It's time to defy megalomaniacs like Elon Musk.
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Thursday, November 21, 2024
Quotable quotes
1) 'When the whole world is dirty, bhai, you have to get dirty to do any cleaning. We can't fight their money without tricks. Once we are in power, it will all be different. We will change everything.'
2) The truth is that human beings like to be ruled. They will talk and talk about freedom, but they are afraid of it.
3) A reputation for ruthlessness can do wonders for peace.
4) He had been good to me. He had never lied to me about money, he had never pretended to lay aside his self-interest, he had backed me as far as possible, to the risk of his life and then a little further, and he had shown me how in this world one thing connects to the next, where business comes together with politics and bhaigiri, how one must live. In this way we had been friends.
5) How little the young value life, they who are so full of it. How little they have seen of death. They think it's a mere pause in a drama, and they imagine the oppressing parents beating their breasts and wailing, and lost in that pleasure they never see the fall, the finality of one's own vanishing.
6) We who were bhais were truly brothers, we lived outside the law and were bound to each other. We were desperate men, and therefore free.
7) Looking at her, I thought: what makes a woman so much a prisoner, why? Why is one man a Dalit and poor, and another not? Why does this happen, and not that? Why did this woman die, and not that one? Why are we not free?
8) But custom floats between men and women, it hides in the stomachs of children and escapes and expands and vanishes in every breath, you cannot kill it, you cannot hold it, you can only suffer it.
9) War comes upon us. We are led in leaning curves towards the battlefield. You may try to avoid it, but find that last flower-lined turn you chose was really an entrance into a blood-soaked arena.
-- Vikram Chandra, "Sacred Games"
Autumn Light: Pico Iyer on finding beauty in impermanence and luminosity in loss
Rilke considered winter the season for tending to one’s inner garden. A century after him, Adam Gopnik reverenced the bleakest season as a necessary counterpoint to the electricity of spring, harmonizing the completeness of the world and helping us better appreciate its beauty — without winter, he argued, “we would be playing life with no flats or sharps, on a piano with no black keys.”
What, then, of autumn — that liminal space between beauty and bleakness, foreboding and bittersweet, yet lovely in its own way? Colette, in her meditation on the splendor of autumn and the autumn of life, celebrated it as a beginning rather than a decline. But perhaps it is neither — perhaps, between its falling leaves and fading light, it is not a movement toward gain or loss but an invitation to attentive stillness and absolute presence, reminding us to cherish the beauty of life not despite its perishability but precisely because of it; because the impermanence of things — of seasons and lifetimes and galaxies and loves — is what confers preciousness and sweetness upon them.
So argues Pico Iyer, one of the most soulful and perceptive writers of our time, in Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells (public library). READ MORE from The Marginalian
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
MOVIE REVIEW: “Civil War” (2024, 5 out of 5 stars rating)
Alex Garland's "Civil War" is a thought-provoking film that explores the impact of conflict and the ethics of journalism on individuals.
The film is trying to portray a potential civil war that could occur due to the far right politics of the Trump era. So we have the Left fighting the Right and vice versa and Garland seems to be warning Americans that this polarization of society and politics makes the country vulnerable for an internal conflict possibly leading to a civil war.
In the movie, the despotic federal government, led by a re-elected president, is fighting to maintain its control over the nation. They use force to quell any opposition or secessionist movements, viewing them as threats to their authority.
As for the secessionist movements, these groups are fighting for the right to break away from the federal government and establish their own independent states or regions. They harbor deep resentment towards the federal government for perceived injustices, overreach, and disregard for their needs and concerns.
It's important to note that the film doesn't present a clear-cut morality tale. Instead, it delves into the gray areas of the conflict, highlighting the blurred lines between right and wrong, victim and perpetrator.
As for the human cost of conflict, the movie vividly portrays the brutality and suffering caused by war, highlighting the impact on both civilians and soldiers.
Garland also explores the individual in a chaotic world; the film focuses on the experiences of individual characters caught up in the conflict, exploring their struggles for survival and meaning in a world gone mad.
He challenges the viewer to question the nature of reality and the truth. He suggests that the truth is often elusive and subject to interpretation.
The team of war journalists, the protagonists of the film, are driven by a desire to uncover the truth and hold those in power accountable for their actions. They aim to humanize the conflict by showing the suffering of ordinary people caught in the crossfire and the moral complexities of the situation.
Taking into consideration the factor of journalistic ethics, the film delves into the complexities of objective reporting in a chaotic environment. It raises questions about the extent to which journalists should be involved in the stories they cover.
