signifies a usually brief state of excitement and mental confusion often accompanied by hallucinations. It involves sudden and severe mental or neurological changes. All the views expressed here have to be read keeping in view this state of me.
Yes, first things first. This is no rhetoric, but a plausible question. Is it possible to play top-end games without upgrading your hardware considering that it has already started looking old, if not obsolete?
Latest consoles, latest graphics processors and CPUs are the things that immediately come to mind when we start thinking about the newest game launches. For as long as I can remember, It's been a maxim of the gaming world that you need the latest console or the most up-to-date gaming PC in order to play the newest and most graphics-heavy game titles.
That's all getting ready to change, as a new, revolutionary technology enters the gaming arena. As far as my latest ‘technology’ readings is concerned this is very much within the reach.
Is this the future of the software gaming industry?
OnLive, a new company started by entrepreneur Steve Perlman, promises to deliver on similar lines. OnLive's technology essentially creates a new category of cloud gaming for play to be possible on computers and TVs. It has uses a new video compression system developed by OnLive. In plain terms it means that the company's servers can host all the gaming technology like rendering, storage,etc. All that the gamer would be required to do is log on and start playing. The company is promising no lag time on its streams.
OnLive says that its technology will support both PCs and Macs. But, like everything else there are no free lunches here too. All gaming enthusiasts will need to buy a paperback book-sized mini-console and accompanying controller if they want to play games in 720p HD on their big-screen TVs. No prices have been announced yet.
Yep you are not in ‘Wonderland’ and you heard it correctly; nothing but streaming and player responses to deal with, at the console level.
This technology aims to remove all hardware restrictions at the console level. It also takes the edge out of pricey consoles and hardware, discs, etc. Its centralized theme also ensures certain death to piracy, if not immediately , then at least in the long run.
It may take some time for this technology to develop and mature, but this is the perfect start. If priced and advertised correctly, this will be a huge success. It is something that will help put the gaming industry on Internet time, says Rob Enderle, principal analyst of the Enderle Group.
Watch out for this one Guyz! I for one will surely do.
Aravind Adiga was born in Madras in 1974 and was raised partly in Australia. He studied at Columbia and Oxford Universities. He was a former correspondent in India with TIME magazine. He has published articles in publications like The Financial Times, The Independent, and The Sunday Times.
He lives in Mumbai and claims to travel in overcrowded Mumbai trains and stands in queues, etc. And this, he says has given him the insight into the miseries of the average Indian.
Dissection Box:
Aravind Adiga has written a very incisive and at times controversial book. This book came to me as a curiously inauthentic description of the ideologies, mindsets and situations as faced by Indian people. It seemed to me as a novel from an outsider(a non-Indian), presenting cynical anthropologies to an audience that was never meant to be Indian.
The Book:
This is the first novel by Aravind Adiga. Balram Halwai, is the chief protagonist and the narrator of Aravind Adiga’s first novel, “The White Tiger,”.
The White Tiger is a tale of two Indias. On one hand it is the tale of rural India where the life (read misery) of people is compared with animals (buffalo, cows, dogs, even pigs to be precise). The misery portrayed here is so absolute and without hope. It is strife with continuous struggle to come to terms with the harsh realities of life.
On the other hand it is the story of urban India, which is teeming with opportunities and where money is aplenty. A place where people will do anything and everything for money.
The book starts in the background of a village in Gaya, Bihar and portrays the journey of its protagonist from darkness of village life to the light of entrepreneurial success.
Balram Halwaai – The White Tiger
This novel talks about a person who’s born in a village in heartland India. The son of a rickshaw puller, Balram is taken out of school by his family and put to work in a teashop.
The inspector pointed his cane straight at me. “You, young man, are an intelligent, honest, vivacious fellow in this crowd of thugs and idiots. In any jungle, what is the rarest of animals - the creature that comes along only once in a generation?”
I thought about it and said:
“The white tiger.”
“That’s what you are, in this jungle.”
- from The White Tiger, page 30 -
As he crushes coals and wipes tables, he nurses a dream of escape – of breaking away from the banks of Mother Ganga, into whose depths have seeped the remains of a hundred generations.
Aravind has described his created character Balram, as “a man of action and change,” “a thinking man,” “an entrepreneur,” “a man who sees tomorrow,” and a “murderer.
As the character of Balram gradually reveals, I found it distressingly amoral and an object of sympathy.
The Narration:
Balram’s narrative progresses in the form of a series of letters to Wen Jiabao, premier of China. This is both innovative and gives a question and answer format to the whole book. But, this form of narration is spewed with pitfalls. For starters it lacks the flow and the reader may tend to get bored if he doesn’t find the questions appealing.
The White Tiger claims to gives us an insight into the rapidly changing India. It is a mix of a cautionary tale which is full of contradictions. Infact, I found on nearly every page a witty observation or a fine phrase, and on nearly every page inevitably something that sounded false. I was so disappointed at one stage that I stopped reading the book at page 71.
