sms me
Tuesday, 6. November 2007, 13:37:53
The Day That Changed Music: Number 1
Friday, 10. August 2007, 15:49:47
Subtract the following 2,400 hours from history and you’d have no mp3s, no LSD, no hip–hop, no soul–sucking corporate rock — actually, can we erase that last one? Blender presents the most earth–shakingly important days in music, ever.
1. February 9, 1964
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
By the time the Beatles debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show, America had heard them: Six of their songs were on the radio, two albums were running up the charts and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was midway through its two–month residence at No. 1. But seeing the Beatles was different. Their hair looked funny; their skinny legs ended in pointed boots; they jittered with excitement and they wore the most extraordinary expressions — amused and amazed, grinning and scanning the furthest reaches of the scream–packed balcony, as if trying to fathom the hysteria they were causing. Playing “All My Loving,” “She Loves You” and even the mildly drippy “’Til There Was You,” the Beatles revolutionized music that night, and everyone watching felt either a promise or a threat. The songs were full and melodic like pop, yet put across by this self–contained, electric unit — goodbye, gloopy orchestras. They were tight, brothers in arms, not phony or ingratiating — making a gorgeous, joyous racket that seemed to spill from their suits, their hair, their fingertips. It was a moment of celebrity uncorrupted, where rock & roll began its modern life as a cultural force, and the Beatles were as jazzed as everyone else that they were the vehicle of delivery.
Seventy–three million people watched — still one of the largest TV audiences ever — including the entire next generation of rock stars, from Billy Joel to Gene Simmons of Kiss. Bruce Springsteen, who’d picked up a guitar after seeing Elvis on Ed Sullivan in ’56, went out and bought an amp. “Most of us guys were screaming on the inside,” says Steve Van Zandt, E Street Band guitarist. “It was absolutely life–changing. There was no Plan B. There was no choice. These guys dropped in from another planet, and invited you to this new world.”
1. February 9, 1964
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
By the time the Beatles debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show, America had heard them: Six of their songs were on the radio, two albums were running up the charts and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was midway through its two–month residence at No. 1. But seeing the Beatles was different. Their hair looked funny; their skinny legs ended in pointed boots; they jittered with excitement and they wore the most extraordinary expressions — amused and amazed, grinning and scanning the furthest reaches of the scream–packed balcony, as if trying to fathom the hysteria they were causing. Playing “All My Loving,” “She Loves You” and even the mildly drippy “’Til There Was You,” the Beatles revolutionized music that night, and everyone watching felt either a promise or a threat. The songs were full and melodic like pop, yet put across by this self–contained, electric unit — goodbye, gloopy orchestras. They were tight, brothers in arms, not phony or ingratiating — making a gorgeous, joyous racket that seemed to spill from their suits, their hair, their fingertips. It was a moment of celebrity uncorrupted, where rock & roll began its modern life as a cultural force, and the Beatles were as jazzed as everyone else that they were the vehicle of delivery.
Seventy–three million people watched — still one of the largest TV audiences ever — including the entire next generation of rock stars, from Billy Joel to Gene Simmons of Kiss. Bruce Springsteen, who’d picked up a guitar after seeing Elvis on Ed Sullivan in ’56, went out and bought an amp. “Most of us guys were screaming on the inside,” says Steve Van Zandt, E Street Band guitarist. “It was absolutely life–changing. There was no Plan B. There was no choice. These guys dropped in from another planet, and invited you to this new world.”
Why is Catching a Baseball Taxable Income?
Friday, 10. August 2007, 15:37:37
As soon as 21-year-old Matt Murphy snagged the valuable piece of sports history Tuesday night, his souvenir became taxable income in the eyes of the Internal Revenue Service, according to experts.
"It's an expensive catch," said John Barrie, a tax lawyer with Bryan Cave LLP in New York who grew up watching the Giants play at Candlestick Park. "Once he took possession of the ball and it was his ball, it was income to him based on its value as of yesterday,"
By most estimates, the ball that put Bonds atop the list of all-time home run hitters with 756 would sell in the half-million dollar range on the open market or at auction.
That would instantly put Murphy, a college student from Queens, in the highest tax bracket for individual income, where he would face a tax rate of about 35 percent, or about $210,000 on a $600,000 ball.
Even if he does not sell the ball, Murphy would still owe the taxes based on a reasonable estimate of its value, according to Barrie. Capital gains taxes also could be levied in the future as the ball gains value, he said...
[A]t least one ball was as much a source of embarrassment for the IRS as revenue.
As Mark McGwire chased the mark for most home runs in a season in 1998, IRS officials initially said the ball that broke Roger Maris' long-standing record could be subject to taxes even if it were returned to McGwire. The statements were ridiculed by politicians and quickly disavowed by the agency's top brass.
