300

Finally, I got down to write about 300.

Finally !!!

The movie is adapted from Frank Miller’s comic book series and depicts the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), where an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae in central Greece. Sparta King Leonidas wishes to put Sparta at war with the Persians, but it doesn’t settle well with the Spartan council, mainly Theron (Dominic West) who has an agenda of his own. Against the wishes of the council, Leonidis ventures out with 300 of Sparta’s best men to confront the Persians at the Hot Gates, a twisted mountain path facing the sea where the vastness of the Persian army will be nullified. Meanwhile, on the home front, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) struggles with the corrupt and complacent Greek senate to send reinforcements to aid in the King’s battle. The movie is all about how 300 Spartans fought fiercely with the Persian army to resist invasion and offered Athens the invaluable time to prepare for a decisive naval battle that would come to determine the outcome of the war. After three days of battle, a local resident named Ephialtes betrays the Greeks by revealing a mountain path that led behind the Greek lines.

Now about the movie. Forget “Kingdom of Heaven”, “Troy”,” Alexander” and all those so called “sandals and swords" movies, movies that picture great battles, courage and the quintessential fight between "Good and Evil". These films do not hold a candle to the amazing piece of artwork that is 300. One cannot help but get hooked to the fantastic colors and the amazing visuals.

300 is by far the best cinematic experience that I have had since "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" in this genre.

What comes to mind when you think of 300 !!! War, Glory, Violence and the seemingly endless tide of crimson Blood. Never before has violence and gore been presented in such a gleeful manner. The visual tapestry of images is so rich I found it simply sumptuous to watch, that my orbs unabashedly reveled in the orgy witnessed onscreen. The battle, which dominates the movie, is a nonstop slaughterhouse with the ferocious Spartans lopping and chopping their way through their innumerable foes. But these scenes are incredibly beautifully choreographed, Powerful and elegant. I agree they are brutal, with too many dismemberment scenes, but it is all aesthetic. Especially 2 or 3 battle sequences where the Spartans go on a killing spree and vanquish hordes of Persians all in wonderfully choreographed action sequences. It feels poetic, with slow motion movements, wipes and quasi zoom-in zoom-outs, in-depth details like specks of blood and sweat flying all over, splashing you in its crimson splendor, even the sound of clashing of blades and shields, or the twings from the arrows, or a blade piercing into flesh....

And then there were those breathtaking shots...The young Leonidas’ encounter with the wolf in the snowy terrain, the march to the hot gates, the swarm of arrows that come and blackout the screen, the shots of the approaching Persian army ...I could go on and on.

I was reminded in between of the Quake 3 DM 17 arena, which had become our pasion in 2nd year at college. The blood spilling all round reminded of the Rocket Launchers blasting the Botz to pieces.

A special mention is needed for the script and the dialogues. The cracking one liners, the arguments, the Battle cries...its the combination of those lines and their delivery that leaves the audience spellbound and truly bring the characters to life.

I found the film’s music was different. Of course there was the somewhat irritating Enya like female singing, a trend that began with Gladiator and Lord of the Rings, but surprisingly there were some scenes where electric guitars that stirred up a frenzy, the crashing sounds of drums and metal guitar that took me by storm....you almost feel that mad frenzy and war munguring building in you.

The cast looked perfect in all aspects, and 300 showcases few strong performances. The look of the cast, the 6 packs of each Spartan warrior, their brisk body movements, their strong manly voices all drive home one point; The Spartans are a breed of mankind born to be warriors. They’ve been trained since the day they learned to walk to be ruthless and fierce soldiers. Gerald Butler (never heard of him before) as Leonidas delivers a remarkable performance as the King who puts honor, pride and land before love,family and tradition. His intense eyes and powerful stature ,with a voice and 6 pack abs to match delivers quite a powerhouse performance. And as his character’s name (Leonidas means Lion’s son) suggests, he is a natural born killer. Another standout performance is Spartan Captain-Vincent Regan, who after playing the faithful right hand to Achilles in Troy does a similar turn in 300 as Leonidas’ trusted captain.

I have acquired a new interest in the director Snyder, and hope to see his first movie "Dawn of the dead" soon. And the irony is that Snyder is basicaly a music video and ad film maker.

I loved the way how the film speeds up and slows down at certain key moments. The storytelling style in 300 reminds of the movie Sin City, while the sheer intensity of the violence brought back memories of Kill Bill. Both these movies were path breaking in their own sense. Both had quirky coolness about them. They made the audience uneasy, yet they were unable to resist the temptation of seeing the whole movie. Robert rodriguez and Tarantino inspired a new genre, and 300 promises to do the same.

