From “The Oeuvre”: Ink and Pennings- OCTAVE: “TO ATHENA OF NOW!!”: A poem I composed on 27th April 1999"

 

Meaning of an Octave:- octave n. 1 Mus. a interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other. b eight notes occupying this interval. c each of the two notes at the extremes of this interval. 2 eight-line stanza. [Latin octavus eighth]

 

TO ATHENA OF NOW!!

There she stands,

So invincible-so colossal,

Fist clenched and will abyssmal,

Grandeur and Glamour,

Off and On the court,

Message of Youth and Vigour she totes!!

Thus does Miss. Hingis,

Bring Americans to Nemesis!!

This poem was dedicated to Martina Hingis, the lawn tennis player from Switzerland. She stood there alone and tall during the period when Americans dominated World Tennis.

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: LIMERICK AND QUATRAIN: Poems composed on 27th April 1999"

 

limerick n. humorous five-line verse with a rhyme-scheme aabba. [origin uncertain]

quatrain n. four-line stanza. [French quatre four]

LIMERICK-“THE DU-ROSE”!

Dancing to the melody of the whispering zephyr,

In the vacuity of May Air,

With tears of heaven, rolling like pearls,

in sepals mackintosh,

Stands vacuously Red- THE SUMMER ROSE!

LIMERICK-“BLOOD-CUT”!

The knife brushed through the white skin,

The cut was deep,

The cut was mean.

And seconds later did it flood,

The dark crimson blood!

QUATRAIN-THE OFFICE MAN!

After a hard tough day at job(To aggrandize his boss),

He pulled his tie,

And gave a heavy sigh,

Crouched and slept off!!

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: ON(E) YOUR WEDDING: Poem composed on 6th May 1999

 

I composed this poem on the auspicious occasion of my youngest aunt’s wedding. Then, I copied the same on a card and gave it to her.

This is your wedding ceremony,

A happy day- a great event for many.

Bonded by the nuptial knot,

That will hold ya’ll together throughout…

Yours is a great pair…Ganga and Junga!!

Made for each other indeed,

I am adamant of it!!

Surveying your amicable personality and lovable subtlety,

Here is me offering you love and prayers,

For the life you are to get,

And proudly say…

“Your marriage was life’s best step!!”

From the auricles and ventricles of my heart,

Sash

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: PRIMA FACIE: Poem composed on 14th April 1999

 

I WONDER WHY....

I search for words,

To express myself,

And relieve my thoughts...

And encarve my leaping emotions in the form of verses,

Etched permanently in lifeless paper!

I WONDER WHY...

I fancy myself as a poet,

Whose pen speaks more than just Ink,

But speaks of rivers and woods,

Of valleys and dale,

Of dainty peaks and damsels,

And mere topographical features!

I WONDER WHY...

I search for the past,

Dig out the present,

And imagine the future,

Through the words I create...

For years to come…

Until someone tells me:-

"Farewell to thee, my fren…O poet so known, yet so unknown!!"

One of the happiest days in my life- The OEUVRE is back...!

œuvre  n. works of a creative artist regarded collectively. [French, = work, from Latin opera]

Yes!!! It is true…

I have been finally re-united with my poem book- THE OEUVRE that was supposedly “lost”! And it was like that old Bollyhood line “Kumbh Mela main Beechray Bhai” becoming a reality for me. I wrote the first poem for my Oeuvre on 31st November 1997 and today is May 25th, 2009. So, I am going 11+ years back into my late teen and early adulthood again today.

At this moment, I would like to thank these people(not necessarily in the order):-

Ruchi: For keeping the book at Garima’s place and informing me about it.

Garima: I owe you so much. Thanks for being so patient with my impatience, understanding how I felt about the poem book, informing your sister, reminding her and answering my calls.

Nidhi: Thanks for bringing the poem book from Gangtok to Bangalore.

Aunty: Thanks for keeping the book safely. Most importantly, thanks for letting me have my memories back.

Now, what next??

Those who have been following this blog know the reason why I started this blog. The headline for “Of Ink, Pennings and Pittoresco’s!” since 2004 was as below:

This blog would have never come out, given the fact that I LOST my entire collection of 26 poems composed during the period 1997-2000.

However, I managed to bury my sorrows and with the left-overs of my literary aspirations, I am waking up to a fresh dawn of cognition, sentience, consciousness, idea, and imagination.

I removed the above header recently after hearing that the book was still intact at Garima’s place.

I have now decided that in the days to come, I will publish one poem a day in this blog of mine for 28 days. :)

Last but not the least, for the curious, here are the first pictures from the poem book:-

The first poem: “Tale of a luvlorn” The date when the poem was composed: 31-11-1997

FINAL REVIEW OF ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, GAME WEEK 38- PREVIEW VIS-A-VIS FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE.

