Writer's Block...

One of the most inappropriate TITLEz and PICTUREz ave ever used to articulate my state of being, why, for the simple reason that it is not the reason why I have not written in a while...

The actual reason being -> 'I'VE BEEN BZ' -> the very sound of it is queer, nonetheless its true...

I've also been doing fairly well on the WAH front -> non-monetary rewards system used in CTS -> scored 200 of them in a little over a 30 days -> not bad at all...

Life otherwise is full of travelling and fun...

Signing off...

My ZIPPO...

I bought my very first ZIPPO yesterday...

it cost me money (a good deal of it), but was worth every paisa that I paid...

signing off...

Great Lakes, on its way...

http://www.careerlauncher.com/mba/about_mba/topbschools.html

As per the above linked ranking (done rather elaborately) Great Lakes falls in the third 'cluster'...

I think one aspect on which Great Lakes would have missed a spot in the second cluster might be the 'placement records of the last three years' parameter -> remember its a two and a half year old institution...

'Infrastructure' would again have proved to be the bete-noire of the institute, well nothing much can be done about that not till 2009 atleast...

Needless to say Great Lakes is doing good and there is no reason to believe that it will not keep up the same...

Signing off...

Day of Reckoning...

Well my boss is in...

today is the day that I intend to go talk to him about my relocation...

an actually straight forward process but when something seems super simple the odds of things going wrong increase ten fold...

hope things work-out as expected...

signing off...

Kids 'talk'...

The latest TATA indicom hoardings show Sania taking a forehand swing...

but that is not what am going to write about, it is the content that is the matter of discussion...

" What do Melbourne, London, Paris and New York have in common? " -> I'm watching the lovely lass's legs completely oblivious of a brewing conversation that the two kids waiting for their school bus were about to have...
Kid1 :- All of them are big cities, that is what... -> With a see-I-know-it look...
Kid2 :- Dumbo no, they are all capitals I think... -> Even for me Sydney was Oz-landz captal till standard 10, so I in a way I sided up with her...
Kid1 :- Who told you... -> Dpendent traits, why should always others be your source of knowledge...
Kid2 :- Your GK is soooooooow bad... -> A typical 'lil gal' pronunciation...
Kid1 :- How do you know? -> Tone had a hint of scepticism despite being unsure, I started to distance myself from the kid loyalty wise...
Kid2 :- What is your name, UNCLE? -> Dynamic, confident and resourceful but 'UNCLE', I mean she could have done a million different things to attract my attention...
Me :- Archit... -> I spoke with looking at the girl and my semi curt nod did almost but openly say that I would side up with the girl...
Kid1 :- Funny name... -> The boy either lacked instincts or the ability to read them, not a very smart opening gambit especially when I hold most of the cards...
Me :- Is it, what is your name... -> Honestly I tried to remain as calm and even friendly to a certain degree...
Kid2 :- Vaidehi Iyengar... -> Iyengar, not surprising at all -> she had a glow in her face and twinkle in her eyes, seemed enterprising...
Kid1 :- Polevenkilawalua..... -> & the kid actually had the ballocks to mock my name...
Kid2 :- Do you know the answer to that question? -> Stated straight...
I tried telling them about GRAND SLAMs and all, was'nt difficult and defenitely a kewl experience ( why would it not be, its always feels nice when you get to impart gyan and moreso when there are not one but two willing listners)...

Two vehicles arrive one that would take the kids to their school and the other one that would take me to my place of wrk...

Bound by duty...

Signing off...

Your Life -> Just a Click away...

Saw 'Click' last night...

Decent movie...

Reminded me of three movies :-
1) Bruce Almighty,
2) What Woman Wants and
3) Back to the Future...

Good performances, interesting characters and a good bit of emotional content...

The 'bed', 'beyond' and 'way beyond' sequence is one bit of the movie which is likely to irritate you, its about time these guys stopped using such stuff, hell it does'nt even have a deja-vu value anymore...

A can watch, defenitely not a must watch...

signing off...

My Id-card -> Finally…

The sequence of events...

1) Temporary id card,

2) Employee number,

3) Mail id and password,

4) Access card,

5) Id card and

6) Business cards.

Signing off...

The catcher in the rye...

Am done reading this one...

A 193 page first person narration of a guy named Holden Caulfield...

The book was published way back in the early 50z...

The damn book is still some kinda bestseller...

The kid in question is a sixteen something 'rebel', who all but confesses in a church that he hates rules...

Heck rules he hates everything, practically everything -> in a sequence when his sister wants him to name on thing that he likes all he can come up with after minutes of deliberation is his dead brother's name...

He seems intelligent, sensitive and brave (almost to the extent of being fool-hardy)...

He is also 'a bundle of contradictions' (as Voltaire is famously known) -> he often behaves in a manner which he loathes and does things which he openly condemns...

He is not only super capricious but also quixotic (keeps wanting to run away to the west or settle down in a car with a girl he does'nt like)...

The narrative style is interesting and also gripping...

The narration is as single tracked as can be -> an amazing feat...

The events are everydayish, the characters are common-place, the settings are routine but the book is sure to stay with you for a fair amount of time...

The book was ranked 11th in the frequently challenged books of the 90z...

Started reading 'The Inheritance of Loss' by I'm sure you know whom...

Signing off...

Zoe Margolis...

Zoe Margolis -> a.k.a Abby Lee -> a.k.a The Girl -> a.k.a The Girl With A One-Track Mind...

First one being her actual name...
Second her sn (screen name)...
Third the legend that she created...
Fourth stands for her state of mind...

To put things in perspective ->
In a London bar a gang of guys and girls were having a gender based argument, one of then girl stuns all others by saying -> there are the guys and there is THE GIRL...

The Girl has clocked more than two million visitors on her blog...

An articulate individual with a flair for expression and pechant for creative thinking...

From the look of it a decently successful professional, even by day...
She has been involved in the making of the latest HarryP movie in the capacity of an assistant director and other high grocers like Batman and LaraC...

Not to forget an author whose book is pitted to be one of the most successful PersonalMemoir (Erotica) ever...

Her blog was rated the best British/Irish Blog of 2006...

Signing off...

Snapshots from hell... Cntd...

'POET'z -> those business school students who hate numbers in the true sense...

One almost does not find then in B-schools anymore, reason being the selection process itself -> across the globe the selection process calls for a certain amount of proficiency both in math as well as english...

If the first 200 odd pages provide amazing excitement and a sense of nostalgia for most of us then the last 50ish pages actually leaves us wondering about the numerous paradoxes that exist in an average MBA's mind...

Very insightful especially the last one-third... -> most of us would either have behaved or wondered why someone is thinking on lines which are against his/her fundamental conviction-set...

A sure-shot must read for those who are looking to pursue an MBA...

signing off...

Snapshots from hell...

One of the most intriguing titles that ave come across in the recent past...

Must admit the book is if anything much more intersting and informative than the title...

A sense of nostalgia swept gushed thru me...

I could virtually relate to most part of the book if not the whole thing...

Though am far from being a 'poet' (a novice in math), the parts dealing with 'career confusion', 'summer projects', 'classes dealing with ehics' gave me a sense of deja-vu...

Some of the professors and students also surprisingly seem familiar...

The diction and style are lucid...

Signing off...

Money Maketh Man Mighty...

I am virrtually living the title...

Blogging from the JetAirways' Club Premiere Executive Lounge (Hyderabad)...

The darned ticket costs a bomb but what the heck the treatment makes it worth every penny (paisa as the case is)...

Flying to Madras to take up my next assignment (a sudden development)...

As is the case always almost no arrangements, need to sort things out the moment I land...

Where would I stay, how would I travel -> absolutely no idea...

Have a few things in mind, lets see how the scenario unfolds...

Now that I blew up what technically is my two months salary its time to consolodate and try to get in to the green as soon as possible...

The splurge reminds me of 2002 May when I indulged in a similar kind of 'bath' (if I may use the word)...

I would defenitely miss the city, people, friends and some special people...

Despite being sure that this wont be as bad as the last outing and being certain of the fact that it wont be for long, still I feel slightly weird about the whole thing... -> maybe the fact that I really did not want to leave or maybe the whole idea that I will be away from someone close for a while is not making me feel any better...

I feel like the stone that just got mined (taken out of its comfort zone for its own good), I for sure know that it will only benefit me but the feeling I am experiencing is wonderful to fell but super difficult to express...

Signing off...

