tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78205642024-03-13T12:59:01.396-07:00<_DiScRePaNt_>Divergence or disagreement, as between facts and claims;30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-62130070721541622372009-10-03T00:54:00.000-07:002009-10-03T00:57:26.639-07:00Aik Alif<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ra5nTlty6CM&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ra5nTlty6CM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />English Translation and Lyrics originally in Punjabi:<br /><br />Parh parh ilm te faazil hoya<br />(You read to become all knowledgable)<br /><br />Te kaday apnay aap nu parhya ee na<br />(But you never read yourself)<br /><br />Bhaj bhaj warna ay mandir maseeti<br />(You run to enter your mosques and temples)<br /><br />Te kaday mann apnay wich warya ee na<br />(But you never entered your own heart)<br /><br />Larna ay roz shaitaan de naal<br />(Everyday you fight Satan)<br /><br />Te kadi nafs apnay naal larya ee na<br />(But you never fight your own Ego)<br /><br />Bulleh Shah asmaani ud-deya pharonda ay<br />(Bulleh Shah you try grabbing that which is in the sky)<br /><br />Te jera ghar betha unoon pharya ee na<br />(But you never get hold of what sits inside yourself)<br /><br />Bas kareen o yaar<br />(Stop it all my friend)<br /><br />Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar<br />(stop seeking all this knowledge my friend)<br /><br />Ik Alif teray darkaar<br />(Only an Alif is what you need)<br /><br />Bas kareen o yaar<br />(stop it all my friend)<br /><br />Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar…<br />(Stop seeking all this knowledge my friend)<br /><br />Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan<br />(God is Greatness, God is All)<br /><br />Nee main jaanaa Jogi de naal<br />(I shall follow the Jogi {ascetic/Sufi})<br /><br />Jo naa jaane, Haqq ki taaqat<br />(those who deny the strength of Truth)<br /><br />Rab naa devey us ko Himmat<br />(God does not give them courage)<br /><br />Hum Mann ke darya mein doobey<br />(We have drowned in the river of Self)<br /><br />Kaisi nayya? Kya manjhdhaar…<br />(the boat and the flowing waters do not matter)<br /><br />Bas kareen o yaar<br />(stop it all my friend)<br /><br />Ilm-oun bas kareen o yaar<br />(stop seeking all this knowledge my friend)<br /><br />Allah Sayyaan Allah Sayyaan<br />(God is Greatness, God is All)<br /><br />(thanks to the Lyrics from a <a href="ilovesunrise.blogspot.com">co -blogger</a>)30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-29719079092978083072009-09-09T00:08:00.000-07:002009-09-10T02:05:15.077-07:00Telecommuting-From the Queen of Hills<div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Continuing with the</span><a href="http://odesk.com/"><span style="color:blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> odesk</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">article and the aggression it brought forward, I thought I 'd pen down some thoughts on the way the remaining year has passed and what it has brought as the crests and troughs of being on your own-work wise.<br /><br />Started with a big bang when recession hit and the fear of being sent home looked plausible. My company was thoughtful enough to keep everyone employed, but sent everybody home with a five hundred rupee laptop and a salary which was now paid directly to them. Thus came Telecommunication to India, and if The Flat World told us how bandwidth availability and Worldcom helped India get on the IT Map, then efficiencies and the search for cutting down operational expenditure brought to us the real remote work situation.<br /><br />With it came power cuts, bandwidth blackouts, barking dogs and a till now unknown fear of joblessness. But its also brought the sweet tasting Remote work-the company has been open minded and has embraced it in spite of the known risks to allow resources to work from home in India. Its a maverick move and I am not in a position to say if it paid dividends, but sadly unlike as it should have stayed-consultants hired to work on their own at home-people quit and moved on to regular jobs, and their jobs were taken up by smaller companies with regular employees posing as 'contractors'.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The current model isn’t exactly a hit but its survived. I want to focus on the title of the post-telecommunicating and highlight the upsides of freedom with the downsides of responsibility.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Telecommuting Yay!</span></span></b><span style=" font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Freedom to travel anywhere, log in from anywhere and work any time as long you attend the calls</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The basic groundwork on being an entrepreneur and the freedom of self employment-the ability to see the value -for example an MBA 2 year stint v.s. an Entrepreneurial 2 year adventure</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The ability to question your role as an independent worker viz-a-viz a corporate employee, and to determine life's priorities which get lost in the daily humdrum/rat-race </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No More petrol Bills, Traffic Cribs or protocols of commuting, free time better spent</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Concentrate on real work, and have time for the distractions that have been ignored making you dumber every year</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Office politics seems like a thing in the distance-m sure it’s alive but seems like its virtual</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Shut off work when you leave office if it given you hypertension-no more. More like shut off work when you log out</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The value of communication</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Time and its real value -and an ability to optimize </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Music at your volume -freedom of choice</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The ability to voice your concerns and opinions since unlike corporate HIPPO* rules-every opinion counts</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Going to the GYM is no more an excuse and the timings are up to you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You realize water boils at much lower temperature in the mountains :)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Telecommuting</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nay!</span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <ul type="disc"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The value in office humdrum and camaraderie-although I don’t know how many would agree</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The ability to communicate better in less time/energy when you know direct communication is better than aided</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No direct career path since being a contractor means you are on your own</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">More time to travel means more adventure and more ability to crash :)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Managing finances and Tax Returns is now up to you-since effectively it’s a small self owned business </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Need to mention here-Health Insurance since no one is taking care of you</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Retirement planning-your parents were insured by the Government through Pension Schemes which are inflation proof but you are on your own</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;tab-stops:list .5incolor:black;"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The biggest lesson is</span></span><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">self discipline</span></span></b><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">which the lack of freedom never imposed on anyone</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li> </ul> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thoughts?