A Quotidian Blog?

Lasting Influence

2011-11-15T09:49:00.001-08:00

I have never made bones about not having a great relationship with my father. I was born when he was 37 years old. Not too old an age for someone to become a father but starkly in contrast with my experience. I became a dad when I was mere 23 years old. Add a myriad of medical issues that he faced when I was young and throw in some tough professional circumstances and the result was a fragmented relationship. I left India when I was 20 years old, which didn't help either. I did however have the privilege to have him with me when he passed away at a fairly young age of 66 in Elyria, OH.

It's now almost 17 years since his death and still, on a daily basis, I feel his influence & presence. Someone could say that it is obvious, that I carry his genes. The question is, whether your parents influence your tastes? I am sure they do. Take poetry for example. My father was an ardent admirer of Urdu Poetry. He was a passionate writer, much of his works are alas in Urdu which I never learned. While growing up, he used to try and talk to me about the finer aspects of Urdu Poetry. He was a huge fan of Mirza Ghalib. I however was never interested in listening to him or showed any interest whatsoever in poetry much less urdu poetry. I remember vividly the evenings at Modern School Barakhamba Road, attending the annual Shankar Shaad Mushaira (held even to this day) or being asked to sit quietly to listen to Cassette tapes of Kaifi Azmi. I simply hated it. I could never understand why I was being forced to listen to music that I didn't enjoy and words that I didn't understand.

Now, if I ever even so much so, get a whiff of Begum Akhtar singing, "Ab chalakte Huey, Sagar Nahin Dekhe Jaate", I can guarantee you that you will find goose bumps all over my body. This phenomenon has always perplexed me. Why, when I was a kid, you could never make me sit down in front of a 17" black and white Crown TV to listen to the most magical voice of our past and why now, you cannot peel me away from listening to the same voice or easily distract me by Urdu poetry web sites.

I believe somewhere in the deepest cavities of our brain, there is a space that stores this information. You don't have to like what is stored there or even have any inclination that it is in fact stored. You just need to know that there is a possibility that in your lifetime, you will get a chance to retrieve this information and use it to your liking.

So, take heart in knowing that your tastes are being registered in your children's brain. You may think that they are not listening or paying attention but know that your legacy good or bad will emerge one day and your children will remember you in ways that it is hard for you to imagine at the moment.

An Absentee Parent

2010-12-01T08:09:00.001-08:00

I for one will never understand how a parent (mom or dad) who helps bring a child into this world can decide one fine day that their creation is not of importance to them. There are tabloids and tv shows that are rife with images of dead beat parents and dads who have been absent in their children's life only to emerge one fine day and proclaim that somehow they were "messed" up and profess innocence or worse ignorance.

For every story about abandonment, there is yet another story of the "half boiled egg". A parent that pretends to be there but really isn't there for the most part. I find that even worse. It's like being pretentious. Keep one leg in the child's life enough to create a farce of being there and yet absolve yourself of all responsibilities for "your" child. I find parents who are like this perhaps worse than the ones who are entirely absent. I for one would rather have someone there or be gone entirely. Call me crazy but for every half baked parent, there is another who toils day and night to be there for his/her child and often gets nothing in return except being taken for granted. While the half boiled egg retains all the glory and the charm. It can make a guest appearance once in a while and shower all the attention and disappear in the cloudy half boiling water looking extremely elegant. All this while there is a parent who watches in amazement it's trivialization and marginalization and wonders what life would have been if he/she had not chosen that path, but of course that choice had always been there for her/him. Somehow he/she is reminded of the greater calling from inside it's gut which is often called conscience. A trait only carried by those who posses a spinal cord and you shake that thought and go back to taking care of your loved one, because life isn't just about going after the glorious, it also about doing what is right.................................

A Strange Dichotomy

2010-12-01T08:08:00.001-08:00

I have often wondered if it is harder being a patient or is it harder being an observer/caregiver. In all honesty, I don't know albeit I have often felt that I would rather endure the pain than watch your loved one wrestle with it. Having a child with a congenital disorder can be a lifelong teaching lesson and it does not get any easier over time. You might get used to the procedures and terminology but you pay a heavy emotional toll on every episode. Yet, I sit here and watch with admiration the many people around me with kids who have ailments that you may have never heard of and their stoic parents who toil day and night to care for their children. It is a humbling experience to say the least.

Last week, I got a chance to meet a mom with a toddler in tow. They were being driven back to the Holiday Inn from Cincinnati Childrens Hospital in the free taxi that the hotel provides (amazing how generous can people be). The little girl was the cutest thing and reminded me of little Priya of 18 years past. Well, we had a nice conversation with the mom and found out that they were regular visitors from New Mexico and the little girl is Hanna and her wonderful story is chronicled on the Ronald McDonal website. Take a gander if you want to read a true heartwarming story. I guess there is so much depth and beauty among so much pain and there are stories like this everywhere. I am watching life unfold in front of me and I smile and cry at the same time. http://www.rmhcincinnati.org/family-stories-details.aspx?ItemID=138

Of two places?

2010-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

There are times when you hear a line and it resonates with you so much that it permeates your thoughts for days. It brings to the forefront the sentiments that you have been carrying inside you for a while. On a recent drive home from work, I was listening to Terry Gross interview Anthony Shadid where he spoke a line that has stuck with me since. “It is hard to be of two places”, Anthony said when asked about his grandparents home in Lebanon, where he has decided to rebuild and live. I can’t say how true that is and perhaps for many first generation émigrés to USA.

Next year will mark the 25^th anniversary of my arrival in the US. I could perhaps write a book about my experiences here in the US but not a day goes by when I don’t find myself to be of two places and how hard that has been. There is a daily struggle between the two you. One that is Indian to the core and the other that lives in America. It is almost like your body is in once place and your soul is stuck on the guava tree that you used to climb on hot sunny afternoons.

Then all of a sudden you see your 3 children who were born and brought up here and you envy them, because they are really not of two places. They may understand where you come from but they never grew up where you did. It’s hard to explain but not very hard to understand.

The recent uproar over the mismanagement of commonwealth games has created an opportunity for a lot folks to demonize India as it highlights the inadequacies and exposes the ugliness, greed and ineptness of some but you don’t hate your mom just because she is imperfect. She is someone who gave birth to you and you carry those imperfections whether you like it or not.

I am as guilty as anyone who has moved overseas at a young age to scoff and shake my head at the daily misery that people endure whenever I visit home and swear that I will never return, yet I am the first one to catch a flight back home to absorb the culture, the richness the realness of the people. Some call it “Khoon ki Pukar” (call of your blood), some dismiss it as a need; “you have family and roots”. I have to confess, I miss the closeness, I miss the culture, I miss the holidays, the marriages and every other cultural event good or bad. It is an entirely different feeling to light the diya’s around diwali back home than do it in a synthetic community center in San Jose surrounded by people who wear their silky kurta’s and sari’s that came out of an attic the night before smelling of mothballs or look over your shoulder during holi and wonder what your neighbors will think. It’s hard to be you. I am lucky to be working at a very diverse place where our cultural differences are easily understood but yet you somehow feel like a guest.

Chili Cook off at the Clos La Chance Winery

2010-06-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I like to cook, however there are certain dishes I have never attempted. Chili being one of them. Somehow deep down in my bones, I have always felt that I could do a decent job with Chili. Having spent my formative years in India, Chili was not a dish that I was familiar with until I came to the USA. I was introduced to Chili in Van Nuys of all places. Original Tommy's Burgers with Chili on them!! Oh my, what a revelation. This tiny joint (a large company albeit) on the corner of Victory and Van Nuys has left an indelible mark on my psyche and needless to say my taste buds!! Which brings me to the Chili Cook off. There I was sitting at my desk and out pops a email notification from Clos La Chance inviting folks to participate in a Chili Cook off fundraiser at their scenic winery. The temptation was too hard to resist. A couple of email exchanges later, I was officially entered into the contest. As usual, I had fabulous support from my better 3 quarters who has always encouraged me to try new things. Thanks babe.

