Talking On Web

What aging can do - Shashi Kapoor

2011-11-18T19:39:00.001+05:30

What aging can do ?
Shashi Kapoor in his Prime

Shashi Kapoor, Nov 2011 (Thanks to rediff.com)

Steve Jobs: Rest In Peace.

2011-10-06T06:58:00.000+05:30

Alas, The man who gave us dreams, touch phone & pods gets to meet God (for sure, He'll design things there)

Steve Jobs, Rest in Peace,

LASIK Operation Bangalore

2010-12-23T12:28:00.005+05:30

Good Afternoon,

I underwent LASIK Surgery, (against my wishes :) phew)

Procedure:
1) Cornea thickness will be measured (Test costs around 1000 Rupees).
If it is 550 microns or above, full-vision can be guaranteed.
If lesser, you might need glasses to read fine-print. (All that red-herring prospectus stuff :))
Be ready for blurred vision for about 4-5 hours on that test-day.
BKM: I got this done at evening 6:30, so just went to sleep after that test. Avoid driving/arrange to be driven after the test.

Based on that result, LASIK will be scheduled.

2) For 2-3 days, wet your eyes with VIGAMOX drops 4 times a day.

3) Operation:
Take a head-bath & go to the Clinic.
Pay money, Sign the consent form (was said 95 % success rate), get into the Op Room.
I got to listen a beautiful JesuDas Song (courtesy, a Mallu surgeon), while relaxing.

Sleep comfortably on the bed.
For about 10 min, your eyes will be operated.
You'll see lights above your head.
Keep staring at a green light, ignore the surrounding white-light.
That's it.

Lots of fluid will be put in your eyes. (couldn't taste it though :))
A Mobile Phone kind of device will work on your eye.
My guess is they cut the cornea a bit (One would be primary eye & other secondary eye), but you can smell like the skin is burning.

It's all over in 10 min.

I couldn't open eyes, as it was like overflowing with some liquid.
Tuff part was to simply sleep the whole day doing nothing. (Gotta bear it, isn't it)
Next day morning, was like awesome. I could read better.
My only regret was India got bundled out for paltry 136/9.

With each day, sight turned better (yeah, 50'th Test Hundred for our Hero too).

Doctor suggests 6 weeks healing time, when not to strain the eyes.
All days you gotta wet the eye with VIGAMOX, FML & Systane Eye-Drops.
VIgamox, close eyes for 5 min,
FML, close eyes for 5 min
Systame, close eyes for 5 min.

No restrictions on food.

Money:
All drops do come in 5 ml plastic bottle.
Vigamox costs around 200,
FML around 60 rupees and
Systane around 260 rupees.
(not to seem a penny-pincher, Seen in a sense, each drop costs 5-8 rupees. just made me recall the Pharmaceutical lobby in T N Seetharam's Muktha)
Surgery costs as much as a new laptop. :)

Place:
I got done and do endorse Prabha Eye Clinic (next to Adiga's Hotel, near Banashankari Bus Stand, Bangalore).

Prabha is run by a passionate doctor (Dr Vinay Murthy, who comes from a lineage of doctors).
His father Dr Ramachandra Murthy, too was a famous eye-surgeon.
I found the staff very helpful.

Caveats:

1) Medication, Dosage & timelines are as prescribed to me. It could differ. Leave it to the Doctor, He's the best judge to guide you.
2) I wanted to follow Harry Benjamin & Dr Bates Method as advised by Horakeri Ajja (B M Horakeri, Ex MLA, Badami), but just could not do it, all these years.
So, I can't vouch if that method will get the eye-sight better.
3) I've read the cases/risks of LASIK

short-forms:
BKM: Best Known Method

20/Mar/2011 Eyes keep turning red by end of day.
Dr Raghuveer & Dr Krishna, both from Prabha Clinic saay this is
1) Blood Vessels showing prominently in eyes
2) Dry eyes, need to continue with Systane drops (pinches, 260 Rs for 10 ml)..... part of the game.

Sep 1.

2010-09-01T17:16:00.003+05:30

Today is my sister's birthday.
She's a mother of 7-month toddler & I could not present her anything.

Looking after the kid is such a tiring job & I thought the best thing to share with her is something I've been reading.

