(RU) Runner Up Team
(W) Winners

Australia
Captain- Ricky Ponting
Coach- Tim Nielsen (Aus)
(RU) 75′, 96′ (W) 87′, 99′, 03′, 07′

Bangladesh
Captain- Shakib Al Hasan
Coach- Jamie Siddons (AUS)

Canada
Captain- Ashish Bagai
Coach- Pubudu Dassanayake (SL)

England
Captain- Andrew Strauss
Coach- Andy Flower (ZIM)
(RU) 79′, 87′, 92′

India
Captain- Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Coach- Gary Kirsten (RSA)
(RU) 03′ (W) 83′

Ireland
Captain- William Porterfield
Coach- Phil Simmons (WI)

Kenya
Captain- Jimmy Kamande
Coach- Eldine Baptiste (WI)

Netherlands
Captain- Peter Borren
Coach- Peter Drinnen (AUS)

New Zealand
Captain- Daniel Vettori
Coach- John Wright (NZL)

Pakistan
Captain- Shahid Afridi
Coach- Waqar Younis (PAK)
(RU) 99′ (W) 92′

South Africa
Captain- Graham Smith
Coach- Corrie van Zyl (RSA)

Sri Lanka
Captain- Kumara Sangakkara
Coach- Trevor Bayliss (AUS)
(RU) 07′ (W) 96′

West Indies
Captain- Darren Sammy
Coach- Ottis Gibson (WI)
(W) 75′, 79′

Zimbabwe
Captain- Elton Chigumbura
Coach- Alan Butcher (ENG)

Now anyone who characterizes Hong Kong with its towering constructions, night life, exquisite global cuisine & stark modernity is mistaken, Sai Kung should help change that perspective of this urban landscape. It is Hong Kong’s (secret) ecological pocket, tucked away in the farthest corner of New Territories, a splendid basket of greenery, fauna & the sea decorated with islets.

Through the 1960s the Sai Kung peninsula was largely untouched by civilization save for the natives around here, the only way to reach this area was by foot or ferry (‘Kai-To’ still remains an important mode of transport connecting Sai Kung’s outlying islands). In the 70s the High Island Reservoir was built to alleviate water shortage to Hong Kong city. Consequently 2 roads were constructed that will make the remote parts of Sai Kung accessible to outsiders for the first time. Today there are camping sites within the jungle providing safe cover for nature enthusiasts.

If you’re an admirer of nature like me, you can choose from the various hiking trails at Hong Kong-  there are 4 of them including the Maclehose Trail, that range from the easiest to the strenuous to the challenging. And depending upon the time on your hands & your temperament, each route could test your endurance for survival and take you about 3 to 6 hours to complete. A strong reason why you are advised to carry ample water & food that would last the entire stretch. Also a rucksack to carry the load on your shoulders & good footwear so you don’t get exhausted easily. I did not apply my mind to the situation & ended up with only 500ml of water. And some biscuits, that were provided by some softhearted folks I made friends with on my way to Sharp Peak. We will come to that story later.

There are 4 nature trails originating in the Sai Kung peninsula, each one is more scenic than the previous (this is a part of the Maclehose Trail). Hikers can choose to go to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park where the water quality has allowed marine ecology like corals (39 of the 50 recorded corals can be seen here) & mangroves to flourish. Also an ideal spot for snorkeling. Ma On Shan is another haven for trekking aficionados, the trail runs through the Ma On Shan Country Park along the steep misty hillsides. Its a treat for nature lovers with Ma On Shan’s northern ravines offering native habitats. The High Island Reservoir is another spot, hikers can enjoy the scenic trail which runs around the coast line- a true mix of the scenic coastal view & the green slopes lying side-by-side.

I chose to make the trip to Sharp Peak having sparse idea about the challenge lying ahead. As an avid photographer on tour, I’m habituated to walking longer distances for a great photo, sometimes taking the concepts of tough terrain & weather lightly.

The trek to Sharp Peak begins at the Sai Kung bus terminal, with bus 94 (Wong Shek Pier) and getting off at Pak Tam Au. The hike starts across the road which is a graveled track. But be sure to carry your own supply of water & food, I was shocked to find the vending machines, stacked with food & drinks but in terrible condition.

Out of my foolish instinct, I took a rocky trail that led me to the most impregnable foliage. I’d given up on the idea of continuing fearing the unknown & had decided to return when I met 2 hikers on the same route, I decided to join them. They turned out to be my saviors supplying me with information about the area & even food. One of them was a student of Yoga and had visited India before, it had become much easier for him to connect with my traditions & culture (not that it matters but he turned out to be a vegetarian too).

