CNN's lowlife III world view - pretty darn shameless.

This wasn't above the fold but here's what CNN had to say on Wednesday's solar eclipse in India. This is also known as careless presumptive BS. I looked and could not find any such report. This was an AP feed.

Per CNN (AP report):

'Superstition will follow around the world, as it has for generations.

One Indian paper advised pregnant women not to go outside during the eclipse to avoid having a blind baby or one with a cleft lip. Food cooked before the eclipse should be thrown out afterward because it will be impure and those who are holding a knife or ax during the eclipse will cut themselves, the Hindustan Times added.'

Thanks, CNN-Time-Warner of the I world, but where's said report that reinforces your desired III world stereotype? There's not a chance that a mainstream newspaper like HT would do that.

Careless nonsensical reporting, no fact checking by some ignorant moron reporter - makes me lose respect for CNN. For shame.

Celebrities on game shows

Can't stand the celebrity editions on any game show. Where's the fun or thrill? Who the heck cares if they win anything or not - it's not like the $$ is a big deal for them. Couldn't care less about the charities they play for.

When ordinary people play, display their greed on television, get all beady eyed (and lose), that's when it is fun.

Running out in the cold - in between work.

It's been rather fun to go for a run around the office area. Not a soul in sight at 630p, very few cars and I get the road all to myself. Been trying this here a couple days now, and it's been very pleasant. Figured a nice route that's just right.

Now I seem to be the only one outside in a t-shirt and running shorts. But I don't seem to feel cold, nevermind the 45 degree weather. Rather,there's a spring in my step, and I feel like going on running.

Back at my desk in 30 minutes, and no one here has noticed.

=)

In-N-Out Burger on Wikipedia

Look at the level of detail on In-N-Out Burger in Wiki. There's an amazing amount of information. Can imagine the die-hards coming in and editing/adding trivia or facts on the chain. I read it at lunch, while eating an In-N-Out double-double. When I came to the part about bible verses on the wrappers, I just had to retrieve mine from the trash can to see. =)

Wikipedia is a very addictive site for me - there seems to be something on anything you'd want to know. On any page, it's difficult to stop just there, as the hyperlinks to related or referenced wikis take you away toward more discoveries.

Da Vinci Code: What was the "original's" ending?

I likely was the last one in the world to read the Da Vinci Code - a few months ago - after all the hype. What a god-awful ending.... this guy should be sued for just that, nevermind the allegations of plagiarism.

Anyhow, I did look up Google images to see if the descriptions of the Last Supper, (and other Da Vinci paintings mentioned in the book) were the same. That was the fun part when reading.

Stakeout at High Noon - Cops, Guns, & Excitement at the Office

We'd a ton of excitement at work yesterday here in Santa Clara. Events on Friday afternoon provided a dramatic change from the usual day in the office.

During our weekly all company meeting from 2p, in the midst of a presentation, some of us saw Santa Clara police cars coming in to our parking lot. We could see them from the conference room windows. Cops got out and ran quickly across the lot to take up positions around the building next to ours. 5-O in our backyard!

One police car backed up just by our window. The cop got out, put on a bulletproof vest from the trunk, took out a gun, kept it at the ready, and took up a position behind the car. He was facing the next building, and we realized we were right behind him! There was only a glass window between the cop car and us.

Another police vehicle showed on the wrong side of our road, and stopped right by our office. Someone in what looked like a SWAT uniform got out and ran to the first cop, and took position similarly. There were other cop cars around the building.

In the conference room, we'd forgotten all about our meeting. Some of my colleagues hid behind chairs and furniture expecting a bullet in the cop's direction to crash through the window. Some kept up 'expert commentary' on how the sequence would unfold. Was it the bank in the the next block? Was there a holdup? Were there hostages?

I wondered if it was someone that went postal cos of a layoff at one of the companies next door, and was shooting up colleagues. We imagined scenarios of a lone gunman in our corridors - everything we'd heard or read about for such situations. Some of us called up friends, and tuned into radio stations to find out what was going on. This was a lot of excitement for this neighborhood, unlike some place like Oakland.

The cops gestured incoming cars to park a distance away, and people to get in our building. A bunch of bewildered people ran in from outside. Cars on the road slowed down to see what was going on. We expected gunshots to ring out at any moment - it all felt so possible. Hey, there was a cop with his gun cocked and ready - five feet away!

The vigil continued, until police gestured from a distance and some wireless conversations happened. Then it was all over. The cop cars all left the premises immediately. We had no idea what had happened in the last thirty minutes, but it had put our entire workplace in a tizzy. People had been crouched on the floor! What presentation, and what company meeting?!

We recovered in about an hour, and got back to normal proceedings. At the office bowling outing afterward, it was the topic. Everyone that heard it - bartenders, drinkers, anyone - was agog.

As a coworker said, good for hours of storytelling for days afterward!

Ah, I've had it....

