Love at First Sight

I didn't watch Saawariya. I did watch Dilli 6.

Sonam Kapoor is nothing short of drop dead gorgeous.

Why people will ever look at Deepika Padukone, I'll never understand.

I'm in love with Sonam Kapoor.

Barra Barra by Rashid Taha

This song featured in the movie Black Hawk Down. I loved the movie and I love this song.

I don't know the language. I don't know the lyrics and I don't freakin care.

My latest favourite song

Satellite by BT. Without a shadow of doubt, one of BT's better songs.



=============================================

We'd like you to leave immediately.

(next subject...)

We can see the satellite at uh, a distance of about uh, I guess over 15 miles here.

It looked like a star as you looked up.

See here, we have a beautiful view of the earth down below as the satellite departs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She smells of the sun
And shes constantly saying
Thats its all right,
Because lies sound so nice.
And like soil to seed goes
To casting my fears aside...

She says, the satellite is coming.
I pray, the wrecking ball is waining
She says, the satellite is coming.
Its come to take us home.

Satellite...

Still smells of the sun
And the light that brings healing
Is burning my eyes
And the dark seems so nice
And Im choking on blessings that I can receive
I hide.

She says, the satellite is coming.
I pray, wrecking ball is waining.
She says, the satellite is coming.
Its come to take us home.
(repeat out)

Fear and Greed

What do you think really drives financial markets ?? Man's most primal instincts - Fear and Greed.

I was watching TV the other day and this analyst came up with a very witty explanation for the current financial crisis. It was something like this:

The reason we are in this position now is because of too much greed and too less fear. The reason we are not able to get out of this situation is because of too much of fear and too less of greed.

I think that's very nicely put. There are quite a few who have tried to explore and understand the qualitative aspect of the functioning of financial markets. The social influence that is inevitably brought on my the involvement of humans is undeniable. Try reading "Theory of Reflexivity" by George Soros. The man is a genius, in every sense of the word.

There is a point where rationality is thrown out the window and "sentiments" rule the game. It's not who you are, it's what people think you are. That doesn't stop with people, it true for anything and everything.

Doesn't matter what you think, if Warren Buffet says something markets will plunge or rise. The Finance Minister or the Prime Minister come out with a statement and immediately the market recovers. So what, the fundamentals have all of a sudden changed because some politician has something to say.

How can the Finance Minister say that "investor confidence" has returned ??

How the fuck would he know ??

He hasn't slogged all year long, saved by cutting corners, invested the savings in the stock market and lived to see his life savings be flushed down the god damn toilet.

He has every right to try and convince the world that India is still a hot investment destination. He has every right to say that Indian banks are not in any trouble. He has every right to claim that the Indian economy is insulated from the global recession. Do you see the irony here ?? It's a GLOBAL RECESSION but India is insulated.

He can say whatever he wants about the economy but he has no right to comment on investor confidence.

I can see that I have successfully deviated from where I started. I shall not burden you with my rants any more.

Rest easy.

My sincere advise

In case you are not married, marry someone you already know. From the look of things, I'm sure the entire process is bound to get very ugly.

If you find someone on your own, there are so many advantages. For starters, you wont have prospective matchmakers asking your parents, "Can I have a recent photo of your son?". And obviously, you wont have people commenting on how photogenic your face is or how you appear to be shorter in the photo than you really are.

No pre-marriage pains in this case. There is no avoiding the marriage blues or the post-marriage trauma.

But then, something is better than nothing, right ??

What a load of crap

The first Sunday of every august is Friendship day. Can anyone tell me why ? Is it because the concept of friendship was discovered on the first Sunday of some august ?

Why is it different from birthday or wedding day or death day ? Why does it not have a date ? First Sunday of every august is Friendship day. What a load of crap.

My real question is, do you need a reason, like friendship day, to celebrate a friendship ? For the same reason, why do we have mothers day and fathers day ? If you really mean it, then everyday is the same among friends.

If you think friendship day is special, then it means that you are being a hypocrite on the first Sunday of every august or every day other than that particular Sunday. Your friends don't mean the same to you on days other than friendship day ?

Valentines day is different. A guy does need a reason to buy a gift for his girl. Due to my lack of experience in this matter, I am not willing to comment on what the girls take is likely to be on this.

