G...S..M....

Great songs

2009-12-06T23:24:00.000-08:00

Days become weeks. Weeks become months. Months become years.

2009-10-25T03:36:00.000-07:00

Great beats

2009-09-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

2009-06-02T19:05:00.002-07:00

I will probably never admit it, but these are songs I like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XENujsU3Wg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8qj2MzIlJw

Green

2009-05-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

An interesting interview with Vinod Khosla on "green" technologies.

He seems to have bet big time on these; assuming that certain tax breaks and incentives will come his way.

He may be wrong about global warming, given his stance in the face of recent scientific evidence.

But I suppose what matters for his investments is whether he is right about people's perception of the issue and the political and economic implications of the same..

http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/ 2009/04/vinod_khosla_at.html

2009-04-10T03:27:00.000-07:00

Two more great songs -

Annie:

Home (or the concept of home):

2009-04-10T03:05:00.000-07:00

Two great songs:

one about an over-the-hill wrestler - an aging father who yearns to be closer to his daughter. The second is the song of a soldier who is in battle.

Nostalgia

2009-02-25T20:23:00.000-08:00

Kudos to A R Rahman for winning at the Oscars.

He is truly a genius, and it is good to see him win some international acclaim.

His songs remind me of things past, and bring in a nostalgic feeling -

I do miss being in India, and being surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the streets back home.

Suttum Vizhi...

2009-02-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

A truly great poem by Subramanya Bharathi.

Tamil:

suttum vizhichchudardhaan kaNNammaa sooriya chandhiraroa
vattak kariyavizhi kaNNammaa vaanak karumai kolloa
pattuk karuneelap pudavai padhiththa nal vayiram
nattanadu nisiyil theriyum natchaththirangaLadi

soalai malaroLiyoa unadhu sundharap punnagaidhaan
neelak kadalalaiyae unadhu nenjin alaigaLadi
koalak kuyiloasai unadhu kuralin inimaiyadi
vaalaik kumariyadi kaNNammaa maruvak kaadhal koNdaen

saaththiram paesugiRaay kaNNamaa saaththiram aedhukkadi
aaththiram kondavarkkae kaNNamaa saaththiram uNdoadi
mooththavar sammadhiyil vadhuvai muRaigaL pinbu seyvoam
kaaththiruppaenoadi idhu paar kannaththu muththam onRu

English:

Is that sparkle of the eyes the dual light?
Is that black sphere the dark night?
Your indigo saree with diamonds sown
Are they the stars that night has shown?
The halo from the wild flower
Is that thy smile my lover?
The waves that the sea does hold
Are they thy bosom's sweet fold?

The cuckoo's sound of soulful note
In thy voice sweet does it float?
A maiden like a budding grove
Kannamma I have fallen in thy love.

Of rules do thee to me speak
Do rules stand for passion's peak?
Later I shall do the laws elders seek.
How shall I wait? Here, a kiss on thy cheek.

Slumdog....

2009-02-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Looks like there has been some controversy in the media about AR Rahman, Jagjit Singh, etc.

Frankly I don't know what the fuss is all about.

Basically there is no comparison -
each one is great in his own right - Jagjit Singh for his soulful Ghazals and Rahman for being able to come up with the trendiest tunes.

Just like Rahman cannot compete with Jagjit Singh in Ghazals,
Iam sure Jagjit Singh cannot come up with a "Chaiyya Chaiyya" either, if you know what I mean.

It is like comparing apples to oranges.

I do agree that Rahman's compositions have been not hugely impressive in the last few years - ever since he came up with Bombay Dreams. Like many others, I also feel he has been focusing on western tunes a lot, trying to reap some international success, perhaps.

I can understand if some people are peeved that he is seemingly on the verge of getting some international accolades for his Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. I felt it was definitely NOT one of his best, in fact far from it. He has benefited from the world becoming increasingly connected.

But the fact remains that he is the only Indian musician in a long time to get any kind of international attention, and that is part of his talent.

I dont know if Jagjit Singh was misquoted by news media or not - now that it looks like he has come up with a clarifying statement.

