sports for ALL!!

We talk about equality of sexes almost all the time and there has been a constant battle for woman empowerment, many are fought and some are hard won. The recent passing of legislation to increase the representation of women in parliament was one such hard won battle, that bought to focus the growing desire and necessity to have the fairer sex in the forefront of developement. Nehru said ' A nations progress can be judged by the status of its women'. This made me think, if this is true, what does this say about INDIA? How will we be judged? Definitely, we will be taken more seriously if we were to indeed create some unique opportunities for women.

The movie CHAK DE gave us an insight into how the world looks at women in sports. There are huge problems: be it funding, sponsors or infrastructure, it was clear as day that they are at a serious disadvantage. Some argue that sports is more of a gentleman's game because of the amount of stamina required. But at the end of the day it is a test of endurance and skill. So why is that women in sports are not as popular as the men? Why are they not given a level playing field with the men or the same amount of recognition and support? Why is that people feel that watching men's cricket is a lot more exciting than womens cricket? I would say all this is because of the lack of exposure and awareness or maybe even ignorance on our part. Ask any ardent cricket fan, even a woman 'who the captain of the Women's Indian cricket team is'? They will definitely draw a blank.

Take the IPL for example, Underneath the corporate exploiting the event for marketing gimmicks and many other such agendas, the BCCI insists that at the heart of it, IPL was created to find some fresh talent and give them a once in a lifetime opportunity to play alongside the best. If this is their mission, shouldn't their vision also include women? Why not have one or two women players in the team. They have ceiling limits and rules on almost everything right from the number of international players. Why not give women an opportunity to prove themselves? If we are truly equals this should be no problem. Even tennis has a concept of mixed doubles and this is also a game that's not just about skill but endurance as well. Women are just as talented if not more than men and all they need is someone need to open doors for them and give them a voice. As a developing nation our voice is loud, but as we all know actions speak louder than words. By adding women to the equation you not only intrigue the audience but the anticipation of seeing how well they fair will increase your TRP. It will be a win-win situation for all involved and India will be viewed in a completely different and positive light. The BCCI should seriously consider opening up the IPL to women as well because there is incredible talent there just waiting to be discovered and show the world what they are made of

The IPL with its enormous success should pave way to newer ideas and maintain the spirit of the game in the truest sense.

the bounty hunter - review

MOVIE: THE BOUNTY HUNTER

CAST: Jenifer Aniston, Gerard Butler

The movie is directed by Andy Tennant who is well-known for some truly wonderful movies like Hitch and Sweet Home Alabama. Milo Boyd (Gerard Butler), a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, reporter Nicole Hurly (Jenifer Aniston). Milo is hoping to cash in on an easy opportunity, embarrassing his ex-wife seems to be an added bonus. But things get a little complicated when Nicole gives him the slip so she can chase a lead on a murder cover-up. But she seems to have taken a wrong turn with the investigation and things go from bad to worse, when a hit is ordered to shut her up permanently. The exes continually one-up each other - until they find themselves on the run for their lives.

Little high and too low!

One would have high expectations because the cast and crew are known to be some of the best in the business. The only positives that are evident in the movie is Jenifer Aniston’s hot body that will make you want to eat your heart out and Gerard Butlers cute smile. The movie suffers mainly because the script is just pain horrible. There can be no other word to describe this disaster. Frankly, I love Aniston and Butler, but this movie is so wrong on so many levels I do not know where to begin. The wardrobe for Butler was so hideous! Even my fat cousin has better taste in clothes!! The comedy and romance which are essential to a ROM-COM are totally absent. There seems to be no chemistry what so ever between the two lead actors!! It is just a mindless watch I would say, If u wanna just go to the movies and neck then this would be the movie to pick.

Siobhan Fallon Hogan as Teresa the bondsman's secretary, seem to the only one who could muster up a good performance. Overall a bad script, bad acting, bad comedy, no romance, bad action sequences, some clichéd scenes all add up to a truly atrocious movie that is not worth your time,money or energy. Lots of hammy faces, hollow jokes and property damage make this movie a truly regrettable experience.

Bottomline:

Watch it at your own risk. If you blow your brains out afterward atleast I can say ‘I told you so’.

IT's Complicated Movie review

ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR!

