Net phone

Some useful tips for people trying to make international calls to friends/relatives. The following are some options which I currently use to make overseas calls. If you have any more please feel free to enter in the comments.

1. VoipBuster

As of today, VoipBuster allows free calls to landlines in certain international locations. Checkout their site for the listed countries.

You have to pay 10 euros to make unlimited calls, but the calls themselves are free. All other locations invite charges. You need to install the software from their site.

2. VoipUser

This is a service allowing you to have a virtual landline in UK. All calls from through the internet will be routed through this line. You are allowed to call free to hundreds of locations. But you are expected to create incoming calls to this alloted number so that this will create money for the user community, and helps to keep the outgoing calls free. You need to register at their site, and download a software SIP phone(X-Pro) to use the service.

Rang de basanthi

After a long I watched a hindi movie without dozing off in the middle. The last one was I guess "Company". This time it is "rang de basanthi". Highly recommended for those of you who are frustrated at the run-of-the-mill stuff which comes out of Bollywood. Though RDB includes a lot of gimmicks for pleasing the masses, i give it full marks for rather different treatment.

The story is about an American lady bound on making a documentary on Indian freedom fighters, and how it changes thee life of hers and five university students involved in it. The only thing I have against this film is that it kind of give a wrong message - that the solution for problems is to turn to violence !

Except for Aamir Khan, Anupam Kher and Om Puri(the latter two having very little screen time), there was hardly anybody in the movie who could act decently. Especially, when Siddharth(Boys fame) made an effort to make emotional outburst, I could hardly hold my laugh.

November 14 Deadline

Now that valentine's day is imminent, the November 14 deadline is becoming closer and closer. For those who are still not clear, be reminded that there is only exaclty 9 months from Valentine's day to Children's day which falls on November 14. And if you dont wanna miss the window, you better be acting very fast. See what I mean...

Tip for Valentine's Day

 Way of proposing for this Valentine’s Day:

 

I feel like cursing you, for all the sleepless nights that you have given me,....
"you'll have a son, who will go mad behind my daughter, just like the way I am mad for you"
....but then......why trouble those innocent ones....come lets make them brothers and sisters 

 

Oil-free economy

Sweden plans to be world's first oil-free economy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,5394081-110373,00.html

Sweden is to take the biggest energy step of any advanced western economy by trying to wean itself off oil completely within 15 years - without building a new generation of nuclear power stations.


The attempt by the country of 9 million people to become the world's first practically oil-free economy is being planned by a committee of industrialists, academics, farmers, car makers, civil servants and others, who will report to parliament in several months.


The intention, the Swedish government said yesterday, is to replace all fossil fuels with renewables before climate change destroys economies and growing oil scarcity leads to huge new price rises......

Road-wise?

"Going out" is usually supposed to mean to leave your house, hang around somewhere and have a nice time. But if you living in bangalore, this phrase would have an entirely different connotation. For some, it might even sound like a nightmare. You would agree with me if you happen to work in any of the myriad companies in electronic city. Traffic has become such a huge mess in Hosur road. Sometimes looking out of the window of the bus, you keep wondering whether this was how we have progressed - finally automobiles are going at the speed of bullock carts.

Agreed that the roads are bad, and that the government hasnt done much for infrastructure development. But I would say, let us stop pointing fingers at others, and see how WE can make things better. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the traffic problem would have been 10 times better, if we the road users behave much more maturely on our roads.

The situation on our roads is a result of the Indian attitude problem - every one wants to get there first. Imagine an unmanned traffic juntion without signal. I would bet that within a few minutes, for absolutely no reason at all, it would become jammed with one vehicle trying to get past the junction before the other, and in doing so blocking the other guys path and eventually resulting in total pandemonium.

If only people could understand that a little bit of patience and unselfishness would go a long way in solving the traffic situation ...

Important decision

Today I have to make a very important decision in my life. The question is whether I want kids with cat-eyes or normal eyes. Now, its not that you can see in the dark having cat-eyes, but I think it might look better. Well the reason is that, of late there is a girl who comes in my bus. And she, has got cat-eyes. And she is like the Taj Mahal*. And well, she might have a cute smile too, im not sure. Havent tried to make her smile yet. But by the way she looks, one can pretty much make out that she is not married.

*For the uninitiated, Taj Mahal is known for its beautiful curvaceous structure.

Coupling

This sitcom first appeared in BBC two years back. I first saw it in Star World. Since then I have been a great fan ot it. It is about three guys and three girls who are friends. Coupling is easily my favourite british comedy after "Yes Prime Minister".

But I should remind you that most of the conversation might be considered risque by many people. So viewer discretion is strongly adviced. Clearly, this is not to be watched with your kids !! For the uninitiated, this gives an insight into the life of the unmarried 30+ people in britain.






My favourite character in the series is Jeff(played by Richard Coyle) who always comes up with some bizarre stories and fantasies. Here's one conversation:

"Steve: Jeff, Jeff, I know about the giggle loop, the sock gap, the nudity buffer, and what you said to Audrey Watkins. Believe me, there is nothing you can possibly say that will surprise me. What’s gone wrong this time?
Jeff: I’ve got too many legs."

Heartthrobs

She is 17, has acted in some tamil and telugu movies, is a mallu by birth, her screen name is Sandhya and much much much more importantly she is my latest girlfriend. I know you dont believe it. I dont care a damn even if you dont.

Havent seen any of her movies yet. Her first movie was "Kathal" which was hugely successful, followed by the latest "Dishyum". I think I should take some time off next weekend and watch this one. I really dont mind putting up with a non-sensical movie as long as she has got enough screen presence.

When asked whether she has a boyfriend she said:"So far no, since I had studied in all girl's school, there was no chance for that". Well, thats good news for me. I can only just keep hoping that she has a liking for tall dark handsome and intelligent guys working in the software industry.

Apparently her hobbies match with mine - she likes "Watching movies, reading books, and listening to music, sleeping". Good. But wait, if you keep sleeping, when will you look after our kids?

Fair and lovely

today i am going to talk about fairness, beauty and related crap. for whatsoever reason, fairness is generally thwarted as beautiful by the human psyche - atleast the indian psyche. i am not technically qualified to opine whether fair women are biologically more suited than others. but i do agree that of all the women i have seen in my life time, the fairer ones have, in general, looked more beautiful to me. however, relying on my personal experience for the last 27 years on this planet, my opinion is that being born fair is kind of a short term gain. fair women develop creases much faster. they have to rely more on make-up during the advancing years. they have to spend time and money keeping up their appearances. my advice to blokes is not to take things at "face" value.