No stupidity

Bye for now

2012-01-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

I think I shall confine myself to the blog for the time being. Limit contact with the world following the embarrassment of not even being able to replicate my performance from last year in one certain entrance exam . Fuck! That feels a little better as I sort of actually shouted it out when I typed it down. I actually googled looking for a quote about how one should know when the are beaten but what i found were quotes eliciting a sentiment completely opposed to it. Fuck! And no stupid cliches from me anymore. I am sick of dramatising every single episode taking a little over 2 decades to realise what a hack it makes me sounds like. But I guess I will survive disappointment notwithstanding. I will also give you numpties something better to read in my subsequent rants. Tata for now

Why so serious?

2011-08-25T20:55:00.001-07:00

I know what you are thinking, and no, this has nothing to do with Batman or Dark Knight or The Joker. The title is just my way of giving a taste of what lies ahead in this entry. I've never really touched upon serious topics that affect us for real. My posts are generally general but this post will be a aberration from the norm. And it is a topic beaten to death in the media with the extensive coverage it has received in print and audio-visual media alike. I was and still am all for the movement to curb the rampant corruption in the country. I am well-informed of most clauses proposed by the Anna Hazare Camp with respect to formation of the Jan Lokpal. I lack the expertise to ascertain how effective the bill will be in tackling corruption but with the likes of Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Santosh Hegde championing the cause, I assume it will be an effective mechanism to ensure corruption in the country is brought under control. Similar institutions exist in many countries and have done a lot to improve conditions in this regard.

The government's actions in the lead up to the original protest( the arrest of that Anna fellow) was a political blunder which lead to the transformation of a march by a handful of dissidents into a large-scale movement encompassing all social cadres and resulting in the acceptance of most of the dissident's demands for the formulation of the Lokpal. I'm happy progress has been made and I have no qualms in the formation of a parallel bureaucracy and an all powerful Lokpal as long as the rot in the Indian system doesn't make its way into this body. There are doubts over its efficacy in tackling corruption but the fact that people have made a stand against corruption in itself is heart-warming.

We are no saints, and by we I am talking about every single one of us. The Indian system has always nurtured corruption and allowed the malice to grow and become an integral part of our lives. I fault every single one of us for not taking the stand when it matters. How many times have we paid off the traffic policeman for a fraction of the actual penalty for an infraction committed by us! How many of us can honestly claim to never have paid a bribe, or if I were to use the euphemism so conveniently used by most of us,paid commission, in order to ensure small financial reprieve or to save time in getting our work done. It doesn't seem so bad right? What is a hundred bucks or even one thousand bucks got to do with anything when you have those corrupt officials at the top of the bureaucracy eating crores and crores of the taxpayers hard earned money? Well, it's the same attitude that is reproduced at all levels and eventually translates to the rampant corruption we see in the system.

I do agree, at times, we simply haven't had the choice. I, for one, had to wait 9 months to get my passport. In a system this inefficient, to get things done, there appears little else one can actually do than employ underhand means which includes payment where it isn't actually due or accounted for. Let's hope the emancipation of the Indian masses and the resulting Lokpal is the start of a new chapter in our history characterised by the divestiture of corruption in our country.

Is there a Doctor in the House?

2011-08-25T03:13:00.002-07:00

2 posts in a day. I'm really on a roll. And all this while on the payroll of my wonderful employers. I love this job. Now, for those of you who have been living under a rock, I am working now. I have come out of my cocoon and the erstwhile larva is now a full grown butterfly spreading its wings without boundaries. Got placed in Philips details of which could easily be the feature of another blog entry. And since I have little else to actually blog about, I won't go about wasting all my fantastic experiences as filler in an absolutely unrelated entry.

Now, listen up all you douches(unless of course you aren't a douche, in which case I'd still like you to listen to me). I started this post a few months back when I was really into the TV series House M.D. I still rate the show highly but I simply haven't had the time to watch the remainder of the episodes. Once again, I'm digressing. Coming back to this entry, now that I've resumed my activity on the blogsphere, I intend to complete the post whose inception can be attributed to hours spent in front of my desktop watching TV series during the summer when I couldn't get off my lazy bottom to proceed and complete the entry.

Now, Dr House is freaking fantastic. He, in many ways reminds me of me. Well, he doesn't really remind me of me per se. But he does make me reflect upon myself. Hence in a way, he does actually remind me of me. (read Causality). The world isn't a beautiful place if you think about it. Then again, if you do think about it, it is in fact beautiful. It's all subjective really. Now, considering I have a facebook degree that establishes my Emotional Quotient at 160, seeing a person who hates everything around him sends me into cerebration. I've had mild misanthropic phases as have most people I'd imagine and even if you can't personally place yourself in the man's boots, you have little but admiration for a man with such a penchant for solving mysteries.

The title-character draws inspiration from a character most of us grown up reading and have loved through the ages, Sherlock Holmes.There are also many parallels which most of us would find fairly obvious.

There are a few people out there who I do idolise and numerous others whose accomplishments I wish I could replicate. Dr House, for all his problems, is somebody I'd happily trade places with (Yes, I do realise he is a work of fiction). And let us not forget the deep insight our favourite doctor provides with his memorable quotes. My personal favourite is " Almost dying changes nothing ". We all do realise death is inevitable. We tend to overstate near-death experiences. But again, that is a subject which I could write another entry about. The point I was trying to make is Dr House provides us with a new perspective to viewing life and is a different sort of an idol. Recently, I'd hurt my right knee and developed a limp for about 2 weeks. Putting aside the excruciating pain I was in, I actually took solace in the fact my walk resembled Dr House's. I do realise it sounds silly, but meh, I hardly care about what you lot think anyway. So bugger off!

No Shit, Sherlock

2011-08-25T03:13:00.001-07:00

A question to all bloggers out there, do you have a fair idea of the content of your blog entries before you actually scribble some text and complete the formalities? I honestly don't. That's probably what makes a terrible blogger. I just let my thoughts wander and this produces a finished article which isn't merely rough around the edges, it actually ends up being an insult to anyone who appreciates intelligent content and expects thought provoking ideas. But, none of you visiting my blog actually expect all that, so I guess I am safe from the wisemen who would otherwise subject my posts to ridicule.

