Who doesn't like a pinch (or more) of appreciation?

I love appreciation. I really do.

And especially when it's done for my blogging exploits, I love it even more. 

I always wanted to write. Write as a hobby. And that's the reason I started blogging. Sports is my passion. I used to play a lot of Cricket, Soccer and Badminton back in the day. Now, it's more of watching and following the international events that keeps me hooked. So, to kill two birds in one shot hit two sixes in one ball (you see, I believe in non-violence), I mixed my hobby (writing) and my passion (sports) into one and thereby started writing sports posts in my blog.

Last year, I was somewhat surprised and very happy to know that my blog was shortlisted as part of the top sports blog by BlogAdda. That in itself was a very significant achievement in my blogging life. I knew, deep down, that I had little chance last year to win the coveted title of the "Best Blog in Sports Category". I eventually lost out to the best of the lot.

But, you see, in sports, lightning can strike twice! And thrice. And.. you get the drift, right?

And so it happened. For this year's #Win15 event hosted by BlogAdda, my blog has been shortlisted again in Sports category. And with even more competition, I might add. The Jury (comprising of super talented people) have considered my blog to be part of the elite list. Make no mistake about it, this in itself is a significant achievement (author pats his own back moment). 

But I now wonder, what's it like to actually win this coveted title?

The judges have done their part and it now rests in the hands of everyone who reads my blog. As per the rules, the winner will now be decided by the votes I get from my readers. At this juncture, I need to inform you of something I feel strongly about. Please vote for my blog only if you genuinely like what you read. Please vote for my blog only if you genuinely feel I have done enough to achieve this feat. I only want the best blog to win. 

What you need to do? - Simply click on this link (click here). A new web page will open (shown in image above). You need to register your vote by clicking on "like" button in that page. You can also click on "tweet" button and tweet the text that appears on a new page. Ideally, if you can do both, then great. That's it. Simple, isn't it?

Getting nominated last year was like a dream come true. Getting nominated this year again is like reliving the dream. Appreciation in this form really motivates me to continue pursuing my hobby and passion. And continue, I will. Irrespective of the result. But it would do me no harm if I am closer to the title this year compared to last year. Winning the coveted award will be icing on the cake. Lots of icing and a huge cake.

As they say, may the best player win. Likewise, may the best blogger win. 

Six interesting takeaways from IPL-8

We have witnessed perhaps the most exciting IPL ever. Till the last day and the last match of the preliminary games, we didn’t have a clue as to which teams will make it to the top 4 (2nd to 4th positions) and at what position a team will end up with. Three teams who lost out were in contention till the penultimate day. Only Kings XI Punjab were truly out of contention. What followed in the Qualifiers and Eliminator games were worth watching. Everything ended with Mumbai Indians taking on Chennai Super Kings at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Since losing in their first 4 games, Mumbai came back and won most of everything that came their way, including the all-important finals! Mumbai’s performance in the final was reminiscent of Australian teams winning World Cup finals in the last 1990’s and early 2000’s. Ricky Ponting presence probably made a difference as he was leading the Australian team then and now the head coach of Mumbai Indians this season. Chennai doesn’t have to feel bad about the result as they have been the most consistent IPL team in IPL history. 

Here are some of the interesting takeaways from IPL season 8:

1. Top 3 teams in IPL-8 were captained by Indians: That’s right. Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore were captained by Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli respectively. The best non-Indian captain of an IPL team was Steven Smith of Rajasthan Royals (not surprising at all). David Warner (Sun Risers Hyderabad), JP Duminy (Delhi Daredevils) and George Bailey (Kings XI Punjab) all failed as a captain to lead their team to the knockouts. What does that say? Two things in my opinion – one, Indians leaders definitely know the conditions well and have their strategies in place and two, having the best player as captain is not always the best decision. David Warner and JP Duminy played well as individuals for their team but the collective was missing.
2. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are the best teams in IPL: Without a doubt, they are! Before you start arguing why I missed out on Kolkata and Bangalore, let me explain why these 2 teams are the best. They are consistent. They win matches when it matters the most. They have been past winners (Chennai – 2 and Mumbai – 2). They have been in the finals the most compared to others (Chennai – 6 and Mumbai – 3). They have been in the knockouts the most compared to others too (Chennai – always and Mumbai – 6). With IPL done with 8 seasons, the media have to start analysing teams and bring in team rivalries to make it interesting. Don’t you think we need a Manchester United v/s Liverpool level rivalry in IPL too? What about a Barcelona v/s Real Madrid? Sony Six will do themselves a world of good by promoting such competitions to bring it additional revenues in IPL. That’s one way to make money. Fans will also keep track of such matches in upcoming seasons of IPL. IPL needs to move on to the next stage and team rivalries can be a great way to start.
3. Delhi needs a makeover, again: To be fair, Delhi started the IPL well (in seasons 1 and 2, they finished 4th and 3rd respectively). They were one of the top teams in IPL.  And then came the decline – 5th (2010), last (2011), 3rd (2012), last (2013), last (2014), 2nd to last (2015). The management of Delhi Daredevils have tried to change their setup every year, but to no avail. Retaining JP Duminy was a good decision and I feel they should retain him again for next year. They had the players to make them go the distance but no one clicked when it mattered, again. A costly Yuvraj Singh backfired terribly. This was just not Yuvraj Singh’s season and with age against him, he will have to make a decision. If he doesn’t, the auction participants next year will surely decide for him. 
4. AB de Villiers is Cricket’s answer to Lionel Messi: He cannot do a thing wrong. Although he plays in a team-game atmosphere, he has his own individuality that cannot be overlooked on the ground. When he brings in a new weapon to score, he amazes even the opposition fans. On occasions, the opposition team have absolutely no answer and just watch his magical tricks on display. If you follow the sport, you got to respect the player irrespective of the team you support. Losing the World Cup after coming agonizingly close brought out the tears in a player we thought was from another planet and hence devoid of emotions. Who am I talking about? Lionel Messi or AB de Villiers? Or both? The same narrative applies to both these players right?
5. IPL is a great leveller: And Kings XI Punjab is a great example in this regard. In the 2014 season, Kings XI bull dozed their way to the top of the league table only to lose in the finals in the worst possible way (by 1 run) against a resurgent Kolkata Knight Riders. But that does not take away the fact that Kings XI were the best team in that season. Kolkata simply made it count when it mattered the most. Cut to the 2015 season and the irony is evident. The best-team-by-a-distance in 2014 has nosedived to become the worst team of 2015, also by a distance! Factually, a team that won 11 out of 14 games in 2014 lost 11 out of 14 games in 2015! I don’t think the management is to be blamed here. Kings XI retained as much as 20 players for 2015 (highest by any team). It’s just that these players stooped to a level even they thought wasn’t possible. 
6. IPL cannot be truly complete without controversies: IPL is all about synchronously merging Cricket with entertainment. In today’s day and age, entertainment also includes controversies and scams. The glue that attaches an Indian TV audience in front of their TV set is entertainment based journalism / news that involves scams and controversies. Let’s admit it, we simply cannot resist it. IPL-8 has also ensured controversies are brought it to make the event spicier. Remember Kieron Pollard’s tape incident. I felt it was a reaction in jest which was taken a little out of proportion by some. MSD criticising an umpire during the post-match speech was totally unlike MSD. Add to it, the recently discovered spot-fixing allegation in some of the matches in IPL-8. If the news channels have their way, expect a lot of "debates" on this front!

PS: This post has been selected as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks by BlogAdda. 

Sir Ian Botham on IPL and my counter-arguments

During his MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture, Sir Ian Botham stirred up a Hornet’s nest by targeting IPL for harming Cricket. Not news to you, I understand. Me too! Botham is not the first player to criticize IPL and won’t be the last one either. But he has made some interesting statements that makes a lot of sense. But the argument falters and proposed solution is found wanting.

Some of the statements he made – 

"I'm worried about the IPL - in fact, I feel it shouldn't be there at all as it is changing the priorities of world cricket. Players are slaves to it. Administrators bow to it. How on earth did the IPL own the best players in the world for two months a year and not pay a penny to the boards who brought these players into the game? I know this has been modified to a degree, but it is still an imbalance. The IPL is too powerful for the long-term good of the game. Corruption is enough of a problem in itself, but the IPL compounds that problem given it provides the perfect opportunity for betting and therefore fixing. We have seen a few players exposed, but does throwing the odd second XI player into jail solve it? To kill the serpent, you must cut off its head. The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit must pursue the root of the problem and if necessary expose the big names."

My Counter-arguments – 

He has correctly identified the problem. He has identified corruption and player preference as main problems and he couldn’t be more correct. The issue I have is with the solution he proposes – to discontinue IPL. When he says IPL should not exist, he means it should not have existed at all and now that IPL is flourishing, it should cease to exist to avoid further harm to World Cricket. Irrespective of whether we like / hate IPL, we cannot deny the fact that IPL is the highlight event of BCCI and can arguably be the most awaited event of the year in terms of sheer numbers – revenue & eyeballs. With all due respect to one of the legend of the game, I feel Sir Ian Botham has proposed what is the easiest of all solutions. You have a problem, you remove a problem. That’s now how it should work. 

IPL (and T20, in general) was introduced as a new product to popularize Cricket. As ironical as it may sound, a Cricket World Cup as only 16 world teams playing with an equal number of associate countries fighting for qualification. And we call it “World Cup”. This game we love needs to enter new markets, the popularity needs to spread. And the products that can popularize Cricket are “Test” and “ODI”. No new market would like to watch 2 teams play over 5 days (most of which will be working days) for a result that may not even happen. ODI’s of 7 hours won’t win over 90 odd minutes of popular local games. So Cricket introduced a new product called T20 and BCCI branded it as IPL. Its plain marketing – enter new market with your best product, let the market develop and then cross-sell other products. Start with T20, let the sport develop and then introduce Tests and ODIs.

