Charles Bukowski on writing

As I am fretting over why I don't seem to be writing all the time, I was looking up how actual writers write. Accidentally, I chanced upon someone sharing a note on Charles Bukowski where I saw this.

I never type in the morning. I don’t get up in the morning. I drink at night. I try to stay in bed until twelve o’clock, that’s noon. Usually, if I have to get up earlier, I don’t feel good all day. I look, if it says twelve, then I get up and my day begins. I eat something, and then I usually run right up to the race track after I wake up. I bet the horses, then I come back and Linda cooks something and we talk awhile, we eat, and we have a few drinks, and then I go upstairs with a couple of bottles and I type — starting around nine-thirty and going until one-thirty, to, two-thirty at night. And that’s it.

- Charles Bukowski

I feel better already, though it's Chocolate or Chips instead of bottles and Candy Crush and Clash of Clans instead of horse races.

I also landed on this awesome work.

"...
don’t be like so many writers,
don’t be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don’t be dull and boring and
pretentious, don’t be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don’t add to that.
don’t do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don’t do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don’t do it.
when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was."
- Charles Bukowski, From "So you want to be a writer".

True Story.
Cheers.

Guardiola is Rajinikanth

Why, How, What?

Here's your proof.

Prerequisite: Are you a Thamizh, Football fan?

Guardiola receiving award for inventing Chitti.

Guardiola saying "Andha Aandavane namma pakkam irukaan..."

Guardiola saying "Ulle Po" To Manu.

Guardiola trying Padayappa Salute

Jose saying "Enna Sivaji ipdi panitanga..."

Guardiola saying "Idhu Kuluvaali" and asking for route to Kallipatti

Guardiola and Sammer singing "Kaatu Kuyilu Manasukkula"

Guardiola goes "Ooo Kick Yeruthe..."

Guardiola goes "Ma'am. Just a minute" #Padayappa

Guardiola tries "Pera kettavudane chumma athiruthilla!"and fails.

Guardiola says to Ribery "Naan Oru thadava sonna..."

Malai da.  Annamalai.

From 5 minutes and One Google search. I'm guessing we could map every famous Rajini quote if we delve further. 

Of Google Scholars and Wiki Wizards

Art by Retronator at Deviant

'Wait. Really?'

Peter Tharoll opened google in a new tab and typed 'Amit Rover involvement in murder'. He skimmed through the top two links, one about some hearing about it that happened two weeks earlier and another was a random blog that seemed very anti-political. All major politicians were linked to something or the other in that blog.

He went back to the facebook discussion where people were arguing for and against the fellow. His first googling showed him his manifesto and it looked good. He had mentioned development, roads and schools. So, Tharoll put in a statement supporting Rover for the elections that were coming up. Some random guy named Ajay Pradhan showed up and said, 'but he is being investigated for murder!'

Tharoll didn't have a clue. He told himself that he should have refrained from putting that comment on his friend's post. Now, everyone would know that he didn't know anything.

The case was still being heard. 'Ha, there's a point I can use', he thought to himself.

He went back to the post and started typing out the comment, 'I knew some guy would show up and pin it on Mr. Rover and here is @Ajay. The case is still being heard. Who are you to...' he went back to Google and looked up the top two links about Mr. Rover's major opponent in his constituency, the sitting MLA. He found lots of complaints about how the constituency became worse than it was five years ago. 'Brilliant', he thought to himself.

He started retyping the comment. He was determined to make the other guy look stupid. 'Mr. Rover is a national icon and a possible ministerial candidate. That'd bring a lot of focus to the constituency and development will be forced to happen. Also, the case you're mentioning is still being heard in the courts. Accusing him of that reeks of stupidity and disregard for the Law. Do the words Innocent until proven Guilty mean anything to you?'

Two edits later, he published the comment.

-

Ajay Pradhan saw his notification.

'What? The case is still going on? But I read on that blog...' "Damn it", he shouted at the empty room around him.

He went back to googling Mr. Rover and his opponent. He thought he found something against Mr. Rover when he saw that blog. Now, his comment just looked stupid. He found how the sitting MLA had zero cases against him (score!) and researched more about the case and Mr. Rover in general. He found some accusations about local goondas being protected by him. 'Awesome, I can make something out of this', he thought. He found a random blog post where a lady complained about eve teasing on the roads in one of the arterial roads in the area.