In doing some research, I found much to my dismay the same outline for making chili in many recipes that I reviewed. A few variations here and there but most of the recipes follow the same tired path. How does one then, make their chili stand out? Let me tell you, it's not an easy task. No wonder the same basic recipe is used over and over again. So the quest for a good chili started with an experiment or two or three and then finally it dawned on me that I should be myself and not follow recipes. Below is what I did to create my chili. I didn't win, but I did get many compliments and I do know what I need to do the next time to change a few things to make this better. Your mileage might vary. Here is what I did.

KJ's "Finger Less" Chili with Sour Cream Avocado Sauce and toasted Cumin

Serves 8 to 10 people

2 Pounds Ground Chuck (please, no lean meat, you need fat)

1 Pound Chorizo (but you could use Linguica as well)

6 Roma tomatoes

4-5 Tomatillo's

2 Anahiem Chili's

1 Large red onion

6 Jalapeno's

1 Habanero

10 cloves of Garlic

2 tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Pasilla Chili Powder

1 tablespoon Roasted Cumin Powder

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 Cups Chicken broth

1 ham hock

1 bay leaf

2 bottles of dark ale or stout

1 large can of any beans you like (kidney, cranberry etc)

1 can tomato sauce (good quality organic sauce)

5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Shots El Patron

Sour Cream Sauce (Optional)

2 Avocado's

2 Cups Sour Cream (mexican sour cream)

1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro

1 tablespoon Roasted Cumin Powder

1 tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup

Juice from 2 limes

Salt to taste

Preparation

Light a grill. When the grill is hot enough, put tomatoes, 4 jalapeno's (keep 2), garlic (wrapped in foil), tomatillo's and Anahiem Chili's on the grill. Char them like their mother's hated them. Take them off the grill and let them cool. Keep the grill on and grill the chorizo or the linguica. Remove from grill and chop.

Put 3 tablespoons of Olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot enough, put the ground beef and brown the beef. While the beef is being cooked, chop onions and coarsely chop the roasted garlic.

Remove beef from the pan by draining it. Leave the oil in the pan. Heat the remaining oil and add the other 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil to it. Add the chopped onions and saute them for 3/4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and bay leaf. Saute for another few minutes. Add the Ancho Chili, Pasilla Chili and Roasted Cumin powder to the pan. Saute for about another minute and add 1 bottle of the dark ale. Drink the other bottle.

Let the sauce reduce to almost a paste consistency. While the sauce is reducing. Add charred tomatoes, peppers, tomatillo's and the Habanero pepper in a blender and mix and make a puree out of it. I don't remove the skin from the peppers or the seeds. I like the texture with them in the sauce. Set aside.

Add cooked beef and chopped Chorizo or chopped Linguica to the reduced sauce in the pan.Mix thoroughly. Add the tomato and pepper puree to the pan and 2 cans of good quality chicken broth and the can of tomato sauce. Stir and slide in the the ham hock.Tell the women and children to leave the house and put on some nice music and take 2 tequila shots. Thank you Bill Hassell for this tip :-) Simmer the mixture for about 45 minutes making sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Drain the beans and add to the pan. Simmer for another 20 minutes. Check for salt, heat and sweetness, adjust accordingly. Remove the ham hock from the chili carefully with a tong and cut the meat from the hock and shred with a knife. Put the shredded ham hock meat removed from the bone back into the chili.

At this point. Your chili is ready.

For the Avocado sauce. Put all of the ingredients in a blender and make a paste. Check for salt before removing from blender and if the paste is too thick, add some water but be careful not to make it too thin.

Serve the chili with a dollop of Sour Cream Sauce and some Corn Tortilla Chips

Enjoy!!!!!

Our tendencies towards star athletes!!

2010-06-20T12:28:00.001-07:00

A funny thing happened right as the Lakers were starting to celebrate their 16th NBA championship. Someone asked Ron Artest about his performance during the final and on National TV, Ron in his exuberance thanked his therapist who helped him overcome anger. Normally, such a statement would raise some eyebrows only for the fact that it is unusual for a professional NBA player to make such a statement in front of an audience of millions. For those who are not aware, Ron Artest was involved in a major on court brawl in the Palace of Auburn Hills a few years ago when he was playing for the Indiana Pacers, during a game against the Detroit Pistons. Ron went after a spectator who had apparently thrown diet coke at Ron during the game. He was suspended for 70 games by the erstwhile NBA commissioner David Stern and lost about $7 million in salary that year.

Fast forward to the Lakers and this episode. The day after the championship, the airwaves were abuzz over Ron's comments. Radio sportscasters were asking listeners to call in and comment on Ron Artest. I usually don’t listen to sports radio talk show but I had tuned on to the radio to catch a world cup soccer score and instead, what I heard was a constant mockery of what Ron said and added comments about Ron’s admission of drinking Hennessy during half time of games in the years past. I want to make something very clear. I am no big fan of Ron Artest and hardly know anything about the man but I did spend some time reading about Ron’s history, his upbringing and the trouble he has been in over the years. The media today focuses on labels. Ron Artest has been labeled as the “bad boy” of NBA and that label is likely to stick with him for the rest of his career. Never mind that he has upped every team’s performance that he has played for and his defensive intensity is an envy of many players. Why then does the media, specially the Sports Radio talk show hosts spend so much time on putting someone down who has the gumption to take steps in improve himself and admit openly that he has had problems and chooses the biggest stage to announce that his therapist has helped him. Isn’t getting help supposed to be a good thing? Half the men I know don’t have the courage to admit their wrong doings much less admit seeing a therapist. Hell, most men I know feel that going to a therapist a sign of weakness.

In the Celtics series alone, there were many instances where Ron was being baited to get into an altercation so that perhaps he could get technical fouls or better yet be ejected, but he showed poise and proved the Celtics wrong by making clutch shots and being instrumental in helping the Lakers win their 16th Championship.

I think our society likes to see people who are talented and successful, fail. Somewhere deep down inside, we take pleasure when the likes of Tiger, Ron or Kobe for that matter, stumble. We tend to forget that players and artists are human beings just like us and have weaknesses much like we do. We should instead try to remember that there is much to learn from them, such as their determination to get better and make amends.

Bobby Flay Throwdown. Pulled Pork Recipe

2010-02-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

Oh my!! Was watching the show today and this recipe looks just mouth watering. I am going to try it as soon as the weather permits.

Ingredients
Dry Rub:

* 1 cup ancho chili powder
* 1/3 cup Spanish paprika
* 3 tablespoons ground dried oregano
* 3 tablespoons ground coriander
* 3 tablespoons dry mustard
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 teaspoons chile de arbol
* 1 (6-pound) pork shoulder
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Chicken stock, if needed

Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce:

* 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
* Salt
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola/olive oil blend
* Water, if needed

Green Onion Slaw:

* 1 cup coarsely chopped green onions
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
* 2 serrano chiles
* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup pure olive oil
* 1 head purple cabbage, finely shredded
* 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
* Hamburger buns, for serving
* Special equipment: lump charcoal, wood chips soaked in water for 15 minutes, smoker or charcoal grill

Directions

For the Dry Rub:

Add all the dry rub ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

For the pork shoulder:

Place the pork, fat side up, on a clean baking sheet. Season the pork on all sides with salt and pepper then rub the dry rub all over the pork, pressing into the meat. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and place into the refrigerator for 7 hours.

Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce:

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until emulsified. Add water if the sauce is too thick.

Green Onion Slaw:

Place the green onions, vinegar, chiles, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and oil into a blender and blend until emulsified. Place the cabbage and red onions in a bowl, add the dressing and stir until combined. Fold in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the pork shoulder:

Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.

