Alive n Kicking!!!........Pundit will be right back

See you soon.


Peace!


Yours truly

Let there be light!..A smile on every face, happiness everywhere!!

Well! From the top of the sacred observatory, looking down it doesn't look a pretty picture.

Menacing, dark clouds are descending and engulfing our world, which was chugging along nicely not so long ago. But hey! hang in there.Don't lose hope?Even this shall pass. We have weathered many a storms, this is just another one. Don't let the pall of gloom, dampen your spirits and take away the luster out of your life.

A very happy Diwali to all of you!

Let there be light!!

Yours Truly

Scarecrow right ahead !!

Mumbai Police has come up with a novel idea for keeping a vigil on rash driving. I found it rather amusing and well worthy of a postcard. Read on ..........Ha! ha !!

On highways and flyovers in Mumbai, they have placed life size cut-outs of cops in uniform holding speed guns to freeze the drivers who indulge in over speeding. The idea is , the moment they will see these dummies from a distance, they will be forced to step off the accelerator.

Scarecrow in Khaki !..........now that's different. Isn't it??

The day Mumbai crawled !!

I haven't seen anything of this magnitude. The day, 15th Oct 08.....the occasion, 61st birthday celebration of an eminent political figure. That day, the star studded Bollywood faced a real scare....that day the whole of Mumbai got invited.

What surprised me the most was the speed at which the landscape of the famous city got a makeover........so what if it only lasted for a day. You name it, the man of the moment, was on every poster, kiosk, billboard, right across the city.

Come eve of 15th Oct 08, the buzz had reached a feverish pitch. Sea of people filled the good old Shivaji Park, and thousands who couldn't make it inside had gathered around the periphery.

As always, average people like me, my friend and cousin joey, were at the receiving end of this mega display. After the hard days grind, people were stuck for hours in traffic jams. If you ask me there's very little they could have done about it. For the power brokers living room extends beyond the concrete confines.... for them the whole world is their playground.

And who says only 16 is sweet.............61 is even sweeter. Isn't it? Ask the man??

Hungama's bad boy !...........ALL PARENT'S BEWARE!!

Do you think this image is in bad taste? For some of you who aren't familiar with this character, all I can say is, wait till you see him in action and hear him talk on the TV. You haven't seen anything yet.This is the picture of Shin Chan the spoilt brat who wrecks havoc on Hungama channel.

My conclusion and of many others I have spoken too, is that he is a rank bad influence on young kids. The dialogues, especially Shin Chan's script leaves much to be desired. Precaution is better than cure. There are too many options available for kids these days and I am mighty sure,one character less wouldn't make viewing any less exciting an experience.

HAPPY DUSSEHRA!! Good Wishes from the sacred observatory

Wishing everyone out there , a very happy dussehra. May the good lord be with you down every road you take. PEACE!!

Naya Josh....Morning Walker! PICK ONE!!

A short while ago I was channel surfing and saw a funny infomercial on HISTORY channel about morning walker. Yes! that fabulous work of scientific engineering that makes you walk lying on your back. Barring exceptional cases, especially those who can't stand upright, this tiny walker is meant for people who love sitting on theirs butts.

The sight of all kinds of bodies vibrating in harmony was a hilarious sight. Haven't got over it still. Look at these two pictures closely and you will understand that there can't be any substitute for an early morning stretch out in the open............ and of course science can't recreate the magic of chirping of birds, the cool morning breeze.

Hey !give me the breeze, the birds, the trees.............coz' am still ALIVE !!

THE MAKING OF KID-MAN!!

Wait a second! this isn't what you are thinking. I am not talking about one tall,blond, long-legged siren from down under, the world calls Nicole Kidman.

This Kid-man is a young fella, a wanna be, a dynamo.......but alas! despite all the promise,he is losing all his innocence faster than we can imagine. Yes! this post is about him, it's about the end of innocence. It's about a raging fire, which might cause a havoc to the world at large tomorrow... if it hasn't already.

The exposure is immense these days. Our kids are getting exposed to the good, the bad and the ugly side of human existence at the same time , at a fairly early age. Well! some might argue, what's wrong with it? Better educational facilities, children of Information age, growing in the midst of economic & scientific progress.... What we are witnessing is a natural progression!

Agreed! Point well taken. Kids of today aren't just kids, but they are actually super kids.

Now read this, (1) School kid shoots openly on the campus and guns down dozen other students.(2) A boy of a prestigious school in Delhi captures himself and a girl from the same school in sexually explicit frames , and the MMS pictures becomes talk of the town.(3) Few kids of another premium school caught driving rashly under the influence of alcohol.(4) A school picnic turns into a nightmare, a school girl gets raped.(5) Umpteen cases of bright School kids committing suicide and the reason, high expectations of parents.

Think about it? Who is to blame.............the parents, the teachers, the society?? Well if you ask me, each one has played a part. How?? I think I will keep it for some other day. Too much playing on my mind right now. I really want to address all the three separately. Because I strongly believe, every child is special. It's how we guide them and nurture them, will decide and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow.

It's a holy day!A SUNDAY!!...time for the holy massage.

