Shastri Bhavan-still the same

“Online registration for passports ?” I cudnt believe it. Well, I thot, India was changing. So that means no more queues, esp the real long ones that came with having to buy the application form, submit it and then wait for verification. Well I wanted it faster…within a week. So I opted for tatkal. There I was, on Monday, at 10.30 in the morning with all 3 address proofs ready and my 10^th certificate (for date of birth), 2 copies of each. I had to go to the second floor first, to change the date on my application form and there I saw the first queue. It took half an hour for me to get the date changed. A small problem considering many other offices. Next I came to the first floor to get the ‘tatkal’ seal on my form. There was no queue there…no standing queue !! But then it was as per the appointment time given when registered, so no complaints there. I finished that with no hassles and back again n the second floor for the final verification. And that’s wen my ordeal began. I reached there at 1.05 and stood last at the shortest queue jus to find that all queues will start moving only at 2. So yes, I waited there for a good one hour wen the officer came over and the queue started moving…at the rate of one centimetre every 10 mins. Im not exaggerating, seriously. No qualms, after all its for the passport and I’ll be getting it soon…so I thot. And finally, wen the clock struck 4, it was my turn. I stepped up front, a big sigh of relief, and extended my documents. He took it, looked at me and asked, “So wer are the original documents?” I stared at him. “I dint bring them sir.” He smiled and told me, “So come with the originals and stand in the line. Next person.”
So well I understood one thing. India has developed over but the government duties still moves the same way, at the same speed. So there I’ll be going tmrw too. To stand the same queues again, while away my time again. Anything for a passport.

Civil Services Exam

Yes I did. I wrote te civil services exam today. I cant believe. Not having read one word in my optional subject (Indian History) and knowin jus basics in General studies I went and wrote an exam for which ppl learn close to 1200 books...it sounds too much but hey its true. Indian Civil Services are really demanding....shud be cos it deals with running the country. So how was the entry? Having lived in Chennai all my life, it’s a shame to say this, but yes, I dint no the school where the exam was to be held. So searching for it I was 10 mins late. Jus enough time before they chucked me out for being late. The examiner did frown upon me but he let me in. I took the paper and read the first question. Blank ! Next question? Blank ! And next? Blank again ! I dint wait to read all. I knew I wont no any of it (I dint no the answers as I saw at the end). So I started using my luck to full use. Guessing each answer. Inky, pinky ponky….oh ma jo shi…abra ca dabra. Every single thing I knew I used them there. So that’s how I cleared the first paper. No one wud have answered as many questions as I did. I answered 100 of 120. With no consideration of negative marks which were talked abt. I stepped out of the centre and drove to my aunt’s place, took rest there had lunch and started again for the next exam, General Studies. I expected it to be the same as this one. But no. I knew at least something in that. At least they were questions I cud relate to. That made it even difficult. Cos I thot I knew the answers, but I thot I dint no them too…It was better off writing Indian History. I finished it..act I dint. I stil had one question to work out wen the paper was pulled from me. That the worst part wen u no the answers !! Its ok but made me feel bad. Was something like I was mocking the ones writing the test. So many of them there to write it cos they want to sit in that prestigious place and here I was…writing it for fun. It wasn’t fair. In fact I felt it was unpatriotic. I was makin fun of my country along with others. Like I dint care for the exam. When that was not true. I look with respect at ppl who write this, with ppl in the IAS or IFS. They are the best minds in the country. Ones who have dedicated themselves to us, our country. Im sorry for wat I did. If I ever get another chance I’d study truly and do it to my best.

Where do I hide my face ??

