Following the Equator

Would someone put this man on a section 136 please? ;)

Parenting Harbhajan...

Now that the Dog's letter has been erased off Harbhajan, could Kumble do us all a favour by doing him some telling behind closed door?

Behaving like an idiot on cricket field, celebrating a wicket by ridiculously rolling all over the grass as if it was his wheat field in Punjab, bringing a national flag onto a sporting field for nothing, trying to dance like a drunk while on live international stream and succeeding! Patently, he has been disgusting too often to be ignored as a sudden rise of blood to his empty-head. Worst of all, what sort of thoughtless smartass would want to sledge in his own mother tongue and expect people in a totally different clime to understand it?

If I were Kumble, I would give him an ultimatum that If he cant maintain some dignity in the future, he would be standing in some crowded corner in Jallandar, ogling at women and giving wrong directions to visitors.

New slang

Sort of music,that commands me to just shut off everything and strumm. Everytime. And the video, floods memories of small town childhood making the heart heavy.

World without End....

The particles are broken;the waves are transculent, laving roiling with beauty like sharks.The present is the wave that explodes over my head, flinging the air with particles at the height of its breathless unroll; it is the live water and the light that bears from undisclosed sources the freshest news, renewed and renewing, world without end.

~Annie Dillard

Physiognomy

glumbert - Women in Film

Nicotine Notes Update:

You know how strange it feels when the consciousness to quit smoking arrives? No , I am not referring to the version which often comes and goes away. This is different and feels so unique, as though it was someone alien and not me who was feeling it. And worst of all, it makes you feel helpless when you realise, almost against yourself that it is here to stay.

Yes, have packed it in. Nothing to do with any of new year’s resolution. But yes, had been thinking of cutting down and slung it around the event. Well, first thought I should smoke not more than 20 a year, mostly as occasional pleasures. However the third day was ambivalent. Couldn’t resist buying a pack at Sainsbury’s, the same old lady who on seeing me immediately pulled out a pack. So couldn’t escape. And then had the first one which soon ushered in the second and I have to tell you I did not feel any good about it. Not at all. In fact, was quite angry with myself. And soon the second was beckoning the third. I thought it’s about time . Thought about it for a good 15 minutes and then emptied the pack in the toilet and flushed them away for good. Or so I think. Presently am fighting everything. Even the fucking thought of having quit it.
One heartening aspect though is I have learnt to say no. At times, I spend my time imagining myself being offered a stick by so many smokers I know and practice mentally to say no to them. But its going to be quite a challenge.

The weak moments I have identified are: when I am on my own and become stimulated by a thought or any other interesting stimulus from outside. Second post coitus. Fuck it. Feel like lunatic. Then there are times when you watch a perfect stranger light up and slowly draw a puff as if it was the very purpose of his life . I feel running amok. But so far haven’t given in.

I suppose it is more or less like a bereavement. Even everyone around is slowly readjusting themselves to the loss. The other day, during a conversation, J lit a cigarette and reflexly out of habit extended the arm to light mine , only to find a smile on my lips. It was a difficult silent moment. Unique. Then he slowly withdrew his hand and continued with the talk as if nothing happened.I think he was feeling as if he had offended me and I felt almost apologetic for having putting him through such times.

Thats for now, as they say, lets see.

£1300 Car

I have memories of years and years of the so called Indian Left making a life and political career out of refuting everything in the world, leftish professors poisioning the minds of vulnerable uni students that they can remove the stupidity of the human nature by chanting slogans, all only ended up in making us borrow food.

Finally a day has come to see an Indian launch-Tata Nano being featured in International media first page. And deservingly. All talk all day has been Nano, £1300, $2500 er.



Yes, yes I know one or the other of stupid lady professors in JNU might soon publish a whining thesis about carbon levels of the world, all when her daughters might be driving one each to the PVR.She can take a test drive to hell. Going by the past decade of election results, Indians in the street are fairly knowledgable, than Americans, or even Indians who went universities.

Third gear now.

Withnail and I

I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame the earth seems to me a sterile promotory; this most excellent canopy the air, look you, this mighty o'rehanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire; why, it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, how like an angel in aprehension, how like a God! The beauty of the world, paragon of animals; and yet tome, what is this quintessence of dusk. Man delights not me, no, nor women neither, nor women neither.

Thanks Finny.

Monkeys and Bastards

Monkey is the father of man.
~ Charles Bobby Darwin, Loafer and Subverter

Yeaah! Man is the bastard (in chorus)
~Man is the Bastard, Loafers and wannabe subverters





Which of you bastards give three monkeys?

