The Battle Begins

Heavy rains woke me up early in the morning...not that I had slept much at night...but I had to get to the airport in time...and thanks to someone special I finally managed to get the wet box into the cab and left for AE train station. Few minutes after check-in, I was already at the airport and feasting on siu long bao.
Its time for the third round of Desi business trip. This time it is a battle. This time we are very well prepared. This time we have to win. This time we shall win.
I will be away from HK for about a month..that's heartbreaking....and leaving behind everything I have here, there and everywhere else.
I decided against taking my iBook and may be I shall just buy a notebook to jot down the numerous storylines I want to work on...
Ok, need to push off to the gate soon. Cya all laters...and by the way, do not drink any more than 3 vodkas...especially when I am not around...

Take time out and read this transcript of Karan thapar's int with HRD Min Arjun Singh.

The h'ble Union Minister for Human Resource & Development does not know
facts and figures made official by the Government of India and its
agencies. He doesnt have a clue at what is going on in the country
Last Night on CNN-IBN at 00:30 hrs on a show called "Devil's Advocate",
Devil's Advocate Karan Thapar investigated Arjun Singh..and this Minister
had no reasons to support his stand on Reservations…Karan Thapar came out
with marvelous statistical data pointing out that out of 27.2% reservation
offered to the backward community, only 16% gets occupied every year in
institutions like IIT's IIM's and many others..rest 11% goes vacant every
year …which means that every year 11% of the seats are not allotted to
anybody..irrespective of generally category students meeting the criteria
of qualifying for the seats…This Minister was dumbfolded with the most
pathetic answer to Karan Thapar's question..His answer was "I DON'T KNOW" &
TO ALMOST ALL THE OTHER QUESTIONS.

-x-
Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to the Devil's Advocate. As the debate over
the reservations for the OBCs divides the country, we ask - What are the
government's real intentions? That is the critical questions that I shall
put today in an exclusive interview to the Minister for Human Resource
Development Arjun Singh.

Most of the people would accept that steps are necessary to help the OBCs
gain greater access to higher education. The real question is - Why do you
believe that reservations is the best way of doing this?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to say much more on this because these are
decisions that are taken not by individuals alone. And in this case, the
entire Parliament of this country - almost with rare anonymity - has
decided to take this decision.

Karan Thapar: Except that Parliament is not infallible. In the Emergency,
when it amended the Constitution, it was clearly wrong, it had to reverse
its own amendments. So, the question arises - Why does Parliament believe
that the reservation is the right way of helping the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Nobody is infallible. But Parliament is Supreme and atleast I,
as a Member of Parliament, cannot but accept the supremacy of Parliament.

Karan Thapar: No doubt Parliament is supreme, but the constitutional
amendment that gives you your authorities actually unenabling amendment, it
is not a compulsory requirement. Secondly, the language of the amendment
does not talk about reservations, the language talks about any provision by
law for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes. So, you
could have chosen anything other than reservations, why reservations?

Arjun Singh: Because as I said, that was the 'will and desire of the
Parliament'.

Karan Thapar: Do you personally also, as Minister of Human Resource
Development , believe that reservations is the right and proper way to help
the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: Certainly, that is one of the most important ways to do it.

Karan Thapar: The right way?

Arjun Singh: Also the right way.

Karan Thapar: In which case, lets ask a few basic questions; we are talking
about the reservations for the OBCs in particular. Do you know what
percentage of the Indian population is OBC? Mandal puts it at 52 per cent,
the National Sample Survey Organisation at 32 per cent, the National Family
and Health Survey at 29.8 per cent, which is the correct figure?

Arjun Singh: I think that should be decided by people who are more
knowledgeable. But the point is that the OBCs form a fairly sizeable
percentage of our population.

Karan Thapar: No doubt, but the reason why it is important to know 'what
percentage' they form is that if you are going to have reservations for
them, then you must know what percentage of the population they are,
otherwise you don't know whether they are already adequately catered in
higher educational institutions or not.

Arjun Singh: That is obvious - they are not.

Karan Thapar: Why is it obvious?

Arjun Singh: Obvious because it is something which we all see.

Karan Thapar: Except for the fact that the NSSO, which is a government
appointed body, has actually in its research in 1999 - which is the most
latest research shown - that 23.5 per cent of all university seats are
already with the OBCs. And that is just 8.5 per cent less than what the
NSSO believes is the OBC share of the population. So, for a difference of 8
per cent, would reservations be the right way of making up the difference?

Arjun Singh: I wouldn't like to go behind all this because, as I said,
Parliament has taken a view and it has taken a decision, I am a servant of
Parliament and I will only implement.

Karan Thapar: Absolutely, Parliament has taken a view, I grant it. But what
people question is the simple fact - Is there a need for reservations? If
you don't know what percentage of the country is OBC, and if furthermore,
the NSSO is correct in pointing out that already 23.5 per cent of the
college seats are with the OBC, then you don't have a case in terms of
need.

Arjun Singh: College seats, I don't know.

Karan Thapar: According to the NSSO - which is a government appointed body
- 23.5 per cent of the college seats are already with the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: What do you mean by college seats?

Karan Thapar: University seats, seats of higher education.

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know I have not come across that far.

Karan Thapar: So, when critics say to you that you don't have a case for
reservation in terms of need, what do you say to them?

Arjun Singh: I have said what I had to say and the point is that that is
not an issue for us to now debate.

Karan Thapar: You mean the chapter is now closed?

Arjun Singh: The decision has been taken.

Karan Thapar: Regardless of whether there is a need or not, the decision is
taken and it is a closed chapter.

Arjun Singh: So far as I can see, it is a closed chapter and that is why I
have to implement what all Parliament has said.

Karan Thapar: Minister, it is not just in terms of 'need' that your critics
question the decision to have reservation for OBCs in higher education.
More importantly, they question whether reservations themselves are
efficacious and can work.

