flying fast!!!!!

It is Thursday already, just yesterday I felt as if the week had started; now I see another week nearing its end. Time has been flying fast. And my leg still aches a bit. The area where our socks end is the place where it starts aching after running for a while, a problem which has surfaced recently. I am yet to find the exact reason behind it. This week I have not been *seat lucky*, seat lucky, means that I haven’t have the fortune of getting a seat to sit while traveling in bus. And each day I have traveled home by a different timing train. The new version of iPod shuffle has enchanted me. At my workplace, another B.E. fresher joined us. My iPod Nano knockoff mp4 player experienced a screen-shattering fall. The cheap thing is working with faults and a cracked screen, but thanks to its multi-purpose ability, it can never be useless. India shockingly beat West Indies by 16 runs in the DLF cup final!!!!

All guns blazing????

Short Book Review: Digital Fortress (Dan Brown)

By Sanket ‘busy, very busy’ Kambli

Not necessarily, but it’s a thriller for those who like heroes of big brainpower rather than big brawnpower (creative freedom!!). If that doesn’t sound exciting, then a new means of data encryption, that is capable of changing the balance of international power, would sound more thrilling. The book isn’t all technical mumbo-jumbo, it is quite fun as the book takes the reader along into an understanding of encryption technologies. But don’t expect too much realism, as the book looks at the issues through the eyes of fiction. There are a few flaws in the plot if looked at closely, but the cleverness and the sheer exciting fun of it all, more than make up for them. Ample twists and turns (like yummy jalebi’s!!) will keep the adrenaline flowing, as you delve deeper in geek-level information about encryption, code breaking, and their role in international politics

The action stretches from Seville to Washington. Mr. Brown surely loves Seville a lot, because the level of detail is enchanting, instantly pulling you into Seville neighborhood. No chapter is longer than five pages, while most are just over one page.
The structure of the book is such that it ties the reader to the story and eventually finishing the book. The book has it sets of clichés, but it is easily missed in all the intrigue and action. To conclude, it has a colossal and compelling story, but falls short of being a masterpiece.

A little update

Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0. Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor's late goal clinched it for arsenal. Great news indeed, for a team who had drawn two and lost one of their first three league matches, and were without star striker Thierry Henry.
On Saturday, I had gone to Nanavati hospital to donate blood; an uncle of mine needed it.
While coming back from there, it rained so heavily that there was severe water clogging, which made the train moving at snail’s pace. So I was standing in the train for three hours, completely exhausted. For this reason I spent Sunday resting, as my body tried to recover from exhaustion and donation. That is all.
ok...that was very short, will post something longer tomorrow.

He hasn't done it yet.....!!!!!!!

Yes, our cable operator hasn't, started the broadcast of Start movies and HBO.
He says it is 'government order'.
Staring in disbelief I try to tell him the reality, still he doesn't budge.
And what bothers me more is that, he blacked-out Star movies and HBO while he is showing Zee trendz, AXN and Zee Studio.
But in all this I am missing the point.
The point mentioned in our constitution:
Freedom of choice
I decide what to watch, etc, etc.
Whether it’s good or bad is my personal opinion.
So if people like Prof. Pratibha Nathiani think they can decide what other Indians should watch, etc, etc, then it is not democracy, it is dictatorship.
Her argument is that adult programme’s have adverse effects on young impressionable minds (kids).
My question is why parents can’t deploy censorship at home. With methods like child lock and restrictive viewing it can be done.
But the problem is that parents nowadays don’t have that much time, and some kids nowadays have TV in their own rooms.
Banning everything is not a solution to a problem; it is an act of immaturity.
It’s like banning bike driving because an accident can kill.
Why are they all forgetting the deplorable state our country is in?
Why don’t they register a PIL against all the real problems inflicting, our city, if not our country.
Alas, they don’t see any problems, living the affluent areas of big cities; they are in a shell, cut off from the grim situation the city is in.
They only see one thing, how can these lower class people get access to world class entertainment, etc, etc. So while they lobby to close down dance bars, they flock to tastefully done (!!!) Lido shows.
So to conclude, I would simply say we are being held hostage by a few who have power,
And only a revolution can change these people, and make the focus their efforts and energies on real problems, instead of which movies/shows people like us should watch.
Unless that is done it is a shame to say that we are a democratic country.

My friend got placed at patni !!!

