Statistical highlights of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup

·After winning the World Cup in England at Lord's on June 25, 1983 and the Benson and Hedges World Championship in Australia at Melbourne on March 10, 1985, the five-run victory over Pakistan in the ICC World Twenty20 is India's third major cricket title.

· India's win is their fourth in succession – one each vs. England, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.

· Pakistan's defeat by 5 runs to India is their only one in the competition. Dhoni became the first captain to win five successive tosses in the ICC World Twenty20.

· Irfan Pathan and Yousuf Pathan became the first pair of brothers to have played in a Twenty20 International for India.

· A list of brothers playing together in a World Cup Final is (one-day Internationals):

Ian Chappell (62) & Greg Chappell (15) for Australia vs. England at Lord's on 21.6.1975 Steve Waugh (13) and Mark Waugh (12) for Australia vs. Sri Lanka at Lahore on 17.3.1996 Steve Waugh (DNB) and Mark Waugh (37*) for Australia vs. Pakistan at Lord's on 20.6.1999

· Gautam Gambhir's innings of 75 off 54 balls is the highest individual innings for India in this competition, bettering Yuvraj Singh's 70 off 30 balls against Australia.

· Gambhir became the first Indian to have recorded 3 fifties in the competition. Only Australia's Matthew Hayden (4) has registered more fifties in the competition than Gambhir.

· Gambhir also became the first to aggregate 200 for India – 227 at an average of 37.83 in six innings with a strike rate of 129.71.

· Gambhir's aggregate is exceeded only by Hayden – 265 at 88.33 in six innings – in the competition.

· Shahid Afridi has been adjudged the Player of the series for his all-round performance – 12 wickets at 15.66 runs apiece, 91 runs (ave.15.16) and two catches.

· India (157/5) registered their highest total against Pakistan, eclipsing their 141 for 9 at Durban on 14.9.2007.

· Pakistan (152) also recorded their highest against India.

· Rohit Sharma (30 not out) remained not out in all three innings, aggregating 88 at a strike rate of 14.26.

· Umar Gul (3/28) took his tally of wickets to 13 at 11.92 runs apiece – the most in the competition, surpassing the feats of Australia's Stuart Clark (12 at 12.00 runs apiece) and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (12 at 15.66 runs apiece).

· Irfan Pathan (3/16) produced his best bowling figures, eclipsing his 3 for 37 against England at Durban on 19.9.2007.

· Misbah-ul-Haq became the third batsman after Hayden (265) and Gambhir (227) to aggregate 200 runs in the competition

· R.P.Singh is the leading wicket-taker for India in the competition – 12 (ave. 12.66) in 7 matches.

· Man of the Match award Irfan Pathan is the next best for India in the competition – 10 (ave.14.90) in 7 matches.

Difference btw Love & Arranged Marriage

Love Marriage	Arranged Marriage
Resembles procedural programming language. We have some set functions like flirting, going to  movies together, making long conversations on phone and then try to fit all functions to the candidate we like.	Similar to object oriented programming approach. We first fix the candidate and then try to implement functions on her. The functions are added to supplement  the main program. The functions  can be added or deleted.
It is a throwaway type of prototype as client requirements rises with time thus it is a  dynamic system and difficult to  maintain.	Requirements are well defined so use of waterfall model is possible
Family system hangs because  hardware (called parents) is not responding.	Compatible with hardware  (Parents).
You are the project leader so u are responsible for implementation and execution of PROJECT- married life.	You are a team member under project leader (parents) so they    are responsible for successful   execution of project Married life.
Client expectations include exciting feature as spouse cooking food, washing clothes etc.	All these features are covered in the SRS as required features.
Acceptance test possible you can try before you Buy.	Product is sold on an as is where is basis. Product once sold will not be taken back!
Love Marriage is like Windows , beautiful n seductive.... Yet  one never knows when it will crash....	Arranged Marriage is like   Unix ... boring n colorless...  still extremely reliable n robust.

