I have always been a fan of Gmail, but read this and you may become one too. How GMail will prevent you from sending embarassing emails when you are drunk.
http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-in-labs-stop-sending-mail-you-later.html
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
An Effort - An Adventure - A Beginning
You didn't think I was just going to sit still, did you? So, finally after spending a truckload of time and money, I lauched my websites. I call them City Portals!
The idea for these websites kind of developed over time. I started working for a software giant in the year 2000 and in 2001 I had to go to the US for work. When I started living there I found that the best way to find anything in the new place was to search for it on the net (Google was not yet so popular so Googling was not a word). That method was quite successful in finding a lot of things from directions to deals on cellphones. Later, I moved back to Delhi and after a couple of years I moved to Poona.
Now Poona was again a new city and I needed to find a lot of things there starting from a house. To my dismay I found that my tested and tried method of searching on the net did not work in Poona. Simply because the few sites that were available had very little relevant information, mostly touristy kind of information and most of the time had not been updated in years! Over the first few weeks in Poona, after a few dozen searches I realized the sad truth - Poona was not online!
I don't know when the idea actually took form in my mind (but most great ideas start like that) but slowly I came to realize a fact following from the sad realization - If Poona was not online, I will need to take it online!
Easier said than done, right? Right! Even though I had the necessary web designing, web programming and online research skills, I did not have the massive amount of time that would be required to create a data-centric web portal that can be really useful to the general public. On top of that it has to be updated, constantly, otherwise it would fall into the same trap of presenting information that nobody could use.
Well, to cut the long story short, I hired some professionals, got the site developed and ApnaPune.Com (lovingly called APC) was born.
But what about Delhi? When I was trying to bring Poona city online, how could I forget my hometown, my city of birth - New Delhi? So, MeriDelhiMeriShaan.com (loving nickname - MDMS) was born to keep APC company.
On my birthday this year - (22nd of August for those of you who don't know), we launched both the sites, bringing them 'live'! Now, I am proud to say anybody can go to one of these sites and do a simple search to find out what movies are playing in the city on which theatres with their addresses, phone numbers and even user created reviews of the movies. There are many other categories in which information is available, readily and in a comprehensive manner.
The major source of my pride in the guarantee that the INFORMATION WILL ALWAYS BE CURRENT....as there is a dedicated team of people behind each site, people who collect information from the real world and put it online for anybody to search and use. This for me is the beginning of a dream! One day, every city in India will be online and part of this chain.
I encourage you to check the sites and let me know what you think. They are both geared towards the cities that they serve but we have created them in a way that they can offer something interesting and useful to any visitor no matter where they are coming from!
The links are:
www.meridillimerishaan.com
www.apnapune.com
The idea for these websites kind of developed over time. I started working for a software giant in the year 2000 and in 2001 I had to go to the US for work. When I started living there I found that the best way to find anything in the new place was to search for it on the net (Google was not yet so popular so Googling was not a word). That method was quite successful in finding a lot of things from directions to deals on cellphones. Later, I moved back to Delhi and after a couple of years I moved to Poona.
Now Poona was again a new city and I needed to find a lot of things there starting from a house. To my dismay I found that my tested and tried method of searching on the net did not work in Poona. Simply because the few sites that were available had very little relevant information, mostly touristy kind of information and most of the time had not been updated in years! Over the first few weeks in Poona, after a few dozen searches I realized the sad truth - Poona was not online!
I don't know when the idea actually took form in my mind (but most great ideas start like that) but slowly I came to realize a fact following from the sad realization - If Poona was not online, I will need to take it online!
Easier said than done, right? Right! Even though I had the necessary web designing, web programming and online research skills, I did not have the massive amount of time that would be required to create a data-centric web portal that can be really useful to the general public. On top of that it has to be updated, constantly, otherwise it would fall into the same trap of presenting information that nobody could use.
Well, to cut the long story short, I hired some professionals, got the site developed and ApnaPune.Com (lovingly called APC) was born.
