What the fuss about GDP?

A few Quick GDP thoughts:

#Why we are obsessed with the GDP number, but not bothered how - our Wasteful Petrol Imports,

Obsessive Gold Imports and decline in exports due to global slowdown - impact this number!!?

#Is the powerful 'Private Industry/Business Lobby' trying to extract Tax Benefits from Govt.

by paying for the Artificial Bad News and painting the economic gloom all over?..

#Govt. Spending - A major contributor to GDP, has only Incrased in all these years. Government

surely is doing it's bit!

#What is private sector's contribution? A bankrupt airline?.. A formula one Race Track?

Obsessive Profiteering and amassing private wealth?..

#Why Media never talks about the approach used at deriving the GDP and the alternate

approaches available for GDP calculations?

#I don't even know if the GDP numbers that Media talks are calculated using Production, Income Or Expenditure Approach.

#Why is 'GNP' not talked about?

For more information about GDP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product

Check this out!! Purchasing Power Parity:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/GDP_PPP_.pdf

# Points to Note:

Non-market transactions–GDP excludes activities that are not provided through the market, such as household production and volunteer or unpaid services. As a result, GDP is understated.

Underground economy–Official GDP estimates may not take into account the underground economy, in which transactions contributing to production, such as illegal trade and tax-avoiding activities, are unreported, causing GDP to be underestimated.

Asset Value–GDP does not take into account the value of all assets in an economy. This is akin to ignoring a company's balance sheet, and judging it solely on the basis of its income statement.

The Original Bollywood Reformist!

A random thought lead me to draw parallels between the Original Bollywood Reformist Manoj Kumar and Today's Reformists Aamir Khan, Abhay Deol & Few others.

Just like Aamir Khan's film 'RDB' inspired many a youth to talk about politics and the state of law & order in the country (Jessica Candle Marche, IAC Movement etc.), two of Manoj Kumar's earliest films happened around the time of JP Movement. Yaadgaar & Upkaar both the films talked about reforms rather than patriotism, however Media manipulated and propagated both these as patriotic dramas.

Yaadgaar is a Lesser known film & the one liner description that I read somewhere sums it all up - An honest and patriotic young man learns that politicians, and the wealthy, are not.

Yaadgaar talked not just about the depletion in the quality of leadership but also about Global Warming, Nuclear Bombs & of course Family planning the hottest topic of the times!

Upkar(1967): The Farmer, The Soldier & the Urban India in the 60s

This film released in the 1960s was a great Metaphor for the lives that - The Farmer, The Soldier and the Urban India lived during the time. However, most people preferred to propogate it as 'Patriotic' - thus failing to understand the nuances of the film and ignoring the real message which was not Plastic Patriotism at all.

Interestingly the Director & Scriptwriter Manoj Kumar chose to have the Foreign Returned Indian as the chief negative character in the film, ofcourse he would have been a lot apprehensive to directly comment on the Urban Classes, since Urban India was the only audience for Hindi Films. The story talks about a Farmer who opts to join Army after the war breaks out and when he returns he finds that his Urban Brother and Uncle instead had chosen to make the best out of the War by blackmarketing etc.

This film, along with another one of Manoj Kumar's lesser known gems "Yaadgaar".. have hints about the state of politics and moral degradation that was happening around that time. 'Yaadgaar' talked about corrupt politicians and businessmen and that was year 1970, it seems nothing changed since then and it only got worst. So pathetic has been the politics ever since that we are now seeing a spurt of movements and incidents of unrest everywhere in India.

To be contd.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upkar

For a Better Governance, a Better Democracy

A democracy can work if every citizen posesses a perfect information.

Here are few of the tools that I would like to share, which I believe if everyone starts using - this democracy will move from being a group of several anarches headed by MPs to a real democracy:

# Know your MLAs and MPs, and communicate with them:
http://www.mpmla.in/

This website is an unbiased effort to facilitate communication between people and their respective MPs/MLAs in India. The people can put across their grievance/appreciation to their MP/MLA and the MP/MLA can choose to respond and address the issue. We hold no bias and no political affiliation what so ever.

#Information about the Educational qualifications, Assets/Liabilities, Criminal Cases for MPs in LS & RS:
http://myneta.info/

This is basically digitized data from affidavits submitted by candidates in Parliamentary and State Assembly elections.

#http://adrindia.org/About-Us/Content/about-adr.html

Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) was established in August 1999 by a group of Professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. It started working on building fair and transparent electoral and political processes in the country by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in August 1999 in the Delhi High Court asking for mandatory disclosure of criminal, financial and educational background of candidates contesting elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures, prior to the polls. In November 2000, ADR got its first achievement when the Delhi High Court gave its judgment in favor of ADR.

# Election Results, Candidate lists, Cabinet of Ministers List, Information on General & Assembly Elections:

http://www.indian-elections.com/

Bol.. (Speak Out)

Bol, meaning Speak Out.. express yourself.. don't be silent. And, that's what this film is all about.

I have not seen anything like this before, anything! It's brave, intelligent and progressive Cinema with contemporary make believe treatment. The subject is bold and intense, and not everyone is going to like everything about this film.

#What I did not like is the acting in the opening sequence, the opening sequence required flawless, very mature acting but it looked far from convincing, however from thereon the film grows on you and you forget about the not so good acting by the actress in first sequence.

# One of the many things that I liked about the film is the way the director puts into the *right perspective* some of the Old World Wisdom. The lead actress keeps on correcting her father by putting the old world wisdom quotes into correct perspective, whenever her father tries to escape a difficult situation in life by quoting those. One of the exaple is "Nothing happens without the will of the God", which is so often mis-used to justify wrong doings. You have to see the film to find out how the Father uses this wisomd quote to escape difficult situations in life and how his daughter trieds to put some sense in him by putting things in correct perspective.

#Also, it was intelligent to not make the film an out an out weepie stuff and eye some awards. The film is witty and humourous in places, though it's humour only for the audience and not for the characters. But, one just can not help laughing at the misery of the characters - mostly sarcasm, but it comes as a good relief. One of the great comic moments is when one of the daughter (Pakistani Family) prays for Tendulkar's century and her father gets to know about it.

#Although the film is based in Pakistan and talks about the family that moved from Lucknow to Lahore, the film's wisdom holds good for all the conservative and poor families that live in this continent, the rural India and Pakistan.

#The film ends at a rather positive note by showing how the family prospers when all the women of the family start working and earning. It shows a ray of hope and it's a good contrast made by the director to convey his point.

#There's a question that the protagonist asks at the end of the film. However, more important is the question that will this movie be watched by the people who matter? The people who are sought to be changed.. the vast majority of rual India and Pakistan? The multiplex audience will throng to catch a glimpse, no doubt.

Some Text from reviews:
"After Khuda Ke Liye, Bol is Shoaib Mansoor`s second dramatic breakthrough of revealing life with its complexities. The web of relationships within a family that barely makes ends meet. On top of the poverty, the father subscribes to a set of values many would relate to…values that we inherit and tightly hold on to, values that embody contradictions, and values that have not been questioned." - Book My Show

"It is strident, melodramatic and unmistakably out for the jugular. But in the end, it drives home its point in a manner that is compelling enough for all the effort not to be dismissed as much ado about nothing.

Mansoor sets the tone and tenor at the very outset. A young Lahore woman, having defiantly refrained from defending herself in court, is sentenced to death. The President of Pakistan summarily rejects her mercy plea. The convict is, however, granted a last wish: she is allowed to tell her side of the story to the media before she is led to the gallows." - - NDTV Movies

"The story focuses on Zainab, a daughter who always feels compelled by her logical reasoning and sense of justice to challenge the values her father holds dear. It’s an emotional film, which looks at some serious issues through the experiences of its characters.

