Match the speed of light

Winters!!

2009-11-12T12:00:00.003+05:30

Yesterday I wore denim jacket while commuting to and fro, and today carrying a sweater. Welcome to the winter sessions in Delhi, saw many people in warm attire. This will stay for some 4-5 months, sometime during the middle of winters, temperature will drop to the freezing point.

Like everything, winters have its negatives and positives.. The trick is how one can capture the positives and negate the negatives. The only negative for me about winters is that I develop bad headache during extreme cold/hot weather. And getting out of the bed in a winter morning in itself a huge task, all I wish to do is get into my bed and gorge some gajak n peanuts.

Author's Note: This is for me gearing up for cold weather headache!

NP please

2009-10-22T13:20:00.005+05:30

Yes! This one comes for you.. Remember the way you smartly took the newspaper from my hand today morning. And you loved reading it too, as it was a change from my suggestion (read Hindu everyday) to something better and refreshing (read Hindustan Times). So how important is it to read a newspaper?

I have been giving lectures to my siblings as to why they should not miss reading the newspaper. We all know why is it crucial for students, professionals, people on a whole. The logic of suggesting reading Hindu is not the point here. Its just that I want you to develop reading as a habit. Read as much as one can, read anything. It really helps!

I can write really a lot on how reading is beneficial. But putting it in Gen Y's term my dear chicks and dudes.. its cool to be informed! Almost everyone has access to newspapers, they are preferred over e-papers, and the infinite world of virtual information! I have subscribe to email newsletters from Economic Times, but nothing quite matched the fun of holding a paper sheet and scanning through the page.

- Your dream college is enrolling for the dream course. Sure if you read newspaper smartly enough you are not gonna miss it. Sure you have to prepare for the exam, but applying for it is the first step to get into it.

- Word Builder: Just could not get where the hell people get the coolest world from. Dude, its the morning paper that the vendor throws everyday in your veranda. Please take pain (if you would want to really call it pain) to read it.

- Knowledge of things happening: Okay, politics, business, economy, international relation etc has got nothing to do with you. But there is actually nothing wrong in knowing about it. The transition from pseudo-intellect to and intellectual happens through information and knowledge. Newspapers in regional languages in India has really empowered the masses, with information from RTI, consumer rights, to ambani's rift.

- General Knowledge: If you feel that you are not suppose to know who's is the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission.. think again. I got this question for selection in a multinational entity. Knowing about people in key position adds to your intellect and shows one is aware the world.

- Spicy gossips anyone! Refer to the lifestyle pages. They too are full of cool words and jazzy slang's. These colourful pages add up to the feel good factor of monotonous life. My colleague taught me how to really scan through the lifestyle pages :-)

Author's Note: This post is purely for the purpose of getting someone in the habit of reading newspapers.

Winters ~ Courtesy Kay!!

2009-10-21T10:26:00.006+05:30

I love winters, as much as I love summers, spring and Autumn.. Each season bring along memories. I am sure some 'I's' around.. Yes sis I know you love it too.

Diwali marks the advent of winters. These days its cold at night and in the morning, while through the day one would feel right in the mid June.

While on my way back home yester-night I was rather scared how will I cope with deadly winters. My sister smiled back and said, Di its nice time.. Everything is beautiful when its cold. I know there are many other things she wanted to tell me about winter, but she knew that my head is aching badly and all I want is to get home ASAP. Just listing some of the most obvious things that kay wanted to tell me:

- Colourful, beautiful woolens teamed-up with a scarf. It looks gorgeous!
- Evening walks at north campus, nothing on earth can beat it.
- Cold breeze and hot coffee!
- Chit chatting with my siblings at night till the clock reads 6 in the morning, it happens with us!
- Terrace talks, both morning and nights!
- Sunday task to get sufficient Vitamin D
- Getting up late and staying in bed till noon. I do that :-)
- Its shopping time, winter clothing etc you see...
- Makki di roti, I gorge to it during most of the winter weekend
- Hot water bath
- That New year's feeling, its synonymous to winters
- Kay, I am damn sure you have to add more

Author's Note: This post is dedicated to Kay and the spirit with which you have been welcoming winters! Dear reader please add how do you welcome winters?