Driving down Central expwy last afternoon, I was ready to do something drastic - spin the car around at 50 mph, rear-end another car, honk for no reason... anything to get rid of a sound.

The sound of other people in the car chewing. *Aaaack!*

Among the sounds I hate, that I abhor, that close my mind to everything else is that of chewing. Especially chewing after meal times. C'est abominable! I find it exponentially gross and disgusting. What's worse is when the chewer is oblivious to the sounds s/he makes with their jaw movements. What a bunch of inconsiderates!

I find that people are distracted when chewing, and this makes them even more irritating. They also tend to make the most crass comments, talk louder, and are a little more clueless than usual at that time.

Other such god-awful sounds like constant throat clearing (only certain kinds), garbled voices when a throat isn't clear, snoring over a decibel limit, and loud sniffling are also major irritants, and for most people. When people excuse themselves at each time if they're able, it helps calm me down.

Hindi Films - A String of Flops

The world's largest movie industry - hundreds of films made every year. I wonder why.

Every other movie is a disaster at the box office, sometimes all releases in a week. Why do these movies continue to be made?

Week after week, a series of turkeys. Flops galore.

The awards telecast...

...nothing to report because I slept through the entire show Sunday. I fell asleep at 430p, just when the red carpet inanity was going on, and woke precisely when it all ended. I woke up to some after-party giggling, and some meaningless questioning of winners by reporters.

Looks like I missed nothing in between - it was the same old thing from last year, and this time I hadn't watched any of the films nominated.

And I enjoy watching Jon Stewart, but on The Daily Show. Apparently, he wasn't the same as the Oscars' host.

I planned to watch it all, but was pre-programmed to tune out for exactly the length of the telecast.

The Hailstorm

This afternoon at work, we looked out the window to see millions of hailstones falling from the sky. It made one heck of a sound! The parking lot looked like snow had fallen on it, and all the cars had the white stuff on them. Quite unusual for the Bay area.

It was an amazing sight - tiny pellet sized pieces of ice that gave the place a wintry look. The stones were smaller than in any other hailstorm I'd seen. People were whipping out camera phones to take pictures. Wonder what traffic was like - it felt slippery even when I picked up some hail at the building entrance.

Hail, storm!

Metallica - Always The Same.

Why do all Metallica numbers sound the same? I mean the exact same, unlike what we call the typical sound of a band. We can recognize an Iron Maiden, Queensryche, or Oasis song with some familiar note, sure.

But Metallica is always the same - every single number. The same opening bars everytime, the same guitar riffs, the same roar by James Hetfield, and the same guttural wail at the end of every stanza. How repetitive and boring.

As a metal fan, I listen to a wide range of bands - past and present. However, I've never liked Metallica. Often times, when I mention heavy metal, the first thing I'm asked is 'Do you like Metallica?'. No, I don't.

Unforgiven.

Mind Your Language

This week, I chanced upon one of my favorite shows on DVD - the classic 70s British TV comedy Mind Your Language. Laughed for 3 days straight. I watched it as a little kid in the 80s, and still recall many of the characters' lines.

The show's completely politically incorrect which makes it very appealing. Honest.
Audiences from the stereotyped characters' countries find MYL hilarious. No reports of any offense taken.
The title soundtrack is unforgettable.
Reports are MYL will never be aired again in reruns, as it will raise the hackles of the PC set.

'Chinese are peasanto. Japanese not fascisto.'
'Oh blimey!'
'I cannot mally Ari'
'Oh dearie me' -' You can say that again' - 'Oh dearie me!'
'Fly from Africa to here? Like on a big iron bird. Vrrroom!'

A complete laugh riot.

Playlist

Heatseeker
Freewheel Burning
Suite Sister Mary
A Change Of Seasons
The Sentinel
Rock Hard, Ride Free
Revolution Calling
Hells Bells
Aces High
2 Minutes To Midnight
Eyes Of A Stranger
Victim Of Changes
All Guns Blazing
Highway Star
The Hellion/Electric Eye

A hunting incident.

At least the Veep's ever present ambulance detail was kept on its toes.

Cheney shoots attorney

'Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a companion during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, spraying the fellow hunter in the face and chest with shotgun pellets.'

Fodder for Leno tonight.

My inbox.

My vast, exaggerated, and aggravated readership (and thanks for caring to write) ;) :
Do not send hate mail, or any email. Post here with your name, so I can edit/delete your critical commentary. No need to login and post any more.
=)

First in Asia...? Really!

What the heck is 'first in Asia'? (Or best/largest/tallest/widest) This is a title or record claimed for many achievements in India, and other countries in Asia. Why? Because they can't be verified.

There aren't really any statistics or records kept specific to Asia, but there are for a country or for the whole world. So who's watching Asian records? No one, and so it's easy to claim a record. Besides, this is a continent with a lot of backward countries and 3 billion people.

