Social Responsibility
Friday, 31. July 2009, 19:18:48
A not too well executed rant about the state of conservation efforts in the country...
Posts tagged with "India"
Goa(h)!!!
Tuesday, 16. October 2007, 13:18:35
Tales of on the road shenanigans as perpetrated by two brothers on a road trip from Mangalore to Goa.
Warning : This is a long and windy post. Most of this stuff probably sounds funnier when told to someone face to face anyway.
Warning : This is a long and windy post. Most of this stuff probably sounds funnier when told to someone face to face anyway.
Shtick Shmick....
Monday, 1. October 2007, 15:09:40
Those folks following the news from the sub-continent over the last couple of days would have noticed that the Indian cricket team were crowned the World Champions in the inaugural Twenty 20 Cricket World Cup.
Cue mass hysteria in the nation. Cricket is after all pretty much the only game at which we get back at the British for 300 odd years of colonial rule. Nothing like being able to stick it up to your past masters. Or something like that....
While the organisers deserve credit for a tournament nicely done, the final itself was a fitting end to the Twenty 20 circus. India vs. Pakistan is a match made in heaven for advertisers and viewers alike given the tensions that exist between the two countries. Keenly contested to the end, the final was decided in India's favor after the last Pakistani batsman decided to get a little cute. Or cheeky. Or idiotic. Depending of course which side of the border one's allegiances lay.
Back home the masses were in a state of delirium. The last time India won a World Cup (albeit in the longer form i.e. 50 overs) was back in 1983. Naturally, where once the fans would have taken to burning effigies outside player's houses every now and then (and will do so in the near future), people couldn't wait to welcome the team back to home soil.
Once back in Bombay the team were given a rousing welcome by a crowd of indeterminate number.
All's well that ends well, then......
....except not.
There was however one section of the sporting establishment that was left feeling hard done by the cricket team's success. Money was what had the proverbial manure hitting the fan.
While the victorious cricketers were being rewarded with Porsches and millions of dollars in prize money, all our national hockey players who had most recently won the Asia Cup were left to wonder what their bank balances would have looked like if hockey and not cricket were the nation's favorite sport.
Thing is, prior to cricket becoming a marketing man's dream it was hockey that held the nation in thrall. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago India were the indisputable masters of their trade winning all the silverware there was while weaving pretty patterns around dazed opponents.
They were so good that Hitler (yes, he of the first name Adolf), once stopped the Olympic final so that he could offer Dhyan Chand the post of general in the German Army.
On and on it went until the last medal. A bronze in the 1984 Olympics. They've never won a major tournament since.
The Indian cricket team lifted the cricket world cup the following year beating a highly fancied West Indies side in the final.
The country it seems had found a new and sexier mistress....
The debate has raged ever since. Are other sports in India being marginalised due to cricket's popularity. The answer is most likely to be 'yes', although as far as hockey is concerned a lot of the blame for this also has to be laid at the feet of a grossly incompetent Indian hockey federation (the current federation head used to run anti-terrorist operations and treats dissent within the organisation the same way he dealt with criminals i.e shooting them down) and constant bickering amongst players. The idea that our cricket team is more successful is bankrupt due to the fact that the last World Cup we won was in 1983 at around which time hockey's popularity too started to wane. The difference then is in the marketing.
That said, field hockey is still an enchanting game to watch. As always the India vs Pakistan matches are electric and offer the best viewing in terms of fluidity. The Argentina vs. Brazil of hockey if such a comparison could be made. In terms of playing style at least.
Getting back to the present, the hockey team feeling left out, cold and miserable (not really) decided to throw a hissy fit and go on a hunger strike till someone shelled out some cash rewards. The bank that sponsored the team duly obliged with Rs 500,000 for each player.
As for the rest of the intended audience for this protest....they would have stopped to listen, except for the fact that they were all attending the parade held for the Indian cricket team.
Cue mass hysteria in the nation. Cricket is after all pretty much the only game at which we get back at the British for 300 odd years of colonial rule. Nothing like being able to stick it up to your past masters. Or something like that....
