Aseem’s Blog
Leap over the bounds…
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Shabji…do din se kuch nahin khaya…bhook lagi hai |
“Shabji…do din se kuch nahin khaya…bhook lagi hai”. Walk out onto the streets and most certainly a homeless tramp would utter this to you. An age-old preset line used by every beggar, not surprising really, it still works! It did on me too yesterday evening when I walked out of a cellphone showroom. Well, I may be an exception to this, as I usually give away atleast a rupee to them. Possibly so that they stop annoying me or just because I cannot see someone in poor state. Yes, I am still learning to be a beggar ignorant, a skill that most metropolitan people have mastered. Anyway, a few bucks away and I am not broke. So I don’t really mind.
So this eight or nine year old poor kid finds me (they all always do! :( ). It sometimes amuses me, how beggars find their catch, is it just randomly? If so may be I am their random favourite who does not usually disappoint them. I am just too bad at ignoring beggars. Especially when I walk out from one of my city’s premium restaurants (where I just paid a huge overhead for the food and yet left a few bucks as a tip to a salaried guy waiting there). Then why not a few bucks to the beggar who spot me on while entering, and waited all while till I was out so that he can get a few bucks. It’s very interesting how these beggars spot their catch (rock-hearted to say so… I am just learning to be). A couple sitting on a beachside (you think that guy with a fat wallet would refuse in front of his fiancee?), a mom with her kid who gave them a glance (Bet me! She gonna give a rupee in her kid’s hand and ask to handover, thinking that she taught some good values)… But then why me?!!! Or may be as I said, I just might be their random favourite.
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Bravo India! Bravo! |
What an innings! Marvelous batting performance from India today. Bravo to India and no Bravo to West Indies ;) (I dont think though that he would have changed the equation).
I skipped college for some work and a meeting while just didnt realise that the match today wsnt a Day and Nighter. Luckily happened to put my TV set on and saw India paving away to a 300+ score with a flashy batting performance. I postponed my meeting to afternoon.. something in me told that there were fire crackers right ahead in the innings. Missed Sourav Ganguly’s batting again…but his solid 68 certainly set the right mood today.
Everything was like in order for India. Every batsman chipped in with what was expected of him. Be it Robin Uthappa, Ganguly, Dravid(with a 78 runs knock), Sachin or Dhoni, nothing went wrong for India today, and I hope it never does… they have got a pretty much balanced batting line-up now. Just loved to see Dhoni rock the Windies bowling attack with his wristy sixers that helped India get an impressive 107 of the last 10 overs. But the most exciting part was Sachin’s thrilling 100(of 76 balls). He was on 89 and with the last 5 balls to go, if you were praying anything else than for his tonne, you must be kidding me!
Lets see howz the bowling performance from India. I hope Irfan Pathan is back in form today. Though the track is supposed to be flat and not much a help for the bowlers, you still dont have an excuse. Atleast the Windies dont when they have given away a whooping 341 to India. Supposed to be the highest score against the West Indies by any team till date.
Don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but India is certainly on the right track to being a contender for the forth coming world cup. Their batting is just BANG ON!
UPDATE: Yippee! India bowl out the Windies for 181 and clinch a 3-1 series win!
N.B.: This post has got kicking one of my older posts. If you too want to join the debate of who will take away the world cup (India or Australia)… click here: http://www.aseemn.org/posts/yellow-yellow-dirty-fellow/
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Sudden rise in patriotism |
Aug’06 - 17
Sep’06 - 25
Oct’06 - 34
Nov’06 - 52
Dec’06 - 36
Jan’07 - 123
Wondering what these figures are for? Hmm… These are the total number of searches containing the keyword “patriotism” searched in different search engines that led to my blog. The above given are the monthly search stats. All credit to the post REVIVING PATRIOTISM IN INDIA.
About 70% of the searches were for the search term “patriotism in india”, for which my blog post stands 2nd in Google. Ok guys me not on a boasting session here.
The interesting thing I noted was, that there was a mastodonic increase in the total number of searches in Jan…123!!! Anything rings for you? Yes… 26th of Jan! Most of the searches might have been by those who were to present a speech or an article observing the Republic Day. Hehe… I remember my school days when I used to net search on such topics to outscore over the other competitors, usually fellow speakers at elocution competitions.
But patriotism should come out of your own heart than through search results in Google. Having said this I am happy that I could convey my thoughts to a few more people. I hope that some politicians also have taken a few tips out of the post ;)
Today I had been to my college for the flag hoisting. Ironically my observation of an online spur in patriotism(lol!) dsnt really apply in this case. In a college strength of about 1400 students, I couldnt even count 25 of them :(. I can only hope that the rest did some good use of their time rather than catching some more sleep.
