Pakistan enter the finals

South Africa with all their experience and positive vibes continued to retain the "chokers tag" as they were defeated by Pakistan in the first semi-final by 7 runs.

Afridi won the match for Pakistan with a brilliant performance with both bat and ball.

The second semi between Sri Lanka and West Indies will be a thriller.

Let us see what happens.

Three Defeats in a Row

Well Captain Cool-Three defeats in a row. Disastrous captaincy horrible running between the wickets. A target of 131 against South Africa and you lose with wickets still in hand. Soul-searching, accusations and resignations are expected soon. The honeymoon is over let us see what the big bosses say.

Team-India Falter

The first true test and our first Super-Eight Match against the mighty West Indies!
India bat first and wickets fall in quick succession. Yuvi and Yusuf Pathan do the rescue act. A decent total of 157 thanks to a solid knock from Yuvi.

West Indies lost early wickets but Dwayne Bravo sizzled with the bat to add to his 4 wickets to lead the Windies to victory.

Dhoni's captaincy was poor as the bowling changes do not make sense.

Let us see if we can make it to the semis.

England are in a desperate situation too and the India vs England match will prove to be a thriller.

Another Innings in Instructional Design

The past week has been hectic. I have joined a another firm in the e-learning domain. I have the designation of an Assistant Manager. The new place is a small outfit and they are in the process of setting up a full-fledged team. There is absolute chaos. We have a big and prestigious project that means a lot to the company. An induction is yet to take place. I was supposed to go to another city for a formal induction but it got canceled. It is a young and dynamic team. We were told that it was a 5-day week but the project and the deadline means it is a six-day week.

A colleague celebrated his birthday yesterday. There was cake and ice cream. In the evening it was time to go for a wedding reception. Met some old colleagues from SFY and EK.

Let us see how things go!

Wish me luck.

The Last Day

The last day at work was spent in the usual order. Saying good-byes! Wishing luck and all that emotional nonsense!

Memories:
Sethu Sir-Truly one of the great inspiring men that I have met in my life-time. Thanks for the books that you gave me and for the blessings.

Honestly the best manager I ever worked with - Vicky. Always cool and calm composed and steady and a great human being.
Deepak-Funny, honest, frank and sometimes too damn philosophical for even me to interpret what he means!

Robin-Great all-rounder and always ready to crack a joke.

And everyone else who made my stay at the firm memorable.

Now I await the settlement amount!

Rohit Sizzles with the Bat

India continued its supremacy over arch rival Pakistan and defeated them by 9 wickets in a warm-up game. Pakistan lost a wicket in the first over. Then they went ballistic and reached 45 in four overs. Then a suicidal run cost Kamran Akmal his wicket courtesy a superb throw from Raina. Then Pakistan were reduced to 45 for 4 as Afridi too lost his wicket alongwith the other opener.

Misbah as usual was the mainstay as Pakistan reached 157. The Indian openers Rohit Sharma in the form of his life and Gautam Gambhir blasted the ball to all corners of the park. Rohit's quickfire 80 and a composed 50 from Gambhir ensured that India won.

The main tournament starts tonight and we can expect loads of fire works.

May the best team win.

I WONDER

[Image Source-Google Image Search]

I wonder. I wonder a lot. No wonder I was labelled a day-dreamer when I was still very young. When I was in Class I-I used to wonder what it would be to be a famous cricketer. When I reached Class V-I used to wonder what it would be to be a tram-driver.[I was in Calcutta during that peiod]. Class VIII and the first crush on a girl in class and I wanted to emulate the antics of Shahrukh and Aamir. Reality struck a crushing blow when we had to move to another city. The first crush remained in my heart forever. I had never spoken to her in that year in class. I guess the shyness-syndrome continues as many of the readers of this blog already know:). By the time I completed the torture that was Trignometry and Analytical Calculus and Differential Calculus and drawing diagrams of the human heart and preparing herbariums of Clitoria ternatea. I was done with Science and Maths. Three years of college were full of fun, two life-threatening accidents. A long-period of recovery, which led to a spiritual awakening. A campus-recruitment drive that I attended by accident. I wonder what would have happened if I had never written that test. Four years down the line and heading in to my fifth job.

