Happy Runnings!

I have been doing some physical activity ever since I can remember and I have been seriously working out since I started rowing when I was 15. Working out be it Rowing, Running, Squash, Rugby, anything is actually good for both body & mind. I would add soul to it too :D

Seriously I feel lousy when I miss out on one session as well because working out is something which is deeply engraved in me that I love doing it. My favourite workout is running and I am most joyous when I am done with a Run! Running makes me happy and I can see a huge difference in my life ever since I started running! I feel that I am a better person now and I also feel that when I run regularly things have been good for me.

There are lot of benefits of working out:

Sleep:  Working out helps you fall and stay asleep more easily, and it increases the amount of time you spend in the deepest stage of sleep. It also improves the quality of your sleep by making the transitions between its cycles smoother and more regular.

Ageing:  They say each year after the age of 30 you start losing your aerobic capacity but regular exercise can actually make you more aerobically fit as you get older. Working out also improves skin and muscle tone, increases flexibility and reduces the risk of many age-related diseases, such as osteoporosis, heart disease and stroke.

Immune System: Working out improves immune function in the long run but it is strange that your immune system is actually down immediately after a workout but regular cardio activity improves your system as you age.

Mental Ability: Woking out helps you have better memory, reaction time and concentration. And it doesn't take much: walking for 45 minutes three times a week is enough to improve your degree of mental sharpness. Aerobic activity stimulates the middle-frontal and superior parietal regions of the brain, which are associated with attention and keeping goals in mind.

Confidence: Ask anyone who runs on how they feel after their run? They feel awesome! You always feel better when you are in shape and confidence is such a good thing that it helps you out with most things in life.

Energy and Endurance: A no brainer really as working out drastically increases your energy & endurance. People who work out regularly have more energy, strength and endurance to get through their daily activities than non-exercisers.

Stress, depression and anxiety: Exercising reduces stress and anxiety and in addition, your body releases more endorphins for an hour and a half to two hours after your workout, which boosts your mood and promotes relaxation.

Mood: Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.

Exercise can be fun: Exercise and physical activity can be a fun way to spend some time. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect friends in a fun social setting. So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a football team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. If you get bored, try something new.

Just Work!

In today’s age given that how my profile works, I don’t actually need to be in a physical office! Given that this is the era of smartphones and with information available in a variety of mediums gone are the days where sit in a cube farm and keep looking at the CRT monitors!

It is even better when you don’t have a team under you as you actually do not need to managed anyone and would rather coordinate with people which anyways when you have people sitting across the globe, the point of being a in cube farm is lost!

When you work from home you are more efficient as there are less distractions at home and I would rather work listening to Mark Knopfler rather actually listen to the sound of keyboards! Right from the beginning of the day, you start work immediately & you don’t wait to get into the shower and the most brilliant part of working from home is avoiding the morning commute to work. Seriously it takes me close to an hour to get to work by road and since I work in an IT park which thinks it is NASA the time taken for me to reach my desk from the moment I park my car is atleast 15 mins!  

Also at work you have the usual breaks, the coffee break before lunch, the Lunch break and the coffee break after lunch! Plus apart from all that when you are in cubes farm you do feel the urge to go around a bit! In all you end up wasting precious time! One of the reason why Westerns work with fixed time is that they actually do not take much breaks and many even have their lunch on their desk which is possible if it is a box of salad or a sandwich but if guys wants to have “full meals” that is next to impossible!

Again another issue with actually working in an office is the usual distraction! Yes this happens being the chatter box old man who comes to your neighbour who keeps yapping around or the ultra-hot chick which makes you wonder what the hell is she even doing here! Ofcourse in some jobs it is not possible to work from home but in others where it is possible people should do it.

I hate wearing formal clothes and would rather work in my shorts! Yes in Facebook and Google it is possible but I am not working for either of them so at home I have these perks and a major thing is that forget what people say that you will save money on fuel but I would rather see it as reducing the carbon footprints by not travelling to work at all! One may argue you may take the public transportation but then I am not comfortable carrying 4 bags on a bloody stinking crowded bus! I would cycle to work but situation had made it not possible. Lack of shower and carrying a laptop with you!

Yes working at home has its own disadvantages like answering the door or answering the home phone plus if you do live with your folks they will wonder what the heck is the boy doing before a laptop the whole day!

But the benefits are huge and I would say we should work from home whenever it is possible! Yes it is fun to meet people and you know talk BS with them but when you work from home always you end up saving time and you have an extra 3 hours for yourself which you can use it for various other things!

Work from home is a good concept but then I always say offices too can be fun! I did have my share of fun offices – Irevna & Ogilvy!  

Great Britain Football Team

For many the difference between Great Britain & England may not exist but let me enlighten you as Great Britain actually is the island which consists of England, Scotland & Wales while you also add in Northern Ireland it becomes United Kingdom. In Olympics however the team is official called as Great Britain and Northern Ireland while we generally call it Great Britain. In many sports England, Scotland & Wales have separate teams. Examples of this include football & rugby while cricket sees Wales part of England while Ireland in rugby & cricket includes both Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland while in football they play as separate teams. Despite a few sportsmen being eligible for multiple nations they are patriotic as a good example is Ryan Giggs who despite being eligible to play for England always stuck by Wales. Anyone who plays for England in Euro 12 is ineligible to be part of this Great Britain team while Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland have not qualified for Euro 12 which means the best players of the respective teams can be part of this line-up. Ideally it would make sense if FA selects an young team for Euro 12 while the likes of Terry, Ferdinand, Barry, Lampard & Gerrard can exit international football by bowing out for the GB team but that will never happen and this something which despite the various discussions across all forums England will continue to play overrated stars who fail at international level at every other major tournament. So with that into consideration I would name David Beckham as the Captain of the team with Ryan Giggs becoming the Vice-Captain and English legend Alan Shearer can be the manager. This will be my 23 for the Olympics:

Goalkeepers

-          Wayne Hennessey

-          Ben Foster (Retired from English team only)

-          Robert Green

Defenders

-          Kieran Gibbs

-          Kyle Walker

-          Lee Wallace

-          Alan Hutton

-          Stephen McManus

-          Jonny Evans

-          James Collins

-          Michael Dawson

Midfielders

-          David Beckham (C)

-          Ryan Giggs

-          Charlie Adam

-          Darren Fletcher

-          Barry Bannan

-          Gareth Bale

-          Aaron Ramsey

-          Tom Cleverley

Forwards

-          Daniel Sturridge

-          Craig Bellamy

-          Gabriel Agbonlahor

-          Connor Wickham

The Wedding Plan

I can’t be in denial forever! Yes I have reached an age where men get married to women! But then it is getting next to impossible to not have a conversation which involves the very basic question “When are you getting married?”

Ok….If I actually know the answer to this question I can answer it but since I don’t have the answer I am unable to answer so don’t expect a bloody answer from me on this. Another statement which you can hear, now that you have bought a car you can get married! Anyone who can enlighten me on this will be appreciated as I seriously don’t know who buying a car or even anything else is remotely connected to getting married.

The other statement, “It is High Time” you get married! The only High Time I know off is the pub we used to frequent a few years back during my Irevna days and I am still clueless why it is “High Time” that I get married! Age does comes in but at 28 I don’t think it is a necessity that I get married because I am 28 and I am soon facing the menacing 30 year mark!