For example, a study done by the IITs themselves shows that 50 per cent of
the IIT seats for the SCs and STs remain vacant and for the remaining 50
per cent, 25 per cent are the candidates, who even after six years fail to
get their degrees. So, clearly, in their case, reservations are not
working.

Arjun Singh: I would only say that on this issue, it would not be correct
to go by all these figures that have been paraded.

Karan Thapar: You mean the IIT figures themselves could be dubious?

Arjun Singh: Not dubious, but I think that is not the last word.

Karan Thapar: All right, maybe the IIT may not be the last word, let me
then quote to you the report of the Parliamentary Committee on the welfare
for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - that is a Parliamentary
body.
It says that looking at the Delhi University, between 1995 and 2000, just
half the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Castes level and just
one-third of the seats for under-graduates at the Scheduled Tribes level
were filled. All the others went empty, unfilled. So, again, even in Delhi
University, reservations are not working.

Arjun Singh: If they are not working, it does not mean that for that reason
we don't need them. There must be some other reason why they are not
working and that can be certainly probed and examined. But to say that for
this reason, 'no reservations need to be done' is not correct.

Karan Thapar: Fifty years after the reservations were made, statistics
show, according to The Hindustan Times, that overall in India, only 16 per
cent of the places in higher education are occupied by SCs and STs. The
quota is 22.5 per cent, which means that only two-thirds of the quota is
occupied. One third is going waste, it is being denied to other people.

Arjun Singh: As I said, the kind of figures that have been brought out, in
my perception, do not reflect the realities. Realities are something much
more and of course, there is an element of prejudice also.

Karan Thapar: But these are figures that come from a Parliamentary
Committee. It can't be prejudiced; they are your own colleagues.

Arjun Singh: Parliamentary Committee has given the figures, but as to why
this has not happened, that is a different matter.

Karan Thapar: I put it to you that you don't have a case for reservations
in terms of need, you don't have a case for reservations in terms of their
efficacy, why then, are you insisting on extending them to the OBCs?

Arjun Singh: I don't want to use that word, but I think that your argument
is basically fallicious.

Karan Thapar: But it is based on all the facts available in the public
domain.

Arjun Singh: Those are facts that need to be gone into with more care. What
lies behind those facts, why this has not happened, that is also a fact.

Karan Thapar: Let's approach the issue of reservations differently in that
case. Reservations mean that a lesser-qualified candidate gets preference
over a more qualified candidate, solely because in this case, he or she
happens to be an OBC. In other words, the upper castes are being penalised
for being upper caste.

Arjun Singh: Nobody is being penalised and that is a factor that we are
trying to address. I think that the prime Minister will be talking to all
the political parties and will be putting forward a formula, which will see
that nobody is being penalised.

Karan Thapar: I want very much to talk about that formula, but before we
come to talk about how you are going to address concerns, let me point one
other corollary - Reservations also gives preference and favour to caste
over merit. Is that acceptable in a modern society?

Arjun Singh: I don't think the perceptions of modern society fit India
entirely.

Karan Thapar: You mean India is not a modern society and therefore can't
claim to be treated as one?

Arjun Singh: It is emerging as a modern society, but the parameters of a
modern society do not apply to large sections of the people in this
country.

Karan Thapar: Let me quote to you Jawaharlal Nehru, a man whom you
personally admire enormously. On the 27th of June 1961 wrote to the Chief
Ministers of the day as follows: I dislike any kind of reservations. If we
go in for any kind of reservations on communal and caste basis, we will
swamp the bright and able people and remain second rate or third rate. The
moment we encourage the second rate, we are lost. And then he adds
pointedly: This way lies not only folly, but also disaster. What do you say
to Jawaharlal Nehru today?

Arjun Singh: Jawaharlal Nehru was a great man in his own right and not only
me, but everyone in India accept his view.

Karan Thapar: But you are just about to ignore his advice.

Arjun Singh: No. Are you aware that it was Jawaharlal Nehru who introduced
the first ammendment regarding OBCs?

Karan Thapar: Yes, and I am talking about Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, when
clearly he had changed his position, he said - I dislike any kind of
reservations.

Arjun Singh: I don't think one could take Panditji's position at any point
of time and then overlook what he had himself initiated.

Karan Thapar: Am I then to understand that regardless of the case that is
made against reservations in terms of need, regardless of the case that has
been made against reservations in terms of efficacy, regardless of the case
that has been made against reservations in terms of Jawaharlal Nehru, you
remain committed to extending reservations to the OBCs.

Arjun Singh: I said because that is the will of Parliament. And I think
that common decisions that are taken by Parliament have to be honoured.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you a few basic questions - If reservations are
going to happen for the OBCs in higher education, what percentage of
reservations are we talking about?

Arjun Singh: No, that I can't say because that has yet to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Could it be less than 27 per cent?

Arjun Singh: I can't say anything on that, I have told you in the very
beginning that at this point of time it is not possible for me to.

Karan Thapar: Quite right. If you can't say, then that also means that the
figure has not been decided.

Arjun Singh: The figure will be decided, it has not been decided yet.

Karan Thapar: The figure has not been decided. So, therefore the figure
could be 27, but it could be less than 27 too?

Arjun Singh: I don't want to speculate on that because as I said, that is
decision, which will be taken by Parliament.

Karan Thapar: Whatever the figure, one thing is certain that when the
reservations for OBCs happen, the total quantum of reservations will go up
in percentage terms. Will you compensate by increasing the total number of
seats in colleges, universities, IITs and IIMs, so that the other students
don't feel deprived.

Arjun Singh: That is one of the suggestions that has been made and is being
seriously considered.

Karan Thapar: Does it find favour with you as a Minister for Human Resource
Development?

Arjun Singh: Whatever suggestion comes, we are committed to examine it.

Karan Thapar: You may be committed to examine it, but do you as minister
believe that that is the right way forward?

Arjun Singh: That could be one of the ways, but not the only way.

