Lady Lazarus - Sylvia plath

Lady Lazarus

By Sylvia Plath

I have done it again.
One year in every ten
I manage it——


A sort of walking miracle, my skin
Bright as a Nazi lampshade,
My right foot


A paperweight,
My face a featureless, fine
Jew linen.

Peel off the napkin
O my enemy.
Do I terrify?——


The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth?
The sour breath
Will vanish in a day.

Soon, soon the flesh
The grave cave ate will be
At home on me

And I a smiling woman.
I am only thirty.
And like the cat I have nine times to die.

This is Number Three.
What a trash
To annihilate each decade.


What a million filaments.
The peanut-crunching crowd
Shoves in to see

Them unwrap me hand and foot——
The big strip tease.
Gentlemen, ladies

These are my hands
My knees.
I may be skin and bone,

Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman.
The first time it happened I was ten.
It was an accident.

The second time I meant
To last it out and not come back at all.
I rocked shut

As a seashell.
They had to call and call
And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls.

Dying
Is an art, like everything else.
I do it exceptionally well.

I do it so it feels like hell.
I do it so it feels real.
I guess you could say I’ve a call.

It’s easy enough to do it in a cell.
It’s easy enough to do it and stay put.
It’s the theatrical

Comeback in broad day
To the same place, the same face, the same brute
Amused shout:

‘A miracle!’
That knocks me out.
There is a charge

For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge
For the hearing of my heart——
It really goes.

And there is a charge, a very large charge
For a word or a touch
Or a bit of blood

Or a piece of my hair or my clothes.
So, so, Herr Doktor.
So, Herr Enemy.

I am your opus,
I am your valuable,
The pure gold baby

That melts to a shriek.
I turn and burn.
Do not think I underestimate your great concern.

Ash, ash—
You poke and stir.
Flesh, bone, there is nothing there——

A cake of soap,
A wedding ring,
A gold filling.

Herr God, Herr Lucifer
Beware
Beware.

Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.

Social loafing The art of thinking clearly

An excerpt from the art of think clearly by Rolf dobellli

In 1913 Maxmillian Ringelmann, a french engineer studied the performance of horses.He concluded that the power of two animals pulling a coach did not equal twice the power of a single horse.Surprised by this result he extended the research to humans.He has several men pull a rope and measured the force applied by each individual.On average if two people were pulling together each invested just 93% of their individual strength when three pulled together it was 85% and with eight just 49%.

Science calls this the social loafing effect.It occurs when individual performance is not directly visible, it blends in to the group effort.It occurs among rowers but not in relay races because here individual contributions are evident.Social loafing is rational behavior why invest all of your energy when half will do especially when this little shortcut goes unnoticed.

When people work together individual performances decrease.This isn't surprising.What is noteworthy however is that our input doesnt grind to a complete halt.So what stops us from putting our feet up completely and letting the others do all the `hard work ,the consequences.

Social loafing has interesting' implications.In g'roups we tend to h'old back not only in terms of participation but also in terms of accountability.Nobody wants to take the rap for th'e misdeeds or poor decisions of the whole group.We hide behind team decisions.Th'e technical term for this is diffusion of responsibility.

In conclusion: people behave differently in groups than when alone.The disadvantages of groups can be mitig'ated by making 'individual performances as visible as possible.Long' live meritocracy!! Long' live th'e performance society!!

Becoming China

About Becoming China

One of the two most powerful states in the world, China continues to be seen as a mystery even after decades of an open door. How does China work, what does it want, why does it want it, and what does its rise to global power mean for the rest of the world? As the twenty-first century looks set to be the stage for a battle about competing geopolitical ideals, these are urgent questions for everyone with an interest in what the future might bring.

Epic in scope, this is the story of how China became the state it is today and how its worldview is based on what has gone before. Weaving together inspirations, ideas, wars and dreams to reveal the heart of what it means to be Chinese and how the past impacts on the present.

Despite decades of a relatively open door relationship with the rest of the world, China is still a mystery to many outside it. A world of its own, China isboth a microcosm and an amplification of questions and events in the wider world. China's story offers us an opportunity to hold a mirror to ourselves: to our own assumptions, to our values, and to our ideas about the most important question of all: what it means to be human in the world of the state

Mr Robot finale Season 3

It would be a sad day if this series was cancelled
Vox article on Mr Robot finale by Todd Vanderwerff

Mr. Robot’s third season was its best. It moved with the momentum and confidence that made season one such a hit, with the stronger character development that had marked season two. In season three, when a random associate of Elliot Alderson’s was threatened, it felt queasier, or when two of the supporting cast members hooked up, it felt more thrilling.

Mr. Robot is finally its best self in season 3
And I agree with something the Ringer’s Alison Herman recently suggested: Mr. Robot was only able to pull this off because almost nobody was paying attention to it.
On the one hand, the show didn’t have any major twists this season for audiences to second guess. That probably played a part in its relative obscurity, since the twists drove much of the discussion in the first two years. But on the other, the conversation had also moved on. Mr. Robot felt downright prophetic when it debuted in 2015, with its tales of angry, alienated young men and a political system rigged even in the case of revolution. But in season three, it felt a little like a prophet of doom warning you not to continue on your current course as you pass him in your car. You could still hear his shouts, but only barely, and the landscape was on fire up ahead.

What the season did have was a thematic unity that wedded Mr. Robot’s superheroic hacking exploits to its deepest character story, about an isolated young man slowly coming to realize he’s not an island. It revolved around Elliot (the still magnetic Rami Malek, whose performance remains one of TV’s best) attempting to shove the genie he loosed upon the world in the form of a massive economic hack back into the bottle, both because he realized it was the right thing to do and because he had forged stronger connections with those he cares about, from his sister to his former best friend to the imaginary man that lives in his head.