The real two stars of the film were Zainab (Humaima Malick) and her father Hakim Saab (Manzar Sehbai). A particular mention of the father, as he chronicled the emotions of a religiously timid character, to regressively patriarchal father and finally a menacing and hypocritical tyrant, convincingly and whilst making you loath him throughout the film." - Bollyspice/Indiatimes

Youtube video of the Making of Bol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdA_lzDyR2s

India's Dirty Belly.. Delhi!!

Delhi Belly! The film has nothing to do with Delhi, however Delhi can be taken as a Metaphor for the entire country & the film is a sarcastic take on many things that we have learnt to believe as part of life in this country. Be it the dangling electricity wires, poor housing, shabby living standards or the superficiality of our metropolitan cities.

I am not a film critic by profession but I do carry opinions and I do like things, hate things, dispise things and appreciate the ones that deserve. This film is something that I have loved watching every bit, and there are very few others that I can put in this category.

No it's not the greatest story ever told on Indian cinema screens but it's a revolution none the less. With a simple story in the foreground, It mostly deals in the metaphors. I have seen it as an expression to the deep-covered up-Indian-youth's-frustration, I see it as a satire on India's Metropolitan life. I see it as a satire on the *India Shining * campaigns, a nightmare sold in the disguise of a Dream.

It tells you a simple story of 3 young boys who bump in to a criminal-gang & what happens from there on is a funny roller-coster ride. However, that's the story on the face of it. The treatment and the script leaves an intelligent cinema-goer to ponder over the subtle-messages that are thrown around by the scriptwriter in the form of localities where the film is set, the characters and the sub-plots. The dark humour would be missed by those who would take it on it's face value.

The three male protagonists who are seemingly from good families but are living in filthy conditions is probably a take on the state of education & employment in India and housing in metropolitan cities. The female protagonists appear to be the caricatures of those materialistic metropolitan females in India who carry a frivoluous understanding of the word 'Freedom' & 'Love'? The middle-class neighborhood is a satire on the double-standards of our society. The slum like dwellings of the protagonists talks about the state of living-standards in Indian metros.

For a good professional review, I would recommend the below link:

http://entertainment.in.msn.com/bollywood/reviews/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5252646

I would call it *A Great Indian Kitsch - Part2, Part 1 being Peepli Live* and would love to have more of such dark-homoured cinema. As a film that entertains, I would recommend it to all adults and it's not to be missed!

Aravali Hills Nature walk...

Rainy Sunday morning forced me to get out of bed a little early and drive towards the Aravali hills.. to heard the birds chirping, peacocks shouting..

Sharp Shooting Granny

This is one Women's day story that I loved reading.

Can India do it the Hong Kong way?

There was much worse corruption in Hong Kong in 1970s. Lakhs of people came on the streets.The government had to set up an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which was given complete powers. In the first instance, ICAC sacked 119 out of 180 police officers. This sent a strong message to the bureaucracy that corruption would not be tolerated. Today, Hong Kong has one of the most honest governance machinery. Can India do this?

The countries from Asia which are faring well on Transparency/Low-Corruption ratings Singapore & Hongkong, both have Laws which were passed under the British Rule:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrupt_Practices_Investigation_Bureau

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (Abbreviation: CPIB; Chinese: 贪污调查局; Malay: Biro Siasatan Pencegahan Rasuah) is a government agency in Singapore which investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors. It was established by the British colonial government in 1952.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Commission_Against_Corruption_(Hong_Kong)

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC; Chinese: 廉政公署; and 總督特派廉政專員公署 before 1997) of Hong Kong was established by Governor Murray MacLehose on 15 February 1974, when Hong Kong was under British rule. Its main aim was to clean up endemic corruption in the many departments of the Hong Kong Government through law enforcement, prevention and community education.

Transparency (Low-Corruption) Rating:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

They miss this freedom that's why they 'Love' this country?

Here's one reason why Many living away from this 'Banana Democracy' still 'LOVE' it. The amount of freedom that you enjoy even after committing horrific of the crimes can not be enjoyed anywhere else in the world.

Anyone interested in holding a 'Candle Light' march to get this girl punished?

Here's a link to the Story: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/PUBLICATIONS/HT/HC/2010/08/19/ArticleHtmls/Hit-and-run-Girl-surrenders-19082010161005.shtml?Mode=1

The Cook

This brave teacher from Lucknow had to quit her Teaching job to go for a Reality-Cookery Show.

In her own words,“I’d been teaching school children for 16 years. When it came to taking part in the show, my principal asked me to choose between my job and the show. I took the risk and quit my job. Now I have no regrets.”

The newly-crowned Master Chef has not yet decided on what she wants to do with the prize money, but says, “I am just feeling happy looking at my bank balance!”

She's one Real Achiever amongst many women.

Yamla Pagla Deewana!! Sarcastic takes on Punjabi NRI Fad & Rural Punjab

I had never thought I would watch this flick which sounded so crass from it's name itself. Though I have always been a fan of Dharam Ji & Sunny, I have given a skip to many of their bollywood massalas.

Surprisingly I am writing something about it. Well, I found it ridiculous overall but intelligently sarcastic in many places.

The sarcasm starts with the very beginning, you see an NRI Sikh who is apparently a lot religious as compared with the crook father & brother who are living in India. A paradox so correctly portrayed, though many may just miss it in the overall madness of this stupid comedy.

The political scene depicted in the film clearly shows that the scriptwriter understands Punjab really well, the core of Punjab to date remains illiterate and dominated by money-rich, power-hungry politicians who have no idea how a modern state needs to be given shape.

Certain characters like 'Bholi' represent the average Punjabi girl who is dreaming of marrying an NRI ever since she's been born.

The end is a Rip off from the Classic 'Andaz Apna Apna' with a Punjabi Bend. Overall a fair one time watch if you ignore the tiring length and a few boring scenes in between the Hilarious jokes & sarcastic takes.

After watching the film I did feel like having a conversation with the scriptwriter & finding out if the sarcasm that I felt was intended indeed?

Association For Democratic Reforms: Choose your leaders carefully

Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) was established in August 1999 by a group of Professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad.

It started working on building fair and transparent electoral and political processes in the country by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in August 1999 in the Delhi High Court asking for mandatory disclosure of criminal, financial and educational background of candidates contesting elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures, prior to the polls.

To know more about ADR visit their website: http://adrindia.org/

Their website www.myneta.info provides the details of all candidates filing nominations for elections in any state in India.

Next time you Vote, do this with Full Knowledge.

The Garbage Tourism?..

Well, I just can not help avoid writing something about this. It's so Ironical that Most Indian Cities that are favorite Tourist Hangouts - are the Dirtiest! Be it Jaipur, Varanasi or even Delhi..

And, it makes me believe the Govt. (or say the Municipal Corporations of different Indian Cities) are deliberately keeping the cities 'Dirty'.. Probably they believe Most Tourists come to see this only. Well, if you Morons keep the cities clean they will click pictures of Forts & Monuments only and not the Garbage, Donkeys & Cows on the roads!..

I simply can not believe that the Garbage that I see the Municipal corporations of these cities don't see it! Are they blind? Are they so short of money that they can not have 'Dust Bins' placed at all those locations where in Garbage keeps collecting every day? Well, I do not think they are short of money - if they were, they would not be installing Grills on the roads & replacing them every now and then without any reason. Well the only reason could be that - they have their cut on every such contract.

So it all leaves me with the conclusion that - Indian Govt. believes that - Garbage, donkeys, Pigs & cows on the roads' is what attracts they Foreign Tourists. So they do their best to not clean it!

Ironical

This one little incident, like many other little ones got me thinking as well. Life is so much about perceptions than anything else - and if you can fight your adverse perceptions and manage to dream beautifully life can be an amazing journey.

