Aces win Matches

My friend Ram sitting right beside me is licking his tongue at the mention of the term "matches"; the ever so optimistic cricket fanatic. Well he might be an Ace but he hasn't really won any matches of the type that I am gonna talk about. More so because he is a born winner and rarely has any "matches".

Now lets get over to tennis, the game that obviously comes to one's mind when you talk about Aces. Who said Aces win matches??? The player with the most number of aces in the last 2 years unfortunately hasn't won even a single grand slam in the last 5 years. Who then says that Aces win matches!!!

Now to the game which would be the most appropriate when it comes down to Aces . Well anyone remember Casino Royale!! - the high octane Bond thriller featuring Daniel Craig. Well that I suppose is a big enough hint about what I have been talking about. Yes ... none other than poker.

My knowledge about poker is next only to my knowledge of what my professors teach in my classes [:)]. But as my "gurudev", the all too famous Suku "Kung-fu" Panda says : Aces win Matches.

Movies - A mirror of the society

In such a short duration of time I simply cant believe that this is my second post on movies. Well movies are one of the ways to portray your(rather the movie makers') view of the world. Yash Chopra has used them to sing the song of love on terrains far and wide, Karan Johar has used them to give an insight into family and then extra marital life. The depictions may not be real imitations of life but do give you a fair idea of the situation.

The other day I turned a lunatic and sat down to gobble up 3 really nice movies: Khuda Ke Liye, Black Friday and then Mumbai Meri Jaan. Khuda ke liye showcases the life in terror and blindfolded Pakistan. How a girl's life turns to hell among the gun shots and burkhas.

Black Friday is like a documentary which has simply hunted down the culprits of the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993. After seeing it , I had no doubts as to why the movie's release was delayed till after the sentences were pronounced in the trials.

Mumbai meri Jaan was a bit less aggressive but still the story revolved around terrorist activities.

By the end of the day I was in a state where I was filled with hatred for the Muslim customs and the way the hardliners turn people into evil creatures. The one question that kept ricocheting in my mind, are people this dumb to believe in such baseless preachings like "Mousiki gunaah hai(Music is a sin)"?Common man!!!! If they are this dumb, so how is it that they are able to plan and execute such hideous acts of crime?

Well now lets have a look art the current state of Bollywood. I would forgive the readers if they have a hearty laugh on a "trash can like Kidnap or a fantasy like Drona being a Mirror of our society". What were the movie makers thinking about while making it and what were the established actors thinking about when they signed it :)....

Gone are the days of Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor who had the nerves to think out of the box in making movies like Pyaasa and Mera naam joker, ones in which human longings and wants have been perfectly exhibited.

Its true that you need talent to make a movie, but it is true that you need to be smart enough to appreciate good ones as well. It defies logic when pathetic movies like Singh is King and Aap Ka Surroor are labeled super hits. Well one for Raju Srivastava to make into a great joke in the next laughter challenge :) .

Quality filmmakers with an imaginative skillset are in serious short supply, and those there are hardly get the returns they deserve.Commercial filmmakers these days will be unanimous in their decission if it comes to decide between a steamy swim suit scene or a revolutiuonary speech and 99 times out of 100 the responce of the audience will justify their choice. Does it mean that we are losing the sense to judge things or is it just that our "longings" have a prececdence over our inclination towards the best?? Best for the readers to decide.

Indians and Aggression - Do they lack it or do they prefer not to show it ???

Once a cricket fan, always a cricket fan. That's my motto. Well the title might suggest otherwise to a cricket fan but this post hardly is a cricketing topic. Or in more familiar terms, it holds true in each and every aspect of a normal human life(including Indians).

We as Indians prefer to be aggressive in specific conditions. One such situation could be to show your inferiors "Who's the boss!!". Another occassion could be teachers bossing around with students on petty matters(Who better to have experienced it more than my batchmates ;)). Another occasion could be a bit of showing off in front of your girl friend. Is that it???? Is it the only time aggression finds a place in our feelings and emotions. How about the current situation when there has been a financial breakdown in the business world. What have we done "aggressively" to get over it. The result is that the worst hit economy by this meltdown (USA) , has its currency soaring to a decade long high as compared to "stable" economies like India.

