Jai Ho indeed!!

No, this is not about an Oscar-winning movie. Rather this was the song that was played and sung outside 10, Race Course Road, New Delhi, as Congress party members and supporters celebrated yet another glorious victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. It was a historic mandate for both the Congress, which emerged as the single largest party, as well as the UPA, which is set to form the next Indian government. It was a victory in the face of adversity on the national stage, as the NDA and the Third Front looked to take advantage of the twin issues of terrorism and the economic crisis to build credible campaigns. Alas, for them, the Indian voter entrusted his/her faith in the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh and the mother-son Gandhi duo for the next 5 years. 

Firstly, thank God the voting took place on a weekend, as I wouldn't have wanted to miss the drama unfold for anything! At 8 am I was propped up in front of the idiot box, switching between my favourite news channels, as the numbers started to trickle in. Uttar Pradesh set the early trend, with both the UPA and the NDA posting huge gains and presenting quite a few surprises and raised eyebrows. The SP managed to catch up, but it was Mayawati's BSP who ended up as the big losers in the battle. Kerala and West Bengal posted staggering figures, as the Left was completely wiped out in both states. No real surprises in the other states, although the Congress posted some really huge gains from the last election in states like Rajasthan, helping their numbers surge higher. Ultimately, it was the Congress-led UPA that stole the show, proving most of the exit poll projections right (which the news channels proudly stated). The NDA was left with the hopeless task of introspection and the review of a pretty disastrous display at the Lok Sabha polls for a second consecutive time. 

Where did the NDA and the Third Front get it wrong, is the question on everyone's mind. Well, according to the general view of experts on major news channels, both alliances banked heavily on the anti-incumbency vote, which never turned up. Quite a fancy term that, ain't it - "anti-incumbency"? Basically they played to much on the flaws and follies of the existing government, rather than highlight their own achievements and vision with much more vigour. Calling Dr. Manmohan Singh a "weak PM" was never going to work, as the results emphatically show. To an extent, it could be true that the electorate was left with no alternative -- apart from the Congress and the BJP, all other parties concentrated on regional issues rather than pushing forward their national agenda. Regionalism seems to be the core issue that political parties need to address while forming alliances and fighting elections, and a change at the centre can now come about only if either of two scenarios occur - (a) If a third party emerges on the national stage as a strong contender, which is highly unlikely in the current political environment, or (b) If the Congress-led UPA government messes up really badly on key issues, in which case the NDA and the rest of the opposition will be at their throats. Either way, the average voter is left with little choice on the national front, forcing him/her to look at the smaller picture i.e which candidate/party would be beneficial for his/her constituency. 

Anyway, at the moment, it's time for Manmohan, Rahul and Sonia to take centre-stage yet again. Will Rahul Gandhi be offered a post in the cabinet? And more importantly, if he is, would he be willing to accept it? If he does, this would definitely be viewed as his first step in the direction of the arguably the biggest job in India. All the best to him and the UPA, deliver us on our faith in you, and make the nation proud!!

Until the next...

P.S: On a side note, like the NDA, I, as a Liverpool fan, congratulate Manchester United and all their supporters, and humbly accept defeat in the race for the Premier League crown :(

Goa Ahoy!!

GOA BABY!!! That was the mantra for the whole of last week, leading up to the big weekend down in Calangute. Thurday started way too early for me, as I walked into office at 5.45 am, a record which I challenge anyone in Batch 3 to break!! In 3 hours, I was done with work, and picked up my bags to leave just as my manager walked in! Quite a sight that, I must say….anyway, I drove back home, and then went on to exercise my franchise and vote for the first time in a Lok Sabha Election. It really does feel good to know that you have made a contribution to the progress of the nation, however insignificant it may be. I totally second Mr. L.K Advani’s opinion that voting should be made compulsory in the country. Anyway, chuck that, this is about Goa!! So here I was, all packed and ready, waiting at Vashi for our Volvo sleeper with the rest of our gang in it. Bus arrives….Suyash and Manan step out….Suyash straight away says (jokingly), “Dude, tu mara….none of the guys are gonna pay you for the bus ticket!!”. I wondered, whoa, was the bus so bad?? My question was answered as I stepped inside. Each berth had two people lying on them, all cramped up and struggling to even move a muscle! Poor Mark, the 6”2’ tall guy couldn’t even straighten his legs properly. You shouldn’t have drank so much Complan in your childhood, bro! ;)

We somehow survived the 12-hour ordeal in the bus, and reached Mapusa at 10 am Friday morning. After another 20-minute ride, we entered our resort in Calangute. A quick shower and breakfast, and we were all refreshed, ready to hit the magnificent beaches of North Goa. We hired an open-top Gypsy – seemingly the best way to travel around Goa, and first headed to Calangute beach, the nearest to our resort. Karey and I were nominated as drivers for the whole trip…..hard luck Su, but if u drank, u weren’t gonna drive! As we enter Calangute beach, we were suddenly surrounded by a bunch of overly enthusiastic men going, “Sir, watersports..”, “Sir, parasailing..best rate”, “Sir, water-scooter…aapko chalane milega”, etc etc…..they had already begun to get on our nerves, and we ultimately succeeded in evading them. The beach was beautiful, the sand fine and bathed in a silvery tinge. Hordes of families, couples and friends were milling around, sunbathing, enjoying the (not-so-cold actually) water, heading out for watersports. We decided to relax and grab a few drinks at a beachside shack after getting our feet wet. For lunch, we drove to Baga beach and dined at Britto’s, which was heaven for two things in particular – “sightseeing” and cheesecakes!! Also, Furhad began his Prawn-fest here…..man that guy becomes hungry too quickly!! Baga is pretty similar to Calangute, so we decided not to spend too much time there, and returned to our resort to rest for a while. In the evening, we set off to catch the sunset (or as Su puts it, “sun ka go-down”!) at Anjuna beach, but all we found there was a bunch of rocks!! So we went to Vagator instead, where Nipun desperately attempted to record the sounds of the sea waves, warding off our efforts to interrupt the recording time and again. In the end, he succeeded, but only by first running as far away from us as physically possible, and then recording!

We shot some pool for an hour, before having dinner in a food court in central Calangute. Furhad had some more prawns, and vowed never to have them again during the trip!! Yeah right!!!! We spent the rest of the night enjoying a few games of poker and Bluff in our resort room. As the clock went past midnight, none of us were sleepy at all, so we went out on a midnight drive around Calangute, passing through some of the hot and happening areas (read: clubbing zones) in town. Life really begins here only after midnight, as the parties stretch well into the wee hours of the next morning. We actually got stuck in a jam on a narrow road near one of the clubs for 45 minutes!! After that, we decided we’d had enough, and quietly returned to our resort!

It was a “fine” Saturday morning as we set off towards Colva beach in South Goa (WHY??!!). I’ll get to why it was such a “fine” day a little later on, but first, about Colva beach. It took us about an hour and a half to get there, with a few stoppages in between. The beach, known for its white sands, was surprisingly less crowded, considering it is one of the more well-known beaches in Goa and probably the only place worth visiting in South Goa. Watersports were shockingly expensive, with a difference of almost Rs. 1000 between Calangute and here. No wonder there were hardly any people around! Anyway, we once again trudged along to a shack for lunch and drinks. Furhad, needless to say, had some kind of Prawns. As he had requested us to do the previous day if he ate prawns again, we each gave him a whack on the head everytime he had a piece of prawn!! Another memorable aspect of that afternoon was a little black puppy nestling under our table, and Nipun playing around with it. The mutt ultimately got so annoyed, it snatched Suyash’s slipper and ran away! Hilarious stuff!! Su managed to recover his slipper eventually, but the entire episode had us in splits..!!

