Some break!

I am off blogging for a while. Will come back in mid-November. As if it really matters! :)

Den'tales'

Some of the most excruciating moments of my life were spent recently in my dentist's clinic.

The last time I had been to my dentist was almost two years back. I guess that would be a reason for his charging me a fortune this month! (Dentists should be recovery agents. Wonder why nobody ever thought of that!!!)

Anyway, earlier this month, I decided to pay a long-due visit to the dentist. (My teeth were wanting to turn into shades of brown. Or maybe, they wanted those gold-plated shells to cover them!) He had one look at my teeth and decided that my teeth had to be scaled and polished. Scaled? Why measure my teeth, I asked him. He laughed and explained that scaling is I-still-have-no-idea!!! Polishing? He said it had become necessary for my teeth were a bit on the colorful side of life! He mentioned that there were to be two sittings and that I should shell out a fortune!!! (psst, secret! I don't wanna be called a goat!)

I had absolutely no inkling of what was in store for me. Scaling, bah! I had a root canal done. What could be worse than that, I thought. Unfortunately, my thoughts remained just that. Thoughts.

And so, I waited for my turn in the dentist's clinic - going through newspapers and leafing through Kannada magazines. Bored, I tried to gauge the reactions on the out-going patients' faces. One face looked like Santa Claus's after his tryst with the dentist. Another looked like it had the life sucked out of it! Silly people, I thought. One sitting, and they are all down in the dumps.

Unfortunately, vanities in life never last. I realized that quite effectively, when my turn came.

I was called in. My dentist had a mask over his face. (I thought that was unnecessary. I knew him. Why hide?;) ) His attendants sterilized the equipment and started applying a coating to a thin, sharp needle. (For a fleeting moment, I turned pale!) And then, it started.

'Torture: anguish of body or mind', lists the Mariam Webster Dictionary.
'Torture: scaling of the teeth', is my definition.

What was he doing? The needle drilled into my teeth and gums, like they were a wall and the needle were a nail. Grimace, flinch, clench, grit, whatever conveys the message, I did. My dentist knew it, but worked indifferent. The sadist. It was so tortuous. If karma does dictate life as people claim, then it is a given that I would be the dentist in my next incarnation and he, my patient. A small problem there, though. I will have to wait a whole life! (i.e., if my teeth don't drag me to the dentist again!)

Anyway, after an hour of unbearable torment, my dentist asked me to rinse my mouth. As asked, I rinsed my mouth with water. When I spat back the water, miracle! It had turned into wine. For an instant, I was God. The next, I realized it was blood. My blood, mixed with water. I thought of suing Mr. Dentist for dental abuse. I dropped the idea, realizing that I had to come back to him.

And so it ended. My teeth still were yellow. I was poorer by a thousand bucks. I had to stay up a whole night because of the pain. Last but not least, I had to go back for a second sitting!!!

I took some really hard decisions. I am going to approach a painter the next time I find my teeth yellow. I will ask the local jeweller to cap my teeth if it came to a root canal. If a tooth has to be extracted, I will ask my good friend to punch me at the right spot. (He will be glad to!)

And yes - I will brush twice...nah, thrice a day!!!

Hers?

In a sound recording studio, the sign-board outside the ladies' toilet read - "Hertz"

Trappic!!!

Somebody once said - "Give me space and I will move the world!"

In Bangalore traffic, one says - "Give me space and I will move!"

Keep Rocking!!! Rock on!! - movie review.

A good movie is one which makes you feel good.

Forget about its bigger-than-life settings. Forget about its disconnects with real life rockers. Forget about the corny characters. Forget about its contrite dialogues. Forget about the predictable screenplay. Forget about the rock concerts that would do Shakira proud!!! Forget about the 'that is so stupid' moments.

Rock On!! is a movie which makes you feel good. You come out of the cinema with that typical heart-warming feeling and that is good enough for a bit of selective amnesia.

The direction is a tad better than the other recent Hindi movies. I am sure, though, that the director has made use of his producer's talent as a film-maker. The movie has all the moments that DCH had. The fight between two close friends, the late realization of one towards rapprochement and the death of one of the main characters of the movie. Too much of a similarity. One could be forgiven for thinking that Farhan Akhtar was the director! (Psst...just for the record, Abhishek Kapoor is the director!)

The story, though, fails to score. One of my friends was thinking of a career as a film-maker, no thanks due to the sheer lack of ingenuity on the part of the screenplay. Anyway, the film is about four friends who gang up to form a rock band. Arjun Rampal as Joe, Farhan Akhtar as Aditya, Luke Kenny as Rob and Purab Kohli as KD form a rock band 'Magic'. (Can you believe it, neither could I!!!) The band disbands after Joe has a run-in with Aditya over the (See...you are thinking of becoming a film-maker, ain't you?!) band's association with a leading music channel. However, (again, that same film-maker feeling, right?!) they get back together later for a final gig. (Final? Well, you are clever enough...guess the reason!!!) The other important characters are Debbie as Joe's girlfriend-turned-wife, Tanya as Aditya's ex and Sakshi as Aditya's wife. Of these, Prachi Desai as Sakshi excels. Clearly, she proves quite capable of transiting from the idiot box to the 70mm. She exudes the right amount of sentiment in the space she shares with Farhan Akhtar. Shahana Goswami as Debbie, too, has a pivotal role to play. She manages quite well in her role as Joe's nagging half.

