tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-203102372024-03-14T11:06:32.084+05:30Random thoughtsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-36991114832254664572020-09-17T23:54:00.004+05:302020-09-17T23:54:31.367+05:30When lynching moves online<p> I sat watching, with a weird mixture of cringe, horror and disgust, as a pack of dogs attacked every stray cat that they could get their paws on. I glanced upon one last post -- it was a screenshot of someone's Whatsapp chat. It didn't look particularly interesting, but it had about a 1000 comments under it; some of which were hashtags seeking justice, while others were just a string of abuses. I closed Instagram and Twitter, shut off my phone and sat down to ponder what our society had become, and how we as human beings watch in amazement at the idea of someone else's despair. I was done. </p><p></p><p>2020 has been a weird year. We have had a long string of untimely deaths, natural disasters, manmade ones and are perched on the brink of WW3. When the news of Sushant Singh Rajput's death by suicide rolled in on 14th June 2020, many, including me were shocked beyond reason. Nobody could believe that a spunky actor like him, in his prime could just end his life. People began discussing that he was probably struggling in his private life and that it got the best of him. The topic of mental health came to the forefront and pundits on TV began discussing the same. In a day or two, the bullying and nepotism angle started getting more airtime. </p><p>I am not exactly sure when the whole suicide or murder theory came about, but ever since that began, people have just lost it. Leading actors & actresses started getting trolled everyday. They were being told that they were never nice to Sushant and that he died because of them. Even a famous director/producer wasn't spared, and is still not. Accusations were flying from every angle. The latest victim of this mob is Sushant's girlfriend and housemate Rhea Chakraborty. She has been arrested, not for murder, but for consumption of weed and it is being reported that she sourced it for him. </p><p>A few years ago when the rapper Mac Miller died of accidental drug overdose, everyone pounced on his ex girlfriend Ariana Grande's socials accusing her of driving him to drugs & eventual death. On the other side of the globe when actress Rekha's husband died of suicide, people did the same thing. There was no social media around at the time (thankfully!) but everyone, including the media made her out to be this vamp who used and discarded him. Even Sushant's longtime ex-girlfriend and ex-fiance Ankita Lokhande was accused initially until everyone saw her attend his funeral. Women have forever carried the blame for mens' failures. On the flip side, women have always been expected to lift up a broken man. How many times have you heard of a family getting their son married off to a 'simple' girl just to correct his meandering ways. Nobody knows if Sushant started smoking weed or doing drugs before he met Rhea. But the so-called justice warriors have been brainwashed into believing that he is the epitome of correctness and he can do no wrong. </p><p>Rhea has apparently admitted to using weed along with Sushant. But what the mob (yes thats what they are) is accusing her of is driving him to using those drugs and eventual death either at his own hands or actually murdering him. Whats their proof you ask? --- the thousands of Instagam/twitter/youtube accounts that spout theories after theories everyday. When the bullying and nepotism angle didn't work, it moved onto drug abuse. Now the mob is trying to throw mud on EVERYONE in the industry and hoping some of it will stick. The so called justice warriors are just keyboard warriors who take pleasure in going to a celebrity's profile and abusing them all day. Names are thrown around randomly with no confirmation or evidence. A leading actress who is known for her spitfire talk has made this all about herself and is trying to even her perceived scores with Bollywood. To her, the only person that matters is herself. No one else. In this mess, everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame. </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kvBJEHrKN1o/X2OlqcH5clI/AAAAAAAALcg/kCwqRSwThlsiuo_wQCJJwWqIwegWd7IigCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="760" height="168" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kvBJEHrKN1o/X2OlqcH5clI/AAAAAAAALcg/kCwqRSwThlsiuo_wQCJJwWqIwegWd7IigCNcBGAsYHQ/w358-h168/image.png" width="358" /></a></p></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p>We're in the age of fake/sensational news. Insane conspiracy theories being shared everywhere with no consequence whatsoever. Anyone with a smart phone can film themselves say the vilest of things and put it up on the internet for others to consume. An entire generation of people have made it their duty to open their phones everyday, watch curated content, and tweet/abuse/comment on every piece of "news" connected to this case. Over the last 3+ months, people have been brainwashed into believing that justice for someone that they did not really follow/support even a day prior to his death, is far more important than than having a moral compass or any sense of decency. Arm chair critics have turned into arm chair abusers. Insta pages that want to increase their following, post stories and lies like they are going out of style. Random names being mentioned, leaks by officials whose vested interests aren't exactly clear -- such actions lead the justice seeking mob to bombard celebrity accounts with name calling and abuses. Anyone who requests for calm and some sense of decency is termed a "druggie". </p><p>Media channels are making the most of this lunacy. To them, all that matters is TRP. Journalists have stooped to a new low. The pack of dogs I mentioned earlier were so-called journalists camping outside Rhea's apartment building waiting for a resident to appear, only to hound him or her with questions and accusations about her life. Calling the cops on these vultures leads to more drama and sensational news about how evil this family is. I saw a video of one such blood thirsty journalist knocking on door or a family member of Rhea's and accusing them of god knows what, and when he was rightfully kicked out, he turned it into a freedom of the press argument. Since when is it ok to forcefully enter a stranger's home and interview/accuse them? And the online mob gleefully enjoys this drama, cheering the journalists on. Its sickening. This lockdown has brought out the worst in us. <span> </span></p><p>We will never know what actually happened to poor Sushant. The waters have been muddied so much that any news or evidence that comes out will always be questionable. In the end, two families have been destroyed. The business of entertainment will never be the same again. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-57711108922718625912019-10-04T22:50:00.000+05:302019-10-08T22:59:36.260+05:30A self-realization about parent-shaming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was at get-together recently. The party hall was filled with adults/parents and kids of all ages -- from lap babies to kids as old as 10-12. I noticed this one kid who was probably about 7-8 years old playing with his dad's phone. All through the party he was playing games on the phone. The first thought that struck me was "Why are his parents letting this kid play with their phone?"<br />
At our house, we have a no phone rule. My son does not touch either of our phones. We also try not to be on our phones when he is around.<br />
I am ashamed to admit it, I parent-shamed them <b>in my head</b>. Even when he was eating dinner, he had a YouTube video on and would take a bite only if the video was on. I did not mention this to anyone and I even forgot about it.<br />
