Bats in the Belfry

Travelogue: Abu Dhabi 5th Dec to 6th Dec, 2011

2012-01-16T00:14:00.000-08:00

I first visited the UAE in March 2006. That is if you consider leaving Dubai airport, spending a few hours at a hotel and shopping in a nearby mall a visit. This time, I'd spend more time on the ground. Bentley, the supercar makers, had invited us to Abu Dhabi to take their latest products for a spin around the Yas Marina F1 circuit. Of course I was excited. These are 600 horsepower machines,

The Big Run Coming Up...

2011-11-16T04:01:00.001-08:00

One the 27th of November - a Sunday - I will wake up at 4 am. I will then slip into my running gear and head out the door. Once I reach central Delhi, I will run 21.1 kms. Insane, no? Even five months ago, the thought of participating in, much less completing, a half-marathon never crossed my mind. I'd done a charity run before . It was all of 8 kms. Let's just say if my condition at the end

Busy weekend

2011-10-28T05:43:00.001-07:00

Have a long, 16k run coming up on Sunday morning. Just four weeks until the Airtel Delhi half-marathon. My first long-distance run, really. Don't think 8Ks count. Before that, the wedding of a childhood family friend on Saturday. What's with childhood friends getting hitched this year? Another one due in December. And the highlight: Sunday afternoon at the inaugural Formula 1 Indian GP.

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2011-10-28T02:45:00.001-07:00

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I'm posting after a while...

2009-11-20T03:18:00.000-08:00

But this is big. Why have India's three defence chiefs just had a 3-hour meeting with the Defence Minister on the same day that CIA chief Leon Panetta is visiting India? From what I hear, the first meeting discussed "security-related" intelligence inputs. Panetta's visit will be on the same.

Atoms

2009-09-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

It's really satisfying to know what you want from life. That no matter where life takes you, your purpose for being is evident in everything you do. I'm really happy to be here. I hope you are too!

I declare jihad...

2009-07-18T04:56:00.001-07:00

...On boring powerpoint presentations and speeches. Sent from my Nokia E71

Decentralization as a counter to systems disruption

2009-07-17T02:12:00.001-07:00

Been reading on military operations in the early phase of the Iraq war.The speed at which the US air force demolished Iraq's ability to function is frightening.In it there are two lessons. Iraq's telecom networks were highly decentralized and required constant targeting by US aircraft. Iraq's electric grid wasn't and it went down without a whimper. I'm going to rush through the logic here, so

What's more territorial than a pride of lions?

2009-07-02T21:23:00.001-07:00

A pair of a mother and daughter in law... :(Sent from my Nokia E71

The Hangover...

2009-06-28T07:22:00.001-07:00

It's just about the craziest movie you can imagine. One wild situation after another, just as you think it can't get any worse for these poor guys. Instant classic. I was chuckling or laughing right through. Very, very, funny movie. Don't miss it! Sent from my Nokia E71

Terminator Salvation

2009-06-26T13:41:00.001-07:00

My one sentence review... Not worth the effort. Sadly. They leave the franchise open for one FINAL film. Let's hope that one's better. Sent from my Nokia E71

RIP MJ

2009-06-25T18:56:00.000-07:00

I just cannot believe it. DANGEROUS was the first album I ever bought.. I was heartbroken when I lost it. It's been a while since he'd made music but I Don't think his songs will ever get old. Shock. The greatest performer of the 20th century and someone whose music i've grown up with.. is gone. :(

Ooooh my poor tummy! :(

2009-06-16T18:44:00.001-07:00

Joe and I ate a great meal last night at Desi Vibes, a restaurant in sec 18, in Noida. We started with the chef's special murgh akbari.. chicken breast stuffed with veggies and mild spices.Then came the dal deara and rara murgh.. Delightful.. Just delightful..! Trouble is, we were already quite full by the time we'd finished the starters. But we'd been brought up well. Food must never go to waste

A horoscope for a very bitter person...