Celebrate with true spirits

2009-10-20T12:42:00.005+05:30

Well its coming a little late, but in full Spirits.. Wishing you all a very happy Diwali. It is festival of lights, sweets and gifts! It was celebrated on the 17th October 2009.

While I am least concerned about the puja part, I had to participate in on as a part of family decorum. The moment the puja was over, I hopped on to sweets. That's the best part about the festivities. I just love to gorge on anything delicious. I am sure even if I gain a hundred kilos I will never be able to stop myself from having good food. Secondly the lights, I love the feeling but ironically the twinging lights coming inside my room from the shield of a window and curtain is still irritating posing as a hindrance to get me asleep. And about gifts, ask yourself who don't like gifts.. We all love it, isn't it??

The most amazing part, and sadly the most unfortunate part is the crackers bursting. It take the pollution levels to a toll. My little cousin, who is not even a year old was to be hospitalised. He got respiratory infection due to increased pollution. I myself has been advocating crackers free diwali within my family. Thankfully my siblings subscribe to same school of though. But people don't despite being well apprised abut the noise and environmental pollution.

Author's Note: I strongly feel that people turn blind eye to anything bad! Same goes with pollution. We all must celebrate festivals with true spirits to maintain cleanliness in the air, water and land around. I don't really know this post will be of any persuasion, but still I wanted to speak it through my blog.

Letter in the bottle!!

2009-10-14T15:31:00.004+05:30

Strangest things happen when you are least expecting them... Some of the strange instances that happen to be when I did not realise that it could ever happen to me. I am an optimistic person. I look forward to the day, but by the EOD I feel, was I thinking the day to pass in such a monotonous fashion. Therefore, the strangest thing that happen to all of us is monotony, at some or the other point in life.

Some are bugged sitting home, going to college, roaming around in the markets, sitting at the office desk, chatting with pals, etc tec cet..... *(pardon my etsectras). We all look forward to the day for a bunch of happy moments. Some people who don't, according to me are either old, accepted their plight or sad with life. I too am bugged with no work mode. But thankfully my team is rolling up the sleeves to get into some action. So what do you need to erase this monotony from life?? I chit chat with my loved ones, go out alone on long walks, blog, dream big about life, I dream of sealing a love letter and leaving it in the sea for my man!

Author's Note: Please share what do you all do to erase predictability, monotony, routine, or whatever you wanna call it from your life..

55 Fiction... Widgets... beautifying my blog!

2009-10-06T15:37:00.004+05:30

Recession took a toll, but its aftermath is dangerous. I did not know that sitting ideal in office, especially you when you read news everyday about the markets getting back in shape, can be so frustrating.

Well I am completely bored.. absolutely no work! I keep scanning through links of blogs, news portals, try my hands at beautifying my weblog etc.

During this endeavour I came across the concept of 55 Fiction

The story has to be narrated in no more than 55 words. Sure I will try my hands at it at my fiction blog. Probably I have written a few like the three versions of Runaway Bride.

I tried my hands at widgets too... Have a look at the amazing gadget on the top right of this page. Now I can know the visitors toll on my blog. I wish I knew about it when I started blogging :-( anyways.

Author's Note: The entire post is the note :-p

A miniature city made out of millions of toothpicks

2009-10-06T10:33:00.015+05:30

It took Stan Munro (38), 6 years to build this toothpick city. He used 6 million toothpicks and 170 liters of glue. He can spend until 6 months to create a building and each of his creations is built to 1:164 scale. He works at the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse , New York ( USA ). Look at the amazing works of one of the most patient men in the world.

Author's Note: Hey all.. Me and my siblings too tried hand at this art. I made some small artifacts. This was a forwarded mail, thought of putting on my blog :-)

JLT

2009-09-30T14:19:00.004+05:30

Thought of writing some random stuff.

