What the hell is this Aeroline Bus Service all about!!!!

One of our office colleague (Roy) traveled to India a few weeks back and was scheduled to come to KL by late night 22nd Dec.

Due to reasons like cost & unavailability of direct flight to Kolkatta, he had to take the following route to his destination :
KL-Singapore=by Bus (aeroline) - Singapore - Kolkatta - by flight(Air India express) & return similarly.
In the last week or so prior to his departure he had noticed that the Air India express flights were experiencing problems in reaching their destinations in time due to bad weather.

Now since he was traveling with his wife, 3 year old child and his mom he wanted to have a comfortable journey back to KL from Singapore and had done bookings of Aeroline for the return journey for the 6:45 pm bus.

Sensing he might not make it for this bus he asked for help to his friend (senthil) to get the ticket postponed to a later time. Senthil personally went to their office here in KL & requested the Aeroline crew in all the possible ways to help get the bookings changed even if it meant additional cost. The unfortunate way he was treated and told is hideous. He was asked to present the original tickets for making the change although the friend had taken a fax copy of the ticket. Which world does aeroline operate in !!!!!!!! So no options for Roy but to hope for coming to Singapore on time which was truly in the hands of God almighty & Air India express!!

Well the flight didn't make it at 3:45 pm which is the scheduled time of arrival to Singapore and was almost 2.5+ hrs later and that meant it came by almost 6:30 pm. It was impossible for getting to the Aeroline departure location of Harbour front from Changi Airport with all the transport facilities in Singapore. So Roy finally had to accept that he will have to forgo the earlier ticket bookings. But he then still thought of making it for the 8 pm bus for KL by aeroline. He went to the terminal and requested for tickets for an almost empty bus ( 2 passengers) to be just departing from Harbour front & to this he was told that the bus bookings have been stopped and they cannot issue him tickets for their bus!!!!!!!!!!

Roy was with his wife, child and mom with about 5 luggage bags traveling since 6 am from that day morning just trying to be at KL in time to join his duties the next day at office had to finally board a bus from golden mile complex & he managed to reach at 2 am 23rd DEC.

Hearing this nightmare and having experienced a similar situation with Aeroline.. I have told myself to not plan for travel with Aeroline bus in future..... Hope you all there will also think about this incident and avoid traveling by this bus service, who in the name of punctuality is making life miserable for its customers. I don't suppose the airlines in any part treat their customers in this unjust and ridiculous way..

khari Lovers Good news - Did it!!!

Remember a few days back I mentioned about my wife getting this recipe from the net and we were going to try it.. Well we did try it the same day that we got the recipe i.e 19th Dec and it turned out fabulous.. the details of the recipe and how it comes out.. can be seen at the following blog link:

http://theseasoning.blogspot.com/2008/12/khari-made.html

Hope Khari enthusiasts will try their hands and enjoy the snack specially who are out of India and don't have access to fresh Khari and like to have it fresh from the bakery oops.. Oven :) .. 

No dreams..

Well after starting this session the day before.. unfortunately I haven't been having any dream/dreams for the past 2 nights.. i had a disturbed sleep day before.. sleeping pretty late and yesterday it was all deep sleep.. with nothing for me to recollect as to what I dreamt or whether I even dreamt at all :)

Have a nice day all of you visitors...

Arjun!!!

well for me it is a good day to begin with this section today.. cos it is my best friend's birthday today.. 

so here goes about my dream that I had yesterday.. 

I dreamt about the character Arjun from Mahabharat.. I was viewing a large ground where there are lot of soldiers fighting in the background.. and in forefront I was looking at Arjun..who was clad in white armour, crown & shoes... It was like looking at a giant personality maybe 7-8  feet tall.. and with a superb physique..

I could feel the charisma of this character... somehow... it was very magical.. moment...

I am not sure why I thought of this character as Arjun.. which is what I told my wife that it was Arjun....while discussing this I had another thought.. and that was that why doesn't someone from the media in India make a epic serial or movie and which portrays these characters very realistically..(I know B R Chopra, Sanjay Khan have made attempts at some of these epics & have done good job - but nothing like which can be at a level of something like Lord of Rings or a director like Peter Jackson calibre who can read about Mahabharat and create this epic... hope.. it would be possible.. soon...if someone like aamir khan or Ashutosh Gowarikar... sounds like a dream na..... that's what it is.... :))

well and just a quick note that I have not seen any serials or read anything about arjun in the past few months.. or recent times.. so I am not sure why I dreamt about it.. anyway... 

Sharing my dreams....

I got this idea today and shared the same with my wife & she too thought this was a different idea, so I am starting with this new section called Dream. 

People may experience them in different ways but dreaming is an experience everyone shares. Some people always remember their dreams. I don't remember all the dreams that I have experienced but tend to remember atleast some part of the dream. 

So based on the this fact, the concept of this section has evolved. Sounds simple but lets see how it goes.  