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">*HIPPO-</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hi</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ghest</span></span><span style="font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P</span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">aid</span></span><span style="font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P</span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">erson's</span></span><span style="font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">O</span></span></b><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman"; font-family:";color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pinion</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.5pt;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.5pt;color:black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.5pt;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.5pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.5pt;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.5pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-family:";font-size:12.5pt;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-10624951665783860392009-04-22T04:25:00.000-07:002009-04-22T05:03:22.532-07:00Slavery 2.0-My Experiments with Nuconomy<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recession">Recession</a>-[ri-sesh-<span style="font-style: italic;">uh</span> n] –noun<br />1. the act of receding or withdrawing.<br />2. a receding part of a wall, building, etc.<br />3. a withdrawing procession, as at the end of a religious service.<br />4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Economics. a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration. Compare depression</span> (def. 7).<br /><br />Greed got us. Good.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Background </span><br /><br />I think the entire conversation around the 7 year cycle of the economy's birth and death is largely true. WHatever goes up comes down and so on and so forth ad infinitum nauseum.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Gecko</span><br />Pre-empt anything that threatens 70% profitability. That includes refusing obvious bonus payouts, changing statements, not publishing anything in writing quoting legal implications-and passive aggressive employee treatment.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Simple Truth</span><br />OK-Most porobably the reader by now is baffled by the mismatch of the title and the content. Well, the above will make sense once the following is absorbed.<br /><br />My Employer -a $160M 70% profitable privately held IT provider decides one day that the entire workforce out of India is expendable. The decision is made to give employees the option to either stay(they will be replaced) or sign up as independant contractors on ODESK.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">ODESK</span><br /><br />Ahaa! I dont trust people I represent -So pay me 10% of what you pay them for work they do and I will help you click a picture of their Desktop ever 15 minutes.<br /><br />Bonus!!! If you'd like We can monitor their Web Cam. Lets get the Indians and The Russians. They don't mind working at $5 or $10 an hour doing extreme programming, while they get monitored.<br /><br />We also Guarantee that the slaves working harder will be better rated as we will be monitoring their mouse activity/key strokes and processor utimization. Better Slaves =better productivity<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">IT & Panopticism </span><br />Hampered productivity Via deterred multitasking,low morale, constant fear of monitoring-welcome to new age commoditized outsourcing.30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-44674364831524580602007-07-16T06:49:00.000-07:002007-07-16T06:50:13.330-07:00Hello! This is bad for us!<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IdmnxcClEMc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IdmnxcClEMc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>youtube.com/watch?v=IdmnxcClEMc30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-87086520291681163632007-05-07T08:53:00.000-07:002008-12-09T16:52:46.710-08:00Raid De Himalaya 2007<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IubeYNMakfc/Rj9M0xI2h_I/AAAAAAAAAA0/mLH1H_vJPnY/s1600-h/Logoangmifinal-2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IubeYNMakfc/Rj9M0xI2h_I/AAAAAAAAAA0/mLH1H_vJPnY/s320/Logoangmifinal-2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061848975615100914" border="0" /></a><br />The Raid is back this year in it's 8th run.<br /><br />-Looks like we are going to Srinagar<br />-Reliability is now called Adventure Trail<br />-Registratiom is on, Early Birds get to pay only 25,000 if register before 30th may<br />-This year will definitely see stronger participation<br />-Adventure trail gets 6/10 for diffilculty, Xtreme get a 9!<br /><br />Itenerary looks like this<br />6th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 1 Shimla – Manali <br /><br />7th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 2 Manali – Kaza - Tabo <br /><br />8th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 3 Tabo - Darcha - Pang <br /><br />9th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 4 Pang - Leh <br /><br />10th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 5 Leh - Keylong <br /><br />11th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 6 Keylong - Patni Top<br /><br />12th October 2007<br /><br />Leg 7 Patni Top - Srinagar <br /><br />13th October 2007<br /><br />Prize Distribution after the final Scrutineering and the conclusion of the Raid.<br /><br />So Buckle your seatbelt Dorothy, Cuz Kansas is goin bye bye!<br /><br /></span>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-87797988398629549022007-03-30T06:58:00.000-07:002008-12-09T16:52:46.883-08:00Calm Under the Waves<p class="MsoNormal"><br />Not that this blog enjoys much readership , but I realized I sent some 79 new and 27 returning Visitors back disappointed since I posted last.<br /><br />I have just been traveling, and had some other things on my mind, so didn't find the time to post. And then I read this article on a website that said that most blogs today are <a href="http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,21446726-5005370,00.html">dying</a>(ghost blogs)and I have decided not to join that list.<br /><br />The mid twenties seem to be the toughest age for youngsters in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> as the support system that existed back in College/Home runs out and the move into a so called next stage is finally taking shape. This can be a life changing event for this when the word responsible finally starts making sense, and the wait for life to begin is revealed as a hoax! All I can say is that its a crazy experience and can be humbling at times, yet fun throughout. Although this blog tends to stay away from being autobiographical, we do see the entire world through our own eyes and to call everything completely fiction or descriptive is again subjective.<br /><br />Coming back to the main reason why I wanted to post this ramble, I wanted to share a few things I read some time back:<br /><br />From Zorba the Greek:<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> Throughout my life my greatest benefactors have been my dreams and my travels.<br />I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.<br /><br />Henry James:<br />Be someone on whom nothing is lost.<br /><br />These three have left a deep impression on me. I think on order to find your Nirvana ( or your own Nirvana) or whatever we seek as a manifestation of N: Money, Power, travel, Respect, love, blaah.. The answer to finding them lies in among other things, traveling. I think in order to get comfortable you need to get uncomfortable.<br />And also what I always preached and now seek to practice, the action is the Juice!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IubeYNMakfc/Rg0ZnKzV8vI/AAAAAAAAAAs/bj9HDW6OaQs/s1600-h/Photo08_6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_IubeYNMakfc/Rg0ZnKzV8vI/AAAAAAAAAAs/bj9HDW6OaQs/s320/Photo08_6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047718918057489138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Ramblings on a Friday after a slightly scarce week, work wise that is.<br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_IubeYNMakfc/Rg0ZC6zV8uI/AAAAAAAAAAk/RhJMPa5GQUg/s1600-h/Photo08_6.jpg"><br /></a></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><br />So this marks the beginning of a hopefully enriching journey, which as much as possible will actively live through and hopefully blog about!