Journeys of My Life

Nexus One with a broken power button[Solved]

2011-11-08T21:21:00.021+05:30

I have a Nexus One with a broken power button! No matter what you do, the phone will not turn on..So I had the following options

1) Return the same to HTC is the phone is under warranty and you are in the United States.

2) Get it repaired from a HTC service center in your country.

3) Use a different button on the phone to perform the same set of operations as the power button.

For me 1) was out of question, 2) was way expensive (Rs 4000/ 80 USD for a phone which is not worth that price).

3) was the most easiest and the most non intrusive of all three options and involved the following steps.I utilised the volume buttons and the the scroll wheel to wake the phone and other options which were served by the power button.

Common Instructions

If you need to restart the phone, its impossible to do so, since the power button is broken.In such a scenario, follow this

a)Connect the phone to a charger/USB.
b)Remove the battery from the phone once you see the charging light on the phone
c)Insert the battery and keep it there until you see the charging light again.
Continue doing steps b) and c) until the phone boots (Phone normally boots in 4 attempts).

[Update]
It is required that the phone be fully charged in order to complete the steps correctly.A phone shutting off in between an upgrade/flashing due to low battery is sure to brick
Thanks Angelo for this quick tip!!

Warning- The steps mentioned below will void your warranty and possibly lead to a bricked phone is not followed correctly.You have been warned!

1)Downgrade the phone to Android 2.2 from 2.3.4 or 2.3.6

This step is required as Google has plugged the exploit in the 2.3.X versions which allow rooting the phone.

Its is the best idea to upgrade your contact information, SMS, MMS, Images, Videos and anything you deem important to either Google by syncing or to a local disk on a computer.The data is irrecoverable right after now!

Download the 2.2 Shipped ROM from the link.

The name of the zip archive is Passion_Google_WWE_2.16.1700.1_FRG33_MFG_Shipment_ROM.zip.

Make sure the size of the file is roughly 84 MB.A lower value suggests the file is corrupted and has the highest chance of bricking your phone.

Once downloaded, extract the zip inside the zip file, and rename the file as PASSIMG.zip (please note the case, only the filename PASSIMG.zip will work)

Copy this file to the root of the phone SDCard.

Turn your phone off, by removing the battery.

Keep the Volume(-) button pressed, try to power up the phone following the common instructions mentioned above.

Once the phone boots, release the volume button and wait for the HBOOT to recognise the PASSIMG.zip file.

It will ask for permissions to upgrade, select yes using the appropriate volume buttons.

The phone will boot automatically once the upgrade is done.

Steps available here.

Once you have downgraded the phone, make sure you create your Google account setup on the phone as some steps will require downloading apps from the Android Market.

2)Rooting the phone

Download SuperOneClick on your desktop, extract the zip archive, and run the application.Connect your phone to the computer and hit the "Root" button.You need to put your phone in USB debugging mode from Settings >Applications > Development > Enable USB Debugging. You will also need the Android SDK installed to complete this step.

SuperOneClick is pretty straightforward, and you will have root permission with ease.

Reboot your phone.

3)Install ROM Manager

Download the latest stable build of CyanogenMod for Nexus one from here.

Rename this downloaded file as update.zip and copy it to the SD card.

Search for ROM Manager on the Android Market, and install it.The free version will suffice for this entire task.

When you will run ROM Manager, a prompt will ask if you would like to assign SuperUser permissions to ROM Manager.Select yes.

When ROM Manager loads, select the option that says "Flash ClockWorkMod Recovery"
This will flash the Recovery tool on your phone.

After the recovery is installed, select the option "Install ROM from SD Card".Select the update.zip file, and for the options to be selected, Backup Existing ROM,Wipe Data and Cache, Wipe Dalvik Cache, all need to be selected.

Once the Cyanogenmod is installing, do not interrupt the process and let it happen.It takes a good 10-15 minutes for everything to complete.

[Update]
You need to install the google apps package, because CM7 does not come bundled with these.Download the gapps file , rename as update.zip, and copy to root of SD card. Open ROM Manager and repeat steps above, select the update.zip and then let ROM manager do its awesome job!

This was the final step!

Congrats! you have completed rooting and modifying your Android phone with a custom ROM.

Once the phone has booted completely, make sure you go to Settings > CyanogenMod Settings > Input >Trackball Wake[selected]

Install Quick Boot from the Android Market, and create a shortcut on your phone to reboot.

Install the battery calibration app from the Android Market and re-calibrate the battery with the app instructions.

If by chance you phone hangs, you need to restart, it is necessary to have a charger or a USB cable to jump start the phone.Follow the same guidelines as described above to start the phone.

MTDC Ganpatipule Review

2011-08-16T18:35:00.011+05:30

I stayed with my family at the Ganpatipule Resort over the 15 August 2011 weekend.
Honestly, I would have not written a review as such, but there were some compelling reasons for me to do so.Firstly, there is very little information about the resort location, closeness to beach, which room to choose, how is the view and amongst other things a general idea of the stay there.I did a lot of research online and was able to decide then.

I went during the rainy season, which is the non-peak season of the year.Prices are lower at this time of the year, June-Sept.I did a reservation at this resort in April, almost 4 months ago, and could not get a room of my choice, so it is obviously a better idea to book earlier than this.Do not even think about going there and booking a room, with the idea of a room being available.Locals will charge you exorbitant prices, and its really not worth it. For Rs.5600, I conveniently booked a "Deluxe AC" (1300/night) and "Sea View Deluxe Room A/C"(1500/night). These two types of rooms have very little difference in the view of the sea.Reservations happen only through Nivalink.

I started on Saturday (13 August 2011) via Jan Shatabdi Express at 5:20 AM from Dadar, and reached Ratnagiri at 11:30 AM on same day.This train has Chair cars only and there is no sleeper compartments.There is a single AC coach of 103 capacity.Its highly recommended that you book in the AC chair car, as most of the local public without reservations will get in the reservation compartment.

From Ratnagiri, we took a rickshaw for Rs.450 to reach Ganpatipule, and took us about 1 hour to reach there.The views are mind blowing on the way, and do get down to click a few snaps.

The staff at the resort is friendly and helping.We checked into our rooms and here is the first look review of the rooms

Deluxe AC
- Sea view is not partial as the Nivalink folks had suggested.There is more than adequate view of the sea from these rooms.
- The room was a little less than perfect in terms of the general look.The paint was scraping and there was definite stale smell of the sea.
- Washrooms and Bathroom was very clean and looked after.
- The AC was non-functional, Phone was not working. I could not reach out to the Reception to complain about the faulty AC, the first day.
- Road leading to these rooms was frayed, and it was a trouble walking bare foot when we came back without footwear from the beach.

Sea View Deluxe Room A/C
- Sea view is little more, since it is about 40 feet ahead of the Deluxe AC room.There is a small pavement for walking around these rooms.
- These rooms have almost everything common with the Deluxe AC room.The room is of the same size and the layout is also the same.

