What a boy!

Here’s the story of a 15 odd year old boy, Ravi, who has spent most of his life selling hand-fans in front of Hanging Gardens, Mumbai. Carrying on the family business (which is surely a tiny one), this boy hasn’t been to any school so far. The amazing thing about this boy is what he has demonstrated in the video (link below). He has learnt how to express his content about the fan and its cost in around 10-15 different international languages. And he got to learn by speaking with tourists! Apart from that, he speaks English (broken though) and explains the history and geography of the Hanging Gardens! And moreover he expresses his joy about people praising him and recognizing him as the boy whom they had seen on youtube!!

Interesting guy indeed! Here’s the video:

Additional Autos in Bangalore

Todays news read “Additional 7000 autos to be introduced on the roads”. Apparently, this is to tackle the problem of increasing number of commuters in Bangalore.

However, I seriously doubt the prospects this action has! A general trend I have observed is Autos are right now concentrated only in areas wherein they feel they get big money! And in other places, they least bother to even have a talk on destination. So, even though more autos are introduced, the situation would more or less remain the same! On the other hand, we can expect more of pollution, traffic and a lot more rash driving!!

Instead, the Government should work on bettering the Bus Infrastructure or bringing in Metros ASAP! God help Bangalore Commuters with the days to come!

Music Composer Pritam – Exposed!

Thanks to my friend Sanjay who forwarded me the links to the originals of almost all the songs that Bollywood Music Composer Pritam  has composed.

It came to me as one of great shocks after listening to the originals, exact ditto…. thats what I can say right now. Just wanted to share it amongst all so that we get to know more about this artistic composer. However, honestly, I would not like to critisize him for being a fraud in terms of copying compositions. Just think, we would have been left away from these wonderful tracks and melodies, if it was not for Pritam. So, for me, its thanks Pritam, since its his tracks that play mostly on my ipod!

Anyways, for the originals, here are the link:

