350 not out!!!

350 posts and on.... skiing into 2009 :-)

Happy New Year, folks!!

Y.O.S.E.M.I.T.E.

I luv U S10 :-)

Pics from the Land of Angels..

The One With The Boobies

Some good old F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Enjoy!!!
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Chandler accidentally walks in on Rachel after a shower and sees her breasts, leading to a series of shower peepings. Phoebe's new psychiatrist boyfriend, Roger, depresses and angers everyone. Joey finds out his dad has been having an affair with Ronni, a pet mortician, for six years; he insists his dad either break it off or confess, but it turns out his mom already knew--and didn't want it to stop.


The one where they said....
Ross: Wha... what were you doing seeing her boobies?
Chandler: It was an accident. Not like I was across the street with a telescope and a box of donuts.
Chandler: You know, I don't know why you're so embarrassed. They were very nice boobies.
Rachel: Nice? They were nice? I mean, that's it? I mean, mittens are nice.
Chandler: Okay... rock... hard place... me.

Ross: All right, all right. We're all adults here. There's only one way to resolve this. Since you saw her boobies, I think you're gonna have to show her your pee-pee.
Chandler: You know, I don't see that happening?
Rachel: C'mon, he's right. Tit for tat.
Chandler: Well, I'm not showing you my tat.


.............

.....


Mr. Tribbiani: You're gonna keep an eye on us?
Joey: That's right, mister! And I don't care how old you are, as long as you're under my roof you're gonna live by my rules. And that means no sleeping with your girlfriend.
Ronni: Wow, he's strict.

Chandler: C'mon, I'll show you to my room. That sounds so weird when it's not followed by, "No thanks, it's late."

Chandler: Hey, Kicky! What are you doing?
Joey: Just trying to get comfortable. I can't sleep in my underwear.
Chandler: Well you're gonna.


Joey: I've been thinking, ya know, about how I'm always seeing girls on top of girls?
Chandler: Are they end to end, or tall like pancakes?

Chandler: Hey, you're not him. You're you. When they were all over you to go into your father's pipe-fitting business, did you cave?
Joey: No.
Chandler: No. You decided to go into the out-of-work actor business. Now that wasn't easy, but you did it! And I'd like to believe that when the right woman comes along, you will have the courage and the guts to say, "No thanks, I'm married."

http://www.friends-tv.org/zz113.html

Quiz time..

Once there was a mid-wife
that lead a boring life!

1. What profession does this person belong to:
scientist one day, weatherman the other
milkman one day, mechanic the other!







Answer: A farmer!
2. Which of the following jobs is the best job and which is the worst?
a. Mid-wife
b. Elephant caretaker
c. Farmer
d. Investment banker (in NY.. should I be even more specific? ok, ex-Lehman)




Answer: Worst job is the one that you are not inspired to do, best job the one that inspires you!!

Bay area in the movies...

You can see a lot of San Francisco in this song...Adiyae Kolluthe.. from Vaaranam Aayiram... the new Surya Sameera starrer.

But, I dont plan on watching the movie... no great reviews...

Moments of Truth.. Vol 2

Pics from my beloved Nikon S10!

Moments of Truth.. Vol 1

Hey Girl, Is he everything you wanted in a man?

You know I gave you the world; You had me in the palm of your hand. So why your love went away - I just can't seem to understand. Thought it was me and you, baby - Me and you until the end, But I guess I was wrong.

Don't wanna think about it; Don't wanna talk about it - I'm just so sick about it; I can't believe it's ending this way. (I'm) Just so confused about it - Feeling the blues about it. I just can't do without ya! Tell me, is this fair?

Is (thi) the way it's really going down? Is this how we say goodbye? Shoulda known better when you came around - That you were gonna make me cry. It's breaking my heart to watch you run around; Cause I know that you're living a lie. But that's ok, baby, cause in time you will find (out that) What goes around, goes around, goes around, comes all the way back around.