Following manufacturer's instructions and using lump charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips for a smoker, or 1 cup for a barbecue, start fire and bring temperature of smoker or barbecue to 225 degrees F to 250 degrees F. Place the pork on the rack in smoker or barbecue. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reaches 165 degrees F. Turn pork every 45 minutes, about 6 hours total. If using the smoker, after 2 hours place the pork into the smoker pan and fill halfway with chicken stock. (This is to prevent the shoulder from drying out.)

Add more charcoal, as needed, to maintain 225 degrees F to 250 degrees F and more wood drained wood chips (1/2 cup for the smoker or 1 cup for the barbecue with each addition) to maintain smoke level.

Transfer pork to a clean rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces. Mound on platter and toss with most of the Black Pepper Vinegar Sauce, reserving the rest for drizzling the bun. Pour any juice from the baking sheet over the pork.

Chef's Note: This can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer the pork and any juices to a baking dish. Cover with foil and chill. Before continuing, re-warm pork, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for about 30 minutes.

For assembly:

Drizzle the sauce on the top and bottom of the bun. Top the bottom bun with the meat, another drizzle of sauce, Green Onion Slaw and finish with the top of the bun.

Panasonic TH-42PD25 Image Push 1/3 off the screen fix TNPX25JIG

2009-12-14T21:11:00.000-08:00

I purchased my Panasonic plasma tv several years ago and started experiencing the problem described on the title above. I was lucky enough to order the TNPEEP jig a part that panasonic has stopped selling, it is also referred to as TNPX25JIG. I can rent it out to you for a nominal fee if you are having this problem. Send me an email or post a note with your email address.

I provide this information for those that are qualified and trained to do TV repair work. Entering or making changes in service mode by untrained persons can cause significant and permanent damage to your television. If you are not qualified to service your television, please DO NOT ENTER these service menu codes.

To sum up the instructions:

1) Remove one screw in the back of the plasma in the top left to access connector PA23.
2) Plug in the EEPROM (the part # above), and turn on the unit.
3) Go to serviceman mode (see instructions below)
4) Go to EEP "AREA" and press "OK"
5) Press > cursor button twice to slect "15 9C FIX", press "OK"
6) Select EEP "EX > IN" and "15 9E _____" will begin flashing yellow/purple once data transfer starts. (about 30 seconds)
7) When EEPROM data update is done, the unit will turn off and back on.
Wait for it to power itself back on. (about 30 seconds)
FOR SOME FOLKS THE POWER DOES NOT COME BACK ON AUTOMATICALLY. IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU DON'T PANIC. USE THE POWER BUTTON ON THE TV TO TURN IT BACK ON AND NOT THE POWER BUTTON ON THE REMOTE.
8) Do some self checks if you like
9) Disconnect AC cord, remove JIG, and turn it on.

Serviceman Mode for
PA25UP / PD25UP / PX25UP :

* Using the remote control:
* Press the {MENU} button.
* Set "Antenna A" to "Cable".
* Select "Timer" menu and set sleep timer to 30 min.
* Press {OK} twice to exit menus.
* Tune to channel 124.
* Press and hold {VOL -} button ON THE PLASMA TV.

(You will also see an AREA selection at the bottom of the screen which you will use when you go to fix the 1/3 screen problem)

"CHK" appears in on top-left corner followed by 5 letter/numbers
(which are the cumulative hours in hex numbers)

* While the "CHK" is displayed, press the {OK} and {VOL+} buttons
ON THE TV simultaneously to toggle between Modes:

â€” Red "CHK" for Serviceman â€” Yellow "CHK" for Aging â€”

* Press the {POWER} button on the remote to select one of the six
Serviceman Adjustments Modes.

A. MTS ADJUSTMENT
B. CLOCK ADJUSTMENT
C. VIDEO ADJUSTMENT
D. HDEF ADJUSTMENT
E. VDEF ADJUSTMENT
F. DAF ADJUSTMENT
G. OTHER ADJUSTMENT

* Press {CH+} {CH -} on the remote to select the settings
on each of Service Adjustment Modes.

Write down the original values before modifying anything.
It's easy to erroneously adjust the wrong item.

* Press {VOL+} {VOL -} on the remote to change values.
* Press the {POWER} button on the TV to exit the service menu.
10) Enjoy, your plasma is fixed!!!

Please do not curse, yell, scream at me if you don't follow the instructions properly. You are doing this at your own risk.

Habanero-Garlic Grilled Shrimp

2009-09-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

This is a Bobby Flay recipe which has been slightly changed. Amazing crowd pleaser.

Habanero-Garlic Grilled Shrimp

8 garlic cloves
1/2 cup pure olive oil, plus more for brushing
½ or 1 habanero chile, seeded and chopped depending on how spicy you want the sauce
5 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey or I prefer Maple Syrup (Pure)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Pounds 26-30 shrimp (size), deveined and shell removed

Wear Gloves. Soak Skewers in Water and handle the Habanero Very Very Carefully. In a small saucepan, combine the garlic and 1/2 cup of the olive oil and simmer over low heat until the garlic is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a blender and pour the oil into a glass measuring cup. Let the oil cool slightly. Add the habanero chile to the blender with 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the lime juice and honey/maple syrup and puree. With the blender on, slowly add the garlic olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. You can make this sauce ahead of time and even refrigerate for a few days.

Brush the shrimp with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Skewer the Shrimp Grill over a hot fire until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Remove shrimp from skewers and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

Smoked Turkey in a Brinkman Water Smoker

2009-09-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Here we go again but without pictures this time. Will have to wait till Thanksgiving for photos. As you may already know, I love to smoke meats in the Brinkman Water Smoker. I have been smoking Turkey for Thanksgiving for the last 4 years and I can safely tell you that this is the best way to cook a Turkey. The key is to find the right size Turkey that will fit in the Smoker and the time you take to Brine the Turkey for 12-24 hours before cooking. I have used Diestel Free Range Turkey which has not been frozen. A 12lb Turkey fits nicely in the smoker but you could go up to 14-15 lbs. You can also safely use this recipe for brining chicken, just reduce the amount of water and salt and other ingredients appropriately.

Ingredients:
One 12-14 lbs Turkey (don't use Kosher or self basting turkey since they already contain salt.)

2 Gallons Non Chlorinated Water
1 Bottle Reisling
2 Tablespoons Juniper Berries
4 Tablespoons Black Peppers
2 Tablespoons Colored Peppers
1 Celery Stalk Coarsely Chopped
1 Yellow Onion Coarsely Chopped
4 Medium Carrots Coarsely Chopped
4 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 Cups Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Bunch Sage

Directions:

The hardest part for me to brine the turkey every year is how to store the Turkey. Fortunately, last year I found a large pot similar to a clam bake pot that I can fit inside the fridge. If you don't have a large pot, you could try to put the turkey in a large cooler or a 5 gallon paint bucket but make sure you can fit that in your fridge.

Pour the water and the Reisling in the pot. Mix salt in the water until completely dissolved add sugar and mix it well. Wash and clean the Turkey and get rid of the giblets. Dump all of the chopped vegetables in the pot along with the other ingredients. Drop the Turkey carefully into the brine and put it in the fridge for about 12-24 hours.

Remove Turkey from the brine at least 30 minutes prior to putting it in the smoker to bring it close to room temperature. When your smoker is hot and ready to go, simply place the Turkey on the top shelf of the smoker and cook for 4 hours. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer for a reading around 160 to 165 degrees. Remove the Turkey and rest it for 10 minutes prior to cutting it. Enjoy the most delicious, moist Turkey you would have ever had. The day after Thanksgiving, you can wear gloves and remove the meat from Turkey by hand and shred it with your hands or chop it with a knife. Mix some mayonnaise and chopped red onions, cilantro and seeded green chili's. Season with salt and pepper and put the mix on a Crostini or Crackers and enjoy with a nice glass of Pinot Gris.