Age has nothing to do with marriage but people still considered that now that you have reached the “Right Age” you get married off to the next person they feel is right for you. It is not that I am dating the right person and I am not willing to get married! If am not married now simple, there are a variety of reasons and the key among them is that I have not met that person.

We are all hypocrites and worse of the lots are our moms who I imagine a few years back told her I am going to marry “X” she immediately would have asked me if she is a Brahmin Girl! I don’t know how being a Brahmin makes you marriage material but then now she “Claims” she is ok with anyone, so maybe I should put the theory to test and see if she is actually true to her claims.

The extended family, sheesh the most useless group of our social system where you are forced to listen and hear out people who in reality is off no use for you! I don’t mean to demean them but seriously I have not come across one extended family member who I can go to when I am actually in crisis but then you always get free “Shitty” advice from them and of course when it comes to marriages they think they know it and tell you it is time you get married.

It is easy for me to tell anyone to get married but then seriously if you have a real intention you would actually introduce me to a girl rather than make statements like “Get Married” as I can also make a million statements.

It is not true that I am against the intuition of marriage itself but then the whole process which currently is the flavor of the nation is the online portals where you actually “Shop” and “Barter” for brides! Ridiculous as it may seem in Western societies dating sites exist for people to meet people but here matrimony websites exists so that the girl and her folks can extract the most of the boy! This may sound one sided but heck that is the truth as the truth will hurt and any women reading this will oppose this by saying that all the good men are married but I beg to differ! There are good people but guess you are all blind in finding them!

If I get on to the whole matrimony website banter, I could go on and on but I decided to not waste time writing too much about crap! Seriously every parent thinks that his girl looks like a Katrina Kaif and every parent and even the girl wants a Brad Pitt! Anyways the irony is that these websites actually makes the whole arrange marriage agreement looks like a complex M&A deal! I am being very decent here in calling it an M&A deal!

So I can safely answer that I am not getting married now because I am not seeing anyone and you can safely assume that I don’t have the answer to the question “When are you getting married?” 

Australian Open 2012: Preview & Predictions

Every January for Tennis it means only one thing which is the Australian Open! (Sorry Chennai folks). The first slam of the year has over the years have seen some real surprise winners and have also seen some comeback victory from out-of-action stars. It is still early in the season and the Australian Open has always been one of the most unpredictable grand slams of all time.

Though the men’s tennis a few years back was a battle between 2 future legends in Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal but recently Novak Djokovic has emerged as a potent force while Andy Murray would want to break his grand slam duck and win his 1^st major here at Melbourne. Apart from these 4 there is Juan Martin Del Potro who is back from a serious injury and he could be challenging the top 4 towards the end of the year but Australian Open is still too early for him to pose a threat for the title.

Among the others, the likes of Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Mardy Fish & Andy Roddick will all be there during the 2^nd week but apart from providing an odd scare none of them can really break the top 4. Among the 4 surprisingly Roger Federer looks the strongest and don’t be too surprised if he wins his 17^th slam here as even an out of form Federer can reach semi-finals of a slam easily.

The women’s field ever since the demise of the Williams sisters and the retirement of Hingis has not seen one individual dominate the sport for a long period as it has happened in the men’s tour but the likes of Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters & Justin Henin has showed in the past they can have small dominating streaks in them. Last year Clijsters managed to pull off a remarkable win but this time around things should be tough for her.

Petra Kvitova had a remarkable run last year even beating Sharapova to win Wimbledon last year and she is surely one of the favorites for the title along with Sharapova as the former World # 1 still has it in her to win a few more slams and after overcoming a career threatening injury last year Sharapova showed shaded of her form and this year could be her year if she stays injury free and maintains consistency.

Caroline Wozniacki maybe the #1 player in the world but she needs some serious luck if she needs to win a slam as despite success on the tour, she seems to chock towards the end of a slam while Victoria Azarenka could be a very serious potential for the title if she reaches the 2^nd week. Na Li after her success last year has not really showed great form while Samantha Stosur, the home favorite after her US open win will be among the contenders here.  

Ofcourse you can’t discount the likes of Serena Williams, Jelena Jankovic, Francesca Schiavone, Svetlana Kuznetsova & Daniela Hantuchova who can provide the odd upsets and could all be very dangerous in the 2^nd week of the Australian Open. Ana Ivanovic, the former top ranked player apart from bringing in the glamour quotient will also be looking for a revival as the last 2 years has not been good for her and she will be hoping to resume her on field rivalry with Sharapova.  

While predicting the men’s section seems easy and simple, as usual the women’s draw could throw up anything and it is bold of me to predict a Sharapova win here but then tennis has seen stranger things and an all new Sharapova era may begin soon. 

Hi Mayans…..Welcome 2012!

Alright during the last month I did mention it was a lazy December and guess what after that post it has been nearly 30 days and I am yet to post so I decided to break the habit and post once again. All of a sudden I feel that New Year’s Eve is one of the most over-rated days ever! Reason I am yet to clarify but then there could be a variety of those, for starters maybe I am bored of the same old place I go every time or just that I am without a date or even worse I am getting older! It can be a mix of both but this year was much better than the previous one so can’t complain too much!

According to Hindu astrology my good times are to start post December 21^st 2011, so I actually expected to land up a Ferrari & to date a tall blonde tennis player but then neither did happen or else I am just overly optimistic! Maybe it’s all mambo jambo or maybe there is some science towards it but any positive news of hope is good. I did get a week long break at the end of the year and I wanted to do a lot of things but ended up not doing much but then was busy with some “social commitments” so I guess that took a lot of time off me.

Biggest good thing about 2011 is that I started reading a lot and when I say a lot it is surely more than a book a month on an average which I feel is very good. I am going for Jive classes and yes I can jive! Ya I may not be the best but then seriously with my built anything on the dance floor are a bonus! Ran regularly during the previous year which is good while also welcomed “Masha Corsa” which was long due but finally did happen. Two things off the bucket list which includes a F1 race while also made a trip to the United States! A few bonuses will include getting to watch a few concerts!

Yes I was single during the start of the year and I am very much single again during the start of this year too and for once I hope people don’t ask me the bloody old question “When is you wedding?”, actually this has given me an idea for a more elaborate post which I will work on so till then this one holds!

As for the One is concerned seriously I don’t give a damn or maybe I am saying it now since I am in a “Whatever” mood but then common, reality is a bitch and at times reality can be a nice bitch too! For all set and done, it is very nice and dreamy to think of the situation but ya like I said, reality at times knocks sense too and why the hell should I fall for it! I hold the cards and I hold all the aces! WTF! I should not be the one thinking too much!

Ok, I guess this is lots for the start of the year post and all I want to do is that I want to blog more often and maybe complete the book which I planned a longtime back atleast this year! Cheers to a rocking 2012 and if the Mayans are right, heck I better do a lot of things before the end of the world!

Lazy December

Time of the month where you get lazy and just do not do anything!

Well it is supposed to be the so-called winter in Chennai where apart from the rains which causes so much chaos to the usually “Normal Chaos” which prevails in this city. Also the mornings are cold, well the non-city folks may protest for this statement but heck a person born and bred here, it is a bit cold here during “Winters” so to hell with non-believers!