A Child's Guide To United States Foreign Policy
Friday, 10. August 2007, 15:31:14
Satire
A Child's Guide To United States Foreign Policy
July 19, 2003
This piece is currently floating around cyberspace.
Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A: Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.
A Child's Guide To United States Foreign Policy
July 19, 2003
This piece is currently floating around cyberspace.
Q: Daddy, why did we have to attack Iraq?
A: Because they had weapons of mass destruction honey.
Q: But the inspectors didn't find any weapons of mass destruction.
A: That's because the Iraqis were hiding them.
Q: And that's why we invaded Iraq?
A: Yep. Invasions always work better than inspections.
Q: But after we invaded them, we STILL didn't find any weapons of mass destruction, did we?
A: That's because the weapons are so well hidden. Don't worry, we'll find something, probably right before the 2004 election.
Q: Why did Iraq want all those weapons of mass destruction?
A: To use them in a war, silly.
Q: I'm confused. If they had all those weapons that they planned to use in a war, then why didn't they use any of those weapons when we went to war with them?
A: Well, obviously they didn't want anyone to know they had those weapons, so they chose to die by the thousands rather than defend themselves.
Q: That doesn't make sense Daddy. Why would they choose to die if they had all those big weapons to fight us back with?
A: It's a different culture. It's not supposed to make sense.
Q: I don't know about you, but I don't think they had any of those weapons our government said they did.
A: Well, you know, it doesn't matter whether or not they had those weapons. We had another good reason to invade them anyway.
Q: And what was that?
A: Even if Iraq didn't have weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein was a cruel dictator, which is another good reason to invade another country.
Q: Why? What does a cruel dictator do that makes it OK to invade his country?
A: Well, for one thing, he tortured his own people.
Q: Kind of like what they do in China?
A: Don't go comparing China to Iraq. China is a good economic competitor, where millions of people work for slave wages in sweatshops to make U.S. corporations richer.
Q: So if a country lets its people be exploited for American corporate gain, it's a good country, even if that country tortures people?
A: Right.
Q: Why were people in Iraq being tortured?
A: For political crimes, mostly, like criticizing the government. People who criticized the government in Iraq were sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Isn't that exactly what happens in China?
A: I told you, China is different.
Q: What's the difference between China and Iraq?
A: Well, for one thing, Iraq was ruled by the Ba'ath party, while China is Communist.
Q: Didn't you once tell me Communists were bad?
A: No, just Cuban Communists are bad.
Q: How are the Cuban Communists bad?
A: Well, for one thing, people who criticize the government in Cuba are sent to prison and tortured.
Q: Like in Iraq?
A: Exactly.
Q: And like in China, too?
A: I told you, China's a good economic competitor. Cuba, on the other hand, is not.
Q: How come Cuba isn't a good economic competitor?
A: Well, you see, back in the early 1960s, our government passed some laws that made it illegal for Americans to trade or do any business with Cuba until they stopped being communists and started being capitalists like us.
Q: But if we got rid of those laws, opened up trade with Cuba, and started doing business with them, wouldn't that help the Cubans become capitalists?
A: Don't be a smart-ass.
Q: I didn't think I was being one.
A: Well, anyway, they also don't have freedom of religion in Cuba.
Q: Kind of like China and the Falun Gong movement?
A: I told you, stop saying bad things about China. Anyway, Saddam Hussein came to power through a military coup, so he's not really a legitimate leader anyway.
Q: What's a military coup?
A: That's when a military general takes over the government of a country by force, instead of holding free elections like we do in the United States.
Q: Didn't the ruler of Pakistan come to power by a military coup?
A: You mean General Pervez Musharraf? Uh, yeah, he did, but Pakistan is our friend.
Q: Why is Pakistan our friend if their leader is illegitimate?
A: I never said Pervez Musharraf was illegitimate.
Q: Didn't you just say a military general who comes to power by forcibly overthrowing the legitimate government of a nation is an illegitimate leader?
A: Only Saddam Hussein. Pervez Musharraf is our friend, because he helped us invade Afghanistan.
Q: Why did we invade Afghanistan?
A: Because of what they did to us on September 11th.
Q: What did Afghanistan do to us on September 11th?
A: Well, on September 11th, nineteen men, fifteen of them Saudi Arabians, hijacked four airplanes and flew three of them into buildings, killing over 3,000 Americans.
Q: So how did Afghanistan figure into all that?
A: Afghanistan was where those bad men trained, under the oppressive rule of the Taliban.
Q: Aren't the Taliban those bad radical Islamics who chopped off people's heads and hands?
A: Yes, that's exactly who they were. Not only did they chop off people's heads and hands, but they oppressed women, too.
Q: Didn't the Bush administration give the Taliban 43 million dollars back in May of 2001?
A: Yes, but that money was a reward because they did such a good job fighting drugs.
Q: Fighting drugs?
