Aseem’s Blog
Leap over the bounds…
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Welcome changes on Orkut.com |
Its been a long journey for Orkut and orkuters. Orkut has grown to be a popular networking service worldwide with about 12.95% of its users in India in the last 3 years of its net presence.
Google has constantly strived to maintain and augment the quality and value of Orkut, often integrating it with some other services in its pack.
Google has already integrated Google Talk into Orkut. Often when you login, a list of friends online on GTalk appears in the sidebar. It wont take time for Google Talk to be the most popular chat client with this addon. The only glitch in it is, you cannot integrate your Google Talk id into it until you have configured it with orkut.com. You have to register a new one. :(
Also while visiting profiles, showing mutual friends list was a welcome change. Replying back instantly to any scrap without visiting the scrapbook of the person who scrapped you saves so much time. Earlier while scrapping back one would tend to follow scraps to newer profiles. Ok now saves a lot of time! :lol:
While the above features have been around for quite some time now, Google is integrating new and interesting features into Orkut.
NEW FEATURES:
Google Video/Youtube: You can now add your favourite videos from Youtube or Google Video (both services owned by Google) into your orkut profile. As India is becoming broadband ready, this add-on will certainly pick up fast amongst the Indian Orkut users.
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Review: Aapkavideo.com – A desi video sharing service |
This is a paid review of the product: www.aapkavideo.com
Now does that mean I have been paid to write nice and sweet lines about Aapka Video??? Certainly Not! This is completely an unbiased review and only reflects my evaluation of this free online video sharing service. Keep reading to know of how I rate this service.
Aapkavideo.com is in its beta stage right now and been the talk of the Indian cyber space for about 2 months now. Log on to their website and the first thing that will please your eyes is the clean and simple interface. Simplicity does not pause here. Right from creating an account to uploading videos you don’t have too many things to bother about. However when I tried to view the videos in Firefox, they just refused to play. So I had to use IE. Guess, this should be fixed once the site is out of its beta period.
So isn’t this just a desi version of Youtube? Hmm… YouTube has been insanely successful, and I don’t see a reason why something as remarkable as Aapka Video should not. Infact this is one of the best Indian Video Sharing Services I have seen around. A prominent feature on the site is their “Specials” - a series of videos related to a hot topic in news, sports or bollywood, is certainly a unique idea. Infact, the very next moment when Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 100 against West Indies, his 41st century in ODIs, Aapka Video was quickly up with a special on his most prized hundreds.
However their USP is a quality collection of the latest desi videos. All videos that matter to India and Indians. Be it bollywood videos, hot stories that have hit the news, cricket, videos from the Indian television screen, and every content that is true to being Indian. In fact I could not resist myself clicking on every next video that popped up in their similar videos section.Users can not only share multiple videos with their near and dear ones but also upload their own videos in all types of video formats like .wmv, .mpeg, .mpg, .avi, .mpe, .mov, .movie, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, .qt, .mpv2, .mp2v, .mpe, .asf, .asx, .avi ,.wm, .wmx , .3gp , .mp4, .rm etc with filesize of upto 100MB. That’s what their tagline says “Director Ban Jao”.
One thing that impressed me was that the video streaming was really neat and fast. You can also view the videos in a larger size at the click of a button. While tags, category listings and search can be used to discover new interesting videos.
SUGGESTIONS:
- Videos on Aapkavideo.com can be marked as offensive if the content is inappropriate. Presently, this feature can be accessed even if you are not logged in. Just a suggestion to them, that this feature be available to only registered users.
- Also they should incorporate some rating system for the videos.
With broadband penetration in India pacing up, this service seems to be just bang on to be launched and grow bigtime. I have already got addicted to viewing videos on AapkaVideo.com. And now its your turn…
Rating: 4/5
Please visit Funny Commercials for many more interesting funny commercials, funny ads and funny videos.
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Bravo India! Bravo! |
What an innings! Marvelous batting performance from India today. Bravo to India and no Bravo to West Indies ;) (I dont think though that he would have changed the equation).
I skipped college for some work and a meeting while just didnt realise that the match today wsnt a Day and Nighter. Luckily happened to put my TV set on and saw India paving away to a 300+ score with a flashy batting performance. I postponed my meeting to afternoon.. something in me told that there were fire crackers right ahead in the innings. Missed Sourav Ganguly’s batting again…but his solid 68 certainly set the right mood today.