Verdict
If you cannot get a reservation to the the Sea View Rooms, then the Deluxe room will provide you the same view of the sea at a lower cost.You definitely need an AC room as the weather can be hot and humid.

On the same day, we had out lunch at a "Pure Veg" Restaurant named Bhau Joshi.If you cannot stand a mixed kitchen then this restaurant is the best value for money.A sleep inducing lunch will come to about Rs.100/person.

After visiting the Lambodar Temple for which the place is named Ganpatipule, we headed for Jaigadh Fort.If you can avoid this dilapadated fort, you should.Instead you can visit the Lighthouse which is near this fort and have a breathtaking view of the sea from the highest point in Ganpatipule.The lighthouse closes at 5:30PM sharp, so you need to be here before that.This trip cost us Rs.500 in a Rickshaw and the fort is about 25 kms from the MTDC resort.

On our return journey, we had a look at the Blue Ocean resort which has a part of the beach cordoned off for them.The starting price in this resort is Rs.10500/Night.

For Dinner, we packed food from the small restaurant just next to the Lambodar temple and had it in our room.If you plan to do this, then you need to have sufficient number of plates, spoons and other vessels.Drink only bottled water from reputed brands.

Day 2 (14 August 2011)

We had two options, staying at the hotel and have fun at the beach or visiting Marleshwar(80 kms) which has an ancient Shiva Temple and a huge waterfall .We stayed at the beach because the day was very clear and the tide was at its highest peak.

The water is not the best in terms of cleanliness.Wear adequate protection (sunscreen, shower cap) if you intend to go in the water.Keep adequate drinking water and the sea can be rough, so do not venture out deep.The part of the beach just outside the resort will be almost private so that is a sure advantage of staying at the resort.If you are allergic to anything related to the skin, wear additional protection to avoid an allergy.A sun tan is sure to happen.

We spent about 6 hours having a lot of fun at the beach and returned back by 1 PM to our rooms.I moved my belongings from the Deluxe AC room to the "Deluxe Room A/C (Super)" because of the non-functional AC.This room has the best view of the sea because it was higher than all rooms in the resort and the room is relatively large.The manager kindly agreed and got us shifted.Strongly suggest to book this room if available.

Most restaurants stop serving food after 2:30 PM, so make sure you have food by this time.We had a quick nap after our lunch.We spent most of out time at the beach in the evening, and played some card games at night, after dinner.

Day 3 (15 August 2011)
The MTDC being a government organization, there was the tricolor unfurled in the morning on Account of the Independence Day.We had heavy breakfast and starting packing as we had to checkout by 9 AM.The MTDC folks were okay to extend the time to 10:30 AM.The kids we had with us were so happy with playing at the beach that we decided to go back again to the beach.We packed all out stuff and kept it at the reception.The reception has 2-3 small cabins where you belongings can be safe, and there are open showers along the way from the beach to the resort where you can clean yourself.You can change your clothes in the washrooms/driver rooms near the reception.
The MTDC staff booked a minivan from us from our trip back to Ratnagiri station for the train Jan Shatabdi Express back to Mumbai.We reached Mumbai at 11 PM at night.

Some Tips for a pleasant stay at Ganpatipule
- It is highly recommended to stay at the MTDC resort, because it has a prime view of the sea.No other reseort in its class has that kind of view for the rate MTDC offers.
- Unlike other government servants, the staff at Ganpatipule was forthcoming and friendly,accomdating.
- Wear sunscreen
- The rickshaw drivers have a habit of enforcing decision on other rickshaw drivers if you haggle a lot with them.We wasted about 1 hour because one of the rickshaw driver we haggled with, made others deny us ferrying to Jaigadh fort.We walked about 2 kms to the rickshaw stand and then found a rickshaw.It is higly recommended that you book a minivan or a car for your entire trip to save time.Better still, it will work out to be the same in terms of time and money to travel from Mumbai by road.
- Its best to avoid direct confrontation with the local public who will escalate issue unnecessary and give it a communal twist.
- Expect drunk folks on the beach and in most public places.
- Wear proper clothing as the place has a religious sentiment attached to it.
- Prices in the MTDC restaurant are almost double the prices outside the restaurant.A little walk to the two restaurants behind the Lambodar temple will save you some serious money.Do not venture out after 8 PM if you are alone.

Pros for the MTDC resort
- Location
- Friendly services
- Clean bathrooms and toilets.
- Prompt service

Cons
- Little wear and tear, rooms leak water in moderate to heavy rain.
- Be sure to check all AC and other equipment before you check in.
- Restaurant is expensive as compared to all other restaurants.
- Roads leading to rooms are not paved well and can create pain in the foot if walking bare foot.
- At night, there is not enough ambient lighting outside along the roads that lead to the main gate.Be sure to carry a bright torch.
- Water Heaters in the rooms could have been better.
- Toilets need health faucets.

What to eat
- Misal Pav
- Usal Pav
- Puri Bhaji
- Shrikhand and Mango pulp at Bhau Joshi Restaurant.
- Poha and Idli at Swati Restaurant.These two were so good that we repeated them for breakfast the next day as well.
- Tea from the MTDC Restaurant.

Generally, the Maharastrian food is highly recommended.

For readers to make a decision on which rooms to book, here is an location map of the rooms in the resort.

Bye Bye TCS!!!!

2011-06-26T00:41:00.005+05:30

I left my job in TCS on 24 June 2011. My biggest reasons of leaving the company are my stagnating career and my manager.

I have a lot of respect for the Tata group.They are a set of noble people with rock solid principles.In the times of all the corruption and all the ill-doings of the people around, this, I say is the mark of great people.But here is why I dont think it worked for me at TCS:

1) Career growth

I have been working in Classic ASP for the last 4 years 9 months.This isnt even close to being recent in terms of technology.My guess is that the project I am working on was the only one in this world which still has not moved out of this technology.

2) My Manager

It just doesn't get to him that its just not me, but my entire project hates him.Ideas are rebutted, sometimes rudely.He has a pretty narrow vision in terms of technology and only understands Microsoft stuff.Everything else has shortcomings, he has a list for it.The biggest reason he is such a eye sore is that he cannot stand to what he says.If you say to him that you said something like this, then "you are quoting him in the wrong context". Mr. Manager,I show you the first three fingers of my hand and ask you to read between the lines.

3) Bureaucracy

I resigned and also in parallel was looking for projects in Android in the company.One of the projects did offer me a role of a team leader which I happily accepted.All the folks who had the power to make a decision, took the decision that it is probably good to throw me out of the company than to offer me a new role or a project.Good for you guys, since you can very well afford a resource from outside the company who can work at a higher salary.Makes complete business sense!!!

4) Outdated IT systems and processes

These are systems built by engineers.There is no concern over usability, since all the people who will be using these systems will have to use them some how or the other or get a lower appraisal rating if they mess up.

