The World We Live In!

Yes, 2008 is almost over! It was not a good year at all! Terrorism was on its peak this year, World Economy slowly slipping into recession, and the impact is on all sectors! Personally, I changed my job after 7.5 years, so there was a major change in my life this year. My kids got enrolled into a new (and somewhat better) school this year. And before the year finishes, I bought myself an LCD TV, kind of the most expensive gadget I purchased so far in my life! So, the year was not bad for me, in fact, if I look back, it was good for me.

Its almost a week for the incident to be over, and slowly, people are returning to discuss other things, like movies, music, politics, economical meltdown, petrol price fall etc.. So, is the life coming back to normal? I don't think so! If anyone think like that, just wait for another attack to another city, or another bomb blast somewhere to remind us again of our fears! It will happen, very soon, as with the current trend, every month there is one or two such incidents happening ! So, it will happen again, as we have not done anything to stop it! Changing few ministers will not stop the terrorists to act again!

We are helpless, and waiting to be chosen as next victim of this terrorist attacks! Some protest and expression of anger is going on everywhere, but not sure if that will help us feel safe again! Not sure if I can let my kids go to market alone to buy a candy! Not sure if we can have a vacation somewhere on a tourist destination in India! I spend my childhood in India, and I felt safe, I spend 4 years in Singapore, and I felt safe, I felt safe in traveling alone to various part of South and West India during 90s, in my first job! But not anymore! I do not feel safe now! Today was 6th Dec, the day better remembered for Babri Masjid demolition! Being a Saturday, I did not step out of my house! Its not that I am safe in my house, but the fear of unknown, something which can happen anytime, anywhere... did not let me venture out in the market! I will go to office on Monday, as that is required, but avoid going to movies, or new year party or any other celebration! I have an excuse tha...

Almost everyone has an opinion and solution to the current terrorist activity in Mumbai. Just to remind you, I am talking about the attack happened during last week of November, lasted 3 days and there were gun battle at various locations in Mumbai. I know this is needed, as a week from now, no one will remember what happened, we will have other multiple, and maybe more deadlier attacks to talk about. So, if you ask me, do I have an opinion? Yes, I do, but I don't think it matters. What does an ordinary citizen of India can do in this situation? I can hide I guess. But when they are coming inside the house, I don't think hiding is an option now. What will anyone do in such situation? We can not fight it, and we don't have a govt who can fight it. Our leaders will repeat the same condolence messages, packed with some "guilty will be punished" comments and some encouragement messages like "The spirit of people of India" and life will go on like it wa...

Karwa Chouth! Yes, today is Karwa Chouth, but my wife don't do fasting. Not because she does not believe in it, but its not celebrated in our family. We have different similar fasting day for women, its Jiutiya. It's a different story that my wife does not do fasting in Jiutiya as well, because she is not into this fasting and all. She prays, but no fasting, believes in GOD, but limited to self prayers only. I truly support her in this. But, when I am saying its a great day, its not because of Karwa Chouth, but other reasons.

Just came to know about Amitabh admitted to hospital. Today is his 66th Birthday, and instead of celebration, he is being taken care by doctors. Well, I am and I know all of his fans are praying for his health. I am sure he will recover and comes back sooner than we think. Just wanted to express myself on this news, so a small post for BigB!

Wishing all of you a very happy Durga Puja and Dushehra! I was not able to visit Calcutta for Durga Puja and spend my whole day today in office, as I am managing Application Support Project! Well, that's not what I am going to crib about, like my team members! I knew when I came on-board that I will be working on most of the Indian holidays! So, there is no surprise here for me. And I have manage similar (a bit bigger and more messy) project in Singapore for another bank, and used to work on Singapore public holidays. My wife and kids are already in Calcutta, and I am all alone here in Gurgaon! So, yesterday, when I was coming home in the evening, just remember that there is a small Durga Puja organized in my locality, and just went there. I grow up in Calcutta, and years after years, Durga Puja is somehow very normal for me, like never had a chance to think that I might miss it some day. Durga Puja for any Calcuttan is like part of life! But when you are away fro m Calcut...