But the beauty lies at the end...you realise how well the story has been told when a wave of delight runs through your body as Leonidas faces the volley of arrows, remembering his wife "My Queen! My Wife! My Love", just before his death. You feel good for him. It isn't like the death of General Maximus in Gladiator, or Achilles in Troy....you mourn their deaths, at least feel slightly sick that they died. But with Leonidas that isn’t the case. Here death truly means glory. Spartans never retreat or surrender. The only other option is Death which they gleefully accept as their ultimate glory in having sacrificed their life for Sparta and that fulfilling moment of glory is what comes through so wonderfully. And that message is succintly conveyed by Snyder.

300 is cool and bloody, maybe not classy but well its total paisa wasool.

If you have missed it, go ahead and watch it. If you hate blood and gore, stay away, its definitely not for the weak-hearted. But then you would never know what you have missed.

TRIVIA associated with 300:

• Ten visual-effects vendors contributed to the film.
• 1300 out of 1500 cuts involved some sort of visual effect.
• The film was in post-production for almost a year.
• Snyder photocopied panels from the comic book, from which he planned the preceding and succeeding shots.
• It was shot mostly with bluescreen to duplicate the imagery of the original comic book.
• The only exception to the direct adaptation of comic was the use of the character Dilios as a narrator.
• Two months of pre-production were required to create 125 shields, 250 spears and 75 swords, some of which were recycled from "Troy" and "Alexander".
• The wolf that Leonidas is shown fighting in the wild when he was young was animated.
• Movie budget = $60 million.
• The technique used in making 300 is called "digital backlot".
• The programs Maya, RenderMan and RealFlow were used to create the blood.
• 300 is 176th in the imdb Top-250 list.
• In April 2006, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced its intention to make a PlayStation Portable game, 300: March to Glory, based on the film.
• 300's opening weekend gross was the 19th best in box office history, coming slightly below The Lost World: Jurassic Park but higher than The Incredibles.
• It was the third biggest opening for an R-rated film ever behind fellow Warner Bros. release The Matrix Reloaded ($91.8 million) and The Passion of the Christ ($83.8 million).

300 video links :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZm52UrkDpA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDiUG52ZyHQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWzCdxhgFEU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gfZnWVoqZ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s7DAngKpM0

Where did the good times go

Where did the good times go

Sitting by myself, cozy on the sofa,

Adjusting the AC, nibbling on a samosa,

Staring at the TV, feeling so low,

I wonder, where did the good times go,

Wanna talk to someone, But there is no one near,

While I talk, just want someone to hear,

Shit, the cellphone battery is down,

Now I have to embrace the loneliness around,

Someone within me speaks,

Common, You're fine, Its just for a while,

And still I get the creeps,

Wheres my innocent smile,

I've trampled my own dreams,

Running to win the rat race,

Ignored my own screams,

Now the mirror cracks in my face,

I murdered my soul, my own dreams are dead,

I've closed that door, for butter and bread,

The dead dream's ghost has taken my life's guard,

Never even paused to visit their graveyard,

The world's watching me fight myself,

I'm the gladiator, and I'm the elf,

The boulevard to success is reeling under flood,

As each rat fights for each rat's blood,

I'm tired, I feel sleepy,

But theres no time to sleep,

I die each moment, and call it life,

Even lost the capacity to weep,

Bereft, numb and cold,

I think as I grow old,

How did it happen so,

Where did the good times go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A silent scream

A silent scream

My mind is craving,

Craving for something more,

Aimlessly its craving,

Scratching on a closed door,

Drops of sweat wet my brow,

Maybe someone is watching me,

The incubus grows on me somehow,

I see the madman, his stare squashing me,

I grow weak, breath shallow,

Laboring through each breath,

Madman approaches to swallow,

Tiptoeing, accosts my death,

Slowly, he comes and touches my hand,

Sucking the marrow from my bones,

Stinking air blows from the marshy land,

My whole life flashses by, room fills by my moans,

The dots of my life didn't connect down the road,

I failed to spell my existance code,

Deserted the boulevard once I strode,

And found a madman pointing his gode.

QOUTE:

~ We are all part of the same Compost Heap ~

From the movie Fight Club

Flowers...

Found out some amazing facts about famous varieties of flowers while browsing ........

