In These Arms (Bon Jovi cover)
My acoustic guitar is completely gone, so this is done on my electric... its a black Ibanez GIO and I used to play it sparingly on account of all the setup hassle .....
Haven't sung or recorded anything in a long time and I just found something that was in my limited range.... hope you like it.
Oh, btw, it raining quite heavily in Bangalore and you can hear it in the background. In some way, it lends a background track and helps ...if nothing else... listen to the rain
In these arms (bon Jovi cover) | Upload Music
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
There's a lot to like about Malcolm Gladwell. His polemic style, while always a target of the oversimplification line of critique (much like Eric Von Daniken), is certainly pathbreaking if nothing else. And that is no small thing, even for a career journalist, or especially for one.
This is a great read, and should make everyone see circumstances for what they are, rather than conform to widely acclaimed and more classical notions of success.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Super Saturday ..... and a freak accident
Really happy that the Bangalore team has come through. I'm thrilled for Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble in particular. Its so nice to see silent strong people do well without the paraphernalia of drama and notoriety that seems to accompany people in public life these days.
On a slightly different note, I'm sitting in my car today at a jam on a narrow street when theres a huge impact and someone bumps my car from behind. It was a pretty big impact and schocked me at first.... some guy driving a white Tata Indigo-CS KA.01.MD.6776 steps out. Its bumper to bumper contact and not much else, but he's taken my bumper out. What the hell? I can either block traffic, drag the guy to court or to the cops!!! Or hassel him for money ... I realize I just don't care enough to do any of those things. The guy seems apologetic and scared. There's a pub not far from the site and he's probably been drinking as well. He's probably 30ish and somewhat inebriated .... mumbles some gibberish like "it happend coincidentally ... it happens ... nothing has happened ...." etc etc.
I get back in and drive. Disgusting. Sometimes you don't have to do anything at all to get bumped I guess. You just have to sit still :)
Really happy that the Bangalore team has come through. I'm thrilled for Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble in particular. Its so nice to see silent strong people do well without the paraphernalia of drama and notoriety that seems to accompany people in public life these days.
On a slightly different note, I'm sitting in my car today at a jam on a narrow street when theres a huge impact and someone bumps my car from behind. It was a pretty big impact and schocked me at first.... some guy driving a white Tata Indigo-CS KA.01.MD.6776 steps out. Its bumper to bumper contact and not much else, but he's taken my bumper out. What the hell? I can either block traffic, drag the guy to court or to the cops!!! Or hassel him for money ... I realize I just don't care enough to do any of those things. The guy seems apologetic and scared. There's a pub not far from the site and he's probably been drinking as well. He's probably 30ish and somewhat inebriated .... mumbles some gibberish like "it happend coincidentally ... it happens ... nothing has happened ...." etc etc.
I get back in and drive. Disgusting. Sometimes you don't have to do anything at all to get bumped I guess. You just have to sit still :)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Coming of Age of the Indian Voter
I have to say the election results thrilled me... not just because the markets ran away in celebration, but also because I never expected the polity of this nation to wake up and kick the right and left wings on their backsides. In is kicking were also included those living in the belief that caste-politics can buy bread and a future.... read Mayawati. I'm so glad these people were drubbed like never before.
The polity has responded with great maturity... its up to the netas to now deliver. Cut taxes, open up insurance, banking with existing or greater regulation and for heaven's sake, get a move on infrastructure in the ailing states to prevent hysteria and mass migration.
I have to say the election results thrilled me... not just because the markets ran away in celebration, but also because I never expected the polity of this nation to wake up and kick the right and left wings on their backsides. In is kicking were also included those living in the belief that caste-politics can buy bread and a future.... read Mayawati. I'm so glad these people were drubbed like never before.
The polity has responded with great maturity... its up to the netas to now deliver. Cut taxes, open up insurance, banking with existing or greater regulation and for heaven's sake, get a move on infrastructure in the ailing states to prevent hysteria and mass migration.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sentinels of the woods (all puns intended)
It seems that you cannot say anything in this country about Bollywood without drawing ire ... people are so quick to defend it that they don't even see the blatant (and deliberate) exaggerations in my post (c.f. my comment about a billion idiots) . Whatever happened to reading literature and seeing blantant exaggerations for what they are ... a literary tool, and laughing at it!
I'm not a journalist.... I'm a blogger, for heaven's sake!
My reluctance to worship Bollywood deities like you anonymous commentors somehow seems to make me an infidel.
To all those of you who are tirelessly telling me how wrong I am to be saying derogatory things about your favourite wood, good luck to you folks ... there is a world beyond Bollywood, and there is an ocean beyond the well, and there is exaggeration as a literary tool, and there are bloggers beyond journalists... and there is thinking beyond Karan Johar and SRK .... and there are literary devices beyond those seen in Filmfare!