Winez

My palate has tasted five wines in the last couple of weeks =>

VILLALTA -> VALPOLICELLA -> 2004 -> RED -> ITALIAN
FONTELLA -> CHIANTI -> 2004 -> RED -> ITALIAN
MEDOC -> MEDOC DE POET ROYAL -> 2003 -> RED -> FRENCH
RECOLTE -> CHABLIS PREMIER CRU -> 2001 -> WHITE -> FRENCH
CRU BOURGEOIS -> CHATEAU LALANDE -> 2000 -> RED -> FRENCH

signing off...

Retail Therapy...

I've have been on some kind of a retail rampage...

Blew up a fortune in the last week or so...

A dinner at Marriot -> almost ten thousand (French red wine does'nt come cheap you see -> two bottles phew)...

A brass CHESS set (just the pieces) -> cost me close to five grand...

AdiSTAR shoes -> eight ks

VOGUE shades -> again five grand...

The above mentioned being some of the major dents...

I have become a mojor wine entusiast...

I have also been off reading for a while for now so decided it was about time I got back to pursuing my passion & it was in this direction that I went and picked up some books (three to be precise) ->

1) Snapshots fron hell -> Peter Robinson (this guy seems to be a big shot, educated at Oxford, Stanford and Dartsmouth, did some speech stuff for US presidents...)

2) The Inheritance od Loss -> Kiran Desai (the toast of India at this point in time sure deserves her share of reading...)

3) The Catcher in the Rye -> J. D. Salinger (now what more can I say...)

Signing off...

Try it out...

http://n.nfshost.com/1.html

Signing off...

http://littleitaly-india.com

Lunched at Little Italy, interesting place...

'Xpensive yes but worth a great chunk of what they charge...

Will surely go back...

Signing off...

Interesting Quotez

Graveyard is God's Wineyard...

Never profess false love because you cannot give what you do not own...

I do not like to 'feel at home' when travelling...

'Work' is the curse of the 'drink'ing class...

If you could do what I can then you defenitely would -> Giovanni Jacopo Casanova de Seingalt

Signing off...

The 'DECODING' Never Stops

I know someone who'd laugh his/her guts out reading the first thing but well thats what the result have to say 'bout me...

Your EQ is 140

50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar.

What's Your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)?

You Are 24% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well. In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

Your Kissing Purity Score: 34% Pure

You're not one to kiss and tell... But word is, you kiss pretty well.

Kissing Purity Test

You Are Internal - Realist - Empowered

You feel your life is controlled internally. If you want something, you make it happen. You don't wait around for things to go your way. You value your independence and don't like others to have control. You are a realist when it comes to luck. You don't attribute everything to luck, but you do know some things are random. You don't beat yourself up when bad things happen to you... But you do your best to try to make your own luck. You have a good deal of power, but you also know the pecking order. You realize that working the system does get you further. You know who to defer to and who to control. When it comes to the game of life, you play things flawlessly.

The Three Dimension Luck and Power Test

Your Kissing Technique Is: Perfect

Your kissing technique is amazing - and you know it. You have the confidence to make the first move. And you always seem to know what kissing style is going to work best. Sometimes you're passionate, sometimes you're a tease. And you're always amazing!

Are You a Good Kisser?

American Cities That Best Fit You::

70% Los Angeles

60% Boston

60% Chicago

60% San Francisco

55% New York City

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

Your Porn Star Name Is...

Big Al Rod

What's Your Porn Star Name?

Signing off...

Me in to Cognizant...

Ive got a job in Cognizant Technologies as a Business Analyst...

The interview was in Chennai...

Left early in the afternoon (11:45 AM), a rather odd time to leave but considering the fact that I got the info at 9:00 AM it is not as queer as it would have seemed otherwise. Reached Chennai (flew Deccan, must admit it improved a bit) at 1:00 PM and headed for the inerview centre. No CV and it being a sunday did not help my cause, walked around and managed to find a cyber zone -> took a print out of my CV. Walked in for an interview dressed in the most inappropriate fashion (a pair of jeans, sneakers and a casual shirt with folded cuffs), well not sure I could have gotton any more anachronous. It is said that truly so as I learnt that day that when you want something badly and start doing something in the right direction then the whole world conspires to thrust you forward. Interview went fairly well and was given an offer...

Returned from Shiridi early in the morning at about 7:00 AMish, a back breaking 12 hr drive...

Went to SAI BABA's temple and had a darshan ( the statue has a magical effect on the onlookers, be it the deep eyes or the mysterious smile...)

Reached Shiridi late in the delay thanks to the rain gods will...

Left for Shiridi at around 7:00 PM...

24th September, 23rd September, 22nd September... -> order if narration...

Content, confused, confident, coalesced, convinced -> capricious feelings sketching a melancholy in my mind...

Signing off...

Cinema, Chess, Cops & Corruption!

Just in case you are wondering what the picture above means -> it describes my state of mind perfectly -> full of mixed emotions

"the most eventful day of life' -> a phrase that makes me question the degree of saneness of the speaker...

Well this was before today, why today because today (20th september 2006) happens to be the day when I did things well so many things and so much happened to me that am forced to believe in it a 100% ( well actually 200% because everything that happened with me did so in a span of less than 12hrs that is half a day)...

the day started of on a dull note with me getting up at a time which most would call queer -> 12:00PM...

had to rush and get ready at a very swift pace and in course of which I broke my previous best time taken to get ready...

well then proceeded to the theatre to watch STALLIN (without tickets), reached the theatre bang at 2:00PM and got in to the B.TECH student mode by fishing for the black hawkers. Managed to get the tickets (the fact that I had a shell a damn fortune on them is not worth mentioning especially because the protagonist is none other than the MEGA STAR himself)...

10minutes thru the movie and nothing interesting seems to be happening but all is forgiven because CHIRANJEEVI lights up the screen with his actics. Half hour in to the movie and still no serious plot emerges, am waiting. Just 20minutes to go before the interval and am still waiting to get involved and there the tempo picks what with Chiru chasing the goon in to a political party's office and performing an arm amputation that would put a seasoned surgeon to shame...

The expectations again shot skywards thanks to the exhillarating pre interval episode but alas the second half did not even match up to the less than inspiring first half (well to be fair some parts were slick especially Sunilz acting was quiet refreshing though loud at times). With the movie getting over it was time for a very late lunch (brunch what-so-ever one wants to call it at 6:00PM). Pizza Hut was the chosen venue for the same...

Was heading back home when a sudden desire to play CHESS hit me and did so rather hard so headed off to BARISTA...

Pitted my wits against three different player and conquered all of them, must admit am getting back my old time expertise over the 64 squares back and whats more pretty fast...

It was here that ave met some rather interesting people the last couple of days ->
a sharp and loquacious 78 yr old widower,
a snooker player with national recognition &
an african-american with a flair for swears...
Well this is beyond the scope of this post so shall refrain from delving any furthur in to it...

Getting back to where i left my day, i handled every psychological arsenal shot at me with decent elan and emerged victorious (dramatic i know but a bit of spice never killed anyone)...

The clock tower that was about 5 odd kilometres away from me would have struck ten times when I was about to zoom back home feeling invincible but there was more in store for me...

I was stopped by COPs and why because of some parking concerns...

I tried all the techniques that I picked from my NEGOTIATIONz class back in the GREAT LAKES days but none worked to the fullest...

The law enforcers seem to be getting the better off me no matter what parameter i pursue, what actually put me off was the fact that they were cornering me not just with the rule book but also in sheer numbers...

One hour of persistent debate and i was left having to wrestle 7 officers...

more than the fact that i did not want to part with currency or their sheer numbers it was their plain psyche which drove me crazy...

the guys i was reasoning with were supposed to be law enforcers (protectors) but half of them were drunk (on duty, one can off hand name a dozen companies where such behaviour would warrant immediate termination but well the POLICE department does not fall in that list), and a couple of them were the worst form of 'second handers' ever to grace earth (all Ayn Rand aware people would understand what this means)...

these guys claiming to be upholding law were uprooting the very basis on which it stand -> integrity...

how can i trust a person who cheats himself, one can deal with a person who is saintly or evil but how on earth can anyone deal with a devil who thinks he is holy -> damn others be truthful to yourself atleast...

what i saw was one of the worst faces of CORRUPTION possible...

i found it difficult to remain sane when one of them (a 24 yr old home guard) confessed saying 'i want to help you because you are of my age but i cant do so because i have a case running against me', he went on to give details of the same -> indecent behaviour in a public place (read 'kissing his GF' -> his own words) on the 4th of december 2005...

GOD SAVE THE HAPLESS PEOPLE...

i had to part with some money but the knowledge i gained was way way more precious than what i lost...

i always believed that LIFE is a 'CAPRICIOUS COLLECTION OF TRIGONOMETRIC CURVES' and this was proved right beyond doubt, one hour am the all conquering master of mind games and the very next hour am beaten at mental duels by a set of losers...