I have time and again asked one simple question: " I use Facebook everyday, no one came and told me how to use it, why do I need to attend a training to learn how to create a simple Change Request process? "

People are expected to attend and work in office even after a training for 9 hours which happens at the other side of town! People choose to not attend those trainings.Anyways, trainings are most of the time just some presentations picked up from Google, and being presented because the person needs to fill the appraisal sheet that a certain number of trainings has been conducted.

People trained in C++ during Initial Learning Program are allocated to projects in ASP???? My gut feeling is allocations are decided on dice.

It is not that there isn't enough hue and cry in the organization on these issues.I just still don't see any positive story which negates what I just said.

Stock market prices and sheer employee strength, are they really indicators to a good company?Read a company's Vision, Mission and Values- If there is more customer that employee, its a sure sign of company which needs to be kept away from.Sure, money does matter, but not to me.

Rock Climbing in Goregoan

2011-05-22T22:13:00.003+05:30

Had a fun and exhausting wall climbing session on an artificial wall in Nandadeep High School, Goregaon.

I got featured on hackaday

2011-03-17T12:34:00.003+05:30

cellphone-charger-has-a-usb-port-forced-upon-it

HowTo- Attach a propellor on a TURNIGY 2204-14T 19g Outrunner

2011-01-26T20:27:00.016+05:30

In my initial rounds of testing the setup for the RC electronics, I came across a real problem, how to securely attach the prop to the Outrunner motor.I looked around a lot of groups and websites, and after looking at a lot of pictures, have been able to attach the prop.

1) Remove one of the small concentric pieces that came with the prop, one that fits securely over the motor.

2) Push the piece you selected in step 1, into the prop.See image of original prop and one with the piece inserted.The one with the piece inserted has a smaller hole.In the image, the prop on the top has the piece inserted.

3) Place the prop on the motor, and use rubber bands.Tie the rubber band from one screw to the other , and the prop in between. Tie one on each side of the prop.

Happy flying!

*******Update*********

After some minutes of flying, the propeller just got flung around as the rubber bands snapped.Its a more firm hold with a cable tie.

The Case of the Bus Pirate

2010-09-04T12:27:00.020+05:30

I returned back from the USA, and amongst other things , I got myself the Bus Pirate.

Here is what it looks like

What is it? Its a bus sniffer.It can sniff and execute arbitrary commands over buses like I2C and SPI, making prototyping very easy.

In itself it is very fragile, and needs some protective covering so that it does not fling all over the place. I saw a few laser cut acrylic cases on the web, and decided to build my own.This is how it looks

Here is a quick guide to building one, and I will post an instructable soon

1) Cut three rectangular pieces of acrylic of size 7.5 cms by 4.5 cms.The bus pirate is 5 cms by 3 cms. Match all edges, file them smooth, and while sandwiching them tight with a bench vise, drill four 3/16" holes at the corners.Make sure you keep enough space, at the edges, so that the acrylic remains intact at the edges.

2) Take the piece in the middle, and cut out a rectangular piece of the size of the bus pirate.

3) Take the topmost piece, and make rectangular slots at the places where the headers come out from the bus pirate.

4) Create slots where the USB mini connector attaches with the bus pirate.

At the end, you should have the three pieces looking like these.

5) You are almost done.Insert the screws in the holes you drilled at the corners, and then file the corners round.Then keep the bus pirate in the second piece and layer the third top piece over it, and tighten the screws.Make sure you do no crush any circuity while tightening the screws.

Here is the final result

Total cost of materials-Under 100 Rupees/$2.This took me about 4 hours to build, and it probably needs a lot more finishing, but it does the job very well.

New Idea

2010-02-04T06:35:00.002+05:30

The Klann Linkage.Will make one.Will make the second, the third, the fourth.Will join these four in mechanical harmony together, and create a walking beast...

Flight Simulators

2010-01-10T21:01:00.012+05:30

I have always been interested in flying actual airplanes remotely, and after being to the US, I ordered a foam plane called a Super Cub.After flying it, I realized that it is incredibly difficult to start flying an airplane right away.You need to be under the aegis of an experienced pilot to really learn how to fly.I could not find any good flying clubs around town, and it being winter, the winds were not on my side.After a lot of reading, I found that there are simulators which help you learn how to fly.They are priced at about $200 a piece, and as ever there are free options available.
How do they work? Here is what the blog post is about :)

1)You need to have either a 4 channel transmitter or above.I chose the Spektrum DX6i.This has port on which you connect a cable, and the transmitter emulates as a 4-Button, 4-Position Joystick.This cable costs around $14.
For the software, I used FMS.
The argument here is, this is still larger in cost than the pricey simulator, but in the simulator, I get a stupid dummy joystick(No transmitter), which simply is a box with 4 potentiometers, and an expensive software( the FMS is just about same in performance and appeal as the other).
Currently, I have not purchased the DX6i, but the Super Cub did come with its own 3 channel Tx, in reality, it has four channels...Hmm..Well I have hacked around an old joystick earlier, so it should not be a difficult task to do so now with the Super Cub's transmitter.Here are some snaps which confirm my idea.

Here is an image with the back cover removed.The 4 Yellow Boxes show the contacts of the potentiometers which I will use and emulate a 4 channel joystick on my computer.

I would need to solder some wires and make a nice hole in the transmitter, stick a port there, and attach a cable to my computer.Trouble is, my computer only has USB ports(I so hate the new laptops, they are not really hacker friendly).So would need some kind of a dongle there.

More in later posts!

eZ430 Chronos Development Tool from TI

2010-01-07T08:28:00.010+05:30

I just recieved a package from TI, which had the eZ430 Chronos Development Tool I ordered for Sree.Here are some previews and a quick video showing the accelerometer function.Enjoy!!!

In the image below, you can see from left to right, the bundled CD(which has the drivers as well as the control software for the access points), the eZ430 emulator (programmer as well, to add your own code to the watch), the watch itself, the RF access point(shown in photos further) and a nifty screwdriver to remove the back panel of the watch, In addition to these, there are a few screws(not shown in images) if you end up losing some.

Here is the video, that shows the accelerometer function.I was pretty excited, as this happens to be the first video, I would have uploaded for sharing.

The Internet of Things

2009-08-30T06:23:00.004+05:30

At work,I have being toying around with a way to have in-browser notifications in real time about the application the user is currently using.
I came across the XMPP protocol while designing my proof of concept, and further reading and research on the protocol made me realise what people have used to protocol to achieve.

The "Internet of Things" is something of a self-aware global or a private network of devices or objects that talk to each other over central nodes,these nodes being XMPP servers(loosely speaking).

The beauty of the protocol is its extensibility, and presence management that comes with it out of the box.

OpenSpime is an example of such a library that has extended the XMPP protocol, and currently has a Python library to get started.

This information came to me when I was browsing through hackaday,and has come as a pleasant surprise.

Here is also another informative link, what can you do with xmpp.

Sounds fun!

I am looking at publishing my implementation of the proof of concept,and it will require me to get approvals, given it has become intellectual property of the company I work for.
Looking forward to it...

I need of a new project!