Who doesn't love getting pampered. Especially on a Sunday morning, the excitement reaches a crescendo. For us, the men folk, a visit to the neighbourhood saloon is a must on the list on any given Sunday. Isn't it ?

With due respect to all my fellowmen, for some , it's also a time to out do, out paint, and out look their partners. Men for sure, have started spending more time at the saloon these days. And by the way, for the record, our saloons are also fast emerging as the largest consumption ground of cucumber.

But by far, the best part according to me, is the holy head massage. After getting rid of those extra inches of hair , this part is a heavenly experience. According to your mood you can choose the brand of oil.Missing the cold mountain breeze? Go for the Navratan red. Want to discover the world by the sea shore? Go for the coconut one.

WOW!What a feeling !! Highly recommended by yours truly. Nice way to massage away your worries.

REMEMBERING WHAT HE SAID?

Who doesn't love freedom. Though not very many find the time to stop and think about the price it came to us. Am I sounding a little more patriotic today? Or was the picture of the great man towering over all those letters in today's paper, too powerful an image? I really don't know.

Look around, we have everything today. Don't we? We are fortunate to have found a share in the progress of this great nation. But still for some strange reason,the sky above doesn't appear to be as blue as it should be. Deep inside we aren't as much happy and satisfied as we can be. Today's India, despite making a mark globally, isn't shining as much as it should be.

On this day, 2nd Oct 08, I don't think it's a bad idea to remember some of the ideals of Bapu Ji.

" LOVE, PEACE, COMPASSION !! "

CRASH, BOOM, BANG !!......Taming the bad times.

Wall Street blood bath has scared the hell out of corporates. Not just in the land of Uncle Sam but elsewhere too. India is no exception.

"Stitch in time saves nine" seems to be the survival mantra for lot of Chieftains. Trimming down the work force, restriction on travel, freeze on recruitment seem to be playing heavily on the minds of lot of these guys. Is this panic justified? Some of it yes, but to a larger extent, highly debatable.

Tom Peters, the management guru, has a recipe for surviving and even thriving amidst the perfect storm, which I feel has a lot of merit.

According to the Master - "While many businesses will fail amidst the current economic crisis through no fault of their own, some will survive in spite of the odds—and a few will surprise by turning a messy situation into economic-competitive advantage. The requisite winner's attitude is expressed by former Ritz - Carlton chief Horst Schulze , commenting on his decision to launch his new high-end hotel business,Capella, despite the market madness: "I do not accept the explanation of a recession negatively affecting the [new] business. There are still people traveling. We just have to get them to stay in our hotel." And, indeed, getting an "unfair share" of "what's left" is near the heart of the matter. Schulze's remarks also remind us that instant, mindless cutting of R&D or training or salesforce travel in the face of a downturn is often counterproductive—or, rather, downright stupid. Tough times are in fact golden opportunities to get the drop, and the long term drop at that, on those who respond to bad news by panicky across-the-board slash and burn tactics and moves that de-motivate and alienate the workforce at exactly the wrong moment.

Tough times indeed require tough and unpleasant decisions—but thriving, not just surviving, is an option for those who mix wisdom and boldness of leadership with transparency and maximized employee involvement and engagement. Without suggesting that there is anything humorous about the pain that bad times cause, one can say that "this is when it gets fun" for truly talented and imaginative leaders at all levels and in businesses of every sort and size! "

Need I say anything more.................Tom knows best. A badly required pearl of wisdom to weather the storm.

Legend never dies !....Goodbye Paul!!

Paul Newman, the man with the most famous blue eyes is no more. A Screen giant, for some, last of the great 20th century movie star, passed away day before yesterday, on Friday at the age of 83.

I have been fortunate enough to see some his movies. And boy! what an actor he was. International Herald Tribune has beautifully captured the enigma of Paul. And I quote " If Marlon Brando and James Dean defined the defiant American male as a sullen rebel, Paul Newman recreated him as a likable renegade, a strikingly handsome figure of animal high spirits and blue-eyed candor whose magnetism was almost impossible to resist, whether the character was Hud, Cool Hand Luke or Butch Cassidy".

For those who want to see the late superstar in action, , try some of these flicks. EXODUS, THE HUSTLER, HUD, HARPER, COOL HAND LUKE, THE TOWERING INFERNO, THE VERDICT, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID.

So long Paul !!

FINAL VERDICT ...."EARTH- AN UNSAFE DESTINATION" - FREE PRESS

"Freedom of speech" is a very important attribute of democracy. In this system everyone is free to air his or her opinion.

But not everyone is as fortunate. Ask those who were born in shackles, ask those who are still being held hostage on the very land they were born, on the very soil their forefathers toiled for every single day of their lives. Yes! it's happening very much here, on this great planet even today. If you look at some of the African nations, you will understand what I mean.

How much of this sordid saga occupies the front pages of leading newspapers, how much air time does it command on the channels across the globe? I am not sure. Free Media is a very potent tool of the society we live in. It's the reflection of what goes around. Newspapers are supposed to bring nothing but bare truth to our doorsteps every morning.

Being an Editor of a newspaper or a news magazine is not an easy job, it's akin to a great swordsman wearing a crown of thorns. It's his job to tread the fine line between what the readers wants to know and what he think they need to know.