However, I could not quite fathom the fact that Purab Kohli was given one of the minor roles in the movie. A load of talent wasted! Although Farhan Akhtar excels in his role, the character sounds patchy at times. Luke Kenny is good in the first half, but the story makes him look bad in the second. Arjun Rampal is by a long run, the best of the male acts. He acts every bit his character. Getting into the skin of one's character is any day, a tough job, but Arjun makes it look like child's play in the movie. The scene where he exchanges words with Shahana Goswami is moving, as one almost feels sorry for him, split as he is, between loyalties to his friends and to his family.

The music is the real treat of the movie. The title track sounds brilliant. One of the 'nicest' rock songs to hit the Hindi charts, one should say. Pichle Saat Dinon Mein is another track that one would enjoy. The vocals sync so well with the music that one hardly notices the strange sounding lyrics. However, the best is Ye Tumhari Meri Baatein. It is so soothing, that you want to listen to it many times over. The visualization and timing of the song in the movie too, are near-perfect. Sindbad the Sailor, Tum ho Toh and Socha Hai complete one of the best albums in Bollywood today. Kudos to Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy and Javed Akhtar for churning out some real good music!!!

Overall, the film is a good package. One of my friends complained that there is no real climax to the movie. Well, not all movies need to have a climax. Why can't they just be about a period of ones' lives?! You watch Rock On!! and tell me.

In the meantime, let me strum on my guitar. \../
My verdict - 4/5

Knock off your blues!

My friend wanted photos of a recent trip to a waterfall. He asked for them to be copied on to his pen drive. I said I will copy them on to a CD instead, to which he retorted - "No macha, my CD drive is screwed." Another of my friends mocked him - "What were you watching? A blue movie?!"

Alert the Navy

What would you call a witch on the beach and ready to dive into the water?

A submarine sand 'witch'!!!

A 'turny' joke!

Question:
How many turns are there in the world?

Old Answer:
Two. Left and Right.

New Answer:
Four. Left, Right, On and Off.

The Lesser Devil 5

Pakistan and Foreign Affairs

Long time due, worth the effort.

It is generally implied that much of India's Foreign Affairs revolve around Pakistan and the Kashmir issue. Let me examine the NDA's record vis-a-vis Pakistan. In February 1999, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister of India, went to Pakistan, amidst much fanfare and symbolism, on board the then newly-introduced bus service between India and Pakistan. And then, Kargil happened.

Pakistan-supported militants infiltrated into India and occupied the peaks of Kargil. We lost the lives of 527 soldiers in the subsequent military operations to drive out the invaders. What happened then, was a sheer travesty of humanity. The NDA politicized the Kargil incursions and the subsequent conflict to win the 1999 general elections. What probably was a military operation to counter a humiliating invasion by Pakistani army irregulars and militants was blatantly glossed up into a victory over Pakistan. In the aftermath of Kargil, ties with Pakistan were severed for almost a year.

Meanwhile a coup helped the military regain power in Pakistan. General Musharraf was now in command. Worse, India followed a blow hot - blow cold policy instead of engaging the General in full earnest. The relations reached a ground digging low in the period after the Parliament attack. Instead of overhauling the intelligence infrastructure, the Government resorted to yet another nationalism-inspired facade - mobilization of our army! To what end, nobody knows.

Neither did India invade nor did it send its troops across the LoC to strike at terrorist camps.
In 2003, Prime Minister Vajpayee blew the peace bugle yet again and called for a summit. The Agra summit, that consequently happened, resulted in nothing substantial. Apart from a routemap for frequent meetings between officials, nothing substantial resulted.

Compare this with the present Government. It has not flinched once from its politically mature stand of peace with Pakistan. In fact, it was mature enough to continue with the Vajpayee initiated ceasefire (Nov 2003), fully cognitive that BJP could walk away with the credit. Consistency in our interactions with Pakistan has been lauded by the international community as the factor contributing most to the resilience of South Asia, economically and politically. The slew of confidence building measures undertaken with Pakistan has paved the way for greater trade and people to people contact. It has regenerated the hope for an unified South Asia, with its two biggest nations showing the way.

Foreign Affairs has been in the limelight for most of the UPA's tenure. If not Pakistan, then China. If not China, then the USA. Our engagements with the Chinese have been fruitful, if one measures in terms of bilateral trade. The most significant of them was the no-decision to move a motion against the safeguards agreement in the IAEA meeting on Friday (China abstained). India walked away with most of the goodies in the Indo-US nuclear deal (controversial, will deal with it in another post). People in the US cried foul over the exceptions made for India vis-a-vis nuclear technology. Our relationship with Russia continues to travel north. (The Gorshkov issue was a business issue and nothing more. Russia mis-estimated the costs involved in retrofitting the carrier and therefore, charged more. India was reluctant to part with the extra money.) Iran has re-affirmed its commitment towards sharing a cordial relationship with India despite all the hullaboo raised over our supping with George Bush.