2009-06-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

(According to this, I'm a pimp, my girlfriend is a whore, and my sister who just happens to be living in China, is 'nothing but a goddamn Communist'). Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You have an inventive mind and are inclined to be progressive. You lie a great deal. On the other hand you are inclined to be careless and impractical, causing you to make the same mistakes repeatedly. Everyone thinks you

Uprooted... III

2009-06-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

From india's refugee communities...Sent from my Nokia E71

Uprooted..

2009-06-12T02:21:00.000-07:00

Just had a heart-rending meeting with a palestinian refugee. His parents fled haifa after the 1948 arab israeli war and settled in baghdad. For nearly sixty years, they lived a life of relative ease - although without citizenship.Then came the invasion. After saddam fell, the militia began to target palestinian refugees, whom they perceived as being outsiders who were favoured by saddam. Jamal,

Uprooted..

2009-06-11T00:52:00.001-07:00

Just arrived at the Ymca's Refugee center in vikaspuri. It's wonderful to watch the parents do their best to give their children a normal life.. Organizing painting classes, music lessons and what have you...I suppose It's as normal a life as you can hope to have when you're hundreds of miles from home..Sent from my Nokia E71

Politics of the environment...

2009-05-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

Define irony....

2009-05-01T07:22:00.000-07:00

I buy most of my books online and pay most of my bills online... So I reckoned I'd certainly be able to pay bills for my new internet connection online. After all, BSNL is an 'internet service provider'. Guess what. I can't pay my internet bills online! BSNL doesn't offer that service to subscribers in Noida! Now, I'm a week overdue on the bill. I've been spoiled by the internet. I really need to

Why aren't real issues the issue in this elections?

2009-04-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to water or electricity or good roads or bad air? Why do I have to vote over artificial divisions such as religion or hate speeches? Perhaps because it's easier for politicians to campaign about how the other guys have screwed up. I have yet to see someone (other than the independents) stick their neck out over new ideas that rock the boat. I have yet to see someone talk about

Naxal outrage

2009-04-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

Like every other armed rebel group, the Naxals have their supporters and their detractors. What shocks me though is how insignificant and faraway the whole issue seems. Some 900 policemen have been killed in Naxal attacks in the past three years. Many hundred civilians have also lost their lives. And yet, there is no outrage. No sense of alarm about how dire the situation is.There is one reason

Surreal...

2009-04-22T11:51:00.001-07:00

It's 20 past 12 in the morning. I'm walking back home. I cross the gate to my community. What do I hear on the radio that the guard is listening to? Bob Dylan! Bob flicking' Dylan! :)

Bad Presenters

2009-04-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

I was at this press conference earlier this week. Some elderly academics were trying to reach out to school kids on environmental issues. It was uncomfortable to watch. Not only were the presentations awful, but the presenters also repealed all the worst mistakes - surmonizing, speaking down to the kids, keep humour far away.. It's no surprise that in a full auditorium applause was sparse at best

The white man's burden...

2009-04-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

Speaking with my sister today brought back memories of my own time in china.. She interviewed with a chinese company to teach english. Apparently, until the owner met her, she thought my sister was european - more specifically italian - because of her name (Vanessa).When they realised she was indian, all talks were immediately off. Suddenly, my sister's preferred teaching hours were a problem,

One more barrier...

2009-04-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

The last time I was 84 kilos, was the summer of 2000. That feels like a really long time ago. From there, I ballooned upto 96 kilos somewhere around mid-2004.I got serious about my weight around this time last year. I started out with fairly benign 1km jogs and then switched to swimming 1.5 kms a day (my favourite exercise!) during the summer. I was about 93kgs when I started swimming. By October

Cheap DVDs - a different ethical question

2009-04-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Moser Baer has an interesting plan to make more money from its DVD business.First, they got things in place to make DVDs super cheap. The problem with super-cheap DVDs, though is they sell at really low margins.So, they bought a library of 10,000 movies and started printing movies on their really cheap DVDs. This created a whole new 'legal' market for cheap movies. And they've been quite

Architecture in Noida

2009-03-30T23:59:00.001-07:00

There are three kinds of buildings I've noticed in Noida...There's the well-designed bungalow that clearly reflects the owner's tastes and style. They don't necessarily please every taste but at least each has a unique look about it.Then there's the ubiquitous SAD (standard architecture of delhi) bungalow. These buildings have no character and no aesthetics. They're ugly blocks painted in every

