RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM A MUTANT ENCEPHALON

My Story

2009-06-25T02:48:00.019+05:30

===

PREFACE

You may wonder whats special about this article. Well, unlike my other blogs, this one is a real story! And to do this i would have to take you back in time. To one of the best times of my life. To the year of 2005. The one that changed me. And forever.

===

June 2005:

On a bright lazy Sunday afternoon , i received a message on my mobile. The message was from someone who was supposed to message me 50-60 days ago. It was an apology. I chose to ignore it. And then after 10 minutes, another message with the same content. I gave a feeble OK as a reply. And then she messaged me telling she knew i was pissed off with her and that she is really sorry for what happened. I couldn't resist the urge to forgive her and everything was fine after that. Or was it all fine? To know what transpired, one needs to revisit December 2005.

But before that, who was this girl. To find that out, i take you back to March 2005.

March 2005:

After college on a friday, i was happily strolling back home after the semester exams. It was supposed to be an easy exam and i had done really well. I was walking home from the railway station. I saw a girl who was not always seen in this area, but we were friends. I approached her and started the conversation. It was going on normal and she received a phone call on her phone. Someone was calling her somewhere immediately and she had to leave. She took my number and promised to message back.

It all started well. We were messaging about various topics and had occassional arguments on the same - it was going great. After all it was not always that people got a chance to argue over messages (in 2005). Then she had to go her native place for a month and she wouldnt be able to message from there. I occassionally would send some forwards and then it was more than a month but i got no replies. I, thrice, left a message on her phone but no response.

And then on a bright lazy sunday afternoon , 2 months later, i recieved a message on my mobile.

December 2005:

Was it all fine?

The new year celebrations were going on, and were going on great. I was at a restaurant with friends from my aunt's apartment. As we were waiting for a table, i noticed that this girl was also there with her cousins. Our name was called out and we proceeded towards the table as we were dying of hunger. It was my first ever new year celebrations with friends and i was really rejoicing it - every second of it.

Halfway through the meal, i noticed her climbing the stairs and come to our table. She came to our table and smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back and wish her, for it was almost new year. Although i was pissed off as she last messaged me somewhere in July, i introduced her to my friends. I was angry on her. And moreover, the situation yielded me totally uncomfortable and i didnt know what to say after that. She told me she lost her phone and so she couldn't message me. She also added that she will message me soon and left the table after a short conversation and a bye-bye.

And to this day - it remains only as words. And I am least bothered about that. It could have been different had she messaged me but there was something that i really learnt - it made me not to expect things to happen. Maybe things would've been different had we continued. Maybe I did develop some kind of crush during one of the innumerable conversations we had. But I realised the truth - and learnt to move on.

===

There is another article that i wish to write about. It is also about another girl - yes! A series of incidents that changed me - for the good. But ONLY after some responses to this article. However bad/good this is, please do comment.

Recuperations - 3

2009-05-19T01:40:00.004+05:30

PREVIOUS PARTS

-----

RECUPERATIONS - 1 click here

RECUPERATIONS - 2 click here

-----

(contd...) He still sat inside gripping the top of the steering wheel and twisting it, deeply thinking whether to walk out and speak with the girl or not. He was clearly perplexed.

He was clearly smitten by this. The change of song in the radio could not distract him. Not even the chrome steel plated SEIKO fully automatic wrist watch that showed 25 minutes past 8. He was still sitting inside, gripping the steering wheel and twisting it and thinking deeply. He didn't know for how long he sat there, but when he regained his senses, she was gone. A quick glance behind told him that beau monde had crossed him. He had to do something. And he had to do it quick. He decided to approach her and casually start a conversation. A casual smile and "Hi. How are you. Looks like you are in a hurry now. Would you mind for a coffee sometime later??" had filled up his practice chat sessions with an invisible girl, the entire of previous week. He was thoroughly prepared for the scene that was to come. Nothing in this could possibly go wrong. He was good to go. He quickly combed his already set hair with his hands and opened the door to walk out. Once out of the car, he closed the door and locked it. The green baby was secure he thought to himself. He quickened his pace to a degree of running and caught up with her. He called her and she turned back.

The brown pupils, the raising eye brows, the dimple in her cheeks, the smell of her perfume and the rich accent of her reply only bowled him over and over again. He stood there as though immobilised with a sting ray gun. He felt hot all over. He wanted to move away but his muscles wouldnt budge. He felt a weak HI escaping his mouth. He thought he got his words clear. Nevertheless wasnt prepared to risk it again by telling it louder and clearer. A HI was given back to him. He was sure that was the sweetest voice he ever heard and could bet his bank account on it. The moment was absolutely photographic, as he remembered what he had to say and how, for the weeks of practice was now put to test. For the next four minutes he stood there transfixed and conversed with the girl of his dreams.

As his brief conversation with the girl ended, she turned back and started walking again. He stood there, looked up to the sky and cursed the stars for he felt "4 minutes was too short". Although he was happy that he had spoken with her. But in all the excitement and hubhub, he had missed the golden opportunity to ask her out for a cup of coffee. BAH! DAMMIT! A golden opportunity wasted. He thought to himself. He could not do anything now. He had no idea what he spoke in the past four minutes. All he remember was a HI. And soon after that a BYE. Why does approaching girls for coffee seem next to impossible? The answer was something that he sought after.

He looked at his watch. It read 8.31. He should be on his car going to work. He started walking towards his car. He glanced over his shoulders. The bag on her back jumped in sync to her strides. He turned straight. He looked over his shoulders again. Her hair was illuminated in a faint brown that was reflected from the morning sun. He turned straight. He got into the car and looked at the speed dial that was at rest. A silent chuckle escaped his lips. He was not going to leave it die down. This was the start. The start that he hoped for. In a few days time, he was hoping to clear the aura of doubt that existed between the girl and him. He started his car and drove his way to his work place.

A couple of weeks later, a colleague of his called on him. The friend wanted to go out for dinner and called hi to join. He happily obliged and went along. He told his colleague what he saw and how he felt. The colleague was amused at his attention to detail and choosed not to interrupt his narration. He was rather experienced in such things and waited to tell him something. . From the movement of the eye brow, to the smell of perfume, he narrated the episode that managed to distract him all through that day. And finally done with his story, he looked at his colleague for some healthy tips on this issue.

For the next few seconds, he watched the lips of his colleague, grasping every word that came out his mouth. And it spelt

"DUDE. TRUST ME. SHE IS NOT THE ONE FOR YOU!"

(contd...)

King Kenny Returns

2009-04-30T03:14:00.000+05:30

King Kenny in Benitez talks

Apr 18 2009 by Andy Kelly, Liverpool Echo

KENNY Dalglish is set for a sensational return to Liverpool Football Club.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez wants his legendary predecessor as a key new part of his backroom staff and moves are already afoot to create a position for Dalglish.

Benitez has raised the matter with American club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and would like to tie up a deal at the earliest possible opportunity.

Should Dalglish be recruited it would provide a shot in the arm for the Academy which has come in for plenty of criticism in recent years.

Dalglish has not been employed in a senior football role since leaving his position as director of football at Celtic in July 2000.

The Kop hero has been linked with several managerial jobs since then but his strong links with Merseyside and his charity work on behalf of his wife’s Marina Dalglish Appeal have meant he has not been enticed into taking employment at any of the clubs which have shown an interest in acquiring his services.

The ECHO understands preliminary talks have already taken place between Benitez and Dalglish and although nothing has been finalised the discussions are believed to have gone well.

Benitez would like to give Dalglish a roving role which would see the 58-year-old divide his time between the Academy in Kirkby, Melwood and Anfield but with a particular emphasis on an advisorial role on youth development.

The Liverpool manager recently ordered a review of the Academy which is being headed up by former chief scout Frank McParland as he seeks to ensure more young players of potential first team standard are produced than is currently the case.

But the lure of Liverpool would be strong for Dalglish who served the club as both player and manager from 1977 until 1991.

When he quit Anfield in February 1991 saying he needed to take a break from football the shockwaves reverberated throughout the sport with Liverpool fans being distraught at the loss of the man they refer to as “King Kenny”.

He later admitted his regret that he was not offered a return to Liverpool in the immediate aftermath of his sudden departure but 18 years later he could now finally be given the opportunity to reignite his love affair with the club he joined from Celtic.

It is now up to Hicks and Gillett to approve the proposed move and should this happen it would require only the agreement of personal terms for Dalglish to complete a sensational return to Anfield.

Indo-Israel Deal

2009-04-10T03:11:00.000+05:30

I am sure that the India Israel Defense Deal would hog the headlines of the news media in India, in the wake of the impending Elections. As the drama unfolds through our newspapers and digital media in the coming days, watch this promo video from Rafael, an Israeli defense manufacturer to woo the Indian decision makers.
http://maharajaas.blogspot.com/2009/03/india-israel-defense-deal.html

Quick acting knobs

2009-01-20T03:10:00.000+05:30

Quick-acting knobs: Quick acting knobs are useful for increasing the output of low cost tools. These knobs are made so that when pressure is released, they can be tilted and slid off a stud. The knob is slid over the stud until it contacts the part; it is then tilted to engage the threads and turned until tight.

Peace

2008-11-10T03:05:00.000+05:30

feel my spirit lightened by observing simple happenings around me. for instance, i found the scene of one of my friends talking to two others in an animated fashion very amusing. though i had no clue about what they were talking about , i just felt blissful pleasure in watching the scene.

Selection

2008-10-01T03:04:00.000+05:30

Well in the selected process, there was an officer named Puzo. He was over viewing the selection process. Actually he was assigned with a secret mission of finding a person for the secret service inside the nation. So he was reviewing each and everyone who came for the selection. And something about bruno caught his attention. Bruno had an excellent run in the selection process. He almost stood first.

Germany

2008-09-19T03:03:00.000+05:30

Hi friends,
I am now in Germany now. From now on i ll be writing articles less frequently although they will have the same continuation.
Hoping to keep you unbored.
Regards

Rajath

Confessions - 1

2008-08-09T13:56:00.000+05:30

LIFE IS THE BEST TEACHER

This little proverb has been the crux of my life. The way life has treated me, and the way i took those, only serve as a memorabilia to my living memory. Why do i say this? Simple. As i elaborate on 4 separate incidents (written in groups of 2), i slowly begin to unwrap some hard truths about life that only affirms to my long standing doubts and confirms that life is indeed the best teacher. I know it is strikingly similar to Steve Jobs' speech at Stanford University.

<>
The lesson that i learnt is about anger management.

When i was 8 years old, we were staying at Anna Nagar. Set in the backdrop of early 1990s, where ambassadors, premier padminis and maruti 800s were ruling the road, life taught me one lesson that i would never forget. The then school of mine, Chinmaya Vidhyalaya, Anna Nagar was the only big school of that entire locality. My class consisted of 28 students ( still have the group photo). And needless to say, we were the messiest of the entire 3rd standard. Everyday a couple of us would fight our way to the principal's office with bruised knees and scratched hands.

At such a tender age, i had the biggest and wildest incident that still teaches me a lesson today. I remember only a few of my classmates, and the most prominent of them are Amitabh Das, Anjana, Praveen, Pratap, Meena, Sachin, Aishwarya, Siddharth, Paul Jose, Hemalatha and Vishnu. Meena the cynosure of all the teachers. She always stood first in the tests and exams. And obviously enviable to all others who always were the second best, behind Meena.

The classroom had a small wall mounted stand upon which we all had to place our lunch bags. It so happened that Meena and i fought before the lunch break and i wanted some big time revenge on her. Typical Men's E-G-O!!! After lunch when i was keeping my lunch bag, i took Meena's lunch bag and dropped it with such a force that the Milton water bottle broke its head. The teacher who was inside the class, took me by hand and forced me into the principal's office. I was adamantly weeping that i wanted revenge on Meena for fighting with me. The Principal tried to explain why i shouldn't have done that and when she couldn't succeed, took my pencil box and broke my pencil.

Now you all may think of this as an act that would be highly stupid for a principal of a school to do to a 3rd standard kid. I didn't. I stopped crying and looked at the principal through the water shod eyes. She was holding my broken pencil and slowly kept it in the table and smiled at me. I caught the wind of where this was leading. I remember standing there for a long time and not opening my mouth from then on. Later my parents came and had to replace the broken bottle. Now, what is it that i learned from this incident?

Getting angry on a person is an absolutely normal phenomenon. The "E" factor forces us to do something stupid and only later on realize what we did was absolutely stupid. The moment we get angry, we lose our brains. This incident taught me not to pass on the anger to someone or something. Eventually i do it sometimes even now. But whenever i think of this, i calm down and i try not to pass on the anger. As it is rightly said "In times of anger, don't speak".

<><>
The second incident is all about speaking, the right way. This is a smaller article.

(Here is choose not to use names for obvious reasons)

The day was April 6th, 2004. After our 12th exams, we all had another hurdle to cross. The deadly TNPCEE. We were obviously very much scared. And only cricket forced our minds away from the TNPCEE. R1, R2 and P1 were of my type - Study while you study and play while you play. D1 and S1 were more of the studious type. And as usual after our round of studies in the afternoon, we all were at the ground to play. The game was going on as usual. When suddenly an argument broke out as to whether R2 was out. R1, P1 and S1 were not sure but decided to give the benefit of doubt to the batsman. I could've remained silent, but i didn't. I rushed into the scene and spoke something without a second thought. S1 was taken back as it aimed squarely at him. He gave me a smile and walked out of the ground.

R2, R1, P1 and D1 were standing there staring at me. I realized where i went wrong. I seriously would have slapped them, had i been there at the receiving end. And here i was. Loathed by someone i considered a close friend. I took his friendship for granted, but i didn't have any intention of doing it. I was ignored the next day. and the next day. and the next. and the next. The studies session were called off. And so were the cricket games. I felt miserable. I didn't feel like sitting down with the book. I knew i was hopeless.

TNPCEE was done and i came back home. Stared out of the window and praying everything should become alright. I hesitated as i called up S1. He picked the phone and remained silent upon hearing my voice. I still remember the wordings i spoke and eventually broke down. And after i had finished, there was a click and the engaged tone reached my ears. I felt like cursing myself. After what seemed like ages, i heard a knock as i slowly went and opened the door. S1 was standing. I didnt know how to react. Was the expression on his face readable? No it wasn't. At one second it was the feeling of dread, and the next second, it was a friendly look. And it only proved for the best when he smiled at me. Words can never reflect on the true feelings i felt that day. I felt welcome and for the first time ever, i felt like flying high on a balloon, high between the clouds. Now, what is it that i learned from this incident?

We are given powers to speak. To express our feelings. Yet the communication is not complete. To be understood, the words we choose and the tone we use should be lucid clear. Communications fail with improper use of words and tone. What i said during the match, might not have had the same disastrous effect had i carefully choosen my words or tone. But in order to be clearly understood, one must choose the right words.

