of emotions and feelings that we undergo. So I thought why not try this out, and boy! am I liking it:-) I'm still starting out so my screams and growls will not be sending anyone into a cardiac arrest right now but on the whole I believe that I'm doing quite well and hope to have it down to a science soon enough. Watch out for the new kid on the block fellas!LOL.

So thats it for today then. I hope that you guys have a great week ahead of y'all. Peace!

CHANGE THAT WE CAN BELIEVE IN

I am an Indian and I have no say whatever in the goings on of American politics. However, I am also a resident of a global commune, a worldwide community if you would . Therefore, it was with keen interest that I was following the presidential race in the US between John Mc Cain and Barack Obama; including all the side events that accompanied it like the scandals a- la Palin, and the hate mongering by certain neo Nazis. I favored Obama for a lot of reasons, his race being the very least of them all. He is a man who can inspire with his humanness and has an ability to connect with the masses. Mc Cain on the other hand has a glittering resume and no doubt is more able that Obama in certain aspects. But his ability to connect with the audience was seriously flawed; and so was his choice of the ferral Palin as his VP candidate. America needed a person who can inspire and so no surprises Obama won. And how!

I cannot help but put myself in the shoes of Americans at this very moment- democrats and Republicans alike. And one feeling that must reverberate through every American is the feeling of imminent change. Things can certainly not remain the way they once were because this development is portentous as well as visionary. Another feeling that I'd say is inevitable is a little apprehension and this is a follow up to the earlier feeling of imminent change. There will now be a black man in the White House; the irony in the juxtaposition of the black man and the house he will now be a resident of is grave. America has never had a black president, ever, and how this particular gentleman handles affairs is left to the imagination above all things because no precedent has been set by another. So then there must be a palpable apprehension and wonder in the air. But I have full faith in this common man's hero; he will prove his mettle given the chance.

What's most significant is what this means for the Blacks as a race in America. Despite its democratic and humanitarian claims America has been far from impartial in its treatment of its black citizens. It is thus unthinkable considering the fact that certain areas still follow a very obvious anti black policy, that a black man should be the head of state. This is a historic development if there ever was one. And what every black man, woman and child must be feeling is best described by the words 'Justice and equity'. Finally they have been heard! The slaves have risen to a position that is not just superficially equal but one that has been given real sanction; after hundreds of years of ignoring.

What was after all responsible for this historic event? I'd say there were three huge factors. First would obviously be the personality of Obama himself and the lack of it of Mc Cain. Despite Obama being the man of charisma that he is if he'd been pitted against a more energetic and charismatic opponent the balance might very well have tilted in the republican's favor. Secondly it was the relentless drive of his supporters, for many of whom it was not just about an election but an ultimate goal of being given legitimacy and justice. Thirdly I believe that America as a whole is in a very different state, because of all its domestic and international developments, than it was in even two years ago. People want to see change and that very quickly. The choice was stark- drastic change against old school rigidity; perhaps at another time the latter would have been embraced unquestioningly. But not now...

I have never been a huge fan of America and its foreign policies. But for once I can see why the world still sees America as the beacon holder in many aspects. They come together whenever the country needs them. I am just as excited as any American and I wait to see what changes will be ushered in. And I hope that Obama stands by his words and ushers in Change that we can believe in.

Ho Ho Ho Ho

How's everyone doing? Me I'm not very fine thank you :-) Have been battling chronic cold and fever for almost a month now. Well, its actually like this: I contracted flu when I was in Delhi, then I had to go home without getting a proper rest so after about a week of over exertion at home I developed the same symptoms again. Then I had to rush back to Delhi without getting proper rest in order to make the concert on the 30th of oct. The final stage is when my allergic rhinitis was compounded by the smoke from the firecrackers on Diwali leading to an extremely hoarse voiced and congested chest one day before the concert!LOL. Quite a list of misfortunes really. But mind you the most important thing of all, to be specific my spirit, is quite intact and in fact brimming over with joy :-)

The trip home was both exhausting and refreshing! I dearly loved being with my family and I particularly enjoyed engaging in Tom Foolery with my two younger brothers! I am basically a boy who never grew up you see. Anyway being with my parents and family has given me a recharge of affection and dearness. My parents were in good health and my brothers were also up to the usual devilry. My family was in a nutshell well.

Well, now to the marriage, the main reason for my trip home. My dear friends Noel and Atokali were getting married and I was asked to sing at their wedding. The wedding itself was quite lovely and I enjoyed it thoroughly though I was disappointed on one account- No one caught my eye! LOL. However, there were certain observations I made that have rather put me off the idea of marriage. Firstly the typical Sumi marriage is long drawn and exhaustive to say the least. All the preparations and weeks of organizing seems rather unnecessary to me. Secondly I realized that I love my private space too much and while it may not be impossible I have not met a woman who is able to balance intimacy with individuality. Maybe I have simply not gotten around much. Finally I am unable to comprehend being able to love someone, a human being with imperfections I may add, unflinchingly for an entire lifetime. Last night I was watching a documentary on Jonathan Swift, the writer of the cult favorite " Gulliver's Travels'. What the critics agreed on without exception was that while he was an idealist he was rather disillusioned with human beings as a race. I saw traces of myself in him. So unless my circumstances change or my personality morphs I'm quite happy being single and free to silently observe.

Finally the concert. It rocked! But my performance sucked big time! LOL. I was actually not about to sing at all but being the host band I had to force two songs outta my poor throat and that as you might expect was quite the spectacle :-) Anyway I am not one of those singres who believe in a spotless performance every time; on the contrary I enjoy the music too much to be pre occupied with perfection.

That was quite along post no? But I had to compensate for the long gap :-) Here's wishing you all a great weekend. BTW I can already feel christmas in the air and my Ipod is crammed with Christmas songs already! Ciao!

Thought for the day

"If you are not working to either enhance your experience here on earth or making headway for your afterlife everything else really does seem futile"

      Huthuka Chishi

HENRI CARTIER BRESSON

  Hey folks! Hope everyone's doing just fine. Its been pretty hectic lately for a lot of reasons but it involves music and that's one subject that I can virtually never overdose on :-) Anyway I want to share something very interesting with you peeps.

                  Having always been fascinated with the creative arts, and also having dabbled in this particular medium in the past, it was a natural progression of things through which I retrenched myself in it again. I am referring to photography of course. It was always the awe of being able to transfix time onto a sheet of paper, but over time many other aspects of photography came to fascinate me.

               The similies between painting and photography is one area that particularly interests me; I'm constantly trying to either relate or disengage them. The most important similie between them is my conviction that the viewfinder of the camera translates into the canvas of a painter, while the image in the viewfinder translates into the colors of the painter's pallette. How the medium and the means translate into the final product is ultimately left to the weilder's art and skill.

