Champions League winning team in FIFA 13

Starting a career mode with QPR, here is my Champions League winning squad after three years in career mode of FIFA 13. Always try to get them young, and develop them into the stars. Bender brothers are examples.

Position	Name	Club (Initial)	Age	OVR (Initial)	OVR (Current)
GK	Marc-Andre ter Stegen	Bor. M'gladbach (Germany)	22	80	83
GK	Thibaut Courtois	Athletico Madrid (Spain)	22	79	80
GK	Jamal Blackman	Chelsea (England)	21	58	60
RB	Kyle Walker	Spurs (England)	24	78	86
RB	Carl Jenkinson	Arsenal (England)	23	65	75
RB	Jose Bosingwa	QPR (England)	32	75	72
CB	Mats Hummels	Bor. Dortmund (Germany)	26	85	87
CB	Jerome Boateng	FC Bayern (Germany)	26	79	85
CB	Jeffrey Bruma	Hamburger SV (Germany)	23	72	83
CB	Mikel San Jose	Athletic Bilbao (Spain)	25	77	83
LB	David Alaba	FC Bayern (Germany)	22	77	84
LB	Armand Traore	QPR (England)	25	70	80
LB	Jordan Lukaku	RSC Anderlecht (Belgium)	20	62	72
CDM	Lars Bender	Bor. Dortmund (Germany)	25	81	85
CDM	Sven Bender	Bayer 04 (Germany)	25	81	85
CM	Josh McEachran	Middlesbrough (England)	22	71	82
CAM	Kevin de Bruyne	Werder Bremen (Germany)	23	78	85
CAM	Adel Taarabt	QPR (England)	25	78	84
CAM	Nikos Koutroubis	-	20	-	72
RW	Daniel Sturridge	Chelsea (England)	25	78	85
LM	Junior Hoillett	QPR (England)	24	77	85
LW	Iker Muniain	Athletic Bilbao (Spain)	22	80	83
ST	Lorenzo Insigne	Napoli (Italy)	23	75	83
ST	Eduardo Vargas	Napoli (Italy)	25	75	85
ST	Romelu Lukaku	West Brom (England)	21	74	83
ST	Wilfred Bony	Vitesse (Netherlands)	26	78	85

Preferred Starting XI (4-2-2-1-1):

		ter Stegen(GK)
Walker(RB)	Boateng(CB)		Hummels(CB)	Alaba(LB)
	Lars Bender(RDM)
			de Bruyne (LAM)
Sturridge(RW)				Hoilett (LW)
	Vargas(CF)
		Bony (ST)

The Great Indian Law Enforcement- Why India needs a Superhero?

In the capital of this great country, a girl and a guy board a bus after watching a movie. Both of them are stripped, beaten up with iron rods by the some six people in the bus, the girl gang raped, and thrown out of the bus. It was a private, unlicensed bus, and perhaps, that was the only mistake on the part of the two- but was it really a mistake? If we consider a private bus with tinted windows to be unsafe, why would it be allowed to run on the streets on the first place? What happened to the police patrols in the area?

The Great Etisalat Customer Service

Dear Customer, You have currently 96.55 MB left in your  "1GB Mobile Broadband" package. Additional charges will apply on exceeding your data package limit. To subscribe to higher package please call 101.

Life was going on nicely in the UAE when I got this text. Naturally, I switch off images to save data, and open Facebook just once daily to minimize data usage. The additional charges are not like the ones in India which are perhaps ₹ 0.80 per MB (BSNL) - they are 1 AED per MB, which rounds off to around ₹ 15! After thinking for some time, the only feasible option for me- UPGRADE. These are my calls to 101(aka Customer Service).

Who let the Jerks out?

This is a re-post. Original post can be found here- Insane IITians.

Disclaimer:
This blog post is the blogger's imagination. Any resemblance to any other real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. This supersedes all previous notices.

The Rowdy Keralite:

Rowdy was born in Kannur district of Kerala. Since his childhood, he has taken great joy in irritating others. He would steal the lunch boxes of his friends in school, and then laugh at their bewildered faces! Once it so happened that he did the same to a new boy, who, in turn, hit him so hard that he changed his life forever. Since that fateful incident, he has been wearing a plastic nose to hide his true deformed face.

The TV World: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good:

Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)
Ah, isn't he the very soul of the series since the Pilot? He is probably the sole reason the series has been so popular. His talent can be seen in the little video below, where he summarizes seven seasons in a single minute:

The little things of Arabia

The Potato Chips:
The best ones I have ever had. Right from the texture and flavour to the price and amount, they are wonderful!

