Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Singh is Kinng

I am not talking about upcoming akki & hot babe katrina's movie. Though i copied the name from that movie title itself which has an extra n in "Kinng"(all numerology & not logic behind it).


I am talking about the person whom today's Indian owe more than anyone on this earth. i am talking about the person because of whom we are enjoying a nice livelihood. A nice car/bike to ride to office, sitting in AC at office & having a chill time in the evening. (Note: All this may not be 100% true for ppl in Bangaluru as they spend 1/6th of their time in commuting.) I am talking about our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. An amazing person, a truly economic reformer of today's India, a foreseer who belived in some reforms which are giving the fruits after 10~15 years of proper harvesting. If Dr. Singh hasn't started those reforms so many years ago, i may not have been writing this blog.

After the POKHRAN Nuclear test, India has been isolated from the world nuclear community for a long while now. Dr. Singh stepped into yet another reform to make India truly Nuclear dependent nation by signing a Nuclear deal with the world. The Left as usual threatened kick the Govt. out of power. Dr. Singh accepting the challenge proved his majority without thinking of his govt. which had left out with 8 more months. He stood by his values yet again and i believe, the fruits of this BOLDEST Decision would be seen after another 20~30 yrs down the line. Singh is Kinng movie may be a HIT or FLOP at the box office, i believe Dr. Singh would be a HIT many years down the line.

Dr.Singh is the Real King.

Friday, July 18, 2008

911

911......hmmmmmmmmm......the magic number in a country of 300 Million and almost 100% of the people believing in this magic number. what happens when u get a Busy Tone on this number ????
You may not have thought this or A big question to answer.

I can tell you my story of what happens in such a situiation. Its not long ago, i moved to the Golden State of USA. I was very much happy to be in this state basically for the following reasons:
1. The temperature doesn't suck.
2. You get to hang around with lots of old buddies.
3. Their are a lots of Indian food restaurants which serves you delicious food, as if you were in India sort, unlike the restaurants in other state which will have 6~8 curries but the gravy used in them would be the same.
4. You can get many things from India as there are more frequent flyer's to this place.
to name a few.

I landed @ SJC airport(San Jose.......which is pronounced as San Hoosee) and drove to my company's guest house in the morning and i had planned to catch up a friend of mine who lived in SFO in somewhere mid way between Milpitas and SFO in the afternoon. As i was a fresh driver and don't wanted to drive in SFO downtown. I meet my good old buddy near some train station where he took me to Walmart and some India store to buy some essential things to live for a couple of weeks in the Guest House. I dropped my friend at a train station which would take him back to SFO and while returning to my town, i got to know that my Cell-phone was with him while i dropped him off @ the train station. Cell phone has become a virtual part of my body. From Phone Call.... to.... Reminders.... to..... Alarm..... to.... Time.....i use my cell phone. I can't imagine to live without my cell phone at least for 2 hrs. I was thinking like if by chance i miss the exit to my guest house how would i go back as i wasn't having cell phone to call anyone. Some how i made it to my guest house and called up my cell phone to let my frnd know that he has my cell and i would pick it up some time in the weekday. He suggested that he would send that with his office colleague the next day after office, and i can pick it up from her home at 7.30~8

The next day at around 7PM i called up his colleague and told that i would come to their home in another 30~40 minutes time. It was the start of winter season and there was a little bit of drizzling that day. The sun had gone down already and the street light were well lit with the light. I took the maps and started from my guest house. I was supposed to take a right turn in the next signal, when all of a sudden a Lexus 350 moved from the left lane into my lane. I didn't see his lane changing signal neither i realised that this car has come just few feet's from mine. i was happily seeing the maps to check whether i was on the right road to take a right turn. In the fraction of second i realised that i am moving faster than the speed needed to control myself and i pushed my brakes harder to stop. My Car instead of stopping started to skid. At the same time the Lexus guy started pressing his breaks harder and harder which was narrowing the safe distance between the cars. I pulled my legs off my brake paddle just to see how my car bangs the Lexus.

BANG..........Ultimately i hit the Lexus. My head moved forward and came back to stand still. My eyes where blank for a moment. I realised that i meet with an accident i pressed the emergency lights of my vehicle and thought of getting out of the car before some one hits my car from back. I was trying to open the car door. i couldn't open it, it has jammed. I jumped to the other side and came out of my car. The guy from Lexus came out of his car and said,
He: dude didn't you see that i was slowing down.
Me: I saw but i couldn't put the breaks as faster as i should have been to avoid an accident"
He: Can you call the cops ?
Me: I can, but i don't have a cell phone.

