True story. But it seems so fantastic that it has to be one. A normal TWA pilot who becomes a drug smuggler for Escobar and then a gun runner and then even represents the White House before the drug runners eliminate him. Money flowing out of bags, shelves, vaults, pockets. Tom Cruise. Crazy!
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Anjali - You Should use These Talents to Make Money
I was driving Anjali home when I was stuck behind this car being driven at an uncertain speed. The only logical answer to me - the driver was speaking on his mobile phone. So I bet Anjali that the driver, whom we could not see, was talking on the phone. It turned out he was.
A couple of days ago while watching an IPL game I saw Umesh Yadav bowl a fabulous delivery and get a batsman out. Something about his rhythm and about the way Rohit Sharma walked to the wicket made me predict that he would get Rohit Sharma out on his first ball. And so it happened - an inside edge that went for a review but was given out. I predicted a few more such review calls correctly.
Having seen all this Anjali told me today after the car incident.
'Nanna, you should use these talents to make money.'
For a moment I was flummoxed.
'What talents?' I asked. I could not see any.
'The way your are predicting things - in cricket and on the road,' she said all seriousness.
How does one put such talents to work and earn money? How long will beginner's luck persist?
But on a serious note, I was quite happy that Anjali noticed something about me that I did not.
A couple of days ago while watching an IPL game I saw Umesh Yadav bowl a fabulous delivery and get a batsman out. Something about his rhythm and about the way Rohit Sharma walked to the wicket made me predict that he would get Rohit Sharma out on his first ball. And so it happened - an inside edge that went for a review but was given out. I predicted a few more such review calls correctly.
Having seen all this Anjali told me today after the car incident.
'Nanna, you should use these talents to make money.'
For a moment I was flummoxed.
'What talents?' I asked. I could not see any.
'The way your are predicting things - in cricket and on the road,' she said all seriousness.
How does one put such talents to work and earn money? How long will beginner's luck persist?
But on a serious note, I was quite happy that Anjali noticed something about me that I did not.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Jacobinte Swargarajyam - Movie
True story. Nicely done. Very enjoyable family drama. Good sense of Dubai - now no need to visit. Made by the real life protagonist's friend. Another beautiful story in itself. Watch!
Anjali - The Giving Tree and A Promise
Anjali joined a summer camp oganised by the Hindu called STEP Junior League. One of their exercises was to identify someone in their life who is their giving tree. Luckily for me Shobha was away doing some adventurous stuff so Anjali conferred the title on me. I am naturally very pleased with this award of the giving tree.
Thank you Anjali for making me realise that I am capable of giving. Thank you for receiving. And some more. A line that binds me for a lifelong commitment. "You are always there for me".
I am reminded of this story in the first edition of the Chicken Soup series about a young boy and his friend in Armenia. An 8.2 scale earthquake flattens the entire country including the school where the boy is studying. His father goes to the school to find his son and finds flattened buildings. There is no hope but he remembers his promise to his son. "No matter what happens, I will always be there for you.'
He started digging. To those who told him it was pointless, he only responded - 'Are you going to help me now?' He dug for 38 hours, alone. And then he heard a voice.
His son's.
The boy says - 'I told the others you would come if you were alive Dad. And that when you saved me they would be saved too.' The young son told him that 14 out of the 33 survived because of a wedge that formed in the building when it crashed.
When the father tells his son to come out, the boy lets the others go first.
'Let them got first Dad,' he says. 'Because I know you will get me. No matter what, I know you will be there for me.'
Anjali, I don't know if I said it before and like so many other things it's you who prods me first - but no matter what, I will always be there for you.
Thanks Chicken Soup. Lovely story. Thanks Anjali. Lovely card.
Thank you Anjali for making me realise that I am capable of giving. Thank you for receiving. And some more. A line that binds me for a lifelong commitment. "You are always there for me".
I am reminded of this story in the first edition of the Chicken Soup series about a young boy and his friend in Armenia. An 8.2 scale earthquake flattens the entire country including the school where the boy is studying. His father goes to the school to find his son and finds flattened buildings. There is no hope but he remembers his promise to his son. "No matter what happens, I will always be there for you.'
