Peak Year

This has been my peak blogging year so far. More number of posts than my firts two years put together.

I am loving it

Statuses

People keep all kinds of stuff as their status update in google talk. Some is to the point update on whether they would like to be disturbed or not, eg 'dnd', 'at work' or the simple 'away'.

However people also like to keep so many other things like lyrics of their favourite songs. (I honestly feel they would like if an option of streaming the video song was made available as the status). Some people put random quotes as their statuses. It is this which sometimes amazes me.

Some excerpts from statuses which my friends have put right now!

1. Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.
2. I love you, not for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.
3. "Right and wrong do exist. Just because you don't know what the right answer is — maybe there's even no way you could know what the right answer is — doesn't make your answer right or even okay. It's much simpler than that. It's just plain wrong.

Like it!!!!!

Baroda

I went to Vadodara a couple of days ago. Actually I had to go to Anand for some stuff. After that I decided to spend time in Baroda to meet my folks there whom I wanted to meet ever since I started staying in Surat.

I am not yet used to my mobile-phone camera and it did not occur to me that I could take shots of stuff while I walked past it. Yet somehow the beauty of this made me remember about the gadget I had and I snapped a pic of it.

Also my Anand job was nice and I realised at its end that I do not have any visual memento of my outing. So these photos were clicked at Anand station. Do not mind the quality of photo which have me in it as poor Manik was more interested in the chick standing next to us than clicking my pic.

Avatar

Avatar is a great movie. Must see for every regular movie-goer and also for the average guy like me who judiciously chooses which movie to watch and which to chuck. James Cameron might be the most brilliant man in the history of film making and his written scripts may blow the mind of one and all.

I am seeing posts after posts, blogs after blogs going on how Cameron has commented on the oil war in the middle east by drawing parallels with unobtainium and how 'green' a movie Avatar is. People have somehow conferred upon this movie the title of the 'most awesomest movie' ever. And someone or the other is constantly digging into the storyline and trying to point out how this movie is actually a comment on the current international political scenario.

Chill guys. This is just a great great piece of entertainment. Nothing else.

TED Mysore

This thing is AWESOME. Must watch it. For every guy who is into technology.

TED Mysore - Pranav Mistry.

The guy Pranav Mistry is an IIT alumnus and currently a PhD student at the Mecca of engineering (MIT).

He was speaking at TED conference in Mysore, India, 2009.

Really good ones

I have come across quotes which strike the mind after a long long time.

Only the mediocre are always at their best.
- Jean Giraudoux

This is so true. Everyone wants to be above average but do not understand that for the term "average" to exist there should be equal number of people below it. No one is at their best all the time.



Let is take things as we find them; let us not distort them into what they are not. We cannot make facts. All our wishing cannot change them. We must use them.
- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Now I liked this one. I have been listening to people say shit about what should be ideal and that the ideal solution is only the ideal solution without accounting for reality. This quote just reflects and emphasizes what I want to say.


And this one is just too cool:-

The governments view of the economy can be summed up in few short phrases; If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, regulate it.
- Ronald Reagan

Pamuk

I want to read Orhan Pamuk

Gen. A. S. Vaidya

Fonseca, in a letter to the Lankan president, mentioned about an Indian army general we might have never ever heard the name of. General Arun Sridhar Vaidya. He was the one who planned operation bluestar and got us rid of militancy in one part of the country forever. The price he paid for this was his life. Terrorists pumped 8-9 bullets in his head and neck after he retired. Fonseka feared that he might have the same fate and might be killed by the remnants of LTTE.

What is similar and should be noted that these men, inspite of knowing the perils to their life, put the country at the highest priority.
And also that people like Vaidya are forever remembered by people who know the value of his contribution, by acknowledging him 23 years down the line in some country other than his own.

The True Ultra Nationalist

"I strongly believe that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese, but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people. They can live in this country with us. But they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things."
- General Sarath Fonseka (CDS of Sri-Lankan defence forces and a beloved war hero for the Lankans)

General Fonseka , in my opinion truly resembles the ultra nationalist who is one of the rare few who have a vision for their country. Even if this statement clearly displays his racial bias against the Tamils, he looks like the person who knows what should be done and has the power to do whatever should be done to lead his country into being a successful one; one with equality and justuce for people of all races.
Fonseka wants to quit the army and serve the nation in some other capacity, that of the president. May he become that and may we have everlasting peace in atleast one of our neighbouring country

3 years to live

What would you do if you had only 3 years to live your life to its fullest???

Rediff posed this question to people and I decided to dig deep into the answers 3 men came up with.

Man 1 says(name withheld to protect privacy although you can google this article up and find who the fuck he is)

1. I shall travel all the world by plane.

2. I shall date as many girls as I can.

3. I want to kiss Aishwarya Rai.

4. I want to taste non-vegetarian food to see how it feels, because I am vegetarian.

5. I shall leave my job and go home to live with my family in my village.

6. I shall stop doing everything else and give all my time to my wife and daughter.

7. I shall go to gambling bars and play upto such a time that I have either nothing left to lose or win so much that I go to sleep right there.

