On vacation

Hello All,

I am on vacation these days and hence not a regular at my blog. It's difficult to be present in virtual world when you are surrounded by your school friends! So I am at my native place (Nasik in Maharastra State, India) celebrating the last weeks of 2009.

I wish you all a very Happy 2010 in advance. I will be back to the virtual world in the second week of January 2010 and look forward to interact with you.

Till then, chill out ... enjoy the weather and the few hours left of 2009!

Cheers to life!

Baba

About Me


I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part.

All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.


Name is Baba ... Baba Tiratzo. What the ... ? What's this stupid name? Well this is my name in second life. My friends call me Baba ... it goes well with my last name I guess ... 'DholiBaba'!

So welcome to this stupid fellow's blog. Everyone speaks his/her mind these days, so why not me? I would be talking about everything ... everything I come across in my day-to-day life. Now that my mind is 'alive' again, I thought of speaking my mind with you all.

So keep your eyes wide open and get that feed of my blog ... I know you care & If you don't ... What the ....?

The 10 Most Innovative Viral Video Ads of 2009

2009’s crop of top viral video advertisements show us that people are willing to embrace a host of creative approaches on the social video Web, from beguiling mini-films, to user-generated advocacy, to YouTube celebrity endorsers, to elaborate commercial-grade productions. That’s good news for creators!

Have a look and enjoy these creative videos ...

1. Inspired Bicycles



2. SIGNS



3. Piano Stairs



4. BooneOakley.com



5. Hosting Your Party



6. YouTube HD Camera Trick Challenge



7. United Breaks Guitars



8. All the Single Babies



9. Guy Catches Laptop with His Butt



10. JK Wedding Dance

Pic of the week

War zone
A U.S. Marine from the 4th Light Armored Recon walks toward a LAV armored fighting vehicle in Khan Nashin, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on Dec. 3.


Bhopal disaster lingers, 25 years later

20,000 KILLED
170,000 SEVERELY AFFECTED
Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Dec. 2-3, 1984

And you thought only weapons could cause mass destruction ... The Bhopal Gas Tragedy - 25 Years Later, A Continuing Disaster!



It was the deadliest industrial accident in history. On Dec. 3, 1984, clouds of poisonous gas leaked from a pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, and were carried on the breeze to nearby slums, killing 4,000 people in one day. Over the next few years, countless more died.

Twenty-five years later, the factory, now an abandoned wreck, still leaks toxins into the groundwater and soil.

Activists and residents of Bhopal marked the anniversary Thursday with protests for accountability and justice.

New research by a New Delhi-based think tank, the Centre for Science and the Environment (CSE), shows that less than two miles from the site, the groundwater contains nearly 40 times more pesticides than the level considered safe. Around the factory itself, the pesticide levels are 560 times higher.

The pesticides contain compounds that have been linked to serious illnesses, says CSE. Indeed, campaigners say that a quarter of a century later, Bhopal, a city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, has an unusually high incidence of children born with birth defects. Conservative estimates hold that 20,000 people died of illnesses caused by the leak within a few years. Activists say the health of at least 200,000 has been damaged.

Twenty years ago, Union Carbide paid $470 million to the Indian government for the victims. In 1999, the company was acquired by Dow Chemicals, which says this settlement resolved all existing and future claims against the company.

This week, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh, told the BBC that water around the factory plant was safe. What the ....?

Pic of the week




Chelsea Rules!!!


John Terry, Frank Lampard & Petr Cech collecting awards at the UEFA Champions League Draw at the Grimaldi Center in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

अब कभी भी नहीं ...

अब कभी भी नहीं ... बहोत हो गया यह सब ... हर बार लाशे गिनकर थक गया हु मैं ... अब कभी नहीं ... टीवी वालों की बकबक से थक गया हु मैं ... वोही वोही तस्वीरे देख कर पाक गया हु मैं ... अब कभी नहीं ... नेताओ के खोकले आश्वासन अब नहीं ... अब कभी नहीं ... भारतीय हु मैं ... हमेशा रहूँगा ... मुजे भाषा के नाम पर मत बाटों ... अब कभी नहीं ... क्यों हुआ ... कब हुआ ... बहोत देखा और सुना मैंने ... अब कभी नहीं ... करोड़ों रुपये लगा दिए ... एक आतंकी की सुरक्षा के लिए ... थोड़े मुझ गरीब के लिए भी दो ... टैक्स भरता हु मैं ... अब कभी नहीं!

इन कुत्तों से तो अच्छा है ... वोह लोग ... जो चोरी करते है ... किसी का घर तो नहीं उजाड़ते ... अब कभी नहीं ... बहोत दिन गुजार दिए ... हालात सुधरने की आशा में ... अब कभी नहीं ... मंदिर-मस्जिद बहोत देखे जलते हुए ... इस कुत्तों को बहोत देखा मुझ पर हसते हुए ... अब कभी नहीं ...