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--></p>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-67692532903785597082007-01-23T04:21:00.000-08:002007-01-23T04:24:02.068-08:00Reproduced from ETMobility has an aspirational swing in India : Partha Sinha<br /><br />AT THE early stage of my working career I used to work with a foreign bank that had a very pronounced recruitment hierarchy. Fresh MBAs were clearly divided between a brahminical and non-brahminical order based on which management institutes they came from. But the most fascinating aspect of that caste system was that these two categories were popularly known inside the bank as the 'mobile' and the 'non-mobile' category. Needless to say the mobile people were from the brahminical institutes. Mobility in India had traditionally been bestowed with a coveted status and was intrinsically linked to material well-being. Contrary to popular belief that Indians are a 'rooted' lot; higher esteem has always been accorded to mobility. From the recurring Bollywood theme of the village boy moving to big town and changing his life almost as a rule, to the entire phenomenon called 'brain-drain' or the obsessions of certain communities to migrate to the UK or Canada the potent power of mobility can be witnessed in many aspects of the Indian life. If we try to understand the codes of mobility in more details, we will find that it's intrinsically linked to the social structure of India. Our society is marked by a linear hierarchy and that invariably produces a desire to move up the hierarchy ladder. This desire is the driving force of mobility. In India, there's nothing called spatial mobility our mobility is fundamentally social mobility. Nobody wants to move from North Delhi to South Delhi for geographical reasons. The dream movement of most starry-eyed management trainees from Malad to Malabar Hill in Mumbai is not rooted in travelling conven ience. One may argue that geographies have represented social strata in almost all societies across the globe, but in India the act of mobility itself ends up determining social order. One of the primary examples of the triumph of social mobility over physical mobility is the way cars are seen in India. Cars are definitely not a mode of travelling between two points. In most cases, in urban India, walking will possibly be a faster and better method to reach a destination than a car. Cars in India represent social destinations. Even if it is difficult to drive a larger vehicle in the congested roads of Mumbai, Bangalore or Delhi everyone invariably wants a bigger car. It's almost a sacrilege for the junior to have a bigger car than his boss. Even if car marketers try to segment the market accord ing to different need types it invariably falls into this social laddering. 4X4 off-roaders and sedans may appeal to different needs and mindsets, according to car marketing convention, but here they are compared and clubbed to form different strata of social destinations. Another interesting phenomenon around mobility is the ever-growing popularity of mobile phones and it's impact on the society. Like most modern societies, Indians are also forced to lead lives characterised by discrepancies between spatial and social distances. On one hand they have to tolerate spatial proximity with people very distant from them thanks to living in crowded cities, moving in crowded areas or using public transport. On the other hand, they have to accept spatial distance from the people who they feel close to. The significance of mobile phone lies in empowering them to engage in communication that frees them from the constraint of physical proximity and spatial mobility at the same time. When an anglicised executive starts using a mobile phone to connect with his buddies while waiting at a doctor's chamber, he is not only moving closer to the people he relates to, but most importantly moving away from the 'non-corporate types' who are waiting along with him in the same chamber. Mobile phones in India have helped create social proximity and distances. Another glaring example of that is the way mobile phones are being embraced by a class that has never heard a dial tone before. The mobile phone is giving them the freedom to get included. A plumber today doesn't need to give the address of his hutment. He uses his mobile number as his address. This allows him to transcend the psychological barriers that would have come with his address. Mobility itself allows the plumber to deny social exclusion. A stable dwelling place was the pre-requisite for creating social organizations. And that's why people had an emotional attachment to their 'own' house. It created the anchor point that started defining who they are. But in the life of the urban nomads today, this stability comes from social standings rather than the stability of the dwelling places. They buy a house today with the definitive plan to move out of it in a few years. The center of social organisation today is a moving point and thus mobility is a coveted virtue. But is this mobility akin to running fast to stay at the same place? Maybe true, may be not but one thing is true for sure: The nation is on the move.30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1166689789769917162006-12-21T00:26:00.000-08:002007-01-08T23:53:56.726-08:00Career ManifestoExecPundit's version, and I loved this:<br /><br />The Career Manifesto<br /><br />1. Unless you’re working in a coal mine, an emergency ward, or their equivalent, spare us the sad stories about your tough job. The biggest risk most of us face in the course of a day is a paper cut.<br /><br />2. Yes, your boss is an idiot at times. So what? (Do you think your associates sit around and marvel at your deep thoughts?) If you cannot give your boss basic loyalty, either report the weasel to the proper authorities or be gone.<br /><br />3. You are paid to take meaningful actions, not superficial ones. Don’t brag about that memo you sent out or how hard you work. Tell us what you achieved.<br /><br />4. Although your title may be the same, the job that you were hired to do three years ago is probably not the job you have now. When you are just coasting and not thinking several steps ahead of your responsibilities, you are in dinosaur territory and a meteor is coming.<br /><br />5. If you suspect that you’re working in a madhouse, you probably are. Even sociopaths have jobs. Don’t delude yourself by thinking you’ll change what the organization regards as a “turkey farm.” Flee.<br /><br />6. Your technical skills may impress the other geeks, but if you can’t get along with your co-workers, you’re a litigation breeder. Don’t be surprised if management regards you as an expensive risk.<br /><br />7. If you have a problem with co-workers, have the guts to tell them, preferably in words of one syllable.<br /><br />8. Don’t believe what the organization says it does. Its practices are its real policies. Study what is rewarded and what is punished and you’ll have a better clue as to what’s going on.<br /><br />9. Don’t expect to be perfect. Focus on doing right instead of being right. It will simplify the world enormously.<br /><br />10.If you plan on showing them what you’re capable of only after you get promoted, you need to reverse your thinking.30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1164266987832556562006-11-22T23:28:00.000-08:002006-12-12T09:58:19.966-08:00From Gapin VoidAs technologists, we have two choices:<br /><br />One is to provide the customer a better experience, the freedom to select what he wants, a differentiation based on service quality against a backdrop of abundance.<br /><br />The second is to create artificial scarcities around the things that are abundant, create new inconveniences for the customer, new lock-ins, new irritants. Irritants like Region Coding on DVDs. Lock-ins like we see in digital music.<br /><br />For the last thirty years, too many of us in IT have focussed on creating these artificial scarcities, often without even knowing it. First we paid to bury the data in vendor stacks, then we paid to try and dig it out. We've been doing this for years. And we're in danger of doing it again.<br /><br />Time for a change.<br /><br />Time to focus on ways of delivering service where the customer wants, when the customer wants, how the customer wants. Time to focus on open platforms, open protocols, open software, open ways of doing business.<br /><br />That's what the economics of abundance is really about. Making money because of what you do, and not with what you do. Having customers who stay with you because they want to, not because they have to.30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1163682118361829592006-11-16T04:54:00.000-08:002006-11-26T06:05:38.633-08:00Just another day at work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/Picture%20001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/400/Picture%20001.