Have you ever....
- Been in bed on 29th January 2007.
- At 1:30 am, with your eyes wide open.
- Have known that you have a meeting at 8 am, which means you have to leave home at 7, in other words, wake up at 6
- Have tried your hardest to sleep.
- Unsuccessfully
No??
I have, and the way I am feeling right now.....Is exactly how it feels.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Talking to myself
January 27 2006, 3:07 am
Bed, Darkness, Curtains, Thoughts.
Philadelphia, PA
Me: Stop it.
me: I Can't
Me: Why?
me: Dunno
Bed, Darkness, Curtains, Thoughts.
Philadelphia, PA
Me: Stop it.
me: I Can't
Me: Why?
me: Dunno
Friday, October 13, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Hilarious!
A very funny Pepsi advertisement aired during the 2004 India - Pakistan Cricket Series.
Obviously I discovered this advertisement a little too late. But its hilarious and worth posting nonetheless.
Obviously I discovered this advertisement a little too late. But its hilarious and worth posting nonetheless.
Friday, October 06, 2006
India gives US a lesson in democracy
A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs in India late on Thursday made headlines on the Times of India website.
In response to US envoy to Pakistan, Ryan Cocker's statements about how India should share evidence with Pakistan instead of making public accusations, the MEA said, " One would have expected Ambassador Crocker to understand that democratic governments have a prime responsibility to keep their own people fully informed." Ouch! That must have hit hard.
I have always been intrigued about the functional terrain that officials like ambassadors, envoys and high commissioners to countries get themselves into. I specially started thinking about it after watching an interview by Charlie Rose in Jan 2002. Charlie interviewed the former Ambassadors to India and Pakistan, Frank Wisner and Nicholas Platt. In typical Charlie Rose style, the three of them sat at a table and discussed the South Asian scenario revolving around India and Pakistan. Goes without saying, India's war on terror and the Kashmir issue was a hot topic. The most interesting part was, while talking about the Indo-Pak dispute, there was a clear difference of opinion between the two US ambassadors. Frank Wisner talked pro-India while Nicholas Platt supported Pakistan.
Yup, obviously both of them are fully entitled to their own opinion, but the US and India have too largely seen eye-to-eye on the whole Indo-Pak issue. It was funny to see Nicholas Platt clearly agree with Pakistani assertions about India like, India playing a blame game all the time, not respecting the rights of the Kashmiris and so on. It was an interesting watch to see two men from the same country having different opinions about the same issue, and interestingly in both cases, they supported the countries they formerly worked in.
Which brings me back to the first thought, about much do officials like these really get opinionated or should get opinionated about policies and relations of the country that they work in. Does it fall within the duties of let's say a US Ambassador to project to the world, the issues that the country in which he or she is stationed thinks affects them? Or is it just an obvious result of an extended duty in a foreign country, to be in line with issues surrounding that country, to the extent that he or she begins to agree by them? Or is he just allowed to have a personal opinion? I have been trying to ask these questions for a long time now. And as you can see, am still asking.
Talking of democratic statements. The one statement made my Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the US congress in July 2005 comes immediately to my mind.
"We are often criticized for being too slow in making changes in policy, but democracy means having to build a consensus in favor of change. As elected representatives, you are all familiar with this problem."
This was followed by the loudest applause of the speech by the members of the US Congress.
In response to US envoy to Pakistan, Ryan Cocker's statements about how India should share evidence with Pakistan instead of making public accusations, the MEA said, " One would have expected Ambassador Crocker to understand that democratic governments have a prime responsibility to keep their own people fully informed." Ouch! That must have hit hard.
I have always been intrigued about the functional terrain that officials like ambassadors, envoys and high commissioners to countries get themselves into. I specially started thinking about it after watching an interview by Charlie Rose in Jan 2002. Charlie interviewed the former Ambassadors to India and Pakistan, Frank Wisner and Nicholas Platt. In typical Charlie Rose style, the three of them sat at a table and discussed the South Asian scenario revolving around India and Pakistan. Goes without saying, India's war on terror and the Kashmir issue was a hot topic. The most interesting part was, while talking about the Indo-Pak dispute, there was a clear difference of opinion between the two US ambassadors. Frank Wisner talked pro-India while Nicholas Platt supported Pakistan.
