What Is The Minimum Age For Freedom Of Speech Entitlement?

I stumbled upon this list of 110 rules on social behavior apparently written and compiled by The first President of the US of A, George Washington. Being curious, I scoured the Internet and managed to find it in the very first search page. An actual segment of the original document handwritten by G.W.(this is not allowed according to the list :)) is preserved in a museum and he compiled it, supposedly, before reaching the age of 16. Though a few items in the list seem about the etiquette of the time - 'you are supposed to walk to the left of a superior when walking down a pavement!! - this list has mostly things that can earn the respect of others even today, and more importantly demands a lot of discipline from the follower and hence self-respect. But it completely ignores the issue of whether emoticon/smiley codes are acceptable in tweets :(.
Below is the list, with modified punctuations and spellings to reduce it to 2009 standards of common literature. Beware, frequent trips to dictionary is most certain!!.

George Washington's rules of civility & decent behavior in company and conversation

1. Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.

2. When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body not usually discovered.

3. Show nothing to your friend that may affright him.

4. In the presence of others, sing not to yourself with a humming voice, or drum with your fingers or feet.

5. If you cough, sneeze, sigh or yawn, do it not loud but privately, and speak not in your yawning, but put your handkerchief or hand before your face and turn aside.

6. Sleep not when others speak, sit not when others stand, speak not when you should hold your peace, walk not on when others stop.

7. Put not off your clothes in the presence of others, nor go out of your chamber half dressed.

8. At play and attire, it's good manners to give place to the last comer, and affect not to speak louder than ordinary.

9. Spit not into the fire, nor stoop low before it; neither put your hands into the flames to warm them, nor set your feet upon the fire, especially if there be meat before it.

10. When you sit down, keep your feet firm and even, without putting one on the other or crossing them.

11. Shift not yourself in the sight of others, nor gnaw your nails.

12. Shake not the head, feet, or legs; roll not the eyes; lift not one eyebrow higher than the other, wry not the mouth, and bedew no man's face with your spittle by approaching too near him when you speak.

13. Kill no vermin, or fleas, lice, ticks, etc. in the sight of others; if you see any filth or thick spittle put your foot dexterously upon it; if it be upon the clothes of your companions, put it off privately, and if it be upon your own clothes, return thanks to him who puts it off.

14. Turn not your back to others, especially in speaking; jog not the table or desk on which another reads or writes; lean not upon anyone.

15. Keep your nails clean and short, also your hands and teeth clean, yet without showing any great concern for them.

16. Do not puff up the cheeks, loll not out the tongue with the hands or beard, thrust out the lips or bite them, or keep the lips too open or too close.

17. Be no flatterer, neither play with any that delight not to be played withal.

18. Read no letter, books, or papers in company, but when there is a necessity for the doing of it, you must ask leave; come not near the books or writtings of another so as to read them unless desired, or give your opinion of them unasked. Also look not nigh when another is writing a letter.

19. Let your countenance be pleasant but in serious matters somewhat grave.

20. The gestures of the body must be suited to the discourse you are upon.

21. Reproach none for the infirmities of nature, nor delight to put them that have in mind of thereof.

22. Show not yourself glad at the misfortune of another though he were your enemy.

23. When you see a crime punished, you may be inwardly pleased; but always show pity to the suffering offender.

24. Do not laugh too loud or too much at any public spectacle.

25. Superfluous compliments and all affectation of ceremonies are to be avoided, yet where due they are not to be neglected.

26. In putting off your hat to persons of distinction, as noblemen, justices, churchmen, etc., make a reverence, bowing more or less according to the custom of the better bred, and quality of the persons. Among your equals expect not always that they should begin with you first, but to pull off the hat when there is no need is affectation. In the manner of saluting and resaluting in words, keep to the most usual custom.

27. 'Tis ill manners to bid one more eminent than yourself be covered, as well as not to do it to whom it is due. Likewise he that makes too much haste to put on his hat does not well, yet he ought to put it on at the first, or at most the second time of being asked. Now what is herein spoken, of qualification in behavior in saluting, ought also to be observed in taking of place and sitting down, for ceremonies without bounds are troublesome.

28. If any one come to speak to you while you are are sitting stand up, though he be your inferior, and when you present seats, let it be to everyone according to his degree.

29. When you meet with one of greater quality than yourself, stop and retire, especially if it be at a door or any straight place, to give way for him to pass.

30. In walking, the highest place in most countries seems to be on the right hand; therefore, place yourself on the left of him whom you desire to honor. But if three walk together the middest place is the most honorable; the wall is usally given to the most worthy if two walk together.