Sharp Peak lies in the Sai Kung East Country Park (4,477 hectares), rising at a height of 468 metres its difficult to lose sight of it at any given time. The trail to Sharp Peak covers a distance of 12 kilometers at an extreme height and takes about five hours to complete (you can get more details in ‘Exploring Hong Kong’s Countryside’ by Edward Stokes). However due to the late start & practically no prior preparation I opted for reaching Tai Long Wan beach, which was adjacent to the Ham Tin village.

Along the way I found deserted villages, it’s residents had long opted for the city high life & moved on. The houses that once sheltered families & hopes had been reclaimed by nature. The neighborhood was eerily hushed except for the odd chirping of birds & the passing breeze. The waves lashing at the abandoned boat tied to the pier. And some packs of dogs, silent & non-aggressive. However in some villages like Tai Long, it seemed there were few who had decided to stay on despite the pressures of the luxurious city life. The normal stink that accompanies human settlement wasn’t evident, the air was fresh, the aroma of the leaves & the soil was overpowering. The flow of the clear water stream along with the broken twigs & fishes was seductive, this was mother earth in her most divine embodiment. The mid afternoon sun had just added to her glow.

The stretch before Tai Long village is grueling. It descends into a valley continuously, which makes walking the descent a treat but not the steep climb while returning. There aren’t enough areas to rest on the arduous track except for the odd boulder on the sideway & the fence for support. Be assured that, you’ll need to rest at regular intervals, to calm your heartbeat and filling your lungs with fresh air before moving on.

After an exhaustive stroll through the woods, countering hillsides & buzzing insects, I finally reached Ham Tin village, which just like it’s predecessors had very few inhabitants to welcome me, the village wore a derelict & deserted look. But the well-equipped restaurant on the sea front, most probably a family run venture, stood there inviting me to rest my weary limbs. It wasn’t to be. Like a pirate crazed at the sight of treasure, I stood still gazing at the sea, ready to embrace her. Nothing could have stopped me at that point.

I’d one last hurdle to cross. Still staring straight at the vast South China Sea, I’d to cross a dilapidated bridge made out of poorly conjoined wooden planks on a shallow creek. I wasn’t ready for this but I had no choice. I started my catwalk, holding onto the ropes (and a prayer on my lips). Having finally connected with the environment in myriad ways, my sojourn to Tai Long Wan & Sai Kung had come to a satisfying end. As I made my trek back to where I started, I threw a glance at the tall mountains thanking them for making my journey the most memorable for a lifetime to come.

1. When Rajnikanth does push-ups, he isn’t lifting himself up. He is pushing the earth down.
2. There is no such thing as evolution, it’s just a list of creatures that Rajnikanth allowed to live.
3. Rajnikanth can divide by zero.
4. Rajnikanth can judge a book by its cover.
5. Rajnikanth can delete the Recycle Bin.
6. Rajnikanth can slam a revolving door.
7. Rajnikanth once kicked a horse in the chin. Its descendants are today called Giraffes.
8. Rajnikanth can make onions cry.
9. Rajnikanth destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
10. Rajnikanth once got into a knife-fight. The knife lost.
11. Rajnikanth never wet his bed as a child. The bed wet itself in fear.
12. Rajnikanth does not own a stove, oven,or microwave because revenge is a dish best served cold.
13. Rajnikanth has already been to Mars, that’s why there is no sign of life there.
14. Rajnikanth doesn’t move at the speed of light. Light moves at the speed of Rajnikanth.
15. When you say ‘no one is perfect’, Rajnikanth takes this as a personal insult.
16. Google won’t find Rajnikanth because you don’t find Rajnikanth: Rajnikanth finds you.
17. Rajnikanth leaves messages before the beep.
18. Rajnikanth calls Voldemort by his name.
19. Rajnikanth is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
20. Rajnikanth doesn’t wear a watch. He decides what time it is.
21. In an average living room there are 1,242 objects Rajnikanth could use to kill you, including the room itself.
22. When Rajnikanth is asked to kill someone he doesn’t know, he shoots the bullet and directs it the day he finds out.
23. Rajnikanth has counted to infinity, twice.
24. There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Rajnikanth lives in Chennai.
25. Water boils faster when Rajnikanth stares at it.
26. Rajnikanth kills two stones with one bird.
27. Rajnikanth killed the Dead Sea.
28. Rajnikanth gave Monalisa that smile.
29. Rajnikanth can drown a fish.
30. Rajnikanth once got into a fight with a VCR player. Now it plays DVDs.
31. Rajnikanth once ordered a plate of idli in McDonald’s, and got it.
32. Rajnikanth can win at Solitaire with only 18 cards.
33. The Bermuda Triangle used to be the Bermuda Square, until Rajnikanth kicked one of the corners off.
34. Rajnikanth can build a snowman out of rain.
35. Rajnikanth can watch the show ’60 Minutes’ in 20 minutes.
36. Rajnikanth will attain separate statehood in 2013.
37. Rajnikanth did, in fact, build Rome in a day.
38. Rajnikanth can play the violin with a piano.
39. Rajnikanth kills Harry Potter in the eighth book.
40. Rajnikanth gave the Joker those scars.
41. Rajnikanth once warned a young girl to be good “or else”. The result? Mother Teresa.
42. Rajnikanth electrocuted Iron Man.
43. Rajnikanth killed Spiderman using Baygon Anti Bug Spray.
44. Rajnikanth puts the ‘laughter’ in manslaughter.
45. Rajnikanth can handle the truth.
46. Rajnikanth can teach an old dog new tricks.
47. Rajnikanth grinds his coffee with his teeth and boils the water with his own rage.
48. The last time Rajnikanth killed someone, he slapped himself to do it. The other guy just disintegrated.
49. Rajnikanth can lick his elbows.
50. Rajnikanth once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.
51. Rajnikanth does not get frostbite. Rajnikanth bites the frost.
52. Rajnikanth got his drivers licence at the age of 16 seconds.
53. The statement “nobody can cheat death” is a personal insult to Rajnikanth. He cheats and fools death everyday.
54. Rajnikanth can give pain to painkillers and headache to Anacin.
55. Rajnikanth knows what women really want.
56. Time and tide wait for Rajnikanth.
57. As a child when Rajnikanth had dyslexia, he simply re-scripted the alphabet.
58. Rajnikanth doesn’t need a visa to travel abroad, he just jumps from the tallest building in Chennai and holds himself in the air while the earth rotates.
59. Rajnikanth doesn’t shower. He only takes blood baths.
60. Rajnikanth’s brain works faster than Chacha Chaudhary’s.
61. To be or not to be? That is the question. The answer? Rajnikanth.
62. The quickest way to a man’s heart is with Rajnikanth’s fist.
63. Where there is a will, there is a way. Where there is Rajnikanth, there is no other way.
64. Rajnikanth doesn’t bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the other nine faint out of fear.
65. Archaeologists unearthed an old English dictionary dating back to the year 1236. It defined “victim” as “one who has encountered Rajnikanth”.
66. Once a cobra bit Rajnikanth’s leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the cobra died.
67. Rajnikanth is a champion in the game of hide-n-seek, as no one can hide from Rajnikanth.
68. Rajnikanth proves Newton wrong all the time. Every time he performs an action, he simply eliminates anything and everything that can provide a reaction.
69. Rajnikanth is a weapon created by god to use on doomsday to end the world.
70. Aliens do indeed exist. They just know better than to visit a planet that Rajnikanth is on.
71. Rajnikanth does not style his hair. It lays perfectly in place out of sheer terror.
72. When Rajnikanth plays Monopoly, it affects the world economy.
73. Rajnikanth is the only man to ever defeat a brick wall in a game of tennis.
74. Rajnikanth’s house has no doors, only walls that he walks through.
75. Rajnikanth’s next film is called ‘Twitter’ – he plays 140 characters.
76. Rajnikanth’s calendar goes straight from March 31 to April 2. No one fools Rajnikanth.
77. Rajnikanth knows Victoria’s Secret.
78. Rajnikanth doesn’t breathe. Air hides in his lungs for protection.
79. Words like Awesomeness, Brilliance, Legendary, etc. were added to the dictionary in the year 1949. That was the year Rajnikanth was born.
80. Rajnikanth can answer a missed call.
81. There is no such thing as ‘Global Warming’. Rajnikanth was feeling cold, so he brought the Sun closer to heat the earth up.
82. Rajnikanth can strangle you with a cordless phone.
83. Rajnikanth’s email ID is gmail@Rajnikanth.com
84. Rajnikanth knows which came first, the chicken or the egg.
85. Rajnikanth found iPod too small, Apple launched iPad the next day.
86. The missing piece on the Apple logo was eaten by Raknikanth.
87. Once a girl lost her virginity, Rajnikanth got it back.
88. Rajnikanth once wrote a cheque, the bank bounced.
89. Rajnikanth’s first job was as a bus conductor. There were no survivors.
90. Rajnikanth’s every step creates a mini whirlwind. Hurricane Katrina was the result of a morning jog.
91. The quickest way to a man’s heart is with Rajinikanth’s fist.
92. You dont google Rajnikanth…u Rajnikanth google!
93. If at first you don’t succeed, you’re not Rajnikanth.
94. What are earthquakes? they occur when Rajnikanth shivers in the cold.
95. God is not Rajnikanth.
96. Rajnikanth never uploads a file. The net will come down.
97. Suraj Randiv can never bowl a no-ball to Rajnikanth, because Rajnikanth can always move the crease behind the bowler.
98. Rajnikanth can throw a cold.
99. Rajnikanth can debug Windows.
100. Newton discovered gravity, Rajnikanth abolished it.
101. In 2008 Rajnikanth lost his wallet, the world went into RECESSION.
102. Rajnikanth can win Platinum medal at the Olympics.
103. Rajnikanth can speak Braille.
104. Rajnikanth goes to court and sentences the judge.

I’ve observed frustration at times and questioned myself, what’s the most appropriate use of Twitter? If you look back in history, the founding fathers of Twitter envisioned it to be an SMS service “posting short burst of inconsequential information”. It now looks as if some are taking that word “inconsequential” far too seriously.

So what is the aim behind writing this passage? because I wanted to list out the individuals that I observe on Twitter and give them a name. And also to help YOU, the passionate, always-will-die-for-Twitter fanatic to build a sensible opinion before you post your next tweet.

The Ugly Dissenter
Always uses the Twitter to great effect. The Dissenter publishes rants, harsh opinions & ugly sarcasms. The personal bugbear of the Dissenter is the politician or a high profile celebrity. The Dissenter pushes the limits of his/her vociferation ofttimes behind the garb of anonymity, leading into multiple continuous tweets and usually containing cuss words – not starred ***, they don’t care about self-censorship, they just say what they have to. Upfront.

I Think: some critiquing is welcome but don’t overdo the act. There’s a thin line between humour or submitting your opinion and disgust. Also Twitter is a public medium, your tweets get archived & are searchable via Google. And your tweets can be reproduced by Twitter Inc., just in case you weren’t aware. Avoid displaying lengthy emotions which are better off on your blog or newspaper columns rather than in limited characters.

The Link Pimp
The Link Pimp never fails to believe that the only way to impress the “audience” is by posting (read spamming) and/or retweeting links from everywhere. In fact in most cases the Link Pimp is a fanboy of aggregator services such as Friendfeed which ensures everybody’s (read followers) timeline can be flooded effortlessly & simultaneously by dozens of uninteresting URLs, music & video favourites and so on. It works in the favour of the Link Pimp in keeping the status alive as an active user & increases his/her tweet count. The Pimp basically must be a character who has limited or no communication capabilities whatsoever of any sort. They are simply here for fun & propaganda.

I Believe: It’s difficult to persuade your followers to visit a URL. Try to converse with people like you’d normally do offline. That’s much easier.

The Conversationalist
You or your privacy is worth the price of sawdust for the Conversationalist. His/her friendly conversations matter a lot. So imagine the Conversationalist having a personal private Twitter talk with one or more of his/her follower(s) and s/he does the most unimaginable things ever – “ RT ” or starts a response with a word so it gets thrown on your timeline. Metaphorically speaking just imagine a loud group having a party at your neighbour’s suddenly popped into your house unannounced while you were having a personal moment. Your lack of interest in their intimate dialogue is obvious but of no consequence for the Conversationalist. Like I mentioned, your timeline is worth the price of sawdust for these bunch of people.

I Believe: in keeping conversations personal. If you think you must include friends address them separately. But ensure that the conversation doesn’t spill over beyond your own timeline.

The Misguided Celeb
You got featured on TV and in the press, you got publicity & now have more followers on Twitter than possibly the electoral voters of your locality. That qualifies you for becoming the Misguided Celebrity on Twitter. The rules are simple – you mustn’t follow a greater number of followers – say keep the number to 100 while you have over a 100,000 followers, that will give an impression of how picky you are about “quality tweets”. Secondly, you must have your conversation only with a chosen few (misguided celebrities again) from amongst your list of 100, create drama so you can generate whatever little responses you can afford. Thirdly, it doesn’t matter if you’re boring & ugly but never concede the snobbery & arrogance inside you – don’t bother responding to every Tom, Dick & Dirty Harry who wish to be friends with you. Don’t forget to gloat perpetually about that handshake & Twitpic with a Bollywood actor at the launch party or that holiday which you had in Spain along with the Twitpics or albums on Flickr. A pinch of publicity never killed anyone on Twitter. And oh, in the interim period if you feel bored, you can “vanish” from Twitter under the guise of “detoxification”. Also used effectively by many ” celebs” as a wonderful yardstick to measure one’s “popularity rating”.

I Concur: there’s no harm in responding to friendly conversations and reaching out to others, that is why Twitter is a great place to make new friends.

The Groupies
Consider them as a bunch of deluded fanatics on steroids, or hopeless addicts if you will. A typical day in the life of these Groupies starts with greeting E-V-E-R-Y possible follower they can force into one Tweet. Sometimes multiple tweets. Then someone joins the fest and Retweets the whole bunch of followers!! – one can only see followers because the greeting is buried somewhere under the heap of ‘@usernames’. You may not be interested in this kind of forced “friendliness”, it hardy mattered to the Groupies.

I Guess: There’s no substitute for having a real friend than a virtual one. And some conversations are better delivered & appreciated verbally in reality than texting online.

There are some who like to announce their location using Foursquare, or when they become “Mayors” of some alley in their neighborhood. I don’t know what I should call them – location lunatics maybe. There was a period when ‘Mafia Wars’ had taken over my Twitter timeline and there would “killings” (read spammings) day after day, tweet after tweet. And now there’s a new enemy called ‘Quora’. Then there are Internet Marketeers, they’ll have nothing interesting to tweet but will follow everybody who follows them. In turn they get a huge audience to push their marketing agenda, let’s say selling a hosting service or a soap brand.

There are plenty more roles, I could write a sequel to this article. But the purpose of this post isn’t to distinguish between “good tweeting” & “bad tweeting” or to teach etiquette in tweeting. This is just my observation and a personal suggestion – there’s always a “best practice” principle that we follow that makes us confident in the otucome. Personally I think Twitter is simply a facilitator in the social networking sector and its role in our life needs much more respect then what we currently have to offer. People hold different perspectives looking at Twitter. For some it has become a source of getting invaluable information such as reviews & product launches, for many Twitter has become their emotional support lifeline, where they met friends and got more out of life. In fact many would have found their life-partners too. So how and what we experience and learn from Twitter depends on our wisdom & maturity. The same goes for ethical tweeting. As they say “to each one his own” but how “sociable” do we want to become and in what way rests upon us. It’s not a rule, it’s an exception.

My Take On Twitter
Final last words. I admire Twitter folks and my followers in particular. But my focus has never been to gain more followers (which explains my anorexic follower count). And I don’t feel obligated to “follow back” but I care to respond to those for whom I have a valid & sane response, not just inane smileys or “yes” & “no”. On the contrary I follow dozens who haven’t reciprocated (or have unfollowed me quitely), but their tweets are informative & enriching hence they continue to be “stalked”. I follow some very smart people from whom I have learned a lot. The definition of social networking for me is to be informed about the latest developments in the areas that I’m most intrigued about – Apple, Design, Current Affairs, Sports, et al, on the way meeting some wonderful folks. I’m hoping to maintain this tradition & principle for myself in the future.

The movie version of this comic book was released last year but it’s a misplaced judgment to think that I picked the comic book ONLY for this reason. The artwork of ‘Watchmen’ – colouring, penciling, compositions grabbed my attention, Dave Gibbons has done them so wonderfully. Also all the 12 issues published by DC Comics in a single volume makes it a collector’s item!

Like any other comic-book that you grab, one tends to get caught in the illustrations & colour, same happened here. As the story progresses towards a thrilling climax paying more attention to finer details becomes irrelevant or difficult – aren’t comics supposed to be enjoyed, lived through? but ‘Watchmen’ is different. I noted some nuances which I came across during my reading, you’ll realize why this is NOT an ordinary comic-book we’re talking here. I am still discovering the hidden facets from ‘Watchmen’ and will add them here, perhaps it might take another reading. But these are just a few of my hurried notes.

Comic-within-a-Comic
Scenes appear intermittently of another comic story juxtaposing with the main storyline. At a newsstand in downtown New York City, a teenager called Bernie (Bernard) is reading a comic-book ‘Tales of the Black Freighter’ comprising the story ‘Marooned’, he mentions reading it repeatedly. It’s about a castaway mariner, adrift on a raft made of bodies of his former shipmates, going towards his home at Davidstown to warn his family of the arrival of a phantom pirate ship called the ‘Black Freighter’. When he reaches Davidstown he finds it is already under the occupation of the pirate crew. After murdering a couple at the shores, he returns home and kills a night watchman only to realize it’s his wife he has murdered in panic. Destruction has now befallen upon him. As he escapes the scene & returns to the shore he finds the ‘Black Freighter’ approaching, ready to claim the only life that it truly desired – he boards the ship eagerly. What I’m now trying to understand is the logic behind presenting this story as a comic within ‘Watchmen’; whether it has any moral resemblance to the main story.

The owner of the news stand is an old man called Bernard. It’s been shown that he’s not particularly happy about Bernie spending time at the newsstand reading the comic for free but when he finds out about his namesake, a special affection grows for the young lad. However sadly when the Alien Monster is unleashed upon New York City by Adrian Veidt, Bernard tries to save the teenager and both eventually succumb to the destruction (Page 6, Chapter XII). I believe that the presence of Nite Owl II, Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan & Silk Spectre at Veidt’s Antartic retreat ‘Karnak’ saved their lives from the Alien Monster catastrophe.

Clocks
With progressive chapters, on the title page there’s a clock with the minute hand drawing closer to midnight that’s similar to the Doomsday Clock that symbolizes the end of the world. Finally in Chapter XII the clock strikes 12 when the Alien Monster is dropped & half of the New York City is obliterated.

The Knot Tops
They are a dreaded gang headed by man named Derf. The name ‘Knot Tops’ comes from a Japanese style of knotting their heads. They mistakenly murder Hollis Mason, the first Nite Owl thinking he has freed Rorschach from the prison. Eventually it’s shown in Chapter XII that the Knot Tops perish outside a movie theater on ‘doomsday’. Therefore the illustrations are not merely drawn for effects but to further the storyline. I also found that the ‘Katies’ which the Knot Tops are seen referring is a street drug called KT-28, you can see someone asking for it and popping the contents of a packet in the next box.

Comedian’s Smiley Badge
The yellow badge with a smiley face appears in the first chapter during the murder of The Comedian. He was wearing the badge on his dressing gown when he was thrown out of the window of his apartment, it was lying washed near the gutter on the street with a blood stain on it. Subsequently Rorschach picks up the badge & begins the investigation. That’s where the story starts.

About the blood stain – an interpretation drawn from some websites was an arrow of the minute hand of a clock pointing at 10 minutes to 12, implying symbolically to the Doomsday Clock and the proximity of the catastrophic destruction of the Earth. The smiley face also appears as a crater on Argyre Planitia of planet Mars when Laurie goes to meet Doctor Manhattan and as his clockwork tower starts breaking up (Page 27, Chapter IX). The badge appears on numerous pages in the comic as well.

Rorschach’s Mask
Walter Kovacs a.k.a. Rorschach is the main character of the entire series, he raises the alarm and investigates a murderer who’s after the masked superheroes, confiding the truth in Daniel Dreiberg (Nite Owl II) after The Comedian is killed.

(Chapter VI, Page 10) After being framed in the murder of Edgar Jacobi (the masked hero Moloch, the mystic), he tells Dr. Malcolm Long, the psychologist about the history behind his “face”. In 1962 while working in a garment factory, he received a special order for a dress from a young girl with an Italian name for a Dr. Manhattan spin-off fabric – “viscous fluids between two layers latex, heat and pressure sensitive”, he notes. The girl never collects the dress but Kovacs loves it, telling Dr. Long, “…black and white. Moving. Changing shape…but not mixing. No Gray”. Since nobody wanted it, he takes it home and cuts it to make a mask. And that becomes the true identity of Rorschach, his face.

I am trying to find answers to the following –
(1) what’s that thing President Nixon’s holding in his hand in Chapter X?
(2) Veidt poisons the 3 gentlemen in ‘Karnak’, who are they, servants or scientists?
(3) Is there any significance behind the perfume bottle which Laurie breaks on Mars, recollecting her past to Jon. And some more…as I read the comic book once again for crucial answers.

I did not set out with a firm expectation on what the design should be or how it should “feel”. Before I finalised the current website I had trashed atleast 3 designs because I was not satisfied with the output. Either it was too colourful or murky or it looked very dull. What was my user going to think about me? it was a question that consistently flashed across my mind. So I stepped into the user’s shoes and began thinking critically. The end-result was a minimalist design that goes against all norms of “good” web design which we have come to admire in this so-called ‘Web 2.0′ world. My aim was to reduce the “noise” while providing the right “signals” to the information seeker. I wanted the visual design element to be invisible such that the likelihood of getting influenced by graphics, colours, etc. and being dragged away from the content I wanted to be consumed was reduced. And so here is that website that begs your utmost love, care and affection.

A few things must be said before leaving this website in the good hands. It’s still in a work-in-progress state so expect a few dead links, a few glitches here and there. Most importantly I am eager to know your views on the overall experience so do not hesitate to leave your comments behind. Happy surfing!

When you move a file that’s going to be duplicated, Windows system asks you if you want to Rename it or let Windows give it a default name — in which case it adds an ‘_numeric’ to it.

Mac does have this auto-rename feature but only for its Downloads. For instance you downloaded a file using the Safari browser, it defaults the name to ‘_numeric’ if a duplicate file is found. That is a boon because users download a whole lot of stuff and don’t want to be bugged by dialog boxes asking for renaming/replacements or whatever.

But here’s where the goodness is soured. If you use Finder to move a bunch of duplicate files across 2 folders, Mac just gives you 3 options – Don’t Replace, Stop and Replace. There’s no ‘Rename File(s)’ option available! I fail to understand this but my hunch is that this nifty feature might have been patented by Windows. For whatever reason, it’s a basic choice which Mac just could not have ignored.

I have posted my feedback to Apple and hopefully they will include it in their next release Snow Leopard. Looking at current times when content creation and warehousing are mere necessities, empowering the user with features that streamline the processing of his/her data would always be welcomed.

FedEx would have delivered the package on March 23rd if Mount Redoubt had not erupted ‘untimely’. All FedEx flights were diverted and the package took a week more than usual for delivery. It was a situation beyond anyone’s control but I was getting impatient. Finally the good news from FedEx that the package had arrived in Regina early morning and was going to be delivered today. No way I was going to miss the delivery schedule (and wait another day). I requested the executive to let me know an hour before the delivery van was at my doorstep so I could go home and she agreed.

Finally the call came from FedEx but guess what?!! the delivery van had already reached my doorstep and the lady was apologetic for missing the point (aw! darn!). The driver said “sorry” he couldn’t wait and his next stop would be the Sask Energy building just in case I could catch him. I made a dash for my house in the cold and saw the FedEx white van turning at the corner of the street 2 blocks away from my location and vanishing- oh dang! I reached my doorstep to see if there was a note but couldn’t find one but I knew the van was in the vicinity. Reaching the Sask Energy building was my next goal and the biting cold made a block look like a kilometer long.

Soon enough I saw the white van turning into the backyard of the huge Sask Energy building and I was running once again to catch it before it vanishes once again. The van was parked amidst a few more white vehicles camouflaging it nicely. It felt like I had been set up for a cruel joke – when I reached the driver had disappeared. I wasn’t sure how long I would be waiting in the harsh cold. I wanted my Mac TODAY, I said to myself and I’m not leaving without getting it. Sooner than I’d finished cursing myself, a uniformed personnel arrived smilingly like he knew who I was and what I was looking for. Apple, he told me had not authorized him to reroute the package to the office address (which was pitiful) and he had a schedule to meet so he had to rush. After the preliminary exchange of greetings, he vanished inside the van to find what I was looking for and reappeared with a puny little box that hardly look like it contained Mac. And it was so freaking light! A few “thank you”s and “apologies” later we both went our ways. I left the box at my apartment and it’s lying there now awaiting my arrival in the evening.

And so the Mac is here FINALLY. The question that begs an answer – is this the end of my long affair with the PC?

There’s nothing much to explore in this cold season in Regina because everything’s covered under snow. It’s also difficult to walk on the streets when the wind chill factor is low (or should I say high). So although one might be an avid walker in Mumbai, being adventurous in this season in Regina could mean a nasty frost bite or exhaustion. Ice gets deposited on any part of the body that remains exposed to the cold wind while you’re taking a stroll. Feet even though wrapped in woolen socks turn numb and ache. All sidewalks and roads that are covered with snow will make walking a very challenging task. It’s not surprising that most people around here own a car while others take the Regina Transit bus service for commuting. Cab services are also available and just a call away if you can afford the fares. But wait until the summer turns up. The locals keep talking a lot about the season when they go mountain biking or trekking. I am eagerly awaiting the the sun to bring me the comfort of its warmth.
 
Regina is full of nice people as I found out much earlier than I expected. My first contact in this city was Surjit, a security officer at the 711 store on Broad Street. I met Syed later originally from Pakistan and introduced by a friend from the project who gave me and my teammate a ride in his Honda around the city. On another evening a Regina Transit lady driver helped me find a bus to take me to Downtown from the Eastern parts of the city. She took a pamphlet out and marked the bus timings for me ensuring I am not left out in the cold literally. Then 2 youngsters became fast friends at the McDonald’s outlet – one from Afghanistan the other from Azerbaijan. However that is nothing as compared to the smiles and greetings that I receive everyday from countless strangers on the streets and in the elevators. Friendliness is like a way of life for these wonderful people.
 
