i - Europe

Malan Tulave - Holy Mother

2010-12-24T19:02:00.013+05:30

Sudden death of her husband never broke her; she is living life as a holy mother. She is the mother of about 30 orphans, and still ready to take more under her umbrella. This is the story of woman who broke all odds of society.

Malan Tulave, I met her three years back. It was my son's birthday and I decided to celebrate it with her kids. I come to know about her from one of my company mate. My son is six now, but my association with Niradhar Balsanopan Anath Ashram is never lasting.

Running non grant NGO is hard in this corrupt country and getting grant from government is harder because of corruption. Shameless officers asking money under table was the experience when I visited Social Welfare office with her. There is only bad time in her life. Whenever I am saying her life means her life with those kids. Some eight months back I requested one my friend in media to make a story on her, so that people could watch it and support her a bit. He agreed, I always thank Rafique for his open and dashing journalism, whenever I call him, he never hesitate to help.

Zee 24 Taas made a touching story out of it and aired it. But all went in vain; it was the bad luck of these kids. Same day one another NGO (Govt. Granted) sold few HIV positive kids for adoption and government started inquiry of all NGO's in Pune. Malan Tulave faced those officers strongly, even I was very upset. I still remember her words. "Kar nahi tyala dar kashala pahije saaheb." Only few of the NGO's come out clean, and Niradhar Balsanopan Anath Ashram is one of them.

Rafique come up with idea of attaching it to other NGO of one of heavy Shiv Sena politician in city, even he talked with that politician for which he agreed. But Malan Tulave strongly said no, and obviously she was right. How could we separate a mother from her kids?

Though they are living in small ally of a slum, they are the star of tomorrow. At the age of 60 plus, this woman have courage to live life for others and dont hesitate to see million dreams.

If you are celebrating happy movment, don't forget to remember these kids by helping them. You will find them at,

Niradhar Balsanopan Anath Ashram,

Gulab Kate Chawl, Ward 5, Dapodi, Pune 12. Ph 020-27143345 Mobile No of Malan Tulave : 9822958498

Greenergy - Art Of Saving Lives.

2010-08-07T11:44:00.007+05:30

When Dr. Vitthal S. Bandal was the student, he was gold medalist at engineering studies. Later after his post graduation in electrical engineering, he did Ph.D. studies from IIT Bombay. Most of the academic scholar's go with high salary jobs and disappears in society. He is an exception. He studied further LMISTE and AMIE. But why am writing his academic achievements? This guy can't even walk without help of stick or wheelchair as he doesn't have left leg, he saved hundreds of life.

Believe me, I was surprised after meeting this person. When I entered into his cabin in Collage of Engineering Pune, he welcomed us with great smile. Till I meet him I wasn't aware anything of this person. We started discussion on his projects for Govt. Of Maharashtra. He was very satisfied and happy to tell us the stories of rural Maharashtra.

"Sir, I saved about hundred lives with the help of my engineering knowledge, my studies paid off. What else I can ask from God? I wanted to continue this work, I want to help people." These are his words.

Dr. Bandal was architect and head of the Greenergy Project. They installed non conservative energy setups into Primary Health Centers of remote villages in Maharashtra. Most of these villages either don't have electricity since Independence of this country or they have 4-5 days long load shading. These PHC's can't preserve the vaccines because of heat or cannot handle the snake bite cases which most of the time comes in the dark night. Major problem was delivery of the baby. I can't imagine assisting a mother for getting delivered with the help of candle light.

Our students in villages go to farm whole day to assist their parents, when they return back to home in the evening and when it's time to studies they don't have electricity. How can you expect them to come up with good marks? Why don't you give them reservations?

Greenergy is simple solar system, having backup of 15 days energy. This can run all electric system into the PHC. They have around 150 installation this projects across the Maharashtra. Such projects or mini projects will really help the society.

I was curious to see the project, closest project from Pune city is PHC at Mutha village. I visited this project same day. A smile on patients and nurse face has told me the success of the project.

Kites don't fly, neither Birds.

2010-05-27T22:08:00.016+05:30

I am not movie buff, neither have I liked bollywood. But 25^th May 2010 was my worst day. Damn! I saw Roshan's Kites.
Day was too good till 5PM, good office hours. It was decided within friends to see Kits in the evening. Soon evening started knocking, I started feeling nervous. Most of the reviews were disappointing. Still we dared to go to movie. We reached at multiplex by 7PM, surprising 7:30 show was full. I was happy that I am not only an idiot there. Thank God, it was Tuesday, we got Vodafone buy one get one offer. (After movie I realized, even if Roshan's give me million dollars offer I will not watch it).

Finally movie started. Hritik was crying most of the time. (#$%)$#)%( #$(%)#$(% (#$%()$#%) *)%(&@!(#$!(@#%$#)(% @(#%$#)@%$ @#(%$@(#%)% @$#@%^$&^*( !%(#%)#($% !#%#$^$6 !@#$@#%$ !#%$%^ ^%&^%&%^& !@#$#@$ ^&%^&%

Above text means I cannot narrate such a pathetic movie in any plain language. Next day I got an email. Just have a look and enjoy. (Click on image to view it in full screen).

Now about birds.

Same day I tried to login twitter. They give this screen.

Damn! Day itself was too bad.

Maharashtra Day – Government’s flop laser show.

2010-05-19T23:18:00.006+05:30

2:30 PM Ambernath – I was in Ambernath with Shivsena MLA, Dr. Balaji Kinikar. This was only second meeting with him, I liked him. Even in short time he behaves like a good friend. I reached his office at Jain Plaza near Ambernath railway station about at 2PM. But strangely found that everybody in his office is sleeping, even a police guy who is on his security duty. When I knocked door, one of them acted like he is awake, he just smiled but couldn't control his sleep. There was a lady in second room; she was the only female in this office. She was working on computer, God only knows what she was doing, and my guess is computer game.

Kinikar's office was good looking, he have Balasaheb's photo on front wall. And adjusting wall is having interesting photograph, "Shivaji Maharaj coming down from fort Raigadh, mixed with Dr. Ambedkar's satyagraha at Mahad."

I called up Balaji Kinikar and told him that I am waiting for him. He was on the way to office.

I like this guy for his down to earth personality. Being MLA he travels by local train to go to Vidhan Bhavan, Meets each and everyone and tries to listen them. He still hasn't stopped his dental practice, good dentist he is.

Finally he reached office by 2:30PM, we had a tea together, and I was in hurry. I had Jai Maharashtra and moved on…

3:30 PM Belapur, New Mumbai – It was 50 min drive from Ambernath to New Mumbai. Had lime juice at friends place. I was very keen to move to Girgaon Chawpaty, where Maharashtra Govt. planned the Maharashtra days function.

5:30 PM Worali Police Camp – I reached Worali police camp by 5:30, few of the flyover constructions near Dadar caused the delay in travel time. I parked my car at police camp and took taxi for Girgaon Chowpati. It was Logan with AC. Cab driver was new to Mumbai, offcource I told him the route.

6:15 PM Girgaon Chowpati – I got a two VIP passes to the function, I wasn't interested in going in to see singers singing. I was more interested in seeing laser show. Randhir (Dy. News Editor at IBN Lokmat) insisted that the show is really awesome. I had good laugh when he said, "Konitari bhari bai, Shreya Ghosal gaan mhantey aat, ja baghun ye…." I went in, almost all ministers in Maharashtra Govt, including CM was in VIP section. Singer were singing at the top of their ability but I wasn't interested. I unwillingly tried to enjoy couple of songs.

By the time, I noticed laser beam coming out of Air India building. I planned to skip from this place. Meantime got an announcement that laser show will start by 8:30PM and it can be seen from the place where I was in.

It was 8:30PM, I don't know how many songs they played by the time, I havened noticed who the singer was. Laser show started, they were showing it on close circuit LCD as well. But because of technical problem they were not able to make the laser show. They tried several times and for more than 30 minuts. Everybody was so nervous, so as CM of Maharashtra. I haven't seen this guy smiling. May be he is like that only.

I skipped the place and came out to see it in open eyes. They were trying their best to make it happen, but all went in vain. Finally they had fireworks. I was nervous, I planned to move back.

I took a bus to Worali, while traveling I got a SMS from Randhir that laser show will have repete at 10:30PM. But I wasnt interested.

Maharashtra Government really had flop day, they even ruined my day.

Preparations of Indian Republic Day celebration

2010-01-10T21:26:00.007+05:30

Days are passing fast so as years. When I started blogging my first blog was about my son. He is growing fast, so as his naughtiness. Smart kid he is.

