The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time- Review

My Review on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

What I loved about this book is the graceful way Haddon uses the literal mind of Christopher to develop our understanding of his life. No neurotypical person may ever fully grasp the working of the autistic mind. We must rely on them to tell us, and as we see with Christopher, the viewpoint is told in language quite different from the words we neurotypicals usually use for description. Christopher tells us from his words and his descriptions. Very clever. Does Haddon get all the details precisely right? Perhaps people with autism in a book group discussion might be able to tell us that.

I, too, have a friend with Asperger Syndrome, Certainly Christopher isn't my friend -- just as every literary hero or heroine is not an exact replica of a true life man or woman. I found surprising insight in how Christopher tells his story ... and it is insight into my own friend and the other people I know who have autism. Christopher's eating preferences, literal thinking, sensory difficulties, and math facts as a calming technique seem quite accurate.

As to the comment about savant capabilities. People with Asperger Syndrome must have a perseverating interest; it is part of the psychiatric diagnosis. In creating a character whose interest is math, Haddon hasn't done "rainman" sterotyping, nor is he creating a circus freak to entertain us. He's shown us into one character's world. This world fascinates those of us who are not quite so gifted. How many of us say, "I hate math," or "I don't do math?" Christopher,effortlessly performs difficult "maths." His world is just opposite that of mine.

Christopher's "maths" also represent hope. Math is what is good and constant and dependable to him. And, it is marketable! When an autistic person has a special interest, we are to nurture it ... it may be their career one day.

As to the relationship of the parents. Anyone with a disabled or ill child will tell you that it takes a toll on your marriage. To ignor that is to hide your head in the sand. Do they all end chaotically? Certainly not. But, is that good drama? Would that draw us into a book? The parent's broken relationship and the raging affect to which Christopher is oblivious illustrate beautifully how little the autistic mind picks up on what neurotypicals take for granted. But, by doing his methodical detective work, Christopher nearly independently walks through the minefield his Mom and Dad have created. How very, very clever he is!

I have a new insight into the fascinating way that my friend's mind might work. This novel fits well to all. A must read for everyone, but especially for people who live and work with people who have autism. One word to describe A.W.E.S.O.M.E !!!

Spices Board will spend 300 crores on subsidies

Thodupuzha 21-Jan-2010
Spices board will spend 200 crores in subsidies in the state of Kerala, said Sri V J Kurien, Chairman of Spices board, while inaugurating the seminar on spices conducted as part of the Karshikamela. 120 crores will be spend for pepper, 50 for cardamom and 30 for other spices. Three crores will be distributed within the next two month he said. 1200 tons of cardamom was exported in 2009. In 2008 it was only 300 tons. He also said that spices board is planning to bring in rice stability by increasing the production of spices in the state. He also gave elaborate details of the spices park being opened in Puttadi in Idukki district.

Pepper and nutmeg is predicted to have a bright future, said Dr. P A Mathew, principal scientist, Indian institute of spices research. Speaking on the occasion, Sri. B Sasikumar, deputy director, Kochi trade information service, said pepper production in India has gone down and Vietnam has made massive progress in pepper production. He said that Indian pepper is comparatively of better quality and we can compete only by increasing the production. He also mentioned that the spices park in Puttadi will have storage facility for spices and farmers can decide when to sell it considering the market situation and prices. Initially they will be given 80% of the current market price and when the actual selling occurs, the price will be adjusted accordingly.

The seminar was presided over by Sri M C Mathew, chairman, Thodupuzha residents association. Sri K N Murali said the welcome address. Sri Vakkachan Mattathil, ex MP, Sri K N Murali, District Panchayat member and Sri Varkey Mankootam, chairman, circle cooperative union also delivered speeches.

"Good" mov

What makes a good movie?

Before I attempt to answer that - All i know is that a movie is meant to tell a story to the audience.

