Football Jerseys!

UPDATED - 4/11/2006

See the Khaleej Times article on the football tournament we are taking part in.

P.S. My middle name is Kishore.

*****

UPDATED - 3/11/2006

1st Group Match:

Modern: 2
Aaron - 6'
Anish - 26

NIMS, Dubai: 0'

A decent start to the campaign, but we played the easiest team in our group. Our coach gave us a 4/10, but we still won. I guess the most we got out of this match is the confidence and morale boost which is highly important and required. Anyway, the next 2 teams we will face (Our Own, Al Warqaa & SIS) are both tough, but hey, we need only one win to go through - and we want this too much.

Thanks guys, for your support.

*****

UPDATED - 1/11/2006 (not really, but we got our jerseys then)



Cool huh?

*****

If you are a part of the the Dubai Modern High School's Football team for 2006-2007, you are one lucky man, and it's confirmed - at the price of Dhs. 80/- only.

Yes, the school team, for the first time in twenty years, will have a non-Ajax, non-Man-Utd, non-blue, actual school jersey, with the players' names and numbers on the flipside. The front will bear a handsome, but simple school logo, along with the word 'M O D E R N'. It was previously going to be 'DMHS', but our principal put it right - 'DMHS' sounds rubbish. All over the world, it is 'Eton', 'Winchester' - so, we will have 'Modern'. And yes sir, I totally agree. 'Modern' does sound better.

That's what our jersey will look like, but without the logos and 'Nakheel'. It will have the school logo and "MODERN' printed on it instead.

We placed in an order for the jerseys today, and they should be ready on the eve of our first match, that is on the 1st of November. We'll look cool, proud and dignified, andthese jerseys will also serve as a piece of memory of the year that was (yeah it's still to get over, but hey...let's hope it's one to remember). So enjoy them. I'm bloody excited to get mine!

Shifting to Indian inter-school football in Dubai - it's pathetic. Every year there is only one, week-long, tournament to take part in. Only one. It's so sad. The Indian sporting infrastructure is poor, and that poorness is even pervading out to places like Dubai. Anyway we love the game, and it's for this reason that when this tournament does knock on the door, we all come rushing out. The excitement levels are immense. Anticipation and nervousness, along with the hunger to prove the discouraging claims of our school of 'we suck' wrong. However, year after year, we turn out to be the losers. With shameful defeats where goal differences reach double figures, to heart-breaking losses, over the years Modern has seen the worst of the Indian football scene in Dubai.

But there have been moments of pure bliss and amazement, like when the junior team of 2004, against all odds, came back winners of the U-16 Al Diyafah Inter School Football tournament for Indian schools. That junior team is today's senior team. It's our last year in school. This is our last tournament. However shit the Indian football scene in Dubai is, this tournament means a lot to us. We want to do well. We have to do well. Let us hope that we will do well. As captain, I would like to wish the entire team good luck, and remember - we play for the love of the game. So enjoy the football, and the result, whatever it is, will take care of itself. Modern High is not known for football. In fact, majority of our school ridicules it's own school football. Damn, it'll feel good to prove them wrong.

P.S. This post is dedicated to Mr. Biswas, our ex-coach, who I want to thank for moulding our football team into one cohesive unit. He coached us to our historic and unexpeceted U-16 Al Diyafah Inter School Football Tourney victory. Thank you sir.

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

Everyone has to listen to this album. It's like a fish out of water, but in a very good way. With a Mick-Jagger-ish Gerard Way on vocals accompanied by Mikey Way on bass, Bob Bryar on drums, Frank Lero on rhythm guitar and Ray Toro on the lead guitar.

From start to finish this album does not fail to impress. It just blows you away. The album starts with 'The End' - a short, but brilliant song, very different from what we normally hear today on the radio - good different. But the song that stands out the most, that everyone needs to have, is 'Welcome To The Black Parade'. It's the first single that the band has officially released from their album and it's kick-ass. It's so unique, and it's build up is just fantastic. Personally, I love the intro which is a soft build up, ultimately leading to a bigger bang (no pun intended). It's so beautifully composed, combining heavy rock, choir-like vocals, hair-standing acoustics, voice effects (not the lame-Cher-type ones, but those that actually sound classy), guitar solos, good lyrics, effective breaks, sudden and good-surprising riff changes and an overall excellent arrangement of everything. I can't stop listening to it. Get it! NOW!

The beauty of this album is that My Chemical Romance have dared to be different. They have chucked the verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus formula and mounted on to a more anticipating approach to arranging music. They have combined different aspects, and experimented with a lot of different effects and combinations. They have emerged from among the ordinary, with something unique, just like Queen did when they took the world by storm with their mega-hit 'Bohemian Rhapsody', while everyone else seemed addicted to basic hard-core rock. Almost all songs on the album are worth a mention. 'Cancer', 'Mama', 'Sleep' and 'The Sharpest Lives' are all part of my 'listen-to-me-more-than-once' group.

This album is My Chemical Romance's third album. The first two were moderate hits. A song to listen to from their older album is 'Helena' - their biggest hit before 'Welcome To The Black Parade'. Anyway I am majorly in love with this album, and especially with that hell of a song. If you don't like it the first time, hear it again, give it some time - it'll grow on you, even though it's not a grows-on-song. It's just mind-blowingly brilliant.

Final Verdict: 9/10
It's an absolutely, brilliantly fantastic album, which is a must have for any rocker, or any person who likes the 'rock' genre of music. Enjoy it's uniqueness, and drift away into oblivion...


P.S. The last track is well, a 'hidden track'. It's really short and they have really messed around with it. They have given it a '40s feel to it. It's pretty cool - again brilliant. It's quite funny too. Have a listen... (hope I haven't over-praised the album - but hey, I am really enjoying it)

The 6th 007...

Well this is somewhat like a preview, in addition to my venting of the anticipation I have to watch Daniel Craig, leaving all homosexual feelings aside. Doesn't it excite everyone to see a heavily battered and initially criticized blonde dude actaully go against all odds and finally end up with the prospect of being of one the best Bonds ever?

Yes, the critics, as in the ones that mainly criticize everything, have actually framed Daniel Craig to be the best Bond since Connery, after intitally writing him off completely. Hypocrites. Quoting ANI, "Craig makes Brosnan look a bit girlie in comparison. " Really? I was quite a fan of Pierce (Brosnan).(Read this ANI article) Apparently, Craig portrays a much more Ian Flemming-envisioned Bond: strong, aggressive, gritty and really really cool. The trailer for Casino Royale is half-impressive - not bad. It leaves you full of anticipation. (watch trailer above)

Daniel's husky voice, good looks, blue eyes, one hell of a built frame and apparently his ability to kiss(don't ask - just read this) should leave all you girls drooling, especially after he kicks some bad-guy ass. There is this one shot, which is also there in the trailer, where he walks out of the sea in his skimpy underwear, exposing his this hunky body (similar to Halle Berry's infamous orange-bikini 'Die Another Day' shot). Dream on girls.

