India in New Zealand

India have lost a thriller.


The batting was disappointing and a target of 150 was set.
The match went down to the last ball and the Mc Cullum brothers won the match for the Kiwis.

A big doubt! Why was Sehwag not given a chance to bowl? Yuvraj's 50 went in vain and

Dhoni and Co. have a long trip in New Zealand with three tests and 5 ODIs to be played. We can't sit and analyze too much. The batsmen need a crash course in shot-selection and the team has to play together properly.

This series will test and decide Dhoni's success outside the sub-continent.

Let us see what happens!

Nan Kadavul-Movie Review

Movie-Nan Kadavul.
Director-Bala.
Cast-Arya, Pooja and others.
Music-Ilayaraja.
Year of Release-2009.
Genre-Drama.

Bala is one director whose movies mix the commercialism and realism in the right proportions. His three previous movies have been box-office hits but this time I believe Bala might be lucky if the movie recovers its production costs. The problem being it took more than 3 years to make with several heroines being cast and then replaced. The movie presents a stark portrayal of the organized beggary in India, specially in Tamil Nadu.

If you thought Slumdog had difficult scenes, then this movie will shock you. Bala presents a coterie of real life beggars-Eunuchs, midgets, deformed people, physically challenged people, blind people. The attention to detail is indeed detailed.

A man visits Kashi/Benaras to find his son Rudra-whom he had abandoned 14 years ago in the holy city based on the advice of an astrologer. The beginning is flawed and a bit unbelievable when the man spots an aghori-Arya and faints. He realises that Arya is his son Rudra in just one glance.

The story shifts to Malaikottai in Tamil Nadu, where a tall bald man is a kingpin running the beggar-mafia. Pooja is introduced as a blind girl singing in the train and getting alms.

Pooja is inducted into the bald man's group and is made to sing at a temple atop a hill. Arya stays there smoking ganja and uttering mantras once in a while. A Keralite businessman comes to the bald man and pays money and takes beggars to Kerala.

He comes again with an offer of Rs 10 lakhs to buy Pooja as a companion for a man whose face is deformed. When his goons come to kidnap Pooja, Arya bashes the group and kills the businessman.

Then a court case scene follows. A bit of forced humour perhaps!

A final confrontation with the bald-headed villain follows with Arya killing the villain.

Then comes the twist-an expected one-Bala killed the heroes in his earlier movies-here he kills Pooja. Pooja pleads with Arya to save her from the pains of the world. The next scene shows her lying in a pool of blood. So we assume that Arya kills her to guide her to her salvation.

A role worthy of an award by Pooja. Arya has worked reallly hard for his role and deserves applause for his physical makeover. Music is great.

We can only sympathise with Bala and pray that his next venture has a strong script.
How about a crime thriller Mr Bala or an urban college romance?

India in New Zealand

So reality hit Team India hard at the end of the first T:20 match.

Vettori won the toss and decided to bowl.

Sehwag plastered the first three balls he faced for sixers. The small ground theory was proved right. Then the madness started-Gambhir was out and the procession of wickets started as the star batsmen fell quickly. At 101 for the loss of 7 wickets things were looking tough. Somehow Raina and Harbhajan played sensibly and a decent target of 163 runs was achieved.

New Zealand started on a disastrous note with Ishant and Zaheer firing on full steam. But Brendon Mc Cullum who is become Mr. Dependable for the Kiwis ensured that New Zealand won comfortably.

The second T:20 tomorrow will be a challenge for Dhoni's Team and the team is likely to undergo changes. The batsmen need to play with maturity and responsibility and not throw their wickets. Let us see what happens!

At the Oscars

So the Oscars have been announced and what a show by Hugh Jackman! A special mention for his wit, charm and dancing skills.

Slumdog Millionaire won 8 awards including best picture and best director. The big hit was A.R. Rahman who won two awards.