Here's the little funny incident that got my imagination running:

The best looking couple at the Dulles airport(Washington DC).. were Brother & Sister! and that gorgeous blond was not American.. she was an Israeli.. and of all the things in the world, she liked 'Baingan ka bharta' (mashed roasted eggplant!?).

She possessed good sense of humor was evident when she talked, as the fact that she was extremely sensitive - and that was something so much against my perception. And before I had talked to her, I was pretty sure she would be anything but what she turned out to be. She was able to mold a conversation in to something funny and interesting which otherwise would have ended up in to being something racial. She was able to take the conversation to a point wherein everyone around forgot the fear of the shaky-flight and actually got interested in to what we were talking. It helped everyone (and my new Friend - Gaurav, probably benefited the most) since that weather-marred flight in that kite like little aircraft was turning out to be the nightmare of my life.

You know, you are bound to imagine things when a gorgeous looking blond - instead of looking in to the eyes of hunk sitting next to him - is looking all scattered. But well, if you can perceive better things if only you give yourself a chance. I so wanted to talk to this girl, and when we finally broke in to a conversation - all I was thinking was, this girl is a hell of a woman. A keen listener and she sounded like appreciative of most things around. She was not just a Blond!

And, I must thank Gaurav for initiating that conversation - out of his shaky-flight-phobiac uttering!

Jaipur, How to go about site seeing.. (My Expert Advice)

My foremost advice is not to get in to the Auto-Rickshaw-Site seeing Trap! Just avoid it. My second advice is that if you are an Avid photographer, spend at least 2-3 days there. The three forts Amer, Jaigarh & Nahargarh are worth a day and half between them. As a photographer do not hush your journey upwards towards the top of the hill and do not be eager to see the palace. Instead, walk slowly and explore the view and enjoy it.

To explore the City, you must walk around - and to do that you should map out your walking path. If you go by car, I would suggest parking your car near the Albert Hall museum and walk towards the Pink City. If you are going to use public transport, get an Auto from outside your hotel and ask him to drop you at Albert hall museum. Do not listen to Autowala if they ask you to visit any handloom/handicraft shops, if you do that you will be wasting your precious time. You can buy that stuff from anywhere in Jaipur anyways.

Once at the Albert hall museum, you may want to check the stuff in museum if you are a first-time. I don't find it exciting anymore. I would rather start my walk towards the Pink City, City Palace & Hawa Mahal etc. straight away.

Gurgaon - the Migrant town & My other theories

Gurgaon is a Mess today, and that might just be an understatement. The Government dis-owned it for over a decade, handed it over to the private builders. And what the greedy private builders have done to the city is no breaking-news. Adding more misery to this, are the hordes of Migrants from other cities - who show no ownership towards this place, no sense of attachment. I am one of them, lived most part of my life in better organized Faridabad. However, I have learnt to be faithful to even the places that I visit and therefore I am a lot more faithful to this city though I have lived the shortest part of my life here.

Over the last Decade and a half, most of the residential and commercial spaces have been developed by the private builders. But have they done any better than the HUDA? The answer is a clear NO! In fact because of their profiteering motives, they have ended up cramping the living spaces. The city meant for not more than 5 Lakh population, is now shelter to almost 25 Lakhs and still growing.

What adds more misery to the already pathetic situation is the fact that more than half of the population is Migrant and comes from various cities of Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, other states and Delhi. Since this population does not belong to Gurgaon and Gurgaon is just a short term plan in their life-span, they hardly bother to raise issues. Once this large chunk of population starts showing ownership to this city, they will probably start looking at things other than the Malls and Pubs.

The mess of Gurgaon is a collaborative achievment, a great private-public effort! The private builders ensured that they carve out maximum possible 'Inventory' out of the available land and leave no open green spaces to let the inhabitants breathe fresh air. The public departments, so far governed by the people with rural mindsets and regressive mindset - ensured that they take not notice of the haphazard development. Happy that the private-babus were gifting them their share of the booty, they did not notice that the entire town was being developed without approved building plans and without sewerage lines.

Off late, the mess has finally forced the hitherto happy-go-lucky Mall-mongers to think what actually they have got themselves into. Yes, so far it's a mess.

To be contd.

Social Networking

A facebook page for Gurgaon Traffic police, Delhi Traffic Police and Municipal Corporation of Delhi too has now joined in. I have never seen a better phase or face of social networking.

Everyday Tens of users are posting pictures of vehicles violating traffic norms and the administrators of the fb page (officers of Delhi Traffic Police) diligently look in to these photographic complaints and penalize the erring culprits.

Following a cue from Delhi Traffic Police, Gurgaon Traffic Police too has come up with a facebook page that is being used to prosecute the erring drivers on the Gurgaon roads. A young man laced with a diploma in cyber crime is managing the show. The page is really helpful and has lot of information about the traffic rules and the changes required to make the traffic smoother.

MCD - Municipal corporation of Delhi is the latest to join this bandwagon and people are pouring in with their suggestions.

I have always been a believer of the thought that 'Talking' is the only way you can end of 'doing' things. Once you talk about problems you can expect solutions, when you never talk about a problem and start living with it - you can never ever have a solution.

I can see that a change is ushering in... 2011 can be the year of cyber-resurrection of the falling and failing systems.

Once Upon a Time.. In Mumbai

I was on a bollywood trip this month. Aisha, Peepli live, Lafangey Parindey, Once upon a time in Mumbai.. It was quite a bollywood feast. And the flick with Conscientious Criminal (Devgan), Steel Strong Cop (Hooda), Confused Youngster (Hashmi), witty dialogues and sensational background score.. wins hands down.

Yeah Once upon a time in Mumbai!!! was the entertainment of the month. With all the ingredients in the right quantity - The Criminals, Cops, Youth, Poverty, Slums, Bollywood Molls, Good Music, Witty dialogues and enthralling background score. Go for it..!!

The three actors playing the 3 protagonists fit so well in their characters, it's a sheer delight. I have never been so glued to a movie for a long time, and the thrilling background music surely helps.

The dialogues so witty, I have not heard anything like these in years. Be it Ajay Devgan, Imran Hashmi or Randeep Hooda - the three of them have got a good share of crisp dialogues and have delivered them well. In fact Randeep Hooda impressed for the first time... For record purposes, I remember Milan Luthra's first flick - Kachey Dhaagey, it was superb on the run film. He has not disappointed with this one.

However, seeing the character that Ajay Devgan plays in this film - I wonder if the Dons can be ethical, what stops the corporates from fulfilling their Social Responsibility?

CWG incites thoughts..

A random FB message regardign the CWG spend initiated this discussion on development..

Somebody Posted: "I will start forgery in my tax files onwards, if govt. will not stop spendin ma tax money in stupid games. Govt wasting nearly 60,000 Cr on CWG'10 in India where 42Cr ppls dont evng get two times bred butter properly .. What shame.."

Me - That's so right said friend.. but events like CWG also creates Job Opportunities and makes economy go round... BUT the PROBLEM is few corrupt contractors.. they need to be PUNISHED. You & I need not stop paying taxes... else this city becomes a bigger mess..

Me - You know what, a frail guy from Orissa who I had interviewed few months back.. had rattled me with his answer, when I had asked "what's wrong with your Govt.?".. He answered - it's not the Govt., it's us - the people of Orissa who are not m...oving towards the right direction of growth. So I would say, while people like you, I and few others .. talk about things that matter for development.. there are several thousands who don't even want to talk.. and There are very few who selflessly do..

The bottom line is - promote the right thoughts & slowly work in the right direction.. we might just achieve what we dream.. Promote, Promote, Promote.. the Right Thought. If we do that, the develoment Ideas will also start selling like Coca-Cola & the I-Phones..

Bottom line is.. our thoughts become our actions over a period of time. So, let's not stop thinking good and let's not stop talking good. As we do this & as we promote the ideas of growth and development - we will find buyers for the same and we will have many thinking and talking.. what needs to be.