8. I shall attend the marriages of all my relatives, which I used to miss when I had my job.

9. I shall buy a car and drive it for as long as I can.

10. I shall play cartoon games so as to remain happy upto the end of life.

See the order of the highlighted answers.

Also see Man 2:

1. Keep reducing my extra weight and get slim before I die.

2. Have sex for 1-2 weeks.

3. Resign from my job and spend time with my parents.

4. Spend time with disabled children.

5. Fly a fighter jet (getting permission to do so somehow).

6. Roam extensively around India to all religious places.

7. Visit the most haunted place in India.

8. Tell the girl I love how I feel and ask for a date.

9. Eat the most exotic vegetarian delicacies in India.

Again he got the order wrong.

Man 3 is a little less pervert

1. Spend most of the time with my wife and kids.

2. Visit America's Las Vegas.

3. Liquidate all my investments.

4. Slap all my foes.

5. Fall in love.

6. Throw a party and invite everybody in town.

7. Fly a fighter plane.

8. Stop going to work.

9. Dance will all good-looking girls.

10. Die near water, holding my kids' hands.

You can clearly see that men love sex more than anything else!!!!!

Harlots

I remembered this while posting the last post... has anyone heard Charlot the Harlot? or 22 Acacia Avenue?

For the guys who haven't, I strongly recommend it

:-D

Quote

If you would not step into the Harlot's house, do not go by the Harlot's door.

- Thomas Secker

I do not know why I liked this one. But somehow this makes sense.

Now what?

After this clarification by Mr. Santhanam, I think the issue is pretty much clear. I wonder what the defence ministry has to say. It should be accepted that we do not have a H-Bomb. And that we wasted 11 years when we could have acted upon the failure and set things right. We have become a laughing stock for our adversaries. Our scam has been exposed. The Pakistanis will be stupid if they let us strong arm them and the Chinese will be stupid if they do not strong arm us.

A political failure which threatens to build insecurity in people's mind will only lead to instability and a weak government which will result in more patronizing of us by our not so friendly and also friendly neighbours.

A 'no first-strike policy does not have any meaning if you do not have the weapons, forget the capability for a second strike. When we developed nuclear subs and water-to-land misiles and displayed them with pride to showcase our second strike capability, we somehow chose to ignore the fact that we do not have enough and effective warheads to be mounted on them.

India won't be allowed to get away with this hollow exposure of national security. Isnt it is a strange co-incidence that the number of incursions by China from across the border and mischief from the Pakistanis at the western border increased manifold since the day Mr. Santhanam brought the nuclear program out of the closet?

The NDA which prided itself on being the government which carried out the Pokhran tests should hang their heads in shame. The Congress more so because it did not correct the failure of the past when they could and for dismissing things so obivously visible instead of accepting them and making future plans to achieve nuclear capability.

For the first time in my life of 20 years, I feel insecure about India's integrity in the future. Hope someone is listening and has balls to do the right thing.

Curiousity

Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance.

- William Wirt

I have come to believe in this statement in my pre-final year of engineering. And I enjoy doing this. I wish I had known this earlier.

good one

Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
- Evan Esar

Muzumdar leaving home

Muzumdar is leaving 38 times Ranji holders Mumbai this season for minnows Assam. See here.
I do not to agree with his decision to leave Mumbai. His argument that playing for Assam will help reinvent himself as a batsman and captain seems inadequate. In Ranji Trophy cricket, earning a Mumbai call up is equivalent to earning the baggy green in Australia. I believe any player if given the option would like to be the 12th man wearing the baggy green than be the captain of minnow side. There is surely more to this than meets the eye.
As an ardent Mumbai cricket fan, I am deeply saddened by the prospect of not seeing Mazumdar in the starting line up this next time when Mumbai step out on Wankhede to defend their title and to earn their record 39th title. Although batsmen like Jaffer, Rahane and Sharma will ensure that batting department is looked after well, the abscence of Mazumdar is bound to be felt. He was the Prodigal son of Mumbai cricket and we fans have always looked upon him to deliver the goods when the time had come.
Although his role in the lineup was similar to Dravid's role in the Indian team, I will not call him as 'The Wall' or 'Dravid'of Mumbai. It was due to sheer luck that out of Dravid and Muzumdar, both batsmen of immensely great talent, Dravid got the call ahead of Muzumdar. Dravid capitalised on his goods and Muzumdar never got a look in later. God knows had Muzumdar got a call before Dravid, he would have ended up being the Wall. He is probably the best example of the abundance of talent in Mumbai cricket. He was the batsman who sat padded up for 3 days continuously in the dressing room because Tendulkar and Kambli were out there scoring a record 350 partnership in the school league (they all were schoolmates and played for the team). He is probably one of the few players in the world who could have warranted a place in any international side in the world. Ironically he is also one of the rare few of them who did not get to represent any.
He is 31 runs away from being the all times highest run scorer in Ranji Trophy history. I pray that he achieves this record at the earliest and hopefully sometime in the future retrns to play one last time for his home - Mumbai

Good one

During periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight.

