3 Idiots are coming this Dec

This December Vidhu Vinod Chopra is coming up with 3 Idiots. Three Idiots has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani, with Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani in lead roles. It is scheduled to be released on December 25, 2009. This is the most anticipated Bollywood films of the year 2009. The film is based on a famous novel, Five Point Someone written by Indian writer Chetan Bhagat. However, Chetan Bhagat has said that he was not involved in the scriptwriting of this movie. 3 Idiots is likely to be a big Christmas Gift to all Bollywood fans. I am also eagerly waiting for the release of the film. 

3 Idiots Synopsis 

"Two friends (Madhavan and Sharman Joshi) embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control. As they make their way through the perilous landscape, another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend – the irrepressible free thinker Rancho (Aamir Khan), who in his unique way, touched and changed their lives. It’s a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho’s romance with the spirited Pia (Kareena Kapoor), and his clash with an oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe (Boman Irani). And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes….

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave?
The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them three idiots. Where is the original idiot now?
Finally in misty mountains of unparalleled beauty, the friends find the key to the secret.

Three Idiots is a comedy of ideas that is as provocative as funny, as wildly entertaining as insightful. A laugh-riot that talks about the most important of human pursuits: self-actualization.

Crorepati By Chance

I am writing a very interesting instance of becoming a crorepati of a ordinary businessman but only for few hours on Dhanteras day. People says it was the blessings of Goddess Laxmi  on him. What is your view please comments on the following story.
On Dhanteras, Jugalkishore Jangid, 32, a carpenter who belongs to Devan village near Jaipur but has been living in Ahmedabad for the last 13 years,  had a date with destiny. When early on Thursday, October 15, 2009 he went to  the Punjab National Bank (PNB) ATM near New Cloth Market to withdraw cash and pay his workers for Diwali , he was surprised to find that he had suddenly turned  into a ‘crorepati’. He got a balance slip from the ATM showing that his balance  in his bank account had jumped from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 59.30 crore by the grace of  Goddess Laxmi and he had no idea about the source of the extra cash. Initially, he  thought it was a mistake and went to another ATM, but the balance did not change. He was so baffled, he did not have the courage to withdraw Rs 20,000 to pay his workers.
He promptly contacted PNB authorities. Bank authorities approached the headquarters in Delhi,  where it was confirmed that a technical error in the ATM server had caused the huge amount  being transferred to Jangid’s account. He said since the ATM and bank account servers are different, the money was not credited in the account despite the ATM showing the colossal transfer.

The bank acknowledges the uprightness of the customer as he refrained from operating the  account. The bank and Gujarat Chamber of Commerce is going to felicitate him in a public function.

Raj Thackeray

Raj Thackeray was born on June 14, 1968 into a Marathi Kayastha (CKP) family and was named Swarraj Thackeray at birth. His father, Shrikant Thackeray was the younger brother of Shivsena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, and his mother, Kunda Thackeray is the younger sister of Balasaheb Thackeray's wife Meena Thackeray. Raj's father Shrikant Thackeray was a musician, cartoonist and was well versed in several languages including Urdu. He was also keenly interested in movie making and made a couple of Marathi films. Raj is married to Sharmila, daughter of the famous Marathi actor, producer and director Mohan Wagh. They have a son named Amit and a daughter, Urvashi.Raj Thackeray was schooled at Bal Mohan Vidya Mandir School in the Central Mumbai suburb of Dadar, and graduated from the prestigious Sir J.J College of Art.

Like his father and uncle, Raj is a gifted painter and a cartoonist. When asked what he would have done had he not joined politics Raj Thackeray said: "In my college days, I wanted to work with Walt Disney Studios. I drew cartoons even before my foray in politics. Film making is also a passion. I would have been doing either of these things.

Like his cousin Uddhav Thackeray Raj is also an avid Photographer. He has published a photo-biography on his uncle titled 'Bal Keshav Thackeray' - a photo-biography.

