New House, New Attitude

This is going to sound repetitive and annoying: but I'm really sorry for not posting. These are usually the "famous last words" of a blogger, but I will try and arise from the ashes of my laziness from this point on.

Life has indeed been hectic this past week. I moved into a new house which I will be staying at during my academic year. As well as the crippling pain of going without internet for a week; I have spent all my time cleaning, disinfecting, arranging, rearranging, researching to save money and many DIY projects to get the house up to code. Today was the best day of the week in that my remaining three housemates moved in to complete the set of five. It's amazing how quickly a house suddenly becomes a home in these situations.

The whole process of renting your first house is both exciting and aggravating. I now know why estate agents get such appalling reputations. It also matures you very quickly when you find yourself signing contracts and calling internet service providers (Virgin!!!). The biggest challenge is finding a group of friends and having more arguments in that few months than you have in the past year you knew them. Even the nicest of people can have rather heated disagreements.

However, like all things good enough to work hard for, there comes a honeymoon period. When The fifth and final member began moving her stuff in, there was a sudden realisation that all the work and fighting was worth it. A new lease of independence hit and a great feeling of adulthood still lingers on with me.

This week awaits more arranging and rearranging for the others, and lots of assistance from myself. Feels really good helping those you can call housemates. It's been a great start to a very difficult year. Second year of any uni course has a horrific reputation, which one can only approach with caution and confidence. Hopefully, this feeling of adulthood will see me through.

Thanks for Reading,

XmasRights

Money ≠ Happiness??

I am at that point in my life where I can be defined by one word: Student. It's a word that sums up my occupation, my lifestyle and what the world thinks of me. A noun and an adjective in the modern English language. With this status comes a lot of optimism and hope for the future as well as many worries, magnified by their unforeseen nature. It is the first time we have significant and unavoidable issues. One of these issues is money.

In light of the recent antics of Derren Brown (correctly predicting the National Lottery numbers in the UK) my attention turned to money, to greed and to the quest for money. Millions of people leaned forward and stared at their screens as a man presented what they believed to be an easy route to a large sum of money. Impatiently questioning why the show was an hour long and why there were so many advert breaks. To me it was the greed inside all of us that shadowed the reality we were all aware of: the man talking to us is an illusionist, an entertainer and a trained magician.

So what is it about money that we all crave. Attached to money is power, a sense of dominance as well as the idea that one can do whatever they like: a much grander sense of freedom in which we are not obliged to work 9 to 5. The reason I personally crave some extra cash is security. The idea that I can carry on with university not having to worry about student loan payments, rent and bills. I can enjoy myself as much as I am supposed to at this age without having another worry to distract me from my studies.

That is the power of money: in it we all see our own personal unattainable dreams and hopes. It is certainly not a sin to aspire to these visions, but in doing so we do idolise cash. We've all heard and I think the majority of us agree that "money can't buy you happiness", but I can't see why it can't. Financial security allows you to do what you've always dreamed of. You can finally go on that round the world tour, be as philanthropic as you like, quit your day job and become an artist. This quest for money that we all see as greed is really a quest towards our own perception of joy. Money can't buy you happiness, but it can get you incredibly close.

Thanks for Reading,

XmasRights

P.s: If you liked this article, please donate to my paypal account at http://www.pay…

..…only joking!!

Sorry (Post: 1)

I am sorry!!

It seemed like my blog would soon become yet another failed attempt littering the internet, but I am still alive and ready to post. During the past few weeks I've been revising hard for a mathematics re-take exam for my university. I hope you all feel it's a decent enough excuse (even though failing that exam would lead to a more interesting blog).

So what's to come? I haven't watched any movies during that time, so expect a few more reviews. Recently I saw District 9, an amazing film that deserves a well constructed review. I also plan to write up my LG Viewty Smart (GC900) review (something I've promised for months). Moreover, I have just upgraded to Mac OSX 10.6 (Snow Leopard), so I can talk a bit about how the transition went. So it appears my blog is turning into a review site, as long as you and I enjoy it, that's fine by me.

Thanks for Patiently Waiting

XmasRights

Horsemen Review

I have watched a lot of films. No idea why, or how the time becomes spare, I just sit and enjoy. How I discover these films is by following actors. When I am engulfed by what these talented people bring to my screen for 120 minutes I have to find more and more. Johnny Depp and his effortless adaptability to any role; Clive Owen and the depth he

brings to his alpha-male characters; Audrey Tautou and her flawless portrayal of complicated women that you can't help but fall in love with.

Todays movie was a follow up of Ziyi Zhang: Horsemen.

Horsemen was indeed a suprise. It follows Detective Breslin as he tries to discover the story behind a series of grusome murders that have something to do with the Apocalypse. What stands out most about this film is the incredibly graphic nature of it all. This is indeed a goarry film, a genre I am certainly not used to seeing. Unfortunatly I chose to watch this movie on a pl

ane, so I can't imagine what the woman next to me must have been thinking!!