Let me ask you this - How many of you can look at the phone book in your mobile and categorically state that you want all the numbers in it ? Please note, I use the word "want" and not "need". Yes, there is a difference. I "want" a pizza. I "need" food. You get the difference. How many of you have some long lost contacts number in your phone book ? Some one time friend whom you were close to in your previous life and you are no longer sure if that person is living or dead ? Have you thought about how many numbers you can delete from your phone book without bringing on absolutely any change whatsoever to your current lifestyle ?

Don't give me this crap that you will keep in touch with all those people if only you had the time. If you really wanted to keep in touch, you would have made the time. The fact that you can do without them basically means that you are no longer friends. You are merely acquainted.

It's not anyones fault. Just that sometimes things work out that way. Priorities change. Needs and wants change. Shit happens.

What I actually want to say is, if you really want to get in touch with someone and say hi, just go right ahead and do it. Sending a long and winding text message just because its friendship day completely undermines the relationship you share with that person. It's hypocritical at best.

Please don't do it. At the risk of sounding rude, it makes you look cheap.

This one's got nice lyrics

Set The Fire to The Third Bar by Snow Patrol



====================================================================================
Lyrics:

I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from 'A' to where you'd be
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My finger in creases of distant dark places

I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've found so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science

Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I, I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms

After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted, close our eyelids
And dreaming, pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep in

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
And I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
and I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

WwwooooWWW

What do you get if you put Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and Laurence Fishburne all in one movie at the same time ?





Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and released in 1979, I personally think this movie kicks ass everything else save for Godfather Part One.

Watched this movie the first time about twelve years back. Obviously I was too young to fully appreciate it.

Watched it for the second time today.

Wow, indeed.

Now, This is a real Feel Good Song

Heard this song for the first time about a month back on this channel called Voyager on WorldSpace Satellite Radio. My only regret, I didn't know about this song earlier.

The music and the lyrics are so in sync, if they were people they would be wearing each others underwear.

Artist: Snow Patrol
Track: Shut Your Eyes
Album: Eyes Open
Year: 2006

Notice the irony in the name of the track and the album. No wonder this is the best song in the album. Why do I feel like I've known these guys for a long time ?



Lyrics:

========================

Shut your eyes and think of somewhere
Somewhere cold and caked in snow
By the fire we break the quiet
Learn to wear each other well

And when the worrying starts to hurt
And the world feels like bricks of dirt
Just close your eyes until
You can imagine this place
Yeah, our secret space at will

Shut your eyes, I spin the big chair
And you'll feel dizzy, light and free
And falling gently on the cushion
You can come and sing to me

And when the worrying starts to hurt
And the world feels like bricks of dirt
Just close your eyes until
You can imagine this place
Yeah, our secret space at will

(Shut your eyes)
[x4]

Shut your eyes and sing to me
(Shut your eyes and sing to me)
[x4]

Once Upon the Sea of Blissful Awareness

Presenting Shpongle.

This song will make you willingly and blissfully unaware of everything around you. Just don't listen to this when you are high - on anything.



Lyrics:

===========================

'Waves of the soft spring wind
Love's flood tide is rising full
The moon of love is rising full
Sea of beauty.
The moon of love is rising full
Love's flood tide.
Some laugh, some weep, some dance for joy.

My mind craves nectar day and night.
Like a blue lotus floating on the sea of love.
Lingering in ashantically
Lingering in the akashic realms
Lingering in the realms.
Blue lotus floats, floating, floating..
Some laugh, some weep, some dance for joy.
My mind craves nectar day and night.'

Dark Heart Dawning

I really love this song. The video is not exactly what I had in mind for this song, but unfortunately couldn't find anything better. Let the song play, close your eyes and listen.



Lyrics are as follows:

=======================
It's all good...

Clever clap of lightning
Flash before the sound
The dark heart is dawning
There's no one else around

Violate me like an animal
Like you always do
While the dark heart is dawning
And the sky is as black as you

I came up in it
I crash down in it
It's all good
I feel complete in it
I black out in it
It's all good
[x2]

Burning branches of synaptic fire
Surf the serotonin swells
While the dark heart is dawning
And cuts the wound that nothing quells
Impotent in your hatred
I've been cut but never bled
Though your dark heart is dawning
This child can see a light ahead

Though I came up in it
I'm not defined by it
It's all good
I felt complete in it
now cuttin free of it
It's all good

And in the age of love, you came and split my heart
And in the rage of love, you taught the joy in pain
And in the age of love, I found my sacred place
Where I can hide
from the dark heart that's dawning
like now...

from the dark heart that's dawning

And in the age of love, you came and split my heart
And in the rage of love, you taught the joy in pain
And in the age of love, I found my sacred place
Where I can hide
from the dark heart that's dawning
like now...