Now coming to this entry, I've titled it "No Shit, Sherlock". I don't expect too many people to read this, so I don't really expect too many people to wonder why this entry was so called. For the few who did turn up the reasoning shall be made obvious as we proceed. But what gave me this idea? Well, that can be attributed to my movie collection. As I was browsing through my pathetic collection, I stumbled across this movie which I absolutely adore. And then, the expression expressed in the title made a featured appearance. I know for a fact I can be austere and be more efficient in conveying my ideas. But I need to show you all how accomplished I am at mixing and matching words and hence I choose to be the gasconading prick you all adore.

Ah yes, now finally coming to the REAL content of this post, I would like to keep it short. People who've read my other entries would know by now, my works incorporate mainly filler material and actually subject content is generally kept to a minimum. I was just reading this article which was basically an article about other articles which basically had content that was painfully obvious.( I guess the reasoning behind christening of the post has now become clear). I gave it some thought and I realised such writings are a necessity. In fact, for people like me who read less and write even lesser, it just vindicates our abstinence from indulgence in literary works.

Social Studies

2010-12-13T07:35:00.001-08:00

I was always told the difference between humans and animals was the ability of humans to socialise. Humans, like me and you, tend to naturally socialise with people around. So it is little wonder that when a person suddenly goes all quiet, you tend to conclude somethings wrong, even if person is just constipated.

But why does the need to socialise arise? You need people around you, I can live with that. But do you really need people to talk to? I have long maintained the view that everyone around is an acquaintance and the only people who really matter are the people in your family. So basically the only real need for a person to socialise arrives from the fact that it can potentially benefit the people involved in the process. If a person were to not talk to people around him/her, it would strain his relations with the person. Strained relations could potentially harm him/her. So it is always better to create an amicable environment and maintain bon-homie relations .Humans have the ability to rationalise and put things into perspective. People would like to be involved in relations which can be profitable. And when you or your classmate suck up to the prof, this tendency among humans comes to the fore.

Wait a second, all this isn't really true now though! I think its good to have people around who you can confide in. I am divided when it comes to philosophy. Actually, I'm confused on most matters, and philosophy just takes the cake.

All this is beside the point, I was trying to say something completely unrelated altogether. But now that I've encroached upon the topic, it would make little sense to diverge from the original topic. I guess this means I'll have to change the title of this post as well. Bullocks!

Coming back to what I was saying, I find it excruciating to be part of dull gatherings which is ironic and totally unjustified considering I'm not generally the life of the party at social assemblies myself. I try to make conversations, I try to not sound lifeless/boring, but to little avail. There's usually a facade I carry which is usually designed to conceal disinterest on my part. Unfortunately, when your head isn't really into it, there's little you can do to not sound like a mumbling idiot as your intention in such a scenario is not to sound intelligent but rather the sole purpose is to look sociable.

I don't know how to conclude such obscure randomness, but I can say so much, I'm in desperate need of counseling. And no, I am not serious! So bugger off!

Random Bits

2010-03-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Here's something to chew on. Most of us believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution which supposes a concept known as"Survival of the fittest". So what we infer from this is any living creature's basic purpose on this planet is survival. Hence jealousy which is commonly regarded as a sin is actually nature's way of giving man the edge to try and achieve what someone else already has. How man channels this jealousy varies from individual to individual.

Empathy on the other hand has absolutely no role to play in progression of life. So where does this empathy come from? Is it a divine gift handed over to humans by a greater power? Doubt it! People suffering from autism cannot empathise the way we can. Aspergers syndrome popularised by SRK in My Name is Khan shows a man who cannot empathise with individuals around him. Don't think an intelligent creator would refrain from giving this special gift to a certain group of individuals. So this begets the question , why in rotten carnations does it prick us when we see someone else get hurt. Something I read somewhere suggested, this is primarily because of the misfiring of the jealousy gene. Now isn't that a surprise. Jealousy which is a supposed negative trait is natural,Empathy not so much. Science really does complicate matters

Back Baby

2010-03-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

Time to start blogging again. Can't really put it in words why I've decided to return to this chore but for some strange reason, I get a really good feeling about this stint. Now all of you readers better get your arses back in here and turn up on a more frequent basis.

Beat boredom with poetry

2008-07-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone expects poems to convey morals and thoughts and poems generally abide by a theme which the poet has previously decided upon.The poem below follows no such rules.Its just an arbid compilation written under bizarre circumstances.

When boredom takes over,people do the weirdest things.That's exactly what happened the other day.Me and Shailendra were both logged into google talk at around 11 in the evening(or would you call it night).With absolutely nothing to do and no means of making time move any faster we decided to write a poem with us filling in alternate lines.The only thing we tried to ensure was that the sentences rhymed ,even which we could not do successfully.The theme wavered and the poem reached various crests and troughs of stupidity which goes very well with the title of this blog.Luckily the poem showed enough prowess to convince me it merited a slot on our new and improved blogspot.Hope all of you enjoy the poem.Even if you don't,I really hope you don't go on to hate it.After all it was written by two bored people who were half asleep who had no business whatsoever trying their hand at poetry.

A Poem for all ages

2008-07-01T20:12:00.000-07:00

All i can see is the vast thundering sea
In the midst of this grandeur i am woken by a bee
Where did it come from? i wonder
O sweet honey,by buying you i made a blunder

I put back my blindfold and once again visit dreamland
Just cant wait to play in my make believe band
I sing and dance with marijuana and beer
How i wish.. how i wish she were here

I think back.. long back to the time of my forefathers
How times were those days when we all loved one another
We don't find that now.. What has changed?
Grief overwhelms souls,for how with sorrow we've been plagued

I switch over to another thought over what the future holds in store
I pray with all my might that it doesn't turn into a bigger bore
I'm certain my thoughts have no bearings on reality as is perceived
So I think of the sorrows and get back to being grieved

My thoughts wander far and wander wide
And suddenly i picture the poor who always cried
Is there anything i can do to help them?
Not unless i have enough greens to buy them some stem

The last line has a deeper thought instilled within
Its tough to explain.. i don't know from where to begin
So for all you adolescent minds lets leave it at that
Cos i am sure u are too lazy to put on your thinking hat

I then notice a flower blooming from its bud
Crumpled by wild beasts,i hear a loud deafening thud
The flower struggles unsuccessfully to regain its beauty
You can't blame nature now,all creatures have their own duty

If it weren't for humans,the world would still be beautiful
But now it looks as sad as a dying bull
We are insensitive creatures,lets not wail over spilled milk
Lets go on and make our lives as smooth as silk

By,
Shailendra & Vikas

New(s) Section:Latest Developments

2008-07-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a new segment where I shall put up the latest happenings around the globe sometimes spoofing them as well which may sound insensitive at times.This shall be done on a trial basis and on the basis of the response,i may consider proceeding with the same.