The film examines the role and power of the media to shape public opinion and influence the course of events. It questions the responsibility of journalists to report on conflict in a way that is both accurate and ethical.
This is a powerful and disturbing film that offers a unique perspective on the human cost of conflict and the role of journalism in a divided world. It is a film that stayed with me long after the credits rolled.
Quotable quote
Food was the greatest and most reliable of pleasures, and to sit on Chowpatty and eat it with wife and family, with the sea heaving gently, was as close to contentment as Katekar had ever been.
After Katekar finished eating, he and Vishnu walked along the water. Katekar had his pants rolled up, and he had left his shoes behind with Shalini. He liked to walk on the wet sand where it had been smoothed by the sea, feel it under his soles.
-- Vikram Chandra, "Sacred Games"
An introvert’s field guide to friendship: Thoreau on the challenges and rewards of candid connection
Friendship is the sunshine of life — the quiet radiance that makes our lives not only livable but worth living. (This is why we must use the utmost care in how we wield the word friend.) In my own life, friendship has been the lifeline for my darkest hours of despair, the magnifying lens for my brightest joys, the quiet pulse-beat beneath the daily task of living. You can glean a great deal about a person from the constellation of friends around the gravitational pull of their personhood. “Whatever our degree of friends may be, we come more under their influence than we are aware,” the trailblazing astronomer Maria Mitchell observed as she contemplated how we co-create each other and recreate ourselves in friendship. Her friend Ralph Waldo Emerson — whom she taught to look through a telescope — believed that all true friendship rests on two pillars. In his own life, he put the theory into practice in his friendship with his young protégé Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817–May 6, 1862) — a solitary and achingly introverted person himself, who thought deeply and passionately about the rewards and challenges of friendship. READ MORE from The Marginalian
Why can't we quit diet coke?
The drink hacks our brains in more ways than one. READ MORE from Inverse
Game Awards nominees: Who will win GOTY in 2024?
... With the nominees announced, the jury will begin voting on final selections, to be revealed during The Game Awards live broadcast on December 12. Viewers can also vote for their picks on The Game Awards website, which will factor into winners’ final scores.
... Here’s who is in the running for 2024 Game of the Year. READ MORE from Inverse
Travel advice for Maldives as British tourists issued warning
... It said: “The sea around Maldives can have strong tidal currents that can drag you away from the shoreline. Over eight British tourists have drowned since 2021. It is important that you know the risks and what you can do to minimise them.”
... The FCDO added: “Only swim in well supervised areas, areas designated as safe for tourists, or where lifeguards are available. READ FULL REPORT from Express
Maldives reimagined: From romantic getaway to a multi-generational paradise
Sonam Kapoor's Maldives photo dump is all about family, fun and food...
For years, the Maldives stood out as a dream escape for honeymooners and couples seeking intimate retreats by turquoise waters and serene, white-sand beaches. However, this idyllic destination is undergoing a transformation, catering not only to couples but also to families of all sizes, including children, parents, and even grandparents. With resorts and tourism providers expanding to meet multi-generational needs, the Maldives is fast becoming a shared paradise for diverse age groups. READ MORE from News 18
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands celebrates milestones in sustainability
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is proud to announce its achievement of the Forbes VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality badge, awarded to properties that uphold over 100 stringent standards designed to protect the environment and support the well-being of employees, guests, and local communities. This recognition reflects the resort’s unwavering commitment to sustainable practices and responsible hospitality. READ MORE from Premier
Cora Cora Maldives wins a 2024 Global Recognition Award
Cora Cora Maldives, a premium all-inclusive resort in Raa Atoll, earned a 2024 Global Recognition Award for its commitment to sustainable luxury, environmental initiatives, and cultural preservation, highlighted by its #ReconnectinRAA Project and unique cultural attractions like the Dutch Onion Museum. READ MORE from Business Insider
Sri Lanka: RSF outlines four key priorities for the new government to strengthen press freedom
Following the 14 November legislative elections, which gave President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s party a large majority, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the new Sri Lankan government to prioritise press freedom. The promises made in the party’s manifesto must now be turned into concrete action. READ MORE from Reporters Without Borders
#FreeJimmyLai: As Hong Kong publisher is set to testify in landmark trial, RSF raises alarm over his prolonged detention
As the landmark national security trial of Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai is entering a crucial phase, with the Apple Daily founder set to take the stand to testify, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) raises alarm over his prolonged detention in solitary confinement and calls again for his immediate release. READ MORE from Reporters Without Borders
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
LIFE IN PICTURES: A Sunday market in Embilipitiya, Sri Lanka
The Sunday market sold mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.
