Bada Boom Bada Bam

Wimp!

2007-08-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

no one likes losing..no one likes losing what he should have won.
but that's what happens sometimes.. especially when one loses the battle of nerves... the first battle to win is the one within...is that from Mortal Combat?..well.. its true.

I've been thinking of excuses to explain away the loss.. I cant think of one. I wont stop thinking about this for a few weeks.. if only I'd been a bit more aggressive, a little more confident in my own abilities... just a little more... you don't win by playing safe... if you've gotta lose.. you gotta at least go down with guns blazing. I guess I just wimped out... It's not a good feeling.

The Man!

2006-10-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Good Bye Michael Schumacher.

You will be remembered... as the greatest ever.
Your drive to win is matched only by your unimaginable talent.

You have given me countless memorable moments. Giants lie beaten in your wake...and you stand tall.... no one in your shadow!

and you have ended your career, the same way you raced all through...showing the next generartion the sheer joy of racing... the never say die spirit....the panache of a winner... and the drive to back it all up.

I salute you!

Auf Wiedersehen

We have a problem

2006-09-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

What in the hell is wrong with the Muslim world?

I mean some random cartoon appears in some random country... And all the Muslim world is offended?

now the pope, leader of a Christian sect says something.. And again the Muslim people have been snubbed?

why are Muslims seeking validation from everyone else?

The Muslims have their beliefs... Others do not share those beliefs and consider them wrong and misguided ... But the Muslims do not share anyone else's beliefs either. They too consider everyone else (Christians, Jews, Hindus) wrong and misguided... This is the nature of religion... And the sooner they come to terms with a world of many religions, the better it will be for them... And everyone else

Before I sound bigoted, let me say that the problem is not just with the Muslim world... The other religions too have these , shall we say overly touchy, elements... But the voice of these in the Muslim world is much louder and the voice of the free thinking people almost non-existent.

I believe everyone would be happier when the world rids itself of religion and all its evils... But I also believe that that day is not close.

All I know is that we have a problem.

Democracy

2006-09-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

Now the entire world knows that democracy is the best!

It's been the reason Iraq was invaded (it wasn't for weapons of mass destruction), rt?
It's the way forward in Cuba... isn't it?

why the heck then does the UN have these 5 "more equal than the others" who, like the landlords of yore, determine the paths taken by the "serf" nations?

why isn't the UN democratic?

How much **** can you take?

2006-08-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

President Bush today announced that Hezbollah was the reason the war had started... and that it Hezbollah is the one that must be held accountable for the loss of a thousand lives.

Reminds me of the days when I and my brother used to get into a fight... and then, when everything in the house had been messed up, come up with the ingenious excude: "Well, he started it!"

Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes, their livelihoods... a country's entire infrastructure has been blown to smithereens, and this is the best Dubya can come up with?

You know what... next time a Pakistanee infiltrator comes across the border... lets just drop The Bomb there... I'm sure Dubya will blame Pakistan for all the death.

Or when the next Israeli tank blasts into another Palestinian town... Maybe the 'terrorists' will be justified then....

You know what... I'm surprised the world can turn a blind eye to the idiocy of this man... How different is this from the policy of appeasement followed before world war 2?

You tell me!

political view

2006-04-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've often thought of myself as apolitical... but it has become very plain to me that in the times that we live in, being apolitical is being a wimp.

A man's gotta have some opinions... something he believes in... I just didn't know where my loyalties lay... thats when this site helped. (http://politicalcompass.org/)

well, these guys ask a lot of good questions and then they tell you what you might be.

I have found that I am a left libertarian.... and I agree...

that puts me right next to Gandhi.... but I ain't turning the other cheek anytime soon!

Surprise Surprise!

2006-01-20T00:48:00.000-08:00

Saurav Ganguly dropped from the Indian team for the second test at Faisalabad.

I had a feeling this might happen. It's absolutely disgraceful on part of the Indian management. The question that begs an answer is this:
why was Ganguly included for the first test? And what did he do wrong in that test to justify dropping him. All I remember of Ganguly in the match is the unbelievable catch he took.

