The gun battle still blazes on @ Taj Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel and Nariman house … so many innocent lives lost to these fidayeen terrorists … crazy psychophants … its really been a slow day … following the goings on from work … a feeling of pain engulfs just seeing the images … what will happen and when .. no one knows nor can one predict. Hope things get better.
As I write that … realization strikes that so many things can go bad or wrong. The financial crisis, this … problems don’t stop coming do they … one after the other … we have to soak it up and come out stronger … scathed may be … but surely stronger!!! Easy for me to say … I know … just scribbling my thoughts here …!
~KK
Thursday, November 27, 2008
11/27/08 – 10.36 AM
Bombay is burning with terrorists attacking the city making it a war zone and a city under siege. 101 people killed. I wish they hadn’t died … Innocents lost to crazy ideologies and brains working in the wrong line …
~KK
~KK
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Recession has hit us too …
For those who thought India was not going to be affected like other places w.r.t. the recession and those in my organization especially who thought so, were in for a rude awakening… Today morning we got a general mailer from the head of HR and Admin stating that the evening snacks that were fully subsidized (read as fully free) were no longer going to be … starting 1st December. Also the bus travel which was partly subsidized will also now be on cost basis … That would be at the most a 1% saving for them but then the scary part is what is going to follow!!! For sure something is going to happen. No one can remain totally unaffected by the happenings @ Wall Street and other places around the world. So in the corridors and the meeting rooms and the pantry and the parking lots, people are only discussing this topic.
Moreover, for an organization which boasts of no retrenching since its inception in 1988, can we be spared of any pink slips this time? Considering the fact that the pundits are hailing this as the worst ever recession to hit the globe yet!
So although we won’t be having those free ragda-samosa or the pineapple juice, all would only hope there aren’t any unscheduled “come and see me mails” or any more shocking general mailers.
Wish us all a bon appetite :)
~KK
Moreover, for an organization which boasts of no retrenching since its inception in 1988, can we be spared of any pink slips this time? Considering the fact that the pundits are hailing this as the worst ever recession to hit the globe yet!
So although we won’t be having those free ragda-samosa or the pineapple juice, all would only hope there aren’t any unscheduled “come and see me mails” or any more shocking general mailers.
Wish us all a bon appetite :)
~KK
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Visitor ………..!!!
Since I shifted to my new “kholi” or apartment (if I can call it that), I had a first visit of the rodent kind. It all started yesterday night around 1 am when I heard noises and knew that there was an intruder around but I shooed off the thought thinking it was not “inside”. Today morning after I returned home from the gym (yea yea yea I know .. it’s a recent phenomenon) and sat down with the paper, the rodent a.k.a. house rat or mouse or whatever made its appearance, scampering across the floor from point a to point b. As a startled and shocked onlooker, I was rooted to my spot. I don’t have a cot or a bed and my mattress is basically on the floor so I dint have any elevated place to jump on to also (well I ain’t a big fan of rats and mice). So my next few moments of existence were spent trying to figure out what to do.
Managed to come back to my senses and grabbed the broom though I had no intention (nor the guts) to kill it. Once I had moved the mattress onto the chair, I opened the window and the main door so that it has an escape route out of my kholi. Then I started tapping around the place where it was hiding and all it did was run across the room to hide below the cupboard which was next to the door. So that was now my intention, to lead it to the door … broom tapping restarted and after a couple of minutes, it ran n slid across the floor as if it was the most terrified being in that room (no two guesses as to who was…) and managed to dash out of my kholi! (“Phew!”) While I was left to recollect my senses and let the fact sink in that I had just had a visitor who probably was looking for some grub but had to be shooed away.
It’s been a while (last visit was at my bund garden apartment) but I hope there aint no more such visits. One thing that this visit has done is I would be entering my house for the next few days tapping away to glory and making silly noises to see if it’s around. :D
~KK
Ps: Visitors to my blog … please feel welcome to put in any comments on any of my posts … would love to hear from all.
Managed to come back to my senses and grabbed the broom though I had no intention (nor the guts) to kill it. Once I had moved the mattress onto the chair, I opened the window and the main door so that it has an escape route out of my kholi. Then I started tapping around the place where it was hiding and all it did was run across the room to hide below the cupboard which was next to the door. So that was now my intention, to lead it to the door … broom tapping restarted and after a couple of minutes, it ran n slid across the floor as if it was the most terrified being in that room (no two guesses as to who was…) and managed to dash out of my kholi! (“Phew!”) While I was left to recollect my senses and let the fact sink in that I had just had a visitor who probably was looking for some grub but had to be shooed away.
