Look Ma, I'm quoting Dani!

From here

Looking back, we ( the VIT quizzers and Kunal S) have done so much of college quizzing in the last two years that I think that we should really think about whether its worth or time to go for such frustrating quizzes any longer. It is an enjoyable quizzing experience that we are looking for, not the incentive to get yet another certificate of yet another college event. But then at the back of my mind I do know that most probably I will end up going for many more such quizzes this year, just in the hope of getting a good quiz, and a taste of Pune college quizzing for what will be my last year in VIT.

Man! Can't believe that a) I'm in final year already and b) I abso-fuckin'-lutely agree with the man. Wait a min, the last time I checked, that can't be good!

Movies we're looking forward to

Believe it or not, I'm actually looking forward to seeing Om Shanti Om. Dunno why, but I have some confidence in Farah Khan, giving us a complete masala film - and I think I might become a Deepika Padukone fan too.



But, Khoya Khoya Chand Sudhir Mishra's next, also seems very promising. Very similar setting to OSO, 70's film industry. But it really has a stellar cast, some of the best young actors in the hindi film industry today IMHO - Shiney Ahuja, Soha Ali Khan and Vinay Pathak. Shantanu Moitra's title song drew attention, will be looking to get the full score soon.

Apart from that, how could we miss No Smoking. Anurag Kashyap's next film promises to be amazing. Starcast : John Abraham, Ayesha Takia, Paresh Rawal and Ranveer Shorey. This brilliant poster I saw of the film yesterday just reminded me what was to come.



Then there is Mithya. Rajat Kapoor's next after Mixed Doubles (which I missed). Should be decent home DVD watching, let see. And to round off the list : Amir Khan's directorial debut : Tare Zameen Par - ostensibly a "children's" film. I'm interested to check out how he does. Lets see.

Rajat says I would never do that ...

“First of all, Bheja Fry is not my film. I was associated with it. I (associate) produced it. But I would never take another film (in this case, Le Dîner de Cons) and copy it.” But it’s certainly the kind of film he tends to get slotted with, and for that he’s grateful. “I’m lucky. What I like, people are somehow able to relate to.”

Rajat Kapoor.

Go read Baradwaj Rangan's full interview with Rajat Kapoor.

Go Robbo!

I've been recently sad that the quality of Robbo's work had gone down. But, pathos, they say brings out the best in you. So please read Robbo's rants about the crap weekend that England Sport had. Here are a few quotes in case you can;t got through it entirely.

About the Rugby WC

"All I can say is, thank God I was supporting someone. I'd be surprised if there was a neutral on the planet who hadn't switched off by half-time. There was a lot of what my Dad calls 'hyperbowl' from the combox, but by God it was bloody dreary stuff."

About Gordon Brown being there

By the by, why was Gordon Brown there? I've got absolutely no problem with a Scot being PM, so long as he doesn't pretend he's English from time to time. It just doesn't suit the bloke. You are Scottish, mate!

Just because it may take a long time for your countrymen to reach the final of anything, it doesn't mean you have to gatecrash the English party.

I think it would've been good to see him react like every other Scot I've met since Saturday, and say "bad luck, pal", with a barely-disguised smile playing around his lips.

And in conclusion

All in all, you're left with that feeling English sportsmen are better than any other when it comes to one thing. Heroic Defeat. Agonising Failure. Noble Effort. And it's bloody depressing.

Best race ever!

Even though I'm a Massa fan!

(PS: Have you wondered that McLaren could've won, had Alonso dropped off to allow Hamilton to get by?)

Spyker Old - Force India new.

Read full story.

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A Silly Poem by Spike Milligan

(Psst: I knew I would blog about this even before I read it. Nice.)

Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
I'll draw a sketch of thee,
What kind of pencil shall I use?
2B or not 2B?

YouTube's new rules.

I hope you guys have had the chance to read about the changes Google is making to YouTube. Read all of it, on the official blog.

