Twitter's 'cool' people

A twitter user(troll)  has been jailed for 18 weeks for posting abusive messages on twitter for the UK Labour MP Stella Creasy. He made crass abuses threatening to rape and murder the politician. All because this twitter troll disagreed with her campaign.  The news can be read here.

I think this is a very welcome development that criminalizes 'online' harassment and abuse. People think that just because they could go online, and just because they have platforms like twitter, facebook, or blogs, it is okay to abuse others, call them names and harass them. As far as I know, this is the first time a custodial sentence(and not suspended) has been awarded for this sort of harassment. 

To have access, have followers who think  'cool' quotient increases by abusing others and makes them a philosopher with profound wisdom does not make the act okay. Just because, in almost every other case there are no consequences, and just because the victim can't do anything, does not make the act legitimate. Being wannabe celebrity, and having few like minded 'cool' followers -a clique of self proclaimed sophists - does not give the permit to abuse others online. There is a real world waiting for these online narcissists.

My sincere appreciation for Stella Creasy for not taking this twitter harassment silently.

Holocaust Memorial

Even though I keep finding myself in Berlin, two years ago, it was my first opportunity to visit the Holocaust Memorial. It was soon going to be spring, snow was becoming slush, and in that dusk I found myself standing infront of the memorial. Except it didn't feel like any memorial. It was a sloping piece of land with concrete slabs(Stelae), of different sizes,  neatly placed. From a distance it might give an impression of a cemetery -  typical for fallen soldiers. The stelae weren't of uniform sizes or like tombstones; it was like a maze. It was confusing to be a memorial. 

I didn't have much time to think so I decided to enter the memorial walking along the snow covered alleys between the stelae, and then it dawned on me. Even though there was uniformity in the alleys, still it appeared confusing and claustrophobic. There was nothing significant in that place except those stelae, it was difficult to breathe and you would feel like a prisoner in the maze. There was nothing to remind that I was a human while walking on those alleys except the crunching of the snow beneath the feet. That's how those Jews, who were murdered, must have felt. Not a human being anymore, no wish, no choice, no joy but a prisoner on the endless maze. An ordered yet a cruel system. That's how they would have felt while living in concentration camps, in ghettos, being gassed or burnt in the incendiary towers. The ashes falling like flakes to which they were reduced. One can feel the suffocation, the yearning, the desire, the pain, the tears of not being human being anymore. The sudden and excruciating degradation from human to an object.

The Nobel laureate novelist, Imre Kertesz in his book "Fateless" describing the life in concentration camps has through the protagonist Gyuri made a point - Gyuri accepts the inhuman treatment, he just wanted to know why ?

The greatest injustice is not the cruelty perpetuated on you, but not even having the opportunity to seek justice. The greatest injustice is not to bear the suffering, the pain, the agony, the torture, but not to even know why these were inflicted on you?

The Narcissist Next Door - by Jeffrey Kluger

If you love reading Malcolm Gladwell then you will definitely like " The Narcissist Next Door" by Jeffrey Kluger. Gladwell can scientifically explain dog whisperers and why some excellent players choke in their final game, similarly Kluger gives psychologial explanations for everyday observations. Kluger, a popular TIME editor has written one other book on similar lines.

In this book, he explains the narcissistic behavior that "desire equals license" and quotes Woody Allen. "The heart wants what it wants" - said Woody Allen in a supremely narcissistic moment as he blithely explained his decision to ditch his longtime partner Mia Farrow in favor of her 21 year old daughter.

He has also quoted Bernie Madoff. This should be an interesting read.

(Source TIME:Sept1 edition)

Today

Two things for today

1. Word - 'Marginal' means trifle by itself, but it has huge meaning when it is the preceding one - Marginal Cost, Marginal Utility, etc

2. Philosopher - Jeremy Bentham - I am amazed by this British philosopher, how much he could accomplish in a life's time, and how much he contributed to the world.