MOVIE: It’s Complicated

CAST: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin

This Romantic-comedy was written and directed by Nancy Meyers, known for films such as The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give, and Father of the Bride. The movie revolves around Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake (Alec Baldwin) who have been divorced for a decade, but have learned to get along. Seems simple enough, but not for long as a steamy night between the two leads to a totally different kind of hangover! Jake is married to a woman half his age and Jane now finds herself being the other woman. Though her conscience plagues her, Jane cannot think past Jake and finds herself with conflicting emotions. But things get even more interesting when Adam (Steve Martin) enters the scene, unwittingly forming a love triangle.

Get high & low:

Jane owns a successful bakery and the onslaught of all the pastries and food is cause for all kinds of cravings. But this movie is not for the faint hearted, as seeing Alec Baldwin without clothes takes some serious courage. The cast with the exception of Lake Bell (Agnes) was well picked, as one feels an instant connection with Jane’s Children and the sense of family comes across. John Krasinski as Hurley leaves a lasting impression with his comic timing. The story is sometimes predictable and the constant giggling will get on your nerves. Steve Martin is not that great but his performance is effective to the say the least.

Age is just a number:

Anyone other than Meryl would have come off as tacky and cheap, but she looks fabulous and her acting almost flawless. And this comes as no surprise, has she ever done a bad movie?? If you’re a fan of 30 Rock, then you’ll definitely love Alec in this one, as he's blossomed into a terrific comic actor, a wickedly self-mocking satyr. Jake and Adam are hooked onto Jane, Who win finally win her over?

Bottomline:

An entertaining and fun ride which gives us a chance to escape into a world where everything is beautiful, even advancing middle age.

tHE BLIND SIDE

MOVIE: THE BLIND SIDE
CAST: Sandra Bullock, Tim Mcgraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates

The blind side is a true story which has been taken brilliantly by director John Lee Hancock. The story revolves around Micheal Oher a.k.a. Big Mike, a homeless African –American who has a troubled past filled with abuse and abandonment. Lady luck smiles on him and he finds himself admitted into a private school for his athletic potential. But his odd predicament pulls at Leigh Ann Touhy’s (Sandra Bullock) heart strings and so she takes him under her wing.

Highs and lows:
The fact that Leigh Ann’s children seem welcoming to Micheal’s arrival seems a bit unrealistic because even the most well- behaved children will feel a twinge of jealousy and resentment. SJ forms a brotherly bond with Micheal and the formers performance is commendable, as his quirky and endearing nature puts a smile on your face. Sandra Bullock’s Oscar for Best Actor was justly deserved, as she shines in her role as a bossy, pragmatic but loving mother. She tries throughout the movie to keep her emotions at bay and this struggle adds to the allure of her character. Micheal’s stay at the Touhy’s changes their lives and Leigh Ann takes it upon herself to secure his future. The hardships he faces while playing football and how even his teachers try to bring out the best in him are some of the most heart warming moments in the movie.

Refreshing Change:
The underdog theme has never gone wrong with the audience because against our better judgment, we tend to root for them. This movie is not, just another sports-drama. It gives one such a wonderful insight into the characters you cannot help but be inspired and moved by them. Will Micheal succeed?? or will he let his troubled past get the better of him?? Watch and find out!

Bottomline: There are just two reasons why this movie is a must watch
1. Heart – wrenching sports-drama moments
2. Sandra Bullock

global warming ... fancy phrase .. or reality?

Well this term has been coined and thrown around for a long time now. We cannot deny it exists. But somehow we are determined to penalize anyone who bloats these figures. The fact that global warming is anthropogenic cannot be denied. We contribute the most to this phenomenon. To blame innocent cow's of contributing 2% of global warming, I believe is pointless. Infact people might actually start eating more cow's on account of wanting to save the planet and reduce global warming. So what if their gas has catastrophic effects, even if we put all the cow's together that's just 2%. We humans contribute the rest. To make a mockery of the IPCC and its findings, to equate their fudged figures to be a monumental mistake not be taken seriously. i believe is a grave error in judgement. Their image is damaged and their data will not be taken seriously from now on. There will be more doubts, more confusion and no centrally accepted statistic available for presentation. China is happy to align itself with the developing BASIC countries. It does not matter that they have over taken the U.S. as the highest in CO2 emissions. Smart move they say... but at what cost? What will be our fate in the coming years if this carries on?

