Viggis' World of M---addness

Happy New Year 2011

2010-12-31T19:15:00.000+08:00

Am not going to bore you on New year's eve! This day is a chance to analyse what went wrong in the past year and how to improve on them in 2011(Am not going to talk about resolutions, cos I've followed none!!). Have a great year ahead and meet you here next year with some interesting stuff.

Luv

Vignesh

Just do it!

2010-10-07T14:44:00.000+08:00

A mere 7 hours of disturbed sleep, and I am not feeling tired. I woke up at 13:00 hrs and I badly wanted to pen down my current thoughts.

Remember seeing in the 4th chapter into Richard Branson’s “Screw it, Just do it”, I realised that I am somehow or the other behaving like Mr.Branson.

For the past 3 years, I have been progressively losing touch with that “Just do it” attitude.
And now, I have lost a huge amount of it.

I was a motivated "V6 engine" then, with such great curiosity and insanity that I always ended up with problems. To me, problem solving was part of the little test that I loved. It’s a mind stimulating game that made me think. I love doing different things, love to read and gather information, love to try new dishes and getting to know more people!

Now, I approach things in a skeptical manner, questioning myself with endless WHYs. At the end of the day, what comes to my mind would probably be the same at the beginning of the day! DUH

The same useless “It will never work attitude”.

Now I have successfully changed to become a very ‘safe’ person. What started it all, is my earning power. There’s a major pay jump from my previous job to my current (from a supermarket to a semiconductor Industry). I start to get very comfortable, and LAZY. Walking around my house like a dying old man looking for food and water, I felt like a potential amnesia victim. Wandering around uselessly around the house with no ideas in mind. Then I decide to do something better than what I have been doing earlier. And yea, I have been content so far with how I spend my off days except for a few.

The good old saying, I have reached my comfort zone, and have stopped thinking.

If you manage to kick a habit for a while and then you pick it up again, the effect will be greater than before. You will fall deeper into it, and harder to get out.

let me get things moving here.....
In recent years, my reading habit has become slow and has almost come to a complete halt. As fate would suggest, I did a simple survey and got rewarded with a $20 popular gift card. No prize for guessing which titles I’ve bought(2 John Grisham titles). Now, I am very much into reading again. And at a speed I never thought I possibly could!

I am not as motivated as before, but I have already kick started this old rotten V6 engine of mine. It’s cranky at times, but the right mechanic(efforts from my side) would be able to fix it effortlessly. This, I promise would happen soon.

First up, would be READER'S DIGEST, something that would spice up my life and keep me moving… and I have 2 copies of it right in front of me! :)

I have no idea if the picture I have posted is apt for the post but I found a striking similarity between the two! Yes, am weird! :)

Luv

Viggie

Don't risk it!

2010-10-05T23:28:00.000+08:00

There are millions of liars out there. The salesperson trying to sell his products, the food court lady(in Singapore) telling you it’s all sold out, your employee telling you he is late for work and I can go on and on and on.....

Will I get offended if I knew that they lied? A hell NO.. Their lies don't have the ability to change my life and affect my emotions. Reason being, they are in no way related to my life!

But what if that someone holds an important role in my life? Yes, the disappointment will set in and stay with me for a period of time, affecting my daily life, and most importantly, how I look at him/her again. I will never think that it was just a small white lie. When the truth is out, I will lose that "trust" I have for the person.

It takes one lie, to cover up for another, and another, and yet another. Boys and girls out there, lying requires a certain level of skill to successfully hide what you are trying to. You shouldn’t execute this thought if you are not experienced enough.

I strongly urge you to think even before you begin to lie. Trust me, it is very tiring for both parties. Most importantly, don’t take the risk to shatter the most important element in all relationships.

It’s called "Trust".

Luv

Viggie

What's in a haircut?

2010-10-02T16:34:00.000+08:00

This is the first time am writing from my mobile! Pardon me for any spelling or grammatical errors.

I still remember those D days when I dread going to the barber when I was small. I hate the smell of the shaving cream and sound of the shaver, the inconsistency of the final look. Each time you cut your hair, you look different from your previous one. Once I step out of the barber shop, a gloomy day awaits.

Nowadays, I love going for a haircut, because there is a whole new different meaning to it. It is not the smell of the salon, the final look, or even the hair wash. It is the person cutting it. Someone whom I have let my hair cut for … 3 times now which is a very rare phenomenon in my life. Whenever I am down and out, she is definitely one of the person that cares and advices me. In my heart, I know that sometimes she is lying about the advice she told. Honestly I am not bothered by it. White lies do help motivate a person when he/she is at a crossroad. At the very least, she took the effort to lie, just to make me feel better. At least she cares!

For the last 3 months, she shares her opinions on all aspects, which I am more than willing to hear. All aspects.....Jokes, relationships, family, career, investments, business, health,government issues.. you name it, she got it. I don’t have to say what issues I am facing, she can guess it correctly all the time. It’s really nice to have someone that understand you all the time.

I never thought I could have so much to talk to a barber and sometimes I wonder the knowledge that she has could take her to more challenging jobs but she must have her own reasons.

It really is a nice feeling.

Am looking forward to my next visit.