On a Lighter Note - I think Aamir should donate all the Cost+ Collections to some cause... because nobody would have gone to cinemas for this movie if he had not produced it... but then I think he already had adopted a village during Lagan, so maybe it's time he buys a bunglow the size SRK has ;-) lol

Aisha.. Aka Emma!

Aisha is claimed by the film's producers to be inspired by the Jane Austen Classic Emma. Here's my little take on the film..

Ms. Kapoor (Sonam Kapoor - I struggled to recollect her name for hours & avoided going on goofle) excelled as a shallow delhite bimbo in Aisha. She was really good & played her character with seemingly a lot of conviction. And she was successful in making the character loveable and loathful at the same time. Abhay (Deol) played another lovable character in Aisha and adds another good performance to his already quite a remarkable list. When it's Abhay, you can trust the film to have a good script. Another plus for the movie is that most lead characters acted quite well. Overall, though the film was a good one time watch.. and quite enjoyable - the fallacy of the film is The Happy Ending & Trying find a match for all the key characters..!! In the end it all seemed like a FIXED MATCH.. and it looked like a typical bollywood. Infact the ending was quite artificial, while most of the film was relatively effervescent. Liked it but it did not turn out to be as effervescent as I had thought.

And the latest is that "...'Aisha' grosses Rs 260 mn over weekend":
http://entertainment.in.msn.com/bollywood/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4251160

Seabiscuit and the Discipline of the West/America..

This write up is all about - A dialogue from 'Seabiscuit' and my interpretation of the same & the ensuing dialogue between me & two of my friends.

Here's the Dialogue & my Interpretation:

"Red's Dad: There you go.
Red's Mom: You're not getting him a horse.
Red's Dad: Why not? He's great at it.
Mom: Because he's 16 years old.
Dad: So?
Mom: So... he should earn it."

I am not sure if this discipline is part of every family in America. But if it is, I would call it discipline only.. this is the discipline that makes Americans Independent.. I at no Cost would call it 'cold blood' like many do, because it's a part of Parenting wherein you are making your child understand the value of money & hardships in life.

And Americans, like many other developed nations exhibit this discipline in various walks of their life. That's why they are the 'Developed' nations.. they are disciplined enough to stick to the rules, goals and plans.

And below are the comments that followed:

Sheema K.H.: Americans are not cold ,they are very pragmatic in their approach to life. The most valuable lesson in a person's life can be that of financial independence.and they start teaching this very early to their children.

Bonny L.S.:Exactly.. I appreciate your apt understanding of their systems & values.. though these differ from person to person like anywhere else.. but basically they are more disciplined.. and imbibe the same in their off-springs.

Amit C.: I just know one thing....they show in the movies..what the society should be like.. ...not what it is. They long for those values which are certainly not there at present. If you see more of the American houses, they are junkyard for new ga...dgets and new machines..in retro! see the huge beeline for new gadgets ...they are not always earned by kids..but rather provided by parents.. America is not developed nation because they are disciplined ..but because they have to pay a high price if they are ill-disciplined. I am sure, if you have to pay that price you will 'whine and Rant" all Indians do.... And Talking about Financial Independence. 80% Americans live on Credits and that's what is important for agencies to be rating them..and that's how 'light-bridge" (Credit Monitoring Autonomous Agency) Guide their Credit Ratings..Americans doesn't teach financial independence to their kids.The US. National System takes care of it. I can only say that - Americans doesn't give values (Finance Independence)..to their kids..in those harsh conditions you have to earn it for your survival. The only last suggestion - "REMOVE COTTON BALLS FROM YOUR EYES".

Bonny L.S.: Well.. they say.. there are 3 sides to every story - your, mine & the Truth. While your opinion would hold good for few, mine holds good for few.. and it's up to us how we interpret our things. I agree partly with your opinion Amit.

Sheema K.H.: America's economic policies have been under a lot of flak especially after 2008 recession hit the market .U.S Government bails their companies and citizens out of debt and bankcruptcies becoz it CARES !!!
And i would still stick to the po...int that they teach their children economic independence ,very few r born with a silver spoon in their mouth in u.s.There are so many young successful entrepreneurs around here,making their mark becoz they were taught to take risks, be independent and create their own destiny.They dont grow up with a sense of entitlement like children in india do . And yes American society is a consumerist society but I think india is not that far behind in that area too.

The Change Maker - Aamir Khan, Peepli Live & More

Heard that Amol Palekar was upset with the kind of HYPE that Aamir Khan managed for his 'Peepli Live', I guess Amol needs to understand that if Aamir or he himself won't hype their good work.. then the 100 Crore Indians would only know about flicks like 'Om Shanti OM'. As a result of Amol Palekar not being able to generate enough hype for his good project, I don't even know it's name.

Wish people understand that this world is all about Marketing and the good products just like the bad ones need to be marketed. And if marketing can help generating curiosity and enthusiasm for a product - the real value of the product will help it carry on and sustain on its own.

While I say all that, I would also like to mention how greatly I respect Aamir Khan for being a Change Maker in Indian Cinema and thus the Indian Society too.

Aamir indeed is a 'Change Maker', from lambasting Media (Filmfare awards) for distributing 'Fixed' awards to Providing some of the Best Cinema to Indians so far.. he's on the Track and being LOVED by MEDIA as well.. Proves IF you are a MAN of your words, you will be respected by your detractors as well..

Peepli Live Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbHEH89zQCw&NR=1

Dispite his Sarcastic Take on Media, I am sure the Media is going to appreciate it. But they are selling on TV just what the Masses want probably...!!


Part2.
=======

Adding more after I have seen the film. One thing I would say at the outset is "Only Aamir could have done it".

There is nothing in the film that you don't know already. The contrast of 25% of Confused India Vs 75% of Poor India, In fact the developing India can be counted on fingers.. 4 Metros + 4 Other cities and rest is nowhere near developing.

The Stupid journos & TRP hungry TV Channels.. you know all that but what can you do about it? Stop Watching it!? Well, most people already don't. In fact I am back to newspapers ever since the 'Shouting Journalism' surfaced.

The END was probably 'the statement' - that the writer - wanted to make.. the Poor Farmer ends up as a Labour at one of construction sites.. where else.. but in Gurgaon!!!

The only thing new about Peepli Live is the Tremendous Publicity that Aamir has generated for such an offbeat stuff.. & it was a Courageous attempt by the stubborn actor who respects neither Indian Media nor their award functions but they still run
after him because He Sells.. and probably he touches their hearts.. and they actually want him to change the whole thing that they want to but can not!


I still remember when I went for first day first show of Lagaan about 10 years back.. the cinema was 75% empty.. and the collections picked up only by the coming week.. but then Aamir was not considered the 'genius' that he is now.. and Now he can have the audis full even for an offbeat flick like 'Peepli live' which he doesn't even act in and is only producing!!!.. Carry on the Change Maker.

On a lighter note - I think Aamir should donate all the Cost+ Collections to some 'cause' because nobody would have gone to cinemas for this movie if he had not produced it... but then I think he already had adopted a village during Lagan.. maybe it's time he buys a bunglow the size SRK has ;-) lol

Part 3
======
July 2011, Delhi Belly has hit the Indians. Some are loving it, some are loathing it. Some have been able to understand the camouflaged Dark-humour, some thought it was a stupd story of Smugglers & Young Boys.

I think it is a turn of the century Bold Bollywood Kitsch with dark-undertones that only somebody as intelligent & bold as Aamir Khan could make. Not everyone is going to like it, not everyone is going to understand it. There are going to be those simpletons who think things like these do not happen, or things like these should not be shown on screen for the sake for Morality. Well, guys you've been warned by the producer well in advance.

