Have you ever wondered how life is stingy when it comes to giving you, but is so enthusiastic about taking it away? How making friends is so difficult, but once you are going down, every friend just seems to walk away like you were a leper? How faith, trust, love is so pricey and difficult to have in life, and yet, so fragile and temporary in most cases?
How your best friends can swear by you, and yet, suddenly, all those promises mean nothing when they decide to walk out?
Take Sourav Ganguly - one day he was a hero, and the darling of the nation. The day he picked up a quarrel with Chappel, not a single person supported him. Suddenly, he was the untouchable, shunned even by his life long mentor Dalmiya? How his team mates suddenly realised he was a bad influence in the dressing room, how the media turned against the "arrogant" cricketer who thought he was king, when this same "arrogance" was heaped with praises when he won the Natwest tournament, and took on the Pakis and the Aussies, beating them at their own psychological games?
Why - why does the world hit you when you are down? Why don't your friends stand by you, why don't your mentors give you that support you need when you really, most need it?
Maybe this is Darwin's survival of the fittest at work - what better way to eliminate you when you are already weak? It's almost like you are prey, the world waiting like a vulture for that first stumble, that first mistake, that first sign of weakness - before it goes for your throat....
Scared? Be so. Only the paranoid survive.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
Goan Almi
Along with it's better known cousins, fish, prawns and crabs, Almi (mushrooms) is Goa's unique contribution to our gastronomic delights. Extremely rare, these mushrooms sprout from the ground only in very restricted forest areas, under specific weather conditions, for a few days every year.
Best deep fried, they make excellent gravy dishes too!
Best deep fried, they make excellent gravy dishes too!
Available in packs of 100, wrapped in these large leaves...
...they take a lot of hard work, to get them rid of the caked mud...
The House of Khandeparkers
While in Goa, we visited the House of the Family of Khandeparkers, in the beautiful river-side town of Khandepar, in Ponda taluka. With 25 bathrooms, over 50 living/bed rooms, and a dozen kitchens, the 50+ year old mansion is home to over 35 residents of the extended family.
The beautiful facade, framed by Ashoka trees
Dinner is usually a time for family bonding, and sharing anecdotes from the day! A 16 seater table means that no one misses out on the action! 
An internal staircase provides access to the "Mali" (upper storey) 
A typical, Goan Balcao (Verendah)Global Warming?
Everyone is talking of Global Warming these days - from the threat to low lying areas with rising sea levels, to irregular rain patterns, severe weather, and perishing glaciers...
Closer home, in Nerul, we were shocked to see the havoc wrecked by the sea on our very own favourite village beach. This article is a sad reminder of how turbulent and painful our relationship with nature can be.. or maybe, it's jus a reflection of how mankind is exploiting what he has, and in turn, paying the price for it!
Closer home, in Nerul, we were shocked to see the havoc wrecked by the sea on our very own favourite village beach. This article is a sad reminder of how turbulent and painful our relationship with nature can be.. or maybe, it's jus a reflection of how mankind is exploiting what he has, and in turn, paying the price for it!
More than 50 coconut trees were uprooted literally overnight, as the sea rushed in more than 10 meters to claim the land as it's own.
Tension writ large on the faces of my cousins, as they discuss the impact
A lone tree, devoid of life, gives up it's fight to survive.
Human greed doesn't even leave this poor fallen tree alone - within a day of the disaster, it's chopped mercilessly to make roof rafters for someone's home!
A fallen coconut tree, awaits it's inevitable fate.
And a similar sad fate awaits this beautiful tree.. even the Ganesha idol installed on the tree will not save it from certain uprooting.
Navi Mumbai - representing the bold, new India
Nat Geo ran this program on Mumbai and Navi Mumbai the other day, in Megastructures. Pretty exciting stuff - on how the two twin cities are coping with the problems of their burgeoning growth.
While Mumbai is looking at skybuses and mega multi-storey flyovers, Navi Mumbai is set to become the biggest planned city in the world, with an estimated population of over 4.5 million residents. From railway stations designed to disperse the large crowds quickly, to catchment ponds with tidal control gates aimed at preventing flooding even in heavy rains and high tides, Navi Mumbai is learning it's lessons from the problems of Mumbai.
As one of the engineers on the program aptly said, we now have the money, the people, the talent, the future!
While Mumbai is looking at skybuses and mega multi-storey flyovers, Navi Mumbai is set to become the biggest planned city in the world, with an estimated population of over 4.5 million residents. From railway stations designed to disperse the large crowds quickly, to catchment ponds with tidal control gates aimed at preventing flooding even in heavy rains and high tides, Navi Mumbai is learning it's lessons from the problems of Mumbai.
As one of the engineers on the program aptly said, we now have the money, the people, the talent, the future!
Tata Sky
We got a couple of Tata Sky connections in Goa - I am a huge fan of it right now, with it's DVD quality picture and sound, very friendly menu and remote, language options for many channels, parallel multi-feeds for news items and sports, program listings, on demand movies, games and lots more!
As soon as I came back to Pune, I ordered a connection for myself - and was pleasantly surprised at the level of customer service I encountered on the help line. Within a few mins, I had entered my HDFC Netsafe card details on the phone, made the payment, and I am now eagerly waiting for the hardware!
Happy TV times are here again!
As soon as I came back to Pune, I ordered a connection for myself - and was pleasantly surprised at the level of customer service I encountered on the help line. Within a few mins, I had entered my HDFC Netsafe card details on the phone, made the payment, and I am now eagerly waiting for the hardware!
Happy TV times are here again!
Crab Dry Fry
Anytime you are in Goa, try the Crab Dry Fry at the Ritz Classic on 18th June Road. Aaah.... some of life's greatest pleasures come in real small packages with red masala....
When in Goa..
...this is what we typically do...
Catch a tall glass of Strawberry flavoured Ice Tea and a Sizzling Brownie at midnight at the Cafe Coffee Day by the beach
Drive 3 kms from home to a city street corner, to feed the left over chicken to our favourite stray dog
Get caught in a sand storm accompanied by biting cold rain and take cover behind a car - then come home and spend an hour in the shower, getting rid of all the accumulated sand
Have crabs and prawns for breakfast, fried fish and prawns and crabs for lunch, and squid, crabs and fish for dinner
Catch a tall glass of Strawberry flavoured Ice Tea and a Sizzling Brownie at midnight at the Cafe Coffee Day by the beach
Drive 3 kms from home to a city street corner, to feed the left over chicken to our favourite stray dog
Get caught in a sand storm accompanied by biting cold rain and take cover behind a car - then come home and spend an hour in the shower, getting rid of all the accumulated sand
Have crabs and prawns for breakfast, fried fish and prawns and crabs for lunch, and squid, crabs and fish for dinner
Reaching Goa...
After a harrowing overnight journey through heavy rain and blinding fog in the ghats, I woke up in the morning close to the Goa border. Looking eagerly out of the bus from the upper berth...
...I saw the palm trees and green rice fields race by in a blur...
...until finally the sun broke through the dense clouds just as we entered the beautiful city of Panaji, or amche Ponje!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
The Story of Mrs Crab and the Village
Caught Mrs Crab crawling across the road with her dozen tiny children (not in pic) on a drive in the city's outskirts last week.
Reona takes a break from driving around...
... to check out this beautiful village nestled in the bosom of the hills.
Discussing the Weather
Lisa and Reona discuss the weather and who will get the chance to go out today evening, while Madhosh looks away, happy to be left alone in the rains!
Another Robert Ludlum - after his death?
Browsing in my favourite bookstore the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to find yet another Bourne novel - the Bourne Betrayal. The title said:
Jason Bourne Returns in
Robert Ludlum's (biggest font)
The Bourne Betrayal
A new novel by
Eric Van Lustbader
Isn't it cool? I mean - years after your death, writers want to use your character, and your name, to sell their work?
The book, of course, is OK - it has the familiar feel of a Ludlum book, but it's not really the same!
Jason Bourne Returns in
Robert Ludlum's (biggest font)
The Bourne Betrayal
A new novel by
Eric Van Lustbader
Isn't it cool? I mean - years after your death, writers want to use your character, and your name, to sell their work?
The book, of course, is OK - it has the familiar feel of a Ludlum book, but it's not really the same!
Sunday Brunch
Made myself a delicious, healthy Sunday brunch - button mushrooms and onion tossed in Nutralite "sugar free, cholesterol free, hydrogenated fats free" butter, with a dash of vinegar, and a sprinkling of chaat masala.
But now I am hungry again - maybe it's time for an apple?
But now I am hungry again - maybe it's time for an apple?
Status Report on the World
OK, OK, the title is pretty awe-inspiring, but this post is really just a few thoughts on what's dominating world headlines, and our lives today... and I guess it's pretty representative of the world we live in, in the early 21st century.
On the world stage, there are only two real issues dominating the news channels and newspapers - The fight against terrorism (dominated by the West's fight against Islamist fundamentalists) and global warming.
After taking on the Taliban in Afghanistan, and seeing a big victory in terms of being able to dislodge the Taliban government and install Hamid Karzai as President, the US took on Al-Qaeda in Iraq - and has now landed in a big soup. The gains in Afghanistan seem to be vanishing day by day. Pakistan's north east lawless tribal areas are a safe haven for terrorists now, and Pervez Musharraf is finding it increasingly hard to get a grip on the fundamentalists in his own country. Iraq is a quagmire, and is slowly moving into a civil war. Palentinians are no closer to peace, with Hamas and Fatah movements both fighting each other, Israel a frustrating bystander to the violence in Gaza. And Islamistes else where, from the south of Africa to south east Asia, are creating fresh trouble. This is also turning into a fight against the Burkha, with many European contries contemplating a ban on the burkha - a judge recently walked out of his court in protest when a Burkha clad lady walked inside.
Interestingly, inspite of recurring bomb blasts and attacks, Kashmir seems to be getting quieter, and tourism is booming in the valley again!
Global warming has finally landed on the world leader's conference table - and in the drawing rooms of every home with a TV. And the effects, whether real of imaginary, are being felt. Pune, for example, is witnessing torrential rains the like of which was never seen a decade back. While some parts of the world are facing cyclones and flooding, as in the Omani desert, Europe is experience heat waves like never before. Flooding and typhoons have ravaged the world, and rising sea levels are threatening coastal cities, especially in countries like Bangladesh.
The world is now looking at China and India to be the superpowers of this century. China, with it's huge population and strict military/communist order is marching on as a manufacturing super-power, while India with it's teeming millions of educated middle class, is showing up as the world's back office and IT/other services provider, as well as in biotechnology and other cutting edge areas. And their large middle class populations means they are a self-contained economy now, with no real worries of sanctions or trade barriers. Russia, which had lost it's edge over the US after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is now flexing muscles amidst a resurging economy, using it's oil and gas reserves to good effect, holding the world to ransom. Iran and North Korea are the latest trouble spots for the US and it's allies, both holding the threat of nuclear weapons, and taking the US head-on.
In India itself, times have never been better. From cell phones to Mercedes cars, even rural and small-town India is joining the party. A news item reported today that Ludhiana and Kolhapur have the highest per capita Mercedes' in the country. Kolhapur itself has more than 500 hundred! An awesome road network is coming up, huge malls springing up in every nook and corner, and the real estate and stock markets are booming like never before. Forex reserves have balooned up to almost 200 Billion USD, a 2000 times rise from the early ninetees when India had to mortgage it's gold, and was forced to take the economic reforms path. IT services and manufacturing, automobiles, pharma, telecom - India is riding it's success in not one, but multiple ways.
Judicial activism, the right to information act, and an aggressive press and a vigilant society is leading to some serious convictions of politicians and public figures, hethereto immune to the law. Corruption may not be out, but it is definitely on the wane.
Yes, we still have lots to do, and for every Indian, this is a time to stand for your country and help her, rather than criticize the system and run off to the West. With the number of Indians coming back swelling by the day, it's almost LS to say you are planning to take flight and become a NRI!
