Pensees

New website

2007-09-26T02:28:00.000+05:30

I now have a new website at http://www.cs.utah.edu/~udipi

The Second Coming..

2007-06-28T23:45:00.000+05:30

I realize this blog has been rotting for quite a while now. It's time for a new life for my blog, just as it is a new life for me, in more ways than one! I can remove the "-to-be" from the tagline and perhaps the name is getting stale. The "e-" in the address seems silly now too. Bottomline: My blog needs a makeover and some more attention.

Well, I've known all these things for a while now but somehow these thoughts vanished before they became actions. I've got down to it now finally. Thanks JK!

Ok you may or may not be wondering why JK needs to be thanked (you may or may not know who JK is) but I will answer anyway: she tagged me. Though I don't do these tag things, this time it was something that pushed me into actually writing after a really long time! The tag says I'm supposed to write 8 random things about myself. If you carefully look at my blog, the title says "the random thoughts"... So this time I have to think of randomer things and put them down; so here goes!

1. Four years spent in the wrong place have ruined my English. I hope a change of scene combined with more active blogging ( :D ) will take it to pre-SSN levels.

2. I find it hard to sleep before 1 a.m.

3. I love Gtalk. In fact, I love most things Google.

4. I prefer time displays in 24 hr mode.

5. I hate fish. Dead or alive.

6. $*##$#()$@#)_@#$

7. I don't belive anybody cares about what I've written so far or what I will write after this! This doesn't make me any less interested in writing.

8. And finally, at the end of a post mostly about random things, I must say I absolutely detest randomness in any form!

P.S. I have taken action on my thoughts above and started a new blog at http://ruddha.blogspot.com/

Censored!

2006-07-18T20:26:00.000+05:30

As an active blogger, I must put on record that I find the ban on blog sites by the Department of Telecommunications outrageous, to say the least. It is a pointless and clearly undemocratic clamp down on the basic right of Indian citizens to say what they feel, whenever they feel it, wherever they want. That this will make any difference to the all new Indian "War on Terror" is evidently a specious argument. There can be no justification whatsoever for such a rash and irrational move by the Government. I will say what I want, whether the Government likes it or not. I once again state that I strongly condemn this move and urge the authorities to undo the damage as quickly as possible and apologize to the people of our country.

For Gods are human too...

2006-05-28T13:07:00.000+05:30

So he made a mistake...So what? At the end of a super fast lap where he was trying to squeeze everything out of the car, seven time world drivers champion Micheal Schumacher braked a fraction too late, oversteered, almost hit the barrier and stalled in the middle of the track. By a complete coincidence, Alonso, who had set a blistering first section time on his last hot lap, happened to be behind the maestro and had to slow down for the yellow flags. He missed his pole, but what the hell, its all part of the game, accidents happen. Thats why they are called that, accidents! But no, the whole world is waiting to accuse Schumi, call him a cheat, a crook, an unscruplous, ruthless automaton. Give him a break man, he's human too. As Jean Todt rightly pointed out, this sets a terrible precedent. The very concept of driver error has been relegated to the sidelines. The only talk is of how Schumacher could make such an error. So its ok if someone else had done it? Or if the affected party was not Alonso? This is simply a publicity gimmick pulled off by Ernie, Mosely, the FIA and all the other lame people looking for a sensational story. What a sad day for Formula One...

P.S. I don't believe one word of what I've written. Why, Schumi, WHY??!

Street Cricket

2006-05-17T00:15:00.000+05:30

They say three things are ageless in Chennai. Coffee, Cricket and The Hindu. Cricket, especially of the "street" variety, is something almost every boy in Chennai is almost guaranteed to have played. Read this interesting wiki on street cricket. Almost everything there seemed extremely familiar to me... Enjoy!

Thoughts..

2006-05-16T23:50:00.000+05:30

Warning: May not make any sense. Read at your own risk.

I have been wanting to post something for a while now. One part of my brain wants to blog. The rest of it somehow refuses to cooperate. Roughly three weeks of preparation (??!) for the Anna University exams seems to have deadened my mind and senses. It all seems so pointless. I just cannot think. Time has lost meaning. Everything has become relative. I sleep at all odd hours. The actual time doesn't matter anymore. Its kind of like 'displacement' vis-a-vis 'distance' (Shit, look the example, I'm not even sure its relevant...where am I heading?). All that matters is sleep time + seven hours at night(?) or sleep time + one hour any other time of the day! Anyway, the bottomline is that I can't think of anything sensible to write right now. This post is just to tell the world (myself??) that I'm still an active blogger. If you think this whole thing is crap, please read the first line again.