Anyways right from school days we are used to having holidays during December and now at work with the holiday season fad coming on to us also it is the time of the year when people take vacations and generally a lazy feeling sets up. My suggestion is not to work in December but then my other suggestion is not to work at all!

Anyways with rains and also laziness playing a part my work-out schedule has totally gone for a toss that I am struggling to restart the whole process. I am as I type actually plotting a run for today, so let’s see how that goes.

December is tough and with New Year, well personally this year I have been the least kicked about New Year’s Eve as really it is just that I am totally bored with all the hype which goes with it or that I just do not have planned anything!

One things is certain one thing I wanted to do a few New Years back is complete but now I wonder should I go down the path which usually takes me during New Year or just do something different! Well I do vote for doing something different J

To hear it goes, anyways with this post I am bettering my last year’s level of post and with 2012 I can promise that I would try to have more posts than ever before! Btw, since it is a Lazy December, I was really lazy in writing this post heck managed to finish it!

Over the Curbs Awards – 2011

After a stunning 2010 season where till the final race of the season you were not sure who will win the F1 Driver’s Championship but 2011 turned out to be a year where Vettel not only became the youngest double World Champion but also broke Mansell’s long standing record of the most number of poles in a season. Red Bull proved that they are no one-hit wonder and that they are here to stay. Red Bull was so dominant that Vettel and RBR won the titles even before the season was over. McLaren and Ferrari were able to challenge the team only at few races while the mid-field battle between Force India, Sauber and STR was pretty exciting.

Schumacher nearly hot the podium in Canada but though he still struggles in qualifying, overall the German Legend has improved his race pace and given a good car can challenge for wins once again though there were silly errors from him throughout the season. Also the whole Lotus saga comes to an end with Lotus Renault GP will now become Lotus while Team Lotus will become Caterham.

Robert Kubica was severely injured before the season started and he is not ready to drive a F1 car. We all hope during the course of the 2012 season, he can atleast drive a car in tests and show that he still has it in him. Also there were talks of Kimi racing for Williams and Lotus Renault for 2012 but given the state of global economy and Kimi’s inflated salary, don’t think a Kimi comeback is on cards.

Among the 3 new tears none really made a huge progress but Team Lotus did manage to challenge some mid-field team during a few races and they should make the jump from this pack to challenge the likes of Sauber and STR. Williams are on a deep slide and they had their worst ever F1 season. If they continue going this way they may end up like the original Team Lotus and may eventually go into liquidation. For 2012 they have big plans and they have signed up with Renault for engines. They had the same Renault engines during their successful period 1989 to 1997. Realistically, we can’t expect the team to win races but they should be challenging the likes of Sauber and STR.

Also there was the first ever Indian GP and it managed to go on without a hitch while Force India has sold a 42% stake to the Sahara group and with Sahara coming onboard, the only way for Force India is to go up and after a stunning last 2 seasons, the team should challenge the likes of Lotus Renault for the coming season.

Over the Club Awards for 2011 Season:

Driver of the Season – Sebastian Vettel

Team of the Season – Red Bull Racing

The Next Big Thing – Paul di Resta

Most Improved Driver – Jenson Button

Most Improved Team – Force India

Race of the Season – Canadian Grand Prix

Best Grand Prix – Singapore Grand Prix

Worst Grand Prix – Chinese Grand Prix

Rookie of the season – Paul di Resta

Most disappointing driver of the Season – Lewis Hamilton

Most disappointing team of the Season – Williams

Lucky to be in F1 (for the season) - Jarno Trulli

Veteran of the Season – Michael Schumacher

Comeback of the Season – Adrian Sutil

Most entertaining driver of the season – Michael Schumacher

Most boring driver of the season – Vitaly Petrov

JV of the Season – Lewis Hamilton
(For the driver who talks utter nonsense like how JV used to do it in his racing days)

Whiner of the season - Rubens Barrichello

Most missed Driver – Robert Kubica

Least missed Driver - Pedro de la Rosa

The Search

The search is something which never ends. Time flies by while we age and decay but the search is a never ending quest which one takes and which one hopes to find the end result at the end of this search but then deep down he always hopes that the quest goes and on as he truly does not know what he is actually searching for. This very predicament keeps us to continue on the very search we started without knowing much about it. The very search which begins in the mind slowly becomes a reality as time goes on.

Time eases the pain as through time you get too easy off the pain in a slow way but then again, this very time does not heal things and makes you feel it till the very end. Do we always have to search for something or are that through this very search we go on looking for something which is actually right before us? Are we doing the wise thing in actually searching and going on this quest which makes us a different person?

At times when you lose something, you have lost it forever and second chances is something which never comes by no matter where you go, as the one chance which you did have and you lose is something which you will regret forever and the pain of seeing it day after day and realizing what could have been makes you further deep down into the quest where the truth is no one really where to go on after all once time takes over, everything under your control is no longer under your control.

The old age saying that if you really want something, you will get it no matter what happens so if you are really searching for something which you believe in, despite time, there is a good chance of getting there. But then it is this very juncture that we get lost in time that we forget everything beautiful about the quest and the true meaning of search. The search may go on forever but the true search is something which is the essential core of the quest which if lost makes us lose ourselves to time.

Is it really possible for second chances? Everyone deserves one but then when you do believe in something no matter what happens your belief remains the same. It is this believe which fights time and gives you hope that someday the quest will be over but the same hope can turn against you and go against time in a quest which never seems to end and it just becomes longer and longer with each day time taking over things.

If it is something which is right before our eyes, then there is actually no reason to go for this quest but then you always do realize that it existed before you had to take the quest only after you actually go on it and search for something which was there after all but you did never realize it till you were on the quest searching for something which led you on to it. The quest and search may seem never ending but then if you do truly believe in your very belief, then you could be lost in time forever searching for something which someone had found but this is the very search which keeps you going.

Getting lost is an added bonus as it makes the search more easy as the more you are lost the easy searching become as the search needs a purpose and this very purpose is something we get only after we lose it but then time will and always conspire against you. The quest, the search and getting lost in the process is something which cannot go on forever as time controls us all and this very time gets on to us.

The rabbits exist and it is the very black rabbit which makes us fall while the white rabbit showed up and instead of following the white rabbit; we end up following the black rabbit which leads to the search and the quest. But time won’t let us chase the rabbit forever as there was a time the white rabbit was something which I searched for but now the white rabbit is something which I stills search for but then then I am lost and fighting time. 

The Crazy and no-so Crazy Driver Market!

The F1 driver market will always be an interesting read as at times you can hear some audacious stories floating around. For 2012, there is an unusual calm and more or less all the big 4 teams have announced their drivers. I don’t expect any change in Red Bull (Vettel & Webber), McLaren (Button & Hamilton), Ferrari (Alonso & Massa) and Mercedes (Schumacher & Rosberg) and also Sauber has announced that it will continue with Sergio Perez & Kamui Kobayashi while Team Lotus has re-signed both Heikki Kovalainen & Jarno Trulli, there is still some speculation on Trulli’s role if he is going to be a race driver or will he take up a David Coulthard type of role.