For some lighter moments now... a judge in the US sued his laundry cleaner a whopping 57 Million USD for losing his pants and causing him emotional trauma, by not living up to it's "Satisfaction Guaranteed" promise. Thankfully, all is not lost in the US - he lost his case and was ordered by the court to pay the court expenses. India's prez-to-be talked about how a dead Baba came to her and gave her divine premonition of the good days to come. Saurav and Sachin are still batting for India, and recently broke the world record for the highest number of century stands.
And I am on a weight-control diet and lost 2 kgs in one month...
On the world stage, there are only two real issues dominating the news channels and newspapers - The fight against terrorism (dominated by the West's fight against Islamist fundamentalists) and global warming.
After taking on the Taliban in Afghanistan, and seeing a big victory in terms of being able to dislodge the Taliban government and install Hamid Karzai as President, the US took on Al-Qaeda in Iraq - and has now landed in a big soup. The gains in Afghanistan seem to be vanishing day by day. Pakistan's north east lawless tribal areas are a safe haven for terrorists now, and Pervez Musharraf is finding it increasingly hard to get a grip on the fundamentalists in his own country. Iraq is a quagmire, and is slowly moving into a civil war. Palentinians are no closer to peace, with Hamas and Fatah movements both fighting each other, Israel a frustrating bystander to the violence in Gaza. And Islamistes else where, from the south of Africa to south east Asia, are creating fresh trouble. This is also turning into a fight against the Burkha, with many European contries contemplating a ban on the burkha - a judge recently walked out of his court in protest when a Burkha clad lady walked inside.
Interestingly, inspite of recurring bomb blasts and attacks, Kashmir seems to be getting quieter, and tourism is booming in the valley again!
Global warming has finally landed on the world leader's conference table - and in the drawing rooms of every home with a TV. And the effects, whether real of imaginary, are being felt. Pune, for example, is witnessing torrential rains the like of which was never seen a decade back. While some parts of the world are facing cyclones and flooding, as in the Omani desert, Europe is experience heat waves like never before. Flooding and typhoons have ravaged the world, and rising sea levels are threatening coastal cities, especially in countries like Bangladesh.
The world is now looking at China and India to be the superpowers of this century. China, with it's huge population and strict military/communist order is marching on as a manufacturing super-power, while India with it's teeming millions of educated middle class, is showing up as the world's back office and IT/other services provider, as well as in biotechnology and other cutting edge areas. And their large middle class populations means they are a self-contained economy now, with no real worries of sanctions or trade barriers. Russia, which had lost it's edge over the US after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is now flexing muscles amidst a resurging economy, using it's oil and gas reserves to good effect, holding the world to ransom. Iran and North Korea are the latest trouble spots for the US and it's allies, both holding the threat of nuclear weapons, and taking the US head-on.
In India itself, times have never been better. From cell phones to Mercedes cars, even rural and small-town India is joining the party. A news item reported today that Ludhiana and Kolhapur have the highest per capita Mercedes' in the country. Kolhapur itself has more than 500 hundred! An awesome road network is coming up, huge malls springing up in every nook and corner, and the real estate and stock markets are booming like never before. Forex reserves have balooned up to almost 200 Billion USD, a 2000 times rise from the early ninetees when India had to mortgage it's gold, and was forced to take the economic reforms path. IT services and manufacturing, automobiles, pharma, telecom - India is riding it's success in not one, but multiple ways.
Judicial activism, the right to information act, and an aggressive press and a vigilant society is leading to some serious convictions of politicians and public figures, hethereto immune to the law. Corruption may not be out, but it is definitely on the wane.
Yes, we still have lots to do, and for every Indian, this is a time to stand for your country and help her, rather than criticize the system and run off to the West. With the number of Indians coming back swelling by the day, it's almost LS to say you are planning to take flight and become a NRI!
For some lighter moments now... a judge in the US sued his laundry cleaner a whopping 57 Million USD for losing his pants and causing him emotional trauma, by not living up to it's "Satisfaction Guaranteed" promise. Thankfully, all is not lost in the US - he lost his case and was ordered by the court to pay the court expenses. India's prez-to-be talked about how a dead Baba came to her and gave her divine premonition of the good days to come. Saurav and Sachin are still batting for India, and recently broke the world record for the highest number of century stands.
And I am on a weight-control diet and lost 2 kgs in one month...
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Movie Review: Die Hard 4
Bruce Willis at his indestructible best saving America from a "fire sale" - the complete breakdown of governance and law and order through a coordinated attack on all the country's systems - transportation, utilities, law enforcement. That's Die Hard 4 for you.
When the US government ridicules one of it's brightest computer geeks for suggesting that they overhaul the country's computer security systems, he rebels, and plans to break into the US government's central data banks to deal them a severe blow, while raking in millions for himself. He enlists the help of all the country's top most hackers to come up with the necessary software through an online competition for the geeks, and then eliminates them, one by one, as his plan goes into action,
But one of them, in the care of Bruce Willis, survives, and the two get together to thwart the devilish plan before it is too late.
The movie has breathtaking action, though many times it would put even Rajnikanth to shame by its sheer preposterousness :) How about bringing down a copter by flinging his car into the air? How about a F 35 fighter jet, with hover capability, taking on a large truck, going after it with missiles, bringing down and entire web of flyovers - him walking away from it? Some awesome car crashes, some good close combat, a litte humour, and a very pretty daughter - the movie may be a little over the top at times, but definitely makes a good weekend treat!
When the US government ridicules one of it's brightest computer geeks for suggesting that they overhaul the country's computer security systems, he rebels, and plans to break into the US government's central data banks to deal them a severe blow, while raking in millions for himself. He enlists the help of all the country's top most hackers to come up with the necessary software through an online competition for the geeks, and then eliminates them, one by one, as his plan goes into action,
But one of them, in the care of Bruce Willis, survives, and the two get together to thwart the devilish plan before it is too late.
The movie has breathtaking action, though many times it would put even Rajnikanth to shame by its sheer preposterousness :) How about bringing down a copter by flinging his car into the air? How about a F 35 fighter jet, with hover capability, taking on a large truck, going after it with missiles, bringing down and entire web of flyovers - him walking away from it? Some awesome car crashes, some good close combat, a litte humour, and a very pretty daughter - the movie may be a little over the top at times, but definitely makes a good weekend treat!
Music with Lisa
A wet, rainy Saturday... empty roads, covered with green canopies of baby leaves... a light drizzle... the wind softly whispering to you... you know you are safe... you know she is with you... you can talk to her... you can let go... you know she will take care of you...
Lisa has been my best friend for 7 years... never letting me down... never complaining.. rain or sun, night or day, I know I can depend on her... she understands my fears, she shares my happiness, and she gives me strength when I am alone and scared... she takes me in her fold... telling me I will be fine... she holds on tight.. never letting go...
The undulating beats of her heart and she responds to your slightest touch.. she reads your intentions.. and responds... the soft, sensual motion as you ask her to turn... hugging the ground... yet letting go... caressing the ground with her soft ballerina moves.. yet, never losing control.. the soft rubber on the wet tarmac... the sweetest music in the world.. as she tells you, she loves you...
And you know, life's gonna be fine again...
Lisa has been my best friend for 7 years... never letting me down... never complaining.. rain or sun, night or day, I know I can depend on her... she understands my fears, she shares my happiness, and she gives me strength when I am alone and scared... she takes me in her fold... telling me I will be fine... she holds on tight.. never letting go...
The undulating beats of her heart and she responds to your slightest touch.. she reads your intentions.. and responds... the soft, sensual motion as you ask her to turn... hugging the ground... yet letting go... caressing the ground with her soft ballerina moves.. yet, never losing control.. the soft rubber on the wet tarmac... the sweetest music in the world.. as she tells you, she loves you...
And you know, life's gonna be fine again...
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Book Review: Freakonomics
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner is an interesting book that will make you think twice about the way this world works, before accepting any explanations.
For example, what has the best effect on reducing crime? Education, larger police force, tougher laws, or abortion? How much effect does parenting have on kids? Is parental influence stronger, or peer pressure? Do real estate agents really work for your best?
The authors believe that you can find out the answers to these questions, and every other question about how the world works, if you know what to measure and how to measure it! Yes, at the end of the day, it's all about numbers. The answers can be quite surprising! And long held beliefs can be proved wrong.
Let us take the example of crime in the US. In the 1990s crime had risen to such a level, that President Clinton gave the country a 6 year deadline to control it, else predicting the country would descend into chaos. Contrary to all expectations and predictions, crime suddenly started dropping, from a predicted 100 percent rise, to just 50 percent of what it used to be. One can assume this was due to higher police presence, but take the example of Denver and Washington DC. Both cities have a similar sized population, but Washington has three times the police officers, and eight times the murder rate! One can argue that the increased police committed the increased murders!
The authors describe, through measurements and statistics, how the legalization of abortion in the 1970s ultimately led to a decrease in the number of kids who would be born to poor, unmarried women, and it is this drop in population of the "crime-prone" population that resulted in the dropping crime rates in the US.
The authors present a few fundamental ideas:
1) Incentives - positive or negative - economi, social or moral - are the cornerstone of modern life. And understanding them is the key to solving every problem in life.
2) Conventional wisdom is often wrong
3) Dramatic effects often have distant, even subtle, causes
4) "Experts" use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda
5) Knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes this complicated world much less so!
Interesting book - definitely worth attention. At the least, it will make you realise that every coin has not even just two, but potentially a lot more sides!
For example, what has the best effect on reducing crime? Education, larger police force, tougher laws, or abortion? How much effect does parenting have on kids? Is parental influence stronger, or peer pressure? Do real estate agents really work for your best?
The authors believe that you can find out the answers to these questions, and every other question about how the world works, if you know what to measure and how to measure it! Yes, at the end of the day, it's all about numbers. The answers can be quite surprising! And long held beliefs can be proved wrong.
Let us take the example of crime in the US. In the 1990s crime had risen to such a level, that President Clinton gave the country a 6 year deadline to control it, else predicting the country would descend into chaos. Contrary to all expectations and predictions, crime suddenly started dropping, from a predicted 100 percent rise, to just 50 percent of what it used to be. One can assume this was due to higher police presence, but take the example of Denver and Washington DC. Both cities have a similar sized population, but Washington has three times the police officers, and eight times the murder rate! One can argue that the increased police committed the increased murders!
The authors describe, through measurements and statistics, how the legalization of abortion in the 1970s ultimately led to a decrease in the number of kids who would be born to poor, unmarried women, and it is this drop in population of the "crime-prone" population that resulted in the dropping crime rates in the US.
The authors present a few fundamental ideas:
1) Incentives - positive or negative - economi, social or moral - are the cornerstone of modern life. And understanding them is the key to solving every problem in life.
2) Conventional wisdom is often wrong
3) Dramatic effects often have distant, even subtle, causes
4) "Experts" use their informational advantage to serve their own agenda
5) Knowing what to measure and how to measure it makes this complicated world much less so!
Interesting book - definitely worth attention. At the least, it will make you realise that every coin has not even just two, but potentially a lot more sides!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Ripley's Believe It or Not: Diet Diary
1) I am losing weight - 700 gms in 10 days
2) I am losing weight - and here comes the surprise - from my right side!
No, I am not kidding! I swear I verified every possible way. My body seems to be burning fat from one side, forgetting the other! And as a result, the tire around my waist seems to be deflated on one side only :)
I knew you wouldn't believe it....
2) I am losing weight - and here comes the surprise - from my right side!
No, I am not kidding! I swear I verified every possible way. My body seems to be burning fat from one side, forgetting the other! And as a result, the tire around my waist seems to be deflated on one side only :)
I knew you wouldn't believe it....
Time Capsule
There was an interesting news item yesterday about a time capsule that was opened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US after 50 years - but the organisers were disappointed to find that the concrete vault built to withstand nuclear attacks couldn't keep out moisture, and the beautiful 1950s Plymouth Belvedere car had been converted by rust into a pile of junk. Sad.