Now a days he has started the preparations of Indian Republic Day celebration. I am sure, he doesn't know meaning of our National Anthem but still he sings it with passion. Also he prepared small speech about his school.

Its funny to listen him

Indian National Anthem :

Or

Or

Download this mp3 from here

Nirved's Speech "My School" :

Or

Or

Download this mp3 from here

Chrome OS for NetBook: Bad news for Indian's

2010-01-06T11:01:00.005+05:30

If you are Indian user then its bad news for you. Let me explain.

I was very much curious to know about the Google's Chrome OS. Finally I tried it, and found useless. Concept itself is far away for Indian users. Though Google is saying it is only for netbook PC's but I am not sure how many of us are on Internet for 24x7. Imagine there is no file system in your computer, you don't have storage space because you always has to be on Internet. Whatever you do a work you have to keep it on Internet. Well why should I stretch it much. Google's Chrome OS is the bootable browser.

Damn! You just boot your computer and gets only a browser. Then you have email (Gmail), Calender (Google Calender), and few Internet applications as default. Offcourse you can use any Internet application.

However, If someone interested in knowing about this try it yourself. Here are the steps to try Chrome OS on your PC. Well its open source, and few internet companies have its built, so you need not have to worry about legality. You just need Chrome OS built, and a virtual machine. (vmware or virtualbox of Sun).

Step 1. Download google Chrome OS from Internet, just google it you will get torrent or direct link. I downloaded it from here. This website have working built. You just have to register on this website, for which you need not have to pay anything. Then extract the Zip file.

Step 2. Download any virtual machine. I tried vmware as well virtualbox. VirtualBox is better, you can download it from here.

Step 3. Install VirtualBox. I installed this on my Ubuntu 9.10.

Step 4. Open VirtualBox, Click New Virtual Machine.

Step 5. Type your OS name, and select OS type. I selected it as Linux and Ubuntu.

Step 6. Set base memory size

Step 7. Select "Use Existing Hard Disk"

Then select extracted .vmdk file.

Step 8. Finish it, you will get final screen with all configuration details.

Step 9. Check what kind of network you have selected. Please select NAT.

Step 10. Login Chrome OS using your google account or gmail account. If it is not working, please try USER: chronos and PASSWORD:chronos

Step 11. Here is your Chrome OS. Now Enjoy.

Farmville Wall Manager

2009-12-13T11:29:00.006+05:30

Attention Farmville farmers! You must be fed up of accepting bonuses, grabbing bouquets, adopting animals, or hatching eggs. This frustration grows when you misses them as you friends are always prompt then you. What if you got robot to do this all? Now no worries, here is the help for you all. Follow the steps below and get your farmville assistance.

1. First of all you must have firefor browser. If you dont have Firefox, download it here.
2. Then install an addon called Greasemonkey into Firefox. You will get it here. Just browse this url from Firefox and click install. After installation you will be able to see the smiling monkey at right bottom of you firefox window.

3. Now you are ready to install userscript. Go to this url and click on install. After this step you are ready.

Now see the magic. Hosai found the lovely bull in her farm.

I did nothing. I just went to my farm and found her bull is already adopted by my bot.

Isnt it great help?

I'm on IBN Lokmat

2009-12-08T23:00:00.002+05:30

This year (2009) on the occasion of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's Mahaparinirvana, IBN Lokmat showed a nice program called Prerana Dr. Babasahebanchi. I was one of the guest in this show.

One Day in Election Campaign

2009-10-16T17:26:00.007+05:30

We just finished Maharashtra Assembly Polls and waiting for results. No matter what would be outcome of the result, but we as BSP fought for showing our presence in western Maharashtra. It was very good experience overall.

I reached my village a day before last day of election campaign, as it was evening I preferred to stay at home. Crowded home it was, there was no place to sleep, all my cousins were back from their work locations for election and upcoming Diwali festival. I along with one of my cousin opted to sleep in car. This is one of the benefit of having Suzuki Wagon-R, after seat folds we can create bed out of it.

Next day when I woke up, I had to head towards west of our Phaltan tehsil. This part of 22 villages newly added in this constituency as it belongs to Koregaon tehsil. This part of world is really dry. I took a driver and one guy along with me. I was supposed to meet two more people at the destination. We five started from very small village called Phadatarewadi. Response from people were really great, BSP being new party to this area, BAMCEF have really done great work here. We visited almost all 22 villages, party cedars were really welcoming us joyfully. At mid day we come to know that two of the big villages are having local festival. So we asked our other vehicle with loud speakers to come and have some loud campaigning. This another vehicle were caring crowd.

None of us from both the vehicles had lunch till 4PM. When we found that everybody is hungry, we decided that we will eat something after day end, as campaigning ends at 5PM last day.

At the end of day, we started returning to home. Both the vehicles followed each other on road in this dry area, in the middle of the road, other vehicle stopped. Boys come out of it and asked me permission. I curiously asked for what? They said they want to dance like a crazy. As a party representative I said no at first, but then I stopped the vehicles at a temple in remote area. They started their loud music and danced for hours.

I know they were hungry. But they were dancing, enjoying the BSP's start of the new era. We know, our candidate will not win this election, but we reached upto more than 20,000 families. I was happy for the work what boys did, I invited all of them for dinner.

Upgrade your Ubuntu 9.04 to 9.10

2009-10-16T13:49:00.004+05:30

Just finished my Ubuntu upgrade. Smooth it was, no pain at all. Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala will be available later (29^th Oct) this month. But I did my upgrade already. It one step upgrade.

1. Press ALT+F2 and type "update-manager -d" without quotes. Then wait and watch.

Transformer costume for your kid, which actually transforms.

2009-08-29T20:05:00.005+05:30

Today was great indeed, as it was Saturday and I woke up late as its weekend. Every morning I harvest my crops in Farmville, I guess, I am really addict to Farmville in Facebook. Farmville added few more crop seeds in market today, checked with Alive Vera and Black Berries, I found black berries are cost effective and I can harvest it in four hours. Good start of the day, I might get 1000 XP's by the end of the day.

By the time it was noon, and then we had a lunch at Le Royal. Guys they are having invitation offer on buffet just for 200Rs for unlimited food. This forced me to cancel my todays BBQ's plan, I was suppose to have BBQ at home, which I brought a week back.

After lunch, as I promised to my son, I made a TRANSFORMER.

Yes, Transformer Costume for my son, which actually transforms. I would like to put tips about how to make transformer costume. Here you go…..

First upon you should choose the character which you want to make. My son opted to go with Optimus Prime, for this costume you need, 3 boxes – 1 big, 2 small (depends upon your kids height), seasor (big and small), Glue, Colored papers, Rubber bands etc. Those who feel hard to get boxes, visit your nearby grocery store and ask them for it. They might give it to you free, for small boxes you need not have to go out. You can use your empty beer boxes. :-)

Once you ready with these items, draw your sketch on paper. First cut your boxes according to shape you have on paper.

Then stick color paper on the vehicle, design it and add wheels on it.

Your son is ready to wear this super costume, I sure he will happiest kid on earth once he learn how to transform and you will be happiest father on earth.

Sakharam "Binder" !

2009-07-29T17:12:00.003+05:30

People will remember "Nilu Phule" for his number of villain roles in Marathi movies, some will remember him as social worker, and few will remember him as the best actor for stage play. Few days back I saw an interview of Dr. Jabbar Patel, where he said "I don't know an actor in the world who will perform like Nilu Phule did in 'Sakharam Binder'". This is not incorrect statement at all.

It was Nilu Phule's acting which forced Maharashtra state govt to ban the play. Why? Well, character itself is "sick minded". Is it? I don't agree.

Sakharam allows women to stay in his house; in return he expects them to live on his condition. It is two way agreements, if they still wish to stay they can, or they can pass on. It was kind of live in relationship that to 30 years back. Indians were concern about such relationship that time.

Last night, I saw new version of "Sakharam Binder", played by Sayaji Shinde. Character itself is great.

Hat's off to Nilu Phule!

Microsoft Office 2007 on Ubuntu Linux 9.04.

2009-06-25T20:22:00.021+05:30

You know, we are forced to use Windows, do you know why? Because Microsoft has one great software (MS Office) of which we are damn addicted. There is no rehab center in world for this addiction. But now we have option, Opensource have done this long back by introducing OpenOffice but somehow it failed by margin against Microsoft Office.

Don't underestimate OpenSource guys, they have come up with great idea, Whats it?

