Adidas manages to churn out great ads every year
Check out the you tube links..
Adidas ad
Adidas ad2
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Books and Movies:
Books:
Godaan: 4.5/5
Munshi Premchand is a genius and Godaan is a masterpiece!
Godaan is a political novel, and there are pages where Premchand actually puts forth his thoughts about social injustice and reforms , but generally he concentrates more on recounting the lives of these many characters and showing by example.
As one of my friend says "Premchand's novels touch you to the core, because he writes the truth...only the naked truth!!"
Movies:
Band Bajaa Baraat: 3.5/5
The movie is one of the better hindi movies that have released of late. There is nothing new in the story, but the presentation is fresh and the cast has done a good job.
Phas Gaye re Obama: 3/5
The usual Rajat Kapoor and gang, in yet another lively comedy.. not as a good as Bheja fry..but worth a watch.
Break ke baad: 2.5/5
Not bad... not good either!!
Despicable me: 4/5
Hilarious and wacky.. this is a must watch!!
O Brother where art thou? : 3/5
This is a no brainer comedy with a strong cast and excellent dialogues. But not for everyone..
A Beautiful mind: 3.5/5
Excellent movie. Another must watch!
Godaan: 4.5/5
Munshi Premchand is a genius and Godaan is a masterpiece!
Godaan is a political novel, and there are pages where Premchand actually puts forth his thoughts about social injustice and reforms , but generally he concentrates more on recounting the lives of these many characters and showing by example.
As one of my friend says "Premchand's novels touch you to the core, because he writes the truth...only the naked truth!!"
Movies:
Band Bajaa Baraat: 3.5/5
The movie is one of the better hindi movies that have released of late. There is nothing new in the story, but the presentation is fresh and the cast has done a good job.
Phas Gaye re Obama: 3/5
The usual Rajat Kapoor and gang, in yet another lively comedy.. not as a good as Bheja fry..but worth a watch.
Break ke baad: 2.5/5
Not bad... not good either!!
Despicable me: 4/5
Hilarious and wacky.. this is a must watch!!
O Brother where art thou? : 3/5
This is a no brainer comedy with a strong cast and excellent dialogues. But not for everyone..
A Beautiful mind: 3.5/5
Excellent movie. Another must watch!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
November 27
500 km from home..
The November sun...
Clear skies...
Near empty beach..
White sand...
The calm sea...
My best friend next to me...
Staring into nothingness...
The feeling of eternal bliss...
This is life...!!
The November sun...
Clear skies...
Near empty beach..
White sand...
The calm sea...
My best friend next to me...
Staring into nothingness...
The feeling of eternal bliss...
This is life...!!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Movies
Peepli live: 3.5/5
Aakrosh: 2/5
Toy Story 1: 3/5
Toy Story 2: 2.5/5
Toy Story 3: 3.5/5
Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa: 3.5/5
Crook: 1.5/5
Aakrosh: 2/5
Toy Story 1: 3/5
Toy Story 2: 2.5/5
Toy Story 3: 3.5/5
Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa: 3.5/5
Crook: 1.5/5
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Cricket
The evening was beautiful. It was just the right weather…neither too hot…nor too cold. The cool breeze made it better. I was on my way home passing through one of the posh localities of Pune.
This particular locality was home to the super rich. The CEOs, the CFOs, the business tycoons. Hence there were no buildings and flats here, only huge bungalows! And the people actually walking on the private road were either passersby or servants of the residents. The families staying here only moved around in big fancy imported cars.
As I approached the big private playground of the locality, I saw some kids playing cricket. They were obviously residents of the locality, since outsiders weren’t allowed to use this playground. Most of them would have been around 8-10 yrs old. There were some things I couldn't’t help noticing. Apart from their fancy clothes and expensive shoes, every kid seemed to own a cricket bat. There were some who even owned the famous “Mongoose” bats. There was a box full of tennis balls and some cans of energy drinks lying in a corner guarded by a servant.
The next thing I noticed was the sophistication. Most of the conversations were in English and everyone around was well mannered. There was no shouting or swearing or dancing around, just casual claps, pat on backs and smiles. It kind of reminded me of the British. Somehow the quality of cricket was not up to the mark and there was a dull touch about the whole affair.
As I exited the gate of the locality and came back to the normal world, I passed by a slum. There was very light traffic on the road. The footpath was inhabited by hawkers. I could see three small stones placed to one side of the street and a kid with a small piece of wood standing next to the stones. As I tried to make out a pattern in the crowded street, I could make out a few more kids. Most of these kids were bare feet and not even dressed properly. Before I could analyze what they were up to, a small kid same running out of the crowd and threw a rubber ball at this kid with the wooden stick. The kid swung and missed and the ball crashed into one of the stones. The very next instant there was a roar and all the kids converged into a huddle and started shouting and dancing.
Cricket (or baseball) whatever these guys were playing, they were enjoying it thoroughly.
This definitely was the Indian way.
On a completely different note, childhood is awesome! Nothing can stop a kid from having fun, whether he is born in a sprawling bungalow or a small hut.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Ig Nobel prize winners of 2010
Presenting the Ig Nobel prize winners of 2010.
PHYSICS PRIZE: Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia Priest of the University of Otago, New Zealand, for demonstrating that, on icy footpaths in wintertime, people slip and fall less often if they wear socks on the outside of their shoes.
PEACE PRIZE: Richard Stephens, John Atkins, and Andrew Kingston of Keele University, UK, for confirming the widely held belief that swearing relieves pain.
ECONOMICS PRIZE: The executives and directors of Goldman Sachs, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and Magnetar for creating and promoting new ways to invest money — ways that maximize financial gain and minimize financial risk for the world economy, or for a portion thereof.
MANAGEMENT PRIZE: Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare Garofalo of the University of Catania, Italy, for demonstrating mathematically that organizations would become more efficient if they promoted people at random.
MEDICINE PRIZE: Simon Rietveld of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Ilja van Beest of Tilburg University, The Netherlands, for discovering that symptoms of asthma can be treated with a roller-coaster ride.
...My personal favorite for 2010 is....
CHEMISTRY PRIZE: Eric Adams of MIT, Scott Socolofsky of Texas A&M University, Stephen Masutani of the University of Hawaii, and BP [British Petroleum], for disproving the old belief that oil and water don't mix.
For detailed references and previous years winners please refer to the follow link:
http://improbable.com/ig/winners/
PHYSICS PRIZE: Lianne Parkin, Sheila Williams, and Patricia Priest of the University of Otago, New Zealand, for demonstrating that, on icy footpaths in wintertime, people slip and fall less often if they wear socks on the outside of their shoes.
PEACE PRIZE: Richard Stephens, John Atkins, and Andrew Kingston of Keele University, UK, for confirming the widely held belief that swearing relieves pain.
ECONOMICS PRIZE: The executives and directors of Goldman Sachs, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, and Magnetar for creating and promoting new ways to invest money — ways that maximize financial gain and minimize financial risk for the world economy, or for a portion thereof.
MANAGEMENT PRIZE: Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare Garofalo of the University of Catania, Italy, for demonstrating mathematically that organizations would become more efficient if they promoted people at random.
MEDICINE PRIZE: Simon Rietveld of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Ilja van Beest of Tilburg University, The Netherlands, for discovering that symptoms of asthma can be treated with a roller-coaster ride.
...My personal favorite for 2010 is....