31. If anyone far surpasses others, either in age, estate, or merit, yet would give place to a meaner than himself in his own lodging or elsewhere, the one ought not to except it. So he on the other part should not use much earnestness nor offer it above once or twice.

32. To one that is your equal, or not much inferior, you are to give the chief place in your lodging, and he to whom it is offered ought at the first to refuse it, but at the second to accept though not without acknowledging his own unworthiness.

33. They that are in dignity or in office have in all places precedency, but whilst they are young, they ought to respect those that are their equals in birth or other qualities, though they have no public charge.

34. It is good manners to prefer them to whom we speak before ourselves, especially if they be above us, with whom in no sort we ought to begin.

35. Let your discourse with men of business be short and comprehensive.

36. Artificers and persons of low degree ought not to use many ceremonies to lords or others of high degree, but respect and highly honor then, and those of high degree ought to treat them with affability and courtesy, without arrogance.

37. In speaking to men of quality do not lean nor look them full in the face, nor approach too near them at left. Keep a full pace from them.

38. In visiting the sick, do not presently play the physician if you be not knowing therein.

39. In writing or speaking, give to every person his due title according to his degree and the custom of the place.

40. Strive not with your superior in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty.

41. Undertake not to teach your equal in the art himself professes; it savors of arrogancy.

42. Let your ceremonies in courtesy be proper to the dignity of his place with whom you converse, for it is absurd to act the same with a clown and a prince.

43. Do not express joy before one sick in pain, for that contrary passion will aggravate his misery.

44. When a man does all he can, though it succeed not well, blame not him that did it.

45. Being to advise or reprehend any one, consider whether it ought to be in public or in private, and presently or at some other time; in what terms to do it; and in reproving show no signs of cholor but do it with all sweetness and mildness.

46. Take all admonitions thankfully in what time or place soever given, but afterwards not being culpable take a time and place convenient to let him know it that gave them.

47. Mock not nor jest at any thing of importance. Break no jests that are sharp, biting, and if you deliver any thing witty and pleasant, abstain from laughing thereat yourself.

48. Wherein you reprove another be unblameable yourself, for example is more prevalent than precepts.

49. Use no reproachful language against any one; neither curse nor revile.

50. Be not hasty to believe flying reports to the disparagement of any.

51. Wear not your clothes foul, or ripped, or dusty, but see they be brushed once every day at least and take heed that you approach not to any uncleaness.

52. In your apparel be modest and endeavor to accommodate nature, rather than to procure admiration; keep to the fashion of your equals, such as are civil and orderly with respect to time and places.

53. Run not in the streets, neither go too slowly, nor with mouth open; go not shaking of arms, nor upon the toes, kick not the earth with your feet, go not upon the toes, nor in a dancing fashion.

54. Play not the peacock, looking every where about you, to see if you be well decked, if your shoes fit well, if your stockings sit neatly and clothes handsomely.

55. Eat not in the streets, nor in the house, out of season.

56. Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.

57. In walking up and down in a house, only with one in company if he be greater than yourself, at the first give him the right hand and stop not till he does and be not the first that turns, and when you do turn let it be with your face towards him; if he be a man of great quality walk not with him cheek by jowl but somewhat behind him, but yet in such a manner that he may easily speak to you.

58. Let your conversation be without malice or envy, for 'tis a sign of a tractable and commendable nature, and in all causes of passion permit reason to govern.

59. Never express anything unbecoming, nor act against the rules moral before your inferiors.

60. Be not immodest in urging your friends to discover a secret.

61. Utter not base and frivolous things among grave and learned men, nor very difficult questions or subjects among the ignorant, or things hard to be believed; stuff not your discourse with sentences among your betters nor equals.

62. Speak not of doleful things in a time of mirth or at the table; speak not of melancholy things as death and wounds, and if others mention them, change if you can the discourse. Tell not your dreams, but to your intimate friend.

63. A man ought not to value himself of his achievements or rare qualities of wit; much less of his riches, virtue or kindred.

64. Break not a jest where none take pleasure in mirth; laugh not aloud, nor at all without occasion; deride no man's misfortune though there seem to be some cause.

65. Speak not injurious words neither in jest nor earnest; scoff at none although they give occasion.

66. Be not froward but friendly and courteous, the first to salute, hear and answer; and be not pensive when it's a time to converse.

67. Detract not from others, neither be excessive in commanding.

68. Go not thither, where you know not whether you shall be welcome or not; give not advice without being asked, and when desired do it briefly.

