Last week a colleague from office returned from a short trip abroad and bought a carton of Marlboro Lights for us in the office. I usually smoke Gold Flake (regular size) and have been told by a lot of my smoking friends that it is very difficult (and painful) to change over from your regular brand. So I took this opportunity to check out the other cigarette brands (I tried these brands over the last four days and followed (or preceded) by my regular brand to compare - all comparisons are vis-a-vis the Regular Gold Flake).
Marlboro Lights - I took two packs (of 20 sticks each) from my friend for my personal use. The cigarette is very dangerous in the sense that to regular smokers, it seems that you have not smoked anything even after smoking 4-5 together. Disappointed.
Philip Morris Menthol 100s - Worse than Marlboro - crap. The menthol flavor ruined whatever little taste of tobacco there was. And the longer length of the cigarette prolonged the misery. Pathetic.
Wills Silk Cut - Indian Marlboro Lights - slightly stronger than Marlboro Lights.
Wills Navy Cut - Much better - closer to the regular Gold Flake. I found it a little milder tough.
Classic Milds - Bad - worse than Silk Cut.
Ultra Milds - Worse than Classic Milds.
Gold Flake Kings - Tad milder than the regular one but far better than Milds. I found it a little more bitter compared to regular one.
Returning to the regular Gold Flake today in the morning was absolute bliss.
PS: There are some more brands available in the market prominent among them Insignia, Charms, Capstan and Scissors - would try them out soon.
Monday 19 March 2007
Friday 16 March 2007
Breaks (Brakes) at work?
A recent study suggested that smokers waste around 30 mins. in a day taking breaks to smoke while on work. I am a smoker and a heavy one at that - around 20 sticks per day and I am not going to claim that I don't take 30 mins. per day in breaks.
But one must realize that people take breaks to chat with friends and recharge their batteries. People usually take 3-5 breaks during a work day. Breaks reduce the monotony of jobs and help one gather his thoughts alone. In this day and age of desk jobs, breaks are a important source of physical activity - many doctors recommend taking a walk for about 2 minutes after every hour to prevent back aches and prevent stiffness. Breaks are also a time to socialize - catch up with colleagues in other departments who you don't get to interact on a daily basis. Its also a freedom from the vending machine coffee. Even on assembly lines where they have fixed shift timings, there are usually two breaks besides the lunch where tea / coffee and (or) snacks are served.
The bottom line is all employees need, and take breaks during work hours. Whether it is in the form of smoking, chatting or walking should not be of anyone else's concern as long as it does not affect their work or health - physical and mental.
But one must realize that people take breaks to chat with friends and recharge their batteries. People usually take 3-5 breaks during a work day. Breaks reduce the monotony of jobs and help one gather his thoughts alone. In this day and age of desk jobs, breaks are a important source of physical activity - many doctors recommend taking a walk for about 2 minutes after every hour to prevent back aches and prevent stiffness. Breaks are also a time to socialize - catch up with colleagues in other departments who you don't get to interact on a daily basis. Its also a freedom from the vending machine coffee. Even on assembly lines where they have fixed shift timings, there are usually two breaks besides the lunch where tea / coffee and (or) snacks are served.
The bottom line is all employees need, and take breaks during work hours. Whether it is in the form of smoking, chatting or walking should not be of anyone else's concern as long as it does not affect their work or health - physical and mental.
Bandh
Today the Trinamool Congress, Congress and BJP in a rare moment of consensus have called for a Bandh. Essentially what it means is that no one would be allowed to work today from 6 in the morning till 6 in the evening.
This is the second bandh that I am witnessing in Calcutta in the last two and a half months I have been here. During the first bandh, the impact was only on me - my wife was in Bangalore. But this time around, I had some work. I went shopping yesterday.
I have never seen a market so empty at 7 in the evening - I have not seen many markets on 7 in the evening but still. The fish market was a misnomer. My wife got some fish in 10 mins flat. Next stop - vegetables - more crowd here but still done within 15 mins. Finally the milk booth. Got a liter of milk and we are back.
While shopping for vegetables a group of CPM party workers passed shouting down with Mamata and urging all the shop owners to open shops during the bandh. I could make out that they were saying that Mamata is making a big thing out of this and that she would not be paying these shopkeepers for the day - does the CPM give when they call a bandh. Yes they do. W. Bengal is a quaint place because the trade union backed by the ruling party also calls a bandh against the policies of the government!!!
Just like me, offices have also made provisions so that the effect of the bandh is minimal. Call centers have asked the employees not to go home and have provided free beds and food to the employees. IT companies too have booked rooms in the hotels nearby so that the workers can come to office and the business is unaffected. Many of my colleagues had stayed to with relatives near the office yesterday so that they can come to work today. CBSE has rescheduled class X exams in Bengal only so that the students are not put under extra pressure.
When I got up in the morning today, the roads were empty and my dogs loved because it seems that the street dogs too have participated in the bandh. There were many more people in the park than one usually sees on weekdays and the children had got up early to play.
Now to office - I was surprised to see autos plying - no taxis of course. It seem the auto driver's union is with CPM while the taxi drivers are with Mamata. Folks who drive to work wanted a bandh everyday as they came to office in record time. I walked to office today - four cigarettes and I am there :). I passed the post office on the way. The office was closed (of course - there is no way we would let go of an opportunity for not working even though my family has voted CPM for the last 30 years). But I could hear the sound of 'Kaise Katega har pal har pal har pal' ('How would this moment pass') playing loudly inside the building. Some poor chap had showed up for work today and was stuck with nothing else to do.
So who is affected by the bandh the most? Its mainly the daily wage earners, the shop keepers, the auto, taxi and rickshaw drivers who are the most affected. They don't get anything out of this. The last time I took a cab early in the morning. The cab driver told me what it is like in a bandh. Even if you do not agree to the reason for the bandh, you cannot ply on the roads as the mobs would damage the vehicle or worse even kill you. The police does not provide protection against the mob and most of the vehicles are off the road just as a preventive measure - so much for a free country.
The only saving grace is that tomorrow is a weekend so we are having and extended weekend today :)
This is the second bandh that I am witnessing in Calcutta in the last two and a half months I have been here. During the first bandh, the impact was only on me - my wife was in Bangalore. But this time around, I had some work. I went shopping yesterday.
I have never seen a market so empty at 7 in the evening - I have not seen many markets on 7 in the evening but still. The fish market was a misnomer. My wife got some fish in 10 mins flat. Next stop - vegetables - more crowd here but still done within 15 mins. Finally the milk booth. Got a liter of milk and we are back.
While shopping for vegetables a group of CPM party workers passed shouting down with Mamata and urging all the shop owners to open shops during the bandh. I could make out that they were saying that Mamata is making a big thing out of this and that she would not be paying these shopkeepers for the day - does the CPM give when they call a bandh. Yes they do. W. Bengal is a quaint place because the trade union backed by the ruling party also calls a bandh against the policies of the government!!!
Just like me, offices have also made provisions so that the effect of the bandh is minimal. Call centers have asked the employees not to go home and have provided free beds and food to the employees. IT companies too have booked rooms in the hotels nearby so that the workers can come to office and the business is unaffected. Many of my colleagues had stayed to with relatives near the office yesterday so that they can come to work today. CBSE has rescheduled class X exams in Bengal only so that the students are not put under extra pressure.
When I got up in the morning today, the roads were empty and my dogs loved because it seems that the street dogs too have participated in the bandh. There were many more people in the park than one usually sees on weekdays and the children had got up early to play.