A: Yes, the Taliban were very helpful in stopping people from growing opium poppies.
Q: How did they do such a good job?
A: Simple. If people were caught growing opium poppies, the Taliban would have their hands and heads cut off.
Q: So, when the Taliban cut off people's heads and hands for growing flowers, that was OK, but not if they cut people's heads and hands off for other reasons?
A: Yes. It's OK with us if radical Islamic fundamentalists cut off people's hands for growing flowers, but it's cruel if they cut off people's hands for stealing bread.
Q: Don't they also cut off people's hands and heads in Saudi Arabia?
A: That's different. Afghanistan was ruled by a tyrannical patriarchy that oppressed women and forced them to wear burqas whenever they were in public, with death by stoning as the penalty for women who did not comply.
Q: Don't Saudi women have to wear burqas in public, too?
A: No, Saudi women merely wear a traditional Islamic body covering.
Q: What's the difference?
A: The traditional Islamic covering worn by Saudi women is a modest yet fashionable garment that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers. The burqa, on the other hand, is an evil tool of patriarchal oppression that covers all of a woman's body except for her eyes and fingers.
Q: It sounds like the same thing with a different name.
A: Now, don't go comparing Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are our friends.
Q: But I thought you said 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th were from Saudi Arabia.
A: Yes, but they trained in Afghanistan.
Q: Who trained them?
A: A very bad man named Osama bin Laden.
Q: Was he from Afghanistan?
A: Uh, no, he was from Saudi Arabia too. But he was a bad man, a very bad man.
Q: I seem to recall he was our friend once.
A: Only when we helped him and the mujahadeen repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan back in the 1980s.
Q: Who are the Soviets? Was that the Evil Communist Empire Ronald Reagan talked about?
A: There are no more Soviets. The Soviet Union broke up in 1990 or thereabouts, and now they have elections and capitalism like us. We call them Russians now.
Q: So the Soviets ? I mean, the Russians ? are now our friends?
A: Well, not really. You see, they were our friends for many years after they stopped being Soviets, but then they decided not to support our invasion of Iraq, so we're mad at them now. We're also mad at the French and the Germans because they didn't help us invade Iraq either.
Q: So the French and Germans are evil, too?
A: Not exactly evil, but just bad enough that we had to rename French fries and French toast to Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast.
Q: Do we always rename foods whenever another country doesn't do what we want them to do?
A: No, we just do that to our friends. Our enemies, we invade.
Q: But wasn't Iraq one of our friends back in the 1980s?
A: Well, yeah. For a while.
Q: Was Saddam Hussein ruler of Iraq back then?
A: Yes, but at the time he was fighting against Iran, which made him our friend, temporarily.
Q: Why did that make him our friend?
A: Because at that time, Iran was our enemy.
Q: Isn't that when he gassed the Kurds?
A: Yeah, but since he was fighting against Iran at the time, we looked the other way, to show him we were his friend.
Q: So anyone who fights against one of our enemies automatically becomes our friend?
A: Most of the time, yes.
Q: And anyone who fights against one of our friends is automatically an enemy?
A: Sometimes that's true, too. However, if American corporations can profit by selling weapons to both sides at the same time, all the better.
Q: Why?
A: Because war is good for the economy, which means war is good for America. Also, since God is on America's side, anyone who opposes war is a godless un-American Communist. Do you understand now why we attacked Iraq?
Q: I think so. We attacked them because God wanted us to, right?
A: Yes.
Q: But how did we know God wanted us to attack Iraq?
A: Well, you see, God personally speaks to George W. Bush and tells him what to do.
Q: So basically, what you're saying is that we attacked Iraq because George W. Bush hears voices in his head?
A: Yes! You finally understand how the world works. Now close your eyes, make yourself comfortable, and go to sleep. Good night.
Selling Sony's PS3 is "illegal in Argentina"
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 13:35:25
Said Sony, as Carrefour hides behind big rock
By Fernando Cassia in Argentina: Wednesday 01 August 2007, 01:39
Lisa, in this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!" -Homer Simpson
IMAGINE OUR surprise when we contacted a Sony Argentina representative to INQuire how the PS3 console was doing down in the land of Tango, asado and gauchos, and we were told that selling the PS3 is "illegal".
After seeing full-page ads in the local papers for the PS3 - totally overpriced as usual at two thousand greenbacks, - yes you read that right, around $1700 and $2000 packaged with an extra controller and a game. I decided to ask Sony if those units advertised in the paper were US units imported by Sony's Argentina branch or if perhaps those were Euroland PAL units somehow converted to the local PAL/N flavour/oddity.
Although the PAL sub-formats are only of interest for Standard-definition (SDTV)outputs and while almost all 1080i component video inputs in HDTV CRTs are either PAL-B or NTSC, I wanted to know, so I asked. The reply came from Federico Augspach, Sony Argentina's marketing manager, who used to be in charge of "Sony SCE" marketing and now is apparently in charge of the firm's TV segment as well.
