unantha

Where to play Cluenatic.

2012-01-11T10:07:00.001+05:30

Go here.

Cluenatic returns. Now on Facebook.

2012-01-11T10:04:00.002+05:30

Cluenatic is back.

2012-01-11T10:03:00.001+05:30

Introducing Name Theories Blog

2011-11-27T14:17:00.002+05:30

A name is a cryptic cultural clue with the potential to solve many civilizational puzzles. A lot of work has been done by linguists and etymologists in this field. Considerable ground has been covered. I am of the view that most of the decoding that has been done is fairly literal. Which is perhaps why the same old 'where did we come from?' question has remained unanswered to this date. I intend to contribute my two cents to this discussion through my new blog NAME THEORIES. The findings of the blog may seem like quackery to the cynic. To the open minded, it's one small step in the journey to unravel the truth.

Don't give up the fight...

2011-04-06T10:35:00.001+05:30

The Decline of the Great Congress

2011-03-10T10:21:00.003+05:30

The Mayan Tamil/Sanskrit Connection

2011-03-06T22:48:00.003+05:30

I am pretty much surprised that no one seems to be seriously researching the connection between Ancient India and the Mayan/Inca Civilization. The evidence seems pretty clear to anyone who knows a bit of Tamil & Sanskrit. Here are the similarities that I have compiled...

GUATEMALA = Could have been derived from GAUTAM MALAI. Malai is hill in Tamil. And Gautam means the finest cows in Sanskrit.

PAMPAS = The PAMBA river in Kerala. Is this related to Pampas considering tamilians mix up 'pa' for 'ba'.

AZTECS = Derived from AZTECATL. Does it owe its origins to ASHTA KADAL (Tamil for 8 seas) or 8 sea tribes?

CHONTAL TRIBE = Is Chontal the same as the SANTHAL tribe in India?

CHOL MAYA = Are they related to the CHOLAS of Tamil Nadu?

MEXICO = Derived from Meshika (mesha lagnam in tamil is aries) or the ram country?

XOLOITZCUINTLI = Is it derived from the tamil term Solai Chundeli (Garden tiny rat)?

I'll be adding more etymologies, in the coming weeks...

Don't vote for money!

2011-03-02T12:02:00.002+05:30

Reality Check # 4 for 2011

2011-01-06T23:41:00.001+05:30

Reality Check # 3 for 2011

2011-01-05T10:36:00.003+05:30

Reality Check # 2 for 2011

2011-01-03T23:10:00.001+05:30

Reality Check # 1 for 2011

2011-01-03T11:25:00.003+05:30

Hot Kama Sutra ads give media the cold feet

2010-11-22T17:15:00.003+05:30

Can you believe it? The prudes in the Indian media have refused to carry these Kama Sutra ads - citing them as 'too hot to handle'. I don't understand the fuss. To me, the ads seem aesthetically shot and nothing bordering on vulgar. Check it out for yourself.

Introducing Stayzilla

2010-10-17T16:55:00.007+05:30

In a vast country like India, hotel booking is a specialist task. And it cannot be left in the hands of generalists like Make My Trip who do airline cum hotel cum bus cum whatever booking. That's where Stayzilla fits in. It's only about accomodation. And nothing else. And the best part is, they have a coverage of over 3800 hotels in nearly 450 cities. One of the reasons why I like Stayzilla is it's a Chennai-born start-up, steered by two no-nonsense guys - geek-guru Yogi & b.school grad Sachit. Watch out for these guys. Me thinks, Stayzilla has the potential to be the largest hotel booking portal in South Asia.

Introducing 136.1

2010-10-08T11:25:00.007+05:30

I've done a lot of work for a lot of start ups. But 136.1 is one of the very few brands that leave you with that 'these-guys-are-gonna-be-big' feeling. I won't tell you why. Go find out for yourself. Visit 136point1.com for a sneak peek.

What the sublime pedestrian knows...

2010-09-24T10:33:00.001+05:30

In the hands of an artist, every tool is a brush.

Introducing Ga, Ba, Dha & Da in Tamil

2010-08-16T07:26:00.005+05:30

Haven't you noticed? Tamilians often refer to Padma as Bathma, Gadkari as Kathkari and Damodran as Thamotharan. That's because there is no G, B or D equivalent in the language. At least to the best of my knowledge. Ka, Pa, Tha are often used to represent Ga, Ba & Dha. There's no overt phonetic aid to clearly cue when Pa should be read as Ba, so on and so forth. I thought it's about time, we had one. The trick with introducing a new phonetic symbol is it should not upset the typography of the existing language. Keeping this in mind, I have introduced what I call, the Azhuthi Kodu or Naduazhuthi (accent line of the middle accent). Hopefully this is an elegant way of solving the problem. Or at least a starting point for tamil experts to take this to another level.