After the disastrous performance of my team yday wat else can I do except cry out loud. The lowest total in the IPL...can there be any other shame...but no Im not going to complain. I cant. I will continue to give my full support to them. Tho after dis Im not even sure if they'll enter the semi-finals..still Im gonna support them. Cos its still my fav team and no matter wat Im not gonna give them up. Till the end. Their batsmen may not be so good but their bowlers are excellent and so are their fielders. Amazing fielding is done by them as was seen in the prev matches. So wat if they dint win. They played their best. They have shown some of the best talents in the country. We have found excellent cricketers in the team like Dhinde and new finds lik Shukla. Ppl who will deliver wen the need comes. And a phoenix of a captain. He mite hav lost this match but there's still 3 to go. Even if KKR doesnt stay thru in this season it has arrived and shown the world that it cant be put down so easily. I love my team no matter wat. Come back KKR. Show them ur the gr8est fighters. This defeat is nothing. Win thru.

Medical Career - Sonography

One of the fastest growing areas of employment today is the field of medical careers. Since there is a notable increase of concern among more and more people about their health, the demand for professionals in this field increases. As more of these citizens need constant or increased care and supervision, it is observed that growth will occur exponentially between 2002 and 2012.

Medical careers for the major part of the 20^th century was limited to conventional fields such as nurses and physicians. One emerging technology that is becoming increasingly attractive is Sonography. Sonography also called ultrasonography provides an alternative to Radiologic procedures, is safer and hence preferred by most patients. While this technology has many uses in the medical field, its primary use and most common association is with obstetrics, and the viewing of a foetus in the womb. Diagnostic sonography schools are efficient in providing the practical experience needed to use ultrasound equipment as a part of medical diagnostic processes. In addition to core training on the use of ultrasound equipment, usage of the same in a safe and effective manner will be delved upon.

Graduates from diagnostic ultrasound school training are able to get a job as a ultrasonographer (also referred to as an ultrasound technician or sonography technician). More than half of all ultrasound sonography technicians are employed in hospitals, with the remainder working in physician's offices, clinics, and diagnostic imaging centers. The demand for graduates from diagnostic ultrasound sonography schools remains high, and continues to grow.

Searching for a house !!

This is the greatest drawback and also benefit of living in a rented house is....never being permanant in one place. But then there's the burden of searching for another once ur chucked out from the old one...And trust me...Its the most irritating of the lot.
Im goin thru this phase now for the past two months...Oh ya !! We've been searchin for a house since then. And till now not got a house suiting our requirements. Well its nominal demands only. A house with car parking and water facilities, 2 bedrooms and well within the city. Not too much asking, and hey i dont mean there are no houses. Open any classifieds and its brimming with houses for rent. But none suit all r requirements and if by chance it does, the ppl in charge want veggies only. Come on I cant stop eating chicken jus cos I want a house to live in. And another we had to encounter is houses gettin booked even before the clock strikes eight..!! It makes me think "Are there so many ppl in Chennai hunting down houses..???". This is jus so irritating and it gettin even more frustrating by the hour. Will we ever get a house to our liking. Some place to stay which is not demanding on our pockets but at the same time livable. Wer are u dear house? Why dont u make urself appear? Come on, come out. Werever u are !!

The Express is here !!

After much controversy and speculation, Shoaib Akthar finally stepped on to the field in a Knight Riders uniform. And what a comeback !

Shoaib decimated the much vaunted Delhi top order with a fiery spell of 4 for 11 off his three overs. Sehwag could only edge to Saha. Gambhir sliced one to point. AB DeVilliers was beaten for pace, miscueing an intended pull. Manoj Tiwari was beaten by the angle, struck palpably in front. Game over.

This is a stadium and a crowd that he loves, and they love him right back. The charismatic speedster revelled in the atmosphere, celebrating each wicket in his inimitable style, and supercharging the Knight Riders' morale on the pitch. He was very much the man of the moment, and the whole of Kolkata loved him for it.

Of course, the other Knight Riders bowlers continued the job that Akthar began. Laxmi Rattan Shukla mopped up the tail in one amazing over. Ashoke Dinda rearranged the stumps of the in-form Shikhar Dhawan. Ganguly and Ishant Sharma gave nothing away.

The fielding, too, was decisive.Shukla and Saha combined brilliantly to run out the dangerous Dilshan. Dinda, on his follow through, picked up and hit the stumps at the bowlers end to send Maharoof packing. Stumps were hit, catches were taken, runs were saved.