Anyways…
Wish you all a very Happy Republic Day!!!
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And justice meets them: Nithari accused beaten up by public and lawyers |
DISCLAIMER: I am not interested in getting into any debate over if such a thing should happen or not. Read this blog post only if you can forget the legal facts pronounced by your cerebral approach towards this issue and speak on terms of morality and emotions. Afterall, emotions should be weighted as much equally as decisions influenced by cerebral capabilities.
Those accused in the macabre rape and serial killings of children in Nithari, today tasted justice, not in the court but just outside the court. While Moninder Singh Pandher, along with co-accused Surendra Koli, were produced by the CBI at the court for extending their remand, the public ire and choler of the lawyers showed up. They were beaten up just outside the court. While many would like to argue that one shouldn’t take the law in their hands, there are little who would have not joined into the bashing if given a chance. As we know how the judiciary system in India is, who would wait for the next 10years to see these monsters meet terms, or may be they might manage scot free too.
CNN IBN reports:
Moninder, in his fifties, was punched, kicked and pulled by his hair by the enraged crowd, who wanted the duo to be handed over to the public. He fainted after he was beaten up.
To see the video, this is where you go: MONINDER BEING BEATEN UP BY AN ANGRY MOB
This is what the public gives you when you don’t think twice is getting into such a gruesome crime. These mongrels have no right to even breathe in our country where they have so brutally raped and killed the children of our motherland.
Today, there certainly was a security lapse on the part of the police, but as shown in a video on Aaj-Tak, Moninder was hit by a lone lawyer when surrounded by a team of police personnel. I am sure, if it wasn’t for the uniform they were wearing, the police would have joined in too. This beating comes after Moninder retracted from his confession and involvement in the killings. You can find a timeline of the events till now here: TIMELINE.
I am proud to see the Indian public take charge in such cases even if it may not be the way things should legally proceed. These scoundrels have lot more to taste. This is just been a case in the court premises. I invite them and all such criminals to a public square…if justice has to be seeked this way… let it be done so!
Jai Hind!
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Is this our Indian Army? |
This is something that has hit me hard. Is this the same Indian Army that I always had so much respect for? In whom we entrust so much in guarding the nation? Once an aspirant for joining the defense forces I feel let down. I know I am being too critical about it by blaming the whole army for the few who have earned the bad name for the Indain army. But its certainly not expected of them. I can understand if it’s a case of an individual, but when many of them, time and again get involved in such unethical actions… you can’t help yourself take a serious note on it.
Yesterday, Aaj Tak have been airing this another shameful incident.
The Episode
A Kashmiri research student Shafqat Makdum, was traveling without the train ticket (dosn’t half of India travel that way?). He had contacted the TC and got a seat for himself. The TC assured him a seat and gave him a temporary one. On the TC not returning for long, the Kashmiri youth went in his search and accidentally entered into a compartment reserved only for the army.
The armymen present there caught him and instead of investigating (to their likes) they started ill treating him just because he was a Kashmiri muslim, alleging him of being a terrorist. They forced him to remove off all his clothes and spoke in a filthy lingo. Then they started to beat him mercilessly with his own belt. He was bleeding, crying for help and to stop so that he can prove he was not a terrorist. He collapsed and was unconscious many a times through out but that didn’t stop them. After this went on for nearly 2 hours and the bashing lasted right from Jhansi to Gwalior on train, they checked his luggage to finally realise that he was a research student only. With a fear that he will complain they made him sit in their compartment all night. The next day he reported the incident at the Aaj-Tak’s office.
How ridiculous it is to be beaten up so brutally just because you are a Kashmiri muslim and to add to it, by those who are supposed to protect your land and people!
A few days back, in another incident, 3 cars full of Army men ran amok after forcibly entering a police station in Kolkata. Vandalising the police station, beating up policemen just because two of their colleagues were locked up on charges of molestation and it was the Army’s right to do the proceedings. This is a completely horrifying incident where the wrong doers are in a way protected be them even army men! More info>>
I was speaking to one of my friends over this and he was of a belief that we should understand their mental state, the compromises that they have do in life, the frustration they suffer out of this and the hard life that comes their way. A couple of months back you might have heard in news suicides and killings by army men out of frustration. Here are a couple of the news stories:
Jawan kills colleagues, commits suicide
Ok I can try to understand but certainly not justify such actions. No way! If they cannot really handle the pressure let them not be into it. We can’t take this or anything for that matter as an excuse! Incidents like these will quite clearly have a disastrous impact on any confidence building measures initiated in Kashmir and also hamper the faith of millions of Indians in the Indian Army! If this is what Army men who are trained in institutions supposed to have the highest discliplinary order can do, I doubt what kind of learning system the rest of the Indians should adopt.