The trigger for this post that I am writing today at this afternoon hour isn't a spur of the moment spark. I have been thinking about this for a long time now. Is the picture of a blood splattered road with strewn parts of human flesh scattered every where the only way of telling people what had happened last evening, when the rein of terror once again engulfed an important part of your beautiful and placid city? Is the theatrics that keeps happening in the studious of so many channels every time a bomb sets off, the only way of portraying the truth??

For Gods sake don't browbeat innocent people you fellas! You guy's are scaring the already devastated population. I remember the face of one dearly Mr. News reader, on one of the popular news channel, not a shade of remorse on his face, looking at his impeccable best, prancing from one side of the floor to other, with a swagger of a matinee idol..........looking more like a devils advocate and holding a blood stained script which said " 20 died , 35 seriously injured, severed limbs and forearms scattered all around, the smell of burnt flesh so strong that people choked................We will be back with more on the latest trail of terror"......STAY TUNED!!"

Is anybody out there, I ask ?............Is anybody listening? Hey you !Mr. Editor.....Mr. Producer, you better think before you write, think harder before you read. "DON'T LET THE TERRORISTS MEET THEIR OBJECTIVE.DON'T SCARE THE HELL OUT OF PEOPLE. SCARE THOSE WHO ARE MAKING THIS PLACE A HELL EVERYDAY"

FAST AND FURIOUS !! FOOD 4 Thought

Picture this.....a hard day at office, equally painstaking drive back home.......... and by the time you step in the comfort of your home, sweet home, you are a dead meat. Feeling famished, but no strength to cook. WHAT NEXT?WHAT WOULD YOU DO??

Well! take the fast route....summon those guys at McDonald's or if you are a Pizza lover, a hot favorite Pizza from Pizza Hut isn't a bad idea.

Ummm.....absolutely mouthwatering thought isn't it?

I know this doesn't make sense. All of us follow this ritual on a tough day. But do you remember the face and the pace of that friendly bloke who knocked on your door and handed over the bag of goodies.

I am sure at some point all of us have seen them zipping on those two wheelers trying to make the delivery on time. Who doesn't want a hot serving AQAP( as quickly as possible), after all isn't fast food all about speed?

And now here is the cat out of the bag.....WHY DO THESE GUYS JUMP THE RED LIGHT AT TRAFFIC INTERSECTION?? Hey! did I hear someone say that transnationals are investing a lot of their time in giving back to the society and have started taking CSR ( corporate social responsibility) as a very important element of their business agenda?

If that be the case, how come these guy's keep crossing the line..............aren't they supposed to adhere to the law? Or hey! Mr. Training Manager!! Isn't imparting knowledge on how to be a law abiding citizen, an important part of that excellent training regime, you guy's keep bragging about?

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO ??........to be extraordinary!!!

Why do we settle for the ordinary? Why being creative, surely an unique trait, is little less ordinary these days? Why people lead a robotic DRILL @ WORK ? Why a memo can't be drafted in ten different ways? Why something as simple and natural as a little smile, is so hard to sport? Why do we withdraw in a shell, when there is so much turmoil outside? Why is the art of expressing, speaking your mind, dying a slow death?..............WHY ???????

I find myself in the midst of these questions everyday. When I raise my head to find the answers for questions I can't comprehend, all I get in bargain, is more questions.There's precious little happening around in this world, where I spend most of my time trying to stay afloat.

Have I given up hope?.........Not really. I will continue my pursuit for finding the missing pieces of this great puzzle @ work.

Ngrossing ! YOUNG MINDS & the Outlook Speak Out debate finals!!

Saturday first half turned out to be an excellent one. In the midst of young and budding talent at the National School debate finals at Srifort, it was a nice feeling to relive those fond memories of school. Albeit for a short while, but none-the-less absolutely enthralling affair.

Ex- President, Dr. Abdul Kalam was the guest of honor, and he really got the entire house going upon his arrival. A great man! it was a sheer pleasure to hear him speak and share his experiences.

"If it works, it's yours and If it doesn't, it's mine" - One thing that really touched a chord, as far as I am concerned, was a little story that Dr. Kalam had narrated about his senior, when he was the project lead for one of the satellite programs. For some reason the program failed and the senior took the entire responsibility for the debacle. And next time when the success was achieved he asked Dr. Kalam to step forward to address the press gathering and tell them the saga of success. Now that's what true leadership is all about. A leader is as good as his troops. Giving direction, continuously motivating them and shielding them when the chips are down, are some of the most critical attributes of a successful leader.

All in all...............NICE TO BE THERE!

Truth about real men and women!......and the blind eye of the media!!

"Paralympic"......... Well ! trust me, it's not a new word in the dictionary. People familiar with sports might be able to tell, but for many outside the domain, it's a tough one.

Now change this to Olympics and millions would tell you that it's the mother of all sporting action. Go back little less than a month, every morning mainline dailies were having a field day with all that reportage from Beijing. Every single sport was covered and every medalist was profiled within the sports columns.

