And I thought I had a Stationery Fetish

Bang Yao Liu is a paitient man, with a stationery fetish, ahem, I stand corrected, with a Brilliant skill of making Stop Motion Videos.

The First one shows you how he did it, the second, what he did.. Do watch

MTNL - The Known Devil

Some Interesting Figures (As of 31/March/09)

Wireline Telephone Customers for MTNL Delhi 15,56,064
WLL-Mobile Customers: 1,11,354
Pre Paid GSM Customers: 15,00,919
Post Paid GSM Customers: 4,17,577
Broadband Connections: 6,95,500
Post Paid Internet Connections: 14,07,346
Pre Paid Internet Connections (God Knows what this Means, Sorry MTNL Knows): 21,280

Where did I get these figures from, Well click here to download the Excel sheet - Yes Excel Sheet, not PDF, from the MTNL website (That is if, they dont' remove it in a day or so.

Anyway, let's go back into the Strike History

June 6, 2000: Indian Express: MTNL Ends Strike, Agrees to Demands

July 5, 2000: Indian Express MTNL C & D Employees Effect Services Partially

July 11, 2000: The Hindu - MTNL Strike Deffered

May 17, 2001: Hindu Business Line MTNL Workers Strike

July 27, 2006: Zee News MTNL Executive and Non Executive Staff on Strike

December 15, 2008: Live Mint Indefinite Strike to Send Back Deputed Officers


These are just some of the historical links that come up when you search for MTNL, other than our Friend Mr. Sinha issuing rebuttals against Airtel, and claiming to launch services, that don't work, no one at MTNL really wants to work.

On calling MTNL for service and why services are disrupted, the answers vary from

1. There is no problem
2. We are on Strike
3. The Junior Management is to blame
4. I am on a holiday, call me tomorrow
5. I will not tell you my name, I am just a receptionist
6. I can't transfer your phone as I don't have this facility
7. Why don't you grease someone's hands and get your service working
8. Why is the Internet and Telephone so important to you
9. When you have other Providers, why do you buy from us ?


So, do you still want to buy MTNL ???

G

So What Happend

Well, nothing really, I am still as much a part of System3, as I was before, but I was playing the role of a Finance Head, Technology Head, Business Head and Marketing Head. Now that System3 has grown in size, and the number of people, I thought it was time for me to reduce my roles, and actually just be the Big Geek in the house, so I am now moving on from my role of CEO to the role of the Geek in the House, and soon enough, System3 should announce a New CEO. In the meantime, watch out TheBigGeek.com evolve, and more writings from me.

Why did I rename it from www.g-spot.in to the www.theBigGeek.com well, two major reasons,

1. People kept going to the other G-spot website, and kept calling me, hey you said this is tech, but the **** is this ?
2. You sure you run the G-Spot website..

So the kink is out, and the tech lust is in, welome to the Big Geek

G

Heart Touching - In Sickness and In Health, Till Death Do us Part

I am not sure how I came across this video, but it touched my heart, and brought a tear to my eye... True love defined. A snapshot from a news item on IBN Live



Reminds me of the Kenny Rogers Song - The Vows Go Unbroken *(lyrics)*

From the moment I met you,
you made my life complete.
This wave of pure devotion,
has swept me off my feet.

And tonight when we kissed,
you still took my breath away.
It goes without saying,
but I'll say it anyway...

The vows go un-broken - and you still know I do.
Love, keep and honor - always true to you.

Though I have been tempted,
oh I have never strayed.
I'd die before I'd damage,
this union we have made.

The vows go unbroken - and you still know I do.
Love, keep and honor - always true to you.

I knew from the first - that for better or worse,
I'd stand by you all my life.

And the vows go unbroken - and you still know I do.
Love, keep and honor - always true to you.
Love, keep and honor - always true to you.

Finally - The Buddha Arrives

I have been wanting to get a Buddha Head for my office for a very long time. I was out buying some mugs for the office, and spending time at this pottery shop, and came across the head, I had to buy it, got it for a cool price of Rs. 180, and now it is sitting atop the speaker of my Mini Book Case system in the office.

