My Few Words..

Promo TV ad for Bharatanatyam Recital (Priya Hema Bhawaneedin)

2011-08-18T21:41:00.002+01:00

Tech Review: King Mobile Phone

2010-10-01T09:00:00.000+01:00

Time and money. These are two things which most of us lack and lust after. The product of time and money gives convenience. King Mobile Phone is a small business that specialises in the phone unlocking and debranding industry.

Having needed to use my mobile phone abroad recently and not having time in abundance I needed to unlock my HTC Hero from my network operator. Utilising King Mobile Phone's services in the past to unlock a previous handset I had some confidence in turning to them again. However, this time I needed the job done remotely, i.e. didn't want the hassle of taking it to their premises to have the unlock done. Having had bad experience with other remote unlocking companies in the past I was sceptical about this. I proceeded cautiously.

In hindsight I needn't had worried as everything went smoothely. The site works by the user sending the make and model of their handset along with the IEMI number on their very easy to use form. This information is then used to deliver you a release code, via an email with instructions, which unlocks the handset from the network. The turn-around time is quoted between 1-24 hours depending on the handset. Whilst there also exists an option of you purchasing the software from the website to unlock the mobile phone yourself, it is more worthwhile to purchase the 'release code' option if you are looking to unlock a single handset. This added option will be appeciated by more tech-savvy users.

The website also provides a debranding service along with a postal and an on-site service on their premises in South London.

Whilst my release code took slightly longer than had been estimated I was definitely happy with the quality of the service provided and the ease of which it was to unlock my handset. Once I had received the code it was just a matter of minutes before I was able to use a sim card belonging to another network. The site also provides support via a forum and instant messaging such as msn.

Pros:
Simple process
Relatively cheap
Reliable
User section showing the progress of the order

Cons:
None, although if you're in a hurry to unlock your handset having it done on-sight might be a better alternative.

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2010-08-04T15:55:00.000+01:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first instalment of the Millennium Trilogy, by Stieg Larsson.

The captivating crime thriller focuses on how a murder from the mid-19th century brings together two parallel storylines. Mikael Blomkvist, once a reputable journalist, is duped into publishing slanderous material on a corporate hot-shot. He finds himself facing a jail sentence, a burning hole in his pocket and a ever tarnished reputation. Through a series of events he becomes involved in finding out about the disappearance of Harriet, a girl of the prestigious Vanger clan. He finds himself in too deep when he discovers a stark secret.

Lisbeth Salander is the anti-matter to Blomkvist. Portrayed as an unnerving, unpredictable and exciting character she balances and complements Blonkvist's calm yet bold personna. Her troubled and horrifying past draws sympathy from the reader despite her hate for mankind, in particular men. Despite somewhat resembling the chewed-up remains of a broken society, Lisbeth is a strength that epitomises Stieg Larsson's own childhood and experiences.

The story dwelves into two main themes: neo-nazism and and feminism in Sweden. This again is influenced by the author's upbringing, with the locations in the book being based on actual places in Sweden.

The Girl with the Dragon Tatto is a murder mystery that, in theory, is easy to coin up: throw in a murder, with heaps of complexities and plenty of potential suspects. Stieg Larsson surpasses expectations by not only developing the two protagonists' story but also creates a dark plot that Mikael and Lisbeth walk into. The entrawling novel takes the two characters on a journey that, perhaps, they would have avoided with hindsight.

Synopsis:

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own family. He employs journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the tattooed, truculent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to investigate.
When the pair link Harriet's disappearance to a number of grotesque murders from forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. But the Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

Stand Up Bafana Bafana, Stand Up and Be Proud!

2010-06-11T05:32:00.000+01:00

Friday the 12th of June will be seen as an important day, not only is it the start of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, but it is the first ever World Cup to be held in Africa. It has been a long time coming.

It’s sometimes easy to forget South Africa’s troublesome past. The Soweto uprising in 1976 resulted in FIFA expelling their national football team. It wasn’t until the Apartheid regime was finally demolished that the South African team ended their 25 year exile from football.

Football is much more than 22 players kicking a football around a field. They say that sports unify a team and its fans. Long before a ball had been kicked in South Africa the celebrations were under way. It doesn’t matter where you are; whether you’re in the capital of Cape Town or the agricultural Rustenburg or bustling Durban, you will know the World Cup is here. Hearing the sound of vuvuzelas unleashed into the air, flags flapping around passionately and seeing people singing and dancing on the streets you would be mistaken to think that South Africa have already won the World Cup. They say that sports unify a team, hosting the World Cup has unified South Africa.

Behind the hype, glamour and money lies a nation aching to show the world what it can achieve. South Africa has created an atmosphere that hasn’t been felt during the World Cup for a very long time. On the eve of the World Cup thousands have attended the first ever World Cup concert, graced by top artists such as Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, Alicia Keys, K’Naan and Shakira who performed the official 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)”. The stage also made way for Joseph S. Blatter, president of FIFA, Jacob Zuma, PM of South Africa and Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu. The feeling of being emotionally drawn to Africa is perhaps fitting, since it is probably where all of humanity originated from. It makes us proud of who we are, inspired by what we can all achieve and most importantly grateful of South Africa and all it stands for.