Brilliant job done I say. Kudos! to all those sports editors. But what happened immediately after that? You guys seemed to have completely turned blind. Lost out on an opportunity to talk about the real men and women, who contested at the Paralympic, Beijing 08. Good old, ever dependable Wikipedia, describes these games as a multi - sport events for athletes with physical, mental and sensorial disabilities. The truth is, these less fortunate athletes are as good as anybody.

Despite their shortcomings and mind you some extremely painful one's, these fabulous, courageous sportsmen and women, compete with tremendous commitment. Behind every athlete there's a great story, a story which will move you to tears.

Alas! our editorial friend's seem to believe otherwise. Someone has rightly said "the newspapers is not about news but about building numbers".

ANIMAL I HAVE BECOME!!

Yesterday, yet another bloody attempt was made to tear open the heart of this historic city. Once again those deadly venomous serpents came slithering out of their holes, trying to terrorise and torment with their killer fangs.

At this moment of grief my thoughts go out to those who couldn't make it home last night. Hard to imagine the plight of those families who lost someone dear to these serial blasts.

Terrorism is an act of cowardice. It's abode of those antisocial elements, who have decided to lead a life of an animal. The rulers of this great democratic nation, need to understand that lot needs to be done to curb the recurrence of such barbaric acts in the future. Though the economy has been chugging along nicely,but somewhere along the way, we have surely left few loose ends. All is not well at the grass root level and there's reason why some areas of this famous land is still simmering after all these years.

"Unity in diversity" is a great slogan, that has echoed in every speech, on every platform, right across this mighty land. But does it still holds good ? I am not so sure. There are many who feel that this line of pride could be the root cause of many of our problems. Don't know if I am stretching it a bit........maybe it's the prime reason for this great divide. THINK ABOUT IT!

Look who is back !!

This man never gives up. Does he ?? Seven titles under his belt, one of the greatest cyclist of all times. Post retirement actively championing the cause of prostate cancer. And then suddenly, one fine morning, he decides it's time to get in the saddle again.

Lance Armstrong is on a charge for one more time. And this time he is bidding for an unprecedented eighth win. At 37 years, age is surely not an advantage. But very few can doubt his aggression and never say die spirit.

A true champion in every right, more than winning another title,his announcement of taking the fight against the deadly cancer all around the world has really impressed me.

Act like Lances gives any sport a new dimension. People like him are not only master of their craft , but for millions, they are the much required glimmer of hope for a better tomorrow.

Great man, indeed!

WHY SO SERIOUS SON??.........."Laugh and let laugh"

Humor!! such a priceless commodity. Brings smile to every face. And if you believe in research, key for living little longer.

The more I look at faces, the more I get convinced that people have stopped smiling. Bad thing about a face that can't smile is that it can't offer you anything. I try to find humor in small things. Love to tweak those words, those lines. Just to brighten up the ambiance. Make people laugh. Feel happy seeing them smile.

What pisses me off, is the constipated looks early in the morning. Fresh from the weekend spell, people should be bubbling with new found lease of life, but on the contrary, most drag themselves to the workplace. Thinking bloke like yours truly, feel alienated and lost in the whirlpool of not so happy faces.

Can't pull out a knife like the joker did , but really want to ask each one of them...........WHY ? WHY SO SERIOUS SON??

Rendezvous @ LIVE

Friday night comes as a welcome relief to people at work everywhere. Doesn't it ? It's time to put all those worries behind and look forward to two days of respite, a well deserved break.

29th of August was no different. Somewhere in the heart of the city, a bunch of pros gathered to relive their glorious past. To be more precise, recreate those magical moments or hey !! better still, hear the 100 pipers play.

Unfortunately , yours truly, missed out on all the fireworks that evening. An excellent opportunity to nestle in the warmth of their fabulous company went begging. In a nutshell, that day, the Pundit lost out on a couple of glasses of self sponsored(P.F.Y.O.D....pay for your own drink, silly!) beer, forwarded juvenile jokes(miss that smile on the face of the narrator,that handy man...certainly it used to be bigger than the creator of those stupid jokes) session, and whole lotta gossip( hmmm........now that has to be the icing on the cake for the august gathering).

am I regretting it ??................Nay!!!!

Lightning BOLT !!.......and his blaze of glory.

Still reeling under the effects of Phelps mania,his historic gold rush, the world has found another hero in the Jamaican bullet, Usain Bolt.

He simply decimated the field in the race for the fastest human at Beijing Olympic 08. Last 50 meters of the famous straight dash, saw him donning the garb of a flying God.

The sports aficionado's haven't stopped raving about his blaze of glory. Some of them are already calling his twin wins as the best sporting moments of the Olympic history.

Running the way he did, as a man possessed in the 100 meters, shattering the world record, and then coming back and repeating the amazing run to claim the 200 meters in another World record time. Wow! what can you say?................Superman in action!!

He has done it !!!.........and my head is still spinning

History was made at 8.28 am IST, 17/08/08. The Pool Shark has done it. And thank God, like fortunate millions all over the world, I saw it happening, history being made, an extraordinary sportsman accomplishing an extraordinary feat..... Or is it a giant leap, that will stand for a long long time to come.