Yup, obviously both of them are fully entitled to their own opinion, but the US and India have too largely seen eye-to-eye on the whole Indo-Pak issue. It was funny to see Nicholas Platt clearly agree with Pakistani assertions about India like, India playing a blame game all the time, not respecting the rights of the Kashmiris and so on. It was an interesting watch to see two men from the same country having different opinions about the same issue, and interestingly in both cases, they supported the countries they formerly worked in.
Which brings me back to the first thought, about much do officials like these really get opinionated or should get opinionated about policies and relations of the country that they work in. Does it fall within the duties of let's say a US Ambassador to project to the world, the issues that the country in which he or she is stationed thinks affects them? Or is it just an obvious result of an extended duty in a foreign country, to be in line with issues surrounding that country, to the extent that he or she begins to agree by them? Or is he just allowed to have a personal opinion? I have been trying to ask these questions for a long time now. And as you can see, am still asking.
Talking of democratic statements. The one statement made my Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the US congress in July 2005 comes immediately to my mind.
"We are often criticized for being too slow in making changes in policy, but democracy means having to build a consensus in favor of change. As elected representatives, you are all familiar with this problem."
This was followed by the loudest applause of the speech by the members of the US Congress.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Ek baar... Sirf ek baar
Here's what Assistant sub-inspector Umesh Mehra from Chhattisgarh said to American tourist Bridate Henna, on a passenger train heading to Nagpur, before touching her lips.
"You are beautiful. One time, just one time"
Bridate had to scream for help before a fellow passenger came to her rescue. Mehra was later arrested.
Pathetic.
Source: The Times of India, Online Edition, June 27th 2006.
"You are beautiful. One time, just one time"
Bridate had to scream for help before a fellow passenger came to her rescue. Mehra was later arrested.
Pathetic.
Source: The Times of India, Online Edition, June 27th 2006.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Russell Peters in Mumbai!
That is exactly what his website says!
The schedule is something like this..
Sept 28th, 2006 St. Andrews
Mumbai, India
Sept 29th, 2006 NCPA
Mumbai, India
Sept 30th, 2006 JN Tata
Bangalore, India
October 1st, 2006 Kamani Auditorium
Delhi, India
So for all my friends in India...who think there is more to stand-up comedy than mimicry and parody ....buy, beg, borrow or steal and go for this show!
For more updates, russellpeters.com
The schedule is something like this..
Sept 28th, 2006 St. Andrews
Mumbai, India
Sept 29th, 2006 NCPA
Mumbai, India
Sept 30th, 2006 JN Tata
Bangalore, India
October 1st, 2006 Kamani Auditorium
Delhi, India
So for all my friends in India...who think there is more to stand-up comedy than mimicry and parody ....buy, beg, borrow or steal and go for this show!
For more updates, russellpeters.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Chip n Chunk
At the Au Bon Pain coffee shop
Me: I'll get a regular decaf and a chocolate muffin please...err...sorry, I forgot what you guys call it.....ummm...yes!...the chocolate 'chip' muffin.
She: You want the chocolate 'chip' cookie?
Me: No? I want the chocolate chip muffin...
She: Sir we don't have no chocolate muffins or the chocolate chip muffins..
Me: (looking at the display, pointing to the muffin I wanted) What's that then?
She: Oh! Thats a chocolate 'chunk' muffin.
Me: Ok, can i get the one with the ....chunks....please?
She: Sure
As she neatly wrapped it in a paper bag, and was ready to ring me up on the register she said...
She: I am sorry about that sir, these guys just keep such weird names.
Me: Yeah I know.
Me: I'll get a regular decaf and a chocolate muffin please...err...sorry, I forgot what you guys call it.....ummm...yes!...the chocolate 'chip' muffin.
She: You want the chocolate 'chip' cookie?
Me: No? I want the chocolate chip muffin...