The UPA has just announced that they have agreed on an alliance with Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party ~~by offering him Laloo,oops,i mean aloos for dinner,~~

Bill Clinton obviously bitter after his wife lost out on Democrat presidential nomination has just said "Barack Obama would need to kiss his a** for his support".Looks like the demons of those nights with Monica Lewinsky are back to haunt this former President.Hillary probably rants all day about those torrid times their relationship had been through and maybe some responsibility in the White House would have cooled her down a bit.Bill,i still say dump Hillary and go for "Monica,my your darling".

Deco,the Brazilian born Portuguese diver has just completed his signing to Chelshit ~~Diving~~ Football Club.Luis Felipe Scolari,the new coach of the London based diving team said he was happy to sign another remarkable diver from his days as the head of the Portuguese national team to his already distinguished batch of deep sea divers that his predecessors have managed to notch up.

Spain won their 2nd Euro Championship on Sunday thanks mainly due to a goal from Fernando Torres,the only Scouser on the planet who knows to kick a football.Atleast this much decorated and skilled player gets to win some silverware in his career.Scouse Loser FC is set to see another trophy-less decade if many footballing experts are to be believed.I'm sure he must be wishing he had come to the Theater of Dreams,home to the best club in the world,Manchester United.

Blogging is more than just writing

2008-07-01T02:51:00.000-07:00

I can write all I want and make it sound as interesting as i possibly could(not to say I've been doing it so far),but the presentation is just as important.The earlier template was a real turn off.And being relatively new to blogger,i didn't know there were other templates available online.And so i continued sporting the same wretched look until some time back when i realised other blogs looked a lot more attractive than mine.And being the dimwit i am,i took a while to decipher from this obvious predicament,the themes these other blog wore were obviously different from the sample ones available for the regular user.So I've used one of the templates which looked reasonably good in my eyes.And depending on how other readers warm up to it,i might consider changing it and/or modifying the arrangement of this blog.

Other routine roundup

And as as(repetition is not a mistake) to stress my *Whatte Surprise* hypothesis,we've once again witnessed more casualties in the women's draw with Jelena Jankovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova getting knocked out by relatively unknown names in the WTA(Women's Tennis Association) circuit.

Also the Left Parties in our country have given us more evidence to believe they are in fact spies of a distant planet whose inhabitants have split eyes,eat snakes,are short and generally sport a beige skin tone

Don't Cry old boy

2008-06-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

Euro 2008 finally got over yesterday.The final saw Spain beating Germany through a Fernando Torres strike.I had to read reports of this on various websites because quite conveniently on the very same day,the cable operator as if to pull a practical joke on me shuts off the cable.And all i am left with is a TV screen with a neat mixture of gray,black and white colours.After having watched an overwhelming majority of the stinking euro 08 matches live staying awake upto 3 in the morning on occasions,on the day of the final, some wise guy just cuts off the cable wire.Isn't this just absolutely brilliant!!I am livid.Maybe the rain had something to do with this odd turn of events but i give jack as to what the reasons were.Bottomline,i missed the final,the grand finale,the moment of salvation and all other shit like that.You could easily pick up the anger in these words i am spilling out i presume.I might as well not have watched the tournament at all in that case.I mean anything is only as good as its ending.I missed the ending.I can keep spelling the same rhetoric over and over again and still not let out the entire frustration within.But then the readers definitely don't want to witness me hurling out my vast repertoire of abuses with me not giving any warnings to my prized visitors of any inappropriate content that they might likely witness on this blog.Anyway i would still like to let my cable operator know of my displeasure and discontent over his quality of service!

Mobile wonder

2008-06-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

The newer phone brought to you by Spice!

The older yet classy Nokia 3110c.

Just Got an Upgrade

2008-06-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

I love my cellphone.Its one of the few things i probably cannot live without.And the Nokia 3110c model that i purchased last year has been in my proximity ever since i got my hands on it.Yesterday for some reason my dad and bro had been to this Reliance digital outlet and were awed by a cell model which apparently is cheaper than mine but still has all the features that one could need.And when my brother brought the phone home and showed it to me,i was like can i have it.And now i am the proud owner of a brand new spice manufactured cellphone model with bluetooth,1G memory card,music player,a USB cable and everything else barring a radio.How could you miss out on a radio anyway?I mean how can you not have a radio?But then considering you don't have too many radio stations in surathkal,i guess that's not a big drawback.The camera quality is much better in the newer model.So is the sound clarity.It also comes with a bluetooth headset.And the screen is definitely bigger and better.And i can also read ebooks in it unlike in my earlier handset.But i just don't have the heart to let go of my older cellphone cos there's too much sentimental value attached with it.And its not like its obsolete or anything.It still does everything a phone is expected to do and it still has a few days on its warranty period.I am in a dilemma now as to which phone I shall carry with me to my college.Maybe I'd keep exchanging the phones everytime i come back home.Yep,that's exactly what i'll do!

Thou Shalt Not Judge

2008-06-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

I recently told someone that I would appreciate it if she wouldn’t judge me. There were certain unfair accusations put on me and trivial ones at that. When I asked for an explanation, I got in return her take on what kind of a person I am, which was not very pleasant to hear. Hence I threw out the line, “I’ll appreciate it if you wouldn’t judge me”. After that, surprisingly, I immediately got an apology.

It got me wondering.

