Friday, December 29, 2006

Please queue up.


You may think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but believe me, it takes only a trip to your regional passport office, to think otherwise, and count your blessings, however miserable you may consider your life to be.
Early-morning, a bleary-eyed you, make your way to the scheduled place, and find to your dismay, a sea of humans who have beat you to waking up in the morning, and can be seen milling around, all looking equally grumpy and sleepy.
Fighting an urge to dispel the frown that has slowly spread on your face, you try to plunge into the queue, saving yourslef from sharp elbows, and even sharper tempers of people who are awaiting their turn.
you can hear people whispering in your ears how they can get your passport issued / re-issued with just some extra money.
Blah.
Touts.
Fighting off their whispered advances, you weave your way through the crowd; after that last burst of energy, a good three hours later, you make your way to the blessed counter to take your token from an oily-looking babu.
just when you think that you can finally join the alarmingly-long line outside, post-collecting the token that is, the oily-looking babu looks you over (shudder), gives an orange-grin, and utters the dreaded words, "Problem."
Your face takes on that ashen look; and after hearing his monologue about rules, lawas, and the like, you make your way back glumly; your work undone.
That's what happened to me.
And no, I can't help the scowl.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Who says life is fair?


An endless wait.
My life right now can be summed up in these three words.
Endless calls to various agents(read passport, visa, property dealers) are only doing two things:
a) Alarmingly up my escalating phone bills
b) Make me frown / grimace / sigh in exasperation
Patience is in severely short supply.
Family folks' / colleagues / friends' / well-wishers' words of encouragement are doing nothing to cheer gloomy me.
Add to that, the weather isn't doing much to dispel the lack of cheer all around.
Getting up when the entire world is cosy in their warm quilts is another sob story.
Aaaaaaarg!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Happy Birthday Lars Ulrich


Despite standing a lil' over 5ft 7 in, this avid scuba diver is known more for the waves he makes on stage, thrashing on stage as a drummer par excellence.

Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Metallica's lead drummer, Lars Ulrich, as he celebrates his birthday today.

Dude, you rock big time.

Happy Birthday.

Keep drumming.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

A foggy experience


It seems to be the hottest news since the focus shifted from a certain pouty Hollywood actress, in India with her equally famous hubby, and offspring from all over the world.

Delhi is severely handicapped because of the fog that seems to have got everyone in a fever.

The traffic in the city,famous for its snail-pace, just became slower, thanks to the mist and the fog that has gripped the city.

Fights and trains are affected badly.

Sample this: you miss the piping hot parathas that await you on the breakfast table, just so that you can watch that amply-rounded middle, and more importantly, so that you don't miss your scheduled flight.

An hour later, an empty-stomached you reached your destination - the airport, that surprise surprise looks a wee bit too isolated.

A frown on your face, you steer yourself, baggage in tow, to the counter of your preferred airlines.

A red-lipped, kohl-ed PYT looks up at you, trying to manage her face into a practised smile.

After mouthing the customary salutation, she looks at her brightl-painted talons, and utters the dreaded words, "Your flight is delayed by 4 hours."

You barely hear her apologies for the inconvenience caused, brush past the gentleman who has been peering anxiously from over your shoulder, and collapse on the ice-cold bench nearby. (Cussing words optional)

Frowning, you see the scene around you. Several people are in the same bad mood that you are in.

A young mother is trying to smooth her four-year old son's hair, while at the same time,rocks the infant in her arms.

A couple of girls are sipping coffee and looking all around themselves.

A bored-looking businessman is trying to decided whether to read the financial paper in his hand, or work upon his laptop.

An anxious looking young man keeps checking his expensive-looking wristwatch (probably a Rado).

Another is trying to amuse himself with his phone.

After taking in the entire scene, you manage a weak smile, and decide that a nap is just upyour street.

Now if only you had consumed those parathas...

Friday, December 22, 2006

The week that was


It's been a hellluva week for me.
Long hours, bleary-eyed me has made it through the loooong week...
But I'm not complaining.
I only wish The Prestige would have released this weekend to add some cheer.
Glad for the three-day break through.
God knows I need to put my feet up and let my hair down.
Whew!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Osama dead?


With my mother currently in Assam, an insurgency-ridden state, it is but natural for me to read anything because of which the state is in the news.

Imagine my surprise when I read that Osama bin Laden had been hunted and killed in the state.

Disbelief writ large on my face, I read further.

Apparently a 10-feet tall jumbo also shared its name with the most dreaded and hunted-for man on the face of this earth.

The namesake pachyderm, known for terrorizing the people of Assam for over two years, was killed yesterday in a tea plantation.

Whether it was the same elephant that had caused so many people to live in constant fear, is not completely sure, but the Assam local assembly, which had ordered the killing, is in the line of fire definitely, with several conservationists and animal welfare activists bitterly criticizing the killing.

With India being home to almost half of the dwindling Asian elephant population in the world, this issue will certainly not go down well.

Watch this space for more news.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

It happens only in Delhi


In typical Delhi fashion, several youth yesterday at a “happening” discotheque in the city, decided that enough was enough, and they just had to liven up stuff at the large gathering.
So loud, cussing words and oh hell! blows were duly exchanged. Next followed some more colorful vocabulary, introduction of a couple of mean-looking knives, and in the flash of a second, there was blood on the dance floor.
Within a matter of minutes, several well-dressed, so called "elite" people had become thirsty for each other's blood, in an extremely savage manner.
Sleepy-looking policemen made an entry on the scene, muttering loudly, wielding their lathis.
And all the people who had come out for a night of dancing and fun, were hastily asked to make their way to their respective homes. Or risked being dragged for a long, cold night at the nearest lock-up.
Loud, beer-bellied people exchanged scowls, and started off on their “Do-you-know-who-I-am” jazz.
It was a painful sight to see people running helter-skelter, looking out for friends who seemed to have been left behind in the crowd, or worse, embroiled in the fight.
My friends and I also beat a hasty retreat to the 24-hour-open-food-joint run by the Indian Railways.
Bleary-eyed, when we all finally returned to our respective homes, we just had one thought – why do some people have to spoil everyone’s fun.
And I have seen that such stuff usually happen in the capital city of our country.
What a shame!

Friday, December 15, 2006

New UN Secretary-General


Like many other Indians, I too was disappointed that Shashi Tharoor would not be the next UN General-Secretary after Kofi Annan.
The eighth UN Secretary-General will now be South Korean Ban Ki-moon.
Though already sworn-in today, the septuagenarian diplomat will only assume his new responsibility on January 1, 2007, when Kofi Annan steps down.
Good luck to him.

The Big Fat Indian Wedding


There are officially, a lot of “knotty” people out there.

While the rest of India puts freezing toes into hot-as-toast quilts, Delhi(and many other places) are gearing up for a long season of weddings.

I heard that this Monday, Delhi alone, had over 36,000 weddings. Whew!

Not to be left behind , yesterday had quite a few thousand lined up too.

Threading our way through traffic last night, it didn’t help us at al that there were several thousands of people on the road, bravely bearing the bitter cold, out to attend some wedding or the other.

A column in the national daily, perhaps because of lack of other newsy articles, reported how poor, “overworked,” politicos had an average of 12 weddings to attend every other night.

Sample this hypothetical situ: Secretary of a politician at a press meet, “Sir had to attend Mr. so-and-so’s brother-in-law’s son’s wedding last night. He is dog tired after all that revelry. So kindly excuse his political gaffes / howlers today.”
Wow!

So last night, on our way back from West Delhi (where we had gone to see a house for best friend who is to get married next month), we saw loads of Delhiite baraatis, out in all their gaudy finery, bejeweled hands raised in typical marriage dance style, swaying to the loud tunes that the local bands belted out.