On 21st December 2012- the World's End

Those who do follow by blog would know how I feel about the world ending on 21st December. For those who don't, feel free to visit this link.

The Curious Case of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

I first witnessed Mahendra Singh Dhoni when he played for India A. Against a Pakistan A, coming in to bat at no 3 with his locks fluttering in the wind, blazing off to a hundred and guiding the team to victory almost single-handedly- I could see it would not be long until he does the same for the national team. Fast forward a few months, and he had cemented his place in the national team. A quickfire 183 against Sri Lanka and he was the one who everybody loved!

The IRCTC experience

IRCTC- this was the website through which I did my first online transaction. There was a time, I would get up at 7.30, have my bath and sit at the computer to book tickets, as the reservation would start at 8. The internet connection was slow, so I was patient. Times have changed, internet speeds are off the charts, it makes me wonder why IRCTC still runs at the same speed it used to then!

Lo, here cometh the reformer

^The title stinks actually! Anyways, let's continue...

It's just one more semester until I reach the fourth year, and into an administrative position in IMG, with a fancy named post! For those who have no idea what IMG is, read this.

A-Z of Bongs

Here is one post I couldn't resist sharing once I stumbled upon it! It's aptly titled the A-Z of Bongs.

A is for Apish (Office). This is where the average Kolkatan goes and spends a day hard(ly) at work. If he is in the Government he will arrive at 10, wipe his forehead till 11, have a tea break at 12, throw around a few files at 12.30, break for lunch at 1, smoke an unfiltered cigarette at 2, break for tea at 3, sleep sitting down at 4 and go home at 5. It's a hard life!

On Roberto di Matteo

Credits: CTCS1905

An unfair loss against United. A draw at Swansea, which is a difficult away fixture. A last minute win against Shaktar. A draw against Liverpool. A loss against West Brom, and then against Juventus. 4 points adrift of the top spot in the Premier League, and qualification depending on the Shaktar-Juventus fixture in the Champions League. No matter what happened in the past, atleast, at this moment, there is very little a manager can do regarding the Champions League spot.

Roman Abramovich has done it again, sacking Roberto di Matteo, who won the maiden Champions League trophy for Chelsea just six months ago! I am not gonna say much- just that it was grossly unfair. I am sorry to say, as a Chelsea supporter, Abramovich, you have definitely let me down.

As for RdM, he will always be a legendary figure at the club, much like what King Kenny is for Liverpool or Guardiola for Barcelona.

Why India needs a Superhero: Part II

India Today cartoonist Narsim's take on the Shiv Sena vs free speech tussle.

Although the core idea is quite different from what I wrote here, this is sort of a continuation.

As a child, I remember my teacher once said- India is the largest democracy. He took great pride in the statement. A decade later, I wonder how correct he was.

Let me just tell you something as an example. You probably know this, but let me just tell you anyways. On 17th November, Bal Thackeray passed away. He was a politician and the founder of local party Shiv Sena, and had a big following- well, that is what the funeral pointed to.I would not like to say anything about his life or what he did, as that is not what I want to post on this.

Strikers in Russian Era and on Falcao's chances

2003, the Russian Rule began. The target was to conquer Europe. Generals have fallen: Ranieri, Mourinho, Grant, Scolari, Villas Boas. A new leader emerged. His gladiators did what David did to Goliath. And finally, victory was theirs.

The path to the holy grail was, however, not so easy and straightforward. Chelsea have had better teams, bigger chances- Liverpool semi final, Barcelona semi final, Moscow 2008! But against all the odds, 2012 was to be the year when Europe was painted blue. Here's a look at the strikers in this period.

The Great Indian Schools

This post is sort of a continuation of one of my previous posts.

With a country where about 35% of the people are under 20 (Source: Census of India), the educational institutions are of utmost importance. In such a situation, CBSE, the largest education board of the country, has failed to make sure that quality education is being provided to the children- the future workforce of this nation!

The Third Floor Anomaly

It was a fine May afternoon when it was room allotment for Radhakrishnan Bhawan was to be done. I go into the room, take a chit out of a big box, and it said '316'. Although this hostel had a smaller room, less space and absolutely no greenery as compared to my previous one- I was still happy moving into RKB. The reason? Fast internet (and less number of dogs). Everything else can be forgotten and forgiven!