But what about Delhi? When I was trying to bring Poona city online, how could I forget my hometown, my city of birth - New Delhi? So, MeriDelhiMeriShaan.com (loving nickname - MDMS) was born to keep APC company.
On my birthday this year - (22nd of August for those of you who don't know), we launched both the sites, bringing them 'live'! Now, I am proud to say anybody can go to one of these sites and do a simple search to find out what movies are playing in the city on which theatres with their addresses, phone numbers and even user created reviews of the movies. There are many other categories in which information is available, readily and in a comprehensive manner.
The major source of my pride in the guarantee that the INFORMATION WILL ALWAYS BE CURRENT....as there is a dedicated team of people behind each site, people who collect information from the real world and put it online for anybody to search and use. This for me is the beginning of a dream! One day, every city in India will be online and part of this chain.
I encourage you to check the sites and let me know what you think. They are both geared towards the cities that they serve but we have created them in a way that they can offer something interesting and useful to any visitor no matter where they are coming from!
The links are:
www.meridillimerishaan.com
www.apnapune.com
Friday, October 03, 2008
It's the journey
I have recently come to realize that the journey is usually more interesting than the destination. It's true of the metaphorical journey of life and so many other journeys. For example, the journey to success; it's a long road paved with hardships, tough choices, hard work and depressing situations. But if you look back on it, you know you enjoyed every moment of it. I bet making your first million would be a million times better than bigger deals that you just get used to. (I don't know yet, I'll let you know when I make that first million.)
Or take a simple journey to a holiday spot. When you are going, you are excited, thrilled with the prospects of skiing, hiking, swimming, fishing...or whatever make you jump with joy. When you are coming back your head is full of memories (usually good) and you are looking forward to getting home and relaxing in the familiar environment, a soak in the hot tub or a meal at your favorite restaurant. No matter how good or bad your vacation went your journey is usually exciting.
The point is, we usually look back at our journey, esp. this journey to success, with fondness
and something akin to nostalgia. Most times we can also enjoy the journey when we are living it. And when you are able to do that, life becomes such joy!
That was my 2 cents. Do share your thoughts on this.
Or take a simple journey to a holiday spot. When you are going, you are excited, thrilled with the prospects of skiing, hiking, swimming, fishing...or whatever make you jump with joy. When you are coming back your head is full of memories (usually good) and you are looking forward to getting home and relaxing in the familiar environment, a soak in the hot tub or a meal at your favorite restaurant. No matter how good or bad your vacation went your journey is usually exciting.
The point is, we usually look back at our journey, esp. this journey to success, with fondness
and something akin to nostalgia. Most times we can also enjoy the journey when we are living it. And when you are able to do that, life becomes such joy!
That was my 2 cents. Do share your thoughts on this.
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Power of One!
Never say you couldn't achieve anything because noone was there to support you. Did you dare to start?
It reminds me of this sher from Allama Iqbal -
"Main akela hee chala tha jaanib-e-manzil magar,
Log saath aate gaye, kaarvaaN ban.ta gayaa".
(I had started alone towards the destination,
People kept falling in step with me and procession was thus built.)
(Originally seen here - http://sagargoswami007.blogspot.com/2008/09/great.html)
It reminds me of this sher from Allama Iqbal -
"Main akela hee chala tha jaanib-e-manzil magar,
Log saath aate gaye, kaarvaaN ban.ta gayaa".
(I had started alone towards the destination,
People kept falling in step with me and procession was thus built.)
(Originally seen here - http://sagargoswami007.blogspot.com/2008/09/great.html)
Monday, September 22, 2008
No Sorry No Thank You
In the blockbuster, record-breaking movie 0f 1989 - "Maine Pyar Kiya" Salman Khan says to Bhagyashree, "Dosti ka ek usool hai madam, No Sorry No Thank You." (In friendship, no sorry no thank you).