                   If photography is then really akin to painting, in my opinion the Caravaggio of photography is Henri cartier Bresson, one of the pioneers of MAGNUM the premiere photgraphy agency. I have my reasons for thinking so. I  am also a huge fan of Ansel Adams, Jeanloup Sieff, Araki and Leibovitz but for some arcane reason I am more drawn to HCB. Maybe its because I share his same penchant, or rather the belief, that the real without any pre-planning is the most honest. For instance he believes in something he calls the 'definitive moment' that every object or person possesses; the photographer's role being to be observant enough to notice that moment and capture it for posterity and art's sake. 

                  What also fascinates me about him is that he is not only a photographer but a true romantic. I am convinced that every romantic is also a philosopher in certain ways and Henri Cartier Bresson is truly a philosopher. His images speak more than any amount of words.  If you'd like to get a steady foothold in the world of photography look this giant of a person up. Youtube has some very interesting videos on him. I can assure you that you'll not be disappointed. 

               Here's wishing you a beautiful weekend. Be blessed Y'all.

Note: The picture above was shot by Henri cartier Bresson in Srinagar. And also as a side note HCB died in 2007.

MY MIDNIGHT SNACK

Today I just have this desire to write about something silly and just because I can I will! LOL. I am nocturnal in a very literal sense of the word. Having no classes to attend or office to report to ( hopefully not for very long...) I have the luxury of deciding when I wake up and when I go to sleep. And so I find myself gradually turning into a creature of the night, not that I am complaining- I love the night. Whatever, I want to tell you about the one thing that punctuates my nights unfailingly: My midnight snack.

I usually watch a movie or am on Youtube watching everything from the hilariously horny puppy( humping furiously at its owners legs I may add) to the beautiful pictures taken by Henri Cartier Bresson. And the perfect accompaniment to my escapades is a yummy bowl of noodles with a whole swamp of tomato sauce splattered on it. And to top it off the cursory glass of milk follows; did I mention that I love milk too?

So here is how I prepare the noodles. My noodle of choice is 'Top Ramen'. I like it because it is instantaneous but not pukeish smelling like some other varieties. This is how I usually prepare it;
First goes some carrots into the dish, then a small piece of ginger, a clove of garlic, one green chilly, half a tomato, half an onion, a stalk of spring onion, diced french beans and coriander whenever its lying around. The way to prepare it is super simple. Put all the ingredients into a dish; next pour in 1 and a half cups of water; bring it to boil now; add the noodles and let it boil for a minute; finally put in the seasoning and bring it down after two minutes. And there you have it- yummy noodles that will do any Michelin starred restaurant proud... well, at least in my book! And then after I have had an almost mystical experience the glass of skimmed milk follows like the proverbial icing on the cake.

Thats how my nights go but occasionally the odd toast with cheese replaces the noodles. If and when I start working( which I will eventually have to do despite my strongest aversion to it) I will miss these nightly crimes more than anything else. Its simply a matter of habit like they say... I'll post a picture of this delectable concoction ASAP for your unabashed admiration. Till I do that let these words drive you to a state of salivation!

CASABLANCA AND OTHER CLASSICS

Just a few months ago I considered myself an avant garde connoisseur of movies. I liked to think that I distinguished myself through my taste in movies( read Kurosawa, Ray...etc) but my pretensions were quickly dissipated by a chance encounter with an entirely new genre of movies- the early classics.

What happened is this in a nutshell. A very bored chap, nothing to do but surf the internet, an idea strikes him, why not look for a list of some great movies, and Voila! what else but 'Casablanca' appears like the proverbial mother lode!

At first I was a little disinterested; I did not give enough credit to the movie making abilities of those old chaps. But I watched it anyway and boy! did I dig it! Those people knew how to entertain for sure, but what was more fascinating was the entire stylistic and thematic treatment of the movie.

The legendary Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman played the lead with a very convincing supporting role being eschewed by Paul Henreid. And how can one forget the delightful Tom Foolery of Dooley Wilson as Sam, the confidant and accomplice of the lead hero Rick. One gets the feeling that a lot of thinking went into the assemblage of the entire cast, and testifying to it's success is the incredible way in which everything comes together! At the end I was as equally enamored with the characters as with the plot and the era itself. I always hate to be the spoil sport so beyond this I'll not give anything away.

My encounter with the classics hardly stops there. I went on to watch classic westerns like 'The red river', 'High plains drifter' starring the inimitable and Macho Clint Eastwood, 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and others. But the one I enjoyed the most definitely was 'High Noon' starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly: the mastery of the director Fred Zinnemann is something to be savored rather than described. I'll just second what one critic says about the movie- not a single frame is wasted!

After watching all these great movies I now realize that the movies are one field where people with pretensions of refinement and snootiness, like I was and still am but to a lesser degree, do not belong. They just cannot enjoy movies at all because they are constantly measuring one against the other. The truth is that it is an entire panaroma of sights, sounds and ideas that has to be viewed from different vantage points to be properly grasped. The primary intent of movies after all was, is, and will always be to entertain.

WHEN YOU BELIEVE (MULTI LINGUAL)

One of the most touching things happened to me as I watched and listened to the song 'When you believe' from the movie 'The prince of Egypt'. Sure, I had heard it many times before but this time I heard the song in a multi lingual format. And for some strange reason my heart filled up with something that can only be called compassionate pity and tears began streaming down my face. Hearing the beautiful song rendered in diverse languages made me feel that we are all one and the same, just trying to make sense of a life that is more pain than joy. The truth is really so simple, so simple indeed that children of every tribe and tongue in the world know it- We are all one. I cannot express in words and letters what is so very elemental and instinctive. I can only recommend the song to you: listen to it and feel the whole of humanity unite in one desperate and seeking body.

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=OIHkI3lU8cI

FOOD AND LETTERS

Been a long time since my last post but I was busy with my undisputed first love- music. Which again is very subjective because it comes only after family and God, but then again aren't we all complicated sons of bi***es?!LOL. OK, anyway like I was saying it's been too long and I thought that I better get scribbling or I be outta practice and all rusty. So here I am to give you my two cents worth.

There is something called ritual, and no matter how primitive that sounds on closer examination we all have our own rituals. One weekly ritual of mine involves Sundays and the newspaper supplement that comes with the Hindustan Times- BRUNCH. There is a particular column in it by a certain gentleman named Vir Sanghvi that has become my 'quantum of solace'! It concerns one of my most favorite subjects, food. Oh yeah! and what foods this chap writes about- truffles, caviar, Kobe, smoked salmon, free range eggs... the whole friggin hundred yards if I may say so.

He has his own style of putting across his views,it being decidedly high brow and more than a little snob. For instance he loves to poke fun at the very fake pretensions of the new rich who make huge blunders with their food choices; some of them think that caviar is actually shark eggs! According to Mr. Vir Sanghvi the source of the food and the process that goes into making it is as important as the final version that lands on expensive china plates in the Ritzs and Carltons. And I heartily agree on that, me fancying myself as a son of the soil and what not.

