Mein aur meri Tanhayee

2011 Cricket World Cup Champions - INDIA

2011-04-02T12:56:00.000-06:00

When the night has come, And the land is dark...

2007-11-13T14:53:00.001-07:00

Dedicated to You Know Who ...

#1 R&B and #4 Top 40 hit from 1961
Re-released in 1986 for the movie of the same name and hit #9 on the Top 40 charts

Song: Stand By Me (1961)
Artist: Ben E King
Lyrics:

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see

No, I won't be afraid,
No, I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand,
Stand by me.

So darling darling, stand by me, oh, stand by me,
Oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me.

If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Or the Mountain should crumble in the sea,

I won't cry,
I won't cry,
No I won't shed a tear.
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.

So ,darling, darling, stand by me, oh, stand by me
Oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me.

John, Johnny, Janardan - SRK style

2007-10-24T10:00:00.000-06:00

Making of the song Deewangi from the latest blockbuster from the team of ShahRukh Khan and Farah Khan - Om Shanti Om where they bring together 31 of the biggest stars from the Indian film industry in one song.

The Last Lecture ...

2007-10-15T18:36:00.004-06:00

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer, gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his whole life, his perspectives and things he has learned and seen, and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

It's highly inspiring....and there's lots of intelligent talk. He is pretty smart too!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=362421849901825950

The video can also be downloaded from his site (255MB).
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Here's a clip from an appearance by Randy Pausch on Oprah

Here's an article by Bob Evans of InformationWeek. Do we nurture creativity and enthusiasm, or squash it?

Mute button for email?

2007-10-03T21:08:00.000-06:00

Official Gmail Blog: “M” is for…mute:

Just like you, I get a lot of email. Much of it requires my reply, some is simply FYI, and some is the result of overactive mailing lists, like the one for Google’s San Francisco commuters. I take the shuttle to work, so I need to stay on top of announcements about route and schedule changes. But when there’s an alert about a route on the other side of the city, or a co-worker’s comment spurs a long thread about bus etiquette, I use the “m” shortcut key to mute the conversation and spare my inbox. As new messages are added to the same conversation, they bypass my inbox. If someone puts my email address directly on the To: or cc: line, the conversation immediately re-appears; otherwise, irrelevant messages sent to the mailing list are archived. That way I can refer back to them when I really need to find out about changes to the route when there’s a Monday night game at the 49ers stadium, or want to revisit the debate about dogs on the bus. To use the “m” shortcut key, first click “Settings” in the top right corner of Gmail and select the option “Keyboard shortcuts on.” Then, when you’re reading a conversation you want to mute, just press “m.”

This sounds awesome, but will I ever use it?

Indian Idol Final moments

2007-09-25T12:38:00.000-06:00

Munnabhai Sanjay Dutt does the Sri Ganesh of Voting lines on Indian Idol.

Here are the final moments as the results were announced by John Abraham. Too much drama for my liking. I was pissed since Emon got voted out anyways.

Wash Instructions

2007-09-05T14:44:00.001-06:00

Funny Impressions

2007-08-28T12:23:00.000-06:00

This is Hilarious. Watch especially for the Seinfeld (in detail below), Robert De Niro and Robin Williams bits.

Frank Caliendo does every Seinfeld character

Pablo Francisco with the Movie Preivews' voice

India’s answer to John and Paul...

2007-07-30T12:33:00.000-06:00

Richard Hobson at Times Online

If the India middle order are the equivalent of the Fab Four, then their latest album was a worthy, three-star affair. There was no easy genius of Eleanor Rigby or ground-breaking shift of Sergeant Pepper. But it had enough to satisfy fans, who will feel confident of finishing in the No 1 position by the end of the second npower Test.

A stand between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly is the same as a Lennon/McCartney collaboration. Tendulkar is Paul: melodic, clean-cut and brilliant in an orthodox fashion. He needed only to wink and give a thumbs-up on completing his half-century for the comparison to be complete.

Ganguly is John, a hero, if not of the working class. He, too, loves nothing more than to sneer at authority.

That leaves Rahul Dravid and V. V. S. Laxman to fight for the George Harrison role. Neither would appreciate being cast as Ringo Starr – though the much-maligned drummer’s finest moment of Octopus’s Garden, with its couplet “I’d like to be/Under the sea”, can now be reassessed as a prophetic insight into life after global warming.

After the criticism that followed the near-defeat at Lord’s, these chastened batsmen must have longed for yesterday. They scored 261 runs between them, 63 more than the entire England XI in the first innings. Suddenly the idea of tearing up the record deal to make space for younger artists seems to be somewhat out of key.

Greg Chappell, the former coach, tried and briefly succeeded in dropping Ganguly from his playlist, citing musical differences. That is one reason why he is a former coach. John Wright, his predecessor, had the right idea, avoiding battles that he could not win and unleashing frustration on the pages of his private diaries instead.

One newspaper yesterday carried a report about Shane Warne helping England by offering his thoughts on young players. He has been doing this for years, in an informal way, but he probably did Ganguly a favour last week by suggesting that the former captain represented the weakest link in the batting lineup.

With a pointed retort that would have impressed Lennon, Ganguly answered suggestions of weakness against the short-pitched ball by hooking Chris Tremlett for six. To underline his superiority, he then made the bowler wait before he had admired his own shot on the big-screen replay.

Things were more tricky at the other end. Tendulkar managed to score from only three of the 48 balls he faced in Ryan Sidebottom’s first spell, a ratio that he would not have been allowed earlier in his career. Batsmen, like musicians, move with the times; even Bob Dylan is in the process of being remixed as rap.

Nobody has accused Tendulkar, unlike his partner, of being awkward. Nobody has accused him of much, other than being past his best as a batsman. Even then it is couched in favourable terms because he is considered too nice for full-on criticism. Any Frog Chorus moments – a lax shot here and there – are lamented with a quiet shake of the head.

Eighteen years on from his Test debut, Tendulkar can no more bat with the freedom that enabled him to score 177 on the same Trent Bridge stage in 1996 than McCartney can write another Penny Lane. The question that should be asked is not whether these people are as good as they were, but whether they are still good enough.

The audience and marketing men clearly think that they are. According to one Ganguly website, calling itself “the home of the Bengal tiger”, he at present has 16 commercial endorsements, while a section of tributes presents a never-ending list of accolades from the great and the good of cricket, Bollywood and family.

It is a curious roll-call where Steve Waugh and Nasser Hussain mix alongside Sunil Shetty and Dona Ganguly, who says of her husband: “He is a nice person, though he is a bit quiet.” The suggestion of timidity may surprise those who credit Ganguly with giving India the aggression that enabled them to beat Waugh’s Australia.

Nevertheless, this must amount to a farewell tour. India are not due back here until 2011, and even their own board, with a capacity for filling every spare day with a concert of some sort, will go easy on their commitments from now on. The ICC World Twenty20 in September is to proceed without Tendulkar and Ganguly. Let it be.

New "Last Supper" theory ...

2007-07-28T16:08:00.000-06:00

A new theory that Leonardo's "Last Supper" might hide within it a depiction of Christ blessing the bread and wine has triggered so much interest that Web sites connected to the picture have crashed. It is already the focus of speculation after author Dan Brown based his "The Da Vinci Code" book around the painting, arguing in the novel that Jesus married his follower, Mary Magdelene, and fathered a child.

Now Slavisa Pesci, an information technologist and amateur scholar, says superimposing the "Last Supper" with its mirror-image throws up another picture containing a figure who looks like a Templar knight and another holding a small baby.

In the superimposed version, a figure on Christ's left appears to be cradling a baby in its arms, Pesci said, but he made no suggestion this could be Christ's child. Judas, whose imminent betrayal of Christ is the force breaking the right-hand line of the original fresco, appears in an empty space on the left in the reverse image version. Pesci also suggests that the superimposed version shows a goblet before Christ and illustrates when Christ blessed bread and wine at a supper with his disciples for the first Eucharist.

The original Da Vinci depicts Christ when he predicts that one among them will betray him.

Here's a attempt to see this by Australian News.

Nice Review of Harry Potter 7

2007-07-26T12:44:00.000-06:00

MTV News' Potter expert says spoilers don't matter: Rowling's masterful storytelling is what counts - 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows': Sad And Satisfying

The Visitor

2007-07-12T07:59:00.001-06:00

A nice forward...

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors - Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind. Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing. I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?...
. .
. . .
. . .
.
. . .
. . .
. . We just call him, "TV."

* *Note: This should be required reading for every household in America!**

He has a wife now....We call her "Computer."

Mauli Dave, Texas, on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge

2007-07-10T18:42:00.000-06:00

Superb performance by Mauli Dave from Texas on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007. The reaction of the celeb judges (after the first stanza) says it all! Vishal, Shekhar look like signing her right away.

Other fabulous Sa Re Ga Ma Pa performances

Karle Pyaar Kar Le

Albela Sajan

Average performance - Soniye

Yeh Waada Raha pop

Here are a few other of her performances clips:-

Live with Band Sargam:

Beedi

Baahon Mein Chale Aaoo

Kaisi Paheli

Lag Ja Gale

Aarti

Vande Mataram

Russell Peters with a difference

2007-06-21T13:28:00.000-06:00

There is absolutely no doubt that Russell Peters is FUNNY. Here's a slightly serious video that I found on his claim to fame - YouTube.