Dark Heart Dawning
Calm's still coming
Waves keep rising
Time keeps takin her time
[x2]

My top 5 at this point in time

1. "Orestes" by A Perfect Circle
2. "Spiral" by Godsmack
3. "I'm no Angel" by Dido
4. "As sure as the sun" by Black Rebel Motorcyle Club
5. "Dark Heart Dawning" by BT

This subject to change without prior notice.

This is one of the best songs ever

Lyrics are as follows:

Metaphor for a missing moment
Pull me in to your perfect circle

One womb
One shame
One resolve

Liberate this will
To release us all

Gotta cut away, clear away
Snip away and sever this
Umbilical residue,
Keeping me from killing you

And from pulling you down with me here,
I can almost hear you scream

Give me one more medicated peaceful moment
Give me one more medicated peaceful moment

And I don't wanna feel this
Overwhelming hostility
I don't wanna feel this
Overwhelming hostility

Gotta cut away, clear away
Snip away and sever this
Umbilical residue

Gotta cut away, clear away
Snip away and sever this
Umbilical residue,
Keeping me from killing you

Snip away and sever this

Keeping me from killing you

=============================

Orestes was the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestre (sorry about the names, not sure about them since i'm no greek). Clytemnestre along with her lover Aeghistus murdered Agamemnon at his return from Troy, and attempted to kill her own son. His sister Elektra managed to have Orestes escape to Mount Parnassus. Eight years later, he was ordered by the Oracle of Delphi to return to Athens and slay his mother and her lover, which he eventually did with the help of his sister. The Gods, upset about that maricide, sent the Erynies to torture him. He eventually got forgiven his murder during a trial Athena organised, and went on to become king of Mycenae, Argos and Laconia, before dying of a snake bite in Arcadia.

Ignorance is bliss

That is so true, but also far fetched from reality and more importantly, incomplete.

If I was ignorant to the fact that there are jobs out there which will better suit my requirement as compared to my current job, I would be in a state of bliss.

If I was ignorant of the existence of the world around me, I would be in a state of bliss.

There is always an "I" and an "IF" in the statements I have made here and the one's I thought of but didn't type in here.

Tells me two things - Bliss is conditional and very subjective.

If I live in a world where I am the world, then bliss would be unconditional and universally applicable.

Since I dont ......

I'm starting to like this guy

December 27th 2007, Narendra Modi will be sworn in as the Cheif minister of Gujarat for the third consecutive time. The prominent BJP party member single handedly crushed the Congress and the rebels to propel his party to a convincing win, silencing his critics both inside his party and outside. BJP won 117 out of the 182 seats with the Congress and it's allies only managing a paltry 62 seats. BJP finishing only 10 seats less than in 2002 when they won 127 seats. Clearly, Moditva announcing it's arrival loud and clear for everybody to hear.

The "Merchant of Death" per Sonia Gandhi is truly the undisputed "King of Gujarat".

Actually I don't know Modi well enough to start liking him. He's a close second though.

I was talking about Hugh Laurie.

Watched him the first time as Dr. Gregory House in the American television drama - House. Clearly this guy's brand of humour is sarcasm. House is a beautifully written character, full of witty one liners and a unique take on life - everybody lies.

If you are not obsessed with boring sob stories, which have more of background music than actual dialogue per episode, that pass off as television drama on Sun TV, I'd recommend that you watch House.

Be warned, if you don't understand sarcasm you will miss the true essence of the entertainment.


Happy Housing !!!

Velinaatu experience

Edward I LongShanks. Something he said comes to mind.

"The problem with Scotland is, its full of scots"

For those who don't know this guy, see here and here. What, still don't know who this guy is ? Go watch Mel Gibson's Braveheart. Again. Only this time, watch the movie and not only Mel Gibson. If you haven't watched it once before, you are even more hopeless than I thought.

Well, I have something to say myself.

