Vaidyanama

Niroop 2010

2010-04-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

For All My Friends....

When we all joined this college, we were mostly complete strangers. But over the past four years our lives have become entwined in such a manner that today we cannot imagine a day where we won’t be able to meet each other.

Soon the world will force us to say Goodbye but remember…..

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

We tasted success but the real joy was sharing it with our friends. The joy that every achievement brought was meaningful only because our friends used to ask for that treat! The euphoria of our friends made the success even bigger! We also experienced failure, saw some dreams shattered but we had each other. Friends who helped us cope with the pain, who strived to bring a smile to our faces, who helped us to accept it and move on.

Soon the world will force us to say Goodbye but remember…..

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

There was love and then there was heart-break. There were hook-ups and break-ups. We gossiped about the latest ‘couple’ and blushed or got worked-up when the ‘topic’ included us. But all this would have been meaningless if we did not have friends to tell and tease. Some found the love of their lives, others were not lucky but everyone had a fair share of these delightful “cardiac” moments!

And even though the world will soon force us to say Goodbye, remember…..

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

We wonder what will happen when each one of us goes on our own paths. Some consciously chosen but mostly just given to us. How our relations will change when there is no ELR and no Quad, no main-gate and no canteen, no library and no hub, no football ground, cricket ground or five gardens? What will happen when there is no Madras Café, Relax, Garnish or Classic? What will happen when there is no one to walk down the road to Kapol Niwas and later to Matunga Station?

Soon the world will force us to say Goodbye but remember…..

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

I am myself at loss because our lives as we know will soon change. I so dreaded this date, April 16 that I went into denial mode. Every day I refused to accept that the countdown had indeed begun. But here we are today, the day of our “Niroop”. I fight back the tears, tears not of loss but of helplessness due to the uncertainty of our future course of life.

Soon the world will force us to say Goodbye but remember…..

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

Friends today I want you all to know this… It was we who chose to be friends and it shall be us who shall decide if we want to stay friends. No Niroop or MBA or MS or Job can decide the future journey of our friendship. If we want, nothing will change but only the distance. It is up to us to ensure that we do not lose this precious bond that has developed over the years. There will be new friends, new acquaintances but there won’t be another Friends Union! So let us vow today to preserve this special bond that formed in VJTI. Let us vow to make it stronger in the years ahead.

Because as I have been saying,

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

Many friends have crossed my path
And I thank God for them all
But I got an extra special blessing
When your friendship answered my call….

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall soft upon your track…

So Friend, always remember….

There's nothing that's so final about leaving,
Even though I know that's what you've heard.
Just like forgive, forget and try again,
Goodbye is just another word.

-Ameya Vaidya

A Little Story...That got me thinking...

2010-04-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

I would like to share a little story, a story I witnessed outside my window. Our drawing room has a large window which opens out to the horizon (limited :P) and a Peepal Tree. Many times you can see me seated here gazing out into the oblivion. As my uncle would say...I smoke my imaginary pipe, as I stroke my imaginary beard, having a philosophical moment.

Once I happened to catch sight of a crow, working frantically on a branch of this tree. Ferrying leaves, sticks and other hay-like refuse, it was trying to build a cozy home. In a matter of days its nest was ready. A cute and comfy home, ready to welcome the crow and its family. There were two crows. The mother who would mostly sit in her nest, fidget a little until she was comfortable. The father crow meanwhile could be seen perched on the branch near the nest or flying sojourns to find food or any other thing the mother would fancy. :)

Then as expected the nest suddenly had three eggs. Now guided by instinct the mother would guard her eggs fiercely. Her instincts tell her how to protect her eggs and ensure they are hatched. Any other crow or bird or even a squirrel which dared to venture near her nest would be met with a stern glare of her eyes and fluttering of feathers. The other birds soon leaned to keep their distance from her nest. The father crow would still fly out to find food and sometimes would take up position to guard the eggs while the mother flew.

All stories don't have a happy ending and even this one didn't. A couple of days later I noticed there was unconfortable activity at the nest. To my shock, the eggs were missing. The poor crows could not understand what had happened but I could see that a hole at the bottom of the nest was the culprit.

Mother crow was probably shrieking in grief and kept helplessly fluttering her feathers. She flew away and came back to the nest several times in a day. I could feel the pain but I wondered if she felt the pain,as an emotion?

After a few days, the crow did not return back. I thought I would see her again, visiting her nest,but strangely no crow ever fluttered back to the place which the two crows once called 'home'. Soon the nest was all cleared and very little remained to indicate what had transpired. Clearly her instinct told the mother that it was time to move on.

And that's when I got thinking about 'instinct'?
What makes it possible for a species of a lower intellect to commit deeply, protect its loved ones, procreate and then Let Go?
Humans on the other hand can't just do it. And humans also show a paradox. First we can not give enough of ourselves and then pain, anxiety of separation and loss lingers much longer than is sometimes healthy!

Was Charles Darwin Wrong? Is Intelligence really inversely proportional to instinct and ur thinking?

When we really have to make a decision, does a lack of instinct and an abundance of knowledge perhaps leave us with more options and reasoning? Or does it just leave us discombobulated and at sea?

Familiarity Breeds Contempt...

2010-03-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

Mark Twain wisely said, "Familiarity Breeds Contempt- and children". The latter part is not of significance here, because we are talking about how the more you know something or someone, the more you start to find faults and dislike things about it or them.

This happened to me of late. The perfect bond we shared was shattered by what Mark Twain called familiarity!

Before you rush to conclusions about the identity of the entity with whom I got familiar with.....Let me Dash your hopes and tell you it is none other than my, my one and only, LAPTOP :D

It started on a fairy-tale note when I successfully usurped my father's second Laptop. I fell for the looks....slim, prim and cute! Our union was like running away and eloping :P

It went sweetly for few years with me discovering new aspects of my LG XNote everyday or so. We together mesmerized my friends and family, what with rotating the screen, remote controlling presentations and music, controlling a robotic car we built, etc. And then the curse hit! It was not responding to my requests and one by one the functions failed me. Then I ventured to open it and investigate its interiors. There were the many resistors and capacitors ( which a friend of mine uses as rings ), the serene ROM chips, the awesome processor, the compact hard drive and the cooling fan and ducts. I cleaned it, serviced it and replaced few things which didn't work and ultimately formated the OS all with the hope that we could once again embark upon an eventful journey together!