Everything was like in order for India. Every batsman chipped in with what was expected of him. Be it Robin Uthappa, Ganguly, Dravid(with a 78 runs knock), Sachin or Dhoni, nothing went wrong for India today, and I hope it never does… they have got a pretty much balanced batting line-up now. Just loved to see Dhoni rock the Windies bowling attack with his wristy sixers that helped India get an impressive 107 of the last 10 overs. But the most exciting part was Sachin’s thrilling 100(of 76 balls). He was on 89 and with the last 5 balls to go, if you were praying anything else than for his tonne, you must be kidding me!
Lets see howz the bowling performance from India. I hope Irfan Pathan is back in form today. Though the track is supposed to be flat and not much a help for the bowlers, you still dont have an excuse. Atleast the Windies dont when they have given away a whooping 341 to India. Supposed to be the highest score against the West Indies by any team till date.
Don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but India is certainly on the right track to being a contender for the forth coming world cup. Their batting is just BANG ON!
UPDATE: Yippee! India bowl out the Windies for 181 and clinch a 3-1 series win!
N.B.: This post has got kicking one of my older posts. If you too want to join the debate of who will take away the world cup (India or Australia)… click here: http://www.aseemn.org/posts/yellow-yellow-dirty-fellow/
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Sudden rise in patriotism |
Aug’06 - 17
Sep’06 - 25
Oct’06 - 34
Nov’06 - 52
Dec’06 - 36
Jan’07 - 123
Wondering what these figures are for? Hmm… These are the total number of searches containing the keyword “patriotism” searched in different search engines that led to my blog. The above given are the monthly search stats. All credit to the post REVIVING PATRIOTISM IN INDIA.
About 70% of the searches were for the search term “patriotism in india”, for which my blog post stands 2nd in Google. Ok guys me not on a boasting session here.
The interesting thing I noted was, that there was a mastodonic increase in the total number of searches in Jan…123!!! Anything rings for you? Yes… 26th of Jan! Most of the searches might have been by those who were to present a speech or an article observing the Republic Day. Hehe… I remember my school days when I used to net search on such topics to outscore over the other competitors, usually fellow speakers at elocution competitions.
But patriotism should come out of your own heart than through search results in Google. Having said this I am happy that I could convey my thoughts to a few more people. I hope that some politicians also have taken a few tips out of the post ;)
Today I had been to my college for the flag hoisting. Ironically my observation of an online spur in patriotism(lol!) dsnt really apply in this case. In a college strength of about 1400 students, I couldnt even count 25 of them :(. I can only hope that the rest did some good use of their time rather than catching some more sleep.
Anyways…
Wish you all a very Happy Republic Day!!!
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And justice meets them: Nithari accused beaten up by public and lawyers |
DISCLAIMER: I am not interested in getting into any debate over if such a thing should happen or not. Read this blog post only if you can forget the legal facts pronounced by your cerebral approach towards this issue and speak on terms of morality and emotions. Afterall, emotions should be weighted as much equally as decisions influenced by cerebral capabilities.
Those accused in the macabre rape and serial killings of children in Nithari, today tasted justice, not in the court but just outside the court. While Moninder Singh Pandher, along with co-accused Surendra Koli, were produced by the CBI at the court for extending their remand, the public ire and choler of the lawyers showed up. They were beaten up just outside the court. While many would like to argue that one shouldn’t take the law in their hands, there are little who would have not joined into the bashing if given a chance. As we know how the judiciary system in India is, who would wait for the next 10years to see these monsters meet terms, or may be they might manage scot free too.
CNN IBN reports:
Moninder, in his fifties, was punched, kicked and pulled by his hair by the enraged crowd, who wanted the duo to be handed over to the public. He fainted after he was beaten up.
To see the video, this is where you go: MONINDER BEING BEATEN UP BY AN ANGRY MOB
This is what the public gives you when you don’t think twice is getting into such a gruesome crime. These mongrels have no right to even breathe in our country where they have so brutally raped and killed the children of our motherland.