Never has an African nation been crowned World Cup champions, is this their time? Witnessing a nation that has overcome such adversity and challenges in their recent history brought together in racial serenity, solidarity and jubilance only highlights the importance of the World Cup in bringing people together.

Who knows how South Africa will react should they actually win. For some South Africans, they may not even care if Bafana Bafana doesn’t win, for them, their nation have already won.

Book Review: Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child

2010-05-31T23:59:00.001+01:00

Gone Tomorrow is the thirteenth book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Reacher, an ex-military personnel, finds himself on the New York subway at 2am faced with the scenario of being in a carriage with a suicide bomber. Does he want to intervene because he truly cares for human kind, or whether it’s what he’s been trained to do, or even because he wants to save his own skin, it’s not clear and perhaps not relevant. What he does next leads him to discover a government conspiracy, one which was meant to be locked forever. Finding himself in a position where his own government would prefer him dead, Reacher needs friends he can trust and ones that won’t kill him. A series of twists and turns puts Reacher into a corner where he either kills or be killed.

Lee Child jumps straight into the thick of the excitement from the first page. He introduces us to the main character, Jack Reacher, from the outset and how he recognises a person that matches the criteria of a suicide bomber. The following few chapters reveals a a riveting sequence of events that not only captivates the reader but leaves them wanting more.

After the pulsating, attention grabbing start the story addresses the historical background of the plot. This takes a slow, meandering look at how and why the characters that are revealed later on serve a purpose in the story. unfortunately this resembles a history lesson; one which not all may appreciate. It also deflects the good work of the absorbing start and potentially puts the reader in 'skim-mode'. Having read the book from cover to cover you do realise later on that the gradual revelations are necessary to the final outcome but shouldn't mean that the reader has to wait until half-way through the book for the next significant event. The second half, however, is well written and does the opening few chapters justice. We discover more about the main character and his purpose in the story. Reacher's quest for answers is met by many twists and turns, always leaving the reader guessing until the very end.

A worthy read and despite the slow start Gone Tomorrow finishes strong with an enthralling story that will leave you wanting more from Jack Reacher.

Synopsis:

Suicide bombers are easy to spot. They give out all kinds of tell-tale signs. Mostly because they're nervous. By definition they're all first-timers. Riding the subway in New York at two o'clock in the morning, Reacher knows the twelve giveaway signs to look out for. Watching one of his fellow-passengers, he becomes sharply aware: one by one, she ticks off every bulletpoint on his list. So begins the new heartstopping new thriller starring today's most admired action hero, the gallant and enigmatic loner Jack Reacher.

From the big squeeze to the big freeze

2010-01-07T03:50:00.000Z

The year of 2007 will be remembered as the worse financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The fresh prosperity and optimism that comes with the turn of the year has been almost completely wiped out by a blankets of white snow. The UK and many parts of northern Europe are seeing unprecedented winter weather conditions.

Snow has gripped the UK bringing most parts to a cold standstill. Prolonged snow and freezing temperatures has already crippled and the lasting cold temperatures will only turn the snow into perilous ice. With roads, rail and air travel already hit by the adverse weather the UK is bracing itself for more chaos. Many thousands of schools around the country will remain shut for the rest of the week, shops and business will be ineffective and everything will gradually grind down to halt.

Funnily enough, the extent of the damage will be decided by the salt and grit supplies. Many drivers across the UK have been left frustrated and stranded due to the roads not all the roads being gritted. The supplies running low, it's only a matter of time before either the cold weather lingers until next week or the roads aren't being cleared quickly enough. Some say the 'green shoot's' of the recovery were appearing, but with the economy taking a freeze like it is, it seems as if the global recession has not quite left the UK just yet!

With temperatures like this you'd be forgiven for thinking that this was Russia.

Lack of Compassion

2009-12-24T23:47:00.000Z

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not even a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St Nicholas would soon be there.

It's finally that time of year once again. Tomorrow is an day that has been many weeks in the planning; culminating in a bravado of gift exchanging, turkey indulging and falling asleep watching the Queen's Christmas message. In Christianity Christianity celebrates the birth of Jesus, but it's appeal of bringing families together is a social aspect that can be celebrated by many. It is perhaps easy to take the 25th of December for granted, something that arrives each year with the usual expected aplomb. Sometimes we forget those who aren't fortunate enough to celebrate Christmas with their families. Whether it be the man that sleeps rough outside the station, or the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan or even those who have no family we shouldn't take something that seems to be the 'norm' for granted.

For Akmal Shaikh, a British national, this Christmas may be his last. Mr Shaikh is currently sitting on death row in China after being found carrying 4 Kg of heroin into the country. It is believed that he suffers from a bipolar disorder and lacked the mental capacity to perform the pre-meditated offence. To sentence someone to death seems a barbaric act when the defences in the case aren't properly heard. His appeal was rejected by China's Supreme People's Court and a date of execution was set for the 29th December.