CHEMISTRY PRIZE: Eric Adams of MIT, Scott Socolofsky of Texas A&M University, Stephen Masutani of the University of Hawaii, and BP [British Petroleum], for disproving the old belief that oil and water don't mix.
For detailed references and previous years winners please refer to the follow link:
http://improbable.com/ig/winners/
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Movies and books
Dabangg : 3/5 (Without Salman it would be around 1.5)
Ek ruka hua faisla: 3.5/5 (Excellent performances by Pankaj Kapoor and the other theatre actors)
Paanch: 3.5/5 (An Anurag Kashyap masterpiece all the way..)
Juno: 3/5
Pulp Fiction: 4/5
The Man from St.Petersburg-Ken Follett : 3.5/5
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Life explained
Got this as a fwd:
On the first day, God created the dog and said:
'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'
The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said:
'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'
The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said:
'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'
The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years.. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created humans and said:
'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'
But the human said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'
'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'
So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
On the first day, God created the dog and said:
'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'
The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?'
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said:
'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span.'
The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said:
'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'
The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years.. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created humans and said:
'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years.'
But the human said: 'Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'
'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'
So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Movies n books...
Grown Ups (2010): 3/5
The Expendables (2010): 1/5 (I would love to dissect this movie..but am busy with a lot of other things)
Keep the change- Nirupama Subramanian : 3/5 (I would have added another 0.5..but the end wasn't too great). But overall...its much much better than many of the Indian authors I have read. Recommended!
The Expendables (2010): 1/5 (I would love to dissect this movie..but am busy with a lot of other things)
Keep the change- Nirupama Subramanian : 3/5 (I would have added another 0.5..but the end wasn't too great). But overall...its much much better than many of the Indian authors I have read. Recommended!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Science project
We had worked hard…very hard!! It had taken us many sleepless nights to prepare the science project. The motivation for all the hard work was the prize. An opportunity to represent the school in the state science exhibition competition!!
It all had started three months back…
It was my idea. After convincing Ratul and Prasad (which took a great deal of effort), we discussed it with Sophia miss (our class teacher). She had approved it after a few suggestions and we had set off on our ambitious journey.
The next few days were spent in purchasing stuff needed for the project. Thermocol, cardboard, chart paper, sketch pens, fevicol, etc… were stacked in the corner of Ratul’s room (Only Ratul had a whole room to himself…so it wasn’t difficult in choosing our workplace.) Individual responsibilities were assigned and we were off…
Two months down the line, the project was ready and we were also heavier by a few pounds (due to the delicious snacks prepared by Ratul’s mom for us :)). The finishing touches were made and the project was transported to our school science lab two days before the selection.
As we could make out, the only competition we had was from Madhyama’s group. They had a fantabulous project in place and it was going to be tough. The other projects were good too, but we were miles ahead and I had a feeling that all would depend on the demo. Extra efforts were made and we rehearsed our demo to perfection.
D-day arrived. Tension was in the air. Our crisp school shirts were drenched in sweat. The two judges arrived and we could literally hear our hearts beating loud and clear. Madhyama’s group delivered a stellar performance. The judges were all praises for them. We huddled in the corner and I told the others “Its now or never”.
Our demo went smooth and we answered all questions. It was over. The results were going to be announced in fifteen minutes.
We prayed. I begged God to let us win this one time.
The results were announced. We had lost by one point. This was the first time I had lost in life.It hurt bad..and I cried.
Sophia miss walked up to us and hugged us. She took me one corner and told me “In life you cannot win every time. There will be times when you will lose, but you must learn to accept defeat with a smiling face.” I didn’t stop crying but nodded my head (though I was clueless about what she meant.)
Today many many years later, I want to thank Sophia miss for teaching me one of life’s greatest truths. Thank you miss, I hope you are happy wherever you are.
Happy teacher’s day!
P.S: I miss those days when computers were not an integral part of life and a making a school project had nothing to with Google and the Internet.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
movies and books...
And thereby hangs a tale: Jeffrey Archer
2.5/5
Adventureland (2009) : 2.5/5
Date night (2010) : 3/5
Inception (2010) : 4.5/5
2.5/5
Adventureland (2009) : 2.5/5
Date night (2010) : 3/5
Inception (2010) : 4.5/5
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Keep off the grass - Karan Bajaj
Keep off the grass is not as good as Johnny Gone down.
The book comes across as confused...the first 50 and the last 50 pages are the essence of the book.
The remaining 100 pages are a drag.
However, since his second book was better than the first, I will surely buy the next one.
The book comes across as confused...the first 50 and the last 50 pages are the essence of the book.
The remaining 100 pages are a drag.
However, since his second book was better than the first, I will surely buy the next one.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Movies and books
Movies:
Big Fish: 4/5
Fantastic Mr.Fox: 3.5/5
Books:
There was no one at the bus: Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay : Translated by Arunava Sinha
3/5
The story is very good but the translation takes away some of the essence. So if you can read Bengali, read the original book.
Big Fish: 4/5
Fantastic Mr.Fox: 3.5/5
Books:
There was no one at the bus: Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay : Translated by Arunava Sinha
3/5
The story is very good but the translation takes away some of the essence. So if you can read Bengali, read the original book.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
:)
A recent chat conversation between my friend and me....
Him: dude...
Me: yes...
Him: we're nearing 30 rite...
Me: yup..so?
Him: i just realized..
Me: he he...what?
Him: that i should stop calling good looking women in the age group 35-45 aunties..
Me: :D
Him: dude...
Me: yes...
Him: we're nearing 30 rite...
Me: yup..so?
Him: i just realized..
Me: he he...what?
Him: that i should stop calling good looking women in the age group 35-45 aunties..
Me: :D
Aazaadiyan
Excellent song from Udaan.
Song Details:-
Song Name: Aazaadiyan-Pairon Ki Bediyan
Film/Album: Udaan
Singer(s): Amit Trivedi, Neuman Pinto, Amitabh Bhattacharya
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Pairon ki bediyan khwabon ko baandhe nahi re, kabhi nahi re
Mitti ki parton ko nanne se ankur bhi cheenay, dheere dheere
Iraade hare hare, jinke seeno mein ghar kare
Woh dil ki sune kare na darre, na darre
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Aazaadiyan, aazaadiyan
Maagey na kabhi, mile mile mile
Aazaadiyan, aazaadiyan
Jo cheenay wahi, jee le jee le jee le
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Kahani khatam hai ya shuruwaat hone ke hai (hone ke hai)
Subha nayi hai yeh ya phir raat hone ko hai (hone ke hai)
Kahani khatam hai ya shuruwaat hone ke hai (hone ke hai)
Subha nayi hai yeh ya phir raat hone ko hai (hone ke hai)
http://www.top10bollywood.com/
Aane wala waqt dega panha hai
Ya phir se milenge do raahein
Khabar kya, kya pataa
Song Details:-
Song Name: Aazaadiyan-Pairon Ki Bediyan
Film/Album: Udaan
Singer(s): Amit Trivedi, Neuman Pinto, Amitabh Bhattacharya
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyricist: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Pairon ki bediyan khwabon ko baandhe nahi re, kabhi nahi re
Mitti ki parton ko nanne se ankur bhi cheenay, dheere dheere
Iraade hare hare, jinke seeno mein ghar kare
Woh dil ki sune kare na darre, na darre
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Aazaadiyan, aazaadiyan
Maagey na kabhi, mile mile mile
Aazaadiyan, aazaadiyan
Jo cheenay wahi, jee le jee le jee le
Subah ki kirno ko rokein jo salaakhein hai kahan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daale woh aankhein hai kahan
Par khulne ki deri hai parinde udh ke jhoomenge
Aasman aasman aasman
Kahani khatam hai ya shuruwaat hone ke hai (hone ke hai)
Subha nayi hai yeh ya phir raat hone ko hai (hone ke hai)
Kahani khatam hai ya shuruwaat hone ke hai (hone ke hai)
Subha nayi hai yeh ya phir raat hone ko hai (hone ke hai)
http://www.top10bollywood.com/
Aane wala waqt dega panha hai
Ya phir se milenge do raahein
Khabar kya, kya pataa
Sunday, July 25, 2010
?