Anyway, keeping all that aside, personally I can't wait for Casino Royale to hit the theaters. For us guys, this year's Bond-Babe is Eva Green. She is pretty hot. See below:


But hey, I am still more excited about Daniel Craig. :P

And for all you people living in Dubai, check this out: Casino Royale is releasing in Dubai before worldwide release. Can you believe that? Brilliant.

Casino Royale Release Date - UAE - 16th November, 2006
Casino Royale Release Date - Worldwide - 17th November, 2006
SOURCE: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/casinoroyale/international/

P.S. Our school exams start on the 16th of November, 2006. Damn.

"Nupur's Party" Into Video Fun!

Diwali/Eid time - everyone is invited to some family friends' house or the other. We reluctant 'grown' up kids are forced to go there with our parents. If our dad's family friends have a hot son or daughter, we get a little excited. But normally that is never how it is. Anyway we go, enjoy some hearty fake laughs, have some fake, boring conversations and then go home ASAP. Well I was invited to one of these, actually my father was - and as mum wasn't around I had to go, "to give my dad company". It was at my dad's doctor-friends place - a very cool orthopedic doc who has helped fixing my bones many times, and I respect him. He has 2 daughters - one in 9th (I think) and one in 12th.

Anyway, the party began. I was late - you know why. There were 8 girls, one 6th grade boy from our school (who I personally love, but hell how much time can you spend with him?), their parents, and me. 8 girls? Well 8 much younger girls, so NO, its not as exciting as you think it is. Even trying to make conversation gets boring. So as the evening became more and more draggy, everyone was trying to think of something to do. I was just looking at my watch. Then it struck me - I have a bunch of excited girls who will listen to me if we do something fun - that's it! It's time to do what we do best - make videos!

"Let's make a video!" Now that was greeted with great joy. The excitement turned to over-excitement, and finally, I started enjoying. We thought of a story line, and in about 2 hours we finished shooting the video. They had an okay camera and a room which we could use. What else do you need?

The end product:



Okay, okay - the lighting was really bad, the camera resolution isn't too good. The story-line is really lame and "wannabe" - but hey it was for fun in the end, and we all did have fun that evening, so big shit! I enjoyed making the video. After so long I got a chance to edit a video for fun, and really mess around with it! Also the kids in the video loved it and are well quite thankful - so that's also cool!

So for a party where my dad said, "Anish you can leave by 10:30 PM", I ended up leaving at 1:00 AM. :P

Conclusions: All family friend party's are not boring. All you need is a camera. Shoot on!

P.S. Happy Diwali and Eid Mubarak to everyone!

Monalisa - The Confused, Obsessive Chick

Explain to me the beauty of this painting. Is it because it is actually, genuinely beautiful? Or is it because it has so much hype around it that the world has been convinced to think that the painting rocks! Whatever it is, I don't really care. I don't care if she is laughing or smiling, or whether 'she' is a portrait of Da Vinci himself, or how her stare follows you everywhere. I personally don't see anything great in it (believers of the contrary please convince me). But then, I am no art expert.

But what's interesting is the world's obsession with this painting. I came across a TIME article with regards to this, and just read how the world goes bezerk over her:

1. Monalisa Smile: "A Dutch emotion-recognition program determined that her non-grin is just 83% happy. She is also 9% disgusted, 6% fearful and 2% angry." **okay...**
2. Speak Up: "A Japanese forsenics expert claims that by analyzing her skeletal structure, he can accurately re-create her voice, which he said was low for a woman." **what? how?**
3. Smokin': Italian researchers say Leonardo used a blurring technique called sfumato, employing microscopic dots to create the smoky shadows near her eyes and mouth that make her stare so enigmatic." **what the hell!**
   
4. Mona Mia: "A Harvard symblolgist uncovered an anagram scrawled in invisible ink across the painting's face, which led to the discovery of a secret society..." **yeah, you've read a book about it...**

Note: The above information was taken from TIME magazine.

Can you believe the amount of research done on this chick? Wait, she is not even good-looking! I guess it is the enigma and controversy that surrounds the painting that makes it what it is. Christianity, Leonardo Da Vinci and the Illuminati are all very fascinating aspects. But so much hype? Really? But then again, imagine a world without the Monalisa...

P.S. Any other fascinating facts that have eluded me?

Bad Days

Today was one. We all have them and it is so annoying. Nothing, literally nothing seems to be going your way. But then that's being self centered, yeah? Ok fine, nothing seems to be going the right way? But then what is the right way? Your way, yeah?

Nevermind, it happens, and yes it so annoying. You keep trying to justify yourself when you shouldn't - some things are just too obvious. Egos clash and the worse part about it is when people get a wrong impression. But then do we really care? Yeah - at leastI do. If the people I care about start feeling the wrong way, then there is reason to worry. But then they deserve to feel that way about me. Don't they?

Contradicting myself is a very good sign of two things - I am confused and I have had a bad day. So what do I do about it? Move on, and let time handle itself, but at the same time make a constant, effective effort to correct all my perceptions of the "wrongs" I have done.

So for all you bad-day-havers: yes , life does suck and there's nothing you can do about it. But you can look at the postives of life, and move on, accepting the fact that today was a bad day.
Contradictory statements? - Yeah, well, that's the day...


P.S. The obvious song to listen to: Daniel Powter - Bad Day.


UPDATED (17/10/2006): Arsenal lost against CSKA Moscow today, 1-0. I did not get to watch it because I had not checked up the fact that it was an early kick-off. 85th minute - Henry scored, but the goal was disallowed for no visible reason. Henry was yellow-carded for a suspect handball, but replays show otherwise. Soccernet called it 'harsh'. Whatever.

FIFA 07 - A Footie Gamer's Review

That's just the trailer, watch the next video to be blown away!

When it come to computer games, I play only, and literally only, football (soccer) games! Basically, that means I am passionately follow my passion. Since 1999, I have had and mastered each and every EA Sports' "Fifa" gaming franchise. I just had to get my hands on their latest release - Fifa 07, because hell yeah, "This Is The Season"!

The Game: One thing constant about Fifa games is improvement, and this year it's the same. Improvement doesn't necessarily mean the game is awesome. Fifa 06 wasn't that good. I prefer Pro Evolution Soccer 4 to that.

Fifa 07 for irregular game players/newcomers/new football fans: Brilliant - you need to have/play this game to take your understanding of football to the next level and guess what, you can do it in fun way. It's very arcady, very easy and with enough realism to enjoy the world game that is football. It is fast-paced action with enough opportunities to score beautiful goals, from a 30-yard scorcher, to a 17-passes tap-in. Good background music with tunes from 'Keane' and more - you are entertained whilst making your squad and so on. A great online infrastructure only improves the playability of the game. Buy this game, it's fun to play - and you'll definitely enjoy it. Just check out what shit you can do (see video below) - it's brilliant! (Not that I can do any of it in the game - but what is possible)

Now wasn't that just brilliant? But hey don't ask me how to do that kind off stuff. Figure it out and tell me!