Luv

Viggie

A random thought

2010-09-30T22:15:00.000+08:00

I had a regular phone session with a close friend of mine a few weeks back. Had a nice chat with him about our goals, investments and dreams. I understand, and agree from the conversation that when one is working towards their goals, they tend to be blinded by other factors. The guy whom I spoke to works for a big firm back in India.

Having a goal is indeed a good thing in life. Work hard and achieve what you want. In the process of achieving it, you might gain some, and lose some. If you can afford to lose it, carry on with what you have set upon. If you can’t, slow down and amend the route. Make sure there’s a balance before continuing the journey.

Reaching your goal slower but with a clear conscience and happy mindset, is much fulfilling then reaching your goal fast but in the process, you have regrets and losing things that you can’t afford to lose.

Today a lot of people might still not be successful in their career yet, but they definitely know the right way to balance things out with their loved ones. When the time comes for their career to take off, they know that they have got plenty of people to share their happiness with. They are just waiting for that very moment, when happiness shine onto them like the morning rays.

The last paragraph might be very confusing when you read it for the first time. Try reading it again and again, you will find a balance.

Cheers

Viggie

The 2 L's that keep worrying me...

2010-09-10T02:13:00.000+08:00

I wake up alone, eat and sleep alone!

I do have a room mate but he is a family guy. Family comes first! Right? :D Well, I promise myself every night to make the next day the BEST DAY of my life but ends in trash. At this hour, it’s the best time to think about how the day was. Really wish for someone to talk to, but I guess those eligible species are all asleep. Any late night owls out there where we can share our problems together?

My last resort to enjoy myself would be my office. A whole lot of people from various backgrounds to talk to(Filipinos, Chinese, Indians, Malays and Americans). Did I miss any race? But my BAD luck, I just work for 4 days a week and thus miss my office.

There are plenty of priorities for a guy in the mid 20s, which is, my age ( I am proud to admit I am 24 this year).Let me see..Career? Investments? Family? Properties?

There are so many to list but the one I am going to discuss about is Marriage.Yes, I promise that am not getting married any time soon(can see a sigh of relief on all those ladies out there), so don’t let your mind escalate to an irrational stage. I am just dead curious about what kind of answer they would have if I were to post that question. A question that has been running around in my mind for some time because I was MUGGED recently....(everyone has to go through this phase, am no God)

Why do you think he/she is the one?In my opinion, Marriage is not a “just because we are together for so long, then we have to get married” thing. I am talking about LIFETIME Commitments and Responsibility plus plenty of PURE love towards the other half. When you are looking for a girlfriend/boyfriend in your younger days(say between 18-23), I believe what you are actually looking for is LOVE and FUN(on experience), Someone to hang out with when you are bored and alone, someone to hold your hands and whisper sweet rubbish. As you grow older to a wiser stage( which bluntly translates to my stage), Ask yourself this question. Why do you think he/she is the one? The one who will stay with you for the rest of your life.Give it a thought.Back to the subject, and so I went around asking people who are married. There are a million and one answers to the question due to the boring fact that no one is the same.I ask myself what kind of person I want to stick with, for the REST OF MY LIFE.

I found the answer, it is a very simple answer.And no, I am not going to reveal it here.

BUT,

I can share with you like what a majority of people would say,“You will just feel it when the time comes.”Simple isn’t it?

Well the 2 L's am talking about are Life and loneliness.

Luv

Vignesh

Tips to quit smoking

2009-09-13T07:39:00.001+08:00

Good Morning all!

I have to get to work this morning but I wanted to do a quick update and then I'll do a "real" post later today.

If you are considering quitting then here are some tips to help you. The first tip is Tell Others your Plan to Quit. Quitting may be easier to stay focused when you tell people you are quitting. Plus they will offer their support which you may need in the first day or so. If you hate people who constantly ask how you are doing, when you tell people you are quitting ask them not to ask, rather tell them how they can help.

Next, remove the Cigarettes and Other tobacco from Your Home, Car and Work. You know the old expression out of sight, out of mind. Clean these areas that smells like smoke, use deodorizers and air fresheners to get rid of the smell, if you can't smell it you will not want to smoke it. Then make a list of why you want to quit. If you have superficial reasons for quitting then you won't last. Make sure your reasons are valid so you will stick to it.

You are not the first person to quit and you won't be the last. So keep that in mind if other people with less resolve than you can stop then so can you. If you are pregnant then it is the perfect time to quit, you don't want to risk the health of the baby by smoking. Smoking while pregnant causes low birth weight and sometimes miscarriages.

Distract your self from smoking, take up a hobby where you can keep your hands busy, like gardening. Idle hands tend to make a smoker want to smoke. Don't think you can do it all; expect to relapse because if you expect it then chances are you might not because you think you will. Become more physically active, start exercising or take walks, keep your mind on something else.

Nicotine is a powerful addiction and every hour that do without a cigarette brings you one step closer to beating the nicotine. Keep a journal as to how you feel day to day, it will be like a therapy, it will help you. Count the days that you have stopped smoking you will find great encouragement from this. Try chewing gum or lollypops in order to satisfy the oral fixation of having a cigarette in your mouth. Before you know it you will have stopped smoking and you will feel great.

Luv

Vignesh

In a Word!

2009-09-11T04:13:00.001+08:00

Sick!

