Sunday, March 16, 2008

Great Words...

"It doesn't matter what we do until we accept ourselves. Once we accept ourselves, it doesn't matter what we do." - Charly Heavenrich

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Unreliable Reliance

I stay in the financial capital of India. I am a subscriber of Reliance India Mobile. I need it because it offers me a highly favorable tariff plan. I am a victim too. Of their poor network. Poor network everywhere in a city like Mumbai. Unthinkable but true. Yes true.

Now that was a new style of writing I was trying out. Really short sentences. Real short. Well, without dwelling onto the same style of writing again, I will resume the topic. Reliance has proved to be a necessary evil as far as my cellphone is concerned. Think of the following scenarios. I will call myself 'me' and the other party i9.

Scenario 1
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
me: Your voice is breaking!
i9: Well this is what you say all the time. Change your damn connection!
me: :( :(


Scenario 2
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - Very High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
...
...
(There is something really important going on)
...
...
me: blah blah blah
i9:
me: Are you there?
i9:
me: I cannot hear anything.
i9:
I hang up. I call again. But in vain. Raat baaki, baat baaki, hona hai jo, ho jaane do.
I keep grunting and keep trying.


Scenario 3
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - Very Very High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
...
...
(There is something really important going on)
...
...
Suddenly, out of nowhere, I get this stupid damn message on my screen "CALL DROPPED" !!
(These stupid call droppings was exactly what lead me to change my cellphone from LG to Nokia. I was happy to have a Nokia but even that did not help. )
Anyways, so after seeing a CALL DROPPED, I hang up. I call again. I get to hear the stupid engage tone.
I call again. This time, the number is not damn reachable!!
Losing my patience and frustrated with Reliance, I try again. This time, the cellphone things call has gone through, but the response is blank !


Scenario 4
Embarrassment Level - Very High
Frustration Level - Very Very High
There is a plan called "Night Talk", in which, for a monthly payment of 875 bucks, you get Reliance to Reliance calls all over India free from 11PM to 6AM. Thats the best part of the deal. But only in writing. When you get to use it, you discover that the call gets cut every 15 minutes. So that amounts to 28 calls of 15 mins each, and that too when every call gets connected in the first attempt, which, sadly, is never the case.

Nevertheless, I must mention, what I love about Reliance is the variety of ways in which your call gets lost. Keeps me guessing :)

In the end, I am the sad sufferer who has more reasons to keep this connection than to dispose it off.

Sadly, the grievances are not limited to this one side. There are problems even when I am on the receiving side. More often than not, a caller gets a "switched off" message when actually the phone is on with decent number of network bars. I doubt if Mr Anil Ambani uses a Reliance connection!!

One of the best works by Abbas Tyrewala

Sapna Toota Hai, To Dil Kabhi Jalta Hai
Haan Thoda Dard Hua, Par Chalta Hai...

I just love these 2 lines from the song (Apun Jaise Tapori). Full lyrics here

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Time Never Stops. Period.

यूं ही चला चल रही यूं ही चला चल राही
जीवन गाड़ी है समय पहिया


Beautiful thoughts !

Thursday, February 14, 2008

A conversation I had with my friend..

He : I really like the mails u send
Me : I really send the mails I like
He : I really like the ans to my comment
Me : I really like the comment to my answer
He : Ha ha ha Good One!!
Me: :) Can we go forever
He: Would have wanted to

:)

Thursday, February 07, 2008

O! Dispenser of India's destiny....

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
O! Dispenser of India's destiny, thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Punjab-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, the Maratha country,
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
in the Dravida country, Utkala (Orissa) and Bengal;
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga
it mingles in the rhapsodies of the pure waters of Jamuna and the Ganges.
Tava shubha name jage
They chant only thy name.
Tava shubha ashish maange
They seek only thy auspicious blessings.
Gaye tava jaya-gatha
They sing only the glory of thy victory.
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
The salvation of all people waits in thy hands,
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
O! Dispenser of India's destiny, thou art the ruler of the minds of all people
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he
Victory to thee, Victory to thee,
Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory to thee!

I read this English translation of our national anthem for the first time today! Great!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Three runs...

A snippet from cricinfo.com commentary of the last day of 4th test match between India and Australia:
54.1 Lee to Laxman, 3 runs, banged in short outside off stump, Laxman gets on top of the bounce and plays the ball down between second slip and gully, Hussey sprints after it superbly and pulls the ball in just inside the boundary
Rare moment. Laxman does not run 3 runs very often does he?

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

When double clicks start bugging....

