Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Somehow ...
I find it difficult to tolerate stupid people. Or rather non-stupid people who behave stupid.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Labels In Gmail
Wouldn't it be a better idea to sort them by the most frequently used ones than by alphabet ?
Monday, February 19, 2007
I Want To ...
These days I feel like I want to talk to my friends and then hesitate about it. Why should I talk anyway ? Will it be a waste of time ? Will they genuinely want to talk to me or will they just say something out of decorum without being bothered ? Won't it be better if I just try to work things out myself without talking to anyone ? Just by surfing the internet ? Won't my time be better spent just listening to music if all I want is a bit of relaxation ?
Am I wrong in thinking all this ?
Am I wrong in thinking all this ?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Orkut Friends
I realize that Orkut puts on your homepage profiles of your friends who have most recently logged in, but like 99% of the time most of these are those you hardly ever want to interact with. I mean it is such an annoyance, I would like to see the face of my good friend when I log in, but all I get is some random acquaintance; who I haven't seen in years, who I am not going to and don't want to see or interact with for a long time to come. Seriously, this social networking site needs to do some thinking as to what the user expectations are and whether they are being satisfied. Or maybe, I am just using it wrong. I wonder whether the "Rank your friends" feature which I have never touched so far, works to alleviate the problem.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
What Do You Make Of It ?
When you want to write but don't have the patience to put the words on the paper (or type them in the document) ?
When you want to talk to a friend but don't think you have the patience to listen to him/her or even continue talking ?
When you want to achieve something but don't have the patience to knuckle down and put in the hard work ?
When you want to tidy your room but have a readymade excuse of having a lot of work piled up so that you don't even start ?
When you want to set your life in order but are overwhelmed by short-term deadlines, minor temptations and laziness ?
What do you do ?
When you want to talk to a friend but don't think you have the patience to listen to him/her or even continue talking ?
When you want to achieve something but don't have the patience to knuckle down and put in the hard work ?
When you want to tidy your room but have a readymade excuse of having a lot of work piled up so that you don't even start ?
When you want to set your life in order but are overwhelmed by short-term deadlines, minor temptations and laziness ?
What do you do ?
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Indian Of The Year
It is that time of the year (or maybe, was, a couple of weeks ago) when all TV channels, newspapers and other agencies would be jumping up and down to present their own such awards - to people like Amitabh Bachchan and Sonia Gandhi, to Sachin Tendulkar (that is just a fad) to Narayan Murthy etc. etc. the usual suspects – some deserving, some not so much. I feel this year the award should go to Umesh, the owner of our Kirana Maalacha Dukaan (Grocery Store). Okay, let me make it clear, that I wish to give the award not so much to Umesh, the person, but the category of people and the form of business he represents.
Grocery store owners are for long taken for granted in India, at least in Pune. They go about their job quietly, they deliver us goods of our day-to-day necessities at very reasonable prices and barely anyone even notices them. In many ways they are like good umpires or wicket-keepers whose inconspicuousness is a testimonial to their superb efficient work.
The reason for this post at this time is because of some of the experiences I had in Pune during my current visit here. These experiences emphasized and reinforced upon me the professionalism of these Kirana Maal Dukaandars in stark contrast to some of the so-called modern enterprises around.
Firstly, at Pappillon, one of the well-known and hi-fi parlors in the city – where when I went in rather than be greeted at the desk by the receptionist I was affronted by a couple of guys who refused to say anything but just muttered something under their breath, leaving it up to me to explain to them what it was that I wanted and also almost how they should go about it. As if that was not enough they asked me to go into the changing room while someone was still in there. So much for consumer-friendliness.
Then when I went to get a prepaid mobile phone card at the Idea showroom at the intersection of Bhandarkar Road and Law College Road, I walked in into utter chaos. Apparently there is a system there where you need to take coupons but nowhere was this written and I had to ask someone at one of the desks who indignantly asked me to take a coupon with an attitude that reeked of “Isn’t it obvious ? Why the hell do you have to disturb me?” Of course, I realized that with this attitude it was quite meaningless to ask how to go about using the coupon machine or which code denoted which service which was most unintuitive, needless to add. After working my way through this little puzzle, I waited for an hour (because that was all the time I had) and did not receive service (because specific desks were servicing specific types of requests and unfortunately for me the gals who were supposed to serve me were flitting on and off their desks every ten minutes or were downright incompetent). The same thing happened when I tried my luck again in the evening and only when I was about to leave frustrated a second time did one of the more sensible gals come around checked my request and told me that instead of waiting around I could simply go to the cashier’s desk at the back of the office and get things started. Duh!