Where money is involved, greed and corruption creeps in. After all, humans are managing IPL, not God. The solution would be to tackle the corruption and make it as clean as we possibly can. What do we do when our house is in a mess? We clean it and not abandon it, right? And although we Indians are slow in tackling the corruption issue with many administrators allegedly involved, we are at least on the right path. And with the honorary Supreme Court involved, we can expect justice sooner than what politicians / administrators would like. Mudgal committee will come up with their findings soon and hopefully IPL will turn the page to a new chapter – a cleaner one.

The priority of players will change. They will hone their skills to be relevant to T20 format and Test matches stand to lose out. It’s quite natural. Assume if someone tells you that you can earn more than your annual income in less than 2 months, wouldn’t you join? Money talks and we are wired to listen. But how can we tackle this? Here’s a solution – Every board can identify and block some players to play the longer format. The players will oblige if their annual intake is in sync with what T20 players get. But where will this money come from? It can come if we earmark fixed amount from T20 revenues. So T20 can actually support Test matches instead of competing. ODI’s generate enough revenue to run on its own.

Sir Ian Botham got the problem statement right. The Hen is sick. But killing the “sick hen” that lays golden eggs will never be the best solution.

PS: This post has been selected as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks by BlogAdda. 

We Came, WeChat, we Conquered!

One Saturday evening. One lazy Saturday evening. I lay there, resting on my couch with nothing much to do. Feels like conquering the world, but that's not the case here. Facebook seems to be dead since no one is online. Twitter users are busy promoting a hashtag without knowing what it means. A popular chat app has become a paid app in android after one year and hence most of my chat friends have deactivated it. Television is busy showing a dubbed South Indian movie for like the (n+1)th time. No Soccer too. There's some breaking news going on and the news anchor is screaming at the top of his voice, "The nation wants to know.." I wonder which part of the nation he is referring to! I cannot even sleep as the government / municipalities are busy digging the road with their long cranes just before the rains (nothing new here too).

Unable to bear the boredom, I opened the "Play Store" in my Android smartphone to see if there's anything new and exciting and bingo - I found a new app that's trending. It's called - WeChat.

It seemed fascinating. I installed the app. The moment installation and the basic registration process was done, guess what happened. I got an immediate "Hi" from one of my contacts. The world know him as - "Joker". Knowing how crazy the guy is, he immediately added few members and before I know what's happening there were 6 members and we were in a group chat!

The participants were -

• The Joker, of course 
• "Captain" Jack Sparrow
• News Presenter "AG"
• A 'not-so-santh' Cricketer
• Anonymous Indian Politician
• Yours truly

And this is how the group chat went - 

News Presenter "AG": Ladies and gentlemen, we have with us some of the well known personalities from this world and also out of this world. Let me introduce them to you..

Joker: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are tonight’s entertainment! Well, you look nervous. Is it the scars? You want to know how I got ‘em? By the way, where's the lady we are talking about?

AG: Let's not deviate from the topic here, Joker. I assure you, you will get your chance to write. Today, the nation wants to know the inside story of spot fixing in the popular cricket league! We have with us one of the prominent personalities from the world of spot fixing - Mr. Cricketer! So, let me start with you, the nation wants to know how did you do it? 

Cricketer: Well, you know I am a technology freak. For communication with the bookies, I used different chatting apps. The police tracked them down and now I have changed the app!

AG: My only question to you tonight is WHY? WHY did you do it?

Joker: If you’re good at something, never do it for free.

Cricketer: Right. I agree with Joker here. 

AG: Yes, thanks Joker. That's what I was getting at. Let me bring in another participant here - anonymous politician, who doesn't want to be named. Sir, what's your take on this? 

Politician: The matter is sub-judice. I would not be able to comment on this. But I will say the opposition is involved here. There's no doubt about that. 

AG: But that's not the topic we want to discuss here sir. That's the next topic. This is about spot fixing.  

Me (finally): Is this really "The Joker". Huge fan of yours sir! I must tell you I have seen your movie a zillion times and felt sad when you apparently died.

AG: Once again we are deviating from the topic gentlemen. Let me bring me Mr. Jack Sparrow into this discussion..

Captain Jack Sparrow (using the voice chat option in WeChat): "Captain" Jack Sparrow. Why do people always forget to include "Captain"? 

AG: Of course, Captain.  

Me: Am I dreaming? 

AG: One participant at a time, please. So Captain, are you there on the group chat? 

Captain (voice message): Aye.. 

AG: Ok. Captain, why do you think the authorities took so long to catch the culprits? 

Captain (voice message): If they were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it.. 

AG: Do you think there are others involved in the conspiracy too? Any women you think? Where are they? 

Captain (voice message): She’s safe, just like I promised. She’s all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised. And you get to die for her, just like you promised. So we’re all men of our word really… except for, of course, Elizabeth, who is in fact, a woman. 

AG: No. I didn't make any promises Captain. I am not sure what you are discussing.. Moving on.. Coming back to Joker.. 

Joker: Oh, you. You just couldn’t let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren’t you? Huh? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever. 