Reconcile v.intr - To bring (oneself) to accept

In the last ten years of this blog, several times, I would have blogged about 'no sleep' nights of mine, so I will not do it again. I have accepted it - if I don't get sleep, I will not ask for it. However simple this might sound, but I am wondering about the stark reality embedded in this acceptance. Have I started to reconcile, or finally learnt ' to give up' ? The constant fight for everything and anything that I want has brought me many things in my life, but it is also starting to get tiring. There is only so much before one starts to let nature, fate and destiny take over. It was difficult for me to type the previous sentence and I did delete it twice, but  if even Napoleon had to make way for destiny then who am I ?

I still wish and submit to the powers to let me have atleast the following four things before I die. Only four things!

1. A formal degree in Economics - I have learnt this subject, in bits and pieces in many of my courses, took some self taught modules however I still long for a formal degree that comes with transcripts and seal of a University. Not sure when and how will I get to do this ?

2. Greek Mythology - Agreed it is myths, stories, but it is also about these tales of remarkable and unremarkable people that still shape and in many cases explain our modern world. I have taken the first step of enrolling in a semi-formal course but will see if I could do it properly.

3. Understanding of 'Classical Music' - Yes, I kept myself from scratching the surface of it, unsure of my inclination. However I succumbed to it after watching the 2009 TV movie of Dr Ben Carson. I have not reached anywhere, other than playing it non stop on Spotify every night.

4.A month in Amazon - I think I crystallized on this idea 7 years ago, after one of John Grisham's book, and I have least hope of ever getting to do this out of the the four wishes. I would still keep this as one of my sputtering hopes.

Now that I have documented this, I hope the 'powers that decide(? dictate)' have mercy on me. No wins for you, I am prepared(and accept) to fail. Amen !

The Blue Cafe

If only any cafe, preferably on the sea side, would be open at this hour of night/morning, then the perfect song would have Chris Rea's The Blue Cafe ! over a cup of coffee

Pity he isn't that popular, same as many others I have written about (Brian McKinight, et al)

May be one day I will have my own Blue Cafe...

Weird day

Got up in the morning with fever, still had to go to office, then to Tampere for a meeting. The ticket system of Finnish railways won’t work; bought the ticket on train with no reserved seats. Didn’t realize I was sitting on someone else’s seat, yet the old lady didn’t ask me to move. There are always good people around here

While coming back in the evening, missed my train by a minute, the train started to slide just when I was about to open the door. Had to wait for one hour for next train and the ticketing system still would not work. The good ticketing ladies were offering coffee coupons to make up for the inconvenience. Couldn’t care less for a cup of coffee but admired the attitude of saying sorry. In midst of all these didn’t realize that YLE cameras were rolling until now when I get a business mail that ends with btw - so you were at Tampere today – saw you on YLE news. Feeling better – the paracetamol is kicking in. Hopefully the day ends with this, no energy left for replying to any more mails.

The ticketing system was not working even on 24th August. Time for VR to change the system vendor.

The Sequel - 2

Seven years ago 'Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind' was released. This movie deals with aspects of memory and little sci-fi techniques of erasing memory. I am sure everyone has watched this movie atleast once.

Joel Barish(Jim Carrey) is getting his memory erased and during the process realises some are too precious to be lost. He tries hiding them by going back in his life and shacking his adult memories under childhood times. It doesn't work and they get erased.

(Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind - Line 209 of 'Eloisa to Abelard' by Alexander Pope)

The Sequel - 1

I come, I come! prepare your roseate bow'rs,
Celestial palms, and ever-blooming flow'rs.
Thither, where sinners may have rest, I go,
Where flames refin'd in breasts seraphic glow:


(from- Eloisa to Abelard - Alexander Pope)

I Wish...

I wish people to have Integrity

I wish people to say Not Right, when they see things that are not right.