Breakng away from the big distraction the movie was quite inciteful. It explores the religious elements of the Apocalypse very well, though the sedistic nature of the killers and the psychology involved could have been more effectively portrayed. Throughout the film I was kept excited and interested in a very unpredictable storyline with many unexpected twists.

Tough the acting was good, it wasn't anything special with the exception of Ziyi Zhang. I am so used to watching her in brilliant Chinese cinema where she excels in both the martial arts and the culutral elements of her roles. This film, being American, would be

out of her comfort zone and she nailed

it (inside joke for anyone that has watched the movie). Her character was complex and incredibly dark and she remained belivable and produced a stunning all-round performance.

I can only sum up this movie by who I think would enjoy it. I can't recommend Horsemen to any of my friends as they may be quite stunned by the goar of it all and never speak to me again. Anyone who likes goarry films will love it for it's truly graphic scenes, but also appreciate it's complexity and the fact that it's not just a mindless bloody film. Any fans if Ziyi Zhang are indeed missing out by not watching this, but it's not one to watch on your own, on a plane or if you are feeling paticularpy feint or weak hearted.

Thanks for Reading

XmasRights

Happenstance Review

As I said from the start, there is no end to the randomess of my blog. Any of the few people who read my posts on Twitter and Google would be expecting another technology segment. However my thoughts have been provoked by a film.

"The beating of a butterfly's wings over the Atlantic can cause a hurricane in the pacific."

Happenstance (Le Battement D'Ailes Du Papillon) follows several individually interesting and contrasting people and their constantly intertwined stories. This is a formula that has been done many times before, but what puts this film above the rest is that it's French. I adore french films, and their intricate attention to detail. Characters are thouroughtly thought out and are portrayed by their minor quirks rather than their more obvious attributes. A good example is in Amelie where characters are described by their love of cracking fingers or skipping stones. This film stands out as the grand story is approached like a character. As we slowly pan away from the minor stories and see where they all link; we find it's the small details that join the stories together. This brings to life the idea that even the flap of a butterfly's wings can drastically alter fate for better and for worse.

The strands that make up the grand story kept me intersted throughout and definately make this a film worth waching if you wish to relax and think. Each story has it's own attractive flavour and the combination gels together perfectly. The actors themselves did a fair job. I was drawn to this film by Audrey Tautou being in it. Her performance was flawless as always, but she didn't have a big enough roll to really shine through. That can also be said for the other actors.

Overall I think this is an excellent film about the human condition and I am very pleased it was produced in France. It adds a very nice perspective to a frequently used technique.

Thanks for Reading

XmasRights

Difficulty of Maths over an Engineer's Lifetime

Why is Twitter so popular?

Why on Earth is Twitter so popular? It's always been something I can't explain. When one of the many internet twits is asked what Twitter actually is we're forced to draw a blank or compare it to Facebook status updates. A feeble and unimpressive description. Even so, Twitter is become phenomenally popular and useful with everyone from CNN to Britney Spears to some Household pets collecting a following to keep track of their small daily events.

Just today I saw a board for the Evening Standard printed with "BRITAIN DEFENDS NHS ON TWITTER" posted on it. This had me thinking: 1) Slow news day? and 2) What has Twitter become? I am proud to use the very common rock-band phrase: "I used it before it was popular", back when Twitter was simply a way to let a few people from around the world know your coffee regime and to keep track of Stephen Fry. Tweeting was like telling your simple thoughts to a brick wall and following interesting, but not fascinating. Now Twitter has become the portal for so many mediums of communication. The Evening Standard has dubbed it an acceptable opinion poll. Sky Sports used it as a way of giving updates on the action in the Ashes cricket matches. The Teen Choice awards offered an accolade to Ellen DeGeneres based on one of her tweets. David Pogue used it to write a book (The World According to Twitter, which I am proud to be a part of). The list goes on and will continue to go on and on. This is what free speech turns into; Twitter is nothing like Facebook Status updates because they are broadcast to friends. We say what we can about ourselves without being extraordinary. With Twitter we can and do say whatever we like without judgement.

The Iranian election was a particular turning point in how I saw Twitter. Tweets became important and necessary. It gave the Iranian people a chance to discuss their thoughts across the entire country away from the riots and the unreliable news coverage. It became a peaceful way to deal with a serious political issue.

And so we cycle back to the original question: why is Twitter so popular?

Because it's open and it's free. We are free to use it however we like and say whatever we like in 140 Characters. We can be creative, witty, resourceful and we do this without the shackles of censorship. There is something very liberating about truly feeling freedom of speech, especially when you see the wall you once talked to has a huge network of people who share your thoughts and ideas and are genuinely interested in what you have to say.