69. If two contend together take not the part of either unconstrained, and be not obstinate in your own opinion. In things indifferent be of the major side.

70. Reprehend not the imperfections of others, for that belongs to parents, masters and superiors.

71. Gaze not on the marks or blemishes of others and ask not how they came. What you may speak in secret to your friend, deliver not before others.

72. Speak not in an unknown tongue in company but in your own language and that as those of quality do and not as the vulgar. Sublime matters treat seriously.

73. Think before you speak, pronounce not imperfectly, nor bring out your words too hastily, but orderly and distinctly.

74. When another speaks, be attentive yourself and disturb not the audience. If any hesitate in his words, help him not nor prompt him without desired. Interrupt him not, nor answer him till his speech be ended.

75. In the midst of discourse ask not of what one treats, but if you perceive any stop because of your coming, you may well entreat him gently to proceed. If a person of quality comes in while you're conversing, it's handsome to repeat what was said before.

76. While you are talking, point not with your finger at him of whom you discourse, nor approach too near him to whom you talk, especially to his face.

77. Treat with men at fit times about business and whisper not in the company of others.

78. Make no comparisons and if any of the company be commended for any brave act of virtue, commend not another for the same.

79. Be not apt to relate news if you know not the truth thereof. In discoursing of things you have heard, name not your author. Always a secret discover not.

80. Be not tedious in discourse or in reading unless you find the company pleased therewith.

81. Be not curious to know the affairs of others, neither approach those that speak in private.

82. Undertake not what you cannot perform but be careful to keep your promise.

83. When you deliver a matter do it without passion and with discretion, however mean the person be you do it to.

84. When your superiors talk to anybody hearken not, neither speak nor laugh.

85. In company of those of higher quality than yourself, speak not 'til you are asked a question, then stand upright, put off your hat and answer in few words.

86. In disputes, be not so desirous to overcome as not to give liberty to each one to deliver his opinion and submit to the judgment of the major part, especially if they are judges of the dispute.

87. Let your carriage be such as becomes a man grave, settled and attentive to that which is spoken. Contradict not at every turn what others say.

88. Be not tedious in discourse, make not many digressions, nor repeat often the same manner of discourse.

89. Speak not evil of the absent, for it is unjust.

90. Being set at meat scratch not, neither spit, cough or blow your nose except there's a necessity for it.

91. Make no show of taking great delight in your victuals. Feed not with greediness. Eat your bread with a knife. Lean not on the table, neither find fault with what you eat.

92. Take no salt or cut bread with your knife greasy.

93. Entertaining anyone at table it is decent to present him with meat. Undertake not to help others undesired by the master.

94. If you soak bread in the sauce, let it be no more than what you put in your mouth at a time, and blow not your broth at table but stay 'til it cools of itself.

95. Put not your meat to your mouth with your knife in your hand; neither spit forth the stones of any fruit pie upon a dish nor cast anything under the table.

96. It's unbecoming to heap much to one's mea. Keep your fingers clean and when foul wipe them on a corner of your table napkin.

97. Put not another bite into your mouth 'til the former be swallowed. Let not your morsels be too big for the jowls.

98. Drink not nor talk with your mouth full; neither gaze about you while you are drinking.

99. Drink not too leisurely nor yet too hastily. Before and after drinking wipe your lips. Breathe not then or ever with too great a noise, for it is uncivil.

100. Cleanse not your teeth with the tablecloth, napkin, fork or knife, but if others do it, let it be done with a pick tooth.

101. Rinse not your mouth in the presence of others.

102. It is out of use to call upon the company often to eat. Nor need you drink to others every time you drink.

103. In company of your betters be not longer in eating than they are. Lay not your arm but only your hand upon the table.

104. It belongs to the chiefest in company to unfold his napkin and fall to meat first. But he ought then to begin in time and to dispatch with dexterity that the slowest may have time allowed him.

105. Be not angry at table whatever happens and if you have reason to be so, show it not but on a cheerful countenance especially if there be strangers, for good humor makes one dish of meat a feast.

106. Set not yourself at the upper of the table but if it be your due, or that the master of the house will have it so. Contend not, lest you should trouble the company.

107. If others talk at table be attentive, but talk not with meat in your mouth.

108. When you speak of God or His attributes, let it be seriously and with reverence. Honor and obey your natural parents although they be poor.

109. Let your recreations be manful not sinful.

110. Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

Can Anyone Spare A Time Machine?

