One step forward and then two back!

The great Indian phenomenon of whim, impatience, longing for short term solutions and notion of existence of a magic pill to all worldly solution never ceases to brim. And the lack of endurance to weather storms and fight it out when the going gets tough is always juxtaposed with this.
Why do we panic when we need to relax?
Why to we mumble when we need to listen?
Why do we hibernate when we need to act?
Why do we retreat when we need to exhibit valor?
Why bother!!!!!!!!!!!
The frenzy over the cricket teams performance in South Africa will stand testimony to all I ve said earlier. The parliament discussing the cricket loss after the first one dayer is ridiculous. There are bigger issues in the country and the MPs better focus on them. Having a politician at the helm of Indian cricket is the saddest thing that has happened to Indian cricket rather than 10 consecutive losses or whatever. I cant understand Sharad Pawar criticizing Greg Chappel as I am pretty sure who understands cricket better. And Saurav Ganguly back in the team??? For God sakes , give me one evidence what he has done to deserve this. If you are arguing about experience in the middle order better bring in Sanjay Manjrekar or Vinod Kambli , both are capable of outperforming dada in the longer version of the game even today. Absence of Yuvraj, non performance of Sehwag and out of form Sachin has greatly hampered the team. Teams’ policy to stick with Kaif is also questionable, and the South Africans are equally responsible for providing inadequate match practice for the team. However I am not too concerned with the performance right now because the recent happenings around me have made me a firm believer of law of averages and I am loving the equilibrium equation right now. Indian team performance will soon hit the bottom of the abyss and the recoil will be higher by the time of the World cup. Don’t believe me? just look back the performance before the last world cup. Quite possibly we won’t be runners up this time :) :)

Such is life!

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“ There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn't and you lose.” – Match Point , Movie 2005!
So true.
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There were moments in Texas Tech vs A&M with the clock ticking- 6 seconds remaining and Tech completed the pass in the end zone to score a 2 point win over A&M
There was moment in A&M vs Nebraska when Nebraska trailing by 6 points need to make 8 yards on the 4th down and in a moment of madness the defender picks up a 15 yard penalty leading to a loss in the game by 1 point!
The loss tastes even bitter in face of the eternal glory beckoning!
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Such is life “Extreme agony or perpetual glory” there is only this fine line – 1) may be that is what separates the great from the good OR 2) maybe there’s something called fate!!!

I really don’t know which one!
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This was a couple of weeks ago when I started writing this blog
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But then all the accumulated misfortune has to payback – the law of equilibrium holds – and A&M record their sweetest victory over the Longhorns in a long long time………..
The aggies have got their compensation & now I will wait for mine :)
Suddenly there is hope and more meaning to life……….
Such is life!!!

Friends on a cold nite in College Stn~

Straight from the heart

Dostee ke alaawa bhi kuch rishtey hote hain,
Kuch rishtey jo hum samazte nahi,
Kuch rishtey jo hum samazna nahi chaahte,
Kuch rishtey jinka koi naam nahi hota, sirf ehsaas hota hain,
Kuch rishtey jinki koi deewar nahi hoti, sarhad nahi hoti,
Aise rishtey jo dil ke rishtey hote hain,
Pyar ke rishtey hote hain, Mohabbat ke rishtey!

Extract from K3G!

EKTA Skit Script!

People as promised, here is the script of the EKTA skit. No name was decided for the play until the last day - though we never announced the name to the audience it was called "The very first yell" in sync with the football theme and the Mid night Yell tradition at A&M.
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http://theveryfirstyell.blogspot.com/

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Dear Reader!

Dear Reader,
It's been a while since the last post. You must be wondering, is it the start of the semester or something else has taken priorities. Nahi yaar, Yeah Toofan ke pahle kaa sannata hain! [:P] Whats coming up is an epic ... haha Not exactly! Been busy over the last 3 weeks working on a script for a skit coming up in the IA function. The the script is not entirely one mans job - has significant contributions from the actors and others. Had to come up with this short letter as I dont like the blog staying idle for long.

Yours Truly!

Red Ford Mustang!

I wasn't a bard , Oh my dear little Dove,

KANK the Punk!!

The movie with the biggest bollywood budget till date and enormous hype associated with it - considering the famous director and even famous starcast - took just 3 minutes to piss me off! The movie begins with Shahrukh Khan playing professional soccer. NO Way, I can't imagine SRK as soccer star even in my dreams. To further add to the disappointment he wears the Number 7 and has "Victory" engraved in English on his hand , la David Beckham who has the #7 for England and "Victoria" engraved in Devnagari on his hand. Thats too much to take for a soccer fan like me. So lets continue .............. the director has to show soccer heroics from this star so why not go for a brilliant field goal or a tremondous header or a curving lob over the wall........ but he chooses to show SRK being fouled in the box who goes on take the penalty and scores! What follows is again a David beckham celebration with the shirt going up to cover the face. And all this while SRK is wearing a bandana he used in Josh!

Immeddietly we have a scene in which Big B is caught red handed having an imtimate moment with a young babe by his real life and in-movie son - Small B. followed by some cheap father - son dialogues!

Enough is Enough! 3 minutes into the movie, I shut down the Laptop - Time to sleep!

About Locks and Keys!

Kadi Kondaa Kulup Chaawee aanee Maazaa Chhattiss cha aakda aahe!

I never never ever in my life have had a good time with the Keys. I guess I always got a bad deal on this stuff or I some how always managed to mess them up. Starting with my very first bicycle lock which rusted in no time and started giving me hard time locking it down. I struggled most times locking our house door and asked Dad to replace it which he magnanimously did even though i was the only one who believed that it didnt work well.

Whed Dad got me a new TVS Victor in my Second year engineering I had started having a hard time locking its handle and the fuel tank by my third year. I blamed the TVS initial product Quality (despite of the fact that TVS is the First Indian company with ISO as well as QS Quality ratings and my Dads supposedly inferior Bajaj worked well for years ) and went ahead and drafted a well scathing e-mail to the Quality head in Hosur censuring the Quality issues in my vehicle [:P]

I left India for my MS but my troubles with keys took the flight to Houston the very next week to join me. Our 122 Cherry hollow apartment was ridden with faulty knobs and my room till date doesnt lock properly. We have been through the exercise of exiting though the (emergency) windows on numerous occasions because the doors wont open from any side.

Now this was not happening: New students arrive for Fall 06 and a girl is stranded outside Cherry 102 - door is not opening. And I have to be there at that time {God plays tricky games}. Up comes the request - "can u please open the door for me."  Here I am struggling to open my own locks , from where am I gonna open this one. The key goes in TURN TURN TURN TURN - no way, Lift the door, pull it, thrust it downward, NOTHING WORKS. Dejected disappointed disconsolate crestfallen I hand over the Key and return to my apartment.

And Today morning my Office door in the University didn't open!!!!!!

Colonytlaa Ganpati

Amit (aalyaa aalyaa) to Rahul: Are te papya sunya kaay zopaa kaadhtaayt kaa gharaat, bolaw tyaanna, [Call papu sunil --- are they sleeping in the house]

Me: Are tu sunya paatyaa anaylaa gelaay.....(Sunya is fetching the gravel containers)

(Tevdyaat) Papu :are aaalo aalo, malaa shaaletlyaa maitrinichaa phone aala hota [(aata to kadhi yet nahi te saang :) ) [Excuse me , my girl friend called]

Amit : Are naamya , wartee kaay paapad waalat ghaaltoy kaa... chal lawkar ... khadde khodaaylaaa..........[come down pravin and dig up some holes]

Pravin: Ho, aalo , thaamb......... [coming]

in the mean while : a high pitched noise keeps on BUNK.........BUNK.........BUNK.........BUNK.........BUNK......... (Rupyaacha single handedly Khadde khodna chalu aahe..........)[Rupesh doing the honours of digging all by himself]

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This was a typical scene from our colony every year sometime in august-september 10 days before the start of Ganpati festival...............Initiated by Amit Me Pravin Pranav Abhu and Rupesh in our 5th Grade it remains the longest standing tradition and celebration in our colony where we managed to bring people from all families, religions , sexes and ages together.......