And that deeper, richer story benefited from having more space to unfold in a world that wasn’t so impatient for it to get where it was going. I’d stack the season’s last six episodes against any TV made this year. In season three, Mr. Robot pulled off almost everything it wanted to pull off in season two, but in far stronger fashion

I am, in general, a Mr. Robot season two apologist, but even I will admit that season two’s early episodes were lengthy slogs that spent way too much time on Elliot trying to reconcile himself with Mr. Robot (Christian Slater), a devilish alternate personality who took the form of his deceased father. It was infuriating TV — conceptually and thematically interesting, but never as gripping on a character level as it needed to be.
But this sort of slump is one that lots of TV shows, from Friday Night Lights to Homeland to Justified, have bounced back from, simply by better integrating their characters and their ideas. You could already see Mr. Robot starting to do this by the end of season two, but it ultimately had to abandon a lot of its “Elliot and Mr. Robot negotiate their relationship with each other” material to succeed. (It’s always been telling that season two’s best episode didn’t feature Elliot at all.)

Indeed, season three begins with the two men not speaking to each other, and Elliot doing his level best to hold off Mr. Robot and prevent him from taking over. He takes his meds. He goes to work every day. He makes himself a good worker bee, in hopes that if he can keep Mr. Robot at bay, the devastating cyberterrorist attack that Mr. Robot and the mysterious Dark Army are planning will never come to fruition.

But Mr. Robot is a TV show. And when you have Slater on the payroll, you’re going to have him do more than just leer menacingly at the camera for a few seconds every episode. So as season three hit its midpoint — where Elliot succeeds in stopping the terrorist attack, but neither he nor Mr. Robot see a far worse one coming — everything Mr. Robot has been about, for better or worse, began to turn itself inside out. Mr. Robot Indeed they do. Peter Kramer/USA Network
Mr. Robot learns he’s been played for a patsy by corporate overlords who unleashed a seeming economic revolution to line their own pocketbooks. Elliot vows to return the world to the way it was, as many of his colleagues and friends fall to the Dark Army. And then the two personalities finally start working together, to try to find a way to stop the Dark Army from furthering a plan that seems designed to turn planet Earth into an anarchic wasteland, ruled by super-corporations. Eventually, the finale ends with Elliot seeming to reverse the massive hack from season one, but its post-credits scene suggests that nothing is ever that easy when capitalism is involved.

The standard knock against Mr. Robot in its first season was that its main philosophy, espoused by Elliot, was basically a knockoff of Fight Club — anti-capitalist and anti-consumerist in a way that seemed reactionary at best and completely misinformed at worst. But I always felt that creator Sam Esmail had more up his sleeve. Elliot was right to be suspicious of the capitalist society he lived in, yes, but he was simply being played by different corporate overlords. And nothing is ever as simple as saying, “We need to do this one thing, and everything will be better.” There are always consequences, and there’s always blood in the streets.

Slowly but surely, Esmail and his writing staff have since built a story designed to give Elliot things to lose. He wants to take down the masters of the universe, who rule from their closed-off boardrooms, not just because they’ve built a cruel, exploitative world, but because he believes his sister and friends and imaginary father figure deserve something better. Saving the world can’t be done from behind a computer screen. It’s a movement that begins on the ground, and continues until walls come tumbling down.

Season three was obsessed with the idea of time travel, with the thought of going back in time to undo something, in much the way that Elliot wanted to undo his season one hack. His friend, Angela (Portia Doubleday), seemed, for a time, to actually believe that time travel was possible.

But it was all a red herring. As Elliot walked home to fix the hack, he passed a crowd of people, gathered outside in the rapidly crumbling New York street, to watch the movie Superman in a store window, specifically the scene where Superman flies opposite the Earth’s orbit so quickly that he turns back time and saves Lois Lane’s life. Elliot can’t resurrect anybody, but he can try to reverse time, just a little bit. He can put some things right, then get on to the work of building a better world.

In this way, I think, Mr. Robot sneakily rediscovered its relevance, and I hope as more people catch up with the series on streaming, they’ll spark to that (or maybe to the unexpected but welcome romantic tension between Grace Gummer’s Dom and Carly Chaikin’s Darlene, or maybe to the series’ welcome return to episodes that stand alone as episodes, or maybe to its still thrilling sense of cinematic self, or maybe just to Bobby Cannavale’s deeply weird performance as Dark Army specialist Irving). On Mr. Robot, political, social, personal, and professional awakenings are all the same thing. You can’t save the world, but you can rebuild it, brick by brick.

Mr. Robot season three is available on USA On Demand and will eventually be available on Amazon Prime. Season four arrives in 2018.

Mr Robot - Season 3

This season has been quite interesting and is dealing with complex subjects like the new cryptocurrency platforms, Time travel, or an extra dimensional world.Would like to see where is this all leading to

Here is the transcript of the latest episode .


I don't know what to say. Thank you. - You coming here personally - Yes, yes. Right, right.
But the direct purpose of my visit I felt it was important to share with you formally that the CTO title is nothing more than that.
You are a mere figurehead I inherited from a deal gone wrong.
It happens from time to time.
But I wanted you to understand the nature of your position in case you should have loftier designs. There'll be none of that.
Obedience will be your only task at my company.
I worry that could potentially get awkward if you thought differently, so I came here out of respect.
By your silence, I assume you accept this position? I know what this is.
You're embarrassed that you fired me.
There's no shame in admitting the truth.
You're out of moves and your company needs me
. E Corp needs my image, the face of a hero. That's why you're here.
Oh, Wellick, Wellick. It's not that I'm out of moves. It's that you're not worth one.
See you at the office, mm? Five/Nine, fsociety. You knew the entire time, didn't you? Five/Nine, yes. Well, not all the minutiae, of course.
But since the cyber bombings, the breadcrumbs haven't been that difficult to follow.
World catastrophes like this, they aren't caused by lone wolves like you. They occur because men like me allow them.
You just happened to stumble into one of them. No, no. I ran the operation.
I pushed the button.
- I am the one - There you go again.
"I, I, I" You're still thinking like a lone wolf. Why don't you tell me how I should be thinking? Like a leader! I am a leader! Then where are your followers? You can't force an agenda, Mr. Alderson. You have to inspire one.

Twin peaks - The final dossier

Got this amazing book right from the Amazon warehouse in Kentucky, USA


Blue rose - the paranormal division within FBI ala X Files



Mark Frost is the co-creator of Twin peaks along with David lynch and is probably the reason for the dramatic elements in the series as if it was left to Lynch we would be having a weirder and confusing series (as if it could get even more weirder).