Salford Quay

Quay, including the Lowry, from View Point.

Salford, Manchester

On Ricky Ponting and his boys

I do not give a damn who won or lost but these are my contentions with Ricky Ponting from New Year’s test match at Sydney 2008 and some related issues:

• My primary and personal objection is the disgusting manner in which he presided over the last two sessions of an international test cricket. The ambience was more hostile even for a Liverpool fan in a Man U pub. Clearly Ponting was blinded by vanity. It was not hard and fair, but foul and sick.
  

• Ricky Ponting’s on field behaviour was undignified for any test captain, forget a champion side. He looked like a juvenile boy desperately wanting to stick it in to someone. In the process he has ended up losing any credibility and respect he had before. Firstly I believe not walking or staying while having nicked, should be a personal decision and not a Team Policy. That is how a cricketer’s moral worth is measured by the viewers. I have before stated that by claiming it as a team policy and Australia are eroding cricketing values.
• Considering that he endorsed such a policy, he stayed and batted after nicking before the world, defending he was not given out by the umpire. Fair enough. But far worse when given a wrong LBW, he swore at the umpire muttered and threw up his bat while at return.Is that in the policy? If he continues to do that often, Clarke, nurtured at the future skipper would convert it into the team policy just like how he stood like a moron after caught at first slip. Ricky Ponting has become a danger of an example.
  

• The worst is Ricky Ponting’s credibility as a player is lost forever. Claming a catch he has grassed and continuing to claim integrity when the replays show otherwise is assassinating your own character on live television. In plain English it is called lying and cheating. In one word: imbecile.
• Exploitation of the trust: he made mockery of the trust of the catching pact which was Kumble's naivety. Well aware that controversial low catches are his responsibility he was trying to convert every potential catch into a controversial one. He did well. To use a popular Australian phrase -- one hundred percent.
  

• Handling difficult behaviour: He has totally failed as a captain to handle difficult behaviour. Aussies bring a lot more baggage into the game that just good cricket is a well known fact. Calling it mental disintegration is their attempt to look up to the Brits. I have no qualms about sledging; we all know it has more or less become a part of international cricket. Got to give, got to take. Saying no to taking while dishing out is baby behaviour. Stuff that cartoons are made of.
  

• Here I need to say a bit on the monkey business. Personally, out of context it isn’t racist, may be its name-calling and at worst an abuse. But it can be seen that in Symonds context i how it could be racist. We all know better about Australians; Symonds hadn’t come up to Harbhajan to talk about the weather. But if in the process his sensibilities were offended which is a sort of irony, Ricky Ponting should have known better.

• Here he has faltered:

• 1. He has assumed it to be racist, a reflection of his thinking. Besides, no one knows if it was said. We dont have evidence for the allegation, what we have for though in two separate videos is Ponting is a Liar. Also, Jayasurya has publicly acknowledged that the reason why he began demolishing the cricket Ball like he did in 96-77 was triggered by taunts of Black Monkey by Australians, an allegation they havent till date denied. It was also a favourite among Australians to ask about the smell of fish while he came to bat, apparently aimed at his roots of being a Fisherman at Motera. These are racial compliments of course.
  
• 2. Far more graver: if it was racist , given the nature of the offence, first thing Ponting should have done is to call on Kumble after the game before lodging the complaint. That he has run to Papa Procter with a motive to get rid off Singh who has grown to be a nightmare to his batting average from a nemesis just shows How Ponting has lost his marbles.I think that is perhaps the most irresponsible thing a cricketing captain has done in recent times. Remember Steve Waugh frowning upon Lara for reporting McGrath who spat at the batsman. I think at that time Waugh said Lara shouldn’t have reported it to the match referee which resulted in heavy fines for McGrath.
  

• Gamesmanship: Nil. As I said, like a Caesar he has been too preoccupied with himself and his winning, he hardly acknowledged India who for everyone to see have been at the receiving end of the amazing cricketing videos at SCG. (Do not forget 2003-04). Grassed catches claimed, umpires being morons when not miles away etc. any sensible captain would have taken a moment to commend the opposition. All Ponting could muster was ‘We won! What a win what a win!’ Gilchrist his deputy soon joined him to tease Tony Greig about the declaration while live on telly. That has become the state of Australian cricket; Boorish and uncouth.
  

• General lack of perception: I alluded to it yesterday. Ponting pounced on a journalist to make a fool of himself and his country, and even after three days after he has gained his illustrative record, which surely shall be unforgettable, he simply lacks capacity to comprehend what has happened.

