Making life more intersting.. Calvin way!!! :)

Just a few weeks back got Creative 2.1(Inspire M2600) for my swanky laptop(Inspiron 1525). Music takes me to a whole new world.. it soothes ones mind. i dont know if music therapy ever works, but for me it hits the right chord to take me out from my clogged confused stressed mind to a completely different plane from where i can see the pleasentnes that life brings to all of us. That young flower you had seen in the garden, tht bird soaring sky high above ur head, the endless green patch of beautiful landscape that you had once captured on ur camera, the clouds that almost seem insync with ur emotions... all start talking to you with music in ur ears.. aint it???... esp when needed most.

Very recently one of my frend said she wanted to listen Bob Dylan, so i burnt a cd for her of the songs i had.. i have a good collection of Dylans, if not huge... like Blowing in the wind, Like a rolling stone, I want You.. Changing of Guards and a few more. different kind of music work for differnt people.. some like it to be soothing, some like bollywood tunes, some like it all hard(rock), while for a few its just the instrumental... its all there in finding and clinging onto it!

Beleive me... Music does a lot of things to you than you ever knew it could. Just sit back and lose yourself amidst the rythms of life(music)... :-)

OMG... this is senseless!!

India is becoming more intolerant and conservative. There are hazars(read thousands) of ads/movies which are more vulgar in nature than this one. Why cant anyone take the lighter side of it. I mean, come on Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Govt of India.. grow up! get matured!!!

Read on....

"Axe's chocolate deo ad raises stink with Govt"

Source - ibnlive.com

Keeping in line with its crackdown on suggestive advertisements being televised, Government on Friday took strong objection to the promotional campaign of a deodorant brand, terming it indecent, vulgar and repulsive.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sought information from the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) regarding the advertisement of Axe's 'Dark Temptations' deodorant, asking whether the body has received any complaints about it from the Consumers' Complaint Council (CCC).

"We have found that the advertisement of Axe Dark Temptation deodorant is indecent, vulgar and repulsive," a statement from the ministry to ASCI stated.

In the same communication, the Ministry held that in the event of no complaints being received against the advertisement, the ASCI should treat its query as a formal complaint and advise the advertisers "to refrain from airing the said advertisement".

A copy of the complaint has also been forwarded to the secretary general of Indian Broadcasting Foundation asking them to advise broadcasters to air the advertisement only after precautionary measures have been taken to avoid some objectionable portions.

The advertisement shows a model wearing the chocolate-smelling deodorant, eliciting “objectionable reactions” from women.

The Ministry, in the recent past, had issued similar notices to television channels airing an advertisement of a popular undergarment brand.

It had asked the channels to run precautionary scrolls while airing the said advertisement. The advertisement was eventually pulled off the air.

Ad details-

Product: AXE
Agency: VegaOlmosPonce, Buenos Aries
Creatives: Martin Ponce (Art Director)
Hernan Ibarra Puentes (Art Director)
Mario Crudele (Copywriter)
Jose Silva (Agency Producer)
David Zander (Executive Producer)
Jeff Scruton (Executive Producer)
Scott Kaplan (Producer)
Director(s): Tom Kuntz
Production Company: MJZ
Country: Argentina
Other Credits: Post/Special Effects: The Mill

Go ahead n watch it - http://www.bestadsontv.com/ad_details.php?id=11246

I dint find anything offensive/vulgar about it! Did u??

India @ 61.. Happy Independence Day!

Best advice from our PM - "Don't expect a level playing field"

India Vision 2020... yes when the blue print for this was envisioned by Adbul Kalam he knew the most important components driving this are the nations's youth and its leaders. It needs the leaders, at national and state level to toil, think and channelize the resources, and the youth to make this vision a reality. Agriculture, manufacturing, education, power, telecom, infrastructure, GDP.. so many things that has to shape up. India has no doubt made a mark on the global stage. Everyone wants to have a deal with India. The market, the potential, the hugely available talented workforce has turned heads towards India. But its just the beginning, India has just entered the field. I always believe that its always the second step that matters. Whatever the task may be, however uphill it may seem, the second step is very crucial. Motivation and eager to perform always drives the first step, but its the perseverence that requires to march ahead and take the second. Everyone takes the first step, its the second step which most of them falter at. Either they fail to take that step or fault at the step. Our Prime Minister Manmohan singh is preparing our youth for this second step. Addressing to business leaders of India Inc. he said -

"They are an example for our business leaders, who must also learn to compete on unlevel playing fields and prove their mettle. There is, in fact, no game that is ever truly played on a level playing field,’’

Citing example of cricket players, he asserted: "Playing fields differ, as every cricketer will tell you. Cricketers do not sit back and demand fields and pitches of their kind. They learn to play on the pitch they are given and try to defeat the opponent."

Citing the example of former president of India, K R Narayanan, the Prime Minister said that Narayanan came from a poor and underprivileged background. He went to the United Kingdom for higher education but never asked for a level playing field, the PM added.

