How Google Used Microsoft to Make Chrome

http://www.businesspundit.com/how-google-used-microsoft-to-make-chrome/

Success and failure

Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm- Winston Churchill

Shopping alone

http://www.businesspundit.com/why-one-wife-now-chooses-to-shop-alone/

One night stand

Based on accidental experience, I can say that one night stands are the most exciting and fun things one can indulge in...

But the risks are way too much and I plan to avoid getting into this business irrespective of how many ever of my friends get into these on a regular basis...

By my definition, a one night stand is a buy today sell today/tomorrow stock trading strategy, but I dont know why investopedia (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/onenightstand.asp) gives it a different definition (The equivalent of a chicken in the market http://www.riyaz.net/blog/stock-market-wisdom-from-chicken-little/)

One Proud family

All 8 great grandparents!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1223383/Presents-galore-baby-born-EIGHT-great-grandparents.html

Base Jumping

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1222377/To-boldly-98-base-jumpers-400m-plunge-Malaysian-tower.html

Birthday Bumps

Today, I witnessed a nice birthday bumps of a friend of mine in really close quarters...Involved quite a lot of things that could come under the human rights violation acts...

So here is the wiki topic on Birthday bumps:

Punches, pulls, and "the Bumps"

One widespread birthday custom takes many forms around the world, all rooted in the idea of delivering some form of physical torment to the person whose birthday it is, in order to drive away evil and to attract good luck. These torments range from beatings, through punches and earlobe-pulling, to "the Bumps".

"The Bumps", a torment common in countries such as the U.K., Ireland, and the U.S., involves the friends and family of the person whose birthday it is taking him or her by the arms and legs, and "bumping" him/her up into the air and down onto the floor. The number of "bumps" given equals the age of the person in years plus one "for luck". Usually "the Bumps" are administered only to children, in part because as people grow up they become too heavy for the process.

In Francophone Canada and the U.S. "birthday punches" are given in a similar fashion, where the person whose birthday it is is punched a number of times equal to his/her age, plus one for luck. In Brazil, Hugary, Argentina, Italy, and other countries, the person has his/her earlobes pulled. The Hungarian tradition also involves at the same time as pulling the earlobes wishing the person a happy birthday or reciting a rhyme whose English translation is "God bless you, live so long so your ears reach your ankles.".

In Israel, part of the birthday celebration for a child in kindergarten is to lift the decorated chair that the child sits on into the air several times, once for each year of the child's age, plus "one for the next year".

Housing loans India basics

http://www.bcsbi.org.in/FAQs_HousingLoans.html

Re-Energise

http://health.yahoo.com/featured/50/out-of-energy/

Exception or a norm?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1222108/Black-woman-said-raped-tortured-white-gang-claims-lied.html

Another such story in a week I have read.... I was just reading about this topic here and there and I came across a reliable research which states that approximately 10% cases of rape are just made up. What better weapon can one get than just acting like a victim for sometime and getting the guy(s) one of the harshest of punishments around.

Disgusting truth...

Life's like that! Really?

People: One of those topics I have wondered often on...

I know more than just a handful of them. And many things about them are so difficult to comprehend. Not sure if so many people have a common attitude and common beliefs or is each one different in their own way but have common traits with some group of people. I have certain notions about some things about people. But I am not sure since many of my held notions have broken. I am constantly trying to find out if my notion was itself wrong in the first place or if my notion was right and people have changed by finding other notions to live up to. Notions are so personal to each one that it is very difficult to share with just about anyone around and that just complicates things to get my answer. I am not satisfied with the answer "Life's like that". I want to know why is it that Life's like that? Have people actually done something or made an effort to stop something that they love calling  "Life's like that" ?

"Life's like that!" 

Really? Or is it just convenient that way for people to do whatever they want and use this statement as a justification ?

Welcome to the real nature

Cant ask for a more interesting forest safari:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1221391/Roadkill-Tourists-left-stunned-lioness-attacks-buffalo--right-middle-traffic-jam.html

Perfume basics 101

A really good read on how to use perfumes:

http://bigdiscountblog.blogspot.com/2007/03/dress-to-impress-art-of-wearing-perfume.html

Space missions in one picture

Amazing insights about spacemissions in just one picture...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamcrowe/4002050596/sizes/o/

Signing off

I recently got an email with the following sign off "xoxo". Knowing the person's sophistication, I knew this was something I clearly didnt know. I searched it online and wikipedia says x= kiss and o=hugs and this expression xoxo is typically to express affection or good friendship at the end of a written letter, email or SMS text message.

I have usually wondered what to write at the end of emails and especially greeting cards to friends(if they are not the closest or if they may not particularly like the words love as a sign off). So I finally did a search which I should have done a long time ago and found this really nice site:

http://resourcesforwriters.suite101.com/article.cfm/list_of_letter_closings_and_salutations

Now, I think I have something new and interesting to sign off with :)

And I think I can also come up with some of my own :)

No gimmick this!

The Maldives Presidency, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed signs the decree of the underwater cabinet meeting off Girifushi Island on October 17, 2009.

The government in the Maldives held its first underwater cabinet meeting on October 17, 2009 to attract international attention to the dangers of global warming.

