tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92006101286221572092024-03-12T19:19:58.727-07:00Food-ologicalThe expected statistical properties of this blog are :-
Mean = Food.
Variance = totally random.
third central moment = Electrical EngineeringAnkit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-63680858979475181422014-05-17T10:03:00.000-07:002014-05-17T10:03:52.825-07:00कुछ चीज़ें इंसान बदल नहीं सकता<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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कुछ चीज़ें इंसान बदल नहीं सकता।।।</div>
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इंसान ने परीक्षा की कितनी भी तैयारी की हो - प्रश्न पत्र देखने से पहले ईश्वर को याद कर ही लेते हैं<br />
इंसान की नींद अगर पूरी न हुई हो, तो कितना भी जरूरी काम हो - एक झपकी तो आ ही जाती है<br />
इंसान का पेट कितना भी भरा हुआ हो - माँ के हाथ का गाजर का हलवा देख भूख लग ही आती है<br />
इंसान बहन की शादी में कितना भी खुश क्यों न हो - विदाई के समय आँखों में आंसू आ ही जाते हैं. </div>
Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-76369418813535231762014-01-09T13:38:00.000-08:002014-01-11T12:04:45.414-08:00Reality... or hallucination?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It was a new day, new hopes, new desires, new energy. Ishan looked at the calender with an almost literal spring in his steps. It was... the 18th of April. A bag of flour would have scorned at the resistance shown by him while falling onto his bed.<br />
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18th April. He did remember this date. Was it even humanly possible for him to forget this date?<br />
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He would call his office and let them know that he wouldnt go there as he was sick - down with tearing nostalgia. Of a date that he hoped would be wiped off all calenders. For an event which he could never delete from his mind.<br />
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In general, days were not particularly tough on Ishan, it was the nights that he dreaded. The thought of coming back home to an eternity of solitude gave him shivers.<br />
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He was alone not by choice. He was alone because he had to be.<br />
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Tonight - for under such agonising pain, the world blacked out for him - was no different from the plethora of such nights, indistinguishable from each other, marked perhaps only by the strain involved in keeping himself from thinking about alternate histories. "What if he had heard the weather forecast for the day.." , "What if he had joined Trishna, Iti and Tarun that day?", "What if..."<br />
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Trishna liked to let her hair out to dry. Iti had started copying her mother and would always call out " Dad, look.. I have hair like Ma."...<br />
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Ishan hated life, the day, and the entire world. Of what use are these objects if they can not bring any comfort to a troubled soul? This bed, this laptop, this cupboard, this pen stand - actually, this one was Tarun's favorite. As Trishna used to remark, he was getting ready for "throwing olympics". Given that he threw everything that he could lift, who knows - he might have indeed gone for the olympics. And yes, might is the operative word.<br />
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For we will never know, and he will never have a chance to prove himself. Nor will Iti.<br />
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In the end, the fact that he had the bottle of sleeping pills in his hand was not surprising at all. The resolve with which he opened the lid was a bit surprising. The speed with which he gulped down almost the entire bottle was pretty surprising. But perhaps the most surprising was the shrill voice that said "Daddy.... we are home..."</div>
Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-39401466144816688172010-09-08T15:36:00.000-07:002010-09-09T03:25:24.995-07:00On the time dependance of EthicsImagine this, a village child is hungry and has a big chunk of cake kept next to her. But she is not havng it - because it does not belong to her. Thats seems like the right thing to do, right? Not taking something that does not belong to you seems correct.<br />
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Now, imagine if a few hours have gone by and still no one has come to claim it. Would you call it morally correct that she does not take the cake? Now consider if a day has passed and no one claims it. Would you now call her descision to not take it, moral? Now, if the cake is about to get spoilt and wasted, would you still call it moral correct to not take it?<br />
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The only thing that changes in this example is the time frame and it affects our sense of right and wrong.<br />
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This is not just a case with perishable goods, it goes for non-perishables as well. If a house is not being used for long enough, its ok to use it, right? But who decides long enough? Is one day enough to decide that the house owner is not going to come back? One month? One year? A decade? Fourteen years? Fifty years? A hundred years? The question is where do you draw the line. Time increases in continous fashion. And our sense of morally acceptable and not acceptable is dependant on two discreet (and ambiguisly defined) lengths of time - Long and Not-so-long. <br />
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Our inherent sense of right and wrong is based on our understanding of timeframes and it seems to change with it.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-64177618088084859772010-09-08T15:13:00.000-07:002011-12-11T06:13:51.464-08:00On the ownership of Ethics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Arent there days when you really want to do some good to the society? When you feel the pain of the people around you and want to contribute to the society? I am sure everyone of us has been in such a state before.<br />
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Now, imagine yourself to be in such a situation. You see a hungry beggar sitting on the pavment, two steps from you. You offer him the sandwich that you were about to eat. Good deed done, right?<br />
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If you had paid for it, indeed. But consider if someone else had paid for it. Then, would it be morally correct for you to give away the sandwich? If you did not have a mandate to give off something you did not own, isnt that wrong on your part to transfer it to someone else?<br />
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If you think that its ok to give the sandwich even when you did not own it, think how this can be extended. I could give off anything to anyone even if I dont have a thing. So potentially I could transfer all of Mukesh Ambani's wealth and give it off to my friendly neighbourhood beggar and feel happy for myself that I did a good job today. Or, I could give off all his money to the poor guy that I am, and feel proud of myself.<br />
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Charity makes sense only when you can own it up to youself.<br />
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Btw, all this money transfers should statestically lead to an equilibrium where every member has the same amount of money. Though this would be extremely unstable as people will like to have a bit more than others which would give them some advantage. Hence to maintain that equilibrium, an external force has to be applied. And now it appears that I am talking about communist governments. Ah, the digressions mind takes, from charity to communism!</div>Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-90982431292414908622010-09-06T15:48:00.000-07:002010-09-06T16:02:36.527-07:00Mandated - Too important to failRecently, I visited Scotland and the first thing that I noticed (apart from the breathtaking view, that is) was the fact that currency notes were guaranteed by the Royal Bank of Scotland. It was extremely surprising given the fact that most banks that guarantee the payments of the amounts denominated are central banks. And central banks do not operate as commercial or investment banks (which RBS does).<br />