An interview/bio on Russell Peters that aired on CBC's The National the week of May 30th, 2006 - in three parts.

Dil hum hum kare ...

2007-06-20T07:49:00.000-06:00

When I first saw this, I thought it was a Fevicol ad. But it is pretty funny.

Kevin Pietersen…playing golf?

2007-06-16T13:16:00.000-06:00

Nice Video of Kevin Pietersen…playing golf or so it seems.

Indian Idol initial rounds clip

2007-06-14T09:23:00.000-06:00

I agree. The twins were pretty good. The rest of the clip is good too.

Sonia with a twist

2007-06-14T09:10:00.000-06:00

Pretty good attempt at recreating Hrithik and Kareena in You are my Sonia by American students.

Ford vs Emburey - Who should coach Team India?

2007-06-09T13:03:00.000-06:00

Most articles and experts have already ruled in favor of Ford for the job of coach of Indian Cricket Team. Here's a scathing article on why it shouldn't be Emburey or why he was even short-listed.

I agree with the sentiment but disagree with the over-criticizing tone of the article. Ford will probably be the choice. Emburey may or may not be a good coach but I think that he would not fit with what the Indians currently need. I think India need the aggression of an Aussie. Also, the reason for disqualifying Whatmore (who will probably be going to Pakistan like Moody went to Sri Lanka last time around after India preferred Chappell) was not justified. It's interesting to note that Sri Lanka are going after Aussie state coaches and India after English county coaches. I think it was purely because Gavaskar doesnt like Whatmore or doesn't like Australians in general. He was the one who came up with Emburey since there had to be some nominal competition to the players' choice.

At some point in the future rebuilding phase we should look at getting Wright and/or Shastri back, probably after all the big stars have retired after the next world cup.

Dallas Maverick Dirk Nowitzki is NBA's MVP

2007-05-15T14:54:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the Mavericks' first-round playoff failure shouldn't taint all that Nowitzki and his team accomplished from November to April, but it has and it will forever. Dirk Nowitzki, 2007 NBA MVP, will always be the first-ever No. 1 seed bowing to an 8-seed in a best-of-7 series. Does he deserve to be MVP? I think so.

Excellent article by By Warren Blatt

Because the Dallas Mavericks had a disappointing showing in the playoffs, questions regarding Dirk Nowitzki's selection as the NBA's MVP have started to pop up. But, the fact remains it is an award based on the regular season, not the postseason.

Granted, Nowitzki did not come through in the first round of the playoffs for the Mavericks, who were stunningly eliminated by Golden State in six games. Once again, playoff performances do not figure into the voting for the NBA's awards.

The Mavericks finished the 2006-07 campaign with a league- and franchise-best 67-15 record. They were the top seed in the Western Conference and owned home- court advantage throughout the postseason. Unfortunately for Dallas, the eighth-seeded Warriors were hot and proved to be a bad matchup.

A six-time All-Star, Nowitzki led the Mavericks in scoring (24.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg) in 78 games during the regular season. He dished out a career-best 3.4 assists per game and shot 50.2 percent from the floor, including an impressive 41.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 90.4 percent from the charity stripe.

There is no doubt that Nowitzki was the top player for the best team in the league, but the emergence of fellow All-Star Josh Howard and the solid play of Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry did have a huge impact on Dallas' success.

The 28-year-old Nowitzki was the focus of the opposition's game plan, as teams concentrated on him defensively, which made life on the court easier for Harris, Howard, Stackhouse and Terry. Nowitzki, who was 10th in the NBA in scoring and 11th in rebounding, saw a double-team virtually every time he touched the ball.

Did the seven-foot Nowitzki deserve to take home MVP honors? Was he the most valuable player for his team during the regular season?

The answer is yes, with an interesting theory. While Nowitzki's buddy, Steve Nash, again had an incredible year, the fact remains he was not going to be the first player since Larry Bird (1984-86) to win the award three straight years. Wilt Chamberlain (1966-68) and Bill Russell (1961-63) are the only other players to win the MVP three straight years.

A third straight MVP would have put Nash into super-elite status. Is he a Hall of Famer? Probably, but not among the greatest to ever play the game.

Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player of all-time and a six-time NBA champion, won the MVP five times (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998), while Magic Johnson captured the honor three times (1987, 1989, 1990). Jordan and Johnson never took home the honor three straight years.

Nash, who finished second in this year's voting, averaged 18.6 points and a league-best 11.6 assists in 76 games for the Phoenix Suns, who finished 61-21 during the campaign and captured their third straight Pacific Division title. The 6-3 Nash is the best pure point guard in the league and makes all of his teammates better because of his incredible play-making ability.

Don't argue Kobe Bryant or LeBron James this year. Obviously, Bryant and James are two of the best players in the NBA, but their teams did not have the success that Dallas or Phoenix enjoyed this past season. Tim Duncan had a great year for San Antonio, but there was a reason Dallas finished nine games ahead of the Spurs in the Southwest Division standings.

A strong argument can be made for Nash. The Santa Clara product did it all again for the Suns, but was he really going to receive the award for a third straight year?

The fact is that Nowitzki was the best player for the team with the most wins during the regular season.

If the Mavericks finished with the same amount of wins as the Suns, maybe Nash would have hoisted his third straight MVP trophy. But because of Dallas' incredible regular season, Nowitzki deservedly got the nod over his best friend.

Is it a hollow feeling following the playoff disaster? Probably. But, again, it is a regular season honor and he was the best during the regular season.

Bula, Ilikena Bula

2007-05-15T13:39:00.000-06:00

Surely, the longest last name in Cricket history. Cricinfo's player page solemnly records that Mr Bula's full name was "Ilikena Lasarusa Talebulamainavaleniveivakabulaimainakulalakebalau", which is 49 letters. It was probably very good news for the scorers that he didn't mind being abbreviated. Apparently his name means "returned alive from Nankula hospital at Lakemba island in the Lau group". Bula played nine matches now recognised as first-class, on two tours of New Zealand with the Fijians - in 1947-48 and 1953-54. He scored two centuries, one on each tour, against Canterbury both times. According to our records Bula is still alive at 85.

Funny Indian comedian - Ali Rizvi in Canada

2007-05-11T15:27:00.000-06:00

Stand Up comedy clip of comedian Ali Rizvi performing from the critically acclaimed Nubian Disciples of Pryor Night at Yuk Yuk's Toronto.

Sony vs Motorola, Hrithik vs Abhishek

2007-05-07T16:12:00.000-06:00

I think Hrithik has the moves and the punch line but Abhishek's ad is funnier and creates a lasting impression

High-tech Comfort

2007-05-07T15:43:00.000-06:00

Did some one mention high-tech comfort for the bed-room?

Big B, Tabu in Cheeni Kum

2007-05-07T15:12:00.001-06:00

One movie I am looking forward to is Cheeni Kum which stars the inimitable Big B and the brilliant Tabu. (Namesake deserves an award!) I am pretty sure Paresh Rawal will also be brilliant.

Update:
Cheeni Kum will be premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 21st May which would be followed by another premiere in London on 22nd May, and then another premiere on 24th May in Mumbai. I really hope the movie lives up to its hype as its not often you see Tabu and Big B sharing screen time together!

Google = MCP ?

2007-05-07T14:45:00.000-06:00

There was an argument at work about women not inventing anything useful. In an attempt to prove the men wrong some one suggested Googling "She invented" only to have ask Did you mean "He invented" !

This sucks...

2007-05-07T14:41:00.000-06:00

Sad, but true. Customer Service reps like "Kris" are giving outsourcing and India a bad name !

ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 ends ...

2007-04-30T09:33:00.000-06:00

Retirement of Glenn McGrath:
"A wicket off his last ball in Test cricket and his penultimate ball in ODIs, a 5-0 Ashes triumph in his last Test series and a World Cup win in his last ODI appearance, coupled with the Player of the Tournament ... Glenn McGrath bows out of international cricket on an incredible high."

Here's a list of some glorious and not so glorious (minnow) careers that ended at the ICC World Cup 2007.

Andrew Miller on the farce at the end of the Final:
"How many ICC officials does it take to change a lightbulb? At least a committee of five, none of whom will have read the instruction manual, but each of whom will have a louder and more forthright opinion than the other about how best to do it. If that reads like the start of a bad joke, then it is nothing compared to its ending. Somehow a team of four of the most experienced officials in the game, plus a former Test captain in Jeff Crowe, managed to grab hold of the most luminous event in the world cricket calendar, and fumble so hopelessly that they ended up fusing the entire building."

Sambit Bal on the The Aussie team:
"Australia though contributed in an entirely different and positive way, to the hollowness of this World Cup. But it was hardly their fault they reached such heights that no team came within touching distance. They dominated the tournament like no team has ever done in the history of cricket. They should have been entitled to two victory celebrations. They were almost twice as good as their opponents.

Good moments were scarce. There was Tamin Iqbal's sensational charge against India, Boyd Rankin's energetic bowling against Pakistan, Herschelle Gibbs' six sixes, Muttiah Muralitharan's magical spell against India, Lasith Malinga's sensational four-in-four, AB de Villier's turbo-charged hitting on one leg against West Indies, Mahela Jayawardene's sublime hundred against New Zealand in the semi-final, and ultimately, Adam Gilchrist's demolition of Sri Lanka in the final. Too few for a tournament lasting 46 days.

