The Harbinger of a new dawn in Cricket...

ICL is all set to start this Friday... the stars have flown in. The teams, coaches, commentators have been announced. It's a huge galaxy of stars... most of them retired; all of them credible.

Just a few months back, media baron Subhash Chandra was worried about his channel Zee Sports. All his bids to acquire Cricket Broadcast rights in India had fallen short. Nimbus ran away with domestic rights, and ESPN-Star with International broadcast rights. International football, F1 and Basketball were already gone. Hell, he didn't even have the WWE wrestling matches like Ten Sports.

Subhash Chandra is a onetime rice trader turned media baron. He launched India's satellite television revolution through Zee TV. He never plunges into the market; he plunges into the darkness with his vision and creates the market. Just check out the man's other interests; packaging, theme parks, lotteries; cinema multiplexes... He believes in the first mover's advantage.

So what could he do here? He definitely couldn't afford to leave the Zee Network's umbrella without a first rate sports channel....

April 2007: India crashed out of West Indies world cup. People were angry. People were disillusioned with the players and BCCI. People were ready for a change.

Bingo... the stage was set for the arrival of this century's Kerry Packer.

The Indian Cricket League (ICL) was proposed; a private cricket league that would run parallel to the existing cricket league managed by BCCI (Yeah, BCCI is private. No connections with the government whatsoever).

The genie had been let out of the bottle. For a long time now experts of the sports business had been betting on the kind of money creation of Franchise Leagues would generate in Cricket. It had worked wonders in case of Football, Basketball, Hockey (PHL in India), Rugby and Baseball.

As expected, soon the dirt started flowing in public. BCCI cried foul. ICL was termed as 'The Rebel League'. Pakistan Cricket Board warned the players contracted to the ICL saying those who turn out for the rebel league will not be considered for selection in the National team in the future. ICL replied back. Players were signed (several Pakistaanis); debates erupted all around over the conditions of players, over BCCI methodology, its corruption and politics... the media Baron had revealed his plans with perfect timing. ICL got free publicity worth crores of rupees.

BCCI was getting kicked from all sides... Big International Stars were signing up for ICL. Promising young guns, mostly hapless victims of their respective boards now had another viable option. The Honorable HC ordered PSUs not to fire players who join ICL (IOC and Air India had threatened employees to terminate their services if they join ICL). Even the ICC had to sit up and take notice.... After all, it was the financial powerhouse of International Cricket that was under fire.

The BCCI was loosing it fast... and all because of one single thing.

IT'S LACK OF CREDIBILITY.

The ICL had delivered the knockout punch at the very beginning by making the legendry Kapil Dev the public face of ICL. The financial muscle of BCCI wielded no power against the stature of a simple hard working Haryaanvi....

The big Guns at BCCI sat back at took a realistic look at things. They rolled with the punches and waited for the opportune moment. And miraculously, The wheel of fortune turned in favor of Team India. First a good outing in England. And then the T20 world cup happened, and Team India rose like a phoenix. The men in blue became the boys in blue, enthusiastic, friendly, aggressive.... led by MSD. Ads featuring Cricket stars came back with a bang. Time was ripe for BCCI to strike back.

And BCCI got the bull by it's horns and came out with IPL, on the lines of football’s English Premier League and the National Basketball League (NBA) of the U.S.

BCCI gathered all its trump cards and opened them simultaneously.

First of all, MONEY MONEY MONEY. BCCI offered the players obscene amount of money. It offered a decent share of the pie to ICC, which bowed down. Moreover, ICC's blessings mean that players in IPL can still play for their country. Their scores and wickets will be added to International T20 statistics. So current superstars could breath easy, and continue playing for their National Teams. But still all this couldn't counter the presence of Kapil Dev... So, BCCI roped in Sunil Gavaskar as the public face of IPL. BCCI got a CREDIBLE respected personality. It followed the same policy when it appointed Vengsarkar the chairman of selectors and Ravi Shastri the head of NCA. The BCCI’s masterstroke was surely the presence of McGrath and Fleming at the launch of IPL, as they had been in talks to join ICL.

About IPL

IPL will debut in April 2008 with 59 matches spread over 44 days. The IPL will primarily be played under lights with play beginning at 5 p.m. Two matches will be scheduled each day. The IPL will initially start with eight teams and will offer $3 million in prize money, making it the richest tournament in domestic cricket. It will be a franchise-model wherein corporate and sponsors will be allowed to buy and run teams. SRK, Sachin Tendulkar, ADAG and Russel Crow are some of the high profile speculated bidders. Player buy-outs will be an added feature, something that cricket is not accustomed to. Under the franchise model, a sponsor wanting to have its team will pay a stipulated fee to the BCCI to get ownership. The franchisee will also have to share revenues with the cricket board. The franchisee will, however, collect the gate money and the income from in-stadia advertisements, and at a later stage can list the team on the stock exchange and trade.. It is rumored that the bidding price for each IPL team will start from $ 50 million. And then, throw in the broadcast rights.... as per conservative estimates, the one time financial spin-off would be $ 600 mn - $ 1 bn.

About ICL

The ICL is starting with T20 format. Tau Devi Lal stadium in Panchkula, a place near Chandigarh will be hosting the ICL for season 2007. This stadium has 20,000 seating capacity and ICL is planning to lease this stadium for 10 years. The names of the teams are Chandigarh Lions, Mumbai Champs, Kolkata Tigers, Delhi Jets, Chennai Superstars and Hyderabad Heroes. A former cricketer is involved as coach in every each of the participating team. Three former Indian cricketers- Sandeep Patil, Madan Lal and Balwinder Sandhu will serve as coach along with Australia’s Michael Bevan, South Africa’s Darryl Cullinan and Pakistan’s Moin Khan. ICL has enough galaxy of stars to start off.

So, what happens to the ICL now? Is it the end of an idea? Will ICL generate decent revenues? Or will it be crushed under the Financial and Political power of BCCI?