No point bitching I guess. I have to go through it all and will do so, just like I've done five times already, and fairly successfully at that. Just three more to go. I can't wait! And then there are other things waiting after the exams. I think I'll leave those things to later posts, I need something to write don't I?

At the end of 200 odd words, if you still think I'm a loser with nothing better to do, you are free to think whatever you want, its a free country after all. You may even say what you feel wherever you want. Its a free internet after all. I have just four words for you: Read the first line.

Links

2006-05-04T22:39:00.000+05:30

You can read "My friend, Mr. Mahajan" by Rajdeep Sardesai here. Rajdeep's blog also makes for interesting reading, check it out here.

Pramod Mahajan: Eulogy

2006-05-03T23:51:00.000+05:30

Pramod Mahajan: 1949-2006

Mr. Mahajan, to me, represented the new generation of political leaders, somebody I hoped would one day become Prime Minister. But it was not to be. A tragic end for probably one of the most charismatic politicians in India.

His completely candid and open views on every issue, combined with a naturally eloquent style of speech made for a brilliant orator. He was never one to mince words or fudge issues. His disarming charm and techno-savvy outlook let him 'connect' to people like me, the urban youth. I have to mention his laptop, palm pilot and three cell phones. His Nikes, Ray-Bans and treadmills. He was the architect of 'India Shining'. Of a computerized BJP 'war-room'. Of a new style of SMS campaigning, flash presenations, powerpoints and pagemaker posters. At the end of it all, he was the first to gracefully admit defeat. And take responsibility for it. "If we had won, I would have got the credit for organizing the campaign. It is only fair that I take responsibility for the defeat". He believed in "never say die". A pragmatic politico, he wanted to enjoy politics as a game, and be to Indian politics what Sachin Tendulkar is to Indian cricket. One of the few politicians I had any respect for. A rising career cut short by God's strange plays. May his soul rest in peace.

Victory Leap

2006-04-25T01:29:00.000+05:30

A longer post will hopefully follow when I have more time, but I had to say this much now. Perhaps I spoke too soon. It was absolutely wonderful. The leap off the top step of the podium. The German national anthem. Followed by the Italian anthem, conducted by Micheal Schumacher. A hundred thousand devoted fans going bonkers. Oh its been so long. The GOD is back. With a bang. Time to celebrate Tifosis!

The prancing horse prances no more??

2006-04-04T22:02:00.000+05:30

Racing. Motorsport. Sports cars. These words cause a single thing to come to mind, FERRARI! Scuderia Ferrari (Scuderia literally means stable) has been synonymous with all things fast for a long long time now. The Ferrari racing team made its debut on 21 May1948 at the beautiful Monaco Grand Prix where the legendary Alberto Ascari came home in second place and started what was to become a glorious presence in the field of motor racing. Since then, the Scuderia has gone on to win a record number of titles, both driver and constructor. Probably no other company in the world has been deified to this extent, surrounded by a kind of aura and charm unparalleled in any field, not just motorsport.

After a relatively dry period of about 20 years, a suddenly revived Marlboro Scuderia Ferrari went onto a new plane altogether with the arrival in the team of the living legend, Michael Schumacher in 1996.

Schumacher also brought along with him the nucleus of his hugely successful Benetton team in the form of Ross Brawn(technical director) and Rory Byrne (chief designer). Teaming up with Jean Todt (team principal), they set about rebuilding the Scuderia. By 2004, the scarlet team had come to epitomize perfection and precision, winning race after race with mechanical consistency. Schumacher won 13 of the 18 races, and 12 of the first 13 of the season -- both F1 records. This was the acme of his career as he went on to became the most successful driver of all time, winning an unbelievable 7 world championship titles.