- Fritjof Capra, physicist

Dhammapada

Travel only with thy equals or thy betters; if there are none, travel alone.

- The Dhammapada

Obama

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.
But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

- Barack Obama (President United States of America 2009 - )

Such inspiring words. Have never come across similar stuff from any Indian politician

Quotes and Quotes

I do not do much writing on the blog these days. Say I do not have time or say I do not come across any topic which invokes the blogger within me. So to keep up I just post some good quotes I come across while surfing, which has become a habit for me now. Keeping up with the habit, here comes one more.

All charming people have someting to conceal, usually their total dependence on the appreciation of others.

- Cyril Connolly.

These are fun to read. Each one of them comes with an epiphany of being so true and we marvel at the insight of the person who quoted it as we relate it to our own experiences.

Real Live Preacher

You can't know everything you'd like to know. You can't do everything you'd like to do. You can't read everything you'd like to read. You must hold onto some things and let go of others. Learning to make that choice is one of the big lessons of this life.

Nice one

God runs electromagnetics by wave theory on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the Devil runs them by quantum theory on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

- Sir William Bragg (British Phsycist)

So who runs it on Sunday? Whoever runs probably uses GUT!!

New definition of pleasure

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

- Aristotle

Maybe thats why people always stress on hot r eceptionist or secretary.

Great Quotes

In the end, we decide if we're remembered for what happened to us or for what we did with it.

- Randy K. Milholland

The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods.

- Maxine Hong Kingston

Rains...!!!

My post welcoming rains for the fourth year in succession. There is atlast signs of the rains hitting Mumbai. I always prefer to be drenched in water than in sweat. The first smell of wet earth carried by the wind always seems flirty.

Check this out! Amazing

Going through a rather famous blog which comments on almost everything around us here in India.

Came across this post which talks about old beliefs. IMO funny.

The Aryan Toilet code

Chuck Palahniuk

All God does is watch us and kill us when we get boring. We must never, ever be boring!

This is so true

"If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying? If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?"

 - Shantideva

Some amazing words spoken...!!!

I must study politics and war so that my sons have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architechture, navigation, commerce and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architechture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.

 - John Adams

There are few nudities so objectionable as the naked truth.

 - Agnes Repplier

The internet is like alcohol in some sense. It accentuates what you would do anyway. If you want to be a loner, you can be more alone. If you want to connect, it makes easier to connect.

 - Esther Dyson 

Another fav quote

Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all!!!

 - Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. 

V-Day

I exercised my franchise to vote today. These days they put the ink mark on your middle finger. I guess they put it there so that we can show our finger to the assholes who do not vote!!!

Great Quote!!!!!

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.

Time for red dust

Excerpt from www.rogerfederer.com :-

Dear Fans

I have decided to accept a wildcard into the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament that begins on Monday. I will head there this weekend to start the clay court season.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support.

All the best,

Roger

So what does this mean?

As a fan, I think this can only be good news. It shows that after that miserable loss to Novak Djokovic in the semis in Miami, Roger has not given up and retreated into hiding. No, no, no, no, no....instead he has decided to step it up and get in some more clay court practice. Now that's the mark of a true champ....and hopefully a sign that he is in a positive frame of mind.

1. Looks like he's serious about trying to complete his impressive CV with the missing Slam!
2. The good news also means I get to watch Roger in action again sooner than I expected—YAY!

Education

Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.

 - G. M. Trevelyan

The essence of Blogging

It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them.

And that's why I blog once in a while!!!!!!

The Wrestler

I just saw the movie "The Wrestler". Liked it very much. It is about the life of a professional wrestler. Just like the ones we see on WWF and WWE. Some part of the movie reminded me of the time I spent watching the moves of my beloved 'Rock' and Stone-Cold. Mickey Rourke is just awesome. It is a must see

Putt's Law

Technology is dominated by two types of people: 

1. Those who understand what they do not manage, and 

2. Those who manage what they do not understand.

This is known as Putt's Law and it really makes me chuckle.

We budding engineers are supposed to dominate the technology tomorrow. Now I am just figuring out, what kinda person will I be?

Einstein Quotes

It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure.

As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.

This is a more famous one - 

If A equals success, then the formula is A = X + Y + Z.  X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

And this is the last one for which I endeavoured to find all this. 

If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.

Was watching a documentary where the narrator quoted Einstein. I liked this one pretty much. To get the exact context in which this was used by the narrator, see this. 