These four years have brought in so many incidents! The pangs of a failed attempt in love. The realization that I belong to a fractured family where the factors may change but some couples will remain incompatible and at loggerheads forever. The knowledge that the powers vested in me are great and the responsibilities and roles that I have to perform are greater. The absolute truth-that the path that I have chosen was destined to have come to me. I know that I am different and though folks may say I am difficult to understand and slightly cracked:). They will nver know what is in store!

Now I really wonder if something is wrong with my head:)!

India take on Pakistan

Team India faltered in its chase and lost to New Zealand in the first T:20 warm-up. Tonight the boys-in-blue take on Pakistan. Let us see what happens. The match is scheduled at 10 PM IST. So watching the full match live is ruled out.

May the best team win!

The little piece of plastic-the credit card

Know how your credit card
works before you swipe...."


It is just a piece of plastic the size of a visiting card, which has changed the way we handle our money and finances. You do not have money right now, do not worry, use your credit cards, make your purchase, wait for your monthly statement, and pay the bill in installments. Is that all that there is to using a credit card?

The credit card as a concept started in America. The success and popularity of the concept led to the global presence and usage of the credit card. A credit card is essentially a plastic card containing a magnetic strip. The card is issued in the user's name and allows the user to purchase products without making any cash/cheque payment. At the beginning of every month the user receives a statement from his/her bank. The user has to pay the bank the amount within a specified period either in installments or as a one-time payment. If the user pays the amount in installments the bank charges interest for the balance amount.

The bank specifies a credit limit based on the user's income and financial security. The user can make purchases using the credit card within the specified credit limit. A credit card is valid only if it has the user's signature on the reverse of the card.

Identity theft is an issue of growing concern as more and more cases of online fraud are being reported everyday. This is primarily due to the increase in the number of users conducting their transactions on the Internet and the carelessness of the credit card users. There have been instances where portable card-readers were used to get data from credit cards and this information was misused. Hackers also use this information to conduct online transactions.

Some simple tips that can help prevent identity theft and misuse of credit card details are as follows:

1-Never reveal your credit card details, like account number and PIN(Personal Identification Number) to others.

2-Be sure to tear all receipts or bills once the transaction is over and the bills are paid.

3-If you are buying something online, ensure that the Website is approved by digital security firms like Verisign, Entrust, RSA Security, etc...

4-Always collect your credit card once you complete your transaction and keep analysing your bills to check if someone has misused your credit card.

A credit card is a boon for the middle-class citizen as it allows the luxury of buying things now on credit and paying for them later. One has to remember that all things should be used in moderation and it is always good to pay one's bills on time.

Good Used-Books at Low Prices

The book-lover is bothered by the rising cost of books. Some have also gravitated towards buying pirated copies of books. In a world where everyone wants to spend the minimum to get the maximum pirated movies and pirated books are a major source of income to many entrepreneurs and source of joy to many book-lovers and movie-lovers. A Sidney Sheldon thriller that costs Rs 250 to Rs 300 in Landmark is available for Rs 50 to Rs 60 in many of the pavement stalls that dot Chennai.

But not all books make it to the pavement in its pirated form. Only the books by Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon, Frederick Forsyth, Paulo Coelho, Stephen R. Covey, Linda Goodman, Robert Ludlum, Arundhati Roy, Arvind Adiga and a few other chosen ones make it to the pavement.

The other option is to visit the many used-book shops to find old forgotten novels and comics. Indulge in nostalgia from childhood and an age of innocence when one fought with siblings to read Enid Blyton and Asterix and the Biggles series. Adolescence was devoted to the exploits of the Hardy boys, Nancy Drew and the Three Investigators.

I am listing a few of my favourite haunts in Chennai to find old books.