When I read a web page, I have to have the mouse in my hand, just like when I read a book, I have to have a pencil in my hand !

Though I have almost grown past my latter habit, it is almost impossible to leave the former one. When I am reading a web page, I have this habit of selecting words as I read. Since a double-click also selects a word, I double click a lot - on crucial words, or otherwise - but a lot.

Believe it or not, even while watching a movie (using VLC usually), I keep fiddling with my mouse. If you know me, you must be aware that it is really hard for me to sit alone and finish a 2 hour movie in 2 hours. I get bored easily and start surfing the net. At other times, I am busy with my mouse doing all sorts of things - including double clicking which toggles the full screen mode.

I have not had any problems with my habit, but of late new generation websites have emerged which consider themselves to be "over-smart", to a level to make the user insane. I am talking about these double-click pop-ups of all kinds which come up when you double click anywhere on the site.

So, while reading, I keep getting unwanted dictionary definitions of the words I happen to double-click inadvertently. Now this is really annoying. The good part is, it will make me get rid of my "mouse fiddling" habit one day. :)

(I hope by the time you are reading this, blogger does not come up with this strategy!!)

You can see one such web page here.

By the way, have you visited this? (Click at your own risk, do not curse me later :D)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Just love these words ...

अकेला नही मैं .. खुली आंखों से नींद में चलता ..
गिरता ज्यादा, कम संभलता ..

अकेला नही मैं, खुली आंखों से नींद में चलता ..
गिरता ज्यादा, कम संभलता ..

फिर भी न कोई .. शक न सुभा ..
निकलेगा फिर से .. सूरज जो डूबा ..

हैरत हो सबको ऐसा अजूबा ..
है मेरा जहाँ ...


I have been a great admirer of Prasoon Joshi ever since he started writing songs. His songs are full of insight, and the words he uses are just the best. I write poems too, but not as great as him. I would love to be like him one day. (By the way, we share initials!)

Added to the great words, Adnan Sami renders the score beautifully to create a number I will remember forever.

Read the full lyrics of the song here.

Must read !

Just go through this

"We regret to announce that due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, the publication of The Astrological Magazine will cease with the December 2007 issue."

Can you appreciate what I am trying to show here?

Friday, January 18, 2008

Poor Rediff !




Need I say more? :)

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Just crossed my mind...

"Who wants a cynic who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing?"
- Oscar Wilde (quoted by Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par)

Well, I feel bad that I have acted like this cynic at times in life. But as other sayings go -

"Life is the short name for constant endeavor of self improvement"
"You will most probably undervalue something you have got just like that, but you can never undervalue something you have earned"
- Pawan Jain :)

Inspiration and motivation is the sole driving force of my life. I want to deserve, and then earn whatever I want. Thats my motto...


... And ... I feel better !

Monday, January 14, 2008

So, what about the Nano?

So, as the curtains unveil the smallest car in India, and the most economical car in the world, everyone wants to have one. This is the first time this has happened in the car industry - where a large set of Indians can actually think of owning it. The obvious and the most interesting reason - the price tag. Where in the world will you find a car priced at $2500 ?

Beyond all the apprehensions of the "People's car" being unable to run, being unreliable, being made of plastic, ..., there was an unswerving faith that resided in the heart of each and every Indian - the faith in one man - one shy man who has proven himself time and again and won accolades for his ideas and his execution of strategies. When Ratan Tata came up with Tata Indica, it was his sole belief and dream of having a car which is 100% Made in India. While all his board of directors were doubtful, he did it, and today Indica has carved out a niche for itself with a decent market share.

And before anyone could imagine - here he is - with his latest - the Rs. 1 Lakh car ! Although he had declared his plan more than four years back, it was seen with as many doubtful eyes as one can imagine. Personally, I was hopeful, but I never expected it to arrive this soon!



All this hullabaloo about it notwithstanding, I am not going to buy this car, neither for myself nor for any family member of mine. The looks are decent, but I have serious doubts about comfort. Remember Tata's words - the motivation behind the car was providing "safe" transport to a 4-member family. From that perspective, and looking at the nominal price, anything with a decent seating and back support is high on comfort.

My parents already possess a M800, which I am sure is much more comfortable than the Nano which does not even have reclining seats. So they obviously deserve much better. And for me, exterior looks are okay, but I am not impressed with the interiors - it is essentially basic minimum, sans any funky stuff (Anyways, that would be asking too much for Rs. 1 Lakh!). So here's wishing Mr. Tata all the best for his latest endeavor. Hope it becomes the "People's car".