Not many novels are written in the form of inter office memorandums. This is a complete compilation of FBI memos which hopefully explain the missing elements in the recently concluded season 3.

This starts with an autopsy report

A Silent Voice Review

Found this wonderful japanese movie. Another movie which deals with complex emotions like the effects of bullying in elementary school. A very insightful perspective from a little bully to an introverted person and his eventual realization of his psychological struggles
A Silent voice by Reiko Yoshida

This review by IGN

Finding redemption in friendship. By Alex Osborn

At first glance, A Silent Voice may appear to be an elaborate warning about the destructive effects of bullying, but labeling it as such simply wouldn't do the film justice. In unearthing the serious and ugly consequences of persecution among peers, K-On! director Naoko Yamada's beautifully animated film—based on Yoshitoki Ōima's manga—delivers an emotional and redemptive journey through the depths of depression to uncover the meaning of friendship.

Upon transferring to a new elementary school, a hearing-impaired girl named Shoko Nishimiya (Saori Hayami) is preyed upon by her unrelenting peers, including the mischievous Shoya Ishida (Miyu Irino). The way in which his "harmless" teasing, which is initially written off by their teacher, quickly spirals out of control, is portrayed in a disturbingly believable fashion, underscored by the subtle peer pressure that propels Ishida's actions. All the while, the bullying has left Nishimiya guilt-ridden, as she blames herself for a disability she can't control. This is beautifully evidenced in her evocative facial expressions, which go a long way in communicating the pain and frustration of someone who can't express themselves verbally.

Nishimiya timidly introduces herself to the class

Instead of demonizing Ishida and making him out to be a one-dimensional jerk, A Silent Voice flips the script, making Ishida not only someone you sympathize with, but someone you can't help but root for. When Ishida's bullying reaches a breaking point, he finds himself ostracized by his peers, which exposes an even greater view on the cruelty of youth and how quickly one's so-called friends can turn on them to protect their own skin.

Filled with loneliness and self-resentment, Ishida slips into a severe state of depression that is expertly teased in the flash forward that opens the film. In an effort to escape the pit of despair that traps him, a high school-aged Ishida sets out make amends, which serves as the narrative springboard for this story of redemption.

Exit Theatre Mode

What follows is an emotional coming-of-age journey about opening up to others and learning to forgive oneself. While a romantic element is present, it serves to complement, rather than overshadow, Ishida's pursuit of the true meaning of friendship, which, according to Ishida's bushy-haired classmate Tomohiro Nagatsuka (Kenshō Ono), "lies somewhere beyond things like words and logic."

Likewise, the expanded view into Ishida's home life, as well as that of Nishimiya's, provides additional context for understanding the mental states of both Ishida and Nishimiya, thereby heightening the emotional impact of their actions (both past and present) and the ripple effect it has on those closest to them. One particular scene during which Ishida's mom confronts him about his dire physiological state is extremely effective in hammering home the wide-reaching impact of depression, however insular it may seem to the person crippled by its effects.

Ishida's stark 180-degree turn from being an ignorant, self-absorbed bully to an emotionally bankrupt teenager, humbled by a desperate desire to atone for the sins of his elementary school days, is entirely believable, thanks to the brilliant pacing and expertly woven narrative threads that create an emotional coherency to the progression of his character. As someone whose childhood friendships were built in service of self-gratification, Ishida's road to establishing genuine friendships is a cathartic journey that nearly everyone will be able to relate to in some capacity.

Ishida awkwardly attempts to establish a friendship with Nishimiya

Kyoto Animation is widely regarded as one of Japan's most talented animation studios, and A Silent Voice certainly lives up to the studio's pedigree. The dynamic camera offers multiple perspectives of any given scene, providing a real sense of place and preventing the film from ever feeling visually stagnant. Likewise, the camera's varying focus goes a long way in not only adding to the film's visual appeal, but outwardly reflecting Ishida's internal state. Shots of the ground provide a first-person perspective of Ishida's downcast disposition, and accompanying shots of the bustling crowd around Ishida, with only his face in focus, reinforce his detachment from those around him. The film goes so far as to superimpose purple X's on the faces of those to whom he's estranged, and while this visual cue initially appears a bit unnecessary and distracting, the way in which it's handled over the course of the film, right up to its emotionally rousing end, ultimately justifies its inclusion.

The gorgeous backgrounds must also be praised for their lovingly-crafted, painterly aesthetic, which marry beautifully with the varied, yet coherent character designs. From the sunshine-soaked, lush outdoor locales to the dark and rainy streets that reflect the headlights from passing nighttime traffic, each and every setting is incredibly detailed and a sight to behold.

The only minor gripe I have with A Silent Voice is the inclusion of one particular song amongst an otherwise subdued and moving score. The somber and introspective tones that accompany the harrowing flashforward that opens the film come to an abrupt halt when The Who's "My Generation" blares as we're transported back in time to see a young Ishida playing with his friends. While the song may suit the mood of that sequence when taken in isolation, it feels out of place in the greater context of the story and tonally incongruous with the rest of the film. Conversely, the rest of the soundtrack is appropriately subtle and sparse, given the film's subject matter, and comes to an emotionally satisfying climax at the very end.

