I love twitter. It’s an effective tool for a news junkie like myself. Trending topics is a beautiful feature of Twitter. At any given point, I can check the pulse of what the world is talking about. For example, when I was writing this, Serena Williams was a “Trending topic,” so I turned on my TV and low and behold, Serena was a point away from being in the Wimbledon final. I caught the tail end of an amazing match.

But being a sport junkie, Twitter is extra special because I get news before it is even published on major sport websites such as ESPN, Sportsline and yes, even RealGM. But what I find fascinating is that lately these sports sites are breaking news from items posted on Twitter that I have already seen (ex. Mark Cuban meets J-Kidd in NYC). How cool is that? My source for news is the same as their source for news. In the near future, Twitter will change the way news is reported. Traditional reporters may have to evolve and find other niches within the news reporting domain.

I am not complaining. I love the fact that I can get news from the source itself and make my own conclusions on how it affects me and the world. Although, opinionated news is certainly fruitful, it makes one a bit mindless. Sometimes it is nicer to form our own opinions before being brainwashed by the opinions of other analysts.

Twitter is also a great way to communicate and stay in touch with people. Those familiar with concept of The Wall on Facebook will find some similarities with the reply functionality of Twitter. I can send someone a short asynchronous message and they can reply to it on their own terms. Not particularly proud to say this but it does work. I stay in touch with some of my friends from university using this feature.

I don’t yet consider myself as a power user (I haven’t yet tapped into the world of mobile twitter) but it has been extremely useful for me.

http://www.twitter.com/adityamehta

As some of you know, I reluctantly signed up for the Scotiabank half-marathon (21K) again. Last year didn’t go so well- I didn’t exactly finish. My knees gave out midway through the race. I initially fought the pain by walking a kilometer or so but even that proved too difficult. I embarrassingly watched slow “runners” walk pass me from the sidelines as I waited for the medic to pick me up and drop me to the finish line. It wouldn’t be a understatement to say that it was a low point in my short running career. I think I saved myself a little bit by not accepting any medals at the finish line.

I do not want a repeat of last year this time around. So I’ve been training by actually jogging/running. Let me explain. I thought I was a super-athlete last year that could wing the half-marathon. So whenever I would went to the gym to train, I’d actually play basketball. Basketball is cardio after all so I figured it’s still good. What I failed to realize is that ball doesn’t not punish you for lacking stamina in the same way a half-marathon does. Short interval cardio training does not equal success at a half-marathon race.

So this year, I’ve been working on  increasing my stamina. I need to be able to run for at least 2 hours at a moderate pace to finish the race with a respectable time. Wish me luck!

This week hasn’t been great. I’ve only managed to run for about 20 minutes at a time. I obviously have ways to go.

I usually don’t believe in computer viruses (ie trojans, malware etc) – they attack people with less than average knowledge of computers. Having graduated from computer science and now working as a Software consultant, I like to think that I know a thing or two about computers.

So last night when I logged into my personal computer and noticed that all search hits on Google were taking me to an advertising site, I was hurt. I couldn’t believe that I made the grave mistake of accepting malware. Stupidity. How could I? To makes matters worse, I had uninstalled my expired Norton Antivirus a week ago. Although useless for new threats, it could have prevented this one.

Browser hijacking is, at least in the way I experienced it last night, an interesting problem. Since my search results on Google or dare I say Bing, were filtered and redirected to an advertising site, I couldn’t simply search for a virus remover application and click on a link. So around 11:30pm last night, I copied the link location of many search hits and pasted it to my web browser. But it was not this easy still. If a site forwarded me to an external site (e.g., a download link hosted on another server) – I would have to copy this link location as well.

Around 12:20am, I had exhausted many solutions that had worked for people. I tried:

• SUPERAntiSpyware
• SpyBot
• Manual remedies such as clearing DNS cache
• Online virus removers

But none of them worked until I tried MalwareBytes. This is an amazing Anti-Malware application. It not only found more problems compared to SUPERAntiSpyware and SpyBot but it also didn’t ask me to reboot my computer.

I took a preventive step also – an attribute of my old age – and installed free Anti Virus software licensed for UofT affiliates.

I’m the first in my family to have my wisdom extracted. You see, I’m an immigrant. So this was more of a cosmetic surgery than a required one. True, the wisdom teeth were quite painful especially in the last couple of weeks, but I suspect the pain would have diminished if I waited another few days.

As you may know, I once walked the hills of the Himalayas. Barefoot. Just to see how it feels.

But the truth is I couldn’t afford sandals.

Anyhow, this extraction event was rather embarrassing for me. I felt like a wuss for embracing Western culture and ideals. Wisdom tooth extraction in Nepal is (or at least was) unheard of. You deal with the pain. It’s part of the initiation process of becoming an adult.

But since I’m lucky enough to have dental coverage, I went ahead with the extraction.