Augspach said that Sony is not importing the PS3 console into the country, and that selling it in the country is "illegal". He said that in order to sell the console, the Japanese giant must certify it for compliance with the local RF spectrum regulations, that is, the frequencies watchdog agency, or FCC wannabe, the CNC. He said a couple of weeks ago that the firm had not initiated the certification for the device's Bluetooth capability at the time, and that "until that certification" and approval - also known as rubber stamp -
does not exist, that it's not legal to sell the PS3 consoleHe concluded by saying that Sony Argentina "is warning the main dealers" that they should "abstain" from importing it. Pressed further about his opinion then on the newspaper ads for the console he only said "I have no idea, our recommendation was not to sell it".
Rip-off Britain? You haven't seen Carrefour's PS3 price down under
A note about French supermarket giant Carrefour -which is one of the heavyweight box movers down here, along with famous U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart-: even taking into account the local import duties plus 21% VAT on top of it all. While I'm no expert on the field, I can hardly imagine how the firm's price could -even in the worst case scenario- exceed $800 to $900 greenbacks -given a $499 USD price base price- and that is including 21% VAT, duties and shipping the consoles one by one.
The PS3, despite Sony's "illegal" claim, today at Carrefour's site
Yet, Carrrefour's pricing for the PS3 is beyond intriguing, to say the least. Not to mention the fact that the firm's web site continues showing the console while Sony's Argentina branch said two weeks ago that selling it was "illegal". Perhaps the supermarket price includes an attorney's fee for some legal defence fund??
. The whole affair is a bit ludicrous, I confess. The PS3, around $700 cheaper on auction sites compared to Supermarket giant's price
If both are not approved by Sony's local branch, what's the price difference for?
Conclusion. PS3 is a magnet for negative headlines
Believe me, I'm not much of a gamer, but of all the latest consoles I'd buy a PS3 -to use as an inexpensive BluRay movies player- and a Wii for real fun, "oldskool" games where 3D surfaces and textures are not as important as gameplay. So, I clearly have no anti-Sony agenda, I say that as a pre-emptive measure, before the chorus of parrots and PS3 fanboys hits the "flame author" link.
Yet, think about it, isn't it quite ironic that even a hack without any particular axe to grind against Sony's console, ends up writing a negative headline about it?. It must be cursed, this PS3 thing, as it seems to be a magnet for trouble. In that sense Sony's engineering has been wonderful... it designed the ultimate magnet.
Sony's local branch has this humble correspondent's e-mail address, so I suspect they will let us know when this PS3 ordeal comes to an end and people can buy the console with a proper local warranty and the whole shebang.µ
Yokohama at Night
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 13:26:40
guys, do please check this link out. it is really beautiful and amazing.
just awesome.
http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen5/f23_yokohama.html
just awesome.
http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen5/f23_yokohama.html
Hrithik No More
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 12:49:31
you remember when i posted a picture of the dog named Hrithik here? it as long long ago, but anyway, he was a really nice dog, his bitch wasnt. anyway, thing is, he's gone now! i dont see him around the communicty centre anymore. i wonder where he went or what happened to him. i hate it when the dogs i befriend just disappear. there was this other dog, looked more like a lion, with a huge mane and stuff, real majestic, sad, i didnt even get to post a picture of him, he disappeared before i started this blog. i hope i see them again though. sure hope i do.
Saurabh Dubey
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 12:44:21
B.Tech, Electrical Engineering, 05-EES-49, 3rd Year, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi - 110025, India.
Saurabh Dubey
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 12:44:17
B.Tech, Electrical Engineering, 05-EES-49, 3rd Year, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi - 110025, India.
"Hindi Impostion is against freedom of speech"
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 12:34:53
South India, particularly TamilNadu is the bastion of opposing imposition of Hindi.This Hindi opposition movement has a long tradition and history in Tamilnadu(TN).
Some History:
In 1937, Hindhi was made a compulsory subject in TN schools by C.Rajagopalachari,then CM of TN.Tamilians under the stewardship of periyar and Maraimalai adigal broke that attempt.Two tamilians thalamuthu and natarajan, died in that epic struggle.
After Independence Hindi and english were made the national languages of India.In 1965, after a 15 year gap, english was removed from that list and only hindi was declared as the solitary national language of India.This led to violent protests in TN and so many deaths of tamilians.To end this struggle, Jawaharlal Nehru promised that Hindhi will not be forced on tamilians, as long as they dont want it. DMK came to power in 1967 because of this epic struggle.
In 1980’s central government started navodaya schools all over the country.But in these schools, Hindi was a compulsory language.MGR,then CM of TN,asked that this should be scrapped.But central government refused to do so.So MGR denied permission for navodaya schools to be started in TN.Till now we dont have navodaya schools in TN.Till now central government has not removed this descriminatory rule.