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group. Referred to as the "King of Pop" in subsequent years, five of his solo studio albums have become some of the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995). In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in popular music and the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV. The popularity of his music videos airing on MTV, such as "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and Thriller - credited for transforming the music video into an art form and a promotional tool - helped bring the relatively new channel to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made Jackson an enduring staple on MTV in the 1990s. With stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced hip hop, pop and contemporary R&B artists. Jackson donated and raised millions of dollars for beneficial causes through his foundation, charity singles and support of 39 charities. Other aspects of his personal life, including his changing appearance and behavior, generated significant controversy, damaging his public image. Though he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, the criminal investigation was closed due to lack of evidence and Jackson was not charged. The singer has experienced health concerns since the early 1990s and conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances since the late 1990s. Jackson married twice and fathered three children, all of which caused further controversy. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges. One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records - including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" - 13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career - more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era - and the sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, has made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades. After being taken to the hospital in a coma, Jackson was pronounced dead on June 25, 2009.

Disclaimer

1)The information on this blog is not published for any commercial purpose. I am not making any money from this blog.

2) The information on various subjects may be by no means comprehensive. The articles on health are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do seek the advice of your doctor if you suspect that you have a medical condition.

3) I do not have any affinity for any political party or political person.

4) On my front page there may be external links to blogs/websites I read. This does not mean that I subscribe to their views or I agree with them.

5) Any material taken from other source or website is for reference only. If anyone has any objection to their work being referenced, please write to me to ask to withdraw the reference.

6) Sometimes images have been gathered from the internet, from free sites, friends, users etc. and are believed to be in the "public domain". If you are the right-full owner of any material and want it removed please mail me at prabodh.pavaskar@gmail.com and I will remove it immediately on demand.

Pictures of old Chennai(1890)

How nice it would be to zip around on your expensive bike or in your Mercedes car if Chennai continued to be like above.

Barack Obama's new family member

US President Barack Obama says he is eagerly awaiting to host Manmohan Singh for the first State Visit next month and that he considers India and the Prime Minister as “part of his family”.
As White House gears up to host Singh on November 24, Obama told eminent Indian-American leader Sant Chatwal that he considers India and the Prime Minister “as part of his family”.

“This is the reason why I decided to invite Manmohan Singh, who I admire a lot, on the first State Visit of my presidency on the Thanks Giving Day,” Obama was quoted as saying by Chatwal, who met the President along with Senator Christopher Dodd, Democratic Co-Chairman of Senate India Caucus.

“He told me that he considers India and Singh as part of his family. This is something, which we are very proud to hear from him,” Chatwal said.

“The President is eagerly looking forward to hosting the Prime Minister at the White House (on November 24). He (Obama) told me that he is looking forward to building a great relationship with India. He told me that this is not just the First State Dinner, it is a family dinner,” he said.

Finally Windows 7 is here!

Finally Windows 7, new operating system from Microsoft arrived in international market. If you have been holding off buying a new computer, then Windows 7, the latest operating system from Microsoft, will give you a good excuse to buy one. Windows 7 is largely believed to be better than Microsoft's previous OS Windows Vista and Windows XP. But is it really all that?
First impressions:- It has completely new design and swanky features and we have to admit that it's more stable and did not crash out even once. It takes a little over 30 minutes to install on the PC where as Windows Vista takes over 1hour. Windows 7's minimum hardware requirements are roughly similar to those of Vista Home Basics -- both require a 1 GHz processor and 15GB of hard-drive space, although Windows 7 demands a minimum of 1GB memory, while Vista Home Basics needs 512MB memory.
Why is it better than Windows Vista:- Unlike Vista, the re-designed user interface of Windows 7 gives the user intuitive shortcuts like ability to maximize a window by dragging it to the top of the screen, minimize it by dragging it to the bottom, maximize to half the screen by dragging it to either edge, or (our favorite) minimizing all opened windows by shaking the one you want to focus on. The taskbar, in addition to showing the applications being used by the user, also hosts shortcuts to the most commonly used applications (say Word or Media Player). When the mouse pointer is moved over the taskbar shortcuts, the user can preview the application. Windows 7 delivers a completely revamped user interface and some brand-new features designed to make organising and sharing your files easier. Simply put, the user gets much more than new wallpaper and a different colour taskbar.
What you pay and what you get:-

