Hope

"Hope is a good thing,may be the best of things and no good
thing ever dies"

Andy Dufresne , Shawshank Redemption.

Gone With The Wind

Please don't be apprehensive, this post is not about the methods I use during flatulency. I just want to announce that I have started reading "Gone With the wind" by Margaret Mitchell.

The reason behind all that braggadocio is that the book spans over 770 pages and is a classic love story and to add it I have to finish within 15 days flat as I have issued it from a library. The very fact that an indolent like took up the gauntlet (well it’s no less than that), deserves no less than an encomium. May be the fact that the story spins around the American civil war attracted me.

While reading the initial part experienced the vicarious pleasure of living in a county, owning plantation and living life at random, with all the books and movies you ever wanted, all the women you ever wanted to court, like Stuart says

"Give me a horse to ride and some good licker to drink and a good girl to court and a bad girl to have fun with and anybody can have their Europe"

I just added books and movies. Guess I have already made my plans for life after retirement.

Anyways books and movies are all I have been up to recently. Finished The Mammaries of welfare state by Upamanyu chatterjee and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Movies that fell in love with recently were Shawshank redemption,Hazaron Khawishyein Aisi and Schindler's list and am still exasperated with the fact I could not write about any of the above books or movies. I just hope may be in future I will.

Interviews

Interviews they say are all about selling yourself, well if they don't buy offer some discount.

DOJ

In USA they call it Department Of Justice and in India I think we should normally call it Death Of Justice.

Manu Sharma, eight others acquitted in Jessica murder case .

Shocked,devastated and finally after some time sad and helpless.

There is another important person in the whole episode Shayan Munshi.

[..]May 3, 2001: Prosecution suffers a setback when key eyewitness Shayan Munshi,
turns hostile and fails to identify Manu Sharma as the man who had fired the
shot.

"Come on, you can't blame the poor actor , the guy has to look after his budding acting career why should he jeopardize it when he knows that the accused have political connections and we are talking of Indian judiciary boss."

Long Live Popcorn Patriotism.

Long Live Popcorn Patriotism

A thought that popped into my mind after I saw Rangde Basanti. A nice movie, does enamor a bit, good solid screenplay and amazing performances by Aamir khan, Atul Kulkarni and Soha Ali Khan. By the way the site rocks too, do check it out.

Anyways I didn't notice this one on the graffiti wall during the film completely, but found it on the site.Here it goes...

" Go slow, someone is wetting for you"

Nice, I would say,hope you get the pun.

With republic day just past i wanted to write two conflicting posts, spurting from two conflicting theories in my mind. Inspiration for the first one came from the book i am reading by Alvin Tofler called the Third wave and second about Popcorn patriotism and reviewing Rangde combined with lack of freedom in china and something more that i recently learned about China.

Unfortunately as the case i find myself invariably short of time, may be I will write something in future.

Till then go and watch Rangde if you get a chance.

The great firewall of China

Please read this.

It is often averred that young Indians don't value their independence,to say the least the present generation faces rife opprobrium for the same.

Well anyone who undervalues his freedom will stop doing so after reading the above article. More views on this subject later.

What about them?

"Winners never quit,quitters never win but WHAT ABOUT SOME WHO NEVER START"
- Anubhav Agarwal

Times Of Mind

Even after all the virulent and insinuating criticism that TOI manages to emanate from the junta it remains albeit with some usual rampus the most read/ogled newspaper in the college.

My allegiance with TOI although a frivolous matter to me personally, is partially inherited, some wise and truly marwari ancestor of mine articulated that at same cost TOI had more recycle value than IE simply because of a better paper quality and more number of pages. Marwari for those of you don't know is the sub-caste or probably sub-sub-caste I belong to, I might have to write another post on how much I actually don't know about my roots except for the fact that I am an Indian who was born in some obscure part of Jaipur. Anyways the profound piece of advice came to me when I was about eight years old and even with the risk of being labeled as unctuously modest I say that I was not a fair judge of content then.

Even though as of now I do not draw any monetary benefits by giving a huge stack of newspapers to the hostel boy monthly , I continue to subscribe TOI. There are three basic reasons behind it...

a) Firstly Hindu, a newspaper truly admire comes two days late in this part of country, please the hindutva branded state courtesy Mr. Narendra Modi, really needs a difference in opinions, print media as anyways always accused of being insular and incestuous.

b) Secondly I just love reading its TOI columnists right from truly Indian Mrs. Shobhaa De to always exegetic SWAMINATHAN A AIYAR.

