Terrible English

Hmmm... Having begun to blog again, I have been going through what I have written in my blog so far. And I m surprised with the language I have been using all along- written in poor English. It probably stems from the fact that I don't have to mind my language in a blog unlike a news report. Nevertheless, all efforts will be taken to try to improve the way I have been writing so far...

Menacing looking black cat

This black cat was looking menacing and was even trying to intimidate people with a threatening tone of 'Meowww'. Sure was giving his/her best shot at it, I guess

Am back...

Finally, I am back again! After months of being bored of writing anything else other than news reports, I am now sitting idle and bored of just writing news reports following which His Highness has decided to blog again (as if I have been an avid blogger and have been blogging for ages!!) P.S. Such a long sentence is not allowed while writing news reports...so writing such a long sentence now seems like a whiff of fresh air!

I have also lost the habit of reading books now. So I intend to start again...hope soon. It's been a very interesting six months for me, ever since I moved to a new organisation. Having to cope with working for a totally different bureau to being once again demanded for the one I was earlier working, its sort of been a roller coaster. While I wanted to keep away from writing about work in my blog, the reference to it has been because of the roller coaster. Why the roller coaster? I don't know. But the word was there...so the roller coaster!

Also, with Calvin and Hobbes going to Mars on Calvin's vehicle, probably the roller coaster can make some sense! And of late, the quality of status msgs on people's google talk seems thought provoking and also quite funny at times!

The weather has been quite horrible in Chennai for the past two weeks. This is the time of the year, when the weather should be quite nice, when the sun actually beats down in a mild manner while there is cool wind blowing in the morning. But of late, Mr Sun seems to wake up too early and starts beating down fiercely at around 6 am itself (which points to the fact that nowadays am most often awake atlease by 7 am. Don't ask me how do I no about the sun rising at 6 am itself, when I myself wake up only later!)

Ah!! There is no wordcount to adhere to here, unlike a newspaper where ppl file stories based on wordcount! It's a long time since I watched a movie- the last one was Dasavatharam, about which I had blogged, which incidentally was my last post.

I lost my second helmet in eight months...slightly depressing. But this time some **###@@@@$$$ flicked it. So had to get a new one. Once again messed up with it-it's slightly big for my head :-( .

Also beginning to wonder if I have become lazy over the past few months or is it just indifference or am I using my time the right way? I guess its everything, though I have to accept the fact that I have become too lazy to pick up things that are not in order and put them in place at home. Probably as Calvin says 'Reality continues to ruin my life'. Ah! Nothing like sitting around doing nothing and just watching TV....naah I guess that's more boring than work! (Ya that's true...u ll have to believe me on that one!!) So, since I have come back to talking about boredom again in this post, I think I have run out of what to say...or just that probably I am bored to write anymore in this post. So, till I get bored again, see ya!! And by the time u r bored to read this becos u r bored to do anything else or are so jobless to read this, I believe u ll be bored again and might decide to do what you were supposed to do earlier(am not taking a call on that one tho!!)

Dasavatharam....hmmm!!

And to add to the countless number of reviews about the much hyped movie of Kamal, Dasavatharam, here are my views.

1) Kamal tries to rationalise and put two ends of the spectrum together at the beginning and the end of the movie- one who is thrown into the sea with the statue of his favourite God and the other who doesnt believe in God but says at the end 'Kadavul illena sonnen, irunda nalla irukkumnu daan solren" while leaning on the same statue that is thrown into the sea, is washed ashore after the tsunami.

2) Except that, there is absolutely nothing in the movie. Except for so many Kamals running around. Reminds me of the movie "Critters" where so many critters just keep rolling together and becomes a huge critter swallowing anything in its way.

3) The one comical scene that stood out for me in the movie is when George Bush asks "Cant we just use a nuclear bomb on that(the vial)?" That's just as stupid as the real Bush.

4)Otherwise, real bad effort of a movie. No story, no reason for so many Kamals. Cant see the fight scenes..too boring, songs are boring and unwanted (wasnt Kamal the guy who said Indians shud make movies without songs..He could have tried that formula here).. In short, dont waste your time

Directors..pls note!!

Apart from all the hype about Shah Rukh Khan's six pack abs, he looks sick in the song in which he flaunts it. Better keep your shirt on Khan.
The dialogue..'Picture abhi bakhi hai' has been wonderfully used in the end before the credits roll. For once, the audience sits down till the credits finishes at the end of the movie.
For all the stardom that the stars take away after a movie, all those people who work in the background go absolutely unnoticed. Full marks to Farah Khan to showcase every one of the crew member who worked in the film.
After a film is made with team work.
Keep it up..
Directors, better learn from it.