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And the fact that RBS was indeed rescued by the British taxpayer during the last crisis, gives more weight to my suspicion that it is mandated by the government to be too important to fail. A vast majority of the notes in circulation in Scotland are RBS guaranteed and hence the government can just not afford it collapsing.<br />
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Some thing even more surprising was the fact that England was one of the first countries to have a central bank and almost all of world's central banks are based on its model. Central banks operate in accordance to the government's fiscal policy and since they do not have any financial arms, they are immune to shocks from market crashes. This typically gives more credibility to a country's economic system. So if tomorrow the markets crash down, and RBS looses so much money that people lose trust in RBS's promise to pay the bearer an amount equal to the denominated pound value, a run on the bank occurs and all of the country's financial system stops working. To me that is a very scary thought. The only was the government can stop a run on the bank is such a case, is by mandating that RBS is too big and important to fail. So whatever happens, government will have to provide assets to back up all the banks that issue notes on its behalf.<br />
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As I later realised, "Clydesdale Bank" also issues currency notes. Now what is not clear to me is if all banks in Scotland are mandated to issue notes on their own or not. Though entirely possible, this does not strike me as particularly<span style="background-color: white;"> prudent. Essentially the government then risks having the credit rating of the worst credit rating of the bank issuing notes. </span><br />
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It is possible that the government has only allowed banks to issue notes in return of some highly under valued collateral so that it can withstand the shocks, but I am not sure about it. Anyone who can enlighten me on that? Also I would really like to know how such a sytem evolved in Scotland when England had a central bank system. Any guesses?Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-24801247372967785202010-07-11T10:20:00.000-07:002010-07-11T10:20:42.526-07:00Communication gap - His and Her<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : We are not going to need this ever, why even bother drafting and signing it?</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ishan : Its just a contingency document.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : But you think it might happen.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ishan : I just want to be sure that we dont have hard feelings, in case.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : In case? Incase of what Ishan? Divorce, right? I dont think there can be any divorce if there are no hard feelings. Adding some more would not really hurt then.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ishan: But I just wanted to be sure.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : Sure that you dont lose anything when you get a divorce?</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ishan : I was thinking of if rather than when.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : Ishan, thinking of a pre-nuptial agreement is thinking of a divorce even before you get married.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ishan : I once heard a maxim - Dont get in unless you know the way out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;">Anokhi : Then maybe you hould not get in at all.</span><br />
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And Mars and Venus need to know about each other to understand them.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-60644484687345349312010-04-07T11:04:00.000-07:002010-07-11T10:28:15.964-07:00Chatting - His and Hers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Hi</span><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hey, Hi</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> How are you?</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com:</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Hope you remember me, we met last night</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Cool</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> I am fine. was just sitting and thinking how awesome yesterday was.</span><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">yes, it was good. DJ Raunak does infuse life in a party.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Yes, he most certainly does.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Btw, the music wasn't the only thing that awesome yesterday.</span><br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">is it? I did not notice anything else being cool.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Hmm, ah well, hmm ya , as in</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> ya, there weren't too many things happening also.</span><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Though I was asked on the dance floor by an OK type guy. :)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">It was small gathering anyway</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> I am sure that guy would be awfully flattered at being considered OK :)</span><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hmm, I do try to bring smiles to people, you know.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">You know, I was scared that I might forget your email id - after all we had had enough booze to sedate an entire army :) </span></div><div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">You had had a lot more than me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> and why do you think I wrote my id down and gave it to you? :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> Btw, totally love these expressions you come up with.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">You have read such expressions before? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> :( I was hoping to impress you with these :(</span></div><div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Yes, I read them on your blog.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And you have read my blog too. So its like I dont have an iota of chance to impress you. </span></div><div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">You really are as naive as you sounded yesterday.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> First up, I would like to know more about the guy I was dancing with last night. - Atleast more than his name is Ankit and works at an Investment bank.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> And if I were you, I would try to capitalize on the fact that girl has read my blog - rather than ruing how I could have lifted things from there. :P</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Being verbose is not something that comes naturally to me</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> I typically need a lot of alcohol in my system before that happens :)</span></div><div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">:)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> I can at least vouch for you being verbose when inebriated :)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Anyway, if I remember correct, you are a Mexican food specialist chef at a five star hotel.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I like that you could manage to remember so much from last night.