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Caught these guys helping keep C Naidu's Cyberabad Squeaky Clean. Thats the glass walls of "Cyber Gateway". The walls provide a nice view of the clouds and the odd plane flying by, Nice!:)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/Picture%20002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/400/Picture%20002.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1163411277356954992006-11-13T01:39:00.000-08:002006-11-16T08:16:19.213-08:00World Usability Day & Social NetworksSUMMARY:<br />Social Networks: Evolution and Impact On Society<br />Tags: Social Networks, orkut, web 2.0, social impact of media<br /><br /><br />Vox Populi today: Don't Make Me Think! and it applies to everything. Starting tomorrow, I am going to start putting pictures of designs that I hate. That is to celebrate Usability Day!(You can send me your pet peeves as well)<br /><br />And about social networks, a question was raised about blogging/orkut/ with reference to whether they are a fad/ and what is the impact on society/culture. As much as I think I don't belong to the why talk about this topic brigade , I still keyed my thoughts and here's part one:<br />Blogging is just one of the varied aspects of social computing:<br /><br />Before we conclude whether it’ a hype or a change agent; we must try and understand what lead to it, what’s happening today and hence where it might go. Since it’s very hard to predict where things go, but when you look at them in retrospect, they seem so obvoius<br /><br />A Brief History of the Phenomena: (I promise its brief)<br /><br />Cheap Technology available to everyone, so youngsters used it to their advantage and elderly to theirs. Think Bit Torrent, Skype, Kazaa and SMS, MMS, Chat, XML/RSS. <br /><br />What does the trend indicate: Networks erode institutional power.<br /><br />Why: People love right to freedom, are more independent and less trusting. These technologies/platforms just fuelled that.<br /><br />Now what happened:<br /><br />Explosion of social networks like:<br /><br />Orkut/my Space/friendster/Linkedin<br /><br />RSS- I want the Internet my way:<br />Yahoo/FeedBurner/Bloglines<br /> <br />My Free Open Source Software<br />OPen Office/MySQL<br /><br />Search Engines and now my own search engines<br />Yahoo, Google>>Rollyo<br /><br />User Reviewed portals<br />Cnet/Tripadvisor<br /><br />My Music/Files free<br />Kazaa/emule/Gnutella<br /><br />C2c Commerce<br />eBay/Craigslist/ubid<br /><br />Comparison Shopping<br />Froogle/Shopzilla<br /><br />POdcasts<br />Odeo/Juice<br /><br />Wikis/Collaboration Software<br />Jotspot/Basecamp<br /><br />Tagging<br />Flickr/digg/delicious<br /><br />Now coming to the sub topic of Blogs, Here’s a fact: There are about 59.5 Million Blogs today that they are being tracked by technorati. So whether it’s a phenomenon or a passing fad remains to be seem. But if you look at he growth of Blogs, it’s certainly reached a plateau-ed growth as seen here <a href="http://google.com/trends?q=blogs">http://google.com/trends?q=blogs</a>.<br /><br />Blogging has given everyone a right to express there thoughts on whatever they feel like, from recipes to travelogues.<br /><br />Companies that have used this concept, have taken the first mover advantage, now every company including Google has a web log that talks to its consumers in a seemingly informal way. Every newspaper website has weblogs, every job site has weblogs, every technology has a weblog, almost every corporate has a web log. So the face of blogging has changed from being perceived as rebellious to now a contributor to the society. <br /><br />It’s certainly going to stabilize, like a lot of other phenomenon, but what amazes me is that it took just a decade from when usenet appeared to when this debate started. That in itself speaks about how entrenched this has become in our society, especially in certain quartets, because of it were a passing phenomenon, it would have eroded by now. <br /><br />Its certainly speaks about what our world wants, a right to basic freedom of thought, speech and experession!<br /><br />But are most blogs really monologues? Will explore in part two, the impact on society and whether they are leading to more complex human behaviors.<br /><br />Also, You feel iam left out something, please leave your feedback.30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1162817654320357402006-11-06T04:47:00.000-08:002006-11-16T08:19:41.470-08:00Departed and Open SeasonThe madness of Scorsese and the magic of Pixar!<br /><br />Two movies in two days is not so much, but these are perhaps the best movies I have <br />seen this year.<br /><br />Departed is all about cursing, and just to mention what my esteemed friend remarked" There's only two languages in which cursing soundS effective, and he has used both(english and panjabi)". And it's got great plot, amazing storytelling, a splendid cast, the Janus Jack Nicholson, Mark Whalburg, Matt Damon and should have been excluded Leo Caprio. Vera Farmiga Impresses too. <br /><br />Open Season(In 3-D, which was a nice surprise) is just phenomenal graphics rendering. I mean I have seen tons of animation, but the combined effect of three dimensional projection and cutting edge animation was surreal!<br /><br />Kudos to Hollywood! Some movies just, make sense.<br /><br /><br />Oh and I found a list of all makes by Martin Scorsese.<br /><br />What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? • It's Not Just You, Murray! • The Big Shave • Who's That Knocking at My Door • Street Scenes • Boxcar Bertha • Mean Streets • Italianamerican • Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore • Taxi Driver • New York, New York • American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince • The Last Waltz • Raging Bull • The King of Comedy • After Hours • The Color of Money • The Last Temptation of Christ • New York Stories • Goodfellas • Cape Fear • The Age of Innocence • Casino • Kundun • My Voyage to Italy • Bringing Out the Dead • Gangs of New York • The Aviator • No Direction Home • The Departed30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1162392044627613142006-11-01T06:35:00.000-08:002006-11-01T06:40:44.643-08:00Invictus<div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />OUT of the night that covers me, <br /> Black as the Pit from pole to pole, <br />I thank whatever gods may be <br /> For my unconquerable soul. <br /> <br />In the fell clutch of circumstance 5<br /> I have not winced nor cried aloud. <br />Under the bludgeonings of chance <br /> My head is bloody, but unbowed. <br /> <br />Beyond this place of wrath and tears <br /> Looms but the Horror of the shade, 10<br />And yet the menace of the years <br /> Finds, and shall find, me unafraid. <br /> <br />It matters not how strait the gate, <br /> How charged with punishments the scroll, <br />I am the master of my fate: 15<br /> I am the captain of my soul.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"> William Ernest Henley. 1849–1903<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And coming to the point of the post, Raid it seems has got some decent media attention with a four page article in the November issue of autocar and a half an hour capsule on cnn ibn. Here's the Link to the videos, will try and scan and put the articles here for your reading pleasure.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/24627/raiddehimalayas-tests-driving-skills.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/24627/raiddehimalayas-tests-driving-skills.html</span></a><br /><br />Note: The video is in three parts, so be careful while navigating.(Requires flash)<br /></div></div></div>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1161957572706938222006-10-27T06:50:00.000-07:002006-10-27T06:59:32.720-07:00Please try this at Home!!!Tiff needle shows how to lay more rubber on the road than Malaysia's annual supply.<br /><br />Happy Riding.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Presenting : Burn More Rubber 101</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Most relevant to us: Front Wheel Drives</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBPH94cYKO0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBPH94cYKO0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Z3M Roadster Rear Wheel techniques</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7JQvCEOHXo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n7JQvCEOHXo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4 Wheel Drive, gets Even better-1</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nrN4ciLsGoQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nrN4ciLsGoQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4 Wheel Drive, gets Even better-2<br /><br /></span><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QcIqn8tNRhc"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QcIqn8tNRhc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1161184131231400202006-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:002006-10-24T09:26:53.420-07:00Got an Idea: Get Up And GoFor all the people I read , no one inspires Like Scott Adams.