Visiting Atlanta... :)

Finally, I decided to go to Atlanta where I had to spend 100 USD for transport. S****, I would have gone to Washington by flight in the same rate. Yea.. though it is just 40 miles from my place to go to Atlanta, there is no public transport. I have no option other than taking a taxi. I realized after reaching Atlanta, that it was worth to spend :) If anybody visited Atlanta already, dont look at me surprisingly. Well, the place I am staying is just a suburb and If I come out of my hotel, I could see only the cars nothing more than that. Hardly finding the people walking around. So, to me... it was great on that weekend roaming around the places like visiting CNN, World Largest Aquarium etc...


When you are coming back from other countries, there is a default expectation from our family members (at least from the kids)... "Uncle would have brought some gifts/toys for us"... I ditched them twice, but didnt want to do that this time. Though the number of kids are eight, I have to buy something for them. Considering in my mind, I have just entered WallGreens (much similar to Walmart) and spent four nice hours. Couldnt' resist myself on stop buying more toys... and finally bought some good stuff, I believe. PPL were staring at me when I was carrying my stuffs in two trolleys :)) I had to let my way for many gentlemen and ladies to go off from the queue... before I was doing my check out. I didnt really want them to wait for me to check out. They had had to wait for 20 minutes just in the queue then ;)

When I was doing my check out, there was very unfortunate thing happened... My credit card didnt work. Oops.. You know, how embarrassing situation it was. Luckily I had withdrawn $ 300 on that day's morning, which i normally do it during night time. I had to pay all the bucks to the counter and moved out. What ever happened, I felt so happy that I have done my shopping for the kids. I hope they would like the things that I bought. I shall let you ppl know on 8th of May :)

Winners are also losers

Winners are not always winners and losers are not alway losers... How many curses, when Team India failed to get through the WC league game? What would ppl say now when Bangladesh beat world No 1 ranking team SA. It was not a marginal victory rather a confident great victory. In fact, the game Bangladesh and Ireland are playing, they dont seem to be a entry team ;) I am not trying to say that if SA lose, India also should have lost the game. Instead, better we should try not to say any stupid comments against the players. Well, of course including me too. It is just a game. People just like us make it as one of the things in our life.... just the way media exposes.

It would be always grateful, if we consider game as "JUST" a game. If we spent all the time stupidly on watching cricket and put the blame on TEAM India. Do we ever blame ourselves while finding the bug in our own development. Do we ever blame, when we hear that "Production Env is down coz of issue from our code". When we are not doing our job 100% perfect, how and why we are expecting others to do so???

Think guys. If you were not a cricket fan, did you curse anyone for the lost of any game by TEAM India. Let them to earn money by their skills or ad or whatever. Dont dedicate more time into it. If you wanna say that "YOU LOVE INDIA"... Show it in a better way. Well, there is no offense here. I spent my 8 years time in cricket.. I do love cricket. Still I know that TEAM India is representing India and in the mean while they are doing their job. I played cricket and it was an entertainment to me. That was not my job and i know that I learned slowly that I should take care more of my job not the job of Team India ;))

Dont say to me "stop watching cricket". I do watch cricket and I wont stop. At the same time, I am sure I wont complain... at least not cursing TEAM India. All the best for Team India :)

Women's day Special...

PPL would start thinking of their mom first and if he is a married guy then he would think about his wife. Isnt?? :)

Well, I read this article of PT Usha - http://ia.rediff.com/sports/2000/aug/02usha.htm Oh man... missing the Olympic medal by 1/100th of a second. I cant even imagine if i was in her place. How could I would have taken this situation. How much efforts she would have put starting from a school in Kerala till reaching that Olympics final. I would say she is the first inspiring lady for other Indian women in Sports. Though i dont have much interest in Politics, some how i like Indira Gandhi very much. I dont know how good she was neither how bad she was.. I just like her brave decisions during her periods and in fact that itself caused to her brutal murder. Next to her in my mind is always PT Usha for her dedication to Sports.

Of course I like S Mirza too but not just for the above said things ;) you know what i mean :))..... mmmm... oh dirty mind.. I mean her style and spunky game at this age

Appeal against wearing Helmet????

That was a good decision taken recently by Indian Govt and a compulsory law introduced all through out the country to wear helmet during two wheeler driving.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/14/stories/2007011401081100.htm

http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/04/29/stories/2005042915330300.htm

See this picture…do u have any idea when it was clicked? Guess when.. u know it was taken on Jan 2, 2007. Out of nine two wheeler drivers, just one has worn helmet.