STOP! Only proceed if you are a veteran of the EA Sports' Fifa franchise...

Yes! Finally! EA Sports has improved the previously-shitty-irritating shooting system. This system has a much more realistic feel to it - at professional level anyway. The gameplay - it's pretty decent when it comes to skill level:Professional - very enjoyable. But when you switch to World Class, supernormal goal-keepers of the past versions return, and so do supernormal goals. You just wonder how a real footballer would do that in real life? As usual it gets too annoying because the computer-controlled team just has to equalize in the 90th minute. The whistle just won't blow until the computer scores. In that sense, the Pro Evolution Series is far superior, far more realistic. However the game does provide plenty of excitement. The crossing, shooting, passing and dribbling, yes the dribbling system especially, has improved. It's way more realistic and fun. You can actually go on mazy runs! The shooting-fakes is a good add on. Otherwise, the manager mode is pretty much the same. The transfer market system is very very poor. You only have 3 turns to finalize deals between seasons? Why EA Sports? Why? Why do you do things like that? The background music is good. The graphics are ordinary - Pro Evolution's is much better. Sound effects are good. Commentary is crap as usual, it has been for the past 5 years. I find that Fifa 99 had the best commentary.

But hey, the game is still addictive, and if you are a football buff, you NEED to have it. It's very arcady and very fun to play.

Final Verdict: - "A Good Game" - 8/10

• Graphics - 6/10
• Playability - 9/10
• Sound FX - 9/10
• Commentary - 5/10
• Gameplay - 8/10

P.S. It was high time that I shifted from serious grounds onto something more ordinary - so, what you get is this! Also, Fifa 07 players' feedback on the game is requested.

From Here, Where?

Everyone asks himself - what do I want to do with my life? As in, professionally. Amidst all the university rat races, all the football and all the "studies", I asked myself that same question. And it struck me immediately! My passion is football. I try to breathe it, and I know I love it! So what? Do I try and become a professional footballer? Honestly, no - it's too late for that. Then what?

If you ever ask me what my realistic dream is - it is to be Arsenal Football Club's Football Manager! Far-fetched? Indeed. But, so what? It's my dream. Why not attempt to come at least close to it? Who knows what will happen, but at least it's worth my time for I know it's something I desire, something I am hungry for. So I refuse to be over-safe, and over-protective about my career. I am going to hunt that dream down like it's my inherent destiny. Or more directly, I have decided on my major - Sports Management. It's a start. I'm following my heart. Will I enjoy it? I don't know - but it's highly likely. Will I struggle? Maybe. Will I want to quit? Maybe. Will I conquer my ambition? Maybe - and that's the 'maybe' that counts.

There is nothing like uniting your avocation and vocation! (thank you for that Mr. Frost) There is nothing like chasing your dreams. There is nothing like enjoying what you do. There is nothing like being satisfied. Hey, you are not guaranteed satisfaction, but it's worth a try - otherwise all you are left with is regret.

So what's you dream? Let me rephrase that, what's your realistic dream? Forget your inhibitions. Forget consequences. Forget parent and peer pressure. Realize your dream, or at least try to. Common, throw in all those wacky combinations!

P.S. Forgive me for anything that sounds cliched.

University Rat Race

It's time! Everyone desires to get into the best possible university with full scholarship. Everybody wants to know every single thing about every single university in the world (i.e. UK & USA). Everyone's "researching", getting recommendations, asking for career assistance, deciding on futures, doing social work, getting more extra-curriculars in, smooth-talking (i.e. sucking up) potential good-recommendation-givers, giving their SATs, SAT IIs, TOEFL, this, that - everyone wants everything.

The best part is when you hear stuff like, "Oh my God, he has already applied here and it's only October! Wow, he is so sure about his career!" and "Oh my God, he has been accepted here and there and has got scholarship!", when actually what that person has got is this irrelevant chain mail. However, this then spreads, and everyone goes "oooooh, aaaaaah" and "shit man, screwed!".

Everyone's trying to out do the other, get better recommendations, apply to more colleges and 'show', if not actually prove, their hunger to prepare themselves for the world stage. Everyone tries to show everyone else that they know the most about universities and its application processes. But then there are people who believe that 'life is like a leaf', and don't worry much about their future. Obviously these leafy people have moments of alarm when they realise they have no clue as to where their future lies, but then this 'alarm' subsides more quickly than 'everyone' else's does, and they return back to where they were - examining leaves. Everyone panics, momentarily, and then everyone's back to doing what they want, but at least 'everyone' gets some work done.

My point - nothing at all. I'm not trying to prove anything, just observing. It's fun to see the competitive nature, the worry, the genuine work and the moments of pure fake-ness. The funniest thing is when people get into IIT, or some high-funda college in the U.S. or U.K., but then suddenly, next year, you find them in the American University of Dubai, because, apparently, "IIT is difficult, you know."

I just want to enjoy this rat race, and be an integral part of it too. You know, be hypocritical. I'm learning from certain local educational institutions.


P.S. This 'everyone' refers to all Grade 12 students, yearning to get into universities. And hell, this is somewhat similar to the 'prefect' situation we had in Grade 11!

Lagey Raho Bollywood!

I know this is a little late, but Lagey Raho Munnabhai was one hell of a movie. You know how much I hate Bollywood, but this movie made me proud of India, Bollywood and Gandhi!

The story was unbelievably well crafted. Almost everything made sense, and in the end it did not leave the audience (and me) with an unrealistic feel. It was hysterically hilarious and the acting was brilliant. Arshad Warsi almost overshadowed Sanjay Dutt with his overly humorous portrayal of 'Circuit'. However Sanjay Dutt was not bad, pretty good actually, but 'Circuit' just had much better lines.

But what was most brilliant about this movie was that it delivered a strong, very strong message in the end about the Gandhian principles of patience, non-violence, truth and persistence. I feel there was no better way to bring out such a meaningful message. It hits you, hits you hard, in the end, and you really start wondering how can you take on the principles Gandhigiri. I mean what better way to bring out this message than making one of the most lovable 'gangster' characters of the recent past, a Gandhian believer.

It was brilliant, and for the first time in a long time I thoroughly enjoyed a Hindi movie. The last movie I saw was Krrish, and it was very poorly made, cliched and fake - and the response it got - that was shocking! It has been so over-rated. I did not even laugh at its fake-ness, I was embarrassed.

However, Bollywood has been brightened up by this sequel of Munnabhai M.B.B.S. I hope this film gets the due recognition it needs and I also hope that Bollywood learns from this film, and comes up with better movies, with better story lines in the future.