'Mr. Rover's election will only embolden the Goondas in the area to become more shameless and fearless. Read this link about how a lady was harassed by Goondas backed by him. And you want citations for that, I suppose? Read this news from a local media channel. You mentioned that the case was still being heard. Did you see that all the guys who are in police custody are goons working for this rowdy Bajan Raj? There is little doubt who did it, but the law is being arm twisted to protect Rover.

Our sitting MLA has enough problems protecting the likes of you and me from monsters like Rover. And he has zero cases against him. It is appalling to see how you could support such antisocial elements.'

That looked good. He was getting prepared for a long debate on that thread.

-

PS: Unedited version. Thought of putting this up on the stories blog, but this didn't feel so much like fiction.

Mythos - Update

Going on slowly. Word count for the day is at an embarrassing 300, but did a lot of research today on things that are not even that important for the book. Spent most of the day researching Egyptian & Slavic Gods.

Running into roadblocks here and there. But moving forward with each of them.

From a Croatian folk song on Perun - an old Slavic God - that's been running again and again in my head.

"...He grabbed three golden apples
And threw them high into the sky...
...Three lightning bolts burst from the sky,
One struck at two young grooms,
Another struck at pasha on a horse,
The third one struck six hundred wedding guests,
Not an eyewitness left
Not even to say how they died."

Modifying Griffith's legendary translated words used to refer to his Hindu version,
"He, Oh men, is Perun."

Another one on Amun:
"The Lord of Thebes spends not a whole day in anger; His wrath passes in a moment; none remains. His breath comes back to us in mercy..May your ka be kind; may you forgive; It shall not happen again."

I must add that I am so tempted to make it a book of poetry rather than a novel.
Some of the these poems I come across physically affect me!

I'm Back

In the last few weeks, I had been deeply disappointed with myself.

When I looked into the mirror, I saw a depressed workaholic with no regrets, not sure about what he was doing or what he wanted to do. He was always looking to eat something or the other like the Panda. Was I upset? This was not the Aswin I'd known for the last two decades.

So, as I take the break to write (or at least start writing) my book, I am scared. I find it difficult to write - enjoyable, but difficult - after eight months of excel sheets. I looked at my edited story line and I didn't like to myself. I was not going to write that.

I missed the old me who would have no difficulties whatsoever when it came to writing. MS Word and Songs in the background were all I needed to live my life. Some food now and then, yes, but it was hardly a necessary condition.

So, when today, after packing bags,  calling cab and everything for my trip to a friend's wedding, when I decided to call it off at the last minute to make it to a meet tomorrow, I realised that I was once again the old, indecisive, go-with-the-flow me, not the 'but this is not supported by data' me. All this after I'd shaved after a zillion days and pressed the shirts for probably the first time since my parents left to visit my brother.

I'm back.


PS: The two friends who are getting married in the next two days might kill me on seeing this post. Neither read blogs, so I should be okay. Others who know them, sssshhh!

Medieval Dreams.

Around 1995, I used to imagine that things would go back to medieval times - and people would fight with swords and shields again - that I would rule an ever expanding kingdom - with a couple of friends ruling neighbouring kingdoms - that every honest citizen of my kingdom would be happy - that I would have this majestic white horse, Chetak, the very image of which would bring hope to friends and fear to enemies - that I would have this uber awesome Queen by my side and we would rule most of the country some day. You know, every hero on screen had a girlfriend, or ended up with one. 

It was my Destiny. I was sure.

Around 1998, I thought I would be the person who would end up inventing the Light Saber. No one else seemed to care much about the infinite potential that the single invention would have. First, I had to create the laser guns used in the movies and then, the Light Saber would be a necessary defence mechanism and the Jedi way a necessary way of life. It amazes me to think how I believed that I would actually change the way the world worked.

I was destined to change the world. I knew that much.

Around 2002, I started filling school notebooks with stories. Stories that would happen in my dreams, that I would see on the streets that no one else cared to observe, that would be exaggerated a little to add that thrill or drama, that usually involved a bad ass villain, an honest hero and how one of the two overcomes the other. It wasn't necessary that the good guys won. I was a Darth Vader fan and I gave an equal chance to the villain. I controlled what I wrote.

I'd decided I'd settle for an Agatha Christie-like popularity instead of riding to war on Chetak. Sounded safer and a lot more peaceful.

These old thoughts, I think they were pushed to some unused area within my brain. There are loads of such areas, by the way. When I fell upon the facebook profile of the Commander of my Infantry units from 1995, it all came rushing back to me.

