Random in the true sense - everything from personal to policty, politics to poetry and entertainment to education.
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Life Sojourn
a raindrop on the morning leaf i slip across the veins of life
occasional glitters emanating from me are reflections of illusion
as much as I'd like to think it's all in my hands
a certain gravity pulls me down slowly to the ground, in to the soil,
in to nothingness...
------------ 19 Nov, 2008
What Makes the Obama Win Special?
Kitchen sinks were thrown at him; he did not go in to the gutter with them. Cynics said ethical conduct loses in a cruel world; and he proved them wrong...
I have written before about Obama. The impact of his policies is still to be seen, but he has already awakened the spirit of a nation, and left an indelible stroke of leadership and inspiration on the canvas of history.
'Yes, We Can!' has gone beyond just a quote in a book, to become an inspiration that has been realized. A common man can look back at this campaign, and reflect on an audacity of hope that can be realized.
Achieving something for oneself is good; contributing to the society is more fulfilling, but to whisper in to the ears of sleepy men that their spirits can soar, to awaken them to a reality full of possibilities, where things can still be done, success can still be achieved, skies can still be reached... is the sort of message that history remembers with fondness. It is also the sort of inspiration that evokes emotion from the core of human spirit, be it in Kenya, Indonesia, India, Germany, Italy, England or America!
Train of Thought
On a dark night, when silence is filled by raindrops, I wait for a train at a lonely station
A sudden breeze lifts up strands of gold from a distant bench
a face turns as slowly as earth rotates, red lips color all time.
eyebrows are lifted, oh, so gently, as thunder roars in clouds.
from a corner of her eye she looks at me, ah, the killing smile.
as she gets up, and walks towards me, my being is paralyzed.
years pass before she reaches and smiles again as skies light up in the distance
oh, so gently she passes, ahead in to the darkness
only ages later, i realize -- she boarded a train, and i missed mine!
Moving On
I step out of the bookstore hot coffee in my hands
a warm sip and thunders roar as if in celebration
it pours from the skies a yellow eve turns grey clothes drenched people in the middle of the road pleasantly surprised
clouds are nearer all colors darker umbrellas unfurled world moves on, slowly
in a puddle on the side i see reflections memories
a step further, the road's dry and i move on, slowly...
--- p.s. - no edits
Until Death Do Us Part
Imagine being an unknown woman, and distributing condoms on the city roads for an election campaign... !
Just finished reading Ingrid Betancourt's memoir about her political struggle for Columbia. Betancourt was a presidential candidate in the 2002 elections in Columbia, when she was kidnapped and chained in jungles, until her rescue six and a half years later.
In a very moving book -- written before her kidnapping -- she recalls political struggles and inspiring incidents from her life. The book begins with her childhood years which were spent in Paris. Ingrid's mother was Miss Columbia and her father was a minister in the government. After her studies, and a few years of having been married in France, she decides to come back to Columbia with a mission to rid the country of corruption.
In a country where the crooked choose politicians and policy, she finds herself in a negligible minority. Betancourt describes how, with few resources and many enemies, she struggles to start a political campaign. She is first elected as a representative, then a senator, before she becomes a candidate for the presidential candidate until being kidnapped.
What I find remarkable about the story is the fearlessness of Ingrid Betancourt.
Her first election campaign's symbol was a 'condom'. She chose it to symbolize protection against corruption, which was as deadly as the AIDS virus. Imagine being a woman, running your first election campaign with little money, and distributing condoms on the city roads with people making mocking comments!
And, she won. She won. The enthusiasm, the purity, the strength, the focus of her message hit the right spot. When people have become numb and indifferent to long stretches of injustice, it is radical, fearless, and bluntly honest messages which can deliver radical changes in attitude. That was my inspiration from Ingrid Betancourt.
The book mentions several other remarkable instances, almost like a thriller story. The politicians that Betancourt tried to label as corrupt, used it against her. Press, public opinion, threats were all used against her. As a mother with young children and amongst the thin minority in a corrupt political class, Betancourt was frustrated. These are critical moments of individual test, when there is a thin line between perseverance and resignation.
Betancourt went on national media and spoke with such straightforwardness that surprised -- almost offended -- people. And that helped her shake the conscience of a nation that had become hopeless with its politicians.