The UPA Government has been seasoned in its external affairs policies and decisions. The world is welcoming India with both hands. But will the opposition understand? I do not think so.

Internal Security is up next.

Mummy...Bhootam!!!

I was wondering what to publish my next post about, when my friend interrupted my thought and asked if I saw the snap of the ghost of a dead Patriot soldier captured by a group of students. I said not, and he then, proceeded to give me a lengthy discourse about ghosts and their deeds. At that point of time, I figured out what my next post would be about.

As a child, I had a daily routine of tasks to do. One of those tasks was to water the plants. And, thanks to some article my mom read about the respiration of plants, I had to do it only in the night. So, there I was, with bucket and mug, in my then petite hands, and ready to get wet. Initially, I was raring to go, for I loved getting wet. They say, time teaches best and so it did.

The potted plants were on the rear portion of the second floor and to make matters worse, it wasn't lighted amply enough. On the first few days, I did not give a thought to ghosts.

I only worried about my mom giving me an earful for needlessly getting wet when only the plants were supposed to. I only worried about if neighbors would complain to my mom about the water I splashed on their walls every night. I only worried about the beating I could get from my grand father for raining water from all the way up, on his partly-bald pate. But I did not worry about ghosts.

Then, it happened. I know not till today, just who that wise person was - the one who brought the Evil Dead tape over. Like a dork, a rather stupid one at that, I watched it, jaws and eyes - alike, wide open. And suddenly, I was worried about ghosts. In fact, my neighbors and grand father seemed like angels now.

Ghosts were everywhere. They rested under my bed (I got to know later that they never rest!). They fielded the ball when I played a shot (What else could explain the ball not making it to the boundary?!). They made some noise or the other in my closet (Nah, not cockroaches!!). Scribbles used to appear out of nowhere in my note books (They forged my teacher's signature too!). They gave me crank calls (My friends denied giving me any!). I did not reveal to anybody, though, about my fright for ghosts (and anything white and mobile!). After all, I was a kid then, and rather 'brave'!

I loved watering plants no longer. I dreaded night-fall. As the day went by, my face would start paling into a then similar shade of white! I confided in no one. But the cat had to overgrow the bag and spring out some time! (And when it did, it had metamorphosed into a tiger!)

On one such dreary night, I was watering the plants, when I heard some noises. What could have obviously happened next? I ran for my dear life! Two steps away from the door I tripped over an empty bottle (I still say it is a ghost!) and thinking it to be Mr. You-Know-Who, I screamed my lungs out - "Mummy...Bhootam!" (Mom says I repeated the same phrase for almost two minutes!!!). And the rest, as they say at my place, is history.

My fear was out in the open. Every body had a good (nah, raucous would be the word!) laugh over it. Mom gave me a big hug and agreed to accompany me while I watered the plants. Even today, she beams her my-son-was-so-daft smile whenever a horror movie screens on air!!!

As for me, I think I have gotten over my fear of ghosts. They no longer torment me as they used to. Though, for the record, I would have loved becoming somebody like Cole in The Sixth Sense!

So, all is well. I haven't given the ghost up over ghosts! Just not yet.

PS - 'Bhootam' is Telugu for ghost. :)

The Lesser Devil 4

This post is a continuation of a series of posts.

Programmes, Schemes and Legislations

The UPA Government has launched several pro-people programmes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme - intended to provide Rs. 60 per day for 100 days of employment a year to one member of an unemployed family; Bharat Nirman - the flagship programme of the Government, envisaging a four year bound time frame for implementing Rs 174000 crore worth of projects in rural India; the National Rural Health Mission - has been elemental in curbing infant mortality rates across the country and providing basic health facilities to most villages in 18 states of India; Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana - a social-security scheme for unorganized workers outside insurance coverage; Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan - was started by the NDA Government but complemented with the mid-day meal scheme and expanded by the present Government; and, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission - launched to revamp and create physical infrastructure in urban India with a corpus annual fund of Rs 1000 crore.

Several legislations and amendments having far-reaching benefits have been initiated by the present Government. The Right to Information Act, for instance, gives people the power to demand records from Government offices and organizations. It is considered by many to be a milestone in the empowerment of civil society. Traditional Forest Dwellers' Bill was passed in 2006. This gives tribals deserving rights over forest land and thus, ensures sustainability of forests in the long run. Communal Violence Bill was presented and enacted to ensure prevention of communal violence and rehabilitation of victims of communal violence. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act has helped provide civil remedies to women in abusive or violent relationships. The highly controversial Central Educational Institutions Bill, popularly known as the OBC Reservation Bill, was also tabled by the present Government. Although highly criticized by many, nobody argues against the benefits it provides to socially discrimated-upon people.

