The 2010 Ferrari F1 Challenger - Unveiled

The 2010 Ferrari F1 Challenger is ready to be unveiled. Here are some pics.

    

Santander assumes the role of principal sponsor considering the amount of coverage they’ve been given on the car, hope Alonso lives up to the Spanish bank’s expectations. It’s intriguing however for Santander to try to cash in on Lewis’ popularity in the UK, the new building blocks ad being an example.

Vigilante citizens or pseudo-moral hooligans?

Kerala as a society has always projected itself to be progressive, forward looking and intelligent. There is a high level of literacy across the state and this is simply not just based on if a person can write his/her own name, most people can read the daily newspaper. This state also has amongst the largest circulated newspapers in India. There are also the largest number of news channels in Malayalam, I’m just sharing a perception and not basing this on any fact.

Rajmohan Unnithan, one of the new leaders emerging in the Congress, was hounded, heckled and paraded in front of the media and subsequently taken to the police station in Manjeri and for what? Rajmohan was surrounded in the house he was with a friend/colleague/acquaintance of his by members of the PDP (People’s Democratic Party) and DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India). This group of vigilantes took it upon themselves to then hurl abuses at the duo, brand the woman a prostitute, tease them, harass them, rip their clothes (marginally, heck does that make it any less a crime?) and force the Police to book a case against them.

Paul Zachariah, noted social activity, commentator, columnist and write in Malayalam, wrote in the New Indian Express that Rajmohan took a short break as he was passing through Manjeri in Malappuram district. I’m not going to get into the morals of this episode, what outrages me is the fact that sort of vigilantism has been glorified by the media in Kerala and people alike. Manjeri for one is a well known red bastion, a strong hold of the communists and hence the DYFI showing up on Rajmohan’s doorstep is hardly surprising nor is the presence of their new found friend, the PDP.

Why would a shrewd politician like Rajmohan walk into a trap, if that’s version of this episode is true? This politician is a known Left baiter and has spoken acerbically about many such episodes in the past. He’s also played the villain role in a couple of movies. Once close to K Karunakaran he fell out with him after they split and was one of the harshest critic of Karunakaran’s son Muraleedharan who is currently trying his best to return to the Congress(I) after a failed stint trying to setup a third front in Kerala.

At the end of this apparently Rajmohan insisted that a medical test be conducted and no instance of sexual contact between the two could be proved. The media took it upon itself to telecast this sort of harassment ‘live’ as if it were of such national importance. Paul Z makes an interesting observation, he says the society in Kerala as such is starved for sex and hence this craving for sensationalism. Anyone who has been to “God’s own country” can vouch for the fact that except the big cities Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, life’s not easy at all for the women who have to travel by bus or train to their workplace and back.

What has the law enforcement agencies got to do by arresting and booking cases against two adults just because they were under the same roof? (Immoral trafficking!!!! Bullshit) Who gives these vigilantes the power to go about being the law and justice system all rolled into one? What if these two people were sleeping around? Who should be bothered by it? What happened to the progressiveness that marked the leftist ideals of yore?

Happy New Year 2010

Wow, it's been a while since any of us posted here. Live caught up with us and spoilt quite a few ideas. But here we are again ..

:::::::: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 ::::::::: Hope this year brings to you all the prosperity, happiness and love that you need.

Hopefully I'll be more regular on here this year than the last couple of years. Strike that. I will be more regular. Ciao.

Oscar nominations - 2008

The following is the complete list of nominations announed for the 81st Academy Awards:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

- Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films) 

- Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal) 

- Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features) 

- Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) 

- Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight) 

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

- Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features) 

- Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) 

- Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax) 

- Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.) 

- Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage) 

Performance by an actress in a leading role

- Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics) 

- Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal) 

- Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics) 

- Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax) 

- Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company) 

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

- Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax) 

- Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company) 

- Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax) 

- Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.) 

- Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight) 

Best animated feature film of the year

- “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard 

- “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne 

- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton 

Achievement in art direction

- “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis 

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando 

- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway 

- “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt 

Achievement in cinematography

- “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern 

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister 

- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle 

Achievement in costume design

- “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin 

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West 

- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker 

- “Revolutionary Road”  (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky 

Achievement in directing

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher 

- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant 

- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle 

Best documentary feature

- “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath 

- “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser 

- “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy 

- “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn 

- “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal 

Best documentary short subject

- “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki 

- “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant 

- “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan 

- “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde 

Achievement in film editing

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith 

- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens 

Best foreign language film of the year

- “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany 

- “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France 

- “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan 

- “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria 

- “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel 

Achievement in makeup

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan 

- “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz 

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat 

- “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman 

- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman 

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

- “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel 

- “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar 

- “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam                   

Best motion picture of the year

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers 

- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers 

- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer 

Best animated short film

- “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato 

- “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit 

- “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand 

- “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland 

- “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes 

Best live action short film

- “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi 

- “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont 

- “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie 

- “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh 

- “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank 

Achievement in sound editing

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King 

- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers 

- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood 

- “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman 

Achievement in sound mixing

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty 

- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt 

- “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt 

Achievement in visual effects

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron 

- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin 

- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan 

Adapted screenplay

- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord 

- “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley 

- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan 

- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare 

- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy 

Original screenplay

- “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt 

- “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh 

- “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh 

- “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black 

- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Microsoft's Yahoo acquisition dreams

Despite what Joshua says, I'd like to stick my neck out and state that it's going to be a long long way before this deal closes, that is if it works out. Anything Microsoft come up with is scrutinized three times more and there are still souls in Yahoo that would die than see Yahoo taken over by Microsoft. The enormous clout GOOGLE enjoys in the online search and advertising stream could be giving Steve Ballmer nightmares but this time he's facing an Eric Schmidt who is stronger in experience and has risen after been smacked the last time like a phoenix.

Open Source Ahoy!

The first big Open Source sell off is finally going to happen, I'm sure a lot of VC's and business gurus are watching this development with mixed reactions. How can a company that has it's code out there in the open still make profits and be valued so high? The genius is in the details as always, this company specializes in high end consulting and solutions. http://www.mysql.com/news-and-events/sun-to-acquire-mysql.html SUN is all set to take over MySQL for (hold your breath) $1 billion, the largest price till date in the open source industry. As one of the early bunch of guys who began to deploy MySQL to customers because they didn't have to pay for it, I can vouch for it's stability. MySQL has also evolved over the years starting from being a simple database solution to getting into the more intricate areas and in it's current form can directly take the fight to ORACLE and most importantly Microsoft's SQL Server.

Fernando Alonso and McLaren

Last week I stuck my neck out with the following comment in my personal blog.

McLaren needs Alonso as much as Alonso needs McLaren. There aren't too many options for the double world champion. The only place that would look like a promotion is Ferrari but Italians and Spainards are not good bedfellows. Alonso will not go from McLaren, I'm sticking my neck out on this one. Simply because the McLaren car this year is a rock solid package, it has completed every race it has started and except for just two failures during qualifying - Alonso's engine block and Hamilton's tyre, the car has performed incredibly well. I'm doubly sure that the research and development effort of McLaren is immensely being benefitted by Alonso's experience.

The press this weekend has been reporting the same news and looks like I guessed it pretty right, atleast for this season. Today's race in Istanbul should be an exciting one.