Blog: Sorry state of affairs.

I felt sorry all of the weekend and then Monday followed, the reasons were various, yes India lost the test match, it has been raining virtually non stop and I don’t remember when I last saw the Sun perhaps it was early last week. The worst thing perhaps was the serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahemdabad. I must be thankful to God that Surat did not face an untoward incident.

I have a soft corner for all the three cities; have cousins and friends dwelling in Ahemdabad and Bangalore. I lived in Surat for three years still have very caring friends who call/mail almost every second day since I moved back to Mumbai and it is a lovely city for foodies. The city  of Surat has great sense of joy and casualty. It is laid back city with people flaunting money but not in a derogatory way. The climate is really pleasant for better part of the year. The evenings are great in the sense that there is a gentle breeze that flows after sunset and people line to back alleys for junk food. It would have been a rude shock to host of lovely people. The floods which I saw there was one of the worst natural disaster anyone would wish to see.

Terror and Globalization.

The crude terror is perhaps side effect or cons of globalization. The whole thing of terrorism balances the pros of Globalization. The pros are many so are the cons. I don’t want to list the pros of globalization as off now, I wish to highlight the cons.

The pros of globalization helped set up huge international business centres like, London, New York, Mumbai, Madrid. A lot of people will associate these cities with top business opportunities that these cities have to offer. The cons of globalization also find the reasons appealing but in a different sense to people who have lost it all (here senses). All the cities that I have mentioned have been through the trauma due to terrorist activities. Mumbai serial blasts, the earliest being March 93, the latest they say 11 July. Madrid and London have had there dark dates with the cons of globalizing forces.

Local taxes extra.

Another feature of this is localization of terrorism. The ISI or the unwanted, malicious International interests now seems to have gone local with their agenda. It may be business outsourcing of a different kind and appreciation of the local talent in a different way. The last thing to say is that the principle directives continues to pour in from beyond the Indian borders. The black money is assisting the activities, no more difficult to handle RDX seeming replaced by easier available Ammonium Nitrate which is nothing but a substance used as a base in making fertilizers, India being an agrarian country and fertilizers being subsidized; transportation and procurement of this is not something too difficult for these guys. I would like you to read columns by B Raman on Rediff. I did read what he had to write.

The three musketeers.

There is an obvious participation by Indian systems as well. The “system” meaning the “neta-babu-thulla” nexus. Neta is a politician/local criminal, Babu is an epitome of a corrupt bureaucrat in the government and thulla is a paan chewing, chillar hunting policeman. There is nothing that should be unknown to at least one of the pillars of the system. As the three have close watch on the neighbour hood there is a radical change required. The sooner the better.

I mean is it so easy to even plan and execute such acts? Has there to be a political consensus in how to deal with terrorism? I say before the terrorist attack the next time, start dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani Kashmir bomb it, burn it hammer it to stone age. The perpetrators of attacks on Parliament should be nabbed sooner rather than later.

What if that too?

The attacks now include public transport and hospitals. I mean they people law cant maintain its own course anymore because terrorism both religious and regional is gaining ground fast. The tier two cities namely Bangalore, Ahemdabad Jaipur, Benares are now on the list, Mumbai is always there. The bombs hat didn’t went off in Surat and even in Ahemdabad and Bangalore for good or would have been a more sorry state of affairs.

What to do?

Go local with administration the lowest babu should be made responsible and accountable along with the other two pillars. The laws should be tougher. The emphasis should be on both restricting terrorist activities and making sure the person responsible doing these acts when caught should not be insulated by politics in the name or region or religion. The justice should be upheld in letter and spirit. It is time to take a tough stand. The Indians who support terrorist activities should face the heat.

If the survival of the fittest means weeding out the vitriolic, so be it.

About: Flooded Streets

Its flooded in my ex-urb guess what it is 26 of July today. The floods in my locality mark the anniversary when couple of feet of rain barged for couple of hours and city came to a grinding halt for couple of days.
I guess its perfect to sit back at home sip coffee and blog.
Snaps taken when I started for office in the morning struggled with floods till insanity prevailed and I headed back home testing how deep the waters were and trudging along in knee deep water for a while only to rush back home and served hot bhajiyas and salted chillies.
Oh! yes there is a cricket match also going on,review of this first test and second test between England and SAfs soons

About:Apple pie is growing.