Conversational styles of men and women

"Can't We Talk?" (condensed from: You Just Don't Understand)
by Deborah Tannen

A married couple was in a car when the wife turned to her husband and asked, "Would you like to stop for a coffee?"

"No, thanks," he answered truthfully. So they didn't stop.

The result? The wife, who had indeed wanted to stop, became annoyed because she felt her preference had not been considered. The husband, seeing his wife was angry, became frustrated. Why didn't she just say what she wanted?

Unfortunately, he failed to see that his wife was asking the question not to get an instant decision, but to begin a negotiation. And the woman didn't realize that when her husband said no, he was just expressing his preference, not making a ruling. When a man and woman interpret the same interchange in such conflicting ways, it's no wonder they can find themselves leveling angry charges of selfishness and obstinacy at each other.

As a specialist in linguistics, I have studied how the conversational styles of men and women differ. We cannot lump all men or all women into fixed categories. But the seemingly senseless misunderstandings that haunt our relationships can in part be explained by the different conversational rules by which men and women play.


Whenever I write or speak about this subject, people tell me they are relieved to learn that what has caused them trouble - and what they had previously ascribed to personal failings - is, in fact, very common.

Learning about the different though equally valid conversational frequencies men and women are tuned to can help banish the blame and help us truly talk to one another. Here are some of the most common areas of conflict:

Status vs. Support.

Men grow up in a world in which a conversation is often a contest, either to achieve the upper hand or to prevent other people from pushing them around. For women, however, talking is often a way to exchange confirmation and support.

I saw this when my husband and I had jobs in different cities. People frequently made comments like, "That must be rough," and "How do you stand it?" I accepted their sympathy and sometimes even reinforced it, saying, "The worst part is having to pack and unpack al the time."


But my husband often reacted with irritation. Our situation had advantages, he would explain. As academics, we had four-day weekends together, as well as long vacations throughout the year and four months in the summer.

Everything he said was true, but I didn't understand why he chose to say it. He told me that some of the comments implied: "Yours is not a real marriage. I am superior to you because my wife and I have avoided your misfortune." Until then it had not occurred to me there might be an element of one- upmanship.

I now see that my husband was simply approaching the world as many men do: as a place where people try to achieve and maintain status. I, on the other hand, was approaching the world as many women do: as a network of connections seeking support and consensus.

Independence vs. Intimacy.

Since women often think in terms of closeness and support, they struggle to preserve intimacy. Men, concerned with status, tend to focus more on independence. These traits can lead women and men to starkly different views of the same situation.


When Josh's old high-school friend called him at work to say he'd be in town, Josh invited him to stay for the weekend. That evening he told Linda they were having a house guest.

Linda was upset. How could Josh make these plans without discussing them with her beforehand? She would never do that to him. "Why don't you tell your friend you have to check with your wife?" she asked.

Josh replied, "I can't tell my friend, 'I have to ask my wife for permission'!"

To Josh, checking with his wife would mean he was not free to act on his own. It would make him feel like a child or an underling. But Linda actually enjoys telling someone, "I have to check with Josh." It makes her feel good to show that her life is intertwined with her husband's.

Advice vs. Understanding.

Eve had a benign lump removed from her breast. When she confided to her husband, Mark, that she was distressed because the stitches changed the contour of her breast, he answered, "You can always have plastic surgery."

This comment bothered her. "I'm sorry you don't like the way it looks," she protested. "But I'm not having any more surgery!"

Mark was hurt and puzzled. "I don't care about a scar," he replied. "It doesn't bother me at all."


"Then why are you telling me to have plastic surgery?" she asked.

"Because you were upset about the way it looks."

Eve felt like a heel. Mark had been wonderfully supportive throughout her surgery. How could she snap at him now?

The problem stemmed from a difference in approach. To many men a complaint is a challenge to come up with a solution. Mark thought he was reassuring Eve by telling her there was something she could do about her scar. But often women are looking for emotional support, not solutions.

When my mother tells my father she doesn't feel well, he invariably offers to take her to the doctor. Invariably, she is disappointed with his reaction. Like many men, he is focused on what he can do, whereas she wants sympathy.

