5 Things to do in 2012

Disclaimer: This blog is not about new year resolutions!

This blog is not about resolutions, its about doing things this year, for ourselves and for others, things different than what we have been doing already. I am sure, many of us would already be following a few of the things mentioned below, but then we can always take on the other things mentioned in the list.

Go ahead, let pamper ourselves and support others!

1. Switch To a Smart Phone: I am sure half of us have already migrated to a smart phone. But in case, you still are using the age old instrument, it is the right time migrate to a smart phone. And contrary to the popular belief, smart phone are not costly. They come in various price ranges. Select a phone that suits your objective as well as gives you extra features.

Gone are the days when phones used to be used only to make calls and send messages. Learn about the applications, interfaces and functions. Move on with this world.

Already a smartphone user, then go in for a Tablet. A Tablet bridges many gaps left between a smartphone and a laptop. Its time to get connected.

2. Start a Blog: “For me, writing is exploration; and most of the time, I'm surprised where the journey takes me” says Jack Dann.

Everyone, all of us, have a way of expressing ourselves. Blogging is an independent way of expressing ourselves. Believe me, you do not know what writing has in store for you until you start writing. The best way to start is to log on to blogger or wordpress, sign in and start writing!

For more on the topic, read - http://bit.ly/fehjZq

3. Donate Clothes: What do you do with your old clothes? Throw them away or give it to needy? In case you throw them away or dispose them in a disorderly manner, this year make it a point to give it to someone needy. The best way is to donate clothes is to give it to the needy, yourself. Look around, you would find many people in this chilly weather, with scarce clothes. Give them with your own hands.

In case, you are not able to give it/donate it yourself, contact any of these NGOs. They will be more than happy to get the spare clothes collected from your house and distribute it the needy and poor.

4. Connect To Yourself, Spiritually: These days, being an atheist is a fashion. Ask any youngster and  he will convince us why not to believe in god and narrate concepts of how he is already connected to the humanity. Sadly, only a few of them actually do things in real life to connect them to the source.

This year, lets take a step backwards. Connect with ourselves - Spiritually. Take up some activity that you feel comfortable doing, however small it may seem. Visit a temple. Talk to a spiritual leader. Watch some spiritual discourses. Meditate.

And, make it a habit.

First connect with ourselves, then think about connecting to humanity and greater concepts like these. Lets strengthen our basics this year. This is the right time.

5. Take a Wine Tour: I am sure we all have heard about this tour before. This year is an year to divulge in pleasures of nature. Go ahead, welcome yourselves to Nashik, India's Napa Valley, the Wine Capital of India. A place with heavenly natural beauty, lush green valleys and vineyards, Nashik is an excellent spot for vineyard tours and a much sought after weekend gateway. The wine guide will take you through the vineyards and will give you interesting inputs about wine and you could see for yourself the intricate process of wine making. The best part of the tour is that you get to taste some of the best wines of Nashik valley.

And if you are not really a wine enthusiast, this is a brilliant opportunity for you to be a part of a fascinating journey that goes much beyond just wine.

To read more on this, check out - http://www.thewineclub.in/ and http://www.winetourindia.com/

And finally, i am sure, many of us would already be doing many of the things mentioned above. And there would be many other things you would have planned to do new this year. Do share about it to other readers, by putting it in our comments block below.

And thanks in advance for your contributions and comments!!!

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Celebrate This Christmas: By Making A Difference

Christmas or ‘Bada Din’ (in Hindi), is celebrated with much fervour here in India. The unique thing about Indian Christmas is that it combines the traditions from the Western Christian world with several Indian customs.

While we all await (or awaited in our younger days) getting gifts from Santa Claus, there are a few kids who around us who continue with their routine indifferent to this festival of gifts and celebrations.

This Christmas, lets get together and make a difference.

The organisation: There are organisations who have taken up the social responsibility beautify the lives of such under privileged children. Project Nanhi Kali was initiated in 1996 by the K C Mahindra Education Trust (KCMET) with the aim of providing primary education to underprivileged girl children in India. 

 

Our Team – Social Panti: we are a group of tweeters and bloggers and our team is called #SocailPanti.

Our Contribution: This Christmas, together we, you and us, lets contribute to bring festivities in the lives of the these kids.

We will send one festive greeting card to them on you behalf when you place a request. You just have to place your request in the comments box below.

The First Step Makes The Difference: In case you have been waiting to make a difference and haven't found the right medium to do so, this is the right time.

Put in a request in the comment box and we will celebrate the festivity with these kids by sending them your love via a card, specially on your behalf. Do mention your name in the request.

The next step is to log on to Nanhi Kali’s website and contribute more - http://www.nanhikali.org

So, take the first step and start contributing to the society. and celebrate Christmas by making a difference.

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Social Media Club: The Tweet Up

The Club: The Social Media Club Mumbai is the local chapter of the international Social Media Club Group. They connect and collaborate on all things within the realm of social media, especially those within the India context.

The Tweet up: The main agenda of this tweet up was Extending Social Campaigns For Offline Activations.