Reminds me of my own attempts at creating time capsules - I used to collect "interesting" stuff into a school compas box, and bury it into the garden, waiting for it to turn into treasure one day. Unfortunately, my curiosity and greed always took over, and the treasure ended up being unearthed a couple of weeks later - needless to say, I never got around to selling it to a museum!
Interestingly, just yesterday, I found this box of coins - 2 rupees, 1 rupee, 50, 25 and 10 paise, and even a 1 paise coin in it. Now that's probably what the museum is looking for!
Reminds me of my own attempts at creating time capsules - I used to collect "interesting" stuff into a school compas box, and bury it into the garden, waiting for it to turn into treasure one day. Unfortunately, my curiosity and greed always took over, and the treasure ended up being unearthed a couple of weeks later - needless to say, I never got around to selling it to a museum!
Interestingly, just yesterday, I found this box of coins - 2 rupees, 1 rupee, 50, 25 and 10 paise, and even a 1 paise coin in it. Now that's probably what the museum is looking for!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Healing Fats!
Contrary to polular belief, you don’t need to be concerned with the quantity of fat in your diet, rather you need to be concerned with the TYPE - and saturated fat is not the real enemy. Saturated fats, found mostly in animal products like butter, cheese and fatty meats, are not as dangerous as you may believe. Saturated fats offer a number of health benefits and play many important roles in the body. Some vegetable oils (coconut and palm) also contain saturated fat. Coconut oil, therefore, is a particularly healthy choice.
Trans-fatty acids, formed through a process called "hydrogenation", are found in processed foods and fried foods. Trans-fatty acids are much worse for you than saturated fats. Not only can they raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol, but they have also been linked to heart disease.
Healing fats are oils that contain Essential Fatty Acids.
What Are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)?
The word 'Essential" is used because they are something our body can not produce, we must get these Essential Fatty Acids from outside (from food or supplements). The essential fatty acids are two of the most important of all the essential elements, ranking right up there with protein, as protein and the EFAs work hand-in-hand with each other. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) - are the building bricks of our health.
What does EFA accomplish in the body?
EFAs are involved with producing life energy in our bodies from food substances, and moving that energy throughout our systems. They govern growth, vitality, and mental state. They hook up oxygen, electron transport, and energy in the process of oxidation. Oxidation, the central and most important moment-to-moment living process in our body, is the `burning' of food to produce the energy required for life processes. EFAs are also important in oxygen transfer, hemoglobin production, and control of nutrients through cell membranes. They markedly shorten recovery time from fatigue. And EFAs are also key in preventing damage from hard fats. EFAs are anti-sticky and tend to disperse them. EFAs play a part in almost every function of our body, far too many to list here.
What is hydrogenated fat?
Hydrogenation is a way of making vegetable oil harden at room temperature. Small particles of nickel or copper are added and the mix is heated to very high temperatures under pressure for up to eight hours while hydrogen gas is injected. This process destroys the essential fatty acids in the oil and replaces them with deformed trans fatty acids. These trans fats formed by hydrogenation are unnatural and as a result the human body is not well-equipped to deal with them. They also compete with essential fatty acids for absorption in the body. This blocks or delays the work of the essential fatty acids, creating deficiencies and imbalance throughout the metabolism, including fatty deposits in the arteries.
Use only cold pressed (expeller pressed) nonrefined oils, (keep refrigerated) and non heated and not exposed to the light or air. No margarine (margarine is made from hydrogenated fats, and refined oils, that why it is hard). Margarine is one of the worst foods you can eat. No Hydrogenated Fat ( HF ) (HF is made from trans fatty acids). Use no oils from supermarkets , they are heated and refined (EFA are removed). The most dangerous fats are typically found in margarine, shortenings, and heated oils.
The important Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio
The goal is to increase your intake of the omega-3 fats found in fish oil, and reduce your intake of omega-6 fats.
The primary sources of omega-6 are corn, canola, safflower and sunflower oil; these oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess omega-6 levels. Avoid or limit these oils. Omega-3, meanwhile, is typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish oil. By far, the best type of omega-3 fats are those found in that last category, fish. That's because the omega-3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA - low DHA levels have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Researchers are now also linking inadequate intake of these omega-3 fats in pregnant women to premature birth and low birth weight, and to hyperactivity in children.
In summary,
1) Consumption of fish oil is highly encouraged as a key ingredient in improving your health. Extra virgin olive oil is great too. Coconut oil is also great, if you use the fats for frying.
2) Do not use refined or hydrogenated fats - these contain trans-fatty acids that are the real problem! Avoid margarine, avoid sunflower.
Udo Erasmus' book, "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill", is recommended reading!
Trans-fatty acids, formed through a process called "hydrogenation", are found in processed foods and fried foods. Trans-fatty acids are much worse for you than saturated fats. Not only can they raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol, but they have also been linked to heart disease.
Healing fats are oils that contain Essential Fatty Acids.
What Are Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)?
The word 'Essential" is used because they are something our body can not produce, we must get these Essential Fatty Acids from outside (from food or supplements). The essential fatty acids are two of the most important of all the essential elements, ranking right up there with protein, as protein and the EFAs work hand-in-hand with each other. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) - are the building bricks of our health.
What does EFA accomplish in the body?
EFAs are involved with producing life energy in our bodies from food substances, and moving that energy throughout our systems. They govern growth, vitality, and mental state. They hook up oxygen, electron transport, and energy in the process of oxidation. Oxidation, the central and most important moment-to-moment living process in our body, is the `burning' of food to produce the energy required for life processes. EFAs are also important in oxygen transfer, hemoglobin production, and control of nutrients through cell membranes. They markedly shorten recovery time from fatigue. And EFAs are also key in preventing damage from hard fats. EFAs are anti-sticky and tend to disperse them. EFAs play a part in almost every function of our body, far too many to list here.
What is hydrogenated fat?
Hydrogenation is a way of making vegetable oil harden at room temperature. Small particles of nickel or copper are added and the mix is heated to very high temperatures under pressure for up to eight hours while hydrogen gas is injected. This process destroys the essential fatty acids in the oil and replaces them with deformed trans fatty acids. These trans fats formed by hydrogenation are unnatural and as a result the human body is not well-equipped to deal with them. They also compete with essential fatty acids for absorption in the body. This blocks or delays the work of the essential fatty acids, creating deficiencies and imbalance throughout the metabolism, including fatty deposits in the arteries.
Use only cold pressed (expeller pressed) nonrefined oils, (keep refrigerated) and non heated and not exposed to the light or air. No margarine (margarine is made from hydrogenated fats, and refined oils, that why it is hard). Margarine is one of the worst foods you can eat. No Hydrogenated Fat ( HF ) (HF is made from trans fatty acids). Use no oils from supermarkets , they are heated and refined (EFA are removed). The most dangerous fats are typically found in margarine, shortenings, and heated oils.
The important Omega-3/Omega-6 ratio
The goal is to increase your intake of the omega-3 fats found in fish oil, and reduce your intake of omega-6 fats.
The primary sources of omega-6 are corn, canola, safflower and sunflower oil; these oils are overabundant in the typical diet, which explains our excess omega-6 levels. Avoid or limit these oils. Omega-3, meanwhile, is typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and fish oil. By far, the best type of omega-3 fats are those found in that last category, fish. That's because the omega-3 in fish is high in two fatty acids crucial to human health, DHA and EPA. These two fatty acids are pivotal in preventing heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. The human brain is also highly dependent on DHA - low DHA levels have been linked to depression, schizophrenia, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Researchers are now also linking inadequate intake of these omega-3 fats in pregnant women to premature birth and low birth weight, and to hyperactivity in children.
In summary,
1) Consumption of fish oil is highly encouraged as a key ingredient in improving your health. Extra virgin olive oil is great too. Coconut oil is also great, if you use the fats for frying.
2) Do not use refined or hydrogenated fats - these contain trans-fatty acids that are the real problem! Avoid margarine, avoid sunflower.
Udo Erasmus' book, "Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill", is recommended reading!
Olive Oil for Cooking!
Another strong recommendation - switch to Olive Oil for cooking.
Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed. Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats.
Expensive, and takes a few days of eating to get used to the different flavour, but switching to olive oil might be one of the best decisions you will ever take!
Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.
The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels.
Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed. Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats.
Expensive, and takes a few days of eating to get used to the different flavour, but switching to olive oil might be one of the best decisions you will ever take!
Green Tea
A diet suggestion for everyone - whether or not you have weight control problems. Have green tea. Any time you feel the need to take a short break and have something, don't reach for that heavy milk-and-sugar tea of coffee from your office machine. Instead, keep a pack of green tea sachets with you. Get hot water, and dip one in it for 1-3 mins, and then have the slightly flavoured hot water. No milk, no sugar.
Scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke. To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful: cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels and cariovascular disease.
In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque.
So what is green tea? What sets green tea apart from other teas is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Any disadvantages? Only one - insomnia, because it has caffeine. But hey, remember, it is only 30-60% as found in coffee, so unless you have never had coffee, and as long as you don't have the tea just before you go to sleep, you will be fine!
So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your green tea, today!
Scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke. To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful: cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels and cariovascular disease.
In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque.
So what is green tea? What sets green tea apart from other teas is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Any disadvantages? Only one - insomnia, because it has caffeine. But hey, remember, it is only 30-60% as found in coffee, so unless you have never had coffee, and as long as you don't have the tea just before you go to sleep, you will be fine!
So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your green tea, today!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
What Life is it, If There is no Time to Stand and Stare
Can you guess where this is?
Next time you drive around our city, take a moment to stand and stare and you will be amazed to see how beautiful it is...
Next time you drive around our city, take a moment to stand and stare and you will be amazed to see how beautiful it is...
Movie Review: Fantastic Four, the Rise of the Silver Surfer
It seems to be the season of sequels. ROTSS is packed with lots of fantastic animation, some pretty funny moments, and the beautiful Jessica Alba, and does a good job of providing some great entertainment, perfect for a lazy weekend.
For those who do not know the Fantastic Four, it worth going to the trouble of seeing the first movie where these 4 normal people are afflicted with a strange cosmic energy that gives them their fantastic powers - one is blessed with the ability to extend and twist and bend himself almost limitlessly (aka the Boom Boom Boomer guy - did they copy the concept from our chewing gum guy? :)), the second has the power to create tremendous force fields and become invisible, the third is converted to a "rocky" creature with tremendous strength, and the fourth has the ability to convert himself into a roaring, zooming comet-like ball of fire.
The movie contains some pretty cool SFX - the opening credits scene, tracing the journey of the Silver Surfer to Earth, is one of the best ever I have seen. The solidification of the sea off Japan, the draining of the Thames river, and the helicopter crash is very well done.
In the sequel, the fire guy comes in contact with the Silver Surfer from outer space, bent on destroying the earth on behalf of his master, and this encounter gives him the ability to switch his energies with those of the others. And at the end, he uses ALL the powers of the Fantastic Four to fight the enemy - but finally it's Jessica's caring nature and sacrifice that convinces the Silver Surfer to fight on behalf of the Earth, and repel the advance of the outer space "gobbler and destroyer" of planets.
Movie doesn't rate as Fantastic, but definitely worth a watch.
For those who do not know the Fantastic Four, it worth going to the trouble of seeing the first movie where these 4 normal people are afflicted with a strange cosmic energy that gives them their fantastic powers - one is blessed with the ability to extend and twist and bend himself almost limitlessly (aka the Boom Boom Boomer guy - did they copy the concept from our chewing gum guy? :)), the second has the power to create tremendous force fields and become invisible, the third is converted to a "rocky" creature with tremendous strength, and the fourth has the ability to convert himself into a roaring, zooming comet-like ball of fire.
The movie contains some pretty cool SFX - the opening credits scene, tracing the journey of the Silver Surfer to Earth, is one of the best ever I have seen. The solidification of the sea off Japan, the draining of the Thames river, and the helicopter crash is very well done.
