Tiger Woods & Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, et al

Been wondering for a while now, There is definitely no doubt that what Tiger did was unacceptable but did the media and the general public go wrong somewhere.

We tend to look at the personal and the professional aspects of the person in the same vein, Is it right?

I feel no and that's what makes the likes of Sachin Tendulkar far more superior to the rest because they have shown (there are only a handful of them, i believe) exemplary behaviour on and off the field. This makes them even more precious for us to adore and admire.

A Tiger Woods would never be a lesser golfer but the personal behaviour and the personal traits that go on to shape up the personality of a human being too play an important role.

Sachin - You are great (may be god as some say :)). Tiger, apologize and move forward, may god be with you!

My bags...

It was a definite strategy, I can relate to it now when I think about it.

As I started school at a tender age of 3.5 years, I was handed a metal bag (peti) that carried my books.

As I grew a little smarter, the metal “peti” was replaced with a cloth bag and I think I continued with the cloth bag for almost 7-8 years. With few interruptions where I had to carry a nylon bag that friends and colleagues made fun of because in a fit of anger due to my poor performance at school my bag would have been thrown off some place in a fit of anger.

The cloth bag went away only when the more trendy back packs came in the late eighties, they were fun and they were trendy, they looked cool, it was the way to go for the school and college going crowd. I continued using this till I got to my engineering college, a long train journey in the first year meant one had to rely on that back pack heavily and as the pressure eased, I moved on to the more convenient plastic bags that one could carry in hand with just a notebook or two!

At work initially it was a “NO bag” personal policy, I would just carry the pen (with an attitude of Pen is mightier than the sword J). As I graduated towards the bike my bags returned with a vigor – for the raincoat etc. Now I drive to work, the bag carries a laptop and few sundry things. One of the oldest bag that has remained with me is not 10 years old and going strong.

My name is Khan, SRK & the fanatics

What we saw over the last 1.5 weeks was a new, refreshing wave that possibly signifies a larger change that has set in.

People i believe are beginning to take on the fanatic elements, the goondaism that has in pockets been used effectively to garner votes and support questionable agendas.
SRK taking on the Thackerays in Mumbai gave people an opportunity to step out and take a stand as well as make a bold statement. The movie, "My Name is Khan" is good and hopefully the momentum would continue because its good too.

The Shiv Sena that i remember is the one that used to work for the locals, provide books and stationery to needy students at the beginning of the academic year, help the poor with basic facilities, conduct sports events and so on, its difficult for me to see it stoop to such levels for some trivial politicking and reasons of ego. Both the MNS and SS are trying to out do one another on such behaviour with a spineless Congress government at the state level.

The state of Maharashtra is losing in all this 3rd grade rubbish that gets associated with it and its peace loving and simple people.