As a part of this, a few Case Studies were presented. Specifically, on extending Social Media to drive offline activations to get a 360 degree synced campaign including case studies on:
a) Sula Wines
b) Cadbury Bourneville
c) ITC Classmate
d) Oakley
The Speakers:
Harshil Karia, Co Founder FoxyMoron [Twitter: @harshilkaria ]
Sanjay Mehta, Founder, Social Wavelength [Twitter: @sm63 ]
Amrita Kumar, Managing Partner, Candid Marketing [Twitter: @amrita_kumar ]

My Takeaways: Being a social media enthusiast, I had gone to the event to get an insight on real social media scenario. And as the presentations progressed, I realised they were amazing. A few things that excited me about this tweet up:

1. The Case Studies: The speakers presented the case studies in interesting ways, including incorporating videos in the presentations. Each case study was discussed in detail, and were targeted towards offline activations. In short, the case study were totally engrossing.

2. The Personal Interactions: Tweet ups give us tweeps a chance to meet people in person. This tweet up was special because of the richness of the crowd. A whole lot of Industry experts as well as tweeps from various communities were present. I also got a chance to meet quite a few young entrepreneurs in digital media field. Specially, the interaction with Ankita Gaba, where we discussed social media and our individual role in it, was enlightening

3. The Venue/ The Food: The Venue and the food, specially organised by Food Ka Mood were amazing. They made sure the participants were comfortable and made the event memorable.

The Conclusion: If you are a social media enthusiast and if you have missed this event, you have missed something. And make sure you block your calendar for the next event so that you don't miss this amazing social media event. 

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AFSPA– A First Person View

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is probably the most controversial laws governing the armed forces in India. The law has been debated since years now and yet no specific conclusion has been arrived at. For the ones who are new to this AFSPA law, It confreres special powers upon armed forces in disturbed areas of the country. (J & K and North Eastern States)

Lately, it has become a trend for any political critic to condemn this law. Just by stating the powers conferred by the law, and adding a few negative adjectives to it, they have effectively mislead the common man against the law.

I have only one question against it. How many critics have actually been there on ground and have truly understood the real situation?

The answer would be none, because then they would have not been campaigning against it. Most of the armed forces soldiers would agree that they have been maintaining peace mainly because of the leverages given by this law. Contradictory to the popular belief, no solider is looking for reasons to break it. In fact, he always tries to maintain the constrain. But sadly, the common man is always made to believe otherwise.

Before we move on, let me emphasise here that in most of these states, our armed forces are fighting war against our own countrymen. They are called insurgents, who generate support from the common people for their terror movement. Even in Kashmir, where we face the problems of cross border terrorism, they essentially have a network of local supporters.

Now considering this ground reality, I have a proposition to make - Go ahead and remove the AFSPA.

Yes, go ahead and do it. But take a while before coming to any conclusion in haste. Do you know the consequences of removing the act? No, you seriously dont know.

It is like amputing your leg because you have a blister and it has been presented to you as cancer.

I agree that there may have been a few cases where this law would have been misused, but they are purely because of a few irresponsible individuals, rather than as a guiding policy of the forces.

My opinion on this topic is simple. Remove the AFSPA. Simply because people wont understand its importance, until it is removed. Let people burn their fingers first. And then ask the AFSPA to be reinstated again. Because critics sitting in their homes, wont realise the importance of the act till they themselves are affected by the absence of this law. And sadly, the repercussions of removing this law is not just limited to these affected states. It will gradually spill over to other states. And then to your neighbouring cities. and finally to your home.

So if you are already ready to comment on this article, take a moment or two and consider the fact that you have been just commenting on things you dont even know about, havent seen it in first person or just have heard some opinion from some third person who makes a living by making news out of nothing. Just for money.

And still if you strongly feel about it, I totally agree with you. Remove the act completely. And let the people learn from experience. And then reinstate the law again. I just hope that it is not too late by then.

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Twitter Handle: Your Virtual Signature

Tips for appropriate and effective naming of Twitter handles

First impression is the last impression. Be it real world or the virtual world.

It is seen that the decision to follow any handle is taken within first 4 to 5 seconds. Although there are many other factors influencing that decision (like the bio, the interests, the no of followers, the DP etc) but the most important function of getting a person on your profile page is done by your handle. It is your brand ambassador.

People conclude a lot of thing about you, just by looking at your handle. Like -

• Your Personality and style
• Your Originality
• Your Creativity
• And the most important, your brand

The most common format of any personal handle is “First name – Last name” and any corporate handle is “Company Name”. But sometimes, it makes the handle look bland.

Here are a few tips that will help make your handle appropriate and effective.

Tips: The following points may be considered while deciding your handle.

The attitude

Your handle is your attitude. The twitter protocol gives us the flexibility to choose any name as a handle. (And not necessarily the email protocol, which is first name – last name). Hence, you can choose and pick from the available list of names. But like your tattoo, it should define your attitude. It may be simple, responsible, mature, arrogant or angry. Like the handle @BeingSalmanKhan highlights the aura of the well known actor.

