Open Intelligence - Context Awareness

Overview:

Open Intelligence is a very interesting and influential phenomenon. It is especially intriguing to me because I believe that it can play a positive role in developing countries. In order to ensure its long-term sustainability we need to see it "as is" and clearly identify possible pitfalls as well as open intelligence's strong and weak points. Fundamentally, we need a reliable map of the open intelligence environment. As described in the paper, Controlled Intelligent Spaces already exist in the day to day world but to use it in context that targets the needs of the individual is something that needs greater scope in the real space. Context is the real logical model that we as users create and also absorb resulting in a dependency that in-turn creates abundant amount of information that the general user consumes. Building such context driven systems should be the fundamental task of every engineer for the benefit of human future and for preserving valuable information.

Relevance of the Paper

The paper discusses about the potential of building such Context-awareness systems via two main approaches. The Agent-Centered Context-Awareness (ACCA) and the User-Centered Context-Awareness (UCCA). Both of these are such brilliant ways to adopt an environment that is totally open spaced and to bring our own context into it. It talks about the one which revolves around the context that the agent perceives and one that is totally universal out there, to be grabbed and conceptualized; one that is controlled intelligence and the other that is open intelligence.

Such a development demands continuous monitoring and testing to ensure that the context does not fall out of the space and that the boundaries are well in scope of the context. I say, why waste the skills of some talented developers on debugging? In some commercial environments, professional testers provide an important edge. Synergy between developers and testers is so very important. An agent would want to create his own space and work around the context he has chosen for development. In this case the agent is the “self” of the device and hence in this case would even prefer to debug on his own. Representing the tester or the user for instance would be completely secondary to the developer. An inspiring example of such unconventional thinking and development is “Bump Top”; software that applies a 3D metaphor and rough-and-tumble interactivity that delights anyone who sees it in action [1].

At the same time, because context sometimes is so user centric; there is no harm in placing the common user as the “self” and create a universally agreed-on model. In such a scenario, the system must be dynamic enough to be able to adapt to constantly changing environment. The model must be built such that context is universal and any open context fits into the model of the “self” and the environment. The best and the most common example of this is the Windows Operating System; a brilliant software that fits into every possible corporate environment and is reusable in every sense of software development.

Quality Management

Cultivating a user base is very important for any system. The context that is so “self” reliant, which is the case for both ACCA & UCCA, needs to be complete and the best available. For this, and to manage context dependencies, user relationship needs to be established and maintained. Context quality needs to be assessed by each agent and conflicts resolved within the boundaries of open intelligence using the user base.

Also, the context driven system built under such environments largely rely on the resources of the controlled intelligent space for governing the basic security principles of Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability. This is a limitation that needs to be overcome by writing applications that fit into open intelligent space.

References:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BumpTop

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

-----------NOT MINE---------------

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Kahin zameen nahi to kahin aasman nahi milta

Bujha Saka Hain Bhala Kaun Waqt Ke Shole

Ye Aisi Aag Hain Jisme Dhuan Nahin Milta

Tere intezaar mein aesa nahi ki lutf na ho

Intezar karen hum aesa lamha nahi milta

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Tere jahan mein aesa nahi ki pyar na ho

Jahan umeed ho uski, wahan nahi milta

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Kahin zameen nahi to kahin aasman nahi milta

Jise Bhi Dekhiye Vo Apne Aap Mein Gum Hain

Zubah Mili Hain Magar Humzubah Nahin Milta

Teri duniya mein aesa nahi ki hazaar raste na ho

Jo rasta manzil ko le jaye wo nahi milta

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Khuli ankhon se sapne dekhne ka jurm na ho

Har baar wo jurm ho to uski saza se panah nahi milti

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Ab tanhai mein na chal pane ka khauf na ho

Jab zindagi ko tanhai ka saath mile to kisi aur ka saath nahi milta

Kabhi kisiko mukkamal jahan nahi milta

Kahin zameen nahi to kahin aasman nahi milta

Love Someone...!!!

Love someone. No, I don't mean it as a resolution...rather as a way of life. There are many reasons to be with people, to make friends, acquaintances. And many reasons not to love someone. Don't think too much about it. Do it. Completely. Utterly. Without holding back. No, I don't promise you that you will be loved back the same way in return. But what I can promise you is that you will never know the joys of loving until you do it. There is something magical in allowing yourself to open up so utterly to someone that sometimes all you see is them. Yes, you risk becoming vulnerable. You may get hurt. But its worth taking the chance.