Well, I believe Subhash Chandra isn't looking to break even in the first year itself. ICL has Essel Group’s backing; Even Subhash Chandra has a net worth of $2.3 bn; that means truckload of money. The main purpose behind the launch of ICL was the revival of Zee Sports anyway, and the upward movement in the Stock of Zee Telefilms vindicates this. Sponsors will come, eventually if not soon, because the Indians love Cricket. Lalu Prasad Yadav has said that the ICL can use the cricket infrastructure of Indian Railways.

My bet is that there is enough room for everyone. ENOUGH. As far as the events don't clash, I don’t see any reason why ICL will collapse. The Indian market itself can sustain it all... ICL, IPL, County Cricket and the international matches. It will be analogous to how USA alone sustains Baseball. The private leagues will have the USP of mixture; like the possibility of Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar bowling together... International matches will provide the Nationalist flavour.

ICL and IPL will co-exist in time to come. There will be bloodbath before the eventual peace, but ultimately Cricket will grow. Players will grow. And BCCI will become more accountable, as there will always be someone else to capitalise on it's debacles.

The real debate will arise when the young Indian players perform spectacularly in ICL. How will the BCCI justify keeping them out of Team India, especially when times are bad, as in April 2007 (World Cup Exit)... or March 2000 (The match fixing scandal)

Consider this irony; Sunil Gavaskar's son Rohan Gavaskar has joined ICL.

Marketing Budget

7 ways to stretch your marketing budget
(An Economic Times Article - Nov 16, 2007)

MARKETING isn’t just an expense; it's an investment. The key is to market smarter and fully utilise your marketing budget. Marketing is an important part of any business operation. The challenge is finding cost-effective ways to get your name out without going over your allotted budget. Strategic planning is important so that you have a purpose with each marketing dollar you spend. Some people will just randomly select marketing activities, which is a huge waste of dollars. Creating a marketing plan that incorporates the above seven tips will help you have a focus and a variety of venues to reach existing and potential clients and keep your financial picture on track

Here are seven ways to stretch the marketing rupees and increase the bottom-line profits:

Use free publicity:
It costs you nothing and builds credibility and awareness. So look for opportunities to be involved with community activities.

Speak at local organisations:
Every organisation is looking for speakers for their monthly meetings, so offer to share your knowledge with them. You'll get exposure to groups as an expert and meet lots of new people who might be potential clients.

Write articles:
Contribute to newsletters, newspapers, industry journals and your own Web site. Sharing information builds name recognition, which helps bring in clients.

Create a web site:
Websites are a must. You’re missing a great opportunity if your business doesn't have a presence on the web. It’s a very cost-effective way of letting people know about you and your products and services.

Partner with others:
Look for businesses with complementary services to create cooperative advertising campaigns so that you have a pool of money.

Participate:
Look at ways that you can get more involved in the organisations you already work with. This helps build your name recognition by being involved on committees.

Connect:
Networking is the most effective way to meet people. People like to do business with others they know. Networking takes little money, but it does take a time commitment because you must be consistent in your networking efforts.

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Quote:

A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one
Henry Ford

STOP !!!

Ohh, STOP for God's sake. Stop Plz, will ya? Its all happening too fast...whats the hurry? Common, I need a break. Its not supposed to happen like this...

But that is how the world is. We don't want things to change. Maintaining the Status Quo is always convenient.
Hell... we are all weary of the change, especially when it happens suddenly! When it's imposed on us without our consent.
And on top of that, most of these changes happen without we being able to exercise any control over them whatsoever.
BANG... and the next thing you know you're not in the place you want to be.

We need to accept the change and move on.... But hey, I am an average human... It's never that easy.

I heard of this theory regarding change: The Phases a person goes through...

1. DENIAL: We don't admit this has happened.
2.ANGER: We're pissed off... how could this happen.
3. ACCEPTANCE: Yeah, how long can one ignore the TRUTH staring in the face.
4.GUILT: The fact that we didn't embrace the change even though we knew it was true, and the efforts we could have put in the past which might have either prevented this change or made it a bit sweeter.
5.DEPRESSION: You sink low, lie there for a while...Cursing everything...youeself, the world...the society...the system...

And then as life moves on, so do we.

Most of the time, it is such change that moves the life of a lame-ass-lazy person. Else, he/she will never grow, never live... coz he is too weary of the unknown, too comfortable with the present...

WE need to embrace the fact that change is mostly a blessing in disguise. It opens new avenues in front of us, makes us take tentetive steps in the directions we never even dreamed of...

CHANGE... the only constant thing in our lives.

IIT-JEE and CAT

"Two things make the life of a good humored, fun loving nice teenage guy in India a living hell: IIT-JEE and CAT"

A very dear friend of mine quoted the above line nonchalantly; his abysmal tone was something that I could associate myself with immediately. He said it as-a-matter-of-fact; as if he was stating the so very obvious truth.
This friend of mine (I won't name him, as I'm writing this without informing him) is a very decent guy... One of the very few that I've found in my office who seems NORMAL to me... He is from a very good college, his brain works like a computer, and he is sincere (WOW, wish I had those qualities in me...). More than anything, he is a dependable friend.

This statement of his made me write this piece...the life of an average guy....a simple story, with a proper end....

Picture this scene: A young boy, in class 9th - 10th, in an average town/city in India. He bothers nothing about his life. Thoughts of career just don’t exist in his mind. He dreams of girls. Cricket is a newfound religion for him. He has had a first time brush with pornography. Having his own bike is his top-notch fantasy. Gali-Muhalla cricket/Football matches are a matter of personal pride and spiritual fulfillment.

His visions and thoughts are abruptly derailed. He asks, "Ye kya ho raha hai?" and before he even knows what is happening, he is forced into the mad-mad world of Competitive Exams. He finds himself in a whirlpool. Suddenly, he is expected to grow. Suddenly, he should mature overnight. Suddenly, spare time becomes scarce. Suddenly, tuitions become very important. It usually starts with the 10th Board exams. And then it carries on.