Karan Thapar: What are the other ways?

Arjun Singh: I don't know. That is for the Prime Minister and the other
ministers to decide.

Karan Thapar: One way forward would be to increase the total number of
seats.

Arjun Singh: Yes, definitely.

Karan Thapar: But the problem is that as the Times of India points out, we
are talking of an increase of perhaps as much as 53 per cent. Given the
constraints you have in terms of faculty and infrastructure, won't that
order of increase dilute the quality of education?

Arjun Singh: I would only make one humble request, don't go by The Times of
India and The Hindustan Times about faculty and infrastructure, because
they are trying to focus on an argument which they have made.

Karan Thapar: All right, I will not go by The Times of India, let me
instead go by Sukhdev Thorat, the Chairman of the UGC. He points out that
today, at higher education levels - that is all universities, IITs and IIMs
- there is already a 1.2 lakh vacancy number. 40 per cent of these are in
teaching staff, which the IIT faculty themselves point out that they have
shortages of up to 30 per cent. Given those two constraint, can you
increase the number of seats?

Arjun Singh: That can be addressed and that shortage can be taken care of.

Karan Thapar: But it can't be taken care of in one swoop, it will take
several years to do it.

Arjun Singh: I don't know whether it can be taken care of straightway or in
stages, that is a subject to be decided.

Karan Thapar: Let me ask you bluntly, if you were to agree to compensate
for reservations for OBCs by increasing the number of seats, would that
increase happen at one go, or would it be staggered over a period of
two-three or four year old process.

Arjun Singh: As I told you, it is an issue that I cannot comment upon at
this moment because that is under examination.

Karan Thapar: So, it may happen in one go and it may happen in a series of
several years.

Arjun Singh: I can't speculate on that because that is not something on
which I am free to speak on today.

Karan Thapar: Will the reservation for OBCs, whatever figure your Committee
decides on, will it happen in one go, or will it slowly be introduced in
stages?

Arjun Singh: That also I cannot say because as I told you, all these issues
are under consideration.

Karan Thapar: Which means that everything that is of germane interest to
the people concerned is at the moment 'under consideration' and the
government is not able to give any satisfaction to the students who are
deeply concerned.

Arjun Singh: That is not the point. The government knows what to do and it
will do what is needed.

Karan Thapar: But if the government knows what to do, why won't you tell me
what the government wants to do?

Arjun Singh: Because unless the decision is taken, I cannot tell you.

Karan Thapar: But you can share with me as the Minister what you are
thinking.

Arjun Singh: No.

Karan Thapar: So, in other words, we are manitaining a veil of secrecy and
the very people who are concerned...

Arjun Singh: I am not maintaining a veil of secrecy. I am only telling you
what propriety allows me to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Propriety does not allow you to share with the people who are
protesting on the streets what you are thinking?

Arjun Singh: I don't think that that can happen all the time.

Karan Thapar: But there are people who feel that their lives and their
futures are at stake and they are undertaking fasts until death.

Arjun Singh: It is being hyped up, I don't want to go into that.

Karan Thapar: Do you have no sympathy for them?

Arjun Singh: I have every sympathy.

Karan Thapar: But you say it is being hyped up.

Arjun Singh: Yes, it is hyped up.

Karan Thapar: So, then, what sympathy are you showing?

Arjun Singh: I am showing sympathy to them and not to those who are hyping
it up.

Karan Thapar: The CPM says that if the reservations for the OBCs are to
happen, then what is called the creamy layer should be excluded. How do you
react to that?

Arjun Singh: The creamy layer issue has already been taken care of by the
Supreme Court.

Karan Thapar: That was vis -a-vis jobs in employment, what about at the
university level, should they be excluded there as well because you are
suggesting that the answer is yes?

Arjun Singh: That could be possible.

Karan Thapar: It could be possible that the creamy layer is excluded from
reservations for OBCs in higher education?

Arjun Singh: It could be, but I don't know whether it would happen
actually.

Karan Thapar: Many people say that if reservations for OBCs in higher
education happen, then the children of beneficiaries should not be entitled
to claim the same benefit.

Arjun Singh: Why?

Karan Thapar: So that there is always a shrinking base and the rate doesn't
proliferate.

Arjun Singh: I don't think that that is a very logical way of looking at
it.

Karan Thapar: Is that not acceptable to you?

Arjun Singh: No, it is not the logical way of looking at it.

Karan Thapar: So, with the possible exception of the creamy layer
exclusion, reservation for OBCs in higher education will be almost
identical to the existing reservations for SC/STs?

Arjun Singh: Except for the percentage.

Karan Thapar: Except for the percentage.

Arjun Singh: Yes.

Karan Thapar: So, in every other way, they will be identical.

Arjun Singh: Yes, in every other way.

Karan Thapar: Mr Arjun Singh, on the 5th of April when you first indicated
that the Government was considering reservation for OBCs in higher
education, was the Prime Minister in agreement that this was the right
thing to do?

Arjun Singh: I think, there is a very motivated propaganda is on this
issue. Providing reservation to OBCs was in the public domain right from
December 2005, when Parliament passed the enabling resolution.

Karan Thapar: Quite true. But had the Prime Minister specifically agreed on
or before 5th of April to the idea?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am telling you it was already there. A whole Act was
made, the Constitution was amended and the Prime Minister was fully aware
of what this is going to mean. Actually, he had a meeting in which OBC
leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired
advantage. And they should, therefore, support this resolution. And at that
meeting, he himself talked to them. Now, how do you say that he was
unaware?

Karan Thapar: But were you at all aware that the Prime Minister might be in
agreement with what was about to happen but might not wish it disclosed
publicly at that point of time? Were you aware of that?

Arjun Singh: It was already there in public domain, that's what I am trying
to tell you.

Karan Thapar: Then answer this to me. Why are members of the PMO telling
journalists that Prime Minister was not consulted and that you jumped the
gun?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know which member of the PMO you are talking
about unless you name him.

