War And Peace

“Only the dead have seen the end of war”.

As the world debates Obama’s decision on the Afghanistan War and anticipates the result of the troop surge there, I cannot help but acknowledge the veracity of these words.

The Iraq War has ended. The war in Afghanistan is very much on. One in Iran looms.

People dying virtually every day in Pakistan. Radical religious monomaniacs wrapping themselves in dynamite and blowing up innocent people. Maoist violence in India. Thousands vanquishing as a result. LTTE insurgency in SL that lasted decades, killing thousands. Genocides in Tibet. Israel-Palestine conflict. Iran-Iraq War. World War I, World War II. The list is endless. The casualties uncountable. The destruction unfathomable.

US may come back blaring the victory trumpet from Afghanistan but they’d forever remain leery of the Islamic nations. Who knows where the next threat could come up from? Iran for one surely hates the American guts. On the other hand Taliban could win the war but what can they possibly do that would make their people's lives better in the face of sanctions and isolation from the rest of the world. They'd then look for a new target to vent out their anger/frustration. Either way the war won't end.

If the Maoists’ secessionist tactics work and they get autonomy would they be able to prosper severed from mainland India? What would Pakistan gain by accquiring control of Kashmir when they can't do anything for the well-being of its people. No one is going to budge and only a few more million are going to die.

Obama posited in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, "For make no mistake, Evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism -- it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason."

This is perhaps a Commander-In-Chief justifying his war with glib speech or perhaps this is an erudite man making a very profound statement. Take your pick. I think it is the latter.

What a conundrum we are in. War is necessary for the upkeep of Peace.

New generations living in fear. Children struggling in refugee camps when they should be in schools building their future. Fathers burying their young sons. Ailing kids. Mothers with nothing to feed them. Houses razed to the ground in the calm of the night. Nothing but mere rubble on the streets. Nothing but mere pain in the heart. We better get used to this.

Oh and btw, a Happy New Year to All !!

Sachiiiiin....Sachin !!

A billion prayers go up to the heavens whenever he walks into bat. A billion heads come down in dejection whenever his wicket falls. They dance deliriously when he flicks one past square leg. They chant cumulatively when he puts one past point. And the opposition watches wistfully when he plays the trademark drive.

Sachin’s 17000 ODI runs couldn't’ have come at a better time. I had been itching to write for the last few days but nothing fired my imagination till his innings of 175 this morning. I knew a post on Sachin would come sooner or later on my blog as he is one of the very few men who I admire and idolize. Today it is then.

I am going to eulogize him unabashedly in this post. So if you are not a complete Sachin fanatic like I am, this post is not for you :P I'd probably not say anything that has not already been said but this post is my 'two cents'.

From the day he was hit by a Younis bouncer and batted on with a blood stained shirt to the day he mauled the Aussies in Sharjah. From the day he smacked Akhtar all over the park to the day he gave cricket its most poignant moment (when he scored a century against Kenya coming back from his father's funeral). The 'Little Master' has gathered accolades unparalleled by any one else in the cricketing world.

Barry Richards has called him ‘Cricket’s God’. And God he is indeed.

The highest number of runs in both Tests and ODIs. The highest number of 100s in both Tests and ODIs. It doesn’t get any better than that. He is the absolute BEST. He IS the GOD of cricket. Period.

What’s remarkable about the man and the thing that I personally admire the most is that in spite of these histrionics he is still as humble as a child. Never has he got embroiled in any unpleasant incident on or off the field. Even as far less cricketers have instigated him time and again he has maintained his calm. Be it the overly-aggressive/abusive Aussies or the extra-zealous Pakistanis. They have all tried to disconcert him on the field with unkind words and gestures. But he has never stooped to their level. I think this comes from the fact that deep within he knows that he is far better than anyone else on the field. Far far better. So much better that no one even comes within sniffing distance. He sure knows it. He doesn't show it though. And that's what's great about the man.

The same bowlers’ appreciation off the field is testimony to this. Have a look here.

Needless to say young cricketers can learn a lot from him. His impeccable technique, unshakable concentration and unquestionable dedication. But more than anything else they can learn humility and dignity from him. They can learn how not to let success get to their heads.

I could go on and on till the time hell freezes over. I guess even beyond that. Such is his stature.

The world would applaud adoringly when he finally decides to leave international cricket. That is if ever it happens. I along with a billion others would wish that day never comes !!

I'm gonna shout till my throat goes hoarse "Sachiiin...Sachin" !!!

P.S. I know I have used a lot of superlatives/exaggerations/timeworn-cliches here. But then whats love if it's not corny ;) And we all love Sachin. Don't we ?!

Streets of Philadelphia !!

