Around the 1994-95 time frame, the WWE was a huge hit in India. Actually it was huge slightly before that too, but that was about the time that we got cable TV in our house. I wasn't a huge fan of the wrestling madness, but it was good popcorn entertainment. And since my brother was a fanatic, it was good fun for me to ridicule his favorites. The older brother in me had more fun in the latter. But there was one guy, that I liked. In that madness Bret "Hitman" Hart was probably the one gentleman. Those days, we used to have these WWF trump cards. Yeah, that long ago, it was called WWF, before the animal rights guys sued them. Bret was ranked #2 in the system (behind Hulk Hogan, who apparently had retired by then). That he was never tops in category (height, weight, biceps, chest .. something else .. T1, refresh my memory here) and yet was #2 behind a guy that was retired (according to the guys whose elder brothers saw it in the US and told them over the phone.. yeah yeah they told me) shows how good he was.
And then one day, he disappeared.
Since I was never a big follower, I assumed he retired like the Hulkster. Forgot about him totally. Till this article in the Sports Illustrated refreshed my mind. Sad story. Proof to the naysayers that the WWE is rigged. (Like there were any!!)I almost felt like telling the guy to do a Satyanarayan Pooja in his house. (Sit through the Mahakatha and you'll know what I am talking about)
Side Note: All those wrestlers from our time. It felt wierd to read their real names. Michael Shawn Hickenbottom. Imagine that!!!
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Paradox Srichapan?
So, if the public opinion does not want a democratic system, is that democratic?
On a side note, notice how India doesn't have any problems with democracy. In spite of what the educated elite say ('this country needs a dictatorship'), it's one of the few things run by the Central Government that seem to be working.
On a side note, notice how India doesn't have any problems with democracy. In spite of what the educated elite say ('this country needs a dictatorship'), it's one of the few things run by the Central Government that seem to be working.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Miyan Biwi Razi - Taang adaye Kazi
Guess the old adage is quite true. Common Sense is not so common after all. Another of my "Ghor Kalyug" series
National Pornographic???
Ram Ram Ram.. Ghor Kalyug!!!
Going through this article, I found the phrase "porn scholar" most hilarious. I used to have friends who could get emiritus status in such a course!!!
Going through this article, I found the phrase "porn scholar" most hilarious. I used to have friends who could get emiritus status in such a course!!!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Why the United States Supports the State of Israel
For a long time, I have been wondering what it is that has the US supporting Israel for everything that it does. It never made sense to me that one country will support everything that another country does and has even stated it is against anyone who is against Israel. Growing up in India, we were always taught that it was the Jewish dominance in American bureaucracy that has this thinking running. Turns out, it all boils down to one simple reason -- OIL.
The problem with oil is that we are all so dependent on in it. In time, we have become so addicted to it, the investment required to change to a system that does not run on oil is so massive, that no country in the world can afford it. It's probably cheaper to wage wars against countries to protect their oil interests than convert.
On a side note: Notice how there are people in this world, who think so much? I was browsing PINR.com , and found geo-politics to be very fascinating. I was amazed as to how, the tiniest of incidents can cause a butterfly effect. Isn't information liberating?
The problem with oil is that we are all so dependent on in it. In time, we have become so addicted to it, the investment required to change to a system that does not run on oil is so massive, that no country in the world can afford it. It's probably cheaper to wage wars against countries to protect their oil interests than convert.
On a side note: Notice how there are people in this world, who think so much? I was browsing PINR.com , and found geo-politics to be very fascinating. I was amazed as to how, the tiniest of incidents can cause a butterfly effect. Isn't information liberating?
Land of (legal) immigrants?
The United States is a nation of immigrants. Be it St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Yom Kippur, or Thanksgiving, every politico worth his/her legislative seat makes it a point while addressing the respective audiences to emphasize on this factor. You hear it probably every second week on TV from crappy social "experts" when discussing a social problem. But slowly and steadily, illegal immigration is starting to be an election issue in many states. Apparently, some senator from Arizona, is proposing a legislation to force illegal immigrants to go back to their country of origin after 5 years of being in the U.S. Hundreds of thousands of these "illegal" immigrants have taken to the streets to protest the proposed legislation. I don't know if it is true, but I heard somewhere that a lot of the people who did not attend work on Friday in protest, got their inspiration from an HBO movie called "Walkout" that was telecast sometime this week.
Having lived in California for 4 years, I know that it would be well nigh impossible for the state to function properly without these illegal immigrants. I haven't seen as many in Iowa / Illinois, but I hear from the locals here that it is soon rising. In short, illegal immigration is rising everywhere. Since it is illegal by definition, the authorities have to do something about it. But personally, I don't see this legislation being the solution.