AG: So what's your plan Joker to catch all the culprits involved? For once, be honest and reveal your plans in front of the nation.. 

Joker: Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just… do things. 

AG: I have no idea what you are trying to imply here. Let me bring in ME who's just raised his hand to speak. ME, go on.. 

ME: Joker and Captain Jack Sparrow together. This seems like a dream in a dream. Is this Inception all over again? 

AG: This is reality, my friend! Reality. Gentlemen, we are running out of time. Final comments. Captain, you go first..

Captain (voice message): This is the day you will always remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow! 

Captain Jack Sparrow leaves the group chat. 

AG: I believe we have lost the link. Anyways, Cricketer. You are next..

Cricketer: I am being framed. I would like to reach out to millions, no sorry, 100's of my fans, actually 10's of my fans to support me through this. I will come out clean, I promise. 

Politician: The opposition is behind this. Opposition is playing dirty politics.

Joker: How about a magic trick? I’m gonna make this pencil my profile disappear. Ta-daaa! It’s.. it’s gone. 

Joker leaves the group chat.  

Me: Is this really a dream? 

AG: Thank you gentlemen for your participation. We will be tracking this event 24*7 live only on your news channel (thinking that this is actually his news channel). Coming up next are the advertisements that make us earn our millions. Stay tuned.

As we all know, nothing really comes out of such discussions. But my Saturday evening was well and truly worth it! What the participants said in this group chat on WeChat platform are their trademark statements and it's precisely this reason why I wanted them in this chat.

We came, WeChat and We Conquered!

PS: This post is part of a contest run by WeChat and IndiBlogger.

PS (again): This post was one of the Runner-ups in the contest. Thank you guys! God Bless!

Yuvraj Singh's comeback - emotional or overhyped?

Yuvraj Singh shot into limelight in the Natwest Series final when India came from behind and defeated England in one of the thrilling one-day games of all times (atleast involving India). Since then, there was no looking back. Barring patches of inconsistent performances, he has been a knight in shining armor. Always in the news (sometimes for wrong reasons), he has been there and done it all. He is a middle order batsman India can rely on, a bowler capable of breaking partnerships and a hitter par excellence! He proved all this once again when India won the World Cup after 28 long years. Yuvraj walked away with the man of the series award.

Yuvraj will always be remembered for playing a significant part in India's 2011 World Cup campaign.

Until.. He was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer in his left lung. Needless to say, the fighter in Yuvraj refused to give up and fought and eventually defeated Cancer. Not only did he fight cancer, he came back to play the T20 series against New Zealand and almost won it for India! Quite a fighter, no doubt about it.

Image courtesy: Rediff.com

What I am going to explain now can easily be misunderstood. But I have to get it off my back. I am not sure if I am the only one thinking about it. Even if I am the only one, so be it!

My argument is against the "off-the-hook celebration of the victory over cancer". Now I am happy Yuvraj Singh did it, Lance Armstrong did it and many people from different areas of life did it. I am really happy for them and their life should be an inspiration for many who are still fighting. But there are equal number of people, if not more, who fought cancer but couldn't succeed. People from different areas of life, celebrities and commoners included. They gave their very best but, unlike Yuvraj, they were in their last stage and even science couldn't help them overcome cancer.

I blame the media and the celebrities alike for this situation. Media should realize that they are playing with the lives of people still suffering from the loss of their dear ones. Celebrities, on their part, should not leverage Yuvraj's comeback as an option to make a name for themselves. I don't blame Yuvraj here. He's a star, he has to maintain his celebrity status and be in touch with his fans and be an inspiration to millions out there to fight out the problem they are facing. Not only cancer, but any problem - big or small - can be overcome with determination and belief. So, it's understandable that Yuvraj kept his fans (me included) updated on his road to recovery via twitter.

I am sure Yuvraj will be remembered as an ultimate fighter and could eventually become as big as his idol, the great Sachin Tendulkar himself! And he deserves it - because, in due course of time, he will be one of the best cricketers this world will ever see. He will be the Lance Armstrong of Cricket (without the dope allegation, that is). Apart from being a cricketer, I am sure he will contribute significantly towards Cancer research. Yuvraj might even think of opening a cancer research institute just like Glenn McGrath (Australian fast bowler) did for his wife, who died of cancer.

All I am saying is, Yuvraj Singh's victory over cancer should have been channelized in the right direction. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened so far. Maybe I am jumping the gun. Maybe it will happen. Maybe we Indians celebrate victory for a long time to realize that the next fight in life is already half lost.

PS: If you didn't understand my point of view or don't agree with it, I am perfectly fine. I just hope there's no misunderstanding.

This post has been selected as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks by BlogAdda.

A semi-satire on 'How to publish your first book'

It's every writers dream. It's the only reason why writers survive in today's times. It may be a cheap low price cost-effective book, worth less than Rs. 200/-. But when you actually hold the first copy of your first book, all the efforts, all the sacrifices seems to be worth it. In more than 99% of the cases, first book is always the stepping stone to - well -  the second book. And research proves that the authors who have published the first book invariably are one step closer to publish another one! Strange, but true!