Clearly, the UPA Government has a lot to project as achievements. It beats me then, why are they on the defensive?!

Anyway, Foreign Affairs is next on my agenda.


References:
'Budget 2008-09: Reaffirming Rhetoric', March 2008, http://www.cbgaindia.org/budget_responses.php; and
'Union Budget 2007-08'.

The Lesser Devil 3

This is a continuation of a series of posts comparing the present Government with the previous Government.

Economy

India grew at 5.3% from 1991 to 1996 under the legendary tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister. Remember, these years were some of the most turbulent for the Indian Economy. From near bankrutpcy, it grew back to normalcy. In 1996 and 1997, with P Chidambaram as the Finance Minister, the Indian economy grew at the then runaway pace of 6.4%. BJP-led coalition governments were in power at the Centre from 1998 to 2004. The average annual GDP growth during these years was 5.8%. What then, makes the NDA so uniquely different with regard to their handling of the economy? The truth is that they slowed the Indian economy to an extent (the average GDP growth for 2000-2002 was 4.1%!). They could achieve a semblance of an average growth rate only after the reported GDP growth of 8.6% in their last year in office. That was again, due to the low base GDP growth rate reported in the previous year!

2004 onwards, it has been a fairy tale run for the Indian Economy. Under the present Congress-led UPA Government, the average GDP growth achieved from 2004 to 2008 was 8.7%!!! The economy, despite being in a downturn in 2008-2009 is expected to report an annual GDP growth rate of 7-8%, which is still excellent by NDA standards. And significantly, this has not been at the cost of fiscal prudence. The present Government has managed to better their own fiscal and revenue deficit targets for most of these four years. This is in stark contrast to the NDA Government, which failed to keep fiscal deficit in check.

The programmes launched by the present regime have been lauded by many an analyst as programmes intended to develop India as never before. I will discuss them next.

References:
The Annual Economic Review (1998-2008);
'Myth about Economics and Politics in India': Surjeet Bhalla, March 15, 2008, Business Standard;
and
http://www.financeminister.gov.in/

The Lesser Devil 2

Legacy is ending. And so would people say, about the Congress. So, I will focus on the current government and compare it with the previous regime, because the BJP-led NDA is considered to be the best alternative. For the same, I list out some of the contentious issues counted as the failures of the current government, deliberate upon them and do a comparative analysis in the following few posts to come.

Inflation and Price-rise

The inflation for the week ended June 7 was 11.05%, a thirteen year high in India. But hey, hold on. Food prices have soared 40% in the USA. China has seen its monthly inflation rate soar to 7.7%. Inflation in the European Union has just hit 3.7%, almost double the 2% inflation growth target, put forth by the European Central Bank. For the first time in a decade, Japan experienced a positive inflation of 1%, largely due to rising oil and food prices. There are food riots in Mexico and Argentina. Prices have risen globally, and India, with ironical thanks to globalization, can only be shielded from global trends and cues so far. A host of factors are pushing up prices of food and other commodities around the world and they are affecting India too. The examples are many - diversion of maize and other food-grains from the food basket to the energy basket, the floundering wheat supply because of a record drought in Australia, the entry of equity and hedge funds into the futures commodities and energy markets, etc.

Oil prices were USD 39 a barrel in 2004. They were USD 79 a barrel in 2007. Today, it is USD 137/bbl. And in case you are wondering, the inflation rate has soared from 3.8% in January 2008 to 11.5% on June 27. Not just that, the present Government has maintained annual inflation rates at an acceptable 4-6% for the past four years.

Jumping over to the other side, the NDA Government did perform better than the present one, but just about. Their inability to control inflation in 2000-01, which ranged from 6-9% for the whole year, deflates their claim of being an alternative to the present Government (sourced from the finance minister's website). Besides, the average annual inflation rate was 4.9% under the NDA, which is only a trifle better than the 5.3% rate clocked by UPA (till 2008). It is only in this year, that inflation reared up its ugly head.

What is more troubling, however, is the blatant sensationalism and politicization of the inflation figures by both the media and the opposition. Besides, inflation is more of an economic statistic than a political ruse to gather votes or a savvy story to spruce up TRP ratings. One cannot look at the inflation figures and say the economy is not doing well. I will focus on the economy in my next post.

References:
The Annual Economic Review (1998-2008);
'Myth about Economics and Politics in India': Surjeet Bhalla, March 15, 2008, Business Standard;
'World Inflation': Business World, April 2008; and
http://www.financeminister.gov.in/

A Joke for your Bowels!

Once, my friend was down with a bout of severe loose motions. I called on him at his place. At one point of time, I almost tripped and so exclaimed - 'Shit!' I did not realize it until my friend said, pulling a long face, "Yeah, I know. Shit happens." Lol!

Charged up!

What did general battery say to soldier battery?
You are under my charge now!!!

Tingoo, Happy B'day! :P

Why can't short people ever be snobs?
Because they can't look down on people!!!
(It's an old one, but will do!)