For one, why wait for 5 years? Are they somehow legal for 4 years and 364 days, and turn illegal overnight? To me, this is an admission that the immigration will not stop, and so any illegal immigrant who works for dirt cheap can easily be replaced by another who will work for dirt cheap. Big Business (who needs the cheap labour) can therefore maintain their bottom line, the politician can get credit for doing something about the immigration issue , people who vote are happy that somebody did something and things will go on as usual. So basically, the problem will not be solved but will give the illusion of being so.
Truthiness at its legislative best.
While we are on this topic, can I suggest that the first puritans on the Mayflower also came to this country illegally? What about the first Italians or the Irish? I doubt they came here with due papers. What about the Chinese who created the various Chinatowns in the US? You think all those trafficked humans were all legal? Why pick on the poor Hispanics? Come to think of it, the only people who came here "legally" were the African-Americans. Slavery was legal then.
Having lived in California for 4 years, I know that it would be well nigh impossible for the state to function properly without these illegal immigrants. I haven't seen as many in Iowa / Illinois, but I hear from the locals here that it is soon rising. In short, illegal immigration is rising everywhere. Since it is illegal by definition, the authorities have to do something about it. But personally, I don't see this legislation being the solution.
For one, why wait for 5 years? Are they somehow legal for 4 years and 364 days, and turn illegal overnight? To me, this is an admission that the immigration will not stop, and so any illegal immigrant who works for dirt cheap can easily be replaced by another who will work for dirt cheap. Big Business (who needs the cheap labour) can therefore maintain their bottom line, the politician can get credit for doing something about the immigration issue , people who vote are happy that somebody did something and things will go on as usual. So basically, the problem will not be solved but will give the illusion of being so.
Truthiness at its legislative best.
While we are on this topic, can I suggest that the first puritans on the Mayflower also came to this country illegally? What about the first Italians or the Irish? I doubt they came here with due papers. What about the Chinese who created the various Chinatowns in the US? You think all those trafficked humans were all legal? Why pick on the poor Hispanics? Come to think of it, the only people who came here "legally" were the African-Americans. Slavery was legal then.
Andy Sullivan
Andy Sullivan's blog. I like this guy, though I never particularly liked his politics. What I like about this guy is that he is articulate, likes both sides of the story, and for a change, publishes criticisms as often as praises.
What I like about him the most though(almost jealous),is that his day job seems to be sit with a laptop and surf the internet. Wow!!!
What I like about him the most though(almost jealous),is that his day job seems to be sit with a laptop and surf the internet. Wow!!!
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Farewell, old friend.
"Hey, anyone among you wants to go to this outlet mall in Gilroy? I've heard it's really good, and it's just 20 minutes away"
So, I met Sidhant Jhaver. Turns out I was the only lukhkha. So I ventured to go with him. It was possibly my 3rd or 4th day in the US. So I didn't have much knowledge of things around. I had about an hour or so to spare. So we headed out in search of Gilroy. And thus, I made my first friend from my batch at Stanford.
Turned out that Gilroy was 60 miles away from Stanford. So it took us about an hour just to get there, but with Sid he always made it sound like it was just around the corner. He had this ability to get you to do things for him. He could charm you out of your lunch, if he wanted to. (trust me, to a graduate student, that is quite an achievement). He once went to India without his I-20 and got back without a problem. "You think I am a fool to come into the US, without an I-20? I just forgot to take it along". To cut a long story short, somehow the customs guy bought it. When he graduated, he went to India on a whim, and came back 2-3 months later. Minor problem, he did not have his OPT papers valid. So he could not enter the US legally. I don't know how he got in, but I know that he did. So I guess he charmed another customs official. He could get you to go grocery shopping at 2 in the morning (It helped that he had the only car in the group). He had us FOB's convinced that Jamba Juice was actually pronounced "Hamba Juice", 'coz it's Mexican, and that's how mexicans say, bugger!!!'
After he was done with his Masters, he moved back to India to help his family business. We hardly kept in touch, since we were both busy with our work. He attended my wedding ceremony and that was the last I saw him. Since he was from Chennai, I mailed him asking him if the tsunami caused any havoc. He wrote back he was fine, but a couple of his employees were killed. That was the last I heard from him. Turns out it was the last most of our friends heard from him. We spoke a lot about him, regaled ourselves with stories from our Stanford days and were often wondering how he was doing.
Turns out it will be the last we will ever hear from him.
Gaurav called last night. Sidhant Jhaver was in an accident last May and was killed. I have been in shock all day. I woke up this morning, thinking it was all a dream, and honestly I cannot believe it. I feel guilty. I feel guilty for all the happy occasions in my life since last year. I feel guilty for not being there. I feel guilty for not knowing for almost a year
I am sorry, Sid.
Nobody knows where you are, how near or how far.Shine on you crazy diamond.
Pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
And we'll bask in the shadow of yesterday's triumph,
sail on the steel breeze.
Come on you boy child, you winner and loser,
come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine
- Pink Floyd (Wish you were here - VI-IX)
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Funny story
A blonde went to a doctor. "I really need to lose weight, Doc!". "Well, tell you what", the doctor said, "Walk 5 kms a day and call me in a year about how it goes".
