The first 50 posts

Yipee, this is my 50th post on this blog. I never doubted that I will reach here one day.

And what better way than this delicious correspondence between a customer and Amazon customer service to rejoice !

(Link via Seth Godin's blog)

Half Life

The day I was born, the night sang four songs.
Of life, of love, of joy and mourn,
In two I slept and two I remember
Life was about sorrow, pain and anger

The cup half filled with grief and misery
The other half, I never knew the mystery
Years turned into wrinkles on the face
I wishfully inching towards my grave
Hollow promises that I could not keep
A ray of hope is all I seek

Then came the night in my slumber,
I heard about love and its wonder,
Soon life found its unshackled mirth,
Its a new half-life for all its worth.

Alchemist Revisited

My current favorite these days:

Badi shiddaat se maine jisko paane ki koshish ki,

Har zarre ne mujhe usse milane ki saazish ki,

- Om Shanti Om (2007)

This Diwali...

Think about the dreams you had...
Think about what are you doing about them...

For those who have given up on their dreams,
And those who are still after them...

Just would say one thing:

Picture abhi baaki hain mere dost..

Picture abhi baaki hain...

Have a healthy, fantastic, prosperous, fun-filled Diwali.

Google Nukes!

Google News thinks nukes are for entertainment. Kissinger is also optimistic about it, it seems.

Team India - Part II

The editorial in ToI Why we sizzle in T20 mentions:

" T20 is a game of individual cameos and history is proof how good the Indians are at such performances. What has been the bane of Indian cricket for years — it is replete with instances of individual brilliance rather than team efforts — is now proving of value in the new format."

It substantiates what I had written in my earlier post about playing as a team.

Team India ?

Note: This was written before Chak De! phenomenon hit Indian sports scene. Though much has still remain the same.

I sometimes wonder that why we (the Indians I mean) are not able to pull off grand feats more regularly. Why we don't have a Golden Gate or Hoover Dam or other such megastructures. The last great thing we build was the Taj[1].

Or take for that matter why there has not been any killer-apps[2] from India in this last decade. Or why we are so lousy in our day to day life when it comes to traffic management or project management.

I have this theory which tries to explain some of the reasons. I think an average Indian does not play team sports, much less understand it. By team sports, I mean where team work is the essential component for excellence such as football, hockey and basketball. For me, there is a cricket team but it still is a limited team sport. On more days, we win because of individual brilliance. Also, the interaction at physical level is very minimal. Its more of an elitist game. Its not as raw as football or hockey where the players not only interact as cohesive force but also have lot of physical proximity. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not trying to propagate an alternate life style or sexual culture. Its just that cricket does not break the divide of untouchability (metaphorically speaking) between players as good as the aforementioned sports.

Indians have excelled in chess. We have made some mark in tennis and badminton and squash. Yes, we used to excel in hockey too. So somewhere we had understood the concept of team only to lose it again.

But my contention is not of the national representation in these sports but at a more individual level. At school or college, most of the kids play cricket. Some of them play other individual sports. Very few play football or hockey. Fewer follow these games.

Blame it on limited resources such as grounds, infrastructure and fundings or just the mind-set. Even in cricket, fielding is boring, it's the batting that is the most glamorous thing. That's were you get recognition, that's where the moolah is.

So what are the consequences, I see that we are not great team players. We don't understand the importance of delegating responsibilities. Of letting the other guy score the goal if I make the right pass. We don't really learn the idea of bigger picture. Because, we are marred by proving our own capabilities even at the cost of the team. On a macro-level, our projects do not complete in time or never complete most of the times. The word quality - it does not apply to us. We don't respect other person's space because me and the other person is never a team. It's always us and them.

Now, I am not suggesting that team sports is a panacea to all the things but certainly, it's certainly a step forward for creating a sense of pursuing common goals and building communities.