In the end, it will be a tournament that will be remembered for the bad, ugly and terrible. A horrible death, under-performances, resignations, sackings, and retirements kept us busy. The legacy of this vast and meaningless World Cup will be despair and emptiness. It couldn't have ended sooner."

Onto the WC Final, again!

2007-04-26T09:36:00.000-06:00

"The trouble with Australian professionalism is that it has become such a cliché that even watching it at its calibrated best can be numbing. Glory be flaws."

They need to introduce the handicap system, ala Golf, in Cricket. If a team dominates for too long, as is Australia's wont, they should have to score their runs in 20% less overs or score 20% more runs than the opposition. Australia actually lost one such adjusted match against the local Mumbai side. Not that this would have stopped them from reaching their fourth straight World up Final, unbeaten at that !

"I'll be rooting for the Sri Lankans to win for many reasons and one of them is that Sri Lanka is the only team on show that brings the variety of Test match bowling to limited overs cricket: medium, fast-medium, fast, plus left-arm orthodox and right arm off spin, absurdly unorthodox! Blond highlights, round-arm thunderbolts, leg-spinning off-spinners, deadly old men: weird and wonderful is what they are!"

Very good summary of some astonishing, high profile clear-out, post the World Cup.

Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding pictures

2007-04-24T10:45:00.000-06:00

After tons and tons of justified and unjustified media coverage, here's some fresh and exclusive pictures from the "Biggest Wedding of The Country"

NZ need Plan B

2007-04-20T13:05:00.000-06:00

Australia v New Zealand, Super Eights, Grenada
April 20, 2007

NZ cannot always field first and concede such freakish scores and try to chase it down. They will falter as they lose wickets. Admitted, They have performed admirably in the face of injuries, but they need Bond & Oram back in this bowling line up. Good job by Patel. Drop the two Ms and then we have a championship contender in the business end of the WC.

Entertain, you did !

2007-04-20T09:26:00.000-06:00

"I would like to be remembered as someone who came out there and tried to entertain."

Even though I consider myself as one of the biggest fans of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, there is no denying that Brian Charles Lara was the best batsman of my (youth) generation. If nothing else, he has certainly played a lot more defining innings. It was indeed shocking and sad hear him quit Test Cricket too. He certainly had a lot left to offer as player if not captain of the Test team.

"To study his figures was to marvel the scope of his conception. He made the most runs in an over, an innings, a career. Anything anyone did he did bigger. Can you imagine someone making five hundred runs at one shot? Nobody twinkled his feet so and angled his blade so and keep hitting gaps like Lara. Nobody could so strongly confirm that this here is the ultimate individual sport played by a team. Nobody made the game look better and few ever played it better."

Dress Rehearsal and Shrewd Tactics

2007-04-18T10:06:00.000-06:00

Excellent article.
Other differences:
Aus - Batsman heavy, go back to their fist choice XI.
SL - Not batsman heavy and are without their top three bowlers.

I think that SL are trying to get some psychological advantage since whatever the result of this game, they will end up playing NZ in the semis and also if they win or even run the Aussies close with a second string side, the Aussies might panic. Why unleash Murali on them when he can be held back and used as a shock weapon with the newly perfected doosra and the round the wickets to right handers line in The Final. Tom & Mahela, Brilliant move?

Sure the bowling will be strengthened by the return of Vaas, Murali and Malinga. But the problem has been the batting. Without the exception of the most-experienced ODI player in the world, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Chamara Silva, to a lesser extent, none of the batsmen have stamped their authority and won the game. They should have brought in Marvan Atapattu in place of Upul Tharanga to give him some match practice. He wasn't even in the side against Ireland. However, all of the challenger sides have beaten each other. Soouth Africa beat Sri Lanka who beat New Zealand who beat South Africa and Australia (atleast in the previous ODI series). So finally the competitive matches begin after the rest of the Super 8s. I do not think there will be a repeat of the last two one-sided finals.

Will Stephen Fleming rest Shane Bond for the dead rubber against Australia?

Dancing in the Whites/Suits

2007-04-18T09:09:00.000-06:00

Pair of winners: Cricketers and Dancing With The Stars (UK) champions, Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash, face each other - but on the pitch, not the dance floor, as Yorkshire take on Surrey at the Oval, 18 April, 2007

© Surrey Cricket

Munnabhai Chale Amerika

2007-04-13T09:32:00.000-06:00

Trailer for the third part in this hilarious series:

Doing our bit to save trees

2007-04-03T08:42:00.000-06:00

Just sent this email to the entire office as the local representative of Environment, Health and Safety team.

PAPER RECYCLING IS HERE!

You can now recycle all your paper at the Shred-Pro bins, which are typically located near copiers and printers!

A paper recycling survey launched in January by the Environmental Team indicated that 99% of the respondents supported a paper recycling program!

If you took the Paper Recycling Survey and requested a desk side paper recycling bin, please contact your building Paper Recycling Contact to get your bin:

Recycling paper saves:
- trees (recycled paper, instead of trees, is used to make new paper)
- water, pollution emissions, oil (it takes fewer resources to process recycled material than new material)
- disposal costs (we save dumpster space and landfill fees)

Please see the top of the Shred Pro containers for what is OK and not OK to recycle.

Please consider reusing the blank backside of your paper before recycling (as a notebook, putting back in the printer or copier to print on, or initially printing on both sides (how to instructions at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HP011543871033.aspx)).

Brought to you by your Environmental Team

Live vs Animation

2007-03-29T12:46:00.000-06:00

At work in USA, and no access, nor desire (with the recent demise of Indian Cricket:( ) for Live Cricket. When I first started watching the representation of the current game on Cricinfo 3d, I thought it was pathetic, especially with the kind of graphics and animation that we are treated to these days. However, as I watch it more and more, I now feel like I am watching it live. I have begun to see the mannerisms of Stephen Fleming especially in his cover drives and the mis-timed pull over the bowler's head.

BTW, this match is over. NZ have far too much batting depth and WI have none whatsoever in their bowling.

Anonymous Amateur poetry

2007-03-29T08:52:00.000-06:00

Gazing upon the dreary sky,
with the hope that rain will come.
The scent of dew filling the air,
and moisture building on my skin.

Lightning brightly veined and clear,
lighting the water before me.
Thunder hammering in my ears,
shaking the ground around me.
Seeing a single drop of rain
as it ripples through the water.

Suddenly feeling the powerful torrent
drenching my hair and clothing.
Overwhelmed by current surroundings,
pausing in the midst of the rain.
Gazing at the sky once more,
thanking the clouds above me.

Indian Cricket team bashings

2007-03-28T20:01:00.000-06:00

In the aftermath of the Indian team's premature ejection from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the Carribean different people have chosen different ways of venting their frustration. Being an ardent fan, this hurts a lot but here's a select few (funny) emails doing the rounds.

The Times Of India 14th Feb,2009:

India is playing in a 5 nation tournament ;the other countries being Uganda, Sudan, Papua new guinea and the mighty Bolivia (Indescript nations with no cricket teams).Today is a must win match for India against tournament favourites Bolivia for a berth in the semi finals.The winner of the tournament will fight for a place to enter the top 35 rankings in the world.

On the morning of the match ,a strategy session is being held by Greg and Rahul.This is how it goes.

Greg:Boys,this is one of the most important matches in the last three years.We have to beat Bolivia.Lets go through the batting line up and the bowling line up in this meeting.

Greg:So Sourav ,you will open right?
Sourav:I don't know.Bolivia has a pace bowler who only bowls short pitch deliveries.His pace is consistently in the range 55-60 miles /hour.I cannot handle all that pace.
Greg:Oh,thats ok.He won't dare to bowl short pitch stuff against the Indian batsman(we have such good credentials).If he does by mistake,just to make a statement to the media,get Hit Wicket and come back.Such non sense should not be tolerated.

Greg:So who will partner Sourav.
Rahul:I think Sehwag should.He looked in form in the last game against Sudan.He hit 5 fours between first slip and second slip before he caught at second slip.I think he is in the pink of his form and he should open.
Greg:Thats good.

Greg:Sachin,you will bat at four ... ok?
Sachin:I don't know.I have to go shopping at 11.That means I can't bat beyond ten overs.
Greg:Sourav and Sehwag will last till six overs.So ,you will come then.Don't worry,just play your natural game and follow your instincts.You will go by ten overs.

Greg:So Dhoni,you will keep?
Dhoni:I am not keeping.Last time ,I kept for three hours.My hair is getting spoilt of this.I have thousands of lice in my hair.As a result,the cows in my village have started snubbing me and my advances.These days,dragonflies have started staying in my hair as their food lice is there.I need a haircut ,I am not playing.
Greg:Please play just one more match,its the mightly Bolivians ,just one last one.
Dhoni:Ok.Don't do it next time.

Greg meanwhile was going through the batting averages and noticed that Dravid had the longest stay at the crease for the last 67 matches.So he asked Dravid to give a presentation in front of the team as to what motivated him so much and the secret to his concentration.
Dravid:My wife is extremely ugly.So,I try to stay as long as possible away from her.That is why I play a low risk game(In the last game,he hit 3 runs from 92 balls). If I get out,I have to go back to her.

Everyone starts applauding. What an inspirational cricketer.

