Blame the Brits for the mess they left on India’s borders. But 64 years after India became independent we have wonder what our own government has been doing all this time. If we’re going to seek a permanent UN Security Council seat then it is high time India moved to get off the fence – literally and figuratively.

The Economist has an interesting article ‘The land that maps forgot’:

EVER since Bangladesh achieved its independence in 1971, struggles over territory and terrorism, rather than the exchange of goods and goodwill, have dominated its relations with its mega-neighbour. Forty years on, both countries appear to be nearing an agreement to solve the insoluble—by swapping territory.

The planned exchange of parcels of each other’s territory is concentrated around some 200 enclaves. These are like islands of Indian and Bangladeshi territory surrounded completely by the other country’s land, clustered on either side of Bangladesh’s border with the district of Cooch Behar, in the Indian state of West Bengal. Surreally, these include about two dozen counter-enclaves (enclaves within enclaves), as well as the world’s only counter-counter enclave—a patch of Bangladesh that is surrounded by Indian territory…itself surrounded by Bangladeshi territory.

Via Economist: The Land That Maps Forgot

Every year the Academy sets expectations for the awards show that they don’t meet. Predictably the next day’s coverage involves listing all of them – from the dresses to the speeches to where on the boring scale the show lands compared to previous years. We’re going to skip all that and list the moments we loved.

Starting with Anne Hathaway. Her joy and humility over being honored with hosting was infectious. Every one of her wardrobe changes was treat to watch. Billy Chrystal was back in the role he was born to play, and with Bob Hope brought some of the funniest lines of the night. Damn it! Why can’t Chrystal just do the show every year?

Natalie Portman’s acceptance speech was heartfelt, Colin Firth’s was a class act. Christian Bale choking over thanking his wife was a touching moment, as was Tom Hooper’s crediting his mother with discovering ‘The Kings’s Speech’ script. Randy Newman made us smile. Luke Matheny’s youthful exuberance was a reminder that awards matter and we should really take a moment to appreciate what they mean to a young career. Aaron Sorkin delivered the most concise and sharp speech. Charles Ferguson delivered the well-timed political dig of the night. But David Seidler’s hit all the right notes and won our admiration for the best acceptance speech of the night.

Celine Dion’s rendition of ‘Smile’ during the ‘In Memoriam’ section made us cry. Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock speaking directly to the nominees about their roles was perfect in tone and purpose. They should really do this more often.

Proof you can upstage the young uns’ at 94, Kirk Douglas having a little fun at the expense of  best-supporting actress nominees’ nerves was brilliant. And it provided Melissa Leo her only redeeming and unstaged moment of the night – genuflecting before him.

Steven Spielberg reminded the night’s Best Picture nominees of the great films that never won the award. Films that have withstood the test of time without the help of the 13.5″, 8.5lbs golden fellow called Oscar.

If they can’t bring Chrystal back next year, we vote for Sandra Bullock and Alec Baldwin to host, supported by the talented and gorgeous Hathaway.

The full list of winners is here.

Poor guy on the Delhi-Mumbai Indigo flight 6E 179. Imagine the trauma he must face having to live in a world where women can do more things than cook, clean, and walk around barefoot and pregnant!

“The man first started grumbling to co-passengers, ‘Marna hai kya? Ghar nahi sambhalta, plane kya sambhalegi?’ (I don’t want to die! She can’t take care of the house, how will she take care of a plan (sic)?)

Here’s hoping the safe landing in Mumbai might change the fellow’s mind.

In the end the movie did more for Zuckerberg’s popularity than anyone expected.

Interesting interview to revisit in the lead up to the Oscars.

In honor of Palin’s visit to India next month, here’s a view into her thoughts on the region.

Seeing as how simple and easy her solution for India and Pakistan is, you’d think she wouldn’t waste a trip halfway around the world to discuss her ‘Vision For America.’