Williams, Lotus Renault, Force India, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Marussia Virgin Racing and HRT still has available seats and there are plenty of drivers in the market. The biggest news which is going around is that former World Champion Kimi is having talks with Williams. One may wonder why a driver of the caliber of Kimi would have talks with Williams but it actually makes sense for everyone involved if this actually happens. Williams have gone from one of the most dominant team of the 90’s to a mid-field team which this season has gone even worse. They are just ahead of the 3 new teams of F1. Force India and Sauber are well ahead and even the possibility of catching up Toro Rosso is remote. Williams have announced a partnership with Renault but Red Bull is the premier works team of Renault while Williams is more or less a customer team only. The benefit for Williams by signing Kimi is that they have a former Champion racing for them and this could easily attract new sponsors for the team. Also the serious intent that the team is looking at breaking away from the mid-field will be shown by this move. Williams took a lot of flank by replacing Hulkenberg  with Pastor Maldonado but then atleast the team’s financial situation is stable and Maldonado is doing a pretty decent job and comes with a decent driver pedigree as having won the GP2 Championship. For Kimi, Williams is the sort of team where he would have less pressure as no one expects him to win races with the team and a few good drives would once again entice the likes of Red Bull and McLaren. If Kimi had gone to Red Bull and had Vettel smoked him out like he is doing it to Vettel, Kimi’s future in the sport will have a downward spiral. So Kimi and Williams is the best combination for both the parties involved.

Force India is now almost challenging Renault for the 5^th place and has a realistic chance of taking it but then with Sahara taking over a major stake in the team and also Sahara is keen on an Indian driving for the team, things are not too clear for the team. But then Paul di Resta seems to have a contract for 2012 while there are reports saying that Nico Hulkenberg has already signed for 2012. This line-up seems to be the most logical for the team and if the car is as good as this year, this line-up can pose a challenge for even 4^th place for the 2012 season. F1 is business and nationalistic ideals do not go well with it and Force India may actually will not a sign an Indian driver to race while Sutil is bound to get the axe despite being in the team since the beginning. Sutil has had enough chances and also the brawl in China has not done him any favors. He has some personal sponsors and he is looking at the Williams seat as well but then his days in F1 is more or less over if Force India does drops him.

Lotus Renault is the most complicated team on the grid as despite being called a Renault the team has nothing to do with the car company and all it does is run Renault engines. The team could have had a stellar year this season but Kubica’s accident has ruined everything and his replacement Nick Heidfeld has failed drastically and has even been dropped by the team. It is a bit harsh on Heidfeld as more or less his F1 career is over with this move. Kubica is still recovering and there are rumors floating around that he may become the reserve driver for Ferrari in 2012 and take up the race seat during the 2013 season once Massa’s contract is done. This seems to be a good option for Kubica as given how murky the Renault teams has become. Renault still had a decent car and could attract some good drivers but does the team actually has the money to pay a good driver is a good question. Vitaly Petrov & Bruno Senna are currently racing while Petrov is well backed, Senna if he could pull off some good performance during the last few races, could be a good for the team as the Senna name can attract sponsors. Romain Grosjean is more mature and a better driver than we last saw him and his French connections could earn him a seat but then it call comes to money when Lotus Renault will decide on its drivers.

Toro Rosso has four drivers for 2012 with the incumbents Jaime Alguersuari & Sebastien Buemi more or less evenly matched but with new Spanish sponsors coming in, Alguersuari may have an edge while Daniel Ricciardo & Jean-Eric Vergne will also come into the mix. Ricciardo has done decently well with HRT while Vergne is rated highly but still is untested in F1. STR may just drop both Alguersuari & Buemi and bring in the other guys.

For the minnows, Timo Glock will race for 2012 while Jerome d’Ambrosio may get the boot. The likes of Charles Pic & Giedo Van der Garde will come into the mix while even Petrov can come in if Lotus Renault decides to give him the ax. For HRT, the biggest thing once again will be getting their car ready and anyone with enough money will be driving for team but Vitantonio Liuzzi may yet be retained.

Rubens Barrichello’s long F1 career is coming to an end and it looks certain that Williams have not renewed his contract while Lotus Renault could be his realistic shot at driving a good car while HRT may sign him if he brings in the money.

2012 looks sober but 2013 will be very interesting with the likes of Hamilton, Massa, Webber, Schumacher and Rosberg all without contracts meaning that big 4 teams has seats available. But Mercedes is sure to sign on Rosberg unless McLaren dumps Hamilton while Schumacher will retire at the end of next season but then a few race wins may even keep him going longer for a bit. Massa needs a miracle to continue with Ferrari while only a World Championship could get Red Bull retain Webber. Hamilton’s best chance of another title is with McLaren but then stranger things has happened in F1 and a former World Champion did sign for BAR and his F1 career plunged into the depths and it never took off again. Kimi’s return will be a big  plus for the 2013 silly season as a solid year with Williams could add him in the mix and F1 is just getting interesting.  

The Joyful List!

There are songs which makes you cry and there are songs which uplift you but then there are songs which no matter in which state of mind you are will always make you happy and joyous. These are the songs which transform your mood in minutes J

So here is the list:

Counting Crows - Accidentally in Love

This is the ultimate happy song IMO. With its upbeat tempo and very catchy music, this is one song which you can keep listening too and which will make you just that happy J

Ronan Keating – Life is a Roller Coaster

I still wonder why this song never got the due it deserved but then this song is perfect when it comes to life itself! The title is apt and it is one of those songs which can just bring you when you are down.

Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life

There is a debate on what the song is still on but this song will just wake you up and sort of even enlighten you….lol! One of the greatest songs from the 90s J

Fool’s Garden – Lemon Tree

Arguably the most under-rated song of all time, Lemon Tree is the song to listen to when you are down and all alone. It is actually a super fun karaoke song when you are in a group!

The Monkees – I’m a Believer

Be it the Monkees version or even the Smash Mouth version, this song is very powerful.

Jonny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

The song may have come out in 1972 but even now many people swear by this song. Jonny Nash is a legend and this very song has his signature!

Turtles – Happy Together

The song maybe popular in recent times thanks to Jennifer Aniston Heineken advertisement but it is a timeless classic which has been covered a million times!

The Wonders – That Thing You Do!

That Thing You Do! is one of the greatest one hit wonder and the irony of that is that even in the movie the fictional band’s only his is this song! A very nice catchy song which just makes you happy!

Daniel Powter – Bad Day

How can song named Bad Day be a happy song? Very simple just listen to the song when you are really down and just feel what it does to you. One of those songs that will bring you back no matter how bad you are.

Chumbawamba – Tubthumping

This song can make it all lists, be it a beer song or a running song, but this song is also a very good song to listen to when you down. A bloody good song which has to be part of any playlist, it is enjoyed best when you are happy and enjoying life J

Chenn-aid!!!

Not that I have been to Africa but from reliable sources it is easy to buy liquor in most parts there rather than in Chennai which is said to be a metropolitan city and one of the largest cities in India. India claims to be the world’s largest democracy with its economy next only to China when you consider growth rate but to get a cold beer in Chennai is next to impossible!