One fine day if you suddenly realized what you always thought as right was wrong. What would you do?
Is there really absolute existence of right and wrong? Or ...are they just relative... or is it just perspective?
Do you care?
Is there really absolute existence of right and wrong? Or ...are they just relative... or is it just perspective?
Do you care?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
SPAM
Excellent spam mails (human creativity at its best) :
=============================================
Greetings,
I hope my message meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name is Captain Robert Kerr , I am in the Engineering military unit here in Luanda, Angola, and we have about $12.5 Million US dollars that we want to move out of the country. My partners and I need a good partner someone we can trust.It is legal money and we are moving it through diplomatic means to send it to your house directly or a bank of your choice using diplomatic courier service.
The most important thing is that can we trust you? Once the funds get to you, you take your 40% out and keep our own 60%. Your own part of this deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Our own part is sending it to you.
If you are interested I will furnish you with more details. The whole process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times.
Waiting for your urgent response. My private email address is captrkerr@w.cn
Regards,
Captain Robert Kerr
=============================================
Hello
I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my heart because my Doctor told me that I will die less than three months time. Based on this development I want to will money which my late husband fixed in a bank for the future. I meant to use the money to setup a foundation but my health will not let me do anything again. I am in search of a reliable person who will use the Money to build charity organization for the orphans and cancer research and the person will take 30% of the total sum. While 70% of the money will go to charity organization and helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan here In Brunei and I don't have anybody/family member to take care of my wealth. People I called my friend betrayed me and squandered what is left of my wealth , so I have no other choice than to do what I am doing now . I will provide you with all the information once you indicate your willingness and I ascertain that you are a good person.
Thank you for your time
Yours sincerely.
Mrs Yati Hameed
=============================================
That's a pretty nice page you have. This whole Orkut world is sorta new to me right about now.
Anyways, you seem cool and I'd like to know more. Do you ever play poker? I joined this free site, they give out real cash to winners but i need more people at our table before it can work. Anyways you should check out my profile, I'm usually on over there and I probably won't be logging in to orkut everyday: www.lovethatlivepoker,com/?userid=1436 oups i mean .com . But umm, please ignore my pics, lol!
So anyway, message me on there and we'll chat sometime! or play a game or something..
talk to you soon :)
=============================================
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To implement this new feature on your account, you are required to click on the button below to login to your Account and follow the steps required.
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Thank You.
Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, ING Vysya Bank will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.
Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
=============================================
Like most American families, Ive struggled in the past with money and finances. In fact, my wife and I were working sixty hours a week as elementary school teachers and still barely scraping by. This wasnt how I wanted to live. This wasnt the life I wanted for me or my family and I finally went out and tried to find something that would help supplement my meager income. Well? not only did I find a supplement to my income, I started bringing in an additional $3,000, $4,000, even $7,000 extra a month! After finding the success Ive always dreamed of, I want to share it with you so that you too can make 2010 a prosperous year. Read my blog and find out how I did it! :D You'll be glad you did!
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=============================================
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Monisha Chande
Sr. Marketing Manager
Star Chemicals & Polymers Pvt Ltd
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Mumbai
=============================================
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=============================================
Attention: Sir/Madam, Reply Urgent.
I am Mr. Francis Dako, residence address at BP 15, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. I am the personal lawyer to late Mrs. Janet, a client of mine, whom has a servicing firm affiliated with the Julius Berger road construction in Cote d’Ivoire.
Late Mrs. Janet was awarded a contract worth (US$54,000,000.00) when she was alive and immediately this contract was signed, and an initial amount of (US$30.000, 000.00) was paid to her as mobilization fee to kick off the contract. She duly completed this contract pending when her remaining balance of (US$24,000,000.00) will be paid to her. On 2ND of March 2008, my client, her husband and their four children were involved in a car accident at Cocody, capital city of Ivory Coast. Unfortunately, all the occupants lost their lives.
Not too long after her untimely death, her outstanding balance of US$24,000,000.00 was approved and deposited in a Bank here. Right now the funds are still floating unclaimed in the suspense account of the offshore correspondence payment centre here.
I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the deceased relative so that you can be paid the remaining balance of her contract funds left in the Bank, The Julius Berger road construction issued me a notice as the Attorney to the deceased to provide the relative, Next of Kin or have the Account confiscated in a short period of time and since then I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a year that I have been searching.
I seek your concept to present you as the Next of Kin or family member to the deceased since you are at an advantage, bearing the same surname, so that the proceeds of this remaining balance of her contract funds valued at (US$24,000,000.00) can be paid to you. We shall both share the funds; 60% for me and 40% for you as we proceed.
I have all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up our claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this project through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement.
Please contact me on this e-mail id mrfrancisdako@mail2world.com if interested and also call with this number: 225-451-125-33 for further details.
Thanks & best regards to you and your family.
Mr. Francis Dako.
Tel: 225-451-125-33
011-225-451-125-33
=============================================
=============================================
Greetings,
I hope my message meets you well. I am in need of your assistance. My name is Captain Robert Kerr , I am in the Engineering military unit here in Luanda, Angola, and we have about $12.5 Million US dollars that we want to move out of the country. My partners and I need a good partner someone we can trust.It is legal money and we are moving it through diplomatic means to send it to your house directly or a bank of your choice using diplomatic courier service.
The most important thing is that can we trust you? Once the funds get to you, you take your 40% out and keep our own 60%. Your own part of this deal is to find a safe place where the funds can be sent to. Our own part is sending it to you.
If you are interested I will furnish you with more details. The whole process is simple and we must keep a low profile at all times.
Waiting for your urgent response. My private email address is captrkerr@w.cn
Regards,
Captain Robert Kerr
=============================================
Hello
I am writing this mail to you with heavy tears In my eyes and great sorrow in my heart because my Doctor told me that I will die less than three months time. Based on this development I want to will money which my late husband fixed in a bank for the future. I meant to use the money to setup a foundation but my health will not let me do anything again. I am in search of a reliable person who will use the Money to build charity organization for the orphans and cancer research and the person will take 30% of the total sum. While 70% of the money will go to charity organization and helping the orphanage. I grew up as an Orphan here In Brunei and I don't have anybody/family member to take care of my wealth. People I called my friend betrayed me and squandered what is left of my wealth , so I have no other choice than to do what I am doing now . I will provide you with all the information once you indicate your willingness and I ascertain that you are a good person.
Thank you for your time
Yours sincerely.
Mrs Yati Hameed
=============================================
That's a pretty nice page you have. This whole Orkut world is sorta new to me right about now.