A few days later, I heard from another mom that the kid I saw at the party has a serious medical condition which may turn fatal as early as his teens. Immediately I felt terrible for judging the family. I cant even begin to imagine what the parents' state of mind is on a day to day basis. When every day you spend with your child is a gift, you do what it takes to reduce the drama. Parents do whatever it takes to bring up their kids in the best way they think is right. Nobody should sit on their high horse and judge or shame anyone for the decisions they take as parents.<br />
I am not just saying this because the kid has a serious medical condition. Even if one has a healthy kid, <b>NO </b>form of judging/shaming directed towards the family is warranted. People do what works for them and for their family's sanity.<br />
You do you boo. After all, you have one life to live.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-9408487078797928762016-10-26T01:23:00.001+05:302016-10-26T01:23:58.226+05:30Types of moms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been a mom for just over a year now and I have just begun to sort of understand the demographic. There are many types out there; I have highlighted a few.<br />
Disclaimer: Mommy friends, no offense meant whatsoever ;) I'm sure I am one of these moms -- or maybe a combination of all of them ;)<br />
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<b>Miss Know-It-All</b><br />
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This mom will tell you everything you are doing wrong. If she sees your kid or even a picture of your kid, she will tell you 10 things that you are doing wrong there. Any conversation about your child will turn into a full-on lecture session. So much so that sometimes you anticipate the lecture ;) "What works for one kid may not work for the other" -- you should get this temporarily tattooed on your forehead whenever you meet her; or if you meet her everyday, just get the real ink ;)<br />
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<b>The Googler</b><br />
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The present generation of first time moms have shades of "The Googler" in them -- she ranges from looking up a bad rash once in a while to one that walks around with phone in one hand, and child in the other, frantically googling why her kid did not burp. No old wives tales for her -- she only trusts random strangers on the internet. Others can go to hell.<br />
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<b>The Cool Cat</b><br />
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Even though she is a first time mom, she cool as a cucumber. She is very adventurous about trying out new things on her kid. While other moms would be paranoid about their kid eating store bought cookie, this mom will leave an open pack of Oreos on the counter and not even care that her kid has consumed 10 of them since he/she woke up. Of course, she loves and cares for her kid but she is cool cat when it comes to strangers feeding her kid stuff that she hasn't dissected.<br />
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<b>The Dare-devil</b><br />
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This one is an extreme version of the cool cat mom. She may have been Joey's ( of F.R.I.E.N.D.S fame) mom in her TV life --- "Whoops! Joey fell down the stairs!" "Whoops! Joey electrocuted himself again!" She does not flinch handing over her newborn to visitors -- no hosing them down with sanitizer. No sterilized bottles for her. Germs help toughen babies up!<br />
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<b>The Paranoid Peach</b><br />
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This mom starts worrying at the drop of a hat. She is an extreme version of the googler mom. A sneeze or two from the kid will make her sweat. A simple leg or arm movement will get her wondering if his/her motor skills are ok. She is a walking-talking worry wart. And she is ready to voice her concern to anyone who would listen. Visiting her newborn is a task and a half. First there's the washing of the hands; then there's the sanitizer bath; next, a zillion instructions on how to hold the child. You may be Mother Teresa reincarnate! But no, the instructions will still follow.<br />
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Sleepless nights and tired feet aside, being a mother is a gift and a blessing. Taking a long hard look at ourselves and picking out the different idiosyncrasies makes it fun and less stressful. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-28240302361059074112016-08-05T22:38:00.001+05:302016-08-05T23:30:54.803+05:30"How I Met Your Mother" Themed Baby Shower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What do you do when you have to plan a baby shower and are fresh out of ideas? The same old summer/spring themes are boring.<br />
The theme we decided on was the TV show "How I Met Your Mother". Now, I know this is not really a baby shower friendly (read family-friendly) theme, but we went ahead with it.<br />
I do not remember who came up with this idea -- I think one of the hard-core fans suggested it and then it just went from there. And boy was everyone excited! This was probably more fun for the party planners than the parents-to-be. Just between you and me, it probably was :P<br />
What started as a Whatsapp chat group had now turned into a full-on theme party! Before you knew it, hardcore fans of the show started coming up with interesting ways to make HIMYM kid friendly (if that was ever possible!). But eventually we did! :)<br />
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As per usual, a prep party was planned. Let me begin by saying that I am not one of those hardcore fans of HIMYM. I have probably watched a handful of episodes and quite liked them all. But as I went along with the party planning, I learned a lot!<br />
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Now, fans of the show know what slutty pumpkin refers to. Since this had to be kid-friendly, we decided to make a simple pumpkin-like diaper cake. For those who don't know what a diaper cake is, its not actually a cake you can eat, but (usually) a 2-3 tier cake-like structure that's made from diapers that the mommy can eventually use for her baby. The diaper "cake" we made was a diaper pumpkin.<br />
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We also made a few other items that we used as party decor.<br />
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An obvious word-play on the intervention sign</div>
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A gift basket filled with duck themed baby towels, socks and bibs </div>
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A Mac Laren pub sign</div>
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A blue french horn</div>
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The BRO Code book</div>
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The food was of course bar/pub food -- paired with interesting names :)<br />
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These yummy drinks were served with cute yellow umbrellas ;)<br />
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This was such a fun party; we cant wait for the next one!! ;)<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-40900654658409912892013-12-27T00:50:00.002+05:302013-12-27T03:37:10.241+05:30A giant step in the wrong direction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After reading about the SC verdict, I am more saddened than shocked. In a country like ours where Democracy has taken a beating repeatedly, its not so shocking that such judgement has been meted out.<br />
Section 377 of the IPC, which was introduced during the Bristish rule in India, criminalizes sexual activities "against the order of nature", including homosexual acts. The section was declared unconstitutional with respect to sex between consenting adults by the High Court in 2009. That judgement was overturned by the Supreme Court. After taking one step forward, we're taking a zillion steps back!<br />
I understand that one cannot expect fast progress in this regard in our country, but why should you go back on your promises and let people down? Whats more upsetting is the peoples' reaction. The following are some of the <span style="color: orange;">common arguments/excuses</span> I see being used.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">1. India is not USA</span><br />