Even today I recall those days as kids where we put our studies [ to the great dismay of our parents] , sports, TV, etc on the back burner and dedicated wholesome time to make the event a good success. What started as an aspiration of 6 kids blossomed over a period of 15 years as a major celebration. The main challenge as i remember was the decoration to be put up each time: Over the years we managed to create mountains, himalayas, flowing rivers, fountains, replica of a famous Krishna temple ( which was offered a good buy out price by an local architect) in the 10'x 7' space we had.

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There are so many memories associated with those celebrations that I will be barely touching the ocean surface with my list.

Guys you can list ur memorable ones in ur comments - let me begin here:

1)Guarding the Maandav (canopy structure) and idol by taking turns & sleeping in that basement ( always wondering whether rupyaa had tied the knots properly)

2)Wiwidha Gunadarshan ( Talent show)

3) Fancy dress competition where the 1 hr scheduled prog went on for 3 hours coz of excess people turning up

4)Womans cricket

5)Kaun Banel shatakweer? (Who wants to earn a 100 bucks)

6)Shewatchya diwshi Lokhande kakancha satkaar lights dilyaa baddal (felicitating Lokhande uncle for generously letting us use the power)

7)That stupid singer we invited who went on singing "PARDESIYA......"

8)And how can we forget prashant saying "Mazya haatat mike maazezh aik"

(i cant translate that :)..... its prashants patent ;)

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My first driving experince in the US of A

With none of my friends owning a car and my laziness in not bringing an IDP my hopes of driving had been put off till date. But with the willingness of the car rental co to rent on an Desi license they were re-kindled for my good! I booked an economy car along with a couple of friends on the weekend, but to our delightful surprise the car co offered us an upgrade to a Chrysler Sebring Convertible.

The plan was to drive to Austin to get some practice. I was hoping to drive the car on some length of the trip. But this hope was quickly dozed off with a few panicky incidents that happened at the start of the trip - created by my fellow renter who too was new to driving. Seeing his plight my my heart was in my mouth and what was to be a pleasurable driving experience now started to seem a distant dream or even worst a horrible nightmare. I abandoned the idea of taking to the wheel on my very first outing and the only thing that came to my mind was whether we'll reach home safely in all this mess.

Thankfully the second half of the journey was very stable. Despite the amazing experience Austin sights were I returned to College Stn sore having not driven for the entire day. However I was determined to get some practice and at around 10 pm asked my friend Monish to accompany & guide me. With him by my side I started on the University drive and was hoping to drive around the airport in mild traffic. However we missed an exit and were quickly on a Highway of 60 mph - the very thing i dreaded till this moment. So I had to skin out all my my driving skills to wiggle out some fast lane change maneuver and take an U in the middle of the highway. That worked well and my confidence was a few notches higher. So we drove around the airport and started towards the riverside following Monishs' friends. The next plan was to reach Walmart. Here unknowingly Monish asked me to take a right when we shud have taken a left and again we were on a Freeway- this time to Houston - with no way out. Drove on it for 20 miles before We found a provision for a U turn. With more that 50 miles of highway driving under my belt within a hour I was rearing to drive with confidence. Thanks to Monish and his goof-ups while navigating I spent the next two days driving with confidence around the Brazos valley.

NB: Chrysler convertible was fun to drive. With the roof folded down and the breeze .......... driving was a pleasure. We had a lot of girls waving at us from time to time. But after 2 days the fun was over. On the high speed US highways I feel its totally unsafe driving with a soft top and the roof down. Also the two door concept is a pain in the neck. So now "CONVERTIBLES" & "2 DOORS" are a NO NO.

Pink Panther!

Its hard to come across an uproriously funny movie nowadays and that too when you prefer veggie! Last hilarious movie i recall watching is Scary Movie III, but though the humour in it is awesome you should be ready to sit through the steamy scenes and raunchy dialogues in this spoof. Pink Panther on the other hand classifies as a "pure veg" even if you happen to be a Gujju or Jain for that matter - not even an ounce of Onion!

Pink panther is a out n out comedy about a cop who till now carried the tag of "Stupidest cop in France" - but now he is put on the trail of a perpetrator who happens to murder the beloved French soccer coach. The deal is to put the nation, media and observers on the back of this Funny stupid little cop while the Police chief himself tries to solve the case - in an effort to win national accolades.

What follows is a series of stomach acheing comic events which make you cry as you try to control your laughter. The movie is nothing but "MUST C"

Toyota Matrix - Hell NO!

Selecting a perfect car to suite your needs as well as tastes must be such a huge pain in the neck. I am nowhere close to purchasing a car but as I peek into my future and see myself confounded with serious conundrum. Starting with what genes: Should I go patriotic [now don’t take that literally] and choose one from the American Big 3, or the frugal and reliable Japanese or arrive at a compromise with the value loaded Koreans? Should I go sporty with a 2 door config or the 4 door family car, Silver / Black or Red/ Well equipped or Stripped / Hybrid or conventional ........if I go on listing my concerns it will be a never ending roster. If you have begun to think that what follows is a "Car buyers guide to the perfect match", you are reading the wrong post. This post is not about car selection, it’s about a car that is a perfect NO NO!

The car in question is the Toyota Matrix hatchback. The car has everything wrong going for it - starting with its name. Come on, Matrix cannot be a car name at best it can be a desktop or laptop model name or may be some game cube or something. Matrix represents something very digital, very complex, very rigid and something very artificial- and is a clear misfit name for something as simple and fun as a car.

The cockpit is very clumsy and plasticy making your mood very sober the moment you assume seat. Your worst fears come true during the night when you stare down at bright red lettered switches and controls. The only thing that comes to mind staring at the dashboard is red burning coal in pitch darkness.

A drive for a couple of hours in this vehicle has given me a very important criteria for car selection - Tire noise! Inside this car you don't hear the engine, you don’t hear the traffic, you don’t hear the wind BUT you don't hear the stereo either- because the most predominant noise is the tire noise. The purpose of the tires in an automobile is the isolation of shocks and vibrations, but here the tires are the most vociferous correspondent between the road and you.

Another important phenomenon you experience in this car is Kinetosis i.e motion sickness - Cleary a case of wrongly tuned ride frequency of the vehicle. I enjoy road trips thoroughly, but in this car I was struggling to keep awake. So was the case with some fellow passengers. God save the driver.

No wonder that the Matrix is one of Toyotas poorest selling vehicle. One car certainly you can keep off your buying list.

My Big-Fat Italian celebration!

Some occasions in life are rare ones and deserve a celebration. Italian world cup victory was one such moment for me.
My Victory cake:
The choice of this cake of all the varieties available (especially my favourite - chocolate) was the Italian tri colour it represents. A bit of thought - lettering it with Azzurri color and the ornation was complete.

Soccer Diaries: V

Final: Italy vs France

12 years of expectations, 12 years of Italian cycle of WC final reappearance, 120 minutes of game and it all boils down to that one moment! One moment that can cause extreme agony - one moment that can cause extreme joy. Roberto Baggio missed it in '94 evoking mourful tears but Fabio Grosso more than made it up for me as he crashed the ball into the far right corner today!

