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Goggles, Joystick and Kasparov :

As Kasparov takes on the next generation Chess gaming system called X3D Fritz, ESPN is recording the entire match to be broadcasted.

X3D Technologies is a private company that develops three-dimensional display systems. X3D is sponsoring the current match, and the publicity angle is that Mr. Kasparov is wearing electronic 3-D goggles for the entire match while watching a computer screen. Mr. Kasparov plays the machine by speaking his moves, which are then represented in the computer image he sees, rather than by actually manipulating a physical board. A joystick controls the viewing angle.

On Tuesday, playing the white pieces in the opening game in front of a few hundred spectators , Mr. Kasparov fought X3D Fritz to a draw. The second of four scheduled games at the New York Athletic Club is to be played today; Mr. Kasparov will receive $200,000 for winning the match, $175,000 for a draw and $150,000 for a loss.

Watch the whole game LIVE on wired here or read more on New York Times about the Kasparov phenomenon. NY Times needs login/password.

Srinath calls it a day. He retires. Again and Finally.

Hey that wasn’t a joke. Javagal Srinath proved to be the most important replacement for the Indian Pace bowling after Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar. When Manoj was caught amidst the wave of scams, Javagal filled in the void and had shouldered the Indian team’s stigma of missing Kapil and Manoj.

Having bowled tons of overs in the tests under the captaincy of Azharuddin, got his muscles over-worked and finally got hurt. Azhar used him to the core in the tests and finally he was a sqeezed pepsi can. Sorry to be harsh but I have to be. ‘Cause Javagal bowled more overs in tests than an average pace bowler of his stamina. Misused-yet-useful was Srinath who toiled enough for India. Let him have a cup of coffee in his bangalore house while Indians toil against the al-mighty aussies. I hope they come back victorious.

Best of Srinath : The 1999 World Cup match in Bangalore against Pakistan when the Banglore trio Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad and Kumble whacked them out.

Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam

Kakkha Kakkha Gautam is directing his next flim, Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam (A Rainy Season in Chennai). Are u teasing us, Gautam. There is absolutely no water or rain except for the last few days it seemed to have dripped here and there. Swear I don’t know how much it rained. (H)ear say.

But seriously if this is the final title, it is very intriguing. Even Balu Mahendra‘s Dhanush starrer is named as Athu Othu Kannak Kaalam. Its rumoured that the story lines goes like Dhanush getting seduced by Ramya Krishna(n)vamsi. So who’s going to seduce who in Gautam’s Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam. Atleast the rain seduce the Chennaites.

Hope Gautam gets a chance to seduce Sujatha for writing dialogues. Given Gautam’s slick style of film making like what we say in Kakkha Kakkha and Sujatha’s consumate experience in writing slick dialogues like what he did for Kannathil Muthamittal and Shankar’s Boys, their combination could be nothing but sheer fun.

Remember the true-to-life dialogues of Sujatha in Kandukondain Kandukondain directed by Gautam’s guru Rajiv Menon. I hope this combonation gets hooked and works well.

Black Friday

Last friday was described as a Black Friday due to the happenings in tamilnadu’s political and print media. Oh !! I am not going over the news statistics again which u have read a zillion times on the net. This is just a voice of a The Hindu supporter, who is asking for a fair share of the justice. Such an act of locking a newspaper daily with cuffs is leading the country to dumps and history will laugh at us if we allow such acts in the democracy.

This volcano has been trying to erupt for couple of years. More than 35 cases were filed against Hindu for mis-reporting of news and other such useless stuff by the tamilnadu govt. We all know The Hindu integrity and it is one of still-a-virgin-pure newspaper in the history of free India. Exposing Bofors was the biggest break for Hindu and it continued it way to glory since then.

Just completing 125 years of existence, Hindu has played a major role in many people’s lives. It has shaped perspectives and provided answers to unanswered questions of other newspapers. Unlike Time of India, The Hindu definetly doesn’t have a well designed website. Especially in news, people don’t go by the usability funda. Its the integrity and honest reporting that matters. Hindu is the best among them unlike Times of India which has been recently whacked by the online crowd.

Continue reading Hindu for I am sure you will always have good filter coffees and good mornings with The Hindu.

Weekend; Randomized

Friends have flown back to India and it’s damn boring as we were having some real fun time for the last couple of months. Going to an airport to see-away someone is the one that I hate to do, it’s embarassingly emotional. I did it yesterday. Twice.

Missed Pitha Mahan screening in chicago today. I have to hopefully wait to see it in India when I get back. Saw the clipping of Ilankathu Veesuthey song on Sun TV in Pepsi Ungal Choice programme. Illayaraja‘s clever usage of the flute in such songs clearly distinguishes him from the rest. It was a good song picturised using Balu Mahendra’s trademark technique. This technique is a descriptive one and is easy to forego a dream sequence with this. As the hero and heroine talks, walks, jogs or cooks the song is on a voice-over mode and makes the movie look very practical.

Click, Click, Click. Got a Canon Digital camera. It A60 Powershot and it has major features of a SLR camera. It’s a kind of half digital SLR. You can cut the aperture, control shutter speed, set focus, 3x of optical and 5x of digital zoom plus some more exciting modes of shooting including B/W and Sephia color saturations. The major thing is that you can attach additional lenses. Now that I have a SLR camera with digital capabilities, it’s time for me to go on roads and start clicking.

Reading: Matrix 1 Screenplay on the net. It’s amazing to read the concept unvieled to Neo and he takes a dip with those plugs around his body.

Listening: Created a playlist from my music dumps which are non-rahman. Just wanted to listen for day to others as I have been listening to Rahman all the time. Yuvan Shankar Raja seems extremely promising. Especially his Kadhal Website from Dheena is great number. With Vaali writing those taminglish lyrics, it was/is a super duper hit.

Vaali’s taminglish is way too much in this song especially :

I Love you Dangerous Baby
Naan Endrum Unnidam Kaithi
News Channel Sollum Ichcheithi

Accupuncture Needleah
Turkey Chicken Noodleah
Anbe Aadai Konjum Undan Idailah

Donald Duckin Jathiyaa
Disney Cartoon Jodhiyaa
Anbe Aadi Chellum Undan Nadaiyilla