I wish people to rise above allegiance of self interest

I wish people to not trample others for their own self

I wish people to be modest and humble

I wish people to know the difference between someone who always says Yes, to those who can stand up for their conviction even if that means saying NO

People Expectations

One of the things I would absolutely love to do is to spend a day with a film director. I don’t know how many will agree, but a movie director’s job is one of the toughest. He is directing a human being, an asset with no predictability. What makes it bit easier is that such directors can have re-takes. In real life you don’t get second take.

The key then is to realize that this is one thing in world that can’t be controlled. Whatever is done, people at a certain point of time will deviate from the script, may be a little, may be more, but they will. Trying to control this will lead to frustration and hurt. Not everything will go as per one’s wish, one has to accept the asset one has, and this has to be accepted. I guess this is what comes from high degree of Emotional Quotient, to be self aware, to self manage and social awareness.

Never expect from others what you expect from yourself. It leads to nothing but hurt for both. The more one is ambitious, more difficult will life be. With all these epiphanies, still lies the bigger one – it is easier to write here than to practice!

Lisa Gerrard

Some of the songs of Lisa Gerrard are so soothing
- Sacrifice
- Elysium
-The Wheat

There are several others, and who says you need lyrics for a song to be powerful !

I have only 4 hours left to get up for a new week. Yet, the only thing I can do at 1 A.M is to listen to John Coltrane. Am I trying to run away from reality?

If only

My blogging was a therapeutic drug for me. Now when I have lost the habit, I see myself taking crutches of movies and music more and more to get my fix. Rather than writing anything today on my topic, I just wish to recall the year 2000 movie "Bounce". I don't know how many have seen this movie, not sure how popular it was then ? It had couple of themes across the movie and no, the romantic theme is not the reason I like this movie.

J D Salinger - tribute to teenage days

Like most of us, there would be only few things one would fondly remember about their teenage days “The Catcher in the Rye” is one of them. Now when J D Salinger is no more with us, and if I have to write about him, there is mostly through this book I can relate to him. It is very different if you think of let’s say Hemmingway. May be the reclusive self of Salinger was the way to preserve the glory of this book. This book that has a cult following among teenagers hasn’t lost the charm even today and would be so for generations to come.

I didn’t know how popular the book was before I read it, and from the first page itself I was transfixed. How could Salinger pen the exact emotions? How could he reflect the world as a teenager sees it that accurately? The cocktail of emotions, thought, insecurities, youthfulness, curiousity, rebellion; they could never have been described that perfectly. Every teen can see themselves in Holden Caulfield.

When an adult, no one would like to glorify the teenage days, can speak high of Holden Caulfield, or even recommend this book and that’s the strength of this book. This is what Salinger wanted it to be - the anathema of corrupt adulthood. He wanted all of us to preserve the innocence of not growing up. Though he published four other works, what can we say about a writer who famously said ''There is a marvellous peace in not publishing. Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I love to write for myself and my own pleasure”

I don’t know what to feel at his death, the reclusive and loner J D Salinger was never among us even when he was alive, and his alter ego Holden Caulfield will be alive for generations to come. May be this is the ‘phoniness’ of death.

Few days ago, we had already lost one other author, Erich Seagal, and now J D Salinger; already a bad start of this year. May both of them rest in peace.

Stockholm Syndrome

Going to be in Stockholm till the next mid week. I had written couple of posts, but could not publish them. May be after being back here.

Enjoy your weekend !

And so it is....

Today was the perfect morning - not warm, not so cold, autumn lurking behind the leaves, people walking hurriedly for the metro, tram and bus. The refreshing air took away the soreness of going for the early morning meeting. Just when I melted into the crowd, I could hear it, and still not sure where it was playing? The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice, made popular by the movie Closer. Infact you can’t think of the movie without this song and vice versa. The lyric of the song perfectly sums up the movie. After this, it didn’t take long for the movie to get refresh in the time I reached my work.

Strange are the ways in which we get our flashbacks. I wanted to write about this movie in the first instance of free time I got. Not so surprisingly, I found that four years ago, when I saw this movie for the first time, I had written about it. It is indeed one of my favourite movies. That post can be read here.