 

It is sad, isn’t it? 38 weeks of action packed extravaganza coming to an end…

Manchester United have been already crowned as Champions , Benitez is still refusing to acknowledge this fact and Tevez will not be back in Manchester United colors next year. In addition, West Brom Albion have been relegated and Newcastle United, Hull City and Middleborough will play the game of their lifetime this week. As for promotions, Wolverhamton Wanderers, Birmingham City and either Sheffield United or Burnley will join the elite league next season. But, there is the still some more action left and something to play for, both for players and for us, the FPL managers.

In my last article, I had mentioned why we need to keep maximum players from Chelsea and Arsenal for the final game week, subject to United drawing or winning their game against Arsenal. Certainly, United will field a second string side against Hull City, ignoring “fair-play” pleas from Newcastle United and Middlesborough. And we can't blame United either because for United, Rome will be bastion of their phenomenal form and performance this year. So, is Ronaldo playing for the full 90 minutes this game-week?

Well, that is a tough question! The Golden Boot award beckons and he knows Anelka is right there rubbing shoulders with him for the coveted prize. Ferguson always sees “the bigger picture” and might want to rest him for the Hull City tie. But, he might also be wary of how Ronaldo will react.

As for the other players from Manchester United, O’Shea was the first player to be selected by Ferguson to play in Rome. Ferdinand is still nursing his injury and is doubtful for the May 24th tie. Though he has admitted his willingness to play in order to prove his fitness for the CL final, yet, Ferguson is cynical about his presence in the starting line-up. So, if you were to ask me, I would “rest” or substitute most players from Manchester United this game week.

As for Chelsea and Arsenal, they have nothing more to lose. Trust me when I tell you to retain Frank Lampard as your “Captain”. And even if he doesn’t repay you well this game-week, forget what I have said and offer it as a tribute to the contribution of this wonderful midfielder. Arshavin is back and boy, what a find he has been for Arsenal this season!! I am pretty sure he will end his first season in EPL with some fireworks.

Liverpool should have an easy last match as well and will imperatively sport their best side.

The other "Do or Die” matches in EPL will be interesting to watch but in terms of FPL, it will hardly be of significance. You simply don’t know whom to trust!

As an end-note, I made three changes to my squad in a last-ditch effort to climb into the top 15 of HSL. I am happy at the way am ending this online game, considering the fact that I joined in Game Week 7.

Last but not the least, here is my pick for the week:-

Schwarzer, Evans, Arbeloa, Cole A, Nasri, Lampard©, Gerrard, Benayoun, Fletcher, Bendtner, Anelka

Substitutes: Tristan, Figueroa and Taylor R

Adios, friend, till we "read" again!!

Technorati Tags: EPL,Soccer,FPL,EPL Review

IPL 2 champions…Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Daredevils?

Chennai Super Kings Logo(Courtesy:CSK website)

Long before the tourney had started, I had vouched for Delhi Daredevils to win IPL Season 2. Sehwag and Gambhir in the same team surely sends shivers down the spines of opponents, bowlers in particular. And if this wasn’t enough, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, Dilshan and Karthik were to follow. The bowling lineup also looked menacing. I thought Mc Grath would play a crucial role backed by Nannes, Nehra and a quality spinner in the form of Amit Mishra. Mc Grath isn’t playing but the Daredevils have no regrets- they are pretty perched at the top of the IPL table and look fine to run away with the IPL trophy.

However, having said that, as the tournament has progressed, I am slowly changing my mind. And my bet is on Chennai Super Kings. Runners-up last year and doing exceedingly well, CSK might just turn the tables on the Daredevils. These two teams have met twice and have shared the honors. But, if you look at runs, you will see that DD, irrespective of their batting prowess have failed to chase a decent score like 145 whereas Chennai, batting second have scored 180 in a lost cause.

My instinct tells me that we are going to see another “Kings11 versus CSK” match whenever DD and CSK clash again. And remember, let us not to discount the MSD factor. He might just revive his T20 World Cup winning memories in South Africa again!!

Technorati Tags: IPL2,Chennai Super Kings,Delhi DareDevils,DD,CSK

Before and after 18 years, 2 days …

This is only an observation. And there couldn’t be any sensible connection at all…

18 years ago and two days before Rajiv Gandhi's birthday, two of his alleged plotters were found dead. Now, after 18 years, on May 18th, Prabhakaran, the prime accused for the late Prime Minister's assassination was killed in a battle with the SLA.

This happened two days after “Sonia-Rahul” led Congress won a decisive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections.

