Radio City... whatte Fun

Radio City 91.1 FM has become an important number in my mornings, and like me to a lot of people in Bangalore and across the metros. While driving to office this is your daily dose on the happenings around the city, the traffic updates, and a lot of other crap, which is nice to hear. Radio has always been an important part of my morning routines since childhood, I still remember waking up in the morning, getting ready for school, but all this while "vividh Bharati" playing in the back ground, with my favorite show of that time Chitralok! Well that was one show which used to air new latest songs, as at that time the only way to hear new Filmi songs was to buy an audio cassette, but then chitralok was a sponsored program which used to air advertisements and audio trailers of movies.

Nowadays since I don't get Chitralok here in Bangalore on Vividh Bharati, I stick to Radio City, with my favorite RJ Vasanthi on her breakfast show. Lately there has been too many radio FM channels, I used to be quite fond of Fever 104 FM as they concentrated on music more and less on advertisements, but the most painful thing with these radio channels (except Radio City) is that their RJs are PATHETIC, they keep cracking pathetic PJs to which you feel like banging the car to the very next pole. But still if you can bear the pain of some advertisements, the quality of "Bakar" on radio City stands apart. I have been following Vasanthi's breakfast show (in the mornings) and Aviva's Joy Ride (in the evenings) and I find them quite entertaining and informative!

But I still miss my good old vividh Bharati...citralok, hawa mehel, that typical trumpet tune of Jaymala, that brings back my childhood memories, getting ready for the school bus, those chilly winter mornings when you and your vividh Bharati are the only things humming when there is still dark outside. At that time I used to miss new songs on the radio a lot, but now all these FM channels are not able to satisfy my hunger for old songs! except on Fridays when Vasanthi plays Friday Flashback, this is one show I love, and the trivias.....but alas I cant hear that entire program, my office comes after 20-30 minutes drive!

Song Today: Raat Akeli hai...
Film: Jewel Thief

Cab Menace

Recently I have been observing a new breed of drivers quite closely, the cab drivers. Some of their traits are:

1) Extremely ill mannered
2) They don't know the use of brakes in their cabs
3) Doesn't have any concern for the pedestrians
4) 90% of the time are on their mobiles while driving
5) Would always honk on a "red light"
6) Have a very strong union, so doesn't matter whose fault it is, its always the non cab end who has to pay
7) A lot of them doesn't know how to talk to the fairer sex
8) will always stop on the left side of the red light even if they have to take a right turn

These are only some to list, I am sure that the list is endless. Yesterday I went for running as usual and I was nearly killed by a speeding cab, and all I see is a hand that comes out of it... in a gesture of sorry. What the heck, the Bangalore roads are becoming increasingly unsafe for the people walking / running and yes you are right the credit goes to all these cab drivers. Earlier I used to see a number written on all the cabs "if found driving rash please call" but lately none of the cabs have it. I know that nothing would happen even if I give them a call, but then too there was a hope... but now even that doesn't seems to be there. If you try going to the police station, the situation might just become worse, I have been told by a cop that you give money to this cab wala or I am going to frame you in a false charge, all these cab owners send their respective share of money to the Police station every month, this is their hafta for breaking the law.

The other day I was standing at a red light, the light was still red but the traffic at the other end stopped, the cars started moving, I decided not to break the rule and kept standing, soon a cab came next to me and started abusing me, do we need to get abused for following a rule ?

A number of times I have experienced during running that these cab walas make fun out of you, during one such incident one of the cab walas intentionally came very close to me so that I jump off the footpath.... and then I hear is a burst of laughter.

If any of you know the helpline for traffic police in Bangalore please drop a comment here, now I have decided, even if nothing changes then too I am going to complain and get a number generated, someday something might happen. But all these software companies hiring these cabs should seriously bring some rule in place.

Song Today: Turn Turn Turn by Byrds

Kaveri Trail Marathon: 18th Nov 2007

You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind cant know whats coming - Frank Shorter

Sunday was the running day, and we were participating in the Kaveri Trail Marathon at Srirangapatna, near Mysore. I decided to drive to the venue, the place was perfet for running, a beautiful canal was flowing on the side, on the other side were paddy fields, and we had around 100 enthu runners, what else could a runner ask for.