So this weekend I saw the movie ‘Philadelphia’ for like the tenth time. I loved it for like the tenth time. Having seen it numerous times already, I don't really know why I decided to watch it again. Maybe I was caught up in a little nostalgia. Maybe I was missing Philly too much !!

Some of you may have seen the movie. Others may have not. To those of you who have not, I’d suggest you watch it at the first opportunity. To those of you who have, you’d know what I am talking about.

Tom Hanks is remarkable in the movie. I think he gives his best performance here. He plays the role of an AIDS afflicted patient with the sangfroid of a Sachin Tendulkar batting on 99. His portrayal of the battered Andrew Beckett is exceptional. If God himself were to come down and play the role I don’t think he’d be able to a much better job. Hanks makes you feel his pain vicariously. He makes you believe that the pain is real, the anguish, the desperation is real. To put it in broad strokes, he's done a tremendous job and I can’t think of anyone who would have done it better. Watch the clip above and you’d know.

A little about the movie now. Hanks works for a law firm and is one of their most promising attorneys. But he’s sabotaged by his employers when they find out that he's carrying AIDS and is a homosexual. More than the infection it's his sexual orientation that his employers can't handle. From there on, it’s a tale of Hanks’ struggle against this discrimination. Also about the change of heart that Denzel Washington (Hanks’ attorney) goes through during the case. How he goes from being a homophobe to pulling all stops out to win the case for Hanks.

The movie was ground-breaking when it came out. AIDS and homosexuality were things that were not talked about overtly. Making a mainstream Hollywood movie on those issues was a gamble. But it paid-off. And since then many directors have followed suit.

A slight digression. Well, not really !! I was in Canada some time back and witnessed a gay parade in Toronto. Thousands thronged the streets cheering those who were part of the procession. The crowd was celebrating and rejoicing with them. Some of the crowd was there to merely look at the cavalcade of oddly & scantily clad men /women. But I'm sure there were many who were in attendance to support 'Gay Rights'.

When I think about it I feel that the gathering there was a perfect microcosm of our society. Through the years some have come to accept homosexuality while others have not. And they won't. Some go to the extent of labeling homosexuals as 'criminals' (like many of my countrymen). Not too long ago I read about the furore in India over a High Court ruling that decriminalized homosexuality.

We as a society, you an me have certain ethos, at times certain religious beliefs that preclude us from accepting the behavior and lifestyle of homosexuals. They are different from us in their sexual preferences. Perhaps its not possible for us to respect/accept that. But there is one other thing that we can inculcate. Tolerance. We don't have to embrace them or champion their cause. But we don't need to cringe at them either. We don't need to ostracize them. Just as we tolerate people from different religions (or do we?), can't we tolerate people with sexual orientation different than ours? Think about it. Imo they HAVE to be given the same respect as anyone else in the society but tolerating/accepting them as part of the social milieu would be a start.

"Respect" and "Tolerance" are the keywords here. And the good thing is that the latter can occur without the former. Don't approve/respect their behavior if you can't. But don't loathe them too.

At a time when we have countless other problems like poverty, nuclear armament, pollution & climate change in the world, should homosexuality be our biggest concern ?! Lets take on the other issues first and then worry about a guy/girl who sways the other way.

I end with the most eloquent defense of tolerance and freedom that I have ever read.

"I disapprove of what you say but I'd defend to death your right to say it" - Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Lets try to do that !!

P.S. Two dedications this time ;)

First one is for my 'Big Bro'. Its his birthday on the 6th. Funny thing with him. He doesn't seem to get older, he just gets wiser :) Have a great day broda !!

Second dedication is for a my good friend from Pakistan, Aatir, who recently informed me that he's getting married come February. His temporary insanity of love is definitely curable by marriage ;-) Dude, just hang in there till then :p

24 Till I Die !!

Yes, I want to be 24 till I die. 18 worked alright for Mr. Adams, but I'd prefer to be a good 6 years older. He had his reasons, I have mine.

When I was 18, I was in the second year of my college. Even though my parents have always been of the 'unstinting' and ‘he’s the youngest, let him spend as he wishes’ kind, I was still cash-strapped on most occasions. Now money is not the most important thing in life. I know that. People say it's Love. And I agree. The unfortunate thing was that I was in love with money...too many things to buy, too little money at hand. Now, that I am 24. And working. Well, yeah you infidels ! I am ;) And doing decently well at that. Staying in one of the costliest cities of the world, the money is still not enough for all the things that one could want, but its way better than what it was when I was 18. Whole another thing that I don’t desire a lot of things now. At least not the ones that money can buy. Refer 'Dad, I’m a Socialist'. So, there we go.

TwentyFour 1 – Eighteen 0.