TN opposed All India radio, being renamed as akash vani.After protests,akash vani is still called( in TN only) as AIR( All India radio).This protest of TN was a sign of of protest for naming all institutions of central government only in Hindi.
But still indirect attempts are made to force Hindi on tamils.I will talk about it as I proceed to the next sections of my article.
TN’s stand on Hindi:
1. Tamilians are proud to call themselves as Indians.Tamils are no less patriots than any Indian in any other part of India.we have given patriots and freedom fighters to our nation like Kamaraj, Abdul kalam and Rajaji.In rest of India,a misconception prevails that tamils dont accept hindi because they are unpatriotic.I would like to call that as baseless premise.Among tamilians,some extreme fringe elements who ask for seperate TN still exist,but they don’t even command 0.5% of public support.
2. Tamils don’t oppose Hindi, but we only oppose imposition of Hindi. This opposition is based on our freedom of speech. Our mother tongue is Tamil. We don’t have any aversion to a person learning any language,be it spanish, French, english, Hindi, maratha, oriya etc. We dont discourage anybody from learning any language. But we totally detest a language being forced on us.How will north Indians feel if Tamil is made compulsary language in schools?How will they feel if doordarshan is called as pothigai channel and runs its program’s in tamil? It is the same feeling which we get when we see doordarshan and when Hindi is made compulsory in schools.
What are our demands:
1.Tamils should not be forced to learn Hindi.Now in many competitive exams run by central government, knowing hindi is made a necessary qualification. In some exams,you can take them only in Hindi or english.This puts rural tamils in a disadvantage,just like how competitive exams being conducted only in english puts rural north indians in disadvantage.
2.In central government banks in TN, officers are ordered that they should sign only in Hindi.Why should a tamilian employee, working in Tamilnadu forced to sign in Hindi , in an Indian government bank? Is this fair?At times central government gives orders like “All banks must buy only hindi newspapers”.This certainly irritates us.
3.Tamil employees of banks are forced to learn hindi, because they might be transferred to North India.But north indian employees of banks, who come to work in TN are not forced to learn tamil.They speak in Hindi and english, which is not understood by rural tamils.If tamil employees speak only tamil and english in North India, they are frowned.But here in TN, North indian employees expect Tamil customers to know hindi.This double standards should stop.
Further different ministries of central government slowly and steadily shift all their work to Hindi from English.This happens year by year.Many ministries and departments now are functioning entirely in Hindi.
If the reason for all this is that Hindi is our national language,then we expect tamil also to be made the national language of India.Either revert back to english or tamil.Not Hindi.
Instead of making tamils to learn english, hindi and tamil, it would be better if we all learn english and our mother tongue.
I hope that people across India will agree to our right to freedom of speech in the language of our choice.We dont hate any language.But we love or language.
Jai Hind.
I want to die! India is a Suicide hotspot
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 12:28:37
OK, I don’t want to die!
Suicide, the intentional or voluntary determination to end one’s life, is especially prevalent in India. Southern India is known to have one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Thousands of farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have committed suicide recently and the government’s response was extremely lackadaisical.
A recent study by Trivedi, Srivastava and Tandon the Indian Medical Association (IMA), has put suicide in an Indian perspective with the following figures:
With the present rate of 11 per 1,00,000 suicides per year, an increase
from 6 per 1,00,000 (Fig 2) during the 1980s, India occupies the second
highest rate of suicides in South East Asia region.
Kerala (29 per 100 000), Karnataka (21 per 100000) and Tripura as well as
West Bengal (19 per 100 000) have highest rates of suicide. Among the
cities, Bangalore (17%), Mumbai (14%), Chennai (11%) and Delhi (7.5%)
accounted for nearly 50% of total suicide in the country.
This in spite of suicide being illegal in India - there are innumerable cases of persons who have attempted suicide being imprisoned. And that is the official response of the Indian government. One would expect that psychological counselling and prevention workshops would be offered, but instead they are put in jail (for a short duration, of course).
It is appalling that with such high suicide rates, there do not exist any suicide hotlines or helpgroups even in the major cities. Suicide hotlines are extremely simple in being call centres where trained personnel offer a confidential and patient listening opportunity to people seeking help and also direct them towards counselling or other modes of help. All major cities ought to have hotlines or centres that suicide-prone people may resort to when the urge to end their lives strikes.
But we keep hearing about women committing suicides due to family issues, students committing suicides after having failed examinations and men resorting to suicide when faced with financial losses. And we go “Tch, tch…”, and a sympathetic head-shake, conveniently forgetting the episode within seconds.