The Lesser Devil 1

As a child, I was always encouraged to stand up for what I believe in, without hesitation or fear. And today, when I post this article about my preference for the Indian National Congress (INC) over other parties of our polity, I know I am braving the wrath of the middle class, the anti-reservationists, the poor farmers, the labour unions, most of my friends, etc. or at least I think I am. Anyway, here I am and here I post.

Most people say India is better off without the INC. Most people say India could have been much better if not for the the INC. Most people say INC is responsible for most of India's shortcomings. Most people say INC is the reason for all the filth in India. And most probably, you are one of them.

Well, I have news for you, then. This very party fought for and won for us, independence. This very party gave us our proudest heritage-democracy. This very party ensured us 61 years of the Nation. This very party gave us years of uninhibited growth. This very party gave us the higher education institutions, the ones that we work so hard to get admission into. This very party connected the Nation like never before with highways and telecommunication. This very party set up the Navratnas, the pillars of Indian industry. This very party set up the irrigation projects that bring deliverance to our farmers and their farms. This very party gave us the technology for the Great Indian Bomb.

This does not wish away the sins of the INC, though. They have been party to deep-rooted corruption, maladroit administrations, communal politics, witch-hunting and all other like-maladies, but then politics is power and power corrupts. And so too, with the INC. People talk about alternatives to the Congress. Are these alternatives better than the Congress? Nah, not by a far shot. In fact, the Congress has time and again proven to be the best alternative among the lot and not, without reason.

The Congress seems to be the 'party with a difference' and unlike its rivals, does not stop at just claiming that. It delivers, in part or full, the promises it makes. The reasons for my believing so, I will cite in one of my following posts.

And so, my vote will always be for The Lesser Devil, the Indian National Congress.

Mt. Joke

Why didn't the bar pour Mt. Everest a drink?
Because, she was already 'on a high'!!!

The idiot box deserves an idiot joke!

What is the difference between a wife and a TV?
TV turns on when wife doesn't !

a sis joke...

(Fictitious!)

I have a cousin who keeps herself up to date with all the gossip about the family. Out of affection, we call her 'Info-sis'!

I hate sandwiches!!! Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay - The Review.

I watched Harold Lee and Kumar Patel indulge themselves in riotous fantasies such as riding a cheetah, doing time and then, escaping from a racist county prison, getting stoned to hysteric levels and yes, eating thirty juicy White Castle burgers and four crunchy French fries at one go. Yum...Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle was a delicacy! And now, they dish out the sequel, which is nothing short of a feast!

That's right! Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanomo Bay is as good as the first edition if not better. If not for Harold's cursing and swearing at Kumar for getting them into fix after fix, then watch it for Kumar's apology to Harold at the end. This is not a brainless comedy, as many people presume it to be. It has a tight storyline, albeit one with crazy sub-plots and even crazier characters.

The movie starts off at the precise moment the prequel ended. Harold in the bath and Kumar in the toilet...it starts with a bang! Anyway, our two lead roles are on their way to Amsterdam to surprise Maria, Harold's big-time crush, and to win her over. At the airport, they come across Vanessa, Kumar's ex from college. For a fleeting moment, you get to see Kumar again in love until Vanessa's fiance shows up. Apparently he is a person Kumar always hated. All said and done, Vanessa and her fiance move on. And Kumar, the crackpot comes back again into the fold. This time, he wants to smoke weed in the toilet of the plane. He has invented a new device called a, hold your breath, 'Bong', which is most probably a vaporizer. The events that follow are ludicrous, to say the least. On a serious note however, it highlights the paranoid-like phobia that Americans have of all ethnic races.

At this point, Ron Fox makes his entry. The devious official is out to make life hell for Harold and Kumar and obviously, decides that both are going to Guantanamo Bay. Watch the movie to see what they are subjected to, in Guantanamo Bay. It is hilarious. Seriously it is, but, a satirical version of the sad truth behind G-bay. As you watch this movie, you realize some really responsible messages emerging out of it.

If you liked their escaping from the county prison in the prequel, you will love their escaping from Guantanamo Bay. This is the point where you begin to hate sandwiches. Trust me, you will! Escaping successfully, they end up at their friend's place, where a trend-setting party is going on. Don't miss this part! You will also know why they did not release the movie in India at this juncture. Ohhhh! Meanwhile, their parents are grilled by Ron Fox. The scene in which Ron Fox's interpretor asks Harold's Korean parents questions in Korean and to which they answer in crisp English is really amusing. In disguise, it is actually a critique of the way America treats its immigrant population.

Back to Harold and Kumar. They borrow the friend's car and decide to drive to Texas. On the way, they come across a Ku Klux Klan meeting. The obvious happens. They take the places of two knocked-out members, laugh with the Klan members and then are exposed, when the missing members return. They are pursued until finally, Neil Patrick Harris shows up. The three of them resume their drive to Texas. In the meantime, a couple of their friends are rounded up for interrogation by Ron Fox. I had a real kick after watching this scene. Ron Fox tempts them by spilling gold coins from a pouch in front of them. One of them is Jewish and the other I do not know. They resist the temptation. However, once Ron Fox exits, they decide to pocket the coins. That takes the cake, really!

