TV Filtering

Filtering can be an alternative. But control is never complete. We can filter what kids watch. Possible upto certain age. But how can you control what other adults in the family watch ? We cannot exert control over them. They have as much opinion of right and wrong, as yourself. Needless conflict can result. If not a one shot clash, then there might be slow simmering and an explosion later on.

This is where personal TV concept comes into picture. Like a book. Watch what you want, where you want, when you want, blah blah.
But I am sure the addicition can be so much, we will loose that member for ever. I mean, I remember the slight irritation I felt when friends visited us, while our favourite regular sitcom is on. Or when a long distance relatives calls up, while an interesting scene is playing on TV. This wont happen if it was a case of book, magazine or newspaper. We know it wont run away, and we can always go back to it, after finishing with the friend or relative. Nothing compares to a written word - whether in print or web.

About information from TV, nowadays it is totally laced with some agenda. At most of the news channels, either a lobby is at work, or the sponsor decides the priority or its total crap we could do without. News channel dont build any global community feeling. They only want ratings. After the initial shock, we become passive viewers to far off tragedies. Crime prevention and awareness work better at local community level anyway. Celebrity opnions do not make a better life. Ad discussions, debates and acheiver profiles, are so tiny part of most new networks, they almost always get skipped.

The overhead are too much with TV. We can do well without a TV at home. There is so much entertainment and information available anyway. Plus for learning and growing there are always books, magazines, newspapers, internet and movies in theatre. We can visit places, visit rural areas, see animals (domestic/wild), meet people (relatives, friends, elders, youngsters, strangers, acheivers, all). Nothing compares to first hand experience of life.

Harry Potter Series (1 to 5)

I have read them all, 10s of times !

Sunil Dutt is no more

Sunil Dutt is no more. He was a nice guy. I always liked him, both as young and old man. When I think of him I remember:

Jalte hain jiske liye, teri aakhon ke diye | Doond laya hoon wohi, geet mein tere liye ... from Sujatha

Entire Padosan

Mother India, yes

Angry young brother and hurt son from Waqt

Dard ka Rishta

Also Rocky for some reason. With his direction, he put himself in the picture, though he did not star here.

Was nice to see him in Munnabhai M.B.B.S.
More of his movies here.

Amelie

Amelie - was great. romantic, in different format. rest of the characters were also very interesting. but am fond of amelie and nino.

6 Things to do in Belgaum

1. Eat Pav-Bhaji at Shetty's in Bogarves
   
2. Visit Hindalga Ganapati Mandir (temple)
   
3. Shop at Kirloskar & Maruti galli
   
4. Visit Military Mahadev (temple)
   
5. Check out the Cantonment area
   
6. Visit Deshmukh Road, from GCC college to First gate ! Thats the counterpart of Bangalore MG Road
   
7. Check out K.L.E. College of Engg
   

Nothing mindbogling about this. But it covers most of Belgaum. Plus there is nostalgia for me.

Childhood beliefs

Cute site: iusedtobelieve - A childhood belief site. About stuff we used to believe in childhood.

Let me see what I used to believe in, hmm ..

If two people clash their heads once, they should do that again. Else, they will grow horns !

I thought chicken meant hen and mutton meant cock. (Stopped eating mutton the day I saw skinned goat hanging on the hook)

Once a teacher caught me talking in the class. She said, "Earlier you used to be a quiet student. Now your mouth is growing bigger". I went home and checked in the mirror - if my mouth was really growing wider.

Places I have been to ...

...,Tirupati, Mysore, Coorg, Chicago, Milwakee, Bhilai, Balia, Delhi, Bangalore, Belagum, Poona, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Guwahati, Kaziranga, Shillong, Jalgaon, Bombay (Mumbai), Udupi

And here's my travel wishlist:

Tirupati

Morocco

Pondicherry

Amsterdam

Kerala

Udupi

Coorg

Ladhakh

New entries here:

Jordan

Malaysia

Library movies

I used to have these movies in my library. I watched them so often, usually on returning after school and with lunch, that I memorized the dialoges and background music of all

QSQT

Dil Hain Hi Manta Nahin

Anand

Sharabi

Sholay

And I would add these to the old library:

Dilwale Dulhainiya Le Jayenge (DDLJ)

Hum Aapke Hain Kaun

Sarfarosh

Satte Pe Satta

Don

Books & Movies

A chat with my friend M got me thinking on this.

There are so many movies based on books. And very often, in my case, I have read a book, after I saw the move. Just to see the difference between them, and how much the director has wavered away from the book. More often, it is only the characters which is the same or similar, and the movie screenplay is very different.

So here's a compilation of my experience.

Saw Movie, Read book:
- Contact
- Jurrasic Park
- Ice Candy Man (Movie: 1947-Earth)
- Count of Monte Cristo
- Oliver Twist
- Pride & Prejudice (oh so many versions)
- Guide

Saw Movie, Want to read the book:
- Bridget Jones Diary,
- Princess Diary

Not seen, Not read; want to do both:
- Sideways - by Rex Pickett
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Da Vinci Code
- Shall we dance ?

Read book first; may or may not watch the movie:
- Harry Potter Series
- To Kill A Mockingbird