Resul Pookutty won for best sound-mixing and Simon Beaufoy won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

A summary of the list of nominees and winners is provided below:


Best Motion Picture
Slumdog Millionaire: Winner
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Milk


Best Director
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire: Winner
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk


Best Performance by an Actor
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk: Winner
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler


Best Performance by an Actress
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - The Reader: Winner


Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Winner
Viola Davis – Doubt
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight: Winner


Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan): Winner
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)


Best Animated Feature Film Of The Year
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E: Winner


Original Screenplay
Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh
Milk - Dustin Lance Black: Winner
Wall-E - Andrew Stanton


Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth
Doubt -John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy : Winner
The Reader - David Hare


Best Animated Short Film
La Maison en Petits Cubes: Winner
Lavatory - Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up


Best Art Director
Changeling - James J. Murakami
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Donald Graham Burt: Winner
The Dark Knight
The Duchess - Michael Carlin
Revolutionary Road - Kristi Zea


Best Costume Design
Australia - Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Jacqueline West
The Duchess - Michael O'Connor: Winner
Milk - Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road - Albert Wolsky


Best Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Greg Cannom: Winner
The Dark Knight - John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz


Best Cinematography
Changeling - Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight - Wally Pfister
The Reader - Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire - Anthony Dod Mantle: Winner


Best Film Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
The Dark Knight - Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
Frost/Nixon - Wally Pfister
Milk - Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire - Chris Dickens: Winner


Best Live Action Short Film
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy: Winner
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)


Best Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Alexandre Desplat
Defiance - James Newton Howard
Milk - Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire - AR Rahman: Winner
Wall-E - Thomas Newman


Best Original Song
Down to Earth - Wall-E - Music by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman; Lyric by Peter Gabriel
Jai Ho - Slumdog Millionaire - Music by AR Rahman; Lyric by Gulzar : Winner
O Saya - Slumdog Millionaire - Music and Lyric by AR Rahman, Maya Arulpragasam


Best Documentary Feature
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon): Winner
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water


Best Documentary Short
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki: Winner
The Witness


Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton, Craig Barron: Winner
The Dark Knight - Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber, Paul Franklin
Iron Man - John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick, Shane Mahan



Best Sound Editing
The Dark Knight - Richard King: Winner
Iron Man - Frank Eulner, Christopher Boyes
Slumdog Millionaire - Glenn Freemantle, Tom Sayers
Wall-E - Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood
Wanted - Wylie Stateman


Best Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, Mark Weingarten
The Dark Knight - Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
Slumdog Millionaire - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty: Winner
Wall-E - Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Ben Burtt
Wanted - Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño, Petr Forejt

The big surprises were Slumdog winning best picture and Mickey Rourke being pipped to the post by Sean Penn.

Heath Ledger's Oscar was assured and he became the second artiste to win an Oscar posthumously.

Kate Winslet has done a much better role in The Revolutionary Road but somehow this outing with "The Reader" finally got her a long-belated Best Actress Award.

27

So here I am sitting in front of my computer in office. Taking a break from work typing this post. I turned 27 today. Nothing special just another day. The past year was full of varied experiences. A new job and a new office with a new work-profile and staying in a new house-albeit a rented one. One of the most tumultous years of my life as I realized-"It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

I realized that sometimes it is better to be silent when you realize that someone else has won a prize that you deserved. One does not win all the games that one participates.

A couple of phonecalls in the morning from relatives in other parts of the country wishing me on my birthday. Some messages from friends!

I still pine for a call at least a message from her. Have I become such an alien that I have been totally erased from her psyche. I don't know. Perhaps in this world at least from her point of view there can be no platonic friendship between a man and a woman.

Last year around this time my heart was up in the clouds! Today if there is a place below rock bottom-it has reached there.

If things go the way they are going now, by the time I type a post titled 28 I might be actually married.

Let me see what happens!

The Reader

Well Kate Winslet is as ravishing as usual. But if you tend to overlook the fact that the lady is practically naked for most of the movie, one realizes that it is a powerful role that she has enacted.

Ralph Fiennes is a succesful lawyer who recounts his past. His affair with a ticket-checker Kate, when he is just a 14-year old boy. They make love on the sly and Kate forces the boy to read works by folks like Shakespeare and Marx.

She is convicted of persecuting Jews and commits suicide in jail. There are too many loose end s and the big secret that Kate is illiterate and the other secret which you figure out by watching the movie.

The movie is likely to be seriously censored and folks preparing to salivate in the theatre better go buy a dvd and watch the movie.

This could have been a movie on a totally different plane and explore the anguish and helplessness of the young boy and the tortured Kate but somehow peters down into a well cinematographed piece of soft-porn with mainstream actors, a decent background score and a story that tries to recreate Germany during the Second World War.

The chap David Kross (young Fiennes) would have enjoyed the most I feel. Jokes apart the movie covers a wide range of topics-sexual awakening, forbidden relationships, persecution of Jews, war crimes tribunal, wrong judgements, guilt, emotional self-punishment, etc……

Somehow I felt that the movie was an attempt at winning an award and not a genuine effort from the director Stephen Daldry.

