20080226

God's Inc (GI) -3

I have had two earlier conversations with GOD'S INC.
Transcripts of which can be found here. (they are a bit long but precursor to this talk - these were written when I did not have a reader base - if possible read them)
God's Inc - 1 (September 2007)
God's Inc -2 (November 2007)

It is almost 3 months - finally I was able to pay off all my holiday bills - so decided to call God's Inc again. (they dont have a toll free 800 number!!) Also due to the Christmas Holidays, God's Inc had doubled the price on the call for December to reduce the frivolous calls for stupid gadjets people wanted. They had to take this drastic step as HIS model Santa -11, serving this part of the world during Christmas, had contacted arthritis.
(Dialed the number. After the customary chosing 1 then 3 then finally four....the customer service rep picked up the phone)
Me: Hello

GI Rep: Hello, ME-74, this is Manish. How may I help you today?

Me: (Surprised) How do you know its me and isnt that an Indian Name?

GI Rep: Sir, we have your phone number on the record and God's Inc have hired Bee Pro to outsource and answer their calls.

Me: (WTF - even God Outsources) Oh Ok.

GI Rep: I see you have interacted twice before. Also from the last transcript I see that you alongwith 11 other ME-74 were upgraded for the Green Design. How do you find the changes.
Me: Well (thinking - I know he is testing me - I transmit the data and he already knows it - again looking for that elusive antenna for the umpteenth time - so I play along) for starters I feel pure and energetic, have had good food supplements and am trying to use energy efficient design modules.
(A loud siren in the background and hush hush noise)

GI Rep: Well, sorry to interupt but, can I put you on a hold.

Me: (as if I had a choice - and I was witnessing chaos as GOD's Inc) Sure.....(I waited for almost almost 10 mins -this is going to be an expensve call)

GI Rep: Sorry we had an emergency, there was a bunch of people who were decommisioned in Iraq. We has to take care of their soul inputs back into our system and so the siren.

Me: What do you mean - people killed by another suicide bomber. (I was a little sad)

GI Rep: Sir, since you are a model that can only transmit data and not act on your own congnizance - let me share some fascinating information today.

Me: Wow, I was feeling privileged.

GI Rep: You know that there are constant calamities happening on earth in the past few years. There was a WTC Tragedy, Tsunami, Bomb Blasts all over the world, Earthquakes...

Me: Yeah, terrible and so many people died - I hope no one of my 24 ME-74's were killed

GI Rep: Well no, all the ME-74 were positioned appropriately to avert any such incidences. But the thing is what you think as a tragedy is basically HIS way of decommisioning old, derilict, useless or faulty models. Sometimes due to lack of time some good models are also decommisioned.

Me: Means ( I was getting confused at this point )

GI Rep: See, to make your life easy, GOD borrowed the technology from Galaxy Automubuloma. They sent their best technicians who work in big coglomerates manufacturing cars, disguised as earthlings. So if there is some problem in the car, then the manufacturers recall that part and replace it or sometimes decommision it. Similarly HE has to do this from time to time. What he does is get the programmers to make these "extra" earthlings to gather at a place and decommisions them at a time by infusing some natural or man made event.

Me: But why in such a tragic manner?

GI Rep: See when GOD leased this planet Earth from Galaxy Inc - the lease says that no more than 7 billion models can inhabit it at a given time. So HE has to take these drastic measures.
Me: So, you are telling me, that these tragedies are planned. (damn). But then why did HE infuse this emotional gadjet in us. Why do we feel sad?

GI Rep: Well that is where the problem is. When earthlings were being designed - there was a brilliant engineer Emostein - who designed these two gadjets. One for the male earthlings and one for the female. Both have subtle differences.

Me: So then why cant he reprogram and RECALL the gadjet - so that atleast we dont feel this pain

GI Rep: Well its all corporate politics. Due to certain early faulty designs like the Mussolini-1, Hitler-1 and Stalin-Jr, stock of God's Inc dropped. Seeing its great potential, Saturn Corp wanted to buy the earth. In an effort to avert control of HIS company, HE traded Emostein to Saturn Corp.

Me: So are you telling me there are more ME's like me on Saturn.

GI Rep: That is exclusive information, I cant divulge. Well so in short Emostein took his programs with him and GOD was stuck with these dual emotional gadjets that he cant recall.

Me: Well, ok....(did not know what to say here). My credit is almost getting over. Just one more question.

GI Rep: Go on...

Me: As discussed last time, Bush-2 will be decommisioned, but why this neck to neck battle of Clinton-2 and Obama-1.

GI Rep: Well that again ME-74 is classified information. In time to come you will see his MasterPlan.

Me: Ok...then, Manish, hope all is well in India.

GI Rep: Yes it is. As usual do not divulge this information to anyone. Thank you for calling God's Inc. (click!!!)

Me: As if I have control over it.