Now to office - I was surprised to see autos plying - no taxis of course. It seem the auto driver's union is with CPM while the taxi drivers are with Mamata. Folks who drive to work wanted a bandh everyday as they came to office in record time. I walked to office today - four cigarettes and I am there :). I passed the post office on the way. The office was closed (of course - there is no way we would let go of an opportunity for not working even though my family has voted CPM for the last 30 years). But I could hear the sound of 'Kaise Katega har pal har pal har pal' ('How would this moment pass') playing loudly inside the building. Some poor chap had showed up for work today and was stuck with nothing else to do.
So who is affected by the bandh the most? Its mainly the daily wage earners, the shop keepers, the auto, taxi and rickshaw drivers who are the most affected. They don't get anything out of this. The last time I took a cab early in the morning. The cab driver told me what it is like in a bandh. Even if you do not agree to the reason for the bandh, you cannot ply on the roads as the mobs would damage the vehicle or worse even kill you. The police does not provide protection against the mob and most of the vehicles are off the road just as a preventive measure - so much for a free country.
The only saving grace is that tomorrow is a weekend so we are having and extended weekend today :)
Thursday 15 March 2007
No Onions Nor Garlic - Review
I read the review by Jai Arjun and was tempted to read the book. To be honest, I was sceptical in the initial pages thinking that the book would be too "Tamil" for my liking even though I have lived in Madras for four years and it is my mother tongue. But after the first chapter, the book you don't feel it.
The book shows the travails of a PhD student Sundar who also happens to be a Tam Bram. His mother tries to inculcate the ideal Tam Bram behavior in him but his father (who is a former Naxalite and a trade union leader) is completely opposed to Poonal (the sacred thread) and the associated Brahmin superiority.
During a play organized by his PhD guide Prof Ram who is the founder of TamBramAss (Tamil Brahmin Association), he falls in love with a Dalit girl Jiva. What follows is the side splitting comic interplay of caste, arranged marriage, love in the time of Mandal and college politics. Sundar is torn between his heart and the responsibilities as the leader of TamBramAss protesting against the unveiling of an Ambedkar Statue in the college.
Especially funny is the meeting of the parents of the Sundar and his would be which is likened to a football match with scores and all. The travel to a Jiva's village with his future bride and brother-in-law (Chunky) where Chunky gets drunk on half a pot of toddy and has to answer the call of nature during a village play. Sex is shown in typical Bollywood style - two birds meeting each other and the screen blurring. And the end is a satirical take on the typical Indian movie.
Rating - 8/10 - I would highly recommend it - especially if you have lived even one or two years of your youth in Chennai.
The book shows the travails of a PhD student Sundar who also happens to be a Tam Bram. His mother tries to inculcate the ideal Tam Bram behavior in him but his father (who is a former Naxalite and a trade union leader) is completely opposed to Poonal (the sacred thread) and the associated Brahmin superiority.
During a play organized by his PhD guide Prof Ram who is the founder of TamBramAss (Tamil Brahmin Association), he falls in love with a Dalit girl Jiva. What follows is the side splitting comic interplay of caste, arranged marriage, love in the time of Mandal and college politics. Sundar is torn between his heart and the responsibilities as the leader of TamBramAss protesting against the unveiling of an Ambedkar Statue in the college.
Especially funny is the meeting of the parents of the Sundar and his would be which is likened to a football match with scores and all. The travel to a Jiva's village with his future bride and brother-in-law (Chunky) where Chunky gets drunk on half a pot of toddy and has to answer the call of nature during a village play. Sex is shown in typical Bollywood style - two birds meeting each other and the screen blurring. And the end is a satirical take on the typical Indian movie.
Rating - 8/10 - I would highly recommend it - especially if you have lived even one or two years of your youth in Chennai.
Wednesday 14 March 2007
Sports and War
George Orwell likened sport to "war minus the shooting". He would be smiling when he sees the commitment of the players and the fans. They are ready to lose limbs just to be a part of the spectacle.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Mar 2007
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Mar 2007
The advantages of being a Vegetarian
I am a vegetarian - well mostly.
I found its a non-violent way of leading life. Here is a chef's point of view.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
I found its a non-violent way of leading life. Here is a chef's point of view.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
Budget 2007
Happiness for my dogs.
But I am taxed or am I?
Life seems to be a zero sum game :)
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
But I am taxed or am I?
Life seems to be a zero sum game :)
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
Eat, drint and make merry
I have never been to a dance bar - so I don't know how it feels. Maybe like this.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 28 Feb 2007
Sins - Review
"Guilt is a rope that wears thin" - Ayn Rand
This almost entirely sums up the movie. Sins released in 2005 created a furore because of the depiction of an affair of a Catholic Priest. The movie though fleetingly, touches upon the fact that passions cannot be held ransom by rigid moral laws.
The plot is simple - William (Shiny Ahuja) is a pastor in Quilon, Kerala who meets Rosemary (Seema Rahmani) in a freak accident. Since Rosemary has to go to an exam urgently, William offers to give her a lift. Once she passes the exams and with some assistance from William, Rosemary gets into a nursing college. When she comes to thank him, they quickly become good friends. As the days go by, the friendship becomes more and more passionate and they end up making love. Devastated both of them seek atonement for their sins. They visit priests in other regions under changed identities and confess to their sins.
But after the period of penance / abstinence, they can't resist each other and a full blown relationship develops. They make excuses to meet each other and give in to their burning passions. As time passes, William is no more guilty of his conduct. He become more bold and almost publicly demands seeks Rosemary. To avoid losing his well paying job, he conjures up a scheme to ensure that society does not come in his way. He convinces Rosemary to marry Graham with the condition that they would be man and wife only on paper and he would have all the rights on Rosemary.
Vinod Pande (the director) unfortunately is trying to please too many people. He is torn between what he wants and what the audience supposedly want. He tries to please both and ends up with a mess. There too many love scenes that are neither aesthetic nor gel with the rest of the story. They just eat away screen time.
The saved time could have been used up to show the transition of William from a God fearing priest to a debauch hedonist. The way a man loses his guilt and gives up a celibate life for pleasure. A man torn between his job and his personal life - leading two lives - celebrating his freedom and constrained by his societal position at the same time. A man emboldened by ignorance of his actions by the society deciding to dictate the lives of others for his own pleasure.
Rosemary is given a raw deal. She is a puppet in the hands of William. Even when given a chance, she does not quite measure up. She shows her body more than her acting skills. There are lot of scenes where she could have done much better - especially when overcoming her guilt of making love to a priest, the guilt and the subsequent reconciliation with William.
The performances get louder and predictable as the movie progresses and it stumbles upon a very ordinary ending. The use of Malayalam to depict Kerala is jarring at best. Better would have been to shoot the movie in Malayalam, Hindi or English completely rather than trying to artificially prop up the image of the place. I don't know how many Fernandezes are there in Kerala. Rosemary and her mother look more Goan than Malyali - especially in the way they dress and the way they speak in English.
One final comment on the religious undertone of the movie - while the movie does touch upon the restrictions of a particular religion, it should not be construed to be derogating that religion. In fact William's religion actually restrains him from going all the way by retaining the last shred of guilt in him. He tries to talk to various priests to help him. The same story could have been depicted in any other religion as all the religions have some restrictions or the other on the personal lives of the priests. Christianity might have been chosen because of location (Kerala), the original screenplay or perhaps because the community is construed to be much less volatile compared to Hinduism and Islam (which actually seems to be the holy cow in India).
Ratings -
Shiny Ahuja - 6/10 - has put in a lot of effort but the fact that this was his first movies shows - there are scenes where a less hysterical performance would have done much better.
Seema Rahmani - 3/10 - wooden - someone with better acting abilities at the cost of reducing / eliminating nudity should have been chosen.
