Our cover girl this week is Aruni who models |
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by chunky monky
Diana, Diana, Diana……..it's Tuesday and the Chunk is filing his usualbalderdash, and he's gambling that by the time you, dear reader, ispicking up his fresh new copy of the Sunday Times this morning, you willbe thoroughly sick of Diana and all things related. But even this oldhack can't resist putting his two cents worth in - not about the blondicon whose merchandising rights will now be bigger than those of MarilynMonroe, Jimi Hendryx and James Dean combined. No, what was fascinatingto watch on that black Sunday was the way the global media reacted.After repeating themselves for three hours, they did what they always doand turned to print media reporters for comment.
After interviewing everyone from The International Herald Tribune to the Mongolian SheepHerder's Weekly, they grew extremely desperate and startedcannibalising themselves. In other words, you had the extremely strangesituation of CNN running a report on how BBC reported the story to theworld . In effect , we were actually watching BBC on CNN at one point.Twisted, this is a twisted world we live in. But God bless the poorducky, despite being an ace media manipulator , she did do some goodwork with her charities and let's hope that the worldwide ban onlandmines that she was fighting for will come into effect as a result ofher death. It would do a tonne of good…………………
To middle class Colombo'snewest hangout , the Delimarket last Monday with Guitar Sam, Choirboy,The T-Shirt Twister and the Old Pervert. The place has really caught theeye (and the wallet) of families who wish to have an inexpensive meal innice surroundings, with a variety of cuisines. …….
Feeling in the moodfor a challenge last Saturday , the Chunk accompanied by Pere and MereChunk decided to brave the insane scrum that is Majestic City on theweekend and take in "Blendings" the film that is currently playing atthe cinema there. It tells the tale of three families in the hillcountry of Sri Lanka during the 1800's - a British planter and his ladywife, an educated Sinhala middle class family and a dirt poor Tamilfamily of Indian descent who work in the tea plantations. Interlinked byall manner of exciting challenges ( cholera, leopards, race riots,burning linerooms, bankruptcy ……yes, all in the same film) they strugglethrough the turmoil that was Sri Lanka at the time. The end of an empireand the beginning of a nation……but with an applaudable message oftolerance , racial diversity and love that conquers all.
Ambitious ofthe creators to attempt a film in all three languages, and it works forthe most part, except for Jon Adams insistence on speaking execrableTamil which had the entire audience in stitches. Augmented by hispenchant for cavorting in the lake in a ludicrous pair of bloomers. Mohan Niyaz's direction owes a little too much to the Sinhala teledramaschool , which calls for mindnumbingly long reaction shots from everysingle person on screen every time something happens. But Sabitha isradiant, the supporting cast is strong and the score by HarshaMarkalande is noteworthy…….Then later on, in complete contrast, theChunk rocketed over to Rock Saturday's second birthday party at the NCCgrounds, where a record crowd of a 1200 people were partying likeanimals - much to the chagrin of the further 500 who were queueingoutside, desperate to get in. At certain points, the vibration from thecrowd's stomping got so bad that the DJ's were actually seen holding theCD console in their hands to prevent the discs from skipping. Anunexpected powercut also put the damper on things but recovery was swiftand the crowd was soon slam dancing again.
The Chunk was at the veryfirst Rock and no doubt he will be at the last - congratulations andhappy birthday. But let me sound a note of caution here. With theproliferation of such one night events around Colombo, it is vitallyimportant that proper security facilities be implemented. My researchindicates that there are maximum, only thirty security guards at eventslike this - frequently even fewer. My experience is that they areusually not equipped with contingency plans, walkie talkies, first aidexperience and crowd control strategies. Unless serious steps aretaken, the Chunk worries that something tragic is going to happen at oneof these events and bring them into disrepute.
Now I've said my pieyce, Iwill fade into the woodwork and let you enjoy the rest of your day .Toodle-oo……
My dear daughter,
Yesterday Neela was here, complaining loudly that today no-one ever bothers to say a 'thank you' for a favour given. Listening to her tirade, I wondered what has happened to us for as a people were we not known for our good manners? It appears that none are keen to acknowledge whatever little assistance another gives. What Neela said was true, in shops seldom a 'thank you' is said even though the shop girl pulls down bales of cloth for us just to look at and often reject. Just imagine the weariness she would be feeling. A 'thank you' could show her we appreciate the work she does.
Perhaps it is the rush of the materialistic world we live in that makes many of us forget basic good manners or could it be, I wonder, the fact that we are so concerned with the 'I' and the 'we' that we have no thought, to admit that someone else has been of help to us.
In a way daughter, I think it is we adults who are to blame if the young are rude and uncaring. We seldom bother teaching our children that they should say 'thank you' for the many things others do to make their lives happier and better. How seldom do we hear a parent teaching a child at the end of the year to say 'thank you' to his class teacher. I have been shocked to hear some times parents say why should we thank so and so, he is being paid to do the job. Paid to do a job is one thing, saying thank you is quite another - It is to show our appreciation for some service done - A simple 'thank you' can transform anothers life - feel they are appreciated, lighten their work load and give meaning to a day that perhaps seems mundane and worthless. Daughter I hope you will never forget to thank the many people who make life just that little bit easier by what they do for you.
Ammi.
Continue to Mirror Magazine page 2 * Hilton all set for tenth year celebrations * Vibes from the tribemakers
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