But alas, my XNote took offence it seems. It now refuses to connect to the internet when I most need it or the applications like Mozilla do not open. It will format my External Hard-Drive only to render it useless where it is not detected by the machine!

If you think that these are technical problems which a more accomplished and sensible person can solve, I am afraid you are highly mistaken and immature. These are all signs of contempt shown by my XNote towards me! Alas what did I do to deserve this! :(

Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend....

2010-01-15T08:33:00.000-08:00

This is one of the many songs which touched my heart really deep...
Enjoy the lyrics and the emotion effusing through the words...

I stopped sending flowers to your apartment,
You said you aren't home much anymore.
I stopped dropping by without an appointment,
Cause I'd hear laughter coming through your door.

Sometimes late at night you'll still call me,
Just before you close your eyes to sleep;
You make me vow to try and stop by sometime,
Baby that's a promise I can't keep.

I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So lets just let the story kinda end;
I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So don't expect me to be your friend.

I don't walk down through the village or other places,
That we used to go to all the time.
I'm trying to erase you from my memory,
Cause thinking of you jumbles up my mind.

I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So lets just let the story kinda end;
I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So don't expect me to be your friend.

You always act so happy when I see you,
You smile that way you take my hand and then,
Introduce me to your latest lover,
That's when I feel the walls start crashing in.

I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So lets just let the story kinda end;
I love you too much to ever start liking you,
So don't expect me to be your friend.

-Lobo

What an SMS conveys?

2009-12-21T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends, I am sure everyone of you sms-es! If you don't, go wash your face and get a life!

Well I was sitting the other day, doing nothing, my usual occupation when I got an sms! And then I started to classify the people on the type of sms they send...

Here's my list...

1. The Purists

Now these are part of a species who believe in typing their messages with the correct spellings, grammer punctuation. Their sms even have paragraphs with indents!Crazy people yaar...but they are now extinct. If you come across one surviving member please introduce me!

2.The Marlon Brando or Amitabh (before Paa).

Discretion is their forte! Their words are few and the letters used to express even fewer. Its like a telegraph compared to a letter.

e.g.

Ameya: "Hey man congratulations! Awsum score yaar! 1500/1600 with 800 in Quant, kya baat hain! Abhi toh u will fly naa? To America! Good show buddy! So Happy for you! Congrats once again!"

Reply: Ty

What the hell! 'Ty'. Thankyou ki Thanks yaar! Aur kuch nahi! They either really are at loss of words or they can't type! God save them! Break out of the mould! Express yourselves. Don't be so bovine!

3.'TC' category!

TC == Take Care, Tak Car, Take Careeeeeeeee, etc..

These people have each and every message ending with TC!
Its like a signature!

e.g.

Ameya: "Hey! Hello! Hows u? How have you been?"

Reply: "I am fine. Wat abt u? Tc"

Ameya: "I am also ok...living....didnt see you today...how was ur class test?"

Reply: "Test was decent. I was in quad only. Wer were you? Tc."

Ameya: "U were busy! No time to meet friends! Wat do u mean in quad? I was der too!"

Reply: "No re....TC"

Note the replies are getting shorter and always end with TC

With no offence to anyone...this can mean any of the following...

1.I really Need to TAKE CARE! Something is seriously wrong with me

2.TC actually equals "Ok.Fine. Now dont trouble me" Then say so directly!

3.I am addicted to TC! Then go to Rehab! Never overuse a word if u dont mean it!

Thank god none of my friends or enemies fall in this category! Few are close to it mind you!

4. The Crazy People!

Now we have crazy nuts everywhere!

e.g.

Ameya: "Dude whats come into you? Why are u so sad and forlorn? Kuch bolli kya woh?"

Reply: "Sachin will score a century today"

Ameya: "Wat????? R u mad? I am asking about ur 'Cardiac Problem' and u r talking about tendulkar!!!!!!?????"

Reply: "do u know that The complementary colour of yellow is purple!"

Ameya: "Abbe bhootnike! Kya ho gaya hain be tereko? Do chammat du kya?"

Reply: "Yes the song Kwaja Mere Kwhaja is really good! I agree"

Ameya: "Ok. U have lost it! Man u have really lost ur marbles!"

Just one word to describe them! Freak!

5.The scary bunch!

These people scare the hell out of me! To a question their reply is odd and apocalyptic!

sample this:

Ameya: "Hey i hope alls well! The misunderstandings are part of life...Hope you are not Mad?"

Reply: " :)"

The people who answer thus, with only a smiley scare me. If u watched "Child's Play" or "Dead Silence" then you will understand! They remind me of those dolls in the movies who go about killing people! I really freak out! If u havent watched the movie, Google the name and look at the images. Its really scary!

6.The 'shortform' dudes and dudettes!

These people have no other business than making up new short forms for simple english words! And they make my life Hell! Arre baba simple englih, marathi, hindi mein bollo!

It took me a week to understand that b4 is 'before', 4tune is 'fortune', 4wrd is 'forward'!

And I was so worried that a couldn't understand when a friend said 'mi nehmi v4 karun bolte!"

What was she saying? Wat does she mean 'v4'? Will some one please explain!
Then i understood...v4 is v and char(4 in marathi) which means vichar or thinking!!!!

Poor me! Am i a dumb yodel or what?

More crazy short-forms:

ayor : at your own risk

asl: age, sex,location...This one floored me

hand : have a nice day! I thought u want my hand!

eod : End of discussion! I thought tom is Eid!

e2eg : ear to ear grin! I thought its a new Android in Star Wars!

e.g.

Ameya: "Well actually I have a exam tom!"

Reply: "lol!"

Ameya: "how rude! why did u laugh??????"

Reply: "Arre baba its not lol its lol. as in Lots of Luck and not Laugh out Loud!"

Ameya: "How would i know. anyways thanks a ton..or tat!"

hehe...

btw lol also means "loads of love". But i havent gotten 'this' load yet :P.

So people.....Comment...Tell me if you have more categories! And in what Category u classify me!!!! Cheers! Tace Kare (I mean Take Care) :)

God Help!

2009-12-21T21:41:00.001-08:00

Here is another film from the YashRaj Stable! Starring the amazing Uday Chopra and Priyanka! Amazing because I always wondered who told Uday that he can be an actor and Amazing again because Miss Chopra keeps getting Hotter!

Alright coming back to the subject...its a song "Pyaar Impossible" which has aroused strong emotions within me!