Sounds nice and romantic, yes? Yes. A lot of chumps, including me (I can chump with the best of them!), fell for it and thought it was such a great principle.
Now, think about it seriously without the glamour of Bollywood behind it. When you make friends with someone, you don't do it for a moment, you want it to last, hopefully, for years. With both friends being human (alien friendships and other relationships are outside the scope of this textbook), there are sure to be some misunderstandings, one might hurt the other, incidences not exactly pleasant. So, what you are saying is that you might hurt your friend, emotionally, maybe even make them cry (esp. if she's a girl) and NEVER say sorry? Hmmm, kind of a cad, aren't you?
Having said that, I and my best mate Fazil, in about 20 years of friendship we have had some arguments but we have never done that kind of hurting where you need to say sorry (touchwood!). The most we fought was on the motorbike journey to death (or almost) into the Himalayas but that was the effect of having low oxygen flow to the brain and everybody was fighting with everybody over absolutely nothing.
But we still acknowledge kind words and kind acts with thank you and it's common courtesy that maybe more important between those you consider close.
Well, what do you think?
Sounds nice and romantic, yes? Yes. A lot of chumps, including me (I can chump with the best of them!), fell for it and thought it was such a great principle.
Now, think about it seriously without the glamour of Bollywood behind it. When you make friends with someone, you don't do it for a moment, you want it to last, hopefully, for years. With both friends being human (alien friendships and other relationships are outside the scope of this textbook), there are sure to be some misunderstandings, one might hurt the other, incidences not exactly pleasant. So, what you are saying is that you might hurt your friend, emotionally, maybe even make them cry (esp. if she's a girl) and NEVER say sorry? Hmmm, kind of a cad, aren't you?
Having said that, I and my best mate Fazil, in about 20 years of friendship we have had some arguments but we have never done that kind of hurting where you need to say sorry (touchwood!). The most we fought was on the motorbike journey to death (or almost) into the Himalayas but that was the effect of having low oxygen flow to the brain and everybody was fighting with everybody over absolutely nothing.
But we still acknowledge kind words and kind acts with thank you and it's common courtesy that maybe more important between those you consider close.
Well, what do you think?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Friendship - How close, how true....er...how long?
This is a well known ghazal by Ahmed Faraz, and it's always been on my list of favorites especially the last sher, the maq'ta, but just read it again and found a couple of sher's I hadn't heard before.
Dost ban kar bhii nahii.n saath nibhaanevaalaa
dost ban kar bhii nahii.n saath nibhaanevaalaa
vahii andaaz hai zaalim kaa zamaanevaalaa
ab ise log samajhate hai.n giraftaar meraa saKht nadiim hai mujhe daam me.n laanevaalaa
kyaa kahe.n kitane maraasim the hamaare is se vo jo ik shaKhs hai muu.Nh pher ke jaanevaalaa
tere hote hue aa jaatii thii saarii duniyaa aaj tanhaa huu.N to ko_ii nahii.n aanevaalaa
muntazir kis kaa huu.N TuuTii hu_ii dahaliiz pe mai.n kaun aayegaa yahaa.N kaun hai aanevaalaa
mai.n ne dekhaa hai bahaaro.n me.n chaman ko jalate hai ko_ii Khvaab kii taabiir bataanevaalaa
kyaa Khabar thii jo merii jaan me.n ghulaa hai itanaa hai vahii mujh ko sar-e-daar bhii laane vaalaa
tum taqalluf ko bhii iKhalaas samajhate ho 'Faraz' dost hotaa nahii.n har haath milaanevaalaa
I love this one - "mai.n ne dekhaa hai bahaaro.n me.n chaman ko jalate hai ko_ii Khvaab kii taabiir bataanevaalaa"I'll translate just one, it's very melancholy/downright sad,
[I have seen the garden burning down in springtime,
now, who can interpret this dream for me? ]
Don't say it, I know it's much more beautiful in the original.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Confidence - Plan - Results
People sometimes express surprise at my over-abundant and most times unreasonable confidence. They ask me where I get it. Well, I watch things like this. Watch this clip below and tell me you are not impressed by his sheer confidence.