First of all, we must stop comparing India to other countries. USA has its share of homo-phobics. Although gay relationships are legal, unions/marriages are legal only in a few states. It will be long before its made legal all over. But that's besides the point. We must do whats good for our country and our people. We have sizable LGBT community, and they deserve their rights. Well, even if the community size is so-called "miniscule" and has only 1 person, that 1 person deserves his or her rights.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">2. We have bigger things to worry about in India</span><br />
Yes, there are big problems. We have unemployment, poverty, female foeticide; we have a whole host of issues to deal with. All those issues are not going to get resolved by ignoring this issue. AIDS affects heterosexuals as much as it does homosexuals. Its awareness that people need. Ignoring this will not miraculously resolve all the problems in our country.Every individual has the right to be with the one they love. That's basic human rights. Its not rocket science.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">3. Its against Indian culture</span><br />
This is by far the most ridiculous argument. Raping innocent young children is very much Indian culture, but being with the one you love isnt?? Oh I get it, letting juvenile offenders go scot-free is Indian culture! Looting tax payers money is Indian culture!<br />
A friend of mine had shared a very interesting article about Queer Sexuality and Indian Culture. Read it <a href="http://devdutt.com/articles/indian-mythology/queer-sexuality-and-indian-culture.html">here</a>.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">4. They're just a minuscule fraction</span><br />
If a particular community even has 1 person in it, will you call him/her a criminal for no fault of theirs? For example, if people of a certain faith are suddenly made outlaws in their own country, does it make it right? They are born into their faith. Similarly, this so-called minuscule fraction is born that way. They are not sick or ill. Science has proven that there is absolutely nothing unnatural about being transgender or gay. They are born that way and they must have the same rights as everyone. You cannot criminalize law-abiding citizens of a country.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">5. Why are you supporting them? Are you gay?</span><br />
This is also one of those ridiculous arguments I hear everyday. Dont men fight for women's rights? Does that turn them into women? One doesn't have to be gay or transexual or bisexual to support the LGBT community.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">6. They are ill. Cure them</span><br />
People like Baba Ramdev and the rest of his brigade enjoy their 15 mins of fame by spouting such words of wisdom. Trying to "cure" or make them "normal" will only lead to more failed relationships/marriages, frustration, disharmony, discrimination and increased suicides. Its not some illness that can be cured.<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">7. People support it because its "cool" to do so</span><br />
There is nothing cool or uncool about it. Its a human rights issue. Period.<br />
I would support it as much as I would any other issue I believe in.<br />
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For now, the fight for equal rights will continue. Here's hoping its short one! <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-29486199632656460392012-06-21T04:20:00.000+05:302012-06-21T04:20:05.435+05:30East-Coast chronicles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Its been more than a week since I slept in my own bed that last night I felt my bed say to me "Welcome back sweetheart" :) A week long conference took Vijay and I to Boston. Since we were traveling all the way to the east coast, we decided to wing it and visit New York city for the weekend.<br />
Boston, the largest city in New England, is full of history. Founded in 1630, it was the location of some major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcrY77AORW4/T-JQWrKzeFI/AAAAAAAAFI8/btUGXDe8Z0g/s1600/IMG_6029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcrY77AORW4/T-JQWrKzeFI/AAAAAAAAFI8/btUGXDe8Z0g/s320/IMG_6029.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Although Boston boasts of a well connected Subway/Train system (they call it the T), walking around the city is a lot of fun. And boy did we walk! All our vacations seem to always include a walk-a-thon!
We landed in Boston on the morning of 11th at 7.30, reached the Boston Sheraton hotel at 8.30. Since check-in wasn't until later that day at 3 PM, we had some time to kill. As people check out at around 12 PM, usually most hotels let you have the room at 12 or so even though check in is at 3. That's what we expected here as well. We were told by the receptionist that she would call if a room frees up early. Since Vijay had some last minute work to do on his poster, after a quick breakfast, we headed back to the hotel. There was yet another conference called Sleep 2012 happening at the Sheraton. Everyone around us seemed to be carrying a Sleep 2012 bag with them.
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I was so zonked from lack of sleep that as we sat down in the lobby, I was out. So there I was with my mouth wide open in the lobby of the hotel sleeping like I hadnt slept in years. We saw a number of people checking out when we were sitting in the lobby, so the first thought that came to our mind was that atleast one room must be available. During my forty winks, Vijay asked them atleast 3 times if our room was ready. The reply was as you know, not very pleasant. The "Sleep" people would surely have found an interesting subject in me!
We headed out again for lunch and a little bit of sightseeing. The viewing gallery on top of the Prudential Tower was a treat! One can see the whole of Boston from 50 floors above the ground.
Finally after a lot of waiting, we got our room at 3.45 PM. After a quick shower, we headed out to see the First Church of the Christ Scientist, walked along the chic Newbury street (lined with boutiques and eateries) and had delicious crepes at a quaint little crepery.
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOmBKaidYuU/T-JQl4TYxTI/AAAAAAAAFJI/NFjLJA5XIUo/s1600/IMG_6079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yOmBKaidYuU/T-JQl4TYxTI/AAAAAAAAFJI/NFjLJA5XIUo/s320/IMG_6079.JPG" width="320" /></a>
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Since Vijay was busy at his conference, I had to entertain myself. Vijay's uncle & aunt came to my rescue. They took me to the Museum of Fine Arts and showed me around the city. They also gave me their museum pass to attend a "Drawing at the Gallery" session; which was a lot of fun. A bunch of people gather to draw/sketch from life. It was different for me since I haven't really done a lot of sketching, but it was a learning experience nevertheless. One of the things we found amusing as well as quite enjoyable was the Duck tour. They are sort of like open top buses which show you around the city, except that its not a bus, its a duck :) The interesting part is that they travel on land as well as on water. So the first half hour or so we were driving along the roads of Boston, the second half of it was on water - on the Charles river! It was a lot of fun.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCFKEDAKzrs/T-JQyO1JUEI/AAAAAAAAFJU/A6QMysCo-i8/s1600/IMG_0409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bCFKEDAKzrs/T-JQyO1JUEI/AAAAAAAAFJU/A6QMysCo-i8/s320/IMG_0409.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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We spent the weekend in New York City. NYC has a vibe to it that no other city has. Its always bustling with wide variety of people. Its one of the few cities where one can travel safely by train/bus in the middle of the night.