PublicFinance.in - India's first Public Finance Portal

2010-06-30T09:10:00.005+05:30

After 53 years of existence, India still has bad roads, electricity problems, water shortage and innumerable other civic ailments. The reason for this is sheer lack of vigilance from all of us. We just don't care enough to see how the money was spent at the municipal, state and central level. Our media just skims the surface by reporting what the government wants us to hear. This is where PublicFinance.in can be of great help. It's a noble attempt to make public, documents related to government spending. And even analyze what the normal eye wouldn't care to notice. The result of such analysis can be of immense use to the aam aadmi. One can know where every rupee is going, which municipality is functioning well, which state government is living beyond its means, which are the areas where money is being underspent...I can go on and on. The fact of the matter is, this is damn useful stuff. For journos, financial analysts and people who care. The question is: do you care enough about India? If you do, please visit the site. And learn.

Introducing ChainTherapy.org

2010-06-08T18:28:00.003+05:30

Chain Therapy is a brand new portal that uses the power of the internet to deliver hope to those who are battling for their lives in hospitals. Learn more about this site now!

Meet Albert Dali...

2010-01-13T18:50:00.004+05:30

You'll hear a lot about him from January 26th...Meanwhile go figure the logo. Lucifer Labs thanks Gopi Prasannaa of 1pointsize for designing this beautiful logo.

Lucifer Awards is born...

2009-12-07T09:43:00.002+05:30

The ad industry waits an entire year for its award shows. We at Lucifer Labs thought, isn't it time we changed the rules? So Lucifer Awards, the world's first online advertising awards show where worthy pieces are celebrated right here, right now.

How we fill our lives...

2009-12-01T06:43:00.001+05:30

We fill our lives by thinking about how to fill our lives.

Fact of Life

2009-11-30T19:32:00.001+05:30

Who you are depends on where you sit.

Lucifer Labs Rising Soon...

2009-11-21T22:24:00.002+05:30

That time has arrived, people. Lucifer Labs is finally ready to roll. Art Director Raijith Ravi has given us a headstart with a neat logo. Check it out...

Are you a Wantrapreneur?

2009-10-02T17:56:00.003+05:30

Got ideas that can change lives? Don't have the money to make them a reality? Then you must participate in the Wantrapreneur Business Plan Competition for Social Entrepreneurs. Hosted by Villgro - the incubator who's spotted a thousand ideas, Wantrapreneur is open to anyone with a plan and a prototype in the fields of Energy, Water, Dairy and Agriculture. For more details, visit this site.

It's not about...

2009-09-15T22:24:00.001+05:30

It's not about how far you went. It's about how much you saw.

When you let...

2009-09-12T07:23:00.002+05:30

When you let sleeping dogs lie, one fine day, life turn's a bitch.

Life without a philosophy...

2009-08-16T09:01:00.001+05:30

Life without a philosophy will feel like a philosophy without life.

Creativity's younger sibling

2009-08-01T10:16:00.001+05:30

Creativity has a younger sibling. He goes by the name Frustration.

A global cement

2009-07-31T19:02:00.000+05:30

The world was built on belief.

Sucesss is a magical solvent...

2009-07-30T14:08:00.003+05:30

Success is a magical solvent. It makes sleazeballs look like saints.

The Divine Dimension of Advertising

2009-07-30T09:50:00.001+05:30

Advertising is like god. It works in mysterious ways.

An honest question

2009-07-30T09:47:00.001+05:30

How long will we fill our lives with Groundhog Days?

The Geographical Law of Relationships

2009-07-12T11:29:00.000+05:30

Distance creates distance.

Mr. Two Clever By The Half

2009-07-07T08:12:00.003+05:30

You hike the price, offer a discount and flash that smug smile.

But can you sleep well at night?

My New Blog - Tag Voyeur

2009-07-03T06:44:00.000+05:30

Just started a new blog for those who dig taglines. Tag Voyeur shall try and bring you the men behind the one-liners that earned huge fortunes for brands.

To Mr. Man at the Top

2009-06-14T09:25:00.004+05:30

You can beat the system, but you can't beat your destiny.

What one learns after a lifetime...

2009-06-02T06:44:00.000+05:30

Nothing is mine.

Play my new game Codi5

2009-05-31T21:17:00.003+05:30

Codi5 is one of the simplest games, I've created. Basically I'll give you the cryptic version of a famous statement, quote or slogan. You have to decode it and tell me how. For sample puzzle, go here. To play the game, go here.

Pay heed Mr. Struggler

2009-05-31T10:36:00.001+05:30

Remember, you're bigger than your worries.

Elections 2009: The final tally & how I fared

2009-05-17T09:25:00.007+05:30

The election results really took me by surprise. Especially Tamil Nadu and North India. Never expected Congress to do well in the UP belt. Anyways, here's the final tally - partywise & statewise. In the brackets, is the number I had forecast.