Summer is almost over. For college students fall semester will begin by the end of third week of August and irrespective of the weather that pretty much marks the end of the longest holiday season of the year. Personally, this summer was not as bad as the last one – I have a job now – but the usual feeling of loss when summer winds up cannot be found anymore. Sure, when in school and college summer meant a well deserved long break from the regular classroom – classwork routine, which in turn meant lots and lots of leisure time leading to the coveted eat-watch TV-sleep routine. Now there are no such routines and the change of seasons mean increasingly little to very little of any significance. Come to think of it, it is nothing but one big continuous cycle of a set of uninspiring activities stuck in permanent playback mode and a broken stop switch. There are no summer vacations when you are at work. Yes, there are vacation-hours available but, honestly, who would like spend all of their 10 paid vacation days in one shot and then live with the sore truth that there are NO MORE VACATIONS for the rest of the fiscal year. It’s a different story if you are congressmen or senator. You get two months paid vacation split into a couple of two and a four week segments every year while an average American worker, whom the elected officials supposedly represent, gets 10 days sans weekends. Both houses of US senate are in vacation right now – the whole month of August; somehow taking a time out during a wild orgy of health crisis, energy crisis, gay rights, environmental protection and economy seems immoral.
But then again, I wouldn’t be spending time typing a blog if I was that lucky now would i? This is a whole different world for us not-rich people. Summer has always been about kids although it doesn’t look like it anymore with all the Wiis, Playstations and Global Warming. Summer vacations generally meant a long wait followed by fun filled theme park or zoo visit and then a small lull in the proceedings and finishing up with a huge celebration of holidays usually spent in one relative’s house after another until the much dreaded back to school week. As you get older the theme parks and zoos get familiar a.k.a less attractive to visit and then there are exams. Exams, months into the future, for which you need to spend the present, a lot of it, to prepare so that the mostly unpredictable future might bring better days. Even after my semi-independence, won after moving to the US of A, the pawning of present day happiness for the alleged peace of mind in the future continued as I juggled various routines like working on my master’s degree, conducting classes for my teaching assistance duties, working part time at the cafeteria and computer labs and other domestic chores. At the same time the most appropriate years of my life for revered student activities like parties, girls, weekend binges and associated hangovers silently eroded away. Now inside the working class population I expect that alleged future to be here, and if it is, I have to say, I am not impressed. I look around and I can say the same deal for any of my friends or their friends whom I know of. It seems like all of us are stuck doing something for the future, ignoring the present. But the present has feelings too.
I will admit; the future is never now. It’s always later and hence you cannot discount the fact the ‘later’ can bring a better ‘now’. But then again you can never really know whats going to happen later. You can hope, wish or do a probabilistic speculation about the events that might follow the present, but ‘now’ exists very briefly in one form constantly changing its look and character – much like my opinions– seamlessly switching between ‘is’, ‘was’ and ‘will’. Then there is that argument that, much like the present, we also want things in the future, like that perfect house or that awesome car or even those accrued vacation hours and to get those you have to sacrifice pleasures of the present. And it is probably the most valid and practical one. The reason I eat my retail store frozen veggie burgers for lunch everyday is that, put blatantly, someday I will be able to afford the best variety of food in the best restaurants in the best cities without having to worry about any personal fiscal deficit. And there is nothing wrong with that. But the down side is the loss of moments that can be lived right now. Common wisdom states that most happiness is extracted from life by living in the moment. I can save for that great meal later, but I am hungry right now for that chicken kabob and I can experience the outcome of my action right now rather than hoping for a ‘two in the bush’ kind of deal. Even probable future brings randomness like keeping the job for certain time or unexpected expenses out of family and children, so even predictable future is not so predictable. Worst of all, a moment missed now is a moment lost forever and so even if the future brings better instances, it cannot bring back the lost ones. Whats the point of being ascetically responsible in your 20s if it means you can only afford that Mercedes convertible in your fifties? When you are running against time the chances of catching up to those sacrificed desires are next to nothing and it’s a sad deal. So how is it possible to sacrifice the present pleasures for the benefit of future rewards and still manage to live in the present in a way that makes life worth living?
The answer lies, as it often does in most of life’s issues, at the center. Apparently it is not the size or cost of the desired things that makes us feel happy but it is the urgency and frequency of obtaining them. Our mind is so well used to our social ways of life that it does a great job of remembering good things over bad things and if you provide a consistent diet of happiness to it, no matter how small, it can maintain a relatively constant level of satisfaction. And the keywords are ‘small’ and ‘consistent’. Consider our brain as a small child. Serve its simple short time needs and you could keep it satisfied for a long time.
Yes, we need to sacrifice a good number of present pleasures in order to build the future we want, but along the way we also need to make sure that we treat ourselves with small cravings here and there that don’t blow a hole into our future plans. Remember that craving for the chocolate cheese cake that you sooo wanted last time when you were at the retail store but skipped because you were watching your weight, or how about that nice dress at the mall you really really wanted but skipped because it was a few bucks more than your budget. Your mind remembers these things and had you indulged yourself in those little things then the next time for sacrificing a desire comes along, it will be much easier to make the right choice. But the focus must still be in the center such that the bigger picture of the future is still on track. In other words chocolate cake once in while is good but if you see it in your every monthly bill, it’s bad. Serve yourself responsibly more often, and then the sacrifice of bigger stuff won’t even appear as a sacrifice since your mind is already happy about the last small indulgence. These little desires that pop up in our minds from nowhere that seem to be insignificant in the big picture may prove to be very effective in the long run by keeping us happy and thus helping us get more out of life.
I recently read an article that summarized that a scientific study has concluded that our will power is like a muscle that gets tired on use, like actual muscles in our body, and it needs to take a break as well. So catch a break and give it a rest. Do things not-the-perfect-way once every now and then. There will be a lot of compromises in the future so lets make them a bit easier by living the present once in a while. For the sake of both the Mercedes and accrued vacation hours.

