Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Teachers

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.
- Chinese Proverb

Mathematics and Symmetry

Something Interesting

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

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

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

And finally, take a look at this symmetry:

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

Monday, June 26, 2006

Hyped and over-rated

I really hate these over-rated and hyped "celebrities". I mean is there nothing better to do on telly than to watch their stupid antics.

1. Mallika Sherawat - Bad looks (Looks like a neighbourhood auntie who this thinks she does, but does not know how to apply makeup). Bad figure(looks like a bloated cow). Wonder what the hype is all about. Cannot act, can only ham. And worst of all, thinks that baring her body is equal to sensuousness. YUCK!

2. Rakhi Sawant - The worst face I have ever seen on a woman. Has nothing special about her, but thinks she is God's greatest gift to mankind in general and menfolk in particular. Bad voice (Raspy like a saw). YUCK Twice!

3. Mahesh Bhatt - Sorry to put this talented guy in this list. His talent was visible in Saaransh. But he has his mouth open for anyone and everyone. Media relies on him for soundbites on everything from prices of onions to terrorism to whatnot. If he keeps his mouth shut and makes good movies, then it's ok. Else YUCK!

Mallu :)

A "Mallu" female ( from the heart of Kerala). Went for a job interview for the post of a secretary. When the manager saw the Mallu's colourful attire and gold and well oiled uncombed jet black hair, his mind was screaming " NOT THIS WOMAN." Nevertheless, he still had to entertain the Mallu.

So he told her " If you could form a sentence using the words that I give you, then may be I will give you a chance. The words are GREEN, PINK, YELLOW, BLUE, WHITE, PURPLE and BLACK ."

The enthusiastic Mallu lady thought for a while and said : " I hear the phone GREEN GREEN GREEN, then I go and PINK up the phone, I say YELLOW......BLUE's that? WHITE did you say? Aiye, Wrong number ...........Don't PURPLELY disturb people and don't call BLACK, ok? Thankyou."

The Manager fainted.......

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Another blog read

Chanced upon a new blog recently. Quite interesting. Have a dekko.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Steve Jobs may get iMovies wrong

An interesting comment on the proposed $9.99 movie download for iPods can be found here. I kinda agree!

Monday, June 19, 2006

Pratigya

An Email from Pratigya - Anti-Reservation fight group.

Dear Online Petitioner,

We write to remind you that online petitions, signature campaigns and sundry protest moves will not cause the Government to reconsider its Reservation policy. The anti-reservation movement is going strong and you are needed! We are in the process of forming an organization (named Pratigya) of educated Indians so that we can be effective in the destiny of India. Your participation is highly important.

To see how you can chip-in please check out http://antireservation.org/ . The site itself has been built by volunteers, if people like you start using it, it would certainly become the focal point of the movement. The various features like the Wiki, Blogs, Gallery, Forum and File store have been laboriously built for your use. Do check out our activity groups.

We are pursuing concrete plans, do get involved in any of our open Activity Groups (Join section) as per your comfort, skills and interest. Like you, we are ordinary people who have resolved to redeem our country. Without you there is no moving ahead. The agenda is available at http://antireservation.org

The Newsletter - Progressive Pages is available on the homepage http://antireservation.org/

Regards
Pratigya Team

Let's do what we can!

Orkut

Orkut is fairly addictive. Have a look at my profile on Orkut.

And I found some very interesting profiles floating on the net.
Have a look!

http://www.orkut.com/AlbumView.aspx?uid=592173213290830524
http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=14964196551662699536
http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=12723899907213374336
http://www.orkut.com/ProfileP.aspx?uid=15581438332634606810
http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=9540473305619688940

Random Thoughts

Don't shoot yourself in the foot, while it is in your mouth!