Now lets get back to cricket. On the backdrop of the current Indian Victory over Australia this might seem a bit harsh but I bet the topic would have been raised if the result would have been any different. Having a lead of 201 in the first innings is sufficient to give headaches to the opposition especially knowing that you can bat again. But even the "daredevil, combative Indian cricket captain", MS Dhoni, didn't have the guts to go for the kill. Its not often that a team like Australia is floored, so I dont think this is a chance to let go.

Then again lets have a glance at the current political scenario. The Preso(would be insulting to the nation to write the full word but I hope you can make the word out of it [:)]) of India looks nothing more than an ordinary house wife with no voice at all. Has anyone heard her give out a message on the meltdown or the catastrophic fllods in Orissa or the riots in different parts of the country. She has really taken the "ceremonial post of Indian Politics" at its face value. Then again we have the PM. The top most leader of the "democratic " India hardly seems to be anything more than a meek leader who can easily be eclipsed by a common college student with decent PR skills. In the pictures taken during his recent viosit to the USA he hardly seemed fit to be a leader who was going to decide India's nuclear needs for the coming decade or so.

Our lack of aggression simply means that we Indians have been manipulated over and over again. Whenever we have had the strength to stand up to the challenge and face the world , we have been world beaters. The world resisitance to India's Pokhran Nuclear tests of 1999 during the A.B. Bhajpayee Govt. flashes in front of my eyes and it really feels proud that we have had leaders like him.

Then why is it that we are afraid to display our aggression often. Is it that we are afraid to take the "Bull by the horn"??? Or is it that we are afraid of the reaction that our actions may invoke. Whatever it is I would like the readers of this article to spend sometime to think over it andhelp me decide "Do Indians lack aggression or is it that they prefer not to show it".

Top 10 sportspersons of our Generation

Lets venture into the world of sports and what better than paying a tribute to 10 of the most influential sports persons who have been making the news quite repeatedly. They have set examples worth emulating for their fellow players, led from the front when they have been looked upto and they have made lots and lots of money(hardly a criticism when one considers their contribution to the world of sports).
Well the players I would look into are

• Cricket- Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Charles Lara, Shane Warne
• Football - Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo
• Tennis - Pete Sampras, Rodger Federer, Steffi Graff
• Moto Racing - Michael Schumacher
• Golf - Tiger Woods

Well lets get into the thick of things....

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, arguably the finest right handed batsman of his era, has taken the popularity of cricket to an unprecedented high throughout the world. He has been a batsman of character and has often been the lynch pin of Indian batting for close to 2 decades now. Ever since his debut where he batted on after being hit on his head by Waqar Younis, one had a feeling he was a star in the making. Having been around for the time he has been and having played as consistently as he has, he owns virtually each and every batting record to his name. Identified by the Great Donald Bradman as the only player who reminded him of his own green days, the LITLLE MASTER has lived upto all the expectations that his fans have demanded. The only complaint that his critics often have is the fact that he has failed to perform in key matches for India but with back to back match winning innings against the world champions in the recently concluded CB series he seems to be setting the record right.
Records-
39 Test Hundreds
41 ODI Hundreds
16361 ODI runs in 417 ODIs
11782 Test runs in 147 Tests.
Most admirable have been his contributions in the world cups where he has scored a. 523 runs in WC 1996
b. 673 runs in WC 2003.


Brian Charles Lara

B.C.Lara arguably the best southpaw to play in the modern game, has often been the only real competitor to Sachin for the title of the best batsman to play the game. If Shane Warne has advocated Sachin's case as being the batsman who gave him nightmares during tours, none other than Muttiah Murlidharan has publicly admitted that Lara has been more difficult to get around. Whatever it is, Lara has twice held the record for thean Highest Individual Score in T est matches(375 and a mammoth unbeaten 400).
Well many a times he has been the sole survivor or rather the only player who has stood upto opposition attacks in hostile territories. Well the debate I hope will go on forever and it is for the best of the game.