Globally, the most common methods of suicide are hanging. In
India it is poisoning. Self-burning (immolation) is a method commonly
adopted in India, especially by females. Otherwise it is rare elsewhere
On the other hand, I think it is necessary that suicide be legalized in India. Not only because I believe you have the right to kill yourself anytime you choose, but also so that the government and NGOs can recognize it as a plague affecting India and cater to the suicide-prone populace which is the 15-29 years age-group more effectively in terms of intervention approaches.
What most suicidal people need is a sympathetic ear where they can pour out their miseries. After a few minutes of irrational thinking, it is only human psychology that when the worries are shed in a confidential manner, the person should resume rational thinking. Thereby, a few minutes of sympathetic listening can go a long way in prolonging thousands of lives. If not the government, are at least any NGOs listening to this plight and willing to offer suicide hotlines in India?
An evening at Mehrauli
Thursday, 2. August 2007, 11:34:08
I've spent close to eight years in Delhi. And the last two years in Vasant Kunj, an ant colony of DDA flats in the backyard of Delhi's most recognised and majestic monument - the Qutab Minar (apologies to the Lal Qila/Jama Masjid, CP, et al.) Not surprisingly I, the king of procrastination, kept postponing a visit to this phallic marvel. Until this Saturday. Somehow I willed myself into not spending the evening with the remote. And before I knew it, the wheels of my car were crunching the gravel in the Qutab's parking lot. I was surprised to see two policemen hanging around wearing luminous yellow life-jackets emblazoned with the words 'Tourist Police'. God knows how knowledgeable/helpful they are to tourists but hey, they lend an air of security to the establishment!
The shadows had lengthened when I walked in through the arched gateway. Something stopped me in my tracks - the sight of a sickle moon silhouetted against the evening sky, right beside the Qutab. The dusk heady with the fragrance of champa flowers in full bloom made the moment all the more magical.
Thankfully, there weren't many rubber-neckers around. There was only one busload of tourists. And a solitary Japanese lady who was clicking away with a high-end digicam. A walk around the complex brought back blurry childhood memories. Of parents egging you on to try and encircle the iron pillar with your hands - now forbidden of course. What I did admire this time was the sheer magnitude, the scale of the minar - something that one doesn't fully appreciate from the confines of a car or the terrace of one's house (which was how I had caught a glimpse of the Qutab so far.)
As I left, people were queuing up for a 'night view' of the monument. And I promised myself another trip to see the Qutab in a different light. Soon.
<written by killerbunty>
PS: I dont know how people can compare Delhi and Mumbai. The Delhi vs. Mumbai debate gets on my nerve sometimes. You live there, you like that place, i live here, i like this place. Lets just keep it to that.
Mehrauli and Me
Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 08:42:54
Well, for now its just me sitting there, thats cuz i dont have the rest of the photos. I'll post them all here as soon as i get them. ok? They are really amazing.
Chennai!!!
Wednesday, 4. July 2007, 07:44:49
Well, im back. To good old Delhi, man, nowdays, the trend is changing, they show more of Delhi in the movies than Bombay, well, they show Bombay much lesser now. I was actually missing this place. And i know why. No, not cuz of the weather here, not cuz of the traffic either, simply ccuz its home! Well, i dont know why i didnt take many pictures in Chennai, mostly cuz i was just too busy having fun with friends, one of which i hadnt seen since i left school, thats 2 years ago! But still, i guess that is a pretty lame excuse. Funny me, saying one thing one moment, and then contraditing it the other. Anyway, whatever few photos i have taken, ill be posting here sooner or later. Well, i was supposed to write more, but since Pritish is nagging me to go to Ego Café...ok tata bye bye, gtg, will complete this post later. Append to it that is. And yeah, will post the pics later too. And friends, dont forget "USE DIPPER AT NIGHT, SOUND HORN, AWAZ DO, SPEED 40KM. BURI NAZAR WALE, TERA MOONH KALA!!!""
Smile Like You Mean It...Feels Good
Sunday, 27. May 2007, 14:53:45
Well. I havent been blogging for a long long time in blog standards i guess. Well, i never blog anyway, its just photos most of the times, anyway, when i do actually write stuff is when im feeling something really strongly. And i am today, all of a sudden, dont know why. I mean, i do feel so many times, but i dont know why its so strong today. Its Summer vacation time, and since i havent gone home yet, im here, all alone most of the time, except fot the few limited hours that i get to spend with Saurabh and Pritish. Everyone's good to me, well almost, but yeah, at the top are just these two that im really happy i have in my life. The next in the list dont even matter much to me, and they're pretty far down anyway. Today there wasnt any 'training' for my friends. So i didnt get to meet them today. I cant wait for tomorrow. We're watching a movie tomorrow, and hopefully we'll get to watch it from the beginning unlike all other times when we dont forget to miss out on atleast a quarter of a movie. Anyway, im acting you'd think like im in love with a girl and tomorrow im getting to watch my first movie with her. Yeah i guess i am acting like that. But i ffeel even better than that believe it or not. I'm just thinking about tomorrow and smiling foolishly all the time. I dont know why im writing this. Maybe so that later sometime, i can read this and think about how things are and were and how i feel and felt. Im grateful to God for these things the most, parents who couldnt love me more, Angels for sisters, frends to die for, and a normal me. Thank you God. *smile*
You are HEAR baby! And have you heard of the OKHALA road by any chance?