• Windows 7 Starter (via OEM only): Up to three concurrent applications, ability to join a Home Group, improved taskbar and JumpLists.
• Windows 7 Home Basic: For Rs 5,899, users get unlimited applications, live thumbnail previews that enhance visual experience and advanced networking support.
• Windows 7 Home Premium: For Rs 6,799, you get Aero Glass and advanced windows navigation, improved media format support, enhanced Windows Media Centre and media streaming, and also multi-touch and improved handwriting recognition.
• Windows 7 Professional: For Rs 11,199, users can join a managed network with the Domain Join feature, protect data with advanced network backup and encrypting file system and print to the right printer at home or facilitate intuitive printing with Location Aware Printing option.
• Windows 7 Ultimate (worldwide): For Rs 11,799, it is meant for advanced users who want to protect data using the BitLocker feature on internal and external drives, deploy Direct Access for seamless connectivity over corporate networks based on Windows Server 2008 R2.

So Guys are you ready to use Windows 7 on your PC?

The future of 50-50 cricket

The reinvention of one-day cricket has been a hot topic of discussion over the past few months. The growth of Twenty20 cricket has raised serious questions over the future of the 50-over game. Though it is still remained the two main ICC tournaments, some boards have already shortened their domestic format. Suggestions for change have been plenty and even the ICC is thinking about tweaking the format. Recently the Australian captain, has joined the debate by calling for a points system to give the format "significant meaning". Speaking ahead of Australia's departure for India for a seven-match ODI series, Ponting gave the example of the 6-1 win over England recently as proof that dead rubbers hurt the game.
The England cricket board plans to hosting day-night tests if approved by ICC. Graeme Smith and Kumar Sangakkara felt the ICC Champions Trophy would be crucial in directing the future of the ODI as a viable format in international cricket. The ICC is considering a trial, splitting of one-day matches into two innings of 25 overs for each team, a proposal Sachin Tendulkar had suggested earlier.

Desi Orkut Fever

I am addicted to net surfing for last 10 years or so. Two years back somehow I got invitation from my friend to join Orkut. Initially I joined it just to find my old school friends but slowly I start using Orkut regularly. I am sure you've been invited by someone to Orkut, and if you have not yet, believe me, it's going to happen soon!

After being launched quietly in late January 2004, orkut managed to rack up over 2 million members in about 10 months. I don’t have info on latest statistics but from what I see and conclude the membership has gone into orbit!

Here are some characteristics that I found at majority of the desi Orkut profiles (note: - you would understand and relate to the following stuff much better if you have been to Orkut before)

• Profile Status: - You have to tell about your status in your profile name. For instance, I am on vacation so my profile name becomes “Prabodh-in-Goa” or if you got placed at Infosys your profile name becomes “Got-job@Infy....Yippeeee” Luckily, I never saw a profile with “I-went-to-loooooooooooooo”.

• Photo Album:- Your photo album has to have a minimum of 6 pictures:- one depicting your graduation so that people know you are educated; one showing you in western clothes at a dance bar or pub (which shows the western side of you, the “modern” you); one with you wearing traditional clothes at some temple you visited so that people know you still have some of Indian-ness somewhere inside you, one with a large group of the same gender (which shows that you are extrovert and get along with people really well), one with somebody of the opposite gender (so that people get an impression that you are.. you know.. straight), and last but not the least the one with Firang around you (which certifies that you are indeed in USA). If you don’t believe me, check any random desi profile, and let me know.