Story about Banarsi Lal Chawla (no worries, if the name doesn't ring a bell !!) & his daughter Kalpana Chawla (Yes, that Astronaut & Pride-of-India).

http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/feb/01spec.htm

I've read that story by Josy Joseph, whenever I've felt a low and every time, my throat gets a lump & eyes turn moist after I finish it.

I suggest, Reader you too read it, if you haven't.
It's an engrossing tale & worth your time.

Good Day, May your God go with you.

Blood Donation

2010-06-25T18:56:00.003+05:30

Can donating blood reduce your weight/make your texture better?

Some facts,
1) Men donate blood & get rid of extra Iron in their body. it reduces chance of heart-attack.
2) Blood Donation gives you a High, better than what hooch/smoke can ever give.

Blood Banks are mandated not to sell blood. Lack of trade-activity by our vigilant Courts had created Supply constraints on blood-availability. (case of Good-Intentions doing more harm than bad-Activities.)

I had been to Narayana Hrudayalaya recently to donate blood to a colleague's Father. (Unfortunately, all our blood couldn't save him :()

While coming out after donation, I saw a young-father from Orissa struggling to fill a form. His kid-daughter needed quite some blood & he coud not arrange for it.

Cursing myself for not able to help him, I was walking past the parking lot.

IDEA FLASHED.

If donating blood can reduce iron-content, doesn't it help in reducing fat?
If it can, so many people would want to donate blood, just to get rid of fat.

Let me get around this!!!!

2010-05-15T12:09:00.002+05:30

Abscess (kura in Kannada).
I had it in Armpit about 3 weeks ago, now on my left cheek.
The amount of puss inside had shocked me.
Pain was passable...... :)
Smiling, Chewing is painful.
I fear, I might have to miss out my close friend Pavan Kumar Hosur's marriage in Hubli.
Luckily, I can talk, though brushing teeth in the morning was an experience in itself.

Abscess is caused mainly by dehydration & to lesser extent by Vitamin E deficiency.
People, drink water, keep gulping water.

Publish Post

Voted for govt in cut motion by mistake: JMM

2010-04-28T12:19:00.002+05:30

Rediff reports

Voted for govt in cut motion by mistake: JMM

Couldn't have been any better.
We get what we deserve. If that's true, Jharkhand has got what it deserved.
All JMM folks said "Eh", instead of 'No" and they were all in trance or were in ecstasy.
And this is at a place, where people decide on life-changing issues. [Nuclear Deal, Defence Expenditure, Finance Bill]

Some day, I wish all MP's vote for Lokpal bill in this way.

Note: When was the last time, any of our Senator [MP] came up with a bill/policy paper?
So many Foreign-Educated, Bab-Log, Whiz Kids, Tweeters.
ZERO.

my cents on this is: Majority of Indian Legislators are Lawyers & with all due respect to them, All they do is Talk.
Most honourable in this is league is HRD Minister.

Lalith Modi: Case of an Entrepreneur.

2010-04-21T13:07:00.004+05:30

Lalith Modi fascinates me for more than one reason.

His business instincts, pulling fast-one's, suave mannerisms were too much, for some one in BCCI.

In India, Administrators are not meant to be glamorous, Page-3 type, .......

He broke that.

He broke pretty much many rules, we thought were implicit in BCCI.

BCCI has this tendency to prop up charmful people, from time to time.

Jaywant Lele, Ali Irani, Raj Singh Dungarpur, I S Bindra, Jag Mohan Dalmiya, now Lalith Modi.

Each of them were famous for their words, rather than deeds.

Lalith Modi, answered the call of "Show me the Money" and became a darling for BCCI and opened doors for Investors.

Did we imagine, Shane Warne would work for Shilpa Shetty or Dada Ganguly for Juhi Chawla....

Modi, in that sense liberated Cricketers.

Cricketers could make money, without limiting themselves to whims of BCCI.

Right or Wrong, He gambled with 20:20.

To start with, BCCI was unsure, if Indian Players can click in this short format.

Initial results in first few 20:20 matches in 2006 weren't rosy.

Once, BCCI's team won few 20:20 matches, Lalith Modi took the call to market this 20:20 in a big way.