2005, however, saw the beginning of the downward slide. All new regulations (widely believed to have been put in place to end Ferrari's sheer dominance and make F1 more 'lively') saw the team struggle. They also did not have their new car and were rapidly outraced by their rivals, especially the French team Renault. The new car was rushed into use and this move saw Schumacher retire at Bahrain, the first mechanical failure since 2001, ending a phenomenal run of 59 Grands Prix without technical failure. Since then, the team hasn't really managed to get back on top. They continue to remain off the pace, not helped at all by the non-performing Bridgestones. In fact, these seem to be one of the major sources of Ferrari's troubles. The tires seem to be unable to come up to racing temperature fast enough or last long enough, giving the Michelin runners a clear advantage. The 2006 season seemed to start off fairly well, giving hope to the ever loyal tifosi (meaning Scarlet fever!). Ferrari started making "We're back..." statements but have till now turned out to be just that, statements. Though I hate to say this, Schumi too seems to be losing his touch, and more importantly, his aggression. Though he remains one of the most physically fit drivers on the circuit,he is getting older. At 37, he has probably learnt what fear is. His starts seem to lack the absolute obsession seen in the younger drivers to make places up. He drives in a more placid way than before. The odd driver error has started creeping in. He seems more 'human' than 'superhuman'.

So, is this, atleast temporarily, the end of the reign of the prancing horse? Don't bet on it. The magnetism remains, and the tifosi continue to throng circuits, sure that sweet success will be theirs once again. Over half a century of racing pedigree cannot disappear with a few bad performances. The Giant from Maranello cannot be written off. Beware world, Ferrari may be down, but they certainly are not out! Long live the prancing horse!!

......

2006-03-04T21:34:00.000+05:30

The three posts below were written under conditions of extreme duress. No harm intended to any person(s) or organization(s). Errors are regretted. I wrote them on the fly, in real time, and didn't even read through once before posting. I probably sound very very incoherent. I wasn't drunk. Really. Sorry I swore so much. Exams suck. Results suck even more. God bless us all.

Read the 'Coming soon' posts in reverse order. They just might make a little bit of sense then.

Coming Soon 3..

2006-03-04T00:06:00.000+05:30

10.29 PM

I bolted some food down and am back here. No change. Meanwhile Anna University's website is opening. First item on the site is a tender notice to enhance bandwidth. Perhaps they need this extra BW to handle results traffic. GOD!! Somebody give them Bandwidth man pleease!!

10.47PM

Am trying out combos on the univ site(/results.htm /result.htm /results.html /result.html). Nothing is wroking. Should I sleep? I don't think I'll sleep a wink anyway, so what is the point??

Another 4 MB gone (I only have a thousand a month!!). It is now almost four hours to the minute since I sat at the computer. Net Gain...ZERO.

11.07PM

Am getting seriously pissed now. What do these people think we are? Jobless?? Well we might be, but they have no goddamn right to treat us this way anyway.

11.12 PM

"Dei the link is on Chennaionline.com". "Yaaaay finally!!"

Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server error '80040e31'
Timeout expired
/results/annauniv/getresults.asp, line 59

Screw Microsoft. Some poeple never learn.

11.30PM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I can't take it...i'm losing pa

11.55PM

Power cut!! So many goddamn mosquitos and so humid....SHIT! Anyway, power back on just now...the website seems to have been set right. Ok Thank you GOD

11.58PM

31503106006...Submit....Result on screen at last!

THE END

Coming Soon 2...

2006-03-03T22:10:00.000+05:30

9.55 PM

I quit dinner and try again..

Anna University Results -Nov 2005

First Private website to publish this result
Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a01a8'
Object required: ''
/anna-university-results/rankmainframe.asp, line 33

What the hell is happening man??!! This is driving me craaazy. Phone ringing. "What da whats happening??". "I'm not god..probably even God doesn't know". DAMN!!

10.00 PM

Everybody is online. I tell my friend, "Machan, I'm writing blog about this da". "Moron". And then no message. "Everybody's" blood pressure is rising!! :) Mine is ok, the whole thing looks quite funny now! But God, does this suck!! I'm also thinking of Instincts (to the uninitiated, it is SSN's very own 'cultural extravaganza') tomorrow, who the hell is going to come?? So much preparation, all in vain??

10.08 PM

I really give up this time. I have to have dinner. Its not worth starving for. I'll be back...

Coming Soon...

2006-03-03T21:47:00.000+05:30

6.45 PM
Brilliant program on Gorbachev on the History Channel. The phone rings. Cut. Ring again. Cut. Finally, "What da????" "Results". "Damn!! Says who??", I say. "Everybody da". God its started again man, this 'everybody' is saying thing. "Are you sure machan??". "Yeah, 'everybody' says its on Roundbrothers.com". Ok whatever, I think and check the website out.

Anna University B.E / B.Tech Results : November 2005

Coming Soon
Today by 7.00 pm...