In the sequel, the fire guy comes in contact with the Silver Surfer from outer space, bent on destroying the earth on behalf of his master, and this encounter gives him the ability to switch his energies with those of the others. And at the end, he uses ALL the powers of the Fantastic Four to fight the enemy - but finally it's Jessica's caring nature and sacrifice that convinces the Silver Surfer to fight on behalf of the Earth, and repel the advance of the outer space "gobbler and destroyer" of planets.
Movie doesn't rate as Fantastic, but definitely worth a watch.
News for The Week...
1) Rakesh Maria, the guy who cracked the Mumbai Serial Blasts case is Mumbai top cop - and the fruits of his labour are sending the criminals into labour right now!
2) India might soon have her first woman President - the US still doesn't have one!
3) Teenagers in the US will have to pull up their pants, or get fined - no more will we have to see those underwears in full glory and pants held in place by sheer will power!
4) India might soon get F1 - do we really need it though, with over 1500 crore needed in investments!
5) I have lost half a KG after around 2 weeks of diet and walking - and I am feeling great about it!
2) India might soon have her first woman President - the US still doesn't have one!
3) Teenagers in the US will have to pull up their pants, or get fined - no more will we have to see those underwears in full glory and pants held in place by sheer will power!
4) India might soon get F1 - do we really need it though, with over 1500 crore needed in investments!
5) I have lost half a KG after around 2 weeks of diet and walking - and I am feeling great about it!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Quote of the Day
It's not important that you know what not to do, it's more important that you do not do what you are not supposed to do. Siddhesh Bhobe, inspired. :)
Monday, June 11, 2007
Diet Diary
Some more updates from my Mission Diet...
1) Started having green tea in office - pure tea, fresh from the gardens, in a dip dip pack, without sugar, without sugar free, without milk - aahhhh, it's heaven! Green tea is a very good antioxidant!
2) Walking upped to 50 mins a day, at around 4 kmph. Always after dinner, between 1030 to 1130, followed by a hot steam bath (before getting back to blogging :))
3) Olive oil for cooking.
4) Lots and lots of fruits.
5) Addiction to www.calorieking.com - try it out, you get awesome diet data on every possible food in town! Also, a habit of checking every food packet for dietery information.
6) Light breakfast in the morning, usually some juice and fruit, to get the metabolism running.
7) Cut down on eating in restaurants, and if indeed, then prefer grilled/tandoori fish.
8) Still no Pepsi. And now no ice cream.
1) Started having green tea in office - pure tea, fresh from the gardens, in a dip dip pack, without sugar, without sugar free, without milk - aahhhh, it's heaven! Green tea is a very good antioxidant!
2) Walking upped to 50 mins a day, at around 4 kmph. Always after dinner, between 1030 to 1130, followed by a hot steam bath (before getting back to blogging :))
3) Olive oil for cooking.
4) Lots and lots of fruits.
5) Addiction to www.calorieking.com - try it out, you get awesome diet data on every possible food in town! Also, a habit of checking every food packet for dietery information.
6) Light breakfast in the morning, usually some juice and fruit, to get the metabolism running.
7) Cut down on eating in restaurants, and if indeed, then prefer grilled/tandoori fish.
8) Still no Pepsi. And now no ice cream.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Movie Review: Shrek 3
When the king of Far Far Away, the kingdom of the fairy take characters, dies, Shrek goes in search of Arthur, the heir to the throne. Meanwhile, Charming captures the kingdom of Far Far Away with his witches and villains. Shrek comes back, only to be captured and sentenced to death, before Arthur and his other friends rescue him and they convert all the villians and witches to good people! Shrek and his wife finally retire back to their swamp and raise a family...
The animation is fantastic - and in the opening scene, you start off believing it's not an animated movie after all! The detailing and emotions on the faces of the characters are so well done, you would be forgiven for thinking it's real after all. The legs of the Merlin are another example of some lovely rendering.
For me, the Puss in Boots takes the cake. He's cute, he's naughty, he's a smart ass - and you just fall in love with him! Seeing Cindrella, Rapunzel, Snow White and other characters in one movie was like reading a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew two-in-one thriller :)
I haven't watched the previous two Shreks, but I thoroughly enjoyed Shrek 3.
The animation is fantastic - and in the opening scene, you start off believing it's not an animated movie after all! The detailing and emotions on the faces of the characters are so well done, you would be forgiven for thinking it's real after all. The legs of the Merlin are another example of some lovely rendering.
For me, the Puss in Boots takes the cake. He's cute, he's naughty, he's a smart ass - and you just fall in love with him! Seeing Cindrella, Rapunzel, Snow White and other characters in one movie was like reading a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew two-in-one thriller :)
I haven't watched the previous two Shreks, but I thoroughly enjoyed Shrek 3.
Worth Remembering?
Ever wondered how your brain chooses what to remember and what to discard? How seemingly irrelevant encounters with irrelevant people, who pass your way just once in your life time, are etched in mind forever, while entire relationships are easily discarded and dispensed with?
I have many of these seemingly irrelevant memories, permanently etched - some in black and white, some with audio, some flashes of conversations...
The number 4777, reminding me of this person who ended up being a good friend later - her bike was numbered 4777. More than a decade later, 4777 never fails to remind me of her! A conversation with my uncle, when I asked him to give me four words in English ending with "dous" (tremendous, hazardous, stupendous and horrendous) - and when he couldn't, teasing him about him being an English professor but not being able to answer my question! A 4-day science camp when I was in the 9th standard. Getting my finger hurt in a chest of drawers - and telling myself - I am now going to have a sister - yes, I was less than 3 years old then, but I can still feel the pain in my finger when I think of it - I know the exact spot I was standing, and the exact position I was looking from. The day I topped the board exam, when I met my neighbour in the morning, and he wished me, telling me I had topped - he was just a clerk, but he knew before most others did - and I did not believe him! Rushing back home from the beach, my parents, me and my sister, the four of us on our Bajaj scooter. My first accident when I tried my brakes a little too hard to see if the scooter would skid - and yes, it did!
I have been writing a diary since the early eighties - did not finish some of the earlier ones, but have every single day of my life recorded from 1st Jan 1987. Reading the diary is an awesome experience - it's like one sentence somewhere can just open a torrent of memories in such amazing vivid detail! Wouldn't it be awesome if we could somehow record and "render" our memories - wouldn't that be close to immortality?
I have many of these seemingly irrelevant memories, permanently etched - some in black and white, some with audio, some flashes of conversations...
The number 4777, reminding me of this person who ended up being a good friend later - her bike was numbered 4777. More than a decade later, 4777 never fails to remind me of her! A conversation with my uncle, when I asked him to give me four words in English ending with "dous" (tremendous, hazardous, stupendous and horrendous) - and when he couldn't, teasing him about him being an English professor but not being able to answer my question! A 4-day science camp when I was in the 9th standard. Getting my finger hurt in a chest of drawers - and telling myself - I am now going to have a sister - yes, I was less than 3 years old then, but I can still feel the pain in my finger when I think of it - I know the exact spot I was standing, and the exact position I was looking from. The day I topped the board exam, when I met my neighbour in the morning, and he wished me, telling me I had topped - he was just a clerk, but he knew before most others did - and I did not believe him! Rushing back home from the beach, my parents, me and my sister, the four of us on our Bajaj scooter. My first accident when I tried my brakes a little too hard to see if the scooter would skid - and yes, it did!
I have been writing a diary since the early eighties - did not finish some of the earlier ones, but have every single day of my life recorded from 1st Jan 1987. Reading the diary is an awesome experience - it's like one sentence somewhere can just open a torrent of memories in such amazing vivid detail! Wouldn't it be awesome if we could somehow record and "render" our memories - wouldn't that be close to immortality?
A Pant Worth $67 Million
(From ABC News...)
A Washington, D.C., lawyer is suing an area dry cleaning business for losing a pair of his trousers. The business owners claim they have his pants, but he's pressing ahead with his suit.
A $10 dry cleaning bill for a pair of trousers has ballooned into a $67 million civil lawsuit. (Yes, you read it right - $67 million! And CNN reported yesterday that he has reduced that to something like $54 million!)
He says that he has endured "mental suffering, inconvenience and discomfort." He says he was unable to wear that favorite suit on his first day of work. He's suing for 10 years of weekend car rentals so he can transport his dry cleaning to another store.
"People in America are now scared of each other," legal expert Philip Howard told ABC News' Law & Justice Unit. "That's why teachers won't put an arm around a crying child, and doctors order unnecessary tests, and ministers won't meet with parishioners. It's a distrust of justice and it's changing our culture."
The ABC News Law & Justice Unit has calculated that for $67 million Pearson could buy 84,115 new pairs of pants at the $800 value he placed on the missing trousers in court documents. If you stacked those pants up, they would be taller than eight Mount Everests. If you laid them side by side, they would stretch for 48 miles.
A Washington, D.C., lawyer is suing an area dry cleaning business for losing a pair of his trousers. The business owners claim they have his pants, but he's pressing ahead with his suit.
A $10 dry cleaning bill for a pair of trousers has ballooned into a $67 million civil lawsuit. (Yes, you read it right - $67 million! And CNN reported yesterday that he has reduced that to something like $54 million!)
He says that he has endured "mental suffering, inconvenience and discomfort." He says he was unable to wear that favorite suit on his first day of work. He's suing for 10 years of weekend car rentals so he can transport his dry cleaning to another store.
"People in America are now scared of each other," legal expert Philip Howard told ABC News' Law & Justice Unit. "That's why teachers won't put an arm around a crying child, and doctors order unnecessary tests, and ministers won't meet with parishioners. It's a distrust of justice and it's changing our culture."
The ABC News Law & Justice Unit has calculated that for $67 million Pearson could buy 84,115 new pairs of pants at the $800 value he placed on the missing trousers in court documents. If you stacked those pants up, they would be taller than eight Mount Everests. If you laid them side by side, they would stretch for 48 miles.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Movie Review: Ocean's Thirteen
Sequels are generally a bad idea, unless it's the Ocean series.
Ocean's 13 is awesome. George Clooney just gets sexier as he gets older. His on screen chemistry with Brad Pitt almost makes you jealous, and when he smiles that mischievous smile of his, eyes twinkling, aah... George Clooney!
The plot revolves around Danny and his team taking on the challenge of pulling off an impossible casino heist to get even with Willy Bank who cheats their friend Reuben. It's complex and has a dozen different sub-plots in it, which packs the movie with loads of excitement. Pay attention to the dialogues - the humour is subtle, and very smart! The end is fun, but you cannot help but wish it went on and on...
A must watch!
And till then, see you till I see you!
Ocean's 13 is awesome. George Clooney just gets sexier as he gets older. His on screen chemistry with Brad Pitt almost makes you jealous, and when he smiles that mischievous smile of his, eyes twinkling, aah... George Clooney!
The plot revolves around Danny and his team taking on the challenge of pulling off an impossible casino heist to get even with Willy Bank who cheats their friend Reuben. It's complex and has a dozen different sub-plots in it, which packs the movie with loads of excitement. Pay attention to the dialogues - the humour is subtle, and very smart! The end is fun, but you cannot help but wish it went on and on...
A must watch!
And till then, see you till I see you!
Me on CNBC TV18
I got my 2 mins of fame on CNBC TV18 today - an episode on The Future of Software Development, where I talked about the challenges of project management, the need for integration, and how a tool like Microsoft VSTS can make all the difference. The "sound bites" were shot a few days back at Persistent.
See my earlier blog for more details :)
The episode will be telecast again tomorrow at 6.30 pm
Interestingly, this wasn't my first appearance on prime time :) I appeared on MTV way back in 1997 with Cyrus Broacha, when he visited IIT Bombay and found us in the mess and asked me something about food - I do not remember what gyaan I gave him back then :)
We also appeared on a local Goa News Cable Channel, when our Narkasur band was the center of attraction. See this blog for more.