या तो इन को ख़त्म कर दो ... या मुझे उठा लो ... पर अब नहीं ... अब कभी भी नहीं!

- ढोलिबाबा

Indian CIOs more progressive than global counterparts

Indian chief information officers (CIOs) appear to be more progressive as compared with their global counterparts and are looking to ‘make innovation real’ and ‘expand business impact’ for their respective organisations.

A reasearch by IBM, based on a survey of 100 Indian CIOs, found that 70 per cent of Indian CIOs are integrating business and technology to promote innovation for their respective organisations, as compared to 47 per cent of the global CIOs. Almost 64 per cent of Indian CIOs proactively push information technology (IT) as an innovation element compared with 55 per cent of global CIOs.

Also, over 70 per cent of Indian CIOs are expecting to explore newer channels for end-customer interactions and are anticipating greater levels of integration and transparency with customers within the next five years, compared with 56-64 per cent CIOs globally.

For the Indian CIOs, the three most important areas to focus for future are business intelligence and analytics, risk mitigation and governance, and virtualisation. Where as, business model change, technological factors and security factors are the key challenges. The other worries include globalisation, regulatory concerns, internal customers, budgets and people skills.

The study defines a successful CIO as the one who blends three pairs of roles — visionary and pragmatist, value creator and cost cutter, and business leader and IT manager.

Pic of the week

Monument of love

A stray dog pauses on a sand bank of the Yamuna River as the sun is seen rising over the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, on Nov. 18. The white-marble monument to love was built by the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The monument hosts 3 million visitors a year.



We had warned!

History says, "Thou should listen to her!".

We had warned about Indian Government's preparedness to tackle Swine Flu way back in one of the post "India & Swine Flu!". We did what we as an alert citizen of this country can do but seems like no one is bothered (Why should they? No one cared since last 63 years!).

Today the death toll due to the Influenza A (H1N1) virus has reached to 530! (Remember ... India lost 527 soldiers in the Kargil war against Pakistan!) Not a big number huh? After all the cost of human life is very cheap in India. No one cares if some one is dying by roadside due to an accident, NO ONE! Life is cheap guys ... and very cheap in India for sure. If you visit any of the Government run hospitals, you'll come to know. I wonder how many of our MLAs or MPs treat their near and dear ones in Government run hospitals. I bet, you'll find none! Why is it so? Have you ever tried to ask anyone or for that matter to yourself? Well the answer is NO. We are so F***** up with our own lives that we have forgot that there is a society around us which is in need of these basic amenities which we are having (you can say 'privileged' to have!).

Having said so, we always try to educate people in India through our posts here and we did the same in case of Swine Flu as well. Just try to Google "Swine Flu Test Centers across India" and you'll see the results. Not a single Government agency site shows up in the first five results (or so it was when I did this last time).

You also need to look back to some of the articles we posted way back titled "Know Swine Flu" and "Swine Flu Test Centers in India".

"Till date, samples from 80,327 people have been tested for Influenza A (H1N1) in government laboratories and a few private laboratories across the country, and 15,726 of them have been found positive," said a statement issued by the Government of India.

With the winter arriving in India, just hope and pray that the second wave of this flu doesn't hit us badly. After all ... you know how well (ill) prepared the Government is to tackle this for its countrymen!!!

Pic of the week





Water on four sides

An aerial view on Nov. 8 of a piece of land with cows and vehicles surrounded by floodwaters at the village of Jeram Perdas in Rantau Panjang, northern Malaysia. Hundreds of villagers were evacuated due to monsoon floods.

Just came back home after watching the movie '2012'. I hope it's not turning true!!!

7 Most inspiring videos on the web

Below is a list of 7 of the most of the inspiring videos on the web. I came across this list at one of the social networking blogs. Watching these men and women really makes you feel that YOU can make the difference!

1. William Kamkwamba: Harnessing the Wind

William Kamkwamba was 14 when he built a windmill from scrap parts in order to provide enough electricity to power 4 lightbulbs and 2 radios in his home in his tiny village in Malawi.



2. Jason McElwain: Autistic Basketball Player

Autistic basketball player Jason McElwain spent most of his high school career cheering his team on from the bench as team manager — until the final 4 minutes of his final game as a senior. McElwain didn’t waste any of his opportunity to get in the game, pouring in 7 shots and finishing the game as high scorer.



3. Cat Lainé: Empowering Local Communities

Cat Lainé, who is the Deputy Director at the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group, talked at the BIF-4 conference last year about how she and her colleagues empower communities in developing nations to change from within. Lainé believes in using human capital already within local economies to solve problems and develop solutions that work locally.



4. Blake Mycoski: Creating Sustainable Charity

Blake Mycoski didn’t just want to start a charity to put shoes on the feet of children who needed them — he wanted to do something more sustainable, something that didn’t rely on asking for donations. So Mycoski started TOMS Shoes, a for-profit company that gives one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair they sell.