INDIA beat WI by less than a score of runs, hell who cares howmuch -> INDIA WON...
A consolation enough for the forgettable rendezvous...

too many emotions and too little time but exciting all the same...

signing off...

The plagues of Egypt -> Decoded

Was reading thru the plagues that were hurled at Egypt -> by God, if the legend were to be believed...

They make for a very interesting read & a scientific explanation is possible for atleast nine of the ten plagues...

Before I go any furthur in to discussing about them let me also confess that I have a very deep rooted curiosity about Egypt -> a good bit of it can be attributed to MUMMY (the movie & video game) & not to forget the fact that PYRAMIDz being one of the ancient wonders...

Would defenitely visit the mysterious land atleast once...

Now focussing on the plagues :-

First series :

1) Nile turning red -> red soil getting washed down the continent to Egypt thereby causing the water to become red in color...

2) Frogs attack -> this happened seven days after the first curse -> water not pure anymore so the frogs are forced on to the land (seems logical)...

3) Lice menace -> no breathing space this time around (action time) -> no clean water for an extended period & frogs doing their bit by unearthing soil...

Second series :

4) The dust of insects -> impure stagnant water for a time period sufficiently long to facilitate breedingin -> location, frog tunnels probably...

5) The death of cattle -> contaminated water does little good to the vegetation, thereby effecting the poultry...

6) Boils on flesh ->heat boils or bite protrusions, pause to ponder...

Third series :

7) hail storm -> rainfall depends on a whole bunch of reasons, one of which happens to be composition of clouds -> which depends on the particles present in previous years vapours...

8) Locusts explosion -> It is a commonly accepted & noticed fact that locust explosion happens at decently regular intervals...

9) The disappearance of light -> did the sun really retreat or was is something else, reason would say someting was blocking the vision a sea of locusts or a sand storm -> possible, very much...

10) Losing first borns => well not sure, frankly...

Signing off...

Mercedes-Benz History

Mercedes-Benz, Germany's most famous automobile manufacturer surprised the market in the late 1990s with a dramatic new design offensive. This took the form of new developments such as the A-Class, the little Smart car, and the SL, a purist contribution to the concept of the roadster. Mercedes-Benz is the successor of Benz & Co., whose founder Carl Benz invented the motor car. Mercedes-Benz was one of the first companies to develop streamlined cars, such as the Simplex, before World War I.

The cars of the Stuttgart manufacturer became a status symbol in the 1920s. This was largely due to the new S (Sport), SS (Super Sport) and SSK (Super Sport kurz, with shorter wheelbase) models, which boasted racing car features such as the long, extended hood from which the chrome exhaust pipes snaked forth. The 1936 Mercedes 500 K was a more luxurious development in styling. Technically full of ideas, with elegant flowing lines yet robust in appearance, it was the paragon of the German concept of car body design. This elongated dream car was created by Friedrich Geiger, and it was available to a small, select clientele in a choice of burgundy red or sky blue. During the 1930s Mercedes-Benz achieved a legendary status that reflected the German people's belief in its superiority, when the gleaming metallic racing cars known as the "silver arrows" dominated Grand Prix racing in the years before World War II.

The first innovative development after the war was the 180, which had a new kind of structural body. Externally, it had nothing in common with its predecessors, with one exception—the shape of the hood had been preserved, although it was no longer necessary. The large radiator grille adorned with the world famous three -pointed star in a circle now became the distinctive feature of the marque and a symbol of tradition. The most famous model of the 1950s was the 300 SL Coupe. This was another design by Friedrich Geiger and had some spectacular features such as the upward-opening doors, giving it the nick-named "gullwing", and arc-shaped deflectors above the wheels. The hand-built sculptural body had elements of the organic design that was fashionable at the time, the first example being the Cisitalia Coupe of 1947 with Pininfanna bodywork. The 300SL was the brainchild of Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the engineer behind company's competition cars. Uhlenhaut, Geiger, the chief designer Karl Wilfert, and the development engineer Bela Bareny formed a team with the young Italian Bruno Sacco in the late 1950s that provided Mercedes with the best possible knowledge and experience in the field of design.

A severe setback took place in the early 1960s, when the 220S model that had been fitted with tail fins was banned from North America market. The situation was restored by Wilfert and his men who created the 220 S Coupe, a car whose perfect proportions, especially the rear, made it one of the most beautiful two-door coupes ever built. Even more innovative was the 230 SL sports car, the creation of the innovative designer, Bareny. The angular, functional car had what became known as a "pagoda roof," with its unusual concave-convex construction.

In the early 1970s, designers were given a free hand to create various concepts. Bruno Sacco's C 111-3 prototype displayed the sharp lines that would be typical of the models of the late 1970s and 1980s. The maxim was that "a Mercedes should always look like a Mercedes-Benz, thus creating a family of models. This principle e mphasizing the identity of the brand was also applied to the 190 series (later known as the E-Class), an innovation introduced in 1982. This was the smallest Mercedes to date and it gave the company a foothold in a larger market. The pronounced wedge shape reflecting the style of the time unmistakably reveals the influence of Sacco's C 111-3 prototype.

When Mercedes-Benz's market share began to drop, the company set about rethinking the company's image and model policy. In the late 1980s, a new “advanced design” department was created, gathering a group of creative minds with an alternative approach to car design. The result was a sharper profile for some series like the E-Class and the C-Class, whose four striking elliptical headlights attracted much attention.

In the late 1990s, the company, which was by now Germany's largest industrial group and a global player, launched two radical new projects—the Smart, a two-seater town car, and the A Class. Both these models were aimed at a younger market, and they stood out with their unusual proportions and post-modern styling. They were launched with considerable marketing panache, although not without some initial problems. The family of Mercedes models is likely to become even more varied in the future under its new chief designer Peter Pfeiffer.

Blatant plagarism however I'm sure it makes for an interesting read...

Signing off...

ROGER RUFFLES RODAPOVA!

Andy 'ROD'dick + Maria Shar'APOVA' = RODAPOVA


Sharapova has already won the 2006 edition of the US open & Roddick was in the final (the fact that he was up against a patrician of tennis was a different issue altogether)...

A fairy tale in the making one would have been tempted to say but alas it was not to be...

Roger rounded the slam calander with a four set victory over Andy... -> 3 victoryz in 4 slam finals, not a bad stat by any strech of imagination... -> With the 2006 edition of US open in his account his slam tally goes up to 8, one clear of Andrea...

Getting back to the stylish and socially active couple 'rodapova', amazing couple -> real yo twosome...

Signing off...

'Carpediem' -> Sieze the Day

The first word that comes to mind when the two words CBIT & fete are uttered at once is 'Shruti' -> Which happens to be CBIT's official fete but unlike most other colleges CBIT also has an alumni funded fete named 'CARPEDIEM'...

The word Carpediem is 'used to urge someone to make the most of the present day and give little thought to the future', the French phrase 'joie de vivre' comes real close to this word in spirit...

CBIT celebrated their first ever Carpediem in 2002, the second edition of which was in 2004 & the third edition of this single day event funded and organised by their alumni pool named 'Chaitanya Smruti'...

This biennial event has been a huge success from its very first edition what with the likes of Euphoria, Shanker Mahadevan and the likes making the audience groove to their litling music...

This edition was no different -> the Pakistani band JAL was the prime attraction and others like Karunya (Indian Idol runner up) and Dj Suke Tu did their bit to make sure the energetic junta had a decent time...

Hero Balakrishna and the cast of Hyd...Bad Nawabs were also around... (Ballayaz english and Mamaz 'respect' fundas were over board even by filmi standards)

The two Channel [V] Vjz or whoever they were 'flown down all the way from Mumbai' (as one of them put it) tried to do their precious little but to almost zilch avail...

The band who won the Channel [V] slash contest or some such stuff acted as fillers before JAL did their thing were good, especially their rendering of CHOPSUEY (a super hit by System of a Down) got the crowd in to raptures...

All in all most things were decently well organized be it the parking or frisking or food...

A decent evening spent reminiscing about four of my most memorable years and tapping feet to awrite music ->
No Regrets...

Signing off...

Comrade Mikhail Youzhny...

Australian Open 2006 -> Final -> Rafael vs Roger ->Federer wins...
French Open 2006 -> Final -> Rafael vs Roger -> Nadal wins...
Wimbeldon 2006 -> Final -> Rafeal vs Roger -> Federer wins...
Us open 2006 -> Final -> Rafeal vs Roger -> Nadal wins...

I got the script wrong well not completely for sure half the script is blotched up...