A year later, the phone rang. "It really worked, Doc" the blonde called in to say "But there's a slight problem. I am a little lost, and I am 1500 kms from home!!!"
Why did I think of this crappy 7th std. joke? Well, read this.
A year later, the phone rang. "It really worked, Doc" the blonde called in to say "But there's a slight problem. I am a little lost, and I am 1500 kms from home!!!"
Why did I think of this crappy 7th std. joke? Well, read this.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Sach is Life
There are somethings you cannot imagine will ever happen. 10 years ago, I doubt you could say that more people would want to stay in India than move to the US. At this time, 10 years ago, I doubt you would say that Amitabh Bachchan would be the biggest draw at the Indian box office. And, there's no way in hell you would imagine that Sachin Tendulkar would be booed in an Indian stadium. Not just any stadium, but his home, his backyard, his bastion. The Wankhede
The fact is that he is going through a bad patch in test cricket. The elbow injury was potentially career threatening and the theory is that he has not fully recovered. L'affaire Ganguly has shown that if he doesn't score heavily soon, he would be out of the Indian team soon. Which would be sad. I used to be a huuuuuggggggggggge fan of the man, so much so that I once told a friend that I was such a fan that if I had to choose between watching Tendulkar bat and attend my own wedding ceremony, I might prefer the cricket. I still think he has a lot to offer the Indian team especially in tests. So I would go for the following radical idea:
He should announce right here, right now that he will retire from one day internationals after the 2007 World Cup. That pretty much ensures that he will not be dropped from the ODI team at least till then, bad form or not. He has nothing to prove in ODIs and heck, the less he plays ODIs, the better he is for tests. It provides the Indian team a source of motivation. Heck, imagine what fun it would be India in the finals of the World Cup playing his favorite Aussies knowing fully well that this is his last game ever.
There's a few articles on the web, but this one probably puts the whole story in best perspective. Also puts my feelings in words. I was planning to write something on the same lines, but I got lazy and Mr. Shekhar kinda hit the nail anyway.
Hope the man comes out of this slump. I hear he is injured with a bum shoulder and will miss the ODIs against England. Somehow this test reminds me of the India-Pakistan test in Chennai (1999, was it?). 300 or thereabouts to get on the final day. An injured Tendulkar. An early wicket down.
How about one for the ages, Sach?
P.S. BTW, the friend that I said I would rather miss my wedding, ended up becoming my girlfriend. And, we ended up getting married on Boxing Day, India v. Australia. Luckily, I missed only one ball of the Man's innings.
SR Tendulkar c Gilchrist b Lee 0 (1st ball)
The fact is that he is going through a bad patch in test cricket. The elbow injury was potentially career threatening and the theory is that he has not fully recovered. L'affaire Ganguly has shown that if he doesn't score heavily soon, he would be out of the Indian team soon. Which would be sad. I used to be a huuuuuggggggggggge fan of the man, so much so that I once told a friend that I was such a fan that if I had to choose between watching Tendulkar bat and attend my own wedding ceremony, I might prefer the cricket. I still think he has a lot to offer the Indian team especially in tests. So I would go for the following radical idea:
He should announce right here, right now that he will retire from one day internationals after the 2007 World Cup. That pretty much ensures that he will not be dropped from the ODI team at least till then, bad form or not. He has nothing to prove in ODIs and heck, the less he plays ODIs, the better he is for tests. It provides the Indian team a source of motivation. Heck, imagine what fun it would be India in the finals of the World Cup playing his favorite Aussies knowing fully well that this is his last game ever.
There's a few articles on the web, but this one probably puts the whole story in best perspective. Also puts my feelings in words. I was planning to write something on the same lines, but I got lazy and Mr. Shekhar kinda hit the nail anyway.
Hope the man comes out of this slump. I hear he is injured with a bum shoulder and will miss the ODIs against England. Somehow this test reminds me of the India-Pakistan test in Chennai (1999, was it?). 300 or thereabouts to get on the final day. An injured Tendulkar. An early wicket down.
How about one for the ages, Sach?
P.S. BTW, the friend that I said I would rather miss my wedding, ended up becoming my girlfriend. And, we ended up getting married on Boxing Day, India v. Australia. Luckily, I missed only one ball of the Man's innings.
SR Tendulkar c Gilchrist b Lee 0 (1st ball)
Monday, March 20, 2006
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Sad story of a time bygone
Li Na Chi Man has come to this.. Sad.. Guess the multiplex craze has got another of its victims.
Even today my friends and I reminisce of our college days where we went for a movie every couple of days. It used to be one english movie every week (minimum). Pune in those days had only two cinema halls which showed English movies. Vijay (better known as Li Na Chi Man) would be one of them. I could literally give you a list of movies that I saw there. Lots of memories. My wife and I went there on our first date.