Starting with this section what do the experts have to say about " what is a dream?" 

The article below can give some answers to this question : http://psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_are_dreams

Scientific Theories about Dreaming

Scientific theories about dreaming take a view that dreaming is a mechanism by which the brain can sort out the information it receives during the day in order to make sense of it. It has even been suggested that dreaming is an accidental by-product of brain activity and as the brain sifts through impressions made during the day, it will discard the nonsense and therefore, according to some psychologists, this accumulation of ‘nonsense’ is expressed in dreams created in order to be forgotten. Other theories see dreaming as unconscious problem solving.

Generally speaking, dreams 'happen' to us. They are not (although in rare cases they can be) controlled by our conscious mind. In 1989, Empson said, "When dreaming we are the spectators of an unfolding drama, and only rarely does one have the impression of being in control."

There are some people who are of the opinion that dreams are not important. They have no meaning. However, others believe differently. Dreams come in all forms and they are rich in symbolism. They have a language of their own. Those who dismiss dreams as nonsense and who aren't willing to spend a little time learning that language will never understand the magic that is within them. There are indeed many who will testify that their lives have been enriched by tuning into, and respecting, the power of their dreams.

States of Consciousness

Sleep is an altered state of consciousness. Consciousness is a person's active perceptions, thoughts, feelings and memories. Of course people can't be aware of everything at once and therefore there are different levels of consciousness or awareness but when people are awake, they are conscious.

The unconscious is believed to be responsible for dreams, habits and mannerisms, slips of the tongue and even symptoms of illness. The unconscious is made up from all past experiences but how far back do these experiences go? Carl Jung, for instance, put forward the notion of a 'collective unconscious' which is said to be inherited and shared by all.

Get a glimpse of KL traffic

KL and most of the metropolitan cities around the world are known to have heavy traffic jams at peak periods & cause a real nuisance to drive while going to office & while leaving for home. 

I just was able to catch the traffic jam on my iphone you can guess the rest of the story with the traffic jams. 

I and a whole lot of people working in KL have to go thru these traffics jams everyday. It is estimated that everyday 1 million cars come in and go out of KL, since majority of people working in KL stay on the outer boundaries of KL city to avoid the high costs of living within the city limits.

But an unfortunate thing that does occur in major countries and cities is that one car carries one person only most of the times rather than a few sharing the same car based on the concept of "Car Pool". Although we all are concerned with oil conservation & extinction of natural resources workdwide, it is difficult how we as individuals can do better at our end. 

Anyway lot of times it is not feasible to have arrangements like car pooling so one can rely on good public transport system to save on cost & do the little contribution for our earth to be less polluting & moving towards a Greener Earth.

 countries like Singapore have been able to manage & successfully use the public transport to minimise the private vehicles on road & promote greener initiatives. Its a long way for larger countries and cities with an average infrastructure and planning. Hope we can do better to save our earth........you can get good tips on what you can do to save earth.. on this link..http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/8319/savethearth.html

All the best to US!!!!!!!!

Khari Lovers good news..

We found this lovely recipe on another blog and it seems very simple.. we plan to try this out soon.. and shall let you know.. meanwhile.. any food enthusiast who would want to try it.. please have a look at this link.. 

http://enjoyindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/02/shortcut-khari-biscuits.html

please do let me know if you try out, about how it turned out and any expert tips.. in case you do this before we have tried.. 

happy cooking.. 

Kitchen in Style....

Today afternoon while I was at office working on something, I got a message from my wife and she shared with me this website link:

http://www.kitchenculture.com/

The site is very very impressive and it makes you buy the things showcased on the website. The site is about the Kitchen furniture, appliances, accessories, wardrobe furniture and it is about having a stylish lifestyle at an important place in any house & that is kitchen.

The whole theme of this website is based on the concept & I quote from this website that...

"The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is a place where the family gathers, where the host and hostesses display their culinary skills, where friends get together and where you should fit in the best kitchen systems and appliances to create a well-designated and cosy area."

I completely agree with what the company has to say about its designs and would surely look forward in visiting one of their stores & having a look at the items displayed on the website..

I love the accessories depicted & find the 3rd image to be very practical and designer.. & I am blown away by the wardrobe furniture..

I wish I would be able to use some of this furniture in my own house when I have one..

The company has 1 outlet each in Singapore & Malaysia @ Thye Hong Centre, 2 Leng Kee Road & 45E 5th Floor, Jalan Maarof Bangunan Bangsaria Bangsar Baru...respectively

Will let you know my experience once I have visited either of these outlets....

It just Rocks On!!

I am talking about the A1 movie of this year Rock On...

although the theme is about Music, the casting, direction, editing & tempo of the movie all of it are just perfect & you walk out after watching the movie to think about the maturity level of the movie in bollywood.. simply Amazing..