Now it is time to decide on the bowling line up.

Greg:Obviously Zaheer is opening.He was brilliant last game. (Zaheer had bowled only 23 wides in the last match and he picked up three wickets.The secret to this brilliant bowling performance was a result of a mentoring session from Venkatesh Prasad.Prasad told him that to bowl from mid off and aim at Third slip.As a result, Zaheer returned with the best figures in the match.)

Greg:Offlate I have noticed that Rahul has been facing a lot of pressure and so we have decided to come up with Batting,Bowling and Fielding Captain to relieve Rahul of some of the responsibility.

Greg:I have noticed that Munaf Patel has stayed not out in the last three matches(all the other batsmen had got out by then).I admire the commitment of this lad and as a result he is the Batting Captain.

Greg:I was also going through this figure.Sourav has been involved in 177 run outs.But he himself has never got out.He values his wicket so much.I think we all need to Congratulate him on the price he sets for his wicket.Sourav,you are the RUNNING BETWEEN THE WICKETS captain.

Greg:Anil has been sitting on the bench for the last three years.He keeps taking snaps throughout the match.He is such a teamman.I think we need to recognize this loyalty.Anil,you are the Bowling Captain.

Greg:Harbhajan is the fielding captain.
Rahul:But he dropped the catch in the last match when he dived to his right to take it.
Greg:Atleast he dived in the right direction.

After this intense brainstorming session ,India looks all set to take on Bolivia.Please pray for the team's success.

PS: The tournament's main sponsor is Ghatkopar(small suburb in Bombay where I am from) Software. They have a lot of money at stake.."

Email id's of cricketers

1.LAXMAN:
available@home-only.com

2.GANGULY:
nowdays@no_use.com

3.KUMBLE:
only@test_match.com

4.SACHIN:
admitted@hospital.com

5.KAIF:
good@for_nothing.com

6.SEHWAG:
consistently@out_of_form.com

7.DRAVID:
stick@crease_like_fevicol.com

8.PATHAN:
takewickets@only_with_keyna.com

9. GREG CHAPPELL
only_experiment@noresult.com

10. Munaf Patel
only_line&length@nospeed.com

11.Harbhajan Singh
no_spinpitch@nowicket.com

Best of Borat

2007-03-28T09:21:00.000-06:00

The (Oval) Office

2007-03-21T12:27:00.001-06:00

Jackass North Korea

2007-03-21T11:59:00.000-06:00

Funny Immigration video

2007-03-21T11:54:00.001-06:00

Da vinci code with Oprah and guests

2007-03-21T11:49:00.001-06:00

Gates vs Jobs

2007-03-21T11:39:00.001-06:00

George Bush.. the comedian

2007-03-21T10:15:00.001-06:00

Hilarious, Bush poking fun at himself (with Steve Bridges)!

Minnow bashing at the World Cup

2007-03-20T12:40:00.000-06:00

Here's a funny look at the contrasting scores at concurrent ODI matches at the World Cup. You wonder which team is playing the minnow.

And here's India's minnow bashing

Nike... Just Did It !

2007-03-19T12:29:00.001-06:00

First ever Cricket Commercial by Nike .. Gully Cricket redefined !

Lyrics (Translated from Konkani):

'Wait, partner, wait
First let me play
If you don't play, I'll keep chasing you all day
Our game is like this only
Where we have no time to think
It is the game of cat and mouse
That I have begun to love
And in the falling running breaking
My destiny is entwined'

Funny skit from Mad TV

2007-03-19T09:30:00.001-06:00

Million Dollar Shots

2007-03-19T08:53:00.001-06:00

Shortly before presumably considering filing for bankruptcy, the whisky company, Johnnie Walker, announced it was "absolutely delighted by the inspirational and pioneering feat that was today realized by Herschelle Gibbs". Apparently they "couldn't be more thrilled with donating US$1 million to Habitat for Humanity in our efforts to enrich the Caribbean community", and offered their "sincere congratulations for this amazing accomplishment".

Here's a video of the feat that indicates that Gibbs certainly "knows his boundaries"

Here's another piece of information to understand the nature of SA's victory. The eight-page print-out detailing every ball of Holland's Duckworth-Lewis requirements. To have won the game in the event of rain, the Dutch would need to have made their final total of 132 for 9 in less than a single delivery.

Funny, cricket clips

2007-03-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Funny collage of classic cricket clips

Inhumane slaughter of Dolphins

2007-03-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

This is unbeleivably sad

Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix

Draft season - Funny !

2007-02-28T15:14:00.001-07:00

With the Draft season coming up in most National Sports Leagues, this is a funny take on it by Dave Chappelle.

JFK II

2007-02-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I think JFK is one of the best performances by Kevin Costner. Here's another riveting conspiracy theory on the assassination of President John F Kennedy

Cartoon that claims to describe Mormon theology

2007-02-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a Different View:

American Idol .. redux

2007-02-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a video from a local group of girls from Alpine, UT. They did a nice job considering it was done in a day.

Vote Now at MusicNation.com

Ash to wed into the Bachchan family

2007-02-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Funny, hopefully not true

Me & My Loneliness: Century on debut

2007-01-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

One hundred is an important number, especially in cricket (the subject of a majority of the posts on this blog). Well, although it took a whole of twenty eight months, I've made it to 100 posts. I'm raising my keyboard now and pointing it to each side of the office. Now people are looking at me weirdly and I'm putting it down again. How did I type that last bit? That's not important.

To celebrate this monumental achievement, ...

Tester Tested !

2007-01-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here is an amazing post on the blog of Pradeep Soundararajan called Tester Tested !

Once while at work I was getting my test cases reviewed about a project/domain which I was new to and one of my colleague gave a strong comment "Pradeep , please think of more cases".

I was a bit dissapointed because already there were enough test cases that it will take 3 days to complete a cycle and I thought "should I further shoot at my own legs ?" ( the more cases I write , more I have to test , its painful , isnt it ? ) .

I tried to defend that testing would become complex if more cases are there than beyond the objective of the release/product requirements.

Ha ! thanks to what I told , he tshared with me a great story which happened in his previous company and it is one of the best lessons I have had as a tester !

__ This (could be a) is True Story that happened in some company ___

A digital camera was released in the market and after sometime a customer came back complaining that .......

Problem :The camera's software was crashing continously while he tried to capture images.

FIR : They first asked some basic information from the customer and made an attempt to reproduce the issue but it was not reproducible.

Analysis :

1) Software is crashing - so they listed out all possible scenarios where the software could crash.
2) Tried putting the camera to all listed possibilities.
3) Giving a report to the management that it was unable to be reproduced.

Further Analysis :

Taking this as a challenge , a great tester had the following concern -

1) He was concerened what festival was it ?
2) He was concerned what was the customer was trying to capture ?
3) He was concerned what is the frequency of the crash the customer noticed ?
4) He was concerened about all other surrounding factors like temperuature , place where the festival was celebrated ... etc ?

Outcome of Analysis :

1) The festival was Diwali or Deepavali !
2) The customer was trying to capture fire crackers , explosion , fireworks display in an open ground at around 22 00 hours ( night ).

What a fantastic tester was he !

He identified the problem and told the developers

"The camera software is crashing when the viewfinder is black ( because of dark night ) and a sudden gush of light through the firecracker explosion is putting the DSP ( digital signal processor ) to a load/stress beyond its boundaries to display the image. And at this point of time when the user tries to capture it simply crashes"

What he said ?

was right !

Finally they fixed it and now today its a robust digital camera !

____ End of a probable true story _____

Summary of lessons -

1) Collect real time data for testing a product/application.
2) When you are unable to reproduce an issue , think out of the box , think out of the black box.
3) When you are unable to reproduce an issue call someone who can dig deeper than you.
4) Dont assign test case draft to the person who is going to test it, he may omit complicated cases to bring down his/her complexity in executing it.
5) Review the cases with a non team member/customers/domain specailist/tester network.
6) When you release a product : aniticpate and be prepared to face such situation.
7) Hate the product while testing and love the product after its release - emotional testing ( ha new concept introduced by me , i do it , to be frank )
8) Good Testers not only report bugs , they suggest a solution ! ( more to come abt this )
9) Keep learning to be a good tester !
10) Test all your products in India , its Testing Bowl of the world !
11) Dont terminate an issue just because you are unable to reproduce , it could kill your company !

"If you are a good tester you win your customers heart , Mind it she could be beautiful !"

Earth Status Report - 2006

2007-01-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

As we near the end of the year, its time for a status report. Here's one for well, the Earth.

If the population of the Earth was reduced to that of a small town with 100 people, it would look something like this:

57% Asians	21% Europeans	14% Americans (northern and southern)	8% Africans

52% women	48% men

70% coloured-skins	30% caucasians

89% heterosexuals	11% homosexuals

6 people would own 59% of the whole world wealth and all of them will be from the United States of America
80% would have bad living conditions
70% would be uneducated
50% underfed
1 would die
2 would be born
1 would have a computer
1 (only one) will have higher education

When you look at the world from this point of view, you can see there is a real need for solidarity, understanding, patience and education.

This morning, if you woke up healthy, then you are happier than the 1 million people that will not survive next week.

If you never suffered a war,
the loneliness of the jail cell, the agony of torture,
or hunger,

you are happier than 500 million people in the world.
If you can enter into a church (mosque) without fear of jail or death, you are happier then 3 million people in the world.