We returned back to our resort after a round of shopping, getting ready for what we thought would be quite an enjoyable 1-hour sundown cruise from Panaji. Very high expectations, as it turned out. Boy, that was one lame cruise and a sheer waste of 150 bucks!!! Make that 200; 50 extra for entering the disco, which, to our dismay, turned out to be completely empty!! Apart from a DJ having ambitious hopes of proving himself in front of a considerable crowd, I guess!!! And to add insult to injury, we passed by the Casino Royale and the Caravela in all their glory, two awesome cruises that were a tad out of our budget, but we desperately wanted to get onto earlier. Anyway, I’d like to consider that a forgotten chapter in this trip. Never will mention it again.

We returned in a dazed state to our resort, and sought to bury our woes by catching a bit of IPL action before dinner. We revisited Britto’s for a late dinner at almost midnight (ours was the last order they took). We played some more cards later that night, this time a game of DONKEY. This was the game where a little quirk by Manan had us roaring with laughter for almost 15 minutes continuously!! In a nutshell, the objective of this game is to make one complete set of 3 cards (all hearts, or all spades etc.), and then secretively put down your cards. When one person puts down his cards, others immediately need to follow suit, and the last person to do so loses and is labelled ‘D’. After D comes O, and so on, until someone reaches ‘D-O-N-K-E-Y’. Anyway, MS was continuously holding his cards low in an attempt to sell a dummy and get someone to put down their cards, for which we were constantly berating him. Finally, at one point, he held his cards so low, he dropped one of them, which he immediately picked up. Meanwhile, Mark had actually completed a set and put down his cards, and everyone followed suit. Manan, thinking he had sold a dummy, kept the cards in his hands and shouted “Maine nahi rakha! Maine nahi rakha!!”…..Loolllllzzzzzz…..ROTFLMAO!!!!

About the “fine” day bit, well, we were stopped by the cops 4 times that day!!! Once ‘cos Karey wasn’t wearing his seatbelt (it was impossible to wear it actually ‘cos it was stuck like glue to the side of the car!), and three other times ‘cos we had hired a private vehicle, which, though unofficially permitted in Goa, isn’t exactly legal. We had to talk our way out of trouble on all 4 occasions! Anyway, chuck that….not something I wanna comment on or something I’m particularly proud of. Sunday was watersports day. We went to Calangute for some parasailing and a ride on a water-scooter (I decided only to go parasailing….Nips, Furhad, Karey n Manan rode the scooter as well). Parasailing was an awesome experience, though kind of short. It really was like a joyride – completely relaxing and at peace high in the air! Lunch at another restaurant by the beach (Furhad’s last prawns meal for the trip!), and we returned to pack up and check out of our resort. We had a quick photo session, and set off for Mapusa to begin our bus journey back to Mumbai. The bus for the return leg was fabulous, a multi-axle Volvo B9R – the lap of luxury! It was sooooo comfortable, in stark contrast to the bus we came to Goa in! We reached Mumbai, early the next morning, thus concluding a really memorable and cherished trip! 

Bitter-sweet symphony - the Final Year Industrial Visit

It was exactly a year ago on this day that I departed on a 10-day trip that not only produced some of my most cherished experiences, but also moments that have taught me valuable lessons about life, people and reality. This was, of course, an Industrial Visit to Delhi and Dehradun during my Final Year of Engineering. As one of the main organizers of the trip, the 3 months leading up to the trip and the trip itself constitute the most turbulent period of my life thus far without a shadow of any doubt. Although it was a trip that all of us (us => EXTC Batch of 2008) thoroughly enjoyed, it is indeed unfortunate that this was a trip that I will always remember for the stressful times I faced in dealing with my college authorities, rather than for the amazing fun that we all had during the trip.

Acting as mediators between my classmates and the department/college management, my colleagues in the “organizing committee” (if one could call it that) and I were forced to make radical decisions due to circumstances that surrounded the trip. Whether it was the “unavailability” of faculty members to accompany us for the trip, the eventual postponement of the trip from March to April 2008, the endless exchange of mails and telephone calls with companies convincing them to allow us to visit their facilities, or the haggling over the individual monetary contribution for the trip, my colleagues and I were constantly on our toes, dodging road block after road block in order to make the trip possible and a success. The final straw, though, was dealt by our college management, with just a few days to go before we departed for Delhi. I would rather not divulge any details here, but the situation that they left us with nearly reduced me to tears. It may sound like an exaggeration, but I honestly felt I was betrayed by the higher powers in the college at that point! What they had asked us to do was unthinkable, and downright inconsiderate, yet we were left with no choice. Relaying this news to my classmates was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life. Though they were outraged, and rightly so, they agreed to co-operate and go ahead with the trip. It was indeed a testimony to our resolute will and determination to make the trip a grand success, which eventually, I am glad to say, we did!

All right, now that I've finally got that off my chest, time for some of my favourite memories from the trip. The train journey was typical, with a large number of people waking up in the morning with toothpaste and what not on their face! People were distinctly baffled by my ability to sleep peacefully with the light on right in front of me shining in my face!! The highlight of the visit to our first company on Day 2 of the trip was not the presentation, or the tour of their facilities, but in fact all of us pouncing on the cold drinks and cookies in the cafeteria as soon as they were offered to us. We didn't really get an opportunity to have lunch, and so we savoured anything and everything we could get our hands on at the time!! Later that night, on the terrace of the place where we were staying, we went on to play probably the best and most hilarious game of musical chairs I have ever played in my life! Kudos to the likes of our HOD and Roshan for livening the game up!! That night was a seriously awesome night!

The next day saw a trip to Gurgaon, and then on to the Railway Museum, Connaught Place and a late evening stop at India Gate....took some really cool snaps there, with the India Gate lit up in all her glory. Day 4 was tourist day, as we went around catching the sights and sounds of New Delhi, including the magnificent Akshardham temple, a ride in the Metro, Jantar Mantar and the Memorials of some of our great leaders. How can one forget the VVVVVIP treatment vetted out to a certain Ms. (soon to be Mrs.) Kavita Shinde!! So much so that some onlookers at places like Akshardham actually turned their heads around to have a look, thinking some Bollywood actress had arrived!

We left for Dehradun by bus early on Day 5. Here I must mention one thing before anything else......if you ever want to travel in and around Delhi, don't travel by bus even if ur life depended on it!! The strict rules prevalent there force the buses to travel at an agonizingly slow pace, and this applies to the tourist buses plying from Delhi to other cities as well. Thus, a journey which normally should not have taken more than 8 hours, took well over 10 hours eventually. It didn't help matters that we had no choice but to proceed straight to our first company in Dehradun without getting a chance to freshen up and have a proper lunch. As a result, during the presentation, one could literally count on their hands the number of people awake! But a quick trip to a nearby spring named Sahastradhara refreshed us all. Two more company visits, a stop at Malsi Deer Park (with no deer in sight) and a walk around the central market comprised the itinerary for Day 6.

We embarked on yet another frustratingly slow journey from Dehradun to Delhi early morning on Day 7, stopping over for a quick dip in the holy river of Ganges at Haridwar on the way. A detour to the Fr. Agnel Balbhavan in Greater Noida provided us the most satisfying and heartwarming experience of the entire trip. Home to a number of young orphans, we had a memorable time interacting and playing with the little children, who were clearly thrilled and excited with our presence there. Later that night, we left Delhi for home-sweet-home, Mumbai. The best part of the return journey was a marathon 8-hour game of Business. We played the game like it has never been played before, with partnerships, deals being made, loans from one team to another with mutually decided terms and conditions and what not. I am pretty sure we had created some kind of a record there for the game!

Looking back on the trip, I would just like to say one thing - a big THANK YOU and a thumbs up to my entire class for firstly, for their support and co-operation in making the trip possible, and secondly, making it as awesome as it turned out to be!

Until the next...

The Brawn Identity!