Overall - 4/10 - The film gives a feeling that much more could have been accomplished.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 27 Feb 2007
Holy Grail aka I want to be Dan Brown
Another of those Holy Grail discoveries. I am not sure Vatican would approve of this.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
Acts of Barbarism
I got a hair cut on Sunday. It can be termed as an impulse purchase actually !!! I had gone to buy some stuff from the market, when I saw this saloon nearby. Considering that it was a Sunday, there were not many people there at 1030 in the morning. In Bangalore and Madras, the crowd during Sunday and Saturdays was immense - it was as if the whole town wanted to get a hair cut - I once took a day off to get a haircut in Madras. In Delhi and Bombay, it was slightly better but still very crowded. So I did not want to miss this golden opportunity that lady luck had presented me on a golden platter. I just stood there waiting for my turn smoking and soaking in the sights and sounds of the place. Another gentleman came, the barber announced - aapke se phele yeh chote baba hain - agla namber aapka - before you there is this young gentlemen, next turn is yours.
The saloon was like the many you see in small town India (even though Calcutta is classified as a Metro for Income Tax purposes) - everyone seems to know the other person. The process is a chance to catch up with the latest gossip around. Who has died, who is going to get married, how is your son.. the usual stuff. The actual process of hair cutting is just a side act. The shop has the radio on with the hits of 60s, 70s and 80s blaring, unlike the ones in Bangalore or Delhi where you usually have a movie going on a Cable TV. The shop also doubles up as a shop selling hair care products from Godrej Hair Dye to the latest color Brylcreem Gel.
A chai-wallah (Tea boy) comes in carrying half a dozen cups of tea and replaces the empty ones on the Barber's table. Before he leaves he announces the number of cups that have been ingested today - the balances might be settled later in the day or perhaps the end of the month. There is a separate bench for the people who accompany the people getting the hair cut - they are also asked for tea but you have to pay immediately. I take one - it costs only Rs 2 and its very good - just the right combination of tea leaves, ginger, water, milk and sugar.
As my turn comes - he asks how do you want the hair cut - first in Bengali - then sensing my inconvenience, he translates to Hindi - he asks if I would also want a shave and then he goes about his work. During the process, he smokes a cigarette, takes requests for radio channels, sips tea and provides latest information from the shopkeeper's daughter to Mamata Banerjee's next strike. Suddenly, its done. He asks me again if I want a shave - disappointed that I don't, he asks for Rs. 11 only (yes that eleven rupees). I have only 10 - no change for the 100 rupee note. He says nonchalantly - don't worry you can pay me later. In Bangalore - I was once charged Rs 50 for a haircut - even though the mop was as thick as when I came in. But here he had charged the same amount from the previous customer as well. I am glad, I don't have to review the honesty rating of this place soon.
Hair cutting is just one of the many services that these Gents Parlours offer. You can get a pedicure, a body massage, a good champi (hair massage) and of course catch up on the latest edition of Stardust and Filmfare in case its banned at home. Absolut Bliss.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
The saloon was like the many you see in small town India (even though Calcutta is classified as a Metro for Income Tax purposes) - everyone seems to know the other person. The process is a chance to catch up with the latest gossip around. Who has died, who is going to get married, how is your son.. the usual stuff. The actual process of hair cutting is just a side act. The shop has the radio on with the hits of 60s, 70s and 80s blaring, unlike the ones in Bangalore or Delhi where you usually have a movie going on a Cable TV. The shop also doubles up as a shop selling hair care products from Godrej Hair Dye to the latest color Brylcreem Gel.
A chai-wallah (Tea boy) comes in carrying half a dozen cups of tea and replaces the empty ones on the Barber's table. Before he leaves he announces the number of cups that have been ingested today - the balances might be settled later in the day or perhaps the end of the month. There is a separate bench for the people who accompany the people getting the hair cut - they are also asked for tea but you have to pay immediately. I take one - it costs only Rs 2 and its very good - just the right combination of tea leaves, ginger, water, milk and sugar.
As my turn comes - he asks how do you want the hair cut - first in Bengali - then sensing my inconvenience, he translates to Hindi - he asks if I would also want a shave and then he goes about his work. During the process, he smokes a cigarette, takes requests for radio channels, sips tea and provides latest information from the shopkeeper's daughter to Mamata Banerjee's next strike. Suddenly, its done. He asks me again if I want a shave - disappointed that I don't, he asks for Rs. 11 only (yes that eleven rupees). I have only 10 - no change for the 100 rupee note. He says nonchalantly - don't worry you can pay me later. In Bangalore - I was once charged Rs 50 for a haircut - even though the mop was as thick as when I came in. But here he had charged the same amount from the previous customer as well. I am glad, I don't have to review the honesty rating of this place soon.
Hair cutting is just one of the many services that these Gents Parlours offer. You can get a pedicure, a body massage, a good champi (hair massage) and of course catch up on the latest edition of Stardust and Filmfare in case its banned at home. Absolut Bliss.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
Books - Calcutta
I had heard a lot about the College Street in Calcutta. I was told by many that it is a paradise for book lovers. There are supposed to be a lot of stores of all shapes and sizes catering to different class and budgets. So with crossed fingers and a lot of expectations, I started off on a bright Saturday morning. The best way to reach this place is to take the Metro to MG Road (yes there is one here as well! ) and then walk. Its about a kilometer from the station. Ask anyone for directions to the Presidency College / College Street.
I was very disappointed when I reached there, the books available are all medical guides, JEE, IAS or CAT preparation books. The novels were nowhere in sight. On inquiring, you realize that all the shops stock novels too. But again the variety is the standard list of pirated books - How to win friends and influence people, The Monk who sold his Ferrari, You can Win or the ubiquitious Harold Robbins or some B Grade sex thriller.
I searched the papers and found out the history of the place - I found some here. Most of the shops have no differentiated offerings at all. The shops stock the same books. They don't care about differentiation. Agreed that it is near the Presidency College, but that does not mean that you stock only study books - how many college students actually buy the study books anyways.
Another sore point is the lack of time to browse through the collection (leave alone the book) before buying it. Most shops are too intrusive as if you are looking at their wives rather than the books in their shop. A slightly peaceful atmosphere would not only increase the number of customers but also increase the number of impluse purchases (at least I am more likely to make an impulse purchase when I am alone rather than when someone else is pestering me to buy something saying that its great).
I did find a couple of places - they are exactly opposite the Presidency College - a store called National Book House and one just a couple of buildings down the street opposite the Coffee House which were to my liking. There you get decent books (mostly new ones only) and you get a discount, but again like the shops on the streets, these too have started stocking educational books and the variety of novels available is little.
Rating - Avoidable - unless you want school and college books. I was expecting a row of book shops with all types of novels and books sort of like a big Blossoms. Unfortunately I found a run down Nai Sarak there.
PS: I asked around in my office today and surfed the net for some alternatives, I have picked a few - would try them out in the next couple of weeks.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
I was very disappointed when I reached there, the books available are all medical guides, JEE, IAS or CAT preparation books. The novels were nowhere in sight. On inquiring, you realize that all the shops stock novels too. But again the variety is the standard list of pirated books - How to win friends and influence people, The Monk who sold his Ferrari, You can Win or the ubiquitious Harold Robbins or some B Grade sex thriller.
I searched the papers and found out the history of the place - I found some here. Most of the shops have no differentiated offerings at all. The shops stock the same books. They don't care about differentiation. Agreed that it is near the Presidency College, but that does not mean that you stock only study books - how many college students actually buy the study books anyways.