2009-08-13T07:25:00.002+05:30

I am so damn in a desperate need to start my own project..build a robot,do something without any reason of doing it..
Life is so drab and dull with nothing more than managing deploy schedules,listening to endless meetings,and its not the same here as it was in India.I could just hop off to lamington on a saturday morning and get my robot ready by Sunday end of day,probably dismantle it the next morning without keeping notes or pictures of my creation..

US would most probably be the place where I can get the latest micro boards and nice motors and stuff for my bot, but probably I would need to shell out a fortune to procure those as compared to India.There is no machining shop around,my house has a carpet so cant have heavy tools like a drill to make a robot chassis..the list is on and on and on..I hate buying readymade kits, and people who know this facet of me know how a "get my hands dirty" guy I am ..

I have loads of time at hand..to spend doing what I do best..build robots...

updates!

2009-08-11T05:51:00.005+05:30

Life has become the superbly boring 9-5 thing..with almost all the fun jam packed on the weekends when Poonam is around..

The fun thing that happened was that I went in for a skydive from 10000 feet from the shoreline of Cape Cod.It was the most exhilarating activity I would have ever done..with a 40 seconds freefall and 3.5 minutes with a parachute thereafter.

I am currently working on a pet project that I think probably has the potential to make it big..or atleast provide me a good standing as a web developer outside of my line of work..which probably would shoot the page rank of this blog many times it is now..(only If I can publish it here..)

I can now cook as good as my mom does..which in fact was something I have learnt by myself..A pat on the back there...

I am dying to take another trip down memory lane,meet some old friends in the US,remember good old days..

My first few Weeks in Milford

2009-04-22T05:41:00.002+05:30

Not pretty exciting!Well looking forward to it..
I have just rented a 2BHK apartment here, planning to buy a car(Milford is really horrible when it comes to public transport..Boston is way better)..
Work normally extends 8-8, and I do cook food sometimes!
Nothing exciting happening here...just the regular work-cook-sleep kinda life..
I am dying to jump start another small project or something..something that I may look forward when I come back home...The way it was in India...
The best thing here is the weather..it is pleasant..sometimes cold..and changes erratically...Spring is arriving...and the trees are starting to bloom..so that is the good part of this place..
The first place that I visited was Rhode Island..but the rains ruined the fun..had to stay back at the hotel for about 6-7 hours..will post snaps soon..
I have never been out of house like this..never in my entire life..so it all seems overwhelming...I have to make decisions that I have never thought of taking...and at times I tend to go nuts deciding between things..

My Experiments

2009-03-22T11:12:00.003+05:30

Last night,I was trying to install Debian on my Ubuntu sytem under Virtualbox.It was a painstaking 3-day download from the Debian Http servers, and then I understand that Virtualbox currently does not support a 64-bit guest OS yet.So it more 3-painstaking days to download the 32-bit Debian iso.

Apart from this I have ordered a new device from China,it has come pre-installed with WinCE and GPS logging in-built, and I need to run EmDebian on it.I really want to write down one large blog post that will show actually how to do this..effortlessly.

Things have slowly moved away from Orkut and Facebook, and more into Twitter.The system is so good that it allows posting information from a varied set of sources, and that's what make my mind tick.

I cannot believe this, that since the last 8 weekends, I have done nothing but built apps one after the other for Twitter..although they are in pretty nascent stage to date..And I love it!

Nothing more than this.

I Ran and Ran and Ran...To the finish....

2009-01-18T22:59:00.005+05:30

It was a great experience to participate in the SCMM 2009.I enrolled in the 21.097 Km race that started at the Azad Maidan and then finished there.

I was able to finish the race in just a shade over three and a half hours.

Check the snaps here.

DIY GorillaPod

2009-01-12T12:36:00.011+05:30

I had been trying since a few days to find something interesting to make,when i really get bored out of my programming and web surfing..The best place to be in such times is instructables.com.

I am in awe of what people are creating out of their imagination and really cool stuff is out there to be discovered.

I happened to read about the GorillaPod,which is a simple tripod for a point and shoot,and its happens to be something created out of sheer genius...the tripod can actually wrap around things,and stay stiff,so you can get those oddly positioned shots out of your camera.

Here is what my DIY version looked like...

To be honest,I have made this in 2 days flat!And it has not cost me more than $15.

Here are some more snaps of it,where the tripod seems to assumes the role of a photogenic model.

Here is how it can shoot in the macro mode....

The Pod clinging to a thin Door of my cupboard(Please neglect the mess within the cupboard,actually its a black hole,whatever has gone in,really I have never been able to find that thing back....)

Last but not the least,how the tripod clings to the window grill in my house...

I would be keen to sell this to someone who would be really interested.Drop me an email at rupin[dot]chheda[at]gmail.com....

Hacking the A570

2008-12-20T22:58:00.006+05:30

My good old friend Mirang owns a Canon A570.
A570+CHDK=Lots of Fun on an idle Saturday afternoon.
The term CHDK stands for the Canon Hack Development Kit....
I then asked one question-Why in the world does one buy a digital SLR?And then I realised that not everyone is born a techie.
If you own a Canon point and shoot and looking for the fun of a digital SLR(Mind it it gives you the ability to open and close the camera shutter for (1/100k) second.Now thats way cool)..Then the CHDK is a way to go....

I am completely in love with all the people who really are doing things that defy the rules of normal gadget usage.They have a different perspective on gadgets,and are looking for the next free hour to try something new.The world calls them "hackers".They mean something else to me...Something way more respectable....

I really did not want to write another post teaching how to boot the camera from the CHDK scripts..there are lots of posts and information out to search and easily accessible.
Go ahead..give your Canon camera some steroids!

Updates Since my Last Blog Post

2008-12-09T16:25:00.003+05:30

Woah..That was a long time ago..I guess...
I have been places..Visited a Marriage in Mahuva,Ahmedabad last week,and then had been to Panchgani,Maharastra this weekend.Check my album here.

I had ordered a Lappy ,the DV6929 from HP.This serves as at replacement to my old machine which has served me since the last 6 odd years.
The lappy looks great,and I seriously hate Vista,which has come preloaded.I will transfer all the files and folders from the old machine to a portable drive, and then format both the machine.The older one would be handed over to my neice,and the lappy would have XP and Linux installed...Lets see if all goes well :).Need to also set up a wifi environ at my house, and setting up a new corner in my house where I can happily sit and enjoy chatting online with friends with my cup of coffee.
And yeah,I need to get an old lappy working to set as a Linux Server in some corner of my house...

I have had a stack of around 300 Gb of movies,which I am planning to watch one every night.

Work at office and home has taken a real slowdown now,and I am most of the time surfing new things at delicious or digg...

Heart Transplant

2008-11-05T00:06:00.003+05:30

I am scheduled for a heart transplant next year...I was planning it since the end of my college,and finally I found a donor this March...the preprations for the same have being going since then itself..the final step would be most probably taken end of next year....I am advised to get in shape before the event...I am hoping this will go well...