But, then with great effort I got back to reading and I must say that it took a lot of effort to finish this book off.
My Verdict:
“The White Tiger” is a penetrating piece of social commentary, attuned to the inequalities that persist despite India’s new prosperity. I am not sure if it correctly identifies — and deflates — middle-class India’s collective euphoria.
This book is full of satires. But, it is certainly a pleasant read. It is about the India that we don’t want to see. Although it has tried to portray India in true light, but instead has come up with an India that does not hold promise. And where everyone is a conman who is waiting to rip your wallet off and if you are unlucky enough then your life as well.
His detailed descriptions of various vile aspects of Indian life are relentless — and ultimately a little monotonous. Every moment, it seems, is bleak, pervaded by “the Darkness.” Every scene, every phrase, is a blunt instrument, wielded to remind Adiga’s readers of his country’s cruelty.
The story is utterly amoral, brilliantly irreverent, deeply endearing and altogether forgettable.
Yesterday I was reading an article which made me all nostalgic. And, in keeping up with tradition, those days when we were regular visitors to the ceremony at Wagah Border flashed past my eyes.
It seems like only yesterday when all of us in the family made our first visit to the famous Wagah Border to witness our maiden service there. For something that happened more than 13 years back, the memory is still vivid and crystal clear, so much so that at times I feel like reaching out.
Yes, I was a teenager then in every sense. An eager beaver, I’d always get excited at the smallest provocation. You’d either love me or hate me. There were no other options, as I gave no other. I was extrovert to the level of craziness.
I was as all younger siblings are; carefree, careless, unassuming, unworried, unhurried, with a devil-may-care attitude in life. I never used to think twice before doing something. I still remember clearly, how I used to think about how I was different from other people of my age and that there is just one purpose to my life: ‘pursuit of happiness’. I sought pleasure in everything I did or rather I did only those things where I found pleasure.
It would range from playing games to copying in exams to sneaking a mouthful during class to collecting TinTin comics to playing scrabble to playing cricket and never accepting an out decision even when clean bowled to taking up quarrels to putting up firecrackers in the Headmistress’s office etc. And all this for what, pure delight, of course. That was me.
I was spoiled to such an extent that I would go out and play on the very eve of board exams. Yes, I used to face stiff resistance from my mother and my big bro, but then my father always allowed me the freedom to choose. And, I being what I was always chose enjoyment over studies (read: pain). I still remember my father asking me “if you think playing is important now, then go for it” and out I’d go.
That was then.
I would always thank God for blessing me by making me a part of this small happy family (No, I don’t think any differently now. I love my folks. They are the best people around).
Wagah Border:
My first visit to Wagah Border happened when I was in class 10th and must have been 15 years old; way back in 1996 (I hope my memory is not failing me).
My dad was an officer with the Indian Army and was recently posted to Amritsar. The calendar showed the month as December. My father moved to Amritsar ahead of us thanks to the tense times (read: terrorism) and our studies. Once we had our final exams all of us packed our bags and shifted to Amritsar. I was thrilled on the prospect of going ‘back’ to Punjab (a state in India). ‘Back’ because I’d spent greater part of my childhood at different places in Punjab and had developed a natural affinity to the state, its people, its cuisine, its dialect, its weather and everything. I’d come to love this state.
It must have been barely a couple of weeks that we’d moved to Amritsar that we children started plotting our first visit to Wagah. The times were tense and dad never gave us the go ahead for visiting Wagah, which is some 30 miles north-west of Amritsar which is also known as "Attari (India)-"Wagah" (Pakistan) border. (History always helps. So here is a handful. Wagah is the only road border crossing between India and Pakistan, and lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Amritsar, India and Lahore, Pakistan.)
We used every trick in the book, but alas, nothing worked. Some say perseverance pays. As a surprise, Dad planned a trip to Wagah with some co-officers and their families. This trip was planned more as a picnic and we had our stomach full by the time we reached Wagah Broder.
En-route to Wagah we must have come across countless trenches. On asking we kids were informed by one smart looking officer that these trenches were useful in times of war. I, for one, couldn’t fathom how digging up a trench can help in war. As always silence is the best aide of the ignorant. I looked around and saw that all kids were nodding their head in understanding so I did likewise (some wise man/woman once said: When in Rome do as the Romans do). So, I nodded my head as if I got it all and made a mental note to ask elders in family later.
Well innumerable and uncountable minutes later we managed to reached Wagah Border.
It was evening time, a little after 4:00pm and we were just in time to witness a ceremony called ‘The Retreat-Lowering of Flags’ (which starts 30 minutes before sunset). It involves warrior-like stamping and gesturing by soldiers as they perform the ritual of ‘The Retreat-Lowering of Flags’which culminates with the lowering the colours on the Indian and Pakistani sides of the Border and closing the gates for the night. The honors are done by the Border Security Force (B.S.F.) on the Indian side and the Sutlej Rangers on the Pakistani side. You see, I had my history of this ceremony clear.