Have a sip of WINE!!!

http://www.winehq.org/

Now I will tell you, how to install Microsoft Office 2007 under Ubuntu Linux using Wine. (You just need Ms Office License copy and else everything is free, I mean OpenSource.). Isn't it great?

1. Go to command prompt and type 'wine --version'

If you have not installed wine then you will receive this message.

If your Wine version is 1.1.17 above then you will have to uninstall this, wine 1.1.17 and above done support Microsoft Office 2007, recently new wine 1.1.24 got realesed but I really have no idea about this. I will investigate it and update my blog accordingly.

To uninstall wine (if its version 1.1.17 and above)

Type "sudo apt-get remove wine" in command line. (I think you should be "root" to do this.) also type "rm –fR ~./wine" this will remove all wine related files, remember they are hidden. (File manager shows these files by clicking CTRL+H)

2. Assuming you don't have wine or you just removed your wine (1.1.17 + version), you should install wine below 1.1.17. To get old wine go to. http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/archive/index.html

and click your version (1.1.14 – 1.1.16)

Download 1.1.14 its good for Office 2007.

While installing wine, please ignore the system message of new wine availability.

Remember this installation also will need your SU privileges.

Now confirm that you have wine. Just click "Applications", you will see "Wine" in menu.

3. Now time to Install Microsoft Office 2007, Insert your Microsoft Office 2007 CD and rightclick 'setup.exe' and open with "Wine Windows Program Loader". You will see this window. Provide your product key here.

Then there will be next screen of License terms. I read these term I should tell you that Microsoft don't have problem when you install Office on other than windows OS. Remember you have license of Office, you can use it from any OS, they cannot force you to use it from Windows.

Assume you "Accepted" what Microsoft says, now you can install office.

Next screen will give you Microsoft scroll bar, which I didn't liked in my life.

It takes little time to get fine screen.

4. There are few Winetricks to install, don't worry these tricks are just support files, applications and fonts, get them by this command "sudo wget www.kegel.com/wine/winetricks"

now install cabeextract by typing 'sudo apt-get install cabextract"

and then run the shell by this command 'sh winetricks corefonts tahoma vcrun2005sp1 wsh56js'

This will give you few pop up of installation, install them. There will be Windows Script 5.6

And

Also there is VC++ 2005 to install, say yes and install it.

5. Finally here come the last step to Configure Wine, goto command line and type command "winecfg" at Libraries Tab type 'riched20' click add and type 'usp10' and click again

then 'riched20' and click Edit change it to 'Native windows' then click Apply and Ok.

Guys you have Microsoft office on your Ubuntu Linux. Isn't it great? Aren't you believe me? Then go to your Ubuntu linux and Open Microsoft Office Word 2007 by clicking

Applications>Wine>Programs>Microsoft Office> Microsoft Office Word 2007

You will see this.

Connect BSNL Internet from Ubuntu 9.04

2009-06-25T17:57:00.006+05:30

I am in India, don't know how many of us have our own operating system. We 99% Indian desktop users uses pirated OS, Microsoft really will earn a lot if they inspect it. Yeah! we are smart, we always finds the crack of each software. Thanks to torrents for some reasons.
But last week when I brought new desktop, I specifically asked my hardware dealer to not to give me OS for free. Then I logged in into www.ubuntu.com after filling my information they send me a copy of Ubuntu 9.04 desktop edition. Believe me its free. It took hardly 30 minutes to install it. And I am on.

Now I have my own OS, its fast, its cool, and its free. I am now Ubuntu user, bye bye Microsoft.

While connecting my Ubuntu to Internet I faced few problems, it was so long since left working under Linux. Thanks I am back with my previous knowledge. I connected my BSNL Internet easily, here are the steps.

vi etc/network/interfaces
Make the entries of your IP address, Netmask and Gateway, your file should look like this.
Make sure you turn off your modem.
Wait for few minutes, and again turn on your modem.
Go to terminal and type command pppoeconf and follow the instructions. It will ask you user/password. Provide BSNL user and password here.
Go to firefox and type http://ieurope.blogspot.com hope you are reading this page.

(Shaikchilli bada murakh tha, I am writing this assuming you have no Internet yet. Don't know how you will read this page, but I am sure you will see this page once you complete above steps).

Have a fun guys, Ubuntu rules!!!

WE LIKE TO MOVE IT...MOVE IT.....

2008-12-21T23:05:00.003+05:30

In the last episode Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman escaped from the New York Zoo and got trapped at Central Station, while transfer to new Zoo they were landed at Madagascar. Alex still haven't forgotten old lady's purse slap, indeed she appears again in part two.

I wasn't aware how Alex reached at NY Zoo, but DreamWorks cleared my dought here in this episode. It is not top secrete, it was just an hunting accident in which Alex gets caught in box by hunters and box falls into river thru which he gets fluid till New York. Awesome idea.

I haven't been to New York yet; history says it was part of The Netherlads before British got it from Dutch in some war treaty. If NY still have Dutch blood then I am sure they must party animals, that how DreamWorks tried to plot. WE LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT. Alex saves himself from New Yorkers by his great dance, funny indeed.

It was great surprise that Melman was in love with Gloria, poor guy, he haven't expressed his love till Gloria realized it. Alex wasn't happy by returning back to Africa and his family because his dad loses crown. Finally they manage to get it back by flowing water back to reserve. Thanks to real friend Marty.

Most beautiful part of the move is the black and white guys, The Penguins. I bet these guys are big threat to Air Bus and Boeing. Air engineering experts and dude mechanics.

My son was very happy watching these all characters, its worth watch and real fun. I LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT

Invisible army.

2008-12-10T11:05:00.006+05:30

You cannot see them on news television; media have no clue how they are working. They don't come on roads and protest for every odd happening in state. But they still show their power thru ballet boxes. This is Bahujan Samaj Party's invisible army. Resent state election result shows increasing vote share for them, notable they managed to get few seats.

In all four states where the BSP fielded candidates, it has registered a healthy increase in vote share, gaining both at the expense of the Congress and the BJP.Sarvajan hitay sarvajan sukhay (welfare for all, happiness for all) the slogan that symbolises the BSP's new strategy of adding upper and intermediary castes to its Dalit-Muslim base, may be yielding results for Mayavati beyond Uttar Pradesh. Indeed this is the success of their worker-base and the way they are directed.

Immediately after these state result party workers geared up in Maharashtra, calling core caders from BAMCEF to help them to reach at root level and convince people on movement of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. This is the signal where people started neglecting RPI here and marching towards the BSP. There will be no surprise if they manages to get at least 20 seats in upcoming Maharashtra state election.

Indian Electronic Media, Do they have brain?

2008-12-01T22:24:00.001+05:30

It was good evening in one of the Pune's calm and pleasant restaurant Rajwada, some time back. When I was there with couple of my friend. We just met after so long, there wasn't any great reason to come together. I being an IT professional, one friend is a Ortho Surgeon and other is a News Editor for one of prominent news channel in Mumbai.

We started with discussing our past and slowly we come to the point on Media's role in India. I always feels Indian media is biased or intolerable in so many topics like, Raj Thackray, Arushi, Crime reporting, and many more. Just imagine, they are presenting the stories of Gost, Predictions of world disaster, Prince in hole etc etc.. in front of more than one billion people. We are tolerating it.

Media were decided that Arushi's father himself was murderer and they showed it as animated version. They are forcing us to believe that Amitabh Bachhan is President of United States, They have decided that there are so many ghost they have seen and people has to believe on it. Disgusting, isn't it?

( Please click on image to enlarge it and see, what are the breaking news on Indian News Channels. 1. Rahul Gandhi’s lunch menu 2. Commissioners Dog missing and found 3. Cat is on roof 4. Amitabh Bachhan has cold. )

By watching these news it seems that India has no social problems at all as you see them focusing on either cricket or their films. As if there is peace everywhere in India even in Uttar Pardesh, Gujrat, Kahmir. People are not burring their daughters alive, Poor people can afford even bread easily; Poor people have become prosperous, etc etc.

My Editor friend was convincing me that they are showing what people are interested into. But question remains that, Where is real Journalism? Is Journalism a real pillar of Indian democracy? I have an option for this; I just blocked few news channels like IBN7, News 24/7, Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Sahara News, and India TV.

Tell you truth, its big relief. I am happy with real channels like CNN IBN, NDTV 24/7, BBC and CNN. If you want to have peace in your life, try it.

Aamchi Mumbai and Wah! Taj.