The Human Brain has infinite capacity for data and...hope. 

It's a shame we all prefer to get a monthly salary instead.

Unbreakable.

Yea, yea, I have not blogged for a really long time now.

For all this while, I was waiting for something interesting to happen in my life. Given I spend most of my time at office or working outside office (from home, coimbatore and the like), there was nothing to blog about.

Wait. I am not sure if I am allowed to blog about work, but then, I'd not be interested in doing that anyway.

So what happened today, you ask?

Yet another accident from which I escaped with little to no spilt blood. The autorickshaw in which I was travelling was not as lucky.

A cab rammed into us from behind and I was thrown forward to the driver's seat - the driver hit his head on the front glass and the autorickshaw crashed into the median, shattering the glass. The vehicle, of course, is no longer fit to be driven.

I am mildly surprised that my laptop and phone are still working. 

Manage-able 'Spinus Painus' for now, but relispray would take care of it, no?

What the World needs...

...is a little more inspiration.

I've decided to get inspired from anything I can take an inspiration from.

No, no, I am not talking about lifting music off another album and calling it an inspiration. I'm talking about discovering and re-discovering the endless possibilities ahead of us to make this the awesom-est time to stay alive.

Get Inspired. Stay Inspired.

Here's to fun.

Weekend-ing

After like three months, my mind has started rejecting the notion of working through weekends.

In fact, as we speak, it's refusing to look at the numbers I generate on the screen.
Not good news for the guy who wants to stick to a job.

'No, Sir', says my mind. 'Go Read a Book. Or better, write one'.

Still wondering if I should control my thoughts or let it control me. Also, I am not sure if these are actually two different things.

Conflicts. Choices. Decisions. Life.

Normal and Beautiful

To know what it was, he had to know what it wasn’t.

It wasn’t magical. It wasn’t the once in a lifetime event that would serve as the spark for the rest of his life. It wasn’t the story for the classics section, or for any other section in that huge bookstore he knew. It wasn’t a story to even be written, for alas, no one else might find it engrossing enough. It wasn’t the fairy tale he had imagined it would turn out to be. It was just normal.

He had talked to her a few hours back. He had planned every word he would have to speak to impress her, carefully considered answers to every possible reply she could come up with and all that, but had slid into that beautiful ride called spontaneity. He couldn’t care less about the actual content of the conversation, though it could have entailed a long, slow, lone death, several years from then. He couldn’t care about what she would think of him either. 

For when he was around her, he could care only about her.

He had always wondered what a perfect life would have. Inclined perfectly for comfort in that corner of his apartment’s terrace back in the coastal city, he would get lost among the stars and merge into the past, the future or the imaginary. He was particular about having that griffin and that wolf for pets. He thought nothing could be cooler. He wanted the weather to always remain what it was at sunrise, with that cool breeze, wondering if the solar energy would be enough to grow all the fruits he wanted in his own garden. He wanted magic to be real, with spells, telepathy and telekinesis just some more subjects to study in primary school. He loved silence and thought no sound can be better. He wanted life to have a melodious but rich theme in the background, to which he could dance whenever he wanted. He wanted people to all be the same, all being kind and courteous to others in word and mind.

In that one conversation with her, his idea of what the perfect world should be changed entirely. He thought it really didn’t matter what the world had. What mattered was what the world would feel like. Right then, he felt as content as he would if he had all of those wishes from childhood and more. All that his world needed was her smile – and everything else just became perfect.

It was just another conversation, a conversation he could have had with anyone else. It wasn’t about love. It wasn't about how they would live happily ever after in infinite care and unbelievable understanding for each other. It was talk that lasted more than a few seconds and less than a few minutes. He didn’t even remember what he had talked about. All he knew was that she enjoyed talking to him as much as he did talking to her. He knew it. He felt it. That was all that mattered to him.

He could not bring himself to believe that he had lived in this world all along. He was sure everything had changed. Suddenly, reality was more beautiful than every world he had ever imagined.

Chess Writing

I know this is a bloody weird area for me to write on - because I am an average writer and quite an average chess player.

Meh, who cares? Catch me on Sportskeeda, writing about chess - mostly for the advanced beginners.

http://www.sportskeeda.com/author/aswinsam/

I am also planning to start playing the game again. Only this time, I am actually going to learn stuff.

Velayutham Review - Pattaasu!

In two words, Mass Entertainer.

