Super Macro

This blog post is probably a query..

My tasks on the computer very often involve repetitions of commands. Even though the same commands (steps) reveal new information everyday.

Example 1.

Internet -  

1. check 2 different mailboxes 
2. two different news sites and 
3. three blogs depending on the RSS feeds I have received

Can this happen automatically- at one mouse click?

Example 2. 

Non-internet based job - 

1. Start a custom designed commercial tool to do certain tasks
2. This job requires repeating the same steps to get different simulation results obviously with small variations in input data.
3. Then I copy and paste various texts from the tool to an excel sheet.
4. And do further simple math in excel. 
5. Finally, results are plot

How about a super macro creating software which records the steps across different tools on the computer and creates an executable script based on this recording. 

Enhanced feature - to add variables to this script so it may in the end have the capacity to produce an analysis.

Super Macro - to make for/ if-else loops within macros.

It would be brilliant to see an easy GUI based software that does this. With increasing computation capacity would'nt this be handy for the less code-able.

A Masterclass

India is not exactly the kind of spin-friendly cricketing nation it was during the years of Prasannas, Bedis and Chandras thanks to the improved pace attack of Zaheer, Ishant, Nehra, RP and others..somewhat magnifying the significance of our central character. Further, he contends with a 'pop-culture like' conviction that Harbhajan is after Anil, Bhajji with all his performances, did not get the focus for his skill that he deserved. This article zooms-in to illustrate the beauty and the detail of Bhajji's amazing art and its challenges. Have you noticed- the super slow-motion on TV showing Bhajji's offspinners with perfect seam facing the leg slip? 
But what does a spinner do  - spin the bowl! Which implies revolutions imparted to the ball and amount of turn extracted often depends upon the surface. Thus two variables - spin and surface. However, a deeper analysis reveals three more variables- line, length, seam, shine, and weather. Bhajji could use all seven variables in beautiful array of combinations. Here we thread-bare the various permutations he deployed and how. Since it is too obvious line and length are not discussed in much depth. A library of unique variations in Bhajji's bowling armory is grouped below into four categories.

Quite intriguingly, to understand such a high quality spinner one needs to recollect that- swing bowling relies on the fact that the ball swings towards the rough half of the ball.

Category 1
The Stock Ball
Bhajji's stock ball is an offspinner!..but not just..It is delivered with seam pointing to the leg slip and dry half of the ball facing the first slip. The ball drifts away from the right hander or towards the first slip before pitching because of the roughness and spins into the batsman after pitching. This is his typical 'caught at silly-mid-on or mid-off' or 'bowled through the gate' delivery. It is a difficult delivery to master since it requires one to grip the shining side between the fingers. 
Purely on cricketing logic, the flipside of utilizing the ball's shine/seam/roughness/pitch/weather-conditions is that, one RELIES on it. Very often only one or two of the above criteria are met and so half the variations are rendered ineffective during one particular session in a test match. But when they fall in place, like in Eden or Colombo, he demands center stage. 

The Stock Ball-variation
When the dry-half is facing towards leg slip and seam is still directed towardsleg slip. In this case, the ball drifts into the right hander before pitching and turns in further after pitching. Very often this ball is pulled for 4 or a 6, since so often he drops it short. Apparently, this delivery is still not an honest weapon, it backfires as much.

Category 2
Overspinner/top spinner
While defined as one ball- 'overspinner' or 'top spinner' is a family of possible trajectories the ball may follow. Typically, this delivery hurries after pitching. But as always the real devil is in the detail. Imagine a fast bowlers stock delivery -seam up, except, bowled much slower through the air and with lot of over-spin. It requires special skill to perfect this one specially when delivered from over the wicket. Before pitching the ball may drift towards the batter or away depending on how Bhaj chooses to orient the shining side. Under favorable conditions, I think in the heart-of-hearts even Bhajji cant predict with certainty the outcome of this delivery. Firstly, depending on moisture in the pitch, the ball may seam after pitching. Secondly, the ball may also drift prior to pitching (Category 1). Finally, the amount of over-spin is determined by the revolutions imparted, roughness of the surface and roughness of the ball itself. Furthermore, if the surface is bouncy, then the batsman is in even more trouble, already contending with a delivery that hurries after pitching due to over-spin, may drift either way, seam either way, and there is a chance to bounce more due to landing on the seam.Due to the seam and swing permutations, and, if the surface is not spinning, the overspinner/topspinner may even follow the trajectory of a doosra.