~
You people must be wondering why i am blogging this article. Simple. Its something that i want to share with you people.
Expect the next article in confessions-2 on Patience and Love.

Vielen Danke
Rajath

Recuperations - 2

2008-08-04T21:23:00.000+05:30

Recuperations - 1 @ click here

(contd) the song was half done, he preferred to settle with this station. The A/C was effective, even against the harsh summers of his city and today was no exception.

The street seemed to end as it joined a main road. He always liked to live in this locality. Something about the road made him feel jubilant. The road seemed to radiate the silence and peace from where the green lush tree cover painted the whole neighborhood in a brilliant majestic green that was only put to shame before his green car, or he felt so. The serenity of the locality where he lived, was a paradise among the walkers and joggers who took due advantage to rejuvenate themselves of the work stress, every morning.

He stopped for a brief instant and looked both sides for approaching vehicular movement and later turned right into the main road. The radio still was humming his favorite song and nothing could dampen his spirits. Not even the delayed pay-cheque. His mind was calm and he was thinking about something else and was concentrating only half minded on the road. His eye caught something interesting. Something that could only ameliorate his mood. The pupils of his eye sight enlarged, his brows lifted and his lips broke out into a quiet grin. He chuckled at himself radiating the real innocence of his heart and the real desire of his heart. Quickly he parked his car and watched, as the girl quietly came towards him.

A girl was walking in the opposite direction. She had a bag behind her, that was hugged to her spine and the girl was speaking on her mobile phone rather amusingly. She gave some funny reactions on her face and it only amused him. He grinned. Half amused already, he found it hard to suppress the extra chuckle that erupted from his face. The girl was cute, petite, had short hair, was a little shorter than him and he had been secretly liking that girl ever since she moved into his neighborhood.

He was still inside the car, wondering whether to get out and speak with the girl. He didn't know anything about that girl. "Maybe a Human Resource professional", he thought throwing weight over the fact that she spoke too much over the phone. Yet he cared little, as he badly wanted to speak with the beau monde. He still sat inside gripping the top of the steering wheel and twisting it, deeply thinking whether to walk out and speak with the girl or not. He was clearly perplexed.

(to be continued)

Coach!!

2008-07-24T00:06:00.000+05:30

Every sport around the world has someone specially involved in it. Nope. It’s not the players but the coach. Well almost in all sports there are teams and every team has a coach. What does this coach do actually? Anyway it’s going to be the players who are playing. Then why do all the teams give importance to the coaches? Many people think that coach’s job is to prepare the team for a game. But the real job of the coach starts only when the game starts. Well if that is a sport which involves lot strategies then you cannot leave out a coach. Why? Because coach is someone who is always dwells in out of the box thinking. When players are in the situation their thinking will be alike and limited. Since the coach is out of the situation he can very well plan the strategy and give it to the team. So the presence of a coach is as important as the team.

will smith - my favourite!

2008-07-18T00:06:00.000+05:30

Will smith is one of the best actor in hollywood. Will Smith originally called as Willard Christopher Smith Jr. has come a long way. He got the nickname 'Prince' because of the way he could charm his way out of trouble. He started acting in series and now he is the coolest actor. After his pursuit of happiness film he proved himself as a perfect dad and from this hancock movie he has proved he can act in any role thats given to him. He has got his great kind of attitude in all his movies which made everybody to come see his movies. Girls go crazy about him and for guyz he was a role model.

ROFL !

2008-07-12T00:01:00.000+05:30

i just happened to go through a profile in orkut... and this was given in the about me column of that profile...

SORRY... NO DONUT FOR YOU..!!!

ROFL... seriously.... that was hilarious.. in the sense that orkut gives donuts to people when its server is busy... but this profile holds it as though he gives orkut server a dose of its own medicine... lol...

iLOVE...

2008-07-10T00:00:00.000+05:30

Love is one sweet feeling which checks in all kind of feelings one has one the other. The main thing that it test is Patience. Patience in waiting, patience in unerstanding, patience in everything. All these patience deepens the love on the other. Water doesnt come out once u start digging. It comes out only when we go more deeper and deeper. So Patiently Keep going deeper and deeper at one point of time it will come out with full energy.

true quote

2008-07-05T23:58:00.000+05:30

Never let ur enemies to underestimate ur faults or ur friends to overestimate ur virtues

something that i genuinely believe!!!

karthik raja - the talented music director

2008-06-29T23:56:00.000+05:30

Karthik Raja is one of the youngest film music composer from India. He is also the eldest son of the famous composer Ilayaraaja.He made his debut as music composer in the Tamil movie, Alexander.

i have felt that he has not been given fair chances inspite of 90% Hits. Termed as a genius by ilayaraja himself( he could have as well said this to yuvan, but he stood up for karthikraja.) he has scored few mind-boggling compositions for raja as well as for his own films.

ilayaraja still believes that Karthikraja does not need his help to prove his competence.

Songs done by karthikraja for ilayaraja
Pandian - Pandianin rajiyathil Ponnumani - Ye! vanchikodi
kanmani- Netruvantha kaatru
Aathma - Ninaikinra paathayil, villaku veipom, kannaale kaadhal kavidhai

i miss you

2008-06-25T23:55:00.000+05:30

Underneath the moon by the river side
I try my best but the passion inside just wont hide
The stars throw down a sparkle in your eyes
As you thaw your way to my heart completely made of ice

You're walking on a path that leads to me
Transmitting love on my frequency
As you draw me closer inch by inch
I come to reality as we slowly clinch

Karthik - the talented singer!

2008-06-18T23:53:00.000+05:30

A sensational singer who has made a mark in South Indian Film Music. It was a dream come true to sing for A R Rehman and Illayaraja. The success of his songs has made him one of the busiest singers in South India today.
The success of 'Maya, Maya' and 'Sakthi Kodu' in Baba catapulted Karthik to fame. He is now a regular singer for the leading music directors including Rehman, Ilayaraja, Vidyasagar, Bharathwaj, Deva, Harris Jayaraj and so on. The list of hits is growing by the day.

gfdfgdfjglkdfjl

2008-06-10T23:53:00.000+05:30

i dunno what i am typing. i am typing just because i like typing.i feel like typing and that is exactly why i am typing.i think i am going mad. or was i mad all this while anyway?
i dunno, but for now i follow my heart. and my heart says "type"! ...... and so i am typing!

food for thought

2008-06-02T23:52:00.000+05:30

There is a very fine line between being religious & being superstitious –People who know it, scale great heights in their lives.(Religion – Science = Superstition)

Things that attract u at distant, can make u to suspect when in hand.

A perfectionist is the greatest artist.

Familiarity shrinks time

when devil sings

2008-05-28T23:48:00.000+05:30

When the Devil sings
when your conscious rings
You know its time for
Showing your valor
Neither to those with all hues and cries
Nor to those with judging eyes
But to satiate your soul and mind
Fighting a war against your inner guile

There are things you can't say

2008-05-25T23:45:00.000+05:30

There are phenomena, feelings and states of minds that cannot be described by words. Sometimes some concepts are so powerful that words are such insufficient a medium unable to portray “what it is”. That is when other mediums are employed: art, literature, sometimes even tears, to speak on behalf of words. This community is for those who believe in metaphysics. Those, who observe this world as something beyond that the rational mind can comprehend. Those who believe in emotion and discard “absolute reason”. This community is for those who believe that “ there are things you can’t say” but “not saying them” is never equal to “ not existing”. And this community is for those who have lived with the contemporary Persian intellectual, Ali Shariati’s saying that “ one’s worthiness is determined by the weight of his/her untold stories”. Welcome all of you to this community & Let’s all never forget that:“ Words doesn’t do it all…”

2008-05-18T23:39:00.000+05:30

Why do I Still Love You ?
Why do I cry ?
who do I hide ?
why do I still care ?
why do I pretend your there ?

why do I love you ?
why do I think you love me to ?
why do I feel pain ?
why do I feel like im insane ?

why do I want you so bad ?
why do I get mad ?
why do I miss you ?
why do I need you ?

I try to tell you how I feel
but you don't care
so I'm askin you these questions
to see if you know im there!
Coz I Still Love U.

my prayer

2008-05-15T23:34:00.000+05:30

Help me today, Oh god!

To keep my temper and to control my tongue;
To keep my thoughts from wandering and my mind from straying;
To quarrel with no one and to be friends with everyone.

S
o bring me to the end of today with nothing left undone, and nothing to be sorry for, for I ask this for your love's sake. AMEN

> i got a lovely book of prayers!! and its taken from that!!

Love Hurts - deeply affected!

2008-05-10T23:32:00.000+05:30

Hail O queen... O queen of the queens… b kind to this lovelorn and bless me wid ur love… In dis world while all others r engaged all the time in a hundred avocations…. I ve retired from all avocations... Come my dearest beauty, my muse, my vine of fancy… Come my vision of loveliness, leaving aside the lyre…. Only ur hand is widin my hand, only two souls too near…. let me hear the mystery of ur inner soul.. i was not so aware ...wen.…in my life the suthen wind touching u 1st blew its scented breath in my youth…. a hundred new desires ‘re blossoming.. I was startled by own music… I was surprised…. the goddess of my inner heart, make ur advent into my inner world…. i don know, how far shall ur music carry me.... in which fairy land would it impound me…. like a deer charmed by the thrill of music..

O my love sick lady …. wat wld u like to carry to me? der is no need to tel anything, only cover my entire mind, body and life with your true love… kidnap me from myself with all ur force… , the day you 1st enterd for ever in the inmost niche of my heart, by the path strewn with blossoming flowers….you ve completely changed my life.. u r the lady of my heart.... u r diety of my life…ur blossoming beauty in the bloom of love.

Either I shall live or die.. I shall do nothing else… cant live without you... Could you make anything out of it .... is this has got any meaning..? I have 4gten the whole episode…. only the endless ocean of tears in my heart swells in a deep roar, while I find myself in the periphery of this drowsy life..

Come O my beloved... draw me to ur bosom, wid loving care.. put me to neat life of happyness, serene as death......

Source: internet

Chelsea BLues

2008-05-09T00:07:00.000+05:30

Chelsea wants Lampard to stay and the England midfielder is also looking for a new deal with the Blues but is yet to be offered a new contract. (The Independent)
Chelsea Andriy Shevchenko, Florent Malouda, Claudio Pizarro, Steve Sidwell and Carlo Cudicini to leave Chelsea. (Daily Mirror)

> definitely after the UEFA finals<

liverpool - red all the way

2008-04-28T23:31:00.000+05:30

"Liverpool are magic, Everton are tragic." Emlyn Hughes

"Where are you from?" "I'm a Liverpool fan from London." "Well laddie, what's it like to be in heaven?" Bill Shankly to a Liverpool fan

"Our job is to make the fans happy. When we win, 45,000 people go home happy. When we lose, it not only affects them, it affects their cats." Gerard Houllier

"The English club proved that miracles really do exist. I've now made Liverpool my English team. They showed that football is the most beautiful sport of all. The Liverpool supporters didn't let me go to sleep the night before, there were 10 of them to every three Milan supporters. They showed their unconditional support at half-time when they were losing 3-0 and still they didn't stop singing." World Cup legend Diego Maradona who was cheering for Liverpool in Istanbul.

"Liverpool's fans are just amazing. The best feeling I have at away games is Anfield. It is just incredible. I love it. You get goose bumps when you see their supporters sing You'll Never Walk Alone." Arsenal and France star Thierry Henry.

"Who's bigger than Liverpool?" Jamie Carragher when asked by Sky Sports if he'd thought of moving to a bigger club.

why are taureans unique

2008-04-25T00:09:00.000+05:30

I am a Taurean and have every character of a typical taurus born. I live life my own way and neglect remarks. I take my own decisions and I dont like any intervention or advice. I think twice before speaking or acting, but never regret after doing. I love my family and friends, some of them are very special.

and what are you?

today's dictionary

2008-04-20T23:30:00.000+05:30

word: Ubiquitous

meaning : existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent: ubiquitous fog; ubiquitous little ants.

the warrior

2008-04-15T23:28:00.000+05:30

With broken heart and shattered dreams

Riding a life with no ends and means

Seeking a star beyond my reach

Holding a trust bound to breach

Knights of doom guarding the gate

I ask myself am I again late

Blinded by the illusive light

I chose the wrong over right

Lost those close ones within my sight

Repent, shall I not over my plight

Pray, shall I not before the dead Gods

Bend, shall I not before the cruel Lords

Will battle this storm with all my might

Hoping for a soul to end this fight

credit : my friend!

mahindra mhawk

2008-04-10T23:24:00.000+05:30

It so happens that Mahindra launched the new Mhawk. Is it really that good?

	2.1L petrol @ 116 hp 2.6L turbo diesel 115 hp 2.2L M-Hawk turbo diesel 120 hp

well... although the turbo diesels are cool... is it really worth it? i mean.. the value for money?

fifa news 2

2008-03-23T23:23:00.000+05:30

Essien fitness boost
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien could be fit for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Tottenham
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455223&CPID=8&clid=8&lid=2&title=Essien+fitness+boost

Carrick excited by treble
Michael Carrick is confident his fellow team-mates will not let the talk of a second treble affect their game.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455226&CPID=8&clid=1&lid=2&title=Carrick+excited+by+treble

Pards: Four or five are worried
Alan Pardew believes Charlton's win over Newcastle could have four or five teams looking nervously over their shoulders.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455195&CPID=8&clid=33&lid=2&title=Pards:+Four+or+five+are+worried

Tevez content as a Hammer
Carlos Tevez has spoken of his desire to keep West Ham in the Premiership, eager to distance himself from talk of a return to South America.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455237&CPID=8&clid=21&lid=2&title=Tevez+content+as+a+Hammer

Bore draw at Villa Park
Liverpool and Aston Villa played out an instantly forgettable 0-0 draw at Villa Park in a game starved of incident - goalmouth or otherwise.
http://home.skysports.com/matchreport.aspx?fxid=314020&CPID=8&channel=football_home

Wenger: Theo's out for season
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has conceded that Theo Walcott's season is now over, after confirming the forward is to undergo surgery this week.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455227&CPID=8&clid=3&lid=2&title=Wenger:+Theo's+out+for+season

Zheng inspires Addicks win
Charlton's bid for Premiership survival received a huge boost with a 2-0 win over Newcastle at The Valley.
http://home.skysports.com/matchreport.aspx?fxid=317375&CPID=8&channel=football_home

latest fifa news -1

2008-03-22T23:21:00.000+05:30

Italy call up newcomers
Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has called up Roma defender Max Tonetto and Sampdoria striker Fabio Quagliarella for the first time ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifier against Scotland.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455239&CPID=219&clid=119&lid=2&title=Italy+call+up+newcomers

O'Neill: We will improve
Martin O'Neill insisted that Aston Villa can play a lot better following a 0-0 draw with Liverpool that offered little in the way of entertainment.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455207&CPID=8&clid=7&lid=2&title=O'Nei

ll:+We+will+improve

Rafa rounds on Reds
Rafa Benitez admitted he was far from happy with Liverpool's display after a dismal 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455200&CPID=8&clid=14&lid=2&title=Rafa+rounds+on+Reds

Roeder frustrated by defeat
Glenn Roeder believes his Newcastle side paid the price at Charlton for not converting their first half dominance into goals.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455206&CPID=8&clid=4&lid=2&title=Roeder+frustrated+by+defeat

Yossi slams England
West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun insists England are a team full of individuals, ahead of their forthcoming match with Israel.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455210&CPID=8&clid=21&lid=2&title=Yossi+slams+England

Harry: Sol for England
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp remains convinced Sol Campbell is more than capable of playing for England.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455231&CPID=8&clid=47&lid=2&title=Harry:+Sol+for+England

Moyes pride at late win
Everton boss David Moyes had nothing but praise for his players as they secured a 1-0 over Arsenal at Goodison Park.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=455225&CPID=8&clid=11&lid=2&title=Moyes+pride+at+late+win

Amazing English

2008-03-19T22:20:00.000+05:30

Look at these words..