I am not just gr8, I am gr9.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

An Ode to Batch of 1996-98 of MDI, Gurgaon

An Ode to my batch - Those who are from it, will surely recognise it. Those who are not, need not be bothered :-D

HOTEL KERALA-FONIA

On the road to Trivandrum
Coconut oil in my hair
Warm smell of avial
Rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance
I saw a bright pink tube-light
My tummy rumbled, I felt weak and thin
I had to stop for a bite
There he stood in the doorway
Flicked his mundu in style
And I was thinking to myself
I don't like the look of his sinister smile
Then he lit up a petromax
Muttering "No power today"
More Mallus down the corridor
I thought I heard them say

Welcome to the Hotel Kerala-fonia
Such a lousy place,
Such a lousy place (background)
Such a sad disgrace,
Plenty of bugs at the Hotel Kerala-fonia
Any time of year
Any time of year (background)
It's infested here
It's infested here

His finger's stuck up his nostril
He's got a big, thick mustache
He makes an ugly, ugly noise
But that's just his laugh
Buxom girls clad in pavada
Eating banana chips
Some roll their eyes, and
Some roll their hips
I said to the manager
My room's full of mice
He said, Don't worry, saar,
I sending you, meen karri, brandy and ice
And still those voices were crying from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them pray

Save us from the Hotel Kerala-fonia
Such a lousy place,
Such a lousy place (background)
Such a sad disgrace
Trying to live at the Hotel Kerala-fonia
It is no surprise
It is no surprise (background)
That it swarms with flies

The blind man was pouring
Stale sambar on rice
And he said
We are all just actors here
In Silk Smitha-disguise
And in the dining chamber
We gathered for the feast
We stab it with our steely knives
But we just can't cut that beef
Last thing I remember
I was writhing on the floor
That cockroach in my appam-stew
was the culprit, I am sure
Relax, said the watchman
This enema will make you well
And his friends laughed as they held me down
God's Own Country? Oh, Hell!

I did not write this. I found it floating on the net and it fit my batch so I am putting it up!

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Angry Ganeshan --> Masti Ki Paathshala

I have changed the name of the blog from "Ruminations of Angry Ganeshan" to "Masti Ki Paathshala". I felt that the old name had lost its sheen, and that I needed to change with the times. The decision is not uni-directional. I might give the blog the same name again or I might give it an entirely new name, if and when I feel like it.

It's not that I have given up on "Angry Ganeshan" - I still admire him and his unique antics, his choleric and wrathful outbursts, his unique perspective on most things, and his shameless avarice and self-promotion. I am not looking for a complete role-model, but sometimes admire the brazen and bold manner in which he puts across his point, something that I sometimes feel, I need to develop more.

Most people think anger is a negative emotion. Au contraire, I believe that anger is a postive emotion. I shows that one cares and is not completely indifferent to things that happen and affect us. It can be channelised to give more benefit to the world. However, the way one expresses oneself is more important. Anger, if expressed through shouting is counter-effective. If suppressed and bottled up, it leads to long-term explosive behaviour. If expressed smartly through simple communication, it benefits everyone. Isn't that the aim of anger!?

Here's to Angry Ganeshan!

Woman's death officially confirmed as being from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

A woman whose death has been officially confirmed as being from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is the first such officially-certified death.

Overwork is a condition that afflicts most B-school Grads. In the blind race for more money, more perks, more everything, they forget that life is also for living. Laughing a bit here and there is something that is not going to kill them. Not doing that, however, may kill them.

Bad lifestyle, poor exercise regiment, alcohol, tobacco and food with lots of saturated-fatty acids and preservatives are other concern areas for most people.

Infact with India growing at a tremendous pace, such pratices are likely to continue more than less. Japan's example of Karoshi makes that amply clear.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Should you keep your fridge empty or full?

An excellent article at The Straight Dope about what is better - keeping your refridgerator full or empty?

What would you do?

While making rounds, a doctor points out an X-ray to a group of medical students. "As you can see," she says, "the patient limps because his left fibula and tibia are radically arched.

Michael, what would you do in a case like this?"

"Well," ponders the student, "I suppose I'd limp too."