I am floored by the performance of Farhan Akhtar.. although I had become his fan the time I saw "Dil Chahata Hai" few years back and longing to know about the next movie that Farhan would take up.. looking at his character in this movie was simply like watching a Denzel Washington from hollywood or the yester year Amitabh.. at his best.. one can feel the intenseness in Farhan's character without him being too verbose in the whole movie...... I am hollywood movie fan. although i do watch hindi movies.. I only go by references.. to watch them.. nowdays the small banner hindi movies that have come are really good.. but you get once in awhile movies like DCH, Taare Zameen Par or Wednesday.. which leave an impact.. and i would say this movie has not only left an impact on me but my family.. .

The songs although being a different league altogether.. are so close to one's heart once you listen to them.. & you tend to be humming the songs on and off.. my 3 year old son.. simply loves watching & dancing to the tunes of Rock-On songs. one of his favorites being Sindbad the Sailor and Aasman hai kyon Neela Neela.. which are my favorites too...Hats off to musicians Shankar, ehsan & loy.. they are too good musicians in today's times.. apart from the likes of Rehman.. and few others in today's era..

one thing that is always weak with bollywood movies which they are catching up with is casting.. which is very crucial for the movie to carry the story well.. the movie is depicting Rock band with band persons in typical long hairs & attitude.. which is known for Rock stars.. but the drastic changes that take place in their lives and the practical life that they all get into is just wonderful....

Friendship, love.. partnering.. among friends.. husband wife.. and as a team is something depicted in such a lucid but impactful way.. that you can relate to these things so easily..

the bottom line i would say that this movie tried to convey was :

"Have passion in what you like and follow the same which will give you immense pleasure.. " I found this nice article trying explain what is passion?

"Sometimes the best place to begin to define a word is with Webster. Webster’s dictionary states that passion is an emotional response.

Being an intellectual conceptualizer or more simply stated a heurist, I wrote down 3 words – passion, performance and purpose.

Consider the following: Imagine someone standing with out stretched arms and open hands with one hand holding the word passion and the other holding the word purpose.

What I would like you to consider is that passion is the present where others as well as ourselves see our emotions. Purpose is the future, our true north, where we constantly strive towards to reach our vision. And the performance is the individual with the outstretched hands. Performance is the collection of all past experiences and current actions where we continually apply knowledge as we hold our passion and purpose.

Passion exists with our purpose and performance as a partner to help achieve the present and the future that we desire for our families our friends our communities and ourselves."

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. President of ADVANCED SYSTEMS, is the Process Specialist.

First Day at Work

These are some of the basics which one needs to keep in mind, specially at times when someone is changing jobs after a long time. 

Step 1:

Personalise your workspace

Step 2:

Follow the Dress code, and wear something comfortable according to your duties.

Step 3:

Get to know your Workplace. Feel the atmosphere and work culture.

Step 4:

Keep your Conduct, dress and manner professional.

Step 5:

Experience is great, but do not assume your new company operates the same way as your old company.

Step 6:

Adjust your style after you have have time to look around.

There could be other things as well.. which some of you there can contribute.. for sure.. 

Keep Walking

Well I am not talking about Johnny walker.. but purely about walking as a everyday thing which we all do & which can result in a good exercise if we can continue to do this regularly & maintain a routine. Here is something interesting about walking.. before you start with it..

Walking is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to stay physically fit. It's also a versatile form of exercise that can be done indoors (many malls and public buildings offer walking routes) or outdoors, and you can tailor the intensity of your exercise based upon your individual abilities and goals. Whether you'd like to begin walking for exercise or if you're already established in the habit, these tips can help you get the most from your workout.

1.     Before starting a walking program, check with your doctor if you have a chronic medical condition or if you have had a recent injury. But don't assume that you aren't able to start exercise walking if you do have medical issues. Exercise walking can help control disease progression and relieve symptoms in people with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and many people with arthritis or other musculoskeletal problems will experience symptom relief from a medically-supervised exercise walking routine.

2.     Invest in good shoes. Since these are the only expense and equipment you'll need, pay attention to the fit and quality of your shoes. Shoes should fit when you try them on without any areas of pinching or pressure that could cause blisters or calluses. Wear the type of socks you'll wear when walking when you purchase your shoes, and remember that you'll likely need a larger-sized shoe than you normally wear if you plan to wear thick socks. Shoes should have good arch support and a slightly elevated heel with stiff material to support the heel when walking and prevent wobbling.

3.     Always warm up by walking at a slow or normal walking pace for five minutes before picking up the tempo of your workout.

4.     Pay attention to your heart rate and breathing. Walk at a pace that challenges you and elevates your heart rate, but don't overdo. You should be able to talk and carry on a conversation while you are exercising; if you can't, you may be working too hard.

5.     Use good walking posture. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends maintaining the following posture when exercise walking: Swing your arms. Keep your head up, back straight and abdomen flat. Point your toes straight ahead. Take long strides, but don't strain.