To add a few more words...

I know I've been a blog slacker lately and I promise I'll get back on the wagon soon. I'm just not feeling well this week.

I won't go into the details because nobody really wants to hear them, but I'm not functioning at full capacity.

As much as I like blogging, I lspend time reading my Measurementssss, AMSssssss, Mechanicsssssss.

So I'll be back in action soon.

As soon as I actually have something remotely interesting to say and as soon as I stop whining all the time (because again, nobody really wants to hear that).

Hope all is well with everyone else.

Love

Vignesh

Search for a perfect job continues!

2009-09-08T14:27:00.000+08:00

Is the perfect job out there? I sure hope so.. but in today's economy it can be difficult to find and the job search will frustrate you to no end. Employers are receiving 500+ resumes a night after one posting and I'm sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out how to make my resume stand out. Do I try to come off as a funny person or do I pack as many buzz words as I possibly can? Employers expect you to put complete effort into your resume and cover letter submission specifically tailored to their company yet with no guarantee of a call back or interview. Sometimes I feel as though I am shooting in the dark when I send out these resumes. This is what I really feel like sending out to employers:

"Dear Hiring Manager:
Attached is a copy of my resume. I have experience and skills that will work well in this position because I AM THE BEST! Call me or don't call me.. my work speak for itself!

Thanks!"

The job search can be frustrating and can get me down.. but I will stay positive and keep at it. The perfect job for me is out there, I just haven't found it yet.

True spirit Rafa

2009-05-30T15:17:00.000+08:00

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has sent a private letter to his Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex following the a car crash involving his grandson. 10 year old Charlie Ferguson and mother Nandine, ex-wife of Darren Ferguson were hurt in the crash. The youngster had to undergo a 6 hour operation. They are currently in the Alder Hey Hospital.

A Liverpool FC source said: "There is an intense football rivalry between them, but that's all it is - a football rivalry. Everything that has been said has been designed to gain an edge on the pitch.
"But when it comes to matters like this, Rafa is a family man who understands exactly what Sir Alex is going through. He wants to help any way he can.
"Rafa knows how difficult it must be, and he feels for a fellow manager who he respects as a person and a family man himself. Rafa wanted Sir Alex to know that if he or his family needed anything while the youngster was in Liverpool, they only had to ask."

2009-05-29T00:37:00.000+08:00

I think I was way too emotional in my last post, sorry guys but I wanted to express them so that someone(somewhere) who comes through/reads my blog will get out of it(depression) and hopefully they will.

Ok, past is past and I think people should move on but have to move on and its time for a new challenge and this time again I have come with a non-football post and please make note that this is my hat-rick(non-football post)

I've realized that I might be a little addicted to the internet. I rely on it for entertainment too much. I hate the thought of being addicted to anything (maybe besides ....... :P), so here is my (hopefully) realistic game plan to help decrease my dependency on the internet:

Go on a facebook/orkut fast for at least a week (I don't even like facebook, so hopefully that won't be difficult). After that, only check it once a day or when at work.
Check google mail twicw a day.
Only check my sitemeter every other day (sure, sounds easy enough, but I love sitemeter - it's addicting knowing how many people check my blog and where they are visiting from)
Cut out needless internet surfing for at least a week
Only use orkut when I actually have pictures to upload.
After posting on my blog, only check for comments sparingly.
Check espnstar.com/tribalfootball.com/bbc.com/ibnlive.com twice a day.

Any other ideas? Am I the only one who feels addicted here?

When the going gets tough.....

2009-05-29T00:20:00.000+08:00

When times get tough, don´t be surprised if you feel a heaviness trying to overwhelm you. Don´t be surprised if you hear negative thoughts telling you, "It´s never going to work out. Things are never going to get better. It´s over. It´s done." When those thoughts come, remember, you have a choice–you don´t have to believe those lies. You don´t have to get on board with your emotions.

In the Bible, David encountered many difficult situations. That spirit of heaviness tried to steal his destiny. He got depressed and discouraged, but do you know what he did? He started talking to himself. He said, "Why are you cast down, oh my soul? Put your hope in the Lord." He was saying, "David, snap out of it! Why are you discouraged? Why have you lost your joy? God is still on the throne, and He still has good things in store." When that heaviness tries to come on you, do what David did. As you put your trust in the Lord and praise Him, He´ll give you His strength and empower you to overcome every obstacle you may face!

Face everything, something BIG is waiting for you. The important thing is to have belief in yourself!

Small is fast, flexible and nimble

2009-05-22T16:58:00.000+08:00

On my way back from my dinner yesterday, I saw a cat trying to prey on a rat. I stopped walking to observe what will happen, expecting an exciting chase and ferocious battle, hoping to get some real life urban National Geographic Channel stuff. :)

The cat was fat, being well fed by the aunties from my flat who has nothing else to do everyday but feed stray cats.

Once the cat started its chase, the rat very quickly scampered under a car, and then into the drains. The fat cat had no chance.

So there was no exciting chase. No Geographic Channel to watch. :(

Today’s economy and technology allows small teeny companies to do big things. And remaining small keeps you quick, flexible to change and nimble. The obsession about building bigger companies, getting bigger offices, and hiring more is almost pointless. Getting fed by big projects will give you a whole lot of ego, but it will make you fat and cost you more too.

