119 and counting ... !!!!

There is a phenomenon called Orkut. Phenomenon because every internet user I know in India is hooked onto it.

Today I logged in Orkut.com after about 15 days and this is the message I got ...

you have more friends to consider, please accept or decline the ones shown

WOW... I dint know that apart from 119 friends I have on Orkut, there could be more people interested in knowing me. There are 11 people waiting to add me and as the message says... "there are more people waiting to add me".

I dont have 'female' as my gender, nor I have some hot pic and I havent said that I own a ferrai ... Somethings wrong ... :D

On Public Demand

Today I realized that there indeed are a few people in the world who do read my BLOG. I was asked questions why I wasnt posting things on my BLOG. In my two years of blogging (career?), I have never come across a fan. But I guess things are about to change.

So I have been busy working. Working on what ..? Please do not ask me. I am not at liberties to discuss things. But rest assured I am very very happy working where I am working and I hope everyone enjoys their work as I am.

Apart from work, I realized that there are things that a business school can never never teach. In due course of time, I would like to talk about them (and they are not related to my work in any way).

Next on the agenda is my move to Gurgaon. I would be shifting base to gurgaon sometime this week. Sooner the better. Yet again I am looking forward to the change.

And to everyone who thought Delhi would not see any monsoons, the rains are here. It rained like crazy here and its been two days.

And I guess this should be enough to keep public happy :) (P.S.: I hope I get my ipod soon ;))

Something even Google can't find !!!!

For the last 20 years of my life, I have been looking for a girl who would be rich, has just the right looks, got a bit of brain and is the sole heiress of the entire fortune of her dad. Needless to say I have been unsuccessful.

So I though why not try Googling for her? I conjoured up all my techie skills and wrote a query. I wanted a "female" who was still "single" and had a "rich dad". She should be the "sole heiress" of the entire estate. Further I want her to have some kinda "brain". And finally ... this is not that important ... some "good looks".

The query goes like "single" "female" "rich dad" "sole heiress" "brain" "good looks".

I ran a google search hoping to get some help and realizing my life long dream of getting instant money and not having to work a single day again in my entire life ... :)

BUT

Google dissapointed me and I could not find a single result :( Guess there are things that even Google can't find ! May be it's time Larry and Serg got back to their research days and authored yet another "back"rub algorithm .. but may be with a human touch this time .. :)

Wish - List !

Tomorrow I am moving to Gurgaon for a week. I thought I would go to the local market and buy some essential things. I tried to be organized and I actually made a list of things to buy. The list looked like this ...

1. A packet of Post-Its
2. A box of pencils with eraser on one tip
3. A couple of sharpners
4. A couple of pens (one blue and one black)
5. Lakme Sunscreen lotion
6. Brand new shiny toothbursh
7. A soap case
8. Nivea talcum powder (yes, the list is getting personal)
9. A pack of mentos (If you like mentos, watch this video - experiment with mentos and cola)

So I load up my wallet with some cash and a credit card and set off for the market. This ws about a quarter of an hour ago. I am back with nothing from the list, did'nt even take the wallet outta my pocket. I guess I was outta luck. I guess these people do not want me to leave this place and go Gurgaon. May be they have hidden their inventories :)

I wish I could order this list on Amazon or some other site and get them delivered at my doorstop. May be the next business idea... ?

Open Pit Mines and Google Earth

Google Earth is yet another free software that has helped me catch my fancies on the world wide web. I wanted to be a traveller - I have no resaon for it.

You dont live twice and you got to learn as much as possible for everyone.

Coming back to Google Earth, ever since I laid my hands on it, I have been visiting a lot of places, I might have been real close to your home at some point in time. Keep looking out for those peering eyes ;)

Anyways, one of the revelations was the Open Pit Mines. Looks awesome. I plan to go to one of the mines somoneday - physically ... !

Football World Cup in India !

If asked who are Gourmangi Singh, Samir Naik and Habibour Rahman, I am sure 90% people would not know. However if asked who are Van Rooney, Ronaldo and Kahn, people would blurt out names of these players, their clubs, their families and a host of things about these people. By the way the three people talked about earlier are few of the names from the Indian football Team.

Football World Cup is around the corner. In fact it started yesterday. Everyone from Sports Television to Business Channels to Hotels, Clubs and may be the ever essential Kirana Store people are on to cash the worldcup fever. And all that in India. India is ranked 118 in FIFA rankings and have had no chance of reaching the World Cup, however there are people who would love to be seen associated with Football.

Ask them about Hockey, they wont even know that Hockey is the national game of India. Ask them about kabbaddi, they wont know what exactly is the world. And after a few months, ask them about football, they wont know that either. Once every four years, entire nation is engulfed in the football fever. They might not know the history of the game, the rules and other important things but they are watching every game as if it was a matter of life and death for them.