<br /><br />Wha!!! Scott Adams, you would exclaim. But read this piece and get inspired.<br /><br />I usually would restrain from doling out inspiritaional stuff, this is not a Guru or geek blog(pun intended), but couldnt resist this gyaan wartaan exercise. Catch the link below:<br /><br /><a href="http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2006/10/in_over_my_head.html">In over My Head</a><br /><br />Here's an attemt to make the post look more interesting<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/dil.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/dil.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Dilberts Financial planner!<br /><br />-Make a will<br />-Pay off your credit cards<br />-Get term life insurance if you have a family to support<br />-Fund your 401k to the maximum<br />-Fund your IRA to the maximum<br />-Buy a house if you want to live in a house and can afford it<br />-Put six months worth of expenses in a money-market account<br />-Take whatever money is left over and invest 70% in a stock index fund and 30% in a bond fund through any discount broker and never touch it until retirement<br />-If any of this confuses you, or you have something special going on (retirement, college planning, tax issues), hire a fee-based financial planner, not one who charges a percentage of your portfolio<br /><br /><br />So if you have a idea, go for it, worst case it wont work. but it would be fun trying to make it work, wont it?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.contentsutra.com/dentsu-india-to-auction-tv-ad-spots-online">I lost my BIG IDEA to an advertising firm :I</a>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1161092964488813012006-10-17T06:46:00.000-07:002007-04-11T23:28:00.429-07:00Raid De Himalaya 2006<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hi Folks,</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ive uploaded the pics on flickr.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Heres the link: </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amansandhu">flickr.com/photos/amansandhu</a><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Please come back and leave a comment. Also, was hoping to post somethin about my experiences, but realise the post went way too long.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Its under the guillotine and will publish it when I am happy with it.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In the meantime, enjoy the pics, and from what i have heard, people seem to be liking them(they are just too nice:)).</span>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1159085769043119852006-09-24T00:54:00.000-07:002006-10-10T01:29:55.583-07:00The Nawabi PursuitsThe thing I love and hate about our lifestyle in Bharat is the total disregard for time.<br />Take for example, my current road trip .<br /><br />Well as it goes, it was supposed to start yesterday, that is saturday early morning, but thanks to the changing weather, some colds, unavailable and delayed spares, a typical lack of organizational trait and also, a troublesome engine which coughs up a complaint at its whim(road worthy or raid worthy:P), and other inexplicable reasons, we stand delayed by a day and a half.<br /><br />To put things into better perspective, I am typing this on sunday at 1:30PM and I am still home :D.<br /><br />This is turning into a road trip which I made without knowing the route I was taking, how long would it take, how much fuel would we burn, and when would we hit home turf: Simla/Chandigarh.<br /><br />Will we cover the distance in two and a half day, three days, three and a half days... well my guess is as good as anyone else's.<br /><br />Personally, being the navigator in the team, I should take it a little more personally since i m supposed to be the brains behind this maths, but this is different.<br /><br />And then again, the silver lining here is that this is the most unplanned and uncertain I have ever felt, and I m enjoying every moment of this insane feeling of losing control.<br /><br />Maybe all trips should begin once you hit the road!<br /><br /><br /><br />P.S. "Grow Up Aman! !"<br /><br />Evil Grin30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1158850155156612842006-09-21T07:47:00.000-07:002006-09-21T07:49:15.166-07:00D DayWell the preparations are in full swing and I am getting ready for the road trip of my life,<br /><br />in the Next two weeks I'm planning to travel 6000 kilometers across India, 4000 out of those would be by road and the rest by air.<br />reality check: Earths circumference is 40000 kilometers. its definitely the craziest thing I have ever attempted to do.<br /><br />For the readers of this blog here is a summary of the itenerary:(It's still sketchy)<br /><br /><br />Sep 23<br /><br />Hyderabad Shimla road trip<br /><br />Sep 28 Scrutiny begins<br /><br />Sep 30 Raid Begins<br /><br />Oct 7 Raid Ends<br /><br />Oct 9 Hopefully back to work and normal life<br /><br />Distance 2000kms(Depending on the highways taken about 2000)<br /><br />Estimated time: 3 days(Again, I cant really say)<br /><br />Here's a map that sheds some light on the highways in India, a long ignored topic.<br /><br />I would love to take the road west(we always wanna take the highway westwards innit) to End day one in Daman And Diu.<br /><br />Day two would Destination Udaipur and Day three Destination Chandigarh/Shimla.<br /><br /><br />However to reflect the sanity in us and to make good time, and under the pressure from some "friendly advice", we might(and the probability of this happening is more) make a saner trip down the middle of India to reach Delhi.(See map)<br /><br />This would still be a crazy trip, nonetheless.<br /><br />Will keep the story of my survival through the centre of India as a topic for my next post.<br /><br /><br />Please excuse the lack of exciting language in the post. Its been written in a hurry and does not reflect the emotions in their true form, or so I would say.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/india%20road%20map.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/200/india%20road%20map.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1157452863875863452006-09-05T03:37:00.000-07:002006-09-20T10:48:13.606-07:00The long tailHeard about the book? Here's a Nice video:)<br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7xAA71Ssids"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7xAA71Ssids" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1157108946703901432006-09-01T04:03:00.000-07:002006-10-16T01:51:03.503-07:00Wake Up Sleepy Head<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Things to do to keep from getting bored</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Read subjects you are least close to: cognitive psychology, javascript,<br /> <a href="%28http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Photography_by_genre%29">Genres of Photography</a>: (my favorite: lomography)<br /> Aesthetics ergonomics <br /> Common Rail Diesels<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Play a sport<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Watch constructive tv<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Go for a jog<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Exercise-hit the gym<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Swim<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Learn a language<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Larn to play the guitar<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Walk<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Learn to Empathize<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Learn to be charming<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Participate in raid de himalaya<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dun have the dough try mtb himachal(tour de himachal)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Own a bullet, you can try and participate in the royal enfield trip to leh, and hopefully get featured on ndtv as well<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wanna be good at stocks, play moneybhai, real stocks with fake mone<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">CrossWords<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Su Do ku<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Martial arts classes, tai chi, taibo<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hit the kitchen, try a new cuisine: heard about googling leftovers in the fridge for a new recipe?