Back to college

2008-08-29T00:09:00.003+05:30

I had been to my engineering college today..casually..for some work also..
Well it has changed a lot..and a lot is an understatement..the infrastcuture has changed a lot..there has been a new MMS wing that has come up and functional

The work that I was supposed to finish,was wrapped up in a sometime,and Since it was a thursday,I got the eat the delicious Pav Bhaji at the college canteen.
I still remember that like a kid I used to run on thursdays to savour the treat..
The taste still hasnt changed a tad bit..
I also was a lot more hungry,so I also had a plate of Misal Pav, and just returned back to the good old days..Genuinely..I actually went back in time where I and my pals used to eat in the same cafeteria..

I had a lot of time at hand,and was sitting at the college ground floor,where we used to spend time together on the chairs kept there..
I saw people in a frenzy to complete their journals,and people just chilling out..
every scene and every moment that I had spent in those wonderful four years,I literally could live that..
It was an awesome experience...I throughly enjoyed it..

I really attribute all the fun to the food that I had there..

Missing my pal Viral Gala..We both used to share the lunch table in college..

Finally got it...Hurray!!!!

2008-08-17T18:28:00.003+05:30

Well its the IPOD Touch..
Some time ago..January to be precise,my project manager declared a contest...The person who solves the most bugs as well as logs the most will be awarded a 16GB Ipod touch...
The contest was supposed to be closed on the 20th of February,but hey..this is project management one on one..
I did win it,with a whopping 36 bugs solved in 30 days,and this together with delivery schedules and project assignments on my head.
This was also the time when I had clocked two 80 hour weeks one after the other,and genuinely,I was motivated to an extent that I was never ever in my life.
Well yes,they did not give me my due on time,time when I most wanted it,to gift it to someone special(Yes,you are correct!!!).
It was a long chain of flame mails to my manager,and a complete "disobedience" movement of not to solve any bugs further.

And it did turn up to be fruitful,I finally have it..

I already was gifted an 8 GB one by April from the same "someone special".

Its kinda funny how silly the device is..
A 16 GB memory can store upto may be 30 hours of movie,and If you sit to see a movie on the Touch,with a full charge,it discharges at around 3 hours.

I find it rather silly,and yes the same applies to music too..
But hey..The interface rocks!!!Totally...
I already have hacked it,and playing around my gift so that I can put a GSM modem around it,so I also can talk with it..
More in latter posts!!

Learning Adobe Flex 3

2008-07-12T11:47:00.007+05:30

I attended a 2 day hands-on training on Adobe flex by Harish .
The training was so much fun to attend,and also the entire Flex thing is so much more advanced and above the typical HTML/Javascript that I handle at work..
It seamlessly integrates with XML based systems,and is a complete visual treat to work with.
Athough the licenses are a little on the higher side(~$700),so for the time being for my own aquaintance,I am working with OpenLaszlo.
It seems that the latter is somewhat a little less mature than the former,but since it is fed by the Open Source community,there would definitely be a lot of adding to it..

I have move to a more fun and happier life since my last post..more about the events in future posts!

Some thoughts on Coins!

2008-06-14T01:06:00.004+05:30

Seriously, life has become a tad bit complicated...
There have been issuance of newly minted coins on Re.1 and Re.2 in the Indian Market.
Trouble is they look the same.They are round with minimal physical features that can distinguish the coins by touch,and to add to the confusion,they also almost look the same.

The only way to distinguish is to actually look at the denomination.

It was a little while ago that the Re.1 was circular and the Re.2 was in shape of an octagon.

Its OK for me,I have good sight.What about the blind beggar?
You must be kidding to design such coins...I am not sure what went behind the design of those coins,but they are an absolute nuisance..

My argument points to the fact that people with some kind of disability have to taken into consideration when a particular design is expected to touch their life.If its is money,you cannot expect to single out a particular group of people that will not come in direct contact with it.

The icing on the cake is:
The 50 paise coins and the 5 Rupee Coins are also same in size shape and almost same in weight.
It is a terrible fact that the difference of denomination is so huge,and yet the two are almost the same.

May be now I have to really play with coins to have a feel of them,or always be cautious!

Working with LAMP

2008-05-10T15:39:00.002+05:30

I have been recently entrusted to create a website on the LAMP stack.It is my first experience of being the admin,the DBA and the programmer all bundled in one.
I already have a prior experience working in ASP,IIS and Oracle,that happens to be my work with GE.
I am totally amazed at how good this new found experience is.The scripting language is so much more fun to work with.There is already a built in function or a utility somewhere that you can really stitch together and create pages.I dont think I have ever come across such richly documented procedures and so much reference to peep into,If i am stuck.Me thinks ASP sucks big time.

To top it all,PHP happens to be object oriented also,and that adds to the fun of working with it.

Did I mention that it was free!

I have set up WAMP on my local machine here,and when the entire site is ready,I will just sync the shared space on the real environment and my local machine settings.

Kinda cool!

China Mobiles

2008-04-26T22:05:00.009+05:30

I had been to the Manish Market in CST,Mumbai and I am staggered at the variety of Mobile phones that are available there.

They are reffered to as china mobiles,and the variety is endless.So much is the variety that it is impossible to find two shops that sell the same kind of device.

The features are rocking,you can actually watch TV on the mobile,and by default the mobiles are all touch screen,and run a home grown operating system.

I saw a phone with a camera,and it had lenses fitted to it,just like the same kind for telephoto.
The image quality was good,and the optics were average.

Darn cheap is an understatement.

These cellphones are available as less as 3000 rupees(around $75) .

The only down side is that they are guaranteed to for 10 days,and there is no one who can bail you out if the thing konks off.

But it justifies that.Why would i spend 300-400 rupees on a phone that cost me 3000 rupees.

I brought a new toy.
It rocks.Absoloutely.

Here is the photo from the top view showing the Laser pointer at the bottom edge of the gun.

I actually konked this off,by using a bearing ball,but managed to clean it up and make it work by actually opening the entire thing.

I think this was the most successful operation of any thing that I have ever possesed,coz this time there was not a single part that remained outside and all was back in the toy.

Otherwise it normally happens that something or the other does not find its place back in the toy.

This thing shoots something so hard that it actually can damage paint and can dent tin cans.

The accuracy fades at a distance of 10 feet,and a more heavier projectile is requiste as the plastic bullet tends to spin.
It has got a nice hold to it,and it fits snuggly in my arms,and rests well on my shoulder.

I had an idea..That I am going to spend time around.
I am going to divert the Laser light from the left to around the barrel using fiber optic cable,and the arrangment would be to create an "+" within a square.
Lets hope it works.

April Fool's Tragedy

2008-04-05T11:28:00.003+05:30

Would have lost a good relation,and the prank was so successful that I am staggered as to how successful it went.Cant delve in the details,but I was saved by hair's breadth.

Its a good day to find out what people think about you,in general and specifics too.
You can propose to that girl that you think u like,and test it.If it goes sour then u are saved from embarrassment that she refused,and its good if she agrees.

