Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Be careful: Even a Traffic Jam can leave you robbed

Man, where is Hyderabad going? Everything is increasing; Land rates, Daily commodity prices, Fuel prices, Traffic, Corruption, Crime and with all these- pressure on common man. Also, everyone who are involved in above activities are coming up with new ways to cover them self up and have their work done.

The incident which happened with one my colleague at work, explains how low people can get. Read on the incident from my friends words:

Here's what can happen in a heavy Traffic Jam in hyd………. Its not a story it's a personnel experience……

Venue of ATTACK: Just before Begumpet Footover bridge
Victim: Srinivas Tammali
Date & Time: 28th-Jan-2008 / 7PM


I left office at 6:45PM knowing that there will be heavy traffic at Begumpet flyover, but kya karein office se jaldi ghar jaane ki jo padi thi……….i crossed pantaloons(Begumpet) and was stuck in heavy traffic after the Usha Kiran movies building…. I saw a guy to my right near the rear wheel yelling at me "dekh ke chala na mera pair phass gaya hain" I looked at him and yelled back "thu dekh ke chalna" because I was sure(coz I was standing in same place for more than 3 mins)

I was on right track standing still in middle of the road for the vehicles in front of me to move ahead, I ignored him after moving 10 feet ahead( it took 5 mins to move 10 feet) I saw another guy yelling at me in the same way as the first one did, I said what's wrong with this guy and started arguing with him looking to my right(sitting in the car, as the traffic was so heavy(I mean standstill surrounded by other four wheelers)

I could not even open my car door to get out and fight with the guy) and the guy was standing at the rear tyre and arguing with me & in fraction of seconds I was alerted by a near by car walla, boss is there anything on ur left passenger seat that's valuable… I turn to my left to check and saw a guy running away, he was the first fellow who argued with me………I responded to the car walla no nothing is missing……..but so stupid of me….. I actually had my mobile lying in the front passenger seat(my front windows were 50% open for air as I wanted to have enjoy the polluted air of hyd traffic jams….hehehehe…its not the mobile its my contacts n information in my mobile that I am worried off.….) and this I realized after reaching ameerpet when I wanted to call home……………and guess what my Sony Ericsson w550i was missing…..

Luckly the rear windows wear closed 90% otherwise I would have lost my office asset (laptop)…………………. Which would have been more painful than loosing my mobile.

Moral of the story be careful when you r stuck in traffic and make sure you don't get misguided by this kinda smart thieves and don't even think of getting out of the car and arguing with the misguiders when you are alone.

Tips for 4 wheeler owners:
1) Don't Keep your car windows open in heavy traffic jams.


So guys, as my friend said be careful when arguing with strangers. If this could happen in a traffic jam, I could not imagine what could happen on empty roads when we are coming back from office late nights tired!!

Monday, January 28, 2008

The X = X + 1 Syndrome By R.K Narayan*

When an Indian professional becomes a 'Non-Resident Indian' in the United States , he soon starts suffering from a strange disease. The symptoms are a fixture of restlessness,anxiety, hope and nostalgia. The virus is a deep inner need to get back home. Like Shakespeare said, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." The medical world has not coined a word for this malady. Strange as it is, it could go by a stranger name, the "X + 1" syndrome.

To understand this disease better , consider the background. Typically middle-class, the would be migrant's sole ambition through school is to secure admission into one of those heavily government subsidised institutions - the IITs. With the full backing of a doting family and a good deal of effort, he acheives his goal. Looking for fresh worlds to conquer,his sights rest on the new world.Like lemmings to the sea, hordes of IIT graduates descend on the four US consulates to seek the holiest of holy grails - the F-1 (student) stamp on the passport.

After crossing the visa hurdle and tearful farewell, our herodeparts for the Mecca of higher learning, promising himself and his family that he will return some day - soon!

The family proudly informs their relatives of each milestone -his G.P.A., his first car (twenty years old), his trip to Niagara Falls (photographs), his first winter (parkas,gloves). The two years roll by and he graduates, at the top of his class. Now begins the great hunt' for a company that will not only give him a job but also sponsor him for that 3" X 3" grey plastic, otherwise known as the Green Card.

A US company sensing a good bargain offers him a job.Naturally, with all the excitement of seeing his first pay check in four digit dollars, thoughts of returning to India are far away.His immediate objective of getting the Green Card is reached within a year.

Meanwhile, his family back home worry about the strange American influences (and more particularly, AIDS). Through contacts they lineup a list of eligble girls from eligible families and wait for the great one's first trip home. Return he does, at the first available oppurtunity, with gifts for the family and mouth-watering tales of prosperity beyond imagination. After interviewing the girls, he picks the most likely (lucky) one to be Americanised. Since the major reason for the alliance is his long-term stay abroad, the question of his immediate return does not arise. Any doubts are set aside by the'backwardnes' of working life, long train travel, lack of phones,inadequate oppurtunities for someone with hi-tech qualifications, and so on.