6.     Consider getting a pedometer to track the distance you've walked or the number of steps you've taken. Watching your improvement over time is a terrific source of motivation.

7.     Be sure to carry water if you're walking long distances or are exercising in hot weather. In very hot weather you may need fitness drinks or other sources of electrolytes as well.

8.     In the heat of summer, don't forget to wear a hat with a brim and to apply sunscreen to exposed areas.

9.     Vary your route if you're getting bored. To increase your fitness, add a route with some hills or changes in terrain. Or alternate routes on different days of the week.

10.   Keep your workout interesting. Many people walk with a buddy or in groups for support and motivation. While lots of walkers swear by their iPods to keep them going, I prefer to pay extra attention to the sights and sounds around me. Find the solution that keeps you moving.  

Simple mushroom sauce

This is a tried and tested recipe and very easy to make.. takes about 20 mins...and believe me it turned out amazing... I shall be trying this again in the next week or so..

This is the site where I found this recipe... Please do check this website for more exciting recipes..and do drop me a line if you come across anything interesting...

© Copyright 2001-2008 helpwithcooking.com

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170 g) of thinly sliced mushrooms
• ½ pint of milk
• ½ oz (15 g) of butter
• 1 heaped tbsp of flour
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method

• Heat a little olive oil and melt the butter in it.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and dark in colour.
• Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
• Add the flour and pour in the milk.
• Mix the ingredients together, stirring continuously.
• Return the pan to a medium heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens.
• Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 - 8 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Happy cooking..

Asia Pacific Airline Engineering & Maintenance, Conferences18-19 June 2008Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I was part of the Asia Pacific Airline Engineering & Maintenance/Purchasing & Supply Chain Conferences held on 18-19 June 2008Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on behalf of my company Ramco Systems.

Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala LumpurJalan Sultan IsmailP.O. Box 1057750718 Kuala LumpurMalaysiaTel: +60 3 2148 2322Web: http://www.crowneplaza.com/

Taxi: A taxi from the airport costs about RM70 and takes approximately 1 hour.

Train: a train from the airport takes about 30 minutes. The nearest station is Putra KLCC, 1 Kilometre from the hotel. and nearest monorail station is Raja Chulan.

Ramco Aviation Solution is an offering from Ramco's Enterprise Series of vertical solutions crafted exclusively for the global airline, MRO, helicopter and similar aircraft maintenance organizations. The aviation solution represents over 150 person years of research, product development, implementation and customer experience built into the offering for providing lasting value and competitive edge to its customers

Ramco Aviation is the Number One Global provider of Web, Component and Business Process Centric Aviation & MRO Software. Ramco's Aviation Suite offers comprehensive, end-to-end, Maintenance & Engineering (M&E) and Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Enterprise Software for Fleet Operators, MRO providers and OEM organizations. Customers include; Pinnacle Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, Vueling, Aerolitoral (Part of Aero Mexico), Virgin America Inc., PHI, Air Methods, Conair, Air Lloyd Luftfahrt, Indian Airlines, Air New Zealand’s Safe Air Limited MRO operation, Alsalam Aircraft, JeJu Air Co.,and many others.

Ramco's Aviation Suite helps organizations reduce operating and overhead costs, optimize inventory, increase operational performance, incremental revenue and maintain regulatory and maintenance safety standards. Through Ramco’s state of the art performance and business management reporting, Ramco's DecisionWorks provides the digital dashboards to Aviation & MRO business intelligence via performance indicators, for management & monitoring of direct operating costs (DOC) and direct maintenance costs (DMC).

Here are some of the pictures taken during the conference reception. This happened on the 30th floor.. of the hotel.. and the place had a nice view of the city centre..

I was fortunate to visit the Malaysian Airlines facility where we had a warm reception from Senior people from Malaysian airlines & we were given a round of the MAS facility & it was a wonderful learning experience for me and lot of others who had come along. almost about 50 of us.. Mostly people in aviation business..related in some way or the other...

An evacuation device which inflates automatically upon opening of the door of an aircraft unless predetermined actions are accomplished before the door is opened. The device comprises individually operable and pneumatically distinct upper and lower inflation tube assemblies which support a slide surface therebetween across which persons jumping from the aircraft may slide to ground level. A canopy is provided which may be fastened across the slide surface so that the device can be utilized as a raft in an aircraft ditching situation. If desired, the capacity of the raft can be increased by the provision of sponsons integral with each of the inflatable tube assemblies and extending laterally therefrom.

Applicable to certain Boeing Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-200F, 747-300, 747SP, and 747SR series airplanes, that requires a one-time inspection of each emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to determine if a certain discrepant hose assembly

is installed, and replacement of the hose assembly with a new or serviceable assembly if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent the failure of an emergency evacuation slide or slide/raft to fully inflate during an emergency situation, which could impede an evacuation and result in injury to passengers or airplane crewmembers. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

It was a good conference.. and I specially had fun meeting lot of experienced people from well known airlines and also had this fantastic opportunity to visit the Malaysian airlines facility...

