Samundar ke lutere?!?

I heard on the radio about the Hindi version of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest being released as ‘Samundar ke lutere – Murdey ka khazana‘. Yipes! How ridiculously, stupidly, technically correct the translation is! Anyway, I am yet to see it and from what I’ve heard from friends, it is an awesome movie – just like the 1st part (some liked it even better). Here’s my current wallpaper (thanx to Google) – apt for this season.

Warning: If you are using the licensed version of XP then this could give you some shocks because of the blatant display of piracy.

Before and After

I got this picture in my mailbox today. Couldn’t stop laughing when I saw it and had to mention it here. It’s some shampoo ad. Isn’t the lion cute?

Before the shampoo, the lion was a junglee animal. After the shampoo its a civilized beast. Haha!

..the devil & the deep blue sea

My mind is (con)fused! Making up my mind has always been a tough task. I find it just too difficult to decide between things. Its almost like a case of choosing between ‘the devil or the deep blue sea’. Either ways is just as good or just as bad. What does one do in such a situation!

I think the main problem is having too many options. Yeah, ofcourse, that makes sense. Lesser the number or options or perhaps no options and no confusion in deciding. You have only one choice and one vote.

Perhaps its the ‘libran curse’ to be unable to decide. Whatever it is, I need to break-free of it and come up with a possible solution that would then show me how to face the devil and reach some safe shore from the deep blue sea.

SOS!

This is frustrating!

I have recently moved to WordPress. Before getting here, I was using blogger and was quite happy with it. WordPress was then unheard of and blogger ruled as far as I was concerned. Blogger too had a few templates that did well for me and features like links, etc were required to be manually added by editing the html code. Blogger gave me the freedom to manipulate my template and tweak it as I fancied. Then I was introduced to WordPress and I instantly fell for this site. More than anything, I could import all my posts and comments from blogger to here. Its so much more powerful than what I was using previously and there is so much that you can do with a huge list of templates. I tried on some fancy green template, customized it, got some comments on my pages and enjoyed my 15 seconds of fame. Then, I got bored of the template and changed it and was awed by the features of this new look. That’s when I got to know that there this big glitch and drawback that WordPress throws on its users. The problem is that not all templates display pages and widgets. Resulting in my content which was seen earlier, not showing up in the new template. What the heck, I can live with it – only for 2 days, now I want my content back.

Today, I’ve been sitting for almost 3 hours, trying each and every template with every possible combination to see which one can give me the maximum-ok, forget that-the best features and I am disappointed. Infact, after so much of experimenting, I am irritated. There is not a single template that looks ‘my type’ and gives me the flexibility to comment on pages, view archives, get a contact form and some text widgets! This is frustrating! Finally, I’ve compromised with this template (Green Marinée), my original choice. I liked Blix but I cannot view some comments in that layout. I might just keep changing and shuffling between the 2/3 templates that I’ve narrowed down hoping to settle with one and decide which feature I want to see and when.

The blogger’s back!

Yaay! After an almost 3day block, the authorities have given access to the eager and angry janta to blogspot blogs. This block came about as it was found that some derogatory content and comments were published online. Unfortunately, instead of blocking a few subdomains, the ISPs blocked the entire domain thus making it impossible for anyone to view their blogs. Apparently, 18 websites have been blacklisted and action has been taken against them. But aren’t there endless number of sites that one can post stuff on? Who monitors those? Anyway, for now my blogger account is back and I can go ahead and customize it again.

Why I like and dislike Orkut

I’ve been using Orkut for sometime now and I must say that i find it pretty impressive. I have tried a few other such networking sites but they are either too garish or full of people just waiting to bombard you with crappy messages.