We did whatever sight-seeing we could in 2 days. All the walking aside, the places we saw were memorable. Times Square, The Empire State building, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, The Statue of Liberty - I've seen these only in the movies. It was so exciting to see them up close.<br />
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In all, I enjoyed my trip to the east coast. I made new friends and saw a lot of interesting sights. I also realized that NYC is infectious. Makes me wanna leave the confines of sweet old Mountain View for the Big Apple :)
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-91134699977917743462012-03-25T11:01:00.000+05:302012-03-25T11:02:31.518+05:30Kahaani<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--H1PPAhy7hs/T26t4oyvrxI/AAAAAAAAEB4/r8J1iOEqjC8/s1600/557768_3488368245477_1159568366_33540788_556180965_n.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--H1PPAhy7hs/T26t4oyvrxI/AAAAAAAAEB4/r8J1iOEqjC8/s320/557768_3488368245477_1159568366_33540788_556180965_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723703364969017106" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-3218484124306854702012-03-02T01:13:00.026+05:302012-03-08T04:25:24.533+05:30Along the Potomac...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWa_pbWhHhI/T1AKH-Yz-8I/AAAAAAAAD-c/6zzb2GyU-iI/s1600/IMG_5634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mWa_pbWhHhI/T1AKH-Yz-8I/AAAAAAAAD-c/6zzb2GyU-iI/s320/IMG_5634.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715079059255589826" /></a><br />Work and an extended weekend took Vijay and me to Washington DC. Well, it was a workshop that he had to attend. I was just there to chill and see the sights :D<br />The workshop was slated for the whole of Monday and half of Tuesday, so we decided to take the red eye on Friday and check out the place over the weekend. During the ride from Dulles airport to our hotel in Arlington, we saw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_flurry">snow flurries</a>. It was quite windy and cold, but I realized that that's as close to seeing snow as I will get this winter. Nevertheless it was nice to see my first "snowfall". <br /><br />The Metro system in DC is so well connected that we decided that renting a car would be more of a hassle than anything else. On checking into a bed and breakfast in Arlington, we took the metro into Washington to do our first bit of sight-seeing. Having heard so much about the Smithsonian, our first stop was the Air and Space Museum. We caught two shows there, Hubble 3D at the IMax theatre and one called Infinity Express at the Einstein planetarium. Both the shows were quite engrossing, although, due to lack of sleep, I dozed off a couple of times. The most fun we had was at the flight simulator exhibit. Vijay was the pilot and I was the gunner. The objective is to gun down as many enemy planes as possible. We managed to gun down one plane :P Of course, if my *ahem* co-pilot had been a little more careful in steering the plane properly (and not crashed into water 3 times!), I would have gunned down more planes :) It was awesome fun anyway. <br /><br />All museums close at 5.30 PM, so by early evening, we were out. It had got much colder during the day and the wind was picking up. Having never experienced such cold weather (it was close to 0 deg C), I started feeling sick. Also, we didn't want to get caught outside without transportation in case the wind became too hard to handle. Back at the hotel, we caught up on some much needed sleep, to get ready for the next day. The forecast for Sunday seemed a little more manageable; the temperature had gone up a few notches and wasn't as windy. So far so good. After checking out of the B&B, we headed to Fairmont Hotel in downtown Washington. Vijay's workshop was being held at the same hotel. <br /><br />The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Mall">National Mall</a> is a large area starting at the Lincoln memorial, right up to the United States Capitol. Our objective was to see the White House, all the memorials, the Washington monument and whatever else that was possible. Our first stop was the White House. Even though you cant really see it up close, it was quite an experience peering thru the fence and trying to see if one can see some kind of activity inside the Oval office :D <br /><br />One gazillion pics later, we headed over to the World War II memorial, dedicated to those who served in the armed forces as civilians. It consists of 56 pillars, one for each of the 50 states and the 6 territories. My feet were killing me, but we had barely started. The Lincoln Memorial can be accessed through the WWII memorial, but since there was some construction happening near the famous reflecting pool, it was closed for visitors. We had to walk around the huge pool to see the famous statue of Mr.Abraham Lincoln sitting on a majestic throne-like chair. Since it was a Sunday, there was quiet a crowd in all these places; filled with foreigners as well as locals. If only the reflecting pool was open, we would have tried to take a picture like the one in the movie <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Gump">Forrest Gump</a> :) Although, we did take a picture of the monument's reflection on the Potomac river! <br /><br />Next, we walked to the Martin Luther King Memorial, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and finally the Washington Monument. In all, I think we walked about 10 miles that day!! I was dead tired. Back at the hotel, after a vegetarian Mexican Gumbo and a cup of frozen yogurt, I was out like a light. <br /><br />The next day Vijay was off to his workshop at 7.30 AM. I, in turn, was too tired to wake up. Finally when I did wake up, I decided that it was foolish of me to spend the day indoors when there were still so many things to see in DC. After a quick shower, I headed out to see the Museum of Natural History. I had to take the Metro to the museum, so in my quest to find the station (we had been going to the same station to for 2 days now), I ventured out in what I hoped was the right direction. After walking for about 20 mins in the wrong direction, I got hungry. I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch. So I stopped at a bagel place and asked the guy at the counter for directions. He was quite friendly and told me the exact route I needed to take. Sight-seeing alone is quite a bore. But I had an entire day to kill. So after the tour of the Natural history museum, I entered the Freer Gallery, where I spent a good hour. On my way back home, I lost my way again, but got back on track soon enough. <br />That night, we dined at this nice little Ethiopian place called Das. Ethiopian cuisine is quite similar to Indian. We feasted on a dish called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera">Injera</a>. Its a dosa type dish with a bunch of curries on the side. The veg platter that we ordered included a dal, red lentil gravy, collard greens, cauliflower-carrot-beans curry & a cabbage-carrot curry. The food was light, healthy and tasty. <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wqbQust1LsQ/T1ALnrGamJI/AAAAAAAAD-0/iJg78oNm37M/s1600/IMG_5529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wqbQust1LsQ/T1ALnrGamJI/AAAAAAAAD-0/iJg78oNm37M/s320/IMG_5529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715080703345596562" /></a><br /><br />On Tuesday, after Vijay got back from the workshop, we headed to the United States Capitol for a tour. It houses the Senate and the House of Representatives. Architecturally, it was one of the most beautiful buildings I had seen in DC. <br /><br />Finally it was time to leave the Capitol as well as the capital city. In all, this was a trip that was worth the jet-lag and the sore feet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-37702339186490465212011-04-13T11:04:00.001+05:302011-04-13T11:06:06.640+05:30The Rape CapitalNot a day goes by when I open the newspaper and I dont find a news item about a case of rape in Delhi. Its either a girl being raped or the girl in question committing suicide because of the trauma. Its getting so common that when such a news item comes on TV, we just change the channel thinking 'Oh.. poor girl'. We have become de-sensitized to violence.