7.45PM
I have typed my register number and hit refresh atleast a thousand times (No exaggeration!!). Still nothing (4 MB gone from Dataone account as the ad is refreshing every time). Results at 7 Pm... DAMN!!

8.30PM
Page refreshes. "Yaaaay finally...", I think

Anna University B.E / B.Tech Results : November 2005
Coming Soon

Today by 9.20 pm...

DAMN!!

9.45 PM

Its still not here. I'm sick of waiting and hitting refresh. I'm hungry, sleep and disorientated. The results can go screw themselves. I'm leaving. More updates later.

Sarfaroshi ki tamanna...

2006-02-19T23:02:00.000+05:30

Its been a while since I posted anything. I did not have the time. And I did not really know what to write about. Then I watched Aamir Khan's Rang De Basanti. It was a profoundly poignant experience and I felt strongly about a lot of things in the movie. So here goes, one more commentary on it, to add to the scores already making rounds on the net. It is basically the story of a group of formerly happy-go-lucky young adults inspired by the great Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad and company to fight the evils of present day society. The death of their close friend in a MiG accident caused by defective spare parts purchased in deals clinched through massive bribes makes them rise up and take law into their own hands. Behind this story lies a message. A message to the youth of this nation. A message to see things in new light. A message to make a difference. A message to AWAKEN!

We crib. We complain. We denounce the entire 'system' in our country. 'Indians...' we say, in a derogatory tone. Yes, it is true. There is corruption. Rampant corruption. Most of our ministers deserve to be expelled (if not shot, like in the movie!). Uneducated people get appointed or worse still, elected, to top posts for all the wrong reasons.Nothing works the way it is meant to. Our civil 'servants' and administrators actually stooped so low as to pilfer money and goods meant for disaster relief following the devastating Tsunami. Crores of rupees in 'development funds' end up 'developing' everybody but the common man. Starting from the policeman at the street corner, palms need to be greased everywhere to keep the giant administrative machine rolling. Yes, all this and worse is happening....but what are we doing about it? Nothing. We talk about it. And we continue to feed the system (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!). Or we take the easiest route and become escapists, getting out of the country. It is time this changes.

We, the youth of this nation of thousands of years of great heritage and tradition need to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. We need to blow like the spring wind of change, driving out the stench and gloom to replace it with an atmosphere radiating positive energy.We need to believe in our heart of hearts that things can change. Perhaps the path taken by the protagonists in the movie is too violent. Perhaps it is wrong to go round making your gun talk for you. But the intensity of action required is the same, if not the action itself. We need to resist any temptation to bribe or be bribed. We need to start with simple things like refusing to pay to get a driving license. Or insisting on a receipt for any fine paid. Or making sure to exercise your franchise. We, the educated, need to become the ministers and administrators of tomorrow. Above all, we need to be proud of our country. We need to listen to our conscience. We need to be upright, moral citizens, following the words of the Mahatma, sincerely interested in the upliftment of India. This is the only way the vision of our President, Dr. Kalam, can become reality. This is the only way India can be a peaceful, prosperous and developed nation sooner rather than later.

It was indeed a refreshing change to watch a movie with some substance and meaning. Let it be a clarion call for us to rise to the challenge facing us. Let the revolution begin. Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai! May God bless India. Jai Hind!

Ah..its in the air..

2006-01-03T00:16:00.000+05:30

Its Margazhi, and music is in the air. Every year, the city of Chennai is witness to a unique confluence of the best in Carnatic music from all over the country, if not the world, during the months of December and January. There are dozens of Sabhas, as they are called, each hosting programmes through the day for almost a month. The day normally begins with lec-dems and tutorials starting around 10.00 AM. There are atleast two more small concerts, around 2.00PM and 4.00PM. Its an indication that you have "made it" in the closed world of Carnatic music, if you are considered worthy of the prime slot, generally around 6.30PM.

