Purpose of My Blogging

Who Am I Blogging For?Getting your thoughts and ideas in words is an excellent way of giving more clarity to the thoughts. Others may not believe it, but I do. Yeah, this blog I start is an expression of my ideas, thoughts, experiences and things I know.

Target? Myself.

I don’t care what others think about what I think or my ideas. Only thing I care is clarification of my ideas to myself.

What to write about or what to blog about are literally not a matter of concern – for me. Anything that comes to my mind will take form and shape in my palace.

Probably my father had great ideas about me and my brother – hence put the royal term ‘Prince’ in our names.

Yeah, I now think everything connected to me must be royal – like Prince’s Palace.

I do appreciate suggestions and directions about adding ambience to my palace. Have any idea? Leave it in the form of a comment. Why not publish my email address? I already have more than enough junk mail hitting my inbox daily. I am not averse of sharing my email id with real people.

Then again about the purpose of my blog – it is to give a solid form of my thoughts, ideas and experiences about everything in my kingdom called my life.

There will be philosophy, ranting, technology, places, food… In other words there is nothing absent from here. The readers are never advised to appreciate any of my thoughts – you may be at sea afterwards.
Welcome

How to Write Something from Nothing

It is a common problem for me to find an exact topic to write about. The title is some quite misleading I agree, it never comes something out of nothing or void. Yet again I am going to write down what I don’t when I don’t have anything special to write about.

Check Google News and Yahoo News technology sectionsIn most cases I find a new software, mobile phone, TV, car, motorcycle, etc that catch my eyes. Most times it is software – I usually download the free-trial versions and check out the functionality. The latest software I checked is Adobe Digital Editions. Write what you feel about the new thing.

Hit a new restaurant and appreciate their serviceIf technology is not your cup of tea, move in a different direction you have never tried and reach a new place and try out a new restaurant. What is the food like, is there any specialty in the dress of waiter/waitress, how do they handle the bill, how is the seating like, what kind of food presentation – you have more than enough things to write about.

Play with a puppy, kid or with your grandpa or grannyAnd write about the experience.

See a new movie/read a new book of genre you have never triedAnd write what you think about it
Learn a secret scienceSince reading da Vinci Code, my favorite is kryptology. I haven’t made any major inroads till, yet it is an amusing new experience. Write about cryptology or the experience of learning something new.
Have you been ill lately? How was the experience at the hospital? A good topic tingling?

Do you like what celebrities do?Writing something about celebrities is always a good way of attracting the fans of that particular celebrity. If taken board, you can even criticize for the sake of criticism, but be prepared for the kind of attention you attract.

Team Work and Lonely Tuskers

I have been reading about the employability status of Kerala youth. The second criticism about guys and gals of Kerala is that they are poor team players. The first one being lack of (proper) communication skills. Are we poor team players and better lonely tuskers?

I have a made a soul searching exercise – am I really a team player? I am quite confused if I can be a team player. My work - copy writing and content writing - is always a lonely task. I don’t have the chance to ask for help from someone else whenever I get a writers bloc. I am happy to tread a lone path.

Does it mean I am a poor team player? I really don’t have an idea, I have never been in a team except when I used to play cricket, making a village path pitch and two rubber estates on either sides field. Yeah, I played as a team member. Yeah, there was not a captain in most of the occasions. Make decisions as the game go on. At times we win and at times we lose. Sometimes we get big victories against stronger teams. I remember personal accomplishments like five wickets in three overs more clearly than any team accomplishments. I also remember quick outbursts by different players at different times to drastically alter the progress of games.

Does it again mean I am more a chess player than a soccer player? I don’t care whatever you think.