Category 3 
The Real Doosra
Of course the doosra! For this Bhajji usually grips the ball across the seam. Why? because if released as seam-up like an over-spinner the outcome after pitching is uncertain depending on the pitch and weather conditions. It is counter-intuitive but the cross-seam lowers the influence of the seam as well as the roughened-half significantly, making this variation more predictable and strongly dependent upon the spin imparted only. However, the doosra may spin more or less depending upon which half of the ball (rough or smooth) pitches, or, it may bounce more or less depending upon whether it lands on the seam or not. These random events add four natural variations to this delivery.It is a delight to see how Bhajji imparts revolutions towards first slip with his fingers when his wrist is totally bent at 12'O clock. It requires supple wrist and lots of practice to perfect this mystery delivery. Bhajji is a master of this one.


Category 4
Backward Looper
The real gem though, the beauty in his armory, is another. It led some Aussies to say after 2001 Eden and series loss - "it seems he holds the ball on a string" since it proved very hard to predict where it will pitch without any tangible change in action. That observation was spot-on, in fact prior to 2001 such craft was seldom on display. Here it goes..If the ball is well maintained i.e. one side shining and one side rough.Bhajji releases the ball such that the seam is almost perpendicular but unlike an overspinner (upright) or his stock ball (seam facing leg slip) the seam now faces the square fielders. For"back-looper" the shining half is facing the batsman. In physical terms there is net displacement of the delivery away from the side of the shine.When Bhajji delivers the backward looper, since the rough side is facing Bhajji, the ball begins to appreciably decelerate (slow down) mid-air. Therefore very often the batsman is comprehensively beaten in flight. The ball ends up landing 1-5 cm before where it would have normally landed. Enough to hit the edge of the bat rather than its sweet spot. So a batsman only relying on Bhajji's wrists and fingers for clues, is in trouble. Perhaps the best counter-tactic is to play it off the pitch or try and spot the shine mid-air.

Forward Looper
Inverse of the Backward Looper is the Forward Looper, when the seam faces square but rough side faces the batsman. Thus the ball accelerates mid-air towards the batsman. So an example would be a ball which appears short-pitched and ready to be driven through the covers but ends up a yorker..

Bhajji could further disadvantage the batsman with choice of line and length. 

Update from Arizona

I am visiting University of Arizona in Tucson for research. Its been a long awaited trip and one that is professionally progressing slower than expected.

Tucson is a fascinating place, between the Sonoran desert and rocky canyons in the American Southwest. The cacti here are incredibly tall and some beautiful green and purple.

Lifes been a heady mix of three parallel jobs, side interests and planning things for the future. Like anyone else perhaps but its kind of wearing me down. Speaking of heady, I was in Vegas for Valentines with my family so cant complain too much..

Aur revoir..

Customized Gods

Recently it has been interesting to track the evolution of ideas..one such spontaneous event occured at an unofficial brainstorming session with The Rakhi, The Wild Bull and The Dude (name changed for no reason) ..here is a dedication-

How the market has changed? 

industrial revolution for quantity followed by focus on quality then augmented products and services and now customized solutions (tangible or intangible)..this has been the evolutionary change in product space

How new products and concepts hit market in todays socio-economic landscape and a techno-driven society? 

Firstly capture the IT world..the most penetrative medium to educate or train human beings to accept a change. Advertise on phone, on websites..numb the brain to thinking it isnt a new product..its always been around.

Stage 1 the dice

for every individual customized google homepages..context driven adds..Mont Blancs with initials..shoes with personal signatures..customized jeans..(why did phones get left behind..Nokia Hello????)

And it wont stop within the cyber IT space..thats just the introduction..thats where we get used to a concept remember....Yeah! go ahead..

customize the air we breathe..its not ours to claim so there is room for some muscling to buy the rights and ensuring we get air specially designed for our specific body requirements..maybe after gym we need some extra oxygen..and while sleeping someone else needs much less, who knows this might actually begin something..