Jai Buddha

Time to Switch off the Lights - Earth Hour

Global warming is a pain in the *** and needs to be addressed. WWF is having an Earth Hour, at 8:30 PM on 28th March 2009, i.e Today, the date of the posting. Though it is not possible to do this globally, it's being done per country. A question that comes to my mind, with India where electricity supply is irregular, more than half of our population not having access to Electricity, will something like the Earth Hour really make a difference. I propose to shut off my car, lights, and other electronic items (No not my data center equipment) tonight at 8:30, will you .. What do you think, taking an hour off of our Electronic devices (Plugging them off), our Carbon Devices (Cars, Generators etc) will help ?

If God had a name, what would it be ?

I watched Dear God today morning and found it to be very interesting, a few questions that the movie leaves me thinking, and I like that. The Joan Osbourne Song, If God was one of us, in the movie made me think, can you call this Song a Sufi Song ?

Recently an interview of A.R. Rahman after his winning of the Golden Globe, I was a little surprised (not any more) when the Radio Jockey announced that we have a Sufi in between us, more readings on Rahman and his way of working revealed, how he looks at each song, as the song of God, though you can interpret a song, book, talk in any manner, but if you can interpret God in it, I think you can be called a Sufi.

I am left with lyrics, in my mind from an Indian Ocean Song

Hei tamasha yeh kya
Kyoon tu gum mein zara
kar muhabbat fakiri
Ho bharam se judaa
Hei tamasha yeh kya
kaun bura ya bhala
sab mein aks uska basa
Mei ko chod de ruh se jod le kar jayega paar...

If God had a name, what would it be ?

Non Tech: Why God Made Moms

A few days ago, I was a part of a Mail Trail about the subject, Why God Made Moms. I chose to reply back to the sender alone, due to the sensitive nature of the email, but Harpreet sent out a mail, which touched all of us. Her mail is replicated at the end of this posting.

A video was then returned to the whole mail trail, which is brilliant, worth a standing ovation, so here goes, WHY GOD MADE Moms



BTW, are you still grounded ?

Everybody thinks that their moms boss over them too much, nag too much,
fight too much.. but they are the best things that ever happened to a
person. only a mom can give total unconditional love even if you are the

worse possible daughter. LOVE U MOM..hope u know that :-)

G

How did this Credit Crisis Happen ?

As a Business Owner, I ask myself this question a number of times the whole day, what happened, how did it happen, why is it that every one is affected. I read the paper, talk to people, but when I hear terms like CDS / CDO's / Sub Prime Mortgages, it some how flies over my head.. I just can't understand how it affects every one and what does a CDS or a CDO Means.

There are two brilliant videos on Presentation Zen a blog on the art of making presentations, one by Johnathan Jarvis, which is brilliant and explains everything you wanted to know, and one by Paddy Hirsch.

Here are the two of them for you to watch.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Kudos Rahman & Company - 8 Oscars for Slumdog

He has done it.. yet again.. AR Rahman spins magic.. ever since he has been on the music scene, he has been the envy of every other music directory, achieving some brilliant milestones, like the beautiful rendition of "Jana Gana Man", the National Anthem of India and the music he has done for movies, yesterday All India Radio called him, a Sufi, Rock, Pop, Star who has done some brilliant music.

Slumdog (Haven't seen the movie as yet), has been the topic of discussion ever since it came out.. and now 8 oscars, including the first one for India.

AeyRahman, Mera Tujhe Salam

TOI: 8 Oscars for SlumDog

I suck at Presentations (Read Power Point) Do you ?