Grooms sat on pretty white mares. Most looked unmistakably forlorn (was it because of the cold or the fact that they were abandoning their single status for a lifetime of in-laws, groceries, kids? lol)

Kids looked as if they were having the time of their lives, dancing, prancing, yelling gleefully, some so enthused that they were shrieking like banshees.
Despite the car windows rolled up, we could scarcely hear a word of what we were spouting; the deafening cymbals drowning any attempt at conversation with their deafening sound.

Is that what they call music?

I guess even the Bard, William Shakespeare, would think twice before saying again, “If music be the food of love, play on..”

Needless to say, my ears hurt till late last night.

And earaches suck big time.

Owwwwwww

And to think I have to attend quite a few nuptials in the coming few months.
Thank God for the awesome food they serve there, though.

Quite a saving grace. Burp.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

And now, Dictionary.com's 2006 Word of the Year: call for entries


Trotting on the heels of Merriam-Webster's search for(and selection of) Word of the Year 2006(the winner was truthiness), Dictionary.com, the free online dictionary search website, is also calling everyone to cast their votes for the 2006 Word of the Year.

Cast your vote here.

I've already cast mine.

Polls open till tomorrow.

Results will be announced on December 18, 2006.

A 12-year old association hits the dust.


Celebrated duo, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, nicknamed The Indian Express, have officially called their 12-year old association quits.

The ace pair, which has won multiple Grand Slams, added another feather to their caps after winning the Asian Games Gold in the tennis doubles at Doha yesterday.

But instead of uncorking the champagne and waxing eloquent about each other after the tournament, they preferred to wash each other’s dirty linen in public, and have sworn not to team up again on the marquee.

Though stories of their drifting apart had been doing the rounds for quite some time now, the duo officially called-off their partnership yesterday. As if there weren't enough bad things in the world. Sigh.

If I had my way, I would get the two guys to unwind with each other at a chic lounge, and talk it over.

After all, they look better dueling it out with opponents on lush-green tennis courts than with each other, don’t they?

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Most popular websites


In a survey conducted recently, the results of which were declared, the following are the most popular websites. See which ones you already frequent, and check out the ones you haven't till now, like I did.

1. Apple Movie Trailers: Apple's official Quicktime Movie Trailer page with the newest and preview release trailers.

2. Blogger: weblog publishing system owned by Google since 2003.

3. Craiglist: centralized network of online urban communities, featuring free classified advertisements and forums sorted by various topics.

4. Drudge Report: popular U.S.-based news website run by Matt Drudge. The site consists primarily of links to stories from the US and international mainstream media about politics, entertainment, and various current events as well as links to many popular columnists.

5. Factcheck: monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major US political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.

6. Flickr: photo sharing website and web services suite, and an online community platform.

7. HowStuffWorks: website dedicated to explaining the way many things work.

8. Lifehacker: advertising-supported weblog about life hacks and software; covers Microsoft Windows, Mac and Linux programs as well as time-saving tips and tricks.

9. Museum of Modern Art: provides information on current and upcoming art, film and media, and online exhibitions.

10. Netflix: largest online DVD rental service, offering flat rate rental-by-mail to customers in the United States.

11. National Public Radio: internationally acclaimed producer and distributor of noncommercial news, talk, and entertainment programming.

12. Rotten Tomatoes: reviews and previews of movies, videos, DVDs, and video games from print, online, and broadcast critics.

13. Shopzilla: buy the best products at the lowest prices by using Shopzilla, the shopping search engine with smart price comparison and intelligent professional reviews.

14. The Onion: America’s most loved parody newspaper, published weekly in print and online.

15. Technorati: searches weblogs by keyword and for links. Also provides news from general news services and blogs.

16. Television Without Pity: website that provides detailed recaps of certain television dramas and reality TV shows, often by mocking them, as well as forums in which members can discuss a myriad of television related topics.

17. The Smoking Gun: large collection of public documents on crimes, celebrities, politicians, and the FBI.

18. Internet Movie Database: online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel.

19. Zappos.com: the Web’s most popular shoe store.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Edvard Munch and The Scream


Was slightly taken aback today when I opened the Google home page.
A tormented limp figure, hands tightly clasping ears, stared up at me ominously, looking as if it were just about to come out with a blood-curdling scream / howl.
Visibly shaken by the image, I set about to figure out the reason behind the wailing figure.
Turns out, today is Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch’s birthday. Now I am no connoisseur of art, so kindly ignore my “howler.” The picture is one of his most famous, aptly named, The Scream. Though I was aware of a painting by that name, I had never seen it before; hence my surprise and why-in-the-world-did-Google-keep-this-image-more-than-a-month-after-Halloween bewilderment.
Turn to the Google homepage to see it for yourself.
Or if it is after December 11 that you see this post, then see it right here.

Ode to a little princess


She rushes back from school
Her excited face no one can fool
She heads straight for her mom’s cozy lap
Chatters endlessly, doesn't want a nap.

The mother bestows upon her a doting smile
As she hurriedly updates that last file
Before she can set the table for two
With a spread that would make her daughter coo.

Mysorepak, Murruku, rasam, sambhar, chutney and rice
Make the pony-tailed girl grin and get up in a trice
Gleefully she flings her satchel, makes her way to the table
The idyllic setting is akin to many a happy family fable.

“Oh oh,” between mouthfuls, the lass pipes up in good cheer
Pointing at the laptop which is sitting near
The mother needs no second hint and smiles
Starting to go through her e-mails, of which there are piles.

She then comes to the parts that her daughter would like to study
Sent by her mother’s friend, who is now like a close buddy
With sparkling eyes and a beam, the girl toils through the words
Exclaiming, laughing, sounding like the chirping of a lot many birds.

After the twenty-minute-something happy lunch and reading session
It’s time for the girl to read up on her exam lesson
Thoughts of dance, e-mails, and blogs banished, she studies, her head low
Waiting for the next day’s lunch when she would have a repeat show.

(Dedicated to dear Mahithi. Good luck for your exams, sweetie. Do well. And make your Mummy proud)

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening - Robert Frost


The poem below by Robert Frost is a personal favorite. I guess most people identify strongly with its concluding four lines. It is said that even Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was partial to this ode, so much so that he always kept a copy on his desk, and saw it first thing in the morning.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

Monday, December 11, 2006

Merriam-Webster's 2006 Word of the Year


The verdict is finally out.
Merriam-Webster’s, which had asked everyone to submit their nominations for the Word of the Year 2006, have announced the clear winner.
The # 1 Word of the Year for 2006 is truthiness (noun)
Meanings:
a) "Truth that comes from the gut, not books" (Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," October 2005)
b) "The quality of preferring concepts or facts one wishes to be true, rather than concepts or facts known to be true" (American Dialect Society, January 2006)
The others words that made it to the top ten list were (in order):
2. Google
3. Decider
4. War
5. Insurgent
6. Terrorism
7. Vendetta
8. Sectarian
9. Quagmire
10. Corruption

FYI:
The word that I had nominated made its presence felt worldwide as also made it to the # 10 spot on the list.

A woman's poem


A friend forwarded this to me some minutes ago; my hands were itching to post this poem here.
So here it is:

A Woman's Poem

He didn't like the curry
And he didn't like my cake.
He said my biscuits were too hard...
Not like his mother used to make.

I didn't prepare the coffee right
He didn't like the stew,
I didn't mend his socks
The way his mother used to do.

I pondered for an answer
I was looking for a clue.
Isn’t there anything I could do
To match his mothers shoe

Then I smiled as I saw light
One thing I could definitely do
I turned around and slapped him tight...