He pulled out his cell phone and told me that his battery is drying out and he need to call his wife also to tell about it. I suggested to call the Cops first and keep the personal business afterward. He tried the Magic Number and looked at me surprised!!! I asked him wats happening. He just gave me the cell & i heard ....peeep.....peeep.....peeep.......man is it a busy tone, i asked? He said Yes. He said i will call up my wife and then we can try this once again and started talking to his wife. I went near to my car to see how much damage has happened to it. I could see the front side part is almost broken in the middle. I wondered what might have happened to his car. There was a small dent on his car bumper. I praised the Lexus engineers for their car and started cursing the designers of Ford Focus(Car which i was driving). My mate has finished his call with his wife and came back to me and said he would try 911 once again. Because of some nervousness of what happened just few minutes back i sat on the footpath facing both the cars. In fact i was happy & thanking Lord Shiva that nothing happened to him or me. When all of a sudden an Indian guy and a girl stopped before me asking were you the person driving this Ford. I told yes & asked what do they need from me. The guy showed his hand to the corner where i was supposed to take a turn and said that VW beetle standing at the corner is ours and because of the accident the Lexus hit my car. WOW.......hehhehehehh................ i was laughing from inside, praising myself that i hit the Lexus so hard that it couldn't sustain the blow so it has offloaded something to Beetel. I was thinking for a second what if i hit the Beetel rather than Lexus. I came out of my thoughts all of a sudden and asked did they get hurt or was there any damage to their car. They said, they are safe and they is a small dent in the Beetel which i was expecting. My mate came back from his call telling there is a busy tone once again. This time he was more nervous than earlier. If i were not there, i believe he would have wept at this moment. He sat on the footpath as if he has run a marathon just now. He said that he tried some 10 times ..... i was also nervous but not because we aren't able to get thru 911. i asked the Indian guy his name.
He: XYZ
Me : were do you work
HE: some reputed Indian service based company(Which all the older ppl of my town want their kids to be in).
He: Where do i work? Do i live near the next signal(There were some couple of apartments)?
Me: i moved to CA just yesterday and now going to meet a frnd of mine. I asked him to try 911.
He: OK & he started trying.
I was thinking why the hell i am not having the cell phone. In fact i was in this situation because of the cell phone. I started talking to that girl. Are you XYZ's colleague, she said yes. i saw that she had one cell phone in her hand and asked her can i make a call to a frnd. She was happy to give her cell. I called up my SFO Buddy and explained all the situation and asked him if he can call up his colleague and ask her to come here and give me the cell. His colleague came after some 15 minutes and gave my cell back. In the mean time my mate and XYZ both enjoying the 911 busy tone. I could see clearly the frustration increasing in my mates eye. It was not frustration but helplessness what he might have been thinking off. I was feeling like he would faint in another minute or so. It was almost 1 hour by now and the same old busy tone was ringing on 911. I suggested my mate to ask his wife/frnd to go to a police station and explain about this accident(Indian style communication where in-person work more efficiently). As he was much more eager than me, he said OK and we started trying out 911 again. It was almost 2 hrs when cops came to the spot to inspect and wrote a report about the accident. They interviewed each one of us individually and then gave their visiting cards(To get the final report of accident).
Beetel & Lexus guys drove away & the Junk Ford was towed away. The Police offices asked me for a drop to my home. I said thanks as i was waiting for another frnd to pick me up.

So don't be surprised if you get a busy tone on 911 in USA. [:)]

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Boolywood Number in "So You Think You Can Dance"

i came back from office at around three quarters past nine in the evening after a battle(in fact war) with the code crash, just to see that my favourite TV reality show was about to end. The TV show which i am talking about is "So You Think You Can Dance". Last 2 performance of the day were left out for me to see. I was more than happy to see both of them, i was thanking God at least i got a chance to see these two. Though i can watch all the other performances on net the next day. But it won't be that Fun to watch the performances on Laptop.

The Last performance was about to start by "Katee & Joshua" and i was damn sleepy and eager to sleep than to watching the show, when all of a sudden i saw these guys performing for a Bollywood song. My entu to see this performance increased by leaps and bonds and i sat on the couch with my eyes wide open waiting for their performance. They were choreographed by some Indian guy.