Is judging people really as bad as it is made out to be? Isn’t it one of the most common things that people do when meeting someone new. Rather, the question is not whether you should or not. It is whether you can force yourself not to judge for the sole reason that it is considered rude. Why is it considered rude anyway? Perhaps the reason is if we judge too soon, we might not get to know the person properly. We form notions about the person which narrows down the ability to understand a person completely.

However, the human brain judges. It is in its very blueprint. I would never believe that there is a person who never judges anyone. So what does this mean? Does it mean that everyone must have preconceived notions about the people they hardly know and judge someone on the basis of one particular incident or a glance? Nah.

What must be done is to ignore the initial instinctive judgments and to be broad minded enough to allow yourself to get to know the person in an unbiased way. This is easier said than done. It requires a lot of maturity to ignore your judgments and give the person a fair chance. It should be considered wrong only when a person acts upon these initial instinctive judgments. It is actually amazing how many times our initial judgments about people turn out to be completely untrue.

On the other hand, a person is perfectly justified in judging someone who he or she knows pretty well. For instance, my parents, brother or my best friend is well within his or her rights to judge me as he or she is in a perfect position to make judgments about me which are very near accurate. I will also be inclined to consider them as I know that they know me well enough to judge me.

Ultimately, it isn’t rude or wrong to judge a person the first time you meet him or her as it is in our nature. Initial judgments take place whether you want them to or not. What is wrong is to take it seriously and alter the way you look at and behave with a person.

Thou Cannot Help But Judge

Ahoy!

2008-06-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I am Shailendra.
Now I am sure many people will be wondering as to what in the world I am doing here on vikas' blog. So let me explain how this happened.
We were as usual chatting on gtalk and vikas asked me to read a recent post of his. I did and thought that a few of his opinions didn't make sense. I voiced my opinions to him. Vikas later asked me why I don't have my own blog seeing as i have a reputation for writing. I told him that i just didn't have the patience to consistently update my blog if i had one and that it was bound to die out. It was then that he very courteously invited me to participate in his blog. So if I am too lazy to consistently post, the blog still lives.
Therefore, expect to see me here on this blog. At the same time, you might also rightly expect me not to see me on this blog.
Until next time. Adios.

Change is Good

2008-06-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

Readers will be happy to know we now have a new contributor.All posts henceforth shall be appended with the name of the author.We also have a new blogspot url ,
devilmeetsdragon.blogspot.com i.e,which cleverly combines :P the ids of the two contributors.Hope the reader count shoots up and hope we see our readers welcome this change.And before I forget the new contributor is Shailendra who is currently studying in RV College of Engineering , Bangalore.

Whatte Surprise

2008-06-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

You are right!I ripped off the Radio City punchline.What's to say they didn't rip it off from somewhere else in the first place.That's besides the point though.Any of you could rush through the newspapers and read reports of how many of the top seeded players have been knocked out of this year's edition of Wimbledon.Casualties include Novak Djokovic,Andy Roddick,Ivan Ljubicic,James Blake in the men's section and And Ivanovic(the incredibly beautiful Serbian),Maria Sharapova and our very own Sania Mirza(that's not really a shock though,is it?).And all this amidst reports of match fixing over the past years in what is regarded as the ultimate tennis Grand Slam.

Is it not possible that maybe,just maybe all the matches over the years in say all tournaments have been fixed with this year's edition remaining untouched so as not to come under the tennis federation's microscope with a cold atmosphere of suspicion already surrounding every match being played on this surface.What I mean is this tournament could reflect the actual skill of the players we idolise.This tournament may have escaped the cobwebs of a racket that might have held tennis in its clutches for so long.Federer need not be the greatest player of all time.Nadal might not be the King of Clay.Ana Ivanovic may not be beautiful.Umm...scratch the last line.

Now I can picture Mukesh Bhatt coming up with another movie exposing what truly happens behind the scenes,the big hand played by the underworld with the protagonist to the plot being Emran Hashmi and him going around paying off top players in the men's draw and seducing the beautiful ladies in the women's section to throw their matches away.And through all this also introducing the viewers to a new actress on the silver screen who would ahem...ahem.. share a delightful kiss with The Emran Hashmi(the sun,the moon,the emran hashmi).

I for one do not necessarily believe whatever I've written but I make it a point to make my reader's aware of all possibilities.I'd hate to see an Ajay Jadeja in tennis who'd have their careers cut short because of a case of mistaken identity.Hope all's well in the world of tennis with "no strings attached".

Battered and Bruised

2008-06-26T02:55:00.000-07:00

I wake up at 6 every morning to play football in a ground nearby.I dare say I am just about average when it comes to playing.But that's besides the point.I hardly injure myself while playing the beautiful game(We probably do our best to smear the title but it still remains beautiful).I rarely find myself dealing with blows and usually find myself up for another game after grinding out for more than 2 hours in the sun.Yesterday that all changed.I should have probably read the signs early.When I was to go to bed the day before,I found myself crashing my head over a piece of furniture leaving a bump on my head.Taking exception to this,I went to play as I usually do the next morning.Taking knock after knock on my head and face,I managed to remain standing with little to suggest that I was hurt in anyway.A little battered by the day's play,I felt good enough to return to the ground the same evening.This was probably a big mistake.But how was I supposed to know?I went about playing the way I always do.While trying to block the ball and looking to retrieve it for our own team,I felt a jolt when a thunderous kick found the ball hitting me thud on my face.A few minutes later while running with the ball,I felt a sudden pinch.After passing the ball,the pain continued to persist.And I could suddenly feel some ventilation through my shoes.To check if my shoes had torn after unrelenting play one kick after another,I looked down.To my horror I saw a large iron nail,maybe 4-5 inches long having pierced through my shoes and just about kissing my toe-thumb.I quickly removed this and went on playing as if nothing had happened.Then on to the oppositions penalty area after winning the ball there,the attacking player wearing studs delivered a knock on my shin which left me wriggling in pain for the next 2-3 minutes and then your brave hero stepped backed on to the field to continue playing once again as if nothing had happened.And then came the final blow.With the ball falling to the ground after an effective clearance by one of the defenders,i went about to push it forward.A teammate of mine came converging for the same ball and I felt contact with the ball and his studs which I tell you was every bit as painful as the other blows I had received.