Final Verdict for Lagey Raho Munnabhai: Simply brilliant, a must see!

Conspiracy Theory: A Magical 9/11?

Don't we all love conspiracy theories? I do. Conspiracy theories never fail to amuse me, especially ones that are well documented. Did man land on the moon? Well I don't think so - the proof of the theory against that theory is killer. Call me easily swayed and naive - but have you seen the proof against it? Anyway, lets put that aside. Through the progression of time, new conspiracy theories arise, and this new one will, definitely, 100%, blow you away.

September 11, 2001 - the annihilation of the twin towers by a couple of airplanes. A hoax? Maybe! Maybe.

I would like to thank TIME magazine once again for this. 'Loose Change' is a 90 minute documentary made by a couple of college students on why 9/11 was a well rehearsed show for a few government officials, on why it was a 'cover up'. It debunks the fact that 9/11 was a terrorist act completely. In a nutshell it states that the always controversial United States of America hoaxed the collapse of the twin towers and blamed it on Al Qaida as an excuse to invade the Middle East, and foil the evil that "terrorism" would eventually bring along. Can you believe that? What the hell did the US of A really want from Middle East, the oil?

The documentary 'Loose Change' might have been made by amateur college students on a Laptop, but it's one hell of a professional video. With unbelievable footage, and even more illusionary concepts and ideas, this might just change the way you think as to what happened on the morning of 9/11.

Loose Change 2nd Edition, Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGEb40o17yE

Loose Change 2nd Edition, Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOVWBQKUpsU

Loose Change 2nd Edition, Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtV1uxYnu0w

What's even more amusing is that there is another documentary made debunking 'Loose Change'. It falsifies most, if not all, theories put forth by "Loose Change".

Screw Loose Change - Not Freakin' Again Edition
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_
videos&search_query=loose%20change%202nd%20edition
&search_sort=&search_category=0&page=1

However this other video just does that, it just falsifies some theories put forth by "Loose Change", but it doesn't completely prove that 9/11 was a terrorist act. The footage researched and showed by "Loose Change" is far more, well, convincing. But then again, I am still confused. I don't know what to believe. Do you?

A Tribute To 9/11...?

This is the first of a couple of posts on the infamous, tragic and literally unbelievable 11th of September, 2006.

Above is a picture of firefighter, Tiernach Cassidy of the United States of America, who took 9 months to complete that illusory tatoo. Yes, NINE months! Why? "The pain in my back was good for the pain in my head, " - that's why. The trauma of losing five of his firehouse's men will be imprinted on his back. The 'burning' towers, the five close friends and the memory - that's what the tatoo stands for, a tribute indeed.

Also, he got full news coverage for his pain. Even TIME covered his story, and that's how I got to know about this. But, wow.

Now imagine if 9/11 was a hoax.

Fantasy Premier League - DMHS 06

Thanks to Harendra Kapur, an abnormally aged, 18-year old, 12th Grade student of DMHS, DMHS has a Fantasy Premier League. Great intiative HaRRendra!

Harendra has told me to that he feels the league he has created will get a lot of publicity through this Blog. He wants you to do the following:

1. Create your team at http://fantasy.premierleague.com.
2. Join DMHS 06 Private League, by entering this code - 302564-132007.
3. Enjoy the league for the rest of the season.

Furthermore, Harendra wants to add that he apologizes for the late initiation of the league. He says that he felt it would be better that a league started after school began.


P.S. - Forgive the sarcasm, but enjoy the league - I love you Harry! :P

Thailand - KEANE!

After fighting it out with my parents, I "convinced" them that I had to go for this concert. And it was the best way to end a vacation.

Impact Arena - that's where the concert was held, some 30 km from my hotel and this was what bothered my parents. Anyways...

I arrived some 2 hours before the concert began, and was praying that tickets the tickets would be available. However, getting a ticket was not a problem, not at all a problem, in fact it was no where close to being sold out. I bought far standing tickets for about 1000B, which is like dhs 100 - quite cheap for a concert compared to Dubai.

Half an hour left for the concert to start, no one was lining up, no hullah ballah, everyone was in their own world, eating, drinking, laughing, sitting..:S. I was the lone person in the line, and the security was laughing at me - mumbling away in their complex language. Just then some news came in that all far- standing ticket holders had to move into the front-standing line - well because you don't want to have an empty front standing pit! So there I was, right in front, watching one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

Some Thai band opened the show, and the nervousness on their faces was more than evident - they were average, and funny - nothing can beat Thai singing.

Right in front of me, on the other side of the railing, were 3 girls and this one long haired guy - who were also in their own worlds. They came off really pretentious with their American accents and heavily made up faces. One was crazy, one was medium crazy, and the third girl felt she was the most beautiful girl in the world. The guy was high, and these people were really loud and seemed to be having a great time - so well kudos to them - but hell, the artificial-ity (if that's a word)...lord! The reason for the above paragraph is that, for the entire period of waiting for Keane to come on stage, these four characters really entertained me.

Next to me was this 10 year old girl, Nicola (i think), who had an English father and a Thai mum. She was fluent in both of her parents' languages, which was really cool. She loved Keane, and I was really fascinated by her, really innocent and down to earth, she was an opposite of the 3 girls in front of me.

Finally Keane began, and blew the hell outta Bangkok. Keane comprises only 3 members, one drummer, one AWESOME keyboardist, and one BLOODY AWESOME singer. Performance wise, they were perfect. Their music is awesome, and their stage presence was even better. The arena was three-quarters full, but the audience were amazing. It was unbelievable, Thai people who could hardly speak english, mouthing every single word of almost every single song. I was quite awestruck. "Somewhere Only We Know" was a sing along. But the song I enjoyed the most was "Bedshaped". They ended with it, and well I kind off dropped off into oblivion. It was really really well performed and the light arrangements made it even better.

After Robbie, Keane is the best concert I have been too. So if any of you get a chance to see them, don't miss out - they really rock!

Thailand - Food

Before I went, I was told that the food there is totally completely amazingly AWESOME! I expected that, and was really looking forward to it...

Now I am back, and I say the food was good. Thai Green Curry & Red Curry are awesome, and the Shrimps with asparagus and garlic is also very good. I enjoyed it, until I met with something called Gastritis. It's a disease, you know, of the stomach, which is well food poisoning. One day of sheer nausea, vomiting and passing outs was what it gave me, but that's it. One low point, but the food is still good, not totally completely amazingly AWESOME, but good - so enjoy it when you/if you go there, but don't over-expect.

Well one highlight of the trip was that I tried snake, and it was not that bad, pretty good actually. It's like chicken, but really chewy. Apart from that, I did try some sea food. We ordered fresh fish, and got it fried. We did get it fried. It had fried head, fried eyes, fried teeth, fried body, fried fins, and fried bones, and the fish itself was okay, but it often makes me sick when I envision something like that, and now I am off that sort of fish for eternity.