I decided to get all 4 without consulting anyone other than the dentist. It made sense to get all 4 done at the same time since I’d only experience the pain once. Or so I thought.

The process took 10 minutes. Other than the blood, the 4 stitches and the extreme pain, it was okay. Maybe I deserved the pain for acting like a wuss. Local anesthesia takes at least 5 minutes to work. Point well-noted.

The pain only lasted for another 10 minutes. I stayed in the operation room initially because I thought I was supposed to. My ears were ringing and the nurse asked me to leave the gauge in my mouth for another 30 minutes. I thought this also implied I should stay in the operating room for another 30 minutes. After 5 minutes and being weird-ed out by the fact that I was still there, she asked me to leave.

I left. Now I was totally feeling like a wuss.

The rest of the afternoon was rather insignificant. No pain. It could’ve been because I was still under the influence of the late reacting local anesthesia and yeah, I took about 10 pain-killers as soon as I got home.

The next day… I got up afraid to look at myself in the mirror. But this was different from every other morning. I thought I’d look like a chipmunk, miss my playoff game and start my miserable weekend.

None of that stuff happened though. I did not have much pain. No swelling.

I hit a few crucial free throws in the playoff game.

And for the first time in more than 18 hours, I felt good about myself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a wuss but not in traditional I’m-out-for-the-weekend-after-a-wisdom-teeth-extraction kind of wuss.

Okay, yeah…

I’m really into sports. Any sport. I love the brotherhood that comes with playing on a team. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The majority of my good friends came as a result of my involvement with sports. Sport brings race, culture, communities, ideologies, religion and individuals together. Seriously. It’s a beautiful thing.

Amateur sport is almost perfect as it is. Usually every city in North America offers several competitive and non-competitive sport leagues. These leagues are usually geared towards adult males and females who are interested in playing sports after work. They’ve become increasingly popular as more individuals than ever become health conscious and want alternatives to traditional methods of exercise. Furthermore, local sports leagues are a wonderful venue for making life long friends, networking, honing communication skills, staying in shape and improving our game.

I’ve been a member of many such leagues in Toronto and have been pleased but not quite satisfied with my experience. I feel the leagues simply create a venue for athletes to play, and let the game itself do the magic of creating a good player experience. This philosophy has worked until now. The issue with this philosophy is that it can be easily replicated. All it takes is the initial hard work of acquiring a good player base and the rest is easy. That is, the game and the competition takes care of the rest. But because of this apparent ease of starting a league, players are now more selective in the leagues they chose to play for. There are simply too many of them. It is not as simple as getting all the best players together, hiring a few referees and crossing your fingers. Players expect more.

I feel the players deserve more. After all, most players pay close $200 dollars per league. That is significant funds for just one game per week for about 8 weeks. I feel the bridge between sports leagues and technology hasn’t been fully explored and it may hold the key to a better player experience. From player profiles, to game previews and recaps to in-game static and dynamic pictures – I feel technology can really bridge the gap and ensure good player experience. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter capture almost every bit of one’s life – but they fail to capture the adrenalin induced moments we remember forever from playing sports. They don’t capture our progression as players, i.e., as we improve from 5 points a game in 2001 to 15 points a game in 2005. These stats are lost forever. This doesn’t have to be the case.

Expect more from The League.

Coming very soon.

Here’s why I usually go on Youtube… at least 50% of the time.

I hear a song. I like it. I want listen to it again. Go on youtube, utilize the suggest search functionality, and find the song. Play it. I like it even more. press play again. And again * infinity + 1.

Can we get a repeat video option so 90 billion people (I made that sh*t up) at work don’t have to click on the YouTube tab, hit play, and then do their business.

I wanna be productive. Can I be productive, YouTube?

Peace.

…that Jake Voskuhl, who was signed December 14th, 2008, is first off the bench on a good defensive/offensive sequence for the Raptors. Chris Bosh makes $175,738.793 per game (that is if he plays all 82 games). Jermaine O’Neal makes $260,396.341 per game (or more because he hasn’t been fit enough to play every game in this young season). Jose Calderon makes $90,707.536 per game. If these players don’t want to play in Toronto… cool. If no players want to play in Toronto: freakin’ amazing. Don’t play. We don’t want to pay a sorry ass team that doesn’t have the will to win. It’s a freakin’ recession… I feel sorry for all season seat holders.

Can we boycott this sorry ass team? I don’t really want to pay Chris’, Jermaine’s or Jose’s salary… do you?

OR

Simple choice. Although Hotmail is still good for my junk mail.

R is for racism. It’s got to stop. Not too long ago, I was stopped by an American immigration officer who, because of my religion, said I couldn’t celebrate Christmas and travel to America during Christmas break. Let me tell you facts.. I lived in America for 8 years. I was 8 in 1993 when I landed in New York. I did exactly what I supposed to – assimilate with the American culture. I forgot most of my mother tongue, Bhojpuri, and became an American. From my accent to the way I dressed, I was an American. You couldn’t differentiate me from any American except by taking note of my skin color. I loved America because it gave me the opportunities (although I didn’t realize when I was 8 ) that no country could have given me. I went to a private elementary school – was showered with knowledge and insight that I still dearly remember and tap into. America gave me everything I wanted; it allowed me to dream but more importantly, it made me believe in my dreams. I was an American first and then a Nepali.