And when you are stuck giving credit to a big companies that take eons to pay their (big) bills, that is where your (big) problems begin.

Today, because of technology and worldwide distribution, we see the disintegrating of “mass market”. When there is no mass market, how well do you think mass marketing (in the TV and papers) will do? By staying small, you don’t need mass marketing, because you don’t need mass customers. You can craft specific campaigns to appeal to specific potential customers.

We should focus on getting better, not bigger. Serve a small niche of customers and have them in a head over heels relationship with you, instead of reaching out to the masses and have “transactions” with them. Think big, but stay small

Best Midfielder of EPL this season

2009-05-19T04:55:00.000+08:00

The debate about who the best central midfielder in the Premiership is rages on, and it is about time that I put in my thoughts on the subject. We all know I am a Chelsea fan, but I assure you, I am probably the most objective minded person in the world, so please at least try to ignore my club-bias in this note. Separate categories are not made for defensive and offensive central midfielders and my judgments are made based on the following:

- Form in this season so far
- Consistency
- Overall quality of the player in question
- Players importance/influence on team

As a result of these criteria, Michael Essien, Owen Hargreaves and Cesc Fabregas were not considered, due to the injuries they have suffered this season. I am pretty sure would all waltz into the top six.

10. Winston Palacios- A quality player who has really come into his own this season, extremely talented and was crucial to the amazing start Wigan had to the season, has not been in the same form as he has been at Wigan but has done a decent job at Tottenham.

9. Scott Parker- Another player with a fantastic work ethic and who is crucial to his teams success. Parker has been unfortunate with injuries, had he avoided them he would have made a much stronger claim for a spot in England's starting line-up. I like his attitude veru much and has been a Frank Lampard for West Ham United. Zola must be proud of his achievement this season.

8. Jon Obi Mikel- A kid who has shown maturity beyond his years this season. Chelsea sold the aging Makalele last summer and then lost the incredible Essien to a crippling injury, Mikel has stepped into the holding midfield role seamlessly. An immense physical presence with a great engine room and a very good range of passing, Mikel makes his job look easy when it is anything but. This kid has a huge future ahead of him, but would be advised to calm down a bit at times and does need a few more games off at Chelsea to avoid burnout. A selfless player with immense potential. Hats off...

7. Steven Ireland- People have gone ape-shit about Robinho this season but in my mind, Ireland is their true star. A regular goal contributor and a the man who provides the likes of Robiho and SWP with the passes that they need, a quality player and one that the Ireland national team need coax out of retirement ASAP. He has been targetted my rivals United and I think he should stay with City.

6. Gareth Barry- One of Villa's ever-present stars, Barry has once again been consistently performing at a high level this season. Sidwell and Reo-Coker are both good players but Barry is a class above them and the much needed link between the midfield and attack for Villa. He is going to liverpool next season for sure to taste success in UCL.

5. Steven Gerrard- There is no doubting this mans talent, and there is also no doubting that he is one of the most disgraceful players in the game today. A maestro on the field in terms of his work-ethic, shooting, passing and creativity, Gerrard loses respect from all non-Liverpool fans for being a prick and a cunt, and what is worse is that he gets away with it. He is still a quality player for me, a player every team has to have. Many say he is better than Lampard, but it is a hard point to argue. Lampard has consistently scored more goals and provided more assists, despite now playing in a less-attacking role then Gerrard does . Once the best and a very respected player, Gerrard's star is fading fast, soon he will no longer warrant an England start.People may start thinking that am being rude but sometimes certain things must be accepted. There is no surprise that he won the Fans choice "Player of the year". Full credits to him. He single handedly fought against United for the title.

4. Michael Carrick- Never a player I have liked very much, Carrick this season has really shown how good he is. Over-shadowed by the cunts United employ in attack, Carrick is another hard working player who does his job and doesn't make a fuss. Another brilliant passer of the ball, Carrick has also added a goalscoring dimension to his game this season that makes him even more formidable. I have many times compared him with Lampard, his long passes are exactly like how Lamps passes and has great skills. He has the potential of becoming an all time legend of EPL but time has to say it, not me.

3. Tim Cahill- Who would have thought that the man from Milwall would be such a great success in the Premiership? Moyes has an amazing ability for picking up players from the lower leagues and making them Premiership stars (Lescott, Jagielka) and Cahill is his crowing achievement. Almost matches Lampard for goalscoring and the difference in Evertons performances between when he plays and doesn't is amazing. Everton is my next favourite club after chelsea especially for its manager, Mr.David Moyes.

2. Xabi Alonso- Just where Liverpool would be now if they had actually sold their best player last summer I do not know, I was hoping that they would be stupid enough to do it but his determination to prove himself kept him in the most disgusting place on earth. Alonso has been immense this season, the engine that keeps Liverpool going and the best passer of the ball in the league. Has alwasy been overshadowed by Gerrard's performance but a real quality player. Hats off......

1. Frank Lampard- The consummate professional and an outstanding player, Frank Lampard is the the one man who truly shows what hard work and determination can do for you. He is not the most naturally talented player by any means, but his ability to work hard has made him the best central midfielder in the league. The best of goalscoring midfielder the league has ever seen, Lampard also posses an amazing range of passing and drops back more than most people think, he also is a leader on the pitch and a role model off it, one never sees Lampard in the papers for the wrong reasons. An outstanding player and easily top of my list.