Pre-closure thoughts and review on English Premier League[EPL] vis-à-vis Fantasy Premier League[FPL]

 

 

And so it ends...!

This was my first year with the FPL and I blissfully admit that it had changed the way I perceive soccer. The most important thing that this online game taught me was to see beyond Manchester United. I used to be an ardent Manchester United supporter before but selecting three “expensive” players from Man Utd did not help my team and in due course of time, I resorted to employing players from my bête noire Chelsea, Frank Lampard in particular.

It was a difficult and heart-breaking decision but as time progressed, Frank Lampard stood for me and ensured that my team climbed up in the league. And so did Anelka.

Thereafter, Gerrard and Schwarzer showed me why Christiano Ronaldo and Van Der Sar aren’t worth their money.

Indeed, FPL turned my liking of soccer into addiction. Every Friday, I used to spend hours looking at the fixtures, reading news about players, injuries, return from injuries, the forecast from Pundits and replying to the taunts of other team managers in the league’s forum. Later, I assumed the role of a "pundit" and provided predictions for the upcoming game-week through my blog. Great managers like Guus Hiddink and Jose Mourinho have proved that it takes more than personal skill to be good managers-it needs that extra tinge of luck! And, I acknowledge that I did have some luck predicting the outcomes and players that could make a difference in FPL.

Soccer indeed has changed lives of people and their thought process. I have now realized why Wayne Rooney and English fans forgave Ronaldo even after his World Cup antics. I am a live example- an online fantasy game has taught me that soccer is way beyond personal vendetta and choices.

NOTE:I have taken a part of this article from my earlier article which was posted on my site www.gorkhas.com. The site is hosted on a free webhost, so if you don’t get to the page at the first time, try again! Sorry for the inconvenience.

Technorati Tags: Soccer,EPL

Election India 2009 predictions, results and the challenge to Astrologers.

Image:Courtesy-MorgueFile

As Election’09 results started pouring in, it became obvious that Dr. Manmohan Singh led UPA government would be re-elected at the centre. I had thought that the NDA would come into power on the basis of anti-incumbency wave. And like me, thousands of us were having our own predictions and thoughts on the outcome. So, can our astrologers be far behind? They have always been active during all major happenings or events- whether its elections, Priyanka Gandhi taking over the reins of the Congress party or predicting the winner of the Cricket World Cup.

In an open challenge to astrologers and predictors, Narendra Nayak of “The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations”, in the website Nirmukta.com had announced an interesting contest.

Presenting an award of one million rupees to predict election results.

Of course, the “winner” had to answer 4 questions[25 parts] from guessable ones like “Who will be the next Prime Minister of India?” to tough ones like “How many seats will each of the parties win? The answers should be in units- Ranges are not acceptable- correct to the nearest unit in case of single digit and ±10% if the number is more than single digit”.

There were however a lot of T&C’s for contestants. The contest was posted on the website on 2nd May 2009 and the answers had to be sent by snail mail or courier only. All questions had to be answered and there could be multiple winners.

I am looking forward for the results and am curious to know if renowned astrologers of India took part in the competition.

Technorati Tags: Elections India

Green Room Boxes-Rock Band from Bangalore, Karnataka, India

 

 

 

Green Room Boxes is the name of a family, but the world normally calls such families "rock bands". Well, GRB as we're called for short, is a rock band based out of Bangalore - classical/alternative/punk rock group, with a very strong bias towards our original compositions...that's us.

 

The Boxes

 

Anant:

Bass guitar. Co-founder of GRB when it was a two piece band, Anant used to do the leads and vocal but exchanged spots (rather gleefully, if I may add!) and took up bass duties once GRB took off.

 

Nishant:

Lead guitars. "Brilliant" would be an understatement for this guy. Anything related to guitars and he can do it (good for us!) The new soul of GRB.

 

Sovit:

Rhythm guitars. A clean guitaring wizzo...Sovit's the one who fills the riffs in between the song. And melodious is just one of his attributes.

 

Pranai:

Clean guitaring champ, in the band handling the vox department. Clapton's Layla is his trademark song. The heart of GRB, right from vocals to the gyaan.

 

Rahul:

Drums. Co-founder of GRB with Anant. Once named the band "The Resoulutes" but chucked it after coming to know about the existence of a band with the same name. Since then, GRB is what we've been called.

 

Ex-Men: Lead guitars plus vocals. Formally with "String Sick", Zoe joined GRB in March 2008. Parted ways with us owing to his personal commitments. Vinnie: Keyboard. A magician with the keys - also the guy with the jam pad and experience in the commercial music industry. Owing to his commitments to his other projects, couldn't really commit to the band. Our loss.