Here, in this post, I will tell you how to publish your first book and take that first step to success. Now, I haven't written a book till date (if you ignore the Engineering and MBA exam papers). You can follow two different ways - traditional and modern. Here's the traditional way -

• Content: Only 3 things are needed to write. Content, Content & Content! Nothing sells like genuine content. You have a story that's different - pursue and publish it. You have a mystery, a poem,  - go for it.
• Proof reading: No mistakes, please. It will hamper your writing career.
• Acclaimed publishers: Better publishers, more is the reach, more sales, more publicity and hence, success. You know the cycle, don't you?

And we have a winner here: It's the latest technique. It's 100% fool-proof. People claim, 'nothing succeeds like success', I say this one surely does! It's a long term process though, but the results are worth it. The pre-requisite is that you have to be an Australian, but even a non-Australian can follow this:

• If you are a non-Australian, apply for their citizenship
• After successful application, you become a Australian citizen. Now try to learn Cricket
• Australian Cricket academy is very professional and strict. You might struggle for 5-8 years before finally claiming the baggy green
• Play for the Australian team for few years. Ensure you also play the IPL for international fame. Plan your injuries accordingly
• Retire from international cricket once you think you have achieved enough fame. But don't leave cricket altogether. Continue playing in IPL matches
• Once you realize your career in the IPL is over, retire gracefully with lots and lots of money. Go back to Australia
• Think of one of the many controversies you think will affect the Indians. Try cricket as it is your 'core competence'
• Write about Indian cricketers, their likes and dislikes (in the dressing room), who lied to whom, who changed the decision after winning the toss, who had political backing in the team, how one player was preferred as the captain over others. Anything. The rest of the book can contain crap about your life. No one will read it anyways.
• Before releasing the book, release a preview - especially to Indian media. You don't need to pay the marketing costs, they will take care of publicity themselves.
• You might have to go through many hate mails, but give them an incorrect e-mail id and an incorrect twitter handle.
• Once the hatred towards you dies down, publish the book. To the same audience. You see, we Indians don't believe in anything till we read it. The book will sell like anything in India. The hatred will continue for some more time. Since the contact details are incorrect, you will not come to know.
• You should be concerned only with profits and the tag of a 'best seller'. It's yours! Congratulations!

If you don't trust me, ask Greg Chappell. On second  thoughts, you need not be an Australian to succeed. If you are controversial, anything you write will sell. Ask Shoaib Akhtar.

This post has been selected as one of the Tangy Tuesday Picks by Blogadda.

Some Curious Politicians..

One politician to another: I want to be popular man. I want to be know the world over. People should remember me for a long time to come. Look at all our fellow politicians!! Look at the Raja's of the world, the Sibal's, the Chidambaram's!! They are all in the news everyday. They are all popular!! Why?

Other Politician: That's because they are all part of one scandal or the other, friend.

First Politician: Not only politicians, look at Dhanush. One Kolaveri song and the whole world loves him now!! There are many like him in the social world. How did they do it?

Second Politician: See, they were at the right place at the right time with the right people and the right content!! You can either wait for the moment to arrive, or stand up (or in some cases, keep sitting) and snatch your moment. One scandal is all it takes, my friend.

And the rest, as they say, is H-I-S-T-O-R-Y!!

Image: www.firstpost.com

Now, I am not going to tell you how it happened, that's one Google search away. Let's discuss something interesting. Let's see who all stands to gain in this.

1. Cell Phone companies - As you can see in the above pic, they were watching porn in their smart phones. Since the image appears blurred, we cannot make out (no pun intended) the cell phone brand. Imagine the kind of publicity the brand stands to gain!!

2. Porn Stars - Remember when Osama's house was raided? They found a lot of porn videos and one star was prominently featured in most of them!! What a credit!! Osama - part of the elite clientele. Just imagine how she might have leveraged this piece of information!!

3. Media companies - Media firms (especially the news channels and news websites) loved it. I mean, absolutely loved it!! What happened was "1+1=2" and they made it "1+sin(x^2+2xy+3yz+4zx+y^2) = ??" Sensational, isn't it?? To make matters worse, the pervert ministers proclaimed innocence by saying they were watching an educational clip!! 

Here are some of the (misleading) headlines I came across on the net -

a. Porn scandal rocks Karnataka Assembly, Oppn smells blood - Hindustan Times.
b. Karnataka ministers in porn scandal: 10 developments - NDTV.
c. Karnataka sleaze row: Opposition slams BJP, wants MLAs suspended - IBNLive.com
d. Porn in assembly: 3 BJP ministers resign in Karnataka - Hindustan Times.

Was it a scandal? With too much scandals happening every single day, I might have misinterpreted the meaning of the word.

But Tehelka wins the headline competition!!

Governor accepts “porngate” ministers' resignations - Tehelka.