A Silent Voice Shoya seeks redemption years after the way he led his class in bullying a young, deaf girl named Shoko. This link directs to a retail affiliate. IGN may receive a commission from your purchase. The Verdict

A Silent Voice realistically portrays the horrible consequences of bullying and uses it as the foundation for an emotional coming-of-age story about a teenager's battle with depression and his quest for redemption. The film's brilliant pacing and expertly woven narrative deliver an empowering story that will stick with you long after the credits roll. The beautiful backgrounds, well realized characters and stunning animation go a long way in elevating the film's emotional impact, making for one of the most touching and powerful movies I have seen all year

How UK property act as a safe haven for Black money

Found this interesting article on globalwitness.org

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

The ability to hide and spend corrupt funds overseas is a large part of what makes grand scale corruption not only possible but attractive. Through the financial system money earnt from shady deals and crimes such as bribery, drug trafficking, and modern slavery can be laundered clean and enjoyed in places like the UK. Global Witness investigations have revealed how London’s high-end property market is one of the go-to destinations to those who want a luxury bolthole in a desirable location which will give their dirty money the veneer of respectability. At least £122bn worth of property in England and Wales is owned by companies registered offshore, and – according to the NCA – 75% of properties whose owners are under investigation for corruption made use of this kind of secrecy.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It goes like this: a public official steals money from the state budget, stashes it in an anonymous company registered in an offshore tax haven, and uses the anonymous company to buy luxury property in London. The public official and their family enjoys safe haven in a high-end bolthole while their fellow countrymen and women are denied the public services that should have been invested in.

In buying a luxury property or expensive development, the corrupt can invest huge amounts of dirty money in one go. Given the UK’s strong rule of law and respect for property rights, the asset is secure. It also will likely increase in value. And if the asset is a mansion, it has the added bonus of giving the corrupt and their family a luxury home in which to enjoy their criminal proceeds safe from recrimination in their country of origin.

Anonymous companies – companies where the real owners remain hidden from public view – are critical to the corruption strategy. It is quick and easy to set up layer upon layer of these companies, making it almost impossible for law enforcement to track down the real human being behind the money.

It is currently completely legal for anonymous companies to buy UK property. This means that it is far too easy for the criminal and corrupt to launder money through luxury property, hiding the real owners behind anonymous companies, often registered in offshore havens that offer secrecy – such as Bermuda, Panama, or the British Virgin Islands.

EXAMPLES OF CORRUPTION RISKS IN THE UK PROPERTY MARKET



In 2015 Global Witness revealed how Maxim Bakiyev, the son of former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, lives in a £3.5 million mansion in Surrey, despite being convicted in his homeland of the attempted murder of a UK citizen and corruption. The Belize-based anonymous company that is being used to hide the ownership of the Surrey mansion can be linked to an alleged money-laundering scheme used to get the funds out of Kyrgyzstan.

Link to guardian article

Global Witness also revealed how big chunks of Baker Street are owned by a mysterious figure with close ties to a former Kazakh secret police chief accused of murder and money-laundering. In 2009, an unknown individual acquired a network of offshore-owned anonymous companies which in turn invested in £147 million worth of prime property. Documents seen by Global Witness reveal how the managers of these companies are linked to Rakhat Aliyev, a former Kazakh secret police chief found hanged in an Austrian prison in February 2015 while awaiting trial for the murder of two bankers in his home country.

Looks Whos back

Just go this book yesterday. Already 50 pages in.... It is an unique perspective on Hiler's psyche

Shes a rainbow

Legion.....

Books.......

The Punisher : Trailer

After the disappointment of the Iron fist and the Defenders, I thought I was wasting my hours on the dull and drab meandering of the lower tier of Marvels superheroes

But this "Metallica" Punisher has got me excited

Madurai Souljour

Ilanghai Thamizhan Rap

Steins Gate : 0 (The Return)

Hell Yeah!!!!!

Twin peaks returns : David Lynch

Thanks to Deadly premonition for introducing me to Twin peaks

Chester Bennington ....... RIP

THE band of my teens......it was pathbreaking music at that time and non one has recreated that magic since.

The truth about exercise

Why Chinas Wechat is the ultimate "Super App"

Some cool Macbook accessories

How the Calibri font is bringing down Pak PM

Cause it was widely available only in 2007....

The Handmaids tale - OST

Such a haunting soundtrack for an intense series.

Spiderman E3 trailer

NBA Finals - Locker room Parody

The Leftovers - Final scene

Next to the Japanese anime, this is one of the rare tv series which is not afraid to deal with complicated subjects....





I believe she is telling the truth, she did go to the other place otherwise they wouldnt have made it a point at the start of the episode where she clearly states that she does not lie to the french people.
But the fact that she saw her family after all the hardship and decided that they were happy in their new lives and decided to go back is consistent with her character trait.

Goodbye to a series which was all about references and motifs and it was good that we got a week to ponder upon each episode cause if this series was binged then probably the references would have gone above our heads.

Kendrick Lamar - DNA

I got, I got, I got, I got
Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA
I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA
I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA
I was born like this, since one like this
Immaculate conception
I transform like this, perform like this
Was Yeshua's new weapon
I don’t contemplate, I meditate, then off your fucking head
This that put-the-kids-to-bed
This that I got, I got, I got, I got
Realness, I just kill shit 'cause it's in my DNA
I got millions, I got riches buildin’ in my DNA
I got dark, I got evil, that rot inside my DNA
I got off, I got troublesome, heart inside my DNA
I just win again, then win again like Wimbledon, I serve
Yeah, that's him again, the sound that engine in is like a bird
You see fireworks and Corvette tire skrrt the boulevard
I know how you work, I know just who you are
See, you's a, you's a, you's a
Bitch, your hormones prolly switch inside your DNA
Problem is, all that sucker shit inside your DNA
Daddy prolly snitched, heritage inside your DNA
Backbone don't exist, born outside a jellyfish, I gauge
See, my pedigree most definitely don't tolerate the front
Shit I've been through prolly offend you
This is Paula’s oldest son
I know murder, conviction
Burners, boosters, burglars, ballers, dead, redemption
Scholars, fathers dead with kids
And I wish I was fed forgiveness
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, soldier’s DNA
Born inside the beast
My expertise checked out in second grade
When I was 9, on cell, motel, we didn't have nowhere to stay
At 29, I’ve done so well, hit cartwheel in my estate
And I'm gon' shine like I'm supposed to
Antisocial, extrovert
And excellent mean the extra work
And absentness what the fuck you heard
And pessimists never struck my nerve
And that’s a riff, gonna plead this case
The reason my power's here on earth
Salute the truth, when the prophet say
I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
(This is why I say that hip hop has done more damage
To young African Americans than racism in recent years)
I live a better, fuck your life
(5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
This is my heritage, all I'm inheritin'
Money and power, the makin' of marriages
Tell me somethin'
You mothafuckas can't tell me nothin'
I'd rather die than to listen to you
My DNA not for imitation
Your DNA an abomination
This how it is when you're in the Matrix
Dodgin' bullets, reapin' what you sow
And stackin' up the footage, livin' on the go
And sleepin' in a villa
Sippin' from a Grammy and walkin' in the buildin'
Diamond in the ceilin', marble on the floors
Beach inside the window, peekin' out the window
Baby in the pool, godfather goals
Only Lord knows, I've been goin' hammer
Dodgin' paparazzi, freakin' through the cameras
Eat at Four Daughters, Brock wearin' sandals
Yoga on a Monday, stretchin' to Nirvana
Watchin' all the snakes, curvin' all the fakes
Phone never on, I don't conversate
I don't compromise, I just penetrate
Sex, money, murder—these are the breaks
These are the times, level number 9
Look up in the sky, 10 is on the way
Sentence on the way, killings on the way
Motherfucker, I got winners on the way
You ain't shit without a body on your belt
You ain't shit without a ticket on your plate
You ain't sick enough to pull it on yourself
You ain't rich enough to hit the lot and skate
Tell me when destruction gonna be my fate
Gonna be your fate, gonna be our faith
Peace to the world, let it rotate
Sex, money, murder—our DNA