Even Tom Cruise and his team would find it tough to source a cold beer here. Last Sunday, a day when Vettel sealed his world title, we were trying to buy some cold beer and guess what after trying in a few shops which did not even stock up beer, the only shops which had beer had some obscure never before heard of brands and one other place which looked like a fucking pig sty were asking for INR 100 for cold beer! On top of it he did not even have Lager and he brought the beer in a freaking sack! What the hell is happening?

In the end we just decided to ditch it and but Red Bull since Vettel was winning! Common guys, it can’t be this tough to get a beer in this city! Similar story happened a few months back when we wanted to buy Rum, just regular Old Monk not some 18 year old Single Malt Whiskey and we finally got it after going to some 6 shops! In fact we just decided that if we are not able to get in the 6^th shop we would rather buy some Coke and drink it!

Though on paper there are reports that you get brands like Carlsberg, Corona, Bacardi, etc… in reality you get brands like Shivas (WTF)! I mean common, don’t we as residents of this city deserve better?

Why look further, just go out of the city to Pondicherry or to neighboring Bangalore where the best of brands are available at retail price everywhere! There used to be a time when Food World used to stock up liquor in the city when it was known as Madras. Guess with the change of the name, the city lost its old colonial charm and it is down to the dust!

As you all know, the political scene in this state alone is dominated by 2 parties whose only aim is to outdo each other rather than do something good for the people of the state! Only here you will come across open buying of votes with parties vying with each other distributing freebies to get votes. Usually once one party is out of power the other party tries to change every single policy implemented by the previous regime but this TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation) getting monopoly over selling of liquor is one policy which will never be changed as it does rakes in money for the government, but then at what cost?

Regular scene outside these outlets!

We live in a time when Men & Women are equal but do you actually think that any women can go and purchase liquor in these hideous outlets? Forget women even the bravest of men would not go there as the place stinks of puke! It is not common to see guys outside drinking and puking in the same fucking place! The place looks like prison out of the deepest 3^rd world county and it is an experience in buying in these outlets!

Luckily I don’t need to buy liquor at these outlets but I feel sorry for every other decent person who has to go through this bloody ordeal of buying it in these stores. We live in a free world and yet we are forced to go through this crap!

I am not asking for 24/7 stores but then even if this city can go back to the days when liquor was available in Supermarkets that would do. Why can’t both private and government shops co-exist?

On the side note, what the hell where they smoking when they kept the name TASMAC? Ridiculous! 

(Force) What India!!!

Last week Vijay Mallya, owner of Force India denied that his team was up for sale and he is never selling it. A week later, Force India is now Sahara Force India with the Sahara Group taking over 42% stake in the team. This coming from a Member of Parliament in India and a business tycoon whose is involved heavily in the Liquor and Aviation. Force India has always had a reputation of paying vendors late and now this coming from the team owner is ridiculous.

Jordan F1 despite their limited budgets has always stood out from the rest of the teams and during the 1999 season, the team was actually in contention for the driver’s Championship! Imagine had Honda chosen Jordan ahead of BAR as its works team, things would have been different but unfortunately that did not happen and Jordan just declined and towards the end of its life was just ahead of Minardi the perennial back markers in F1.

Before Mallya took over the team, the team was initially know as Midlands and then Spyker took over the team before finally Mallya taking over and making it Force India. One thing had to be accepted, ever since Mallya took over the team has improved every other season and now is a consistent mid-field team which was what Jordan used to be in the late 90’s. Also unlike many other private teams, the team never had pay drivers and though drivers like Sutil does come with limited sponsorship while having di Resta would entitle them to some discount from engine suppliers Mercedes, but still both the drivers come with good pedigree and they deserve their seats.

Sahara investing in the team and taking over in an ideal world will be good for F1 but knowing Sahara and its patronage of cricket, this deal is not good in the long run for this team. The owner lied about the sale of stake and then there is no concrete plan for the future but the only thing we now know is that they wanted an Indian driver in the team. Even if the Indian driver is of the caliber of Sutil or Glock it would make sense but then they just need to look at Super Aguri when they decided to field drivers for the sake of nationality. We got the likes of Yuji Ide and Sakon Yamamoto; both do not deserve to be anywhere near a F1 track.

Currently we have 2 Indians in F1 in some form with Karthikeyan, who raced for the HRT for a few races and also their reserve driver while Chandok who managed a race with Team Lotus. Neither have done enough to justify a drive with Force India when the likes of Nico Hülkenberg who is without a drive after a more than decent debut season with Williams and has had a stellar junior formula career. The era of pay drivers is bad enough but now this era of fielding drivers for the sake of nationality is absurd. Ferrari has not fielded an Italian driver since Ivan Capelli in 1992 and the likes of Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fisichella only got to drive because of Massa’s injury. Honda made a mistake of persisting with Sato for a very longtime and it did hurt them during the 2004 season when Button was the best for a non-Ferrari driver while Sato despite having the best car which was not a Ferrari could only finish 8^th.

Do we really need this?

The other aspect which has really shocked me was to see advertisements for Force India branded merchandise sold by Reebok having cricketers endorsing it. Is this not very absurd and the very brand is actually insulting a fan by doing this. Just because Dhoni is going to be on posters of Force India merchandise means that they are going to sell more t-shirts. Let Dhoni and the rest of the cricketers endorse the brand for their clubs but why the hell would you want a cricketer endorsing merchandise of different sport. Imagine KP endorsing McLaren merchandise!!!

For the sake of F1, we do not need cricketers promoting it as well the Bollywood stars hogging the limelight for cheap publicity. On top of all this the Indian government does not recognize this as a sport and calls it an entertainment. The current Indian government which is possibly the most corrupt in the world instead of using F1 as a tool to ensure that the process is well and good in India is now making life as much tough as possible for everyone involved. Do we really need this race? Only time will tell but I feel Indian GP is the new Turkish GP!!!

F1 Rocks!

If you ask me what my favorite sport is I would just spurt out F1 without even thinking twice! Yes this comes from a person where Cricket is a religion and the real funny thing is that cricket will only be my 4^th favorite sport!

I always wanted to go for a grand prix and finally a few weeks back went to Singapore for the only night race in the F1 calendar and I can say only one thing, F1 Rocks!!!

Yes, there is a difference between having a few beers and watching the race in one kick-ass big screen TV rather than drinking (expensive) beer in the hot sun and waiting to see cars just pass by you in a second and not to forget the insane amount of noise. But in the end the experience of watching the race live is something totally different and any F1 fan has to experience it atleast once in their life. It is a sight to see cars going at 300 km/hr on a track which is just a few feet away from you!

If you are one of those kinds who do think that F1 is all about cars going in circles you stop reading it but then if you are still interested in having a kick-ass holiday on limited budget well I guess you can continue to read.

Singapore is a small city-state which according to many who live there is boring and you basically have nothing to do. Well for a tourist I would beg to differ as Singapore during the whole racing weekend was a different place to be. If you want to experience at its fullest then a trip during the race weekend is a must visitJ.

The plan for the trip was actually laid out when India was on its way winning the Cricket World Cup and what was originally planned after a few rounds of beer took shape one Saturday afternoon as the tickets we saw on Tiger Airways was too good to be true and we just booked tickets. The cost of a round way ticket to Singapore is cheaper than going to Mumbai! Tiger Airways may not be the preferred airlines but for that rate and with the flight being just under 4 hours, it is well worth it after all. Not bad and it is a sure value for money!