Quite frankly, the whole thing stinks like a rotten fish. I believe it’s a plan hatched by Greg Chappel and Rahul Dravid to keep Saurav out. They had to take him in because of all the pressure from the board and selection committee. But what they have done now has the potential of teaching our politicians a trick or two.

Firstly, they don't use Ganguly much during the Indian fielding effort. Then, in a political master stroke, Dravid comes out to open with Sehwag and pushes Ganguly down to the middle order. The Indian media ("are you blind, folks?") hail this move by Dravid as a sacrifice (sacrifice, my a$$).

To me, it's quite obvious that during the Pakistani batting, it became apparent that this pitch has nothing in it for the bowlers. That the batters are gonna have a field day and that the only time a batter gets out is when he makes a blunder... not just a mistake... but a blunder! If Gangs comes out to bat on this pitch, chances are he's gonna get a hundred, possibly more... and then how will we drop him? It was tough enough dropping him after a 30 and a 40...

Brainwave: Let’s shut him out altogether. Let's not let him bat at all!!
Bravo Mr. Chappel, Bravo Mr. Dravid..... All I hope is that one day, you get a taste of your own medicine. I expected more from Dravid, but he has shown himself to be a weak man ready to backstab a team-mate for personal glory.

I'm Charlie Brown

2005-11-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

I am surprised! will you be too? Hit the link.

You are Charlie Brown!

Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

How stupid are you?

2005-11-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

Its good to know how stupid you really are.
I turned out ok..
Why dont you give it a shot? Click on the pic.

Dude, where's the story?

2005-11-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

Did you watch the latest Harry Potter? Well, I did… and to say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I am n HP fan... and I would have liked to see the director stick to the book. The quidditch world cup was glossed over, but that was ok… that’s not important in the larger scheme of things, but the death eaters' march through the tents was skimmed through too… why? I thought that was important. I know it’s a big book to shrink into one movie… but once you take up the challenge, u better do a good job!

Dumbledore, in my opinion, is a very cool, in control kind of character in the book. In the movie, he did not look like any body Neville Longbottom would be afraid of… let alone Voldermort. Running about, shouting, shrinking from the light of the Goblet… come on…! The man seemed out of his depth handling a school event…. And this is the man who the entire wizarding world holds in awe? This is character assassination!!

Special effects are good... but that’s not all a movie is about. I don’t know if there’s a razzie for worst adapted screenplay... but if there is… GOF is a shoo-in for that one. What was all that with the Dragon??? Fancy flying is good to see, but not at the expense of the plot… Mr. Director apparently did not have enough time to give us the whole story… but he did have enough to waste on sp effects.

The only redeeming part of the movie was Voldermort. He looked exactly as I had imagined him (both before and after his resurrection). One can only hope that the next movies are a more mature product.

I might sound a bit peeved… but that’s probably because I am.

It has stopped

2005-11-15T06:46:00.000-08:00

Just yesterday, I was watching some program on The Animal Planet... and they mentioned that most species change themselves to better suit their environment. Man is perhaps the only one that changes the environment to suit his needs. This led me to think, and since it is a rare occurrence I might be a bit rusty here. But hear me out... what is evolution? If by some mutation, a particular group of animals in a species, get better adapted to the environment than the others, it leads to a higher probability of that animal's (and its progeny's) survival. Eventually, since more animals with the new strain will survive and reproduce, we have (over a few millennia, perhaps) a new species. Consider man...In our new environment; is there anything that will give one of us a better chance at survival? I don’t think so. Darwin's theory of Natural Selection does not apply to the humans any more. The weak ones do not die young and the strong ones do not live longer. The strong take care of the weak (yeah, right!). Evolution, for the humans, has stopped. We don’t adapt ourselves to become a better fit into our environment, we build fire places.

In fact, since there is no advantage in being stronger, and no huge disadvantage in being slightly weaker, I would guess, that we have begun, for lack of a better word, de-evolving. We are becoming a weaker species every century. Just count the number of allergies we have these days.

I know this is an over simplification, but it does kind of make sense.

