CyberAthalye

Audio Musings: Part I

2009-05-03T06:08:00.009+05:30

Not many have had the privilege of growing up listening to a high quality stereo system. My dad built his own speakers, his own amplifiers and I'm sure if he tried, he could build his own CD and record players too. His most prized possession is the tube amplifier he built. It sounds wonderful. And so, growing up listening to the tube amplifier on a pair of B&W speakers was very gratifying. Add to this a vintage Philips record player and you are on your way to audio nirvana. Every Sunday morning we used have to a long listening session with chaha ani Pohe or shira or sabudanyachi khicadi :). It was hard not to tune into the wonderful sounds emanating from the living room.

Now, having come to a point where I have some time, and having done enough of other 'fun' stuff, I've taken up building my own audio gear. Commercial hifi audio gear is expensive. Very expensive. Its always better (cheaper) to build your own. And that's the fun part of this hobby. Building your own and listening to is extremely gratifying.

Having spent not a few hours helping dad solder, desolder and generally work through stuff, you pick up some things. Everyone wants, at some point in their lives, to do what their dad did. And so here I am, following my dad's footsteps, building my own Hi-fi audio equipment.

In the next series of posts, I aim to document by brief (so far) journey into the world of diy audio. The destination is audio nirvana, but as is the case with most things in life, the journey is far more rewarding than the destination.

Stay tuned. We shall see (or hear)!

Engineering

2008-03-25T08:56:00.001+05:30

Assignments; submitting assignments late; not submitting assignments at all; learning to listen to rock; playing NFS Underground (Drag mode) instead of working on BE project; football with kids; football against TE mech; football with anyone; bird watching in the college lobby; hanging out in the canteen coz there simply isnt nething better to do; fighting for the assignment with the best handwriting so that copying would be easier; hanging out at datye's or parchure's; getting bored at Id Singh's; running to catch the 8:22; running faster to catch the 8:32; walking blissfully for the 8:52; xeroxing notes at super xeorx; mango juice for 5 Rs; Suruchi beach; White Mischief at GC; coffee at tapri; coffee at the canteen; group study with lalit; celebrating professors' english; going late for lectures; going for coffee between a lecture; proxies; 40- the magic number; KTs; K.T Marg; watching Dil Chahta Hai over and over again; nimbu pani at the station; chay and samosa pav at the canteen; chicken manchurian soup at the canteen; college fest-zeal; late evenings in preparation for zeal; cricket at suruchi; training girls for girls cricket; travelling to churchgate for football tournaments; hunting for bars after loosing in churchgate; finally: exams; study leave and cramming. I could go on and on.....

for 4 years, i lived life. four unforgettable years. I dont how they went... all i know is that they r gone now. and all that is left behind, r sweet memories...

Led Zeppelin

2007-09-13T07:31:00.000+05:30

The greatest rock band ever? You bet!

A long time ago, I was listening to Lagaan when one of my friends walked in and said to me, "Abey yeh kya bakwaas sun raha hai, Led Zeppelin sun, Led Zeppelin!" At that time, I didn't care who Led Zepp were. I used to like Creed at that time. I still do, I think they're great. But now I feel at that time I would've not been able to appreciate the greatness of Led Zeppelin. After having been exposed to rock for a few more years, after having heard Deep Purple, Sabbath, Linkin Park and the like, I now have enough rock music mileage under me to say that Led Zeppelin kicks everybody's ass. What's more, they produced the best rock music ever when there was no reference to look up to. Maybe that helped. Either way, their work is revered even now. Art being timeless is a quality afforded to only the best of the best.

There are very few bands that’ve had more than one hit album. Not many could do it. Although, the ones who did it, did it consistently. Take The Beatles, for example. They have a CD with 36 #1 singles. Pink Flyod is another example. The brilliant Bob Dylan hardly ever dropped his lofty standards. All these people were pioneers in their time. They made music like no one had ever made before. And Led Zeppelin fall exactly in that category. Delivering hit after hit after hit, they set about changing the face of rock music, if not giving it the face it has today. They were one of the first heavy metal bands and all their eight albums are platinum hits. ALL!