8 golds with 7 new world record timings, 14 career gold medals.............IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING, for this man, Phelps. What he has accomplished is really a super human effort. There's been a lot of talk about his physical prowess, but I strongly believe, having exceptional talent alone isn't just good enough, surely it isn't the only attribute for rewriting history books.It is also about what goes inside the mind. Phelps performance is of God like proportions. His name will go down in the annals of Swimming history as the greatest of all time and his golden patch at Beijing will become a case study for all the young and budding swimmers around the world.

Catch me if you can !! .....Waterman with an appetite for destruction

Six gobbled and two to go !! Some call him the pool shark, some call him the waterman..... the world knows him as Micheal Phelps.

It is said every picture tells a story, bears a character. The frame on the top is not just about a swimmer who is in a class of his own. Look at that face.... it is so full of hunger, it knows what lies ahead, what it wants. At Beijing Water cube, Phelps has so far destructed everything that has come in his way. It seems every race has two parts to it. One, Phelps against himself and the second, rest of the swimmers trying to out swim each other.

Aren't we lucky to witness the heroics of this man? Wish I could take a peek inside his brain and see how he does it, how does he remain so focused about his goal of 8 medals, when he knows that it's not just his mother nation USA, but the entire world is following his every move.

I love this guy !! And I am sure I am not the only one.

Red March.................they are coming!!

I missed the kick-start of the greatest sporting spectacle, the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic 2008. I am told that the magnitude of the event was such, that it can stake a claim in Ripley's Believe it or Not.

People who were lucky enough to witness this modern marvel on their monitors, haven't stopped talking about it still. With the creme de la creme, all the global statesmen , the power circle in full attendance, China constructed yet another great wall on 08/08/08.

1100 strong Chinese contingent will try to dig as many gold, silver and bronze during the meet. And all the other nations will have to play catch up. It's not just my prophecy, but pretty much the opinion of the whole world.

What a miss!! I envy all you guy's who were fortunate enough to savor this glorious curtain raiser.

It's dying............and all I can do is watch.

The art of storytelling is slowly dying.............or is it dead already? I don't know. All I see when I look around, people nowadays are talking less, writing less. It's very easy to blame paucity of time for all this.I am a firm believer in the art of storytelling. Since I belong to media sales, I can take the liberty of commenting on the crucifixion of this wonderful art within my domain. I have been working for a fairly long time now and have always tried to impress upon my teammates the importance of this art.I know not everyone is equal and some could be more gifted in a particular skill than the others. But what really saddens me is the lack of intent in people. The willingness to learn and to improve is seldom there.I think it's important to follow up an excellent client meeting with a nice thank you note and a carefully worded, telling reinforcement of the proposition that was tabled earlier during the meeting.Acquiring business is like wooing a beautiful damsel. She needs to be charmed each time, every time. We have to utter those golden words, as many times, in as many different ways.

Show me the money!!.........that's all I care.

Came across a very interesting article the other day from the man who doesn't require any introduction, Tom Peters, one of the greatest management thinkers of all times . It was titled " The goal of a sales call".

We all know it. The bottom line is to close and enhance the business. But what many of us tend to forget is the fact that there's something more that transcends the obvious. And that is to take every sales opportunity as a relationship - building encounter.

Dig deep, when was the last time a business was refused as it was not in the best interest of the client. Hard to remember, isn't it ?? I am struggling too.

WEAR YOUR ATTITUDE..............no matter what !!

Have always believed in calling the spade, a spade. Over the years I have made it one of the most important credos of my life. Walk tall, talk straight in every sphere of life.... pretty much sums up who I am.

Well! to be honest, as much as this philosophy is a great quality to have and I am really proud of it. It hasn't helped a wee bit in furthering my cause at least professionally. Middle path has never been easy for me to tread. Never one to take sides to boost my prospects... never believed in flaunting my exploits.

Why there's so much of insecurity in people? I don't think I will ever be able to fathom the reasons. Having worked for so many years now, the thought doesn't bug me anymore. There are far too many things to think about than mulling over who should or who shouldn't get the credit.

Return of the dark knight.......Heath's last hurrah!!!

Isn't it amazing how successful some of the movie franchises are.........the audiences world over doesn't seem to get enough of such Hollywood flicks. One such box-office darling is the tale of the caped crusader from the Gotham city.

The latest from the winning series, is all set to hit the cineplexes shortly. Just like it's predecessor this one too will rake in millions.............but unfortunately, this one will be remembered more as the last hurrah, as the swan song, of the talented Aussie actor late Heath Ledger. After tasting success as the leading man in Ang Lee directed Brokeback Mountain, things were really looking up for him. Sadly his journey to super stardom was cut short by cruel hands of death.

If the views of the entire cast of the Dark Knight, the cine critics and all the pre launch press is any indication, Heath as the joker, might have essayed the role of his life.

Definitely a must watch for any ardent movie goer......and for all those tiny superheroes out there, DK along with Hellboy could be this years two biggest attractions.

A tour without Lance.......ain't a tour anymore!!

Lance Armstrong, is one of my role models. I have lot of respect and admiration for this giant, the legend of the sport of cycling.