What I did was pinged an announcement to all my colleagues at office saying that I have sweets at my desk for my six sigma certification being successful.Lo and Behold! 70 people fooled in a jiffy.

Its very difficult for me to stay mature on this day.The "kid" mode is on by default.

The "Bhaang" Experience

2008-03-23T18:05:00.003+05:30

Trust me its fun....

Its ok...I had Bhaang! and others did to..,But the entire experience was worth it.
As ever friends had joined in at my place for Holi.This includes Jugal and Kennedy.So it by default includes a "bhaang". So what happens after you have it..Here are some of the symptoms that u are up for a joy ride.
1)Headache(Most common)
2)You can laugh as much as u want to,because that is what u are doing for the last half hour.
3)Heaviness and sleep.
4)Ignorance of nearby events
5)The courage to get up and write what u are feeling.
6)You agree to Einstein that other worlds exist,coz you can see the "other" of your world,next to it.
7)If you are a first timer,you would not even know that the effects have already started,you tend to think that you are very strong and still in your senses.Other disagree.

What happens after all this
1)Vomiting
2)Apologies for things u havent done,nor said.
3)Crying for reasons that people will have a different opinion about you when they meet you next.
4)You will listen...Forever..

The best way to keep away the negative effects is to have a glass after you have done with your holi cleaning,in the relaxed state of mind.You will be astonished how deep a sleep it can induce.

So pick up a glass next time,and dont eat after that.If you eat,then you are gone.The effects actually will be more prononuced.

IIM v/s ISB

2008-02-02T11:15:00.001+05:30

Just read this in DNA .Could not resist keeping a copy on my blog
This was written by R.Jagganath

The Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business (ISB) has done the country proud by figuring in the Top 20 of the Financial Times ranking of B-schools.
The surprise is not that the ISB made it in just about six years of existence, but that the much-hyped Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are nowhere in the pecking order. Perhaps, they didn’t participate; perhaps they couldn’t care less; but it’s a shame.
The broad reason for this is clear: being owned by the government is like the kiss of death. The IIMs are dying a slow death, though this is not apparent from the numbers still dying to get in every year.
There is little innovation or research coming from the IIMs despite 45 and more years of existence. I wouldn’t expect much from them unless they manage to get the government off their backs.
The ISB, on the other hand, could go one-up precisely because it’s a free agent. It is not accredited to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) — which tells you a lot about the council’s competence.
In recent years, the council has approved hundreds of B-schools that ought not to be allowed to exist. It is neither equipped nor eligible to undertake the task of judging B-schools and their curricula.
It is at best another manifestation of the licence-permit raj in education. It needs to be scrapped. B-schools would probably be better off letting the market decide which ones perform a useful function and which ones don’t.
The ISB is succeeding because, unlike the IIMs, it actually has to compete for students. Especially given its high fee structure (annual costs of Rs17-20 lakh). The ISB did two or three things that are unconventional. One, it placed a premium on work experience, with the average work experience of its students being five years.
At the IIMs, most students wouldn’t even have seen the insides of an office before enrolling. How can you teach management to someone who hasn’t managed one single person in his life?
Two, by making the course a 12-month affair, the ISB opened up an entirely new market for experienced professionals who can’t afford to hang around campuses for two years.
The IIMs are now scurrying to fill this gap in the market. Three, the school deliberately chose autonomy by rejecting the AICTE’s accreditation. It took some courage to cock a snook at the babus, but it also made sense: the AICTE brings no value to the institutions it approves. Its dhobi-mark is no guarantee of quality education.
As for the IIMs, they are unlikely to hit the big time — never mind their larger-than-life presence in India — as long as they have to kow-tow to babus and visionless bosses like Murli Manohar Joshi (HRD minister in the NDA government), and Arjun Singh (the present incumbent).
The IIMs still produce hundreds of MBAs who get picked up by the corporate sector for mouth-watering salaries, but this has little to do with what the IIMs themselves do.
The IIMs, and the IITs, to a lesser extent, produce great alumni because they have developed a fantastic sieving process to keep out all but the extremely gifted. After selecting the best among the best, it would take a really lousy institution to subtract value from them. Put another way, it is the students who add value to the IIMs, and not the other way round.
If I were an Indian (or multinational) business house, I would recruit people immediately after they pass their CAT exams; what the IIM does to their job market value after CAT is minimal. By recruiting after CAT, companies would not only get cheaper products, but also less inflated egos.

Kaipoche!

2008-01-16T11:44:00.000+05:30

Three days of kite flying has never been done in my life,and it was a lot of fun.
It was rather painful flying this time,because there was intermittent wind and my kites did not fly high due to lack of flowing air.

What is left is a darker me,a paining arm and more learning to fly in no wind conditions.
Gobbled a lot of "Chikki" and more delicious foods.

I am ARMed

2007-12-31T21:08:00.000+05:30

Development on the ARM is chugging ahead..Looks like I am gonna be ARM-Literate in months to come..
Pretty much excited.
This blog is going to tranform from a personal one to a techie blog...
And yes..I am heading to Murud-Janjira for my 31..
Happy new year to you..

Belling The CAT!

2007-11-18T21:27:00.001+05:30

It is over! Finally I can see the horizon in front of me without the restraint of time.Although it wasn't that bad after all and I managed to clear the sectionals in Quant and DI,but couldn't reach the mark in English.
Well my idea is that this isn't the end of road,and it is the journey actually that was filled with a lot of learning.Met new pals,learnt a lot about managing time and this journey has left me resilient for the future.It really doesn't matter if I couldn't make it,I have had enough of learning from this attempt.

JMET is the next exam!

For the CAT Aspirant!

2007-11-11T20:52:00.001+05:30

Dedh so minute.
Dedh so minute hain tumhare paas.
Shayad tumhari zindagi ke sabse khaas Dedh so minute.
Aaj tum accha solve karo ya bura,
Yeh Dedh so minute tumhe zindagi bhar yaad rahenge.
Toh kaise solve karna hai, aaj main tumhe nahi bataunga.
Bas itna kahunga ki jaao,
Aur yeh Dedh so minute jee bhar kar ke solve karo
Kyunki iske baad aane wali zindagi mein
Chahe kucch sahi ho, ya na ho,
Chahe kucch rahe, ya na rahe,
Tum haaro ya jeeto,
Lekin yeh Dedh so minute tumse koi nahi cheen sakta, Koi Nahin
To, maine socha ki iss test mein kaisa solve karna hai,
Main tumhe nahin bataunga, balki tum mujhe bataoge. Test dekar.
Kyunki main jaanta hun ki agar yeh Dedh so minute,tum
Apni zindagi ki sabse badhiya CAT solve kar gaya
To yeh Dedh so minute khuda bhi tumse wapas nahi maang sakta.
Toh Jaao . Jaao aur aur apne aap se, iss zindagi se, apne khuda se, aur har uss insaan se, Jisne tumhe – tumpar – bharosa nahi kiya, apne Dedh so minute chheen lo.

A year later....

2007-10-12T00:52:00.000+05:30

The most daring journey of my life started this day....My life as well as my job at TCS.
As of now both have been pretty well....