The Handle Name – Dos and Donts

1. Under scores – They are a total no-no. You may use it to differentiate first name and last name, but anything beyond that is a total turn off. And yes, not more than one underscore. (unless creatively used)
2. Numbers – Adding a number beyond your handle gives an impression that you are not creative enough and a novice on twitter. Like @Ralphsmith07
3. Repetitions – To get somewhere near to the particular handle, many tweeps repeat some alphabets. (just to sound like the handle). Eg - @TechnoGuyyy. Totally Avoid as it gives an impressions of a wannabe.
4. Capitalise – Although twitter is generally not bothered about capital letters in a handle, but i personally recommend that in case the handle contains two words, we should capitalise the first alphabets of both the words for better making the handle simple. Like instead of @barackobama it is aptly named as @BarackObama

The length

The length of the handle should ideally be within 10 characters. This is because the limit of any tweet is 140 characters. In case anyone wants to retweet you, you eat up their much needed space. Also, ideally, ever tweet needs to be well within 120 characters for the ease of ReTweeting.

Creativity

Finally, you may not get the handle you plan for. But that shouldn’t drive you to resort to using any of the easier ways (mentioned in point 2). Be creative. Think of some handle that explains your purpose and attitude. There are many, we just need to think out of the box. As mine is a casual handle, i ve named it a pure waste! (which also rhymes with my name). and the casual @MischievousMonk shows how the handle is a white mischief (Vodka) and old monk (Rum) lover!

Conclusion

Twitter has a casual way of being. And the handle acts as your signature on this virtual world. It defines you. Be it official, informal or purely casual. And dont worry if you already have a handle. You can change it at any point in time, to suit your style. After all, It is the virtual world’s first point of contact with you.

As they say, “Well begun, is half done”

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Book Review - Chanakya’s Chant

You are an exceptional young man. You are extremely analytical. You work in the most unorthodox manner and morally unacceptable to the ways of world. You are a strategist. And Your father is killed by the king of Magadh.

This is a story of a man who was destined to go down the history as a Master Strategist. Chanakya. So exceptional was this man, that he has managed to leave his foot prints in our lives in some way or the other. Be it strategic discussions in board rooms of companies or the army fighting in a battle field. Even a simple game of chess is converted into set of complex game plans by following his thoughts.

The Story:

This is one of those story told in the most amazing manner, slick and fast paced.

But don't get confused about this book being just an piece of history narrated yet again. The author masterfully manages to weave a beautiful story around it. To give you a glimpse, there are two parallel stories running simultaneously. There is one around Chanakya, revolves around the period of 340 BC. And then we have the second story, two and a half thousand years ahead in time, revolving around Pandit Gangasagar Mishra, in whom we distinctly see the glimpses of the master strategist.

Where the author manages to score in his story telling skills is when he starts seamlessly converging between these two stories. The author tactfully takes us through the journey of the lives of both these men in a manner we can see the life of Gangasagar overlapping with the life of his guru, Chanakya. And you are left with carving for more.

At one end we start reading about Chanakya who revenges his fathers death by overthrowing him and getting Chandragupta Maurya  to throne by using his shrewd skills (aptly summed up into Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed) and then we progress into the second tale where Gangasagar is seen using his shrewd skills to throne his daughter as the prime minister of India.

Things to look out for:

The story telling is slick. The pace of the story is fast, compels the reader to think what comes next. Before one realises, we would have reached the climax of the story and are left carving for more.

All in all, this masterpiece from Ashwin Sanghi will highly interest you if you like reading fast paced stories. The juggling between the stories will keep you engrossed till the end. The history angle to it, makes the book an interesting read.

About the author:

An entrepreneur by profession, Ashwin Sanghi writes extensively on history, religion and politics in his spare time, but historical fiction in the thriller genre is his passion and hobby. 

Ashwin Sanghi holds a masters degree from Yale. He is an entrepreneur by profession, but historical fiction in the thriller genre is his passion and hobby. He believes that every writer has a unique DNA and says that his DNA is composed of: history, mythology, theology, suspense, mystery, and conspiracy.

He lives in India with his wife Anushika and son Raghuvir.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

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FIVE STYLES OF TWEETING: And what we can learn from them

Twitter Fact: Twitter is addictive *only* once you master the Art of Tweeting.

In this article, I will discuss five prominent styles of tweeting. All the handles that have been chosen have their own styles, according to their objective of being on twitter. Broadly, the five prominent styles of tweeting would be :

1. Formal Corporate Handle
   
2. Casual Corporate Handle
   
3. Random Tweeter
   
4. Traffic Generator
   
5. Personal Handle

These style have been elaborated further:

Style 1 : Formal Corporate Handle 

Example - @htTweets

Tweets Like:

-> US Senate rejects House debt bill, seeks compromisev http://read.ht/Bm4 #USdebt #ht

-> Flash: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa says he would resign tomorrow afternoon #ht

Characteristic Features of this Style: 

1. Very formal way of tweeting
   
2. Tweets in specific time slots, except in urgent situations
   
3. 10 –12 tweets everytime the handle logs on
   
4. Uses Hash tags, shortened links extensively
   
5. Promotes personal Hash tags – #ht in all the tweets
   
6. No interaction with its followers, whatsoever

Objective: The main objective of this style of tweeting is to give fast and quick information  to the followers and generate traffic for its website. This style effectively does that.