It's in front of Walawe Ganga (Walawe River) where I took baths during some months I stayed in this jungly town which is also like a green village.
It's a totally different experience from living in a concrete city like the capital Colombo.
The spot is enlivened by the presence of wildlife such as peacocks, iguanas, monitor lizards - and tetras which nibbled my legs when I took baths in the river. In Maldives, we call tetras "fen meeru mas" in Dhivehi language.
Embilipitiya is located in the Ratnapura District of the Sabaragamuwa Province. Sri Lanka is my second home and I miss the place so much.
Quotable quote
Sartaj put two five-hundred-rupee notes on the desk next to Deva. They were old friends, but it was better in the long run that they conduct their business professionally. You could only do favours for each other for so long before resentment set in on both sides. Cash for information assured a future flow.
-- Vikram Chandra, "Sacred Games"
Virginia Woolf on why she became a writer and the most important capacity necessary for being an artist
“Only art penetrates … the seeming realities of this world,” Saul Bellow asserted in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. “There is another reality, the genuine one, which we lose sight of. This other reality is always sending us hints, which without art, we can’t receive.” Pablo Neruda illuminated this notion from another angle in his magnificent metaphor for why we make art, but the questions of what compels artists to reach for that other reality and how they go about it remains one of the greatest perplexities of the human experience.
No one has addressed this immutable mystery with more piercing insight than Virginia Woolf (January 25, 1882–March 28, 1941). In one of the most breathtaking passages ever written, found in her Moments of Being (public library) — the magnificent posthumous collection of Woolf’s only autobiographical writings — she considers what made her a writer and peers into the heart of the sensemaking mechanism we call art. READ MORE from The Marginalian
John Krasinski named People magazine’s ‘sexiest man alive’
... Recently, Krasinski has directed the comedy “IF” and the dramas “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II,” both featuring Blunt in a leading role. READ MORE from Arab News
'Out of sync': The trillion-dollar climate puzzle that's become a diplomatic nightmare
As countries negotiate a new global goal to raise climate cash, these five charts show why discussions are so fraught.
A hundred billion dollars. It's a staggering amount of money, although there are in fact now 16 individuals with personal assets worth more than this amount. But at the ongoing UN climate talks it's also a highly loaded figure, especially for countries on the frontlines of climate change.
It's the threshold amount that, back during turbulent negotiations in 2009, rich countries promised to "mobilise" each year by 2020 to help the billions of people in developing countries transition to a greener economy and cope with the impacts of climate change. READ MORE from BBC
Why do some popular newspapers don't have comments sections?
SOURCE: Gemini
There are several reasons why some popular newspapers have decided to remove their comments sections:
Toxicity and Trolling: Comment sections can often become breeding grounds for negativity, personal attacks, and trolling. This can create a hostile environment for other readers and discourage thoughtful discussion.
Misinformation and Disinformation: Comments sections can be used to spread false information, conspiracy theories, and propaganda. This can undermine the credibility of the news outlet and confuse readers.
Resource Intensive Moderation: Moderating comment sections requires significant time and resources. Hiring and training moderators, developing moderation policies, and manually reviewing comments can be costly and time-consuming.
Focus on Quality Journalism: Some news organizations believe that focusing on producing high-quality journalism is more important than facilitating online discussions. They may feel that comment sections distract from their core mission.
Engagement on Social Media: Many news outlets have shifted their focus to social media platforms, where they can engage with readers directly and control the conversation to a greater extent.
It's important to note that not all newspapers have removed their comments sections. Some have implemented stricter moderation policies or alternative commenting platforms to try to improve the quality of discussions.
Overall, the decision to remove a comments section is a complex one, and there are valid arguments on both sides. However, it's clear that the rise of online toxicity and misinformation has played a significant role in this trend.
CHINA: RSF calls for the release of independent journalist Li Weizhong
The Chinese police have confirmed that journalist Li Weizhong, who has been detained for a month, is being held incommunicado for “inciting subversion of state power”. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) demands his immediate release. READ MORE from Reporters Without Borders
7 days of surf coaching in the Maldives
Where better to take your surfing to the next level than the tropical paradise that is the Maldives?
... Andrew would be in the water with us at all times as well a local Maldivian surfer, Mohamed Najaah (aka Kabo), ranked second in the nation.
