Oscar Ballot 2011 PDF: Download Oscars 2011 Ballot For Your Oscars Party

Looking for an Oscar ballot 2011 PDF to download for your Oscars party?

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Follow along while you watch the Oscars 2011 online or on TV tonight, February 27, beginning at 8 p.m. EST.

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ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Psychological Determinants Of Performance

iSporter and Sports Psychologist Dr. Chaitanya Sridhar tries to explain the psychological requirements from a team to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

As the World Cup (WC) fire catches on, speculation of India's chance is one of the most debated topics. What surprises me is the expectation placed on the team at every cricketing event no matter how the team has been performing. No wonder the Indian cricket fan is often called 'Schizophrenic' displaying a constant love-hate relationship with their demi-Gods!

The aim of this article is to highlight the major psychological determinants crucial for performance as 'Psychological Edge' is mantra in today's sporting world! Nevertheless, I'd like to ascertain that peak performance is a combination of physical and mental skills.

The idea for this article sprung mainly from the obsessive attention on Sachin and what might be his last WC. Guess, I might be hurting popular sentiment here but one needs to be honest while writing an article! With all respect to the great player and to all his fans, this attention is unwarranted. From a professional view point, this would be adding a lot more pressure on the master-batsmen! Personally, I feel it is unfair to be neglecting the rest of the team- especially since we are talking of Cricket which happens to be a team game.

So, what essentially are the main psychological determinants of performance? According to the Arousal Theory, performance is at its best when anxiety levels are in the middle or at the optimum level. The tremendous pressure we place on our team to win obviously shoots up the anxiety level of the team. Of course one can argue that the players are paid so well and they ought to manage anxiety at the elite level. Each player has his or her strategy to deal with pressure but we need to remember that it may not be possible at every juncture. The least we can do is not to add to the existing anxiety and pressure!

One glance at the newspaper or any website and we can see the dissection of the team, and numerous experts giving suggestions. Albeit, many may be helpful but the question to be asked is - whether it is the right time to be providing advice? Information over-load is not what a player seeks at this juncture.

In fact, it is very essential to learn to 'switch-on and switch-off' from the game which would be difficult for Indian players while playing in India as everyone talks, eats and breathes cricket. A player performs to his best when he is in his 'Zone' or 'Flowing' when he is in his Ideal Zone. What works for one player may not work for another- for example, Aggression may be good for players like Sreesanth and Harbhajan but may not suit a calmer player. It is possible to be in the Zone when there is less chatter of the conscious mind and hence it is more in sync with the sub-conscious mind. This is in turn means that mind needs to be rested while not playing ('switch-off').

Focusing attention on something entirely different such as 'Golf' or 'Beach Volleyball' would help cricketers. This 'switching off' is especially needed after a bad loss or game because we tend to remember things that have happened 'most recently'. This is one of the reasons why players get into a slump after one or two bad matches and why it is difficult to get out of one. The mind should constantly be fed with 'good memories or best performances' as what we think is what happens (Imagery)! Moreover, this could explain why many a times the team has 'bounced back' when they were written off. 'Give it the best' attitude can do wonders to the state of mind and the game.

The other thing is the more we see images of the 'Cup' and India winning, public begin to expect it to happen. It's all great if India performs well but then when they don't, there is a discrepancy between what was expected (from fans) and the outcome. This explains the extreme irritation, disillusion and angst displayed on the team. This process of persuading or influencing indirectly is what is called subliminal persuasion. We have seen innumerable instances of different forms of targeting players when they have under performed. They range from verbal volleys, burning player effigies and even vandalization of player's houses. Even Sachin's effigy was not spared. I hope readers are following what I'm trying to get at!   In addition, too much emphasis on winning puts tremendous pressure on players as well.

Sports Research has revealed focusing on performance goals yield better results than focusing on outcome alone. E.g., run a ball approach than thinking of total score of 320. It goes without saying that 'managing nerves' is essential for focus - especially with all the noise in the sub-continent stadiums. All said and done, it's not the team with the best players that always wins but the team that can work together that wins. In this regard communication is vital especially between the Coach, Captain and teammates. Staying together is best assured when there is fun and players enjoy each others company. Senior players, who are more adept at dealing with stress and pressure, might be able to guide the younger ones to stay calm and perform to their potential.

When the Team is a united cohesive unit, players do not seek support networks outside (which is rarely available while traveling). The Coach, Senior or Teammate may be the best counselor- a reassuring word or a pat on the shoulder can do wonders. This interaction and support also helps in 'venting-out' through proper channels, as 'pent-up' frustration is sure to 'leak-out' at inappropriate junctures causing much distress to the player and probably the team.

So, the next time we see the team trying to socialize a little or letting lose a little after a bad game, let's not make a big deal of it- they need to go 'all out' in the next game. Performance of any form requires focus, belief to succeed a clear mind and also enjoy what they are doing!