2008-11-29T00:33:00.001+05:30

Normally when there is Cricket match no Indian changes their TV channels, that what I did on 26th Nov 2008. It was fifth One Day International (ODI) game between India and England. India was comfortably beating England, which made me not to change channel. It was around 10PM when India beat England by 6 wickets. I still was watching game analysis and presentations. Within commercial break I changed it to one Hindi news channel. Breaking news was running as Mumbai under attack.

Firstly I ignored the news, as Hindi media in India is complete bullshit. I hardly believe in what they shows. Even I might have quoted them in mind, "F**in bas****, these Hindi media have no brain". In next commercial break I tuned on English news channel, then I got to know really that Mumbai under attack. In first shot I thought it must be regular mafia fight in commercial capital. But it wasn't, when I got an email from my friend in Europe saying, "What happened in Mumbai? and Are you ok?"

Yes, The terrible wanton attacks on innocent people and the destruction of prominent landmarks in India deserve to be universally condemned. I cannot blame government or system for this. My God give peace to this world.

For people residing outside India and if they want to know about their relatives, friends who were present at Taj that period here is emergency numbers.

Phone: +91 (22) 6657 4322 / 6657 4372

Toll free: 1-800-111-825

Horn Ok Please. STOP!!!

2008-10-01T22:00:00.000+05:30

According to Allen Carr, quitting smoking is very easy. As India announced her smoking directives, I have decided to quit it completely. My time starts now, its Gandhi birth anniversary and today I am quitting smoking, quitting all tobacco products. Now I Don't need to order tobacco products from London.

There is nothing more I have with me to put in words. Let me come out successful, I am sure I will.

Drive for work via Heaven

2008-08-07T15:47:00.001+05:30

Now a days I am traveling everyday Mumbai ( from Pune) for work. I starts 8AM in the morning, drop my son to his school in Aundh and straightway go to Expressway. Its became habit since last couple of weeks, same road, same speed, same toll plaza, same traffic etc etc.

But since last few days, I am passing through heaven. Lonavala have become paradise, literally too foggy. I can feel clouds, I am loving my drive thru clouds. Nice waterfalls making it more beautiful. These 20 minutes of travel (passing lonavala) tempting me driving regularly.

Classically, it is believed that heaven is somewhere up, near the sky. Poets' imagination flies to confirm, sculptures depict and religious support this notion. At Mountains Height you shall experience it.

Flowing melody of fresh and unpolluted breeze sings in harmony with the rhythm of your heartbeats. The sorrounding beauty of lush greenery. Chirping of birds in fusion with the spiritual sound of the flowing water of waterfalls enlighten your ears. You shall inhale the freshness and virginity of the land. You can taste the exclusivity of being a connoisseur; someone from altogether different stratus.

Adding beauty to this heaven are several water falls sparkling like different planets around sun.

Golden Babe's: Mom!!! I am loving it.

2008-08-05T12:28:00.001+05:30

Some time back, while shopping in Pune Central, University Road, Pune, I saw a strange sight. Walking ahead of me were two women - one in a shirt and pair of trousers, another in salwar kameeze. Nothing remarkable, But alongside them, walked a little girl child, with a cute ponytail. What the kid was wearing was what stopped me.

The little girl was wearing a glittering gold short dress with noodle straps, and the dress just about covered the little girl's butt. In the night, in the glow of the street lamps, the girl looked liked a small-sized street-walker. A hooker. The dress was straight out of the late night music vidoes, designed to display rather than cover up.

I cannot guess whether the dress was the little girl's idea or its mother's. What I believe is that either way, getting a little child to wear such a dress, and get her comfortable wearing it is a surefire recipe to invite sexual attention to the kid who has passed her infancy only an year or two ago.

If an adult wears a dress as short as that, I may lech at her. I may find it distasteful. However, what I know for sure is that it is an adult's choice, and she is responsible for the consequences. If you want to dress like a video hoochie, it is your ass, baby.

But a kid - you know what this invites? Let me tell you. I do not think your ultra-sensitive women's magazines will tell you about this.

This is India, and India has a large share of perverts on its streets. There are many sitting idly by the streetside, whose nightly pleasuring of themselves is fueled by what they see on the streets. Old women get molested on our streets, and so do young women. If a passing newspaper boy decides to grab a peace of that ass, the kid is too young even to understand what is happening.

Two, does anyone really know how sexually conscious young children are? They may not know about the birds and the bees, but every read-blooded young boy wants to look under skirts or pull a pair of panties down. That is reality. Kids, whom you get too comfortable with their own near-nakedness, will get naked with their playmates, cousins and maybe, the older pervert staying next door. Do not doubt this, the kid is going to be a major turn-on for boys who are too young to get a hard-on, but not too young to get their cousin sister naked.

Visualize a few more years ahead, based on the little data that we have. I see irresponsible parents living out their gal fantasies through their sexy child, leading to initial sexual attention the child is ill-equipped to handle, later to being groped by boys around the neighbourhood and a potential molestation or rape by a neighbour or relative by the time she is 14 years of age. Forget sexual liberation, you are not even offering the kid a choice - by the time she is an adult, she could turn into one with a most brazen, cynical and scarred view of the world.

Am I drawing too many conclusions out of what I saw on one kid on the street? Yes. But unfortunately, the world is not a particularly friendly place. Give your kid some time to learn it.

Around Phi Phi

2008-05-23T07:40:00.001+05:30

Today we are back from most beautiful trip ever. Holiday Inn Phi Phi offers the small tours around the Phi Phi Island. We are here for four nights; today we took a trip to nearby Island. This tour offered by Holiday Inn Phi Phi cost us 1400 TBH for four hrs. I am sure, its value for money.

We started at 10:30 in the morning, west side of the Island were having big waves. It takes 30 minutes from Holiday Inn to Poh Cape. And from Poh Cape we travelled to Island nearby. This is one of most beautiful Island I ever seen.

First spot was Viking Caves. The cave sports some wall paintings, looking like some known Viking pictures, hence the name. The cave also has some beautiful stalactites. Outside the cave entrance, you will see some bamboo lattice providing bird nest gatherers with some precarious footing.

Then we moved to Pileh Bay, Pileh Wall and Loh Samah Bay. Pileh Bay is just down from the Viking Cave, this is an excellent bay to move on too after a bit of exploring. The water is nice, shallow and very blue. The beach is small, however a beautiful area for relaxing, swimming and, of course, for a light picnic. We did snorkeling here. It was wonderful experience.

Loh Samah Bay, has little island in the entrance, where there is some very nice snorkeling; most of it though is in deep water. This beautiful spot has small white sandy beaches, and the water inside the bay is shallow.

Maya Bay or The Beach; This beach does not need introductions. But …yes, this is the beach where the movie was made with handsome Leonardo Di Caprio. Although it does not look like it, the coconut palms were planted just for the movie. However, none the less it is definitely one of the prettiest places around Phi Phi and a very popular place to visit, even before the movie was made. The bay has two beaches, one big in the bottom of the bay, where some nice swimming and relaxing can be done. The other beach is smaller and in the beginning of the bay. Around this beach, you will find some very nice snorkeling. The fish life is pretty good especially around the smaller beach. Look for the darker spots in the water, you will find coral there and with that fish! The water in the bay is generally quit shallow, which allows the not so experienced swimmer to be comfortable. You will find that many other people have had the same idea as you, but do not let that stop you; it is well worth the trouble to go here.

Phi Phi - Thailand

2008-05-22T12:25:00.001+05:30

The most exciting part of our trip starts now. It was sunny morning in Patong and we were ready to check out Holiday Inn in Patong beach. We did the checkout formalities in few minutes and had our breakfast. Now we were waiting for the Car, which will transport us to dock. Its thirty minute drive from Patong beach to dock. We already have booked our cruse tickets to Phi Phi. We boarded on cruse called Sea Angel. It was nice cruse, with air conditioner inside. What a relief in this heat!

Cruse started travel around 9:30AM and it takes 50 minutes to reach Phi Phi. Phi Phi is one of the beautiful islands on earth. It has "H" shape. Right pipe of the "H" is bit bigger towered the top. And right side of the right pipe has east direction. At middle pipe of "H", there is a village called Tonsai. Tonsai is the place where all ship halts and tourists gets here down. Several bays are around this "H" shape. I will start from right top of the "H" from east direction. At right of the right pipe top there is our hotel, Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi. Then towards down we have several bays, like, Loh Bagao Bay, Phak Nam Bay, Run Tee Bay, Loh Moo Dee Bay, Poh Cape, Hin Pae, Tonsai Bay, Hua Saket, Hin Dot and at west we have Western Rock, Wang Long Bay, Yongkasem Bay, Loh Dalum bay, Nui Bay, Lanah Bay, and Tong Cape.