Like his mother used to!!!!!

Who says it's a dog's life?


As if there weren't enough stories about a certain blonde hotel heiress “callously” trading-in her fave chihuahua, Tinkerbell (no relation to the namesake fairy from J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan) for a smaller one, Bambi, here comes another mutt out for its fifteen seconds(or make that 8 mm film) of fame.

The Scottish terrier in question is no ordinary pooch, but the First Dog, no less. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Barney, the much adored (and petted) pet of U.S. President, George W. Bush.

If the applause has died down, let me reiterate that this canine has now officially joined the likes of dogs (pardon the lowly word) owned by celebs (read Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Gwen Stefani, Hillary Duff, Sienna Miller, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mischa Barton, Scarlett Johannson, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, and Joss Stone). Whew! No small feat this. Read the complete article on celeb dogs here.

Coming back to Barney, who has his own blog (boww, oops, I meant wow), and who has been featured with his equally famous sister, Miss Beazley (no, no, not the awful cook from Archie Comics) in many films made by the White House Staff, is back with his latest film, Barney's Holiday Extravaganza.

From playing with golf balls and horseshoes, to hob-nobbing with the who’s-who of the world, to being the center of attraction at the White House annual Christmas parties, this doggie sure has all the fun.

Wuff wuff!

Friday, December 08, 2006

Some random thoughts


- Cloudy skies have delayed the launch of NASA's space shuttle, Discovery. The shuttle, scheduled to carry the seven-member crew (including our very own Sunita Williams) on the night of December 7, 2006, will now be launched on December 9, 2006, at 8:47 p.m.

- Best friend’s engagement tomorrow night. I am all set to shine, shimmer, dazzle, swirl.

- My plans of watching Hugh Jackman this Sunday in The Prestige have all been dashed; the movie’s not released in the country today. (Sob). There go all my plans of watching Batman and Wolverine zap each other. Two other movies have released though:

1. The Guardian: I’m loath to shell out 160 bucks to watch Demi Moore’s toy boy, Ashton Kutcher, and a USCG rescue swimmer, Kevin Costner, the latter who I'd rather see in roles as Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (remember Bryan Adam’s Everything I do, I do it for you) or as Whitney Houton's protector in The Bodyguard.

2. The saccharine sweet Baabul: Do I even need to answer this one?

- Now had it been Mumble, the adorable tap-dancing penguin in Happy Feet, I wouldn’t have thought twice before getting tickets.

- So this Sunday, what will it be?
In one word – Shopping!

Happy me!

He was the Lizard King. He could do anything


Despite his death 25 years ago, Jim Morrison, a.k.a. The Lizard King / Mr. Mojo Risin, the enigmatic front man of The Doors is still remembered for his bristling energy, “spontaneous” stage shows, and for belting out unforgettable numbers like Hello, I Love You, Touch Me, Strange Days, L.A. Woman, Morrison Hotel, and that cult position number 1 chartbuster, Light My Fire.

On his birthday today, the enigmatic, improvising Morrison would have been proud to see that he lives on, in the minds of his fans, who saw him beyond his troubled years, bohemian lifestyle, stormy affairs, penchant for heroin (an overdose of which caused his death on that fateful third day in July, 1971).

They saw the man for who he was—the man who broke new ground in rock music, with his surrealistic lyrics and sonorous baritone, crooning his way through the tensions of that time.

See the video for Light My Fire here:

Soul Sisters


There are people who read the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and books by that famous Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho. Their stories are simple, tug at your hearts, discuss hopes, dreams, and lives of people like you and me. A potpourri of experiences, feelings, and personal stories land on your reading table, some of them bearing more than a close resemblance to what you feel or go through.

You read about people who communicate eloquently with each other, though they may not have even met. However, that spirit of easy camaraderie and sorority is unmistakable.

This is a real-life story about a woman whom I have never met, yet share a distinctive solidarity with her. I know that today, deep down in her tummy, she has a countless butterflies. the reason - her daughter has a dance performance lined up for the evening. Likewise, despite the 2020 km distance between her and me, she knows that I am supremely excited about my best friend’s engagement tomorrow, but at the same time, anxious that my fave aunt who’s been injured in a hit-and-run case by a devil of a car-driver, convalesce soon.

To my friend sitting in a different city, looking at the clock anxiously, and to my other soul sisters in the country and beyond, this is a little vote of thanks. It’s not just shopping, watching movies together, stuffing ourselves with pani-puris, giggling endlessly, eyeing that cute guy yonder, or talking nineteen-to-the-dozen, that we have in common. It's about hanging in there come what may.

Thanks for being there.

May your tribe abound.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

In memoriam: James Kim, CNET Senior Editor, 1971 - 2006


Korean-American technology analyst, James Kim, the Senior Editor of CNET, was found dead yesterday. What started as a journey for this family of four from Portland (Oregon) to San Francisco (California), turned into a tragic ordeal.
The Kims started for their trip on November 25, 2006, but got stuck in snow in their Saab station wagon. They resorted to burning the car tires when it ran out of gas. On December 2, Jim left his wife, Kati, along with daughters, 4-year old Penelope, and 6-month old Sabine, to look for help. He never returned.
Frostbitten Kati and her daughters were rescued on December 4, 2006; however, the same was not the case for 35-year old James, whose body was found yesterday. He had died of hypothermia and frostbite.
Despite the so-called reliable online mapping applications like Yahoo Maps, Google Earth, TopoZone, Windows Live Local, it is paradoxical that James, a technology expert himself, who used online mapping frequently, had to meet his death in such a way.
Just shows that there are limitations to most things in this world.
RIP, James.
My deepest sympathy to his family.
May God give them courage in this hour of overwhelming grief.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

SiteAdvisor: banish spam, spyware, adware altogether


Half the time, nasty spam lands up on my computer, catching me unawares, and causing me to:

a) Shake my fist angrily at the monitor
b) Mutter a swear word(or two)
c) Grit my teeth
d) Roll my eyes(and not in amusement)
e) All the above.

Which is why, I became smarter and installed McAfee’s user-friendly security browser, SiteAdvisor, which supports both IE and Firefox.

Besides keeping your PC / laptop safe from spyware, adware, viruses, online scams, it also gives you color ratings for any sites that you choose to visit or search (on Google, Yahoo, or MSN) as green (safe), yellow(suspicious), or red(avoidable). Also, you come to find out pretty fast if that credible-looking site and it's extending that free iPod / Xbox / Zune / mobile phone / Playstation 3, has some element of truth in ti, or plain balderdash. Read more about it here.

Believe me, it's worth it. And it downloads pretty fast too (just took me 30 seconds).

Ohhh, and did I mention that it’s free?

Go on, try it.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Nine things I hate in people


Afraid I haven't written the ones below. Though they could be as true for me as they would be for you. I came across them today, while I was going through some old e-mails. Worth a one-time-read.

I smiled while reading them, in spite of myself.

1. People who point at their wrist while asking for the time...I know where my watch is dude, where the hell is yours?

2. People who are willing to move around to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually(sounds like a lot of people I know).

3. When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Damn right! What good is cake if you can't eat it?(Suggested: one looong practised withering look)

4. When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why the hell would you keep looking after you've found it?

5. When people say while watching a film "did you see that?" No Loser, I paid Rs.150 to come to the cinema and stare at the damn floor and / or the popcorn and nachos.

6. People who ask "Can I ask you a question?".... Didn't really give me a choice there, did ya sunshine?

7. When something is 'new and improved!'. Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it, couldn't be new.

8. When people say "life is short". What the hell?? Life is the longest damn thing anyone ever does!! What can you do that's longer?