If it was Rafaelz injury in the Australian Open, it was a random Russian guy named Mikhail something...

A preliminary research of Mikhailz career would show that though he showed potential at the junior level he did little to live up to it, well till now that is...

As a junior he is said to have pulled some decent enough feats especially in the Australian Open but after turning pro his antics were pedestrian...

Even in 2006 most of his defeats were straight forward straight set defeats on the other hand most of his victories were hard fought ones...

One look at Nadalz style of play suggests that he is better suited for hard court than grass, considering that he was the losing finalist in Wimbledon (grass court) it only makes logical sense that he would atleast make it to the finals of the Us Open if not go all the way...

But this was not to be, why because a Comrade decided to take things in to his hands to make amends to my script...

Mikhail Youzhny seems a player with potential but sure is a character with flair for flambouyance...

His racquet salute after every match is a sure shot dont miss...

Hail Comrade Mikhail...

Signing off...

Steve Robert Irwin -> The Croc Czar...

The name of Steve would be in the top three if not the very first one
to be entered in the
'Wildlife Conservators' Hall of Fame...
Nothing would be nearer to truth than saying that it was Steve who
made sure that the whole perception of people towards crocodiles was
changed...
Steve did what many hollywood directors could not -> give soul to a
creature devoid of any kind of expression, crocodiles fortunately or
otherwise lack the gift for expression...
It is argued by most that crocs are the only species to have survived
for millennia at stretch with very little anatomic alterations...
One reason for the above observation could be that fact that they are
so uncomplicated, another one being their ability to adapt...
So considering the before mentioned premises one cannot be blamed for
thinking that the likelihood of getting attracted to crocs can only be
paralleled by crocs developing emotions...
Steve a true livewire in the literal sense of the word, on his shows
he was like the quintessential kid who always seems to be confused but
in reality knew exactly what he was doing -> be it the feeding the
croc while carrying a kid case or even in his regular shows he would
keep talking to the crowds or in to the camera but the end result
always gave an impression that majority of his concentration was on
the job on hand...
A highly enterprising man who single handedly built a huge real time
habitat for the wild -> 'Australia Zoo' -> at on point in time his
zoo was the most popular tourist attraction of his state...
Being an enterprising man that he was he had many more ideas in the
pipeline, which I'm sure will be taken up by his wife & others whom he
had left an impression upon...
Steve might have gone to a better world but his legacy will live on...
May Lord bless his sould...
Steve the unprecedented CROC CZAR...

Freud sayz...

An interestin read, especially for those who have a thing for psychology...

'Freud came to see personality as having three aspects, which work together to produce all of our complex behaviours: the Id, the Ego and the Superego. All 3 components need to be well-balanced in order to have good amount of psychological energy available and to have reasonable mental health.

However, the Ego has a difficult time dealing with the competing demands of the Superego and the Id. According to the psychoanalytic view, this psychological conflict is an intrinsic and pervasive part of human experience. The conflict between the Id and Superego, negotiated by the Ego, is one of the fundamental psychological battles all people face. The way in which a person characteristically resolves the instant gratification vs. longer-term reward dilemma in many ways comes to reflect on their "character".

THE ID (“It”): functions in the irrational and emotional part of the mind. At birth a baby’s mind is all Id - want want want. The Id is the primitive mind. It contains all the basic needs and feelings. It is the source for libido (psychic energy). And it has only one rule --> the “pleasure principle”: “I want it and I want it all now”. In transactional analysis, Id equates to "Child".

Id too strong = bound up in self-gratification and uncaring to others

THE EGO: (“I”): functions with the rational part of the mind. The Ego develops out of growing awareness that you can’t always get what you want. The Ego relates to the real world and operates via the “reality principle”. The Ego realises the need for compromise and negotiates between the Id and the Superego. The Ego's job is to get the Id's pleasures but to be reasonable and bear the long-term consequences in mind. The Ego denies both instant gratification and pious delaying of gratification. The term ego-strength is the term used to refer to how well the ego copes with these conflicting forces. To undertake its work of planning, thinking and controlling the Id, the Ego uses some of the Id's libidinal energy. In transactional analysis, Ego equates to "Adult".

Ego too strong = extremely rational and efficient, but cold, boring and distant

THE SUPEREGO (“Over-I”): The Superego is the last part of the mind to develop. It might be called the moral part of the mind. The Superego becomes an embodiment of parental and societal values. It stores and enforces rules. It constantly strives for perfection, even though this perfection ideal may be quite far from reality or possibility. Its power to enforce rules comes from its ability to create anxiety.

The Superego has two subsystems: Ego Ideal and Conscience. The Ego Ideal provides rules for good behaviour, and standards of excellence towards which the Ego must strive. The Ego ideal is basically what the child’s parents approve of or value. The Conscience is the rules about what constitutes bad behaviour. The Conscience is basically all those things that the child feels mum or dad will disapprove of or punish.

Superego too strong = feels guilty all the time, may even have an insufferably saintly personality'

What surprises me all the more is the fact that a person like Freud who had such insights in to the human mind once confessed, "What women want, this is one question that I do not have an answer for."

Singing off...

New Blogger...

I have crossed paths with the word BETA on two occasions before today...
It is a queer case of serendipity that both happen to be during my student days...
The first time when I was on my way to becoming an engineer & the second when I was picking the basics of finance while pursuing MBA...
However this time around it is slightly different...
The new BloggerBeta is not only interesting to work with but also much simpler...
An obvious analogy that comes to mind is that of DOS & WINDOWS, if the first version of Blogger is Dos then the Beta version is something of a Windows...
Though everyone is harping about it, I thought even I'l hop on to the bandwagon for the plain reason that it deserves its due...
"THE TEMPLATE EDITOR", now struggling with lines of HTML code is a thing of the past all on has to do is get in to the user friendly & straight forwad edit page & do your thing by just clicking or drag-n-dropping...
The look & feel also deserve a special mention, very tasteful & visually aesthetic...
Beta is beautiful & fun to work with, so go for it coz if you dont they'll force you to in a couple of months...
Signing off...

Street talk...

An ad-age on one of the hoardings I came across claims so :-

'Cubicles are alloted,
Corner offices are earned...'

Some might agree, most might disagree however the dimension that I want to concentrate on is neither the idea that lower corporate rungs are disparaged (maybe inadvertantly) nor the whole concept of painting the top brass as laborious creatures...

What actually crossed my mind the first time I read the ad-age is that the last word stands out like a proverbial sore thumb...

I for one strongly feel that the last word should be replaced by the word 'acquired'...

Yeah, that is true...

Corner offices are not earned for the plain reason that there is so much at stake & so many able contenders will be in the fray that no matter how good or deserving one is unless one has the ability to 'acquire' it be it by any means, one wont get it...

Signing off...

Orkut Introductionz...

These are three of the better 'about me'z that I came across on orkut...

'It looked good-natured, they thought;
still, it had very long claws and a great many teeth,
so they felt it ought to be treated with respect.'

'Let's make this About You: If I don't know you, I'll certainly (not even probably) hit that thumbs down button, yeah? So, stay off.'

'Hum hum hain to kya hum hain,
Tum tum ho to kya tum ho ,
Agar hum dono dost ban jaye,
To zindagi main kya gum hain.

So lets talk and get to know each other better . Wht say ???'

Signing off...

Freedom...

Firstly a very HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY to all my visitors...
Freedom is associated with a whole bunch of things & concepts ranging from emblems to sacrifices, but I for one strongly believe that FREEDOM especially in the context of nations is more than anything else "expensive"...
Imagine the number of individuals who offered their valuable resources (be it tangible or otherwise) & the productivity that hey could have got to the table in an otherwise stable world...
59 years is a while but near zilch when compared to what lays in front of us...
Vande Mataram...
Jai Hind & Jai Common man...

Try it...

Supposed to be a 3-D game, decently straight forward but will keep you hooked for a couple of minutes atleast...

Free Flash GamesandMyspace Game Codes

read on

read on

I am googlable

I discovered yesterday that my page can be reached using google...
ArchitzparadisE
A modest begining yes, but a start none-the-less...