Who Needs Sleep?

Sleep is important. This is common knowledge. However, when work, kids and schedules factor into the equation, sleep is often one of the first things quickly shuffled to the bottom of the priority list. the question is why?

Sleep is a physical and mental resting state in which we become almost totally inactive and unaware of the environment. Unlike a coma, we can be aroused from this detached state (depending on how light or heavy a sleeper you are), but for the most part , our senses block external stimuli. Body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing rate all decrease, but interestingly, the brain remains active.

Why do we sleep?

Your biological clock is always ticking and that internal sense of time plays a major role in sleep. technically known as circadian rhythms, the biological clock tells the body when to be asleep and awake, a cycle that is typically 24 hours. science shows that in humans, the brain's metabolic activity decreases significantly after 24 hours of non-stop wakefulness. This means that the chemical process by which brain cells produce the substances and energy needed to sustain life suffers with prolonged sleep-deprivation.

Why is sleep important?

The US institute of Medicine has reported confirmed links between sleep deprivation and an increase in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke. In addition to allowing us to function normally throughout the day, proper sleep is linked to restorative processes in the immune system. If sleep deprivation is persistent, the person can experience even more severe consequences, including significant mood swings, obesity, diabetes, erratic behaviour, hallucinations and in the most extreme cases, a shortened life-span.

How much sleep do we need?

The answer to this question varies with age. Infants pretty much sleep all the time, racking up around 16 hours a day. Teenagers need about 9 hours to keep them from being bratty nightmares. The number varies as well, with some people needing only 5 and others requiring 10 hours sleep each day. Last year a study from the university of Chicago suggested that the average figure required was 7.2 hours, but recent studies have shown improved performance of people that sleep more than 8 hours a night over those that don't.

How to get better sleep?

Make a conscious effort to go to bed and get up at the same time every day even on the weekends.

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol are stimulants that can keep you awake. So avoid these when it is sleep time.

Cut down your commute. Not sure if everyone can do it.

Make use of the weekends - reduce your sleep debt by getting at least a couple of extra hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Slow down your snooze - However tired you are, spend some time in a dimmer light prior to trying to achieve sleep.

So hope you have a good sleep.. nighty night....

'A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure'

This is an excerpt from one of the great forums in relation to our former president Dr/ A P J Abdul Kalam.

(Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Wharton India Economic forum , Philadelphia , March 22,2008)
Question: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India 's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India 's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal. By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts -- I had four or five of them with me -- told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal . It was a big failure. That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference -- where journalists from around the world were present -- was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India ]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure -- he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization. The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, "You conduct the press conference today." I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

" Never limit your challenges; challenge your limits....! " " Every change is not a progress, but every Progress is a change..... Do it Now ! " " Expect more from yourself than from others. Because expectation from others hurts a lot, while expectation from you inspires a lot.... ! "

Finally A Dream come true.. Possessing an Iphone

Hello.. world..


It gives me immense pleasure that I have been able to fulfill my wish of owning The Iphone & this happened I should say almost during my birthday.. since it was sent by my friend Raju during this time, but little postal and custom delays resulted in me getting the piece a tad late.. nonetheless.. I have this with me now.. and one can sure notice the excitement in my eyes now when I am handling this superb Phone..


Hats off to Mr. Steve Jobs.... what an innovation... I was floored when I had seen the launch of this iphone & had decided that I shall go for it.... whenever it comes to the market... Well time just flew by... and recently one of my friends.. showed me this eye catching phone in person and the feel of this phone was like just giving an adrenalin rush.. so that's when I pinged my friend in US for looking for it.. and he too took huge efforts in getting the phone to me here..

It is not just phone.. but camera, scheduler... internet browser, music and what not..... and the more you use it.. the more you fall in love with it... my son is also so excited to see this since he can operate it by just a touch of his small fingers.. .which is something magical.. to watch..

By using this phone one can truly sence the revolution in the technology era.. and sence what is store for us in the next few years... and i should once again thank company like apple to make it affordable & reality for today's world.. Full points to you...

Here is the link where one can get more info...
http://www.apple.com/iphone/

A Lot of Hot Air

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."

The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

Why People Are Afraid of Indians

This came as an email from one of my mba mates.. who usually sends very good jokes & this one is very hilarious.. :)) Hope you enjoy it...

Here is a 'true' story about a Indian boy on his first day at school in the USA .

It was the first day of school and a new student named Chandrashekhar Subramanyam entered the fourth grade. The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American History. Who said "Give me Liberty , or give me Death"? She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Chandrashekhar, who had his hand-up: "Patrick Henry, 1775" he said. "Very good!"

Who said "Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth?" Again, no response except from Chandrashekhar. "Abraham Lincoln, 1863" said Chandrashekhar.

The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed. Chandrashekhar, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do."