The Science of Getting Rich

Have you read the book titled ‘The Science of Getting Rich’ by Wallace D Wattles?
I have little comments on the e-book and its contents, not because I got it for free, but because it describes the significant basic things like thought and actions when made in a certain way will lead to gradual unfolding towards abundance of whatever you seek.
Every man requires money and an abundance of it to reach his full potential of intellectual, mental, social and spiritual fullness. One needs to strive towards attaining the fullness of his purpose of life. Modern society assigns great power to money. Thus the effective way of making money is also the way of overall development of one as a whole person.
No this book is nothing about quick money – but about earned money and earned life that you choose to attract to your life and keep there as long as you like.
The curious thing about Wallace D Wattles, there is precious little information about him available from the (e)-book.
I didn’t like the title of the book and thought the man is some con artist trying to sell yet another rich-scheme. Reading halfway down, I understand the author means what he says and is applicable to every man’s (and woman’s) life.
This book is different from ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by --. D Wattles repeatedly suggests that thought can give formless substances form, but only when used in a certain way and when coupled with action.
In other words it is as simple as ‘thoughtless is of no use unless you act and action is waste if not supported by thought’.
The Science of Getting Rich is all about giving the power of thought to action. The thoughts and actions you think insignificant have greater value than I once thought. Yeah, there are few books that have boosted my thinking process – Science of Getting Rich is undoubtedly one of them.
I have got a copy of it as an e-book that I downloaded from Mind Power News . I think several other websites other than Mind Power News either sell or allow people to download the e-book for free. Getting something free of cost has no value – do you think it is true? Even if you do, it will change if you read it for once and practice the principles for six months.
I am not endorsing the book, but if any of you have read the book, provide your feedback about the book as a comment below, please.

Male Female Platonic Relationships

Some say it’s just not possible, some (mostly women) say it is possible. What is the truth about male-female platonic relationship? Has anyone had real platonic relationship with a member of opposite sex, and the relationship is strictly platonic? It will be a difficult thing to answer. There is only a blurred line between sexual attraction and platonic relationship.

I have a few questions for you reader, have you had a strictly platonic relationship with a member of opposite sex? That is if you are a woman, have you ever had a real-heartfelt friendship with a man?

I know, I know it is a very difficult question to answer. Even in declared friendships, there are instances where one of the parties feels some sort of attraction towards the other, which in most cases is not reciprocated.

Bring back Niram, the campus film by Kamal, in which most of the story evolves round the platonic relationship between the leading characters. One of them feels a void when there happened to be a separation between them – he feels desperately bad for allowing such feelings to come into his mind. The biggest joke is that it is only the female lead character that doesn’t recognize the other’s feelings towards her.

This is a common trend, and rarely is the situation reversed – have any objection?

Hey, why are you asking me if it is my experience too? Hey, who said, I have gone through such experience…

Take Loan against Your Means, Living as Surety

Instant approval, No documents required! Zero p.c. interest. Terms up to 20 years.

These are all catchphrases of different loan schemes that an average person of Kerala faces everyday. The only qualification you require – to be able to prove that need no loans.

Ironical but true, loans are sold to persons who don’t just want a loan at the time. Persons who badly require a loan have to make in excess of hundred trips to his/her bank to prove he/she has or will have the facilities to repay the loan.

Imagine the following situations

A farmer/small scale business man: “Sir, I am in a bad financial condition and I need a loan”
Banker: “Really, come back with the documents proving the ownership of your home and walk around in knees.”

Financially well settled person: “Hey, I don’t have new projects and need no loans now.”
Loan sales person: “Sir, you are a VIP Customer of ours for years and you have pre-approved loan. You can use the money to buy a new car or import a Chihuahua from Italy”

The unsuspecting VIP customer, mostly against his/her better judgment decides to take the money for time being.

What is the interest rate? Oh, it is just 2 %. Wow, wonderful are you sure my dear financier? Yeah, it is true, our interest rate is only two percent for a month.

A month? That is 24% a year.

It can be said that way too, a head-scratch by the banker but quickly regain posture.

Sir, we have special offers for our VIP loan customers – special privilege gold credit card, chances to participate in lucky draws…

Finally the VIP customer decides to take the money.

After a while the VIP customer loses his means to repay the money, what happens next? Read about loan re-collection techniques adopted by banks and financial institutes.

Banks, Loans and Debts

Two of my friends lately attended a job interview. The job they are supposed to do – to collect outstanding loan dues from customers of major private banks and financial institutions. On hearing their interview experience, a lot of things flashed through my mind.

Employing persons to collect outstanding dues is not new news in Kerala. I think it is the same everywhere in the world. The modus operandi of collection agents is disturbing. If a customer defaults payment for a long time, the financial institution – icici bank, hdfc, citi financial among countless others – refers the responsibility of collecting outstanding dues to so called collection agencies.