5. Geoffrey Canada: Closing the Achievement Gap

According to Geoffrey Canada the American school system is broken when it comes to teaching children in inner-city schools, and most people wouldn’t disagree with him. But Canada’s inspiring approach to fixing the problem is something that no one before him had tried — a complete overhaul of the social infrastructure. Canada created a “conveyor belt” in a Harlem neighborhood that touches the lives of children and their families from birth through college.

Geoffrey Canada at Gel 2006 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.



6. Ben Underwood: Seeing While Blind

Ben Underwood was blind, but while he was alive, he got around almost as well as people who can see, and even played video games with his friends. That’s because he had done something that’s very unusual: Ben Underwood taught himself how to echolocate. Underwood trained his ears to listen for the echoes that tongue-clicking sounds that he produced made as they bounced back off of objects. He then processed that information to figure out where physical objects lie around him.



7. Lewis Gordon Pugh: Utilizing Extremes

Lewis Gordon Pugh has swum in every ocean in the world, and was the first person to swim at the North Pole, where the waters are below zero degrees centigrade (which is the freezing point for fresh water). Pugh uses his extreme swimming feats to shed light on issues of worldwide importance such as global warming.

Shame!

Disgusting ... shameful ... filthy ... rubbish ... unbelievable ... @#$%!!!

Well I don't have words today, to express myself here. What a shame! A common man like me has ran out of words. The politicians in India have reached a new HIGH today by insulting the national language and by insulting the word 'Democracy'.

Some people in this country don't respect the national language. My advice to them is to leave the country for good then. May be they can join the neighbors who are focussed to divide this beautiful country.

Out country is on the threshold of being divided by these kind of elements and it's time we stand united. United against these ^#@#&@&# politicians ... who for power can go to any limits. Who's ruling the country? Is desh mein kisaka 'Raj' hai? These hooligans are ruling the country. They are ruling educated people like you reading this blog and those who can't read!

Law must take action. If action isn’t taken then this will be the beginning of breaking the peace of this diverse country!

Pic of the week






Reliving History
Russian servicemen wearing historical uniforms rehearse on Red Square in Moscow in preparation for a parade on November 7 to mark the anniversary of the day in 1941 when Soviet soldiers marched through Red Square en route to the front lines of World War II.

Death of a common man ...

Indian common man keeps on being neglected and ignored all the time. This is not something new I am saying here but we are so used to this that, you might say - "What the ....?"

Some days back our Prime Minister visited a hospital in Chandigarh city for some convocation ceremony. But someone's ceremony was someone's nightmare on that fateful day.

Sumit Prakash Verma, 32, who was suffering from renal failure and other complications, allegedly died Tuesday outside the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here because the security measures for the prime minister's visit barred entry to the hospital. Tight security measures were in place and some roads and parking areas were blocked by the police during the prime minister's six-hour visit to the city, where he owns a house and has worked five decades ago.

The prime minister was telling PGIMER faculty and doctors during the institute's 30th convocation to reach out to the common person. I wish the people listening to him would not have been needed to tell this as they all call doctors profession a 'noble profession'.

I fully understand that he represents the country and that his security is very very important. But, for me life of each and every citizen of India is as important, no matter if he/she is a VVIP or a common man walking by the street. Once upon a time it was being said that "In a communist country, every one is equal and the communist leaders are more than equal". In the Indian democracy, the leaders have freedom to prevent others freedom, even if it results in someone`s death. The ethics of governance, and the character of the Indian politics has deteriorated so much that even leaders like Dr.Manmohan do not command the same level of respect that once upon a time they did. Each Indian is responsible for this individual`s death. As in the last 62 years in the name of tolerance, we have sacrificed our patriotism and surrendered the nation to the goons in every form and position.

But come on Indians ... What the ....? Who cares!!! We are enjoying this as much as you enjoyed reading this sad but true state of the nation!

India must be part of UNSC!

We all know that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action. Its powers are exercised through United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

In 2010, India will stand for election to one of the 10 non-permanent seats of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In all likelihood, India will be elected for the stipulated period of two years partly because the other contender is Kazakhstan, and partly because of India’s own national and international credentials.

As the world’s largest democracy, the second most populous and, perhaps, the most diverse nation, the third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity and consistently the fourth largest troop and police contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, India clearly would meet almost any criteria to be a member of UNSC.

But now AnandDholi.com asks ... Why India has not been considered earlier? Do we need certain ex-president of the United States of America to back us? Why is that the Government of India not able to push for the same? Are we always sleeping and wait for things to happen or till the storm reaches our doorsteps? If China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States make it to the permanent 5 of the UNSC, where India lacks? I really don't know and I guess the Indian Government is also unaware of the same!

Well, having said so, I really hope that India makes it to the UNSC in 2010. If not, what the ....?

Pic of the week




Storm surge
A wave breaks over Kalk Bay harbor wall in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, on Oct. 26. A cut-off low-pressure system and gale-force winds coupled with big swell created a powerful storm surge in the bay.

I am back!

