Steven Colbert's Portrait, Washington DC

"Stephen Colbert, the mock pundit for the Comedy Central show The Colbert Report recently contacted the National Portrait Gallery hoping to donate this portrait of himself from his show. While this triple portrait is not one that would typically be accessioned into the Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection, NPG agreed to go along with the joke and hang the portrait for a limited time.

In episodes of The Colbert Report that aired on January 10, 14, and 15, 2008, Colbert tries to convince the Smithsonian that he should be considered a national treasure. He attempts to donate his portrait to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, but the museum’s director suggests that perhaps Colbert should speak to the National Portrait Gallery. Finally, after much "discussion," the director of the National Portrait Gallery finds an appropriate place to hang Colbert’s portrait, in between the bathrooms and above the water fountain.

• View the episodes on the Comedy Central Web site.
  
  
• See photos of Stephen Colbert’s portrait, and share your own, on the National Portrait Gallery’s Flickr group.

This portrait will only be here through April 1, so refresh yourself at the drinking fountain while contemplating this portrait of Colbert while you can."

-- Source: National Portrait Gallery Website

According to some estimates, the number of visitors to the gallery has increased by 150%. Personally, I heard a lot of people talk about their multiple visits. For the ones like me into history, the 2 guided tours every day of the entire gallery is a must see. One should call in before hand to check out the timings - the lady at the reception said that they change every day.

When Bumper Stickers tell a story

1 Car. 2 Bumper Stickers. 1 Story.

Jodhaa Akbar - Bastardization of History

"The only reason I gave a 3 and not lower is because of the director's efforts to bring out a classic. The reason the 7 is lost is because he used history to his convenience and imagination. If you want to bring out a classic, why not just do that ? Pick a story that doesn't tell the kids that this was what Akbar was like. Why not Sheela-Rizwan or something that doesn't tell the kids stupid false stories about their country's history. It is a known fact that Akbar was a war monger and plunderer. His relatively liberal religious tolerance compared to his predecessors and ancestors does not make him the greatest ruler of India. It was nowhere mentioned about his warrior abilities. He is known for his administrative and political skill. Yet we are made to believe that he was a great warrior. He had 30 some wives in his harem and they are not mentioned anywhere in the film. Jodhaa (almost all historians agree thats not her real name) was not his first wife nor his last. We don't even have an account that says she was his favorite. Akbar didn't mention her name in his auto-biography, Akbarnama. So now a movie with an attractive star-cast with great music is being thrust down our throats with history lessons embedded. Bollywood's director's may not be the smartest of the lot but these showmen do a disservice to history and reality by painting everything rainbow when India's past is filled with loot and murder by crusaders and "native" Moguls. It is sad that everyone is happy with false history and lies in the nation that was founded by a man who spent his life finding the power of truth."

--Anonymous author on IMDB

After going through so much controversy and loads of anticipation, the movie impressed me with excellent cinematography, standout music from A.R. Rehman, the elaborate dance sequence after Akbar annuls pilgrimage tax (Azeem-O-Shaan-Shahenshah) and fresh dialogues. The movie impresses one with a splash of color, beautifully decorated sets and great costumes from Neeta Lulla.

Last night I was impressed by how Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was casted in the classic. The acting by Hritik, Aishwarya and the talented support case was excellent. The storyline portrays Akbar in good light, choosing to embark upon his personal life rather than showcasing his war exploits.

Overall, despite the bastardization of history by Ashutosh Gowarikar and Haider Ali, the movie gets a 4.0/5.0 from me based purely on film making merit.

When your pant speaks to you

Its time to listen!

I weigh more than I ever did all my life - 184 lb (83.4 kg). I am 5 feet 8 inches tall and according to some weight calculators, my ideal weight should be in the region on 145 -155 lb. I weighed 157 lb last summer. I am 24 and my family has a history of heart diseases, diabetes and blood pressure. In short, I am dying faster than I would like to.

As I bent to put on my socks this morning, my Van Heusen corduroy pant ripped from the back. "Why right now God?". I had called for the cab and had minutes to change into something less exposing. I knew couple of my 32' pants had gone tight but I had some 34' ones in my suitcase. As I dug through the bundle of clothes I have never worn after buying them in India, I finally found two pants I could choose from. To my horror, both of them were 32' and I had no choice but to wear one of them. As I pressurized my diaphragms and tried closing the button, I knew it would be a tough day ahead in office. My pants had spoken to me.

I am fat. I knew that ever since I was 14 or 15. But never ever did I feel the need to change my wardrobe. I used to play regularly until I moved to DC. I pretend being exhausted after work each and every evening as an excuse to not visit the gym. Its time I answer the call.

As a favor to my heart I will set a target. I will reduce to 155 lb in the next 13 weeks. On May 17, 2008, when Evan receives his degree at CMU, I shall be back in my 32'.