Asia's largest mall. Really? - How do we know?
Asia's largest software company. - So? You're measuring up to who else here?
Asia's biggest solar power facility. - Meaningless. Where are the stats to compare?
Asia's largest plastic maker. - Jeezzz.
First gobbledygook-ology procedure institute in Asia. - Did anyone know of other similar ones?

It's easy to jump and say 'Asia's first..', when people can't really find out if it's true.

In any case, in such claims - the records that really matter usually belong to N.America or Europe.

The ultimate 'best in Asia' tripe I came across was this 'First in Asia' title for someone's TOEFL score. 'My cousin's super TOEFL score made her first in Asia!', said this acquaintance to me.

First in Asia for TOEFL? How could that be? Hundreds of candidates would have received a perfect TOEFL score, and many of them from Asia. Countries like India have several such scores.

Nothing like expanding the importance of a modest achievement - just extend it to the continent. Watch for these non-verifiable Asian firsts - there's one every month. =)

Why is Bryan Adams in India so often?

Anyone recall a 'Bryan Adams', former rock star? The one that was famous over a decade ago?

Well, he's still huge someplace else, long after North American audiences have forgotten him. Three concert tours in 4 years in India!

Wonder why he goes there so often. It seems like there's a Bryan Adams concert in Bangalore every year. Star starved audiences will keep attending, and they're promised acts like U2 every year. But who shows up? Bryan.

PDIs ->Pre-determined Internationals

What's a PDI?
As opposed to the old ODIs or one day internationals, PDIs are a recent and extremely popular form of cricket. The rules are the same as one day games, with one difference - the results are decided ahead of game-time.

History
PDIs were first played in the late '80s with numerous instances of incredible scores, and facile victories. The mid-east venue of Sharjah was an early catalyst in the development of this version of cricket. In one game, a bowler took seven lbws in bad light, and that was considered fair, because it meant fantastic returns for the winning team's backers.

Early enthusiasts were from the subcontinent, before the readmission of South Africa into international cricket in 1991. This was an important point in the evolution of the pre-determined game - South Africa proved to be a top-class source of fixing talent. The country's result facilitators devised complex determining techniques, and blazed a trail for others to follow. By 1996, the PDI version had an influential organization across South Asia, South Africa, and Australia.

Popularity
Lucrative for bettors and and even more so for players, it was no surprise that pre determined games caught on rapidly in the '90s. Top quality match fixing soon became an art many wanted to perfect. It meant acquiring high level playing contacts, detailed knowledge on the weather, gestures, pitches, and team selection. Importantly it also included a fair amount of glamor, which meant a significant upgrade in social status. Who wouldn't want to hang with the stars, and have a good time?

Minor Controversy
The party was a little spoiled in 2000 when the general viewing public, and fans got in on the details. There was some indignation, because so many had been denied their share of gambling windfall for years. If they'd known, so many fans would have gotten with the program early. Much like the stock market, where investors love a good tip, and want it fast. Good ol' sporting capitalism.

Progress and Current State
Soon all was forgotten, and the PDIs continued, and made several people very comfortable. The system was streamlined so that results from the quarterfinals of tournaments were known in advance, so people could make informed betting decisions. Also, a cryptic set of codes and signals were formulated so everything went per plan in a game.

Players' remunerations and perks increased exponentially, and a healthy rapport with result facilitators was established. There was no more an atmosphere of distrust nor fear. After all, every one stood to gain. Once crudely referred to as 'match fixing', the tag 'pre-determined' allowed the game a measure of respectability.

For county, and test cricket as well, a parallel 'Pre-Det' version was created. PDTs - pre-determined tests - are huge in India, Pakistan, and of course South Africa. Recent results stand testimony to the popularity of this version.

Find Out Yourself
What should you look for? Next time, before any PDI/T, watch for the pre-game weather report, and comments made by players in the media. Watch for the gesturing in the field, similar behavior in the pavilion, and in the stands near it. Watch for unusual dismissals and strikes during play that leave you incredulous. The party rolls on....

Yet another grand thrashing...

What did I say - has SRT ever performed when India's needed the runs? Never.

And that's what happened - again - in the 3rd game. The most overrated cricketer ever.
Not even once has this 'great' delivered when the chips were down. That's for players like Lara to do.

More stupid 'is it the end of an era?' media fawning. Stupid eulogizing for someone that only set personal records.

Ethanol - Did You Know This Could Be It?

This was one long article, but I read it all the way to the end. Every time I get a new car, I wonder if the world's oil reserves will last long enough for me to drive it years down. Serious, I sometimes think one day my car will just be immobile because there's no gas left anywhere. I think of hydrogen engines and conversion kits....

And now I hear this:

'An energy source that costs less than gasoline, produces almost none of the emissions that cause global warming, and comes from the Midwest, not the Middle East.'

And it sounds like it could happen, is happening, has happened for a long time. Way to go, Brazil!

Next time I pass by cornfields, I'll think oilfields...ethanol-fields.