Dhoom song DHoom Macchale copy of Jesse Cook’s ‘Mario takes a walk’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=e3iTfEF52kw
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CvhPvxmD3mI
Race Song Pehli Nazar copy of Chinese Kim Hyung Song Sarang Hae Yo
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8KoS3weBxAg
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ffp5h_FGEJY
Race Song Zara Zara Touch Me copy of Lee-Hom Wang’s ‘Zhu Lin Shen Chu’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wdTrPI3mumU
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kLU76W2qbPs&feature=related
Jab we met’s ‘Yeh ishq kya’ copy of Anggun’s Être Une Femme
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=T4poevqspsI
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TQyU6EqWh_o&feature=related
Jab We Met Aao milo chale copy Indonesian band, Peterpan’s ‘Di Belakangku’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EGXniVSfSZE
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7jpUic8hWD8&feature=related
Woh Lamhe ‘Kya mujhe pyaar hai’copy of Indonesian Band ‘Tak bisakah’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EZTqg1MgkTY
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2EoblYYvLsE&feature=related
Bhool Bulaiya Halla Hafiz copy of Amr Diab’s Awedony
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8Xi_xOmmsRY
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UtVerSkccgo&feature=related
Dhol Dil Liya copy of Dania Khatib’s 1999 hit, ‘Leiley’
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/Leiley-DaniaElKhateeb.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xBkp57nRE5A
Life in a Metro song Baatein kuch ankahee copy of Korean song, ‘Ah Reum Dah Oon Sa Ram’ by Seo Yu Seok!
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KCTGuhPcC4Y
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ura4grIiF90&feature=related
Bhool Bhulaiyya Hare ram hare ram copy of Bill Hailey’s Oriental Rock
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/OrientalRock-BillHaleyComets.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4lu3EorpiQ4
Life in a Metro song O Meri jaan copy of Queensryche’s Silent Lucidity and Amr Diab’s Ba’ed el Layali
Original 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-2ohGF0K4AI
Original 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=P2y_Vbev5zs
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=3g2ICCQNQ-w
Pyar ke side effects song Jaane kya copy of ‘Mahi’ by Hadiqa Kiyani
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=mokJJsRfP6Q
COPY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5fEHdP-5Dc
Woh Lamhe song Chal Chale copy of a 1965 track called ‘A World of our own’ by the band, The Seekers
Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9oaXzrsV3Q
COPY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeJ2tqPjnps
Dhoom Song DHOOM AGAIN copy of a song called ‘Dudu’ from Tarkan
Portions edited appropriately
Original:http://www.itwofs.com/audio/Dudu_ver2-Tarkan.rm
COPY: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/DhoomAgain-Dhoom2.rm
Speed song Tikki Tikki copy of Turkish pop superstar Tarkan’s 2003 hit, ‘Dudu’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KoJ34jPX3WM
COPY: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/TikhiTikhi-Speed.rm
Agnipankh song Janmabhoomi & Zindagi hai copy of Abrar-ul-haq’s ‘December
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/December-AbrarUlHaq.rm
COPY 1: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/Janmabhoomi-Agnipankh.rm
COPY 2: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/ZindagiHaiTo-Agnipankh.rm
Bhagam Bhag songs Signal & Afreen copy of Trinidadian Soca hit, ‘Signal for Lara’ by Superblue & Cheb Mami’s 2001 track, ‘Viens Habibi’
Original 1: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/SignalForLara-SuperBlue.rm
Original 2: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/ViensHabibi-ChebMami.rm
COPY 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=G31riHQjvDI
COPY 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=b-65fajmsC8
Life in a Metro In dino copy of Waqar Ali’s ‘Mera naam hai mohobbat’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=89wB3og_yXQ
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aQ52IJjbNg4
Raqueeb songs ‘Jaane kaise’ copy of Amr Diab’s 2003 track, ‘Allem albi’ and song ‘Channa ve channa’ copy of Pashto singer Rahim Shah.
Original 1:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NqoXaLHFTik&feature=related
Original 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=JplIDBi6wZE
Copy 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rjwMsYnEJ58
Copy2:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=33EJLt-NMDQ&feature=related
Kya Love Story Hai Song ‘Miss you everyday’ Lift of Lebanese singer Karina’s 2006 chartbuster ‘Alatoul’ ‘Jab se tum mile ho’ is a lift from Pakistani singer Hadiqa Kiyani’s 1996 number (album: Raaz), ‘Jab se tum milay ho’!
Original 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=snIA9iR0b-0