If you get loved equally in return, its a bonus. But don't love to be loved. I have learnt it the hard way; so I suggest not to dwell into it too much. That won't allow you to love unabashedly. Have you ever danced in an empty park? Or your own room? When no one is watching? Not in a poetic way...have you truly ever done it? There is such a simple joy in being able to do something only because it gives you pleasure and not for any other reason.

The world becomes harder as you grow up. Your walls go up...as do those of everyone you know. Your importance in people's lives changes...you end up fulfilling expectations most of the times. Don't get bogged down. Don't love everyone...but love someone. It'll make it all worth it. Trust me.

I always tell myself not to invest too much love into anyone... but I always fuck up... but the above is what I have learnt the hard way; I have always believed in Love and its karma; and will continue to do so as long as I am here to stay. Just that I have my own way of doing things. Let it go and see for yourself.

Augmented Reality... A Critique

This was something I helped a friend of mine with. I hope you find it interesting.

Summary:

Augmented reality is the use of computer generated images and information overlaid on a view of the physical world. It is the 3D imaging in the real world and is a fascinating concept. All of us have been exposed to it at some point. Football broadcasts are a prime example of the use of augmented reality. The yellow line denoting the “first down” marker is overlaid on the playing field to “augment” the view of the game. Of course, you won’t see this if you actually go to the game.

Important Ideas:

In this section, I shall portray my ideas and how relevant are they to the paper.

In the simple world that we live in, Augmented Reality could play a major role in enhancing physical security in various real estate areas; for example, it could be incorporated in railway stations and airports where passenger safety is such a critical issue. Virtual hazard signs and barricades could be placed in areas of extreme danger which in reality would occupy space resulting in either the area not been used or passengers left to take care of themselves.

Another extremely cost driven and high level of implementing such an idea could be in everyday life. There are a variety of ways to incorporate the idea and with a visual display pointing out areas of interest to the user; even walking down the street would be a new experience. The augmented reality could be used to identify passing faces of friends and contacts, displaying their name and relevant information on demand.

Advertisers might also attract customers to their products via a whole new dimension of advertising. Imagine walking through Wal-Mart, wearing the embedded display glasses, picking up a product off the shelf and a video instantly plays to highlight its features. Augmented reality would be highly customizable, allowing the consumer to choose exactly what they wish to see when viewing the world.

Issues:

The features that I have discussed above are very conceptual but in reality they come at a price. For example; Virtual tours available in museums and other monuments come at a hefty price. It is a very knowledgeable addition to any environment but the cost that incurs to manufacture such devices is very heavy. Beyond the cost, the real challenge to build such technology is the resource availability. The technology is so far advanced that mere motivation to do so would not drive millions into building or buying it.

The technology needs to be given time to mature to sink into the corporate world where more and more companies shall be interested to take up the challenge of integrating these technologies.

An Outrageous Footballer... Ronnie for Life

It was with a tinge of sadness that I watched another of Barca’s former Brazilian world-beaters head back home recently, knowing as I did that such a move was a certain signal that yet another fantastic career was slowly drawing to a close. In this instance I am talking about the man who placed Barca back on the footballing map, Ronaldinho, but of course you could have been mistaken for thinking I meant Rivaldo or even Deco, so strong seems to be the pull back to the league of their homeland for so many of the old Brazilgrana. (Yes Deco played for Portugal but the point still stands.)

As we currently live through arguably the greatest prolonged period of success the club has ever known, it is easy now to forget just how important Ronaldinho was for Barca, and just how his utter greatness forced everyone around the globe to sit up and take notice of our club once again. After many years of mismanagement and under-achievement, it seemed Ronaldinho almost single handedly pulled the club into its maturity; bringing with him, as he did, not only tantalizing tricks and fancy footwork but also trophies. Oh yes the trophies.

In the five years he spent at the club Ronnie helped Barca lift five trophies, including that all important second European Cup, and while by today’s standards such a haul may seem small pickings, we have to remember that it was the Brazilian’s dynamism and outright contagious love of the game that brought so many new fans to the club, their hearts seemingly swollen by the pure joy of seeing Ronaldinho do his stuff.