2009-03-19T00:17:00.001-07:00

Starting today, I'm going to try and blog about my experiences on the road, in the field.. Reporting the daily stuff. This one comes from just in front of the congress party's HQ in delhi, where the kids from slumdog millionaire have arrived to meet sonia gandhi. They're still waiting. I suppose it's a nice photo op for the kids. Not sure what the party will get out of it..Huge rally's just

Throat Singing

2009-03-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

I find throat singing or overtone singing absolutely fascinating. How these singers simultaneously produce two distinct sounds - one a bass drone and the other, a high pitched melody, kinda like the sound of a bagpipe crossed with a digeridoo - is beyond me.Anyway, I was fortunate enough to catch a performance of a Russian (Tuvan) group that was touring Delhi the other day. Mesmerising. I have a

Learn, Unlearn and Relearn

2009-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

So, the training has begun. Television is a completely different ball-game, the way you approach stories, the way you gather information, the way they're presented... On top of that is all the new technology and terminology. So a lot of long hours and lots of mental notes ahead for me.Back to school! I've always enjoyed learning :)

Ah! Great music again..

2009-02-19T20:54:00.000-08:00

Being part of a band is perhaps the best way to discover great new (and old!) music. So even though I'd had CSNY's four way street CDs for more than three years, I'd never really listened to some of their songs. Recommendations:CSNY - Carry on (the studio version) and Wasted on the wayAllman Brothers Band: Midnight Rider and Whipping PostStraight up classic rock, the way it was always meant to be.

The little things..

2009-02-17T19:22:00.000-08:00

Was having my e-mails read to me by my excellent nokia E71 this morning when one email really made me smile. Well it isn't the email itself but what nokia's text to speech reader did with it that made me smile. The email had an emoticon in it.. One of these.. :) nokia has actually taken the trouble to label it a smiley rather than read it out as 'colon close parentheses'. That was nice enough for

rolling along

2009-02-06T00:56:00.000-08:00

I like happy endings. So from one happy ending at BW - where I have been for two years and enjoyed every minute - I move to another role, another challenge because opportunities don't knock often.Where that takes me, I don't know. But i will go with it as it goes along because the journey is its own reward.

are we losing perspective?

2009-01-24T08:06:00.000-08:00

The most important constitutional authority - barring our president (note the lower case P) - had an angiography and three days later he had to undergo by-pass surgery. This is no small matter. We were probably a week away from having no prime minister.

I have ignored thee...

2009-01-12T02:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post and a lot has happened. Here's a bullet-point update of the major events since December 7.1) I've started going to the gym every day and spend between an hour to an hour and half depending on what exercises need to be done. I missed heavy exercise after the pool closed for winter. So this gives me a good reason to wake up early every day. (and it helps that

The state elections

2008-12-07T23:02:00.000-08:00

The big one was always going to be Delhi. If I assume correctly, Sheila Dikshit won for main reasons:1) The BRT wasn't the failure that the media projected it to be BECAUSE more people use buses than cars in this city. In effect, faster bus lanes were a sign of good governance to the majority.2) Delhi's governance has improved under Sheila Dikshit (although a lot still needs to be done). The

2008-11-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

After more than 36 hours of the madness, we still know very little. We know that an unknown number of gunmen took my country hostage. We know that they killed more than 120 people and injured hundreds more. We know that brave soldiers from our army are now going door-to-door checking two hotels and one residential apartment for terrorists or trapped civilians. Everything else is speculation.And I

When madness strikes...

2008-11-27T03:10:00.000-08:00

I am deeply shaken by what's happened in Bombay over the past 20 hours. I'm not frightened, but I am shaken and shocked that something of this scale happened in the city I love so dearly.A friend of mine said it best: "What can I do? How do I sit around while people my age are shooting down others at random!?"

Insufficient credit

2008-11-18T23:42:00.000-08:00

A friend e-mails me after many months. Aude works for a large, 'un-named' bank and is witty as always... "How are you? Anything new? Neat financial crisis, huh? Would love to claim all the credit, unfortunately credit's very hard to get nowadays and anyways I'm just stuck with the consequences."