Original 2: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/JabSeTumMilay-Hadiqa.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FJ_w0HDh0N0
Kya Love Story Hain song ‘Deewana teri aankhon ka’ copy of Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Bebot’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gQAGh3JViyI
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Nr0ASdmHF40
Kya Love Story Hai song Gum sum hai dil mera copy of Thai song, ‘Oh la nor…my love’ by Bird Thungchai.
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tJjrJIh8c8k
COPY: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/GumSumHaiDil-KLSH.rm
Ankahee song Aa paas aa copy of Ottmar Liebert’s ‘Starry nite (March of Kings)
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/StarryNite-OttmarLiebert.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KbsUBqQxygY
Apna sapna money money song Dil mein baji guitar copy of song, ‘Sheloha shela’ by the Middle Eastern group, Miami Band
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/ShelohaShela-MiamiBand.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=pCPA80elJlY
Woh Lamhe song ‘Tu Jo nahi’ copy of ‘Tu Jo Nahi SB John
Original:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=HWoKJMnMRSQ&feature=related
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=br_RJ0-rlbY
Bas ek Pal song ‘Hai ishq’ copy of Yuri Mrakadi’s ‘Arabiyon Ana’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=c8gt6agxYN0
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qoHtiN4rWJo
Pyaar Ke Side Effects song ‘Is this love’ copy of Paul Anka’s 1969 track ‘A-mi-manera’
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/A-mi-manera_MyWay.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CGzMwPzc1VY
Ankahee Title song copy of Boney M’s 1984 track, ‘Somewhere in the world’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=68hPjUoAk4E
COPY:http://www.itwofs.com/audio/Ankahee-TitleSong.rm
Gangster
Song ‘Ya ali‘ copy of Arabic band Guitara’s ‘Ya ghaly’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZJi50826cu4
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dpl9o_0Dtb4&feature=related
SOng ‘Lamha lamha’ lifted form Waris Baig’s 1998 track, ‘Kal shab dekha maine’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0wfe0u-7DpI
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dJscz7bJ080
Song ‘Bheegi bheegi’ lift from Mohiner Ghoraguli’s Bangla jibhonmuki gaan
Original:http://youtube.com/watch?v=xAkzopTMXHc
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_wwsyz2YBUg&feature=related
Song Tu hi meri shab hai copy of ‘Sacral Nirvana’ by Oliver Shanti & Friends
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=5JXrmUD0EK0
Copy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BklekKJPjlI&feature=related
Ek Hasina Thi
Song Akhiyaan Na Maar copy of Pakistani singer Waris Baig’s 2004 track, ‘Challa’
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/Challa-WarisBaig.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BuFQ0aZLP8E
Song Jal Jal Ke copy of Yuri Mrakadi’s 2001 track, ‘Arabiyon Ana’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gmmToe4TJw8
COPY:http://youtube.com/watch?v=F_MYsiA3YY0
Fight Club Song Chorein ki Batein copy of Pakistani singer Ali Zafar’s ‘Channo ki aankhen’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lLhylAWQgo8
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NrVm2NEoatY
Ek Khiladi Ek Hasina song ‘Jhoom’ Lifted from Britney Spears’ commercial for Pepsi, ‘Joy of Pepsi’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HSZaif6xlWc
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=wKpYRUI3o4M
Garam Masala
Songs ‘Dil samundar’ copy of Turkish singer Tarkan’s ‘Kuzu kuzu’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=u4kncVrjaQk
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4SHSxTBT4D0
Song ‘Chori Chori’ copy of Balwinder Safri’s ‘Hai rabba’
Original 1: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/ChoriChori2-GaramMasala.rm
Original 2: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/HaiRabba-DrZeus.rm
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xT5-NxdawRI
Song’Ada’ copy of song Amr Diab’s Ana
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/AmrDiab-Ana.rm
COPY:http://www.itwofs.com/audio/HaiRabba-DrZeus.rm
Dhoom song Shikdum copy of Tarkan’s ‘Sikidim’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=g2uy7Cfl6kU
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=i2xThHWuM9A
Chocolate
Song ‘Zahreeli raatein’ copy of Jal’s ‘Aadat’
Original: http://youtube.com/watch?v=FdZDRZTf67Y
COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=XyZEth7A0aw
Song ‘Bheega bheega sa’ copy of Abrar-ul-Haq’s ‘December’
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/December-AbrarUlHaq.rm
COPY:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LCZhMHUFabI&feature=related
Song ‘Halka halka sa’ copy of ‘Breeze from Saintes Maries’
Original: http://www.itwofs.com/audio/BreezeFromSaintesMaries-JesseCook.rm COPY: http://youtube.com/watch?v=xcaog3CT6Fs

