Full length movies on You Tube

Indian movies are slowly spreading all over the world but if you are ever hardpressed to find a DVD, just go to You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/movies/bollywood). As a bonus to make you feel good, they are all legally uploaded!

The other

SPQR or Senatus Populus Que Romanus (the Senate and People of Rome) is the tagline of the city. Like all acronyms it has an alternative and derisive expansion, recently used by Berlusconi's most important ally. Much fun and indignation in the press.

Believe it or not.....

.....the University of Vienna is holding a 3-day international conference from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October on "Shah Rukh Khan and Global Bollywood"! (Link in German)

Italian affairs... update

Read here about the recent churning in Italian politics (that can betranslated as Aaya Ram and Gaya Ram in Indian politics!)

The Billboards of Venice

Venice today is one big advertising board albeit a tastefully designed one. But it has a crucial benefit, funding the tottering city's maintenance. Link.

The eccentric Kishore Kumar

The owner of this immortal voice (watch some some gems here) was also a comic genius and a weird character. Read his rollicking madcap interview of 1985 here.

.... and being Indian

The New Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010, 7 years in the works and still churning. Read.
But did you know that the Asian Games 1982 organising committee still exists? Read.
We are like this only!

Being Italian...

All about boutique merchandise and the problem with guilds (better known as unions or sindacati). Read.

Is there a modern Rome?

The New York Times asks the Eternal question.

Azzurro!

Sad about Italy's exit from the World Cup in South Africa? Never mind, here's something as blue as the colours of Gli Azzurri, soft mozzarella cheese. To bite into it, click here.

To tap or not to tap!

No, this is not about water supply. According to the New York Times,
"Last year, the Italian authorities monitored more than 112,000 phones and 13,000 locations, according to the Justice Ministry, figures widely seen as among the highest in Europe. "
Interested in recent wiretaps? Click on the NYT link.

La Dolce Vita- here and now

Worried about the Euro, the hung parliament in the UK (how familiar that sounds to Indians!), or the volcanic ash! Here's a tip from columnist Ayaz Amir: "We are too grim about things. If we need a strategic partnership with any country it should be Italy. At least we would take a less frenzied view of the universe. La Dolce Vita, the sweet life, is not just about material things."
Indeed! Maybe the IPL could consider this.
In passing, the article from the NY Review of Books quoted by the writer.

Ok, tata, bye bye!

One is India's first home grown car, the other is an evergreen, all terrain scooter which at one point had years of waiting lists. Both vehicles - the Maruti 800 and the Bajaj Chetak -are now being phased out. A trip down memory lane from Time magazine.

Business as usual

A stampede in a temple in Uttar Pradesh kills scores in another entirely avoidable tragedy. The state government has no money to compensate the hapless victims as all the currency notes have been sewn up in garlands. Meanwhile, Rome (and Italy) is having its second transport strike in 2 weeks.

Recommended: Always cap your lunch with a caffé!

This is fast moving field of research. In December 2009, an article reported that people drinking three to four cups of coffee or tea day had a 25 percent lower risk for Type 2 diabetes. Now a new study shows, that for optimal results, it is best to combine lunch with black coffee. It lowered the risk of Type 2 diabetes by one third (in a study that involved nearly 70,000 women).

Of course, it also keeps you awake the rest of the day!

Hindi,Chini, Fratello, Fratello!

The most popular bit of news among Indians here is that China Airlines now offers direct flights to New Delhi from Rome. Something that Air India should have done but can't be bothered. No doubt, Indians in Italy will add another 0.1% to Taiwan's burgeoning GDP!

The youth and print media

The 459 million strong youth population of India is holding up the popularity of newspapers, in the age of 24 hour TV channels and the Internet. A sharp contrast from the situation in the West but owes much to the relatively poor penetration of the Internet in India. Details here.

60th Republic Day

The Republic of India turns 60. The popular blog Churumuri calls this, the country's sashtiabdhapoorthi, an opportune moment to lean back and look into the rear-view mirror. Also a link to a remarkably mature view of Indian patriotism (' not nationalistic, not imperialist, not aggressive, but rather self-critical') in Slate. Last but not the least, the new version of 'Mile sur mera tumhara' (in two parts) released today.

IPL on YouTube!

IPL 2010 and 2011 will be telecast live on You Tube. That certainly is good news for Indians living in the backwaters of the cricket world (like Italy!). YouTube claims that this is the first major sporting event to be streamed across the globe. That the IPL and Google are confident of making money out of free webcasting suggests that T20 can spread virally but is not a virus as suggested by some!

60 for Rajnikant

Rajnikant's 60th birth day (shashtipoorthi) has touched off a wave of articles on his legendary mannerisms. Here is a link to a collection of them.
Sample: #Rajini once hit 10 runs in 1 ball. One piece of ball he hit for four and another piece a SIX!
Enjoy!

बनारसी साडी/ Benarsi saree

Enough of cheap Chinese imitations. The Benarsi saree, possibly the most important component of a traditional Indian wedding, has been granted the Geographical Indication or GI certificate by the Indian government. Only saris produced in Varanasi, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Sant Ravi Dass Nagar (Bhadohi) -all in Uttar Pradesh-will be considered Benarsi saris. This also covers Jamdani, Jangla, Jamawar Tanchoi, Tissue, cut work, butidar and silk embroidery saris.

Indian classical dance for Diwali

SATURDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2009
5 - 6.30pm

DIWALI – THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT
An evening celebrating a beautiful event, the re-igniting of the lamp of the soul, by the Great Light. In these times of greatest need, the Light of hope, courage and wisdom guides us back to our home of light, the land of peace. This evening will consist of a description of the spiritual significance of this festival.

The evening will include classical indian dance by Dhruv Pandey together with other cultural items.
FREE ADMISSION
sabato, 24 ottobre – ore 17:00/18:30

‘DIWALI’ LA FESTA DELLA LUCE
Musica, performance artistiche e
meditazione per celebrare una delle più
avvincenti festività indiane.

Danza Indiana…… canzone……..musica…………!

Una serata per celebrare un evento magnifico, la “riaccesnione” della fiamma dell’anima, attraverso la Grande Luce. Nel nostro tempo di estremo bisogno, la Luce della speranza, del coraggio e della saggezza, ci guida e ci riporta alle nostre origini là dove dimora la Luce, nella terra della pace. La serata consisterà in una descrizione del significato spirituale della festa.

Presso
UNIVERSITA’ SPIRITUALE MONDIALE BRAHMA KUMARIS (ONLUS)
Via Laura Mantegazza 59/c - 00152 Roma (Monteverde). - Tel: 06 5342405
E-mail: info@it.bkwsu.org
Sito: www.bkwsu.org/italy

Happy Diwali

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous Diwali to all.

Join the dots below

They say that the charges against this man, the alleged mastermind of 26/11 in Mumbai, are not worth the paper they are written on. His organisation continues to function with impunity. Another horrific bloodbath today in Lahore.
Chickens coming home to roost?

Particles and Pasta

A delightful article on pasta with appetizing pictures from the New York Times. In the same paper, an article on the Return of the Large Hadron Collider after a year out of action and the continuing quest for the earliest particles.