It’s been a while (last visit was at my bund garden apartment) but I hope there aint no more such visits. One thing that this visit has done is I would be entering my house for the next few days tapping away to glory and making silly noises to see if it’s around. :D
~KK
Ps: Visitors to my blog … please feel welcome to put in any comments on any of my posts … would love to hear from all.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Rolle Models!
I came across this article in NY Times about a Football Star who doubled up as a Scholar. Sounds out of sync, do I? Not this time. You can check it out for yourself.
Myron Rolle is a Florida State University Football player whose presence in the Seminoles team makes him a star. He also holds a degree in pre-med and a GPA of 3.75 and is vying for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship – only 32 people can get it. The article mentions how it is a proud moment for the university if he does get it and how it can be a great PR. Well sure… that it is going to be but it would be a bigger PR for all those African American children who look up to these Football and Baseball and Basketball stars in the United States of America - a must for a society which has seen literacy and education going down on a large scale and more youth taking to crime and drugs. As his name says, he is truly a Rol(l)e Model for all.
Having said this, I am inclined to look homewards and look at the P.T.Usha’s, Vishy Anands, Virendra Singhs and Abhinav Bindras of India who have achieved a lot in sports – some with a silver spoon at their disposal, some without but all of them having put in the hard work and perseverance in achieving what they have. We tend to look at sports-persons as larger than life figures and try to ape them be it in playing like them or drinking the same cola as they do (or at least they endorse). There are only cricketers who form the main pool of world renowned sports people in India with a few more interspersed in other sports like shooting, boxing, chess, etc. Maybe we need more sports stars so that there a lot more options for our coming generations (I speak as if am an oldie but I am surely getting there :D)
BTW India is now down to whopping some English A*** very elegantly in cricket.
~KK
Myron Rolle is a Florida State University Football player whose presence in the Seminoles team makes him a star. He also holds a degree in pre-med and a GPA of 3.75 and is vying for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship – only 32 people can get it. The article mentions how it is a proud moment for the university if he does get it and how it can be a great PR. Well sure… that it is going to be but it would be a bigger PR for all those African American children who look up to these Football and Baseball and Basketball stars in the United States of America - a must for a society which has seen literacy and education going down on a large scale and more youth taking to crime and drugs. As his name says, he is truly a Rol(l)e Model for all.
Having said this, I am inclined to look homewards and look at the P.T.Usha’s, Vishy Anands, Virendra Singhs and Abhinav Bindras of India who have achieved a lot in sports – some with a silver spoon at their disposal, some without but all of them having put in the hard work and perseverance in achieving what they have. We tend to look at sports-persons as larger than life figures and try to ape them be it in playing like them or drinking the same cola as they do (or at least they endorse). There are only cricketers who form the main pool of world renowned sports people in India with a few more interspersed in other sports like shooting, boxing, chess, etc. Maybe we need more sports stars so that there a lot more options for our coming generations (I speak as if am an oldie but I am surely getting there :D)
BTW India is now down to whopping some English A*** very elegantly in cricket.
~KK
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
..... Times ....
All the websites – local and global, are having news about the problems companies are facing. Europe is down – officially announcing recession. Ireland and Germany started it out and the EU followed suit. America on the other hand has not yet announced officially that it is in recession but the state of affairs of the economy and the apathy of the people is very sad. More than 180,000 people would have lost their jobs by the end of this calendar year in the US alone; the number now stands at 152,000. So all these people would opt for unemployment benefits which amount to $650 approximately for a period of 39 months. It sounds scary when you come to think that India is not at all good when it comes to severance pay and unemployment benefits, in fact there are no unemployment benefits. So what should one do? There was a time in the late 90s when VRS was an in thing but now the companies don’t go for offering VRS to their employees as they discovered that it was not beneficial for them.
As I was typing the above write, I received 2 forwards talking about Citi Corps 52000 job cuts and HSBC cutting more jobs. The rut that has built up now with these news items is depressing to the core. Where are we going from here?
But hey … in all this chaos when you hear about people getting a job, it brings a smile to your face. Lets us all know that this is not the end … this is a new beginning and we have only one way to go – up and by this I mean progress.
So hang in there all … don’t give up! And don’t stop trying …!
~KK
As I was typing the above write, I received 2 forwards talking about Citi Corps 52000 job cuts and HSBC cutting more jobs. The rut that has built up now with these news items is depressing to the core. Where are we going from here?
But hey … in all this chaos when you hear about people getting a job, it brings a smile to your face. Lets us all know that this is not the end … this is a new beginning and we have only one way to go – up and by this I mean progress.
So hang in there all … don’t give up! And don’t stop trying …!