"The problem with Britain today is, it's missing the Brits"

It took me less than 2 days of walking around the streets of London to figure that out. Trust me, you can't walk for more than five minutes on the road without seeing at least 5-10 people who are not Brits. They may be from anywhere - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Finland or any of the Muslim nations. There are so many immigrants. Sure looks like they are stuck with memories of the colonies forever - a constant reminder of what they once were. Now they can stand aside and watch the world roll right pass them. I saw a mosque and a Hindu temple but never a church. So much for a country which once played protagonist to the Holy Crusades.

It caught me a little off guard. Not once did I feel like I was in a truly foreign country. Rice and dal, roti and chicken tikka are never far away. Neither is unlimited chettinad meals, or nethali fry, vanjaram fry, squid masala. If you look hard enough you will probably find an odd sign which says "fish n chips" or "steak house". Don't get me wrong, now, I don't mind a steak house, especially if its well done and marinated in some fine red wine.

Maybe my observations are slightly skewed because my eyes were looking for familiar signs and remembered the ones I liked. But I can state with certainty there is an undeniable element of truth in what I just said. I'm not going to dwell into the reasons, economic and political, behind this phenomenon because I don't really care.

I like London city.

I was lucky to be received by pleasant weather and sunlight which was just enough to light the horizon. Enough to take photographs out in the open without a flash. The chill breeze late in the evening, the crisp air in your lungs when you take a deep breath, makes you want to walk - Along the Thames, around Hyde park, through Covent market, all around Oxford street and Piccadilly circus, all the way from Tower Bridge to Buckingham Palace, past westminister abbey and victoria station.

And walk I did. Not because I had to, not because there was no other way to get to where I was going. But because, that is how I think you should see London.

On foot, with just enough clothing so you can feel the cold and not be all warm and cosy. Without an umbrella in hand and the sight of impending rain every step of the way.

It was a good experience. It would have been even more fun had I worn the right pair of shoes which didn't kill my feet after the first thirty minutes. Nevertheless, it was worth the pain.

After a productive three weeks, professionally speaking, I am on my way back to Singara Chennai. I realise I am on my way home. Feeling glad about it. Couldn't wait to end my journey and get home. But it never really truly hit me until I got to Frankfurt airport.

Ten minutes to boarding time, I'm sitting in the lounge reading Financial Times, weekend edition - there is an interesting article about how Iceland, all of a sudden, has become the centre of attention in the financial world. Out of the blue, there is this mylapore mama's voice. Before I lift my head up to see who it is, I have this mental image of how the mama will look.

I look up and see my imagination in true colour - mama in his immaculately pressed Louie Phillipe Khaki trousers, Sparkling white Reebok sneakers, white and gray striped park avenue sweater and his new stylishly designed spectacles, gleaming in the single ray of sunshine that managed to make its way right on to the tip of the frame. Mama is of course talking to mami and by talking I mean having an animated conversation about how his grandson just cant keep his hands off his bristling white moustache, the life in his voice and the gleam in his eyes, so refreshingly genuine. Another mambalam mami joins the gang, and mama, ever so smoothly, offers his seat to the lady. Who said chivalry is dead. That moment Sean Connery would have been at a loss for charm.

I smile to myself, get back to reading Financial Times. I find out Iceland is interesting because it has one of the highest per capita incomes in Eurpoe and how the banking industry there has done a tremendous job in supporting the economy.

My eyes continue to read. My mind continues to assimilate the information. I feel this warmth spreading through me.

I am going home.

A man after my own heart

I dare do all that may become a man;
Who dares do more is none

--Macbeth, William Shakespeare

Wonder what he really meant

"Only the dead have seen the end of war" - Plato

Not many would be really familiar with this quote, including me. Not until the release of Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down in 2001. Interestingly there is no documented proof that this quote appears in any one of Plato's dialogues. Anyway, I'm not interested in verifying the authenticity of this attribution.

Irrespective of who might have originally come up with this quote, it is most certainly an interesting one.

There is always something to fight about. There is always a conflict of interest.

After all, "The purpose of all war is peace" - St. Augustine. Cant help but accept the innate truth in that quote.

God is who I think he is

Before you read on, none of the below mentioned is an effect of me reading or watching "The DaVinci Code". I dont want Dan Brown to get ahead of himself. I personally feel that book is one of the most over rated pieces of fiction ever written.

The 14th century church divides sin into two types:

• Venial - forgiven through the sacrament of Confession.
• Capital - meriting damnation.

In the later part of the 6th-century A.D., St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) in his work Moralia in Job, introduced the seven deadly sins.