What I like most about Zeppelin is that each of the songs in their album is of a high caliber. Usually, you find that in an album maybe one or two songs are good, the rest are ordinary. With Led Zeppelin, you find it difficult to skip songs. Ofcourse you are going to have favorites, but the others are equally good. They've also got great variety in their work. From pure heavy metal to jazz to classical, from blues to pop to folk. They have fast, heart stopping numbers to slow soulful solos. All their songs are different without losing the Zeppelin hallmark, like A.R Rahman (who did Lagaan, I might add!). My favorite song is the unstoppable Achilles Last Stand from the album Presence. Fast, really fast beats, accompanied by brilliant guitar work and a haunting vocal performance, Last Stand is a sheer adrenalin rush! Towards the end, as Plant let's out his rallying cry, you almost feel like if Achilles had been on his last stand, and had he heard this song, he would've taken out that arrow from his heel and fucked the shit out of whoever shot it! In what Led Zeppelin themselves claim as the song they enjoyed recording the most, Achilles Last Stand is a tribute to band's loyalty to hard rock!

No blog post on Led Zeppelin can be complete without a discussion on Led Zeppelin IV and Stairway to Heaven. They say that Stairway to Heaven is always on air at some radio station across the US. The symbol of Led Zeppelin, Stairway, is regarded as their greatest work. It is a song that amazes me each time I hear it. It’s got the best guitar solo of all time, lyrics that are yet to be understood and an amazing tempo which you can almost never pin down. It starts with a vocal solo, drums kick in way after the guitar. Suddenly, it shifts gears and becomes this unstoppable, irresistible force. You have to hear it to believe it. And if you've heard it, you know what I'm talking about! With each song an epic, Led Zeppelin IV was a 23x platinum hit.

I think what makes their music so good is that they never waste a single beat. Every beat, every guitar riff is carefully placed. It just makes the music littered with detail. If you've not heard Zeppelin yet, you're missing out on something great.

I've never enjoyed any single brand of music so much. Long live the rock and roll kings!

Some of my Zeppelin favorites:

Achilles Last Stand
Stairway to Heaven
Nobody's Fault But Mine
When the Levee Breaks
Immigrant Song
Rock and Roll
Since I've Been Loving You
Tangerine

Tere Bin Nahi Lagda Dil Mera

2007-07-01T12:33:00.001+05:30

Tere bin nahi lagta dil mera dolnaaaaa... tere bin nahi lagta dil mera dolnaaaa.

Roommates.....

2007-06-08T10:17:00.001+05:30

You have to be lucky to get good roommates. Back in India, when you are looking around trying to find somebody acceptable, someone you can share a room with, there's a thin chance of landing someone you like. Naturally, the inclination is to look for people from your region, fellows who speak your language, those who drink (or don't), vegetarians (or non-vegetarians), smoking (or non-smoking) public. Yahoo groups is the favorite place for roommate-forming. Ads with titles that go, "Non-smoking, vegetarian, clean roommate required" are common. What's more, these are the ones that get maximum responses. I guess nobody likes to associate themselves, by choice, with drunkards, smokers and "un-clean" roommates. Fair enough!

I don't know what criteria I applied to choose roomates. They are drunkards, smokers and certainly aren't clean. Yet, I consider myself lucky! I have seen so many people shifting with new people, so many leases not renewed, sacred bonds broken and promises dashed. After a year, I still cannot imagine anybody else I want to live with (opposite sex not included. Ofcourse!). Nilesh, Bhat and Pratheek. It was pure luck, me finding them. Pratheek was from mechanical and we got together first. There were only three mech guys coming to my university and I'm glad one of 'em is living with me. I don't even remember how I contacted nilesh or how he contacted me. The last thing I remember is us talking on Yahoo messenger. Once we got there, Pratheek already had an apartment reserved for us. All we needed was a fourth roommate. Bhat needed roommates. And the rest is history.

Pratheek a.k.a Pat a.k.a Patrick has many hidden talents. One of them is how he hides all his talents. He is a secret rock star, if ever there can be such a thing. He plays bass guitar for a band we don't know. We also don't know where they play or when he practices. All we know is that he just bought an expensive bass guitar and an animal of a drive unit. He also has comical tendencies albeit only when he is drunk. His 'performances' can be found on youtube. Bhat is the official chicken maker of our house. He is also the official chicken eater (of NC State). He can eat chicken to the point when small feathers begin to appear under his arms. An insomniac and a trackmania maniac, Bhat is also known for his dislike for the outdoors. He once came to the beach in a sweatshirt and jeans and stayed in that sweatshirt and jeans till we left. He certainly gave those bikini-clad chicks something to think about! Finally, Nilesh. We don't know much about him since he is more asleep than awake. He needs his 18 hours everyday (No, seriously!). Indeed, he made a name for himself at NC State by snoring full throttle in a crowded computer lab. Nilesh is an acclaimed cricketer, an accomplished cook, and a willing companion for any outdoor activity whenever he is awake.