I was watching the live feed of this year's Tour de France on Ten Sports a short while ago and felt really sad that he isn't part of this greatest sporting spectacle anymore. TDF is the world's most coveted and the most renowned race and Lance was its most charismatic ambassador.

As long as Lance's name was echoing across the country side of France, and up in Pyrenees mountains, TDF was very special to me. Unfortunately the superman has retired now and TDF doesn't conjure up the same feeling anymore.

Grass ain't green anymore.........Rafa has arrived !!

On Sunday evening, the lush green mat at the famous centre court was coated red , by the sultan of Paris. The unstoppable march of Roger at Wimbledon was finally halted by his true nemesis Rafael Nadal.

The face-off lived up to all that hype. In the opinion of all the past legends and the experts this showdown has been the greatest of all times. Clocking well over 4 hours..........the game witnessed two fearsome gladiators slugging it out......doing' everything possible to out do each other. In the end tenacity prevailed over finesse.

Roger, the silent assassin must be completely devastated after this loss.........for he did all the catching up in this contest. Barring the first two sets, he really played out of his skin. But Alas!! in the end it wasn't enough and Rafa, the workhorse, the unrelenting warrior kissed the Wimbledon trophy.

I want my stars back!!

Hasn't been easy going this week.Trying to find my lucky charm....my brightest star, without any luck . Everyday has been a toil, waging a fight against myself, my inner core.......trying to win a losing battle.

I don't know why, some days are so dark ...............as much as I want every moment that I live to go my way, somewhere along the road, just around the next corner, I know rainclouds are waiting to wash away all my hopes.

Tomorrow is a brand new day..........would love to see my sunrise again. CAN'T WAIT!!

Grass ain't for cows ! ..........TENACITY meets FINESSE!!

Ivan Lendl, one of the greats of yesteryears .................once said something very stupid...unsportsmanlike. After mounting numerous unsuccessful bids to win the Wimbledon crown, he made his infamous remark that grass is for cows.

I don't blame him, this is one trophy every player wants to lay his hands on. The real jewel in the crown.

Tomorrow again the god's of tennis will descent upon the centre court...............all set to add a new chapter to their historic rivalry. Roger and Rafal are the two undisputed kings of this lovely game. Roger was humbled on the clay last month ..............losing tamely to the sultan of Paris. But this is his territory, his backyard. Mr. Cool is gunning for his sixth consecutive title to upstage the record of straight five he shares alongside legendary Bjorn Borg.

Rafa has been here twice before, but lost to Roger on both the occasions. Will he be third time lucky?? and shed the tag of one of the greatest champions of all time to have never won a title here. Or is it going to be the master of grass, the undisputed king of the green mat yet again??

Well! I am not going anywhere tomorrow evening ...............can't miss a single ball........TOO MUCH AT STAKE............TOO BIG A SPECTACLE. May the best god win!!

Happy and Gay !!........ the world we are livin' in today

Cloning of animals, Man delivering a baby and storming the female bastion , legalisation of same sex marriages! Wow!! Aren't we a truly happy and gay lot today. It's all happening over here. Isn't it ??

Debates, Arguments, Speeches......What's right and what's wrong, Should we or shouldn't we?? I don't understand why there's so much hype around such issue's. There are more burning concerns in front of us, Issue's that are affecting the whole world.Some of them if not addressed now can have catastrophic consequences for the entire human race in times to come. Global warming, depleting oil reserves, ever increasing act of terrorism, arson, loot, in almost all the parts of the world.

Hope in the end......................it doesn't become a case of too little, too late.

I don't understand, what's going around, who is fighting what and whom. All I know is, there are tougher times ahead of us ............not just for the entire humanity but for this beautiful planet we call Earth.

Ties that bind !!.......Me n' my compadre

It was business as usual on the first two days of this month. Took a whirlwind maiden official tour of the garden city, Bangalore.....oops! Bangaluru. After a hectic drill, good number of meetings on day one, met my bro' , my compadre, Sanju. Words can't describe the feeling. All those beautiful memories....of the school, the college and the post grad', came alive. I wish we could go back in time and reconstruct all those golden moments again.

I don't have many close buddies I can call brothers, but Sanju's friendship will always be special. It means a lot to me ............. He means a lot to me.

Magnum Opus.............History beckons!!

Tonight is the big night.............the chance for the dream 11 to find a place in the footballing history. Who is it going to be?? The steamrolling Germans or the smooth operators, the Spanish armada.

I am quite excited about the prospect. I think eventually the two most improved sides have made it to the finals. Germans have an envious record when it comes to the big stage. They are masters at raising their game when situation demands. But this contest might test their abilities to the hilt. The silken touch of the opposition could pose a problem or two.

Hope the best side wins eventually..................IT'S TRULY A MOUTH-WATERING FACE-OFF!!

What's all that hullabaloo about ??........size zero, implants,and now....

............all that talk about injecting the sweet spot to enhance the pleasure. The popular media is having a field day talking about such topics nowadays. The Hunger for success, to be that somebody, has taken it's toll on our every action. Yes even the action that comes most naturally, has suffered and has been reduced to one of the things on the long list of "things to do".

Kareena in her new incarnation as a goddess of size zero has become the role model of millions not just in the big metro's but right across the hinterland. These days the lady is at her boniest best. Did I hear some one say? Ouch!! Poor Saifu.