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> Yes, I am chef (you could guess that from the id itself :) )</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> Let me see if you remember something not-so-obvious</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Hmm, not-so-obvious .. Telling you that you have an extremely pretty smile would be extremely obvious, so thats ruled out.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> And that the way that you remove those hair strands from in front of your face - it makes my knees go weak. - but even that might be obvious</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Something that might not be so obvious to you is that to muster the courage to talk to you, I had to gulp down much more beer than I normally do.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I like it when flirting is concealed under a sheath of "ah-so-obvious" ramblings :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> And btw, it WAS obvious to me :)</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Now, thats interesting ..</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> btw, you mentioned that you were moved by the plight that regionalism has brought and the hinderance it creates for national growth.</span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Yes, it sad, isn't it?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> National integration is indeed a burning problem right now. Whats the point of the country growing if all the people do not get some benefit out of it.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Yes, and stopping people from working at certain areas, just reduces the economic efficiency of operation. If the leaders see this nation as a single entity, they would try to distribute resources as to develop the entire nation rather than parts of it. </span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Though we definitely dont a China-type communist rule - The government deciding where and what to invest. It would probably be best to frame policies to allow for growth everywhere and let economics take over from there on.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Bingo ! If you were not a chef, you could have been an economist.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Though I doubt if they dont automatically disqualify girls over a certain level of beauty.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">What amazes me is that you can get to flirting from any topic. Don't you get bored of it?</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Someone once quipped about quitting smoking - "I have quit smoking many a times, but to be unnatural and not appreciate the beauty in front, its a insult to both the beauty and its maker."</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Too much of cheesy lines can expand your waistline, you know?</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Is it?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> So do you leave calories count note of the kind "Without any chessy lines - 300. With a bit of flattery - 375. With pure and unabridged adulation - 550"?</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">:)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> I haven't done that yet, but now I have a mind to do that :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> But before that I will have to ask my manager if he would be fine with such explanatory notes :)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Good work ethos dictate that you do that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> would you need some help in convincing your manager, do call in the (free) services of the author.</span></div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com : </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hmm, I don't think it would be a good thing to take someone to pitch an idea for me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> Maybe I can get more details sorted out about this idea before I meet him.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Ya, that makes sense. How about tomorrow night, at 8?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> We can have a nice dinner and maybe discuss things there.</span></div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com : </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Seems good to me.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"> See you tomorrow. And we will discuss only this idea then :)</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Yes, sure we will :)</span></div><div><div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Chama.Chef@gmail.com :</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Anyway, good night. got to get to work early to leave early.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Ankit.iBanker@gmail.com: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Good night.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">And Mars and Venus continue to find excuses to bump into each other</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-60384347643245679542010-04-05T05:24:00.000-07:002010-07-11T10:27:32.989-07:00His and Hers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">How can buying a pair of shoes be such a big deal? Why is Amrita making such a fuss about me not accompanying her shoe-shopping? Maybe she is really tired, but then she shouldn't go - I don't understand this fixation with shopping! Bah, women!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">How can Rahul not want to join me for shopping! We should now start doing things together. Just the other day he said he likes my shoes. Now that I want him to come and suggest things to me - not that I will allow him to choose, he has terrible sense of clothing and everything else associated with it. But still, we must spend time doing things as couples now. The way he seems to be avoiding such stuff gets me worried - is he not committed to make this work?</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Its not as if I am going to choose shoes - or that she will let me do that. So whats the point of me going there?</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">I bet he has one of those stupid matches coming up. I just hate it when he does that. Everytime, everytime that we have to go somewhere - one of those cricket or football matches will be airing. And he will make some stupid excuses and abscond from whatever we were supposed to be doing. He does not even listen to me while the match is at "interesting" stage. Games are so passive! His, or for that matter anyone's viewing is not going to affect anything on the ground, so why bother watching. But who is to drill this logic in his head? That's why I have put the remote in a "safe" place so that he does not waste his time watching stupid things.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">There is nothing to do now, I don't even seem to find the stupid remote. God knows where I kept it the last time. Amrita still expects me to go for that stupid shoe shop. Maybe I should go. Then after coming back, I can ask her to search for the remote. She is pretty good at finding things that get lost around here. She even found that Mumbai Indians t-shirt that I wore almost everyday before it was lost somewhere in the house itself. I love my wife!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Rahul has agreed to come shoe shopping with me! I am so fortunate to have such a caring husband. He is not the kind who professes his love, but he could not stand me going alone - and it gladdens me to no end. I will return the remote as soon as we get back here. I love my husband!</span><br />
<br />
And Mars and Venus coexist.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-72053394676924114312010-03-17T10:56:00.000-07:002010-03-17T10:57:30.764-07:00Iran, Pakistan ink the gas pipeline deal without IndiaPakistan <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Iran-Pakistan-sign-gas-pipeline-deal/articleshow/5695085.cms">signed a deal for the supply of natural gas</a> 750 million metric cubic units a day to 1 billion cubic units a day. This deal was worth 7.5 billion USD. Though I really don't know the pricing of the gas.<br />