I attempted a Half Marathon (21K) , but there were some delays and finally the race started at 9:40 am which was supposed to start at 9:00 am. Already the heat was becoming unbearable, and I initially thought that it is going to be impossible for me to complete it, then I thought lets see how long can I continue with this heat, maybe this is a good training for the Ultra, where we are attempting a 52K. But as the day progressed the sun became unbearable , the salt losses were also heavy, but thankfully the aid stations were very well positioned and well equipped with electral and other stuff, one thing that I really liked was the availability of peanut butter and jelly sanwiches, that helped me in the last 5 Km.

I met some really great people there as well, some were attempting the half marathon the first time, and hats off to them many made it back to the finish line in a decent time. I guess the idea with a marathon is always that you are running against yourself, you always try to beat your last best time and for some people they run to complete! I used to be in the latter but now trying to improve my timing lately!

Overall a great experience.....

Links:

1) Priyanka's Post on Kaveri Trail Marathon
2) Sudhir P's experience with running
3) Manoj's Blog


Song Today: Mauje hi Mauja
Film: Jab We Met..

Run Forrest Run!

When you are 99 miles into a 100-mile running race, your brain is not the same brain you started with. -- Paul Huddle

Life is short, running makes it seem longer -- Baron Hansen

Most people run the race to see who is the fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts -- Steve Prefontaine

Song Today: Karoge yaad to..
Film: Bazaar

Godhra vs 1984 Delhi Riots

After ages I have read an excellent blog on CNN-IBN, this particular blog draws a comparison between the 1984 riots (Post Indira Gandhi's Assassination) and 2002 Godhra Riots. Both of them have similar profiles, its not that the journalist is trying to defend any, but then very similar crimes were committed, in fact the 1984 riots were more horrifying that the godhra ones, and in fact a small group of Sikh widows were protesting against the judgments given, but then we in India tend to remember only the latest facts, and then for that too we need things like sting operations.....

Read the blog, its worth it!

Updates....

Its been a long time since I have posted anything here! So it is time for updates.

Running:

I had made a decision earlier about not to party and religiously getting up at 5:30 am and going for a run on weekends, and I am happy to tell you that I have been implementing this plan of mine since the last two weekends. Well even if I party I go for a run in the morning! Next weekend is the Kaveri Trail marathon so looking forward to it.

Diwali:

So this was a diwali weekend, didnt do much as most of my group went home, however Gaurav was here so we used to go out...on the diwali day I went to my cousins place, didn't do much as I am never interested in lighting crackers and polluting the environment more, but yes I am always interested in eating like a beast on these festivals, food being my first love (obviously the other first loves are Running and Cricket). So I ate like a beast and then the very next day was in need of a Digiene!

Others:

One of my friends got engaged, so looking forward for him to be back and then we can kick start the bachelor parties! Nothing new otherwise looking forward for Rathi, Nitin and Tarun to be back... got really bored being alone this Diwali.

Song Today: Jab bhi ciggerette jalti hai....
Film: No Smoking

Bangalore Ultra!

The posters for Bangalore Ultra are out now!

Andha Raaj in Pakistan.....

I have been reading a lot over the internet on the developments in Pakistan, first it was Mr Musharraf's hilarious address to the nation that he has imposed the emergency as he never wanted his 7 years of "hard work" to go in vain! then It was US concern that due to this emergency the Nuclear Bomb might go into wrong hands, but I guess it was always in "wrong hands" ;-)

Sacking of Chief Justice Iftekar Chaudhary, then it was running away of Imran Khan, man Pakistan is becoming a happening place.

I read this news today on BBC, where Justice Iftekar Chaudhary is asking the people to make sacrifices, in other words he is asking for a civil war, a revolution! In the same news item I read this:

Gen Musharraf said on Monday he had declared the state of emergency because of a crisis caused by militant violence and an unruly judiciary.

hahahahahahahahaha this is the most hilarious statement I have ever heard! A militant state imposing emergency because of increase in Terrorism and militancy... what an irony!

Anyways I personally feel that Pakistan is far from any Revolution right now! and nothing will change there

But this is just a though: does anybody in India has the guts to do this? Congress is still asking for forgiveness on the emergency imposed in 1975 by Ms Indira Gandhi!