Singapore is bloody expensive during the race weekend and hotels hike up prices during the race weekends but then if you are travelling with friends the best place you can go to is “Hostel Amigos”. The friendly place is very cheap and also clean. Plus you have a make shift bar at the roof top where you can meet like-minded travelers. Plus being very close to the Lavender station which is right at the middle of Singapore you practically need not spend anything on taxi. You take the metro straight from the airport to Lavender! Plus it is a very quiet place and with lawns all around it is a good place to just chill & laze around.

The race zone was a different thing and will close to 100,000 people you would expect pandemonium but the place was so organized that you could hardly feel the crowd! Beer was expensive and the F1 merchandise even more but in the end if you are true fan you need to wear a bloody team jersey and watch the race. You also get to experience various food stalls and there was even Biryani stalls!

As part of the whole race experience apart from the smaller races which apart from the drivers and teams of those categories no one actually cares about them but then when it comes to entertainment nothing beats Singapore and this year we had Shakira, Linkin Park and Shaggy! Shakira live was a different ball game and she just rocked the place. Another note, you need to go early and stand in a freaking long ling to get the fan zone pass but it is totally worth it. Shakira 10 meters away performing is something different. Linkin Park rocked the house as well and though Linkin Park live was not as special as a Shakira is but the concert was bloody good and the performance was high octane!

If you are in Singapore you need to visit the Universal Studio especially for the Egyptian roller-coaster and this is a high-speed indoor roller-coaster which is blow you out! Apart from the other usual attractions like Jurassic Park, Shrek, Water World, Madagascar and Hollywood Boulevard, Universal studio is a good place to hang around for a whole day types.

Sentosa Island where this is located has other attractions but the beach is a must visit and despite being not a very long beach, it is a good place to have a few beers and sit under the sunJ. Also the laser show there is a must miss as it is a sheer waste of time!

When in Singapore you have to taste the Chinese food there and the Chicken Rice you get there is phenomenon. It is a very healthy food which is damn tasty as well and would do nothing to you. Chinese food is pretty cheap there and even the road side joints are more hygienic than most places in India. Apart from Chinese food, Thai food is a must and also if you a Sea food fan then you will love Singapore.

The night life is virtually 24/7 there with 7/11 stores which is practically everywhere in Singapore selling beer 24/7 while joints in Clarke Quay are open till 6 AM in the morning!

Then the typical usual places to visit include Orchid Street, China Town, Little India and a few other places which I can’t remember now!  

On the whole it was an amazing trip and apart from the race, Singapore rocked and this is one place which I would like to go as often as possible!

Hats-Off to English Selectors!

Yet again people are complaining that South African born Stuart Meaker is selected for the English team and that England is nothing but a South African rejects XI. Well despite Cricket being a religion in the country Indian fans atleast a majority of them are the most uneducated lot and their arguments are ridiculous with at times bordering insanity!

They are sore losers and cannot take a criticism on one particular batsman while a true legend of the game Rahul Dravid is being treated by toilet paper by the selectors. Rahul Dravid is by far the greatest team man cricket has ever seen and he is a true sporting hero like Ryan Giggs! But then there was not even a little fanfare when he despite scoring over 10,000 runs retired from ODI cricket while another cricketer’s house warming ceremony gets a bigger coverage.   

Funny that we protest against the selection of South African born cricketers but again it is actually legally wrong to discriminate a cricketer’s selection based on where he is born. If he is English qualified and available for selection and has performed, then English selectors have every right to pick him. Same time in India where the fans go up in arms for selection of South African born cricketers in English teams, the same fans knows nothing about international citizenship laws while at the same time remain quiet when the selectors son who struggles to make it to Tamil Nadu first class side make it to the Emerging Players Tournament!

We are a society which claims to be the most democratic in the world but in reality a family has been ruling the country for over 50 years while the cricketing board is a cozy club of Politicians and Industrialist who run it like a mafia unit. In a land where quota system is ruining any progress the country is making and with corruption at every corner, where you can pay money and get into sports team, the fans better look at their own skeletons rather than look at others.

There is nothing wrong in guys like Meaker playing and succeeding for England. If that is the case who many Indians ply their trade in countries like UK? The very Indians make a living there and it is ridiculous to see English passport holders supporting the Indian team. If they are so patriotic why don’t they resign their citizenship and passports? They wear an Indian jersey but then they won’t come back to India!

And people who support English teams in India are called traitors while it is actually cool to support Sri Lanka and Pakistan! Two countries that have caused enough problems for us in the last 50 years! England is free society and it is great that there is no racial discrimination in selection basis and we should try to emulate their system rather than just keep taking pot shots at them for every other thing. 

Run Fore……..%$^%$&^%! Brakes!

Given the appalling state of the behavior of our motorist you don’t actually expect them to show any etiquette when you are running in normal streets but then when you are running in streets where there is no official running zone but generally it is a known running spot where the behavior of the motorist has deteriorated drastically in the last few years.

Even the most basic courtesy is not shown by the motorist. In a road where there are runners and walkers you have kids cycling and also people taking their dogs for walks, you need to obey the speed limit but you are see both bikes and cars hitting nearly close to 100 kilometers when are enough blind spots on the road to actually cause a very serious accident. Given that this is not a main road sometimes it is actually scary to see these people wiz past you!

A person runs because of various reasons but fundamentally a person runs because he loves running and any serious runner would find it highly irritating when he is stopped during a run. Well you may wonder who may do it but I actually had an experience yesterday where when I was running a guy blocks my path with is car and then had the audacity to actually ask for directions. Does he think he owns the road by actually blocking a person and asks for directions? I decided to not to lose my cool as it would affect my run and just told him to “Go Fuck Yourself”

The other issue for runners is that at times when they are crossing you have mad drivers actually come straight at them and despite the fact the driver sees the runner running, this sort of behavior is unasked for shows how pathetic people are. Seriously you are expected to maintain some etiquette while driving. It is given that we have morons walking on streets who would jaywalk every other day and it is a serious offence which in our country the rules are based on anarchic mafia laws. The old law is whoever has the biggest gun wins here the bigger the vehicle is then he is the one responsible. A jaywalked can run into a car and still the guy who is driving the car is responsible!

But forget jaywalkers, runners have a unwritten code and etiquette. This is followed by most runners and yes in India runners will not acknowledge the other runner unless he is known but then they do not come into each other’s way and do not generally create problems for the motorists but the high and mighty motorists thinks they own the roads and do create problems.

Seriously, if you are hitting 100 kilometers in a stretch of road which is less than 600 meters, it is crazy and dangerous to everyone around, humans and animals alike!

I guess someone has to do something about it or just someday a few runners may just knock someone down! But it is unfortunate for the runners to go through this ordeal due to these crazy motorists! Guess once it becomes like the Wild West which it is nearly there, maybe runners should start running with baseball bats!

White Rabbit VI

It has been 5 years since I first wrote the White Rabbit! Wonder how 5 long years have passed and things have changed so much everywhere that it is surprising that except for a few things everything is different. Places have changed and people, yes people always change and this is the very change that the Rabbit warned us about a longtime back but then you realize that only as time flies.