Wondering what happened to those bevy of beauties, with some flesh on the bones. By the way, the organisers of 2010 beauty pageant, Ms. Universe are planning to add a new title - Bony Ms..........Just might!! Hope Bebo is listening.

LOVE THAT CAPPUCCINO!!!

Always been a "TEAtotaler". The hot affair that started as a kid, is still continuing after all these years. Nothing can be more refreshing than two large mugs of hot chai early morning.....taken back to back, one after the other.

The much admired global hot beverage..... coffee, rarely found a place on my list of "must have"..... until I walked thru' the doors of a popular coffee chain and fell for that sparkling cup filled with espresso coffee, steamed milk with a topping of whipped cream.

There has been no looking back since.............I keep heading back to those small joints.......whenever I get time between my meetings. I wish I could do it often.............LOVE THAT CAPPUCCINO!!

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!

Some guy's have all the luck, some guy's get nothing but pain. I don't think I'll ever be able to figure out why good guy's always have to finish last. Look around and you will understand what I mean. There are umpteen instances, where the deserving has been simply pushed aside and made to walk the dark alley of the corporate jungle.

What people in the hot seat of power tend to forget is that no single person can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It is always about a few good men.Behind every decorated soldier there are hundreds of unsung heroes. Martyrs, who get nothing for their heroics, but a little mention on the concrete walls of some landmark monument.......somewhere.

I am getting tired of ending up on the losing side. Still fighting it out though.........hoping to be heard, acknowledged...........some day.

A fine day among the Lords.......Lords of 83 !!

I want to thank my dearest buddy Sanju for an awesome day at Jaypee Greens Golf Club, Greater Noida. If not for him, I wouldn't have got this opportunity to get up-close with the dream cast , the legends of 1983 world cup winning team.

25 years on..........but still that sweet smell of success is so fresh. Age has caught up with the fabulous bunch but the spirits are still soaring. Cracking jokes, a little nudge here, a little nudge there, pulling each other, the camaraderie was so evident even after all these years............Wow !!

Credit goes to the incomparable organiser, The UB Group for getting the whole act together............for taking us back in time , to that day, when the whole nation went into a state of frenzy, marveling the herculean effort of these great cricketers.

Come 25th June the focus shifts to the Mecca of cricket, Lords. Where another set of celebration of the famous conquest awaits them.

I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS DAY..............A DAY AMONG THE LORDS!!

Hearsay!!........ A new leisure pursuit.

I hate hearsay !! Why can't we hear it from the horses mouth.......... and try and put an end to all that loose talk. The unproductive side of work excites lot of people. Some even flaunt their expertise with lot of pride.

" Hey ! I've got something to tell you, I know everything that goes around in here"...........Huge claim. But sadly, this statement is loaded with arrogance, it smells of mediocrity. "I am the last word on this floor, you better believe what I am saying" attitude can severely damage the prospects of people around.

The sooner this irritating breed stops acting like unscrupulous rogues, the better it is for everybody on the floor.

ANTICLIMAX !!! Underdogs roared last night..and the night before

Holland covered in Guss pimples!.........Croatia couldn't shoot the Turkey down!! What an anticlimax at Euro 08. On current form, both where expected to go the full distance. Alas! it wasn't to be.

Russians and the Turks dashed the hopes of millions back home in Holland and Croatia. Funny game this Soccer, isn't it ?? Just When everybody, including the Pundit, thought the Orange will prevail come the Grand Finale, they are heading for the airport, with their heads hanging down in shame.

Now it's an open field heading into the Semi's, any team could emerge victorious from here on. Tonight Azzurri take on the bulls from Spain, vying for the final spot in the penultimate round. And that's going to be a cracking affair. ALL TO PLAY FOR!

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT !!.........it's showtime at Euro 08

This is it ! the stage is set for the quarter finals. Tonight it's all or nothing. Germany VS Portugal......mouth watering encounter. Not for the faint hearted, definitely no.

The world will witness two contrasting styles pitted against each other. On one side we've got the physical and clinical approach of the Germans, and on the other, we've got the Latino magic, best of skillful soccer from Portugal.

Not easy to predict a winner in this one, could swing either way. Soccer pundits are well aware of the prowess of the Germans. They are the undisputed masters at rising to the big occasion.Their envious track record would suggest that they handle the crunch situations much better than lot of other big teams.

Portuguese players despite their awesome run so far, can't afford to let their defenses down. They will have to come out all guns blazing, if they plan to rattle the Germans.

Let's hope the tussle turns out to be an absolute humdinger.... and it rains goals in Switzerland.

YOU'VE GOT MAIL !!!

We all hate spam. Don’t we?? We lose lot of precious time, trying to get rid of all that junk from our mailboxes, every morning.

Snail mail is a passé; we all know …….speed mail is what we’ve come to rely on so heavily these days. Be it work or otherwise, we all use this tool extensively to get the message across.

I think e mailing is losing it’s potency in terms of holding the attention. Imagine the plight of the recipient. All kinds of messages keep piling in his inbox and separating the important ones from the unwanted lot becomes a mammoth challenge. It really dampens your spirits to discover that you have been inundated by scum of the cyber space without any warning.