However just as one starts to think that he is incorrigibly snobbish, he turns around and kicks the same high society snobbery square on the nose. And how he does it! He will mercilessly taunt the most expensive places about their 'shitty fare' and then in the next paragraph wax eloquent on the heavenly flavors that one can find at the roadside stalls in Cambodia! Simply masterful the way he transcends classes and flouts norms. The man is also very opinionated and, I suspect,more than a little narcissistic. But that makes reading his columns all the more interesting!

Someone once pointed out to me that all the major decisions of the world most probably involved food in one way or the other. And after careful consideration I have to agree, and also say that the person who said 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach' knew what he was talking about. With one slight reservation, why leave the women out? Ciao!

RIDICULOUS MODE OF TRAVEL

People I am an undeniable fast car fan; not of the Bugatti Veyron ilk but rather of the classy Porsche breed. Yet, even an avowed speed freak like me appreciates the sense in conserving fuel and minimizing pollution. But a particular Indian motor company is not being particularly helpful in tipping the balance in favor of electric cars. The company in question is the utterly style devoid REVA! Tada!...as if that was any surprise at all!

At no other time in history has the world been so collectively aware of the fuel crisis; what with the humongous increase in the fuel prices? And as a result most people are looking to cut corners wherever possible, starting with the kitchen to the daily commute to the work place. And an electric car makes very good sense in this situation. However, as I have already dealt with in a previous blog post there is something that governs the spending of the average buyer- style! I mean even 5 year old kids will give the locally produces undies a miss in favor of the 'Phoren' maal these days!

Take a look at the ultra monstrosity( in a lesser size than the word implies) that is the REVA car. It looks like it belongs inside a bakery, rather than on the roads- it's appearance all but resembling a loaf of piping hot bread! The proportions of the car are itself rather 'cutesy' but the whole treatment of the aesthetic aspect totally reduces me to a mess. The utter lack of concern for the better style judgment of people like me has convinced me that either of two things happened;

1. The REVA was designed by a pre-cambrian man who by some queer process survived thousands of years un-mummified. Style being wholly confined to the number of animal tooth and nails around the neck during the time, one can quite grudgingly humor his failure with the REVA experiment.
2. The second and more plausible explanation is that the REVA is actually being produced by giant automobile companies that are scheming to permanently put off the general public from the idea of ever owning an electric car! Think how much sense that makes... produce an electric car so grotesque that people would rather choose self-annihilation from too much pollution instead of squeezing themselves into a mobile loaf of bread!

Whatever the case I think that the REVA is doing a huge dis-service to the whole conservation movement by pressing such an ancient car( I am actually against using such a name to describe the REVA; cart would be a better word, no?) into the general consciousness. In this 21st century that is obsessed with style to such overwhelming degrees something like the REVA makes absolutely no sense.

However, there is still hope. Give the car some time to mature on a good designer's drawing board and who knows we might actually see it become a stylish, and not to mention environmentally conscious, product. As of now I'd rather ride a tricycle instead of driving that piece of ju*k!

As the grand finale, there was an episode of the BBC show 'Top Gear', the fuel guzzling motor enthusiast's favorite program, that did a small rendezvous with the REVA that has been launched in Britain too. The Britishers being rather stoic in their style sense like everything else we can quite understand the motivation of the people at REVA for launching it there. What they did with the REVA was novel to say the least. Simply put they fitted the REVA with a remote controlled device, played it like they'd do with a RCA toy and finally blew it up! I have to confess that the satisfaction I felt on seeing it being blown up was sinfully close to the satisfaction I got on watching Nadal finally beat that boring Federer at Wimbledon!

HEART BREAKING!

This morning I got up early( for a change!) and like I usually do the first thing I did was log on to BBC.com to check the latest news and get my Wimbledon update. While reading about Hillary and Obama's tryst, and other run of the mill news I came across something that literally broke my heart. Please find time to read this bit of news on BBC and support these unfortunate brothers and sisters of ours in whatever way possible. The link is below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7474998.stm

NOT MY FAVORITE KIND OF PEOPLE

Ok, I know that the Bible and every other peace loving religion tells us to be loving to all. And thats all fine, but at least where preference in spending time with is concerned, there is a group of people that I'd rather not have regular contact with. Did that sound very pro-segregation? Believe me I am all for democracy and the equality of all men; in fact I believe in certain aspects of democracy that some of you might consider extreme. But in the area of company I reserve the right to chose, that too very carefully. The popular saying ' A man is known by the friends he keeps' bears a lot of truth, at least in my reckoning.

The group of people that I refer to are those people who have two traits in combination. Misery and generosity! Yes, thats right- miserable people who have a generous bent to their personality. The reason is that they find reasons in every slight thing to be miserable, but they will not be content with that; no sir, they are generous remember? In fact they are so generous that they'd rather prefer to share their misery with ever other person they meet.

Misery is a trait that robs life of it's redeeming features; and believe me there are quite a few of them if we'd care to look in the right places. It slowly takes from a person the will to live and what's left is a human that is as positive and alive as the last wisp of smoke escaping a dying candle! There are enough reasons in life to make one feel like giving up, and in this dark situation misery does not help at all. The people who have a habit of being perpetually miserable not only harm themselves but also those around them. Have you ever felt that being with certain people for a long period of time makes you self pitying and fearful? More often than not such people are those who complain unceasingly about every darned thing. It's almost as if they were carbon dioxide that sucks off the very light that sustains life!

I do not suggest that we completely abandon them; in fact they need whatever help they can get. But marinating in their company will not do a person any good. Like I mentioned earlier, there are enough reasons in life to feel bad about without adding the added burden of a miserable person's negativity to the list. Spend time with them and try to help them see the positive side to life; but when you start feeling like you are turning into them, escape! Find people who are positive and cheerful because like misery cheerfulness also rubs off on others. One very good reason to be cheerful yourself; God knows this blasted world needs it! Talk about being self contradictory!

Miserable and generous- surely a most lethal combination if ever there was one!

MEN BEING HUNTED LIKE ANIMALS!

Yes, you read the title right, and mind you it's not sensationalized. It is as honest and straight forward as the statement 'the sun rose today!'. People are being hunted for no fault of theirs in the 21st century. The reason for this hateful development is not leisure or entertainment, though one can argue that it is in fact a reality in certain places.

The place is Tanzania and the time is 8 in the morning. Little Alice* is getting ready to go to school and when her mother announces that the security has arrived she hurriedly stuffs her books into the bag and rushes out. Contrary to what this scene might suggest she is not the daughter of the president. She is not even the daughter of a rich man. Alice is an albino- that rare condition in which the skin loses it's pigmentation and becomes pale white. The condition is not contagious in any way, neither does it affect the efficiency of the patient in any way. The need for security for this little albino girl arises from the fact that her kind are being hunted for their skin and bones and other body parts!