The film is about Nerd + Beauty == Pyaar Impossible!
This is the simplest Mathematical Equation i have come across in 12 years of schooling and 3.5 years of engineering. And i am sure anything in the last sem wont be able to beat this!

I advise you better watch the song first (if u can muster the courage) and then read this, OR read this, then watch the song (again if you aren't pusillanimous) and then recollect this!

Only then you can sympathize with me!

The song shows Miss Priyanka shun her decollete tops and hot pants and instead put on baggy clothes and a pair of spectacles. Trying to persuade Mr.Uday that.."Hey Even, 'Dhapne' Boys (bespectacled for the uninitiated) in Full Sleeves are capable of falling in LOVE and Being LOVED!"

I sincerely applaud this gesture on part of the film makers to give my brethren some hope. Remember even I am a "Dhapnya" although not a "NERD"!

But the point of contention here is the singing or the nasal fortissimo on offer!

It is like Himesh and Janice(from FRIENDS) doing a duet! God it is torture! Why do they enjoy exercising their nasal muscles so much!

While hearing, a painful tickle started in my nose and rendered me breathless. This then proceeded to my ears and finally consumed my entire head! Third Degree Torture I say!

Oh No! Look its playing on Zoom for the 5th time in the past hour! God Help Me! Btw why am I watching Zoom simce the past one hour anyway?

Back to Blogging!

2009-12-21T21:06:00.000-08:00

The author of this blog is back from the DEAD...

Ok,I know many of you are cursing, screeching, howling in anger wondering how this Stygian catastrophe came about....but sorry people, Its True!

I wonder if anyone really cares about the cause of my extended absence? But i shall proceed to explain disregarding your protests to stop...

I was busy chasing the 'CAT', DOG, HORSE, even the AMERICAN BLACK BEAR (GRE) and BISON, coz i thought that was the "cool" thing to do, was busy getting duped by Goldman Sachs, HP, CISCO, et all...

Ultimately, I was chased away by all these entities and finally had no option but to come back from the 'DEAD'....

aka Sherlock Holmes or Shahrukh Khan in Om Shanti Om...whichever you prefer :)

Simply Not Enough...!

2009-07-10T04:37:00.000-07:00

On Sunday,5th July, history was being rewritten at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, better known as Wimbledon. Roger Federer and Andy Roddick played as if their life depended on it and what resulted was one of the greatest match of all times!

The score line, 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 16-14,in Roger's favor bears testimony to the exemplary tennis on show on Sunday.

Andy Roddick knew the script well. Having played in two Wimbledon Finals prior to 2009 he knew what it takes to play at Centre Court for the Wimbledon Trophy. Sadly however he never could experience what it feels to emerge the winner here. Just one man stood between him and the trophy in 2004 and 2005, and it was the same man who faced him this year as well. Inspite of trailing Roger 2-18 in one-to-one encounters, he did not display any signs of fear or awe. On the other hand his countenance suggested a determination to make sure that the record books were changed to read
3-18!

Roger Federer on the other hand looked relaxed. Playing to win his 15th Grand Slam he knew the workout very well. If he has to look back upon Wimbledon 2008, he can afford to grin.

Last year he was at his peak. Playing the best tennis of his life he had assumed the proportions of someone invincible! Outright winners and clever subtle passes he was doing what he did best...i.e. to decapitate your opponent with ruthless efficacy. The called him the Smiling Assassin, who took pleasure in packing off his opponents with a sublime touch.

Yet he somehow lost his way at Rolland Garros and then to a large extent his Aura at Wimbledon in 2008. A juggernaut called Rafael Nadal had managed to unlock the secrets of defeating the champion! He single handedly dismantled Roger with his assiduous tennis. Federer would not admit, but Rafael had assumed dangerous proportions of a mental block. Not that he did not have the tennis to beat Nadal, he just could not control his nerves!

All that changed this year, Nadal lost to Soderling at the French Open and Federer looked history in the eye and it blinked. Equalling Pete's record of 14 Grand Slams he was back to his winning ways.

On Sunday however he was not at his best. He even descended to the level of Ordinariness. There were glimpses of his genius but they were many times overshadowed by anxiety. Battling all that and a phenomenal Roddick, he won to become the greatest of all times, atleast on the Grand Slam scale!

Coming back to Roddick, he had worked hard for this face-off. Reducing his weight,increasing his fitness, working with the best, he had taken his game to the next level and on sunday he showed that. Many friends argued with me that Roddick was the better player in the final. Maybe they are right. After all he broke Federer's serve thrice and Federer could unravel his powerful serve only once. But I choose to disagree. Federer might have broken him only once when leading 15-14 in the last set,the 77th game of the marathon match; but he consistently scored on Roddick'serve throughout the match. He was tied 40-40 on many occasions,its just Roddick was good enough to stop him from taking advantage. On the other hand Federer won on his serve 40-0 on a consistent basis and to me had the better service game.

The bottom line however is that it was a breath-taking match,thanks to both stalwarts who displayed amazing skills and panache during the course of the epic final. Federer got his 15 Grand Slams and his place in History as the greatest of all times whereas Roddick will have to undergo the grind once again.

One question that will no doubt cloud Federer's conscience is whether he could have got his 14th and 15th had Nadal been around? The verdicts a open house on that one.

Could he have tamed his tormentor to win? True he defeated Nadal in Madrid this year, and that too on a slow court,but could he have managed that at the Grand Slams? As i said it is not lack of skill or talent but a psychogenic shortcoming which undermines his ability when Rafael Nadal is on the other side of the net.

Federer no doubt understands this. I am sure he wont rest until he defeats Nadal at a Grand Slam. All factors therefore point to a surreal US Open this year. It will the venue for the clash of two titans. Federer waits, Nadal waits and like me millions of fans all around the world wait for that ultimate sporting spectacle!

"My Desi Girl..."

2009-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

The clock ticked away…well that is what it is supposed to do, given it has no other worth wile purpose in its life! It was an unearthly 15 minutes past midnight. Slumped in a seat outside Gate 14 of Terminal C, I fidgeted in an uncomfortable sleep.