 

This post is dedicated to Rahul Pradhan

Pal, remember always, GRB is your brainchild!

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, GAME WEEK 37- PREVIEW VIS-A-VIS FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE.

Image:Courtesy-MorgueFile.

Those who read my post on EPL game week 36 would have realized that choosing three players from Manchester United was indeed fruitful. As for my team, I had to make random substitutions in the 11th hour because two of my players(Arshavin and Lennon) were out that game week. I finally decided to have Ronaldo back as my captain. However, Sir. Alex had other ideas. He broke my heart by not playing Ronaldo the full 90 minutes against Manchester City. Ronaldo was in a great run that day and could have scored more. The other player who failed us all was Frank Lampard. He doesn’t fail us often, does he?

So, with two days to go, what is in store for us this game week?

Rather than looking at this game week alone, I feel it will be wise to look at the last game week as well. On analysis, it is evident that the team that will fetch you the maximum points is Chelsea. Chelsea has one match against Blackburn and one against Sunderland. So, you can expect a lot of goals and can bet on at least one clean sheet for the goal keeper and defenders. If you haven’t already, try to have maximum players from Chelsea now.

Liverpool play West Bromwich Albion this game week and against Tottenham in the final one. I believe WBA can’t do a Wigan to Liverpool. So, you can still bet on three players from Liverpool this game week.

Choosing players from Manchester United will require lot of contemplation. I am very cynical about having players from top teams in my squad when they play against each other. Manchester United play Arsenal on 16th May and I am secretly wishing for a Bendtner magic. And what if Hull City beat United in the last game?

With respect to FPL, the point to ponder is that if United beat or draw with Arsenal, then Sir. Alex might rest his important players in the game against Hull City(24th May 2009). Remember, United are heading Rome for the Champions League final(27th May 2009) against Barca. So, I believe Sir. Alex will play all his fine men this game week against Arsenal to seal the premiership.

Arsenal on the other hand will play with their full strength for the remaining two game weeks. So, even if they lose to Manchester United, retain their best players in your squad. Their last game against Stoke City should get you a lot of points.

Also, investing on Aston Villa might yield great results.

Finally, this is my FPL squad for Game week 37:-

Schwarzer, Vidic, Arbeloa, Cole A, Dempsey, Lampard(Captain), Ronaldo, Benayoun, Fletcher[His CL “Red Card” appeal was rejected], Bendtner, Tristan, Walcott, Figueroa, Taylor R.

Technorati Tags: Soccer,EPL

The Montauk Monster returns to Earth again

Image:Courtesy:MorgueFile. This picture has no resemblance or relation to the Montauk monster.

As news of the new "Montauk Monster" poured in, I quickly "Googled" the internet to check out the pictures of the “new monster". However, it disappointed me.This looks like the carcass of a dead pig to me. The photograph of the first Montauk Monster was interesting. The internet was abuzz with discussion on whether it was the decayed corpse of a "raccoon", "turtle", "boxer" dog or a "capybara".

Honestly, I don't believe that these are monsters but rather are animals that drowned at sea or dead animals that were disposed to the sea. But, it sure brings in curiosity and fame to the “Montauk Monster”. Apart from getting featured in “Monster Quest” on History Channel and talks shows on TV, there is already an official website dedicated to the monster.

For the unaware, the "Montauk Monster" gets it name from Montauk, a town in Suffolk County, New York, where the "monster" was first found.

How to reach the Pinnacle of Sorrow?

Image Source:MorgueFile

They said that things would change,

I argued, why would it? We will still be the same,

Unchanged in the very feelings that bonded us,

Blest with wishes and thoughts….

Oft I remember things of the glory past,

Giving the best shot to impress,

Some fallacy, some true and some simply best….

Did I lose the battle there? Did you?

Do you feel like leaving me then? Do you feel like leaving me now?

Life is a tweak, my friend, it is…Remember….

I can’t tell you my sorrow now, I can only show you my pride,

Some things of the past, haunts and thus remains,

I longed to do away with poems coz they say it makes you sad,

And sad in life is what I am,

With or without my poems!

Locked as a prisoner in a hermit shell,

I can barely breathe now,

Its choking the life out of me,

Be with me now……

[ I must stop right away….this poem has reach the pinnacle of sorrow!]

Reaching to your audience through your blog and the limitations.

There are millions of blogs on the internet and most of us spend at least an hour on our blog-site enhancing it to reach a wider audience. In the process, we join some communities labeled "Bad communities" by Google. Ours may be a simple act of blog publicity but unknowingly, we might have violated the Google Webmaster guidelines.