Tanzania, like many of it's African fellow nations has a history that is deeply rooted in witch craft and voodoo. The voodoo priests still exert a huge influence on the general populace even in today's world. It is these voodoo priests that have popularized the view that the albinos have non-human powers and that their body parts will bring favor on people. Thus albinos, including little children, are being hunted like animals and their body parts are being sold as voodoo aids. The albino community is very understandably alarmed and fearful for their lives. The government has taken note of this most unfortunate development and has deployed security to protect the albino community. As a result kids like Alice have to have security even to go to their schools lest they be hunted like animals!

This is alarming and disconcerting to an extreme degree. But if we stop to consider it carefully the same seems to be the case for certain other groups of people: the difference being that we have sanctioned it. And the biggest motivator for our sanction is fear. Irrational and unjustifiable fear. In India there have been instances where entire communities of Dalits or untouchables have been lynched merely on suspicion of thefts. How can this be justified? Have we not sanctioned their deaths with our indifference to their cause? Have we not relegated them to a position that's lower than human by silently allowing these events to occur? A single case of crime in a middle class affluent society has been given wide coverage and the entire law machinery has been pressed into service. What about the more than a dozen group of untouchables that were lynched in central India this year? They have been stowed away in some corner of the print media that is surprisingly very biased in it's coverage- the media that is supposed to lay everything on an equal platform.

The perversity of the albino hunt in Tanzania shocks us only because it represents something that we have not sanctioned. But what about the daily murder of dignity and pride we silently observe only because we have learned to live with them? Their fault is only that they belong to the wrong group, but is that a fault at all? Lets be more conscious of our role in society and not act as if we are merely observers. We are not- far from it, we are society itself. It's values, it's creed, it's laws and principles- we create and live them.

HOW TO BECOME IRRESISTIBLE!

Do you want to know the number one rule of becoming irresistible to women/men? Well if you really are desperate for some gyan read on.

For starters this is not based on research of any kind. The only basis for this writing is something far less daunting- simple commonsense, and not to mention plain experience. I am actually amazed at all the trouble people go to, to prove the most mundane things when commonsense more than suffices: they even have researches on the connection between too much speaking and hair loss- actually I am being too creative here, but who knows!

So then a friend mourned his absolute lack of luck with women. I naturally asked him what he thought the problem was. Poor guy thought it was because he was not very rich- which I will have to agree he's not. But anyway though being loaded is sure an incentive, to the wrong kind of girls I may add, I told him that it was far from the truth. If all women ended up with rich men what chance do down and out guys like us have, eh. And in any case even the condemned need hope!

So I, who by the way fancy myself to be a part time philosopher, let him have my gyaan, unsolicited or otherwise.
The number one rule is...(trumpets accompanied by the blowing of horns and the sound of a heavenly choir)- BECOME INTERESTING!
Was that a little bit of a letdown? Well, don't be down because there is logic here.

The cardinal sin in the game of courtship is to become too self involved. When you become too self involved, you end up spending too much time thinking about your negatives and weaknesses. This while it obviously does no good to your self esteem, also leaves you with no time to develop your personality. On the contrary you even lose the positives because good social skills are learned through practice like any other skill. And what you learn you can also forget. What I suggested to him, that too with a fool proof guarantee, was that instead of spending all his time wondering what the problem was and uselessly worrying about it, he should make an investment- in himself.

I know this for a fact that most guys would rather spend time with someone who's interesting. Yes, a woman who looks like a cross between Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox will have our undivided attention even if she has insect brains. But not for long! The fact is that after the initial period of attraction it is the personality of a person that becomes far more involving than the appearance or bank balance. The same can be said for women too, though this might seem to be a blatant generalization. Correct me if I'm wrong ladies. Everyone prefers to be with an interesting person who does not speak nonsense every time they open their mouth.

Believe me when I say that the human personality is like the real estate business. You will get your returns in proportion to your investment. And in this case what you invest is time. Get busy finding your interests and start working on it. You will most certainly surprise yourself with what an interesting person you really are.

Ok, here are a few practical pointers,

1. Find something that genuinely interests you. It can be anything from books to jazz or culture, but find an interest. Ok, on second thoughts lets rule out collecting soiled socks- that'd be disastrous I have to admit no matter how much it interests you! Now gather information about this interest of yours and build on your knowledge volume on the subject. Before long you'll realize that you do not have to struggle to find a conversation topic anymore. It goes without saying that having varied interest naturally makes you that much more of an interesting person to know.
2. Do not take yourself too seriously! The reason for this is that doing so makes you self centered and therefore unaware of how others are reacting to you. Have a sense of humor not only where it concerns others but also when it concerns you too. You will discover that you have then become a more sensitive person.
3. Be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to make a few mistakes. This does two things. First it makes you come across as human, and secondly it takes off a huge pressure from yourself of trying to be flawless, which we are not.
4. Do not always react. Instead when the time is right ACT! This is a huge problem with most of us, and rightly so too. Some of us always seem to wait for the other person to act before we react. However, prudence and wisdom demands that we have to act too, as and when the occasion requires us to. Granted, the question of when and how to act is something that we can only learn through trial and error. But who said courting was easy?
5. The final pointer that I'd like to give you is - learn to live with failure! J.K Rowling recently said that her failures helped her become successful and I have to agree with her totally. I even came out with my own slogan ' Nothing prepares you for success like failure'. I do not mean that we should go around looking to fail so we can be successful. What I mean to say instead is that we should learn to look at failure with the right perspective. I like to think that facing failure is like being given a clean slate to start all over again! So be prepared for failure in relationships and courting too.

These are certainly not magic tricks but simple commonsense like I've already mentioned. And then I'll also have to warn you that if you have thoughts of trying them on a Hollywood celebrity you have a huge chance of being arrested on charges of stalking! So be wise and choose carefully because when it comes to relationships it involves so much more than the physical aspects. The magic words again are BECOME INTERESTING! But then again I've already told you that it's no magic... Ah, you try them and decide for yourself.

Ciao then and all the best!

KURT NILSEN

Here's something for your music fix. Kurt Nilsen is a singer from Norway who incidentally won the world idol competition. I know that seems rather corny with all that American Idol has come to be associated with- read all show and very less talent. But this guy's different if I may say so.

His first album with the rather quirky name 'I' established him as a major Norwegian singer . Other albums followed; "A part of me', 'Push Push', 'Rise to the occasion'. Now he's one of the most well known singers in Europe and seems all set to break into America as well.

Something that has been a constant thorn in his side is that he does not exactly have the good looks you might expect of a star. One of the judges in the World Idol notoriously compared him to a hobbit! But instead of taking it in a negative way he has risen above it and made some very nice music. Proving once and for all that talent need not necessarily by hijacked by looks! Very inspiring.

His latest 'Lost Highway', a collaboration with Willie Nelson, the country legend is a very nice take on the original performed by Hank Williams. ' Last storm', ' Push Push', are also some other very good tracks. If you want to explore more of this musician follow the link below on MYSPACE. Enzoyy!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=194341627

UPDATE ON THE PHILIPS HP 200

Like I promised before I am here to give you an update on how my affair with the Philips can is progressing. A week now into our relationship I am finding out more about it, and it is very much like a woman in one department- it's very temperamental!