Happy Smoking

Smoked Baby Back Ribs

2009-08-28T12:20:00.001-07:00

Hello Folks,
This recipe has been requested by many friends so doing my best to reproduce it. There are literally thousands of sites with thousands of recipes for baby back ribs. You can take this recipe and modify it to your taste by adding ingredients to the Rib Rub. This recipe and the techniques will provide the basic foundation for smoking ribs and meat in a Brinkman Water Smoker. I received the smoker as a gift on my 40th birthday 4 years ago and yesterday the smoker finally broke down after being manhandled for so long. This smoker will last forever if you take good care of it. I didn't. It was left out during Summer, Winter, Rain, Hail etc. You can go to this excellent site on how to modify the smoker to use less charcoal. I will be buying another smoker soon and will certainly modify it according to the directions on this site.
http://brinkmansmokermods.com/default.aspx

Happy Smoking!!

Ingredients

2 whole slabs pork baby back ribs

Dry Rub:

8 tablespoons light brown Sugar tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder or adjust if you like more or less spicy
1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or adjust if you like more or less spicy
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground juniper berries (optional)

Directions

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of baby back ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle each side generously with the dry rub. Pat the dry rub into the meat. Refrigerate the ribs for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Remove ribs from the fridge at least an hour before you start your smoker . Take a chimney coal starter (please, please don't use lighter fluid). Fill the bottom part of the chimney starter with newspaper and fill the top portion with charcoal briquettes or mesquite. Light the newspapers on fire. Wear gloves to prevent your hand from getting burnt. I put my chimney starter on my smoker. See photo.

While your charcoal is getting started, take the water pan from the smoker and add about 5 bottles of beer (cheap ones are fine). You can use water if you like but I like the flavor I get from beer. After adding beer in the water pan, add coarsely chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic and whatever else you like. I have added apples, oranges etc. Experiment and let me know what worked better for you.

By now your coal should be burning and ready to go. Pour the charcoal in the smoker pan and add more charcoal as this fire will need to burn for at least 4 to 5 hours.

Put the cylinder on top of the charcoal and drop the water pan into the cylinder. Put the round grill on top of the water rack. Your first set of ribs are ready to be placed on the grill.

Put the second grill in the cylinder for your second set of ribs.

Now your lid is ready to go on the smoker and it's time for the ribs to cook in the indirect heat for at least 4 hours. The beauty of this smoker is that you can practically never over cook the ribs. The longer you cook them the better they taste and literally fall of the bone. There are some folks who suggest that an hour or two before removing the ribs from the smoker you should baste them in BBQ sauce or other mops with apple juice etc. I am not a big fan of it but you can try it out if you like.

The temperature gauge should start showing ideal in about 15-20 minutes. Now throw in some wood chips of your choice that have been soaked in water through the aluminum door on top of the burning charcoal every 30 minutes. I love applewood chips but you can use alder, mesquite, hickory or whatever else you like. Again, experiment with different flavors.

Your labor of love is about to be paid off. You can at this point serve the ribs right away or you can put them in foil and reheat them later on your gas grill or oven. Enjoy and please ask me any questions or if you have any feedback.

My dog is ready for some ribs!!!

Smoky Glazed Asparagus

2009-08-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

I used this marinade of this recipe on other veggies as well. If you like you can substitute Mayonnaise with Sour Cream and you will get pretty much the same result.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (I like to lightly crush them in a mortar pestle or coffee grinder)
1 pound thick asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoon Mustard (gray poupon) or 2 tablespoon Black Mustard Seeds Crushed ** Added by me*** Not in the original recipe

Directions

Light a grill. In a shallow dish, whisk the mayonnaise with the oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt and cumin. Add the asparagus and toss; let stand for 30 minutes.
Grill the asparagus over moderately high heat, turning, until tender and blistered in spots, 6 minutes; serve.

Chicken Tikka Recipe

2009-08-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

6 Pounds Chicken Thighs (Boneless) (Do Not Substitute with Breast meat)

¾ Cup Minced or Shredded Ginger

½ Cup Minced Garlic

1 Pound Sour Cream

50g Shan Tandoori Chicken Masala (available at all Indian Spice Stores)

100g MDH Tandoori Chicken Masala (available at all Indian Spice Stores)

3 Tablespoons Garam Masala (available at all Indian Spice Stores)

4 Tablespoons Amchur (Dry Mango) Powder (available at all Indian Spice Stores)

3 Tablespoons Black “Kalonji” Seeds (Optional)

4-5 Tablespoons salt or according to taste

3 Tablespoons Red Chili Powder according to taste

4-5 Tablespoons paprika for color or you can use red/orange color instead

DIRECTIONS:

Wear Gloves. Soak wooden skewers in water. Wash and pat dry chicken thighs. Drying the chicken is an important step as it allows the marinade to bond to the chicken. Cut chicken into bite size pieces that will fit on the skewers (not too small otherwise they fill fall off the skewer). Leave some fat on the chicken as it contributes to tenderness of the meat.

Put chicken pieces in a large bowl. Mix all ingredients together in the bowl with the chicken. Skewer the pieces of chicken and marinate overnight (at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours).

Grill the skewers on either a gas or a charcoal grill until the chicken is cooked through.

Please control the heat level of the Red Chili Powder according to taste. If you want your chicken spicier, you can increase the number of teaspoons of chili.

KJ Salsa Rojo Y Verde

2009-06-30T15:53:00.001-07:00

KJ Salsa Rojo Y Verde

8 Roma Tomatoes (not too firm)
6 Cloves Garlic peeled
I bunch green onions
1 Large White Onion
½ Can Organic Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
3 Anaheim Peppers
2-3 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Tsp Cumin Powder (roasted if possible)
2 Limes
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder (optional)
½ Bunch fresh cilantro

Light a grill. Put 6 Roma tomatoes stem side down on the grill. Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and throw on the grill. Put the Anaheim chili’s and jalapeno’s on the grill. Char the tomatoes, chili’s and put the green onions on the grill for 5 minutes before you take out all the ingredients as the green onions cook really fast and tend to burn instead of char if left on grill too long.

Let the entire grilled items cool for a bit and remove stems from the Anaheim Chili’s and Jalapeno’s and add all grilled items to a blender once cooled. Blend and add chicken stock intermittently. Use caution to prevent salsa sauce from overflowing out of the blender. Pour the sauce in a large container. Chop white onions and the remaining 2 tomatoes. Add to the salsa sauce. Chop cilantro and add to the salsa sauce. Add salt, cumin powder and squeeze lemon juice in the salsa. Add salt and taste to make sure that the salsa is spicy enough. If the Jalapeno’s are not spicy enough, add red chili powder according to your taste preference. Let cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to serving.

You can use Tomatillo's instead of tomatoes. Make sure you soak the Tomatillo's in water (with the husk) before you put them on the grill.

You can add grilled corn to this recipe as well.

Filmfare Awards – An Insult to our sensibilities?