Its just no work in office and I keep surfing all day. Thanks to no working mode I have been filling post to post on my secret online portal. I feel accomplished when I read the streams of thoughts that cross my mind. So just sharing a bit of it on this public domain.

Now, the idea that I just found to write on is

~~What should be hidden and what should be told~~

Human perception is semi-permeable. Accept what sounds logical to one-self and discard everything that sounds absurd.

- S/he has a big appetite. How can someone eat so much

- S/he does not eat anything. How xcan someone not eat anything

- S/he sense of dressing is strange

- S/he buys expensive accessories

- S/he goes for roadside stuff

- S/he is a looner

- S/he is going around

- S/he says she will remain single forever

- S/he goes around with a new person every other day

- .............. and the list never endsss!!

Interesing enough to justify. People dont accept others the way they are. People have to find topics to talk about. Anything from ones personal life can be projected with a juicey mix of perception semi permeability. The entire message gets distorted.

The entire gossip industry, tabliod world eats, drinks and love this facet of human behaviour.

Author's Note: Wrote JLT ~ Just Like That!

Visuals speak

2009-09-23T12:02:00.006+05:30

You call it; themes, templates, background bla bla bla~~~

I call it the reflection of my blog.

Finally I changed the theme, something different from the regular theme available in blogger. I did not know that googling a bit on ' blogger theme' will take me to a new world. A world which will put a background on my blog. I had to search a bit to choose an apt one, and I still cant figure out how to correct, or set default font etc.

Here is how to change it:

Layout - Edit HTML - paste HTML code or download the template and upload the background - confirm changes and you are done.

http://www.pyzam.com/bloggertemplates/tags - I vote for this one!

www.bloggerblogtemplates.com - a bit confusing, a YouTube video on its home page was helpful

Go ahead bloggers, give a beautiful background to you blog.

Author's Note: Should a blog be visually appealing too?? The visuals should speak a thousand words!!

Chetan Bhagat

2009-09-21T12:56:00.008+05:30

This is what that stuck my thought while going through a forwarded mail,

When an egg breaks by a power outside, a life ends.

When an egg breaks by a power inside, a life begins.

Great things always begin from the power inside!

Chetan Bhagat said this at a seminar in Symbiosis. Well said Mr. Bhagat. Your words are just amazing.

I did not subscribe to the idea of reading Mr. Bhagat's books. His second book 'One night at call centre' just freaked me out, because I don't like the word 'call centre'. The thought of working as someone with different identity, to me is absurd. The negative PR about call centre had occupied my mind. The only thing I did not want to do was to work in a call centre, where people have to adhere to strict shifts. Being employed at a call center was a little down market for me. Thus I did not read the book. I had it at home for sometime, my siblings read it and cracked the book's dialogues pretty often while going on to a laughing spree.

Now after a few years I feel its cool to work in a call centre. After all a person learns to become independent. Whats wrong if they get into alcohol / drugs / fags. If one has to then they would. But employment gives a sort of satisfaction and independence. It opens ones horizons of thoughta and ability to handle crisis.

About his first book 'Five points someone' was the knowledge that he picked incidents from his IIT / IIM days.

Then was his third book, Three mistakes of my life. I read the book, not because it was written by Mr. Bhagat, but it relates to Gujarat Riots. The riots were bad. I have always been condemning communal divides. My family has never bred such anti social values in me. But it happens in most of the families. People teach their kids to follow practices like untouchable, castesm, racial bias, relegious bias etc. Ths is not intentional on their part, but a moral obligation! This is a part of the society, and we need enlightened people to take off such practice.

Anyways back to the Three Mistakes of My Life, the book justifies that anyone can write, scribble a few words, give it a good twist and you are ready to go. I wanted to write a book too. I knew its easy. Being an India, the story presents how one can pick up scenes from daily life and translate it into words.