The Haneef Saga

Dr.Mohammed Haneef has become a household name in India and Australia now. His experience will haunt the countless number of Muslims living abroad. Haneef said in an interview after his release that the Australian police had asked him if he had been to Pakistan and Afghanistan and whether he had undergone any weapons training? So the point is, if Haneef had been a Pakistani or Afghanistani, he would have been framed in a serious manner than what had now happened, even if he was just an ordinary person living in either of the countries. The point that the Western nations and countries like Australia do not understand is that not all Muslims are Terrorists and not all Terrorists are Muslims.
Well, its no justification that two Muslims only plotted the failed bombing at the Glasgow airport. Nobody has the right to take another's life.
Ok, Haneef is a free man now. But what about the reputation that has been ruined by the Australian authorities? What about the minister saying that he did not like Haneef's character and so is revoking his visa? Mr Minister, it's not a matter of personal likes or dislikes that should decide some issue like this. Ok, while immigration is not a right one can claim, this justification only makes one roll on the floor with laughter and sarcasm. For all one knows, the Minister might have some dislike against most Indians or Muslims.
And this at a time, when Australia is promoting itself as a destination for Indians to go and work!!
Had such a thing happened with the Indian government, the Australians would have branded India as being too high handed or something on those lines.
Finally, the joke is upon you, Australia, the land of Kangaroos.
If it had not been for the human rights activists and the media, Dr Haneef might have been languishing in a god damn cell in an Australian prison, for just one simple reason-being a relative of two misguided men in the name of Islam and Jihad.
While terrorism should not be tolerated at any cost, it must also should be ensured that nobody should be framed.
It is high time for the world to look at curbing terrorism and justice in a better
sensible manner...or else, the world will become a much dangerous place to live in, if these issues are looked at from a religion point of view.

Nimitz Madness

Even before I say that the last 10 days was absolutely chaotically busy for me..first thing first..which brings me to...."I am going to boast about something now".!!!
Well...I was on board the US warship...USS Nimitz...there goes.Since I have blown my own trumpet now, I have decided to move onto do something better.
Three of us were taken on board the Nimitz on Jun 29 afternoon by a US Navy aircraft, the C12 Greyhound. The Greyhound is a very interesting vehicle, it has about 26 seats, the entry is from behind the aircraft, like you see on Discovery channel where paragliders do their traditional jumping routine. It has only two windows...very small ones and the photographers took both seats. It was a bit disappointing since I was taking the first ever flight in my life. But I cant even say I was disappointed since I dont think many ppl get the opportunity to travel by a war-aircraft on their first trip on a plane. Haha... I cant seem to stop boasting...after all every dog has its day!! anyway the horrible part comes a little later and all of u can have ur day...
The Greyhound is one really odd smelling, extremely noisy and dark aircraft.Plus you have to wear a helmet with goggles and some kind of a cup which covers the ears, which is extremely painful.
As the plane finally takes off after nearly two hours of waiting for the runway to be clear for us, we -almost all of us start taking pictures as the plane starts moving and the door closes.
Two hours later 5 30 p.m.- The C12 starts shaking in a very odd manner, it is about to land. It seems to me as if it is shaking in a manner that a dog gets rid of water on its body after it is bathed(hope u have seen a dog do that). We are told to tighten our seat belts and brace for the landing on the Nimitz.
The landing was well far from even being worse. I thought the flight crashed, though I dont no how it feels when a flight crashes, neither do I want to no. For a few seconds, it felt like that. A few seconds later the American sitting in front of us showed the Thumbs Up sign to tell us we landed safely and another bunch of Thumbs Up went up..that was us!! (Phew...)
Finally when the door of the aircraft was opened, we got to sounds of jets taking off from the 4.5 acre deck of the ship. Then we were taken to a room downstairs even as it was booming up on the deck. then we were made to swap our headgear for another set of t-shirts and headgear. Once again climb up a two flight of stairs or one..? I don remember. Cant imagine how ppl live on ships, especially on this one. Its so confusing. We watched the air exercises for about half hour or so and then once again taken to a different room. Our luggages arrive there and we head off for dinner. Dinner is not something I really got ready for. Finding something vegetarian was a bit difficult and once I found it, it was difficult to eat it. To top it all, I felt the ship wobbling(if its the rite word). After a terrible half hour of trying to eat something, I eat an apple. There is ice cream. I m happy. Only till I taste this and then even that goes into the bin. 'These americans are crazy,'I tell myself. Everything has the same taste.
We are then taken to meet some pilot. As we leave the place to meet him, I feel like vomiting. Everyone says I ll be alrite. We go to the pilot's room. As we are standing outside it, I insist I want to vomit. They arrange somebody to take me somewhere where I can vomit and then I throw up.. There U go...U can all be happy!! I m taken to the medical dept on the ship and given some pills.
As the others are talking to the pilot, I join in. The pilot says he has a music troupe on board. He plays the drums, three others play other instruments.They practice in a storeroom or something on the ship!!
We are informed that wee are somewhere below Sri Lanka. some 100 miles below Sri Lanka.
Then we meet the strike group(the air force)captain and the ship's captain.
The next morning we wake up at 5 30 to see the sun rise. but unfortunately the sun has already risen. We just take a look at the jets lined up on the deck, then I manage to talk to a couple of ppl. After an hour and half on the deck, we head for breakfast. This time, I m a bit prepared and head straight for corn flakes and some fruits!!
We are told that we have to return at 10 am. We just about manage to meet the only Indian american on board, a dentist, who speaks broken English.
Finally we are herded onto the Greyhound. We ask for water, they say they ll arrange for it to be sent to the aircraft.But we don get it..damn!!
This time as the aircraft takes off, we are in for a different shock. It takes off vertically almost throwing everyone off their seats. Fortunately, I have placed my leg on the seat infront of me-the gap between the seat in front and behind are very less. I don feel being thrown off. Almost after an hour and half as we land, we hold on tight to our seats, but we are fooled. It makes a proper landing like an aircraft. Back to Chennai. More work to do, following what happens around the Nimitz. Heavy work. The crew members descend on the city for some 'community work'. Many of my friends say they have some work to be done in their house and we should get some of these Americans to do it....Free labour, u see. Especially American labour.!! Finally as the ship leaves, I heave a sigh of relief. The madness has come to an end, for now!! And at the end of it all, somebody insists that I have to be called 'Nimi'. Hmmm