He started digging. To those who told him it was pointless, he only responded - 'Are you going to help me now?' He dug for 38 hours, alone. And then he heard a voice.
His son's.
The boy says - 'I told the others you would come if you were alive Dad. And that when you saved me they would be saved too.' The young son told him that 14 out of the 33 survived because of a wedge that formed in the building when it crashed.
When the father tells his son to come out, the boy lets the others go first.
'Let them got first Dad,' he says. 'Because I know you will get me. No matter what, I know you will be there for me.'
Anjali, I don't know if I said it before and like so many other things it's you who prods me first - but no matter what, I will always be there for you.
Thanks Chicken Soup. Lovely story. Thanks Anjali. Lovely card.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Eye in the Sky - Movie
Drone attacks on suicide bombers. Civilian collateral. Decisions. Nice. But in some parts overly dramatic. Watchable.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Mossad (The Greatest Missions Of) - Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal
Mossad is the Israeli Secret Service famed for its many daring and precise missions that it has pulled off for the cause of Israel and the Jews. It is responsible for intelligence gathering. covert operations and counter terrorism. Since its inception in 1948 Israel has been constantly at war with its neighbours Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and other Arab countries and has had significant success.
The book details some 21 missions of the Mossad. starting from its inception in 1948. The missions include flattening a nuclear plant that was being built in Syria, capturing and bringing to trial in Israel a Nazi commanded Eichmann, capturing and killing another Nazi officer 'The Butcher of Riga', setting of honey traps to elicit information, ending Saddam's dreams of owning a super gun by killing the rogue scientist, capturing a MIG 21 perhaps for re engineering purposes, bringing home Syrian Jewish girls who were trapped in Syria with no men to marry, helping Ethiopian Jews cross over into Israel which was their promised land, establishing high level spies in Egyptian government and in so many other places, bringing down several terrorists who had inflicted much damage on Israel, eliminating the Black September leaders who were responsible for the Munich Olympics massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and so many others. The successful mission to free the hijacked plane in Entebbe airport has been well documented in other books and movies so did not find a place here.
The book was interesting because its real life cloak and dagger stuff. Guns, spies, moles, kidnappings, traps, double agents - it has it all. The Jewish hatred for Nazi war criminals and their tenacity in following them and capturing them and bringing them to trial is noteworthy just as their dedication to bringing Jews from all over the world who wanted to come to Israel. The book also gave an insight into how Israel functions as a country amidst so much hostility around it, the politics of the region and how Mossad established itself as a top secret service organisation in the world. Good read.
The book details some 21 missions of the Mossad. starting from its inception in 1948. The missions include flattening a nuclear plant that was being built in Syria, capturing and bringing to trial in Israel a Nazi commanded Eichmann, capturing and killing another Nazi officer 'The Butcher of Riga', setting of honey traps to elicit information, ending Saddam's dreams of owning a super gun by killing the rogue scientist, capturing a MIG 21 perhaps for re engineering purposes, bringing home Syrian Jewish girls who were trapped in Syria with no men to marry, helping Ethiopian Jews cross over into Israel which was their promised land, establishing high level spies in Egyptian government and in so many other places, bringing down several terrorists who had inflicted much damage on Israel, eliminating the Black September leaders who were responsible for the Munich Olympics massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and so many others. The successful mission to free the hijacked plane in Entebbe airport has been well documented in other books and movies so did not find a place here.
The book was interesting because its real life cloak and dagger stuff. Guns, spies, moles, kidnappings, traps, double agents - it has it all. The Jewish hatred for Nazi war criminals and their tenacity in following them and capturing them and bringing them to trial is noteworthy just as their dedication to bringing Jews from all over the world who wanted to come to Israel. The book also gave an insight into how Israel functions as a country amidst so much hostility around it, the politics of the region and how Mossad established itself as a top secret service organisation in the world. Good read.
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