<br />
The pipeline that was to come to India was to be 2700 Kms and now they have settled at only 900 Kms. Had India joined the deal, despite Pakistan's assurance that it will try to safeguard the pipeline, India can never be sure of the safety of the two-thirds of the pipeline that is non-critical to Pakistan.<br />
<br />
Earlier India had made a statement saying that the transit tariff demanded by Pakistan is very high. It was speculated that this tariff would mean that Pakistan would have a significantly shorter investment recovery time than India.<br />
<br />
And with the recent oil field investments by ONGC in Venezuela and Russia, and gas field discovery by RIL, India does not feel so pressed for energy as it once was.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-35178492716621134802010-03-17T09:17:00.000-07:002010-03-17T11:13:27.380-07:00Facebook surpasses Google in the number of hits<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Facebook-beats-Google-as-most-visited-website/articleshow/5693941.cms">Facebook had more number of hits than Google</a> for the first time (in US) last week (ending March 13th 2010).This marks a huge shift in the internet usage pattern from the past.<br />
Going by the usage, now connection seems to be more important than information.<br />
<br />
Though Google owned sites, Youtube, Gmail and Picassa are widely visited, most of Google's revenues are from its sponsored search results.<br />
Such usage changes could mean that companies looking for online advertisement might first look at Facebook than Google. Since Facebook allows one to join many special interest groups, the chances of landing a relevant ad is higher there. In the world of internet marketing, making the ad relevant is as important as anything else.<br />
Though Gmail also has better targeted ads, based on your email content.<br />
<br />
Be that as it may, the market leader has been displaced, and in the time to come, we can be sure of heightened war for the eyeballs.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-84049189713258971432010-03-15T09:01:00.000-07:002010-03-15T10:10:51.162-07:00From being an engineer to a media guy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">This is a query (and my response to it) that came on my school's alumni association site(<a href="http://www.chinmayasmileys.org/">www.chinmayasmileys.org</a>) about a guy who wants to go into media related role rather than being an engineer. I thought it might be of use to someone else who is reading this blog.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The text in green is the query.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial; font-size: small; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;">Hari Om everyone,<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Ah well m doin b.tech in comp science From NMIMS university.<br />
So the thing is that i don like engg a lot..<br />
<br />
I mean though i understand wat they teach here but i don like solving problems based on the things they teach.<br />
<br />
And i have always been very keenly interested in media and communication,<br />
<br />
So is there something i can do ..after graduation that would get me into my desired field...<br />
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Hope u reply soon....and i am gonna complete my graduation next year may...</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hi Rituraj, </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see two parts in your query, </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Doing something based on your engineering skill is not about "solving problems". you have to build things based on the principles you learn in your classroom. It is not the same (and not as boring) as solving problems in an exam. </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) And about your desire to work in the field of media and communication I am not very sure what you mean by that, are you talking about </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.1) Journalism (print/ news channels) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.2) Advertising </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.3) Compering </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.4) Publishing house support and proof reading </span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't know too much about you, so I am giving general pointers maybe you can see for yourself where you fit well and we can discuss that in greater detail. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Given the fact that you have an engineering background, you are at a disadvantage vis-a-vis your competitors on two counts </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) They have more "domain knowledge", and are typically good at articulating. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) Engineers are stereotyped as being bad at communication skills. And the fact that you dont have very many people from your background who have broken into this field certainly reinforces the stereotype. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, all is not lost You do have a few positives. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Being an engineer, you can bring to the table a much needed skill of structured thinking. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) You will have a better understanding of products and businesses, So you can work well in a field that lets you analyse them. Maybe like a gadget guide thing, or a column on new trends in technology, or on stocks and share markets. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">All said, breaking into this world will take a lot of dedicated effort, for </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Prima facia, you dont have the specific skill set that such a job requires. 2)Its not glamorous - atleast not at the junior levels. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sure you can blabber an hour on how you actually do have those skills, but none of it is going to help you if you cant prove it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">So my advice would be to go out there and make yourself known. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Fish for events that need a compere - at college fests, products promotion events etc. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) Look for FM radio stations that call for guest jockey. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) Look out for competitions that ask for marketing ideas. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) Try and get a marketing internship. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">These will help you in two ways, one this will get you some experience, and more importantly, it will help you build a network of people who know that you are talented. The latter will help you a lot in getting you the proverbial foot-in-the-door. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; white-space: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">If, however you feel that structured learning is the way to go for you, There is this college called Mudra Institute of communications - Ahmedabad. This, I have heard is the best B-School to go to if want a career in advertising. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope this helps you. Do get back to me here on this forum or at ankit.ashok@gmail.com if you want to discuss something specific. </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">All the very best. You have more than a year at your college. Make the best use of it. </span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheers </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ankit</span></div>Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-86760185107974176522010-02-26T22:07:00.001-08:002010-02-26T22:07:57.428-08:00Book review : if god was a banker : dont buy, dont even read even when offered for free.I normally dont write book reviews, and thats mainly because almost all books I read, lead me to thoughts I enjoy more that writing a book review.<br />