If there is a food in your fridge,
you have shoes and clothes,
you have bed and a roof,
you are richer then 75% of the people in the world.

If you have bank account, money in your wallet and some coins in the money-box,
you belong to the 8% of the people on the world, who are well-to-do.

If you read this you are three times blessed because:

1. somebody just thought of you.
2 . you don't belong to the 200 million people that cannot read.
3 . and... you have a computer!

This new year, let us all,

Work as if you don't need money
Love as if you've never been hurt,
Dance, as if nobody can see you,
Sing, as if no one can hear,
Live, as if the Earth was a heaven.

Math-a-Magic

2006-12-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

Fascinating calculations!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10 = 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

And finally, take a look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Brilliant, isn't it?

Final 'Harry Potter' title announced

2006-12-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

We now have a title for Harry Potter VII. But if you want to find out for yourself, visit J.K. Rowling's Web site and play a little game of hangman.

Click on the eraser and you will be taken to a room — you'll see a window, a door and a mirror.

In the mirror, you'll see a hallway. Click on the farthest doorknob and look for the Christmas tree. Then click on the center of the door next to the mirror and a wreath appears. Then click on the top of the mirror and you'll see a garland.

Look for a cobweb next to the door. Click on it, and it will disappear. Now, look at the chimes in the window. Click on the second chime to the right, and hold it down. The chime will turn into the key, which opens the door. Click on the wrapped gift behind the door, then click on it again and figure out the title yourself by playing a game of hangman.

Or you can just take Scholastic's (Rowling's U.S. publisher, Scholastic Inc.) word for it: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Shane Warne retires ...

2006-12-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

Lots and Lots and Lots and Lots of great posts about Shane Warne's retirement announcement. Here's some that I loved:

Me: as a man - exceptionally flawed, as a cricketer- exceptional.

King Cricket: "England require 12 runs to win and have all ten wickets in hand. Shane Warne’s bowling and it genuinely feels like Australia are favorites."

Shane Warne: "When I told my children I was retiring they got a bit disappointed because they didn't think I was going to play backyard cricket with them. They said, 'Can you still play with us?' I said 'I can'."

Gideon Gaigh: "It was said of Augustus that he found Rome brick and left it marble:
the same is true of Warne and spin bowling."

Tim de Lisle: "Timing, Shane"

Lesson from Alexander

2006-12-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

Here is very instructive incident involving the life of Alexander, The Great Greek King.

Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp swordand all his wealth were of no consequence. He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit Him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last.

He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.

"My first desire is that," said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin."After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury." The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's
rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin." The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dare bring the question to their lips.

Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "O king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt.

I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted. The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way to the graveyard is to tell People that not even afraction of gold will come with me.

I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me.

Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world."

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer, him and breathed his last.

All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey

2006-12-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Click here if the above player does not work

Song: All I Want For Christmas
Artist: Mariah Carey
Lyrics:
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
You

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby

I won't ask for much this Christmas
I don't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeers click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Ooh baby
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is...
You

All I want for Christmas is you... baby (repeat and fade)

12 Days of Christmas (desi twist)

2006-12-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious...

Click here if the above does not work.

Lost in Translation and more..

2006-12-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

A disappointed salesman of Coca Cola returns from his Middle East assignment. A friend asked, "Why weren't you successful with the Arabs?"

The salesman explained, "When I got posted in the Middle East, I was very confident that I will makes a good sales pitch as Cola is virtually unknown there. But, I had a problem I didn't know to speak Arabic. So, I planned to convey the message through 3 posters...

First poster, a man crawling through the hot desert sand... totally exhausted and fainting. Second, the man is drinking our Cola and Third, our man is now totally refreshed.

Then these posters were pasted all over the place"

"That should have worked," said the friend.

The salesman replied, "Well, not only did I not speak Arabic, I also didn't realize that Arabs read from right to left..."

Computer... Male or Female ?

2006-12-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

A French teacher was explaining to her college class that in French, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. House is feminine "la maison." Pencil is masculine "le crayon."

A student asked, "What gender is computer ?"
Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups male and female - and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for their recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender (la computer) because:
1.. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2.. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
3.. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later review; and
4.. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your pay cheque on accessories for it.

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine le computer) because:
1.. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2.. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3.. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4.. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model

So which one do u think has the winning argument?

Love Needs No Reason

2006-12-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Once a lady when having a conversation with her lover, asked:

Lady : Why do you like me? Why do you love me?

Man : I can't tell the reason.. but I really like you..

Lady : You can't even tell me the reason... how can you say you like me? How can you say you love me?

Man : I really don't know the reason, but I can prove that I love you.

Lady : Proof? No! I want you to tell me the reason. My friend's boyfriend can tell her why he loves her but not you!

Man : Ok..ok!!! Ummm... because you are beautiful,

because your voice is sweet,

because you are caring,

because you are loving,

because you are thoughtful,

because of your smile,

because of your every movement.

The lady felt very satisfied with the man's answer.

Unfortunately, a few days later, the Lady met with an accident and went in coma.

The Guy then placed a letter by her side, and here is the content:

Darling,

Because of your sweet voice that I love you...

Now can you talk? No! Therefore I cannot love you.

Because of your care and concern that I like you..

Now that you cannot show them, therefore I cannot love you.

Because of your smile,

because of your every movements that I love you..

Now can you smile? Now can you move?

No, therefore I cannot love you...

If love needs a reason, like now,

There is no reason for me to love you anymore.

Does love need a reason? NO!

Therefore, I still love you...

Strokin' by Clarence Carter

2006-11-22T02:05:00.000-07:00

Song: Strokin'
Artist: Clarence Carter
Lyrics:
When I start makin´ love
I don´t just make love...
I be strokin´
That´s what I be doin´, huh
I be strokin´

I stroke it to the east
And I stroke it to the west
And I stroke it to the woman that I love the best
I be strokin´

Let me ask you somethin´...
What time of the day do you like to make love
Have you ever made love just before breakfast
Have you ever made love while you watched the late, late show
Well, let me ask you this
Have you ever made love on a couch
Well, let me ask you this
Have you ever made love on the back seat of a car
I remember one time I made love on the back seat of a car
And the police came and shined his light on me, and I said:
´I´m strokin´, that´s what I´m doin´, I be strokin´´

I stroke it to the east
And I stroke it to the west
And I stroke it to the woman that I love the best
I be strokin´

Let me ask you something...
How long has it been since you made love, huh?
Did you make love yesterday
Did you make love last week
Did you make love last year
Or maybe it might be that you plannin´ on makin´ love tonight
But just remember, when you start making love
You make it hard, long, soft, short
And be strokin´
I be strokin´

I stroke it to the east
And I stroke it to the west
And I stroke it to the woman that I love the best, huh
I be strokin´

Now when I start making love to my woman
I don´t stop until I know she´s sas-ified
And I can always tell when she gets sas-ified
´Cause when she gets sas-fied she start calling my name
She´d say: ´Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter
Clarence Carter, ooooh shit, Clarence Carter´
The other night I was strokin´ my woman
And it got so good to her, you know what she told me
Let me tell you what she told me, she said:
´Stroke it Clarence Carter, but don´t stroke so fast
If my stuff ain´t tight enough, you can stick it up my...´ WOO!

I be strokin´ Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
I be strokin´

I stroke it to the east
And I stroke it to the west
And I stroke it to the woman that I love the best, huh
I be strokin´
I be strokin´ Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
I be strokin´, Yeah!
I be strokin´

I stroke it to the north
I stroke it to the south
I stroke it everywhere
I even stroke it with my... WOO!

I be strokin´
I be strokin´ Ha! Ha!
I be strokin´

Nice song, interesting (crazy) video !

2006-11-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

Song: Crazy
Artist: Gnarls Barkely
Genre/Lang. : R'n'B

I remember when,
I remember I remember when i lost my mind,
There was something so pleasant about that place
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space
(Mmmmm Mmmmmm)

And when your out there,
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch,
but it wasn't because I didn't know enough,
I just knew too much,
(Mmmm..)

[Chorus 1]
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
probably.........

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
well think twice,
that's my only advice,
(Mmmm..)
C'mon now, who do you,
who do you, who do you, who do you think you are?
ha-ha-ha
bless your soul,
you really think you're in control?
Well....

[Chorus 2]
I think you're craaaaazy,
I think you're craaaaazy,
I think you're craaaaazy,
Just like me.....

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
and all i remember
is thinking,
I wanna be like them,
(Mmmm hmmmmm)
'N ever since i was little,
ever since i was little, it looked like fun,
and it's no coincidence I've come,
and i can die when I'm done,

[Chorus 3]
But maybe I'm craaaaaazy,
maybe you're craaaaazy,
baby we're craaaaazy,
probably,
(hmmmm arrrrr......... ooh-hoooo)

Hypocrisy or Ambiguity

2006-11-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

For those who love the philosophy of hypocrisy and ambiguity....

1. Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

2. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

3. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

4. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

5. The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.

6. I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

7. What if there were no hypothetical questions?

8. If a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

9. If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

10. Is there another word for synonym?

11. Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all?"

12. What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?

13. If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

14. Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

15. Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?