She heard a loud whisper: "F**k the Indians,". "Who said that?" she demanded.
Chandrashekhar put his hand up. "General Custer, 1862."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke."The teacher glares around and asks "All right! Now,who said that?" Again, Chandrashekhar says, " George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."

Now furious, another student yells, "Oh yeah? S*ck this! "Chandrashekhar jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher, " Bill Clinton, to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now with almost a mob hysteria someone said "You little shit. If you say anything more, I'll kill you." Chandrashekhar frantically yells at the top of his voice, "Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, 2001."

The teacher fainted. And as the class gathered around the teacher on the floor, someone said, "Oh shit, we're f**ked! "And Chandrashekhar said quietly, "George Bush, Iraq , 2005."

Kiwifruit.....

This is a lovely & valuable article I got today in my email subsciption from their website Realage : http://www.realage.com/ I think this is a very good website for just getting an update about health & living. This website was recommended to me by Neelum - who knows what's best for me.. She got this info from Oprah's show which is one of our favorite shows & everyone knows this is amongst the popular shows in the world. ok going back to what this article about.. well it is about a little green fruit with fuzzy brown skin which would help your heart big time!!!!

Here is what realage & Dr. Oz & Dr. Rozien have to say about this Fruit & how it can benefit us. Eating lots of kiwifruit is like putting a tag team of heart helpers on your cardio-health case. Here's why. It's in Your BloodKiwifruit appear to put the kibosh on artery-clogging plaques in two ways: They help lower triglyceride levels, and they reduce platelet clumping. The platelet effect could be particularly good for your ticker: Although platelets aid in blood clotting, when these cells stick together too much, it could set the stage for a heart attack or stroke.

Head of the Class

There's plenty of heart-helping nutrition in kiwifruit to explain these positive impacts. You may be surprised to learn a kiwi has more vitamin C than an orange, beats bananas for potassium, and is chock-full of vitamin E and magnesium.

Dive In

Kiwifruit are easy to eat. Just slice one in half and scoop out the insides with a spoon, like you would a melon. You can also peel the skin off & cut the whole fruit into slices & you could have them put on a plate & have it with fork or fruit picks. Alternatively one can make Kiwi juice & have a glassful.

RealAge Benefit:

Eating 5 servings of fruit a day can make your RealAge 1.4 years younger.

I am sure one cannot dive into eating 5 servings of fruit immediately.. but having a few servings every week, should also be a good start. I started eating this fruit when I came to Singapore. It was the first time I got to know about this fruit & when I saw this fruit nicely cut & arranged in a stick like kebabs at a fruit stall I fell for it... & i love having this fruit...from then on...

Hope you too enjoy it.. well if not for liking, I am sure who would not like to reduce their age not just by words but physically as well.. Happy Kiwingggggg!!!

Nalanda University: It's time Asia paid back the 'knowledge'

I got this article which was posted in the New Straits Times in India...

Nalanda University: It's time Asia paid back the 'knowledge' debt By Mahendra Ved, The New Straits Times, Feb 18, 2008

New Delhi, India -- IT is payback time for the world community, especially East and Southeast Asia, for what it received by way of knowledge from an ancient Indian university that is in the throes of revival as an international seat of learning.It is heartening to note that there is some rallying for the Nalanda International University after a decade-long effort. Former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, as its Visitor, heads a nine-member team that has renowned scholars, including Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen.Originally founded in 427 AD, the university was destroyed in 1197 AD.

During its 750 years' chequered life, it attracted students and scholars from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey.Before Oxford, Harvard, Yale and others, Nalanda was acclaimed as the greatest university in the world. Devoted to Buddhist studies, it also trained students in fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics and the art of warfare.The university was an architectural and environmental masterpiece -- eight separate compounds, 10 temples, meditation halls, classrooms, lakes and parks, a nine-storey library, dormitories for students -- housing nearly 10,000 students and 2,000 professors.The name probably comes from a combination of nalam (lotus, the symbol of knowledge) and da, meaning "to give", so Nalanda means "Giver of Knowledge". And that is exactly what the university did. The revival idea was mooted in the late 1990s. Unesco was approached and senior Indian politician George Fernandes, who represents Nalanda in parliament, appealed to the Japanese for help.Others joined in 2006 as Kalam, then the president, seized the initiative. After the Bihar legislature enacted The University of Nalanda Act 2007, a "Nalanda Mentor Group" was formed.

Besides Sen, the mentors include Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo, Harvard historian Sugata Bose, Indo-British academician and writer Lord Meghnad Desai and scholars and experts from Japan and China.Meeting in Singapore last November and in Tokyo in December, they agreed that Nalanda should be "an international university enjoying academic autonomy. It would be a secular academic institution".The Mentor Group underlined the importance of the project in the context of "an Asian renaissance" and finalised details of the university that would be guided by "a global philosophy while maintaining local relevance".According to the blueprint, it will have schools in Buddhist studies, philosophy and comparative religion; historical studies; international relations and peace studies; business management and development studies; languages and literature; and ecology and environmental studies.Its vistas would be expanded to cover neurosciences and touch on the frontiers of scientific research.