And then I went to play again today.After playing cautiously for a while,I took a blow on the exact place where I had received a knock the day before.This forced me on the sidelines.Being barely able to walk,I was certain I couldn't play for one more day at least.And I visited my local neighbourhood doctor to get an anti-tetanus shot to prevent any unfortunate aftermaths of the piercing at the hands of the iron nail that I'd received.And are these vaccines painful or what.They don't hurt you much when they are injected but the pain you have to live with for a day or two or maybe three is irritating in the least.You feel a continuous pinch on the left arm that you think only the devil could inflict.I suggest researchers discover or invent something a little less painful to combat tetanus(and I am speaking on behalf of everyone who has taken the shot).I'll be signing off now and I'll keep my well-wishers informed on my heath status.But nothing to worry.I'll up and kicking(a football) in a day or two.So adios!

Pakistani Commentary

2008-06-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

I am not one of those cricket buffs who eat,sleep and drink the gentlemen's game,but I do change channels to keep track of the score and one thing I've noticed is commentary by ex-Pakistani cricketers is horrendous to say the least.Taking exception to this is a certain Rameez Raja.Every other commentator turns off any viewer with the slightest love for English.With an obvious built up heavy accent,these people probably pick up a few phrases and memorise them overnight and sometimes end up jumbling the words while passing their opinions on the days play.And ever heard Aamir Sohail speak.OMG!He's probably the worst ever to get behind a mike.Minus the heavy accent,the fucked up grammar and basic knowledge of cricket that he lacks,you wonder whether he suffers from poor vision as well.The other day you could clearly see the ball pitching in front of the boundary line and running away for a four.But he kept insisting it hit the rope on the full arguing with an ex-Kiwi(that's what they call people from New Zealand),Danny Morrison and went on to say how the batsman was robbed of two runs.And in a recent India-Pak match,you had Praveen Kumar bowl one delivery from around the wicket and the next from over the wicket(that is from the right and left of the wicket respectively) and both of them were dot deliveries.So it was the same batsman who was on strike.But then he again had to give his not-so-wise opinion about how the Indians were bowling differently to different batsman and that they had analysed the manner in which the Pakistanis batted.Cm'on.It was the same batsman who played both the deliveries.Atleast Indians with a few exceptions get the facts right before passing unnecessary comments.And when these people are present in the studio,they are known as experts.Expert tosh i'd say.

A life for Sale!Bloody brilliant

2008-06-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

I first saw a report on a news channel about a man,Ian Usher,putting up his life for sale on an ebay auction.They went on to say how he was driven mad after a bitter divorce from his then wife.And they also spoke of how he intended to give everything from his house to car to job to bike to jetski to his lifestyle to the highest bidder.Ian Usher lives in Perth,Australia and plans to leave everything to the winner of the auction and travel with only a wallet and his passport in his pocket.And as put by Ian,everything comes with memories attached.I went on to visit his website www.alife4sale.com .He has been updating his blog for the past few days giving an insight into everything he's been upto.The highest bid currently stands at 386,100 Australian Dollars.Thats over Rs 1.5 crore.Thats a lot of money but is this all worth it?I mean the house and car and jetski and bike put together would come to more than that,wouldn't it?Probably not.I guess he charges extra for the memories.Can't we just chuck the memories and stay content with the other stuff he is willing to throw out of his life.And he's putting his friends up for sale.What do you expect me to understand from that?His friends won't work for free.His friends wouldn't prepare me a snack when I'm hungry.Couldn't this guy just put up a garage sale or better yet auction his belongings on ebay separately.That way he could have avoided all this commotion over this gesture of his.But then selling a person's life just sounds all the more exotic.And he could get away with charging a fee for all the intangible parts of his life.Its not even a memoir of a celebrity,so what possible reason could prompt people to buy his life along with his memories?

I personally feel its a fucking brilliant idea.When you have nothing to live for,you might as well give your life away.And travelling all alone sounds fascinating.If my wife or girlfriend were to dump me and if I were to be overcome by grief,I might actually consider selling my life.People might say I lost it.But heck why the eff should I care.My friends and family might warn me against it.But once I sell my life,they are nothing to me anymore right?Selling ones life certainly sounds exciting.But my life definitely won't come cheap.I'd command 100 crore rupees at the least for it.Just pray I don't ever feel the need to sell my life though.And to those people who expect memories packaged along,just go through my blog.

http://www.alife4sale.com/other_Blog.htm
Now read this.He's promoting a web-hosting service.And all this while I thought he was an honest chap who had lost his screws.He seems to be a scammer who is planning to make hay using this stunt as a means to earn through online adverts.Where are the good people?Where are Buddhas of the new generation.Where are the selfless nuts who are actually crazy?Sigh!Maybe I could run a scam on those lines someday!Maybe I could get thousands of hits on this blog.If I ever do that, I'll delete this entry so that no one gets suspicious! :P

Even If we deserve Better

2008-06-22T01:18:00.000-07:00

Articles by renowned personalities appearing in the TOI on Sundays are a real treat for the average reader such as myself.My personal favourites are the ones by Swaminathan Anklesaria Aiyar and Shashi Tharoor.The latest "Shashi on Sunday" segment really got me thinking.As Mr Tharoor has pointed out,most presidential nominees and past Presidents of America have been learned scholars.Whereas most politicians in India have weak educational backgrounds.Incompetency would best describe the current crop of politicians in our country.We don't need our politicians to be efficient in office.We need people who can incite communities against each other,those who can appease sections of the society and garner votes so that they can misuse the taxes collected from hard-working individuals.People talk about how people from low privilege backgrounds make it to the top in politics in India.But the truth is it is easier for their like to come to the top because politics as it is requires people to appeal to the masses.And learned people in India never consider joining politics.Its the babus and dadas who generally land themselves in politics.The Lead India initiative was excellent.But where is a certain RK Mishra now anyway?I am saddened by the lack of quality among our politicians.Sorry "Rang De Basanti" and "Yuva".I loved both the movies but students will get absolutely nothing out of taking part in politics.Is country ko perfect kya,accha bhi nahi bana sakte.We'd probably remain a third world country for we neither appreciate nor reward talent.All the talk of India being a potential superpower is just plain stupid IMO.Call me cynical but with people within the country opposing things that are so obviously in our best interest,I can't see us getting too far.