Sher Dil- The Courageous One

Disclaimer:
This blog post is the blogger's imagination loosely inspired by some of his life events over the past two years. Any resemblance to any other real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.  Blogger is not responsible for any actions that the reader may be inspired to do after reading this. So, be advised, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. However, you need to be 18+ to continue. If you're less than 18, please click here to return to home page. This supersedes all previous notices.

The Duliajan Chronicles: The Badminton Days

The Assam Gas Company Campus, Duliajan

Back during my school days, when my dad worked in Duliajan, we would have a badminton competition among the families of the employees of the company. Staying in a town like Duliajan, this was a good opportunity for the people to stay fit (and the goodies you would get on winning were superb as well- sponsored by Aeicorp), which is why there was overwhelming participation year after year after year.

Ganguly's retirement- No more Dadagiri?

Amidst the controversial match(es) at Stamford Bridge, something significant happened in the cricket world, which football fans might just have missed- Sourav Ganguly opted out of IPL 6, and Ranji Trophy, retiring from all forms of Cricket. No more cheering for Dada, no more anticipating matches of Kolkata Knight Riders, or Pune Warriors for that matter. Cricket, as I (as well as a large chunk of Bengalis) knew it, is over.

Why Gangnam Style did better than Kolaveri Di?

Kolaveri Di died down a long time ago, and Gangnam style is still on the rise! Here is a comparison you might want to see!

From Hero to Villain- The Dark Side of Cricket

Cricket was once considered a gentleman's game. In fact, it still is! It is one of the most popular sports in the world (although Football edges past it easily). Cricket is considered a religion in the largest democracy of the world, and Cricketers Gods! However, there still remains a dark side to the beautiful game- the match fixing, the bookmakers, and those unfortunate players, who were once considered heroes, get lured into this vicious cycle!

How to customize your new Blogger blog?

So you just started blogging? You have decided a name and completed atleast a single post? Just in case you haven't, you can get a step-by-step guide on how to do it in Beginning to blog using Blogger and Writing your first article in blogger.

Now is the time to make it look better... I have compiled a list of things to make it look better and improve the experience of you as well as your readers!

Lord Heskey

Emile Heskey- the bad ass of English football. With 62 appearances for the national team,  he finally decided to call it quits after the 2010 World Cup. Having played for Liverpool and Birmingham City in the past, and after Aston Villa did the blunder of releasing him as a free agent earlier this year, he signed for Aussie club Newcastle Jets, and is the top scorer in the league now. He is perhaps the most trolled football player, only after Balotelli. Here is a collection of them.

Help!

If would require a few minutes of your time. If you ever liked my blog, or put a profile picture which I clicked, or if you are very generous, do go through the following lines. KLIX is an online photography contest, a Pre-Thomso event, which is the cultural fest of IIT Roorkee. To vote for me, do the following.

1. Like the page Thomso 12.
2. Like the following two images.


That would be all. Thank you.

Update: Competition over. Thanks, nonetheless.

How to become a Manchester United fan?

On an unrelated note, here's a fun post(no offense intended, just for laughs).

• Try ending every argument with '19'.
• Try to write GGMU wherever possible, especially at the most unexpected of places. For example, in a discussion involving the El Classico, say GGMU!
• Be a little arrogant in arguments. Well, don't consider the word 'little'.
• Keep dreaming about Champ20ns.
• Write "MUFC" in your name even if you can't name 10 players from the squad.
• Live no where near Manchester. 
• Mention how your youth academy is better than even better than La Masia.
• Say how the best players in the world would love to play for United. Also emphasize why Guardiola would love to succeed Ferguson.
• Say Sir Alex is the best ever and have no clue about who Matt Busby is.
• Put Christiano Ronaldo's picture as your Profile/Cover Pic, and hope for his return, which ain't happening.
• Accuse Liverpool fans of talking of history, but never stop talking of the '19'.
• Brag about the 8-2 against Arsenal, but forget about the 6-1 against City just weeks later.
• Look the other way (or pretend to do so) when referees favour United and say 'can we call it square' when one decision goes against them.

If you do atleast 5 of the things listed above, congrats, you are a Manchester United fan.

Lessons from Chelsea's Capital One Cup win over Man Utd

After a disappointing match that most Chelsea fans, if not all, were left feeling cheated, a win over the same opponents at the same ground did bring a sense of satisfaction! Here are my conclusions from the game.

What EA does right in Medal of Honor - Warfighter

My mid term examinations might have been affected by Medal of Honor - Warfighter, but then, I must admit, it was totally worth it! I have played a lot of installments of this series- the Nazi Germany based MOH Allied Assault, the different World War II based MOH Airborne, the modern day Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan based MOH Limited Edition of 2010- but Warfighter stands above all of them! Here's why.