I agree Kolkata crowd is most knowledgeable, educated and sophisticated in India. But having a MahaMritunjaya for Brazil is just out of my comprehension. If things could go right by just a maha mritunjaya, I would have mastered the art long time back. And I want to ask them when was the last time they even thought about problems in India, leave alone having a mahamritunjaya.

Finally I would want to analyze the reasons for the method behind the madness. Why everyone goes crazy about the world cup when it aint affecting their lives in any damn way possible !!!!

Guess What ... !!!!

Guess What ... !!!!
2006 June: Home

This is what my camera would click if you focus it somewhere and click ! I have plans of getting it fixed ...

Guess What ... !!!!

Guess What ... !!!!
2006 June: Home

This is what my camera would click if you focus it somewhere and click ! I have plans of getting it fixed ...

Haasil - The Movie

A long time back, a friend wanted a movie called Haasil. I got the disc for him and when I saw it, I found it WONDERFUL.

Few dialouges worth mentioning ...

1. aur moaro saale aur jaan se maar dena..(haan maar denge saale)..kyoki agar hum reh gaye na to hum maarte der na lagayange ..bhagwan kasam
2. kya pandit...bol rae the hume zinda naa chodana....hum maaarne mein der naa lagayenge
3. Sex-Wex ho gaya..?
4. Gaon chale jaayiye....gaon chale jaayein matlab bhaag jaayein.....arey maarein thappad tumhaari khopdi khul jaaye.....kaahe bhaag jaayein be......
5. abey wo sarkaari gunde hai.....hum kraantikaari hain....tum sab girilla ho....gorilla vorilla padhe ho ki na padhe ho....
6. itnee ghantiyan lagane kee kya jaroorat thee?? lagta hai kee dashare kee jhankee ja rahee hai..
7. uncle main ranvijay .... laa phaayinal year
8. suno ranvijay singh election tak unibirasty ke aas paas bhi nazar nahi aane chayie warna kam kar diye jayoge!!!
9. yahi to dil to hamara bhi accha hai...ye sali ankhe...ankhe hi buri hai
10. .....sivji ke bhakt hain... sara jahar to hamein hi pina hai.....

Funny Incident !

Its been long time since I posted a Yahoo conversation ...

aligaliali (6/7/2006 12:56:42 AM): hi
Self_1 (6/7/2006 12:56:49 AM): hello
aligaliali (6/7/2006 12:56:57 AM): hi
Self_1 (6/7/2006 12:57:02 AM): hello
aligaliali (6/7/2006 12:57:12 AM): r u male ?
Self_1 (6/7/2006 12:57:17 AM): yes
aligaliali (6/7/2006 12:57:24 AM): oki sory bay
Self_1 (6/7/2006 12:57:28 AM): bye

And that was what I heard last from him !!!!

I wonder what he/she/it was upto :D and needless to say ... I found this funny !!!!

Jhalak Dikhlaja - Bajaj Platnia

Jhalak Dikhlaja, a song from Himmesh Reshammaiya - I admit his music is good, but he can certainly stop singing - has been used in product launch for a new bike by Bajaj Auto.

Bajaj Platina launch has used Jhalak Dikhlaja for the campaign. Created by LOWE, this campaign can be viewed online here. MagIndia has a couple of print ads and the TVC.

Coming on to the much awaited review (my review :)), I think the product (Bajaj Platina) sucks. The "jhalak" part would fade away in a couple of months and the selling point of the bike - the shiny new looks would be gone. Further, there are lots of options for people when it comes to buying bikes. Coming on to the song, I think the song sucks big time (more than the BIKE). The lyrics are bad. The word aaja repeats throughout the song for eternity. Coming on to the Singer, the singer sings through the nose and all his songs sound the same. I am sure if you heard a piece of song, you wont be able to tell which song is that.

But ... yes BUT when the two (and product and worse song) are combined together in that ad by a genuis (the copyrighter, creative director and other people for the Bajaj Platina project at LOWE), the ad becomes a piece of art. Amazing picturization and direction. I think I have some kind of liking for the Black n White species.

Bachchans are worth Rs 227 cr

This appeared in Times of India

Lucknow: Her rivals may dismiss her as a political lightweight but her assets would be the envy of most. Jaya Bachchan, who filed nomination papers for Rajya Sabha on Thursday, is from a family worth Rs 227 crore on paper.

According to information in the nomination papers, Amitabh Bachchan's assets are Rs 190 crore while she herself has Rs 37 crore in property and jewels. Jaya claimed that she has Rs 11.41 lakh in bank deposits, while her husband has another Rs 3.27 crore in his name. Bachchans also have an investment of over Rs 137 crore in shares. Of this, Jaya's share is Rs 3.09 crore, the rest is Amitabh's.