Now Girl, I remember everything that you claimed - You said that you were moving on now - Maybe I should do the same. The funny thing about that is.. I was ready to give you my name - Thought it was me and you baby. And now, it's all just a shame - That I guess I was wrong.

Don't wanna think about it; Don't wanna talk about it - I'm just so sick about it; I can't believe it's ending this way. (I'm) Just so confused about it - Feeling the blues about it. I just can't do without ya! Tell me, is this fair?

You spend your nights alone And he never comes home. And everytime you call him, all you get is a busy tone. I heard you found out that he's doing to you what you did to me - Ain't that the way it goes - When you cheated, girl, My heart bleeded, girl. So it go without saying that should let the feeling hurt - Just a classic case scenario (and) Tale as old as time. Girl, you got what you deserved. And now you want somebody To cure the lonely nights. You wish you had somebody That could come and make it right. But girl, I ain't somebody - I'm out of sympathy. See...

What goes around comes back around. I thought I told ya!!

Great song - Justin Timberlake!! Thanks to you and lyrics mode...

... (Three Dots)

If rich get poorer, what will happen to the poor?

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Chidambaram has asked the Indian companies to keep their prices lower.. and to not cut back their production...

I need to read the whole story, but... how will that work??

Indian economy is in a much better shape than the rest of the world.. but still...

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US economy, as almost all capitalist economies, are built around consumer spending...

Not just somebody... but everybody in the US economy need to be spending... But how are they planning to increase the consumer confidence when the incomes are falling and the credit is in a crunch??

History is made!

One thing is for sure tonight... history had been made!

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, will also be the first black president in this country. USA has voted to give him a landslide victory - 338 to 144 and counting...

For sure, this is just the beginning.. there is plenty of work to be done to get this country back into a state of economic, social and political greatness.. a lot of evils and bad practices need to be undone.. but, I believe we have made a start.

Overall, what we need is a sense of reality and a stand for greatness - to believe in the greatness of everyone, not just of a particular skin color or personal alignment. (After all, one cannot have all round greatness when even one section is denied that, can we?)

US has a lot of racists. And I have to admit.. I am racist too... I have stereotypes in my mind... I may not say it out loud.. like that jingoistic racist I met the other day who claimed 'Indians suck'... I have no idea why he said that.. (and yeah, we do suck a lot of things.. you mean you dont?!) and I am not bothered to find out.. But, like I said, I have my prejudices too... but I make a conscious effort to overcome... As I believe, a lot of us folks are making that effort - no matter where we are or where we come from.... And, we have enough problems facing us to make us forget and overcome all these differences and prejudices. So, to a better world..

When I was in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.. I saw a lot of things... and noticed a few... there were a lot more blacks there than I ever saw in NY or even Detroit... but, they were a cheerful lot. I dont know if it was the joy of having a leader like Obama in their midst and making history... But I did sense a clear aura of happiness.

That is the vision I had when I saw Obama's speech tonight on the TV aired from Grant Park, Chicago. A president firmly grounded in the realities and challenges of the times... and at the same time, someone who believed in the greatness in us.. And someone who can call upon that superlative performance from everyone.

Yes we can!!!

Obama Vs. McCain - If the World could vote

McCain vs. Obama - 2008 World Election

If ever there could have been one, here is how the "Results" will look!!!!!


It's a voting poll for the next US president in which anyone in the world can vote. It was created by a few young people in Iceland, it's independent, and without agenda. Only one vote is allowed per computer. So far there are votes from 200 countries.

And there were only two countries that would have elected McCain... Imagine that!!
This is as of Oct 31, 2008 2pm Pacific Time..

Cast your vote now and see the latest!!
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com

Happy Diwali!!

Many a word been said before
of this team - heroes (and heroines) galore!
pain is temporary and victory forever
all champions of a worthy endeavor!!

Thank you TEAM Asha!!!!