DILIP VENGSARKAR

When you rearrange the letters:
SPARKLING DRIVE

PRINCESS DIANA

When you rearrange the letters:
END IS A CAR SPIN

MONICA LEWINSKY

When you rearrange the letters:
NICE SILKY WOMAN

DORMITORY

When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

ASTRONOMER

When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION

When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES

When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

A DECIMAL POINT

When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

MOTHER-IN-LAW

When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

Secrets about date of birth

2008-03-18T22:01:00.000+05:30

STORY BEHIND YOUR DATE OF BIRTH

If U were born on the 1st, 10th, 19th, 28th of any month U r number 1....

If U were born on the 2nd, 11th, 20th, 29th of any month then U r number 2...

If U were born on the 3rd, 12th, 21st, 30th of any month then U r number 3...

If U were born on the 4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st of any month then U r number 4...

If U were born on the 5th, 14th, 23rd of any month then U r number 5...

If U were born on the 6th,15th,24th of any month then U r number 6...

If U were born on the 7th,16th,25th of any month then U r number 7...

If U were born on the 8th,17th,26th of any month then U r number 8...

If U were born on the 9th,18th,27th of any month then U r number 9...

Number 1

You are smart, straight talking, funny, stubborn, hardworking, honest,Jealous on competing basis, kind hearted, angry, friendly, authorities,Famous person...always want to be and regarded as first on people Position, they are often like to be independent, will never be under Others, self confident people!

You are most likely to fall in love in the younger age, but will get
Marry when you mature! You are likely to have problems with people who have opposite views And you are most likely to take revenge over your Enemies in a long time basis. You are a spender, but you will have a good profession in the future.If you are guy you will be very popular that everybody will have mental attraction and respect at you. You can go anywhere from the local shop to the heart of the parliament because you are positive and Well talented in numerous issues!! But in your life you will always have some people who will work hard To bring you & your name down. This is undercover!! Coz of your smart behavior you will be hated by some People too...

Your family life is very cool, you will have a very nice partner &
Wonderful children... You are pioneer, independent & original...

Your best match is 4,6,8 good match is 3,5,7 !!!

Number 2

No matter what, you will be loved by every one coz your ruler is the
Moon and every one loves the Moon. Well.. You are a person who day dream a lot, You have very low-self confidence, you need back up for every move in your life, you Are very much unpredictable. Means you do change according to time and circumstances, Kind a selfish, have a very strong sense of musical, artistic talent, verbal communication.
Your attitudes are like the Moon, comes to gloom and fade away so everybody can expect Changes in you. You can be a next Mahatma Gandhi who does peace love or you can be a Hitler who wants to destroy the man kind and peace (I mean in the community and your own home).

If you really have a deep thought about your own believe in God you can Feel the difference which will make you stronger! Most of the time your Words are a kind of would be happening true! So without any knowledge You can predict the situation. You will become poets, writers, any Artistic business people!

You are not strong in love, so you will be there and here till you get
Marry.. If U r a girl you will be a responsible woman in the whole
Family. If U r a man you will involve in fights & arguments in the family or Vice-versa. Means you will sacrifice your life for the goodness sake of Your family...You are gentle , intuitive with a broad vision, a power Behind the scenes, well balanced People!!!

Your best match is 2 ,5 ,9 no other people can put up with you !!!

Number 3

You are a person of hard hearted, selfish most of the times, religious,
Loves to climb up in your life. You always tend to have lots of problems Within your family in the early stages but you will put up with everything.. You have the strong word power, pretty happy face.. So wherever you go always You have got what you wanted!!! And from the birth always wanted to work hard in order
To achieve something.. You will not get Anything without hard work! When you reach a man/ woman age you want other younger
Once to listen to you because you want younger people to respect people older than them. You do set so many examples to others. Generally you are not a cool person. It's not easy thing dealing with you. A tough player you are! But once you like someone's attitud! e then here you go, what can I say? It will be a lasting friendship. You always have respect from others. Your life seems to have lots of worries and problems but sure they won't be long.. You will always have brilliant kids!!! You love the money a bit too much so temptation will push you to endless trying and trying.. If you are a guy then it's over. Looking after your family and help friends, so you
will spend a life time just being generous and kind (except 21st born men). And number 3s you will be such an example of how to be in the culture & life!!! If you are girl then you have good character
and culture & hardworking attitude. You always follow. You are a freedom lover, creative, ambition focused, a person who brings beauty , hope & joy to this world!!!

Your best match 6 ,9. Good match 1 ,3 ,5 !!!

Number 4

You are very stubborn too, very hard working but unlucky in important matters in life, very cool, helpful, you have rough word power.. Might put lots of people away from you, you may cause nuisance to others if you are a man, and you often understands others and their problems well. If you are a girl you are very good with studies and arts. If you are a guy you spend most of the time after girl friends (almost) at times, you will have sort of too much fun life with mates & girls. Your friends will spend your time & money and get away with their life and you will become empty handed and
don't know what to do... So be careful!! You love to spend anyway!!! Your good will is you are always there to help family and friends. Tell you what you people are little gem! s, specially the girls.. You always fall in love in younger age as well. You often live with disappointments, for an example you have got a degree in some thing... but you will be unemployed.. or will do very ordinary jobs.
But you will take care of your family very well...All you need to be careful of people who will take advantage of your kind heart. And beware of your relations too.. You are radical, patient, persistent,
a bit old-fashioned, you live with foundation & order...

Your best Match 1, 8. Good match 5 ,6 , 7 !!!

Number 5

You are very popular within the community, you can get things done by just chatting..to even enemies! You have a pretty good business mind, you are often have no-idea what is today is like, or tomorrow is like, you are a person who does anything when your head thinks "lets do this". You will be famous if you open up a business,
get involve in share dealings, music etc.. Very popular with sense of humor ,you are the one your friends and families will always ask for help, and you are the one actually get money on credit and help your friends. You will have more than 1 relationship, but when u get settle down you will be a bit selfish anyway. Coz your other half will
have a pretty good amount of control in you, be careful! You tend to go for other relationships! Contacts even you are married at times 'coz your popularity.. You are someone who get along with anyone coz the number 5 is the middle number.. Changes & freedom lovers you are! You are an explorer with magic on your face. You learn your life through experience and it's your best teacher!!!

Your best match 1 ,2 ,9. Good match 6 ,8 !!!

Number 6

Ooopppss..you are born to enjoy.. You don't care about others. I mean
you are always want to enjoy your life time, you are a person.. You will be very good in either education or work wise or business management! You are talented, kind (but with only people who you think are nice), very beautiful girls and guys, popular and more than lucky with anything in your lives. All the goodness does come with you. Your mind and body is just made perfect for love.
You are lovable by any other numbers. But if you are a number 6 man, you will experience kind of looks from most girls and will involve in more than few relationships until you get married. If you are girl, most of you will get marry/engaged early. You are ! a caring
person towards your family & friends . If you miss the half-way mark then you are about to suffer physically and mentally. Generally you will lead a very good inner-home happiness with nothing short of. You are a person of compassion, comfort & fairness, domestic responsibility, good judgment, and after all you can heal this world wounds to make peace for every life coz you have the great
power of caring talent to make this world of love one step further...

Your best match 1, 6, 9. Good match 4, 5!!!

Number 7

You have got the attraction to anyone out there, you are realistic,
very confident, happy, such a talented individual with your education,
music, arts, singing, and most importantly acting too. You have real problems with bad temper! If you are a girl, you are popular with the subjects listed above. You give up things for your parents. I mean you value your family status a lot, you will be in the top rank when you reach a certain age. If you are a guy you are popular with girls, you are a very talented too. Most of the number 7s face lots of problems with their marriage life.

Only a very few are happy. You have everything in your life, but still always number 7s have some sort of unfullfilness, such worries all their lifetime. It's probably the Lord given you al! l sort of over the
standard humans talents and you are about to suffer in family life. So you need to get ready looking for a partner rather than waiting. If you don't, then you might end-up single. So take care with this issue,
ok? You are wonderful, friendly, artistic, happy person.. You are born to contribute lots to this world!!!

Your best match is 2. Good matches are 1,4 !!!

Number 8

You are a very strong personality, there's no one out there will
understand you. You are very good at pointing your finger at some thing and say "this is what". You are more likely to suffer from the early ages. I mean poverty. If your times are not good
you might lose either of your parent and end up looking after your entire family. You often suffer all the way in life.The problems will not allow you to study further, but you will learn the life in a very practical way. You are the one who will fight
for justice and may die in the war too. You are normally very reserved with handful of friends and most of the time live life lonely and always
prepared to help others. Well. once you get married (which is often
late) then your bad lucks will go away a bit and you! u become safe. You will face un-expected problems such as : the error, government, poisonous animals, accidents. You are some one with great discipline, persistence, courage, strength which will take you to success. You are a great part of a family team. You are a fighter!

Your Best match 1 ,4, 8. Good match 5 !!!

Number 9

Hey...you guys are the incompatibles people in the world. You are so
strong, physically and mentally... You are often have big-aims. You will work hard and hard to get there. Normally you suffer in the early age from family problems and generally you will have fighting life.. But when you achieve what you have done, it's always a big task you have done! You are so much respected in the community, you are a person who can make a challenge and successfully finish the matter off. You are very naughty in your younger age, often beaten up by your parents and involve in fights and you seemed to have lots of injuries in your life time. But when u grow you become calm and macho type. Love is not an easy matter for you. You are good in engineering or banking jobs coz people always trust you.
Your family life is very good, but will have worries over your children.
Your such qualities are humanitarian, patient, very wise & compassionate. You are born to achieve targets and serve every one all equally without any prejudice. You are totally a role model to anybody in the world for a great inspiration.

Your Best match 3, 5, 6, 9. Good match 2

I broke down... almost!!

2008-03-16T16:41:00.000+05:30

Certain things in life come when asked for. Many things don't come. Life is all about whether or not we are contented with what we have. But for a section of children, whom i happened to visited yesterday, it is all about contentment. They have never asked for a pound, because they are contented with the penny. Despite having lost either one or both of their parents, the world still seems to grow around them. Who are the children?

50 km outside Chennai, on the Chennai-Bangalore highway, lies the town of Sriperumbadur. Home to a growing number of middle class families, and the head town to a good 25 and odd villages situated around it, the town of Sriperumbadur is indeed growing rapidly. The town has always enjoyed a spot light since the early 1990s owing to the assassination of former prime minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi in the very town.

Wall-less compound welcomed us into a serene place with a couple of buildings. The slushy pathway was the only indication that there was a road going inside this place. The trees smelled of the dew after a brisk midnight shower. A couple of slides were being erected, in addition to the see-saws and a merry-go-round. This was the only activity that we could see from the entrance.

SEED, as this place is called, is the natural home to 100 and odd children who were left unattended by the parents because they are victims of court judgments. I don't want to call this place an "orphanage" as they are not orphans. Its a "natural home". Children, right from the age of 8 years stay here because its their natural home. I choose this place because, my friend told me it would be a nice experience to visit a natural home.

They run a school as well. The students are taught English, Maths and Computers also. They welcomed us with open hands, and we were more than just glad to reciprocate. I didn't know whether they would be comfortable with a complete stranger group. But they didn't have the slightest hesitation, whatsoever, in moving around with us. We were just playing with them, sharing stories and singing and trying our best to be ourselves. A few more hours, and i would've definitely broken down.

It made me emotional, thinking of the fact that they are living there without a true 'mothers love'. Left alone at such a young age, they haven't seen the real world outside. They are together, binded by the sole fact that they have certain things in common. Spending time with them was certainly the best thing of this year. I have no words to express how it would be to live in a condition less world. But they are. They are the real warriors. Without parents to guide them in the right path, they indeed are.

It is easy to feel for them, write an article and even donate clothes and money. But it is not what they want. The children would require exposure. Soon enough they are going to be old enough to stand up on their own legs and its experience that they require. An experience, that will guide them for the rest of the lives. Something that they require for the rest of their lives.

I write this article with a sense of burden in heart, deeply affected by my visit to the natural home. I can't help but find a source of optimism thinking of the fact that there are organizations like SEED, guiding the students in the right way despite the students living away from their parents. I have no words to add.

Quotes - Oscar wilde

2008-03-13T13:02:00.000+05:30

I happened to browse some website when i found these Oscar Wilde quotes. Interesting, as they seem, they really mean something that each one of us must look within us.

> I am not young enough to know everything.

> There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating. People who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.

> Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

> Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

> I always like to know everything about my new friends, and nothing about my old ones.

There are more for all of those who always seek them. I found them interesting. As said, "i am not young enough to know everything"!!!

Recuperations - 1

2008-03-10T16:14:00.000+05:30

The day started off good for him. It was very unlikely that he was going to fire at someone, only later on wishing he had not done that. Nothing could actually disrupt his thoughts or his plans for this day. It was a special day. The daily routines were completed in the most exultant manner as he seemed pleased with the pace with which life was going. He happily hummed a song and trotted along to his car. The shiny green car was the only big thing he got out of his savings. The result of months of hard work and hours of labor, yielded him enough savings to go to the showroom and book this green baby. He preferred that his car be feminine. Very few people on the outside knew that, of all the things that could cheer him up, this green baby was one of them.

He distinctively remembered that day. The day when he laid his hands upon this shiny green car. His happiness knew no bounds. He blessed his stars. He loved the color of the car. The shiny green color, would only put the brightest of leaves to shame. The very color that he liked from his childhood. The very color that has seen him grow right from he could identify colors. He was beaming with joy as he drove the car out of the showroom. A sense of pride filled up his heart.