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If there was one book that I felt that I wasted my money by buying it, it was this book.<br />
Surely, 'There was a good guy and there was a bad guy. The bad used wrong methods to get ahead. But at the end the good guy won' such an story would probably seem inviting to a 10 year old, but not a mature audience.<br />
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And that brings me to another point that irritated me about the book. Who would do readers like me a favour and tell the author that mentioning sleaze does not make a book fit for a mature reader. The content should be such that one does not feel like being treated like a kid.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-49501134912050252512010-02-01T18:33:00.000-08:002010-02-13T14:51:36.027-08:00Amazon allows Macmillan ebooks to be priced higher after Apple rowJust read<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/01/amazon-macmillan-ebooks-apple"> this news</a>, that Amazon will increase the prices offered for Macmillan books from USD 9.99 currently to 14.99 and 12.99.<br />
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This is significant because Amazon had long been a sort of monopoly in the ebook business ( With all due respect Sony - your Reader did not make a dent), and had the power to arm twist publishers. But with Apple getting into the foray with its iPad, Kindle (Amazon's ebook reader) expects some serious competition.<br />
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The publishing houses long believed they were not making enough profit through the ebook business. This emergance of competition will help them get better money for their products. Maybe things will improve for them from now on.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-31517272639484023422010-01-18T00:46:00.000-08:002010-01-18T00:46:57.574-08:00The train station<span style="color: blue;">My tryst with fiction continues.</span><br />
<br />
Renuka looked around. No, Neel was not to be seen. The train had started leaving the station. It was now or never. If she had to ever leave this place, it had to be now. But how could she leave without Neel? How could she live without Neel. He was her knight in shinning armour. Her very own boy toy. A smile crept on her face as she remembered something about the boy toy.<br />
<br />
But where was he? They were supposed to meet at the railway station half an hour ago. How can he be so careless?<br />
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Oh, the train is picking up speed. Should I stay onboard and wait for him to come to Delhi, or disembark here itself and wait for him to get to the station? I - I am eloping because I want to be with him. Whats the point of going alone. I would rather stay here.<br />
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As she set down her luggage, all of one college bag and an airbag, she was wondering - what could have kept Neel from coming down to the station. Had he got caught? But in that case She would have been hunted down too. So atleast he has not been caught. Thats a positive. Or is it? Because it means that worse things could be true.<br />
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To take her my off the other (seemingly worse) possibilities, Renuka turned her attention towards other people waiting at the station. A playful five year girl was running all over the place. Her parents would calm her and force her to sit down every few minutes. In response she would flee to places that would be difficult to spot. Amused at this game for sometime, Renuka drew an immediate parallel with her own life. Though she was not fleeing in a childish reaction - Or was she? A lot of her actions now seemed to be more reactionary than otherwise. Like the time she bought a scooty pep even though she did not like it very much. Or when she increased the intensity of her "friendship" with Neel after her father reminded her that she was only 16. Oh, My God! Would I have loved Neel the way I do if it were not for father's opposition?<br />
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Just then a local train stopped at the station. hoards of school and college students got down. There were samples of every type of student in the motley group. From the "serious" students who seem focused and took long swift strides as if to reduce time wastage, to the carefree group who cared more about chatting than anything else. Then there were couples who seemed oblivious to the world around them. Renuka evaluated herself against the people rushing past her. <br />
<br />
I am definitely prettier than her. Look at the handsome guy she is with. Dont know what he sees in her. <br />
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Her earrings are so cute. Wonder where she got them from. Maybe it is from the new shop on Valabh Road. If I stay here, the first thing that I will do is check that shop out. Hold it, why am I thinking of staying here? I was supposed to have fled from this place an hour ago. Cant fathom what happened to Neel. What could have..<br />
<br />
Hey, that girl is wearing the same shoes as mine. Bet she has a good taste. Somehow she looks nerdy, very career focused and all.<br />
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These focused people would probably have a good career. Hold it, I can focus hard - Why am I not thinking about my career? I have decent score in my 12th boards. Its been about an year into economics college - and granted that I havent done all too well till now, but that does not mean I cant make up for it. I heard there are good jobs for an economics graduate in Delhi. Hey, Sheela is in Delhi, doing economics - I should call her and ask ... I can actually ask her for colleges and admissions too actually. I can continue/ start over my studies, once in Delhi.<br />
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Why would I be in Delhi? Oh, Neel ! That stupid guy. I bet he did not have the guts to elope. He just wasn't man enough. Man! Dad. He has always been such an image of strength. But we havent talked for a long time - dont know what happened... Maybe I should call him.<br />
<br />
Hey Dad, how are you?<br />
- Hi, Beta, everything ok?<br />
Haan papa, everything is fine. Just that we havent talked in some while now, so I thought that maybe we can talk.<br />
- Sure Beta, tell me whats going on?<br />
Papa, I want to BE someone. I want to build and live an independent life, have my own world.<br />
- Great, My beta is growing up ! great! Beta, we are always there for you. We always wanted you make your own choices. Just that as a parent, we are a bit worried for you. So that you dont make wrong choices.<br />
(Long Pause) Can you come and get me at Railway station, platform number 5? I have thoughts about moving to Delhi. There are better colleges and job opportunities there. I would like to discuss it in detail with you and mummy.<br />
- (slightly startled) Yes beta, I am coming over. Just wait for me.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-59998873613458423352010-01-16T23:31:00.000-08:002010-01-16T23:31:00.598-08:00Wanderer<span style="color: blue;">My first attempt at fiction, so if you feel terribly uncharitable, this might not be the best read.</span><br />
<br />
He was not mad. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Atleast</span> he dint think so.<br />