Is the NBA finals riggged?

NBA finals : The trilogy

An article from TheGame Haus
2017 NBA Finals Preview

 The 2017 NBA Finals are set and the wait is finally over. The world gets to see the Golden State Warriors matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third-straight year in the Finals. It is the grudge match of all grudge matches. Everyone has been waiting for this series since the season tipped off on Oct. 25, 2016. Some have been waiting for this since Kevin Durant signed with the Warriors in July. This third fight between the Warriors and Cavs will be bigger than the “Thrilla in Manila”.

The Golden State Warriors went 67-15 this season following a record-breaking 73-win season in 2016. Golden State also broke the record for most wins over a three-year span.
This Warriors team is actually better than last year’s team thanks to the signing of Kevin Durant. The Warriors took it easy in the regular season because their goal all year was to meet the Cavs in the Finals.
Golden State made quick work of their playoff opponents. They swept all three opponents in a tough Western Conference. What the Warriors have done this postseason has been impressive and they sent a message. Winning the Finals is an obsession to them and nothing else is considered acceptable.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have not had it as easy as the Warriors. Cleveland went 51-31 and finished as the second seed in the East. The Cavs really struggled in the second half of the season. After Jan. 1st the Cavs went 26-24. They looked bad defensively and some started to question whether or not they were capable of another Finals run.
All those questions were put to bed quickly once the playoffs started. The Cavs easily swept the Pacers and Raptors before meeting the top-seeded Celtics in the conference finals. Cleveland then wiped Boston off their home-court in embarrassing fashion. Boston stole game three but all that did was delay the inevitable. Cleveland went on to finish the next two games easily to reach the finals for the third straight year.

The first year these two teams met in the Finals was in 2015. Kevin Love had been hurt in the first round and would miss the remainder of the playoffs.
Game 1 of the Finals dealt another injury to a Cleveland star. Kyrie Irving went down with a fractured kneecap in the first game of the series during overtime. Golden State would win that game and win the series 4-2 to capture its first title in 40 years.

Many called the Warriors title tainted claiming that they would not have won the championship had the Cavaliers been healthy. They were champions without respect and it was their mission to prove they were worthy of the crown.
LeBron had failed to bring a title to Cleveland and many were wondering if it was the right move to leave Miami. The criticism was high despite him averaging 35.8 points per game, 8.8 assists per game and 13.3 rebounds per game while shooting just 38.9 percent from the field. Just as the Warriors were determined to prove they were worthy of the crown, LeBron was determined to bring a title home.

Cleveland and Golden State would meet again in the 2016 Finals for a rematch. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving were both healthy for this matchup and many thought the Cavaliers would prove they were truly the better team. Coming into the Finals the Cavaliers had only lost two games in the East.
The Warriors had a much tougher road in the West. They had to comeback from being down 3-1 in the Western Conference finals. Throughout the playoffs, Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala were dealing with nagging injuries. They played through those injuries but were not at full strength and expanded tons of energy just to get to the Finals.

In the beginning of the series, none of that seemed to matter. Golden State took a 2-0 series lead and had the largest combined margin of victory in NBA Finals history. Cleveland would win Game 3 and Golden State won Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. In that game, Draymond Green was assessed a flagrant foul, setting his playoff total to four, resulting in a suspension for Game 5. No team had ever come back from down 3-1 in the NBA Finals.

Cleveland was able to win Games 5 and Game 6 to force an epic Game 7.
After six games the teams were tied in games won and total score. It was as close as a series as it could ever be and the final game of the year would truly decide a champion.

In Game 7, LeBron James blocked a late layup attempt by Andre Iguodala that set up a game-winning 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving. The Cavs won Game 7 93-89 and ended a 52-year championship drought in the city of Cleveland.
The Warriors had lost in the Finals and believed that had Iggy been healthier he would have dunked the ball. Golden State fans also believed that Curry wasn’t healthy and that if Draymond had not been suspended they would have won Game 6 and the series.


Fast forward to now and here we are set for round three. The Warriors added superstar Kevin Durant to help them get back to the Finals for a third-straight season. The Cavaliers added minor pieces but have made it back to defend their title.

Golden State ended a 40 year drought and Cleveland ended a 52-year drought.
As mentioned earlier the Warriors enter the Finals 12-0 and the Cavaliers enter the Finals 12-1. Both teams sprinted to the Finals as fast as possible, and as rested as possible.

In round three, there are no excuses. Both teams are healthy and both teams will be rested. It is time to put up or shut up. It is time to make a mark on history.
Who’s era is it really? Without trying to predict too far ahead, it is unlikely these teams meet for a fourth straight Finals appearance.

Cleveland comes into the Finals averaging 116.8 points per game while Golden State comes in averaging 118.3 points per game. Both teams are great offensively but the team who plays the best defense will win this series.
There are so many fun matchups the world gets to see in this series as well. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson versus Kyrie Irving. Draymond Green versus Tristan Thompson, LeBron James or Kevin Love.