Personally, I think both of them are hugely talented musicians. It looks like there may be some collaboration in the works here between the two -
that might make for some interesting music.

Inauguration...

2009-01-19T19:55:00.001-08:00

It is time for the Obama administration to take over.

It is a huge event in American history, and it very much looks like that going by the media.

I was watching a documentary about the Pres Elect the other day. His is an inspiring tale, and many people vouch for his greatness. However only time will tell if he can live up to the promises - he is going in with some huge expectations.

Having said that, some people say things can only look up from here, so that is in his favor.

One thing that is striking about the Pres Elect is his cool and calm demeanor, and his unbridled optimism.

I wish there was a leader like this in India, who could inspire the masses. Educated people in India have long lost their belief in the political system, and have become terribly cynical about it. Only a revolutionary leader can bring about a positive and lasting change. But then, for that to happen, the system has to allow it - and Iam no expert, but given the present Indian political scene, I doubt if that is possible.

On that topic, I wonder what our PM Manmohan Singh and HM Chidambaram are upto. Two astute leaders, no doubt - but their policy regarding the Mumbai blasts is quite baffling. They are trying to build up a leaktight legal case against people who have absolutely no regard for law or reason.

One wonders if they are biding their time till Obama comes to the helm, and perhaps brings in some change in international policy.

W, Leno, Colbert, Stewart..

2009-01-13T23:21:00.000-08:00

Today was W's last press conference as Pres.

As usual, Leno et al. went after him. Looks like today, he compared himself to Ab Lincoln. Stewart's reaction to that was hilarious. Some people wonder what will happen to these mock news/talk shows now that W's term is over. After all, he has been the staple of these shows for years. These days they spend some of the air time comparing the Pres-elect's press conferences to W's. Colbert was at his sarcastic best today.

Cold

2008-12-17T17:35:00.000-08:00

It has been terribly cold here in PDX the last few days.

I was joking about the weather to people and saying it cannot get as bad as BOS.. that Iam used to far worse than what PDX has to offer.

But I was in for a shock on Monday - it was shit cold.
Plus, it is not exactly fun driving in the ice.

Anyway it is snowing quite a bit today.

I was planning to go home early today, but I decided to stick around at work in the afternoon. For once, Iam glad I live nearby.

Seattle

2008-11-28T21:37:00.000-08:00

Iam deeply saddened by the Mumbai blasts - these people need to be brought to justice and avenged whoever they are.

Like others, Iam also of the belief that in addition to choking the sources of these attacks (which our Indian PM alluded to in his speech), a key aspect of solving this problem is to emphasize the positives - like one reporter on CNN did - by talking about how there are many Muslims who have rejected extremist ideology and want to be people of peace. These stories need to get more prominence. It is a terrible situation the world finds itself in, and one where there are no easy answers.

My day began at the gym, where I ran a mile on the treadmill and worked out a bit.
I then felt like going on a drive.

So I went on a roadtrip to Seattle-
I stopped at some of the landmarks like the Space Needle and Fisherman's Wharf.

It is funny the way the fishermen there toss the fish out to customers and shout out every time someone purchases fish. Iam told it is some kind of a tradition.

In a bookstore there, I saw this book titled "What Men know about Women" - it was funny because all it's pages were kept intentionally blank.

I stopped by a bar in Portland on my way back. Sometimes you just feel like sitting at the bar, with some beer/wine and simply listening to the music in the bar. Today was one of those days.

I feel like going to NYC now.
I don't know why, but there is something uplifting about NYC. Just looking at the bustling life around and the city lights.

House, Scrubs

2008-11-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

There is an all-day "House" marathon on TV today.

I like this series. Along with Scrubs and my perennial favorite - Home Improvement, they are the only TV shows on my recordings list on the DVR - the others being the regular dose of stand up routines and mock news shows.

The striking similarity between Scrubs and House is obvious - but House is more serious than Scrubs which tends to be a bit over the top. However, the janitor and Dr. Kelso, which are two of the most popular characters from Scrubs, have no equivalents in House. But then, may be House is more of a medical drama than Scrubs is, which is more of a spoof than anything else.