If you check the webmaster's guidelines, you can see a number of Do's and Dont's. But, none specifically mentions what "bad communities" are. So, before posting to any neighbourhoods or network sites, be careful. Your site might just "disappear" from the google searches.

The guidelines specifically mentions about avoiding "cloaking"(true to it's relevant meaning) and irrelevant re-directs.

The other important point here is to avoid enhancing your blog with the help of a "SEO" companies. There are many companies on the internet promising "x" number of visitors to your blog using various SEO techniques. However, they work mostly on "link-sharing/link-buying" concept and are possibly already in the Google watchlist for violation.

Lastly, if you think you have been "banned" by Google, check the webmaster's guidelines, post to forum and after a thorough analysis, request for re-consideration.

Google’s Doodle 4 Google competition

 

Doodle- For the unaware, that is the name of the usually “cute” message oriented “Google” text image that comes on Google search page. On Christmas day, usually it is a “Google” with a red Santa hat. On 10th May, 2009-Mothers Day, it was a bright color bouquet.

Currently, in the US, there is a competition by Google called “Doodle 4 Google”, with the theme “What I wish for the world”. According to Google, “Doodle 4 Google” is a competition where they invite K-12(Grade K to Grade 12) students to play around with their homepage logo and see what new designs they come up with.

I happened to stumble on the competition page this morning by curiosity. The competition is in its last phase where netizens can help choose the National finalists from the 40 regional winners.

One can do so by visiting this LINK.

The competition offers lots of prizes to the eventual winners. But most importantly, I believe that the theme is based on a great thought!

Technorati Tags: Doodle,Google

Samsung Customer Care, Bangalore – Feedback!

I am very impressed with Samsung’s customer care here in Bangalore. Yesterday, there was an issue with my front loading washing machine. The water wasn’t getting pumped in. Though I tried everything I could by checking the manual, yet, the problem wasn’t fixed. So, I called up the washing machine dealer who directed me to the customer care at 080-30308282.

The customer care took my details and politely transferred the line to the technical support. Immediately, I got an SMS on my mobile phone with the reference number. The technical support tried to solve it over the phone but were unable to do so. Therefore, they fixed an appointment for a service visit to my residence today. At around 10 AM this morning, someone gave me a call and asked for the landmark. And by 2 PM, the issue was resolved. Now, that was excellent customer service!

I believe it is important for us, as consumers to appreciate great service and write elaborately on pathetic experiences. Down the line, this will result in greater CSAT experience for everyone.

Technorati Tags: Customer Service,Samsung

EPL Game week 36 VIS-A-VIS FPL, LIVE Manchester United vs Manchester City(Manchester Derby)-2nd half report.

The players are out on the field. At half-time, the ESPN studio pundits were totally unanimous in ruling out a Manchester City comeback. So, are we about to see a flurry of goals from Manchester United in the 2nd half or is Robinho going to create some magic? Only time will tell…

And into the first few minutes of the second half, we have a yellow card. Darren Fletcher, again! On a side note, he is in my FPL team and his FPL manager is fuming.

Into the 50 minutes and Robinho misses one for Manchester City. Considering the top player that he is, he should have scored. I am enjoying this.

And in the meanwhile, Rooney is warming up on the sidelines. Is it for Berbatov?

Whats wrong with Sir. Alex? It’s a double substitution. Ronaldo is OUT and Scholes is IN. And Park has been replaced by Rooney. Ronaldo appears to be disappointed over this move and so am I. I am not too sure what Big-A is thinking. The match isn’t sealed already and Liverpool is on ManUtd’s tail. Ronaldo is still shaking his head.

Into the 65’th minute and the camera shows good ole’ Bobbie Charlton watching from the stands. He is not sporting a smile. Is he displeased over Ronaldo’s substitution as well?..Ahmm!

There is another Manchester United substitution now with O’Shea replacing Evans. And is it the end of road for Ronaldo-Alex’s fairytale? Ronaldo looks pretty hurt and he is not hiding this fact!

72nd minute and Manchester City make a substitution, M Petrov comes in for De Jong. During this change, I could see a couple of Sardars in the red. But, at the back of my head, I am still thinking about Sir. Alex’s move.

Into the 78th minute and Manchester United supporters are already rejoicing.

Now with four minutes of normal time remaining, Petrov narrowly scores for City through a long range shot. Manchester City makes another substitution with Robinho getting replaced by Evans. Just then, Fletcher and Tevez nearly combine to score for Man Utd through a corner.

We are now into the extra time and Ronaldo is still gloomy and has his hands crossed.

Thus, the match ends with Manchester United back on top of the EPL standings. They require only four points out of the remaining three games to win the premiership. That apart, now what happens next between Ronaldo and Sir. Alex?