Well, there you are. The four of us have made Gorman our home. It ain't the cleanest, but it certainly is the coolest! I wonder what happened to all those non-smoking, clean people. From what I've seen recently, they'd swap for Gorman anyday!

Its 11 pm and the library's full!

2007-03-16T08:37:00.000+05:30

I'm sitting at a spaceshipish station, on a snazzy-lookin ergonomic chair that lets you lean back 180 degrees, with a PC on the desk that has an incredibly low form-factor and a wafer-thin keyboard. A Nintendo Wii to my left and the 360 at the other wall. Chicks in short-pants lying on the floor as they surf their macbooks. A huge 70s type blue tubelit wallclock displays time analogically. Its 11 pm and the library's full.
Welcome to the newly built, East Wing of the NC State library. Its the chic place to study, and why wouldn't it be?
(pictures coming soon...)

'07 Season Finale!!

2007-03-10T05:10:00.000+05:30

What a fine season it's been so far. And I don't just mean for a United. Obviously, still fighting on three fronts at this stage of the season means that United have done well. Pole position in the premiership and six points clear, an FA cup quarter-final with Middlesborough and a quarter final tie with Roma in the Champions league. It looks like the league tittle is headed towards Manchester and possibly the FA cup too. The last two league wins were like the United of old. Stealing the show right at the end. Ronaldo did it at Craven Cottage, while O-Shea popped up at Anfield. Oh, it was so satisfying. As much as all this success makes me happy, I am so excited about the remaining part of the season.

Fergie abounds with joy at Anfield!!

All the clubs in england have improved so much. Games like the ones against Reading were fascinating to observe. Its been a treat. And the usual suspects are performing not too badly either. Chelsea, with shevchenko and ballack, are coming into their own now. Arsenal have a bunch of super youngsters who are laying it out there in the premiership. Liverpool have a solid, machine-like team. Then there are others like Blackburn and Bolton who are so hard to beat. But the action doesn't end there. A very eventful carling cup final was succeeded by a frenetic period of Champs lge, fa cup and lge matches. I just loved it.

Ballack scored the winner against Porto

And the best part is how the rest of europe is doing. In Spain, the title race is as closely contested as it has been for so many years. Barca look to be in a slump, Real Madrid continue to be idiots, and the other teams are taking advantage. Only one spanish club made the last eight of the champs lge, while three english clubs are in there. Some measure of the shift of power from a few years ago, when spanish sides dominated the champs lge.

Ronaldinho leaves Anfield empty-handed

The last eight of the champs lge:
chelsea v valencia
liv v psv
milan v bayern
united v roma.

There isn't a favorite now. Any of these eight teams could go through. Its so delicately poised.
This is the best season i've seen in many years. Partly so, because of United's return to free flowing football. And also due to the finely balanced position in europe. I can't wait for the season finale!!

Wikipedia saves my ass, again!

2007-01-31T20:21:00.000+05:30

I suck at maths. I can't do simple vector stuff without any help. Thank God for Wikipedia. Its every math struggler's dream and every math problem's nightmare. You get elaborate explanations of vectors, tensors, dual spaces, index notation... oh, i could just go on and on. And its all been written by simple, good-natured creatures like you and me. I'd say its better than a dictionary and an Encyclopeida. What's more, its free!
There isn't another more useful website on the Internet. Whether you want to know how to represent a vector or need help with sex positions, Wikipedia is your one point resource. I love you Wikipedia.