I hope those of you reading the lines below know where they are from ... if you are familiar with other Indian deities beyond those gyrating in your multiplex, you might just recognize the name.
" ...Into that heaven of freedom, my father,
Let my country awake" - Tagore
:)
cheers,
to each, his own ...I say. I hope your favourite movie star delivers another blockbuster hit so you can sleep in peace.
It seems that you cannot say anything in this country about Bollywood without drawing ire ... people are so quick to defend it that they don't even see the blatant (and deliberate) exaggerations in my post (c.f. my comment about a billion idiots) . Whatever happened to reading literature and seeing blantant exaggerations for what they are ... a literary tool, and laughing at it!
I'm not a journalist.... I'm a blogger, for heaven's sake!
My reluctance to worship Bollywood deities like you anonymous commentors somehow seems to make me an infidel.
To all those of you who are tirelessly telling me how wrong I am to be saying derogatory things about your favourite wood, good luck to you folks ... there is a world beyond Bollywood, and there is an ocean beyond the well, and there is exaggeration as a literary tool, and there are bloggers beyond journalists... and there is thinking beyond Karan Johar and SRK .... and there are literary devices beyond those seen in Filmfare!
I hope those of you reading the lines below know where they are from ... if you are familiar with other Indian deities beyond those gyrating in your multiplex, you might just recognize the name.
" ...Into that heaven of freedom, my father,
Let my country awake" - Tagore
:)
cheers,
to each, his own ...I say. I hope your favourite movie star delivers another blockbuster hit so you can sleep in peace.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Markets Rally, and the positive bullwhip cracks
Markets are always among the most intriguing animals in any geography. From dismal doom, some large cap stocks are up a staggering 70% from three months ago.
Some of this should be attributable to the bull whip effect ... more people jump in on the anticipation of higher returns as time moves forward and they do it as the perceived mythical bull hits its perceived stride.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullwhip_effect
Already, people are talking about 400 point intraday moves on Wall Street. I just hope the enthusiasm lasts.
Another rather inexplicable tit-bit from the tube ... statistically, the market always runs up leading to an election, and then drops irrespective of the result. Strange, but apparently statistically true.
Markets are always among the most intriguing animals in any geography. From dismal doom, some large cap stocks are up a staggering 70% from three months ago.
Some of this should be attributable to the bull whip effect ... more people jump in on the anticipation of higher returns as time moves forward and they do it as the perceived mythical bull hits its perceived stride.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullwhip_effect
Already, people are talking about 400 point intraday moves on Wall Street. I just hope the enthusiasm lasts.
Another rather inexplicable tit-bit from the tube ... statistically, the market always runs up leading to an election, and then drops irrespective of the result. Strange, but apparently statistically true.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Cricket, Film Stars and Businessmen
It's quite funny to watch the IPL franchise owners jump around on the boundary trying to act as if their enthusiasm or brooding will affect the outcome of the game.
From Priety Zinta's ebullient flag waving from the sidelines to Shilpa Shetty's "hey look at me too" act .... to Shahruk's "what the hell happened" look, these guys are a treat. Makes you wonder why a former cricketer didn't get in on a franchise. Firstly, he would've done things a little more smartly ... like letting Ganguly Capt the side.... or making sure Yuvraj did not captain, or making sure you had the civility to buy a few more tickets to get the whole of last years Rajasthan side out to SA instead of scrimping on expenses and sending just 18 people out there.
I cannot for a minute imagine that any of these filmi jackasses knew anything about cricket... Priety barely knew who Mortaza was before she bid on him against Shahrukh, and Shahrukh, after spending $600K on the wide-eyed bangla tiger must be wondering what the bloke is doing warming the bench. As for Shilpa Shetty .... she probably realizes that far too many people are looking at the pretty Priety and not nearly enough of them are watching her movies from yesteryear. Now that she has a fat walleted businessman in the bag, its probably the right time to throw on a nice blue cricket shirt, color co-ordinate it with some glasses, and try and get the pronunciation of names like Carseldine correct.
Make no mistake, I really adore both Priety Zinta and Shilpa Shetty ... they're bloody gorgeous for sure, but I have trouble liking megalomaniacs who are megalomaniacal for its own sake.
It must be the stupid Bollywood scripts and dialogues that must be affecting their brains.... it has to. I mean, you spend your whole life acting in really really plotless movies reciting absolutely stupid dialogues and doing strange dance moves but you keep getting richer on account of a seemingly limitless supply of a billion idiots who seem to want more of this crap .... with this inexplicable success model, it must leave you trying to do the ridiculously stupidly dramatic even in real life in the hope of some sort of success to follow.
IPL team USD .....75M .... the look on SRK's helpless face.... priceless!!! Some things in life are priceless ....for everything else, theres a Bollywood film.