Congress

NORTH - 53/126 (18/126)
Uttar Pradesh - 21/80 (4/80)
Uttar Khand - 5/5 (0/5)
Punjab - 8/13 (5/13)
Chandigarh - 1/1 (0/1)
Himachal - 1/4 (1/4)
Haryana - 9/10 (3/10)
Delhi - 7/7 (3/7)
J&K - 1/6 (2/6)

WEST - 63/143 (48/143)
Maharashtra - 17/48 (8/48)
Goa - 1/2 (1/2)
Daman - 0/1 (0/1)
Dadra Nagar - 0/1 (0/1)
Madhya Pradesh - 12/29 (12/29)
Chattisgarh - 1/11 (4/11)
Rajasthan - 20/25 (15/25)
Gujarat - 11/26 (8/26)

SOUTH - 62/131 (46/131)
Kerala - 13/20 (10/20)
Karnataka - 6/28 (9/28)
Tamil Nadu - 8/39 (3/39)
Pondichery - 1/1 (1/1)
Andhra - 33/42 (22/42)
Lakshadweep - 1/1 (1/1)

EAST - 27/143 (31/143)
Bihar - 2/40 (0/40)
Jharkand - 1/14 (4/14)
West Bengal - 7/42 (7/42)
Orissa - 6/21 (12/21)
Assam - 7/14 (4/14)
Arunachal - 1/2 (2/2)
Tripura - 0/2 (1/2)
Mizoram - 0/1 (1/1)
Manipur - 2/2 (1/2)
Meghalaya - 1/2 (1/2)
Nagaland - 0/1 (0/1)
Andamans - 0/1 (0/1)
Sikkim - 0/1 (0/1)

TOTAL - - 205/543 (143/543)

Conclusion: Forecast way off mark.

BJP

NORTH - 14/126 (26/126)
Uttar Pradesh - 10/80 (6/80)
Uttar Khand - 0/5 (4/5)
Punjab - 1/13 (3/13)
Chandigarh - 0/1 (1/1)
Himachal - 3/4 (3/4)
Haryana - 0/10 (3/10)
Delhi - 0/7 (4/7)
J&K - 0/6 (2/6)

WEST - 57/143 (48/143)
Maharashtra - 9/48 (18/48)
Goa - 1/2 (1/2)
Daman - 1/1 (1/1)
Dadra Nagar - 1/1 (1/1)
Madhya Pradesh - 16/29 (17/29)
Chattisgarh - 10/11 (7/11)
Rajasthan - 4/25 (9/25)
Gujarat - 15/26 (18/26)

SOUTH - 19/131 (14/131)
Kerala - 0/20 (0/20)
Karnataka - 19/28 (14/28)
Tamil Nadu - 0/39 (0/39)
Pondichery - 0/1 (0/1)
Andhra - 0/42 (0/42)
Lakshadweep - 0/1 (0/1)

EAST - 26/143 (26/143)
Bihar - 12/40 (10/40)
Jharkand - 8/14 (8/14)
West Bengal - 1/42 (0/42)
Orissa - 0/21 (6/21)
Assam - 4/14 (3/14)
Arunachal - 0/2 (1/2)
Tripura - 0/2 (0/2)
Mizoram - 0/1 (0/1)
Manipur - 0/2 (0/2)
Meghalaya - 1/2 (1/2)
Nagaland - 0/1 (0/1)
Andamans - 1/1 (1/1)
Sikkim - 0/1 (0/1)

TOTAL - - 116/543 (130/543)

Conclusion: A little off the mark.

Third Front

NORTH - 19/126 (44/126)
Uttar Pradesh - 19/80 (44/80)
Uttar Khand - 0/5 (0/5)
Punjab - 0/13 (0/13)
Chandigarh - 0/1 (0/1)
Himachal - 0/4 (0/4)
Haryana - 0/10 (0/10)
Delhi - 0/7 (0/7)
J&K - 0/6 (0/6)

WEST - 1/143 (0/143)
Maharashtra - 0/48 (18/48)
Goa - 0/2 (0/2)
Daman - 0/1 (0/1)
Dadra Nagar - 0/1 (0/1)
Madhya Pradesh - 1/29 (0/29)
Chattisgarh - 0/11 (0/11)
Rajasthan - 0/25 (0/25)
Gujarat - 0/26 (0/26)

SOUTH - 42/131 (51/131)
Kerala - 6/20 (4/20)
Karnataka - 3/28 (5/28)
Tamil Nadu - 25/39 (9/39)
Pondichery - 0/1 (0/1)
Andhra - 8/42 (14/42)
Lakshadweep - 0/1 (0/1)

EAST - 32/143 (35/143)
Bihar - 0/40 (0/40)
Jharkand - 0/14 (0/14)
West Bengal - 16/42 (28/42)
Orissa - 14/21 (6/21)
Assam - 0/14 (0/14)
Arunachal - 0/2 (0/2)
Tripura - 2/2 (1/2)
Mizoram - 0/1 (0/1)
Manipur - 0/2 (0/2)
Meghalaya - 0/2 (0/2)
Nagaland - 0/1 (0/1)
Andamans - 0/1 (0/1)
Sikkim - 0/1 (0/1)

TOTAL - - 94/543 (130/543)

Conclusion: Off mark by a distance.