Yo soy

2008-11-18T01:09:00.000-08:00

I started Spanish lessons this week. The first thing we were taught was to say is "I am" - "Yo soy". It's interesting that statements of identity are often the first things people learn in a new language - "I am Pierre. I am a journalist. I am from India". It's true of Spanish and it was certainly true of my Mandarin and Russian lessons.An incident after that class made me think a little deeper

Cautious optimism...

2008-10-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

I'm usually conservative with my money. Two years ago, I'd tell myself that I was taking a risk. Today I'm a more confident of my decision. So I went ahead and invested in three bluechips.They're at their lowest price in two years. If their prices drop further, I'll buy more of them because such prices don't come often.The key word I keep telling myself is that I'm 'investing' in these stocks -

On this day in history...

2008-09-07T23:20:00.000-07:00

1380 - Battle of Kulikovo - Russian forces defeat a mixed army of Tatars and Mongols, stopping their advance.1504 - Michelangelo's David is unveiled in Florence.1930 - 3M begins marketing Scotch transparent tape.1941 - World War II: Siege of Leningrad begins. German forces begin a siege against the Soviet Union's second-largest city, Leningrad. Stalin orders the Volga Deutsche deported to Siberia

Another fantastic bit of news...

2008-09-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 12:18 PM, Jingwei Zhou wrote: Hello AIESEC China MCPs, (Sorry that I am not in touch with Tina. Can anyone forward this email to her?) China just got the global UBS excellence award today in Brazil (IC 2008). I just want to write an email to congratulate all our efforts since even before us - those who spent efforts to

Alternative career choices i've played around with

2008-08-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

A chef.. I enjoy cooking about as much as I enjoy eating. But I am a much better eater than I am a chef.A teacher.. because most kids and teenagers are fun, easy going, without malice and open to learning new ideas.A championship eater.. the kind that stuffs down 40 hot dogs and 12 hamburger patties in 1 hour.. I've done 15 pizza slices in 20 minutes.... that's something!A professional lazy-ass..

Is it time to let Kashmir go?

2008-08-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

(picture source: http://goatmilk.files.wordpress.com/)I've mulled over this question for at least four years. Every time I meet a group of Pakistanis, we've exchanged frank, but calm views on the topic. Often, we've found ourselves agreeing.India has given Kashmir many things - greater political autonomy than any other state in the country, billions of dollars in aid, (passable) infrastructure,

RIP LeRoi...

2008-08-21T00:47:00.000-07:00

LeRoi Moore, the saxophonist from the Dave Matthews Band, my favourite band growing up died yesterday following an accident in June. He was the quiet one... like George Harrison... and probably the most talented musician in a group that put out the tightest jam rock sounds of the 1990s and 2000s... I'm playing Bartender, which he'd always start off with that lovely drone... and then fooled around

I don't even have a PhD but...

2008-08-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

I was Googling for an old article of mine when I found this little website..Scroll to the bottom. Under suggested "related reading", the first piece is an article by me from last year...! I thought it's quite cool that I'd being cited on another website.So I did another check.. and it seems like my articles have been used on other websites before... here, and here, and here, and here, and here,

strong minds..

2008-08-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

The more I see this 18-year old play, the more I am impressed. Saina Nehwal is mentally tough (and smart) and has plenty of talent. Something she said yesterday gives away just how deeply she thinks about their game and that of her opponent's. "I did not want to stretch myself in the second game once Wang got an early lead. So I let her win and gave it my best in the third. I wanted to make her

India's first individual Olympic gold

2008-08-11T01:51:00.000-07:00

(pic courtesy: China Daily)I'm really happy that Abhinav Bindra won an individual gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle. A medal was expected from our shooters and at least one of them didn't disappoint.But that may be the end of the good news. Barring the 1952 Helsinki Games (where the all-conquering men's hockey team took gold and Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze for wrestling, India has

Travel advisory...

