No more dinner dates? Can we have a breakfast date, please?

Morning sex has so many virtues, so we need to make sure that our partner stays in bed after dinner till breakfast the next day!

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/mar/11sex.htm

Before you start jumping and visualising (and planning for) hot steamy sex everyday morning to be served along with breakfast, make sure you don't miss the last line!

"However, the researchers have also warned that having sex more than three times a week can have a negative impact on our immune system thus lowering its resistance."

Ah! Well!

Caste equations in Karnataka

  An article from The Rediff.com about the caste factor in Karnataka

 

The Lingayats and the Vokkaligas have been dominant in Karnataka since time immemorial and the tussle for power between these two communities is no secret. Karnataka has till date had five chief ministers from the Vokkaliga community, and six have been Lingayats. There were three CMs from the backward classes while Brahmins managed to hold the top spot in Karnataka twice. These statistics clearly show the dominance of both the Vokkaligas and Lingayats in Karnataka.

It is now evident that it these two communities will tip the scales once again in the forthcoming assembly elections. The Vokkaligas, who comprise 15 per cent of the 5 crore-odd population of Karnataka, are spread mainly across Bangalore, Mandya, Hassan, Mysore, Kolar and Chikamagalur. The Lingayats comprise 17 per cent of the population of Karnataka and are dominant in the central and northern parts of Karnataka.

The Dalits in Karnataka comprise 23 per cent of the population, Kurubas 8 per cent while the Muslims make up 10 per cent. The rest of the population comprises Christians and others.

Though the Dalits outnumber the Lingayats and Vokkaligas, it is the two communities that matter in the state's politics.

Over a period of time, it has been noticed that the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats vote for a leader and not a party. So if a chief ministerial candidate is from their community, they will vote for that person's party.

Moreover, there is a fear among both communities that the other will try and outsmart them. Hence a constant tussle between the two castes to ensure that their leader gets the top spot.

 

Sad day, when the caste of the leader decides which party you support as opposed to the ideologies of the party. Read the full article at http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/21spec.htm

The IPL tamasha will be a hit!

Snatched a few overs from two of the IPL matches in the first two days. I reckon the IPL is going to be a hit.

I was one of the many that were hoping that the IPL would be a damp dud. We preferred the Tests to the limited overs variety and didn't see how a 20 over tamasha can display the best that cricket has to offer. However, I think I'm being gradually converted. Just as the ODIs made the tests very interesting, maybe the T/20s would make the ODIs also very interesting.

Some quick points I noted.

1. Ishant Sharma is a class act. His bowling in both the matches of Kolkota KnightRiders was top drawer stuff. We need to handle him with care and ensure he is not lost to injury or ego clashes

2. Robin Uthappa seems to be a 2 stroke wonder. The hoick over midwicket and the scoop over fine leg. And he seems to be more keen on playing the scoop rather than any other shot.

3. Brendon McCullum's innings showed what good batsmen can do. Sure, there were some top edges and miscued shots which 10 years back would have ended the innings - here these shots sailed over the fence.

4. None of the Indians (except Ishant) have fired so far. Its been the foreigners who are livening up the domestic tournament.

5. Ponting and Ishant celebrating Dravid's wicket was a gem. Just two months ago, this would have been impossible to imagine. Will we also have Symmo and Bhajji celebrating together? Unfortunately, both are in separate teams.

Anil Kumble with 600+ wickets and still counting

I watched an interview of Anil Kumble some time back where he said that he would like his son to be a batsman, instead of a bowler. Coming from someone who is the 3rd highest Test wicket taker in the World and India's best match winner, that is quite an indictment of the way cricket is run and followed in this country.

 

 

Going by the old rule of each wicket equalling 20 runs (in my humble opnion, a wicket is much more valuable. Simply because if we were to play using pen and paper, 20 runs per wicket equals 200 runs per innings, which we know is not enough to win a Test), 600 wickets equals 12000 Test runs. And just contrast the mass affection, hysteria, awards, endorsements, etc. that a batsman with 12000 Test runs in the same team gets. The BCCI needs to wake up and look into this malaise at the earliest. For if Anil Kumble doesn't want his son to be a bowler, then God help our future bowlers.

Mumbai's Traffic faster than the fastest Snail!

Came across this excellently written satire in today's (6th Feb 2008) edition of DNA. However, couldn't find the same in the online version.

 

Mercifully, Amit Verma's blog had a link to this article

 

 

What has the Sethu Samudram canal project got to do with Indian culture?

As per http://in.rediff.com/news/2007/dec/10rss.htm

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has said it will not allow the Centre to go ahead with the Sethusamudram ship canal project as it posed a "challenge" to Indian culture.

"The RSS is not prepared to make any compromise on the Centre's move to implement the project as it would be a clear instance of grave injustice to the majority people of India," RSS leader K S Sudarshan said inaugurating two-day regional meeting of the outfit in Kasargod in Kerala

I wonder, what has the canal project got to do with the nation's culture?

Islam’s Silent Moderates

The WTF news item of the week. A great way to start a
Monday!  Islam's Silent Moderates! 

As the article rightly states, 

"If moderate Muslims believe there should be no compassion shown to the girl from Qatif, then what exactly makes them so moderate?

When a "moderate" Muslim's sense of compassion and conscience collides with matters prescribed by Allah, he should choose compassion. Unless that happens much more widely, a moderate Islam will remain wishful thinking."

 Link via Where's the Moderate Muslim?