Despite extensive commercialization in recent times, the "December Season" as it is popularly known is still a memorable experience. I have had the good fortune to be part of this as a music lover or rasika and will try to describe a typical kutcheri. Most evening programs require tickets or passes while the morning concerts are largely "All are welcome". I am invariably among the youngest people in any auditorium (counting out, of course, the screaming babies), the average age of the crowd being well past 60. There are gray-haired (if not hairless altogether) heads nodding and going aaah...tchu-tchu-chu...balle....sabash sabash with hands moving like a conductor's baton, completely engrossed and enveloped by the music. These are accompanied by the inevitable eeeeeeeeeeeeeee of the sound system, the kut-kut-kut of the percussionist adjusting his pitch and waaahs from bored/hungry kids. The musicians enjoy themselves thoroughly too, each man on stage constantly appreciating and encouraging all the others. A typical concert starts with an invocation to Ganesha, followed by three to four short pieces, taking up the first hour and a half to two hours. This is followed by the main piece with a lengthy alapana, or elucidation of raaga, the tune, followed by the actual song, going on for almost an hour with veteran singers. Also, the percussionists are allowed a few minutes to showcase their talent, called the taniavartanam. The "connoisseurs" consider this the end of the concert and generally walk out, with no regard or respect for the person playing on stage (these people are NOT ill mannered GEN-X punks mind you, these are the 'respectable' old men!). This is followed by some short, fast tukadas and finally, the Mangalam, or conclusion.

If you are lucky, you will have an old mama talking at the end of the concert, reminiscing about old times, concerts he heard a century ago and invariably the singer's father/grandfather/ forefathers. Believe me, it is highly amusing! Another integral part of these events is the Sabha canteen, where you can have anything from Kapi(Sooda, sakkarai illamai !!) to a full length meal if you plan to spend the whole day at the venue. You are also likely to see old men with a cloth shoulder bag containing flasks of coffee, hot water and The Hindu. These people spend the entire day moving from one Sabha to another, making full use of the season. CD and cassette stalls too have started coming up, making the most of the season. A new addition this time is the Worldspace satellite radio counter.

All in all, I must say it is a singularly wonderful experience and I consider myself really lucky to be a part of this great tradition. I wonder though, why the tourism department is not promoting this as a global affair, when the craziest things, from frogs in Southern America to beer in Germany to tomatoes in Spain have their own "fests"!!

Cricket, Live!

2005-12-08T00:56:00.000+05:30

Water problems in Chennai are nothing new but certainly not of the kind we are facing of late. The skies have simply opened up and suddenly we find that a parched city is reeling under floods. The BCCI also seems to have been caught unawares (??) and the fourth successive match at the MAC Stadium was washed out (well, as good as!). However, there was a day of pointless play and after a lot of deliberation and yes-no yes-no yes-no sessions with myself, I decided that I had to be at Chepauk on Tuesday. Expecting a long queue for daily tickets (I came back home without tickets the last time I was there), I told myself that I would sacrifice a few snores and get my ass to the stadium well in advance.

Dutifully, I set three alarms to ring in succession within a few minutes of each other to ensure that I would not doze away. This tactic worked satisfactorily and I found myself leaving home as early as 6.00 AM. By 6.40, I had my first ever experience with the Chennai Mass Rapid Transport System, more commonly called MRTS or locally, 'Parakkum Rail', the train which flies (Unfortunately, it flies almost entirely over the Cooum and/or Buckingham Canal with their own characteristic stimuli to the nasal cavity). Though it was obvious that not many people patronized this system, I found the station well designed and well maintained. I purchased a one way ticket from a grumpy and disinterested clerk and was forced to wait for almost half an hour.The station was absolutely deserted, there was not a soul in sight. For lack of anything better to do, I decided to walk around. I noticed working elevators, working escalators, working display boards, working everything, the only thing lacking being people to use these. By 7.00, a train pulled in to the platform. I got into the first compartment and when the train left a few minutes later, I was struck by the fact that I was the sole occupant of the whole carriage!! As the train pulled out, I marveled, as I had many times in the past, at the sheer acceleration of these rakes. We were up to speed in no time and within six minutes, I had covered what would take atleast four to five times as much on the road, to arrive at the Chepauk railway station. I exited the station and was thrilled to find that I had landed right at the gates of he stadium.

When I got to the ticket counter, I was slightly anxious to see that there was nobody around. Where were the people? the queues? the plastic whistle vendors? the guy with flags in all shapes and sizes? What was happening? Soon, I realised that this was not going the way I thought it would. The feverish excitement of a cricket match was missing. Nobody seemed to give a damn. I was informed that the counters would open only at 8.15 after an initial pitch inspection.I was right at the head of the queue. Finally, after an interminable wait and my purse lighter by a hundred and fifty rupees, I entered the hallowed premises of the MAC stadium, Chepauk. To my dismay, I found that most of the stadium was empty as well. I told myself that it would fill in slowly as Sachin moved closer to his record breaking 35th century. It was not to be. Sachin got out cheaply and the rest of them followed like nine pins. The ground remained half-empty. The Indian attack started off well but strayed off course soon. The proceedings became monotonous and the captains reached a gentlemanly agreement to get back to their hotels an hour in advance. Arun Lal as usual headed a lacklustre presentation ceremony (which I couldn't see from my stand anyway) and then it was all over. I must admit, however, that all this had not prevented me from screaming my head off for every trivial incident on the field! I could hardly talk at the end of the day. In fact, even as I write this more than 24 hours later, I still have a sore throat!!