Style 2 : Informal Corporate Handle (Read - Interactive Corporate Handle)

Example - @FostersAOC

Tweets Like:

-> Here's Nikita showcase of her favorite beer! Now that's what we call a chillled out showcase. http://fb.me/vFRaHrHh

-> Well @Hansikac just shared a link from her aunt's blog with us where she reviewed #FostersPET. http://t.co/wbDBWDF Awesome Review.

Characteristic Features of this Style: 

1. Extremely casual way of interacting
   
2. Highly interactive with all followers
   
3. Gets the followers engrossed by holding contests/ competition at regular intervals
   
4. Uses a lot of hash tags and shortened links to relevant pics and pages
   
5. Prominently showcases followers tweeting about them

Objective: The main objective of this kind of tweeting is to keep the followers ever engrossed in their products, Interactively and amusingly. Works well on twitter, as everyone is a bit casual here.

Style 3 : Random Tweeting 

Example – @Shakti_shetty

Tweets Like:

->  Her geometry has always been an area of concern to the perimeters of his mind.

->  I’m yet to see my foreseeable future.

-> “What’s the point in tweeting without replying?” “What’s the point in tweeting with replying?” “Nothing.” “Exactly.”

Characteristic Features of this Style: 

1. Tweets about totally random things and lets you conclude what it means
   
2. Effectively plays with minds, by leaving it totally random.
   
3. Mainly mixes well with words, rhyme and typos.
   
4. Tweets are perfectly scheduled to appear at regular intervals
   
5. Never uses a hash tag or short link. Rarely tweets about trending topics.
   
6. Rarely /Never replies to its followers. Thrives only on Retweets.

Objective: No specific objective, mainly for bouncing off thoughts. Differentiates the class. The reward is only Retweets.

Style 4 : Traffic Generator

Example – @Jhunjhunwala (of course, the fake rakesh jhunjhunwala!)

Tweets Like:

-> BBC: 860 people injured in Cairo, CNN: 10 people killed in Egypt , NDTV : Barkha's camera broken, India TV : Shiv Ling found under Cairo

-> Arnab Goswami has never finished a sentence his whole life because every time he starts to speak he ends up interrupting himself.

-> Pakistan never knows anything be it on Osama or 26/11 or Dawood.No wonder its always an INTELLIGENCE failure.

Characteristic Features of this Style: 

1. This handle tweets in its signature style. Complain about everything and make fun of everyone.
   
2. This handle has a dash of humour in all his tweets. Sometimes, even in ALL CAPS.
   
3. Targets specific people, events. In this handles case – like Arnab Goswami, Sonu Nigam, Munaf Patel.
   
4. Corollary: it trains its followers in what to expect from its tweets.
5. Highly interactive. Retweets all praising tweets. Like to be praised.

Objective: This handle amplifies reason behind the existence of almost everyone on twitter. “Appreciation”.This handles objective would be to make itself a brand out of its tweets. Now, the tweep also has earned a weekly column in Hindustan Times. Most Pseudo Celebrities on twitter revolve around this style, in varying levels.

Style 5 : Personal Handle 

Example –  @MadhuriBanerjee or @dkh9

Tweets Like:

-> Chai rusk aur aloo tikki. today's evening tea made specially keeping the weather in mind.

-> I might love the rains, but I need some Vitamin D now!

-> Bengali pet names are hilarious - khuku, babush, munmun. I've actually forgotten what my cousins' real names are!

Characteristic Features of this Style :

1. This is the most prominent style of tweeting. A very normal, down to earth style.
   
2. Most of them are personal tweets. Views, reviews, opinions and random.
   
3. They are highly interactive with their followers. Share a special bond.
   
4. This style may also be referred to as “Thinking Loud”. Highly impressive style.

Objective: To use twitter as a platform to publish your views, think loud. It is a highly personal style and can be used as a medium to rejuvenate. A good way to relax ones mind. Recommended for all personal handles.

Well, this brings us to the other prominent styles like the celebrity Handles, the ranting types, the complaining types or the bitching types.

All these styles are not worth commenting upon and are best left untouched.

Conclusion: It is highly recommended to adapt to any one style of tweeting and stick to it. of course, you should be creative inside that style. and It is also recommended to tweet on trending topics.

The only warning is: Do not cross over the line and start complaining about things here, however tempting it may be.

Did u find the article informative? leave a comment. Comments are the fuel that keeps a writer going. You can also follow me on twitter – @PureWaste

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Mastering the Art of Watching Movies!