Maybe Tomorrow

2005-10-17T06:35:00.000-07:00

I'd love to tell how great a thing procrastination is and how it has enriched my life.... eh! maybe tomorrow.

The King is Dead

2005-09-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

Really?

Fernando Alonso became the youngest ever F1 champ.

So, is the former weltermeister's era over? Or is there another glorious chapter yet to be written in the career of Michael Schumacher? As an ardent fan of the Schume, I have no doubt that he will return. 2007 could well be his last season in F1, and it would only be fitting if he went out with a bang. These young pretenders need to be shown that the only reason they were able to outpace the legend was the car. Millions around the world have no doubt that given the same car, Schumi would beat the living daylights out of the so called next-big-things of F1.

He joined Ferrari when it was all but in the dumps. He built a team around him, not unlike what Micheal Jordan did at the Chicago Bulls. He has consistently beaten his team mates at Ferrari. And no, it is not because he was given the better car.

This last race at Sau Paulo once again gave that glimmer of hope to the tifosi. The Ferrari was not that slow.

Next year, its a different game... a very different car with a V8 engine. It will not be just Ferrari testing for Bridgestone, so hopefully the Bridgestone tyre development will go as good if not better that that of Michelin.

What Alonso did this year is great. But nobody has yet beaten the Schume in a good car. Kimi Raikonnen had by far the fastest car for the better part of the season and he still lost the race. The season that happens to the ReigenMeister; that's the season the king shall be de-throned...

Till then, there's only one thing the young guns can do.... dream on.

Monster

2005-09-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

Freddie Flintoff:

Freddie Flintoff: as seen by the Aussies

news at cricinfo

they threw the black man out

2005-09-07T03:19:00.000-07:00

jerks.

I hate INXS now. (naah... I love their songs... but I hate what they did to Ty)

Now I'm rooting for Suzie.

Jordis shud'ave been thrown out when Deanna went out. She killed Dream On when Deanna nailed her original.

This week JD sucked all week... gave two reaally sucky performances... and Ty goes home???

tell me it's not because he is black...

This guy has been the best performer on the show by a mile. Nobody comes anywhere in his shadow...

I hope to see him release a new album... and I'm buying it.

It's Alive

2005-08-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

and kicking.

There were no losers last night. The last two years in Cricket were like, urghh... I don't know, but they were like...baaad!

One-day-cricket had almost made me quit watching cricket and I am not following the one day series in Zimbabwe. But just When I thought I was out they pulled me back in.

The Ashes has brought cricket back to me. Trust me, Test cricket is the real thing. Last night, at Trent Bridge... England were cruising on their way to a very well deserved victory when the Aussies showed the world once again why they are the best at what they do. Bret Lee, in particular, impressed me. His celebration after getting Freddy Flintoff gave me goosebumps. It was that scary.

It was close, closer than the score line suggests. In the battle of nerves, it was the composure of Giles that got England through... and that's when I decided it was safe to breathe again. phew, what a match!

To sum it up, this match was all about guts and glory... and it has reminded me why I love Cricket. It's a battle... and its not for boys.

Who should be sorry?

2005-08-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

21 years ago, people of his clan were massacred. 3000 of them were murdered in four of the darkest days in the history of this nation. He survived...

on 11th August 2005, Manmohan Singh stood in front of a nation, hung his head in shame... and apologized.

Imagine

2005-08-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Imagine:

Imagine you have the brain the size of a planet.
Imagine people everywhere ask for ur help.
Imagine they are all so incredibly dumb, its like, not even funny.
Imagine there is not one being who is intellectually even close to being in the same vicinity as you.
Imagine there is no one to talk to, but these dumb idiots..and they dont stop talking.
And you already know what they are going to say (even before they themselves know)
Imagine these people believe that all you want to do is take care of them, that you love them.... that you even care they exist

Imagine you are GOD

To Blog, or Not To Blog

2005-07-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

I remember... I've been here before.

There's something you've gotta do when you come here.
.. aaargh! what is it?