Everytime someone told me, I need to make a presentation, I shook, it was stage fright, but as a Business owner, speaker, I have had to make my way around it.. This is something I have always done, get 3 Slides

Slide1: MY Name / Contact Info
Slide2: What am I speaking about (This is constantly on the screen when I am speaking)
Slide3: End, Thank you

Simple, very Zen, but does not work for all situations, situations when someone says, hey, can you email me a presentation.. NAAAA

I have always been a speaker, put me up there and let me speak, I will make sure you know what I mean, and what my story is.. but then.. making sure you have presentation skills is important.

I have been recently reading Garr Reynolds, Presentation Zen Blog, and the Video below, from a Talk at Google makes you really see how to make a presentation happen.

So if you, like me, suck at presentations, take out an hour, and see this video.



This event took place on March 21, 2008, as a part of the Authors@Google series.

Why Should I pay for My Meal ? Sh. Lalu Prasad ji Aapki Rai Kya Hai ?

The meal that is served to you in a Train Journey, is either paid for, in the ticket (part of the ticket price), or you pay for it (In case you travel by 2nd Class / Sleeper AC).

This time around, I saw a few things, sorry for not bringing pictures of everything

Glass for Water, BRANDED and Sponsored by VODAFONE
After Mint, BRANDED and Sponsored by Wrigleys (They even went to include a Pamphlet of How Wrigleys is Good for you)
Tray Napkin, some Third Party
Napkin to Wipe your Hands, Wrigleys.

So if you are My Dear Mr. Prasad, Making money with the advertising, why oh why, should I pay for my MEAL ?


Other than this, Most of the restaurants, and Gyms now have those FLASH MEDIA and other company's Ads playing all the times. I pay for using those services. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR MY MEAL, IF YOU ARE MAKING MONEY OF ADVERTISMENT, IS YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISING, OTHER SERVICES, OR SELLING ME YOUR GOODS ? WHY OH WHY

Your Thoughts ?

Will This Help Clean the Railways Washrooms in India

While travelling by Train the other day, I had to badly use the washroom in the coach, and if you have ever travelled by Train in India, god forbid you have to use one of these, they are dirty, smelly and wet. I was wondering, how would it be, if this sticker, instead of being inside the washroom is on the door, with a button, I Agree, and you are legally required to follow these instructions.

People who choose not to agree, should not use the Washroom. Much more like the software, I agree EULA (end user license agreement)

Your Thoughts ?

PS: BTW the underlines that you see, are not something done by me.. I think another irritated passenger with the messy washrooms. Want to know the Train Name (Shatabdi Express to Kalka, starting at Delhi, Picture Took, half an hour after the train left).

Nothing Rajni Kant Do - Choke There (Spoof Chak De)

I am no big Fan of Sharukh, or the Chicklit Hindi Cinema, but somethings in the movies just leave you touched. While searching for some stuff on you tube, I some how bumped into the following Trailer (Actually an Advertisiment) for Sun Silk Gang of Girls, Very Nicely done.. Kudos BCWebWise

At one time, Webchutney, owned by a Friend Sidharth Rao was doing such brilliant stuff, look forward to more work like this.

So, time for me to shut up and show you the You Tube Video



G

VAT - The Reality

There have been long arguments if the VAT / Sales Tax is a good thing for consumers or not, and how the VAT is utilised to build the City and there by the country. From my point of view, the Government has the right to Tax people, and I fully agree with it, though What I don't understand is why Have Double Taxation (Like we have on software, when you buy software, you are taxed 4% VAT and 12.36% Service Tax, because it is unclear to our folks, if this is a product or a service, or a service disguised as a product). Though leaving this discussion apart, there has been a new consumer learning that happened for me a few days back. Though I think this is a very stupid thing to point out, but I think there are a lot of smarty pants out there to make a fool out of us.

For those of you who grew up as Kids in the 1980's 1990's, you would recall a program called Rajni on Doordarshan, that used to teach about consumer rights, and recently there have been a lot of advertisements for the campaign Jago Grahak Jago, but still there are these cheap skinned people who are out to make a fool out of you and make a Quick buck.