Embouitallage

The French 'Title' literally translates to traffic jam in English...
It is popularly said that "One is either a part of the problem or a part of the solution"...
Yesterday evening I was stick in a traffic hold up which was caused due to a VIP's movement in that area...
It was in this sedatary state that a thought occured to me, which goes...
All the people in the hold up can be categorised in to three, viz
1) those who have voted for the ruling party,
2) those who have voted for the opposition &
3) those who did not cast their ballot...
The feelings of those belonging to the third category would be straight forward -> I did a good thing by not voting for such an unempathetic lot (indirectly meaning, not having taken their side)...
The people belonging to the second category would feel I did a great thing by not voting for those in power since as it turns out they have no concern for citizens time...
The feelings of those who actually voted for the party or coalition in power would wonder why they had voted for someone who is so nonchalant towards to its supporters...
Interesting point here is that the members of the first two categories are blaming the effect & not the cause, it could so easily be the case that the second & first categories would get interchanged in the next election but the result would still remain the same...
So going back to the popular phrase of either being a part of the problem or a part of the solution, neither of the categories in question fall under either of the dicotomic headings (they are neither the problem nor the solution)...
Unmindful of what they had done the outcome would still have been the same...
Point to ponder over here would be to analyze what is going wrong, on one hand I say none of the partys is at fault but for sure there is a problem on hand, how can there be a fault without a defaulter...
The only goof up here seems to be that 'vote', which is said to be one of the most powerful tools in the hands of citizens is not as powerful as it is made out to be after all...
It is very easy to say the political class ought to be made more accountable, not just in the spirit of the word but in the literal sence of the word...

Signing off...

Freakonomics...

Is it a freak's take on economics or does it deal with the freakiness of economics or do the authors opine that economics is freaky or have they come up with a new concept concerning money matters...
Upon a decently close inspection, one might be excused for believing that the book has nothing to do with economics...
The authors actually try, in more than one place, to impress upon the reader the idea that economics is not necessrily a stand alone field...
One might not approve the author's way of thinking at places or find it trying to attack the "conventional wisdom" out of sheer hope of bumping in to something interesting & insightful, but the fact remains that very few other books manage to increase a persons horizons as wide as this one does...
Discussing about topics ranging from parents to teachers to teenagers to criminals to klansmen to wrestlers to real estate guys...
THe authors have done a good job of introducting a lot of ideas & thoughts, which they join to show the patterns that emerge out of them...
Did it deserve all the hype that is got? YES
Has it lived up to the hype generated? YES
Must Read...

Signing off...

Communism decoded...

It would be fair to say that of all 'ism's' communism is the most misunderstood & misinterpreted...
I am neither a proponent nor a pursurer of communism however I would want to account my understanding of this belief (however limited it be), to help atleast those who are less informed than me...
The major perceived difference between capitalism & communism is the fact that former encourages all classes whereas the latter only promotes the lower classes of society...
The fact however is that communism doesn't support all classes since it doesn't want more than one class to exist, communism in essence is about equality as against the concept of equity propagated by capitalists...
It is often argued that communism has some inherent flaws, viz...
Communism claims everyone is equal & get equal share of resources but this goes against two very strong age old beliefs :-
The first one being that of "survival of the fittest" &
The second one being that of "maximum utilization of available resources"...
The above arguments are from the point of view of those who are ruled upon but what about the rulers themselves, greed & selfishness are as much a part of human evolution as genes & chromosomes...
Should a person holding power want to do so over a long period of time with the same impact it is imperative that he be slightly biased...
In any scenario where more than two people are involved that whole idea of logic flies out of the window...
It is said when two people are interacting the there are perceptions actively playing, viz :-
A's perception
B's perception
A's perception about B
B's perception about A
A's perception about B's perception about A & finally
B's perception about A's perception about B...
This should give a clear indication of how complex the whole idea of inter personal dealing is...
I must plead guilty of digressing but I also opine that the digression was needed...
More on it later...

Signing off...

Opportunity cost...

Its mid day in Chennai, sun is going about its business as usual...
I decide enough is enough its time to head back home...
Walk out of my place of work at six in the evening & contemplate which mode of transport to seek...

Bus -> a stone away from where I live
Rail -> nine kz away from my place however more convenient especially it being a night journey
Flight -> Crops off two dimensions -> time (hours) & width (wallet)

There is no way on earth I'l suffer in a bus for twelve what with an alternative existing...
Train's have always interested me but the fact that I am an impulsive perepatetic made it virtually impossible for me to seriously consider them to satisfy the wanderlust in me...
(I can never forget the experience that I had while travelling general class overnight... Mumbai to Ahmedabad, what actually scared me furthur is a friends observation that he has spent worse times in a general cubicle...)
By employing the process of logical elimination I am left with only one choice -> to fly...

Reservation time...
Which airline to take & whats the ideal time...
I run googles to go to all the home pages, compare the prices & schedules, start off by eliminating those which do not feature on my preference list & those that are not convenient...
I finally make my reservation & head to the airport...

One hour from the time I board I am in good old Hyderabd...

Signing off...

Lag...

I for one strogly feel that Indian Office bearers & beauracrats should be atleast tech literate if not savvy...
If before mentioned scenario had been a reality then such silly goof-ups would not have happened...
One point of view would certainly be that the aam junta will always be critical about any & everything the sarkar & the babus do...
On one hand the entire country along with media of all kinds is up in arms that no head way has been done in the 7/11 investigation & the same social entities knock on SC's door when the ruling class in its own wisdom or ignorance takes some measures for damage control...
What is interesting to observe that whenever an incident of such kind takes place a ripple effect can be felt, one thing leads to another, which in turn leads to a totally different third thing & then the issue of priority comes up (immediate term, non so distant future, eventually a concerte structure)...
Maybe not the most appropriate thing to do but the fact remains that I've decided to stay away from giving my take on the issue & tried to put forth an assortment of happenings...

Signing off...

Numbers!!!

Italian win has proved once again that numbers dont always reveal the true picture.
Neway Italia was one of the teams i was rooting for so atleast some consolation...
Nothing can actually balm the pain caused by the realisation that my predictions have gone wrong and Brazil has crashed out...

Signing off...

ARCHIT -> FURTHUR DECODED

width="240" height="180"
alt="Adonis Rendering Caresses and Hot, Intense Touches"
border="0">


width="240" height="180"
alt="Abhorrent, Ravenous Creature from the Haunted Isolated Tower"
border="0">

ARCHIT -> DECODED

width="240" height="180"
alt="Artificial Robotic Construct Hardwired for Immediate Troubleshooting"
border="0">


width="240" height="180"
alt="Artificial Robotic Construct Hardwired for Immediate Troubleshooting"
border="0">

From 'H' to 'F'...

"Yor are next" says the HR lady, now the moment of reckoning has finally arrived, the culmination of 1/2/3/4 years that you have spent going thru books, attending sessions, taking tests, grooming yourself is now. You check your hair & attire one final time, take a couple of deep breaths but still the tingly feeling inside refuses to seize, you somehow muster all the courage & move towards the door mentally executing the checklist, knock clearly twice, warm smile, firm handshake, appropriate salutation (wooo, what time is it)...
You knock on the door twice (as planned) & almost open the door only to realise that you have not heard any voice from inside, nervous again, you stare at the door thinking of the possible goofup & knowck again, "walk in" someone says. You go in & a distinguished gentelman is on the other side of the table, after having bckoned you in he gets up to say hi. Things are working out fine, he defenitely does not seem displeased to see you. He starts off like a person getting in to a swimming pool after ages of learing the sport, very cautious (testing the waters), upon getting a hang of you he's flapping full throttle but at the same time making sure he does'nt get the technique wrong (which might upset you, who will vent it out on him)...
The interview is finally over & you feel like you've defeated a beast at its game...
you are asked to wait outside for sometime only to be told that, "YOU ARE HIRED"...

The feling is hard to describe in words, animated ecstacy...
Work starts, induction, id tags, personal terminal, b-cards, training, first pay check, hands on work, first intermediate appraisal, half yearly appraisal, your candidature being made permanent, performance based incentives, things seem to be going fine. One fine day you are summoned by the powers that be, you are unsure to say the least...

You are shown the door. literally & figuaratively...
What else can you do, other than put up a futile defence...

"YOU ARE FIRED", the phrase keeps coming back to haunt you again & again relentlessly...
A single letter seperated also by only a single letter, both have the power to alter lives...
HIRED & FIRED
F <-> G <-> H
All it takes to get a confident individuals esteem down is altering the first letter, getting it down by two alphabets, the same when done with the support of "G"race will not hurt as much as when it is done without "G"s support...

Signing off!!!

FIFA 2006 PREDICTION!!!

This is a crappy calculation. Anyhow the result will be known by 9thjuly !!!!!

Brazil won the world cup in 1994. Before that, they had won this title for the lasttime in 1970.
1970 + 1994 = 3964

Argentina won the world cup for the last time in 1986. Before that only in 1978.
1978 + 1986 = 3964

Germany won the world cup in 1990. Before that, Germanywon in 1974.
1990 + 1974 = 3964

This could lead us to guess the winner of the World Cup in 2002, since it should be the winner of the 1962 World Cup
3964 - 2002 = 1962

And Brazil won the world cup in 1962 and 2002.