It's quite funny to watch the IPL franchise owners jump around on the boundary trying to act as if their enthusiasm or brooding will affect the outcome of the game.
From Priety Zinta's ebullient flag waving from the sidelines to Shilpa Shetty's "hey look at me too" act .... to Shahruk's "what the hell happened" look, these guys are a treat. Makes you wonder why a former cricketer didn't get in on a franchise. Firstly, he would've done things a little more smartly ... like letting Ganguly Capt the side.... or making sure Yuvraj did not captain, or making sure you had the civility to buy a few more tickets to get the whole of last years Rajasthan side out to SA instead of scrimping on expenses and sending just 18 people out there.
I cannot for a minute imagine that any of these filmi jackasses knew anything about cricket... Priety barely knew who Mortaza was before she bid on him against Shahrukh, and Shahrukh, after spending $600K on the wide-eyed bangla tiger must be wondering what the bloke is doing warming the bench. As for Shilpa Shetty .... she probably realizes that far too many people are looking at the pretty Priety and not nearly enough of them are watching her movies from yesteryear. Now that she has a fat walleted businessman in the bag, its probably the right time to throw on a nice blue cricket shirt, color co-ordinate it with some glasses, and try and get the pronunciation of names like Carseldine correct.
Make no mistake, I really adore both Priety Zinta and Shilpa Shetty ... they're bloody gorgeous for sure, but I have trouble liking megalomaniacs who are megalomaniacal for its own sake.
It must be the stupid Bollywood scripts and dialogues that must be affecting their brains.... it has to. I mean, you spend your whole life acting in really really plotless movies reciting absolutely stupid dialogues and doing strange dance moves but you keep getting richer on account of a seemingly limitless supply of a billion idiots who seem to want more of this crap .... with this inexplicable success model, it must leave you trying to do the ridiculously stupidly dramatic even in real life in the hope of some sort of success to follow.
IPL team USD .....75M .... the look on SRK's helpless face.... priceless!!! Some things in life are priceless ....for everything else, theres a Bollywood film.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Trips, IPL, blogs.
I've missed several games of the IPL .... everything in April. I was really busy during my visit I wasn't able to catch up with the happenings online. The wifi connection in my room was miserably slow and I just didn't have it in me after a long day with frustrated colleagues, crazy support staff, and watching those higher in my hierarchy try relentlessly to wrest power in a zero sum game headed straight for the Nash equilibrium.
Now that I'm back one of the first things I did was read the IPL blog which has been making all the headlines - fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com.
It is simply brilliant. The conjecture points to either Akash Chopra or Sanjay Bangar, but the quality of the writing and editing precludes a the claim for a pressed-for-time cricketer.
Anyway, the author has my attention and I am tuned in.
Predictably, the KKR team has committed the good sized blunders.... you sack Dada for no good reason, you hand over coaching and leadership to someone who never represented his country... and you to top it all, you have a team owner who thinks he should be worshipped and he should win games simply because he has a country full of idiots willing to watch formulaic crappy movies.
More on the IPL in the coming days. As a quick parting shot, I am quite certain that come what may, the Punjab team is going to bite dust simply for the reason that they have another idiot in the form of Yuvraj Singh calling the shots. Make no mistake ... the guy is probably the most talented guy to come out of India, but he is really quite empty upstairs and he's proved that over the years. I'm willing to count on the likes of Sangakkara and Mahela checking out on him at the earliest.
I've missed several games of the IPL .... everything in April. I was really busy during my visit I wasn't able to catch up with the happenings online. The wifi connection in my room was miserably slow and I just didn't have it in me after a long day with frustrated colleagues, crazy support staff, and watching those higher in my hierarchy try relentlessly to wrest power in a zero sum game headed straight for the Nash equilibrium.
Now that I'm back one of the first things I did was read the IPL blog which has been making all the headlines - fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com.
It is simply brilliant. The conjecture points to either Akash Chopra or Sanjay Bangar, but the quality of the writing and editing precludes a the claim for a pressed-for-time cricketer.
Anyway, the author has my attention and I am tuned in.
Predictably, the KKR team has committed the good sized blunders.... you sack Dada for no good reason, you hand over coaching and leadership to someone who never represented his country... and you to top it all, you have a team owner who thinks he should be worshipped and he should win games simply because he has a country full of idiots willing to watch formulaic crappy movies.
More on the IPL in the coming days. As a quick parting shot, I am quite certain that come what may, the Punjab team is going to bite dust simply for the reason that they have another idiot in the form of Yuvraj Singh calling the shots. Make no mistake ... the guy is probably the most talented guy to come out of India, but he is really quite empty upstairs and he's proved that over the years. I'm willing to count on the likes of Sangakkara and Mahela checking out on him at the earliest.
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