Friday, February 26, 2010

Crypsis


Not for the first time, spotted this insect at my native last week.
Also common are the green ones, both effective in avoiding being detected among leaves.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Fab Four in Four Words & Which Car! :-)

Disclaimer: Of late I have been reading too much of Cricket & Auto content on web :-)

The current 'Fab Four' of Indian Cricket, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar & VVS Laxman are regarded the best in world cricket, so are the German auto giants BMW, Audi, Porsche & Mercedes-Benz, best in business.

So an impromptu thought & a post :P

Four words that best describe the player & the company they should be endorsing :-)

Virender Sehwag: Audacious, Maverick, Iconoclast/Pirate, Entertainer.
BMW: The Ultimate Driving Machine.

You may argue about his technique, but not with the runs scored at scorching pace & entertainment, like you can argue about looks of BMW, but not with sheer driving pleasure.

Rahul Dravid: Reliable, Persevering, Classical, Understated.
Audi: Vorsprung durch Technik.

If it's 'Advantage Through Technology' for the German, it's 'Advantage Through Technique' for the Indian :-)

Sachin Tendulkar: Master, Respected, Icon, Best.
Porsche: There is no substitute.

Both being legendary, they made interesting moves in early 2000s
a) Porsche, the sports car maker, made the SUV Cayanne, with purists crying foul.
b) Tendulkar, the master blaster, as his body took a beating, became an accumulator to the horror of fans.
Both turned out to be stroke of genius, as Porsche laughed all the way to bank, Tendulkar added tons of effective runs. Genius does what it must :-)

VVS Laxman: Artist, Nonchalant, Delicate, Elegant.
Mercedes-Benz: Like No Other.

Like the encompassing serenity of a Mercedes Benz, he brings calm to dressing room in any situation, apart from the common effortless elegance both share.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Chandamamu :-)

It was in 5th standard.
That day, I & Yathish bought new pens together during lunch break. Buying a new pen, those days, it was a huge moment!
All friends, ignoring our protests about scratches & cries not to spoil it, passed hands, tried their signatures, some keen ones even de-assembled & assembled back etc which went on till evening!
And then it was play hour in the evening. All the students ran to the ground.

I slowly walked up to Yathish with a grim face and called him aside.
(This guy Yatish's known to be a tough nut!)
Me: Hey, while running out you stepped on my bag & broke my pen.
Yathish: I didn't.
Me: You did, and there are people who have seen it!
Yathish: What happened, did it break completely?
Me: No, it's just a crack.
Yathish: Fine then, just use cellophane tape & fix it?
Me: BUT IT'S BRAND NEW.
Yathish: So?
Me: Buy me a new one.
Yathish: It's 5 rupees & I don't have.
Me: Then why did you break, I'll beat you up.
Yathish: Try it, I'll beat you back.
Me: Ok, since you broke my pen, I'll break yours...
Yathish: But it won't fix your pen.
By now there was a gathering around us, some encouraging & enjoying the fight, some feeling bad for the broken pen, some even contemplating whose side they were!
I pulled my last weapon out (or so everyone thought!)
Me: I'll complain to the class teacher.
Our class teacher was so scary that even the tough nut Yathish gave in.
Yathish: No, please, I am sorry Vinay, it wasn't intentional as you know, I can't ask money at home and you are my friend, please...
Everyone around seemed be convinced that I shouldn't complain!
And then...with a nervous smile, I uttered the words...'Well, hmm, err, actually it was me who had stepped on your bag & your pen is broke, I was so scared that you would do all those...sorry...'
I didn't want to see the changing expressions on his face.
After a moment of silence when I looked at him, he broke into a pale smile. I shook his hand, patted his back and said sorry again.
We smiled a bright smile now.
Shaking his head, he said 'you are just...' pause and then we broke into a hearty laughter :-)

(I was inspired by the story I had read in Chandamama, where Ramu's dog eats tough-nut-neighbour Shamu's hen & Ramu uses the above trick!)