I love apple. I have loved it since I was kid. I loved the fruit, I love the squash, I loved the computer, I loved the music player. The last apple thing I was in love was the Apple iPhone. Its amazing to see Apple's growth. Not Apple Computers, they rechristened themselves from Apple Computers to Apple Inc. Now Apple is not only getting customers, its slowly evolving into a cult status. Thats word "slowly" has its on connotations. It could be a very slow evolution, (not that evolution is something that happens in a wink) or something which changes your world (or your imagination) with the snap of your fingers or as soon as it touches you. It grows on you faster than you crave for it.

It is a saga.

It is a saga of perhaps something which evolves slowly for you not to notice it and all of a sudden after the period of time things happen so soon and you have to pinch yourself and shout out the word True with all the force that's there in you. Apple always made a niche market for itself. It something like alcohol and wine.Its like gems and diamonds. Its about the pride and pristine. Its simply about the mass and a class. It about quality and a cut above.

The words to catch in the title are "Apple" and "Pie". There has been lot that's said about "Pie" since the world is flat came out. If you read it once you will like it, it explore technology and business like nothing ever did. It will give you infighting of how business and technology are influencing each other. How they are breaking ground and expanding the horizon for each other. So the Pie is something you would actually want to share, it is indicative of a market scenario where you cut the pie and competitors choose what share you deserve. I think Apple has given a new dimension to this whole affair

There would be many others blogs, articles write ups that you may have read on Apple, iPod, iPhone, Steve Jobs and cult statuses. This has nothing to do with it. I am not writing a review of iPhone latest version or some next thing from Apple. I would love to do it but that's on hold as far as this post is concerned. It is amazing the stuff that lies on their assemblies and what they imagine would be next. There wares are so good, that people think what next even before the come to terms with what they have in hand.

It is a risky saga.

I mean lets face it. Steve Jobs is Apple and Apple is Steve Jobs. The guy is a geek, perhaps a bit to much. I bit finicky, "sanki" is colloquial word. It just means somebody weird in a sense of repulsion. Steve Jobs and Apple have had their share of drama. They have seen up and down together. Its weird imagining a person who established a company being banished from his own company. The setting up something he loved doing. I think Steve Jobs is an institution when it comes to designing interface. He is a brilliant calligraphists and is instrumental in how we see computers today and may be other electronic interfaces tomorrow. They tried they may have failed some time back but now there is no stopping them or ignoring them. The competitors should roll up there sleeves and pull up their stocks.

Sony a pioneer with sound engineering and sound system had carpet pulled under their feet . It is such a shocker they they are still under pressure to come up to match iPod but for now one can sti back and enjoy their iPod coz it is hell lot of a fun. My father isn't much to much into gadgets, perhaps beings from their age bracket arent all that inclined by he too resonated the wow factor when he heard some old song H songs on it. It beamingly remember that late night, he told be to brim p my iPod with his favorite numbers and he and ma heard it for quiet some time and no 12 o'clock A.M. in my place is not late. He was damn impressed by the clarity of that sound. The wow factored was resonated again when he first saw the iPhone, after I explored it. He took it and kept ringing tone and click snaps on it. He enjoyed it more than I could. If he can yell wow for he is not exactly a tech freak you can imagine us a touch of treak freak licking their lips to hold this baby in hands.

What a wow.

U remember S. Well he had his iPhone all along and I enjoyed having it for some time, listen to songs, swapping albums, playing games, checking out contacts, turning it now and then. I mean its is something of a marvel. It is see it to believe it.
An iPod on Mumbai's local trains is now a regularity, iPhone isn't hard to find it. They get the iPhone here. unlock/hack it and have it buzzing all over the place. The present scenario for Apple and Apple computers look really really green as we shift from assembled computers to brand ones and from brand one to Apples one. There may be people saying about inter usability with other PCs. The people in Apple to have realized it.They are breaking their own garden walls, now we can add Windows to Apple laptops and PC, meanwhile killing two birds with one stone, Apple music player and encoder iTunes is very much Windows compatible which makes sure you don't have to have an Apple computer to run your iPod. This way it has maintained its exclusivity. The secret obiously remains the unix based software and how Steve Jobs vision is bought to life.