Changes in FIFA 13 Career Mode

Almost a month of FIFA 13, and I must admit, it has stood above expectations! Here are the changes in the career mode!

The Piano Guys

The other day, I was going through random YouTube videos when I came across The Piano Guys. It was a beautiful piano solo of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme.

The Mazacar- and the match which turned from best to worst!

21st August 2011. Juan Manuel Mata Garcia was snapped up by Chelsea for £23.5 million. He was awarded the no 10 shirt from Yossi Benayoun. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut after coming on as a substitute. A bunch of great performances through out the season earned him the player of the season for Chelsea, who went on to win their maiden Champions League title.

Eden Hazard, on 29th May, after a long transfer saga, involving flirting with the top English clubs, tweeted-

I'm signing for the champion's league winner.

For £32 million, especially after a failed backheel against City in the Community Shield, people might have deemed him very overpriced, but he silenced doubters bagging the man of the match in each of his first four Premier League starts for Chelsea.

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Junior signed for Chelsea on 16th July for an undisclosed fee of the region of £20-25 million. Missing the first few games for Chelsea, he stamped his authority against Juventus in a Champions League match, scoring a wonderful second goal, which even the opposition keeper Buffon ended up acknowledging!

IIT Roorkee Lingo

There was a post somewhere on the internet (http://iitbakar.com/enpunch/iit-roorkee-lingo/) which explained all the terms used at IIT Roorkee. It was, however, removed (server issues maybe?). After searching a lot, I finally got hold of a Google Buzz post, which had a copy of the same- but you never know when it might be deleted or the visibility shrunk. So I decided to put it up in my blog so that it's not lost- at least till doomsday. Yet again, comment if you want something added.

What happened to Amar Jyoti Kalita?

Let me refresh your memory. On July 9th, 2012, a girl was molested by a mob on G.S.Road, probably the busiest area in Guwahati. As if that was not enough, it was filmed by a reporter of a 'reputed' news channel, showing the faces of the people in the mob. The prime accused was Amar Jyoti Kalita, an employee of Amtron. Although this was a pretty straight forward case, it was made to look pretty complicated by the media. There were many side plots- the Chief Minister's office accidentally releasing the identity of the girl, the resignation of an NCW activist and the involvement, arrest and grant of bail to Gourab Jyoti Neog- a reporter of the aforementioned news channel!

The Great Indian Lie

You might have heard of a certain Derp doing a PhD in music in the USA; another working hard to be a professional footballer since his childhood in France; a Derpina somewhere trying to be a ballet dancer. Not in India. The general belief in India is that a child can be deemed successful in life only if he excels in academics! True, we have seen the likes to Dr A P J Abdul Kalam achieve such great recognition on the basis of sheer brilliance and hard work- but among half a billion young people in this country, only few get to such heights!

Facepalm: So much for clearing the JEE?

On clearing the JEE, there is feeling of awesomeness. You start to think you have conquered the greatest examination in the whole wide world. True, you must have been truly a complete package to crack the JEE, but what you fail to understand is that it is not equivalent to winning a Nobel! There is a time during the stay in college that this feeling turns into plain stupidity! Here are the examples.

Devdas and Co.

Image Courtesy: Pjmania

Disclaimer:
This blog post is the blogger's imagination loosely inspired by some of his experiences over the past few years. Any resemblance to any other real persons, living, in coma or dead is purely coincidental. This supersedes all previous notices. 

Lassu -/ La-Soo -/ noun -/ Lassu is a person who runs after girls.
Alpahar -/ Al-paa-haar -/ noun -/ Place opp to library where you sit (after bunking the class) to have bun-samosa, pakoda and chai. Canteen for the government servants.
Nesci -/ Nay-skii -/ noun -/ Nescafe of the campus.
Chapo -/ chaa-po  -/ noun -/ treat.

FIFA 13- First Look

After a very hard fourteen days, I finally got my hands on a copy of FIFA 13. And I must say, it has lived up to the hype. Here are my initial reactions on the game.

The People on 6E 128

Although I expected the flight from Guwahati to Delhi to be a quiet one, I was in for a truly enlightening ride!

| 27 A | 27 B | 27 C |           | 27 D | 27 E | 27 F | 

| 28 A | 28 B | 28 C |           | 28 D | 28 E | 28 F | 

| 29 A | 29 B | 29 C |           | 29 D | 29 E | 29 F |

The Seating Arrangement

'Oh My God'- The Best Satire!