How to become the Prime Minister of India.

2009-05-16T23:08:00.005+05:30

1. If you were not fortunate enough to have been born a Gandhi, don't fret. You can always marry one. The trick is to acquire the surname. And pretend you're related to Mahatmaji, Indiraji and Rajivji. Even if you don't pretend, the rural masses of India will assume you have Mohandas Karamchand's blood in your veins.

2. Once you acquire the Gandhi surname, go and buy yourself the whitest of white kurtas/pyjamas and a large Tide detergent pack to make you look spotlessly white.

3. Learn the art of walking briskly if you want to acquire the 'dynamic' tag from the fawning media.

4. Master the technique of waving your hand like a car wiper. This technique will come in handy when you greet the masses who've assembled to see You the Gandhi.

5. Whenever there is a riot/flood/drought/disaster airdash to the affected area and make sure you get photographed while you commiserate with the victims. The photo will find its way into almost all newspapers in India, as everybody loves to see the rare sight of a Gandhi in rolled-up-sleeves mode.

6. Adopt a rural constituency six months before any election. And announce your candidature right before the election. Don't make the mistake of contesting from a seat with middle class audience. Focus on one with the most number of poverty stricken families (preferably illiterate).

7. Hire a helicopter during campaigning. Even if you're unable to attract crowds with your charm, wit and speech, a helicopter might just do the trick. This crowd magnet might even lull the newspapers into thinking you are hugely popular. More such uninformed/planted articles, the more you become a household name.

8. If this doesn't get you publicity and you're not a 'real' Gandhi, then issue a provocative / controversial statement like Varun's. If the statement is suitably controversial you might become a star overnight within your target audience.

9. The entertainment starved rural India loves a star. So why not play to the gallery? More publicity also means more votes.

10. If you win the election from your rural seat, being a Gandhi, the Indian press will automatically anoint you as a prime ministerial contender. And if you're in the Congress, all the egoless leaders will unabashedly name you as their pick, to keep each other out.

So that's it. All you have to do is to become a Gandhi and wait for your turn.

One line for the restless mind...

2009-05-16T07:13:00.002+05:30

Life is all about settling for the second best.

2009 Elections: PM Forecast

2009-05-03T07:41:00.004+05:30

OK, it's now very clear that we have at least 10 potential candidates for the Prime Ministership. Not all of them are worthy or deserving. But that's the charm of democracy. Ain't it? We only get what we deserve. If you want to know who stands the best chance, read on...

MANMOHAN SINGH
Unfortunately for this man, the Congress can only form a stable government, if the commies are part of the coalition jingbang. And the Karat clones share a healthy dislike for him, thanks to the nuclear deal. So chances of living in Race Course Road is quite low. But what can swing in his favour is: he is the most erudite, decent and experienced man around to steer the nation during a recession. If the Leftists suffer a loss in Kerala and do just-about-ok in West Bengal, then Manmohan might just make it as the most acceptable compromise candidate.

LK ADVANI
Pratibha Patil holds the key to Advani's fate. If she invites the UPA first, then they'll make sure, Advani will be denied his date with destiny. But if the Congress fails to massage egos, then Sindhi bhai will come into play. Everyone's aware of his deep desire to become PM. He's likely to strike deals with Mayawati, Jayalalitha and Chandrababu. Even if it means naming Mayawati as Deputy PM.

SONIA GANDHI
The lady who 'sacrificed' the post last time around has a new pliant president who won't ask searching questions, if she decides to stake a claim now. The way Sonia will play the game is to present Manmohan as her PM candidate. He will be unacceptable to the Left. Clamour will start for Pranab or Rahul as PM. Rahul will publicly decline the post (Sacrifice Episode 2). Congressman won't want Sharad Pawar as PM. Laloo, Paswan & all and sundry congressman will issue an appeal to the Sonia to bail out India in her hour of crisis. The battle-bruised leftists might agree to her name. The pro-congress press in India will urge her to take over the mantle. Priyanka will publicly announce her misgivings saying 'she worries for her mom's life'. After a lot of drama, Sonia might just give in to her secret desire to rule India. The only thing that might act as a disincentive is hard bargaining by Jayalalitha & Mayawati. Jaya will want Sonia to dismiss Karunanidhi and Maya will want all cases dropped against her. Will Ms. Maino bite the bullet?