On seeing the trailer, I was a li'l bit scared. I was scared if this was gonna be another thirupaachi (who am I kidding? I didn't like that movie) - but no, this one was good! In fact, I was quite happy at the end of the movie. It's a must for Vijay fans and fans of the masala movie genre (yes it is one now!) - it's a decent watch for the rest.

This is an Ilayathalapathy movie and we know he is not going to be killed or anything and that the good guy will beat the hell out of the bad guys in the end. But then, the movie itself was handled quite well and there was something in the movie for A, B and C markets, and last I checked, only thalaivar movies had the guts to try that.

I was eagerly looking forward to the next scene all the time. The village sequences were funny, Santhanam was mostly brilliant, very talented people like Soori (parota guy), Pandiarajan and Sayaji Shinde had only a small role to play (Manivannan was there, wasn't he?) and do I even need to say this? Vijay was awesome. Darling Genelia was also awesome (as usual). Given this is my blog, I guess that goes without saying. It was awesome that she had a fair share of the screen time - something that's (in general) not very common in mass movies these days. Hansika's role was an example for the stereotypical heroine portrayal so that made it easy for me to compare as well. Saranya Mohan redid Mallika's Thirupachi part but thankfully, it wasn't as useless as it was in the other movie - she did have a role to play as the sister who keeps her brother from going out of the way to help people.

*Spoiler paragraph*

The story as such was cool. A superhero is created by a journalist (Genelia) to create some sort of fear in terrorists, ministerial accomplices and goons - and Vijay happens to have the same name. On reaching the city from his village, his trysts with Santhanam get him involved with some of the superhero moments. On finding his name to be Velayudham, people believe he is the superhero. He saves Genelia when she gets mixed up with the gang and she explains everything to him. "Will he stay and fight powerful people or Will he mind his own job?" forms the rest of the plot. Predictable, yes. And #wellofcourse, it ends with the 'You shouldn't wait for a hero to emerge. Everyone's a hero.' dialogue.

*End of Spoiler para*

Particularly liked the unintentional superhero storyline (Vijay - Santhanam sequences). There was a lot (a LOT) of action, a lot of comedy, less senti, less punch dialogues, only a couple of mokka comedy attempts (kenathukulla thangam type) but even that appealed to some people in the theatre so I can't complain. I guess that kind was for the kids - but decapitation and stuff don't go hand in hand with that, I think. The Assassin's creed stunt sequences were kinda cool - the guy next to me (a fan of the game, he says) said that some stunts were exactly as it was in the game. Dozens of trained thugs and terrorists were no match for a happy go lucky guy from a village - but that's the way it is in mass movies everywhere and this is no different. In one scene, Vijay just walks in and beats the hell out of some thugs in their hideout. I felt some dialogues totally did not go with the scene (hire me!) - and Vijay should do SOMETHING about those caped dresses in song sequences. Talking about songs, the songs were much better on screen than they were while listening to it, though in all, only average they qualify only as 'much better than average' (repeated listening, you see). (except the brilliant Mayam Seidhayo). Chillax was worth tapping a foot to and again, Maayam Seidhayo was without a doubt the pick of the lot (if you take out the embarrassing Chennai tour part).

Umm, what else? Yea I was so expecting some 'trademark punch line' from the movie - you know, the kind that repeats itself a few times - but that wasn't to be. Sureshot hit in cities. B and C markets would be all over the movie, what with a village resident teaching stuff to city dwellers. In all, I might sound critical of the movie because I expect superior movies from Vijay.

The Mangatha song in the tea stall was kinda nice, without taking any digs at Ajith (especially because of that). I don't want Ajith or Vijay digs in the comments section too, keeping in line with the movie's sentiment. If you insist on being an idiot, please find another blog.

So yea, how was it, you ask? Thumbs up. Yohan can't release soon enough!
(I don't really care about 3 idiots)

Mythos has begun.

That's the code name for something I've started working on. For the past couple of months, I had been struggling with two book ideas. The struggle was about deciding which book to start working on.

One is a book on changing the world. Another is a book on transforming it.
One is about what we can do in the future. Another is about understanding the past.

Chetan Bhagat's R2020 seems to mildly tread (actually, stomp hard) on the 'changing world' and 'future' parts - including a character name, how about that! So, I have decided to start working on the other one. While I am thankful to CB for making my decision easier, I am not sure whether I should be happy or sad that he thought on the same lines; well, will know for sure if and after I read his book.