Stage 2 the roll

How about Gods..in India as it is there are what.. many thousands? so maybe we have customized Gods, like GOD for Marriage during the December season, GOD for Election especially commissioned every 5 yrs..

With some cheap media gimmicks and publicity stunts..it might even get accepted..considering our enormous potential to digest right about ANYTHING.

and then franchises in Villages..

Something like Mr Birlas Private Temple Limited and every few months some new GODs will be sent to all franchises depending upon regional urgencies..

A GOD for reducing tourist rapes in Jaipur

A GOD for helping the AIDS patients in Calcutta

Here a GOD there a GOD everywhere a DOG GOD

Stage 3 the number

But there is a venture which WILL work..All India Shreks on Phone..

Like calling GOD..call a friend..share your problem and who knows a fresh mind may give a good solution..

such a telephone call might stop suicides..mental traumas..

in a country where fathers are raping daughters..policemen slap their juniors..NGO's are labelled commercially profitable..school kids get beaten to the grave by teachers..we need some SHREK and very soon..

Call "HELP ME" at 18001800*  

*2 Rs /min+maybe some other rates :)

What say THOU loaded ANGELS?

Here is a proof of concept

Hindustani Classical Music

Training and innate talent, both in harmony, produce stellar musical performances. 

I realize today years later that I was in the audience during one such performance when I had just finished high school. Between juggling through the notes and lecture material for university entrance, my otherwise troublesome landlord offered me tickets to attend a classical Indian music concert, to which they were themselves not too keen, at Siri fort Auditorium in New Delhi. It was probably my only 'out of studies' experience for a long time (Hindustani music on wiki).

Frankly, I wasnt too keen since classical Hindustani music was always boring according to pop taste of my age group. My only exposure came from watching a small Indian government promoted video on the TV in 80's - Baje Sargam (Video 6:36). But being the only opportunity for a change, I also remember wearing my best clothes to the event.

The performances of, 

Shiv Kumar Sharma on Santoor 5:05,

Hari Prasad Chaurasia on Flute 3:14,

Ustad Bismillah Khan (recently deceased) on Shehnai 9:14

actually mesmerised me. For some readers the links may do the same, and since then I have heard recordings of many other performers who are masters of their arts in Hindustani Music-

Pandit Ravi Shankar (on Sitar 8:22 , a lesson 8:24),  Ustad Zakir Hussain (on Tabla 4:24), Pandit Bhim Sen Joshi (Vocals, english subs 9:59, male)  and Shubha Mudgal (Vocals, female, other commercial piece 3:35).

Also try an amazing roadside performance of a melancholic sounding instrument called the Tanpura ( Roadside Tanpura 2:08).

The links are of some personally liked pieces.

Another realm which is commercially more popular is the semi classical form. It originated from the inclination of kings towards music being played in their courts during Kathak (meaning story telling. Derived from "Katha", sanskrit story. A popular dance form which today perhaps unknowingly forms the basis of most commercial bollywood dance videos, ofcourse the western influence is unquestioned nowadays, here is a mixture 5:47, also the wiki link). 

Tansen (wiki), is legendary in hindustani music folklore, who is believed to have invoked rains and thunder and lit the wick of a lamp by his singing in the court of Akbar.

For educational purpose - 3 very humble videos on youtube

Part 1 (6:09)

Part 2 (6:22)

Part 3 (5:00)  

Unique text material from introduction to ellaborate databse of videos and mp3 regarding Hindustani Music can be found by a Patrick Moutal here .

For events, concerts, education and other programs related to Hindustani Classical Music visit

ITC Sangeet Research Academy Sammelan (official website), Kolkata, Hyderabad, Annual

Gunitas Sangeet Sammelan, Mumbai-Delhi-Kolkata, Nov -Dec, Annual

Saptak Music Festival (institute's official website), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, January, Annual

Sawai Gandharwa Music festival (wiki) , Pune, Maharashtra, December, Annual

Tansen Music Festival (MP tourism info), Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, Nov-Dec, Annual

Dover lane Music Festival (official website), Kolkata, Dec-Jan, Annual

Week long, all night classical music and dance is also on show by the most illustrious performers of India at Khajuraho Dance Festival which is organized at the erotic temples of Khajuraho (MP Tourism info) usually around end of February, annually.