16. If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

17. Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

18. If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to start speaking?

19. Why do they put Braille on the drive-through bank machines?

20. How do they get deer to cross the road only at those yellow road signs?

21. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

22. One nice thing about egotists: they don't talk about other people.

23. Does the Little Mermaid wear an algebra?

24. Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

25. How is it possible to have a civil war?

26. If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown, too?

27. If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?

28. If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

29. Whose cruel idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have "S" in it?

30. Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "assteroids"?

31. Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?

32. Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?

33. If you spin an oriental man in a circle three times does he become disoriented

Nice song, Cool video

2006-11-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

Artist: Brown Boy
Song: Superman
Lyrics:

[Intro]
Baby,I know your hurting right now but dont worry
I'll be your superman

[Chorus]
I can love you like no one can
I can be your superman
Just take my hand lets fly away
I promise i'll be there everyday
Just close your eyes lets start to fly
I'm gonna love you until i die
Until the day of my death till my very last breath i'm gonna love you
When no ones left

[Verse 1]
Come fly with me baby
Yeah i'm the one with the S on my chest
Forget about your ex
He dont know what love is
He just failed the test
Plus he dont treat you right
He keeps you crying all night
See he's like your kryptonite
I came to give you that strength so you can leave him behind
You can start all over just press rewind
Cuz he dont understand that your one of a kind
So sweet so sexy and just so fine
I'ma fight till my death just to make you mine
I'ma never neglect you
Never have time to stress you
And always respect you
Girl your like a hidden treasure and i promise to love you
From now until forever
Oooh para siempre mija
Te promento te voy a amar
Hasta la muerte
[~~ I promise you I will love you forever until I die]

[Chorus]
I can love you like no one can
I can be your superman
Just take my hand lets fly away
I promise i'll be there everyday
Just close your eyes lets start to fly
I'm gonna love you until i die
Until the day of my death till my very last breath i'm gonna love you
When no ones left

[Verse 2]
I'm the type of guy that will stand by your side
To wipe them tears when they fall from your eyes
I'm the one you hold when your nights is cold
The one that stays near to fight away your fears
You aint gotta be scared
See i'll put an end to your ex
No more beating you up or pulling on your hair
See i came to save the day
A man like that shouldnt treat you that way
And i dont understand why'd you take that route
Look at yourself, your beautiful inside and out
You need to drop that zero, uh
Let me swoop you off your feet cuz i can be your super hero
Do you follow my lead?
I guarantee you baby, i'm all that you need
See you can change your plans
All you got to do is call on me and i can be your superman

[Bridge]
Will you be by my side for the rest of my life (For the rest of my life)
Will you love me till i die

[Chorus]
I can love you like no one can (oh yeah, oh yeah)
I can be your superman (superman)
Just take my hand lets fly away
I promise i'll be there everyday (ooh you promise)
Just close your eyes lets start to fly
I'm gonna love you until i die (till i die)
Until the day of my death till my very last breath i'm gonna love you
When no ones left (oh yeah)

[Outro]
No ones left
Till no ones left
Till no ones left
Gonna love you
Gonna love you
My superman
My superman

Blonde Joke

2006-10-12T14:27:00.000-06:00

A businessman gets on an elevator. When he enters, there's a blonde gal already inside who greets him with a bright "T-G-I-F"

He smiles at her and replies, "S-H-I-T." She looks puzzled, and repeats, "T-G-I-F," more slowly.

He again answers, "S-H-I-T."

The blonde is trying to keep it friendly, so, she smiles her biggest smile and says as sweetly as possibly, "T-G-I-F."

The man smiles back to her and once again, "S-H-I-T."

The exasperated blonde finally decides to explain, "'T-G-I-F means Thank Goodness It's Friday.

Get it duuhhh?"

The man answers, "'S-H-I-T' means "Sorry, Honey, It's Thursday!"

Daily Show sums up Bush's Speeches

2006-10-12T13:06:00.000-06:00

Square Pig TV

2006-10-11T12:43:00.000-06:00

This is Amazing. I beleive this is my best ever post about another site.

Worst Soccer player ever !

2006-10-10T16:16:00.000-06:00

This is Hilarious !

Where's The Goal Line - video powered by Metacafe

10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 15% percent pain, and a 100% reason to remember the name

2006-10-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

I am not really a rap person but I like this one...

Artist: Fort Minor
Song: Remember The Name

Lyrics:

You ready?! Lets go!
Yeah, for those of you that want to know what we're all about
It's like this y'all (c'mon!)

[Chorus]
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

Mike! - He doesn't need his name up in lights
He just wants to be heard whether it's the beat or the mic
He feels so unlike everybody else, alone
In spite of the fact that some people still think that they know him
But fuck em, he knows the code
It's not about the salary
It's all about reality and making some noise
Makin the story - makin sure his clique stays up
That means when he puts it down Tak's pickin it up! let's go!

Who the hell is he anyway?
He never really talks much
Never concerned with status but still leavin them star struck
Humbled through opportunities given to him despite the fact
That many misjudge him because he makes a livin from writin raps
Put it together himself, now the picture connects
Never askin for someone's help, to get some respect
He's only focused on what he wrote, his will is beyond reach
And now when it all unfolds, the skill of an artist

It's just twenty percent skill
Eighty percent fear
Be one hundred percent clear cause Ryu is ill
Who would've thought that he'd be the one to set the west in flames
And I heard him wreckin with The Crystal Method, "Name Of The Game"
Came back dropped Megadef, took em to church
I like bleach man, why you have the stupidest verse?
This dude is the truth, now everybody be givin him guest spots
His stock's through the roof I heard he fuckin with S. Dot!

[Chorus]
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

They call him Ryu The Sick
And he's spittin fire with Mike
Got him out the dryer he's hot
Found him in Fort Minor with Tak
Been a fuckin annihilist porcupine
He's a prick, he's a cock
The type woman want to be with, and rappers hope he get shot
Eight years in the makin, patiently waitin to blow
Now the record with Shinoda's takin over the globe
He's got a partner in crime, his shit is equally dope
You wont believe the kind of shit that comes out of this kid's throat

Tak! - He's not your everyday on the block
He knows how to work with what he's got
Makin his way to the top
People think its a common owners name
People keep askin him was it given at birth
Or does it stand for an acronym?
No he's livin proof, Got him rockin the booth
He'll get you buzzin quicker than a shot of vodka with juice
Him and his crew are known around as one of the best
Dedicated to what they doin give a hundred percent

Forget Mike - Nobody really knows how or why he works so hard
It seems like he's never got time
Because he writes every note and he writes every line
And I've seen him at work when that light goes on in his mind
It's like a design is written in his head every time
Before he even touches a key or speaks in a rhyme
And those motherfuckers he runs with, those kids that he signed?
Ridiculous, without even trying, how do they do it?!

[Chorus]
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

[Chorus]
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!

[Outro - Mike Shinoda]
Yeah! Fort Minor
M. Shinoda - Styles of Beyond
Ryu! Takbir! Machine Shop!

Love

2006-10-03T12:36:00.000-06:00

Her hair is long and strait, and dark like expensive coffee. With unblemished white, so white skin and round startling dark eyes her face is a frame from a black and white movie, from a great black and white movie, a masterpiece. It is too perfect an image, a constructed thing, a magic thing. It is like a moment captured from the now and digitally retouched to be placed back in real time frame by frame only when it is perfect. Her nostrils flare as she inhales long, slow, deep breaths.

I am spellbound; I can not blink lest I miss a moment.

Every movement is carefully choreographed, carefully scripted. It must be. Her weight changes from back foot to front foot; her orientation begins to change; she blinks once, slowly; she wets her lips with the tip of her tongue, discretely; her back foot lifts, she begins the turn; her head first, her long hair dancing behind and then her body completing the turn. Simple, elegant, an economy of movement, a dancers poise.

I am in love, I love her. I love her. I love her.

She faces me her lips part. I am still enraptured; I stand captivated straining to hear. I glimpse for a moment her pink tongue framed between full round lips washed with a pale brown. Her full attention is centered on me. Her eyes are locked with mine. My palms are damp with sweat, I shiver in anticipation.

Her voice, "Thank you sir; two rows down, the window seat on your right".

I am complete.

Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai

2006-09-29T09:23:00.000-06:00

This is pretty Stupid and Basic

Quote for the day !

2006-09-26T17:30:00.000-06:00

The above picture tells the following thirty words:

No failure is ever final,
Nor is any success.

Winners don't do different things,
They do things differently.

If you want something you never had,
Do something you have never done.

Who's job is it anyway?

2006-09-26T17:21:00.000-06:00

I remember having read this in the school magazine while I was in elementary school.

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it is Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. In the end, Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Love vs Marriage

2006-09-14T14:57:00.000-06:00

One day, Plato asked his teacher, "What is love? How can I find it?"
His teacher answered, "There is a vast wheat field in front. Walk forward without turning back, and pick only one stalk. If you find the most magnificent stalk, then you have found love."
Plato walked forward, and before long, he returned with empty hands, having picked nothing. His teacher asked, "Why did you not pick any stalk?" Plato answered, "Because I could only pick once, and yet I could not turn back. I did find the most magnificent stalk, but did not know if there were any better ones ahead, so I did not pick it. As I walked further, the stalks that I saw were not as good as the earlier one, so I did not pick any in the end.
His teacher then said, "And that is love."
On another day, Plato asked his teacher, "What is marriage? How can find it?"His teacher answered, "There is a thriving forest in front. Walk forward without turning back, and chop down only one tree. If you find the tallest tree, then you have found marriage." Plato walked forward, and before long, he returned with a tree. The tree was not thriving, and it was not tall either. It was an ordinary tree. His teacher asked, "Why did you chop down such an ordinary tree?"
Plato answered, "Because of my previous experience. I walked halfway through the forest, but returned with empty hands. This time, I saw this tree, and I felt that it was not bad, so I chopped it down and brought it back. I did not want to miss the opportunity."
His teacher then said, "And that is marriage."

