Point Blanc's Entertainment Channel

Art in the times of Recession

2009-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

The NYTimes page on Youtube comes up with some interesting features - like the following one about a young artist's struggle and how he is happily surviving at 1000$ per month, unlike many of his 5000$ per month salaried friends:

Another P G Wodehouse Moment

2009-05-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

.. and another - this one a fight between Bertie Wooster and Jeeves. For a real treat, listen to it here, at the very begninning of Chapter 9...

... and for the text, skip to the beginning of Chapter 9 in the Gutenberg text.

Other P G Wodehouse moments: 1

A P.G. Wodehouse Moment

2009-05-07T13:37:00.001-07:00

I listened to it at the end of the 8th Chapter (here), and absolutely loved the one particular line italicized below.

Dialogue between Bertram Wooster and Tuppy Glossop (Bertie going first).

Context: Bertram Wooster’s manservant, Jeeves, is renowned for his ability to apply his keen intellect to solve all problems domestic, and Bertie’s friends and relatives flock to him for his counsel. Bertie Wooster is jealous of Jeeves’s fame, and decides to step in and take over as the fixer of his pal’s engagement, his aunt’s gambling debts and old school-mate’s desire to propose marriage. But as we see in this conversation, his "clients" do not hold him in the greatest of confidence...

"And at dinner you will push, as arranged?"

"Absolutely as arranged."

"Fine."

"It's an excellent idea. One of Jeeves's best. You can tell him from me, when you see him, that I'm much obliged."

The cigarette fell from my fingers. It was as though somebody had slapped Bertram Wooster across the face with a wet dish-rag.

"You aren't suggesting that you think this scheme I have been sketching out is Jeeves's?"

"Of course it is. It's no good trying to kid me, Bertie. You wouldn't have thought of a wheeze like that in a million years."

There was a pause. I drew myself up to my full height; then, seeing that he wasn't looking at me, lowered myself again.

"Come, Glossop," I said coldly, "we had better be going. It is time we were dressing for dinner."

__________________________________________________________________________

Collection of Awesome Photoshop Tutorials

2009-04-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

http://gormly.com/blog/?cat=15

just amazing what the Web has to offer...

Time to fill taxes

2009-04-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a video from the Virginia Tax Department, encouraging online filing of taxes:

Which is inspired by who else but Bob Dylan - here's the original:

The Tax video has a superhero called Phil (look closely to notice him in the background). Cute little fellow, Phil. To see more of him, see the following video:

early morning trivia

2009-03-03T05:13:00.001-08:00

Here's some trivia that i found... while browsing the Net today morning...

We know of Hutch, the telecom company. Here's what it means in English:

hutch
noun
1 a box or cage, typically with a wire mesh front, for keeping rabbits, ferrets, or other small domesticated animals : a rabbit hutch.
2 a storage chest.
• a cupboard or dresser typically with open shelves above.

some time-pass

2009-02-24T10:29:00.001-08:00

found this interesting pic:

http://yourscene.latimes.com/mycapture/photos/Image.aspx?ImageID=163236&EventID=474195&CategoryID=17991&Sort=&CollectionID=0

a road named Zzyzx Road...

it actually exists on the way from LA to Las Vegas

now... with such an interesting name, Las Vegas nearby... ppl have even made movies named on it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zzyzx

1 of these movies is disputed to be one of the lowest grossing movies ever (30 usd)... however many ppl say that it was a good movie... movie also has a website

www.zyzzyxrdthemovie.com

now i for one would like to see the movie...

... and more to read

2009-02-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

Top 10 funny books (Brit voting) at http://www.abebooks.com/books/funniest-books.shtml?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=nl&cm_pla=cme_fb_brit&cm_ite=feature

Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1933)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome (1889)
Wilt by Tom Sharpe (1976)
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (1938)
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (1996)
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan (1971)

........ and more

Choto Juju and Boro Juju

2009-02-05T19:30:00.000-08:00

A really good entertainer - Juju by Chandrabindoo

Youtube search link

From cool spidy photos to the philosophy of learning

2009-02-05T08:11:00.001-08:00

On spiders, electron microscopes, MIT, Wikipedia... and ultimately, learning.

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000895.html

Molecular Biology made FUN !!!