Then suddenly my mobile phone-the bane of modern lifestyles, started vibrating violently and emanated a silly tone. I cursed it from the bottom of my heart. I thought it had done so deliberately with the sole purpose of disturbing my 40 winks. Caught between the throes of going back to sleep and hacking the hell out of the phone with a sickle, it was with much relief that I discerned the boarding call for flight 9W0062 from Mumbai to Bangkok amidst the din going on behind my back. The source of this cacophonous orgy was a group overzealous bunch of travelers who had no qualms over exercising their vocal chords at the highest pitch, much to the chagrin of unfortunate souls like myself.

Thinking nothing worse can befall me I proceeded towards the boarding gate where many people were clamoring to be the first to board the plane. Inured to the constant hustle and bustle of Mumbai- local trains, buses, et all, their mind had become impervious to reason. Poor ingenuous souls did not realize that the vehicle designated to carry them to Thailand- The land of the White Elephant had not denigrated to the class of cut-throat travel. With much relief I recollected that we were to be seated in the Business Class and returned the obsequious greetings of the flight attendant.

Finally seated and already getting comfortable I was throwing cursory glances to investigate what company I would be sharing when suddenly the craft went silent and I witnessed a wonder of the modern world step in. Straight trousers, smart striped shirt which accentuated her figure, stylish red rimmed spectacles and above all – the epitome of beauty, she headed straight to where me and my sister were seated and my heart missed a beat! The air-hostess then directed her to a seat diagonally opposite me and it finally dawned upon me that we were in the august company of the ‘Desi Girl’, Piggy-chops or PC.

Now a point of clarification, I detest all the titles endowed upon the subject of this conversation.

Desi Girl? It has the insinuations of something sinister or crude like Desi Daru…My friend CC can elaborate.

Piggy-Chops? I understand the porcine admiration of Lord Emsworth in Wodehouse’s Blandings Castle but no one in their proper minds can choose to associate the dahling with anything to do with a pig. Not even those desi-dipsomaniacs mind you!

PC? She is one of her kind, how can u call her PC, it sounds so bland and hackneyed

I would prefer to call her, Miss Priyanka Chopra. For all those who did not have the insight to understand the object of my loquacious ramblings uptil now – Bollywoods very own Priyanka Chopra had just boarded the plane and was about 4 feet away from me.

The reaction in the plane was interesting. I was totally stunned and must have been open mouthedly staring into space. My sister was quickly commenting on her pros and cons, her positives and negatives, her qualities and vices, her ying and yang, I cannot understand how women can so quickly prepare a character sketch of another specimen of the same sex!

A gentleman and his family were feeling as if an exotic animal had been brought to the zoo, especially for them to witness; his wife quickly sat on the seat besides Miss Chopra and started brushing her hair in a clear attempt to outshine Miss Chopra in the picture which her husband was gearing up to click! Some celerity on part of the air-hostess prevented this from happening and the couple was quickly dispatched to their seats at the far end of the plane.

The seats in front of us were occupied by a middle-aged man and his wife, Priyanka had booked both the seats to their left-diagonally opposite me. Now undeterred by the firmness with which the earlier paparazzi were treated, this gentleman got up with his cell-phone and attempted to click a picture. Miss Priyanka was agitated and suddenly sprang into animated gestures as if the director had yelled-ACTION

Miss Priyanka-“How dare you try to take my picture! Shut the camera right now! “

Mrs. Paparazzi-“He is not interested in you. He is just taking pictures of friends sitting behind you!”

Mr. Paparazzi-“Who are you to decide that I am not interested! Ofcourse I am interested!” (in his mind of course)

Airhostess- “ Photography is totally prohibited in the flight. Kindly take your seats!”

Me-“ Ah! My day is made. Now that was quite a tamasha!”

Airhostess (to Mrs. Paparazzi)- “ Now ma’am, this is our menu from which you can order later”.

Mrs. Paparazzi- “Huh…I don’t want anything!” (Clearly embarrassed)

While all this drama ensued, Priyanka was conveniently talking on the phone. Not just talking but smiling and giggling.

Nupur was convinced it was Shahid Kapoor. I didn’t care. The air-hostess obviously cared! She requested Priyanka to switch off her phone. The request was ignored. The same instruction was repeated as the safety procedures were explained and the craft started taxing towards the runway. Special request to Priyanka which again was greeted with more giggling into the phone. Flight ready to take off and Priyanka was asked again to switch off her phone; she replied haughtily-“ I am trying to!”. Some more giggling and eventually she obliged.

Seat belts were fastened, peace descended in the cabin, the craft picked up speed and we were on our way to Bangkok. The Star-Experience had been phenomenal. Attitude was on display to the hilt. Are all the stars the same? Disregard for common rules and regulations? Air of superiority just because millions adore them? If yes then I totally pity them!

Mumbai Defies Jaago Re! And comes up with Bhaago Re!

2009-05-01T01:31:00.000-07:00

For a good 6 months an arrogant young man caught people in public to shame them into voting. Jaago Re was his constant rant!
Jaago Re, Jaago Re, Jaago Re!
Newspapers dedicated reams to convince people to exercise their Right to Vote!

30th April was the date fixed by the Election Commission for India’s Economical Hub and its satellite towns to come out and exercise their franchise. One was given the leeway to come anytime between 7.00 AM to 5.00 PM and vote. Thursday was even declared a Holiday to make the process even more convenient for the Mumbaikars.

But did the Mumbaikars go the Jaago Re Way?

Well they got up all right (some earlier than usual in spite of it being a holiday) but not to vote; instead they chose to embark upon a leisure trip, finding the four day weekend to tempting to resist!

Voter awareness campaigns and heart-rending tragedies not with-standing,
Couldn’t–Care- Less Mumbai choose to dishonour their fundamental Right and Duty!
The hypocritical bunch of senseless, unpatriotic, self-obsessed losers had common run-of the mill excuses;

1. It is so hot!!!

I gather that they possibly have the power to switch off the heat while engaged in their mindless, wasteful pursuits of pleasure!

2. My Vote doesn’t count, it won’t make a difference!!!

Well did you ever try to understand the meaning of the pithy saying, “…many small drops make up the ocean…”; while educating your children or advising your friends!

When 10 terrorists sailed to Mumbai and ostentatiously murdered more than 200 innocents on 26th November, 2008;

You Cried Injustice!
You Blamed the Indian Political System!
You Held the Authorities Responsible!

Candle light vigils and Protest marches were organized like nobody’s business. A metropolitan giant exalted that it has finally awoken! It asserted that it has now become enlightened about it’s rights and duties. It claimed that it now understood what it deserves and what it is getting in return!