C) I don't mind looking at Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis as long as they are young.

But during recent few weeks the column I have enjoyed reading most is the “Times of Mind” by Subroto Bagachi. Subroto Bagachi is the co- founder of MindTree Consulting. He is truly a veritable raconteur; his anecdotes manifest the right ideals in the most succinct manner. His sagaciousness has been the corner stone of his success.

He writes in today's edition

[..] What is the role of each stranger in our lives? It is a matter worthy of reflection. As is this one thought: how good a stranger am I?

[...] Is there a lesson delivered to us right at the birth that we all forget? Just as a
stranger helps me take my first breath, is the next great thing in my life, being held upside down by a stranger? And by the same token, how good a stranger I am to the world around?

Sadly his articles aren't available in the online edition, but do the read the full piece if you get hold of the print edition, it’s really thought provoking.



Here's a link another article he wrote for Business world.

Here's a copy of an inspiring speech given by him.

Five IITians have started a political party called Paritrana. Best wishes for the same.

Finally I really had to get this out of my system

"Procrastinate Whilst there's a tomorrow"

-Anubhav Agarwal
19/1/06

Fundamental Laws Of Electronics-I and II

Law I: The odds for completion of your syllabus before exam are inversely proportional to your perseverance in short your SQ(scholastic quotient).

Inference:Most studious people are never able to complete their syllabus whereas delinquent people like me are always complete their syllabus irrespective of circumstances and time on hand.

Law II: Anything articulated by the teacher or written in the course book used by the teacher is a fact.

to be continued...

Mumbai!

Off to bombay in few days, so no blogging for some time now.

Lets's get Personal!

I got this idea after watching a movie. I thought I have written more than 50 posts on my blog, but none of my posts have been about me, or just about me. Almost all of them have been written or shall I say composed. Anyways I thought its time I'll post something about myself which directly comes from my heart or my brain or whatever onto to the keyboard. So I am going write anything that comes to mind this time.(See I wrote that too!).

Ok yes, so where was I about me. Ah! you have read my profile for sure so I ain't going to write anything stereotypic here. One reason I have never written much about myself is that when i started blogging i read somewhere an arguement against blogs, that blogs would never get far than kinky diaries or sweet little confessions which nothing-to-do-types would read or pretend to do so. As for diaries i seriously believe in the fact(believe me its a fact) that 98% of people who write diaries want them to be read secretly, probably because they were never had the courage to talk about it. But i am writing as a future reference, something I'll would like to read in future and i dont mind anybody else reading it coz aint going to write anything i dont want anybody else to know. Just know how I was when at the age of 20, sounds stupid but then you got to do some stupid things in life too. So lets call a character photograph..wierd name too!

Most people who know me would agree that I the most laziest in my entire family including relatives counting all generations. I can kill time like anything sleeping,eating,watching movies and dreaming. I am sure I would have dreamt more than 3/4 of my future life by now in numerous circumstances both good and bad. Day dreaming or dreaming at night any time of the day its not hard for me. whenever i get time. I was quite a studious guy when i was at school, may be i had to be/was expected to be or may didnt have anymore options. I sucked royally at almost outdoor sports coz I never took them seriously but tried them and failed them all. All the ball games.

i love travelling in trains alone and passing time standing at door.Looking at the life around you may be the just the way they show in the hindi movies of the 80's and early 90's-Swaying out arms ofcourse tightly clutched to the safety handles or bars. Probably started doing this may be as early teenage stunts to impress somebody interesting but still love to do that everytime i am travelling alone from baroda to surat or back.

I never have been able figure out if I am an introvert or extrovert I behave very differently in different cricumstances. Was nominated for the title of most talkative person at my school farewell function. Missed that award but pledged that day that from here on..will try to control my tongue just a little bit. My college life started pretty horribly , had really weird roomates in my first year, life almost seemed like hell then. But later i felt that i needed that sort of an experience probably just to know the world. I have always believed in god but never in idol worship.

One thing i really miss in my life is probably doing crazy stuff..something which i can call crazy....Even though sem to have broken all rules,done many weird things, but never really felt they were crazy after doing them. So probably would love to do something crazy like scuba diving or travelling half the country on a bike in future.