Honorable Mentions- Matt Taylor, Jamie Bullard, Jermaine Jenas

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this article. Meet you soon in the next, this time a non-football article. Cheers :)

Chelsea Vs Barcelona , Post match reaction

2009-05-10T00:53:00.000+08:00

A day after Chelsea’s dream was stalled by a incompetent referee and a brilliant strike by Iniesta, I look back at the match, the incidents and the outcome. It is a painful result but chin up, Chelsea won the hearts and were seconds away from winning the match too. I’m very proud of the way Chelsea played and treated Barcelona. I’ll say it loud and clear. The better team did not go through. The better team was cheated and robbed. I know that even with this referee and his mindblowing decisions, Chelsea could have won with a margin if their finishing was any better. With proper decisions, the match would have been over by half time. Overall, Chelsea didn’t deserve to lose that tie, just like they didn’t deserve to lose the final last year.

Now, between Chelsea and Barcelona, who deserved to go to the finals? Ask the neutrals. At Camp Nou, Chelsea produced a fantastic defensive display. Barcelona, for all the creative footballing skills, just could not score or didn’t even impress. Chelsea got what they wanted and Barca did not. At Stamford Bridge, I didn’t see Barcelona. Chelsea attacked superbly and defended resolutely. Barca didn’t get one shot on target except the goal itself. With more than two-thirds of the ball possession, Barca produced nothing. They were invisible. They simply had no ideas. While Chelsea were attacking on the other end and creating gilt-edged chances, Barca were devoid of ideas at the other end. They had no clue how to break the Chelsea defence.

After the first leg, the Barca bandwagon cried foul. They said Chelsea did not play football. Of course, Chelsea did not play attacking football but they played football if defence is a part of football. It’s not that Chelsea could not, it’s just that they did not. That’s called tactics. Now you know why Barca finds it so difficult to understand the term ‘tactics’. They suck at tactics big time. Then in the second leg, when Chelsea opted to play attacking football, Barcelona could not handle them. If there was a decent referee on the pitch or in the sidelines, Chelsea would have won 4-1, purely with better decisions with same level of finishing. ‘Experts’ said that Chelsea would be crushed by Barca because Chelsea will have to attack and that will open up their defence. Did we see Chelsea attack? YES. Did we see Chelsea open up? NO. Tactics.

To say that this is a victory of football is being bloody stupid. Why is Barcelona’s victory a victory for football? Both teams played football. One team played situational football and the other played one-dimensional football. Chelsea played with an objective for the tie while Barca played like they would have played any opposition in any competition. Compare how Chelsea played against against Juventus in Champions league, and against Liverpool in champions league, Arsenal in FA Cup semi finals, against Fulham in premier league and now against Barca in champions league. In each of these matches Chelsea played differently because the oppositions were different, the competitions were different, the objectives were different and even the pitch size and quality of the pitches were different.

But Barcelona has only one way of playing football. You switched them off tactically and they suddenly become dumb and numb. Barcelona had a weakness and Chelsea fully exploited it. On the other hand, Barca had no idea of what Chelsea’s weakness was and did nothing except what they would do week in week out. Passing for the sake of passing. Chelsea’s attacking moves on Wednesday night were so much better than how Man Utd attacked Barcelona at Old Trafford last season. I don’t remember anyone calling that Man Utd win as a defeat for football. Why now?

Stop calling Messi the best footballer and all that. He was in top form just before the first leg. He was in form against Real Madrid in the weekend. He would be back in form this weekend. In the 180 minutes of football against Chelsea, he was nowhere. Coincidence? No. His only blip of the season was against Chelsea because they contained him with such brilliance that it puts a big question mark on Messi’s pedigree.

I’m laughing at those comments that everytime Messi had the ball he was surrounded by three or four Blue shirts. Firstly, that’s called marking. Secondly, if I were Messi, I’d love that because that means space elsewhere to be exploited. When Chelsea were doubling and tripling up on Messi, why could not Barcelona use the space created by this tactic? The answer is, they could use the space only if Messi could get the ball out of that multi-marking using his famous skill and creativity. Forget seeing his skill and creativity, I didn’t even see Messi. Of course he was the one who assisted for the goal. Barcelona was making those type of passes all day long. The goal goes to Iniesta, all of it. See, Messi will continue to score blinders against the likes of Numancia and Recreativo. He must learn to turn up, if not light up, against top oppositions. World footballer of the year? Give me a break.

There’s a lot being talked about Abidal’s sending off. There’s so much sympathy for Abidal because he was sent off against Chelsea. I agree, it was not a red. From the referee’s angle, in normal speed, he can be forgiven to judge that Abidal tripped Anelka. Remember, Abidal must been sent off in the first half itself, when he shirt-pulled Drogba inside the box. Abidal’s red card is incorrect? Yes, in the sense, he must been sent off half hour before the ref actually dismissed him. Let’s lay this to rest. He was lucky to have played those 30 extra minutes. And somehow, this incident is being compared with the Henry incident of the first leg. Bad comparison, to start with. Henry went down few seconds after he lost the ball. As always, old Henry’s timing for his dive was pathetic. In Abidal’s case, he was tugging from behind. Plus, Drogba until the shirt pull was fully controlling the ball. See it better here.