The most intriguing though is when Kevin Durant and LeBron James match up against one another. Two of the best players in the world will fight it out to be called the champion.

This series will go down in history. At the end of the day, the Warriors are going to win because they have just too much firepower. They lost last season by four points in Game 7. Adding Kevin Durant to the mix will just be too much. All eyes are on the Finals to see who really is the best between these two franchises.
The new greatest rivalry in sports will write the newest chapter this summer, changing legacies forever.

Prediction: Golden State Warriors 4-2



I agree with the above prediction by TheGameHaus. GSW should be able to win this one based on the talent on paper. I have some doubts on Steph curry as he usually comes up short in the finals. The first year Iggy showed his resilience for the Warriors to get though a severely depleted Cavs. so I believe the Durant addition would be a saving grace for them. But it is tough to count Lebron out. The way he motivates his team and somehow manages to get the best out of them by putting them in positions they can excel. Remember how Delly looked like a top 10 player against Steph in 2015 finals. GSW still can outlast an epic performance from Lebron, just assume Lebron is able to shutdown Durant, it has to be Lebron defending cause I dont see anyone else doing it. A simple pass to Draymond with Kevin Love or Tristan against him would be sufficient to take advantage of the matchup. Last year,Cavs attacked Steph defensively but they missed Bogut and Draymond protecting the basket for most of the series. So even if Kyrie attacks Steph there should be Durant(who has shown tremendous improviement in his defensive skills) ,Dray (if he manages to keep off suspension) & JAVALE MCGEE to alter and block shots. Not to mention that GSW went 12-0 without any output from Klay. So all analysis points to the Warriors taking the title. If Cavs still manages to take the title without any injuries on GSW then we have to accept Lebron is on his way to surpass Jordan and Durants legacy would be on hold.
Makes up for a great time for the basketball fans though they have to endure a boring regular/playoff season.

Jumpcuts : Iphone vs Android

Focus - Vaibhav Bundhoo

Kimi No Na Wa

Due to my tight TV/Movie viewing schedule, not to mention the renewed interest in reading novels. I have put my anime interest to the backburner. I decided to rather wait for any top reviewed anime. So i was waiting till i noted this..

Kimi No Na Wa



I downloaded the movie in good jiffy speed of 20mins Thanks to my vodafone connection.

CREATOR



My first impressions from this movie has to be the detailed lighting and cinematography in the anime. How is it possible that Japanese animators achieve to portray emotion, atmosphere and human interactions more realistic than the billion dollar creations of Hollywood. It is a testament of their unflinching dedication to telling a "human" story.

Though i dont want to dwell on the story which is reminiscent of the time bending, mind bending saga of Haruhi Shizumiya.I believe the story did look incomplete with probably a second or third chapter left before the ending. ala you would feel somewhat of an abrupt ending.

It is the following motifs which makes this movie incredible

REAL LIFE PLACES

The anime depict real places in Japan.See the side by side comparison of places and the anime imageries







SHINTO RELIGIOUS REFERENCES

Shinto religion believes the connection of the human with their KAMI - spiritual energy which is frequently mentioned in the movie

The famed Kagura dance performed by Mitsuha



The red string of fate

It references the connection between people who are destined for each other.The red string which Mitsuha makes for Taki.As Mitsuhas family has the power to connect with people as evidenced by the conversation with her granny which suggests both her granny and mom has the same capability. The fact that her family performs the religious shrine ceremony might be associated with their powers.

It symbolises the link between Mitsuha and their association. When in 2013 Mitsuha gave the red string to Taki, he wasnt aware of her. But 3 years later it enabled them to switch places which they initially though to be a dream. When the comet destroyed the place, Taki still had the connection to Mitsuha as he was wearing the string. Also note that he was drawn to the shrine in the underworld which holds the.....



"kuchikami sake" which is believed to contain half a soul of Mitsuha which enables the connection to still exist. Also note that Taki leaves his memories of Mitsuha as "offer" to the underworld which enabled him to save Mitsuhas town. Similar to Mitsuha who left the "sake", his offer of the memories also lead to him forgetting about Mitsuha.

Also note that Taki returns the red string just before they forget each other thereby breaking the link between them



The message in hand

It should be noted that when she asks him to write his name so that she never forgets him, he didnt write hiw name but rather states I love you.. this was intentional on his part as he knew that any empirical evidence of his existence would be erased as part of the breaking of the string - connection between them, so he just expressed his love which would atleast keep the feeling intact. He knew about this as evidenced by the erasing of all the calendar notes and messages from his phone about Mitsuha.So it is possible that he did it on purpose.



Also note that even Mitsuha doesnt write her name as the hiragana character which she started to write was not "mi" suggesting it was something else.

there are also other motifs like the multiverse and the infinity symbol in the lake. All these references and motif make this anime memorable. "Kimi no na wa"

The Walking dead : A New Frontier

This telltale series has to be one of the best. Interestingly find this more intriguing than the tv series

A Monster calls - Best scene

This is the best movie I have seen this year till now. Every parent should say these words to their child....

The wise mans fear

The second installment of the Kingkiller chronicles



This was his newest way to waste our time. At the beginning of every lecture he demanded an interesting fact he has never heard before. Ofcourse, Elodin himself was he sole arbiter of what was interesting, and if the first fact you provided didnt measure up,or if he had already knew about it , he demanded another and another till he has convinced that the fact amused him.


He pointed at Brean "Go
Spiders can breathe underwater - she said promptly
Elodin nodded - good. He looked at Fenton

Theres a river south of Vintas that flows the wrong way .Its a saltwater river that flows inland from the Cinthe sea

Already know about that

Emperor Ventoran once passed a law

Boring

If you drink more than two quarts of seawater you will throw up

............Thats a good one. Elodin pointed at Uresh

You can divide an infinity an infinite number of times and the resulting pieces will still be infinitely large.But if you divide an non infinite number an infinite number of times the resulting pieces are non infinitely small.Since they are non infinitely small but there are an infinite number of them.if you add them together their sum is infinite. This implies any number is infact infinite.