David Beckham: A footballer no more

2007-01-12T01:48:00.000+05:30

Beckham was my first hero.... the first footballer i ever liked. He was a fighter with a lot of spirit... he played with his heart on the sleeve... always gave his all to the team... and for all his fame and fortune, he still commanded respect from his teammates, fans and the opposition. This ability to inspire brought him the england captaincy. Time and again he came through for united and england.
Ofcourse, then sir alex kicked him out and his star has been on the wane ever since. Without a title at madrid and after two hugely unsuccessful campaigns as england captain, becks is well and truly over.... well, atleast as a footballer. Only 31, he must be wondering how giggs and scholes are still doing it.
He could've gone to england or italy and even france or germany. But then, he would've had to prove himself as a footballer and not just a shirt-seller. I was hoping out of hope that his 'never say die' attitude would come to the fore... and he would stay in europe. Instead, he went to america and ended any hopes i had of seeing him fighting again.
Even beckham knows, and i'm sure it must hurt like hell, that the footballer within him has died.

Orkut on the wane!

2006-11-17T11:29:00.000+05:30

Orkut is phenomenal. Or atleast was. Ever since they started adding 'features' to it, it kinda lost its charm. For example, the 'reply' feature. Earlier you had to visit a person's profile to scrap him/her. Then, you'd invariably check out other stuff too. There was no way you could avoid this. And this is what made it popular. Plus, unlike chatting, you can choose to not reply instantly. Now you have the 'reply' thingy. Totally spoilt the essense of orkut. And as if that wasn't bad enough, they tied it with Gtalk. Scrapping will never the same again!

Pink Floyd's Time

2006-11-13T13:16:00.000+05:30

In all the madness that ensued as i prepared to leave for the US of A, I forgot to carry with me my Pink floyd collection (which was complete, by the way). But today i got some of it back. And oh! I had forgotten what a joy it is to listen to Pink Floyd. My favorite is Dark Side of the Moon. And my favorite song is Time. The other songs r brilliant too, but Time is simply outta this world! The lyrics r just out there for everyone to see and yet they have a much deeper meaning.
I always wanted to put them on my blog. So here they are. Folks, be inspired.

Pink Floyd's Time:

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but youre older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought Id something more to say

American Football

2006-11-06T06:41:00.000+05:30

I'm back. Writing from the other side of the world now, back after a short hiatus.
So many things to say, so little time.
I went to a football game last night. An awesome experience. Here are some pics....

I quite enjoyed myself, despite the freezing temperature and lack of sufficient layers to keep warm. We lost, but not without a fight. And although the game was fun, it had too many interruptions. Too many stoppages. In fact the actual action is only for 1 hour. The rest of the time is spent in, what appeared to be, changing teams for defense and offense, time-outs and substituitions, etc. Ofcourse, there is good entertainment during the lull periods, with the cheerleaders cheering, the band playing music, free t-shirts being flung into the crowd by mascots and the odd drunk fan doing his bit to cheer his team.
But all the while i kept thinking what it would be like to watch a real football match... and by football, i mean soccer(I really dont see the point why they call it football. They could've just as easily named it american rugby or something... surely better than football).
Football is fast paced, continous, free flowing and action packed. Even if there are two poor teams on show, atleast something is happening, all the while! Football, as a sport, also involves a lot of other things which american football simply doesnt have. Only the quarterback can really influence the game with his skill.... catching a ball or running with it, or even dodging others out to pull u down does not involve a whole lotta skill. In proper football, any player with a moment of inspiration can change a game. This does not mean that football doesnt have much teamwork. A team on form, working well with each other can rip apart opposition.... Look at Man U right now... We are flying... everybody knows everyone else's game is.... and the football is flowing... I hope we can sustain this till the end of the season.... especially coz we are short on numbers in the midfield and up front.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the atmosphere but not the game. I yearn, more than ever before, for the day i go to watch a match in europe... preferably somewhere in the north of england!

Popcorn: what a great invention!

2006-05-27T10:34:00.000+05:30

Yesterday, as i sat down for a movie with a bag of popcorn, it suddenly dawned on me. What i was holding, is perhaps one of the best things ever to have happened to the entertainment industry. POPCORN. Its tasty, light on the stomach, and has that quality of constantly keeping your mouth engaged; something which i'm sure everyone likes... atleast while watching a movie. It works like the stuff u get to munch on while you're having drinks. Except popcorn is much cheaper. They should provide popcorn with drinks too. I know i wouldnt mind.
It is one of those things that r just perfect.... truly serves its purpose. Cheers to popcorn!