It is said that if you bear the pressure long enough you can turn the tide. If you are going through hell keep going, said Churchill once. Steve Jobs and Co have walked through hell as Apple looks to compete and win over customers both prom computing and music player/multimedia fund front.
The have turned the table in the sense that they have made the pie their own and look to cut the share of pie and distribute it among competitors.

Cricket: SAfs salvage a draw

It was a typical test match, As typical as saying it would be a draw seeing the second ball of the first over of the test match, when Boucher collected a Steyn “Gun” delivery down the leg side just near his ankles. I knew that at least one of the team would bat for a long long time. The surprise was England was the first team to do so.

What I see is what you get!!

I would to be an unbiased and an unabashed cricket follower. I think I try to be one. Of course I would be hooting for one team or a player but I am always in for a contest. Test matches actually are perhaps the most balanced form of the crickets. The bowler and batsmen both can influence the game. I think it may not be wrong saying that bowlers can win you test matches because to win a test you need twenty wickets.
I think here is the critical difference between India and Pakistan till almost three years back. We “traditionally” have had strong batting line up and ordinary bowling line up until a Kapil Dev inspired a generation of fast bowlers. I can say we have now we have decent bowling attack and victories in test matches abroad are an ample testament.
Mean while the Pakis have produced and kept on producing Sultans of Swing. Imran, Sarfaraz, Mudassar, Wasim, Waqar, Aquib, Shoaib, Gul, Razzaq. Yes Pakis produced some good batsmen too, Hanif, Javed, Zaheer, Inzi, Yousuf but its fair to say that they always had a better bowling attack.
The point I am trying to make is that a team with good consistent bowling attack and half decent batting line up is more likely to win a test match as compared to a team with excellent batting line up and half decent bowling attack. India being the prime example. The other being Aussies and SAfs, both team good look head to head on paper. But since the Aussies have a better balance and varied attack help them stay on top.

Spinning trouble for SAfs.

The spin department has a worry for SAfs. They have still a spinner to burst through their ranks and be used as an attacking bowler The are ordinary players of spin bowling and then have not had a good spinner with them, a Symcock a Boje or a Paul Adams will never ever win a side games for their teams let alone a test match. Then there is a ghost of playing the spin bowling remember when SAfs came to India the skittle India out for 86 in one of the innings and won the test and then India invited SAfs to play on a dust bowl Green Park pitch in Kanpur and they were skittle out for nothing and India draw series 1-1. I think English are the only team which play spinners at par with SAfs. Its no trade secret that SAfs play spin were poorly.

The English predicament.

In the first test too, they were reduced to 117 for 3 from 114 for no loss. There is a tendency of English to collapse as the batsmen come and go. I find no batsmen throwing in the spanner to the opposition. If a couple of wickets fall then it makes sense to bide time and slow the pace of game to your level, a few quick singles a few twos and the sanity is bought back to the system. I know game of cricket is game of glorious uncertainties and more often then not it catches you aware on the wrong foot. But I can say this that there would be a great English collapse sooner rather than later. It is imminent.

England nearly scoring 600, the match end in a drawn.

English piled on the agony on a very very docile pitch. They made over 550 runs with the most incomplete batsmen Ian Bell making 199. Flintoff return is for sure and by making 199 he perhaps have saved his head from the chopping board. I wonder if Ian Bells almost double hundred is the proof of the docile nature of the pitch! Pietersen coming on with a century early in the series will help breather a bit easier for a bit longer. But since there have settled opening pair and a very good one down in form of their captain Vaughan it is vital that Pietersen fires. But Pietersen delivered the goods this time around with a meaty hundred as the SAfs bowlers looked tired after the pitch wearied them out and English were allowed to take charge. Stuard Broad helped himself to a test fifty against a classy attack. The bowling attack did not attack much and pitch was docile and English almost racked up 600 runs. These remain the fact of the English first innings

SAf's first innings.

