Scraps Stuffs - Random musings from apun ka desh

1. Continue working out. Not being tired all the time is reason enough.
2. Spend more time with my wife.
3. Start meditating. Should help with the very short attention span problem.
4. Learn to salsa/jive/waltz.
5. Research and write an article on one area of my interest that I can be proud of.
6. Remember that a positive attitude is the key to most things.
7. Watch what I eat.
8. Enjoy the small things - the nice sunsets, the winter chill, the gentle drizzle, the changing of the seasons, bird calls, dog antics and many more.
9. Don't sweat the small stuff.
10. Don't be in a hurry all the time.

To hate your job and do nothing about it is a failure of imagination: a true life sentence.

It was only a matter of time before it happened. The first "proper" terrorist attack in Bangalore happened yesterday night at IISc. One person died and six were injured. As usual the Bangalore cops had no idea although expecting them to have any is idiotic given that they cannot even manage traffic properly or indeed investigate a crime competently. Even after they had many warnings that Bangalore would be targetted because of its importance to the country as an IT hub, there didn't seem to be any security at most places. Even today I didn't see a single cop, traffic or regular on the long drive to work. Cops must have got up late.

I bet Dharam Singh would be hiding under his bed wondering why this had to happen to him.

The media as usual exhibited all the qualities of a headless chicken, crazily running around in circles, clueless as usual. The same story repeated again and again. The same old tactic of stating something categorically which was later proved to be wrong (I mean, one terrorist killed?) - I forgot which channel it was on. Luckily we didn't have to suffer Jujhar Singh of Headlines Today, one wouldn't have had a clue as to what was happening if we did.

NDTV as usual was the worst. Barkha Dutt tried her level best to shield the government by stating that this couldn't not be called a terrorist attack - yes, Barkha it cannot be because none of your family, friends and relatives were killed yesterday.

Sometime I feel that incompetence, laziness and a lackadaisical attitude towards everything is in the very blood of the people in this state (this is spun as laidback, non-aggressive and gentle).

I'm convinced that India is a nation of diggers. We just can't seem to digest a smooth road, we just have to go and dig it up and not fill it for days. And once filled, we take supreme pleasure in digging it again after a short cooling off period.

We don't discriminate against bad roads either, we dig them up too :-)

Applauding Sachin's 35th ton, the sheer longevity of his international career struck me. The single minded focus on cricket to the exclusion of almost everything else and the pride while playing for India are almost unique in Indian cricket. Only Dravid matches that.

Sachin is truly the man.

The logical thing to do (if inexplicable) would be to drop Gautam Gambhir for Wasim Jaffer. Dropping Ganguly after giving him just one test to prove himself is too bad! If Ganguly is pissed at being treated unfairly, he should be. I thought this bunch of selectors would not be idiots, guess I was mistaken.

If Kolkatta erupts now, its justified.

Spice Telecom have come up with three brilliant radio ads currently playing on Radio City. The ads feature long monologues (actually dialogues but with the lines spoken by the person other than the narrator missing) by three stereotypical characters - your nosy neighbour, the friendly autorickshaw guy and the corner Muslim mechanic. The accent, style and manner of speaking are spot on. Very, very well done indeed. Then the content is brilliant too and so is the punch line. All in all an excellent job done. Radio ads, I have always felt, are more difficult to pull off when compared to TV ads. The visual medium serves as a crutch and excuse for mediocrity, not so the audio medium.

Two thumbs up!

Been meaning to post the best line in the movie Salaam Namaste - "When in Rome, do the Romans". My sentiments exactly!

Something I read on another blog that is pretty good

The Leader

Patient and steady with all he must bear,

Ready to accept every challenge with care,

Easy in manner, yet solid as steel,

Strong in his faith, refreshingly real,

Isn't afraid to propose what is bold,

Doesn't conform to the usual mold,

Eyes that have foresight, for hindsight wont do

Never back down when he sees what is true

Tells it all straight, and means it all too

Going forward and knowing he's right

Even when doubted for why he would fight.

Over and over he makes his case clear

Reaching to touch the ones who won't hear

Growing in strength, he won't be unnerved

Ever assuring he'll stand by his word

Wanting the world to join his firm stand.

Bracing for war, but praying for peace

Using his power so evil will cease:

So much a leader and worthy of trust,

Here stands a man who will do what he must

would still be a thorn!

Bangalore, Bengaluru, who the shit gives a damn except die hard Kannadigas? So what if the streets are screwed up, the traffic situation unmanageable and other infrastructure deteriorating by the day. As long as we earn the right to be called Bengalurus, everything is just fine and dandy right?

Wrong.

Bengaluru will still remain a third rate city, with fourth rate infrastructure and fifth rate people!