See my earlier blog for more details :)
The episode will be telecast again tomorrow at 6.30 pm
Interestingly, this wasn't my first appearance on prime time :) I appeared on MTV way back in 1997 with Cyrus Broacha, when he visited IIT Bombay and found us in the mess and asked me something about food - I do not remember what gyaan I gave him back then :)
We also appeared on a local Goa News Cable Channel, when our Narkasur band was the center of attraction. See this blog for more.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Quote of the Day
Sometimes it's not the "what to do" that matters, it's the "what not to do". Siddhesh Bhobe.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Diet Diary
Here's my progress report so far :)
Days: 6
Stopped white bread, rice, sugar - only brown bread or roti
Stopped Pepsi and ice creams
Cut down on eating out
Stopped coffee in office - replaced with water
Brisk walking 45 mins a day
2 Cod liver oil tablets twice a day
Weight lost: 0 gms
Days: 6
Stopped white bread, rice, sugar - only brown bread or roti
Stopped Pepsi and ice creams
Cut down on eating out
Stopped coffee in office - replaced with water
Brisk walking 45 mins a day
2 Cod liver oil tablets twice a day
Weight lost: 0 gms
Sunday, June 03, 2007
How to Eat Less and Enjoy More
1) Slow down the process - if you eat around 70 calories of the right fats (six walnuts, twelve almonds or 20 peanuts) around 20 mins before a meal, you can trick your hormones into believing you are already full. Remember, ghrelin reduction takes about 20 mins to kick in, and 65 calories to stimulate. When you sit down for your meal, you would have already started the process of being "full" and you will eat much less. That is also the reason you should eat slowly.
2) Fibers are great because they slow down the process of food moving from the stomach, and make you feel full longer and hungry lesser. Thus, in addition to decreasing insulin and controlling blood sugar, fiber also reduces calorie intake. Start with 1-2 grams and slowly increase to 5 grams. Oatmeal, cereal, whole grains and fruit, are great sources of fiber. Preferably, take it in the morning for breakfast.
3) Take smaller portions on your plate.
2) Fibers are great because they slow down the process of food moving from the stomach, and make you feel full longer and hungry lesser. Thus, in addition to decreasing insulin and controlling blood sugar, fiber also reduces calorie intake. Start with 1-2 grams and slowly increase to 5 grams. Oatmeal, cereal, whole grains and fruit, are great sources of fiber. Preferably, take it in the morning for breakfast.
3) Take smaller portions on your plate.
Obesity isn't only about Food!
Some wierd causes of obesity:
1) Deodorants - some of them contain chemicals that disrupt metabolism! Avoid those that contain aluminium or polychlorobiphenols.
2) Air conditioning - Your body can lose fat trying to make you warm or cool - avoiding the AC can be a great way to lose fat!
3) Stopping smoking - Nicotine helps the fight against fat!
4) Your mom - nothing you can do about it! The older she was when she gave birth to you, the more likely you are to become obese.
1) Deodorants - some of them contain chemicals that disrupt metabolism! Avoid those that contain aluminium or polychlorobiphenols.
2) Air conditioning - Your body can lose fat trying to make you warm or cool - avoiding the AC can be a great way to lose fat!
3) Stopping smoking - Nicotine helps the fight against fat!
4) Your mom - nothing you can do about it! The older she was when she gave birth to you, the more likely you are to become obese.
Interesting Fact
Your small intestine is approximately 20 foot long. Given the folds and the crevices, the absorption area is 1000 times that!
Movie Review: Raqeeb
Pathetic script at the start. But if you sit through it, and through Tanushree Dutta's fat thighs, you might just enjoy the suspense towards the end!
The Day A Mobile Conked Off...
A sleepy, normal Sunday in June 07, in the bustling metropolis of Pune, India. A DISK (double income single kid) family has just wrapped up lunch, and is preparing for the afternoon siesta - you guessed right, the family is Goan, and the lunch did consist of fish curry rice, followed by mangoes.
12.35 pm: He picks up his cell, notices that it is dead. Damn! What if someone was calling him? He quickly sets up the charger, and plugs in the phone. And tries booting the cell - the cell flickers on, but hey, something's wrong! There is no welcome message, the cell switches off instead!
12.36 pm: He is beginning to panic. Flickes the switch on a couple of times, rams the charger pin in so hard, the phone squeals in pain (OK, that was an exaggeration), and tries again. No luck!
12.38 pm: A dozen more tries later, this time having tried playing with the battery, and the SIM, and his daughter's barbie doll, he accepts that his cell is dead!
12.53 pm: 15 agonizing meetings have passed by. He is starting to get more and more jittery. What about all those tele marketing calls he must have missed? What about all those "download kijiye aur jitiye" SMSes that would be vying for his attention? And what about all those friends who would be dead worried by now? Remember, at an average of one SMS every 5.5 mins, he should have sent atleast 3 by now!
12.54 pm: He begs his wife to lend her phone for 5 mins. She refuses.
12.58 pm: He begs again, this time she relents. After all, 5 mins is less than her mean time between SMSes.
12.59 pm: He makes a note of important cell phone numbers, and then tries messaging his friends. It's a hopeless situation - he cannot make sense of the Samsung UI! After all, he has been a Nokier all his life!
1.03 pm: Close to a state of desperation and depression, he hands back the Samsung. Life seems very bleak now.
1.07 pm: He has a brainwave. He goes online, and sends out a spurt of SMSes through mail! Thank god - atleast his friends won't fret to death now!
1.25 pm: He has had enough. He dresses up, takes out his car, and goes mobile hunting.
1.35 pm: He has checked every possible shop in town - but remember, it's a lazy Sunday and everyone has downed shutters! He cannot believe it - shouldn't cell phone replacement be part of every town's disaster management plan???
1.46 pm: Dejected, and demoralised, he is back home. Clueless. Scared. Worried. Sad
1.56 pm: Another brainwave! SOS!!! Out goes a flurry of SMSes in the world wide web, calling all samaritans for help! Can you lend me a spare cell phone?
2.03 pm: The first offer of help! His friend lives just around the corner, and offers to lend him her spare phone.
2.07 pm: He has the spare phone in his hand. He switches batteries, and lo and behold, his cell switches on!
2.08 pm: The first SMS goes out... life is back to normal.
12.35 pm: He picks up his cell, notices that it is dead. Damn! What if someone was calling him? He quickly sets up the charger, and plugs in the phone. And tries booting the cell - the cell flickers on, but hey, something's wrong! There is no welcome message, the cell switches off instead!
12.36 pm: He is beginning to panic. Flickes the switch on a couple of times, rams the charger pin in so hard, the phone squeals in pain (OK, that was an exaggeration), and tries again. No luck!
12.38 pm: A dozen more tries later, this time having tried playing with the battery, and the SIM, and his daughter's barbie doll, he accepts that his cell is dead!
12.53 pm: 15 agonizing meetings have passed by. He is starting to get more and more jittery. What about all those tele marketing calls he must have missed? What about all those "download kijiye aur jitiye" SMSes that would be vying for his attention? And what about all those friends who would be dead worried by now? Remember, at an average of one SMS every 5.5 mins, he should have sent atleast 3 by now!
12.54 pm: He begs his wife to lend her phone for 5 mins. She refuses.
12.58 pm: He begs again, this time she relents. After all, 5 mins is less than her mean time between SMSes.
12.59 pm: He makes a note of important cell phone numbers, and then tries messaging his friends. It's a hopeless situation - he cannot make sense of the Samsung UI! After all, he has been a Nokier all his life!
1.03 pm: Close to a state of desperation and depression, he hands back the Samsung. Life seems very bleak now.
1.07 pm: He has a brainwave. He goes online, and sends out a spurt of SMSes through mail! Thank god - atleast his friends won't fret to death now!
1.25 pm: He has had enough. He dresses up, takes out his car, and goes mobile hunting.
1.35 pm: He has checked every possible shop in town - but remember, it's a lazy Sunday and everyone has downed shutters! He cannot believe it - shouldn't cell phone replacement be part of every town's disaster management plan???
1.46 pm: Dejected, and demoralised, he is back home. Clueless. Scared. Worried. Sad
1.56 pm: Another brainwave! SOS!!! Out goes a flurry of SMSes in the world wide web, calling all samaritans for help! Can you lend me a spare cell phone?
2.03 pm: The first offer of help! His friend lives just around the corner, and offers to lend him her spare phone.
2.07 pm: He has the spare phone in his hand. He switches batteries, and lo and behold, his cell switches on!
2.08 pm: The first SMS goes out... life is back to normal.
Mentor
A mentor is someone you trust and admire and believe in - only as long as he does and says what you want him to do! The moment his advice and action go against your wants and needs, he ceases to even be a friend :)
Putting in 110 Percent
Had a discussion with my friend on this the other day - while I may have blogged about this before, wanted to put in a quick comment again...
What is important is that you give in your 110 percent to everything, not take things lightly, not let go of your focus. What is NOT ok though, is to expect quick results! Get impatient! There is a difference between working hard, and expecting hard! Success will come to you, as long as you have focus, commitment and work hard. And at the end of the day, when you put in your best, that's the sweetest success by itself!
What is important is that you give in your 110 percent to everything, not take things lightly, not let go of your focus. What is NOT ok though, is to expect quick results! Get impatient! There is a difference between working hard, and expecting hard! Success will come to you, as long as you have focus, commitment and work hard. And at the end of the day, when you put in your best, that's the sweetest success by itself!
Friends and Best Friends
Some senti stuff that was forwarded to me... thought it was nice! And so true!
Friend: calls your parents by mr. and mrs.
Best friend: calls your parents dad and mom.
Friend: never asks for anything to eat or drink
Best friend: opens the fridge and makes herself at home
Friend: asks you to write down your number.
Best friend: they ask you for their number (cuz! they can't remember it)
Friend: borrows your stuff for a few days then gives it back.
Best friend: has a closet full of your stuff
Friend: calls your parents by mr. and mrs.
Best friend: calls your parents dad and mom.
Friend: never asks for anything to eat or drink
Best friend: opens the fridge and makes herself at home
Friend: asks you to write down your number.
Best friend: they ask you for their number (cuz! they can't remember it)
Friend: borrows your stuff for a few days then gives it back.
Best friend: has a closet full of your stuff
Diet 101
In the next few posts, you will get a good introduction to dieting... simply because I chanced about this great book on Dieting (YOU on a Diet), and well, not that I really NEED a book on dieting, or a diet for that matter :), but hey, you know, one should ALWAYS read new things!
OK, OK, first, let us get some basics right, and some myths shattered!
1) Don't watch your weight, watch your waist! Every body has it's own ideal weight, and that depends on a lot of factors including bone density! The metric to watch, therefore, is your waist. For women, the ideal waist is 32.5 inches, for men, 35. This should be measured at the belly button.
2) Starving yourself is the WORST form of dieting. Why? Because the moment you start starving, the body takes this as a sign that famine is on the way, and starts actually building up fat stores in your body!
3) When you lose weight without exercise, you lose both muscle and fat. When you build weight without exercise, you accumulate only fat! Hence people who try losing weight through crash diets, give up after some time, and add a lot more fat!
4) A high protein diet (chicken and fish) can help you reduce weight. Your body needs to use carbohydrates (excess of which is stored as fat) to break down proteins.
5) The hypothalamus in the brain is the area that looks after your wants and desires (hunger, thirst AND sex :)) Sometimes, drinking lots of water and having lots of sex can actually satisfy the body's hunger pangs! I am serious!
6)There are two chemicals in your body that affect your eating and dieting - CART (cocaine amphetamine regulatory transcript) and NPY (a protein called Neuropeptide Y). CART stimulates hypothalamus to increase metabolism, reduce appetite and increase insulin to deliver energy to muscle cells rather than be stored as fat. NPY has the opposite effect - it decreases metabolism and increases apetite.
7) CART and NPY are driven by two hormones in your body, leptin which influences CART, and ghrelin, which influences NPY. As you grow older, there are lesses leptin receptors in your hypothalamus - which means you feel less satisfied after eating, and hence tend to put on more weight. When you have stress, you have more of NPY and you tend to eat more! Get the connection?
8) Ghrelin works every couple of hours, sending hunger signals to the brain. Leptin is more long term. Thus, if you can get your leptin levels higher, you can beat those pangs easily. That's also another reason why smaller regular meals can actually help curb weight - it negates the build up of hunger pangs and it stops the body from accumulating fat deposits.