You've got to write, dumbass....
but how? I used to know how but I don't anymore

You do, just give it a try... it'll come back.
I'm too afraid they'll laugh at me

but they already are
in that case...

Narain Narain

2005-02-01T04:25:00.000-08:00

All India (rather, all F1-crazy India) has found a new sports icon today.
Narain Karthikeyan has been asked to drive for Jordan, and he has accepted it...
agreed, Jordan (oops, midland) isn't really the crown gem of F1. Agreed also, that it took Trevor Carlin, NK's former boss in Formula 3, to get NK in. But its still cause for celebration. After all, Nick Heidfield was here, so was Fisichella... And look at where they are today.
Another similarity between Nick, Fisi and NK is their relatively superior performance in the wets. So all in all, it looks good.

After the last few boring (??) seasons, NK's entry might just spice things up for the Indian fans. We will now have two guys to root for... MS at the top...And NK somewhere in the middle of the circuit...

and hey, Sania is into the big league as well... Looks like a new wave of sports heroes are here to take on the world... Here's to the new tsunami!!!

Doctor, mujhe kuchh dikhaee nahee deta

2005-01-21T18:22:00.000-08:00

The light has gone out of my life. It really has. This is kind of cyclic... every couple of months... around the 3rd week of the month... it mysteriously happens. I have an eerie feeling (call it instinct) that this is vaguely related to some mysterious document named "THE ELECTRICITY BILL". What used to stump me was that it automatically returned in a day or two. My sources inform me that it returns after you perform the highly secretive ritual (also extremely dangerous... This ritual is performed only during office hours and the performer is in the line of fire, I mean he might be fired for not turning up at office) of "paying the ELECTRICITY BILL". I am much obliged to my two room-mates who have always risen to the occasion and charged to the communion held at a local temple of bureaucracy and performed this livelihood threatening ritual.

Luckily for me, when I reach home after a day full of exciting documentation (another much revered ritual), I find the atmosphere quite charged up and the entire world just as it should be.

As I said, the light has, once again, gone out of my life and I believe my roomies are, right as I write this, performing the bureaucratic equivalent of a "trip to Tirupathy". May the gods bless them.

The Green Eyed Monster

2005-01-14T00:03:00.000-08:00

I have never been the kind of guy who's been very jealous of the good fortune of other guys. That's partly because I've been pretty lucky in my own life.

But, here's my confession. There's this buddy of mine, studied with me in college. He's kind of cool. But that's ok, I don't mind that. He works as a consultant in a network security firm. Now these guys first sent him packing to all corners of India, and have now sent him to Mauritius. See, I like the guy. As I said, he is my buddy. But there's gotta be a limit to the amount of fun you're allowed to have.

This guy has now not only seen the most beautiful places in India, he is now on his way to "around-the-world-at-company's-expense". I tried to be happy for the rascal... but the more I try, the more difficult it gets.

I must admit, I have been struck by the green-eyed monster. And I know, if he knew that I felt this way... He would absolutely love it. I know it!!!

Happy New Year

2005-01-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

I sit here, half an hour to go before the office cab leaves and drops me off to my room. Having finished the work for the day, I decide to blog.

I realise that this is a new year. I almost didn't notice. Life's been hectic this last year. It's also been fun. That's the reason I didn't mind the hectic bit too much. As i begin to think of the new year, I wonder what it brings to me. Is it going to be more of the same? I hope not!

There's is this problem with me: I can't deal with 'more of the same' for too long. The 'same' might have been good, but it's gotta change. I look forward to newer experiences, hopefully some more time to spend on things I wanted to do, but couldn't so far. I have this idea, to take off for a fortnight or so. Alone, just roam around... no boundaries..just to let myself free... no friends, no buddies, no distractions... sounds yummy.

I'll have it toasted, if you please.

2005-01-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

Its a funny word, toast. You could be the toast of all or you could simply be toast.

I joined this new club in my company. goes by the name of Toastmaster's club, a member of Toastmaster's international, a group of people in the U S of A making everybody's speaking skills, just a little bit better.