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Lovely Quotes

Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.
-Alfred North Whitehead, mathematician and philosopher (1861-1947)

A half-truth is a whole lie.
-Yiddish proverb

Civilizations in decline are consistently characterised by a tendency towards standardization and uniformity.
-Arnold Toynbee, historian (1889-1975)

The trouble with this country is that there are too many politicians who believe, with a conviction based on experience, that you can fool all of the people all of the time.
-Franklin P. Adams, columnist (1881-1960)

Umda Sher

raat yun dil mein teri khoyi hui yaad aayi,
jaise veeraane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaye,
jaise sehraaon mein haulay se chale baad-e-naseem,
jaise beemaar ko be-wajh quraar aa jaaye

-Faiz Ahmed "Faiz"

Wah Wah!

Puzzle

Question - What are the numbers that replace the X and Y in the series?
7,8,5,5,3,4,4,6,9,7,X,Y

Post your answers in the comments section or email me at mail2ankurREMOVETHIS@REMOVETHISTOOgmail.com

The email address above will need to be suitably modified along suggested lines. It is written like that to prevent spammers harvesting the address through automated bots.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Ringtone that can be heard by teenagers, but not by parents or teachers!

New York Times has this very interesting piece in their technology section. The original article can be found here. (Free registration required)

In that old battle of the wills between young people and their keepers, the young have found a new weapon that could change the balance of power on the cellphone front: a ring tone that many adults cannot hear.

In settings where cellphone use is forbidden — in class, for example — it is perfect for signaling the arrival of a text message without being detected by an elder of the species.

"When I heard about it I didn't believe it at first," said Donna Lewis, a technology teacher at the Trinity School in Manhattan. "But one of the kids gave me a copy, and I sent it to a colleague. She played it for her first graders. All of them could hear it, and neither she nor I could."

The technology, which relies on the fact that most adults gradually lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds, was developed in Britain but has only recently spread to America — by Internet, of course.

Recently, in classes at Trinity and elsewhere, some students have begun testing the boundaries of their new technology. One place was Michelle Musorofiti's freshman honors math class at Roslyn High School on Long Island.

At Roslyn, as at most schools, cellphones must be turned off during class. But one morning last week, a high-pitched ring tone went off that set teeth on edge for anyone who could hear it. To the students' surprise, that group included their teacher.

"Whose cellphone is that?" Miss Musorofiti demanded, demonstrating that at 28, her ears had not lost their sensitivity to strangely annoying, high-pitched, though virtually inaudible tones.

"You can hear that?" one of them asked.

"Adults are not supposed to be able to hear that," said another, according to the teacher's account.

She had indeed heard that, Miss Musorofiti said, adding, "Now turn it off."

The cellphone ring tone that she heard was the offshoot of an invention called the Mosquito, developed last year by a Welsh security company to annoy teenagers and gratify adults, not the other way around.

It was marketed as an ultrasonic teenager repellent, an ear-splitting 17-kilohertz buzzer designed to help shopkeepers disperse young people loitering in front of their stores while leaving adults unaffected.

The principle behind it is a biological reality that hearing experts refer to as presbycusis, or aging ear. While Miss Musorofiti is not likely to have it, most adults over 40 or 50 seem to have some symptoms, scientists say.

While most human communication takes place in a frequency range between 200 and 8,000 hertz (a hertz being the scientific unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second), most adults' ability to hear frequencies higher than that begins to deteriorate in early middle age.

"It's the most common sensory abnormality in the world," said Dr. Rick A. Friedman, an ear surgeon and research scientist at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles.

But in a bit of techno-jujitsu, someone — a person unknown at this time, but probably not someone with presbycusis — realized that the Mosquito, which uses this common adult abnormality to adults' advantage, could be turned against them.

The Mosquito noise was reinvented as a ring tone.

"Our high-frequency buzzer was copied. It is not exactly what we developed, but it's a pretty good imitation," said Simon Morris, marketing director for Compound Security, the company behind the Mosquito. "You've got to give the kids credit for ingenuity."

British newspapers described the first use of the high-frequency ring tone last month in some schools in Wales, where Compound Security's Mosquito device was introduced as a "yob-buster," a reference to the hooligans it was meant to disperse.