Shane Keith Warne

Success , controversies and doping, Shane Warne has had it all in a hugely successful cricketing career. Being in the news for sex scandals, being thrown out of the squad for doping charges from World Cup 2003 squad and being the only player to be a man of the match in a semi final and final (WC 1999), he has tasted it all. Being successful in a team with a host of fast bowling geniuses and having played most of his cricket on wickets tailored for fast bowling. Known for his sportsmanship on and off the field, Shane Warne has been a true champion . Credited with the Bowl of the Century for the bowl which got Mike Gatting on his Asses debut. Perhaps the only feather missing from his well decorated cap would be the fact that he has never led the all conquering Aussies. Capturing 700 + wickets in a batsman dominated game is never a joke. Being the Wisden Cricketer of the Century is neither. Respected by team mates and oppositions alike, Shane Warne has been a "True Champion of Cricket ..".



We'll now head on to the Beautiful Game - yes I am talking about football and who better to start of with but Zizou..

Zinedine Zidane

Well a perfect gentleman of the Beautiful Game, a real tragedy that the career of such a living legend had to end in such a controversial fashion. Only one of the two players ever to have been voted the FIFA World Player of the year(the other being Ronaldo). A true magician with the ball at his feet, Zizou's migration from Juventus to Real Madrid is one of the highest transfer deals ever finalised in sports entertainment.
Having played for some of the world's best clubs like Marseille, Juventus and Real Madrid, Zizou has been part of the golden era of football. He was one of the famous Les Galacticos which Real Madrid once boasted of.
Perhaps the only moment of controversy in a glittering career came at the World Cup 2006 in final the at Berlin where he was sent of for head butting Italian defender Marco Matterazzi. His swan song was however well decorated with him winning the Golden Ball despite France losing the cup to Italy.


Luis Figo

Talk about the bad boy in football and a name that would pop up pretty often is Luis Figo. The former FIFA player of the year has been no stranger to controversies and ups and downs in his glittering career. The former Portuguese captain who guided them to their first major Cup final at Euro 2004 has been a major force in the world of sports. Being a highly decorated player , Figo once held the record for the most paid footballer during his transfer Barcelona FC to Real Madrid , one of the very few players to have done it. Well this transfer surely didn't make him the most popular figure at the Nou Camp, but he proved his penny by being at the core of Les Galacticos. Beautiful dribbling skills and attacking wing play has made Figo one of the most respected and feared opponents on the football ground.

Pete Sampras In the Golden Era of men's tennis, there have been a host a great players like Borris Becker, Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter, Jonas Bjorkman etc. But one name that has stood tall among all these great names has been Pete Sampras of the US. The winner of a world record 14 grand slam titles the great man had been a dominant force in the 1990's. His rivalry with fellow American Andre Agassi has often resulted in enthralling contests which Pete led 19-11 at the time he retired. Famously known as "Pistol Pete", the great man was a great advocate of the Serve and volley game. His exploits at the All England Tennis Club at Wimbledon have earned him a record 7 Wimbledon Men's Singles championship. His tally of 14 includes 5 triumphs at the US Open and 2 at the Australian Open. Sadly the only feather missing from his decorated career has been a triumph at the Roland Garros(French Open). This however far from undermines his supremacy at the top of the ATP Men's ranking for 6 consecutive years, a record in the "Open Era".

Rodger Federer

He may be the most entertaining player around the ATP circuit today but his failures make more news than his overwhelming success. His failure to win the French Open has super ceded his overwhelming dominance of the world of men's tennis for the last 5 years. He has played in 10 of the last 12 Grand Slam finals winning a staggering 9 of them. The only player in the Open Era who can dream of breaking Pete Sampras's record tally of 14 Grand Slam titles.
Anyone who watched the 2007 Australian Open semi finals which he played against Andy Roddick and heard the way Roddick reacted after being steam rolled by Fedex will need no clarification about the kind of Tennis Rodger is capable of.
The 28 year old Swiss has a lot of years left till he hangs his boot and I wont be surprised if he sets unthinkable Tennis records by that time.