Then comes the inviting monster, IIT-JEE. It hurts the most kids who do well in class, and the push comes more often than not from School/Tuition teachers. For engineering aspirants, it’s a dream come true. For the Parents, it means a secure and prosperous future for the child. It means an ultimate association with a powerful brand. But what is this for the kid??
Basically a nightmare hidden in a cloak.

But just because a kid can do Math doesn’t mean he should become an engineer, isn’t it? Not everyone is supposed to be a technical person, it requires that interest in technology, curiosity to known the nagging details.

But kids still study. Around 98% end up getting depressed and hurt as they fail (which is coz of only some 4000 odd seats available). And this remains with most of them throughout their life. Few mature soon enough to let this go. But even after the pain subsides and wounds heal, the scars remain for life.

I was fortunate that I escaped this trauma. I cracked IIT-JEE. Phew, big deal. I recall everyone around me being so happy. My parents were proud of me. My relatives admired me; set me as an example to my cousins (poor guys; think of the unwanted pressure they must have gone through). Everything was Hunky Dory....except one thing. I wasn't sure what I was getting into.

I was happy. Yeah. But what was the reason? That my future was secure? Or that my effort had paid off? I knew it then, and I know it now. I was happy because the burden of studying so hard had ended. Yeah.... and that’s how teenagers think.

It's not that I hated studies. I kind of liked them. The bone of contention was that I was merely working towards something that I didn't understand. Just because I trusted and respected my parents.

And this truth reflected in my college grades. As time moved on, my rank slipped in my batch, though my friends grew, my extra curricular activities grew even more...I developed my hobbies and interests....

I realized this later on... trust, respect (and sometimes fear) of parents can motivate you only till you are confined to home. Once you live off your home premises, EVERYTHING changes. You are on your own. You primarily do what you want. PERIOD.

FAST FORWARD: FEW YEARS LATER

Picture this scene: A final year Engineering graduate. He has a normal average job in his bag. He is enjoying the last year of his blissful college life, coz now he is mature enough to understand that this time will never return. For he found himself in college. His identity unfolded before himself over the past few years. He knows what his habits are; he knows what his limits are; he knows what he is comfortable with; in all probability, he has had a taste of girlfriend; he knows smoking is bad for his health; he knows who his true friends are; he knows how to handle idiots and work with systems; he knows he has screwed up on several occasions; he knows he has potential and he can win the world if he wants; he knows how mane Pegs he can take before puking/ Passing Out...the only thing he doesn't know is “What to do with his life??”

Yeah, LIFE.

And then he sees another inviting monster. It is disguised as a sweet little innocent thing. All pure. All for your better future, All good.

Enter CAT - Common Admission Test.

It enters his consciousness with subtle steps. It dances around him like Menaka. It seduces him; causes delusions before his eyes; shows him a great future, where he could be GOD... he would yield power in the Corporate Boardrooms, he would take home lakhs and lakhs per month, Plush AC offices, his Picture on magazine covers, swanky hotel lobbies, grand Luxury cars, Business class air travel around the world, maybe an eternal romance in office, a posh n sweet showcase wife, sweet little kids...

And to add to this temptation, other forces begin to act: Peer pressure. (People look at someone who has an average job and not preparing for CAT as someone worthy of being in Aagra paagalkhaanaa). Parents come back to you, "So. Going for an MBA?"

And so, slowly and gradually, the happy-go-lucky guy who till some time back was happy and content with his life, who had sorted out his priorities and knew his limits, gets sucked into the whirlpool of expectations and promise of grandeur. And starts to prepare for CAT. Again... chances of success are miniscule (Below 2%)... and everything repeats for the guy.

I’ll be giving CAT third straight time next month. I’ve had to bear with failure a couple of times. And I know that as of now, it is a matter of luck; it always is in such exams. Of Course you need to study, that is obvious. But beyond a limit, so much depends on THAT DAY. The preparation over the past year, the percentiles in AIMCATs and SIMCATs and MOCKCATs, it all matters only to some extent. Not further.

Now, with the baggage of these mammoth failures clinging like an Albatross around his neck, the guy takes time to fight away the illusions; to back off and introspect. He removes his blindfold to see the world as he would have seen it, and he finds peace again. But it hurts him when he asks the question to himself, "Was it all worth it?"

Steamrolled by competition imposed on him, his self-esteem down, he finally decides to live life as he wants to live. Once the decision is taken, the guy returns to play his part on the world stage, with his head held high, his heart fearless...
And now he is ready to make his mark...His head is clear, his composure back....

But the years wasted along the way are lost....FOREVER.

"Chandra ki kaamna" - By Shashi Prakash Ladha

NOTE:
If the font of text in the pictue below is too small, just open the image in a different window and it will expand to appropriate proportion.

A maestro at work

Al Pacino Rocks !!!

I had heard of this movie starring him, Any Given Sunday (1999), and about his famous speech Peace by Inches. Al plays Coach Tony D'Amato, while Cameron Diaz plays the team owner. And the director is Oliver Stone.
I must see this movie ASAP.

Coach Tony D'Amato: "Peace by Inches" Address to Players

I don’t know what to say, really. Three minutes till the biggest battle of our professional lives all comes down to today. Now either we heal as a team or we’re gonna crumble, inch by inch, play by play, 'til we’re finished.

We’re in hell right now, gentlemen, believe me. And, we can stay here -- get the shit kicked out of us -- or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell one inch at a time.

Now, I can’t do it for you. I’m too old. I look around. I see these young faces, and I think -- I mean -- I made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who’s ever loved me. And lately, I can’t even stand the face I see in the mirror.
You know, when you get old in life things get taken from you. I mean that's...part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out life’s this game of inches. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small -- I mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it. One-half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it.

The inches we need are everywhere around us.

They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every second.
On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches that’s gonna make the fuckin' difference between winning and losing! Between livin' and dyin'!

I’ll tell you this: In any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. And I know if I’m gonna have any life anymore, it’s because I’m still willin' to fight and die for that inch. Because that’s what livin' is! The six inches in front of your face!!