~KK
Monday, November 17, 2008
Surprise!
Last week was quite eventful & fruitful for me…. Got some long pending things done finally.. Like getting my bike insurance renewed and Saturday saw me finally getting down to servicing the bike after a lot of postponements :D
Also had to go to office for some work on Saturday so couldn’t go home to Pune. So when Saturday night arrived, I had this “keeda” to do something whacky. And thats when I decided that I will have Sundays lunch at home!
Had to get up early for that … 4.45 alarm made me get up and keep the water for heating but I went back to sleep. Luckily I had my backup alarm going off in25 minutes (I do know my habits) so got down to getting ready.
5.55 AM: all geared up – jacket, helmet & backpack (sadly couldn’t carry my camera as the rechargeable cells have become useless. Have to buy new ones) and was off from g’gaon. Decided to take the Airoli route which I had no idea about so once I reached the eastern express highway off Kanjur Marg; it was all dependant on the road signs and whatever little I could remember from google maps (yes! Google maps for India are working though it doesn’t give the route and all as in the US). To my surprise, the signs were always there and I safely joined the Sion-Panvel highway off CBD Belapur. Zooming down the road, at a constant 60-70 kmph, I reached Panvel at 6.55 AM.
After stretching my legs and downing a chai (no tea latte to go with it :D), I was off towards my next way point- Lonavala via NH4 and passing Khopoli and Khandala. As I crossed Panvel town and went down the NH-4, I was passed my 4 high end Suzuki, Yamaha &/or Honda bikes, zooming across the roads at 120 kmph at least. Mostly on the way to Amby Valley for the weekend ride. Also saw many college folks and other enthu bikers on their rides – Pulsars, Apache RTR, FZ-16s and what not. My discover seemed like a minnow – well it was one – but I didn’t care as long as I was doing fine.
8 AM: was at Lonavala after safely crossing the 12 KM ghat from Khopoli to Khandala. Had steaming hot idli-vada sambar @ RK’s and was again back on the road towards Pune. This stretch of the NH4 is really smooth and well done – not too many unexpected pot holes (thankfully) and since it is also a tolled road (though not as much as the expressway and best thing is no toll for bikes :P) they have managed to maintain it well. I was able to hit 85 KMPH on this stretch. While I was leaving Lonavala, mom called to ask if I was up. I told her that I was outside but nothing else …. (I don’t know why I like giving people such shocks …they call it shocks, for me it’s giving them a pleasant surprise; like arranging a surprise birthday party for your friend and getting the chance to shout “Surprise” when they enter and lights go on and then being able to see the mixture of joy, shock and a myriad of other reactions on their face; some people don’t like it always but even then it’s just that their anger is a wee bit more than their happiness; so that’s ok)
9.05 AM: I was turning from the NH4 on to the Dehu Road – Katraj bypass which goes 10 kms from my home. Another 20 KMS and I was knocking on my door at 9.25 AM, exactly 3 hrs and 30 minutes since I left goregaon. Mom was surprised but when she heard I came on the bike she was shocked. Got some gyan from her n my grandmom. Then it was dad’s turn when he saw me. “It’s risky!”. Very true but it was fun too and something I like doing. Much better than sitting at home and just reading paper all day anytime. Total distance travelled was 165 KMs.
So I got to have lunch at home, got too see Harry Potter & Order of Pheonix and do small talk with mom & dad. 5 hours at home and time to leave. Did not want to do night time highway driving since it has been a long time. So I was off at 2.30 and it was decent till Panvel but then the traffic of Bombay came into picture and I took 2 hours to go from Kharghar to Goregaon. Ah well that’s the norm these days so nothing to complain.
Was home at 7.15 PM – a total of 330 KMs travelled. Yet to calculate the mileage I got but it should be decent I guess. The bike is doing pretty well.
It was a spur of the moment thing (Kal's gonna curse me ;)).
Hopefully should have a chance to go riding again very soon. :)
~KK
Also had to go to office for some work on Saturday so couldn’t go home to Pune. So when Saturday night arrived, I had this “keeda” to do something whacky. And thats when I decided that I will have Sundays lunch at home!
Had to get up early for that … 4.45 alarm made me get up and keep the water for heating but I went back to sleep. Luckily I had my backup alarm going off in25 minutes (I do know my habits) so got down to getting ready.
5.55 AM: all geared up – jacket, helmet & backpack (sadly couldn’t carry my camera as the rechargeable cells have become useless. Have to buy new ones) and was off from g’gaon. Decided to take the Airoli route which I had no idea about so once I reached the eastern express highway off Kanjur Marg; it was all dependant on the road signs and whatever little I could remember from google maps (yes! Google maps for India are working though it doesn’t give the route and all as in the US). To my surprise, the signs were always there and I safely joined the Sion-Panvel highway off CBD Belapur. Zooming down the road, at a constant 60-70 kmph, I reached Panvel at 6.55 AM.