So what is the lesson. A few years, I don't recall when, all the prices on products moved to Tax Inclusive, i.e if a Product said, Price: Rs. 100 (Inclusive of All Taxes), no one could charge you anything above this.

Then came along a Store, I will not want to name it, but you will know, which promises to sell everything for 99 bucks, now they sell the same product, with a 100 Rupee MRP at Rs. 99 + 4% VAT = 102.96, i.e making Rs. 2.96 more than they are supposed to charge, and they just told you, that they were actually giving it to you a buck cheaper.

We are building a new office, and I had to recently buy Godrej locks, and I bumped into a wholesaler, here in Lajpat Nagar, who offered me 8% discount on all my purchase, now what is the catch

Price of Lock: Rs. 110 (one of them) this is MRP on the Box Inclusive of Taxes
Discount: 8% i.e 101.20
Tax: 12.5% (Now this is another area, how does a consumer know if the tax on this item is 12.5% or 4%, anyway), so 12.5%
Total Price: Rs. 110 Less Discount 8.80 = Rs. 101.20 + Tax (12.5%) 12.65 = 113.85

So you thought you got an 8% discount, and the guy fleeced you.

The Next Big trick is these guys who sell Paint and Hardware. WOW the game that they play. Most of these Big Paint Showrooms now have jazzy looking girls at their billing counters (an eye wash / distraction) and PC's with LCD Monitors / Thermal Printers, that print your bill, since most of the times you are in a hurry or buy cash, you get the thermal print out, take it to the paint mixer, take your paint, reach home.

Put it in your account books, in a few months you look at the account books, and what do you find, chances are if the thermal print survived, it reads "ESTIMATE", so you were sold material, and given a bill, which reads Estimate.

Now you go back to the store, after some ruckus, the guy says, hey buddy, you know what, I will need to charge you Tax (again 12.5%), so you say, ok, I bought Paint worth Rs. 10,000 / Tax: 1250, wow man that's high, and some of us just come back, but realize this, the Paint that he sold you was Tax Paid, so even if he had to give you a bill, he can't charge you an additional 1250, yes, he can charge you 8750 + 12.5%, thus still taking 10K. But why would he do that.. Right

So next time, check your bill, and Jago Grahak Jago

Thanks to this lovely store in GK, who pointed this out to me, and gave me a great discount of 10% on my purchases, lovely guy.

This fleecing is happening across the city, from the manufacturers (Who don't print prices clearly) to retailers who are out to make a quick buck (no wonder they have pictures of stars visiting their shops, obviously you have so much money to blow away).

The worst part, if you want a bill, they actually have to do it hand written, as the computers, are just a show off, only to generate those thermal prints.

Just my 2cents of a lot of irritation :)

G

PS: I think there is a simple alternative, stop buying anything on cash. Buy it either cheque / credit or Debit Card. Since the retailer now get's the money straight into his Bank, he will have to file taxes, and see how our country will grow.

Delhi Police BRT Action - Filmy, Very Filmy

FINALLY SOME ACTION
How many times have you heard the trouble with the BRT, for those of you who are not living in Delhi, or for those, who would really want to see what the best brains of IIT can do, click here for some Google Results. It is one mess that has been created, and with the current way it's being run and developed more, all I can foresee is another big mess, teaching India's, to drive in a Lane is impossible, there was a time in Bombay (Ahem Mumbai) where you could drive in a lane, now even the average mumbaikar, does not want to stick to his lane, let alone the country.

In the last few weeks, there has been a lot of news, about people racing in the BRT corridor, Red Beacon Cars misusing the corridor, and then police / traffic police being deployed to monitor it. I because of my work have to use the BRT Road every now and then, and have never seen any police action, till today, and this was a moment worth capturing. Please note, this was taken with a very low resolution camera, as that is what was handy to me in my car, so apologies for the bad picture quality.

There were these 2 SKODA cars, that were racing, and an Army Jeep, and all caught, fined. The brilliant part, one of the havaldar's, was holding a video camera and recording everything, now that is one FINE thing done by our Police team in Delhi.