I think can continue writing but i am very sleepy i will continue this may be sometime in future.

Well,its the Idea Wave

futureme...Go check it out.Have not used it but its kinda fun reading public entries.What Sh!t people write.

Well I have been doing this for some time now, I am used to writing reminders in my mobile for future dates.(Not exactly the same eh??).Last reminder I wrote is supposed to remind me of yesterday when I am 30 yrs old.This also prevents me of buying a new mobile, because I am really in love with my first mobile.See how big a miser I am.

Shut Up!

“One of the major problems I have faced in my class is to get my Japanese students to speak up and my Indian students to shut up." As told to Mr. Narayan Murthy by a Harvard professor,his friend.

Mr. Murthy adds," We Indians should stop debating and start executing"

As said in "Changing India" a special event hosted by NDTV with Bill Gates and Narayan Murthy as guests in converstaion with Prannoy Roy.

Makes sense doesn't it? We Indians debate and discuss too much, whether it’s the parliament or the TV talk shows. Freedom of speech doesn’t mean that we should debate just for the sake of doing it. Debates must lead to a conclusion.

Start Doing things, rather than just speaking.

"This country has no future.."

This thought flashed my mind, when I was reading R.K. Laxman's interview by Sonia Faleiro.Do read it very interesting.

“Moving on to the Common Man. How has he evolved in recent times?
I’ve written about it and spoken about it. You’re asking the same
question. Why don’t you read my autobiography? (The Tunnel of Time.)

I have. It describes the creation of the Common Man. I’m asking
how he evolved.
There’s no change. He is as permanent as the moon,
stars. They don’t change, nor does he.”

R.K Laxman can be considered as of the few Indians who have seen it all, all of what this country has seen for past four decades or so. The dour determination with which he answers the question just confirms the stature of this man. Being a cartoonist I am sure he was always more aware of political, social and economic condition of our country presumably at any time in the history of his career.

Perhaps that’s what makes him despair, bereft of all hopes, for the common man.

Another thing that bemuses a bit is a touch of melancholy in his words, something unexpected from a man so successful, or perhaps that’s just his style.

“Frustu” as we call them in our lexicon.

But I believe hope is what makes wheel’s turn, and keeps life ticking. I hope I a won’t be see a day when say to my grandchildren( I am not sure I will be interviewed at the age of 75.)… “This country has no future.”



Life goes on….and will keep going on. To end this, I defiantly announce that this my 50th post, quite a slow start, I guess, for somebody who be started blogging 9 months ago. Perhaps I am playing a test match and I hope to reach the four figures one day. After all nobody’s going to drop me from the test team..(bad joke..eh..!!)

Sleeping

"...is an art which is best practiced during the day and executed during the night"

by my friend Potu.Master of the art, I am just an amateur at.

We Pay them

Cricket is a Funny game, but this time around the selectors made it more grotesque. On 14th December 2005 India recorded an emphatic 188 run victory over Srilanka. Soon after the selection committee announced the team for the third test against Srilanka dropping Saurav Ganguly, the most successful Indian captain till date. This decision whetted quite many emotions, sparked off indignation among many of the million.

There are people on both sides of the ring as expected. Some support his exclusion as a brave step with the future in mind while others say there is no reason but politics behind his exclusion.
To each his own view, I am more inclined towards his inclusion simply because I feel that tests require more experience than ODI’s and Saurav certainly strengthens the Indian middle order. I feel it important to mention at this juncture, something which might be considered as a veritable display of modesty being an Indian that I don’t consider myself as a cricket expert.

I am more unnerved by the timing of the decision, lack of accountability by the selectors and finally lack of respect to a great Indian captain. In fact I find some of the reasons given by bloggers more justifiable for his exclusion than the selectors. More importantly I want you to answer a simple question.

What makes BCCI the richest board in world cricket?
Ans. A million Indians.

Why do I keep saying a million Indians is another matter of deep concern, for I believe there’s hardly anyone in our country who knows how many of us are here.

Anyways, we’ll think about that sometime later. I feel that BCCI and the selection board should be more accountable to Indians. Here’s a brief description of our selection committee.

“North’s Bhupinder Singh (Sr) featured in a couple of ODIs, never quite coming
into contention for a Test berth.