The collection agencies and agents say they never use coercive techniques – only in saying. The action of collection agents gives hell of a time to debtors. I agree, they have failed to repay the loan they have taken, but now they have to pay back with more than money.

The first tactic of the agents is to frequent the debtor’s home on a regular basis. They just don’t visit the home, but also make sure everyone in the neighbourhood know their purpose of visit. The debtor will be faced with questions regarding his (her too) loan. Needless to say it is more than embarrassing for the debtor.

About persons who have taken vehicle loans – the collection agents come and pick the vehicle itself. All loan providers use this. There are several tight skinned persons who are more than happy to leave their vehicles with their financier for as much as three months.

I doubt what the loan due collection agents will do to defaulters of home loans.

To who are the banks, and loan collection agents doing this is another story about selling bank loans.

Team Work and Lonely Tuskers

I have been reading about the employability status of Kerala youth. The second criticism about guys and gals of Kerala is that they are poor team players. The first one being lack of (proper) communication skills. Are we poor team players and better lonely tuskers?

I have a made a soul searching exercise – am I really a team player? I am quite confused if I can be a team player. My work - copy writing and content writing - is always a lonely task. I don’t have the chance to ask for help from someone else whenever I get a writers bloc. I am happy to tread a lone path.

Does it mean I am a poor team player? I really don’t have an idea, I have never been in a team except when I used to play cricket, making a village path pitch and two rubber estates on either sides field. Yeah, I played as a team member. Yeah, there was not a captain in most of the occasions. Make decisions as the game go on. At times we win and at times we lose. Sometimes we get big victories against stronger teams. I remember personal accomplishments like five wickets in three overs more clearly than any team accomplishments. I also remember quick outbursts by different players at different times to drastically alter the progress of games.

Does it again mean I am more a chess player than a soccer player? I don’t care whatever you think.

Stand Up for Yourself

The headline may seem a bit trivial psychological advice; the fact is that many of us forget to stand up for ourselves. If you don’t stand up for yourself, there will not be anyone else to stand up for you. It is like ‘if you don’t love yourself first, no one else cares to’.

When to stand up for yourself?
Stand up for yourself whenever you feel the need to. Are your friends bullying you so much? It is time to put your foot down. Are you not getting what you have paid for? It is time to stand up for yourself.

Our family had a tough time dealing with some neighborhood issues. A few of our neighbors want a broad path to their homes, at our cost. Or in other words through our property, after removing three jack fruit trees, three cashew nut trees, two mango trees and several other small trees. Everyone knew it is complete injustice against us – they just know it.

And the day came when they have reached to broaden the three feet path to a seven or eight feet path, taking up extra land from our property. They were about fifty of them, mostly hired workers under the leadership of our neighbor. My younger brother put a bold foot and challenged the action of them. Ours is a civil society and not any 16th century society where muscle power ruled over everything. The next scene was police station, from where a constable came and asked them to stop working. Sure, we get the support of others and mainly from the police. Their project was lost. Though paths and walkways are necessary, I or my family didn’t feel the requirement of unjustifiable sufferings.

Others could help us, only because my brother was able to make a bold statement and stood for us.

Thus standing up for yourself involves keeping your prestige and self-respect intact without ever allowing others to take it away from you.

Many times in the past I felt it is OK to take myself not so seriously. No. That type of thought is not with me any more. If you don’t take yourself seriously, others too will not. If you make sure you have self respect and prestige, others too will agree with it.
Stand up for yourself, make voice for yourself. The first thing is to understand you have self-respect. It is not assuming or believing, but understand and know that you deserve to be treated with respect.

Adobe Digital Editions PDF Reader

Brand new zippy e-book reader from Adobe, the new Digital Editions is a brand new experience in reading PDF files.

Unlike the regular PDF readers from adobe, Digital Editions takes up only 2.5 MB. I see before my eyes the whole file being downloaded and installed in a zip. Has the whole process taken a minute? I doubt no.

There are quite a few attractive things about Digital Editions. The two features that caught my eye
I can add all my PDF files to the library and
a comfortable Flash interface

Adobe Digital editions is in Beta Version and is available for free to download from Adobe Labs.

How does Adobe make revenue out of Digital Editions? Adobe might be selling ebooks through their ebook-store.