For the Month of August 2008

Olympics: Oh!!!! Great Opening Ceremony. Very good Pyrotechnics, Fireworks display was very excellent eventhough some where stage managed, in the sense, for the television viewers, old fireworks display which was tested at the time of rehersals were shown. When we talk of China, it will not be without controversies!!!!!!! Like they told that nearly 58 ethnic groups of china were represented - but in reality ethnic minorities like Tibets and other were not represented by the ethnic people!!!!!!!!! But it was a great show put up by the chinese, they didn't left any stone unturned to make sure that this was one of the great olympics opening ceremony and wanted to show to the world that they have arrived onto the big stage. Because of communist regime and human rights violations, china was loathed upon by the so called western democratic countries and that too with the problem in the Tibet Region and all the confusions surrounding the Torch Lit run for the olympics. Hats off to Chinese for pulling out a real good show. In every Olympics opening ceremony - that too in recent memories.. Every time every country want to upstage the previous country in lighting the olympic torch in the Opening Ceremony - China did it in a very novel way.

What an Olympics for Phelphs!!!!!!!! Eight Golds in single olympics. Truly a Great Olympian. A versatile olympian who did the country USA proud and also to the olympic movement itself. With his torso built for the swimming - nearly reaching 17/18 inches at full arm stretch - a great physical beauty. A great achievement by Phelps is all the Medals are won in Record time - 7 in WR and 1 in OR. Winning the gold in 100M breast stroke by one hundredth of a second - just because of his reach and lunge he touched the touch pad. Another greatness is - the amount of strokes he does which is very much lesser than a normal swimmerand the amount of time he covers underwater - after he dives into the pool. All that has not come easily - he spends nearly 7-8 hours training and does 17 kms running and swimming daily. He does training on all days even on christmas day. His head works like a computer - if he says he wants to do a race in this time - he does it. All in all in early childhood he has been told that he is having an attention deficiency syndrome - so hyperactive that teachers told his mother that he is 'useless'. His present coach put him in water - now the whole world is amazed at this achievement.

Usain Bolt: Thunder Bolt in 100 M and 200 M - Both winning in World Record. USofA is nowhere to seen in this races. In Olympics, 100M is widely watched event, and always America used to hog the limelight. This time a small country has overshown every other country. REALLY AN ASTOUNDING RUN.

Basketball: Another event dominated by USofA. Greatly anticipated event in this olympics. Team USA till now has shown the world that last olympics was a non-issue. Great show put by millionaire sportsmen like Kobe, Lebron etc., Great match and great play by the dream team.

Football: Another enigma - Brazil lost to argentina in the semis - but as a saving grace won the bronze. Olympics Football is one of the sports where Brazil has not won the top honours. 5 Time world champions.....

Gymnastics: Another grand show by the Chinese. But controversy looms large with the two of chinese gymnasts are under age - less than the stipulated age of 16. This was revealed by the Chinese Paper. IOC is investigating the Matter.

All in all a grand show of Sports. Chinese are coming out top of the list of gold medal winners. USA is the leader in total medals tally. GB is doing a great show over its arch-rival in sports - Aussies.

India has atlast won a Individual Gold Medal. Abhinav Bindra , a great show. A self-made winner not by the System. He has the money and full family support - his father can afford it. He did the nation and his family very proud. Hats OFF to Abhinav Bindra. At the same not to overlook the effort vijender kumar and sashikumar for winning the bronze medals in Boxing and Wrestiling respectively. Truly an outstanding achievement. Hats off to them also.

Now to the favourite sport of India: Cricket.
India lost the series to Srilanka. Disappointing show by the 'FAB Four'. Question Marks are being asked against them. People are becoming very finicky when coming to sports and have forgotten the Past deeds - we don't need to go a year back or so, just 3 monts ago the same fab four shown how to fight agains Aussies. Now the same fab four is questioned. Yes, they played very badly, it is because of lack of preparation. It is a lesson learnt by them. One day series, started very badly but Dhoni and his team has shown character and class by destroying the lankans in the same way.

Tennis: This olympics blog would not be completed if no word is told regarding Tennis event. IT has been billed as the top class competition equalling Grand Slam Tournament sans the million dollar prize money. Pride was at his wanton peak. Federer Vs Nadal - Ohh what a competition all played in Great Olympic Spirit. In the end won by new super start of Tennis - Rafael Nadal. Federer - FedEx - lost in the quarterfinals. Questions are asked - whether Fedex in Decline. Seems to be so, but he is only 27 !!!!!. But the fear has gone to the opposing players. Now federer as a name doesn't give butterflies to the opponents. He is not feared anymore. He redeemed himself by winning the Bronze Medal.

Politics: J&K is burning. What is Delhi doing it - one thing is sure, it is not putting out the fire. Jammu people under the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti are playing to the Separatists hands. And Separatists in Kashmir are putting oil to the fire and enjoying their day. Delhi is watching silently. Hurriyat is gaining lost ground and ISI, now with pakistan politics under some trouble , are doing whatever they can so that the situation can remain in this dangerous situation. Who is to blame for this : Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, or Delhi (for all its negligence - congress has to take much blame), Kashmir Separatists or Pakistan ISI.. Elections - that too two - J&K state elections and National elections are round the corner and all the political parties are playing around that. PDP the main culprit in this drama. NC looking and remaining silent.

End: Now back in Abu Dhabi for next sojourn. Will be here for a month. It is still very hot in this part of the world. Good News, shifted to a new office, much spacier, more grandeur. But Journey to the office is longer - shifted to Musaffah. It is about 30 kms away from the Abu Dhabi Centre. But because of the roads are in great condition - 6 lanes , we are reaching office in 25 minutes. Imagine the same in chennai - ohhhhh it would be a pathetic.