The expectation and excitement surrounding the build-up to the start of the 2009 Formula 1 season was clearly palpable among motorsport fanatics. The anticipation of the start of the first race in Melbourne, Australia was higher than ever, with everyone keen to see what influence all the new technical regulations introduced would have on the race itself. But the one thing that dominated all the fervency was the introduction of a new team that took all the testing and pre-race practice sessions by storm : Brawn GP.

The story of the evolution of Brawn GP is the stuff dreams are made of. After Honda pulled out of F1 in December 2008, thanks to the global economic crisis, drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello sat at home without a job and staring at a bleak future. All the remaining teams had confirmed their rosters for the 2009 season, and times could not have been tougher for the Englishman and the Brazilian. With less than a month to go for the start of the new season, ex-team boss Ross Brawn decided to revive the Honda team, thus buying the team and starting afresh. With a new name, a new Mercedes engine and new technical regulations to comply with, Brawn GP were faced with an enormous task. While all the other teams had extensive testing on their cars for months together, Brawn GP had just about 20 days to put together a competent, efficient package with emphasis on reliability. They had one advantage though - a genius at the helm named Ross Brawn.

Being one of the architects of the run of success and dominance that Ferrari have achieved over the past decade, Ross Brawn is one of the most brilliant and technically gifted team bosses there is in the sport. With some fine tweaks in aerodynamics and clever thinking (including an innovative yet controversial interpretation of the new diffuser rule), Brawn GP set Albert Park on fire. They dominated qualifying, with Button and Barrichello finishing 1-2 and sitting proudly on top of the pack.

The race started perfectly for Button as he sped away, but not so well for Barrichello, as a slow start bumped him down to 7th place. The Australian GP though lived up to its reputation of having innumerable twists and turns, and the Brawn GP team finished the race as they started it: a class above the rest. Ferrari had a disastrous race, with both drivers retiring. Lewis Hamilton saved the day for Mclaren, finishing an impressive 3rd after starting 15th on the grid. Toyota and Williams looked very impressive as well.

Perhaps the title should actually have been "The Brawn Supremacy"!! All in all, this promises to be as open a season as ever in F1, with the big question being: Can Brawn GP continue to live the dream, and remain consistent throughout the season? And more importantly: Can the trailing pack keep up with them and step it up a notch?? Well, there's only one way to find out...

Until the next..

P.S: I actually wanted to list out all the new, innovative changes introduced this season in F1: the much-applauded return to slick tyres, the new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) electronic boost system similar to the one used in A1 GP, modified aerodynamics etc. It'll take up a whole new post, but instead I'll just provide the link, it's a must read for all F1 lovers:

http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/sporting_regulations/8692/

Merseyside in delirium!

27 days since my last post....that's long enough, it's about time something was done to prevent the inactivity creeping in again into this blog! And the timing could not be more perfect. Let's get into it straight away, shall we?

I'd like to begin on a subtle note........ahem.............wooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

All right, all right....now I shall really keep it subtle. Nothing gives a Liverpool fan more pleasure than to rub it into a Manchester United fan with subtlety, given that we don't really get to do it too often!! But the events that transpired at Old Trafford, Manchester in the afternoon of 14 March, 2009, allowed Liverpool supporters all around the world to earn their bragging rights, and emphatically so, may I add. Watching Liverpool deliver a 4-1 drubbing to Manchester United, inflicting upon them their worst home defeat in 17 years, was a pleasure and a joy to watch. More than the scoreline, it was the sublime performance by the Reds, led by an inspirational skipper in Steven Gerrard and a stellar performance by El Nino, that was a breathtaking treat. Together, they achieved what no other Premier League team has been able to achieve this season, and for many seasons prior as well -- not just outplay them on their home turf, but to force them into shooting themselves in the foot time and again.

Here's a goal-by-goal account of the match:

MU 1-0 Liverpool

Tevez through ball to Ji-Sung Park...here come's Reina.....Park falls over him....wtf!! Penalty?!! U kidding me?? He just fell over Reina....Pepe pulled out of it....this is ludicrous! Shit...! Here's @%#!!@ Ronaldo....miss it for God's sake....Reina save....no....dammit! Not again....plzz...not again...not like last yr!!!

MU 1-1 Liverpool

Skrtel long ball into the United half....oh Vidic misses it....Torres in behind....he steals it! Go el Nino....he scores!!! Tooooorrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeesssss! 1-1! Cmon u Reds!!! Rip them apart like u said u wud!!! Wat a mistake from Vidic.....brother, u gonna be crucified!

MU 1-2 Liverpool

Torres to Gerrard.....bursts into the box ala Istanbul 2005.....Evra bring him down...!....surely a penalty?? Yeeesssss! Cmooooooonnnn! Stevie G from the spot.....puts it away!! Liverpool lead!! Awesome stuff!! Reds on top of their game!!!!

MU 1-3 Liverpool

Kuyt knockdown to Gerrard....spins away from Vidic.....he's in on goal....Vidic pulls him down....wat?? hey thats a red card....send him off ref...!.....yeeeesss, he's off!....Vidic's horrow show comes to a premature end.....man, what a shocking game he's had! Free-kick...hmm Aurelio should have a crack at this....he does....whoa, its in!!! OH FREAK!!!! Wat a kick!!!! 3-1!!!!!!!!Unbelievable!!! This is a dream...!! 3-1 at Old Trafford, Red Devils being pummeled at home! This is insane!! I'm gonna lose my voice today I think!! Hell, who cares, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Cmon Liverpool!!!! More...more please....crush them!! (ManU fans: Vidic, u $#@@#!!*.....**** off...!)

MU 1-4 Liverpool

Long ball again.....here's...Dossena (??!)....whoa, lob over van der Sar, what a finish!!! Dossena......oh man....even he's getting in on the act!! United done and dusted!!!! This is madness now, United what on earth have u done to urselves??!! This is utter humiliation.....shame on u guyz....shame on u!!

It was a spineless, gutless and wretched performance from a United side who are supposedly tipped to win the quintuple this season!! Yeah, right, good luck with that! But, one thing is for sure, Liverpool's dominance over 2 premier European sides in 5 days -- 4-0 against Real Madrid followed by 4-1 against Manchester United -- justifies their ranking by UEFA as the no. 1 team in Europe. And with the gap to the top of the BPL reduced to 4 points, hopefully Liverpool will lift their first Premier League trophy this season. All hail the Reds!! YNWA!!!!

Until the next...

The Talibanisation of modern India

As you may have read in one of my earlier posts (a long, long, loooong time back!), one of my favourite things to look forward to is a Sunday morning, sitting with a cup of freshly brewed South Indian filter coffee in one hand, and The Times of India in the other. I always am eager to read the editorial section in the Sunday edition of TOI, where the thoughts of some of the best experts in finance, politics, business, sports and entertainment are presented. This past Sunday, a very thought-provoking article that was published caught my eye. It was based on the new wave of social extremism that seems to have swept through our country in recent times. All of a sudden, fights over religious differences, political blame-games, and even regionalism, seem to have taken a backseat. Apparently, a group of self-righteous people, mainly looking to gain some political ground, have taken it upon themselves to "cleanse" our society of its sins. They hold themselves above the law, above the prevailing social structure, and above humanity itself. They have been grossly brainwashed and misled on the nuances of our value system, ethics and culture which our country can proudly boast of. The author of the article, whose name currently escapes my mind, calls this the "Talibanisation of India".