[1] The Taj has ended up in the New 7 wonders of the World. The organization which initiated this IMHO-futile exercise is down with huge losses that it's not doing anything for the great Taj but yeah, we won. Yipeee ! Well, that's another story which does not need to be told.
[2] I think writing software or a new chip design requires very strong teamwork. Especially, in these times. No one person can now a days come up with an outstanding product alone.

Breaking News!

Almost a decade ago, a movie tried to show mirror to the news TV channels. Not surprisingly, it bombed. Sometimes real life stalks reel life that its scary.

1. The chain smokers are protesting against "No Smoking"[1].
2. The PROs are complaining against "Laaga Chunri Mein Daag"
3. Somebody is investigating whether Indian team insulted the Indian Flag.
4. Tech Mahindra has come up with a "decent" dress code for its employees.
5. Gujarat government ordered for blank out of few news channel.
6. Principal of Mumbai college stopped some hundred students because they were dressed. Inappropiately, I must add. There is no nude college anywhere (?).
7. "Dharma" director fought against the adharm done to her by Eklavya. In a twist to the story, it was Eklavya who was wronged in Mahabharata.

So what does it tell you ?
(a) The electronic media is screwing up big time by promoting these stories as mainstream news. Some of them may merit a coverage but with relevance. In the past, it has gone more bizarre. In the process our judicial and news effectiveness graphs take a dip.
(b) The truth is out, we are a bunch of intolerant losers and not those oh-so-gentle-and-warm-ever-smiling-indians that has been projected by the world along with stories of snake-charmers and elephants.
(c) The future looks scarier. There is a progressive rise in the level of in-tolerance and mob mentality. Those who make it to the TV circus are the ones who are heard and seen and talked about. Especially, if you are looking to make your point and whatever that may be.

[1] - I could not get source on the web for this one. I saw it on some news programme.

The Abyss

The abyss is so crowded
No more can the spirit fall
In the light of the moon
The shadow of the vulture
Man has become
What he ought to destroy
Angels stoop and cry despair
Wings are broken not to restore
The flight to glory a distant dream
Eyes that saw are lying asleep

Chemical Locha

The nuclear deal is no big deal. Thanks to leftist coolants. Its no more a deal. Almost, unless there is some fission in the Communists and some isotopic Commies have fusion with the PM. Which in all Gaussian probability is zilch.

Here is where I don't understand the equation: With no great knowledge of nuclear science and political science, I can understand it makes lot of sense to go and sign the N-deal which gives India an alternate sources of energy. With minimal support, Indian has build reactors and done its nuclear tests which is commendable and now when we are on a verge of growing exponentially and energy is one of the needs that will be cornerstone of India's success. So what are these 40-50 babus are seeing that I am missing. The Red Flag Party is known for making this government red-faced. Its really ironic that CPI, CPM can see through the Himalaya and speak what China s but for US, they have created a Great Wall. I mean how can 40-50 people hold 1 billion for ransom.

Koi to chemical locha hain, Bapu. But you know what, this is my gut feeling in writing, the nuclear deal will happen, I don't know how. Its a mystery.

5 point someone's time-table

Is time a man-made dimension ? A figment of our imagination. A concept that was created to help us lead our lives in an orderly fashion. For me, it is enough to drive me crazy. So what have I been doing all these months. Let me surmise in 5 bullets as to what have I done:

• Well, its been 3 and half months since I joined a start-up (sic). That keeps me busy for 1/3 of the day.
• Read iWoz, iCon, Founders @ Work, Freakonomics, half-way through Getting Things Done.
• Watched Chak De! India, Identity, Shattered Glass, Dhamaal, Chashm-e-Baddoor, Jaane bhi do Yaaron! and of course T20 world cup (no, its not 20th sequel of The Terminator but just as action-packed)
  
• Trying to go to gym. Nothing to do with some six-pack abs inspiration. I have been trying for past 4 months.
  