This numerology seems to work...

And now, who would be the winner of the 2006 world cup?

3964 - 2006 = 1958

And who won in 1958?

BRAZIL

A Fine Balance...

4 the less informed "A Fine Balance" is a work of fiction by this parsy guy named "Rohington Mistry". I've always harbored a strong opinion that Indian authors (when dealing with heavy stuff -> tragedy) & those pieces of work which deal with India during the "Emergency" should b kept away from like "croc infested waters"...
Reason: Sorrow, pain, grief, apathy & humiliation when described with Indian touch for reasons unknown sounds & feels gorier than it actually was!
One can attribute it to the Third World Syndrome or the fact that it happened so close (geographically)...
B4 said aside though the book is full of grief (Indian author) & set in the backdrop of Emergency it is readable to put it mildly -> 1 thing is that reader should have the stomach to take so much "bad energy" at one go (trust me 4 some1 like me who believes in end-2-end reading as fast as possible the whole experience leaves the mind blank if not confused about the possible alternatives that could have happened & the n other courses the plot could have taken)...
" Consistent yet Capricious "
Is one phrase that fits the bill to the T in describing the characters...
The guy definitely has a brilliant way with words n the ability to articulate regular everyday happenings by breaking it into phases which are easily noticeable but not often expressed...
" the flame staggered, steadied & bloomed " -> while describing the act of lighting a candle...
One other thing worth mentioning is the way in which the story's or different characters are weaved together like a wilt...
The 1 thing shared by all of them is the fact that they r unhappy with life...
Can write a good bit more however reckon this is a fair enough description!

Verdict: Can Read (4 select clientele, heavy reading but decently gripping)
10 point scale: 8 (for articulation, style n available scope utilization)
Signing Off...

Next book: We the living...

An Uncommon Paradox...

ANUNCOMMONPARADOX -> If there ever is a single word that best describes human mind then it ought to be this...
Upon serious consideration one can safely conclude that ->
trying to analyze or categorise the human mind is but an exercise in futility...
I request those who disagree with me to kindly explain the idiosyncracies of an idle mind & the irrational exuberance of a challenged mind...
Man is said to be blessed with the power of reason but most of his deeds seem to suggest otherwise ->
:- be it egoism
:- be it chauvenism
:- be it "suiting things to convenience"
:- be it criminal & psychotic behaviour
:- be it "inability to adapt to change"
:- be it flippant & lacadasical nature...
the list is virtually never ending!
Despite all this what is interesting to note are the miracles which human mind has conjured up over centuries ->
:- wheel (stone, wood, with a hole, rubber) => abstract thinking
:- fire => lateral thinking
:- hunting => structured thinking
:- team work (always taken for granted) => directed thinking
:- technological advancements => reason (surprise surprise)
I am leaving the post unfinished only to finish it later...

Sigining off!!!

Serendipity...

7 frenz -> naa 7 real gud frenz, whu drove together, partied together, studied together, acted funny together, got caught together, played together, fought together, bent/broke/buried rules together, blew smoke together, learnt liquorin together <=> hell virtually lived together for almost 4 yrs n then moved along in their own directions -> at different points in time, 4 different reasons n 2 different geographies...

What if u were 1 o the 7 n wen back 2 the "strip o earth" where all o u used to hang around? What wud b runnin thru ur cerebral hemisphere? How wud u cope wid th anonymous lonliness? How much wud u b willin 2 sacrifice 2 discover tat u r not actually alone n tat the other 6 r jus on thier way 2 where u r?

I was indeed 1 o th 7 n was back home (figuratively n literally) n sittin in the balcony n staring vacantly at the clear sky n wat do I c 1 o the other 6 walkin towards me frm the horizon -> the 2 o us settle down with nostalgia substitutin both 4 smoke n spirit -> another 1 o the 5 calls sayin he wans 2 meet smewher n then v call 2 o the remainin 4 2 inform them o th POA n 1 o th 2 v called informed 1 o the last 2 n after v reach the pre decided place v call the last 1...

It was 2 first then 3 n then 4 n it wen back 2 3 n then it was 4 again followed by 5 n again it the count fell 2 4 finally ending at 5...

The fact remains that the 7 o us were not together at even 1 point in time however as far as am concerned i met all 7 on a single day in a span of mayb 5 hrs...

As 1 o my fren puts it probably the next time all o us r gonna meet will b in LAS VEGAS!!!

Signing off...

Leadership Decoded!!!

Y is it that most ppl donno know wat to do <-> which direction to take <-> how far to go? Y r risk n responsibility shouldering such monumnetal tasks for a great many?
Y do "almost all" look up to the "select few"...
"almost all" -=> Followers
"select few" -=> Leaders
Technically speaking followers should out number leaders but t is it that there is such a huge gulf in the actual numbers & of more importance is the question pertaining to the difference between the two species...
Lets try to ladder up from the basics :-
Leader
-> a person who leads
-> for her/him to lead there should be someone who wants to get led
-> people would not like to get led by those who r like them in all respects, so what is different in this league
-> now it is obvious that they r unlike most (from the previous premise)
-> if someone wants to get led by someone then it means the former trusts the latter
-> so a leader is one who can instil trust in others
How can s/he do it?
< Inter personal skills>
-> ability to interact with people of varied kinds
-> fine one might trust someone but the sustanance of the same is of equal importance
-> this can happen only if the person u trust as per u has the ability to suggest right n not random things
How can s/he do it?
< Leaders generally r visionaries>
-> they can analyze which way the wind will blow thanks to the information gathered thru the first trait
-> trust is one thing but respect is a totally different issue
How do leaders command respect?
< Leaders r men/women of integrity>
-> they live by their honour n word
-> they might have a lot of inside information, they might be people of highest virtue (honour) but how do others even know of the same
How do leaders emerge -> driving force?
< Their ability to play with example & unprecedented communication skills>
-> all great leaders had mastered atleast one medium of communication be it speech, writing, painting, singing...
-> y dont others imitate or emulate them & become leaders themselves...
<< Thanks 2 a secret known only to the great leaders>>
-=> Great leaders never stand on ceremony...
A trait easy to comprehend but virtually impossible to cultivate...

Signing off...

AXE => PART II

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/9439.asp
Working on an ad campaigne & proposal 4 a seminar!!!
Working n me, well difficult to associate be true nonetheless!!!
Will post a bumper post the next time around!!!
Signing off...

Time 2 wrk!!!

Itz almost 7 in th mornin n & its my first day at wrk post MBA...
Lookin forward 2 havin a gr8 time...
It feelz nice 2 b back in madras after a while...
yet 2 meet up wid ne frenz, ought 2...
Signing off!!!

i return!!!

Honestly got nothing in mind but sure will think of something worthwhile to write...
Old Vela Ad-age -> "Left with nothing escape to a movie"
I decided to extend it blogging also, cant really conjure up any topic so gonna critique a movie...
Which 1? Have been cin a good few offlate...
"V"
The wachowski bros r back with their latest offering starring a "mask" in form but "messiah" in spirit...
Must admit they pulled off a feat which would have been considered virtually impossible by any cinema follower -> i.e given a physical form (a face) to a revolution, idea & motivation...
It is very easy for any matrix lover to say i xpected more out of "V" but some fine aspects of taking & execution used in the film over shadow the unprecedented action sequences of the Matrix series...
-> be it the dialogues
-> People should not fear........
-> The introduction monologue full of words starting with V
-> The Chancellor while addressing the nation & barking instructions to the "party members"
-> The parleys that the lead pair have
-> be it the character portrayal
-> the damsel in distress who later turns into a bold follower
-> the brilliant & honest officer with flashes of bluntness
-> the "evil" chancellor
-> the V <-> mask <-> speciman (however one chooses to refer to him)
-> be it the physical taking of the film
-> the first blast
-> the last blast
-> Vz underground haven
Now the polt
The era is not mentioned expilictly but one can speculate it to be sometime in the not so distant future, the setting is London but the impact of the script is felt around the globe in general & England in particular. Democracy is replaced by a loose variant of dictatorship where people are forced to believe that they have the power but the belief if anything can be termed quazi in its most moderate form. The so called government that holds all the aces is manipulative to the core & is headed by a power devouring head who is designated the "head chancellor". The symbol of the party which all the party members have as a talisman is a distorted cross & their attitude can at best be termed nazi like but only with more aryanism. In a setting as mentioned above a man whose will to question the status quo & make amends was created in one of the evil establishments of the "party" a score of years ago surfaces to execute his carefully laid out plans (one must admit that the character in question has a lot of parallels to Adolf Hitler be it his unquenchable thirst for knowledge reflected not only by the number of books in his bedroom but also the collection of antiques in his drawing or the ability to inspire the dormant force in the hoi-poloi by shear grit in his actions & integrity).
The modus-operendi used by the man named after his cell in the modern laboratory which uses humans as guniee pigs (room number 5 in roman script -> V) is simple, work on human psychology -> break the mental shambles by blasting the monuments whose sheer magnitude commands unquestioned control over any thougt that even as much wants to think beyond them...
Does he suceed & if so how is what makes the rest of the story, in the course of which the lives which he touches directly & indirectly form the sub-plots...
A MUST WATCH MOVIE FOR EVERY FREE THINKER
PS: The desin of the mask deserves a special mention, i would like to draw a parallel between the mask that V sports & MONALISA ->
y, b'coz both can carry off different expressions with zilch effort & utmost impact....