Karan Thapar: Is there a conspiracy to make you the fall guy?

Arjun Singh: Well, I don't know whether there is one or there is not. But
fall guys are not made in this way. And I am only doing what was manifestly
clear to every one, was cleared by the party and the Prime Minister. There
is no question of any personal agenda.

Karan Thapar: They say that, in fact, you brought up this issue to
embarrass the Prime Minister.

Arjun Singh: Why should I embarrass the Prime Minister? I am with him. I am
part of his team.

Karan Thapar: They say that you have a lingering, forgive the word,
jealousy because Sonia Gandhi chose Manmohan Singh and not you as Prime
Minister.

Arjun Singh: Well, that is canard which is below contempt. Only that person
can say this who doesn't know what kind of respect and regard I hold for
Sonia Gandhi. She is the leader. Whatever she decides is acceptable to me.

Karan Thapar: They also say that you brought this issue up because you felt
that the Prime Minister had been eating into your portfolio. Part of it had
gone to Renuka Chaudhury and, in fact, your new deputy minister Purandar
Sridevi had taken over certain parts. This was your way of getting back.

Arjun Singh: No one was taking over any part. This is a decision which the
Prime Minister makes as to who has to have what portfolio. And he asked Mrs
Renuka Devi to take it and he cleared it with me first.

Karan Thapar: So there is no animus on your part?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely not.

Karan Thapar: They say that you did this because you resented the Prime
Minister's popular image in the country, that this was your way of
embroiling him in a dispute that will make him look not like a modern
reformer but like an old-fashioned, family-hold politician instead.

Arjun Singh: Well, the Tammany Hall political stage is over> He is our
Prime Minister and every decision he has taken is in the full consent with
his Cabinet and I don't think there can be any blame on him.

Karan Thapar: One, then, last quick question. Do you think this is an
issue, which is a sensitive issue, where everyone knew there would have
been passions and emotions that would have aroused has been handled as
effectively as it should have been?

Arjun Singh: Well, I have not done anything on it. I have not sort of what
you call jumped the gun. If this is an issue, which is sensitive, everyone
has to treat it that way.

Karan Thapar: But your conscience as HRD Minister is clear?

Arjun Singh: Absolutely clear.

Karan Thapar: There is nothing that you could have done to make it easier
for the young students?

Arjun Singh: Well, I am prepared to do anything that can be done. And it is
being attempted.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks, they have been protesting in the hot sun. No
minister has gone there to appease them, to alley their concerns, to
express sympathy for them. Have politicians let the young people of India
down?

Arjun Singh: Well, I myself called them. They all came in this very room.

Karan Thapar: But you are the only one.

Arjun Singh: You are accusing me only. No one else is being accused.

Karan Thapar: What about the Government of India? Has the Government of
India failed to respond adequately?

Arjun Singh: From the Government of India also, the Defence Minister met
them.

Karan Thapar: Only recently.

Arjun Singh: That is something because everyone was busy with the
elections.

Karan Thapar: For seven weeks no one met them.

Arjun Singh: No, but we are very concerned. Certainly, all of us resent the
kind of force that was used. I condemned it the very first day it happened.

Karan Thapar: All right, Mr Arjun Singh. We have reached the end of this
interview. Thank you very much for speaking on the subject.

Kiss - Love Story

eeC made me cry with this video!! X-(

Bus Uncle in subtitles

People talk loudly over their phones...in buses, in trains, in restaurants...I remember how pissed off I get sometimes...once I even asked a waitress to go and ask the person at another table to shut up else I was leaving the place...ridiculous? not quite! I pay for sitting down and eating my meal peacefully and I don't want to listen to a drunkard shouting over the phone...

There were two guys at a local disco. One of them accidentally poured his drink on our hands...and I requested him to finish the drink off the floor and come back later. He said that was his style. I said its not my style to get wet from his drink. Then I turned back and realized that his gweilo friend had poured all his drink on to my back...I was wet, my clothes were wet...even my CK...and they did a High 5! There were a few options here:
1) Buy a drink and throw it on him
2) Confront him
3) Punch him on the face
4) Ignore and pretend as if nothing happened
I told him that it was really stupid. I walked to the security desk and complained about him. I told them...there are at least 30 people in there...he poured the entire glass on my back and the floor...what if someone slips and injures himself/herself? Then surely the cops would have to step in...so were they going to do anything about it or not...The security responded by pulling up the qweilo and his friend. They were scared shit and the manager had to step in...But then the rationalities were thrown to the wind and they started accusing me! That's when C was pissed off and called the cops...he even called them 2 more times to check why they were so slow to get to the scene...the manager apologised and then blew his own lid...I calmed him down...asked the C to call up and stop the cops from coming there...the gweilo apologised but his friend was quite belligerent trying to show off his British accent...I gave him a dosage of his own accent in twice the pace and told him to shut his mouth up or get punched on the face. Then we walked away..would I have punched them...may be...especially with someone elses drink wetting my private parts...what would you have done? Been a chicken and eaten your own shit?