<br /><br />Shiela Dixit has served 3 terms as CM and she hasnt been able to control this menance. I dont get it! As a woman chief minister shouldnt she be doing something about it? Unless one recieves harsh punishment (and I mean real harsh, not just a couple of yrs in prison) this will continue. In my opinion, there should be public punishment/hanging or some such thing for these criminals. I may sound crazy but my blood boils when I read such news. Human rights groups may think otherwise, but didnt the guy who committed this heinous crime violate human rights!?! Why should he be allowed to get away with it? If the judicial system in our country does its job, there wouldnt be so many cases.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-4310692736247447912010-02-11T22:40:00.000+05:302010-02-11T22:41:52.751+05:30Much ado about a wordWhy is Dan Brown so obsessed with Freemasonry, Ancient frescos, weird rituals dripping with blood and the like? As in his previous books, The Lost Symbol is brimming with the ingredients listed above. The lead character from many of Brown's earlier books, Robert Langdon is seen decoding seemingly impossible codes with relevant ease. The book starts off with Langdon traveling to Washington DC as per the instructions of his close friend Peter Solomon. Sounds familiar? ‘The Da Vinci Code’ starts off in a similar manner. On reaching Washington DC, Langdon, through no fault of his own, gets pulled into a web of crime & intrigue. Does it ring a bell? Yes; Da Vinci Code again!<br /><br />The purpose of Langdon's visit is to lecture at The Capitol in Washington DC. Instead of an audience, Langdon finds Peter's severed hand tattooed into a symbolic Hand of the Mysteries, and pointing straight up at the fresco - The Apotheosis of Washington. Upon learning of Peter's abduction, Langdon is determined to find the kidnapper (Mal'akh) and get Peter back. The ransom demanded by Mal'akh is not money. He threatens to kill Peter if Langdon does not uncover the Ancient Mysteries. The book couldn’t have gotten more far-fetched!<br /><br />Langdon's lady friend in this book comes in the form of Peter's sister - Katherine Solomon, who is a renowned scientist. With CIA on their heels, Langdon and Katherine have to decode the mystery of the great Masonic pyramid as well as save Peter's life. There is a lot of reference to Masons, Masonic rituals, secret passages below the Capitol building, the Library of Congress, The House of the Temple and many of famous landmarks in Washington DC. The description of the kidnapper, Mal'akh is quite gory, presumably intended to gross out the reader. He is described as a very muscular man with tattoos all over his body except the top of his shaved head. Mal'akh's intention is to learn the Lost Word and complete his transformation into a godlike state.<br /><br />After about 3/4ths of the book, the ‘Word’ is introduced. There is so much importance and hype given to uncovering the ‘Word’ that the reader is quite curious to know what ‘word’ could be worth killing for. The reader’s patience is tested until Brown finally reveals what the famous word actually is. Quite frankly, after so much of hype, I wanted to wring Brown’s neck!<br /><br />The only thing that I’ll remember the book for is an amazing twist in the tale that totally catches the reader off guard.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-35323928493341023692009-12-08T22:32:00.001+05:302009-12-08T22:45:52.876+05:30DCH Vs Wake Up SidWatched 'Wake up Sid' last weekend. I found a number of similarities between "Dil Chaahta Hai" (DCH) and "Wake up Sid".<br />Here are a few that I could think of.<br /><br />1. The obvious one - Both movies have characters named Siddharth, fondly called Sid.<br />2. The stories begin with the comepletion of their final year exams and the farewell party (Well, in DCH, the flashback begins that way)<br />3. Both the Sids fall in love with older women (Konkona's character is not the same age as Dimple's in DCH ... but yeah, older than Ranbir's character anyway)<br />4. In DCH, Sid (Akshaye) has a misunderstanding with Akash (Aamir) and the two dont talk to each other for a while. The same thing happens between Sid (Ranbir) and his friend.<br />5. The conversation between Ranbir and his dad at the breakfast table (about him joining his dad's business) is similar to the scene in DCH where Aamir has the exact conversation with his dad.<br />6. Ranbir meets Konkona at their farewell party. Aamir meets Preity at their farewell party.<br />7. Ranbir's friend gets dumped. Ditto - Saif in DCH.<br /><br />Ok... Its pretty obvious that I had nothing better to do than think about the similarities between the two movies and write them down diligently :)<br />Thank you for your patience :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-91471208508171274472009-10-12T23:24:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:15:41.986+05:30The crooning topi-walaWhats so great about Himesh Reshamiya??? Why is the world going ga-ga over this self-proclaimed rockstar? Or is it? The promos of his recent movie 'Radio' are all over the place. It looks as boring as his 'Aap ka saroor' and 'Karrzz' (whichever way he spelt it). In his usual tone, he is sitting by the side of a 20 something girl and thinking about another 20 something who he loved and lost. I guess, this sort of a scene is a must in all his movies. Shenaaz (with virtually no acting experience) seems to emote better than Himesh. In the trailer, one sees Shenaaz asking Himesh "Whats your relationship status?"; to which, pat comes a reply "Its complicated". His absolute dead-pan expression does not convey anything!! Don't know what the producer was thinking before signing on Himesh for this film. What the hell, its his money. He has to live with it :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-21825879962516708422009-09-30T20:31:00.000+05:302009-09-30T20:32:50.001+05:30A 60 year old man imprisons his wife and daughters for years together fearing they would get corrupted by the ‘big, bad world’. <br /><br />2000 (!!!) women get flogged by temple priests in the name of tradition.<br /><br />A woman gets caned for drinking beer at a local bar.