Anyways, you seem cool and I'd like to know more. Do you ever play poker? I joined this free site, they give out real cash to winners but i need more people at our table before it can work. Anyways you should check out my profile, I'm usually on over there and I probably won't be logging in to orkut everyday: www.lovethatlivepoker,com/?userid=1436 oups i mean .com . But umm, please ignore my pics, lol!
So anyway, message me on there and we'll chat sometime! or play a game or something..
talk to you soon :)
=============================================
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Like most American families, Ive struggled in the past with money and finances. In fact, my wife and I were working sixty hours a week as elementary school teachers and still barely scraping by. This wasnt how I wanted to live. This wasnt the life I wanted for me or my family and I finally went out and tried to find something that would help supplement my meager income. Well? not only did I find a supplement to my income, I started bringing in an additional $3,000, $4,000, even $7,000 extra a month! After finding the success Ive always dreamed of, I want to share it with you so that you too can make 2010 a prosperous year. Read my blog and find out how I did it! :D You'll be glad you did!
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Attention: Sir/Madam, Reply Urgent.
I am Mr. Francis Dako, residence address at BP 15, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. I am the personal lawyer to late Mrs. Janet, a client of mine, whom has a servicing firm affiliated with the Julius Berger road construction in Cote d’Ivoire.
Late Mrs. Janet was awarded a contract worth (US$54,000,000.00) when she was alive and immediately this contract was signed, and an initial amount of (US$30.000, 000.00) was paid to her as mobilization fee to kick off the contract. She duly completed this contract pending when her remaining balance of (US$24,000,000.00) will be paid to her. On 2ND of March 2008, my client, her husband and their four children were involved in a car accident at Cocody, capital city of Ivory Coast. Unfortunately, all the occupants lost their lives.
Not too long after her untimely death, her outstanding balance of US$24,000,000.00 was approved and deposited in a Bank here. Right now the funds are still floating unclaimed in the suspense account of the offshore correspondence payment centre here.
I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the deceased relative so that you can be paid the remaining balance of her contract funds left in the Bank, The Julius Berger road construction issued me a notice as the Attorney to the deceased to provide the relative, Next of Kin or have the Account confiscated in a short period of time and since then I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a year that I have been searching.
I seek your concept to present you as the Next of Kin or family member to the deceased since you are at an advantage, bearing the same surname, so that the proceeds of this remaining balance of her contract funds valued at (US$24,000,000.00) can be paid to you. We shall both share the funds; 60% for me and 40% for you as we proceed.
I have all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up our claim. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this project through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement.
Please contact me on this e-mail id mrfrancisdako@mail2world.com if interested and also call with this number: 225-451-125-33 for further details.
Thanks & best regards to you and your family.
Mr. Francis Dako.
Tel: 225-451-125-33
011-225-451-125-33
=============================================
The Core - Movie review
The inner core of the earth had stopped rotating leading to rapid deterioration of the planet's magnetic field.
n Boston, some people with pacemakers, all within a 10-block radius, suddenly drop dead.
In San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge collapses, sending hundreds of people plunging to their deaths.
In London flocks of pigeons lose their ability to navigate, flying into panicked crowds.
And in Rome, as thousands of tourists watch helplessly, an electrical super storm reduces the ancient Coliseum to rubble.
Do you expect the American government and military to step up?? Damn right!!! A team of 4-5 big time scientists is formed. After lot of scientific bullcrap, an ingenious plan is developed. The solution is simple...travel to the core and set off nuclear explosions which will reactivate it (the core). Phew....that doesn't sound easy...because there is no Chuck Norris or Rajnikant!! But...this is how they do it.
Tasks are assigned. One gifted teenager who specializes in hacking and computer software is asked to control the internet...hahahaha....
Another scientist is asked to build a craft to carry the gifted ones and the bombs to the core...and he does it in three months flat!!!
The hero himself (Aaron Eckhart as Dr.Josh Keyes) designs a navigation system which is giving out hazy images.. One touch to the navigation system by the actress (Hillary Swank as Major.Rebecca) and the navigation system suddenly starts giving out crystal clear images...perfect!!! There are many such scenes that would make your head spin.
The other crew do their part...and off they go!!!
The journey is hilarious... various problems are encountered on the way...lot of scientific bull shit is thrown around..ingenious solutions are provided...but one by one the side actors succumb...and in the end only our hero-heroine survive... incidentally, they have fallen in love with each other (now who could have seen that coming!!! ;)) ..the nuclear bombs are set off, the core starts rotating...the couple is back on the crust of the earth (unharmed).
Beautiful....fuckin beautiful...what a perfect end to a perfect story..!!!
The acting is bad, the special effects worse, the dialogues are shitty and science involved makes you puke. Overall, you feel like killing yourself.
Rating: 1/5
P.S: "Prince" was a piece of cake.
P.S.2: I really pity those 114 losers!!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunset
As the sky turns magenta, he makes his way to the terrace. The sun is still there...not its usual burning, furious self, but its presence is felt in a more subdued kind of way. It comes across as calm, actually older in a way...tired!!
The birds are their usual self. Flying, soaring!! Some are frantic, because they want to reach home to their families as early as possible. Some are just off to meet their friends, for a round of drinks or maybe dinner. Whatever the reason maybe, their flight comes across as liberating. Each one of them flies with a sense of purpose.
Impulsively he reaches out for his cigarette packet. But it ain't there in his shirt pocket. "Oops... no matter how many months you spend off cigarettes..there are moments when you still miss them..." A faint smile appears on his face. But the next instant, its gone. He refills his drink.
A strong gust of wind starts blowing. The trees sway with the wind, the rustling of the leaves creates a spooky sound which kills the silence. The rustling is a language for those who understand it. It is music for some, noise for others...
It is darker now, the wind is stronger, the music is louder, the sun is fighting a losing battle, the birds are no longer flying. The scotch feels good. Warm and smooth!! He loosens his tie knot. "Courage!!"
A tear appears in his eye. He wipes it off and finishes his drink. The next moment in one swift motion he climbs on to the railing. Just one step away...ONE step...that's it!!! He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Courage...courage!!!" His heart beats faster...his brow breaks into a sweat.. "Courage!!!"
The battle is lost. Gingerly, he steps down. Defeated...again!! He feels miserable... terrible.. he feels weak. He collapses on the floor, still conscious, breathing hard. In some minutes, the feeling passes. He shrugs his shoulders and heads home.
On the horizon, the sun finally sets.
The birds are their usual self. Flying, soaring!! Some are frantic, because they want to reach home to their families as early as possible. Some are just off to meet their friends, for a round of drinks or maybe dinner. Whatever the reason maybe, their flight comes across as liberating. Each one of them flies with a sense of purpose.
Impulsively he reaches out for his cigarette packet. But it ain't there in his shirt pocket. "Oops... no matter how many months you spend off cigarettes..there are moments when you still miss them..." A faint smile appears on his face. But the next instant, its gone. He refills his drink.
A strong gust of wind starts blowing. The trees sway with the wind, the rustling of the leaves creates a spooky sound which kills the silence. The rustling is a language for those who understand it. It is music for some, noise for others...
It is darker now, the wind is stronger, the music is louder, the sun is fighting a losing battle, the birds are no longer flying. The scotch feels good. Warm and smooth!! He loosens his tie knot. "Courage!!"