Information vs. Feelings.

A cartoon shows a husband opening a newspaper and asking his wife, "Is there anything you'd like to say to me before I start reading the paper?" We know there isn't - but that as soon as the man begins reading, his wife will think of something.

The cartoon is funny because people recognize their own experience in it. What's not funny is that many women are hurt when men don't talk to them at home, and many men are frustrated when they disappoint their partners without knowing why.

Rebecca, who is happily married, told me this is a source of dissatisfaction with her husband, Stuart. When she tells him what she is thinking, he listens silently. When she asks him what is on his mind, he says, "Nothing."


All Rebecca's life she has had practice in verbalizing her feelings with friends and relatives. But Stuart has had practice in keeping his innermost thoughts to himself. To him, like most men, talk is information. He doesn't feel that talk is required at home.

Yet many such men hold center stage in a social setting, telling jokes and stories. They use conversation to claim attention and to entertain. Women can wind up hurt that their husbands tell relative strangers things they have not told them.

To avoid this kind of misunderstanding, both men and women can make adjustments. A woman may observe a man's desire to read the paper without seeing it is a rejection. And a man can understand a woman's desire to talk without feeling it is a manipulative intrusion.

Orders vs. Proposals.

Diana often begins statements with "Let's." She might say "Let's park over there" or "Let's clean up now, before lunch."


This makes Nathan angry. He has deciphered Diana's "Let's" as a command. Like most men, he resists being told what to do. But to Diana, she is making suggestions, not demands. Like most women, she formulates her requests as proposals rather than orders. Her style of talking is a way of getting others to do what she wants - but by winning agreement first.

With certain men, like Nathan, this tactic backfires. If they perceive someone is trying to get them to do something indirectly, they feel manipulated and respond more resentfully than they would to a straightforward request.

Conflict vs. Compromise.

In trying to prevent fights, some women refuse to oppose the will of others openly. But sometimes it's far more effective for a woman to assert herself, even at the risk of conflict.

Dora was frustrated by a series of used cars she drove. It was she who commuted to work, but her husband, Hank, who chose the cars. Hank always went for cars that were "interesting" but in continual need of repair.


After Dora was nearly killed when her brakes failed, they were in the market for yet another used car. Dora wanted to buy a late-model sedan from a friend. Hank fixed his sights on a 15-year-old sports car. She tried to persuade Hank that it made more sense to buy the boring but dependable car, but he would not be swayed.

Previously she would have acceded to his wishes. This time Dora bought the boring but dependable car and steeled herself for Hanks' anger. To her amazement, he spoke not a word of remonstrance. When she later told him what she had expected, he scoffed at her fears and said she should have done what she wanted from the start if she felt that strongly about it.

As Dora discovered, a little conflict won't kill you. At the same time, men who habitually oppose others can adjust their style to opt for less confrontation.

When we don't see style differences for what they are, we sometimes draw unfair conclusions: "You're illogical," "You're self- centered," "You don't care about me." But once we grasp the two characteristic approaches, we stand a better chance of preventing disagreements from spiraling out of control.


Learning the other's ways of talking is a leap across the communication gap between men and women, and a giant step towards genuine understanding.

How the Software Industry Works

Programmer to Team Leader

"We can not do this proposed project. It will involve a major design change and no one in our team knows the design of this system.  Also, nobody in our company knows the language in which this application has been written. If you ask my personal opinion, the company should never take on this type of project!"

Team Leader to Project Manager

"This project will involve a design change. Currently, we don't have any staff with experience in this kind of work. Also, the language is unfamiliar to us, so we will have to arrange for some training if we take this project. In my personal opinion, we are not ready to take on a project of this nature."

Project Manager to First-Level Manager

"This project involves a design change in the system and we don't have much experience in that area. Also, not many people in our company are appropriately trained for it. In my personal opinion, we would need more time than usual to complete it."

First-Level Manager to Senior Level Manager

"This project involves design reengineering. We have some people who have worked in this area and others who know the implementation language, so they can train other people. In my personal opinion, we should take this project, but with caution."