My last post here was on October 10th morning and the same day I heard one of the worst news I have ever heard. My mother suffered a heart attack on October 10th and I had to rush to Nasik, my home town in Maharashtra state. This is the very reason I have been away for a while but now my mother is home and recuperating well.

It’s been a tough time for me and my family. I learned a lot of things about the so called ‘Noble profession’ i.e. Doctor’s profession during these times of crisis.

Some of the things I learned are so disturbing that I can’t even share in public forums. If I do, you might lose your faith on doctors in this country so its better I keep those with me. But in plain words, the noble profession is no more ‘noble’ … Sad but true!

It was just ‘cause of my very close school friends, who are also doctors (Dr.Rahul Bhosale, Dr.Shantaram Thakare) that I came to know about things which a layman can never come to know. These guys are genuine professionals and are doing a great job for mankind in my home town Nasik in Maharashtra state. I wish that India gets some more doctors like these two guys.

Apart from these two guys, all my school friends – Dhananjay Mahale, Vijay Patil, Deepak Patil, Hemant Gharate, Yoesh Sonawane, Rajesh Gadhave, Sachin Ghule, Sudarshan Sangle, Parshuram Pawar – stood by me like a rock in Nasik and I am grateful to these guys.

Here are a few snaps of all of us when we went for an outing after everything went well with my mother's health.











Pic of the week

Fiery discontent





Supporters of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya use flaming tires on Oct. 7 to block an entrance to Autonomous National University in Tegucigalpa.

My wish for my birthday

As I turn a year younger today, I have some things on my mind. These are some of my wishes, which I believe will come true one day. Am not sure if these will come true in my lifetime ...

I dream of a day when->

1. There will be no hungry children on the streets.
2. There won't be division of people by their religion.
3. Politicians in India will retire by the age of 58.
4. Farmers will rule the financials of the country.
5. Justice in the court of law will be equal for everyone.

Last but not the least, all my above dreams will come true -:)

So as you read this post today, I'll start preparing for my evening celebrations. It's my life and I'll make sure that I enjoy every moment of it!

Want to host Olympics?

Celebrations have erupted in a volcano of music, dance and partying in Brazil as Rio was declared the hosts of the 2016 Olympic Games!

Well New Delhi is also hosting a gala event in 2010 - 'The Common Wealth Games'. Now when I look into the newspaper these days, there is at least one news related to the 2010 games in New Delhi. It's about either the delay in preparations or Government of Delhi saying "We are on time!". Either way, we will have to wait until 3rd Oct 2010 to see the real thing.





Now let's talk about Rio's bid for 2016. Well, we know that Brazil is not a developed country and that it has it's own challenges. But when I looked at the way they have presented themselves for the 2016 bid, I was impressed. It's not possible to beat Obama's candidate (read Chicago City) that easily, is it? But Rio has done it. I request the Government of India Olympic Committee to visit the link below to read about the executive paper prepared by the Rio 2016 committee.

Click here to check out Rio's Candidature.

And yes, if Delhi wants 2020, they be prepared from October 4th 2009. After all, it's my birthday tomorrow -:)

Cheers to Rio's spirit!!!

Pic of the week

In protest

A Tibetan exile resident in India is detained by police at a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, India, on Oct. 1.





Tibetans across the world were protesting the 60th anniversary of Communist rule in China.

R U ready for the 'Wave'?

Finally it's here!!!

Yes! Wave is now Live. Though you might not be the lucky one who has reveived an invitation to be a part of this 'Wave', I am going to throw some light on what the 'Wave' really is!

Google Wave is an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration. A wave can be both a conversation and a document where people can discuss and work together using richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more.

The Google Wave interface is divided essentially into four boxes: Navigation, Contacts, Inbox, and your current Wave. The below screen is from the wave portal.



Wave is loaded with a list of great features and to name a few, I'll go through some of these below:-

Real-time: In most instances, you can see what someone else is typing, character-by-character.

Embeddability: Waves can be embedded on any blog or website.

Applications and Extensions: Just like a Facebook application or an iGoogle gadget, developers can build their own apps within waves. They can be anything from bots to complex real-time games.

Wiki functionality: Anything written within a Google Wave can be edited by anyone else, because all conversations within the platform are shared. Thus, you can correct information, append information, or add your own commentary within a developing conversation.

Open source: The Google Wave code will be open source, to foster innovation and adoption amongst developers.

Playback: You can playback any part of the wave to see what was said.

Natural language: Google Wave can autocorrect your spelling, even going as far as knowing the difference between similar words, like “been” and “bean.” It can also auto-translate on-the-fly.

Drag-and-drop file sharing: No attachments; just drag your file and drop it inside Google Wave and everyone will have access.

With features like this, your home page now on will not be just www.google.com but wave.google.com for sure!

Link to wave here

Looking for a Wave invite? Visit this link

The feature of Social Media is bright as ever and with things like this coming to serve you, am sure you'r gonna be hooked to Social Web forever!

Students can get the most out of Google Docs now!