Enjoy!

Bell the Cat..

Writing from an experience that I had this morning, when one of the tenants in my building left me aghast with this statement!

The Incident:

The servant, who stays in a house on the roof-top, sprinkles water at the gate entrance everyday morning. But what’s odd about it is that she does it from the roof-top itself! I mean she pours water from roof onto the ground floor entrance. And though this is an objectionable thing, no one has ever raised an issue, ‘coz, no one had suffered due to this act. Unfortunately, one of the visitors to the tenants below us, facing the entrance, had to suffer today. His clothes, roped for drying up, apparently got wet! And he was fuming with anger over this. Rushing over to the servants, he raised his objection over their act as a tenant/servant. And on the way down, he stopped to narrate the incident. I consoled him and talked as to how wrong of her to do this and even provided a solution of talking to the owners! But, he was just wondering as to how could none of us have raised an objection so far. Maybe, just because it didn’t effect us so far! In the end, dejectedly, he left stating, “No Ones ready to Bell the Cat“……..

The Opinion:

I think, people, especially in metros and having a busy life, are growing more of uncaring towards others. We are bothered only about our lives. This is evident from the fact that many of us don’t know who our neighbors are, leave apart getting involved with them. Ya, sadly I am too a part of the group. I am not saying go and do social service. But, there should be atleast some kind of involvement with the society at all stages of life! This attitude maybe because of the ‘projected’ hectic life, however, I think we can definitely take some time out to know each other and tackle common problems. We don’t worry about any of the social problems which don’t directly effect us. As a consequence of this incident, I have decided to talk to the servants and raise my concern too.

Atleast, lets start from small things, which we feel, we can do. So, that our small step, can lead to similar such small steps and help reinstate the faith on humanity and help spreading good-will.

Ideal Life!

Many a times, I feel and imagine a world without fear, sense of insecurity, honesty! And trust me, it feels great. I really long for it, however, I do realize its the next to impossible thing that can happen. Anyway’s, life goes on in hope and we shouldn’t stop to dream and hope about a better and happy life. This thought and ultimately the blog comes out of me as a result of an incident I was confronted with.

Ok, let me analyze the situation with likely responses and my ratings. Off-course, I will be speaking on moral grounds ‘coz that’s what I want to exhibit!

Situation: Riding on a bike, you go and hit a car. You realize 50+ % fault is on your side. The damage can’t be currently estimated (may range from a few hundreds to a few thousands!).

Here are my few thoughts on how an owner of a car would have thought about the responses.

Worst Response: Run away from the situation or get back to the owner aggressively trying to push the fault onto his side.

Good Response: Give away your contact number. Get in touch with the owner about the damages and negotiate on the amount you think you should pay. For time being atleast, the owner would feel secured and relaxed about his car.

Better Response: Roughly estimate the damages and pay the owner an amount leading to a win-win situation then and there. The owner would feel secured about the loses and  needn’t worry much.

Best Response: Take the car to a mechanic then and there and settle the damages. This would surely relieve the tension of the owner to a large extent.

And guess what my response was to this situation. Yes, it was a good one. I gave away my contact number, but then never picked a single unknown call the next day! But, ya don’t feel that bad too ‘coz I feel the damage would have been a few hundreds. Still, morals remain morals. I do feel bad about the tension and stress that the owner may have undergone for atleast a day! And when I think of the enormous ‘big’ curses that he might have showered me with, I again get left out with the thought of cleaning myself!

Tough thoughts, tougher actions indeed!

… Twenty20 Critics…

Writing this blog to showcase some of the opinions/views that were shared during the whole 20-20 World cup.

* “South Africa and Australia are the favorites and we expect them to fight the crucial finals” – The Commentators just before the onset of the matches. However, the sub-continent nations came off in flying colors and succeeded in creating a fear amongst the ’so-called’ bullies of Cricket!

* “Australia will win the the match” – Ravi Shastri’s views on CrickInfo for the crucial India-Australia Semis. However, India showed the talent through their willows and some marvelous tight-lined bowling attack and shut the mouths of the critics! Hats off to India for thrashing SA, Aussies out of the tournament and then as icing on the cake, bringing back the World Cup defeating Pakis!

On the lighter side of the world cup victory, these phrases have been circulating on the mails!

* Abdul Kalam’s vision and dream has come true. “India will become a super power by/in ‘20-20′”

* “Misbah thought he hit the ball to a place where no one was present, what he didn’t know is that there is a MALLU in every corner of the world!!”

Well, that was it! Please feel free to add any such comments/views which you feel is worth mentioning.

Also, for more exclusive story of the age-old Indo-Pak rivalry on the Cricket ground, do go through this blog.

…Hutch (now ‘Vodafone’) World Calling Card — Sucks!…

Utilizing my own blog to share the experience of using the Hutch World Calling card! To give the context, I am put up at BTM I Stage, Bangalore. And I use the above mentioned card for STD and ISD calls! Well the experience is pretty bad, sadly!