2008-08-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

All visitors are requested to abide by these laws when on Delhi's roads. Ignore them at your own risk. You have been warned.1. The Other Side Law:If my side of the road has a traffic jam, then I can start driving on the wrong side of the road, and all incoming cars will be rerouted via Meerut. 2. The No Queue Rule: If there is a queue of many people, no one will notice me sneaking into the front

The Dark Knight

2008-08-03T04:06:00.000-07:00

It really is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Every actor - every actor - is true to their role. The story is fantastic, yet real, it's well written, brilliantly directed and edited and the special effects are stunning.It deserves at least a few Oscars...Part three (the ones before Batman Begins don't really count for me) like it's going to be awesome... Some of Hollywood's very best

Over-reaction?

2008-07-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

I know there have been 25 blasts. And I know there have been many deaths. And I know they just found 15 bombs in Surat. But i'm not certain if things are quite as desperate as they seem.The fact that India's intelligence services got no wind about the bombs before hand, leads me to a few conclusions:The group (and its leaders) are new to the game. Also, they probably don't have links to the 'big

People surprise me...

2008-07-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone who's seen my phone will be surprised at this - It got stolen!Mum dropped me off at the movies on her way in to Delhi yesterday. I believe my phone may have fallen somewhere near where I got out off the car. By the time we realised it, it was gone. Whoever had picked it up had also switched it off.Now, my phone isn't in the best condition. Witnesses will attest to that. The screen is

lane discipline

2008-07-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

This one was brewing for some time. A swimming pool has lanes. If one is occupied, it's considered good etiquette to use another lane. At 6:30 in the morning, with four people in the pool, at least 4 other lanes are available.Please, please do not get into my lane. I swim 60 laps a day and I don't like it when I have to go around someone because they feel like imitating a log. This is especially

pics from a fun weekend...

2008-07-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

A mixed day...

2008-07-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

The Congress-led UPA won its trust vote last evening. That's a good thing - mostly.On the matter of bribes, they're probably true. If guilt is proven, then the perpetrators should be barred from office forever, even tried for treason. If the accusations are false, then the 3 MPs who held India's parliament hostage for those tense hours deserve just as bad a punishment. Either way, the whole

2008-07-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

Not all those who wander are lost - JRR TolkienI had a fantastic weekend. 2000 meters up, 325 kms from Delhi surrounded by the greenest hills and the whitest clouds I've seen in a long, long time. We trekked, rappelled, biked, ate by campfire for three nights, sang Beatles and Dylan till one in the morning, fought of leeches and other assorted bugs, played hours of dumb charades on the 24-hr ride

My Zen...

2008-07-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

(That's not the same pool I'm going to, but they all look the same, don't they?)

Why the SP's support doesn't really matter...

2008-07-08T02:48:00.000-07:00

After the nuclear deal is signed, the SP's support becomes meaningless. Amar Singh has decided to support a government that is at the end of its term anyway. So, if he starts acting up and throwing demands at the Congress, like the Left did, Sonia Gandhi can still call an early poll and get rid of the nuisance - her baby, the nuclear deal, is already safe.The only thing the Congress needed the SP

Historian Vs. Futurist...

2008-07-02T09:36:00.000-07:00

One of the more entertaining (they usually are!) seminars in an excellent series... Peter Schwartz and Niall Ferguson argue about who has the trump card on understanding the human condition - futurists or historians.Peter Schwartz: “You do alternative pasts, I do alternative futures. Where historians commune with the dead, futurists have imaginary friends.”Niall Ferguson: “I think our difference

A guy walks into...

2008-06-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

the stall next to mine... ("stallmates" as a colleague would say). He's from the business team. So we're going about our business; he whistles, stops, and turns towards me. "Does businessworld write about human rights?" I say yes, there is no rule to stop a relevant story. Encouraged, he continues. "You know, I heard that China's human rights record is very bad." He shakes his head in sadness. "

Happiness is...

2008-06-28T22:07:00.000-07:00

...meeting a personal hero and having a wonderful conversation for nearly an hour. Lester Brown, thank you!...driving a 4.2 liter VW Phaeton on the Autobahn - a great car on a great road.(thanks for the pix, Adil!) (Germany, September 2007)

At 10:35

2008-06-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

The world has too many singers and not enough drummers. I found this out on facebook.I happen to be behind on my personal mails and workloadThe previous two sentences are related.