While the organisers deserve credit for a tournament nicely done, the final itself was a fitting end to the Twenty 20 circus. India vs. Pakistan is a match made in heaven for advertisers and viewers alike given the tensions that exist between the two countries. Keenly contested to the end, the final was decided in India's favor after the last Pakistani batsman decided to get a little cute. Or cheeky. Or idiotic. Depending of course which side of the border one's allegiances lay.
Back home the masses were in a state of delirium. The last time India won a World Cup (albeit in the longer form i.e. 50 overs) was back in 1983. Naturally, where once the fans would have taken to burning effigies outside player's houses every now and then (and will do so in the near future), people couldn't wait to welcome the team back to home soil.
Once back in Bombay the team were given a rousing welcome by a crowd of indeterminate number.
All's well that ends well, then......
....except not.
There was however one section of the sporting establishment that was left feeling hard done by the cricket team's success. Money was what had the proverbial manure hitting the fan.
While the victorious cricketers were being rewarded with Porsches and millions of dollars in prize money, all our national hockey players who had most recently won the Asia Cup were left to wonder what their bank balances would have looked like if hockey and not cricket were the nation's favorite sport.
Thing is, prior to cricket becoming a marketing man's dream it was hockey that held the nation in thrall. Once upon a time, a long, long time ago India were the indisputable masters of their trade winning all the silverware there was while weaving pretty patterns around dazed opponents.
They were so good that Hitler (yes, he of the first name Adolf), once stopped the Olympic final so that he could offer Dhyan Chand the post of general in the German Army.
On and on it went until the last medal. A bronze in the 1984 Olympics. They've never won a major tournament since.
The Indian cricket team lifted the cricket world cup the following year beating a highly fancied West Indies side in the final.
The country it seems had found a new and sexier mistress....
The debate has raged ever since. Are other sports in India being marginalised due to cricket's popularity. The answer is most likely to be 'yes', although as far as hockey is concerned a lot of the blame for this also has to be laid at the feet of a grossly incompetent Indian hockey federation (the current federation head used to run anti-terrorist operations and treats dissent within the organisation the same way he dealt with criminals i.e shooting them down) and constant bickering amongst players. The idea that our cricket team is more successful is bankrupt due to the fact that the last World Cup we won was in 1983 at around which time hockey's popularity too started to wane. The difference then is in the marketing.
That said, field hockey is still an enchanting game to watch. As always the India vs Pakistan matches are electric and offer the best viewing in terms of fluidity. The Argentina vs. Brazil of hockey if such a comparison could be made. In terms of playing style at least.
Getting back to the present, the hockey team feeling left out, cold and miserable (not really) decided to throw a hissy fit and go on a hunger strike till someone shelled out some cash rewards. The bank that sponsored the team duly obliged with Rs 500,000 for each player.
As for the rest of the intended audience for this protest....they would have stopped to listen, except for the fact that they were all attending the parade held for the Indian cricket team.
Vande Mataram
Wednesday, 15. August 2007, 18:01:00
In the spirit of all things related to indian Independence, this post is a bit of a continuation of the last.
Today being the 15th of August, A.R Rahman's version of the Indian national song Vande Mataram is getting a lot of play time on the radio and tv.
The song was originally released in 1996 in time for the celebrations of 50 years of Indian Independence and since then it's played every August 15th without fail.
India was and still is conservative when it comes to expressions of patriotic emotions. Until recently there were laws in place that prohibited citizens from flying flags on their premises. Wearing the flag as a piece of clothing was obviously out of the question.
Which is why the new version of the national song came as a bolt out of the blue. No one expected the song to be accepted the way it was, let alone a major hit on music channels. The original rendition of Vande Mataram and indeed most songs that were in vogue with freedom fighters were solemn, almost prayer-like versions. Circa 1996 and it was edgy, agressive and in your face. Patriotism meets pop. Old school nationalism had been fed through a synthesizer and come out ready for consumption by youth with spiked hair and pierced nipples.