It was a contrast to English innings would be the proverbial understatement. The start was ordinary no partnerships among batsmen Boucher continuing his poor form from the IPL. The full Monty show saw them peering down the barrel with sill almost more than two days more to come. They were rightly asked to follow on, I am still trying to asses why SAfs folded so easily but the point remains lack of poor partnerships and poor opening. The openers failed to deceive. Prince mean while got a fitting hundred and bought a sense of respectability to the score. But SAfs Followed On as they were more than 200 runs deficit after completion of their first innings.
The cookie seemed to crumble against a very good English batting performance and ordinary bowling performance.

A defiant second innings.

I think Indians should be looking at the review of this test match very closely. The SAf second innings was weathering a decent attack in alien conditions on a decent pitch. It was more about building innings. Neil McKenzie batted and batted. I mean facing 447 deliveries. Greaeme Smith also bludgeoned a century and so did Hasim Amla who played a Chanderpaul like innings. I will be following Amla closely. He is not all that classy but he is damn good, coz he plays “Percentage Cricket”, when in doubt leave it alone. I think SAfs have players who can enforce a draw, Amla, Prince and Rudolph. I don’t know why Rudolph is missing from the action.
The pitch never crumbled and Monty hardly could do a thing. He bowed sixty over for nothing.

SAfs stands for South Africa. :P

Last Score,

England: 593/8 | Bell 199; Morkel 4-121
SAfs: 247 All out| Prince 101; Monty 4-74
393 /3 | McKenzie: 138; Anderson 2-78

About:Friend's Wedding

A friend S, back from US accompanied me to one of our friends wedding. I was there last year round to attend D's engagement. So I was glad I could attend the wedding as well.

A touch of flash back.

My mom packed clothes for me. I don't know what it is with me I have to unpack at least once before I pack up for good and leave for destination. This time I did carry my tooth brush along, just that I forgot to get the tooth paste along. Just before leaving the house, I searched for my train tickets, which I remember putting in my back pocket, it was their but proof of identity was missing, fortunately it was close at hand so wanting to reach the station before the train, I and S headed to Borivali where we alighted shifted to platform number four, saw Rajdhani come and go like 18:10 Virar fast. I thought next would be the train but then there was an announcement of regret. The train was come on platform number 6. I muttered a few things under the breath and then my bemused friend added fire to fuel by inquiring if the train already arrived on platform 6 is "our" train? We hurried on to the train manage to board it before it bade us good bye, called up my friend and told me I am going to present for his wedding.

Nothing during the train except hearing to all that my friend has to say a few more calls to some more friends.

Wedding Day.

The trains always run late in the wedding season. I have had very dragging experiences of trains being late when u go to attend weddings. God. Anyways someone came to pick us up. I inquired if it would be late, it took us hardly ten minutes to reach a place where we would stay for next couple of nights, we unpacked, freshen up and manage to be in kurtas and pajamas for the wedding. The hunted for a gift shop and a bouquet shop, and just manage to reach the wedding procession, before it ended, shake a leg for some time. before waiting for an hour and half to walk 25 m and climb 3 storeys. The grooms "shoes" were siphoned off even before girls from brides end could even have a look of it.I am not the lone culprit I just hid those with S. :) We had to draw a lot of flak and lot of swollen faces for those shoes.

Anyways we entered the hall after sometime and Mandap was all set. Johri paani pilla de yaar was my friends (the groom) request so I hood winked one of the "waiters" for couple of glass and couple of cold drinks for my self and a couple of glasses for the bride and the groom. There was something going on in the Mandap, so I straight away headed for something to eat, I hadn't had proper breakfast. I did not over compensate though. So had a few bites of whatever was served and meanwhile saving my camera and myself from smashing elbows I managed a few snaps but many of them to my dismay came out blurred/jarred. Anyways I kept clicking snaps.

The chaos in the Mandap mean while continued, with panditiji calling for things which were not there and people who were absent because they busy munching monaco biscuits with cheese topping and paneer tikkas at a far flung corner. Anyways people came in and went and I was busy catching up with a few of relatives I met last time and few of the groom friends. We settled down in a place where we could be served first and making sure the plate is half empty by the time it went to the front row. The shoes were safe and sound as my friend and I were free from any sort of suspicion and there were a few pangs that were exchanged in far corner of the hall. Anyways I kept clicking snaps and sipping cold drinks and munching whatever came my way.