Was all this pretence? A chimera created by the collective excitement generated by an overpowering tragedy that caught us unawares and totally helpless?

Friends yesterday the voting turn-out of Mumbai was the lowest in the last four general elections at 41.3%. South Mumbai, the constituency where everyone expected spirited voting following the terror attacks of 26/11 and where people made the maximum noise about governance – recorded just 40.3 %, a turnout that is even less than 2004! Mumbai South-Central (my constituency)recorded a dismal 39.6%

After all that has happened in the last few months, after all the eloquent statements made by us, after all those protest marches, the least we could have done was to make use of the one tool in our hands to effect a difference!

The ballot was the one opportunity where we could have changed the administration which failed us (personal view) and made sure that the right people make the decisions for us in the future.

I am proud to say that I honoured my Right and Duty to Vote! I am also proud that many of my friends and relatives did the same. We have exams in a few days but that did not stop us from doing our bit for the country.

I despise those who considered other matters more important than VOTE and I loath their immature and unpatriotic attitude!

On the other hand there were a few who took the effort to register and make it to the polling booth but couldn’t exercise their franchise due to reasons beyond their control. I know you feel terrible but it was not your fault. And compared to the self-obsessed narrow minded infidels, your heart and soul is in the right place! So make it a point to ensure you are not disenfranchised in the future.

DEMOCRACY is a Government

OF the People,
BY the People and
FOR the People!

But to succeed these “people” need to be politically conscious and must recognize their Rights and Duties! Although vigilant about our Rights when it concerns us, we conveniently forget our Duties towards our nation. If we cannot be responsible Citizens of India we cannot accept our system to be anything other than a farce! And then please do not glorify your double standards by coming out only to complain !

Memorabilia Goes Under The Hammer...

2009-03-10T00:18:00.000-07:00

Calling upon all the connoisseurs of historical artifacts!
Here is your chance to own a part of History!

We offer you a chance to acquire certain antiquities from the life of a certain Mr. Ameya Vaidya!

These are his priceless possessions which he used during various points of his life. They have been recovered from unimaginable nooks and crevices of a certain place at about 55 feet above sea level in the very heart of the ever vibrant city of Mumbai. If you thought treasures are found only under the overpowering sands of the desert, or leagues under the all encompassing waters of the ocean, or in the midst of wild and dense forests or atop the snow-capped peaks of the mountains, you were wrong!

They are also found in a two bedroom flat in Mumbai!!!

Following is the list of items put up for auction: (refer the above graphic)

1. Nokia 6220: Had been a valued companion during many years; right from std. Xth upto TYBtech Electronics Engineering. It has witnessed the transformation of a nondescript school boy into a good-for-nothing College Kumar!

2. Wristwatch: Original Timex Expedition with leather belt, which even Brett Lee (brand ambassador) does not possess.

3. Spectacles: They hold sentimental value to him because they were responsible in eradicating the tag of Harri Puttar which had become attached to his personna due to his earlier and first pair of dhapans!

4. Old Pencil Box: This is probably the first scientific calculator to be used by him. It was looked upon as a magic wand to survive the gruesome Math Orals which happened twice a week in the primary school days. Ameya thought he could still give answers without knowing the 'tables' by heart! If only it could be allowed during the CAT - he still does not know the tables by heart!

5. Signature Cricket Ball: This is a season ball bearing the autograph of Javagal Srinath-India's leading bowler and the autograph of Coca Cola-one of the world's biggest soft drink brands. Ameya spent a lot of his time during the 1999 world cup consuming coca-cola in order to garner enough bottle caps to win this souvenir!

So it is time for all Vijay Mallays and James Otis' to cash in on this once in a life time opportunity to own a part of History! Yes your cash which comes in(to us) will help us survive this recession!

We shall accept all bids online on the 'Comments' page of this blog. The starting bid for auspicious reasons has been accepted at Rs.1/-...

So bid before the hammer falls!

Note: If any individual or institution objects to this auction they can contact us and we shall think of suspending it only if the same individual or institution sponsors our travel to 78 countries to spread the message of Mr. Ameya Vaidya!

THE PARADOX OF OUR TIMES...

2009-02-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,
Wider Expressways but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more but have less, we buy more but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgment, more experts yet more problems, more medicine but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch too much TV and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We love too seldom and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We have conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things but not better things.

We talk about cleaning our air, land and water but never remember to stop polluting the soul.
We've conquered the atom but not our prejudice.

We write more but learn less.
We plan more but accomplish less.

We have learned to rush but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill!

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Let us remember our true nature and discover our true selves before we get crushed by this cacophonous onslaught of modern life!
Let us remember to give the "Human Nature" of Homo Sapiens Sapiens a chance!

Remember to spend some more time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember to say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person will soon grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a rupee.

Remember to say "I Love you' to your partner and your loved ones but most off all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep within you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And remember to give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!

The Sub-Prime Crisis

2008-10-11T22:23:00.001-07:00

Over the past several weeks everybody has been hit by this global economic crisis. If not financially then definitely mentally (like us). This tectonic financial crisis has captured the attention of people all over the world. Well if your 160 year old company is about to go bust (read Lehman Brothers) then you better panic!

Investors across the world are in total panic. People are losing their hard earned money, established banks and companies are becoming bankrupt, stock markets and currencies are plummeting. Scary situation! Definitely scarier than Ram Gopal Verma Movies at least! So what exactly is this whole thing? And how does it affect us in India? I attempt to address this here, in my new post.

The origins of today’s crisis lie in the progressively digressing US Government policies. Over the last 5 to 6 years, the US administration has successfully rescinded well-placed restrictions and safeguards in the banking and market sector. Regulations regarding granting of loans or restrictions on banks becoming share market speculators have been removed. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can obtain a loan in the US which he otherwise would not have been eligible for. Also there is little control on hedge fund investment companies and this kind of investment can become multi-fold.

Thus as a result, low income (i.e. sub-prime) US households borrowed heavily from banks to buy homes, etc. and then started defaulting on their payments. Then the house prices dropped. So the value of the purchased property decreased and any hopes of positive returns were squashed. This coupled with the inherent tendency or attribute of eating more than they can chew, living beyond their means resulted in compounding defaults on their debt obligations.

Here are few statistics to make it crystal clear. The ratio of outstanding loan to GDP in India is about 60%. Kindly indulge your mind in working some of those Grey cells and make a wild guess about the corresponding figure in the US!