9. When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?". If the bus came would I be standing here, smartypants?

Get nagged


Don’t we all have some things that we should be doing, but thanks to our selective amnesia / indifference / plain sloth, we just don’t get down to doing them.
For instance, I know I should be keeping my place tidy, and not as if some tornado has recently ripped it. But when my OCD best friend is away, I just let the room be.
Needless to say, when she returns, she is anything but impressed.
In the same vein is another word: EXERCISE.
Aaaaargh…WhatdidyoujustsayOhmyGodyoudon’tmeanitdoyou?
Now, that’s my usual reaction when someone mentions the dreaded “E” word.
Then there is the usual refrain (from big bro, parents, friends, big bro particularly, he of the Converse-brand-fetish) if I mention that I need to buy those nth pair of to-die-for sandals or that sixth black bag.
So it was pretty nice when I came across this website, called HassleMe, a UK site, which promises to nag you for any reminder you may want, and as frequently as you want.
I have already set a couple of thingies that I want to get nagged for, on a daily basis. I love its tag line, “ Because sometimes in life, you just need to be nagged…”
There are a couple of other websites too that caught my attention.
One of them is called mySociety, a charitable volunteering project which aims to spread awareness about how the Internet can improve their lives. They also support and improve launch projects. Sign up as a volunteer here.
The third website is called PledgeBank, a psychological bet, which is geared to make people carry out their pledges, together with several others. For instance, suppose a user wants to kick smoking; he could start a pledge, encouraging others to sign up for the same. The site updates all subscribers if the pledge fails to attract enough subscribers(Sigh), or if (happy happy) attracts others to do the same, and if the target is met.
You could sign up for e-mails when people make pledges from your local area / country.
Or start your own pledge here.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Movie Review: A Good Year


What’s common among A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, Cinderella Man, and The Insider?
Russell Crowe, I bet you said that in a trice.
So when I heard that this Oscar winner had come in a new flick, I was bound to watch it.
However, A Good Year, was somewhat a damp squib, accustomed as I am to Russell Crowe’s superlative acting.
The movie, based on a book by the same name by Peter Mayle, does have its moments though, to be fair. Crowe does a neat job as the sassy investment broker, Max Skinner, who dons flannel pyjamas instead of his usual Saville Row suits, and goes gallivanting around France—a far cry from London, where his career lies, along with best friend, Charlie (played by Tom Hollander: Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice), and the sharp as nails Indo-Brit assistant, Gemma, played by Archie Panjabi(remember Jess’s sister in Bend It Like Beckham?)
Max receives word that his Uncle Henry, played delightfully by Albert Finney(Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Twelve), is dead, and has left him his chateau as also his prized vineyard.
The cool-as-a-cucumber Max sets out for France, to sell the chateu and vineyard to the highest bidder. But what is intended to be a weekend retreat turns awry. As they say, where there is a will, there are relatives, and a Californian girl turns up at the château, claiming to be Henry’s daughter.
Max remains unruffled though; but yes, he, a man who didn’t believe in taking vacations and weekends off work, finds himself into the intoxicating grapes, stress-free environment, also finding his childhood love in the form of the now stunning Marion Cotillard.
There are also several snapshots with young Max (played by Freddie Highmore: Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) shares screen space with his uncle—Max remembers all the incidents, touched by pangs of regret that he did not have time for the uncle who taught him some of the most important lessons of his life, including the line that he often used in his own office, back in London, “winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”
Find out what happens next in this light, airy romance, which engages you with its stunning countryside stills, musical French words, and a lot of info about the famous wines that land up in that exclusive restaurant’s wine cellar.
Added suggestion—buy a lot of popcorn during the movie. You’ll need it. It’s slightly slow at places.

She's packed her bags for outer space


Move over Serena and Venus Williams.

Another lady who shares your surname is going to be scaling new heights..literally!
And she’s two decades older than you, let me add.

And as Savage Garden crooned, she has packed her bags for outer space(To the Moon and back).

Sunita Williams, the 41-year Indian-American woman astronaut, who has been handpicked for NASA’s Discovery Space Shuttle crew, will embark on the 12-day mission, this Thursday, December 7, 2006, at 2135 hours IST.

The launch, the third for this year, is going to be the first night-time launch for NASA. Sunita Williams is in esteemed company, a venerated club, what with only 6 out of NASA’s 157 spacewalkers having been women. She will also perform three grueling spacewalks. For someone who lived underwater for 9 days as part of the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations(NEEMO), this must be smooth sailing.

This is NASA’s fourth launch since that fateful February in 2003, when Space Shuttle Columbia (with our very own Kalpana Chawla) disintegrated into the atmosphere, killing all 7 crew-members.

A huge thumbs-up to Sunita Williams.

Attagirl!

Friday, December 01, 2006

FYI - ATM PIN Reversal


In these times where you can be waylaid by unsavory characters, it pays to exercise some presence of mind.

I received this from a classmate, where she claimed that if one were forced by a robber to withdraw money from an ATM machine, one can notify the police by entering one’s PIN in reverse.

So if your PIN is 1234, you should enter the digits 4321.

The ATM recognizes that the PIN you typed in is the reverse of the original.

The machine will still give you the money you requested, but unknown to the robber, the police will be immediately dispatched to help you.

I don't know how much time the police will take to reach you, but it sure looks like a step in the right direction.

This information was recently broadcast on TV, and stated that it is seldom used because people don't know it exists.

World AIDS Day - December 1


Started in 1988, December 1 is globally marked as World AIDS Day.
This year’s theme is Stop AIDS; Keep the Promise - Accountability
In a country where close to 5 million people are living with HIV, India has to go several thousand miles to check this epidemic.
Poverty, illiteracy, and poor health (though not necessarily in that order) further worsen the situation.
Ignorance and prejudice are two main reasons why many cases go unreported and unchecked.
The social stigma associated with AIDS is enormous.
In such an existing state of affairs, it is slightly consoling to see that quite a few volunteers are doing their bit to publicize facts about AIDS, and dispel myths.
Across the country(and beyond), many organizations, notably UNAIDS, World AIDS Day, Avert , International AIDS Society (IAS), etc are holding series of programs, AIDS awareness sessions, voluntary blood donation camps, seminars on HIV / AIDS prevention, care and counseling.
In Delhi too, I was pleasantly surprised to see people wearing red ribbons—the global symbol expressing solidarity with HIV+ people.
Makes me note that there are quite a few people out there who are willing to extend their commitment and support to those afflicted with AIDS.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Here come the hot steppers...