"'Wow..................Uresh your next assignment is to have sex. If you do not know how to go about it , meet me after class.......%^&&&

Enjoying reading this book

Liars Poker

The book Im reading now



By Michael Lewis the author of The Big Short

Warren Buffet HBO Documentary

UFC 209 : Robin Black preview

It is the passion which Robin brings makes him one of the best MMA Analyst

White House bars major news outlets from the press briefing

 The  discord between media and the White house under President Trump has no signs of waning with actions like these

............... From Washington post article by Callum Borchers..............



The White House on Friday barred news outlets — including CNN, the New York Times, Politico and the Los Angeles Times — from attending an off-camera press briefing held by spokesman Sean Spicer, igniting another controversy concerning the relationship between the Trump administration and the media.

The Wall Street Journal, which did participate in the briefing, said in a statement that it was unaware of the exclusions and "had we known at the time, we would not have participated, and we will not participate in such closed briefings in the future."
The Washington Post did not have a reporter present at the time of the gaggle.
CNN's Sara Murray went on air to describe what happened:

We lined up. We were told there was a list ahead of time, which is sort of abnormal, but we put our name on a list. And then when we went to enter, I was blocked by a White House staffer, who said we were not on the list for this gaggle today.
Now, normally, if you were going to do something like this — an extended gaggle, off camera — you would have one person from each news outlet. As you know, we have multiple people from CNN here every day. So, if you're going to do something beyond a pool, which is sort of the smallest group of reporters that then disseminates the information, you would have one person from every news outlet.
That is not what the White House was doing today. What the White House was doing was handpicking the outlets they wanted in for this briefing. So Breitbart, the Washington Times, the One America News Network — news outlets that maybe the White House feels are more favorable were all allowed in, whereas I was blocked from entering, Politico was blocked from entering, the New York Times, the L.A. Times. All of these news outlets were blocked from going to a gaggle.

White House Correspondents' Association President Jeff Mason called in to CNN to say the organization is “still getting information about” the decision, adding:

They clearly wanted to have a gaggle that was not on camera and was not the full press corps today. We don't object to there being briefings like that that aren't always on camera, but we have encouraged them when they want to do something like that ... [to] still do it in the press room and do it in a place where all the reporters have a chance to ask questions.
So, we've made that clear, and we're going to continue to have discussions with them about that. And we're not happy about how this happened today.

The Post's Executive Editor Marty Baron issued the following statement:

“It’s appalling that the White House would exclude news outlets like the New York Times, CNN, Politico, the Los Angeles Times, and BuzzFeed from its publicly announced briefings. This is an undemocratic path that the administration is traveling. There is nothing to be gained from the White House restricting the public’s access to information. We are currently evaluating what our response will be if this sort of thing happens again.”

White House deputy communications director Raj Shah insisted this was all much ado about nothing

But New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet declared that “nothing like this has ever happened at the White House in our long history of covering multiple administrations of different parties.”


BuzzFeed editor in chief Ben Smith, whose outlet also was excluded, added this: "While we strongly object to the White House's apparent attempt to punish news outlets whose coverage it does not like, we won't let these latest antics distract us from continuing to cover this administration fairly and aggressively."

Ben Wizner, director of the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project at the American Civil Liberties Union called the White House's move "yet another disturbing example of the Trump administration’s contempt for the vital role a free press plays in our democracy."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer himself had previously criticized the idea of limiting media access to the White House. Two months ago, in a panel discussion, he said open access for the media is “what makes a democracy a democracy versus a dictatorship.”

But in recent days, the president has grown increasingly critical of what he calls the "fake news media. Hours before the limited-access gaggle, Trump devoted much of an address at the Conservative Political Action Conference to bashing the media.
“A few days ago, I called the fake news media the enemy of the people, and they are,” the president said. “They are the enemy of the people.”
Fox News anchor Bret Baier quickly discouraged gloating on the right, noting that his network's rivals showed solidarity when the Obama White House tried to freeze out Fox News eight years ago

In 2009, the Obama administration attempted to exclude Fox News from a round of TV interviews with “pay czar” Kenneth Feinberg. Jake Tapper (then of ABC, now of CNN) stood up for one of his network's “sister organizations” during a press briefing.
“Can you explain why it's appropriate for the White House to decide that a news organization is not one?” Tapper asked Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary at the time.
Rival networks refused to conduct interviews with Feinberg unless Fox News was granted one, too.
Fox Business Network told The Post that one of its reporters, Blake Burman, also was blocked from participating in the gaggle. Fox News chief White House correspondent John Roberts said on air that his network will join others in protesting the exclusion of certain outlets

SuperBowl 51

So glad that I woke up early to watch  Superbowl 51 Normally I don't have much interest in American football but Superbowl intrigued me. It is the most watched sporting event in the united states and probably generates most of the revenue for the league in a single day which they couldn’t earn for the entire year

That's why the sponsors clamour to pay premium ad rates to capture the eyeballs till now I have only seen two Superbowl live and on both the occasions the patriots have won.

 

The first time Seattle almost made an amazing comeback but faltered at the last play where they elected not to go with Marshawn Lynch and the final pass got intercepted. The second time was last Sunday

This Superbowl would go down in history as one of the best. But I believe Atlanta choked at the end. All they had to do was hold the ball and consume time. NFL is not like basketball where the ball needs to be in play for the time to start.So it was unusual for a team to lose like that.

But it was so surreal that it looked like a fairytale script set for everyones sweetheart Tom Brady. Sometimes I feel major sport events are scripted. The SuperBowl ending, Federer coming back to win a GrandSlam etc. But it would be so diaappointing if the conspiracy theory comes true.

Anyways I dont have much interest in NFL but Im glad I watched it live.

Budget 2017 : PWC analysis

I came across this analysis from PWC on the Indian Budget 2017.