Anemones were called wind flowers by the Greeks because they grow on windy slopes. Another derivation is from the Persian 'Naamen' which is the Persian for Adonis.
It is said that Venus fell in love with Adonis when he was born. She tried to protect him from harm but was forced to share him with Persephone by Zeus. One day, Adonis was hunting a wild boar and it turned around and killed him. Venus arrived in time to hold him in her arms as he died. Some say that this flower sprang from his blood or Venus's tears. It is a symbol of protective love.

Bougainvillea was named after a a person, Louis Antoine de Bougainvillea who was commissioned by Louis XV to circumnavigate the world and obtain any unclaimed territory. It was actually the botanist Philibert Commerson who discovered and named this flower in honor of his employer who invited him on the trip.

Chrysanthemum Comes from the Greek words for gold and flower. It was very popular in China for 2500 years. A 4th century poet T'ao Yuna-Ming had a garden of these to which he preferred retiring to instead of accepting a high government post. It was considered as one of the four noble plants along with - the bamboo, orchid and plum. In A.D. 400 Zen Buddhist monks took this flower to Japan where it became the symbol of the ruling dynasty The Mikado. The symbol looked remarkably like the Rising Sun but was in fact a 16-petalled Chrysanthemum.

Daffodils are also called 'narcissi' and 'jonquil' which comes from 'rush' in Spanish. Legend says that a beautiful youth Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection and then drowned in it. According to Greek myth he was turned into this flower.

Forget-me-not comes from the Old French "ne m'oubliez mye" which was the translation of the German "vergiss mich nicht". The legend is that a German knight picked up a posy of them for his beloved and was strolling by the riverbank with her when he suddenly slipped into the river and died. His last words were, "Vergis mich nicht!"
This is also the most commonly placed flower on Valentine cards.

Hyacinth derives its name from Mythology. Hyacinth was a beloved boy of Apollo. Once they were playing quoits when he ran forward to catch the discus and died of an injury when it hit his head. Maybe Zephyr, the God of the Wind was jealous of him and had the wind make the disc hit him. A flower sprang from his head which was named after him.

Lavender comes from the Latin to wash. It was used to make perfumes and soaps. The Greeks recommended that we "lay clothes in lavender". Ironically, A Lavender marriage is a term coined to describe a marriage between a man and a woman, in which one or both parties are, or are assumed to be homosexual. Usually, but not always, both parties are assumed to be complicit in a public deception to hide their homosexuality.

Poinsettia is named after Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsettia, the US ambassador to the new Republic of Mexico from 1825-1829. He was also an avid botanist and horticulturist and was responsible for introduction of various plants and trees in Mexico and the US. He was also one of the founders of the Smithsonian. Poinsettia is a popular winter flower since it grows when days are short and nights long.

Tulips was introduced to Europe by Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq who was the ambassador of the Holy Roman Empire to Suleiman the Magnificent of Turkey. The Tulip is the national flower of Iran and Turkey, and Tulip motifs feature prominently in Persian and Turkish folk arts. Its Name is a result of the latinization of the Arabic "dulband". The European name for the flower is a misuse of the Persian word for turban, a mistake probably originating in the common Turkish custom of wearing these flowers in the folds of the turban. Unofficially, the flower is also emblematic of a European country,the Netherlands. For instance, in an annual gesture of gratitude to Canada for liberating the nation from the Nazis in World War II, a supply of tulips is sent to be planted in Canada's national capital in Ottawa.

Quote :

"Uncommon beauty is commonly overlooked"
- From the movie "Wicker Park"

"Managment + Workers" OR "Managment vs Workers""

My previous post was on scarce Skilled workforce. In this one, I'll focus on the treatment of employees in Organizations and the phenomenon of attrition.
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It was sometime back in the late 80s. The Industrial Czars in the west found a golden goose. Access to Cheap Workforce in third world countries.

Western Corporate Giants perceived they had found the everlasting solution to all problems - Outsourcing and Offshoring. They thought that the likes of China would exist till eternity where labor was few cents an hour. And there was India Of Course for the white collar back office jobs. Companies were hoping they wouldn't have to worry about human resources at all. But the honeymoon seems to be over.

Everyone and everything is growing all around us. Standards of living have risen exponentially across the board. And demand outstrips supply by a substantial margin. So, where are we heading?

Talent is getting expensive. The worth of a good resource in Market is increasing. So much for the CHEAP labor....Corporations are determined to keep labor costs under control, so they're reaching deeper into their bag of tricks. Some are doing more in-house training so they don't have to recruit pricey talent on the open market. Some are lowering their standards for new hires or moving operations to virgin territories other outsourcers haven't discovered. Cost-conscious employers around the world are fighting to hold the line on labor. Businesses are going with other gambits, such as hiring temps full-time, increasing mechanization, offshoring work, and rehiring retirees.
Networks of vocational schools are spreading with Corporate approved curriculum. Students enter it with a dealership already committed to hiring them.

