Category: Uncategorized

“Fury” movie review (3.5/5 – Hit)

My ratings are +/- 0.5

Anger as virtue.

“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.”

“Best job I ever had!” (a la “Hurt Locker”)

“Do what you’re here for!”

Another model movie on leadership/mentoring? Like “Captain & Commander”, “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Last Station”, etc.

How did the director of this movie also make shit like “Suicide Squad”?!

I was more like Norman, then like Swan, but now I have become more like Collier…… So, what’s next??

If I like a movie, I should read a review that trashes it, and vice versa!

Review

“Arrival” movie review (4.5/5 – Superhit!)

First of all, I was late for the movie and missed the first half hour! So, I watched it a second time – the very next show. This roundabout way was a great experience of the mysterious (& circuitous) nature of time explored in the movie…

What happens when the temporal (Man) meets the eternal (GOD)?! BOTH are transformed forever……

Based on “Story of Your (Hanna’s) Life,” a Ted Chiang short story

Awesome!

Profound and mind-blowing

Watching it on a huge cinema screen definitely helped…

Great music too.

This director is truly versatile!

Compare (Amy Adams) with (Jodie Foster in) “Contact”. Also compare with “Interstellar”

Metalanguage and metacommunication

“In the beginning was the word……”

Are we ready yet to eat the fruit of knowledge that would give us control over time, space and gravity??

Revelation & apocalypse ~ encounter & metamorphosis

Ultimately, wasn’t it all about love, marriage and family?!

“Why are they here?”

Mystical experience/spirituality –> theology/language –> science/culture

Review

Trailer

Why Socrates Hated Democracy

 

via Why Socrates Hated Democracy – YouTube

Amen to that! Very timely too, reading this just after Trump’s election and Jayalalitha’s demise.

“The crowd is untruth” – Kierkegaard

“The road to hell is broad and many go therein. And the road to heaven is narrow and few find it.” – Jesus

Distinguish:

Democracy

&

Republic

This is why I myself am involved in spiritual education, and also encourage my wife to get into reform of the school/college/university systems… (vocational guidance, etc.)

 

 

Reimagining the liberal project

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/Reimagining-the-liberal-project/article16764960.ece#vuukle_div

Happymon Jacob – this guy is worth following (keeping track of)… 

I agree with his diagnosis. I am a (guilty) liberal too…… 

So, should I take more responsibility for the pathetic state of my society today? 

But it seems like extroversion & ambition are more common traits among conservatives! Hmmm… so, what is the way out of this impasse? 

Can people like Žižek, Foucault, Chomsky, etc. reach out & connect with the masses?? 

What about someone like Jesus? After all, he was one who attempted that, but only got crucified for it…… 

Jayalalitha (Tamil Nadu CM) is no more

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/article16766475.ece?google_editors_picks=true

JJ – the steely & ingenious narcissist-megalomaniac who found a way to capture the people’s hearts through populist “Amma” welfare schemes and promoting a cult of “Amma” worship – is dead. 

PEACE

Refer to the discussion on Jesus’s wilderness temptation in “The Brothers Karamazov”! 

So, wasn’t she more like Adolf Hitler rather than someone like Abdul Kalam? A ruthless & ambitious individual rather than a passionate & virtuous leader… 

How can highly educated people and Christians be so devoted to her, who has done almost nothing to improve the systemic defects of TN governance & administration, and passed the Anti-conversion Bill?? 

Time for some serious political philosophy & social psychology…… 

To die or not to die! 

http://m.timesofindia.com/india/Jayalalithaa-being-closely-monitored-by-experts-as-supporters-pray/articleshow/55803227.cms

WOW! What a fucked up government (political leadership). This party/system doesn’t even deserve that label. 

First a holiday was announced and then it was revoked… 

Is it the fault of the media or the state that there is so much of opacity, secrecy & confusion that is causing trouble for the common man? 

Can any government function morally without external coercion  (from judicial activism, civil society, mass protest, international pressure, etc.)? 

I hope & pray this one & the other oldie of TN politics die immediately! 

“Relief to the people, 

Stick it to the monster.”

The new Gold Ceiling Act!

via No seizure of gold jewellery up to 500g per married lady in Income Tax raids : India, News – India Today

WOW! Hurrah……

Hmmm…… keep going Modi bro. Don’t ever stop! You can’t now……….

No more avenues for black money to be converted into gold.

Still remaining – land ceiling/reform, corruption redressal, eco-friendly energy, etc.

This is an exciting time to be an Indian indeed. But also a very crucial one for all citizens, especially those in public service.

GOD have mercy on us all, and guide us through this phase of transition. We want to become a truly developed nation, without trampling anyone else among us or around us.

Nature Reserve

Bing

“Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa

If these two cattle egrets really are having a spat, it’s likely over which one has the best insect-eating spot on the zebra’s back. The common name for these birds comes from their penchant for standing atop cattle, zebras, antelope, and even rhinoceroses, so they can gobble up the flies, ticks, and other pests the larger animal attracts. This Bruchell’s zebra may not be delighted about the squabble on its back, but it’s a small price to pay for steady pest control.”
Hmmm… are these two squabbling birds even aware of the zebra (on which they both are standing)?
Is the zebra aware of the fact that it now needs a ‘nature reserve’ to survive on this planet?
Is man really “outside of” this picture??
What does GOD have to do with this? The corollary of this question is “Who or what is man?” If only we had not forgotten this question for the past few centuries……….
There is only one species which does not live in a symbiotic relationship with the others!