Another sore point is the lack of time to browse through the collection (leave alone the book) before buying it. Most shops are too intrusive as if you are looking at their wives rather than the books in their shop. A slightly peaceful atmosphere would not only increase the number of customers but also increase the number of impluse purchases (at least I am more likely to make an impulse purchase when I am alone rather than when someone else is pestering me to buy something saying that its great).
I did find a couple of places - they are exactly opposite the Presidency College - a store called National Book House and one just a couple of buildings down the street opposite the Coffee House which were to my liking. There you get decent books (mostly new ones only) and you get a discount, but again like the shops on the streets, these too have started stocking educational books and the variety of novels available is little.
Rating - Avoidable - unless you want school and college books. I was expecting a row of book shops with all types of novels and books sort of like a big Blossoms. Unfortunately I found a run down Nai Sarak there.
PS: I asked around in my office today and surfed the net for some alternatives, I have picked a few - would try them out in the next couple of weeks.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 26 Feb 2007
This could happen in India....
I came across and interesting article here (registration required). This can very easily happen in India as well given our preference for the male child.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 23 Feb 2007
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 23 Feb 2007
Enemy at the Gates - Review
This movie had been recommended by a lot of friends. I finally got a chance to watch this yesterday. (Warning - spoilers)
The Enemy at the Gates is set in late 1942 when the Germans threw the kitchen sink at Russia to gain hold over the strategic city of Stalingrad. Hitler has made it an ego battle with Stalin and he believes that if the Germans are able to capture the city that bears the name of the dictator, the rest of the country would fall. The Germans bomb the city and seem to be winning, but for an untested rookie sniper from the Urals - Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law). Vasily is a ray of hope for the losing Russian army and immediately becomes a superhero. His rise is also due to Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) who propagates his tales to the rest of the land through the army paper. Germans start losing their to commanders and call upon their top sniper Major Konig (Ed Harris) to finish off Vasily.
The next hour of the movie is simply breathtaking as Konig and Vasily try to hunt each other down. Both Konig and Vasily play games on each other trying to beat them at their own game. On the side of Konig is his years of experience as an instructor at the Wehrmacht underground headquarters in Zossen. On the side of Vasily are his hunter's instincts and his lady love Tanya (Rachel Weisz). Vasily gets help from a former pupil of Konig - Kouilov to understand the tactics of Konig but Konig gets one up on him by getting information from a cobbler boy (Sacha) whose mother shelters Vasily!!
As in all movies a few scenes stand out and might be disconcerting especially to the Indian audiences. The scene where the greatest of all heroes - Vasily shows his weaker side and when he wants to back off would be not be very easy on the stomachs of those fed on a staple diet of emotionless all effacing superheroes. The psyche of the citizens of an attacked country would be another such scene when unlike an Indian mother who wish that her son be dead rather than betray the country, Sacha's mother is actually happy that he has gone over to the Germans because she believes that they are going to win and her son therefore would be better off. The movie captures the full gamut of the emotions of a soldier - the near death encounters, the cat and mouse games that he must play and win, the harsh life that he has to endure and lastly his helplessness over the situation and the deep rooted urge to give up and run away to a secure life because he does not want to be a pawn in his General's hands.
As the stalemate ensues and the winter sets in the German get in for their final kill. This is the last chance for Konig and Vasily.The movie is set up for a stunning finale. But unfortunately the last 15 minutes do not do justice to the movie at all. The movie in fact peters out into a run of the mill Bollywood stuff.
Ratings -
Jude Law - 7.5 / 10 - Very good performance - he plays the part of the reluctant hero extremely well. He does not look comfortable in the unnecessary love scenes.
Joseph Fiennes - 6.5/10 - Impersonates the jealous yet duty bound commander of Vasily Zaitsev well. A bit overboard in the emotional scenes with Tanya.
Ed Harris - 8/10 - steals the show with a commanding performance of the experienced cold blooded sniper sent to kill Vasily - especially the scene when he finishes off Sacha.
Rachel Weisz - 4/10 - the movie would have much better without her.
Overall - 6.5/10 - The first 100 minutes are must watch - the last 15 mins - a must miss.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 22 Feb 2007
The Enemy at the Gates is set in late 1942 when the Germans threw the kitchen sink at Russia to gain hold over the strategic city of Stalingrad. Hitler has made it an ego battle with Stalin and he believes that if the Germans are able to capture the city that bears the name of the dictator, the rest of the country would fall. The Germans bomb the city and seem to be winning, but for an untested rookie sniper from the Urals - Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law). Vasily is a ray of hope for the losing Russian army and immediately becomes a superhero. His rise is also due to Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) who propagates his tales to the rest of the land through the army paper. Germans start losing their to commanders and call upon their top sniper Major Konig (Ed Harris) to finish off Vasily.
The next hour of the movie is simply breathtaking as Konig and Vasily try to hunt each other down. Both Konig and Vasily play games on each other trying to beat them at their own game. On the side of Konig is his years of experience as an instructor at the Wehrmacht underground headquarters in Zossen. On the side of Vasily are his hunter's instincts and his lady love Tanya (Rachel Weisz). Vasily gets help from a former pupil of Konig - Kouilov to understand the tactics of Konig but Konig gets one up on him by getting information from a cobbler boy (Sacha) whose mother shelters Vasily!!
As in all movies a few scenes stand out and might be disconcerting especially to the Indian audiences. The scene where the greatest of all heroes - Vasily shows his weaker side and when he wants to back off would be not be very easy on the stomachs of those fed on a staple diet of emotionless all effacing superheroes. The psyche of the citizens of an attacked country would be another such scene when unlike an Indian mother who wish that her son be dead rather than betray the country, Sacha's mother is actually happy that he has gone over to the Germans because she believes that they are going to win and her son therefore would be better off. The movie captures the full gamut of the emotions of a soldier - the near death encounters, the cat and mouse games that he must play and win, the harsh life that he has to endure and lastly his helplessness over the situation and the deep rooted urge to give up and run away to a secure life because he does not want to be a pawn in his General's hands.
As the stalemate ensues and the winter sets in the German get in for their final kill. This is the last chance for Konig and Vasily.The movie is set up for a stunning finale. But unfortunately the last 15 minutes do not do justice to the movie at all. The movie in fact peters out into a run of the mill Bollywood stuff.
Ratings -
Jude Law - 7.5 / 10 - Very good performance - he plays the part of the reluctant hero extremely well. He does not look comfortable in the unnecessary love scenes.
Joseph Fiennes - 6.5/10 - Impersonates the jealous yet duty bound commander of Vasily Zaitsev well. A bit overboard in the emotional scenes with Tanya.
Ed Harris - 8/10 - steals the show with a commanding performance of the experienced cold blooded sniper sent to kill Vasily - especially the scene when he finishes off Sacha.
Rachel Weisz - 4/10 - the movie would have much better without her.
Overall - 6.5/10 - The first 100 minutes are must watch - the last 15 mins - a must miss.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 22 Feb 2007
Music and Lyrics - Review
There are times when you look back at the olden days - you see a your older heroes and want to find out what happened to them? They have been labelled as a flash in a pan and all their future endeavors have been utter disasters. Your Gen Y cousins have not even heard about them. You feel nostalgic and morose at the same time. Music and Lyrics is such a story.
Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher one half of one of the a very popular band in the 80s called the POP who did not make it big in his solo efforts. He lives in the past and does not shy from admitting that. He gets a lifeline when he has to compose a song for the latest Buddhism in Thongs teen sensation Cora Corman. The only problem - he is told how the song begins and what it should be about but he has only 72 hours to complete it and has no lyricist.