He was still humming to his favorite song as he walked past the garden. He opened the door, placed the shoulder bag and carry bag inside, and jumped into the driver's seat. The smell of fake wood from the dashboard and the fragrance of the lavender perfume stirred him as he felt goodness from within. The day had only begun and he could never wish for more.

After throwing the car into 1st gear, accelerating slowly and getting out into the alley, he switched on the radio, scanning it for favorite stations. A station was playing a soft tune from a film that he wanted to see. Although the song was half done, he preferred to settle with this station. The A/C was effective, even against the harsh summers of his city and today was no exception.

(to be contd)

FA cup fixtures

2008-03-06T22:42:00.000+05:30

FA Cup 6th round

Saturday, 08 March 2008
Barnsley v Chelsea, Sixth Round, 17:30GMT
Man Utd v Portsmouth, Sixth Round, 12:45GMT

Sunday, 09 March 2008
Bristol Rovers v West Brom, Sixth Round, 18:00GMT
Middlesbrough v Cardiff, Sixth Round, 14:00GMT.

United at OT is the only interesting fixture. With Defoe, Baros, Kanu on the side Pompeys are revitalised in the attack. SAF said in his interview that he will only make 2 or 3 changes from the side that won against Lyon and not more than that. So, I reckon that would be Scholes, Tevez and Hargreaves on the starting line up. Should be an easy win.

Chelseaa travel to Oakwell stadium in what should be a walk in the park. £30m rated Shevchenko was last seen playing at Griffing park for the reserves, such is the squad strength.

Boro struggled in the previous round against Sheffield united at home and that boy Kenny scored an own goal what brought an end to a frustrating 5th round tie. Afonso is yet to score and the whole riverside faithful expect him to do so in this match against the blue birds. Not the cup of tea for the neutrals.

What a fantastic acheivement for the League one side Bristol Rovers, struggling at 14th in the table and pushing for a play off spot they will be hoping for this phenomenal achivement of a semi final spot and I hope they do so. But it is a tough ask because West Brom are high fliers in the Championship occupying the 4th spot with a game in hand. The Baggies are the favourites to get the automatic promotion to the PL.

Dream EPL team

2008-03-01T22:33:00.000+05:30

----------------------------- (van der sar) -----------------------------

(sagna) ------------ (terry) ------------ (vidic) ------------ (evra)

---------------------------- (makelele) ----------------------------

-------(c.Ronaldo)----------------------------------(ballack)-------

----------------------------- (gerrard)-----------------------------

----------------- (Torres) -------------- (rooney) -----------------

subs
cech
ferdinand
Finnan
a.cole
anderson
wright phillips
crouch

Converted Farmer

2008-02-26T12:19:00.000+05:30

Probably farming aint that bad an option. And if introduced as a course in the Bachelor of Engineering, here are some of the subjects that as Anna University students, one has to study.

Farm Engineering
Mineral Engineering
Fluid Mechanics
Ploughing Tools Technology
Tractor Engineering
Advanced Aarming
Design of Water Pathways
Sand and Mud Technology
Irrigation Engineering
Pump-set Technology
Electrical Motors
Design of Plough Elements
Fertilizer Technology

lol... anyone?

Mourinho eager to 'kill' Chelsea

2008-02-24T22:31:00.000+05:30

Mourinho is hoping to be back in management before next season
Jose Mourinho has revealed plans to "kill" Chelsea when he returns to football management.

The former Blues boss is eager to meet the club in European competition next season and knock them out.

"If I play them in the Champions League, I want to go there and kill them - that's my message," he said.

Meanwhile, the 45-year-old denied he had signed a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona but said he was ready to return to management.

Despite expressing his desire to beat Chelsea in Europe next season, he admitted he still felt a close connection with the club.

"I still feel Chelsea is a part of me, I'll have Chelsea in my heart forever," added the Portuguese.

"I left and for five months you couldn't get a bad word from me in relation to the club and you cannot do it in the future too."

And Mourinho said his relationship with the club's owner Roman Abramovich was good after reports at the time of his departure in September 2007 suggested he left Stamford Bridge because of a rift between himself and the Russian billionaire.

"I think it was last week that I spoke with people from the club," he said.

"I was speaking with Mr Abramovich and chief executive Peter Kenyon because we keep in touch.

"I was telling them I wish them always good, I wish them always to succeed, I wish them always to win."

Ryan Giggs - ManUnited

2008-02-18T22:19:00.000+05:30

Birthdate: 29 Nov 1973
Birthplace: Cardiff, Wales
Position: Midfielder
Appearances: 745
Goals: 143
Joined United: 09 Jul 1990
United Debut: 02 Mar 1991 v Everton (H)
International Wales

Ryan Giggs is the club’s most decorated player with 18 major honours, yet he might never have graced Old Trafford had it not been for Sir Alex Ferguson’s intervention.

Cardiff-born Giggs was attending Manchester City's School of Excellence in his early teens, but Sir Alex made a personal visit to his house on his 14th birthday and Ryan jumped at the chance to sign for his boyhood club.

He turned professional at United in November 1990. He made his League debut in the old Division One against Everton at Old Trafford on 2 March 1991 as a substitute for Denis Irwin. The following season his first League start proved a memorable occasion, scoring his first ever United goal (albeit via a deflection) in a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

Injury to Lee Sharpe enabled Giggs to pin down a regular place at the start of the 1991/92 campaign, thanks to his mesmerising dribbling skills and blistering pace. His first trophy arrived in April 1992 as United beat Nottingham Forest in the League Cup final, and the following season saw Giggs claim the first of his record nine Premiership winners’ medals.

His impressive trophy haul also contains European Cup, European Super Cup and Inter-Continental Cup
winners’ medals, while he has played a part in four of Sir Alex Ferguson's five FA Cup triumphs. The prestigious cup competition will forever be synonymous with the Reds winger after his superb solo effort in the semi-final replay against Arsenal at Villa Park in April 1999.

Ryan celebrated 10 years at Old Trafford with a testimonial match against Celtic in 2001/02. A year later he bagged his 100th career goal in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and became only the second ever player to play 700 games for United when he helped the Reds to a dramatic 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in March 2007. The

club's all-time appearance record holder is Sir Bobby Charlton (759) and Giggs is well on the way to surpassing that figure.

The Welsh captain played an integral role in United's 2006/07 title-winning season and was lauded by players and pundits alike. It was a record ninth triumph for Giggs and it edged him ahead of previous record holder Alan Hansen, who scooped eight titles during his Liverpool days.

Having retired from international football in June 2007 with 64 caps and 12 goals, Giggs was promptly honoured again - this time with an OBE as he was included in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to football. The United winger signed a contract extension in October 2007 which will keep him at the club until at least June 2009.

DADA - the god!!

2008-02-12T22:15:00.000+05:30

dear dada,
one can but stand back in awe and remember your glorious comeback into international cricket with reverence. it is the greatest blemish of indian cricket and the B.C.C.I that your fairy tale comeback must be thwarted to a sudden stand still.at this juncture that we must feel sad that the cricketing fraternity has been forced to miss the spectacle of you beating the Aussies all around the park in their own dockyards.
by not picking you up in the squad for Australia is the greatest blunder of the decade that has been committed by any cricketing organization.
so on behalf of all your die hard fans and admirers all the world over, i pray to god and to you to stage yet another comeback of the same nature, if not one better!
let the god of the off side rule over us once more!

picked this from mouli

F1 gets faster - with the stewards!!

2008-02-07T22:12:00.000+05:30

Formula One will introduce a new structure for race stewards this season in an attempt to speed up decision making and avoid the controversies that marred 2007, the governing FIA said on Monday.
International Automobile Federation president Max Mosley said retiring permanent steward Tony Scott-Andrews would not be replaced.
Instead, there would be a non-voting administrator in Alan Donnelly.
Briton Donnelly, a former Labour member of the European Parliament, has previously attended races as Mosley's representative in the paddock as well as being an FIA consultant.
"Alan Donnelly will be there at all the races," Mosley told reporters.
"The idea is that he will be non-voting. There will be three stewards that vote but Alan's job will be first of all to make an interface between them and the race control and the press and so on.
"Secondly, it will be to try and keep some sort of momentum so that we get the decisions quickly...there is no excuse for taking as long as it has."
Stewards' enquiries hung over the latter part of the season in 2007, with the outcome of the championship itself in doubt for weeks after the final race in Brazil because of a McLaren appeal concerning rival teams' fuel temperatures. Mosley said Donnelly, who is also working with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on sports governance issues, would "keep the pressure on to get things done quickly.The season starts in Australia on March 16.

Singapore F1

2008-02-05T22:08:00.000+05:30

The schedule for SINGAPORE NIGHT RACE is as follows.

Saturday 27 September 2008
saturday practice 14:30 - 15:30
Qualifying 17:30

Sunday 28 September 2008
Race 17:30
No of laps 61
Circuit length 5.067 km
Race distance 309.087 km

Next 007 installment

2008-02-01T22:04:00.000+05:30

The next James Bond film is to be called Quantum of Solace, producers have confirmed.The title is taken from one of a collection of short stories published by 007 creator Ian Fleming in 1960.Producer Michael Wilson said the film would have "twice as much action" as 2006's Casino Royale, which saw Daniel Craig debut as the iconic secret agent.

The next outing, previously known as Bond 22, is partly being shot at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.
Filming on the movie has been taking place at Pinewood since November.
Craig said the cryptic title referenced how Bond's heart had been broken at the end of Casino Royale.

"Ian Fleming had written about relationships," he explained."When they go wrong, when there's nothing left, when the spark has gone, when the fire's gone out, there's no quantum of solace.And at the end of the last movie, Bond has the love of his life taken away from him and he never got that quantum of solace.So he's looking for revenge, you know, to make himself happy with the world again."

lga Kurylenko, who plays Bond girl Camille in the film, said that she has yet to film any scenes, but was working hard preparing for her role.

"I'm doing weapons training and body flight training for aerial scenes and stunt work for fighting," she said."This girl is going to kick ass. She's on her own mission and she's driven by revenge."But it is not clear whether Camille is a secret agent.Actress Gemma Arterton plays an MI6 agent in the film and has already shot her love scenes with 007.

She said: "I felt like a giggly girl, and I felt so young and inexperienced - but I kissed James Bond!"
The 21-year-old, who recently starred in the St Trinian's film, said her Bond role is "not so frolicksome" and her character "fresh and young, not sultry and a femme fatale".

Dame Judi Dench, who returns for her sixth Bond film, said: "I get to do more in this one, which is brilliant."She hinted that her character's relationship with Bond would be "pretty prickly".Rumours about the name had grown after fans noticed that film studio Sony had bought the domain name quantumofsolace.com.But co-producer Michael Wilson said the name had only been decided "a few days ago", adding the story's start point would be "literally an hour after the last film left off".

Asked if Casino Royale star Eva Green would appear in Quantum of Solace, co-producer Barbara Broccoli said: "There are no flashbacks in the film, but she's certainly on Bond's mind."Director Marc Forster is in charge of work on the movie, which is due for release on 7 November.

Stupids...!!

2008-01-27T13:12:00.000+05:30

first of all dont misunderstand me but i am talking about the following points

1. Why do they mistake the Iraqis death in Saddam's regime with the sanctions victims forced by US and UK?
2. Why do they think that Bush did a heroic reaction on 9-11 while all he did was bombing 1 Million dollars bomb on a 10 dollars tent?
3. They think they are doing the world a favor killing Iraqi People
4. They think Israel was there all the time.

thats it folks i have more points that are not political!!!

Why did Rafa sign torres and not owen?

2008-01-25T22:35:00.001+05:30

Torres is to become the first player in Liverpool history to net hat-tricks in three successive home games. And despite being urged by senior players to bring Owen back to Merseyside in the summer, Benitez is delighted to have instead signed a player who is now just two goals short of 20 in the league for the Reds during his debut season.

"In the summer, Michael was one of the names on the list of strikers we were pursuing, but Fernando was always top of that list, and the one we wanted above all others," Benitez said.

"When you talk to Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher they say what a great player Michael is, and they wanted him, because he is a great finisher and a good striker.

"But Torres was our top choice because he was young, because he is very quick and he has such potential. He had all the conditions we wanted, and we are very, very happy with our decision.

"When Michael is fit he is one of the best forwards in the world. But we thought that maybe Nando was younger, quicker and could do what we wanted, which was to run behind defenders from deeper, and play for the team. It was not just my decision to buy Fernando, the scouting department were looking at a lot of strikers.

"They saw the pace and ability and hunger of Torres. Michael is great but we are happy that Torres is here.

"He has so much potential, and he is still learning. He knows he can improve, he knows he must get better, but the good thing is he is such a nice lad, so down to earth and he wants to improve and get better.

"He was the main player at Atletico, but he doesn't want to be the superstar. He is humble and he has a lot of good people around him, his family, his girlfriend who all have good ideas about his future."

Funny Quotes

2008-01-24T22:17:00.000+05:30

"I was saying the other day, how often the most vulnerable area for goalies is between their legs" Andy Gray, Sky Sports

"Merseyside derbies usually last 90 minutes and I'm sure today's won't be any different" Trevor Brooking

"What I said to them at half time would be unprintable on the radio" Gerry Francis

"If there weren't such a thing as football, we'd all be frustrated footballers" Mick Lyons

I can't really remember the name of the clubs we went to.
Duncan Ferguson - Everton striker reply to a inquiry about whether he had visited the Parthenon during a club trip to Greece.

"He's one of those footballers whose brains are in his head" Derek Johnstone - BBC TV Scotland (1994)

We must unite

2008-01-12T22:32:00.000+05:30

India - We love you

India officially the Republic of India, is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world.

India is the largest democracy in the world.The Constitution defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic

Home to the Indus Valley civilization, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth

With the world's twelfth largest economy by market exchange rates and the third largest in purchasing power,

India, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of tradation .

LONG LIVE INDIA ! JAI HIND!

Solve them!

2008-01-10T21:45:00.000+05:30

Three people check into a hotel. They pay £30 to the manager and go to their room. The manager suddenly remembers that the room rate is £25 and gives £5 to the bellboy to return to the people. On the way to the room the bellboy reasons that £5 would be difficult to share among three people so he pockets £2 and gives £1 to each person. Now each person paid £10 and got back £1. So they paid £9 each, totalling £27. The bellboy has £2, totalling £29. Where is the missing £1?

answer: We have to be careful what we are adding together. Originally, they paid £30, they each received back £1, thus they now have only paid £27. Of this £27, £25 went to the manager for the room and £2 went to the bellboy.

2. Which word, if pronounced right, is wrong, but if pronounced wrong is right?

answer: wrong.

