Changing Notes..

I was stranded at some place in Aminjikarai(Chennai).Along with my friends,we got down from the bus and took a look at the road ahead.I could see a 100 heads with helmets on them and no sign of any vehicle movement.Traffic had been paused for some moments...but that didn't stop people.Most of them travelling in buses got down and began walking towards one common destination.We joined them.It was like some protest rally.We were all on our way to a school on a Sunday evening.Wonder why?
The Mozart of Madras,The maestro who revolutionised Indian music was all set to perform on the grounds of St.George's school,Chennai.I entered the jam packed ground and barely had space to keep both my feet on ground.It was a humid evening and soon my shirt was wet with sweat.Only the maestro's voice could be heard for a promo video of The Times of India was shown.He said
"Every time Chennai changes,I make a note.My city,like my music is always the same....Changing.""For Chennai is change.Change is music.And music is me."

Had anyone fallen on ground during those minutes,death would have taken atmost 2 minutes to swallow them.A stampede was on the cards.When A.R.Rahman made his appearance on the stage,its probability increased.It took a few minutes for the crowd to settle down.Rahman along with with vast crew which included Sivamani, Blaaze, Hariharan,Chinmayee, Shankar Mahadevan, Karthik, Sadhana Sargam, Madhushree, Javed Ali, Mohammad Aslam, Naresh Iyer, Rajesh Raman, weaved mesmerising magic.The 3 and a half hour long show,which had a mix of hindi and tamil tunes and also 1 english,left us spellbound.The Sunday event was organized to mark the launch of the Times of India’s Chennai edition.I did manage to take a lot of videos...but the 'Khwaja' video has turned out to be best of mine,thanks to less audience noise as it was a slow number.
Here's the list of the songs performed :
1.ARR entered the scene singing Jaage Hain from Guru which was followed by a thunderous applause.
2.Ella Pugazhum,Azagiya Tamil magan.(ARR)

3.Endendrum Punnagai,Alaipaayuthe.(Karthik,also joined by Shankar Mahadevan and Naresh Iyer.)

4.Vaaji Vaaji,Sivaji.(Hariharan,Madhusree)
5.Varada Nadikarai Oram,Sangamam.(Shankar Mahadevan)
6.New York Nagaram,Sillunu Oru Kadhal.(The God himself)
7.Girlfriend,Boys.(Karthik)
8.Dil Se,Dil Se.(ARR)
9.Jashne Bahara,Jodha Akbar.(Javed Ali)
10.Munbe Va,Sillunu Oru Kadhal.(Naresh Iyer,Chinmayee)
11.Enna Solla Pogirai,Kandukonden Kandukonden.(Shankar Mahadevan)
12.Chayya Chayya,Dil Se.(Shankar Mahadevan,Rehaana)
13.Kannodu Kanbadellam,Jeans.(Nityashree)
14.Azeem O Shaan(Jodha..)-Roja-Veerapandi Kottaiyile,Thiruda Thiruda.(Naresh Iyer, Aslam,Sivamani)
15.Adhiradi,Sivaji (ARR)
16.Oru Koodai Sunlight,Sivaji(Blaaze)
This was followed by Blaaze's introduction of ARR's lesser known crew members.
17.Pray for me brother.(ARR,Blaaze)
18.Bombay theme,Bombay.
19.Khwaja mere khwaja,Jodhaa Akbar.(ARR)
I was waiting for this for so long.This,for me,was the best.
20.Ae Hairathe,Guru.(ARR,Hariharan)
21.Maduraikku Pogada,ATM.(No idea who did this:( )
22.Tere Bina,Guru. (ARR, Chinmayee)
23.Hamma Hamma,Bombay.(ARR, Shankar Mahadevan,Blaaze)
24.Vande Mataram. (ARR and his entire co.)

Fuel for thought

I am sorry for my 3rd consecutive post on sports...but this one has a bit of math in it. I am a very keen fan of Formula One and i was watching this Bahrain Grand Prix this past weekend and i was just wondering the amount of fuel that is being spent by the sport and for the sport.
When Raikkonen made his pit stop..the Ferrari team added 76 litres of fuel which was supposed to be sufficient for 20 laps.
Now,putting thoughts to paper.
For the Bahrain Gp,1 lap = 5.4 kms and a total of 57 laps makes the race distance 308kms approximately.For 5.4 kms(1 lap) a Ferrari needs 3.8 litres approx.
Therefore,for 308 kms it needs 217 lts(approx)of fuel.
Let us make a generous assumption that every car is as good as Ferrari.A total of 22 cars run the race and 20 cars finished the race.To uncomplicate things a bit...let us assume that 20 cars run the entire length of every race.
(We are forgetting the small distance the other 2 cars would have made and also considering all the 20 others finish the race.)
Hence 217*20 = 4340 lts.
A Formula One race takes place over an entire weekend, with two free practice sessions on Friday, a practice session and a qualifying session on Saturday, and the race on Sunday.
Assuming 1 practice session for a team (2 cars) is 10 laps i.e 54 kms or 38lts. So 418 lts for 11 cars(minimum case) for 1 practise session and its 418*2 = 836lts.(for 2 sessions) on Friday and another 418lts. on Saturday.
The Qualifying session is a bit complicated since it is split into 4 phases.
During the first session, all 22 cars run laps at any time(that makes 22 laps). The six slowest cars are assigned grid places 17 through 22. Lap times are reset for the second session, which sees the remaining 16 cars on track together. Again, the six slowest of those cars are assigned grid places 11 through 16.(another 16 laps) The final qualifying session is a shootout among the final ten competitors to determine the final 10 grid places. To add an additional strategic challenge to the race engineers, the top-ten drivers must begin the final 15-minute session with the fuel load on which they plan to start the race. They will be weighed before they leave the pits, and whatever fuel they use in the 15 minutes may be replaced at the end of the session. The number of laps run during any session is uncontrolled. In 2008 season the format is changed to a 20-15-10 minute run for the three sessions, and fuel is not replenished after the third session.Lets assume that the 10 cars make at least 2 laps each..so that's another 20 laps and that means 22+16+20..58 laps i.e. 220lts approx for the Qualifying session.

Total fuel for the weekend = 4340 + 836 + 418 + 220 = 5814 lts.
We are also gonna assume that the average race distance for all the tracks is that of the Bahrain circuit.
Its 18 races in this 2008 calendar and so its 5814*18 =1,04,652 lts. .
The world spends 104652 lts of Petrol a year in Formula One.

Hmmm...no wonder oil prices are rising and Iraq is being pwned!
and...i am a genius:)
I did all this because...i was bored!