A smile on my face...

Have u ever wondered how it is if ur closest friends achieve something? Have you ever wondered what it means to u when they do something great? Have u ever wondered how much joy u would feel when they go on and accomplish the thing they wanted to do for a long time? Checking the urban dictionary, one word that caught my eyes, not that i didn't know abt it, but i felt it was apt was the word "satisfaction", realization of true happiness. When they are in that top position, a sense of achievement prevails where u say with pride, he is my close friend, she is my best friend.

Every human is a social animal, a phrase I learnt this in my school, particularly in my economics class (which i was bad at). Every human needs someone, parents, relatives, brothers and sisters, and particularly friends. Friends make a huge difference, they make or break u, they are the backbone to ur entire structure, they are the people who make something meaningful in ur life. They change u, change u for good and stay beside u when ever u need and don't need them. Its friends who can change a relatively dull day to a happy day, a relatively failed day to an excellent day.

I always wondered whats with all the noise abt "my best friend, my close friend". I used to wonder how a particular human can devote absolute attention and render selfless support to another human who is in no way related to u. I recently read abt the Karna and duryodhana story in mahabharatham, perhaps the greatest epitome of friendship that history can provide. A human, no way related to u, gives the life off and fights opposite to his own brothers just for the sake of friendship. "One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives" thats apt!!!

Currently, I am in office, tried very hard to resist blogging, but somehow a great day made me write atleast a few lines on friendship, particularly seeing news on how friends can kill other friends, i really pity the fact that the news groups talks abt friends, where they are mere acquaintance for, "the best mirror is an old friend"...and i am proud that i have some left...

Congrats guyz....

President of India, whats all the fuss?

Sitting in the office, I wasn't doing anything useful. So I did my fav pass time, checking out news, rather the headlines. While doing so today, I realized that, this years Presidential battle is really hot (& bitter). Almost almost all the top people figured out in the "might be in" list. From film stars to the software giants, from the current president to his deputy, everyone want to be the president. Dr.Kalam used his "unblemished" record as his trump card, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat used his "vice president till now" card where as parthiba patil used her "women power" as hers. Everyone asked why a software giant, how can a film star rule? I wanted to ask back why not? However, its history. India still wants the 75+ people (with due respects Dr. Kalam, Prathiba Patil and Shekhawat (he is 80+ dude...)) as their first citizen of India and be the monarch (well, thats what a presidency means, isn't it?).

Dr. Kalam, Ruled for the past 5 yrs, has a unblemished record before and after entering politics, still is the most widely loved Indian, a notable scientist and engineer, often addressed as the missile man of India is often referred as the best president we have got. He wasn't a puppet president like some of the "high command installed" presidents (same with the case of the prime ministers) and was firm with his decisions. He has been a source of inspiration for many Indian, particularly Indians students, right example set by him.
An overview of his deputy, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, just 83-84 years old, read up to HIGH SCHOOl (wow), was suspended once for accepting bribe as a security house officer, quite contrary to Dr.Kalam, who doesn't even accept a pen from others and helped his son in law to get the CBI nets in Land Scam case. Just a few blemishes. However, on a positive note, he is anti - congress (well its not that i don't like congress, its just i don't like the Hierarchy of congress and the current Italian women there), chief president thrice and currently the vice president of India. Not a bad track record.

Finally, Prathiba Patil, a congress (Nehru - Gandhi) loyalist, managed Indira Gandhi's kitchen when Sanjay Gandhi died, widely tipped as the thirteenth president and the first "women" president, the cooperative bank set up to empower women got its license revoked due to the financial irregularities, some suger scams, some Polytechnic scams, many other scams, stupid comments on the Purdah system and the best was the "divine indication statement".

Currently, our loved president, Dr. Kalam spends some time replying to emails, 70 per day approx, mostly to kids, accepts the invitation from kids for their cultural meets, inspires them with his speech and his thoughts. A simple life, a simple entry to the presidency post, a great work for that post with inspirational speeches during his regime and a simple (just 2 suitcases and his books) exit from the post sums up the life of Dr. A.B.J. Abdul Kalam.


Imagine the next one, the most likely one(July 21, tomorrow will confirm it) the person from Rajasthan who is also a Shekhawat (the two things that are common b/w the two contestants along with other scams), we will get our first women president, a "rubberstamp" president managed by the high command and a president who might ask to her "divine intervention" as to how to rule the country. Imagine this women talking with a foreign personality (maybe she will start saying that she had just talked with some or commanding our army or pondering over important situations. Horrifying ( thats why, Sonia is there to help her decide....).