She: Sir we don't have no chocolate muffins or the chocolate chip muffins..
Me: (looking at the display, pointing to the muffin I wanted) What's that then?
She: Oh! Thats a chocolate 'chunk' muffin.
Me: Ok, can i get the one with the ....chunks....please?
She: Sure
As she neatly wrapped it in a paper bag, and was ready to ring me up on the register she said...
She: I am sorry about that sir, these guys just keep such weird names.
Me: Yeah I know.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Overheard
Overheard a man in his mid 40's speaking at the top of his voice over the phone in the men's room at the Newark Penn Station.
"Sweetie, I love you and I understand how you feel..but baby, you have to realize that Daddy wasn't beating Mommy, Mommy was beating Daddy"
WTF!
"Sweetie, I love you and I understand how you feel..but baby, you have to realize that Daddy wasn't beating Mommy, Mommy was beating Daddy"
WTF!
Friday, March 24, 2006
Declaration Of Independence of the USA and a Turtle in a zoo in India
A news story I saw on CNN this morning, that had me laugh my ass out while leaving for work..
*********************************
WHOOSH!.......CNN NEWS FLASH....
COMING UP....Can you think of anyone who died this week but was also alive during the Declaration of Independence in the USA?(Images of a fluttering American Flag)....No??..Well we can!....Stay with us.......Commercial Break.
WHOOOOOSH!...........BACK
A turtle from a zoo in India died yesterday, and is believed to be two hundred and fifty years old!...which means, he was actually present at the time when the declaration of independence was signed in Philadelphia.so now you know who was alive in 1776!....Moving on......
*********************************
LMAO
*********************************
WHOOSH!.......CNN NEWS FLASH....
COMING UP....Can you think of anyone who died this week but was also alive during the Declaration of Independence in the USA?(Images of a fluttering American Flag)....No??..Well we can!....Stay with us.......Commercial Break.
WHOOOOOSH!...........BACK
A turtle from a zoo in India died yesterday, and is believed to be two hundred and fifty years old!...which means, he was actually present at the time when the declaration of independence was signed in Philadelphia.so now you know who was alive in 1776!....Moving on......
*********************************
LMAO
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Google Gujju !!!
Part of Google's effort to provide international language interfaces to the Google hompepage. The Gujurati homepage rocks! Check out what the link for the usual button for 'Im Feeling Lucky!" say.
"Aaje Naseeb Saru Chhe!"
"Aaje Naseeb Saru Chhe!"
Google Gujurati Saru Chhe!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
"Somebody..!" Update
I am in! Finally bought the tickets to the show. My excitement took a slight blow, when me and my friend Sarabjit were selecting the seats in the theatre while booking the tickets online. We ended up getting the last row seats of the upper gallery. *Sigh*.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Somebody..Its me!
Just thought I would keep updating the status on this here. And if all works well, youll get a first-hand review of his live act!
If you haven't heard about him...
1) You suck.
2) Here's a link
Till then.....Somebody...!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Friday, December 09, 2005
Shaun Pollock: Up, Close and Personal ;-)
Location: Mumbai International Airport, Terminal 2A
Exact Location: Travelex Foreign Exchange Counter, Departure Lounge.
When: 29th November 2005, 1.15 am
Doing what: Exchanging currency.
.........
Me: Hey Shaun, tough luck today.
Shaun: Yeah.
Me: You flying back to Joburg?
Shaun: Yup yup.
Me: So when are you coming back. Anytime soon?
Shaun: Ohh I don't know, but can't wait to come back!..I swear to god!
Me: Oh I am sure they can't wait too!
Shaun: Alright, Cheers!
Me: Bye.
......
Hehehehe
Exact Location: Travelex Foreign Exchange Counter, Departure Lounge.
When: 29th November 2005, 1.15 am
Doing what: Exchanging currency.
.........
Me: Hey Shaun, tough luck today.
Shaun: Yeah.
Me: You flying back to Joburg?
Shaun: Yup yup.
Me: So when are you coming back. Anytime soon?