Jaya claimed she owns jewellery worth Rs 3.67 crore and her husband's jewellery is worth Rs 2.91 crore. Apart from gold ornaments worth Rs 27.18 lakh and 364 kg silver, Jaya also owns Rs 3.22 crore worth of diamonds.

On the other hand, her papers said Amitabh owns 394.55 kg silver worth Rs 15.78 lakh, Rs 1.88 crore worth of pearls and diamonds and Rs 36.20 lakh worth of other ornaments. He also owns watches worth Rs 7.5 lakh.

The couple also owns more than a dozen cars, including a Land Cruiser and a BMW. Jaya and Amitabh also own other movable properties worth Rs 16.41 crore and Rs 29.56 crore respectively.

Jaya's immovable properties, according to the nomination papers, comprise a plot worth Rs 35 lakh in Noida and a flat worth Rs 25 lakh in Bhopal. She also has a bungalow worth Rs 13.5 crore in Juhu, Mumbai.

A Real Life Crime Thriller ... ?

It looks like a plot right out of a Jeffery Archer or a John Grisham novel.

A very fast emerging country. A very enigmatic and popular leader. An important man in the opposition party of the democracy. Equal number of followers and mudslingers. Some people claim that the leader was corrupt and took bribes in tunes of millions of rupees.

One fine day his own brother shoots him thrice from point blank in broad day light. The leader, fighter he is, grapples with life and death for 12 days in hospital before succumbing to bullet wounds. The brother says he was used as a discarded toilet paper by the leader.

A month later, the only son of the slain leader is brought into the hospital. The servants claim that the son complained of breathing problems after a late night party at his house. Preliminary investigations reveal the case of food poisoning, alcohol consumption and drug (cocaine) abuse. Along with the son, the secretary of the slain leader is also reported DOA (Dead on Arrival).

Servants report three unidentified youths in the home, brought in by the recently killed secretary without any authorization and security checks. The autopsy of the secretary reveals poison in the gut. Police recover white powder on dead secretary, ill son and the house. The staff cleared the crime scene by "cleaning" the bottles, glasses and vomit.

The son, like the father is in the hospital, on life support system, fighting away the ultimate truth. The cops are waiting to question the son.

(to be contd ...)

The leader in here is late Mr. Pramod Mahajan. The son is Rahul Mahajan. The dead secretary is Vivek Moitra. It is reported that he was supposed to visit Assam to complete the last rites of his late father.

Google ... TM !!!!

Today I noticed a little TM next to all the Google Logos. Insignificant little addition to the Google Logo. Wonder what they are upto ... !

Wikipedia talks about Trademark here.

Medico Strike - My Point of View ...

I can't seem to find a single thing that the students have achieved by protesting and fasting. However there is a huge list of things that they have lost.

To start things of, reservation is incorrect. Politically, ethically, morally it is incorrect. Coming on to strikes, agitations, mass movements and the fallout, I think they are all uncalled for. The govt. has to do what it has to do and it would not stir from all these agitations.

Few things of note would be ...

1. After the lathicharge on "students" at mumbai, a couple of professional event managers were caught. One of them actually went on air a television channel and talked about problems that they were facing and his personal distress. I wonder what kind of distress was he under. May be not getting his payments?

2. Then there were campaigns on sms nationwide. People said students sitting on hunger strike have died and media is barred from going there and talking to them. Wow. The next moment there is HoD of AIIMS on media and declined the allegations made. Are we trying to win our "fight" against reservation by false campaigns and rumors?

3. Further it was said people from all over the country are coming for a rally in Delhi. A "leader" of the movement told media that he had been requested by these 2000 students from other states to make arrangements for boarding and lodging. I don't know if people have an idea of the kind of logistics required to manage 2000 people but it was impossible in every sense of the world for just students to manage it. And what about the money? Assuming that you spend mere 100 rupees for every student that comes down to the capital, we are talking about 2,00,000 rupees. This is no small sum for 500 odd medical students in Delhi.

4. Then there was a website and they were openly asking for contributions (in kind) from people. Agreed that no money is changing hands but why ask them ... ? Wasnt it a student run initiative? Didnt they say they would not involve anyone who is not a student?

5. The day Supreme Court said it will hold people in contempt .. the strike was over. I wonder if honorable Supreme Court would have stepped in on Day 1.. could we have seen all those people on streets thoughtout India?

6. One of the main organizers were quoted in media as saying that they did all that to get attention from media. Now the strike is over, I hardly see any mention of medicos and reservations in Media. May be they were correct. May be Indian media is about sensational journalism ...?