The newly-weds return to America with the groom having to explain the system of arranged marriages to the Americans. Most of them regard it as barbaric and on the same lines as communism. The tongue-tied bride is cajoled into explaining the bindi and saree. Looking for something homely, the couple plunges into the frenetic expatriate week-end social scene compromising dinners, videos of Hindi regional films, shopping at Indian stores, and bhajans.

Initially, the wife misses the warmth of her family, but the presence of washing machines, vacuum cleaners, daytime soap operas and the absence of a domineering mother-in-law helps. Bits of news filtering through from India, mostly from returning Indians, is eagerly lapped up.

In discussions with freinds, the topic of returning to India arises frequently but is brushed aside by the lord and master who is now rising in the corporate world and has fast moved into a two garage home - thus fulfilling the great American Dream. The impending arrival of the first born fulfills the great Indian Dream. The mother-in-law arrives in time: after all, no right thinking parent would want their off-spring to be born in India if offered the American alternative.

With all material comforts that money can bring, begins the first signs of un- easiness - a feeling that somehow things are not what they should be. The craze for exotic electronic goods, cars and vacations have been satiated. The week-end gatherings are becoming routine.

Faced with a mid-life crisis, the upwardly mobile Indian's career graph plateu's out. Younger and more aggressive Americans are promoted. With one of the periodic mini recessions in the economy and the threat of a hostile take-over, the job itself seems far from secure.

Unable or unwilling to socialize with the Americans, the Indian retreats into a cocoon. At the home front,the children have grown up and along with American accents have imbibed American habits(cartoons,hamburgers) and values(dating). They respond to their parents' exhortation of leading a clean Indian way of life by asking endless questions.

The generation gap combines with the cultural chasm. Not surprisingly,the first serious thoughts of returning to India occur at this stage.Taking advantage of his vacation time, the Indian returns home to 'explore' possibilities. Ignoring the underpaid and beaurocratic government sector, he is bewildered by the 'primitive' state of the private sector. Clearly overqualified even to be a managing director/chairman he stumbles upon the idea of being an entrepreneur.

In the seventies, his search for an arena to display his buisness skills normally ended in poultry farming. In the eighties, electronics is the name of the game. Undaunted by horror stories about government red tape and corruption he is determined to overcome the odds - with one catch. He has a few things to settle in the United States. Afterall, you can't just throw away a lifetime's work. And there are things like taxation and customs regulations to be taken note of. Pressed for a firm date, he says confidently 'next year' and therein lies our story.The next years come and go but there is no sign of our McCarthian friend.

About 40 years later our, by now, a old friend dies of a scheduled heart-attack and it so happens that his last wish was that he be laid to rest in the city he was born in India. So our friend at last returns to India for good. But by now the people who were so looking forward to see him return to his homeland are no more.

In other words if 'X' is the current year, then the objective is to return in the 'X + 1' year. Since 'X' is a changing variable, the objective is never reached. Unable to truly melt in the 'Great Melting Pot', chained to his cultural moorings and haunted by an abject fear of giving up an accustomed standard of living, the Non-Resident Indian vacillates and oscillates between two worlds in a twilight zone.Strangely, this malady appears to affect only the Indians - all of our Asian brethren from Japan, Korea and even Pakistan - seem immune to it.

*Looks like this has been written many years back. Except for few, many of the conditions are still the same as they were then.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Happy Republic Day!


I wish every Indian, a very Happy Republic Day.


Monday, January 21, 2008

75 Simple Pleasures to Brighten Your Day*

A little trick I like to use to make my days much more pleasant is to find little, simple pleasures and sprinkle them throughout my day.

They’re not big things, but they each simple pleasure can translate to a great day if you use them right.

So in the morning, I might like to wake up slowly with music playing in the background. I might read a gripping novel, and revel in the world of fiction. I might watch the sun come up, and marvel at the world in pastel hues.

For breakfast, I might want Chicken Biryani…:-) and I just love Biryani. I savor each one, closing my eyes. In the shower, I might also close my eyes, and just let the cool water run over me (I live on a tropical island, so cool water is a nice thing). I like playing Games on my PC or watching a good movie after busy day at work. Shopping for small things that indeed are not essential(According to my wife, everything I buy is crap!!! ha ha ha ha).

You get the idea — these are little things, and don’t really cost a thing (or not much, anyway), but they are tremendously satisfying. I have just described some of the things I might do to start off my day, but the possibilities are endless, and can be done throughout the day.

I thought it would be fun to compile a list of simple pleasures, to give you all some ideas of what I mean, and to spark other ideas of your own. Of course, you can probably come up with a thousand more, and it should also be noted that one person’s pleasures aren’t always pleasures for others.