There is a huge difference in our lifestyle now compared to our life say 2 decades ago.And most of it is attributed to speed. Talking about life in the fast lane there is one name we simply can't fail to notice; Michael Schumacher.According to the formula 1 website, Michael has been the greatest racing driver known. With an outstanding 7 FIA Driver Championships under his belt, achieved largely due to his unprecedented 91 race victories, there is hardly any one to challenge his supremacy in Motorsport. Having driven for Jordan, Benneton and Ferrari the legend has notched up unprecedented success behind the wheels.
However he has often drawn flak from his co drivers for his lack of sportsmanship (apparently evident from incidents like blocking drivers during races and most remarkably his accident with Jacques Villneuve which saw him disqualified.). Whatever it is the stats show a way bigger picture of this German hero who is worshipped by the Tifosi.

One for the Movie freaks... A list of top 10 movie Flicks..

Here is something for the movie freaks, one that I suspect is known to one and all but just that it adds a lot of glamor to a blog. I wouldn't dare to rate them and undermine my love for each one of them, but I would definitely like my audience to rate them on their own and may be drop a couple of comments to help me decide my rating.

TITANIC(1997)

It was the first Hollywood movie I watched, and trust me had it had it not been for TITANIC, I would not have watched another Hollywood flick. This James Cameroon classic depiction of the worst shipping of modern times had left many a people weeping. Be it the classic poor boy & rich girl love affair between James (Leonardo Di Caprio) and Rose (Kate Winslett), or the dramatic sinking of RMS Titanic, this movie really did strike a few emotional cords among its audience. A movie which won 11 Oscars can never be a fluke can it be?? A must watch for one and all.


SCHINDLER's LIST(1993)

Well World War II has certainly been a magnificent plot for Hollywood Classics and who better than Steven Spielberg to exploit such a scenario. A humanitarian side of a mean, greedy businessman Oscar Schindler who uses cheap Jewish labour and makes a fortune. But he ends up penniless after saving a thousand Jewish labourers from being by the Nazis at the Auschwitz concentration camp. He turns his factory into a refuge from the rampaging Nazis. A movie worth each of the 7 Oscars it won. Watch it and live the times we were fortunate not to witness.

The Independence Day(1996)

What would you expect from a movie whose tag lines read

"We've always believed we weren't alone. Pretty soon, we'll wish were."

The alien invasions on earth had neither been so attractive nor had the use of animations ever been so dazzling. The scenes of the alien attack bursting through the buildings and raising cities to dust were fantastic to say the least. The added emotional touch was lent by the First Lady's premature death. The altercations between the President Thomas Whitmore(Bill Pulman),Captain Steven Hiller(Will Smith) and David Levinson(Ian Malcomn) added a pinch of comedy to the otherwise serious environment.

The famous quote by the President before the counter attack could ring in your ears for days after you have watched it. It sounds something like "Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

It mayn't have the most number of awards to its credit but it still is a must watch if you ask me.

The Godfather(1972)

A strong storyline by a well renowned writer(Mario Puzo), an impressive star casting Hollywood biggies like Marlon Brando,Al Paccino and Robert Duval and a collection of cool dialogs and a lot of strong voices to deliver them.
THE GODFATHER had it all to deliver a memorable box office hit and it didnt disappoint. Its success can be gauged by an IMDB rating of 1. Gangwars, dialogs, romance & action; the Godfather has it all. Watch it and I doubt you will find something more interesting.