<br /><br />What kind of world are we living in?? Where does it stop? Is there no end to the brutality? <br />The priest in-charge of the so called ‘flogging ritual’ claims that they have been practicing this for 300 years! Why didn’t this come to the light of the local authorities earlier? With news hungry reporters around, such an act wouldn’t have gone unnoticed if it had indeed been happening for a while now. <br />Such horrendous acts take place… a few idiots like me blog about it, write to newspapers & news channels hoping for some action… but they’re long forgotten. Nothing is ever done. Nothing will ever be done.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-57614494016595644002009-08-05T22:19:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:17:11.795+05:30Destiny's childThe constant thought running through everyone's heads is "Is what’s happening right now good for me?” "Should I try and intervene?” When we are unable to do as we please, we try to blame fate, saying "What ever is destined to happen, will happen". Is that cliché really true or is it just a myth? Or just a reason to leave things be. <br /> <br /> When we find ourselves in situations that we cant really tackle, more often than not, we turn to the big guy upstairs; or to "some supreme power", for all those agnostics out there. We spend all our free time praying at temples, churches, mosques and other places of worship. The belief is that the Lord will either solve our problem (Haha…fat chance!) or at least give you enough strength to pull through it or help you come up with an amicable solution. Working towards the possible betterment of a problem is a risky proposition. One can either fall flat on his/her face or end up making the right moves which eventually solves ones problem. <br /><br /><strong><em>Fortune befriends the brave</em></strong><br /> As uncomfortable as it is for them to do so, these set of people bravely take it upon themselves to do what they feel will improve a bad situation. Regardless of the outcome, they make sure that they have put in their 100%. Embarrassment does not deter their courage. And even if it does not end up as expected, they do not regret trying. As long as failure does not affect them adversely, they march right on past it. This is of course a healthy way of handling things, but for the weak hearted, its not good idea to be going down that road time and again. <br /><br /><strong><em>Latch on to a star</em></strong><br /> Fear of rejection, fear of getting one's heart broken, fear of losing - such worries dwell on the minds of these people. They leave it totally up to fate to decide what’s best for them. In times of crisis, fate and God are their two best friends. If things do not end up as expected or as they want, they blame it on their fate (and sometimes take it in their stride). <br /><br />It is possible to carve one’s fate, but no matter how hard you try (you should give it your best shot, of course), only if something is destined to happen, it will.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-67346643915420932192009-04-26T23:31:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:17:35.303+05:30Interesting triviaRead in one of the many Harry Potter forums that Sirius Black's death is in fact forseen by Sybill Trelawney in the book "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". She says "When thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die” <br />Later in the 5th book (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) in the dining room at Grimmauld Place, we see thirteen people including Sirius dining together and during the commotion with Mrs.Weasley, he gets up first. I'm not sure if J.K.Rowling is even aware of this conincidence!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-8563824063655908432009-04-13T15:45:00.001+05:302009-12-08T22:18:46.744+05:30A dangerous dipI usually get terrified with the very idea of taking a dip in a holy river/lake (irrespective of fact that its supposed to posses divine powers). My dad made me take a dip in one such holy river (Tamarabarani) last weekend. It was one of my most scary experiences. My plan was to just fill my palm with a little bit of water and sprinkle it on top of my head. My dad had other plans. As soon as we reached the temple ghat, he requested one of the ladies there (a local resident, who was busy washing clothes) to take me with her and make me take a proper dip in the river. I, of course, was terrified. <br /><br />Before I tell you what actually happened, let me rewind back to when I was 8 years old. The four of us (me, my bro, mom and dad) had gone on a pilgrimage to Haridwar and Rishikesh. Regardless of the fact that Ganga is polluted as hell, a dip in the river is something that elders like my dad think is customary. So, the four of us proceeded to the ghat. As per usual, I refused to take a dip. A few minutes later, my dad caught me unawares, lifted me up and ducked me under water. He kept me there for a few seconds after which I came up spitting water as well as fire (directed at dad)! Ever since this incident, I have had a sort of phobia when it comes to taking a dip in a river. I'm not entirely sure if this can be clubbed with hydro-phobia :P<br /><br />Anyway, back to the Tirunelveli-Tamarabarani incident... I held on to the lady's hand and proceeded down the ghat steps. Even though I was hesitant to go deep into the river, the lady kept taking me further and further in. Step 1, Step 2, Step 3..... finally, I was at the penultimate step, prior to the start of the river bed. During my first dip, I forgot to hold my breath and so came out spitting the excess water that I swallowed. I had also inhaled some amount of water through my nose. Basically I was a little short of turning blue. She was not 'satisfied' with my first dip as the top of my head was still bone dry. I went in two more times after which she said that I could go back up. As I proceeded to walk back up the steps, the current in the river started pulling me (and the lady) away from the ghat. We had no control over it. As I was being pulled away, I started going under. My mom relised that I was drowing and started screaming for help. No one in my family can swim.<br />Meanwhile, my brother was busy clicking photographs! Even though I was several feet away, my dad's reflexes kicked in. He came down a few steps and extended his hand towards me. Little did he realise that the steps were extremely slippery. He slipped and fell into the river, but somehow managed to get up without hurting himself. Meanwhile I was flapping my arms and legs trying not to drown. In my bid to stay afloat, I realised that as I was holding on to lady who was trying to rescue me and in the process drowning her too. A few minutes later, I managed to feel and locate a large rock on the river bed. I kicked hard on it and sprang up. Finally, my rescuer got hold of me and pulled me back to safety. I saw shock and terror written on all three faces staring down at me.