The WC final game was a very close one for my comfort - it shouldnt have been had the Italians had a bit of luck going in their favour. The penalty call against them was a very close one with most commentators agreeing that Malouda had dived, they had a Materaazi header rebounding from the cross bar and a goal being called off-side , again a 50-50 decision. Had things been going their way it shouldnt have been such a close match.

I feel happy for the Italians as this game means a lot to Italian soccer which has been marred by unfortunate events in the recent past. I feel happy for Cannavaro who stood as a rock with the inexperienced defenders in the absence of Nesta, I feel happy for Buffon who was a wall to breach, I feel happy for Hard working Pirlo who toiled relentlessly and I feel happy for Totti my demi god whose skills are miles apart from the rest. A world cup win is a fitting farewell to Totti and Del Piero appearing in the last WC.

I can hardly express my joy after this victory as I pen it down because my words fail to stretch this feeling to where my mind is gliding right now.

(more on the this later as the celebrations have just started)

Soccer Diaries: IV

Germany vs Portugal!
A well deserved win for Germany. The two canon shots from Schweinsteiger were outstanding, a pleasure to watch. And what a comeback for Kahn , captaining the side.
One has to question the way the Portugese play , who picked up 24 yellow cards to set a all time world cup record.

Funny observation: During the match the camera zoomed in on Michael Schumaker &
Commentator I: (after a long pause trying to fig out who he is) There is the German manager, obviously his next task is to convince Klinsman to stay upto Euro '08.
.......camera rolls on............after a short pause
Commentator I: My apologies as that was Formula one race driver Michael schumaker.
Commentator II: I dont know if its some race driver but he is certainly not the German manager.

So apathetic is the situation of American sports commentators of not being able to recognise champions from other sports. But isn't that the story of entire US - not knowing the affairs beyond their shell.

Soccer Diaries: III

Semi final I- Italy vs Germany!!

One of the most exciting match I have watched in a long long time! And to say that the result made me Euphoric would be an understatement. Being a huge Italian fan, for over last 15 years the victory was sweeter than honey. The teams were very evenly matched untill the 90th minute after which the balance tilted in favour of the Azzuri! Italians were unlucky as they had two shots recocheting from the post in the first two minutes of the extra time. However a goal there would have fired up the germans and given them a chance to come back into the game.

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The Italian game in the extra time was very unlike Italian and it was thrilling for a change. For a team that plays with one forward - playing with 3 forwards and 2 playmekers was very unlike themselves but very cool. It showed their desperation of not entering the Penalties where fate has never been with them - and it paid off. The germans on the other hand seemed to be taking the game to PKs riding on the success of Lehmann in the previous game. Amazing play from the set pieces in the dying game created what can be considered one of the best goal of the tournament for the Italians!

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One interesting reaction amongst friends and media I observe is of Shock / Upset!! Clearly people didn't seem to have done their research as the result wasn't totally unexpected for me. Now consider these facts and you'll see for yourself!

1) Germany had the home support going for them and recent form.

BUT

2) Italy hasn't lost a match since October 2004

3)In head to head record with Germany Italy is way ahead of Germany with 13 wins.

4) Germany has never beaten Italy in a World cup match

5) Geramany has last beaten a European team in 2000 when they beat England to win a major tourney!

6) Italy are yet to concede a goal in this world cup except an OWN goal.

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Italy played bravely in the match went out of their way , tried new things and now they seem to be on a roll. If the Ultimate glory beckons them , only time will tell.

India - Windies Conspiracy Theory!

Can a team go into a decisive Test match of a series with 3 specialist bowlers, and be confident of taking 20 opposition wickets? The windies just did!

On a very bowler friendly doctored pitch you can do that! But how did the windies know that the pitch was to behave so? Obviously the pitch must have been doctored based on the request of Lara & the Windies team management, given the fact that the Indians have had the upper hand in the just concluded series and the windies bowlers struggled throughout! So the Windies enter the match with 7 specialist batsman, one wicket keeper and 3 specialist bowlers

Evidently , for the Indians Ignorance proved to be a bliss! There is nothing that seven batsman can do on a bowling pitch that 6 cannot! So the additional bowler gave a lethal force to the Indians which enable the them to bowl out windies for a paltry 103 in first innings!

Great Victory for India as they conquer a huge frontier and add another jewel in their crown!

Soccer Diaries : II

Expectations are high from the English team, nothing new, they always are! In this soccer crazy nation there is always a hype when the world cup arrives - this English team can do it! But that was not to be - The english are eliminated and in traditional fashion - going a man down for a STUPID tackle / argument / bickering, and then suffering the misery!

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The england portugal match was expected to be exciting, especially because the teams were so evenly matched considering their past head to head record! The match lasted 120 minutes - personally i love the additional soccer as it gives more action (recall the germany argentina match yesterday) but today i was praying for the extra time to end ASAP! Both teams going with a defensive 4-5-1 combination to play it safe and were more than content in keeping possesion. With this ploy the strikers are frustrated as the ball seldom reaches them, and Rooney made it evident. His puerile foul of stamping on the opponent earned him a red card and virtually eliminated any english chances of scoring goals! To me , Wayne rooney , is the face od English soccer - he epitomises the hooligans on the field with his aggressive attitude and short temper. English would have been much better had they played fluent fluid soccer as they played in the dying moments of the match. The second part of extra time truly represented the true potential of this English team when they thoroughly tested the Portugese despite being a man down!

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Going into the penalties, they were clearly at a disadvantage as a "dehydrated" Beckham was substituted, rooney carded and Owen injured!

Frank Lampard missed the first English penalty - that pretty much sums up his world cup - a very sorry one for him. 23 shots, at least half of them from close range, from this chelsea midfielder in the tournament and none of them converted.

Full marks to Ricardo for getting a hand on all 4 penalties and saving 3 of them. As for Robinson the English keeper, England can boast that he is the youngest to play in WC, but if he is their best, I guess that is not sufficient. The top teams in the world have very high quality keepers who can win matches for their teams - and English soccer needs one such keeper!

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France get the better of Brazil!

It was a day of upsets and the biggest and the best came from France as they knocked off the defending champions! I had mentioned in my previous post that France can and Yes they did! ZiZo showed what he can do when he is on the brink of his career!

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Soccer Diaries : I

Watching the Germany - Argentina quarter-final was fun. Its a pity that the result was decided on penalties and in such close encounters it is not good to point a better side simply based on the result. The Argentines dominated the first 20 minutes of the game but there after things were different. I cannot say if the Argentines dropped guard or the Germans upped their game, but the teams were evenly matched until the Argentines scored in the 49th minute. However there after it was all Germany , they woke up from the shock of being one down as if they had been kicked in the wrong place.

Argentines aided thier cause by making some crucial tactical errors. Substituting Riquleme was a bad move which handed over the control of the game to the germans. Morever when the game was equaled by Germany, the argentines sorely missed a playmaker as the sub for Riq was a defender.

One interseting observation from the game was the physical war between Ayala and Ballack. The two were in constant argument with a lot of pulling-pushing and head to head bickering going on during corners. So seeing Ayala walk up to take the penalty immediately after Ballack scored, my reaction was , no way he is scoring, and he didnt. There was so much pressure on him and his ego was at war with Ballack that it seemed he was looking at mount everest as he walked up to the box. These are the little things that play a psychological part and the coaches shud tale a look at. I am not discrediting Lehmann , as he made some wonderful saves , but still! I am sure that Ballack wud have felt the same pressure had he walked after Ayala scored!