Technorati Tags: Soccer,EPL,Manchester United

EPL Game week 36 VIS-A-VIS FPL, LIVE Manchester United vs Manchester City(Manchester Derby)-First half report.

I was excited about this game, primarily because of the fact that am relying totally on Manchester United to boost my score in FPL. The second reason is that this game is very important vis-a-vis Man Utd’s title hopes. However, when I switched on the TV, I was disappointed to see that ESPN had been shifted down at channel number 83. And in India, if you have the normal cable connection and as you flick through towards the 80’s, the picture quality deteriorates to the level of “unwatchablity”. So, it took a couple of calls to get the cable guy move ESPN up to the “watchable” zone. I have an old television set with a basic remote control that is in its death bed. So, it took me a while to figure where ESPN had been placed.

And Lo!! The picture was clear and I could see that Ronaldo, my captain, had his arms up. Manchester United had just scored and was 1-0 up through a well taken free-kick. It wasn’t the usual clean shot but who cares, I am rejoicing!!

Into the thirty minutes and Man Utd are playing like a pack of hyenas attacking a hapless calf. Tevez and Ronaldo, in particular are looking dangerous. Tevez had a long range shot hitting the bar. As for Manchester City, they have failed to make a decent attack on their opposition. And their player are living dangerously. Ireland has already been booked and Kompany had a confrontation with Berbatov. Both of them narrowly missed being booked.

Another goal!!

Into the final minute of the first half, through a pass from Berbatov, Tevez managed to find the back of the net through a stunning strike, just outside of the D-box.

Thus, ended the first half with a 2-0 score line for Manchester United!

del.icio.us Tags: Soccer,Manchester Derby,EPL

Happy Mothers Day

May the good Lord bless and keep you...

Happy Mothers Day

Down memory lane...

Love you mum! May the Lord God bless and keep you....

TATA Nano car and Shubh Griha housing project

Image Courtesy:MorgueFile.These pictures are totally unrelated to TATA Nano and TATA’s housing projects.

On May 6th, 2009, Tata Housing Development Company announced the launch of its low-cost “Nano” housing project for people of low income in India.

It said that they were offering 283 sq ft, 360 sq ft and 465 sq ft flat at an affordable price of Rs 3.9 lakh-6.7 lakh INR. Prior to this, the low cost car, Nano, another TATA project was probably the most discussed political and business news at the end of 2008 and the start of 2009.

TATA is now practically everywhere in the Indian market- it is a brand we can’t do without. From automobiles, steel, software, retail, internet, science, to even salt, the brand TATA has spread its wings like no other Indian company. Kudos to Mr. Ratan for seeing beyond the zenith. I recall an interview I saw long time back on TV: Mr.Tata talked about how many thought Tata Indica would be a failure but he still decided to go with it. India got its “first indigenous car” with the launch of Indica and the rest is in the history books as an amazing success story.

But, with respect to the Nano projects, I am still wondering if I need to go for these two.

My opinion about the Nano car is that it will be great for city travel only. But, I am sure that in due course of time, all Nano owners will definitely hit the highway at a top speed of 80-95 km/hour. So, be prepared for all the chaos and accidents. I am not saying that Nano project will be a failure but a lakh extra to accommodate “necessary” safety measures and a speed of at least 110 km/hour(in driving conditions) would have suited my liking.

The same goes for the housing project. First, it is hard to identify low income people who can manage 6-7 lakhs. And secondly, it is definitely not the house for the middle class. How many of us would prefer to live in a 465 sq ft flat? A wise idea would have been to have to offer at least 1000 sq ft flat, at 10-12-15 lakhs INR.

But, having said that, I know that this project also will be a great success. India is blessed with an amazing population. It would require less than two percent of a billion folks* to fill these low cost houses. Many will also buy the apartments to rent it out or offer on lease.

From my perspective, as a prospective real-estate and automobile customer, I can see only one positive:-

This will influence real estate and car prices for people, who are ready to compromise on some aspects of our needs.

*I am lazy calculating stuffs, so its a rough estimation!

Of Sunil Chhetri, Bhaichung Bhutia and Kalimpong!

(This article sans the photographs was originally published at www.goal.com. Now that the article has been archived on the website, I am republishing the same through BeaconOnline on my blog!)

Image Courtesy:MorgueFile

Kalimpong is a hill station nestled in the Lower Himalayas in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at 27.06° N 88.47° E at an average altitude of 1,247 m (4,100 feet). The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong subdivision, a part of the district of Darjeeling. In this article, the author shares his experiences about the passion called football that rules this part of the world.