Not taking away the credit for the Australian win, which I thought was to do with the business of luck, there was no customary ceremony, no congratulations from many test players and commentators. The game has been marked as an umpiring debacle, the opposition captain, a well admired player all over has stated in press conference that Australia lacked cricketing spirit, an international tour is suspended, opposition players are unwilling to play to anymore injustice.
Also, Ponting himself, after celebrations said he cant comment on umpiring decisions because he will be in hot water, chided Tony Grieg for criticising his declaration, attacked a journalist unnecessarily and as we all know foolishly, went and gave deposition for hours at a racial hearing and came back to say that the second test was lot of fun and enjoyment.

It would be for sure, if you are willing to pick up a grassed ball and call it your sixteenth win.
History knows many a great people have stood at that point and always gone in one direction. Down.
Ponting having a laugh, stating for the record there was no way he grounded the Ball. God Bless JL Baird.

Addendum:

In many ways, Ponting has done great favour for cricket and its matter of time Australian legacy shall be broken. It would be very interesting to see How Aussies would play a match against Bangladesh with their mouth shut. Oh ! Ricky You dont know what you have done!

Secondly, Australian cricketers are too blind to see all that happened , because as we all know they are in a culture in a warp syndrome; which is the heart of what the world accuses them of double standards. They quite simply are not aware of a world outside and are unable to appreciate a opposing perspective. It has been there for a while: Remember McGrath threatening to slit Sarwan’s throat on cricket field when Sarwan replied ‘Ask your wife’ when McGrath had sledged him ‘ How does Brian Lara’s dick taste’? it is for the same reason Symonds who commented that Indians were overboard with T20 win has no comments on celebrations now. Based on similar sentiments most Australian newspapers Just forgot to report Australian loss to Pakistan in T20. (Unbelievable! but true). It is for such warp they do not understand that world doesnt know what exactly is a 95% sure catch. Finally, it is for the same reason mental disintegration didn’t have a definition till now.

Not anymore.

Dirty Down Under:

A sweetly timed red cricket ball running in tiny jumps to the cover boundary is one of beautiful sights we live for. After the wins and losses have worn out I suppose it is the memory of such images is what makes cricket what it is. Sublime.

It is for this reason that I returned to telly at an unearthly hour, half pissed, half expectant to catch some decent test cricket for a couple of sessions. Thankfully sleep beckoned and saved me an unpleasant experience.

In the morning we woke up to see a deeply disturbed Kumble, who seemed ready to break into a sob with a slight tap on the shoulder put on a brave face before the mike. India had lost. Well, nothing shocking. Been there lost that I thought and went out to make the most of a capitalistic Sunday.


Came back to find story after interesting story unravel: contentious decisions, unsportly behaviour, spirit of the game, integrity of the team etc and the eventual ban of Harbhajan Singh for racism.

It is then I put on the video which I had recorded last night.

Here I must state that I have admired Australia for their pride and their hunger for victory. I do that the same way I have admired Michael Schumacher. Valued friends often have disagreed with me on my views about their behaviours.
I suppose its just to do with my personality.

Also I must note here that I am too old to be jingoistic, too capital to side with the underdog, too messed up to support a single team. But having watched the fifth day’s play, I think there is no one who can convince me that Australia, played cricket hard and fair. The last two sessions were perhaps the most disgraceful and shameless cricket on display by the Australians, even by their own standards.

In span of two sessions Australians successfully managed to reduce the proceedings at the famed strip of scg into a local pub. Nasty looks, choice stares, liberal mouthing, bullying the umpires, extreme muttering, undue sighing, and everything uncivil to gain a victory and a record that has made them love themselves so much that even after 48 hours after the result I don’t think a single member of their team has been able fully comprehend the enormity of what they have lost.

I have never seen a sadder moment in cricket in my time than Kumble slowly walking back, shocked while the Australians gathered their huddle and the sought after record not even been able to remember they played against a team. That is inexcusable; yes, we have seen close exciting finishes too. I was there at Edgbaston on that august Sunday, perhaps one of the greatest test matches ever. I had seen Freddie flintoff for all his worth , break away from his celebrating partners to go back to Brett lee.

As Kumble walked back, for a moment I wished it was England who had beaten India.


The sole responsibility for such a blind , mad, shameless, venture of a game for personal glory has to go to the Caesar. Rick Ponting. Thus, begins the decline and fall of imperium cricket australium.

Have more to say, laters.

Isabelle Allende @TED

Almost bordering on standup, but nevertheless, enjoyable.