It is a fact that there won't be any fuel left in 41 years if we continue our present rate of consumption. If a few bloated figures get the countries to co-operate and take action to stop global warming i believe its worth the risk. Many of us don't realize that we contribute to about .00001% of global warming. It seems like an insignificant percentage, but if 5 of us decided to make a conscious effort to reduce wastage of resources that is .00005% less isn't it ?

how many of you

1) switch off your bike or car engines in signals where the clock has more than 20 seconds to go?

2) how many of us refuse plastic bags at the grocery store?

3) How many of us turn off the water while brushing our teeth?

4) How many of us car pool or bike pool?

These are really simple acts that you and I can do everyday. But it seems that even the educated folk are lazy to try it. These are 4 things we can do and it wont cost us much to do it.

Why is that no one believes a single person can make a difference? What happened to 'be the change you want to see'. Will it always remain just a slogan? or will it become more? the ball is in your court......

Anxiety... emotional distress... !!

These emotions might seem familiar to you, if you have written CAT this year. With a flawed education system testing our patience to the limits there is only one other thing that can go wrong. Our results can be completely messed up... Will my scores be good enough... Well i don't care... I just want my results so i can get on with my life!! to wait 3 months for a computerized test result!! ugh!!

the reason we had this exam as a CBT was to minimize labour and make sure the system is not time consuming!!! oh the irony!!!

XAT results came out in 2 weeks and this was a paper pencil test attended by 1 Lakh students this year. Why is that the IIM's have no clue as to when the results will be out? I did not think anxiety could kill a person but if this goes on any longer i think it just might...

This years CAT marred with imperfections and glitches at every stage is by far a students worst nightmare. I really wish we could sue them for emotional distress... but since thats not possible im gonna settle for some good old fashioned ranting :)

well im done i think... will keep u guys posted on the progress if any.... MICAT is next... where i expect i'll have my behind handed to me on a platter...

cheers mate!!

settling?!?!

Many of us have insecurities... we are plagued with them... they follow us almost everywhere. Right this moment i have a million thoughts wrecking havoc in my brain... But how is it that a few errant thoughts can make you feel so small... It should'nt be possible... but it is.. how of us can deal with this kind of situation... how many really?
I for one have not gotten even one call from any decent B-school
who cares if i was crazy enuf to give up a job at world bank and take this up...I say to myself what wer you thinking? But somehow it seems like this will be the end of time as we know it... for me its make or break...
how many of us can pick ourselves up when we fall?
I admit im quite heavy... i need help... to be pulled up... from this miserable well iv fallen into...
I do not want to settle for a univ that is second best... im better than that... im capable of doing well...
but what is the cause for all this frustration... i'll finally get to the point guys...

it's because we have a flawed education system that *!!!
its impractical and absolutely absurd to say that a guy who has got 99.99 is better than a guy who has gotten 99.98!!! i mean come on!! How can you just crush someones dreams based on a few points!! it's absurd....
take me for example!! iv got just 71% in xat... does this mean im not a good student??!!
NO!! infact i'd go as far as to say im better than most of people doing an MBA in a decent institute.
I was born to do this... i have the skill set ... the profile... everything... but that has no relevance what so ever.... u'd think they wud take a page from the movie 3 idiots... But the Indian education system is forever flawed and we as students are not helping... there have been no protests... or crimes of passion!!! I mean someone get the shiv sena to say sumthing on this issue gud or bad !! we really do need the publicity!! because these days its the only thing that counts as newsworthy!! Why is that the ones who really deserve something don't end up getting what they want? Is this the way fate works... cruel twists and turns... unexpected ... unwanted... Why is it that justice and true fairness in the system can never be ensured?... why is it that good candidates miss out because of a conceptually broken system ?? It is infuriating. Scores are essential parameter to judge a students potential... one cannot deny that... but to using that as the only parameter to shortlist... not looking at the profile of worthy candidates... I believe robs the nation of its chance to produce some top notch business minds and entrepreneurs.Why are we still a developing nation... it is because we refuse to correct a flawed system??!!! I'd say absolutely!!

PS: this is me ranting i need this... so lol... im sry for this pointless post... but i needed to vent and this helped...