RAHUL GANDHI
Once Manmohan gets politely declined by the left, a whisper campaign will start for annointing Young Rahul as PM. But Young Rahul will rule himself out of the equation by making a stirring 'I am not yet ready' speech. And he will milk this 'sacrifice' card during the next election.

PRANAB MUKHERJEE
He's the Narasimha Rao in waiting. He's a proven administrator. And is wilier than Sharad Pawar. Mamata will be for him. West Bengal will root for him. Leftists may not veto his name. Laloo won't mind him. Maya too, may not. But one person might fear him. That's Sonia. She will spike his name, somehow.

AK ANTONY
Genial, honest, loyal and goes by the book. When Pranab's name starts doing the rounds, 10 Janpath will float AK Antony's. Who knows, our man might just get lucky.

SHARAD PAWAR
If Sharad Pawar throws his hat in the ring, he will have 300 supporters in the new Lok Sabha. The only thing that might be a hurdle is the election results. Congress-NCP may not sweep Maharashtra. And NCP might just end up with 15 seats. No self-respecting congressman will allow Pawar to rule India with 15 seats. Especially Sonia. As a countermove, she might suggest her own name :-) When faced with such a deadlock, our man might be tempted to take the NDA support and form a government. But Pawar is never known for the daring. He will prefer to beat the system while staying in the system. So Pawar's chances are minimal.

NITISH KUMAR
Nitish will become a media darling after the elections. They will consciously project him as the new secular-development face of India. Nitish has friends across the board. The leftists are for him. Naveen Patnaik will back him. The BJP will reluctantly play second fiddle to him (if it means keeping congress out). Even Chandrababu will be okay with him. One man who might not relish this is Sharad Yadav (the NDA convenor) who might just suggest that Nitish should continue the good work in Bihar. If NDA pips UPA with more seats and if BJP emerges as the single largest party, then this scenario will come into play. Else, be prepared for Nitish as PM, 2 or 3 years from now.

PRAKASH KARAT
Leftists may not do well in Kerala. They might just suffer a few losses in West Bengal. Their overall tally is likely to be lesser this time. Given this background, even the leftists may not moot Karat for the big post.

JAYALALITHA
She might do well in Tamil Nadu. But the media may not celebrate her as much as, say a Nitish Kumar. 25 seats is what she might end up with. Will this be enough to catapult her to the gaddi? I don't think so.

MAYAWATI
Reports say, that Maya may not fare that well. Mainstream newspapers always get BSP's tally wrong. So I won't give these 'reports' much credence. If Maya bags 35 seats, she's in a good position to negotiate with the NDA & UPA. I don't see the Congress bidding goodbye to Mulayam if he gets 30 seats. Because a Mulayam is more dependable than a Maya. But LK Advani might. So you may still see her as India's second Dalit Deputy Prime Minister (Jagjivan Ram was the first).

MULAYAM SINGH YADAV
If Mulayam Singh maxes the UP election, Congress will kiss and make up with him. And the Deputy Prime Minster's post will be his.

I am not taking into account Chandrababu Naidu as he might just decide to focus on sticking to Andhra Pradesh for now.

My overall take is it might be Sonia, Manmohan, Nitish or Pawar. My gutfeel tells me it's gonna be Manmohan again.

2009 Elections: Final Forecast

2009-05-02T07:22:00.004+05:30

NDA - 188 (BJP will bag 137 of these seats)

UPA sans Lalu, Paswan & Mulayam - 182 (Congress will bag 148 of these seats)

Third Front - 130 (AIADMK front with 30 seats, Mayawati with 35 & Left with 35 seats)

Others - 43

The single largest party will be Congress. The single largest pre-poll coalition will be NDA. Pratibha Patil being a Congress nominee, will call the single largest party or the single largest post-poll combination (whatever suits the congress) to form the government.

37 of the 42 seats from Others will be willing to support UPA.

That means Post-poll UPA has 219 seats.

If UPA jettisons DMK & Mulayam, the seat count will be 174. Now add AIADMK, Mayawati & Left = 174 + 30 + 35 + 35 = 274 seats.

If Left insists that Manmohan, Pranab and Rahul are not acceptable, then Congress may prop up Sharad Pawar.

If NCP's Sharad Pawar throws in the hat then he will attract the support of UPA + Mulayam + Laloo + Naveen Patnaik + Chiranjeevi + AIADMK + JD + Left + Shiv Sena = 174 + 29 + 6 + 5 + 6 + 30 + 5 + 35 + 16 = 306.

Meanwhile, if nothing works out NDA will be called.

NDA can make it with Chandrababu, AIADMK & Mayawati. Their seat count together will be 269 seats.

