The Voice In My Head…

TheVoiceinMyHead is excited to bring you an exclusive look at the soon to be opened Candies! Located at the foot of Pali Hill, on the ground floor of McRonald’s, Bandra, you are greeted at the entrance with a beautiful old world like charming sign plate. The very long corridor flanked with lovely mosaics on either side are now empty but come Monday 1st October when it opens it’s sure to be as packed as the other Candies in Mumbai.

Rat poison needs to be constantly upgraded because rats develop immunity to every new poison developed.

Similarly the spammers - be they email spammers or tele-spammers develop newer ways to irritate you enough to wish you could put up a trap to stop them once & for all.

I just received a call from 056694 on my cell phone. A guy spoke into the phone:

“Hi, I’m Mitesh do you want to be friends with me?”

Before I could recover from my wt? feeling with my eyebrows up, a girl comes on the line:

“Hi, I’m Reshma..”

Recorded Spam telephone calls now!

It was bad enough getting the telemarketers touting Credit Cards, Car Loans, House Loans - now it’s recorded messages - my cell provider requesting me to change to caller-tunes (which incidentally I don’t do, simple rings works best for me, thank you very much), it’s random companies asking me to join their network (sorry, I’m not giving you guys any publicity).

Way back in 2005, the Supreme Court of India sought to convince the government to have telcom regulators frame rules to ban spam calls and preserve the privacy of mobile phone users.

The Reserve Bank of India subsequently urged banks using telemarketers for credit card & loan services to maintain a ‘Do not call registry’. Judging by the significant drop of people calling me for these services (if any!), it’s fair to assume these services are in place (or that I’ve been very very lucky, fingers, still crossed).

Meanwhile the National Do Not Call Registry (of India) - which was supposed to be active from this month (September 2007) - hasn’t been able to stop either the spam messages or these new recorded telecalls I’ve been receiving.

The message on the Subscription page reads:

Please contact your telecom service provider for more Details. Any existing subscriber or new subscriber can request his telephone number be included in the National Do Not Call Register. Such request would be free of cost. The telecom service provider will acknowledge the request within ten days. Requests will become effective in 45 days from the date of request.

The ‘Details’ of the telecom service providers is linked to a pdf file, which incidentally does not open. Such is life.

The rats have evolved. It’s time to evolve our rat traps.

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Cross Posted at My India Report

I was talking to a friend of mine who by the world’s standard is doing very well - he has had a great education, he has a good (some may say great) job, owns the title to lots of material possessions, he’s young, he’s cute - and yet, my friend is not happy.

We talked about what the possible reasons for the lack of contentment in his life may be, but didn’t get anywhere. Then much later, this little bit of wisdom came to me, which I sent him via sms (many msgs!), which I record now here:

I think a trap lots of us fall into is expecting life to be easy.

But life is not easy. Not for anyone.

I think for true contentment:

(01) We should count our blessings. This can also be done by seeing less fortunate around us.

(02) Accept it as a personal challenge to play as well as possible with the cards we have been dealt.

So think: How can I be more content right this minute? Do that, and voila, a content heart is born.

Got the above “wisdom” late last night. Know it’s not perfect but will brush up as & when I find more pieces that fit. The understanding I have that “Life is not easy”, was picked up from M. Scott Peck’s ‘The Road Less Traveled’, first line “Life is Difficult” and George Bernard Shaw, “Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage, it can be delightful”.

“First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the Muslim lives all over the world.“

When I first heard the Pakistani Skipper Shoaib Malik saying those words during the cup ceremony at the Twenty 20 finals after losing to India, the first thought that went through my mind is “He must be scared to death”. I remembered all the mystery shrouding the death of Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer after the ODI World Cup earlier this year and I thought - how could he be anything but scared?

However the world is shaking it’s head against Shoaib Malik’s comment. Many non-Pakistani Muslims are speaking out about the fact that they are patriotic to their own countries and not to Pakistan. And that Shoiab’s comments were completely out of line.

Sample: Sohel NR at BanglaCricket forums says “Pak does not represet all Muslims..India has more muslims than Pak ..he does not have to apolgize to Phatan”

and hsheth01 from Indian Pad who says “think the persons who should be most offended would be the muslims of the world who do not hold the same view as Shoaib Malik. They should launch an offensive to get an apology from Pakistan. Muslims all over the world are not supporting Pakistan”.

I remember, even after the first India v/s Pakistan match (where India won in the Bowl Out), I was gTalking with another blogger Abdul Qabiz - he was as ecstatic as I was that India won. He’s a Muslim and he supports the Indian Team completely “and I guess that goes for all the Indian Muslims” he says. After the finals he simply posts:

India has won ICC twenty-twenty cricket world-cup. Final match was entertaining, breath-taking and totally cool. Congratulations to everyone. I hope and wish, Indian team continues the same form and wins the upcoming series with Australia.

