Sleepwalking

Remembering the times...

Surfing through the channels, I stopped at CNN where they were commenting on the memorial service that was about to start for Michael Jackson. Soon I found out that all the news services were covering it here...I was amazed to see the media shower glib tongued praises and relentless extolment with the same elan as when they used to mock him (when he was alive) - whats the point now?
Watching it, I was flooded with memories - I think I was about 4 when I first saw/heard him. It was at a family friend's place, where we kids used to sit together with the lights turned out to watch the video "Thriller". I think we did this countless times :)...and it was fun every time.
Uncle had brought the making of Thriller tape from the States. MJ is basically responsible for initiating me to music.
I also remember the time (this is before the Internet changed everything) when some friends and I used to share notes on the lyrics of his (and others) songs :) - playing the tape over and over in the Walkman and getting scolded by my folks for it :)

One more link to my childhood is gone now.

I watched the whole memorial service and it was really moving, especially the rousing sermon from the Rev. Al Sharpton. The saddest moment of course was watching Paris speak about him...it was probably the first time anyone has ever seen his kids and perhaps the first time people thought of him as more than just a performer.

Whatever might be the truth in all the allegations that constantly surrounded him, no one can deny his impact on the music scene - and for that reason alone he will remain a legend.

R.I.P. MJ

What has been happening...Nothing

It is not like I haven't thought of writing something...but some how I never end up typing anything. But today I came across something so nostalgic I just had to post it (even if it might end up as just a picture post...)

The picture on the left or above ( courtesy http://www.duelinganalogs.com/) is a salute to one of the oldest cheat codes in the gaming industry - associated with one of the most popular console games ever, Contra (developed by the Japanese game developer Konami).

For those not aware, the sequence as depicted in the cartoon is the famous up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-B-A-Start sequence that resulted in you starting the game with 30 spare lives.

The code proved so popular that developers incorporated it into more than 100 video games, each providing a unique cheat. Ah the good old console days...