Here’s why I like Orkut -

1. I like the full page layout. They make use of the entire page and the design adjusts according to the resolutions that one uses.
2. Entry is by invitation only. No one can just register. You need to be invited by an Orkut member to have yourself roped in there. So there are less chances of being spammed and contacted by pranksters. You need to register with your Gmail a/c and can access the same with a few clicks.
3. Simple and clean. If you like plain, non cluttered pages, then orkut is good. They don’t have ads as yet, may be just one but I think it won’t be too long till they get more sponsors and flash ads.
4. Scrap! Some sites call it ‘The Wall’, some call it ‘Guest Book’…Orkut calls it scrap. They have a scrap feature which allows any orkut member to post or read a message on someones or anyones scrap. This is more like an instant message if you are chatting with a friend real time, online. An added plus point is that you can delete the scrap you receive or write incase you want to.
5. Block and ignore features. If some member annoys you then you have the option of blocking him. Neat, ain’t that!
6. Members can be rated as Cool, trustworthy, etc and grouped into Friends, Acquaintances, Have not met, etc. categories determining your proximity to the particular member.
7. Besides scraps, Orkut has a mail box i.e. messages. This works almost similar to a mailbox, though some work is needed to polish this feature.
8. Testimonials to show how much you love or hate a particular person is another interesting feature of Orkut. Again, Orkut gives you the option to accept or reject the testimonial written.
9. Teasers, bookmarks, crush-lists….these things work well with the bacha party but are a valuable feature.
10. Ability to make or join a group. Orkut has some wonderful groups/forums on a wide range of topics. Get into a group and join the discussion.
11. Easy to use and access. Scores well on the usability front – design, layout, use of language, features. Everything is just a click away and makes sense.
12. Features like Media – but I haven’t used it so I can’t comment much on it.

But here’s also why I dislike or maybe not like Orkut too much-

1. My message counter always shows me 3 messages as unread although there are NO messages. If I do have read messages then the message counter says ‘6 unread messages’. Weird! Should file that as a bug!
2. Scrap book is open to all. Incase you want messages to be sent only to a few people or don’t want everyone to read the messages, this acts as a big drawbck.
3. The mail box itself is a bit confusing. Like I’ve said earlier, more work is needed on this.
4. I’m so blue! The look is too blue. Perhaps, they could come up with some exciting themes or features to customize orkut. Not too much, just a little bit.

That’s all in my review about Orkut. I discussed these features with a few other users and they also voted for Orkut amongst many other sites.

Quote of the Day

For sometime, I’ve developed this habit of sending out mails and forwards with a quote/proverb attached as my signature. I don’t like really high funda philosophy that makes you think 2 times before you derive any sense of it. Something simple which has meaning is what I look for. This is my current signature -

“Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you, disappoint you, but they can’t prevent you from acting, from taking the situation you’re presented with and moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.”

- Blaine Lee, “The Power Principle”

Today, when I read this quote, I look at it with a different perspective. Read it again. Isn’t this what Mumbai is about. We have been shocked, we have been angered, we have been stirred but we haven’t lost hope. We refuse to give up. We’ve been shaken, anguished but we will cope with the challenges that a daily life sends our way. That is our power. That’s our spirit, keep it up!

Salaam Mumbai

‘Aye dil, hai mushkil jeena yahan – zara haske, zara bachke, yeah hai bombay meri jaan!‘

As if last week’s rain debacle and Sunday’s fiasco wasn’t enough, we had 7 bomb-blasts in the city today along the Western Rail line. To add to the panic, cellphones and landlines got jammed. Just shook up like the rest of the city. Its past 12.15am and people are still struggling to get home from their day’s work. Really saddened by this and the increasing death and injury figures. But there are people are out there helping others. I salute the spirit of those people! Salaam Mumbai!

2 sleepy and sad to write anything more. Hope everything gets back to normal soon.

Make-over time!

Everyone is getting a make over these days. Right from homes to offices to websites to people including moi

Thought I’d use some basic designinging skills and change the look of my blogger account a bit. This is what I have at present. I took one of those basic, green, mosaic style templates and started working on it. So far I’ve managed to change the background to a yellow gradient, the green header to this pink flowery one and the bottom bar to something that would go with the rest of the page. Small changes like the right panel heading images and the post images besides the font color and mouse-over effect can be seen. I’m still working on it as and when I can steal a few moments.

It’s simple and yet customized. I’ll continue with it and update this space soon.

Cheers!

Listening to this song by U2 again and again 2day. Simply love it. Here goes -

Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on
you now
You got someone to blame

You say…

One love
One
life
When it’s one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don’t care for it

Did I disappoint you
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it’s…

Too late
Tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We’re one, but we’re not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other
One…
Have you
come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come
here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now it’s all I got
We’re one
But we’re not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it
again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a
temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me
crawl
And I can’t be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is
hurt
One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But
we’re not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One…life

One

Well, shit happens, you just need to learn to flush it out! (easier said than done)

Cheers!