Thursday, June 14, 2012

Little boy lost finds his mother using Google Earth

When I first read the tile of this article I thought that there would be a cutesy little story of a well dressed little kid in a supermarket in New York or Central London who had lost his Mommy and somehow had used an app on his iPhone to find her again a few hours later, when reunited everyone laughed and said trite comments like 'kids these days' and 'what will they think of next'. Hugs and chocolate biscuits all round and next story is of a panda falling off a slide.

But I was wrong.

So very, very wrong.

This is in fact a story of a man who has become who he is today through fate, luck and, unlike so many of his contemporaries, a graduation from the school of hard knocks.

Read it, and if you don't shed a tear leave a comment as to why!

From the BBC website:


An Indian boy who lost his mother in 1986 has found her 25 years later from his new home in Tasmania - using satellite images.
Saroo was only five years old when he got lost. He was travelling with his older brother, working as a sweeper on India's trains. "It was late at night. We got off the train, and I was so tired that I just took a seat at a train station, and I ended up falling asleep."
That fateful nap would determine the rest of his life. "I thought my brother would come back and wake me up but when I awoke he was nowhere to be seen. I saw a train in front of me and thought he must be on that train. So I decided to get on it and hoped that I would meet my brother."
Saroo did not meet his brother on the train. Instead, he fell asleep and had a shock when he woke up 14 hours later. Though he did not realise it at first, he had arrived in Calcutta, India's third biggest city and notorious for its slums.Start QuoteSaroo Brierley as an adultI do not think any mother or father would like to have their five year old wandering alone in the slums and train stations of Calcutta”Saroo Brierley"I was absolutely scared. I didn't know where I was. I just started to look for people and ask them questions."
Soon he was sleeping rough. "It was a very scary place to be. I don't think any mother or father would like to have their five year old wandering alone in the slums and trains stations of Calcutta."
The little boy learned to fend for himself. He became a beggar, one of the many children begging on the streets of the city. "I had to be quite careful. You could not trust anyone." Once he was approached by a man who promised him food and shelter and a way back home. But Saroo was suspicious. "Ultimately I think he was going to do something not nice to me, so I ran away."
But in the end, he did get off the streets. He was taken in by an orphanage, which put him up for adoption. He was adopted by the Brierleys, a couple from Tasmania. "I accepted that I was lost and that I could not find my way back home, so I thought it was great that I was going to Australia."
Saroo settled down well in his new home. But as he got older the desire to find his birth family became increasingly strong. The problem was that as an illiterate five-year-old he had not known the name of the town he had come from. All he had to go on were his vivid memories. So he began using Google Earth to search for where he might have been born.
"It was just like being Superman. You are able to go over and take a photo mentally and ask, 'Does this match?' And when you say, 'No', you keep on going and going and going."

Google Earth image that helped Saroo find his way homeGoogle Earth image

Eventually Saroo hit on a more effective strategy. "I multiplied the time I was on the train, about 14 hours, with the speed of Indian trains and I came up with a rough distance, about 1,200km."

Lost and found

Saroo Brierley as a child

Saroo was taken to meet his mother who was nearby. At first he did not recognise her.
"The last time I saw her she was 34 years old and a pretty lady, I had forgotten that age would get the better of her. But the facial structure was still there and I recognised her and I said, 'Yes, you are my mother.'
"She grabbed my hand and took me to her house. She could not say anything to me. I think she was as numb as I was. She had a bit of trouble grasping that her son, after 25 years, had just reappeared like a ghost."
Although she had long feared he was dead, a fortune teller had told Saroo's mother that one day she would see her son again. "I think the fortune teller gave her a bit of energy to live on and to wait for that day to come."
And what of the brother with whom Saroo had originally gone travelling? Unfortunately, the news was not good. "A month after I had disappeared my brother was found in two pieces on a railway track." His mother had never known whether foul play was involved or whether the boy had simply slipped and fallen under a train.
"We were extremely close and when I walked out of India the tearing thing for me was knowing that my older brother had passed away."
For years Saroo Brierley went to sleep wishing he could see his mother again and his birth family. Now that he has, he feels incredibly grateful. He has kept in touch with his newly found family.
"It has taken the weight off my shoulders. I sleep a lot better now."