Thank you.



Though a small suggestion and an open letter, why not have atleast 2 to 3 Polieceman at all red lights, even when they are working, following picture shows you a car, all dark tinted glasses, the guy eventually jumped the red light, so can I call him a repeat offender, but hey, if you had 2 - 3 Police men there, you could have made some money. It is simple logic

High Density of Policeman at Traffic Lights
Averagely 2 to 3 Cars have a Rule Violation
*Wrong type of Number Plate
*Blasting Music at full volume (after all we are dilliwala's)
*Dark Tinted glasses, you can't even see inside
*Honking at Red Lights
*Jumping Red Lights

Now Calculate this,
Average Wait Time at a Signal is approximately: 2 Minutes
Average Time to Challan Someone: 1 Minute
Average Cars to be challaned: 2
Rough Challan Charges: Rs. 100
Total Charges Per Red Light Collectible: Rs. 200
Number of Signal Changes in an Hour at a Busy Crossing (5 Minutes Green / 2 Minutes Red / 4 Way Crossing): 7 to 8

Total Collections Per Hour: 7 x 200 = Rs. 1400
Total Collections in a 12 Hour Day (8 AM to 8PM): 1400 x 12 = 16,800
Total Collections Over a 20 Day Month: 3,36,000
Average Salary of a Police Person: Rs. 20,000 Per Month (I am not sure of this)
Incentive to be Given to the Policeman for Challans: Rs. 10,000
Total Policeman: 3
Total Salary Cost: Rs. 60,000 + Rs. 30,000 = Rs. 90,000
Per Month Profitability: Rs. 2,46,000

Law of Averages, say, collections are only 50%, you will still make a cool profit of Rs. 78,000 at above salaris and benefits.

Remember this is only one Side of the Signal, there are usually 2 sides, and about 4 on most of the major crossings in Delhi, so at 2 Sides, you have an average Profitability of Rs. 1.56 Lacs Per Month

Now multiply that by the number of red lights..

There are multiple benefits

If averagely we need 6 Policeman at Each Traffic Light
And We were to Man an Average of 1000 Traffic Lights
An Employment of 6000 People is Generated
The Profit is 2000 Times (Mind Boggling Numbers)

What does all this profit do, reduce tax, improve policing, make sure people who listen to a Whip, listen, avoid accidents, drunken driving.

I know this seems simple logic, and I am not mathematician, but I think it works, it just needs to be put in.

G

Download Boom De Ah Da - Discovery Song

Discovery and it's whole network is one of the most favourite channels I have to watch on television. Ever since I bought myself the Tata Sky Plus, I can now record and watch all the programs that I wanted to. A new campaign by the Discovery Channel The World is Just Awsome, and a lot of people across the globe have fallen in love with the song and made it their ring tone, and soon we should see it topping the charts.

If you haven't heard the song, or want to download the ring tone for your phone, or the mp3 for your pc, head on to Discovery's Website, and download it.

For those looking for lyrics, Thanks to Wikipedia, the lyrics are

--
(Dialogue)
Astronaut 1: It never gets old, huh?
Astronaut 2: Nope.
Astronaut 1: It kinda makes you want to...
Astronaut 2: Break into song?
Astronaut 1: Yep.
I love the mountains,
I love the clear blue skies
I love big bridges
I love when great whites fly
I love the whole world
And all its sights and sounds
Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (twice)
An African tribe dancing, with one getting near the camera (Going Tribal/Last Man Standing)
I love the planet
I love real dirty things
I love to go fast
I love Egyptian kings
I love the whole world
And all its craziness
Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (twice)
Richard Machowicz firing a Milkor MGL grenade launcher (Future Weapons)
A construction catching Machowicz's fire
I love tornadoes
I love arachnids
I love hot magma
I love the giant squids
I love the whole world
It's such a brilliant place
Boom-de-ah-da, boom-de-ah-da (repeating until fade)
--

So go ahead download it, if you are a discovery fan, or a geek in your heart, I am sure you will love the song.