Tiger, Endangered Or Extinct?

After more than 25 years of horrific violence that left a blood trace of unimaginable pain and suffering the srilankan civil war has officially come to a close. The war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, more commonly referred by their acronym – LTTE or just Tigers, and the Srilankan military has been announced to be over by the island nation’s government and military leaders alike. With the pictures of the LTTE’s iconic leader, V Prabhakaran shown shot while attempting to flee the war zone, traveling around the news and internet media, one has no idea how to react, but still cant stay untouched.
Like all rebels, jihadists and freedom fighters, LTTE was born out of the atrocities inflicted upon their kind. Tamils, the largest ethnic minority in Srilanka and also one’s own race, were oppressed by the predominantly Sinhalese authorities, civil and military for long since the republic was formed out of the post WWII British Colony. As I surfed in the World Wide Web to get some information on the beginnings of this rebel outfit, I quickly realized that very least is out there that can be termed unbiased. Some of the most humiliating and disgraceful acts were caused to the Tamils and the opposition was no less gory in its retaliation. There is conflict in who started first, but it it seems to be clear that the two sides never really saw each other as groups that can work together. LTTE wanted a separate Tamil State with autonomous rule, while Srilanka claimed complete sovereignty over the island. Seems like the only outcome of their long and bitter relationship, for the most part, was the never ending death toll.
The LTTE had strong support, both financially and politically from expatriates of same race in Europe and Canada and sympathizers from neighboring India from north. It started out as a relatively small group in 1983, one among many factions that were created against the Sinhalese oppressors, but the LTTE soon rose to become one of the most recognized terrorist organizations in south-east Asia with its veins running well into Western Europe and Canada. At its peak, the LTTE effectively controlled a third of Srilanka (north and east) densely populated by Tamils and Sinhalese government and military had all but pushed into a bystander role. Prabhakaran, who was sole commander, ruled the region with his own version of taxes, court and law managing health care and transportation.
If there was one thing missing, it was peace. Both sides took turns in inflicting as much human and material losses to each other often attacking civilians in airport, trains official buildings. The Tigers pioneered and used to deadly effect the suicide bombers and the civil war became so critical, so much so that at one point even the UN and NATO briefly addressed the crisis (supposed to be sarcastic). When the Tigers assassinated The Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, support for them dropped considerably from India, and a brief peace process broke in 2004 after hardliner Mahinda Rajapaksa took office of Srilankan Prime Minister. A post 9/11 Western countries seeing terrorism as a serious threat, intermittent attacks by the army, dwindling finances and international pressure started to erode the Tigers’ control of their land and a major sustained offensive by the Srilankan forces in the past couple of years drastically brought down the LTTE.
It is common for the Tigers to use civilians as human shields against army attacks and also uses child soldiers. With the army’s unrelenting offense and indiscriminate shelling of LTTE strong holds, it lead to tens of thousands of men, women and children killed and many more mutilated. The Tigers proposed a unilateral cease fire, out of desperation, but it seemed like the Government was bent on wiping out the rebels at any cost. In the past couple of weeks reports of complete elimination of the Tigers kept appearing in various tabloids and the final word came on May 19 2009.
The Military commander of the Srilankan Armed Forces declared that they had ambushed a convoy which carried the LTTE Leader himself and about 10 of his top officials and cross fire that ensued killed them all. And with that, after more than 25 years constant bombardment, ears in the emerald island are listening to silence.
One cannot help but imagine that silence to be anything but sickening to the stomach, because it is the silence of death. When Hinduism, Christianity and Buddhism, major relations of Srilanka, all preach love and peace and go in lengths about troubled souls, it’s horrific to think about all the souls of small children, working fathers, loving husbands, true brother and the beautiful and ever loving mothers, sisters and daughters screaming in agony throughout the land that is now silent. It is hard for such souls to find peace. Its even harder for those who survived and will live to tell the stories.
One hopes this is not the end for this part of the story. Hatred does not die on its own. The seeds of hatred planted 25 years ago had grown into this massive tree of poison ever spreading its venom, and is now brought down, only momentarily. And its in the hands of the administrators and the Tiger sympathizers to make sure that the remnants of that poisons is replaced with hope. The damage caused by this long running civil war had taken its toll on the country in every which way possible and the healing process would be long and potentially painful. But its extremely important not to repeat history in this case. Both sides should identify and acknowledge the rights of a sovereign republic and its free citizen. Both sides should accept the mistakes done in the past and look to build a future that is built on mutual respect and tolerance towards diverse outlook healthy dissent. If Prabhakaran is gone, some one else will take his place to unite the Tamils. Its pertinent that the unite towards c0existence rather than polarization.
And hopefully, the Tiger will be remembered for the spirit of its heart rather than cruelty of its claws.