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Learn to red 12 digit bar codes and ISBN nos<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lucid dreams<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Astral projections<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out Of Body experiences<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Altered state of consciousness<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://www.synergycenter.com/synklini.htm">Order your synklini</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />ESP</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Travel with a partner, you will know urself better, so will your partner. Also, your tolerance will surely increase</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Take a hike, I mean a hike across a track</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Learn to DJ if you think you have a sense of music</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Prepare for CAT</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Take your GRE/GMAT</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Prepare and take the Mensa Test</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Really Bored: how about the IAS</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Really really bored: keep reading this blog :P</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am kidding about the last one, Anyways I am open to suggestions on how readers spend their time?</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Disclaimer:</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:78%;" >(This is in no way a complete list, and is not an endorsement fo what i may do , plan to do or may be doing)</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1156853777888523062006-08-29T04:49:00.000-07:002007-04-11T23:29:17.641-07:00Raid De Himalaya 2006<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/raid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/raid.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Are you bored with the everyday routine?</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span>* Is skydiving over shark-infested waters just a drop in the ocean?<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style=""> </span>* Does going backwards, on one leg, down a manali ski run leave you cold?</span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style=""> </span>* Has rishik</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >esh white water raftering begun to seem just a bit wet?</span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style=""> </span>* Are you so far "out there" that you're practically back inside again?</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Then maybe you should look at Raid!<o:p><br /></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Update 1.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >It’s exactly one month to go for the raid. Preparations are at full swing. I intend to give you a weekly update on the preparations going towards the raid, and then, will come back and try and update the</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" > readers of the blog on the excitement, the perils, the expected and the unexpected, in short the story of my survival.</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p>To start with here's my version of the background on what the Raid is.<o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Well for the name, as is clearly evident, it’s derived from french for the <b style="">marathon event OF the <st1:place st="on">Himalaya</st1:place></b>.<o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The <st1:place st="on">Himalayas</st1:place> happen to have the highest motor-able roads and passes in the world. And raid is what you get when you take that terrain, that altitude, </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >that weather and make a rally out of it. And that too at the lag end of "good" weather, just when the winter is setting in.</span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >OK, enough ranting about on the irrelevant stuff: Here's the interesting trivia:</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >7 Days of driving in the most inhospitable climes, terrain, conditions<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >2100 Kilometres, so that's approximately 300 kilometres of riding in one day(Its actually around 400 on some days)</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >10 hrs of driving on a good day and 12 on a rough day(Average speeds are never above 40kmph on the raid)</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Approximately 25000 rupees worth of diesel burnt in 7 Days</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Engines idle all night long to avoid cold starts<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Rarefied air causes mileage to drop to half of what you get under normal driving conditions <o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >You need to fight altitude sickness, and hope your body acclimatises quickly to the altitude(as</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" > high as Tanglang La at 17 540 ft, highest pt in rally)<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >No habitation for hundreds of kilometres at length</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Temperatures dipping to -25 degrees celcuis at night and -5 in the day<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">·<span style=""> </span></span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >X treme version participants zipping past you </span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Raid Trivia:<o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.bcmtouring.com/articles/raid-de-himalaya/trivia.html">http://www.bcmtouring.com/articles/raid-de-himalaya/trivia.html</a></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Brief history </span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.bcmtouring.com/articles/raid-de-himalaya/history.html"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">http://www.bcmtouring.com/articles/raid-de-himalaya/history.html</span> </a></span> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">A Nice Video Of Bikers going down from TangLang La</span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.bcmtouring.com/articles/raid-de-himalaya/history.html">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRXL7t4r-Q</a><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Brief Description of the Raid </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >(As taken from the official site, its last year's tracks which will definitely change this year so to be taken with a pinch of salt)</span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">28th and 29th September 2006</span></b><br /><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><o:p></o:p>Pre Event Scrutiny</span></b></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >All vehicles will be inspected for conformity to International Standards of Safety and Preparation as laid down by the FiA. Owing to a large expected entry list this process has been allotted two days</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" > to complete, considering the great attention to detail that is required. Technical and Paperwork Scrutiny will be held at Motoworld, Navbahar,Shimla 171002.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">30th September 2006<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 1 Shimla – Manali</span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >An early start at 0600 hrs will take the rally from Shimla via Baldian to Narel. This a rough gravel stage and though short will set the mood for the days ahead. The second stage is via Narkanda, Bagi, Sungri to Bhadrash. This will be a tarmac / gravel run and fast. The third and fourth stages from Luhri to Kandagai will be half tarmac- half gravel. Though short and fast they are both uphill and relatively easier. From there a long transport via Jalori pass to Kullu and Manali will follow. </span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Another description:</span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The Raid flags off from Shimla and makes its way through the classic Himalayan country of tall cedar forests. Rushing through Baggi and Khadrala it finally </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >wends its way up the steep Jalori road to the first of the Raid’s many passes – the Jalori Jot. Then down to Shoja, the whine of engines and smell of scorching rubber cutting through the crisp October mountain </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >air. If climbing uphill to Jalori takes its toll on the engines, then downhill towards Kullu kills the brakes and clutchplates!! The Raid winds up for the day at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Manali.