This case has received overwhelming support by campaigners and even the PM, Gordon Brown, has stepped in in the hope of reversing the decision of execution. To date, all these efforts have been unsuccessful. An injustice to a person where had he been in any other country he would have been dealt another fate. If the situation doesn't change Mr Shaikh will never see his wife and three children again. So next time you're tucking into your turkey or just celebrating a joyous day, try to also think about those not lucky enough to do the same.

With that thought in mind would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8425354.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6964839.ece

http://www.reprieve.org.uk/2009_12_21_PUBAkmalappealdenied

A Minute for Madeleine

2009-11-03T10:45:00.000Z

Madeleine disappeared on 03 May 2007 while on holiday with her family in Portugal - Here is a special message

Brace Yourself: The Androids are Coming

2009-10-30T18:23:00.007Z

The Android mobile operating system has been around for only a few years, but is quickly turning into a real powerhouse in the mobile phone market. It was initially developed by Google and later the Open Handset Alliance. Based on open source software, the progression of Android into the tough mobile phone market has been greatly aided by challenging developers to create innovative and exciting Android Applications.

With the Android concept only coming into existence in Nov 2007, the mobile world saw the first ever Android powered mobile phone, the T-mobile G1 (dubbed the 'Google Phone'), at the end of Oct 2008. The G1 was an unprecedented device. Backed by the pedestal that the giant, Google, is and with it all the ensuing rich Google technology it possess, Android was ready to challenge the competitors. Breaking into any market is not easy but plunging into the mobile phone market where other companies have been established for years is no easy task. The G1, however, were primed with everything they could ask for to compete with the likes of Nokia, Sony Ericson and the protagonist: Apple. And that is infact the market the G1 belonged in, the smart phone market (what is a smart phone), and the success of Apple iPhone was it hoped to emulate. Packed with the ability "to you touch, tap, swipe and scroll your way through all the coolest applications" it had a tough task ahead.

The G1 phone perhaps did not live up to the name of the 'iPhone killer'. A big let-down was undoubtedly attributed to there being limited Apps for the G1 compared to Apple's huge Apps store and also it’s synthetic chunky build. The iPhone also outperformed the G1 when it came down to media playback and build quality. A valiant try nonentheless.

Since G1's introduction Apple have released a 3Gs version of the iPhone. Whilst Android has, quite remarkedly, exploded onto the scene, with succesive release since the same milestone. The plethora of Android handsets released in a short time span showed successive improvements. The the open source nature of the OS a big contributing factor to this.

There have been eight Android handsets on the market since the arrival of the technology two years ago. A staggering further 10 handsets have been announced/rumoured for the next quarter. This can only emphasise the intention of Android and the phone manufacturers willing to adopt the technology. It's also a sign of rising popularity and perhaps the prospect of finally producing a mobile handset that will become crowned as the 'iPhone killer'. HTC is at the forefront of Android phones having released the first ever Android device (T-mobile G1) it has continued with successful smart phone devices accumulating in the most recent one: HTC Hero.

HTC Hero

Following it's Europe release in July 2009 the handset has made great in-roads, grabbing the Phone of the Year and the Gadget of the Year acolade at the T3 Gadget Awards. Coming as a surprise to some, the HTC Hero has for a good while been compared to iPhone's repertoire, and whilst for many, would seem to be equal to the iPhone's brilliance others would say that the Hero surpasses the iPhone in every area. The Hero owes it's success to the new Sense technology, which is something that can’t wholly be described in words. It needs to be observed:

Android marches on to stamp it's newly found authority with the highly awaited, and elusive, Motorola Droid phone. Motorola has been responsible for releasing adverts specifically promoting a mobile device that not only is rich in features but also makes up for the iPhone’s shortfalls.

Moto Droid

High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets are just a small selection of the selling points of the Droid. A sturdy handset and despite it being thin Motorola have managed to fit a QWERTY slide keyboard to accompany the touch keyboard. The Droid makes it the first handset to be preloaded with Android 2.0 technology and delivers a quicker and slicker feel to the OS than previous Android versions. This notable feature is matched by a 5MP camera with dual LED flash; something the iPhone lacks. The signs are clear that this phone was built with the iPhone in mind: to match it and surpass it in every section.

Droid Fact Sheet and Specifications

The ball is now in Apple’s court. If they wish to maintain their dominance in the smart phone industry they will undoubtedly have to produce something that can be said to be an ‘Android killer’; for that appears to be the new benchmark. Apple cannot surely rest on their laurels with their achievements thus far and their vast array of iPhone applications. Android technology is always evolving, it’s open source technology has given it a head-start over Apple’s.

Will iPhone’s longstanding reputation save it or will the exciting offerings of Android technology swoon users over to the new ‘iPhone’? Only time will tell.

Royal Mail: Unacceptable, Disgraceful, Shambolic!