Money started pouring and as usual, lead to fame and foul following good money.

Lalith Modi, created the franchise system, set the auction, auction price, ......... He was everywhere.

Funny enough, he donned the role of "Commissioner, IPL".

I've never found such names in any sport.

When, IPL was the Super Bowl of India, it became too much.

Modi found too many people to be handled & some had to done away with.

He took a call and....

Now, because he fell out of favor with powerful people, He's being castigated by BCCI.

Is this the way to treat some one, who made the life of (could be himself too !!) so many?

Shashi Tharoor is a recent entry into Cricket-World.

If he could open can-full of worms, Devaa, What could happen, if old-timers come out with truths......

Would any one remain, fully-clothed on that day? Every one's reputation could be dis-robed....

Hello Tehelka/India TV, Are you listening?

Time for your investigation......Plz.

Shashi Tharoor

2010-04-19T12:10:00.002+05:30

Shashi Tharoor

I wonder, why was so much heat about poor Shashi Tharoor's resignation?
His resignation will not
1) reduce food-prices
2) reduce unbearable heat-wave
3) provide any succor to Mango-Man [Aam Admi, thanks Rajeev Srinivasan]

Why is it such a big news?

Was wondering, what if
1) Sunanda Pushkar was Sufi Pushkar? Would the coverage be so focused?

If Women Representative can be forced upon a constituency [bluntly put, this is what Women's Reservation Bill will be doing], Why can't lobbyists gain sweat share?
Sunanda was lobbying for

IPL is about making money hand over fists. There is money to be made and no rules of IPL/BCCI [forget ICC] were broken!!

I feel, Sunanda Pushkar was let down in this corporate battle.
Arena was corporate, but rules were Sarkaari, just because Tharoor was around.

Preity Zinta didn't face questions, so did Shilpa Shetty. Why, Why Sunanda?

Where are the upholders of Women-Rights?

News that interested me.

2009-07-28T18:01:00.003+05:30

News 1)
Omar Abdullah "conditionally" resigns
These 2 interested me.
1) "Time bound Investigation"
2) No amount of Investigation by Home Department would help.

Why does a person mention Time-Bound?
Is he worried about reputation or time it takes to complete Investigation.
If so, Investigation Time is equally important as his reputation.

He sees that however prompt & efficient the Govt Investigation be, Opposition will feel facts would be twisted to suit the government.
Coming out an incumbent Chief Minister, it says about the level of belief People have on Investigations.

I feel happy, also Omar Abdullah is brutally frank. He is sensitive and see's that his Government will be accused and he wants "Ceaser's wife should be beyond reproach".

2) Richard Bransopn looses Sole-Use of "Virgin" for branding

I'm a fan of Richard Branson. I feel for him, but this is a welcome judgement.
Words alike Ideas, must be liberating and Words themselves should not be bonded.
[I don't intend to open Virgin Info Systems tomorrow :) ]

I'm sure, Good Old Ricky will find a way out. After all, it is this man, who dared to land a plane in Iraq in 1991, when Britain's National Carrier did not.

Indian Express reports "Virgin Enterprises must pay 1,500 pounds to Bodtrade’s legal costs."
This has been issued by UK's Intellectual Property Office.

Good to see Intellectual Property Office.

Here, In India, Generalist Judges are expected to study and decide on all matters under Sun.
Putting Judges to grave dis-comfort, longer durations and putting them in the eye of the public.

I personally know few judges, who are not comfortable to drag cases, but are bound to give future dates and lengthen the "Turnover Time", all in the favour of "JUSTICE".

Burying children neck-deep in Earth

2009-07-25T13:47:00.004+05:30

Disturbing news comes from Gulbarga.

http://www.mypopkorn.com/news/children-buried-neck-deep-during-eclipse-period-in-gulbarga.html

Burying children neck-deep in earth, who are not blessed with legs, hands or so is a practice in Gulbarga.
Muslims in particular do practice this, fearing Solar Eclipse will cure their kids.

TRP-hungry News Channels chased the news and showed the gory images of crying kids amidst ignorance and pain.

It struck to me, Why do learned men/women (read News Anchors/Press Reporters & etc., ) who denigrate such practices, don't chase why people do it?