It is a story of hope, courage and conviction. Ingrid Betancourt was released earlier this year as an outcome of a bloodless rescue mission, after six years in captivity. Her book is inspiring, and one hopes that she regains the conviction to finish the highest missions that she had aspired for.
Preparations in Solitude
-----
when it is a halt in a barn, discovered by chance, amidst thunderstorms and rain,
solitude can be freedom. moments of self-reflection to prepare
in anticipation of a rainbow across the distant horizon -- an arc which will lead to a slowly rising sun
rays from the window will pierce in to the barn
once again, a new season of life!
4pm Thurs, Sept 11, 2008.
------
I have been doing some reading lately. Finished reading Victor Frankl's 'Man's Search for Meaning'. It is a great book in which the author describes, through personal experiences in a concentration camp in Auschwitz, how the presence of meaning in life can help man go through virtually any hardship. A very inspiring and insightful read.
Also read Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope', which I liked for its sincerity in the last 2 chapters on international affairs and family, respectively.
Now reading: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond, Until Death do us Part by Ingrid Betancourt Next on the list: Three cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Relin, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, and more...
Big Russ and Me
I just finished reading Tim Russert's book "Big Russ and Me". The book is full of anecdotes from daily life, focusing on the lessons Tim Russert learned from his father, whom he calls 'Big Russ'.
Russert has been one of the finest journalists on American Television, and was known for his ability to translate complex policy formulation in to a language that the common man could understand.
In this book, Russert recounts his school days, the influence of his teachers, the inspiration from seeing his father work two jobs to ensure his kids could go to school, the love of parents, the feeling of intimacy in a small town, joys of simple living and the ethic of discipline. The book is inspiring because so many of these stories and incidents are the stuff that most of us can relate to, through direct experience. Tim Russert did a fine job putting them in to words.
Amongst the lessons from the book that I can recall off-the-top of my head, are:
1. Smile and confidently greet people when meeting them, especially for the first time. 2. Channel extra energy constructively. 3. Be mindful of the effects of your actions on others, and make sure you have a positive impact. 4. Have fun, food and frolic in life. 5. Try to think out-of-the-box; I translate it to myself thus: retain your common-sense, under all circumstances. 6. There is much beyond education that constitutes learning and ability. 7. Work with people who inspire you. 8. Set high standards for yourself, and be disciplined. 9. Things are never perfect; objective optimism is a good policy. 10. When you screw something up, own it and apologize.
Of course, there's much more.... and anecdotes are always interesting to read. Overall, a very good book -- one that I'd definitely recommend my younger brother to read.
Quarter-life Crisis!
When you can't put enough candles on one cake!
... you can use 4 little Champagne bottles upon Strawberries!
I feel so grateful for another wonderful year. Lots of excitement, lots of lessons, and lots to look forward to.
I am yet again reminded of Frost's magical words:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep...
Randy Pausch -- a Tribute
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and given only 3 months to live. Randy Pausch - the smart and popular computer-science Professor at CMU - did not resign and spend all his time crying.
Instead, he chose to rise up to the occasion and delivered the famous "Last Lecture". In it, he summarized his lessons on life. He said it was important to speak the truth, to care about the few things that matter (and not the so many that don't), and to give. For me, these lessons were very special as I was in the midst of addressing some challenges which needed just the kind of perspective that Prof. Pausch had shared in his words.
I again read about Randy Pausch's reflections in his book "The Last Lecture" in which he had shared his outlook to life. He described joys of creative freedom through real experiences from his life -- how, as a young boy, he enjoyed scribbling equations and drawing rockets on his room's walls, how he encouraged his niece and nephew to feel free about spilling stuff on his new car, how he became a Disney Imagineer.
Randy Pausch called his tryst with pancreatic cancer "an adventure" whose record he kept on his day-to-day update page. To all of us fellow mortals, life itself can appear hard sometimes, so it is inspiring to see someone who stands up so cheerfully even in the face of apparent despair.
Prof. Pausch died last morning of complications from Pancreatic Cancer. And yet, in a very significant way, he continues to live on and inspire...
The Dark Knight
An amazing movie. A perfect conclusion to a Saturday night. (This post will be short and without spoilers).