Here is the link you can watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilHBGLNsfvE
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq6b5NVbyTA
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bow8NJlcIgc

[I am giving so many link of youtube as the videos in youtube won't be available all the time]


Both the performers did a 100% justice to the Dance. Hats off to these great dancers. Now i am trying to vote and getting the number busy [:(]

Saturday, June 28, 2008

IMPORTED

मेरा जूता है जापानी, पतलून है इंगलिश्तानी, सर पे लाल टोपी रस्सी, फिर भी दिल है हिन्दुस्तानी(I wear shoes Made in Japan, Suit Made in England, My HAT is from Russia, but i am an INDIAN by heart). This is a famous song from Raj Kapoors movie Shree 420 which almost everyone of my age are grown up hearing.



I used to be passionated by this song and dream when will i have all the imported stuff to wear & use. In those days Imported, was like a Great Quality or may be a great feeling(As we never know how crappy they would be till used). Not only those day but till recently when India opened its doors for the world to free trade. when the trade started this first guy to take the advantage was China. The quality was good comparing to the price for the items. But gradually understood IMPORTED means just another kinda item(nothing special about them)

Now while roaming in malls here, i will be always searching for something "MADE IN USA" which i was not that lucky enough to see till now. All i seen in chronological order are
1. Made in China
2. Made in INDIA
3. Made in Bangladesh
.
.
.

So Quality and Imported are 2 different entities which i don't mix up now.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

PeTRoL

While talking to MOM today, i had some interesting conversation

MOM: Price of Petrol has gone very high in India.
ME: Where did you see/hear this NEWS?
MOM: All the TV Channels are blaming the govt. for this.
ME: What do you think might be the reason behind the hike in Petrol prices?
MOM: Its a result of Govt. tax policy.

... and the conversation continued into a different topic

I was bit confused about these statements by my MOM. Because all the time she would talk about increase in cooking oil price or some vegetable cost or LPG prices(All these commodities which she requires at home to cook). I never imagined my MOM would be talking about the Petrol prices. Its all the media which is making people aware about what is happenings around their surroundings. Thanks to Indian Media channels. Though its telling the prices of Petrol are high and not giving the proper stats about the world OIL prices. I am little optimistic here that Media would change few years down the line and would give the its opinion as well as STATS to the viewers so that viewers will have their own opinion too.

I did a google search for difference in PETROL price around the world. For my goodness i fond this statistics :

  1. In Venezuela (Caracas) petrol costs the least in the world. It is priced at $0.05 or Rs 2.12 per litre.
  2. In Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), petrol costs $0.12 or about Rs 5 per litre.
  3. In the United Arab Emirates, petrol costs $0.37 or about Rs 15.65 per litre.
  4. In Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), petrol costs $0.60 or about Rs 25.40 per litre.
  5. In China, petrol costs $0.74 or about Rs 31.30 per litre. That is almost half of what it costs in India.
  6. In Russia (Moscow), petrol costs $1 or about Rs 42.275 per litre. Russia, of course, also has huge oil reserves.
  7. In United States, petrol costs $1.047 or about Rs 44.25 per litre.
  8. In Pakistan, petrol costs less than it does in India. At $1.06 or about Rs 44.80 per litre, petrol is still affordable here
  9. In Canada, petrol costs $1.35 or about Rs 57 per litre, slightly more than the price in India or the United States.
  10. In Brazil (Sao Paolo), the price of petrol is much higher than in India and costs $1.56 or approximately Rs 66 per litre.
  11. In Hong Kong, petrol prices are a bit lower than in European nations, but it still boasts of the most expensive oil in Asia. Petrol costs $1.99 or about Rs 84.10 per litre in Hong Kong.
  12. In United Kingdom, too, the cost of petrol is shockingly high. Petrol costs $2.26 or about Rs 95.50 per litre here.
  13. In Norway (Oslo), petrol prices are amongst the highest in the world and a shade lower than those in Turkey. In Olso petrol costs $2.65 or about Rs 112 per litre.
  14. In Turkey, the prices of petrol are the highest in the world. Petrol costs a whopping $2.68 or about Rs 113.30 per litre here. Guess, it's not a place one would want to drive in.

Courtesy: rediff.com for giving me such a huge and useful data.

I used to get a lots of mail(SPAMS) that taxation in INDIA is the reason for heavy PETROL Price, which i used to belive. Seeing the above data, i feel the Govt of India is doing at its best and only politicians are politicising the issue for there vote bank. There are very few handful of people who have access to this data and even the media which can reach to millions isn't bothered about giving the TRUE data to the people. Before signing off, a Optimistic thought in my mind is Hope at least the media presents some useful and proper information to our people after some years down the line.