After reading his book, I tried researching about him. Chetan Bhagat has an official website too. Clearly I now feel that IIMites and IITians are like normal people. They don't carry any tag with them. Its no big deal to get into a good institution, but the deal lies if one can come up with flying colours. Mr Bhagatis coming up with a new book 'Two States' this diwali. And I have all the plans to read it!

One can blog! Blogging has been for long a feeder to publish the words of my mind.

Remaining part of Mr. Bhagat's Symbiosis Speech

"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble.

Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up?

It's ok, bunk a few classes,

Goof up a few interviews,

Take leave from work,

Fall in love.
We are people, not programmed devices.....

"Don't be serious, be sincere."

Meddling with maps

2009-09-14T10:03:00.005+05:30

China teases India, build international border. The map clearly corrodes India's throne.

I was a bit careless about current affairs off late and the news here, urged me to go back to 1962 Indo-China war. China is no doubt stronger than India, and this is a natural tendency that a powerful neighbor will try and impose its dominace on the weaker counterpart.

Well India too is a big nation, but it behaves small. I dont see why should we sit idle, anticipating next moves by China. China for sure will be insensitive to India's reactions. But let it me. We have to give equally pumping punch to China.

Now it takes question, whether India is capable of it. I would say yes India is capable of this, therefore we have to show that the missels paraded during the republic day parade work.

Alright the point is taken, now the issue of human rights violations come up.

The truth is that we live with the idea that since India lost the battle of 1962, India can never come out. But the trick should be to keep judging your limits. This is what all the superpowers do / did. Be it US, Soviet Union, and now China.

China cares to differ in everything like

- Currency Fluctuations

- WTO membership

- Seek status in ASEAN

- Meddles with international borders

- Sings the song of SEZs

- UN Security Council

India on the other hand wants to pretend as a week follower, like

- I too want to be in UN Security Council

- We too have SEZs, though I dont see any need of exports processing units in a capitalist economy. Give it a better defination that what has been given by China

- Taking anti-dumping measures for Chinese goods, rather than having huge potential of dumping services in China. I would not like to touch on it any further as I am not well informed about this domain

- Wht China is friends with Pakistan and not India

Please dear policy makers, stop pointing fingers and move from what is visible. Dont do what China is doing. This will only make india a sharing associative relationship with China, dont be like a small fish which swims behind the shark. India has to come up with its Jumbo fancy and get things in shape.

Investments are coming to India, but what benefit is it giving to the large pool of small and medium industries. Entrepreneurship is high on the spirits of India, but this has been segmented to a niche population. The term has been confused with businessmen who move upto other domains to extensify businesses. Nothing concrete has comeup as an exceptional case study on entrepreneurship from the services class.

Author's Note: India has to come up with its Jumbo fancy and get things in shape. It has to become a shark which swims alone.

Real People

2009-08-24T16:27:00.008+05:30

"Real people with all their flaws are much more attractive and beautiful. "

This is what I read while scanning saturday's Mail Today. I instantly stole the quote by Anurag Kashyap (he directed, Dev D, Black Friday, Gulaal), for my gtalk status.

Even the best of people have flaws, so do I. Looking for traits of perfection in others irrespective of understanding that no one is, no one can, no one was, no one will be perfect, is a natural human behaviour. The series doing the rounds on TV, 'Sach Ka Saamna' has brought in to the fore. And the camera work during the series to add spice to the confesion. I have not seen the show even once, but TV visible from the kitty-corner of my desk keep me updated with the shocl and confessions. The episodes are often discussed with office colleagues. Some have queries, some are amused, some are not at all bothered, thats about it.

Net-wor(k)ld

2009-08-20T17:53:00.007+05:30

The terms Networking and social marketing are driving the corporate agenda to new limits. While scanning through blogs I see a lot of focus on social marketing endeavours.

Now the question:

Did the online networking tools like social networking sites like orkut, facebook, twitters, linkedin and blogs gave birth to this concept?

Or

Did the concept paved way for the development of the online networking tools?

An article online outlined how an entrepreneur / aspiring entrepreneur locate business online. Its all there and easily accessible now.