I wish when I was studying, internet was the "in" thing and I wish I could have benefited from these new age tools available on internet these days. Now that I wasn't, I think its my duty to let the students know a few things which can benefit them in their studies. Yes! Internet and Studies go hand in hand today only if students show some interest in "right" things. You know what I mean!!!

Google doc has incorporated a new feture in its offering. The feature, available under the “Insert” menu, allows you to type in full, clean equations for everything from your standard high school physics to my favorite, mutlivariable calculus!

Google Docs also highlighted its addition of subscript and superscript formatting so that you can add in simple exponents and label variables.



It’s easy to see why this feature could be huge for students. A group of friends could collaborate on notes via a Google Doc, making sure that they don’t miss any of the important lecture notes. Equations in Google Docs are also simply cleaner to look at.

So I believe, if you're a student and reading this, please pass it on to your friends. If you're a parent, do let your children know about this.

If you're a politician, please stay away from this post. Well the last one was a bad joke -:)) But I know one thing that politicians can do wonders if they're changed regularly like diapers!!!

Pic of the week




Palatial soccer

Afghan men play soccer in front of the bombed-out old royal palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sept. 23. The palace was designed by a French architect and built in 1923 by King Amanullah.

Harishchandrachi Factory

Marathi film "Harishchandrachi Factory", by theatre-veteran Paresh Mokashi has been selected as India's official entry to this year's
Oscars in the Foreign Film Category.



"Harishachandrachi Factory" is the second Marathi film after "Shwaas" in 2004 to be selected as India's official entry to the Oscars. The two-hour-long film depicts the struggle of Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, to make 'Raja Harishchandra' in 1913, India's first feature film.

Though India has seen lot of great films going for the Oscars like Rang De Basanti, we have never made it to the stage where they say - "And the Oscar goes to ......!" I sincerely hope that this time around things will be different and that we will bring home one more Oscar (after AR made us proud last year) for the best film in Foreign Language category!

Cheers to the team of HFC and I wish them all the best for the Oscars. If Mr.Paresh Mokashi & his team need any help in promoting the film across Social Web, I am there for them anytime!

Pic of the week




A Canadian army medic examines one of eight children brought to a forward operating base after they fell gravely ill from eating explosive powder at a home in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Sept. 12. Roadside bombs made from homemade explosives are the leading killers of foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Keep on walking

"Oz envoy calls attack on Indians as street crime", "Obama Offers Ways to Rate Efforts in Afghan Region", "Tamiflu at retail outlets from today", "H1N1 patients flock to govt hospitals, avoid pvt ones", "Cong disapproves Tharoor's remark on economy class travel" ... These are some of the headlines appearing in newspapers today!

Don't you think the world can be a better place to live in? What if the headlines were, "Borders of all the countries now open", "You don't need Visa to travel to any country in the world", "School kids of the universe to get education free", "No child will sleep hungry from today" ...

Well, this is my dream and they say dreams come true if you act accordingly. I am nobody and there are almost 7 billion people on the world. So the challenge is, to make people think in this direction. Again this is even a bigger challenge 'cause after you're done reading this post, you're gonna forget about this in the next few minutes (or seconds) and this post will be just another post in the virtual world.

So, I keep on dreaming about things that are dearer to me and you keep on walking in life!

Facebook Goes Back To Basics

Thin is in at Facebook. It introduced an alternate front door for the social network called "Facebook Lite," a slimmed-down version of the site, optimized for those with slower Internet connections. Facebook Lite features a serious design revamp and is available only to users based in the U.S. and in India.

Facebook Lite brings a simplified, faster-loading experience in comparison to the traditional site. Part of the new Facebook Lite design, the news feed includes a simple top toolbar and buttons for posting status updates and media uploads. Facebook Lite can be accessed by visiting www.lite.facebook.com.







The profile page on Facebook Lite removes many of the bells and whistles from the traditional version and keeps only the basics: your wall, info, friends, and photos and videos. The status and sharing interface is unchanged; however, you can't view wall-to-wall posts or invite friends to an event.

The most notable omissions from the new Facebook Lite interface are the third-party applications. Only a handful of Facebook's own applications are available, so that you can get a reasonable experience from the site. Other changes include birthdays and contacts moved at the top of the feed and real-time updates at the bottom of the page.

Facebook Lite was initially available as a beta test with a limited number of users in August. It is yet unknown when or whether the Facebook Lite interface will be available to users outside the U.S. and India.

The introduction of Facebook Lite is widely seen as stab at Twitter's simple interface, which is focused more on messaging and status sharing in real time. To better compete with Twitter's surge in popularity, Facebook has already introduced real-time updates to the news feed and acquired rival FriendFeed.

Ref. PC World

How to track twitter trends?

New web service TweetMixx is a bit like TweetMeme meets saved Twitter searches meets a web-based Twitter client. It allows you to follow your favorite topics, not just people, and attempts to help cull the best tweets from people you don’t and may not even want to follow.