A tear appears in his eye. He wipes it off and finishes his drink. The next moment in one swift motion he climbs on to the railing. Just one step away...ONE step...that's it!!! He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "Courage...courage!!!" His heart beats faster...his brow breaks into a sweat.. "Courage!!!"
The battle is lost. Gingerly, he steps down. Defeated...again!! He feels miserable... terrible.. he feels weak. He collapses on the floor, still conscious, breathing hard. In some minutes, the feeling passes. He shrugs his shoulders and heads home.
On the horizon, the sun finally sets.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Johnny gone down - Karan Bajaj
There may be couple of reasons as to why I may have liked "Johnny gone down" by Karan Bajaj.
1. My last read book was "Oh shit, not again!!" which was shitty..and there existed a possibility of me overrating an average book.
2. The person who lent me this book didn't have anything good to say about the book..so my expectations from the book were almost zilch...
3. I have not read "Keep of the grass" which is Karan Bajaj's debut novel...which meant, I was clueless about his writing style. This meant that I hadnt still formed any positive/negative opinion about him.
But, to my pleasant surprise, the actual reason why I liked the book is because... its good and it tends to break free from the conventional Indian author books... The story is good, the narrative and pace, excellent, and the book has a subtle underlying message.
Highly recommended!!
Rating: 4/5
1. My last read book was "Oh shit, not again!!" which was shitty..and there existed a possibility of me overrating an average book.
2. The person who lent me this book didn't have anything good to say about the book..so my expectations from the book were almost zilch...
3. I have not read "Keep of the grass" which is Karan Bajaj's debut novel...which meant, I was clueless about his writing style. This meant that I hadnt still formed any positive/negative opinion about him.
But, to my pleasant surprise, the actual reason why I liked the book is because... its good and it tends to break free from the conventional Indian author books... The story is good, the narrative and pace, excellent, and the book has a subtle underlying message.
Highly recommended!!
Rating: 4/5
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
books and movies
Movies:
Kickass: 2.5/5
Badmaash company: 1/5
Books:
Money changers: 4/5
The immortals of Meluha: 4/5
Oh shit not again: 2/5
Kickass: 2.5/5
Badmaash company: 1/5
Books:
Money changers: 4/5
The immortals of Meluha: 4/5
Oh shit not again: 2/5
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The real reason behind the crash...
Our office-boy's take on the Mangalore air crash:
"Yeh sab log India me aise hi hai...paisa kamane ko chahiye par kharch nahi karne ka hai...idhar ke log bike ke tyre bhi chaar-paanch saal tak nahi badalte...flight ka tyre to sirf paanch minute kaam me aata hai....uske baad to hawa me uska kuch kaam nahi... pata nahi kitne saal se tyre nahi badla hoga... to woh to to phatega na..."
:) :)
"Yeh sab log India me aise hi hai...paisa kamane ko chahiye par kharch nahi karne ka hai...idhar ke log bike ke tyre bhi chaar-paanch saal tak nahi badalte...flight ka tyre to sirf paanch minute kaam me aata hai....uske baad to hawa me uska kuch kaam nahi... pata nahi kitne saal se tyre nahi badla hoga... to woh to to phatega na..."
:) :)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Ulterior motive
Every friday I get a mail from my I.T. head in colorful fonts asking me to shut down my desktop, monitor, linux servers and other equipment for the weekend. The reason cited by him, is usually to save energy and contribute to a greener world.. "Go Green", he says!!
N then there are occasional mails stating that the AC temperatures will be remotely controlled for power conservation purposes.. due to which we have to literally sweat it out in the office at times.. (because its summer...and the Gods have gone crazy this yr...)..but its all for the greater good!! and no one complains....
until one day......
Three months down the line, he shoots off a mail in even bigger and flashier font to the Company Heads, Directors and Managers with us in cc, stating that he has managed to save xx lacs for the company by taking these initiatives. The company's electricity bills have gone down by 30%..blahh...blah....followed by a bar graph showing the electricity usage per month!!!
To me this mail means the following "Respected Heads, Directors and Managers: Please make sure that I get some part of this green money (which the company has saved through my idiotic initiatives) as a part of my hike. Also...please...consider me a candidate for Grade A during my appraisal..Also please give me some real work, because as you can see I have loads of free time (The usage of different fonts, colors and cosmetic decoration in the mail proves this)."
Go Green....or Save Green??... and pocket some of the green too!! ;)
N then there are occasional mails stating that the AC temperatures will be remotely controlled for power conservation purposes.. due to which we have to literally sweat it out in the office at times.. (because its summer...and the Gods have gone crazy this yr...)..but its all for the greater good!! and no one complains....
until one day......
Three months down the line, he shoots off a mail in even bigger and flashier font to the Company Heads, Directors and Managers with us in cc, stating that he has managed to save xx lacs for the company by taking these initiatives. The company's electricity bills have gone down by 30%..blahh...blah....followed by a bar graph showing the electricity usage per month!!!
To me this mail means the following "Respected Heads, Directors and Managers: Please make sure that I get some part of this green money (which the company has saved through my idiotic initiatives) as a part of my hike. Also...please...consider me a candidate for Grade A during my appraisal..Also please give me some real work, because as you can see I have loads of free time (The usage of different fonts, colors and cosmetic decoration in the mail proves this)."
Go Green....or Save Green??... and pocket some of the green too!! ;)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Movies...
Some movies that I saw over the weekend:
Taken - 3/5
The Hurt Locker - 3.5/5
Up in the air - 3.5/5
Hot Fuzz - 2.5/5
Prince - 5/5.... :)
Taken - 3/5
The Hurt Locker - 3.5/5
Up in the air - 3.5/5
Hot Fuzz - 2.5/5
Prince - 5/5.... :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
IPL3
Top things that I have learnt by watching IPL3 matches:
-The balloon like thing floating in the air is the MRF blimp. They are the first to bring the blimp technology to India. Also that MRF are the biggest promoters of sports in India etc. etc. Yawwwnnn!!!
-Actors don’t know shit about cricket (eg. Shahrukh, Shilpa and Preity.)
-Cricketers don’t know shit about acting (eg. Dhoni, Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in their respective ads.)
-Agarkar still can’t bowl and Nehra still gets injured after every match he plays (and rests for three matches after that.)
-Ramesh Powar manages to gain twenty pounds every year. Also wherever he plays (Chennai or Dharamshala) he manages to sweat from the very first ball of the match. (He was considered to be the MRF blimp this season, but the idea was dropped, since it was difficult spotting him in the night.)
-Every Tom, Dick and Harry remotely related to Mr.Modi is minting money.
-Harsha Bhogle looked better without hair on his head.
Also.. forgot to mention... East or West, Mumbai is the best!! :)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Sunny bhai's commentary!!
Sunil Gavaskar on Shalabh Srivastava (Member of Kings 11 Punjab team) :
"Srivatsavaaa is bowling a tight line....Srivatsavaaa is bending his back....Srivatsavaaaa... Srivatsavaaaa."... for Gods sake... its pronounced as Srivastav (the S comes before the T....) ... and I believe you were born and brought up in India... then why the sophisticated accent????
Another one of his gems... When Zaheer Khan took a difficult catch in today's game..Sunny Bhai's expert comment was..."He (Zaheer) has got big hands and those hands have clasped the ball" .... hehehe...rofl!!!