</span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The Raid will halt at Manali for the night after a run of about 400 kms.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/leg%201.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/leg%201.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1st October 2006<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 2 Manali – Kaza</span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The 250 kms “Himalayan Experience” will start on this day. The raid will be flagged off by 0700 hrs for Kaza. From Gramphoo a 104 kms dirt stage will take the raid via Losar to Pangmo.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The last 30 kilometres will be the smoothest tarmac run. From there to Kaza will be a short transport.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The night halt will be Kaza.<o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Another description:</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >From Manali up to the <st1:placename st="on">Rohtang</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Pass</st1:placetype> at 13,000 ft, the Raid enters <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Spiti</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> on the second day’s run. It races along the roughest of roads (or what pass for roads) along the swift, unforgiving waters of th</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >e Chandrabhaga river, via Gramphoo, Chhatru, over the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Kunzum</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Pass</st1:placetype></st1:place> <span style=""> </span>and Losar, until finally sighting the night halt -- Kaza. At the end of the day the overall images that crowd every driver or rider’s tired mind are those of boulders, boulders and yet more boulders!</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/Details%20Leg%20two.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/Details%20Leg%20two.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2nd October 2006<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 3 Kaza – Komik - Dhankar - Pin - Kaza</span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >This Leg is the "Rest Leg" for the Raid but a "Cliff Hanger" nevertheless.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Kaza to Thangyud Gompa at Komik will be the first stage. Uphill and thro</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >ugh a heart stopping gorge to a plateau at Langze the gravel stage will be fast and entertaining. The vistas of the real <st1:place st="on">Himalayas</st1:place> c</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >an be enjoyed as can the tea at the Gompa, where a regroup is planned since the transport to Lingti is back via the same road.</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Lingti to the Dhankar monastery is an uphill gravel stage. Fast and replete with hairpin bends after long straights! Enjoy. The other half of this stage down to Sichiling is pure tarmac with short straights into hellish hairpins. Enjoy this too. If not, then the fact that "there are parapets" should offer some consolation!<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Once is not enough. This stage will be done twice to give competitors a chance to perfect their maneuvers!<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The last stage will be from Lidang to Demul. Another dead end road will result in a wait for the last car. If nothing else this will be a character building exercise and patience will be the learned reward. This stage is all gravel, frightfully steep and with a cliff drop that will make Stallone quake!</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" > Fortunately the rally will only race in the uphill mode! Be careful on the recce and the race day here.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p><br />Survivors will return to Kaza for the night.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Another description:</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >This Leg is the "Rest Leg" for the Raid but a "Cliff Hanger" nevertheless. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Kaza to Thangyud Gompa at Komik will be the first stage. Uphill and through a heart stopping gorge to a plateau at Langze the gravel stage will be fast and entertaining. The vistas of the real <st1:place st="on">Himalayas</st1:place> can be enjoyed as can the tea at the Gompa, where a regroup is planned since the transport to Lingti is back via the same road.Lingti to the Dhankar monastery is an uphill gravel stage. Fast and replete with hairpin bends after long straights! Enjoy. The other half of this stage down to Sichiling is pure tarmac with short straights into hellish hairpins. Enjoy this too. If not, then the fact that "there are parapets" should offer some consolation! Once is not enough. This stage will be done twice to give competitors</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >a chance to perfect their maneuvers!</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/leg%203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/leg%203.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3rd October 2006</span></b></span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 4 Kaza - Darcha - Patseo<o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The pressure will steadily increase both on the resources of the participants and their vehicles from this Leg onwards. 200 kms of competitive stage driving, the real <st1:place st="on">Hima</st1:place></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><st1:place st="on">layas</st1:place> and 2 major passes await them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The first stage will be the return trip on the same 150 kms from Kaza to Gramphoo. From Gramphoo the Raid will head to Darcha for a second competitive stage. This will run from Darcha to Patseo - 18 kms.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Instead of the usual grind to Pang for the ritual exorcism of oxygen there will be a quick regroup at Sarchu and a third competitive back to Patseo for the night halt !</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Another description:<o:p><br /></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >This Leg is the "Rest Leg" for the Raid but a "Cliff Hanger" nevertheless. </span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >The Raid sets its sights on Ladakh. The real <st1:place st="on">Himalaya</st1:place> starts now. There is little wonder that prayer flags flutter incessantly at every high pass for they whisper silently </span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >to the gods. Whether it is the great panoramic expanse of the Morey Plain or Baralacha La, Lachhulung La or any othe pass, each crossing means you are one step closer to the great unknown. The winds are icy and the mountains silent as you focus only on your destination – the Indian Army outpost at Pang. When you get there you can only begin to appreciate what our jawans face everyday at Siachen, for Pang is just an acclimatization point.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/leg%204.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/leg%204.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">4th October 2006<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 5<span style=""> </span>Patseo - Sarchu - Pang- Leh<br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >A long day ahead with 4 stages. Patseo to Nakee la will be the first stage of the day. All tarmac it should be both entertaining and very fast. Debring to rumtse will be Stage 2. Over the Tanglang La at 17 540 ft this will be the highest point on the rally! The night halt will be at Leh.<span style=""> </span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/leg%205.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/leg%205.