However the comment has spurred more than just the Indian Muslims (& indeed non-Pakistani Muslims) to condemn the statement. It has raised bigger issues - of how and why the skipper should feel like he had to apologize to Muslims all over the world in the first place?

Mukul Kesavan from Cricinfo makes this summary:

The problem here isn’t the syntax, it is the sentiment. I don’t expect Shoaib Malik to be a politically correct intellectual, but it is reasonable to expect him to know the world of cricket that he inhabits.

It is a world where Muslims, Hindus and a Sikh currently play for England, where Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and a Hindu play for Sri Lanka, where Hashim Amla turns out for South Africa, where a Patel plays for New Zealand, where Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Hindus play (and have always played) for India.

Why would Shoaib think, then, that the Muslims of the world were collectively rooting for the Pakistan team or that they felt let down by its defeat? Did he stop to think of how Danish Kaneria, his Hindu team-mate, might feel hearing his Test skipper all but declare that the Pakistan team is a Muslim team that plays for the Muslims of the world?

The Times of India (TNN dated 26th Sept) hit the nail on the head (the ball on the wicket?) with this comment:

While the charitable explanation for Malik’s remarks was that he was trying to preempt an Islamic backlash at home and did so with poor command of English, the general feeling was he unwittingly revealed the growing radacalisation of the Pakistani cricket team.

The world online and off has made a huge noise about Shoiab’s comment. I hope any radicles who need to, sit up and listen. And perhaps next time, we can keep religion off the sports field.

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Cross Posted at My India Report

So we won the Twenty20 World Cup Championship. It was a night no cricket lover in India (which perhaps accounts for 90% of the population?) will ever forget. That includes us, a motley crew of pizza eating, Apple Fizz drinking (yeah, it’s a cool drink to hang out with), ice-cream slurrrping, Paki bashing (well, only for the game), loudly screaming, could-have-been delinquents huddled together from start to nail-biting, heart-stopping finish (seriously, did you see Dhoni clutching at his chest and coughing like he was having a heart attack in the last over?!).

We uttered (ridiculously) politically incorrect statements against the “King of Kuttis”, against Misbah-ul-**** (who from the Pakistan point of view played a great game) and against Mr. Chusely, who with his now bony sunken cheeks and vein showing neck was blowing kisses to the crowd like he was the King of England (seriously, wt??), all the time while wearing an “Om Shanti Om” T-Shirt? I’m not anti-SRK, but that was very unnecessary publicity, which I thought was in terribly bad taste for someone of his stature.

The World Cup truly belongs to our boys in blue - we beat Pakistan, twice (!!), we beat South Africa and we beat Australia. Incidentally, never make the mistake of randomly picking up a Tee when you’re late to watch an India v/s Australia match in the midst of a large group of people at TGIF. It may just turn out to be a Tee with these words on it:

In other news, went to see the “The Bourne Ultimatum”. It’s a must-see movie for all action & spy movie fans. In fact, the entire trilogy (The Bourne Identity & Supremacy) is not to be missed. I loved the first part best of all though. The final part of the trilogy sees Matt Damon in the lead role of Jason Bourne, along with Julia Stiles and Joan Allen, both who reprise their roles as Nicky Parsons and Pamela Landy superbly.

If you haven’t seen the earlier parts, I recommend you get the DVD and then watch then final part, you will understand the subtle but great scenes like the one with Nicky Parson cutting her hair in the bathroom ala the now dead, Marie.

Have also been gallivanting all over Mumbai, with bosom-buddy Saks in tow - from checking out the new-in-Mumbai Costa Coffee to continuing to haunt our regular joints like Out of the Blue.

Restaurant variations in between, include eating Pani-Puri from Sheetal Arch at INR 40 a plate, it was ridiculously expensive, but tasty nevertheless, to one of my favorite buffets Citrus at the Leela, at INR 925 + taxes, it still is worth the price given the quality and variety in the spread. If you’re going to Citrus, I recommend reserving a window seat in advance, the waterfalls and greenery outside will ensure you stay glued to your seat and make you want to spend the entire day in the oasis like setting.

I always seem to have the word ‘virgin’ thrown at me. It’s probably has less to do with the virgin drinks I have and more to do with the fact that my personal stance on virginity is rather well known (see here & here). It would also explain all the guys coming to my blog after googling “how to find if my wife is virgin”.

Someone I once knew, even told me that he had “revirginised” after going out with me.

Now I find this:

Popularly known as ‘revirginisation’, this trend has its roots somewhere in the US where more and more couples are attempting to be born-again virgins. “Couples, who have already engaged in hanky-panky, abstain from sex for a period of weeks or even months before their marriage. People who opt for periods of secondary virginity — something more and more couples are doing — find that they restore self-worth and regain feelings of control, and that’s empowering. The key is avoiding temptation,” explains People magazine.