If Peepli Live was a Bold interpretation of the Rural Mess, Delhi Belly is a creative interpretation of the Urban Kitsch that many of the Indian Metros are with their confused Moral Ethos.

ATM Cards can't buy all good things in life..

ATM Cards can't buy all good things in life.. and today was one of those days!

The Day I did not have even 8 Rs in My Pocket to buy a BHUTTA from the roadside.. July 11, 2010 ... not even in d dashboard of my car.. not a single 10 Rs Note.. I searched everywhere.. how embarassing!!!!! I got to be careful.. and keep my mind in place.. n money too :) ATM cards certainly don't work for all Good Things in Life.. I surely realize.

Fools Rush In.. Where Angels fear to tread..

Being a cynic & a critic, I was always fascinated with this phrase.. and it was part of a romantic song by Bryan Adams as well, one of my favorite songs infact. Whenever I would see people blindly running in a rat race, doing things because everybody else was doing those and making foolish mistakes I would just go back to this phrase and wondered at times how this originated.. Here's the Story (And I have attached the link, for more inquisitive minds):

Meaning : The rash or inexperienced will attempt things that wiser people are more cautious of.

Origin

'Fool' is now a more derogatory insult than it was when this proverb was coined, in the early 18th century. At that time a fool wasn't a simpleton, lacking in intelligence, simply someone who had behaved foolishly.

Fools rush in'Fools rush in...' has a precise derivation, in that it is a quotation from the English poet Alexander Pope's An essay on criticism, 1709(Quoting only the relevant para):

...." No Place so Sacred from such Fops is barr'd,
Nor is Paul's Church more safe than Paul's Church-yard:
Nay, fly to Altars; there they'll talk you dead;
For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread."

The 'fools' that Pope targetted there were the literary critics of the day.

The line has been taken up by a string of notable writers since:

- Thomas Hardy, in The Woodlanders, 1887:

"He felt shy of entering Grace's presence as her reconstituted lover - before definite information as to her future state was forthcoming; it seemed too nearly like the act of those who rush in where angels fear to tread."

Stupid Specie of Humans 'Indians' :) .. Mindless Blabbering

Stupid Specie of Humans 'Indians' :) .. Mindless Blabbering.

When a sane friend of mine requested to take off the blasphemous comments on Indian Masses (Well there are no Classes, whatever exists on this part of earth is a rotten specie of humans.. all of them just MASSES), I thought of transferring them here:

1. They.. They won't pay taxes.. but Drive their fat cars on pot-holes.. and for the damaged axels and damaged everything else pay to the Garage owner MORE than what they would have paid to the Govt.!!! Pay Taxes Folks.. and drive on good roads ;-)

2. They.. they won't pay taxes and let the local govt. build good Educational Infrastructure and Great Universities and Colleges.. but They.. they will send their kids to far off places to study.. and spend 10 times more for a similar education nearby.. if only they had paid the Taxes! Indians.. Stupid Indians!!! :) .. The Masses are to be blamed.. not the Govt.!!

3. They.. they have made a mess of a b'ful land-mass called India. The Humans.. the specie called INDIANS. :)

Random Rambling of the Bumbling mind..

Just thought of Archiving the random FB status that I wrote but couldn't update, as it was too big:

Years of efforts, piles of books, equations, numbers, theories.. and then life.. the People.. the work.. years of struggle.. Numb Humans, dumb humans, Intelligent ones, Wasted ones, Egoistic ones, Jealous, Over Zealous, Ambitious, Ambiguous, confused.., few loving and understanding.. and those occasional Humble ones!!!... few good friends.. and their good wishes, the wishes that mean a world.. and then that occasional success.. that piecemeal success.. but that little success is so sweet.. it should be sweet.. it has to be!!!!... I yearn for it, i'll earn it always.. and I'll find it sweet always..!!!

40 Minutes: Most memorable meetings.. and some Duds

Found GP to be an amazingly intellectual & compassionate guy. Though some people wittingly contributed the chemistry to uncanny resemblance in our appearances.. but the reason was there were two people with great amount of passion for surroundings meeting and trying to discuss every thing up in an hour!!.. We discussed work, we discussed India, US and UK. And, we discussed the cultures, the families, the warmth in people in India and every where else, exchanged experiences and subtly admired each other's point of view.

I talked about my work as passionately I could or may be just about near to it.. though I was not at my best .. I am certainly capable of even more intense conversation about work, however I was Glad that the person at the other end was amazing understanding, appreciative and could comprehend the things in correct perspective.

The best part was that he was enjoying the rain that he was seeing out of window & he enjoyed whatever he saw from Hotel to the Office.. I hardly do.. So I put him in the correct perspective by telling that.. all that you saw needs a lot of improvement..

Humor was an inherent part of this extremely serious discussion about work.. and that's where I admire people who have it.

I would rate this as one of my best Meetings Ever.

I surely remember a few other meetings which made me learn so many things

- The one with Flex Industries CEO about 7 years back, I dun't remember the name of the Old Man

- One with a CEO called ATAM PAUL about 13 years back. Back then it was a learning working on complicated spreadsheet formulas on his miniature laptop.. unfortunately I said NO to his offering. Though he had offered the job dispite myself being not able to perform the spreadsheet calculations that he wanted. I wanted to focus on my studies.

- One at a forgettable Organization that I left as soon as I joined. But the South Indian Finance AVP was impressed that a North Indian had demonstrated some brains.

- One with the WNS team, the Video Conference Interview was one of my most exciting ones. I just happened to have all the answers to their questions and left them no choice.

- With my Current Organization Central Hiring Team, when I told the HR manager that I would not work at a place more than 15 minutes drive from my place he said " I like your approach, I will call you when I have an Opening in Gurgaon" and after 3 months he called me up and said "would you like to work"?


My simplest Interview was with E-funds, the Smoking Chimney of an HR called me only one question after having a look at my resume "Do you really want to work in this Role?"

My worst interview was at EXL about 9 years back, the Lady Interviewing me was just too beautiful!! ;-)

I found happiness.. !!!!!!

I found happiness.. god sent it to me.. it was not football.. not Africa.. it was singing shaking Shakira!!! & the Meditation Chant goes like - Waka Waka eh eh!!! Come join me in my happiness.. make it yours!!! LOL

Trust me, rarely do you come across songs that can make you cheerful and this one is a perfect exaple.. it just makes you feel good. Here are a few words:

"You're a good soldier
Choosing your battles
Pick yourself up
And dust yourself off
And back in the saddle"

Might not be the greatest of the poetry, but if you listen carefully enough it's quite inspiring and makes you dance at the same time. And you know what? Only Shakira could do this probly ;-)

Miles to go before I sleep..

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's 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.

Discovering Rahul Bose..

Rahul Bose, I always liked his as an Actor for the few films that I had seen. Thakshak, Shaurya & Pyar ke side effects are the ones I can quickly recollect. However, when you go through his entire portfolio of work you can find that he has worked on a good number of amzing stories from human life.

The other day I was reading the stories of all his work and found Antaheen, Kalpurush and The Japanese Wife quite intriguing. I could even relate to the simplistic characters that he portrayed in these films. Here is the entire list & you can click on the link for more:

1994 English, August
1995 A Mouthful of Sky
1996 Bomgay The Lefty
1998 Bombay Boys
1999 Split Wide Open
Thakshak
2001 Everybody Says I'm Fine!
2002 Mr. and Mrs. Iyer
2003 Jhankaar Beats
Ek Din 24 Ghante
Mumbai Matinee
Chameli
2004 White Noise
2005 The Fall
Scrum in the Mud
Silsilay
15 Park Avenue
Ctrl+Alt+Del
2006 Anuranan
Pyaar Ke Side Effects
The Other Side of Bollywood
2007 Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii
2008 Before the Rains
Shaurya
Maan Gaye Mughal-e-Azam
Dil Kabaddi
Tahaan
Kaalpurush
2009 Antaheen
The Whisperers
2010 Fired Joy Mittal
Mumbai Chakachak
Ghost Ghost Na Raha
I Am Jay
The Japanese Wife
Kuch Love Jaisa
Bits and Pieces
Click and Marry
2011 Africa

Antaheen is in Bengali, I am looking for a Hindi or English Dubbing. If anyone finds a copy please do let me know the source.