Here was a player who played the game with the utmost flair and creativity, a smile (for the most part) cemented on his face. He brought that simple samba rhythm back to the game at a time when football seemed to be falling on its own sword of bloated egos and even heavier wage packets. And whilst the likes of Michael Owen, David Beckham and fellow countryman Ronaldo were all smiling for the camera Ronnie was smiling for the stands – his utter enjoyment apparent for all to see.

Okay it didn’t end well but there has been more than enough written about all of that. For now let us remember the good times. As his one time partner in crime Deco recently said of him, “Ronnie has left his mark on the club and we should remember the good things.” So while we could dwell on the fall-outs and in-fighting, the partying and later day lack of commitment, it seems unfair that the player who made the Bernabeu stand and applaud should have his reputation tarnished in such a way that we can no longer look back on his time with us without instantly thinking of the sad ending.

After all, what went before was so, so good, and made so many of us very, very happy.

Along with the amazing memory of seeing the Madrid faithful rise to their feet to applaud his magic, my overriding memory of Ronaldinho is of him forever tormenting Chelsea. I don’t know if my dislike of Chelsea has anything to do with this but for some reason I just keep seeing John Terry and Co. standing stock still, like shadows stranded in the early evening gloaming, the darkness filling their hearts as they realise once again – He’s come back to finish us off for good this time!

As someone based in England I can’t tell you how wonderful it was on those occasions when Barca would head to Stamford Bridge, the press talking up the ‘greatness’ of Lampard and Terry and Joe Cole, etc., and how this time that darn Brazilian wouldn’t make a mug of them. Only to find their mediocrity exposed as Ronaldinho ran riot, the ball seemingly stuck to his feet. I loved these moments more than anything and although I do think I have allowed my nostalgia and sentimentality to somewhat get the best of me, there is no denying that it was during this period that the man from Porto Alegre really was at his best.

So even though all good things must pass, such movement does not make what went before any less significant or cherished. And while there are many who would pledge their allegiance to little Leo and his not unmentionable talents, it is worth baring in mind that at one time no-one foresaw an era whereby Ronnie would ever be over taken as the game’s greatest, so well loved was he by so many. Today many no longer consider the Brazilian to still be worthy of such a mantle, but personally I think they are writing off his legacy with far too much haste, and with no where near enough hindsight.

Just like the great novelists and poets of their age can only be judged by their last piece of work, great footballers must also suffer the indignity of seeing their entire career defined by that most restrictive of eras – the end. And while his output has been frequently underwhelming of late, we must remember that at his best Ronaldinho represented what everyone loves about football – creativity, excitement, amazement and joy. The kind of things that can make age old enemies relent in their hatred and stand up and salute.

Such things do not happen often in football, so stubborn and hard wired are we as fans, but when they do we should take them as the true compliment that they are – true greatness touches us all. I hope for history’s sake that football soon reassesses just how wonderful a player Ronaldinho truly was and just how sad it is now to see him preparing his exit from the game. A game he helped to reinvigorate and one that would have been a hell of a lot less enjoyable without his presence.

Brazil finally has one of its greatest sons back within her bosom. And while we wish him well it is safe to say he will be missed.

He was the reason I started watching football differently... and I will truly miss him... viva Ronaldinho... viva Football

Something to be proud of...

I’ve long kicked myself for not accomplishing more with my life. I’ve always felt that I could have done more or been more or experienced more. I’ve come to realize, however, that these feelings stem from my lack of expertise in any one subject. I’m not one that can focus on much for very long. I nearly always grow bored of a particular subject in a relatively short time, no matter how interested I am at the outset. This isn’t always true, but it does have a negative influence on my perception of self.

The thing I don’t seem to take into account is that I have a broad scope of experience in many different areas. A friend of mine once wrote that being a jack of all trades was once a desired job skill while today, well, not so much. For what I spend my days doing, though, it’s not a bad way to go. As I progress in work and towards what I believe to be my call in life, I’m challenged to grow as an individual, but I’m also challenged to grow and learn in a wide range of subjects, which leads me to believe that, perhaps, I’ve been blessed with a personality that is perfectly suited to something I don’t yet fully understand, but it’s much easier for me to take it easy on myself in the process.