So the next time that I needed to get my card recharged I was shaking in apprehension when my mother told me that recharging can also be done at Umesh. Within moments he had put me to ease. I asked him if we could recharge the card here, sure, he said. He asked for the phone number, the amount to be recharged and within seconds I was through.
As a consumer what I look for most is satisfaction – and that depends on various factors – professionalism, reliability, consumer-friendliness, efficiency all qualities embedded by Umesh and like and sorely lacking in these so-called new modernized places.
We should salute these people who do so much for the society simply by going about their jobs with such great proficiency and providing satisfaction and reliability to consumers. Not for them any great façade of sophistication or any altruistic manifestations. He is my Indian Of The Year.
Grocery store owners are for long taken for granted in India, at least in Pune. They go about their job quietly, they deliver us goods of our day-to-day necessities at very reasonable prices and barely anyone even notices them. In many ways they are like good umpires or wicket-keepers whose inconspicuousness is a testimonial to their superb efficient work.
The reason for this post at this time is because of some of the experiences I had in Pune during my current visit here. These experiences emphasized and reinforced upon me the professionalism of these Kirana Maal Dukaandars in stark contrast to some of the so-called modern enterprises around.
Firstly, at Pappillon, one of the well-known and hi-fi parlors in the city – where when I went in rather than be greeted at the desk by the receptionist I was affronted by a couple of guys who refused to say anything but just muttered something under their breath, leaving it up to me to explain to them what it was that I wanted and also almost how they should go about it. As if that was not enough they asked me to go into the changing room while someone was still in there. So much for consumer-friendliness.
Then when I went to get a prepaid mobile phone card at the Idea showroom at the intersection of Bhandarkar Road and Law College Road, I walked in into utter chaos. Apparently there is a system there where you need to take coupons but nowhere was this written and I had to ask someone at one of the desks who indignantly asked me to take a coupon with an attitude that reeked of “Isn’t it obvious ? Why the hell do you have to disturb me?” Of course, I realized that with this attitude it was quite meaningless to ask how to go about using the coupon machine or which code denoted which service which was most unintuitive, needless to add. After working my way through this little puzzle, I waited for an hour (because that was all the time I had) and did not receive service (because specific desks were servicing specific types of requests and unfortunately for me the gals who were supposed to serve me were flitting on and off their desks every ten minutes or were downright incompetent). The same thing happened when I tried my luck again in the evening and only when I was about to leave frustrated a second time did one of the more sensible gals come around checked my request and told me that instead of waiting around I could simply go to the cashier’s desk at the back of the office and get things started. Duh!
So the next time that I needed to get my card recharged I was shaking in apprehension when my mother told me that recharging can also be done at Umesh. Within moments he had put me to ease. I asked him if we could recharge the card here, sure, he said. He asked for the phone number, the amount to be recharged and within seconds I was through.
As a consumer what I look for most is satisfaction – and that depends on various factors – professionalism, reliability, consumer-friendliness, efficiency all qualities embedded by Umesh and like and sorely lacking in these so-called new modernized places.
We should salute these people who do so much for the society simply by going about their jobs with such great proficiency and providing satisfaction and reliability to consumers. Not for them any great façade of sophistication or any altruistic manifestations. He is my Indian Of The Year.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
OBC Day In India
OBC Day In India
The OBC reservation bill in institutes of higher education in India (IITs and IIMs primarily) received the approval of President Kalam today. That was the final nail in the coffin of what has been a gruesome murder of democracy in this country. Around the middle of last year, students all over India from all fields had risen up in protest against the draconian act. Yet it was mercilessly, dictatorially, systematically and in former Sovietesque fashion destroyed. All over the country the bright young minds of the country that were supposed to shape its future were fired at and lathicharged by dispassionate police officers. Worse, the media who are so eager to jump upon stories of old men predicting their deaths and the like unprotestingly kept quiet on the whole issue upon Government orders. The uprising of 1857 could not have been crushed more efficiently. Of course, maybe this revolt suffered from some of the same flaws as did the 1857 rising - lack of leadership, coordination being the primary ones.