On their way to Texas, Harold, Kumar and Harris are intercepted at a checkpoint set up by Ron Fox. I had a really good laugh at Fox's bungling here. He allows them to move on. He is a Harris fan and so, he decides to let Harris without checking the car, over-ruling the responsible police official. It is again a veiled mockery of the American government's failure to act when needed and reckless intervention when not needed. Harris is again in his elements here, sighting a white unicorn and eating mushrooms by the dozen. They stop at a brothel, where they hope to have some fun. I will not reveal what happens in the brothel as it is too funny a scene to divulge any information about. Watch the movie and you will be in splits at this juncture. Here again, the movie makes fun of America's gun culture.

The brothel incident past them, Harold and Kumar make it to Texas. They go to Vanessa's fiance, who apparently, is a young ambitious wanna-be politician. It is comical to watch Harold rebuke Kumar and order him to stay put in the car. Kumar, wanting to obey Harold's writ for once, tries hard but falters. Vanessa trips on her ankle and Kumar leaps out to be her knight of the moment. Meanwhile, her fiance assures them of all help possible, but sells out to Ron Fox. Needless to say, they are all on their way back to G-bay, when the responsible NSA chief confronts Fox. In the melee, Harold and Kumar fall out of the plane, albeit with parachutes, and land in, oh my god, George Bush's summer retreat. Here on till the climax, the movie is brilliant. You will realize it when you watch it.

So, watch the movie for some really good laughs and kicks. Hats off to the directors for deriving some serious messages to the audience through critical humor. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is one movie you should not miss for the world. Well-knit in satire and humor, the characters are well-cast with a near-seamless transition from its predecessor. On the whole, the movie is more about loving America than anything else. Let that not hinder you, though. :)

At the same time, I would strongly recommend you to watch it alone or with friends and definitely not, with family!

Harold and Kumar rule!
My Verdict - 4.5/5

For a small laugh...

How do nano-tech experts pass time?
They indulge in SMALL TALK!!!

Mon chien, ma amie

A year back, if you had asked me what love was, I would have sheepishly admitted my ignorance. And I had good reason then, because I was not sure if there were anything such as true love. The closest to true love I had ever gotten was my mother's love. But a mother's love is bound by the bond of oneness. The offspring is but, a part of his mother. So, I used to wonder, what is true love? I found the answer eventually. I always thought that love should be uncompromising, unconditional and blind to the nuances of the world. And somehow, the answer conformed to this belief.

Last year, we adopted a dog - a wheatish-brown labrador. He was 12 days old when we brought him over to our place. For the first few days, he cried for his mother's warmth and love, parted as he was from her. We were absolutely distraught at his plight. So, we let him be with his mother, a two year old named Preeti, for the night. During the day, he crawled frantically and blind, desperate as he was to be with his mother. This continued for about two weeks. After that, we stopped taking him to Preeti, in line with the veterinarian's advice.

In the meantime, we christened him 'Simba', after the lead character in 'The Lion King'. Simba had opened his eyes fully now, and had started walking too. He looked a cute little fellow then, with eyes so dreamy and glassy, you wished them to be your own. His bark was hollow and mild, the kind you would associate with a pup, quite obviously! He was scared of other dogs then, intimidating as they were, fully-grown and experts at snarling. But he was naughty in every sense of the word. He used to tear up papers and broom-sticks, snap at our feet and scoot wanting us to chase him, try climbing up the bed with his tiny little feet only to fall down with a thud and engage in other like-adorable activities. And interestingly, I began to understand love a lot better.

As Simba grew, our responsibilities too grew manifold. We had to walk him six times a day. We had to coax him to eat his food, three times a day! We had to quarrel with our neighbors, irate as they were over his barking and finding his excreta right in front of their gates. We had to make sure that our gate was closed at all times, to prevent him from running into the big, bad world. Sometimes, we faltered. We were worried to death's end for about ten minutes when Simba had run out through the open gate and we could not find him. Well, we did find him, after those torrid ten minutes, playing with his mother and siblings (his mother stayed in a house on our street). We were horrified when he had those chickenpox-like infections. Fortunately, they never persisted for more than a day or two. We were scared every time we sighted a cat in our house. Luckily, Simba never developed the courage enough, as a small dog, to chase a cat. However, as he grew, our worries started to subside. Our love for him, though, only bloated up. Maybe, true love is never about responsibilities because it out-weighs them anyway.

His love for us has never subsided. He springs on us (when we return home) with the same gusto and zeal as he used to, when he was a pup. He sulks the same way he used to, when he was a pup. He wags his tail enthusiastically, whenever someone calls on us. We are worried that he might walk away with a burglar, wagging his tail. My father, who initially was apathetic towards dogs, is today an admirer (And trust me, my father is a difficult man to change!). One of my good friends is a scared lot when any other dog approaches him. He is not afraid of Simba, though, and for good reason. Simba is not just a dog. He is a bundle of endless love. Maybe, that is the power of true love - to stay undiminished over time and to banish indifference and fear.