Since then, Mr. Morris said his company has received so much attention — none of it profit-making because the ring tone was in effect pirated — that he and his partner, Howard Stapleton, the inventor, decided to start selling a ring tone of their own. It is called Mosquitotone, and it is now advertised as "the authentic Mosquito ring tone."

David Herzka, a Roslyn High School freshman, said he researched the British phenomenon a few weeks ago on the Web, and managed to upload a version of the high-pitched sound into his cellphone.

He transferred the ring tone to the cellphones of two of his friends at a birthday party on June 3. Two days later, he said, about five students at school were using it, and by Tuesday the number was a couple of dozen.

"I just made it for my friends. I don't use a cellphone during class at school," he said.

How, David was asked, did he think this new device would alter the balance of power between adults and teenagers? Or did he suppose it was a passing fad?

"Well, probably it is," said David, who added after a moment's thought, "And if not, I guess the school will just have to hire a lot of young teachers."

Bloody Indian

The best humour is of the self-deprecating variety. Have a look at Bloody Indian, a website that is a no-holds-barred account of we Indians and our shenanigans!

Life @ MDI Gurgaon

Came across a nice blog - just starting off the blocks, but promising nonetheless - Life at MDI Gurgaon

Wordsmith

I love words. And what better place than Wordsmith to satisfy this thirst.

I particularly like unusual words. The last week featured interesting ones, and here is a sample :)My favourite is Floccinaucinihilipilification, which I first learnt when I prepared for CAT. My friend Hemant and I used to enjoy tormenting other fellow preparers with this word :)

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Google acquired by Microsoft

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

What have we here?

Google acquired by Microsoft!!??!

Have a look here

Horse's backside?

I enjoy reading forwards on all types of subjects. Jokes, motivational and inspirational, informative, the silly and the sane alike! What I don't like are chain mails. Anyhow that rant will come later.

The following is an interesting forward that I have seen at least 4-5 times in the last 9.5 years I have been using the Internet. (Gosh! Has it been really that long!)

Here is a look into the corporate mind that is very interesting, educational, historical, completely true, and hysterical all at the same time:

The US standard railroad gauge (width between the two rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used?

Because that's the way they built them in England, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons which used that wheel spacing.

Okay! Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads? The first long distance roads in Europe (and England) were built by Imperial Rome for their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots first formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for (or by) Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.

The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from the original specification for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Specifications and bureaucracies live forever. So the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with it, you may be exactly right, because the Imperial Roman war chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the back ends of two war horses. Thus, we have the answer to the original question.

Now the twist to the story . . .

There's an interesting extension to the story about railroad gauges and horses' behinds. When we see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs might have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory had to run through a tunnel in the mountains. The SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track is about as wide as two horses' behinds. So, the major design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a Horse's Ass!


This story, howsoever interesting is not entirely true. Read two debunkings at two of my favourite sites, The Straight Dope and Snopes.com.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Scambusters

With the online economy booming, it is becoming common for people to devote more and more time and money over the Internet and online choices for diverse needs. With increasing money on the web, comes the threat of increasing troubles.

Scambusters is a website that is devoted to busting scams on the net, ranging from Viruses, Trojans, Backdoors, Hoaxes, Chain Mails, False Emails, Phishing to online scams, e-fraud, identity theft and many more threats.

It is a favourite read for me and keeps me updated on what is happening to the online world and how to keep oneself protected. Simple and practical advice, in a no-nonsense format!

Recently they covered a new type of threat called Ransomware. Have a look below at the article. I strongly suggest you subscribe to their newsletter.


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Ransomware: How to Protect Yourself
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Let's start with: what is ransomware?

Just like thieves kidnap people and then demand a ransom to return them unharmed, ransomware is an extortion scheme whereby thieves hijack the victim's computer files and then demand a ransom so the victim can have them back in their original condition.

More specifically, malicious code is used to seize control of the victim's computer and hijack the computer files, and the files are then encrypted by this malicious code. So, all of a sudden, a user's computer files are in a format that is not readable by humans!

This can be very disconcerting, to say the least.