Friday, 13. April 2007, 11:08:08
IMATION ROXX
Wednesday, 4. April 2007, 15:25:01
Why isnt IMATION here in India? Its so nice n i love it. Smart designs. Innovative too! Baseball CD!
Sleeping at Work!
Sunday, 1. April 2007, 10:08:19
What else is someone supposed to do when working under the merciless Delhi sun? What else other than sweat that is.Nice park.
Sunday, 1. April 2007, 05:01:31
Kids were playing here a few minutes ago. 3 boys and a bully. Reminded me of when i was a kid. Missing it a lot, all the time these days. *sigh*C.B.S.E.P.M.T
Sunday, 1. April 2007, 04:00:16
Mata Jai Kaur School, Ashok Gay Vihar, Phase III. Gay crowd with gay clothes including really gay jeans.
I.G.I.A
Thursday, 29. March 2007, 10:31:16
"This ticket entitle the holder to entry for legitimate purpose for singal entry only into....". Cool right?
Cutest n Prettiest girl I've ever seen
Sunday, 25. March 2007, 12:09:08
Middle Eastern ofcourse. Very nice parents too. I just went up to him and asked him if i could take her picture and he said 'sure'. And then he asked his daughter to pose there for the 'surah', surah here meaning picture or photo in Arabic. Really damn cute. Masha'allah.
Blind
Tuesday, 13. March 2007, 18:28:01
Say everything,
I want to hear.
Do everything,
I want you to.
Be to me,
What i couldnt be.
Let me see,
What i want to see.
Show me,
What no one could.
Make me feel,
Like i think i should.
I never got what i wanted.
Give me what i need.
Open my eyes love,
And help make me see...
I want to hear.
Do everything,
I want you to.
Be to me,
What i couldnt be.
Let me see,
What i want to see.
Show me,
What no one could.
Make me feel,
Like i think i should.
I never got what i wanted.
Give me what i need.
Open my eyes love,
And help make me see...
Raining Hard. It was atleast a few minutes ago.
Monday, 12. March 2007, 10:16:21
And this is March! Whats up with the weather?!?
Zakir Hussain Library
Saturday, 10. March 2007, 10:29:49
I wonder what it looks like on the inside...hmmThe peeing flamingoes yet again
Saturday, 10. March 2007, 10:12:11
With standard chartered in the background.
Hrithik
Saturday, 10. March 2007, 10:03:10
Thats his name! Dunno, if i spelt it right, but anyway, who the hell cares?!?
Fuck!
Saturday, 10. March 2007, 06:00:04
Damn. I forgot and a week has passed already. Id met my landlord a week ago and he wanted to check my place (his place) out to make sure that ive kept it neat and in good condition when ive done anything but that. I have to get some maid or someone to come and clean up the whole place today and in an hour or two cuz hes going to be at my place some time in the evening. I hope i manage to get someone and its all ready for him soon.
Frightened Mother Dairy yogurt face.
Friday, 9. March 2007, 19:11:35
Still bored. Can you imagine the extreme boredom?
Somewhere
Friday, 9. March 2007, 18:18:08
I look up, at the heavenly sky,
They say the stars shine so bright.
I look, I squint, I continuously try.
But to my sunken eyes, there is no light.
People come, people go.
Each one of them, says life is great.
I beg to differ, I say no,
It didn't give me roses, no love, just hate.
The sun sets, ending another lonely day,
birds congregate and sing.
I try to look for the beauty they say,
that nature has for you. Which God brings.
All i can see, is pain and dismay,
Broken hearts, sorrow filled eyes.
People who try to hide their pain,
Behind shed tears and pasted smiles.
Do they see me, as I see them?
Do they care, and stop to think?
Why would they, they own enough pain.
More they don't need, that home they would bring.
I sit alone, as the world passes by.
One by one, the people leave.
I look up, clouds fill the sky.
The moon I like so much, I cannot see.
I think to stand, then I think to sit.
Where would I go? Where should I be?
I wouldn't be happier. I decide to stay.
Just sit here, till I'm overcome by sleep.
So I can close my eyes, so I stop to see.
The gloomy sights that are always there.
So I can sail away, to far off lands.
Where no one, but you and me are there...
They say the stars shine so bright.
I look, I squint, I continuously try.
But to my sunken eyes, there is no light.
People come, people go.
Each one of them, says life is great.
