tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51184702024-09-21T04:34:57.844-07:00The Age of ReasonMy take on everything from politics to moviesSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1139421085809834912006-02-08T09:43:00.000-08:002009-05-10T19:43:21.198-07:00Why Liberalize?Since 1991, India has seen a lot of industries being liberalized through relaxation of some government regulations. Many public companies have been privatized by selling off to private players. There has been a marked improvement in all parameters like growth, productivity, no. of jobs and consumer welfare. But I think there is still a lot of confusion on the very objective of these exercises, Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1110804086310985812005-03-14T04:06:00.000-08:002005-03-14T04:41:26.313-08:00Wag the DogI was having a chat with a couple of friends today on the political situation in the US, when I was reminded of this wonderful movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro.Wag the Dog is a tragicomic political satire, with a very imaginitive storyline. Dustin Hoffman stars as a Hollywood producer who is given the task of "producing" a war in far off Albania in order to divert attention from Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1110203763936012402005-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:002005-03-07T05:56:03.936-08:00Gandhi's expirements with ExtraconstitutionalityI think there is something in the surname Gandhi that makes all types of people behave in an unconstitutional manner. First there was the saintly Mahatma Gandhi, who used his fasting skills to the hilt in order to get things done as he wished ( e.g. appointment of Nehru as Congress President inspite of the election of Subhash Chandra Bose)Then there was the villanous Indira Gandhi who severely Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096864069394490202004-10-03T21:18:00.000-07:002004-10-03T21:27:49.393-07:00Cruel JokeIf it is true that mint causes impotency, then I must say that Polo - the "mint with a hole" is a rather cruel joke!
Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096629529607950182004-10-01T03:51:00.000-07:002004-10-01T04:18:49.606-07:00Some things that I have been dying to do:
1. I have been dying to get my hands on the a sexy new black Mahindra Scorpio. I just love the looks of that vehicle and from what I hear, it is quite a powerful and comfy machine. Though I cant buy it as yet, I am definitely going to get a test ride from some showroom.
2. Watch the movie Shwas. All friends who have seen it have loved it. Even the Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1096007871542822362004-09-23T22:41:00.000-07:002004-09-23T23:37:51.543-07:00The Australian tour of India There is an interesting change I have observed about the typical Indian cricket fan. He is generally extremely pessimistic about India's chances against the likes of Australia and South Africa, even in home series'. But nowadays, when it comes to test encounters against Australia, inarguably the most dominant champions since Clive Loyds worldbeaters, there is a surprising swagger in the stride ofSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1094896980533489672004-09-11T02:39:00.000-07:002004-09-11T03:03:00.533-07:00Market Test
I have always been a firm believer in the principle that every company should stand up to the test of the market. For example, any company which is being closely held by a conglomerate will always perform better if it raises capital from the general public. The market ensures that the value of the firm is evaluated everyday based on the business decisions that its managers take. Simply put, the Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1091181699393163952004-07-30T02:32:00.000-07:002004-07-30T03:01:39.393-07:00SiestaObviously the HR managers havent got it right!! Everyone knows that the best way to spend an afternoon, particularly after you have devoured 4 Rotis, is to have a nice and peaceful "power" nap. But people just dont understand this.
In my office, I notice that most people tend to lose control over their eyelids once they are back from lunch. The person sitting just outside my Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1090597633233673382004-07-23T08:30:00.000-07:002004-07-23T08:47:13.233-07:00Some food for optimismI am in an optimistic mood today about my country. So I am writing about the things which give me hope for a better tomorrow.
1. The courts are finally doing something right for a change. The Bombay high court has imposed a fine on the BJP and the Shiv Sena for calling a bandh. Even though the fine amount is not much, it atleast sends out the right signal to the parties: that it is not their Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1089346960522749602004-07-08T20:48:00.000-07:002004-07-08T21:24:37.160-07:00Budget 2004My initial reaction to the budget 2004 is that of mild dissapointment. The FM has not really taken any bold step. This seems to be more of a political statement, rather than an economical statement. I guess he will be more proactive in the next budget, which will come after only 7 months.
Some observations on the budget:
1. There are too many sops and exemptions promised. Any exemption or sop Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1087998043151541342004-06-23T06:09:00.000-07:002004-06-28T03:57:21.146-07:00LakshyaFarhan Akhtar, in his very first film, had amply displayed his command over both the technical and the creative aspects of film making. Thus my expectations were sky high when I went in to see Lakshya. But like it has happened with so many films recently, I came out with the certain knowledge that the film could have easily been so much better. I had felt the same thing when I watched Yuva a few Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-108477109121205022004-05-16T21:51:00.000-07:002004-05-16T22:18:11.213-07:00Why was BJP voted out?
Suddenly everyone seems to be a political expert, dishing out simplistic explanations like "BJP ignored the villages!!", "They ignored the poor!"
Had it been so simple to win elections in india, no one would have been voted out. Yet, more often than not, incumbent governments are voted out.
Just take the example of Chandrababu Naidu. It is alleged that he focussed just onSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1084432165343788002004-05-12T23:48:00.000-07:002004-05-13T00:09:25.343-07:00Govinda Ala ReEven as I write this post, the Congress seems well on its way to for a government at the centre. There are a couple of things in my mind which I would like to pen down.
