Great News!!

As the decline in tiger population in the country continues to be a case of concern, a 25 per cent increase in the number of big cats in Tamil Nadu's wildlife sanctuaries has brought smiles on the faces of conservationists in the state.

"The number of tigers have gone up from 62 to 76, thus registering a 25 percent increase," Tamil Nadu Environment and Forests Minister N Selvaraj said. "The tiger population in India has come down from 3,642 in 2001 to 1,411 in 2008," he said, quoting a report by the Wildlife Institute of India while speaking on the grants for his ministry in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday.

Selvaraj said the declaration of the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary as new Project Tiger areas in 2007 helped the population of big cats to pick up. "It proved that the state was a frontrunner in tiger conservation and the priority placed for this cause by the state," he said.

The Centre provided 100 per cent assistance in the areas of tiger habitat conservation, ecological development and protection, forest fire control measures and human-wild conflict resolution in Project Tiger areas. The state would also spend Rs crores on tiger conservation activities in the Kalakkad-Mundathurai, Anamalai and Mudumalai sanctuaries, Selvaraj said.

Source : The Hindu

Lets hope the pride of India and the majesty of the wild keeps growing!!

Hope the royal stripes continue to rule the wild FOREVER!!!!

IPL - What They Say

"The IPL has taken the game to virtually every house in the world."
- Sachin Tendulkar

"What? Six weeks' razzle-dazzle enough to consign over a hundred years of Test cricket to the dump? You must be off your rocker."
- David Gower

"The suggestion that the Indian Premier League is a runaway success has been completely manufactured. Even at this early stage, when the paint is still drying on the grounds, they are already giving away stacks of tickets."
- Geoffrey Boycott

"This is not cricket. This is the greatest divide between the rich and the poor. With that kind of money, you could have built another cement factory."
- Jaswant Singh

"Violence between players? Scantily clad cheerleaders? Toss in a rant by Charles Barkley and three minutes of commercials for every 45 seconds of actual game time and cricket may finally be ready for a mainstream American audience."
- The Los Angeles Times warms to the idea of Twenty20 cricket after hearing about the IPL

"All the organisers are doing by making scantily-clad white women dance in front of huge crowds is to stoke the base voyeuristic and sexual insecurities of the Indian male. It is revolting, appalling and shows the game in very poor light."
- Ramachandra Guha, Cricket historian

"I do not wish Twenty20 well, though I welcome new funds for cricket and cricketers. I think Twenty20 is a decadent, dumbed-down, third-rate formula for sub-prime cricket."
- William Rees-Mogg, Former Times editor

"It's really unusual to come to Bombay, hit a four and see nobody clapping for you."
- Rahul Dravid

Five full days of cricket with batsman stroking balls along the ground and bowlers uprooting stumps after toiling for long hours in white kits is better any day.

- Keshav, jobless blogger :P

All quotes, except the last one taken from cricinfo.

Putham Pudhu Bhoomi Vendum

Rules:
1. Put your MP3 player on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write the name of the song no matter what. No cheating!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY?” YOU SAY?

Annathe Aaduraar - Aboorva Sagodharargal

:)) =))

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

Ik Onkar - RDB

Thats a Prayer I guess!!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

Yamunai aatrile - Thalapathi

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?

Mann Mohana - Jodhaa Akbar

Not making much sense, am I?? :P

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?

Arjunaru Villu - Ghilli

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

Kannuku Mai Azhagu

Definitely not my motto. :P

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

:O :O Cant beieve this!!

Maddy!! Maddy!!

Am blushing!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?

Tu Bin Bataaye - RDB

:-?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

Its the Time to Disco - Kal Ho Na Ho

I have never been in the vicinity of a Disco in my Life :P

WHAT IS 2+2?

Mazhai Mazhai - Ullam Ketkume

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

Yaar Yaar Sivam - Anbe Sivam.

Ermm..