I have highlighted certain points which caught my eye

Immediate Benefits of Demonetisation

a) Increase in Bank deposits with a resultant decline in Interest rates

b) Decline in real estate prices

c) Increase in financial system savings

d) Increase in digitilization

e) Increase in income disclosure and the resultant impact on increased revenue collections

Income Declaration Scheme

The Scheme which allows for a one time effective tax rate of 45% on undisclosed income. This has lead to a total collection of around 65,000 crores i.e around 145 thousand crores of previously undisclosed income has now become white.

Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme

Settling retrospective disputes with Indian government.The Scheme waives off interest and penalty if the principal involved in the retrospective taxes are paid.

Budgetary Income Split

Borrowings and other liabilities - 20%

Corporation tax    -  19%

Union excise duties - 15%

Income tax - 14%

Non tax revenue 13%

Service tax and other taxes - 9%

Customs - 8%

Non debt Capital receipts 2%


Budgetary Expense split

Central Sector Scheme - 23%

Other expenditure 22%

Interest payments - 18%

Defence 9%

Centrally sponsored scheme 9%

Subsidies 9%

Finance Commission and others 5%

States shares of taxes and duties 5%

Personal Income tax

The rate of income tax is reduced to 5% from 10% for income between INR 2.5 lacs and INR 5 lacs. This is likely to bring tax saving of around 12,875 INR.

Surcharge

A surcharge of 10% on tax payable is proposed for individuals having an income of INR 50 lakhs to INR 1 crore

Long-term capital asset 

The holding period in respect of immovable properties to qualify as long-term capital asset has been proposed to be reduced to 24 months from 36 months.

The base year for computation of capital gains for old capital assets acquired before 1April, 1981 has been proposed to move to 1 April, 2001. Now the cost of acquisition of assets acquired before 1 April, 2001 shall be allowed to be taken at fair market value as of 1 April, 2001

Domestic company 

Corporate tax rate reduced to 25% (plus applicable surcharge and education cess) for

domestic companies having total turnover/ gross receipts in the previous year (2015-16)not exceeding INR 500 million. In other cases, the tax rates remain unchanged at 30%(plus applicable surcharge and education cess).

It is weird that the Government has not changed the tax rates for partnership firms and LLPs which is still fixed @ 30.9%. I believe 90% of the LLPs would be less than 500 million INR turnover and the Government has made it impossible for them to continue when they can easily convert into a company and get the 5 % tax benefit. Is this an oversight by the Govt or they are now campaigning against them ?

Assessment appeals and other provisions

Reduction in time-limit for revising return of income

The existing provision allows the taxpayer to revise return of income at any time before

the expiry of one year from the end of the relevant assessment year or before the

completion of assessment, whichever is earlier.

In order to expedite assessment, the above time frame for filing revised return has been curtailed. It is now proposed that the taxpayer would be eligible to revise its tax returnonly up to the end of the assessment year or before the completion of assessment,whichever is earlier. 

The proposed amendment shall be applicable w.e.f 01 April, 2018 onwards

Restriction on cash transactions 

As a measure to discourage generation and circulation of black money, insertion of new provisions to curb cash transactions of INR 3,00,000 or more and consequential penalty provisions for contravention of such provisions.

It is proposed to insert a new section 269ST, which will provide that no person shall

receive an amount of INR 3,00,000 or more:

(a) In aggregate from a person in a day;

(b) In respect of a single transaction;

or (c) In respect of transactions relating to one event or occasion from a person

otherwise than by an account payee cheque or account payee bank draft or use of electronic clearing system through a bank account.

It is also proposed to insert a new section 271DA to provide for levy of penalty on a

person who receives a sum in contravention of the provisions of the proposed section

269ST. The penalty is proposed to be equal to the amount of such receipt.

The said penalty shall however not be levied, if the person proves that there were good

and sufficient reasons for such contravention.

The proposed amendment shall be applicable w.e.f 1 April, 2017 onwards

The Name of the Wind.......

Perhaps the greatest faculty our minds possess is its ability to cope with pain. Classic thinking teaches us of the four doors of the mind, which everyone moves through according to their need.

First is the door of sleep. Sleep offers us a retreat from the world and all its pain.Sleep marks passing time, giving us distance from the things that have hurt us. When a persn is wounded they will often fall unconscious.Similarly ,someone who hears traumatic news often swoons or faints.This is the minds way of protecting itself from pain by stepping through the first door.

Second is the door of forgetting.Some wounds are to deep to heal.In addition some memories are too painful and there is no healing to be done.The saying 'time heals all wounds' is false.Time heals most wounds. The rest are hidden behind this door.

Third is the door of madness.There are times when mind is dealt with such a blow it hides itself in insanity.While this may not seem beneficial , it is.There are times when reality is nothing but pain and to escape that pain mind must leave reality behind.

Last is the door of death.The final resort.Nothing can hurt us after death, or so we have been told...

The Name of the Wind - Kingkiller Chronicles

Many people will call "'The Kingkiller'' Series by Patrick Rothfuss as one of the best Fantasy novels of recent times. Encouraged by all the reviews I decided to buy the books.It is a 2 part series as of now....

We follow the story of Kvothe'.One of the coolest names around in a wild mythical world of Gods, Demons, Arcanists...

I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings.
I have burned down the town of Trebon.
I hav spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and life
I was expelled form the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in.
I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day.
I have talked to Gods,loved women, and written songs that make the miinstrels weep.

My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me

Dunk and Egg series

Ever since I started watching one of the best channels on Youtube 'emergency Awesome' I was always fascinated by the Dunk and egg series of George RR Martin.

Charlie (the creator of the channel) always 'provide such an insightful and intriguing review of GOT which basically covers all the bases and no easter egg or references miss him.

So I decided to buy the Dunk and Egg series novella (3 stories in one book) "'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"

It was a hardcopy and I have already finished the first part.

This is the first time I have experienced GRRM writing style and I should say it was quity pacy. I could see that he is very particular about creating the environment of the world and ensuring that his characters go through all the daily rituals of a human being like how often do you take a bath, what do you wear and most importantly ..... the food. There is a lot of food talk in his writing, no wonder he is so fat he must be really overjoyed while describing all the "'meat and mead" talk.

By the way it is an illustrated novel so it kind of took me back to school.