Seven deadly sins. To make it sound more melodramatic, Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins.

• Lust (Latin, luxiria) - Depraved thought, unwholesome morality, desire for excitement, or need to be accepted or recognized by others
• Gluttony (Latin, gula) - Thoughtless waste of everything, overindulgence, misplaced sensuality, uncleanliness, and maliciously depriving others. Marked by refusal to share and unreasonable consumption of more than is necessary, especially in the case of food or water
• Greed (Latin, avaritia) - A strong desire to gain, especially in money or power. Disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain or when compensated. Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects.
• Sloth (Latin, acedia) - Apathy, idleness, and wastefulness of time. Laziness is particularly condemned because others must work harder to make up for it. Cowardice or irresponsibility. Abandomment.
• Wrath (Latin, ira) - Inappropriate [unrighteous] feelings of hatred and anger. Denial of the truth to others or self. Impatience with the law, or seeking revenge outside of justice. Unnecessary vigilanteism.
• Envy (Latin, invidia) - Grieving spite and resentment of material objects, accomplishments, or character traits of others, or wishing others to fail or come to harm.
• Pride (Latin, superbia) - Pride is known as the father of all sins. Pride is a desire to be more important or attractive to others, failing to give credit due to others, or excessive love of self.

Since i took the trouble of digging up the seven sins, i thought i might as well go the distance and dig up the seven virtues as well.

The Seven Virtues were derived from the Psychomachia ('Contest of the Soul'), an epic poem written by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (c. 410) entailing the battle of good virtues and evil vices. The intense popularity of this work in the Middle Ages helped to spread the concept of Holy Virtue throughout Europe. Practicing these virtues is alleged to protect one against temptation from the Seven Deadly Sins, with each one having its counterpart.

The virtues ranked in ascending order of sanctity:

• Chastity (Latin, virtus) - opposes lust. Courage and boldness. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought through education and betterment.
• Abstinence (Latin, frenum) - opposes gluttony. Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation.
• Diligence (Latin, industria) - opposes sloth. A zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. Decisive work ethic.
• Liberalty (Latin, liberalitas) - opposes greed. Generosity. Willingness to give. A nobility of thought or actions.
• Patience (Latin, patientia) - opposes wrath. Forebearance and endurance through moderation. Resolving conflicts peacefully, as opposed to resorting to violence.
• Kindness (Latin, humanitas) - opposes envy. Charity, compassion, friendship, and sympathy without prejudice.
• Humility (Latin, humilitas) - opposes pride. Modest behavior, selflessness, and the giving of respect.

Restraint is the keystone of the seven holy virtues. The other holy virtues are created through selfless pursuits:

Valour — Pursuit of Courage and Knowledge

Generosity — Pursuit of Will

Diligence — Pursuit of Ethics

Patience — Pursuit of Peace

Kindness — Pursuit of Charity

Humility — Pursuit of Modesty

Several of these virtues interlink, and various attempts at causal hierarchy have been made. For example, restraint is implied in patience, as well as humility and most of the others. Each sin is a particular way of applying heroic attributes.

Prudentius probably wrote about seven virtues only because St. Gregory came up with the seven sins. This is very much in keeping with the concept of duality.

Its amazing. The complex nature of the schema that was developed in cross referencing each of these attributes.

Why did i type all that ?? 'Cos i got curious. Where does the concept of God fit into any of the above mentioned ??

I believe God is a notion. God is the quintessential human being that our forefathers made out to be. God is an icon that we should aspire to be. Faith is a social norm. The constant propagation of faith has made it conventional wisdom. With time, the true purpose of its creation has been forgotten and has been replaced with malicious undertones.

One should not blindly have faith. One should understand and then believe.

I've decided .....

You try to keep in touch with friends. You mail every once in a while. You call once in a while. You message once in a while and what not. The friend replies every once in a while, but only replies. Meaning your friend always only reacts.

It can mean one of two things. One, you are an idiot wasting your precious time on people who dont deserve it. Two, your friend thinks he/she is morally superior and is immune from the responsibility that goes into maintaining a friendship. Quite possibly even both of these things.

Of course, everyone has priorities. In an environment which has more than one participant, like a friendship, it is important that the priorities of the parties involved be reasonably similar. A time lag is perfectly understandable. A lack of initiative is inexcusable.

You have to decide for yourself how to handle this. I have decided.