Late arrival

(YouTube)
I know I'm late. But the reason I'm posting this is because this composition is so catchy, trance-like that it lingers on and stays with you: that is important to initiate someone who knew nothing about it before Baulsphere. Of course, those who have been listening to them for years might be disappointed.

Well, not exactly. I came to know about Bauls at college; they came to Presidency quite a few times.

Better late than never, as they say.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, in one night.

Read it in a single reading on Thursday-Friday. Perhaps, my first book completed in a single reading. Reminded me of the beginning of Gregory David Robert's Shantaram:

"I realised, somehow, through the screaming in my mind, that even in that shackled, bloddy helplessness, I was free: free to hate the men who were torturing me, or to forgive them...when it's all you've got, that freedom is a universe of possibility."

Quality of life and development

A report by the commission set up by Nicolas Sarkozy comprising Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen looks at how we should measure our economic perfomances along with, and not as different from or as simply leading to, social progress. Not just policy makers but even the public needs to informed about it. Why the American way of life is not desirable even if it would mean more income.

Not My Goddess

Lula the fistula

Is Lula worried that he is becoming the bourgeoisie's conduit in a revolutionary body politic?

This is the way to write a lead!

The first paragraph in any story in a newspaper is called a lead. This is one of the most risible leads I have come across.

Now that the flood is gone

Here's a little case study trying to put in perspective the floods in Bihar explaining why its not just about relief and rehabilitation.

Yes, we can. Yes, we can tweak. Yes, we can.

A Lohiaite in the land of the Enlightened one has "radical" ideas about change.

Gays of the country unite!

This is the first step India as a people have taken in the Wittigian breaking of the social contract.