After stretching my legs and downing a chai (no tea latte to go with it :D), I was off towards my next way point- Lonavala via NH4 and passing Khopoli and Khandala. As I crossed Panvel town and went down the NH-4, I was passed my 4 high end Suzuki, Yamaha &/or Honda bikes, zooming across the roads at 120 kmph at least. Mostly on the way to Amby Valley for the weekend ride. Also saw many college folks and other enthu bikers on their rides – Pulsars, Apache RTR, FZ-16s and what not. My discover seemed like a minnow – well it was one – but I didn’t care as long as I was doing fine.
8 AM: was at Lonavala after safely crossing the 12 KM ghat from Khopoli to Khandala. Had steaming hot idli-vada sambar @ RK’s and was again back on the road towards Pune. This stretch of the NH4 is really smooth and well done – not too many unexpected pot holes (thankfully) and since it is also a tolled road (though not as much as the expressway and best thing is no toll for bikes :P) they have managed to maintain it well. I was able to hit 85 KMPH on this stretch. While I was leaving Lonavala, mom called to ask if I was up. I told her that I was outside but nothing else …. (I don’t know why I like giving people such shocks …they call it shocks, for me it’s giving them a pleasant surprise; like arranging a surprise birthday party for your friend and getting the chance to shout “Surprise” when they enter and lights go on and then being able to see the mixture of joy, shock and a myriad of other reactions on their face; some people don’t like it always but even then it’s just that their anger is a wee bit more than their happiness; so that’s ok)
9.05 AM: I was turning from the NH4 on to the Dehu Road – Katraj bypass which goes 10 kms from my home. Another 20 KMS and I was knocking on my door at 9.25 AM, exactly 3 hrs and 30 minutes since I left goregaon. Mom was surprised but when she heard I came on the bike she was shocked. Got some gyan from her n my grandmom. Then it was dad’s turn when he saw me. “It’s risky!”. Very true but it was fun too and something I like doing. Much better than sitting at home and just reading paper all day anytime. Total distance travelled was 165 KMs.
So I got to have lunch at home, got too see Harry Potter & Order of Pheonix and do small talk with mom & dad. 5 hours at home and time to leave. Did not want to do night time highway driving since it has been a long time. So I was off at 2.30 and it was decent till Panvel but then the traffic of Bombay came into picture and I took 2 hours to go from Kharghar to Goregaon. Ah well that’s the norm these days so nothing to complain.
Was home at 7.15 PM – a total of 330 KMs travelled. Yet to calculate the mileage I got but it should be decent I guess. The bike is doing pretty well.
It was a spur of the moment thing (Kal's gonna curse me ;)).
Hopefully should have a chance to go riding again very soon. :)
~KK
Monday, November 10, 2008
Hope floats ... !
The mind plays a thousand games ... raking up thoughts and ideas .. dreams and nightmares ... hopes and disappointments ... we have such a myraid of options to consider and dwell on .. why then do we look at things which are bad or which would have a negative effect on us ... is it because we tend to look at the worst and plan for it or is it because human being at his/her core is fear personified? Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of hurt and pain? Why do we not look at the good things we can achieve by our actions and build on it? Why should we let go of the hope that the morning would bring a sunshine so bright that it would show us the bright side of everything and the evening would be lit up by the moonlight albeit with its own luminosity. There would be nights when there would be no moon .. there would be cloudy days ... but these would only give in to a day filled with light. isnt that how life is? We should look at our life in the same way .... n'est ce pas?
Mais oui - But ofcourse as the stylish french would exclaim!
Someone once said "If I let go of the hope that I will prosper, I would not have been nourished in my mothers womb! The day hope dies, i would cease to see a planet full of the creations that come with it"
:)
Oh BTW ... India kiked a bunch of kangaroos at their own game, made em eat "apne desh ki mitti" and are now touted as future champions. Hope floats there too :D.
~KK
Mais oui - But ofcourse as the stylish french would exclaim!
Someone once said "If I let go of the hope that I will prosper, I would not have been nourished in my mothers womb! The day hope dies, i would cease to see a planet full of the creations that come with it"
:)
Oh BTW ... India kiked a bunch of kangaroos at their own game, made em eat "apne desh ki mitti" and are now touted as future champions. Hope floats there too :D.