3. You have a barrel, filled to the top with water, which weighs 150 pounds. What can you add to the barrel in order to make it lighter?

answer: Holes!

4. A customer at a 7-11 store selected four items to buy, and was told that the cost was $7.11. He was curious that the cost was the same as the store name, so he enquired as to how the figure was derived. The clerk said that he had simply multiplied the prices of the four individual items. The customer protested that the four prices should have been ADDED, not MULTIPLIED. The clerk said that that was OK with him, but, the result was still the same: exactly $7.11. What were the four prices?

answer: $1.20, $1.25, $1.50, and $3.16.

5. Whoever makes it, tells it not. Whoever takes it, knows it not. And whoever knows it, wants it not. What is it?

answer: Counterfeit money.

Technical hide and seek

2008-01-07T21:46:00.000+05:30

Once all the scientists die and go to heaven...
They decide to play hide-n-seek...

Unfortunately Einstein is the one who has the den...
He is supposed to count upto 100... and then start
searching...
Everyone starts hiding except Newton...
Newton just draws a square of 1 meter and stands in
it right in front of Einstein...
Einstein's counting 1,2,3......97,98,99.....100...
He opens his eyes and finds Newton standing in
front...
Einstein says "Newton’s out. Newton’s....out....."
Newton denies and says I am not out... He claims
that he is not Newton...
All the scientists come out to see how he proves
that he is not Newton....
Newton says "I am standing in a square of area 1m
squared... That makes me
Newton per meter squared....
Since one Newton per meter squared is one Pascal,
I'm Pascal, therefore
Pascal is OUT !!!"

Liverpool FC signs Ross County winger Alex Cooper

2007-12-28T22:24:00.000+05:30

Ross County winger Alex Cooper has signed for English Premiership club Liverpool.

The 16-year-old, son of Aberdeen's Gothenburg Great Neale Cooper, has been tracked by several leading clubs, including Celtic.

But he has opted to join Rafa Benitez's club on a three-and-a-half year deal, following former County prospect Gary Mackay Steven who moved to Merseyside in a £100,000 deal this year.

County will receive a similar fee for Cooper and director of football George Adams said: "It was always a question of when and not if Alex would get a move to a big club and I am delighted he has got his chance after doing so well for us.

"He is a terrific young lad who comes from a great football family and he has worked really hard to get his move. He is a left-sided player who is quick and aggressive and the fact he was called up for Scotland under-17s while he was playing for a Second Division club shows his quality."

County goalkeeper Mark Ridgers joined Hearts in a £40,000 deal in May and Adams believes the conveyor belt of young talent in the Highlands will continue.

He said: "The length of contract Liverpool have given Alex shows how highly they rate him.

"We have a tremendous relationship with Liverpool and it is great for the young players at Ross County to see what can be achieved with hard work and dedication.

"I also think it is a feather in the cap for us that while we are working towards getting out of the Second Division this season, we are still producing young players who are interesting some of the biggest clubs in the world."

Former County manager Cooper is delighted with the move. He said: "All his family are delighted Alex has been given the opportunity to sign for Liverpool.

"He could have gone to one or two other clubs but he just loved the way he was treated by Liverpool when he was there.

"They've invited the whole family to go and see the set-up for ourselves early in the new year, something we're all looking forward to."

Funny Quotes

2007-12-22T22:22:00.000+05:30

some more...

When a player gets to 30, so does his body.' - Glen Hoddle

'I was a young lad when I was growing up.' - David O'Leary

'Home advantage gives you an advantage.' - Bobby Robson

'It's the only way we can lose, irrespective of the result.'
- Graham Taylor

tongue twisters 2

2007-12-12T21:55:00.000+05:30

(sorry for the delay fellas)

16.How much oil boil can a gum boil boil if a gum boil can boil oil?

17.Good blood, bad blood, good blood, bad blood, good blood, bad blood.

18.She sells sea shells on the sea shore;
The shells that she sells are sea shells I'm sure.
So if she sells sea shells on the sea shore,
I'm sure that the shells are sea shore shells.

19.Admidst the mists and coldest frosts,
With stoutest wrists and loudest boasts,
He thrusts his fists against the posts,
And still insists he sees the ghosts.

20.Extinct insects' instincts, extant insects' instincts.

21.One black beetle bled only black blood, the other black beetle bled blue.

22.The big black bug's blood ran blue.

23.Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut Butter.
Peter Pan Peanut is the peanut picky people pick.

24.How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
if a wooodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck all the wood
a woodchuck could chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

25.She had shoulder surgery.

26.Three tree turtles took turns talking tongue twisters.
If three tree turtles took turns talking tongue twisters,
where's the twisters the three tree turtles talked?

27.The crow flew over the river with a lump of raw liver.

28.Which witch snitched the stitched switch for which the Swiss witch wished?

29.Seven slick and sexy sealskin ski suits slid slowly down the slope.

30.Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?

Freaked up accident

2007-12-08T21:56:00.000+05:30

I remember this incident as though it is yesterday. It was the most demanding time of the year - semester exams!! So thought of going to my friend’s house. It was around 3:35 P.M. I started for the Kodambakkam Station, when I saw this mishap. There was a train accident near the Kodambakkam Crossing.

A man tried to cross the railings in ‘Kurudhipunal’ style but unfortunately got hit by the train.The man's body was virtually traumatized and dragged by the train. Railway authorities rushed to the spot and brought him in stretcher.

I was not even able to figure out whether he was black or white that his body was soaked in ‘Blood Bucket’. The experience of seeing the train hitting a person was horrendous. Kodambakkam crossing is one of the hot spots for train fatalities over years.

====== please be careful while crossing tracks======

Did dinosaurs in India feed on grass?

2007-12-05T21:49:00.000+05:30

Fossilized dinosaur droppings found in central India show sauropod dinosaurs may have fed on grass between 65 million and 71 million years ago, refuting the theory that grasses emerged long after the dinosaur era, a study said Friday.

An international team of researchers, including Vandana Prasad of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow, India, studied the dinosaur coprolites, or fossilized droppings, of 65 million years ago.

The researchers sent some photographs and samples to Caroline Stromberg of the Swedish Museum of Natural History, who spotted tiny particles of silica called phytoliths that have come from the grass family, including relatives of rice and bamboo and forage-type grasses, according to a report in the journal Science published Friday.

The discovery surprised scientists. The earliest grass fossils ever found could be traced back to about 55 million years ago. And the giant plant-eating sauropod dinosaurs were supposed to eat plants like ferns and palms, as they didn't have the special kind of teeth needed to grind up abrasive blades.

Scientists said the diversity of the grasses suggest that grasses must have originated considerably earlier, well over 80 million years ago.

The findings also suggest that rodent-like early mammals that roamed among the dinosaurs may have fed on grass. They had teeth looking like those of grass-eating animals today, but much smaller.

Source: Xinhua.
Image Source: IS

Tongue Twisters - 1

2007-11-29T21:47:00.000+05:30

1.Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

2.Mary Mac's mother's making Mary Mac marry me.
My mother's making me marry Mary Mac.
Will I always be so Merry when Mary's taking care of me?
Will I always be so merry when I marry Mary Mac?

3.Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew.
While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew.
Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze.
Freezy trees made these trees' cheese freeze.
That's what made these three free fleas sneeze.

4.A twister of twists once twisted a twist;
A twist that he twisted was a three-twisted twist;
If in twisting a twist one twist should untwist,
The untwisted twist would untwist the twist.

5.Bobby Bippy bought a bat.
Bobby Bippy bought a ball.
With his bat Bob banged the ball
Banged it bump against the wall
But so boldly Bobby banged it
That he burst his rubber ball
""Boo!"" cried Bobby
Bad luck ball
Bad luck Bobby, bad luck ball
Now to drown his many troubles
Bobby Bippy's blowing bubbles.

6.Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks.

7.Fresh French fried fly fritters

8.Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick, say it quick!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker, say it quicker!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Don't eat with your mouth full.

9.Chester Cheetah chews a chunk of cheep cheddar cheese.

10.Out in the pasture the nature watcher watches the catcher. While the catcher watches the pitcher who pitches the balls. Whether the temperature's up or whether the temperature's down, the nature watcher, the catcher and the pitcher are always around. The pitcher pitches, the catcher catches and the watcher watches. So whether the temperature's rises or whether the temperature falls the nature watcher just watches the catcher who's watching the pitcher who's watching the balls.

11.A slimey snake slithered down the sandy sahara.

12.I see a sea down by the seashore.
But which sea do you see down by the seashore?

13.If you understand, say ""understand"".
If you don't understand, say ""don't understand"".
But if you understand and say ""don't understand"".
how do I understand that you understand. Understand!?

14.One smart fellow, he felt smart.
Two smart fellows, they felt smart.
Three smart fellows, they felt smart.
Four smart fellows, they felt smart.
Five smart fellows, they felt smart.
Six smart fellows, they felt smart

15.Betty Botter bought some butter but she said the butter's bitter. If I put it in my batter it will make my batter bitter. So, she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter and she put it in her batter and her batter was not bitter. So 'twas good that Betty Botter bought some better butter.

Source: Internet

Amazing Facts

2007-11-12T21:40:00.000+05:30

*A zebra is white with black stripes.
*Hummingbirds are the only animal that can also fly backwards.
*Insects do not make noises with their voices. The noise of bees, mosquitoes and other buzzing *insects is caused by rapidly moving their wings.
*The cockroach is the fastest animal on 6 legs covering a meter a second.
*The word "listen" contains the same letters as the word "silent".
*The only 2 animals that can see behind itself without turning it's head are the rabbit and the parrot.
*A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
*India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
*The whip makes a cracking sound because its tip moves faster than the speed of sound.
*A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.
*India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
*'Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia' is the fear of long words.
*Didaskaleinophobia is the fear of going to school.
*Phobatrivaphobia is a fear of trivia about phobias !!
*It is impossible to lick your elbow. ( We know you gonna try this !!! )
*A snail can sleep for 3 years. ( wow, lucky chap eh ? )
*In 1883 the explosion of the volcano Krakatoa put so much dust into the earth's atmosphere that sunsets appeared green and the moon appeared blue around the world for almost two years.
*"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
*Twenty-Four-Karat Gold is not pure gold since there is a small amount of copper in it. *Absolutely pure gold is so soft that it can be molded with the hands.
*Electricity doesn't move through a wire but through a field around the wire.
*Do you know the names of the three wise monkeys? They are: Mizaru (See no evil), Mikazaru (Hear no evil), and Mazaru (Say no evil ).
*55 per cent of people yawn within 5 minutes of seeing someone else yawn. Reading about yawning makes most people yawn. hello, zzzzz zzzz ?

Quotes 2

2007-11-10T21:40:00.000+05:30

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add,
but when there is nothing left to take away."
- Antoine de Saint Exupery

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance"
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
- Jimi Hendrix

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
- Henry Ford (1863-1947)

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

"When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong."
- Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983)

" The best way to predict the future is to invent it."
- Alan Kay

"Criticism is prejudice made plausible."
- Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)

"Sometimes it is not enough to our best; we must do what is required."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

"Small things, done in great love, bring joy and peace."
-Mother Teresa

Quotes 1

2007-11-08T21:39:00.000+05:30

Kites rise highest against the wind -- not with it.
- Sir Winston Churchill

If you risk nothing, you'll risk everything.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

The road to success is always under construction.

"Truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it; ignorance may deride it;
malice may distort it; but there it is."
-- Winston Churchill

Keep a smile on your face till 10 o'clock and it will stay there all day. --Douglas Fairbanks

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
--Winston Churchill

Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I accomplish. --Michelangelo

Your attitude determines your altitude. --Vince Lombardi

Small things, done in great love, bring joy and peace. --Mother Teresa

Genius, that power which dazzles mortal eyes, is oft but perseverance in disguise. --Henry W. Austin

"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited.Imagination encircles the world."
-Albert Einstein

"If you are going through hell, keep going."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

"Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down."
- Jimmy Durante

My Promise

2007-10-25T13:34:00.000+05:30

Future Improvements and Additions:
a) Pictures & Other Media
b) Technology Articles, Paid Articles, My-Own-Opinion Articles.

Blog Book

2007-10-20T13:29:00.000+05:30

Hi there, i've just thought converting my Slam book, to a slam post. All of u out there are welcome to fill it up.........

Just answer the questions in ur comments!

The Questions go as:::

1.Your Name:-

2.Lovingly Called:-

3.Your BirthDay and Zodiac:-

4.Contact Details:-

5.What is a Friend?:-

6.What is Love?:-

7.Wildest Dreams:-

8.Sweet Recollections:-

9.Any Confession:-

10.Good Things about Me:-

11.Some Bad One (2 be honest):-

12.Few words for Me :-

13.How should I remember you???

Telephone Etiquettes!!

2007-10-15T19:30:00.000+05:30

Etiquette is defined as "conventional requirements as to social behavior; proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion."

I cant help but yap in wonder at certain basic nuances of etiquette, people tend to follow. It really gets annoying when people forget their basic mannerisms and behave in a manner that would be of the worst kind. This holds particularly good when it comes to the telephone.

No... I am not indicating the annoying phone calls made from any bank that offers "home loans" or "credit cards". The mannerisms followed by the those people are probably the most demanding as they wouldn't know what kind of a "customer" they would be speaking to, or the situation the customer would be in. They need to maintain their cool even if the customers fires from all his/her cylinders. I, in fact, pity them.

Coming back to the etiquettes of a telephonic conversation, one has to understand that he/she doesn't see the face of the other person. And so, any meaning conveyed should be conveyed in a neutral manner. People go to all lengths to prove that they are not at fault and only do so if given back the same treatment as they give. The other day (on 13th oct), i happened to receive a phone call at around 7.40pm. The phone call stunned me. Literally. The caller asked for one Mr.Ranganathan. I replied that there is no Ranganathan and that he must have dialed a wrong number. And imagine what that bastard yapped??? "yo.. naa correct number dhaan dial panirukaen. Nee dhaan thappa eduthurukka!!!" (English: I have dialled the correct number. You are the wrong person to pick up the phone!!)

What the F++K!! That creep insists that he has dialled the correct number and tells me to mind my mannerisms. I couldn't withstand. I gave him a taste of his own medicine and he had the nerves to end the call abruptly. I was pissed off. No person, in his real senses would speak in a manner depicted here. And i should say... I pity this Idiot. However i can afford to forget this incident as it made me laugh and i am unable to recollect a better incident that made me chuckle with a quiet sense of sympathy towards the miserable fellow.

lol...

007

2007-10-10T13:20:00.000+05:30

JAMES BOND 007
The combination of inteligence,speed, courage,who makes the enemies

"TRY TRY BUT IN END DIE"

regards
> I LOVE 007 <

To hell... and back

2007-10-09T18:24:00.000+05:30

[FOREWORD]

All characters represented in this article are purely imaginery and fictitious. Any resemblence bearing to those dead or alive is purely coincidental.