Porngate?? Really?? We had slapgate's before, shoe-gates, ink-gates and now porn gates? Someone please tell the media guys that they were 'watching' porn, they were not in the porn clip!! Had they been a part of it, porngate seems an appropriate word.

Gosh, we love sensationalism, don't we?

Bottom-line: On a more serious note - It's a shameful act by our politicians. With such acts, they are actually nullifying the trust we citizens entrust them with. Assembly is a place to brainstorm and debate the various ways of improving the life of common citizens. In contrast, politicians are found sleeping, throwing chairs, damaging property, walking out as and when they feel like along with the other acts of indecency in the same assembly hall. This is not a post berating one political party and uplifting another. All are in the same boat. Only the acts / scandals are different. Sad.

This post has been selected as one of the Spicy Saturday Picks by Blogadda.

Whose Lokpal is it anyway?

Lokpal bill came to the limelight. Amidst fasting, Government promised to pass a 'strong' Lokpal. Congress lost in some key constituencies presumably because Team Anna were against Congress. Government decided to discuss and pass Lokpal bill in the winter session of the Parliament. Somehow someway Lok Sabha passed the bill. The proverbial final frontier was the Rajya Sabha. What happened?

Some say its mockery. Some call it cheating. Some think everything was staged. Congress says BJP didn't allow the bill to be passed. BJP says Congress had a weak Lokpal which cannot be passed. Trinamool Congress wants Lokayukta clause to be eliminated. Others want reservation. Everyone wanted a share of the pie. And everyone is blaming everyone else for the debacle!

Just a query: Isn't our constitution - of the people, for the people and by the people? Where are the 'people' in all this mess? Arun Jaitley is partly right. The last day of Rajya Sabha was orchestrated. But what he failed to mention was that it was a joint effort by all the parties actively involved that day!

Congress has been in power for the last 2 terms. They chances of continuing for another term seems bleak with all the black money issue, corruption in commonwealth games, 2G etc. If the Lokpal bill was passed and implemented subsequently, then most of their politicians will be fighting corruption cases and eventually behind bars. No doubt about it! It's all about the blame game now. Result will remain the same. Congress wants to make hay while the sun shines.

BJP has lost the last 2 terms and had nothing on their radar to fight for. They had their own leadership issues. They didn't have a leader who can stand for PM. Even their leader Nitin Gadkari doesn't have any PM ambitions. Others who want to be PM, have a tainted past. BJP also have their share of scams to boast of. When BJP was going through their internal mess, Anna entered the scene. Though Anna doesn't belong to any political party (as is being proclaimed), Anna's actions decimated the Congress and thereby gave BJP a glimmer of hope and a reason for survival. Though BJP wants to have a strong Lokpal bill and is clearly following Anna, most of their own politicians will be behind bars if a strong Lokpal is implemented.

The other parties want to make a name for themselves on the national stage. They have their own personal mandates and reasons why the current Lokpal bill is not a strong one. Removal of Lokayukta, reservations for example. Period.

Then there are some politicians (handful of them) who genuinely wants a strong Lokpal. But, as is always the case in a democracy, majority matters.



Image: http://www.manjul.com/cartoons/

No politician worth his (adulterated) salt would like to kill a hen that lays golden eggs! Its a profession where power is everything and money is just an added benefit. If Lokpal is introduced and if we assume Lokpal carries out its tasks honestly (big assumption), then, as Anna said, most of the politicians will be behind bars and we won't have a government to run our country.

Now, coming back to the basic question - Will Jan Lokpal bill ever be passed?

Call me a pessimist. I am afraid, Lokpal bill will not be passed given the current situation and known variables (mentioned above). If at all the bill gets passed, take my word - it will be for a new variable (situation) that we are not aware of. It may even be for winning brownie points for the general elections. Who knows! Atleast the people who should have mattered, don't!

This post has been selected as one of the picks for Blogjunta's Editor Choice.

When dividing is not always the solution..

In order to analyze anything, it is always advised to divide it into segments, analyze those small segments and then make an informed judgement on the whole piece. That's how research and analysis works, even in the industry. And even in politics. With just a slight twist.

The British came to rule over our country. We were united. They divided us - because our combined strength was too much for them to handle. They ruled, we fought back and eventually they left. That's history now!! But what's still present in our country is the concept of dividing!! We divide people on the basis of caste and religion (and color). Did I hear racism?? But there's a new trend in town - Dividing states!!

In the early 2000's, we formed 3 new states: Chhattisgarh (from Madhya Pradesh), Uttaranchal (from Uttar Pradesh) and Jharkhand (from Bihar). If that was not enough, Andhra Pradesh is fighting for a different state of Telangana. And now, the biggest of them all - Mayawati is entering the fray to divide UP into 4 different states (The decision to divide UP will be discussed in the winter session of the parliament)!! I am sorry, but did anyone keep track of the number of states we will have once all the division is done and dusted?? I, for one, didn't.

Honestly, I understand the sentiments of the people concerned. Some of them have been fighting for a long time to have a separate state and well, lets just say, they deserve a new state. But a majority of people (Read: Political class) are doing it for their own selfish needs!! Earlier we realize it, the better.