Terminator 2- The Judgement Day(1991)

In the days where Sci-fi movies had not yet used the advances of technology, James Cameroon came forward with the ultimate sci fi extravaganza. Starring muscle man Arnold Schwarzeneger and erstwhile heart throb Linda Hamilton, the movie has scenes to freeze the blood in your veins.The movie has it all; style(the incredible firing style of the shot gun), flair , time travel and most importantly a positive ending. Terminator surely did live upto its tag line which read "I am back". The cyborg who had been sent to kill Sarah Connor in T1 returns to save her and help her prevent the war between man and machines. A perfect Paisa Vasool!!!


Lord of the Rings Trilogy(2001,2002,2003)

The story of the middle earth epitomizes the oldest philosophy known to mankind: Good triumphs over Evil. Exotic sets, magic, war cries, archaic dialogs, contemporary costumes, incredible animations and incomparable cinematography have made this series a must watch. The actors have made justice to the epic by JRR Tolkien and no doubt it has turned out to be one of the biggest money crunchers Hollywood has ever produced. Having gobbled up 17 Oscars between themselves, the LOTR trilogy surely is a mouth watering treat for audience of all ages.



Hotel Rwanda(2005)

Hotel Rwanda is a historical drama about the hotelier Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) during the genocide in Rwanda in which about 800,000 people (militants and civilians alike). Shot almost completely in South Africa and Kigali(capital of Rwanda), Hotel Rwanda highlights the true story of hotel manager Paul who fights the resurgent Tutsi rebels (with cash, beer and bribes ; not ammunition ), who repeatedly wish to ransack the refuges at the hotel. With repeated negligence by foreign superpowers and complete inaction by the United Nations clearly evident, Rusesabagina takes it upon himself to protect the refuges in his hotel. Ranked 73 on the list of IMDB's best movies; HOTEL RWANDA is a must watch.

Forrest Gump(1994)

A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events - in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. Yet, despite all the things he has attained, his one true love eludes him. "Forrest Gump" is the story of a man who rose above his challenges, and who proved that determination, courage, and love are more important than ability.
"Forrest Gump" played by Tom Hanks, has an ordinary IQ 75 has been at some of the world's defining moments but is too stupid to realise their significance. Being helped around by his "Mama" and only childhood friend Jenny(Robin Wright Penn), Gump limps through the highs and lows of life.
A movie for which Tom Hanks won the Oscar for the Best Actor (Male) , Best Director (Robert Zemeckis) inclusive of a total of 6 Oscars. An IMDB rating of 53 is a true tribute to this wonderful movie.

Gladiator(2000)

An action,adventure filled drama centered in the later Roman era.The movies protagonist is Maximus(Rusell Crowe) , the Roman general who thumped the supremacy of aging king Marcus Aurelius. With the kingdom at stake the unworthy, corrupt prince Commodus (Joaqim Phoenix) kills the bedridden emperor and frames Maximus for the conspiracy. Expecting retaliation from the general, he burns his family and waits for the general to come home. He captures him and orders his execution, but Maximus escapes.
Maximus is rescued by nomads who take him in as a Gladiator. Magnificient fights and action sequences featuring Roman chariot fighters and tigers add the extra spice to an enthralling script. Superior fighting skills end up taking Maximus and his gladiators to the Colloseum at Rome where he kills the Champ.
The movie ends with a fight to death between the Emperor Commodus and Maximus where the later prevails only to succumb to a poisonous wound.
Overall the movie makes a thorough entertaining and emotional viewing. The movie ended up with 5 Oscars including the Best Actor's Award to Rusell Crowe for a scintillating performance.


The Shawshank Redemption(1994)

Well this movie is the tenth one I would suggest but it is the most fitting climax to this amazing collection. A movie about two convicts in the Shawsank prison who bond and find hope in the most dire of situations. Andy Dufresne(Tim Robbins) and Ellis Redding(Morgan Freeman) meet at Shawsank and and give each other hope of the unprecedented. Immaculate planning by an erstwhile successful banker and the resourcefulness of the prison "fixer" lead to an unprecedented escape from the depths of the dungeons.