I need to!!

Adam Teasing

Before I started writing this post, I wanted to name it 'Eve Teasing'. However, to my surprise, here is the Wikipedia definition of Eve Teasing -

"Eve teasing is a euphemism used in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan for sexual harassment or molestation of women by men."

What? Its a euphemism only in the sub continent? No way! Moreover, the more important part is to notice the victim here - women.

Being from Delhi, I have been often involved in discussions on how the rape capital of India houses ill mannered males. Worse, much of the lesser harassments every day on the streets of Delhi goes unreported and unopposed. I used the term 'eve teasing' as a casual reference to sexual harassment in its oral form from both sexes.

Until last night.

Walking towards our car parked a few blocks from Adams Morgan, (read my previous experiences here from the summer of '06), the five of us were having a good time at 3 AM on a Friday night. Amongst the gang were four college friends from 3 cities and 2 countries meeting after a long time.

"Haaaaaayyyy!!!"

The shout of a woman from somewhere across the street broke the string of Ma-Behen curse words floating for a long time. As I turned to look around, a big SUV with tinted glasses was crawling parallel to us. Inside it were 4-5 girls in their early twenties - all dressed nicely in party clothes.

"Haaay you guys, I love you all so much. I loooooooooove Indian guys. You guys are ALLLLLL f***ing virgins. I want to de-virginize you tonight. You wanna come with me tonight? I'll eat you like a chocolate...."

In the volleys of 'We love you too baby' cries going back and forth, something struck me for the first time. I had just been a victim of Adam Teasing (Yes, there is a Wiki word for it). It was sickening. I mean honestly, I don't mind dirty talking after being drunk. But more importantly, I have always been on the giving end all my life. The girls left within a minute or so but I knew that I had lost something right then and there - my oft spoken "Jiyo Maal Jiyo R**** Jiyo C*****i" anthem (my demeaning reaction on seeing a 'beautiful' girl - note change in lingo :D ).

I could never imagine how disgusting it could be to be 'eaten' by some stranger. I somewhat knew that the fastest reproducing racial group on this planet could be seen as sexually deprived. To top it all, I was sure that 4 out of the 5 of us were virgins.

Windmills in Somerset, PA

Pennsylvania is the fourth largest coal producer and almost all of nation's anthracite coal is located here. Pennsylvania leads the nation in acid mine drainage and in acid rain, due to leaking mines and the effects of coal burning, respectively.

With possibly the 'nation's biggest polluter' tag weighing heavy on the back of this mineral rich state, the focus is now shifting towards clean sources of energy generation. People are willing to pay extra for energy that doesn't pollute.

Somerset County is Pennsylvania's answer to environmentalists crying foul over global warming. The Somerset project and its 10-turbine sister project in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, made up the largest wind farm east of the Mississippi River. Only a few hundred yards from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, about one hour east of Pittsburgh, thousands of motorists see six wind turbines every day (exit 10). These are built on private land and the farms are owned by FPL Energy.

However, wind energy still comes at a premium as compared to traditional electricity suppliers. Private players (universities, Giant Eagle etc.) have pitched in with commitments to buy energy over a multi-year period. Its easy to say that winds of change are blowing strong in polluted Pennsylvania.

Fun Facts -

• The Somerset farm serves 6300 homes per year. The carbon offset is over 84 million pounds/year.
  
• The earliest known windmills were in Persia (Iran) and looked like large paddle wheels.
• Today, the largest wind turbines in the world have blades longer than a football field.
• Pennsylvania is #2 in toxic air emissions from coal mining/processing, #3 in toxic air emissions from coal and oil electric utilities (source: Pennsylvania: A Leader in Toxic Releases).
• Pennsylvania leads the nation in acid mine drainage and in acid rain, due to leaking mines and the effects of coal burning, respectively. Pennsylvania's coal plants are #1 in mercury emissions and #2 in sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions (contributing to acid rain). They are also #6 in Carbon Dioxide (CO₂, a greenhouse gas) emissions and #9 in nitrogen oxide (NO_x, another contributor to acid rain) emissions (source: Lethal Legacy: The Dirty Truth About The Nation’s Most Polluting Power Plants).
• India ranks 4th in the world with a total wind power capacity of 6,270 MW in 2006, or 3% of all electricity produced in India.
• In May 2001, Carnegie-Mellon University became the first university in the state to sign up for renewable energy from the wind farms by agreeing to buy 4,778 megawatt hours, or 5 percent of its total electricity needs.
• Somerset County, PA gained worldwide attention in 2001 when a hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed near the town of Shanksville in the September 11 Terrorist Attacks.
• This video was shot with both hands off the steering wheel at 70 mph (~112 kmh) this weekend on my drive back from Pittsburgh. One can clearly count the 6 turbines.
  