I started this blog 2 days back, and today, as "expected" in dismay, we now have two puppet rulers for the prime ministers post and the presidents post in the front end managed by a single ruler in the backend .....our very own "first Italian" ruler.......

Federer all the way...

Its Wimbledon quarterfinals, my idol Sampras was in a mood to break his young opponent. It was a yearly ritual for him to hold the "mecca of tennis" trophy. This time, he wanted to equal Bjorn's record. A young, ponytail man, with beaded necklace was his opponent. He matched Sampras's forehand with grace, his service with flamboyance and almost all his shots just "dropped" inside the court!

Fast Fwd twoo years, this same guy simply erases the competition and holds the same trophy, the most prestigious trophy in Tennis. Since them, There have hardly been any who really challenged. He managed to "retire" agassi without another grandslam, break the "toughness" of hewitt, made "short" of Safin and ripoff the "confidence" of Roddick.

Three years back, french open semifinals, it was a very young nadal vs the god himself. Nadal proved that he was able to make the god seem "mortal" by defeating him convincingly without any trouble. Its three years, nothing has changed, nadal keeps winning the red grandslam and the god, FEDERER keeps winning all the other three.

Wimbledon....2007, the only thing i will remember this is not for the rain, not for serena's so called "tough" attitude, not for venus's 4 slam or not for the resurgence of the new blood, but for Federer, who just made wimbledon more great!! I don't want to talk about it, just cherish his win, beating his current nemesis.

thanks FEDERER, You are the best!!!

Now thats what I call Journalism

Just went through http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/author/164/2061/anuradhasengupta.html
I am not being biased to Rajani, but how can a journalist write such a degrading stuff on a "NEWS" blog? She thinks she has written a masterpiece and is blowing it up by defending and re-defending her writeup.......

Like i said, going against the tide always helps...and for a journalist, its always a merry!... stupid people.....

Kiss or miss the controversy...

Bipasa gets kissed by Ronaldo, Dhoni gets kissed and hugged by a fan, shilpa shetty gets kissed by Richard Gere, Aish and Hrithik's kiss on screen is vulgar, Arun nayar and Elizabeth Hurley's hindu marriage is not according to the "Hindu rule book". These are the only things that I have been reading and hearing off late. I don't know if I should laugh at the peoples stupidity or I should feel bad for their ignorance.

Thought of writing a nice article on this... but I just can't seem to understand how people can be soo stupid!!! Hey news channels included!!!!

BCCI vs Players

India's world cup fiasco, coach's (mis)management, senior players "bullies" and non- players know-all attitude about cricket have been on all the news channels and social networks for the past 3 weeks. The burning of the effigies, the rally against players, stone throwing session on the houses have almost superseded other important and worthy news.

"Indian cricket is in mess", according too the tom dick and harry who sit on the board and news stands. This blog is a slam to all "others" and support the players. But its pains to see a bunch of jokers speak about our Indian players and "advice" them. Agreed, India had lost, played hopeless cricket, but to basically nail them and rip them apart as if they are terrorists is something that need to be pondered upon. Hell, these were the same people who spoke about players as gods when had a very successful sting just an year back (remember 17 match wins?? when dravid took over). Its high time to accept their failure, retrospect their unsuccessful campaign and move on.

Major news for the past 2 weeks have been on tendulkar's retirement plans that have be charted down by some hopeless cricketers. Retirement is something a player must decide, not the news reporters and stupid cricketers. Ian Chappel? Ramez Raja? who are these people? The former is the brother of a "great" coach who totally lacks the concern and self respect (and didn't he do the (in)famous underarm bowling, a totally unprofessional way of playing cricket- now commenting about professionalism?) and the latter who scored 2 centuries in 57 tests as an opener??? (why is he even considered as a cricketer???). What do they know about Indian cricket? I do accept that Tendulkar "had" been carrying the Indian cricket for quiet some time and with the advert of dravid, ganguly and sewagh things have been different. But still, he had aura, the stature around him whenever he played. People have never been tired of him, even if he had played for the past 16 yrs, people always expect him to do something amazing on the cricketing field. With some 3-4 failures, the same people used to bow down to him now burn down his effigy.