Singh said he derives great satisfaction from the achievements of the youth in the highly competitive world of learning. "Long before Indian business was willing to face global competition, Indian students were willing to do so."

I felt this is so far the best advice given by India's Prime Minister to the young emerging, vibrant business leaders, since long. One with faith and the vision in mind, at the same time telling the Young India to be catious and get strong to take on the world, and make the dreams of India 2020 a reality.

Read complete news here - Don't expect a level playing field: PM to India Inc.

And..... hows this??
News on Yahoo Website - Yahoo may consider Google alliance

Why Yahooites fear Microsoft takeover?
“Everyone sees Microsoft as the big octopus from ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’ that wants to swallow everybody up,”

Here is more - Google CEO Eric Schmidt, calls on Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang to offer his company's help in an effort to thwart Microsoft's bid - Click Here

Show no mercy... Kill the competition

Steel, pertoleum, aviation, pharmacuticals, IT, services.... you name it and every industry has adopted this mantra. We have seen some of the biggest buy-outs/take-overs/mergers in the history of corporate world, AOL buying Times Warner, Oracle gobbling Peoplesoft, Tatas taking over Corus,.. why... even my previous company Netkraft was taken over by Adea SOlutions. Well, if u have read it, heard of all these.. then its nothing... the mother of all bids is here... Microsoft Bids for Yahoo!!! Yes, unable to withstand the Google's dominance over the search, ad and email services on the world web, Microsoft is back into its sheepish way of emerging as the fittest. On Jan 31, 2008 Microsoft has bid US $44.6 billion for Yahoo Inc.

Charles Darwin only in the human evolution put forth the theory of "Survival of the fittest". But the ever hungry business world has come up with... "Kill the competition" kinda stuff.

And it doesnt end without a fight... Google could play spoiler, may bid too.

Emergence of the great trio (Microsoft, Google and Yahoo) -

1975
Microsoft founded.

1995
Yahoo founded (co-founders), begins serving ads online. Microsoft launches MSN Web portal.

1997
The company Google Inc. was incorporated in the Sept of 1997.

2000
Yahoo starts delivering search results generated by Google’s technology. Google introduces AdWords, its system for displaying ads next to search results based on keywords used.

May 2001
Terry Semel becomes Yahoo’s chairman and CEO.

Feb. 2002
Microsoft taps Overture Services Inc., later bought by Yahoo, to power its advertising-driven search engine. Google overhauls AdWords with cost-per-click model that makes online advertising easier and more cost effective for smaller businesses.

May 2002
AOL picks Google as search and advertising provider.

2003
Google AdSense launches, letting outside Web sites make money by plugging in targeted text ads by Google.

Oct. 2003
Yahoo announces plans to buy Overture, giving it a system for selling search ads similar to Google’s AdWords.

February 2004
Yahoo replaces Google search results with its own technology.

April 2004
Google launches free e-mail service Gmail, expanding ad opportunities.

August 2004
Google holds initial public offering.

December 2005
Google makes $1 billion, 5 percent investment in Time Warner Inc.’s AOL and extends ad partnership.

November 2006
Yahoo builds advertising partnership with consortium of daily newspapers.

February 2007
Yahoo launches long-awaited search and advertising technology overhaul, known as Panama.

April 2007
Google agrees to pay $3.1 billion in cash to acquire ad-management technology company DoubleClick Inc. Yahoo acquires online advertising exchange Right Media Inc. for $680 million.

May 2007
First rumors hit Wall Street that Microsoft is contemplating Yahoo buyout. Yahoo CFO Susan Decker promoted to oversee advertising operations. Microsoft says it will buy online ad company aQuantive Inc. for $6 billion in cash.

June 2007
Semel steps down as Yahoo’s CEO; co-founder Jerry Yang takes over. Decker becomes president.

July 2007
Yahoo launches SmartAds, a behavioral, demographic and geographic ad targeting system.

August 2007
Microsoft buys AdECN Inc., a stock market-like Web ad exchange. It also launches ContentAds, context-relevant ads on some sections of MSN.

September 2007
Yahoo announced plans to buy online behavioral targeting specialist BlueLithium Inc. for $300 million in cash.

October 2007
Yahoo announces plans to buy AdInterax, a rich media ad business, for undisclosed amount. Microsoft spends $240 million on a 1.6 percent stake in Facebook, ensures ad partnership will continue.

December 2007
Microsoft steals Viacom ad business from DoubleClick. Other ad deals since the acquisition of aQuantive include financial news site CNBC.com and Digg Inc., a reader-powered news site. Google’s proposed buyout of DoubleClick gets green light from U.S. regulators, still pending in Europe.

January 2008
Semel resigns as Yahoo’s chairman. Microsoft makes unsolicited $44.6 billion offer for Yahoo.

Did u know?

Microsoft in 1978?

How it all started for Yahoo?

Google's motto - Dont Be Evil!