Conclusion: Expect a UPA-supported coalition. Sonia will prefer Sharad Pawar over Pranab Mukherjee. So you might just see Sharad as the PM.

2009 Elections Forecast: Small parties hold the key

2009-03-29T16:56:00.002+05:30

As per my take, the smaller parties hold the key for the next coalition. It's neither the BJP nor the Congress. Perhaps the next government won't be called NDA or UPA. It will be a hotch-potch under some other name. May be with a dark horse from NDA or UPA as the PM. Here's what the small parties will end up getting:

AIADMK + PMK = 25
AGP (Assam Gana Parishad) = 5
Akali Dal = 5
BJD (Naveen Patnaik's) = 6
BSP (Mayawati's) = 44
Chautala = 5
Deve Gowda's Janata Dal = 5
JMM (Jharkand Mukti Morcha) = 4
Kerala Small Parties = 4
Lalu + Ram Bilas = 12
Left Front = 35
Mulayam's Samajwadis = 24
Nitish Kumar's JDU = 16
North Eastern Parties = 5
Omar Abdullah = 4
Praja Rajyam = 5
Sharad Pawar's NCP = 6
Shiv Sena = 16
TDP + TRS = 14
Trinamool = 7
Vijaykanth = 2

TOTAL = 247

Now isn't that a shocker? 50% of India's Lok Sabha will be occupied by smaller parties. It's never happened before. It will happen in 2009.

2009 Election Analysis: Third Front & BJP face dead heat.

2009-03-29T15:58:00.003+05:30

For ease of calculation, I have classified TDP + Left + AIADMK + Deve Gowda's Party + BSP + Naveen Patnaik + PMK as Third Front. But Mayawati, TDP, AIADMK & Deve Gowda may not necessarily be with the Third Front, post elections. So bear that in mind. My forecast is Mayawati will do very well. Jaya will do decently. Chandrababu & Deve Gowda won't. Naveen will rue breaking up with BJP. West India will be a complete wipe out for the Third Front. Au contraire, South will be a romp for Third Front. Overall, Third Front might just end up with the same number of seats as BJP.

NORTH - 44/126
Uttar Pradesh - 44/80
Uttar Khand - 0/5
Punjab - 0/13
Chandigarh - 0/1
Himachal - 0/4
Haryana - 0/10
Delhi - 0/7
J&K - 0/6

WEST - 0/143
Maharashtra - 0/48
Goa - 0/2
Daman - 0/1
Dadra Nagar - 0/1
Madhya Pradesh - 0/29
Chattisgarh - 0/11
Rajasthan - 0/25
Gujarat - 0/26

SOUTH - 51/131
Kerala - 6/20
Karnataka - 5/28
Tamil Nadu - 25/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 14/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1

EAST - 35/143
Bihar - 0/40
Jharkand - 0/14
West Bengal - 28/42
Orissa - 6/21
Assam - 0/14
Arunachal - 0/2
Tripura - 1/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 0/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 0/1
Sikkim - 0/1

TOTAL - 130/543

2009 Election Forecast: Congress will hold ground

2009-03-20T17:11:00.005+05:30

The biggest slowdown India has ever seen is here. But the rudderless BJP is just not able to exploit it to create an anti-incumbency wave strong enough to dislodge the congress. My estimation is congress should end up with 143 seats, more or less same as last time. Not at all a bad performance by any standards. And by emerging as the single largest party, congress is better placed to form a coalition...

NORTH - 18/126
Uttar Pradesh - 4/80
Uttar Khand - 1/5
Punjab - 5/13
Chandigarh - 0/1
Himachal - 1/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 3/7
J&K - 1/6

WEST - 48/143
Maharashtra - 8/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 0/1
Dadra Nagar - 0/1
Madhya Pradesh - 12/29
Chattisgarh - 4/11
Rajasthan - 15/25
Gujarat - 8/26

SOUTH - 46/131
Kerala - 10/20
Karnataka - 9/28
Tamil Nadu - 3/39
Pondichery - 1/1
Andhra - 22/42
Lakshadweep - 1/1

EAST - 31/143
Bihar - 0/40
Jharkand - 4/14
West Bengal - 7/42
Orissa - 12/21
Assam - 4/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 1/2
Meghalaya - 1/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 0/1
Sikkim - 0/1

TOTAL - 143/543

2009 Election Forecast: Bad News for BJP

2009-03-15T11:50:00.004+05:30

Things look grim for the BJP. As per my latest calculation, I can't see the lotus bloom in more than 130 seats. That's 8 seats lesser than 2004. Here's the statewise break-up as I see it:

NORTH - 26/126
Uttar Pradesh - 6/80
Uttar Khand - 4/5
Punjab - 3/13
Chandigarh - 1/1
Himachal - 3/4
Haryana - 3/10
Delhi - 4/7
J&K - 2/6