1-Moore Market

This has been my favourite ever since I started college and went hunting for copies of Milton’s “Paradise Lost” and “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.” Moore Market has a long chequered history. The current suburban railway complex is where the original Moore Market stood. My uncle used to say you could get each and every type of electronic item, exotic perfumes and various birds here. The biggest section was reserved to rows of book stalls. A planned fire led to the shop-keepers to be evacuated. A new complex (the current one) was built but many shop-keepers left the place. Today one finds most of the shops selling engineering books. Only about 12 shops spread across three floors sell novels and magazines. There are some shops that sell stamps and coins. The current complex has a lot of shops that sell exotic fishes, aquariums and related equipment. I visit the place and browse through the books. Some of the gems that I got here include: “An Anthology of American Poetry”(Got for Rs 350) a bargain as a new one costs about Rs 2000. The original James Bond novels by Ian Fleming at Rs 30 a piece. A new one at Landmark costs around Rs 200. Four Agatha Christie novels at Rs 45 a piece. The books look new and none of the pages are missing.

2-Adjacent GPO on Mount Road

There are about four stalls on the pavement on Mount Road adjacent to the GPO. Three sell pirated new novels. The fourth shop sells old books on a wide variety of topics. Novels starting from Rs 10 to coffee table books selling at Rs 500. I have picked many Enid Blyton novels here for Rs 10 and Rs 20. Other buys include an encyclopedia on dogs for Rs 200.(a picture book with details on breeds and health care tips for dogs). Lots of pulp fiction thrillers for Rs 20 and Rs 30.

Folks more shops coming soon. Cross-posted on Art, Books, Cinema and Music.

Chelsea Win!

Finally the silverware and joy for Chelsea Chelsea defeated Everton 2-1 to win the FA Cup. A parting gift for their Dutch coach Hiddink. Everton struck the fastest goal in the tournament's history but Chelsea won under the stable leadership of Lampard and a good game by Drogba.

BARCELONA THRASH MAN-U

Manchester United were outplayed in all departments as Messi sealed a win for Barca. A good match and a day where Man-U will rue their missed chances.

Now Barca are the UEFA champs.

Let us see what Chelsea can do at Wembley stadium when they take on Everton in the FA Cup final.

Gilchrist has the Last Laugh!

It ended in an anti-climax as the whipping boys of IPL-1 made it to the finals of IPL-2. Dhoni and his team lost the plot against RCB in the second semi-final while Gilchrist's power-packed 85 kicked Sehwag's Devils out of contention.

The final started with a surprise as Kumble bowled the first over to Gilchrist and the gamble worked as he was bowled by Kumble in the first over. The Deccan Chargers aided by Gibbs and Symonds reached 143. RCB faltered and lost by six runs.

In my opinion the turning point of the match was Dravid dropping Symo's catch at slip. Robin Uthappa and Dravid's failure with the bat is an added negative.

So folks applaud the Hyderabad team who won the coveted but ugly trophy.

Wish they made more beautiful trophies. All that gold and diamonds and rubies in an uninspiring trophy.

An Eventful Day

E-mail 1

There is a bomb scare at XXXX.The bomb squad has been summoned to carry out necessary precautionary checkup.

YYY is coordinating with them and they have informed us that there is no need for panic. They are in constant touch with us. We request all of you to maintain your calm and carry on with your work.

E-mail 2

Dear All,

With reference to our previous mail on the subject, the bomb squad has declared that the building is safe and informed that it was a hoax call.

We thank all the associates for the spirit displayed and the co-operation extended.

Well folks to cut a long story short, some chap who needed a break from his monotonous job called the building administration office and said that a bomb has been planted. All mayhem broke out and the building was quickly evacuated and the bomb squad, dog squad and the police were called in. Our company decided to remain silent as the smokers gang spotted the sudden rush of people trooping out from other floors. A while later the first e-mail confirmed our worst fears. But even then no signs of evacuation and the blokes joked about "End of Days" and "The Apocalypse." Some of the women staff were really worried and began to panic.

Two hours later some of the brave guys went out and found out there was no danger. Another two hours later we received the second e-mail.

Now just imagine if the hoax had been real. Well I cannot imagine anything. Any way the folks at the company are a sporting lot and continue to work without too much complaints. A great company and its brave employees.

I traded on the stock exchange today. Spent close to Rs 2000 and already I am running a loss of Rs 300. Hope things turn for the better tomorrow.

Folks Chennai are thru' to the semis with a win over Kings XI Punjab in yesterday's low-scoring spinners'-thriller.

This was my post no. 400.

Thanks to the encouragement of my beloved readers and friends.

