Paul Newman - RIP

Paul Newman was a radical in every sense of the word. Blessed with amazing good looks and those riveting "blue eyes", he was one of the most handsome Hollywood actors. With such urbanity and suaveness, he could have easily become a choclate boy hero. But he chose not to, and played with ease characters of con men and rebel.

"The Sting" still remains one of my favorite movies while Newman immortalized the role of " Butch Cassidy" in " Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid" ( from which Thiruda Thiruda was remade).

Newman's greatest contribution to humanity was not through arts but through his Philanthropic foundation. He donated more than $200 million from his business venture " Newman's Own" for terminally ill Children. Here is my earlier blog post on it.

He was also a great race driver and its an irony that I learnt about his death from the F1 commentator at the Singapore GP ( F1) yesterday.

I was so fascinated by this intellectual, down-to-earth actor that one of my earliest quizzes was on him. Paul, I will miss you.

CEO's death in Noida

I don't know which is more shocking about this incident. Is it the incident itself or the remarks by the Union labor minister that seems more like a communist manifesto ? Oscar's comments are straight out of a Amitabh 70's movie that blames everything on greedy factory owners.

No cause can be justified for murder. Though the minister has since apologized, it has definitely left a bad aftertaste.

Delhi Bomb blasts

Yet another day. Yet another city. Another series of bomb blasts. Continuing losses of innocent lives.

Have these incidents become so common now that the Home minister fails to take any kind of responsibility for the continued inaction?

An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind, but so does inaction and cowardice.

Morning Photos

Do you love foggy mornings? Then, am sure you will love this photo album. Breathtaking photos ! Kudos to the photographer.

As an amateur photographer ( my question to myself is), When will I even get close to this?

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan - RIP

He was the Ian Botham of Carnatic music ( if there was such an analogy). He was colorful, controversial, mercurial but immensely talented. Kunnakudi might not have been a favorite with the"purists" but he did more than any other leading artiste to popularize carnatic music to the masses. He was one of the few instrumentalists who was a big crowd puller amongst the masses.

I have always been amazed how well he could "talk" with his Violin. May his soul RIP.

Meerkat - Singapore Zoo

I love this photo. This meerkat posed cutely for me. The "meerkats" live in a clan and individuals take turns in guarding the den. So for this one, old habits die hard?

India - A culinary map

Very creative and thoughtful. Looking at this image daily, would make my "pet" full.