2009-01-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

Following images from http://www.salisbury.edu/biology/faculty/flerickson/Human%20Genome%20assignment%20paper%2006.htm

DNA Song on Youtube

Bhagat Singh

2009-01-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

Probably this is why we should remember our debt to people like Bhagat Singh...

watch more at aniBoom

Youtube search link for "Sebastian's Voodoo"

Books To Read

2009-01-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Living Sea by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
- inspiring tales of a researcher
The man who knew too much : Alan Turing and the invention of the computer by David Leavitt.

A Tool for Good Research

2009-01-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

As i was deeply concentrating on my "research work" today, I saw something that i had not noticed before...

In the PhD comics website , there is an emergency button just below the comic strip at the bottom right corner... (image added for benefit of the reader). Click it if you haven't before... And scrolling down to the end of the page (of course i skipped the text), I found some interesting controls embedded there...

Cool!

An Awesome Idea

2009-01-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be tempted to buy something by watching a tele-marketing advertisement. But the "Snuggie", a blanket with sleeves, has made me think otherwise.

Snuggling cosily under a blanket, I have often been irked by the need to take my hands out - for purposes like reading a book, typing on the laptop, holding the coffee mug etc. With the Snuggie, those irritating moments would be history. Hats off to the person who came up with the simple yet wonderful idea.

Here's an image of the Snuggie.

And here's the advert (done in classical tele-marketing style):

PS: And while I am writing this, why do I keep revising my writing, looking for places where I can be more terse etc? I guess that's what comes from being immersed in the process of writing a paper...

On extra-curriculars

2009-01-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Dad recommended: on extra-curriculars, their importance and how to manage.

Nice article. But does it apply to Grad students?

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090101/jsp/careergraph/story_10320689.jsp

Photos of 2008

2008-12-18T23:05:00.000-08:00

Just great this slideshow... http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/the_year_2008_in_photographs_p.html

A pity I can't embed a slideshow right here.

Photo Journalism

2008-12-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

2 interesting photos from the this slideshow

But is Taiwan a separate country at all? I'm confused because of this, where it says "The island groups of Taiwan and Penghu (except the municipalities of Taipei and Kaohsiung) are officially administered as Taiwan Province of the ROC." So Taiwan is a province maybe?

Intrstin'

2008-12-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

Slumdog Millionaire - nominated for Golden Globe Awards!!!
[Youtube search link]

Good Un

2008-12-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

From Prem Panicker's blog:

Gregory David Roberts, the one-time bank robber turned bestselling author who famously wrote Shantaram over beer and dhansak at Leopold’s, on his website condenses reader emails and sms-es into a list of 10 most often asked questions, and responds to each in some detail. And then there is this:
I’ll talk about what’s happening in Bombay in the next few lines, but first, before you read any further, I want to ask you, I want to plead with you, to keep the faith with India and the city I love, Bombay. If we continue to visit the country and meet the people, if we spend our time in the beautiful chaos and chaotic beauty, if we spend our money in the bazaars and hotels, if we buy the books by great Indian writers, listen to the music by brilliant Indian composers and musicians, marvel at the splendour of Indian dancers, watch the captivating movies, wonder at the art galleries – in other words, if we go on opening our hearts to the best that India teaches us, the people who did this violence can never win.

Good'z

2008-12-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Message In a Bottle - Police

[Youtube search link]

---

Youtube search link

List of Movies I Want to Watch

2008-11-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

Old Boy
- done. I had watched Zinda (Indian copy of Old Boy) before and heard that Old Boy was gross-er than Zinda. I did not find it so. Where Old Boy outdid Zinda was the plot. The slight change in the plot had to be made because Indian audiences would not have been able to digest the original version.
Hors de Prix (Priceless)
- done. Awesome!!!
The Lady and The Tramp
- done. Sweeeeet.
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
(recommended by my English ma'm when I was in class 9. In front of the whole class, she said, "Kriti, you must watch it." I was one of her favorite students... but now it strikes me that there was something more to the recommendation. Hmmm gotta see it.)
- done. A pretty serious movie and I wonder my ma'm recommended this specific movie. But I liked the movie and would recommend.
Bridge on The River Kwai
(my father has been recommending this since God knows when)
Juno
Pink Panther
(the original series with Peter Sellers as the Pink Panther)
- done, Pink Panther - the 1st movie. But I refuse to call it a comedy. Peter Sellers is hillarious but this movie gives equal weightage to other characters and emotions.
Have to see the sequels to see if those are more comic.
Mary Poppins
(saw it as a child, must see again)
Singing in the Rain
(again, childhood repetition required)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
(again, childhood repetition required)
Synecdoche, New York
(good review at Lyric blog)
Watch-movies link

Ah Music! Sweet Music!