And now, just last week Ram Vilas Paswan that great philanthropist has thrown in the idea of a countrywide stir if there is no reservation implemented in the private sector jobs. Im sure this particular uprising whenever it occurs will meet with a different ending. And we keep blabbering about the brain drain in this country.
Meanwhile, the headlines in today's Indian Express talks about this affirmative action plan. From the first look, it seems to be a good idea. Of course I read on and realize that this is to be implemented on top of the quota system and that is no real help at all. But still I believe I shall be supporting it as at least it is probably the first step towards not increasing the quota anymore. The factors mentioned in the article make a lot of sense too.
The OBC reservation bill in institutes of higher education in India (IITs and IIMs primarily) received the approval of President Kalam today. That was the final nail in the coffin of what has been a gruesome murder of democracy in this country. Around the middle of last year, students all over India from all fields had risen up in protest against the draconian act. Yet it was mercilessly, dictatorially, systematically and in former Sovietesque fashion destroyed. All over the country the bright young minds of the country that were supposed to shape its future were fired at and lathicharged by dispassionate police officers. Worse, the media who are so eager to jump upon stories of old men predicting their deaths and the like unprotestingly kept quiet on the whole issue upon Government orders. The uprising of 1857 could not have been crushed more efficiently. Of course, maybe this revolt suffered from some of the same flaws as did the 1857 rising - lack of leadership, coordination being the primary ones.
And now, just last week Ram Vilas Paswan that great philanthropist has thrown in the idea of a countrywide stir if there is no reservation implemented in the private sector jobs. Im sure this particular uprising whenever it occurs will meet with a different ending. And we keep blabbering about the brain drain in this country.
Meanwhile, the headlines in today's Indian Express talks about this affirmative action plan. From the first look, it seems to be a good idea. Of course I read on and realize that this is to be implemented on top of the quota system and that is no real help at all. But still I believe I shall be supporting it as at least it is probably the first step towards not increasing the quota anymore. The factors mentioned in the article make a lot of sense too.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Why ?
I would like to ask people the question - Why ?
Why did you leave and never call back again ?
Why don't you pick up the phone ?
Why don't you ever remember me enough to just call ?
Why don't you feel like just hanging out ?
Why do you promise to meet and then forget ?
Why can't you find time out of your busy schedule ?
Why ?
Why did you leave and never call back again ?
Why don't you pick up the phone ?
Why don't you ever remember me enough to just call ?
Why don't you feel like just hanging out ?
Why do you promise to meet and then forget ?
Why can't you find time out of your busy schedule ?
Why ?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Meeting Old Friends
It is always great to meet old friends. Met one such this morning. It was a fine moment.
Monday, October 09, 2006
You Know Something Is Wrong When ...
... you actually feel like shutting off the music you are listening to and prefer silence instead.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Kaahee Vattel Te Stats
http://www.atptennis.com/1/en/newsandscores/news/news2.asp
Take a look at this.
1. Marcos Baghdatis becomes the first Cypriot to win an ATP title. OKAY.
2. Baghdatis added 34 INDESIT ATP Race points to his season's total to edge past American James Blake at No. 8 in the Race. OKAY
3. Baghdatis, who this year reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semifinals, had not won an ATP event before today. OKAY
4. He finished last year at No. 73 in the INDESIT ATP Race with a modest 11-12 match record on the year. But Baghdatis boasts a 36-17 record in 2006. OKAY
But now take a look at this:
Of the 133 players who have ranked in the Top 10 (since 1973), Baghdatis is one of only three players to break into the Top 10 before winning his first career ATP title. The others are Cedric Pioline, ranked in Top 10 in Oct. 1993 before winning his first title in Mar. 1996; and Mikael Pernfors, who broke the Top 10 in Sept. 1986 before winning his first title in Sept. 1988.
I mean COME ON ! The stuff these stats junkies will come up with !!!
Take a look at this.