Pic of the week

Picture of the week!



Nuns chant before a mass prayer session for victims of Typhoon Morakot led by the Dalai Lama in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The Unique World Blog!

I know that blogging is fun for some and boring activity for others! After all, your personal blog is a playground for your emotions. You can let go of your emotions when you blog.

Now consider this, you being a part of a blog which is authored by people all over the world! Won't it be fun? Don't you think we should move away from regions, religions, boundaries - which are all man made constraints for selfish gains?

Well, if you think that you are a world citizen and believe in humanity, there is a place in the virtual world for you! You can share your views, thoughts about anything that matters to you and humanity. There is a place which is far beyond your imagination, where people across boundaries and different cultures share their thoughts and YOU can be part of this.

If you can imagine the way John Lennon did, you can be part of this beautiful journey. Just check out 'The Unique World Blog' for more details. You will feel happier when you see the humble blog grows bigger & we do out bit to unite the world ...

If this interests you, get in touch with me and start blogging today!

Picture of the week!


Blazing Hot
A resident sits on top of a water wagon during a fire on the Mount of Penteli, east of Athens. A massive wildfire tore through outlying Athenian suburbs, destroying homes and forcing thousands to flee in dramatic overnight evacuations.

सच का सामना

पिछले दिनों "सच का सामना" को लेकर बहुत माहौल गरम है और गरम इस कदर है कि संसद को भी इसपर ध्यान देना पड़ा!!! What the #$%@? Who the hell are these guys in parliament to decide what Indian people want to watch on television?

Today morning I woke up to read the newspaper with the head line - "Did a renowned politician lie?" Well ... politician and lying ... what's the big deal about it in India? This well known politician is an @#$%&*^!. He has been very much instrumental in dividing my country over religion over the years. And if this was not enough, this guy (or should I say an OLD useless fellow) has been the front runner when trading terrorists for the release of Indian hostages a few years back.

Now I ask this person, can he sit on that chair in front of Indians and face "सच का सामना". If these politicians think that they can do anything with our lives, they are RIGHT ... cause we Indians have become so used to being divided and ruled by these mean fellows who can go to any level to gran that chair ... no, not the one of "सच का सामना" but that of POWER.

Well, they had also showed money in the parliament and if some good people are to be believed, this was also driven by this OLD #%$^&@*! God bless him with all the powers he ever wanted ... may be in his next birth. Thank God (and my fellow countrymen) who saved me from being ruled by such a false, mean, useless, pathetic and sarcastic politician!

Long live India ... Long Live "सच"!

Baba

Picture of the week!



Baba

New guidelines on swine flu by WHO

Issuing a new set of guidelines for the use of drugs against swine flu, the World Health Organization has said otherwise patients with uncomplicated illnesses do not need to take antiviral drugs. Worldwide, most infected patients continue to display typical influenza symptoms and fully recover within a week without any form of medical treatment, the WHO said.

According to the new guidelines, formed by consensus by a global group of experts, patients with uncomplicated illnesses do not need to be treated with antiviral medicines. The guidelines emphasise using drugs such as oseltamivir and zanamivir, to which the pandemic virus is susceptible, to prevent severe illness and deaths, reduce the need for hospitalisation, and shorten hospital stays.

When properly prescribed, oseltamivir is found to significantly curb the risk of pneumonia, a leading cause of death for both the pandemic and seasonal influenza, it said. WHO recommends treatment with the drug as soon as possible among people who are severely or whose conditions begin to deteriorate. Where oseltamivir is not available, zanamivir can be given.

The virus is currently resistant to a second class of antiviral, known as M2 inhibitors. As pregnant women are among the groups considered to be at increased risk, WHO recommends that they receive antiviral treatment as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms. The guidelines call for prompt treatment for children – including those under five years of age – with severe or worsening illnesses, as well as those at risk of more severe or complicated illness.

Otherwise healthy children over five years, WHO said, do not need antiviral treatment unless their conditions persist or worsen. If someone with confirmed or suspected H1N1 infections shows symptoms including shortness of breath, chest pain and high fever lasting beyond three days, they should seek immediate medical attention.

Among children, warning signs include fast or difficult breathing, lack of alertness, difficulty in waking up and little or no desire to play.

Keep watching this space for latest on this panademic.

Baba

Swine Flu test centers in India

Here is the list of test centers across India.


Click here
to download the complete list.

Check out our home page for more interesting articles


Please follow a few basics:

1.Don’t rush to hospital / test centers without reason you exposed yourself and your family to infection.
2.Avoid going to the crowded area.
3.Don’t create panic and spread Rumors.
4.Follow basic hygiene

Keep on visiting this site for more details about Swine Flu in India!

Baba

GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT OF SWINE FLU

Please find the list of all the Government Hospitals where the treatment for Swine Flu is available. Baba's blog is the first place to have this valuable information for the general public!



Baba

Know Swine Flu


What is the Swine flu?