2009-03-09T12:44:00.001-07:00

The 54th Filmfare awards ceremony was held on the 28th of February, 2009 in Mumbai, India. The annual show is ostensibly the Oscars of Bollywood, however the comparison between the two is immature at best. The awards are given by a commercial magazine called Filmfare and the process of nominating the films and the voting is opaque at best. Oscars on the other hand have a rigorous nomination process that has been in place for 7 decades and relies on the voting of Academy Members who have been or are involved in the film industry. Furthermore, the counting of the ballots is done under the auspices of Price Waterhouse Coopers an independent audit firm.
Every year the awards are handed out to the commercially successful films. Perhaps the title of the awards should be changed accordingly. Best Film? Can someone describe the criteria for selection? Take the nominations for this year as an example.
1. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
2. Dostana
3. Jodha Akbar
4. Ghajini
5. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
6. Rock On!
Can someone please explain the absence of some terrific films that were produced this year such as Welcome to Sajjanpur, Ramchand Pakistani or Khuda Kay Liye? How about A Wednesday? Does at least one best film in the nomination list must have Shahrukh Khan in it?
Best actor nomination for Shahrukh (Ruk Ruk) Khan for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is an insult to the average viewer’s sensibility. When is Filmfare stop going to pander to the biggest stars and award actors based on performances, not popularity.
Pick almost any category and you will find a complete travesty of art and cinema. Top that up with the show itself. We saw a slew of artists from Slumdog Millionaire being worshipped on the stage for a very well deserving performance but had this movie been made in India under an Indian banner it would not have made the Filmfare awards nominee list. Our actors and actresses have shed the traditional Indian outfits to don western designer clothes but have not shed the double standard that is carried in this show. Ashtosh Gowarikar and the movie Jodha Akbar won several awards but none of the small banner films even got the nod from the magazine. It is time for India to wake up and appreciate art in its entirety and not just commercially successful films and please dispense with the hip gyrating dances, even with pants on only one leg, they are still the same lame dances that are presented in every cheap show on Indian Television.

Why I hate AT&T

2009-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry but I am about to begin a rant & need to vent./START RANT/I have been with AT&T/Cingular since 1997. Perhaps that in itself is a fault of mine but I digress. I purchased this Blackberry Bold in November 2008 and I have nothing but issues. I thought the Blackjack was bad but this Phone makes Sybil look well adjusted. Here are some salient features of the phone.Let me put this disclaimer. I have no third party apps on this phone and no beta versions of the OS.

1. Resets practically every day on it's own & then takes about 6-7 minutes to come back to life.
2. When it does come back to life, it spends quality time re-organizing logs making the phone unusable
3. Slows down to a crawl and you have to soft reset it and then rinse and repeat step 1 and 2.
4. Calls drop more frequently than rain during monsoon. I get "CALL FAILED" or more recently a new and more creative message which is actually refreshing, it's like your wife calling you new names "UNABLE TO FIND PATH TO NETWORK". Awesome! I am waiting to see "Hello World" soon.
5. Lately, Blackberry messaging stops syncing. No email for 10-15 minutes and you realize that it can't be possible that no one at Cisco is sending something meaningful every minute. So when I reset and rinse and repeat step 1 and 2, email starts to flow again, like my adrenalin.

I Called AT&T and I was told that I must hard reset/wipe my phone clean before they can do a return. I explain that I have done that before and it has not helped. I am told that I need to do it again in order for them to do a RMA. OK. I do hard reset and call them back in two days stating that the phone is still having the same issues. I am greeted by another clueless rep asking the same questions. What is your account number for instance. I explain that I don't get physicall bills anymore. Well, then I need to type a command on the phone to get an IMEI number for him. Then I am asked to remove the battery and provide the last 5 digits of my SIM card. I was asked the color of my battery connecters (I am not kidding). Brass, is what I told him. "They are not green, are they"? "Brass", I said. "There is small square sticker on the side wall where the battery goes, what color is that?". "White", I said. "Good, this means that the phone was not dropped in water". "Was the phone ever dropped?".I am asked 2 numbers where I made phone calls to. I was ready to contort my body to provide my underwear size but he never asked.

I was told that the RMA number will be generated if I agree that if they find that the phone was damaged they will charge my card $499. I honestly feel that my body search at the madagascar airport was less intrusive than this interaction with AT&T, and I am the one who has to deal with this crap phone day in and day out after paying AT&T $200 and not to mention the monthly fees that I have been paying for 11 years. So much for loyalty.

The coverage is absolutely horrendous. I can predict exactly where my calls will fail, since I take the same route to work and home practically every day. There is a dead zone right here on Tasman and 880 interchange and then to endure the ads on TV about how great their network coverage is. I experienced better GSM coverage in BELIZE than AT&T has in the USA.

Last but not the least. The phone drops my bluetooth connection quite randomly and when I get home and turn off the bluetooth and hook it up to the charger. Guess what? YEP!! My incoming call routes to my BLUETOOTH!! When it SHOULDN'T.... I think a colonoscopy is less of an irritant than AT&T.
/END RANT/

Bernard Madoff House Arrest - A travesty!

2009-01-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Can someone explain how a person convicted of Grand Theft Auto gets to sleep in a cold prison cell but someone who embezzles $50 Billion gets to live in a $10 Million penthouse? Who then transfers assets to friends and family. Is this a travesty of justice? Do we live in a society that has two sets of rules. One for the Bernard Madoff's of the world and another for Tyrone? Will someone with balls, please stand up and put this man in jail.

Har Ek Ghar Me Diya Bhi Jale Anaaj Bhi Ho

2008-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

In these turbulent times I am reminded of this beautiful poem written by Nida Fazli, one of my favorite poets. Please take a read down this amazingly written nazm.

Har Ek Ghar Mein Diyaa Bhi Jale, Anaaj Bhi Ho -2
Agar Na Ho Kahin Aisaa To Ehatjaaj Bhi Ho -2
Har Ek Ghar Mein Diyaa Bhi Jale, Anaaj Bhi Ho

Hukumaton Ko Badalnaa To Kuchh Muhaal Nahin -2
Hukumatein Jo Badaltaa Hai Vo Samaaj Bhi Ho -2
Agar Na Ho Kahin Aisaa To Ehatjaaj Bhi Ho -2
Har Ek Ghar Mein Diyaa Bhi Jale, Anaaj Bhi Ho

Rahegi Kab Talak Vaadon Mein Qaid Khush-Haali -2
Har Ek Baar Hi Kal Kyun, Kabhi To Aaj Bhi Ho
Agar Na Ho Kahin Aisaa To Ehatjaaj Bhi Ho
Har Ek Ghar Mein Diyaa Bhi Jale, Anaaj Bhi Ho

Na Karte Shor Sharaabaa To Aur Kyaa Karte -2
Tumhaare Shahar Mein Kuchh Aur Kaam Kaaj Bhi Ho -2
Har Ek Ghar Mein Diyaa Bhi Jale, Anaaj Bhi Ho
Agar Na Ho Kahin Aisaa To Ehatjaaj Bhi Ho

Nida Fazli

Ehatjaaj = Revolution, Rebellion

Is baar Nahin - Mumbai Terror Poem by Prasoon Joshi

2008-12-01T11:02:00.000-08:00

Lyricist Prasoon Joshi wrote this poem after the Mumbai terror attacks.
Says the ad guru and film lyricist, “I believe it should reach as many people as possible because it is our collective pain and voice”.

Is baar nahin
Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas apni kharonch le kar aayegi
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga
Panapney doonga uski tees ko

Is baar nahin
Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey

Is baar nahin
Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankhein band karlo,
gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav

Is baar nahin
Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake

Is baar nahin
Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye

Is baar nahin
Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur seThoda lambe wakt tak
Kuch faisleyAur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai
… Prasoon Joshi

Jaane tu ya jaane na

2008-07-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

Jane tu ya jane na

What a great song collection. A.R. Rehman has done a superb job and I can't say enough about Rashid Ali. I am floored by his rendition on Kabhi Aditi Zindagi and more so on Kahin to Hogi with Vasundhara Das. Fabulous composition, fabulous singing and great Lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Here are the lyrics to Kahin To Hogi followed by the list of songs with singers and lyricists etc. I am not sure about the movies itself. Would like to go see it soon.

Kahin To Song Lyrics - Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na

Kahin to.. kahin to
Hogi wo,
Duniya jahan tu mere saath hai..

Jahan mein, jahan tu,
Aur jahan, bass tere mere jazbaat hai,
Hogi jahan subah teri,
Palko ki, kirano mein,
Lori jahan chand ki,
Sune teri baahoin mein..