2009-10-19T11:51:00.002+01:00

Image Source: Stock.XCHNG

These are some of the words that could be said to describe the Royal Mail-Communications Workers Union fiasco. Following weeks upon weeks of delays in mail being delivered the CWU have finally decided to hold two 24-hour strikes, at the detriment to the taxpayer. The dispute over job cuts has escalated to two strikes on the 22nd Oct and 23rd Oct.

The reality of the situation is that both sides, Royal Mail and the CWU, have agreed that cuts are needed to compensate for falling revenue. Royal Mail has seen losses of 170m per annum from it's letters and packages business. It is thought that the jobs of approximately 170,000 workers in mail centres and delivery offices will be lost first.

The 'reasoning' behind the ballots is that Royal Mail managers have so far been refusing to specify the extent to which the cuts will affect the workers. On the one hand it could be argued that the CWU are taking disproportionate action against something that in essence has already been decided, but, on the other hand you have Royal Mail not taking their employees seriously enough.

Despite Royal Mail having a backlog of mail and parcels as long as the Thames these strikes will hit postal services even harder, crippling not only business that rely on the Royal Mail but also its reputation. Having suffered a similar fate in the wildcate walk-out two years ago Royal Mail haven't seemed to have learned their costly lesson. Having cost the capital's economy £300m alone last time, it would seem reasonable to expect to avoid another similar scenario.

Someone needs to tell them to grow up and rid them of their selfish ways; the economy is already bad enough as it is. Action by the CWU is perhaps callous and abusing their rights as a union to strike. Royal Mail undoubtedly have to be careful if it wishes to maintian it's stranglehold on the postal services market; if it can't provide an efficient public sector service it should expect more competition from other companies awaiting in it's shadows to jump in it's shoes. The problem essentially stems from the CWU, but the CWU is the Royal Mail's problem to sort out, not ours.

Source:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8260701.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8304722.stm

Diwali Lamps

2009-10-18T09:23:00.003+01:00

~The brightness and warmth emanating from the darkness~

Happy Diwali 09!

2009-10-17T00:54:00.002+01:00

Are You an Addict?

2009-10-13T22:52:00.007+01:00

Do you depend on it? Would you feel lost without it? Have you become anxious without it? You would be wrong to think that i'm talking about drugs, cigarettes or alcohol. In fact, what I am rambling on about is Facebook and other social networking sites.

Gone are the days where you would write a letter, pop it in an envelope and post it. Today, Facebook, Myspace and similar social networking sites have replaced traditional communication methods and play an integral part in the keeping in touch with friends, family and co-workers. Facebook has risen immensely in popularity over recent years and with it's growing functionality and features so has the number of users. browsing for longer than they intended.

the average user has 130 friends

Facebook is amazing; you can message friends, write on their walls, upload pictures and even 'poke' them. It is, however, quite addictive. You can easily lose track of time browsing on the your friend’s pages. For some, Facebook is simply a useful tool for keeping in touch with friends, whilst for others it is the way to interact with friends. At the very extreme there are users who assimilate friends like some kind of human stamp collection, spam friend's walls with fashionable garbage or inform the whole world on every single thing they are doing via updates. The question is: does anyone really care? Am I bothered whether you ‘just got on the bus’? Do I need to know your favourite cereal? Studies have shown that the average individual will have between 5 and 10 close friends. How users of Facebook can amass hundreds of 'friends' is an intriguing question. We all want to be loved, wanted or appreciated; It is what makes us human. But the fact that the average user has 130 friends shows that Facebook allows us to create a virtual community that is, as name says, virtual. It emphasises a friendship gluttony/obsession; a staggering 6,000,000,000 minutes are spent on Facebook by around 150 million users daily. This works out to be 40 minutes per person, per day. This figure may not actually appear to be a lot. But when it is considered with the fact that an individual will only have between 5 and 10 close friends at any one time and that a message may take no more than 3 minutes to type and pictures are loaded in seconds there is a lot of time spent not actually interacting with your real friends. This is the 'Facebook addiction'.

a staggering 6,000,000,000 minutes are spent on Facebook by around 150 million
users daily

The danger of turning something that was intended to be helpful and beneficial into something menacing is ever so real with Facebook.

Caroline Hocking, once said that when she de-activated her account after realizing she had become hooked on the website that her 'virtual' life was over'. Having amassed 350 friends and uploaded over 30 photo albums she ended her 2 year Facebook-life and went cold turkey. This only lasted 10 days later; a sign of the grasp Facebook has on its users. Do we really rely on Facebook that much? Is it an ecstasy that feeds our social urges? Many people manage to use Facebook without becoming overly dependent on it, but there is a growing concern that the Facebook obsession will lead to more bad than good. People have been arrested because of it, studies have been made on their effect on impressionable children, jobs have been lost because of employees overeagerness to Facebook whilst at work and even led to divorce.

The question to the reader is, could you live without Facebook or any other social websites; are you an addict? Do people choose to be 'Facebook-whores' or are they just consumed blindly by the sheer power of Facebook.