Indians have always been in favor of the "other race" people than their own. I remember the day we had gone to dunkin donuts, which is a largely gujjis stronghold in US, we were asked to get out by one of the attenders because we were sitting and talking. AP got so pissed that he called the cops. I liked his question, "will u do the same if there was some ambrus talking"? Just because its the people of the same race that the shopkeeper thought he could just get away by asking us to get lost, for no reason. Attitude problem..... Indians never know to respect fellow Indians and always try to emulate other races... which stems from the fact that caste has something to do with all these "views".
Greg had became the indian coach 2 years back, when john wright left with indian players were playing well, learnt to win under sourav. Gerg came in, backstabbed Sourav, the very man who brought in chappel, claimed the vision 2007 for worldcup and basically messed up the confidence of the players. Its not a joke when almost everyone, tendulkar, Viru (lost confidence), Irfan(tried to make him a allrounder and messed him altogether), Bajji(what happened to him??), kumble (who was never allowed to play, just allowed him to warm the bench) and lets now forget sourav.
Still, the Board (i still don't understand how and why sarath pawar, niranjan shah, rajiv shukla, shashank manohor and ratnakar shetty are even there??) side with greg, don't understand the players feelings and send notices to tendulkar and yuvaraj???(this is the best joke...asked to explain??? GREG, then you should publish a BOOK for all the comments....BOARD!!!??? COME ON U DON'T HAVE TO LICK THIS FELLOW LIKE THIS.....)

The funny part was when the BCCI announced the "TERMS" for cricket. I accept, performance payment, promote youngsters, but endorsements? When they don't want to take any responsibility to talk to the endorsement of players, they don't have any say to cap these player's endorsements. They are too many players endorsements on line now, and what BCCI feels is right. Maybe the endorsements are affecting the performance. But logically, if players perform then they get endorsements and viceversa. BCCI, please u strive on these players endorsement and BRIBES...

Anyway, lots of things to speak, but lets wait and watch for now....

NEWS....Media......is it worth the pain...

I always liked NEWS. Thought I tend to forget most of the stuff, I try to keep myself abreast with the latest news. Anything abt India is fun. From Nuke deals to firing of agni3, from cricket to hockey, from national to state news, from hollywood to bollyhood, i like to read abt them. And with google reader, i subscribe to more news feeds and tend to read the same news on different sites...

Of later, after i got a link for watching online news, the Indian news channels, my main source of entertainment other than my fav southpark and house is the news. Back in India, when I remember the sep 11th attacks. That day we had a blackout and almost the whole of south India was experiencing darkness. I was in my cousin's house, helping them out. Around 12-12:30 the electricity was restored back and the first news I heard from my dad is the attacks on US. I had then set a record for watching the news from around 12:30am to like 9am straight. I covered all the Indian language news to CNN and others. I just used to like to see the news....

Off late, I was watching the IBN CNN channel. Though i loved that channel, I somehow started to dislike the way they project the news. They talk as if they are the big brother and nail people before they can even talk. Its not only this news channel, but almost all these "new" news channels.

With due respects, i used to/still like Rajdeep Sardesai back from the days he was with NDTV. But off late, when ever he interviews any person, he basically smashes that person as if they are culprits. Be it cricket, politics or anything. When he interviews anyone, over phone, or worse in person, he questions them, grills them and never "listens" to that person. Not only him, but its the same with these news guyz who say have a video conference with his reporters, they abruptly stops the reporters from speaking. However, I still like Pranam Roy, thought of later i havent' been following him much. Its right, given the time for the news, you need to stop the reporters from going on and on... but every time? Then there is no use of the reporters being around there. They need to be given a chance to voice their opinions and have a say, not assume things. Say, cricket, or nidhari controversy, or the Devil's advocate's Karan Thapar screwing off his famous guest, there is always a sense of superiority bu these news guy z over all the people. I liked the way Ram Jethmalani talked..."you are no one to decide, its the judge and others that decide if a person is accused or not" just loved it!!!

I do understand that they have great concepts like Citizen reporters or exposing people aka Thelkha, but that doesn't give them the right over other people or to talk in layman terms, "Shout at them". Similarly, coming back to cricket, I still remember how they advertised as being the official fans for the world cup on behalf of India. I was like WHAT? FANS? what the heck ? how can a news channel be official fans? Even the people they bring to talk, either he doesn't know anything abt cricket or he would be a person who is non-Indian. They can always bring these people, for views not for their "harsh" comments.

Ask them to talk about any Entertainment news....things start to get interesting when they start siding one person....

Finally the flash news that I see.....the less i talk abt it the better....

Anyway... I still will continue to watch news... ;) despite all these...