Watching Movies is an Art

In other words, more than the overall quality of the movie, it is the experience of watching the movie which leaves an impact. Look down your memory lane and see how many movies you remember just because they left you with an experience. So, merely watching a movie is completely different from 'experiencing the movie'

So, wondering how to make, every movie you watch, a wonderful experience? Read on.

Set a context

Here I assume that you have already decided to watch a movie and have some spare time in hand. So, this is the right time to set a context for watching the movie. Some of the contexts can be:

• You want to just rest and recuperate
• You want to spend time with family or friends
• You want to spend the available spare time
• Or, you want to watch the movie for the star or the director or the plot
• The list is endless

The purpose of setting a context of watching a movie is to decide which can be a good movie to watch, to suit the mood.

You see, the thumb rule is that “The Movie Should Suit the Mood, and not the other way round”

Like for example, if I have to spend some spare time I will watch a Transformer or a Hangover. Preferably in a theater nearby, to enjoy the real effects of the movie. Or to spend the time with my family, I would watch a Baton Baton mein at home.

A direct comparison would be with eating. What would be the experience if you have Fried rice with Manchurian in breakfast or a Upma for lunch? It should Suit the mood, is the mantra.

Where to watch

 

These days, the options are numerous. However, my personal recommendation is to enjoy any movie it should be seen in a theater. However, it may happen that the movie may not be playing if it’s not a new movie. So, the options are:

• Watch at home. Check out the TV listing. Maybe the movie or a similar one is playing on your favorite channel.

• Buy a DVD. The quality of DVDs is generally true HD and gives you a true home theater experience.

• Request for a movie. If you own a DTH you may avail to their service of requesting for a movie. That ways you don’t need to buy a DVD.

• But Best option still remains the theater nearby.

The Warm Up before watching:

Before you decide a movie, follow this basic exercise, so as to not get disappointed later!

• Check out the reviews. Read the reviews by some established critic. Read what the movie is about. Understand the mood of the movie. The mood of the movie should suit your mood. That is when the movie becomes memorable. You should be generally aware of the plot of the movie before watching to avoid unforeseen surprises. These days, the technology being so fast, you need only 5 mins to check the review even while on the move.

One recommended site is IMDB for unbiased reviews

• But don’t go by the star ratings. The star ratings are generally given for over all movie performance. But if I am in a mood to spend time with friends, a “Hangover 2 “ or a “Transformer 3” may be a good option even though the movies weren’t overall rated well.

• Talk to people. In case you know someone who has already seen the movie, talk to them for their reviews. Though their views may still be biased, but it will still give you an overall view of what to expect from the movie. This generally works for new movies.

During the movie

The movie is an experience. It has to be experienced. A few things to be noted to make the movie a memorable experience

• Comfortable seating/setting. In case you are watching the movie at home, make sure you have a comfortable seating without much disturbance. Adjust the lights accordingly. If it is daytime, close the curtains to avoid direct sunlight on the TV screen. If you have a home theater, set it on for the best results. In short, be comfortable.

• “Switch Off” your mobile. It is always best to “Switch OFF” the mobile while watching a mobile. Here, switching off the mobile does not mean turning it to vibrator mode. Unnecessary calls, sms, mails may still disturb you in between.

• Popcorn! Arrange for your supplies. By popcorn, I mean anything that can be munched. Movies are best enjoyed with something to munch along with. Arrange for soft drinks. You will find that the thrillers and the horrors experience will be doubled with popcorns nearby

Go on, enjoy the movie!

The Follow up

Very Important. What makes the movie a complete experience is how you follow up after the movie. More or less, after the movie, you tend to discuss the movie. This gives the movie a broader perspective. Go on, be creative.

So, follow it up with a dinner. Go for a long drive. Get pizzas on the way. Cozy up in the home.

This movie will now stay long in your memory. Even if the movie was not particularly good, the experience will still stay in your memory.

Finally

Watching a movie is an art. The more creative you are, the more you will enjoy watching it. Even the moderate movies.

If you think the article is worth a comment, leave one. By the way, each of your comment is an experience for me! Cheers! Follow @PureWaste

Teri Maka SAKI NAKA

If you are wondering what is Saki Naka, remember the famous dialogue of GolMaal 3, Kareena Kapoor going “Teri Maka, Saki Naka”!!!?? Read on for why it is so.

SAKI NAKA IS A PHENOMENON. It is history in making. It is a landmark on the map of Mumbai. Factually speaking, it is one of the traffic junctions of Mumbai.

 Saki Naka is located in the central part of Mumbai. It is like the elder brother of all the traffic junctions, who carries the weight of the entire traffic family. (And also of the budhi Maa and the andhi behen). Virtually, the entire traffic of Mumbai passes through this junction once in their life time. (Well of course, because it takes you at least fifty years to cross this junction).

Geographically, this is Saki Naka.

But Actually, SAKI NAKA IS AN EMOTION. Well, one of those emotions that you see on your face when you put in the extra pressure, straight from the heart going down through the stomach and further below when you sit down for the early morning shit.