Celebrating freedom had suddenly become cool.
A.R Rahman - Maa Tujhe Salaam
Music video here
Today being the 15th of August, A.R Rahman's version of the Indian national song Vande Mataram is getting a lot of play time on the radio and tv.
The song was originally released in 1996 in time for the celebrations of 50 years of Indian Independence and since then it's played every August 15th without fail.
India was and still is conservative when it comes to expressions of patriotic emotions. Until recently there were laws in place that prohibited citizens from flying flags on their premises. Wearing the flag as a piece of clothing was obviously out of the question.
Which is why the new version of the national song came as a bolt out of the blue. No one expected the song to be accepted the way it was, let alone a major hit on music channels. The original rendition of Vande Mataram and indeed most songs that were in vogue with freedom fighters were solemn, almost prayer-like versions. Circa 1996 and it was edgy, agressive and in your face. Patriotism meets pop. Old school nationalism had been fed through a synthesizer and come out ready for consumption by youth with spiked hair and pierced nipples.
Celebrating freedom had suddenly become cool.
A.R Rahman - Maa Tujhe Salaam
Music video here
Confession
Tuesday, 14. August 2007, 18:34:08
There's this woman that I like. She's older but that is hardly a concern. It's been a long and comfortable relationship that shows no sign of letting up. I love her for being colourful,alluring, quirky, sexy and more than a little eccentric. All at the same time.
Her name is India and there ain't no other like her!!!
Cheers to everyone on the 60th anniversary of India's Independence!!!
Her name is India and there ain't no other like her!!!
Cheers to everyone on the 60th anniversary of India's Independence!!!
Future Shock
Monday, 11. June 2007, 20:06:04
Of all the things that need to be done to make sure that I live in comfort I least look forward to paying the electricity bill. It's something that only happens once in two months but it's an ordeal that is simply no fun.
Paying the electricity bill usually involves getting as early as possible to the electricity board office and standing in an already long and winding queue with more people who are just as frustrated as you are to be there. The counters, none of which are properly marked, are supposed to open at 8.30 A.M usually open a good 15 to 30 minutes late, depending on whether your friendly neighbourhood government employee had a good nights sleep or not. Mostly not. The queues aren't really queues and have alife of their own. People simply stand where they want in the often misplaced hope that they'll be able to get in and get out of the ordeal as soon as possible.
In spite of all the supposed difficulty, it is a situation that is often filled with a lot of humor. People seem to take an inordinate amount of pleasure from their suffering. The hour or so that you spend in line is usually passed joking about the current state of affairs when it comes to paying your current bill.
Part of the reason for this is because of the computerisation of the process. What was previously managed by incompetent and disinterested people is now managed by incompetent and disinterested people with computers. The bills are no longer filled in by hand but instead printed out by dot matrix printers which hardly cover themselves in glory when it comes to speed.
All of this has therefore been met by scepticism by the common man who gets to hear a lot about the computerised revolution that is currently sweeping through the country but who hardly get to witness it first hand. Things get really funny when jokes are cracked by average people who have not and probably will not get to see a computer in operation for the remainder of their lives.
Todays funniest joke came from an old lady who having been in line for over an hour couldn't stomach the fact that the billing computers were refusing to work despite the IT guys repeated efforts.
"Computer pota taka taka pogum,
AC pota daga daga pogum"
A lot gets lost in translation but put simply she was suggesting that the folks responsible for the billing be allowed to sit in air conditioned offices so that it could speed up their speedy computerised billing.
Note : Provided I understood what the lady said properly the words 'taka taka' and 'daga daga' are onomatopoeic and used to imply speed, the deeper sound implying even more speed.
She had the whole queue in splits. Take a closer look and it's a damning indictment of the Indian government's slow-poke approach to fully IT-enable basic services so as to benefit the average citizen. For sure there are projects in place in remote areas that use computers for the aid and empowerment of farmers and other low income groups but they are typically run by private organisations. ITC's e-choupal is one such effort.