Cradled in the hills of Darjeeling-India, the small town of Kalimpong is but a place overwhelmed by ardent football enthusiasts. The passion for the game runs back to decades and the zeal has been carried down through the generation. Arguably, the pinnacle of this begins early July and ends in the usually rainy evening of the Indian Independence day.

Apart from the fanfare of school activities, football and only football, dominates every 15th August. It usually begins with a mini-football championship staged officially between schools for boys under 14. Although staged for this age-group, the number is just a suggestion. Much older looking guys usually don the colourful jerseys and sometimes are the reason for many a thrashing.

The competition is staged in the town’s most popular and famous football field-the Mela Ground (pictured below).

The final to the tournament literally has people from all walks of life thronging to view the extravaganza. Shortly after the end of the mini division, the stage is set for the B and A division football finals. The B- division football clash is between teams comprising of senior school students vying for the coveted crown.
The stadium is filled with two opposing sets of fans who, like their football -mad counterparts in Europe or Latin America are colourful and noisy. They chant slogans and boo every aspect of their opponents’ move. It is not uncommon to have the die-hard supporters invade the pitch during the finals, causing more excitement and hundreds of heartbeats to race.

For a nation that is cricket savvy and for a town of Kalimpong’s stature, an observer will have no qualms about the passion the sport has to offer. Cricket is a religion followed by many but Football is the oeuvre of mass hysteria. The senior division championship has teams from Nepal, Bhutan and adjoining states locking horns.

After some rounds of gruelling matches, the finalists fight it out in the rain, fog, muddy conditions and their opponents to be crowned the Independence Shield champions.

Kalimpong, historically, has a great track record of being rainy on August 15 but this is not enough to deter the spectators from enjoying the game. The processions that follow have everything that a football fan would expect. You could compare it to Manchester United’s celebration in 1999 after its treble and it might not be mere exaggeration.

Unlike Calcutta or for that matter, Sikkim, Kalimpong has not been able to produce players for the Indian national team.

The reasons are many but in recent times, the local football academy has invested in some foreign coaches and selected and trained promising players in week long camps. A lot of work is still to be done and hopefully like all good endeavors, this small town will produce players in the class of Bhutia and Chhetri.

Amen!

Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association(BGWA) presents first ever Gorkha Mela at Austin Town, Bangalore on 31st May 2009!

Details:

Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association (BGWA), a social non-political outfit based in Bangalore has been working extensively for a progressive Gorkha community for the past 26 years.

From helping those in need, to providing insurance for low income personnel, sponsoring and mentoring the under privileged students, BGWA has been the forefront force for welfare activities.

In 2008, it organized the first "Gorkha Saanjh" in Bangalore to a rousing reception from Gorkhas in Bangalore.

Now, for the first time in Bangalore, BGWA is organizing "Gorkha Mela" on 31st May 2009.

A full day's event at Nandan Football ground, Austin Town, the mela will be a pot-pourri of "Fun, Frolic and Games, Skit and Cultural Performances" and the crowd favorite, "Gorkhali Khana".

There are over 20 games in fray including traditional games such as "Khopee", "Hooplah" and the interesting "Estimate the weight of the Bhaaley[Cock]" competition.

Pricing Details:

Donor passes are currently available at a nominal price of Rs. 100. Please note that passes are not available at the venue.

For Donor passes, contact:

bgwabangalore@gmail.com or Arnav(9886738638)/Sachin(9008028162)/Bishal(9844097690)

माफ गर्नुहोला सबैले तर यो पोस्टर चै यहाँ ताँग्नु वाध्य नै पर्‍यो।
सबै आउनु होला मेलामा। छुँगी, खोप्पी, दाइशहरु सबै छ। खाना-पिना पनि लोभलाग्दो छ, सुँगुरको मासु बाहेक!

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, GAME WEEK 36- PREVIEW VIS-A-VIS FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE.

In my article on the predictions for Game Week 35, I had written about how I felt Tristan was a good buy at 5.5 mn. And, I did substitute Dempsey for Tristan at the last minute and it paid off!

In the end, my overall game week 35 score was 80 points when the average of Game Week 35 was 43 points.

All my predictions except Schwarzer(as GK) and Lampard(as Captain) clicked.

Schwarzer was in my team because Fulham was playing against Chelsea and I expected him to make a couple of saves. And, I didn’t have to worry if Chelsea failed to beat Fulham because the only player from Chelsea in my team was Frank Lampard. I must say these two disappointed me but, overall, I am extremely happy with the results.

I have now jumped 6 places to the 17th position in Himalayan Soccer League. This is quite an achievement considering the fact that I joined this league in Game Week 7.