Having broached the topic of ‘love’ in the very beginning let me take it a little further. Love of the lucre has been right up there on my list. Not far behind is, yes you’ve guessed it right, Girls. And mostly girls older than me ;) I still remember the time when I went absolutely crazy for a girl, only to find out that I was 18 and she was 21. I also remember that damsel-in-distress who I wanted to be the rescuer of. Sadly I was 20, she was 23. If I had a dime (even a cent) for every time this has happened, I would easily beat Warren Buffet to be the richest man around. Sigh... So as I was saying, due to this age barrier I couldn't hit on these swans. Well now that I am 24, I don’t have that problem any more. 24 is the perfect age. Anyone more than 24, I don’t want to hit on them anyways. Anyone less than 24 is now fair game !!

My four elder sisters are going to come after me with large steak-knives if they read this, so if this is the last post you see from me for a long time to come, please be the good samaritan and inform my parents. They’d appreciate it.

TwentyFour 2 – Eighteen 0

Another thing that I love about life at 24 is the freedom that I have. This partly stems from the fact that I am staying alone now. Since I'm away from my family I can be my own master. Stay out till late in the night, sometimes till early morning. Have a few beers here, there..everywhere!! The party just doesn’t stop. Needless to say I couldn’t drink when I was 18. Plus staying with my parents didn’t help. I remember cutting short many an outings with friends after getting a call from Dad demanding that I come home immediately.

TwentyFour 3 – Eighteen 0

3-0

Now that’s a margin comfortable enough to win a soccer match. And if it's good enough for my deities then it's good enough for me !! I have a few more reasons but they'd all come out in good time. Till then, Keep it real!!

P.S. This post is dedicated to my sister whose birthday it is today. Happy Birthday Sistah ;)

The Smile Train

A ‘Smile’ is a small word but a it has big impact. In spite of knowing its importance, how seldom do we use it !! Frugal as we are with it, imagine the plight of those who cannot afford one.

Imagine not being able to smile at that special girl you see in the hallway each day. Imagine not being able to express your happiness at the gift your boyfriend just gave you. Imagine not cracking up at the funny antics of 'Laurel n Hardy' or 'Tom n Jerry'. Imagine not being able to smile ever in your life. Scary, eh? Maybe now you’d not be so stingy with those smiles.

Still there are countless kids across the world who live through this all their life. And the cause of their affliction are 'clefts'. Clefts are pandemic in many developing countries of the world. Millions are suffering with unrepaired clefts. As a consequence of these clefts they cannot speak properly. They're not allowed in schools and lead a life of isolation, humiliation and abject misery.

Yi Yun, a small girl in China lived through 11 years of this. Abandoned by her parents, unable to communicate and tormented by the society, she led a life of neglect and despondence. For 11 years she had no friends, for 11 years she was alone. Really alone !! But her life changed. The Smile Train arranged a cleft surgery for the girl, after which she was able to go to school. With training she also started to speak coherently. Some of her first words were a ‘Thank You" to her sugeon.

This is one of the numerous stories that I have received in emails since last summer, the time I had made a small contribution to the organization. The surgery didn't just put a smile on her face, but it puts a smile on my face ever so often.

I got an apartment recently and would probably get a car sometime soon too. As have most of you. These things make us happy and that's what they are meant to do. But its something that’s a given every day of our lives. Every time I’d get into the car, I know it’d give me pleasure to drive it around. The leather upholstery, the mean speed it gets to in 6 seconds, the awesome stereo system and what not.

But the kind of smile that the The Smile Train gives me is so much better. In fact it’s the best because it catches me off-guard. There I am going through the motions of my perfunctory life, oblivious to the fact that there is life outside work and in comes this email with a picture of a kid whose life The Smile Train changed. Sometimes it’s the only sunshine I see during the day. Never discount the element of surprise :)

Friends, if any of you would like to make a contribution please check out this website. You can make a one time contribution or a monthly one. That's my ulterior motive of writing this piece anyways. Also, it would be great if you could share the website's link with your friends.

The Smile Train

info@smiletrain.org

You can contact me too if you'd like any other information about the same :

vk.singhh@gmail.com

I exhort you to make this investment. The ROI is great. I can bear testimony to that ;)

Iran, Tiananmen 2.0

This video of a young woman dying on the street has become the defining symbol of the rebellion in Iran. It's a rebellion where a government has turned on it's own citizens and is killing them without a scintilla of guilt or remorse. A rebellion where young innocent students are being killed unconscionably by the government's forces. A rebellion where opposition leaders are being house arrested to prevent them from stoking the protests any more. A rebellion where numerous journalists have been apprehended and harassed in order to choke the flow of news and information from the country.

Perhaps the last time the world witnessed such high-handed treatment meted out by a government to it's own people was in 1989 at the Tiananmen Square in China. Many parallels have been drawn between the two rebellions over the last few weeks.