Senior Level Manager to CEO

"This project will demonstrate to the industry our capabilities in remodeling the design of a complete legacy system. We have all the necessary skills and people to execute this project successfully.  Some people have already given in house training in this area to other staff members. In my personal opinion, we should not let this project slip by us under any circumstances."

CEO to Client

"This is the type of project in which our company specializes. We have executed many projects of the same nature for many large clients. Trust me when I say that we are the most competent firm in the industry for doing this kind of work. It is my personal opinion that we can execute this project successfully and well within the given time frame."

How to Get Rid of Telemarketers

1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just
   filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.
   Ask, "How long can I keep it? Do I have to ever
   pay it back, or is it like the other money I borrowed
   before my bankruptcy?"
   


2. If they start out with, "How are you today?"
   say, "Why do you want to know?" Or you can
   say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one seems
   to care these days and I have all these problems, my
   sciatica is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog
   just died...." When they try to get back to the
   sales process, just continue on with telling about
   your problems.
   


3. If the person says he's Joe Doe from the XYZ Company,
   ask him to spell his name, then ask him to spell the
   company name, then ask where it is located. Continue
   asking personal questions or questions about the company
   for as long as necessary.
   


4. This one works better if you are male: Telemarketer:
   "Hi, my name is Judy and I'm with Canter and Siegel
   services.... You: "Hang on a second." (pause
   a few seconds, and then say in a really husky voice)
   "Okay, what are you wearing?"
   


5. Crying out, in well-simulated tones of pleasure and
   surprise, "Judy!! Is this really you? I can't
   believe it! Judy, how have you been?"  Hopefully, this will give Judy a few
   brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out
   how the heck she could know you.



6. Say, "No," over and over. Be sure to vary
   the sound of each no, and keep an even tempo even as
   they're trying to speak. This is the most fun if you
   can keep going until they hang up.
   


7. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up with their
   Family and Friends plan, reply, in as sinister a voice
   as you can muster, "I don't have any friends...would
   you be my friend?"
   


8. If they clean rugs: "Can you get blood out? You
   can? Well, how about goat blood? Chicken blood? Human
   blood too?"
   


9. Let the person go through their spiel, providing minimal
   but necessary feedback in the form of an occasional
   "Uh-huh, really," or, "That's fascinating."
   Finally, when they ask you to buy, ask them to marry
   you. They get all flustered, but just tell them you
   couldn't give your credit card number to someone who's
   a complete stranger.
   


10. Tell
    them you work for the same company they work for.
    Example:
    Telemarketer: "This is Bill from Watertronics."
    You: "Watertronics!! 
    Hey I work for them too. Where are you calling
    from?"  Telemarketer: "Uh, Dallas, Texas."
    You: "Great, they have a group there too? How's business/the
    weather? Too bad the company has a policy against selling
    to employees! Oh well, see ya."
    


11. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy and if they will give you their
    phone number you will call them back. If they say they are
    not allowed to give out their number, then ask them for their
    home number and tell them you will call them at home (this
    is usually the most effective method of getting rid of Telemarketers).
    If the person says, "Well, I don't really want to get
    a call at home," say, "Ya! Now you know how I feel."  (smiling, of course...)

Computer Enhancers

Dozens of improvements to, totally meaningless, or humorous (intentional and otherwise), computer messages.

Better talent supply will moderate IT salary hikes'

Salary hikes in the Indian IT/ITeS sector could moderate from next year because of improved supply of talent, according to Nasscom chairman Lakshmi Narayanan.

Addressing media persons, Narayanan said the supply position in terms of human capital had shown considerable improvement.

He noted that the number of engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu, for instance, had gone up and there were 10,000 seats which went vacant showing that supply had increased.

The industry has also been taking initiatives to enlarge the supply pool by setting up training schools and partnering with academic institutes.

The Indian IT industry has been witnessing salary hikes in the range of 10-15 per cent annually for the past several years. These hikes have also come under threat from the appreciating rupee.