~KK
Friday, November 07, 2008
Scribbles while in mayhem - II
November comes with new developments globally. United States of America has new President Elect - An African American by decent - A Black in crude American lingo ... (I won’t go further down as it is uncouth). But fact is it a first for USA after all the talks of world power, world supremacy and what not. Barack Hussein Obama is the person who has managed to ride the anti-incumbency wave and the credit and world financial crisis and the Wall Street collapse and come into power. He has the same middle name as one of America's former enemies - Saddam Hussein and has a last name which sounds a lot like another enemy of theirs Osama. But he has done what no one before him could do - become the first black president of USA. Kudos to him!
For the past 2 weeks, America had shut their eyes to the problems ... preferring to debate on democrat or republican instead of rising interests, reduced holiday spending and job losses. But with the decision made in a land slide manner, now it is back to counting its losses - again and people in the thousands searching for jobs ... their stock markets crashing every day to new lows .. Losses rising to levels unheard of before... And this is affecting the whole world. Because America, after all is a world power! :)
Back home, Diwali is over, people are back to working knowing that there is Christmas and new year to look forward to. We are also picking up the pieces of the destruction going on because of the recession – which one can safely say is here. Vegetable prices are oscillating daily like a yo-yo.
Am I complaining a lot here? Guess the environment is like that.
Well amid all this chaos, life goes on!
~KK
For the past 2 weeks, America had shut their eyes to the problems ... preferring to debate on democrat or republican instead of rising interests, reduced holiday spending and job losses. But with the decision made in a land slide manner, now it is back to counting its losses - again and people in the thousands searching for jobs ... their stock markets crashing every day to new lows .. Losses rising to levels unheard of before... And this is affecting the whole world. Because America, after all is a world power! :)
Back home, Diwali is over, people are back to working knowing that there is Christmas and new year to look forward to. We are also picking up the pieces of the destruction going on because of the recession – which one can safely say is here. Vegetable prices are oscillating daily like a yo-yo.
Am I complaining a lot here? Guess the environment is like that.
Well amid all this chaos, life goes on!
~KK
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Twin Towers ....
Twin Towers ... of INDIAN CRICKET!!!
It would not be untrue if they were called the towers of Indian cricket…. Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman. The veterans of many a famous Indian victories over the past 20 years …Pillars around whom the Indian team has evolved with its own fair share of ups and downs.
And with this India-Australia Test series, having reached its finale at Nagpur starting 6th November, India would be bidding farewell to 2 of those towers, pillars, legends! Anil “Jumbo” Kumble and Sourav “Dada” Ganguly, both announcing their retirements with Kumble having already played his last test @ Delhi which ended yesterday.
They have truly been great servants of Indian Cricket (as Gavaskar put it) and as a cricket fan, I have enjoyed seeing them play some great cricket. If I had to recount any memory of each of these two; Kumble taking the last wicket in the 1993 Hero Cup to defeat Windies with a class act of 6 for 12 or his 10 wicket haul against arch rivals Pakistan at the Kotla in 1999. Dada .. well his best moments were when he danced down the wicket to hit spinners for a six or his running around Lords, waving his shirt after India managed to pull off an astounding victory against England in the Natwest Trophy.
I specially admire Kumble for the person he is .. soft spoken and fully dedicated. “Shabaash Jumbo …. “ (as Mongia used to shout from behind the stumps :D)
Thank You Jumbo and Dada for the wonderful moments that you have given us cricket fans.
~KK
It would not be untrue if they were called the towers of Indian cricket…. Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman. The veterans of many a famous Indian victories over the past 20 years …Pillars around whom the Indian team has evolved with its own fair share of ups and downs.
And with this India-Australia Test series, having reached its finale at Nagpur starting 6th November, India would be bidding farewell to 2 of those towers, pillars, legends! Anil “Jumbo” Kumble and Sourav “Dada” Ganguly, both announcing their retirements with Kumble having already played his last test @ Delhi which ended yesterday.
They have truly been great servants of Indian Cricket (as Gavaskar put it) and as a cricket fan, I have enjoyed seeing them play some great cricket. If I had to recount any memory of each of these two; Kumble taking the last wicket in the 1993 Hero Cup to defeat Windies with a class act of 6 for 12 or his 10 wicket haul against arch rivals Pakistan at the Kotla in 1999. Dada .. well his best moments were when he danced down the wicket to hit spinners for a six or his running around Lords, waving his shirt after India managed to pull off an astounding victory against England in the Natwest Trophy.
I specially admire Kumble for the person he is .. soft spoken and fully dedicated. “Shabaash Jumbo …. “ (as Mongia used to shout from behind the stumps :D)
Thank You Jumbo and Dada for the wonderful moments that you have given us cricket fans.
~KK
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