I guess the best time for Vijay was the 1997-98 time. And it has a lot to do with a certain Mr. James Cameron. As I mentioned, there were only two halls which showed English movies. And the other one (Alaka) had Titanic running for about a year. So the movie crazy Engineering students obviously stocked up on all the movies at Vijay. The Matrix, Toy Story, all the Brosnan Bond movies, L.A. Confidential, , a couple of Jean Claude Van Damme ones, I think about 4-5 Steven Seagal flicks. All ran to full houses. I don't remember which movie it was, but Vijay even had it's first House Full board. The board was garlanded and a ceremonial coconut was also broken. It was literally a gathering spot. You could meet old friends who had come with their friends circle. After the movie, all would head out for coffee / sugarcane juice (depending on the time of year) once you get out of the parking tangle. It's been 5 yrs since I have been to Vijay Talkies, and was shocked to see the picture in the Pune Times. From those heights, the glorious theater has fallen to these levels. Sad. Very Sad.
I think it is the duty of all engineers who graduated from Pune between 1996 and 2001 should go see Dhamaka Haseenon Ka, giving Limaye Natya Chitra Mandir a fitting send off into oblivion.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
US History in 1 page
Read this story.
Native American family signs off a contract with a "white man" in good spirit. The white man goes off to mess with the Indian culture.
Chances are the white man will win in the legal battle.
What I found most hilarious was the 250,000 demanded for the emotional distress. If they win, it will be the most profitable haircut ever.
Native American family signs off a contract with a "white man" in good spirit. The white man goes off to mess with the Indian culture.
Chances are the white man will win in the legal battle.
What I found most hilarious was the 250,000 demanded for the emotional distress. If they win, it will be the most profitable haircut ever.
Chinese Revolution: Boon or Bane?
Couple of days ago, I was in class training for some company software. The trainer was a well traveled person, who had made trips all over the world, including 15 trips or more to China. He was set to make his first trip to India (Pune, as a matter of fact) and was curious to know how India would differ from his experiences in China. I gave him a general debriefing on what to expect, and what not to do. To which he gave a very curious response. "It seems, people in India are very happy". He went on to say that he sees the downfall of the Communist government in China within the next 10-15 yrs, and a people's revolution will rise. "The Chinese people are awakening to the possibilities", he said "I don't think they will bear with the atrocities". Sitting on the shitpot today, I was reading this story and my mind went back to what he said the other day. What I also started think about was this:
Can the world afford a free China right now?
Personally, I believe in the freedom of the individual and so a society where the citizens are not allowed even basic freedoms is something I cannot tolerate at all. But we must keep one thing in mind. The world functions as it does right now, because China is ruled with an iron fist. Chinese "reforms" may not help the Chinese people, but John Smith from Louisville, KY can buy a house with a 1-acre backyard on a 0% down loan, thanks to the Chinese investment of American government bonds. China now is home to a huge chunk of American manufacturing, a lot more than India does. China runs the American (and therefore by default the world economy) and does one really want to disturb that?
Not just that, answer me this: When did the last free elections take place in China? Never, if you ask me. If the Communists fall, there will be a huge problem, simply because there is no non-communist who is ready to take the reins of government. As India has shown, it takes time for the people to learn to govern themselves. Nehru was a great leader, but I doubt you can call him a great administrator. It has taken India 50+ yrs to get to where it is, and I bet it's not even 50% there. The pan-Asian countries (Japan, Korea) may be rich, but I doubt you can call them free in the democratic sense. The Japanese are still ruled by the royals, while the Korean boom was brought upon by military rule. Since the Communists in China suppress any threats to their administration, when they DO eventually fall, there will be no one to take control of the government. The first few democratically elected governments will be making humungously populist moves to pacify their voter base, the multi nationals will be threatened, and the world economy will be watching from the edge of a precipice.
You think the US with a 3 trillion dollar debt can afford that? So much for supporting the rise of freedom all over world.
Can the world afford a free China right now?
Personally, I believe in the freedom of the individual and so a society where the citizens are not allowed even basic freedoms is something I cannot tolerate at all. But we must keep one thing in mind. The world functions as it does right now, because China is ruled with an iron fist. Chinese "reforms" may not help the Chinese people, but John Smith from Louisville, KY can buy a house with a 1-acre backyard on a 0% down loan, thanks to the Chinese investment of American government bonds. China now is home to a huge chunk of American manufacturing, a lot more than India does. China runs the American (and therefore by default the world economy) and does one really want to disturb that?
Not just that, answer me this: When did the last free elections take place in China? Never, if you ask me. If the Communists fall, there will be a huge problem, simply because there is no non-communist who is ready to take the reins of government. As India has shown, it takes time for the people to learn to govern themselves. Nehru was a great leader, but I doubt you can call him a great administrator. It has taken India 50+ yrs to get to where it is, and I bet it's not even 50% there. The pan-Asian countries (Japan, Korea) may be rich, but I doubt you can call them free in the democratic sense. The Japanese are still ruled by the royals, while the Korean boom was brought upon by military rule. Since the Communists in China suppress any threats to their administration, when they DO eventually fall, there will be no one to take control of the government. The first few democratically elected governments will be making humungously populist moves to pacify their voter base, the multi nationals will be threatened, and the world economy will be watching from the edge of a precipice.