West Indies deny England a Win

Strauss would be frustrated with all of England for failing to get the last wicket and redeem English pride after the debacle at Sabina Park.

Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards somehow managed to hold their wits and managed to secure a draw against a buoyant English bowling attack.

With Flintoff ruled out of the series the next match will be crucial.

Let us see what happens.

In other cricketing news the Indian team has reached New Zealand. The first T:20 will be held on Feb 25.

The Judiciary versus the Police

[Image courtesy sify.com]

I sensed something amiss when the bus going to Broadway took a detour. Instead of going via the Secretariat and Madras High Court the bus took the road adjacent to the Government General Hospital to reach Broadway. The road was blocked and there was heavy police security. The stretch from Broadway busstand to Parrys corner was dark as all shops had closed their shutters. Traffic was practically closed.

I learnt from other commuters that a big fight had broken out between the lawyers and the police and C.R.P.F. and additional police reinforcements had been called in.

I decided to take one of the narrow lanes that criscross the Parrys area to reach Beach station. There was silence and darkness and even the stray dogs seemed to have gone in to hiding. I was walking along with four other men returning home from work when we heard a shout behind us.

To our horror a bunch of law college students about 15 in number were running shouting obscenities. The five us were shocked and immediately ran in to one of the open doorways and pulled the shutters down.

I never ever thought that I would be in such a situation. Mob violence is a serious thing. When both the lawyers and the policemen go crazy no one is safe.

Fifteen minutes later we raised the shutters and walked quickly to the Beach Railway Station.

The video clips on the news channels showed the magnitude of the violence of the infuriated lawyers and policemen.

If this is the state of affairs, nobody can save us!

V-Day, Fever, Movies, Insecurity, and Bride-Hunting

Well so another Valentine's Day has come and gone. By the grace of a couple of my friends some really fiery discussions thru' e-mail happened. Nothing important but then some people do not understand humour and I better stop using "superfluous" words and take care of my punctuation marks while drafting e-mails.

I never celebrated V-Day as I never had a Valentine. Last year was an exception(2008) when I was too damn confused to figure out if it was infatuation or true love.
By the time I figured out it was love on my part the chapter was already closed by the "other party."

This year I was bundled at home with a nasty cold and fever. I popped Paracetamols and Erythromycins while half the world was feasting on cakes and starwberry milkshakes.

I saw some movies on my DVD player. I saw "Rock-n-Rolla," "Revolutionary Road," "Charade," and "From Here to Eternity."

There is a definite feeling of insecurity. People at the office are glued to their desks semingly trying to focus on their work. There have been assurances that no more lay-offs will happen. But you never know!

I don't know what the future holds. It seems a couple of horoscopes matched. Now the next round of discussions have been initiated and there is a genuine possibility of an "official sighting" in March. I will be travelling to Kolkatta in March for a family function and it seems the conspiracy to conduct my marriage will reach the next level there.

Wish me luck folks!

Five Years!

Time flies so fast.

Five years back on this day I met with a horrible accident.
I would have died and even the doctors gave up on me.
I was in a coma for a week.
I was on life-support.

Somewhere deep within me a point of light glowed and I realized my purpose.

My guardian angel took me to heaven and to hell and said-"Mate! There is a time to live and a time to die."

On the eighth day I showed signs of consciousness. I was in the hospital for three months and after two complicated surgeries I survived and am alive and typing my tale here.

I may no longer have a Valentine, but the significance of Valentine's Day will continue to haunt me till my guardian angel calls me.

V-Day Cartoon

Another forward. Who ever drew this cartoon deserves a prize.

The Origin of Valentine's Day

I got this as an e-mail forward.

It is too funny.

In spite of what you have been told by everyone, the truth is that Valentine's Day originated hundreds of years ago, in India , and to top it all, in Gujarat !!

It is a well known fact that Gujarati men, specially the Patels, continually mistreat and disrespect their wives (Patelianis). One fine day, it happened to be the 14th day of February, one brave Pateliani, having had enough "torture" by her husband, finally chose to rebel by beating him up with a Velan (rolling pin).

Yes....the same Velan which she used daily, to make chapattis for him....only this time, instead of the dough, it was the husband who was flattened.

This was a momentous occasion for all Gujarati women and a revolt soon spread, like wild fire, with thousands of housewives beating up their husbands with the Velan.

There was an outburst of moaning "chapatti-ed" husbands all over Anand and Amdavad. The Patel men-folk quickly learnt their lesson and started to behave more respectfully with their Patelianis.