In such cases, one of another most ridiculous things happened in TN. It is not only in TN but also in Chandigarh and Karnataka. New case has been appealed in Chennai high court against this law. http://www.dinamalar.com/2007mar07/specialnews1.asp?newsid=4 ,

Those “great lawyers” want to cancel this law. Their appeal is ‘there is no need to make this as compulsion and it would be difficult to drive by wearing helmet’. What a stupidity it is? Look at the way - major cities are crowded; the way traffic jam is increasing day by day, these kind of laws keep people more safe some times.

If well educated guys like “Lawyers” are behaving like idiots, then how the illiterate ppl are going to accept this. These “Great” lawyers are supposed to educate other abt the importance of wearing helmets. Arent they? I don’t know how India is going to be a “DEVELOPED” country by having such kind of ridiculous govt employees L… There is an online petition provided their convincing (goosy) reasons: http://www.petitiononline.com/nohelmet/

Different faces of Indian Cabbies

Woow... Indian Cabbie returned the missed out wallet worth around $6000 back to his passenger. Good to hear. Isn’t.. Ref: http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/09cab.htm

In fact, I was so shocked when i got a call from Pune police station one day. I came to know that one auto driver has returned back my missed out wallet. Thankfully I have the habit of keeping my visiting card in my wallet. Though, it was Rs 750 in my wallet, still that auto driver was quite kind enough to give it back to the police station. I didn’t face any problem from the cops and i got all my belongings back. Appreciated their sincerity last time. Unfortunately, the auto driver didn’t give his contact number to cop and I couldn’t even thank him personally.

These are the good faces of our cabbies. Guess what... the rudeness of few other cabbies... Most of the times, if you are calling for auto, they simply refuse to come if it is less than 3 KMs. You should have seen the way they responded... F***ers. If you leave office after 9:00 PM forget abt taking auto, better not to ask anyone.. just go by walk; Coz they would ask for double charge, u know just after 9PM. The reason they always give - we wont get passenger on the way back. what the heck man... Surprisingly one fine day, other auto guy said yes. I and Sandy sat inside the auto and he drove for about 100-200 meters. I don’t know what he thought in his mind, he said he cant drive till our place and he asked us to get down from the auto in a stupid way. Sandy was in a bad mood and he started fighting with that guy. All of a sudden, the auto guy started abusing us in Marati. we asked him, speak in Hindi so that everyone could understand ( I could understand a bit :)) He replied in a very very rude way, "IF YOU ARE IN MAHARASTRA, SPEAK MARATHI. OTHERWISE LEAVE THIS STATE". If any body says about India like "Unity in Diversity" - tell them to F*** OFF and reply to him/her in other way - "Diversity in Unity"...

I have heard lot many things similar about Chennai Auto drivers. But when I was witnessed for an incident, I couldn’t even imagine... esp the way he talked. Is that not ridiculous. The reason i started hating Pune for the first point: the bitterest experience in local bus in my life time and subsequently a lot. But after this incident, i don’t really want to go back to Pune at any time. The same thing applies to Chennai also. Idiots... There is no respect for the ppl. How ppl are tolerating that? Probably, if I get a chance to get settled down there, then i might come to know :)

I always have upper hand to Blore Cabbies... that i never ever had bad experiences with them. In fact, I have met one guy who was 35+ provided me all possible bus numbers going on that way, frequency of the buses, the difference in bus rate and auto fare. He asked me that not to take auto unless there is a really need. I was having the option of 4 buses at the same time. I had to pay 35 bucks instead of just4:50. Blore cabbies are always great unless there is a mixture of Chennai cabbies. I am not just against Chennai cabbies, but that is the fact. So, guys... be very careful when you want to settle down in Pune or Chennai..

Just thinking of my Murali Annan...

Sivaksi - My town is big enough having some broad streets, good schools and Six colleges around including ANJAC, Mepco. Right before 15 years, I was roaming around and no body believed that I was leading a small group in my street.. ha ha.. if I remember now, I could still laugh aloud. Time passing was the only thing I did (don’t ask me how I spent my time)… Just playing street games with out any aim...