Over the last week or so, the protests in Iran have died down. The government's crackdown on the protesters seems to have worked. The demonstration rallies have been few and not as massive as the earlier ones. Perhaps the rebellion is over too. But I'm sure it is going to change the situation in Iran in not so distant future.

Down the years the rebellion in Iran would be remembered for two main reasons.

For one it would be remembered for the brazen way in which the government stole it's own people's election. How a candidate who was immensely popular and the favorite to win (even was reported to be winning by 2/3rd majority votes at a time) suddenly lost by almost 11 million votes is beyond comprehension.

Second and more importantly the rebellion would be remembered for the role that 'Social Media' has played in it. As the Iranian govt blocked all news agencies to prevent them from reporting what was going on in the country and restricted the movement of reporters (even deported some foreign reporters to their home countries), the people of Iran found a novel way of letting the world know of the atrocities they were being subjected to. They found a new way to plan protests and discuss strategies. They used social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube extensively to make the world aware of their cause.

Iranian Twitterers, many writing in English, posted photos of huge demonstrations and bloodied protesters, detailing crackdowns on students at Tehran University. At one moment in time, it had become such a movement that Twitter postponed maintenance scheduled for early morning, California time, which was midday in Iran.

Just look at this link and you'd realize the extent to which Twitter was and is still being used for the protests. Give it a minute and see the number of new posts that it shows you at the top of the page. You'd find some spine chilling stories of the venom spewn by the riot police and militia in Tehran and other cities.

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23iranelection

You can also look here to view some images from the protests.

This rebellion has shown us what Social networking websites can achieve for us. They're not merely a way to share pics of your latest trip or a way to tell your friends what phone you bought recently. They are a great platform to come together for a cause. Surely this would go down in history as one of the biggest achievements of 'Social Media'.

People all across the globe have shown their solidarity for the rebellion in Iran. Players of the Iranian national soccer team wore arm bands to show their support and concern for their people when they played a WC qualifier match in South Korea a few weeks back. They were dismissed from the national team a consequence. U2 recently performed in Barcelona and showed their support to the dissidents' cause. Have a look here. Outside Iran numerous people are in constant touch with Iranians and helping them send information out to the rest of the world. They are going beyond the typical shows of support by setting up proxy IPs and trying to confuse the Iranian security services. Leaders all over the world have condemned the actions of the Iranian government.

Come to think of it. All this would not have been possible if it were not for these social networking sites. People outside Iran would have remained oblivious to the happenings there.

Hopefully the Iranian government takes notice of its people after this revolution and takes steps to improve their living conditions just the way the Chinese government did after the Tiananmen Square incident in '89. It did not spell the end of Communism in China but it definitely resulted in an improvement in the living conditions of its people. Here's demanding an encore.

Together We Can !!

Scene 1: Queens, New York 2008

I remember I was quite tired that day. A long and stressful day at work had ended. My uncle called and asked me if I wanted to come over for a BBQ and some drinks. Though I was drained, I decided to go. The prospects of some good food and an enjoyable time with family beckoned. Though it just wasn't on the cards.

Just as I settled down in a cozy chair on the patio, I saw an old lady (probably in her 60's) wandering in the area around the houses. She was really old, I could tell from her rumpled skin. And she was carrying a huge sack on her back. She'd go from one dumping bin to the next looking for something. I didn't know what. I had never seen anything like that before. I had seen people taking garbage out for families but this was different. She was looking for something specific in those bins. Looking thorough the filth and dirt, she kept filling her sack slowly.

I curiously asked my aunt what this old lady was up to. My aunt told me that she was looking through all those dumping bins for empty cans and bottles that people threw away. She'd collect them all and return them to get 5/10 cents on each and that would help her get some food for the night.

My heart went out to her. I was morose. It was awful. I wondered how much worse could perdition be. Didn't feel like eating much after that.

I'm sure you've all come across similar situations some time or the other.

Should she (at her age) have to do that to feed herself? Turns out she does. And if she does then there is something amiss in our world. Something terribly amiss.

Just think about it. On one hand we have people who live a life of extreme indulgence and luxury and on the other there are those who lead a life of want and privation. Those benumbed by the cold when we are enjoying the warmth of our cozy apartments. Those who go without bread when we waste food at our lavish parties.

Scene 2: U of P, Philadelphia 2009

The last week or so was all about graduation and things related. Lots of nostalgia, lots of excitement and lots of friends. Nostalgia of leaving a place that I love. Excitement of moving to a bigger meaner city. And friends who came in from all corners for the BIG send-off from the university.