AYN RAND sayz...

Atlas Shrugged -=>

"I like to think of fire held in a man's hand. Fire, a dangerous force, tamed at his fingertips. I often wonder about the hours when a man sits aone, watching the smoke of a cigarette, thinking. I wonder what great things have come from such hours. When a man thinks, there is a spot of fire alive in his mind -- & it is proper that he should have the burning point of a cigarette as his one expression."

Reason would suggest that analyzing these set of words in the current context & existing scenario would not do sufficient justice to the authors brilliance & would definitely defeat the spirit for which these words stand...

The first edition of the book was published in the fifties which was a decade when smoking was a fad to put it modestly, the then medical fraternity was blisful to the connection between smoking & carcenoma...

The one thing which I would like to say about the author is that shez got the gift for extression how else can anyone come up with analogies & associations that she has in her literary works...

Cooling heels in HYD, its a nice feeling being back home...

Signing off!!!

ME B.TECH MBA!!!

Tas rite am a MBA as of day b4!!!
Day b4 tat is 27 was convo...
Everythin i mean preety much everythin seemed normal as in just like ne other day till the time the event began, the proceedings started & all kinda jazz was thrown at us with little if any effect. Then the individual recognition started, thins started gettin weird in my mind -=> 2 come to think of it i would be a masterz holder in a few mins -=> this gave me a queer feelin, kinda hard to describe!!!
Took my stuff from the dignitaries & waited till every1 else did & finally "HATS OFF" -=> well though not appropriate the phrase seems to fit the bill, the moment of reckonin when v all threw our hats up (must admit it felt gr8)!!!
Have been kinda bz partyin aroun n rite now am back in gudol HYD!!!
Signing off...

My SECOND holiday in as many months!!!

Was in ORISSA for a week long holiday, AMAZING HOLIDAY!!!
Well "holiday" may not be the most appropriate word to use (went more for a wedding but turned out to be a visit tour) however thatz exactly what it turned out to be!!!
Day 1 :-
-> Left Madras on the 13th morning in COROMANDAL express -=>
Day 2 :-
-> reached Bhubaneshwar after a 20hr train journey (must admit ATLAS SHRUGGED made the journey that much more interesting)
-> shot off to PURI, visited the temple & the beach... dinner at MAYFAIR, hung on over night
Day 3 :-
-> drove to KONARK, visited the SUN TEMPLE, an absolute master piece (this has even more relevance coming from a person whoz not really into architecture & monuments). From KONARK drove back to BBNR stopped on the marine drive on route to KONARK...
-> Went to CCD twice...
Day 4 :-
-> drove to CUTTAK for my friend's wedding & hung out in BBNR in the evening, dinner at Triumph residency...
-> Big Market...
Day 5 :-
-> hung around in BBNR for the day doing nothing out of ordinary, dinner at NAKLI DHABA...
-> Lingraj temple & CCD
Day 6 :-
-> Visited the NANDANKANAN zoological park & safari, fun place...
Day 7 :-
-> Met Sid, shot sticks had lassi at "LINGARAJ lassi centre" (amazing stuff), met my friend at his reception & was off to the station...
-> Left BBNR at 9ish in the night...
Day 8 :-
-> Back in Madras... BLOGGING!!!

Signing off!!!

6 Months <-> 10 Cities <-> Good going!!!

Ahmedabad
Bangalore
Bhubaneshwar
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Mumbai
Pondicherry
Pune
Puri & not yet done.....
Midway thru a holiday, having a ball of a time, will post the happenings later!!!

Welcome to the AXE-land!!!

To the less informed am going to write about what I think is the most creative & artistic at the same time extremely sensual & business increasing add in the twenty six years of television advertising -=> The new AXE commercial!
From the first add which was captioned "talk to me" to the current one which invites you to "come to the axe land" the brand has journeyed a great distance from being criticised to induce sexuality (or sunsuality as claimed by the brand managers) to being by far the most effective user of ad-scope. I used to find it rather absurd when profs constantly harped about how advertising especially in the initial phase should be conceived very carefully so at to make sure that a lot of scope is left for futhur horizon widening & elbow space -> I would constantly be on the look out for brands which have actually managed to design a campaign with a solid eye to work on it furthur in the future only to realise that brands seldom manage to sustain it (not even the really good ones for that matter) & even those that do could not sustain it over a long period of time -> one glaring example for this can be Britannia's 50-50 which came up with an extremely catchy series but eventually fizzled out & one other brand would be fevicol (defenitely to a slightly lesser extent).
The case in question as far as AXE is concerned is completely different, the whole idea of relating "attracting the opposite sex" with fragrance is actually as old as the earliest animal however such associating the same thing to humans was slightly off tangent & a very novel idea. Accepted conceiving the diea itself was a perfect example of "out of the box" thinking but that defenitely could not be the end of it since giving it a visual form was a monumental task owing to multiple reasons :-
-> Television & print being visual mediums & fragrance a nasal experience, this seemingly straight forward omniscent fact was actually working against the concept because the ad-maker had to create an ambiance which should almost be experiencable not thru the conventional sense but thru a different one <-> a near impossible feat
-> The concept from the physical look of it was far to sensual for family viewing, this was not that major a hindrance & to the contrary it was a clear cut case of "positioning" bang on
-> Prior to it most Indian ads (if not all) were very clear (maybe straight forward is a better word) be it in the message they wanted to convey or the way in which they did it, the same was not the case with this campaign be it the functional advantages (AXE gives you women like BMW says ultimate in speed)
To come to think of it not everything was going against the brand in the begining there were some issues that were working in its favour :-
-> The song Sikdim by Tarkan was quiet a rage by then & it not only fit the bill to the tee but was also cute in an unconcentional kind of way (added advantage)
Awrito, now that that idea was conceived & created it was time to take it to the next step, but it so happened that there was not only a next step was so many steps followed..........
The latest one I personally reckon is virtually unbeatable, I mean it'll call for someone as creative as god (me probably) to extend it furthur & create the next phase!!!!!!!
Amasing is not the word be it the island country in a ladys shape or the map which indicated what all you can find in the geographic mass, whats more the island has a national monument, sport, flag, dish, costume, day & brid, come to think of it also has an element of mystery shrouding it. India, Malaysian & Thai citizens have a priviledged entry!!!
Looks like I can virtually go on & on & on, ought to stop sometime & now seems a good enough time so........
Signing off!!!

Elixir, ThE Uthopia, Eve, Europe & mE!!!

ThE lEss said about the fivE ElEmEnts in thE titlE the dEEpEr thE mEssagE that will bE convEyEd!!!
Elixir -> a magical or mEdicinal potion,
a prEparation that was supposEdly ablE to changE mEtals in to gold, sought by alchEmists,
a prEparation supposEdly ablE to prolong lifE indEfinitEly!
thE uthopia-> an imaginEd placE or statE of things in which EvErything is pErfEct!
EvE-> thE first woman!
EuropE-> paris, romE, london, zurich, amstErdam, lisbon, dublin!
la gioconda, colossium, big bEn, banks, diamond, vasco da gama, bourbon!
what to "mE" havE to do with all thE abovE briEfly dEscribEd ElEmEnts, wEll mEz got a lot in common with thEm -=>
with thE first E -> magic
with thE sEcond E > mysEtry
with thE third E -> magnitude
with thE fourth E-> multiplicity.....

Signing off!!!

The FISH In Me !!!

My swimming potential is surpassing all cerebral boundries that I earlier set for myself & my aquatic escapedes have rekindled the dormant & latent marine traits of mine!!!

Being Cyrus... (from my eyes)!!!