We are far better than our neighbors!

Song Today: Nagada
Film: Jab We Met

Sangeet Paul's Blog

I came across Sangeet Paul's blog and found it to be wonderful, specially this post: They're all happening and Padukone on orkut!

Loved his style of narration!

Song Today: Janiye
Film: Dus Kahaniya

The continual Change.....

Hum Kahan se kahan aa jaate hain, kuchh saal pahle bas school jaana aur waapis aa kar garmi ke dino main , ya fir sardi ke dino main bhi... shaam hote hi cricket ka bat utha kar nikal jaana, us umar main zindagi ki sabe badi fight thi ki 50 run bana loon match main, shaivalik house ko school sports day matches main hara de humari team! Thode aur bade hue to thodi aur cheezon ki taraf dimaag dena pada, jaise, padhai, marks, maths in special... but cricket was always there... wo kuchh bhi ho jaaye har shaam ko to jaana hi tha, fir class 11th aaya, ajeeb cheezo main zindagi fas kar reh gayi, haan ajeeb hi kahoonga, kyoonki shayad unhi ajeeb cheezon main fasne ki wajah se hi aaj main kama raha hoon. anyways brilliant contact programs, coaching, board exams, ICSE ki English ki teen kitabein (shakespeare, Wuthering Heights and poetry).... aur in sab ke beech main cricket kahi kho gaya, mera woh cricket bat to be specific, I had a Symonds ka bat, pade pade kahi kho gaya..... fir kaafin dino ke baad mila ... in kaafi dino ke dauran main B.tech first year main pahunch chuka tha... aur fir to zindagi behtar hone ki jagah aur battar ho chuki thi, hum ghar par kuchh dino ke mehmaan rehte the, doston ke bhi kuchh ek jaise hi haal the, kabhi saath mil paaye to kabhi nahi.....

Waapis college aayo aur fir se kitaab utha lo, lab bhaago, resume banao... arre isi sab chakkar main third year aa gaya aur ab to summers ke liye apply karna shuru kar diya maine, mere paas aur bhi kam time hone laga... is baar to main chuttiyon main bhi ghar nahi gaya......sem break aaye ... kutte ki tarah kaam kiya summer interns main, kyoonki maloom the ki main ek slump year main passout hone ja raha hoon, naukri milna bahut bada kaam hai.....infact humara batch to 2000 Rs main bhi kahi bhi naukri karne ko tayar tha, kai logo ne to bina salary ke keval workex ke liye hi naukri kari thi.....

Final year aaya , cvampus se kahi bhi placement nahi hua, par ek josh tha, ya fir ek optimism tha, ki itni ghisai hai thodi aur ghisani padegi... ghisa lete hain, fir wahi bhulawa ...ek baar naukri milne ke baad sab kuchh theek fir bas office aur office ke baad masti! Naukri lagi, par man maafik nahi, par isme us samay zada kuchh kar bhi nahi sakte the, akhir naukri to lagi, khoob kaam kiya aur khoob kaam karke keval ye pata laga ki jab waapis ghar laut kar aate hain to koi masti ka time nahi bach paata, par kuchh kiya bhi to nahi ja sakta tha , khud hi to bali chadhe the is raste par, aur royen bhi to kis se... kis cheez ke liye?

Aur dost ab aalam ye hai ki zindagi bas office aur ghar ke beech main fas kar reh gayi hai , cricket, cycle saari masti class 10th ke baad mano ruk hi si gayi ho... kayi baar kuchh karne ke liye kaafi bade ho chuke hote hain, is wajah se nahi kar sakte. maano ek daud si lagi hai, aadmi zindagi bhar underpaid hi rehta hai, paisa kamana, paisa achha mil jaaye to work satisfaction nahi hai, wo bhi mil jaaye to office main politics hai, wo bhi na ho to office itni door hai ki traffic ki wajah se lag jaati hai....

Haan yehi hai change, ya kuchh log ise improvement bhi kehte hain, improvement bas itna hai ki ab main apne pasie se bat khareed sakta hoon, pahla papa se request karni padti thi....par pahle us bat se khelne ka samay tha, ab wo nahi hai.......

Song Today: Ye tera ghar ye mera ghar...
Film: Saath Saath