An IMDB ranking of 2 sings lots about the credentials of this movie and I personally feel the reason it has no Oscars to its name is not because it doesn't deserve one , but there was a movie named Forrest Gump which simply swept through the awards.

Well this was my list of top 10 Hollywood flicks. How about suggesting your own? Do leave me your choices as well...

SAI- Sun Academic Initiative

Hi folks.
Nice to be back blogging. From here on I would mostly be blogging about utilities and entertainment, a far cry from the the previous entries which was basically limited to institute experiences , life as a student blah blah blah.

The thing which I would start of this new Avatar with is by giving a sneak peak into the SUN ACADEMIC INITIATIVE. The thing about this stuff is that it reveals much less than what it actually means. Usual trend of Academic Initiative is to lure people in and then extract money when they get dependent. But this is really cool!!!

Ever wondered how good it would be if someone just stood around and guided you around the ups and downs when you were trying to explore some new funda, may it be a new programming language or a new Operating System!! Well the sun academic initiative does just that.

It has excellent video tutorials which will lead you through the keynotes of any topic that you are using. SAI has a collection of around 70 courses specially designed by SUN engineers for students with topics ranging from Solaris, Server management, Web Designing, Java etc.

This is the best part which is going to raise eyebrows. SAI even has a section containing e tests to help prepare for the latest Sun Certified Course examinations. Once you have passed the preparatory tests you can sit for the actual exams at vastly discounted coupon rates. For instance if someone appears the exam today then he would be paying only 40 USD for the SCJP coupons.


To avail of this opportunity all you need to do is to send a mail to prabitmishra@gmail.com.
I would share with you the company name and customer ID that all students of NIT Rourkela are eligible to share. Then you can login to learningconnection.sun.com and register yourself. Then its a GO to you utilise this initiative by SUN Microsystems to the best.

Please feel free to drop comments if you can suggest innovative ways to spread this noble idea. Dont forget to spread the news among friends and encourage them for the same.

College life & English Alphabets

College life for me is something like this. The best way I think I can describe my stay at Rourkela is something like this :
A - Aggression, Amul-the taste of India
B - Bunk Classes
C - CS, Chaatu Teachers, Copy Assignments, Comments
D - Darwin's Survival of the fittest theory
E - Enchanting
F - Friends, Fast, Ferrari Rocks!!!
G - GREAT GMATs, goof ups, GTalk, Gossips, Girls!!
H - Hearty, Hexagon
I - Irresistible,Irreversible
J - Jobs, Jam
K - Knockouts(exams), Kimi Riakonnen
L - Life Ho to Aisi!! Live it believe it
M- Magical, movies, Manchester United of course
N - Never say DIE!!!!
O - Orkut, Optimization Techniques(unforgettable thanks to Prof. SKR)
P - Poverty strikes frequently!!! Malamal se Kangal hone main time nahin lagta.
Q - Queen Bee in a honey comb with Worker Bees buzzing irritably(for each other that is :) )
R - Rules are made to be broken again & again!!,,,,,, Ragging is absent!!
S - Sleep in the Class
T - Time kahan hai sone ke liye(hostel main)???
U - Useless subjects
V - Very Very SPECIAL time(In the hostels, in front of compu with a cool breeze blowing[cooler hai naaaa]).
W - Worthy of all the trouble it brings with itself.
X - XXX (ganda dimag mat lagao, X boleto Excellent)
Y - Yahoo!!!
Z - Zero knowledge gained!!!

If you think otherwise pass a comment. [:)]

Life as it "UNFOLDS"

Well as little dramatic as it may seem, this is something which everyone looks forward to. May it be of the Kal Ho Na Ho genre (sad) or the Munna Bhai type(hilarious), it is something which holds the key to one's very existence. What do you think would have happened if one told you your future? Dont laugh it off when I say that you would do absolutely everything in your powers to make sure that it doesnt happen. As insane it might seem, but trust me it is absolutely practical.

