The world does go around in circles

Many mutter darkly about the use of hormones in rearing livestock, and they seek out vegetables that have insect bites on their leaves - a sign that they have not been drenched in pesticides.

That's the proof--people now seek out vegetables with insect bites. Round and round.. Stocktaking on Chinese cuisine in China.

Don't Mince Words

"The murderers did not just want body parts in general but female body parts in particular."

Powerful words, powerful hedline. Angry Hitchens.

Blogging resumes

I'm starting to blog again. But look, i'm not promising i'll be blogging regularly. I have a rather dubious record in blogging. I tend to start with much enthusiasm and as the average number of comments on a post hit 5-6, i lose interest, the posts dry up and then i'll post couple of apologies and promises which won't be kept, and one final attempt at resurgence and that's it.

So this time, we are starting with the premise that i'm unlikely to blog regularly. So there is no feeling guilty, no apologies if i don't post etc. Ok, let's start.

Best cricketing sledges

Rod Marsh & Ian Botham - When Botham took guard in an Ashes match, Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words: "So how's your wife & my kids?"

The ten best cricketing sledges ever. Period. If you disagree, provide the reasons in the comments.

From Ellis in Wellyland.

Sorry, my girls and the sea

Begging forgiveness for slack blogging. An anonymous comment in the previous post has made me realise i should be more responsible to the people who take the effort to come here. I'm bribing you with this delicious article. I'm sure both my male and female readers will enjoy it though probably for markedly different reasons. Or may be not. Who knows. The subject of this piece has been an object of infinite fascination through my growing up years. I think i could even write a small book on it. I think most boys a little less than my age can. May be i'll even write it some day. If im talking gibberish only the weather is to blame dear reader. It's so delicious i felt like giving it all up and becoming a monk this morning as i came out of cafe churchill after devouring a luxurious fish-o-fillet and walked towards the gateway.

The sea was threatening to overpower the wall. One moment it is just being naughty, playfully spraying all around with white white froth. Next it is furious, banging the stone wall effortlessly producing a loud THUD that sends a shrill note of mortal fear through your spine. I couldn't help thinking. This little wall is all the great city has between the sea and its centuries-old foundations. And the sea is not even making an effort to hide the fact that it could topple the wall and beyond with its equivalent of a small sneeze.

Only yesterday had a man been drawn in by the sea. He had drowned as hundreds of people were watching. Today there were more people. Over eager for a wave to splash and shower them with dirty, terrible salty water. Smiles all over, drenched people, spray in the air... all even as the sea is at its scariest. I would gladly have joined them, but for my cellphone and the two books i had just picked up. May be tomorrow i will.

The shape of music videos to come

I wrote in an earlier post about Pearl Jam's latest offering being the first music video from a major band to be distributed under the creative commons license.

It means that you can download the video for free, share it with your friends, and even post it on your own site--provided you give the band credit and don't use it for commercial purposes.

Here's the video and i think this reflects the shape of thing to come in the entertainment industry that is grappling with major issues among which is piracy and illegal file sharing both of which have been worrying and eating into the profits of major studios. It has been clear for a while that the industry would have to work out new revenue models. Though nobody had clear answers as to how. I'll link if i come across any good analysis on this. For now, you enjoy the video. Courtesy google video.

Reservation in Indian cricket team

Mipro chairman Mr Ajim Prem ji's comment on reservation: I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let's start the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that. Cricket rules should be modified accordingly. The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by a OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century . We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 k.

I found this delicious spoof on a hilarious "mallu" community called The Lola Kuttys on orkut. On second thoughts, while it's funny, it's not silly. It does a good job of making people think. Cricket is big business today so naturally there should be reservations to help traditionally disadvantaged castes get entry into the team, pocket lucrative endorsements and become national icons. Right? You bet.

Jackson and Pearl Jam

The arc of Mr. Jackson's career, and his management of his business and financial affairs, tracks some of the timeworn truisms about the realities of the entertainment industry and those who inhabit its upper tiers: a child star unwittingly beholden to others who control his bank account; a more mature adult who is savvy about packaging and marketing himself but who grows increasingly undisciplined about his spending; and, finally, a reclusive caricature locked inside a financial and emotional fantasyland of his own making.

That Micheal Jackson is financially in a bad shape is not news. The details however, are interesting.

Pearl Jam's latest becomes the first music video by a major label to be released under a Creative Commons licence.

Q: How to become a censor board member?

A: Have an uncle in the government.

Ok look, im not saying it will work for everyone. If you have an uncle in the government and you are not on the censor board, you have only yourself to blame.

Because, your uncle also needs to know how much you love films and how you travel to film festivals all over the world.

You must atleast know the Mumbai page 3 world like your flat six-pack abs. Then not an iota of doubt will be remain on the fact that you understand the sensibilities of the masses that populate the length, breadth and corners of this country. You are then qualified beyond argument to sit back, get your hand sticky with cheese popcorn, cross and uncross your legs and go snip snip snip...

Hearty congratulations to Teejay Sidhu, who btw has apparently acted in all of one music video, for the commendable feat of becoming the youngest ever censor board member, at all of 26 years. What does she have that you don't? All of the above!