Va Va Vrooom...
The mean machines have arrived full-throttle.
Besides the killer-on-wheels, Suzuki Hayabusa(that steamed up the movie, Dhoom), another another wish-listed bike is all geared to receive a "roaring" welcome in the country.
Harley Davidson aficionados, sit up and take note - it couldn’t get any better than this.
The machine that has ruled the roost since 1903 could land up in your garage sooner than you thought(provided of course, you have the green bills to pay for it – and I'm guessing you'll have to pay through your nose for this one).
The Indian commerce ministry has given the green signal for the import of these to-die-for bikes.
Although one wouldn’t get any cut on import duty, I bet many would give an arm and a leg for these bikes, which are synonymous with bad boys, whipped-with-wind-faces, machismo, raw power, and pure lust.
It's time for you to stop grinning from ear to ear.
Go take a ride instead.
I'm certain you wouldn't want to get off.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Mystery Shopping - shop till you drop


Love shopping, but groan each time your credit card statement reaches you on a sunny day, causing you to storm out of the room in a huff?
Love the crackle of new shopping bags, full of your favorite goods—clothes, footwear, bags, trinkets, cosmetics, fumes, but are often at a loss explaining to your folks / yourself why you just needed to buy that fourth white bag?
Love eating out at the newest restobars in town, but fear you will be dipping into your pockets a lil’ too much?
Movies excite you—and given a chance, you would not miss any new good flick for words?
Well then, mystery shopping is ideal for you, as it actually pays you to shop.
It’s a pretty neat actually—you go to a selected shop(not selected by you silly—the Company that is paying you to mystery shop), purchase some item(s), assess the performance of the customer care executives / shop assistants in the shop, pick the goods, fill out a form(with your observations), scan a copy of he cash memo, and within a fortnight or so, the money that you’d spent on the purchase is refunded to you.
Now if that isn’t cool, pray, tell me, what is?
Apparently quite a few companies like Bare Associates, Omnitouch India, Shaw Consultancy Services, and RAMMS India pay you to shop, assess / rate / gauge the performance of shops, restaurants, theaters, etc. Their funda is service evaluations and finding out if these so-called customer-assured services publicized by these shops have an element of truth in them, or do they just ring hollow? Whatever is the case, this relatively new concept is fast catching on, and that comes as good news indeed for shopaholics like my friends and me.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The Remember Ring


Bad Scenario # 1: Tired of reminding family / friends / your worse half about important dates, appointments, and events?
Worse Scenario # 2: You are absent-minded yourself, and need to be whacked on the head to remember trifles (and have long run out of knotted handkerchiefs)?
Well, help is at hand with the Remember Ring, which uses a Hot Spot technology to ensure that you never ignore that reminder.
Available in 14carat white and yellow gold, these neat remember rings have a life-time warranty, and you can set reminders for those dates you wouldn’t want to forget.
The tiny microchips will start heating the inside of the rings, causing you some discomfort, on the day you set your reminder. They would increase in intensity every hour.
Before glaring and calling me names to the tune of a sadist-in-the-making, let me add that it's not that the ring would bake you; you wouldn’t get burnt or anything, but oh yes, the heat would definitely get your attention.
Quite a nifty thingie this – I’d love to get my hands on one of these.
Except that the problem is that this is a concept product, and no jeweler stocks it.
Hell – wish Tiffany’s / Cartier / Bvlgari think of making these soon.
Now if only I could also get someone to buy it for me...

Monday, November 27, 2006

The name's Bond...James Bond.


Was pleasantly surprised yesterday to see that the sixth B(l)ond (and the most under-rated one at that), can actually act. Daniel Craig, he of the piercing-blue eyes, curled upper lip(almost resembling a cynical snarl), clipped Brit accent, sexy baritone(va va voom), does a decent job in the twenty-first Bond movie – Casino Royale.
Except that one does feel bad for Ian Fleming's iconic spy, who for once, revealed his vulnerable side, exposed his sinewy chest, lost his heart to Vesper(played by Eva Green), but finds himself betrayed in the end.
Hmmm, probably now, the next time Bond does lose his heart, it would be to a blonde.
After all, don't gentlemen prefer blondes?

Friday, November 24, 2006

What's Going on?



No, I'm not talking of the namesake hit number by Marvin Gaye.

I am talking instead of the more than one piece of bizarre news that were reported this month.

Sample the following:

* Several turkeys who probably didn’t want to end up on any dinner table(today being Thanksgiving), were seen standing on a New Jersey railway platform a couple of days back, looking as if they were keen on catching the first train out of town.

* Reminiscent of our ex-PM H.D. Deve Gowda, Prince Charles sure seemed to have taken a cue from him. The Prince slumped to sleep at a Royal Armistice Day tribute, much to his mother, Queen Elizabeth's shock(and displeasure).

* Some donkey business this. Fancy Amitabh Bachan and the Khan brigade, but clueless how to reach Bollywood? Seems to be the case with some others too, who, in a novel way of paying tribute to their favorite silver screen stars, have named their donkeys (gasp) after them. Don’t believe me? Well then, make your way to Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), where the five-day Gardhabraj Mela is being held.

* A Dutch woman, her will in tow, happened to go to her family cemetery. She’d already “booked” a grave where she wanted to be buried, right next to her husband’s grave. Her wish came sooner than she wished probably, because she suffered a cardiac arrest and dropped down dead next to her pre-chosen grave.

* So you bought that hot pair of wheels to keep up with the Joneses, right? At the rate we use the Joneses in our expressions; it was only fair they gathered for a jamboree of entertainment. 2000 people who shared the Joneses surname turned up at the decided venue, Cardiff. Their efforts might not go waste after all—they could fetch an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

* Closer home, a 3 month-old infant in that dreaded of states, Bihar, was arrested for looting a bus, but later released. TI guess that even the he authorities figured in the end that it was a tad too unrealistic an allegation.

* And lastly, a man who has been dead for 26 years now, has been summoned by the Shimla high Court, in connection with a case.

Dead Man Walking, anyone?!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Home Alone ain't always fun


Kids who stay at home for long spells of time do not always have a ball, as the impish 8-year old, Macaulay Culkin does, in the hilarious Home Alone series.

Termed latchkey kids, they often have to battle issues like loneliness, ennui, fear, low self-esteem, and depression, amongst other things. The phrase, latchkey kids, coined in the 1940s—children returned to empty homes, aptly summed up these kids, who often reached their homes with the home-keys strung around their necks.

Now it’s only fair that parents work hard to maintain their existing standard of living and socio-economic status, vis-à-vis the Joneses. Towards this end, it is imperative for them to be outside and achieve set goals, targets, and objectives. On the other hand, the other school of thought concentrates on the psychological impact this may have on their offspring.

A child, school bag in tow, rushes back after school—only he is stopped dead in his tracks, because he remembers that it would be an empty home that awaited him, and he couldn’t fly back into the reassuring arms of his parents. Of course, if there were grandparents at home, the kid would have been only too happy to come home skipping; however, in these times of nuclear families, this scene is an almost rare one.

So the kid ambles along, taking in all that he can see(which is not much, considering the concrete jungles that abound on his way back). One minute later, he makes a spot-decision, hails a three-wheeler, and rushes back to his empty place.

What follows next is every parent’s horror story – it could be anything - the pre-teen kid experiments in smoking / inhaling pot / gulping some sips from the cabinet full of intoxicating liquids / watching some blue movies / virtual sex. He could be joined in by a couple of other friends.

While the above could be a tad too hypothetical, it is not altogether impossible. Children, the impressionable young minds that they are, often give in to peer pressure, or rebel against the parents, whom they feel are not giving them adequate time. You can’t blame them though.

While loads have been said about latchkey kids, I guess working parents have to only ensure that they extend the big “S” word to their children—SUPPORT.

So the child knows that even if the parents are not home, they are just a phone away.

And after a family dinner, at least one of the parents, if not both, does make it a point to tuck in the child to sleep.