The other two, Sanjay Jagdale (Central) and East’s Ranjib Biswal, never got beyond the domestic first-class
level.

Indeed, even among the old-timers — West’s Kiran More and
V.B.Chandrasekhar (South) — the former alone has played both Tests and ODIs.
Chandrasekhar had seven ordinary appearances in the sport’s chota version.”

Source This artcile from the Telegraph.

I feel the best should only be the part of the selection committee. BCCI’s esteemed constitution should be amended so that it is more accountable to the people of this country. I don’t hesitate even a bit to say that indirectly we pay them. They are rich because cricket is worshipped in our country.

Nayan Mongia I remember was gifted a similar kind treatment. And then again, Have they forgotten about Zaheer khan and Balaji.

Our selectors have to be more accountable and respectable.

In the midst of all

Below are links to some posts which I found interesting to the present controversy.

Gaurav Sabnis paints a grotesquery of comparison between the classic Brutus vs Caesar and the present Dravid vs Ganguly.

"Have a frank chat with Ganguly, and leave him alone with a gun and a single bullet,metaphorically speaking. Tell him that things have reached a point of no return, but that he still deserves to go out like a General. Give him a leeway of a few tests and suggest to him that he announce his retirement. Surely, they could afford to give him that much
leeway."

Nothing can be more agreeable, they not only can afford to give him a leeway, but they and Indian cricket owes that much to Ganguly. Much like what Australian cricket did to Steve Waugh.

An interesting article in the telegraph vehemently protesting against his exclusion.

Here’s another by a popular blogger talking about all the obfuscation that presently surrounds the Indian cricket.

And finally a theory that justifies Ganguly’s exclusion.


If you wanted know more about Wasim Jaffer, who is in the team in place of Saurav.

Too much to say....

I am writing after a very long time, much more than a month I guess. But believe me when I say that I had no intentions of obliterating my blog this way. I think it’s quite difficult to restart blogging if you have been away for a long time. Call it hiatuses due to indolence.

I have a proclivity for writing reviews (though haven’t written many of them) especially of movies I have seen and keep seeing and… ∞ because I watch a lot. I am sure many of you might claim to do so but I am sure there aren’t many who can compete with me. Some movies are really progenies of creativity, they really exhort you to think and express your views. So I had thought that as soon as my exams finish I would start writing reviews of movies I adore.

Well 15 long somnolent days of my vacation have passed since that impetuous resolution of mine and I haven’t started yet. I thought of starting today but would spare my readers from my soporific reviews first up.

Miss Iceland, Unnur Birna new Miss world was crowned the new miss world today. Though I missed the final live telecast I had seen some of the initial stages. I liked the way they conducted the initial stages. But I find this system of user sms voting a bit incongruous at least to this scenario. I know it’s a real gold mine for the telecom service providers for the obscene amount of money they charge per sms and it has become quite a de rigueur in the flurry of reality shows we have seen in the recent past in our country. Quite suits to scenario of this world’s biggest democracy.

Anyways back to that Miss world situation, even though the votes were only for the initial rounds, but think of those voluptuous beauties from small nations of Americas (Venezuela, Costa Rica…) whom I ‘look ‘ forward to every year. I am sure they didn’t get the advantage like the Indian beauty got from the hugely unsuccessful family planning policy of our country. I crave for justice “Me laard”…

Even more ludicrous is system of sending “get well soon” and “congratulations” messages for your stars to various news channels. Nothing is more preposterous than this; for whom is this presumptuous display affection? For the star, who I am sure doesn’t even read one of those messages? Or the T.V channel and Mobile service provider who make cool bucks from this just by displaying the message on a marquee display in a small strip at the bottom. If it got do with auctioning your EQ or literary prowess I am sure there are better ways.

Every day we see news channels doing this, Amitabh’s ill send in your messages, Sachin created world record in test cricket congratulate him…

I just have two words for people who fall for this… “Get Real”...

Sue Me, I am a Blogger

A sort of war has spurted between IIPM and Indian Bloggers. It all started with Jam, a popular youth Magazine publishing a report about IIPM. Many Indian Bloggers, including me (they have even spammed my post, sorry a bit of narcissist at heart) linked to web version of that report. Gaurav Sabnis, a popular Indian blogger, was issued a legal notice some days back by IIPM because of the same.