There used to be a time I raved about Dani Alves. I was longing to see him in a Chelsea shirt. He is a superb footballer who would be a match winner in any team. After this semi final tie, he has at least one fan less. He just showed what an awful winger he is. In the preview of the first leg match, I wrote that he would be the weak link in the Barcelona defence and I proved it. His defence was very messy and clumsy. How he did not get another yellow in the first leg and in the second leg is beyond me. He must have been booked for play acting plus intent of violence while tackling. His foul on Malouda in the first half was inside the penalty box. He kept hassling Malouda but the significant contact and intervention was made when the they were few feet inside the box. If the referee says that he called foul for what happened outside the box, then I’d ask him why Abidal was not fouled for this shirt pulling of Drogba inside the box in the second leg?

Just don’t argue about those handballs please. There must have been at least two penalties due to handballs. Barcelona must get off their moral high ground. Barcelona is a city of culture, so much that every Barca player does great play acting. Barca players use their hands in football to telling effect. Be it attack or defence. Remember that volleyball goal by Lionel Messi which almost won the league title for Barcelona last season. On Wednesday night, they were all genuinely punishable handballs. They used their hand to prevent the ball from going towards the net. As simple as that. They may or may not have been intentional but they were instinctive. That’s how you determine the violent fouls too. It’s enough that they are instinctive. No handballs are well-thought out plans (well, except that volleyball goal by Messi).

Now you have all seen the denied penalties for handballs. Just how many goalkeepers did they have? Every Barca player ended up punching the ball in those 90 minutes. Let’s now start watching every single handball that’s being awarded a penalty in any European league. Let’s see how consistent the referees are. Tell me now. Have you not seen these handballs being given penalties in European matches before? Don’t they give the benefit of doubt to the attacking team? Are European referees supposed to be very strict when compared to the English referees with respect to fouls? Stop kidding. Those were penalties. If UEFA thinks otherwise, let them come out and explain. Let them explain or admit. Chelsea FC can take the harder line here but it would only make the club more unpopular than it is now with the authorities.

This match has set new refereeing standards in European football unless UEFA comes out with an apology for the pathetic performance of the referee. The match is over and we are not in the finals. That’s the reality. But what I want to see is the same standards being applied in all the matches to come. If the referees are crap let them be crap in all matches. Let there be some consistency in being utter shite. That way no one gets an unfair disadvantage. When the ‘respect for the referee’ campaign started I definitely thought that it was a good initiative. Referees must be respected. So are the players. Refereeing is a difficult job. So is being a player in a champions league semi final match. What the authorities must also realise is that respect is earned. Respect is earned by good, tough, unbiased decisions and not by flashy campaigns with verbose statements.

Drogba and Ballack are the toast of the media now. I don’t know what wrong did Ballack do. He screamed at the referee and he did that quite a lot. So? That’s something Rooney does every weekend! No footballer would have abused the referee on his face as much as Wayne has done in his short career so far. We have club captains who spit on the opponent managers and go scot free. We have a player who shoves the referee aside and does not get punished and here is Ballack who in the 95th minute of a key match, out of terrible desperation, for a real handball, claiming a penalty. It will be a shame if Ballack is to be punished for what he did.

Drogba would face punishment. Rightly so. He went a bit overboard and deserves to be punished. Drogba made a mistake and he would be punished for that. What about the referee? He made mistakes too. What happens to him? Is UEFA going to charge Drogba and acquit that Norwegian referee? That’s injustice. I’d say punish Drogba but get explanations from the referee. Jose Mourinho once said that referees must be subject to post match interviews. The managers and players do their jobs and they get questioned about their performance. The same must happen for referees too. Then where is the accountability for the referees? A referee can make half a dozen mistakes in an important match like this and continue his career like nothing happened.

The one mistake Drogba has done is by his hysteric reactions, he has turned all the attention on himself while taking the focus off the referee. While you all read about what Drogba and Ballack did, I’m not sure if you read about what Terry did. Not sure if many papers covered it. I’ll tell you what he did and you’ll know why press did not cover it.

Amidst all this chaotic scenes, John Terry walked into the Barcelona dressing room and congratulated each one of the Barcelona players and the coaching staff for their place in the finals. Great gesture. Hats off to John Terry. He’s always the big man. While I’m pissed with most of the biased journalists, there are some good level headed journos who have written very good accounts of what happened in this match.

Tell you what, Sir Alex (and all Man Utd fans) must be relieved to see Chelsea being ousted. He knows which team would be a bigger challenge in the champions league final. He knows that Barcelona are beatable. That’s if the referee remains a referee. Prior to the Barcelona vs Arsenal champions league final in 06-07, the referee designated for the final was photographed in a Barcelona jersey. When it became public, UEFA removed him from the finals duty. Arsenal still lost, thanks to a dubious late equaliser from Eto. By the referee who was photographed in Barca jersey was a . . Norwegian!