(Jaane naa kahan wo duniya hai,
Jaane naa wo hai bhi ya nahi,
Jahan meri zindagi mujhse,
Itni khafa nahi..) - 2

Saasein kho gayi hai kiski aahon mein,
Mein kho gayi hu jaane kiski baahon mein,
Manzilon se raahein doodhti chali,
Kho gayi hai manzil kahin rahon mein..

Kahin to, kahin to,
Hai nasha..
Teri meri har mulaqaat mein,
Hoton se, hoton ko,
Chumti, o rehte hai hum har baat pe,
Kehti hai fiza jahan,
Teri zamin aasmaan..

Jahan hai tu, meri hassi,
Meri khushi, meri jaan…

(Jaane naa kahan wo duniya hai,
Jaane naa wo hai bhi ya nahi,
Jahan meri zindagi mujhse,
Itni khafa nahi..) - 3

Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na List of Songs... MP3

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Rashid Ali
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 3:41

Pappu Cant Dance
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Blaze, Mohd. Aslam, Tanvi, Anupama Deshpande, Benny Dayal, Tanvi, Darshana, Satish Subramanium
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 4:27

Jaane Tu Mera Kya Hai
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Runa Rizvi
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 3:41

Nazrein Milaana Nazrein Churaana
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Swetha Bhargave, Naresh Iyer, Satish Chakravarthye, Tanvi, Darshana, Benny Dayal, Anupama Deshpande
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 3:57

Tu Bole Main Boloon
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: A R Rahman
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 4:36

Kahin To Hogi Ho
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Rashid Ali, Vasundhara Das
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 5:05

Jaane Tu Meri Kya Hai - 1
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Sukhwinder Singh
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 5:44

Pappu Cant Dance - Remix
Movie: Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
Music Label: T-Series
Singers: Anupama Deshpande, Benny Dayal, Benny Dayal, Blaze, Tanvi, Darshana, Satish Subramanium, Mohd. Aslam
Lyricist: Abbas Tyrewala
Music Director: A R Rahman
Choreographer:
Picturised on:
Genre:
Duration (mm:ss): 4:27

Blues

2008-07-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

I have always been a big fan of Blues Music. Last week while driving on my way home I was listening to "All things Considered" on the radio. Little did I know that I was in for treat. I am sharing the link here for those who may have missed it. You can listen to the episode on the NPR website and also listen to the album on Rhapsody.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92423408

What was so great you might ask? Well, for one the Blues players are 16, 14 and 9 years old and are siblings. The 9 year old plays the drums and she is fabulous. The guitars are made out of mufflers of cars. You have to listen to the piece and listen to the music to believe it. I was floored by their sheer talent. I think these youngsters will achieve much acclaim in their life and I am so happy for their parents.

Graduation Note for Kanika

2008-06-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Under normal circumstances children come into their parent’s lives, but in our case, we both came into each other’s life about 12 years ago. If you begin to search, you will find many stories, movies, books that have been written about stepfathers and stepchildren, but standing here today, I can safely say our relationship does not fall under any of the stereotypes. A lot of that credit goes to you. I stood here this very day last year and spoke about Priya during her graduation and how much I had learnt from her. You Kanika have also enriched my life in ways you will probably never realize. Your demeanor, your maturity and the poise with which you handle yourself is something for you to be very proud of. I have said this before and I will say it again, if there is anyone in this house who knows how to best handle me, it’s you.

Those of you who know Shibani’s dad, he has always made fun of regular DNA testing of various members of the family to check the integrity of parenthood. Well, I can safely say that if they ever checked your DNA, they will never find my genes in your blood, but I don’t think for a moment that our relationship needed a medical validation. I feel that you are no less my child than Priya. You have an amazing way to uplift people around you. I will miss your smile, your humor, your positive attitude and our conversations. I will not however miss your messy room and the trunk of your car, which reminds me of vagrant bag ladies.

I don’t have much words of wisdom to give you other than this line that I read a while back in a book. “Remember, The person who you’re with most in life is yourself and if you don’t like yourself you’re always with somebody you don’t like”.

You are about to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing, but what you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself.

Good Luck and always remain happy.

Another great song and lovely lyrics

2008-05-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I wanted to sing this song so badly for my wife's 40th, that I went and purchased a nice guitar and tried really hard to learn and play this specific tune. Alas, the learning was very hard and I was not able to play the song. Here are the lyrics though, it's from a really nicely made movie called CARS.

Cars soundtrack lyrics -- Find Yourself .. Brad Paisley

When you find yourself in some far off place
And it causes you to rethink some things
You start to sense that slowly you're becoming someone else
And then you find yourself

When you make new friends in a brand new town
And you start to think about settling down
The things that would've been lost on you
Are now clear as a bell and you find yourself
Yeah, that's when you find yourself

When you go through life
So sure of where you're heading
And you wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could've happened
Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well
Because you find yourself
Yeah, that's when you find yourself

---- Instrumental Interlude ----

When you meet the one that you've been waiting for
And she's everything that you want and more
You look at her and you finally start to live for someone else
And then you find yourself
Yeah, that's when you find yourself

We go through life
So sure of where we're heading
And then we wind up lost
And it's the best thing that could've happened
Cause sometimes when you lose your way
It's really just as well
Because you find yourself
Yeah, that's when you find yourself

Demise of a Friendship

2008-05-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

We all know that death is inevitable. It is the purest form of truth there is, but does friendship die? The answer is an obvious yes. As early as kindergarten, you realize the importance of friendship and for as long as you live, you continue making friends, yet there are friendships that die. Even the closest ones. In some case, you simply move and lose touch, in others you outgrow your friends, some fall apart and some just die a natural death. I am intrigued by this a lot and would like a perspective from you on what your opinion is about this subject.

Simple Pleasures

2008-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

There are many times that you find extreme joy in simple things. A song well sung, nice lyrics, tasty dish. The most amount of joy I get is from a song that is nicely written and well sung, of course the music adds a dimension to it that is hard to explain. I do get goose bumps. I recently heard a song that had all of the above components. They lyrics are by IRSHAD KAMIL, music is by Pritam and it is very nicely sung by MOHIT CHAUHAN and the movie is JAB WE MET.

This goes out for my wife on our 11th Anniversary.

TUMSE HI - JAB WE MET

Na hai yeh pana
Na Khona hi hai
Tera Na hona jane
Kyun hona hi hai
Tum se hi din hota hai
Surmaiye shaam aati hai
Tumse hi tumse hi
Har ghadi saans aati hai
Zindagi kehlati hai
Tumse hi tumse hi

Na hai yeh pana
Na Khona hi hai
Tera Na hona jane
Kyun hona hi hai
Aankhon mein ankhne teri
Bahoon mein baahein teri
Mera na mujhe mein kuch raha hua kya
Baaton mein baatein teri
Raatein saugatein teri
Kyun tera sab yeh ho gaya hua kya
Mein kahin bhi jata hoon
Tumse hi mil jata hoon
Tumse hi tumse hi

Shor mein khamoshi hai
Thodi se Behoshi hai
Tum se hi tum se hi
Aadha sa wada kabhi
Aadhe se jayada kabhi
Jee chahe karlu is trah wafa ka
Chode na chote kabhi
Tode na tute kabhi
Jo dhaga tumse jud gaya wafa ka
Mein Tera sharmaya hoon
Jo bhi mein ban paya hoon
Tumse hi tumse hi

Raste miljate hai
Manzile miljati hai
Tumse hi tumse hi
Na hai yeh pana Na
Khona hi hai
Tera Na hona jane
Kyun hona hi hai

Lean On Me Lyrics

2008-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me
So just call on me brother,
when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem
that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
Lean on me...