There he was. Driving his motorbike at a steady 40 kmph. As shops sped by, he couldn't help but ponder over the bitter truth. Perhaps for the first time in his life he had such a serious thought while driving. A million thoughts raced through his mind. Where had he made a mistake? Where could he change the tails to heads? In a world filled with hope and despair, he was desperate for hope. A hope with a chance that seemed smaller than the one in finding a person in a metropolitan city.

As he sped past a prominent landmark, memories striked hard at him. It was the same place where he had been more than a dozen times. He had to bend unintentionally and yield himself to the fact that visiting this place was more than just being obvious. He paused mentally at the very place and striking a glance over the rich plethora of colours and words (of sign boards) engulfing the entire front face. Glass, resembled a cascading waterfall in front of him. He remembered the place where he was been waiting, where he had parked his motorbike, where he had dined. He couldn't forget those as they were of a rich green memory to his imaginery world.

As reality caught up with him, he found himself waiting in a signal, that was due for a change to green. The very signal where he had waited... The very signal which haunted him with memories again. It was only a few days earlier that he was waiting at the signal. The signal seemed to wave at him as though it knew him for a very long period of time. He cared no more... He wanted to get it out of his mind.

The road ahead savoured its presence with a turn that went along a majestic beach. The waves kissing the shores was the sight many people preferred as it cooled their minds. The sight of many a couples holding hand in hand was a natural sight in this beach. He preferred to go slow over this stretch. His memories raced ahead yet again. It was the very beach that was his personal favourite. But that was not the reason he slowed down. The sweet memories raced him as a slide show. The very first time of his visit there, his meeting with his ami, the birthday blasts that he had celebrated. The innumerable visits he had made... The sands bore the footprints from his walks there. He wanted to be there as a different man... a changed man... but something about the day made him feel different. Poles apart from where he wanted to be. A tear or two would have escaped behind those eyes. The beach stretched before him like a cloud, miles long. He could do nothing but control his tears and carry on.

The road seemed to awaken him to senses again. He missed the beach very much. Something about this beach made him to frequent it again and again. The timeless minutes spent on the shores, savouring every minute... every second of his stay in the beach, forced him to think what would have been the case ig he had been different. The mere thought of this brought sunshines to his face. But it was not the case so. The situation was something he never dreamt of a couple of days ago. The road entered a busy intersection where he wished to get out of his thoughts. But he could not do so. The signal ahead him was red and he had to wait there, secretly cursing under his breath that life betrayed him. He wanted to cry out aloud... But couldn't do so!

As the signal turned green, he began moving too. A billion thoughts raced through him again. The places that he was been...

the promises he had made...

the dream he had dreamt...

the wish he secretly made...

Something was going amiss. He was sure that the road ahead wasnt the one he wanted to be. And yet he had to carry on. The "bitter truth" dawned upon him. He was fighting a losing battle. The strong affinity of despair and ill-luck tool the better toll of him. Yet life had to go on. For he believes that life is the best teacher.

The days of pain...

of agony...

of hatred...

of despair...

of hope...

of chewing the bitter truth hit him hard.

The tides had changed and he could do nothing about it... but write a blog [:p]

jokes apart...

The tides had changed and he could do nothing about it. The Beau-monde had been gone for good. One that he thought was something he could savour. And yet do nothing but accept the bitter truth.

P.S : This is only an imaginery story. This story, in no way relates to any situation undergone by any of those known to me.

Platini slams foreign owners

2007-10-08T13:16:00.000+05:30

Michael Platini has launched a surprising attack on the foreign ownership of English football clubs.

Platini, the president of Uefa, has revealed his dislike for the increasing foreign investment in the Premier League.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are among a number of top flight clubs who have been taken over by owners from abroad and Platini insists that something must be done.

"I can't understand how so many English clubs are owned by foreign people," Platini told Sky Sports News.

Identity

"I think we can do something. I don't know why Americans come to buy some clubs. You need your identity.

"I can't understand why some English clubs are owned by Americans because they do not come for the beauty of the game, for the romance of the football in England.

"They come because they want to make money. We need to defend that.

"If you have Manchester against Liverpool it is part of the population of the cities.

"But now if you have an owner from America against an owner from Russia, I don't like it."

Computer Shortcuts -6

2007-09-02T13:15:00.000+05:30

Win + C: Open control panel.

Win + V: Open clipboard.

Win + K: Open keyboard properties.

Win + I: Open mouse properties.

Win + A: Open Accessibility properties.

Win + Space: Displays the list of Microsoft IntelliType shortcut keys.

Win + S: Toggle CapsLock on and off.

Computer Shortcuts - 5

2007-08-28T13:14:00.000+05:30

Right Shift for eight seconds: Toggle FilterKeys on and off. FilterKeys must be enabled.

Left Alt + Left Shift + PrintScreen: Toggle High Contrast on and off. High Contrast must be enabled.

Left Alt + Left Shift + NumLock: Toggle MouseKeys on and off. MouseKeys must be enabled.

NumLock for five seconds: Toggle ToggleKeys on and off. ToggleKeys must be enabled.

Shift five times: Toggle StickyKeys on and off. StickyKeys must be enabled.

6.) Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed

Win + L: Log off Windows.

Win + P: Open Print Manager.

Madrid And Milan Both Interested In Ballack

2007-08-23T13:11:00.000+05:30

he former Bayern Munich leader has just been through a less than successful first season in the Premier League with Chelsea.

A bad injury to his right ankle (with a subsequent operation on 26 April) was the catalyst to a series of problems that required two more operations, the second of which took place only recently.

That aside, the first Premiership season of Ballack, who came to Chelsea around the same time as Andriy Shevchenko, was certainly not a positive one.

As coach Jose Mourinho failed to achieve the club's main objectives, Roman Abramovich was very disappointed and allegedly saw Ballack as one of the players who were no longer part of the club's plans.

This situation was being monitored by Real Madrid, who have been following the player for several years.

But Chelsea's request, 10 million euros, was considered excessive, which is understandable considering he had arrived at the Blues on a free transfer.

While the strong midfielder's complete recovery is still some time away, Real Madrid have already made a new proposal. It seems, however, that they are going to find Milan on their way once again.

That is the news revealed by English daily "The People" which suggested that the Rossoneri are ready to offer the player a contract worth 4,5 million euros a season.

2007-08-15T13:07:00.000+05:30

The Uniform of this season.. uneviled officially at adidas website. Feels great!!

Computer Shortcuts -4

2007-08-12T13:05:00.000+05:30

Arrow Keys: Navigate.

Shift + Arrow Keys: Select multiple items.

Ctrl + Arrow Keys: Change focus without changing selection. "Focus" is the object that will run on Enter. Space toggles selection of the focused item.

(Letter): Select first found item that begins with (Letter).

BackSpace: Go up one level to the parent directory.

Alt + Left: Go back one folder.

Alt + Right: Go forward one folder.

Enter: Activate (Double-click) selected item(s).

Alt + Enter: View properties for selected item.

F2: Rename selected item(s).

Ctrl + NumpadPlus: In a Details view, resizes all columns to fit the longest item in each one.

Delete: Delete selected item(s).

Shift + Delete: Delete selected item(s); bypass Recycle Bin.

Ctrl while dragging item(s): Copy.

Ctrl + Shift while dragging item(s): Create shortcut(s).

In tree pane, if any:

Left: Collapse the current selection if expanded, or select the parent folder.

Right: Expand the current selection if collapsed, or select the first subfolder.

Numpad Asterisk: Expand currently selected directory and all subdirectories. No undo.

Numpad Plus: Expand currently selected directory.

Numpad Minus: Collapse currently selected directory.

2007-08-02T13:03:00.000+05:30

What is known today as Nokia was established in 1865 as a wood-pulp mill by Knut Fredrik Idestam on the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids in the town of Tampere, in south-western Finland. The company was later relocated to the town of Nokia by the Nokianvirta river, which had better resources for hydropower production. That's also where the company got its name that it still uses today. The name Nokia originated from the river which flowed through the town. The river itself, Nokianvirta, was named after the old Finnish word originally meaning a dark, furry animal that was locally known as the nokia, or sable, later pine marten.

Finnish Rubber Works established its factories in the beginning of 20th century nearby and began using Nokia as its brand. Shortly after World War I Finnish Rubber Works acquired Nokia Wood Mills as well as Finnish Cable Works, a producer of telephone and telegraph cables. All these three companies were merged into the Nokia Corporation in 1967.

The Nokia Corporation created in the 1967 fusion was involved in many sectors, producing at one time or another paper products, bicycle and car tires, footwear (including Wellington boots), personal computers, communications cables, televisions, electricity generation machinery, capacitors, aluminium, etc.

Source : wikipedia

Computer Shortcuts - 3

2007-06-30T12:59:00.000+05:30

Tab: Forward one item.

Shift + Tab: Backward one item.

Ctrl + Tab: Cycle through tabs/child windows.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Cycle backwards through tabs/child windows.

Enter: If a button's selected, click it, otherwise, click default button.

Space: Toggle items such as radio buttons or checkboxes.

Alt + (Letter): Activate item corresponding to (Letter). (Letter) is the underlined letter on the item's name.

Ctrl + Left: Move cursor to the beginning of previous word.

Ctrl + Right: Move cursor to the beginning of next word.

Ctrl + Up: Move cursor to beginning of previous paragraph. This and all subsequent Up/Down hotkeys in this section have only been known to work in Rich Edit controls.

Ctrl + Down: Move cursor to beginning of next paragraph.

Shift + Left: Highlight one character to the left.

Shift + Right: Highlight one character to the right.

Shift + Up: Highlight from current cursor position, to one line up.

Shift + Down: Highlight from current cursor position, to one line down.

Ctrl + Shift + Left: Highlight to beginning of previous word.

Ctrl + Shift + Right: Highlight to beginning of next word.

Ctrl + Shift + Up: Highlight to beginning of previous paragraph.

Ctrl + Shift + Down: Highlight to beginning of next paragraph.

Home: Move cursor to top of a scrollable control.

End: Move cursor to bottom of a scrollable control.

Stupidity is beauty....!

2007-06-25T12:58:00.000+05:30

I feel that stupidity is beauty.... Have you people watched little children behaving? They seem to behave stupid.. But, ofcourse, there are only few unlively creatures who dont enjoy the children's stupidity. Most of us do enjoy them having known that they are stupid...

This is just a glimpse i felt about stupidity...!

May be, there are possibilities to argue that if I could analyse children's stupidity and write it here... I may not be stupid and may not be enjoying life.. :)

2007-06-10T12:55:00.002+05:30

Unnale Unnale (English: Because of You) is a 2007 Tamil musical and romantic film. Directed and co-written by Jeeva and produced by Oscar Ravichandran its stars Vinay Rai, Sadha and Tanisha Mukherjee in the lead roles. Raju Sundaram and Lekha Washington, prominent actors from the south Indian film industry, played the roles of the lead character's friends in the movie.

The film revolves around the aftermath of a relationship between a careless man and a serious woman. Despite being in a relationship, the latter walks out on the former due to his antics with other women. However, the man changes his ways and on a business trip to Melbourne, he encounters another woman. This other woman turns out to be the personal assistant of the man's former lover. The events that follow and who the man eventually gets together with form the crux of the story.

The film opened to Indian audiences after several delays, on 14 April 2007, coinciding with the Tamil New Year. Despite receiving mixed reviews on the actors' performances, the film went on to win the box office battle on Tamil New Year's Day and become a major hit at the South Indian box office.^[3]Owing to its success, it was later dubbed into the Telugu language as Neevalle Neevalle.^[4] Furthermore, the film is also set to be remade into Hindi, with both Sadha and Tanisha Mukherjee reprising their roles. Unnale Unnale was the last film that director Jeeva completed before his death.

Source : wikipedia

All the best Liverpool

2007-06-10T12:48:00.000+05:30

Being an ardent Liverpool FC supporter, here are some of the captions that caught my attention, in order to wish them luck for the forthcoming UEFA championship finals against AC milan! (another 2005... i wish)!

> 300 Spartans couldn't do it. 11 reds can.

> Now we are going to grill pizzas.

> Many kicks and more saves is all we need to win tonight.

> When 11 reds play and another half a million pray nothing is impossible.

> There r truths...den der r dreams,
there is MILAN...n den der is LIVERPOOL...dream on.

Computer Short cuts -2

2007-06-01T12:47:00.000+05:30

Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert: Copy.

Ctrl + X or Shift + Delete: Cut.

Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert: Paste/Move.

Ctrl + N: New... File, Tab, Entry, etc.

Ctrl + S: Save.

Ctrl + O: Open...

Ctrl + P: Print.

Ctrl + Z: Undo.

Ctrl + A: Select all.

Ctrl + F: Find...

Ctrl+W : to close the current window

Ctrl + F4: Close tab or child window.

F1: Open help.

F11: Toggle full screen mode.

Alt or F10: Activate menu bar.

Alt + Space: Display system menu. Same as clicking the icon on the titlebar.

Escape: Remove focus from current control/menu, or close dialog box.

wats the best thing that has happened to my life?

2007-04-27T10:54:00.000+05:30

Lets listen to the sound of the heart to answer one simple question...

"WHATS THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOUR LIFE?".

Life had posed me this question right from the day since i first set foot inside my college. ( yeah college !! go on... and understand why !!)

Well... a few people out there, would definitely accept that i 'was' lagging to a certain degree. I would hopelessly watch people saying that they went out with friends, chilling out !!!. I couldn't do anything but choose to sit in and listen in silence. Time was really killing. I didn't have anyone to hang around with. I wish i wasn't selfish to choose my friends. I couldn't help it !!!

I complained...
I wept...
I cursed myself...
I hated life...
I consoled myself...
I was singled out...

Just then...

...I seemed to get into some kind of a transition. A slow, yet steady change of my thoughts. What is that thing, that had catalyzed my changeover?

I felt that i was doing something injustice to my heart, if i set restrictions around my mind. I wanted to throw those, and forge myself into that guy i always wanted to be, which i knew i wasn't at that instant of time.

It was the late summer of 2006. Little when i knew that the time had come for the blitzkrieg, it happened. Just as the phoenix is reborn from the ashes, there i was. People would definitely accept it now for they do see a change in me.

Something unimagined... Something that i thought was impossible... Something that i hadn't even imagined even in my wildest of dreams...

And after that,

I cherished every moment...
I lived every second...
I rejoiced life...
I cried out of happiness...
I laughed out from my heart...
I wasn't singled out anymore...