Desipundit, is covering the controversy remarkably well. You can access all the links from their blog. Apart from more pretentious facts unearthed, there are some lampoons also in store.

I just want to point a couple of things here, first its high time that the so called dubious “IT ACT” of Indian constitution is amended to clearly point the rights of speech an Indian citizen through various information mediums.

Second if IIPM can sue people of defaming it as an educational institution wonder what it has to say their own perverse tag line “ Think beyond IIMs”…

Now there are about zillion other things I want to write about but with exams and submissions around the corner I don’t have much time on hand. Anyways, almost all these issues in one way or the other have been covered by other Indian Bloggers.

A word of advice, all Bloggers can stop spam comments from automatic online bots by activating the word verification comment policy. It can be found in the comments tab of Bloggers settings.

Now I have submissions next week, then exams so might not be blogging unless I am sued myself.

Btw that title is Kiruba Shankar’s idea , he apparently has thought of this as a wonderful tee for all Bloggers.

I came across a quote from the movie "The silence of the lambs", found it quite interesting. Here it goes...

"First principles, Clarice. Read Marcus Aurelius of each particular thing ask:
what is it in itself? What is its nature"

Feel like a ….Man

Yes that could be a tagline for the next undergarment ad or is it already. Read this if you have absolutely nothing else to do. Just some incoherent lines to tell me what’s going on?..

I turned 20 yesterday. They say life is journey of continuous retrospection, I wonder if mine has been, sometimes the days just keep slipping of your hand while you to try catch them. Two weeks have past since I last wrote. While I was really ebullient during the first week, the second one was really enervating.

First came the elections, although politics has always interested me, I have never been good at it. I connived to help my friend win, this might sound pompous, but I am sure my vote was important in the end. Guess every one has his day, settled a long standing duel this time. Nevertheless I was happy after the results. Strategic politics is what interests me, not dirty the one. Politics in my college could be defined as the power politics. Politics is a time when the most frivolous people are suddenly lionized. Not sure if I am a victim, but then who cares, I got what I wanted.

Then came VOX POPULI, it was an intercollegiate fest, by PT in which I took organizational responsibilities. I wanted to write a report after it, but just didn’t have the time. I have been often told that I am really hyperactive; I realized it during the event. Anyways the event was successful, at least my part was. I coordinated Role Play and looked after marketing in my college was happy by the outcome of both. The event also had debate competition which was also good. It was coordinated by winners of last year’s competition from my college. Organizing role play was nice in two ways, first it was sort of an event which was I organizing for the first time and I had no previous experience of it so learned lot. Second I came across some really interesting people apart from the hot gujju maal. The chief coordinator was more of a behind the scenes man he really coordinated very efficiently. I still one remember his statements. He said “I am just trying to pull strings”… The PT centre head was also interesting to work with. I was amazed with the ease with which he solved problems. All in all a good experience for me, but I have promised myself, to abstain from all organizing responsibilities in future, they really are time consuming.

I have been really working petulantly since then, just in the forlorn hope that I will get some time.

I am presently reading “English, August”, quite delightful as it is touted, plan to come out with a review later. I have never read “The Gita” , but I came across a few lines from it in the book.

Arjuna says “The mind is restless Krishna”

Krishna replies, “The mind is indeed restless, Arjuna; it is indeed hard to train, but by constant practice and by freedom from passions the mind can be trained.”

I found it really relevant to my present life. May be what Gita and Marcus are to Agastya (protagonist of the novel), English, August is to me.

Watched “The green Mile” yesterday after I narrowly escaped a GPL from my clique( speaking in more formal terms, their rendezvous with my ass) , was supposed to be late night treat for myself, didn’t turn out to be. I set out to write a review for it, but what started as a glimpse of past few weeks ended as personal rhetoric. The movie wasn’t as good as I expected it to be, the name Tom Hanks creates expectations. Guess the script wasn't that good.

Next in queue is the “ Italian Job” haven’t heard much of it, no such expectations from it. Got a four hr lecture on EBM in the morning by DB Don, as he is fondly called, they say you got to attend his lecture after all he is the training and placement coordinator, might screw your placements . Plan to catch some sleep in the hall tomorrow.

I think I can be blogging regularly only during my vacations, lets see when the next comes out.