Baseball at the Sunken Diamond at Klein Field

2008-05-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Sunken Diamond at Klein Field is considered one of the most beautiful college baseball stadiums in the entire nation. I decided to go check out the stadium on Monday the 5th of May (Cinco De Mayo). It was a gorgeous day, the Stanford Cardinals were playing the University of Pacific Tigers and I could not have scored better seats. I bought 2 tickets online and to my amazement, they were in Section 5, Row A, Seat 1 and 2. It was slight right to the home plate but I could not be any closer to the field. Front row, from where I could hear the "whirr" of the ball. Best seats I have ever sat on since I have been watching baseball.

I got there early and with my coke, hot dog and peanuts in hand, I proceeded to my assigned seat. I was sitting there enjoying the sun, batting practice as there was still plenty of time for the game to start. About 5 minutes elapse and here comes an elderly lady (an usher) and quite politely asked me if I had tickets as "this is a reserved section". I pulled out the ticket from my shirt pocket and handed it to her. She inspected the ticket and handed it back to me and asked me to enjoy the game.

Ten more minutes go by and here comes another senior citizen usher. "Sir", he says, "I am sorry, but this is a reserved section. You cannot sit here unless you have tickets." As if I dropped from the heaven's onto that seat. I explained to him that someone had already stopped by and checked my ticket and I went back to my eating my peanuts. "I am going to have to ask you to show me the ticket, otherwise I am going to have to ask you to move from this section".

I take out the ticket from my shirt pocket and show it to him and he hands it back to me after inspecting it, leaving me alone, a bit disappointed. Perhaps this was the night where he would have finally got to show some power, alas, he will have to wait another day.

The stadium, I might add, had no more than 50 people at this point. I could have taken my peanuts and thrown it in the air and it would been a miracle if it hit another person.

I go back to watching the young talent practice on the field, immerse myself in eating salted peanuts and lo and behold. Here come another portly old man, walking towards me. This can't be true. I am sure he is going to ask me if I am enjoying the game. No such luck! "Hello Sir, This is a reserved section......". Now, I am a reasonable guy most of the time, but I am a bit irritated by now. I repeat what I had said earlier, except there was an inflection in my voice this time. "Oh really? I am sorry, but I am going to have to check your ticket."

"I am going to show it to you if can guarantee that no one else will stop by again to check my ticket". I say to the usher, wistfully. "Is there something about my face?" I ask. "You can't believe that I can actually be sitting here with a purchased ticket? He looked at my ticket and apologized and left.

Now, I have been in the USA for 23 years. I have been a citizen for about 19 of those and have experienced considerable amount of racism over the years but you never expect it at a place like Stanford. The game was great, the ambiance was wonderful but the experience left a lot to be desired.

PS. The picture above is not of the actual game. It is a stock photo from the Stanford website

India Trip March 2008

2008-04-22T10:48:00.001-07:00

One man eats "roti" (food)
Another man makes "roti" (food)
There is a third man who plays with his "roti"
Who is this third man?
The electorate of my country is quiet!!

I don't what is about going home that brings out the desire to start writing in my blog. The last time I updated my blog it was after a trip to Delhi. I visited New Delhi & Bangalore in March and was in India during Holi for the first time since I left India 23 years ago. It was quite a blast. Anyway, first things first. I travelled to Delhi via Munich on Lufthansa and every flight segment was full (going and coming back). Not a single empty seat. Where is the recession? High oil prices? I just don't see it being translated to fewer load in terms of passengers.

Arriving in Delhi is always an adventure. I guess a large company in India called GMR has been given the contract to renovate and build a new airport in Delhi. Well, the airport looks worse than the New Delhi Railway Station. All I ever hear on every trip to India for the last 23 years is how much progress is being made but again, it is not evident at the airport. It truly is a shame.

Sorry for being negative but it seems to me that India has become a land of the greedy. I have not seen a chasm bigger than what I see in India between the have a lot's and the have not's. Sure the middle class has enlarged but that is not where most of the countries population resides. I don't have real number but you don't need real numbers to see the number of poor in the city. All I ever hear is the number of new cars being manufactured in India and how everything is now available in India and that India is now more expensive than even USA. I am not suggesting that USA is superior or India is inferior but there is a false sense of pride at play. On one hand the rise of India as a economic superpower is admirable and is something for every Indian to be proud of (including myself) but where is the civic pride? Who are we trying to fool?

The state of the infrastructure is not just measured by the number of flyovers being built but also by the cleanup that needs to be done after the flyover or a highway is built. It is not normal to leave post construction mess littered on the side of the road at least not in any country that has norms.
Leaving India was as much an adventure as going there. 2 hours in line for security check with littered plastic bottles all over the place and this is an International Airport.

Enough of ranting for the day. I took a photo of a 3 wheeler that had an interesting message. It's posted above.

My dad still thinks I am a kid.

2007-11-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

An ad I liked at a railway station in Punjab. India.

Questions about life?

2007-11-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

1.Why am I the way I am?
2.Why do I act the way I do?
3.Is it genetic or are am I a product of my environment?
4.Does the trait that makes me passionate about various things in life cause me to be aggressive, rude and unkind?
5.Will I ever be able to achieve anything worthwhile?
6. What is the definition of worthwhile?
7.What makes life worthwhile?
8.Who sets the standards on morality and with what moral authority?

Something to ponder over.

Shilpa Shetty and Racism

2007-03-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was in India recently (Jan, 07) and Shilpa Shetty was all over the news regarding an episode on Big Brother where Jade Goody made some racist remarks. A few days later, I saw an excellent article by Barkha Dutt on this topic in Hindustan Times. She makes some very good points. Here is the article by her.

NOW, SUDDENLY, even she says it’s not racism. So, where does that leave the spluttering rage of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the controlled indignation of the Foreign Ministry? Have you ever seen the Government of India respond with such speed before? Remember how many days the Maharashtra government took to work up even a modicum of anger over the murder of a poor Dalit girl in Khairlanji? So, what makes Shilpa Shetty so different from Priyanka Bhotmange? And why the alacrity to intervene in what Labour peer Lord Meghnad Desai describes as a “third-rate show watched by third-rate people”?As mass hysteria gets dressed up in layers of political correctness, the honesty of the debate seems to have got rather conveniently cloaked as well.

First, there’s the hypocrisy of the Indian response and the wonderfully deluded dimension to our outrage. Our temples have caste barriers; our homes have separate glasses for the men and women who mop our floors and clean our bathrooms; we think all men who grow beards and wear skull caps may be terrorists; we treat the North-east like a separate country comprising people we affectionately call ‘chinkis’; and when it comes to finding brides for our sons, we insist that fair is lovely. Outside India, put us brown folk into one room, and we will even set aside our differences to whisper in snide bewilderment about the ringlet-haired black people whom many of us still call Negroes.Okay, perhaps I exaggerate.

In many ways, India is fighting a battle with herself to move beyond an ugly past. But the truth is still inescapable — as we assert pride in the Indian identity abroad, let’s not forget the preju- dice right here at home. And let’s also gracefully accept that the West has done a much better job than us of creating institutional mechanisms to address complaints of discrimination.Now, to the television show itself. Industry insiders will concede (if you catch them drunk) that there is nothing quite as contrived as reality TV. Essentially it’s all about human conflict so masterfully manipulated that it looks spontaneous, instead of staged. But think about it — what is natural about locking up a disparate bunch of men and women (usually, has-been starlets or wannabe stars) in an enclosed space and allowing them no contact with the outside world? It’s a show designed for dysfunctional dynamics. And I have a sneaking suspicion even the participants are acutely aware of the need to perform. After all, the longer they get to stay on in the ‘house’, the more money they make. We, the television viewers, are the masters of their fate, and they can never forget that they are always on stage. It’s almost like a striptease artist on display for a voyeur she can’t see, but one who not just watches her all the time, but pays her bills as well.