People in HK do not realise that they are actually too loud sometimes...its ok if someone has a hearing problem and instinctively raises his voice but I don't think everybody is!!
All loud talk and a lot of chicken-heart. Watch the old guy lose it all and shout at the young guy...he really went over the board...and unlike what some comments suggest...the young guy was a pussy cat...meow meow meow...
It's got nothing to do with being civilized and walking away from confrontation...saving face...what face? there is nothing left of it anyways. Stand up for yourself. Even God helps those who help themselves.
This would not happened on a bus in Desh. The passengers would have intervened.
There was a case when a husband was hitting his wife on the face, slap after slap. She had tears swelling up from the sting but her dignity made her hold them back. Some people asked him to stop and he responded by saying that she was his wife and he would do what he wanted...hahaha...sorry, mate...you wanna do something, do it inside your home if you dare (she may call the police to kick some @$$)...but in this case he was doing it in a public place...needless to say, his response roused the wrath of the fellow-passengers and they 'touched him up' until his loyal and wronged wife begged them to stop...and they stopped but warned him...
Well, sometimes it can get excessive...especially when you are drunk...I was on a train..it was evening time and the train pulled into one of the stations and stopped with a jolt. A drunkard was walking down the aisle and caught unawares by the sudden braking, lost his balance and tried to grab at the hand rail, seats to stop from falling...unfortunately, his hand slipped off and landed on a woman's neck and go entangled in her necklace (why do women wear so much gold!!!) and his forward motion resulted into a yank at it...this made the woman feel that her chain was being snatched and she raised her voice in protest and anger...by the time the man had lost his balance completely and fallen on the floor...still the people dragged him out and started slapping him, trying to make him confess...he was too drunk to even keep his eyes open...a policeman turned up, and I told him what happened and the crowd was shoo'ed off...don't know what happened after that, but people looked at me with confused looks...I pulled up all of the 6'4" to the top berth and went back to sleep until dinner was served...and continued after...

The best comments I read about this Bus Uncle video:
XXX:
Yo people, this is obviously fake! Just scroll to 1:03 and pay attention to the spotlight and the reflection off the window behind the young dude. In the next few seconds, you can see very clearly someone filming this whole thing! It's just bloody obvious; that person was holding a big recording device! How could this be real? Now, get real.

YYY(1 week ago) :
No......
The bus was breaking and stopped at 0:50
So there appeared to be a Spotlight,which actually was only a white street light.After some time , the bus moved again and so you can notice that the "spot light" moved away.And occationally you can see these spot light as the film/bus went on.eg:2:44,2:51,3:00.
At,2:33 the cam panned to the same position with 1:10,yet there was no soptlight
i don't think it is a fake one.

Well, believe it or not...this video (I spotted it on Calvin's blog first) has become quite a hit...and
people are selling uncle tee-shirts and mugs - http://www.cafepress.com/shanshansbus
people are writing about it on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Bus
people are rapping about it, mixing it and singing Karaoke too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imm0fm9h8wo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_sUPTv0t1Y
people are trying to beat each other with the translation into English - http://www.ernestdoe.blogspot.com/

Nintendo Wii E3 Video 01

YOU DECIDE...

The Brendon Lau Show

AD - "Hey, what's up?"

AD - "Looks like he is not interested, but I am posing anyways!"

Brendon - "Yeah, right!!"

Brendon - "Well..."

Brendon - "He doesn't give up, does he?!!"

Brendon - "I wonder where Dad is..."

Brendon - "Finally! Stop grinning, you black monkey!"

Brendon - "OK! I have had enough! That's the end of the show!"

The Da Vinci Code (4*/5)

We ventured out to watch Da Vinci Code on a day that was so packed that I was too tired to even smile. It was May 18. The day the movie was released in Asia.
Off late, I find that I am exhausted after a long day’s work. Why is that? Is it because the new job is more stressful than the one before? Is it because the dread of business trip and separation? What is it? I ask myself…but there is no answer. So on that day I ventured out to have my first meeting with Brendon. There he was sleeping in his cage-like bed. It reminded me of the TV program we had watched before about raising a baby bear. It was amazing to see him turn his head and look at me. I could not help begging to hold him. Sherman was so excited and he taught me how to hold a baby. The training has certainly made him a more happy person. Hahaha. Nelly looked beautiful as ever. And her mom came in too. So we had a few rounds of photographs with B and me.
The best part was that he poopoo’ed in my hand…no, he was wearing a diaper :-P
Sherman actually tried to smell it.. eeeeeeekssssssss.
I grabbed a cab and hurried over to the Jordan MTR. I picked up Caro for the Qi Gong healing. I was happy to see her actually feel the qi. Hmm. Not that hard then especially with so much running on her mind…It was a superfast dance exercise. My body just lost control and went faster and faster until I was sweating like a pig and completely exhausted. I heal an old lady with pain in her shoulders, neck and legs. She said she felt better. So there’s the reward, mate.
I hopped into another cab and picked up C on the way to APM. It was 10:20pm show and we reached there at 10:30pm and still did not miss a scene!!
The feeling I had was that it was a bit long. But again it is unfair since the book is quite fast paced and a long read. The movie is fast paced too but I can see why it is not popular with people, especially who have not read the book yet. If you blink an eye or look the other way, you may miss the subtitles or the important historical info. And that’s that. You will beg someone to explain it to you and feel cheated. It is not an easy topic to film given the trouble it has been facing from the Christian people. But to be honest there is nothing in the movie that would hurt anybody’s sentiments. It’s a movie after all and based on a work of fiction. So the story? Hahahaha….
In short, the curator of the Louvre museum (Paris) is found shot dead inside the most secure part of the building, stripped to the skin and stretched out in Da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man fashion with a pentagram drawn on his body. There are a few scribbles next to him that seem to be some kind of code. Robert Langdon is a famed symbolist and was supposed to have a meeting with him before his press conference and launch of his book. He is picked up by the French police and asked to solve the puzzle. But he meets a police-woman who tells him that he would be accused of the murder without a fair trial and hence they have to run…and that’s what they do…
To give away more on the story would be killing the fun, so as per my principles, I won’t.
It’s a good watch if you can sit through the 2.5 hours. Enjoy! No matter how bad the other reviews are, if you trust me - it is a 4*.