Today, there certainly was a security lapse on the part of the police, but as shown in a video on Aaj-Tak, Moninder was hit by a lone lawyer when surrounded by a team of police personnel. I am sure, if it wasn’t for the uniform they were wearing, the police would have joined in too. This beating comes after Moninder retracted from his confession and involvement in the killings. You can find a timeline of the events till now here: TIMELINE.
I am proud to see the Indian public take charge in such cases even if it may not be the way things should legally proceed. These scoundrels have lot more to taste. This is just been a case in the court premises. I invite them and all such criminals to a public square…if justice has to be seeked this way… let it be done so!
Jai Hind!
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K…K…K…KBC!!! |
A quiz, a quiz master, contestants, audience, lights, camera and action! Yet you know that something is terribly missing here. Yes very evidently the all-time superstar Amitabh Bachchan. With due credit to what Shah Rukh Khan is, you still can’t help compare The Shehenshah of bollywood and The Badshah of hearts. Though a sorry comparison to get into as both belong to a completely different class.
The show starts off with a somewhat brassy song “Ek sawaal ka hai sawaal” that looks completely out of place for the epitome of Kaun Banega Crorepati. And I was left wondering with probably millions of others with what the hell they have done to the show. Thankfully the same show, the same set, the same haunting sound effects, the same Prasoon Sarkar waiting for a year to complete his game and a little nervous Shah Rukh Khan. Nothing to take away from him, you cannot be perfect at the get set go. But somehow both KBC and SRK seem to have lost the key of the lock and now freezing the audience and the answers.
So what do you miss in Shah Rukh Khan’s version of KBC? You certainly miss the aura of The Big B, Amitabhji’s pure hindi, the grip he has over you, the so passionate and comforting voice he has to the little squeaky voice of Shah Rukh Khan. Still nothing to take away from Shah Rukh, he is known for his presence of mind, smart one liners, wits that can amuse you, which I kinda found missing through the show. His jokes so silly and pre-planned that I couldn’t honour them with a laugh. His excessively excited gestures and a high amplitude voice gives an overly showy feeling to match the class and archetype of the show. He wasnt hosting the show but acting there. Lol! But I am sure, as the show progresses we will see the real Shah Rukh, the King Khan yet once more ruling the hearts of millions.
For my likes, I miss the showman, Amitabh Bachchan, such a professional quiz master. Certainly there is no replacement for him. But if I have put you off from applying to get into the show, nevertheless there is a 2 crore prize money waiting to be claimed and a Shah Rukh Khan massaging you if you are too tensed up and giving you a comfy hug if you decide to quit.
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Unheard musings… |
Patto bin hava se poocho,
Udne ki umang thode hi teher jaati hai.
Dharti bin barish se poocho,
boondon ki taras thode hi khatm ho jaati hai.
Jaam bin sharab se poocho,
Jalti pyaas thode hi bujh jaati hai.
Hum bin tum se poocho,
tumhari yaad thode hi mit jaati hai!
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“Your absence cannot make a person forget you.”
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“Did you hear that?”
“What?”
“Nothing…”
And she walked away forever…
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Meri pulsar hi kyun? |
DATE: 18th Jan 07 (Again… me a lazy writer)
Pretty bad year for my pulsar 150. About a month back I had a fall and my beloved pulsar had to live with some cosmetic damages. It dsnt get better…..
Today morning I was in a run for time to meet up a friend and then proceed for a client meeting. Much to my liking, I was late. But in such situations I do rely a bit on my bike which helps me vroom.
I removed my bike out of the garage and wondered for a second of what was missing, only to realise that both my rear view mirrors were not there. Stolen! Ahhhrrrgggggghhhh!!! I didn’t have time to think over this theft. The next second I kick started. Another one… yet another… bah! What has happened to my bike???!!! The petrol showed zero, I had more than 2 litres for sure…WDF! But thought I shouldn’t waste time cursing the thief and get some petrol instead. So I went with my neighbour to the nearby petrol pump and got some. The fuel tank wasn’t all dry now. But then I realised that my fuel tank to carburetor pipe was ripped off. And the petrol started dripping. I checked for more… spark plug also ripped off! What a maniac thief! F**ked my bike like anything! Now do thiefs hate pulsars so much?