May the best playing team win! Chak De India!

India vs Bangladesh World Cup Live

India vs Bangladesh World Cup Live
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1st Match, Group B:
Bangladesh vs India
Live @ Dhaka
Date : Feb 19, 2011 (14:30 local | 08:30 GMT | 14:00 IST)
Official TV Channel : STAR CRICKET
India will take on Bangladesh to neutralize the revenge of last world cup when Bangladesh ousted India out of world cup 2007.So, watch the match of India vs Bangladesh live streaming first match of ICC world cup 2011 tomorrow in day and night match.The live streaming of IND vs BAN world cup 2011 on espnstar.com while live telecast of match will go on TV channnel Star cricket.While the live score of India vs Bangladesh match can also be seen on cricinfo, cricket nirvanaand cricbuzz.

Has Mahendra Singh Dhoni breached ambush marketing clause?

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has attracted the eyeballs that he would rather not. His recent endorsement of an electronic product seems to have caused a flutter that he could have done well without.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dashed off a letter pointing out that a recent commercial Dhoni had featured in could be in breach of its ambush marketing laws.

According to sources, the ICC has written to chief executives of all the national boards reminding them of the need for strict adherence to the ambush marketing clause after the publication of the Dhoni’s commercial in a leading national daily.

The exact content of the letter was not known but the Board of Control for Cricket in India is believed to have been told that the Dhoni commercial constituted breach.

BCCI secretary N Srinivasan could not be immediately reached for comment but a Board official said the Indian players would be cautioned to ensure that
such things do not recur. So far, no instruction seems to have gone to the Indian skipper.

Team manager Ranjib Biswal has denied receiving any instruction from the BCCI. “We’re not aware of any thing,” Biswal said. Team India reached Chennai on Monday evening. In the advertisement, Dhoni was seen
endorsing a product that is a competition to an official sponsor of the World Cup.

As per the ambush marketing rules, that is not permitted from seven days prior to the start of the championship.

But Dhoni’s managers claim that all things were kept in mind before the shoot was done. “We have paid attention to every minute detail in the ICC guidelines. The colour of Dhoni’s clothing was changed and a re-shoot was done to ensure that no clause was breached,” said a manager of India captain.

When contacted, an ICC spokesman declined comment on the issue. Dhoni had held a long meeting with the top brass of the BCCI recently on the issues of commercials and endorsements. The India skipper was on teleconference with the BCCI officials when four India players, including Sachin Tendulkar, called on them in Mumbai on February 4.

However, sources say the discussion at the meeting was more on the players’ endorsements of their Indian Premier League (IPL) teams rather than on the World Cup related issues. “The meeting was not about these ambush marketing clauses surely. The discussion was on something else,” said a Board source.

Read More >> ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup

ICC Cricket World Cup - 2011 Music Concert

The ‘ICC Cricket World Cup - 2011 Music Concert’ held at Galle Face Green drew crowds of over 200,000 people as the first 15 squad and a host of popular local and international artistes ramped the stage. B n S, Iraj, Chula, Chilli, Lahiru, Rookantha and Chandralekha and the Channa and Upuli ensemble were some of the artistes who performed to make the evening a memorable one.

Bodh Gaya – बोधगया

Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya (बोधगया) is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district of Bihar. It is famous for being the place of Gautama Buddha’s attainment of Enlightenment.
Historically, it was known as the Bodhimanda (ground around the Bodhi-tree), Uruvela, Sambodhi, Vajrasana and Mahabodhi. The main monastery of Bodhgaya used to be called the Bodhimanda-vihāra (Pali). Now it is called the Mahabodhi Temple.
For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bodhgaya is one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in the world. It was here under a banyan tree, the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha,the Enlightened One. Born; in the foothills of the Himalayas as a Sakya prince of Kapilvastu (now in Nepal), most of the major events of his life, like enlightenment and last sermon, happened in Bihar. Buddhism as a religion was really born in Bihar and evolved here through his preaching and the example of his lifestyle of great simplicity, renunciation and empathy for everything living. Significantly, the state’s name of ‘Bihar’ originated from ‘Vihara’ meaning monasteries which abounded in Bihar. Several centuries after Buddha’s passing away, the Maurya Emperor Ashoka (234-198 BC) contributed tremendously towards the revival, consolidation and spread of the original religion. It is the monasteries, Ashoka built for the Buddhist monks and the pillars known as Ashokan Pillars erected to commemorate innumerable historical sites associated with the Buddha’s life, mostly intact to this day, that helped scholars and pilgrims alike to trace the life events and preaching of a truly extraordinary man. There is a magnificent Mahabodhi temple and the Tree from the original sapling still stands in the temple premises. The temple is an architectural amalgamation of many centuries, cultures and heritages. While its architecture has a distinct stamp of the Gupta era, it has later ages inscriptions describing visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China between 7th and 10th century AD. It is perhaps still the same temple Hieuen Tsang visited in 7th century.

“Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautama Buddha attained unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment. It is a place which should be visited or seen by a person of devotion and which would cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence”.

Maha Bodhi Temple

The historical place at which the Enlightenment took place became a place of pilgrimage. Though it is not mentioned in the scriptures, the Buddha must have visited Bodh Gaya again in the course of his teaching career. About 250 years after the Enlightenment, the Buddhist Emperor, Ashoka visited the site and is considered the founder of the Mahabodhi Temple. According to the tradition, Ashoka, as well as establishing a monastery, erected a diamond throne shrine at this spot with a canopy supported by four pillars over a stone representation of the Vajrasana, the Seat of Enlightenment.

The temple’s architecture is superb but its history is shrouded in obscurity. It was constructed with the main intention of making it a monument and not a receptacle for the relics of the Buddha. Several shrines were constructed with enshrined images for use as places of worship.

The basement of the present temple is 15m square, 15m in length as well as in breadth and its height is 52m which rises in the form of a slender pyramid tapering off from a square platform. On its four corners four towers gracefully rise to some height. The whole architectural plan gives pose and balance to the observers.

Inside the temple there is a colossal image of the Buddha in the “touching the ground pose”, bhumisparsha mudra. This image is said to be 1700 years old and is facing east exactly at the place where the Buddha in meditation with his back to the Bodhi tree was enlightened.

Distance/Location of Bodh Gaya – Bodh Gaya is located about 13 km from Gaya, 450 km west of Calcutta, and 90 km south of Patna.

Temperature of Bodh Gaya (Max./Min.) Deg C: Summer 47/28 Winter-28/4
Rainfall in Bodh Gaya :186 cms (Mid-June to Mid-September)
Best Season to visit Bodh Gaya: October to March.

What to See in Bodh Gaya - Mahabodhi Temple, Animesh Lochan Chaitya, Bodhi Tree, Chankramana, Ratnagarh, 80 ft Statue of the Buddha, Lotus Tank, Buddha Kund, Rajayatana, Brahm Yoni, Chinese Temple & Monastery, Burmese Temple, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Thai Temple & Monastery, Tibetan Monastery, Archaeological Museum. Sujata village (2 kms), Dungeshwari Hill (Prag bodhi) (22 kms by road), Maitraya Project (3 kms).

Temple Timings

Mahabodhi Temple: 5 AM to 9 PM
Other Monastries: 5 AM to 12 Noon and 2 PM to 6 PM

How to Reach at Bodh Gaya

By Air: The nearest airport is at Gaya 7 Kms and Patna 135 kms. Indian Airlines and Sahara Airlines connect Patna to Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Ranchi, Lucknow and various other cities.

By Railways: The nearest railway station is Gaya (17km).

By Road: Bodhgaya is well connected by road to Gaya (17km), Nalanda (101 km), Rajgir (78 km), Patna (135km), Varanasi (252 km), Calcutta (495km)

Local Transport: Taxis, Tongas, Auto Rickshaws, Cycle Rickshaws are available.

Bus : Regular direct bus services are available from Gaya, Patna, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation run buses from Patna- Bodhgaya route twice a day.

Conducted Tour : Chartered buses or taxis are arranged from Ranchi and Patna by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation.

Agam Kuan Shitala Devi temple – अगमकुऑं पटना शीतला देवी मन्दिर

Agam Kuan(अगमकुऑं ), which means “unfathomable well“, The well is located east of Patna, Bihar.

Agam Kuan is 105 feet deep, circular in plan, with a diameter extending over 20 feet and 2 inches. The well is brick-encased in the upper half of its depth (down to 44′) and thereafter, secured by a series of wooden rings. The surface structure, which now covers the well and forms its most distinctive feature, has eight arched windows.
Agam Kuan as the legendary well was built by Ashoka for torturing people, a practice reported by Chinese travellers (most probably Fa Hien) of the 5th and 7th centuries A.D.
Another popular legend states that this was the well where Ashoka threw ninety-nine of his elder brothers after killing them to obtain the throne of the Mauryan Empire.

The site is also connected with several Jain legends, the most famous of them being that of a Jain monk Sudarshana who, when thrown into the well by a king named Chand, floated to the surface and was found seated on a lotus.
The well’s is still considered auspicious and a site for many religious ceremonies, especially Hindu weddings.

Next to the Agam Kuan lies the Shitala Devi temple(शीतला देवी मन्दिर), dedicated to Shitala Devi(शीतला देवी), which houses the pindas of the ‘Saptamatrikas’ (the seven mother goddesses). The temple is widely revered for its potency in curing smallpox and chicken pox, as with all Shitala Devi temples, and is also visited by devotees for wish fulfillment.
The site also has several ancient and medieval sculptures.