* Network problem is what I was left stunned with! On using the Calling card its like only after 4-5 attempts, I get connected to the number. And this is not the case with calling directly! I came upon this observation when I tried calling in directly, immediately after unsuccessful attempt through the Calling card. Thrice I experimented with it!

* Secondly a minor point, but being of great value in terms of customer service and satisfaction, I found the toll free numbers getting changed and the new toll (won’t term them as ‘free’) numbers getting charged! Well, it does leave the customer with a sense of dissatisfaction in their minds.

…Why with Me?…

Yes! That’s the question most of us ask God (or whosoever) in our daily lives whenever any unwanted/unimaginable incident happens with us! And that’s what my gesture was when I learnt that the cost of the laptop I had bought a month back (HP dv2500t) for $1234 has been slashed by around $200!!

Well, not that I haven’t seen such a thing happen with others, but experiencing it sucks for sure! And I am left, wonder-struck, only with the thought “God, why with me?”!

… Funny ways to avoid annoying Telemarketing calls…

I came across these ideas through a mail! Just compiling the thoughts together in the chain mails..

1. Telemarketer: We are offerring you personal loan with 10% interest.
Me: I want it at 0%. Can you give that?

2. Telemarketer: We are giving you Credit card free for lifetime. You just need to give some documents. When shall our representative meet you?
Me: I will not give any document. You just send the credit card. I will give the address

3. Telemarketer: I am calling from xyz bank. Would be interested in personal loan?
Suresh: How much can you give?
Telemarketer: Upto 20 lakhs sir
Suresh: No, that is too less for me. I need more.
Telemarketer: Oh ok. I can speak to my manager sir. How much are you looking for.
Suresh: 17 crores.
Telemarketer: I am sorry sir! Is it 17 crores? Why so much sir?
Suresh: Because I want to purchase your office and kick you out.

4. As soon as the telemarketer called,
Suresh: Thank you for calling on this number. This is ____centre. It is international support number. You are being charged Rs. 60 per minute. If you want to continue dial 1 else you can visit our support site _____ for self help.

5. After the telemarketer finishes speaking, propose marriage to him/her.

6. Tell the telemarketer you are busy at the moment, and ask him/her, to give you his/her home phone number and cell number so you can call back maybe very late at night.

7. Keep asking the telemarketer to tell you his spiel all over again. Do this several times.

8. If you receive a call during a meal, tell the telemarketer that it’s lunch time, but ask him/her to hold. Switch to loudspeaker mode and eat your food in a languid noisy fashion, chomping away and continuing with the conversation.

9. Tell the telemarketer that all business goes through your representative, and hand the phone to your five-year-old.

10. Say that you are hard of hearing and that he/she needs to speak up — louder — louder — louder!

11. Tell the telemarketer to speak *really really* slowly because you want to write every word down.

12. If the telemarketer starts off with “How are you today?”, say “I’m so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems…”

13. Cry out in astonishment, “Johnny, is that you? I’ve been hoping you’d call! How is the family?” When he/she insists it’s not Johnny, refuse to believe it and say, “Stop kidding me!” This works especially well if the telemarketer is female.

14. Tell the telemarketer to call at your office number and give him/her the number of a rival telemarketing organisation instead!

…Good Old Days…

NB : A senti thought emerging as I browse through the photos at midnight!!  

It really makes me sad to be away from those friends who have always made me comfortable in their company in our company!! Confused? Yes, am very much speaking of the wonderful friends I have made during my first job as a fresher from college… As I browse through the snaps of the wonderful times we have had together, i feel depressed about the thought, will such days ever, ever come back again?…….. those trips, those single liners, laughing madly, those pranks, those himesh tunes, those taunts and finally the love that we all shared for each other. I yearn for it nowadays especially after the life has become more professional…..  Though the love and affection seems to be kind of loosing its way in our friendships right now :( (due to work and priorities getting changed), but I will be right there for ‘the’ friends, forever. Well, as the thought goes, whatever happens, happens for the good! Hope that life turns good for all my dear friends..