7 characters in all & must admit each character's personality has been developed & betrayed admirably well be it -=>
Cyrus, a guy with both a pleasant disposition & an air of mystery who walks in to a world renouned potter & his wife's life,
Dinshaw Sethnan, a artistic genius turned "pot head" living in Panchgani along with his wife,
Katy, Dinshawz promiscuous & polygamous wife who dreams of a high life in a more vibrant city (Bombay),
Farokh, Dinshawz crooked brother who batters his father while romping his sister-in-law & neglecting demure wife all at once,
Tina, Farokhz wife who is subjected to constant oppression but again with a spark of rebellion be it smoking after her husband leaves or when she vicariously derives pleasure by the was her husband gets humiliated by an elderly lady neighbor,
Fardounjee, Dinshaw & Farokh's father, an aged guy living by despite the ill treatment being meted out to him by his younger son &
Inspector Lovely, lastly the selfish, lascivious & boastful cop.
The movie begins on an interesting note & unfolds beautifully though some might find it to be slightly out of sync mid way thru but by the end of the movie all loose ends are tied & loop holes in the script plugged.
Relationz have been handled with immense finesse & the effect that little everyday happenings have on relations has been projected with a lot of class.
Some things that goes against the movie are that fact that its far too single community oriented, characters behave in a very predictable fashion & the climax some might argue has an odd filmi moment.
MY TAKE -> Slightly on the heavier side but definitely worth a watch.

Same place Different city -> MOCHA, Chennai...

I graced the Chennai outlet of MOCHA for teh first time today. Me, Saurab, Tariq, Sid, Ajay, Bipin & Harshil went to MOCHA in the evening, it was a typical enactment of the phrase "out of the bule". It was actually my third visit to MOCHA, first was in Ahmedabad & second as those who've read a specific previous post of mine about MOCHA would know was in Hyderabad. Todays experience was no less invigorating & stimulating than my previous encounters with the brand MOCHA.

LAYOUT -> Itz physical layout is on similar lines as both the other MOCHA's I have been to giving me an impression that it is their signature design, it has a decently big parking lot & sufficient open roof space for the SHEESHA<->Nicotine lovers & an ornate indoor space, then there is a good amount of lounging space in the first floor.

FURNITURE -> MOCHA Chennai has in my mind lived up to its reputation as a place which is tastefully decorated & with weird modes of seating, this edition of MOCHA has a "rickshaw chair", "car seat chair", "an easy chairish chair", "a swing chair" & a good number of comfortable regal chairs. One "defenitely must'ne miss" place is the "LOO LIBRARY" an enclosed place with a few racks full of books & a comfortable seating arrangement. A few tables have amazingly comfortable chairs (amazing leg rests which almost makes one feel like regalia).

PLACE'S PARAPHERNALIA -> Old times pendulum clocks on wall beside the stairs are difficult to miss & so is the inculpation & ebullience of the guests. The attire of stewards seems to be a brand equity element of theirs.

FOOD & STUFF -> I'm not well placed to give an objective comment on food for the plain reason that I did'nd eat anything & whats worse is the fact that we did'nt even have hookah (pathetic), the cold coffee I had called COFFEE SHAKE or some such thing was just about oaky to put it subtly.

EXPERIENCE -> The whole thing started & ended on a decent note thanks to the security & parking personnel, who were very cordial. I'm afraid the same cant be said about the stewards or not to the same extent atleast, neither were they timely nor were they resourceful (necessary traits of good hosts). My wish to have a customized MOCHA match-box was also not fulfilled thanks to the fact that they've stopped holding them as people are taking them away (ridiculous).

SUGGESTION -> CAN VISIT IT ATLEAST A COUPLE OF TIMES, IF FOR NOTHING ELSE ATLEAST FOR THE AMBIANCE

Signing off!!!

ORKUT Buyukkokten sayz!!!

sing as if no one is listening
dance as if no one is watching
love as you've never loved before
live as if heaven is here on earth

The peripatetic in me!!!

I got consumed by wanderlust, not that I was not before but was never in to the travel monster like I'm at this point in time. I chalked up some names off hand & came up with a tentaive list of about 50 countrys and a rough estimate of how much time to spend in each country. Coming up with the names itself was a herculean task, if I were to take this as a yardstick then there is a very high probability that I might take ages to come up with the itenary. The amount of exposure the whole experience would give me be it in terms of "people understanding", "geographic cognizance" and "culture consciousness" on the softer side & "multi-national contacts", "connoisseurz collection of stuff, what with me being blessed with a shrewd eye" on the more tangible side.
Country:
1) Australia,
2) Austria,
3) Canada,
4) China,
5) Denmark,
6) Egypt ,
7) France,
8) Germany,
9) Holand,
10) Italy,
11) Japan,
12) Mexico,
13) Pakistan,
14) Newzealand,
15) Greece,
16) England,
17) Poland,
18) Russia,
19) Taiwan,
20) Singapore,
21) Thailand,
22) Malaysia,
23) Indonesia,
24) Portugal,
25) Switzerland,
26) Nepal,
27) Venezuvela,
28) Sri Lanka,
29) West Indies,
30) South Africa,
31) Turkey,
32) Tibet,
33) Taipai,
34) Scotland,
35) Spain,
36) Zimbabwe,
37) Argentina,
38) Norway,
39) Finland,
40) Korea,
41) Morocco,,,,,,,,
The list is by no means exhaustive, ought to add atleast nine more names. "Fifty countries" sounds kewl right. I personally feel I'l need atleast 15-17 years before I reach anywhere to visiting most of the places, mental math suggests that I'l need atleast 3 years of holidaying to reach my DREAM.

This is what "BLOGTHINGS" has to say about me, I don't approve of everything, Obviously!!!

Your Hawaiian Name is:

Kahoku Kane

What's your Hawaiian Name?

Your Seduction Style: The Charmer

You're a master at intimate conversation and verbal enticement. You seduce with words, by getting people to open up to you. By establishing this deep connection quickly, people feel under your power. And then you've got them exactly where you want them!

What Is Your Seduction Style?

You Belong in London

You belong in London, but you belong in many cities... Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sidney. You fit in almost anywhere. And London is diverse and international enough to satisfy many of your tastes. From curry to Shakespeare, London (almost) has it all!

What European City Do You Belong In?

Your French Name is:

Vallis Marie

What's Your French Name?

Your Love Life Secrets Are

Looking back on your life, you will have a few true loves. You've been deeply wounded in the past, and you're still recovering from that hurt. You want to be with someone who's a success. A person with the right job, right family, right clothes... In fights, you speak your mind and don't hold back. You know you're right, and you can get quite angry about it. A break-up usually comes as a shock to you. You always think things are going well.

Your Love Life Secrets, Revealed

You Should Drive a Saturn Sky

You're sleek and smooth, and you need a car to match your hot persona. Besides, sometimes you want your top up - and sometimes you want it down.

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

You Are a Natural Flirt

Believe it or not, you're a really effective flirt. And you're so good, you hardly notice that you're flirting. Your attitude and confidence make you a natural flirt. And the fact that you don't know it is just that more attractive!

What Kind of Flirt Are You?

Your Japanese Name Is...

Kenta Shimizudani

What's your Japanese Name?

Your Life Path Number is 1

Your purpose in life is to lead others. You have great drive and determination. Nothing is going to stand in your way. You seek out challenges and the spotlight. You'll take all the work - and all the glory. Status and success are important to you. You demand the best from everyone and everything. In love, you tend to take a protective role. You enjoy being the provider in relationships. You expect others to be like you, and as a result, you are often disappointed. A little selfish and vain, you always put yourself first. Remember, everyone already knows you're great - you don't need to remind them!

What Is Your Life Path Number?

People Envy Your Confidence

You have the attitude and self esteem to take on anything. Failure is beyond not an option for you - it doesn't even cross your mind. People envy your ability to take on any challenge ... and they're secretly afraid you think you're better than them. You don't. You're just sure of yourself.

What Do People Envy About You?

Your Hidden Talent

You're super sensitive and easily able to understand situations. You tend to solve complex problems in a flash, without needing a lot of facts. Decision making is easy for you. You have killer intuition. The right path is always clear, and you're a bit of a visionary.

What's Your Hidden Talent?

Your Sexy Brazilian Name is:

Pele da Costa

What's Your Sexy Brazilian Name?

You Should Learn Chinese

Surprised? You shouldn't be - Chinese is perfect for an ambitious person like you. You're a natural entrepreneur, and a billion people are waiting to do business with you!

What Language Should You Learn?

You Are a Frappacino

At your best, you are: fun loving, sweet, and modern At your worst, you are: childish and over indulgent You drink coffee when: you're craving something sweet Your caffeine addiction level: low

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Your Observation Skills Get A C-

You tend to notice the big things in life... But the details aren't exactly your forte

How Observant Are You?