Thailand - Phi Phi: A Conversation With A Tsunami-Surviving-English-Speaking Thai-Scuba-Dive-Master

Aeg.

He is only 26 years old.

He started scuba-diving at the age of 13, and is now a renowned Dive Master (the highest Scuba Distinction)

He survived the Tsunami. What could be worse is that he witnessed it.

He, along with his friends saved 3 lives, from the rubble. Here's the fascinating story...

It was a 26th December, the day after Christmas. Half of Phi Phi (which basically means all the foreigners, which means all the back-packers from the west) was hung over from what was probably a drunken, late, late "Celebrating Jesus" night. Aeg was one local included in that list.

Aeg worked as a Scuba Diving/Snorkeling Tour organiser, and was damn good at his work. He was so good, that the local people held mini-rebellions to stop him from doing well, and taking away all the 'business'. Business there is tourism. It is the only source of income, and Aeg was taking most of it away. So the Village Chairman called a special meeting comprising all the locals and they reached a conclusion - Aeg needed to cut down on his brilliance to allow others to reap at least some benefit. He followed orders, and won the respect of the town, and well everyone knew him.


However, 26th December, 2004 was a day off for Aeg, and God indeed blessed him with that.That day, at approximately 10 A.M. two monstrous waves, one 12 metres high, the other 4 metres high crashed, crushed and crunched the neck-like heart of Phi Phi. Imagine, these two beaches were like two boomerangs stuck together forming a holy-grail-like structure. Both the beach-sides were exposed to the ocean, and hence both sides were exposed to this monster. But the 12 metre wave got the lion's share of the spoil as all the rummage it caused was transferred towards the other end. Imagine, again, you are sitting on the beach, calm, observing the waves. Then, quite out of the blue, you see, this large unorthodox wave from a distance, and get amused. It then processes and this confusion turns to nervousness, 'What the hell is that wave doing?' and then sheer panic engulfs you, just as the wave is going to engulf you. You run, but there is no where to run. You cry for help. You start looking for help. You see the wave coming at you. You try to hide? Ha Ha. For 4 minutes this monster hunted its prey. Aeg was not on the beach, he was asleep, in his house, on the hill, away from this. Thank God.

But when something like shakes the hell out of your island, you don't sleep for much longer. This earth-shattering Tsunami opened Aeg's eyes in more than one way. He stepped out into the open, and what he observed shook him up just like the Tsunami had shaken the life out of the village. He saw dead people hanging from trees, lifeless, but with eyes wide open, with glaring death written all over them. There were piles and piles of wood, beneath which, lay people, with their hands, ears and feet sticking out. The wave sucked bodies back into the ocean, and it was no longer a salty blue ocean, but a bloody reddish one. People mourned the loss of their loved ones. Shrill cries that can tear your ear-lobes open not because of the sound, but because of the agony that comes in chorus, resonated in the air. Aeg saw destruction at its prime. Trauma, rage, anger, distress, sorrow, pain, hopelessness, helplessness, defeat and death buzzed in his mind. He couldn't take it. He rushed back home, one place that was safe. He needed to recollect himself, needed to find his friends - he needed to know what to do. After locating his friends, they started a mini-operation of their own. Pull out any damn thing that breathes or moves from the rubble! This was not easy. Aeg, along with his friend, saved two human lives. They gave two living, breathing souls another opportunity to live.

But he lost almost everything. 4 of his close family members were missing and still are. His shop, his work all taken away by the wave. As he was a Professional Dive Master, he had videos and pictures of his exploits. All of it was taken away in those 4 minutes. His laptop, his scuba-diving gear which is shit expensive - everything the wave took away. 3,000 people lost their lives that day in Phi Phi, and a major chunk of that number were foreigners.

From that day on, Phi Phi was almost deserted. There was no major help coming in from the Government. Yes, some World Aid did drift in, but that takes time, and Phi Phi wasn't the only place affected. Aeg, and his friends started a recovery mission. Everyday they went to Phuket, got some medical supplies from the hospital, mainly gloves and masks, and started the ‘cleaning’ process. What Aeg found most useful, was not the Government, but the international contacts he had made from his Scuba Diving clients. They came from all over the world, and donated large sums of money to help Aeg set up his business again, and to restore some order in the chaos that the Tsunami had left behind.

It took 6 months for Phi Phi to recover from this disaster. The problem Phi Phi was facing was that, due to this catastrophe, none of the locals wanted to do business there. So Aeg and his friends, started building shops from scrap, to forcefully welcome these locals back on to the island. This recovery was a done collectively by all the people of the islands. It was a time of mourning, but also a time of unity and fraternity among the people there.

For Aeg, it was one of those major events that occur in our lives, that changes us completely. The Tsunami changed him, for the better. Before the Tsunami, yes he was married, but he had this youthful exuberant arrogance, which he admitted openly. But the Tsunami taught him responsibility. It taught him to look beyond materialism and money, and into the people around him, to care, to love. It made him, in his words, a 'man'. That, to me, says a lot. Experiences like the Tsunami can be devastating, but the education through something as colossal as that cannot be taught in school. Also, it's how much we suck or draw out of these experiences that shape our entirety. Aeg is still some what recovering from trauma. At times when he thinks about it, he can't sleep for days. After the Tsunami, Aeg could not sleep for 2 days, not because he did not want to, but because he couldn't. Could you have?

Aeg was our Phi Phi Island Sunset Tour guide/organiser/leader/boat-owner. He is a lovely guy, my mum fell in love with him, and wanted him as her second son. The service he and his crew gave us was excellent and genuine.

Thailand was great because of people like Aeg. The people I met, taught me so much, and fascinated me and opened my eyes to different aspects of life. It made me realise that I live in this bubble, this bubble in which I have a bunch of good friends, but that's not all. Those are not the only people. There is so much out there, so much to do, so many people to meet, almost 7 billion. The back-packers I met were all young, between 18 and 25 years of age, and not one was Indian. All of them were fascinating and had so much to offer. It exposed me to this other side, which I had never been properly exposed too, which I knew existed, which I yearned for, but never really got. It's true isn't it; most of us Indians don't do things like back-packing. Most of us end up with paunches to be proud off, if we don't already have one. Yes, there are numerous complications and parent/permission issues, but it's high time I burst out of this bubble. I don't know about you.

Thailand - Phi Phi Islands

Phi Phi Islands are these 2 small islands constituting the southern part of Thailand. They are only reachable by a ferry. Secluded – yes, totally. Only two years ago, the devastating Tsunami knocked the life out of this little town, but today it is back on track, buzzing with an outrageous number of tourists. Back-packers, largely from the west (actually all, I could find not one Indian backpacker there) flock to this island like sheep, to perceive the breath-taking marine life that the ocean around the islands has to offer.