Russell Peters Out Sourced

2006-09-09T21:17:00.000-06:00


Russell peters.. the indian comedian back in action on Comedy Central

West Nile virus comes to the valley

2006-09-01T10:59:00.000-06:00

This can't be good !

The Bear River Health Department's Web site states that symptoms vary for those who have been infected by the virus. Approximately 80 percent of people infected may have mild or no symptoms, while severe symptoms - found in about one in 150 people - can include high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, convulsions, paralysis or death. Persons most likely to be bitten by an infected mosquito are those who spend time outdoors between dusk and dawn. Persons over 50 years old who are infected are more likely to develop severe illness and health problems. "If you haven't listened to the message yet, now is the time to pay attention."

Residents can best protect themselves and their families by:

Wearing insect repellent with DEET.
Wearing pants and long sleeves when outdoors.
Avoiding going outdoors dusk through dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Removing standing water around homes and businesses to prevent mosquito breeding.

A Viral Blogging Experiment

2006-08-22T18:06:00.000-06:00

I am participating in a blogging experiment hosted at dearauthor.com. To enter the contest, put up this blurb, image, and trackback and you are entered to win the following prize package.

$200 Amazon gift certificate

Signed copy of Slave to Sensation

New Zealand goodies chosen by Singh

ARC of Christine Feehan's October 31 release: Conspiracy Game

You can read about the experiment here and you can download the code that you need to participate here.

SLAVE TO SENSATION

Nalini Singh

Berkley / September 2006

Welcome to a future where emotion is a crime and powers of the mind clash brutally against those of the heart.

Sascha Duncan is one of the Psy, a psychic race that has cut off its emotions in an effort to prevent murderous insanity. Those who feel are punished by having their brains wiped clean, their personalities and memories destroyed.

Lucas Hunter is a Changeling, a shapeshifter who craves sensation, lives for touch. When their separate worlds collide in the serial murders of Changeling women, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities…or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

Excerpt

Friends Without Borders - From India to Pakistan with Love

2006-08-19T18:52:00.000-06:00

A beautiful thing is happening in India and Pakistan. The children of both nations are writing heartfelt letters to one another in an effort to build lasting bridges of friendship. This effort is being run by a group called Friends Without Borders. The hope is that when this younger generation grows up, a much saner world will take over. This video captures the story of this campaign up to the point of delivery of the first round of letters in Pakistan.

It's an amazing story that features "The World's Largest Love Letter" and the famous public service announcement that played on most every network throughout India and Pakistan.

David

2006-07-07T15:58:00.000-06:00

George's Wisdom

2006-07-07T13:18:00.000-06:00

Home, Sweet Home ?

2006-02-21T01:57:00.000-07:00

Finally, after a long break, life presents an opportunity to meet my family in person. Although it will not exactly be my home in Bombay, all that makes it home will be here. My parents and brother successfully received their US Tourist Visa today. They shall be in the US from 20th April to 29th May. How many days of vacation I shall have and spend with them is still an open question ! The first thing I did was pull up an Excel sheet and make a list of things that I want from India and also a calendar where I can block out dates so that I can plan the US site-seeing and relative-meeting trip.

BTW, this is the best blonde joke ever !!!

Math Humor

2005-11-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

The functions are sitting in a bar, chatting (how fast they go from zero to infinity etc.). Suddenly, one cries "Beware! Derivation is coming!" All immediately hide themselves under the tables, only the exponential sits calmly on the chair.

The derivation comes in, sees a function and says "Hey, you don't fear me?"

"No, I'am e to x", says the exponential self-confidently.

"Well" replies the derivation "but who says I differentiate along x?"

================

What is the shortest mathematicians joke?
Let epsilon be smaller than zero.

================

Why are mathematicians afraid of driving a car?
Because the width of the road is negligible comparing to its length.

================

An astronomer, a physicist and a mathematician (it is said) were holidaying in Scotland. Glancing from a train window, they observed a black sheep in the middle of a field.

"How interesting," observed the astronomer, "all scottish sheep are black!"

To which the physicist responded, "No, no! Some Scottish sheep are black!"

The mathematician gazed heavenward in supplication, and then intoned, "In Scotland there exists at least one field, containing at least one sheep, at least one side of which is black."

=================

A biologist, a statistician, a mathematician and a computer scientist are on a photo-safari in africa. They drive out on the savannah in their jeep, stop and scout the horizon with their binoculars.

The biologist: "Look! There's a herd of zebras! And there, in the middle : A white zebra! It's fantastic! There are white zebra's! We'll be famous!"

The statistician: "It's not significant. We only know there's one white zebra."

The mathematician: "Actually, we only know there exists a zebra, which is white on one side."

The computer scientist: "Oh, no! A special case!"

fun_with_numbers

The Ganguly-Chappell fiasco & the court scene from Damini

2005-10-11T20:46:00.000-06:00

I received this in a post from my friend Jignesh Shah. I don't necessarily agree with the final result but had to post it. It is simply hilarious.

[This is court scene from DAMINI

SUNNY DEOL ----- JAGMOHAN DALMIYA

DAMINI ----- SAURAV GANGULY

CHADDHA ------ GREG CHAPPEL

RISHI KAPOOR --- SACHIN TENDULKAR

DRIVER ----- LAKSHMAN

INSPECTOR ----- DRAVID]

Dalmiya: pehli tarikh me gaya ki ganguly chalak hai...strategy bana
sakta hai..captaincy kar sakta hai.

..aur ab mr chappel keh rahe hai ki ganguly paagal ho gaya
hai...

....agar to ganguly chalak hai to wo pagal nahi ho sakta

...aur agar wo pagal hai to wo chalak nahi ho sakta

... Isliye mai greg chappel se anurodh karunga ki pehle
theek theek bataye

... ki ganguly pagal hai ya chalak...taki mai apna defence
tayyar kar saku

Chappel: Mai pehle bhi keh chuka hun judge sahab ki ganguly gira hua
aadmi hai..

Dalmiya: Gire hue wo log hote hai jo apni country ki team chhodke dusri
team ko coaching dete hai..

Gire hue wo log hote hai jo ek acchi khasi team me
difference paida karte hai

Gire hue wo log hote hai jo team ke captain ko vice
captain se ladate hai..

Chappel: Judge sahab,Ganguly ke khilaf mai apne gawah pehle hi pesh kar
chuka hun..

Dalmiya: Aur mai unhi gawaho se kuch sawal puchne ki izazat chahunga...

[JUDGE GIVES PERMISSION.1st WITNESS IS LAKSHMAN]

Dalmiya: Haan to lakshman..ye batao team me koi groupism nahi hai...

lakshman: nahi nahi..hum log to saath saath khelte hai...

Dalmiya: matlab tum aur ganguly saath saath khelte ho...

lakshman: nahi..mai to hamesha dravid ki team me rehata .....

Dalmiya: par abhi to tum keh rahe the ki koi groupism nahi hai..

[LAKSHMAN LOOKS TOWARDS CHAPPEL.CHAPPEL IS VERY FURIOUS]

Dalmiya : Chappel sahab ..aap lakshman pe chhillana chahte honge...nahi
kuch badbad keh rahe the to mujhe laga..

Dalmiya: mere agle gawah hai rahul dravid..chappel sahab aap dhyan
dijiye...

Dalmiya: to ye batiye..jabganguly 262 ball me century banate hai to sab
slow khelne ka aarop lagate hai..

...aur jab aap 237 ball khelke 98 banate hai to team me
koi kuch nahi bolta...

Dravid: A...j....b....j

Dalmiya:A...j...b...j.. chappel sahab apko a...j...b...j ki bhasha aati
hai...khair aapko to pehle hi kuch sunai deta hai

....sach to yeh hai ki team ganguly ki captaincy se jalti
hai...log ganguly ko team se nikalwana chhte hai..

... aur ye sach sabit arne ke liye mai ganguly ke opening
partner sachin ko bulana chaunga

Dalmiya: Sachin..aap ganguly se bahut pyar karte hai

Sachin: [WITH SHYNESS]....Aaila...haa karta hu....bahut pyar karta hu

Dalmiya: Dekha judge sahab...sachin ganguly se pyar...mera malab hai
bahut pyar karta hai...ye aur baat hai ki wo ye baat

muskura ke bhi keh sakta tha

Haanto yeh batiye...usdin dressing room me jab ganguly aur
chappel ka jhagda chal rah tha...

Sachin: aaila..aisa kuch nahi hua tha

Dalmiya: iskamatlab ganguly jhuth bol raha hai..wo paagal hai use
paagalkhane bhej diya jaana chahiye

Sachin:aaila...maine aisa kab kaha

Dalmiya: nahi ,chappel sahab aap sahi the ..ganguly gira hua aadmi
hai...

Sachin: ae dalmiya....