I was amazed by the contrast of characters displayed. Batman -- a person of morals, a crime vigilante -- had his vulnerable humane side brought out from his tryst with personal tragedy.
On the opposite side of the moral spectrum was a superb performance by Heath Ledger. He plays the joker - a nameless character that perfects itself in displaying the culmination of evil, ego and schizophrenia. The clown does all he can to gather huge money, only to burn it. He plays prisoner's dilemma on two boats with bombs on them - people on each boat can detonate the bombs on the other - trying to prove that at the deepest core, a human is corrupted.
There are many calls to honor Ledger's extra-ordinary performance with a posthumous Oscar. (The Australian star died earlier this year in his New York apartment). I agree that Ledger's performance was certainly the most remarkable one in this film.
I am not going to do a critique here, but go watch this movie if you haven't already. No wonder it has already broken the record of Spider-man 3 for the best opening weekend ever! (The Dark Knight generated $155.34 million).
P.S. - Did anyone else think that Maggie Gyllenhaal looked slightly old and wrinkled?
NOT NECESSARILY GENIUS: Reflections on Leadership from the Wharton Leadership Conference
Leadership is not necessarily about smartness or genius or some other specific trait. That’s not only what I heard from speakers at the 12th Annual Wharton Leadership Conference on June 18, but what I observed as each speaker – a leader in his or her own right – displayed unique insights and styles. That people with different talents and abilities can be great leaders is an inspiring thought for those of us who underestimate our own ability to lead. Many of us suffer from the misconception that leadership requires superhuman talents. In fact, as I learned at the conference, the best leaders are often the most humane.
I was touched by the humility of Colleen Barrett, president of Southwest Airlines, who attributed her strength to her exuberant love for people and an emotional connection to her work. “We like people who take the business very seriously, but not themselves very seriously,” was how she summed up the culture in her company.
S.A. Ibrahim, CEO of the credit-risk management firm Radian Group, seemed to share a similar sense of passion for his work when he said, “You could do seemingly impossible things if you assumed that you had no choice but to do them.” At a personal level, I understood this statement as a deep commitment to excellence, where no half-hearted effort is considered satisfying. Ibrahim recalled at time when his company was forced to work with limited choices, and he told his employees: “Just because [our competitors] have the same paint brush and paper does not mean they can paint as well as us. We’re in the business of painting masterpieces.”
William Weldon, CEO and director of the board of Johnson & Johnson, highlighted the importance of flexibility in moving employees around so that they can find the place where they best learn and grow. In continuation of an idea mentioned earlier in the conference, he said that a leader doesn’t think of his task as being about him or her, but about the success of the larger group.
Amidst multiple challenges and external forces, however, a leader can easily lose touch with the larger perspectives of life. Wharton professor Stew Friedman, author of the new book Total Leadership, argued that each individual is a leader, charged with the task of identifying values and priorities and then aligning actions to reach those goals. Friedman advised individuals to take the sometimes difficult step of sitting down with important “stakeholders” in one’s life – whether co-workers, bosses or family members – to understand their expectations of one’s performance. The result, he said, is often surprising: We tend to expect more from ourselves than other people do, said Friedman. Having a clear and realistic sense of others’ expectations, then, can help focus our personal and professional lives.
New York Times business columnist Joe Nocera argued that a good leader cannot afford to be unreasonable and irritable, especially when working with bright people who have other opportunities. Citing several examples (and using some colorful language about Apple CEO Steve Jobs in particular), he read passages from his new book, Good Guys and Bad Guys, to make the point that leaders depend for their success on support from those who work for them.
Peter Cappelli, director of Wharton’s Center for Human Resources, asked the audience to think about their best developmental experience and whether or not it took place as part of a training course. Surprisingly for the audience – though perhaps not for Cappelli – most people’s most defining moments did not come as the result of a pre-planned course of action; rather, it happened on the fly, as a result of circumstance or chance. Cappelli encouraged leaders to create similar learning circumstances, and, sharing research from his new book, Talent on Demand, he showed how on-the-job training makes more strategic sense than formal coursework for companies in an era of high employee turnover.