2008-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

While listening to Yanni channel on Pandora, I stumbled upon this delightful piece of music.

The sheer joy of it made me wonder about the fascinating world of music and creation. I just wish that someday, someone would derive such joy from my creations.

Youtube search link on "Cristofori's Dream by david lanz"

A Cool Author Advises Grad Students to Loosen Up

2008-11-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

published on PhD Comics (click here for original link and probably better resolution)

Trailer Time

2008-10-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

Youtube links given below. But the best place to see the trailers remains the Apple site.

Sunshine Cleaning
(from the makers of Little Miss Sunshine PLUS the trailer's real cool)

Youtube Search Link
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Let The Right One In
(scary. Yet promises other stuff too)

Youtube Search Link
--

Good Dick
(cheeky name... awesome trailer)

Youtube Search Link
--

Sex Drive
(cheeky name again... awesome-er trailer)

Youtube search link

A sad song that I love to hear

2008-10-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with this song many years ago when I used to watch videos at home on Channel V or MTV. (And the video is also real good).

Much later in life, I searched it up online and then fell in love with so many more of Moby's songs. Today I felt like hearing this song again.

Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?

Here's the Youtube search link.

Sweet Little Song

2008-10-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Ricky Nelson - Poor Little Fool

2 versions here: Seeqpod and Youtube. I found the YouTube version better.

YouTube search link.

Romance - with a dash of humour added

2008-09-08T17:13:00.000-07:00

Youtube search link for "The Lion King - Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

I gotta learn this dance

2008-09-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Youtube search link for "Hippo and Dog"

2 Bollywood Songs I liked recently

2008-08-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

1.> Bas Ek King from Singh is Kinng. The lyrics are goooood.

Youtube search link in case above vid not working.

2.> Heyy Babyy from Hey Babyy

Mostly a peppy song, but some of the lyrics are meaningful.

Youtube search link in case above vid not working.

Discovery of 2 Songs

2008-07-31T08:08:00.000-07:00

Linked previously on my main blog, these two songs are now personal favourites. You gotta listen carefully to the words - they are beautiful. The two songs convey completely different messages - they are for different moods. But they both work wonders for the listener.

Closer by Travis. (unfortunately this does not allow embedding of the video)
New Shoes by Paolo Nutini

YouTube - Taj Mahal Anthem - Ek Mohabbat - A R Rahman's One Love

2008-07-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first songs I listened to on my iPod Touch. Funnily not many people have heard it. Even A who is one of the most ardent fans of A R Rahman had not heard it. So for the common good, here goes:

Do Gaane Shahar Mein

2008-07-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

Yeh nayan darey darey

I recently remembered the lines:
"Raat haseen
Ye chaand haseen
Tu sab se haseen mere dilbar

Aur tujh se haseen tera pyaar"

"Night is beauty
The moon is beauty
Most beautiful are you, my love

And even more beautiful is your love for me"

Then I also fell in love with the following lines while listening to the song:
"Kal ki kis ko khabar
Ek raat hoke nidar
Mujhe jeene do"

"Who knows about tomorrow?
Tonight, let me live
Without care or worry."

Koi gaata main so jaata

Another beauty - I have picked out a few lines below
"Aankhon mein bhar kar pyaar amar
Aashish hatheli mein bhar kar
Koi mera sir godi mein rakh
Sahlata
Mein so jaata

Koi gaata mein so jaata"

And all I need to fall asleep
Are eyes full of love
A hand that blesses
A lap to keep my head
And one's soothing touch.

And all I need to fall asleep
Is for someone to sing to me.

Santhal Dance in Agantuk

2008-07-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Found myself humming a tune since morning. Initially could not remember where I had heard it. Then I realized that it was the Santhal Dance in Agantuk (I saw the movie yesterday).

You can watch the dance in the video below. The tune's really catchy. Enjoy.

On the Look Out

2008-07-23T14:30:00.001-07:00

I always maintained that watching English movie trailers is a fantastic way to pass your time. Regardless of whether the movie is good or not, trailers are always 100% entertainment. The Apple Trailers website is a cool place to get to see a lot of trailers. Here are a few which caught my eye when I visited the site for the first time yesterday.

The Last Mistress (Warning: Trailer contains adult content)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Man On Wire

Flash of Genius