Farming.. Farmlands.. and dreams!

Was searching details of the kind of farming that can be done in Rajasthan & found interesting things like Emu Farming & Various Other things that I was actually looking for.


Found this blog interesting & whatever is being done by them is inspiring. A few lines from their about me:

"In 1992 having finally opted out of the corporate world, we now live on our 40-acre farm at the very edge of the Thar Desert in Alwar District of Rajasthan. Our major involvement is with a sustainable form of rural development."

Form more you may click on the link.

Please Listen..

When I ask you to listen to me
and you start giving me advice,
you have not done what I asked.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have to do something
to solve my problem,
you have failed me, strange as that may seem.

Listen!
All I ask is that you listen.
Don't talk or do - just hear me.
Advice is cheap - 20 cents will get you both
Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper.
And I can do for myself; I am not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.

When you do something for me that I can
and need to do for myself,
you contribute to my fear and inadequacy.
But when you accept as a simple fact
that I feel what I feel, no matter how irrational,
then I can stop trying to convince you
and get about this business of understanding
what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious
and I don't need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense
when we understand what's behind them.

Perhaps that's why prayer works - sometimes -
for some people, because God is mute.
and he doesn't give advice or try to fix things.
God just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.

So please listen, and just hear me.
And if you want to talk,
wait a minute for your turn,
and I will listen to you.

A Credo For My Relationships With Others - Dr. Thomas Gordon

A Credo For My Relationships With Others
Dr. Thomas Gordon

You and I are in a relationship, which I value and want to keep. Yet each of us is a separate person with unique needs and the right to meet those needs.

When you are having problems meeting your needs I will listen with genuine acceptance so as to facilitate your finding your own solutions instead of depending on mine. I also will respect your right to choose your own beliefs and develop your own values, different though they may be from mine.

However, when your behavior interferes with what I must do to get my own needs met, I will tell you openly and honestly how your behavior affects me, trusting that you respect my needs and feelings enough to try to change the behavior that is unacceptable to me. Also, whenever some behavior of mine is unacceptable to you, I hope you will tell me openly and honestly so I can change my behavior.

At those times when one of us cannot change to meet the other's needs, let us acknowledge that we have a conflict and commit ourselves to resolve each such conflict without either of us resorting to the use of power to win at the expense of the other's losing. I respect your needs, but I also must respect my own. So let us always strive to search for a solution that will be acceptable to both of us. Your needs will be met, and so will mine - neither will lose, both will win.

In this way, you can continue to develop as a person through satisfying your needs, and so can I. Thus, ours can be a healthy relationship in which both of us can strive to become what we are capable of being. And we can continue to relate to each other with mutual respect, love and peace.

Life & I.. My tryst with emotions...

(Wrote Something on my own, after quite a while):

On this long journey.. I kept walking.. I was tired but I didn't stop laughing.. I stopped.. i dreamed, I thought it might just come true.. i held on to my dreams for long.. before my insecurities wrenched me.. i gave in for a while.. but the dreamer never really let it be..

I collected thoughts.. I collected memories.. thought there'd be the time.. the right moment, but that was never to be.. and then I believed they'd sink slowly b'cus life is.. as they say.. a sea..

I found it hard, to walk the thorny path.. life.. a dense scary forest.. it seemed. I thought of escapes, they never seemed right.. and I chose to go back.. to the road less travelled.. that lead me to.. the dense forest again. I wondered if i was sane, my heart assured but never the brain.. damn the insecurities.. wish i could hide 'em and never let 'em show up again

I toughened myself (so i believed), I found diversions.. the mysterious forest.. i just thought of letting go. And, God ensured I failed miserably and he ensured I stick to his plans. Whatever I did, he knew why.. I told my self it was truth.. deep within I knew it was a lie.. I kept on walking and I saw many cross by.. walking to the opposite side.. I tried joining them, and I wondered why I laughed when I wanted to cry..

Peace..

Tell unto your heart, "Peace, be still"!

The problems we face today can appear too overwhelming for just one person to make any difference, but it is with the individual that changes begin. We can all make a difference, however small our contribution. We can recycle, buy green, petition, lobby governments, volunteer, show kindness to a stranger, or just send love to a friend. There are an infinite number of ways.

I invite you to become part of the ever-growing consciousness and efforts to achieve peace and harmony on Earth, with respect for all of nature and all of life.

Forgot the source that I copied it from, but found it as a captivating capture of the random thoughts (Search in google for Original Source):

Soft computer screen ambiance
casts shadows over fantasies

contacts dry on unblinking eyes
its all varying degrees of surreality


nothing changes in an instant
though that may be what it seems

it's all behind the curtain, magicians
switching up the pieces while we sleep

rearrange perceived reality,
involuntary heart eviction, conviction.

choices made, promises broken
no resisting the necessary, its all

momentary circumstantial exception.
unexpected pattern of repetition

grain grinds against preconceived
reason asserted attempting preservation

lost as souls once torn apart collide
in the frenzied recognition of emotion

undeniable existence of impression.
There is something to be said for

that which goes and returns unquestioned

Waste not.. Want Not

Waste not..
that which exists
within the palm
of your hand
for time wanes
slipping away
regardless of
plans made.



Want not
that which glimmers
upon the horizon
in sun setting
golden rays
shadowing reality
with the desperation
of a lost day.

Waste not
time spent
questioning
circumstances.
Forge a path
beyond uncertainty
with wooden spoon
determination.

Want not
projected desires
assigned without
destiny in mind.
Allow moments
of awestruck fascination
in the fluid plans of design.
Get to know the you, you find.

An American

I am posting this, because I'm free after a long time.. for one and I really wanted to post this somehwere and not let it die in the emails.

My American Mom (since she calls me her Indian son, it's fair only to call her so..)sent this to me and I really understand the spirit behind this message. Also, since I know a bit of America's history as well, I truly believe in this message.

Written by an Australian Dentist:

To Kill an American You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone20who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one.. (Good one, mate!!!!)

'An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.

An American is also free to believe in no religion..For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return..

When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!

As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan ..

The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

London Diary

No! it's still not complete.. & the reason is there's lot to write, it's already 10 pages & i'm still writing.. and I gotta edit a bit as well! Hopefully i'll be able to put together my London Memoires very soon..

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Saw this movie recently.. and got addicted to it. Spent hours on the web researching reviews on it, people's opinion and watching the music vidoes.. Ended up making a blog on it. Truly fascinating subject.. but it's just a movie.
Check out the Blog here:

www.bonnyzEternalSunshine.blogspot.com

Sourav Ganguly... The Die-hard Spirit

Wanted to write about him.. for long, but you know.. when you try too hard for something you are bound to struggle! I wanted to get equipped with all the stats n then sit n write smthing bout my Hero.. but that was not to be. Guess i'm better off writing things in an unstructured manner.. unless they happen to be related with my work or studies.. lol

Hmm so here I am.. the one who truly believed that Ganguly was the only and the only player who brought the real glory to Indian cricket (dunn wanna talk bout the '83 cup thing..). He was the only guy I ever saw.. giving it back to the aussies and the pakis.. both with the bat & with the mouth. He just was not scared of losing something.. of anything infact.. not even his wicket. I had never seen any Indian.. so bold on the field, I'm not even talking about the class of his batting.. which is incomparable in its own ways. I have not seen anyone hit those sixes... as easy as that!!