Thanks Ashwin (Common Man Dreamer), Priya (cool dudette), Kavitha (The Book-Lover), Sowmitha (Editorial Trainer and dog-lover), Siva(handsome rocker), Sudha(wish you posted an actual comment), Sevi(Great News Soon).

Thanks again everybody!

The race for the IPL semi-finals heats up as Rajasthan Royals play the Kolkata Knightriders and Kings XI Punjab play the Chennai Super Kings. CSK had a rude wake up call when Mc Cullum and Hodge blasted the CSK bowlers to snatch an awesome victory by overhauling the improbabale 189-run target.

The Royals are on to a horrible start and are at 46/4 in the seventh over now. If Chennai win today then they will not have to worry about run rates. The way Kumble-led Bangalore Royal Challengers are playing I think net run-rates will play a big part in deciding the final 4. Let us see what happens.

In other cricket news-England defeated West Indies to retain the Wisden Trophy. Chris Gayle has a lot of introspection to do now after his T:20 v/s Test cricket comments. Symmonds has been left out of the Australian squad for the Ashes. India will play Pakistan in an invitational T:20 at the Oval before the ICC T:20 World Cup.

Is Prabhakaran Dead?

The struggle in Sri Lanka has ended! Or is it the beginning of another struggle? The bloody war against terrorism and the Tamil cause has cost close to 80000 lives on both sides. In addition to several high-profile assassinations and the first suicide bomb killing of India's former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. What started as a fight for a real cause, lost its initial impetus as the LTTE slowly morphed into a demon led by a leader who lost sight of his original mission.

News came in yesterday that Prabhakaran had been killed but no photos were released. This morning photos were circulated with Prabhakaran's dead body. He had been shot in the head above the eyes, very similar to Veerappan's end. The real struggle will start now and the government led by Rajapakse has to ensure that the Tamil people are not abused.

Let us see how things go about in the island nation. Supporters continue to claim that Prabhakaran is alive and the dead body is of a decoy/dummy. Only the Lord knows the truth and perhaps Prabhakaran too.

We can only wish that the country stabilises itself. The Sri Lankan army inspite of all the claims by agencies of harming civilians has done a thorough job. Why can't India with more resources and a powerful well-equipeed army put a stop to the cross-border terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir?

Maruti Suzuki Ritz Goof-Up

The Maruti Suzuki Ritz is one of the most eagerly awaited hatchbacks of the year. They spend millions on R&D and marketing but make an error in spelling. Look at the image. "Compliant" is spelled as "Complaint." Click on the image to see it in full-size.
The website is http://www.marutisuzuki.com/.

Measuring Productivity

The sorry state of affairs of "Under Maintenance" continues. Just imagine you have important work to be completed an internal deadline. You visit the loo to answer the Second Call of Nature and to your consternation both stalls are occupied and the third stall mocks you with the "Under Maintenance" poster. Well that is life. If all loos function properly that means reduced waiting time in the restroom. So more time to sit in front of the computer and complete the official work! That translates into increased employee productivity and more profitability for the company.

Well who bothers to listen to the rants of a disgruntled blogger. When I get to run my own company I will ensure that all loos are fully functional. Damn! I am beginning to sound like a phony politician begging for votes:)

SMS

Read this SMS:

10 Terrorists came by Boat.
539 Terrorists will be coming by VOTE.
Vote Responsibly.

Great SMS!

Mother

In celebration of the "Living Divine" dedicated to all Mothers and of course my Mother.


MOTHER

You sheltered me,
In your womb.
So that I could see,
The light of this world.

You nourished me,
With your love and care.
Ever present to help me.
Guide me when I was confused.
Comfort me when I was frightened.

You were there to comfort me,
In my failures,
Be it in exams or in love.
A story to put me to sleep,
When I was a little boy.

In my troubled teens,
When I was confused!
And on the verge of entering the troubled vortex,
Of a life of crime.
You reiterated the importance of "Good Company."
I brushed away your advice and paid the price for it.

Even then-you stood by me.
And guided me to recovery.
Nursing my wounds both physical and mental.
I am what I am!
Because of your love and care.

If there were an after-life!
My only plea to God!
Would be to make me a woman!
So that I can undergo the pain and suffering that you felt!
And be a loving mother to my child!