It’s not all that bad.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Calvin and Hobbes


Was trying to cheer myself up last nite by reading this Calvin and Hobbes Digest.
The imaginative, rambunctious six-year old is anyone but whose hair I would like to ruffle; but the kid sure knows how to cause your sides to burst. His “stuffed” tiger, Hobbes, helps him, in no small measure, in adding to the laughs.
Between running around throwing snowballs at the red-haired Susie, spouting vocabulary that would do a GRE aspirant proud, making his parents grit their teeth in frustration, to regularly churning out atrociously bad test-papers at school (much to the chagrin of his teacher, Miss Wormwood), to forming a G.R.O.S.S. (Get Rid Of Slimy Girls) club(which has only two members-himself and Hobbes), to trying to be good around Christmas time to get more gifts (and failing miserably in both endeavors), Calvin sure is one dotty kid.
His (mis)adventures are many—getting roughed up by the school bully, Moe; being hauled to the bath by his long-suffering mom; the “ignominy” of his “superior genius self” having to go to school; his perceived unfairness of having parents who are “staid” and aliens for teachers(gasp); and failing to bully his babysitter even one iota.
This mad hatter has his hands full, and never fails to let us know that he is a prodigy caught in an ordinary world, and plagued by lesser mortals like his parents, teachers, classmates, neighbors, and pets.
Join the Calvin and Hobbes fan site here, if you want.
And get yourself one of those enjoyable digests.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Don't make excuses - stop domestic violence


With even economically-viable, educated women remaining tight-lipped over the issue of domestic violence, do you really expect those from the lower strata of society to fight for their rights and speak up against violence, in any form?
Add to that the stigma of being publicly ridiculed or scorned for daring to speak-up against their “pious” Pati-Parmeshwars and holier-than-thou live-in boyfriends, and trying to seek relief(unimaginable), and any woman would think twice before approaching authorities or women cell workers.
However, the upgraded Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act intends to change all that, and has arrived—a solace in itself. The improved Law now also covers women who live in relationships outside marriage. These women, have the double whammy of being labeled "immoral," and daring to speak up against their boyfriends, who are foten considered to be benefactors. What Bull!
Though there has been a hue and cry by many “aggrieved” men about the unfairness of the Act, how it subliminally seems to promote live-in relationships, and how women could take advantage of their new, enhanced status, staunch women like Renuka Choudhary, Saumya Uma, Priya Dutt, Rajnitail Patil, and Sharda Sathe have vehemently pooh-poohed the male uproar. Their vigor has paid off—around six men have been put behind bars since the introduction of the Act on October, 26, 2006. No small achievement this.
The Act covers the three main kind of abuse – physical, sexual, and emotional (including verbal), and would probably make more women put their foot down (literally) on the abuse they may have put-up with for so long.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel this Act is a step in the right direction to women standing up and speaking against the abuse they face at the hands of the so called stronger, superior sex.
In a country where women and girls have special “kanjak” ceremonies, and are hailed as Devis and Shakti; on the other hand they have to deal with issues that have haunted them for ages—female foeticide, dowry deaths, marital rapes, sati, witch-hunting, and domestic violence.
The last one is being taken to task
May be, the others would also be taken to task soon...
I’m incorrigibly optimistic.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Smirnoff Tastemaker Session on Sunday, November 26, 2006


Love your Smirnoff?

Don't blame you.

Even James Bond is addicted to the potion, hook, line, and sinker, nonchalantly scorching the silver screen, sipping his shaken Martinis suavely, and making us all sigh audibly for those to-die-for gadgets and the gorgeous dream-machine, Aston Martin. Vrooooooom!!!

And with the new Bond flick, Casino Royale,starring Daniel Craig, opening in theaters today, Smirnoff is probably on the tip of everyone's lips.

Shake, Rattle & Roll!

The Smirnoff Tastemaker Session is right here in saddi Dilli...

Meet mixologists and learn the "intoxicating" art of making drinks the way 007 loves 'em.

Show them you mean business - learn how to concoct all the potions in New Friends Colony at a live bar with your friends.

From the Moscow Mule to the Caipirojka to... just about anything that's in the book.

And isn't.

The payoff ?

You get to be the one with the golden arm. The name that pops up on every invite list. The number that's on every mobile phone.

Experts will also teach you to plan a party, choose the most happening spirits in town, set up a bar, and lots more - down to the last detail.

Hurry, your drink's getting warm!

Details:
Sunday, 26th Nov 2006: 4pm to 7pm
Venue: Moksha, Above Pebble Street, New Friends Colony

Your 500 bucks' fee includes the following:
. The chance to make and sample different drinks, while seated at a live bar counter
. Snacks
. Cocktail Handout and Tastemaker certificate

Do the math!
Click here for more details and online registration. For any clarifications, call Suprio at 9818784469, e-mail here, or simply SMS STM to 3636. Seats might fill up fast, so register at the earliest.

Spread the word to friends who may be interested.

After all, you don't drink alone, so why learn to bartend solo?!

Tom "Cocktail" Cruise better watch out. He's got competition.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Bawdy Borat

Have heard mixed reviews about the movie, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."

From a couple of friends who chortled throughout the movie, to a very good friend in Maryland, who was outraged by the racist opinions and incest-hints expressed throughout the movie, and called it outlandish balderdash, I've heard them all.

The mockumentary, starring Sacha Baron Cohen as the Kazakh journalist, Borat, has won its fair share of laffs though. An average journo, Borat was once married to a plough (gasp), loses his second wife(when a neighbor shoots her, mistaking her for a bear), goes on to buy a third wife (who does not bore him), sires three kids, keeps relations with three other women, once had a pet pig(which ended up on his dinner table), is a voyeur par excellence, and extremely anti-Semitist, all in all - a stuffy, offensive, bigot and a prick.

The guy does all that can annoy you, and more. Sometimes he also makes you guffaw, in spite of yourself. Like for instance, this song that he sings in a bar in Tucson(Arizona).

While some people have been hopping mad at his (often sleazy) antics, others are amused by his sincere attempts to marry "pure" Pamela Anderson(Ahem), and his whole-hearted efforts to kidnap and get "knotty" with her! Don't they say, Love is blind?!!

Whatever they may say about the movie, I'm gonna watch it and then form my own opinions.

Oh by the way, id I mention that he marries an Afro-American hooker in the end?

I guess even he couldn't digest the Pam and Tommy video shown to him by some sloshed students.

Don't blame the guy one inch.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

A (dim) view


Barely a day after Children's Day, I saw a heart-tugging sight in the morning.
I had just dragged myself out of my still-warm quilt, yawned, instructed my maid to get breakfast ready, peeped in the mirror to see if I had sprouted some sudden pimple(none, whew!),and ambled to pick the newspapers my newspaper guy throws expertly on my third-floor balcony daily.
What I saw below make me stand still for several seconds.
Several kids were cooped up in what could only be described as a cage, attached to a bicycle.
You could say it looked like a closed rickshaw, with about ten kids, all trussed together like sardines.
The cyclist was pedaling furiously, no doubt doing his best to make the tiny tots reach their nearby crèche on time.
I saw them till as far as my eyes could see, and then went into a thoughtfull spell.
It wasn’t just the sight of those bleary-eyed kids making their way reluctantly to school, or the image that made me break out in a sweat, thanks to my acute claustrophobia.
It was the unfairness of it all—those tiny bundles of energy all caged like some stray animals being taken to be put to sleep, or worse, to the nearest abattoir.
A tiny window with bars was the only piece of ventilation the kids had; the iron door as opaque and hideous as ever.
It was also their only peephole to a colorful world outside.
Almost like the jharokhas through which princesses from Rajasthan would see the world, with their deep-kohl lined eyes.
It's almost like putting a lid on what you can see.
What a pity!