Now let us go through some headlines.. (yeah i'v some stuff ready..):

Ganguly and Chappel asked to patch up - Sep 27, 2005
Ganguly ignored for the next three one dayers - Oct 28, 2005
Amidst th by-lanes of Behala, someone awaits a return - Nov21, 2005
Ganguly Loses test captaincy to Dravid - Nov 22, 2005
Ganguly axed for the 3rd Test - December 14, 2006
Ganguly fails to find a place for the one-day series in Pak - Jan, 2006
Ganguly axed again - Feb 23,2006
Will the the prince charm us again? - April 3, 2006
Sehwag asked to plaster his mouth on Ganguly issue - May 09, 2006
Struggling Saurav gets one last chance against Pakistan - July 20, 2006
Ganguly drops an email bomb on Jagmohan dalmia - July 22, 2006
Sourav, Kumble Ignored for Champions Trophy - Sept 03, 2006

For more.. get 'em there:
http://www.cricketfundas.com/souravganguly.html

It isn't farewell time as yet for Saurav!!! - One of the best reads.. find it there:
http://www.cricketfundas.com/gangulyjune7.html

He is back finally.. & aggregating more than he ever did.. But more than anything else.. its his shear grit & determination which has made this 'come-back' story more interesting.. infact I would say its gonna be a legend of sorts, its 'text-book' stuff with the moral of the story sounding like -

" When the going gets tough, the tough gets goin".

Slow.. & Confused.. what's wrong with that?

Slow.. & Confused.. what's wrong with that?

I find that people often are very quick to grade others as 'slow in taking decisions' or 'confused'.. Well, what I interpret from that is.. people who don't easily make stupid mistakes - are called confused! I truly believe that life is surely not like flying an aeroplane or guiding a rocket into the sky.. so.. supersonic quick speed in taking decisions is definately not required. May be I myself am a slow (read as 'careful') decision maker.. thats why I am here trying to justify that kinda approach.. but I love my deliberated decision making approach.

Had I been chosen to drop a bomb on 'Hiroshima & Nagasaki' ..probably lot of destruction would have been avoided, thousands of people would have been saved.., and nobody would have been crippled for life.. Cus I know I would have been very slow.. I wud have thought 10.. 20.. 100 times.. n may just not have dropped the bladdy bomb... So why shouldn't I love myself for being confused.. being slow.. & for making deliberated decisions..??

I love myself.. love myself for being confused everytime I have to make a decision.. 'cus i'm confused for 'anybody' but not for myself.. I know what wanna do & dunn mind deliberating on it.. Most importantly.. those who really know you, and those who really care for you, those who are not trying to extract a favour out of you.. will never ask you to 'not be slow' in making decisions. My bestest buddies & my loving family has alwz given me time .. n whale of it.. to make my decisions..

So, for the rest of the world i'll alwz be 'painfully slow'... while for my bestest buddies, n my loving family i'll alwz be a caring person.. who does all sort of deliberations, thinks about everything.. n then makes a wise decision! ;D

Awwww.. thats been an awfully painful.. slow write-up.. i gotta end it here or else i'd start sounding like a bladdy preacher :-p lol...

Delhi Heights - Rabbi is back..

Rabbi Shergil - the one with earthy voice, the one who made sufi popular.., Rabbi - the Bulla ki jaana main kaun..? guy , He who sang 'Tere bin, sanu sonya.. koi hor naio labhna' is back. Yes, Rabbi is back with 'Delhi heights' & though I had truly believed that 'Bulla' can't be repeated, he's proved me somewhat wrong with three wonderful songs Dilli, Kitni der tak & kabhi aana na..

Listen it here:
http://www.lyricsmasti.com/song.php?id=3787

Hair-cut @the bonnyz

Hair cuts to my niece.. an extension of my creative instinct.. & 'cus i'm the only person she can stand quitely in front n get her hair cut..

Well.. yeah, i'v given my li'l niece a hair cut for quite many times now & she stands oh so quitely n gets her hair cut so peacefully from myself that my sister waits for a travel back home for her daughter's hair cut! LOL.. I think me being a creative soul helps the cause too.. & my clientele' is growing.. wit my younger sis joining in!! happy me!!

Hmmm coming down to how I cultivated this interest or how I got initiated into it.. I think India's untrained & Untalented manpower in this skill-field has a lot to do about me. Every time I go for a hair-cut.. its a torture, those guys simply don't know how to cut hair.. n they never change. I guess they are not exposed to suave hairstyles & hollywood stuff.. neither they have any sort of inherent art in 'em n thats why they cut hair.. very un-imaginatively n are shocked to see cropped hair & are never sure how to cut a mop! All this has lead me to believe that someone like me, who's eternally been interested in style & is inherently creative.. cutting hair should come easy to me..

& here's proof of da same, some picz of my pricess .. before n after da haircut:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=bonny25_ind&aid=576460762388571667&pid=&wtok=bq9egFZmdT26FTnJMCGSRw--&ts=1170789942&.src=ph

I hope d link wrks..

Li'l Introspection.. & trying to make some b'ful memories..

Time for some introspection.. & it always comes after I had have a talk with my best buddy Amit! So after a long talk on saturday.. when we dug into almost everything that's important for two of us.. here I am trying to make a good copy out of that conversation.

This year & the coming year.. lets say next 6 to 24 months are gonna be very important & crucial for our lives (Amit are you reading this?? ehh??). We know we will be taking some big decisions during this period, most probably going our own ways.. & also its pressure time, confusing time.. time of bit of turmoil & since we are both similar kinda people no hesitation in admitting that.. its not gonna be a cake walk. You have to go through it all.. if you wanna live your life your own way.. follow your principles & stick to them even when things go against you.

Whatever.., keeping in mind that we may not get too many chances to meet & make trips that we always wanted to.. We decided that during the next six months or so.. we are gonna make some memorable trips.. & click some memories!!

One of the things we are gonna do is.. go on & see every place worth seeing in delhi & we will most probably hire a delhi tourism bus or something, that wud be kewl.. cus feeling like a tourist is always exciting! The second thing that we gotta do is visit some places never seen before.. those historical things which I love clicking picz of & click some memorable pics...
And finally we will move out for an outstation trip or two maybe... One should be Jaipur - Jaisalmer.. somewhere in that direction, And another one (if possible..) to some hill station.. Shimla or mussouri or maybe dharamshala...

I am looking forward to the coming months for some great memories.. which i'm sure i'll cherish for long!!

Bharatpur (Balaji) Trip..

http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/Bharatpur.SHTM
Last weekend, we happened to visit a religious place 'Balaji' near(??) Bharatpur... infact 'bout 80 kms from there.. The location wus quite a confusion.., it wus supposed to be near Bharatpur but once we reached Bharatpur we had to travel 80 kms back & deep. It seemed like it was right on the back side of Sohna, or at most 50-60 kms from there if there was a straight road from there, but roads are just like life.. they are anything but straight.

From the preface, you can already guess that i'm more interested in the geography of the place than its religious relevance.. Well frankly I'm a believer, but I don't really believe in being part of stampedes & getting crushed to visit holy places. I am in love with God & his creativity.. the things that he has created never stop to amaze me, & above all the human life..

Something about the place 'Balaji'.. 'Balaji' is what people call younger Lord Hanuman, thats what I heard my dad tell me & since as a Kid I was always fascinated with Lord Hanuman I was pretty much interested in the trip.

Coming back to the Balaji, I just discovered via internet search, something very intriguing about balaji:

"One of the most interesting and popular centers of tantrik rites is at Balaji, near Bharatpur off the Jaipur-Agra highway. Exorcism is a way of life at Balaji, and people from far and near, who have been "possessed by spirits" flock to Balaji in large numbers."

Though.. thats not what we went for!!!! it was my dad's love for seeing an ancient lord hanuman temple that took us there.