As for the Italy - Ukraine game there was never a doubt about the result, but the thing of interest for me was how Italy do it - and they did it in style. They seemed in a very positive frame of mind and personally I think the 4-5-1 combination suites the Italian game play very well. Ukraine had a a couple of decent chances but they had a wall, in the form of Buffon & Co, to cross . One has to score a goal to win a game of football and evidentally no one is doing that against Italy :)

Les Blues Can!

Watching football champs Brazil play, i just get a feeling that this is not their year! Well they have some brilliant players and I may eventually have to eat my words. But for the moment I do feel that Brazil wont make it their sixth, this time! And , to me, their downfall seems close as they play France next!

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Brazil have been the favorite amongst fans and experts since the beginning, France on the contrary were written off during various stages of the tournament. However the French have upped their game since the first 2 games and seem to be peeking at the right time. Most of us were quick enough to notice the obvious deficiencies in the French armor and pointed out that how miserable they were at scoring goals, but no one took note of the fact that no one scored against them yet. this speaks volume about the french defence.

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To beat the Brazilians you need a team with solid defence some average forwards and a superb finisher. I say so because of the shoddy Defense Brazil has. Seeing the Ghana play makers rush thru the brazil borders was like a hot knife slashing thru butter. Only if they had better finishers, Ghana wud have been like 4 up in the first half. So the team most fancied to beat Brazil are Italy & France. Italy , not so much though , considering the poor form of their strikers. But France ,well, have the cleanest finisher in the game in Henry and some brilliant playmakers.

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So, If this Brazilian defensive (non) performance stays and Theiry Henry has his day, you'll certainly see a "Cat amongst the Pigeons" show on Saturday!

Everybody is saying its gonna be Brazil, but the French can potentially upset them! For the moment, ill kep my fingers crossed.

::Quotes::

My face in thine eyes, thine in mine appears.
And true plain hearts do in the faces rest.
Where can we find two better hemispheres...
without sharp North, without declining west?
Whatever dies was not mixed equally.
"If our two loves be one
and thou and I love so alike that none can slacken...
none can die."

from Tristan & Isoldle

Group of death!

Italy goes to round two if:
They beat Czeh
They draw with Czeh
They loose to Czeh && US beats Ghaana but has lesser GD than Italy

Czeh go thu if:
They beat Italy
They draw with Italy && US beats Ghana by not more than one Goal difference

Czeh & Italy goes thru if:
Italy draws with Czeh && US draws with Ghana

Czeh & Ghana go thru if:
Czeh beats Italy && Ghana beat US

Italy & US go thru if:
Italy beats Czeh & US beats Ghana

Italy are ousted only in case They loose to Czeh and US loose to Ghana

So right now Italian suporters hope that US beat Ghana && American supporters hope that Italy beats Czeh.

Mystery of Agent 604 [ Version IV]

It was the freezing night of August the 1st when the Continental flight 1024 came to a screeching halt at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Not the time of year and not the time of day one would like to move from the comforts of an airplane seat to the chilling cold of NY streets but Shri didn’t had the option. The delay due to dense fog in London had delayed the connecting flier and cost him valuable time. It was 2.00 am and as he found his way through the labyrinth of the Intl Airport towards the domestic airline so did the footsteps of these two men who had been waiting in the Espresso Cafe for last four hours.............

Sergei Yaroslav had been the most effective and efficient agent in the Black Hawk unit of KGB the Russian secret services until a 7 years ago, when he was forced to quit on forged charges of treason. Not that his Commanders were happy to let go their most trusted agent, but nothing could stop the whims of the heads in Duma. That’s how things work in Communist Russia: A slight suspicion & a trace of evidence can lead to the downfall of the brightest and sharpest minds in the system. Usually the charges could have been fatal for any other agent but Sergie was able to salvage the situation because of his reputation and intervention from his Commanders. After serving his 6 years sentence he sought asylum in Slovakia and from there on moved to the States with the help of a cousin who ran a private detective firm in Downtown Dallas........

The cold night and the tireful journey had started to get to Shri. As he sat waiting in the lounge of the domestic airport, he started to ponder over what was he doing in this alien country away from home. It wasn’t as bad as he was thinking, but it certainly wasn’t the first thing he wanted. He had started to wonder about the many things he was going to miss away from home, his parents who cared for him so much, his loving friends, his favorite food that his mom cooked so wonderfully, his bike on which he had a wonderful time exploring the country sides and most important of all the Love of his life! Only a month ago, he was well settled in his job, working as a business analyst in the 1 billion dollar enterprise in India. The job was cool and it paid well. Most important of all he was home, close to his dear ones. Had a nice boss and a very beautiful and affable girl friend , two most important people he was going to spend the most part of his life. He couldn’t have asked for more. Though he had admissions from 5 universities in the states, leaving this heaven for doing MS was the last thing on his mind. But still here he was waiting for his next flight to Houston!

"Subject at Terminal 2 - under observation" Sergie passed on the message over the radio and started pouring over the NY Times as he waited on his prey!
Sempra is not the marijuana of the east in the sense- it is not illegal/banned, it is inexpensive, readily available in every nook and corner - but it is as deadly and sinister. Every year 2 million people in the Indian peninsular are affected by mouth cancer because of chewing this stimulant and thousands are added everyday on this path of ill fate. In the absence of any regulations to curb its consumption Sempra is a flourishing industry in the region. Not that no one wanted legislation on banning the drug but half the politicians in New Delhi, ruling or in opposition, had their hands in the business and no one liked the idea of burning their fingers with a ban. Human rights activist were the lone force fighting for the ever evasive ban against the bureacracy. Year after year the legislations came and they were turned down with resounding majority. There are many Sempra manufacturers in the region, and hundreds of supporting industry which play their hand in processing the raw materials. Most of these are small scale companies. However there are two major corporate giants that are involved in the mechanized mass manufacturing of Sempra and one of being the pioneer in putting up and patenting the formula for the blend.

It wasn’t Sergies’ style to stand on his target for so long, especially when he had a clear shot, but he had no choice. The security of the airport had tightened manifold after the recent terrorist attacks and he had his orders in black and white. His only chance of the completing the mission was if he could corner Shri in some solitude on the airport. He would have preferred his prey to use the restroom or stray close to areas near the baggage inventory. Or still better he would have preferred his prey being of Chinese origin rather than Indian. Not that he hated killing an Indian but the risks were multiple. Every year thousands of Chinese students enter American Universities for engineering research. More than 60% are spies for the government and lately even of the big flourishing Chinese corporate’s. Most have a binding with their sponsors to return with specific piece of knowledge useful for the Chinese defense programs, space ventures or industrial inventions. But not everyone is successful and not everyone returns. Some fulfill the contracts, some take more exciting offers in the US, some are arrested for espionage and face captivation for the rest of the life – even worst some are terminated when found shipping classified information – that concerned with the US space and nuclear programs. The issue is well known on both side, but the Americans can hardly cater to it because the vast appetite of the American universities to take new students. Hence a missing Chinese student hardly causes a uproar in the Embassies. Over the years hundreds of students have vanished in thin air in the past but the Chinese seldom object. It’s a sort of a tacit understanding between the diplomats on the 2 sides. However the things are very different with the Indian students who are as good in numbers as the Chinese, and they are genuine students. The Indian embassy takes good care of their harvest and they enjoy "protected" status. An Indian students’ assassination on JFK would have caused a sensation leading to thorough FBI investigation giving the perpetrators sleepless night for sure. And Sergies’ client from Bombay House had placed a unambiguous requirement of a clean job so that no clue leads a trace to their involvement. So he waited and watched.