75%, 90%, 95% or 99.999% ? Guys and Gals you hit way below the target! This figure is a staggering and mind boggling 330% in the US and about 240% in the UK! This means their respective GDPs are virtually non existent and feed almost completely on these loans. Thus the sub-prime housing loan market in the US is huge at about 1.4 Trillion $.

Now Wall Street’s Geeks (shrewd and cunning geeks however) repackaged these loans into a very complicated entity called CDO (Collateralized Debt Obligation) and sold these entities to various European and American Banks and financial corporations. This feature is known as the Hedging. It's simple: Suppose I lend you Rs. 100. Now I will sell this loan to a third-party hedge fund for Rs. 90. They in turn will sell it to some one else for Rs.85 and so on. The complexity lies in the calculations of profit and other percentages on these assets. These hedge Fund companies expect huge profit on these instruments in the future. But there is a glitch, a serious and glaring pitfall. What if these housing loans turn bad? The instruments based on them would then lose value. That is what has exactly happened. The defaults on US house loans started increasing and as result CDO prices stated tumbling. Falling prices made the portfolios of the banks ugly and eroded the banks' capital to a large extent thus affecting liquidity.

Also it is interesting to note that banks do not have all the ready cash that they distribute as credit. The inter-bank lending serves the purpose of getting cash-surplus and cash-deficit banks together and fuels the process of giving loans, lending money, etc. to individual consumers (to buy cars, white goods) and also to corporations (working capital,etc.) With increasing market uncertainty banks become suspicious and the inter-bank loan rates are affected. In the past few weeks the inter-bank loan rates have risen from around 3% to about 7%! With no one willing to buy anything the whole situation has become frightening. All over the world inter-bank markets have become frozen and liquidity in the market has taken a toll.

To address this problem the US Government is putting in about $700 billion as a bailout plan. They will buy these bad loans from the banks and improve the cash-flow in the market. Interest rate will be reduced. But remember that it has no Money Tree or a treasure hove, but the money ultimately comes from the tax-payers pocket! In India the apex bank, RBI is trying to address this problem by reducing the CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) and thus increase the liquidity in the Inter-Bank market.

We in India are slightly cushioned against a very catastrophic financial adversity because our domestic markets are pretty large and secondly because our banks are not exposed to these CDO business to a large extent. According to ICICI and other Indian Banks their institutions are cash-rich and can wade through these troubled times. (I hope it is true!!!) But ultimately Indian Companies have become more global than before and therefore the global economic meltdown in bound to affect our sanctimonious markets. Tatas acquired a host of companies in recent years. This meltdown is surely going to burn a hole in their pockets! Corus would be laughing hysterically right now. They got out with their money and it is the Tatas who now face the acid test!

A large number of Indian sectors might face problems, market pundits believe. This includes hotels, software, some outsourcing services, real estate, infrastructure, construction, banking, stock broking, mutual funds, and to some extent air travel. Hotels, mainly those in big cities that cater to business travelers, are largely dependent upon foreign tourists. In India, most foreign tourists are from the UK, followed by the US. Moreover, the October-December period is peak travel time and the impact could be higher on hotels because the pace of blow-ups in the US has recently peaked.

The software industry, one of India's largest export-earners, is almost certain to be affected. The industry earns more than 60% of its revenue from the US and the recent spate of closures and mergers will mean the trimming of various software-related services, analysts believe. It could be a mixed bag for the BPO sector. While some BPOs, which were heavily dependent on the BFSI sector, could see their fortunes dwindling, some high-end BPOs with substantial cost advantage could see more business coming their way.

The real estate sector, which was booming just a few months ago, could be affected in a major way. Industry players predict that real estate companies could suffer because of high property prices, high interest rates, and lower demand from IT-BPO companies and reduced availability of speculative funds because of bad stock market conditions. A slowing real estate sector could also lead to a slowdown in the construction industry. This in turn is likely to affect the cement and steel sectors. The construction industry could also suffer from a slowdown when it comes to new projects.

The US crisis and the resulting slowdown in India are also expected to weaken the Indian Rupee. It touched 49 Rs. to a Dollar yesterday! This in turn would mean a higher oil-import bill. With almost no scope to adjust prices, companies selling petroproducts are likely to be hit. Stockbrokers too are expected to suffer as the market slides, volume of trade dwindles and speculators vanish from Dalal Street. Big players and brokers with deep pockets could survive the tough times, but the smaller ones may be forced either to fold up or sell out, market veterans say. Also because the Rupee gets weaker, the software companies and other firms which earn in dollars will benefit from the stronger dollar as there net earning might increase and this might balance the reduction in business. Also petroleum prices are falling so the weakening of Rupee would not have a drastic impact. The assurances of our PM to achieve a GDP growth of 7% are hence pragmatic and not illusionary.

So this, my friends is the whole thing. I sincerely hope that you find this post informative. And as far ass the economic problem is concerned let our Dads worry, we better worry about our submissions and exams!

Writing Nightmare...Literally

2008-10-10T07:33:00.000-07:00

Evil, Devil, Sinful, Wicked, Criminal, Nefarious, Depraved, Iniquitous, Pernicious...

Alright Guys and Gals you don't need a dictionary nor those filthy little things called flash cards - which have now become a yardstick to measure your chances of flying to ('Oh... I am losing my Money which I never really had') America. As I was saying, all these words are really easy to understand, comprehend and then remember if you happen to know our math professor! Yes, this person is the epitome of all the above adjectives!

Over the last night I have burned the midnight oil, left no stone unturned, to finish what everybody calls a ASSignment. Man I have written so much that I feel I have become a sort of Human Printer...HP should start a new series...

Vaidya Series!...Fast printers to solve all your ASSignment troubles...Just provide all the material and it will be copied word to word, letter to letter, angle to angle to angle, line to line, etc as fast as lightning.

The only solace was my little iPod which dutifully kept playing songs to keep me company in those unearthly hours! Last night's playlist on my iPod contained a staggering 111 songs...ok Dickie Bird can do his dance (the English umpire and not my dear friend mind you) for reasons known to him alone (I doubt whether he is aware of the reason himself). Even the ghosts were afraid of me yesterday night. They told me that they were previously of the opinion that Humans don't really exist and are only a fictional creation to scare them. But now I have removed their doubts. They were petrified. I tried inquiring whether they knew of someone amongst them who taught at VJTI but they answered in the negative. They said the only person they know is Ram Gopal Verma, the comedian.