It's happening...

2008-06-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

When three of your biggest-selling car makers start offering alternate energy vehicles, you know something big is happening...Maruti's LPG WagonR has been around for a whileTata Motors now has a CNG Indica outHyundai has a CNG Accent...I've written this before: The combustion engine's days are numbered.

The colour of the season

2008-06-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

Delhi's back at it again. There are two reasons I love this city:1) Because it's got some of the best places to eat in the whole country and2) Because every monsoon, it takes on this lovely colour...This photo is courtesy of http://twentyonwards.blogs.com/delhi_photo_blog/ (check out some other great shots of the city over there).

I am convinced...

2008-06-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

"Yin-Yang", "balance", "power abhors vacuums".... They all mean one simple thing...Equilibrium is the single most powerful principle governing the Universe. Everything returns to the center.

oh that horrible dream...

2008-06-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

I dreamt I had to go through my class 12 board exams again. What's worse; I didn't even know which paper I had.. AND it turned out, math was the first... GULP! Not a nice way to wake up..

Enough of this crap...

2008-06-04T23:05:00.001-07:00

The BJP and the Communists are seriously demented if they expect educated people to believe their story. Any government, any responsible government - Congress, BJP or Communist (I doubt the last one should be on a list that says responsible government) - would have to do what was done yesterday. We import more than 75% of our oil from abroad. How the hell do you expect the country to stay

Oh, if only I was a Sheikh!

2008-05-20T02:18:00.000-07:00

This is anecdotal evidence. I've been putting together a story for some time that takes a look at emerging alternative energy vehicles in India.Naturally, I've mentioned that the price of oil as an important factor in reducing the viability of petrol/diesel-driven engines. I remember research that said if oil hit $80 a barrel, alternative technologies would become more viable. Today, oil is at

live from chennai

2008-05-16T03:40:00.000-07:00

A fundamental understanding came to me in the middle of the last lecture... Premesh Chandran of malaysiakini.com was lecturing us on the impact of the internet on journalism. MK.com is an internet-only news media organisation.He had is website on-screen through his lecture. Twice, the main story changed as he spoke to us. That's when it hit me.. print is dying. Even in India, where print

Must have software (that's free!)

2008-05-08T01:14:00.000-07:00

Celestia and OpenOffice ... they're free and absolutely wonderful... try them out...OpenOffice.org is just about the best alternative to Microsoft Office anyone could ever imagine. It's got everything you'd want from a productivity suite – a word processor, spreadsheet software, presentation maker, database builder, graphics editor and math tool; and sacrifices nothing in terms of quality (Sun

Chennai - Day 1

2008-05-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

I'm in Chennai for a 10 day course on freedom and responsibility in the media that's been jointly organised by the Asian College of Journalism and the International Institute of Journalism. There are 24 participants from all over South Asia – from some of the most well-known publications. Some stumbled into it by chance, others by design; but everyone seems to love what they do. It's

From Pune...

2008-04-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

I went back to Pune after four years and I'm semi-relieved to see that not everything has changed. There were a few new buildings and a couple of new restaurants, but that's about it.At the conference I went to, it's amazing how many academics believe that climate change is still an unreported issue. They're partly right. And it's amazing how low an opinion most activists have of big businesses.

Vested interests vs. the public good

2008-04-21T00:11:00.001-07:00

The uproar against the Bus Rapid Transport system (an exclusive bus lane for public buses on main roads) is a classic example of vested interests clashing against public good. The BRT is a good thing. It will encourage people to take public buses because it will make their journey faster. By penalizing people who buy big cars and take up road space, it sends a clear message – "You want to buy a

Shameless plug...

2008-04-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

My first cover story.... It's about an electric car - the Reva - that's made in India and is the world's largest selling electric vehicle.http://www.businessworld.in/content/view/4387/4497It took a while to put together but I'm glad it's finally out... For the moment, it's back to the trenches to bring out the next one...