Jai Hind.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

YUMMY YUMMY VADA of sunday


Cooking had never been one of my interests till i landing in this place where you won't get what you want even if you are ready to spend any amount of money. I was really good in cribbing for each and every food i eat, either it is in Home or Outside, though i have a lot of passion to eat different dishes. As such i loved to taste different cuisines but ulitimately MOM's food is at the Best of all in this world. Next to MOM's food is what i like is food cooked by myself. This sunday i had these delicious Vada's @ my home.
YES.....Zindagii rocks when u eat food cooked by urself.


Saturday, May 3, 2008

Crazy White House.

Long back in early '90 when Rice & Wheat prices were increasing in India, people from southern part of India were blaming that, people from norther part of India started eating more Rice than earlier. So Rice Prices are going High. The vice versa for Wheat prices.
These were all people commenting on each other and was a big Joke that time.


Recently "Mr. Bush" the president of the super power nation on earth( & his top diplomat), commented on the raise in global food crisis. His comments were many developing countries like India which has a middle class of 350 million is demanding more so there is a global food crisis. I cldn't digest this sentence and did a google on what did that mean. Got a lots of crappy stuff on web where in this sentence is politicized by each and every political party of India which is always a case with us. Not only Food Mr. W says India faults for oil prices too. Oh!!! god please forgive us if we waged war for 710. (710[seven ten] is a beautiful number, please read it upside-down)

So many funny comments. i am also from a Middle class family and i used to eat 1 breakfast and 2 Meals a day for all these years. I have seen improvements in my economical condition in past few years, but it didn't mean that i am eating 2 breakfasts and 8 meals a day to create this Food Crisis ???? I don't understand what this American President meant by creation of Food Crisis is by India & China, Does he want us not to have our meals and breakfast ? Oh!!! sorry if you let this guy go then he will restrict us not to have also. U never know. Can't believe this guy.

Note: To put things in perspective, Americans constitute 5 per cent of the global population, but consume about 40 per cent of the global resources.


I am feeling, this guy like a Manager of a Consulting company(especially Software consulting company) who has been bashed by the customer badly(coz he might have missed some mile stone or dead line) and he needs to cool down his anger showing his outrage on some poor fellow team engineers. Plz note that manger doesn't know how the things works, nor does he know why the this stuff works !!!. Engineers are burning themselves every day and night to light the candle of the company and this idiot Manger's team. Manger's come and comment or take for granted engineers only because he has the power, or in other case he don't know what to do? because he don't know how to manage himself or the team. (Disclaimer: If you are my manger or were my manger, please don't take these comments seriously [;)], u might be a good manger also)

Mr. W's life is also tending like our poor manger who is unable to mange himself or his team. Doesn't know how his country is doing economically or doesn't understand why the countries economy is doing so. Every other day commenting on one or the other and if things doesn't work out then wage a war against him. (Thank god, our poor Manger manages his stress properly in comparison). Even war hasn't satisfied his hunger and now he is pointing out finger towards us. we all know this guy's hunger for OIL, but has it changed toward food or what ???

I pray to god please full fill his desire for food at least till early next year, so that there would be a sensible president who would Love Peace and not OIL & FOOD.

GOD MUST BE CRAZY IN WHITE HOUSE !!!!!




Please go through these links to understand more:

http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/jul/23look.htm

http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/jun/23mrv.htm

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Saturday Brunch ...


Its was a warm saturday morning when Dr.shivaprasad kotagiri woke up and said that he would cook the idli.I was more then happy hearing those words and earger to help him out as a assistant. Let me brief you about out my room Dr.This guy is not a doctor by proffession, but a Phd guy in information theroy. A lazy fellow who has an immense enthu to cook food. He isn't my roommate but a gud frnd of my roommate, often vists us on wknds. Ok enough of his introduction.
We had brought a batter from Desi Store the last night and coconut was already there in our room(which i broght from by car pooja). Amaresh(My Roomie) had brought the utensils for prepering idli while coming from India. Our head cook fried some Jeera, mustured, some dal and some other stuff. Took the grinder and put the sliced coconut and preaped the Chutney.
He used the batter and started the steaming process for idlies.
After abt 45 minutes the first set of idlies were ready to be attacked on. Me & My Roomie started. Awesome IDLIS. Trirupati Bheemas also would not have served such once.