And one more thing happened last year on this very day..My cellphone came to life this same day..
As of today my cell is old by 9000+ meessages and a shade above 83 minutes in airtime.

Had a normal day tday..just like any other day at office...a lot of calls and messages and people asking for the most hilarious treats....

The best learning today..

My mom wished me "Happy Birthday" and I said "thank you".She said you should have wished me too.
I realize today what I mean to her....

Hats of to You! Madame

2007-10-04T01:08:00.000+05:30

I think this has been the moment that has definitely moved me,bearing the fact that it was a sight that has been particularly unique and has changed my perception towards women in general.
There isnt a ray of doubt that I respect them as individuals and not as members of the opposite sex,but this one leaves an impressions of what women really are.

I happened to see a lady bus conductor.I am not sure whether it was a shock of life or just plain awe towards her,but the feeling was something different and I was constantly looking at her,
as was the entire set of people sitting in the bus.

I visited the exam center to attend my exam,and was more than happy to experience the
learning altogether.

A learning that be it any job, if "he" can,"she" definitely can.

The Most Irritating Microsoft Components!

2007-09-08T12:24:00.000+05:30

The award goes to Microsoft Data Access Components!
One more reason to install Linux.

A way to spend a lazy Sunday Afternoon

2007-08-21T00:20:00.000+05:30

Two things that I definitely do on the Internet are
Blog Surfing

Can you see the "Next blog" link on this page.Keep clicking....

Flickering

I do this everyday,and I watch the most impressive pictures of the last 7 days on flickr.

Sundays are no longer boring....

The Ghostly Images

2007-08-20T23:59:00.000+05:30

I am feeling very very lucky,coz my sister owns a cool Nikon Coolpix S5.Although it is a definite point and shoot,but for inquisitive ppl like me who will learn all the neat stuff that the cam does, all that my sister finds it hard to comprehend,it is kinda a lot of, genuine fun.
If you dont belive me check out my album at flickr.com/excerptsfromlife and you will find two ghostly images of my mom and my neice,and this has come as a surprise to me that I could actually do this.
If you are reading this and you happen to stay any where close to the Queens Necklace in Mumbai,please call me..I will give you all the rights to any photo that I click there.

The cam has got what not.The list is endless. A macro function that is terribly good and timelapse..waah...you have to do nothing the cam just goes on with its work.
I am saving a huge sum of money to buy a digital SLR which will gimme a lot more freedom.I wish the OpenMoko had a neat cam in it.I would have definitely brought the phone right away..
If no one would be looking,then I might pick up the screwdriver and then open up the Nikon coolpix,but then the stakes are a kick on the most undesired place and a lifetime celibacy from things that are cool as the Nikon.As for now I am very happy.

And I am genuinely happy that some one else too is interested in photography and this makes me happier than ever...We share atleast something in common.

A Good Time To Invest.

2007-08-12T15:52:00.000+05:30

If you are not a party animal and don't spend a handsome amount of money like my friend Bhavik,then here is a time to grow it.The Markets here in India are going through a low phase that has its roots in the Subprime Lending back in the US.
For a quick low-down on this, refer toWikipedia,and you will find that it has also started back here in India.Dont you remember those errant random calls from banks which are as varied a loan to buy a puppy!
The point is that if you are sitting on a large pile of cash as I do,then it would be wise to atleast start investing some in the Stock Market.Buy small and buy when the market is bearish.Buy for the long term...
I had an itch to write this blog coz of two reasons.Firstly I havent written one in past couple of weeks and secondly I have brought some stocks ..again...Still waiting for the market to fall,so that will buy more and enhance my Rupee Cost Averaging.
It is not sure when the market will again climb the celebrated levels it was 3 weeks ago,when the folks at TV18 went nuts,but I am planning to hold for atleast a year or so.

Although I do not understand the market well as yet, but backed by some good people's advice whom I belive, this is a bet I would hardly repent for.

In Middle of a Social Experiment

2007-07-11T23:13:00.000+05:30

I dont know where it is heading...
I started a social experiment a few months ago.October 2006 to be precise.
It involved understanding of Grapevines
The reason I did this is that I am throughly fascinated by "Grapevines".The way they can circulate important information withing a group of people with very native tools like speech(although today speech is augmented by wireless phone networks but that is another story )
The point is that I was trying to assess how fast a piece of information flows from person to person.There was no genre of messages that I employed,but it normally included information pertaining to money for most of the time.And sometimes about certain tech stuff that I did.
(A note of advice if you are reading this that it is entirely possible that you have been a part of it.)

The results are so confusing and voluminous that now I am employing techniques that are normally employed in statistics.

More about this in later posts...The point is that this blog is not about how I did the project,It is about me just informing you that,If this experiment turns up to be good and I tend to earn money from this,you will definitely be a shareholder in that..And the share not only is in money but in all recognition that I have from this..And if I have hurt your sensibilities then I am extremely sorry.

A Friend's Meet

2007-06-11T00:43:00.000+05:30

Long lost friends met today....
The list includes nine pals.. Me,Poonam,Kennedy,Nirali,Jugal,Viral(Sans Guru),Tanna and Tanmay and last but not the least,Jinesh...(congrats on that first ranker dude).Also was Tushar but dint join us for the dinner... All the best for your studies ahead.
Had a lot of fun,so much laugh over things that make us laugh everytime we remember them..(Well we havent had bad times that we cry remembering them)
Changes that I found after long time...
Poonam seems to have lost weight but she denied it...
Jugal has had his hair long and we donated him money to visit the barber....
Kennedy has become someone who now thinks before he leaps..but yes sometimes he does leap without a thought...
Nirali is gonna leave this Tuesday..so was an occasion to bade her farewell...
Viral and Tanmay sporting the Infinitech T-Shirt...Looked cool..way to go guys...
Tanna still maintains his magic at pakaving people...and so do I
I had never been to this place in Mumbai called Hiranandani...Nice place I must say...Gives you the feel of a small hamlet somewhere in France. (Nice place if you wanna spend time roaming aimlessly with your timepass...)
As ever Viral was the Bakra today,and Jugal has been registered as a new one today..
Gaming at Hakone was fun,and I enjoyed all of us sitting and racing cars next to each other, too good...But above all this meet has filled energies that are gonna last for the next coming weeks when talking on the phone is our only way to connect...Lets plan something early guys..How about every weekend?
Let me know guys..dying to meet you again
And Bhakti,I dont wanna listen to your rut next time,you are gonna join us next time when we summon you...Dont do a GTS next time...

My Graveyard Shift

2007-05-29T02:49:00.000+05:30

It is fun to work here at night.
Firstly you are only this one person on the entire floor,you can play the music u like, and no one to ask what u doin.Best of all the canteen here is working and you can ask for either Maggi or a sandwich.Too Good.....
I kinda like this and hope to continue ,but I fear my body might give way.
Secondly when I return home in the morning,the sleep is so deep that it is next to being unconsicous,and I just love sleeping that kinda way.
The most important is that i find time to study for my CAT.
Lets keep fingers crossed that it works out fine.