You think the US with a 3 trillion dollar debt can afford that? So much for supporting the rise of freedom all over world.
Monday, March 13, 2006
More on the SA-Aus game
A side note on the Aus-SA game. The ODI record for highest target chased successfully is now greater than that for tests.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Clarification on the Rubaiyya story
Got a comment from T1 on the dance form in Kerala about the authenticity of a "Muslim" dance. So, courtesy the resident Mallu and a bit of help from Wikipedia, here goes:
Either ways, T1's comment on the IQ (Islam Quotient - my phrase, not his, sorry if I offend any one) of the parish committee is very true. It is important at such times, that people use their common sense, and not their interpretation of what is or isn't sin.
Oppana is a popular form of social entertainment among the Muslim community of Kerala, south India, prevalent all over, especially in the northern districts of Kannur, Calicut and Malappuram.Turns out, these are wedding rituals among the Muslims of Kerala. These are not performance dances, but more like the sangeet that the Punjus (and crores of other Indians thanks to Bollywood) have around their weddings. The resident Mallu even clarifies that the song Kehna hi Kya from the movie Bombay was a Oppana / Mappila song.
Oppana is generally presented by females, numbering about fifteen including musicians, on a wedding day. The bride dressed in all finery, covered with gold ornaments is the chief spectator who sits on a peetam, around which the singing and dancing take place. While they sing, they clap their hands rhythmically and move around the bride using simple steps. Two or three girls begin the songs and the rest join in chorus.
Sometime Oppana is also presented by males to entertain the bridegroom. It usually takes place just before the bridegroom leaves for the bride's residence where the Nikah (marriage) takes place or at the time he enters the Maniyara.
Harmonium, Tabla, Ganjira and Elathaalam are the musical instruments employed for this performance. Only the Mappilapaattu will be sung on the occasion.
The word Oppana may have been derived from an Arabic form Afna. There are two types of Oppana, one is Oppana chayal another is Oppana murukkam. When Oppana chayal is performed, they do not clap their hands. If it begins with Chayal it would also end with Chayal only.
Mappila Paattukal or Mappila Songs are folklore Muslim devotional songs in the Malayalam language. These are sung by Muslims (Mappilas) of Malabar.
The first Gramaphone record in Malayalam Language was a Mappila song. In 1925, Gul Mohammed, father of celebrity artist KG Sathar recorded his voice in Gramaphone. Even though millions of Mappila songs were released thereafter on records, only few of them are considered as authentic Mappila Songs.
Mappila songs are composed in colloquial Malayalam and are sung in a distinctive tune. They are composed in a mixture of Malayalam and Arabic and have a special charm of their own. They deal with diverse themes such as religion, love, satire, heroism, etc.
Either ways, T1's comment on the IQ (Islam Quotient - my phrase, not his, sorry if I offend any one) of the parish committee is very true. It is important at such times, that people use their common sense, and not their interpretation of what is or isn't sin.
Chokers no more
South Africa have won the greatest one-day international in the history of the game.
Must have been a heck of a game. I followed it as much as I could on Cricinfo at the end stages. Even on text commentary it was exciting. The Proteas are considered as one of the biggest chokers in international cricket. Their inability to win big games is well known. I bet the dressing room during the break must have been shell shocked. They had led the hated Aussies 2-0 this time last week, and here they were facing a target unheard of before to avoid losing their home series at their bastion.
On a side note, it wouldn't have been rated the best game ever, had the S. Africans lost by a run. But, this one did beat the previous best / most exciting one dayer ever (1999 World Cup Semi Final, also between the same two teams). Makes me think that had it been the Africans in the final of the 2003 Cup, they would have made it a better game chasing 360 against the Aussies.
Also, they scored 872 runs in a day. That's stupendous. Beyond belief. To put it into perspective, there's a test match going on in Auckland between the West Indians and the Kiwis. 4 days gone, they have scored 1046 runs. The game at Mohali has scored 750 runs in a rain shortened match. They have scored more than most test matches score in 3 days. 15 on 10 for the effort that both teams put into the game. It got me thinking. I remember a time, when 250 in a one dayer was a safe score. 6 an over was considered unattainable. Teams would score 300 batting first and then coast since there was no way, the chasing team would get there. Now, who can say that 500 in a one dayer is not possible? It would take an immense effort, but they said the same about 400, and here two teams scored it in the matter of a few hours. I guess the battle of a team 400 against an individual 200 has been settled.
I could go on and on about this. It was even more fun following this game, since India was not involved in this, and I could follow it without any partisanship. I cheered for SA, but I would have cheered for the Aussies, had it been the opposite case. I think a few years from now, a few thousand Afrikaners will proudly tell their grandkids "I was there".