Parents want their kids to be safe. They are taught these rigours.
If they are made to see the light of day (avoiding few minutes of eclipse :)), they'll stop doing such mind-bending acts.

Who will now inform/advice such parents?
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting ???
Minsitry of Health ??
Ministry for Science & Tech?
GOvt plans to "Ban this practice". Banning is simply banging head to rock, useless.
Bhanamati, Devadasi, ...... the list of banned things are long, only to see them happening again.

Ban a practice, Enfore the Ban (viz., Engage Police), Educate about Ban,...... all wasting of time.

Simpler Option would be:
Identify the people, to whom the parents would listen to.

As this is prevalent with Muslims, Talk to Mullah's, Khaaji's. Sure, there would be sympathetic Moulvi's, who understand enough Science.
They can talk it over in Friday Prayers.Local MLA, Khamarul Islam has justified this.
His reply, typical of a Representative is filled with "CONFORM TO POPULAR OPINION" words.

Surprisingly, we didn't hear sound bytes Local MP or Minister In Charge of District.

2009-07-06T17:33:00.002+05:30

5 minute rationing didn't work,
I'm yet to learn discipline.

Now, for Today, Sri Pranab Kumar Mukherji, erstwhile Minister of Finance, Government of India shared Union Budget for the year 2009-10. [Plz bear with this verbiage, as this post is about the same.,......... Verbal Crap].

A friend pointed out an interesting point from "Capitalmarket.com".

India's biggest bank in terms of branch network State Bank of India (SBI) fell 9.04%.

India's largest private sector bank by net profit ICICI Bank fell 11.54%. India's second largest private sector bank by net profit HDFC Bank fell 6.53%.

India's biggest dedicated housing finance firm by operating income Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) fell 9.13% as the finance minister did not announce a hike in tax sops for housing loans contrary to market expectations.

India's largest private sector firm by market capitalisation Reliance Industries (RIL) fell 6.54% to Rs 1,893 even as the government restored tax holiday to natural gas producers.

Plz notice the use of terms "Largest", "Biggest". Reporters, just can't come out of hangover for "Big". Probably, it started with Jawahar Lal Nehru. "Big Dams, Big Steel Plants, ........... (Big Ego)".

Gandhiji, a bania to the core, knew the importance of "Small". He emphasized "Small things".
"Spin Khaadi", "Sweep the floor", "Say the truth", ... short, crisp, SMALL words.

His successor, Jawahar was always for grandeur, large, ........

Other than Intel and Japanese firms, almost everybody, Governments, NGO's, ..... are behind "Big stuff".
Tata's, who were chasing this small "Indi....." [Indi-ca, Indi-com, ] are a contrast.
Tata's are offering both Tata Nano and Jaguar to India.

In the spirit of small, Let me cut for the day.

Bye.,

2009-06-15T12:00:00.002+05:30

If some one out there is unemployed enough to read this, you have good news.

I've decided to rationout 5 min-a-day to this blog.
I've stopped chatting to Yallamanda daily and plan to use it here.

So, here it goes.

Subbu. forwarded this today. OLD-WINE, still tastes fine.

# One fine day a girl proposed to a sardar, but the sardar denied simply saying
that in our family we only marry our relatives. My mom married my dad, my
brother married my bhabhi, my uncle married my aunt and so on, so please excuse me!

# Two sardars went into a pub and after ordering two beers took some
sandwiches out of their pockets and started to eat them.
"You can't eat your own sandwiches in here," complained the pub-owner.
So the two sardars swapped (exchanged) their sandwiches.

# American says " US mein shaadi E-mail se hoti hai." (Good, I'll talk to Agapios in Hindi today !!)
Sardarji says " India main to shaadi Fe-mail se hoti hai...!!!"

# What is the difference between WATCH & WIFE
Sadarji answers -- Ek bigadti hai to bandh ho jati hai...... Doosari
bigadati hai to "SHUROO' ho jati hai

# Koun si devi ka kounsa prasad India mein famous hai?
Sardar answers: Rabri devi ka Laloo Prasad ( I just read Ram Vilas Paswan has 5 Devi's,.... no wonder he opposes women's reservation...)