Super Bowl XL II - Giants 17 - 14 Patriots

"One perfect spiral and it was over for the New England Patriots. Forever, fans would remember who lost this Super Bowl, as much as who won. Eli Manning looked every bit like his older brother, throwing that beautiful fade route. Plaxico Burress backed up his brazen prediction, catching the 13-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds left. And with that thunderbolt, the New York Giants became NFL champions Sunday night. With the crowd standing and roaring for the entire fourth quarter, they startled the heavily favored Patriots — and themselves, a bit — with a 17-14 victory.

"Even when my parents were telling me, 'You're going to win,' I don't know if I believed them," said defensive end Michael Strahan, who postponed retirement in late August to try for this trophy."

In one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, New York shattered New England's unbeaten season 17-14 Sunday night as Manning hit Plaxico Burress on a 13-yard fade with 35 seconds left.The picture - 35 seconds left in the game and the Giants are all but winners of Superbowl XLII.

Tom Brady, the league's Most Valuable Player and winner of his first three Super Bowls, was sacked five times, hurried a dozen more and at one point wound up on his knees, his hands on his hips following one of many poor throws in New England's lowest scoring game of the season.

Sorry Boston, but New York got the better this time after the Red Sox's triumph in 2007 World Series.

Below is our reaction when the Giants scored a touchdown with 35 second to go. What follows is a collection of the Super Bowl XL II ads which I liked. The explanation of the ads is courtesy James Poniewozik (Time).

Super Bowl XLII - Bud Light Jackie Moon

"Bud Light. Suck one." I'm not too proud to have laughed.

Super Bowl XLII - Bud Light Ability To Fly Commercial

The beer that brought you the ability to breathe fire — in the first quarter — now offers the ability to fly... until a Bud Light patron is sucked into an airplane engine. The power to become tremendously witty, persuasive in arguments and irresistible to the opposite sex after about 7 or 8 beers, however, remains in effect.

Super Bowl XLII - Bud Light Commercial

A group of poor Cro-Magnons have not yet invented the wheel, though they somehow have managed to invent fermentation and the brown glass bottle. An enterprising friend comes up with the wheel to transport a load of brews to a party. So they load the beers on the wheel and carry it. The punch line saves it, as a caveman smashes a beer with a rock: "BOTTLE OPENER SUCK!"

Super Bowl XLII - Cars.com Commercial

Super Bowl XLII - Doritos Mouse Attack Commercial

A man baits a mousetrap with a Dorito and gets floored by a giant man in a mouse suit bursting through the wall, who beats the living crap out of him. And that, my friends, is the essence of comedy. Actually a holdover from last year's "Crash the Super Bowl" amateur-ad competition, and better than any of the ones that made it in last year.

Super Bowl XL II - Pepsi Stuff Commercial

Justin Timberlake (with a cross-dressing cameo by Andy Samberg), is hurtled across town by the power of a young fan's powerful sucks on a straw. The pitch: every sip gets you closer to Justin Timberlake MP3s and other goodies, through Pepsistuff.com. If I can make JT slam his crotch into a mailbox every time I drink a can, that's reward enough.

Super Bowl XLII - T-Mobile DWade Charles Barkley Commercial

Charles Barkley finally adds Dwayne Wade to his Fave 5, then abuses his 5 privileges by yammering on. (Best line of the night: "I don't want to look too fat in high-definition. That's what HD stands for. Did you know that?" Second best: "...and that's why I don't eat shrimp!") Most laugh-out-louds so far.

T-Mobile Pre Super Bowl Ad

Super Bowl XLII - Perfume Ad

A homely woman with a unibrow and a huge mole gets the adoring attention of men in an elevator, on a bus and on the street as "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" plays. Why are men so smitten with her? Because she rubs Planters cashews on her skin! Did I mention that half of all Super Bowl viewers are women? Do no advertisers know this? Are cashews a naturally sexist nut?

Supr Bowl XLII - Bud Light Commercial

Carlos Mencia teaches a table full of guys at a bar that American women love foreign accents. We're beginning to see a funny-foreigners trend emerging in tonight's ads. If only Tom Tancredo were still in the race to capitalize on this! (They're going to steal our women and our 100 free sales leads!)

Super Bowl XLII - Sobe Life Water Commercial

A supermodel walks into a white room, followed by a lizard, which catches a drop of her drink in its mouth and starts dancing, Michael Jackson-style, to "Thriller." A couple cute shots of lizards flashing grills in their teeth will definitely capture those customers hoping that Life Water is a powerful hallucinogen.

