India Authentic : Remix the Puranas!

India has been a land of rich and plentiful mythology. Almost every foreign person has heard a story of at least one of the various Gods in India (it is said there are 3,300,000 Gods) and surely they have been fascinated by the depth and moral value in each of the stories.

Virgin Comics India Authentic is a series that aims to re-create the stories of the Gods in a manner relevant to the present age- an age that expects even superheroes' powers to be logical. They portray Gods as part human, with powers only the Gods can wield fused with emotions found only in humans.

It is an ongoing series with seven parts out on the stands and another is expected in December 2007. It showcases some of the most famous Gods- Ganesha, Shiva, Indra, Kali and Vishnu, along with the well-known tale of Uma- the girl who became God, through love.The latest issue is about Yama merged with the legendary tale of Savitri- the devoted and loyal wife who saved her husband from Death.

Of course, the Puranas have been modified for a dramatic effect in the stories (because otherwise stories about Gods would most always be cliched), but the Puranas themselves have been mangled through the centuries, so it is said, and so the Virgin Comics version wouldn't go amiss.

The illustrations are all top-class, showing shades of emotions, action, depicting fury of battles, all with ease. They blend smoothly with the story.

It's pretty interesting- just like any comics series from Virgin Comics. So enjoy!!


Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #1 Ganesha
Size: 26 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2qllp6

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #2 Kali
Size 26.5 MB
http://tinyurl.com/3x5sxy

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #3 Indra
Size: 6.7 MB
http://tinyurl.com/36osdr

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #4 Uma
Size: 3.4 MB
http://tinyurl.com/3xzk8k

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #5 Shiva
Size: 13.2 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2mgt8o

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #6 Vishnu
Size: 16 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2qanmz

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Virgin Comics India Authentic Download Rapidshare #7 Yama
Size: 14.8 MB
http://tinyurl.com/3a43d4

Stop!! Entry Restricted!! New features in Yahoo Chat

Yahoo chat servers have been around for aeons, from the very beginning of Yahoo itself. Of all the successful features of Yahoo, this has been the toughest to replicate- and has been quite a monopoly (although MSN live messengers did exist- they have not been able to unsettle Yahoo's popularity).

But the rise of Google Talk- which is faster and compact, compared to Yahoo's Instant Messenger has upstaged Yahoo- I notice so many people preferring Google Talk to chat with friends, Yahoo has understood that its position is vulnerable. It has made Yahoo sit up and pay attention.

It has much to do with Yahoo's nonchalant attitude to the perenial problem of Chat Bots. There have been countless complaints and innumerable Trojan attacks through the Chat servers, not to mention all the spam that fills up precious bandwidth (which makes Yahoo chat servers so slow, and prone to frequent crashes), yet Yahoo has maintained a stand that these never existed.

But, with the rise of Google Talk, Yahoo has decided to do something about this scourge. Its quite a simple method- just prevent automated IDs from entering the Chat rooms. Which means you can have a million automated IDs (and use them for mails etc.) but you cant come into a Chat room unless you're real.

By the new security laws in Chat servers- you need to type a special code displayed as a Captcha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha) every time you enter into a Chat room (So if you change 5 rooms- its 5 codes you need to enter).

So effective is the system that you find instant relief for all the real (loyal) users. While Chat rooms were flooded with Bots earlier, they've all been eliminated, or rather replaced by the real people- the ones they can chat with. Of course, there are real spammers, but that's a minority and besides its blatantly clear who is the spammer and who is the real person.

What this means is- Yahoo has finally decided to listen to its customers, and has understood that customer is God and that everyone else has to bow to them.

Enough said, Yahoo direly needs its old customers back from Google Talk. Lets see how this new move from Yahoo works out.

Advantage Term Life: Making you Fully Loaded for Life

Driving my nephew to his school I noticed that life has its perils hidden everywhere. We just cannot predict whats going to happen tomorrow. The other day I was preparing meticulously for an exam when I get a call telling me that my grandma is seriously ill and fighting for dear life in the ICU. Fortunately, she's now back to normal and I was thankful to the insurance guys as much as to the doctors.
Well, that's about life's uncertainties- and I guess now you see the reason behind insuring oneself. You could try Advantage Term life insurance- they help you Save Money on Insurance and Reduce Premiums
Above all that- they have Insurance Quoting Services which something very novel.
If you run a company and want to provide insurance cover to your employees, they offer Corporate Insurance Plans for Employers
They even offer practical insurance plans like Cheap Smoker Insurance Rates.
Now that's what I call- fully loaded for life.

Reason: Autumn In My Heart

This is the famous song Reason from the TV series "Autumn in my heart". Its a pretty sad song, and is slow most of the times- and twice in the song it builds up gradually to a crescendo and the pattern is very predictable, although enchanting to listen to. It has almost the same instruments Endless Love from "The Myth" (http://hardshipalarmnot.blogspot.com/2007/10/greatest-love-songs-of-all-time-endless.html) used and in fact there is a common phrase in the lyrics for both songs -"ijineun marayo" which roughly translates to "never forget".

Anyway, here's the song-

Rapidshare Free Download Reason from Autumn In My Heart sung by Jong Il Young

Size: 3.9 MB

http://tinyurl.com/ypaz5a

Correct Lyrics for Reason from Autumn In My Heart sung by Jong Il Young
http://tinyurl.com/yunbnd

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Tiger Tiger Burning Bright

Copy of 8
Originally uploaded by sextus_rex

Tiger Tiger Burning Bright,
In the forests of the night!

So goes the famous poem "The Tiger" by William Blake. I could go on singing the praise of the Tiger- its my favorite animal, and it is the National Animal of my country (India). It is the perfect creation of God.

A splendour and regalia unmatched even by the Lion, a mix of Speed and Strength unfounded in any other living being in the World- a beauty in its ruthless method, a fire in its eyes- the Tiger evokes gasps of admiration and terror alike from all those who see it- maybe because if they do see it eyeball to eyeball (in point blank range), that's the last sight they will ever see I guess.

Anyway, here are some close-up shots of the Tiger in the wild, for us unfortunate souls who could never get to a Tiger so close in our lives (if at all we value them that is).


Click here to see the entire collection:

Free High Resolution Tiger Wallpapers

http://www.flickr.com/gp/13232910@N04/595oDG

Australia's answer to Kamal Hassan's Dasavatharam!

If you ever thought the Aussies were nothing more than a bunch of bullies (if you think that is ridiculous, you must watch cricket regularly to know otherwise) with no sense of art or culture- well think again, because good old Warney- the Spin Wizard, has become their new Mascot for his histrionics.

In the latest TV ad, Shane Warne plays the roles of his dad, mum and himself as their baby in this innovative take on Dasavatharam (of course, unintended)- but I guess he goes one step more than all our Indian actors, being cast as a baby as well. (Sorry I couldn't get pics of the baby!)

Well, he may not be the family man in real life (he is a divorced man), but he seems to say to the World- I am the family I need; I can be the mother, father and the baby! :-)

Look at this pic- doesn't he look like Satyaraj?

Here're some links to articles:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22732925-2,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22733144-661,00.html

Falling Standards of Indian Education : Shaking the foundation

The latest survey on world educational institutions brings out a startling fact- that no Indian University is among the top 200 of the world. What this suggests is of far greater consequence than one can imagine.
This has shaken the very bedrock of our country's growth in recent years- of NRIs (Non Residential Indians) and Indian penetration into the West.
We all know the phenomenon of the Brain Drain- of talented, intelligent Indians offering their services to the US and other developed countries for greater monetary rewards. So far, Indians have been well respected with regards to matters of the intellect. But, with the fall in institute standards, the next generation of students might find it tough to continue the legacy of being the best "foreigners" in these lands.
China has so far been behind the race due to their inherent difficulty in learning English- their language being the major hindrance, but now with reports like these, the language fluency maybe overlooked for pure quality by the Western employers and we might find more Chinese competing successfully against Indians.
The government's push for more and more reservations in all National institutes has not helped. If the situation has to change- it is we, the students who must stand up to our rights for a better education. How many of you know how rotten, cluttered and outdated is our syllabus?
More on the nature of our syllabus in another special editorial- watch out for that.

Here's the complete article:

TOP STORIES
No Indian varsity among top 200 universities
By IE Tuesday November 13, 04:38 PM

No Indian varsities, including the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology, figure among world's top 200 universities this year, while six Chinese universities were listed, signalling the rapid stride the Communist giant is making in higher education.
Harvard University tops the league table followed by Cambridge and Oxford at second and third positions respectively.
The top 10 universities are all either in the United States or the United Kingdom, a survey has found.
Besides China, other Asian countries figuring in the list of world-class universities are Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.
The IITs, which figured regularly in all the previous surveys, since The Times Higher - Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings began three years ago, have fallen off the map this year partly because of a change in evaluation norms.
For this year's survey, individual IITs were assessed, and not the "IIT system as a whole." And none of the seven IITs was considered good enough to find a place among the top ranking world universities, according to the survey.
However, IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai find mention among the world's top 50 technology institutions, with the former at 37 and latter at 33 -- both way behind China's Tsinghua University, placed at 16.
The six Chinese universities included among the world's top 200 are Peking University, Tsinghua University (also listed among the 50 best technology institutions), Fudan University, Nanjing University, the University of Science and Technology of China and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
The survey covering 28 countries, confirms the English-speaking world's dominance in higher education with America and Britain leading the pack.

Google Desktop : Search Extreme!

When was the last time you tried to find a long-forgotten file using your in-built Windows search and were actually successful?

Have you ever had the feeling of helplessness of not remembering to bookmark certain pages of the net (that you reached after copious amounts of searching) to find that you have deleted the history, and therefore all traces of that page? Now you wanna go there, but cant remember the address, only the site name- and the page you found needs a lot of navigating from the main page.

If that had been a blog, and if you had bookmarked the blog (and not the permalink to that page), chances are you may never find that page after a month- you might have forgotten all critical data about the file.


So how do you get back to pages that you've deleted from history?
The answer is simple- Google Desktop!

Yes Google is the best search engine that's available out there, and it now offers its services to help you bring order to the clutter that is your desktop- your complete PC.

Its shrewd, fast and comprehensive. If you've ever used Google toolbar, you'll find Google Destop pretty similar, only it searches your files and web-history and a lot more.
Simply press Ctrl twice in quick succession (like a double click), and the friendly Google Desktop Seach Bar appears in the middle of your screen (you can disable it if you want).

Click here for a closer look:
http://www.freewebs.com/pujyam/toolbar.JPG

It makes suggestions for keywords even as you type in the search terms. It neatly sorts out the search results as files or web-history e-mails, chats or other, providing results in order of latest used. The results presented may contain the search-term in any way- as filename, as inline text, or in a web-page recently viewed, even in your mail-box (for example, in Yahoo mail).


It gives a preview of the page or file, and it has a cached version as well, even in case the page is invalid now, or if the file has been deleted. (of course, if its a word file etc.)
This applies even if the history has been deleted- Google Desktop will have a cached version of every single page visited- so it can serve as a great tool for parents to keep an eye on their children (without them knowing), instead of using Netnanny etc.

Click here for a closer look:

http://www.freewebs.com/pujyam/search_results.JPG

In fact- so powerful it is that it gives you a cached version of even your mail-box page, which means anyone can see the mails you've got (not read them of course, but you can see the inbox page, which is saved as a screenshot by the Google Desktop Software)

And so using this- you can actually search your Yahoo mails too (I know how idiotic Yahoo Mail searches are- absolutely irrelevant) and directly goto your mailbox from Google Desktop search (of course, you must provide the username and password) and read the mail!

Its like those portkeys and fireplaces you've in Harry Potter- just tell them the location and you're right there.

The search results are so relevant, and you can sort them out pretty quickly as you get screenshots with previews of every result. Its like identifying your mom hidden in a group of young girls- so damn easy.

Its an amazing search utility, and it is actually more than merely a search. And whats more, its absolutely free!

To read more about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Desktop


Download it from the official site here:
http://desktop.google.com/

Matrubhoomi becoming a reality?

Tell me folks- how many of you saw the movie Matrubhoomi (2003), starring Tulip Joshi- that innocent-faced girl with a look and build of a teen(She's 28 it seems), dealing with themes like female foeticide and infanticide and fratenal polyandry?

If you didn't you better check out this wiki page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrubhoomi



Once you've some basic idea of the story, and start thinking how fantastic, unrealistic is the plot- then you must read this article by Kalpana Sharma, a brilliant and fearless writer- who writes on women empowerment.

Here are some excerpts from her article: World without women published in today's Hindu Sunday Magazine (dated 18th November 2007).



In the late 1980s, when we had the first indications that technology was being used to ensure that girls were not born, a few people made rather prescient predictions about the future. They predicted that women would face much greater violence. They suggested that women would be trafficked.
These campaigners against sex-selective abortions were condemned as scare-mongerers. They were told they were exaggerating to make a point. Fewer women would mean a greater demand for them. That instead of dowry, women could demand a higher price for marriage. Realities now
We know now that the opposite has happened. Many of the dire predictions made in the 1980s are coming true. In the States where sex selection is most rampant, there are entire villages where the men cannot find women to marry. So they are “buying” women from other States. And in some instances, where the family can afford to buy just one woman, she is expected to “service” all the men in the family.



The 2001 census was a wake-up call. It exposed the damning Indian reality of falling sex ratios in the 0-6 years age group. The national average stood at 927 girls to 1,000 boys.

(I've already written an article regarding the disproportionate sex-ratio read that article here

http://hardshipalarmnot.blogspot.com/2007/09/alarming-fall-of-girls-population-in.html)



Meanwhile, according to recent reports, in villages in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, women are being sold as “wives” for as little as Rs. 3,000. Impoverished women from Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand are finding themselves in households where they do not speak the same language as their “husbands” who have paid for them. They are expected to clean, cook and procreate. Ideally, they should bear boys. If they have girls, they have several reasons to worry. For one, girls in these villages are unwelcome. Second, in villages full of men, many of who cannot find women to marry, girls are unsafe. They cannot be sent out of the house alone. And even within the household, they have to be protected.
In some villages in Punjab, however, all the men in a household have access to the bought bride. She has no choice. Even if she is married to one brother, she must be available to all the other brothers in the house. Thus, polyandry exists, particularly in poor households where only one man can “buy” a wife.



Yet, sex selection has clearly shown that prosperity enhances and deepens inherent prejudices and provides the resources to act upon them. It is no coincidence that the most prosperous districts have the lowest sex ratios.



Read the full article here:
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2007/11/18/stories/2007111850070300.htm

Hips Don't Lie: Latino Magico!

Well folks, it had to happen sometime- I had to put up this song someday or the other- its my one of my all-time favorites, and most favoured song from Shakira- Hips Don't Lie.

When I first heard about this song- that it had made it to the Grammys, and that the performance of Shakira and Wyclef Jean at the MTV Awards 2007 function had been choreographed Indian-style by Farah Khan, I didn't read much into it.

There was a review that praised Shakira with no-bounds- that the song was out of this world, and that it was something totally different all her offerings- a song that'll plummet her to the pinnacle of pop glory.

It sure did- by far, in the United World Chart it is at the #1 position.

In fact- it has been at the top of the charts of almost all major countries! Amazing for any song!
Everybody loves it!
It was awarded the World Single of the Year 2006, besides various other awards.

Well, there's very little I would like to say about the song, it's a mishmash of a pop number with traditional Latin beats and interludes. It contains shades of Salsa, Cumbia, Reggaeton and maybe main-stream pop as well.

The video contains a lot of belly dancing by Shakira (boy can she dance!), and no wonder- she got the MTV Award for best Choreography.
A modified version of the song was performed by Shakira at the World Cup 2006 Finals (Football, of course), and its as cool a number as it can get. The song, called Bamboo, was remixed as a much faster dance version.

The song actually evolved through a lot of stages, and right now, there're a lot of versions- I've provided them all.

The MTV Awards function song has some cool new instruments that actually make it even more enjoyable, although eliminating the feel of the more traditional effect of the song- that was made possible through minimal music from the traditional instruments.

Here you go,

Rapidshare Free Download Hips Don't Lie by Shakira and Wyclef Jean

Size: 8.5 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2yt8op

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Rapidshare Free Download Hips Don't Lie Bamboo World Cup 2006 Song by Shakira and Wyclef Jean

Size: 5 MB
http://tinyurl.com/ynntdx

Rapidshare Free Download Hips Don't Lie Bamboo World Cup 2006 Song Dance Remix by Shakira and Wyclef Jean

Size: 4.8 MB
http://tinyurl.com/yr34ca

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Correct Lyrics for Hips Don't Lie by Shakira and Wyclef Jean
http://tinyurl.com/2dnh8q

Correct Lyrics for Hips Don't Lie Bamboo World Cup 2006 Song by Shakira and Wyclef Jean

http://tinyurl.com/2xes2b

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me) : Achtung Baby!

This is one of my favorites from Samantha Fox, although I love her Touch Me more.

http://hardshipalarmnot.blogspot.com/2007/11/touch-me-yeah-it-touched-me-in-my-heart.html

It starts with a challenge- with Samantha crooning “Are you strong enough? Gimme what I want!” It sets the tone of the song- only the strong and fast can keep pace with it. The first few moments is the only peace you’ll get in the song- the rest of it hurtles ahead like a runaway train leaving you gasping and panting by the time you reach the first crescendo. The electric guitar blares in the background and the chorus blazes your ears, yet for all its high decibel levels- its more pleasure than pain.

Of course, there is a lull in the middle, but that’s just the calm before the storm, giving you time to take a few breaths-for the last minute is pure mayhem. What must’ve been a fade out finish (like her Touch Me), its total bedlam here, concentrating all the blood to your head- it literally pulls you out onto the floor to gyrate vigorously to its beats. (naa, just shake your body as if possessed)
You needn’t understand the lyrics (there aint much anyway), to enjoy the song- its more the music kinda song than meaning, but the lyrics do have a relation to the song (as I already mentioned), it (the song) depicts the power of the girl, who can be satiated by none but the strong.

Following the popularity of the song, an extended version was released. The problem is- the original version is too short, while the extended version is too long! :-)

It’s full of power- female power! Samantha Fox rocks! Enjoy the song!

Rapidshare Free Download Do Ya Do Ya Wanna Please Me by Samantha Fox
http://tinyurl.com/2enqyn

Rapidshare Free Download Do Ya Do Ya Wanna Please Me (Extended Version) by Samantha Fox
http://tinyurl.com/2npllt

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Touch Me: Yeah It touched me (in my heart, if you're curious)

They say “It is not the Disciple who finds the Guru, rather it’s the Guru who knows the Disciple”. Well, I must say, I felt the above, when this song found me at a mall. It was crowded like hell out there, and yet amidst the pandemonium, I could hear a sweet voice crooning some inviting lines. It was like honey to my ears. I tried my best to discern the words, but the only words I could fathom were “Touch Me”, “I wanna feel your body”.

I normally get to hear songs at the mall, and forget them later in the day, but somehow, this one refused to leave my mind. The lines just kept coming back. I had to listen to the song I decided.
Its not easy downloading a song not knowing the name or the album or the artist, I thought. No not at all- just type in the words you heard along with the magic word “lyrics”, and voila, you get the info of any song that contains your lyrics. Its just child’s play to single out the song from that list (yeah I felt like Madhavan writing this- his explanation of homing in on his love-interest in Alaipayuthe in my mind).

Well, back to the song- once I downloaded it, I couldn’t wait to listen, and I wasn’t disappointed either. In fact, I liked it more than I thought I would- I was smitten with it for days together. It’s now one of my all-time favorites.
The whole song is one beautiful composition in Rock- just the kinda song you’ll hear in night clubs accompanied by some dancing ravishing beauties.
It starts off with a drum beat followed by the words “Touch Me”, and transcends into another dimension- and once you are safely landed there, the woman starts to seduce you- that’s how you feel when you first listen to the song, and what a great job she does of it!

I can’t describe the song, part by part- the whole song is a symphony of the first order- it must be heard! It can’t be categorized as a dance number, or a love song- it’s merely a song, only it’s not merely another song! And its lyrics won’t be amiss amidst a cluster of great love poems.
The song was so successful that Samantha’s popularity sky-rocketed after this, and the song alone has a cult following, inducing a techno-heavy remake in 2004 which featured Gunther and Samantha Fox (the video of which contains more perverted content than an XXX store). The song was released with two versions- a blues and a rock version (the rock one being the more famous).
I’ve provided all three versions- the original Rock, blues and remake. And just in case you don't know who Samantha Fox is- here's the askmen.com notes on her. (with footnotes from me)


why we like her?
Sam Fox not only sang deep, meaningful songs (with a hint of sarcasm, of course), but she jiggled while doing it...


why is she famous?
Samantha Fox is one of the world's most famous singers. Her song "Touch Me," is instantly recognizable anywhere. Her posters (nude and clothed) are among the most common in any of the world's car garages, and one of the most successful ever.

Rapidshare Free Download Touch Me ( I want your body) by Samantha Fox
http://tinyurl.com/2ymdjx

Rapidshare Free Download Touch Me ( I want your body) Blues Mix by Samantha Fox
http://tinyurl.com/2p72ba

Rapidshare Free Download Touch Me ( I want your body) 2004 by Samantha Fox featuring Gunther
http://tinyurl.com/2pllpr

Note: Tinyurl is just a masked version of Rapidshare links. Its perfectly safe. It will redirect you to the rapidshare link in a moment.

Hybrid Cats: Pets From Dreamland

Well folks, when was the last time you wanted to have a Tiger for a pet? Or perhaps a Leopard? Maybe you wanted to show off like the Kings of the Moghul dynasty, or were inspired by "Scarface" Tony Montana to buy one, as a mark of your courage, but seriously speaking- could you ever have a wild cat for a pet?

Apart from the seemingly impossible task of catching one (in its infancy), training it to be a docile pet, keeping it under a leash and feeding it through the year, there's also the government to appease- they aren't gonna allow you to grow an endangered species without special permission.

So why go through all that trouble when you can simply get yourself one of the Hybrid Cats? What are they?

Well, they're feline pets right out of your dream- they are exactly what you wanted pets to be- they are miniature and docile versions of the Big Cats.

Yes! By artificial breeding, many varieties of Cats 'cat'ering to customers needs have been created.

Some of them are the Bengal Cat, The Savannah and The Ashera. Of these Bengal cat has attracted my attention the most. It is the cross of an Asian Leopard Cat and the domestic cat, and voila, you have a cat that resembles the Tiger (or a Leopard) in appearance with all the domestic characteristics of a normal Cat.

Here's a set of pics for you to see the difference:

As you can see clearly, the one on the left is the Bengal Cat, and on the right is the Royal Bengal Tiger (Ganguly, anyone?)

The Savannah is derived from a cross of the regular cat with the African Serval. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serval)

It resembles a long slender bodied cat with long ears- its more like a Cheetah and I think its the least adorable of the three varieties. (It looks like a malformed Cheetah more than a Cat)

Here's a pic of the Savannah:

The Asherah however is a new variety- something pitted as the rarest and most exotic of domestic Cats. They are a cross between a Serval and the regular cat, and a further cross with the Asian Leopard Cat- to produce an amazing triple traits Cat- having the spots of a Leopard along with contrasting stripes of a Tiger! And guess what does it cost- a whopping 22 grand ($22,000)! All for a Cat??!!

Here're some pics of the Asherah:

But from what I see- The Bengal looks most regal, while the Asherah seems nothing special- its mishmash of so many varieties leaves the final product neither here nor there. Growing up to 30 pounds, the Ashera is believed to be the largest pet cat available today. US based company Lifestyle Pets Inc. has already sold three of these felines, which are made to be uniform in size by genetic motoring.

Besides that, they are extremely social, and also allow being handled with a leash (unusual for cats). And sources say the breeding of these cats is severely limited, thereby only under a 100 cats will be available each year.

Well, all in all- unless you become one of those tibetan monks who play with tigers, this is as close you'd get to a real Tiger.

Bikini Bandits: Crazy, yet effective

Leave it to the Danes to pull out the most crazy trick out of the box. The recent move by the RFSF (Rådet for større færdelssikkerhed-Danish commission for increasing road safety) to allow a trained gang of so called Bikini Bandits to patrol the roads has been greeted with an overwhelming response from motorists.

Surveys suggest a 30% decrease in the number of cars crossing the speed limit (of 50 km/h).

So who or what are these Bikini Bandits. They are a gang of trained volunteers who prowl the streets TOPLESS (yes, topless) holding up the sign-post indicating the speed limit.

No wonder any guy would slow down or even stop to look at the sign-post (and obviously the "pole" which is holding it). Although it has been a desperate effort, and has produced favourable results, it has evoked an equal amount of criticism, especially from the female community.

Motorists stopping to gaze at the Bandits' uncovered assets has brought traffic to a standstill sometimes, while the girls jiggling their bosoms doesn't make a pretty sight for the women (who they say find such sights in public "disgusting"). Not to mention the fate of parents who would've a long bout of explanation to their little kids, if the children happen to be witnesses.

Head Bandit Heidi Svendsen (in first picture) reckons all such talk is crap and that she "couldn't care less for what others have to say. People are starting to notice!". She then sidetracked to commenting on her team as being the best (well, are there more baby? Where then?) and that they'll continue to do their jobs with full passion- that is to make Denmark sit back and pay attention.

But, of course, one mustn't forget- the Danes never worry and have no great cares to cause them stress- they've always had a care-free attitude to all things in life and why should something as innocuous and trivial as this cause them to drain their nervous energy?

On the contrary, the move is very popular among (no marks for guessing) the men.

No wonder- The Danes are the happiest people in the world (survey results).

Imagine something like this in India to stop people from littering? Dust-Bin Bandits, anyone? ;-)

Here's the link for the video of a news item on The Speed Control Bikini Bandits (Warning: Explicit Content Viewer Discretion Advised):
http://speedbandits.dk/

The Call of Cthulhu: Graphic Novel

Well folks, here's a graphic novel of the Lovecraft classic "The Call Of Cthulhu" which I found (after an excruciatingly painful search) in the Internet.

The illustrations nicely blend with the dark writing style of HP Lovecraft, (better known for "The Alchemist", which he wrote in 1908 at the age of 17) and if you found the book too recondite to understand, or too lumbering to read, you had better switch to reading the novel first, and then the book if you'd please. Of course, most of the success of Cthulhu is attributed to the slow building of the suspense- of the fear of the unseen, unimaginable Cthulhu, and if you read the novel first, you would miss out on that thrill.
But, in this fast paced world, who cares??
Anyway, here's the novel folks. Enjoy!!

Rapidshare Free Download The Call Of Cthulhu by H P Lovecraft
http://tinyurl.com/3bjms6

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Here's the Wikisource link for the original book The Call Of Cthulhu by H P Lovecraft
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Call_of_Cthulhu

Music is My Hot Hot Sex: The song in the iPod Touch ad

Well, this is the song for the latest iPod commercial- a number from the album Cansei de Ser Sexy of the brazilian band Cansai de Ser Sexy (meaning "tired of being sexy" in Portugese). It has two names though (the other is Music Is My boyfriend), the more popular one being Music is my hot hot sex (The latter is used more because it prevents any mixing up with a song by Skye Sweetnam).

Its quite a nice song- a dance number reminiscent of another song I reviewed here- Le Disko, but this one is snazzier and the electric guitar is lighter on the decibels. Besides, this's an out and out dance song, with lyrics extolling music, tailor-made for iPod or any music player for that matter.

Well, the song has the electric guitar rolling throughout, with the same drum beats as well- with some funny lyrics, and a nice tune that even kids will catch up with fast.

And it ends with a fast Portugese Rap. Its from a genre called Electronica (the ones that have a large dose of the electric guitar with a funky dance tune).

Here's the Ad ( on youtube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGZ9sIAuJ9k

Here's the song along with the lyrics, enjoy!

Rapidshare Free Download Music is my boyfriend ( Music is my hot hot sex ) from Cansai de Ser Sexy

Size:7.3 MB
http://tinyurl.com/ypn78p

Correct Lyrics for Music is my boyfriend ( Music is my hot hot sex ) from Cansai de Ser Sexy
http://tinyurl.com/2m9r5o

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Greatest Love Songs: Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai

Well folks- this one aint not a masterpiece from a what-was-its-name Band from a far-off country, but by a famous Music Director from India- Pritam's virtuosity combines with the flair and panache of Kay Kay to produce a masterpiece fit enough to hold its own in the Western World.

Its Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai from the critically acclaimed modern classic Woh Lamhe starring Shiney Ahuja and Kangana Ranaut. Well, where do I start folks- its one of my all time favorites, and I rarely have words to express the feelings I get whenever I listen to it (And I am loquacious, folks!).

Well, as the name suggests- the hero has started to fall in love, and he feels so many beautiful things happening around him as a result of that. His struggles and strife seem to vanish and whenever he meets her, his world transforms into paradise, with the sky growing amazingly colourful, without a rainbow. He asks himself, "Am I falling in love?" (Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai) and remarks, "Oh how beautiful it is!" (Kaisa Kumaar Hai).

Yes, its the kind of song you'll be singing if you've ever fallen in love, especially first love. Well, this song deserves a thesis from me- but I'll provide a mini version of it.

It starts off with a Guitar overture accompanied by a female chorus providing a dreamy touch, transporting you to the ethereal realms of Love. The Male chorus sets up the song nicely for a start with a bang and it sure does give you a bang-you'll be hooked to the song from the first half minute- waiting to know how the song develops. It never gets boring- rather it goes from strength to strength.

Every verse brings in something new, with lyrics penned so wonderfully like Love itself by, it stays in your heart like the first moment of happiness you cherish.

The electric guitar which gives the final touches (as well as some interesting interludes that allow the song to change gears) along with an extended fade-out finish lets the song linger in you for long.

The sudden stop in the middle (the part where the song goes over the edge, giving you the feel of a fall from a great height), when the song is at a cusp comes as a surprise- albeit an admirable one at that. Super Touch Pritam!

Controversy surrounds this song (like most of the Hindi songs and movies, nowadays), that it is direct lift from song Tak Bisakah by the Indonesian band Peterpan (yes its a band). The tunes are very much the same, although Pritam has worked on the song and enhanced most effects, like the drums, chorus and different sounds as well, not to mention that sudden stop I talked about. Besides the lyrics are totally different, the Pritam version's lyrics are mind-blowing (even if you don't know Hindi) and all in all, it can be safely said that Pritam's version is the best.

This is a love song like you've never heard before- its a celebration of Love!

There're two versions- the original (the one that appeared in the movie) and a perfect bouncy remix (by DJ A Myth and DJ Kiran) for a jive with your girlfriend/boyfriend at a party. The Tak Bisakah song from Peterpan has also been provided here.

Rapidshare Free Download Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai from Woh Lamhe composed by Pritam sung by Kay Kay ( KK )

Size: 9.1 MB
http://tinyurl.com/33qzng

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Rapidshare Free Download Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai REMIX from Woh Lamhe composed by Pritam sung by Kay Kay ( KK ) REMIXED BY DJ A Myth and DJ Kiran
Size: 8.4 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2r2ky5



Rapidshare Free Download Tak Bisakah performed by Peterpan
Size: 5 MB
http://tinyurl.com/39z7e6


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Tu Tienes Lo Que Quiero

It’s a nice bouncy Latin number by the Latin American Mexican Rock Band Mana, which has been around for quite a while in the circuit- almost three decades. Surprising how I didn’t get to hear their songs until now. A friend of mine who is a voracious devourer of Western songs tells me he hasn’t even heard of the name!
Anyway- they’re quite a famous group with three Grammys and five Latin Grammys under their belt. They’re still going strong, although team members have come and gone.

I’ve heard only two songs of their vast Discography, and I feel Tu Tienes Lo Que Quiero (puzzled as to how to pronounce it?- listen to the song, I’m damn sure you wouldn’t have guessed it.) is enough to keep you hooked to this band. I don’t understand the lyrics- the metaphor “Its all Latin to me” is literal here- it’s truly Spanish and Latin I guess. But anyway it has all the regular fare you expect in a Latin number of its kind- some bouncy beats, along with a general dose of the Guitar.
A refreshing addition is the usual drums combined with the African drum Kpanlogo and some other traditional instruments as well, and so it has a tropical flavor as well. (No wonder really- becoz Mana has been termed as a band with versatile music ranging from hard rock, Latin pop, Calypso and reggae) The drum beats are so perfectly placed that you never want to take your ears off the song- it flows like a river smoothly.

It follows a nice pattern- the kind we are used to in India- The initial few lines that identify the song (Pallavi), some more lines to build up the crescendo (AnuPallavi) and some nice Verses (Saranam), of course interjected with some really cool music.

Rapidshare Free Download Tu Tienes Lo Que Quiero by Mana

Size:10.6 MB
http://tinyurl.com/36gn63

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Greatest Love Songs: You're Beautiful

Well- this is one of the most famous songs (You're Beautiful by James Blunt for the album Back in Bedlam) I'm reviewing, and quite critically analysed by Giants and Conoisseurs far above my level, but no matter-I'll have my say, and you can bet for sure it'll have something different than all those voices that preceded me.

This song has a story behind it, as many love songs do. From the article in wikipedia- Newspapers have claimed that "You're Beautiful" is about a former girlfriend of Blunt's, Dixie Chassay, casting director for the Harry Potter films. On March 8, 2006 episode of the Oprah Winfrey program, Blunt said of the song, "It's kind of miserable. It was about seeing my ex-girlfriend on the Underground in London with her new man, who I didn't know existed. She and I caught eyes and lived a lifetime in that moment, but didn't do anything about it and haven't seen each other since."

Quite a tragic end to a relationship that obviously meant a lot to James Blunt. But anyway, it has given us a great song. The song is so famous and popular that it has topped the US, Canada, UK and Aussie charts, featured in the Top 10 of Latin Charts and has come 3rd in the United World Chart!!

Quite massive for the kind of song that it is- not very special, but surely if you were ever a lover, you'll feel what Blunt feels through the song, its quite emotional. The lyrics of the song aren't flowery in language or generously dosed with metaphors- they're the simple words of any sad man you'll find in everyday life.

Blunt's rendition is accompanied by a Guitar, and some soft beats. The music aint too much, but the tune and the feeling in Blunt's voice carry the song through. Most of the music comes from what he sings, and not the orchestra. He has given life to the song; any budding singer trying to know how to emote in a song need search no more- here's a perfect example.

The lyrics are quite good too- he talks about the meeting earlier mentioned (seeing his ex-girlfriend with another man), and extols her smile and beauty to great heights and feels he should be with her, flies high with such dreams, but finally falls back to earth- facing the truth, that all this would never happen, and that he has lost her forever.
Its very much like all the songs our own heroes sing in the movies, of course movies with tragic endings.
Its really really touching- and if you've had a similar experience, all the more so.
Well folks- enough of talk- here's the song. Go on, listen to it! Keep your hankies right beside you- just in case :-)

Rapidshare Free Download You're Beautiful by James Blunt from the Album Back in Bedlam

Size:5.6 MB
http://tinyurl.com/2hx6hf

Correct Lyrics for You're Beautiful by James Blunt from the Album Back in Bedlam
http://tinyurl.com/2k85f7

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GRE: Dispelling Myths III

Well here I am, back with more golden rules. No chit-chat today- only business, becoz the part of the GRE we're gonna discuss today is one of the toughest nuts to crack.

Its about...

Analogies and Antonyms (AA):

Well, although all four sections- Reading Comprehension, Sentence Completion, Analogies and Antonyms have approximately equal number of questions, AA questions can be tougher than the others for the following reasons:

1. You must be cognizant (That's the company I'm placed in- cant help giving them this little publicity :-) ) of the given word (Antonyms), or word pair (Analogies).


2. You must have some cognizance of all the five 5 choices.


3. You must have some above average mental reasoning (for some tough ones), and must be able to use it.

First of all- its simple math (really simple folks!) that you need to know 6 words for Antonyms and a dozen for Analogies- for each and every question in the Test. English language composes of a million words, Merriam Webster has about half a million and even Barron's- which is supposed to be a highly condensed list for GRE students has about 3500.

So taking five words out of these 3500 aint not gonna pose a problem for the questions-setting comittee. BUT, its gonna present a big problem for you if you had just left the word in "choice", like you do in Semester exams.

If you have absolutely no idea of what the word means- the best you can do is just guess; trying to work out the meaning from word's roots is as crazy as generalising that all the French women are sensual and all Jews are smart.

So to increase your chances of getting a word in your (possibly) limited vocabulary, you must expand it.

This you could do by mugging up every word list in Barron's, or Word Clusters from Lyceum (Mama Easy Book). Believe me- I found this is the most boring as well as the most strenuous exercise to the mind. And whats more- half of the words you read aint not part of daily or professional usage. They're merely learnt to improve the math equation- know more words. They wouldn't appear in the GRE as well- but you folks (with an air of paranoia) read it, just in case.

I say- thats wrong. The BEST WAY to tackle these questions is to practise, practise and practise. Yes preparation is necessary I know- but its better to prepare while practising, learn while you earn. Here's the method:

Take up a verbal test- only Analogies or Antonyms. If you don't know any of the words in the question- immediately look the up the dictionary, find out the meaning and come back to the question. Try to answer it now- you will surely be able to do it now. Do the same for every question. In the course of a few tests you'll find that your vocabulary has increased manifold and you'll also remember the words better, if you repeat the procedure for the same tests 2 or 3 times- this surely aint a monotonous procedure compared to merely cramming words into your poor brain. I'll also recommend following this procedure with a good command of the Word Clusters- this procedure of mine works well with Mama Easy, not so with Barron's (I just learnt 2 word lists of Barron's afore my Exam, but knew atleast 500 words of Clusters).

Practise this method- others are either too time consuming and the words learnt that way are too volatile to stay in your memory for long. We'll meet again in the next episode- watch out for that, its gonna be about another problem topic- Issues and Arguments, with some notes on Grammar.

GRE:Dispelling Myths II

Well folks, I am back with some more of the golden rules. Today we’re gonna look at sentence completion. The methods I give are a motley group- some are age old rules of the thumb while some are radically new. Ok, enough of transgressions- let’s talk business.

Sentence Completion:
Best Method:
Well folks, I’m sad to say this, but the easiest way to tackle this section is to have read lots of English books- even Harry Potter is acceptable in this case. Remember that the whole point of GRE isn't filtering students coming into the US. It is merely to equip you with a level of English and Math deemed proper for a professional student, in the US. So it just encourages you to improve your English, and what better way than to read books?

(Oh please don't talk about watching movies- the only new word you'll learn is the four lettered **** and **** (you know them already! :-) ))

If you do read books- you’ll be able to identify those words that fit and those others that are awkward for the blank to be filled. In fact- your mind will tell you a lot of possible words that can be fit in, even afore you have read the choices. That way, you’ll find yourself flinching when you read some choices (obviously rejected) while nodding approvingly for some.

Some books I recommend (Read the book fully and you shall improve marvellously in your sentences, as well as vocabulary- but that comes later in this article)

1. Sherlock Holmes: Complete Adventures (Needn't read all of it- may 200 pages of it)
2. Dracula by Bram Stoker
3. James Bond by Ian Fleming (only some adventures)
   

The level of English is capital (what people call King's English) and the stories are no less interesting than the fast movies we watch today. They also teach characterisitics of English Life, making you a cultured Englishman. (Not that Indians are barbaric or anything of that sort- just that their culture is differnt from yours, so it must be learnt)

"They will keep you immersed for days together (like in a trance), and voila, when you come out of it, thou shall have transformed into an English Master"-I'm not saying this is how its gonna happen. But you shall surely be interested in the story and shall learn slowly, but surely, just like I've done.

Dracula might be a bit slow- so better concentrate on the other two. Dracula is good for advanced users. You'll start using your dictionary every alternate moment once you start reading them. I found 4 words in only the first page of Sherlock Holmes when I read it- and I am an accomplished reader.

These books are a complete package for improving English-Grammar, Vocabulary, Sentence Formation, Slang etc etc, all in One.

Anyway, back to Sentence Completion

Other methods:
Well folks, all these methods are incomplete ones- so don’t go all out in following them. But just know that they’re available too. One way is to look at critical points in the sentence and try to eliminate absurd choices. But, this is very time-consuming unless you’re an advanced learner, and besides you cannot always be so sure with the choices you have eliminated.
I’ve not mentioned other methods here- because they’re all useless. The difference between the best method and the others is this- it’s like playing a cricket shot by instinct, naturally, rather than mechanically trying to remember each and every instruction regarding the shot and playing it. Any shot must be played by the body with feeling- not by the mind with thinking.
If you’ve mastered the Best Method (This method alone is fool-proof. None of the others can provide the complete solution.)- you’ll be answering SCs by instinct- just like how Sachin dispatches loose balls to the boundary, in a casual manner.

Warning- Only for Advanced Learners:
In the advanced stage- you’d be able to answer most of the SCs, but would still fumble at certain tricky ones. This is where your reasoning is tested. A profound knowledge of the words and their usage in various contexts is required to be 100% sure in all cases, which is very difficult to achieve. But do not be alarmed (Hardship Alarm Not J) This level of understanding is unnecessary for the GRE, unless you’re aiming at 1600 and want to be damn sure of reaching it. The possibilities of such questions in this section are low. So its better you follow the above tips to raise the bar above average. This level is outstanding.
I’ll explain further on this method when I write the article for advanced learners (another part in this series).

Note:

Don't miss out on the coming parts- the real fun begins only from the next part.

Next Episode (3rd) will be on what I consider the most important part of the Verbal test-Analogies and Antonyms- because this one needs the most preparation.
The episode following that (4th) will be devoted to Issues and Arguments.
5th episode will be for advanced learners of Verbal and the 6th will be for Quants, followed by a final episode as an epilogue, and to include anything left out. Grammar will be included-in the 4th or 5th or 7th episode. I'm thinking about it. But you shall surely get my tips on grammar.

Following this, (the series would be concluded with the 7th episode) I would be posting interesting questions (real questions), or anything new and worth reading about the GRE.

That will be written in GRE category. NOT IN GRE GOLDEN RULES.

Sorry for the delay- I shall try to post atleast once in two days in this category.