"And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial"
(The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice)

Ironic that I have to listen to Peter Gabriel "In Your Eyes"

May be this is destiny !

Songs of Darkness

When it is 1 am and it is dark, you can’t say if this is due to clouds or summer is ending. You would want to believe in the clouds, but it's the summer that is ending. And also it is time when you turn to music.

Brian Mcknight is one of my favourite singers. He is one of the greatest, and I am happy if there are people out there who does not know him. He does not have a career like that of Justin Timberlake. But if you know Nat King Cole, you would know Brian Mcknight. The most amazing part is his vocals; when he holds up the note, it sounds so smooth, so natural, mellifluous and all of these with such humility. I can’t listen enough to his “One Last Cry”. The youtube video is not available in Finland, but I could find one copy of on this link. One other song of his with amazing vocals is “Still in Love”, but I feel the lyrics could have been less cheesy. Listen to this song here.

The other singer to listen now in the same theme would be Chris Isaak and his iconic “ Wicked Game”. The video got so famous even when the song is exactly opposite to what it seems on video. Can’t be anything different when you have Helena Christensen in there. The video is here

And lastly “Smile” from Nat King Cole. The song here.



The cloud position at this time, not a speck over any place in Finland.

Water under the bridge

Seems like a new beginning for this blog. After 4 years of blogging, I am exactly where I started, a clean slate and my blog only to me. Lot of things worth blogging happened in the last four months. To quote the line from the movie we all know – “A lot of water has flown over the dam and under the bridge”. Can’t say I would remember all of them at this morning hour, without my cup of tea, but let me try.

First mention, the loss of one of my favorite TV journalist – the venerable Tim Russert. I still can’t believe that he is no more and I am still living my Sundays. I haven’t watched any episode of ‘Meet the Press’ after him. It is not like Tom Brokaw is any less of a star, but I somehow feel I would be betraying Tim by watching the show without him. It was so ironical to lose him few weeks after that he was put as TIME’s, 100 most influential people with the comment “ the road to white house goes through Tim Russert ” from former NY governor Mario Cuomo. Half the fun of US presidential election has diminished without Tim’s pronounciations. His last being on May 7th just after Indiana and North Carolina primary when he had said this “We now know who the Democratic nominee’s going to be, and no one’s going to dispute it,” Somehow on my blog, as in my life, I didn’t do the things, I most wanted to – Obituary on Tim Russert, and also a piece on Katie Couric leaving NBC.

A month later, two other notable departures from world scene, Tony Snow, former White House press secretary and Randy Pausch, the CMU professor. Both snatched from the world scene by the cruel destiny.

In another blog-world development, we have now the face behind our favourite Waiter. Steve Dublanica he is, and I always thought he would be bit older. I have been one of his early readers from 2004, when he started to blog on blogger. What a journey for him from blogger to national television. Now our club guy may do a re-thinking of anonymity. And hey, someone do tell me if we have the name behind Fake Steve Jobs yet ?

Last mention for this morning, and I would update this on my blogger profile, I have changed my job role. I have never written about my work on my blog, but after a year of toying with sales, I have moved entirely from consulting to sales. There was lot of thinking behind this move and considering the outcomes of all my calculated, planned and carefully thought moves, I just wish the outcome ain’t the same.

In lesser developments, during my numerous flights I discovered this 2007 movie - The Great Debaters. Though a strange choice for in flight movie, it will get added in my best movies list. Thank you Finnair and wait for my hate post on Lufthansa.

For my best book read during travels it has to be – "Father, Son & Co.: My Life at IBM and Beyond"

Just after 7 months of buying Nokia 6110 Navigator, I now have the Nokia E71. A vastly improved navigation and other similar features over 6110, though I have to discover most of the other features- the manuals are only in Finnish & Swedish. Also my new DELL D630 is so ancient compared to the Think Pad I had.

All done, I should be back to my normal blogging.