Summer of '69 sucks

2006-05-25T23:16:00.000+05:30

I don't understand what fascination people have with the song "The summer of '69". It sucks. What's so great about it? It talks about the summer of 69... when none of us were even born.... none of us, i dont think had a band, or even dreamed of having one... I always dreamed of becoming a cricketer or something during summer vacation. I think we should be thankful we are not living the summer of 69. it must have been hot back then, with no AC, no TV, no nothing.... people must have been super bored..... We live a much better life today, so be grateful for that.
There is this other version of the song, which i found on the internet. i think its far better than the original version (no disrespect to mr. adams, its just that this one is soooo much better!)

I had my first real six rupees,
stole it from my father's pants.
went to a madrasi hotel,
to eat the sambhar of 69.

Me and some kadke dost,
had it all and we caught bukhaar,
jimmy puked, Joey got ulcers,
and Bagga ne maari dakar.

Oh when I went back there now,
the food was as stale as ever,
and though it was 1999,
still the sambhar was being served over there,

That was the worst food of my life.

There's no use in complaining,
when you got no other place to eat,
rushed in the evening to the doctors clinic,
but he too was at the toilet seat, yeah

Standing there waiting outside,
nurse told me I will wait forever,
oh and when I held my breath,
I knew that I had to use that loo there
That was the worst food of my life.

Back to the sambhar of 69.

Man I was getting killed,
I was full and restless,
I needed to unwind,
I guess nothing can wait forever - FOREVER... NO!!!!

And now the dhabas are changing,
new dishes have come and gone,
sometimes when I pass that old madrasi lane,
I still smell it, I can't be wrong.

Standing in those unwashed clothes,
the waiters still call me in there,
oh the way my nostrils burn,
I know that it will be served forever,
what was the worst food of my life.

Yeah it was the Sambhar of 69,

The Sambhar, the sambhar, the sambhar of 69 !!!

Zizou

2006-05-06T16:09:00.000+05:30

Zinedine Zidane, known to his teammates as Zizou, is the great world cup, european cup, champions league and italian and spanish league winner. A true master of football, Zizou has achieved everything in football. Taller than 6 feet, he has reached heights that most footballers can only dream of. Indeed, even the most popular or skilled footballers like Pele and Maradona can't boast of a career as successful as Zizou's.
With the silkiest of touches, Zidane could control the ball with any part of his body. During the Fifa Centenary Match between Brazil and France, there was a moment of brilliance which is etched in my memory forever. Ronaldinho whipped in a corner which was meant for Roberto Carlos, lurking just outside the penalty area about to launch one of his trademark rockets. Suddenly out of nowhere Zidane jumps higher than everyone, superbly controlling the fast moving ball with his chest. His touch was such that it took him away from three brazilians at once. His next touch, with his foot took him out of box. OHHH!! Just the instant when he controlled the ball, the way he plucked it out mid-air, with the grace of a ballerina... oh, it was perfection. The replay looked even more beautiful. His eyes fixed on the ball, all other players- French and Brazilian- watching the maestro with their jaws in hand. Simply awesome.
Another unforgettable moment was his fantastically perfect horizontal volley in the champions league final against Bayer Leverkusan.
He is perfection personified a football field. Bixente Lizarazzu, Zidane's french teammate, once said that,"When we don't know what to do with the ball, we give it to Zizou. He knows...."
And how well he knows. Completely at ease with the ball at his feet, Zidane plays at about half the pace at which others around him are playing. It is as if he knows 2 seconds in advance what is going to happen next. It reminds me of the movie The Matrix, where Neo can see bullets and dodge them. Something like that.
Whether it be freekicks, penalties, headers, powerful and accurate shots, godlike dribbling or a masterful first touch, Zidane has the full repoirteire.
As he stands on the brink of retirement, Zidane i'm sure couldn't have hoped for more. Yet, one cannot help but feel, do it once more, Zizou! Do it once more!

Women make the world go round

2006-04-29T10:54:00.001+05:30

I believe women make the world go round. We are nothing without them, us men. We need them, from the time we are born, to the time we grow old and die. They say, behind every successful man, there is a woman. Although its one hell of a cliche, its so bloody true.
I'm sure u've seen the movie "A Beautiful Mind". And now i'm sure you know what i am trying to say. They help us become more human. They are an advanced species. For example, women teach us how be clean. Ever seen a girl who looks unkempt or disheveled? Ever seen a girl who's hair is all messed up, wearing dirty clothes? Never. And although we like to be dirty (atleast i do), we know that its not nice. And they bring us closer to being clean.... or socially acceptable, if there is something like socially acceptable.
This post is a tribute to all the women out there. I love u all..... And I am especially fond of two... my mom and my gf.