I am pretty sure I would not have attempted to run a marathon in my lifetime, much less finish a half-marathon.. if not for you guys.

But more than anything else, you are part of a cause that is close to my heart...

When we can light the hope in an underprivileged child.. When we can fire the stove in that kitchen for the years to come... When we can ignite the quest for knowledge in the world.... We have won. Happy Diwali, folks!! This has been one of my most memorable Diwali.

May you all go forth and multiply!!

Bhaskar

I am a Half-marathoner!!

Yipppeee!!! I ran the Silicon Valley Half-Marathon today.

Words can't describe the feeling... One of body (leg) pain but high spirits!! I finished the 13.1 miles in 3hr 31m 7s 8ms...

I am happy that something I did was worthy of measuring at the milliseconds scale.. !! But, more than that, I am so happy to have finished it... After all, how many have run a half-marathon.. and of them, how many have run for a cause as worthy as Asha's?

Thank you for your support and enthusiasm!! I can say that as a reason for me to cross the finish line today.

More pics to follow.. Watch this space!



Cross-posted on my running blog

India in much better shape - Thanks Dr. Y. V. Reddy

"It is time to send a bouquet of roses to Dr. Y. V. Reddy. A really large one." says Ajit Dayal. Ajit is a Director at Quantum Advisors Pvt Ltd.

Here he continues...
It is time to send a bouquet of roses to Dr. Y. V. Reddy. A really large one.
As a gesture of "Thank You" from all of us for keeping India afloat at a time when the world is reeling under the weight of a scary global financial crises.

Dr. Reddy retired as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on September 5th, 2008 but his acts - and actions - while at the helm of the RBI has, in my opinion, saved India from a total meltdown. The meltdown that we are witnessing in the US and Europe and in countries like Iceland which got carried away with access to low-cost easy money.

Dr. Reddy’s caution was typified by the old-fashioned suits that central bankers wear. His old-cut and boring grey and dark suits were reminiscent of a visit to the house of a disapproving uncle. An uncle who always wanted to know why the child’s hands were dirty and the clothes stained with mud.

The never-ready Dr. Reddy was constantly criticised for not allowing India to dance with the winds of change that had overtaken the global financial markets. The policies of the RBI were often at loggerheads with what the new-age economists wanted. Free markets - they urged - free up banking - free up everything.

....
....
....
India has been witness to many crises in the past. And some pretty big ones after we began on our own economic reforms in 1991.

There was the Tequila crisis when Mexico went bust in 1994.

There was the Asian Crisis when the magical Asian Tigers went bust in 1997.

There was the LTCM collapse which led to South Korea and Russia going bust in 1998.

In each of these crises, the central bankers of these countries had set themselves up for the fall. They had allowed the companies and banks under their jurisdiction to borrow excessively and rely on foreign capital. While the world was greedy and no one priced risk correctly, all these countries enjoyed boom years. When risk got re-priced – as is being done now – and capital was in short supply, all the Salsa dancers and Tigers sunk into disaster.

But, during those crises, India was still a relatively closed economy. Our total trade with the free world was less than 10% of GDP for a long time. Today it is over 25% of GDP. India is now a more open economy.

The RBI has allowed Indian individuals to invest overseas; they have allowed us to use Indian credit cards anywhere in the world; they have allowed Indian companies to buy companies overseas.

The uncle has had no problem letting the child play in the mud – but he has first used a stick to ensure that the mud is not quicksand.

But that did not make our finance companies happy. Like the finance companies monitored by Mr. Gordon Brown during his tenure, our “Made in India” finance companies wanted India to have access to any and all capital. The colour of money is green, they said, why should the RBI care where it came from.

Thank god, the RBI did care.

Thank god, Dr. Reddy did care.