Amala and Maneka agree to keep all the stray dogs in their houses....

I have always been afraid of animals. I try to keep my guard against them, specially after D's dog bit/scratched me. I am more like my dad, always avoid animals and exactly opposite to my mom or brother in that aspect. This was the reason i prefer car to bike or walking...

Today, while i was watching my daily quota of news, i heard abt a kid being mauled to death by stray dogs in Hyderabad. I don't know if things are the same, but when i was in India, our lane was flocked with dogs. I still remember the pain to wake up early in the morning for my dad whom i dropped near the auto stand so that he could go to airport. It was hardly 200 yards but still he asked me to drop him in the car. 5am was pretty early for most of us, but for dogs, its the time to bark and run behind the lonely vehicles. I remember my walk with AB where we went around the colony and there was this dog which kept following us. I still remember the day where i came back after a paper presentation and i was too adamant not to wake my parents up. So i could come up to the start of my lane. But i was skeptical to walk from there so i basically was searching for an auto to take me for 500 yards and was prepared to pay him a 100 bill.

I found this more amusing thing. My G'parents house is like 10 kms away which almost falls outside the city limits. When these MCH people come to pick up the dogs from the city and throw them "outskirts" . I still am unable to comprehend the logic? are all the people living within city limits? One more funny thing, Indian have become more intelligent. These MCH people, as i heard, take the money from the colony people and clear the dogs menace and after say a month put them back so that they can collect the dog and re-throw them back for money....

I am basically a guy who try not to really harm others, but stray dogs, i think its better to be without them. I do understand that the so called "Animal lovers" are against killing or immunizing them.
Two names come to my mind, Maneka Gandhi and Amala. With due respects, i would like to just ask them to walk in our lane rather than picking up the best animals and taking care of them more than their families. I still wonder how many stray dogs are being taken care of by these "animal lovers"..? Maybe some of MCH people should throw all the stray dogs into these animal lovers house so that they will know the pain and hardship each "normal" individual faces.

A simple question animal lovers, i understand animals are important, but at the cost of humans??? There is always a line for anything....

As my roomie A says, "I am animal lover, i only eat animals"....thought he made some sense...though he doesnt eat "stray" dogs....

Competation....

Its a wed morning, classed canceled due to snow...I have a tough homework to do...i am am passing my time reading some random stuff on net.

During my high school, i wasn't that elite bright student...but always used to work hard and try to compete with the best.

Under graduation suddenly became easy for me, maybe i was confident and loved to study the topics.....

Doing a masters completely changed my way of studying....I suddenly was on step one, trying to learn as much as i can, as changing the field really hit me, and hit me really hard....In a way, i was competing with fellow students, trying to understand the topics from the beginning....First sem was the toughest, second sem was equally tough, trying to learn from the first sem failures, but had extra responsibilities like getting an internship etc. In a way, struggling for them made me more relaxed, more calm on how things should be dealt and how i should try and learn to be organized, though i was never one......

Looking back, I felt that maybe competing with the best made me put that extra effort , put me in a league with the bigger guyz and the only way to come out is to fight or win..........Fighting is something i had always been doing....but never know when i will win....

N's Love life...

One of my friends N, recently pinged me on my yahoo and wanted to give me a good news. From the was she was chatting, i knew that she is going to tell me about her "love" life.

When she had told me that, i was wondering how things began, how our friendship started, how i was some 10 years back...

I still remember clearly how "we" got teased and how i got the famous MOSCOW attributed. One fine day, lllloooonng llllooooonnnnngggg ago, we wanted to get into a group at D's place and study for one worthless exam. All we did was "chat" "eat" and "pull" others leg. Those were days where we just wanted reason to meet our friends, unlike today, where we give reasons not to meet them...... And one answer, i had finally given with much effort....and thats it....i got the moscow tag.... N was a nice girl, always those "chembu" type (thanks another N for that word) and we did have lot of fun together. I remember how i used to kickk her leg, called and got caught in her house by her pops, how i still call her when her b'day is around...and how i enjoy speaking with her.

Seeing her, after 3-4 yrs, during my visit to india brought back memories...good ones...I speak and speak when i don't face people, but i felt cold and speech less when i met her, same with almost everyone, D,V,K,S,S..almost everyone....i was just speechless, rather appreciating each one for their changes, their success and them in person. I realized how much i missed them, how much i missed being with them and how much i reallly cared for them.....

Wondering...

Days are changing....Nights are falling......