We were given VIP seats. Moments after we were seated, the ceremony began and I was amazed by the intensity of the soldiers on both side of the border. It was breathtaking to say the least. What amazed me was that these soldiers do it daily and still retain the passion that we were witnessing. It was spell-binding.
But, sadly, it soon became a real hotbed of nationalistic passions and of course drama, when people from the audience started crying Pakistan Zindabad (Long live Pakistan) and Jai Hind (Long live India). All the cries of passion came from none other than civilians of course, as if they know everything that the book of patriotism has to offer. But, that is how we are crazy sentimental people. And, it goes true for both sides of the border.
The final scene was the lowering of the flags exactly side by side to great cheering. This ceremony has taken place every day since partition in 1947 and was a truly unique experience. I have this frozen memories of my first ever visit to Wagah Border and i musts say that I will never be able to forget it.
We eventually went on to Wagah several times. Only to freshen our memories and applaud the great soldiers manning our borders.
Bas yeh meri kahani…
ek dastaan purani…
benishaan nishaani…
yadoon ka jungle yeh dil…
zindagi hai jo jiye jaati hai…
khwaab aankhon se siye jaati hai…
LoLs…yeah prose coming from me is like a nightingale blaring.. :-)
PS: Ten on ten if you guessed it right…this is plagiarism…I borrowed these lines from a famous Indian movie song :-) no offence, all credits to the lyricist… :-)
I heard this as a song when I was still a kid. It was courtesy a song from the 1985 movie "The Jewel Of The Nile" rendered beautifully by ‘Billy Ocean’.
It went on to become slang and is very popular with tabloids and media people. They seem to use it at their whims and fancies.
I, on my part started thinking about this only when I noticed that suddenly with Uncle Sam going into recession mode, how tough life has become for me. And, during one of those few intellectual moments that I manage to spend with my curious soul, I thought about these trivial things. And out I came with my musings (yeah I’d like to call it musings ;-)).
So I decided to put the same online ;-). Here they are:
1.No one has any power over you which you do not choose to give them. What is your boss going to do, fire you? Unless you choose to allow that to have power over you, it is just an empty threat. He he…do try this sometime, at your own expense ;-)
2."Remember, whether you think you can or you think you can't...you're right."
- Stewie Griffin
3.You are at the center of your universe. Stay there!
4.Law of Attraction: What you think about most is what you get. Not to be taken literally…..if you know what I mean ;-). It infact suggests that: What is in your mind is reflected “out there.
5.The way to overcome adversity is to try harder.
6.When a moment is freaky or sad or even tragic, laughter restores both normalcy and hope. When the going gets tough, then please try your hand at ‘Dark Humor’ and see if it helps.
7.Play Defense….Stand guard to all the things that you’ve done and intend to do. If nothing, then it will give you a talking point with your boss and his boss and his boss… :-)
8.Lastly, maybe when the going gets tough, you should QUIT. This again is a decision that is completely yours. :-)
I extracted some lines from this song, which I really liked….here they are:
I'm gonna put this dream in motion
Never let nothing stand in my way
When the going gets touch
The tough get going
Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll do anything
This is an article for all those who misplace their bottle openers. It puts your rings to better use. I found this nifty article while surfing online at
Word of Caution:
Avoid using delicately-made rings or rings made of gold, silver or platinum (or any other soft metal) in this manner. Thinner bands (regardless of metal) may be damaged by the force needed. Softer metals will bend and scratch easily.
Beware of performing this action too many times in repetition, as injury from the resistant force at the top of the finger may occur.
So to ensure that bottle opener can’t play spoilt-sport in your search for fun. There are a wide variety of ways to open a bottle without a bottle opener. You can use a folded dollar bill, a lighter, or a whole bunch of other things, but using the ring on your finger is the closest it gets to making it look like you're using your bare hands. If you wear a class ring or a heavier ring, here's how to put it to use. Opening a bottle with a ring is efficient, quick, and impressive.
Here’s a how to guide:
1.Grab your beverage firmly around the neck. Do this with the hand that does not contain the ring.
2.Hold the bottle close to your body, but so that the opening faces slightly away from you. You do not have to hug the bottle, but hold it the same comfortable distance you would when using a normal bottle opener.
3.As you tightly hold the bottle, bring the opposite hand towards the cap at an angle (from below cap level coming to it at 45º).
4.Make contact with the bottom of the cap and the underside of your ring. Use the part of the ring closest to your fingertip.
5.Apply an intense amount of pressure to ensure a solid connection with the ring and the cap. They should feel like one unit. This is achieved through pressure. Use the forefinger to give stability to the ring and cap, giving it a firm hold.
6.Grip the rest of your hand tightly around the cap and apply enough force for the cap to come loose. This can be accomplished by locking the wrist, allowing the forearm to be used as a lever device. Roll your hand over the top of the bottle by lifting your elbow while maintaining a straight hand, wrist and arm combination for better use of leverage.