We got down at Tonsai Bay, and now we still have to travel by Phi Phi taxi for 30 minutes to reach at Holiday Inn. In Phi Phi there are no vehicles, long tail boat is your taxi. Its bit expensive but you have no option. Locals don't cheat you here, Govt boat charge you from Tonsai to Holiday Inn 1000TBH but local long tail boat takes only 800TBH. Good deal, we reached Holiday Inn around 11AM.

Holiday Inn Phi Phi is most beautiful resort ever I seen. Their service is one of the best. Neither will you see such great gesture in Europe or North/South America nor in any part of Asia. It's wonderful. We got a sea view bungalow, beautiful Andaman sea is at our doorstep. And we can see waves coming.

We were tired of travelling but couldn't sleep. At 5PM, we went to Sea Top View Bar of Holiday Inn. This bar is at top of hill, from there you can see most wonderful sunset with sip of your favorite drink.

As it was Sunday, Holiday Inn were having best ever dinner arrangement with 5 Asian country food including Indian and along with there were live Thai cultural show. My son enjoyed it very much. And yes, we got a gift (Ice Cream) from Holiday Inn here.

Holiday Inn Phi Phi has no cash policy, anything you takes, buys, asks, travels, it goes to your bungalow account. Good it is, I need not have to change my currency every time. Good first day it was.

Holiday Inn Resort Patong

2008-05-21T11:54:00.001+05:30

Patong is main beach in Phuket where almost all happenings are. Here you will find, meeting street (Bangla street or sex street), open bars, Karaoke's, go go bars and discos. Most of the tourist comes here for fun. It's really a fun place.

If you are in Phuket for honeymoon then please avoid Patong but if you are with partner or alone then it's the place where you should be. Very small village near Andaman Sea. You will find several hotels here and they will cost you from 900 TBH to 10,000 TBH per day stay. But if you are with family then always prefer to stay in five star hotels.

Our experience of Holiday Inn is an excellent. They are really great in their service. I am a priority member of Holiday Inn, but it's easy to everybody to book your holidays here. Especially if you are coming here with family. Your kids will enjoy the stay here. They nice kids zone inside hotel, care takers will take care of your kids thru out the day.

Holiday Inn has verity of food, but most of the time we eat at nearby Indian restaurant.

My suggestion to visitors of Patong, Holiday Inn is the place where you should give priority.

Fantasea – Must see show in Thailand.

2008-05-20T06:05:00.001+05:30

Almost all tourists who are visiting Phuket, they go to see Fantasea. It's an amazing cultural show.

Our visit to Phuket is in mid of May, weather now is too hot. We reached here just yesterday. Our plan of tour is self made, I really don't believe in tour agents and their plan. I wanted to stay here in Patong for couple of days and then we will leave for Phi Phi Island. I have a day in hand to rome around Phuket. But we are coming back from Phi Phi and going to stay here for few more days. So I really am not interested in site seeing as of now.

We thought, we will just do some shopping and go to shows like Funtasea and Cimen Corbet. We got Fantasea tickets from local tour agent. Local tour agents in Thailand are very helpful, you need to be bit smart before they cheat you. You can bargain for anything here, from tickets to local shops. I have bit experience of Thailand so I as well as my wife can do bargain here.

When you booked your tickets for show, you need not have to worry about anything. Nice luxury car will pick you from your hotel and again driver will wait for you once you finish with show. Good deal with 1500 TBH per person.

Driver picked us exactly at 7PM, its just 20 min Thai drive (with traffic) from Patong to Kamala. Kamala is the place where Fantasea located. I love Thai welcome, the show company have made their best to greet people. Every staff member is Thai traditionally dressed, they directs you for ticket collection to inside show house.

It's an amazing show, with about 100 human artists and 20 elephants, 10 goats, 20 pigeons, horses. Laser effect makes this show wonderful. Show has a great theme; story is about the prince Kamala and his magical elephant.

In the history of south Thailand, there was a prince called Kamala. He was in love with beautiful village girl. Everything was fine till village girl gets kidnapped by neighboring King. Prince Kamala attacks enemy, but his army wasn't that much equipped. He fails to win war and gets arrested. Finally he calls his magical elephant. Elephant saves him and kills apposition army. Prince Kamala wins the war, but his loving Elephant loses his life.

It's worth watching several times, especially when Elephant fly's in air. Pigeons fly's around. Village scene, Devil scene, angles scene. We Loved it.

Indian Airlines – Travel with unhappiness.

2008-05-20T06:04:00.001+05:30

Story starts when my wife started booking air tickets to Phuket for our holidays in this summer (2008). She searched almost all the air lines, but those airlines which start from Mumbai were unavailable. No one goes directly to phuket. Yes, we have Jet Airlines direct to Phuket but from Delhi. We were late otherwise we were having few options of low cost airlines, like Cathe Pacific, Malaysian Airlines and Singapore airlines. So only option was to travel to Bangkok and then catch domestic flight to Phuket. She booked Thai Airlines, but flight was supposed to carry out by Air India.

Our ticket was showing AI 9693 as flight number, obviously we went to terminal 2C at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. Strange, none of airport helpdesk was aware of this flight. They directed us in several checking lines. Finally we come to know that out flight checkin is at terminal 2A. How pathetic it was! We reached at 2A, and after several enquiries we lined up to checkin for flight number IC693.

IC693 is Indian Airlines flight. I traveled a lot, so it was bit tolerable but imagine if somebody is traveling first time. You got ticket for Thai Airlines, your ticket number shows you will travel by Air India and finally you are queuing up for Indian Airline.

As expected IC693 was late by one hour. Thank God, our Thai domestic airlines (Thai Air Asia) were having 4 hours gap after our arrival in Bangkok, and we were already having Visa. (I suggest Indians please carry your visa when you are travelling by Indian Airlines, they can delay your flight anytime and after reaching Bangkok you may need time for VISA on arrival, and this might miss your next domestic flight.) After checkin we have to wait a lot in Mumbai airport for our flight. Thanks to IPL, I had a look of Mumbai Vs Kolkata match.

Finally Airport staff transported us into middle of airport by bus and boarded in IC693. Look wise flight was good.

On board crew of IC693 (15^th May 2008) was pathetic. I have lot of bad words for them but don't want to use them here. I suggest, Please don't travel in any Indian Airlines flight if you are looking for good service.

We reached Bangkok Airport on 15^th Morning, then had immigration and catched our domestic flight to Phuket.

Man, if you want to see heaven on earth, and then watch outside your flight window when you are landing in Phuket. Awsome it is.

SC upholds OBC quota, keeps creamy layer out

2008-04-10T20:07:00.001+05:30

Good news indeed.

On Jun 13, 2006, The Christian Science Monitor have published my interview. It took too long to get hear a great news, and today is the day. I am happy.

Reference: ibnlive.com

Here

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a law which provides for 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in educational institutions supported by the Central government.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan ruled that the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.

The court ruled the 93rd Constitutional Amendment Act, which was the basis of the law providing 27 per cent reservation in aided institutions, didn't violate the basic structure of the Constitution.

However, the court also ruled that creamy layer among the OBCs cannot get the benefit of quota. On quota in private un-aided institutions, four judges left the issue open and one judge ruled it would violate of the basic structure of the Constitution.

The 500-page verdict came on a petition by anti-quota activists challenging the Act. They had vehemently opposed government's move saying caste cannot be the starting point for identifying backward classes.

The court's interim order of March 29, 2007, staying the implementation of the quota has now been lifted after Thursday's order.

The court held that the delegation of power to the Centre to determine OBCs is valid.

The court also added that reservation cannot be in perpetuity, and should be revised at periodic intervals. The court also said the government can decide when to implement the quota this year itself.

Following the judgement 49. 5 percent of the seats in higher educational institutes would be reserved. The Schedule Castes (SCs) and Schedule Tribes (STs) enjoy a 22.5 per cent reservation. While the SCs have 15 per cent reservation, for the STs it is 7.5 per cent.

Reacting to the judgement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "We wanted the reservation and are happy about it but the problem is that government had promised that within three years it will create extra seats so that nobody suffers."

Youth for Equality Founder Member Anirudh Lochan said that the students are really angry all over the country and they were planning their next step.