It sounds pretty laid back, well it's not. There is an 'ADSL High Speed Internet Service' connection every 2 metres, yes every 2 metres. Fake Movie DVDS/Music DVDS/Music CDS are rampant, with availability of movies which have not even been released in Thailand. 'The Devil Wears Prada' was available on the streets before country-wide release, for 10 Dhs, or 3 Dollars only. INSANE!



Apart from all that, and considering the fact that I, nor my parents, were seasoned scuba-divers, or snorkeling enthusiasts, we felt that we had almost wasted our time at the islands. But no, one evening made all the difference. We took the 'Sunset Tour' which allowed us to explore almost all of the Phi Phi Islands. It just happened to be, that in the tour, we were the only non-back-packers there, and my parents the only people over the age of 35, and I, only below the age of 20. That however did not matter, as our Phi Phi Island trip burst into life. The tour was hard core. We canoed and snorkeled in the open sea. Hell, I am proud to say that I swam in the rough sea in the middle of nowhere. After the canoeing and the snorkeling, we had to swim from our boat to a near-by cave. Then followed, a little bit of trekking against the sea, which was not surprisingly, rough, that evening (the whole full moon thing). This cave that we entered opened up into a pretty lagoon, and I felt I had entered into this new world, this world that had formed within a blink of an eye. The joy of seclusion and beauty did not stop there, this lagoon further opened up into the whitest of beaches. Clear, pure, but salty, the water gushed onto the purest of beaches, with a valley-like view of the setting sun. A spectacle of its own, an almost coliseum-like experience, it was truly...truly...wow. We soaked in every inch of the beauty, and cursed all that we could when we found out that our darned camera batteries were dead.

We laboured back, swimming back to our boat in the open sea (don’t worry, the amateur swimmers were given life jackets), where a slip of the toe could result in skull-cracking action against the hard but slippery stone. Yeah it sounds dangerous, and yes, to a particular extent it was, but that danger itself made it even more fun. Along with that, the tour organisers, a bunch of young 'lads' (as the Brit back-packers called them) were such hard-working and genuine people, and the made the evening even sweeter. They helped the poor swimmers, and the old, which only consisted of my parents (sorry mum, sorry dad) and were really really sweet, and with great bodies (that's for you girls :P).

All in all, that one evening made Phi Phi - WOW. I want togo again, and when I do go again I will learn Scuba Diving, get my license and enjoy the islands even more. Romit, remember our promise - if not Thailand, some place similar, definitely!

Thailand - Foreward

What will precede (and not follow, due to the publishing-policy of blogspot) is basically to serve as a collection of memories, which will be near dear to me for a long time to come.

Thailand - I didn't know what to expect from this country. Some said it was like a well, "cleaner" India, others framed Bangkok as Bombay-ish, but all of that is rot. Thailand cannot be compared to India, in fact it puts my country, and retrospectively me, to shame. It is simply beautiful. The white sandy beaches and the coral islands of the south, littered with the most colourful of aquatic creatures, along with green outback and the beautiful "trek-able" forests of the north, and a brilliant mix of modern and ethnic cultures, with the friendliest of people, with the greatest of kings, plus a 'Keane' concert - Thailand rocked, and I need to/want to go there again.

'Angels With Broken Wings'

This summer, thanks to my great mum, I got an opportunity to volunteer for this extremely special summer camp organized by SFS (Special Families Support), a support organization for the less fortunate special children and their families. Before I get started, let me list out a few 'characters' that are vital for this post. Gulshan Kavarana - the founder of SFS, who to me is Gulshan aunty - the coolest aunty ever, with the biggest possible heart & Deepa - the organiser of the summer camp – who is very sweet and really hard-working.

My first day of the camp itself, was very enlightening. Gulshan aunty asked us, the volunteers, "Why are you here?" My confidence self, confidently uttered "We are here to help these special kids." "What rubbish!", was the reply, "These kids don't need your help, they can handle themselves." She told us that we were here to merely accompany them and to a certain extent, support them. We were there to be their friends, and to see them as our friends, and to bring smiles to their faces, and provide them and their parents an escape from the difficult world they live in. As it turns out, I love doing exactly that, so my enthusiasm levels have been very high for the past month, especially when I am with them. And quite obviously, I thoroughly enjoyed everyday of the summer camp, and am still enjoying every day - as the camp is still not over.

As days went by at the camp, Gulshan aunty found out (I think through me) that I could make 'stupid IT presentations'. So she asked me come over to her place and make a special presentation for her younger daughter, Zaara, her 'angel with broken wings'. I agreed to do it because I wanted to do it. I reached her place at noon and immediately got to work. I asked her, "Aunty, what's the objective of this video?" She said that, thorugh this video, she wanted to portray the beauty of her daughter, Zaara, and go beyond what most people saw in her - her disability. She wanted to delineate the fact that Zaara was a miracle, a gift from heaven, that she was their love. After that, the video almost sidetracked. I was keener on knowing what aunty and her family had been through and how Zaara had changed their lives, for the better. Gulshan aunty told me that Zaara taught them 'unconditional love'. She had taught them to see people for what they are, and not merely as they appear. Gulshan aunty said that Zaara helped her burst out of the cocoon that most of us are still enclosed in, the cocoon that family is everything. Zaara helped aunty to reach out to other people and other special families that were going through similar ups and downs. Thus, she instigated SFS - Special Families Support, an organization to bring together and support those familes that were a little less fortunate. 7 years of functioning, this organization has definitely changed and affected many people's life. Gulshan aunty continued that now, she is addicted to this organization. She just has to be around these kids, for they sustain her, and teach her values and lessons that no one else can. She told me that she loved being around the kids because they saw you for what you are, and not as what you appear (tall, thin, fat and so on) and told me that it's a pity that we can't see them like they see us. It's a pity that some of us cannot see them for what they are, humans with heart, soul, and love, love that oozes out because they have so much of it.

The video I eventually made was decent, but the experience I had with Gulshan aunty and her family overshadowed the video. It shattered my previously narrow-minded approach. It opened new horizons, and gateways of thought that I needed to dive into. As I absorbed every word that aunty told me, I actually learnt acceptance.

This summer camp has made my summer complete in its own way. Previously, I had never done anything like this, so I did not know what to expect. This camp took me by storm, for what I have learnt from this experience is boundless. It has opened my narrow mind to dimensions of thought that I would have never had. Adding to that, the pure satisfaction that I get from seeing smiles on their faces, and the joy that small things can bring them, is priceless. However idealistic and fake this sounds, I get satisfaction from their satisfaction, and that is the satisfaction and the joy that is priceless. This camp has made me realize that social work is necessary not only for the 'hours' that are required for your University Application, but for the learning experience that no other service can cater. I want to stay affiliated to SFS because the work done here is genuine and heartfelt. Nothing is forced, and we (as I can proudly say as now I am a part of this group) do things, because we want to do them. Thanks to Gulshan aunty for starting this organization and to Deepa for wonderfully organising this summer camp.