I guess the old man has lost it!!
"Srivatsavaaa is bowling a tight line....Srivatsavaaa is bending his back....Srivatsavaaaa... Srivatsavaaaa."... for Gods sake... its pronounced as Srivastav (the S comes before the T....) ... and I believe you were born and brought up in India... then why the sophisticated accent????
Another one of his gems... When Zaheer Khan took a difficult catch in today's game..Sunny Bhai's expert comment was..."He (Zaheer) has got big hands and those hands have clasped the ball" .... hehehe...rofl!!!
I guess the old man has lost it!!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Movie review: Jaane kahan se aayi hai
Review: Jaane kahan se aayi hai
Since my better half refused to watch Prince (she doesn't realize what she is missing out on.), I was forced to watch Jaane kahan se aayi hai.
The first half of the movie turned out to be very good, and wifey couldnt supress her grin during the interval (almost expecting a pat on her back), but the second half turned out to be slow and boring. Guess who was grinning after the movie?
Still the movie is worth a watch. Rating is 2.75/5
Since my better half refused to watch Prince (she doesn't realize what she is missing out on.), I was forced to watch Jaane kahan se aayi hai.
The first half of the movie turned out to be very good, and wifey couldnt supress her grin during the interval (almost expecting a pat on her back), but the second half turned out to be slow and boring. Guess who was grinning after the movie?
Still the movie is worth a watch. Rating is 2.75/5
Friday, April 9, 2010
Prince....lol!!!
I was looking forward to this one... the review is awesome...
Prince Review
All you Deshdrohi, Radio, Jimmy fans out there.... don't miss this one!!!
Prince Review
All you Deshdrohi, Radio, Jimmy fans out there.... don't miss this one!!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Showing off!!
"Its bright n sunny...yippee!!"
This is her (a surd friend) status in google talk...I... like a gullible simpleton got sucked into asking her..."Really?? You are enjoying the heat??"
"Stupid.. I am in U.K. ...Onsite :)"
And we thought surds were dumb!!
This is her (a surd friend) status in google talk...I... like a gullible simpleton got sucked into asking her..."Really?? You are enjoying the heat??"
"Stupid.. I am in U.K. ...Onsite :)"
And we thought surds were dumb!!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Micromax Mobile Ad With Akshay Kumar
One of the most irritating ads of all times:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVC8zpUs6mY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVC8zpUs6mY&feature=related
New movies...
Well done Abba:
Based on 'Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi' by Jeelani Bano, directed by Shyam Benegal this movie is a simple and message oriented tale based in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the cast delivers a not too bad performance, but Boman Irani disappoints (most of his expressions have already been captured in his earlier roles and it seems that as an actor he has nothing new to offer.) The first half of the movie is okayish, but the second half is chaotic. The movie is good in patches and could easily have been thirty-forty minutes shorter.
Rating: 2.5/5
Kartik calling Kartik:
Same old stuff in a new wrapper!! The life of a geeky, under-confident youth undergoes a transformation once he starts getting calls from himself. One of the reasons that the movie didn't do well is due to the unconventional and bold stand taken by the director in the second half (the actual explanation behind the calling will definitely not appeal to the masses (who are looking out for supernatural stuff (because its a movie!!))). The performances by Farhan Akhtar and Deepika are good. The movie lacks pace and has many repetitive scenes.
Rating: 2.5/5
Right Yaa Wrong:
This one was a pleasant surprise. Though the storyline is old, the movie is gripping. Irfan Khan, Sunny Deol and Konkana Sen deliver good performances.
Rating: 3/5
Based on 'Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi' by Jeelani Bano, directed by Shyam Benegal this movie is a simple and message oriented tale based in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the cast delivers a not too bad performance, but Boman Irani disappoints (most of his expressions have already been captured in his earlier roles and it seems that as an actor he has nothing new to offer.) The first half of the movie is okayish, but the second half is chaotic. The movie is good in patches and could easily have been thirty-forty minutes shorter.
Rating: 2.5/5
Kartik calling Kartik:
Same old stuff in a new wrapper!! The life of a geeky, under-confident youth undergoes a transformation once he starts getting calls from himself. One of the reasons that the movie didn't do well is due to the unconventional and bold stand taken by the director in the second half (the actual explanation behind the calling will definitely not appeal to the masses (who are looking out for supernatural stuff (because its a movie!!))). The performances by Farhan Akhtar and Deepika are good. The movie lacks pace and has many repetitive scenes.
Rating: 2.5/5
Right Yaa Wrong:
This one was a pleasant surprise. Though the storyline is old, the movie is gripping. Irfan Khan, Sunny Deol and Konkana Sen deliver good performances.
Rating: 3/5
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Pune IPL Jersey
Not only has the Pune IPL team found its owner (Sahara Group), but it has already found a lot of sponsors too!!!
The proposed Pune IPL Jersey is here!!!
Isnt it perfect? Right from the color to the language!!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Rahul Dulhaniya.... updates
Now that the swayamwar is done...Rahul and Dimpy are happily married and looking forward to their honeymoon...But someone is upset...
Its me!!.. because the show is off air now and I am missing out on my evening dose of humor...
If anyone has any other show to recommend, please do so..
In the meanwhile... I will have to be content with this:
http://swayamvar.xaapa.com/
Its me!!.. because the show is off air now and I am missing out on my evening dose of humor...
If anyone has any other show to recommend, please do so..
In the meanwhile... I will have to be content with this:
http://swayamvar.xaapa.com/
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Jai Ho!!
A petrol pump next to a coal depot next to a gas cylinder godown.
Just happened to notice this en route to office (Hinjewadi) today. It is a perfect setting of disaster in the making...all you need is a spark... how the hell did the petrol pump (which is relatively new) get permission to hold shop next to a coal depot. Is this legal?
If it is, then lets have a nuclear plant next to the petrol pump!!
Jai Ho!!
Just happened to notice this en route to office (Hinjewadi) today. It is a perfect setting of disaster in the making...all you need is a spark... how the hell did the petrol pump (which is relatively new) get permission to hold shop next to a coal depot. Is this legal?
If it is, then lets have a nuclear plant next to the petrol pump!!
Jai Ho!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Work Experience
We have this guy in office. Lets call him X.
Mr.X holds a postgraduate degree (M.Tech). Mr.X has an overall experience of eight+ years in the telecommunication industry. But, he is the dullest individual in his team. His work output is the lowest, his grades are the worst, his technical knowledge is close to zero, his communications skills are sub zero. All in all he is a liability to his team.
Wondering why i am writing all this? What wrong has Mr.X done to me?
Nothing.... absolutely nothing...
Its just that he has two job offers in his hands right now. Both the companies have urgent openings. Company A badly wants him to join as a manager with a whopping salary package and Company B badly wants him to join as a technical lead with an even more whopping salary package. Mr.X has cleverly pitted A against B and I am sure that he will derive maximum possible gain from the duel.
This makes me think...
Do i really need to work in office and expand my knowledge in a country where only YEARS of EXPERIENCE is considered a benchmark while switching jobs?
Is being at the right place at the right time more important than being more competent?
Whay am I even asking this??? The answer is obvious!!
The answer is Mr.X!!!
Mr.X holds a postgraduate degree (M.Tech). Mr.X has an overall experience of eight+ years in the telecommunication industry. But, he is the dullest individual in his team. His work output is the lowest, his grades are the worst, his technical knowledge is close to zero, his communications skills are sub zero. All in all he is a liability to his team.