What follows is a delighful tale of how he overcomes his past and prove to the rest of the world that his exploits in the past were not a fluke. On the way he meets Drew Barrymore (Sophia Fisher) who helps him with the lyrics. But before she can do that, she has to overcome her past as well.
The movie though very bubbly on surface reveals the dark side of life. It shows how difficult it is to get out of an emotional scar, the pressures an artist faces because of his agents and promo managers trying to impose what they think would sell rather than let him explore his own talents. Alex tries to be positive about his failures and tries to live life on his own terms rather than be rich and famous by doing what his manager asks him to do. He empathizes with Sophia and tries to help her find her way back from her scarred past. He tries to infuse confidence in her and helps her face the past.
Ratings -
Hugh Grant - 9/10 - plays the part of the forgotten idol to perfection. His hip shakes are really funny.
Drew Barrymore - 7/10 - portrays the scarred yet brave freak lyricist well.
Overall Movie - 8/10 Must watch
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 19 Feb 2007
Hugh Grant plays Alex Fletcher one half of one of the a very popular band in the 80s called the POP who did not make it big in his solo efforts. He lives in the past and does not shy from admitting that. He gets a lifeline when he has to compose a song for the latest Buddhism in Thongs teen sensation Cora Corman. The only problem - he is told how the song begins and what it should be about but he has only 72 hours to complete it and has no lyricist.
What follows is a delighful tale of how he overcomes his past and prove to the rest of the world that his exploits in the past were not a fluke. On the way he meets Drew Barrymore (Sophia Fisher) who helps him with the lyrics. But before she can do that, she has to overcome her past as well.
The movie though very bubbly on surface reveals the dark side of life. It shows how difficult it is to get out of an emotional scar, the pressures an artist faces because of his agents and promo managers trying to impose what they think would sell rather than let him explore his own talents. Alex tries to be positive about his failures and tries to live life on his own terms rather than be rich and famous by doing what his manager asks him to do. He empathizes with Sophia and tries to help her find her way back from her scarred past. He tries to infuse confidence in her and helps her face the past.
Ratings -
Hugh Grant - 9/10 - plays the part of the forgotten idol to perfection. His hip shakes are really funny.
Drew Barrymore - 7/10 - portrays the scarred yet brave freak lyricist well.
Overall Movie - 8/10 Must watch
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 19 Feb 2007
Calcutta - First Thoughts
I have been in Calcutta (Kolkata) for about 6 weeks now. Now that things have settled here, these are my first thoughts of the city.
Honesty
Based entirely on my interactions with Taxi Drivers, Auto Rickshaw Drivers and Rickshaw Drivers, on an average I believe that Calcuttans are more honest compared to the people in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. The only place where these people are more honest would be Mumbai. Most of these folks quote the exact same rate for going from Point A to Point B. And the best of it all, they have change till the last 50 paise. Plus there is no night charge (at least I was not charged even though I travelled at 12 in the night - Bangaloreans would be envious as they have to pay one and a half from 830 pm onwards). You have to pay the newcomer's tax sometimes as is the case everywhere.
Food
The essential (regular) items are on par or cheaper than that in Bangalore. You can get vegetables and rice at very low prices. Chinese food is very cheap. Me and my wife enjoy delicious Momos for only Rs 20 per plate (You get 5 pieces to boot). Food if you need to buy is also less expensive. Rotis cost Re 1 only (Unheard of in Bangalore). If you are a fan of South Indian food, please be ready to pay much much more than in Bangalore. The average cost of a Masala Dosa here is about Rs. 30 (About twice the price in Bangalore). Tea is excellent and Coffee avoidable.
Housing, Rents and Landlords
Not only based on my experience but the collective experience of many people I encountered - housing is cheaper once you want to look out of the IT hub of Salt Lake City. In Salt Lake City, be ready to pay extra for most items. The Deposit for houses range from one month to one year. The contracts are not standardized and are definitely negotiable. Unfortunately, unlike in Bangalore, it is very difficult to find a house using Free Ads or Ad Mag. You need a broker. Brokerage tends to vary from person to person please get to know the terms and conditions of the broker before you employ his services. Landlords (even though I did face some problems earlier on) are much better compared to Bangalore. My things got delayed for about a week coming from Bangalore - the landlord and his family gave us food three times a day, gave us two chairs and a table, a bucket and beds. Two of my colleagues in office who were new to Calcutta were treated similarly. The only drawback is that most of the houses are slightly old - the one I am living is about 20 years old and you have to buy your own fans, geysers, etc.
Dogs
Most places don't stock dog food. To get a packet of Pedigree, the best bet is to go to a medical shop and place an order. For the 10kg pack, you would have to wait for atleast 2 days. There are a lot of cats on the street (my wife says its because of the fish :-)) ). In case your dogs have a habit of chasing cats, you would have a wonderful time trying to handle them like I do. Most people though don't care much about dogs and it is difficult to try and find a vet. The city is humid so the dogs might get some time getting used to the conditions just like the rest of us.
Driving and Transport
Don't even think about driving - driving is already prohibited for me. The cars drivers are almost as rash as the ones in Delhi. Autos and Taxis are no exception. The private buses are equivalent to the Red Line buses in Delhi. Helmets are compulsory but as in most cities the enforcement of the law is pretty lax. People carry the helmets to avoid getting caught by the police. If you are travelling locally, try the cycle rickshaw, the hand carts are available in the old city (though they are going to be phased out soon) - for longer distances, taxis though costly are the best medium. If you need to go to a place located near a Metro Station, please go ahead - that's the best part about travelling in Kolkata.
You get a breath of fresh air literally in the mornings. The city sleeps by 9 and most people would not be on the roads after 7 in the evening. There are a few malls coming up but you get most of the stuff in the kirana shops where they recognize you from the third day onwards and give free home delivery irrespective of the amount of your purchase. The shops close almost mandatorily during the lunch time (1230 pm to 4 pm). Its very difficult to get a discount even if you are buying in bulk - I wanted to buy 4 fans but the shopkeeper said no discounts. As one of my friends put - if the thing you want is a necessity then you can get it dirt cheap, else you would have to pay through your nose for it or worse you may not get at all.
Overall, the city though modern is still very traditional. The cost of living is rising but is still lower than the other metros and neo-metros in India. The people are very congenial and helpful. You can survive speaking in Hindi but the first reply invariably is in Bengali, though if they know English or Hindi, they gladly reply in that as well. Rating - 7/10
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
Honesty
Based entirely on my interactions with Taxi Drivers, Auto Rickshaw Drivers and Rickshaw Drivers, on an average I believe that Calcuttans are more honest compared to the people in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. The only place where these people are more honest would be Mumbai. Most of these folks quote the exact same rate for going from Point A to Point B. And the best of it all, they have change till the last 50 paise. Plus there is no night charge (at least I was not charged even though I travelled at 12 in the night - Bangaloreans would be envious as they have to pay one and a half from 830 pm onwards). You have to pay the newcomer's tax sometimes as is the case everywhere.
Food
The essential (regular) items are on par or cheaper than that in Bangalore. You can get vegetables and rice at very low prices. Chinese food is very cheap. Me and my wife enjoy delicious Momos for only Rs 20 per plate (You get 5 pieces to boot). Food if you need to buy is also less expensive. Rotis cost Re 1 only (Unheard of in Bangalore). If you are a fan of South Indian food, please be ready to pay much much more than in Bangalore. The average cost of a Masala Dosa here is about Rs. 30 (About twice the price in Bangalore). Tea is excellent and Coffee avoidable.