Unlike the central bankers in Iceland, who must have been so enthralled by that classic line from "Gone with the Wind": "Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn"

The top 3 banks in Iceland borrowed US$ 60 billion from the global financial markets. The value of their liabilities is 12x the size of Iceland’s GDP. Their foreign currency reserves are only US$ 3.7 billion.

Now the top 3 banks in Iceland are bust.

And so is Iceland.

It is seeking US$ 8 billion from the IMF, Russia, and some Nordic countries.

If Dr. Reddy had not done what central bankers are supposed to do – the Indian banks would have all been in an Icelandic mess.

To read his full report, click here

Chicago in a Bean!!

Chicago is a spectacular city...
Here are some sights from this awesome place...

My Chicago Marathon....

Finally, I did run the Chicago marathon... though I had no chance of finishing it with my ITB/knee pain. Still... I did run for running. And it was great!

I just wanted to do some 10 miles so I can meet my target mileage as I am preparing to run the SV Half marathon in 2 weeks. I was in a decently good shape for someone who has not run much (on land, though I have been running in the water/pool) for the last couple of months. So, I thought I will let my shoe hit the road. And anyway, I was ready to get out (of the marathon) as and when needed.

So, I reached the start line on Oct 12, 2008 at 8am local time. There was a huge crowd - of course, about 45,000 runners had registered. I started in the last few corrals - with the group with the pace of 5hr 45 min. I used the ITB band on my right knee, but unfortunately only one was in stock at the store the other day and I did not have the band for my left knee.

After about a mile, my right knee felt ok, but my left one started to pain. So, I stopped, stretched and restarted. Likewise it went on for about five miles, then I had to walk to complete the rest of the course. I just took one mile at a time. I completed (almost) 12 miles (19.some kms) and then, I stopped.

Well.. I am happy to have done my first 12 miles... my first marathon experience and that I did it at the Chicago Marathon. Nobody can take that away from me.. I have tasted blood and "I will be back"!!!

Here are some times.. subtract 20mins to account for the time my corral actually crossed the start line...



The crowd support was just amazing... almost a million must have been there on the streets cheering us - of which two were my mom and dad :-)

And of course, there have been so many of you who have made the journey to the start line so worth it - you who believed in my cause and supported me with your enthu, time, and money. You coaches, mentors - especially Chakri, Gar'G'i, buddies - especially Reena, Ramya... And the entire Asha family - You Rock!


Cross-posted on my running blog

His story of greed?

I just finished watching the movie/documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room"... and I cannot but feel that history is repeating again... multiple fold...

Enron was not the result of misplaced ambition fueled by greed.. It was the embodiment of misplaced ambition fueled by greed.

Though I am sure not everyone who worked there (some 20000 employees) knew what was happening, I am absolutely sure 10% of them - at the least - knew about the wrong, unethical practices. And the remaining 90% would have had some inkling.. some sense of "things are not right here". After all, these were some very smart people.

And then, there was this bunch load of guys who went along with these fraudsters... all those analysts at investment banks, bankers from JP Morgan, Merill Lynch, Citibank, CSFB... the whole lot... the legal firms... Arthur Anderson, of course (the oldest accounting firm in the country that disappeared after Enron collapse)... THEY JUST JOINED IN THE FUN and made their bucks, as long as it lasted.

And now this mortgage crisis in tens of thousand times bigger a scale....History repeats... There is a whole army of crooks... and then some... who, in any sane mind, would have known - had they just stepped back for a moment... But they did not.... the stock market did not.... And now we have companies biting the dust....

Makes me think - that this whole economy is being fueled by this greed. Capitalism sounds like an euphemism. The air seems grained with this whole misplaced sense of accomplishment...

And I, a member of this economy, am an integral part of this corporate greed. And at the disadvantageous end of it... No golden parachutes... or silver... forget it - not even a parachute.... When will it be my turn to bite the dust?
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I see this guy who comes to my office in a Porsche 911... well.. I am sure he is not the only one... But when the company is in a bad shape... this guy comes around in a minimum $80,000 car...