I beg to differ, I say no,
It didn't give me roses, no love, just hate.
The sun sets, ending another lonely day,
birds congregate and sing.
I try to look for the beauty they say,
that nature has for you. Which God brings.
All i can see, is pain and dismay,
Broken hearts, sorrow filled eyes.
People who try to hide their pain,
Behind shed tears and pasted smiles.
Do they see me, as I see them?
Do they care, and stop to think?
Why would they, they own enough pain.
More they don't need, that home they would bring.
I sit alone, as the world passes by.
One by one, the people leave.
I look up, clouds fill the sky.
The moon I like so much, I cannot see.
I think to stand, then I think to sit.
Where would I go? Where should I be?
I wouldn't be happier. I decide to stay.
Just sit here, till I'm overcome by sleep.
So I can close my eyes, so I stop to see.
The gloomy sights that are always there.
So I can sail away, to far off lands.
Where no one, but you and me are there...
Different Faces of Me
Friday, 9. March 2007, 16:36:17
Nothing, just pictures depicting different faces i put on now and then.
Bored
Friday, 9. March 2007, 13:34:00
Actually more lonely than bored. My room mate, who happens to be a good friend too, left for home. And im just lying here on my bed. There are earphones in my ears but nothing's playing. I dont know why i have them in there anyway. And why i am bothering to write about their position when i can just play something. Yesterday was fun. I hope today isnt as gloomy as i feel its going to be. Because, sadly, most of my premonitions turn out to be true. I hope i get to spend some time with someone today. Anyone! Its come to this. I feel so suffocated alone. Earlier i liked it. But that was when it was a choice. Now its more or less the only choice.
I hate it when i can hear myself breathe. Reminds me that each breath is something i should cherish and more importantly make good use of. And im doing anything but that.
Its been such a long time since ive been with my folks. I miss them a lot. My sisters. My mom. My dad. Sad thing is, that i dont have any idea when ill be able to be with them next. Im stuck here. In India. I dont hate it. Not because of what it is. Definitely not. But just because my family isnt here. Im so jealous of every single person who goes back home. Has food prepared by his or her mom. Anything. And everything.
I hate myself. Have always done that. But i hate myself even more after coming here. I used to do a lot. I used to write. I dont anymore. I just cant. I dont even know why. Lack of inspiration? Nah. Cuz i can be inspired. Or atleast intrigued. By how fucked up this world is. But even though those thoughts do fill my head. And rarely leave it. I can't make them flow from up there, through my hand, onto paper. Im not that funny anymore. Im not that affectionate anymore. Im hard. Really hard. Too hard. I dont change. Nothing changes anything. My reaction to everything is almost the same. My emotions for everyone. My attitude towards everything. My feelings. Im stagnant. Not like water. Not because there aren't any external forces to move me. But like a rock. Because everything now, according to me, is so minute, negligible, unimportant, insignificant, isolated, that it doesnt, and cant change me. I used to be so unlike myself. I was what id compare myself then to a sand dune. The slightest breeze would change me. I feel, if a storm came my way, either id be just the same as i am now, or id be no more. I want the latter. I hope its somewhere near. I hope it gets me. So i can leave.
I hate it when i can hear myself breathe. Reminds me that each breath is something i should cherish and more importantly make good use of. And im doing anything but that.
Its been such a long time since ive been with my folks. I miss them a lot. My sisters. My mom. My dad. Sad thing is, that i dont have any idea when ill be able to be with them next. Im stuck here. In India. I dont hate it. Not because of what it is. Definitely not. But just because my family isnt here. Im so jealous of every single person who goes back home. Has food prepared by his or her mom. Anything. And everything.
I hate myself. Have always done that. But i hate myself even more after coming here. I used to do a lot. I used to write. I dont anymore. I just cant. I dont even know why. Lack of inspiration? Nah. Cuz i can be inspired. Or atleast intrigued. By how fucked up this world is. But even though those thoughts do fill my head. And rarely leave it. I can't make them flow from up there, through my hand, onto paper. Im not that funny anymore. Im not that affectionate anymore. Im hard. Really hard. Too hard. I dont change. Nothing changes anything. My reaction to everything is almost the same. My emotions for everyone. My attitude towards everything. My feelings. Im stagnant. Not like water. Not because there aren't any external forces to move me. But like a rock. Because everything now, according to me, is so minute, negligible, unimportant, insignificant, isolated, that it doesnt, and cant change me. I used to be so unlike myself. I was what id compare myself then to a sand dune. The slightest breeze would change me. I feel, if a storm came my way, either id be just the same as i am now, or id be no more. I want the latter. I hope its somewhere near. I hope it gets me. So i can leave.
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Poll
Do you think George W. Bush fucking Dick Cheney in the ass would make a Blockbuster Porno or not?
- Ofcourse, if youre gay.
(50%)
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Total: 4 votes
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