Having read a substantial amount recently in Khaled Hosseini's books ("The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns") about the disturbing tales of the horrors that Afghans have faced in the last 40-odd years, I cannot help but compare the social system that the Taliban tried to bring into Afghanistan, and what the social radicals are trying to do in India right now. Innocent young women, whose only "crime" was to walk in and out of a club in Mangalore, were abused and beaten up in full public view. Couples sitting in parks etc. have been harrassed and further beaten, and, on Valentine's day, even forcibly married off! Even a policeman, who we trust with our lives, indulges in some couple-clobbering, dragging them away to a police station, only to find that there is no law under which he could book them. Even a brother-sister pair were taken for a couple and beaten up. All romantic alliances are seen as mortal sins which must be punished severely, that too physically. A taste of the Taliban, anyone?? The only difference seems to be that the Taliban roamed around in red Toyota jeeps carrying Kalashnikovs, while here the fundamentalists run around on the road (at the most commandeer a red Toyota Innova....sorry but I had to put that in!), and use anything they can lay their hands on as a weapon. It indeed is a shocking revelation, which should simultaneously serve as a wake-up call as well.

This is not about standing up in defiance against these extreme elements, but about facing the broader consequences of the issue, and getting that into everyone's head. I'm not saying that going to a pub, having drinks, smoking cigarettes, doping etc. should be completely permitted in society. In fact, I'm all for stricter implementation of stringent laws on the latter two at least. But its time both sides of society buck up and realize their responsibilities - be it as a friend, a brother/sister, a son/daughter, a father/mother, or simply as an adult and as a citizen of this great nation. We should be mature enough to understand what is right and what is wrong, what's good for us and what isn't. And for those who cannot come around to understanding and making those decisions, we need to ensure that the law is above all else, and more importantly, that the law is implemented correctly, logically and effectively. This may be a democracy, but no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. No one has the right to impose their own will on others. Yet, at the same time, no one has the right to hurt and disregard the sentiments of their fellow citizens, whether they make sense or not, which is something we need to be a little extra-careful about.

Until the next...

A few tears say a thousand words..

One may say that a defining hallmark of a true sportsman is his ability to acknowledge, after a defeat, the fact that he has been beaten by a better man. At the finals of the 2009 Australian Open Men's Singles Championship, Roger Federer did just that through the use of a few tears. It seemed as if the round of applause and cheering that the crowd provided as he stepped up to speak after receiving the runners-up shield had overwhelmed him, but deeply, he may have realized that all that support was now starting to stem out of empathy rather than appreciation. He would have realized that, for the second successive Grand Slam final against his nemesis Rafael Nadal, he threw everything but the kitchen sink at him, yet failed to even cause a dent in the Spaniard's machinery. Rafa slowly but steadily absorbed everything the Swiss ace launched at him, and then demonstrated the magical capabilities that enabled him to dethrone the then king of Wimbledon. He also showed that his record against Fedex was no fluke; that he, indeed, was the better player. Armed with a fierce forehand and a bundle of energy, Nadal ran Roger ragged, picking him apart at will. He displayed absolutely no signs of the tiredness that everyone predicted he would experience, coming on the back of a 5+ hour marathon against compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the semis less than 48 hours earlier. When the dust had finally settled, Rafa stood tall, knowing that he had yet again mastered his fiercest rival, physically as well as mentally.

Having said this, I would definitely be rooting for Federer to overcome the odds in Paris, come May. He has a massive challenge ahead of him now, and the horror of the final at Roland Garros a year earlier would definitely be playing on his mind. But a win at Paris this year would surely cement his place in history as arguably the greatest player the sport has ever seen. One thing is for sure, he would be much more determined than ever this year at the French Open.....the feud is now slowly developing into a battle for personal pride more than for Championships in the case of R-Fed.

South of the equator, the downfall of another champion(s) was witnessed - Ricky Ponting and his (not so) merry men. The Aussie cricket team has endured a horrific last 6 months, slumping from defeat after defeat. It all started with their tour of India, when the men in blue shocked the cricketing world with the ease with which they dispatched the Aussie brigade 2-0 in the test series. Returning to their homeland stunned and disheartened, they restored some pride with a test series win against neighbours New Zealand, although they did flatter to deceive in the process. On came the South Africans, riding high on a wave of successes earlier in the year. The Proteas came into the series with a dismal test record in Australia, but they capitalised on the poor form of the home side to deliver a 2-1 thumping to them in the test series and a 4-1 mauling in the ODI series, in the process becoming the no. 1 ODI side in the world. Cricket fans all over the world stared dumbfounded at the petty joke that the Australian side had been reduced to. Sure, everyone expected the absence of the likes of McGrath, Warne, Lee and Gilchrist to have a major impact on the quality of the side, but nobody would even in their wildest dreams would have imagined 6 months ago that the Aussies would capitulate as tamely as they did. Even today, I sit here writing this after watching them get beaten by a rookie New Zealand ODI team, after being bowled out for a paltry 181.

It really is sad to see so many champions around the world falling one by one, although some may look at it positively and say it does wonders for the game - nobody likes to see a sport dominated by one person or one team. A little healthy competition never hurts!! And hey, I'm not really complaining.......as long as the trend continues and we witness the demise of yet another champion side - this time in football - namely, Manchester United!!! ;)

Until the next...

P.S : 11.30 pm.....late addition to the post :

Toooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssss!! Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!! Liverpool 2 -0 Chelsea!!!! El Nino is up and running again, Red Devils beware!!! Cmon u Reds!! YNWA!!!

All dazed and disoriented..!

And no, that's not because of a hangover from a heavy night of drinking (I think people who know me know that there's no way that is possible for a guy like me!), but it feels the same nonetheless!! The reason?? Four simple words - CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA!!

Firstly, Mr. Nikhil Advani, what the f were u thinking??! That Indian movie-goers are dumb?? Or that we're Chinese, and that all those Chinese stunts would earn you a pat on the back?? Please do not attempt to insult our intelligence ever again in the future, sir, for you have already committed that mortal sin with this 2 hr 45 min of worthless rubbish! And just because Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon won Oscars inspite of its over-exaggerated action with the Chinese actors flying from point A to point B, doesn't mean CC2C will be subject to rapturous applause for the same reasons. Allow me to present you with a comparative study -- Tom & Jerry, with Tom falling off buildings and being kicked through the air, is funny. Wile E. Coyote falling off a cliff thanks to the Road runner, is funny. Mithun da kicking Akshay Kumar in the backside, sending him flying through the Delhi skyline, unlike most other airlines nowadays due to fog, IS NOT FUNNY!! It is in fact really, really SAD! It is sad to see that this is what Indian cinema has come down to, that people like Akshay Kumar have stooped so low and are making fools of themselves. Then there's that scene on a pier where "Sidhu" puts his foot against the chest of one of the bad guys, and then does some bizarre move that even I couldn't comprehend, but the next thing we see is all the villains launched into the air, wooden boards flying around, winds swirling and the water in the sea rising as if a Tsunami is about to hit!! I've seen plenty of movies where one is required to leave one's brains at home and proceed to the cinema hall, and have appreciated quite a few such movies as well. CC2C, however, is a movie which, after watching, even a man lying on a surgery table with his brain in a jar next to him, would feel like banging his head against the nearest accessible wall, or any other hard object for that matter. It defies logic, gravity, law of conservation of energy, law of conservation of mass, law of conservation of charge, psychology, philosophy....everything!! (Suyash...go ahead...call me a nerd!! ). The acting is nothing to write home about either, although I did read in a review somewhere, "We have reached a point where it is no longer possible to use Deepika Padukone and acting in the same sentence"!! Very true, at least going by her last 2 movies, Bachna Ae Haseeno and CC2C! Overall, this movie is a dud. Yet, it wouldn't be surprising to see this movie gross over Rs. 100 crore, thanks to the loyal fans of Akki.

Anyway, I need to watch a decent movie now in order to compensate for this madness. Hopefully Slumdog Millionaire won't disappoint. Until the next...

2008 - A musical recap

Firstly, at the outset, let me complete the required formality and wish the reader of these words a very Happy New Year! It's commonplace for bloggers at such times to look back at the year gone by and put down their thoughts. They may either describe their life over the last 316224000 seconds, or give their perspective of world events in the said time period. Well, I have always, on my blog, ventured to do something different and unconventional (at least for me!).