Now I can’t make you do it. You got to look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes! Now I think you’re gonna see a guy who will go that inch with you. You're gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows, when it comes down to it, you’re gonna do the same for him!

That’s a team, gentleman!
And, either we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals.
That’s football guys.
That's all it is.
Now, what are you gonna do?

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Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

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A matter of faith...

Faith. What is it? Why is it so important? What do people need it for?

I don't really believe in GOD as such. Yeah, there is LUCK, and there's always a possibility of a higher power supervising us. But is there anyone who knows for sure? Can we really believe the words of someone else? I personally haven't had any experience till now to corroborate this notion. This kind of attitude puts me in the category of Agnostics.

I am an unabashed supporter of Science. I've been a science student throughout my life. Ironically, I sucked at academics. (I have so called academic achievements in my name which a very small percentage of people have been able to achieve). But anyway, I sucked at academics because I was adamant not to adapt to the systems and practices at colleges which I thought to be useless. I always embraced and admired science. Why? It promotes rules and regulations; it has that inherent argumentative approach... When? How? What for? Where? It asks for proofs, it questions existing norms and accepted theories...not by rhetoric, but by the meticulous scientific approach. By data, by results, by experimentation...

However, many a times staunch promoters of reason treat this emotion (faith) as unworthy of being present in a human being. But they forget that faith an inherent and deep seated emotion residing within all of us. The social nature of humans instinctively demands him/her to be faithful. Everything begins with faith. A scientist begins a research or experiment because he has faith in his plan. A leader leads a community or a nation on a path because he has faith in his vision. A manufacturer produces by hiring others by keeping faith in the abilities of his workers and staff. When we buy stuff with money, we show our faith that the seller/producer is going to provide us with correct value of money. Everything starts with faith.

Faith as a concept has been narrowed down to be associated with religious things in common cultures throughout the world. The word faith has been buried under layers and layers of meandering path hijacked by religious groups for ages. The basic idea of faith is loyalty, allegiance or full confidence. It can be towards anything; a person (say Richard Branson), an idea (say Blogging), an institution (say Marriage), a plan (say MBA) or a concept (say GOD). What we should emphasize is that faith does not automatically imply connection to GOD.

This association with religion starts from the very childhood. Young kids are told to put their faith in some GOD. They are told to bow in front of certain statues. They are told to follow certain customs. And when they ask the dreaded question "WHY?" they are either told to "Shut up and listen to their elders" or they are told some Cock-and-bull story. Same goes for the schooling system. And over the centuries, this implication has given rise to superstitions, simply because people merely followed the practice without understanding the core concept behind it.

We have to stop this. Please, treat children like children, not like morons who have an IQ of zero. Tell them the truth right from the beginning. Only what is correct. Anything... and I mean anything can be simplified to make kids understand. Remove the complexities, leave out details, use analogies, but let them know what is true, to give them a solid platform on which they will be able to create their philosophy and practices based on the sound reasoning of their mind. And more importantly, give up redudant practices and customs, which almost always snowball into superstition.



A common example is prayer. Many of us pray, but few ever think what its importance is? Most do it because it has become routine. Because everyone else prays. Because a person who doesn't pray isn't looked upon too well by others. Is it so that we come closer to the Lord? Is it that our sins will be washed away as we pray?
Prayer is basically just a form of meditation. We pray, we feel calm, composed and secure. We think through the things that trouble us. We make better decisions. We connect with our needs and desires. We get a level headed perspective of things affecting our lives.

But even blind faith has its advantages. I think most people behave themselves because of this blind faith in religion and GOD (The doctrine of Paap - Punya). It gives you confidence and a glimmer of hope when you are down. It is like Amitabh Bachchan going to Tirupati Balaji, Steve Waugh carrying his red handkerchief while batting and Makhaya Ntini running 10 kilometers every 3rd day of a test match. Routine has its own strength.

All-in-All, faith translates into determination, courage and hope at the time of crisis. When directed at a good cause, even blind faith can lead to miraculous feats by common men. But this is not the majority case, where blind faith clouds the very reasoning of a person.
I as a person will perhaps never turn to GOD, no matter what state I'm in. But does that mean I will have no faith? NO. Everyone clings on to something he / she believes in difficult times. Some turn to GOD, some turn to elders, some turn to friends, some turn to the love of their life.... I have faith in myself, so I turn to myself.

QUOTE:
“Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding on to”

Confessions of a pseudo workaholic

I was talking to a friend on phone a few days back, and he was bickering about how his life has become so boring and monotonous, he has nothing to do once the office ends. He wanders around with friends, drinking beer, going to movies, eating out... basically spending money to kill time. And when he asked me, I had no inkling of what he was feeling. I told him so, and he told me, "Dude, you've become a workaholic".
Have I really become one?
This term is often associated with those who spend long hours at work, sometimes when not necessary. They pile up work for themselves, perhaps to cut themselves off from the outside world, or maybe to get their mind off some other matter.

IT DOESN’T APPLY TO A PERSON JUST BECAUSE HE / SHE IS BUSY

I am busy and more or less happy with my life. Of course, one always wants more. But I'm comfortable to be where I am at present. I know where I am going and what I want.

As I talked more about this to various people, I found most of them had a similar opinion of my life. I guess it is so because these habits are the hallmark of a compulsive workaholic, someone who looks busy and happy with his life, who just doesn't have the time to stop and look back, to catch his breath midway...he is so accustomed to looking ahead...only in few desolate moments would he / she wonder whether there is something that he / she is missing? And by the time this thought grabs him / her, there is the next thing to be done. People (even my relatives) tell me that I am so often lost in my own thought, reading some book, surfing the net, listening to some song, watching TV, talking to someone... that I may as well be sitting on a couch in Mars... Well, sitting idle; its hard for me.

I'm just not willing to give up even an ounce of my current life to something I'm not interested in, that's the baggage I have to carry because I know what I want. People can perceive you to be arrogant or self involved, but they eventually come around.