I just studied with out so much interest. My bro Murali annan (annan - big brother) has told me lot many things and I just ignored him. Thought, he was trying to get hold of me and my timings. The first thing I had listened very carefully from him was “how to prepare Mathematics public exam in 8^th Grade”. Guess what…. I scored 100% in my public exam and got an award in School Day. Do you think I felt so happy. No way… I did not want to even go to school for that function. I was forced to go and got that award. Even now, I dont know why i was not so happy on getting that award. I never showed intrest on my studies and hence i never enjoyed my studies till i completed my HSC. My mom and sis showed that book (that i got it for 100%) to me, when I visited my home last time. I really felt so happy and little bit of proud-ness that at least I did some thing in my studies. No body knows that the secret of my success was Murali annan. Even he did not know till now, i guess :))

You know what, my Murali annan has helped in lot many ways. He was very good in sports from his 6^th grade itself. Great football player and amazing cricket player. Due to stupid politics, he could not enter school cricket team. Reason - Football team needed a perfect Goal Keeper where they didnt want him to join Cricket. He was so depressed and he couldn’t get into cricket team, but he wanted me to be there in the team. My goodness… I was in my 10^th grade and he asked me to join practice matches. To me, street games were more important than anything. I got slapped and scolded. I dont know till now, what he told to my dad. I was so afraid of my dad till my 12th grade. (Not after than ;)) My dad came and started scolded me; asked me to leave for the ground immediately. In fact, my dad didnt like me to play in the street... I believe, none of dad likes it :)

Finally reached ground (named MGR Ground :)) for the first time. I was asked to bat first, took cricket bat with an ugly crying face… of course lot of angriness with my bro. Murali annan is a pace bowler. He took the ball (Cork ball) himself and bowled very fast. Man, I was gone… I mean my legs were gone… with out wearing any pads, with out knowing how to bat.. just covering the stemps… I screamed in pain. My bro came and slapped again…yelled... “what the hell are you doing with bat?” I didn’t realize that his intention was to make myself fit for school team. I thought he was taking revenge of not obeying his words at any times :)).. It just started somehow to defend the ball. I joined as a substitute - 12^th man in local county team named “Challenge Stars”, where my bro use to play. It was quite famous team in our town. Heard, I was playing as 12^th man in that team, I was asked to Open the innings in our school team matches (believe me.. with out any selection practices) I was shocked, but who will refuse that chance. I could see that much happiness in my bro’s face and then too I couldn’t understand his intention.

He trained me each & other day and I started playing (in fact just dancing in the pitches :))… Got selected in Sr. School team also as opening batsman. And I too got involved myself in more practices and I am so happy that I played all six years in my college team as opening batsmen. I represented twice in university zonal matches. Unforgettable moments those are. Well, I could still play in IT cricket matches and getting good relationships with lot many colleagues… I could name some thing in my hobby list now ;) Big Guddus to my bro… Whenever I am seeing those sports certificates (not more in number but at least 12 certificates to keep it in my file), I always remember the way I started my practices. I literally worried lot many times, that why did not I start listening to my bro from 6^th Grade. Cozz… I missed my 4 years sports in my school days :(

Well, past is past... But these memories are going to last forever. Unforunately, my bro might not be in a position to read this blog... He is a lawyer now and also taking care of other businesses in his free time. He is such a busy guy except Sundays. Still he is playing for the same cricket team in Sivakasi (Challenge Stars). No idea, when he is going to read this ;)... I hope he also didnt forget this.

Who knows... I am not sure whether he can remember these incidents now..

Spend Less Talk More

Well, there comes the technology. No wonder if you gonna throw your mobiles out of your pockets soon. Welcome to VoIP world!!! The broadband phone changes to the telephony world. Though VoIP started on 1995 with poor voice quality, it reaches almost every places in the world now with outstanding voice quality.

I remember those days when i paid Rs 4.50 (INR - Indian Currency) per minutes to talk to my parents. It was just normal STD calls from New Delhi to Sivakasi, Tamilnadu :) Surprised.. isnt? Now I am calling my parents from Australia and I am paying lesser than that. Talking to my friends in US or UK is almost none ;)

Does the technology stop only there? Answer is "Biggggg No.." You can get your own US phone number at free of cost (ref: Globe7); Get the fax as soft copies to your email inbox. No need to have any hardware/software installed in your machine/laptop.

Whatever the competition happened between Yahoo, Google, Skype, Lycos, and Globe7... till the time ppl like me getting benefits... Big thanks to Techonologies and the companies that are supporting these tech....

What you say, Mate???

Modified: March 06, 2007 - Well, I started this post on thinking of VOIP. this was the scenario when i was in Aussie land. Now comparing to the current situation, where it costs me just INR 1.74 from US to India; I dont know how to express my happiness. Of course, i am paying less that what if i were in Pune and talking to my parents and friends in TN. This is not related to VOIP though. Airtel and Relaince have competitions in their own marketing and came up with good offers to Public. It is 7.4 US cents per minute with out taking that offer and it would be 3.6 cents during the offer period :) Telecommunication is overwhelming to the technologies even. Well, I am sure the day is not so far where you may dial from computer with out any cost :))