So, here I am. I have been informed that I shall have the glorious opportunity of making my first public speech tomorrow. As I sit here now, I would much rather jump off a 50 story building with a parachute that has a hole the size of a minor asteroid.

As it happens, there are no 50 story buildings here in Chennai, and I shall indeed be making that speech. I wonder what will happen?? Will I be the toast or quite simply, will I be toast??

A knotty situation

2004-12-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

Most of my friends have done it. And many tell me that at my age, I should have done it as well. In fact, there are parts in this world where people do it almost as soon as they enter their teens. I was quite horrified to know that amongst certain cultures, they even get kids to do it.

Why just last month, three of my friends did it, tied the knot, that is. I don't quite get the fascination people have with this entirely over-hyped business of tying the knot. It reminds of self destruct mechanisms in the robots of the sci-fi movies that I see. I mean, what is it that makes a man (or a woman) drop every thing that's happening and just, marry???

Is it a devious plan hatched by those inherently sadistic to let no man live a free, contented life? Why else would any one trade one's freedom to a life of tormented servitude??

I believe the old Indian sages were quite wise, really. They had identified different stages in a man's life. Grihasthashram (stage when he lives a married life) lasts for just a few years (after all, how long can a man take it??), immediately followed by Sanyasa (when a man leaves all worldly pursuits to his wife and takes off!!! This new "for better or for worse" thing just doesn't gel with me.

Oscar Wilde did say that marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence, and he was right...

but I agree more with these words from the one and only G.B. Shaw:
Marriage:when two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions. They are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part

When you have 15 minutes to kill

2004-10-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

...you update your blog!!

I have come to realize, that I have been working entirely too much. This, i also infer, can not be for the good.

How many days can a man work 18-20 hrs a day and not lose his health.

I have, therefore, come to the inevitable decision that I must reduce my working hours and devote my energies on tasks more enjoyable. It is for this very reason that I have joined a local volleyball team and shall be up and playing by 6:30 in the morning every saturday hitherto...

I only hope that I can continue my way on this most exhilerating path.

That Deadly Sin of Mine

2004-10-22T01:30:00.000-07:00

Its been a loong time since I last came here..
I would like to say that it was for a good reason that I abstained... but the unfortunate truth of the matter is that I was too lazy to put in any effort to update this..

and as I sit here, at 1 am, trying to get my work done... I know that I should have finished it earlier, like everybody else does.. so that I too could be sleeping peacefully and not haunt my office at nights... I must admit, sloth is the deadly sin that has led me to spend countless similar nights.

and come to think of it.. what am I doing blogging when there's work to be done...?? why procrastinating, of course...

There's one thing I believe... If your life is boring, it is upon you to make it exciting.. and there is nothing as thrilling (in a software professional's life) as working on the code 5 minutes after it was supoosed to be delivered

Leave Me alone

2004-09-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Shit!
It was a good day till I got into others' mess.
I wish these people would just let me be.
I wanna do my job and get outta here, but uhhh!! If lambs could fly...

It seems that with all the politicking happening at work places, it is nearly impossible for a guy to simply stick to his job and not take sides in the war of the egoes.

and what bloated egoes! and how petty victories satisfy them... and why do they have to get me involved?? fight you own battles, I say... dont use my bloody shoulder to point your guns...

Let me Be.

The Purpose of the blog

2004-09-23T19:37:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a few blogs lately.
Most bloggers seem to have a reason to blog. Some want to have 'their space'. Others just want to be 'cool' or simply put their thoughts into words.

This got me thinking.. why ever did I start blogging? I've never been a writer kinda guy. I dont keep a diary... But I guess what got me started was that a couple of my friends had blogs. I went through them.. liked them and wondered:"why don't I do the same?"

I' ve always been like this. If my friends do something.. I gotta do it too. I think this is what they call peer-pressure.

So to come back to the point: 'The Purpose of the blog" was just to start it. You know its something to say when you are in the company of the worldly wise.

"So, what's your blog named?".. You know, it gives one something to talk about. That's done! So what's next? I wonder what I should put in the blog? should it be like a diary.. where I note down my day-to-day happenings, so some future historian can look up the life and times of "SADAF".. naah!!