P.S. - This is not a corporate article typed to uphold and/or advertise SFS.

No Way Zidane, No Way!

How? How can a two-time world player of the year do something like that? How can this well-revered man, this calm-collected magician do that? 15 years of reputation-building hard work has crumbled away, in one moment of sheer stupidity and arrogance. Zizu, no sorry, Zidane (I cannot call him by his nickname anymore - he is no longer affable) was the least likely player to do something like that. Okay fine, if a hot-head like Rooney went and did something like that, it's understandable, but a man of such stature and repute to go and head butt an opponent- it's literally unbelievable. It highlights how one moment of sheer frustration and arrogance can almost destroy a career. It's shocking, and for me, extremely disappointing. It saddened me to see the Les Bleus' maestro walk off into the tunnel after that farcical and unnecessary action. I have no sympathy for him, but the sheer shock of such an act as eluded me, eluded everything, even the Italian victory (no offence to any Italian supporter).

Apart from that, the final of the World Cup finals was decent, better than the finals of the recent past. There was enough controversy and a penalty shoot-out always promises an exciting night. The French penalty was, according to me (and most others) not a penalty. The ex-great Zidane executed the penalty with a tinge of over-confidence and haughtiness, and then what saved him was well, luck. Otherwise the contest was pretty even. Italy some what dominated the first half, which was exceptional. The French kind off dominated the second half of the second half, and a bit of the extra time. Much of the latter part of the match was stale, apart from some head butting incidences. Anyway, Italy seems to deserve this victory, at least definitely over France. Italy have played good football. All credit to them for this historic win.

We have come to the end of another world cup. The 64 matches have just flown by, and I can't believe that this mega event has actually concluded. Apart from the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony and the Brazil disappointment, Germany 2006 has been fantastic. Some of the greatest world cup goals ever, created in some of the best stadiums in the world, in a tournament that highlighted globalization, the fraternity of men (at least off the field) and the rise of female football-lovers, this world cup has met, and in some cases exceeded all expectations. And that is always good. Isn't it?

Brazil Out. Deservedly.

July 1st, 2006 - World Cup Quarterfinals: Brazil crash out, against a decent, Zizu-fuelled, France.

Frankly, Brazil played quite crap. Why? Because well 'it wasn't their day' - as most would say it, but no, it’s not that, it is because they just did not gel, and have not been really gelling through out the World Cup. Right from the start, Brazil weren't really tested with a strong opposition, an opposition that had a mighty midfield, or a classy defense. Mediocre teams like Australia, Croatia, Ghana and Japan, cannot really be called tests. France was the first real test for the Brazilians, and they stumbled, because, according to me, of social pressure. No, no, don't jump to conclusions; the loss wasn't because of social pressure on the players, but rather on their un-inspiring coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Now this is my theory. Read carefully. The wing backs are the most crucial players in building an attack, because they give width and pace to the side. Observe any great team of the recent ages, as in teams that play breath-taking football, at breath-taking pace, like Barcelona and Arsenal, the Champions League finalists for the season 2005-06. For Barcelona, the likes of Van Bronkhorst, Belleti and Oleguer, and for Arsenal, Ashley Cole, Lauren and Eboue have successfully taken on the wing-back positions. They offered pace, and most importantly vital options for the holding, and creative midfielders. With the ability to run at their opponents and float in dangerous balls, these wingers were responsible for most of the major attacks of their teams. Take for instance; during Arsenal's prime era (the unbeaten 49 game streak) Lauren and Ashley Cole made devastating over-lapping runs to crack open the opponents’ defense. Beautiful combination play involving Henry, Pires and Ashley Cole on the left flank is considered one of the most devastating and successful partnerships in the history of the English game. So, regarding flank play, did you see Brazil? Cafu was simply pathetic and uninspired. Roberto Carlos showed ineffective passion. Cafu spoiled the game numerous times with his slow, old feet and lethargic touches. Roberto Carlos blasted the ball aimlessly all over the pitch. No pace, no overlapping, no real support was provided by these wing-backs to the rest of the team.The other mistake that Mr. Parreira made was the inclusion of Juninho. Yes he is a good free-kick taker, but what you needed, Parreira, is an attacker, someone like Adriano. All Parreira-favourite Adriano needed was some patience from his coach. Also it took the Brazilian coach almost 80 minutes to get on the electric and youthful Robinho.

Now if I was the coach of Brazil:

1. I would never start with Cafu as the right-back. 36 years old, and worn out, Cafu was, according to me, not the ideal choice for the most stamina-requiring position. It took Parreira 340 minutes of football time to realize this, and then he brought in Cicinho for the last twenty minutes of what would be Brazil's final match in their 2006 World Cup Campaign. I would have started with Cicinho.
2. I would have given Roberto Carlos 2 games to prove his worth. But after seeing the potential in the substitute left-back Gilberto, I would have put him in instead. What these wing-back positions require is not experience, but youthful exuberance and hard-core pace. A 36 year-old right-back and a 33 year-old left-back definitely don't meet those parameters. Experience is required in positions like centre-back and the defensive-midfield, which was provided through the likes of Giberto Silva, Ze Roberto, Lucio and the brilliant Juan. In addition to that, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho provided enough 'experience' and skill in attack.
3. Emerson would have been my Captain.
4. Ronalidinho would have been made to play a little deeper and would have been allowed to be selfish with the ball. He is by far the best dribbler in the world, so why the hell do you want to prevent him from doing what he is best at - dribbling. In this World Cup, he looked more desperate to weave chipped-through balls and roam around aimlessly. I say, let him do what he is best at, and what he has proved with Barcelona all season long. I would have put him on the left-flank and let him dominate it completely and let the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo and Adriano drift in midfield and attack.

Anyway all these ‘would haves’ would hold some reverence only if I was coach of Brazil, which I am not, and I will probably never be in the course of my entire life. The Brazil loss was more frustrating than depressing. Lack-lustre, totally unBrazilian-like Brazil failed to even have one threatening shot on target. Parreira played his cards wrong. To be fair to him, how could he remove a household name like Cafu from the team? But then that's what separates ex-Brazilian Coach Scolari from him. Scolari refused to include the oldie Romario in the 2002 Brazilian World Cup squad despite huge public requests. If Parreira had been a little discerning, he would have observed that Cafu by no means had a good season with AC Milan and was growing terribly old. Also Parreira could have been a little more thorough in picking his starting 11 for the World Cup. The match against Japan, was clearly Brazil's best performance. Cicinho and Juan took centre stage then and provided another dimension to the Brazilian attack, through the wings. Didn't Parreira get that?