The experience is kinda like having a multi flavored ice cream- only there are certain flavors you'd rather avoid. And truth be told it's someone else's favorite ice cream altogether. Not mine.

I had mentioned the rather good bass reproduction before. And it seems to have gotten a lil better with pink noise break in. As a result listeners of techno, trance and hip hop will probably like the sound now.

However, the part that has not gotten even marginally better is the Mids! Let me break it down for those who do not understand the concept of mids, highs and lows. They basically have to do with the sound frequencies; in that the positioning on the audio scale determines whether they are Mids , Highs , or Lows. The highs are usually associated with the word treble and the lows with bass- concepts that most people are familiar with. However mids become a lil tricky to understand. I'd say to simplify things that the mid frequencies are where the major body of then vocals lie. In short it's what gives the vocals it's thickness. The absence of mids will especially irk fans of modern rock and alternative music...

The modern rock and alternative genres are characterized by the heavy usage of overdrive in the guitars and the snare drums. The two things that this Philips absolutely sucks at reproducing! The bad mid reproduction means that the bite has been taken out of the electric guitar overdrive and the snares sound like tin cans! And since I am a very heavy listener of the alternative genre I'm naturally disappointed. It's quite pathetic really in this area.

So even though I am not a fan of techno and trance it seems like I'll be listening to these two genres quite a bit. And it's mainly because I cannot stand bad sound! Not because I am contemplating permanently switching genres. I hope that this gives you an idea of what to look for when you're looking for a pair of cans: your taste in music should ultimately determine what you buy, not the brand or cost of the headphone. Ciao!

NOSE-SENSE

Finally got that Issey Miyake perfume you always wanted? Congratulations! Now lets get on with the know how...

Did you know that like any other thing of value, perfumes also need to be treated well? Even if you buy the most exquisite perfume, without proper care it can lose it's quality and become just 'another' perfume. There are a few simple things that you can do to keep that prized bottle going on and on...

1. The first thing is to keep it in a place that's neither too cold nor too hot. A closet that's well aired from time to time would be ideal.

2. The second, and perhaps the least known fact, is that perfumes should not be exposed to sunlight. The effect of sun light on perfume is disastrous and is far worse than the effect of heat or cold. Experts suggest keeping your perfume in a dark area to avoid any loss of it's scent.

3. The correct way to wear perfume is on your pulse points, such as the neck, wrist, back of your ears. The most popular spots are perhaps the back of the ears and the neck. The reason for this is that perfumes react to body heat and your pulse points generate moderate warmth that allow your perfume to find it's base notes. This subject of top notes and base notes in perfumes is a whole new area again. But contradictory to what some people say, there is nothing like the real smell and the fake smell. Both the top notes and the base notes are as equally a part of the perfume as the other. It's just the progression from one to another that takes some time.

4. Like wine, perfumes are also known to mature and get better with time. So an investment in a good perfume makes long term sense.

5 The best time to spray on the perfume is evidently after a bath when the skin is still moist.

I think that should suffice. Ok, another thing is that the same perfume may react differently on different people; it may smell better on some people than on others. The reason is complex, but one word to explain it is pheromones. Yes, the same pheromones that are claimed to dictate the attraction quotient of people. That's a whole new science again so I wont veer into that territory. You're just plain lucky or unlucky!

Right now I am using a Roberto Cavalli perfume and a Dior 'Higher' body spray, both of which are musky and rather woody. I am getting bored and will most probably switch to Hugo Boss orRalph Lauren. I'll give you a review as soon as I get either of them. People have different takes on perumes: some say that perfumes make you more attractive while others prefer the natural smell. But as far as I am concerned I find a woman who smells good extremely desirable, and so I try to return the favor as well!LOL. Have a wonderful weekend!

SENNHEISER MX 550 AND PHILIPS HP 200 REVIEWS

Like I announced in my last post, my MX550 gave up the spirit. SO I was forced to find a replacement for it pronto since I need my music dose, like absolutely! I had narrowed down my search to the Philips SHP 5400 after reading reviews about it on the net. The reason was that I cannot afford a Shure headphone right now, which would set me back by at least 10000 bucks or 250$. Another reason was that it is supposed to deliver a huge bang for a decent price; around 1800 rs.

So me being who I am( read an impatient man who's too quick to the trigger, or wallet if you'd like) I went out to get a look at this headphone. But sadly the first store I went to had the SHP2500 and the SHP 8900, but not the model I was looking for. So I called up my good friend Ato and went headphone hunting to Connaught Place, only to find that the shops were downing their shutters, It was around 9pm already. Dejected we headed back and promptly drowned our sorrow in some good chinese food.

The next day I got up early and headed to another market place to give it another shot. Sadly here too the desired model was not to be found. On inquiring I learned that it has not been launched in the Indian market yet. Sucked totally! Finally I decided to get something with which I could make do for the moment and later, when I have money to spare, get a high end Sennheiser or Shure instead. Thus I ended up buying the Philips HP200 for a decent price, around 850rs or 20$.

I intended to introduce you to my newest purchase but after much thought I have decided to give you a short review about my last earphone and the current one. Let me start with the Sennheise MX 550.

SENNEHISER MX 550
The Sennehiser MX 550 is an in ear model. It has pretty much the regular look, though I found the buds larger than the normal ones; people with small ears would perhaps like to give it a try before buying one. It's supposed to have a bass wind technology that increases the bass response. It comes with a pair of ear cushions, which incidentally improves sound, but tends to wear out within a few months too. So getting an extra pair, if possible, would be a sound idea. It comes with a wind up case that keeps the phones dust free and safe when not in use. The wire seemed to be a bit too short for my liking. The phones also has a volume control thingy on the wire length itself, quite helpful with IPods and MP3 players that are tucked away into your pants or bags.

Coming to the sound, it punches well above it's weight! Like most other audio speakers it needs to be given some time to break in. This means that at first it may disappoint, but after about a week of usage the sound improves dramatically. The bass is pretty good for an earphone, though for the real bass and lows it cannot touch a full sized headphone. The highs are also pretty well balanced. The best thing about it though was the excellent mid reproduction- something that many fuller sized headphones cannot claim. As a result the vocal in both music and movies are very defined and well balanced. The level of detailing was also very impressive with smaller details such as small percussions that you cannot even hear in other earphones, being re produced very efficiently. Over all the word I'd use to sum the listening experience is well balanced and involving.

Now to the negatives. I discovered that after the ear pads wore out the highs became too shrill! As a result prolonged usage began to hurt my ears. The bass too is not at par with higher end phones. But then at this price range you cannot nit pick. The volume control on the wire has to be used sparingly otherwise it tends to develop faults later. As regards the durability, I used it for around a year and a half, so definitely not fragile. And believe me I am not the most gentle guy around with stuffs! If you are looking for a very decent upgrade from your Ipod supplied ones this is a hell of an investment. The sound will improve dramatically I can assure you.