Housing, Rents and Landlords
Not only based on my experience but the collective experience of many people I encountered - housing is cheaper once you want to look out of the IT hub of Salt Lake City. In Salt Lake City, be ready to pay extra for most items. The Deposit for houses range from one month to one year. The contracts are not standardized and are definitely negotiable. Unfortunately, unlike in Bangalore, it is very difficult to find a house using Free Ads or Ad Mag. You need a broker. Brokerage tends to vary from person to person please get to know the terms and conditions of the broker before you employ his services. Landlords (even though I did face some problems earlier on) are much better compared to Bangalore. My things got delayed for about a week coming from Bangalore - the landlord and his family gave us food three times a day, gave us two chairs and a table, a bucket and beds. Two of my colleagues in office who were new to Calcutta were treated similarly. The only drawback is that most of the houses are slightly old - the one I am living is about 20 years old and you have to buy your own fans, geysers, etc.
Dogs
Most places don't stock dog food. To get a packet of Pedigree, the best bet is to go to a medical shop and place an order. For the 10kg pack, you would have to wait for atleast 2 days. There are a lot of cats on the street (my wife says its because of the fish :-)) ). In case your dogs have a habit of chasing cats, you would have a wonderful time trying to handle them like I do. Most people though don't care much about dogs and it is difficult to try and find a vet. The city is humid so the dogs might get some time getting used to the conditions just like the rest of us.
Driving and Transport
Don't even think about driving - driving is already prohibited for me. The cars drivers are almost as rash as the ones in Delhi. Autos and Taxis are no exception. The private buses are equivalent to the Red Line buses in Delhi. Helmets are compulsory but as in most cities the enforcement of the law is pretty lax. People carry the helmets to avoid getting caught by the police. If you are travelling locally, try the cycle rickshaw, the hand carts are available in the old city (though they are going to be phased out soon) - for longer distances, taxis though costly are the best medium. If you need to go to a place located near a Metro Station, please go ahead - that's the best part about travelling in Kolkata.
You get a breath of fresh air literally in the mornings. The city sleeps by 9 and most people would not be on the roads after 7 in the evening. There are a few malls coming up but you get most of the stuff in the kirana shops where they recognize you from the third day onwards and give free home delivery irrespective of the amount of your purchase. The shops close almost mandatorily during the lunch time (1230 pm to 4 pm). Its very difficult to get a discount even if you are buying in bulk - I wanted to buy 4 fans but the shopkeeper said no discounts. As one of my friends put - if the thing you want is a necessity then you can get it dirt cheap, else you would have to pay through your nose for it or worse you may not get at all.
Overall, the city though modern is still very traditional. The cost of living is rising but is still lower than the other metros and neo-metros in India. The people are very congenial and helpful. You can survive speaking in Hindi but the first reply invariably is in Bengali, though if they know English or Hindi, they gladly reply in that as well. Rating - 7/10
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
My Experiments with (Hic)... Truth
I drink only occasionally. I have seen many people drink and vomit out their dinner but I never happened to me. I was told that if you drink too much, then you would end up vomitting. So I decided to test my limit. Last Saturday night, I decided to drink the whole bottle of Smirnoff vodka 100ml. I took about 2 liters of water along. The results.
15 mins - No effect.
30 mins - Slightly feeling numb. But still well in control.
1 hour - Fully Tunn :-)). I have this feeling that I am going to throw up everything I ate along with my internal organs. I hit the bed and lie down.
2 hours - Am awake but I have lost control over my limbs. I know what is going around, but I am helpless to do anything. Try desparately not to throw up.
3 hours - I regain control of my limbs partially. Stomach is still very full. But since I can move around, I decide to take a walk and get some fresh air.
3.5 hours - Walking was a very bad idea. I hit the bed. My head is spinning. I think about a smoke but can't get up.
4 hours - I give up and go to the washbasin and vomit as I have never done before. I am completely exhausted.
4hours - 15 hours - I am in the bed always. I am completely exhausted. My stomach is cursing me. I try to sleep. I get broken sleep. Even a small sound wakes me up.
15 hours - Good Morning. I feel great - no headache - as some of my friends had suggested. I take the dogs out for a walk. Have a smoke.
16 hours - Smoking was a bad idea - I get a splitting headache and I am in a spin. I try to make some tea and have a light breakfast. I take a warm bath hoping that I would ease the pain.17 hours - after the bath I feel much better. The stomach is not grumbling anymore. I decide to go out and finish the pending work.
17.5 hours - the combination of hangover and the sun is a lethal cocktail. The headaches return. I turn back home.
18 hours - I hit the bed again. I have a sound sleep.
22 hours - I wake up - fresh - no sign of the headache. I decide to enjoy the remainder of the day.
24 hours - I feel confident that I have got over the hangover.\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>The drink ruined the whole of my Sunday. I wow I would never try that god forsaken thing (atleast till the next weekend!! ).
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 19 Feb 2007
15 mins - No effect.
30 mins - Slightly feeling numb. But still well in control.
1 hour - Fully Tunn :-)). I have this feeling that I am going to throw up everything I ate along with my internal organs. I hit the bed and lie down.
2 hours - Am awake but I have lost control over my limbs. I know what is going around, but I am helpless to do anything. Try desparately not to throw up.
3 hours - I regain control of my limbs partially. Stomach is still very full. But since I can move around, I decide to take a walk and get some fresh air.
3.5 hours - Walking was a very bad idea. I hit the bed. My head is spinning. I think about a smoke but can't get up.
4 hours - I give up and go to the washbasin and vomit as I have never done before. I am completely exhausted.
4hours - 15 hours - I am in the bed always. I am completely exhausted. My stomach is cursing me. I try to sleep. I get broken sleep. Even a small sound wakes me up.
15 hours - Good Morning. I feel great - no headache - as some of my friends had suggested. I take the dogs out for a walk. Have a smoke.
16 hours - Smoking was a bad idea - I get a splitting headache and I am in a spin. I try to make some tea and have a light breakfast. I take a warm bath hoping that I would ease the pain.17 hours - after the bath I feel much better. The stomach is not grumbling anymore. I decide to go out and finish the pending work.
17.5 hours - the combination of hangover and the sun is a lethal cocktail. The headaches return. I turn back home.
18 hours - I hit the bed again. I have a sound sleep.
22 hours - I wake up - fresh - no sign of the headache. I decide to enjoy the remainder of the day.
24 hours - I feel confident that I have got over the hangover.\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>The drink ruined the whole of my Sunday. I wow I would never try that god forsaken thing (atleast till the next weekend!! ).
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 19 Feb 2007
Delhi
The Urban Development Minister has signed the Delhi Master Plan and it would come into effect immediately. What this means is essentially that all the "illegal" traders and schools would be able to conduct business as the law has been changed to accomodate them. But the larger problem still remains in place - should the government change laws to help a few people because they are making noises? I had written about this a few months ago. It not only sets a bad precedent as a government action but also legitimizes the acts of violence by the protesters during the sealing drive.
I am not sure how the Supreme Court would view this order. The plan should be examined by the court and should be struck down. The plan would not only make the lives of people living in these residential colonies miserable, but it would also result in more traders setting up shops in the residential colonies.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
I am not sure how the Supreme Court would view this order. The plan should be examined by the court and should be struck down. The plan would not only make the lives of people living in these residential colonies miserable, but it would also result in more traders setting up shops in the residential colonies.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
Delhi
I came home yesterday to see this. The scene had been repeated some months ago in Bangalore. Here not only the shopkeepers the whole of the locality called a "bandh" to demonstrate their solidarity for a common cause. What really put me off is the fact that the people who suffer as a result of these "peaceful demonstrations" are the innocent and mostly honest people. In Bangalore for instance, there was a shopkeeper(where we used to get our regular supplies) whose shop was forcefully shut down by others even though it was authorized. Now if you are a green grocer, the loss as a result of the rotting fruits and vegetables can be pretty huge.