The End of TV?

2009-10-08T22:34:00.002+01:00

It could be the end of TV as we know it. This Saturday sees the first ever competitive England international game to be available online exclusively. Viewers will be able to watch the group qualifier via a live stream for a fee of £9.99 from Thursday, going up to £11.99 on Saturday. This has caused much anger amongst supporters as it means that the traditional pint will be of different sorts as pubs will not be able to show the game. It is however, being shown at some Odeon Cinemas around the country.

This situation arose from the collapse of Setanta, who had the rights to show all of England's group games, and also the lack of sufficient bids for the rights from other TV networks resulting in the game not being televised. The Kentaro Group now have the rights to show the game, and have chosen the web as platform to broadcast it.

Coverage starts from 4.45pm on Saturday, and with the company claiming that streamed games are the way forward in the digital revolution. The modern technology available means that internet users wanting to be in more control of what, where and when they watch their favourite programs. But, there are certain things with tradition, where decades of gathering round the TV to watch epic football matches has become the norm. If streamed matches catches on despite it's obvious disadvantages it could mean the end of this traditon, the end of viewing sports on TV!

Thankfully the game has no significance for England as their qualification from the group is already secured. It will be somewhat bizzare in the future to invite the guys round to watch the game on...err the 19" screen with 2.1 stereo sound..maybe we can take turns to watch!

Tuesday's Dreariness

2009-10-05T21:05:00.011+01:00

I relunctanctly lifted myself out of bed this morning to be greeted by the sound of rain peltering against my window like a savage beast trying to get in. That had become foreign to me; the sombreness a sign of changing times. By this i mean, of course, that summer was over and autumn was pouring against my window.

Whilst this doom and gloom will not be welcomed by many for some it is a chance to wrap up warm and embrace what autumn bears. London has many a things to offer; for example for the those with musical taste i recommend going to see the Spaghetti Western Ochestra, playing in London and Brighton over the next four days. Their unique style is a meshwork of everyday sounds brought intricately together to form a Western masterpiece. An ochestra with a difference this will not disappoint!

Perhaps ochestras aren't your cup of tea and you're a more of an outdoorsy-type person. If that's the case; The London Mayor's Show is taking place on the 14th of Nov with a magnificent parade and fireworks display. With 6000 people, 1550 servicemen, 202 horses, 24 marching bands and 71 floats there's something for everyone!

For many Hindus, Sikhs and Jains October is very special month for it marks the Festival of Light, Diwali. There are many events across London illuminating the festivities including Diwali at Barnham Park on the 10th of Oct, Naesden Temple Diwali & New Year celebrations on the 17th and 18th of Oct and don't forget to check out what's happening in the borough of Brent over Diwali.

The festival fun..fest doesn't quite stop there! How about exploring how Black History Month is being celebrated in the capital or maybe the BIGfest music and arts festival. Or perhaps looking for something different such as a celebration of apples or even conkers (at Conkerfest09) and go on, fulfill that nutty inner child in you!

This is only a small selection of what London has to offer, there are a few links at the bottom that has endless things to do, see and experience.

Well, look at that, it's stopped raining now! If London was a mathematical equation, it's weather would, unfortunately, be an overcast variable but it's vibrancy, diversity, art and culture offerings would be rays of constants, irrespective of time of year or weather!

By the way, i almost forgot "remember remember the 5th of November!"

http://www.londontown.com/events

http://www.timeout.com/london/

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whats-on.aspx

It's been a long month

2009-10-03T15:12:00.004+01:00

A month has passed since i've blogged anything. A busy September and a touch of laziness on my part is the reason for this. It's been a strange month, at times i've been so busy that i've had to familiarise myself with the concept of multitasking and on some occassions i've become so bored that i've invented new ways to procrastinate!
Here's a few of the (small) feats i've accomplished over the last 30 days:

Become addicted to cottage cheese. It has a taste that no other food will possess and it's filled with protein. It's all good.
Sat an 8 hour exam
Fasted (see 4)
Celebrated the Hindu festival of Navratri
Prayed a lot (see 4 again)
Annoyed with the recession and will have to find sustainable ways to live if un-employment continues.
Accidentally formated one of my hard drives which had around 150gb of data (not quite sure what was saved on it!) Doh!
Had my hotmail, paypal, amazon and ebay account hacked. The fact that over the space of 2 days they managed to buy around $1500 worth of stuff didn't bother might come across as a bit strange, but i was aware of the strong likelihood that i would get my money back as it was an obvious case of fraud and not a shopping spree of sorts that included a pink Sony Vaio (if you're going to steal my money please have some decent taste!). But, i was really annoyed with the laborious and painstaking process of contacting all the companies concerned and letting them know that i had been a victim of online fraud. I did, however, get a laugh out of the supposed 'hacker' and his amateur operation after i realised that the things he bought off Amazon he had sent to my home address. Having actually received those items I believe the phrase 'WTF' is appropriate here!
September saw the merger of Orange and T-mobile to create the UK's largest phone company with a 37% share in the market. Also, Orange signing a deal with Apple over the iPhone and subsequently Vodafone doing the same a day later is a good sign for avid iPhone fans like myself. It's been widely talked about that this will spark a price war over the iPhone, which all in all is a win-win situation for us consumers. Let's hope that i can get my hands on an economically viable iPhone plan soon!
I've learnt that kids can really say the funniest things. Me: Have you not heard of Casper(as in the ghost)? kid: [stares blankly at me] ....Casper the wasteman? (I think only those living in the UK will understand that)
Banned myself from watching repeats on TV
Begun started reading the mammoth Bagavad Gita. I'm not sure where this will lead, whether i'll enjoy it or not, i will find out in 900 pages time.
Decided that in this given climate i may need to consider a career change