Echoing this theme, Ken Chenault, CEO of American Express, explained how crisis can be a platform for constructive change. Chenault shared the story of the many challenges his company faced after 9/11 – including large layoffs – and how these painful transformations laid the groundwork for company cohesion and future financial progress. He defined leadership by paraphrasing Napolean: “A leader is someone who defines reality, and gives hope.” Chenault encouraged every person – regardless of title – to create his or her own brand of leadership based on personal core values.
Earlier in the day, former presidential adviser David Gergen shared his reflections on the leadership qualities of the US presidents. He identified leadership as a three-legged stool based on intelligence, character and ambition. A good leader’s ambition grows beyond the self to the greater good of their organization or country, he said. Gergen cautioned that intelligence alone is not sufficient for true leadership, since a critical balance of humility and toughness is required to compliment good judgment.
All these speakers, as well as questions from the audience, provided inspiration, but the words of T.S. Eliot words, quoted by speaker S. A. Ibrahim, have stayed with me: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
Many thanks to Andrea Useem for her invaluable contribution in editing this.
Childhood Games (part 1?)
Okay, this is a post about childhood -- but not about your general whining: "Oh those years were awesome, I wish I could go back!" This is a post about games. Innovative games, the kind which we seem to invent only during those 'stupid years'.
Almost everyone I know has played some unique games during their childhood. I am sure you have, too. This is a post to talk about those games... I am so excited to think and write about staapu, lukan-mitti, bante, gully cricket, langri-tang, pithu-garam and so much more... !
First, some context. Before I was 5, we used to stay with my grandparents in the walled-city of Amritsar. The houses were small and crammed -- almost one on top of the other -- which made every gully (street) an extended family of residents. Every evening, kids gathered at the intersection of two gullys. Suchi, Davinder, Cheena, Tota and I would play a series of games. It started with Staapu - a game where you threw a small pebble on to a grid drawn on the street floor with chalk, and had to reach that point on one leg. Depending upon where the stone landed and whether you could reach it on one leg, your points were determined. Once you reached the stone, you had the option to go further to increase points. I remember me collecting the finest pebbles which would not land on a plane when thrown, so that I could be the Staapu champion. However, Suchi was always better than the rest of us.
As the sun began to set for the evening, we knew our moms would soon call us back. The rush was palpable as we began a round of lukan-mitti (hide-and-seek) in the dimming light. Rules were complicated and very customized to our location. You were not allowed to go inside someone's house, but you were permitted to hide behind their main door. The boundaries of the 'hiding-range' were determined by the huge bumps on either side of the street. I always hated to be the seeker. We did pugata (three people put their palms ahead, and the one with the odd/dissimilar side of the palm up is the one out) to decide who's turn it would be. Many times, when I was the seeker, and others were hiding, I ended up never finding others even until mom came to fetch me home later in the evening.
Wow... it is amazing how the victories of the gully bante championship (marble game), the wrestling cards, the kites flown with hanging candles in the sky, boat races in rain water, and so much more is coming to my mind. And this looks like a long post already.
I hope to write more about this later, when writing a program and doing an experiment are not at the back of my mind. Meanwhile, feel free to share any games from your childhood (even if you play some till today, like I do) :)
A List of Inspirations to Keep
When it comes to life, I think the more important thing is not having never made mistakes, but not having repeated them.
With every step in time, there are experiences and lessons. And just as important as it is to learn things, I think the more important thing is to remember them. This blog is about some highlights of lessons and inspirations that come to mind right now. Feel free to click on the links and see if these inspire you, too!
Of course, this moment does not comprehend things in entirety or make an exhaustive list. But it feels good to keep a moment, any time!
:)
feelings, misplaced
are like snowflakes, falling upon a bonfire.
such was the magnitude of destiny, it burnt up my desire.
and yet, in a poem that sounds all morose, hope is still admired
for a flake in fire, a droplet vaporised true freedom is acquired
infinities of world and wisdom of years perspective for moments to come, acquired.
Time and the Universe
There is one question most of us ask, but do not know the answer to. Since early childhood, I have asked the same question to my parents, teachers, friends, almost everyone I know.... And yet, no clear answers.
How did the universe begin? What is the underlying principle, if there is one, that governs the evolution of the entire world?
Often, the answer was that the universe began with a 'Big Bang' - one huge mass exploded and gave rise to the universe. As I started hearing this answer more and more frequently, I learned to ask, "but what was there before the Big Bang?" Like almost everyone else, I have wondered about all the time that passed before the instant that the Big Bang happened.