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No year 2007 for Saddam |
Yesterday, 30th Dec 06 marked the end of Saddam Hussein and tomorrow 1st Jan 07 marks a new beginning of a new year. I am sure you know, this post is not here to talk about the jubilation and jovial moods set for year 2007 but certainly about the much talked about execution of the former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein. And there is much more to him than just the former President of Iraq for which he has been executed today.
Some might believe that Saddam’s Execution was a vengeance and not justice. For the Sunni Saddam followers it might be a time to dim into sorrow and for the Shias a time to resurrect out of their ashes of the barbaric regime that they have been tormented into for years now! For the Bush it may be a dream come true and for the Anti-Bush another shameful act by America after the invasion of Iraq in search for weapons of mass destruction that they never found… Not joining this debate, the Indian politics plays its cards safe. They call it an “unfortunate event”, “disappointed over the incident”, and yes some take this chance to draw mileage and tag it as “an anti-muslim act” too…
The Indian media also joined the party. An hour before Saddam’s execution, I was watching Aajtak and the host of the show didn’t even think twice in saying that “this execution could provoke aggressive feelings in Kashmir”… How ridiculous it is really to anticipate such an event and in a way incite people to do so. Indian Media doesn’t really know where it is heading.
Now let me take a shot on the world media… worse! Make no mistake - Saddam deserved the gruesome end but making the execution video public (why did they need to take it at the first place!)… what a shameful act! Following are a couple of videos on Saddam’s execution. You might have got to see the first on all news channels, the second one is for the dissemination by the world wide web.
Preparations for Saddam’s Execution:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=z5EBa4awHp4
Entire Uncut Video of Saddam’s Execution (Not released in media):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7532034279766935521
What is certain now is the fact that dictators are on a notice. You are no longer above the consequences of your actions. The execution of Saddam will leave a chink of hope towards a democratic Iraq and will mark a new beginning for all those oppressed under such brutal dictatorships worldwide…
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BSNL Broadband now 2Mbps!!! |
I could bet this one was a joke anytime, but with the year 2007 already been declared as the ‘Year of Broadband’, there is surely some juice in this news. First got to know from a friend about BSNL’s broadband upgrade to 2Mbps. At first go I didnt believe and thought it was just another rumour. But when I googled, I found a hell lotta news on it (though as usual, no announcement on BSNL’s website). Its been about 10 days that media has covered this news. I gotta accept I am just not into reading news for the past couple of weeks. Also Technorati shows a number of bloggers blogging about it. M late!
Ok so let me not take you for a ride and lets come to the point. So whats there in for us? I called up BSNL and this is the kinda info that their customer service gave me:
- BSNL will offer on all Home and Business Plans data rates up to 2 Mbps, subject to technical feasibility.
- The customer wont have to pay any extra charge to BSNL towards the plans or the already existing hardware setup that is capable of providing such speeds.
- The following offered by BSNL are the new upgraded plans with higher bandwidths also:
Home 250 - 1GB limit, 90 paisa per MB over the limit.
Home 500 - 2.5GB limit, 80 paisa per MB over the limit.
Home 1000 - 5GB limit, 80 paisa per MB over the limit.
Home 1800 - 10GB limit, 70 paisa per MB over the limit.
Home 3300 - 20GB limit, 70 paisa per MB over the limit.
There is no mention of the Home 900 UL plan.
Business 700 - 4GB limit, 80 paisa per MB over the limit.
Business 1200 - 8GB limit, 80 paisa per MB over the limit.
Business 3000 - 20GB limit, 50 paisa per MB over the limit.
Business 5000 - 35GB limit, 50 paisa per MB over the limit.
Business 9000 - 75GB limit, 50 paisa per MB over the limit. - This change is with effect from Jan 1, 2007.
Hmm… you must be wondering that BSNL Customer Service guys are good opposed to their poor image. That guy surely had a lot of patience to gimme all this info on phone without getting bugged with my foray of questions at 12:45 AM. Yea I appreciate that. But hello… they are still the very same “We have not been notified yet” guys if you ask them anything even a little out of the way. I still have a number of questions gone unanswered.