Now, let me quickly go through the predictions this game week:-

a) Man Utd is playing two matches this game week so you know what to do :-

play three players from Manchester United

This is always a gamble though. Important players may be rested. Evaluate players to be picked on the basis of how many matches they have played in a stretch. If you were to ask me, I would pick up “Vidic” and “O Shea”.

Most of us already have two players from Man Utd, so there shouldn’t be a problem choosing the third.

b) Wigan is also playing two matches but I suggest you avoid using players from this side. Their form is unpredictable. However, you can use “cheap” Figueroa at 4.6 mn.

c) It is very difficult to choose between Chelsea and Arsenal, therefore, this Game Week, I have decided to substitute my captain.

d) Pick up a player from Manchester United[preferably] or Liverpool, as your Captain.

About my team for this game week:

a)Vidic in as “Captain” and Figueroa in to replace Hull’s Ricketts. The squad remains unchanged otherwise.

Discussion on how to auto-post "news" on your blog and the greatest obstacle to this arrangement.

This is a fairly easy job. But, the most concerning or “painful” part of the arrangement is that you need to keep a watch on the “post”. And, as soon as it arrives as a post, you have to modify certain sections of the same or else your blog visitors might delete this arrangement unknowingly.

So, how do you configure your blog to have auto-posts like the one below?

First, you need to create an alert via Google. Go to Google Alerts and create an alert.

For example, if you want to auto-post consolidated news which contains the following keywords-

“Gorkhas” OR “Gorkhaland” OR “Sikkim” OR “Darjeeling”

then in the “Search Term” field enter the terms(without quotes), select type as “News”, frequency as “Daily” and in the “Deliver to” field, enter your e-mail address.

Now, go to your e-mail account which will receive the alert and create a filter to forward mails with the subject line

“Google Alert: Gorkhas or Gorkhaland or Sikkim or Darjeeling”

to your blog. Of course, you need to configure your blog settings as below:-

As you can see from the above screenshot, enter the e-mail address from where you want to forward the e-mails in the “BlogSend Address” field and enter your blog’s e-mail posting address. I have selected “sachintewari.chhetri[at]blogger.com”

Set option to “Publish mails immediately”.

Now, as soon as the alert comes in to your inbox, it gets forwarded to the “Email posting address” and the post is up on your blog. Note that you need to enter the forwarding e-mail account as your “BlogSend Address”.

The potential flaw in this arrangement, it’s death knell. Is it deliberate?

The most potential drawback of the arrangement is that “Google Alerts” comes into your inbox with the following options at the end:-

If this e-mail gets forwarded as a post to your blog, it gets posted as it is. So now, if someone happens to click “Remove”, then sadly, you get unsubscribed from the alert. On a closer look at the “Remove” hyperlink, I observed that some session information is passed which auto-authenticates any user clicking on the “Remove” link as below:-

http://www.google.com/alerts/remove?s=EAAAAKT_8V2vWmzHNs-220sYNuo&hl=en&gl=us

Now, this spoils the party, doesn’t it?

I am not too sure if “Google” has done this to avoid users from spamming the internet with auto-posts. But, I definitely got a clear message from my blog subscribers or my blog visitors, they DON’T like being spammed with consolidated news!

Apologies fellas!!

National Games Village Koramangala Bangalore Swimming pool- A review!

Located at the NGV complex(close to the new passport office), this pool is a delightful respite for almost everyone, looking for a decent pool and without the need to pay a lakh+ for membership.

From Indian pool standards, one can say that the pool is maintained just about fine. Weekly maintenance is done every Monday. They recycle the water but one can still find slippery floor at certain areas inside the pool. It has showers but the change room is pretty dirty. The toilets aren't clean either.

I find the rules funny. One is allowed swim without proper swimming gears but if you land up at half past an hour, you need to wait till it reaches the hour because one batch is scheduled at every hour. If "half-pant" crowd are not allowed then there wont be a need to have the waiting time. I have raised this concern in the past but action hasn't been taken till date.

A snacks counter is present close to swimming pool where you can buy ice creams and popcorn. Beer might also be available-I haven’t asked but at times have seen people drinking!

During summer season, there are swimming camps for kids and adults. The pool opens at six and closes by seven, except on Monday.

The hourly swimming rates have now increased to Rs. 100 from Rs. 70. This is pretty expensive on evaluating the overall satisfaction metrics. You can also avail a monthly pass at Rs. 1500.

MORE ON NGV…

I learnt swimming in NGV pool. My immediate friend circle is a big group of 10-12 people and most of us didn’t know to swim. So, in the year 2007 early spring, we came to know of this pool in NGV. And within some days, all of us knew how to swim.

Here are the videos of me swimming, some dates back to the year 2007:-

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