Kitchen door

Vaccine for tooth cavities?

http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/medicine-health/articles/will-vaccine-defense-help-polish-tooth-decay

Emails and emotions

I recently realised something by what my friend said today. I am usually good at writing mails and reviewing documents, but at times like today, I just seem to have lost that talent all of a sudden. I drafted a mail to a higher authorty which wasn't a neutral toned one. I didnt like the mail myself. I asked for help to a friend/classmate and he drafted me a good mail. Sent it.

I asked him, how come you are so good in drafting mails. He said he learnt it from me. Now, that is a paradoxical statement. He told me that when the person drafting the mail is involved in the reason for writing the mail, emotions come in the way. And these emotions are strong enough that the mind cant even write a simple clear mail in a neutral tone. There have been instances when I write his mails for the best effect and he writes up my mails for the best effect. Strange, but true. The partner needs to be able to understand you completely and take up the complementary task in the best way when due.

There are exceptions though. There are mails where emotions can actually help. Like a mail criticising the pathetic situation to a lower/equal authority after many complaints have gone on deaf ears or a real sentimental/loving mail that can really touch one and maybe even bring them to tears.

One of the most important ingredient to emails is the state of mind or the emotions at the time of writing it.

The path to Success

http://www.thehindu.com/edu/2009/10/13/stories/2009101350100300.htm

:)

Future Kitchens

A ready made kitchen that grows fresh food... Interesting...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1219701/The-DIY-fish-supper-Future-kitchen-grows-vegetables-seafood.html

Feelings

Shock

amusement

sadistic pleasure

sadness

frustration

why am I not lucky for once?

The same order of feelings repeat itself everytime the grades are out...

Joke

Life and its constituents are a joke at best and a cruel joke at worst!

The best excuse

One of the best non-arguable excuses ever for anything anyone asks you is "work". The various versions are "I am caught/stuck up with work", "work yaar", "I have some work", "have some work at home", "busy with something", "busy with work".

The all time motherhood statement with no explanation of what possible work that could be. If they say it, there is a chance that we may for heavens sake find out a way for their "work" problems. Now that shouldn't happen, can it?

I honestly have come to believe that people saying they are busy with work with no explanations whatever; or without a description of how that work is affecting so many other things too and how they are making other sacrifices; or without a statement that they will make up for the request surely some other time is basically a lie to avoid the request and/or to stop getting a guilty feeling.

Realism

Forget optimism and pessimism, Be realistic!

Amazing pictures

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/creepiest-landscapes/15802

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1219762/Guns-roses-The-photographer-literally-shoots-subjects.html

Drinking

Met a friend today who told me she drinks close to 12 cups of tea a day(actually more like 7 or 8). And she says it has no effect on her. Ya right! I think she is totally addicted and I see the effect of addiction.

Reminded me of an old joke:

Once a guy plans to test a theory on drinking. So he goes to the bar and orders 4 shots. Gulps down one after another. Not much of an effect. Now orders 3 shots. Gulps them down. Feels a bit oozy. Orders two more shots and drinks them. Feels a high. Orders one more shot and drinks it. Feels very very high.

He concludes: The lesser I drink, the more high I get.

This image is dedicated to my dear friend in Bangalore:

Invest in wine

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/features/the-sunday-et/money-you/Wine-is-now-fine-for-investment-too/articleshow/5111199.cms

Hocus Focus

See the resemblance??? :)

This photo taken Oct 2, 2009 shows a view of mummified corpses in the Capuchins' Catacombs located in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy.

British designer Vivienne Westwood arrives at a party for the opening of her new boutique in downtown Beirut, Lebanon on Thursday, Oct 8, 2009. (AP)

Unexpected surprises

Some of the smallest things are some of the most honest and nice things that can bring on a smile to a person's face. An unexpected sms of a friend who became a new aunt (and I have been addressing her aunty ever since) asked me for an honest suggestion of how her niece should be addressing her made my day today. Thanks friend :)

A good date

I knew my day would come again. I was waiting for this day for a long time now. Finally it came today. I got a chance to go out with her. I heard about her in the evening and I instantly knew she was the one. Almost perfect. Exactly what I wanted. But I had been with one perfect one some time ago. Memories started coming back about how nice, enjoyable and hard times we had with one another. But that relationship had ended. This was different. Different place, different situation and a new chemistry. And it all began. Took me some initial time to get to know her. She was very enthusiastic, more than what I had expected. I soon got to understand her talk and her ways. The chemistry developed...slowly but steadily. We travelled far and long on the highway to go to a restaurant. After completing dinner, it was well past 10.15pm and we started back on a dark road and we travelled through the cold breeze at good speed back to our place. Indeed, had an amazing day. Wish I get to go out with her more often and spend more time with her.

Now Picture your dreams and show it

From this to that? Wow!

http://www.businesspundit.com/photosketch-lets-you-realize-your-wildest-photographs/

Wedding Insurance

Wedding insurance is being offered in India, though under the event insurance category. See for more details:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/5085837.cms

Questions to eternity

I was searching through my gmail for something and stepped across a chat with a friend and an email conversation with another friend. If you read it, you will find a level of closeness and comfort between the friends. I would have never expected some things to change so drastically in such a short period of time (2 months)...the strangest part is the ironicity of the advice of my friend to me... well, things have happened/not happened, and the situation today is different. I no longer feel hurt or pain because of this... But one thing that went on in my mind while I read it was: we will never be able to get answers to many questions in this lifetime...

Well, there was a time to think of questions, possible answers as to why some things transpired, but I think I am over those dead questions. The questions will remain zombies forever with no one ready to answer it.

Heh