I don’t consider myself a workaholic, because I don’t work to escape from something. I work to please myself, to prepare myself for the things to come, to add capabilities I would need to live the life I want to live in future. And by WORK, I don’t mean Office work... It could be anything, so as it keeps me busy in a constructive manner.

QUOTE:

Laziness may look attractive, but its work that gives you satisfaction.

The last FIVE books I read....

I read a lot. I acquired this habit in the very first year of my college, owing to some of my best college friends...


The Origins of CRASH is the latest one which I've finished. Mind Blowing. I wonder how much research Roger must have done to produce such a masterpiece. The whole book is about the Stock Market crash of Spring 2000 in US. Those of us vaguly familiar with the crash treat it synonymous to the bursting of the dot com bubble, but as I read this book, I understood a lot about what went into building the premises where this market frenzy existed, and the cause of fallout. It deals with the likes of Enron and Worldcom, along with the foray of accounting firms into the lucrative consulting business, the use of Special Purpose vehicles the role of media in shaping public sentiment to make people invest in equities...An eye opener.

Awesome. I read this book, and then I couldn't watch the news channels or read through Newspapers and magazines for around a week. It is just so overwhelming to find out that 2 people control practically every piece of news that we recieve. The book chronicles the rise and clash between two media moghuls: TED TURNER and RUPERT MURDOCH. Just gives an insight how much politics and maniac competition is involved in the media industry. I bet the makers of James Bond must have thought of their villian Carver from Tomorrow never dies from these two gentlemen. And within a couple of days of finishing the book, Rupert Murdoch successfully completed his bid for the Wall Street journal; another brick in the wall.

I've always been a brand Enthusiast, and have read a LOT about branding and related stuff. Brands excite me. And here, Patrick Hanlon reveals the most engaging piece on branding I've come across in my life. His Primal code: The Seven Characteristics a brand must have to become a super brand is mind blowing. And, the book is a wealth of information hitherto absent on branding in 20th century.

Aahh... Harry Potter. What can I say. I am a massive fan of Harry Potter... hats off to JKR to give such an ending which managed to satisfy fans and critics alike...I dont recall such a marketing Blitz for a product, barring perhaps iPhone. The book broke the selling records of harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (which incidently had broken the record of Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix). What was truly remarkable was that despite the immense scrutiny for the clues in previous 6 books, JKR managed to give us an ending worthy of the grandeur of the series. Bravo...And thank you for nor killing Harry, for finally revealing Snape was good and not bringing Dumbledore back to life.

Google. Isn't it fascinating? How has Google become this Mega Brand without spending a single penny on advertising? How the hell does Google make so much money, by merely the clicks of users on sponsored adds? How did google surpass others like askjeeves to become what it has become today? Why was Google so late in listing on the markets? These and much more questions are answered by David Vise, in a very no-nonsense way. It has amazing inside stories, like The Burning man, The story of Google's Chef, how the SEC objected to Google's official letter before the IPO because it used the first names of all key executives, The Do no Evil part of its policy... Bingo !!!

23 years...

I wrote this on my 23rd Birthday. I was thinking over stuff, CAT had just happened, my brother was to be in town the next day... Its been 10 months.

Its been 23 years,

Since I was born,

Its been 23 years,

Since that first dawn,

Adhering to the code,

I mowed the dry lawn,

And on this life's chessboared,

I am still feel like a pawn,

Chained to my convictions,

I braved deciet everywhere,

Absorbing the friction,

I grudgingly sleep in despair,

Layers and layers of defeate,

Fill the chapters of my life,

All my principles; noble and elite,

Kill my sanity with inner strife,

The guilt within is deep seated,

Guilt of having nottruly tried,

I myself feel cheated,

Cheated by my own pride,

Bound and gagged by chains,

How far can I further slide,

just one comforting thought remains,

That everyone has something to hide.

Quote:

Limit is in mind. Sky is just an excuse..!!

All 13 - 19 years - Buy my product

I am fascinated by marketing. And these are my views on the monstrous challange before the corporates in india, and around the world.

Marketing is tough. Its exciting and boring at the same time. This job makes and breaks careers with equal ease. Every marketeer dreams of a "Cinderella story" for his/her product.

There's only one thing that superseeds the charisma of Marketing.
Teen Marketing.
Its hip. Its hot. Its challenging. And no aspiring Global entity can do without it. Its a double edged sword. Its a necessary evil.

Teens don't listen to reason. They don't really go for details. They're impatient. That's what teen marketeers needs to focus on.

To start with, be simple. Be catchy. Be succint. Let the people and media talk more about it than the company. Jump in only to give clarifications or prevent controversy.

But widespread teen affection for a brand cannot happen overnight. Like most trends among youth, it has to begin quietly. The early spread has to be by word of mouth, until it becomes a cultural phenomenon. Yeah, a PHENOMENON.

The brand must become a status symbol among teens. It should acquire a mystique aura that makes it cool. It should stand for values which a teenager lives for; rebellion, ambition, attitude.
It should make them feel wanted, empowered, FREE...

But thats Phase I. Phase II has to concentrate on teen loyalty, because once the company has it, its near term future is pretty much secure (Think iPod and XBOX). Without loyalty, the initial marketing blitz will fade away rapidly. There is one and only one way to ensure it. PRODUCT QUALITY.
Long term marketing and branding must involve better design and service. Another point. Give the teen customers an easy official outlet to expres their views on the product. Monitor their response, and adapt accordingly.
And... Marketeers, you've got to be FAST. LIGHTENING FAST. Response time has never been so crucial.
Well thats it. The view of a casual fan of Ad Campaigns...

Quote:
There are very few things in this world tougher than understanding women. Understanding teenagers comes pretty close(Anonymous).

Just an Experiment ....

One of the reasons I love Rock n Roll is the blunt ‘In your face’ attitude reflected in the formation of lyrics.

I am trying to formulate a quiz based on Legendry Rock Band‘s lyrics. And while I am at it, this funny idea hit me.
To write a poem where every alternate line is taken from some legendry Rocker....
And I ended up with what’s below.
Mind you, it very very difficult to do this.... I had to cut my favorite lines just so that the poem made some sense...
And Of course, I had to go through loads n loads of lyrics...