Ridiculous…

2008-04-07T22:20:00.001-07:00

I feel sorry for the hedgehog, I really do; but this stretches limits…

What do you get when you cross…

2008-04-04T01:39:00.001-07:00

Holy water with castor oil………………. A religious movement! I heard this on the telly today and just burst out laughing. Great way to start the morning.

An experiment…

2008-04-02T01:13:00.001-07:00

The IT guys at my office said they received copies of MS Office 2007. (It's ABP… we get stuff a year later) So I thought I'd experiment with it – just for the heck of it. I have to say, I'm really happy with the package. It takes a bit of unlearning as all the menus are now context-driven, instead of static like old Office packages. But that's the best part because you only see what you need. It

I've always loved this guy...

2008-03-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

I could never understand the fuss over him not performing sometimes. I agree it was frustrating to watch. Not because we'd lost another wicket but because we didn't get to see another brilliant knock. Still, when he's on fire, he's on fire. Yesterday, he did it again... 300 runs.. the fastest in the history of the game...Sehwag you are genius... pure genius...

IQ

2008-03-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

Every time I read the debates in comments on news websites, I get the feeling that the most intelligent people out there ask the right questions. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one.

field visit up north...

2008-03-14T02:43:00.000-07:00

Dehradun's about 250 kms north west of Delhi. It's a hill station smack in the middle of the Himalayan foothills. I just spent 2 days talking to villagers around Dehradun.They have a problem. Rainfall has been so bad for the past 2-3 years that their mountains are now totally bare. Not a spot of greenery. What's worse is that they've also had one bad harvest after another, which has deprived many

the most interesting things happen in....

2008-03-11T03:43:00.000-07:00

Taxis... I was trying to get some shut eye on the way home last night. The gentle "Sir, Sir?" of the cabbie woke me up.He asked me if I was an IT guy. I said "No, I write for a magazine". Then he asked me if I knew anything about IT. I said I'd been using computers since I was nine but that, essentially, I knew how to use a computer but not how to make one work.He was undeterred. He told me he

the value of certain things...

2008-03-10T00:51:00.000-07:00

Ok. I've given up chocolate for lent. My mother would argue otherwise. That's because I still eat chocolate cookies or cake. But I'm talking pure chocolate. The kind made by Cadbury's or Nestle or Hershey's. It avoids having to make distinctions over volume of cocoa vs. volume of batter in a cookie, for example.Anyway, the point is that I really miss (pure) chocolate. I've had this stash slowly

Somethings are pure chance..

2008-03-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed a concert by the band Mystique last night. The only way to describe their music is that its middle-eastern played on instruments from all around the world. And they're international too, with a Swiss, a Russian, a Frenchman and an Indian.So I go to check out their Myspace site and find links to two of the band members' pages. A song - Didge, Dhol and Djembe - starts playing on the first

What I belive but cannot prove...

2008-02-28T21:16:00.000-08:00

Been reading excerpts from a very stimulating book each morning... "What we believe but cannot prove"So far, my own meta theory from reading the book is this:Reality is relative to each person's own consciousness. Even mathematical constructs are not absolute under all tests and conditions. I don't have conclusions beyond these two apparently disconnected statements. But I know there is a deeper

A happy place...

2008-02-26T21:59:00.000-08:00

Vincent (MCP - AIESEC China) sent across a mail that's just totally made my day. It's taken 6 years... but it's happened. Congratulations to all the Dragon Teams (and to Chris and Flic!) and to every AIESEC MoC member and supporter. Things only get better from here...From: Vincent Li [mailto:vincent.li.aiesec@gmail.com]Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:34Subject: AIESEC China first Global Award

tuesday morning rush hour drowsiness

2008-02-26T01:46:00.000-08:00

As I wait for a bus, I get to watch a whole bunch of office-goers get driven by every morning. All of them look like they:1) Have had too little sleep2) Do not look forward to office work3) Hate the person sharing their seat on the bus4) Would rather be someplace else5) Need a distraction like a blog to keep them sane mid-way through the day :P

funny moments...