The scammer then demands payment in exchange for the decryption key.

The amount of ransom can vary quite dramatically. Scammers who ask for small ransoms of $10 have generally been much more successful than thieves who ask for several hundred dollars.

Payment is often demanded through some type of online currency, such as Webmoney or eGold, although wiring money via Western Union is not uncommon.

Ransom.A is one program that claims it will destroy one computer file every 30 minutes until the victim pays the ransom. (In this case, however, Ransom.A doesn't actually delete or encrypt anything -- it's a hoax. Nonetheless, it's probably a very effective hoax.) ;-)

Another ransomware program, Trojan.Archiveus, is a Trojan horse that password protects files and then asks the user to pay the ransom to get a password that unlocks the files. In this case, the virus writer made the critical error of placing the password in the code.

According to Symantec, the password is: mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw

Read more about Trojan.Archiveus

Recently, security experts have discovered a new ransomware variant in which the scammer demands that the victim purchase a specific amount of pharmaceutical drugs from a Russian pharmacy to meet the ransom demand.

Ransomware programs also may try to embarrass victims to get them to comply quickly, using tactics like displaying adult images.

Ransomware is currently a PC (and not a Mac) problem.

Ransomware attacks can occur via email attachments or direct access to a computer network; however, most ransomware attacks are browser-based.

For example, the Web-filtering software company Websense described one ransomware case in which someone visited a website that was hacked. A Trojan horse entered the victim's network and was able to search all of the system directories and mapped drives. After the program encrypted the files and left a ransom note, it deleted itself.

Until now, cases of ransomware have been quite rare, but they are increasing at a very fast clip right now. That's why we wanted to alert you to this threat now.

A related threat, which is currently more common than ransomware, is for a hacker to break into a company computer system to prove he can do it, and then demand payment for not attacking the system.

Security experts say that some gaming sites have experienced this threat and have paid up to tens of thousands of dollars to avoid the attacks.

How to protect yourself from ransomware: The good news is you don't need special ransomware products to protect yourself or your computer network from ransomware.

Rather, the same methods of protecting yourself that we've been recommending for your general computer security apply: use firewalls, up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and keeping your browser, system software and other software up-to-date with the latest patches.

Further, we recommend you use a pop-up blocker if you don't already. A lot of ransomware is delivered via pop-ups. And of course, be very careful about downloading software -- games, screensavers, etc. can include ransomware.

Last but certainly not least, it is vital to back up not only your personal computer files very regularly, but your system files as well.

You can read more about ransomware (and PC backup suggestions) from Brian Krebs on the Washington Post blog:

Read the Washington Post Blog

Time for us to take a walk through the mountains! We'll see you next week.
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Thursday, June 08, 2006

Jokes

Ek aadmi ki biwi gum ho gayi, Woh Ram ke mandir me gaya, Ram ne kaha - "Baju wale Hanuman Ke Mandir me jaa. Meri bhi usi ne dhundhi thi!"

Sardar bought a new mobile. He called everyone from his Phone Book & said "My Mobile No. has changed Earlier it was Nokia 3310. Now it is 6610!"

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Anonymous

He who excuses himself accuses himself.
- Anonymous

Never mess up an apology with an excuse.
-Anonymous

You are such a good friend that if we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket...I'd miss you heaps and think of you often.
-Anonymous

It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
-Anonymous

A quotation attributed to "anonymous" sources indicates you are too lazy to research the true authorship.
- Anonymous

Assorted Quotes

I feel bad that I don't feel worse.
- Michael Frayn

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.
- Mel Brooks

When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before.
- Mae West

The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.
- Ludwig Wittgenstein

Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.
- Wendell Johnson

Motorola RAZR

Thinking of buying a new cell phone and reached the Motorola RAZR Black.

Looks nice and sleek.

Also reached this market and marketshare study. Interesting to see that nearly 4/5ths of India is using Nokia.