ENOUGH OF THIS CRYING, DEAR CEOs

Well, I think the Economists view of the situation is far more convincing. Economists tell there's no such thing as a labor shortage. See it from a worker's viewpoint; many so-called shortages could quickly be solved if employers were to offer more money. How can the fact be ignored that worldwide, millions of people still can't find jobs. The strongest evidence that there's no general shortage today is that overall worker pay has barely outpaced inflation. With so many people newly available for work in China, India, Latin America and the former Soviet Union, the only thing that could cause a real shortage would be a Nuclear War or a Global epidemic. .

Then why are the Corporate Honkos crying foul? Can't they see that its their inability to adapt to new realities that has brought them to this crossroad. Its high time they realize that their workforce strategies, developed for a period of surplus labor, don't fit the new realities. The challenge now is finding people who can do the jobs on offer. For eg, Manufacturers in Japan are suffering a lack of skilled workers because of the country's aging population as well as downsizing during the 1990s.

The earlier crisis was somewhat countered as HR departments knew they could always hire someone from outside for a meager raise. But stealing scarce talent from rivals isn't a strategy for the long run.

How do they expect us to sympathies with them? They are churning out record profits, quarter after quarter, and still are whining about how hard it is to find the right employees! And if the trouble is real, the solution is simple. Pay more and you will get them. Sacrifice some of your damn corporate profit. It’s the employees who make it possible in the first place.
They say attrition is a huge problem...Think about it; who the hell wants to move from a satisfying stable life? If only they treat employees like human beings and not like easily replaceable cogs, they will find it easier to hire and keep good people. Corporations have spent the last 20 odd years paying people below the rate of inflation. The ever rising Standard of living and rising cost of maintaining a family means that both 'Mom and Dad' HAVE to work...its a compulsion, not an option anymore. And thus the Corporates are aiding in fragmented families, troubled teenagers, unhealthy lifestyles...mounting the Nation with Social and Health costs.

Another big problem in all of this is employer's major focus on "what an employee has done." A far more productive focus would be on "What an Employee can do" - Potential vs Output. Employers shy away from "transferable experience" within employees because they don't want to pay for it. They hire young people with no experience so they can "mould them" the way they want, while paying less because they "don't have experience." And be clear on one thing – there is a sea difference between “Moulding” and “Career development”. It is like "do what you are being told to do" and "don't use your head". This produces an incompetent marionette. The young person "moves on" because he / she is ruined at that organization. “Its for your good”, they tell the employee. Then the employer cries that there is no qualified people, while repeating the same mistakes they made before.

The PSUs have a different trouble. They are loosing highly experienced and skilled personnel to Private competition. They aren't lucrative for fresh graduates, and they can't keep the Old ones.

Some say it is a moral crisis staff loyalty. Look at the lack of employee loyalty to gauge a sense of what's going on. If people are treated poorly, not just financially, but a lack of respect, trust and basic dignity then you will get back what you give out. Its like dealing with retail customers...if they feel while shopping that they are really wanted, they'll end up buying more....similarly employees will work better if they feel they are wanted. Rather,” company loyalty" has become an oxymoron. Managers keep cutting labor, and then wonder why finding smart, dedicated people are so hard?

The onus lies as much on our education system. Nowadays, kids are graded on regurgitation; the biggest chunks equate to the highest grades. Critical thought and personal responsibility for one's thoughts and actions are not part of the curricula anymore. No vision, or entrepreneurship or Leadership gets reflected in grades. And the Corporates hire those with the best grades... and then wonder why finding smart, dedicated people are so hard?

To quote from the movie “Rocky Balboa”, the only kind of respect that matters in this world is self-respect. Give that to the employees, and all troubles would be over.

The Corporate Crunch

Few days back, I saw a discussion on TV regarding HR management and talent crunch that companies worldwide are facing. And the crisis is truly global, spanning from Ho Chi Minh, to Bulgaria, to Peoria, across Asia, Europe, USA and Latin America. But each company, across sectors, across cultures, across geographies, across demographics identified with one common problem - not enough people who are both able and willing to do the work for the posted pay. Infosys mentor Narayan Murthy’s statement reflects this “Only 2% of the fresh resources that we hire are directly employable”

It was after decades that in 2006 each nation in the world posted a positive GDP growth rate. Money is on the Roll, Markets are happening, Liquidity is on an all time high, Consolidation across sectors is happening......be it Steel, Telecom, Retail, Aviation, Banking....