The networld is just as amazing as an ATM. I don't see any problem in locating information. Information is instantly served on the desktop, just a bit of effort is require when one fiddles with the mouse and type a few words. This takes me to a mail sent by a friend, which highlights google suggestions, when one types on the search box:

Why are Indians
(The drop down item with suggestions come up with some sensible search items)

Why are Americans
(The drop down item with suggestions come up with some baseless search items)

Why are Chinese
(The drop down item with suggestions come up with some funny search items)

Try it have a laugh. And please suggest who came first - Social Marketing or the online world of Networking

Budding Entrepreneurs

2009-08-18T10:08:00.007+05:30

Hmm well this one deserves to be read, especially for people aspiring to get into some entrepreneurial venture!

Company run by school kids gives 900 pc dividend.

This is called exposing the amateurs to the real time business environment. A school in Chandigarh has done it! When I think of Chandigarh I think of industry, rich brats, planned city, Dev D and now an innovative strategy to promote entrepreneurship.

I went to the city some 3 years ago, for some work which turned out to be done, there was no need to travel there from Delhi, but still it was a remembrance... So it was me and my mom visiting the city and coming back.. But yes I liked the planned aspects of the city, greenery and wide roads with no still traffic.

Well I too had my share of business plans when I was as young as 10 years old. Me along with a kids of my age would plan hosting a fest on the terrace, put up stalls and invite kids from other blocks to join us. Though the plan always remained a plan. But I after reading this article feel that I had an amazing childhood. We had played the best of games.

Learned cycling with my sisters, as we could not find anyone to teach us, loved to skate during evenings, dancing on the terrace, hide in some scheduled corner of house where no one, not even my dad could locate me. Many of these facets are the same. I still like to go for long walks in North Campus, I would run on the road adjacent to the DU correspondence office.

But duh! I don't have time.......

Secret Diary

2009-08-17T15:33:00.007+05:30

I simply love blogging! Today I started a new blog, a confidential and secretive account of my life. And before you would want to read it, please note that its only me who can read it. I can share my aims and aspirations, deepest darket secrets, details of my crush list etc with myself and read it at leisure. I dont have to worry if someone will catch a glipse of it, its password protected.

I have maintained a personal diary, and over the long weekend 14-16th August 2009, I managed to read it again. The thoughts I joted down some 5 years ago were nostalgic and are simply amazing. I could relate it to the kind of person I was. The dreams and aspirations that I had. I am happy that I wrote it long back, and I can go back to it when I have to get into a self realisation execrise. I can go back and check where I have reached today.

Though I am occupied today, but I can spare time to jot a few words about myself, which I would not want to share with anybody.

Hey all, if not a blog, maintain a personal blog. Trust me, some 5 years down the line, you will thank yourself!

Towards my métier

2009-08-11T11:24:00.019+05:30

Word of the day flashed on my desktop. I was indifferent towards it but clicked on the flicker with an intent to add something to my intellect. I have been through the word quite a few times, but did not know the exact meaning, which goes like:

métier \met-YAY; MET-yay\, noun:

1. An occupation; a profession.
2. An area in which one excels; an occupation for which one is especially well suited

The word, strangely took me to think about my métier. What it is? I feel that I have to do few things before I make my move from the world. And of course it is my passion. Alright point taken! is my profession my métier? Or is my métier lost somewhere in the jumble-dumble of official timings and weekend offs?

While I was in college, I thought that office life is going to be fun. But the only fun part about following a profession is that one feels independent. Nothing else!! College was full of activities, slipping out of the lecture just to find something suitable which can pamper my palliate. I was least concerned about the nitty-gritties of life.

It leaves me perplexed! Let me list the things I have to do before I die. I don't know when will I die, but I have to find a way to get it:

Learn Swimming - I love water. I feel great when it rains. I soothes my senses and can take away all my agonies. I want to go to a beach and experience the sea, while swimming like a fish!