Shaun: Ohh I don't know, but can't wait to come back!..I swear to god!
Me: Oh I am sure they can't wait too!
Shaun: Alright, Cheers!
Me: Bye.
......
Hehehehe
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Finally
Ohkay! its been more than 3 months since I made that 'Alternate History' post. I have no reason whatsoever for not replying to any of the comments made. Considering the huge gap, I think it was fitting to post my replies as a new post altogether.
So here it is....
Thank you people, thank you so much for writing in.
AVINASH, firstly, I don't know which particular section of my post made you think that I am anguished at the writer, or about the fact that he used Gandhi...I am not. I am sure he is a 'very nice guy' like you said. And since you seem to share some kind of a Texan liasion with him, just wanted to make sure he is still fine and nice.... Getting back to my post, the whole idea was to air my disgust at the whole concept of Alternate History. And why shouldn't I fill myself with hate for something that i sincerely...err...hate? I'll say this every day of the week...Alternate History is crappy and sickening.
And yes, dont ask me to calm down man...You can't...No one can. I hope you realize that this is my blog, my space and what i write in here is what I think. Voice your opinions, if you will, i love that...but dont ask me to calm down on my territory.
SAURABH, Of course I love the imaginative movies man, and who would know better than you? Isn't watching movies is something we did as a daily ritual in our roommate years?...The point I am trying to make is 'keep it off history' . Let aside Alternate History, even historical inaccuracies are frustrating. And that is the very reason why movies like Alexander and Mangal Pandey failed.
Rax, Yags, Raf, Kau....like you see, not many people think like you guys and me. Sad.
So here it is....
Thank you people, thank you so much for writing in.
AVINASH, firstly, I don't know which particular section of my post made you think that I am anguished at the writer, or about the fact that he used Gandhi...I am not. I am sure he is a 'very nice guy' like you said. And since you seem to share some kind of a Texan liasion with him, just wanted to make sure he is still fine and nice.... Getting back to my post, the whole idea was to air my disgust at the whole concept of Alternate History. And why shouldn't I fill myself with hate for something that i sincerely...err...hate? I'll say this every day of the week...Alternate History is crappy and sickening.
And yes, dont ask me to calm down man...You can't...No one can. I hope you realize that this is my blog, my space and what i write in here is what I think. Voice your opinions, if you will, i love that...but dont ask me to calm down on my territory.
SAURABH, Of course I love the imaginative movies man, and who would know better than you? Isn't watching movies is something we did as a daily ritual in our roommate years?...The point I am trying to make is 'keep it off history' . Let aside Alternate History, even historical inaccuracies are frustrating. And that is the very reason why movies like Alexander and Mangal Pandey failed.
Rax, Yags, Raf, Kau....like you see, not many people think like you guys and me. Sad.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Back
3 months, 3 days.
Thats the longest time between posts I've ever had. And at this moment I am just glad that I am making this post, which will make sure it doesn't get any longer....
I was plannin to write something a few days back, and I was working on trying to provide certain reasons of the absence.
Didn't get any then.
Don't have any now.
Atleast I'm back :D
Thats the longest time between posts I've ever had. And at this moment I am just glad that I am making this post, which will make sure it doesn't get any longer....
I was plannin to write something a few days back, and I was working on trying to provide certain reasons of the absence.
Didn't get any then.
Don't have any now.
Atleast I'm back :D
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Alternate History...WTF!
The spark:
A few days back I was trying to search the web for eyewitness stories of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. I happened to reach a blog by Mr. Taylor , which had a post on Gandhi's assassination. Here's what the post said :
"Indian revolutionary Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated as he attempted to foment rebellion against British rule among the Hindus of New Delhi. Randall Stodderly, the British soldier who shot Gandhi, was arrested by Indian authorities, but when he was extradited to Great Britain, he was freed and feted as a hero."
Thinking it to be just a ordinary brief on Gandhi's assassination (which was not something I was looking for)... I was about to close the page and move on, while suddenly my brain forced me to ponder twice on this post. My head shook, my eyes widened while my mind came to terms with what I was reading.