October is here now, and with a change in the wind, announcing the end of any lingering summer weather and the start of autumn. I wonder what i'll get up to this month. Only time will tell!

Did you know...

2009-09-02T18:20:00.002+01:00

Came across this vid whilst surfing...

London Anagram Underground Map

2009-08-28T16:14:00.009+01:00

Came across this yesterday and just have to share it! All the underground stations have been replaced by anagrams. My favourites ones have to be Togetherness Thinking (High Street Kensignton), Bowel Mind (Wimbledon) and Why Kick Acne (Hackney Wick). Make sure you don't miss your stop on the Cleric line, else you'll be going round in circles! What station are you?

[Click to see full-sized map]

Mauritian Events (Parties) UK

2009-08-27T12:51:00.009+01:00

It seems quite a few people are being redirected to this blog from searching for Mauritian parties/events, particularly in the UK, so i guess the right thing will be to help you out :)

MauritianParty.com @ Sound
Maurtius Blaze presents...SUMMER BASH

SummerBash (Facebook)

****MAURITIAN BLAZE PRESENTS****

***SUMMER BASH***

@ A BAR 2 FAR

SUNDAY THE 30TH AUGUST 2009

(BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND)

7PM- TILL LATE

SUMMER BASH DJS LINE UP:

DJ DEENESH

SPECIAL GUEST DJ:
DJ ANGEL _ UK's FINEST MAURITIAN DJ.

LIVE PERFORMANCE BY A SURPRISE GUEST

MUSIC ON THE NIGHT: THE BEST SEGA CLASSICS
BOLLYWOOD CLASSICS & REMIX //
BHOJPURI CLASSICS //
FUNKY HOUSE // BASHMENT // SOCA // RNB & HIP HOP// GARAGE // SLOW JAMZ // CLUB CLASSICS AND MUCH MORE

ENTRY FEE: £9 IN ADVANCE, £12 AT THE DOOR
(strictly over 18's only, ID required)

DRESS CODE: SMART, TRENDY, SEXY AND LUSH...NO HOODS, HATS OR TRACKSUITS.

SNACKS ON SALE ( DHALL PURI)

★FREE BIRTHDAY PACKAGE ★
Don't forget if its ya BIRTHDAY....
Phone 07944208188 to book your Birthday Package Free Goodies & Champagne!!!

If your birthday is fast approaching and you have no idea where to go, why not let us take on the stress of organising the event as we are dedicated event management specialists. We will guarantee you have the best time possible and everything wil run smoothly. We are able to offer you the following package:

★Complimentry Birthday Cake
★V.I.P Area for the b'day Group
★QUEUE JUMP entry
★Free Entry For the bday guy/girl and a few friends
★ A dedicated host to make sure all your needs are met

------------------------------------------------------------------
DONT FORGET
E.Mail: harish0422@yahoo.co.uk
Website : www.mauritianblaze.com
•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★

PLEASE INVITE ALL YOUR MATES & SPREAD THE WORD!!!

•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★•★

**INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO MAKE THIS NIGHT AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE**

Meeting new peoples, new friends and creating new relationships

SECURITY TIGHT BUT POLITE // CCTV

Come in mass and dare you miss this mega party!!!!

WE GONNA ROCK WITH THE BEST

LOTS OF GIVE AWAYZ ON THE NYT

MauritianParty@Sound (Facebook)

1000 clubbers, 2 rooms, 7 DJ's/MC's, 6 hours, 1 special night...

mauritianparty.com are back!

Bank Holiday Weekend
Sunday 30th August 2009
(No work next day!)

@ Sound, 1 Leicester square, WC2H 7NA

In the main room:
Sega, Zouk, Seggae, Soca and House
by DJ Papi, Vish, Melz and MC Kramz

MARIO IMOUSSE SINGING LIVE
"Pik so'orite" "Casse Cabin" and other hits!