Must have been a heck of a game. I followed it as much as I could on Cricinfo at the end stages. Even on text commentary it was exciting. The Proteas are considered as one of the biggest chokers in international cricket. Their inability to win big games is well known. I bet the dressing room during the break must have been shell shocked. They had led the hated Aussies 2-0 this time last week, and here they were facing a target unheard of before to avoid losing their home series at their bastion.
On a side note, it wouldn't have been rated the best game ever, had the S. Africans lost by a run. But, this one did beat the previous best / most exciting one dayer ever (1999 World Cup Semi Final, also between the same two teams). Makes me think that had it been the Africans in the final of the 2003 Cup, they would have made it a better game chasing 360 against the Aussies.
Also, they scored 872 runs in a day. That's stupendous. Beyond belief. To put it into perspective, there's a test match going on in Auckland between the West Indians and the Kiwis. 4 days gone, they have scored 1046 runs. The game at Mohali has scored 750 runs in a rain shortened match. They have scored more than most test matches score in 3 days. 15 on 10 for the effort that both teams put into the game. It got me thinking. I remember a time, when 250 in a one dayer was a safe score. 6 an over was considered unattainable. Teams would score 300 batting first and then coast since there was no way, the chasing team would get there. Now, who can say that 500 in a one dayer is not possible? It would take an immense effort, but they said the same about 400, and here two teams scored it in the matter of a few hours. I guess the battle of a team 400 against an individual 200 has been settled.
I could go on and on about this. It was even more fun following this game, since India was not involved in this, and I could follow it without any partisanship. I cheered for SA, but I would have cheered for the Aussies, had it been the opposite case. I think a few years from now, a few thousand Afrikaners will proudly tell their grandkids "I was there".
Friday, March 10, 2006
Sad if true
This girl deserves a prize for national integration. For someone to banish a family out of retribution for something as pure as classical dance is something that is reprehensible.
True talent cannot be hidden for long. What is interesting to note is that even though Rubaiyya is good in her studies, she is not too keen on an academic career. Her interest seems to be more in pursuing a life in dance. And her parents are very helpful. Why should outsiders spoil all this by making them social outcastes?? "The parish doors might never open for us, but the world is not too small for the brave". Very true. I think it is time for all, regardless of religious beliefs to support Rubaiyya in her pursuit of excellence.
I only hope that this is not only one side of the story. It would be very unfair of me to criticise someone without knowing the entire story, but if this is the whole story, I think someone should call a fatwa on the parish folks itself. They are doing a greater disservice to Islam than this little 16-yr old.
True talent cannot be hidden for long. What is interesting to note is that even though Rubaiyya is good in her studies, she is not too keen on an academic career. Her interest seems to be more in pursuing a life in dance. And her parents are very helpful. Why should outsiders spoil all this by making them social outcastes?? "The parish doors might never open for us, but the world is not too small for the brave". Very true. I think it is time for all, regardless of religious beliefs to support Rubaiyya in her pursuit of excellence.
I only hope that this is not only one side of the story. It would be very unfair of me to criticise someone without knowing the entire story, but if this is the whole story, I think someone should call a fatwa on the parish folks itself. They are doing a greater disservice to Islam than this little 16-yr old.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Why the name : Rang De Basanti
I apologise in advance.. But I figured you will get it sooner or later, so why not me??
Why the name : Rang De Basanti
Actually, reporters asked this question to Aamir in a press conference. What he told was pretty interesting..
In the crew of the film unit, there was a person called GNAR (Russian Artist). He was a giant of 8'2" in height and 130 kilos of weight. He was the person, who lifted and threw Aamir, in the title song.
The producer of the movie asked by some pundit to name his film after 11 days of shooting is completed. On 11th day of shoot, all crew had a heated discussion and argument on what should be the name of the movie. They decide to put chits and all stuff, but nobody agreed to one name. At that time Gnar was not feeling well and he was sleeping in his camp tomb (It was an outdoor shoot on the mountains). The pundit was on sets and they suggested that the crew will visit Gnar and whatever will be first word(s) every person will speak after entering his camp - will be the name of movie. If more than one choice then the the word(s) mostly spoken will be selected. And that will be the last chance of titling the movie.
Scene -2. All of the crew people walking towards GNAR's tent and opens the veil and ... All of them were surprised... Gnar twirling and trying to sleep on a 4 feet long bed. Everyone was shocked and in unison they shouted "ITNA SA BED GNAR"..... silence...long silence.... It was said.. and by all.. They had to keep this name of the movie..
But the producer and Director were very upset over the kind of name finalized. They lost all enthusiasm and even thought of dumping the project...Then came the advice from the great GNAR... The advice which was accepted by the producer with most happiness... He Said, "Why don't you reverse the title text....
Don't kill me guys!!! Im also looking out for the one who sent it to me...