When you see me here after, ask me where Mythos is heading. Would help me spend more time on it.

Credit card chahiye?

Simple stuff to try out next time you get that irritating call:


#1
Rep: Sir, I'm calling from Standard Chartered.
Me: What chart?
Rep: Standard Chartered.
Me: What's that?
Rep: Bank sir.
Me: Oh Citibank? Indian Bank?
Rep: Standard Chartered, sir.
Me: Ok ok Axis Bank eh? (can go on till you are bored or till he cuts the phone)

#2 (True Story. happened 5 mins back)
Rep: Sir, I'm calling from Standard Chartered, Sir
Me: What's it about?
Rep: Platinum Credit card Sir.
Me: Not interested.
Rep: Sir, can I just explain for a minute?
Me: Okay.
Rep: Bla bla bla bla.
Me: Doubt.
Rep: Explains
Me: Crazy Doubt 2
Rep: Explains.
Me: Accha, so why are you offering credit cards to school goers?
Rep: Sir, we have a database that says you work with IBM.
Me: No, I go to NPS Indiranagar.
*Line cut*

#3
Rep: Good morning I'm calling from Citibank.
Me: No , no. Not interested. I'm already married. (cut)

#4
Rep: Can I speak to you for a minute?
Me: Can you call me at 2 AM? I am free only at 2 AM every day. Okay?

#5
Rep: Sir, I'm calling from Standard Chartered.

The game here is to use only two responses for all conversations.
a) Why? / But Why?
b) So What?
(Strat Lead inspired)
The person with the highest usage of the above wins.

#6
Rep: Sir, I'm calling from Standard Charte...
Me: Tell me. How much black money do you guys hide?
Rep: Sir this is about...
Me: How much black money do you guys hide?! Talk ME!
*Line cut.*
The number of times the cust rep tries to talk before cutting the line gives his Resilience factor (RF). If a sufficient number of people do this each time he calls, his RF would go down and eventually reach zero.

#7
Rep: Sir, I'm calling from Standard Chartered.
Me: Chubramani? Epdi da iruka? (Subramani, How are you? - As in some old bhagyaraj movie)
Rep: hello?
Me: Paathu evalo naal agudhu. veetla elam epdi irukanga? (How are people at home? Long time no see?)

Goes on with questions like 'did you have your dinner' and 'remember 4th lane in our society where u, me, vivek, ashok, raja, rani, police, thief and all used to play cricket?'. You'll be amazed at how funny you can get.

PS: Used bank names (Citi, StanChart) are actual callers irritating me with calls regarding credit card. So yea, STOP CALLING!

Jan Lok Pal ver 2.3

Fot those who have no time to read the draft but are bent on supporting the bill anyway (but WHY!), upto Chapter 3 in the draft alone, I could see these many problems. Refrained myself from adding too many opinions. Think for yourself.

(Excerpts from draft at the IAC site itself)

THE JAN LOKPAL BILL 2011

 ... The bill, therefore, provides that the vigilance machinery and the grievance redressal machinery also be brought under the supervisory control of an independent Lokpal.

... In accordance with all the above principles enunciated in the UNCAC, the powers of investigation and prosecution of public officials for corruption and disciplinary action for corruption against government officials are sought to be brought under an independent Lokpal authority... Other ancillary powers such as freezing of assets acquired by public servants by corrupt means are also sought to be conferred on this authority. The integrity of the authority and the anti-corruption/vigilance machinery under its control is sought to be achieved by mandating transparency in its functioning and public participation, wherever possible. The accountability of the Lokpal itself would be to the Supreme Court, which would have the authority to enquire into and order the removal of members of the Lokpal (my note: Lokpal is a committee with JUDGES. Smart card). Judicial review over the actions of the Lokpal by the High Courts under Article 226 (my note: gives opposing views 2 months to PROVE their views or stay quiet, as mentioned later) and the Supreme Court under Article 32 and 136 would further ensure the accountability of the Lokpal.

A Bill to establish an independent authority to investigate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to detect corruption by expeditious investigation and to prosecute offenders and to ensure timely redressal of certain types of public grievances and to provide protection to whistleblowers.

