Since I did do a international inbound flight after the incident I thought my experience will clarify somethings

Pre-flight

• There are additional screening processes after Dec 25th. These are 2 stage process which happens at the jet bridge. They are cabin baggage checks and pat-downs.
• It seems most airlines did not factor into this account, and hence most inbound flights left gate 30-90mins late.
• Consequence of this additional measure is if you are having a connection to an inbound US flight, make sure you have 2hrs+ of connection time.
• Only 1 cabin baggage was allowed in some airlines. Either laptop bag or cabin bag. Some airlines had sense to waive checkin fees. Check with your airlines

In flight

• You are allowed to access electronics 30mins after takeoff. It does not look like TSA rule but some airlines decided to impose it.
• You do not have access to cabin luggage and restrooms 1hr before landing. Again, not sure if TSA rule but saw it widely implemented across most airlines
• Pillows and Blankets should be not be placed on the lap. It should be stowed away underneath the seat in the last hour of the flight.
• Electronics were actually allowed during the journey. I used my laptop, iphone, inflight entertainment for most part of my inflight boredom.
• No credit card calls can be made in-flight. ( I still need to see an idiot who can afford such an expensive phone call from the sky)
• In flight entertainment would be terminated 1hour before the flight. (again no reference to TSA rules)

Arrival

• We did see a sniffer dog posted. Not sure if it was sniffing out just-arrived-damn-tired passengers

So in a nutshell:

• Nobody (including airline) is clear about new measures.
• Airlines do go overboard sometimes.
• Arrive 2hrs early for US inbound international flight.
• Account for late arrival of US inbound flights when making connections.
• Check in as much as you can.
• Keep checking TSA website for updated info.

[ This post is not deriding arranged marriage but rather the customary practices involved in it..So dont post your love marriage option in the comments ]

I am yet another idiot who believed in roots and shoots when you are in new different world. I have changed, so do my generation but what the heck, society (well , I am referring to one down south of Vindhyas) doesnt.

Here is the list of rules for this match making game.

• Nice photos are necessary, if possible do a tummy tuck or skin grafts
• Expectation from the society overrules the expectation from you.
• Be sharp – you may get only once chance to talk/know the prospect before you decide. 
• You will be judged by parameters beyond your limits or concern. So you are f@#ked
• Tall, educated and handsome – choose 2
• You are valued not by your golden character but gold and caret.
• Circle of love life should stay within boundaries of caste and creed.

If you find your options are limited, you are wrong , its severely limited. It looks more like blind marriage due to conformance to mindless customs rather than arranged marriage. It not I-hate-parents post but rather sorry for their hesistance to step up and break out the customs and their conformance. Everyone who plays the role wants a change in practices  - parents, prospects , pandits ..but none wants to be the first ..we are Indians you know.

• Some indians do strive hard to show their FOB status. A bunch of apartments here started tying up clothline in patios and drying out their garments including inner garments.  I know it is eco-friendly habit but I dont want to see your bras, panties, oh yeah lungis and rupa banians hanging outside our beautiful apartment. People, please contribute $1 to your dryer and dry your clothes there. I remember seeing an apartment rule against this clothline act.
• We got introduced to an old and cranky system called arranged marriage. Though I am ok with the system as a whole, there are some practices and customs which makes me go nuts.
• Why would parents wouldn’t allow prospect to talk over phone/IM.  Reports in Chennai found an answer – society is not mature enough. Not sure why it happens in tail end of India – broadband is available but not the broad-minded band. 
• Why the heck caste and sub-caste are doing rounds still when Indian law legalises gay marriages. Shouldn’t religion and mother tongue be enough for today. Not sure if people living around still knew the real purpose of caste. I still dont know what my caste stands for and I dont care what it stands for today.
• It has been almost 18months when I started worrying about the economy and the end is no where in sight. NASDAQ has mood swings everyday and there is my own wonderful BSE SENSEX which goes up for no reason. Any online forum these days have more racists comments.  I have to hang on to my dear job with a Damocles sword hanging over.

There were people running in the arms of loved ones. People waving bye on soulful depart. Worried children scanning for their ever-present mom’s face. Travelers panicing to get into the gate at the last possible moment. Fathers cursing the info displays on teasing with ever present gate change. Young turks fuming on getting bumped off. Families moaning on delayed departure signs. And there is me , watching like one among the many camera just to get one glimpse of some hottie walking down the terminal like her own ramp, to make my day shine brighter. (Not much these days…I believe girls have scaled down their makeup due to recession)

Why I am blogging this because I came across MLTR’s song “Take me to your heart”

• Establish National Intelligence Group governing and combining all national, security and state-wide intelligence. This org would have direct liason with all international agencies
• Increase NSG stations across 4 major metros with immediate effect. 6 major cities in 12months times. And to all state capitals within 2years time.
• Increase NSG strength as this is the force which is going to be used often than army, navy and airforce.
• Establish Director of Operations under National Intelligence Group. This is for all covert ops. It is easy for me to hit on specific targets rather than moving the armed forces for war/battle. You think the world is going to care if 10 commandoes carried a covert op killing 10 terrorists outside India.
• Initiate a clearly formulated media policy on what to report, how to report (how many times to report) and what not to report. Make sure they understand the consequences for not adhering to the policy.
• Initiate a national Crisis Management Group to oversee natural (tsunami) and man-made crisis. Chain-of-Command, media and public interface, accountability will be part of the group. Everyone needs to be accountable , including me, and punitive action should not be limited to firing the people from the position.
• Ask Election Commision to put stringent conditions for anyone going to hold key posts like PM, Home Minister and Defence Minister. A career stint in Armed forces, Foreign affairs would do good. I don’t want 100% neta to be holding key posts. They will jeopardise more at the hour of crisis. Also enact 49-O policy giving people the right to refuse the choice of candidates.
• Start a coaching class for all ministers and politicians on the following topics

     How to muster political will.
     How to stop blaming and start working.
     How to build national wealth than your wealth.
     How to take security seriously.
     Effective letter writing for apologising and resigning

Happy Travels

mangoes, vacations, lazy afternoons, cricket, tv, cinema, beach, grandma, chennai central, tinkle – chandamama, uncles, cousins, umlimited sleep, board games.

But soon, as you grow you take garbage. With hectic work I lost track of months, seasons. Work occupied so much in life, I feel I am overheated machine. Calls have dropped so much, I rarely pick up a personal call. Family and friends have been distanced.

Admist of all the dull trappings and mundane chores, you find amusing about some girl in Dubai (http://curiously-curious.blogspot.com) ranting about something or some tid-bit story from an unknown guy in Europe(http://prabhukrish.net/category/he-she) or a similar ranting from another girl (http://thotprocess.wordpress.com/) .

What one comic book gave smiles, now one blog may give. If you are still thinking WTF is this about..this is about how ranting, gossiping and bitching is turned into an art called Blogging. After all everyone wants to be heard.

And if not for the bitching of above and innumerable personal blogs in my RSS reader, I would have be gone as a hermit long back.

• A person who repeats every word you told to him, to you again.
• A friend who wants to scan his a@# over my scanner
• Guys who can sit and watch all the re-re-runs of B4U with same interest.
• Another so worried about the distance to nearest gas pump when he is yet to buy his car.

For those guys I dedicate the following haiku

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Monkeys like you
should be in zoo

 - Found in college toilet