That’s not to say that I’ve not made mistakes and that I might not be closer to, if not already reaching, that goal if I’d done things differently, but I can say that I’m one that regularly looks to himself and tries to find something that makes me less than perfect so I can improve personally. I think that’s something to be proud of.

Without You...!!!

You are the jigsaw piece
That makes me complete
You are the melody
To which my heart beats
Your smile
Keeps me warm all night
Your breath
Gives my soul respite
Days stretch out without you
Nights seem to last forever
No sense
No purpose
Till when we’re together
Life without you
Just seems so still
A test of love
It jus seems...

Luv You...!!!

Barca simply the best after Real rout

November 29, 2010

By Tom Adams

It was said that Monday night's game at Camp Nou - hyped like few other domestic league ties in the history of the game - would settle two raging debates: who are the best team in the world, and who is the best player in the world? If this solitary match could be said to be decisive in that regard, then the judgement was emphatic. It left no room whatsoever for argument.

Xavi and Lionel Messi were both instrumental in the destruction of Real

Barcelona, conducted magisterially by Xavi and Andres Iniesta - the Lennon and McCartney of midfield double acts - and led on the frontline by the clinical talents of Lionel Messi and David Villa, ran riot against Real, inflicting a career-worst defeat on Jose Mourinho - the man recruited by Real this summer to break down Barca's domestic hegemony after he ended their European supremacy at Inter Milan.

And, while there was no goal from Messi, his first failure to score in 11 games for his club, the Barca star still produced a masterclass in incisive possession football, supplying two wonderful assists for both of Villa's second-half goals. As his erstwhile competitor for the title of the world's most best player, Cristiano Ronaldo, postured pointlessly, indulged in stepovers and became embroiled in a spat with Pep Guardiola, Messi, in his usual understated style, did what he does best: tear teams apart.

In fact, on this evidence, Ronaldo is not the best player on the globe. Nor is he the second or third. In Messi, Iniesta and Xavi, Barcelona possess three players who will be among the all-time greats when the history books are written. Watching them combine in such intuitive and mesmeric style is a treat.

But prior to kick-off, comparisons between the two sides were legitimate. Just one point separated leaders Real from Barca in the table prior to kick-off, and only three separated them at the end of last season when Real secured 96 points, only to be surpassed by Barca with 99. However, these are two clubs divided by geography, politics and culture. Hatred festers in this corner of Iberia for the Madridistas, and the feeling is mutual.

A divide is also evident in the way the two teams have been constructed. Notable exceptions such as David Villa aside, Barca have turned inwards to the academy graduates supplied by La Masia, while Real have instead relied on the chequebook of Florentino Perez. The fact that the final coup de grace was a cross from Bojan, converted by Jeffren - two more acolytes of a finely-honed youth system and philosophy - will only have further underlined that at this juncture in the story of one of football's great rivalries, Barca are on the right side of history. The school defeated the bank.

Real played their part, but not in the way they had intended. Mourinho had said in the build-up to Monday's much-anticipated encounter that "we have to give the world a super game", and his team selection certainly contributed to a spectacle. Picking Karim Benzema ahead of Lass Diarra in place of the injured Gonzalo Higuain was a positive move - discarding suggestions that, as he had done at Inter, Mourinho's intent, in his own vernacular, would be to park the bus - but it left Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso exposed and utterly dominated by Sergio Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta.

This was a rout of embarrassing proportions, giving Barcelona extra reason to celebrate their 111th anniversary. Remarkably, it is arguably not even the side's most emphatic victory over Real during Guardiola's time at the club - that honour falls to a 6-2 hammering at the Bernabeu en route to the Treble in 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a picture of misery at the Camp Nou

But the appointment of Mourinho was supposed to safeguard against a repetition. Secured at some cost from Inter over the summer, having succeeded Guardiola in winning the Treble, Mourinho was the tormentor of Barca, the man who asphyxiated them in the Champions League semi-final last season.

But in the face of a Barcelona side that plays some of the finest football ever seen, and that possesses technicians of the ability of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi, even he is rendered impotent it seems.