I think my fingers and my arms emit a weird mechanical sound every time they start to write. They must ban this torture. This is worst than third degree torture. It is more like a 14,567 degree torture. Apply this to Abu Salem or anyone equally (in)famous and they will be blurting out all the secrets and all the information you need! And it does not end here...Part two was officially launched today!

I really wonder how much paper, ink, pencil carbon(it is not lead-plumbum), etc. we waste in our four years of Engineering! Collect all this stuff ( journal, assignment, tutorial) of this college and distribute it amongst the US Banks. They will make an amazing amount of money out of scrap(Raddi) and they wont need a 700 billion dollar bail-out!

HaHa Ha - Why so serious!

The Passing of an Enigma...The End of an Era

2008-10-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

There are the Maestros,
There are the Dons,
and then
There is Dada !

The prince of Calcutta, The God of the Off-Side, The Royal Bengal Tiger,... ; the epithets for Sourav 'Dada' Ganguly are diverse and numerous. But the writing on the wall is just one...'This really is the last series you are going to see the phenomenon, the master, the persona par excellence, in action on field! He might still oblige Rukh-Rukh Khan in the second edition of IPL.

It has been a rough ride for Sourav all the way along...

The Boy from Behala made his debut in 1992, in the ODI series in Australia but was shockingly given the boot after just one failure(vs WI). He emerged four years later, literally from the ashes and purely on fantastic domestic performances but a smear campaign was started by his back trackers claiming that he was in the team courtesy Jagmohan Dalmiya.

Dada answered by scoring a blazing hundred on (Test) Debut versus England at the famous Lords. Anyone daring to say that this was just a flash in the pan had to wait for only a few more days. Dada followed this with another hundred at Nottingham! A star was born and there was no denying it.

As his career progressed Indian Cricket had regressed under the captaincy of Mohammad Azaruddin and even Sachin could not change it when he took over the reins as Captain and that too twice. Then the match-fixing scandal rocked Indian cricket and India was at it's Nadir!

In such adverse times the board offered the captaincy to Ganguly and the rest as they say is history! The space in this blog falls short to mention all the histrionics, achievements and records of this great man; so i will say this one thing only : India was metamorphosed into a fighting, confident and aggressive unit capable of beating anyone anywhere due to this one man alone!!!

While grace and timing were the hallmarks of Sourav Ganguly's cricket, I am not sure whether this sudden decision to ride into the sunset was true to those qualities. But such is the situation in Indian Cricket. It does not help if you have been the most consistent performer in Tests for over two seasons! You still have to prove yourself constantly. This is what happens when non-cricketing, money and power hungry politicians become the powers-that-be and control the BCCI

I cannot write more because my eyes well-up...but Dada, We always loved you and we always will!

I am of the strong opinion that Sourav will end his career on a high as he is the kind of man who never goes down without a fight! Go Dada Go...Give the aussies and the idiots in BCCI a piece of your mind and score runs by the ton. And even if you do end up scoring a hundred in every match of the series do not look back because you donot deserve to be in this quagmire...u deserve better...BCCI President!

Finally...9 Point Someone !

2008-09-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

Chetan Bhagat is frantically pacing the confines of his office! He is in total disarray! His secretary just broke him the news...

There is a 9 Point Someone in town! And he is going to give them tough competition! Rumours have it that the new book, which this mystery man is going to write is going to be a total blockbuster! And of course it is not titled '9 Point Someone' ! It is going to be called... ' Finally...9 Point Someone !'

The author of this blog ( that must be me, i think) takes pride in announcing that he knows this 9 Point (Sum)One! Well the entire Electronics department knows him of course. And much of VJTI also! He is Electronics' answer to Electricals' Vipul; with respect to his gastric indulgences! We shall now see the birth ...the death... and the final Resurrection of his 9 Pointer!

So Mr. 9 Pointer slogs hard but ends up with a non 9 pointer! Sad situation. A few tears flow, a heart is broken;possibly two hearts :P and the appetite must have been disturbed. But the Strong Man that he is Mr. 9 Pointer ploughs through it all. Now a few days back he was dealt with a sudden blow! That blow hit many a fellow students. The grades of a certain subject called BCOM were automatically modified though many had not requested such indulgences from the Exam Section at VJTI.

Coming back to the blow: it was a really bad one if u were on the wrong side of it! If your grades showed an upward trend then u were obviously delighted and would be trying to do the Salsa and Tango at the same time, but otherwise u felt like burning the place down!

Our 9 Pointer thankfully landed on the right side of the curve! This was long due for his hard work and it was totally a correct revision in his case. The Controller of this (In)famous department is a very naive controller! But it is wrong to judge by appearances. Despite his expression, which was that of a yokel having a sudden bright idea, and his mode of speech, which might put u in mind of a small, breathless, neurotic but ridiculously expensive dog, he might well have been a kind, generous and sincere man!

So Mr. 9 pointer was basking in the glory of his achievement or rather trying not to bask in the pervasive glory of his achievement which he kept saying was a case of Sreesanth getting lucky and actually giving less than 20 runs in an over; we friends knew better. He was trying to be modest!

But believe me being a 9 Pointer is not as simple as people think. At least, it is not simple if your ambitions include being a 9 Pointer tomorrow as well! Well the most unlucky incident took place just hours after his coronation as a 9 Pointer! The very important document called Marksheet ( previously supplied on a sheet of paper which would make even a roadside bhelpuri-waala to laugh out in mockery) which clearly stated his promotion to the League Of 9 Pointers was stripped of him suddenly! They said it was erroneous and would be corrected! Thus was the birth and demise of his 9 Pointer!

The next morning the Same Section again asked us to collect our marksheets. They were almost same as given before and we wondered whether the Section found no anomalies or it was just plane bored! Thus saw the resurrection of his 9 Pointer!

This Resurrection was more critical and dramatic than even the resurrections happening in the K serials ! 9 Point Someone was thrilled and finally heaved a sigh of relief so strong that it could have blown a 51, 54 and 67 Kg boxer back to Beijing!

And now the footnote:
Hyundai has Shahrukh (Rukh Rukh) Khan, Toyota have Aamir, Chevrolet has Saif and Logan has Kunal Kapoor, etc. Wondered why Honda haven't signed up anyone yet? Yes u Guessed it right, they were waiting for the biggest celebrity of the year: Our Very Own, 'Finally...9 Point Someone'. Grapevine has it that his household had promised to buy him a Honda City if he broke into the League of 9 Pointers and only an i10 for anything other than a 9! So we are all waiting for a drive in ur car, Mr. 9 Point Someone!