It had been an hour at the airport when Shri boarded his pickup at the airport. It was a special shuttle and he was the only one commuting and the loneliness of the night brought back the haunting memoirs of the happenings in last month. As a business Analyst in Maarwoahn Inc he had access to all the classifed information on the world. There were very few things that didnt pass through his department and very little that was bereft of his purview. HE enjoyed good support and appreciation from bosses and savoured his job, only complain being working with a Sempra manufacturer. Though a Fortune 500 they weere spoiling millions of lives. However things were fine.

Harry Potter 6 is disappointing!

I wasn't much of an avid Harry Potter reader until I saw Movie 4 of the series. Knowing that the movie had missed a lot of fine details I took upon myself the endeavor of covering the backlog and engrossed myself into frantic reading of the books. Book 5 many said was disappointing but I really didn't dislike it much, thou I was irked by the sudden transformation in Harry, who keeps on yelling at his friends and teachers [J K R plugging in the CAPS letters every now and then - leaving the reader very frustrated]. Book 6 disappoints me no end. Never have I read a book or seen a movie in which the main character has so little to do.

There is nothing special Harry does in the book - he is twice humbled by Malfoy who till now was nothing more than a rogue in the school, all of Harry's brilliance in potion making is due to Snape's book, proving Snape's genius in the subject at Harry's age. Neither does Harry stand out as a role model. He has this constant habit of disobeying instructions and carrying on in his own manner. Neither does he take efforts to practice occlumancy nor does he perfects the non-verbal charms. Both these skills taught to him by Snape would have been useful to him in his skirmish with Snape in the climax where Snape effortlessly dodges each and every curse and hex Harry throws at him. The book in which Ron, Ginny, Hermione and other members of DA fight the death eaters, Ginny and Ron win the Quidditch house cup for Griffindor, Dumbledore gets rid of one of the Horcruxes, Malfoy plays his role in the Death eaters entry into Hogwards eventually leading to the death of dumbledore - Harry is nothing but a spectator.

It is not clear in the book if he has learned the Unforgiveable curses, he is still not good at apparating [he can fly though], Occlumency -no, non-verbal charms - no. Now eventually if Rowling expects her chosen one to finish off the dark lord, I guess she has left a lot for Harry to do in the Last book.

Fanaa Shayari!

The good ones:“Tere Dil Mein Meri Saanson Ko Panaah Mil Jaaye, Tere Ishq Mein Meri Jaan Fanaa Ho Jaaye.”

"Humse door jaoge kaise, dil se hume bhoolaoge kaise, hum wo khushboo hai jo saanso me baste hain, Khudkee saanso ko rok paaoge kaise"
"Baithee hain hoton ko seekar..........pachchhtaaengee aap, Ishq jaag uthtaa hain aksar aisee khamoshi ke baaad"
"Phool Hoon Gulab kaa Chameli ka matt samazna, aashiq hoon aapka, apnee Saheli ka matt samazna"

"Naa shahar dekho naa biyaban dekho, Naa shahar dekho naa biyaban dekho.., Khuda ka eklauta namonishan dekho , buss aankh uthao aur Rehan dekho"

"Insaan kee khwaaish kee koi intehaan nahi, Insaan kee khwaaish kee koi intehaan nahi, Do gajj jameen chahiye .... do gajj kafann ke baad"

"Dard se aankhen chaar kar lenge, hum bhi intehaan dedenge, teri dosti kee khaatir aye dost, hum dushmano se bhi pyaar kar lenge"

"Rone de tu aaj humko tu aanhkein sujaane de
baho me le aur khud ko bheeg jaane de
Hain jo seene me kaid dariya wo chhut jayega
Hain itna dard kee tera daaman bheeg jayega"And the bad one....
"Kaash main oon kaa gola hota, Kaash main oon kaa gola hota aur .... Unkee ungliyon me liptaa hota ....Kaash wo mera sweater banakar garmiyon me bhi pahne rahtee........"The addendum on peoples' demand
Bekhudee kee jindagi hum jiya nahi karte,
Jaam doosron se chheen kar hum piya nahi karte,
Unko mohabbathain to aakar ijhaar kare,
Peechha hum bhi kisika kiyanahi karte......


Laga khuda ne rakhdiya hamaray dil per haath,
Liya unhoon ne hamara naam kuchh aisee ada ke saath.......

Luna Lovegood.

This is a beautiful sketch of Luna Lovegood, a character from Harry Potter series, I came across.

San Antonio Road Trip.

My rendezvous with the US has stayed a low key affair for a very long time now. Ever since I landed on 11th August 'o5 College Station has been my microcosm. Blame it on the apathetic public transportation in this country [now that explains the big car sale numbers] and the non-availability of a driving license I have struggled to set foot outside the twin cities of College Station and Bryan. However spring break came as a welcome surprise when I decided to take a trip to San Antonio along with my friends.

The morning was full of surprises - our day was made when we got an upgrade to an SUV because the rental company was out of the small cars we had originally booked. We left Ct , hit the road and this is where the fun began as we started churning out mile after mile. The vast open fields in the Texas country reminded me of the Indian country side. However everything changed the moment we hit Highway22 . The high speed limits were a welcome thing considering the insatiable appetite of the Jeep which gulped down any stretch of straights coming on. Road signs - "Dont Mess with Texas", "Welcome to Texas, Proud residence of President George Bush" ornating the highway sides were a refreshing but quite funny. The complex interknitted network of freeways, exits, and the lane system, was very new for me and I was quite amused by the experience. The destination was 6 flags fiesta in San Antonio. 6 flags is definitely the place to be if you like to churn out the contents in your tummy. Full of mind boggling roller coasters and twisters the place is full with outrageous rides. The Scream and the Superman roller coater are a "MUST RIDE"

The experience is beyond my means to describe using vocabulary. The awe of the colossal structures is better captured by my camera: Do take a Look: San Antonio Pictures.

On our way back home we got a chance to visit a Hindu temple in San Antonio. Though the priests and the ambience was quite Americanised, still a chance of diety worship was very soothing. The eveing was later well complimented with Indian food in a Desi restaurant.

We had hell lot of fun, oversped at 120 mph when the limits were 65 , did things I had dreamt of while setting foot in the US. The first road trip was a thrilling experience and it certainly won't be my last!

OOPS! He did it again!

Just when everyone thought we are done with him, here comes the good news. Sachin Tendulkar signs a new $40 million contract with International marketing major Saatchi and Saatchi. The contract is for 3 years with chances of subsequent renewal after completion. Certainly this means that he is going to be around for next 3 years at least. The best part being it reflects his self belief in performing up to the expectations of every one and that is what matters, self belief! Though it came as a surprise to me, considering the hype and hoopla over the young blood in Indian cricket, some deliberation on the matter makes the affair quite clear.

Indian cricketers have an uncanny ability to flatter but they are deceiving. Look at, Parthiv Patel, Mohammad kaif, VVS, Zaheer Khan, and even Sehwag. Every one promised so much at the start at their careers and no sooner they found the sponsors they lost their place in the team.

Under these circumstances cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid offer a risk free investment. They may be out of form, injured or rested but they have the highest probability of blasting their way into limelight.

With the world cup coming up there is no question of ignoring Sachin as his impressive world cup record speaks volume about his ability to perform in big cricket events! So quite a Just move from Saatchi n Sachin!

Love Actually.