Monday, November 13, 2006

The (un)fair gender divide


It is strange how when a woman is trying to carry out her assigned role(s) of responsibility she is straightaway termed an "iron woman," "ruthless, "wearing the pants in her house," "a cold-hearted, ambitious b****," or plain "bossy."
On the flip side, even when a man is being out and out peremptory and Hector-like, he is considered a leader au naturel, and said to be performing his responsibility responsibly.
It's so goddamned partisan.
A woman who is speeding in the corporate race, is automatically character-assassinated if she meets people over a friendly bottle of scotch(Pssst-you know what? I saw that floozie guzzling two straight pegs on the rocks with that Chairman. I bet she's up to no good. Giggle. Smirk. Wink Wink). Even a harmless coffee does more harm than good to her. A beer-bellied man on the other hand, downing pints as if there's no tomorrow - Oh - he's just gathering some useful,top-notch business info. The scotch just comes in handy to loosen him up. After all, he's had a rough day, poor chap. He deserves his Budweiser. He's earned it, damn you!
A woman who is open about her life / relationship / views is a hussy, who doesn't know the virtues of keeping her trap shut; a man who does so, is obviously a candid and transparent man. God bless the honest soul!
A woman who cannot(or won't) cook, is termed unnatural, unwomanly, and too hoity-toity. I mean, isn't cooking synonymous with all womankind, right? Now I agree, that cooking is a survival trait-almost like driving and swimming, but hey, if someone doesn't cook doesn't make her less of a woman. Or does it? In the same breath, a man who cooks(or at least tries to put the cheese, bread, butter, and ketchup together) is one whiz-kid, and whatever he whips up to eat, is nothing short of a culinary delight. And no woman who eats his gourmet offering, better forget that in a hurry(Burp).
If a woman has slapped someone, she is made out to be a screeching cat with red-drawn-out-talons, a battle-axe who is too big for her own boots; if a man is involved in a fisticuff, he is after all a man, one of the boys, showing his dash for derring-do. And probably, who knows, maybe the buggers deserved this male (it's always masculine) specimen of daring, to show them who's the man in control. Biff! Thud! Smack! (Swooning women abound naturally at this heroic display of courage).
A woman who abuses is obviously the worst kind possible. Who knows what other foul things she may be up to (shudder)? After all, aren't all women supposed to be these giggling, tittering, eyelashes-fluttering, quiet(better still, silent), dainty, paragons of beauty? A man, on the other hand, who constantly peppers his language with colorful vocabulary , is just speaking his mind. And giving vent to some justified anger / just letting off steam.
It's all so convenient being a man. No wonder, they call it a man's world.
Do you think it's fair?
Are you shaking your head in dissent or nodding your approval?

Friday, November 10, 2006

Uve gt a nw msg


For Britney Spears it was hitting the right buttons this time. For Kevin-trumpet-blowing-Federline though, the world must crashed.
The bloke who danced his way into Britney’s heart, must have been speared, when his wife of 2 years, texted a message to him, intimating him about their divorce.
The guy must be shattered and must be shedding tears in what was once his heaven. After all, what can be more humiliating than being dumped (unceremoniously), and that too when he was savoring his 15 minutes of fame on a reality show.
His rosy life just turned thorny.
And then they tell me that messaging ain’t all that popular. Ha!
Quite a few people are fairly amazed by the speed by which I can think, compose, and shoot a text message (ting—there, I just got another delivery-report for my last message).
Aha—that person just replied—I do appreciate people who are prompt in replying.
Many are bemused how I am surgically-inseparable from my cell phone (which is a must for me everywhere, except maybe when I am performing my daily ablutions, and other trips to the washroom).
Some find it eerie how I can manage to write a text message, without even having to look at my tiny key pad.
Let me add though that I am not alone in this method of communicating and keeping in constant touch with those I want to; my love for messaging is shared by some friends, prominently two—one with whom I spend many an evening shooting one message after another in quick succession; the other another good friend (but who hasn’t been able to message quite as often, cos’ she's getting nursed back to health after a vicious jaundice attack). Hope she gets well soon.
Texting sure makes me get through the maniacal days.
I frequently cast looks at my dear cell, if it hasn’t vibrated in the previous half-hour, but if it is some chain-forward, all it gets from me is a well-practiced, “Hmphh.”
Some of my friends are of the firm opinion that cells are for talking, and they’d rather call than message.
For me, their words are nothing short of blasphemy.
I mean, I swear by messaging.
How else would you see through the day—office, home, commuting—were it not for those messages-making plans for shopping, movies, coffee-dates, impromptu dinner plans, keeeping in touch with loved ones, all in the twinkling of an eye?
My days begin and end with messages.
And I'm not complaining-not one bit.
Mnwhle, u hve a grt wknd. Njoi. Cu arnd.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

No one can eat just one


Though you may be indifferent to shapes, there is one hot triangle that will make you salivate, cause your tummy to rumble, itch you to reach out for more.
Finger-licking mint / tamarind (or both) chutneys are strictly optional.
Salsa dips and Heinz ketchup bottles: sorry guys, go take a hike!
Wondering what I'm talking about?
Before you scratch your head and pucker up your lips, deep in thought, let me introduce to you, ladies and gentlemen, the lip-smacking) SAMOSA!
This humble, triangle-pastry shell comes in various fillings—potatoes, chick peas, onions, meat, fish—you name it.
Though I would like to think that they originated here, I came to know that Persia beat us to it.
Though I can happily gloat that we Indians, known to be gastronomes (burp), beat the Persians hollow, in consuming this spicy snack.
With winters knocking at our doors, and the depressing-rains not far behind, one consolation that I keep reminding myself is that I can bundle myself in a warm-quilt, toes sticking out(I get claustrophobic), newspaper in hand, a steaming cup of tea and piping-hot samosas giving me company (and solace) with the wind and rains lashing outside. Brrr.
The samosa, first mentioned in public records by Amir Khusro, as early as the 13th century, has come a long way indeed.
From street vendors and pushcarts hawking them, to every corner Aggarwal Sweets(why are they always located at corners?) frying them, to a Mughal emperor sleeping with them under his pillow, to all kinds of people going munch-munch-munch, samosas have sold like hot cakes literally over the years.
Ok ok – I bet you are wondering which Emperor was so attached to samosas that he would place them beneath his pillow? That bloke was Humayun. I bet he woke up with a rumbling tummy, and a soggy, smelly pillow every morning.
There are people who sing “Samosa” to the tune of the famous song by The Champs—“Tequila.”
Their popularity is also evident overseas. Known by different names—empanadas, calzones, pasties, knishes, and sambusacs, only the names are different. And they are lapped up by people of all ages.
By the way they are often a way of becoming popular with friends—just walk across to the nearest sweet-seller, get some fresh-just-out-of-the karahi samosas, and arrive at your friend’s winter BYOB gathering.
I’m guessing you’ll receive quite a few friendly smiles, and hell knows, maybe some more invites….

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The Case of the Blind (and Bribable) "Bar"


Just as I was rejoicing that Santosh Kumar Singh had been awarded a just death penalty by the city’s High Court, another piece of news reached my ears, and shook my wobbly faith in our country’s judicial system.
One of our country’s foremost liars, oops lawyers, in the glare of publicity for defending a certain former minister’s errant son, who is alleged to have shot dead a model at a watering hole for refusing him intoxicating liquid, has come up with a startling claim.
According to him, a Sikh shot dead the model that fateful night at a "designer" watering hole, and not the ex-politico’s son. He states that he would be revealing the identity of this Sikh.
With this revelation, this 7-year long case, with its hostile and/or tight-lipped witnesses, just got another twist.
The octogenarian lawyer, considered a role model by many lawyers, was in the line of fire when he first stated his intentions of becoming the defense counsel for the accused. Now he is right in the middle of a flaming controversy.
Let’s wait and watch what other lies crop up in this long disputed case.
Or is it going to be another well-heeled cold-blooded murderer giggling his way out.
I hope not.
I also want to see what the President decides as Mohammad Afzal’s fate.
Will it be amnesty or a noose?