Later we realised that the Activa mirror was also stolen and petrol of my neighbour’s bike. What do these people get out of such lame robberies man! (I certainly don’t mean that they should go and loot a bank. Lolz!). My pulsar without the rear view mirrors looks so weird now… I better get it done. Oh you must be wondering how I am so cool about the thief. Here it is **********************************************!!!!
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A day off at Keri Beach |
Date: 17th Jan 07 (I am a lazy writer :))
The past one week I have been busy running around meeting clients, prospective clients and all the people who can do good to my business. But not got enough time to finish off the pending work. So I finally decided that today was the day that I would dedicate to some layouts that have remained pending for quite sometime now. Some pending right from before my sem exams also. But sometimes things just don’t work the way you would want them to.
We had a class picnic that was planned for today. I had every reason to say no, but not one that could convince my friends. I was lazing around in the bed till 9:30am and my friends called up to join in. Called me every 5mins… and almost dragged me out of bed. May be I am too polite to say no. But stay in Goa, and you probably can never say a NO to party, I couldn’t too.
So we had a few cars and bikes to leave for Arambol our picnic spot. Never been to that beach. Infact in spite of living in a party place like Goa, I have not even been to half the number of beaches here. Always thought that all the beaches were the very same…sun, sand and surf. But time and again was proved wrong. Over an hour and a half drive we reached near Arambol. We were just a few minutes away but couldn’t proceed further due to some fight at that place due to the ongoing Regional Plan debate here in Goa. So we changed our picnic spot. Off to Keri Beach…
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Is this our Indian Army? |
This is something that has hit me hard. Is this the same Indian Army that I always had so much respect for? In whom we entrust so much in guarding the nation? Once an aspirant for joining the defense forces I feel let down. I know I am being too critical about it by blaming the whole army for the few who have earned the bad name for the Indain army. But its certainly not expected of them. I can understand if it’s a case of an individual, but when many of them, time and again get involved in such unethical actions… you can’t help yourself take a serious note on it.
Yesterday, Aaj Tak have been airing this another shameful incident.
The Episode
A Kashmiri research student Shafqat Makdum, was traveling without the train ticket (dosn’t half of India travel that way?). He had contacted the TC and got a seat for himself. The TC assured him a seat and gave him a temporary one. On the TC not returning for long, the Kashmiri youth went in his search and accidentally entered into a compartment reserved only for the army.
The armymen present there caught him and instead of investigating (to their likes) they started ill treating him just because he was a Kashmiri muslim, alleging him of being a terrorist. They forced him to remove off all his clothes and spoke in a filthy lingo. Then they started to beat him mercilessly with his own belt. He was bleeding, crying for help and to stop so that he can prove he was not a terrorist. He collapsed and was unconscious many a times through out but that didn’t stop them. After this went on for nearly 2 hours and the bashing lasted right from Jhansi to Gwalior on train, they checked his luggage to finally realise that he was a research student only. With a fear that he will complain they made him sit in their compartment all night. The next day he reported the incident at the Aaj-Tak’s office.
How ridiculous it is to be beaten up so brutally just because you are a Kashmiri muslim and to add to it, by those who are supposed to protect your land and people!
A few days back, in another incident, 3 cars full of Army men ran amok after forcibly entering a police station in Kolkata. Vandalising the police station, beating up policemen just because two of their colleagues were locked up on charges of molestation and it was the Army’s right to do the proceedings. This is a completely horrifying incident where the wrong doers are in a way protected be them even army men! More info>>
I was speaking to one of my friends over this and he was of a belief that we should understand their mental state, the compromises that they have do in life, the frustration they suffer out of this and the hard life that comes their way. A couple of months back you might have heard in news suicides and killings by army men out of frustration. Here are a couple of the news stories:
Jawan kills colleagues, commits suicide
Ok I can try to understand but certainly not justify such actions. No way! If they cannot really handle the pressure let them not be into it. We can’t take this or anything for that matter as an excuse! Incidents like these will quite clearly have a disastrous impact on any confidence building measures initiated in Kashmir and also hamper the faith of millions of Indians in the Indian Army! If this is what Army men who are trained in institutions supposed to have the highest discliplinary order can do, I doubt what kind of learning system the rest of the Indians should adopt.
RANDOM POSTS
10/05/2006: Wow! www.aseemn.org now PR-5!01/10/2007: Is this our Indian Army?
04/11/2007: My Blog’s all new Avatar!