Though the Eden Gardens wicket hasn't really yielded big runs in this tournament, they would have felt that 133 was eminently gettable for a team that boasted two of the IPL's top run getters in Sehwag and Gambhir. And of course Sehwag would have been delighted with the total, given that he lost the toss.

However, he didn't reckon with a magical spell from the world's fastest bowler. For the Kolkata fans, it's been a long wait to see him in action, but it's been worth every minute.

Another emphatic win !!

Now here's another match Im sure to remember for yrs...And somethin i want others to remember too. Cos here is the one wich announced the arrival of Shoaib, after all the controversies andspeculation. Here he had come....to stay.

Electing to bat first the knight riders set out to create a steady 48 (44b, 7x4) from opener Salman Butt and his 40-run association for the third wicket with David Hussey, thereby reached 133 for six in 20 overs.The openers — Butt and Aakash Chopra — began cautiously against Glenn McGrath and Pradeep Sangwan to take the score to 35 before Chopra went for 13. In walked skipper Sourav Ganguly and he greeted young Yomahesh with a six off a free hit before becoming his first victim for seven. A wild swing without getting into the line meant Ganguly’s wicket got rattled. t two down for 47, the team needed a fruitful partnership when Butt and Hussey put on 40 runs in 6.2 overs. Under pressure to get runs, the lower-order failed, except Shukla who hit 10 off eight balls. Hussey was the second highest scorer with 31 off 31 balls with two sixes.

With such a modest total to defend it was the turn of the bowlers to do their job and deliver they did as always. The major portion was provided b the Rawalpindi Express who made it a memorable IPL debut. He had to miss two matches on fitness grounds and was doubtful even for this tie but began in spectacular fashion, sending back Delhi Daredevil skipper Virender Sehwag in the second ball of the opening over. Shoaib Akhtar went on to produce a magical three-over opening spell to demolish the Delhi Daredevils top-order.He removed Gautam Gambhir in his next over and dismissed A.B. de Villiers and Manoj Tiwary off successive balls in his third over to be on a hat-trick. Tillekeratne Dilshan, however, denied Akhtar a hat-trick.

Daredevils fought back through some dogged batting by Dilshan and Amit Mishra. The two added 24 for the sixth wicket to put Daredevils back on track. Just when it looked like Daredevils was in with a chance came the dramatic run out of Dilshan (25, 19b, 5x4). Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s throw sent the Sri Lankan back. Farveez Maharoof, who walked in next, and Mishra played sensibly to keep the scoreboard ticking and put pressure on Knight Riders. It was another superb throw, this time by bowler Ashok Dinda, that brought to an end to Maharoof’s innings. Shukla polished off the tail with a haul of three of six in five balls. He was also on a hat-trick but Yomahesh denied him the feat.

So here was a fantastic reply by the Kolkatta Knight Riders in response to their earlier defeat from the Delhi Daredevils at their home ground.

India 'inside ' many smart phones

Remember the time wen personal computers came with the logo 'Intel inside' ? Well maybe its time we imagine another one wich says 'India inside'- a catchline for many of the world's 250 million smart phones expected to sell during 2008. Mobile phones are said to be smart wen they can access the Internet and provide a host of Web-driven voice, data and video services. Now it has been shown that some of the most popular applications world-wide on the S60 software platform, created by the leading manufacturer, Nokia, are the result of Indian ingenuity.

----->'Mundu IM' created by MUmbai-based Geodesic allows users to seamlessly move from phone to PC and back

----->'Smart Assistant Live' created by Gurgaon-based Aims Migital which turns the phone into personal assistant. 'SMS scheduler' from the same base remembers all anniverseries and sends SMS even wen u forget..!!

----->'Voice Reminder' by View Systems (TVM) helps users keep track of key events through voice alerts.

Wat can we say except: 'Smart'work guys.