But then what else is there? I don't know.. but I want my blog to be more than a journal. It must show 'me', the real me. So my reactions to events everywhere, when I have these reactions, must also be a part of this.

My thoughts, about everything and anything, ... yeah! that's the pupose of the blog.

A Strong-End to a Weak Week

2004-09-20T06:13:00.000-07:00

It was most definitely a week to forget. After one too many night-outs I hade finally been broken. With only a constant head-ache for a companion, all I wanted was a week-end.

It was a good weekend, no doubt about it. Caught a play after almost 2 years. A thoroughly refreshing experience! It was an adaptation of two plays by a malayali author. I enjoyed it.

It was followed by antonio benderas, eddie murphy, mike myers, cameron diaz.. Shrek2! What a sequel, I might even venture so much as to say that it was better than the original.. and thats saying quite a lot.

The night was spent in the company of those we don't speak of.. M. Night Shyamalan.. The Village... another good movie... My friends who didnt enjoy the movie as much make me a firm believer in the quote: "Eat a live toad in the morning and everything else that happens will feel like honey"

Quizzically Challenged

2004-09-15T01:53:00.000-07:00

Thats the name of my quiz team.
And we stand true to our name.. we are, indeed, quizzically challenged.

Three young and enthusiastic fellows on their way to quizzing glory. Like in all new ventures, we start at the bottom.. the very bottom! We are perhaps as significant in the quizzing circles here as is the motorcycle at the bottom of the ocean. People notice us.. not for our brilliance, but for the very fact that we are a bit 'out of place'.

We are a dogged lot, us three.. and so we still go on.. Its fun.

Well, just to give these quizzards a look-in at quizzing-our style, I conducted a quiz here yesterday. I think it went well. Not many scored much...that's a good sign aint it.

There was this guy who cracked the quiz..grr.. will get him next time...

Hey Gymboy

2004-09-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Life was good.. all was hunky dory.. then the swimming pool opened..
always wanted to learn to swim.. no point being a piscean if u are as comfy in water as in a gas chamber..
So, me and a couple of colleagues decided that we gotta go have a dip..
At the pool: well, u gotta take the shirt off to get into the pool.. and there I see.. my colleagues with bodies like those of greek gods... and me with a paunch that would have made Lord Ganesha envious...

Started Gym this past week. I've gotta lose a couple of KGs..and fast.
This paunch of mine is a luxury I cant afford. One thing's for sure though, It ain't fun.
I've just come from the gym.. a rigorous regime of Cardio-vascular exercises has been mandated for me...

I give it a month. If I haven't lost atleast 2.5 Kg in that time.. The gym effort shall be considered a waste and all further attempts to get me gymming shall be reciprocated with a barrage of words that one shaln't find any where near being civilised.

Sadaf's Log Star date...

2004-09-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

Day 2, and still going strong! You gotta be impressed. Admit it, this is more than you gave me credit for. Heck this is way more than I would care to give me credit for.

Its one thing to start a blog, quite another to actually get down and write something half-way decent into it. This more so, when the day is filled up with 'the usual'. "So, what was the day like?", you might ask. "The Usual", I might reply.

Another day with its regular share of mind numbing build failures, and heart stopping bugs. Its quite fascinating really. I would never have thought that caffeine would turn out to be so ineffective against the daily office routine. Reminds one of a certain Mr. Don Quixote and his valiant efforts against those undoubtedly evil wind-mills. The poor coffee never had a chance.

All a guy needs after another day completely packed with 'the usual', is... well, the usual trip down music alley. Today, its Jim Morrisson to the rescue... God bless the maker of the MP3...

My First Time

2004-09-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is my first time blogging..
I sit here, in my office.. with nothing to do..
Ah! If only I could do the same everyday..

There's Led Zepp in the background (u guessed id..stairway to heaven).. and life couldn't have been better! And there's more..the next song is 'The Man who sold the world'..Nirvana..
As I said, couldn't have been better..