I got an idea while watching VH1 on the first day of the New Year. They were showing the hit Billy Joel number "We didn't start the fire". For those of you who are musically ignorant, this song is unique - in that its lyrics chronicle the most significant events and personalities of the 20th century (actually during Billy Joel's lifetime up till that point, from 1949 to 1989). So, before you move further on in this post, I suggest you get your hands on this song, and more importantly, go through the lyrics. Anyway, so watching the video gave me an idea for this post. I decided to write my own little song, sung to the same tune, chronicling the events of 2008. So here it is:

(to be sung to the tune of "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel):

Economic disarray, Fuel prices in a sway,
goin' up, comin' down, where are they headed now?
Merrill Lynch, Lehmann, fallin' over in a spin,
Losses and bailouts, is it gonna end and how?

Air fares on the rise, Ozzie cricket's sad demise,
IPL, ICL, cricket lovers in a spell
Writers strike, sitcom strife, entertainment going bust,
Iron Man, Dark Knight, Why so serious??

CHORUS:
2008 is over
There were twists n turns, there were chills n burns,
2009's upon us
Gotta live our life yeah, gotta make it brighter

Medvedev, Sarkozy, Musharraf and Zardari,
McCain-Palin bow out, Barack creates history
Indo-US nuke deal, UPA back on its feet,
Israel, Palestine, Hamas and the Gaza strip

Kosovo becomes free, South Ossetia under siege,
Democracy in Nepal, Fidel steps aside for Raul
Man Utd win the double, Liverpool now top the table,
Barcelona, Inter Milan, looking unstoppable.

CHORUS

Terrorists, militants, brainwashed imbeciles,
chaos and mass destruction, taking lives at their own will
Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kabul, Islamabad,
Last straw was Mumbai, how many more now have to die??!

Nadal downs Federer, Lewis has a glorious year,
Bindra gets his name in gold, Phelps swims to 8 and lo!
Bush ducks for cover twice, Nano stops 'cos Mamta cries,
Recession, destruction, c'mon people get it right!!

CHORUS

Somali piracy, NSG we salute thee,
Chandrayaan on the moon, Iphone debuts with a boom,
Khan wars to the fore, movie-goers still want more,
Aamir pips SRK, Sallu just gets blown away

Coldplay, Linkin Park, Big Bang with a spark,
G8 nations deliver, things just have to get better!!

2008 is over
There were twists and turns, there were chills and burns
2009's upon us
When the chips are down, keep fighting on and on and on.....

CHORUS

END

Suggestions for a title anyone???
Oh and by the way, this was my first ever attempt at something like this - never even written a poem in my life, forget a song! So appreciate your comments :)

Until the next...have a great year ahead everyone!

Two and two together

It's that time of the year again....the day one celebrates his/her mere presence on this planet, the day we realize how significant and important we are in the lives of the people around us...and most of all how significant and valuable our own life is! Yes sir, "Arvind Jayanti" for me, you may say! Maybe someday Dec 20th will indeed be called that....maybe it'll be a bank holiday.....maybe there'll be a mail going out from a company to all its clients and employees citing "This is to remind you that the offices of XYZ Ltd. shall remain closed on December 20th on account of Arvind Jayanti. Normal business shall resume on December 21st". Maybe there'll be candlelight marches....a memorial...umm....a parade....no, not a parade....chuck that....hmm...a cheesecake-eating competition!! And the winner gets a free season ticket to watch Liverpool at Anfield!

Well let me ponder over what I need to do to achieve this....I guess the following are my options:

1. Start my own religion
2. Save the world from recession
3. Eliminate terrorism
4. Pick up a cause and launch a revolutionary movement in favour of it
5. Get Pakistan to back off from Kashmir
6. Become the first person of Indian origin to be selected as the US President and then humbly decline, owing my allegiance to my motherland
7. Create a human colony on the moon/Mars
8. Deliver a hit movie for Yashraj films
9. Finish an infrastructure project in Mumbai within first stipulated deadline
10. Keep my room clean for a minimum consecutive period of 48 hours

As the above tasks are not humanly possible by self, I would say....Arvind Jayanti?? NOT!

22 years have passed since I opened my eyes to the ceiling of Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai. Normally, some tend to dwell on their past on such occasions and introspect. Others like to look toward their future...plan, strategize, generate visions etc. Me? I live in the present...past is past, learn from it and move on, and let the future take it's course, don't mess with it....focus on today, never waste opportunities coming ur way, and most importantly, u only get one shot at life, so live it to the fullest! That is what i believe in.....will always keep believing in...

Anyway, as I type these words, my 22nd birthday officially ends...its 12 am....that's all for now I guess...until the next....

Be a Man! - An ode to RP

It was a typical Sunday morning at home. I had basically nothing to do, so there I was, staring at my PC screen, glancing through the contents of my Western Digital 500 GB "My Book", looking for something to watch and pass the time. Usually, its a random episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S, or some downloaded Youtube videos, or some specific scenes I love watching in certain movies (movies like A Few Good Men, Rush Hour 3 etc.....no, not those types of scenes, you perverts!!). This time, I was in the mood for some good ol' fashioned humour, so who else do I turn to, but our good friend, philosopher n guide, Russell Peters! :) As I began watching Outsourced for the 10^xth time, where x -> +infinity, I thought...hey, I was anyway looking for something to write on my blog, I finally think I have it! So, all you people who have only heard the name "Russell Dominic Peters", here is a quick refresher course on one of the greatest comedians of our time!!

First, get certain things straight: (a) He is NOT an Indian, he is a Canadian, born to Indian parents (b) Yes, that IS his real name.....as he himself says it "You have a doubt? Ask my parents, Eric and Maureen! And my brother Julio!" (although his brother's name is actually Clayton). Being an average student at school, comedy slowly became his "thing". He started doing stage shows in his late teens, and his popularity spread like wildfire. Soon he was performing in the States, doing a variety of stand-up acts both on television and in front of live audiences on stage. His unique repertoire of jokes, broadly ranging from those based on his Indian origin, different types of Asians, to the peculiarities of the British and Africans has brought the whole world down to the floor roaring with laughter. His impeccable impressions of Indians, Chinese, British, South Americans etc. leaves one craving for more everytime a show ends. Trademark lines include "Somebody gonna getta hurt real bad!", "Be a Man!", "!Xobile...he's got a click in his name!!!!", "I give you best deal.....34.50!" .....man, there's so many! Each and every joke of his is LEGENDARY in its own right!

Some of his best creations are part of his comedy special "Outsourced", still a top-selling DVD hit. He has featured numerous times on shows like Comedy Central, Just for Laughs etc. He has also hosted a number of award shows, having a handsome collection of awards himself. These include 4 Gemini awards, which are the official Canadian Television awards. His popularity grew worldwide with the dawn of the Youtube era, with his comic acts registering mind-boggling number of hits among users. Taking advantage of his ever growing popularity, Russell has done stage shows in a large number of countries including UK, Australia, India, Denmark, Sweden, South Africa, the Carribean etc.

Recently, Russell was in India as a part of a world tour to promote his new DVD, "Red, White and Brown", as well as celebrate his 20th anniversary in the business. I was among the fortunate ones to witness the side-splitting treat, and boy did he deliver! I swear I must've laughed more in those 1.5 hours than in the last 5 years of my life!! Poor old Sikander Kher, and that other director whose name I can't quite recollect, they'll be wishing they had given this one a miss! Russell has single-handedly ruined their careers I think! It indeed was an unforgettable experience.