The computers were finally repaired. There was a minute's pause before the billing began because almost everyone was busy clapping, whistling and laughing that things were finally moving.
Paying the electricity bill usually involves getting as early as possible to the electricity board office and standing in an already long and winding queue with more people who are just as frustrated as you are to be there. The counters, none of which are properly marked, are supposed to open at 8.30 A.M usually open a good 15 to 30 minutes late, depending on whether your friendly neighbourhood government employee had a good nights sleep or not. Mostly not. The queues aren't really queues and have alife of their own. People simply stand where they want in the often misplaced hope that they'll be able to get in and get out of the ordeal as soon as possible.
In spite of all the supposed difficulty, it is a situation that is often filled with a lot of humor. People seem to take an inordinate amount of pleasure from their suffering. The hour or so that you spend in line is usually passed joking about the current state of affairs when it comes to paying your current bill.
Part of the reason for this is because of the computerisation of the process. What was previously managed by incompetent and disinterested people is now managed by incompetent and disinterested people with computers. The bills are no longer filled in by hand but instead printed out by dot matrix printers which hardly cover themselves in glory when it comes to speed.
All of this has therefore been met by scepticism by the common man who gets to hear a lot about the computerised revolution that is currently sweeping through the country but who hardly get to witness it first hand. Things get really funny when jokes are cracked by average people who have not and probably will not get to see a computer in operation for the remainder of their lives.
Todays funniest joke came from an old lady who having been in line for over an hour couldn't stomach the fact that the billing computers were refusing to work despite the IT guys repeated efforts.
"Computer pota taka taka pogum,
AC pota daga daga pogum"
A lot gets lost in translation but put simply she was suggesting that the folks responsible for the billing be allowed to sit in air conditioned offices so that it could speed up their speedy computerised billing.
Note : Provided I understood what the lady said properly the words 'taka taka' and 'daga daga' are onomatopoeic and used to imply speed, the deeper sound implying even more speed.
She had the whole queue in splits. Take a closer look and it's a damning indictment of the Indian government's slow-poke approach to fully IT-enable basic services so as to benefit the average citizen. For sure there are projects in place in remote areas that use computers for the aid and empowerment of farmers and other low income groups but they are typically run by private organisations. ITC's e-choupal is one such effort.
The computers were finally repaired. There was a minute's pause before the billing began because almost everyone was busy clapping, whistling and laughing that things were finally moving.
The genius of Indian movies
Friday, 8. June 2007, 14:33:01
Out of sheer boredom putting up something that was sent to me by e-mail. The bad grammar is part of the plan. Kindly excuse. We are like this only.....
=============================================================================================
' ULTIMATE' DIALOGUES OF BALAYYA !!!!!!!!!!!!
1) U can study and get any certificates. But u cannot get ur death certificate
2) U may have AIRTEL or BSNL connection but when u sneeze u ll say HUTCH
3) U can bcome an engineer if u study in engineering college. U cannot bcom a president if u studies in Presidency College
4) U can expect a BUS from a BUS stop ... u cannot expect a FULL from FULL stop
5) A mechanical engineer can bcom a mechanic but a software engineer cannot bcom a software
6) U can find tea in teacup. But cannot find world in world cup
7) U can find keys in Keyboard but u cannot find mother in motherboard.
=============================================================================================
Please excuse me while I wipe the tears out of my eyes.....
=============================================================================================
' ULTIMATE' DIALOGUES OF BALAYYA !!!!!!!!!!!!
1) U can study and get any certificates. But u cannot get ur death certificate
2) U may have AIRTEL or BSNL connection but when u sneeze u ll say HUTCH
3) U can bcome an engineer if u study in engineering college. U cannot bcom a president if u studies in Presidency College
4) U can expect a BUS from a BUS stop ... u cannot expect a FULL from FULL stop
5) A mechanical engineer can bcom a mechanic but a software engineer cannot bcom a software
6) U can find tea in teacup. But cannot find world in world cup
7) U can find keys in Keyboard but u cannot find mother in motherboard.