To IPL or Not To IPL?

Cricket for all its elegance and style is not a gentleman’s sport, not anymore. Not that I am complaining. I started watching cricket during an era when the short curly-haired man from Mumbai, in his early twenties, was sending world-class bowlers to all corners of the ground to gather their cricket and biological balls. Sachin Tendulkar, more commonly referred by fans as ‘The Great One’ and by bowlers around the world as ‘Oh God, Have Mercy’, has changed a lot in the last couple of decades, what seems like not so long ago, moving from a swashbuckler to a serene maestro. I have always loved the big hitting aspect of modern day cricket which in some ways, I think, adds to the richness of the slow paced test cricket. But it was less about the number of sixes and fours, and more about the overall beauty and the small battles between the bat and ball that gave one-day cricket the mesmerizing effect. Cricket followers of my generation spent countless hours admiring/ fighting over the best and the worst cricketers and their skills or lack thereof. Every victorious match was followed-up by an in-depth analysis of every aspect of the game throughout the school, college, street and back yard conversations with friends and lost matches were discussed even further. Apparently, we know more about the game than the captains and players and the couches, not to mention the umpires. These days there is hardly anytime for that to happen, since there is already another match on its way and before you can say, ‘hey, I didn’t even see the toss!!’ the game is over and then the next one. This is the era of Twenty/20 cricket. This is the time of IPL, ICL, Stanford Tour, Phoenix 20/20 (that’s the local cricket league here in Arizona, in which yours truly is a player) where cricket is simply ‘that thing’ that provides a venue for eye-bulging profit, non-stop action (sans commercial break) and skin clad cheer leaders all in bright colors (not applicable to our league- [:)] and [:(] at the same time). Much like the generation of my Father and those before him who didn’t exactly like one-day cricket- the shortest form of the game at that time- who were in favor the Test version, there is some wide spread discontent at twenty/20 which is about 5 years older and not without reasons and the main culprit being the IPL.

Let’s face it- its nothing like cricket the way it was used to be. When a batsman drives sweetly a full and swinging delivery off a pacer through a desperately scrambling cover fielder, the reply was looped what often seemed like infinite times while the commentator explains repeatedly why and how that shot was considered sweet so that you never forget what and how a sweet shot looks like. I don’t think it is required to say what happens post wicket. The whole fielding team jumps in unison screaming and whooping, as they converge to pat the bowler while the batsman, crest fallen, trudges off the field, but not before he shows his emotions via actions. He may kick the bat at the ground showing self-disgust, or play the shot that got him out one more time at the imaginary ball so that people could see that he did every thing right, but it was the ball that went rouge or the classic one, looking at the sky and then back down and shaking his head as if the lord him/her-self has betrayed him.