Remember the times when you heard stories from your grandparents? I recall now how half those stories didn't have any real meanings. Those were meant to entertain - to keep a child involved and spend time without annoying others. Somehow - my notion of stories never changed. Whether or not there really was any story, a movie was good only if I could sit from beginning to end and not be bored.

And needless to say - I could not sit through/stay awake through most movies. And if a movie that lacked probably all characteristics of a "good" movie ["A good movie is three good scenes and no bad scenes" - as reinforced by my friend in fb] still managed to grab my attention, it has really achieved something.

Think about it - it doesn't take much for talent to attract attention. But it takes a hell lot to lack the required talent and STILL be at par or better than talented people. That's the case why Mammootty and Mohanlal,Kamal and Rajini enjoy the same status in Malayalam/Tamil cinema - for talent and showmanship.

I come back to the original argument: Does Avatar deserve an award? Maybe - maybe not; I have no idea on what basis movies are judged for awards. But does it qualify as a good movie? Of course - even though the story is a one-liner, it captures the audience from beginning to end. People knew what the story was - and yet they sat through the movie, more than once.

IF that is not proof of a good movie - I don't know what is.

P.S. - Yes, people have their own definitions of good movies. I am just stating what I felt.

Is Google's China exit threat a Googly?

What does Google's statement to back out of China mean? Why did they make such a rigid statement when they have been listening to the Chinese government for the last four years? Why would they put all the money to be grabbed from the world's largest online market at stake?

1. Successful diversion from the fact that Google accounts were hacked.

2. Founder Sergei, who was against censorship and operations in China from the beginning (four years back) gets ammo to take a go at Eric Schmidt who was in favor of Chinese operations.

3. To regain the trust it was losing in parts of Europe, US and Asia. (Stories about Google being the next Skynet and videos like these)

4. Looking into the future, Google does not want to become so dependent on the largest online market so that one day it will be dictating terms to the largest Internet company about how it does business in the rest of the world.

5. Google's motto-- Do no evil? Moral high ground?

"Love means never having to say you're sorry."

This blogger notes with grief the death of Erich Segal.

AFP reports:

"Love Story" author Erich Segal, whose popular romantic drama coined the phrase "Love means never having to say you're sorry", has died of a heart attack at the age of 72, his daughter said.

Segal was a classics professor at Yale University when he wrote the book "Love Story", which was made into a 1970 hit film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw.

He is survived by his wife, Karen James, and daughters Francesca, 29, and Miranda, 20.

Erich Segal is the author of the one book which is seminal to ALL love story hits of Bollywood.

Lensman with a vision

N P Jayan, photojournalist, who now resides in Bangalore, has won the UNESCO- United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) Asia Pacific Photo Contest 2009 for his photograph of Namma Makkala Dhama — a home for children infected with HIV in Bagalkot.
Jayan has been a photojournalist for the past 15 years, contributing photographs to some of the leading newspapers and magazines in India, such as The New Indian Express, The Hindu, The Madhyamam Daily, Down To Earth, Marie Claire and Malayalam Varika.
To see Jayan's works CHeck out www.malabarphoto.com

PS: Excerpts from my three hour conversation with Jayan at Ujwal bar last week: A photographer has a particular body language.Human values are above all-- money, name and fame. Your work talks of itself, not publicity.

Is it British? Or cops being cops?

The Independent reports:

When heavy snowfall threatened to scupper Paul Chambers's travel plans, he decided to vent his frustrations on Twitter by tapping out a comment to amuse his friends. "Robin Hood airport is closed," he wrote. "You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"

Unfortunately for Mr Chambers, the police didn't see the funny side. A week after posting the message on the social networking site, he was arrested under the Terrorism Act and questioned for almost seven hours by detectives who interpreted his post as a security threat. After he was released on bail, he was suspended from work pending an internal investigation, and has, he says, been banned from the Doncaster airport for life. "I would never have thought, in a thousand years, that any of this would have happened because of a Twitter post," said Mr Chambers, 26. "I'm the most mild-mannered guy you could imagine."


PS: Now you know what Tharoor is getting away with!