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He just lived differently. He did not believe in the societal definition of good and bad. He wanted to feel the bliss, the excitement, the energy. And he <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">couldnt</span> find them in ways that the society found great. Not that he dint try - He had being trying for 17 odd years when he enrolled in the best engineering college of the country. It took him 2 years to realize that he did not want to do engineering <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">afterall</span>.<br />
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He dropped out of college voluntarily. It created a furor in his friends and family circles. He tried his best to explain that he wanted to "live" life, but to no avail. He gave up on them.<br />
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He got fascinated by the numbers on the stock market, and took up stock trading. He was good at it - Made a lot of money. There were silent words of praise for the "madman" who had left an institution that many are ready to die to get into.<br />
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One fine spring morning, He abandoned this too. By now, he had got bored of this work. Again, for sometime he had no clue what he wanted to do. Again, there were sounds of what a fool he is to relinquish such a well paying "career".<br />
<br />
He then took up writing as his "vocation". It pleased him to write - about humans, about fantasies, about nature. But pretty soon, he was bored of it too. He wanted to break free, again. And break-free he did!<br />
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He took up wild life photography next. At least thats what he told people the last time he met them. He is untraceable for more than a year now. No one knows what he is doing right now. Maybe he is too engrossed in the beauty of the wild to wish to come back to the "civilized" life which has never failed to disappoint him in keeping him interested.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-52938235098781455002010-01-16T01:28:00.000-08:002010-01-16T20:02:27.996-08:00Banks deserting Mutual Funds?Last fortnight of 2009 saw Indian banks pulling out as much as INR 104K crore from mutual funds - the largest in any fortnight.<br />
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It could be due to the fact that RBI had been urging banks to lend rather than park money in mutual fund investments. The central bank's advice is warranted because such activity adversely affects small sector industries and personal loans are undertaken by the banks.<br />
<br />
But whether this change is for real or an eyewash remains to be seen. Banks could have taken such steps to improve their results for the quarter ending in dec. By investing this money in short term loans, banks can appear more compliant than they actually are.<br />
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Another reason for this act could be a fear of a W-shaped recession.<br />
<br />
But I think that a major incentive to pull out could be their plans for the road ahead.<br />
There have been news of SBI looking for some merchant acquisition joint ventures and Union bank looking for some acquisitions in Indonesia. Canara bank has been trying to acquire the state-run Dena bank. Country's biggest bank, SBI's Chairman has openly stated that to provide world class services, Indian banks will have to go on the consolidation route. This pile of money, freed up in the last few days can be an indicator to the big things these guys are planning.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-31348778925023741012010-01-15T11:11:00.000-08:002010-01-15T11:40:00.707-08:00Adam Smith on academiaBelow are some excerpts. Text in black is my own.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">In The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith developed an incisive criticism </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">of academia (pp. 758-81). He at least touches on all of the following familiar </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">criticism of academia: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">• Academic societies are organized “not for the benefit of the </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">students, but for the interest, or more properly speaking, for the </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">ease of the masters” (764). </span>In other words, an industry where customer is not the king but the people working in the industry. So this industry has incentive to produce goods that conform to ideals of the people in the industry rather than the ones paying for it.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">• They self-organize as self-validating societies, in which members </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">indulge each other’s conveniences (761). </span><span style="color: black;">By mutual indulgence and appreciation, they stand to gain in stature. Trading thoroughly replenish-able resources they can increase their "value" - which is based only on trade volumes. Read trade can make everyone better off. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">• Academics tend toward an esoteric language that excludes </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">outsider participation (765). <span style="color: black;">The esoteric language is one of the most potent arsenals available to project and protect an image of elitism</span></span>.<br />
<span style="color: blue;">• Democratic decision making by professional units fails to make </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">individuals accountable for their actions within the process of </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">collective decision making (779). </span><span style="color: black;">It wasn't ME !</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">• The clubs are prone to groupthink and the lock-in of foolishness. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">They were sometimes “the sanctuaries in which exploded systems </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">and obsolete prejudices found shelter and protection, after they </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">had been hunted out of every other corner of the world” (772). </span><span style="color: black;">I belong to this special group of people, I know what to believe.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">They have generated sciences that are “a mere useless and </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">pedantick heap of sophistry and nonsense” (781). </span><span style="color: black;">Knowledge and thinking are important goals in themselves. How are ordinary mortals to fathom the importance of figuring out the number of angels that can dance on a pinhead?</span>Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-30949763394551367292009-12-24T21:19:00.000-08:002009-12-24T21:22:08.254-08:00Twitter buys Mixer labsJust read that <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">Twitter</a> <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2009/tc20091224_173986.htm">bought Mixer labs</a> for an undisclosed amount. This company helped developers create products that cater to specific locations. These things help in delivering local ads to its residents. It will help both the customers in finding the right service/store, and the seller in finding its customers.<br />
<br />
Looks like after so much talk of its potential, finally Twitter is taking concrete steps towards ad revenues.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-19689130726346802412009-12-05T14:00:00.000-08:002009-12-05T19:23:28.676-08:00Tell me about yourselfThe past one month or so saw so many events and buildup to those events that it seemed like an entire year. <br />
One of the reasons for this misaligned time length perception was the dreaded HR interview. From the hallowed area of placement office, word seemed to spread that preparation for the HR interview would be crucial during the placement season.<br />