Well I guess that's all you need to know. So, all you folks, here is the algorithm you need to follow:
1. Start
2. Log onto http://www.youtube.com/
3. Search for "Russell Peters"
4. Think of sad things, cry as much as you can......'cos the only tears you'll now be shedding are from all the hysterical laughter that is about to follow!
5. Click on a search result, and let the video load.
6. Watch video, laugh your a** off
7. If (you want more) Then goto step 5, else goto step 8
8. Lie down, relax, let that stomach ache die down!
9. Stop

Until the next...Good Day!

One Spirit? Or a rude Awakening??

As blood and tears spilled over 3 of the finest hotels in Mumbai and indeed in India in the last week of November '08, blood boiled through the rest of the city. People joined hands in venting out their frustration and fury at the sheer apathy of the Indian government in tackling terrorism. Peace marches, silent protests and lighting of candles took place to symbolize the unity of the city of dreams. Mumbai, in one voice, rejected the prevailing political system and called for change, a change for the better.


The concept of "One Spirit - One Mumbai" has been well established for quite a while now, and somehow it takes a tragedy like this for everyone to come to wake up and smell the roses. Why?? Do we need an excuse to show our unity?? Hasn't our entire political and administrative system been flawed ever since independence? Sure, no system can be perfect, and one may be asking for a bit too much to change the system, but it sure can be improved with the help of some innovative inputs. For one, citizens should be allowed a more active role in checking the functioning of the government. With the dawn of the "Enough is Enough" era, a Citizens' Regulatory Body could be formulated to voice the concerns of the people and form an effective bridge between the administration and the common man. Every decision that the government takes may be analysed, and the citizens can provide their feedback as well. The RTI Act is another useful tool that needs to be utilised in a much more productive manner. And, most importantly, this Body should be completely devoid of any politics and bureaucracy. "Dream On, dude!", you may say, but it just takes one spark to ignite a fire, and I feel that spark has already been produced. Sure, its not the easiest of tasks, so probably it can first begin at a nodal level, before slowly growing to city levels.

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing" - Albert Einstein

Of Monks and Merseysiders...

"Never forget the importance of living with unbridled exhiliration. Never neglect to see the exquisite beauty in all living things. Today, and this very moment, is a gift. Stay focused on your purpose. The Universe will take care of everything else" - Robin Sharma

I picked this up from a book that I thought I would never read, but eventually got around to reading it. I am, of course, talking about the philosopher's delight, "The Monk who sold his Ferrari". Though it has been touted as a must-read for quite some time now for all book lovers, I was always reluctant to read it, given that I read books (and similarly watch movies) purely as a leisure activity and for entertainment, and not for exercising my mind. As such, I have never been a fan of non-fictional and philosophical works. But I decided that the time has come for me to expand my horizons in reading, and so I gave TMWSHF a shot. It's pretty decent, and certainly didn't put me to sleep at least, although I was not too impressed with the character portrayal of John, a supposed Harvard graduate, and some portions of the discourse being offered to him by the "monk" Julian (A Harvard graduate not knowing how to light a fire given a magnifying glass, a piece of paper, and some wood? Really??! Hell then getting into Harvard should be a piece of cake for me!!). One thing's for sure, the book does not teach you anything new, nor is it meant to. Whatever is essayed is pure common sense, expanded with the help of some flowery descriptions and examples. In fact, the whole book can be summed up in one line: "A healthy mind, a healthy body and a well-defined objective in life, pursued with everlasting determination, focus and passion....therein lies the key to all success". But, I must admit, it certainly has encouraged me to further widen my scope of books to read and pick up those that at one point I would've thought would be "dull and boring".

Hmm....havn't talked about football for quite some time! Well, lets see, Liverpool on top...Chelsea losing at home...ManU not clicking into gear...Arsenal may have beaten Chelsea n ManU, but they still suck this season...is there anything more left to say?? :) But yeah, the Reds have just a point's lead, when ideally it should've been 5 or more. 0-0 draws at home against the likes of Fulham, West Ham and Stoke City just aint the way to go, so they need to get their scoring boots on....but fear not, 'cos with Torres returning from injury, things can only get better...YNWA!!

Prison Break S4 simply rocks!!! The magic of Scofield n co still lives on, after a disappointing season 3. All those who still havnt started watching, well, what the hell r u waiting for???? Get your hands on a copy now! Heroes S3 just aint good enough, although it is picking up slowly. And "How I met your mother", well, it definitely is turning out to be the new "F.R.I.E.N.D.S"!

Hmmm...........sleepy now....damn...its just 10.10 pm!! Oh yeah...new episode of Heroes...completely forgot...gotta see it...so Cheerio! Until the next..

Time for a fresh new beginning

Well its been almost 11 months since my last post, and how time flies. There I was, in my final year of engineering (Good Riddance!), struggling to put together something that could be labelled as a "Final Year Project", looking forward to the last semester and the much-awaited Industrial Visit (which eventually bombed big time for me), and amongst other things, having just started watching Prison Break!! And here I am now, Arvind Bhaskaran, Bachelor of Engineering, a "Technical Associate/Assistant Manager" with the technology division of a financial giant, learning the corporate way of life (read: Carrom in the morning/TT in the evening, and in between, whenever time permits, a few presses of the Enter key, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, and filling up some excel sheets..lol), having a LEGENDARY time and doing things that I wish I had done more often during my 4 years of college life! Not to mention that I have added "How I Met your Mother" and "Heroes" to my list of regularly followed serials. Now, drawing inspiration from the fact that Mr. Suyash "Suppandi" Nikhil has started blogging, I too have decided to resume where I left off, and hopefully this time, a more consistent and periodic flow of posts will follow.

The beauty of work life vis-a-vis college life lies in one simple and yet extremely significant aspect: As soon as you step out of your office premises, that's it! Full stop!! Work mode off, Chill out mode On! Do what you want, go where you want, 'cos you're free in every sense of the word! No fretting about assignments to be completed at home, or tests to be taken the next day, or, the worst of them all, EXAMS! No more exams!! That is, of course, if one excludes all the competitive exams that we all end up giving some time or the other. I'm sure this is mostly true only in the formative years of one's career, but hell, live life in the present is what I always say!!

Anyway, so what else is up....I guess the recent audacious attacks by terrorists in Mumbai is the hottest ongoing topic of discussion for bloggers, but I'm going to refrain from commenting too much on the issue, as enough has been said already. Honestly, I'm sick and tired of reading and watching the same news over and over again. So, all I'm gonna say is, after all these years of brutal massacres by terrorist groups, and the level of inaction against them, I feel there's only one way out left if we really want to see results being produced: FIGHT TERROR WITH TERROR. What happened to the good old adage of "fighting fire with fire"?? Why wouldn't it apply here?? Are the terrorists completely cold-blooded?? Do they not have even an inkling of a weakness inside their souls? I'm sure they do, and that is what the authorities need to exploit. Sure, they may be able to withstand unimaginable amounts of physical pain even unto death, but how much mental and emotional pain can they withstand?? I believe there must be a limit, so these weaknesses need to be found out and taken advantage of. It may be a radical thought, but one can't deny that anything not radical can only be labelled as "soft" in these trying times! Enough said.

I was really disappointed in the way the media completely ignored the suffering that people in Tamil Nadu were also going through during the crisis in Mumbai. I cannot remember even a single mention being made of it anywhere in News channels or in the print media. The cyclone that hit the TN coast was devastating, and had it hit a place like Mumbai, I'm sure it would've been splattered all over the news. Agreed, the terror attacks in Mumbai were much more important and had a far greater impact on the rest of the nation and the world as well, but that does not justify not giving any airtime/reading space to the catastrophe in TN. It only re-affirms my earlier post on the media not being responsible enough and not realizing their true role in society.