YES, THE SAME EXACT EMOTION.

Why is it a Phenomenon: a few interesting facts about Saki Naka


Saki Naka Schemes The BEST (Mumbai transportation dept) should come up with a ticket valid for one week specially for passengers travelling through Saki Naka. You see, you never know how much time it may take to cross the NAKA!! While travelling through the junction in public transport, you can get down and do your daily shopping, Ghar ki kahridi, catch up with old friends over a drink or even watch a movie. When you come back, you will still find the bus standing where you had left it.

Saki Naka ready vehicles There are a new customized vehicles that are Saki Naka ready. They have a refrigerator with a week’s stock inside. It has a wardrobe, and an inbuilt washroom also. Yes, you need all this if you have to cross Saki Naka. But there is no TV in these vehicles, as travelling through Saki Naka in itself is wholesome entertainment.

Saki Naka Allowance The Corporates and the companies located near the junction have come up with a new allowance to sustain their employees. It is called the Saki Naka Allowance. It is probably twice their package, but then work traffic balance bhi to koi cheez hai.

 Seven Hills hospital case study There was a case study done at the Seven Hills hospitals near Saki Naka, and it was found that they have never attended to any cardiac arrest case. NEVER. Actually, nobody ever survives the traffic.

Yes, they have attended to a couple of cases of cardiac arrest but they were the people who got heart attacks waiting through eternity in the traffic jam.

This is not all. The emotion is has been expressed in all forms. Allow me to present the song on the EMOTION called Saki Naka –

http://bit.ly/h7ZZio

Go on, listen to the rage!!!

To conclude, and to bring out the magnitude of Saki Naka is this ultimate question – Why does Rajnikant live in Chennai and not in Mumbai??

No prizes for guessing even he is afraid of SAKI NAKA!!!!

* DISCLAIMER: No REAL pictures of SAKI NAKA have been used in this blog, as even viewing the pictures have proven injurious to health!!! (BTW, I had sent some one to click some photos of the junction a couple of months back, but he hasnt returned yet!!)


Enjoyed the blog? If you have been stuck in some junction like SAKI NAKA or if you can relate to this blog, leave a comment. I have written and uploaded this blog while I was stuck at the junction. Cheers.

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Android vs iPhone - Why Androids Are Better

If God is using a phone, its probably an iPhone!! And its true. iPhone has brought a revolution in the mobile world and changed the way we used to look at phones (Noika, are you listening?) – Smart Phones. And Apple has its loyal followers.We call them the die hard Apple fans. The 'An Apple a day' kind.

But in this blog, I will distinguish why an Android is better than iPhone. And in layman’s language. (And we deliberately keep out the BlackBerry. We do that comparison next time) 

Alright, iPhone is a phone, (hardware) and Android is a software. So, I will compare an iPhone with some phones Android OS. And let me tell you, the results of the comparison will leave you dumbfound. Guaranteed.  

Android vs iPhone: And why Android is better –

5.   Internet experience (Browser and Browsing) – It is kind of weird, but the iPhone DOES NOT SUPPORT FLASH. Yes, it does not. And most of the websites today are use Adobe Flash. Yes, about 97%. Have you ever seen similar screen on your iPhone sometimes.  Now you know why it behaves that way.

Also, the iPhone only supports Safari Browser. Which, no doubt, is a good browser. But that is like asking the user to use only iExplorer on windows. No Chrome, No Safari, No Firefox, No Rockmelt. Its like saying this is only what you get with this phone, and you better use it.

Andorid being from Google, has a seamless integration with Google site and applications. Internet is at least 5o% faster on an Android than an iPhone.

4. High Levels of Personalization – Do u see the same desktop all the time on the iPhone. The same icons, placed in a similar fashion. Smart Phone, ah? Android allows you unthinkable levels of personalization for your phone.

Simply put, you get to chose how your phone should behave as it allows you to configure your mobile to look and behave exactly how you want it. If you’re a social network power user, you can have a screen for Facebook, one for Twitter, one for text messages, and one for your blog. Or if you are a business user, you can have a screen for contacts, appointments, organizer, notifications, mails and more. Not only can you configure the desktop the way you want, you can configure the behavior of your phone. You can even configure how the phone should behave in case of any event, as in a call or a text msg or any notification. The software is all yours. And the rest is left to your creativity.

Now you know why personalization with iPhone is limited.

3. Price Advantage – We are Indians. We think in terms of Value for money, Returns on Investment. iPhone costs a bomb. The Android range starts from Rs 7000/-. Go on, buy a phone within your range and enjoy all the features of an Android and for that matter an iPhone.

What I mean is there is a variety of phone. The direct comparison for iPhone may be Samsung Galaxy or a Google Nexus S. But for someone who wants a standard version, still has a choice.

2. Choice of Handsets – iPhone comes in two models. Actually, only one and a half!! It has some versions of the models, but physically, they all look the same. In Android, you have variety. More than 80 handsets to choose from.