Earlier, addressing the Nasscom Quality Summit 2007, Narayanan said that despite the strides made by the Indian IT industry, there was still a long way to go in terms of quality.

He said end users in the West were still not convinced of the services provided by Indian IT companies. The industry, he said, had to move from quality deliverables to the quality of outcomes.

Things you didn’t know about CD

Compact disc turned 25 years this month. The first CD was produced in a factory in Germany after years of development by Philips and Sony. The invention of the CD ushered in a technological revolution in the music industry as CDs -- with their superior sound quality marked the beginning of the shift from analog to digital music technology. As the music labels experiment with extras to revive the now-aging format, it's hard to imagine that there was ever a day without CDs. Here's tracing the history of Compact Disc, the forefather of today's wide array of optical discs.

World's first CD was manufactured at Philip's factory near Hanover, Germany, on August 17, 1982. The factory belonged to Polygram -- the recording company owned by Philips during that time.

The compact disc project was launched following Philips' failure with its video disc technology in 1978.

In 1979, Philips and Sony set up a joint task force to design the new digital audio disc.

Philips developed the bulk of the disc and laser technology, while Sony contributed to the digital encoding that allowed for smooth, error-free playback.

In 1980, researchers published what became known as the Red Book containing the original CD standards, as well as specifying which patents were held by Philips and which by Sony.


The first commercially available CD player was Sony's CDP-101, which was launched in October 1982 at a price point of $900. Both CDs and CD players were first introduced in Japan, followed by US and European launch.

The first commercial CDs pressed were `The Visitors by Abba' and a recording of Herbert von Karajan conducting the Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss. By the time CDs hit the market in November 1982, a catalog of around 150 titles -- mainly classical music -- was produced.

The proposed semiconductor chips needed for CD players were to be the most advanced ever used in a consumer product. However, the lasers were still on the drawing board when the two companies Philips and Sony teamed up in 1979.

The video disc was one of the first commercial products to take advantage of laser technology that could read information from a disc without any physical contact.

US record labels were initially very sceptical about the CD. In 1985, one of the most famous bands of that time, Dire Straits, adopted the CD. Under a joint collaboration, Philips and Dire Straits promoted the sound quality of the CD to consumers.

“Brothers in Arms” became the first album to sell more than one million copies in the new format, marking the success of the CD as the emerging format of choice for music quality.


If you could stretch out into a straight line all the data stored on a single compact disc it would reach for over six kilometres in length.

Over 2000 billion CDs have been sold in last 25 years. In 2000, global sales of CD albums peaked to 2.455 billion.

The SMS which shocked Ram Gopal Varma

Ram Gopal Varma has received innumerable text messages, all ridiculing and berating him for attempting to re-visit Sholay.

"The messages have been pretty vocal and direct about their dislike for what I've done. I've been called names and treated to the nastiest comments. But I've enjoyed the backlash, far more than people enjoyed Aag," laughs Ramu.

Here's the text that Ramu says changed his opinion on his right to remake his favourite film.
(Parts of the message have been revised for coherence)

"Hi Sir. To call Aag a piece of junk would be demeaning junk. What happened to the colours of Rangeela and the grit of Satya? No clear story, meaningless script, obsession with dark lighting, weak screenplay, and songs that are too high-pitched and outdated. You were in a hurry while shooting. Fast editing, nonsensical expressions, no romance, horrifying background music and choreography, cinematography is horrid, bad clothes, bad hoardings, bad amateurish dialogues, bad characterizations with no emotional graph for the characters,leaving the actors free to ham,outdated action, emotionless scenes, no comedy, no colour. You should sit and watch your film alone. No freshness, carelessness in creativity.You've become over-confident and you are losing touch with reality. You're handing over creative work to the wrong people. You're impulsively doing ten films at a time and not focusing on one project. You've enjoyed the shooting without caring about what the outcome would be. You're busy giving stupid interviews. What have you done in the past seven years except a couple of notable films?"

Says Ramu, "The above message shook me completely. It made me realize it's time for me to do some serious re-thinking about my career."