It had been quite a long time since I had watched a Hindi movie, and that too in a cinema hall. After coming to Guwahati after exactly a year, I had movie tickets waiting for me- in the best seats in Cinemax- something which is a bit hard to turn down. Although I was skeptical about the movie, I decided to turn up anyways (considering each ticket cost three hundred bucks). Little did I know what I was about to witness!

The Counter Strike Like Drill

Arriving at the Airport some six hours before your flight can be a nuisance. However, for as long as I can remember I have been doing exactly that- reaching the airport at midnight for an early morning flight. This time, however, I was about to witness something different.

The Art of Plagiarism

Before we start, let's be clear with the name, shall we? Wikipedia defines plagiarism as,

the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous boundaries.

In simple terms, copying stuff from others and presenting it as your own is plagiarism. It is taken very seriously in this world.

Convergence of Real and Reel

Again, with nothing better to do, I decided to write about the best real life adaptations.

Ramblings of a Stupid Idiot

Note: I have encountered many stupid people in my life. This is just a satirical piece of all those thoughts that have made me laugh at them!

Disclaimer:
This blog post is the blogger's imagination loosely inspired by some of his experiences over the past few years. Any resemblance to any other real persons, living, in coma or dead is purely coincidental. This supersedes all previous notices (even the note above).

The Things I have learnt in college

Almost all posts in this blog have been written by me, with a few ideas here and there from others. However, I wondered if I could include my readers in a post. Well, here it is. Put the most interesting thing you have learnt in college in the comments, and I would post it here. I start with something I learnt on my first day!

The Popular Food Myths Revisited

Consider these:

• I am a foodie
• I am inquisitive
• I can use Google properly

So, I decided to uncover the truth behind certain popular beliefs!

Bringing out the Vintage Effect in Photoshop!

With all those profile pictures in Facebook showing the different effects, doesn't your heart crave for a similar effect? Well, the vintage effect is the something which you can see prominently in old photographs. The darkening of the corners, the tarnishing- may not look good in every picture, but produces a really great effect in others. This is the very reason photographers artificially create this effect using Photoshop. Have a look at how to do it...

Rating those Burgers!

On a Delhi trip recently, I survived the whole day only on Burgers. Considering the fact that each of them were from different places, and that I have probably no other work right now, I decided to rate them.

The Century

When I started this blog back in April '11, Tendulkar had 99 hundreds. I wondered if I could reach the hundredth post before Tendulkar completed his hundredth hundred. And then, I wanted to complete my century before Didier Drogba completed his century of Premier League goals for Chelsea! I wasn't successful in either of them, but it has been a wonderful journey nonetheless!

Predicting Chelsea Player Ratings in FIFA 13

With FIFA 13 to be released worldwide a little less than 10 days from now, and Chelsea being the defending champions and the currently leading the league, I thought it is time to predict the player ratings EA might assign to the first team.

5 Point (Annoying) Someone

You think being in an IIT is something like paradise? Think again! Here are a few annoying habits that I have noticed in almost every other fellow IITian.

What went wrong in the Super Cup?

A 4-1 win for Athletico Madrid is something which probably no one would have predicted! After defeating Napoli, Barcelona and then Bayern Munich, Chelsea lifted the Champions League trophy against all odds in May... Surely, no one must have seen this coming! Here is what I think must have gone wrong.

'Cause Nothing Lasts Forever

Indigo announces the departure of its flight 6E 236 to Delhi. Passengers are requested to proceed to gate no 2A for boarding.

I was at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata. As I heard this, I thought about the last two months that I spent in Didi's Sonar Bangla, something she is so desperately trying to convert to the 'London of the East'.

The Volkswagen Ride

During the time of convocation, all the hotels are booked in R-Land. On the night of 3rd August, 2012, it was no exception. As the plan had been made just a day before the chapo, IMG could get a hotel only as near as All Seasons, which is four kilometers from the campus. That doesn't seem much in a metro like Delhi, but hello, this was Roorkee! Go outside the cantonment area and you get nothing but a highway.

Walter Lewin: The Physics Crackerjack!

The most dangerous demonstration in my opinion!

A tall, lanky figure, with an Albert Einstein like hairstyle, you would probably think he has been taken right out of a sci-fi horror movie. Especially after he starts his demonstrations, you would start questioning his sanity. At 76, he is a well known figure in cyber space for his video lectures. Possibly the only three courses which keep MIT Open Course Ware running, this guy is one who truly loves Physics.

What Christopher Nolan got wrong?