PHILIPS HP 200
I have used these only for a few days and so I am not taking into account the break in factor, but I am guessing that the sound will not change radically even if it does. These are full sized headphones that are made of plastic; thankfully not very cheap looking though. The cans came with a 2 M lenth of wire that are thick and seem to be sturdy. Not many extras, but you wouldn't be expecting them anyway at this price. It came with an extra jack though for larger sized 6.3 mm using players, though I suspect that it's aimed at the amateur sound technicians and DJs. The cans swivel 180 degree, another one for the wannabe DJ I presume.

Coming to the sound, it's OKish in certain areas, very good in others and disappointing in some. The most prominent feature is the huge bass response. Like you'd expect from a full sized headphone it does a good job with the bass department, but surprisingly enough it even seems to do a good job with the lows; and here I don't mean the booms that many people associate with bass. I am instead referring to the extreme lows that you can hear in Orchestral music, provided your speakers are good. So that was a positive surprise, The highs also are pretty well delivered though there is a lack of finesse in this department. Kinda like how an Ipod and a chinese Mp3 player both do the same job, but one has more punch to it. Thats the good bit, now for the bad...

The mids are extremely disappointing, and considering that the mid range is where all the detailing usually is I am not a fan at all! As a result vocal reproduction is bland and lacks class in both music and movies. Things that are essentials where the listening experience is concerned for me. Not the headphones I'd recommend for people who are looking for a real audiophile experience, but as a filler for the time you are waiting for those high end phones I'd say it's an Ok buy. As for me I guess I'll have to lower my audio standards for some time and tolerate this can for a few months. Sigh!

Well, thats all about my headphone hunting experience. I'll keep you posted if there is any miraculous improvement in the quality of the sound. But I wouldn't bet on it if I were you!LOL. Take care Y'all and if you are into Violin listen to Paganini's 24Caprices. Lovely!

Alas! it beats no more!

Very sadly I announce that after a year and more of steady service it has finally given in to the demands of physics. My Sennheiser MX550 earphones are no more! Just an hour ago it lost it's growl and went out with a squeak...

Very faithfully it played it's part with precision and single minded dedication- now it lies in a sorry loop on my table, quite lifeless. Ah! But all things must come to an end, still as a testimony I vouch for it's unbeaten record and durability. Among many other myriad mishaps it suffered a most grievous accident when by some quirk it found itself on the floor, and had to be subjected to the humiliation of being dragged underneath the door. But after salvaging it's remaining pride it put up a brave front and continued thumping and grooving in my service. For more than a year thence it added quality to my otherwise uneventful life. Now with it's untimely departure I feel like I've lost a faithful friend and... please bear with me while I compose myself and force back these potentially embarrassing tears.

Now like all journeys in life the old must give way to the new. And thus I find myself in the most unsavory position of having to read endless reviews on the net before I finally go and lighten my wallet by a substantial degree! The MX550 were reasonable at around 1600 rs but now with it's unexpected retirement I feel pressured to upgrade to a better pair of cans; and this time I might as well go with a full sized headphone. It will give me a broader field to enjoy both my music and movies- despite my grief a not so undesirable situation really!

I had concluded that I'd need to spend at least 3000 bucks on a Sennheiser again but i read some reviews that have given my wallet some hope. The Philips SHP 5400 is reportedly a giant killer- at a bargain price. And like someone once said no other word makes an Indian as deliriously happy as the word 'bargain'! So tomorrow I'm gonna go and try to get a hold of one of these for a live review. They are said to cost around 2000 bucks but availability is going to be an issue since a lot of people seem to like them; surprisingly even audiophiles too who usually steer clear of anything outside the world of Shures and Grados.

After I've made my purchase I'll let you guys know how the relationship has taken off. I'll make sure to post some pictures too. Till then keep praying for success in my endeavor and if you have time a moment's silence please in memory of my dearly departed MX550.

" He bawled with agony- that thing of aural beauty,
yet, with it's last cry it sang- ah, surely a song consigned to posterity!"

Breathe in breathe out

While rushing through a typical day of endless 'busyness', I paused to think, and I realized that the average person hardly has time to breathe. For some reason we seem to have become so preoccupied with being always engaged that even breathing becomes secondary. You'd probably ask how in the world would we be still alive without breathing. Well, read on...

Scientists say that the human child is born with an innate ability to breathe correctly. Breathe correctly? you might ask. Yes. During the course of growing up we have become used to breathing in a shallow manner through our mouth but that's no way to breathe. The correct way to breathe is through our noses; that's where the hair in the nose comes into play and filters out dust and unwanted particles. And the focus of the breathing should not be the chest but the stomach. Vocal experts say that when a person breathes correctly one should be able to feel one's rib cage expand; this means that we are breathing with our diaphragm. And now exhale through the mouth.

Ok, but what's so important about breathing? you might ask. Think of it carefully, how long would you survive without air? They say a person can survive more than a week without food, about three days without water and- yes, barely three minutes without air, that too with practice! Air is what drives all the organs of our system, and most importantly what keeps our central nervous system working efficiently. So then do you still think that I've been making a mountain out of a mole hill?

It needs getting used to- breathing properly I mean. But what one can do is devote at least ten minutes to breathing properly before the start of the day. I assure you that you'll be feeling fresh and ready to face the day before you can say the words get go!

The simplest exercise would be to sit still, some recommend sitting cross legged but I say just be comfortable but keep your spine straight, and start breathing slowly but deliberately through your nose. Once your diaphragm feels full, hold the air and count till ten. Now slowly release it through the mouth. Do this for the next ten minutes and follow through with stretching exercises. This should be enough but in case you need other variations there are many sites on the web that will give you a quick guide; just Google for them:-) A wonderful tool, this Google! Remember though that it's not just a ten minute affair; it must become a lifestyle habit to become truly effective in our lives.

Well, I'll leave you with this this morning. I hope that y'all have a great day! Ciao'

Start an affair today!

Partick Swayze danced his way into his heroine's heart in 'Dirty Dancing', and in the process set off a dance craze. 'Grease' established John Travolta as a dance icon. Why am I going on and on about dance? Well, it's certainly not because I can dance; tell you the truth, I cannot dance to save my life! The popular expression, 'two left feet', fits me to the T...

But my inability to dance aside, I admire people who can dance. I lay a huge premium on control. I believe that life is a struggle for control- a battle that's already lost in my opinion, but still one that decides how a person lives his life. But more than control I admire instinct- that beautiful ability to react without thinking. Dancing is part control and part instinct. Unless a person is able to control his/her body and also be a being of instinct at the same time, dancing either becomes mechanical or plain silly! Which one of these traits I lack I have yet to find out.

When I look at a dancer, especially a female, I see a confidence and fluidity in their movements. An awareness of the body that transcends the normal. And cumulatively an awareness of the world too.

