Remembering Calvin and Hobbes

Published July 26, 2014 / by Jehangir

Calvin and Hobbes was a popular comic strip by Bill Watterson relating the escapades of Calvin, a compulsive daydreamer, and Hobbes – his semi-sentient stuffed tiger. For anyone else Hobbes is just an inanimate toy but from Calvin's perspective he is very much alive and pouncing !

In the strip which was syndicated daily from 1985 to 1995, Bill Watterson ridiculed the increasingly materialistic nature of society from the six-year-old Calvin's point of view. At the height of it's popularity the strip featured in more than 2000 newspapers worldwide before the notoriously reclusive Watterson hung up his crayons for good in 1995. 30 million copies of 18 Calvin and Hobbes book compilations have also been published.

Calvin's cynicism and the smart-alecky Hobbes' penchant for getting him into trouble
(despite being infinitely more worldly-wise) provided just as much enjoyment as my childhood favourites – the 'Just William' books by Richmal Crompton.

Some samples of wisdom from the strip:

Disclaimer:

The copyright of images used in this post rest solely with the copyright holders. They have been used here under the fair use doctrine solely to express my admiration of the art of Bill Watterson.

Of Bullets, Books and Bradbury

Published June 27, 2014 / by Jehangir

Fahrenheit

'Fahrenheit 451' is a 1953 dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury describing a future society that 'does not read books, enjoy nature, spend time alone, think independently or have meaningful conversations'.

Does that sound familiar?

In an earlier post I observed, nay lamented, our ebbing love of books and the fact that very few people seemed to be interested in a rare book fair in Srinagar.

That disappointment was nothing compared to today's shocker:

Sign

I kid you not. I bought one kilogram of classics for Khurram who seems to have inherited my addiction to the printed word.

Classics

Some years ago India Today frontpaged an article about the semi-legendary weapons market of Darra Adam Khel in NWFP Pakistan where bullets were sold by weight in pickle jars.

Bullets back then and books by the kilogram today – I wonder what Ray Bradbury would make of it?

P.S: The book stall is part of an ongoing trade fair at the Sangarmaal complex. Just be sure to invite a friend who's into weightlifting.

The Beautiful Game

Published June 13, 2014 / by Jehangir

Picture yourself lying sprawled on the ground with your chest heaving, heart thumping, lungs screaming for air and your muscles afire. The only emotion you can feel is pure unadulterated bliss.

That sweet mix of pain and joy can only mean one thing – you have just scored a goal !!!!

It is the second greatest feeling in the world and now you are hopelessly addicted to the Beautiful Game.

Football or Soccer in its purest form is simplicity itself. There is a ball at your feet and your natural instinct is to kick it. Like this:

The Best Goal ever:

And its carbon copy:

The Best Header ever:

The Best Free Kick ever:

Almost as good:

The Best Save ever:

The Most Amazing Play ever:

The Most Ridiculous Play ever:

The Best Team Goal ever:

The Best Team ever:

Update:

The Best Penalty ever:

The Worst Penalty ever:

Bonus:

The Best Goal Celebrations ever:

P.S

Just for the record:

Maradona > Pele
Messi is the best footballer ever.

And finally, a timeless quote from Bill Shankly.

Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude.
I can assure you it is much, much more important than that'.

Bonus 2:
The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom.
~ Danny Blanchflower