  1. Biryanimmmm.

  2. Walking barefoot in grass.

  3. Listening to good music in the car.

  4. Taking a long, relaxing shower.

  5. Coffee(I prefer cold)

  6. A good novel.

  7. Popcorn and an old movie on DVD.

  8. The smell of fresh-cut grass.

  9. Watching the sunrise.

  10. Walking on the beach.

  11. A gentle morning run.

  12. Meeting Friends.

  13. Snuggling in bed with your partner.

  14. Watching the sunset.

  15. Hugging your child tightly.

  16. Good wine.

  17. Dark chocolate.

  18. Dancing like you’re crazy.

  19. Telling jokes till your sides ache.

  20. A long conversation with a good friend.

  21. Bacardi Breezer.

  22. Kissing in the rain.

  23. Being lazy on a Sunday.

  24. Waking to a clean house.

  25. An uncluttered room.

  26. Chocolate Truffle / Chocolate Sundae.

  27. Pillow fights.

  28. Fries and a chocolate milkshake.

  29. Singing in the shower, loudly.

  30. Dancing in the rain and stomping in puddles.

  31. Watching your child play.

  32. Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

  33. Helping someone in need.

  34. Making someone smile.

  35. Homemade food.

  36. A nature hike.

  37. Laying back and watching the stars.

  38. Making a sandcastle.

  39. Floating in the water.

  40. Taking an afternoon nap.

  41. Serving your spouse a surprise breakfast in bed.

  42. Watching your children on a festive morning.

  43. Laying back and looking up at clouds.

  44. Watching the ocean.

  45. Getting a massage.

  46. Pizzzzzzza.

  47. Sub @ Subway.

  48. Iced green tea.

  49. Playing Carroms.

  50. Acting crazy in public.

  51. Seeing your savings account grow.

  52. Seeing your debt shrink.

  53. Taking a hot bath.

  54. Blowing bubbles.

  55. A gentle breeze.

  56. The feeling after a good workout.

  57. Checking something off your to-do list.

  58. Snuggling together under the covers on a stormy day.

  59. Watching Lord of Rings.

  60. Watching your kids play.

  61. Playing a good game of basketball.

  62. The smell of a baby.

  63. Writing on good paper with a good pen.

  64. A clear desk.

  65. Fresh popped popcorn.

  66. A fresh snow.

  67. Swinging on a swing.

  68. Homemade Chicken Curry.

  69. Watching animals in nature.

  70. An empty email inbox.

  71. Playing Games on PC.

  72. A very slow and sensual night with your partner.

  73. Staying up all night talking.

  74. Having a picnic.

  75. Swimming at night.

What are a few of your favorite simple pleasures?

*I saw this post on some site and like to share with everyone I know as I thought it will brigthen up all of you. of course, I did modify the article according to my tastes :-)

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Okka 'Big headache' Magadu*

I think I am very decent and considerate naming this post Okka 'Big headache' Magadu because its deserves more ...more bad words..... read on......

Usually not being much of Telugu movie buff and a big No, No person to Balakrishna movies somehow I had to go to this movie of his, "Okka Magadu" at my in-laws day before yesterday. I always wondered why this guy is joked around in emails and SMS's and after seeing his movie for the first time in a theatre answered all my questions.

Man..there is not one saving grace for this movie and it is meant to sink(I guess already sank). Lack of story/screenplay, Meaning less songs, scantly clad heroines, skimpy make up, no comedy, unrealistic fights and sloppy direction best describes the movie. Also it can be described as a worst attempt to remake Bharateeyudu(Movie by Shankar starring Kamal Hassan) which was 100 times better in all aspects and to my wonder technically (Art, Makeup, Graphics and locales) too, though it has been made 10 years earlier.

Its the bad direction which screwed up the movie and the director should understand that its not scantly clad heroines with double meaning dialogues/scenes that people want; Grow up "Mr.Director". Also the hero should not be left unblamed, I don't know how can a hero with 25 years industry experience accept such stupid and meaning less roles.

Totally this movie left me with severe headache that subsided only after watching a complete season of friends!!



*This ones just for those who follow Telugu movies.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Just for Fun





Created these using Dumper. Those who have not tried this, go ahead..there are many more options...........

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Welcoming Happy and Peaceful New Year

I wish everyone Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and a Wonderful New Year ahead.

If you all are wondering where did I click the above picture, its not definitely at some village. Its at my home in Kondapur, barely 4 Kilometers from Hitec City, Hyderabad.

No Pollution, No noise, No Concrete Jungles, No Crowds! Only Beautiful Sun/Moon rises and sets, Never ending breeze, open lands with houses here and there and some beautiful sights like the one you are seeing above as soon as you wake up. These are the things which are holding me back at the place, I am living right now. Even though its 20 kilometers from my work through Hyderabad Traffic, no proper approach road and No Broad Band I enjoy every moment at that place.

I am not sure, how long the place will be like this but I am sure that in few years it sure will be another brick in the wall.........