Amidst all this hubbub I met a friend after almost 4 months. A good friend and an even better human being. Somebody I could sit and let my hair down with. And that's precisely what I did.

We reminisced. Talked a little about studies, some things about work and a lot about life. I somewhere knew where the discussion would eventually end (going by our past discussions), but what I did not know was that this time around we'd both be willing to take it a step further.

One thing led to another and out came the idea of starting a community and a foundation/charity (hopefully very soon).

So yet another charity you'd say. Well, I do not have any response other than saying, 'Yes, yet another charity. This one is our contribution. This one is our attempt to give back to society'.

Another thing that you may ask is the cause that we are supporting. Well, why don't you guys tell us that !!

It could be anything that you bring to us. Anything from supporting a local school in your neighborhood to providing medical services for the indigent to educating the adults in your area. It's your cause and our money. Well partly our money and hugely the money of people who'd support us ;) And we hope to have lots of both.

We have the support of professors at our university. Mentors and friends working in big corporations. Friends in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Turkey, Korea and the US. And if we have your support as well, we are sure we can achieve a lot.

We'd soon come up with a roadmap for this and also ways for all of us to contribute. Please let us know of any comments, suggestions or ideas that you may have either here or on the following community.

http://www.orkut.com/Main#Community.aspx?rl=cpp&cmm=90235871

We'd soon have a similar group on Facebook and we'd share that link too.

Lets come together for this cause. Lets rise above our personal desires and make a difference.

Lets be the pencil that God uses to write a love letter to this world :) This one's not mine though :)

Run Forrest Run !!

That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of the university city ;) And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across the bridge into downtown. And I figured, since I have run this far, maybe I'd just run to the end of town. And that's what I did. When I got to the end of town, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going.

Yeah yeah, I know these are not exactly my own words. You don't need to roll your eyes and make faces :) These words express the niceties of my ideas perfectly and hence they have been used.

I have always had a penchant for running, but it's only recently that I started running here in Philadelphia. On the streets of Philadelphia.

And running on the streets is so much better. Mainly for a couple of reasons.

For one I am not running on a treadmill at Pottruck (read local gym). So I don't find myself at the same spot even after running for more than an hour ;) I make progress, I move ahead and I go places. What's the fun in seeing yourself at the same damn spot even after running for so long? You might as well not do it !! You've got nothing to show for it :p

Second, it's way better than running in the park. I don't go round and round in circles. There are enough thoughts in my head which do that everyday. Thoughts that I want to get rid of but can't. Thoughts that I'd rather not have. Thoughts that keep circling my mind all the time. The last thing I need is me doing the same !!

And so I go downtown. So did George Costanza once. LOL

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go - downtown
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know - downtown

This slight digression was for my fellow Seinfeld fans ;)

So as I was saying, I decided to run downtown.

Run fast and far. Fast because I'm no 'old man' and far because....well it's FAR. Far from home. Far from my worries. Far from everything. Far from life. And if anyone needs to be far (removed) from reality at this point, then I do !!

I run past all my worries, all my tribulations and all my stress. At the start of the run all my thoughts are with me. Thoughts about work/studies, personal thoughts and sundry other ones. All of them running through my mind. But as I run further and further, they seem to lose me one by one. And for good.

The only thought that remains after a while is to make it to my destination and of course not fall flat in front of that cute chick coming from the other side :p

After a while the body says no, but I listen to the mind and keep going. That's what we all do everyday of our lives. Isn't it? Run after our dreams, after our ambitions and aspirations. Even when we feel sick and tired of it, we keep going.

We often pan it and claim that it's a bloody 'Rat Race' of which we don't want to be a part of. But truth be told, the day we'd stop running would be the day we'd stop living.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

And So, I keep running.

I've seen many people running to the sound of their favorite songs on their ipods. I personally don't like doing that. I have tried it a couple of times but I'd rather hear the sounds of the world around me.

The hubbub at the pubs on the side of the road, the gush of the river when I pass the waterfront, the loud roars of music from the frat houses (when I take a detour) and last but not the least, the mellifluous chatter of the 'american girls' as I pass them. The way they add a zing to their conversation is amazing. It has a singsongy qualiy to it. It's like music to my ears. And I never get tired of hearing it :)

So what I am getting at is that running is amazing and I love it. There is no aspect that I dislike except when I counter people who are faster than me and run past me. But I think that's alright. Because that's life. There would always be people who'd be smarter than you, faster and quicker than you. It hurts to know this but it's true :)

What I'd really like to do soon is a long run on a beach and with vacations here and Florida in sight, that may not be a 'distant' dream (if you see what I did there) !!

I end with these lines from Jesse Owens. "I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

The strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs !! And those two would take you FAR !!