Today, everybody in our street know Simba. They call Simba the friendly neighbourhood dog. And they dote upon Simba like never before, petting him affectionately and enquiring about him, as I walk him down our street. True love does that, I guess. It wins over everybody, sooner or later.

As for me, I will always be grateful to Simba. He answered my question.

My dog, my friend.

Memorably Yours!

I am a 2007 pass-out VTU engineer. My juniors keep telling me that they want their academic lives to be as memorable as possible. When they ask me for suggestions, I ask them to flunk in an exam or two!!! Lol!!!

Drive on!!!

Drivers in Bangalore are never moody. They just switch gears.

Analogy of the Millenium!!!

Spotted on the rear windscreen of a car -

"Love is Rose,
Rose is Red,
Red is Danger,
So, beware of Love!!!"

What's in a kick?

One of my good friends has this disgusting habit of walking into swanky outlets, scavenging for the lowest priced items and then, haggling over the prices and trying to drive a bargain.

On one such visit to a football apparel store, he was taking an annoyingly long time to decide on his purchase. When he did decide, he asked for a bargain as usual. The irritated salesperson refused outright. My friend then did the unthinkable and asked "Don't I get something free with this?" The salesperson said - "Yeah. A free kick!"

Cheers...

The Washington Redskins have decided to sue Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Apparently, their cheerleaders have forgotten the art of cheering after their stint with Team Bangalore!!!

Knock knock...

Knock knock...

"Who's there?"

"Hugo."

"No, this is my house!!! You go."

Pun intended.

If asked to describe Hillary Clinton's campaign, what would Barrack Obama most probably say?


"It is Hillary-ous!!!"

Life as he knew it

He lived in a life for nine months,
and then moved on from the cord to the nipple.
By the nipple he fed,
oblivious to the travesties of life.
In the cradle he loved,
wanting to be loved by all that he beheld.
And he lived not by himself,
for dependent on others he was.
It was, but an infant's life.

Outrunning them all,
he fell victim to the rule of the race.
Trying to satisfy his dear ones,
he separated from all that were dear to him.
His was a life in forlorn,
friends were the exception and never the norm.
And he lived not for himself,
but for the career that was never his to be chosen.
It was, but a servile life.

Responsibilities he took on galore,
family and friends looked up to him.
He tried to please them all,
but fall he did and very hard.
The fall was in vain,
because the liabilities only grew.
And he lived in free fall,
falling into a pit and ever trying to stand up.
It was, but a life of burden.

He tried to find peace,
but piece by piece the search took of him.
Sobriety was never his trait,
for he had lent it to the world and forgotten about it.
Heart his beat for life,
a life that he never believed in.
And he tried to bring order,
only finding disorder to be better.
It was, but a loser's life.

And then, he found the solution.
A solution, that was simple enough for him to understand.
He sought trust from within himself and which he discovered easily.
It was difficult to comprehend, but believed he, it would work.
Trial was not an option, he had to plunge headlong.
But confident he was, victory would be his for the taking.
And so he bid goodbye to the world,
killing himself and his suffering.
It was, but his life at last.

The Reservation Fence

“Prejudice, not being founded on reason, cannot be removed by argument”

- Samuel Johnson,
English Poet and Critic.

No truer could have been this quote. We were and still are, witness to it happening over and over again. And 2006 was no different either. The Indian Government and the Indian student fraternity made their stands on the opposite sides of the fence. The reservation fence.

Both were victims of a prejudiced bias. The Government thought the upper-castes formed the crux group of the protestors and that fact to be the sole reason behind the protests themselves. The academia, a motley group of supposedly the brightest brains in the country, thought the sole reason for the reservation bill was to cater to the OBC vote bank. Well, both sides had reason, but just about.

Let me set things in perspective by examining the positions of both sides.

The Government set the wheels of the controversy rolling in august 2006. Arjun singh, the HRD minister introduced The Central Educational Institutions Bill, 2006 on August 25, 2006 in the Lok Sabha. The bill sought 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes in Govt. Higher Educational Institutions, namely, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, Central Universities and other like institutions aided or maintained by the Union Government. This meant, in totality, 49.5% of the seats of all such institutions were to be reserved for SCs, STs and OBCs (the 22.5% reservations have been in force since independence).

The Government was well within its rights, legally speaking, to table such a bill in Parliament. However, it was based on unreliable scientific data and borne out of the compulsions of coalition politics. Nevertheless, the Government also promised to increase intake at all the institutions over a period of three years. It said that this increase would ensure a just admission policy. One, that would enable the present intake strength to be maintained for the general category students.

Now, let me jump over to the other side.