Okay, that might have sounded stupid. Confident but stupid. But he has a plan.
Of course, now you are curious about what happens to his plan, does he succeed? Or is he crushed by a cruel Universe? Watch here.
When you want something with all your heart, and try your best for it, the Universe conspires to get it for you. Never doubt that.
Okay, that might have sounded stupid. Confident but stupid. But he has a plan.
Of course, now you are curious about what happens to his plan, does he succeed? Or is he crushed by a cruel Universe? Watch here.
When you want something with all your heart, and try your best for it, the Universe conspires to get it for you. Never doubt that.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Singh is King - Title Song
This is also a nice song...well, as modern songs go.
Singh is King Title Song FULL VIDEO -SINGH IS KING
Singh is King Title Song FULL VIDEO -SINGH IS KING
Singh is King - Teri Ore - Video Song
While we were traveling from Goa to Bombay recently (a loooooong, long journey) we listened to the audio CD of Singh is King and this song - Teri Ore - emerged as a favorite of all. It sounds really good when you are traveling but picturisation is not as sweet as Shreya Ghoshal's voice. Still, it's a nice song. Watch.
Teri Ore - (Singh is Kinng)Katrina Kaif and Akshay kumar(full Song)
Teri Ore - (Singh is Kinng)Katrina Kaif and Akshay kumar(full Song)
Flocking to flock
I just had to test this new browser called Flock. This is based on Mozilla Firefox and is meant for social networking, blogging etc. etc. So I said, "Well, let's see what a browser will have for a blogger when I already have ScribeFire for Firefox 3.0?"
So here's the first post. I am going to embed some pics and videos just to test.
Nope: Can't post a video. With ScribeFire I can.
Well, photo upload is slightly better. But we'll see how it handles Picasa for photos.
For tags also ScribeFire shows me all my available tags, this just gives me a blank line to type in. Well, we'll see which one to use based on what other goodies this Browser offers.
So here's the first post. I am going to embed some pics and videos just to test.
Nope: Can't post a video. With ScribeFire I can.
Well, photo upload is slightly better. But we'll see how it handles Picasa for photos.
For tags also ScribeFire shows me all my available tags, this just gives me a blank line to type in. Well, we'll see which one to use based on what other goodies this Browser offers.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
How I Met Your Mother
These days I am watching the season 2 of this comedy serial.
How I Met Your Mother in 3 Minutes!
How I Met Your Mother in 3 Minutes!
Monday, September 08, 2008
I am back
Well, not sure if anybody cares, but I was on vacation in India for the last 3 weeks and now I am back. So, you'll be seeing more posts now. Some of them video posts for sure.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Movie Review - Singh is King
I just posted a review of the latest Hindi movie I watched - Singh is King. Yes, it's my own website that's hosting the review. Feel free to take a look around. :)
http://www.meridillimerishaan.com/Entertainment/specmovie2.php?movid=71
http://www.meridillimerishaan.com/Entertainment/specmovie2.php?movid=71
Thought of the day - 22nd Aug 2008
"When you cannot make up your mind which of two evenly balanced courses of action you should the bolder."
Monday, August 11, 2008
Greed is good?
Nice movie speech. The last para is the best. Watch or read as you like.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechwallstreet.html
Friday, August 08, 2008
Thought of the day - 8th Aug 2008
"This one step, choosing a goal and sticking to it, changes everything."
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Thought of the day - 7th Aug 2008
" When the floods come, Fish eat Ants. When the floods go down, Ants eat Fish. Time Matters. Just hold on and let time pass by. God gives everyone opportunities."
Monday, August 04, 2008
Thought of the day - 4th August 2008
"Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears."
Wonderful thought! Brilliant, whoever said it!
Wonderful thought! Brilliant, whoever said it!
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