A book review: Winning Ugly

2008-11-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

Time for a book review.

Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert.

This is a must read for tennis lovers.

Brad Gilbert was this fairly unknown American tennis player from the 80's and early 90's. He is most known for coaching Andre Agassi. He mentions in the book that he spotted Agassi when he was young and knew that this guy is going to make it big, and that he was surprised that he took so long to realize his potential.

His book is quite hilarious, and has valuable tips for amateur tennis players. It is called Winning Ugly, but he is not talking about devious tactics. The book is more about maximizing one's strengths as a player, minimizing exposure to their weaknesses, and exploiting the opponent's weaknesses. Fairly common sense, one would think, but I think what set him apart as a coach was his methodical approach and keen observation skills. He seems to have dissected every player's game quite well.

Like Becker's tendency to overhit on his forehand, particularly against players who do not hit hard. Or Edberg's simply horrible forehand. Guess that one is obvious for all to see. Or Lendl's tendency to hit passing shots right AT the player at the net.

Its funny the way he talks about different kinds of players - the Hares (players like Agassi who rush points), the tortoises (he hates Lendl, and I guess Djokovic is a good present-day example of that), and the ones he devotes the most pages to in his book - the players he calls the "Masters of Rage".

The Masters of Rage are none other than McEnroe and Connors.

McEnroe has said that one of the reasons he decided to retire early, when he was just 27, was because he lost to Brad Gilbert in a tournament. There is an interesting passage in the book where Gilbert describes one of his matches with McEnroe. Mac had psyched him up the previous day (looks like the Australian cricket team had taken some cues from him) by saying some demeaning things about him. Gilbert lost his cool, and went for winners throughout the match. Needless to say he lost badly.

On another occasion, McEnroe is very close to losing a match against him, when he throws one of his famous tantrums at a close line call. He holds up the match for fifteen minutes protesting the call. Even though McEnroe did not get the overrule, Gilbert loses his concentration and the match.

He calls Connors another great con artist. He hates him. During one of their matches, on MATCHPOINT for Gilbert, Connors starts disputing a line call and like McEnroe, he holds up the match for 5-10 minutes. This time the umpire overrules and then after that Gilbert loses several points in a row and the match itself.

This book is a must read, especially for people who followed tennis in the 90's/80's.

Red, blue

2008-11-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

I liked McCain's concession speech.

Somehow he comes across as being a really honorable man. But as some journalists have said, one wonders why people did not get to see this aspect of his personality more during the campaign. Instead his campaign manager decided to go for an extremely aggressive and negative campaign.

Granted it was negative on both sides, but I think given the huge anti-incumbency factor, it was probably not a good strategy for the GOP. Surely, it also did not create any good vibes with voters.

Did not follow the campaign that closely but from what I saw - Obama has incredible oratorical skills. Kudos to him and his speech writers!

Rhetoric is always any politician's forte, and the same goes for both candidates in this election. Especially the victor. McCain acknowledged this at some points during the debates. On one occasion, I remember it was because he did not have a good rebuttal. But it was more because of his opponent's way with words rather than fundamental debating skills.

Some journalists blame Palin for the result. I feel bad for her. She might not be the one most suited to the role of VP but she seems generally like a nice person with a tough personal situation.

Back to the bloody ...

2008-10-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

I will wait for that day -

The day I win again.

The day when thoughts of her fill me with excitement, happiness and warmth.

The day when I have someone to care for me again.

The day when there will be absolutely no boundaries or secrets.

The day when she belongs completely to me, and I belong to her completely.

The day when coming back home will be something I can look forward to.

The day when I can trust her completely, even more than I can trust myself, and the day I aspire to make myself worthy of her trust.

I look forward to that day when I am completely at peace in someone's arms, as she would be in mine, and the rest of the world does not matter.

I will wait for the day when life becomes bearable again.

I will wait for the day I find her again.

But is it becoming time to get back to this bloody world, and the jungle that is life?

News

2008-10-24T20:02:00.001-07:00

Metallica is coming to Portland. News on their new album is on the radio these days.
I am tempted to attend their concert - some of their songs are undoubtedly among the greatest rock/metal songs ever. But sitting through an entire concert of heavy metal might be a different story.