What do I write about a movie which has a storyline as simple as its name. " Love Actually" is infact a tale of number of love stories at different places, at different times, between people of different ages! It is the story of :

The Britains First man in love with the tea girl

A writer who falls for his Portuguese house-maid

The Best Man in love with the bride (Keira Knightley - the best part of the movie)

Little Sam helped in his love quest by his father

An ageing rock star struggling to make a come back

Office romance between secretary and her boss which struggles to unfurl

The porn movie body doubles who discover a "spiritual" relationship while going thru their acts

Though its not a all out comedy, some scenes are really hilarious, like the one in which the British PM takes on the US President who tries to flirt with his [beloved] tea girl, the greatness of Britain as described by the PM - “Land of Harry Potter and David Beckham” in the press conference

Its a sweet, slow, feel-good movie which makes us feel that love is all around us. Though the movie is paced very slowly it never gets you by yawning because of the huge star cast and the numerous stories which keep on panning one after another and keeps the interests going.
On the whole a movie very fit to have been produced in Bollywood but is worth all the money you pay. [ Must C]

Engineering VIVA

This one is for those who had nightmares during their Engineering Viva's . They bring back fond memories for those who care to smile at the past..

Interviewer: Why is a thicker conductor necessary to carry a current in AC as compared to D.C. ? Candidate: An AC current goes up and down (drawing a sinusoid) and requires more space inside the wire, so the wire has to be thicker.

External (to student) : "Why does a capacitor block DC but allow AC To pass through ? Student: See, a capacitor is like this --- --- , OK. DC comes straight, like this ----------, and the capacitor stops it. But AC,goes UP, DOWN, UP DOWN and jumps right over the capacitor!"

Interviewer: How will you tell if that wall outlet carries AC or DC? Candidate: I will put my finger in. If it is pushed away, it is AC. If it gets stuck, it was DC.

Interviewer: H! ow will you reverse direction of an Induction motor? Candidate: I will remove the four bolts at the x-ud, turn the motor around, and put back the bolts.

Interviewer: How do you start a synchronous motor? Candidate: Vrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (in rising pitch) Interviewer: Stop! Stop! Candidate: rrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (in falling pitch)

Examiner: "What is a step-up transformer?"

Student: "A transformer that is put on top of electric poles."

Examiner (smiling): "And then what is a step-down transformer?"
Student (hesitantly):"Uh - A transformer that is put in the x-udment or in a pit?"

Examiner (pouncing): "Then what do you call a transformer that is installed on the ground?" (Student knows he is caught-can't answer)
Examiner (impatiently): "Well?"
Student (triumphantly): "A stepless transformer, sir!"

Aamchya Punyaat Naa!

Aggie Nites.

Lets Play a Game! I'll say a word and then you say the word that compliments it the best!
All right.
Cricket : Sachin
Love: ... ( mm forget it) im not playing if u want to trick me into it... OK, next!

Beauty: Aish
Sookh: Hot n Spicy (ask shriram joshi)
Friday Night: Aggie Nights!
Now whats that?????
You gotto be kidding if you dont know aggienights! And if u really don't then i must take this opportunity to introduce you! Agginite is a unique celebration at Texas A&M of which we are a part every friday night. Its a time off from our regular schedules, its time to play some pool, bowling, dance on the simulator and see faces we hardly notice on week days. Its the time when we forget that theres a huge homework pending, a test is coming up pretty soon, we are out of groceries, the credit card payment is due, advisor is gonna be after that huge code which i started but cannot end - and all other worldly worries which never stop coming back to me!
Flooded with Desis, Chinks and ofcourse the natives its an once in a week opportunity to spend quality time with friends. Re-creation of sorts, it has become a part of my weekly routine and is the one thing I'll miss when I fly back home in December.
Traditions: The organisers tying an aggie band at entrance [ reminds us of Rakhi, (so keep away from them -;)]
Star events of the evening:
Joshi Vs Mamu Vs Harshad Pitsa competition.
The Patils Vs #122 Pool match.
Photoshoot in MSC.
Mamu's dancing lady on the simulator (good going Shri).
-*-*-*-**-**-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Main aur meri Tanhai!

I cant help but mention the adorable corner in my Gradlab, with which now I share a special relation. 99.98% of the time I manage to secure the corner PC in my lab which almost surprises me every now and then. Probably by now people have have seen me here too often and let me have my space. Theres nothing so special about the corner, but it symbolises solitude unlike any other point on a line which has companionship. Guess we are sailing in the same boat and always manage to embrace each other.

Bride Bazaar!

They don’t want daughters, but they do want wives. It’s a supply crunch alright for males in Haryana. Not far from the glitzy malls of Gurgaon lie the thriving mandis of flesh— where the price of a ‘bride’ is often less than that of a cow.
- Sunday Times Special report.

Night of Submission!

I hate to recall those days, not because they were terrible but those are the treasured moments which i have lost forever and no matter what i attain in life it’s going to be really difficult to bring them back. Yeah, I am talking about the college life and "Engineering College Life in Particular". Theres so much to write about my entire college life [boat club, shopping, movies, cricket matches, overnight hostel stay, girls and (of course) studies...] - Ill have to write and entire book to summarize those wonderful four years : But for now I would love to focus on the one night in Third year Engineering when we were hell bent upon completing our design submission! No matter what , we always waited till the last moment to complete the submission work. However this time we were caught on the wrong foot as the work involved 2 full size A0 sheets of drawing assignment! Worst still very few of us had the idea on how to do it. We were 22 in the class , the submission was tomorrow morning and today at 5:30 we have decide to meet in the hostel, and this is how we went about it.
We started by dividing ourselves into two hostel rooms. Laid out our dwg sheets on dwg boards and locatedour drawing boards on whatevr feasible locations we could- Chairs, bed, tables [ the lucky ones] , buckets or floor as the last resort. Then some of us who had figured out the scheme took the lead and started carving. The others decided to follow blindly. 2- 3 guys were totally absent from the scene. They promised that once we were done they'll take just an hour to Glass trace it. So the authors had started and the rest had started to follow suite. Using our scales, dividers, compasses to take dimensions from the leader’s dwg and reproducing the sheets. We were following blindly and the only objective was to get a complete sign on the following morning. Engineering drawings sheets can eat a hell lot of time depending on intricacies and we started to realise this was no piece of cake. With the sheet only half dome we decided to take the dinner break at 10.30 pm. When we resumed we only hoped that we got it done in time. Working tirelessly [and blindly, of course] we were done with the first sheet at 2.30 am. This is when we decided to get some Tea to keep awake. I joined KD and together we went to the Shivajinagar railway stn [ adj to hostel] to fetch some tea. On our way we saw a ghastly accident scene. [Earlier, around 1 am, we had heard a loud bang but dint care much]. An empty State transport Bus had rammed into a Light truck sending it off-road down the bridge. The truck was full of poultry and the impact had killed most of the chicken inside. We could see the people in the neighborhoods helping themselves with handful of birds. We returned with Tea and resumed the second drawing sheet. People in the adjacent hostel room were still lagging behind with the first sheet only half done. Most of them had given up hope of completing in time. We continued our second sheet till 5.30 am but it was still only 1/2 done. Here some of us started to take power naps but never resumed. Seeing them sleep others followed, we decided to quit and by 6.00 am everyone was sleeping in whatever space they cud manage. Some of them were fast asleep on the very tables they were drawing. Finally when we awoke we decided to buy some time from our professor. The professor thankfully obliged and we were given a grace time of one day. Completing the sheet after that was a piece of cake.
At last it was done! Whenever I look back at that night I cannot help but laugh at our misdemeanors – but that also reminds me how smart we were to get out of that mess!