Seriously people, it’s called abstinence not a “period of secondary virginity”!!

Unless of course, you go in for something like this. Ouch.

Uranium mining is the process of extraction of uranium ore from the ground. As uranium ore is mostly present at relatively low concentrations, most uranium mining is very volume-intensive, and thus tends to be undertaken as open-pit mining. It is also undertaken in only a small number of countries of the world, as the resource is relatively rarely found. (Wikipedia)

India stands proudly among these “small number” of countries in the world, with our north eastern state of Meghalaya having the largest Uranium deposits in the country.

While the government plans to extract uranium (due to a shortfall of nuclear fuel in the country) are still on, the mining has met with strict opposition from locals leading to lots of debate, strikes, road blockade and other strong resistance from residents.

Most of the anti-uranium mining protests have been on health related concerns.

Because uranium ore emits radon gas, uranium mining can be more dangerous than other underground mining, unless adequate ventilation systems are installed.

During the 1950s, many Navajos became uranium miners, as many uranium deposits were discovered on Navajo reservations. A statistically significant subset of these early miners later developed small cell carcinoma after exposure touranium ore.[9] Radon-222, a natural decay product of uranium, has been shown to be the cancer-causing agent.[6] Some American survivors and their descendants received compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act in 1990. (Wikipedia)

According to surveys by India’s Atomic Energy Department, there could be up to 10,000 tonnes of Uranium in and around Domiasiat, about 150 km west of Shillong. The area is considered by far the largest and richest sandstone-type deposits available in the country.

A medical team was also set up to see if claims made by NGO’s that waste piles left from exploration for uranium a few years ago had been affecting the general health of the people was true indeed. The medical team conducted check ups in the health camp so as to enable the officials to have a conclusive report on the health hazards that uranium mining could have caused.

The team said that contrary to the claim of NGOs, there was no apparent affect of radiation on the general health of the people residing around the mining areas. “There was only one case of radio oncology strongly suggesting an advance carcinoma of the throat case, besides a few skin problems like scabies and seborrhoea dermatitis. There was no endemic of any particular disease, butthe people were suffering from common ailments”, the report said adding that infection of upper and lower respiratory tract and acid peptic diseases were prevalent, while essential hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic amoebasis were not detected. (The Shillong Times)

A senior official of the Pollution Control Board stated, “There are lots of wrong notions and rumours spread by vested interests saying uranium mining would pose serious health risks. But studies conducted by experts does not indicate any such worries”

However NGO’s and residents alike continue to protest against Uranium Mining in the state. In June of this year, a 36h general strike in Shillong was called by the Khasi Students Union (KSU). 5 of the activists of the KSU including Central Organising secretary Daniel Khyriem were then detained under Meghalaya Preventive Detention Act (MPDA). Subsequently road blockades covering East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts was organized to demandthe release of the activists.

“No degree of prosperity could justify mining and accumulation of large amounts of highly toxic substances. The move poses an incalculable danger to the locals,” says John F Kharshiing, chairman of the Federation of Khasi States.

There could be up to 30,000 people spread over 25 villages in the vicinity of Domiasiat. The mystery diseases, locals say, started showing up soon after miners began exploring a 10-square km area in Domiasiat for the yellowcake, sometime in 1991.

“There were no such diseases prevalent among the locals in the area prior to the mining operations,” Kharshiing said.

This issue is not only a local one that the residents of Meghalaya are fighting, the long term effect of either decision pro or against mining will be felt by us all.

Deposits of uranium are at a premium the world over and health risks are said to be many; neither side is willing to budge.

(The graphic is from an International NGO opposed to Uranium Mining and is for representative purposes only)

It’s been a while since I’ve been to the movies and this movie buff certainly can’t get enough of it.

Was a tad disappointed though since neither of the two movies I caught recently were really “rave worthy”. But, here’re more in-depth reviews:

‘Because I Said So’ tells the story of an overbearing mother obsessed with getting her youngest unmarried daughter a suitable match, so much that she starts hunting for proposals herself. So far it sounds like my life, which I tell my mother, only to be told that she is not overbearing and that she’s never forced me to do anything (hah!). But I digress, back to the movie.

Mother Daphne Wilder (Diane Keaton) consistently meddles in ridiculously unkept daughter Milly’s (Mandy Moore) life. It was so frustrating on both sides that I literally threw my hands up in the air a couple of times. In front of them, most of our Indian mothers and daughters look like saints.