Congo? Isn't that a musical instrument? And a country?

2006-04-18T10:02:00.000+05:30

Recently, I have heard a new expression. It's called "Congo!!".....Its supposed to be short for 'congratulations'. I used to think congrats was short for congratulations..... but that's me. Then someone told me congo was used as a combination (some ppl say combi for combination.....yuk!!!! i think combo is better)of congrats and cool. Soemthing like this, "I got a new job",..."Congo!". Yikes.... its the most ghatiest slang i have ever heard.
Congo is infact a musical instrument.... similar to drums. Also, there is a country named congo, or republic of congo or something.....

The Bag

2006-03-27T11:53:00.000+05:30

I still carry my college bag to office. Its a usual bag that we engineers used to carry to college. I have heard people dismiss me as being "still in college" because of the bag. This is where they are wrong. They don't understand 'The Bag', at all. It's a great bag. I put all my stuff in it- my two wallets (one which i use for swift removal of money etc and the other one i use for keeping my train pass etc), my notepad, my papers, my cds, my comb, my keys, my dabba, my water bottle, my headphones, occasionally my camera, pens and lotsa other stuff (there's some stuff i come across sometimes that i didnt even know was there in my bag..... its at times like these, that i have to say wow and salute my bag!). I carry it on my shoulders which makes it very convinient as i have both my hands free to negotiate the crowded train. Unlike office bags that are rectangular, as hard as rock and cause an incredible amount of inconvinience to others and the bag-carrier himself, my bag fits into any little space it gets. Plus it allows me to keep my pockets nearly empty- i hate to stuff stuff in my pockets.

In fact, sometimes, when I don't need to carry my bag, i still feel like carrying it. I feel
unprotected and shorn of my powers without it.

I pity the fools who choose to carry other kinds of bags, and those that label me a college kid coz of my bag. It's an ultra-convinient, super-portable, anti-weather, crowd-resistant accessory I simply can't do without.

Cursed with bad sports luck

2006-03-11T23:22:00.000+05:30

I don't know what it is with me.
Whenever I start supporting any team they stop doing well. I burn my eyes out watching late night matches only for the team i am rooting for to loose. the other day i was rooting for chelsea- a team whose football i hate- against barca. my reasoning was that the longer they stay in the champions lge, the better it is for the premier lge i.e. man utd. i started liking football in 1999- the year in which man utd did the treble. since then they did win the premiership thrice, but repeated disappointments in the champs lege mean that i have had a lot of painful nights to endure. damn! i dunno how milan lost that final, or how greece won euro 2004 or how the arse beat man u the fa cup final. it just keeps going from bad to worse for me.

Same goes for Formula one- but they did enjoy unprecedented success before they lost out to renault last season. i am talking ofcourse about the prancing horse- the ppl who support any other team are suckers.

same for Andre agassi.... one guy i wouldnt mind marrying. no, i am not gay
(I think the ppl who make gay jokes are gay.... but thats another blog topic).
or sania mirza (god, she is cute). i was not expecting her to win wimbledon but atleast win the match that i am watching. u read in the papers that she is doing well, beating ppl.... i watch one match and bam....out she goes.

and the one sport i hate.... u know what (it's cricket for the uninitiated), they've started doing well lately. arrrrrrghhhhh!

The internet

2006-02-24T22:31:00.000+05:30

There is some crazy stuff on the internet, if you look in the right place. recently, i found a site, www.somethingawful.com.
it had some whacky comic book art. check out two creations(submitted by common public).

lol.... great huh.

Wonderings

2006-02-23T22:33:00.000+05:30

I have always wondered why all formal letters are addressed 'Dear'. 'Dear' is used when that person is close to u, like a relative, or friend, or your cousin or someone. atleast, that is what i associate dear with. everytime, i get a letter from a company, it says 'Dear Rahul'...which kinda makes me feel nice- i start to imagine that it has been written by a hot blonde, with rich luxorious hair and etc etc...u know what. but the point is, it is not written by the hot girl. instead, it may even be generated by a computer. why then would they think of me as their dear? i think it is the most informal you can get....but whatever.

i have many of these things which i have never been able to fully grasp. here's another one.
i feel that toilets (public) should not have doors. not that they should be open for everyone to watch while we do the act, they can be like two walls arranged so that no one can see inside without coming inside. when there is a door, there is a knob. and while most of us wash our hands after the act, some dont. they open the door with the same dirty hands. now, when i finish washing my hands, i go to the door, open it and thereby infect my hands again. see what i mean. why, i wonder.