I got back to the railway station with a sore backside, a hoarse throat, a groaning stomach (the food at the stand was pathetic to say the least) and aching legs, but in some corner of my mind, feeling good about the whole thing! The train on the way back was again quick and efficient. I am now a fan of the local train system and have decided to patronize it whenever I can. It has the potential to mitigate, if not completely solve, the growing traffic problems of our city. I suggest you try it too.....

Uncyclopedia

2005-11-18T22:02:00.000+05:30

Check out this amusing page..

Have mercy on us DD..

2005-11-14T23:08:00.000+05:30

So,finally, a long awaited success for Team India. We pulverized the Lankans and before they knew what hit them it was all over. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the latest craze of this already crazy nation and we now have our very own Afridi. Ok, before I get carried away by all this cricket rhetoric I read in the newspaper everyday, I better get down to writing what I started out wanting to write...Have mercy on us DD.

"that was hammered away.....straight to the fielder.."
"maintanancy of form is essential due to tooth and nail competition among the young boys on the team.."

"wonderful shot....and he's been caught...."

"well hit, that should go for some runs...he gets a single off it..."

Such pathetic dross from the 'elite' commentary panel. Pandit Mohinder Amarnath's brilliant poetry. Krishnamachari Srikkanth playing the drums on the table (wonder why Charu didn't start dancing...maybe they'll have a starlet in noodle straps for the next series to form a dance pair, we'll just have to wait and see) Useless Mega polls like "What did Sachin eat for lunch today...A)Wheaties B)Rice C)He didn't eat at all...SMS A B or C to 676733 and win Mega prizes". An ad between balls. Ten ads between overs. And a million ads at lunch. DD is making a mockery of one of the greatest passions of this nation.

The "first fan of the Indian cricket team", Ms.Bedi, didn't make an appearance though. Thank god for small mercies.

Ok DD, listen up, we in India love our cricket. No, we worship it. Please let us enjoy the game. We know you love to make money. Probably more than we love our cricket. But please, don't cut to the field camera after the first ball of the over is bowled.Don't try to squeeze in an ad on every available sqaure millimeter on the screen. Have meaningful discussions and polls. And wake up DD, Arun Lal and Maninder Singh were giving (bad) Hindi commentary not so long ago. Give us some good commentary teams for a change (Harsha Bhogle, Geoff Boycott,Sunil Gavaskar et al.) . Don't belittle this wonderful game, nay, national religion, we all so adore. This is a heartfelt appeal. Have mercy on us DD!

Blogus Primus

2005-11-08T01:05:00.000+05:30

Its past 01.00 AM. I find myself, surprisingly, wide awake. And, not-so-surprisingly, absolutely unable to study. My friends have blogs, my neighbor has a blog, my neighbor's dog has its own blog and so do 20 million other losers on the internet. Even Google has an "official blog" (yeah really, check out googleblog.blogspot.com). And there are 200 million people spending upto 20 hours a week reading these things every year in the US alone. It is supposed to be addictive, therapeutic and fun, all at the same time. It is supposed to be the in-thing to do. So I decide to join the hordes of people wasting tremendous amounts of time and internet bandwidth putting up the silliest things on the world-wide-web and calling them "blogs". So here goes, my first ever blog!! I have filled up a considerable amount of space with pointless nonsense which is of no use whatsoever to either me or any person living or dead. Now that I have my own blog on blogspot.com, purportedly the largest and most popular blogsite of them all, I can feel proud of being a certified denizen of the blogosphere. I can now put up links to this page on my website, my orkut profile and anywhere else I can think of, tell all my friends and feel very happy about it. SIC

P.S. 200 million hits a year must be making pots of money in ad revenues for blogger.com(which, incidentally, is owned by GOOGLE, which, incidentally, saw a profit growth of 700% this year..) so atleast I can rest assured that this whole exercise is not entirely in vain...the rich are getting richer...thanx to me!!