Sourav Ganguly is retiring at the end of the series against Australia. Iam glad he scored a century in the second Test. It has ensured that he ends his career on a high note. I think he is handling his retirement in a classy manner:
Just one last thing, lads

Although one cannot quite say the same about what he supposedly told a Bengal daily.

Boston Red Sox lost in the World Series. But Iam no baseball expert.

Work's busy.

I started reading two books. The first one is "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. It is about the Carnegie professor as he narrates the story of his life in the months preceding his death.

The second book I am reading is called "Winning Ugly". It is written by Brad Gilbert, Agassi's coach for many years. He helped Agassi make his way back from a low point in his career, when he had slipped in the rankings to the challenger circuit.

Two very different books for sure.

Song on the radio

2008-10-24T00:29:00.001-07:00

I have no idea what the rapper is trying to say, but I like the beats:

2008-10-06T00:37:00.000-07:00

The machine

A short story

2008-09-30T00:56:00.001-07:00

That day she was looking at the mirror trying to wear some kaajal (maii).
I told her that it makes her look very pretty. She liked that.

I didn't say it just to get her attention. It really does add to her beauty. I like the way she uses it only for one part of her eye. When she wears her yellow or black salwar and straightens her hair out instead of tieing it up, she looks like a little princess.

One evening, we spent some time at the seaside during sunset. The moon and the sun were both in the sky, making it truly a twilight. The moon was reddish in color (some scattering effect, she would tell me later) but that just added to the occasion.

I remember the day when we said goodbye, she was crying like a baby. She told me she looks prettier when she cries. There was a moment that day when I thought to myself - may be this is the last time we will get to meet each other.

We met again, and I don't think I have had a better feeling my entire life.

Sometimes I wish I could just forget everything, come to her and embrace her.

But it is not easy anymore, when we are so far apart and the distance is unsettling.

Here is a song for the memories...

I hate this

2008-09-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am tired of calling up companies and going through the automated menu, and going through customer service. It is so boring to go through these menu options and say your name and phone number and billing address and everything else they ask you for.

Over and over again. Thank God they have case numbers so that you dont have to go through the torture again. And thankfully my last name is not as long as some of my other friends.

This routine is incredibly boring. This is one thing I hate doing (other than washing dishes).

Something needs to be done about this.

I guess cellphones need to have some feature like the autotype in Internet Explorer (or is there something like that already, and I do not know about it?). Just that it needs to be for spoken words - which is not trivial, and probably why its not there in phones yet.

Anyway, the reason for this post is that I had to go through this long telecon to configure my wireless router.

I suppose it is a way for these router companies to make money by making the setup unwieldy and making buyers rely on their tech support, and by making it look fancy. Today I talked to someone from Linksys. The guy at the call center set up the wireless for me (at a fee) but atleast now it is set up (finally). It is quite cool though, how someone sitting in the Phillipines could set up my router by remote control of my computer, of course with some help from me.

Drive....

2008-09-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

At times I like to go on a fairly aimless drive with some music just to shut myself off everything.

This is one of the songs I like listening to during those drives:

More quotes from the Open

2008-09-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

Part of the fun in following tennis is in watching players beat the crap out of each other, and also in listening to them bitch about each other.

In case you missed, here are some quotes from the US Open:

"I don't give myself the opportunity that much, you know, because I always win easily. I was just really pleased with my fighting spirit."

- No prizes for guessing who said that. Roger Federer of course. This was at the end of a five set match. By the end of his career, he might just earn a bigger name for himself with his quotes than with his tennis game itself.

The following are some great quotes by Roddick when asked about Djokovic's ankle injury and his chances before their QF match:

“Either he’s quick to call the trainer or one of the most courageous guys of all time.”

“I’ve got to feel good. He’s got about 16 injuries right now.”

"Isn't it both of them? And a back? and a hip? And a cramp... bird flu... anthrax. SARS, common cough and a cold.

Too bad Roddick lost though. I like this guy's attitude(though his game is not comparable to Federer or Nadal).