Thereafter, on 14th February, every year, the womenfolk of Gujarat would beat up their husbands, to commemorate that eventful day.The wives having the satisfaction of beating up their husbands with the Velan and the men having the supreme joy of submitting to the will of the women they loved.

Soon The Gujju men realised that in order to avoid this ordeal they need to present gifts to their wives....they brought flowers and sweetmeats. Hence the tradition began.
As Gujarat fell under the influence of Western culture, that day was called 'Velan time' day.

The ritual soon spread to Britain and many other Western countries, specifically, the catch words 'Velan time!'. Of course in their foreign tongues, it was first anglisised to 'Velantime' and then to 'Valentine'.

And thereafter, 14th of February, came to be known as Valentine's Day!

The person who wrote this-
Three cheers:)

Lines for Whom?

I no longer smile,
I no longer cry,
I no longer look,
At your photos.

When you left me,
You took away a part,
A part of my heart,
And a bigger part of my mind.

I never realized,
You were toying,
With me and my emotions.
All the while laughing behind my back.

Perhaps I deserved this,
For trusting someone,
And loving someone,
With all my mind and heart.

All I can say is that,
The time you spent me,
Shall be treasured forever,
It might have been a game for you.

But for me-you were everything,
You were my life.
Now that you have left me for someone else.
All I can say.....

No I have nothing more to say.
But I do foresee,
Another fool like me,
Writing something similar down the line.

Latest Cricket News

Sri Lanka won the final ODI convincingly. India won the series 4-1.

Australia won the third ODI and trail the series against New Zealand 2-1.

West Indies demolished England in the first Test at Sabina Park as the English team was bowled out for 51 runs in its second innings. Jerome Taylor scalped 5 wickets and spinner Suleiman Benn got 4 wickets.

England have to regroup themselves quickly and play positive cricket.

Cricket News

New Zealand defeated Australia convincingly in the second ODI and the result-India have moved to second place in the ICC ODI Rankings. A 5-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka will consolidate India's position.

Flintoff has been snapped by Chennai Super Kings and Kevin Pietersen has been bought by the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Other players that were bought by various teams include the Protean super-player Duminy, Fidel Edwards George Bailey, Tyron Henderson, Dwayne Smith, Paul Collingwood, Moshrafe Mortaza(Kolkatta Knightriders) for $600000, Shaun Tait(Rajasthan Royals).

Looking at the obscene amounts of money that have exchanged hands one wonders what happened to "Economic Recession."

Waiting for Season-2 of the IPL.

Cricket News

India have won the series against Sri Lanka. They have won nine matches in a row under Dhoni's captaincy. The fifth one-dayer is yet to be played.

Australia and New Zealand are fighting it out in the current one-dayer.

West Indies have made a confident reply against England in the first Test match.

Zimbabwe have defeated Kenya 5-0 in the one-day series.

The IPL auction for Season 2 is going on Flintoff and Pietersen are the highest paid cricketers in the IPL now.

BACHELOR DAYS SEEM TO BE ENDING SOON!

Well the way things are going on I am likely to get engaged by June 2009. Do not ask me who the girl is? Even I don't know:) I am the Transporter[Damn Jason Statham will kick me if he reads this!]I am suppose to take one dozen horoscopes from my uncle's house to my mother.

It seems prospects of escaping marriagedom[am not sure if it is a correct word] is a prospect that is diminishing with each passing day.

Let me see!

Folks wish me luck. If everything goes on track, the first official "sighting" "ponnu pakkiradhu" ceremony might happen by the end of February.

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

I am sorry I have not yet found time to see "Rock n' Rolla" and "Revoultionary Road."
So I present the review of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

The movie is an adaptation of a short story of the same name written by J Scott Fitzgerald. The movie stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The story starts in a hospital where a lady on her death-bed asks her daughter to read from a diary. The diary narrates the life and times of Benjamin Button.

Brad Pitt is Benjamin Button. When he is born he is born with the features of an aged person who is about to die. He is abandoned by his rich father and left at the door-step of an old-age home run by an Afro-American couple. The lady takes great care of him and treats him like her son. He mingles with the other aged people in the building who treat him as an old man. They do not know that he is a child. He makes friends with Daisy the grand-daughter of a rich widow. The widow teaches Benjamin to play the piano.

A fascinating transition takes place as Benjamin grows younger with each passing day. He joins a shipping trawlwer, fights in the Second World War, has his romantic misadventures. He sends postcards to Daisy from all the cities that he visits.