# A two seater plane crashed in a graveyard in Punjab today.......
Local sardars have so far found 500 bodies and are
still digging for more.

My 2 cents:
Dhoni paraded his team a bit too early for the media. [then, T20 World Champs, India Team were accused of rifts within the team]
Would he parade his team now, We need to see UNITY more than anytime now? [T20 World Champs India are out of the competition]

The team, could not wait to meet Sehwag back.

Yuvaraj Singh big-mouthed on repeating 2007 T20 World Cup History.
History would repeat, that of India loosing crucial games.

Dravid, was in bad form, Dravid backed Sehwag during 2007 ODI World cup, Dravid was eventually knocked out.

Mahi, is in bad form, Mahi backed Sehwag, then fumed at him, [Smart] So, Mahi will not be knocked off.

Good that Chika, Raaveeeeee and above all Aruuuuuuuuun Laaaaaaaaaal would not make noises about belligarent Indian team.

Sachin, the prophet has again proved right.

FATIGUE, fatigue has caused this.
Hello, Lalith Modi, plz don't think of IPL Winter version.

Allow Viru to chill, Yuvraj to find a wife and Mahi to go to Chennai.

2009-04-06T17:10:00.002+05:30

Just note these definitions,

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

Regulation precedes Development. Doesn't it say something about the company running them?
Regulation, Monitoring these are top-priority.

No wonder, we're a developing country.

ಸತ್ಯಮ್ ರಾಜು

2009-01-18T09:18:00.001+05:30

ಎರಡು ವಾರದ ಹಿಂದೆ ದಿ ರೆಕ್ರುಟ್ ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡುವಾಗ ಅಲ್ ಪಸಿನೋ ಹೇಳುವ ಡೈಲಾಗ್ ನೆನಪಾಯ್ತು
ನೆವರ್ ಗೆಟ್ ಕಾಟ್
ಸತ್ಯಮ್ ನ ರಾಮಲಿಂಗರಾಜು ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದು ಬಹಳ ಸರಿ ಅನ್ಸತ್ತೆ
ನನಗೆ ನೆನಪಿರುವಂತೆ ಚಂದ್ರಬಾಬು ನಾಯ್ಡು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಗ್ಲೋಬಲ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಉರುಳಿ ಬಿತ್ತು.
ಈಗ ಸತ್ಯಂ ಬಿಳುವುದಕ್ಕೂ, ಯಾವುದೋ ಲಿಂಕ್ ಇದೆಯೇ ?

ಮಾಯ್ತಸ್ ಒಂದು ಮುಖವಾಡ ಮಾತ್ರವೇ ?

2008 comes to an end

2008-12-30T15:33:00.003+05:30

Long long time ago, I used blogger.com to post on CNBC.

Laziness took the better part of me & voila, me writing when 2008 is ending.

Looking back at 2008, I realize, Ability can never match with demand.

I had a wishlist for 2008, (inspired by 43folders.com) Vipassana Mediatation, Driving & Driving-License, Multibagger Stocks, .............., DRA (Recognition @ my firm, Intel)

Hardly much has been covered, It's not been a lazy-bum year, but still could not cover much ground.

In 2009, I wish I'd be a bit more punctual, bit more voracious, bit more funny and lot more hungry.

Wishing myself and my readers (if any!!) Hungry New Year-2009.

On recession-slowdown-..... Well,
1) Indra prastha was built, only when Pandava's were thrown out of Hastinavati
2) Dwaraka was built, only when Yadava's went out of Mathura &
3) I took to X'th Std Maths, only when kicked [in the butt] in IX Std Kannada.

Ending with Steve Jobs's words ==> Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.

Stock-Market corrections

2008-01-24T11:27:00.000+05:30

I started investing with this quote: Stock market is the only place where demand goes up, when the prices rise.

IMHO,
CNBC, NDTV Profit, ...all these channels just track the hot-money.

I beg to differ with their chief editor Senthil chengalrayan, whose these is where is the market leadership going to come from/ Which sectors have better prospects.

They operate in a country where 65% people don't have bank-accounts, [forget the demat accounts].
Wouldn't it help them and their viewers [your's truly included], if they could report on companies with deep-value...

Hello.

2007-12-26T17:04:00.001+05:30

Hello.