• For the rest, I have to really think hard as to what I am doing. I really don't know, I have to think hard and I don't have the energy left to think. No more a thinking man. Never was, for some. That does not change a thing, even a wee bit.But, its just that I have been busy, really busy doing something or the other though no way to show any tangible outcome. Messed up time-management or my watch stopped.

So there, most of them merit a post, at least. Hopefully, I will get 100 % coverage in coming days.

Random seed

A plant in a pot finding its roots,
I will grow, will I bloom ?
Cherish for the soil of my land,
Where I will wither away in glory.

Just do it!

Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Mahatma Gandhi

The man certainly knew the pulse of the nation. The man knows how to express.
What more reason does one need to do what is right. The fact that it is right thing to do is good enough reason to do it.

The Uncrowning Glory!

So I don't know what is the big fuss about Taj. That people are going crazy or at least driving me crazy to vote for it as one of the seven wonders of the world.

How will my vote help ? I know the cliched answer, every vote counts.
But counts for what?
Will it make Agra a more tourist friendly place?
Will it make the Taj less prone to pollutants?
The only wonder I wonder about is how will it benefit with Taj being in the seven wonders of the world?
If I don't vote for Taj does it make it less beautiful?
Why do we associate cricket, or Oscars and now Taj with patriotism? Does it make me less patriotic (sic) if I don't vote for Taj.

For me, the beauty of Taj does not lie that it made into the list. Its beauty lies in full glory on a full moon or in break of dawn when the sun rises. Its beautiful when millions of Indians have hummed odes to Taj in Bollywood movies. Its beautiful when it brings the sense of awe and an insipiring smile on a face. Nevermind, all the hardships one faces because of the administrations.

I don't need the voting - the eight blunder of the world. Your seven blunder list may vary.
I don't need any third party list to say Arre Huzoor Wah Taj boliye !

But those who are still adamant or are keen on "voting" you can vote for Taj here. I am not voting for sure. If Taj loses by a vote, you know who was not patriotic enough.

Also, you can vote for Indion Idol or Voice of India or comedy Circus or Sa Re Ga Ma Pa if you are suffering from CVS (Compulsory Voting Syndrome). Alas, you can not vote for the President of India ! Sorry, tough luck.

NBA - Nation Bachao Aandolan

I have a new president nominee to save the nation, Mr Aamir Khan. He already has shown signs of revolutionizing the constitution. Last week, he went ahead and added one more basic right for every Indian.

Every Indian should own a DVD of Lagaan.

So now, Roti, Kapda aur Lagaan is the new mantra.

He has good credentials, He is a farmer by birth. No, I did not mean that he is dipping his samosas in Kissan ketchup but he is a Kisaan. Jai Lagaan, Jai Kisaan.

He can also fight corruption by bumping off politicians, does it rang any bell ?
Dam(n) it, he can also go and sit with NBA. Though his height may limit him from playing basketball.

And if he wins, expect a new hair-style[1] from him after the trend-setting Dr Kalam's curls which incidentally inspired another Khan in Tere Naam[2].

But wait, Mr Khan is known for disappearing from the public eye for years if he has no movie to release, so there may be a case where we don't see our president for next 5 years. Wish we can say the same for our other politicians !

If there is no other benefit than at least he won't be veiled in purdah whenever we get his glimpse.

The signs are too visible and he does make a very good candidate. Mr Aamir Khan is the right choice, Baby ! A-ha. After all, Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar.

Though my only concern is, does every Indian need to buy a DVD player too ?

[1] - He is going bald in his forthcoming movie oops..movieee I mean. Thanks Himesh !
[2] - I made this strand of connection between Salman Khan and Dr Kalam.

The turning of Dr. Seuss in his grave !

Was writing another cheesy rhyme,
Just stopped short of committing the crime,
What is the purpose of writing a verse ?
When it does not make any sense or worse,
It exposes my idiocy, and proves that I am no good,
So I will delete this piece. Yes, I better should.
But, for a moment, let it see the light of the day,
The comments are open, have your say !