Manderlay

Watched finally, after 6 months from borrowing it; Lars Von Trier ,another day in the office.

Notes on Human Condition

The beauty of man is in his being; in his mysterious ability to implicitly identify the totemic value before the need to appropriate it takes over. The need to be awed always precedes the need to analyze and improve. Thus, man first recognises the art before proceeding to the science of any evaluation.

It is only a departure from this state of being that leads to the discontent among individual and societies. A degree of dissatisfaction, however, is what motivates an enquiry; so in a sense the condition of human life is an acknowledgement of this incompleteness that furthers an attempt to fulfill it. But however, the identity of man by its definition is a bias - a limitation which cannot comprehend its objective destiny during this journey. This would mean that by the process of life and consciousness man tries to sublimate the search and return to this very desired yet unknown state in as many means as his imagination permits.

Two such powerful avenues would be, thought and emotion- symbolized from without, by Science and Art respectively. But they are concerted identities exclusive of humanity, a bridge to cover the distance, on which a few, if at all, are allowed to pass through. For others, life is not conscious and creative but a mean of passive sublimation of the search.

Speech is sublimation, Sense is sublimation, Sex is sublimation, the whole society is an elaborate sublimation of this search. To what end? The question props instantly.

For man though, the destiny, notwithstanding the success and failure of its value, can only be momentary while the strife remains eternal. At any given time any man can only be part of a certain journey and only a part of a certain destiny, he cannot claim witness or ownership of the entire journey and the goal. Human Life, for any one who has known it, by living it would tell you is all about half-measures and over-shoots. All that sublimates and returns to itself. Resources may vary and desires may take different form and shape; but the process is sustained regardless of nature, value and the conscience of the participants.

In comprehending this -- That in the transciency of his participation lies the glory and the terror of being a man. That he is not allowed to forget to balance all the loves, the passions and the values so dear and true to him, with his insignificance in the grande scheme of the universe to which he is only an evolutionary minutiae.

Painting: La Conditione Humaine, Rene Magritte, National Gallery Of Art, Washington

The Song of the Sydney Opera

Vangiparappu
Venkatasai
Laxman

You beauty. A Class of your own.

we had marked our schedules to see you sing at sydney and you didnt disappoint. Now sachin owes one big, big ouevre.

The ways of memory

So its like this. Happened twice in almost two months. Before that the last time it happened was when Shilpa Shetty was riding the sine wave of media hotness and generally being lusted after by the British public. A conversation with K reminded me of the only thing I could remember Shilpa till that time, this absolutely zing bollywood song with Akshay Kumar where both of them were dancing to the supple tunes of market liberalization. For all my bread and bollywood I couldn’t get it out, while C whose only bollywood knowledge is Lagaan which she had managed to watch, apparently mesmerised in crowded halls of Jaipur while backpacking India. She kept on singing radaaaa kaisa na jaale, a Hindu song written, composed and performed by all Muslims. But all my efforts to get out the song stopped at the tip of the tongue and finally after much it was forgotten until some fine day it came perfectly like an orgasm and as joyous when some smug advert mentioned about stolen hearts. Yes Churake dil mera.

Of late the experiences have been slightly but not wholly different. Last month of the last month , while discussing Islam with C, he happened to quote a lot of books, Rajmohan’s Understanding the Muslim Mind , Vidia Bhai’s Islam journey and also, in the context Invading the sacred, a book, a defence by Hindu scholars against the attack on Hindu scriptures by American academicians.
He reserved much of his scorn for Wendy Doninger often referring to her as a kid. Then I thought I had heard the name somewhere and finally when I caught up, it came to me , she was the first girlfriend of Francis Ford Coppola , this scholar at Chicago. Her fame being the first girl Francis kissed. What fun! History will record that first.

Next, was catching up with Alan Bennett’s what I did not do in 2007 on LRB where one of his entries referred to Denis Brogan, an authority on USA who had claimed to have fucked in 46 of 50 states in USA. Brogan and the associative --scholar on USA sounded vaguely familiar , so I had to had to validate the recesses of memory , hence woke up troubling a few others and waded through my book racks to eventually find the Penguin history of USA by Hugh Brogan. But couldn’t find the connection though and finally at mane wiki did the favour that Hugh was the son of Denis. The question now is in whichof the 46 states was Hugh conceived?

Starters...

Moolaadé

Moments of Reprieve

Who's bollox is it?

This is interesting. Really. At the end of this post, after you have completely read it.

Not Nicotines...

Not more than 20 cigarettes/ cigars this year.