iSproggler

This lets you scrobble your tracks from your iPod . Very helpful for Last.fm users who play most of their music on their iPods .

Here's how you do it :

1. Subscribe to the Last.fm group iSproggler . Go here
2. The download link is in the Discussions tab.




3. After you download , login and set preferences . Multiple ipod support doesnt work for iPod Touch/iPhone
4. Plugin the iPod , sync the recently played playlist and the software automatically scrobbles the songs onto your profile .

P.S You need to disable your last.fm software for this to work. You can enable that once you're done with iSproggler

Espanyol !

So the 2 month long vacation is finally coming to an end , but what a summer it was for sports !

1. IPL : All said and done , the 20-20 format is here to stay. Rajasthan were easily the best team and Warne showed exemplary captaincy and lead from the front. I mean he single-handedly won the game for them against Hyderabad . I went for the Bangalore-Delhi match. Delhi won , of course but only then did I realize the potential of this format. The match lasts for around 4 hours , you can book tickets online and have them delivered to yur home. Pretty convenient eh ?

IPL Picks : Shaun Marsh , Sohail Tanveer, Shane Watson , Ross Taylor , Shikhar Dhawan

2. The French Open : Nadal was at his peak. Federer nowhere near his. Result >>> Damp Squib

3. Euro 2008 : The biggest event of the summer ! And boy were we treated to some good football or what ?
I was supporting Netherlands and they were in the Group of Death alongwith Italy and France . I thoroughly enjoyed the thrashing of France and Italy in the prelims. The French team was too aged and you could clearly see it on the field. Netherlands couldn't continue that form into the quarterfinals and lost to Russia . Arshavin was brilliant for them . EPL signings on the cards ? Russia too couldn't continue the form into the semis. Germany recovered from loss to Croatia in the qroup stage and beat Turkey 3-2 in the semis. Spain were better than Germany and were deserving winners.

Euro Picks : Turkey's comebacks , Snijder, Sergio Ramos , Buffon

4. Wimbledon : The best final that I have witnessed. Federer aiming to beat Borg's record, but that wasn't to happen . Both of them played at their very best . I mean , they couldn't have possibly played better . But it was to be Nadal's day at Centre Court. I have never seen Federer so animated during a match and you could feel his disappointment at the end. But I think now he's going to be more determined than ever. The US will be really something .
The Williams sisters swept the singles and doubles. If they continue their from we could see further slips for Sharapova and Jankovic . I dont see Ivanovic holding onto the no.1 spot for too long either.

The Olympics next !

The Perfect tennis player

There's been some talk about Roger Federer having the best all round game that Tennis has ever seen. That's probably true but is he the best in every aspect of the game. Here are my picks if you were to make a 'dream' player .

1. Service : Ivo Karlovic

Andy Roddick was another player who can be considered having served the fastest ever serve but I feel Karlovic's service is the best . It's really difficult to break him when he unleashes that cannon and when every third serve is an ace. Karlovic doesnt strike the ball that hard. You'll find that Roddick serves which are faster than Karlovic's will be returned many a time . However it's the angle with which Karlovic strikes the ball that makes the ball sverve so much and gives it that additional rip when it bounces. Too bad Karlovic isn't consistent in his ground strokes.

2. Forehand : Rafael Nadal

I chose Nadal for his forehand not just for the sheer topspin he hits with but also for his ability to hit those passes at full stretch. He's got an extreme Western grip that allows him to 'whip' the ball and it's really difficult to return those balls. Another unique feature is his followthrough which is more sideways than forward . This adds to the already vicious topspin.

3. Backhand : Roger Federer

His backhand is dual in nature. Firstly he has that beautiful single handed backhand which is one of the most fluid strokes in tennis history . These are the winners . Secondly there's the sliced backhand which is very precise . It can even become an attacking stroke at times because he adds a lot of spin to it and the ball moves a lot in the air which is difficult to judge .

4. Volley : Leander Paes

The art of Serve and volley is almost dead and you hardly see singles players approaching the nets nowadays. Leander Paes is very talented . If you remember 1999 , then you'll know why I chose him for his volleying skills. He's got quick feet and even quicker hands . He's got this acute sense of judging where the ball's going to land and then he just pounces on it. Hoping for the best at the Olympics.