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The more meticulous (and jobless) inhabitants now sought "suitable" answers to more than 100 possible HR questions. The ones with more diversified activities, though primarily directed at finding a "good" job - chose to work on a set of two or three questions. Then there were others for whom job was a backup plan, so they just tried to answer the single most difficult question - "Tell me about yourself."<br />
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When I heard this question for the first time, I was amused. Why should such a innocuous question be dreaded so wildly. But, as it turns out, there is more waves associated with this question than the acoustic ones.<br />
<br />
Few pointers to let you know why this question is important:<br />
1) The interviewer needs sometime to go through the resume. If you point at things that (s)he needs, then the work of both you and the interviewer are simplified.<br />
2) Will you fit well into the company culture?<br />
3) How are your past experiences relevant to the job you have applied for.<br />
<br />
But most importantly, the interviewer wants to know DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF!<br />
When people are self aware and take conscious decisions to pursue something - they are more likely to succeed and do well. And at a place where there is little to choose between the caliber of different applicants, the interest in the pursued field determines the chances of success.<br />
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Its easy to believe that one could say that one is passionate about something despite not being so. But the trouble here is that passion is transparent. Unless you are George Clooney, you will not be able to demonstrate the passion as well as someone who is genuinely interested.<br />
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Being self aware also helps in answering unexpected questions, then you have to answer honestly, simply because you haven't prepared any answer. Here your true interest will be reflected.<br />
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So if you are sitting for placements in the coming days, then please do ask yourself about yourself - why you chose what you did, why you want to do what you are choosing and how will what you did help you in what you are choosing now.<br />
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In the response to this question, you just have to convey two things:<br />
1) Your passion<br />
2) How your past will help you perform better at the position applied for.<br />
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Best of luck to everyone reading this post. May the force be with you.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-54994697777952445282009-11-09T05:07:00.000-08:002009-11-09T16:45:34.122-08:00Cricket as an educator in IndiaCricket is by far the most followed game in India. While watching the game last week, I realised how much learning can and is imbibed (though unintentionally).<br />
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When the game is well balanced, the whole nation is busy dividing numbers by six, substracting numbers, finding the number of ways to get to a certain sum in atmost certain number of variables - which are constrained by being non-negative and less than equal to 6. Even problems like assigning weights to different players and devising ways to maximise the rewards (runs) in a set of discreet steps.<br />
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Other than improving our mathematical skills, It is also responsible for improving our language skills. It accustoms us to "foreign" accent. (Who does not like to enjoy Geoffrey Boycott describe events in his wonderful style) Besides, there is our own homegrown Navjot Singh Sidhu - with his wonderfully crafted one-liners, He has added more of the creative imagination to the Indian masses than any other single source.<br />
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Cricket in itself adds to one and a half of the three R's (Read, wRite, aRithmetic). It helps people come up with things to say - hence the half of writing. Maybe its time government introduced cricket watching and playing programs in its schools. It will both help kids learn and keep them interested in school.<br />
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PS - The idea for this post came to me when I was talking to my friend <a href="http://www.facebook.com/abhishekgandhi">Abhishek Gandhi</a>.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-62659797805071042062009-11-07T09:42:00.000-08:002009-11-07T21:24:00.825-08:00Express your disgust at child abuse<a href="http://www.tulir.org/">Tulir</a> is organising a rally against Child Sexual Abuse. Join us at Marina beach, 4:00 pm on 15th Nov.<br />
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<a href="http://childsexualabuseinindia.blogspot.com/2009/11/walk-your-voice.html">Here is their post</a>. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UtZAwDUNqOM/SvWxME4DE7I/AAAAAAAAADo/fjVSpUpfzas/s1600-h/yellow1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UtZAwDUNqOM/SvWxME4DE7I/AAAAAAAAADo/fjVSpUpfzas/s320/yellow1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
Join us at a Rally against Child Sexual Abuse<br />
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Nov 15, 2009 <br />
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Gandhi statue to Labour staue, Marina Beach, Chennai<br />
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4.oo pm.<br />
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Sexual abuse of children is frightening, often unimaginable & an abhorrent crime. Deafening silence is the hallmark. While it's the moral obligation for adults to ensure children are protected, we remain silent. More often than not for plain selfish reasons. The discomfort caused if acknowledged, the denial that our children can be sexually abused, family reputation at stake, sheer naiveté. Then there’s the quietness of the children. Because of the manipulation, ignorance, fear.<br />
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A silenced vulnerable child & a silent non-protective environment-working to an abuser’s advantage. Since usually victims are their relatives, neighbors, students, friends etc.<br />
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While in India we are just beginning to acknowledge the existence of abuse, Tulir has the belief & audacity of hope that it won't be long that larger community realizes the prevalence, dynamics & subsequent impact. The sabotage of a child’s right to a childhood. The often less than optimally led lives as adults.<br />
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A a society’s integrity & worth is not based on whether cases of sexual abuse exist. Instead it's based on the acceptance of the possibilities & proactive steps taken to respond in a timely & appropriate way to ensure that its children may benefit from its caring & foresight to truly have the right to be safe all the time, everywhere. After all, there is no excuse for child sexual abuse!Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-85270539023461607982009-10-12T10:18:00.000-07:002009-10-12T11:05:23.499-07:00Artificial markets are just thatFirst up, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Asterix</span> (and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obelix</span>) turned fifty this week - and this line goes out to its <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">creators</span> for giving us such a wonderful hero to look <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">up to</span>. If its not known to the reader (or is not conspicuous by the name of the blog) I am a fan of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obelix</span>. So I was re-reading their series and read this particular story "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obelix</span> and Co."