<br /><br />When I was drowing, for a few seconds there, I thought my end had indeed come and that this was how I was gonna die. I thank my lucky stars that I was rescued in time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-2251832878962661522009-03-08T12:55:00.000+05:302009-03-08T13:28:44.969+05:30<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sXprhXTIe_4/SbN1vqaoWeI/AAAAAAAAAxw/Sl4LTlOi168/s1600-h/Picture+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sXprhXTIe_4/SbN1vqaoWeI/AAAAAAAAAxw/Sl4LTlOi168/s400/Picture+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310717847300233698" /></a> <center>Unity</center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-9926535980574358012009-01-27T14:23:00.000+05:302009-01-27T14:28:18.748+05:30I'm absolutely sick and tired of how the general public is being treated in this country. The recent incident of the attack on girls at a Mangalore pub is deplorable to say the least. This group calling itself 'Ram Sena' is an insult to Lord Ram himself. They might as well call themselves Ravan Sena. What right do these men have to barge into a pub and hit and molest these women! Who gave them the right??? What's the government doing? The law-enforcement authorities are busy giving protection to politicians, industrialists and celebs. Any policemen left out from these appointments are sent to 'safeguard' the public against such hooligans. And even when they do arrive on the scene, it’s either too late or they arrive just in time to pick up the pieces. How is it that the media is able to reach the spot well in advance to capture these incidents on tape?<br />It is rumored that the media was intimated about the Mangalore fracas well in advance. Why didnt even one representative from either the electronic or the print media inform the law enforcement authorities?? Is it because they would have lost a good piece of news if the police had intervened and stopped the sevaks from wrecking havoc? If so, the media is as much responsible for what happened as much as the Ram Sena sevaks were. Whats gonna happen to these thugs? Nothing. They'll be put behind bars for a few days after which their leader will take them out on bail. Shouldn’t this be a non-bailable offense? What about those poor girls who have gone though such trauma? I cannot imagine what they must be going through. I am sickened by what’s happening around the country in the name of cultural policing. No one has the right to commit such heinous crimes with the excuse of upholding Indian culture. Is it cultured to treat women like this??? Why are extremist groups like these being banned or disbanded? These groups are as bad as terrorist outfits. <br />I am deeply disturbed and distraught. I don’t know what else to write. I just hope and pray for a better tomorrow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-55816062995892818522008-12-24T11:44:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:20:09.885+05:30Ro(w)diesThe current season of Mtv Roadies makes me feel sick to my stomach. I used to actually <em>like</em> the first few seasons. They were really about survival of the fittest. Tasks were interesting and challenging. Elimination of a roadie did not throw up a huge controversy. Now the show is just filled with manipulation and back-stabbing. Each participant plots against every other participant.<br />Maybe its all made up, but the entire 'Roadies' generation is filled with foul-mouthed, arrogant and dis-respectful bunch of youngsters who think its cool to use swear words.<br /><br />In the earlier seasons we had Mr.I'm-too-cool Raghu throwing off attitude, and now there are two of them! Two bald, bespectacled men sitting and passing judjement on people. These men sit on their high horses and call people hypocrites and other such awful names. Hosting/conducting a reality show is one thing; inviting youngsters to audition and participate in a TV show just to humiliate them in front of millions of people is downright rotten!<br /><br />Last night's episode had this innocent babe from Haryana who had quite a tough time answering the anchors' questions. Raghu and Rajiv were throwing accusations at her, calling her all sorts of names and making her feel bad about who she is! I do not understand why anyone would go through so much torture and humiliation just to get on a TV show. Granted, you get noticed and receive a huge cash award; but it’s not worth demeaning oneself in this manner. Ex-roadie Ashutosh alias Ashu's key to popularity was his notorious behaviour on the show. It even got him an entry into 'Big Boss'(another piece of trash). <br /><br />In my opinion the perfect reality show is 'The Amazing Race' on AXN. Its a test of strength, wits & intelligence. Shows like Roadies and Big Boss must be banned for the mere idiocy and vulgarity of their content.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-14096909708212555662008-11-27T14:10:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:20:37.853+05:30India under siegeWith the current spate of terror attacks in the country, leaving the house and getting back safe seems to be a blessing. The attacks on the Taj and Oberoi Hotels as well as the rest of Mumbai has saddened me to a great extent. Over a 100 dead, 187 injured and still counting! These stats dont seem wake up the authorities to the growing threat surrounding this country. Every time a attack of this magnitude takes place, politicians begin playing the blame game. The opposition starts questioning the party in power and try to manipulate people into voting for them in the next election. With the elections coming up, I'm sure BJP is going to cry itself hoarse pointing fingers at Congress for the terror attacks.Why dont both the parties (rather everyone involved) unite and try to solve the issue instead of gaining political mileage out of it??<br /><br />When is all this gonna end? Didnt the authorities get whiff of this on their radar? Such an organized crime wouldnt have gone unnoticed. Is our security system so bad that there have been more than 10 such incidents in 2008? Unless the government or the requisite authorities take stringent action, this is will continue. I wrote a similar post in Jan 2007. Sadly, nothing has changed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-35254462134304987632008-09-08T12:18:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:21:04.498+05:304th September 2008I ran from one hospital to another, begging for an ambulance, while my grandfather lay unconscious at home. <br />That fateful morning, when I was just stepping out for work, my grandpa called out to me and said that he was feeling weak and was going to faint. My mom & I made him sit down and gave him a glass of water. A few minutes later he collapsed. <br />Shocked and completely unaware of what to do next, I frantically called up my aunt and told her that grandpa has fainted. <br /><br />I ran out to get a doctor living next door; however, she wasnt in. At once I took out my bike and rushed to the nearby hospital. When I said that I needed an ambulance, pat came the reply, "Madam, the driver is not available. We’ll dispatch one in half an hour". I was furious! I yelled back saying "An ambulance is meant for emergencies and this is indeed an emergency"! <br /><br />However, they refused to comply. I was given the number of another hospital in the area. When I called that number, I was re-directed to another place. This went on for a few mins, during which I realised that I need to personally fetch it from somewhere. I rushed to the second hospital, where I had a row with the security there about parking my bike in the car parking zone. The guy made me remove my bike and park it elsewhere! <br />On enquiring about an ambulance, I was asked to wait. Ten precious minutes later, a doctor arrived on the scene and began enquiring about my Grandpa's medical history! Finally, with an ambulance & a doctor in tow, we began our journey back home. We had lost almost 20-25 mins.