It is a respiratory disease that commonly infects pigs, but is not typically seen in humans. In the time spanning December 2005 through February 2009, just 12 human infections were reported in the United States. However, since March 2009, infection with a new strain of swine flu A (H1N1) has been increasing in the U.S. and internationally.

New viruses like H1N1 can develop into pandemics because no one has been exposed before, and therefore no one has immunity. However, the severity of the virus, along with how easily it’s spread, remains to be seen. What’s known already is now the virus is spreading from person-to-person, even among those who had no contact with animals and had never been to Mexico.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Swine Flu?

Swine flu is contagious and capable of spreading from person to person. The incubation period seems to be approximately 12 hours to 24 hours before symptoms appear. Like any flu, the symptoms can range from mild to severe, and include:

* Fever (100.5 degrees F or higher)
* Cough
* Sore throat
* Body aches (muscle aches)
* Diarrhea & Vomiting
* Headache
* Chills
* Fatigue

When diarrhea and vomiting are present see your doctor immediately as severe cases have progressed to pneumonia, respiratory failure and deaths.

How is it Diagnosed?

A respiratory specimen must be collected within the first four to five days of illness, when the infected person is most likely to be shedding the virus. However, some patients (such as children), may shed the virus for 10 days or longer, according to the CDC. Specimens must be sent to the CDC for laboratory testing in order to identify swine flu.

How Can You Catch Swine Flu?

Typically swine flu is spread through contact with infected pigs or environments contaminated with swine flu viruses. However, human-to-human spread has also been documented, which means you can catch it through others’ coughing or sneezing but most likely by directly touching an infected person or by indirectly touching something they touched recently that left the flu viruses on it and then touching or rubbing your eyes, mouth or nose (or possibly even your ears).

You cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products, as the virus isn’t transmitted in food.

People with swine flu remain potentially contagious while symptoms are present and for up to seven days following the illness, although children can be contagious for even longer.

Steps to Minimize Your Risk of Catching Swine Flu

Some of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of swine flu and any other respiratory illness have nothing to do with pharmaceuticals and everything to do with simple everyday precautions, including:

* Washing your hands with soap and water often.

* Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throwing away the tissue.

* Surgical masks, which many people in Mexico are now wearing, can add a level of protection as you have likely seen on the news.

* Reducing, where possible, being in contact with masses of people in public places.

* Avoiding close contact with sick people.

* If feeling sick with what are above symptoms then go immediately to your doctor, clinic or hospital. Stay home from work or school, and limit close contact with others and wear a surgical mask especially in public places, as you don’t want to pass along the flu if you do get sick.

Having said so, Baba strongly believes that Indians have to gear up to face the challenge ahead. If all doesn't go well, India will have 100K deaths cause of Swine Flu by year 2012! Mind it before it's too late...

Baba

FA Community Shield

The season curtain-raiser is the main football dish of the day ...

Chelsea's position as favourites is largely borne from United's injury problems at the back, where Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Wes Brown are all absent. Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak will deputise between the sticks.




History suggests that the stalemate could be a canny option as United have drawn three of their last four appearances, a run that starts with 2003's 1-1 draw with Arsenal. The Red Devils went on to win all three of those draws on penalties, for anyone considering further betting moves after 90 minutes.

Chelsea's position as favourites is largely borne from United's injury problems at the back, where Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic and Wes Brown are all absent. Ben Foster or Tomasz Kuszczak will deputise between the sticks.

I am supporting Chelsea as usual and wish I enjoy a great start to the new season!

Baba

Ninja in India !!!

The time to rejoice for many a biker is just around the corner for Bajaj has finally given out a clearer understanding as to when they will finally launch the KTM bikes and the much awaited Kawasaki Ninja 250 in India.



Bajaj has claimed that the Ninja 250 will indeed come to India within the next 3 months! The bike will come in as a CBU product and is touted to have a price tag of over Rs 2 lakh at the time of launch.



It might have taken an additional year to get here, but the Ninja 250 launch will happen by September this year, so if you think 3 months is a long time, my suggestion would be to plan ahead and start saving up the dough, for this is one bike that you absolutely must have in your garage.

And yes .... that doesn't mean that my ThunderBird Enfield goes ... An Enfield always stays with you!

Baba

Don't Vote for Us.......

Yes! Don't vote for us ... If you think we are not the right candidates for the Great Driving Challenge ... Don't vote for us ... If you think we don't have the Fire and Attitude required to turn a travel into a 'Memory of a Lifetime'!

BUT ... Please visit our Profile by clicking below and then decide ... Do you really don't want to vote for us?



Baba

Welcome 'Samarth'!

Today my friend Satish became a proud father of a baby boy. My best wishes to him and his better half.

My friend Satish ... now a Father -:)



So I have many reasons to smile and party now ... A big party is pending from Satish. I am a proud uncle of baby 'Samarth'!

God bless the child with all the happiness in life. Congrats once again my dear friend!

Baba

Firefox 3.5 Goes Live ...

Good news for Firefox lovers (I am one of those)!