There are very few world-renown institutes in India. Incidentally, a major fraction of these institutes are Central Educational Institutes like the IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, IISc., etc. For years, these institutes were taking in roughly a few thousand students, and the exact figures remained more or less, the same. Here is the glaring anomaly. These few thousand seats are fought for, by almost 10 lakh students all over the country, every year. That makes for a paltry intake ratio of 1:100. Students put in a whole lot of effort and get into these institutes on the basis of a few percentage points. And this is precisely what infuriates them - the fact that other students with poorer scores than theirs, get into these prestigious institutes on the basis of caste.

So, the students from the above mentioned institutes got on to the streets, taking on the lathis and the water-cannons, sounding war cries and anti-government chants. They came, they saw and they fought. The media pounced on each of their protests. Every sound-bite was diligently broad-casted on prime time. Well, one could safely presume they added fuel to the fire. Anyway, the protests only made the government's resolve stronger. And eventually, the bill was passed.

But it did not end there.

Litigations were filed in the Supreme Court. Hearings occurred on a regular basis. Benches were constituted. The judges were split in sounding their verdicts. And the war raged on, the latest missive being the Supreme Court's verdict, that upheld the quota regime and in the same breath, kicked the creamy layer out of the purview of the quota. This was claimed as victory by both sides. Well, was this?

In my opinion, irrespective of my stand on the issue, we lost. All of us. We lost, because we did not debate and find a solution to the problem. We lost, because we fought and had a solution imposed on us. When debate is not allowed to be instrumental in a democracy such as ours, it is society which loses in the end.
Why did the Government decide in such haste?
Why did the students take out protest marches, do all-night candle-light vigils, fight with the law enforcement agencies and undertake strikes at central institutes?
Why couldn't both the sides come to the table, work out issues in a civilized way and then draw up a framework which could have been acceptable to all?
What then, is the difference between a civilized society and an uncivilized one?
Perhaps, the sides involved could give us some answers. But will they?
And that alone, remains the biggest question today.

who am i?

i am subtle at times,
i am brash at times.
i come invited,
i come unwanted.
i will be celebrated,
i will be grieved.
pray tell me.
who am i?

i am the atom of destruction,
i am the karma of creation.
i have nature's fury,
i have mankind's hate.
i always fight good,
i always win good.
pray tell me.
who am i?

i am a lost memory,
i am wanderer eternal.
i carry a scythe,
i carry a mace.
i find peace,
i find riot.
pray tell me.
who am i?

i am the what,
i am the why.
i am their last resort,
i am their defining sin.
i am the ultimate truth,
i am the final deceit.
pray tell me,
who am i?

i am a mother's wail,
i am a father's tear.
i am a brother's reminiscence,
i am a sister's affection.
i am a wife's futile love,
i am a child's orphanage.
pray tell me,
who am i?

i am the conqueror of all,
i am the judge of all.
i am apocalypse,
i am judgment day.
pray tell me,
who am i?

i...am who i am not,
i...am DEATH!

and i 'm off the mark!!!

hello world!!!

bah, as if the world has no better job than looking at my blog! well, that would be the typical me, picking at everyone, yours truly included!!! i am psychic, true. :)

anyway, let me introduce myself or rather try to, because i am not sure if i know myself!!!

i was named vinay sainath, cuppala varadarajulu. dad is an ardent devotee of shirdi sai baba and hence, sainath. mom wanted to name me vinay and voila, vinay sainath, the name, was created! cuppala is my family name and varadarajulu is my dad. i guess the above info is as far as i can get to, without any kind of uncertainty. as i told you, i do not know myself!!!

i did my schooling in a quaint, little school in basaveswaranagar, bangalore. it had a real conservative name, S Cadambi Vidya Kendra. bother not if you haven't heard of it, cos' it will be famous soon. i mean i studied there and so, it has to be famous this time or the other!!! i loved my school, man. it was not the perfect school that people dream of, but it was a school with characters straight out of a Shakespearean play!!! so, that kind of made up for the utter lack of facilities!!! let me not get into details (psst...i wish to post my blogs in the public domain, so!!).

i passed out of school on time. phew, thank God for that!

pre university was a cakewalk. but that was until my final exams. cos' they were pathetic, an all-time disaster.
i came out unscathed, anyway and joined BMSCE. now, this is what i am talking about or rather, want to talk about.

getting into bms was like a dream coming true for me. i wasn't so interested in becoming an engineer, as i was about getting into bms!!! talk about fancies!!!:) anyway, i was the last person to get a mechanical engineering seat in bms. now, try beating that!

my years in bms were extraordinary, truly. but then, the college is not ordinary, either. :) anyway, was part of a really humongous friend circle. and hell, it was disparate in every sense of the word. wherever i was in campus, i used to bump into one friend or the other. and yes, i had fun. and how?! you know, i just decided to post new blogs on some of the colorful characters in college (watch this space!!). but hell, you know what they say...good things never last!!! four years passed by like a drag. i never realized it. and i hate myself for that.

if i type anything beyond this, it will start to bore. so, i am gonna end here (don't thank God for that, thank me!! i am just being merciful ;) ).

and hell, i 'm off the mark!!!