Youth for Equality was in the forefront of anti-reservation protests across the country after the United Progressive Alliance Government decided to implement the quota for OBCs.

Fast food, German-style

2008-04-09T02:36:00.001+05:30

Germany likes to call itself the "Land of Ideas" - and over the centuries it has certainly had plenty of them. It was Germans who invented the aspirin, the airship, the printing press and the diesel engine.

But Germany has surely never produced anything quite as weird as the automated restaurant.

I say "restaurant" - but it actually looks more like a rollercoaster, with long metal tracks criss-crossing the dining area.

The tracks run all the way from the kitchen, high up in the roof, down to the tables, twisting and turning as they go. And down the tracks - in little pots with wheels fixed to the bottom - speeds food.

Supersonic sausages, high-pace pancakes and wine bottles whizzing down to the customers' tables with the help of good old gravity. One pot is spiralling down so fast, it looks like an Olympic bobsleigh (but it's only Bratwurst).

What's more, at the 's Baggers restaurant in Nuremberg, you don't need waiters to order food. Customers use touch-screen TVs to browse the menu and choose their meal.

You can even use the computers to send e-mails and text messages while you wait for the food to be cooked. But all this may not appeal to those who like traditional waiter service.

Be British - live life the Tata way!

2008-03-31T13:49:00.000+05:30

Sip Tetley tea in the morning, drive a Jaguar built with Corus steel to office, work with Tata Consultancy software and over the weekend take your Land Rover to the countryside before fine dining in a Taj hotel.

This seems to be the message of the $28.8 billion Tata group to the British people. For Tetley, Corus, Jaguar and Land Rover are UK based companies taken over by the Indian group.

The Tatas own 98 operating companies around the world with a market capitalization of $56.52 billion.

The acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover takes the overseas operating companies to 100, another landmark number.

The Tata's passage to Britain is over 100 years old through Tata Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Sons.

However it was in the new millennium that the Tata group initiated its new phase of globalisation when it acquired the Tetley tea brand - the market leader in Britain and Canada.

Tetley contributes a lion's share of the Tatas' tea business today.

The next major acquisitions came in 2005 when Tata Chemicals bought the soda ash maker Brunner Mond Group, Tata Technologies acquired INCAT International a technology company and TCS bought the business process outsourcing (BPO) division of Pearl Group.

The year 2007 saw Tatas acquiring British steel maker Corus, one of the largest European steel makers.

And on Wednesday the group announced the acquisition of two more iconic British brands - Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company, US.

All these acquisitions make Britain a major overseas market for the Indian group.

At the last count the Indian group has around 20 companies in Britain and several thousand employees.

On the information technology domain, TCS has a good presence in Britain and Ireland while Tata Interactive Systems operates in the e-learning space.

Tata Motors has an engineering technology centre in Warwick while the group's hotel chain Taj has two hotels in Britain.

The telecom company VSNL International also has a presence in Britain.

Breaking News: Nisha Kamble is Away!

2008-03-26T18:59:00.001+05:30

Wednesday - March 26, 2008

A city-wide investigation led by top Detective, Nirved has been launched to find the where abouts of Nisha Kamble. After countless hours of investigation, Nirved was able to find two very important clues.

The first clue was an empty chair with an imprint in it. Nirved believe's that the imprint is of Nisha Kamble's butt but he is not 100% certain. The second clue was found on a computer program that was running on Nisha Kamble's computer. Nirved says that Nisha Kamble was running this program and had decided to put up an "Away Message" on her company computer screen.

Based upon the evidence Detective Nirved has concluded that Nisha Kamble is away from her company computer. Nirved stated, "We've been monitoring Nisha Kamble for many weeks now and have suspected that Nisha Kamble was going to leave her company computer at any moment."

Kapil on Wall...

2008-03-24T16:53:00.001+05:30

It was super Sunday here on 24th March 2008; I was watching Chelsea vs Arsenal at St. James Gate with few of my British friends. Arsenal scored first goal in first 20 minutes, all of my friends were very happy about Arsenal. Then after Chelsea turned the game and taken lead of 2-1 and finished game comfortably. My friends were pissed up, they were tired saying "Come On Arsenal!!!".

We continued, suddenly I noticed the small framed picture on the wall of the St. James Gate. Picture was framed with old frame, and snap was also even very old, must have take in 70's era. It was of Kapil Dev. Kapil bowling action, he was looking great in the snap.

I noticed and said, "Look Ant, Danny. Kapil Dev on wall!!"

Danny, "What? Who?"

Cris, "Oh yeah, Capiel Dave (Kapil Dev in English accent)"

Danny, "Bloody F**cin Irish Bar, They have Kapil on wall but no Greenich"

Ant, "That's not fair, But I liked Kapil always"

I smiled, I felt proud on Kapil. Wonderful experience it was.

First day of Spring!!!

2008-03-20T20:02:00.001+05:30

Today is 20th March 2008, current weather in Amsterdam is RAIN/DRIZZLE RealFeel® -4 °C Wind at 40 km/h. Now why am I writing this? Oh simple, just because today is first day of spring here. I swore, Dutch weather is wired. I haven't seen season change here. Dutch weather is same throughout the year. People across the world have spring, summer, autumn, and winter wherein Netherlands have cold, very cold, very very cold and very very very cold, you can expect rain in any season anytime. This is my experience.

When I see new ad featuring Spring and Summer collections as roadside banners and holdings then only I comes to know about the season change. But it doesn't affect normal life here. People enjoy every bit of it. No matter how cold it is, you will see kids playing football or hockey.
Bicycle (Fiats) is one of the most popular transport medium here. Enough, I really have no words talking about Dutch weather. Today is Springs first day on PAPER, let me enjoy it. After all "It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

Silent spectator I am.

2008-03-19T04:13:00.001+05:30

Indeed, People talk about Indian culture and unnecessary compares it with some western culture. But my opinion is very different. It took me time to get realized to have real taste of the western culture.

It's been more than two years now, I am living here in Amsterdam but days are passing fast. When first I came here, I was very much into all my Indian friends. I was enjoying typical Indian (Desi) style weekend and then on Monday again back to work. Slowly got to know about few people outside my Indian world and now almost become good friend of nice people around.

Batchelor's weekend in Indian style

Most of you will surprise that Indian have their own style. If you are married, then forget about weekend party. Not only party forget about thinking of drinks as well. But if you are bachelor or forced bachelor (I am forced bachelor because my wife and son now went back to India) then you have limited fun. What you can do? You will buy some hard drinks like whisky or rum (beers for some idiots) from nearest liquor shop, you will order pizza or some desi food. You will sit with your friend and drink like donkey till 23:30 hrs max, then after you will be not in position to stand on your feet. You will sleep without having food.

Next morning you will have headache, so you will sleep till 14:00 hrs. No class, No food, No sex (you can only talk a lot about sex), No dance, No female, No music (I don't know why the hell Pankaj Udhas, Jagjeet, Gulam Ali born? Only for Indian drinkers?) I hate this life.

Weekend with non Indian friends (western guys)
As I already wrote, again repeating, I hate Indian way of weekend. Neither have I liked western way. But I love to be a silent spectator. Because there is a class, and it doesn't cost you much.

You will start with some nice café. Will have some drinks together with good discussion, topic can be anything. Even girls will join the group no matter what subject it is. You will have food, it depends how hungry you are. Then you will move to another bar. Will play some snooker games with pegs. Again you will move to pub, will dance the way you want. Finally you will move around 6 to 7 bars and then finally you will notice, people started doing funny things. And you will return back home late in the night. Its you choice, nobody will force you for anything. Not for food, dance, music or sex. (There are certain things people actually do in the end, like inviting female, but its not important, sex is sport for them not for a person like me).

But I really like to be a silent spectator in this all. Actually, I want to prove Jean Cocteau wrong for his quote, "In Amsterdam, everybody wants to be actor; no body is content to be a spectator".

Great news to share with you!

2008-02-12T14:54:00.001+05:30

Great news to share with you!

Very hectic weekend it was. CRM at EPSON Europe B.V. was supposed to go live and we TCS and Epson consultants were very busy in making it successful. Finally, as planed we made it by Saturday night around 11PM. It was too late to chill some beers, only we had some slices of pizza and went to bed.

Sunday, though CRM was up successfully, I was busy half a day in testing it from home. Finally closed my notebook, called up few Dutch and British friends to meet in the evening. Had awesome Thai food, specially red curry with fish which I like most in Thai restaurants, then after food we had drinks till late night (Forced bachelor, when family living back home in India ;) ).