Are you done with all the Lawful implications? Yes. The groom replied with a sense of joy and pride. I congratulate both him and her. The bride was surprised to see me. I was surprised at her surprise coz previous night I had called them telling them I will come. The groom introduced S to the bride, after couple of pleasantries compliments, I stepped out and he waiter was just standing by for me to grab a few more tasty bites.In a short span that I was waiting for bride and groom to take blessing from everyone I noticed that mandaap hall was practically empty. It was lunch time.We headed for lunch, I gave up on salad and took few paneer "items" and all the sweets including shrikhands, halwas,dhokla and all. I made sure I did not have to get up for next round. Lunch was dinner, but i helped myself with Ice creams and halwa.

It was "bidai" time. A few heart touching moments as the bride leaves her parents. A symbolic gesture of any Indian wedding. A few more cold drinks and we made it to the grooms place before they did. I don't know what took so long for them to reach. Anyways a few more mantras and pujas as the bride is bought home and headed to a Puja room. I and S sat down and settled for few glasses of chilled water. After sometime the bride when away to get ready, the groom went away to get ready and someone requested me and S to be back in half and hour. So I and S also left to get ready. A quick shower and change of clothes from traditional to a standard cotton trouser and a blue shirt we were back to the grooms house, who was getting ready, a coffee and a few calls more we waited for the groom to be back and chatted and pulling each others leg. My friend obviously really happy. A dream is coming true after all. Anyways few excited looking tired ladies getting it right with the whole ensemble rushed back to the reception.

The reception was again large gathering of people which seemed to grow large as the food was served. I settled for a pudding and few lighter things, not waiting to eat too much. A few jokes, repartee and snaps. Then the made their way to food stall and a few things as both families settled to have food together. By the time the food was finished only the immediate families remained including Me and S. We went home after tired and sleepy.
The next day was perhaps more frantic. A friend R returned my call. I just wanted to meet him. S had to catch the afternoon train home.The brides folks were headed back to their home. I accompanied groom to the hotel where the were staying, the bags were packed and ferried to the station. Thankfully we reached station on time so did the luggage. The train to their destination was on time too, the luggage was loaded and a few tearful good byes and laboured smiles, we bid them good bye and went back to grooms home. There were people catching sleep in 10 minutes shifts as people were mentally drained.The bride changed and after a while the leaving room was dusted and place made for people to have a seat. The Groom and bride enjoying the environs of the home settled down. The newly wedded bride was happy to attend her father calls. Anyways we sat/slept, chit chatting as people and good kept going in and out of the house. I meanwhile managed to catch a few winks. A few more cold drinks and then early evening I, the groom, the bride and grooms sis went for a drive to the port. We chatted on our way, a few more calls and few cheers of laughter.

The R called we met and had some local nashta, something that vaguely resembled garlic bread and a milk shake each. It was almost 8 in the evening and then the grooms family and me went for dinner. They dropped me at station, The groom and Bride stayed back with me till the train left. A few more funda and smiles I was on the train and chatted along with grooms relative, an old lady.I catch my sleep for most of my way and the train reached a bit late. I was finally home. My parents were really happy to see the snaps, mom especially made me zoom on the jewelery which the ladies happen to wear in the wedding.It is a gold jewelery exhibition at any wedding we attend here.

Jaane tu ...

Abbe mein jaanta hoon.

The movie perhaps got decent reviews coz 2050 was perhaps worst of the too. It is a decent movie thats it. One time watch if you dont know what to do on a Sunday evening. Its a Hindi movie and doesn't come under any fram of logic. A few actors did their part well, Ratna Pathak. Naseer, Paresh Rawal but then these guys are good and proven actors. A few laughters and thats it.
The movies left me with a few questions.

• What were those guys studying?
• Can you go to a New York University without your final result/degree in your hand?

The movie isn't all that "great" as it is made out to be. I guess its doing better than 2050.

Cricket: An English Summer.