Wondering why i am writing all this? What wrong has Mr.X done to me?
Nothing.... absolutely nothing...
Its just that he has two job offers in his hands right now. Both the companies have urgent openings. Company A badly wants him to join as a manager with a whopping salary package and Company B badly wants him to join as a technical lead with an even more whopping salary package. Mr.X has cleverly pitted A against B and I am sure that he will derive maximum possible gain from the duel.
This makes me think...
Do i really need to work in office and expand my knowledge in a country where only YEARS of EXPERIENCE is considered a benchmark while switching jobs?
Is being at the right place at the right time more important than being more competent?
Whay am I even asking this??? The answer is obvious!!
The answer is Mr.X!!!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Trip to Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur
Shirdi:
We left from Pune around eleven in the night. The total distance to Shirdi is approx 200 km. The roads for most of the part of the journey are very good. To our surprise the traffic was also thin that night. We reached Shirdi at three a.m, which was a good one hour earlier than what we had expected.
After reaching, we checked into a hotel which was very near (walking distance) from the temple. We managed to get a triple sharing room for five hundred bucks. The room was neat and tidy with basic amenities. At around four we left for the temple and within minutes were in the long queue. At four-thirty the early morning aarti (kakad aarti) began. The aarti lasted for forty five minutes, which people in the queue were able to witness due to the live transmissions on the LCD TVs installed everywhere. After the aarti, the queue started moving at a snail’s pace.
By six, our turn finally arrived. We were ushered into the main hall and it was a serene sight. The idol of Sai baba was clad in saffron glittering clothes and the walls are covered in gold. The hall has photographs of people who were close friends and associates of Sai Baba. Before we could soak up the atmosphere, the guards on duty hurried us out. (It’s the same scene in every temple. You wait for hours in the queue but when it’s your turn, it’s over in a matter of seconds.) Once outside, we visited the other parts of the temple. There are samadhis of people who were close to Baba. There is another hall, where Baba used to stay, cook and pray.
Overall it was a pleasant experience and after having tea, we were all set to visit Shani Shingnapur.
Shani Shingnapur:
Shani Shingnapur is approximately fifty km. from Shirdi. We had breakfast (poha+tea) at a roadside dhaba on the way. Once we reached Shingnapur, we were amazed by the number of shops that were selling aarti thalis. Lord Shani is supposedly a very sensitive God and people doing business on his name make sure that the God’ fear is used to their advantage. Our shopkeeper outlined a complicated process to get the maximum blessings out of Lord Shani and to save ourselves from his fury. He ended up charging us an exorbitant sum for the pooja thali and services. We were made to wear a saffron dhoti and take bath before entering the temple (females are not allowed near the Shani idol, though they are allowed inside the temple). Once inside we religiously followed the steps outlined by our shopkeeper and the whole process was over in a matter of minutes. Though I found the temple very serene and peaceful, it was relief to be outside, away from the God of fury.
After a quick change of clothes, we started our journey back to Pune which took roughly three hours.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sachin's appraisal
Posting another forwarded email that I received.
Congratulations on scoring a double century. Here are the stats:
200 Runs/ 147Balls/ 25X4 / 3X6
Agreed that you have done GREAT……
BUT BUT BUT BUT...
25 x 4s = 100
3 x 6s = 18
It implies that you have made 118 Runs in 28 Balls.
And 12 x 2s = 24
58 x 1s = 58
It means you have means all 200 Runs were scored in only 98 balls
So you have wasted 147-98 = 49 balls
Considering only 1 run scored on each of these balls you could have earned 49 valuable RUNS FOR OUR TEAM
MANAGER’S COMMENT: So you only met the expectations and NOT EXCEEDING (though anyone of our team could not do it) and your rating is 3.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayenge
If cult movies like "Gunda", "Jimmy", "Loha", "Shapath", etc. and legendary shows like "Rakhi Ka Swayamwar", "Sach Ka Saamna", "Kamzor Kadi Kaun" mean anything to you... then you are in luck. "Rahul Dulhaniya le Jayenge" will sweep you off your feet.
I have been following the show for some time now. I will now put forth some interesting facts about the show and the people who are a part of it. But, first the concept:
The concept:
The show has a relatively simple concept. As a participant one has to impress the groom. How simple is that? Well, you are mistaken!! It aint so easy when the groom is judging you on intelligence, attitude, personality, smartness, cooking skills, dancing skills, judo skills, temperament, etc etc… That is the reason only the best looking four contestants have made it to the final level. You know what I mean? ;)
The Groom:
Rahul as the groom comes across as Tushar Kapoor as a gangster (in Shootout at Lokhandwala…). Yeah.. a total misfit!! He is presented as the most eligible bachelor in the country… which is hilarious… in its own wayJ. Right from his laughter to his childish gimmicks (when a participant gives him a rose, his response is…”wah…gulaab..he..haha…hehahah..” and his is excitedly clapping his hands.) to his innocent warm hugs (always followed by the more innocent rubbing of the back) that he offers to the gullible participants..he comes across as a bollywood villain pretending to be a good guy (like Mohnish Behl in Ankhiyon se Goli Maare)..Infact in some scenes he even comes across as mentally challenged.
The prospective brides:
It gets better… dumb, unfit, loud, unfashionable, publicity starved females have been carefully selected keeping in mind Mr.Rahul’s tastes. As quoted by one participant “Rahul, I am in love with you since 10 yrs…and even if you don’t select me, I am sure that ten years down the line I will still be in love with you”..bollywoodish? Yes… except that the acting capabilities of this particular participant wasn’t too good and the dialogue didnt sound too convincing.. result..she was kicked out in the next episode itself. “Rahul you are looking dashing” says another one…as our hero claps his hands and utters his gutteral ha..ha…!! “Rahul, I think I am falling in love with you.. you are one of the best persons that I have met in my life”, “Rahul, you are so down to earth and I love you for that”, “Rahul, I want you to be my partner, not only in this life, but for the next seven lives too”….so on and so forth… which proves that the better you lie, the more your chances of winning the show. It doesn’t end at that. You have to eliminate competition too..”She doesn’t deserve Rahul, she has a past life” “She is too young for Rahul” “She cannot dance, Rahul will definitely not select her” “There is no chemistry between Rahul and her”.. get my point? J
The Show:
Apart from the cuddling, kissing, rubbing, hugging which make up most of the show, the remaining few minutes are spent in delivering scripted dialogues of mutual praise. Our hero not being very good at dialogue delivery, most of his sentences are muted with romantic bollywood music playing in the background, with our hero doing what he does best..using his hands!! A lot of thought has also gone into the tasks that the contestants need to perform. The winner of every task is the object of envy of every other participant. She gets to do, what everyone in the show longs for. She gets to go on a date with Rahul. How cool is that? “You get a chance to date Rahul and spend some quality time with him” says Ram (the host) to the winner, who cannot suppress her happiness and smiling from ear to ear. The others are just standing there giving cold stares to each other.
The dates are usually awesome. The girl gets to select the location and get creative J on the date…”Rahul, I have got a surprise for you.. this book full of our photos that will remind you of me ” while our Hero is staring hungrily at her, looking for an opening to use his hands. Meanwhile “Mehendi Laga ke rakhna” is playing in the background.