In short, what it implies is that instead of checking videos before uploading, they will make "IDs" of videos - and compare them with existing videos owned by copyright owners. Then they'll automatically do what the copyright owner requests. Umm.. big move - which could eventually cost YouTube millions of uploads a month, and dwindling content will mean, dwindling traffic. Of course - YouTube's not going anywhere, but I sense an opportunity for someone in another country, (not governed by laws regarding digital content.) to make lots of money out of this.

And another major disappointment - "We require a 10-minute limit on the length of content uploaded to the site." That really sucks!

You've GOT to read this.

Seriously.

Quote-hanger

Nice ones from Quote of the day.

"I don't have a photograph, but you can have my footprints. They're upstairs in my socks." - who else?.

"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand"
Kurt bhai.

And I remember this from a re-viewing of Annie Hall yesterday,

I don't want to a member of any club that would have me as a member.

Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach gym.
(re-used memorably in School of Rock, of course.)

Another world beater.

This, that is.

The Pop Quizzing Joke Book - section I

The MELA quiz at MindSpark,(or barQing Mad as some of us like to call it) ensured conditions where I could comfortably stare at the screen, think about the answer for a nanosecond, and then resume with whatever I was doing before (i.e chatting, counting the number of tiles on the north wall, eavesdropping etc.) This is where these following jokes have their origin.

1. Why could Avinash Mudaliar never complete his maritial pheraas?
Ans: He insisted on a round reversal.

2. Why did no team finish the Military quiz?
Ans: Due to the rapid-fire round at the end.

3. Why did the times call the quiz "a victory of circular logic"?
Ans: There were too many rounds.

Yes, I know, the last one sucks.

What brilliance!

Look at this stud. This is IMS' list of the Top 100 at SimCAT 4.



(PS: For those who do not know, the test requires filling in OMR sheets(yes, the ones with many circles to darken. Oh! the idea of filling in circles patiently to read IIMS suck! Man, if you were a woman, I'd marry you.)

Flash News: COEP Girl dead. Suicide confirmed.

Updates!
1. Rumours that she took pills, as the preferred route.
2. Her name is (was?) Neelambari Tuse.(or tusey as I say such names should be spelt.)
3. This apparently seems to be a "boyfriend break-up" case. Even more sad.1

---

Today is the first day of our first combined college fest. MindSpark However, news breaks into college in the morning by about 12 that a particular girl has committed suicide.(3rd year Production Engg. apparently.) This had the following effects:

- All events in which the college thinks we're having "fun" are cancelled. Frankly this might not be the reason, as everything I know up to this point is hearsay. Anyway, what is fact is that the cultural shows planned and the round-the-clock events at the "Lounge" stand annulled.

- We're keeping fingers crossed about the MELA Quiz. I kind-of feel happy that we called it the MELA quiz, and not the Entertainment quiz. Our chances of survival in that case would have been lower. I still (rather pessimistically) think, that it will be cancelled. Let's see.

- A series of rather sanctimonious repercussions the event. We've been told to gather all people taking part in our event at 4:something today.(even if the event is not today, and the participants are not here.) Then all these organisers with participants in tow asre expected to gather around the staff in-charge and "mourn" for 2 minutes.

- This rather pious statement is from the chief organiser, a rather kindly fellow I know named Priygun Jain. He instructed the main organisers "to ensure that everyone is wearing a black band. If you see someone not wearing one, ensure that they do." (PS: I'm NOT being sarcastic when i say he is a kindly sort of fellow. He really is.)

That as I rather think is enough reporting from the front-lines. My personal views on such suicidal cases is rather impersonal and some might say "stone-hearted". I will therefore express them later when the mind is more receptive to reason.

---

1: Details courtesy Aniket.

Hello! This is nice.

I'm writing this from inside Flock. This is my way to send some link-love.And while you're at trying new software, do also check out Songbird. It's a new media player from Mozilla. It's still in developer testing stage - but still works pretty well. The best thing is that it plays OGGs and Mp3s.

(PS: I wish i could tell you to try Buzzword too, but then you don't have the private invite, do you? Mwahahaha!)