The Mentor Group also endorsed a proposal to establish a research-and- teaching entity in Singapore, to be called the Srivijaya Centre, which would work in co-operation with the Nalanda University.A framework for the proposed university will be finalised for discussion at the next East Asia Summit in Thailand.The Nalanda University, which is being set up at its original location, a 180ha plot of land 100km from Bihar's capital Patna, will initially have an international faculty of 46, to be expanded to 582 by the end of the 10-year project.Visualised as a bridge between South and East Asia, the university will be built at a cost of Rs6.3 billion (RM505 million).

In Singapore, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attended a reception hosted by his counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, on the occasion of a special exhibition on Nalanda.He used the occasion to launch an appeal to Asean and to the European Union for material and intellectual help.

Among the 116 previous artefacts, the exhibition featured bone relics from the only known archaeological find that can be linked directly to Lord Buddha.Symbolic of the appeal for help was the Nalanda Copper Plate, which represented the royal patronage that the original Nalanda University received from the kings and nobles of yore.What has begun is but a tenth of what was a campus that spread across 16 sq km as per the records of Hieun Tsang, the famous Chinese scholar who visited Nalanda in the 7th century.So far, hardly 1.6 sq km of the ruins of the university have been excavated.

To facilitate this, the National Remote Sensing Agency conducted a ground-penetrating radar survey to trace the location of the buried ancient structures. Questions persist even as the project gathers momentum. Why was the ancient university destroyed, not once but thrice? Why were hapless scholars attacked and libraries burnt?The answer lies in man's cruelty to man as he chases -- half-heartedly and insincerely -- that mirage called peace. Violence seems endemic to our civilisation, whatever the cause, conquerors then were no different from what one sees today. Perhaps, so were their justifications.Sadly, if Nalanda was destroyed by violence, Kalam's visit to the project this month too triggered violence of a different type. Angry farmers stoned Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, complaining of non-payment or not being compensated enough, for the land acquired to rebuild the university.

Nalanda poses a small but significant challenge to the world community, particularly to Asians. As the "Asian Century" gets under way, will they fund a project that will help them refurbish the cultural and spiritual well-being of their present and future generations?Writing in The New York Times, Jeffrey E. Garten, former dean of the Yale School of Management, expressed doubts: "...the bigger issue is imagination and willpower.

It is not clear that the Asian nations are prepared to unite behind anything concrete except trade agreements, either for their benefit or the world's."It appears doubtful that with all their economic prowess, and their large armies, they understand that real power also comes from great ideas and from people who generate them, and that truly great universities are some of their strongest potential assets."Garten says, and I fully endorse: "I would like to be proved wrong in these judgments. How Asia approaches the resurrection of Nalanda will be a good test."

On this Republic day...

26th January 1950 is one of the most important days in Indian history as it was on this day the constitution of India came into force and India became a truly sovereign state. In this day India became a totally republican unit. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the numerous freedom fighters who, fought for and sacrificed their lives for the Independence of their country. So, the 26th of January was decreed a national holiday and has been recognized and celebrated as the Republic Day of India, ever since.

Today, the Republic Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm all over the country and especially in the capital, New Delhi where the celebrations start with the Presidential to the nation. The beginning of the occasion is always a solemn reminder of the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defense of sovereignty of their country. Then, the President comes forward to award the medals of bravery to the people from the armed forces for their exceptional courage in the field and also the civilians, who have distinguished themselves by their different acts of valour in different situations.

I have been out of India since few years and haven't really bothering about this day so much till recent times. Last year due to initiation from one of my good friend, Yogendra led us group of friends go for the 15th august function & it made me think about the times I had attended these functions back in India. Coming out of the country & understanding the meaning of these days & functions has truly dawned on me. I have seen the importance of independence day in Singapore & malaysia & really appreciate the efforts taken by the government in these countries, to keep people aware of the importance of these days & what are the new things need to be done to keep the country independent & growing.

I think although these days are celebrated as the remembrance of the times when the independence was achieved or countries became republics but it is also the time to look back and think on what mistakes have happened in the past and what needs to be done to avoid these mistakes and improve things in the governance of the country & people as a whole & take the economy forward in the competitive market. Coming back to what does happen back in India during these times ......

To mark the importance of this occasion, every year a grand parade is held in the capital, from the Rajghat, along the Vijaypath. The different regiments of the army, the Navy and the Air force march past in all their finery and official decorations even the horses of the cavalry are attractively caparisoned to suit the occasion. The crème of N.C.C cadets, selected from all over the country consider it an honour to participate in this event, as do the school children from various schools in the capital. They spend many days preparing for the event and no expense is spared to see that every detail is taken care of, from their practice for the drills, the essential props and their uniforms.

The parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular displays from the different states of the country. These moving exhibits depict scenes of activities of people in those states and the music and songs of that particular state accompany each display. Each display brings out the diversity and richness of the culture of India and the whole show lends a festive air to the occasion. The parade and the ensuing pageantry is telecast by the National Television and is watched by millions of viewers in every corner of the country.

The patriotic fervor of the people on this day brings the whole country together even in her essential diversity. Every part of the country is represented in occasion, which makes the Republic Day the most popular of all the national holidays of India.

This time I as part of my company got an invitation for the reception at Indian High commissioner's residence for Republic day celebration a few days back. It was pretty formal event, with mostly director, CEO, CXO level coming for this function from India companies & some special guests. It was a good networking event & the food was fantabulous, which I could not really enjoy since there was always someone there to talk to and it was difficult to do two things at a time. Anyway, it was a good experience..

Happy Republic Day!!!

PERSONAL PERCEPTION

Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home, a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey? "Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman." The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.

It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a nar row bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.

Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear..

Personally I use to be conscious about the people around me when I am with my son & tend to not allow myself to be childish when I use to be outside with him. But then later i saw people around me were not really my concern but it was my conscience & that's when I started enjoying more with my son & did spend quality & fun time with him and my wife even when we are out. I am sure lot of the new parents may have experienced this some or the other time.

NO POINTING FINGERS

A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?"

The father-in-law answered in a smile, "Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than you."

We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves.

If we forgive the others, others will ignore our mistake too.

Shama (Forgiveness)
Is the tool with which indian saints of the past and present have guided the society to its present status! The power to forgive, the biggest and most effective tool to conquer even the staunchest enemy is but a matter of record. An instrument of love which never fails ... come whatsoever may!!

Animosity brings with itself venegeance. You have to prevent yourself getting caught in the whirlpool of Ego, which drowns even the stauncest never to rise again! Salvage what you earn in this life ... Who knows what life you may inherit next!!

Shama (forgiveness) is the tool which was practiced by all, without exception! Lord Krishna, Mahavira, Buddha, Christ and prophet Mohammed ... none could do without it! Every society has its share of scavengers, who may stoop low. Left with no alternative one has to learn to forgive others. The ecstasy one feels after forgiving the perpetrators of crime cannot be explained in words ... Ananda which no other Karma can give!!

TRUST

TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.

A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she Heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is."

Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".

Trust is not just essential in personal relationships but in all walks of life. Everyday we rely on the information shared from our fellow colleagues & we then do something based on this information. I guess, this is again an example of trust. There are times, if one hears different stories from various sources about the same thing/s but the stronger factor will always be trust factor which will help you take a decision on the problem or issue. So be sure you are true to what you do, since you trust someone & that someone trusts you which builds relationship.

cheers..

A BEAUTIFUL STORY from Corey Breier

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out of the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window?

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. "

Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

An interesting story about vanilla ice cream that puzzled General Motors!!!!

This is a real story that happened between a customer of General Motors and its customer-care executive. Pls read on...

The Pontiac division of General Motors received a complaint: This is the second time I have written to you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of ice-cream for dessert after dinner each night, but the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem...

You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds "what is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?" The Pontiac president was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an engineer to check it out anyway. The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinnertime, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't start. The engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start.

Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: he jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive back and forth etc.

In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavor.
Now, the question for the engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Eureka - time was now the problem - not the vanilla ice cream!!!! The engineer quickly came up with the answer: "vapor lock".

It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapor lock to dissipate.

Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be simple only when we find the solution, with cool thinking.

In Case of Emergency (ICE)

We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we were to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency?

Hence this "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) Campaign The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly.

It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name "ICE" ( In Case Of Emergency).

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose.

In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as "ICE." For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc. A great idea that will make a difference!

Let's spread the concept of ICE by storing an ICE number in our Mobile phones today! Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest .

ICE will speak for you when you are not able to.

Happy New Year 2008

Dear Friends,

Let us all gather round and cheer,

With a drink of wine or an ice cold beer

Perhaps you're like me and don't drink the swill,

Or your like my grandparents who live on pills.

Maybe this world seems harsh at times,

Or its just that most of us just like to whine.

I'd say that this is a great place to be,

It all depends on how we can see.

True we've had bad things in the past,

But we know in our hearts that these will not last.

If we try our best to be simple and pure,

There's nothing our hopes and dreams cannot cure.

So, I don't know the value this is worth,

But lets all try to be happy and heal Mother Earth!

Happy New Year!

Hope we can do good to others while we do good for ourselves....

Hope we can make someone happy when we make ourselves happy...

Hope we can keep the promise we make to someone when someone keeps their promises too..

Hope we can care for our mother earth when she takes care of us too...

Hope we make more friends and remember them all year through...

Hope we remember god at good times, when he always helps during the bad times get us through...

Lets Hope "Hope" stays with us as always, in this year too!!!!!!!!!!!!