My friend Sanket Lotankar is happy after joining Patni.
He will be paid 12000 per month, which is great.
Working on Java(my favourite language) is a great experience for him.
In terms of placement news, Sanket seems to be the only one working on Java.
While others, specifically 4-5, or more, are working on .NET in mid-sized firms(like me).
While the remaining are continuing higher studies, some of them are earning a huge sum working in BPO's/call center's.
While a girl has been reported to have joined Infosys.
That is all I know about my classmates and their employment.
In terms of my workplace news,
This month, I will complete the 3-month probation period.(Good)
One of our brilliant seniors(Beena) has shifted base to US branch.(Cool)
And a B.E. fresher has joined us.(Fresh)
Went to see the movie munnabhai-2 with my office colleagues & cool boss, he paid for the tickets and food.(Awesome)
My boss is the coolest(Yeeeeaahh!!!)
MCA news::
I have got 14 assignments due on 25th October(Help!!!!)
---------------------------
I am still divided on whether I should publicise my weblog in my office.
It is 11 P.M., time for me to sleep, or else I will feel sleepy in office.(Noooooo)
--bye---------

K-Man Project has begun

K-Man Project has begun....
What is this all about???
Get to know more about it in a few days....

A few words.........

I enrolled for a membership @Popular Library, Thane.
Charging 200 Rupees deposit, 100 per month, I get access to lots of mags/books.
I am currently breezing through Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.
I have received the courseware of my MCA course from Sikkim Manipal University (SMU). And definitely, calling it vast would be an understatement. Fortunately, the topics are not new, I have encountered them some or the other time during my graduation.
On Sunday, it was hot, not just hot, it was very very hot.
And I was baking myself in the scorching heat, because I had put out my cap for a wash.
Xbox 360 has been released in India (drools!!!!!)
Will I buy it? Highly unlikely, there are too many things above it in my wish-list.
Maybe when then release Xbox 360 -2.
I am running out of time, got to leave for work.

Lage Raho Munnabhai: A short review

By Sanket ‘bole toh writer’ Kambli

I missed approximately 15 minutes of the show, but I believe it wouldn't drastically change my opinion about the movie. In a nutshell the movie is about munna (a.k.a. Sanjubaba) and his experience with gandhism, which he encounters while he is busy courting Janhavi (a.k.a. Vidya Balan). In terms of acting, Vidya doesn't have much work, while sanjubaba is excellent at being munnabhai. Jimmy Shergill, like in the first movie, shows up as a guy in peril. While dia mirza has a tiny role, Jr. Bacchan has an even tinier role. Still I feel this movie would have been incomplete without stellar performances from arshad warsi and booman irani.Their performances may or may not win awards, but warsi as circuit and irani as a punju guy were just perfect. The fact that this movie tries to tell people about the existence of a path of honesty and peace,
the one propagated by Gandhiji, puts this movie in the league of rang de basanti.
Though this movie has its share of well-timed witty jokes, many guys would call this movie more emotional than its first edition. Fortunately nothing is overdone.
To conclude, it is a funny, short, and enjoyable movie for everyone, albeit with a social message.
I recommend you to watch this movie, at least once, you won't regret it.

Last Few Days

Last few days were neither sunny days,
nor were they soaky.
They were just the usual gloomy days.
Today, since early morning, it has been raining,
moderately, neither too much, nor too less.
Rains ushered in a few travel related problems,
specifically pertaining to late trains/buses.
I prefer to reach office as early as possible,
so that I can leave early.
Because if I miss the 6.30 PM bus, then it means I will miss
8.00 kalyan semi-fast.
And if I miss that train,
then it means I have to wait for 8.26 titwala semi-fast,
because between 8.00 and 8.26 there is only one kalwa stopping train(@8.14),
which is always very very crowded,
remaining trains are either fast or are thane local.
And after 8.26, I have to wait for 8.39 dombivli slow local.
I hope, whoever made this ridiculous time-table, must have had some strong reason
for making it this way.

Back to work

I am back to work, after two days of lazing around.
Ok, I didn't spend all these days, just lazing around.
I did go for a long and tiring cycle ride, among other things.
My shoulder is better compared to how it was last week,
when I was fortunate to not have broken any bone, after skidding twice
on a concrete surface laden with thick moss. But a loose wheel chain made sure things weren't problem free.