<br /><br />As I entered my house, I saw the doctor next door attending to my Grandpa. <br />I saw the grief-stricken faces of my mom, aunt and cousin and realised that it was all over. The doctor whom I had brought tried to revive him but to no avail.<br />I wonder if the hospital(s) had reacted on time and dispatched an emergency vehicle, my Grandpa would have survived. <br />At 85, he was a little weak and had lived a full life. He had had a massive attack. I guess it wouldn’t have been possible. <br />But, if it had been a young and relatively healthy man/woman in his place, those precious 20-25 mins could have been crucial.<br /><br />Such disregard & disrespect for medical emergencies is found only in this country. <br />The Indian Medical Association should make note of the fact that there are no ambulances available when there is the dire need for one. <br />Hospitals like the ones I went to should not be allowed to function in such a relaxed and haphazard manner. <br />We paid dearly because of the inefficiency shown by the hospital staff. I hope and pray for a better system to be put in place so that this does not happen to another poor soul.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-86619679109680013372008-02-13T23:32:00.001+05:302009-12-08T22:21:38.301+05:30I've lost the will to write!Working for an IT company has made me a robot. I go to work at 9, sit at the computer all day, come back home at 10 or so, eat, check my email and finally hit the sack at 11.30. Weekends are no different. If I don’t go to work, I sleep, watch TV or go out with friends. My hobbies such as reading or even blogging (which is what I’m doing right now), have been cast away due to either lack of energy or even interest (to a certain extent). <br />As a teenager, I mostly read pulp fiction, though mom constantly urged me to read more of Paul Theroux, P.G. Woodhouse, Bill Bryson and others. Nowadays, I find it hard to concentrate even on a little piece of written matter for more than 15 minutes. Is it my job that has made me this way or have I just lost interest? As software engineers, we have been molded to solve problems by writing programs and documenting them in the worst possible manner. We are taught to copy and paste code in just the right places that we do not bother to read what's in it.<br />Has this made my attention span so short that I’m already planning to give up finishing this??<br />Whenever I get some time off, I feel like doing something that doesn’t exercise my mind too much. Watching the idiot box and sleeping don’t require much thinking; although they are brain – numbing activities. <br />I've lost the will to write! Help!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-86195077462143048952008-02-12T23:31:00.000+05:302008-02-12T23:36:47.415+05:30<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sXprhXTIe_4/R7Hf0P0WIJI/AAAAAAAAAK0/jbRpHaUyQSY/s1600-h/DSC00196.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sXprhXTIe_4/R7Hf0P0WIJI/AAAAAAAAAK0/jbRpHaUyQSY/s400/DSC00196.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166156336262946962" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-52902112281830259932007-09-27T22:45:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:22:04.343+05:30Mumbai NagariyaMy recent (first) trip to Bombay was one of the coolest trips I’ve been on. I haven’t been on that many, of course.<br /><br />Our flight was slated to take off at 6.15 PM… and Air Deccan, well, being Air Deccan, was an hour and a half late. The ‘beauty’ in flying with this airline is that the seats are not numbered or reserved. Their mantra is “First come first serve”. We had to rush to the plane to get our seats. We wanted 3 in a row. My friend rushed ahead of the 2 of us and caught good seats. My friend kept murmuring “I’m never flying this airline again!” - I had to agree with her!<br /><br />We reached Bombay (sounds better than Mumbai) at around 10.15 PM. By the time we collected our bags and got into a cab, it was 10.45. We were going to stay over at my friend’s aunt’s place in Colaba. The drive takes almost an hour from the airport. I think Bombay is the only city in which 3 girls can travel by taxi after 11 PM. We reached Colaba by 12, had dinner and went to bed.<br />Mumbai has an old world charm to it that is so overwhelming. The old Victorian – style buildings are so picturesque that my friend and I took more pictures of the buildings and roads than of each other. <br /><br />Since our shopping was confined to mostly Colaba and the surrounding places, we narrowed our focus down to Colaba Causeway. The place consists of a steady stream of road-side stalls along with stores housing some of the biggest brands in the business. Name a brand and you’ll find it in Causeway. It also houses the famous Parsi colony – Cursow Baug. The Gateway of India was a 10 minute walk from the place we were staying in. It’s funny that we never got to see the Gateway up close. We were too busy eating – out and shopping. :)<br /><br />Matunga was our next target. The place is full of South – Indians, especially Tamilians. With a temple, a few dosa – idli eateries and Nalli surrounding it, Matunga looks a lot like Mylapore (if you’re a Chennaiite).<br /><br />One of the most beautiful sights I saw in Bombay was of Haji Ali bang in the middle of the Arabian Sea. There is a 500-yard long causeway that leads to the shrine. With sea on both the sides and no railings for support, it’s quite an exciting as well as nerve racking walk down to the dargah.<br /><br />I have one grouse, though - Mumbai is quite dirty and smelly. I guess with millions of people waltzing in and out of the place every year, its bound to get crowded and dirty. <br /><br />Our trip was coming to an end and we did not want to get back; but did so with a heavy heart and an arm full of shopping bags. Our flight back home was late, as usual (thanks yet again to AD). Nevertheless, the trip was worth the wait and I would kill to go back. As they say, “Maut aur Mumbai se koi vapis nahi aata”.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20310237.post-7964001919770682592007-09-17T23:37:00.000+05:302009-12-08T22:22:32.220+05:30JBJ repriseI dont know if I can publish a retraction to my own post, but I'm doing it anyway. Finally watch Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. In my opinion, its one of the worst movies of 2007. I can even put it as "One of the worst movies of the new millenium". Never did I imagine that I would be talking like this about the man who gave us Saathiya and Bunty aur Babli. Its too early in his career for him lose his touch, so i guess he has just side-tracked a tad with JBJ. Shaad, get back on track, dude!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0