Thank you you two!!!!!

Although we feel terrible as a loyal Federer fans after what happened yesterday, we must console ourselves that as fans of tennis, that what we are witnessing is not just great, but a legendary rivalry of which tales can be told. Hats off to the two great magicians who have given us this amazing opprtunity to witness history being created, over and over again.

Another brick in the wall

Its like the big wall that is eluding Federer his must deserved legendary status. Today another brick was added to it. Although full credits to Nadal for playing so well, I honestly feel that this title was Federer's for the taking. After playing so well, he did not deserve to lose the 5th set the way he did. His own nerves overcame his epitomic accuracy to plot his downfall in the decisive 5th set. 

This article saves me the agony of discussing the event by describing those emotional set of events.

I deliberately did not put any pictures of that heart-wrenching sight because it is so fuckin difficult for me to see him cry...

Is this Tit for Tat?

Pakistan is asking for India to hand over Samjhauta blasts suspects. Read here. This seems to be Pakistan's tactics of tit for tat. Pakistan should duly note that Col S. K. Purohit, the main accused is being tried upon in India for his wrongdoings and is in judicial custody unlike Pakistan where LeT honcho is being held under 'house arrest' and gets privilleges like talking to media. Indian citizens were also killed in the Samjhauta blasts and so it is perfectly allright for him to be tried in India. Pakistan should think before making such statements and be sincere in their efforts (if at all they have made any) against cross-border terrorism.
This is very demeaning to the nation of India, and also can be considered as a diplomatic failure that a rogue state like Pakistan makes such hostile statements, harbours hostile attitude, plans the disintegration of this great country (albeit with a lot of failure) and is allowed to go scot-free everytime.

More quotes!!!!

I was walking down fifth avenue today and I found a wallet, and I was gonna keep it, rather than return it, but I thought: well, if I lost a hundred and fifty dollars, how would I feel? And I realized I would want to be taught a lesson. (ROFL)

When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

- Emo Phillips

The second one is real funny and and also demands thought from the reader. Isn't this quite an explanation to why most criminals come from poor and illiterate families???


And also:-

Don't stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed.

First you forget names, then you forget faces. Next you forget to pull your zipper up and finally, you forget to pull it down.

- George Burns

Here also the second quote is rather a very true and a canny description of things which should treated with great sensitivity.

More of favourite quotes

Dreams are postcards from our subconscious, inner self to outer self; right brain trying to cross that moat to the left. Too often they come back unread: "return to sender, addressee unknown." That's a shame because it's a whole world out there-- or in here depending on your point of view.

 - Dennis Koenig and Jordan Budde

In pre-historic times, mankind often had only two choices in crisis situations: fight or flee. In modern times, humor offers a third alternative; fight, flee - or laugh. (Very True)

To err is human - and to blame it on computer is even more so. (LOL)

 - Robert Orben

My favourites of Swaminomics

This article appeared in the TOI nearly 16 years ago. It talks about economics and environment. A must read, I say.

Haydos Retires

Matthew hayden or lovingly called Haydos retired from international cricket in a much awaited but a heart rendering move. I hated it when he used to walk calmly down the wicket to hit out poor bowlers out of the park. I truly miss his battles with Harbhajan Singh. As an arduous cricket fan, I will always remember the joyful occaisions when he belted opposition bowlers out of the park with alarming ease.

Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar

I am a huge fan of this guy. I always make it a point to follow his articles whenever he writes in the Times of India or the Economic Times in the all famous collumn Swaminomics.

Inspiring words

These are the lines of an old prayer. Aren't they inspiring?

Lord, give me the courage to change what I can, the fortitude to bear what I cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Tennis 2009

Tennis - a sport I am madly in love with is back again. India's premier ATP Tour event, the Chennai Open is starting from tomorrow and needless to say, I will be following it. Although all the big boys, the Federers, Nadals and Murrays are in the middle east the Chennai Open has always been an event to cherish. This has been India's own event with the people cheering madly for Paes and Bhupathi. Although tournament regular Rafael Nadal has decided to give this year's edition a miss, iron-man Nikolay Davydenko and swiss Stanislas Wawrinka are the star attractions this year. Also in the fray is India's very own Somdev Devvarman. I hope that we get to see some exhilerating tennis and have more of memorable moments like 2008's Moya-Nadal SF.

Savar Re

Today I had the wonderful experience of attending a talk show of Mr. Pravin Davne. I credit my college public who decided to extend our vacation for this experience. This is after a long time that I have attended a live marathi show and I throughly enjoyed it.  For those who do not know, Mr. Pravin Davne is a famous marathi lyricist and author. He, who is an eloquent orator himself, never fails at mesmerising audiences. Pity that as the marathi literature-world is still internet shy, there isn't much stuff about him available on the cyberspace.