Although the jet lag took days to recover from upon my return home, the Maldives is a destination I will no doubt return to. I’ll return for the people, the stunning views, and the endless pursuit of riding the perfect wave. READ MORE from Surfer Magazine
Monday, November 18, 2024
Yellowfin Tuna fishing season in Fuvahmulah: Bait catching, tuna, and tiger sharks!
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx6aAHolBxA
Outdoor and Travel:
Join us off the island of Fuvahmulah, Maldives, for an exciting journey through Yellowfin Tuna fishing season. We’ll show you every step, from catching bait fish at dawn to the thrilling encounter with large tiger sharks while fishing for Yellowfin Tuna. Watch as traditional methods and deep respect for the ocean come together in this fishing tradition, unique to Fuvahmulah, a place renowned for its rich marine life. Dive in to experience the highs, challenges, and delicate balance of sustainable fishing in the Indian Ocean.
Quotable quote
Muscular chauvinism still won votes, but you had to be canny in your selection of enemies. So now the Rakshaks protested about the Bangladeshi menace, and told 'unpatriotic' Indian Muslims to leave the country. Same game, different targets.
... The Tamils had once been the feared newcomers into the city, the ones denounced and hated by the Rakshaks as the threatening outsiders who supposedly stole jobs and land. Now they were old Mumbaikars.
-- Vikram Chandra, "Sacred Games"
A day in the life of a New Delhi roadside barber
They come from far and wide to provide affordable haircuts and grooming services to the city’s labourers - and anyone who fancies a chat. READ MORE from Al Jazeera
The UK’s NHS to roll out free antismoking pill. Will it work?
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is rolling out a free antismoking pill called varenicline for British smokers. Research has shown that varenicline is more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies such as gum or patches.
Approximately 85,000 smokers will be eligible to receive the antismoking medication which will be provided alongside “behavioural support” programmes aimed at helping people to quit smoking, the NHS announced earlier this week. READ MORE from Al Jazeera
Project Esther: A Trumpian blueprint to crush anticolonial resistance
The Heritage Foundation strategy named after the biblical Jewish queen offers insights into the persecution those who oppose Zionism and white-supremacy will likely face in Trump’s America. READ MORE from Al Jazeera
What have Trump administration nominees said about Israel and its wars?
While pro-Israel views are common in US politics, Trump’s picks signal support for far-right Israeli aspirations. READ MORE from Al Jazeera
Sunday, November 17, 2024
BOOK REVIEW: "Knulp" by Hermann Hesse
Life-affirming. Philosophical. Existentialism at its very best.
I have read only the Dhivehi (the native language of the Maldives) translation of this book — and that, three times. It was translated by Dommu (Mohamed Mamduh Waheed) and is available at President Anni's (Mohamed Nasheed) Ocean Library in Malé, Maldives.
"Knulp" is so engrossing that one of my relatives, who generally doesn't read stories written in Dhivehi, devoured the book in one sitting! It is philosophically that compelling.
Dommu is an outstanding writer in both Dhivehi and English. I’ve also read his original work, a novel called "Thin Huvafen" (literally "Three Dreams", read my review here), three times because it is exceptionally good and stands out as a one-of-a-kind Dhivehi novel. It’s particularly impressive considering it comes from a mature mind at the young age of 22.
SPOILER ALERT:
In "Knulp" (written in Dhivehi as ނަލްޕް), my relative and I could relate to the protagonist's reckless acts after discovering he is terminally ill and, therefore, feels he has nothing left to lose.
Quotable quote
... Sartaj wasn't overly worried. Every man or woman you arrested or even touched was part of some web, and you couldn't spend your professional life worrying about who knew whom. You were a little careful, and if some problem came up, you deal with it.
-- Vikram Chandra, "Sacred Games"
No place for self-pity, no room for fear: Toni Morrison on the artist’s task in troubled times
"I felt foolish the rest of the morning, especially when I recalled the artists who had done their work in gulags, prison cells, hospital beds; who did their work while hounded, exiled, reviled, pilloried. And those who were executed." READ MORE from The Marginalian
15 year old Singaporean child dies through hitting boat propeller in Maldives
A fifteen year old child who came to Maldives as part of a Whale Shark Research Project has met an untimely death in an accident where they hit the propeller of a running boat. READ MORE from The Edition
Chinese tourist becomes victim of shark attack in Maldives, now in hospital
... The victim of the attack is a 45 year old Chinese woman. READ FULL REPORT from The Edition
Maldivian found dead in a Bangalore hotel
... According to Indian media, the deceased has been identified as Hassan Suhail, 43.