Award Winning Poem

2008-06-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Due to popular demand,I've decided to put up the poem which won me the Levi Strauss Gift voucher on a radio station.Let me tell you the competition was by no means stiff and the only reason I ever took part was because I was certain I could write better than the "poets" who had decided to recite their compositions on air.And the poem is supposed to have an element of wit and hence you may find the ending a tad bit, whats the word,yeah weird.So here it goes

Roses are Red
My Longing for love is due
I stare at my empty bed
You knock the door right on cue

I open the door,get lost in you eyes
Ruined was this moment of spendour by the appearance of mice
You scream and jump looking downright scared
Only with a cat by my side,better I'd have fared

And the poem is supposed to be short.I could have written loads more.But i guess this was enough to win myself something and I am damn proud of it!

Dream Girl

2008-06-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Note:True story with over-the-top exaggerations

The other day,I'd been to a multiplex nearby to watch a recent Hollywood blockbuster.The movie, which I shall not name for reasons which the reader cannot possibly understand,was worth every penny spent on purchasing the ticket(We used Rupees but you get the picture).After 2+ hours of thorough entertainment,i parted ways with my friends.I walked in to a restaurant nearby and ordered for a burger and some finger chips.And I'd informed the cashier at the counter that I'd be returning after finishing my meal to have an ice-cream.(If you haven't already guessed,I'm talking about McD's).

While biting through my burger,something or rather someone caught my eye.Wearing a white hat,something about this person dragged my senses towards her.Its weird that at this point of time,I cannot correctly recall her exact attire,but let me assure you,she looked as beautiful as Goddess Aphrodite exiting from a beauty saloon.She sat in an empty seat next to mine and I couldn't resist thanking the heavens for she was alone.I somehow managed to lure her into a conversation.I realised her lips moved and she apparently did say something but all I could concentrate on were her deep eyes.I figured out from the little that I did hear that she lived in Bangalore and was an engineering student.We exchanged numbers and I turned around to look at an argument that had broken out over a waiter allegedly spilling some coke over a seemingly not-so-nice customer.By the time i turned back to my gorgeous acquaintance,she was already gone.I turned to my phone only to realise although I had sought her phone number,somehow,i had not saved it.Then on the way out,bu heaven's grace again,i managed to find her in the parking lot.And the goody feeling you get within knew no bounds when she walked up to me to apparently say something.She stood in front of me and i once again got lost in her eyes.Then as she began to say something I heard something that sounded like a hybrid of a police siren and some aerosmith classic with Steven Tyler screaming his lungs out.I opened my eyes to find myself on my bed,all alone,with the alarm going off on my phone.I felt I'd probably cry.At that moment,I truly felt it was in fact love.Oh well,I guess she's the "dream girl" people usually speak of.

Jug Suraiya rips CPM

2008-06-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

I hate the Left movement in India and all parties comprising of it.And I now know for a fact,so does TOI columnist Jug Suraiya.The latest article "Do N-deal with China" shows the writer using satire to great effect by condemning CPM's loyalty to China and their hypocrisy in dealing with internal matters of India.
Quote
"how to gain China?To begin with,the CPM should unilaterally concede to all Beijing's demands regarding Arunachal Pradesh,a portion of Sikkim,and other parts of India which China claims for itself"
"the Marxists might also consider ceding the would-be Gorkhaland to Beijing"
"Such a move would,once and for all,demonstrate the CPM's patriotic credentials.To China,of course.Who else?"

In the article,the aforementioned columnist has depicted the double standards the left parties have set from the very outset opposing anything good for India and just about everything relating to the US no matter how beneficial it may be to our own cause.Their firm support to everything and anything Chinese is detrimental to everything Indian.China has never been a close ally of India.Infact if anything,the only thing "close" between the two nations is the geographical proximity.China has constantly pressed its claims for parts of India in the form Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.The two countries have also been involved in a war ironically within years of signing the Panchsheel.India had been comprehensively beaten in the war and if there were to be another meeting on the battlefield,the result would probably not be too different.China has also contributed significantly to Pakistan's nuclear program which is again a threat to the security concerns of our country.The Tibet uprising was vehemently opposed by Indian government thanks mainly to Chinese missionaries in India in the form of the Left holding the Centre to ransom.

In an ideal scenario,these pests should be sent back to China to their communist Gods(talk about paradox) that they worship.As the columnist so aptly put it "For unlike in India where we let them hang around,in China they simply hang their traitors."

Jet Set,Go

2008-06-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

Catchy title for a post with little actual content.How many of you kids(if you are over 18,just ignore this) can't wait to get your hands on a car?How many of you ride your parent's vehicles(in cases of a lucky few drive your own vehicles)?How many of you evade the police and ride your two-wheelers so that you can keep away from the signal where policemen are strategically posted?I never did any of these.I never cared much for driving a motorbike or a car.The only vehicle I had driven earlier was a bicycle which was stolen,yes stolen by some person(i have restrained myself from swearing) while i was peacefully seated in a cyber cafe.

But then now i can legally drive a car and/or a bike.After waiting for all of 10 days after writing and passing my learner's licence exam,I finally got hold of the parchment giving me the permission to ply on city roads(within India) on a car or a bike.I have enrolled myself in a driving school run by the Maruthi group.I've had classes everyday since the 4th of june.The schedule comprises of theory,practical and so-called state of the art simulator classes.I suppose I've gained reasonable control over my driving now.Nothing worth mentioning has happened while I've been seated in the driver's seat of a car.So I shall sign off here!

Federer gets pwned(again)

2008-06-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Whats with clay anyway?What makes Nadal invincible on this surface?Why does Federer lose to the same person year after year at the Roland Garros?To be frank i don't care,but heck it has the ingredients of another blog entry.