 
The first day, first show of the Dark Knight Rises on the last day of my vacation. As the credits rolled, the fully packed hall gave a standing ovation. As I watched, I wondered whether it deserved this. No wonder, it was a fantastic movie, exceeding my expectations in terms of action and entertainment, but there were certain errors which most people would fail to detect.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A REVIEW AND CONTAINS SPOILERS. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE MOVIE.

Facebook: Encouraging Stupidity since 2004

This video titled "Facebook is a stupid idiot" came up back in early 2010 (probably earlier) by David Ippolito, popularly known as the Guitar Man. He came up with a variety of examples where people indulge in pristine stupidity. You might want to view the video of the song before reading this post. Two years on, with certain changes in Facebook, many things remain the same, but the core of the stupidity remains the same! Here are a few examples...

Why India needs a superhero

Think of any superhero story. It starts with a problem. A big problem in a big city. A superhero emerges and saves the people. In most cases, the superhero doesn't follow the law, is labelled a vigilante, but he is the one who strikes fears into the minds of the criminals, even before a crime is committed. Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man: the logic is the same. Save the innocent. Punish the evil.

How could Chelsea line up this season?

With Hazard and Marin already in, and Hulk, Oscar and Debuchy in the radar, the squad has got a much needed injection of youth in it. However, much is speculated as to how Chelsea would form the starting lineup. Here is my take on the possible formations of Chelsea.

An interview with Fergie

Sir Alex Ferguson. Arguably one of the best managers in world football today. Loved by the United faithful. Hated by everyone else. This is a mock interview with Fergie and not to be taken seriously. Just for laughs.

The Expressionless: Fact or Fiction?

A few days ago, I encountered a story on the internet. An Urban legend, the details mentioned there are pretty creepy as well. It feels like the story has been taken right out of a horror flick. Although I believe this is more fiction than fact, I would like to take you though the story nonetheless.

Ubuntu 12.04: Precise Pangolin

Ubuntu 12.04: Precise Pangolin is the April release candidate of the Ubuntu operating system by Canonical Ltd. It is based on the Debian Linux Distribution and distributed as free and open source software under the GNU General Public License. Popularly known as 'Linux for human beings', Ubuntu mainly targets personal computers.

Pangolins are nocturnal animals, and use their well-developed sense of smell to find insects.

-Wikipedia

The name Precise Pangolin must have been given keeping in mind that the people who love Ubuntu the most are programmers, and noctural is an understatement for them. Ubuntu 12.04 is the 16th release candidate, and the 4th and current LTS(Long Term Support) version.

Even you are a Pirate!

Back in the days of Captain Jack Sparrow, the boundary between a pirate and a privateer was not sharp. The function both of these groups performed was pretty much the same: raid ships. The only possible difference is that a privateer was sanctioned by a Government to do so. However, if a privateer were to be captured, either party would deny involvement with each other. So, that was it. No proper way to separate them.

In modern times, the act of computer piracy is pretty much the same. We generally say that the action belongs to a "Grey Area" and perform it anyways. In fact, most of the times, a person doesn't even realise that he is committing an act of piracy. Let's have a look at few cases where technically, you can be termed a pirate.

The new IIT JEE: Too much too soon?

Everyone's angry at Kapil Sibal. Every single soul who is a part of the education system in the country of a billion hearts. I am no exception. However, let me very clear here. I am writing this not to criticize him. This is to express my views on the pathetic system of education in India.

At school, the education is given, but, higher education is acquired...

-Anonymous

"How to Unblock Everything on the Internet"- Redundancy Redefined?

Few years back, you probably would have heard of the 'hacking' stories of Ankit Fadia, and how he prevented some attack on some site by listening into the conversation of the would-be hackers. Maybe you have read somewhere that he was offered a job by some online magazine as he mailed the webmaster some vulnerability and also a solution to it. You might have noticed somewhere in your busy schedule that he had written a book when he was 13, which turned out to be a(n) (international) bestseller. So I pick out 'How to Unblock Everything on the Internet', his latest book, for just over a hundred bucks having high hopes.

Football vs Cricket: Why I prefer Football

As a child, I loved Cricket. Believe me, every one in the country does. And once you start watching it, you get glued. However, over the years, my focus has shifted towards football (soccer?) and cricket just doesn't excite me anymore. If I wonder how that happened, I come up with a lot of things, in particular the ones listed below.