And there is something to make him sleep better - with memories of Slumdog Millionaire still fresh, publishers and film producers are getting interested in his incredible story.


kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I do enjoy me some new music, and Pomplamoose is one of my fave new bands. I've written about them when they did a great cover of Angry Birds music.

And here they are again, showing just what great musicians and indeed, actors and dancers, they are as they begin the change from popular music to electronic:



What do you think?

And if you go and look at the old videos you'll see how Jack changes his style...


Nataly Dawn.
Nataly Dawn. (Photo credit: Jav.Gómez)

kthanxbai!
 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Why F1 Racers Basically Drive Lying Down

I've always loved Formula 1 and have written about it a few times Monza F1 Accident , I found me a new hero and Formula 1 easy driving

This interview is a simple, no-frills explanation of what the business end of a formula 1 car feels like to drive.



Hat tip to gizmodo.co.uk

kthanxbai! http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Friday, May 25, 2012

Anchorman 2 Teaser Trailer

I love me some Will Ferrell, in my opinion one of the funniest men on the planet today, he repeatedly pushes the boundary of comedy in a way that even the best improv stand up hasn't done in a long time (beginning when Drew Carey beat humour to death as the host on Whose Line Is It Anyway).

Anyhoo, mix Mr. Ferrel with other comedic talents such as Dave Koechner, Paul Rudd and His Comedic Highness the Steve of Carell, we just know that Anchorman 2 is going to be one long laughfest. With a little bit of 'oh no, you didn't' in the middle somewhere.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 

So here, for your viewing pleasure, a little teaser for Anchorman 2.



kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

A Little Care Goes A Long Way

Due to honour, gratitude and a sense of belief in society, a strong tradition has grown in certain areas of  Japan to perform the 4th Movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

A beautiful piece itself, which I am sure you'll recognise, is performed below by 10,000 Japanese singers. Yes, 10,000!!

The whole story can be found here at Bayou Renaissance Man's blog 'I Daresy Beethoven Was Looking Down and Smiling'



I hope that your socks are as knocked off as mine were!

kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Kids Today!

We all know that when we were kids it was tougher, harder and there was more crime, morbidity and less smiles.



So its nice to see that some kids are just out there having fun and challenging themselves.



kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Monday, May 21, 2012

James Bond is Back!

Jimmy B is coming back with what looks like another amazing, action packed. stunning movie.



And for a change, I think I might even go and watch it in the cinema / movie theatre.

I've not been to a cinema since 19 December 2003, when the 3rd part of the Lord of the Rings Saga was released, I just don't like them. Everyone crammed in to a small area, sharing the movie experience with complete strangers - just not my thing.

With the new era of deluxe cinema experiences I think I'd like to take Mrs. Jumblerant out and show her what modern snack eating and soda drinking is all about.


Description unavailable

And, in this glorious celebratory year for Queen Elizabeth II, I'll get to see a bit of Ol' Blighty in the process!

kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Confused and Slightly Worried

I guess its nothing too serious but I have recently become somewhat discombobulated by something that really shouldn't disturb me.

A few newly created fruit.

Yes, I know that fruits are the means by which many plants disseminate seeds. Many plants bearing edible fruits, in particular, have propagated with the movements of humans and animals in a symbiotic relationship as a means for seed dispersal and nutrition, respectively; in fact, humans and many animals have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. Including my parents.

So why should my nose get out of joint because we have a few new fruits? Because its odd. It's Dolly the Sheep all over again.

Dolly the sheep, National Museums of Scotland,...
Dolly the sheep, National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh The world's first cloned sheep, now a stuffed exhibit in the Chambers Street museum. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So if you're going to muck around at least take 2 serious fruits and make them into something funtastic - pineapple and kiwi, coconut and banana, strawberry and a guava.

Fruit stall in a market in Barcelona, Spain. F...
This is what the world can look forward to:

    Tangelo - A citrus fruit hybrid of a tangerine and a grapefruit
    Grapple - Apple that has been specially treated so that it tastes like grapes.
    Aprium - Complex crossing of a plum and an apricot.
    Orangelo - A cross between a grapefruit and an orange
    Plumcot - Another plum/apricot hybrid.
    Pineberry - A white-looking strawberry with flesh tasting of pineapple.



kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Bing booboo

I recently received an email from Bing inviting me to 'Be one of the first to try out the new Bing'.


Very nice! Maybe they're ready to fight Google for search engine presence, maybe its a revolution that's going to rock the internet. Facebook IPO?