After four beta versions and three release candidates, Firefox 3.5 has finally been released into the world as the latest version of the second most popular Web browser on the planet. The new version brings a private browsing mode, faster JavaScript performance, and support for emerging HTML 5 standards such as plug-in-free video and audio playing.



Users can download the new version of Firefox for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux in more than 70 languages from www.getfirefox.com.

The browser also includes new technology that will allow users to tell sites their location, which will let sites deliver relevant information, for example, about nearby eateries and businesses. The features uses Google Location Services, which obtains your whereabouts using a database of WiFi access points and other known IP addresses. JavaScript performance is more than twice as fast with the browser's new TraceMonkey engine.

Let's hope for the best!

Baba

"MJ" no more ...

Today morning I woke up and turned the TV on & to my surprise and shock the sad news of Michael Jackson's demise fell on my ears.

The world had lost a great artist. There have been times when he was accused of lot of things in his life but then this is the price any genius has to pay for being a 'genius'. No one can question his creativity as he always pushed the envelop of creativity. He revolutionized the music world with his great songs which will be there forever!




I have been a admirer of the 'King of Pop' since my childhood. The only thing that I will always regret is that I was never able to see his performance when he visited India and performed in Bombay. I couldn't go to the show cause I was not having enough resources and was studying then. Well ... I was destined not to see this great gift of God.

There have been questions raised like 'Is he the real King of Pop?', 'Will he be a greater person after his death?' and so on. To those people who are raising this question, I have only one thing to say, "God please forgive these people cause they really don't know what they are saying!"

The world never let Michael Jackson LIVE in peace when he was alive, I sincerely hope that people will let his soul rest in peace!

God bless his soul and may he rest in peace!

Baba

India & Swine Flu!

WHO has declared swine flu as a global panademic some days back. The challenges for a country like India are more tough than any other developed country for such kind of flu which can spread fast.

Phase 6 is WHO's highest alert level and means that a swine flu pandemic is under way but there is no need to panic as most cases are mild and require no treatment. No mutations have been detected in the virus to show it is getting more deadly, so the fear is that new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities, especially in poorer countries. And here comes our challenge ... how can India handle such panademic?

So you must have been hearing news on TV which says India has opened up new laboratories to test for the virus among suspected people. And you must have heard about people having the virus literally running out of the hospital in New Delhi! I have a question to ask to the person (and his family) who ran out of the hospital. What the .... he thinks of himself? Does he know the dire consequences and the threat he is to the public in general? Shouldn't he be punished after he is recovered? In my view, he should be punished for causing threat to the Indian people by literally being a human bomb. Why? Come on, we are a country of more than a billion people. The spread of such virus won't take days in a country like India & given the preparations of the Indian Government to handle this situation, we are more susceptible to being exposed to this deadly virus.

And what about a helpline being set up for this virus? Well there is one! As reported by a leading Indian daily newspaper, "While the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) authorities were quick to give a control room number to disseminate information on swine flu, they forgot to ensure that the staff manning the calls had adequate information about the deadly virus. A call to the number got a cheerful response of “NICD outbreak control room”, but little else. When asked about the flu, the official just provided the phone number of a doctor “who would have all the information”.

But if you still want to give it a try, give a call to the number 011 – 23921401 which is set up by NICD and you will realize what I meant! Also do try their website www.nicd.org. Am sure you will be as disappointed as I am this moment.

The screening of passengers is being done religiously at airports but having heard a news of an American passengers being able to make it through with his pistol on a domestic Indian flight, I have some doubts in the screening efficiency as well :(

I hope our new Health Minister is aware that we are a country of a Billion people & at a greater risk with this panademic!

Baba

My roots calling me ...

While browsing my memories yesterday, I came across this picture of my first school. This is the place where I started my early education. Beautiful it was ... a school with a view. Right behind the bus station of the village and on the outskirts. It's still the same. I took this picture in 2007 when I visited my village and it just took me back to those beautiful days of my life.



Yes! This is the place where I spent my childhood years studying the early things as an inhabitant of mother earth. There is no fence nor hedge around time that is gone. You can go back and have what you like of it, if you can remember. So I can close my eyes on my village as it is today, and it is gone, and I see it as it was when I was a boy.

Green it was, and possessed of the plenty of the Earth. In all Nasik district, there was none so beautiful (that's what me as a child used to think and I still think the same way today). Everything I ever learned as a small boy came from my father and I never found anything he ever told me to be wrong or worthless. The simple lessons he taught me are as sharp and clear in my mind as if I had heard them only yesterday. He is my hero and I owe my everything to him. I will be with him very soon and just the thought of it makes me very happy. He is and will always be my guiding star ... all my life!

The journey I started in my small village is still on. I am in search of my destiny. I believe Destiny is not a matter of chance, but choice, not something to wish, but to attain.

But I know one thing for sure, my roots are so strong that I want to go back to my village and try to make a difference in the lives of people there. My roots are always calling me ...

Baba