I guess I'll sign off for now....will save some for the posts to come, else I'll pretty soon run out of things to say! That's one of the reasons why one doesn't find me talking on the phone too much....I hate it whenever there comes a point in the conversation where all we're saying is "Aur kya..", "What else", "So wassup"....! Chatting rocks in that way...if u've run out of things to talk about, just work on something else!! Anyway, until the next....Good Day!

The Tata NANO - a GRAND beginning to a new year...or is it??

Five years ago, the chairman of the TATA group, Mr. Ratan Tata, made India a promise. And on this day, 10th January 2008, being the true pioneer and visionary that Mr. Tata is, he has delivered. And how!!

With the entire country and even large parts of the world holding their breath in anticipation, Ratan Tata rolled out in arguably his company's biggest and most ambitious project ever, the Tata Nano - a car for the masses, one that offers a safe and affordable means of transportation for the average Indian family. Then, facing an awestruck mass of reporters, delegates and spectators, he proceeded to list out features and facts that, word by word, silenced all those who questioned the feasibility of such a venture. The gala event is sure to change the automobile industry forever.

As I sat in front of the idiot box and watched the car steadily roll out onto the stage with the chairman at the wheel, my first reaction was "Whaaa.....??? You've gotta be kidding me! That thing actually moves??!" But then as the technicalities of the car were listed out, I realized that the Tatas may have probably pulled a rabbit out of the hat here! It really does serve the purpose for a customer who just desires to have a set of wheels under him to move, without all the nitty-gritties and fancy stuff that most popular cars in the small-car segment have. Here are some facts about the car:

• A 33 hp, 625 cc engine is just about enough for city traffic and most highways, but it could struggle on hill roads and stretches with considerable slope, especially under large loads. The rear engine will provide a certain uniqueness to this car and will present most Indians with something they perhaps have never seen before, at least on Indian roads. It will be interesting to see what the maximum speed this little machine can conjure up is and how the pickup is compared to other cars in the same segment. Long drives on highways may get frustrating for drivers who have already experienced driving other cars such as the Santro, Swift etc.
• I think the compliance to major safety and emission norms wasn't very surprising, as opposed to some other skeptics. Tata would never have unveiled this car had it not met standard requirements on all fronts. This being said, the fact that the team behind the car has managed to go a step further and even meet the EURO-IV standard criteria is commendable.
• The car is said to provide a mileage of 20 kmpl in the city and about 25-26 kmpl on highways. Well, that definitely is fantastic news with oil prices skyrocketing, but the question is for how long can it sustain such a performance? And will these claims really hold true? I guess we just have to wait until the first car rolls out onto the streets to find out!
  
• No power steering....hmm cant see why that should be a problem....even my Santro doesn't have power steering and even I can handle it pretty well!! :)
• 8% smaller externally and 21% larger internally than a Maruti 800...well I have to see that to believe it....if it is true, fantastic! Maruti better have an answer!
• A Diesel variant of the car is also likely to be introduced soon. Along with a Diesel variant, I feel Tata should also look to introduce a CNG version to silence the environmental lobby further.
  
• Finally, and most importantly, the price tag - yes, the standard model does have a dealer price of Rs. 1,00,000, but cost to the consumer will be in the region of 1.3-1.5 lakhs, inclusive of VAT, transportation etc. People should be ready for rises in production costs over the longer term, as manufacturing and transporting in an area like Singur, where the company has faced enough trouble already, is never going to be a smooth process.
  

All in all, this revolutionary move by the Tatas will surely "bring in the moolah" for them, albeit it'll take considerable time for them to break even. Now, the big question -- Is this really what India needs right now? More specifically, is this what a city like MUMBAI needs right now? A city, where already over 1.2 lakh cars are added to the streets annually....a city, where updates on traffic snarls already hog almost as much airtime of most radio stations as the actual music does....is this what such a city needs - a car that everyone can afford to buy and heap misery on road development authorities?? My answer - no way!!!! The unveiling of the Tata Nano has just opened up a huge Pandora's box, as even servants in some areas like Malabar Hills and other parts of Mumbai would be able to afford such a car, and the number of cars on the road would double very soon. The repercussions are already being felt, with a large number of companies including Maruti Suzuki and Renault-Bajaj announcing plans for a low cost car. On one side, the more sensible people encourage others to use public transport more often and not take their vehicles out to work -- well Tata has now done just the opposite! Those rooting for the car can wag their tongues all they want about meeting the emission norms, but if you have every other earning individual making a beeline to get their hands on one of these toys, the collective contribution of all these cars would be enough to make Dr. Pachauri's worst nightmare come true as well!!

My suggestion for the best way to utilize this car: convert them into taxis, and do away with the crappy Fiats! Its about time there was a major overhauling of the taxi fleet in major cities in India, particularly in Mumbai. High maintenance costs and lack of comfort for customers do not make things any easier for the taxi owners. We Mumbaiikars would love to zoom around on the streets of Mumbai in a Tata Nano cab rather than a rickety old Fiat any day of the week and twice on Sunday! In fact...hmm...a new autorickshaw costs somewhere in the region of 1 lakh....why not replace the autorickshaws too??? :) OK that might just be a little far-fetched, but it is possible!

Feel free to refute or add to any of the points I've made above....looking forward to your comments. Until the next, Good Day!

-Ari B

Breaking out..

The traditional month-long exam period has taken its toll, and I'm glad to say its all behind me now. A brand new year, a fresh start, a bright new future to look forward to, with endless aims and infinite opportunities popping up along the road....2008 is the year which will see the student take a back seat and the professional step forward. It is a year in which a fun-filled final semester will be followed by tear-filled goodbyes (although on the bright side, college friendships will never be lost) and a new set of colleagues and friends to look forward to. Life in the fast lane will never stop though, it is just the environment and circumstances which will transform from mindless college-mania and brain-bashing to workplace professionalism and application of the human mind (of course, those pursuing further studies are an exception!).

A few days of post-exam relaxation are all we supposed engineers-in-the-making at 426, VASHI (FCRIT) can afford...then its back to work, and for most of us, back to the drawing board with our projects! The next 3 months are when we are supposed to get our act together and make sense of all the micro and macro components that define the highlight of our term: the Final Year Project. And during these few days, I have decided to completely indulge myself by following the exploits of Michael Scofield in attempting to firstly escape from the shackles of Fox State Penetentiary along with his brother, then to elude the cops and thwart their every attempt to recapture them, and finally land back in prison only to try and break the barriers once again. I am, of course, talking about the highly acclaimed "Prison Break" series, currently in its 3rd season. Few serials on the idiot box can truly be termed as addictive and gripping, and PB is undoubtedly one of them. Backed by a terrific script with more twists than a metre-long strand of human DNA, the actors play their roles to perfection, and the intense expressions on their faces send a chill down your spine everytime they scheme up new ways to stay one step ahead of the authorities. A must for all television aficionados...although it does come with a statutory warning: Once you start, you will not stop till you're done, and that's a guarantee!

Ok that's it, my patience has reached it's saturation limit, so its back to PB season 3....till the next, Good Day!

-Ari B

Btw...dont get confused by the title of the post below and the date mentioned above it...it was a Sunday morning where I come from!

-Ari B

Another Sunday morning..

That's right, its yet another bright Sunday morning. With December around the corner, things are beginning to get a bit chilly around here, though I must point out, even a normally pleasant 24 degrees can be termed as "chilly" for us Navi Mumbaikars! This Sunday morning is a bit different for me....no classes, no mock tests, no exam the next day....a welcome change after a really long time. As I went through my usual holiday morning routine of reading the newspaper while sipping a cup of hot South Indian filter coffee, I thought it might be a good idea to share some of the stories that caught my eye, on my blog.