Adding more Sticks to cricket!

Whenever I play stickcricket, I always wondered how it would feel like watching a real match goin the stickcricket way! The closest that comes to it is South Africa chasing down the mammoth 434 run target against the mighty Aussies! It certainly would have been a great feast for the spectators who got their money's worth. But one has to spare a thought for the poor bowlers who now find the rules getting more and more in favour of the batsman! The bowlers are apparantly being treated as scapegoat in the whole game! 10-0-113-0 are the figures a bowler can think only in his worst nightmares! Poor Mick Lewis ended bowling them in a real world International ODI! Its time for ICC to think of some rules to make life easier for the bowlers. Adding one more STICK behind the batsman may help!

End of the Thackeray Era!

Tiger Tiger. burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? ....... William Blake!

Bal Thackeray was known as the Tiger! Gone are those days! Even a rabbit doesn’t give a damn to an old tiger! At 75 Thackeray can hardly enjoy the glory he enjoyed and command the respect of the general public and his ardent sainiks he once enjoyed. Worst for him, dissidence in the family and the direct challenge to his supremacy and charisma from his own nephew has humbled him no end! I’m neither a Thackeray basher to enjoy his fate nor his fan to lament the fall his fall from glory. What I want to consider is the scenario of a post Thackeray Era based on some facts! India has very funny political affiliations. People from the majority are divided in their supports for the 2 big national parties and the regional parties. This is where the minority vote banks come in handy and political parties go to the extremes to win their hearts. Even BJP which has been widely viewed as a Hindu party has left no stone unturned to win the minority vote banks. This is where Mr. Thackeray ideology appeals me. Is'nt he the only stanch supporter of the Hindus and has never tried to please the Muslims for the sake oft heir votes? In the post Thackeray era can we find a ardent Hindu supporter who we can say won’t care for the Muslim votes if the Hindu interests are to be protected. The situation is more grave if we consider the scenario of public agitation or communal tensions. After the Bombay blasts the tensions were high and it is said the Muslims were on a rampage. It is believed that the rage of the babri masjid demolition and the fillip provided by the blasts master minded by the infamous Muslim Don had put them on a high. Under these circumstances when the majority community in Bombay was running for cover Thackeray incited the Shiv Sainiks to protect the Hindus with their blood through inflammatory articles in Saamna! What happened after that is a gory sequence of events which blotted the secular image of the country and tarnished the Thackeray image no end. However the point here is, God forbid, but if anything similar events happen in future is there any one we can look to , to be our savior?

I'll reiterate I’m not a follower or preacher of Thackerayism, but I admire him for his undying chauvinism in a world of less and less patriotism, I admire him for his stanch principles in a world of less and less morals!

Sign of things to come!

Is this the future of the small hatch back in India? As the car market in India is growing with an enormous pace, most of the manufacturers from Europe are heading towards India with their big hatchbacks ( The segment currently dominated by TATA, Maruti & Hyundai) . The Palio and Indica represent the first major Euro-Styled hatchbacks in the country, followed by Marutis Swift ( though the car has many odd proportions signifying its Japanese character) Here is an image of the new styling cues that are emerging in the Italian design houses! History has witnessed that the European styling becomes a benchmark and is the trendsetter for designs worldwide ( Palio n Indica both were designed by same firm in Italy). The above impression could resemble a great deal to what Maruti (new hatch back) TATA Motors (new Indica) FIAT (upgraded Palio) have to offer in 2007! Till then wait n watch!

Do we really use them well?

"If you have a hammer in your hand , doesn't necessarily mean that the whole world is made up of nails" - Anonymous!

Its really funny the way we use technology now a days. The other day, a guy next to me went nuts searching for his calculator - the thing he needed to do was a 3 digit addition. Computers are keeping us more and more occupied and making us more and more dependent on 'em!

It'll be worthwhile to remember once in a while that: "Computers do only what you tell them to do and not what you want them to do"

Think about it!

Mr Finance Minister!

A little more patience, a little more charity for all,
a little more devotion, a little more love;
with less bowing down to the past, and a silent ignoring of pretended authority;
brave looking forward to the future with more faith in our fellows,
and the race will be ripe for a great burst of light and life.

--Elbert Hubbard

No better word than saying "outstanding" as India Inc comes together to celebrate the the foresighted budget of our foresighted Finance minister. The sensex has given a 200 point standing ovation and now 15,000 doesnt seem too far. Champaign have been uncorked and the party has just begun. Car prices are down by over 20K. I wish that even bead had got that cheaper!!

2006 F1 Engine!

Only 4-stroke engines with reciprocating pistons are permitted.
Engine capacity must not exceed 2400 cc.
Supercharging is forbidden.
All engines must have 8 cylinders arranged in a 90º “V” configuration and the normal section of each cylinder must be circular.
Engines must have two inlet and two exhaust valves per cylinder. Only reciprocating poppet valves are permitted. The sealing interface between the moving valve component and the stationary engine component must be circular.
The total amount of recoverable energy stored on the car must not exceed 300kJ, any which may be recovered at a rate greater than 2kW must not exceed 20kJ.
Engine dimensions:Cylinder bore diameter may not exceed 98mm. Cylinder spacing must be fixed at 106.5mm (+/- 0.2mm).The crankshaft centreline must not be less than 58mm above the reference plane.
Weight and centre of gravity: The overall weight of the engine must be a minimum of 95kg. The centre of gravity of the engine may not lie less than 165mm above the reference plane. The longitudinal and lateral position of the centre of gravity of the engine must fall within a region that is the geometric centre of the engine, +/- 50mm.
Only one fuel injector per cylinder is permitted which must inject directly into the side or the top of the inlet port.
Electrical systems: Ignition is only permitted by means of a single ignition coil and single spark plug per cylinder. The use of plasma, laser or other high frequency ignition techniques is forbidden.
Only conventional spark plugs that function by high tension electrical discharge across an exposed gap are permitted. Spark plugs are not subject to the materials restrictions
The primary regulated voltage on the car must not exceed 17.0V DC.
Engine actuators: With the following exceptions hydraulic, pneumatic or electronic actuation is forbidden: a) Electronic solenoids uniquely for the control of engine fluids; b) Components providing controlled pressure air for a pneumatic valve system; c) A single actuator to operate the throttle system of the engine.
Engine auxiliaries: With the exception of electrical fuel pumps engine auxiliaries must be mechanically driven directly from the engine with a fixed speed ratio to the crankshaft.
Engine intake air:
Other than injection of fuel for the normal purpose of combustion in the engine, any device, system, procedure, construction or design the purpose or effect of which is any decrease in the temperature of the engine intake air is forbidden.
Other than engine sump breather gases and fuel for the normal purpose of combustion in the engine, the spraying of any substance into the engine intake air is forbidden.
Materials and construction – Components:
Pistons must be manufactured from an aluminium alloy which is either Al-Si; Al-Cu; Al-Mg or Al-Zn based.
Piston pins must be manufactured from an iron based alloy and must be machined from a single piece of material.
Connecting rods must be manufactured from iron or titanium based alloys and must be machined from a single piece of material with no welded or joined assemblies (other than a bolted big end cap or an interfered small end bush).
Crankshafts must be manufactured from an iron based alloy. No welding is permitted between the front and rear main bearing journals. No material with a density exceeding 19,000kg/m3 may be assembled to the crankshaft.
Camshafts must be manufactured from an iron based alloy. Each camshaft and lobes must be machined from a single piece of material. No welding is allowed between the front and rear bearing journals
Valves must be manufactured from alloys based on Iron, Nickel, Cobalt or Titanium. Hollow structures cooled by sodium, lithium or similar are permitted.
Reciprocating and rotating components: a) Reciprocating and rotating components must not be manufactured from graphitic matrix, metal matrix composites or ceramic materials. This restriction does not apply to the clutch and any seals; b) Rolling elements of rolling element bearings must be manufactured from an iron based alloy; c) Timing gears between the crankshaft and camshafts (including hubs) must be manufactured from an iron based alloy.