Case in point: Uttar Pradesh. UP is the biggest state in India. Its also the most populous one too. In fact, if UP were a country, it would have been 5th most populous country!! Why do we need to divide UP? Ask their ruling party and they will say it can help all 4 states in the overall development of the land and people. It will allow the party to focus on each and every sect and address and solve their problems. This is the superficial reason. All's good and fine till now.

But what is the underlining reason: Ask the Britishers, they know it from experience: "Divide and Rule". Any political party will have better control over many small states rather than ruling one large state. Mayawati, out of nowhere, will now control 4 different states (if the state is actually divided). This automatically translates into a bigger party ready to control the Centre. You see, India doesn't have a single party ruling the country. It's a coalition. And in a coalition, you have to listen to all the parties concerned - even if they is small, because numbers matter. Ask Congress about their relations with DMK and they will explain it better!! This kind of situation in the centre is apt for BSP, Mayawati's party. Once UP is divided, they will have the numbers and can then support one group of parties trying to form a coalition. Once the coalition is formed, trust me, BSP will have a big say on Centre's political decision-making - similar to what didi from Bengal has right now!!

Let's continue dividing our country!! It's cool, right? And given the fact that we are obsessed with milestones, we can even overtake US (with 50 states). Speaking of US, they are also trying to increase their number of states. We have tough competition guys!! Let's not lose focus and strive towards dividing our country for political gains.

Sad State of affairs.

PS: This is a sarcastic post as you might have already figured.

This post has been selected as one of the picks for Blogjunta's Editor Choice.

The Rise of the Fallen..

Many decisions we take in our lives allow us to rise above all. However, those same decisions can also be the reason why we fall. But what stands us apart is the way we react to the rise / fall. These are long term. In the short term scenario, you will come across a situation when you fall off - say -  a chair.

Recently, I went to a government office for some reason and came across a scenario where a guy was sitting and discussing something with a government official when suddenly the inevitable happened. He fell off the chair. But what amazed me was how this guy got up and behaved as if nothing had happened !! And that is how I got the inspiration to write this post. 

Image Source: www.jessofiasays.com

Here's a step by step guide on how to react after a fall:

• Self - Realization: The moment you fall off the chair, there is a complete blackout in front of you. And then you regain consciousness. The gap between blackout and consciousness has to be small. Realize that you have fallen, and immediately go to the next step. 
• Get up Early: The more you stay on the ground, the more time you are giving the people near you to grasp the situation and it will make you more embarrassed. Get up as soon as you can. Don't wait for the person near you to help you. Be independent.
• Always have a smile - even though you are in pain: Have a 'I-am-a-tough-guy' impression on your face and if you don't understand what I mean, atleast have a smile. The moment you feel embarrassed, people around you will catch the expression and remember the incident throughout their life. You want them to forget it as soon as possible, don't you? Hence, it's very important to smile at the incident. Laugh it off !! He who laughs at himself will have no rivals.  

Falling Off Chair Laughing

• Show your concern towards the chair: Now this is very interesting. The guy after getting up, showed a genuine concern towards the chair. And this - my friends - is the differentiating factor. See, when you fall, you suddenly become the center of attraction, whether you like it or not. By showing concern towards the chair, the guy made everyone around him focus on the chair rather than on himself. The chair is, after all, an inanimate (and now broken) object and will be able to handle the pressure of the situation better than humans. Masterstroke !!
• Give more importance to other tasks rather than discussing your fall with others: Now this guy had a file with him and I assume he was there to submit the documents. Once everyone was focusing on the chair, he immediately handed over the file to the government official, and surprisingly, the official accepted the file and things were settled - very quickly.
• Avoid sharing the experience: Never share the experience with anyone. What has happened, has happened. Move on. Have fun. There's more to life than just falling off a chair. 

This guy not only taught me how to handle embarrassing situations like these, he (unknowingly) also taught me one of life's key rule: 10% of Life is what happens to you and 90% depends on how you react to it.

Here's the Link 

Guest Post: Grievances of One - Hundred Rupee note.

Recently I saw a post from a dog written on this page. I went through it and realized that it can be a proper channel to address my grievances. I have a lot of them guys, but will only discuss a few of them. So, here I am - a Hundred rupee note.

I don't quite remember how I was born, as is the case with most of you humans. But yes, unlike you guys, we don't grow physically. We infact have our value reduced with every single day. Ever heard of the 'time value of money'? Who made this concept? One of you guys !! And needless to say, you guys use us... everytime !! Not that we feel bad about though - we are habituated.

I remember being kicked out of a machine - an ATM machine. I saw there were many of us being kicked out. Some of them had 1000 written on them, some had 500 written on them, and few of us - precisely 5 - had 100 written on them. 