9) Nuts are excellent as regular snacks - they make you feel satisfied and kill your hunger pangs. On the other hand, High-fructose corn syrup, usually found in soft drinks, do nothing to address your hunger pangs, and make you want to eat more and unable to shut off your apetite.
That's all for diet 101 - watch out for a lot more in the coming days! And yes, watch your WAIST!
OK, OK, first, let us get some basics right, and some myths shattered!
1) Don't watch your weight, watch your waist! Every body has it's own ideal weight, and that depends on a lot of factors including bone density! The metric to watch, therefore, is your waist. For women, the ideal waist is 32.5 inches, for men, 35. This should be measured at the belly button.
2) Starving yourself is the WORST form of dieting. Why? Because the moment you start starving, the body takes this as a sign that famine is on the way, and starts actually building up fat stores in your body!
3) When you lose weight without exercise, you lose both muscle and fat. When you build weight without exercise, you accumulate only fat! Hence people who try losing weight through crash diets, give up after some time, and add a lot more fat!
4) A high protein diet (chicken and fish) can help you reduce weight. Your body needs to use carbohydrates (excess of which is stored as fat) to break down proteins.
5) The hypothalamus in the brain is the area that looks after your wants and desires (hunger, thirst AND sex :)) Sometimes, drinking lots of water and having lots of sex can actually satisfy the body's hunger pangs! I am serious!
6)There are two chemicals in your body that affect your eating and dieting - CART (cocaine amphetamine regulatory transcript) and NPY (a protein called Neuropeptide Y). CART stimulates hypothalamus to increase metabolism, reduce appetite and increase insulin to deliver energy to muscle cells rather than be stored as fat. NPY has the opposite effect - it decreases metabolism and increases apetite.
7) CART and NPY are driven by two hormones in your body, leptin which influences CART, and ghrelin, which influences NPY. As you grow older, there are lesses leptin receptors in your hypothalamus - which means you feel less satisfied after eating, and hence tend to put on more weight. When you have stress, you have more of NPY and you tend to eat more! Get the connection?
8) Ghrelin works every couple of hours, sending hunger signals to the brain. Leptin is more long term. Thus, if you can get your leptin levels higher, you can beat those pangs easily. That's also another reason why smaller regular meals can actually help curb weight - it negates the build up of hunger pangs and it stops the body from accumulating fat deposits.
9) Nuts are excellent as regular snacks - they make you feel satisfied and kill your hunger pangs. On the other hand, High-fructose corn syrup, usually found in soft drinks, do nothing to address your hunger pangs, and make you want to eat more and unable to shut off your apetite.
That's all for diet 101 - watch out for a lot more in the coming days! And yes, watch your WAIST!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean 3
Why would you watch POTC 3? Only if you are a die-hard Johnny Depp fan. Or, if you are completely in love with Kiera.
As in POTC 1 and 2, Jack brings some brilliant moments to the movie - but you have to sit through 3 long, mostly boring hours, of tentacalized, barnacalized and slimy creatures, and grimy pirates. The visuals - well, let us just say that in this day and age, this much is expected. The script - brilliant with Jack, long winded and boring otherwise. The plot - too complicated, and seriously, the movie is twice as long as it should have been!
Try and avoid it, you will not miss too much!
As in POTC 1 and 2, Jack brings some brilliant moments to the movie - but you have to sit through 3 long, mostly boring hours, of tentacalized, barnacalized and slimy creatures, and grimy pirates. The visuals - well, let us just say that in this day and age, this much is expected. The script - brilliant with Jack, long winded and boring otherwise. The plot - too complicated, and seriously, the movie is twice as long as it should have been!
Try and avoid it, you will not miss too much!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Memories...
Memories are a strange phenomenon - they make us laugh when we remember times we cried in the past, and they make us cry when we think of times we laughed together!
Monday, May 28, 2007
Reality Shows
TV is full of reality shows of all kinds today - the talent hunts, the wildest videos and car chases, the guiness records and the believe it or nots.. but what I love most are the makeover shows.
There's one where the "Overhaulers" steal your old car, and give it back to you shining and customized new! Usually, a family member is roped in to be the insider. And while working on the car, they play a few naughty pranks with you, leading you to be all frustrated and angry - till the surprise at the end. Another show involves the "monsters" taking over your pad and converting it into a one-of-a-kind place, complete with the craziest interiors and furniture, and the latest and best in accessories. The "while you were away" show does a similar make over to your old home. I think these shows are fantastic - they do not cheat the audience into sending millions of dollars worth of messages, they do not risk lives, and most importantly, they actually bring a lot of love and cheer into people's lives - I would love to be on one of these shows, and see someone's face light up at my creation - I think the hugs on the show are some of the most genuine expressions of love you can ever see any where!
There's one where the "Overhaulers" steal your old car, and give it back to you shining and customized new! Usually, a family member is roped in to be the insider. And while working on the car, they play a few naughty pranks with you, leading you to be all frustrated and angry - till the surprise at the end. Another show involves the "monsters" taking over your pad and converting it into a one-of-a-kind place, complete with the craziest interiors and furniture, and the latest and best in accessories. The "while you were away" show does a similar make over to your old home. I think these shows are fantastic - they do not cheat the audience into sending millions of dollars worth of messages, they do not risk lives, and most importantly, they actually bring a lot of love and cheer into people's lives - I would love to be on one of these shows, and see someone's face light up at my creation - I think the hugs on the show are some of the most genuine expressions of love you can ever see any where!
The DCH Test
Here's a test a use often to figure out how well my friends know me - it's called the DCH test. The test is simple - you have to tell me which of the 3 characters in DCH resemble the real me most!!! Aakash (Aamir), Sid (Akshaye), or Sameer (Saif)...
Wanna take the test? :)
Wanna take the test? :)
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Joke of the Day
Written behind an autorickshaw: "Main bada hoke truck banoonga"
Lol Lol, cannot stop laughing!
Lol Lol, cannot stop laughing!
Prisoners of our Times...
What would we do if...
Our broadband connection was off for a day? Our cell phone had no range? Our cable was off? Our car had no petrol? The mall was off limits? The multiplex was closed? Blogger.com and Orkut was down? Google was not working?
I think life would grind to a halt. Completely.
Strangely, none of these existed when we were 15. And life never even took a pause!
Our broadband connection was off for a day? Our cell phone had no range? Our cable was off? Our car had no petrol? The mall was off limits? The multiplex was closed? Blogger.com and Orkut was down? Google was not working?
I think life would grind to a halt. Completely.
Strangely, none of these existed when we were 15. And life never even took a pause!
Konkan Railway's RO-RO
A news article in the Times today reminded me of a fantastic sight you often see on the Konkan Railway track between Mumbai and Mangalore, passing through the lovely coastal villages of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerela... the RO-RO (Roll on Roll Off) trains, loaded with countless trucks - an exciting initiative that makes a lot of economic sense, as well as reducing polution and saving millions of litres of diesel. Trucks travelling south can simply hitch a ride on the train :) Isn't the idea just so cool?
Ton Ton Ton Ton
That's right - India posted a new world record yesterday in the second test against Bangladesh by posting centuries by the first 4 batsmen - Dinesh Karthick, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin and Dravid - before declaring at 600 something for 3. Previously, there have been 3 centuries by the top 3, 7 times.
Movie Review: Shootout at Lokhandwaala
Based on "true rumours", Shootout is based on the 6 hour firefight between the officers of Mumbai's ATS and Maya Dolas and his gangsters in the early nineties in Mumbai's posh Lokhandwaala complex. As an impressionable 11 year old kid, I vividly remember reading about the shootout.. although the details are blurry.
The movie is a treat for action and thrill lovers. Fast paced, great background scores, and some exciting action sequences - it will grip you from the first scene right to the end, and leave you wanting more.
Sanjay Dutt is fantastic as the quiet but mean ACP "Shamsher" Khan, who led the ATS. Sunil Shetty and Arbaaz Khan are very likeable, and do a great job being his seconds in command. Vivek does a good job being Maya, while Tusshar tries hard to be a good Buwa. Amitabh plays a great cameo role as the lawyer defending the ATS after the shootout, and his argument to the court is powerful and simple: "If you have a family at home, and a man with a gun outside, who would you want it to be? Maya, Buwa, or ACP Shamsher Khan?" And the surprise package, Abhishek in a special appearance as the police officer shot down by gangsters in broad daylight - looks sexy, and will surely be a treat for his female fans.
The script is fantastic - sets the stage for the shoot out beautifully, tracing the history of the gang, and the rise of the ATS, till the final clash. It is also non judgemental and leaves the decision of who was right and who was wrong to the audience - at times, you want the gangsters to be destroyed, at other times, you hate the high handedness of the police officers.
Would love to catch it a second time...
The movie is a treat for action and thrill lovers. Fast paced, great background scores, and some exciting action sequences - it will grip you from the first scene right to the end, and leave you wanting more.
Sanjay Dutt is fantastic as the quiet but mean ACP "Shamsher" Khan, who led the ATS. Sunil Shetty and Arbaaz Khan are very likeable, and do a great job being his seconds in command. Vivek does a good job being Maya, while Tusshar tries hard to be a good Buwa. Amitabh plays a great cameo role as the lawyer defending the ATS after the shootout, and his argument to the court is powerful and simple: "If you have a family at home, and a man with a gun outside, who would you want it to be? Maya, Buwa, or ACP Shamsher Khan?" And the surprise package, Abhishek in a special appearance as the police officer shot down by gangsters in broad daylight - looks sexy, and will surely be a treat for his female fans.
The script is fantastic - sets the stage for the shoot out beautifully, tracing the history of the gang, and the rise of the ATS, till the final clash. It is also non judgemental and leaves the decision of who was right and who was wrong to the audience - at times, you want the gangsters to be destroyed, at other times, you hate the high handedness of the police officers.
Would love to catch it a second time...
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Movie Review: Provoked
Provoked is the true story of an Indian woman in the UK, beaten and abused by her husband for ten years, before one night, having had enough, she sets him on fire. She is arrested for murder, and goes to jail - until her retrial and early release a few years later.
The story, though bland, has a strong emotional chord to it, and a good actress in the lead role could have done wonders - Aishwarya is OK, she does decently well in a couple of scenes, but most of the time I found her wanting. Nandita is wasted - hardly has any role to play.
The movie itself - well, life's serious enough, I fail to see why you should watch the movie!
The story, though bland, has a strong emotional chord to it, and a good actress in the lead role could have done wonders - Aishwarya is OK, she does decently well in a couple of scenes, but most of the time I found her wanting. Nandita is wasted - hardly has any role to play.
The movie itself - well, life's serious enough, I fail to see why you should watch the movie!
CNBC Shoot
A CNBC crew came over to Persistent today, to talk to me regarding software development challenges, and how we are handling them through use of Microsoft's VSTS tools, for a series of episodes on the software industry in India.
It went off very smoothly actually - I didn't know I was a natural in front of the camera! :) We shot in the sexy corridor outside the Aryabhatta Board Room - after the sound bites, they also took some random shots of me walking and talking to some colleagues, and then finished off with a good set of shots of the building itself.
The entire event took around an hour - I am a pro, remember? Did not need too many retakes! :)
The episode will be telecast on the 9th and 10th of June, in the evening. We should hopefully get 2-3 min of fame! Will keep you posted!
It went off very smoothly actually - I didn't know I was a natural in front of the camera! :) We shot in the sexy corridor outside the Aryabhatta Board Room - after the sound bites, they also took some random shots of me walking and talking to some colleagues, and then finished off with a good set of shots of the building itself.
The entire event took around an hour - I am a pro, remember? Did not need too many retakes! :)
The episode will be telecast on the 9th and 10th of June, in the evening. We should hopefully get 2-3 min of fame! Will keep you posted!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Is Different Wrong?
Why is it that anything different from what we are used to is usually considered wrong? Is it about resistance to change, or is it that we have convinced ourselves that what we do is always right? Is this a mechanism for self-defence?