I am a firm believer in the inherent power of e mails as a marketing weapon. If you can sprinkle your communication with elements of intrigue, put in the right words, the recipient can’t afford to ignore it. And the message will surely be read……. and who knows with a little bit of luck might elicit a response.

Good e mails are like mini billboards, trying to draw the attention of the recipient.

I put a lot of effort in my mails……..trying ever so hard to freeze the recipients in their tracks. I want my every message to shine thru’ like a silver lining behind the dark clouds of SPAM.

Honestly, I am not sure, whether every mail that I keep sending out is being read or not. But hey!! That doesn’t deter me from doing what i love doing as part of my daily drill at work....shooting lot of mails to my clients.

TO END …it’s not about what you say; it’s about how you say it.

Happy e mailing!!

Aquarium or the open sea ??

Tough choice isn't it ? Especially if you are a teeny-weeny gold fish. Who is used to being pampered every morning. Tiny flakes of fish food lowered down into the aquarium ever so gently. Variety of faces, greeting you , trying to communicate with you. And then there's the water, so clear. What a life ! Isn't it ??

Well, Open sea has it's own charm, I say. It's vast, limitless........you can swim as far as you want. But the trouble is, the company, it can get real crowded down there. All kinds of predators on the prowl, danger lurks at every corner.

I have been thru' a similar dilemma. But I have made my choice in favor of the deep blue and have thrust myself back into the open sea. Life was nice n easy in the aquarium, could have stayed there forever. But the call of the open sea was too big a temptation to resist this time round.

Hope to swim with the sharks and stay alive in my new found home.................THE OPEN SEA.

Still Counting!! gimme some more crows, please

Music transcends all language barriers, cuts across cultural boundaries. It's an Ocean out there.... different strokes for different folks. Every possible genre defined, the geniuses are still at work.Trying to create new streams everyday.

One such genius behind a cult rock band is Adam Duritz. Yes ! I am talking about the awesome, incomparable, my favorite band, the counting crows. I am a proud owner of all their masterpieces but one. Their signature album, August and Everything After, for some strange reason, is still missing from my collection. Not for long though.

Their latest offering Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings has completely blown me away. Wow !! what a swashbuckling return. The music grows on you with every listen. Lot of people felt that the band, lost its way with Hard Candy. But I don't agree with them. I think the music on the record is as good as you will ever hear.

Thanks guys for serving yet another work of art! Can't wait to see you back in the studios and doing what you do best..........making the music for the soul.

Raindrop keeps fallin' on my head !

Kudos! to the met department. Doesn't happen very often though. Their forecast has been spot on. Delhi woke up to see the first shower of this years monsoon. It has been raining since early morning and looks like the muggy days are behind us.

What a welcome change for everybody. Wish I could carry this fab' weather in my pocket, everywhere I go. And hey !! it's a fathers day today. Though I haven't impressed the importance of the day on kids, but for a change, I have been spared and I don't have to stretch my vocal chords to make them walk in a straight line.

Super Sunday ?? maybe.

Wikimapia!!.......Map of nostalgia

I am not a tech person. My friends who understand and use it, cover for my lack of knowledge. Today we live in a world, which is being propelled by cutting edge technology. Keeping pace with the frantic pace at which it is moving is not easy. But somehow, I am managing to stay in the know of things.

Other day , my bro' had mailed me a link of wikimapia. Without giving away much, he wanted me to click on the same. I didn't realize that the picture coming next,would pack a powerful punch of nostalgia.Suddenly I saw the white screen disappearing and a green map emerging. I watched, my eyes wide open. Lost track of time and place completely. All I could see was mountains and tall pine trees every where. Hey ! I know this place, said to myself. I have been here before. This is Tharali.That small village up in the lap of Himalayas, which is so dear to our folks. Dad is no more, but I could see him so clearly walking the dusty path leading up to the bazaar yesterday. Everything was so alive in that little map..............the map of nostalgia.

Somebody stop me !!!

The dutch juggernaut keeps rolling at Euro 08. The 4 -1 drubbing of Les bleus last night was yet another clinical finish.

Looks like the men in orange, are on a mission this time. They are out to prove it to the footballing world, that they want to get rid of the tag of eternal chokers on the big stage. They have everything going for them, in the 08 edition of European Supremacy. A young ambitious coach, who is staking a claim to become the first in history, to lift the trophy, both as a player and coach. A squad full of talented players.

Is anybody listening?? Somebody stop them from running away with the honors. Honestly on current form, I have my doubts.

It's hot in the city tonight !!!

Half time score, 1-0 in favor of Croatia.............. clearly there's a breach in the German wall. Soccer pundits, while giving Croatia some chance in this much anticipated tussle, had put their money on the Germans to breeze thru' this encounter.

Well ! so far the Croats have not only withstood the onslaught, but has given the Germans ample to think about. They have hardly allowed them to settle into a rhythm. From here on, 57 minutes gone, the tie could still swing either way.

But as far as I am concerned, the Croats have displayed more than few sparks and have sounded the alarm to the rest of the competition.