Left hand :)

Here's my post-op metallic left hand

Sadowsky Basses

Sweet Boutique Basses .

Jerzy Drozd Basses

Absolute Drool.

Children Of Men

Dystopian Science Fiction film starring Clive Owen , Claire-Hope Ashitey , Julianne Moore . Based loosely on the book of the same name written by P.D.James .

Fast Forward to 2027. The human race is at the brink of extnction. Reason : Global Infertility. The movie opens with a scene announcing the death of the youngest human on Earth : an 18-year old. London is in complete disarray . The government has outlawed all immigrants and is rounding them up to be deported. There are rebel groups who stand up for the immigrants. Our protagonist Theo ( Owen ) is abducted by a rebel group called the 'Fish' which is headed by Theo's former lover ( Moore) . She wants a favour from him and wants him to use his government connections to get a travel permit for an illegal immigrant Kee ( Ashitey ) . Kee has a sensational secret that could just mean the continuation of the human race . In the story that follows, Theo takes it up as his mission to safeguard Kee from the rebels and the government alike .

This movie is a visual delight. Sci-fi flicks always try to be awe-inspiring This movie does the same in a unique way and more . The cinematography is just brilliant. Right from the bomb explosion to the car chase to the architecture . There is the usual digital wankery but it still doesn't take you away from the story which at the end of it, is one of hope, survival and triumph. I didn't really like Owen's character too much . Seemed to be somewhat of a pussy initially but as the movie progressed his past comes into focus . Good performances from Owen and especially from Claire-Hope . There's also Theo's best friend Jasper ( Micahel Caine ) who's a hippie and a marijuana grower . The last few scenes of the movie involve pure action sequences. But once again there's a sudden shift in the tone of the movie and the demeanor of the people when they see the new baby. Hell, I'm sure even Jesus didn't get that kind of a welcome into the world. The soundtrack is all right featuring 'The Court of the King Crimson' . There's also Owen wearing the 2012 London Olympics T-shirt. I liked that.

This movie will leave the average-minded moviegoer awestruck with the central theme and the digital wankery. But imagine for a moment that the world was really coming to an end. This has been portrayed in a similar way in the comic Y-The Last Man. Would there really be such disarray and breakdown of constitutional machinery . Would the world become over-religious. Would there be communal harmony or would it just become worse. I believe this movie has indeed got it right. Hostilities in everyday life aren't significant because we want to live peacefully for there is a tomorrow . But when there is none , who knows . To each his own i guess.

I'd give this 8/10. And yes, definitely recommended.

Hot Fuzz

2007 British Action Comedy starring Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright .

Firstly this is a British comedy and it's written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright ( prev. Shaun of the Dead ) and these are guys who openly cite their influences to be stuff like Black Adder , Monty Python , Yes Minister etc. So you do not get lame American attempts at humour. This film doesn't beg to be funny . It is .

The film follows a top cop Nicolas Angel ( Simon Pegg ) from the streets of London who has an astonishing arrest rate . So his seniors , in an effort to curb him down transfer him to the sleepy town of Sandford ( or so it seems ) . The first half of the movie follows Angel trying to discpline the Sandford Police Force but hopelessly failing to do so. Meanwhile he is partnered with Constable Danny Butterman ( Edgar Wright ) whose father is the chief of the police force. Their first assignment is to locate a missing swan . In due course they bond over beer and action flicks.
In the second half serious crime surfaces with a hooded murderer on the loose. After some investigation amd run-ins with the hooded murderer , Angel discovers that the murders are all a plot by the neighbourhood watch to ensure that Sanford retains its ' Village of the Year ' award and the people murdered were somehow threats to the village's image . The conspirators include the priest , Inspector Butterman and other prominent figures of the village. Angel himself is considered a threat and Danny is told to dispose him off but he deceives them and Angel escapes. In the climax of the movie , Angel takes on the conspirators in the centre of the town and he brings them down in the good ol' way.

The movie's almost two movies in one. It relies on direct and subtle humour. Some scenes will have you rolling and others will make you wonder what the hell's going on. Some of the Action scenes go overboard in terms of dramatization and you get the feeling that the movie's parodying itself in a way . But good action though. The climax is just mindblowing and my favourite part of the movie. There's something about a watching a priest firing rounds and swearing at the same time that's hilarious. There are some interesting cameos as well.

I'd give it a 8/10.