Does this not stop us from exploring other "truths"? Does it not stop us from getting better?
Would the world be what it is now if "foolish" people had not challenged what was "right"?
Does this not stop us from exploring other "truths"? Does it not stop us from getting better?
Would the world be what it is now if "foolish" people had not challenged what was "right"?
When the Arab visited a Marriage Hall in Pune...
Obviously, there was a lot of excitement, with people falling over each other to have a look at this strangely dressed guest speaking in excellent vernacular languages :) But didn't anyone tell the Arab that this kind of closed attire was a BAD idea in Pune's hot climate when NOT in an AC room or a car?Movie Review: Hannibal Rising
Based on the book by the same name, Hannibal Rising tries (not too hard) and fails (easily!) at recreating the magic of the book based on the early life of Hannibal, and his "rise" as a cannibalistic psycho killer. The screenplay is patchy, the characters are boring, and the movie itself very dull and insipid. Maybe it was something to do with the fact that I was running a fever and watching it on a laptop, but then hey, I have seen other movies in that state too!
Miss it, and you will not miss much.
Yes, read the book, though!
Miss it, and you will not miss much.
Yes, read the book, though!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Quote of the Day
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. Unknown.
First Rains...
It was a hot sultry day, gusts of dry air driving people indoors... suddenly the skies greyed out, and clouds pregnant with rain descended on the city.
Looking out from the rear balcony over the river, with the Parvati temple in the distant background getting increasingly hazy with the strengthening rain - it was a beautiful sight, and I stood there for a long time, soaking in the lovely phenomenon we call rain! Very soon, dozens of happy, shrieking children started pouring out - from the slums on to the roads, and from the high rises into the balconies and terraces. Everyone was happy - on one terrace, a solitary girl broke into a jig, blissfully unaware of anything else. On another terrace, the children broke out into an impromptu game of football - sloshing in the water. A parrot screamed somewhere in delight - while the crows enjoyed their bath on the tree tops gently swaying to the tunes below our feet. An old lady pulled out her arm chair into the cramped space of her home's little balcony and sat down with her daughter-in-law, looking out in wonder at the rain.
Suddenly, everything looked just so beautiful!
Isn't it strange how the rains have such a spell-binding effect on everyone? Sigh, I miss the monsoons in Goa :(
Looking out from the rear balcony over the river, with the Parvati temple in the distant background getting increasingly hazy with the strengthening rain - it was a beautiful sight, and I stood there for a long time, soaking in the lovely phenomenon we call rain! Very soon, dozens of happy, shrieking children started pouring out - from the slums on to the roads, and from the high rises into the balconies and terraces. Everyone was happy - on one terrace, a solitary girl broke into a jig, blissfully unaware of anything else. On another terrace, the children broke out into an impromptu game of football - sloshing in the water. A parrot screamed somewhere in delight - while the crows enjoyed their bath on the tree tops gently swaying to the tunes below our feet. An old lady pulled out her arm chair into the cramped space of her home's little balcony and sat down with her daughter-in-law, looking out in wonder at the rain.
Suddenly, everything looked just so beautiful!
Isn't it strange how the rains have such a spell-binding effect on everyone? Sigh, I miss the monsoons in Goa :(
Sunday, May 13, 2007
English in the 16th Century!
Have you ever wondered how languages evolve? New slangs and new words become a part of our lives? I came across this fantastic book that's a compilation of writings from people in the fifteen and sixteenth century in America - starting with Columbus himself, and his description of his trip to America in his own words.
Sample this for English from a text in 1579:
In recompense of those things which they had received of us, as shirts, linen cloth, etc., they bestowed upon our general and divers of our company divers things , as feathers, cauls of network, the quivers of their arrows made of fawn-skins, and the very skins of beasts that their women wore upon their bodies. Having thus had their fill of this time's visiting and beholding of us, they departed with joy to their houses, which houses are digged round within the earth and have from the uppermost brims of the circle clefts of wood set up and joined close together at the top like our spire on the teeple of a church, which, being covered with earth, suffer no water to enter and are very warm. The door in the most part of them performs the office also of a chimney to let out the smoke; it is made in bigness and fashion like to an ordinary scuttle in a ship, and standing slopewise.
And check this piece for spellings:
We ourselves, during the time we were there, used to sucke it after their manner, as also since our return, and have found many rare and woonderfull experiments of the vertues thereof: of which the relation would require a volume by it selfe: the use of it by so many of late, men and women of great calling, as els, and some learned Physicians also, is of sufficient witnesse.
Doesn't it strike you as very interesting as to how the spellings are a lot more apt than their current versions? Here's another one:
When her father, with the utmost of his policie and power, sought to surprise mee, having but eighteene with mee, the darke night could not affright her from comming through the irksome woods, and with watered eies gave me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his furie; which had hee knowne, hee had surely slaine her.
The book is "The Mammoth Book of How it Happened - America", and is a must-have for history buffs. Starting with Columbus's arrival, it traces the history of America from the late fifteenth century right up to 9/11, in the words of the men who were there and saw it all!
Sample this for English from a text in 1579:
In recompense of those things which they had received of us, as shirts, linen cloth, etc., they bestowed upon our general and divers of our company divers things , as feathers, cauls of network, the quivers of their arrows made of fawn-skins, and the very skins of beasts that their women wore upon their bodies. Having thus had their fill of this time's visiting and beholding of us, they departed with joy to their houses, which houses are digged round within the earth and have from the uppermost brims of the circle clefts of wood set up and joined close together at the top like our spire on the teeple of a church, which, being covered with earth, suffer no water to enter and are very warm. The door in the most part of them performs the office also of a chimney to let out the smoke; it is made in bigness and fashion like to an ordinary scuttle in a ship, and standing slopewise.
And check this piece for spellings:
We ourselves, during the time we were there, used to sucke it after their manner, as also since our return, and have found many rare and woonderfull experiments of the vertues thereof: of which the relation would require a volume by it selfe: the use of it by so many of late, men and women of great calling, as els, and some learned Physicians also, is of sufficient witnesse.
Doesn't it strike you as very interesting as to how the spellings are a lot more apt than their current versions? Here's another one:
When her father, with the utmost of his policie and power, sought to surprise mee, having but eighteene with mee, the darke night could not affright her from comming through the irksome woods, and with watered eies gave me intelligence, with her best advice to escape his furie; which had hee knowne, hee had surely slaine her.
The book is "The Mammoth Book of How it Happened - America", and is a must-have for history buffs. Starting with Columbus's arrival, it traces the history of America from the late fifteenth century right up to 9/11, in the words of the men who were there and saw it all!
Quote of the Day
Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person? Francois de La Rochefoucauld.
Riding Pillion with Shantaram
Didier Levy was the worst pillion passenger I had ever known. He held on to me so tightly, and with such rigid tensity, that it was difficult to steer the bike. He howled as we approached cars, and shrieked when we sped up to pass them. On critical, sweeping turns he wriggled in terror, trying to straighten the bike from its necessary lean into the curve. Every time I stopped the bike at a traffic signal, he put both feet down to the ground to stretch his legs and moan about the cramps in his hips. Every time I accelerated away, he dragged his feet on the road and fidgeted for several seconds until he found the footrests. And when taxis or other cars ventured too close to us, he kicked out at them or waved his fists in frantic outrage. By the time we reached our destination, I calculated that the danger faced during a thirty minute ride in fast traffic with Didier was roughly equivalent to a month under fire in Afghanistan.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Elections
Two elections.
One held in a poor, crime-ridden state of India - UP. Multi-party system. Illiterate people. Yet, it's heralded by one and all as free and fair. The Election Commission and the police get their act together, and the state returns a resounding victory. The government of Mulayam Singh is voted out, and Mayawati comes to power with a resounding majority. The transfer of government is smooth. And life is back to normal.
The other is in France. Three main contestants, a second round of elections, and one winner. The next day, France erupts in riots.
Do we Indians ever really appreciate the power and depth, and trueness of our democracy?
One held in a poor, crime-ridden state of India - UP. Multi-party system. Illiterate people. Yet, it's heralded by one and all as free and fair. The Election Commission and the police get their act together, and the state returns a resounding victory. The government of Mulayam Singh is voted out, and Mayawati comes to power with a resounding majority. The transfer of government is smooth. And life is back to normal.
The other is in France. Three main contestants, a second round of elections, and one winner. The next day, France erupts in riots.
Do we Indians ever really appreciate the power and depth, and trueness of our democracy?
Movie Review: Swades
Did not get time (or company :)) to catch a movie this weekend in the theatres - so here's a review of a movie I caught on TV instead - Swades!
Mohan is a NASA engineer, suddenly feeling nostalgic about his des! He comes down to India, in search of his nanny, and falls in love. The question is - does he fall in love with his nanny, with India, it's problems or his childhood sweetheart Gitli? Well, he fights for the village school, lectures the folk on caste and corruption, and the system, and then builds a 6*6 foot tank from a trickle of water to generate hydel power for the village! Silly? You bet it is! And then he goes back to pardes, waits for his favourite satellite to be blasted into space, and then finally figures swades is the place for him to be! And catches the next Air India flight straight back to his watan...
But it's a good movie. The caravan song is fantastic - especially if you soak in the relationship between SRK and the hitch hiker, and watch the colors of India seduce the NRI. Watch SRK break into his "unchoreographed" jig, then dancing in tandem with his partner. Feel the passion in his thoughts when he catches the boat ride... and get carried away by "Yeh Jo Des Hai Mera...."
I did.. and it inspired my previous post too :)
Mohan is a NASA engineer, suddenly feeling nostalgic about his des! He comes down to India, in search of his nanny, and falls in love. The question is - does he fall in love with his nanny, with India, it's problems or his childhood sweetheart Gitli? Well, he fights for the village school, lectures the folk on caste and corruption, and the system, and then builds a 6*6 foot tank from a trickle of water to generate hydel power for the village! Silly? You bet it is! And then he goes back to pardes, waits for his favourite satellite to be blasted into space, and then finally figures swades is the place for him to be! And catches the next Air India flight straight back to his watan...
But it's a good movie. The caravan song is fantastic - especially if you soak in the relationship between SRK and the hitch hiker, and watch the colors of India seduce the NRI. Watch SRK break into his "unchoreographed" jig, then dancing in tandem with his partner. Feel the passion in his thoughts when he catches the boat ride... and get carried away by "Yeh Jo Des Hai Mera...."
I did.. and it inspired my previous post too :)
Travelling Travails...
I have a love-hate relationship with travelling...
I hate thinking of it, I hate waiting for it. I love travelling, I love planning for it. Confused? :)
Well, the deal is that I have a great life, and I love the routine. Travelling disrupts my routine, and that's why I hate thinking about it. The waiting is the worst part - it's like you are neither here nor there!
But I love planning. I am a good planner. From my hotels to my flights, to the dates - fitting everything in the best way possible, extracting the max out of each trip - that's something I think I am very good at! Getting the best connections, including the best weekend itenaries, finding the right hotels - and fitting in maximum leisure time without bloating your trip is a skill I am proud of :) Packing also requires planning, especially when you are as finicky and particular about things the way I am. Clothes, food items, office stuff, tickets and money, medicines - you cannot afford to forget when you are going on a long trip. I have everything sorted out - more than a dozen trips later, all my packing is now a planned affair - an Excel sheet that not only lists every single item (including extra specs and French translation guide for Europe trips), but also suggests the best way to carry these - so that you have sufficient backups of all important documents, in the right place, so that a lost piece of luggage does not mean having to make a distress trip to the consulate!
Once packed and planned, the waiting is the worst part. You disrupt not just your life, but that of all your loved and near and dear ones, who cannot go about their own lives and routines as long as are still here waiting for your trip to start! All those farewells turn me off, and make me edgy, and all I want then is for my bus to come so I can switch to my "on travel" mode!