There are two main boys: Johnny (Gabriel Macht) and Jason (Tom Everett Scott) - predictably one is good and the other is not. Predictably, Milly sees them both, fights with the good one, sort of chooses the bad one until she finally gets with the good one. I hope you don’t think you’ve just read a spoiler - because seriously people, this Hindi movie-esq plot was obvious from the word go.

It was particularly Hindi movie-fied when two scenes (back to back!) have Milly dropping and breaking things in the houses of both and we see the good and bad reactions of both. Somehow, I just KNOW some Bollywood director is gonna be “inspired” by this film and soon Milly will be dancing around some trees with the two heros and mummy spying from safe distance.

All that being said however, it’s not the worst film ever. I think it’d make a good date movie; it has some good laughs and lots of ‘cho chweet’ romantic moments. And Gabriel Macht is SO gorgeous, I’d even watch the movie over just to see him smile again. Seriously, it’s THAT amazing. Sigh.

Went for the premier of ‘No Reservations’ last night. Was the regular star studded affair, lots of models, actors, press and other creatures associated with the Indian glamour world. If I were the dissing type I’d tell you that Lascelles Symons is looking ridiculous thin (but good nevertheless) and that Nina Manuel (which is now Man- U-Elle, or didn’t you know dah-lings?) is seeing some guy with the most horrendous hairdo on the planet. Very sad indeed. A. D. Singh of Olive catered but it was nothing to write home about.

The movie too rather disappointed, but perhaps I was partially to blame. I was expecting a romantic comedy - and there was absolutely no comedy in the film (barring a few measly scenes which I refuse to catagorise the movie from).

Rather there was lots of drama.

Both Catherine Zeta Jones (Kate) and Abigail Breslin (Zoe) do brilliant jobs with their characters, who have a pretty sad and difficult relationship due to the fact that Zoe’s mother has just died leaving her with Aunt Kate, a fanatic but top-of-the-line chef who’s in therapy on her bosses strict instructions.

Aaron Eckhart (Nick) is introduced way too late in the movie and has way too little screen time for the movie to be termed as a romance. If you are to see the film, then see it for the wonderful dynamic between Kate and Zoe.

The movie opens in Bombay this Friday, 21st September.

———

Leaving you with this thought:

Why is it that the first part of so many movies have the principal character coming home, checking her (or his) answering machine which then promptly tells her (or him) that “You have no new messages”?

25 years ago, one man posted this message on an electronic bulletin board, as a simple suggestion to differentiate between jokes and non jokes posted on the e-board.

Since then, Professor Scott E. Fahlman of Carnegie Mellon University, has become something of an icon himself. Though his academic achievements are many - and highly notable, the world is talking about him today, because of a simple three keystrokes which is a part of every persons life - either through SMS or eMail

The : - ) sign is so commonly used by our generation that I won’t be surprised if it’s proved that lots of people draw the sign sideways even on non-electronic media such as post-its and birthday cards (I do this, so do tell me I’m not the only freak on the planet!)

Meanwhile, Professor Fahlman has started an annual student contest for “innovation in technology-assisted, person-to-person communication”. Something to : - ) indeed!

(Professor Fahlman, who’s pretty smiley himself, me thinks)

There are many beautiful things about Shillong, an ultra romantic city, which is often referred to as the ‘Scotland of the East’ due to its striking similarity with the Scottish highlands. The name Shillong is a take on ‘Leishyllong’, the Superpower or God who is believed to reside on the Shillong peak, overlooking the city.

The background thus being set, let me introduce you to Lou Majaw.

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Those of you reading this from various parts of India may say, “Who?”, but in Shillong, Lou Majaw is a legend - a walking, talking and most importantly singing legend.

Lou hailed from a poor family that couldn’t even afford a radio, let alone a guitar or music classes. However, he still went to a friend’s house every chance he got and eventually taught himself to play the guitar . He became so good that he took it up for a living, playing in various bars & club in Kolkatta.

On May 24, 1972, Lou decided to organise a little folk festival to honor Bob Dylan , the artist he was most inspired by, by celebrating Dylan’s birthday with music.

What started out as a small folk festival has now grow into an annual international festival - with Dylan enthusiasts and music lovers in general, traveling to Shillong from all corners of the earth.

They sing, they listen, they pay homage to the American guru who wrote & sang songs like the popular “Blowing in the Wind” - a song covered by hundreds of artists, a song that achieved anthem like status during the civil war with its questions on peace, war and freedom.

The festival has been covered in National and International media; newspapers, magazines and TV news & music channels.

Bob Dylan himself though is yet to grace the festival that becomes bigger each year. Lou, however, thinks that the legend will indeed visit one day, if not as a performer, then at least as an observer.

The thousands of Dylan fans continue to pay homage to the icon regardless of the fact that he’s not around in person.

Will Bob Dylan ever make it to Shillong? I think the answer to that is blowing in the wind…