Now as soon as such shot is played, or any shot for that matter, once that moment of play is done we cut to commercials where a tooth paste, shaving cream, deodorant or just about any thing you can think of, appears in animated fashion to explain in fifty second sound bites why you need it to score the omnipresent hot chic. I once saw a commercial in which a man wore a specific brand of Jeans (which looked rugged and blue much like – well, every other jean in the world) and then a sexy looking girl who was shown talking to some one on a phone locks hands with our jeans guy and they walk into –fade. Strange, it never happened to me or to any one I know and we have tried a lot of jeans. Anyway, that’s the state affairs in the world of cricket now. It’s less similar to ‘people with high skills competing for superiority under strict rules and gamesmanship’ and more resembling scripting a live action movie where you eagerly look forward for the sequence that is fight-song-fight-song-presentation ceremony. Next day, the tabloids show the breaking news, which is the celebrity who owns the team jumps up and down at the team dug out or makes a stupid comment about cricket which would make Geoff Boycott break into tears, not the winning captain or the team. As though this isn't already so much fun (sarcasm), now a 10 minute break is added between every 10 overs, so that teams can strategize. Come on!! Ten overs of time is what takes players to get warmed up. The pure reason -sneak in a few more commercials about love Jeans. But who cares, this isn’t sharp shooting anymore, its spraying with an Uzi. Its like watching the evolution of Mother’s day- what started out as a revered acknowledgment of everything that is great about motherhood has ended up being this commercialized extravaganza despised even by its founder,Anna Jarvis,

All is not bad about it though. As honorably mentioned by Lalit Modi, the CEO of IPL, it attracts the best talent from around the world in the form of players, coaches and support staff and thus creates all kinds of new possibilities. The young domestic players get to share the same dressing room, and learn valuable lessons that could potentially give us a very deep talent pool for national squad. The franchise itself can fuel the invigoration and development of the country’s cricketing infrastructure whether it means better pay for, at least some of, the local players or better equipment and amenities for the grounds. Oh, how I remember Deep Dasgupta’s, a former wicket keeper for India, sad remarks about how they could not even afford a good set of Four-Square brand bat and gloves and must settle for the SS type only a few years ago. All said and done, lot of money is being made and looks like every effort is made to increase it too.

The BCCI, which in a desperate attempt to control and maintain its monopoly over Indian cricket, had banned ICL and anyone associated with it before the first edition of the tournament even began. It flexed its muscles enough to make other member countries of ICC to follow suit and ban their players who are part of ICL, and the ICC has recently denied ICL’s appeal to it that it must be given an ‘unofficially-approved’ status, so that the players’ national ban be lifted. Now in a latest development, BCCI is offering amnesty to the ICL players that if they end all ties to the rogue leaugue (put down their arms, so to speak) before end of May, their ban will be lifted a after one year ‘cool-off’ period (will be pardoned of their sins and the gates of heaven shall open, so to speak). Considering the fact that ICL was started in response to the pathetic performance in 2008 World Cup by the Indian team, which in turn woke up BCCI to start its own IPL - a Paris Hilton version of ICL. The Board of Cricket Control in India, with all its political and bollywood craftsmen has, apparently, failed to consider the fact that ICL can be utilized as a lower end version for the domestic circuit providing more opportunities for more aspiring cricketers. Then again, an agency that suspended all pension benefits to its former players of India who associated themselves with ICL and calls the country’s lone world cup winning captain, Kapil Dev, a betrayer, one shouldn’t be surprised.

I guess what I am saying is, Twenty-20 good.

Actions of BCCI, not so much [:(] .

Should A Flash Back Always Be In Black & White?

About 62 days ago, 2008 finished its journey finally to make way for 2009. It was the year that brought dramatic changes to things that seemed well set for a long time. As I roll back the imaginary magnetic tapes on which I store all the major incidents of the past year for blog writing purposes, I see so many events that will be remembered, talked and referenced in years to come. Good and bad things happened in random fashion as Myanmar got hit with a bad hurricane, China hosted its first Olympics with a huge and brightly colored iron fist, military conflict broke out between Russia and Georgia, after which Israel and Palestine took their turn, terrorists continued to use stupidity as their weapon of mass destruction as they went on their usual spree of killing innocent people in various parts of India and the rest of the world and Global economic recession threatened to make our lives, present and future, dangerously uncertain (and still does) and as consolation prize the US of A got its first black president in Obama and Team India won the 20Twenty world cup. Frankly, 2008 had 12 more months than it should. I felt like it took forever to finish.