*Film stars and media personalities seem to be winning everywhere. Thus in the first truly electronic elections, it is the people who are constantly on the waves who are winning! Did anyone say that development has become an Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1083399082648088542004-05-01T01:09:00.000-07:002004-05-01T01:19:19.076-07:00Shifting BaseI am joining TSMG - a consultancy firm in Mumbai, on May 3rd. So from now on I will be cribbing a lot about crowded locals, crowded roads and crowded everything!!
Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1074540468619563032004-01-19T11:24:00.000-08:002004-01-19T11:29:45.436-08:00Something to worry about for team India
Looking at the current bunch of Indian cricketers, I can see an excellent period for us over the next 3-4 years. I am sure that we will be consistently be counted amongst the best 3-4 Test teams in the world, though the predictions about us becoming the best in the world seem far fetched.
There is only one worrisome factor for India. It is the fact that Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1074021603526925472004-01-13T10:53:00.000-08:002004-01-13T11:31:57.996-08:00Back to writing after a really long time!
I just realised that the new year had already started, and I had done absolutely nothing different!!
The thing is that I have always been changing things around at the start of every year, but this year I have done nothing so far. Just so, I decided to revive this neglected old blog.
For the last month or so, I have been talking, watching and playing Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059515542859277282003-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:002003-07-29T14:52:22.846-07:00Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is a beautiful story about two absolutely different people ( an orthodox TamBrahm married woman and an open minded Muslim photo journalist) being thrown together by circumstances.
Though communal violence is the backdrop of the movie, thankfully it is not the central theme. There have been too many movies in the past, which have attempted to assume the onerous task of Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059339395790346332003-07-27T13:56:00.000-07:002003-07-27T13:56:35.633-07:00One of my favorite last scenes in a Hindi movie is from the film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro!
Penultimate scene:
The long hand of the law has caught up with the bad guys. Naseer and Ravi are discussing what they are going to do with the money that they will get as a prize. The expressions on their faces reflect the elation and pride they are feeling for having done yeomen service to the nation! At this Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059338196228706992003-07-27T13:36:00.000-07:002003-07-27T13:36:36.143-07:00Goose pimples!Have you ever wondered why we get goose pimples?
A sensitive moment in a film, a high point in a musical rendition or a real life touching moment; why do all these make the pappilae on your skin stand? Its as if every part of your body is responding to the situation! I think it is called as physiological arousal!
That makes me wonder, why do all 'intense' feelings cause some form of arousal?
Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1059208679980587752003-07-26T01:37:00.000-07:002003-07-26T01:50:01.313-07:00The power of symbolism:This afternoon, as I was surfing our local intranet for some music, I chanced upon a rendition of the National Anthem by Kavita Krishnamurthy. I downloaded it and put in in my Winamp playlist.
When it was about to begin, I realized that I was flopped casually in my chair, with my legs propped carelessly on the bed nearby. "Can I listen to the anthem in this position?", I thought!
Why not? AfterSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1058821773602362702003-07-21T14:09:00.000-07:002003-07-21T14:17:43.706-07:00How to Stay Awake at Meetings?This is an amazing exercise for anyone trying to drive away that unwanted sleep which comes to you at the most inopportune moments, like when you are in a boring jargon filled corporate meeting.
I am also planning to use it in my Strategic Management class, as it is equally full of jargon!
Heres what you do!
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourselfSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057894180104554422003-07-10T20:29:00.000-07:002003-07-10T20:29:40.023-07:00Vulgarity - Paki Style! Spot the vulgarity in this excerpt from Sean O'Casey's play, "The End of the Beginning".
"When the song ended, Darry cocks his ear and listens."
A person with a really bad hold on the English language will look at the word "cock" and say "Vulgar"!!
Well, so does Dr Shahbaz Arif, head of the committee appointed to review the syllabus of the Lahore University in Pakistan.
The review committee Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057298854703602592003-07-03T23:07:00.001-07:002003-07-03T23:07:34.716-07:00Rathnam's love at first sight syndrome!Recently I was discussing with a couple of friends about the best directors in India. All of us agreed that Mani Rathnam is one of the best in India.
There is only one aspect about his films that leaves me a trifle unsatisfied. In most of his films, the male lead falls in love with the femal lead 'at first sight', and thinks directly about marital bliss with her!
I have seen five of his movies Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-1057105761388470502003-07-01T17:29:00.000-07:002003-07-01T17:54:27.276-07:00Platonic relationships?Saw "When Harry Met Sally" recently. It was the movie which brought the genre of romantic comedies back in fashion in Hollywood. I found the movie to be extremely witty and humorous, with Billy Crystal giving an absolutely great performance. I did not know that the director of this film was Rob Reiner.. who we would know better as the director of A Few Good Men. This man has an amazing range!
Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118470.post-960118412003-06-25T04:07:00.000-07:002003-06-25T04:07:34.540-07:00These lyrics of the song 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra are always an inspiration to me. And of course, the rendition of this song by him is awe inspiring. It is undoubtedly my most favorite Sinatra song, because it is so much more than a song... it is a statement of life! Sinatra sings it like only he can, displaying his full range of vocals.
Read on..and be inspired!
My Way
And now, the end is Sunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07030877198942690391noreply@blogger.com