How Knight Riders did a Chelsea

Back when IPL started, I was a huge fan of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Such was my enthusiasm that during season 2, when KKR had lost 10 matches in a row, I still watched them chase down a massive 188 by CSK in the eleventh. However, somewhere along the way, I lost interest to such an extent that yesterday's final was the first match in IPL 5 where I did not miss a single ball.

Who should Chelsea buy in the summer?

After ticking off the European Cup from his bucket list, Roman Abramovich must concentrate on the next big thing in his list: Winning the European Cup on the offensive. The reshuffling has already begun with Drogba announcing that he would be leaving the club in the summer. With Kalou, Bosingwa, Ferriera and Malouda out of contract in the summer, there is hardly any change of their stay.

Adieu Drogba: The One worth his weight in Ivory!

£24 million. It was a record transfer fee in England back in 2004. Chelsea had just bought Didier Drogba, a 26-year old, who had signed his first professional contract at the age of 21. £24 million for a striker who had just completed a single season in Marsielle, scoring 32 goals? The then manager of Chelsea, Jose Mourinho was questioned. He had a straight forward reply,

Judge him when he leaves the club.

Eight years on, it is time to answer that question. Was £24 million too much or too little?

The Italian Job: How Roberto Di Matteo etched his name in Chelsea's history?

2003, the Russian Rule began. The target one: Conquer Europe. Generals have fallen: Ranieri, Mourinho, Grant, Scolari, Villas Boas. A new leader emerged. His gladiators did what David did to Goliath. And finally, victory was theirs.

An Open Letter to Johan Cruyff

Dear Johan,

As a football fan, I have always admired you. I admit you retired when my dad was in college, but that has not made you alien in my generation. Everyone knows you and respects you, for various reasons, including, and not limited to, the battle with Beckenbauer in the World Cup of 1974, although you ended second best.

Why an Integrated M.Tech. in Earth Sciences from IIT Roorkee?

Another year. Another JEE. Another round of entrances. Another round of happiness (or shock). People wondering what on Earth an "Integrated M.Tech." means, well, you've come to the right place. Those who have a general question about the college, visit this link. There are two courses in Integrated M.Tech, both offered by IIT Roorkee, namely, Geological Technology, and Geophysical Technology. If you look at the counseling brochure given to you, you'd be greeted by bureaucratic jargon, and believe me, it does not speak of what you are gonna experience here.

Petr Čech: The Goalie God

With the Champion's League trophy

People say Casillas. Neuer. Buffon. I scoff. It was the night of Petr Čech, when he proved that he is the king of all the goalkeepers, the one who steps up on the big occasions, standing like a giant in front of goal, stopping every damn thing coming his way. Take a bow.

< / World > | End of the World?

2012. The year when the world ends. Well, I am talking of the movie no doubt, but then, it is based on certain ideas that are not yet (proven) facts. Anyways, people from everywhere are predicting the end of the world. These people also include some 'Scientific Experts'. Well, best of luck predicting the world's end.

The Holy Grail: How the worst season turned into the best?

It was all down to one penalty at the Allianz Arena. The thin line between bragging rights and keeping your mouth shut for the next season. A win and a loss. Down to a single penalty. As Drogba stepped on to take it, my mind flashed images of his days in the Chelsea jersey since his then record transfer...

Jadavpur Diary: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

When I first stepped onto Didi's Shonar Bangla, I wondered if I would be able to survive the two months here. It has been seven days since then. One long week in Kolkata and I am still living, although barely. I seem to be getting used to the climate, and more importantly, the traveling. So, I would like to share my opinion on the pros and cons of the combination of Kolkata, the department of Geological Sciences in Jadavpur University and Me.

Jadavpur Diary: Día Número Uno

The temperature was over forty degrees, but that didn't matter. Believe me, with the humidity of Kolkata, you don't care what the temperature is, you sweat more in a day in Kolkata than in a month in Roorkee. I got down from the auto, with the driver signalling to me that I had reached my destination. There it was, right in front of me: Institute of Chemical Engineers. Well, that's what I saw, bewildered. I just failed to notice something within metres, written in golden characters: Jadavpur University.

IIT Roorkee: What should you know before joining?

So you have cleared the JEE? You think you are the among the greatest minds of the nation. Well, that may be true, but there are a lot of things that you are thinking which are not related to this. For example, you might be wondering what to expect in one of the best technical institutes of the country.

Note: For a detailed post on the department of Earth Sciences at IIT Roorkee, click here.

Cautley Bhawan: Survival Tactics

This post is dedicated to the ones from Mechanical and Civil, who have been allotted rooms in this hostel atleast for the next year.