Of course, Mourinho has never been known as the Special One in Catalunya - instead his nickname is El Traductor (The Translator) - a derogatory title designed to denigrate his role at the club when acting as an assistant to Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. On Monday night, as Real were submerged by a Blaugrana flood, Mourinho, Ronaldo and his team looked very ordinary indeed.

The Beauty of Change...!!!

My inner self loves to keep reminding me time and again – the moment you feel complacent that your life is perfect and don’t want things to change, they will. You can not stop that. Just accept that they will.

In my humble few years in adulthood, I have realised the truth in those words. As children, we are insulated by the love that surrounds us and we believe that people mean what they say and clearly demarcate between friends, acquaintances and foes. As we grow older and not-so-wiser, we slowly become jaded. Things, yes. Circumstances, definitely. They all change. But what affects us most is when people change and thus do relationships. Friends that one made along the way slowly keep falling through that sieve of life and losing themselves. New ones get added but our new found cynicism refuses to allow ourselves to open up as much to them.

Its not such a dark thing either. People change for the better too. Relationships evolve. When you grow together, sometimes you have the benefit of being a part of the journey and this brings us closer. My relationship with my sister, parents, relatives, friends – each of these has changed many times over and continues to do so. What makes some of these relationships special is the belief that if I don’t like the changes that are happening, they are momentary – they will change again. Confused...???

And that is what gives me the humility of holding myself back from trying to control each of these relationships (or so I like to believe). Que sera sera….what will be will be.

The Grand Saga of the CWG 2010

----Cynicism Alert ----

A little late to critique or comment on the concluded CWG 2010 in New Delhi but still I thought I would pen down my thoughts.

As someone very wisely said once...."Hindi filmon ki tarah humari zindagi mein bhi akhir tak sab thik ho hi jaata hai....happies endings" (like in Hindi films, in our lives too towards the end, it all falls into place). Little did the respectable king khan know at the time, he may as well have been referring to the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.

First things first. How archaic to have a world sporting event named after the collection of colonies of the British Empire! And our Raj hangover for us to rejoice over hosting them!! Nevertheless, I put my cynicism aside and like every Indian, started hoping that this would help clean up my beautiful country and the capital city and once the hullaboo was over, we would be left with some great infrastructure to our disposal like the Asian Games did 3 decades back!

And then the media frenzy started. It suddenly became fashionable to criticise the games, the infrastructure, the money spent, the hygene standards. Barely would anyone of prominence have given a byte and media would be all over him like a pack of hounds! And the smart statesmen like Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh did not dirty their hands in this mudslinging and justifying.

So overwhelmed were we all with this crazied attacking, that most Indians almost involuntarily started hoping that the Games would be cancelled or a big disaster so that they could shake their heads in dismay and say - I told you so. And I have to confess, I was one among those who wanted Delhi to fail and showcase the routine nature of corruption in India.

And then a strange thing happened. 2 days before the games, suddenly there came this positive publicity when athletes started arriving. Canadian, Australian and other athletes started pouring in from 68 nations and seemed quite happy with the arrangements and the infrastructure. They gave interviews to the same effect completely ignorant to the fact that Indians were rooting for them to say the opposite! And miraculously overnight Indians developed sudden patriotism and started facebooking on how they wished the games well. How it was fantastic that Delhi had 18 new flyovers, a spanking new CP complex, Metro that now reached most corners of this vast metropolitan, an airport terminal 3kms long, cultural festivals, the Delhi Eye so on and so forth. The coup de grace ofcourse was the opening ceremony. I wouldnt compare it with the Beijing Olympics but frankly, the ceremony was spectacular, beautifully designed and executed and world class (the buzz word of the day)! And we all rejoiced on how we had triumphed. I rejoiced it!

And I am glad we proved it wrong, Delhi proved us wrong and India showed us how it works!!!

Hindi filmon ki tarah humari zindagi mein bhi akhir tak sab thik ho hi jaata hai....happies endings.

Chances - More Than Realism...!!!

For they define who you are and what you will be... Chances are only what we make them... And all I need...!!!

Changing Hues...!!!

Change is inevitable they say... and I say, that is the only constant. And yet, the mind wonders whether people ever change? Some schools of thought say that once a person’s personality has been defined (over the years), events may alter short term behavior; but long term behavior and attitude can not change.