The present upload speed limit is 64kbps. Will it be the same or increased? Why there hasnt been any change in the unlimited plan? (Hehe… I know even I could answer that… With unlimited bandwidth @ 2Mbps coming @ just 900Rs a month… people will suck them out dry…!) This is not just it! There a a couple of hiccups more. BSNL says that the 2Mbps speed available is subject to technical feasibility. Hmm.. I asked them what they meant by that. Thank God this BSNL Customer Service guy could tell me something about it. Says: It will totally depend on the telephone exchange of your area. Smaller exchanges which are not capable of handling this speed boost to 2Mbps, wont be able to offer this support. You need to call up the BSNL internet section to know more about your exchange’s speed limits. Speeds could vary from 256kbps to 2Mbps… :( Not fair! I reside in Porvorim. Which is just 4km from Panjim where 2Mbps will be possible. Porvorim it still may not be :(. Also there has not been any change in the free night surfing feature. I think they should have relaxed the timings… 2:00 AM to 8:00 AM sux bigtime for normal working people. Though not nocturnals like me :lol:
But in the bigger picture, this is certainly a welcome change and I see India soon reaching their Vision 2010 with this. Provided they upgrade their infrastructure for such changes. Its certainly not upbeat. BSNL even keeps new connection applications pending because their exchanges run out of ports. Uh! I wonder if all this will turn out to be a gimmick with the infrastructure not capable of hosting such big promises. I just hope not!
When I tasted 512kbps on their promotional game plan, it was awesome. 2Mbps should be God like Speed! And it comes for just Rs 250 a month! Anyways, as BSNL’s 900 UL plan subscriber, I have a reason to grumble.. but I know I will anytime prefer even a 128kbps unlimited connection to any plan that has data transfer limits :lol:. I just hate them….
More resources to read about BSNL’s future plans and on the 2Mbps upgrade:
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Adobe back in Abode |
Sorry for the misleading title…
News is that, the police have rescued Adobe CEO Naresh Gupta’s kidnapped son Anant Gupta. On this last Monday, three-year-old Anant was kidnapped by two motorcycle-borne youth while waiting for his school bus with his maid. After the 56-hour-long operation launched by the police he is safe today! My good wishes with him and his family:
You can read the latest story here: FULL STORY
The irony is that hundreds of other kidnapping cases still lie pending just because the kidnapped were not a son or daughter or relative of an Adobe CEO or may be any other multinational company for that matter.
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Vande Mataram |
Yes today is not a 15th of August, or 26th of Jan and certainly there hasnt been any controversy in news over the Vande Mataram lyrics. Sadly so, most of us would bow to our motherland only on these few occasions.
You wont hug your Mom only on a Mother’s Day or care for your Dad only on a Father’s Day. Then why do people have these limitations to express their love towards the country? So anyday anytime say it with pride… Vande Mataram!
Here are a few versions of the song Vande Mataram. The ones by Lata Mangeshkar and by A.R. Rehman are one of the classic video and music compositions I have ever seen or heard. Yeah the K3G version is also very appealing.
Click to view the Videos.
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Vande Mataram by: Lata Mangeshkar |
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Vande Mataram by: A. R. Rehman |
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Vande Mataram: The K3G version |
If you want to sing Vande Mataram or not its upto you, but dont let its pride fall for some silly political motives!
Please visit Funny Commercials for interesting funny commercials, funny ads and funny videos.
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Petrolwaale Bhayya |
It is not a new trick for the ‘doodhwaala bhayyas’ to mix water in the milk he sells. Most of us won’t even realise the difference. But when it comes to adulterating petrol with water… I guess it is worth a laugh! You think it dsnt happen???… it does…may be you would have heard it in the news sometime, but let me tell you what happened to my friend…
My friend had some problem with his year old Honda Unicorn. The bike would stop while riding. He gave it to the service center a couple of times… no improvement. Finally he decided to show it to his family mechanic (I mean the local guy whom his whole family has trusted for long). That day, I happened to be with him. The guy emptied the whole petrol tank and collected the petrol in a container. We could clearly see two layers of liquid.
I poured a little into a pet bottle to see the difference more clearly. The heavier one(now in excess) was water and the petrol layer floating over it! Wow what dumbass the petrol guys were! Adulterating petrol with water???!!!… man its hilarious! The mechanic claimed that the petrol tank was properly sealed and there could be no chance of any seepage of water in the rains…I gave it a little thought and concluded that may be the petrol was adulterated with kerosene or something, which may have been adulterated with water.
In the pic, the container was a little muddy so the colour.
Well my friend fills petrol only at one petrol pump (as it’s nearest to his house). We thought of taking a sample from there. Once we do that and find a positive result, will post the details here. Until then, let the petrol pump guy (certainly no better than the illiterate bhayyas) have some nice sleep!
RANDOM POSTS
04/02/2008: A journey from Goregaon to Mount Mary Church, Bandstand07/23/2006: Censored version of BC Sutta
07/11/2006: Go Press It!