When in Delhi,at school,we had the option to play various sports.One of them was "Lawn Tennis".I mean you could just call it tennis,but they preferred calling it "Lawn" Tennis.Why?Just cos they could afford to grow grass on the court.Most likely.And why does surface get so much importance anyway?I mean even in cricket you have people talking about how the pitch behaved and stuff.Firstly the pitch or court or surface or whatever is an inanimate object.Why does it get so much of a say in how a game is played?And people even talk about the type of ball used.Whatever happened to the good old days when the only thing that mattered was absolutely nothing.

Coming back to Nadal whacking FedEx all around the court,i pity Federer because you know he isn't that bad a player (Coughs).Infact he's probably the best to have ever played this game.Sad how French Open eludes the best of players(Good old Sampras comes to mind).But with Federer its different.The only person he can't beat on clay is Nadal.And Federer can't be the best without the French Open crown to his credit.Agassi was an all court player but he definitely finishes a notch below Federer but then Agassi has the "Career Grand Slam" as a distinguished feather in his cap(Career Grand Slam means having won all 4 of the Grand Slams on separate occasions).

Conspiracy theory has it that Federer to win the title that has eluded him in his dream career will come back in time 25 years from now and somehow ensure Nadal does not take part in next year's French Open.It remains to be seen whether this indeed does happen.Don't be surprised if Nadal misses next year's edition and under mysterious circumstances gets injured or even poisoned for that matter for the precise duration of next year's event at the Roland Garros.

Lock 'em Behind Bars

2008-05-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Auto-rickshaw drivers are pricks.Considering its the first time i am swearing in this blog,it can be taken for granted i am not saying this without good reason.The last time i checked tariffs stood at Rs 7 per km.I was taken completely unaware when for a little short of 3 kms i was asked to pay Rs 30.Since I was in a bit of a hurry at that time,i decided 10 rupees over the legal fare shouldn't be too much of a problem.After a mere 1 and a half kms from the starting point,the SOB says he wouldn't take me beyond this point for 30 rupees.And if he were to go any further i'd need to give 50 rupees.Oh please.Give me a break.I got down from the bastard's vehicle and walked the remaining distance.

Its not the first time auto drivers have got me fuming.On many occasions in the past have autos from stands demanded excess fare,used intolerable language and involved themselves in unnecessary arguments.If i were given the choice I'd not hesitate to get into a brawl with these insolents.I'd probably get torn to shreds and this is what is keeping me from doing so.

Now i've made it a point to keep a safe distance from auto rickshaws and to only ever travel in them if i really need to.I wouldn't mind if those drivers were thrown behind bars either!

I Actually won Something

2008-05-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

Apologies for taking so long to post this latest post(remember the "Hungarian Professor".Never use the same word twice in a sentence) in my evergreen blog.I've been home for over a month now.As readers would do well to remind me,i had promised to blog a lot more when i returned from college.I guess this ought to really disturb my reader but thankfully since anyone hardly ever visits this blog i have nothing to worry about.

I love the radio.By this i am obviously referring to the fm channels playing music at your request,RJs with their wacky comments and lots more to keep you tuned in to your favourite radio channels.The other day i was listening to this show called "City City Bang Bang".With RJ Anjana Aparna as host,its one of the few shows which play English music for all of 3 hours.There was this contest called "Roses are red".Rules are simple.Simply write and recite a poem on air starting with the aforementioned words.As my readers would know i can write poems(i wouldn't necessarily call them works of art but atleast they rhyme).With a wavering mind unable to decide whether to sleep or continue listening to the radio,i inadvertently picked up a piece of paper and found a pen and started scribbling a poem.Once this poem was written,i picked up my father's cell,dialled the number not expecting my call to be answered.You can very well imagine how nervous i was when Anjana picked up the phone.I stuttered and stammered and in my opinion made a huge fool of myself.Then when she put me on air,i thought i'd break down(exaggerating of course).Without a second thought before even introducing myself to the listeners of this radio channel,i blurted out the poem.And now again she took me off guard by asking me if i had a girlfriend.Unable to think of a suitable answer i panicked and said i'd recently broken up with her(to hell with such utter nonsense).Managed to convince her though.Thinking of how i made a fool of myself for the next hour,i managed to stay awake until the results were announced.When Anjana announced the name of the runner-up i felt gutted.Was certain I'd made a fool of myself and was just hoping nobody ever got to know it was me.And then the winner's name was called out and you could imagine my surprise when the name she read was none other than mine.

Got a call the next day and some lady asked me to come over and collect my prize from the radio city office.Convinced one of my friends to tag along with me.I then collected my Levi Strauss gift voucher from the receptionist and tried to muster up the courage to ask one of the RJs to show us around.Was bitterly disappointed when we walked out without even speaking to them.Then the rains came to our rescue.We decided to return to the office and this time we were determined to ask them to take us around the place.We got a certain RJ Varsha to do the honours.She told us everything from how she became a RJ to what they usually discuss in the conference room to how their manager was off on a vacation to Australia.

I still have the gift voucher with me.Am yet to decide what to buy though.But still i won something and that makes it quite special for me!So what do i buy with the gift card now?

Forwards

2008-03-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

Was just clearing out my mailbox today(Or should i call it inbox).I must say,I was surprised by the number of forwards my inbox contained, some of which were over 5 years old.Those were the days when the mailbox would be flooded with forwards numbering hundreds.We'd press the forward button on every mail we'd receive.Go through all made up bull**** with zeal and believe every word of the nonsense people would make up for the sake of sending mails.

Don't get me wrong here.Agreed few of the forwards made sense and were worth a read and i'd still forward messages if i found them worthwhile,but seeing how times have changed and how much importance i give to these forwards now i can't help but feel nostalgic.A small break in viewing the mailbox would result in tonnes of letter embroidered messages from loving friends who with painstaking effort would click on the forward button to a group who would likewise return the favour.At one point i remember having over 1000 unread mails.And how can i forget the orkut messages that i used to receive by dozens.Yeah those were the days.