This might be just the announcement to knock the multi-billion dollar Facebook off headline news.

So I click on the link, anticipating a change that'll knock my socks off.

Oh yeah baby. Here we go.

The revolution is here.


Google is going to be toppled!




Silly buggers!

Oh well, back to trustworthy and reliable google.com


kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Thursday, May 10, 2012

You Know What Makes Me Laugh?

You Know What Makes Me Laugh?

This does. Quite quickly and for a long time!



And this makes me laugh even more!



kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Maurice Sendak dies at 83 - Where The Wild Things Were

Cover of "Where the Wild Things Are"
Cover of Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice Sendak dies at 83; artist and writer best known for "Where the Wild Things Are".

I never read this iconic book as a child, but oddly enough, my wife bought a copy for our 3 year old just last week, so I read it just the other day.

I didn't realise that illustrating a book could be so deep and meaningful, but here is Mr. Sendak explaining his way in life. I found this short video to be even more interesting than most books I've read in the last 5 years;


And here he is on life and death.




kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Focusing on Important Matters

I've been a bit bored at my 3am wake up calls recently, so I had a chance to surf t't web. And look what I found out about myself!

How many Justin Biebers could you take in a fight?

A great website let me add.

kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Funny, moving and uplifting

Ricky Gervais
Cover of Ricky Gervais
It was a shock to me.

A stunning, out of the blue, not heard of before shock.

Ricky Gervais, who is not my favorite comedian, although I find his work interesting, came out with an amazing,  pilot for a show.The show, which follows care-worker Derek Noakes and his colleagues in a retirement home, was generally well-received by even the most ardent critics of Gervais.

Personally, I was confused at first, then charmed, and then won over.

Its a good pilot - I just wonder what the series will be like.






kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Viral video - before it's gone viral!

I love me some social media - a bit of facebook, twitter and of course a blog here or there.

So this video, which is bound to go viral, rocked my world!

Enjoy -

 

kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

FB Friend of Will Ferrell

I'm a Facebook friend of Will Ferrel, are you?

Actually I'm not. Even though I do tend to live on Facebook over the weekends, he ain't no friend of mine! But the new video he has put up regarding his latest movie “Casa de mi Padre” is very funny.


And I have produced it here for your delectation:





And as long as we're on the subject, here is some more Will Ferrel amazingness:










kthanxbai!

 http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Monday, March 19, 2012

The iPad 3 - Not So Noticeably Different

So you remember in my last post I wrote about the iPad (3) aka The iPad?

Its just down here Anyway, I wasn't the only one to be underwhelmed by the new iPad. This chap went out and did some serious testing of his own.

we decided to set up a little test and see what happens when the iPad 2 and the new iPad are placed side-by-side. Could anyone actually tell the difference? Find out in the video below: 



Scary stuff eh? I think we'll be sticking with the iPad 2 for the time being.

And anyway, I'm still waiting for my hover-board and meal in a pill that we were all promised in the last decade!


kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com
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Sunday, March 11, 2012

iPad 3 - Doesn't exist?

I have just ordered Her Indoors an iPhone 4 (she don't need no Siri!). And what do I see straight after? An amazing rant about the next iPad.

Have a great time watching there placid rant.



kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Game of Thrones + Simpsons

My favorite TV show of 2011 was Game of Thrones. It had great acting, some very interesting plot lines, and for someone as bitter and twistde as myself, some great 'wow' moments.

Being a Brit I tend to recognise the actors in any UK show due to the limted pool of talent, and here was no exception. However, instead of going with the normal plot of 'he's a well known actor, he'll survive anything', heads come flopping off as if there's no tomorrow!

Definitely worth watching, and if you don't believe me, ask Homer (well Matt G. anyway)

 


And here's the real thing for my pal 'Roro'who probably still hasn't watched it!




Now, let's be careful put there...

kthanxbai! http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

Monday, March 5, 2012

For my good chum, Wirecutter over at Knuckledraggin My Life Away



kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com

S#it We Say

It started with the original 'Shit Girls Say':


Moved on to "Shit White Girls say to Black Girls'


Peaked at 'Shit Nobody Says'


Bottomed out at 'Shit Cats Say'



Came back up with 'Shit New Yorkers Say'


And then entered my life with this one:



kthanxbai!

http://jumblerant.blogspot.com