Talking about champions league finals, I’d like to see Man Utd win it. They are a more complete team and a more deserving European champions than Barcelona. If they’re to lose, I wish and hope the referee favours Barca as much as he did for them against Chelsea. Referee screwing up Chelsea’s semi final is never such a great story. Nobody likes Chelsea anyway. Chelsea are not a G-14 club. Even the UEFA hates Chelsea. If Barca are awarded two atrocious penalties and Man Utd are denied penalties despite Puyol and Pique catching the ball with both hands a few times inside the box, that would do. Oh well, a red card for a few Man Utd players will also be just fine. Then you’ll see the whole world getting together to talk about corrupt referees, UEFA’s conspiracy, Barca being lucky, injustice to Man Utd and all that. In fact, the media outcry would be a million times more than what happened for Chelsea.

Talking of UEFA conspiracies, do you know that the result of this match was published in the UEFA’s official wesbite hours before the kick off? How did that happen? Just how? While UEFA has cooked up a story that it was a test page, how did they predict that there will be a late Barcelona goal? How did they predict exactly that Drogba, Ballack and Alex would get yellow cards? The one mis-hit was that the ‘test page’ said one Chelsea player would be sent off whereas it was Abidal who got red. May be getting one Chelsea player was the plan but something went wrong somewhere. Actually JoseHoliday cracked it. He found that the referee carded Abidal because for a moment, he mistook the yellow jersey for a Chelsea player as Chelsea played in yellow in the first leg.

Chelsea has more enemies than friends. We are always against all odds. I’m really very very proud of the way Chelsea played. This is Chelsea’s very hallmark. This is the new Chelsea that JM built. The team plays not just with skill and talent, but also with brains and emotions. Cheap journalists always call the Barcelona vs Chelsea match up as Beauty vs Beast. That’s lazy journalism. Call them Beauty vs Brains. That would be spot on. The next time someone tells that Barcelona are the best team in the world, I’m gonna scream!

I want to end this long outburst with those words of Martin Samuel: When the match ended, it did not feel right, it did not feel just.

KKR fans should be patient

2009-05-07T12:17:00.001+08:00

I just had a look at the various comments made by the KKR fans most of them targeting Shah Rukh. It's such a pity that despite calling themselves a KKR fan they are making such statements. At the moment it's not blames or the mean comments the team needs, in such testing times they need the love, loyalty, faith and good prayers from the fan base, people need to understand it's not Shah Rukh who's taking the final call about the decisions, it's the collective decision which is being taken.

I completely agree with your anger and anguish, stripping Ganguly of the captaincy is a big blow to the team and to the fans of KKR especially the ones from kolkota and yes even this is one of the main reasons for KKR's dismal performance. But don't look at the team as a Ganguly or as a Shah Rukh, its KKR not SRK or SG. So people rather then making such disturbing comments please come up with some inspiring lines which would be of some help to the team.

Coming to the conclusion all I want to say is I haven't lost hope in the team neither in Shah Rukh nor in Gaguly. If not this time definitely we will come back harder then next time. Till then keep praying and wishing our team all the best.

For the rest of the season we (I) wish them all the best.

Who is going to have the last laugh?

2009-05-06T23:32:00.000+08:00

Hi people, UCL semi finals between Chelsea and Barca tonight! What a second leg it is going to be? I guess it will be more thrilling than the Liverpool match. Chelsea are going to play at the Bridge tonight and that is going to be big plus tonight. A lot of competition at stake between players, Messi Vs A.Cole, Drogba Vs Toure, Lampard Vs Iniesta, Eto Vs Cech.

Who will have the final laugh? Being a Chelsea fan, I definitely want Chelsea to win this match hands down. But Barcelona are not MANCHESTER UNITED to overcome easily(Am just joking, no offence meant whatsoever MANURE fans) lolzzzz, coming to the point, Barca play attractive football and they are one team who can compete with the English teams. They are physical and fast. I actually play their style of play and remember this. Messi, Eto and Henry have scored 90+ goals and that shows they have an enormous strike force but Chelsea have had their own worries in the past(at the start of the season) and now under Hidding they have begun to realise their true potential. To be frank, I never thought Malouda would become a big player at Chelsea and now at the second half of the season, he has proved his critics wrong.
Who has the edge tonight? If I were neutral, I wouldn't pick a winner because this match is well balanced. As Deco told "This match is an open game" but being an ex-Barca and a current Chelsea player, he wouldn't pick the winner. Am waiting to see this match and am finally in my uncles' house in Bangkok and now I can watch the match on TV and not on Justin.tv. My uncle has been very supportive and he has been backing me to watch this match. I was out shopping today and I found 2 Chelsea fans and they predicted a 3-0 win for us. They were too loyal to CFC. You must be wondering why should they talk to me about Chelsea but I was sporting a Chelsea jersey!
Match starts at 1 30 AM local time here and am waiting to watch the match. My friends and one of my relative are supporting MANURE and am giving them a big warning at Rome. Beware Chelsea and there isn't going to be a Moscow repeat for either me,Chelsea players or fans. Chelsea are going to win today. Am I sounding over confident? No, am not. Barca are very competitive side and I want a very good match today and Chelsea to win. I want Chelsea to have the final laugh today. This is going to be my eleven for the match
CechIvanovicAlex/CarvalhoTerryA.ColeMikelBallackEssienLampardMaloudaDrogba
Changes I would like to see in the later part of the match
AnelkaBellettiBosingwa
And to sum up, LET THE BEST TEAM WIN.
Common BLUES, Hail CHELSEA!!!