An English summer to remember perhaps although people have began the countdown for next summer Ashes tour but time is far off. The English team would believe they will have a fair crack at the Ashes provided they do well in the build up to the Ashes. Its no cake walk, the English will find them in deeper water when they face South Africans as the tour gets under way today. While England had an easy series against New Zealand and SAfs played there last series away from home in India. The Indians went from bizarre to ridiculous, Sehwag soaking a fastest triple, then getting out for 86 and then Kumble sitting out and Dhoni leading the team to a ten wicket out of the blue win.

The generous host?

 

Well hopefully will dish out what they get out a very impressive SAf bowling line up. Morkel, Ntini, Steyn, all of them gunning at good pace. It will be an interesting site how English play SAf spinner, Paul “Lord” Harris. Vaughan and Pietersen may take him apart but Harris will try to exploit the English tendency to collapse under any type of conditions against any attack.
The onus of English batting line up would be on Strauss, Vaughan and Pietersen and they will pray that the rest of tail wags. Yes Cook is there too, he too will be looking to add a few centuries against a very formidable SAf attack. Vaughan is some class; he has a very appealing and attractive style of batting, perhaps a right handed Ganguly only a shade better, at par with Clarke, Dravid, Laxman. He is a very touch player seem to just time the shots. A few more touch players right handed batsmen come to mind are Jaywardene, Mohd Yousuf, obviously Dravid Laxman, Kallis perhaps then there is Sarwan and Fulton from New Zealand. I think Damien Martyn was a lovely touch player too. A touch players brings so much grace to the game.

Coming back to Vaughan, I think he relishes fast and spin bowling alike plays well against the both and has scored well in Australia against Australia, perhaps precondition these to be marked as a good player. Pietersen is not far away though, but perhaps if he is able to play something which helps English rather than the SAfs we may see a few interesting duels.

The eager visitors.

SAfs have always been a good team to beat. They are competitive but a crafty spinner will help them boast of a better balanced attack. Smith may turn his arm over but Vaughan and company may not have sleepless night. Smith’s back to back double century in the last tour may do him good, Kallis will make runs every where and in all conditions, so will Boucher. Amla is a fighter something like Chanderpaul. AMla will stay put and build his innings. Ashwell Prince need to experiment more with his bat he is a good player. DeVilliers well he is a dasher and will score runs very very quickly. I hope Gibbs is not missed. Gibbs and Sehwag have lot in common more so after Sehwag’s hair line has receded to the back of his head. Gibbs can shred any attack to pieces he is an ace fielder but his tendency to be a naughty boy and doing unwanted things away from cricket field pisses me off. Wouldn’t he loved to tour England and shred them to pieces. Boucher will again be dodgy, u can only count on him when the chips are down. SAfs have something to produce all rounder currently I can see three, Kallis, Boucher and Morkel. Kallis is bit on the downhill but still handy enough. Morkel will be looking to smack a few sixes out of the English grounds.

A close eye on …

I will have my eyes riveted on the following

Steyn “Gun” vs the English batting team.

Monty vs SAfs,

Ntini vs Pietersen,

Smith vs Vaughan,

Harris vs Monty.

Also on the list.

I am trying to think what may happen and just praying it doesn’t rain.
The few of things which are likely to happen during the course of the Test series:

• England losing their last eight wickets for 65 runs after being 200 for 2.
• Boucher gardening the strike and making 100 runs with the last four wickets.
• Boucher and Morkel tonking sixes.
• Panesar spinning SAfs to a full monty.
• Pietersen getting out by playing some stupendous stroke.
• Ian Bell the most incomplete batsmen struggling against Harris.
• Steyn cooking English bastmen for lunch.
• A good Kallis hundered.
• England losing by innings and 200 runs.
• SAfs doing well till they choke in the last or second last test.

About:Future Tense

Will they wont they? The political parties, Congress and Left are like couples who signed their divorce agreement and settled the alimony before deciding to get marry. The Congress to their success are ruling in a minority government and people mandate was vindictive. The political scenario is so appealing that parties like Trinamul Congress, Assam Gana Parishad are thinking what to do and what not, although they just have one and two seats respectively in the Lok Sabha.You know there are other political parties as well, like Samajwadi Party.By the way Left rules the state of Bengal and doing so for some time now and Congress sits in opposition.

Look who is smiling.

Left is hell bent on pulling the plug on their own life support machine. I dont think it will give them anything. The chance our they would lose the seat which they already have, Indians gets another general election to practice their voting rights. I can just pray that the mandate is a bit more concrete this time around coz the coalition politics is ruining the country I agree that they have not their ministers in the government by calling itself an "outside support" and twisting their the Governments arms at every turn, but marks to the Congress for dishing it out whenever and wherever they could. But Sonia Gandhi is smiling no doubt. The government falls a hoarse cry about enforcing election a bit of sympathy wave. If only they were a bit tough on security and terrorism their policies are similar to that of BJP/NDA or vice versa. I think she would be really pleased when the government falls. The Congress will play their card well and hopefully will do everything to get a "Coalition Free" first time in over two decades. It is a must going forward in this century. The problems are getting inter-twined. But Congress seem to have time their political foray just right and all most always find opposition clutching straws

BJPs predicament

The plight is the reforms process being stoped, has been a big jolt perhaps bigger then the N-Deal. A deal which BJP/NDA initiated and now finds itself in a position where they find it hard to oppose this deal and harder to support it. If elections are forced in they should find it hard to support it, guess opposition parties just know to oppose. There should be something to oppose. I think the BJP/NDA combine will continue to do well in states, regions, they have just won in Karnataka, may loose out on Madhya Pradesh. They swept Gujarat and Congress was dumb founded they had nothing against Modi whatever they could do Modi was one up for it.Plus like it or not the state of Gujarat is head and shoulders in every respect above the other state. The other "competitive" state Maharashtra is bearing the burden of a coalition politics again courtesy a fractured mandate. It would be interesting to see Maharashtra regress card minus district of Mumbai.It will be a tragic picture to look at.The district of Mumbai should be made a special economic zone, free of hackles of politics. The city in general is wise and patient enough to charter its own progress map. The elections for state assembly are nearing too.
Raj Thacekray may dent a few BJP-SS votes but the fantatistic politics of hate, fear and terror wont go far.

Singh is King.

Maluyam Singh, Amar Singh, Manmohan Singh, Rajnath Singh, pick a Singh to be the king.

The brunt of this showdown is borne by the public on streets and companies on Dalal Street as the market due to negative and nervous cues is hell bent on diving to every days yearly low.It has tanked by almost one third of its previous all time high, taking share price to less than their prices almost an year back.

Just to raise a toast.

I have completed three years into blogging. Its obvious that I never imagined I would, but I always want to keep ranting through my cricket blogs. I must say to this all, although this may be a feed to cricket updates to very limited few, it is not only about cricket. I may have refrained from posting many of the blogs, and deleted them half way though writing them just not to make this place vitriolic. I refrain from saying or doing anything which makes people refrain at me.
I love the idea of being able to communicate it gives we a great joy. I think it balances my right and duty of a netizen and in a very minute part as a citizen of a thriving Democracy. The Blogs give me a reason to blog as well. I love changing my blog templates I crave for more templates, I hope Blogger and Googles reading these line. I think I will continue to blog for as long as I can.

Long Live Blogging.

About:Weekend of finals

Weekend is here, I was awaken with a little miss call, I guess I was on time, my father didn't he made sure that even though he was late for his early-morning walk I better be on time.I mean I got up and before my eyes really open, I want the newspapers in my hand, starting sports page first.I read as much I could before deciding enough is enough and had a quick cold shower that I love left for office in a jiffy.There were a few things I was thinking,a there are a few more things which I have to think.One includes a gift to a dear friend who is getting married next week. I attend his engagement almost an year back.

Wanted Alive: Ideas for a gift for a guy and gal who are getting married soon.

