Global Warning?

Sunscreen in winter… and Moisturizer in Summer…

What we are used to is quite the contrary innit? But.. this is what its come to today… I get tanned in winter and my dry skin cries for a moisturizer in summer… Initially, I wondered… what on heavens was wrong with my skin.. ? was I getting overtly sensitive? I even considered consulting a skin specialist… There were other surprising changes in me as well.. I hardly needed any sweaters even in winter.. Instead I slept with the fan on during winter nights! But then, I noticed I wasn’t the only one behaving peculiarly.. But a lot of people around me were having the same problem (At this point am not sure if they have identified it as a problem!) Around this time.. a lot of other elements also came to my notice.. vagaries in weather.. it’s supposed to be the winter season… and am faced with alternating hours/days of heavy rainfall and hot sunshine… Its supposed to be raining beginning mid-May.. I still remember… during my summer holidays in school.. I used to crib during the evenings because I wasn’t allowed to go out and play in the rain.. But now… its June – July.. and the sun’s still burning bright and you get daily reports on insufficient rains to sustain crops.. increase in food prices… economy on a high and so on!!!

And when this situation followed year on year without a lapse but with fervency instead.. I wondered what the hell was happening to our country.. and then there are news deaths caused due to a high intensity in floods... there are a sudden spate of droughts… forest fires have increased… the ice caps are melting.. whales are going extinct and so on and on and on… Global Warming was evident.. and what have we done about it? Nothing at all… Mankind, with his ever increasing ignorance and presumptions of self importance, has as usual turned a blind eye to nature’s fury and has continued his actions of arrogance not having considered the repercussions of these on none other than himself...

There have been several arguments of humans to be able to survive this change in the weather conditions as the earth had undergone a similar period of warming during the medieval era. What one fails to realize was that during the medieval era.. there was no industrial revolution that increased the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere… there was no lack of trees to absorb excessive CO2 and help maintain a balance.. there were no massive increases in population causing an imbalance in natural resources.. The protective ozone layer is continually depleting as a result of the increase of chlorofluoro carbons in the atmosphere.. and this has led to the increase in the intensity of UV radiations reaching the earth’s surface.. With increases in man’s progress.. his greed and lack of ability to accept his wrongdoings and put rectifications in place have also increased exponentially…

But, how long will this sustenance last? Unto what maximum limits can our universe be pushed before we all perish under its wrath? Everyday scientists come up with new theories and justifications on the increase in global warming… Different news stations show colorful photographs and present heart touching impactful news stories on the pitiful state of the earth that we occupy… but the effects of all this are momentary – only as long as the news telecast lasts… and then we all return to our routines as if nothing was wrong at all in the first place~

To quote Calvin and Ice Age at this point would be appropriate!


Consequent to entertaining us.. do these cartoons have a message?? Are we being warned?

We never wait to reach a temperature of 110 degrees to take preventive / curative medicines… so why are we waiting for the earth to get to its worst unhealthy conditions before we begin to heal it..? In our own small ways we can avoid increases in pollution.. lets get our vehicles emission tested on a regular basis.. lets use unleaded petrol.. avoid using the air-conditioner to the maximum extent possible.. minimize or if possible eliminate the uses of plastics.. help grow, nourish and protect our trees… this and in any other way that you think you can save the world.. go ahead and DO IT.. every small step will go ahead to have a lasting impact..

Lets do this not for our fellow country men.. Not even for our colleagues, friends, neighbors or relatives… For once, lets get selfish and do this for ourselves…

If not for anyone else.. at least.. create a better world for YOU to live in..

Lets not wait until we get here –

Food for Thought...