There are some guest appearances on the show too. In one particular show, a panditji (with lot of make up and a laptop) made an appearance and tried to match Rahul’s kundali to each of the contestant. Excerpts from the conversation between Rahul and Panditji:
Rahul: Panditji, bacche?
Panditji: Inke saath aapke 2 ladke aur ek ladki ka yog hai
R: he..ha..ha.. Panditji, paisa?
P: Inke saath appke zindagi me bahut paisa ayega..magar kharch bhi jyada hoga..
R: he..ha..he..Panditji, saath nibhayegi?
P: Appke saath yeh har sukh dukh me saath nibhayegi.
R..he..ha…he..ha..
The same questions were asked by Rahul of every participant to which the Pandit replied instantaneously with a click on his keyboard.
Usually, on a normal day, one contestant is eliminated from the show. The punch line used is “Aap Rahul ki Dulhaniya ………… NAHI ban sakti.” or “Aapka safar yahin pe khatam…… Hota hai.” With the typical long-pause effect to create the much needed suspense. The good part comes after the target has been chosen; Mr.Rahul gives an explanation as to why he chose to eliminate a particular contestant. With his bad dialogue delivery and Steven Seagal dead look, he stammers away to glory. The more sensible they try to make it sound the more hilarious it turns out to be.
The Verdict:
The show is in its final stages. Four contestants remain. Rahul will meet every contestant’s family before reaching his decision. THE DECISION, which will crown
Don’t miss the action!!
Every evening at 8, only on NDTV Imagine.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wonderful message
I read this in the 'Afternoon' around ten years back...
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
My advice to you is:
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and a hug will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
My advice to you is:
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and a hug will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
New Indian books
I usually pick up books written by Indian authors for my journey from Mumbai to Pune. Mostly I pick up books on an experimental basis and sometimes on recommendations.
Last weekend I bought two books:
Second Degree- Prashant John
The book takes us through one year spent by Prashant in IIM A for a Executive MBA.
Firstly lets talk about the good part:
-The book is well organized.. usually other Indian author books are either hurried or stray from the theme.
-The book gives one an inside view to how things work inside the IIM A campus. Probably the book may appeal more to IIM A students who have actually gone through the same things as described in the book.
-The language used in the book is good. Overall I would say that its very well written.
Now the negatives:
-Though the book is well written, it fails to impress me because there is no major plot in the story. It is in fact a journey with many small sub plots (which are very ordinary and sometimes even boring).
In my opinion Prashant John could make it big if his second book has a more stronger theme or storyline.
Love, Life and Dream On- Animesh Verma
No positives here.. only negatives:
- The book needed some serious editing and unfortunately for Mr.Animesh, the editor didn't go a very good job. The book is full of grammatical and spelling errors.
- Most of the book is full of repetitions. Reading the same thing over and over again every five pages isn't very interesting.
- The writing is below par, the concept is below par, event descriptions are below par, order of events is chaotic, order of dialogues is also chaotic.
- This is easily one of the worst books that I ever read. The only reason I completed it is to write this review.
Last weekend I bought two books:
Second Degree- Prashant John
The book takes us through one year spent by Prashant in IIM A for a Executive MBA.
Firstly lets talk about the good part:
-The book is well organized.. usually other Indian author books are either hurried or stray from the theme.
-The book gives one an inside view to how things work inside the IIM A campus. Probably the book may appeal more to IIM A students who have actually gone through the same things as described in the book.
-The language used in the book is good. Overall I would say that its very well written.
Now the negatives:
-Though the book is well written, it fails to impress me because there is no major plot in the story. It is in fact a journey with many small sub plots (which are very ordinary and sometimes even boring).
In my opinion Prashant John could make it big if his second book has a more stronger theme or storyline.
Love, Life and Dream On- Animesh Verma
No positives here.. only negatives:
- The book needed some serious editing and unfortunately for Mr.Animesh, the editor didn't go a very good job. The book is full of grammatical and spelling errors.
- Most of the book is full of repetitions. Reading the same thing over and over again every five pages isn't very interesting.
- The writing is below par, the concept is below par, event descriptions are below par, order of events is chaotic, order of dialogues is also chaotic.
- This is easily one of the worst books that I ever read. The only reason I completed it is to write this review.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Inglourious Basterds
Another masterpiece by Tarantino.
"The Basterds" are a group of Jewish soldiers led by Brad Pitt who take pleasure in brutally killing Nazi soldiers. Their paths cross with a Jewish woman who runs a movie theater which is going to host a German movie premiere. The Jewish woman incidentally has a revenge tale of her own..
Brad Pitt is excellent. But he is overshadowed by Christoph Walz, who is awesome!!
The movie is typical Tarantino with excellent dialogues and fantastic screenplay. Dont miss it...
"The Basterds" are a group of Jewish soldiers led by Brad Pitt who take pleasure in brutally killing Nazi soldiers. Their paths cross with a Jewish woman who runs a movie theater which is going to host a German movie premiere. The Jewish woman incidentally has a revenge tale of her own..
Brad Pitt is excellent. But he is overshadowed by Christoph Walz, who is awesome!!
The movie is typical Tarantino with excellent dialogues and fantastic screenplay. Dont miss it...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Avatar
The movie is super awesome!!
Dont watch it for the storyline... just watch it for the effects!!
Dont watch it for the storyline... just watch it for the effects!!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Two States - The story of my marriage
The title says it all!
Punjabi Boy meets South Indian girl...they fall in love...parents dont agree...the usual complications involved in an inter caste marriage in India...
You have seen it a million times in bollywood movies or heard about it trillion times from Indian couples themselves....
The usual drama, hiccups, close calls, opportunities, dreams, depression, luck... yes its got it all!! In fact looks like Mr.Bhagat has written this book with solely one intention.. to clinch another movie deal :) ... but be more careful with the contract this time mate!!
BUT.... I would still recommend this book....for many reasons...
As usual, Mr.Bhagat's storytelling ability is fantastic.. though the book is predictable, it has a good pace (the end is a bit hurried though) ..so you never get bored..
There are many instances in the book which make you smile... and there are a few which actually make you laugh too....
The characters are well portrayed...most of them are ideal representatives of their states...
You can relate to the characters and the incidents...
So, if you are planning to watch the new Himesh movie "RADIO" for 100 bucks, skip it.. buy this book for 95.. Its a better way to spend three hours.
Punjabi Boy meets South Indian girl...they fall in love...parents dont agree...the usual complications involved in an inter caste marriage in India...
You have seen it a million times in bollywood movies or heard about it trillion times from Indian couples themselves....
The usual drama, hiccups, close calls, opportunities, dreams, depression, luck... yes its got it all!! In fact looks like Mr.Bhagat has written this book with solely one intention.. to clinch another movie deal :) ... but be more careful with the contract this time mate!!
BUT.... I would still recommend this book....for many reasons...
As usual, Mr.Bhagat's storytelling ability is fantastic.. though the book is predictable, it has a good pace (the end is a bit hurried though) ..so you never get bored..
There are many instances in the book which make you smile... and there are a few which actually make you laugh too....
The characters are well portrayed...most of them are ideal representatives of their states...
You can relate to the characters and the incidents...
So, if you are planning to watch the new Himesh movie "RADIO" for 100 bucks, skip it.. buy this book for 95.. Its a better way to spend three hours.
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