I will take you through a small story(not some fairy tale or granma's stories).Let us say take the looming placement scenario as our point of reference; with people having sleepless nights before the placements. How about we introduce a twist in the tail. Suppose someone comes around claiming to be a forecast man(call him Baba). Somehow a couple of His guesses truly work out. People tend to believe a bit more in his prophecies. He starts charging a nominal fee and people are more than eager to oblige. Now that the race for dreams and super dreams begin to hot up, students are more curious. "Kisiko bola ki tu MS main jaega to kisiko Maruti main." Everyone's happy, they start counting chickens before the eggs hatch. Then comes the Judgment Day. No one had been serious as they knew the results before hand. And then everyone trusted Baba.

But anticipating the worst Baba packed up(with his cash ofcourse). And sadly his concerns were justified absolutely. Guess the moral is pretty apparent hence I wont bother to write it.
Let time take its course never try hustle things up.

Who rulz??

Here we have one issue which obviously is absurd (No points for guessing that). Each person reading this blog will have an answer of his own and believe me, I expect nothing less. Some would say ManU rules, some would say Chelsea(EPL and Champions' League: Any football fanatics out there?), some would say Aussies(the number would be significantly less in India after the current triumph though ) where as many would say its Sachin(highly ambiguous again but not for my dear friend RAM).
The real purpose of this "absurd question (if you care to call it so!!!) " was simply to find if there is anyone out there whose answer is "I RULE the world". Because if you want to, the least you could do is to say it aloud and make yourself comfortable with the numerous glaring eyes that would scan you head to toe. Many can talk, but the right person is one who has courage to stand upto it. Let people expect something from you, let them count on you when they are in a spot of bother. This exercise my friend will do one very important thing my friend, it will tell you who to fall back on in case you get into hot waters; and trust me you will know the right persons at the right moments.

Academia - The last nail in any student's coffin...

Whats with the profs these days? Who are they angry with ? The system, the students or themselves? A question which every professor must at least look at answering before he prepares to take a class. Standards of education have fallen to unimaginable depths over the course of time. Things already been obsolete are key portion of the academia where as those in news remain there.
Some ask not to disturb and simply leave the class after attendance where as someone else simply asks to take a nap. But are these solutions to this problem? Instead of forcing students to staple their eyelids to avoid dozing, shouldn't the quality of education be improved so that its motivation rather than fear which keeps people awake in the classes. Rules for grade reduction due to shortage of attendance might seem like a landmark decision but trust me a few years from now the higher echelons would definitely regret the day they decided to "impose" it. I dont see any problem if someone is able to read and study better on his own rather than sit idle in the class for hours at a stretch.
Gone are the days when a job was the Final Fantasy for an Engineer. You get them as easy as crossing a busy street i.e. just keep yourself alert and you are through(of course with the occasional hit.)Tomorrow demands people of today to be well prepared to face e crisis not be the ones creating them.
Its high time the feedback from students are really looked into, otherwise it wont be long before the very "gurus" of our society will turn into its worst enemies. We are evolving, our minds developing and the world is changing; so give me one damn reason why our education should not???

About Me

Believe when I say that there is not much to know "About Me" which someone would like to hear. But something I would want all to know about me is "I am the last person in the world who would give something up without a tussle".

I like to fight against the "non obliging" systems (haven't spared even my coordinators at Sun Microsystems) .

Being someone who doesn't "demand" accolades for something good, I become terribly disappointed if people misread my intentions and action and shower "unpleasantries" instead.

Any ways, I feel I am good enough pick for a good friend; being my friend is really worth a try.

So Far ...

Life is like vintage wine, the older it is the better it tastes. Days when I was a "kid", every other moment I wished "God just grant this wish of mine. Please make me big enough to stay independent." Now that God has granted this wish (to some extent), the only thought that comes to me in solitude is"God I realize I made a horrible mistake. Just forgive my stupidity and make me a kid, again". Everyone changes, someone slow and someone fast;guess I am one of the later.

So far its been lots of fun and little sadness.
Aage aage dekhte hain hota hai kya??