Well, come to think of it. I have been using a cellphone for more than six years and in all these years I have used four cellphones. The first one was an Ericsson and it lasted 2 days. The next one was a Nokia that lasted 15 months. The next one was another Nokia, the Nokia 5110. That lasted 44 months. I currently have Har Jeb Mein Rang, Nokia 2600 which has lasted me more than 15 months now.

Nokia gives excellent phone quality which to me means superior battery time, better reception in basements and weak signal areas and greater voice clarity. An added bonus in Nokia is the highly intuitive and simple menu. That is something that is missing in most other cellphones. I am a very functional man and value function over style. I can afford to buy cellphones that cost many times more than the ones I buy, but I just cannot bring myself to spend money on a camera phone, polyphonic ringtones and costly MMS devices and services. It is not a question of money, it is more a question of "Do I need it or do I need to talk?" with me!

My fascination with the Motorola RAZR may be short-lived or may be I will buy it for the sleek looks :)

Three Gorges Dam

See the explosion to break the temporary dam at the Three Gorges Dam, here.

Chinese engineers have demolished the temporary barrier behind the Three Gorges dam, in a spectacular explosion. The barrier, called a cofferdam, was used to hold back the waters of the Yangtze River while the permanent structure of the dam was built. Enough explosives to topple 400 10-storey buildings were used in the blast, China's Xinhua news agency said.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Test Control Over Mouse

A lovely game that tests how much control a mouse do you have.

Check out here

Monday, June 05, 2006

Hum Hain Mataa-E-Kucha O Bazaar Ki Tarah

One of my favourite songs remains "Hum Hain Mataa-E-Kucha O Bazaar Ki Tarah" from the movie Dastak. The movie is an eloquent flow, punctuated with the dramatic ease of cinema not constrained by commercial motives, and the consequent grace and ease of story-telling. The music and songs are AMAZING and unsurprisingly, Madan Mohan won the National Award for the same.

The ghazal "Hum Hain Mataa-E-Kucha O Bazaar Ki Tarah" was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and remains a great mover of emotions.

The complete lyrics are available at this page.

ham hai.n mataa-e-kuuchaa-o-baazaar kii tarah
uThatii hai har nigaah Khariidaar kii tarah

is kuu-e-tishnagii me.n bahut hai ke ek jaam
haath aa gayaa hai daulat-e-bedaar kii tarah

vo to hai.n kahii.n aur magar dil ke aas paas
phiratii hai koii shay nigaah-e-yaar kii tarah

siidhii hai raah-e-shauq pa yuu.N hii kabhii kabhii
Kham ho gaii hai gesuu-e-diladaar kii tarah

ab jaa ke kuch khulaa hunar-e-naakhuun-e-junuun
zaKhm-e-jigar hue lab-o-ruKhsaar kii tarah

'Majrooh' likh rahe hai.n vo ahal-e-vafaa kaa naam
ham bhii kha.De hue hai.n gunahagaar kii tarah


The movie's song used the first, third and the last stanza only.

In the first stanza a woman laments her plight of being seen only as a commodity. She calls herself "Mata-e-Kuuchaa-o-Baazar" (Things available for sale in a marketplace). The second line hits like anything when it says that everyone's eyes for her are like a buyer only!

In the next stanza of the song, she says that her lover is somewhere else, but her thoughts are with him, proclaiming undying love.

But the real gem is the last stanza. It says that "Majrooh" (the poet/shayar) is compiling the list of people who have loved faithfully and that she has failed that test and is standing like a sinner/criminal. A stark contrast to the previous stanza, which can be understood by watching the movie and the situation in which the song is picturised.

You can download the song here. (Free login required @ Coolgoose.com)

Read more about Majrooh here and here.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Wow!

There are two pictures that are nearly identical; you have to find three differences between them. If you can find the three differences, then you are a part of an elite group of individuals. This has been tested on more than 8000 people, and only 19 people so far out of these 8000 have been able to find the differences indicating superior ability to concentrate, observe and analyse.

I have found only 2 differences so far and am working hard on finding the last one. Check out the link. Let me give you a hint. Go very close and find out. Have your speakers turned up as there is some nice and soothing music that plays alongside.

Click here to see this amazing thing!