Suhail had travelled to India last Sunday and had been discovered dead on the day he was scheduled to check out from the hotel, Indian media said citing Police. READ FULL REPORT from The Edition
އެންމެ ބޮޑު މުރަކަ ފެނިއްޖެ
ޕެސިފިކް ކަނޑުގައި ސޮލޮމޮން ޖަޒީރާ ކައިރިން ބުދަ ދުވަހު ފެނުނު މި މުރަކައިގެ ދިގުމިން 100 ފޫޓަށްވުރެ ބޮޑެވެ. އަދި މި މުރަކައަށް 300 އަހަރުވެފައިވާއިރު ޖައްވުން ވެސް ފެނެއެވެ.
މި ލިޔުން އިތުރަށް ކިޔައިލުމަށް ތިރީގައި މިވާ "އަދިވެސް" މަޖައްލާގެ
ލިންކަށް ޒިޔާރަތްކޮށްލާ:
World's biggest coral discovered
Researchers have made a gargantuan discovery that’s as large as two basketball courts, visible from space, at least 300 years old and brimming with marine life: It’s the world’s largest coral, found in the southwest Pacific Ocean. READ MORE from Smithsonian Magazine
ކޮލަމް މީތިނުކިޔާތި: ހަޔާތަކީ މިއީ
ދިރިއުޅުމުގައި އަވަދިނެތި އުޅޭއިރު ހަޔާތާމެދު ވިސްނައިލަން އެހާ ބޮޑު ސަމާލުކަމެއް ނުދެވިދާނެއެވެ. ނަމަވެސް ވަގުތުކޮޅެއް ހުސްކޮށްލައިފައި ކޮންމެ ދުވަހަކު ބައެއް ކަހަލަ ކަންތައްތަކާމެދު ވިސްނައިލުމުން ސިކުނޑިއަށްކުރާ ބައެއް އުނދަގޫތަކުން ސަލާމަތްވެވޭނެއެވެ. މި ބަލައިލަނީ މި ގޮތުން ހަޔާތާމެދު ވިސްނައިލުން މުހިންމު 11 ކަމެކެވެ.
މި ލިޔުން އިތުރަށް ކިޔައިލުމަށް ތިރީގައި މިވާ "އަދިވެސް" މަޖައްލާގެ
ލިންކަށް ޒިޔާރަތްކޮށްލާ:
ކޮލަމް މީތިނުކިޔާތި: ބޭޖައު ބާގައިގެ ވާހަކަ
ދެރަކަމަކީ ކަނޑުމަތީގައި ދިރިއުޅޭ ބަޔަކަށް ވާތީ އާއި އަމިއްލަ 10 ވަރަކަށް ބަހުރުވަ ގެންގުޅޭތީ އިންޑޮނޭޝިއާގެ އިތުރުން ފިލިޕީންސް، މެލޭޝިއާ، އަދި ބުރުނާއީން ވެސް އެ ގައުމުތަކުގެ ސަރުކާރުތަކުން ބޭޖައު މީހުންނަކީ އެ ގައުމުތަކުގެ ރައްޔިތުންކަމަށް ބަލައިނުގަންނާތީއެވެ. ބައެއް ފަހަރަށް އެއްގަމަށް އެރުމުން އެ ހިސާބެއްގައި އުޅޭ ރައްޔިތުން ބޭޖައު މީހުން ފަހައިލައެވެ.
މި ލިޔުން އިތުރަށް ކިޔައިލުމަށް ތިރީގައި މިވާ "އަދިވެސް" މަޖައްލާގެ
ލިންކަށް ޒިޔާރަތްކޮށްލާ:
Parasitic fungi can take over a brain for its own benefit. It gets worse.
Here’s the science behind the horror. READ MORE from Inverse
We’ve been wrong about the Pompeii victims all along
DNA shows that the victims of Pompeii aren’t who we thought they were. READ MORE from Inverse
Gating the fourth estate
This year, Maldives ranks at 106 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index. This is a slide down of six spots since the previous year.
The looming new Media and Broadcasting Commission Bill currently threatens to send the country plummeting further down the list. READ MORE from The Edition
MALDIVES: Proposed Media Commission Bill restricts press freedom
A controversial new bill introduced to the Maldivian Parliament is seeking to establish a new government-influenced commission, responsible for press accreditation and the authority to impose fines on journalists and media outlets. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), in calling for urgent engagement to ensure media independence and the constitutional right to press freedom. READ MORE from IFJ
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