PRELIMINARY

 (e) “Act of corruption” includes -:

 (j) “Penalty” under this Act means punishment of dismissal, removal or reduction in rank

(k) “Public authority” means any authority or body or institution of self-governance established or constituted –

i) by or under the Constitution; or

ii) by or under any other law made by the Parliament, or a state legislature 8

iii) by notification issued or order made by the Government, and includes any body owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Government;

CHAPTER II

ESTABLISHMENT OF LOKPAL

4. (1) Immediately after the commencement of this Act, the Central Government by a Notification shall establish an institution known as Lokpal, who would have administrative, financial and functional independence from the government.

 (4) The following shall not be eligible to become Chairperson or Member of Lokpal:

(a) Any person, who is not a citizen of India, or

(b) Any person, against whom charges were ever framed by any court of law for any offence involving moral turpitude, or

(5) At least four members of Lokpal shall have a legal background.

Explanation: “Legal Background” means that the person should have held a judicial office in the territory of India for at least ten years or should have been an advocate (note: NOT a judge.) in a High Court or the Supreme Court for at least fifteen years.

CHAPTER III POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE LOKPAL AND ITS OFFICERS

Functions of Lokpal:

6. The Lokpal shall have the following functions and powers

a) to exercise superintendence over the investigation of offences involving any act of corruption.

b) to give directions to the investigating officers for the purpose of proper investigation of such offences.

c) after completion of investigation in any case involving an allegation of an act of corruption, to impose punishment of dismissal, removal or reduction in rank against government servants after giving them reasonable (note: which is?) opportunities of being heard.

f) to ensure the proper prosecution of cases before a Special Court established under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.  

(l) to appoint judicial officers, prosecutors and senior counsels.

(n) to attach property and assets acquired by corrupt means and to confiscate them in certain cases as provided under this Act.

p) to ensure due compliance of its orders by imposing penalties on persons failing to comply with its orders as provided under this Act.

v) to require any public authority to render any specific help required by the Lokpal.

 (x) Such other functions as may be necessary for the proper implementation of this Act.

Powers of officers under Lokpal

7. (1) The Investigating Officers of Lokpal authorized to investigate offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 shall have all the powers which are vested in a Police Officer while investigating offences under the Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the powers conferred on the director of enforcement under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 as well as under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

(2) The members of Lokpal or any officer under the Lokpal while exercising any powers under the Act shall have the powers of a civil court trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and in particular, in respect of the following matters :

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of any document;

(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;

(d) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office;

(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or other documents; and

(f) any other matter which may be prescribed

(3) All members of the Lokpal and all officers of the Lokpal superior in rank to an Investigating Officer may exercise the same powers as may be exercised by such Investigating Officer. (Note: Why mention investigating officer earlier instead of mentioning ‘all lokpal are police officers with the power of a court’? in other words, play God.)

(4) A Lokpal bench may punish a public servant with imprisonment up to 6 months or with fine or both, if he fails to comply with its order for ensuring their compliance

(5) If during the course of investigation into a complaint, the Lokpal feels that continuance of a government servant in that position could adversely affect the course of investigations or that the said government servant is likely to destroy or tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses or is likely to continue with corruption, the Lokpal may issue appropriate directions including transfer of that government servant from that position.

 (7) While investigating any offence under Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Lokpal shall be competent to investigate any offence under any other law in the same case.

8. For the purposes of investigation of offences related to acts of corruption, the appropriate Bench of the Lokpal shall be deemed to be designated authority under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act empowered to approve interception and monitoring of messages of data or voice transmitted through telephones, internet or any other medium as covered under the Indian Telegraph Act read with Information and Technology Act 2000 and as per rules and regulations made under the Indian Telegraph Act 1885.

Issue of search warrants:

(3) A warrant issued under sub-section (1) shall for all purposes, be deemed to be a warrant issued by a court under section 93 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. 

உயிர் எழுத்து

எண்ணத்தை விட வேகமாக கரைந்ததென் நம்பிக்கை...

என் மேல் எனக்கிருந்த நம்பிக்கை.

கடிகார நேரத்தை நிறுத்த முயன்றேன் மாதங்களுக்கு முன்னால். 

மறந்திடத் துடிக்கும் அந்நிகழ்வுகளுக்குப் பின்னால். 

இனி காலம் முன் சென்று பயனில்லை அல்லவா?

கனா கண்டு கொண்டே இருக்கிறது மனம் இன்னும், 

அது கனியாது எனத் தெரிந்தும்.

பகுத்தறிவு அதை ஒதுக்கக் கூடப் பார்த்தது; 

இறுதியில் ஒதுங்கியதோ என்னறிவே. 