1. Marcos Baghdatis becomes the first Cypriot to win an ATP title. OKAY.
2. Baghdatis added 34 INDESIT ATP Race points to his season's total to edge past American James Blake at No. 8 in the Race. OKAY
3. Baghdatis, who this year reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semifinals, had not won an ATP event before today. OKAY
4. He finished last year at No. 73 in the INDESIT ATP Race with a modest 11-12 match record on the year. But Baghdatis boasts a 36-17 record in 2006. OKAY
But now take a look at this:
Of the 133 players who have ranked in the Top 10 (since 1973), Baghdatis is one of only three players to break into the Top 10 before winning his first career ATP title. The others are Cedric Pioline, ranked in Top 10 in Oct. 1993 before winning his first title in Mar. 1996; and Mikael Pernfors, who broke the Top 10 in Sept. 1986 before winning his first title in Sept. 1988.
I mean COME ON ! The stuff these stats junkies will come up with !!!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Pal - An Instant
Instants in time are so important in determining the course of the future. Instants can define ages to follow or several years of time might often boil down to one instant.
How often is it that you realise that only if at that instant you had done something differently how different things could have been for the next few weeks, months, years ? How often do you feel that all those years of hard work will bear fruit or be wasted depending upon what happens in the next upcoming instant ?
Unfortunately once instants are past it is very difficult to alter the outcome it has set into motion. It is very difficult to undo. The only way out is to wait for the next instant and hope it happens right then.
How often is it that you realise that only if at that instant you had done something differently how different things could have been for the next few weeks, months, years ? How often do you feel that all those years of hard work will bear fruit or be wasted depending upon what happens in the next upcoming instant ?
Unfortunately once instants are past it is very difficult to alter the outcome it has set into motion. It is very difficult to undo. The only way out is to wait for the next instant and hope it happens right then.
Absolutely NOTHING Justifies Violation Of Freedom
Here, Amit Varma gives his opinions on the incident in which a Mumbai blogger was "assaulted, abused and kicked out" of a cinema hall in Mumbai because he did not stand during the playing of the national anthem.
I must say like most times I agree. Whether or not to stand up while the national anthem is played is a matter of personal choice and while I would ALWAYS stand I have NO right to FORCE others to do the same. Convince, yes, force, NO.
If someone refuses to stand it is up to you to form your opinions of that person. Personally that would concern me just a bit, even offend me, but since that in no way violates any of my freedoms I have no right to use force whatsoever.
In this regard the comparison he makes to the Indian lawyer being evicted out of a first class compartment in South Africa is extremely pertinent.
I must say like most times I agree. Whether or not to stand up while the national anthem is played is a matter of personal choice and while I would ALWAYS stand I have NO right to FORCE others to do the same. Convince, yes, force, NO.
If someone refuses to stand it is up to you to form your opinions of that person. Personally that would concern me just a bit, even offend me, but since that in no way violates any of my freedoms I have no right to use force whatsoever.
In this regard the comparison he makes to the Indian lawyer being evicted out of a first class compartment in South Africa is extremely pertinent.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Miss
So Monday I missed the 8.45 bus and missed class. And I didn't really regret it. But today I woke up a good 2 hours earlier and still missed the 8.45 bus because I lazed around and didn't regret it either. And then now I missed the 9.15 bus and I don't regret that either.Really what has led to this apathy ?
Friday, September 01, 2006
AGASSI AGASSI AGASSI
There is no topic creating more buzz in the news at the moment than that man Andre Agassi. At age 37 he has beaten a guy 16 years his junior who was probably born by the time Agassi played his first US Open - 21 years ago. And how !
The Official US Open website described the match as an instant classic, John McEnroe hailed it as one of the greatest matches ever and virtually everyone agreed it was worthy of a Grand Slam final.
For believe you me, Baghdatis was a worthy opponent. The quality of tennis throughout this fascinating game full of twists and turns was quite supreme.
Agassi just never fails to deliver. I would have said he never ceases to surprise but really it is not a surprise anymore. Yes, Baghdatis was the #8 player in the World, the finalist in Melbourne and semi-finalist at Wimbledon this year. But put him in front of a New York crowd at night and Agassi discovers an extra wing to his game - that quite simply miraculously lifts him several planes higher. How else can you explain this amazing display of tennis after what has been a perfectly mediocre year for him hampered by injuries ?
