Greatest of all time

It must have been Circa 1998. Shane Warne had just had a major shoulder operation and people doubted whether he would ever be back at his best. He took 20 wickets in the World Cup next year, including back-to-back Man of the Match awards in the semis and finals.
Move ahead to 2003. Warne tested positive for a banned substance and was banned from cricket for a year. Everybody said his career was over, after all he was 33. He came back stronger and better (if that is possible) and went on to become the highest wicket-taker in Test history.
After retirement he joined the IPL. It's only for the money everyone said. He won't ever take it seriously. But the Rajasthan Royals counted on him. They made him captain and coach. And then, he first took 3 wickets against the Kings XI Punjab and followed it up with a mind blowing show of hitting under pressure against the Deccan Chargers.
In between, he captured the imaginations of millions of fans throughout the world (including myself) through his amazingly accurate and hard to pick bowling. He almost single handedly revived the dying art of leg spin bowling. No batsman ever felt comfortable facing him. In fact, I'm pretty sure England might have considered giving a national holiday the day he announced his retirement. Ditto for South Africa.
We all know he had his drawbacks, but that made him all the more human and all the more endearing to me. In fact, there's nothing that can end or even decrease my Warne obsession. Warne's poster still adorns the door of my wardrobe.
Yesterday's match against the Deccan Chargers proved an old adage all over again - never take it easy if you are up against Shane Warne. He may be bowling, batting or even fielding, it doesn't matter. It's just his presence that totally changes everyting. And also proved another old saying - Nothing is Impossible, especially for Shane Warne.
So move aside Pele, Maradona, Ali, Fangio, Bradman and Bubka. There's only one person who's the Greatest of all Time. It's the one your batting coach warned you about. Go Shane!

What I think of during exams

If you ever catch me deep in thought with a book in my hand during the exams, do not deceive yourself into believing that I'm studying. What I'm actually doing is making up stuff like this:

I'm waiting in my cold room when the bell begins to chime
Reflecting on my past day and it doesn't have much time
Cos at 2 o'clock they take me to the exam hall
The sands of time for me are running low

When the teacher comes to take my blank sheet
I take a look through the bars at the last sights
Of a paper that has gone very wrong for me

Can it be there's some sort of error?
Hard to stop the surmounting terror
Is it really the end not some crazy dream?

Yeah - e - yeah - e - yeah
May I be all clear again!

Dil Chahta Hai

Saw Dil Chahta Hai for the umpteenth time today. And it never gets boring, no matter how many times you see it. And I notice something new every time I see it. This time was no different. So, all you people who consider yourselves to be DCH buffs, answer this one - What is the full name of Saif Ali Khan's character in the movie? Put your answers as comments; lets see who gets it right. Answer in a week's time.

What single book is the best introduction to your field for laypeople?

This has to be the most useful link that I have put up on the blog till date. Do go through it if you are interested in learning anything new, ranging from Quantum Physics to Pottery.

Link courtesy India Uncut.

Pune Times - news you just can't use

I always used to wonder why on earth does Pune Times publish such mindless crap like what happened in a certain disco on some goddamn weeknight. All such articles are basically the same - they mention the club's name, the DJ who played (who usually has a corny name) and that it was a rocking night. Of course, there are also a few pics of some unknown people who seem to be extremely overjoyed by the fact that they are being captured on lens ( O My God! Pune Times! Really? )
But today PT managed to sink lower than before. Here is an article from today's paper, as it appears:

'The house was on fire'
The night simply kept getting fierce as the DJ kept spinning hot numbers one after the other at a popular club in the city. It was a party to be at, as the party animals couldn't have asked for more. The dance floor was ablaze with the crowd shaking its leg to the beats of the music. Guys and girls both had a rocking time.

Along with the article was the photo of an extremely dumb guy and a dumber chick.

Now can somebody please tell me why on earth was the article there? It didn't mention the club's name, so definitely not for publicity. No DJ's name, so nothing there. No celebrity. Nothing! Basically it just tells us that somewhere in the city some people were dancing in a nightclub to some music played by some DJ. Now what's so great about that? Don't people do this everyday at all night clubs? How is this supposed to be of any help to anybody (except the couple in the pic maybe, but they look so bad that even they are no better off)? Or did I miss something? Or am I just too dumb to be actually worrying about stuff they print in PT?
No wonder I use the paper only for killing bedbugs without getting my hands bloody.