Some guys give music a bad name


A fortnight back, a couple of friends asked me if I was interested in attending the 4-day MoonDust Festival, a trance extravaganza, to be held in the sprawling Paliwal farmhouse near Ramgarh sanctuary(35 ms from Jaipur).
Camps, psytrance, renowned DJs, eateries, music-workshops—it sounded like a dream rave party.
Though I was sorely tempted to, I couldn’t afford to miss office (having just come back from a 10-day visit), and had to turn down the idea. My friends too decided not to go.
Wise move, I should say, since the musical jamboree we wanted to attend, had to be called off on the third day itself, following allegations of the party-boppers’ unrestrained abuse of alcohol, dope, and indulging in unmentionable activities.
You would think that a 10k-as-entry-fee-charging party would be a music lover’s paradise, far from the maddening scene it turned out to be. However that was not to be, I guess.
The 3000+ crowd, comprising many foreign tourists, were in for a rude shock, when on Monday early morning, some officials swooped down on their Woodstock-ian festival, ending all the (Ahem) “festivities.”
In the end, the Festival, which had an impressive line-up of both international and national psytrance artistes, and was the first of its kind in India, had to ultimately close dismally.
In yet another shameful incident, Iron Maiden's former vocalist, Paul Di'Anno, peppered a performance in Shillong, with a lot of colorful language, cussing, and liberal showing of his middle finger. Shocked and outraged fans, who had gathered for the much-awaited performance on Sunday, November 5, 2006, flung bottles and stones on to the stage, and left in a hurry. The police had to be called.
I must say I was pretty disappointed with the Iron Maiden ex-frontman, who happened to be a personal favorite, and who acted pretty much like a "Beast."
Why do some people have to give music a bad name?
Bah.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

A Reunion after 70 years


Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler’s Lebensborn (Front of Life, in German) program, created in 1935, was in the news this weekend. The program, likened to a stud farm, had the Nazis nurture thousands of children with apparently Aryan qualities, in order to breed a perfect master race for a future Nazi empire.
While millions of Jews were slaughtered, close to 8,000 children each in Germany and Norway were given to families of SS (Schutzstaffel) members to be raised for this Nazi racial experiment. Poland, Netherlands, Denmark, and some other countries in Eastern Europe were also a part of this shameful program. Mothers and fathers had to prove their Aryan qualities, absence of mental or any genetic illnesses, in order for their children to be adopted by the elite SS members. Unwed pregnant women were targeted primarily; conservative times forced many to give-up their children for adoption.
These children, most of who were ripped away from their parents, found themselves ostracized and reviled after the War. Once called Nordic-supermen, they were considered offspring of tainted parents from nights in bordellos, and condemned to suffer in silence.
After decades of ignominy, 60 of these so-called “war-children,” most of them in their sixties, gathered publicly in Wernigerode, East Germany, on November 4, 2006. They have courageously stepped forward to trace their roots, dispel myths, demand that the truth be unaltered, and break one of the last taboos about the Adolf Hitler era.
It waits to be seen whether they will be welcomed with open arms, or pelted with stones.

Monday, November 06, 2006

A "Deathly" Passion


What do Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King have in common?
Besides being American authors whose stories send shivers down your spine, they had another similar hobby—that of visiting cemeteries.(Stephen king still does)
Heck, they’ve even given a name to this macabre hobby—cemetery (or tombstone) tourism.
Seems like France’s Père Lachaise Cemetery, considered the most-visited cemetery in the world, has competition.
Our country too, has also woken up to this new form of tourism.
With 2007 marking the 150th year of the First War of Indian Independence or Revolt of 1857, premium tours are booked in advance by people who are interested in visiting the “mutiny route,” starting from Meerut, the place where the two-year mutiny started.
Long considered to be a morbid hobby, and an aphrodisiac for necrophilia, cemetery tourism looks all set to draw people, who are willing to spend a few thousands to visit, photograph, and observe graves, mausoleums, tombs, cemeteries, headstones, and crypts.
Sort of creeps you out, doesn’t it?

Friday, November 03, 2006

In a Lighter Vein


If you see your favorite comedian’s face peeping out from your preferred news channel, don’t be surprised.
Chances are, the news channel in question has roped in the “funny” face to tickle your funny bone, with politics as its base.
Indian television has seen a spate of political-based satirical shows. I guess the trend started in the footsteps of “The Daily Show,” Comedy Central’s award-winning satirical news television program.
So now we have quite a few shows that present a tongue-in-cheek look at our political scenario, and the games that Indian politicos play. Think NDTV India's Gustaakhi Maaf, NDTV 24x7's Double Take, Aaj Tak's JBC (Javed Broadcasting Corporation) with Jaaved Jaffrey, Zee News' Khabar Tadka – Chunaav Ki Bhatti Se with comedian Jaspal Bhatti, Star News' Poll Khol with Shekhar Suman, and the newest entrant on the bandwagon – IBN's The Week That Wasn’t with Cyrus Broacha.
These quirky spoofs can be called the equivalent of editorial or pocket cartoons in newspapers, akin to’You Said It’, by Laxman.
Guaranteed to make you and me, the audience smile, I bet the politicians aren’t smiling though.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Make-A-Wish Foundation


The Indian chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, committed to granting wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions, made Hyderabad-based, 8 year old Mahak Kothari’s wish of becoming a policeman true.
The Hyderabad police chipped in to bring a smile to the terminally-ill Mahak, providing him with a crisp uniform, brown boots, a police cap, epaulets, and a baton to wield.
His smile must have brightened the entire police station.
The kid also popped a question to a thief about his errant ways, and swore to wipe-out crime from the nation.
At a time when most so called non-profit Organizations are bleeding their patrons dry, reading about the Make-A-Wish Foundation warms your heart.
Like it warmed mine yesterday.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Do you wanna go under the knife?


Have just begun reading, “Confessions of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon.”
Written by renowned plastic surgeon, Cap Lesesne, the book offers an insight into the inadequacies that we see in our bodies, and our obsession with looking youthful, lean, and chiseled.
The race for physical perfection is not limited, as one might think, to those in the so-called glamorous professions of showbiz, media, fashion, etc.
Just like you may have a model, stopping by to get that last minute liposuction before her center-page shoot in an international glossy, there could also be others—a girl who wants a rhinoplasty to a perfectly fine nose, a business magnate willing to spend any amount to get botox injections to his forehead, a woman in her late thirties who wants changes to her ahem! twin assets…the list is endless.
The book is anything but like a typical narrative of Nip/Tuck, the hugely popular US show about two unscrupulous plastic surgeons.
A fantastic read for anyone who is toying with the idea of cosmetic surgery or going under the knife.
Ohh, and it also keeps you guessing which Hollywood celebs have got some enhancement, reduction, or "touching-up!"

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Go Cast a Spell


Take out that black gown and cape, mascara, kohl, and red lipper(Broom optional).
It's Halloween!
This Celtic observation has, in recent years, caught on in our country too.
Halloween parties are all the rage, what with children (and their parents) spending lavishly on costumes that make you jump out of your skin.
Leading shops in Khan Market and Gurgaon offer costumes on rent too(so you needn't spend a small fortune to go dressed as that particularly spooky vampire, zombie, ghoul, goblin, or witch).
The foodies needn't be disappointed - there are loads of candies, pumpkin pies, treacle tarts, and bonfire toffees to choose from - all available easily at your regular confectionery shop(But with today being the second day of the three-day Delhi bandh, I'm not all that sure. Why didn't you stock up before, silly?)
And hey, that big turnip and pumpkin has nother use too - go carve it into a scary face, and light a candle inside(you might want to take help from a sibling / friend here - twice the fun, half the effort).
Happy scaring.