Then someone said, "Time began at the instant of the Big Bang. The idea of time is abstract, and it is meaningless to ask what happened before the Big Bang."
I have had a hard time digesting it, like so many other ideas of science and our understanding.
The picture of a clock comes instantly to my mind, when I think of 'time'. Each tick measures how much time has passed. But what exactly do we mean by time?
Physicists and philosophers have related time to change. Time measures how long it takes for seasons to change, for the earth to rotate, for a train to travel, and so on...
Now, if everything in the universe stopped moving - the sun, earth, galaxies, everything came to a standstill - and no seasons changed, no wind blew, no rain fell, would there be any meaning to the idea of time?
No, and yes. Physically, nothing would change. But at a mental level, one could still think different thoughts, one after the other, giving us an idea of before and after. This sequence of thoughts, as it changes, is an indicator of time.
But what if both thoughts and the physical universe paused? Would time pass?
Clocks still. Thoughts still.
I find the idea of time beautiful. It is one of those things that directly connects physical motion to thoughts in a conscience.
From an Old Paper Napkin
____
bubble in air, and a thorn near the rose.
i don't know - in your love - when i would burst.
____
2 am 20.04.2008
p.s. - i should put up a picture of the napkins some day
Art and Science
Many say that science and art are totally different.
Books, movies and images are figments of imagination and creativity, that have an extra-ordinary power to take you to a different dimension. They somehow make life look so much deep and complex and beautiful than one might notice in day-to-day chores. How movies inspire ideas of what love can be, how poetry explores emotions, and stories give new perspectives to everyday reality!
And it is very similar with physics. We notice patterns... give them words, and then try to relate everyday reality's depth to those patterns. How everything is like a wave, how white light is seven colours of a rainbow, how ice and water and steam are the same thing...
Art, and Science.. ? I think they share something common at their very essence, just like ice and water.
Raindrops at Night
night music raindrops fall - each droplet is lit by distant streetlights
a walk on the road awash with memories puddles reflect moments gone by
a splash in the eye a smile brought to life, shivers on the road and music in the mind
in a corner of my heart, as I shield a thought, the thunder roars from distant clouds-
i can hide no more, once that was bound... as the cosmos vibrates with the same sound...
night music raindrops fall - each droplet is lit by distant streetlights
27 April, 2008
Friday Night in the Lab
I didn't think it would work. But yesterday, my device did. The transistor showed the currents I'd wanted to see... And today, I can talk to this instrument from my computer. Took long, but I am learning the language...
No, nothing extra-ordinary. Even simple tasks please.
Eating lesser, running, and working harder seem to make the mind sharper. It is good to feel tired...
no need to read
darkness even the hope in hand was coal
life is all, but just.
Stuck
words, lost, in another galaxy.
oceans, dried, to sun-baked floors.
volcanoes, emptied like a morning's dream.
the throat cannot be cleared
the breath, still inside.
a poem's stuck in the soul.
4 April, 2008
Sometimes you want to write, but just can't. And it's been ages since Ifelt I wrote a poem.
Basics from Childhood
I remember how, when I was little, I would think adults were very silly. They would argue endlessly about small things like "Which color of curtains would match the walls most?" , or "Should we invite X and Y together or separately for dinner?" Sometimes, they would spend hours deciding which shirt would go better with their pants... And I remember thinking: 'When I would grow up, I wouldn't waste even a moment my time on such useless matters.'
Amongst the few people that I thought were sensible, were my grandparents. They were also the amongst the few who listened to what I said, very respectfully. They would narrate stories, and listen to how I felt about them. Whether the fairy should have helped the farmer or not, was just as important to Beeji as it was to me.
During these years, Punjab witnessed the turbulence of militancy. Various arguments and incidents - often hidden from the awareness of children - triggered conflict. We (kids) would know whenever there was a curfew in the city, because Beeji would latch all doors and windows, and everyone would stay at home, like on a Sunday. So we would be really excited to hear that there's a curfew, just because everyone would stay home and play with us!
But whenever I would hear conversations of 'grown-ups' or a snippets on Doordarshan news, I would be surprised to hear that people were killing each other because of religions. Beeji had always told us: "All people in the world are alike. There is one God, and all He wants is that each of us do good things." And I understood it. But why were the adults having such a hard time to follow it? If only, they asked one of us kids...
