Bite your tongue

Why on earth would someone say this knowing that his saying would only make an already bad situation even worse. Also, the fact that India won their last league match comfortably and Aussie lost theirs quite badly right after these incidents is only going to put additional pressure on Aussies. It looks as though they clearly don't like the fact that the Indians are ready to reciprocate and dish out the same crap that Aussies were doing for ages.

The following quote from Peter Roebuck is a spot on observation:

The players have formed a unit answerable only to itself. Lucrative contracts to play in India, tensions over the series in Pakistan - a tour they are reluctant to undertake and a country some are loath to visit - and banned columns have affected the mood. Now players are retiring left, right and centre. It has been the summer of discontent. But the Indians have also changed. Australia had been the working man's team bound by a common purpose. India had their hierarchies and complications. Now the Indians play with the same fervour as their hosts, and with the same disregard for niceties.
Although fabulously wealthy these days, cricketers such as Mahendra Dhoni and Ishant come from hungry, thirsty streets. They are not answerable to tradition, owe no allegiance to England, are not deferential towards Australians, were not raised in polite gymkhanas but in tough schoolyards. Accordingly, cricket can rely more on their fighting spirit than their goodwill.

Here's a really funny "bite your tongue" situation:

I had this friend who went to the grocery store and bought Charmin toilet papers and when he was doing the check-out, counter person was so surprised to see just one item being checked out (going to a store for just buying one item is not a norm in US). My friend should have kept quiet, instead he looked at the store person and asked "What?" He promptly got the reply "Is this for here or to go?" LOL!!!!!!!!

Tribute to a genius

Writer Sujatha is no more. It's hard to believe that this genius will not be with us to provide anymore of his ever refreshing writings. I remember as a kid, how I used to go to state government library in Adyar and Besant nagar and search for hours to get his books (mind you, the libraries are huge and his books are very hard to find). His style of writing is unparalled and his depth of knowledge on things was amazing. Here's a sample:

ராகவாசாரி கணேஷிடம் "இந்த form-ஐ ரொப்பிடுங்கோ" என்றார் . கணேஷ் form-ஐ நிரப்பினான்.

His use of "மெலிதாக சிரித்தான்" for smile, was first of it's kind in tamil writing.

Reading the first few chapters of "நில்லுங்கள் ராஜாவே" was more intriguing than watching an actual thriller movie.

He has created a benchmark for writing and with his death there is going to be a void. I doubt if someone will ever be able to fill this void. My heart felt condolences to his family members.

Jodhaa Akbar - Movie Review

Ashutosh Gowarikar's "Jodhaa Akbar" is a well made movie by a technician, with very strong star cast and ably assisted by some excellent music.


Hrithik is brilliant and his on screen chemistry with Aishwarya is very good. His composed yet powerful performance shows his maturity as an actor. Aishwarya is good and she gives the feeling that seems to know what she is doing. There is a whole gang of other stars in the movie that support the main cast well.

Khwaja mere Khwaja and Shehensha songs are not only good but were picturized quite brilliantly. The directors attention to details, from sets to costume, lights and colors etc is commendable in this very long three and a half hour movie.

My problem is not so much so about the movie itself but about the history behind this historical movie. The director himself admits that the movie itself is only 30% original, our censor board only cares about explicit obscene and not willing to scissor any fact that is distorted. The fact is Akbar is an emperor who had at least seven wives and the whole Jodhaa marriage is nothing but a transaction to strenghten political tie. Just google AKBAR and you will have truck full of actual facts and not just someone's imagination or interpretation.

I don't believe in "history is open for everyone's own interpretation". Imagine making Lagaan with "Vaanjinathan" or "Bhagat Singh" as hero who played cricket match against British to get independence. Are we ready to talk rubbish or create stories about our own grand father or great grand father?

Our film makers have a social responsibility when they are delivering something historical. Any message that is delivered is as sensitive as "no smoking" or "anti corruption" campaign. Jodhaa Akbar is an imaginary love story delivered using Akbar as marketing catalyst.