<br /><br />In this story, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Caesar</span> send one of his economists to the Gaulish village to disrupt normal life there. This chap goes and buys <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Obelix's</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">menhirs</span> at exponentially rising prices and turns the village into a unit producing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">menhirs</span> and hunting boars. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">menhirs</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">don't</span> have an existing market so extensive marketing and brand building is used to create a market for them. But competition lowers the prices and trade unions force policy changes for even more entrants. The profits decline while <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">menhirs</span> are being bought at exorbitant prices. It causes a credit crunch at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Caesar's</span>.<br /><br />Lessons to be learnt from the story -<br />1) Artificial Markets are Artificial. Only if you serve a genuine want of the customer, do you have a chance when the novelty of the product/idea goes out.<br />2) Relaying on predictions when the artificiality of the market is not recognised can be dangerous. Augmenting your inventory on rose-colored predictions which <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">don't</span> take into <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">account</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">competition</span> and customer sentiments is as huge a folly as any one else.<br />3) If you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">don't</span> have a niche, you wont survive. The competition will always catch up. the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">head start</span> that you had might not be good enough in most cases - more so in the manufacturing sector than the services sector. The customer must be able to look at the product and say - hey, I want this brand. Not I want this product -any brand will do.<br /><br />Fascinating how much one can notice when one is not looking!Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-26692418438796846642009-08-25T23:18:00.000-07:002009-10-12T17:30:44.839-07:00Reader's digest files for bankruptcy<a href="http://timesofindia.hotklix.com/link/news/business/Readers-Digest-files-for-bankruptcy">A sad news indeed.</a><br />I remember being a fan of RD as a kid. But it has succumbed, to the rise of internet, more than recession. Print media has been struck real bad by the free content on th enet.<br /><br />And there is no looking back. I dont think there is anyway that people can be coaxed into reading, and paying for, something that they can read on the internet for free.<br /><br />The younger generation, the ones who have seen computer from an early age, are often more comfortable reading off the screen than from a printed version. Add to that the ubiquitous nature of free content, you know that the print media is fighting a losing battle.<br />The only way print media can tide over to the profit side is by providing content on the net. Right now, most media houses have free content on the net.<br /><br />But this is not sustainable - because it requires the same amount of effort to produce content for the net, as it does for printing. The first thing that media houses must realize s that popularity is not revenue. You might be the most popular news agency on the internet - but that does not give you anything. Sure, you can find some advertiser on the web - but arent there too many websites vying for the same set of advertisers? The law of diminishing returns sets in very soon in such a market.<br /><br />The only way out for the media houses is to have a free and a premium section, where the free section drives the masses . And the premium section catering to specialized news requirements.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-43578195496564705342009-08-23T10:18:00.000-07:002009-08-23T10:34:21.016-07:00A just societyI have heard a lot of noises about people not getting enough opportunities, someone getting an edge due to his/her parentage, division of society based on caste and religion. I hereby proposed a different setting of a society where everyone eats what (s)he earns.<br /><br />1) Every kid - no matter what so ever - is taken into a state-run residential school. This school is funded by the taxpayer, and has caretakers besides teachers and support staff as employees.<br /><br />2) Every kid goes to a fully funded (by the taxpayer, again) college. The entrance to which is by a test. The discipline of study is chosen by the kid him/her self.<br /><br />3) Everyone works for a living. and all the money accessible to him/her is that what the person and his/her spouse has earned.<br /><br />4) Invalids, and too-old-to-work people are taken care of by the society.<br /><br />5) All the money after the death of the couple goes to the society. The only inheritance of money is after the demise of a spouse, it goes to the other person.<br /><br />I wonder why such a society has not been institutionalized yet.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9200610128622157209.post-43364883601200420782009-08-05T16:58:00.000-07:002009-10-12T17:00:55.707-07:00Energy services companies and financing energy efficiency initiativesHere is another one for the <a href="http://nerdmag.org/">NERD magazine.</a><br /><br />An Energy services company (ESCO) is “a company that provides energy-efficiency-related and other value-added services and for which performance contracting is a core part of its energy-efficiency services business”.<br /><br />The revenues of these ESCOs are tied to the amount of energy they help their client to save. Most of the ESCO projects have a payback period of two years and typically they help reduce the energy costs by about 20 to 25%.<br /><br />As an estimate, India's potential energy savings are in the tune of 180 Billion kWh annually. That is about 36% of our total consumption now.<br /><br />ESCOs have a big role to play in the BRIC countries by increasing the economic viability of accelerated growth. In 2007-2008, Indian ESCOs had an annual revenue of US $ 18 million while during the same time, Brazil had an annual revenue of US $ 280 million - about 15 times larger.<br /><br />ESCOs take up energy efficiency projects where they take up the charge of a plant, invest in the required infrastructure and charge the client according to the energy savings achieved. They act as a energy efficiency consultants as in they find ways to streamline the operations to reduce energy costs.<br /><br />One problem that EE projects face is their financing. The fact that these projects are auxillary to the strategic plans of the institutions. In contrast Industrial restructuring projects are more planned and tend to have a higher thrust from the managers as they are directed towards the company's long term goals.<br /><br />These energy efficiency projects are distinguished from industrial restructuring projects because most of the IR projects are aimed at improving the units' overall market competitiveness by process changes and product modifications. These often need larger investments and have longer payback periods. These projects need a strategic thinking by the managers about the the units' competitiveness in the changing market conditions. Improving energy efficiency is not the major reason for this activity and neither is it the most desired outcome.<br /><br />EE projects on the other hand, don't change the process, neither do they change the product. It only concentrates on increasing the energy cash savings and not about the impact on future market growth of the product.<br /><br /><br />Of late, IFC has taken up some initiatives to fund purely EE projects. As banks have started understanding the short payback time that these projects tend to have, a lot of tailor-made funding options are coming up.Ankit Ashokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201329373885182724noreply@blogger.com0