A truly spectacular evolution as i would prefer to call it, it was something that i was missing in life. A flavor, lacking in certain aroma, was now a history. It was something that i was hoping for. It was this, that changed me over to from who i was to who i am - for the good !!!

I am not complaining anymore for i have absolutely none.

It is really true that "patience is a bitter plant, but it has a sweet fruit.".

cheers

Airtel - the best?

2007-04-25T12:44:00.000+05:30

Firstly i own an Airtel connection. I like airtel because of the voice clarity, low call rates and most importantly good network coverage.

I find Hutch and Aircel irritating only because of the utter worst coverage. It is highly annoying to call an Aircel number after 9PM only to hear the automated voice recording "YOUR CALL CANNOT BE COMPLETED". Sucks!!

1985: Uefa bans English clubs from Europe

2007-04-22T12:40:00.000+05:30

European football's governing body Uefa has banned English clubs from playing in Europe indefinitely, following the riot at Brussels' Heysel stadium four days ago in which 39 people died.

The ban follows an announcement by the British Football Association on 31 May preventing its own English teams from playing in Europe.

Today's announcement came after an emergency session of soccer chiefs in Switzerland, and cannot be appealed. It is expected to cast English clubs into the European wilderness for several years.

Liverpool fans have been blamed for the Heysel tragedy, when supporters charged at a wall separating them from Juventus fans, causing it to collapse onto the mainly Italian crowd.

English football welcomes move

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempt from the ban, and disciplinary action against Liverpool FC is also being considered.

Reacting to the decision, football league president Jack Dunnett said: "It is unfair to punish clubs which had nothing to do with the Brussels tragedy".

But the move was welcomed by other leading figures in English football.

FA Secretary Ted Croker said: "There are many of us who don't want to see us back in Europe until we have got our own house in order."

A British representative on Uefa's 11-strong executive committee said he had unsuccessfully tried to push for the ban to be limited to a set period. But David Will, president of the Scottish FA, said: "The feeling in Uefa is very, very strong".

The British government is set to announce new measures to tighten crowd control in British clubs in the aftermath of the Heysel tragedy.

These are expected to include confirmation of a drinks ban in all British clubs, the introduction of club membership cards to give known supporters access to matches, and wider use of CCTV cameras.

In Liverpool police are launching an inquiry into the Brussels riot. A public hotline has been set up in an attempt to establish what happened and identify those responsible.

Exciting Keyboard shortcuts - 1

2007-04-11T12:39:00.000+05:30

Shift + F10 right-clicks.

Win + L (XP Only): Locks keyboard. Similar to Lock Workstation.

Win + F or F3: Open Find dialog. (All Files) F3 may not work in some applications which use F3 for their own find dialogs.

Win + Control + F: Open Find dialog. (Computers)

Win + U: Open Utility Manager.

Win + F1: Open Windows help.

Win + Pause: Open System Properties dialog.

Win + Tab: Cycle through taskbar buttons. Enter clicks, AppsKey or Shift + F10 right-clicks.

Win + Shift + Tab: Cycle through taskbar buttons in reverse.

Alt + Tab: Display Cool Switch. More commonly known as the AltTab dialog.

Alt + Shift + Tab: Display Cool Switch; go in reverse.

Alt + Escape: Send active window to the bottom of the z-order.

Alt + Shift + Escape: Activate the window at the bottom of the z-order.

Alt + F4: Close active window; or, if all windows are closed, open shutdown dialog.

Shift while a CD is loading: Bypass AutoPlay.

Shift while login: Bypass startup folder. Only those applications will be ignored which are in the startup folder, not those started from the registry (Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\)

Ctrl + Alt + Delete or Ctrl + Alt + NumpadDel (Both NumLock states): Invoke the Task Manager or NT Security dialog.

Ctrl + Shift + Escape (2000/XP ) or (Ctrl + Alt + NumpadDot) : Invoke the task manager. On earlier OSes, acts like Ctrl + Escape.

Print screen: Copy screenshot of current screen to clipboard.

Alt + Print screen: Copy screenshot of current active window to clipboard.

Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow: Invert screen. Untested on OS's other than XP.

Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow: Undo inversion.

Win + B : Move focus to systray icons.

(contd-2)

Increase Broadband speed

2007-03-22T12:34:00.000+05:30

well, if u want to increase the download speed then the only way to increase it is using a Download Manager [DAP is my fav.] but if Ur ISP bans it then ur fu**ed up :P. If ur askin about the bandwidth then here it goes :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentContro

lSet\Servic es\Tcpip\Parameters]
"GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize"=dword:00007fff

Copy the above text in notepad & save that file as a .reg file, simply CLick SAVE AS>ALL FILES>[Filename].reg.

Once ur done run it & walaa ! U will see a wide difference.

Friend - An epitome of Life

2007-03-13T23:19:00.000+05:30

FRIEND :

'F'ew 'R'elation 'I'n 'E'arth that 'N'ever 'D'ie - thats a friend!!!

I know that. We all know that. A friend, is one who, apart from parents, we share our secrets with. Some secrets arent known to parents, but friends. Things that happen in daily life, things that were least important, important, humorous, pathetic, gruelsome etc etc etc... blah blah blah...

As i type this, i cannot help but realise the feeling within my heart, that refuses to die. I do have a big friend circle. But it is only a selected few that i happen to, you know, maintain a healthy relation with. Well, you can ask me, why am i choosy? But i am not the only one. Its a part of everyone's life. People are too busy to realise that there is a person out there, wanting a genuine friendship. These people, realised that.... And the good part? They felt the same. It is indeed queer, that very few, even though realised it, didn't make any stride towards ensuring that the feeling was well hidden within them. I could feel that... In fact anyone would...

Whats there in a good relationship thats not present anywhere else? Its the "understanding" that the group happens to forge in the duration of time. The understanding that is vital for any relationship to blossom. It is something that has to be experienced, and cannot be typed, read or learnt. People learn to respect the private circle that surrounds a person and expect the same out from the other side as well. The private circle, has to be treated with great caution for if breached, can cause irreversible blot to the emerging friendship.

As i was saying, the group with whom i move along, are just like any other people of this very world. Its just that they took their time to see through me, to understand me, to tell me of my +/-. It so happens that very few do that. But its good, in the sense, atleast we arent lost. We have got someone who could explain that so gracefully, knowing where to pause, knowing where to stop, that the whole idea of what is to be conveyed is done in a manner that is best for all.

From my experience, the circle of friends, who go out, actually arent just meeting up in just another place and keep buzzing about their life. But by doing so, they get to know the diameter of the "private circle", and try not to breach it at any cost. Mutual respect enhances. And the sense of void, that was once there, vanishes. The diameter is still not clear at all times.

So... remember the thing - to make a relation grow richer...

* Respect the Private Circle.

* Promises may get friends. But its Performance that keeps it going.
(note : performance, in this context, indicates how well you get along with them)

* Value those who value you.

Thats all. And at the same time, make sure that people respect your private circle. And what about those who dont??? Give a life... BUZZ THEM OFF !! They aint your friend...!!!

Patience is a bitter plant !!! ---> my experience... the results were sweet...

I dedicate this post to the "F6" members... The members, who made a difference to my life... Who respect me... Who ridicule me... Who honour me... The best group!!! F6..

To all other friends... Its hard to mention names, given the circumstances, yet... all those known to me, and have greatly influenced me in any possible manner...

THREE CHEERS

Asin - the ravishing beauty!

2007-03-11T12:32:00.000+05:30

Awww... what a beauty!!

Americans borrow £298m to buy Liverpool FC

2007-03-04T12:26:00.000+05:30

Thomas O Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the two American businessmen who are close to completing their takeover of Liverpool, have borrowed almost £300m from the Royal Bank of Scotland to finance the deal. The bank has loaned the money at 1.5% above the current standard lending rate, meaning that about £21.5m interest will be payable this year.

The debt is not being taken on by the club in the way the Glazer family loaded Manchester United with £660m borrowings from their 2005 takeover, but professionals close to the deal said it was nevertheless likely that Liverpool would pay the interest, or pay Hicks and Gillett "a big dividend" at the end of the year to enable them to do so.

The terms of the loans are in the offer document sent to all shareholders, revealing that the two men are borrowing £185m to pay for the £174m takeover itself and associated costs, with another £113m available as a "revolving credit facility" to absorb Liverpool's debts and fund the club and preliminary work on the new 60,000-seat stadium. A further £200m will be borrowed to build the stadium but the way that will be done has not been worked out. The initial £298m loans are guaranteed by Hicks and Gillett personally.

The offer document also reveals how stretched Liverpool became financially last year as the chief executive, Rick Parry, searched for someone to take over the club. In August the then chairman David Moores lent the club £10m - £2m personally and £8m from a family trust - to let the manager, Rafael Benítez, have some money to strengthen the squad, which he spent on buying the striker Dirk Kuyt.

Parry said that with a takeover likely the club had not wanted to take on more bank finance. "We were at the limit in terms of our short-term borrowing facilities and were racking up expenditure keeping the stadium on schedule, so it was a fantastic gesture by David to make that money available." Along with the money Hicks and Gillett are paying for his shares, Moores will have his loans repaid in full.

The takeover is certain to go through after it was confirmed last week that over 80% of Liverpool shareholders had accepted the offer of £5,000 a share. Moores, the former 51.5% shareholder, will be paid £89.615m for the 17,923 shares he bought for about £12m.

Robert Tilliss, the New York-based financial adviser to Hicks and Gillett, said the men had been attracted by buying "one of the leading brands in the world's No1 sport". He said they would bring their sports business expertise over from the US, where $20bn (£10.3bn) has been spent in recent years upgrading stadiums whose ticket prices make those in the Premiership seem like a snip. Tilliss said the popularity of English football in Asia had also been a factor. "All clubs in the US continue to drive on international, national and local revenues, and the great brands of English football certainly have room to develop."

Hicks and Gillett, who have said they intend to be "custodians" and hold Liverpool as a family asset, will own the club via a company structure based in the tax havens of the Cayman Islands and the US state of Delaware. The ultimate holding company, Kop Investment LLC, is registered in Delaware, which has low corporation tax and no capital gains tax, and its principal office is at Hicks's corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas. One professional involved with the deal said that this did not mean the two men foresaw a sale or flotation and were "sheltering" those future gains from tax, but that it was simply "a tax efficient" way to structure the deal.

My special day

2007-02-15T12:12:00.000+05:30

I never expected it this way. Should i add that being in 3rd year mechanical has only brought distance between what i wanted and what i had. Yet, this day was something special. It was no ordinary V-Day. It was the day when i expected her phone call. I knew i was only a little doubtful. Yet nothing could prepare me for the day. Not even the 4-point (out of 7) of my Nokia 6610.

Attending the call at 10.50 and continuing, i was only little optimistic about how long will the battery last. And it did. The clock struck 00:02 and there we were. Wishing each other, seperated by only a few micro seconds. he he he. A truly V-DAY!! happy valentines day everyone!!!

Responsibility

2007-02-08T13:25:00.000+05:30

Responsibility means the ability to respond
life situations according to your heart, not according to
somebody else or some doctrine.
Responsibility means you respond out of your care for the other,
it is your sensitivity; it comes out of your feeling.

Feeling of responsibility has nothing to do with duty.
It is not out of compulsion, it is not out of attachment,
it is not out of any expectation, it is not a burden.
The feeling of responsibility is sincerity of the heart.
It is your act out of your integrity, it is out of freedom.

Whatever you do, do with feeling of responsibility
do with your whole heart; do with your totally then
the very act becomes a gesture of Love.

Traffic Lights - a real time analysis

2007-01-27T09:07:00.000+05:30

~ This post is going to be comparitively short~

Stop says the Red light...

Go says the Green...

Get Ready says the Amber...

Blinking in between.

Heard it somewhere? This nursery rhyme, obviously refers to the colourful lights that are fixed on poles on major and minor road intersections. 3 Colours they are - Red at the top, Amber at the center and Green at the Bottom. Scientific theory explains why these 3 colours are choosen as the signal colours, but its not what i am going to discuss here about. What is it then?

The 3 colours, that form an integral part of any city's roadline, denotes the discipline that the vehicles should follow. They aid in smooth vehicular movement in any junction and not to mention, help the pedestrians, cross the road without any risks involved. Its a common sight to find vehicular serpentine queues waiting in turn, for crossing the signal -> thats during the peak hours. In some cities, we notice the Count-Down Timer (CDT) coupled with the traffic lights, to indicate the approximate time remaining, for the traffic light to change its present state of enlightenment (lol). This has been a thing, that has been followed for long, without any problems. This CDT helps the motorists to know the estimated time remaining for the signal to change the colour. If the signal is in Red, and the timer reads a 75 second countdown, the motorist can kill the engine and save on fuel costs. Afterall somethings arent "CHEAP" in the 21st century!!!

Well, its not this that i want to analyse. Its known to all. Probably, if i fill up the article with this, i shall soon find many, waiting in turn, asking me " what de F%@K. Give a life. What a senseless article. Only 2 year olds would read it. Get Lost... Loser !!!" lol..

Back to the main agenda, Lets consider the scenario in Chennai - my hometown, the city of moon like craters... yet, my dream city, my own city.. I LOVE U CHENNAI...

The scene is Ashok Nagar main road, a junction where Ashok Nagar Police Station is situated. The straight road, leading from Arcot road, goes further to meet the 100ft road opposite Pallava Hospital. The junction where the left turn leads to Mambalam, and the right turn leads to Lakshman Shruthi Musicals. Got the scene?? Why did i choose this section? This junction leads, by its own, in setting a perfect example of where such analysis takes place. The narrow main road, narrowed further by the vehicles parked on the sides, is the perfect scenario that one can ask for.

The signal is Red for the vehicles coming from Arcot road. 45... 44... 43... counts the timer and continuing. Being a non-peak hour, the vehicular traffic build up is minimum. Only a handful of vehicles wait. A few motorcyclists, a mini van, a PTC bus and a couple of autorickshaws inching forward, crossing the white line. 22... 21... 20... 19... The count down still is at a large for a few. 19 more seconds. PHEW!!! Atlast, after what seems a year of agonising wait, the timer comes down to a single digit. 10... 9... 8... The response is almost instantaneous. The Autoricks, and a motorist, waiting for this instant, plonk their vehicles in the 1st gear and lift off. JUMPING VIOLATION!! But who cares. There is no Police nearby. The timer, still, is counting down. 5... 4... 3... All other vehicles follow the suit. It has become a tradition, among the road users, to take for granted that any number in the timer below 5 seconds, when the signal is RED, means GO!!!