A few years later, my family migrated to Canada because my dad received his permanent resident card in Canada (similar to the Green card in America). He only had a student visa in America which isn’t very stable because the rules state that you must leave once you graduate from school. So naturally, he jumped on the opportunity to come to Canada with a permanent resident status. He wanted us to have the best education possible in the western world. Canada was second to none.

We respect America. It gave us the opportunity that no other country could have given. After having spent 8 early (but important) years of my life in Connecticut, I thought of America as my home. So two years ago, when I crossed the border to visit my sister in America, I was really distressed when the American immigration office treated me with disrespect even though we had an American visitor’s visa and had traveled to America on the exact visa numerous times. You really have to trust me when I say that I really think highly of America (even with Bush as president).

Here’s a summary of how it went down:

It was two days before Christmas – my parents and I made the trip down with our Ontario license plate on our SUV down to NYC.

We were super excited to see the green highway signs in NY (as opposed to the blue ones you see in Canada)…We got stopped at the border. It was cool… we have to pay our $6 since we were on visitor’s visa….but then we got harassed from the very Americans we respected.

Immigration officer: Why are you visiting the states?
Dad: We are visiting my daughter during Christmas break and having Christmas dinner.
Immigration officer: What is your religion?
Dad: What?
Immigration officer: What IS YOUR RELIGION?
Dad: Hindu.
Immigration Officer: …Hindus don’t celebrate Christmas. Why are you visiting America during Christmas?
Dad: I’m visiting my daughter and we have Christmas off.
Immigration officer: You didn’t answer my question… Hindus don’t celebrate Christmas!
Dad: .. uhhh…
Me: The last time I checked you don’t have to be Christian to observe Christmas… and to have Christmas dinner.
Immigration Officer: I’m taking to your dad…if you don’t shut up, I’ll deny your visa.
Me: Umm… *very scared*

We got our entry but we were humiliated.

We love America but this was not the America we loved.

Why the hate? Because we are brown and Hindu and ignorant American immigration officers don’t know how to separate Hindus from terrorists.

This is unacceptable coming from a super power. Please educate your immigration officers. This is probably not the first impression you want foreigners to have of America.

Peace. And Merry Christmas.

Every few years or so, I get really excited about UConn basketball. That’s because every few years, coach Jim Calhoun puts together a group of players that can beat any mediocre team in the NBA (eg. Raptors). UConn is ranked #2 in the country behind North Carolina. North Carolina was ranked #1 in the preseason – they haven’t lost a game… so naturally they still hold on to their #1 ranking. UConn hasn’t lost either. They face a tough opponent in Gonzaga this Saturday (CBS, 4pm). Some critics call this their first real test – but I disagree (only slightly). They faced a good team in Wisconsin in the Paradise Jam and held them to 37% shooting. Wisconsin takes pride in their offense so it’s a significant feat to beat them soundly. Moreover, they have shown composure and confidence in tight games. This is more important than any statistic in college ball because of the simple fact that most players are in their teens. One of many good characteristics of coach Jim Calhoun is that he makes you believe you’re the best player on the floor even when it isn’t exactly true. Confidence is key in college ball since there is very little room for mental errors. As you know, when it counts, every game is do or die. If you lack confidence, any team can beat you.

Here is why I believe when it is all said and done, UConn will cut the nets down in early April.

Hasheem Thabeet is a monster down low. His stat line is is ridiculous:15pts, 12 boards and 4 blocks per game. He’ll definitely be top 5 pick in next year’s NBA draft. Jeff Adrien is a nice compliment, averaging more than 14pts and 9 boards per game. They have one of the best rookies in Kemba Walker. Shooting guard, Jerome Dyson, will eat Anthony Parker (…I know… anyone can eat Anthony Parker…). But this kid is really amazing with ball in his hands. He can get to the heart of the defense with ease. Last year, he didn’t have the body control to avoid charges or blocks when he drove, but this year, he’s much more under control and finishes well with both hands. They have their leader, A.J. Price, healthy again from the ACL injury he sustained during last March Madness. Remember that he was the go-to guy for UConn last season. Stanley Robinson, the most athletic wing man on the team, is back from team issued suspension.

The pieces are there for UConn to compete for a national championship. The journey begins this Saturday. After all, in 1999, when UConn won it all, the run began with the defeat of Gonzaga. I am hoping 2009 is the new 1999 (you like that…).

So please, you Canadian basketball fans, support UConn (Denham Brown went here) this Saturday.

Enjoy the keys to the game.