Should I commend him for making his bucks before the market/company got hit... Or should I commend him for coming to work even after he made his money??!

Doggy...

I brought home my first doggy... well, doggy-like.... it is my new vacuum cleaner, Roomba. It is a robot.. it is small and round and circles my legs... I need to train it to go charge itself, but it does a pretty good job of cleaning the floors. And it is fun!
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My parents are here.. Time to learn some new recipes... And visit some new places... going to Chicago next weekend. Should be fun...

Financial Tsunami

After the Lehman meltdown, the financial tsunami is threatening various parts of the globe... But more so, in the American corners...

At a very high level, beyond the Geo-stationary satellites ;-), I think this is the effect of osmotic pressure in a 'flat world'. When things (prices/wages) are not in equilibrium, but are maintained artificially in a steady state and trying to retain the differences as they stand.... the pressure differences can and will lead to more such tsunamis. (The pressure on the firms to perform and generate ever greater profits, in this case...)

The best way to escape the impact of the Tsunami is by staying afloat... or mobile - that's what I think I will be doing, though by my own preference.. Work in US for a while.. then, move to Asia.. then, the Europe and so on!

Anyways.. I came across this nice article that explains all the jargon behind the Lehman collapse and how these guys lost their own game. Check this out....Losing your own game

If you thought that was a bit too technical, here is another 'simple worded' version... Worst Crisis since the 30's; With no end yet in sight (Thanks Jam!)


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Investment analyst and entrepreneur Dr. Marc Faber concluded his monthly bulletin (June 2008) with the Following:


''The federal government is sending each of us a $600 rebate. If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, the money goes to China . If we spend it on gasoline it goes to the Arabs. If we buy a computer it will go to India .

If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico , Honduras and Guatemala . If we purchase a good car it will go to Germany . If we purchase useless crap it will go to Taiwan and none of it will help the American economy. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it on prostitutes and beer, since these are the only products still produced in US. I've been doing my part.'

(Thanks Neeraj for sending this!)

Force, Freedom and French Fries...

This is in response to my friend, Jam's post about the recently back-in-force Kashmir agitations..

I choose the 'simple yet straight-forward' reasoning.. "anything that is forced will give away, sooner or later.... ".. And after a point, people just forget the good things... they only have the lingering bad taste of 'force'.

Even though my (our) ego would not agree so easily, we should give away J&K to its own people. After all, every sane individual has a right to self-determination. And if that is what they (the entire state) wants, let them have it. (Well, the truth is that we did not deal with things the past 20 years - so, we are responsible if Kashmiri public opinion turned against India)

Ten days of curfew straight out.. what a waste!! There is so much of money spent on Siachen and in maintaining 'law & order' in J&K.. not to forget the huge amounts of military presence and resources burnt every day.

All in all, let us not waste our energy, prode, fervor, armed forces, resources and money on people that are thankless...

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To quote Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar of Swaminomics fame, "India has sought integration with Kashmir, not colonial rule. But Kashmiris nevertheless demand azaadi. And ruling over those who resent it so strongly for so long is quasi-colonialism, regardless of our intentions.

We promised Kashmiris a plebiscite six decades ago. Let us hold one now, and give them three choices: independence, union with Pakistan, and union with India. Almost certainly the Valley will opt for independence. Jammu will opt to stay with India, and probably Ladakh too. Let Kashmiris decide the outcome, not the politicians and armies of India and Pakistan."

Set them free, if they really want - let them win their way back to being Indians.

Bhaskar

PS: Read the rest of Swami's article here

PPS: Read the Vir Sanghvi's article too to understand how Kashmir is taking advantage of its special status and over the rest of India.

PPPS: Oh.. the french fries? do you remember how US forcefully changed the name of french fries to freedom fries?? well.. that has nothin' to do with the topic... anyway... I just added the fries 'cos it seemed to get the zing into the title ;-)