Now, while not everyone can become a flamenco star or rock the dance floor like Michael Jackson, it is possible for everyone to become aware of their own body. The lack of fitness that the media loves to bemoan is caused in no small measure by the lack of awareness of one's body. Just as most people live their whole lives without realizing who they really are, we can live our whole lives inside our body without understanding it. All it takes is honesty and a little hard work. However, a great body does not necessarily signal awareness. What does instead is a consistent relationship with it- a daily affair with yourself.

We may choose different methods- weight lifting, aerobics, the martial arts or pilates. The exercises themselves do not unite us with our body; it is a combination of the action and the thought. If we achieve this balance not only do we become physically aware and confident, but our whole level of interaction with the world would also change for the better. Get to know yourself; start an affair today.

THE END OF MUSIC AS WE KNOW IT?

Music has changed radically since the days of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to the state it is in today. Some would argue that the change has been for the worse. Whatever the case it has inarguably changed, and so have it's mediums.

On careful consideration though, it seems to have come full circle. First, without the existence of audio technology, obviously the only way for people to hear music was live. Then came Vinyl records, followed by tapes and CDs and then came the low key mini discs to todays HDCDs and Mp3s. Now the way it is headed is towards live performances again.

Music as we have come to know it is about to change completely. The biggest reason is that omnipresent and almost omniscient phenomena- the internet. Because of the growth of digitalization of music and the proliferation of P2P( Peer to peer, a way of sharing files online) the perception of music has become totally re oriented. A vast majority of people with internet access prefer to download music from the internet- for free!

The corporates tried to fight this phenomena; remember apple pushing for DRM( Digital rights management)? But the overwhelming voice of the people spoke loud and clear, drowning Apple's right brigade. Now Apple has all but turned around from it's previous stance and made music from it's Itunes store compatible for any music player. A true instance of the people's trend deciding the flow of business.

In these circumstances how can the artistes be unaffected? The days when artistes could make millions through the sale of CDs and tapes is now a thing of the past. Even before the albums are officially released the music of even biggies are being leaked online for anyone with an internet connection to download absolutely free! Madonna's latest album 'Hard Candy' was leaked onto internet P2P sites almost weeks before the official release. The obvious had thus occurred; artistes are now turning to live concerts to rake in the moolah!

The latest news in the music world is Jay Z's reported 150 Mil$ deal with Live Nation, the concert promoters. This closely folows the deals with U2 and Madonna. This deal gives Live Nation the right to all of Jay Z's records and concert appearances for the next decade. While this will obviously raise Jay Z's financial health to dizzying heights, it also has very subtle, but nevertheless very obvious messages.

The first thing is that the music industry seems to have finally accepted the inevitable instead of fighting it. Jay Z was the CEO of Def Jam records, and when the CEO of a record company jumps ship to sign a deal of this nature the music industry better be listening- and well too!

Secondly it signals the trend that's gonna become the norm in the future- artistes giving away materials themselves and earning through ad revenues and live concerts. Take the example of Coldplay, the mega British band, that recently gave away music from it's new album 'Viva LA Vida' for free on their site for a week. Or Radiohead who gave away their entire album online while leaving it to the listener's to decide how much they wanted to pay... While the experiments were not total successes they are definitely a hint of what's to come.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the future of music is going to be closely linked with the growth of unconventional mediums of distribution. Myspace for example, the phenomena that created stars like Colbie Caillat and Plain White Ts. It was extremely radical and unconventional when it started, with many pooh pooing it. But today it's one of the biggest revenue generators on the net with unlimited influence on the music industry.

Where music is going to be a few years from now certainly boggles the mind given the speed with which trends are changing. Whatever the case the obvious gainers are going to be the consumers of music who seem to be getting everything their way right now! Have a great day Y'all!

SOMETHING FOR THE MUSIC LOVERS

Hey people! How's everyone's weekend been? Me, I've been developing my inner peace by staying home and lazing around, yeah, that's sure to give me peace! :-)

So I've something to share with you all. I am an ardent Youtuber and when I'm online I'm usually loitering around Youtube premises; they cant arrest me for that, can they? Ok whatever, so I was scrounging around Youtube when I came across this amazing singer. She's pretty, dresses cool, has an amazing voice, and to top it all she's just 11!

I know there are many child singers out there. Some very good, I have to admit. However, usually while I like their vocal techniques and their pitch is correct, I have nothing much to say about the voice. In this case though, I love the voice that comes out of that pretty face! There's this other singer named Charice who is also pretty amazing for a 15 year old, but somehow I find her voice a little fake... Don't sue me for saying that. Nora Foss Al Jabri, thats her name, on the other hand has such a rich voice! I prefer using the imagery of rich olive oil to describe her voice. It's fluid, warm and amazingly mature without coming across as pretentious.

I'm posting a youtube link to her rendition of 'Somewhere over the rainbow' from the musical 'The wizard of Oz' soundtrack. Diggg itttt!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MfunMfOPYOk&feature=related

MESSY FALL OUTS FROM LOVE

Ok, so today I got my daily fix of celeb news. Seriously, I don't know why I do read these tabloids- on serious thought they are quite the waste of time. Anyway, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards are having a very public fall out, and what a drama is being played out! The things that they tell the press is extremely shocking. Ah! maybe it is because of this desire to be shocked by the lives of others that I read these tabloids... shame on me!

These two were married and later underwent a messy divorce. They have two kids together I believe. So now they are unmarried to each other, if such a word even exists! And very irritated at each other. The object of my blog today, if you are wondering, is not to tell you about these two highly respected people. My intent is actually to ask a question- why do people who have been in love once later go on to hate each other equally well?!!!LOL

My guess is that living and spending time together brings out the worst in people. And unless one is ready to be unconditionally accepting, chances are that resentments will soon crop up. So the most reasonable question to ask now is, what are they doing together in the first place if they dislike each other so much? The reason is plain simple- they deceived each other. But before you start raising your eyebrow in condemnation, don't we all do it? Remember the ' first impression is the biggest impression' line that we so love to quote. Well, isn't that presenting the best side of ourselves to get into people's good books?

We will have to find a way to bridge the gap between impressions and honesty if we are to find lasting relationships. Of course one cannot go showing people one's worst traits for the sake of honesty! I hope that you have a great day and be blessed. oh, and always remember smoking kills!

CARTOON STRIPS, KIDS, FLOWERS AND LAUGHTER

This morning's paper had a very delectable cartoon strip that made me laugh out loud. "Made my day!" is what I said out aloud. Then I realized that without giving much thought to it I had actually said something very true.

Life is quite a bundle of surprises. A lot of it unpleasant. However, sometimes all it takes is a simple laugh over small things to make life seem less unfair. I think that without things like cartoon strips, kids and flowers, the suicide rates would go up because there would be nothing good to offset the bad in life. What I mean to say is that we should not be ungrateful for the little things in life. These are after all what make life worth living. At the same time let us also give some thought to people who have been deprived of even these small life savers. Good morning and have a great day!