P.S. : The author offers a brand new iphone for anyone correctly guessing the real identity of our illustrious '9 Point Someone'. While reading the previous sentence you must keep in mind that the author is completely mad. Please leave your comments and guess the identity of our celebrity!

India In The Midst Of Another Marvellous Series!

2008-08-18T09:11:00.000-07:00

The colors changed from white to blue but India's Batting Blues continued!

So much for pre-match hype and the rhetoric that went with it. The second ball of the match had the Sri Lankans dancing, the Indians crying and most importantly most of us students glued to the headphones of our dear mobile phones cursing , screeching and abusing all at the same time. On top of it many of these innocent spectators (albeit only through the Ears) were expected to pay attention in their lectures or perform a dumb experiment in their labs. After all Gautam Gambhir had his stumps scuttled and India's ONLY BATSMAN had fallen. Sorry, I just made a statistical error. There is ONE MORE BATSMAN in the Indian Team but he has conveniently twisted his ankle and is now out of the series! I am referring to Sehwag and not the original Master Blaster as the latter has currently forgotten how to bat! (And has a different injury)

Yuvraj Singh had gone on record saying that he is confident of achieving success against the spinners. Be it Mendis or Murali he was going to clonk them over the ropes. He was talking sense but he just forgot to mention the duration of his stay on the wicket. He proved his worth by scoring a blazing 23 and then falling like a loser to his nemesis-Ajantha! If he takes a break from his prime purpose of life i.e. wooing bollywood beauties who ultimately don't give him a damn; and instead concentrates on his cricket then maybe that eternal boorish smug on his face will have a valid reason.

Now coming to India's captain-Dhoni saab apka jawab nahi. This guy is the most diplomatic person in Indian Cricket. His comment before the series, and I quote, "The Test Series Loss should not be blamed on the Seniors", was a very witty comment. After all his team consisting of the Young Brigade was going to do equally bad if not worse! Sachin ko gaali dene se kya matlab jab Dhoni saab khudh itna achha perform karne waale the! He almost got a hundred but was only 94 runs short!

The most interesting event took place in the dressing rooms between the two innings! After India had toiled to reach three figures and post a imposing target of 147 in 50 overs, Mahela Jayawardena made an offer to Dhoni. He asked Dhoni if India was willing to concede the match at that point of time. Because there seemed to him no point to continue the play as everyone knew which captain was going to walk up to the host first during the presentation ceremony. Anyways everyone knows who is winning when opponents are India and Sri Lanka have Mendis in their 11. The real reason was he didn't want to miss his favourite serial on TV. It is probably the Sri Lankan version of our own K serials and has a repeat tellycast in the afternoon.

But then the veteran and the true sportsman, aka Marauda Bomber-Jayasuriya came and started scolding Mahela for tarnishing the spirit of the game! He accused Mahela of underestimating the Indians and also tarnishing the image of Sri Lankans as true sportsmen. He said that Mahela had brought shame on Sri Lankan Cricket by even suggesting this.

He had a different offer. A novel and respectful solution which would give India a fair chance! He offered to bat Right Handed! Yes u read right, Sanath said that he would go out in the middle and bat Right Handed so that the match would last another 30 overs atleast or else it would have ended by over number 15 itself. At this point someone from the Indian team corrected him and said that because Shreesanth was not playing the match would have ended in 20 and not 15 overs. Sanath just smiled!

Well bottomline - India Lost! Haha! Looking on the positive side, Sri Lanka took 35 overs (Sanath was not allowed to be generous) and the margin was 8 and not 10 wickets! India started this tour on no.2 position in International Rankings, but looks like they are going to end up at no.7!

I have stopped watching these fracases and I hope many will follow suit! This will save a lot of Electricity as the T.V.'s will be switched off!

Bbye and do leave your comments!

The day i broke a signal...!!!

2008-03-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

The scene...
Vaidya Ameya driving his car down Tilak Bridge, Dadar. The song on the radio changes from Khwaja Mere Khwaja to Numb...Linkin Park and almost automatically the car changes gear from second to fourth! Of course there was a intermediate transition to third gear! Alright... Vaidya Ameya doesn't see the signal at Plaza...must have been the glares he is wearing. but the traffic inspector ahead makes sure that Vaidya Ameya sees him! Well what now, no choice but to comply with the orders to take the car to the left. I always feel odd when i see a traffic police signal a car to veer to the left...the antics they do...they could beat Billy Bowden and Shreesanth combined!!! Probably it has something to do with the excitement they feel on having ensnared a victim. Well i had a strong urge to veer to the right rather than left but then my mind clicked on and the gears started working after about a millennium to cook up a defense!

I immediately remembered the Ad on TV where a similarly affected kid calls his dad and you know the rest....But i realized quickly that my dad would not really be enthused to be part of this ridiculous plan!

By this time the traffic police was almost face to face with me. I quickly got out and before i could initiate a cordial talk he quickly read out...Veermata Jijabai tocnologcel intute...he couldn't read the entire thing on the thing hanging from my neck! then he looked me over...and was convinced that he had a prized catch for the day! A college kid with a car and no license! Hehe Haha..he was wrong...he didn't know who he had on his hands that day. Although i had broken the signal, U see i am innocent unless proven guilty!
He started off by asking my name...after getting the little details he asked his prized question... लाईसेन्स आहे का?
And he was more than stumped when i answered in the affirmative! Well one point i would like to make...that piece of legal document which gives you the right to drive vehicles in town is always easily obtained from my wallet on normal days but today it took so long for me to locate it that for a moment i thought that i had lost or misplaced it! The good side was that my tormentor's hopes were inflated before being quickly flattened when i managed to find the document called DRIVING LICENSE
Then i pulled off an ace by explaining that i had gotten off on a orange and then was slowed down due to an old aunty crossing the road. He wouldn't fall for it but i still persisted. I think i would have made an excellent lawyer the way i convinced him that i was not at fault! I have never talked so sweetly to anyone in my life.
You guys and gals would be amazed that i came out of the ordeal without an offense registered against my name and also more importantly without shelling out a rupee as bribe!!!! I barely had 50 bucks anyway!