NO MORE A REAL GAME!

Do you remember the year 2001, when Dravid & Laxman played a 376 run match winning partnership or Brian Lara's 153 against the likes of Glenn McGrath & Shane Warne? For someone who has been a cricket fan through these years when there was no such format called T20, cricket was something pure.

Ever since the emergence of the 50 over format in the 1980's, Test Cricket was still considered the real game until a new era of a fast paced format emerged that just wiped away the beauty of the game. When we talk about the legends of the game, we often hear about Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Steve Waugh, Brian Lara, Shane Warne and so on. All these players were major draw in the 5 day format. How often have you heard the experts talking about either a Michael Bevan or a Sunil Narine who have been wonderful in the short formats but not in the longer one.

I started being a fan in 2010 when the T20 format made its place in the market. I was fascinated with this form of sport which is so quick and entertaining. You get to see the hard hitting, the doosras, the scoop shots more often than before. But that same year, I decided to watch a test match on Television. I began watching it on Day 1, and guess what happened later. I was glued to the seat until the 5 day match got over. It was a complete addiction. One may think what was so special in it? Well, generating an inning, the spirit of the game, the temperamental test, the technique & skill, the possibility of coming back into the game in each session... These are the few things that made me enjoy this format to the core. The IPL is held every year and as the years pass by my interest in the quick format starts declining.

Heroes are made in just one day the next day that same player gets out on a duck. Every year we get to see the same stuff happening... bats getting swinged anywhere, the bowlers who are considered great in the longer format are being hammered by ordinary batsmen who is just slogging his bat anywhere in a flat pitch where there is no relevance of line & length bowling. On the other side I am watching James Anderson who is getting wickets with his reverse swing in the longer format. Now this is something far better than the former. There is a say... form is temporary but class is permanent. So where is the class in the 3 hour format. Sorry to say but I don't see a class in MS Dhoni's sixes or Virat Kohli's hitting...

Now looking at it from a business point of view, T20 gives the boards everything that they desire for their benefit - short time, more crowd, players getting less fatigue, getting fixtures held one after the other to generate more & more money. For a rookie cricket watcher it is a 3 hour entertainment just like a movie but for a real cricket fan who has witnessed the likes of Mcgrath, Warne, Steve Waugh, Dravid, Ponting through ages, it is just a plastic. There need to be some ways where the traditional form can be saved in the future. I do see a few nations like India, Australia, England sustaining this form of cricket with the other nations managing with the shorter format just to survive in the long run. We have heard about the dominant West-Indies era in the 70's & 80's. Now this team is ranked eighth in test cricket and ninth in the One days. This is solely due to lack of participation. At present there are three nations dominating the world of cricket with India being on the top. Thanks to the iconic ashes tours that is helping this form survive on a long term.

An MCC survey revealed that only 7 % of cricket watchers in India prefer Test cricket as an ideal form. This figure is itself alarming to know. I love watching test cricket specially in England, where the ball is wobbling through the air at each delivery. The last time India defeated England in their home conditions was in 2007. That team comprised of technical greats like Dravid, Laxman, Kumble, Ganguly, Tendulkar... It was the same year the IPL tornament started and these players gradually faded away from the One-Day scene. I would say that England is a place where the actual batting gets tested in the 5 day game. Even Virat Kohli who has scored runs everywhere had a struggling time against the likes of Anderson & Broad on their conditions. This is where your actual technique gets tested. The recent collapse of South Africa at Nagpur pitch showed how the level of test cricket has gone down with the match ending in just 3 days. Some of the legends also shared their concerns after this match.

Now, the cricketing bodies need to make a fixture plan to reserve a few months in a year only for test cricket to serve it to the audience at frequent intervals in order to generate more interest in it. Otherwise, it faces a real dark future ahead.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9262951

THE DOLLAR VALUE OF GOLD

Breaking Golden Rules

Modern day economics has added more value to Gold than the fundamental worth of the yellow metal. Although the most radical changes have come about by means of aggressive marketing of the commodity, Gold has always been the darling of the murky derivative trading world. The intrinsic value of the commodity has successfully attracted Hedge Fund managers across the globe so much so that billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer who oversees an AUM (asset under management) of $27 billion has been recently quoted saying "It makes a great deal of sense to own gold". Singer believes, that in the highly competitive world of business, the weakness of the Dollar evolves into a pillar of strength, boosting the export volume of the United States even as the world's Central Bankers are focusing on devaluing their respective currencies as well.