Saurav does it again with his team in tow

Sourav Ganguly, the man of the match after a bowling display reminiscent of his Toronto heroics from a decade ago, had no doubt played his part with a stunning reflex stop after Mark Boucher had driven the ball straight back at him. In the end, it all came down to one stroke, or the lack of it, and Bangalore will once again look back at a game where they were clearly second-best in the field. The Knight Riders threw themselves around, and according to Ganguly's reckoning, they saved "at least 15 to 20 runs". The highlight was of course Brad Hodge's magnificent stop-pick-up-and-throw to run-out J Arunkumar, though Murali Kartik's ice-cool dismissal of Cameron White also rates a mention. Every player there showed the will to fight and thats wat makes this match memorable. Esp the fielding from the Knight Riders inc the dive by Taibu to stop a four, the saves by Laxmi Shukla.
But there was no doubt though which captain had come out on top. Ganguly's spell was the much-needed after Arunkumar had briefly made the victory seem easy for the Royal Challengers towards the begining stages. It coincided with Dravid's 11-ball five, the last thing Bangalore needed in a high-pressure chase. And while Boucher may have finished with an unbeaten 50 from 40 balls, he managed only four from the 11 deliveries that Ganguly bowled to him. So that was an amazing spell by the captain. He showed again that he was a fighter. Coming out esp after the msihappening a few matches back. His was the best with an average of less than 3 runs per over.

With Ganguly sending the crowd into raptures and Ishant Sharma holding his nerve in the final two overs of his spell, it was forgotten just how well a new face had set the tone for this team of international stars. We're talking about Ashok Dinda, who nearly matched Dale Steyn when it came to consistently clocking around 140kph. Dinda certainly doesn't have the conventional fast bowler's build, but a dramatic leap as he nears the crease and a whippy arm action help him generate plenty of pace. He's also fairly accurate, and an economy rate of 6.00 after seven games is something that some of the established international stars must be dreaming of.
For young men like Dinda and Wriddhiman Saha, who once again played a massive part with the bat, the IPL is about far more than the money. If Shoaib Akhtar is fit, Dinda may not even play the next game. But if Ganguly does trust his instincts and throw the ball his way, you can be sure he won't let the side down. The 80,000 faithful make him ten feet tall and give his deliveries wings of speed. More than anything else, that has been the greatest success of this tournament.

The Knight riders are back !!

Their win after a string of defeats. Shudnt I be happy? No! I shud be jumping with joy. And I am. Wat a match it was. I felt so shocked at the total they made. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t difficult to get. A 129 was simple in Twenty20 esp now wen the overs made reduced to 16 wid 10 wickets left. The start was good. Four dot balls by Ashok Dhinde. I thot it wud be a maiden wen Arum Kumar hit the next ball off for a four. For all those high hopes of mine. I went on the same pace. As many say u cant say the result in cricket until the last ball I played. And I saw that here in this match. Till the last ball. The 14th over by Ishant Sharma was a really good one. All the different ways he bowled, getting into Boucher’s nerves Im sure. It was a wonderful over wid jus 4 runs given and the reqd run rate touched 13. Karthik came in for the penultimate over and wen he got that wicket from the first ball I thot “There we won it”. But no. Mark Boucher was not someone to let it go so easily. He hit a six and 2 fours in a row. Wat a will !! Made me remember the finals of the Twenty20 World Cup. Misbah-ul-Haq’s final attempt to stay in the game. He nearly got the team thru till a misjudged reverse sweep landed into our Sreeshant’s safe hands ending their dreams of winning at least once against our country in the World Cup. And here was another trying to snatch the victory away wen it was so close. Even wen Ishant came back for the last over it seemed nearly possible for them to win. Wen they had to get 11 runs from 2 balls I cudnt help but remember Javed Maindad’s final 2 sixes off the last 2 balls in a match against India long time back. It cud be repeated. In fact even wen that failed wid off the last ball der was the fear of Ishant giving a no-ball. It wasn’t impossible but wen it was a clean ball from his side I dint wait to see the result. I dint need to see. There was enough to keep me jumping the next hour. We’ve come back as a Phoenix does. We are team KKR.