P.S. Not that it's any of your business, what title I give to my posts, but this one couldn't be more apt as yours truly's name means the same as For(r)est !! a.k.a Jungle ;)

An Affair with New York

Studying in Philadelphia, and having some family in New York has helped me form a close bond with both these cities.

In the last two years or so, I have been to NY numerous time. Most of these visits were merely jaunts, with a few somewhat elongated stays and one prolonged fling last summer.

Its a novel spectacle each time that I go there. It shows me things I never knew or imagined it had.

At times I do tell my friends how much better I think NY is as compared to Philly. How much more titillating and exhilarating it is. How I careen uncontrolled on its streets. How blithely is my time spent when I am there. Doing this almost gives me the feeling that I am cheating on Philly. Like cheating on one's wife with another woman !!

Looking at the two cities I realize how stark the differences are.

Philly is like the Mrs. She is demure. She is sedate. Docile too. And scenic. At least the Philly that I know is. The city has some sordid sides but then I've never seen them.

NY is like the mistress. She's ravishing, scintillating and enticing. Perilous and treacherous. She's smokin' hot. She's a siren. She's a seductress.

Profuse with all the carnal pleasures she's got an inexplicable, secretive quality that attracts you to her.

The big billboards and neon lights are much like the mistress' jewels. They dazzle the eye. Her fast pace gives the vicarious feeling of a fling. Gives you an adrenaline rush that you've not known in a long time. You disremember all your worries. You can do nothing but have a good time with her.

She has always lived up to my expectations. Never has she disappointed me.

But then after a few days I grow blase of her glitter. That's when I long for home. That's when I long for Philly.

And so I start the journey back to Philly. Away from NY, away from it's salacity. I tear my temporary NY subway card, the checks and other tidbits for the binges I had while I was there. Its like destroying all evidence that I was out with someone, before going home.

When I reach Philly, she embraces me with open arms. That's the place where I really get a true sense of home. There's a warmth that I can find no place else. I am a happy man when I am there. There's an air of reassurance that surrounds me. Even the sleep is that much more sound. And when I get up in the morning, look out of my room's window, I can see how beautiful she is. Its like waking up next to the Mrs. and realizing that she's all that you'd ever need. She's innocent, she's pretty and she's the one who makes you really happy.

But the dog that I am, I know I'd leave her soon. Probably forever. Go away and ensconce in NY. That's what I did with Delhi !!

I'd miss her though :-/

Stirred, Not Shaken !!

So, finally this Saturday I got a chance to watch the much touted 'Slumdog Millionaire'. I think it was the Oscar win that whetted my appetite beyond any resistance.

After having heard so much about the movie and it's plot I already had an inkling or two on how it would roll. One reason for still watching it was to see how it has been done. How does a slum boy go about changing his fortune and how all the experiences of his life come together on one single day to help him do the unthinkable.

Now having watched it, I would say I am a little disappointed. Had it lacked the Oscar it would have lacked the disappointment.

Sure it's a film well made and a story well told. The eternal 'Rags to Riches' idea amalgamated with the boy's 'Never Say Die' spirit and his relentless efforts to find his love. I mean who doesn't love an underdog. Right ?!

But I think the 'Big Idea' that separates an exceptional movie from a good one is still missing. I simply think that it is not in the same bracket as some earlier winners of the 'Best Picture' trophy.

I can recount a few.

Look at something like Forrest Gump. A simpleton who is prone and invincible to the world. The story of an innately good guy who refuses to make the trade-offs that me and you make every day of our lives. Remember the lines, "Run Forrest Run" or "Life's like a box of chocolates..."? I'm sure you do. I wonder how many lines from Slumdog we'd remember 10-15 years down the line.

Another one that comes to mind is Titanic. A gorgeous tale of a romance that couldn't be. A story from the annals of history. A story that everyone knew for so long. Still the movie managed to shake every soul that watched it. And it still does. Over and over. There are so many scenes from the movie that have stayed with us. I still remember the one where Rose jumps back on to the ship even as her rescue boat is being lowered, to reunite with her lover in the face of certain death. I looked for such a scene in Slumdog. Couldn't find one.

LOTR-Return of the King. A movie that is simply incomparable in it's magnificence. A movie larger than life. So stupendously large that even the superlatives fail to describe it. Totally incredulous, still made so believable.

There is a long list worthy winners. But then there are some which IMHO bring the prestige of the 'Best Picture' trophy a tad down. 'The American Beauty' is one. Nice movie with some great acting by Spacey but Oscar worthy? Hmm..I'm not sure. Same is the case with 'The Departed'. I guess what happens in these cases is that they are really the best picture that particular year. The best among averages if I could say.

If I could, I would do away with giving out the 'Best Picture' trophy if no movie is worthy of it. But then again if I could do things off my wishlist, there are many other things higher up than this ;)

I would digress a little and comment on one more aspect. I have read that many people back in India have taken an exception to how the movie shows India in bad light. Plenty of acidulous remarks have come it's way.

But we need to ask ourselves. What does it depict about India that is untrue? Don't we have child trafficking? Don't we swindle our tourists and take them for a 'ride' (both figuratively and literally)? Sometimes we do even worse. Aren't we riddled with religion and caste based riots even 60 years after independence. Don't we have children in our slums that lead a life of want and privation? What is it that we are taking an exception to? If we do not like somebody holding up the mirror to us, then we should not roll out the red carpet when foreign directors come to our land in the first place.

I do have my own reservations about the movie. But it's got more to do with the way it depicts people from India than the situations in India. Not a single character in the movie who is Indian is shown to be good. Except for the main protagonist of the movie who by default has to be good. Is India all about goons and child traffickers? Even the quiz show host tips the boy to a wrong answer. No one is India is inherently good. Is that the message?

Well, this discussion could go on and on. Hence I'd stop coz my main intent was not to talk about this.

Last few words are reserved for Rahman and what a great talent he is. He is truly exceptional and deserves all the recognition that he is getting. He can stand shoulder to shoulder with any international music talent. Kudos to him!! Though I think some of his earlier work has been better but then, the Americans have never heard it.

In the end, I'd only say that SM is a good movie. Not an exceptional one. Not a spectacular one.

I am simply Stirred, not Shaken !!

Yeh Dil Maange More !!

There's something about Bernie Madoff !! At first glance, he does not come across as the most striking personality in the group. If anything he is understated and unassuming. Not at all flashy. He's not somebody you'd be able to trust your money with easily, just for the sheer lack of flair that he exhibits.

But people still did. That's because when you watch closely you notice the demeanor of a man who's got everything under control. Who whether speaks or not, is still the man in-charge in the room. Being powerful is like being a lady, if you have to tell people you are, you probably aren't. And that's why Bernie prefers to keep mum. Whenever I watch him on TV, I always feel that he's still got another card up his sleeve and he'd probably get out of this unscathed, barring his reputation of course.

Surely Madoff is not the kind of person one would expect, leave alone suspect, of doing what he did. Running the biggest Ponzi scheme of all times. The Wall Street always knew there were skeletons in it's closet. But when something like this came out with Madoff's name associated with it, it's surprise and shock element swelled that much more.

Madoff has served as the chairman of the NASDAQ in the past. It was one thing that he pushed for greater accountability and transparency in the business during that time. Quite another that behind closed doors he himself was hatching the biggest fraud of our times.

Well, I have read a lot about Madoff and people have got numerous things to say about him. One thing that resounds through all their views and opinions is that Bernie was a "smart" and a "decent" man.

A trading expert, Jim Angel has this to say of him. "Here's somebody who didn't need to start a scam to become a multi millionaire many times over. And yet apparently there must have been some 'flaw' in his makeup that led him to get into this mess and to dig himself deeper and deeper."

Makes me wonder what this 'flaw' really was. Was it an urge to show the world how smart he was? If not through his work then through his duplicity. Did it all start out as a mere gamble and then turned into a compulsive exercise to gain approval and adulation of his clients. Since he could not give a performance commensurate to the applause, he decided to sham. He surely would have known that his luck would run out soon but still he didn't stop. What made him squander, with wanton disregard, the money of numerous people many of whom were close friends. Was he totally oblivious to reality? Or was it just the plain old sin of "greed" that got the better of him.

Some point out that it was "greed" which was the cause of this huge scam. And I couldn't agree more. And not just Madoff's greed, but the greed of his investors too. Madoff is no doubt to be blamed and he would (probably) serve a long long time for that. But what about the investors?Doubts about the double digit returns year after year were blanketed only by the investors' greed and ignorance. They blindly followed the maxim of "Bernie knows !!" but the blindfold on their eyes was really one of their own greed. When something appears too good to be true, it is probably not. And that's what it precisely was. Well in hindsight everything looks 20-20 but I bet there were signs and red flags all along which the investors just ignored. And in the process became the "willing victims" of Bernie. Ah, an oxymoron !!

It's always difficult to draw a line between ambition and greed. Ambition is good we are taught. Greed is not. But the line that divides them is really thin. Often times its difficult to tell on which side we are when in pursuit of something. That big pent house, that second or third car or that beach house down south !! Who's to say what's ambition and what's greed. Hedonism really dictates much of what we do. And hedonism is a close relative of greed.

Madoff may have initially desired only to build himself a decent name on the Wall Street. And may be he started out alright too, but at what point greed usurped the dominion of his mind, nobody knows, not even himself.

And it's not just the case with him. It's the same for us all. Are we all not victims of greed? Isn't it greed when we keep seeking ways to make more and more money. When we fall preys to the "quick money" schemes. Isn't it greed when we are doing a job we don't even love just because it's monetarily rewarding? And is it not greed when we despise taxes and find ways to evade them.

So, what's the way out? Who knows... Greed is difficult to exorcise because most of the times we don't even know that it's taken control of our selves. But if we do know that we are in it's possession, one remedy could be following the maxim of "Simple Living and High Thinking" as advocated by Gandhi. Or may be learn from the Bible, "Food and raiment and with that I shall be content". Again, akin to many philosophies, they are much easier to preach than practice.

The repercussions of Madoff's deeds are many. On the honest brokers and traders, it has put a tremendous pressure of convincing investors to come back to the markets. Many charities whose money was with Madoff have been shut down and the people they were helping have turned out to be Madoff's biggest victims eventually. And as some have suggested this act of Madoff's has fuelled feelings of Anti-Semitism across the globe.

But more than anything hasn't this scam once again reinstated greed as the biggest sin of all? Sure there are pride, sloth, gluttony, anger, envy and lust. But greed really beats them all. And on it's pervasiveness alone. Not all of us are slothful. Some are short-tempered or envious. But greed is a strong desire in almost all of us and is extremely difficult to overcome. It's a beast bigger than any and no "silver bullet" is yet known that could kill it.

"Greed" my friends, is the biggest and deadliest of all sins. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise !!

ManU 3 - Chelsea (Nil) I Love Soccer Still !!

Having slept really late this Saturday night, I wasn't particularly keen on getting up (relatively) early this Sunday. But then a friend called and asked me to come over to watch the Manchester United and Chelsea clash with him. After having not followed, leave alone watched any football for the last few months, I was happy to let another match go by and enjoy some extra sleep time instead. But the friend persisted and called me a second time, to check if I had gotten out of bed. So, reluctantly I pulled myself out of it.

As I reached his room, he had plenty of snacks ready to see us through the match. Okay, so he made me get up early when I didn't want to but perhaps it would not be all that bad, after all.

Man U were playing at home, at the Old Trafford. A stadium which can seat more than 75,000 fans and is still packed to capacity week in and week out for every match of the premiership. For the uninitiated, the 'premiership' a.k.a. the EPL is the domestic football league in England ;) I didn't care to explain what ManU and Chelsea were because even the 'uninitiated' would know about them. And if they don't, then they ought to !!

So, the match got underway but nothing particularly exciting happened for a good part of the first half. Me and my friend, both United fans ( trust me not to share a beer with a Chelsea or an Arsenal fan) were a little disappointed to see some of the United players not really in the groove. We were already in one ;)

Some chances here and there but the trigger on this match was finally pulled, when in the injury time of the first half, Vidic gave United the lead. This was moments after United were denied a goal through Ronaldo's header. The refree didn't think they took the corner right, so it was not fair. But who cares what's fair !! All we want is to see our team win !!

But as we saw the ball go into the net a second time within seconds of the first, we were relieved to no end and felt as if the greatest justice of all had just been done. Exasperation one second, relief the next !! Just two of the huge gamut of emotions which the game's got up it's sleeve.

The second half had the prospects of some more goals. Hopefully at the right ( right - wrong) end of the pitch. As Chelsea would need to attack it would open up opportunities for United. By this time, I was totally engrossed in the match. I didn't know why I had not been doing this all these months. Well, maybe because of the semster work but now I was ready to put all of that behind me, and watch the second half !!

2 more goals came United's way in the second half. Rooney scored one and Berbatov the other. At the end of it all, United were the victors 3 to nothing. In the second half, they played much better.

It was perhaps not the greatest of displays by them, but it made me remember all the great things about the the team and the players. Ronaldo, who's got both 'right' feet. Rooney's immense power and grit. Giggs and Neville, the war horses. The now well settled Evra and Vidic, and the rock solid Van Der Saar at the back. Not a lot of stars, but the right mix of some good and a couple of special players. As my dearest friend always says, and I agree, "That's the perfect recipe to win".

The season till now has been a little wobbly for United but now they are back on track. They trail the leaders, Liverpool ( yeah, I know !! ) by 5 points with 2 games in hand. I really think the match yesterday was the turning point for them this season. They beat another serious title contender, they are in good form now, pretty much the entire squad is fit and when you can afford to put players like Carrick and Tevez on bench, you know you've got a good team.

So, here it goes Liverpool. I've said it. The 'Red Devils' are back in business and they have tasted blood too, 'Blue Blood', Chelsea's blood ;) Watch them come and take the title for a second year running !!

P. S. Red Devils Still Rule All ... All !!