Well, it might not make much sense; I’ve just tried to do something new over here...
Maybe I could have done a better job had I given it more time, but frankly, I got fed up.

In fact, Rock fans reading it can take a quiz themselves over here!!!
Well, the first and third line of each paragraph in from some song.
Simple. Identify it, as far as you can......

Search for the light

Do my dirty work, scapegoat
I’ve got you by your throat
Sharin' hopes and fears
The Ego always hears

Just another brick in the wall
Taking a stroll through the mall
Sleep with one eye open
Waiting to cash your token

She pushed food through the door
For her, another daily chore
Now there's a look in your eyes
Mirroring, those true lies

Well, she's fashionably lean
The eyesore of your dream
Another flashing chance at bliss
But you again give it a miss

Oh, don't ask why
Forget their hue and cry
You know that it would be untrue
But that’s the picture you yourself drew

The day the music died
To yourself you again lied
You know the day destroys the night
And still you search for the light

The song lines and their source is as follows:

Do my dirty work, scapegoat - Sad but true (Metallica)
Sharin' hopes and fears - Poor tom (Led Zeppelin)
Just another brick in the wall – Another brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd)
Sleep with one eye open – Enter Sadman (Metallica)
Oh, don't ask why - Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) (The Doors)
You know that it would be untrue - Light My Fire (The Doors)
She pushed food through the door - Bleach (Nirvana)
Now there's a look in your eyes - Shine on you crazy diamond (Pink Floyd)
Well, she's fashionably lean - Twentieth Century Fox (The Doors)
Another flashing chance at bliss - The Crystal Ship (The Doors)
The day the music died – American Pie (Don MacLean)
You know the day destroys the night - Break on through (The Doors)

The inaugaral lines from the movie "Fight Club" (1999)

We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.

We are all part of the same compost heap.

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic.

Its Only Words.....

I've studied English ever since I recall being born. English is very complex language. Agreed on that. All I want to write about here is the usage of certain other words. These words mean something else, but are used in a somewhat different manner. There is an underlying connotation associated with each of them. Something similar to how the words like FUCK and SEXY are used almost anywhere, and aren't even regarded as offensive.... The semantics can weave cobwebs in the mind of anyone.

ADMIRE
verb (used with object) to regard with wonder, pleasure, or approval.
But when applied to a person by another, like "I admire him/her", it gives a negative feel which sound like "Wow, I wish I could be him/her, or I wish I could do what he/she did, but I know I can't". It sounds like the person saying this is not at all aiming to be like him/her, but has already dropped guard acknowledging his/her mediocrity.It would be better to appreciate, or respect the personality/deed of someone else, rather than admiring it.

POOR
adjective - having little or no money, goods, or other means of support.
Again, it carries a negative feeling. The trouble is that if one is called poor, it sounds like he/she is damned to remain poor forever, there is no chance of his/her rise ever again. Most of the places where poor is used would communicate the condition better if the word "broke" was used. Being broke is temporary, but being poor sounds eternal.

COMPROMISE
noun - a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.
verb - (used with object) - to settle by a compromise.
verb - (used without object) - to make a compromise or compromises
This word is also misused a lot. This should be used in case of an agreement when everything is final, when both sides have taken a step back to reach consensus. Rather, people use it even at intermediate stages, or when the negotiations are going on, or when the arrangement is temporary. A proper word for such a situation is adjustment.

And then the most puzzling of all....SUCCESS. Aah, to hell with it. Its such boring topic that I am lost for words....Maybe a separate blog for this one....

Just one LIVE Concert .... Please

I so want to attend a concert..... LIVE. To be a part of a mass of MAD crowd, shrieking in excitement and joy, banging theire heads in unison..... the brief period of time when you forget everything and soak the present moment...

I am sick n tired of watching the videos of concerts...its high time I actually attend one, a nice high profile performer...

And its all bcoz nothing seems to happen in Calcutta.... where Rock n Roll is a reasonable part of general culture..

The whole thing started with Deep Purple coming to India....Then Came Roger Walters to Mumbai. This one particularly frustrated me, coz I am a huge Floyd fan, and there is a very slim chance that Roger Walters will be coming to India again, or that I'll be somewhere in the world at the same time when he performs there....

He was followed by Iron Maiden. Another Hard Rock legend, and I couldn't be there....
Then came the female singers....Nelly Furtado, followed by Shakira. But that's OK, I don't listen to them anyway.

But the hardest blow was the most recent one, Aerosmith in Bangalore on 2nd June 2007. I love Aerosmith. And my friends from allover India were going to Bangalore for the concert....And for the first time since I've been in my job, I was in a position to go...... But, destiny had something else in store for me...I had to go home.

I've attended few concerts in Calcutta..... I went to a show of Indian Ocean, in some college fest... And then there were few bands performing for "Campus Rock idol".
But the pain is bearable as of now. Hope there are better things to come.....

I hear rumours of Linkin Park coming to India.... well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Wear Sunscreen

I haven't heard such a song in a long long time.....

Wear Sunscreen or Sunscreen Speech are the common names of an essay actually called "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" written by Mary Schmich and published in the Chicago Tribune as a column in 1997.
The most popular and well-known form of the essay is the successful music single released in 1999, accredited to Baz Luhrmann.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE SONG LYRICS

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle uesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t,

maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…

what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quote:

We should not forget Morality, after all its one letter short of Mortality.

MONEY

All I have ever heard about money from people is that it is a necessary evil. Its not good, but you cant make without it. They will speak of idiotic things, perpetuating irrevocable arguments, just to say that money is basically bad. They portray poor people as pure and virtuous, and rich people as heartless blood suckers. Societal perceptions are carried forward by masses; the perception pulling down the money makers has been perpetuated by the non-achievers who hate themselves. But everyone knows the truth, and they're not strong enough to admit it. They try to shy away from their inability to make money by damning those who can make it. They prefer to damn money and live in their own mirage....