Ganguly: dalmiyaji idhar aaiye...aapko koi hak nahi banta mere
pati...mera matlab hai partner.. se aise bat karne ka

Dalmiya:Tum apne aapko samajhte kya ho...team ke captain ho matlab mujhe
kharid liya..

Sachin: ae dalmiya...chal hata hata..

Dalmiya:[whistles]..dekha judge sahab ..in dono ki jodi me kitna pyar
hai...jo aise najuk mauke pe bhi ek dusre ka saath

de rahe hai

Chappel:Judge sahab..meri to samajh me nahi aa raha ye opening jodi ka
pyar dikhake saabit kya karna chahte hai..

Dalmiya:kuch nahi......sachin ..mai ye case chhod raha hoo..out of form
ganguly ko is samay mujhse jyada tumhari jaroorat hai

[CHAPPEL REALISES THAT HE MAY LOOSE THE CASE...]

Chappel:j udge sahab...abhi abhii ashes ki news mili...england ne
australia ko hara diya hai...mere sine me joro ka

heart attack aaya hai..court se gujarish hai ki wo agli
taarikh de de

dalmiya: tarikh pe tarikh pe tarikh...pehli tarikh pe kaha gaya ki
ganguly ka form temporay hai..aur dusri tarikh le li gayi

...dusri tarikh me kaha gaya ki ganguly paagal ho gaya hai
aur captaincy karne ke layak nahi hai..

... agli tarikh tak mai board president se hat jaunga...aur
uske bad ganguly pe match fixing ka aarop lag

jayega...is tarah to bas milti rahegi tarikh pe tarikh
pe tarikh...par kabhi Indian team world cup nahi jeet payegi..

...band kar dijiye aisi BCCI jo ek stable indian team bhi
nhi de sakte...

Judge: dono taraf ke jirah aur gawah ke bayano se ye saabit hota hai
ki ganguly begunah hai aur zim aur bangladesh ke

khilaf century banane ke baad unhone saabit kar diya hai
ki wo form me aa chuke hai.Chappel ne dada se

direct panga liya hai.. isliye unhe coach ke pad se
brkhast kiya jaata hai...

aaj se ye fisla ganguly ke faisle ke naam se jaana
jayega...

Math Attack !!!

2005-06-26T14:26:00.000-06:00

AT NEW YORK's Kennedy airport today, an individual - later discovered to be a public school teacher - was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a slide rule, and a calculator. At a morning press conference, the U. S. Attorney General disclosed that he believes the man to be a member of the notorious al-gebra movement. He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

"Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," he declared. "They seek average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in search of absolute value. They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns,' but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to argue, there are three sides to every triangle."

When asked to comment on the arrest, the President stated, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes.

I am gratified that our government has shown us a sine that it is intent on protracting us from these math-dogs, who are willing to disintegrate us with calculus disregard. Murky statisticians love to inflict plane on every sphere of influence. Under the circumferences, we must differentiate their root, make our point, and draw the line."

The President warned, "These weapons of math instruction have the potential to decimal everything in their math on a scalene never before seen, unless we become exponents of a Higher Power and begin to factor in random facts of vertex."

The Attorney General concluded, "As our Great Leader would say, read my ellipse. Here is one principle he is uncertain of: though they continue to multiply, their days are numbered as the hypotenuse tightens."

fun_with_numbers

More Ganguly bashing ...

2005-06-03T01:56:00.000-06:00

Whenever a player, especially if he is also captain, fails to live up to the expectations, he becomes a butt of jokes. Due to the recent awful batting form of Indian cricket captain, Sourav Ganguly, there have been jokes aplenty on him. Most of us must have read these jokes somewhere or the other. I was hesitating to blog about this earlier as I thought that no sooner will I write about it and he will bounce back and play a defining innings (that is why few of these jokes are old). In hindsight, that would have been better as it could prove to be career-saving. But after three matches in the ongoing Ind-Pak ODI series, it looks like Dadagiri has permanently deserted Dada.

Here is a collection of jokes from CricketNext guest writer Sandeep Joshi.

Shoaib Akhtar admits Ganguly is faster and quicker than him. "I haven't seen any one get out so fast. Man, I envy his speed. I am quick but he is quickest," he says, "I think I should now cut my run up short when I bowl to him. Or else, he might be gone when I am half way through my run up."

Narain Karthikeyan is to get some tips on Speed from Ganguly. His sponsors have asked him to talk to the Prince of Kolkata. They are also planning to endorse Ganguly.

Dinesh Karthick confesses that his skills in getting ready and padded have improved a lot. "As soon as Ganguly goes to bat, I know there is very little time left to get ready. I must have broken world records a few times in this series in getting padded up," says the Indian wicketkeeper.

Railways keen on Ganguly: At least we'll be having someone who comes (back) before time. This will help them improve the image with the Indian public.

Q: Any guess which is Ganguly's favorite movie?
A: Gone in 60 seconds.

Q: Which was the hottest place in the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the last test ?
A: The seat Ganguly was sitting in while in the dressing room.

Ganguly to donate all his bats to charity. "I don't require a bat to do what are do these days", said the Indian skipper.

And, finally, the best one. (from many independent sources)
Steps to cook Maggi Noodles (just 2 minutes)

Step 1: Boil one cup of water.
Step 2: As soon as Ganguly goes for batting, put the noodles in the boiled water and put the tastemaker.
Step 3: Stir till Ganguly is on field.
Step 4: As soon as Ganguly is back in pavilion, your noodles are ready to eat.

This formula will definitely work 9 out of 10 times. To be on the safer side, stir till Ganguly is back to the dressing room. This is just to ensure that the Maggi is not half-cooked.
Lo Taiyaar Maggi !!!

The Chappell Way

2005-04-28T16:42:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons that I declined the West Indies offer to coach them recently was because of their short-term approach to what is a long-term problem. They didn't fully understand the philosophy that I espouse and that is behind the concept of how best to develop future champions. The West Indies Cricket Board wanted a quick-fix solution. What I wanted to bring was a system that was involved with the whole development process from Under-17, Under-19, first-class cricket and the 'A' team through to the Test team.

says Greg Chappell in this article titled Change Cricket's Coaching Model. Sounds exactly what the Indian team needs, especially after the biggies call it a day after the 2007 World Cup. Let's wait and watch hoping that BCCI take the big step.

Yeh Mumbai Meri Jaan ...

2005-04-27T22:55:00.000-06:00

Mumbai is a deeply misunderstood city said Shobha De in her POLITICALLY INCORRECT column for Times of India on SEPTEMBER 14, 2003.

Rocky Balboa

2005-04-26T09:09:00.000-06:00

Rocky Balboa made sure Sylvester Stallone's life would never be the same again.

Rocky had it all -- action, realistic boxing, emotion, romance and sharp writing.

A quote from the movie:

Rocky (in response to his girlfriend asking him why he wants to fight): 'Because I can't sing or dance.'

Me = Supreme Nerd

2005-04-25T16:12:00.000-06:00

I just took the "Nerd Test", and I 'scored' 90%. Dunno if that is an achievement or a dishonor.

Hare & Tortoise - More lessons to be learnt ...

2005-04-17T15:39:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster. They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race. The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he'd sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare woke up and realized that he'd lost the race.

The moral- "Slow and steady wins the race."

This is the version of the story that we've all grown up with. However, the story doesn't end here. There are few more interesting things... it continues as follows...

The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realized that he'd lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there's no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.

The moral - "Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady. It's good to be slow and steady; but it's better to be fast and reliable."

The story still doesn't end here...

The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realized that there's no way it can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. It thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometres on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do. In the meantime the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.

The moral - "First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency."

As you might imagine, the storystill hasn't ended ...

The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realized that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team this time. They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they'd felt earlier.

The moral - "It's good to be individually brilliant and to have strong core competencies; but unless you're able to work in a team and harness each other's core competencies, you'll always perform below par because there will always be situations at which you'll do poorly and someone else does well"

End of an era ?

2005-04-17T06:42:00.000-06:00

Saurav Ganguly has been suspended for six matches by ICC and the media and public have welcomed the decision. Could match referee, Chris Broad, in fact have ended Saurav Ganguly's international career?

But, Gaurav Sabnis asks, Do we have a batsman who can walk into his slot easily?

Also, today India played for the last time under coach John Wright, who strated his career with Ganguly's captaincy. According to this interview with the Telegraph, he must be feeling very empty, angry and frustrated.

Excerpts from the interview -

On working with Sachin Tendulkar:
I’ve been privileged. His humility, Strength of character, Class as a cricketer ...a wonderful experience.

If I had the job all over again:
I would ask for a vote at selection meetings...Performance is most important, but the attitude factor is there as well.
The zone-wise representation of selectors should be stopped. Only the best team must be picked...It may have been useful, but isn’t so now.

Challenges facing Team India:
No. 7 slot in ODIs (all-rounder), Fielding, Genuine Quick.

Biggest change:
Belief that wins can be recorded overseas...

No. 1 disappointment:
Losing the 2003 World Cup final, Not being able to win the Sydney Test 2004,...

No. 1 achievement:
Beating Australia in 2001, Defeating Pakistan in Pakistan 2004, Chasing 326 in the 2002 NatWest final.

Truly, the end of an era !!

Update: Also read John Wright's final press conference and Amit Varma's reaction to it.