• By mistake, Orkut has a section asking you about your favorite movies, or how your perfect date should be… and people keep going on and on till their keyboards break down or Orkut’s servers crash.

• There are more communities on Orkut than the number of trees all over the earth. There are diverse communities ranging from “I love Kareena Kapoor ” to “I hate Ekta Kapoor”, from “Pappu pass ho gaya ” (its there.. true) to “Kokanastha Brahmins with 4 eyes, curly hair and a Master’s degree staying at Sinhagad Road”. You name it, they have it. Ok, the last one was made up. But hey, I could create one!

• Scrapbook: Graham Bell would have committed suicide if he was alive today. People communicate via a scrapbook mechanism instead of using phone, IM or E-mail. Somebody calls me and says, “dude, I left a scrapbook entry but you didn’t respond?”. If you are curious as to how I reacted, please send me a scrap @ Orkut.

• Orkut has another section where they ask you about your my ideal match. I was laughing at after reading one profile which says: Decent looking (I mean presentable) woman. It would be nice if she is a little funny. She needn’t be extremely polite and respectful. Just that she should love ONLY ME.

On a serious note, the things I mentioned above are true. I have been noticing the influence of online (virtual) life over the real life (in a social context). It is interesting. Any thoughts?

With member profiles that range from the cool ones to the socially awkward; to the grammatically impaired; to the overtly religious to ones who can’t talk about anything but their genitals.

Although, I do think a large number is just out there to find friends and maintain existing relationships in virtuality. Yet there’s something addictive about it. An urge to know if you have been “scrapped” or your profile been viewed. An urge to seek connection. An urge to be accepted.

The virtual world does have a fantastic appeal. We are interested in updating our profiles with every mood swing, every betrayed emotion and every change in our life.
And there are many that prefer the online interaction to the normal physical interaction in the real world. The potential of this virtual world is just that it can boost you confidence to a great extend. You can’t kiss someone you like but there is so much you can do within the virtual boundaries!
This is why I feel that while these online sites transcend time and geographical boundaries, they seem to tie us down to computer terminals. Our leisure activities now include staring into our computer screens, instead of the old-fashioned hanging out with people in the offline world.
With the hundreds of online friends that we boast of, how many do we go to when we are sick or stressed? With whom do we share our joys and sorrows? Isn’t that what friendship is all about?
In the name of social networking... are we just drifting apart?

The Earning secrets of Firefox

Those who are using internet frequently will agree with me that Firefox is one of must popular internet browser on internet. The most important thing is it's free and open source application i.e one can customize it as per their need and requirement. Have you ever thought how they earn money or How they spend that much time and invest that much money on development of such a free software.Mozilla co-operation is the company behind the Firefox web browser, Mozilla co-operation was started as Non-profit company, but now its no more in that category. They are earning $40,000,000 per year. Wow!that's awesome. But Howoooooo??
With every Firefox web browser, we got the search engine toolbar with Google as default search engine for that bar. Here starts the earning secret. Google pays huge amount to Firefox for making the default search engine in that bar and for making the home page as Google.com i.e. "Firefox start page" which have Google bar. This deal with Google, helps Firefox to earn there 80% of total earnings.
This agreement with Google will end in November of 2011 so they have plenty of money to continue the development of new and advanced version of Firefox.
Firefox also sells t-shirts, and such other accessories with high price tag at there Firefox Store and people buy them because it feels great to have official clothing and accessories from such big brands. People also donate for there development work, donation also plays an important role in earning money. They also got millions of hits to there site per day, so there must be some sort of earning strategy there too. but I don't have any idea about it.
This is how the Firefox earns money and gives us the best web browser.

Review: Blue

Blue is the most awaited movie of the year. Blue, directed by debutante Anthony D Souza, sets a new benchmark in Hindi film-making. It boasts of some stunning underwater photography and It has some scintillating action sequences both on the ground and underwater, superbly shot.