The problem in Delhi is even worse. Almost every street has a store which is not supposed to be there. Whenever there is any voice against these traders, there are the usual arguments -
He is jealous of us, he should in fact salute our enterprising ability
Near my older home in Delhi, one of the enterprising fellows who had a corner house in a DDA housing complex decided to open an Indian fast food and sweet shop in his garden. The shop became successful but its popularity became a bane for the others. Traffic got blocked, garbage was left out in the open, and the place became very congested. While I would like to salute his enterprising ability, what he did was simply not acceptable. Once he grew in size, he could have easily shifted to the nearby shopping complex and still able to retain the goodwill. I have no problems with anyone starting his business from a house as long as it does not create a nuisance for the rest of the folks. But imagine if you have a banquet hall or an electronics goods showroom next to your house - how would you feel? Most people have a problem only when the shop becomes too big to be housed in a flat and spills over onto the street.
What would we do if you take this place what would we do?
It is not that these people had no other means of livelihood - the enterprising fellow near my home had a regular government job and he used to moonlight as an shopkeeper. The same is the case with most of the shopkeepers in these residential localities. If they did not have any other source of income, how come they could buy such a costly house in the first place?
We provide valuable service and on "humanitarian grounds" we should be allowed to stay
This is the argument made especially by schools. Most of the private schools in Delhi are rung out of flats. Well if you really care for the students in these schools, I believe that they should be closed because the quality of education imparted in these schools is miserable. If the government is really concerned about their academics they should not have approved these schools in the first place. As for the shopkeepers, most have other jobs as well especially those boutique owners in posh South Delhi localities.
Change the Master Plan
This really takes the cake. Many of the General Secretaries and Treasurers of these traders association are also office bearers in the political parties. These traders also form one of the largest sources of party funding. Its simply a case of you scratch my back and I would scratch yours. Mr Reddy even seems to believe that it is the courts which are at fault.
The most unfortunate fallout would be that government would play to the vote bank and change the law. Even if it does not the MCD would hit the small shopkeepers who are mostly innocuous and more likely to have no other source of livelihood while the big fish in those swanky neighborhoods would payup or get a stay order and escape.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 21 Sep. 2006
The problem in Delhi is even worse. Almost every street has a store which is not supposed to be there. Whenever there is any voice against these traders, there are the usual arguments -
He is jealous of us, he should in fact salute our enterprising ability
Near my older home in Delhi, one of the enterprising fellows who had a corner house in a DDA housing complex decided to open an Indian fast food and sweet shop in his garden. The shop became successful but its popularity became a bane for the others. Traffic got blocked, garbage was left out in the open, and the place became very congested. While I would like to salute his enterprising ability, what he did was simply not acceptable. Once he grew in size, he could have easily shifted to the nearby shopping complex and still able to retain the goodwill. I have no problems with anyone starting his business from a house as long as it does not create a nuisance for the rest of the folks. But imagine if you have a banquet hall or an electronics goods showroom next to your house - how would you feel? Most people have a problem only when the shop becomes too big to be housed in a flat and spills over onto the street.
What would we do if you take this place what would we do?
It is not that these people had no other means of livelihood - the enterprising fellow near my home had a regular government job and he used to moonlight as an shopkeeper. The same is the case with most of the shopkeepers in these residential localities. If they did not have any other source of income, how come they could buy such a costly house in the first place?
We provide valuable service and on "humanitarian grounds" we should be allowed to stay
This is the argument made especially by schools. Most of the private schools in Delhi are rung out of flats. Well if you really care for the students in these schools, I believe that they should be closed because the quality of education imparted in these schools is miserable. If the government is really concerned about their academics they should not have approved these schools in the first place. As for the shopkeepers, most have other jobs as well especially those boutique owners in posh South Delhi localities.
Change the Master Plan
This really takes the cake. Many of the General Secretaries and Treasurers of these traders association are also office bearers in the political parties. These traders also form one of the largest sources of party funding. Its simply a case of you scratch my back and I would scratch yours. Mr Reddy even seems to believe that it is the courts which are at fault.
The most unfortunate fallout would be that government would play to the vote bank and change the law. Even if it does not the MCD would hit the small shopkeepers who are mostly innocuous and more likely to have no other source of livelihood while the big fish in those swanky neighborhoods would payup or get a stay order and escape.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 21 Sep. 2006
Travelling with pets in India
I recently shifted cities - from Bangalore to Kolkata. We have four pet dogs. Traveling with them was a complicated process. There are no pet transporters in India (at least both of us could not find any on the net or from the various pet shops and Vets in Bangalore).
Indian railways allows pets to travel along with the passengers only in First Class and First AC. Else the pets have to be loaded in the brake van along with the rest of the cargo. Bangalore to Kolkata is connected by only one train and it takes 3 days to reach Kolkata plus there was no First Class or First AC on the train.
We could not take the American option of driving there as I don't have any car :-)). That essentially left air as the only medium. With numerous airlines coming up everyday in India catering to all needs, we thought that process would not take long. But when we called up the call centers of most domestic airlines, we were in for a shock.
The only airlines that carry pets are Sahara, Indian Airlines (Indian now) and Jet. Most of the other airline support staff had a tough time even understanding what I meant by traveling with pets. So me and my wife tried calling up all the airlines to get the details.
Essentially there are two ways of booking your pet (any live animal) on a plane - as Excess Baggage or as Cargo. Cargo is a cheaper option but there are hassles involved, you have to book the cargo about 2 hours before the flight and can collect them only an hour after the planes have landed from a different terminal of course. Worse, even though you have paid and have all the necessary certifications (I would talk about them later in the post) you are still not sure that the pets would travel in the same flight as you do. There is a distinct possibility that the plane might be overloaded and the pets would have to travel on another flight only. So the safest and perhaps the costliest option is the Excess Baggage one.
Different airlines have different ways of calculating for a pet. Indian airlines has a standard excess baggage rate for the sector that you are traveling (In my case Bangalore to Kolkata) and they charge you twice the amount + taxes. Jet calculates as about 1.1% per kg of the base ticket cost for excess baggage. Now this seemed cheap earlier but its not - the base ticket price is not the price for which you purchased the ticket but the base price of the ticket as mentioned by the airlines (Essentially this the price that you would have purchased the tickets had there been no competition). The base price is around Rs. 14,000 for a ticket from Bangalore to Kolkata. This made about Rs. 160 per kg + taxes + some fuel charge of Rs 60 (overall, not per kg). Sahara is the cheapest option of Rs 160 per kg of excess baggage and we opted for that.
Indian railways allows pets to travel along with the passengers only in First Class and First AC. Else the pets have to be loaded in the brake van along with the rest of the cargo. Bangalore to Kolkata is connected by only one train and it takes 3 days to reach Kolkata plus there was no First Class or First AC on the train.
We could not take the American option of driving there as I don't have any car :-)). That essentially left air as the only medium. With numerous airlines coming up everyday in India catering to all needs, we thought that process would not take long. But when we called up the call centers of most domestic airlines, we were in for a shock.
The only airlines that carry pets are Sahara, Indian Airlines (Indian now) and Jet. Most of the other airline support staff had a tough time even understanding what I meant by traveling with pets. So me and my wife tried calling up all the airlines to get the details.