Captain cook namak

2006-02-05T09:13:00.000+05:30

There was this captain cook commercial long time ago, i think i was in school then. it is my favorite commercial ever. it showed a lady testing her 'man pasand' namak against captain cook namak. all the while there was this narrator narrating the dialogues which were supposed to be thoughts going on in her mind. But it felt like the narrator is speaking dialogues and she is adding the expressions. she was soooooo damn good. it permanently left an impression on my mind. i still have the entire ad memorized.........here's how it goes:

the ad starts with the lady and a table in front of her. and the narrator begins....

narrator: (without emotion) yeh hai naya refined, iodized captain cook namak.....(in a low voice) kaha kaha se le aate hai!!! (now with full enthusiasm) aur yeh hai aapka man pasand namak. ab dekhte hai ki, aapka man pasand namak aapka man pasand kyo hai?
iski quality itni badhiya hai ki..errrrrrr... aapka haath saath na chode, kitna wafadar....(now captain cook) aur iski toh errrrrr (embarrassed).

ab aayiye dekhte hai, ki ye kitni khubsurti se girta hai, kitna free flowing hai....(the lady starts pouring the two salts in two jars)...kabhi jyada, kabhi ruk, kabhi gir......aur captain cook ko dekhiye kaise jarrrrrrr se gira jarahai...how boring....

(and the punch line goes)....captain cook namak, isme hai wohi jo aapke man pasand namak mein nahi.

brilliant...especially the expressions of the actor were superb. it made me laugh each time i saw the ad. i made my mom get that salt for a while...it sucked, but the point is the ad worked!

Bun-Maska and some Downloading

2006-02-02T22:18:00.000+05:30

The other day i was discussing with my colleagues at work, the different names that have been given to shitting......yes, we find time for work as well.
come to think of it, a lot has been said abt this simple biological process. a lot.
here are some of the synonyms (apparently):
they call it the 'office'.....dunno why....some guy said it was because you do all your 'work' there.
then there was 'su point'......whatever.
it is also called 'the throne' i was told.

my personal favorite is........downloading. its so hep. and its got that ring of naughtiness around it. ask someone u meet outside the toilet, with one eyebrow raised....been downloading?
ok enough shit for now.

Care for some bun-maska? its this new thing i have at office. its a really simple dish. just a burger style bread, cut horizontally......some butter inbetween....and viola!!!! u have bun-maska. ummmmmm......doesn't it taste delicious?

P.S: if i make a mistake in my english, pls forgive me. u all know how fast i type.

My First Post

2006-01-31T23:31:00.000+05:30

This is my first post....as u might have guessed from the title. There is so much to write....so for my first post, i will write about today.
There is something that all of us have to go through....especially guys....everyday. No...not that. The local trains. It is almost impossible to get into the 8:10 local for churchgate. The first class is more crowded than the second class......arrrrrrgghhh!!!!

Anyway, I got into the 8:22 today. Packed as usual. And there were these two oldies who started fighting.....in ghati english....
oldie 1: why are you pushing?

oldie 2: i am not pushing.

oldie 1: then remove your hand.

oldie 2: (lil pissed) nahi nikalega....tum kya karega?

oldie 1: (under his breath) Bastard!
oldie 2 heard him. visibly pissed about an unknown guy calling him a bastard...

oldie 2: why did u say bastard. you don't know what bastard means....ahhhh.....you dont know what bastard means.......you son of a bastard!

fist fight....total majah for the rest of the compartment.....voices from near the door- "mar sale ko"

finally, both of them were standing in the same position, with their mornings ruined.

i really dont get this. its a crowded train. you are bound to get some dhakkas. i have also seen some women who can't stand being touched when they get in the 'general' compartment. they keep elbowing everybody left right center but when they get a nudge, they give the most foul stare to u. i mean, who the hell wants to touch them neways...too bad none of the real babes come in (wink wink)!!!!!