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> </p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">5th October 2006<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 6<span style=""> </span>Leh - Mugleb – Leh<o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">6th October 200<o:p><br /></o:p></span></b><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Leg 7<span style=""> </span>Leh - Manali<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">7th October 2006 <o:p></o:p></span></b></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Prize Distribution after the final Scrutineering and the conclusion of the Raid at HMI Manali.<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p><br />So people as you can see, with the conditions survival is a challenge. Not to mention the wish that your vehicle takes the brutal assault!<o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" >Your wishes needed </span><span style=";font-family:Wingdings;font-size:85%;" ><span style="">)</span></span><span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p></o:p></span> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"> <span style=";font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;" ><o:p> </o:p></span> </p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" ><br /></span>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1156257963925538322006-08-22T07:05:00.000-07:002006-08-26T10:51:31.323-07:00Am I going to die of cancer-Hypochondria or Fact<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">Swollen Uvula?</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">You probably had too much to drink last night.</span><br /><br />Have you heard the terms"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">uvulitis</a>", "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">uvular edema</a>", or "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">Quincke's disease of the uvula</a>".<br /><br />Till this morning even I had not. But for the readers of this blog and whoever may reach here in the future, please do not panick if you wake up with a swollen ovula.<br /><br />For people who are wondering what the ovula is, its the piece of tissue that hangs down at the end of your mouth. See pic:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/mouth.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 199px;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/mouth.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.neillobrien.com/2005/01/08/swollen-uvula/">Also more about the swollen uvula here</a>.(Possibly the internet's best resource on swollen uvula -a blog with a post in 2005 and about 600 comments from poeple searching for what a swollen uvula is)<br /><br />I woke up a swollen Uvula this morning and trust me its the worst feeling, because you feel like there is something in your throat that you wanna throw out but it just sticks there.<br />According to a wiki, it is caused either by 1) dehydration (from arid weather and/or alcohol); 2) excessive smoking or other inhaled irratants; 3) snoring; 4) allergic reaction; or 5) a viral or bacterial infection.<br /><br />Well for me a couple of things might have worked in tandem. I think lack of sleep caused snoring and coming from a humid clime while I was travelling last week may have caused some bacterial infection.<br /><br />The usual culprit although invariably is dehydration(usually from excessive alcohol).<br /><br />Had I known about this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">condition</a> I would have done what is suggested that is :<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Drink tons of fluids.<br /></span><font>Also suggested is gargling and resting. but it might lead you to cancer, I duuno f thats true but maybe I am hypochondriac.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><font><br />But I read about this 5 hours after I started searching, basically for two reasons, I didnt know what this part of my body was called and what condition was I suffering from?<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><br />From the Internet abt evolution of the Uvula:<br /><br />Our conclusion is that the uvula is possibly an accessory organ of speech, and may be another marker of human evolution that differentiates man from other mammals.<br /><br />Interesting links organised<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvulae">Wikipedia Page</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.neillobrien.com/2005/01/08/swollen-uvula/">Neillobriens post-Post on blog with tons of comments</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001257.htm">The Uvula mystery-Medical Definition</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=1408233&dopt=Abstract">The riddle of the uvula</a><br /><br /><br /><br />PS: <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=uvula+piercing">There are tons of crazy people on the planet </a><br /><br />And after 10 hours its still there...<br /><br /><br /></span></span>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1156163187354211482006-08-21T05:22:00.000-07:002006-08-21T05:26:27.356-07:00Aman Sandhu Web 2.0Web 2.0 seems to have been the buzzword for a while and i found this <a href="http://msig.info/web2.php">cool site </a>that lets you create your own neat looking web2.0 logo, beta and all.<br /><br />Couldn't help puttin' it here :)<br /><br /><a href="http://msig.info/web2v2/(reflect)AmanSandhu2.0BETA.png[/img"><img src="http://msig.info/web2v2/(reflect)AmanSandhu2.0BETA.png" alt="Generated Image" /></a>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1154608879518882052006-08-03T05:29:00.000-07:002006-08-12T00:03:38.166-07:00Losing Sleep?<span style="font-family:verdana;">In an attempt to learn more about the how I can sleep better(In addition to an ethical living that negates the need to loose sleep;) ), I found some pointers i wantd to share with the hopefully zealous following this blog enjoys.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">>Sleep only as much as you need to feel refreshed the next day.<br />>Get up at the same time, 7 days a week.<br />>Exercise regularly.<br />>Make sure your bedroom is comfortable and free of disturbing light and noise.<br />>Make sure that your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature during the night.<br />>Eat regular meals and do not go to bed hungry.<br />>Avoid excessive fluids in the evening. Cut down on caffeine products.<br />>Avoid alcohol, especially in the evening.<br />>Smoking may disturb sleep.<br />>Don't take your problems to bed.<br />>Train yourself to use the bedroom only for sleeping and sexual activity.<br />>Do not TRY to fall asleep.<br />>Put the clock under the bed or turn it so that you cannot see it.<br />>Avoid taking naps</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Have more time or need more info, heres a few links</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf">NIH PDF on sleep: Consider it a sleep 101</a>(opens a pdf)<br /><br /><a id="a007771" href="http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2006/06/everything_you_always_wanted_t.php">Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sleep (But Were Too Afraid To Ask)</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/cgi-bin/tfSleepQuiz.pl">Interactive Sleep Quiz</a><br /><br />ZZZZZZ happy reading...(And you know why this post is here, pretty obvious I am sleepy all the time these daze)30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820564.post-1153990170588831422006-07-27T01:22:00.000-07:002006-07-27T01:53:07.803-07:00This blog is controversialPeople are mad at , there is disruption, random comments, extreme entropy.<br />Blames of plagiarism...yes that one too, and no to add just plain and simple, "I did not know that about you. "<br /><br />I ve decided to make this blog completely non personal, Also since Google knows everything.<br /><br />In that process I am taking off most of the posts, and you know its crazy when even the google advertising engine starts displaying ads like the one below on your blog.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/1600/jpg.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6238/500/320/jpg.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Please let yourself be heard by clicking the link below:<br /><br /><br /><a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.majikwidget.com/mw/api/poll1/poll1.php?id=8c19f571e251e61cb8dd3612f26d5ecf" target="_blank">http://www.majikwidget.com/mw/api/poll1/poll1.php?id=8c19f571e251e61cb8dd3612f26d5ecf</a>30.45 N,76.48 Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018426957303039510noreply@blogger.com0