Monday morning when reached office, was still feeling dizzy by weekend work and late night hangout. At reception only, reception interrupted and handed over me a box, saying, "Surprise for you!". I was curious to know what's inside, typical Indian I am, Indians don't open gift packs immediately but Dutch do. When I reached at desktop, was flooded with emails. Email from Senior European CRM manager (see below) confirmed what's inside box, then I opened it,

1. An appreciation letter (Nicely framed)
2. Seiko Chronograph watch as gift. (Sadly, I don't use wrist watch for certain reasons which I cannot disclose ;) )

Cheers!!

Best Irish coffee in Amsterdam

2007-12-07T15:35:00.001+05:30

There are so many things attracts you in Amsterdam, not only red light districts but also pubs, bars and yes verity of food of different culture across the world. Everyday I explores a new thing here. I am certainly not a good lover of cocktails, yes typical Indian I am. We love hard whiskeys, or may be Rum. If you are an Indian and What if somebody offer you cocktail against some hard Indian whiskey? No way, I will prefer to go with my Indian way.

But I have a nice experience of Irish coffee in Amsterdam. Even most of local Dutchmen don't know about this place called De L'Europe, ya probably because it is bit costly place after all five star hoteling expensive across the world.

Last Saturday, I along with one of my Dutch friend had plan to have Thai food. When we talk about Thai food, first thing we say is "Ohhayaa yammyeeee!". We had a Thai classic menu at Krua Thai Restaurant. Obviously it was really great to taste, red wine and starting with shrimp soup and ending with egg fried rice and banana ice cream as dessert, everything was just perfect. I loved it.

When we come out of the restaurant, while walking we noticed one of the old building nearby Waterlooplain. I just asked my friend about that place, he said although it look like a palace it is government office of population registration. I don't know why, but I was really in mood and just words came out my lips. "Maaaan, I just want to live life king-size. Who knows tomorrow?". My friend noticed my words and called up our British friend just know best place in Amsterdam to have Irish coffee. From other side we come to know it is De L'Europe.

We entered into De L'Europe's bar called Freedy's bar. Ordered a Irish coffee, but bartender sorry said, it might take 15 minutes for preparation. Till then we had a peg of Absolute Vodka. And hold your breath because it was Irish coffee time now, what I can say, I just said "GREAT!!!!".

I met A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

2007-12-06T14:38:00.001+05:30

APJ Abdul Kalam – "Yes, at my right. Please ask your question young man."

(I started asking my question, he was unable to hear my voice.)

APJ Abdul Kalam – "Can you take a mike please?"

(Then he gives full attention on my voice.)

Me – "I will speak lauder sir. (I tries to speak laud)…. Yes, my question is; 50 years down the line, when children will see your name in the text book, what paragraph they should read in front of your name? "

APJ Abdul Kalam – "I didn't got you my son. 50 year from today you mean?"

Me – "Yes sir."

APJ Abdul Kalam – "After 50 years what?" (He again asks me)

Me – "I will repeat the question sir, After 50 years, when children will see list of great people. What paragraph they should read after your name?"

APJ Abdul Kalam – "50 years. It is long time my boy. But I don't know. I really don't know. May be they should read, 'Kalam, the man who spread smile on faces'." (Then he laughs in his typical style)

It was 5^th December 2007 evening in TCS Amsterdam office, on the occasion of 15^th anniversary of TCS in Europe, ex-president of India APJ Abdul Kalam was our honorable guest. We TCS employees started gathering in Atrium cafeteria since 5PM as APJ Abdul Kalam was expected to reach at office by 5:30PM. Mr. Kalam is very popular in young people, everybody was talking about him, and his work. Presentation slides of his work and mission were getting displayed on two different projectors.

Finally he arrives, smiles, raise his hand, again smiles and say, "thanks my son's and daughters."

Girish Ramachandran, a TCS President of Europe introduce Kalam in his short speech. Then cultural program starts. Mr. Kalam was looking very happy to see small kids performing in front of him. He was clapping, smiling like a kid. Nice to see him in that mood.

After cultural events, Dr. Kalam starts his speech. At start he says, "I was prepared a very long speech for young people, but after coming here I realized that it is family gathering so I have to shorten it." In his speech he inspired in his typical style of asking all of us to repeat the lines after him. Then he talked about Vision 2020 and gives example of e-governance introduction in election system. After he finish with his speech, he took 5 questions from us. After 2 questions, he turns right and say's…. "Yes, at my right. Please ask your question young man".

Dutch Culture From A Foreign Perspective

2007-10-10T19:54:00.001+05:30

I tried to have everything under control by reading different books at different times and getting tips and guidelines to get through cultural problems smoother. But I still had a very difficult time when I had to work with Europeans, especially Dutch. The problems started from the time I had my first work and I did not know where to start. I asked my project mates too many questions, which is quite normal in my country, but then everybody got sick-and-tired of me and they told me that I had to find my way myself (differences between " we culture" and "I culture"- In "we culture" you are supposed to help people around you and in "I culture" you have to be more independent). Besides that they looked down at me by mentioning strange things that were not true about my country. During my rest I re-read the books that give foreigners tips to adjust themselves to new countries easier. This time I noticed that I had not read the books properly. "Dutch people do not like to show that they are richer than others. From clothing you often cannot see who is rich or poor. Dutch try not to be different than others. If somebody in The Netherlands for example wants to be the best, reaching the top in society, they never say it in public. It is something they feel ashamed of!". Finally I reached the conclusion that you have to be in the middle. Less, or more, than average is not good. That is the policy for all different aspects of life in The Netherlands.

Surinamese Hindustani

2007-09-10T11:08:00.001+05:30

In Amsterdam, when you tune in 101.8FM frequency from your radio you will halt a bit and continue listing Pankaj Udhas singing "Chhitthi aayi hain". Then after some RJ will come and in his/her typical Dutch-Hindi will greet you with Namashkar and Salaam. No surprise, it is Dutch Surinamese community of Indian origin still love bollywood.

It was bad time up till 1916, and then Mahatma Gandhi ended this slave immigration by British. But question is how come they are into Amsterdam? British were dumping them into some South American countries and also another reason is Treaty of Westminster outcome of the Anglo-Dutch war. In this treaty, the condition implied that New Netherlands (New Orange, another name of New Zealand), retaken by Cornelis Evertsen in 1673, would henceforth again be an English possession and that Suriname, captured by the Dutch in 1667. After independence of Surinam, Dutch gave them choice of staying in Surinam or welcomed (not warmly) then in Netherlands. So thousand of families migrated over here in Netherlands.

Life was so hard in past, and also bit hard in recent time as well. I got two Surinamese (Hindustani) as a very close friends.

Jay as CITRIX administrator here in EPSON Europe B.V. and Linda aunty is Manager for cleaning company who take care of all EPSON Europe B.V. offices.

Jay is my very close mate, we celebrates all Hindu festivals together. His autobiography is also not smooth one, born in Surinam then migrated into Netherlands when he was about 7 years old. As a child have grown up in so called slum of Amsterdam but had dream of doing something. He fall in love with Shanti then life have given a turning point. Now settled having three girl babies and waiting for baby this December. I really appreciate the way he comes up without any formal help in this country.

When I do analysis I found, some of native Indian does have power sharing Surinam as well. But if you compare it with Fiji then you will notice native Indians are more moderate over there. Time is changing here as well; social networking site gave me few of Suriname Indian Dutch friends. I am happy the way they are developing now a days. God bless!

De Parade

2007-08-30T01:55:00.001+05:30

This month in Amsterdam was dedicated for theatre festival. I visited twice, and still cannot forget what the fun we had. First time I was with some Dutch friends, and second time just to celebrate TCS project manager’s birth day. Music, Shows, Disco’s, Food, Beers, verity of Wines and yes Women, what else you want?

This theatre festival was really a sweet! The atmosphere was fantastic in this two week event that has before arriving de parade in Amsterdam visited Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, Netherlands' other three biggest cities. The Martin Kuter King Park had been taken over by several theatre groups, which was offering a very diverse range of shows. Many shows were in Dutch, but there were some shows in English or no spoken word. And it was a great event to visit even if you don't see any show at all. Even walking around the festival site, drinking sangria in the sun, taking a spin in the chairoplane, having some tapas, having a taste of tapas and ejoying the local crowd. This festival is very popular with the young (of heart) and somewhat arty (or artlovers) of Amsterdam.

