Friday, December 23, 2011

Technology as a disabler


I thought using an external hark disk for keeping my resumes, official files, photos and music was the smart thing to do. Until it crashed. I'm now left ruing my decision. Forget the official stuff, the more important loss has been that of the photos and mp3 files. I'm now looking for a vendor who can fix the disk for me.

The irony of it all - photos taken during my parents' childhood days are still available, good as new; photos I took 4 years back are gone.

So is technology enabling us or disbling us ?

Friday, December 9, 2011

India tour of Australia: 2011-2012

The Indian cricket team will be touring Australia for a 2.5 month(!!) 4 test match, 2 T20 matches and a Triangular series involving Sri Lanka. A mouth-watering prospect for me. Former test players like Adam Gilchrist opine that this might be India's best chance to register their first test series triumph down under. Australia is not the force they once were and they are in the process of rebuilding.

Key bats including Tendulkar and Laxman have already left for Australia to give themselves a better chance to acclimatize themselves to the bouncy tracks there. Don't remember anything like this happening in the recent past. If not anything else, this tells me that the Indian team management also recognizes that this could be their best chance to take a test series in Australia.

It's been a roller-coaster ride for India since their World cup win. They lost miserably to England in England and then returned the favour at home. They have now beat West Indies comfortably. So they have not exactly been consistent. That's the exact opposite of what they need to be in order to do well in Australia. The bowling department will be weak and inexperienced without Zaheer Khan. His inclusion is in doubt. That's added pressure on the fab four - Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Sehwag. So Dhoni has his task cut out.

For sure, it will be keenly contested. I suspect Australia's relative inexperience combined with their home advantage makes them equals against an Indian team packed with batting superstars some of whom are suspect against pace.