-Source (FIA Website)

Lost In Transition!

One of the biggest fun factor back in Pune was the proximity of the mountain ranges. Enclosed by this hilly terrains Pune was a safe haven for its past rulers and also the locals. However now they beautifully serve to the recreational endeavors of all hikers. Trekking in those vast valleys of the mountains was just the right potion we seeked to challenge our audacity. Now looking at these vast barren plateaus in Texas I wonder when ill be back in the arms of Sahyadris and realise what I have Lost in Transition!

Vehicle Dynamics

The Legend of Ford Mustang!

The date was April 17, 1964. Intermediate sized muscle cars, with big block engines were gradually replacing the fullsized muscle car. Lee Iacocca, Ford's General Manager, had always invisioned a small sports car to be the next hot item in the street wars. Ford decided that instead of improving their lackluster intermediate, they would do the competition one better and introduce a whole new breed of automobile, the pony car. Originally designed as a two seater in the European tradition, Iacocca realized that true success depended on volume sales.The Mustang I was an experimental mid-engined, two seated sports car aimed at the Triumph/MG market.Since it was impossible to build a prototype very rapidly in Detroit, Ford contracted the job to specialist builder Trautman and Barnes in Los Angeles. Planned around a wheelbase of 85 - 90 inches, Mustang I had an engine of 1.5 - 2.0 litres in a steel tube frame covered by a stressed skin aluminium body. An integral rollbar and fixed seats added rigidity. Although the seats didn't adjust, the pedals and steering did, mounting on a sliding box member that allowed positioning to suit any driver.Roy Lunn (product planner) and Herb Misch (engineer) devised the Mustang I's four wheel independent suspension, then an uncommon feature in Detroit. All shocks and springs were adjustable for ride height and firmness. Steering was rack and pinion, just 2.9 turns lock-to-lock with a tight turning circle of 30 feet. It's engine was also unusual: a 60 degree V4 displacing 1927cc. For the Mustang I it was tuned up to 90 BHP at 6500 RPM, breathing through a single throat Solex carburettor. The competition version used two twin throat side draft Webber carbs and crossover manifold for over 100 BHP. Mustang I was fitted with a four speed transaxle, it's brakes were front disks with rear drums and it's 13 inch magnesium wheels from Lotus England were shod with Pirelli radial-ply tyres. Mustang I was 154 inches long (40 inches high with 5 inches road clearance), rode a 90 inch wheel base, and spanned front/rear tracks of 48/49 inches. A curb weight of under 1200 pounds meant thrilling performance despite the small engine: Top speed was approximately 120 MPH. A low sloping nose housing the spare tyre left little room for a radiator and ductwork, so a pair of diagonally mounted radiators flanked the engine, each with a thermostatically controlled fan. The 13 gallon aluminium fuel tank had a racing style 'Quick Fill' neck.The Mustang I made it's public debut at the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York on October 1962, where it was driven around the circuit by race driver Dan Gurney. Car and Driver' tested the car in 90 BHP form and found it's 0 - 60 MPH acceleration was about 10 seconds, yet fuel economy was high at 30 MPG. As expected of mid-engined cars, handling was excellent.Exciting as it was, the Mustang I was a false start. Enthusiasts raved, but Lee Iacocca carefully watched general reaction and shrugged. "All the car buffs said, 'Hey what a car!' but when I look at who's saying it - the offbeat crowd, the real buffs - I said 'That's sure not the car we want to build, because it can't be a volume car. It's too far out.'"Therefore the Ford Mustang was introduced as a 1965 model that was based on the compact Falcon to lower production costs. It came with an obligatory back seat and a multitude of options that would give the buyer an opportunity to customize their purchase, and generate extra profits for Ford. Plymouth faithful stress that their Baracuda beat the Ford Mustang to market by two weeks. But it was the Mustang, which racked up over 22,000 sales its first day and one million sales in its first two years, that turned the market and people's attention to the pony car. The pony car class that the Ford Mustang helped create is the only class of muscle car that still exists today.

Shubha Vivaha! !! 12.46 pm, January 25, 2006!!

Two hours to go...............I really didnt expect subhash to be free for me but was always worth a try. So i called and waited for papu to answer,prankish as i was thought of rattling him up with a few Texan vibes.........But it did'nt work,

Papu: Ha Mahesh Bol, are to ajun haldi samarambhaat aahe. (damn it , he had stored the number and there ws no way i cud fool him).

I: Ok, hows it all going on?

Papu: I'm OK, what abt u?

I: Me, Fine too! Me thodya welane call karto mugg, 1/2 n hr later may be?

Papu: Ho, Thats perfectly fine, to ardhya taasat free hoil.

I: Burr, What r u upto now-a -..........HE had already hung up!

Subhash, my senior in the colony back home is amongst the nicest guys around, An idealist as he is, never did i see him set a foot wrong on the morals and always discouraged me from doing so! Always guided me on different fronts whether i needed his advice or not. With Shubbi (as we all call him)there was always an perspective from the other side, as he never went with the crowd and mostly had opinions quite contrastBut why am i blabbering about him or what he is..............Today is his wedding and lets celebrate it!1/2 n hour after the comversation I dialled once again and waited for Papu to tell me "Its all clear"surprised i was to hear shubbi answering the calll--- i wud have loved for papu to answer and banter him for hanging up abruptly,

Subhash: Ha barik rao , bola!

I: Abhinandan, that u r getting married!

Subhash: Dhanyawaad!

I: Enjoy , mann, aaj tuza diwas aahe!Ho, fakta tuzeee uneev aahe,

I:Hmmm, kay karu, mee pann miss kartoy, This the first time I m not attending a friends wedding ....

Subhash: Tuza kasa chaallay,

I:Theek.me tula photo pathwailI:Ho , scan karun pathawbara, he dhar[what]oh , at the other end the receiver had exchanged hands and a familiar voice was asking me some thing,

Santosh: Mahesh, kasays?

I: Are ekdum theek...Kay chaallay?

I:Kahi nahi, pahili sem sampleee aahe, dusree nukteech suru......

Santosh: AAWAJ EKDUM CLEAR YETOY (as his voice faded away)what was that ? discussing reliance VOIP quality?*?*?*?******another familiar voice had started pouring in.

Mahesh Zende: Tendlya!!!!!! kay chaallay?

I:kahi nahi thee....

Mahesh Zende:houston laa aahe naa tu?

I:nahi, tithun 100 miles warr......Mahesh Zende:ha,haa, me tula maza navin Id pathawto!I:burrr......Full Stop NXT Voice---By now I had got a feel of whats it gonna be!

Prashant: Tedulll!! Kay chaallay? Theek naa?

I: Ho

By this time the tempo in the background had gained significantly! After all its a Great Indian wedding, and last minute commotions and accelerations are a must......I had been for more than 4 friends wedding and knew what the scenes wud be there......by the time i cud say anything to prashant the cell was back to papu.... We exchanged goodbyes and let him slide into the revelry which was about to start!I am sure the wedding went on smoothly!More on it later , Hopefully i'll have some pics to share!