Those of you who have caught glimpses of Bigg Boss (the Indian variant of the international show) may know what I mean. The shrill catfights, the charged flirtations in dimly-lit corners, the competitive male swaggers and the women who constantly cry — don’t you find it all just cloying and claustrophobic, and worse still, horribly, unequivocally fake?Feminist and writer Germaine Greer, who describes Shilpa Shetty’s television avatar as “infuriating”, goes so far as to argue that “everybody hates her because she wants them to”. A former commissioning editor of Channel Four (the channel that telecasts Big Brother in Britain), Farrukh Dhondy, says that the television ex- ecutives running the show are thrilled at the contro- versy and must feel as victorious as Napoleon himself. And the statistics bear out their cynicism: the show has gained two million additional viewers since allegations of racism surfaced and the buzz is that Shilpa Shetty has manufactured enough sympathy for herself to stay on in the ‘house’.So, does this mean I am comfortable with the abuse heaped on the actress? No, not in the least.

The dis- paraging suggestions on the show that Indians are dirty because they eat with their fingers, the snide references to the ‘slums’ Shilpa should go back to and the clear jibes at her for being the odd one out are all dis- tasteful and offensive (white trash meets B-grade Bolly- wood). But here’s my point: this is meant to be a show driven by petty antago- nisms and ego clash- es, and Shilpa Shetty should have known that. Or, did she walk onto the sets with her eyes wide shut?And here’s the fascinating bit — when one of the abuses was blipped out on television, everyone thought Shilpa had been called a ‘Paki’; actually she had been called a c***. But once that was re- vealed, no one made too much fuss about it. Why? If this is about ideology, is racism that much worse than sexism? Is being called a ‘dog’ (which she was) somehow more acceptable than being called an ‘Indian’? Whether we like it or not, this is the sort of grossness that apparently makes reality TV both re- pulsive and rivetting; but it’s a baseness innate to the very idea of the show.

Even if we don’t agree with Farrukh Dhondy when he says that someone who has lived in the badlands of Bollywood should have a “skin as thick as a rhinoceros”, the fact is Shilpa Shetty is no unsuspecting victim. She will walk away with crores of rupees and it should come as no surprise that she has hastily retracted her own allegations of racial bias. Musicians like Birmingham-born Apache Indian (otherwise known as Steven Kapoor) warn against the trivialisation of the racism debate. He writes about leaving England for India since he could not feel at home there. He talks about how “stani” is the latest slur in town, reserved for immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and ‘Hindustan’. Nobody paid him extra money for his pains. Racism is serious business. Cheap television is simply good business. Let’s not forget that distinction. And instead of playing Peeping Toms on some banal television show, let’s turn an eye inward. Then, we may find a real reason to be angry.

By Barkha Dutt in Hindustan Times

Nice Article on Sahir Ludhianvi

2006-12-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

Published in
The Times of India Online timesofindia.indiatimes.com > Culture Curry

Har ek pal ka shayar[ 30 Oct, 2005 0252hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
Maana ki is zameen ko na gulzar kar sake Kuch khaar kam to kar gaye guzre jidhar se hum (Yes, I could not flower gardens on this earth/But I did lessen a few thorns on the paths I travelled) Sahir Ludhianvi, poet, humanist, rebel and incurable romantic, wrote those lines with characteristic self-deprecation. But of one thing there is no doubt: as far as the film world went, he flowered it in a way no lyricist before or after him did, changing the paradigm of the film song and elevating it to a standard that set a benchmark for generations. Much has been written about Sahir: the pain and rejection of his childhood and early youth that echoed in his poetry; the sublimation of that pain into a humanist vision that embraced the helpless and dispossessed of the world; his style, rich in thought, yet unburdened by complexity, so simple and direct that it went straight to the heart; his social conscience that gave the Hindi film world its most landmark lyrics in films like Pyaasa, Phir Subah Hogi, Sadhana and Dhool Ka Phool. And of course the beauty of his layered, mostly anguish-filled, romantic poetry in films from Girlfriend to Gumraah to Kabhi Kabhie.
But—and this is a personal take, no doubt—the magic of Sahir lay as much in his less celebrated songs. At a time when romantic lyrics didn't go too far beyond chaand, raat and judaai, his takes on love were more innovative: Tum agar mujhko na chaho to koi baat nahin/Tum kisi aur ko chahogi to mushkil hogi or Tum mujhe bhool bhi jaao to yeh haq hai tumko/Meri baat aur hai maine to mohabbat ki hai or indeed Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayen hum dono. In Dhund, a little known B film, there is a gooseflesh-inducing song Sansar ki har shai ka itna hi fasana hai/Ek dhund se aana hai ek dhund mein jaana hai. A verse goes: Ek pal ki palak par hai thehri hui yeh duniya/Ek pal ke jhapakne tak har khel suhana hai. Innumerable Hindi film songs have been written on the life-death enigma but few as original as this one. Indeed, Sahir could suffuse the most ordinary film situation with meaning. Take Aage bhi jaane na tu, a mere 'club song' like Zindagi ittefaq hai years after it. In this lyric, on the ephemerality of the moment and the consequent need to live it fully, he spotlighted the elusive pal, garbing yesterday and tomorrow in an ominous darkness: Anjaane saayon ka raahon mein dera hai/Andekhi baahon ne hum sab ko ghera hai/Yeh pal ujala hai baki andhera hai/Yeh pal gawana na, yeh pal hi tera hai.
If you listen to it carefully, it is an amazing song, and possibly the inspiration for two lovely seize-the-moment lyrics that followed later: Gulzar's Aane waala pal and Javed Akhtar's Har ghadi badal rahi hai roop zindagi. Whatever the context, few songs of Sahir were mundane. Not too many lyricists would have embedded philosophy in a rag-bone man's call: Khali dabba khali botal le le mere yaar/Khali se mat nafrat karna khali sab sansar. Or imbued a seemingly flip song revolving around a cigarette lighter (Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya/Har fikr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya) with such depth. Main zindagi ka saath... is no smoker's anthem, it is virtually a Vedantic paen to equanimity, and so simply and beautifully expressed at that. To try and bring out the genius of Sahir Ludhianvi in a few hundred words is a frustrating exercise in futility. Does one talk about the little surprises in his songs—a stray line or two that take your breath away when you least expect it—like Marne ka salika aate hi/Jeene ka shaoor aa jaata hai, a line in the essentially romantic song Chehre pe khushi chha jaati hai from Waqt? Does one focus on his uncanny gift of expression, the sheer beauty of his words? Suffice it to say that he was a class apart. Years ago, in one of his most famous songs, Main pal do pal ka shaayar hoon, he wrote 'Kal aur aayenge naghmon ki/Khilti kaliyan chunne waale/Mujhse behtar kehne waale/Tumse behtar sunne waale'. Sahir was wrong. Forget anyone better, there has never been anyone who even came close to him.

Likrat Shabbat

2006-11-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

Recently had a tragedy occur with a friend. His 20 year old son committed suicide. I have been quite a fan of Rabbi Harold Kushner. I had read his book "When Bad Things Happen To Good People". Went and bought this book for my friend and read it again and re-read the poem by Rabbi Jack Riemer. Wanted to share it with you.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war;
For we know that You have made the world in a way
That man must find his own path to peace
Within himself and his neighbor.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end starvation;
For you have already given us the resources
With which to feed the entire world
If we would only use them wisely.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to root out prejudice,
For You have already given us eyes
With which to see the good in all men
If we would only use them rightly.

We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end despair,
For You have already given us the power
To clear away slums and to give hope
If we would only use our power justly.

We cannot merely pray to You, O God, to end disease,
For You have already given us great minds with which
To search out cures and healing,
If we would only use them constructively.

Therefore we pray to You instead, O God,
For strength, determination, and willpower,
To do instead of just to pray,
To become instead of merely to wish.

Rabbi Jack Riemer

Starting my first blog!

2006-07-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

After contemplating for several months on starting a blog, I finally got past my inertia to create one. Let's see where this takes us.