First complaint - You humans have injected racism among our community. Notes, similar in stature, are very different in the value they carry. Infact we can even count the worth. Five notes of my caste equals one note of an upper caste, and 10 guys of my caste equals one guy of the supreme caste (till now). Notes having 1000 printed on them are of the supreme caste, and naturally, are egoistic. When we are in a wallet together, the owner keeps the 1000 rupee note either separately, or properly in the wallet unlike us. My caste notes are kept together. We have to adjust the place along with 10 rupee notes - by the way, they along with 5 rupee notes are of the lowest caste. The 1000 rupee note laughs at us every time, and cosily rests in its place whereas we have to bear the embarrassment. And who can blame them? No one. Who's mistake? Your mistake.

Second complaint - You humans prefer using us even when 5 and 10 rupee notes can be used. Everytime !! And then you lie to the other person saying "No change" !! Really? Please, for God's sake, remove these 5 and 10 rupee notes when you have change. They are 'change', we are not. When you buy a bus ticket, you flash me in front of the conductor as if we don't have any respect !! To make matters worse, even the conductor insults us by refusing us. What the @#$^ !! Show us some respect guys !!

Third complaint - We are used mainly for bribing. You skip a signal and when you are caught, you flash us again. Atleast, on this occasion, the receiver doesn't disrespect us. Infact, he asks for more notes of my caste. I quite like it though. But the point is, why are we involved in bribing? Use the notes of the supreme caste, can't you? Flash one, and you are through. In our circles, we are considered as the most corrupt lot. And who's mistake? Your mistake.

Image: www.123rf.com

However, there are people among you who still respects us to the core. Unfortunately, those are the people who yearns for us. But the fact remains, they are unable to have us. Your society terms them as poor, under-privileged, and they live below the poverty line. They are insulted by their society, just like we are. Situation is just the same for us. Don't misunderstand our silence. We are hurt, disturbed and don't know where to go. All we are asking you is to please use us sensibly like your grand parents and your parents did. They saved us so that you guys can have your way. 

And remember, you need us, we don't need you !!

Link: http://adda.at/Tangy53

The day I met GOD.

Something pushed me out. Out of my body. I started floating, with no gravitational pull. All my life I was under the belief that there is nothing called as Gravitational force, Earth sucks. Now I am sure I was right and feel like telling the same to Sir Isaac Newton.

As I was floating, I saw some doctors working frantically on a body. It looked like an operation theater. The body looked familiar. Damn, it was ME !! Did I just die? Or is it one of my dreams? I thought of pinching myself, but I realized that I don't have a body. Just a spirit. I died. I saw my family outside the operation theatre. They were praying. My heart went out to them, but didn't feel like crying. Strange.

I was slowly taken above. I entered what seemed like an endless tunnel. It was completely dark and I was travelling at the speed of knots, with no end in sight. I was having a bizzare feeling of fearlessness, no anxiety, no expectations. All the earthly feelings were gone. I was sensing that something big is going to happen soon. But when will this tunnel end?

Then I saw a bright light presumably at the end of the tunnel. It was just a small dot, but was becoming bigger with every passing second. I reached the place from where that light was coming from. It was so bright. It was pure. Completely surreal. The experience was totally un-earthly. When I was on Earth, I was always anxious about everything. I was concerned about my family, my future, my financial investments, my job, security in life, et al. Here, I didn't feel anything. I feel so happy. I don't have my family here, I don't carry any money I made from Earth, yet I am so happy. Strange, again.

As I was exploring the place, I saw many 'spirits' singing, dancing and praising 'God'. There were angels too. But where is 'God' and what is his name, I wondered. Don't get me wrong, I was spiritually inclined while on Earth. I believed in God as a supernatural power and used to pray to him for all my (selfish) needs. But I didn't trust him completely because of science. But over here, theres nothing called as science.

I saw all the spirits were praising a single entity, one God. That surprised me, because we have many Gods down there on Earth. If there is only one God, there must be only one religion over here. Or maybe, no religion at all. Here, all were worshiping together and were happy. 

Just for the record, I didn't see Newton's spirit anywhere. Wonder why?

And then the moment came. The moment I was waiting for. I met God. It was a very bright image. I could not see him properly, but I immediately felt his presence. I was completely filled with love. I felt secured. I wanted to see his face, but it was so bright I couldn't relate him to any of God's image I had known. Infact I was so overwhelmed by his presence that I cared less to identify him. I felt like living this moment forever.

I am happy over here.

Suddenly, something started pulling me back. Everything I experienced started diminishing. I lost sight of the spirits and angels and again went inside the dark tunnel. Everything was happening so quickly. The bright light started becoming smaller and smaller and then it was completely dark again. Before I knew it, i bumped onto my own body in the operation theater.

I opened my eyes. I was alive again. I just had a Near Death Experience (NDE). Everyone around me were happy. They were praising and thanking God. The same God I just met.

My experience didn't answer God's identity as we see / believe on Earth. But I am happy I experienced it as I saw the bigger picture most of us hardly see. We are so involved in fulfilling our earthly desires that we are losing our connect we had with the Almighty. Not everyone will have an NDE but we can atleast learn the lessons from people who went through it.

Maybe death is not the end. Maybe life just begins after death.

PS: The story is fictional but includes real experiences of people who had NDE's.