Benjamin returns to the old-age home were his father meets him and tells him the truth-'Benjamin I am your father-Thomas Button." He continues running the family business of manufacturing buttons, is attracted to Daisy who has become a ballet dancer in New York.

Their paths cross again and after a series of incidents get married. They buy a house have a daughter and seem to enjoy life. Benjamin keeps worrying and says-" I want my daughter to have a father not a playmate."

He keeps growing younger and sells his company and creates an account/trust for his wife and daughter and leaves his home. He returns many years later as a teenager. His wife in the meanwhile has married another man and runs a dance-school. She is shocked to see Benjamin!

He once again goes. Then one day Daisy receives a phone call and goes to a child-welfare centre. A boy who is extremely incoherent and whose bag contains a letter addressed to her has been found. Daisy realises that this is Benjamin, Benjamin no longer remembers who she is!-"Excuse me, do I know you?"

Daisy takes care of the small boy as her son. She leaves the city and travels to another city as the boy grows younger and younger finally an infant. This is a really touching scene when Daisy realizes the infant has died.

When the girl reaches this part of the story in true cinematic style Daisy[the old lady] if you have not figured that out dies!

The movie is brilliant. Make-up(simply superb).Acting is top-notch and I have a feling Brad Pitt might win the coveted Oscar for Best Actor this year. The sets chronicling the changes in America across three generations is portrayed brilliantly. As usual David Fincher continues to mystify satisfy the audience with his works.

Go watch this movie. Deserves every bit of praise being showered on it and much-much better than the disillusioned, myopic, and Westernised opinion of Slumdog Millionaire.

Conversations, Ruminations, Exasperations and Frustrations!:]



mahesh: hi ashwin


aswin.ganesh: hi buddy


mahesh: i will check into the openings u sent


aswin.ganesh: okie
sure da
All the best
There are lots of openingfs
You are in a meeting and yet active
:)


mahesh: just came back man
someone else pinged


aswin.ganesh: :)
So, is the situation back to normal


mahesh: yedho company meeting today
CEO will be addressing
let us see what happens


aswin.ganesh: pakkalam
Hope it isn't another bullshit "We are forced to do...." thing


mahesh: will let u know man


aswin.ganesh: sure


mahesh: will be
as of now job is safe


aswin.ganesh: whatever happens, the end result will be good da


mahesh: next cut will be three months later


aswin.ganesh: well, is that good news or bad news :O i am still wondering
Anyways, don;t you worry
Your elearning background will always come to your rescue


mahesh: i am not very worried man


aswin.ganesh: :)


mahesh: even if they fire no problem


aswin.ganesh: Good


mahesh: 1 month's salary
time to search for a good job


aswin.ganesh: Yup, you will get a good job anytime da
:)


mahesh: no need to worry about notice period too


aswin.ganesh: Not even recession can stop ya
:)


mahesh: i keep looking at the positives


aswin.ganesh: Yes


mahesh: if nothing comes to nothing
i will start free-lancing
with photos and movie reviews
if that too goes for a toss
i will join palakkad mani iyer's catering service


aswin.ganesh: dei dei dei
Podhum da


mahesh: michel madana kama rajan
:)


aswin.ganesh: Oh


mahesh: taangalaya


aswin.ganesh: then find a bride like OOrvashi yeah ;)


mahesh: seri velaiya paaru
ha ha ha
dei someone better


aswin.ganesh: Dei naan velaiya thaan da parthuttu irukken
Multi-tasking u see
:D


mahesh: summa thamasu


aswin.ganesh: :)
I want to try for the post of CEO for Satyam
Wanna join
me


mahesh: vendam pa


aswin.ganesh: yenda


mahesh: teakadai nadathi poichukiren


aswin.ganesh: ha ha ha


mahesh: low investment maximum returns


aswin.ganesh: he he he
Naa kodutha idea'avai yenakke solraya
Dei
;D

mahesh: hi da
conversation is too comical


aswin.ganesh: huh


mahesh: i am putting this as a post


aswin.ganesh: oh oh


mahesh: becoz u r not blogging


aswin.ganesh: seri super
:)


mahesh: i want your name to come on blogspot


aswin.ganesh: You see I left my brain at the banl
:)


mahesh: my free service to you


aswin.ganesh: thank you sire


mahesh: we can be like cho and nagesh of blogspot
or laurel and hardy

aswin.ganesh: He He He/hahahaha