Read more here:http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/extra/bl-tantratemples1.htm

More about temples:http://www.indiantemples.com/encwest1.html

Though, I wanted to make it more worthwhile & enriching by making a visit to Bharatpur wildlife sanctuary, Mathura, Vrindavan, Govardhan or even Agra... but Alas! my dad hardly likes my tiring ideas. So, we finally had to be content with a visit to the mathura (the disputed janambhoomi/Mosque site) & it was not much enjoyable either. The kind of security they had & the way they were frisking people one hardly felt like it was a visit to a temple or a sacred place.

Well.. infact it was another one of those moments when I felt that this world is truly becoming a mad-place. People do things they don't know why they wanna do? & after being die-hard materialistic souls.. they try to find spirituality by visiting places like these!! hmmmm let me not get into this.. i'll dig into it some other time..

My Songs Blog..

Finally i'v got my songs blog going... gonna post all my favorite songs there.. all those songs which kinda shaped my life.. or just helped me spend my idle time.. check 'em out at:
http://www.bonnyzsongs.blogspot.com/

Rocky... the childhood memories

There are so many things to talk about... but hard to come when you actually sit & think of writing them down. So, here I am.. after banging my head on so many thoughts n ideas.. i'v got a blank mind, but after a conversation with a friend.. wherin a mention of 'Rocky' was made b'cus the movi was shot in Philadelphia.. the place my fren recently moved to n she was thrilled to the bits to see those places where the movie was shot. Her curiosity n enthusiasm.. reminded me of the thrill that I used to get while watching that movie, the sadness that I used to feel when rocky was sad.. lol so Nostalgic.. these old movies make you at times..

So, I'v asked her to send me across the pictures of Road that Rocky ran on.. the roads he ran on in the early misty mornings.. before his workout.. n before he ate those raw egs ( which inspired me to do the same.. n i still remember that awful taste)!!

Umm.. whatever, i dunno why i'm feeling like talking about this movie so much.. but it surely is a great part of my growing up years. I loved the struggle Rocky had to go through... n I loved his never dying spirit.. guess it surely made me a stronger person. Now i'm feelin like seein that movie one more time.. rocky running on da roads.. makes me feel real high!!!......

Brothers Under The Sun

Never thought Bryan could ever sing anything else.. anything other than those mushy love songs.. But When I heard this song, I instantly fell in love with it.. One of the best songs on brotherhood..

Brothers Under The Sun
======================

I had a dream - of the wide open prairie
I had a dream - of the pale morning sky
I had a dream - that we flew on golden wings
And we were the same - just the same - you and I

Follow your heart - little child of the west wind
Follow the voice - that's calling you home
Follow your dreams - but always, remember me
I am your brother - under the sun

We are like birds of a feather
We are two hearts joined together
We will be forever as one
My brother under the sun

Wherever you hear - the wind in the canyon
Wherever you see - the buffalo run
Wherever you go - I'll be there beside you
Cos you are my brother - my brother under the sun..

Life is a game, aint't it? NO!! life is not a game.. atleast not Just a Game, itz much more..

Life is Game, aint it? ..That was the question popped by someone.. & I thought i replied really well to it.. so I am scribbling it here for record pursposes. lol

Yea.. life is a game! but not just a game.. its much much more.. its everything or say anything. You can compare life with anything..

Life is a bitch - when everyone around you is bitchy, & things seem so hard.. thats what you feel like dunn you?? 'life sux' dunn you whisper those words to yourself when ya annoyed with something??

Life is a joke - its so funny sometimes.. ain't it??,

Life is a book - it starts.. goes on & on for a long time, & then ends.. the endings are happy sometimes, sad sometimes & sometimes mysterious lol & just like a book .. the cover can never tell you the real story..

Life is a River - always flowing... & you are alwayz curious to know where it started from n where its gonna end..

And offcourse Life is a Game - You are rewarded if you play it well! lol

Life is different for everyone..Some may say - "life is short, dunn take it seriously".

But others may say - "Those who dunn take life seriously, life doesn't take them seriously."

But this is for sure that.. "you get back,..whatever you give"!! So be happy & spread cheers.. dunn cheat.. dunn be dishonest.. live & let live.Cheers!!!

Arranged marriages or Love marriages...

Here's my take on this never ending .. alwz popping quesition.. which popped up again with the release of movie 'Vivah'. Haven't seen the movie.. but I know Sooraj is adamant on promoting good-human-values (yeah i dunn call them Indian values.. cus Indian values have got corrupted long before...). So, i'm sure Sooraj must have done something really good to the human value system..

Well as for arranged marriage or a love marriage..

All marriages are arranged marriages... some people arrange a life partner themselves, others let their parents do it! What is more important is Values... good values, like trust & honesty.. thats what makes one keep believing in Love & life. Else,... everything is fake. What is more important is .. honesty, trust & good moral values! whether a marriage is arranged by your parents or yourself.. doesn't matter.. But you have to be in love with the person you marry.. you start loving him after marriage or you loved him even before marriage.. dusn't matter..

The society over the years have got corrupted. People are busy working hard to earn their living.. & they have to work so hard they forget instilling value systems in their children. Thats the story for the middle class in the metros or anywhere.. With very few people encouraging their offsprings to stick to the moral values.. When you lose honesty.. you lose everything.. in every aspact of life...

Today people are trained to lie.. cus thats the only way to survive in this big bad world!! So the question is not love marriage vs arranged marriage.. The question is whether you are honest when you love somebody? or do you fall in love with someone just cus you were lonely? or just cus you didn't have any other option? or ...... so many questions.. & all of them true in the case of marriage too!!!

I think I can alwz fall in love with someone who is honest & sincere in his approach to life, no matter I find that person myself or my parents arrange a meeting with that person..

Practically.. the question remains unanswered though... :-)

Back to Blogging..

Finally I have recovered my password.. & i'm back to blogging after more than one year!!! My fisrt stint at bloggins as amateurish & I only posted some photographs with some comments. However, from now onwards i'll take to some serious blogging.... look out!!

Now she looks like the Brat that she is.. 

Harshita again, in some studious mood, I guess.. 

My neice Harshita!! 

Thats me 'the kid' with my Mom!! 

Some more snow, N no more after this.. PROMISE!!! 

Thats the church on the Mall Road, must have seen it in some hindi movies... 

Some more of Snow n Sunshine!! 

He's Vishal, my second cousin, a Silent Crime Reporter..for certain publications in himachal!!! 

This the road that leads you to the 'International School'.... interesting??? 

Hey!!! This is one Real-Funny pic!! n that lady is not my girl-friend, as most of people end up thinking... 

That is Anurag, my colleague n one of the Best Friends. He tolerated me a lot in shimla, especially when I made him walk all the way down to Chhotta Shimla, which was 'bout 12 Kms from our place!!!!!!! 

N this is Shimla, Feb. 2005, dream destination..!! It just didn't stop snowing till May.. 

Do I look scared?? Yes I am, but that Idiot wanted me to get clicked like this only... 

N thats my Brother Varun, its his responsibilty to show me around whenever I am in Dharamshala, N he's hell bent on showing me only what he feels is good!!! Is in love with an Isreali Girl, dont know for how long.. 

Thats an International School in Dharamshala - Himachal Pradesh. The kids start meditation from a very early age, n most of these are NRI or foreigner's kids. The Location was just beautiful, in the middle of the hills... 

And finally some good looking scenery, we really searched hard for this place!!!! 

The devil n the sea, I did not go beyond this..N I saved a guy from drowing!! It couldn't stop laughing when the drunk fellow asked me " r u a Coast Guard or something". I dont know how to swim... still!!! 

Catching up with the Firangs!! Hey that smoke is just for the show, I don't smoke at all.. ITs Strictly Prohibited!!! Though the wine was not bad..