They say money is not important.
I say it is the most important thing in the world. Your chances of meaningful survival don’t stand a chance in the absence of money.

They say money is not everything.
I say money is almost everything. Money is like a sixth sense - and you can't make use of the other five without it. One of the most ridiculous arguments I've heard, "What if you are permanently crippled, with both hands and both legs severed. Can money prevent that?" They speak as if the loss which money can’t prevent won’t occur if you don’t have money. Pure 100% Bullshit.

They say money is evil.
People have forgotten that there is nothing pure than hard earned honest money. Money is not evil. The actions which people take to make money make it evil. That creates BAD money. As Billy Graham said, “If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”

They say money brings trouble and unhappiness.
I say money prevents unhappiness and brings pleasure. The problems associated with spending BAD money bring troubles and problems. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”

They say money corrupts people.
I say money relieves people of corruption and pushes them towards a peaceful, honest and virtuous life. People get corrupted by the power they feel is they have money. This power is the rotten form of the self assurance that money brings.

They say money kills one's emotions.
Really? I thought about it. But how do you feel when you see your bank statement? Isn't the sight of financial backup emotional? Doesn't it mirror your capability, your knowledge, your worth? Don't you feel an emotion when you spend money; to fulfill your daily needs, to provide for your family, to prevent a catastrophe in someone's life? It is the greatest emotion one could feel.

They say you'll become a slave of the greenback.
I say they become slaves of their own greed. This happens when people perceive money as their goal. Money is a by product of a higher goal, not the goal in itself.

They say money makes you blind to the things worth living for.
I say money gives you rightful access to things and facilities which make life worth living for. As Henry Ford said, “If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.”

It is the greatest virtue to make money. It is the most moral and noble act. Create wealth. Create value. That, is the essence of life.

QUOTE:

For the lack of a good word, greed is good
From the movie “The Wall Street”

Ocean's Thirteen

What are the odds of getting even? 13 to one.

Thats the tagline of Ocean's Thirteen. Frankly speaking, I was a bit skeptical about this one,recalling the torutre of going through Ocean's twelve and the ridiculous tricks and manouvers which the team deployed.

No Spoiler in my blog this time. Period. Just go and watch the movie, it is worth it. Thak God that Jerry Weintraub decided to go on producing the third one, and Thank God that he had the good sense of retaining Steven Soderbergh.

Soderbergh learnt well from Ocean's Twelve's debacle and stuck to the USP of the Movie:

1. Unbelieveable meticulous planning by Danny, Rusty and the team.

2. Top-Notch Synchronization in the execution of the plan.

3. Brilliant Ad-Hock solutions to the gliches along the way.

4. The whole planning and execution being based strongly on the personality of the antagonist - in this case the Ego of Willy Banks.

Characters are smart, dialogues are witty, Brad Pitt keeps on eating in each and every scene, complex plan, crisp editing, and a fitting background score.

The beauty of the series is the fact that all the stealing and forgery is never done for money per se, the windfall everyone recieves at the end of each movie is just a by product. Danny Ocean wanted Tes back from Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven, Its a forced race with The Night Fox in Ocean's Twelve, and its revenge for a friend who was cheated this time.

The only downside is that the movie leaves you wanting for more. The limited screen presence which Soderbergh manages to provide to each of the Stars...Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon etc.... it somewhat frustrates you in a good way. But what can be done with such a huge Blockbuster starcast...

To sum it up; Oceans's twelve was a rude shock - Ocean's thirteen is a fitting farewell to the series.

Eragon - The Movie

Eragon – The tale of Dragon Riders. Sounds fun, isn’t it?

I have read both the books of the Inheritance trilogy released so far, and am quite impressed with Paolini’s work….It is quite obvious that he is inspired by JRR Tolkein, and The Inheritence Trilogy is a proper tribute to Tolkein’s style.

And so I went with great expectations to see the first movie of the series, Eragon. And came out disappointed.

It takes quite some talent to mess up a brilliant novel plot and turn it into something so deteriorating. The movie is campy at best, very poorly paced, in fact poorly done altogether. For those who haven't read the book, it has been a lucky break as they have been spared the torture of trying to decipher what on earth made the makers alter the plot so heavily? Someone has aptly written about this movie,
“If - you - have - read - the - book - you'll - see - this - as - the - biggest - book - to - movie - bastardization - in - the - history - of - book - to - movie - interpretations.”

How do they expect to put things in place in 1 hr 40 minutes? Everything happens so fast…in a blink the egg comes to Eragon, in a blink dragon hatches, then Garrow dies, the Razzak and Urgals come, then Brom dies, then Arya and Shade come,then Murtagh, then Nasuada and Ajihad, then the battle at Farthen Dûr and the END.

The casting is so out of sync with the characters…just try to think of LOTR without Gandalf, Harry Potter series without Dumbledore, or Pirates of the Caribbean without Captain Jack Sparrow……And when I look back at Eragon, there is not a single compelling actor without whom the movie seems impossible. Ironically, the closest to this comes Saphira herself, the creation of Special Effects with the voice of Rachel Weisz.

Stefen Fangmeier’s first-time directorial has gone haywire…He should stick to his original job which he is so good at. He has previously worked as a visual effects director on movies like Lemony Snicket's and Master and Commander.

Ed Speleers’ growth from a farmboy to a Dragon rider isn’t convincing. Jeremy Irons plays Brom as one would expect, nothing refreshing. Robert Carlyle looks evil as Durza, but should have been given better dialogues and screen presence. Garret Hedlund as Murtagh is decent enough, but again his character looks scratchy, which isn’t good considering his role becomes much important in next book. And Galbatorix looks like SHIT. Period. I mean, this role is played by John Malcovich, how can it get screwed up so much? And Sienna Guillory….she looks good, but acts bad, and her chemistry with Speelers just isn’t there.