In the top room:
RnB, HipHop, Bahsment, UK Funky House
by DJ Shaney, Kramer & Steve E

£10 in advance/more on the door

Look good: Smart Trainers are cool

Strictly over 18s, Photo I.D will be required (Driving Licence/Passport)

Please book early to avoid disappointment

For tickets & more info please call:
07944 943 111 - 07545 264 093

online: http://www.mauritianticketmaster.com

Stir Fry Pak Choi and Tuna

2009-08-25T12:39:00.002+01:00

Made this the other day and just thought that i'd share it because it tasted so good and was incredibly easy to make! :)
Preparation less than 5 mins
Cooking time 5 mins

Method:
2 heads of pak choi
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions:
1) Cut the stem and leaves into 1 inch portions
2) Heat a little oil in a wok
3) Put the stem bits in the wok and sauté til it becomes a little soft (2-3 mins)
4) Add 1 tbsp of salt and sugar
5) A few drops of soy sauce and 2 tbsp olive oil
4) Then add the leaves (+tuna if desired)
5) Stir for 3-4 mins and serve

I was surprised how easy this was to make, and how it only took a few minutes! It tasted pretty good too :D

Nav (dude who always had a phobia of cooking utensils! :p)

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

2009-08-20T15:09:00.002+01:00

Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus but is there an inbetween? Is what we're born with, our physical appearances, our reproductive organs define our sex? What if a person is born without no reproductive organs? Does that make them male or female? The answer would be tricky and involve many ethical and moral obstacles.

All these questions derive from the recent speculation and rumours surrounding Caster Semenya, an 800m athlete from South Africa. Having broke onto the scene earlier this year with the fastest time in the women's 800m at the African junior championships in Mauritius she made it to the Athletics World Championships in Berlin. After qualifying for the 800m final the governing body IAAF has publically announced that Semenya has been asked to undergo a gender test. In the recent history of athletics doping and cheating have marred the sport so it is somewhat understandable that the IAAF would want to quash any suspicion of cheating. No problem here. However, what i (and many others) don't agree with is the way that it was publically announced and also hours before the final. Something of such sensitive nature should be handled sensibly. Is there a reason to announce that you suspect someone of cheating before they actually have done so? And also, announcing it hours before the final where the athlete is most probably needs to be in a calm and focus state of mind does not help things.

Having said that Semenya won that final yesterday evening with quite some ease. It was my first time seeing her run and i have to say, i was shocked by the margin she won. It was in Usain Bolt proportions. Naturally, being human and all, i became curious. I had learnt about the various congenital genetic abnormalities where people are born with a mixture of (sex) chromosomes and display both male and female characteristics, but having seen this athlete run i wanted to see how 'she' sounded in an interview. The deepness of the voice might feed my curiosity. So i googled 'Caster Semenya' and saw this vid:

After seeing this you would either feel sorry for 'her' for being publically humiliated in this way or think "wait, there is no way that that is a woman".

Whether Semenya is aware of it or not, surely if the results come back positive for male chromosomes it would be wrong for her to compete as a female athlete. Wouldn't it?

How the internet has changed my life

2009-08-18T10:10:00.003+01:00

I originally wrote this for the WebDesign Bureau of Mauritius competition, but thought that it would make a nice blog post. Views welcome

The internet is part of my life as much as having breakfast in the morning or watching football on TV. I could not live without it. The internet is powerful, innovative, interesting, immense and yet it's capabilities are endless. The internet is like something great that has been discovered by man, and yet, the has so much more to offer! Living without the internet is like taking a trip back to the dark ages; it plays such an important part of our lives. We use the internet for so many purposes, reading the news, checking weather, reading emails, shopping. Everywhere we are the internet is there; whether on our computers,

laptops, mobile phones or even fridges. Where-ever we go, we need the internet! The 'information highway' it was once dubbed, but for those who are more tech-savvy will tell you that the internet is on the cusp of greatness. It is evolving in un-Darwinian proportions and, I for one, am glad i'm alive to witness it. Most people have heard of facebook but what most have overlooked in their obsession of it is it's usefulness and significance. Web 2.0 idealogy was first introduced almost a decade ago developing into the world-wide-web that is today. one-dimensional mono-chromatic webpages have evolved into vibrant, exciting, wonderful sites that are around today. "New Media" has added a whole new facet to the internet. It has undoubtedly revolutionised how we interact, creating a concept of social environment, one which disregards geographical location and distances. With the existence of this new social environment the power of the internet has shifted, it is not the same as before, for now users, me and you, feed it. WE drive the internet more and more everyday, feeding it with ideas, knowledge, concepts. You no longer need to publish an article in a newspaper to get your voice heard; blogging is on the rise, and with it, the ascent of the human voice! It is now easier to post videos and photos online now more than ever and attached with it are our thoughts, ideas, aspirations. But of course it is not just our thoughts, ideas and aspirations; New Media allows all these to be connected or shared with other internet users, to be interacted with their thoughts, ideas and aspirations. I believe the world wide web outlined the preliminary nodes of the internet, and now, New Media is growing and weaving connections between these nodes and making the 'Web' of the World Wide Web

I write this, and yet i will proclaim that in 10 years time we will all look back in even greater awe and astonishment, for the internet evolution has only just begun!

Mauritian looking to study abroad?