Me and my friends now seem to have gotten over this "FORWARD" craze now with it slowly fading over.But then as far as i know the phenomenon is still a hit with a sizeable chunk of other users.So to those people happy forwarding!(The closing line's so lame)

Going back to College

2008-03-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

Considering i'll be occupied with college till the end of April,i guess this is adios for now.Although there isn't much to write now,I'll try stretch this entry anyway.I really really wish i didn't have to go back so early.6 days have passed by as if they were nothing at all.Now with the festive season behind us,i'll need to work even harder to pick up my attendance and somehow crawl up to 75%.I'd do myself a world of good if indeed i do manage to sneak up and come through with an acceptable attendance record.I have a bus to catch at 10.I'd better get packed and be ready to leave although i am reluctant to do so.

Don't read too much into it.I love college.There is absolutely no reason i wouldn't wanna be there.But then there's no place like home.A contradicting phrase to the above would be home is where the heart is.

SMS Lingo

2008-03-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

There was a time when everything i typed was abbreviated.I'd always shorten words,use 'z' instead of 's' and other changes which seemed cool at that time.Using sms lingo online is basically a craze concerning Indians on the internet.As far as i know sms language was invented to overcome the word limit that people had to work with while sending SMSes.Working with the limited keypad on your mobile phone can be tough.That seems quite logical to me.And agreed when sending an sms,u needed to work within a psychological time-frame(The earlier your message reaches the other person and the earlier s/he replies,the better for you,ain't it?)All these sound perfectly reasonable.

And lets move on to instant messages.Here too it is to an extent acceptable to use sms language.Mark my word,i said *to an extent*.With a keyboard containing all possible keys or rather characters within accessible limits,i'd opt to type the entire word rather than a *try to look cool* abbreviated form of the same.But then,if you are comfortable with it,it shouldn't bother anyone too much.

Now coming to other posts on the internet.Be it a community on orkut,or a blog entry or even an article,some people display their affection towards "txt" language to a new level.Well since my opinion on this issue(or any issue) does not really matter ,i'll leave this entry here.

Give me blood,I'll give you biscuits

2008-03-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

As the title of this post suggests,we had a blood donation camp in our college.Whatever blood you lose you end up regaining twice the amount in a really short while.So i was like,"what the heck,lets go ahead with it".Me and my friend Niranjan filled in the forms and stacked ourselves in the queue.I wanted my blood group checked first though(you can never be too sure).As expected the test gave a positive for O+ and I heaved a sigh of relief.

Then in a while i was made to lie down on the bed.A pretty girl walks up to me and settles me down.I am made to believe that this girl would stick to my side for the next 15 minutes or so.She wraps the blood pressure measuring thingy(manometer,barometer,what is it called anyway) on my left arm.Suddenly she goes away and an aged experience looking female doctor come and inserts the needle to collect my blood in some bag.All 58kgs of me donating 350 ml of blood.Then the screw up by those amateurs.Soon my vein's clotted and the blood flow just stops.Then the experienced looking doctor comes to rectify the mess up.She pushes the needle into my tiny vein and holds it there for sometime-ouch.If taking away the young nurse and introducing this old lady did not automatically qualify as KLPD,shifting this old lady and bringing aayas to remove the medical apparatus off my hand definitely does.I force out a smile,talk to these women in broken kannada and try to rush out.But nooo....They ask me to stay(although i am feeling fine) and rest for a couple of minutes(longest 2 minutes of my life).Then the best part.We got a packet of parle-g biscuits,an orange and a pack of fruit juice.Guess the experience was worth it after all,eh??Just kidding

Re-entry into active blogging-Not Quite

2008-03-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hope my long absence hasn't driven the viewers of this blog away(like there were any in the first place).As people who know me or those who read my blog would know,i am a student of NITK Surathkal(Everytime i say that i feel bigger).Happy Holi,Good Friday,Easter,Id or whatever festival you might be celebrating.

Don't get your hopes up.Just because i posted an entry today and may post a couple more entries after this doesn't mean you'll get to read or view too many of my posts in the near future(I can sense tears).Goodbye for now!!

Doctors

2007-12-23T06:29:00.000-08:00

One book i started reading but quit midway is Doctors by Erich Sehgal.I hate to say i found it too absorbing to my liking.A good read if you were ever go in search of one.Ironically,I stopped reading the book when overcome by fever.Now,I hope Engineering is nothing like Medical.Writing all i know from what i've read in the book,completing an MBBS course in plain terms,seems tough.Even if engineering is anyway close to this in terms of the workload,I am still thankful(and hopeful) i won't need to make life and death decisions.Now to all practicing doctors out there, my salute to your kind and i hope my visits to you are rare.

My Brother and Me

2007-12-22T08:24:00.001-08:00

It's called a Collage

2007-12-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

NITK Surathkal

2007-12-14T20:54:00.000-08:00

To all those who don't know yet(any visitors here??),I am now studying in NITK Surathkal(Saying that feels so damn good).Visits online at college are so restrictive,kinda ironic considering i have taken Information Technology.To give all readers(attendance please!!) a glimpse of my college i shall soon be uploading a few snaps of my college.

Poem numero zwei alias poem number 2

2007-03-14T01:21:00.000-07:00

I am no poet,but here's my second rhyming verse
our scars need healing by a charming lil nurse

Because enriched are our sorrows by playing into the hands
of the snake charmer,with flutes blinding us in a trance

Being Small in stature we can do nothing but comply
wile lil games played by the white suites and hats which undermine

Those who understand the above well and good
just to clear the haze,let me make it lucid

why any nation shall be a better place
if blood of another weren't his passion and craze

Poetry Corner

2007-03-14T01:13:00.000-07:00

Love beneath thy hearts we hold
yet we struggle in battles in biting cold

'cause greed surfaces and loathe transpires
shielding peace and tranquility which one aspires

those who govern by our greatest faith
and some who garner control by fielding guns and death

do understand nothing's plain and simple
ohh one wishes it were as clear as a dimple

thus we live under shadows of loaded arms
we tend not to think of the adam requiring bread and alms

hence hatred and hostility are not the key to the door cruelly bolted
brotherhood,peace and harmony decipher roles of master,push open the door when jolted

2007-02-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

This is my first post..well i am currently a class 12 student..Gonna be writing my boards this year..just started out using this blog service 9 days b4 my boards..i dunno if ppl are actually gonna read this or what..well neway itz a start..
so this is all for now..maybe i'll post another entry after my exam ..So until den tata bye bye..