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Hello Mr. Ethir Katchi - Iruvar

:))

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

Good one!! :-D

Chale Chalo - Lagaan

=))

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Urvasi Urvasi - Kaadhalan

I definitely dont wanna be some Urvasi :|

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

Suthum Vizhi Chudare - Ghajini

I guess I might :P

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

Mitwa - Lagaan

Oh Really??!!

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Pal Pal hai Bhaari - Swades

:)) =)) will I really?? =)) ;;)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

Stranded on the Streets - Nala Damayanthi

How Fitting!! :P

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

Lose Control - RDB

:O

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Kehne ko Jashn e bahaara - Jodhaa Akbar

Oh Ya!! Incedentally, my current fav song.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

Yun Hi Chala - Swades

:D

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?

Putham Pudhu Bhoomi Vendum - Thiruda Thiruda

Trick Question

A BRILLIANT Calvin and Hobbes Strip!!

Things I Like

Another tag by Upas, this one made on Aug 22nd :-D

--> waking up to hear heavy rain drumming on the windows and realising I have a few more hours to sleep, after which I pull the blanket over my head and snore away to glory again :)

--> Standing all alone with my mom on the terrace on a peaceful late evening

--> Talking for endless hours with a close friend

--> walking alone along the shore very late in the evening, when the beach is emptying.

--> watching India win a nail biting finish

--> listening to 'Harivaraasanam' by Jesudas late in the night.

--> eating amma's saathumadhu and bisi bela baath.

--> giving a gift to a friend that they would most appreciate and watching the happiness on their face.

--> getting a call from someone very close when least expecting it.

--> visiting my good old college and sitting in the place where i used to sit, imagining my classmates to be around me

--> reading books that are supposedly 'kiddish' - Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, Archie etc..

--> Taking a late night/early morning walk around the neighbourhood.

--> Visiting the neighbourhood Hanuman Koil at 9 PM, just about the closing time when there would be just one green bulb glowing above the lord, he would look astoundingly peaceful in that light and would radiate immense divinity.

--> Going to a cricket match and cheering for Team india, making the hands and throat sore with clapping and shouting!

--> Reading a book that would bring tears.

--> Just thinking about certain people who mean everything to me in my life.

--> visiting a person who likes me all of a sudden.

--> being visited by someone who I like all of a sudden!

and lots more.. will keep updating as and when I can think of them!!

I tag the same Makkal as in the earlier post!!

Books Tag

Tagged by Upas on July 1, 2007; just a tad late :P

1. Books that Changed Your Life:

There hasn't any book dramatic enough to change my life.

2.A Book that I have read more than once:

Harry Potter series
Timeline, Jurassic Park, The Lost World by Crichton
Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer
Something Under the Bed is Drooling - Calvin and Hobbes
Weirdos Fom Another Planet - Calvin and Hobbes

3.A Book You'd Take onto a Desert Island:

All HP books
All Calvin and Hobbes books

4. Books That Made You Laugh:

again the same
all Calvin and Hobbes books (OBVIOUSLY)
Harry Potter series (Courtesy - Weasley Twins)
All Asterix books
All Tintin books starring the Adorable Captain
Jughead books :)

5. Books That Made You Cry:

As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer - I was wailing, couldn't control my tears at all.
A drop or two of tears rolled down my cheeks when I was reading Dumbledore's speech after the death of Cedric Diggory

6. A Book You Wish Had Been Written

The Ring, Dark Water and The Matrix Trilogy
An Autobiography by Dravid and Ganguly

7. Books You Wish Had Never Been Written:

I wish Sidney Sheldon had never been an author

8. Books You're Currently Reading:

The Essential Calvin and Hobbes :-D
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

9. Books You've Been Meaning To Read:

Chicken Soup
Lord of the Rings
The Kite Runner
The Chronicles of Narnia (All of them)

10.The other books worth a mention are

The Goosebumps series (especially 'The Give yourself Goosebumps' thingy) - I dont read them anymore
Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (Deception Point is dumb)

I will tag - Asha, Naren, PA, Sindhu, VJ and Meera. Sorry if u guys posted this already :-D

The elusive 42

Damn you, you jinxed, bloody 42!! X-(

I hate you!! X-(