One such story featured on the front page of the Sunday Times of India. The headline mentioned the words "SNS addiction", which immediately drew my attention. Some of you may probably be wondering what on earth 'SNS' is. The answer: something which you and me are very familiar with, and indulge in extensively - Social Networking Sites. Orkut, MySpace, Facebook, Hi5 and a whole bunch of others constitute this select group of websites that have more number of registered users from India than the entire population of most European countries, I would imagine! The article mentions how these sites are increasingly becoming addictive and influencing our lives. It points out how the lives of many people revolve around their "friends list". While such sites have been a boon for most people by bringing them closer and providing a platform for discussions through communities as well, it clearly has a very disturbing negative side. SNS addiction is becoming almost as alarming as alcohol or drug addiction, in the way that it's hard to get out of once you've been trapped by it. Studies, work etc. all go for a toss, and one needs to be mentally strong and be able to exercise considerable amount of self-control to ensure that one doesn't get an overdose of SNS.

Another shocking stat revealed in the newspaper was that only 1.08% of the entire population of India has health insurance!! Ok, now obviously a substantial proportion of these people belong to urban areas and having a decent job. But what about those who are actually in the line of fire: workers working in dangerous locations like mines, refineries etc., or people in areas constantly hit by natural disasters like floods and cyclones, or even those living in epidemic-prone areas. Aren't they the ones who really need health insurance? The problem lies in the fact that most of these people cannot afford health insurance. This is where the government should step in. If anyone can help people in this regard, its the elected officials. Forget all the corruption and bureaucracy existing in the system - just for once, can you not just act like responsible human beings and do your job of assisting your people when they need help??

Hmm....lets see whats on in the sports arena....the Indian cricket team look as if they're about to defeat Pakistan in the first test, unless the middle order throws it away.....India are still actually competing in A1 GP(lol..sorry! actually they've done pretty well...6th...good job Narain!!). Coming to football, Liverpool thrash a hapless Newcastle 3-0, that too with Fernando Torres seemingly having left his shooting boots back on Merseyside for some reason! It truly was unbelievable....I counted a total of 6 chances that, on any other given day, Torres would've knocked in with absolute ease! And how about this for a result...Bolton beat ManU 1-0!!!!(mmwaaaaahahahahahaha to all the ManU fans out there!!) Rest of the results were routine stuff, no real surprises, although Everton managing to conjure up 7 against a decent Sunderland side was a bit of a shock.

I cannot help but mention one article I read in the Mumbai Mirror that had me in splits!! It was about something interesting that happened when the national anthems were being sung during the England-Croatia match at Wembley on Wednesday. A British singer was to sing both the English and the Croatian anthems, and he messed up a part of the Croatian anthem so badly, it had some of the Croatian players grinning at each other during their own anthem. Well, what happened was, he was supposed to sing a line "mila kuda si planina", which means "You know my dear how we love the mountains". Instead, inadvertently, he sang it as "mila kura si planina" which literally means "My dear, my p***s is a mountain"!!!!!! OMG!! How I wish I was Croatian and heard that live during the match, would've had a really good laugh! But what was nice to see was that the Croatian players, crowd and the media took it very sportingly and in good humour, and didnt make a fuss about it. In fact, some of the fans are calling on the singer to become their official mascot for Euro 2008, because it seemed to help their players relax!!! Imagine what would happen if something like this was done to the Indian anthem....that person would've been torn to pieces for sure!

Well thats all for now...guess I'll be back when I have something intelligent to write about! Cheers till then..

-Ari B

News channels with nothing new

This is an issue that really has been irking me over the past few months. There's no doubt that over the past 7-8 years, the rate at which 24x7 news channels have sprung up on our television screens has really taken the media scene in India by storm. Politicians, celebrities, sportspersons...everyone is under scrutiny like never before. There's hardly ever a moment in a day when u dont see the phrase "Breaking News"/"News Flash"/"Taaza Khabar" blazing across your TV screen, causing you to stare with rapt attention at the alphanumeric characters rolling across the bottom of the screen and interpret what the latest the world has to offer u is.

But for quite some time now, certain news channels have caught my eye for all the wrong reasons. I must admit, I love watching news channels almost as much as I love watching football...and whenever I switch on the TV, as a routine, a brief scan of the available sports channels is immediately followed by a skim of all the news channels for the latest happenings around us. But the sight that really irritates me during this process is that of some channels, particularly Hindi news channels, showing absolute rubbish which they proclaim proudly as "Taaza Khabar!!". I apologize for being biased in this regard, but one cannot argue the fact that such stories can only be seen on a group of channels, and all these channels happen to be Hindi channels. Let me give you an example. One of the news stories that I came across on a couple of these channels was that of "The Great Khali", an Indian wrestler in the famous WWE (formerly known as WWF). This guy is a monster, standing at more than 7 ft. tall and weighing 400 odd pounds. He seems to be making a huge impact among the wrestling audience in the US, and the news channels here have used the huge popularity of the WWE in India for advancing their "TRPs", so to speak. They carried a huge exclusive on the guy, proudly calling him "an ambassador of our nation" and describing how he is a prime example of Indians achieving success abroad. Now, I do not refute the fact that he is successful and that he has achieved a lot in the WWE. But, really, is this the best example they could garner? A WWE wrestler who is where he is just because he is "genetically unique", and not because of his Indian origin?? I can name a hundred other Indians who deserve that time and space on the screen for their achievements abroad. There are far more inspiring success stories out there than a guy who screams gibberish into the microphone and leads everyone into believing he's speaking Hindi!

This is just one example....one keeps seeing more and more such stories cropping up day-by-day and hogging our screens. How can I forget the infamous Kareena-Shahid kissing episode that was shown so distastefully on a particular news channel that it made me sick to my stomach. People, did it never occur to you that you don't have to show an ID card and prove you are 18 to watch television?? Do you not realize that news stories do not carry PG certificates with them?? I shudder to think what would have happened if a cute little kid was channel surfing that day, and came across these graphic pictures. Then he calls his mother and asks her in the most innocent of tones, "Mummy mummy, yeh log kya kar rahe hai???" How could that mother respond?? Imagine her dismay!

This is a sincere appeal to the media, not just in our country, but all over the world....stop behaving like a greedy business house and realize your role in society. Try not to take advantage of the weaknesses of certain sections of the audience, and show them what they should be shown, and not necessarily what they want to be shown. You guys are responsible for making us responsible citizens, please do not digress from that endeavour!

Until the next...

-Ari B

The cat has belled the nation

Well its been more than a year, and having been perpetually involved with college activities and then preparing for the notorious CAT exam, I have decided to resume where I left off...which is basically nowhere 'cos I never really started blogging anyway! Just 2-3 posts in mid-2006 and that was the end of it.

It is kind of ironic that I decide to resume blogging due to one of the very reasons I stopped in the first place....the CAT exam. This post comes to you on the big day itself...life after CAT attempt #1 has begun. The 150-minute bomb attack on the human brain is finally over. I described it as "notorious" initially because thats exactly how it is slowly turning out to be....just when u think that the IIMs are starting to appreciate the fact that making things tougher than they already are for the candidates doesnt help, they turn around and do exactly that!! While I used my strong sections - thats PS (Problem Solving) and DI (Data Interpretation) - to my advantage, my weaker section - thats the verbal section- is bound to thoroughly weaken my overall performance.

Well, as they say, miracles do happen. And boy do I desperately need one now! Just this morning, I wake up to find a miracle had been achieved by - or rather for - the English football team. Needing Israel to defeat Russia (which many pundits couldn't see happening) or an even more unlikely (next to impossible I should say!) Macedonian win over Croatia, English hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 were hanging by a thread and weren't even in their own hands. But, lo and behold! Israel defeat Russia 2-1 and what's more, Macedonia defeat Croatia 2-0! A miracle has indeed been achieved, and the English team can not only go through with a draw against Croatia, they may even top the group!! That's the kind of miracle that's needed here. May the Gods favour us hard-working souls!!!

Rest later. You guys will see a lot more of me from now on in this section!

-Ari B