Let’s assume you want a handset with a longer battery life or a bigger screen or a full QWERTY keypad or super expandable memory. So, what you have with the iPhone? The same two models which every iPhone user have. Same features. Same Hardware. Same Fate. 

But with Android, go ahead choose your handset.

And the number one and the most important reason for Androids being better is

1. Open Source – iPhone is a heavily guarded code. Music has to be converted to iTunes. Videos have to be converted to their format. It is their Code. We have to get used to it.

Android is essentially open source software. And this means that a planet full of developers with the ability to aid Android’s developers is on work. What this signifies is that if there are thousands of applications available for iPhone, there can be a millions available for Android. So, you pick and choose.

A good example for this would be that I belong to the electronic security industry and I need a lens calculator for CCTV cameras handy with me all the time. What if I had a lens calculator on my phone? It will take some efforts to incorporate such an application for such niche category for iPhone. In Android that’s easily possible.

Real time Multi tasking. I don’t want to confuse you with highly technical terminology, but iPhone does not offer this fully. Sign.

What all this means is – With Android Make your phone exactly what it is designed to be – A Smart Phone.

Conclusion - To conclude, I reiterate that iPhone is a phenomenon. It is a trend setter. But it is designed for a specific group of people. The people who want to keep it simple. The one button people.  Even the design emphasizes on simplicity. Colorful display. Rounded icons. Good music quality. Video players. Touch screens. Show it off.

The Judgement:. iPhone is a Absolute High Quality Multimedia Phone. But if want a real smart phone, Android is the answer.

If you found value in this article, pls leave a comment. And if you are a die hard Apple loyal, Its ok. I myself use a BlackBerry. You should still leave a comment.

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Blogging for Beginners

 “For me, writing is exploration; and most of the time, I'm surprised where the journey takes me” says Jack Dann.

All of us, at some point in time, have had a burning desire to write. Some of us made it. Some of us just started. Some of us only thought about starting. And some of us never even thought we could actually write.

If you are in any of these categories, you are the perfect material to become a writer. Read on why and how.

Why Blogging?

Blogging is the most informal way to write and yet get published (on the net, ofcourse). It also enables us to get views, comments and feedbacks on our articles. It supports various forms of writing and can be integrated with various plugins which enhance your blogs better. It gives you a lot of flexibility. Write, Re-write, Amend, Delete, Add. It gives us an opportunity to get in touch with our hobby - Writing. Simply, it gives us a platform to start off with.

Start Blogging

The only thing which is required to write is to write. Use the blog as a piece of hi-tech paper. Start by using simple, friendly, casual writing style. Some of the things to keep in mind when you start writing are:

1.       Make Your Blog: Sign up on any one of the blogging sites. The registration is very simple and generally can be done in a couple of minutes. My recommendations are either Blogspot or WordPress.

2.       Choose a Specific Topic: Before you begin to write, have the subject clear in mind. Generally people confuse broad subjects like “The Indian Economy” or “Social Networking” as a clear subject. So, further simplify with personal topics like “The Effects of Budget 2011 on the Textile Industry” or general topics “Textile Industry: Growing with the Indian Economy”

3.      Divide the Article Into Paragraphs: make a skeleton before starting to actually write. Divide the topic into pieces. As a good practice, always start the topic by introducing the topic to the reader. Then write about your views/experience about the topic. Give relevant examples, if required. Always end the article by a good conclusion.

4.       Start Writing: This is the place most of us generally get stuck. We always think that whatever we write has to be perfect. People actually don’t get past their first paragraph, as they are not convinced with the introduction. Remember, you need not write perfect in the first attempt. What is important is you WRITE. Then you can anyways rewrite it.

5.      Start Small and Simple: To begin with, always write simple. This is not a test of your vocabulary. This is not a test of your command over language. This is just expressing what you feel about a topic. And keep it small, to start with. Even 300-400 words should be enough. This will enable that you keep writing continuously on a regular basis. Also, with new styles of blogging coming in you get a lot of flexibility how to write. We will discuss the types of blogs in the next section.

6.      Review your Blog: Observe how it looks once it is on the website. Ask for feedbacks from your friends. Improve upon it. Put some relevant pictures.  Another way of reviewing is read it out to someone. They will point out some value additions.

  

7.      Read a Lot: Nothing can compensate for this. Read to know about what people write. What are their styles. What topics they touch upon. Read about the topic you want to write. Read, Read, Read. No alternatives to that.

And it is YOUR blog. Go ahead, experiment.

Types of Blogs

1.       Personal Blogs: Blogs are anyways personal. But what we mean here by personal blogs is writing about your views and reviews. The most casual way of writing. Highly recommended for the beginners.

2.     Specialized Blogs: These are the blogs that are maintained by people which give specific information about a specific topic. Like I follow someone called CCTVBlogs. These blogs give detailed information and news on those specific topics.

3.       Photo Blogs: Make a photo blog. It is also called a photo story. You have been to a fair or a get together and have clicked some photos of the event. Make a sequence of photos explaining the event and its happenings. Tag people in it. Make it social. Make it look like a story. Add attractive taglines to the photos. Take blogging to the next level.