What seems to be a longtime ago, there was a day when I realized that the Rabbit has saved me from the fall I was having. Yes I did have my time and I did nothing about it for a very longtime and made things worse but then there was a moment where it did look like I may have a shot only then it happened to be a dream where I just work up more confused than ever.

Looking at how things have spanned out there was random flicks but there was always distractions and false starts. It is these very false starts which have prevented things from being different from what it is now.

Now that I have realized it but then I am not in a position to do anything about it but then looking at it each and every time is painful and at times all you have is you alone. No one exists but you alone can save yourself and it is this very thing which has kept me going. Where is the Rabbit? Why can’t it guide me at this very moment when I need it the most?

I want to throw the towel but then I always do believe that it isn’t over till the fat lady sings but what if the fat lady has finished signing and you just was not there to witness it so you never know that she is done with it but you still keep think she is yet to sing and you pursue like a mad man. Well there is another though that it is never over till it is over but then after so long it is still hard to keep going.

The very White Rabbit which led me out of the free fall is now leading to me another one. I will do anything to avoid it but not sure if it is a lost cause where nothing can be done about it. Is there hope? Is there a comeback? Or is it just that all I lost and I am hopelessly banking on hope at a time where I just need to forget it and walk away?

How can I do it? Never will it comeback but the cause has been lost and now all I can do is look at and imagine the “What If” scenario. Well this is where my belief comes in and I do fall back on destiny and wonder there is hope after all. Hope is a good thing and no good thing dies but then is it really such a good thing after all?

It may be hidden forever with me and I may be the last person to go away with it but I have realized that I will do what is possible and I will never give up.

The White Rabbit has been a friend who has helped me but then right now I guess I have been left alone by it also, well the time may have come to make some hard choices but then I am not giving up and since it is not over till it is truly over, I will fight till the end. The last stand has already began and it will be on till the last breath leaves this world. 

Run Fatboy Run!

Nope this is not a movie review but this is about running. You are slim so you may take it easy but then just because you are lean does not mean that you can become a couch potato!

Running as a term can be intimidating for many people so for the sake of easy of mind, we can say jogging! Ok, unless you have an injury or “bad” knees, anyone and everyone can actually run! There is nothing which stops from people from running except for their head! There was a time when I just hated running, now I can run peacefully and infact I find it weird if I don’t run enough during a week.

You don’t need fancy equipment or anything, all you need is a very very good running shoes, empty roads and then just start off. Trust me the injuries out of running is far less than going to a gym and trying out new stuff when the trainer is not experienced enough.

Running is one of the best things to do after work and you can run just about anytime and anyplace! If you run your health will always be good and you don’t need to worry about dieting and stuff! The runner’s high after running is also an added feature for running!

So just grab your shoes and just start running! 

The Future of English Football!

The last time the English football team did anything significant was during Euro 1996 when they reached the semi-finals and even managed to finish 3^rd. Since then English football is on a downhill and despite good young talent coming through during the 90’s the national team has repeated failed at both European and World stage. England failed to qualify for the 2008 Euro while the team has not passed the quarter-final stage of a World Cup since 1990. This is the team which is ranked #4 according to the FIFA rankings!

The team is good but then it lacks the punch when it comes to the big stage. Germany’s average team age during the 2010 World Cup was 25 while England’s was 28.7. Well traditionally a footballer’s peak years are between 28 to 32 especially when you are a defender or a mid-fielder but England’s performance during the World Cup was pathetic! The heavy drubbing received at the hands of Germany should have been the last straw but we still see the same old faces taking field. Thanks to injuries, England has fielded guys like Tom Cleverley, Jack Wilshere and Jordan Henderson. An English team without the likes of John Terry, Joe Lescott, Frank Lampard, Gareth Berry & Steven Gerrard will not do worse than the current team with the so-called superstars!

If the current team takes field, there is no chance that England can win against the likes of Spain, Germany and Netherlands. Well it will struggle even against the likes of France, Italy & Portugal. The time has come for English football to drop the so-called superstars who are better off playing for their clubs rather than play for England.

This English team may not win the Euro 2012 but then they would definitely fight harder and come the 2014 World Cup, they will be in a much better shape.

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Ben Foster and Scott Carson

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Phil Jagielka and Kieran Gibbs

Midfielders: Jack Wilshere, Stewart Downing, James Milner, Ashley Young, Adam Johnson, Scott Parker, Tom Cleverley and Jordan Henderson

Forwards: Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott, Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck

What’s ailing Indian Cricket?

Recently a person actually asked a question, which 3 teams do not have a test bowler who has taken over 400 wickets and England is in the list along with Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

It is this very question which is ripping apart Indian cricket! Despite cricket being a team sport our over obsession with records and statistics are the one which is tearing us apart. The whole nation is waiting for a man’s 100 century but how many are actually bothered about going out and fighting it out to save the test match.

Everyone knows that Tendulkar needs one more century to have 100 international centuries but do we know that Rahul Dravid during the course of an epic marathon knock overtook Gavaskar’s record of 34 centuries and now sits 4^th in the all-time list.

Even during the World Cup it was all about do it for Sachin and like Steve Waugh rightly said why should it be about one man when it is a team sport! Indian Cricket team is similar to the English football team in many ways. Despite England being a power center when was the last time the team won a major trophy? In the run-up to the 2002 World Cup, England was more obsessed with Beckham’s fitness than anything else.

10 years have passed and now when the English football team finally has the talent which given a chance can do no wrong than the current crop continues to languish as players like Lampard, Terry, Ferdinand and Gerrard continue to play. Germany during the last world when Ballack got injured, Schweinsteiger seamlessly took over his role and there is no looking back. Germany had a young line-up with a few senior players and had did not been for a freak Puyol header, they could have gone on to win the World Cup!

Spain and Netherlands the 2 teams which reached the World Cup finals have one thing in common. Despite the teams having great players it has always been about the team rather than one man, this makes the difference and one reason why the teams has been successful when you compare it to Argentina despite great individual players have failed repeated at the global stage,.

Indian cricket is heading that way and English cricket found out the hard way during their whitewash at Australia that cricket is a team game and one man cannot make that difference.

Given our population and popularity of cricket, it is surprising that India is not able to produce fast bowlers who can hit 90 miles. The age old argument of physical disadvantage has to end. I know 10 guys who are bigger, stronger and fitter than the current cricketing bunch! So we do have people and many of these guys do play cricket. Also age should not be a factor when it comes to fitness. The English cricket team looks as fit as any professional football side while the Indian side barring a few looks like a Pub team!

Cricket is about 3 disciplines – Batting, Bowling and Fielding. You need to be good in atleast 2 of these disciplines to succeed as a team. VVS Laxman is old and his fielding is pathetic but then there are guys 10 years younger to him who are as bad as him. Laxman has to improve his fitness or he needs to quit. We need to take harsh decisions if we are to become the best team in the world. Batting wise he may have done nothing wrong but then you can’t have 3 guys in the wrong side of the 30’s playing in one team. Simon Katich despite being the leading run scorer for Australia for the last 2 seasons and being a good fielder was sacked because he was old and the team can’t afford to have 3 guys over 35 in the same squad.

