ID4

Well, I have decided to stay in to complete a paper that is due tomorrow in my Art History class. The fact that it is drizzling outside has made it an easier decision. But I am pretty sure that I will still go for a walk later, perhaps toward the waterfront. But I did take the time to make a nice juicy steak earlier.


Before...


A few seconds later...

Now where did I put that glass of Brandy?

Old School, baby

There is an article in the BBC today about Framingham here in Massachusetts. It is a brief story of about 5,000 volunteers (starting from the mid 50s) who have been contributing to an extensive study on "why and how we get or inherit heart disease", the results of which are used for diagnoses around the world. Winnie Toy, 88, is one of the volunteers. She signed up for the study in 1948. Here is a brief extract of the conversation between her and Humphrey Hawksley, the BBC author of the article.

"And eggs," chipped in Winnie. "We were great egg eaters."
"So who's healthier?" I asked.
"Well I'm still here, aren't I," said Winnie.

Yeah!

Now all she needs to do is add a bit of Whiskey to her everyday diet for the ultimate touch :)

Tendulkar reaches landmark 15,000

Tendulkar guides the ball through mid-wicket during his 106-ball innings.

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar reaches 15,000 runs in his one day international career against South Africa today in Belfast. India 227-4 (49 overs) beat South Africa 226-6 (50 ovs) by six wickets.

Yeah!

Picture of the times

Noted bodybuilder Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hefts a dumbbell he found in the remains of a home that burned near South Lake Tahoe.

Sacramento Bee/Bryan Patrick

Alien Trilogy - 1996 studio recording (A brief soundtrack review)

Unlike the Alien Resurrection soundtrack, this album has mostly active pieces, meaning that the music can stand on its own without the visuals.

Both the "Main Title" tracks from Alien and its first sequel Aliens (and especially the latter) are subtle, haunting and ethereal. These need to be listened to in an absolutely calm environment.

"Futile Escape" projects the overall character of the second movie (which, unlike the first movie, is more action than horror).

"Bishop's Countdown", which possibly may have started James Horner's long and productive career in Hollywood, gets your heart rate going. If I am in traffic, I have to ultra-concentrate on my driving.

The last three tracks, "Lento", "Candles in the wind" and "Adagio" (from Alien 3) sound right out of an orchestra. They are melancholic, inspiring and at times evoke strong feelings of agitation. "Adagio" especially ends with a premonition of disconcerting events to come.

This soundtrack can be obtained here.

Incidentally, this is my 50th post on this Blog. Right. Lets have a party.

The Benoit factor

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070626/ap_on_re_us/wrestler_dead

Who knows why someone would kill a 7 year old like that (personally I don't give a crap about the guy or his wife). A couple of summers back, one of my friends' wife jumped from their 21st floor apartment in downtown Boston. She took their toddler with her. I think I know why she jumped but could never figure out why she took the baby with her.

I don't have any of the issues apparently people like these have. Nor do I have any intention of screwing up my life. If I have to, I will deal with problems but I will shy away from putting my head in a lion's mouth. My resting heart rate is around 55 and I aim to keep it that way :)

My last post was a rather angry (and disappointed) look into the human need to reproduce. Given the disparate types of violence we see around us every day, I can't help but feel we are walking into a major quagmire of sorts.

6.5

Planet's Population Hit 6.5 Billion Saturday


Tony Blair and Co.

While I understand the instinctive need for humans to bear children (after all, we are animals too), I cannot quite agree that everyone is supposed to have children. As Gretel Ehrlich, while trekking through the glaciers of the southern Andes, writes in her wonderful The Future of Ice,

"I don't have children. The man I am with wants children. Isn't all this beauty enough?"

We have the ability to literally lighten the load on planet Earth. But the majority doesn't give a f*ck. They preach but, at the end of the day, are really only concerned about their wealth and their "traditions". I am not against material wealth. Far from it. I firmly believe that one should be able to take care of oneself and not rely on others. But if we consider ourselves higher than other animals with the ability to surmise and suppose (not to mention the ability to preserve entire ecosystems, if we so desired), then the "instinctive need theory" becomes merely an excuse...an excuse to fill an otherwise empty life. As Butters' dad remarks in an episode of South Park,

"Well, our son is a perfect void-filler!"

261 people are born every minute...