4.       Reviews: This is the simplest form of the second level of blogging. Have you visited a new location lately – do Travel Review. Have you visited a new restaurant – Do Food Review. Movie Review. Book Review. Event Review. And the list goes on. They are the best for beginners – Small and Simple

Quickies – Points to Remember while Writing:

Here are some of the quickies to remember before you start writing.

•       Choose a specific topic
•       Keep it short and simple (KISS – I love the way they put it)
•       Review, amend and repost
•       Take feedbacks

Let me sum it up here.

Writing is your expression. Writing is a stress reliever. It is an art. Like Jack Dann says in the opening lines of this article - "Most of the times, you will be surprised where this writing journey takes you"

Remember, you don’t have to write lengthy columns to be a writer. Only thing you need to do to write - is to write.

Leave a comment if you like the article or have gained out of it.

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The Living Legends Of Our Times

The Legends "True legends never die" they say. And 'History' teaches us to learn from the legends and the avoid the mistakes done by the those who missed out being one. The icing on the cake is we have some legends living amongst us, as we read on. Here I present a few of the Legends of our times, who keep setting examples for us, everyday as we grow. I am sure there are many more, and I have tried to keep this list to the chosen few. And to add the spice, it includes the good and the not so good. The ugly have been kept out, for obvious reasons. Lets observe them, learn from them, improve and elevate.

* Nelson Mandela

This Social and Human Rights activist, started as an armed leader of a guerilla force (ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe). Being imprisoned for 27 yrs only made him stronger and he bounced back to become the first black president of Republic of South Africa. A Noble laureate for peace, he is an example of leadership for world. Mandela today is, what Gandhi or Martin Luther King are to history.

* Sachin Tendulkar

The God of cricket. Supposedly, the best sportsman of all the sports, of all times. He holds the record for the best of everything. Most runs in test cricket, the only player to score a double century in one dayer, the only player to cross 50 tons and the list goes on. See him to believe.

* Stephen Hawking

What do u do when you are diagnosed with severe form of motor neurone disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21? You go ahead and become a coveted researcher in the history. Stephen Hawking is known for his contributions to the fields of cosmologyand quantum gravity, especially in the context of black holes. He is now fully paralysed and can only speak with the help of a computer specially designed for him. His bestseller, A Brief History of Time, only further proves why he a living legend.

* Sir Alex Ferguson

The controversial manager of the club “Manchester United”, he was knighted for his contribution to the game. Talking of football, there are many living legends in the game including the black pearl Pele, Diego Maradona, the flamboyant David Beckham, and the latest entrant and one of the most promising players of the day, Lionel Messi. But managing consistently a club like the MU, and some of such great players, he rightly secures his place in this list. His is the perfect example of “Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed” for the game.

* Bill Gates

In all probabilities, you would be reading this blog on a windows operating system and on an application made by Microsoft Corp. He commands approx 90% of the operating system being used. His business strategies have now become case studies in Management Schools. He is the only person to have crossed $100 billion net worth in the history. He used his technological, analytical and entrepreneurial skills to create one of the most successful companies of this age.

* Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lamas are the Chief Tibetan Priests. Here we talk about Tenzin Gyatso, the 14^th Dalai Lama. He can be easily compared to a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath. A charismatic speaker, he has since traveled the world, campaigning for Tibetan independence and Tibetan Buddhism, with immense contribution to world peace, a true living legend.

* Narendra Modi

He took over Gujarat when its economy was shrinking and there was little or no domestic growth. Let us not talk about his achievements like the Sardar Sarovar yojna, Rehabilitation of earthquake areas, a prospering economy, amazing infrastructure or getting $460 billion as investments from NRIs this year. You HAVE to see Gujarat, to believe it. He gets a place here because he reformed Gujarat to Vibrant Gujarat. And he gets a place here because he proved that system CAN be changed, if WE desire so.

* Mark Zukerberg

The creator of the most famous social networking site “FaceBook”, he has given the social networking a whole new significance. So facts about him which will leave you awestruck - His site is only 6 yrs old, has more than 600 million active users, his company’s net worth is valued at around $50 billion already. His personal net worth is $15 billion. And the only reason for him to get figured in this list is he all of 26 yrs of age only…!!

The Rest of the Best -

* Warren Buffett, Donald Trump, Carlos Slim, Steve Jobs

* James Cameron, Stephen Spielberg, Christopher Nolan

* Pele, Maradona, David Beckham, Lionel Messi

* Aung San Suu Kyi

* Amitabh Bachchan, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino

* Sergey Bubka, Lance Armstrong, Usain Bolt, Mohd Ali

* Martina Novratilova, Roger Federer

* Oprah Winfrey, Maddona

* A R Rahman, Andrew Lloyd Webber

* Radhika Lobo


Looking at the above list above, two things are common. Focused approach and Hard work. The message is clear for us. 


Leave your Living Legends in the comments column below.

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