Gandhi murdered by a British soldier??!!....because he formented rebellion??!...WTF!.....Without even caring to trying to think over what was written, I blasted off an e-mail to the author, begging to point his attention over his erroneous post.
The reply:
He replied within hours. This is what he had to say..
"This is an event in history that didn't happen - my site is fictional, not historical. Alternate history is a type of science fiction that sometimes takes real people and events and shows them slightly different (or sometimes very different). In that particular timeline, I believe, Gandhi, instead of embracing non-violence, had chosen the path of violent resistance to British rule."
The Aftershock:
I fumed endlessly. The next thing I was doing was googling 'Alternate History'. Many websites (if not hundreds, thousands or millions) were dedicated to Alternate history. I started thinking as to what kind of people would like to actually spend time writing Alternate history and then I was pitying people who spend time and enjoy reading it. If you are one of them. Please e-mail me!
Words from the wise me:
History is truth. I love history. It is exciting to read about how men, women, leaders and nations lived through the old era and shaped the foundation of the world that we have today.
I am no book critic. Nor am I a literary genius, but I understand what makes sense and what doesn't. And on any given day, reading about gandhi's life would give me a better literary orgasm than going through pages that describe Gandhi's transformation into a terrorist.
Alternate history is a lie, reading it doesn't serve any purpose and doesn't provide any breakfast for the brains.
On this day, I declare myself an 'Anti Alternate History' ian.
And to all you alternate historians....if you really want to 'alter' things, leave history alone. How about altering the present? Write about George Bush and Osama Bin Laden getting together, and having a coffee at the neighbourhood Starbucks and making plans about a ' Bush-Laden Center of Peace Development'.
Now that will be an interesting read eh?
A few days back I was trying to search the web for eyewitness stories of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. I happened to reach a blog by Mr. Taylor , which had a post on Gandhi's assassination. Here's what the post said :
"Indian revolutionary Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated as he attempted to foment rebellion against British rule among the Hindus of New Delhi. Randall Stodderly, the British soldier who shot Gandhi, was arrested by Indian authorities, but when he was extradited to Great Britain, he was freed and feted as a hero."
Thinking it to be just a ordinary brief on Gandhi's assassination (which was not something I was looking for)... I was about to close the page and move on, while suddenly my brain forced me to ponder twice on this post. My head shook, my eyes widened while my mind came to terms with what I was reading.
Gandhi murdered by a British soldier??!!....because he formented rebellion??!...WTF!.....Without even caring to trying to think over what was written, I blasted off an e-mail to the author, begging to point his attention over his erroneous post.
The reply:
He replied within hours. This is what he had to say..
"This is an event in history that didn't happen - my site is fictional, not historical. Alternate history is a type of science fiction that sometimes takes real people and events and shows them slightly different (or sometimes very different). In that particular timeline, I believe, Gandhi, instead of embracing non-violence, had chosen the path of violent resistance to British rule."
The Aftershock:
I fumed endlessly. The next thing I was doing was googling 'Alternate History'. Many websites (if not hundreds, thousands or millions) were dedicated to Alternate history. I started thinking as to what kind of people would like to actually spend time writing Alternate history and then I was pitying people who spend time and enjoy reading it. If you are one of them. Please e-mail me!
Words from the wise me:
History is truth. I love history. It is exciting to read about how men, women, leaders and nations lived through the old era and shaped the foundation of the world that we have today.
I am no book critic. Nor am I a literary genius, but I understand what makes sense and what doesn't. And on any given day, reading about gandhi's life would give me a better literary orgasm than going through pages that describe Gandhi's transformation into a terrorist.
Alternate history is a lie, reading it doesn't serve any purpose and doesn't provide any breakfast for the brains.
On this day, I declare myself an 'Anti Alternate History' ian.
And to all you alternate historians....if you really want to 'alter' things, leave history alone. How about altering the present? Write about George Bush and Osama Bin Laden getting together, and having a coffee at the neighbourhood Starbucks and making plans about a ' Bush-Laden Center of Peace Development'.
Now that will be an interesting read eh?