Essentially there are two ways of booking your pet (any live animal) on a plane - as Excess Baggage or as Cargo. Cargo is a cheaper option but there are hassles involved, you have to book the cargo about 2 hours before the flight and can collect them only an hour after the planes have landed from a different terminal of course. Worse, even though you have paid and have all the necessary certifications (I would talk about them later in the post) you are still not sure that the pets would travel in the same flight as you do. There is a distinct possibility that the plane might be overloaded and the pets would have to travel on another flight only. So the safest and perhaps the costliest option is the Excess Baggage one.
Different airlines have different ways of calculating for a pet. Indian airlines has a standard excess baggage rate for the sector that you are traveling (In my case Bangalore to Kolkata) and they charge you twice the amount + taxes. Jet calculates as about 1.1% per kg of the base ticket cost for excess baggage. Now this seemed cheap earlier but its not - the base ticket price is not the price for which you purchased the ticket but the base price of the ticket as mentioned by the airlines (Essentially this the price that you would have purchased the tickets had there been no competition). The base price is around Rs. 14,000 for a ticket from Bangalore to Kolkata. This made about Rs. 160 per kg + taxes + some fuel charge of Rs 60 (overall, not per kg). Sahara is the cheapest option of Rs 160 per kg of excess baggage and we opted for that.
But wait, thats not all. There are some procedures to be followed.
- The pets need to vaccinated (thanks to my wife, all my pets were).
- You need a certificate from the vet stating that these pets are fit to travel.
- The pets should be kept in an enclosed crate (cage) which should have enough space for the pets to stand and move around freely. My wife had brought crates for them long back for my pets to sleep in and therefore we had no troubles either locating a crate vendor or to get these crates. Please note that some airlines are finicky about metal crates and they don't allow. The vendor told me that Jet used to allow metal crates but no longer does - it requires extremely costly fiber glass crates. The crate weight would be added in the excess baggage weight.
- You need a absorbent material in the base of the crate.
- And finally you need to muzzle and sedate the pet. The sedations are available with most vets and are available as injections or tablets. Injections are much better as they are fool proof. The effect of sedation take about 30 mins. to take effect and last for about 4-5 hours provided the pets are not disturbed.
We chose Sahara as Jet was too fussy and nobody picked up the phone at Indian Airlines :-)). Armed with these, we boarded the flight and have reached Kolkata. My actual traveling experience would take another blog.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
World Cup
A recent post on cricinfo.com made me write this one. There have been too many voices asking for a stop to the hectic cricketing schedule ahead of the World Cup. Even the World Cup in my mind, the format that it is right now is too long and would result in too many boring matches. The present World Cup has 16 teams (too many) and the depth in world cricket is too shallow to throw up many competitive match ups. While cricket claims to be a true world sport, the number of countries where it is followed is very small (The Indian subcontinent, Australia and England).Essentially the Super 8 as it is called right now would be the Test Playing nations minus Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
The best World Cup format was the 1992 one held in Australia - the teams play each other once in a round robin format and the top four play in the knockout stage. Such a format would not only make compelling viewing but also allow teams to recoup from any reverses. The winner would definitely be the winner as he would have played against each and every team in the tournament. With 8 teams in the tournament (sorry no place for Zimbabwe and Bangladesh), there would be only 28 round robin matches followed by three knock out matches totaling 31. The tournament can be over in about a 40 days and the teams would have some rest before starting afresh. The teams can be chosen from their form on the points table over the last 2 years which would essentially mean the same Super 8. Such a tournament would not only make for good viewing but also retain interest for the viewers in the longer run.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
The best World Cup format was the 1992 one held in Australia - the teams play each other once in a round robin format and the top four play in the knockout stage. Such a format would not only make compelling viewing but also allow teams to recoup from any reverses. The winner would definitely be the winner as he would have played against each and every team in the tournament. With 8 teams in the tournament (sorry no place for Zimbabwe and Bangladesh), there would be only 28 round robin matches followed by three knock out matches totaling 31. The tournament can be over in about a 40 days and the teams would have some rest before starting afresh. The teams can be chosen from their form on the points table over the last 2 years which would essentially mean the same Super 8. Such a tournament would not only make for good viewing but also retain interest for the viewers in the longer run.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 02 Feb 2007
Love on Valentine's Day
An explantion on why my wife and I love our dogs.
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 14 Feb 2007
This is a repost - it was posted before my blogs were deleted on 14 Feb 2007
Friday 9 March 2007
My Invented Country - Review
Re-reading a book after a few years is like reliving life. You become nostalgic. You discover sentences you never thought existed. And you are able to enjoy the book even more (that is if you liked it the first time around). I re-read My Invented Country after about three years. The first time it was on a train journey from Calcutta to Bombay. This time the book took a little longer but the book is as fresh as ever.
As an occasional writer, there are times when you find it very difficult to write about some things if you cannot relate to them on a personal level. But if are writing something that affects you - then you don't have to write, the words just flow. My Invented Country is one such book. The book is written in a way that is unpretentious and not bothered by the need to please some audience. The book is written for the pure joy of expressing oneself.
The book is not (and does not claim to be) a definitive guide to the history of Chile. Rather it is the story of a large extended family (and a quirky one at that) in particular and a communist society overall trying to come to terms with the changes in technology and the advent of free markets. Like when her grandfather hits the phone each time it rings because he thinks that it is impolite to talk to him without taking prior permission. Or her grandmother who thinks that she is an angel.
There is a lot about Chile that the ones in India, especially those born in the early 80s would relate to - the large extended family; the rebellious uncle who is each child's hero because he can talk back to the grandpa; drunk men who order around women and children and do not want to do anything except discuss politics; local gossip; long queues for getting essential commodities (the ration shop in India); the rash drivers; water problems; the influence of religion (in this case the Church) and the numerous superstitions.
Even though Isabel Allende is the niece of Salvador Allende, the last elected president of Chile before Gen. Pinochet took over, she does not spend too much time mulling over the years under dictatorship - which would have ruined the book. The book is not a rant on the poverty, unequal distribution of wealth and the urban chaos, but an unadulterated view of the things that happened. A fun book to read.
As an occasional writer, there are times when you find it very difficult to write about some things if you cannot relate to them on a personal level. But if are writing something that affects you - then you don't have to write, the words just flow. My Invented Country is one such book. The book is written in a way that is unpretentious and not bothered by the need to please some audience. The book is written for the pure joy of expressing oneself.
The book is not (and does not claim to be) a definitive guide to the history of Chile. Rather it is the story of a large extended family (and a quirky one at that) in particular and a communist society overall trying to come to terms with the changes in technology and the advent of free markets. Like when her grandfather hits the phone each time it rings because he thinks that it is impolite to talk to him without taking prior permission. Or her grandmother who thinks that she is an angel.
There is a lot about Chile that the ones in India, especially those born in the early 80s would relate to - the large extended family; the rebellious uncle who is each child's hero because he can talk back to the grandpa; drunk men who order around women and children and do not want to do anything except discuss politics; local gossip; long queues for getting essential commodities (the ration shop in India); the rash drivers; water problems; the influence of religion (in this case the Church) and the numerous superstitions.
Even though Isabel Allende is the niece of Salvador Allende, the last elected president of Chile before Gen. Pinochet took over, she does not spend too much time mulling over the years under dictatorship - which would have ruined the book. The book is not a rant on the poverty, unequal distribution of wealth and the urban chaos, but an unadulterated view of the things that happened. A fun book to read.
Monday 5 March 2007
Identity Theft
Hi All,
Someone hacked my google account and with it all my blogs have gone. I have recovered my google account but I guess I would not be able to get my blogs. I would be reposting the blogs that I have in my gmail inbox.
Vivek
Someone hacked my google account and with it all my blogs have gone. I have recovered my google account but I guess I would not be able to get my blogs. I would be reposting the blogs that I have in my gmail inbox.
Vivek
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