As mentioned earlier, I have got the Polday 2008 video and uploaded it on YouTube. You will find the links below in this post. This presentation will be a little more close to my heart, as this was my last day in the company were I have spend 7.5 years! Actually, my official last day was 29th Aug, Friday, but I was allowed to participate in Polday, just the day after. It was a good show. It all started with just a concept of Musical Ramayan. We wanted to show the story of Ramayan with the help of Bollywood Songs. The situations and songs were finalized by general discussion with the overall team. We cut and prepare the songs, few situations were cut to shorten the overall time. Casting was done, and practice started. Soorpanakha was changed twice, Lakshman and Hanuman were changed once, Ravan was changed twice as well. Overall it was just one week of work, and it was complete fun! While we were practicing, some guys were busy preparing the title boards for our presentation. They ...

After 7.5 years, I decided to move on to explore new avenues on my career path. Its a mix feeling, I know that I am going to miss this company, as I have been part of its culture for last 7.5 years. Its hard to say good-bye to people you have worked with for so long. How can I say good-bye to people who are among very good friends of mine, people who pushed me to achieve new heights, guided me on my path to achieve it and helped me whenever needed! So, I didn't say good-bye to anyone! I also wanted to say a big “Thank You” for the support I got from everyone there, but I think that is not needed as it is part of culture there. I have not got any special treatment, but seen that everyone is ready and willing to help & support each other. have spent the biggest tenure of my professional life there. It felt (and it still feels) like our company! Working there is like playing World Cup Cricket on home ground. You get the toughest challenge, biggest reward and along with it, s...

Just a quick info, my company's annual day in on 30th Aug 2008, and we are preparing a Musical show for that. I will put more details later on, but for the time being, just wanted to show our last years performance, which won Best Presentation Award! Below are the YouTube links, as YouTube has limitation of 10 min, we have split our 12 min video into 2 parts: Part 1 http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=8-GQ9yUsmdU Part 2 http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=ktqQi2pLQ9o I will post the new video as well, and chances are that we win the prize again! Until then, signing off, njoy the videos.

Just finished reading Superman - The Last Son. The five part story arc's first three parts were published in  Action Comics  #844 through #846. The next parts were delayed to give Kubert sufficient recovery time from health problems he did not wish to disclose. Because of this, the fourth part was delayed and released with issue #851. The eleventh annual of  Action Comics , released in May 2008, completed the story-line. Because the better part of 19 months passed between the publication of the first part and the final installment of the story, much criticism has been centered on the creative team and DC Comics in general. I read the first part in Gotham Comics, published in India, last year. I liked it, but after that issue, Gotham Comics stopped publishing comics in India. They have done it earlier and they did it again! We in India don't have any other option but to get the comics online, if you want to read it. An all Indian creative team is creating comics lik...

Today Wii is just the very first version! But like PS and XBox, they will also come out with new versions, could be Wii2 and Wii3 or maybe the next version of this revolutionary console should be called Wii-Online! Most of the people surely having a wish list of Wii next version, here is mine: Great graphics capabilities 3D realistic Mii to represent you not only in games, but also on online communities, virtual worlds like Second Life! Mii Plaza should grow to becomes a new virtual world of its own, where we (our Mii) can communicate with each other, like Second Life! IPTV compatibility, with different channels can be added to main menu, for quick access. BBC has already started its video service for Wii, more to follow. Wiimote and nonchok is good, but offers limited virtual reality. More gears to offer complete virtual reality gaming, like something to wear on your head, for head movement, a knee pad for leg movement. Wii Fit is already in market, but more gears are required!...