When Zero Means More

Near zero lending rates have failed miserably to recreate the much waited financial magic that Central Bankers were hoping for, while deflationary scenarios are back square on the court turning low inflation and high unemployment into a complex quagmire. The world's top economies are fast spinning into a death spiral thereby propping up the dollar value of Gold and turning the yellow metal into a safe haven for market makers across the world. A close observation of the commodity's price movements reveal uneven expansion and contraction in its prices, contradicting the conventional demand supply curve of time-tested economics. Even as I write this article, an Ounce of Gold is surprisingly trading at $1327, notches below its three-year high of $1392. The anomaly lies in the fact that the present dollar value of Gold is in stark contrast with the euphoric pricing of the S&P 500 that stands pat at 2159. In the words of Stanley Drukenmiller, a former Hedge Fund manager at Duquesne Capital, Central Banks across the world have lost their grip over monetary policies, adding shine to Gold's safe heaven appeal. Drukenmiller went on to state that he was skeptical of the global financial scenario due to the Federal Reserve's flip-flop on its current monetary stance.

A Golden Dollar

The fact that Gold is traded in Dollar, turns the equation in favor of a comfortable negative correlation. A weak Dollar brings cheer to Gold investors, shoring up demand for the precious metal while low-cost dollar dominated loans keep the base metal markets in China abuzz. It is evident thus that Gold would continue to enjoy the value conferred upon it by aggressive derivative bets as long as the potential threat of a possible liquidity crunch looms large. The equation tilts the scales in favor of high valuations in Gold much like the currencies that are pitted against the Dollar index. While excessive weakness of the Dollar gives rise to additional demand for Gold, a weakness in the Pound or the Euro stems the demand supply mismatch, keeping the valuation of the Yellow metal from shooting beyond its designated price band.

The three controversial pieces that continue to elude the best minds in Economics are indeed the pieces that keep shine on the Yellow metal intact. Can Artificial Measures ever thwart the natural ebb of an economy? If Inflation is the key to solving the world's growth challenges then Stagflation should merely be a myth. At what point does DOLLAR VALUE of GOLD turn the equation in favor the Green Back?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9470549

IN DEFENSE OF BOOKWORMS

Avid readers, who prefer reading rather than indulging in other leisure activities such as watching TV or playing sports, are usually subjected to a multitude of prejudices. Common misperceptions about those who love reading are that they are anti-social; they are also often referred to as the most boring people on the block and libeled as "book worms".

Those who are mostly seen carrying their current read wherever they go, often find themselves sidelined and eventually even begin to accept themselves as social outcasts. The trouble becomes more enhanced when readers accept this irrational treatment that is meted out to them, thereby further alienating themselves.

Those who read habitually should make it a point to spend some time trying to change the common misperceptions about their kind. The reason to stand up against such prejudices is because the onus of marketing the hobby of reading and getting more and more people to embrace this practice, making reading a part of everyday life, lies entirely in their hands.

It is the task of a person who is aware of the multitude of benefits that this hobby can offer to the world to make the world see the light. It may seem like an uphill task but all it takes is perhaps a little conscious effort combined with the wisdom of how to project your personality so as to be able to influence others. Be subtly humorous, and when in conversation with others allow yourself to respond naturally and spontaneously. Just because you are into books, does not mean you are required to share bookish tidbits in every interaction. One must learn to go with the flow and not redirect it towards what they recently read, something that book-lovers often tend to do.

If book-lovers projects themselves well, it will be evident that such individuals are much more intellectual and comprehensive than those whose minds have not had exposure to the written word. Well-read people are very engaging conversationalists, and are likely to add more color to any gathering because they have a vast knowledge base and a unique perspective. Most often than not they have the effect of broadening the scope of any discussion, adding value and meaning to what would otherwise have been a very ordinary session.

The world would be a much better place if everyone read fiction, particularly. Fiction helps reduce stress and increases imagination and creativity. It also helps increase empathy for others, as books welcome you to walk a mile in another's shoes and look at the world from varied perspectives. Reading books allows the reader to live multiple lives, and gives the mind food for thought, allowing us to better utilize our brain cells and have a well-informed opinion on diverse subjects. Keeping in mind all these plus points of reading, every bookworm should resolve to influence at least 5 people over the course of their lives to join the club. It is a good idea to start by trying to influence young children since they are ideally not possessed by strong prejudices

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8933321

ITALIANS AND THEIR PASTA

Nobody can really tell where pasta originated. Almost every country all over the globe has a version of this food. Wherever there is wheat, there pasta seemingly is - in some form or another.

The Japanese refer to pasta as udon, the Chinese call it mein, French people call it nouilles, those who live in Poland refer to it as pierogi, Germans say it is spaetzle, and the Siberians, pel'meni.