Hats Off to our Dr. !!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks for the idlis man.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

-: The Second Hunting :-

After finishing my bachelors i had the first phase of hunting. The Hunting for a job which pays me for my bread & butter. After some years down the line, the Second and most important phase of Hunting started. The hunting for a SoulMate. Probably the most important HUNT of life time.
i would to talk about some of the most embarrassing moments of both the hunting phases.
I went for a interview with some XYZ company and cleared some 2 rounds of technical interview and was about to be hired by the company. To complete the formality a Manger should interview me. The HR was very keen to give me a offer and don't wanted to waste Time and there were no Mangers on saturday. I was seated in a meeting room where the HR told, he would give me a offer letter after a formal interview with some Manger. I was much happier that moment. He came back in some 10 minutes and said the CEO of the company is the only guy available and i need to talk to him for a while. He insisted that it would be totally a formality. I went and sat for the interview, and when the CEO started, i was feeling like "Oh God ....when will this guy leave me to go out, i don't want any offer or anything, please leave me !!!!! i will go and survive in some remote part of the world on air and water." His questions were more of why you wanna join my company only (non-technical)? what u wanna be after 5 years from now ? For which i told a big story(infact i used to have a pre-prepared answers for most of the HR question) and he did start asking 101 questions back. In the back of my mind i was feeling like, "Hey dude, i want some job to fill my stomach". Sadly i was screwed. I didn't get the offer too [:(]
Now coming on to the interview for the second hunt. I went to see a girl at her residence with my family(bro,sis,bro-in-law & sis-in-law). Totally 5 of us like Pancha Pandavas. We were received by the Girls family. It was so nice to be received like that. My bro introduced everyone to the girls family & the girls father introduced himself and his family members to us. I was made to sit aside on a different chair away from the other 4 of my family(like bali ka bakra). Then they called the girls who sat on a chair oppsoite to mine(though her father was sitting beside her). The girls Father asked me when did i come back from US and what my Dad & Mom are upto? My bro-in-law asked the girl about her education and some formal questions which we knew from her bio-data already. Her father asked me to talk to his her if i have any question. I was very much nervous that time,i had a eye contact with the girl just for the first time she came into the hall. After that i never raised my head to see her again[:(]. Poor guy don't have any experience talking to girl(especially when my family members were with me, I thank god at least i didn't go with my MOM & DAD, it would have been much more tougher than being with my siblings). I was quite for a while then the girls father asked me if i want to go alone with the girl and talk(he felt like i was shy to talk infront of everyone). I wasn't knowing what to talk and what not to ???
I just asked her where her office is?
she said ITPL.
That's it, my blood pressure went upto 200mm and settled down to 140~150 mm. i could feel my heart beat changes. Even in that hot room i felt the coldness of my feet(My feet was ICE Cold). After a bit of silence i looked at my bro and signed him to finish the conversation. My bro asked the girl to ask me question if she has any?
She started.....

SHE : how long have i been working?
ME : X years
SHE : which company am i working for?
ME : XYZ company
SHE : which are the other companies worked for earlier?
ME : ...
SHE : where was my company in Bangalore?
ME : XYZ area........ i rembembered my first interview of my life.

i felt like "Oh God please ask her to stop" i used to answer the Q in one or two word without a eyecontact with her. After a lots of question i was feeling like this Girl is better than me in talking. Atleast she wsn't that hesitant to aks whatever she had in her mind. Propbaly she had meet some 1~2 guys before me meeting her, so somewhat more experienced than me(basically i conviencied myself [:D]).
After coming out of their home, all my bro's & sis's were teasing me like, u shld changed the roles(The girl taking the placeof me and me taking the place of her) Till that day there were under the impression that i was candid and outspoken as i awlays do at home. i rembembered the popular Hindi quote "Har Kutta apne gali mai sher hota hai".
My Hunt is still on. Destiny would have written something for me. Hope that would come soon. [:)]

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Mr. P Sainath

I was introduced to this great personality by a colleague of mine, he always used to talk about this guy. Usually i do "wiki" on person/place/action/word about any new stuff i hear from people. But sadly i wasn't that fast to wiki about this person [:(]. After doing a google about this guys name i found this wonderfull video. Please takeout some time of yours and see what this guy has to talk about "Global Inequality".

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9078987899127917834

Hats off to this guy for such a great knowledge base !!!