This film is an example how even with Rs 100 crore -- the reported budget -- worth of eye-popping gimmicks and stunts, you can make thriller that ends up being hilarious. And that's largely because of the ridiculous plot, the inane dialogues and plain bad direction.

Akshay plays a rich man in the Bahamas who loves his women and the good life. He befriends Sanjay Dutt, a fisherman/diver who lives in a sprawling designer bungalow and flaunts a glamorous wife (Lara Dutta). There are vague references to Dutt's dark memories about a sunken ship. Meanwhile, Dutt's brother Zayed Khan gets arm-twisted by some goons in Bangkok so he lands up in the Bahama's, leaving his girl (Katrina Kaif behind. The characters live in a world of item numbers and yachts with bikes and jacuzzis on them. And Lara Dutta frolics in the sea looking like male fantasy personified, before she is kidnapped by Bangkok baddie (Rahul Dev) out for revenge. Eventually, they all need money to get Lara back. And Akshay convinces the motley crew to go hunt for treasure in the sunken ship from Dutt's dark memory.

The plot is supposed to be full of clever twists and turns, but is nothing but preposterous. It is meant to be a razor-sharp adrenaline inducer, but throughout the nearly two-hour film you get the feeling as if you are watching an extended music video with snatches of National Geographic footage.

Almost all of the first half, the director takes you through sunny Bahamas and neon-lit Bangkok, and tries to establish a relationship of sorts between the lead characters.

The much-touted treasure hunt, which was allegedly at the heart of this film, comes and goes before you can say 'Blue'. When it does appear at the tail-end, it reveals the kind of jewellery you'd seen on TV during the days of Mahabharat.

The actors must have expended all their energies in the underwater sequences. They look exhausted and uninvolved delivering their dialogues.

Akshay Kumar wears some cool suits (designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed) and sports a grey goatee. That's all. Sanjay Dutt -- who wears sunglasses the first thing when gunmen attack his house -- looks flabby and flabbergasted, and seems unsure of what to do with the sizzling Lara on his arms.

Zayed Khan gets to ride some hot Ducatti motorbikes and exchange very strange, stilted dialogues with Katrina Kaif ("special appearance"). And finally pop star Kylie Minogue makes an appearance, shaking her booty to the weakest song of the soundtrack.

The film has some cool songs, but a disappointingly weak. Maybe with the right kind of background music things would have looked up. Blue was supposed to be a thriller. But if you made Captain Haddock of Tintin fame watch it, I am sure he would exclaim: Blue blistering barnacles!

Think before you swipe your credit card

Now a days credit card become the most convenient way of shopping for all of us, specially during the festive season like Diwali, but there are a few things you should know before you actually use it.

1) I would say always read terms and conditions before using a credit card because once you use it is assumed that you have accepted the same.

2) A credit card is usually issued for two years and the annual fee is waived off only for the first year. The second year fee is usually charged and if you do not wish to pay this fee, you should cancel the card before using it in the second year because using it indicates that you have agreed to paying the second year's subscription.

3) " Lifetime free credit cards' is a new trend in the industry and before opting for one you should check with the bank if all annual fees are indeed being waived off or not.

4) Always try and pay the entire amount outstanding to the extent possible because all unpaid amounts carry a hefty interest and turns out to be very expensive if you decide to roll your credit.

5) Whenever you make a large purchase on your credit card you will be given an option to pay by EMI (equated monthly installments). It is recommended that you pay the entire amount at the extent possible and avoid the EMI route as it is prohibitively expensive.

6) Never choose a credit card for its insurance cover but for its core offering, that is, more than 50 days of interest free credit if you use it smartly.

7) Avoid borrowing cash on credit card as it turns out to be very expensive because of the interest amount charged. Different banks levy different interest rates on cash borrowed on your credit card. Please ask your credit card issuing bank or company about the interest charged on such transactions.