Now Now, there is a silver lining here, and it’s a pretty bright one too.
The Special Effects are brilliantly done.
Of course, their dazzle on the screen could have been much more profound had the direction been up to decent standards as well. The hatching of Dragon egg is so cute (reminded me of Hatching of Norbert in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone), and then Eragon’s flight scenes …. Wow, they make you feel you are on an actual roller coster ride. The magic resembles the curses flowing from the wizard’s wands in Harry Potter, but is good. And the final fight scene between Eragon and Durza is simply spectacular. Kudos to Weta Digital and Industrial Light & Magic. They did their job well.

This movie’s Budget was $100 million with the distribution budget of $30 million, grossed approximately $75 million in the US and $172.9 million elsewhere, totalling $247.9 million worldwide.

I think that Eragon the movie can be summed up like this – confusing for those who have’nt read the book and Disappointing for those who have.

A Pictorial Tribute to Led Zeppelin

There's nothing like a good road trip

As I was scrolling through my snaps uploaded on the Net, this one caught me. We took this pic while coming from ISM to Calcutta after the convocation, travelling on the GT road, thanks to Sher Shah Suri. This post is an account of that trip.

Well, from the beginning. Convo was on friday, March 30th 2007. We took the degree in the afternoon, then partied all night, with Hard Booze and Hard Rock. Wish i could write more about it, but really dont remember much (He He He...)

Anyway, we got up, one by one saturday morn after the wild night... hangover all over us, head throbbing. We were supposed to get back to Calcutta Saturday evening.... The last train which we could have taken was gone at 11:00 am .... I was one of the few ones somewhat awake by that time ...... sitting on the floor (All 6 were in one cagey hostel room, somehow ended there together.... some poor junior had been kicked out, cant remember who...Sorry dude)

Outside, Juniors were yelling at the mess workers to bring LEMONADE for us .... thank God for that ... we were all so groggy, and smelled of sweat and liquor (Thank God nobody puked)

Now, we're all looking at each other like mentally retarded creatures. Nobody has a clue what to do Nxt. Ridiculously Mind Blowing Jaikishan Jalaan looked as absent minded as usual, Chetan still snoring abnormally loud, sleeping with his mouth open, Shaitaan Bhoshi nd his sutta huddled cozy in a corner, Gupta with his typical scornful facial look,disgusted at everything that is wrong in this world, Si--ha--g looked like he's thinking really hard on something and DJ ParagLaal Victor Stone Waale listening insanely to a shit song I'm a freebird.

Then finally Lord of the Chill (Pulkit Goel - The CHOJAN one) enters the room ...... slam, the door opens.

"oye bhoffadi**** , kab tak maraane wale ho yahaa, kya karna hai, utho saalo"

There he was, all dressed up (God knows how). The Bang ! on the door woke up Chetan Chaat Masaalaa, and made others sit straight. It was around 11:20 am.

And then, I made my move.... I'd been nurturing this thought ever since some of these guys had taken a roadtrip back and forth Delhi-Jaipur...........so I said casually"Lets go by road"

Immediate sounds of dissent followed. Skeptical murmers , which died down quickly. And the numbness again. I spoke again "The Nxt train is at 4:30 pm. wanna reach cal at 10:30 pm, Huh?"

And then the unthinkable happened.....Shri Shri Mad Bhagwat eternally frustrated faridaabad ke Bade gharaane wale Mahaa-Matiyaau GuptaJi rose to the occasion. He said "That sounds OK, lets find out" He went with Pulkit to arrange the ride. And we all went back into our cozy slumber, after all, we had sent Two mighty Baniyaas to negotiate a deal, what was there to worry .....

There was a frenzy of phone calls btwn them nd us .... to get everyone agree on the cost, to get the jerks like Chetan out of bed......... Then around 12:45 pm came their final call "All set, Rs 3500, AC Sumo with Muzik, we leave at 2 pm"

We were all OK. What other choice did we have. In fact, we were all simply tooo lazy to bother. Jackie got this thing of goin in Shatabdi at 2:30 pm, but the cost ws same as a Roadtrip.... so we made him give up.

All set nd done, we left ISM at 3 pm, after the awesome lunch in our beloved mess .... Nice hot sun, nice cool AC ..... and Bottles of Beer. Of Course, we were all Engineers who spent 4 years in a Hostel ... what else can anyone expect ????

Now anyone reading this must be thinking how the hell could things go so smoothly ?? Guess what, the Muzik system didnt work. We all got angry, after all, how can you not have a Rock song being played all the time on a road trip? That's insane....

And then I heard one of the most ridiculous arguments of my life "Saab aapne poochha thaa ki CD Player hai ki nahi, to wo to hai....aapne poochha hi nahi ki chalta hai ki nahi"

We were all stunned momentarily. The Twin baniya Brigade had let us down. But the driver gave this argument with such innocence and sincerity that we all laughed till our stomach ached...and all was hunky dory.

We sang songs, stood in a line to pee simultaneously on the roadside, Had serious discussions about life and death, about Girls and careers, And even jumped merrily on a stack of Hay kept roadside as fodder for a bunch of Buffalos. Roadside naashtaas, secrets of past year at the jobs being revealed....... It was tooo good.

Now we came to the outskirts of Calcutta ...... Then the question arose

"What do we do now"

We had the whole evening to kill..... DJ Victor wanted to goto Tantra, Bhoshi had to go home, Myself Chill n GuptaJi wanted to have a nice dinner (With Booze, Of course) ..... and then follwed the heated arguments.

But a quintessential Planner like me knows it too well that things seldom work out when thought too well.........the killer Kolkata traffic ruined our plans .... frantic phonecalls were made to all concerned, but the damn traffic.......with the Heat and the Sound and the Dust.

Finally, as destiny had it, we landed up at Park Street........ Said TATA-BYE BYE to the Sumo, had dinner and eventually landed at Buddhi's and Sihag's homes...... and that was the end of a long, eventful ride on the road........

Quote:

~ Its the journey that you will remember, not the begining, not the end ~

Just for the Record:
1. Ladhe, we missed you
2. My NickName is Bhale / Ankit Spam Bhalerao SK