New Mobile launch

2009-05-04T00:15:00.000+08:00

The newly spotted Idou is a device focused mainly on media. It includes a 12.1-megapixel camera with auto focus, xenon flash and a series of advanced camera touch features. The handset is an all-touchscreen solution and goes in line with similar mobile phones, including the iPhone and Samsung Omnia, yet its features are meant to place it above currently available mobiles. The device includes a 3.5-inch touchscreen that is able to provide a 640x320 pixel (16:9) resolution. What the hell? The Sony Ericsson Idou will run under Symbian Foundation's Symbian S60 5th Edition operating system. In addition, it will feature PlayNow pre-installed, while allowing users to customize the device to suit them best. The Sony Ericsson Idou is expected to come to the market later on in 2009, but it will sport another name at launch. May be Sony Ericsson Vignesh! Who knows!!

Chelsea Updates

2009-05-03T02:03:00.000+08:00

One more happy news other than my Bangkok trip is that Chelsea have won the BPL tie today against Fulham. 3-1 was the final scoreline. Anelka, Malouda and Drogba finding the back of the net. Anelka scored the first goal in the first 50 seconds of the start of the match. Chelsea were of to a great start and Fulham replied within minutes with a neat finish from Nevland(Liked his finish). Second assist from Drogba and malouda scores. 3 goals inside the first ten minutes. I was sitting wondering if this match was another Liverpool Vs Chelsea in the making. Thank God! It didn't turn out to be one because I just wanted only that match to be like that.

One more good news from my side was that I was watching a football match first time on TV since I left India. I guess this is indeed a great achievement. I was all these days watching the match live on either Justin.tv or anyother online streams.

Its already 2 15 AM here, 12 45 IST and 3 15 AM Singapore Time. time to go to bed!

You guys have a good day tomorrow! Catch you guys soon!

Cheers! (I love saying this!) :P

In the "Land of Fun"

2009-05-03T01:28:00.000+08:00

DAY 1 :

Thanks to my Uncle, am in the "Land of Fun", Bangkok. A beautiful place, receptive people all around. I was impressed with the place once I had a bird's view of the place from the flight, secondly got impressed at the Airport.

Had my depressing moments when I never understood what the Immigration officer was asking me and I was just answering him that I was a student and I come from Singapore with an Indian passport. He let me off knowing he would never get the answer from me. Then met my little sister and my uncle. Was waiting to see my father though but saw him after I reached home.

DAY 2 :

Very tired after travelling for 2 hours from Singapore. lol, Bangkok has lived to my expectations so far. A country where there has been unrest off late but doesn't seem though. People here are indeed very happy and they seem to be leading a very comfortable life.

Was browsing the whole day and then in the evening had to accompany my father and little sister to the "City of fun". I really had fun roaming, was walking the whole evening. I should admit this, people here give damn importance to their culture unlike the place where I study in(Singapore). People here are damn good and extrememly receptive. I learnt a phrase here in Thailand which is used whenever a person wishes or greets you "Savaadi Krub" and my father was using this the whole evening! Everybody here uses this! Damn, it irritates you at times but thats the way it goes.

Shopping was no different. My first and best buy for the evening was a Tee-shirt which my sister bought for me, was a good looking one. Thanks lil sister! To shop here in Bangkok is extremely funny and thrilling. You get everyhting here. A-Z. There were even elephants on the streets trying to attract tourists with its tricks!

2 years on!

2009-04-24T17:08:00.000+08:00

It has been almost 2 years since I have blogged. How cruel have I been? Anyways now I think it is the right time to keep myself and others updated with my blog. Felt like I should be in touch with the outside world and let people know that am living in this world for good.

C ya. Cheers.

Am back

2009-04-24T16:38:00.000+08:00

Guys am back after a long hiatus. I was all these days busy either with my career. And have I settled now? No, not yet but now I have a 3 month long break starting this 28th. Planning to be a regular blogger from May 1st. Will keep up my promise this time around and fans I wont let you down. lol

And was very happy to see Chelsea play like this after Guss Hiddink's arrival. He is really a "Golden" Guss. Hail Chelsea and Hail Lampsy(What a revelation he has been for the club and am upset that he wasn't nominated for the PFA)

Ok guys have an exam on Monday and my lst exam on Tuesday.Wish me all success. Take care guys.C ya all

hello

2007-03-25T20:01:00.000+08:00

SRI SRI RAVISHANKAR 'Born in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India, it was apparent from the beginning that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was destined for a spiritual life - even as a young child, he was often found in peaceful meditation. At the age of four, his parents discovered him reciting verses from the Bhagavad Gita.Throughout his teens, he studied with many renowned spiritual masters and became a scholar of Vedic literature. During this time, he dedicated himself to a life of service.In 1982,ravishankar presented the world with a new gift for humanity -- the Sudarshan Kriya technique. In more recent times, he served on the advisory board of Yale University's School of Divinity and chaired the International Conference of Religions at Kyoto, Japan. In 1995, Sri Sri spoke at the United Nations' 50th Anniversary celebration.In August 2000, he addressed the gathering at the United Nations Millenium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders.