The home coming of the Bengal Tiger.

Sourav Ganguly back in his 'Team India'

You can love him , you can hate him ,but you can't deny him !Bengal Tiger is roaring again!
The quintessential southpaw, Prince of Calcutta is back in Indian test squad touring South Africa.

Welcome back Dada!

I have always wondered what is it about us as a nation, as a people, that we don't treat out heroes right.

There are many instances to back that claim, but I will restrict the choice to just two from the game of cricket, something about which Indians are so passionate about.
Saurav Ganguly, India's most successful captain (never mind he was not the most successful batsman), and Mohammed Azharuddin, who held the honour till Saurav came along.

I am not an 'expert' in cricket, just another Indian whose passion for the game has been slowly declining. And after the debacle in South Africa during the Ist test, I don't need an explanation why my interest has been on the wane.

But back to Saurav. There's a way out for a national hero (and Dada is a national hero, make no mistake), and it's my contention that he was not offered the privilege of an honourable exit. Remember how Kapil Dev went? But Saurav was treated as a national shame by the establishment that was quick to see his back.

I have no argument to offer over his record as a batsman, and will leave it to the expert panel. I was bothered by the fact that the cricket establishment let private prejudices cloud its judgement in treating him. My heart was broken by the promo he did during the Champions Trophy, Apne Dada ki baat maanenge na? and also the Pepsi ad where he introduces as "Mae Saurav, yaad hai aap sab ko."

It was a shameful episode, like Azhar's expulsion from the game over match-fixing was. I have no proof either way about Azhar. But it seemed far-fetched that one single person, never mind if he was captain, could throw a match when the game involved 11 players pulling together. And even if it was possible, surely the scam could not have been possible without official connivance at some level. Can you tell me who from the cricketing establishment paid the penalty, like our star players did? In contrast, see how other nations whose players were charged with match-fixing treated them. Herschelle Gibbs was in India only last month, playing in the Champions Trophy in India!

When the BCCI invited Azhar to an official function recently, much against the ICC's wishes, after treating him like a pariah these few years, I was happy. Azhar was also a national hero, and deserved to be treated as one, not as a criminal. Not when others have got away scot-free.

Now coming back to our dada, about whom we were talking about.

Gone with a whimper and back with a bang — that is Saurav Ganguly. In all likelihood, he is here to stay at least till the World Cup next year.

A YEAR IS a long time in anyone’s career, and more so for cricketers. And, when that one year happens to be a year of layoff, it may even appear like a decade. In other words, a one-year break would wreck the confidence of any professional. This is precisely why one cannot but admire the way Sourav Ganguly has made his comeback into Team India.

I admire the man’s tenacity and grit. Any other player in his place would have given up long ago. But Sourav’s faith and determination have stood him in good stead. However, Sourav’s real test has just begun. How Sourav conducts himself on and off the field will be watched with curiosity by the public as well as the media. Each of his on-field antics and off-field comments will be analyzed threadbare

Salutes to Sourav, who has staged one of the greatest comebacks of Indian cricket! One hopes that Sourav grabs this opportunity with both hands and gives unstinted support to Rahul Dravid.

How Sourav joined the other team members in South Africa and how he and his bete noire Chappell exchanged pleasantries have become part of cricketing folklore now, and need not be repeated here.

Well, time teaches the hard way. A chastised Sourav, who once took his position in Team India for granted, was soon reduced to saying that he was prepared to play in any position and perform any role if he was selected.

Despite all attempts of Greg-Dravid pushing him out.... Ganguly is back. Well done Dada!!!!: : : : Lets see you playing some glorious innings before you retire. Ganguly deserved that one comeback chance to bow down in grace. The people of India have backed him, lets hope he does great for India.

Good Luck Dada

Let the fireworks begin........

How fast can you read???

Amazing Facts on Rapid Reading.

If you think learning how to read fast with good comprehension and retention is impossible, the following amazing facts will prove you wrong.

1. The average adult reads at approximately 200 words per minute but the mind actually has the capability of thinking up to 10,000 words per minute.

2. US President John F. Kennedy displayed extraordinary comprehension and surpassed the average adult by reading in excess of 1,200 words per minute. It was said that he read nine newspapers every morning before his orange juice.

3. US President Theodore Roosevelt is famous for reading two to three books a day while in office. It is reported that he could read two lines per fixation.

4. Nineteenth century economist John Stuart Mill was known to have complained about not being able to turn the pages as fast as he could read them.

5. Howard Berg held the Guinness World Record (certified in 1989) for being the fastest reader having read 25,000 words per minute.

6. The photographic imaging capacity of the human eye is thousands of times more sophisticated than the most advanced cameras. The full range of its ability has yet to be explored.

7. The nerves that lead from the eye to the brain are about 25 times larger that those that lead from the ear to the brain.

PIN REVERSAL HOAX

Keying in your personal identification number (PIN) backwards at an ATM will not summon the police.

This is according to bank officials who are quashing claims that have been made in an email that has recently started doing the rounds.

According to the e-mail if you are ever forced by a criminal to withdraw money from your personal bank account at an ATM then keying in your PIN number in reverse will automatically notify the police.

The e-mail reads: "For example, if your PIN number is 1234 then you would put in 4321.
'The PIN reversal does not work and will not summon the police'

"The ATM recognises that your PIN number is backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine."

The e-mail also states that the machine will still release the money that you requested but unknown to the criminal the police will be "immediately dispatched to help you".

It states that the information was recently broadcast on TV and states that it is seldom used because people were not aware it existed.

Standard Bank spokesperson Ross Linstrom said the information was incorrect and that they had fielded calls to their call centre from people making inquiries about the e-mail."

The PIN reversal does not work and will not summon the police.

'If a PIN is entered in reverse the ATM will decline the transaction'

"If customers feel that their cards or PIN numbers have been compromised they should alert their bank as soon as possible," he said.

"Most of our ATM sites have an intercom-like box with direct lines to the police and the banks contact centre if help is needed. Use this to summon the police if you need help."

Linstrom said if customers were in any way unsure about their transaction they should rather not go through with it.

Absa spokesperson Errol Smith also said the circulating e-mail was incorrect. "We want to warn our customers that this reverse functionality does not exist at Absa ATMs.

By entering your PIN in reverse you will not notify the police in any way, nor will cash be dispensed from the ATMs," he said.

Smith warned that entering PIN numbers in reverse could result in the ATM refusing the transaction, or a restrictive hold being placed on the card.

"If a PIN is entered in reverse the ATM will decline the transaction," said Smith.

"If customers feel that their cards or PIN numbers have been compromised they should alert their bank as soon as possible," he said.

"Most of our ATM sites have an intercom-like box with direct lines to the police and the banks contact centre if help is needed. Use this to summon the police if you need help."

Linstrom said if customers were in any way unsure about their transaction they should rather not go through with it.

Absa spokesperson Errol Smith also said the circulating e-mail was incorrect. "We want to warn our customers that this reverse functionality does not exist at Absa ATMs.

"By entering your PIN in reverse you will not notify the police in any way, nor will cash be dispensed from the ATMs," he said.

Smith warned that entering PIN numbers in reverse could result in the ATM refusing the transaction, or a restrictive hold being placed on the card.

"If a PIN is entered in reverse the ATM will decline the transaction," said Smith.

This article was originally published on page 7 of Daily News on December 15, 2006

The Brick

THE BRICK

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh wastraveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fastin his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.

He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and sloweddown when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child dartedout, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP! - it smashed Into the Jag's shinyblack side door! SCREECH..!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse,and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick hadbeen thrown. Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him upagainst a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about andwho are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head ofsteam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna costyou a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"

"Please, mister, please. . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!"Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parkedcar. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fellout of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked theexecutive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair?He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.

"Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow therapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young manback into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped thescrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. Hethen watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward theirhome.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder JaguarXKE -a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar.He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someonehas to throw a brick at him to get his attention. . . Some bricks aresofter than others. Feel for the bricks of life coming at to you. For allthe negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has positive answers.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the
room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence--deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.


Moral of the story:

The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window. And I am certain that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.

The pursuit of happiness is an inward journey. Our minds are like programs, awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts, if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain, if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates, we will find that there is much to rejoice about.