2008-02-17T20:04:00.000-08:00

I was watching Mind Your Language over the weekend. I remember watching the show as a kid and thinking it was the funniest stuff on TV. Then I realised how political correctness has taken away all the fun from stereotypes today. I mean, try catching any comedy where a Pakistani and Sikh trade insults like this one:Ranjeet Singh: Excuse me please, may I borrow 10p? Ali Nadim: Yes, okay! Ranjeet

Connected dots...

2008-02-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

Of late, I've heard the term "steward of the environment" bandied about way too often as a description of the role of Homo Sapiens. After listening to last night's lecture by Fritjof Capra, I believe that term is too presumptuous. Somewhere, our assumptions have led us to exceed that role. My own view is that, as Homo Sapiens, we should see ourselves as no more than stakeholders of this

Highlights of an interesting weekend

2008-02-10T20:44:00.000-08:00

Across the Universe... is now just about my favourity movie ever. Ever.The songs are beautifully sung, performed, and shot. And I love how everyone's names come from Beatle's songs... Prudence, Sadie, Max, Julian, Lucy and Jojo... and all the little references to the Beatles... Prudence coming in through the bathroom window, Max and the silver hammer scene, The painted, psychdelic bus, the

things that go bump in the night...

2008-02-05T21:29:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 3:30 this morning, with a strange feeling that someone or something was trying to wake me up. The only sensation I remember is as if scores of hands were lightly pushing me.. or as if a flock of bats were brushing against me as they flew by.I thought it might be a residual memory from the movie I had watched earlier that night (Batman begins). So I tried to go back to sleep.That's

It's mine (ours)!! all mine (ours)!!!

2008-02-04T21:21:00.000-08:00

Karen and I thought we'd treat ourselves to an early valentine's present.. The Complete collection of Calvin & Hobbes

maybe i answer my own question

2008-01-31T21:55:00.000-08:00

I just picked up two books that were sent to us for review. One is about development, another talks about the what's going on in the Islamic (or Islamist as some call it!!!) world. That's when I realised something. In one year as a journalist, I spoken to hundreds of people, read scores of documents and reports and dozens of books. I've probably hit the search button on Google a few thousand

The Future of Learning...

2008-01-29T23:32:00.000-08:00

It's got all the (old) wisdom about learning and education. I wish more people would pay attention to how technology is shaping human society.

The demise of the fourth estate?

2008-01-29T23:02:00.000-08:00

With all sorts of new technology and social trends emerging, I've begun to wonder about the need for my profession. In ten years, will TV, newspapers and magazines still be the primary source of information? Quite likely... but not for all kinds of stories. Anyone with a (video) camera, eyes and ears on the ground, a laptop and a fast enough internet connection could become a journalist today. (

2008-01-21T00:43:00.000-08:00

What do you think about when you see her?

2008-01-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

I felt really, really sorry for her. All I could think of as I wolfed down a sixth chocolate chip cookie was that she's probably never enjoyed the taste of one of these things without ever feeling guilty about putting on weight. Poor thing.

The DMZ

2007-12-23T05:12:00.000-08:00

This is a gate at the end of Freedom Bridge. It's where South Korean POWs crossed back into South Korea after being released by the North at the end of the Korean War. The messages, i guess are for loved ones who didn't make it back. Or maybe some who wish that the two countries were one, again. The South has many of these people. I guess everyone up North simply believes whatever Kim Jong Il

Must watch

2007-12-22T00:09:00.000-08:00

A fast internet connection gave me this movie in two hours... I had another few hours to watch it on the drive from Gunsan to Seoul this morning.This movie stretches my mind to examine and imagine beliefs I haven't come across before. 8 people. 1 room. 1 INCREDIBLE story. I was riveted from start to finish. (An incredible 53% of viewers have rated it 10 on IMDB.com. Another 32% have rated it 8

This one took a bit of legwork...

2007-12-21T08:43:00.000-08:00

I've done at least 20 full stories since I started writing full-time for BW in August. I don't think I've ever met so many people in two days and still managed to hammer out 1,500-odd words into what resembles a story. Still, I'm quite happy with the results....The story is about how and why Delhi's blue line bus problem is the way it is; and what's being done about it. If the DTC chairman's