So finally a worthy sporting weekend. I hope I can blog on all three of them. These sporting especially re likely luscious chocolate cakes, simply awesome.I am blogging about these cause in a sense its a clash among equals and I associate power with all of them.The matches I am talking about are :

1. Wimbledon Ladies' final: The William sisters Serena and Venus fighting it out.
2.Wimbledon Men's final: Roger Federer vs Rafeal Nadal
3.Asia Cup: Sri Lanka and India

William vs William

There was time when before when a grand slam final was reduced to a household affair between the sisters themselves. It doesnt amazes me that both together have won so many titles what amazes with how often thy have met a finals of a Grand Slam is the thing that amazes me. I think Serena has more power and Venus is full of guile they are complementary and know each others game too well. I hope Venus wins it cause she looks more determined to do so.

Two good men, a match just too good.

It is now perhaps a strongest rivalries that we are witness in the world of tennis. Samprass Aggasi, Edberg-Becker, Connors-McEnroe, and there have been many more that have graced the centre courts all equally emphatic in oomph and portray something gripping and enthralling. Federer would be remembering how last year Nadal got better of him on clay in the French Open and how he came back on Grass and won the Wimbledon. Federer may want to repeat that. I hope he does that but Nadal will make sure it isnt a walk in the park for him. Federer will be pushed though.

Nadal has a unique gift, not that he is a left hander and left handers have done well in Tennis, McEnroe, Connors, Rod Laver. I think he can place returns and serves in areas which are difficult if you are a right hander, in this case Federer being a right hander. Also the second return which Nadal offer, he use his left hand again to place the ball in the court which are awkward and power packed and makes the opponents huff for breath. It was one of thing I noticed in 2007 French open when he was dishing it out to someone in the semis. The angles he creates in his returns are very very different I will keep a watch on em again and may be highlight those in the next blog.

A worthy of finalist.

In a cricket match when u trying to get out into the knock round by hoping someone has a slip up or you get into the next round on th basis of net run rate or something like that, then you would be losing it soon. Pakistan offered some dissimal cricket and India were beaten by them but the pitched have nothing to offer and I thought the back to back matches hould be looked into. India creamed Sri Lanka with a good victory as team actually look to chase down 300 runs well with fifty overs, forty five actually. Pakistani commentators were pooh pooh cry babies and wanted Sri Lanka to try harder. The pitches are so docile and with not enough fire power in both the team's bowling department . If Murali is grind down rest of the Sri Lanka hasn't much to offer and if one pray for wickets for India bowlers, only run out come their way. It looks hapless. I don't think even the India bowlers are looking forward to taking wickets. Its a showdown between the bastmen. I have a feeling if Jayasuriaya smacks a ton, India will be runners up of the Asia Cup.

I thought of doing this tag from Solitaire's Blog.

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food? right now?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. What is your favorite drink?

7. What is your dream vacation?

8. What is your favorite dessert?

9. What do you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. What is one word that describes you?

12. What is your user name?

Blog: Blog abandoned due to rain

An island city of Mumbai is now a cluster of many islands.Its been pouring non stop since last evening. It was raining real heavy in the morning. The Kandivili station was marooned, auto were hesitant and boats were expected to be there. The noise of thunders beats the hallow out the administrative authorities dumb founded promises. I mean this is perhaps just the second heavy rains following this raining weekend.
All promises stuck in the gutter and the city floods. A weekend of rain and everything turned upside down.There seems to be no plan so expecting a contingency plan is not in reckoning. The floods are eminent the question isn't how but when. What I saw were some of the streets were flooded.only solace was perhaps to get a jam free roads and a seat in the train to Churchgate and in the bus from station to Office. The office are closed (read low attendance) and I think I too will be bugging out soon. It may take a hell of a time to come back home. I hope I dont have to see my worst fears as I dont know to swim.

The second edit. 3 July 2008.

Since the morning rains were happy, a few smart people took some time off and extend their weekends. Yours truly made his way,grumbling to office. Anyways there was a suprise in store as trains were empty* so were the buses.There were not may in office so had an extended lunch break and treated myself to a delighting chicken fried rice and soup. It started to rain in the evening again and memories of early morning came to cloud my excitement again, chucking bus for taxi I went to station, caught an empty* train.It took a shade under an hour to be at home station,got a phone call mid-way and a friend got promoted so the party was on offer.I had a lovely dinner again.Then I went to a heavy lumber sleep.

*A train is empty if you get to have a seat.