=============================================================================================
Please excuse me while I wipe the tears out of my eyes.....
Show of hands
Tuesday, 10. April 2007, 18:51:05
It's a matter of perspective really. Is the bus half-full or half empty?
Check 1,2,3....
Tuesday, 16. January 2007, 21:29:45
As mentioned in a post from some time back, I'm posting a few songs here. The first one is a Tamil song from a recent movie. All the others are Hindi ones from a movie Taal and composed by A.R Rahman who is incidentally a Tamilian. The last two are remixes of popular Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan numbers.
Taj Mahal
Taal Se Taal - A.R Rahman
Ramta Jogi - A.R Rahman
Ishq Bina - A.R Rahman
That last one incidentally has lyrics that go, 'There is no life without love...', and so on which is all fine when you're in love and maybe chasing each other around trees but qualifies as wishful thinking when you've been dumped on your arse by the love of your life.
Before moving to the next two files it's worth noting that they're remixes packaged for newer listeners so if you can't stand the thought of aurally mutilated classics you might want to turn away.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and P.I.R - Tere Bin Nahin Lagda
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Piya Re
Yenjoi !!!
Taj Mahal
Taal Se Taal - A.R Rahman
Ramta Jogi - A.R Rahman
Ishq Bina - A.R Rahman
That last one incidentally has lyrics that go, 'There is no life without love...', and so on which is all fine when you're in love and maybe chasing each other around trees but qualifies as wishful thinking when you've been dumped on your arse by the love of your life.
Before moving to the next two files it's worth noting that they're remixes packaged for newer listeners so if you can't stand the thought of aurally mutilated classics you might want to turn away.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and P.I.R - Tere Bin Nahin Lagda
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Piya Re
Yenjoi !!!
Paid in full
Thursday, 7. December 2006, 01:42:34
Navjot Singh Sidhu
Indian Cricketer, TV personality, member of Parliament, guilty of manslaughter.
Sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine of Rs. 100,000.
He accomplished all this by beating a 65 year old man to death in 1988 during a dispute over a parking space no less.
Therein lies a tale of Indian life.
About how we let our celebrities pay a fine of Rs. 100,000 when found guilty of taking a person's life. About how our citizens hold Government posts inspite of their criminal backgrounds. About how people like this continue to rub shoulders with the high and mighty of this country. About how, most infuriatingly, thugs like this smile at video cameras on the way out from court after being found guilty because they know they will go scot free. About how the judicial system takes 18 years to reach a verdict. About how the fine paid by the guitly party will be lost to corruption.
He is not the first, he certainly won't be the last.
This is one of the faces of my country. Coming to you same time tomorrow, same channel.
Indian Cricketer, TV personality, member of Parliament, guilty of manslaughter.
Sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine of Rs. 100,000.
He accomplished all this by beating a 65 year old man to death in 1988 during a dispute over a parking space no less.
Therein lies a tale of Indian life.
About how we let our celebrities pay a fine of Rs. 100,000 when found guilty of taking a person's life. About how our citizens hold Government posts inspite of their criminal backgrounds. About how people like this continue to rub shoulders with the high and mighty of this country. About how, most infuriatingly, thugs like this smile at video cameras on the way out from court after being found guilty because they know they will go scot free. About how the judicial system takes 18 years to reach a verdict. About how the fine paid by the guitly party will be lost to corruption.
He is not the first, he certainly won't be the last.
This is one of the faces of my country. Coming to you same time tomorrow, same channel.
Showing posts 1 - 10 of 16.
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 November 2009January 2010
| ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Tags
Recent visitors
Try a faster and more secure Web browser. Download Opera
Sayeed is blogging on My Opera
My Opera is a blog and photo sharing community with millions of members. Join now to follow Sayeed's blog and get your own.
WIDGETIZEHelp | Disclaimer | Terms of service | Web analytics powered by HitsLink