Indulge with nature - Now this is again adventure. I want to go for camping expedition, trek, climb hills and mountains and capture the view from most difficult locations.

Spirit of adventure - Its in my blood, I think my parents have it too. I like risks and coming out of it clean. I like the feel of accomplishing something. Now let it be bungee jumping, para gliding, or hot air ballooning. Gosh I feel it will give me wings to fly! Phewwwwww~~

Travelling - I haven't travelled much, but whenever I travel I intentionally don't sleep. While travelling I have stayed awake for more than 36 hours, I don't feel sleepy and even if I do I prefer to keep my eyes open. While everyone would be sleeping on the back seat, I prefer to chat with my dad while he drives. Besides it helps in self realisation, capturing the scenic locales somewhere in my mind, just to go back home and feel great about this world.

Entrepreneurship - I have been considering quite a few business plans, but get stuck somewhere. Don't know where to start. Probably it will take time.

Fight wrong - My friends know very well how I fight back eve teasers. People often suggest me to avoid them, but I just cant stop myself to react at that momentary mess.

Blog - Well thankfully I am blogging! I enjoy it and the blog has shades of me, be it in the stories that I post here, or just random stuff, its all a reflection of me.

Be Myself - I don't like usage of vulgar language. I like to spend time with myself and let a rigmarole of thoughts capture my mind. Thoughts about the moon, starts, night and days, sea and mountains make rounds in my mind.

Author's Note:

mY nURSeRY rHYmE:

Ringa Ringa Roses
Pocket full of Poses
“Husha Busha!”
We all fall down!

Just to get up and sing again!

My métier is to live my dreams~~~

I support Queers!

2009-08-10T10:32:00.015+05:30

For those of you who dont know what does Queer refer, please see here.

People have this inherint tendency to perceive one falling in the catagory that s/he supports. Now before you tag me as one, I dont see any point in justifing my sexual orientation to anybody. People who matter to me know me well, and those who dont know me well are clearly not under my priority list.

The idea to post something on homosexuality has been high on my agenda list. Though I have been an ardent supporter of gayism, I have deliberatly kept quite about the topic, because I wanted my understanding of the topic to be so apt that I can project my opinion in a convinsing fashion.

The High Court of Delhi decriminalise gay sex, but it remains a taboo for a whooping 70% of Indians. Refer to State of Nation Survey, which has come out with findings that Homosexuality is still a taboo in India. Well I believe this tendency prevails because people are averse to change. People think more about social stigmas than someone's happiness.

Take note of this case: "A" is happy with "B" and both are of same gender. They are like any normal couple. They are not harming anybody, just sharing some cozy moments together. Probably want to stay together forever. Die hand in hand. Adopt a child, probably a "girl". Give her the best of education and upbringing. And have a normal life!

Case two (if queers remain illegal): A gay is cheated and heart broken. S/he feels sick and have a strong case to sue the other one. The person is encouraged to get into depression because the society does not acknowledge the existence of this creed.

People do look down to homos and make fun of them. The notorious newsy episode of linking Kjo and SRK. And the very much in news thing: Murder of SRCC alumini who was a gay. Connaught Place's Central Park and the park above Palika Baazar is frequented by the gay community. Spain Tourist Board wishes to promote its gay attractions in India. But the representative office in Delhi shyed away from promoting it on the grounds that it may envoke political rift in the country. I completely identify their apprehensions

I wish to make a point here, with a far sighted view. The Indian society has not been able to achieve any landmark on controlling female feoticide, gender bias etc. Thus having queers is a way out, let the left out male population, who is not to be blamed for the gender mismatch prevailing in the society have their share of love making witin the gay community too.

Plus NGOs, LGBTs, and social activists see lealising gayism as tool to prevent HIV AIDS to reach unfathomable limits in the country. Ours is a nation where sexual needs of people has been suppressed. Let the spirit of love in which ever form be allowed to florish. I support the spirit of queers and happy that gays are coming out to endorse their cause.