Watched Sarkar Raj yesterday! Its Sarkar all over again, and more! If you have seen Sarkar, and liked it, go and watch Sarkar Raj, its more intense, more shocking and I think one of the finest creation of RGV! After AAG, I was not very sure about this one, but RGV has again proved me wrong! He has delivered a masterpiece one more time! I will not take much of your time, and get down to business. The best of the movie-- Amitabh Bachchan! Should I say more ? He is same character you saw in Sarkar, with more intense look and some great dialogues which you can remember after watching the movie, something like old AB movies, after a long time. He is the central focus of the movie, like the original. There is a change from the original. Here, you get to see an angry AB, taking charge of the situation and killing people. The Sarkar AB was taken a back seat and ABjr was doing the killings. His GOD like persona is simply awesome! Abhisek Bachchan! He has deliver a great performance. I...

Yesterday, I went to watch  Bhoothnath ! I was with my kids, and enjoyed the movie! Kids were the one who enjoyed the most! The movie is for kids, but parents and the whole family will like it! Its kinda Disney movies, made for the whole family. Yes, the 2 hour 15 minute movies is not 100% well made, specially the songs are not fitting and could be taken away from the movie. I think out of all the songs, I prefer "Banku Bhaiya", Hum to hai Andhi" to be cut from the movie, and leave the "Hey Buddy" as the climax song only, and not in the movie! It still leaves us with two more songs in the movie, but these are situation based and ok to be in the movie.  The best part is of course Amitabh Bachchan! But the kid has got great talent! He and BigB both carried the movie perfectly well! Juhi is lovely as a mother! SRK was good in his small but impressive (not so impressive) role. I will really give credit to the first time director to have SRK in special appearanc...

I was in London for two weeks, and got a chance to meet all my Bankware group friends! We met at The Sir Paul Pindar Pub in Central London to enjoy our Friday evening! It was all fun, getting updates about everyone! Well, I guess its same everywhere when you meet friends after a long time, you talk about whats happening, you drink, you talk about past, you drink a bit more, you talk about everything else going on these days, you drink! The main idea is to spend some quality drinking time with friends, and thats what we did! I was carrying my K800i Cybershot phone, and clicked some pics that evening. Putting up a slideshow from that evening, for my friends!

I enjoy watching Wrestling or to be specific, WWE, as there is no competition today to WWE. It has already taken care of WCW and ECW. I don't think TNA is really up against WWE, at least not till today. Well, that story some other day, but today, I came to know about a new DVD set from WWE, called "The Greatest Superstars Of Wrestlemania", and wanted to know which matches are put on this DVD. The obvious thing to do is google it, and I did, but only to get torrents for this DVD set. It is only at page#3 of Google search that I found something useful. Maybe my search was not good, as I searched for "WWE The Greatest Superstars Of Wrestlemania" on google.co.in (my default home page). For those who don't know what torrent is, I would just say that its one of the easiest and most widely used medium of piracy today. Someday, I will put up a post on torrents as well, but till then, just Google it if you need more information. Its not that the Google is no...

I was in London for two weeks! I am not a traveler so spend my weekends with friends over there. Apart from meeting friends, and a get-together, the best thing I did is to get a Wii for myself. If you don’t know what Wii is, try google. All I can say about Wii is that –  The Future of entertainment has started with Wii!  Now, will not explain Wii here, but write about something which you may find interesting to read and know if you have a Wii or planning to buy one. I am really enjoying my Wii along with kids! Its great! I got Wii Sports, Wii Play, GT Racing and Carnival games. Mostly we are hooked to Wii Sports and Wii Play. I did some search and found that Wii can be used for net surfing, well, not a great thing to do if you already have a laptop or desktop with you at home. But, I downloaded the browser anyway, and found two things which prompted me to write about it. Games Games and more Free Games for your Wii First, Opera browser which runs on Wii is capable of ru...

yeah, i know its already 19th of Jan, but the last few days of 2007 and first few days of 2008 were a bit hectic, and i sneaked in between for 5 days vacation to my home town Calcutta! celebrated new year in Calcutta with friends. we were drinking from one bar to another on the new year night! well, that was fun! with just no sense attached to it, but it was pure fun!