I was in grade 1 when I grew really fond of watching movies. We had bought a new VCR - they were not so common those days - and I watched Chaandni and Maine Pyaar Kiya infinite times. The comedy and fighting was entertaining. As more and more love stories became the central theme of movies, I developed my ideas of the concept of love. You were supposed to fall in love with someone, and then spend the rest of your life with them in the joy and happiness. It was so simple.
This morning, while looking at the reflection of the wall in the mirror, I noticed a small mark on the glass. I started wiping it with a damp cloth, but the mark would not go. Only after a few minutes of effort did I realize that I had been cleaning the image of the actual mark, which was on the opposite wall. The reflection made me miss the real.
Have I grown up, the same way?
Resolutions
Small and simple:
1. Be in office by 9.
2. Cook food at least twice every week.
3. Read news only once during the day, preferably in the evening.
4. Start saving a little for travel.
5. Write every day, and more frequently, on the blog.
6. Read a good book, a-little-a-day
Remind me if I miss. Actually, punish me!
A Few Good Men (at the Wharton India Economic Forum)
I have often wondered what success is. Like many others, I have also thought about what matters most in life. This event brought the opportunity to interact with some very interesting and inspirational people.
We were at the desk for AID - Association for India's Development. Speaking on one of the panels was Ravi Kuchimanchi, the founder of AID. For those who do not know, the tale of the film `Swadesh` is inspired by the story of Ravi Kuchimanchi and Aravinda Pillalamarri, the NRI couple. They returned to India and developed the pedal power generator to light remote, off-the-grid village schools. Ravi graduated from UMD with a PhD in Physics, produced significant research publications, and is now working at the grassroots with India's poor in the villages. After speaking on the panel, he stood with us on the table, chatted about the daily struggles of rural India. How almost every woman spends hours collecting wood and straw, inhaling the smoke from burning it... all to cook a pot of rice! One of the things Ravi was excited about was a "haybox" they had made, which made it possible for food to be kept warm for 8 hours, without having to burn any wood or straw to produce heat. The 'fireless cooking' saves time and energy for so many women, for whom hot-boxes were a luxury they couldn't afford. Ravi also showed us a video of the reaction of women when they first saw the 'haybox' work. 'Thrilled' would be an understatement of that sentiment. I must mention that what struck me was that their daily struggles are efforts to obtain hundreds of those things which we take for granted, as our 'basic rights'. One man has to walk miles to sell a few vegetables so he can buy some kerosene for his family, while another clicks a key on the computer to pay an electricity bill. The inequalities in the world couldn't be clearer for observation...
I also enjoyed listening to Vikram Akula, Shanta Devarajan, and Vinod Dham.
They keynote speaker was former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Hearing Kalam brought to life the words I had once read in his book 'Wings of Fire'. Dr. Kalam has an almost child-like quality to him - the sometimes-embarrassing honesty, the ability to smile and and laugh upon himself. When the audience stood up and clapped to welcome him, he came to the stage and started clapping himself. He spoke about leadership, the importance of values, and making India a developed nation by 2020. After his speech, someone in the audience pointed out to Dr. Kalam "Your vision to try and make India a developed nation is laudable. But even if we had your optimistic version of 10% annual growth, one must be mindful of the 40% population that lives on less than a dollar-a-day. The average income might rise to 3 dollars, but even that.... " Dr. Kalam smiled, and then paused to say "First of all, this dollar is very different in different places. What one dollar can buy here, is much less than what a dollar can buy in my country. And yes, it is always possible be skeptical and have doubts. But goals are not achieved that way. Goals are attained with strong efforts and faith." The audience burst in to an applause.
Do I have an answer to my questions? Not yet. Do I have some lessons and insights? Yes.
Sky and Skylines: A panorama sans tripod
NYC at twilight can be an interesting view. Click-n-move to explore the picture below from left to right. It is a 180-degree view made from 12 pictures. Remember, click-n-move simultaneously after placing your mouse over the picture.
This might take a little time to load, so please be patient. There wasn't a tripod in hands to balance, but I am happy with what could be managed. If you have trouble viewing, download Quicktime