Know your conflicting self

Swami Sukhabodhananda

Happiness is what we want but our overwhelming desire to attain happiness and freedom actually takes it away from us.

We are not able to love for we are filled with hope and expectations. We are all working for freedom but freedom is elusive. Happiness is what we want but in our overwhelming desire for happiness and freedom it slips away. We come to a master with the desire to be happy and that prevents us from being happy. What comes between oneself and happiness is desire. The possibility of attaining happiness is weakened by increasing one’s desire for it. So what should we do? It is not a question of doing but seeing the foolishness of the desire. Look what is happening now. There is an experience of what is happening and yet there is another part in oneself that does not want what is happening. That is, “I want something other than what is. I create a conflict with my self”. This conflicting self is the “me”, and with this self one wants to be happy. Unless one sees the whole foolishness of this conflict, unhappiness will exist and you hold it in your desire to be happy.

See that one part of you is experiencing what is happening while the other part says, “I don’t want this and I want something else”. See this basic conflict. Sharpen your seeing and let the seeing just see “what is”.

Now see this conflict of who you are and who you want to become as a dream. Don’t give it the importance of a waking reality; see it as a movement of a dream state.
Learn to dis-identify yourself from this conflict and go on witnessing it from a distance. Learn to see the witness and not the witnessed. See the witnessing consciousness- the ‘sakshi’ and slowly without any desire you will see it is complete and full.

Now from this fullness, you start living life. From this fullness even if you desire, then a desire would be out of fullness and not for fullness. Your desire is out of happiness and not for happiness. This is a state of nirvana — enlightenment.

News from across the world...

> World's cheapest car - Tata Nano. Another dream lived by an Indian!! Sooooo... say tata to costly cars. Here are the specs of the 'common man' car.



> Edmund Hillary dies at the age of 88
Photos of the conquest and others.

> Part time job in a bank for former UK PM Tony Blair

> Odd news - Boss fires staff for NOT smoking

Happy New Year 2008!!

Another fresh new year is here …
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest …
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs

- William Arthur Ward

Taare Zameen par....

Makes you laugh, those songs of innocence, reminds the wonder filled school days, gives you goosebumps actually.. TZP is a beautiful movie, titles are very creative n awesome, amazing acting by the Darsheel, n not to forget great lyrics. Dont miss to watch the movie.

Official Website: Tare Zameen Par
Duration: Approx 2:40 hrs
Genre: Social, Kids, Family
Director: Aamir "Perfectionist" Khan
Story: Amole Gupte
Lead Actors: Aamir Khan and Darsheel Safary
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi


[Title Song]


Dekho inhein yeh hai onss ki boodein
Patto ki goodh mein aasamaan se khude
Angdai le phir karwat badal kar
Nazuk se moti hasde phishal kar
Kho na jayee yeh
Taare Zameen par

Yeh toh hai sardi mein
Dhoop ki kirane
Uthre jo aangan ko sunehara sa karne
Maan ke andhero ko roshan sa karde
Thiturti hatheli ki rangat badal de
Kho na jayee yeh
Taare Zameen par

Jaise aankhon ki debiyan mein neediyan
Aur neediyan mein meetha sa sapna
Aur sapne mein mil jaye faristha sa koi
Jaise rango bhari peechkari
Jaise Thitliyan phoolo ki pyari
Jaise bina matlab ka pyaara rista ho koi

Yeh to asha ki lehra hai
Yeh to umeed ki seher hai
Khushiyon ki nehar hai
Kho na jaye yeh
Taare Zameen par

Dekho raaton ke sene pe yeh to
Jhil mil kisi lao se uge hain
Yeh to andiyan ke khushbo hai bhago se beh chale
Jaise kaanch mein chudi ke tukde
Jaise khile khile phoolon ke mukhde
Jaise bansi koi bajaye pedo ke taale

Yeh to jhoke hai pawan ke
Hai yeh gungroo jeevan ke
Yeh to sur hai chaman ke
Kho na jayeee
Taare Zameen par

Mohale ki ronak galiyan hai jaise
Khilne ki zid per kaliyan hai jaise
Muthi mein masam ki jaise hawaein
Yeh hai buzurgo ke dil ki duyaaein
Kho na jayeee
Taare Zameen par
Taare Zameen par

Kabhi baatein jaise dadi naani
Kabhi chale jaise num num pani
Kabhi ban jaye bhole saawalo ki jhadi
Sanate mein hasi ke jaise
Sune hoton pe khushi ke jaise
Yeh to noor hai barse gar pe kismat ho padi
Jaise jhil mein lehar aye chanda
jaise bheed mein apne ka kandha
jaise manmauji nadiya
jhaag udaye kuch kahe
jaise baithe baithe meethi si jhapki
jaise pyar ki dheemi si thapki
jaise kaanon mein sargam
hardam bajti hi rahe
jaise barkha udati hai bundiya…
kho na jaaayeeee yehhhh
Kho na jaayee yehh
kho na jaayee yehh
kho na jaayee yehhhh..