மண்ணுலகில் எதுவும் செய்ய மறுக்கிறேன். மன உலகிலும்.

வாழும் நாள் முழுதும் அடைந்து கிடப்பதென்ற முடிவில், நான்.

Trademark Thamizh

Some guy in Mumbai : @^(%(#&(%_*&# (translated into English as 'feels good to see another marati fellow at the workplace')
Team mate at ABG: "Really? TN? Don't tell me! You are Mallu, no?"
Random girl I tried talking to: "You? Thamizh? That too from Chennai? He he, don't pull my leg. Okay, tell me. hmmm, who is the Mayor of Chennai?" (Sigh.)
A fellow IIMB guy after 1+ years: "You're at I-top? Why? All the other mallus stay in G-Top..."

Random person (RP): "Engineering at Coimbatore? Why did you 'go' to TN and all? Didn't you try Pilani or (blah blah)?"

Me: (Two seconds of silence) "Urm... I am from TN."

RP: (many silent seconds before saying) "Oh"

At least, no one has any doubts about my nationality yet.

The Jan Lok Pal

Things I like about the movement:

a) It has brought people out of their indifferent lives to at least SAY something about politics.
b) It's always better to have more people getting involved in politics.
c) Intentions to 'make the country better' are commendable.
d) Anna Hazare's determination at this age - Respect.

Things I don't like about the movement:

a) Fasting unto death: I remember the time when I was five or six and my parents refused to buy me some board game. That was the last time I threatened to fast unto death. I am amazed at the no of people who believe that it is a type of non violence. No type of suicide attempt is - and all this sets a bad example. I hope it is not followed by some crazy loon going "Hey, vote for this anti-corruptive leader or I'll die fasting"

b) I guess most people who turned up on the streets are probably literate. It would be awesome if they vote as well. Then, they wouldn't have to worry about not letting the Govt handle everything and give a share of the  ruling power to the public. Doesn't this defeat the very purpose of electing a Government? Here's a fun fact: YOU elected it. YOU decided that voting for one of the two major parties alone would "keep balance" in the state / country. Remember that when you vote in four days.

c) Whatever I like to believe, the hard fact is this - Once this ordeal is over, people will happily go back to their own lives (not saying they shouldn't). Not sure how many are going to follow up and this could end up being as misused as any other law we have. On the other hand, if it does work...even in pieces, I'd be extremely happy.

If only all these people would come out and rally against poor choice of CM/PM/President, poor quality of ration items because of illegal hoarding, high levels of corruption in each and every govt and private organisations etc etc... If only they don't accept those things as a 'way of life'...

d) "Why don't you go out and rally people for all those 'everyday' things?", you might think. That's because solutions are far more difficult for those problems and I keep thinking about them all the time. Let me know if you come up with anything... and it's silly to rally / advertise etc without any point of action.

In any case, if I go around shouting, say, "Stop bribing Traffic Cops and RTOs" or if I sit in front of a ration shop with a "Stop passing stones as rice and sand as sugar" banner, will you join me?

South Park

Though I'd heard much about this series and have seen Eric Cartman's pic as the profile picture of many a people on Facebook and before that, Orkut, here's one thing I didn't know till I started watching that online.

That show is the very definition of genius.

I am just watching Season 4 now, but to take topics that most people would find offensive to even mention in public, make a show mocking (not mentioning... MOCKING) it and making people laugh at it is pure guts and genius.

And yes, I agree. Eric Cartman rules. "Screw you guys, I'm going to Mumbai."

The Mobile phone

Flashback, in Eastman Colour:
Location: A Big Classroom, Coimbatore Institute of Technology
Year: 2007

A guy is bored to sleep in the last row of the class, while even in that state, he keeps messaging... The three thoughts in his head at that moment: "Damn, useless class...", "The mobile phone is the best invention of the 20th century. Wireless magic." and "(in four-pieces-style) 100 free messages per day... Not enough..."

Then, a mortein smokeless coil keeps rotating on screen (clockwise, of course (get it?)) till you are brought back to the present.

Present day:
The fan in that room is disturbed by the strong breeze coming in through the window. Even the big moving shadow of that fan on the wall doesn't distract that guy from his thoughts.

He looks at his phone in disbelief. His bank has stopped sending him the 'daily-balance-in-his-account' message. That was the last difference between his phone and an alarm clock.

His Nokia 2690... it is but an alarm clock now.