But what do you think?

Why do you think Twitter has become so immense? and How would you describe Twitter to your friends?

Thanks for Reading,

Yours,

XmasRights

The State of the Music Industry

Recently I was asked to write 100 words about the state of the music industry. Not as long-winded and waffle-y as my usual posts, but here it is:

"There is a shocking contrast between the Music industry and Music itself. Music consists of the artists, the free thinkers, the boundary pushers. The Music Industry seems to be a group of angry old men, unable to adjust to the new mediums of our generation. Instead of embracing how we now listen to music, they wish to control it with DRM and frivolous lawsuits to flash their wallets. How foolish to think they can change a still rebellious group. Why not embrace the internet as what it is: the most powerful advertising outlet in history. When will they learn!!"

Inter-Faith Marriage and Modern Day Tolerance.

Today, I turn my evidently "more serious than expected" mind to religion.

Earlier this week my parents had a talk with me and my sister about their thoughts on relationships and their preferences on who we marry. Those of you not from the subcontinent will be looking blankly at the screen right now, but the brown people out there will tell you this is when parents will formally say: they do not want me to marry a Muslim. Now, as controversial as this topic is I want to explore it and express my own personal thoughts on it as it encompasses a great deal of topics. The idea of racism, tolerance, fear and on a more positive note the progression of human attitudes. The way that a South-Asian grandparent would read that sentence and draw understanding; but a teenage South-Asian will read it and draw disgust.

To begin, I want to somehow portray how common this is to teenagers with South-Asian backgrounds. Racism is a topic that has fouled history. It has always been present and has been the reason for wars, for slavery, for unimaginable suffering. How great society is today that I can meet people from any corner of the world everywhere in London, and none of them feel feared or different. However, we cannot deny the ignorance of the past. My mother moved here when she was very young and experienced bullying on a daily basis. Pathetic white kids who would graffiti her books with "National Front" and spit on her purely because of her tanned complexion. Moreover, there were black children in her class as well, who in her words "had it much worse". Racism was never exclusive to any particular region or time, though some were more thoroughly documented in the history books. In the sub-continent religion was how "different" was defined. People were, and still are, incredibly religious and proud of their own religion so for the most part inter-religion marriage was not tolerated. Nowadays this glorious world-tolerance has almost forced all of our views to broaden. As a Sri Lankan Catholic, I am no longer restricted to my own religion and race. However, Muslims are still off limits because of the frightful work of extremists.

I find it very hard to agree with this belief. The Islamic faith is something I have always admired. The dedication required is awe-inspiring, from the many daily prayers, to the traditions such as washing before entering mosques and facing Mecca while praying. To be a Muslim is to whole-heartedly immerse yourself in a powerful set of beliefs and truly "submit yourself". But the unfortunate truth is the side of this religion we see in the media is told through the extremists eyes. We see those who wish to unspeakable harm to others in the name of a misguided view of the Qur'an. And thus, members of this beautiful religion carry a taboo along with them. Many of my asian friends have had to end what they believed was Love, purely because of religion.

That's about as much as I wish to say about why this irrational view exists. What is important about this view is how I react to it. One thing I want to stress is that I am only forbid marriage. My parents accept and encourage me having friends from all nations and creeds. Thus, I can respect their wishes without at all agreeing with them. However, I can't help but think that will taint my view of friendship. Is it possible to think of people as "perfectly acceptable friends, but not worthy of anything more". I don't believe that everyone is a little bit racist (pause to sing Avenue Q song), but of course people aren't colour-blind. It is much easier to find common ground with those who have had a similar upbringing, hence, those who share your faith or culture.

My apologies for that last paragraph and it's sporadic and non-fluid nature. I don't know how to express my thoughts on this one. I know that I will carry on with my life as if the conversation never happened. I will not avoid or attempt to marry those who are not Sri Lankan/British Catholics based on my parent's views. Not a problem for me as it's never affected my life, but for many people like me it has made a great deal of difference in their relationships. More recently in Sri Lanka, Sinhalese/Tamil interracial couples have been met with violence. A couple my parents knew in England had death threats and rocks thrown through their windows. So this has all been more about protection than anything else.

So here is where I plead for your thoughts. What do you think of this topic? Can you think of anything comparable to what is a predominantly south-asian view? Please don't hesitate to leave comments.

My next blog entry will be far less controversial and much better written - I Promise!!

Till then,

Thanks for Reading,

Yours,

XmasRights

VoteMatch, Online Dating for Political Parties.

I must preface this post by stating that me and politics don't go together very well. With politics I personally feel that I have no influence in it, hence I do not spend much time looking at it. I can't tell you what parties have what policies and to some degree I can't tell what certain parties stand for. Which is why I feel VoteMatch.co.uk is worth a mention.