G

New Year Resolution

Hi,
It's the new year, well it has been for some days now, and no it just did not dawn on me. Just that every new year brings in a lot of hopes, lot of resolutions, things that you plan to do, and things that you look back on.

1. Last year, I made sure I had written a story in each of the releases of Indian Express, except the sad weekend of 26th November, that none of us globally will forget. I also wrote some articles for the Readers Digest, and made a resolution to keep it up this year, and make sure that you don't miss a story from me, I know.. those who follow it to the last mile, there was no story on 4th January, well, actually I messed it up, I repeated a Topic, but am posting that story here for you to read in a seperate post.

2. I also thought, that in 2009, I will try to update my blog regularly, well not daily, as that would be a bit difficult right now, but frequently, and not only with my Indian express stories, so that this does not become a repository of just Indian Express stories I have done.

3. The economic crisis, seems to be setting into all industries, and this is not only making people loose jobs, but making it difficult for entrepreneurs, to evolve, to come to market with strategic options, so as to both up-sell and down-sell to their customers, to help survive together. Tough times have always brought out the best in entrepreneurs, and we at System3, i.e My Company, will work to bring new products and services out this year, so that our customers and potential customers can have a larger variety to choose from.

So to all my readers, A very Happy New Year, and hey, have a ball

G

Come, meet Lonely Girl & Kate Modern: Is this the new Vouyer ?

If you’re tired of TV soaps, check out the interactive action on the Net

I would love to call up Smriti Irani and dig out the real story behind Tulsi, but I don’t have her number, and even if I did, Ekta Kapoor wouldn’t let me discuss it. Rewind to a few years ago when tech geeks were still talking of interactive television and looked forward to the DTH so that we would be able to decide the future and shape the serial as we wanted. But with so many plots changing so often and yet with the characters frozen in time, interactive television would not have helped much.

Then came the Internet and companies like YouTube started beaming videos created and uploaded by people that you could stream and watch. The ones that made most sense were the ones that were humourous, like the Mentos and the Coke videos.

Eventually, Orkut, YouTube and others changed the way one communicated, networked and formed communities—and called it Social Network. Of late, a company called EQAL has been successfully producing two online interactive dramas: Lonely Girl and Kate Modern.

Imagine a high school girl with swooping eyebrows, boy problems, a webcam somewhere in the US with a room filled with stuffed toys. I am not talking of the girl next door or the girl on that X rated credit card hungry website. LG (Lonely Girl is about 496 episodes old having begun in June 2006) is based on the life of a young girl called Bree. There was a time she would stream on YouTube and now it revolves around her friends and family. The series is short and has regular updates of video feeds posted by the fictional character.

Kate Modern is in its 260th episode—it started in July 2007—and is the sister series of the Lonely Girl. The show is set in England, bears many similarities to Lonely Girl, and in its second season, is generating an increasing amount of interest.

Such online dramas show that the Internet TV has arrived. The phenomenon would not have worked without the explosion of broadband and the advent of YouTube. The other reason for its success is the hybrid form of story-telling. What makes it important enough for me to write about it is that, as a viewer, you can correspond with the characters and even alter the plot.

The Internet, or as it’s now called, the Web 2.0, is a relatively new medium for everyone. The way people looked at Internet till a few years ago was how they looked at a newspaper or a radio; the same boring content would be everywhere. So if you miss your action of the daily soaps and the K action on TV is too much for you to bear, head for www.lg15.com, and discover a life beyond TV.

--
The Above Article was printed in the Indian Express, on Sunday, May 11, 2008

I seem to be Turning into an Astrologer for Gadgets

The last day of the year, 31/Dec/07, All India Radio, Interviewed me on their National network, on what lies ahead in terms of Gadgets in the Year 2008. Here is the full broadcast of the Program from Monday, of the Section called Science and Technology



Maybe one day, I will be called a Futurist

Happy New Year 2008 to all of you.

GS