Actually, reporters asked this question to Aamir in a press conference. What he told was pretty interesting..
In the crew of the film unit, there was a person called GNAR (Russian Artist). He was a giant of 8'2" in height and 130 kilos of weight. He was the person, who lifted and threw Aamir, in the title song.
The producer of the movie asked by some pundit to name his film after 11 days of shooting is completed. On 11th day of shoot, all crew had a heated discussion and argument on what should be the name of the movie. They decide to put chits and all stuff, but nobody agreed to one name. At that time Gnar was not feeling well and he was sleeping in his camp tomb (It was an outdoor shoot on the mountains). The pundit was on sets and they suggested that the crew will visit Gnar and whatever will be first word(s) every person will speak after entering his camp - will be the name of movie. If more than one choice then the the word(s) mostly spoken will be selected. And that will be the last chance of titling the movie.
Scene -2. All of the crew people walking towards GNAR's tent and opens the veil and ... All of them were surprised... Gnar twirling and trying to sleep on a 4 feet long bed. Everyone was shocked and in unison they shouted "ITNA SA BED GNAR"..... silence...long silence.... It was said.. and by all.. They had to keep this name of the movie..
But the producer and Director were very upset over the kind of name finalized. They lost all enthusiasm and even thought of dumping the project...Then came the advice from the great GNAR... The advice which was accepted by the producer with most happiness... He Said, "Why don't you reverse the title text....
Don't kill me guys!!! Im also looking out for the one who sent it to me...
Monday, March 06, 2006
ROTFL
Isn't K. Karunakaran lucky that there is no Jay Leno / Jon Stewart in India. Imagine a party like this in the US!! The headline is hilarious. "Cong in Kerala has to decide on DIC-K issue, says Sonia".
Maybe she means the Congress has to show its balls!! Or to be a Man!! Lifestyle changing surgery perhaps!!
Competitions open! The best punchline wins a dildo. It is a DIC-K issue after all!!
Maybe she means the Congress has to show its balls!! Or to be a Man!! Lifestyle changing surgery perhaps!!
Competitions open! The best punchline wins a dildo. It is a DIC-K issue after all!!
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Mera Bharat Mahan
There's something about the NYT
The New York Times is my favourite newspaper to read online. When I started reading it online, I found it the most versatile of the lot. It covered just about every topic in the world, and was quite balanced (in my opinion) about its opinions. This must have been some time near the end of 2001 (since that's when I bought my computer).
Over the years, I found it becoming overly partisan. So much that I am not too fond of the Op-Ed columns any more. Even though I have the yearly TimesSelect membership, which I bought exclusively for the access to the Op-Eds. Figured 49 bucks a year is not so bad to read some of the best minds in the world at the time. However, as I said, I have almost stopped reading the Op-Ed columns. I used to detest William Safire's politics but now that he has retired I think I miss his view point. If for nothing else, it provided a different way of seeing the same things. Another great aspect of Safire's writing was the impeccable language (Did I spell that correctly?). There was no name calling of people he did not like. There was hardly any preaching of any sort. Anyway, I digress.
Even though I have stopped reading the NYT Op-Eds, I still am a regular reader of the Times. Every morning I scan the website when I can. This morning, I was wondering why it is that I still read it, when I can read Google News for news and MSNBC or the Washington Post for analysis, since those are free (my yearly subscription is ending in May, and I will be in India at the time, so no point in renewing). All this of course while I was reading the paper. While browsing the paper, I found out why.
Case in point. Go through this article. See something different? Nope? Ok, let me show you in detail.
There's the regular bullshit that we hear from our man Ayman. But notice the Times still calls him Mr. Zawahiri. This guy is the among the most wanted guys in the world. In the eyes of the world (a majority at least) he should be caught and given the quickest justice possible. Go through any other news site, and you will see his name. But no "Mr." prefixed. I was intrigued so I went checking for the other usual suspects. Bin Laden, Saddam Hussain, Kim Jong Il. (Note to Kim, you should change the "Il" part. People think you are Kim Jong the second. And as every one knows, there's no one quite like you. "Ill" suits your personality a lot better, and it's better according to Bollywood numerologists). Same story. All of them "Mr." - a couple of occasions, in the pre-invasion days, Saddam was even President Hussain. (Another note to KJI: Are you Mr. Il or Mr. Jong Il?).
Is the NYT so decent, that it cannot offend even the most reviled bunch of characters in the world?
I think that is the problem with liberals in this world. Since liberalism believes in the welfare of the individual, it is totally incapable of offending anyone. Hence, the effort to appear balanced on everything. Since balance is more important to them than anything, it somehow appeals to my Libran mind. But that's another story. The strife for balance makes them go overboard in trying to show both sides of the story. And, therefore a sitting duck for conservatives, who have no qualms in offending anyone. It is for this balance, therefore that they appear to appease the terrorists.