Pictures Courtesy: www.jodhaaakbar.com

Blu-Ray sends Toshiba packing

Toshiba has officially declared that it will not be running the technology race for future HD DVD. While the news may not be a big surprise since the Sony's Blu-Ray has been gaining the market steadily, the timing is surely a surprise. The popular consumer sentiment was that both the technology would co-exist given the pros and cons of both the disks, so most of them went ahead and bought the HD-DVD (which is relatively cheap) over the US holiday season, when the decision on one or the other was still neutral. Now that Toshiba will NOT be making any more players or disks for HD DVD, those who have already bought these are left with no choice of using them as coasters or as paper waits. Too bad the technology changes too soon. Remember the failed laser disks (LD) that came out in 90s.

Hello Help!

Does the following ""ring a bell"?

"Hello, May I talk to an agent please!"
"Sure, Let me know exactly what the problem is?"
"I have a problem with my Bill"
"Good. Billing issue, as of today, your latest balance...Is there anthing I may assist you with today?"
"sure, I have a question on my bill"
"Good. Billing issue, as of today....."
Most of us go through this IVR pain every week and wondered if there is a way to by pass this or at least get a better option. Here's the solution, or at least that's what these guys claim.

I have not given a shot on this one yet, but will defintely check soon. But again, these tricks will only take you to a live agent, the service or solution is still not guaranteed.

Virtual ஜோசியர்

I recently read this interesting post on how online dating and match making services are gaining popularity around the world. While South eastern countries are trying to embrace western culture on dating and secret love marriages, it's amazing to find how the sites like match.com is gaining popularity in the western world for serious long-term relationships. I remember how some of my American friends got surprised when I explained to them on how my marriage was "arranged". They even made fun of the guy who matched my ஜாதகம் with my wife's as a "Dating specialist". The online concept in some fashion introduces the virtual ஜோதிடர் model which people are more than willing to accept. You could still go wrong in any of the methods, but I think the majority of us would agree that for a serious long term relationships you need some kind of mediator to make the process fast and less risky.

Who is the real husband?

While there is no doubt that Aishwarya is Abhishek's wife and not Hrithik's, there seems to have some questions and debate arising on who is Jodha's (played by Aishwarya in the movie "Jodhaa Akbar") real husband. Here's the scoop:

Jodhaa Akbar, a tale of love between Akbar and Jodha Bai, played by Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, a section of Rajputs in Rajasthan has protested that the film is historically inaccurate and threatened to block its screening in the state.

Factually at least, they are on solid ground. Akbar never married Jodha Bai. It was his son, Prince Salim who did. Salim became Emperor Jehangir. And his son from Jodha Bai, Prince Khurram, succeeded his father as Emperor Shah Jahan. “All this goes to show that history is not settled business,” says Mahmood Farooqui, who is currently writing a book on 1857 but is better known as a dastango who has single-handedly revived dastangoi or the traditional art of oral storytelling in Delhi. “It is almost as if each generation has its own myths about the past.” “Those protesting the movie have two specific objections,” says Dilbag Singh, professor of Mughal history at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. “That a different person was married to Akbar. And, that there was no love affair between the two.” Iqtidar Alam Khan, the noted historian and authority on Akbar who teaches at Aligarh Muslim University, points out that Akbar did marry a Rajput princess but she was Harka Bai, daughter of the Kachwaha ruler of Amber, Raja Bharmal. “The erroneous tradition that Akbar was married to Jodha Bai can be traced back at least to the 18th century. That is when we find the first written reference to it,” he says.

Intersting reading. Also, I have never read so much history on Akbar in my entire life until I stumbled on this story.

Davis Cup

India beats Uzbek in the Davis cup to advance to the next round after a thriller played by Prakash, son of Vijay Amritraj. It was almost unnoticed and not so well documented in any of the major Indian websites, goes to show the non-popularity of the sport in India. The win should have got the same attention that Ishant Sharma was getting in the last couple of days, if not more. Inspite of friction between Leander, Mahesh and Prakash, the team came out victorious. Kudos to the Indian team.