Get a second honeymoon free

2007-08-16T13:27:00.001+05:30

When its your day you will receive a lot whatever you didn't expected. On 15th August 2007 early in the morning I started my computer and went for news from India. There were some good gifts from prime minister as new IIT and IIMs. But I liked the news from my hometown, the ensuing Independence Day could bring more joy to the newly married couples in Satara near here if they enroll themselves for the innovative second honeymoon scheme that envisages payment of an incentive of Rs 5,000 to the couples who commit to delay the birth of their first child by two years after marriage.

The scheme, to be launched by the district health authorities, is aimed at reducing birth rate. It will become effective from August 15.

"Satara district in Western Maharashtra has a population of over 30 lakh with an estimated birth rate of 17 per 1000 people per year which we want to bring down below 15," V H Mohite, District Health Officer.

The couples married after April 2007 will be eligible to enroll in the scheme, probably the first of its kind, he said.

Under the scheme, for which the district health authorities would get funds under National Rural Health Mission, the interested couples would be asked to enter their names after marriage and would be called for birth control counselling every three months.

If they fail in sticking to the commitment they will have a choice of medical termination of the first pregnancy. If they decide to have a child before two years of marriage, they forego the incentive, Mohite explained.

An estimated 25,000 couples tie the knot every year in the district out of which 10 to 20 per cent could be enlisted for the government-sponsored second honeymoon, he said.

“IT” is taking shape

2007-08-11T21:55:00.001+05:30

I have experienced a lot of sweet pain in love life, when I was in love with my girlfriend (now wife). Although I am always happy go lucky person. But now a day I am experiencing another sweet pain, away form India, and now 12 years away from my native village (Bhilkati). Am I feeling home sick? Why am I feeling so? I achieved what I wasn't dreamt about. Even when I was studding in collage with major subject like Statistics, I wasn't dreamt of a carrier of a consultant in high tech industries. My interest was always in farming and yes still why I always want to be farmer?

That was the time when, early in the morning I was doing regular work in the farm owned by my parents. Helping family with milk production and in out cotton farm. After early work, on mood I was going to collage and taking my regular tuitions. How would a farmer's son think about the carrier in Information Technology?

(School Bus)

But it tempted me for a week, when I saw the computer first time that was my memorable day in life. I was about 21 years old that time, and it was my final year in my collage when my collage ordered a new computer (only one) for our lab. I saw that machine like it is a alien. By the time I was just writing programs on the paper and compiling them in mind. Now I was having something where I could execute them. After formal permissions from our teachers, I got permitted for 30 minutes once in a week to touch the computer.

That 30 minutes changed my life. Now I am consulting in Amsterdam (Europe) for some high tech industries in complex technological environment.

But time have changed a lot, you cannot count India as poor as it was. Students (even kids from age 5) are using computer everywhere in my native place. This "everywhere" is bit complex to tell. Home, School, School Bus, Internet Café list goes on ….

Isnt "IT" taking shape?

My take on orkut.com

2007-08-07T13:35:00.001+05:30

I was just finding out the top web sites getting accessed in India and surprisingly I found orkut.com is at number two. Even I am the member of orkut since its birth, I haven't found it as interesting as it is popular in India.

Starting from 'Close Friend' and then 'Friend', we relax our definition of the relationships by calling the next relationship you can have with someone - an 'Acquaintance', then a "Know by Reputation" and then "Know in Passing". which (to me are nice ways of lessening the quality and depth of the relationship, while still acknowledging it's existence.

We then have a relationship type - called 'Related to' (for family relationships) and finally - we end with a blank "I don't know you, but I want to know you' kind of acknowledgement of a desire to start a relationship.

These 7 levels of relationship certainly aren't perfect, the best or even a full range of emotions (notice we stayed away from any sort of negative relationships.) But we DID create a scale of sorts - from very close to not at all - that represents the REAL nature of relationships - which answers the premise of Ross' complaint.

I agree that social networks need to go beyond just offering someone to be "your friend" or not. Granularities of relationships are the way to go. It's the only way explicit digital social networks will ever be successful.

One of my friend on blog writes, "my Indian friend joined me up for orkut, but i'm always too slack to go on. I noticed there were a lot of indian users, i came across this person who was pretending to be aishwarya rai, and you should have read all the scraps, there were men making proposals and actually believing it was her!"

I missed her.

2007-08-03T16:58:00.001+05:30

There was the time I was regular visitor of the rediff.com website, now its almost 2 years I haven't typed URL www.rediff.com, why? There are few reasons….

They kicked Varsha Bhosale out.

She was one of (probably only) my favorite writer at rediff. Her writings are conservative, and against Islamism and Islamist terrorism, Leftist politics, Proselitism, and what she categorises as Pseudo-secularism. Her introduction on Rediff lists her as the only Indian columnist known to have a fan club on the Internet.

This was her comment after that rediff excursion, "Actually, you've got my so-called ploy all wrong. However, I don't expect guys with your mentality to understand that. You'll be pleased to know that you 'secularists' have a successful and time-tested way of tackling free speech: I am no longer writing for Rediff since its top honcho, Ajit Balakrishnan (also involved with discredited SABRANG communications Communalism Combat , ), finds me 'very inflammatory.' That's surely something to rejoice over. Yes, please do post my comments on your newsgroup."

Mumbai centric news

They have all or almost 90% Mumbai centric news. They must understand there is the world do exist outside Mumbai. This a same thing, Sahara, Aaj Tak have shit news from only UP and Bihar. And indiatimes (Time of India ) having news from only Bollywood.

You have IBNlive.com

When you have ibnlive.com then what you need more?

Dora's own epic love story

2007-07-30T14:40:00.001+05:30

Amsterdam, The Netherlands : Dora the Explorer, the popular star of her own action adventure show on Nickelodeon, is thinking about quitting acting for her love, Nirved. Nirved is dashing Indian supermodel fall in love with Dora at the time of his Holidays in Disney.

The Spanish star wants to take a break from Hollywood for a man to settle down with.

She is quoted in Britain's Closer magazine as saying: "I won't be seen for a long time. It could be a year, it could be two. But it will definitely be a while before I come back."

She is enjoing life best time. "They're trying to force for acting because I'm a party girl. You think I'm crazy. I am in love with Nirved, that is for sure." Dora reportedly no longer remained in contact with Diego, who may have been a stabilizing influence in her life.

Swiper said, "This is such a shame because she's so talented and so bilingual. I hate to see what this is going to do to the children around the world who idolize her." Swiper also speculated that the Grumpy Old Troll was a bad influence on the set and in Dora's life.

Dora explained: "I always tell them it will be up to the tow of us to decide.", She again added, "It is just beautiful for me to be making a film here and him (Nirved) touring here at the same time . . . that's a pretty big deal for us," she says. "We were looking at each other going 'Wow, this is a sweet spot now', I am quiting."

It is not the first time Dora has confessed she wants to have romance with Nirved.

Dora's Abuela said, "We're all hoping that this is what starts our little Dora on the long road, over Temptation Lake, to Kissing Road."

It will be hard time for Boots in comming years.

He is dude!!!!!

2007-07-29T16:41:00.001+05:30

When I was growing as kid, very much depressed about my communication and about my school uniform.

But now I am in brand new 2007, away from sweet home India, just becoming 32 this November. Everything have been changed in life, wonderful wife, good parents, nice friends and yes yes yes….how would I forget him, my Son, NIRVED. He is dude.

He can speak four languages, Marathi, Dutch, English and Hindi. I am writing it in order after considering his fluency. I cannot imagine how he reacts on the same subject in different languages.

Leme tell…

That day I was with him in nearby shopping complex at Amstelveen. As expected he forced me to get into toy store, as he was having intension of buying new CAR. I don't know why he likes only CAR's. Believe me he don't own another toys then cars. If you buy something else then car then he will throw it in canal nearby our house. I like it, because it shows he is 100% male. (Just kidding). In the shop, I was searching car which may have some different look. As he already is having almost all cars models from that shop. I saw one small tractor kind of toy nearby one car. Then I said."Dumba, he bagh….navin car…GRATIS!!!" (Gratis means free in Dutch, Dumbya is his nick name in home)

"Papa, ek het Mater en McQueen" – Nirved in dutch. (means – It is Mater and McQueen).

"Yes! Gratis..Gratis..Gratis" – I said, (yes, free, free, free)."aare veda papa, free nahi…." – Nirved in Marathi. (Means - hey papa you crazy it's not free)

"matalab!" – Me in hindi.

"Matalab ye ki…buy McQueen then only Mater is free" – Nirved in Hindi, English.

I won't believe new generations can be so multicultural.