Labels: Movie Review

@@ Ban Reservations @@

I read about it and watched in horror as Arjun Singh reopened a can of worms. Yet again the topic of reservation for minorities in educational institutes has resurfaced. I remember the worried face of my Dad when he drove to our school to pick us up. That was the first time I had heard of this. Mandal Commission. It was a bloody and disgraceful mess recreated by the then PM, V.P Singh. Cuttack was the first place in India where self-immolation had taken place. VPS got his share of filth and nobody gives a damn as to what happened to him after that…Arjun Singh follows in his path.
This reservation divides the society. It’s already very shameful when I think of what the influential people in the ancient Hindu society had done. To divide people into different castes / groups is embarrassing. The new generation, yeah I speak for them, want India to be a global leader and we need to stand united and address issues as one body. We need to aim at where we want to take India, what we have to do about it and when and how. And this is not the way we want India to go.
It is unfair that these conscienceless politicians make decisions with a view to capture votes. Kick these old rascals out of the parliament and let the younger generation take charge. The Supreme Court should abolish the caste system and the reservations. Look at what this new thing has created. It has got the students on to the streets protesting against it. And then there are the favoured minorities that have come out on streets to fight the protesters. And all this was not happening until a certain bloated head made the stupidest decision of the year. This government is going to go as well. There is nothing that can make it stay in power unless they reverse the stupid thing.
How can someone assume that people from minority classes will do well at studies only if they have reservation quota? Ridiculous! All reservations should be undone. Let the people compete and come on merit basis. Only then we can have better engineers, doctors and leaders. MERIT and not RESERVATIONS!!!
Here is an email I received from one of the AIIMS junior docs.
Friends,
       Dear friends please spend some time to read this. U can make a difference.
     As u all guys know that there have been lot of protests going on against the raise in reservations. All of us stuggle for months and years to make our dreams come true; No body in the government is bothered about that. This new policy of govt ll be a major road block in the development of our nation and creation of a caste free society. I want to share some developments occurring here with respect to this issue.
    Abt 2 weeks back the Students Union ( SU ) of AIIMS ( UGs and Interns ) started the protests. they held peaceful march. Their main demand was to meet Honbl. Arjun Singh and to express their concern regarding the hike in reservations . What they got in return. Water canons, tear gas shells and Lathis. Some of the interns who were beaten were my friends and i could see their injury marks. Worse, some were girls. Sad isnt it ? Well next few days due to their constant struggle they could get to meet Dr Arjun Singh. No positive response was obtained. He however promised that before sending the bill to cabinet, he would inform the SU. The students continued to boycott their classes. Other medical colleges of delhi also joined. We Resident Doctors of AIIMS however were not actively participating. We wore black badges and attended few rallies.
    12 th May saw a new beginning. Our medical students were brutally assaulted by Delhi police. Injured were brought to AIIMS. Fracture hand bone, head injury, blunt trauma abdomen with intra-abdominal bleed; > 300 students were manhandled including girls, stuffed in buses and taken to police station. I remember the dialogue from RDB. This incident will prove to be a final nail in coffin for our Congress Govt. At around 3 pm the Resident Doctors Association ( RDA ) of AIIMS announced an indefinite strike. All Junior Residents ( Acad or Non-acad ) & Senior Residents boycotted. Protest rally was organized that day.
    13 th may was the worst day in the history of our Indian Independence and so called Democracy. Medical Students of Mumbai were beaten like animals. Infact animals also are never treated like this. Every body would have witness the brutality of the Mumbai Police.17 - 18 year old medical students were beaten up. Future of our country treated like this? And these are the same Police Men who come to our OPD and ask for peferential treatment. Shame on them. And listen to what Bhujbal said on TV. I thought we need a real RDB now. This incident triggered the suppressed fire in each and every individual. We at AIIMS went on INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE from 14 th morning joined by medical students from MAMC Delhi, Lady Harding, RML Hosp, Rohtak Medical College . Slowly the fire spread to diferent states of our country. You know what happened in Blore. Calcutta, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Gujrat, Himachal Pradesh,! Kerala boiled in protests. Students of Delhi University ( BSc BCom...) also joined the strike
    The hunger strike in AIIMS continues. More than 100 students and residents are sitting in the heat since 14 th morning just on plain water. Believe me we slept in the open last night empty stomach. Its only when rain started pouring we had go inside the audi and slept there.
   The IMA has announced comlete medical bandh today ( 15 th may ). Doctors from all over delhi have come to AIIMS and are holding protests. IITs and IIMs have joined the strike. Even patients and their attenders were of full support towards this cause. One man said," My father is admitted in NS department and he is fighting for his life and death, but i declare that i have no objection with ur strike. I support ur movement and the cause for which u re fighting. Our country needed this ."
  All of us know what is right and what is wrong. Having said that i feel that each one of us should follow our conscience. I ve written this message because i felt there are many of who might not be aware of the exact situation. I request each one of u to please forward this to all ur friends, Medicos or Non-medicos. Every common man needs to be aware of the injustice and should be involved in this effort.
   This Movement will be a revolution in our independent country and will be the most significant event after the British Rule. It ll be the cause for the rewriting of Indian Constitution where just and meritorious people are not singled out and put to taste the adversities and someone else enjoys the benefit.
   The government cannot hide its inadequacies in providing equal opportunities to the under priviliged in rural areas by increasing the reservations. They have ruled the country for so many decades and if in this time they are not able to provide equalilty in primary and secondary education for indian citizens they cannot mask their failure by providing reservations at each and every level. Its ridiculous. The whole issue of reservations was a political gimmic of the present govt to garner votes.
   Its time that things are not taken for granted by any one. Let it be a senior minister police or anyone else. Whole of our nation needs to get aware of the amount of hardwork and sacrifice we put to achieve our dreams. We should not allow anyone to make a mockery of our struggle in future.  
Thank U Friends.
Dr Kiran, Junior Resident, Internal Medicine, All India Institute Of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

Wednesday, May 17:

"Hard work has very tangible results right now, so go ahead and give it your all. Some loved ones may question what they see as your raging ambition, but you know that in order to get ahead, you have to put in some effort."

It's gonna be a typhoon and yet I have morning shift. I am in office when most people are getting out of bed. But I am proud that Brendon has his Dad to take care of him in these first few days because Mom would be so exhausted.
What makes it worth? The little baby's innocent eyes and smile. When the baby fingers close around your finger and it starts baby talk...Yup! I hope it doesn't rain on my plans of visiting Brendon Lau!