On the other hand, Zidane put on a master-class performance in frankly, quite a dull game. Apart from his 3 goals in the World Cup, Henry continued to struggle in a totally uncharacteristic performance by him. Defensively the game was beautiful, but then defense is not Joga Bonito, is it?

All in all, there are no excuses for Brazil's loss. They are to blame. I am a Brazilian fan and I feel that Brazil did not deserve to proceed, but hell, I wanted them too. I am heart-broken, and this heart-ache won’t allow me to support any other team for the remaining portion of the World Cup. So, good luck to France, Portugal (who could only scrape past England on penalties), Italy and Germany. Let's hope that the semi-finals and finals of this World Cup will be more exciting than the quarters.

The Referee From Hell - How Valentin Ivanov Screwed Up.

Portugal v/s Netherlands, World Cup 2006 Second Round Match. Referee: Valentin Ivanov, of Russia, taking place at Nurnberg.

The game started off decently. The first half was goal filled, well because it had the only goal of the game, a good strike from Maniche. But it ended with an ominous sign - the sending off of Costinha, by the Russian referee, for a second yellow card. It was a fair decision to a particular extent, but could have gone the other way too. Apart from the goal and the sending off, the other point of note was the piece of magic conjured by Arsenal's Van Persie on the right flank, but he spoilt it with a careless miss. All in all, I did not know what to expect in the second half.

Before I move to the 2nd half details, let me get this clear. I am a Brazilian supporter, but for this match I was supporting Netherlands because of Arsenal’s Van Persie and because well Portugal would pose a greater threat to Brazil if they went through. So, anyway the point is I was supporting Holland.

The score line was definitely frustrating. 1-0 at half time, damn! The second half though looked more promising for the Dutch. With an extra man, they were dominating possession. Then, Cocu agonizingly struck the bar. Kuyt missed a few more chances, and some dismal shooting from Van Bommel got me even more infuriated. Then, enter Ref. Ivanov. This Ivanov dude has some mental problem definitely. He seemed to be drawing pure sadistic pleasure from yellow and red cards. He seemed to be refereeing without the slightest implementation of logic and common sense. All in all, Mr Ivanov ended up giving a modest total of 20 cards, 16 yellow and 4 red. Freak. All through the game it seemed as though he wanted to steal the limelight, and it seemed as though he felt self-righteous for every single booking he made. Quite frankly it was insane. Some were deserved, but many were not. By issuing so many bookings, this clearly stupid referee fuelled the adrenalin of the players, leading to many silly tussles. This led to more bookings, and well more pleasure for our Russian referee. Injuries, bookings and fights constituted most of the second half in addition to the almost rare fast-paced football of the two teams. Netherlands came close many a time, but remained unable to unlock the Portuguese defense. Anyway, despite the wastage of so much time, the referee felt that only 6 minutes needed to be added on. It should have clearly been at least 8 or 9.

It was an extremely frustrating and enjoyable evening for me, and for many other football lovers. A bad referee, coupled with lovely football and a flurry of bookings, it kept me glued to every single piece of action. It had everything, but maybe a few more goals would have made it better. Any how, these ambivalent emotions depict the unpredictability and well, the beauty of football. You just don't know what is going to happen next. Yes it was entertaining, thanks to the referee, but hell it was damaging for both the sides.

This world cup has been a very controversial when it comes to referees. The reputed Graham Poll surprisingly gave 3 yellow cards to a Serbia & Montenegro player, which was pretty hilarious, but totally unbelievable, coming from such a revered English referee. Also, the referee of England's first game against Paraguay was a pain in the ass. Marco Rodriguez, the Mexican referee spoiled the game, according to me, by giving unnecessary free-kicks, interrupting the flow of the game. On the other hand, some referees have been exceptional. They have stayed low key, and allowed free-flowing football. That's how it should be.

All in all, the 2006 World Cup is turning out to be a truly entertaining spectacle; living up to it's expectations and enthralling millions of people worldwide, with some of the most unbelievable goals. Let's hope the rest of the matches live up to their billing too, and let us all hope that Brazil lift the crown for a record 6th time, and let us all also hope that stupid referees don't spoil any of the remaining games.

24

24 took me by storm. It was during my examinations, I think it was the Math weekend, when I was feeling quite bored and was quite fed up of academics. So, well, I thought of watching the 1st episode of this award-wining series, and find out what all the fuss was about. It took me precisely 5 minutes to know that I am going to be addicted to 24. I watched 4 episodes that night, and only stopped because; well I had only 4 episodes.

Anyone who has not seen 24 is a fool. I was one too, until recently. You don't know what you are missing. 24 has everything from a twisted, mind-boggling plot, accompanied by realistic acting, to the most creative concepts ever.

"The following takes place between 12:00am and 1:00am on the day of the California Election Primary. Events occur in real time" - that’s how each episode starts. Each season has 24 episodes, one hour each, which trace the events occurring in Jack Bower's life as a CTU agent. Convoluted, and filled with a million twists, with breath-taking shots, and highly realistic occurrences, 24 will blow you away and quite honestly, I have not see any video production better than this, and guess what I am not even through seeing the first season yet. Even though it has a very improbable story line, it is very realistically made and it has the ability to transfer you into the eyes of the protagonist, and you, the observer, are the only one who knows everything that's happening.

It's fascinating and a must see. I just had to rave about it. It's so good, that there will probably be a Bollywood take on it, and as usual they will screw it up. Let me make it clear, 24 outclass every single Bollywood & Indian Television production, and highlights the superiority of Western entertainment as opposed to the inferiority of the Indian television industry. Hats off to Paul Gadd (producer), Robin Chamberlin, Richard Rosser and Nicole Burke (directors) on a truly marvelous production.

Bored At School 2

Remember Ms Ohri, well she is here right now. Wailing, crying, and hitting the innocent me. Apparently it's all for her sister - "What would I do without her?" Well it kind off reminded me of my sister. She's in Spain, living a fruitful life, and exploring the beauty of simplicity, with the aim to be a part of the elite few Indians who are well versed in Spanish, which is probably the fastest growing language in the world. The maker of 'Griddskipper' - one of the most popular travel websites in the world - has approached her to write for his website, and her 1st post is already up. Her blog is now Latino flavoured, with constant updates on the Spanish and salsa. Worth a visit! Hats off and good luck to her.

Coming back to the School IT center, the Head Boy and the Head Girl have now entered the IT center. Hmm...interesting. A few wonder couple sparks seem to have been flying. ;-)

We are going to meet the school alumuni, and get a little bored. I am really tired. Haven't really got any sleep for the past 24 hours.

Yes recently, my blog posts have been a little random with less substance and more well, 'masti', or non-sense. But do expect something a little more exciting in the future.

P.S. - This post was started in the school IT center. I was not able to finish and publish it then. That is the reason why I am publishing it now.