Super Bowl XLII - CareerBuilder.com Commercial

A woman sits depressed at her work station, watching her boss laugh it up in his office, watching TV and eating a lobster. Her heart bursts out of her chest and lands beating on the keyboard, runs into the boss' office and holds up an "I QUIT" sign. Tag: "Follow your heart." Disgusting, and beautiful.

Super Bowl XLII - Garmin Commercial

I may have been the only person who loved last year's Garmin ad, and I'm glad to be the only one who loves this one. Napoleon races across France to battle in a tiny car, guided by a Garmin GPS unit and fueled by a driving French power-pop song. Magnifique!

Super Bowl XLII - Corolla Commercial

The Corolla, says the ad, is so quiet, they locked a man in the car with sleeping badgers who will gnaw his face off if awakened. A cannon is fired. Nothing. Then his cell phone goes off, and... On the negative side, a little crude for the Corolla's sensible image. On the plus side, dude gets his face gnawed off.

Super Bowl XLII - Tide to Go Interview Commercial

Guy — it is pretty much always a guy in these ads, though Super Bowl audiences are half women — answers a question at a job interview, but is drowned out by a stain on his shirt, which talks over him. The tag, for the stain-remover pen: "Silence the stain, instantly." Nice use of (a) a delayed punch line and (b) the male fear of laundry. But I'll pass on visiting mytalkingstain.com, thanks.

Super Bowl - FedEx Commercial

Young exec solves his company's shipping problems with carrier pigeons — including a breed of massive super pigeons. The drawbacks of giant pigeons: feathers hitting buses, packages crashing into the street and — yes, I thought of that too but amazingly the ad does not go there. Funny nonetheless.

Super Bowl XLII - Dell (RED) Commercial

A guy walking down the street with a new Dell (RED) laptop gets cheers, kisses and butt-slaps from the admiring crowd that throngs him. Why? Beats me. Maybe they all want to watch that Danica Patrick ad at GoDaddy.com with him.

Super Bowl XLII - GoDaddy.com

Apparently I'm not the only dork watching the big game with a computer in his lap. A computer nerd is missing out on the Super Bowl because he's watching Danica Patrick's "exposure" ad at GoDaddy.com. The rest of the partiers, men and women, rush over to watch her unzipping on the monitor, and the ad directs you to the website for the rest. Classy? Of course not. Does it tell you anything about the brand or product? No! But I think they may have just broken the Internet.

Super Bowl XLII - Bridgestone Commercial

A squirrel nabs an acorn in the middle of the road and nearly gets hit by a car, to the horrified screams of every critter in the woods. Saved by the traction of Bridgestone tires! Talking animals have been done to death, but this one is worth it for the split-second of a tiny screaming cricket on a tree branch.

Super Bowl XLII - Bud Light: Wine and Cheese Party Commercial

A guy shows up at a wine-and-cheese party with a giant wheel of "cheese" that hides a six-pack of Bud Light. His friend produces a TV hidden in a case of chablis. Saved from the icky girls! Like the much funnier "breathing fire" ad, squarely in the tradition of the beer-as-savior-from-spending-time-with-women ad. They do sell beer to straight guys too, right?

Super Bowl XLII - SalesGenie.com Commercial

Salesgenie.com wants to give you 100 free sales leads — and all you have to do in return is subject yourself to some mild racial stereotyping! A put-upon sales rep named "Ramesh," with seven kids and the thickest Indian accent this side of the Kwik-E-Mart, is saved from certain termination by the leads. Maybe it's actually a subtle political commentary on outsourcing.


Add to My Profile | More Videos

Super Bowl XLII - Diet Pepsi Commercial

Across America, people are falling asleep: sportscasters, singers, valets, factory workers. Until they get a wake-up — and get an apparently uncontrollable head tic — from Pepsi Max, with "ginseng and extra caffeine." Bizarrely, closes with an irritated man yelling "STOP IT!" at two happy head bobbers, as if the commercial itself could not avoid noticing how stupid it is.

Super Bowl XLII - Audi Super Bowl Commercial

In a parody of the horse head scene from The Godfather, a man wakes up inside his mansion to find the grille of his stodgy old luxury car in his bed. Cut to the futuristic grille of a new Audi in the drive. The tag: "Old luxury just got put on notice." The takeaway: buy our car or we'll be forced to take extreme measures. Oh, my God! Has anyone seen the Clydesdales?

Super Bowl XLII - Bud Light Breathe Fire Commercial

We'd heard talk that advertisers were planning a kinder, gentler batch of ads after last year's, which Bud Light kicked off with a spot featuring a dude throwing a rock at another dude's head. Sure enough, Bud eased back with an ad in which a dude merely breathes flame on his girlfriend. This pleasantly absurdist ad promises great taste, refreshment and "the ability to breathe fire" — which goes awry when dude's cat allergy kicks in. Not exactly nonviolent, but fairly en fuego.