Two posts...Tooo very confused!!

It must be an absolute coincidence that two of the most hottest jobs in the country is up for grabs...not the right sentence,but still. And the two jobs have absolute chaos surrounding them at the current point of time...one is because of indecision of the part of those who is supposed to select him or her and the other is because he turned down and snubbed those who selected him.
Welcome to the chaos- the race to Rashtrapati Bhavan and the coach for the Indian Cricket team.
Not that both are very wonderful jobs..but still..The President deserves the respect of the nation and the Indian cricket coach will get the respect and the brickbats.
Still both the posts have lots in common.
1) Both are extremely high profile jobs, but neither have the absolute power to have their say in most matters.
2) Both work for the country...the President actually does, because he is the President(but I doubt it...considering the fact that he has to work with uncooperative so-called people's representatives in the parliament) and the Indian cricket coach because he is supposed to turn around the destiny of the nation with 11 highly paid poor performers!!
3)The President will get stiff opposition in case he pardons somebody or signs the office of profit bill..the Indian cricket coach will get reprimand from the board and the players in case he blasts a non-performing player with the media (but who cares man...he gets paid millions..so all the media glare is worth at the end of the day...and who knows he might get a better offer once his term with the Indian team is over)
4)And both get high security cover..the President because he is the President and needs to lead the country and the Indian cricket coach, because he needs to be protected from the people, each and every time the Indian team performs badly (I think he will easily qualify for z plus security)

While our Honourably President surely deserves a second term, our wise men (the politicians, if u dint figure that out) decided that no one should be given a second term,no matter how respectable his credentials are.Also, they want a secular, political person with impeccable credential for the post. WAIT! Secular and Political?? That doesn't sync..nor is it logical. A political person with impeccable record is fine..but how come a secular, political person?? Very funny!
So while the politicians are busy with rejecting one candidate or the other for the post, Mr Graham BMW...oh Sorry...Graham Ford, who currently is the coach of the Kent cricket club decided to show the bosses of Indian cricket, who exactly the Boss is.( Not Rajinikanth..I m not talking about his movie Sivaji-The Boss)
So by turning down the offer made by the BCCI, Ford has made sure that he can live in peace and make sure that Kent wins most of the matches and tournaments, which would just be a dream had he decided to coach our illustrious cricketers..who I learnt that do not know the basics of how to hold a cricket bat after playing for the country for so many years and need to be taught(finetuned!!) about it.

Whatever happens...interesting times are ahead as the tamasha (esp with Indian cricket) unfolds over the week.
Welcome to the Chaos..Once again!!