What's going on here? Globally CAGR has been 5% since 2004. The potential reduction in labor costs via offshoring work to low-wage countries is running out of gas far sooner than many expected. The seemingly inexhaustible pools of cheap labor from China, India, and elsewhere are drying up as demand outstrips the supply of people with the needed skills.

Moreover, the crunch is being aggravated by two factors. China produced everything cheap....so cheap that lack of quality control, violation of human rights and environmental degradation was conveniently neglected. But now, places like India, Vietnam provide almost similar cost benefits with much superior quality, with the added advantages of its democratic setup.

In India, The very clients who cheered the low cost service sector in India are getting victimized by the very growth of this sector. India was never just a nation of English speaking bookworms. The Indian IT-ITES services have scaled into their operations and services, and are moving fast towards better prospects. Value addition in an average Indian is very fast and dynamic. 10 - 15 years from now, Indian homegrown Software firms would be engaged in consulting and high end product development, with expertise in niche areas. Already, low end outsourcing is shifting from India to places like Philippines and South Africa.

Places like Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Russia are catching up fast. There is heavy investment in the social sectors of these countries, in primary education and healthcare, in housing and agriculture. This will further generate a large pool of young people. To become globally competitive, companies require exact people with exact skills in exact places....and their inability to do so is primarily leading to this global resource crunch.

I guess thats all for now, but I'll be back soon with a post on companies handling its employees.

QOTD:

“Six out of ten is all it takes to produce an enviable record on Wall Street”.
Peter Lynch

Just another trip to the mall...

This Good Friday turned out to be surprisingly Good for me. Its only now that I truly understand what is meant by Serendipity.

So, we were there, waiting for 50 odd minutes to pass by till the movie show started.
Loitering here and there with my friends, I saw her...in the queue for popcorn. She stood there, surrounded by a bunch of nobody girls. Red top with the nike Swoosh at the front, black jeans - faded, black hair - straight long...And that face, WOW !!! I dont have words to describe it...

It doesn't happen often with me...It was like what "Michael Corleone" felt on seeing "Appolena" when he was hiding in Italy (Godfather I). Yeah,struck by a bolt of lightening. That one person who is so damn beautiful that you become spechless...You forget where you are, who you are...

And without saying a word to anyone, I stepped forward (Guess I was too numb to feel fear) My friends watched in anticipation (After all, how many times do you see a guy actually just start walking towards the girl he has seen 5 minutes before to talk to her). They were all waiting for something aweful and embaressing to happen. Some great masala for them to pick on me for ages to come...

The distance of a few steps felt like miles. Midway through the walk, I regained some of my senses..."Hey, what the hell are you doing?" I asked myself. But by the time I could answer that, my feet had taken me within close proximity to her.
"What the hell", I thought and went straight to her and said "Hi"...

And believe me, this is the most vulnerable part of such a conversation. What followed, will remain close to my heart for the rest of my life. What followed filled me with a new hope, a new energy, something I had never experienced before...After all, theres always a first time for everything...

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There she stood before me
That twinkle in her eye
A tremble went through my knee
And I blurted out a "Hi"

"Hello", she said, a bit surprised
Still putting me at bay
Looked at me, as a possesion prized
Now it was my turn to say

"Are you alone", I asked
Ensuring my manners were mild
"Do you wish I were", she said
laughing like a cute little child

Her friends giggled behind her
But that was OK
Simply too pleased to find her
The whole world was OK

"Which movie are you in for"
I extended the conversation
"I've already got tickets"
She stroked my desperation

Reality came crashing down
The sun would never shine again
How could I re-live that moment
which I may never find again

Then came the sweet shock
Too good to be true
"Can I have your number",she said
My struggle was through

Gave my number, asked for her's
With all nicities thrown
But life's not that generous
I should have known

"You should wait till I call"
Pat came her reply
Pulling back her hair
She waved me godbye

I saw her going back
Into the lift she went
Another wave of her hand
And that was the end

I dont have her name
I dont have her number
Its been a day now
And my hopes have started to slumber

It could be a joke, it could be a lure
Such memories it has brought
But there is one thing for sure
That was the sweetest NO I ever got

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PS: If I ever do actually get a call from her (I'm almost sure it will be to play a prank on me), the story will continue on this blog.

Desperately waiting for that call............