Like I always say - Some people work hard...others hardly work...hehehe

The Motorcycle Diaries (4.5*/ 5)

"Let the world change you...and you can change the world"
Leave history out of it for a while.
This is the story of two friends that lived different lives. Two friends whose lives ran parallel for a few months. Two friends who planned a journey covering 5000km in 4 months. Two friends who learned about themselves. Two friends who learned about the people across the continent. Two friends very different and yet together on one motorcycle. One motorcycle trip that changed them in such a way before they changed the world.
The film makes you think. Makes you wonder what you are doing with your life? Is that love? Is that sacrifice? Is that honesty? Is that the truth? Is that happiness?

Labels: Movie Review

Silent Hill (2*)

Shhh!
I was dying from hunger. But I still went on and got my Ming replaced with a new one that would read the memory card. I had to use some 'broken record' technique to get it done. Will tell you about that and the Assertiveness course in a later post.
So we went in to watch Silent Hill...I could hear my stomach over the silence in the cinema...no no...it was quite packed but I was not...:-)) and to make it worse my back pain kicked in. But that did not take away the fun from the first half.
I found the first half quite fast-paced and good...but the second half was a bit of a drag. Now don't let my negative rating discourage you from watching the movie. There are some good moments in that flick.
Ok. So basically you are prepared to watch a horror flick. You wonder how can they make it different from the other ones in the same genre. It is not a MNightS movie anyways, so do not expect it to be very different in its concept or to have an O'Henry twist in the end when the true story is revealed...but here goes...
Rose and Christopher are worried about their sleep-walking daughter Sharon. She is an adopted kid with her own problems. While she is awake she is a darling and a great artist. When she is asleep she walks around mumbling and crying about Silent Hill (not the movie,,,at least not yet). Rose researches the web and finds out that Silent Hill is a ghost town and one fine day drives away with Sharon to find that place. Christopher tries to stop her but fails.
Near the Silent Hill is the town of Brahms. Everybody over there is avoiding talking about Silent Hill and they are asked not to go there. But Rose is determined and drives dangerously to the place when a police-woman Cybil chases them on her bike. Suddenly, she sees a girl cross the road right in their path and skids to a stop. But she hits her head on the wheel (surprise surprise - no air bags!) and passes out.
When she comes around after a few hours, it is daytime and snowing and...Sharon has disappeared. Fearing the worst she runs around the ghost town catching glimpses of her on far away corners. Until that point in the movie, you are just laughing at yourself thinking - yeah. what a Mom. Drove dangerously on a rainy night and almost killed her daughter..then she goes around searching for her daughter in a ghost town without help...yeah. And she doesn't look like one of the supermom's from other movies we have seen in the past. But - the story suddenly speeds on and she enters a dark building's basement and to her horror is chased around by ...(hahaha I won't tell you that...but you wonder whether its gonna be another zombie movie)...but it is not...
In her search for her daughter she is helped by the cop who actually manages to impress more. She discovers a secret about the town. She is not the only one looking for her daughter. Can she overcome the evil forces of darkness? Can she be rescued in time by Christopher? Can she ever escape that ghost town (all roads leading out of it are gone)? Can she rescue her daughter? Can she find her daughter in the first place? What happened in this town 30 years ago? Well, at least you will find out and much more...
The two hours is actually a bit of a pain in your you know where...and the end has a touch which left C asking me what happened? Why ? Where? When? How? Until I had to request - "Sorry, I just told you what I understood from it. If you cannot really understand, I really cannot help."
So you can have a very good idea of why my rating is so high...The saving grace has been the lovely digi-scenes...that's what kept me up through it. Otherwise, I would have slept off.
Recommend you or not? Do not go there with someone you are trying to impress. Hahahaha

Labels: Movie Review

Jeff is getting better and better.

Quality scores over quantity nowadays. I wish I could join him on the hikes...and he does manage to find so many Indians...how?!!

Here are some of his recent snapadventures...

Ladies and Gentlemen - I give you ...

my baby !!!

Just kidding...he is Sherman & Nelly's baby boy - Brendon Lau...yoo hoo...I finally got his pictures which Sherman sent across. I am planning to go over and meet him on Wednesday evening.

A few days back I received the annual donation statement from World Vision. The amount looked half of what I expected. So I called them up to find out why they had sent me only one child's figure and not both. To my horror they told me that I had requested for the Chinese baby boy to be removed from my sponsored babies list. Chi SIN! I was so pissed off. I never did that. Last year I had requested them to assign me another baby, this time from India...that should have taken the figure to 2 babies. But the 'misread' the email and cancelled one baby's sponsorship. I was so hurt. How lowly would that have seemed to him. First I wanna sponsor him and then I want him removed. Anyways, I kept my calm and asked them to reassign him to me. They told me that some other kind person was taking care of him now. At least! Thank God! So I asked them to assign me a new baby.
I received his details two nights back. He has just turned 10 (April 18), loves Mathematics and playing ball. He has 4 sisters! Can you believe that?!! His parents actually have 5 kids. They are both subsistence farmers and have good health. The kid - Wei, De Sheng - dusts for chores. I am so afraid. I have dust allergy. What if it affects my kid as well. God Protect him...please!
Nelly came online after 1.5 weeks of Brendon's arrival and chatted with me for a while. It was so nice. And I told her why I had avoided visiting Brendon (due to flu) and that I wanted to see him so much and hold him. :-) Then the topic went to babies and I told her that I want my baby. I have wanted to adopt a baby ever since I remember but I guess I need to wait until I am 35 (for single parents). I think its Chinese law as far as I can remember. Nelly told me that I am the kindest man she has met! I remember she had told this to me once long long time back when we were driving to Shek O for my first BBQ. I don't agree with her simply because there are many unkind things I have done and said to people in my life and I always feel guilty for a long long time after it is over.

