Dropping a line to say

I'm 1 hour 5 mins through watching this movie. It's already got so many amazing moments, its unbelievable! And yes, I've fallen in love with Debra Winger!

Quizzing 101

This is college quizzing season. Which means a lot of people will be setting quizzes for their college fests. It also means that a lot of people will be setting and QMing their first quizzes. This is by far one of the most important experiences for quizzers.

However, it takes experience to grasp the nuances of setting, organizing and making questions for a successful quiz. It's not difficult or anything, its just you need to fall and fail to realise what went wrong.

The good thing is, a few stalwarts at the BCQC have already done some excellent writing on the issue of a) making good quiz questions and b)organising a quiz event.

You can find these essays here on our website. This Quizmaster's Checklist is a must-read especially if you are organising a quiz event.

(cross-posted on Notes and Stones)

SKimpy, we bow down to thee.

SKimpy should really have been at one of those round tables while the auction for the IPL was going on. It was painful to see Dravid writing/calculating stuff ;D.

Anyway, his knowledge of the domestic cricket scene is unparalleled. I had a few views on the issue (of the IPL), but till now absorb these two posts about the Bangalore and the Delhi team.

I will be looking out for his analysis on the Mumbai team. Also, if you are a girl who wears Yellow kurtas and travel by BTS Volvo buses (esp. Route 500K) please contact him!

I'm hoping this good deed will stack up some unseen points somewhere which will come to my aid in the future. I'm not that generous normally :P

Two words - Watch it!

** This review contains mild spoilers **

Just got back home after watching Mithya. I'll try and be as objective as possible - even though I'm still reeling.

To put it plainly Mithya is so so much better than Rajat Kapoor's previous efforts. Its funny, dark, fast and exhilarating. Ranvir Shorey puts in a performance of a lifetime - and no, the role was not written with him in mind. Even Neha Dhupia is passable. Good directors get performances out of anybody. Case in point Abhay Deol in Manorama - 6 feet under.

Mithya is like Manorama in the fact that it's real and satisfying at the scene level. But beyond that its totally different, The writing, especially in the first half is tight, and wickedly funny. Like every "indie" movie, there are cruel jabs. At the film industry, at established stars. Hell, even at indie filmmakers. Of the supporting cast, Vinay Pathak is obviously brilliant. But he's totally overshadowed by an absolutely superb Brijendra Kala. Naseeruddin Shah is not even in my top 5 as far as performances go. And Rajat had got the guts to do that.

I'll probably write a more "revealing" review, sometime later when the two readers of this blog have read this post. I'll extol about specific scenes and specific storyline elements. But I'm writing this to ask you to go the theatre and watch this movie. Ensure than you give your monies to good film-makers. Then I'll forgive you if you pay 200 bucks to watch Jodhaa Akbar. Even if you normally don't watch Hindi movies, give this one a shot. And if you don't like it, please tell me. I'll direct you to a few (stupid) "friends" of mine!

Why City beat United

Because they quiz before every game! Here is Micah Richards in his column for BBC Sport.

We get there[Manchester city centre] at about 6pm and always have a general knowledge quiz the night before the game, which is run by Les Chapman our kit-man. We do not split into teams, it is every man for himself!

The best by far is Didi Hamann, he has got a lot of knowledge, and the worst has got to be Kelvin Etuhu. He is actually good academically but some of his answers are ridiculous.

Me, I'm in the middle somewhere. I have not really got a specialist subject, although I normally do well with the music questions.

Another set of notes

I've been wondering what attracts me so much to Gaiman. I've not read Sandman, Coraline or American Gods. All I've done is seen an interview, read a few poems and essays and follow his blog. I think I have an answer. All the god-level people I knew, all belonged to a similar kind. The scientific, cold, calculating, trade-off oriented. They are brilliant. They write lucidly, they understand and analyze immensely well. But there is always a reason behind what they do.

Not Gaiman. He sees stars in the day, he believes in monsters, and other worlds and fairies and princesses. He adores little girls in frocks, he uses a fountain pen, he dreams. I know you'll tell me there is a word for this - "fantasy". True, but Gaiman is the only person I know, of my generation who seems accessible. There. Real. The internet has allowed him to talk to us, unlike with Tolkien or Asimov or Arthur C Clarke. From what I've read about Clarke, he seems immensely likeable too, but somehow distant - like speaking from the past. Gaiman is here, real. His colour photos still have him with those glowing eyes and flowing locks. There is something immensely endearing about him. Now I better go and find a copy of Coraline somewhere ;)

****

JR writes here about his Hitler-esque attitude towards wasted food. I too have very similar "values" embedded about not wasting a shred of food - but like all things in life, there is a balance to be maintained. We're not in a state of a Malthusian Catastrophe and maybe in today's (urban) world, obesity is a bigger issue than food wastage.

The hungry are often hungry not because there isn't enough food, but because enough food does not get to them. It is more a distribution and allocation issue than that of production. True, appropriating huge sums to yourself at a buffet dinner and then wasting it is mindless - esp if it becomes a regular habit. But realising you've made a mistake in talking more than what you really need, sometimes its best to "waste" than to over-consume. Remember, the so-called sin is going to take place anyway, the caterers are probably going to end up throwing some food all the same.

The point is, as I've realised, there is no need to be overly guilty about having not eaten some portion, if one realises that it can't be taken. Mental notes should be made about avoiding such instances in the future, but puh-leeze don't fall to the prey of food-conserving-zealots and finish whatever's on your plate at all costs. Its just not worth it.

****

My IIM interviews near closer, and I realise that I've done absolutely nothing, in terms of personal prep. I really need to get my file in order - and ensure that I'm not at the receiving end of "why do you you leave such important things for the last moment" rant. I'm consigned to saying this, but moms have an uncanny ability of being right.

Sigh! off I go.

My xkcd recommendations

Firstly, thanks Randall for allowing me and other freeloaders to hotlink to your strip! That is just awesome. Here are a few of my favourites so that you guys can fall in love with it instantanement. There are tons more that I love, but this is a decent list to start with.

Compiling
Exploits of a Mom
Real Programmers
Sandwich
Fixed Width
Pix Plz