The green light finally illuminates. But there is only a handful of vehicles who start moving, because, all others have already gone. So much for a mere 5 second wait. Never mind. The timer count down for green reads 12... 11... 10... 9... Still plenty of time left. IS IT SO? A couple of motorists, near the Shakthi Motors turn, see the timer and the signal. They accelerate ahead in a never before dare, as though death is chasing them. 4... 3... 2... The motorists still are behind the white line. Finally the signal turns to Amber. What actually, should have been a Caution, is not. Before the signal turns RED, the motorists cross the signal. A sense of happiness fills their mind. "Phew.. I made it.."

Analysed this situation? Those residing in Chennai, would feel this, for they would have experienced at almost every junction. Whats the purpose of having a Amber, if it doesnt solve the purpose? Whats the purpose of having a Count Down Timer, if it makes the motorists go faster than safety standards, in order to cross the signal before the signal turns RED? What purpose does it solve, if it doesnt teach the motorists, the finer nuances of having waiting at a traffic signal. Contradicting this, a research says "An 60 year old man, on an average, waits 2 weeks in Red signal".. So much for a research, proving the other way, here, in Chennai.

Concluding this article, i wish to make a small change in the Rhyme that is quoted at the beginning in the article.

STOP says the Red light...

GO says the Green...

GO FAST says the Amber...

Blinking in between.

P.S : The article, in no way, directly or indirectly, symbolises you to drive in a manner depicted here. Please drive responsibly and always wear a Helmet. Follow traffic rules and drive in such a way , that would not endanger the lives of those around you.

2007-01-20T12:08:00.000+05:30

A tribute to a living legend.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER]
9 best races of his entire career. Simply fabulous.
~*~*~

[9th]- [BELGIUM 2002]
STARTED [P1], FINISHED [P1]

The F2002 was so good that he nailed the car just for the sheer thrill of nailing it and in doing so, simply thrashed the entire opposition, including his then teammate. Absolutely fantastic!
~*~*~

[8th]- [AUSTRIA 2003]
STARTED [P1], FINISHED [P1]

A 21 second drama in the pits that should have cost Michael his victory. The fuel nozzle jammed and began leaking fuel into the filter. Flames erupted around the nozzle. Schumi glanced over his right, and took to his cool. As the fuel nozzle was freed, more flames erupted. Extinguishers did only half the job. Schumi pulled out, wiped foam off his visors as he checked his mirrors.
~*~*~

[7th]- [FRANCE 2004]
STARTED [P2], FINISHED [P1]

4 stop strategy anyone? Never heard before!!!----> No more explanations needed!
~*~*~

[6th]- [SPAIN 1994]
STARTED [P1], FINISHED [P2]

Sealed his place at the podium after spending 42 laps in 5th gear!!! Try imagining it. Quite Impossible. Sheer Brilliance!!!
~*~*~

[5th]- [CANADA 2003]
STARTED [P3], FINISHED [P1]

Schumi drove almost half the race with worn out brakes. The brake pads got worn out quickly and there was nothing that could be done about it. Hail Schumi!
~*~*~

[4th]- [SPAIN 1996]
STARTED [P3], FINISHED [P1]

King of the rain! 4 Seconds a lap quicker than anyone else on the wet! Anyone home???
~*~*~

[3rd]- [MALAYSIA 1999]
STARTED [P1], FINISHED [P2]

Ensured that Mika Hakkinen got nowhere near the leader Eddie Irvine and in doing so, helped Eddie stay on lead for the title hunt. Mika never ever imagined Schumi would drive that way to help his teammate.
~*~*~

[2nd]- [BELGIUM 1995]
STARTED [P16], FINISHED [P1]

16th on grid to 1st! Ruthless agility!
~*~*~

[1st]- [HUNGARY 1998]
STARTED [P3], FINISHED [P1]

Ross Brawn “You have 19 laps to build up a 25 second lead”
Schumacher “Thank you very much”

And made it too!
~*~*~

[Source]
Autocar India

[Issue]
December 2006.

SAF Looking To Meet David Beckham

2006-12-22T11:46:00.000+05:30

Sir Alex Ferguson says it will be 'fantastic' to see David Beckham back at Old Trafford when the former Manchester United man turns out in a friendly game on 13th March.

"It is fantastic David is coming back," said Ferguson.

"He was a great player at this club and he never had a chance to say goodbye to the fans because the transfer was done in the summer.

"He will get a great welcome and deservedly so."

Ferguson also agreed with Beckham's declaration that he could never return to English football with any team other than United.

"He is quite right to say Manchester United is the only English club he would play for," Ferguson added.

"He knows the value of this club. This is where he made his reputation. If I was in his position, I would be exactly the same."

Beckham's future at Real is currently the subject of much debate with his contract expiring in the summer, and the 31-year-old has been linked with a move to MLS.

However Ferguson is sure that the former England captain will be able to cut it at the highest level for a number of years yet.

"It all depends on what David wants himself," Ferguson added.

"Some players want to drive on but I remember reading somewhere that he wanted to stop when he was 32 or 33.

"The thing about David is that he always had good, natural stamina, so if he wants to carry on,physically there will be nothing to stop him."

origin of fear the blue!!

2006-12-18T13:45:00.000+05:30

Part-1

vrooooommmmm.....vrooooooooommmm.....

This sound is now common to my ears. The ears, such a wonderful creation by the almighty, seems to be waiting to hear more of those vrooooooommmmmms. Right from the days of driving a TVS Scooty, whose soft exhaust note resembled a khut khut khut........(a 60cc, 2 stroke model) and then to Honda Dio (a 106cc, 4 stroke) whose sound matured over the scooty's. A more refined and pleasing noise filled up my ears as i drove the vehicle in the roads of Chennai. A sense of pride, a sense of joy filled up my heart as i did not have any 'dignity' problems in declaring that i drove a honda dio. (pardon me scooty owners).

On the morning of 15th january 2006, i started a regular conversation with my parents. A conversation that i always knew where it ended, a conversation that made my parents wild at me, a conversation that was not uncommon in the house of all the college going GUYS in Chennai, a conversation that changed my outlook altogether - I NEEDED A BIKE. A fast one, a sleek one and something that was rare in the Metropolitan city. My parents, the best in the world, decided to go ahead in getting me a bike....i love u mom and dad....

But what shall i decide upon? The options were aplenty. The companies were offering many a discounts to allure the customers into their gasps. Right from a 0% EMI and on to 6 free services, the companies were doing all within their limits to attract the common man. But i was not impressed. What does a guy demand? Its not everyday that one happens to see a guy driving a bike worring about spiraling upward fuel costs and raising maintenence costs...

After deciding a few models, the finalists were here. If i was choosing a bike, it had to be between these 5 models ONLY!! The grand finalists were - Bajaj CT100, Bajaj Discover, Bajaj Pulsar. TVS Victor and TVS Centra. Well, it was over. The competition was narrowed down to a group of 5 bikes, each with its own advantages and from a seperate class of its own. For example, TVS Victor was a champion among the middle class families and the centra, with its ad claiming "fill-petrol-once-a-month". What is that i wanted?

Having more Bajaj models in the final list, we decided to go to a Bajaj showroom first. The sales incharge was more than just glad to welcome us. He showed all the models that i had in my mind. But still, i felt something was missing. The Pulsar150, that burns every other road in Chennai, didnt attract me. I asked if they had a 180cc Pulsar in Stock? The saless Rep took me to the stock yard. What shall i say??? Housing over a 75 bikes, neatly arranged in a row-and-column manner, the stock yard was full and still buzzing with activity. I scanned the entire area, with a view to have a glimpse of my dream-bikes. And there i saw it!!!!

Neatly parked, so subtle in appearence, calm in character, a shiny BLUE pulsar 180 caught my attention. In fact there were 3 of them. Each in one corner. They bowled me over. I went upto one of them, felt my hand moving over the hood, then the speedometer, the seats and then the tail lights. It was a feeling that i never experienced before. A feeling that i wanted to experience, a feeling that gave a sense of pride in my heart, a feeling that made our hearts united. This is the bike i wanted - a 180cc BLUE PULSAR...

I told my parents about the thing i saw and they were happy for that. The man of the house, my father, quite experienced in judging me, notified me that it was a powerful bike and that i should drive it slowly. 'Ok'ing to all the advises, we went ahead with all the preliminary jobs that was required. And then 5 days later, on January 20th 2006, i was on the top of the world. Riding a Blue pulsar home from the showroom, after the traditional Ganesha Pooja, there i was. The happiest man on the eastern hemisphere. After that, it was my new pal. I took the bike to class, to beach, to mahabalipuram, to theatres, to friend's place and to college (once). I would never forget those nostalgic rides.

Part-2

11 months nearing completion, and a modest 3900 kilometers to credit, i decided to do a thing i have never attempted before. Pulsars, when treated the way they ought to be, respond the way they should be. I felt bugged up especially after the 5th semester holidays started. I thought of a plan. A plan, i never thought of, 24 hours before. I wanted to see the top speed that i could manage. I know i am crazy, but there was no better way to spend my boring day ahead.I began to explore all the roads that were free enough for me to handle my beast at ease. After some brain scratching, i decided that GST road was the best.

Crossing Tambaram, made the road free from wandering cyclists and roaming buffaloes. Shortly before Guduvanchery, i had the chance. The road ahead seemed free and straight enough, gave me the confidence to give it a try here. Till then driving at a mere 70 kmph, i slightly twisted my right arm coaxially with the handle bar. All i could notice was a change in the mood of the engine of my beast. Timid and shy till that very instant, my beast quickly transferred itself into a ferocious monster waiting to burn the road ahead. The speedo-meter reading was nearing the 100 kmph mark and the engine was still wide at power band. Rising steadily, the marker crossed the 100 kmph mark and still accelerating. A new personal record created. But where did it end????

Bending ahead on top of the fuel tank, so as to create the aero dynamic shape, i knew i was crazy. The needle crossed the 100 kmph mark and showed no signs of resting down. The timid cat was then a ferocious tiger gobbling down distance like never before. A quick glance at the speedo reminded me of the speed. Halfway between 110 and 120, the road seemed to end with a government bus, carrying passengers, moving ahead with a comfortable 75 kmph. I decided to call it a day.

A hundred and Fifteen kilometers an hour. A new personal record. Never before i dared to do such a thing and then suddenly there i was, rejoicing at my new record. I took a break at Guduvanchery that included a tea and a biscuit at a road side stall. And then returned home at a steady 60 kmph. So much for the onward journey.

Its a record that i know i would break soon, afterall records are meant to be broken. But i dont think i would do it in near future. NO NO... NO CHANCE...Its a promise i made to one good friend of mine. A friend, who seriously didnt want me to attempt such 'freaky' thing. A friend, who tells me that my mother would be notified if i attempted it again...lol... NO PROBLEM. I WONT ATTEMPT IT...I PROMISE THAT...

I dedicate this post to my beast, who stands in the parking lot, masking a face, as though nothing has happened in the past few days. And silently awaits the knight who tamed it the way he wanted it to be...LONG LIVE MY BEAST...

cheers
rajath

Orkut bug bites me to illness...

2006-12-17T13:03:00.000+05:30

"well. its too much to handle. i cannot stand it. i am leaving orkut. never again in life will i make the mistake of joining orkut. a mistake done, is a lesson learnt. i learnt a lesson the hard way."

It seems only yesterday that i was typing these texts over SMS to a friend of mine. A friend, whom i believed could erase the bad memories of the things i saw. It wasn't any porn picture of my favourite actress, it wasnt due to any frustration that a good friend hadnt replied to my scraps, it wasn't something that i cannot mention it here. Yet it seemed to bring me to consciousness regarding the purpose of my existence in this world and in Orkut too.

Something that i should not have seen. What is it? Perhaps its rightful to say that its by chance that i saw it. But what did i see???

Its kinda weird to start from the beginning. Let me put it this way. I started orkutting from Oct 2005. Orkut seemed to be just like another website at first. But then i became awe about it later on. Found friends whom i thought i lost contacts with. Found people who share my interests and passions. But is this really what i wanted?

On that fateful evening, as i was into Orkutting as usual. It so happened that once a while, when i am bugged, i visit random profiles, their communities, their photos. Funny information and crapy photos inhabit a few profiles, but still to my amazement that day, i couldn't help it. Scanning through my 254 friends, selecting one and going through his friend list, my friend's friend and so on in order, seemes to be the practice that i mastered upon.

I selected a friend who was my school mate and a bloody good speaker. I dont know why i selected him, probability of me selecting him = 1/254 = 0.00393......). Incidentally, i clicked on his profile and noticed that he had changed his profile completely from what i saw it the last. Having more than a 100 friends, 45 and odd fans and a mere 800 scraps to his credit, it suprised me. (lol). Notwithstanding the inquisitiveness that arose within me, i clicked his scraps (one of the few times i checked other's scraps).

A regular conversation that was followed with another guy, they seemed to be speaking about a 'good guy'. Highly disciplined, Helpful to the core etc etc were some things that his scraps spoke of. Well.....who is this nice guy??? I wanted to know...

2nd page into his scraps, i noticed the change of wind in the conversation. The conversation moved into a totally new horizon that no one would have imagined it to be when they see the first page of the scrap. Brutal accusations, totally negative conversations seemed to fill the void of the 3 replies given. THEN I SAW IT...

The good guy, the disciplined friend, the helpful character, the accusations, the negative conversations were obvious to the others as the scrap had a name. A name that i never imagined it to be there. A name that was not uncommon to me. A name that shook the nerves of my inner self. They were scrapping about me. Its not something that i was accustomed to. Never imagined it that way. Yet it was there in a public domain like Orkut Scrap.

Not wanting to stay there, i quickly closed the window wondering where in the world i had gone wrong. I wanted to reverse time. I wanted to get the better of what i saw. I wanted to do something that would change the minds of the persons there. But yet i couldn't. I thought of something that was quite opposite to what i advised my friends. I wanted to quit orkut. I wanted to get more than a mile from its vicinity...

I didnt know what to do. I thought of a good caption that would suit the case of my leaving orkut. Awake till 12, i quietly updated my profile that would mean the obvious to my friends - i was leaving orkut. I smsed 4 of them, who were quite close to me, telling them of the grand finale. I SMSed this "well. its too much to handle. i cannot stand it. i am leaving orkut. never again in life will i make the mistake of joining orkut. a mistake done, is a lesson learnt. i learnt a lesson the hard way".

After many conversations, many chattings, many arguments, many SMSes, i decided the best. The best that was told by everyone. The best that suited me. The best i could do to keep myself out of temptation "reduce orkutting".

The world, now has become soft on me. I seldom have the need to worry about what others were thinking about me for i have truly learnt the lesson.....learnt the lesson the hard way...

Yet it seems very heartening to note that this is hardly a big issue to be put to head...i know it isn't... But still, i couldn't help it. As i type this article, its been nearly 24 hours of my visit to orkut. It seems less. But the time is counting. It flies off in a jiffy. Its the best thing to do - reduce visits to a website that i was literally addicted to...

cheers
rajath