Though, there is a fallacy in the reporting. Our man Ayman is actually a medical doctor. So shouldn't he be called Dr. Zawahiri? Shouldn't you apologise to him, Bill Keller?
Now, wouldn't that make Ann Coulter's day!!
Over the years, I found it becoming overly partisan. So much that I am not too fond of the Op-Ed columns any more. Even though I have the yearly TimesSelect membership, which I bought exclusively for the access to the Op-Eds. Figured 49 bucks a year is not so bad to read some of the best minds in the world at the time. However, as I said, I have almost stopped reading the Op-Ed columns. I used to detest William Safire's politics but now that he has retired I think I miss his view point. If for nothing else, it provided a different way of seeing the same things. Another great aspect of Safire's writing was the impeccable language (Did I spell that correctly?). There was no name calling of people he did not like. There was hardly any preaching of any sort. Anyway, I digress.
Even though I have stopped reading the NYT Op-Eds, I still am a regular reader of the Times. Every morning I scan the website when I can. This morning, I was wondering why it is that I still read it, when I can read Google News for news and MSNBC or the Washington Post for analysis, since those are free (my yearly subscription is ending in May, and I will be in India at the time, so no point in renewing). All this of course while I was reading the paper. While browsing the paper, I found out why.
Case in point. Go through this article. See something different? Nope? Ok, let me show you in detail.
".........to inflict losses on the crusader West, especially to its economic infrastructure with strikes that would make it bleed for years," Mr. Zawahiri said. "We have to prevent...........
There's the regular bullshit that we hear from our man Ayman. But notice the Times still calls him Mr. Zawahiri. This guy is the among the most wanted guys in the world. In the eyes of the world (a majority at least) he should be caught and given the quickest justice possible. Go through any other news site, and you will see his name. But no "Mr." prefixed. I was intrigued so I went checking for the other usual suspects. Bin Laden, Saddam Hussain, Kim Jong Il. (Note to Kim, you should change the "Il" part. People think you are Kim Jong the second. And as every one knows, there's no one quite like you. "Ill" suits your personality a lot better, and it's better according to Bollywood numerologists). Same story. All of them "Mr." - a couple of occasions, in the pre-invasion days, Saddam was even President Hussain. (Another note to KJI: Are you Mr. Il or Mr. Jong Il?).
Is the NYT so decent, that it cannot offend even the most reviled bunch of characters in the world?
I think that is the problem with liberals in this world. Since liberalism believes in the welfare of the individual, it is totally incapable of offending anyone. Hence, the effort to appear balanced on everything. Since balance is more important to them than anything, it somehow appeals to my Libran mind. But that's another story. The strife for balance makes them go overboard in trying to show both sides of the story. And, therefore a sitting duck for conservatives, who have no qualms in offending anyone. It is for this balance, therefore that they appear to appease the terrorists.
Though, there is a fallacy in the reporting. Our man Ayman is actually a medical doctor. So shouldn't he be called Dr. Zawahiri? Shouldn't you apologise to him, Bill Keller?
Now, wouldn't that make Ann Coulter's day!!
Sleepy Sunday
There's something serene about a snow shower at 7 in the morning.
There's something innately leisurely about a breakfast of two sunny side up eggs, orange juice, toast bread with Pink Floyd playing on the iPod.
That's about it. These are the only two thoughts I have had since I woke up.
Friday, March 03, 2006
10 Month resolution
It's been my dream to write a book some day. The problem is I don't have a story. I also have another basic problem. I have non-writer's block. i.e. I am a non-writer and am unable to think of what to write, hence the term non-writer's block. However, i am not going to let that stop me.
I have always wanted to go to a writing class. I would have loved to go while I was at Stanford. Unfortunately at the time, I didn't have the money to waste on stuff that was not going to contribute to my degree. Once I got working, I always thought I should go to a community college for a class that tought me to write a story. But unfortunately, it never worked out. Now, it may too late. In two months we move back to India, where it is likely that I may not get the chance for such a class.
Now, it is up to me to come up with something of my own to realise my dream. I am going to write a story, be it 5 pages or 500. I am going to write a story of my own (may be borrowed or based on something, since I am rarely original). This is going to be my goal for the year. Call it a performance goal for the year. But by Dec. 31 I shall have a story written.
There. I said it. Now all I need is inspiration!!!
I have always wanted to go to a writing class. I would have loved to go while I was at Stanford. Unfortunately at the time, I didn't have the money to waste on stuff that was not going to contribute to my degree. Once I got working, I always thought I should go to a community college for a class that tought me to write a story. But unfortunately, it never worked out. Now, it may too late. In two months we move back to India, where it is likely that I may not get the chance for such a class.
Now, it is up to me to come up with something of my own to realise my dream. I am going to write a story, be it 5 pages or 500. I am going to write a story of my own (may be borrowed or based on something, since I am rarely original). This is going to be my goal for the year. Call it a performance goal for the year. But by Dec. 31 I shall have a story written.
There. I said it. Now all I need is inspiration!!!
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