Personally 2008 was an historic year for me. So many things changed, for better and worse that I would be able to trace back most of the future episodes in my life back to 2008. It started with a possibility. As 2007 closed, I finished my graduate thesis defense and technically graduated. I started applying for jobs as the new year celebrations went off for big O-8. I kept applying and nothing was happening. The now-confirmed US economic recession was budding at that time and the job market did not look too bright. After some consultation with my friends and colleagues I joined a consulting company whose name is a combination of a sensory organ and the most important connector in our body. I moved to Dallas and like most consultants, stayed in an apartment home with 4 more guys as I learned the technical and non-technical ways of a consultant’s life. Once the training was over it was time for project hunt. As I waited for the illusive client calls for the bunch of applications we send on a daily basis the downturn in the job market shifted to higher gears casting more doubts on tomorrow. Things moved slowly and on the 20th of April, just after dinner time, finally I got the call. It was a moment of happiness and anxiety. I had, in the mean time, lost 10 pounds due to poor dietary habits, made some very good friends, gained quite a bit of working skills on a framework named after an island in Indonesia and missed the marriage of a very close cousin back home.

Anywho, I moved from Dallas to Phoenix, Arizona for the new position. I stayed with a college friend who lived in Tucson for about a week, before finding a place in Phoenix with his help. The fun-nest part of moving as a consultant is that you need to always buy things you need the most. Comforters/sleeping bags, pillows, plates, bags, excess clothes, essential accessories (thanks to restrictions imposed by TSA) like shampoo, shaving cream, deodorant, yada yada need to be bought whenever your travel involves airplane(s). After buying all of these things, again, I settled into my new house, shared between 4 guys. The guys were students at Arizona State University and it was nice to be with students again. The nice part evaporated soon after, once I found out about the nasty bed-bug infestation in the house. Every night, we lost a few liters of blood to these night crawlers and in return got multiple bumps/rashes well grouped into sets of three in straight lines- what bug specialists call ‘breakfast-lunch-dinner’ pattern. Never having encountered them in my life before, they kept me awake all night with their bites so that I was Mr. Sleepy Red Eye the next morning at work. After about a month, I moved to near by apartment, same setup, but the other 3 roommates were working professionals and that kind of helped with arrangements. Man proposes Bed Bugs dispose. This house had even bigger bug problem, both bed and roach family. I had to move again, after about a month, but this time things turned around.

Work was going well, and I had moved to a nice apartment, with even nicer roommates and lots of space. After a long time this was a place that could honestly qualify as a long-term prospect. I picked up on some old activities I used to enjoy like cricket, watching movies, daydreaming and started attending Judo. It needs to be mentioned about the helping mentality of these roommates and I am thankful for all the free rides, literally and metaphorically. Due to a very helpful and knowledgeable friend from work I attended the Rider’s Course for Bikers and successfully got the driving license for motorcycle. In September of 2008, I purchased the first automobile paid off completely from my pocket, a used 2007 Kawasaki Ninja EX250-Black, and have been riding that baby ever since. Five days to work and one day to the Mall/Movie and one day for complete rest, I was living life-Jeans Style (Shankar’s Movie, not the clothes, bcoz that wouldn’t make any sense), minus twin brother and Aishwarya Rai.

2008 was also the year during which I went on a number of tours across the US of A. For Labor Day in May, I went to San-Francisco and Los Angeles, California, for Memorial Day in August, Seattle-Washington, Thanks Giving day in November, New York City, New York and Washington D.C. and in between theses trips, I also made multiple trips to Las Vegas, Tucson and the Grand Canyon. In a span of 7 months I had visited The Golden Gate bridge, The Universal Studios, Mt.Rainier, Boeing Manufacturing Plant, The strip Street in Las Vegas, Statue of Liberty, The White House and the South Rim of Grand Canyon.

US-wise, the stocks were falling, the Presidential Election process was under full swing and Michael Phelps had more gold from Olympic Medals than the US Treasury. Changes were abundant locally as well. In October My client company offered me permanent position in their company and I accepted to make it the first full-time salaried job of my life. By December all the roommates in my apartment had moved out to separate homes/apartments one after the other which left me with a new set of roomies. I learned to cook and organize stuff and as the 2008 closed I prepared to move out as well due to a growing infestation of- yes, you guessed it - Bed Bugs. I don’t know why these things keep ‘bugging’ me.

As you finish reading this, I have moved to a different spacious apartment with a room for myself. I have a sort of new roommate, new as room mate here, but he is an old friend of mine from college who works in a very old and stable bank. The home’s furnishings are being done slowly- it’s a bit hard to track free/subsidized stuff from craigs list or some other local online classifieds. As of Mar 01 2009 I am looking for, among other things, a kitchen table to keep the microwave, a free TV, a Jeans-style Aishwarya Rai (resemblance not mandatory) to continue my Jeans-style life and a SIX PACK ABS [:)] [:)] [:)].
Hopefully the rest of 2009 would show the way.