Food is another thing that one enjoys in Regina. In fact this city is well-known for it’s wide variety of restaurants. There’s a food court in the Cornwall Centre mall quite adjacent to my office which caters to every taste bud on this planet. My favorites include Manchu Wok and their Garden Plate dish, the Opa from Greece with their delicious Veggie Pita wraps cooked in Olive oil and also Edo from Japan who serve one of the best Udon Noodle soups I have tasted so far. It’s difficult to finish the bowl but that’s pretty much lunch for me. Veggie food is not difficult to find but be assured that soups would use meat broths as I found out later in one of the city restaurants. Be a little flexible on the eggs too if you enjoy eating out too often. Not to mention how addicted I have become to the Hot Chocolate and Cafe Mocha from Tim Hortons. It’s far easier to compare anything with India and get away but Canada could be exciting too if you learn to adapt yourself to it’s environment and the society. The good thing about this country is you can make friends as easily as getting freezed in the wind chill. There’s a lot to be shared about Regina and I think I haven’t actually. It’s getting interesting now as I start to dig my feet into the frozen earth of Regina.

I had a tough time digesting the idea of working in a world renowned holiday destination. It was a pathetic feeling to say the least, that I would be ignoring the swaying palms, the flowing backwaters and the gentle breezes. An impossible situation like you’re sentenced to 5 days of imprisonment albeit in a hotel room, all by yourself watching STAR World! Even the gods would have laughed at my apathy.

The warm hospitality was accorded during my journey from the airport to the hotel. During the 45 minute long drive the driver was curiously probing to see where I came from. Not even hesitating to ask me my religion and caste which I would consider to be rude coming from a total stranger. Once at the hotel, the rooms were pretty good and set the tone for a grueling next few days. My day used to begin pretty early as usual until it struck me that I am not in Mumbai and need not worry about catching a train to work. The schedule was much relaxed and a bus would ferry me to and from the hotel. I am so habituated at running for the office, on the first day I landed 30 minutes prior to the arrival of my bus at the bus-stop! I realised unlike Mumbai the concept of ‘catching’ a bus would not work. Life is pretty relaxed and smooth over here.

The menu items in the canteen catered mostly to the meat-eaters. A ‘grasshopper’ like me had to suffice with the choice of a curry, chappati and rice. If I didn’t like what was being served, no problem. I still had to eat it because unlike in Mumbai there were no other eating places around. So walking the tightrope between health and taste and considering the ultimate goal of surviving away from home, I would very hesitatingly put morsels after another in a bid to quench my hunger and live for another day. The evenings though were different.

The hotel where I was put up served sumptuous Indian meals with a dash of Indian classical music every night. There would be 2 musicians on a violin or flute and a mridangam playing pure Carnatic fare. I would be the lone ranger on a table enjoying the music while the august gathering around would be intoxicating themselves. It’s sad because the musicians would look around for appreciation and none would be forthcoming. The funny part was when they would play ‘Vaishnava Janato’ on the violin — the bhajan that was made famous by Gandhiji and I would think they are doing it to vent their frustration. It’s an unlikely place for a bhajan when all are drowning their sorrows under the oceans of alcohol. I noticed they played this number at least once every evening before taking a break.

Anyway the food was good and so was the ambience of the artificial pond with real fishes in it. Except on the last day I saw a cockroach taking a stroll on the wall while I was chewing my delicious Milagu Paneer rolled in a piece of the soft Rumali Roti and I sprang up completely. The stewards were hugely embarrassed at my ‘sting’ operation and had nothing more to say except for a few mumbles and broad smiles. I have no choice but to come back at this place again because I am told Kochi comes to a standstill at the stroke of 8:00pm. It’s not too difficult to understand the predicament of a Mumbai man who is used to making informed choices about everything in life. Just this time he’s biting the bullet and it’s not funny.

When I was in Kochi I would think endlessly about my India and wonder if I was still in the same place. I mentioned ‘my’ India because each individual has a different picture of India in his mind. It’s difficult to fathom this country which is so large and diversified in cultures, languages and traditions, it changes its face every kilometer you travel. A billion souls, many languages, thriving customs and religions, serene landscapes and the one glue that binds us all – the Idea of India. I am going back to Kochi and God’s Own Country.