Until I was dragging my luggage out of the main gate of Cautley Bhawan earlier today, I didn't realise that I would not be coming back to claim my room S-08. In case you do not belong to my college, you might think that I was very sad about the fact. On the contrary, it's quite the opposite. I am actually very happy that I am leaving this hostel for a new one, one which is far better in terms of one important thing: internet speed. In a way, I feel bad for the ones who are gonna get this hostel next year. So, I come up with this blog post saying what exactly to expect here.

Lost in Lakshman Jhula

German Bakery: A pretty common name for eating outlets in Rishikesh. This one had a great a view as well. The Lakshman Jhula was visible from the place where we were sitting; we meaning me and Aditya. An iron suspension bridge over River Ganges, where apparently, Lakshman had crossed using jute ropes, at the place the bridge is built. The apple pie (or whatever it was) was pretty nice, and the shopkeeper (definitely a local) had developed a weird European accent, hoping to attract the foreigners, and it seemed he was quite successful at that.

The Semester I learnt Photoshop

After every semester, I usually end up writing a post on why the semester has been memorable and customarily I'm doing pretty much the same here. However, I would always cherish this semester as the one which taught me many things.

How to screw others in a Social Network: A Dangerous Demonstration

Disclaimer:
This is just for educational purposes. I want to make the reader feel how vulnerable we are while posting in Social Networks. I want to demonstrate with the technology available today, how damn easy it is to screw others. Blogger is not responsible for any actions that the reader may be inspired to do after reading this. This supersedes all previous notices.

Keep The Blue Flag Flying High

Why do you support Chelsea? You did not support them before the Russian Rubles arrived, did you? Money can buy everything but the titles.

Well, being a Chelsea supporter, I often encounter such questions. Very often. And to say the truth, it is indeed irritating at times.

How to skip irritating Adf.ly pages?

Once upon a time, an uploader would put the direct links of the material required in his website. He would be supported by ads in his site. I would use Adblock Plus to block those ads, while getting hold of my links. Then came URL shorteners like bitly. But now, there are services which pay you for shortening your URLs. The catch: they would show ads to every visitor for some time, and only then would you get the link you are actually looking for. Adblock blocks those ads even now, but if your connection is slow, there are chances the "Skip this ad" button would not become active unless you refresh the page and go through the process again. However there is a shorter way to skip these ads if the "Skip this ad" button refuses to show.

How I won my battle against a corrupt Nikon Dealer!

I had just lost my camera case back in Dubai. On coming back to R-land, I had to get one. The problem was weird. I own a semi SLR, which is too large for the cover of the basic digital cameras, and too small for the case of a proper DSLR. There was just one place to buy it. The big issue with it was that the dealer (who shall remain unnamed) was demanding more than the MRP. I thought for a sec. Had I refused to buy it, I would have to go to Delhi to get one. Eight hours would be wasted. So, I decided otherwise. But what I did do was to ask for a bill. Now, that was clever, considering what I did with it.

Vengeance in Catalonia

The second leg between Chelsea and Barcelona at the Camp Nou, at 81 minutes and 15 seconds, Alexis Sanchez put the ball at the back of the net. The TV room at the Rajiv Bhawan roared to life. The word 'Heartbreak' popped into my mind, images of the 93rd minute goal from Iniesta three years ago came flashing back. Such was the atmosphere there that we failed to hear the commentator shouting,

Offside. Offside, it won't count, it's offside. The flag went up before Sanchez hit the ball. 

My heart skipped a beat, so did every Chelsea supporter's around the globe.

Chelsea's Unfinished Business

Iniesta's 93rd minute wonder strike

Everyone's got unfinished business with them (Barcelona) 

This was exactly what Frank Lampard told the press after Chelsea's draw with SL Benfica, reminding fans and players alike how it felt on that fateful day back in April 2009, when Iniesta's strike, deep in injury time, steered eventual Champions Barcelona into the final.

The Arabian Nights

To be frank, my trip did not get off to a great start. Just after landing at the airport, I had to go through a lot of stuff, which I have written in detail here. Gut feeling said it was gonna be two weeks full of hatred. However, it was not to be...

Confessions of an IITian

Two minutes. That was exactly the stoppage time. With innumerable number of baggage, I got down somehow before the train started moving. I looked up. Clear Sky. No clouds. I smelled the air. Nothing so special. Well, Roorkee it was. This was the place I was about to spend the better part of my next five years. In two rickshaws, we somehow fit the luggage and moved on towards our hotel, the heat constantly reminding me that it was gonna be really tough staying without an AC.