This comes as a blow to most people who wish one aspect or another of someone they love changes. It could be anything – a habit, the way a person reacts, extent of expressiveness or even as simple as tidiness. But if you really think about people you know, you may realise that at the core of it, in the long term, the intrinsic person remains the same. Does this mean we should not believe in giving second and third chances? Does it mean it is easier to accept something rather than hope that the future will be different?

I have mixed feelings on this. I know in my heart that people don’t truly change. They learn to curb their behaviour or pretend otherwise. On the other hand, in my not-so-long lifetime, I have met a few people who changed completely. Some overnight, some over a period of time. Such that they often become the complete antithesis of who they were.

I pride myself to be that unchanged personality; but as such I have observed a few changes myself. My daily routine does not allow me to do certain things I like to do and keep pace with. And I hate it when people point out these as a change in me. So, yes I am confused and at the same time angered with my life. I feel there is a great need to get things in order and take that step towards gaining total control. Am I reacting too much... I donno... but all I know is that I am still the same Phani who loves the way he thinks, who loves his friends for whom he can do anything, who loves his family primarily responsible for him being at this stage of life, who still believes that Human is Divine and the blessings of his loved once sailed him past the various phases in his life and who thinks that LOVE can certainly change the world.

Is this a phase, I wonder? Or is it the reality?

It's a friendship saga... and I luv it... Ronnie and Lionel

The Joan Gamper Trophy is coming up and this year FC Barcelona will meet AC Milan, which means that ex-Barça player Ronaldinho will return to the Camp Nou. Ronaldinho left the club in the summer of 2008 and the drama surrounding his departure is surely still clear in minds of many culés. But what many might not know is that the departure of Ronaldinho also could have led to the departure of Lionel Messi. Happily for us Barça fans, it instead became the reason for Leo to grow up, as described by Ronald Reng in Swedish football magazine Offside.

For three seasons, FC Barcelona was Ronaldinho’s magic show. But during his last two seasons in the club, something happened and Ronaldinho was no longer the fantastic player he once was. Some say it was because of women and partying, others say that he simply burned out.

The new coach, Josep Guardiola, felt that changes were needed when he took over, and star players like Deco and Ronaldinho had to leave. But what many don’t know was that Lionel Messi was heartbroken by the decision.

When Lionel Messi joined the first team at the age of 17, he was shy–so shy that his youth teammates that he had played with for three years had hardly heard him speak. He was the one who didn’t own a pair of jeans but always wore his training outfit. But when he joined the first team, Ronaldinho decided to take care of the young boy and invited him to his house in Gavá. They talked and played football with Ronnie’s three dogs. Then it didn’t take long before even little Leo had a pair of jeans. Deco even took him to the hairdresser, but in the end Leo didn’t dare to cut his long hair off. Lionel and Ronaldinho became best friends and when everyone was convinced that Leo was the best player in the world, he would still insist that honour remained with Ronaldinho.

Leo took the departure of Ronnie very hard. He started to think about leaving the club and following his best friend to Italy. This happened in the summer of 2008 and the Olympics were rapidly approaching. Barcelona wanted to keep Leo for the USA tour and Argentina wanted him to join the national squad for the Olympic games. When Leo kept quiet about the topic, Maradona came out saying, “It is time for Leo to start acting like a man. To get Barça to release him for the Olympics, he needs to put his feet down. But he doesn’t have the character required to do so. I pray to God that his character will change, but I can not see him as a leader.”

For Leo, it felt like the whole world had turned against him. On the pre-season, he started to treat the young striker Bojan Krkic with silent contempt. He went on attacking Rafael Márquez with swearing and pushing after an unfortunate tackle during training. Leo was starting to lose it and Guardiola understood that something had to be done. He had a long discussion with the young star. Among the things he told Leo was how wonderful it had been to play the Olympics in 1992 and that if it was something he would like to do, he should say so and everything would be fixed.

When Messi came home from the Olympics, happy with his gold medal, he decided to show the world that he had grown up. He went to the hairdresser and cut his hair short. Then he asked for the number 10 shirt that had previously been worn by Ronaldinho. Lionel Messi then went on to win everything in the upcoming season, both for club as well as individually. But he had not forgotten about his best friend. “I miss him a lot! He was my best friend and he will always be my friend,” he told Offside after the record breaking 2008/2009 season.