As I was driving to work today…. At several of the signal points.. I saw these hawkers… albeit that being a common sight… what set them apart this morning was that instead of selling their usual hand towels or maps or cooling glasses… they were all holding flags… yes.. our tri-color flag… and the weather being so wonderful it is… the flags were soaring out in the wind… making the skis look colorful… my chest swelled with pride at the beauty this scene created.. and a tinge of patriotism filled my heart… and the very next moment.. I felt ashamed… why…? Does it take the occurrence of the independence day to make me feel proud of my country? And then.. I lie a little to my conscious… naa.. I feel patriotic on all days… “really?” asks my conscious… and I contemplate a little… since lying early in the morning is not a very nice way to start the day (esp a Monday!!)… I re-adjust my thoughts.. and reply.. “well.. ok.. not ‘everyday’.. but yes.. most of the days… I do feel proud of my country.. I do feel patriotic..” to that.. my conscious just laughs.. and rests… no further questioning… but this sure sowed a seed of doubt… how many of us truly appreciate being a part of free, democratic India? And if we do feel proud.. how many of us reciprocate this feeling.. let it reflect in our actions? 1… 2.. max maybe 3- 4 of us…

We complain.. we crib.. we yell at the current state of our country.. we have problems with the government… with the taxes.. with the pollution.. the traffic.. the road conditions and so on… and little do we realize that we and nobody else are utmost responsible for this poor state… As responsible and “educated” citizens.. today.. lets take a simple oath to help make this country a better place to live in, in our own small ways… lets agree to follow traffic rules.. not over speed.. avoid drunken driving… not litter or spit on the roads… keep our surroundings clean.. help fund education and food for the not so lucky ones.. discourage begging.. child labor… communal disturbances… encourage literacy.. prevent inequality.. sexual harassment.. avoid drugs.. learn to respect one another… appreciate the privileges we have…

A more effective way would be to actually join the system to flush our the dirt… but for several reasons including fear of life for family and self.. we’d rather stick to safer jobs of being a banker or an engineer than sticking our necks across the line… yet.. we do have other alternatives to contribute towards the betterment of the nation and I plead that we make the best use of it…

In our own ways, lets set examples… lets make a difference

Phoonk

What exactly was Ram Gopal Varma thinking when he made this movie? If challenging the public for Rs. 5 L in order to sit through the movie without being spooked is his idea of evading tax.. then he's doing a very good job of it...

Phoonk is a sad remake of Bhooth.. Same story with mild differences... slowly paced (you can catch yourself screaming for some action!) bad calibre actors.. (even the crow's no good - all it does is sit on a tree!) some stiffling sound effects... gory laughter which just makes you laugh as well instead of being scared...

He has tried evolving the movie around the age old controversy of science vs. religious beliefs and superstitions.. but has done a bad job of it! If he thinks two dream sequences with some startling sounds here and there... all actresses with dark kajal filled wide eyes.. two bones and some lemons and chillies constitute a horror movie... then I guess it's time for him to revisit the actual meaning of horror & thrills and in future, try not to under estimate the audience's intelligence!

Simple put... its more of a comedy than a horror show! I wouldnt suggest you take the risk of going alone.. lest you fall asleep as a result of boredom.. If RGV's claim that a guy who took up his bet.. lost it within the first 15 minutes of the movie.. he ought to be kidding himself.. There is no substance in the movie.. let alone until the intreval.. not even unto the end! RGV seems to be losing his credibility of a decent film maker..

Those still intrested in pursuing this one... Hapyy laughing! :)

The Pursuit of Happyness

This is one movie that I had to write about.. I have watched a lot of movies and enjoyed most of them.. some of them have moved me deeply too... but this seems to stand a class apart...

As the tittle says... All we can do is 'pursue' happiness... in comparison to real life, that is but true.. humans always tend to pursue things which they 'believe' and 'hope' will give them happiness... but we fail to realize that happiness lies in being able to truly appreciate and enjoy all that we already have....

I had heard good and bad comments about the movie.. I missed out on going for it with my class... and finally one day, after lectures since I had quite sometime on hand.. I decided to watch the movie online.. I had no expectations from the movie and was watching it to merely spend time... However, the movie took me by surprise.. I do not wish to go into the movie details.. but, there is a lot in the story that every individual can actually relate to.. the desperateness you feel when everything around you seems to go wrong and you are so intent on pursuing any little thing that can fill your life with joy..

Kudos to Will Smith and Jaden Smith (Will's son in the movie as well as real life) for so neatly articulating human emotions in the movie...