The Italians bravely claim that pasta is all theirs from the beginning since it has fed the poorest southern Italian regions for hundreds of years. The gentle texture of pasta is a great partner to all sorts of toppings, spices and sauces. It has also been attributed to a lot of unique names as the Italians cannot seem to resist giving the strings, ribbons and other shapes with different names.

A passionate Italian eater of long ago - whoever he was - blessed pasta with its first name - maccheroni which is a derivation from the words ma che charini meaning, "My, what little dears."

Today, there are different kinds of pasta ranging from the humble snail (lumache), bridegrooms (ziti), little loves (amorini), to the one-of-a-kind kiss catchers (tira-baci). All these are flour and water mixtures reminiscent of Italian lifestyle and all can be paired with artful sauces.

You would be surprised that there are more than three hundred names for a hundred different shapes of pasta. This, again, reflects the expansive nature of Italians and how they love variety in all that they do. To them, it is not enough that there are farfelle or bow pasta. To give variety, there must also be little bows are what's known as farfallette. The bigger bows were christened with the name farfalloni.

All these descriptive words for a single food is not surprising when it comes to the animated nature of the Italians. This is a nation that is known for its artistry and gusto for life. Just imagine how their government is changed at least once every year and you will have a good grasp of who they are as a people.

Only a few people outside of Italy would understand the dramatic variations in pasta from one region to another. History says a lot about this and so does the Italian temperament. In spite of the 1861 unification of 19 different regions, there remained individualism when it comes to cuisine and culture. The cliffside Sorrento restaurant is likely to offer spaghetti alle vongole because it is near the Mediterranean Sea. In Sicily, it is not uncommon to find raisins with your pasta since this region was dominated by the Saracens for about two hundred years.

Generally speaking, southern pasta was traditionally made with a mixture of semolina, durum wheat, and water. This transformed into the coarse flour that southerners are known for.

On the other hand, northern pasta is known to be smoother since their pasta is made from white flour and eggs. Luxurious toppings and sauces often come with this smoother version.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9100462

BROTHERS OF MAN

Somewhere in the annals of history lies hidden the whereabouts of other brothers of man. Survivors of an advanced past civilization that managed to escape one of the most destructive periods in the history of our planet. Could the Voynich Manuscript, Stonehenge, or the Lost Continent of Atlantis that hold the clues as to where what would be our ancestors actually are? Nobody knows for sure especially when we discuss the tale of Atlantis. But, there have been too many archaeological surprises that always seem to occur to substantiate many theories of our history not to consider the impossible possible.

To this day many believe that man is not alone in the Universe. Scientific evidence supports the existence of planets that are more than capable of nurturing and supporting life as we know it. Planets in inhabitable zones orbiting around suns very similar to our Earth. Our planet just could actually be the cradle of life. What makes the Voynich Manuscript or the tale of Atlantis so fascinating is the fact that there has been only a certain amount of speculation to the existence of a pre antiquity advanced civilization. But, there again like the Holy Grail the Ark of The Covenant or other known lost artifacts just maybe man is not ready or capable yet of truly understanding the reason or purpose for their existence.

With the current realm of reality it is quite fathomable that had we uncovered say the Ark of The Covenant the greed and selfishness of man would only hasten our own demise. It is a very sad reality of our times when much can be said of societies priorities. Misguided, misplaced and outrageously superficial when we have here in the United States where we can raise billions of dollars for lotteries, have billionaires taunt the public with their so-called benevolence and charitable giving and a government still very inept in disaster relief, while millions right here in the US languish in quiet desperation hungry, homeless and ill.

What man continues to do in the name of social progress much of which contributes to the ever increasing turmoil our planet is experiencing is a testament to our inhumanity to the sanctity of life. And, yet through it all somewhere there is this hidden knowledge waiting to be tapped. But, first we have to realize even though we have made advances in technology, science, and medicine that there is still so much inequality through-out the world. It just could very well be mankind on Earth has not reached that point in time which would enable us to truly understand, rationalize and comprehend the knowledge that still lies hidden within the Earth's past.

It is more than possible that somewhere beyond the heavens the brothers of man could be very much like us in every way. They would, like us through-out our known history succumb to the same universal sins of our fathers. Incapable of avoiding mistakes of the past, repeating history in various forms just like we have and continue to do. Maybe that is why there is a history to our existence that will for some time lay hidden. Hidden until mankind is truly able to be more human. Until then the brothers of man are now trying to survive just like us somewhere out there, beyond the stars.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Brothers-Of-Man&id=9299697