The age old argument of there is no one knocking the doors has to be stopped. This team can’t go on forever and our obsession with records & statistics has to end. Tendulkar is a run making machine but then I would say Dravid has done more for the team than any other cricketer currently in the team. It is sad sight to see so many portly men on the field. Raina may never be a great test batsman and after this tour he has a better chance as a test bowler but then the enthusiasm he showed in the field has to be appreciated. Same with PK who bowled his heart out and did everything he can.

Dravid and PK are the heroes of this disastrous campaign but in the end the nation was obsessed with one man’s pursuit of a record! Dravid after 3 days on the field had to come back and open again? Why should Dravid a non-opener has to come back and open. India would have been better served if someone else had volunteered to done the same. Laxman’s form on this tour has fallen rapidly after his rise to the #3 slot while Dhoni and Raina with their suspect techniques just cannot do the job. If a man is truly an icon he should have come out fighting and given it a shot. He is technically a very sound person and has opened more than anyone else in ODI format. Can’t he do it for one innings?  

Did the fans does not deserve one Last Stand from the team? Is this a way how the #1 team plays and loses its position? Zimbabwe of the 90’s did not win much but then they were appreciated as they always fought hard and gave it all. You do not have to be the most talented team but you can still fight hard and give it all. Are we doing it?

No we are more obsessed with records and this is country where crickets register as actors for tax purpose. The same country where players are fit to play club cricket but will miss test matches to relax and have surgeries.

Are we the fans idiots? I am an English fan and I would want the team to always win all games but in the end I would like a good fight back.  Ashes 2005 was one of the best series ever as both sides gave it all! Despite Federer winning the 2009 Wimbledon title each one of us remember Roddick’s fight in the finals and that made it an epic finals. Similarly Hamilton may have won the 2008 F1 World Championship but Massa’s fight till in the end will always be remembered.

In sports there are winners and losers but then it depends on how hard you fight and compete rather than go down in a wimp. Did we go down fighting? Did we give it all?

A true fan has to accept reality and excuses will not do anymore. Just ask Leyton Orient players last year when they played Arsenal during an FA cup fixture and even managed to draw the game. A club which plays in the 3 tier of English football gave it all against Arsenal, one of the top teams in the country! The difference is they gave it all and they played 100%.

Enough of chasing records, the time has come to stand up and deliver as a team. England may never have a bowler with 400 test wickets but then who cares if they continue to progress as a team that is all which matters. The team has to be one, records will automatically follow, case point Steve Waugh’s Australian team.

Don’t look overseas we have our own team which won the 1983 World Cup! Kapil and his men then proved that you don’t need superstars to win but 11 dedicated men for a cause to pull it off! 

S.U.N.K!

The following post in could turn out to a base for a movie in the future, provided I don’t become that lazy! Also some names stated are for example only and don’t expect it to the exact! Some people always have these doubts!

Recently based on my conversation with a lot of eligible Brahmin boys (and others as well) and also the men who had successfully got married though various means and chief among them are the websites made me work on this post which could sound a little bit exaggerated but then it is the stark reality and we go to live with it.

Everyone wants a Brad Pitt!

The irony is that many in the website may not even know who Brat Pitt is but I am indeed using Pitt to raise a significant point here. Like how everyone wants to meet a tall, dark & handsome man and indeed marry him. Of course he also has to be Prince Charming as well plus should also look like their favorite actor! Damn, basically if they want something on these lines all they can do is actually clone!

Harvard Baby!

Poor Brad Pitt, he would not even cross this stage! Unfortunately for Pitt his non-Harvard education would actually hurt his changes and bring him down the pecking order by miles! Also this man has to be a Post-Graduate of the highest order! Basically professional qualifications which can actually have one proud father-in-law say in the future – My son-in-law went to United States for his Masters unlike the one who you got who just is a graduate!

Dream Job!

If you are a Brad Pitt who has done a masters in Harvard but decided to squat around and live the Dude life, well you are just a shooting target for these folks! Mr. Pitt after completion of his education should also work in a “Dream Job”! My dream job is to squat around and do nothing! but then in the great marriage system a dream job involves an IT or an FMCG giant! Start-ups in America accepted but unheard start-ups in India are frowned upon! Being an entrepreneur is suicidal unless with some exceptions.

Show me the Money!

Mr. Pitt after going all this now works in Greenpeace as an Environmental lawyer but unfortunately he makes as much money as his plumber! There was a generation where a boy’s long-term future and plan were deeply analyzed but now everything is the present! Maybe they know more about 2012 than us! Basically if Pitt has to be in Greenpeace he needs to be earning as much money a footballer in the English Premier League! Btw, sportsmen strictly banned unless they are cricketers with valid IPL contracts and 2 commercials!

House of Windsor!

Poor Pitt is a commoner! He unfortunately does not have any great lineage so things are just getting worse for this man! He may be a young hip man working in a blue-chip company with a fancy title to go along with his Ivy League education and driving home a Porsche and not to forget his 6-pack but unfortunately his great grand dad was a nobody and all he did was nothing!

Elvis meets Einstein!

It is not enough that you are a good man but is highly important you are as funny as a stand-up comedian but also highly knowledgeable that you should know anything & everything from CERN to Tendulkar’s wedding date! Of course if you have a chart-topping single to the show that can also help! You always have to make the girl laugh well this with you knew driving her in a European sedan & also at times paying for her higher-education!

Bungee Jumping!

Pitt can be a great man but he is afraid of heights so unfortunately that rules him out of bungee jumping or climbing the Mount Everest! He needs to have an eclectic taste in most of the things he does. So Pitt basically has to go to Mount Everest and at the peak should be listening to Mozart while coming down he needs to remember a Van Gough!

Milk & Cookies!

Pitt loves a good smoke and loves beer but then he does not realize that this is a strict no-no! And his favorite Beef Steak is more of a sin than adultery itself! After crossing the various hurdles Pitt has to be a Milk & Cookie boy or else he is a sinner who is part of the dark side. Yes he can go about with his actual corrupt practice but “Dark Side” is darker!

Sheesh, writing this itself is tiresome and I am wondering if I did miss out on anything? In case I do you can always point it out and since I wrote this I would not mind having a female perspective to the same write-up! This should be fun J

PS: S.U.N.K – Single, Underemployed, No Scope but King of the World! 

I See Red!

Though last week football was back in the form of Community Shield today was the official start to the English Premier League and my favourite football team Manchester United is playing only tomorrow. So far my predictions are simple the title will go to United while our noisy neighbours with oil money City, Russian Oligarch funded Chelsea and the newly rich Liverpool will fight for the Champion’s league spots while Spurs will be the best of the rest. Arsenal can once again say they are building their squad but all I can ask is building squad for what? Anyways lets not even waste time talking about them but I do feel Bolton and Sunderland will finish ahead of Arsenal while the remaining 2 of the top 10 will be from Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Everton while QPR, Swansea City, Norwich City along with Blackburn will fight for relegation.

My favourite football clubs:

-          Manchester United

-          Nottingham Forest

-          Tottenham Hotspur

Clubs I hate/dislike/respect but don’t like:

-          Liverpool (Hate but respect Manager)

-          Arsenal (Hate)

-          Leeds United (Dislike but Respect)

-          Manchester City (Hate)

-          Chelsea (Hate)