How else can you explain his dramatic run to the finals last year after again an average season and at one point giving King Federer something to think hard about in the finals ??
Fingers crossed and I would not like to look too far ahead .... but I can't resist myself counting the number of games .... Benjamin Becker next round, then possibly Roddick, Hewitt, Nadal and the Swiss King again in the finals ??
Well what's the harm in dreaming ?? Then again, is it really an impossible dream ??
GO ANDRE !!!!
The Official US Open website described the match as an instant classic, John McEnroe hailed it as one of the greatest matches ever and virtually everyone agreed it was worthy of a Grand Slam final.
For believe you me, Baghdatis was a worthy opponent. The quality of tennis throughout this fascinating game full of twists and turns was quite supreme.
Agassi just never fails to deliver. I would have said he never ceases to surprise but really it is not a surprise anymore. Yes, Baghdatis was the #8 player in the World, the finalist in Melbourne and semi-finalist at Wimbledon this year. But put him in front of a New York crowd at night and Agassi discovers an extra wing to his game - that quite simply miraculously lifts him several planes higher. How else can you explain this amazing display of tennis after what has been a perfectly mediocre year for him hampered by injuries ?
How else can you explain his dramatic run to the finals last year after again an average season and at one point giving King Federer something to think hard about in the finals ??
Fingers crossed and I would not like to look too far ahead .... but I can't resist myself counting the number of games .... Benjamin Becker next round, then possibly Roddick, Hewitt, Nadal and the Swiss King again in the finals ??
Well what's the harm in dreaming ?? Then again, is it really an impossible dream ??
GO ANDRE !!!!
Hurt
Sometimes you actually look forward to help people. And then they kind of reject that help telling you that in effect you are not needed. Somtimes that can hurt. Even though you have not actually gone out of your way to help that person. Or you might not even be looking forward to doing that particular task. Hell, you might not even care for that person so much. But when you are effectively told you are not wanted it can and does hurt.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Dirty Secrets
Why are people secretive ? Really, I hate secrets and secretive people, sometimes. Especially when they are friends.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Where Everyone Wins
So Hitler’s Cross has decided to change its name and theme. Apparently and I am willing to believe this, the owners had purely publicity in mind when selecting these in the first place and not any particular lover or admiration for the man. Well, they got what they wanted.
The ones who were disgusted with this got what they wanted to – in effect, a name change. I am happy that it did not have to go to the stage of violence and coercion. Well, public pressure worked.
The ones who were disgusted with this got what they wanted to – in effect, a name change. I am happy that it did not have to go to the stage of violence and coercion. Well, public pressure worked.
SHOCKED ...
- that we should be so shocked about this story. After all what is the reason to expect anything else ?
Seriously, such trivial matters should not be making front page news at all.
Seriously, such trivial matters should not be making front page news at all.
SHE'S BACK !
Martina Hingis may have lost in the finals of the Canadian Open to Ana Ivanovic but it is clear that the Swiss Miss is back and back with a bang. After reaching the semifinals she has returned to the Top 10 for the first time since 2002 at a lofty height where compatriots like Serena and Venus Williams, her ineffectiveness against whose power game allegedly forced her out, nowhere close in contention. Way to go. Such are the ups and downs of sport.
Here the Swiss Miss says
"At the beginning of the year if you had asked me if I'd make the Top 10, I'd kiss your hand and say, 'Well, yes, of course I'll take it.' But now I'm making it and I see those girls really fight to earn their spot; you always want more. Of course, I'm frustrated losing the finals, but all you can do is keep your head up; there's certainly some things I have to work on before the US Open."
What are the odds on a Federer-Hingis double blast at a Grand Slam tournament in the near future ?
Here the Swiss Miss says
"At the beginning of the year if you had asked me if I'd make the Top 10, I'd kiss your hand and say, 'Well, yes, of course I'll take it.' But now I'm making it and I see those girls really fight to earn their spot; you always want more. Of course, I'm frustrated losing the finals, but all you can do is keep your head up; there's certainly some things I have to work on before the US Open."
What are the odds on a Federer-Hingis double blast at a Grand Slam tournament in the near future ?
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