Men are from Venus & Women are from Mars

A new sign in the Bank Lobby reads: "Please note that this Bank is installing new Drive-through teller machines enabling customers to withdraw cash without leaving their vehicles. Customers using this new facility are requested to use the procedures outlined below when accessing their accounts.After months of careful research, MALE & FEMALE procedures have been developed. Please follow the appropriate steps for your gender."

MALE PROCEDURE:
1. Drive up to the cash machine.
2. Put down your car window.
3. Insert card into machine and enter PIN.
4. Enter amount of cash required and withdraw.
5. Retrieve card, cash and receipt.
6. Put window up.
7. Drive off.

FEMALE PROCEDURE:
1. Drive up to cash machine.
2. Reverse and back up the required amount to align car window with the machine.
3. Set parking brake, put the window down.
4. Find handbag, remove all contents on to passenger seat to locate card.
5. Tell person on cell phone you will call them back and hang up.
6. Attempt to insert card into machine.
7. Open car door to allow easier access to machine due to its excessive distance from the car.
8. Insert card.
9. Reinsert card the right way.
10. Dig through handbag to find diary with your PIN written on the inside back page.
11. Enter PIN.
12 Press cancel and re-enter correct PIN.
13. Enter amount of cash required.
14. Check makeup in rear view mirror.
15. Retrieve cash and receipt.
16. Empty handbag again to locate wallet and place cash inside.
17. Write debit amount in check register and place receipt in back of cheque-book.
18. Recheck makeup.
19. Drive forward 2 feet.
20. Reverse back to cash machine.
21. Retrieve card.
22. Re-empty hand bag, locate card holder, and place card into the slot provided.
23. Give dirty look to irate male driver waiting behind you.
24. Restart stalled engine and pull off.
25. Re-dial person on cell phone.
26. Drive for 2 to 3 miles.
27. Release Parking Brake.

What AD did

Thursday, May 11:Are you staying stuck in the past because you're afraid of what might come next? Don't. A great opportunity awaits you, but you have to be the one to make the first move. The universe will rise to meet you.


AD says - Lets see...

What AD did

Tuesday, May 9:You have a knack for communicating with people of all ages, nationalities and belief systems. That comes in especially handy today when a situation involving many eclectic types lands in your lap.

What AD did

Sunday, May 7: You know that old saying, 'If something's worth doing, it's worth doing well'? Well, it's true. Offer someone the very best you have to offer, and you'll be very gratified by what they can offer you in return.

Yeah! Right!! :-P

I am in love with MING

Yes! YES! YES!!
I bought it! The K750i was giving me a bit of trouble with the 5 way joy-stick...on some days it would get stuck and I would be cursing at my luck...and on other days it worked perfectly fine!
But it was a big pain...so when C asked me to go to CWB for checking a phone, I jumped at the chance. I have been with Smartone for over a year now but they do not give discounts on handsets to existing customers except the customary HK$100 off on the handset price...chi sin! So when I was referred to CSL, I actually got a discount and much more...
I traded in my handset for HK$1300 (seeing that my P800 had gone for similar price after a year) this was a good bargain...There was HK$100 off on the handset price (HK$ 3988)...so that made it HK$2988. I traded in my K750i and hence bought it for HK$2588. After 4 months I do not need to pay the basic monthly bill of HK$169 (HK$138 + Tunnel feel HK$12 + 20 international sms package HK$19). Since the contract is for 15 months...that is a sum equal to HK$1894...which basically means...the phone cost me an extra HK$ 2588 - HK$ 1894 = HK$694...over the loss I made on the old phone...
WOW!! hehehe....Good price for the super smart phone - MING (MOTOROLA A1200). I got the black one...

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III (4*)

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen. We did it on the first day. It was a day with some really lousy weather, this prompted the normally 'out in the night time at shopping districts' HK people to storm the cinemas instead...
The movie begins with a scene in which agent Ethan Hunt is being tortured by the villain who supposedly shoots his wife dead right in front of his eyes. Then the story goes into flashback. Ethan and Julia have just announced their plans for getting married to friends and family and they are hosting a big party at their home. Ethan gets a call by boss who informs him that one of his trained agents has been kidnapped and that he should join the rescue mission to get her out of the mess. Ethan with his 3 partners storms into the building, blows it up and rescues her on a chopper...but there is a catch...she has an explosive inside her head that has been activated and she dies in front of his eyes even before he can resuscitate her...
Ethan is further angered when the competency of his agent is reported to be bad...she had been the best and the first he had recruited for the IMF. So he takes matters into his hands and plans to kidnap the villain from the Vatican and deliver him to IMF...the operation runs smoothly until they have arrived on the US soil when a carefully calculated attack mission is carried out against him and the prisoner is rescued...all clues point towards their big boss and hence Ethan has no one on his side...he is called a rogue agent and escapes the force to rescue his wife (yes they had married before the Vatican mission) with his partners' and boss's help...the mission is to steal an anti-matter substance tagged as the Rabbit's Foot from a lab in Shanghai and deliver it to the villain...but can he meet the deadline? Will he be able to save his wife? Will he be able to survive the detonator placed inside his head?
All this nail-biting fun and some comic moments are added to this movie to complement the light romance and heavy action...yes the action sequences are breath-taking as usual!! Tom Cruise delivers...the sequel wins.
This is the best bloody scene in the movie!!!

Labels: Movie Review

Two Babies!!

Paul's wife gave birth to this beautiful baby...I don't have the name yet...just been too busy to ask...chi sin! He is so cute!!
Sherman sent a message yesterday to say that Nelly gave birth to Brendon Lau. I love the name! I could not go to see him today because I had a runny nose. I went to K Lunch instead and sang like a mess...been away too long!!
So, guyz and gals, watch out this space for Brendon's pics... I just heard that he is a very handsome baby!