Thought to delev: "Its okay to find people peeing on roads but its grossly unacceptable to find two people kissing on road."

Further update on the survey is available here.

Protect Intellect

2009-08-06T12:28:00.011+05:30

I don't admire my work / stories / reviews being lifted from my blog. I am sure nobody on earth would. I remember how in college I made a point to not share my work with class mates who may copy it to suit their benefit. Though some close friends were always privileged to have access 24x7 to it.

I subscribe to 'freedom of information' but laxity in attributing my work will upset me. Clearly 'I Detest Plagiarism'! Free time in my office often takes me to an entirely new world. The world whose ideals I subscribe to. Recently I was taken to the web page of Creative Commons. The India charter of the website is under IIT - Mumbai. This is a legal self help site to get creative works licenced, donate work and find licenced work which is eligible to be remixed, shared and reused. I am yet to try it, and the field of intellectual property invites my interest.

Layers to protect creative endeavours supports innovation, discoveries etc are necessary. Starting from the field of science, to the domain of entertainment protection of ones creation calls for 'being creative'. Copyright, patents, trademarks, industrial designs are parts of Intellectual Property. In times to come the domain will spread to sound and smell protection too. I feel I really need to hone up my IPR knowledge. Its exciting and vast.

Yet to catch up

2009-07-27T12:19:00.007+05:30

I am yet to catch up with self-proclaimed target of uploading at least two stories every month to my blog. For the month of July, I am left with a few days to catch up!

The month has been full of ups and down for me. The client I handle in office has been on a spree to revise the mandate, credited to the global meltdown. I liked the work profile (primarily content developer for one of the most prominent industry chambers), which now is getting lost in the air.

Second I was down with viral for more than 10 days. On my bithday, which falls on the 12th, I was bed struck and did not celebrate :-(

Third, umm nothin everything else is just in full swng. I enjoyed the view on friday (24th July 2009) when the clouds engulfed the sky. The picturesque scene from the fifth floor office is still very much fresh on my mind. I remember that I just wanted to step out and feel the breeze!

Way to go Mr Sibal!

2009-07-16T14:02:00.005+05:30

Yes, the education sector is stalled for huge reforms, ever since Mr. Sibal came to the podium, news about disciplining the private institutions, getting a body bigger than UGC and now scrapping 10th boards exams has been doing the rounds. I feel that the HRD ministry is actively taking up its mandate for the 100 days action plan of UPA government second term.

Listening to the minister during his previous tenure as Science and Technology minister at industry body's conferences has always been a good and motivating experience. His speech sends signals about a far-sighted approach on issues like glocalisation, innovation and R&D. I see him as a person with real capabilities and displays genuine enthusiasm to take forth reforms.

Learning should be for fun and Mr. Sibal is on a full swing. Hope the previous counterpart, Mr. Arjun Singh and his admirers learn that we need to change, see education as a asset resting with all, and not as a mode that divides the society, playing the cheap vote bank gimmick. Though the previous HRD minister doesn't matter to me anymore, I wish that people reluctant to change and those who promote class based division should be scrapped off the cabinet ASAP!

Is red the colour for brands?

2009-06-09T14:20:00.011+05:30

I believe that red is the colour for brands, it expresses leadership, pioneering spirit, courage, energy, determination and spontanity.

Many global brands have red logos either in whole or a sprint of it. Let me list some brands like Airtel, Vodafone, Wills, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Mc Donalds, Virgin Mobiles, Virgin Airlines, Air India, Malaysia Airlines, Mauritius Tourism Logo, Kingfisher, Coke, Pepsi, etc. I am sure I missed many.

Techtonic examples of visual appeal from a local perspective are GIANI, Nirulas, almost all the Radio Channels, most of the TV channels, even a water vendor has red umberella as a shed! My recent visit to Indian Express' office captured my gaze on a wall which wrote the organisation's name on a red background.

I do not rule out yellow, blue, black as active contenders. But largely the can augment their appeal with red! Contrary to my hypothesis, we have many success stories without red like Jet Airlines, Idea, and ??? any other? Please let me know.