REGINA SPEKTOR

Meet Regina Spektor- singer and song writer par excellence. Unless you have been hibernating under a boulder in a remote part of the Amazon, you must have seen one of her videos on TV. Or have you?Let me not embarrass you any further by persisting with that question.

I wont waste time going on about her and how talented and inspiring she is. Suffice to say that currently she rocks my world! Just when I had been getting extremely disgusted with the current state of music, especially western, Regina came like a refreshing breeze on a God forsaken Saharan summer's day. How may I best describe her music... hmmm, lets just say that she is part musician and part enchantress.

The amount of stupidity one sees in today's musical scene is just puke inducing. Everyone is a rip off of someone else! Now, inspiration is one thing but plain imitation is very unacceptable in the world of art. Into this extremely bland and depressing situation, once in a while someone like Regina waltzes in and re-assures me that everything is not lost, not yet and not now. The words she chooses to give flesh to her music are so exquisite and simple that you can't help but nod in silent agreement. Sample this- " You are my sweetest downfall" from her song 'Samson'. If that's not poetry of life then what is? As one goes on living we realize that most things in life are ambiguous and, needless to say, inexplicable. This ambiguity and mystery is what Regina excels at presenting.

Being a Russian- American Jew, her songs have allusions to the Jewish culture and one can almost picture Bar Mitzvahs and passover feasts as one listens to her songs! The past and history are also things that characterize her song writing, lending to her an almost prophetic role. For isn't the future a repetition of the past, and isn't one who understands the past a seer of the future?

Too much description may ruin the fun of listening to someone as instinctive as Regina Spektor, so I suggest that you follow the link below and listen to my favorite song of hers 'Samson'. Immerse yourself in the music of life!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p62rfWxs6a8

THE BEAST WITHIN THE BEAUTY!

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the classiest car you can ever own- The Porsche 911 Carrera S. Now I'm not one to start a debate but in case anyone disagrees, I say bring it on!

Why the Porsche 911 GT, you might ask. Well, I suggest you first take a look at the picture of the car at the top... That alone should make you a convert if you are not a believer already, but just in case, allow me to indoctrinate you. Sheer poetry in metal is what I call it. Admittedly there are some other awesome cars out there, still none of them quite fits the word 'classy' for me.

Take the Lamborghini Gallardo for instance. It's definitely eye candy and the specs are amazing with 520 HP, doing 0-100 in flat 3.7 seconds with a top speed of about 325Km/hr. A very good looking and powerful car, no doubt. But somehow it seems more suited to the rich bachelor with too much money and time on his hands- not very refined or matured if I may say so. Showy and brutish is what I feel it is, though it has it's own cult following.

The Porsce 911S on the other hand... A complete man's car. Take a look at the neat lines and the sleek curves- they speak refinement and class with every inch of the metal skin. Follow the contour as it slopes gently to meet the stylish head lights forming a wicked, yet composed, visage. The vents, oh the vents at the back! Makes a man feel like he is witnessing the birth of a masterpiece, and of course to me it is not unlike a Monalisa or a Van Gogh. The understated elegance of the car lends itself to so many roles; hard and fast in an instant turns into feline and graceful. Just take a look at the car. It neither screams decadence and delinquency, nor does it announce old wealth that is, well, old. A perfect blend of power with class and style!

The specifications are also awe inducing. Try this 0-100 in 4.8 seconds! A top speed of 293 Km/h, and running with 355 horses! Those specs would make any motor enthusiast salivate with lust! If you are one of those people who can see nothing but specs just follow the link http://www.porsche.com/middle-east/models/911/911-carrera-s/featuresandspecs/

Granted it's not as fast as the Bugatti Veyron. But remember we are talking about the classiest and not the fastest. Anyway, who'd want to drive around in a car that'd literally kill you with it's speed and burns fuel like it was on anabolic steroids! Lets face it the Veyrons and it's ilk are for the race course or the quiet countryside with miles of lonely tarmac to devour; not everyday cars in any sense.

The wooing would not be complete without seeing a 911S in motion! It's one thing seeing the car in standstill, breathtaking though it still is. It's an entirely different thing seeing it in motion! Man, I feel like owning one would almost equate nirvana for any normal hormonally charged male! The interiors are no mean feat either with leather upholstery and top quality fitments with the latest sat nav and all the goodies you might want in your dream car. The other variants like the 911GT are faster but something about the S appeals to the gentleman and rogue inside of me. You get what I mean...

At 83,800$ in the US it is definitely not cheap, but you can't expect a Michelangelo worthy masterpiece for peanuts. If a person has to have the classiest car ever I suggest that you beg or steal but make it a point to own one of these beauties before you croak. If not the car at least try to get a hold of the Porsche logo, it's still got more class than a Tata ever will!Happy motoring!

WISE NONSENSE!

"If only children knew that grown ups were mostly pretending to be grown up, they'd not be in such a hurry to grow up!"

WAGYU-THE JAPANESE ANSWER TO CAVIAR

Caviar, the eggs of the beluga sturgeon fish from the Caspian sea, is considered as one of the most expensive food along with truffles. At around 1400$, or 56,000 rs, per kilogram it is a food that very few people can afford. Commanding such astronomical prices puts it in the category of novelty or luxury foods. The Japanese can also lay claim to having an entrant in this high price and high demand class of food. Their answer to the caviar- Wagyu or Kobe beef.

The Wagyu cattle were first reared in special farms in Japan but due to their popularity they are now reared in specific places all over the world. One might be led to think that if it's such an expensive meat why not rear it everywhere. However, matters are not so simple or clearcut. For one the wagyu cattle need a very large area to pasture on. Secondly the climate and weather conditions also affect the quality of the beef. Thirdly the process involved in raising the cattle is both grueling and intensive. Picture this- the cattle are fed with beer and sake and given a massage with sake or japanese beer every single day! Each one of those cattle gets a massage everyday, that's one too many than I get! :-) Makes a person feel quite devalued LOL.The methods that are used to breed these cattle are also knowledge intensive and accumulated through generations of experience, so needless to say it's not everyone's fare. Despite being reared all over the world the Japanese Kobe is most prized.

Now for the price! A single Wagyu cattle was sold for a record 250,000 $! That's around 1 crore rupees! enough to buy a Lamborghini Gallardo or build a nice home! And remember these are not meant for racing; they are simply food... Not every cattle is sold for so much though, but still the average price of a Wagyu cattle is around 10 to 20 thousand dollars which still works out to around 6 lac rupees. To give you a better idea they are selling burgers with Wagyu beef in the US that cost 40$ or 1600 rupees, enough to feed a person for a month in Asia!

Now even though I like my beef quite a bit, I can neither afford to buy Wagyu nor am I so inclined. I'd rather get myself a porsche 911 instead if I had the money to spend 250,000$ on an animal! However if I have a chance to try some I'll let you know how it went, but needless to say it must be quite the gastronomic experience!