WEST - 72/143
Maharashtra - 18/48
Goa - 1/2
Daman - 1/1
Dadra Nagar - 1/1
Madhya Pradesh - 17/29
Chattisgarh - 7/11
Rajasthan - 9/25
Gujarat - 18/26

SOUTH - 14/131
Kerala - 0/20
Karnataka - 14/28
Tamil Nadu - 0/39
Pondichery - 0/1
Andhra - 0/42
Lakshadweep - 0/1

EAST - 26/143
Bihar - 10/40
Jharkand - 8/14
West Bengal - 0/42
Orissa - 3/21
Assam - 3/14
Arunachal - 1/2
Tripura - 0/2
Mizoram - 0/1
Manipur - 0/2
Meghalaya - 0/2
Nagaland - 0/1
Andamans - 1/1
Sikkim - 0/1

TOTAL - 130/543

For BJP to better it's performance, the only two places with scope is UP & Andhra. In both the places, I don't see any chance of an alliance happening. In fact without Vajpayee, even 6 seats in UP is a tall order. So all you BJP supporters, be prepared for the worst.

When to quit.

2009-02-20T07:26:00.001+05:30

When you start reporting to your paycheck.
When the only thing you watch at work is the clock.
When your pride asks you for a golden handshake.
When you begin sleeping with the mistresses of doubt.
When you enjoy going for a swim in a pool named self-pity.
When your fellow earthlings make you feel like an Extra Terrestrial.
When the dismal present clouds the brilliance of your glorious past.
When you want to look taller than the man in the mirror.
When your tired soul craves for a new body.
When you have one last thing to prove.

Orchard Fresh

2009-01-11T22:11:00.002+05:30

I've started blogging regularly at Orchard Fresh - India's first and only ad agency blog. Catch me there.

Pakistan's biggest problem...

2008-12-07T11:20:00.005+05:30

Pakistan's biggest problem is it has an ego disproportionate to its global stature.

The trouble with democracy...

2008-11-30T13:12:00.001+05:30

The trouble with democracy is you're forced to tolerate those who are intolerant.

Don't search...

2008-11-30T09:28:00.006+05:30

Don't search for compassion in a terrorist. It's nothing but a killing machine.

The mind has no morals...

2008-11-25T16:53:00.002+05:30

The mind has no morals. It will find a rationale for anything.

When people dream in B&W

2008-11-25T07:30:00.001+05:30

Recession is a time when people dream in Black & White.

The point of life...

2008-10-28T09:32:00.001+05:30

The point of life is to make you a better person. Not a bitter person.

New Improved Portraits

2008-10-25T16:06:00.001+05:30

My new blog. Check it out.

25th September - The day a great soul departed.

2008-09-25T09:26:00.005+05:30

Thanks for everything, pa.

2008 - The year of delicious ironies?

2008-09-22T09:53:00.004+05:30

What a year it has been. There's been major upheavals and we didn't even take note. Here's a list of events that makes me think this is the year of ironies:

• Democrats nominate a colored man as their presidential candidate.
• Republicans choose a woman as their vice-presidential candidate.
• John McCain uses Democratic planks while contesting for the Republican party.
• Capitalist America embraces the socialist tool of government bailouts.
• Communist West Bengal bends backwards to accomodate the business house Tata.
• BJP men get increasingly restless with Bajrang Dal.
• Communists and BJP get together to vote against Congress party.
• Steven Spielberg turns to Anil Ambani for moneys to fund his Hollywood flicks.
• UPA government contemplates a terror law similar to POTA (a law they once termed draconian).
• Finicky Australia declares India safe for cricket despite several bomb blasts.
• Former dictator Pervez Musharraf steps down on his own accord.
• Harbahajan Singh is dropped by BCCI for 'bad behaviour'.
• Andrew Symmonds is dropped by Cricket Australia for his 'bad behaviour'.
• US condemns Russia for its incursion into Georgia. Doesn't take any army action.

Nama Sutra

2008-08-31T16:55:00.001+05:30

Have finally found some time for my pet project. It's a blog called Nama Sutra. The intention is to make it the wikipedia of wikipedia for naming. Let's see if I achieve my goal.

Blade Pakkiri bites again

2008-07-15T22:44:00.002+05:30

In a brand new 1-panel comic strip format. 1 kadi, daily. Here's the spanking new logo. Created by Gopi of 1pointsize.

Stories of Bravery

2008-07-08T07:20:00.005+05:30

When the chicken joined the army.
When the snail ran the marathon.
When the beggar went dutch.
When the plagiarist lusted for an award.
When the traitor married for trust.

an observation

2008-06-29T19:34:00.003+05:30

there are 3 types of people: givers, takers and givers & takers.
the givers, give. for the love of it.
the takers, take. out of insecurity.
the givers & takers, trade. with a profit motive.