Whatever your views voting and whether you feel it is a duty or a privilege, it is undeniable that voting is important. But that begs the question, who to vote for? Delving through manifestos and reading numerous newspapers to find out what scandal is linked to what party is, in my opinion, boring and time consuming. Is it fair to say that the only people qualified to vote are those who have read every manifesto?

Votematch.co.uk is a website that Stephen Fry brilliant described as a "dating site". It gives you 30 question all about your own opinion on what the EU should do with certain issues and then shows you how similar you are to the views of certain party views. It doesn't force you to vote or try and sway your opinion; it simply says, in detail, how compatible you are with each party.

This is a hugely useful tool in my opinion. If nothing else it strips me of my disillusionment with politics and sparks some curiosity. Based on the broad stereotypes of Labour and the Conservatives I knew I didn't share too many of there views, but now I can see exactly how distant I am to the popular kids in this political school. Moreover, I had no idea how much the Lib Dems and even Libitas shared my views on the subjects I find important, and I may do some research into their parties. When the general election finally rears it's formal head I can vote for a party that really connects with me, and it is VoteMatch.co.uk that I owe this to.

Try it for yourself and tell me what you think. I'd love to hear some opinions on political issues because it's something I have a blank canvas for in my mind.

Yours,

XmasRights

Stephen Fry's speech at the VoteMatch launch

Google's effect on Netbooks

A week ago, Google announced they will be developing a lightweight operating system designed to run on netbooks (Permalink) called Chrome OS. I have been a huge fan of netbooks since their launch, and have neared an impulse buy of one on numerous occasions. However, Google's announcement finally ended this wide-eyed window shopping and I have decided to wait. In this blogpost I will be explaining why.

Looking back at the history of consumer technology, the immense value of software is prominent throughout all devices. Without the right software a perfectly adequate piece of hardware will fail. Microsoft knew this and prospered, Xerox did not and wasted it's potential. When the Apple II was released consumers finally saw the value of desktop computers and why they would want a machine like this in their own home. Microsoft's Windows platform then made computers more ubiquitous and drove prices down through competition and so began the age of computers. Later on we see mobile phones and MP3 players, areas hugely dominated by Apple at the moment. Looking at the infamous iPhone on paper, we see a device no different to hundreds of other phones in production. It has a big screen, an ARM processor, a speaker, a camera, some memory, a headphone jack. What makes this device more appealing that the others is software. The way in which any technophile or technophobe can instantly pick up the handset and use it.

This is my main problem with netbooks and why I have yet to purchase one. Windows was tailor made for desktops, the iPhone OS was made for the iPhone and yet, netbooks have no dedicated operating system. It's easy to bundle laptop software to netbooks because they are hugely similar, but my argument is that the are different enough to require their own new method of usability. With their smaller screens Windows looks horrific and tasks like web browsing require a great deal of scrolling. The advantages such as portability and price are negated by the loss in usability. Retro-fitting Windows and Ubuntu Linux to run on these devices is like altering a large suit to fit on a smaller framed person.

This is why I believe Google will be a boost for netbooks. This is the first major software provider that has stated intentions like this for an operating system. Everyone who is aware of the internet and how to get to and read this blog is familiar with Google and the applications they produce. Very simple and very intuitive. One can only imagine what they have in store for these lovely little devices. Though it is still very early days, I do believe Google's first operating system will do to the netbook market what Microsoft and Apple did to the desktop market. So until that release date I intend to keep my "netbook fund" firmly tucked away.

Time to Start

It's one in the morning on what is now a Friday. A small Macbook on my lap as I rest against two pillow softly pressed against the bedpost. The room is silent besides a soft warbling from the fan and lit only by the warm glow of the screen in front of me.

It makes sense for me to use a time like now to begin my blog. My mind wanders like a disorientated shark, always moving erratically in a random direction, engulfed with the thought that stopping may mean grinding to a halt. My interest are broad and I may write to cheer, to review, to shamefully plug, to insult, to rant, to boast, to praise, to reminisce, to gossip, to cry and to draw strength.

My blog will not be of one specific flavour or direction: it may interest you one week and bore you to death the next. But remember that one thing will be consistent. When the sun sets outside the window and the warm of the day fades away. When the soft sheets and springy mattress calls us all to lie down and drift off. This is when I think. This is when the influences of the day have settled in, where the harsh emotions have cooled off and the irrational are absent. When all is peaceful, all worries seem to fade and we can rest. At this time my last thoughts of the day will flow to the dark, plastic keys and make it's way here.

I have no intentions, no targets for this work. I see it more as an artwork of my life. One in which I hope to be proud of one day. If it ceases in a month, a year or a decade all I wish is that I have gained from it and that whoever stumbles across this random, sporadic blog will have gained a little from it too.

Thanks for Reading

@XmasRights