I believe that red helps in exploiting the identity of a brand. It helps in fearless and flamboyant display of existance. It has psychological & aesthetic affect while maintaining its eyecatching visual ability, that furthers association with the brand.

Your comment matters!

Writing Fictions

2009-05-15T15:43:00.012+05:30

Ever since I started a fiction blog, this beloved plinth has been slightly sidelined. These days I am into reading loads of blogs and came across really amazing writing, some are as follows:

http://exaltedsoul.blogspot.com/

http://average-everyday.blogspot.com/

http://dreeemzz.blogspot.com/

http://nishthasikri.blogspot.com/

Hope this voyage will help me evolve as a writer, some indegenious insights about writting fictions:

You can think of numerous incidents and plan a story around it, like I considered writing on gays, love etc. But when you start typing it down, the planned story takes a different shape. Therefore beginners should just start typing down the story idea and let it carve a shape on its own!

Personal preference counts, I don’t like to get a character married/hooked, later to realize that his/her ex has come out of nowhere!

Remain factually authentic. You will have to research about facts.

You will love to find people taking on blogging after getting to learn your experience. Keep blogging or start a blog, its amazing and refreshing!

Change the location of Kasab's trial

2009-04-01T09:40:00.004+05:30

I apprehended this before... If at all any lawyer will come forth to defend Kasab, mob backed by the 'Thakreys and allied forces' will create nuisance.

'Anjali Waghmare, the lawyer appointed to represent lone terrorist arrested in 26/11 attack Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, on Tuesday told the special court that she needed a day to consider whether she would appear in the case following protests at her residence on Monday night'

The solution is to find a location out of Maharashtra to some unknown location, remember the trial of Best bakery case or via video conferencing, even better!

I really wish Anjali continues with handling the case, after all Kasab too deserves a fair deal.. Moreover Indian Judicial system with strides of unbiased trials will get a global applause.

Know your rights.. Against sexual harrasment

2009-03-31T11:55:00.011+05:30

This is an attempt to speak out against women harassment. Below are a few blogs which address the cause:

http://www.blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com/
http://hemanginigupta.blogspot.com/

Section 354: Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, under the Prevention of Harassment of Women Act, 1998 reads as:

Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Section 509, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) reads as follows:

Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. – Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine or with both.

Please forward this to as many people as possible, it will help in stopping crime against women!

Don't condemn the language of creativity

2008-12-03T10:33:00.017+05:30

Well we are criticising Mr. Ram Gopal Verma for his presence at the Taj, with the CM. He deserves this criticism. After all, India was shattered! Some 10 odd infiltrators taking refuge at the top-end locales, bombing us mercilessly. Mr. Verma was wrong to explicitely hold his commercial interests over the phase which the nation went through. The 60 hour long seige got the entire nation to a stand-still.

Is there any harm in filming the recent Mumbai Seige, or call it 26/11, 2008?
I dont see any!

Movies, theatre, and other forms of art, are ointments for social healing. They reflect the sensibilities of mankind, mirror social - remember the chatter bug that seem to have hit our unsensitive politicians.

As a medium, they reiterate that out intelligence is not upto the mark. It highlight the need for better security. They reflect the diplomacy going around.
We will keep condemning the attacks sitting at some high end eatery, or at the closed walls of our rooms. But the power of cinema will take it to theatre at the interiors of nation.

Movies reflection of society, a historical documentation, reflecting the society and the civilization. The gen next will bank on media archives collected at the virtual world, let them know, let them understand, let us give them the art to better find their way out, rather than messing up the facts.

Let us mature, please dont condemn the art. Bollywood has been credited with maximum film productions in the world reaching out to the tune of 9,000, in various langauges.

Please dont condemn the prospects of reeling up the seige, as these fictional accounts speaks volume about the gravity of the crisis, and bring the unsaid to the forefront.
For more pics, log on to

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/talkingpictures/TalkingPic-Mumbai-Attack.aspx