A Thousand Whats

2008-06-28T08:02:00.002+05:30

My new philosophy blog. It's called thousand whats. I am writing it as a serial conversation with myself using rhetoric. Check it out.

K7 Radio Spots

2008-06-14T23:18:00.003+05:30

Here are some tamil radio spots I did at Orchard for K7 Total Security (an anti-virus, & -spyware software). I dunno if it was aired. See if you like it...

Fillogical

2008-05-30T16:47:00.002+05:30

I've heard people crib that my games are a tad too complicated. So here's my attempt at creating a simple game. It's called Fillogical. And all it requires is a little logic!

Cryptickler

2008-05-25T10:52:00.002+05:30

If you are into cracking codes, I have a new game for you. It's called Cryptickler and it's about using a code key to unravel a hidden message.

Knock Knock...Knocktopus is here...

2008-05-11T08:45:00.004+05:30

A new game.

From me.

Where you get 8 clues to unravel a theme.

Here's a sample puzzle:

Clue-1: Line

Clue-2: 2B

Clue-3: Mad Radium

Clue-4: Italian Goddesses

Clue-5: Klingon Proverb

Clue-6: 70s Soul Band

Clue-7: Ten

Clue-8: Game of Death

For the solution, go there.

Republic of Anantha

2008-05-11T08:43:00.001+05:30

A new blog.

From me.

Where I laugh at myself.

And the world.

the essence of life

2008-05-08T07:47:00.002+05:30

life is the great filter.

you start with a lot of relatives, friends, acquaintances, colleagues and associates.

you have all kinds of experiences.

you face so many choices.

you suffer very many times.

and in the end.

you realise.

No rain today

2008-05-07T19:05:00.006+05:30

All the sadness in this world await my tears
The dark clouds gather, the thunder claps with glee
Misery fervently hopes for a downpour
Anguish has begun its prayer to the rain gods
Self pity looks at the weather forecast
And despair leaves in despair

introducing distart

2008-03-30T16:31:00.003+05:30

take an existing piece of art and digitally distort it. that's distart for you. i discovered this technique 7 years ago. never got to explore it. this year, i've decided to give it a shot. my attempt will be to interpret famous ads using distart. here's my decoding of the ps2 ad. i've named it, 'psychodelic'.

For more such pieces, visit my new blog - distartist.

the trivia man

2008-03-15T23:09:00.001+05:30

he saw a wounded soldier
and counted the number of wounds

Lunch with a Cannibal

2008-03-03T21:44:00.003+05:30

I feed-off Boredom.
Boredom feeds on me.

my 6-word memoir

2008-02-11T22:39:00.000+05:30

parched waters of the drunken sea.

Who is this Punch Pandava?

2007-12-30T15:40:00.000+05:30

Get this widget

Track details

eSnips Social DNA

to listen to more of his pearls, visit my new blog.

Hillary Tee

2007-12-30T11:25:00.000+05:30

Obama Tee

2007-12-30T11:18:00.000+05:30

Republican Tee

2007-12-30T11:05:00.001+05:30

Primaries Tee

2007-12-30T10:55:00.001+05:30

Democratic Partee

2007-12-30T10:22:00.000+05:30

Computer Virus Tee

2007-12-29T16:54:00.001+05:30

Party Animal Tee

2007-12-29T16:37:00.001+05:30

doodlebhai arrives

2007-12-23T23:52:00.001+05:30

i've always had this itch to start cartoon strips. lack of doodling skills and talent were the only two stumbling blocks that held me back. but now the advent of toondoo has inspired me to new depths. so i've turned doodlebhai. see if you like my new avatar.

A Star's Tee

2007-12-16T18:48:00.000+05:30

Philosophical Tee

2007-12-16T18:28:00.000+05:30

Zippo Tee

2007-12-16T18:27:00.001+05:30

Font Lover's Tee

2007-12-16T17:59:00.000+05:30

France Tourist Tee

2007-12-16T17:53:00.000+05:30

my logo for lucifer labs

2007-11-25T10:47:00.001+05:30

finally got the time to create my own logo for lucifer labs. the yawning devil is my graphic mnemonic for my lovechild.

Physicist Tee

2007-11-24T09:36:00.001+05:30

Batsman Tee

2007-11-24T09:18:00.001+05:30

Astrology Tee

2007-11-24T08:55:00.001+05:30

Arabic Artee Fartee

2007-11-11T16:02:00.000+05:30

Psychedelic Artee Fartee

2007-11-11T14:53:00.001+05:30

Chakra Artee Fartee

2007-11-11T14:22:00.000+05:30

Ripples Artee Fartee

2007-11-10T23:24:00.001+05:30

Optical Illusion Artee Fartee

2007-11-10T23:04:00.001+05:30

Gears Artee Fartee

2007-11-10T17:37:00.001+05:30