The moment I say that last good bye and get on the bus or taxi, I am a transformed person. Focussed on the travel, on the journey ahead, and the meetings coming up! My posture changes, which is basically because of the heavy suit I am wearing and the laptop I am carrying! :)
I used to be very scared of all the immigration and stuff - and always worried about losing passports and tickets. At times, it made me stop and open my bags in the middle of the airport hall, checking everything a second and third time! I have grown over it now with a simple tweak to my packing style - as long as my tickets and passport are safe, I am happy - and these things now sit in my cargo pockets. Nothing else matters, and I travel much happier.
I have grown immune to those long flights now, though being in business class makes it much easier! I tend to go on a partial shut down - my thoughts are blunted, I get into a sleepy-all-the-time mode. A typical leg of 8 hours gets broken down into: 1 hour settling dowwn after takeoff, 1 hour of food (usually in 2 batches of 30 mins), 1-3 hours of movie watching, an hour on the laptop, and the rest in a head-lolling slumber. Used to take a lot of photos earlier, but now they all look the same.
The best part of the trip though, is the return flight - seeing the aircraft that will take you home... getting into it, and seeing the first Times Of India after 2 weeks, eating cold samosas for snacks, and the palak paneer with roti, and then, as the plane crosses the Arabian sea and the Indian coast, the first sight of land - your heart sings... Yeh jo desh hai mera, swades hai mera... and then, touchdown in Mumbai! The walk to immigration, the cell phone beeping with welcome back messages, and the step out into the warm, humid, smoky Mumbai air - and you know, you are home!
I hate thinking of it, I hate waiting for it. I love travelling, I love planning for it. Confused? :)
Well, the deal is that I have a great life, and I love the routine. Travelling disrupts my routine, and that's why I hate thinking about it. The waiting is the worst part - it's like you are neither here nor there!
But I love planning. I am a good planner. From my hotels to my flights, to the dates - fitting everything in the best way possible, extracting the max out of each trip - that's something I think I am very good at! Getting the best connections, including the best weekend itenaries, finding the right hotels - and fitting in maximum leisure time without bloating your trip is a skill I am proud of :) Packing also requires planning, especially when you are as finicky and particular about things the way I am. Clothes, food items, office stuff, tickets and money, medicines - you cannot afford to forget when you are going on a long trip. I have everything sorted out - more than a dozen trips later, all my packing is now a planned affair - an Excel sheet that not only lists every single item (including extra specs and French translation guide for Europe trips), but also suggests the best way to carry these - so that you have sufficient backups of all important documents, in the right place, so that a lost piece of luggage does not mean having to make a distress trip to the consulate!
Once packed and planned, the waiting is the worst part. You disrupt not just your life, but that of all your loved and near and dear ones, who cannot go about their own lives and routines as long as are still here waiting for your trip to start! All those farewells turn me off, and make me edgy, and all I want then is for my bus to come so I can switch to my "on travel" mode!
The moment I say that last good bye and get on the bus or taxi, I am a transformed person. Focussed on the travel, on the journey ahead, and the meetings coming up! My posture changes, which is basically because of the heavy suit I am wearing and the laptop I am carrying! :)
I used to be very scared of all the immigration and stuff - and always worried about losing passports and tickets. At times, it made me stop and open my bags in the middle of the airport hall, checking everything a second and third time! I have grown over it now with a simple tweak to my packing style - as long as my tickets and passport are safe, I am happy - and these things now sit in my cargo pockets. Nothing else matters, and I travel much happier.
I have grown immune to those long flights now, though being in business class makes it much easier! I tend to go on a partial shut down - my thoughts are blunted, I get into a sleepy-all-the-time mode. A typical leg of 8 hours gets broken down into: 1 hour settling dowwn after takeoff, 1 hour of food (usually in 2 batches of 30 mins), 1-3 hours of movie watching, an hour on the laptop, and the rest in a head-lolling slumber. Used to take a lot of photos earlier, but now they all look the same.
The best part of the trip though, is the return flight - seeing the aircraft that will take you home... getting into it, and seeing the first Times Of India after 2 weeks, eating cold samosas for snacks, and the palak paneer with roti, and then, as the plane crosses the Arabian sea and the Indian coast, the first sight of land - your heart sings... Yeh jo desh hai mera, swades hai mera... and then, touchdown in Mumbai! The walk to immigration, the cell phone beeping with welcome back messages, and the step out into the warm, humid, smoky Mumbai air - and you know, you are home!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Wrong Things, Right Reasons
A nice thought from Shantaram...
Sometimes it's necessary to do the wrong things for the right reasons. What is important is that we are sure that the reasons are right, and that we admit the wrong. We should not lie to ourselves and convince ourselves that what we are doing is right.
Sometimes it's necessary to do the wrong things for the right reasons. What is important is that we are sure that the reasons are right, and that we admit the wrong. We should not lie to ourselves and convince ourselves that what we are doing is right.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Busy Day on the Beach...
It's all in a day's work!
All work and no play make the Jills (and the Jack) dull!
Jeepers Creepers...
Touch me Not, I will STING you!
Oh OK, you saw me! But, can you spot my kid?Summer of 2007 in Goa!
So what does a 2 day holiday in Goa in the summer mean to me?
Lots of Fish!
Lots of Cashews!
And Jackfruits...
And of course, Mangoes!
And a dip in the sea!
Floaters in My Eye
Parental Discretion Advised. Contains graphical descriptions which may not be for the weak hearted :)
Nice Saturday evening in Goa - I had just woken from a deep slumber induced by deep fried prawns and mangoes, and we were all dressing up for a night in town. I splashed my face with cold water, and noticed this spidery insect hanging from the hair on my forehead. I swiped it away, but it persisted - so I washed my face again, thinking it was on my eyelids. Then, to my horror, I realised, it was right there - and worse, was moving in perfect tandem with my eye! Damn - the thing was INSIDE my eyeball!
One of my relatives died a few years back due to bleeding in the eye. And when you see a dark maroonish black thingy that looks suspiciously like a droplet of blood in your eyeball, trust me, it scares the hell out of you! It scared me to death!
We rushed to the doctor - things got a little better on the way, when I realised that whatever it was, had stopped growing. Even if it was bleeding, it wasn't going to flood my eyes and kill me, yet!
Anyway, to cut a long story short, the doctor heard my description and immediately confirmed that it was a "floater". While it can lead to complications like retina tear, which itself can lead to blindness, or could be due to high pressure in the eye, which also can lead to blindness and death, my floater turned out to be a harmless one, with a life span of around 3 weeks. And apparently all it will cause me is some irritation in my vision - after all, having a dead mosquitoe with a spidery tail moving around in your line of sight for 3 whole weeks is definitely not my idea of entertainment!
For more on this exciting phenomena, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floater!
Nice Saturday evening in Goa - I had just woken from a deep slumber induced by deep fried prawns and mangoes, and we were all dressing up for a night in town. I splashed my face with cold water, and noticed this spidery insect hanging from the hair on my forehead. I swiped it away, but it persisted - so I washed my face again, thinking it was on my eyelids. Then, to my horror, I realised, it was right there - and worse, was moving in perfect tandem with my eye! Damn - the thing was INSIDE my eyeball!
One of my relatives died a few years back due to bleeding in the eye. And when you see a dark maroonish black thingy that looks suspiciously like a droplet of blood in your eyeball, trust me, it scares the hell out of you! It scared me to death!
We rushed to the doctor - things got a little better on the way, when I realised that whatever it was, had stopped growing. Even if it was bleeding, it wasn't going to flood my eyes and kill me, yet!
Anyway, to cut a long story short, the doctor heard my description and immediately confirmed that it was a "floater". While it can lead to complications like retina tear, which itself can lead to blindness, or could be due to high pressure in the eye, which also can lead to blindness and death, my floater turned out to be a harmless one, with a life span of around 3 weeks. And apparently all it will cause me is some irritation in my vision - after all, having a dead mosquitoe with a spidery tail moving around in your line of sight for 3 whole weeks is definitely not my idea of entertainment!
For more on this exciting phenomena, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floater!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Mice love the Innova!
While coming to office today, there was this Innova in front of me in slow moving, stop-and-go traffic. Suddenly I saw a mouse come down from the van, and for a few seconds it ran alongside, and once traffic started moving, jumped back onto the tire rim and climbed back inside the van!
Reminded me of the toy trains that climb the Matheran hills - with passengers gleefully getting down the train and back in when the train slows on the steep curves...
Mice apparently love the Innova!
Reminded me of the toy trains that climb the Matheran hills - with passengers gleefully getting down the train and back in when the train slows on the steep curves...
Mice apparently love the Innova!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Movie Review: Bandidas
Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek. Some action, some humour with a dash of history. Lovely dialogues, and beautiful vistas. A good movie for a good weekend.
Movie Review: My Father The Hero
One of my absolute favourites, this movie about the father (Gérard Depardieu as Andre) and his 14 year old daughter (the stunningly beautiful Katherine Heigl as Nicole) on vacation, and her first love, is in the league of "Father of the Bride". The movie revolves around Nicole's attempts to impress her cute potential boyfriend by telling him her father is her lover, and her inability to tell him the truth later for fear that he will hate her for lying - till things finally fall in place with their first kiss. Simple, beautiful, guaranteed to make you smile and cry at the same time.
A must see for fathers of daughters - just make sure you watch it alone - you do not want to have to hold back the tears!
A must see for fathers of daughters - just make sure you watch it alone - you do not want to have to hold back the tears!
Movie Review: Bheja Fry
Bheja Fry is a delightful comedy, perfect to lighten up your mood and make a great weekend. A must see movie - and one of those few that work simply on the basis of an amazing script, great screenplay, and an amazing performance by the key players - Vinay Pathak, Rajat Kapoor, Milind Soman, and Ranvir Shorey.
Women Power
Recently, the US got it's first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and this was touted as a big event - the rise of women power in the most powerful nation in the world.
Strangely, the Indian sub-continent has always had women in power. Notwithstanding the Rabri Devis (and to be frank, I admire that woman for what she did achieve!), we have had women at the top in Pakistan, Sr Lanka, Bangladesh and India - from Indira Gandhi, to Najma Heptullah, to Benazir Bhutto, to the ladies at the helm in Sri lanka and Bangladesh.
Do you know America has never had a black President? Barack Obama is now making news as the first black presidential candidate in the US. India has had Sikhs, Muslims, and SC/STs as Presidents and Prime Ministers - not just the Zail Singhs, we have had Manmohan and Kalam too!
We Indians love to hate our political establishment and our democracy - but have we ever given a serious thought to the possibility that Indian democracy might in fact be one of the most sucessful, sincere, deeply rooted, people-empowering political system in the world?
Strangely, the Indian sub-continent has always had women in power. Notwithstanding the Rabri Devis (and to be frank, I admire that woman for what she did achieve!), we have had women at the top in Pakistan, Sr Lanka, Bangladesh and India - from Indira Gandhi, to Najma Heptullah, to Benazir Bhutto, to the ladies at the helm in Sri lanka and Bangladesh.
Do you know America has never had a black President? Barack Obama is now making news as the first black presidential candidate in the US. India has had Sikhs, Muslims, and SC/STs as Presidents and Prime Ministers - not just the Zail Singhs, we have had Manmohan and Kalam too!
We Indians love to hate our political establishment and our democracy - but have we ever given a serious thought to the possibility that Indian democracy might in fact be one of the most sucessful, sincere, deeply rooted, people-empowering political system in the world?
Miss India 2007 - rules changed?
Apaprently, the rules of Miss India have changed - the winner is now the Miss World contestant, and the runner up is Miss India Universe. Wonder why and when this happened! Any ideas?
Anyway, Puja G remains my winner :)
Anyway, Puja G remains my winner :)
Friday, April 13, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
Miss India 2007
The beautiful, smart, sweet Puja Gupta became Miss India Universe, followed by the equally sweet and smart Sarah Jane Dias and Puja Chitgopekar. After a long time, our Miss India winners really represent the smart, sexy new face of India!
Cheers, girls... all the best!
Cheers, girls... all the best!
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Quote of the Day
The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best - and therefore never scrutinize or question. Stephen Jay Gould.
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