This saturday was fulfilling

2007-05-13T00:01:00.000+05:30

Firstly got to meet Sree.After a long time.And what he brought with him was ever more exciting...
He brought the Simputer...which happens to be a mobile Linux platform with a lot of things that can be done on it,and also had a look at Ubuntu and seriously wondering why ppl are not moving to such an operating system..I mean it totally rocks!!
Since the simputer runs Linux,I was in awe at what he brought.Also it was a new Sree that I met,and was fairly unrecognizable at first glance!(Well I was not the only one by the way)
And actually a meet with Sree made me realise how less i knew about myself and how good he is at seeing beyond the obvious..

Hopped to Lamington, had the chance to meet Bhakti..But she was sleeping when I was leavin.
The fun part was that she called up a little later when I was back home and the devil in me could not wait to trick her.Well she had a good time loitering around the place as she followed directions around which I told her,and she fell for it,believing that I was back there.
The fun part was her banging the phone down when she realised.hehehe
Last but not the least,I could catch up with my CAT studies which happen to be lagging far behind and giving me a conscious feeling that something's wrong..

I would be able to sleep peacefully this saturday.

Those College Days

2007-04-22T23:28:00.000+05:30

राह देखी थी इस दिन कि कबसे
आगे के सपने सजा रखे थे नजाने कबसे।

उतावले थे यहाँ से जाने को
जिन्दगी का अगला पड़ाव पाने कों।

पर ना जाने क्यों... दिल में आज कुछ और आता है
वक़्त कों रोकने का जीं चाहता है।

जिन बातों को लेकर रोते थे

आज उन्ही बातों पे हसी आती है

नजाने क्यों आज उन पलों की याद बहुत आती है।

कहा करता था... बड़ी मुश्किल से चार साल सह गया
पर आज क्यों लगता है के पीछे कुछ रह गया।

कही अनकही हज़ारों बातें रह गयी

ना भूलने वाली हज़ारों बातें रह गयी।

मेरी टांग अब कौन खींचा करेगा

मेरा सिर खाने कौन मेरा पीछा करेगा।

जहाँ २ हज़ार का हिसाब नही वहाँ २ रुपैय के लिए कौन लादेगा

कौन रात भर साथ जागकर पढेगा।

कौन मेरी गाड़ी मुझसे पूछे बिना ले जायेगा

कौन मेरे नए नए नाम बनेयेगा।

मैं अब बिना मतलब किस्से लादून्गा

बिना टोपिक के किस्से फालतू बातें करुंगा।

कौन फेल होने पर दिलासा दिलाएगा

कौन ज्यादा नंबर आने पर गलियाँ सुनायेगा।

ऐसे दोस्त कहाँ मिलेंगे

जो खाई में भी धक्का दे दें

फिर तुम्हे बचने खुद भी कूद पडें।

मेरे गानों से परेशान कौन होगा

कभी मुझे किस्सी लडकी से बातें करते देख परेशान कौन होगा।

कौन कहेगा साले तेरे जोके पे हसी नही आई

पीछे से बुलाकर कौन कहेगा... आगे देख भाई।

सिनेमा मैं किसके साथ देखूँगा

किसके साथ बोरिंग लेक्त्र्स झेलून्गा।

मेरे फर्जी सर्तिफिकातेस कों रद्दी कौन कहेगा

सही राइ देने की हिम्मत कौन करेगा।

स्टेज पर किसके साथ जाऊंगा

जूनियर्स कों फ़ालतू लेक्त्र्स कैसे सुनाऊंगा।

अचानक किसी कों देखकर पागलों की तरह हँसना

नजाने यह सब फिर कब होगा कह दो दोस्तो यह सब होगा।

दोस्तो के लिए प्रोफेस्सोर से लड़ पाएंगे क्या

हम यह फिर कर पाएंगे क्या?

राते के २ बजे पोहे खाने कौन जायेगा

तेज़ गाड़ी चलाने की शर्त कौन लगायेगा?

कौन मुझे मेरी क़ाबलियत पर भरोसा दिलाय्गा

और ज़्यादा हवा में उड़ने पर ज़मीन पर कौन लायेगा।

मेरी ख़ुशी मैं ज़्यादा खुश कौन होगा

मेरे गम में मुझसे ज़्यादा दुःखी कौन होगा।

मेरी यह कविता कौन पडेगा

कौन इसे सच में समझेगा.
बहुत कुछ लिखना बाक़ी है

कुछ साथ शायद बाक़ी है।

बस एक बात से दर लगता है दोस्तो

कही अजनबी ना बन जाये दोस्तो।

जिन्दगी के रंगों में दोस्ती का रंग फीका ना पद जाये दोस्तो

ऐसा ना हो के दुसरे रिश्तों के भीड़ में दोस्ती दम ना तोड़ जाये ।

जिन्दगी में मिलने की फरियाद करते रहना

अगर ना मिल पाये तो याद करते रहना।

चाहे जितना हस्लो आज मुझ पर,में बुरा नही मानूंगा

तुम्हारी इस हसी कों दिल मे छुपा लूँगा।

और जब याद तुम्हारी आएगी तब इसी कों याद करके हस लूँगा।

Companions in the Train

2007-04-21T20:58:00.000+05:30

'The World Is Flat' - Thomas Friedman
A book that I think has been the one that I like the most from my entire reading history.
Partly of the fact that it has a factual punch to it,and the author's style appeals to me.
I kinda like books that illustrate facts with numbers and this book is just about that.
The idea of the author revolves around political and technological changes in the 1990's that have sculpted the world that we know today.A must read for a beginner in current affairs,as this one cuts through all jargon.
on a scale of 1-5 I would rate it 4.

'Word Power Made Easy'-Norman Lewis
Why the hell didn't I refer to this book before makes me wonder, although me being an impulsive book buyer,could not spot this gem before my eyes.
In the sense that this book as anybody would say would improve vocabulary in English very easily,and I would recommend it to any and all.
On the same scale this one scores a 4.5

Longing For Weekends-I want to go back to college

2007-04-21T20:17:00.000+05:30

Hey, I have to admit it
Back in college it was fun, and serious fun?(does that make sense,anyways you get the point right). I used to long for a Monday,after the friday when returning to college made me feel good.
But here in my job I am longing for a weekend and I pull myself out of bed to go to work every weekday.

I do like the work,nothing is the matter with it,but its this strange feeling when a Monday arrives.

Anyways if you are reading it and still in college,its an advice from my side,enjoy your life in college coz these days are never gonna come back.

I want to go back to college.

My friend Manjul Rightly Says-Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your life!

Hey People!!

2007-04-21T20:06:00.000+05:30

I start posting today and will start with the quote that to this day is inherent in anything i do..

"It is not always that the best man wins,
But soooner or
later he who wins
is he who thinks he can"

I remember the day,back in a job interview, when the interviewer asked me
"Then what about women?".I have no answer till date.