2009-08-13T10:25:00.003+01:00

This is for anyone, primarily, from Mauritius who wishes to study a course at University, such as the UK) abroad and needs a little advice or help:

Dear All:

I am currently helping students who wish to study abroad with their applications through the company- Campus Abroad.

If ever you have relatives or friends from Mauritius interested to study in the Various Universities and Institutions listed, feel free to contact me. You can also forward the invitation to as many people as you can.

We add a humane touch to the process and we do not charge any fee!! We also follow up students even after they join the Universities.

For your info:Campus Abroad Mauritius Ltd was established in 2001 as a facilitator to enable Mauritian students pursue overseas education.

Studying abroad is a complex process involving choice of university, course, country, location and financials. We try to match the aspirations of the students with the best choices available and advise them accordingly. The institutions we work with are well reputed with vast experience in handling international students.

Testimonial: Kritee Gowrydoss: University of Kent “I have always been very pleased with the friendly and efficient service tailored to meet individual requirements by Campus Abroad. They are reliable, efficient, professional and – above all – truthful. This alone sets them out from much of their competition.”

You can check the list of Universities under the Network section of the website: http://www.campusabroadmauritius.com/index.php?id=13

Many thanks for trusting us.

Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Jessyca Joyekurun (Campus Abroad Representative and University of Kent Ambassador)

Contact email: Jessyca.Joyekurun@gmail.com

Mauritius: The story continued...

2009-08-12T13:01:00.004+01:00

To recap me and my family had all flown back to Mauritius for the wedding of my cousin, which was taking place at our house. The week before the wedding was quite hectic (as already mentioned before!). On top of all the cleaning and tidying there was a lot, and i mean A LOT, of shopping! There was countless bottles of soft drinks, towering crates of beer and boxes upon boxes of wine, whiskey and rum! That was the drinks sorted. Then it was time for the food! I think there was a need for food to be served for three out fo the four days of the wedding. Being a weddign this only meant one thing...a lot of veg! So much veg that, of course, we couldn't go to just any supermarket or even markets...we went straight to the Agricultural Marketing Board (AMB), who have a nice little informative website (some free advertising there :P)

Luckily, that was pretty much all the hard work done, the people who put up the tent also supplied the tables/chairs/and some cutlery and family and friends pitched in to help with the cooking and

organising.

The Friday evening was the 'geetgawaye' where ladies come and sing and

dance. Thankfully, nothing for me to do here apart from take pictures and relax! At the end of the night I thought "hmmmm, one down three to go", how foolish I was to believe it would be so simple! I can't go into all the details of the little ceremonies and customs that happen during a hindu wedding, because else i'd be writing a small story here, but two of the main cermonies before the actual wedding are the 'tilak' and the 'haldi' (also referred to as the 'saffron'). The tilak is a ceremony where relatives of the bride go to the groom's house with gifts to offer to the groom and his family. The gifts vary but tend to include sugar, coconut, rice, clothes, jewelry and henna. All these gifts were elegantly wrapped in the morning, during which i was preparing the camera and camcorder for the day ahead. It was said at first that it would be the father of the bride (i.e. my father) that would be sitting in the tilak with a brother having a role to play. What they really should have said was that "I would be sitting in the tilak with my father having a small role at the "! So, we gathered the gifts and boarded the van and made the trip to Bel Air. We arrived there just on time at 14.00. The Pandit (priest) asked me who was the brother, *gulp*, "me, myself" i replied. I would be lying if i said i wasn't a little bit nervous, after all i had never seen a tilak being done before, let alone sat in one! So we all went into the tent, and that was it. The actual ceremony was over quicker than i had thought. Starting with a puja and finishing with the handing over of the gifts to the groom, my job was done! *phew* After my father doing his bit of the cermony it was back in the van and back to Q.Bornes!

Later that night it was time for the Haldi. The house was busy, people going and coming, like busy bees. Food was being cooked, greetings were exchanged, music was being played, and by 7.00 pm the bride-to-be emerged from the house ready for the haldi. The key feature of a haldi is tumeric paste being applied to the bride's face by relatives and friends who are married.

This itself can take a while, on some occassions mini-queues forming. Food was being served at the back, not quite sure what there was...i was too busy clicking away with my camera. That day took a lot out of me, the travelling, sitting in the tilak, travelling back home, and the haldi in the evening. A lot of weddings nowadays are all rolled into one day, now i know why! And of course, the tiredness didn't end once the haldi was over, family and friends still remained afterwards. Lights probably went out around midnight. Wake up at 7 the following day for the Wedding!

Will continue this later...need to refil my cup with caffeine!

Play Super Stacker!

2009-08-06T09:28:00.005+01:00

Came across this uber-cool game last night! It really makes you think and is very very addictive! The best online puzzle i've played in a while.

The aim of the game is to stack all the shapes without letting them fall. Once all have been stacked they must remain stacked until the clock timer runs out. 40 stages 4 levels of difficulty.

Like Tetris...except gravity is your enemy!

http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/superstacker2/playgame