20080223

TooTags

Both these are Tags by Veens
First one -
Smile - 51 Things that remind me to smile
I smile in all circumstances somehow....for me every moment of life is an experience to cherish....no matter how bad or how good - there is always someone more in distress or better off ......
Here goes
1) Doctor and Nurses - who gave me birth
2) My Parents - for putting up with my craziness for so long....really admire their patience
3) My Brother - For living life on his own terms and struggling but never complaining (libran trait I guess)
4) My extended family - Being cheerful is my genes I guess
5) Specially my youngest mamu (moms brother ) - If someone can resist laughing when he is in one of his happy moods - I can bow down to such a person...and refer him/her to therapy
6) My boss - my friend - He supported me in my really tough last year on the personal front.
7) The new bloggie friends - have found an outlet via this to say and write things and be accepted and not be called MAD (that is till they meet me )
8) My best Friend back in Bombay - who is unbiased in his opinions and can help me see white/black
9) My Best Buddy- 2 - whose calm demeanour and practical outlook to life keeps me grounded
10) Some sweet and dear memories
Here is the list of people whose life work I admire and thinking about them always puts a smile on my face
The Dead -
11) Freedom Fighters
12) Mother Teresa
13) Henry Ford - for producing that first car (I love driving)
14) Prof. Bahl - who taught me the nuances of English and Dramatics in high school
15) Princess Diana
16)Pandu - my peon from school - his dedication to see us students happy was commendable (he died last year)
17) The great scientists and doctors and inventors - without whom we would not have been here today
18) The writers and thinkers and poets - providing intellectual fodder
19) The caveman - who struck fire
20) The recongnizer of the potetial of chocolate
21) Le Corbusier - way ahed of his times - planner for Chandigarh and many outstanding projects around the world
The Living (these are people whom I am aware of being here - there might be many more)-
22) Bono from U2
23) The Gates - for the Melinda Gates Foundation
24) Warren Buffet - for his genious as an Investor
25) Javed Akhtar - for so many good writings & Gulzar - for his poetry
26) Zakir Hussain for his tabla mastery
27) Jagjit Singh & Pankaj Udhas & Ghulam Ali - for his ghazals and songs
28) Quentin Tarantino - for movies like Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs
29) All singers, musicians, lyricists, playrights and creative geniouses
30) Business leaders of the world - who look for moving forward
31) Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela and sensitive world leaders
32) All the people who make our lives easy - the guys who are the one who act their roles so we can play our parts - ex. farmers, cleaners, drivers, garbage collectors, cops.....
33) George Carlin, Lewis Black, Bill Cosby and Rusell Peters - all stand up comedians who look at life differently and want to make people laugh (If possible view the Video of Rusell Peters linked - it will surely make you smile)
34) Jerry Seinfeld - for his hilarious TV show about nothing - Seinfeld
35) All the inventors, programmers, technicians - for this great technological revolution
36) Bill Clinton - for his work from the Clinton Foundation and Sankara Eye Foundation giving the gift of Vision
37) Aamir Khan - for beleiving in himself and SRK for struggling to come up on his own inspite of having major personal setbacks in life
38) The cricketers and all sportsmen - they entertain and enthuse one to do better
Things -
40) Aglets (plastic or metal thingys at the end of shoelaces) and Java Jackets (cardboard around coffee mugs)
41) Bacardi w/coke or Old Monk w/Thumps Up or Hennesey/Remy Martin on the rocks
42) Hersheys, Lindt, Cadbury, Ghirardelli, Godiva, Nestle and Parle - for their chocolates, Taj Confectionaries in Bombay for the Chocolate Truffle, Britannia for Bourbon Biscuits, Godiva and Baileys for their chocolate liquers and local bakeries for Chocolate Cookies, Dunkin Donuts for Chocolate filled Donut (will also have to smile if I do get diabetes)
43) The Cutting (half cup tea served on Bombay Streets for the buzee Bambayaa) and Maska Pau (Buttered Roll) in Irani Cafes in Bombay
44) Bhel, Vada Pau, Sandwich, Bagel, Dosa, Empanadas, Dabeli - snacks on the streets here and at home
Philosophical and Spiritual -
45) Waking up each morning
46) The Cosmos
47) Ability to think and express
48) Opportunities in life
49) The beautiful natural wonders
50) Kids and their innocence
and last but not the least
51) Me, Myself and I - can make myself amused in any situation (even when executing this tag)
___________________________________________________________________
Second One :
10 things I hate about girls ?
I have mentioned this in many other posts and my tags earlier too -
Hate is too harsh a word , I have not been able to love somebody properly yet
There are differences between sexes - in many aspects - one has to realize them and accept them....thats all. We have to coexist no matter what - One learns this after personal setbacks.....and if you let hatred towards anyone penetrate your conscience - it will only harm you.

20080221

Lunar Eclipse


(click to enlarge)
Enjoyed the Lunar Eclipse yesterday. It was spectacular.
Tried to take a video but with temperatures below zero - it felt like I was shooting a Scary Movie.
Here are some pics that I took with the timeline.
The next one to occur over this region is on December 10th - 2010.
If you are in India you can witness it tonight - Thursday night - here is the link to TOI

20080219

Lifes Resume

Was on a short break - have posted a long comment on the last post for everyone - there were interesting inputs and queries from some readers that I have addressed - do read it.


Another one of Calvin's little antics.
Makes me think and wonder - as an exercise - think if you can write an autobiography of yourself in a page or two.
It is a difficult task - writing about ones life - I cant seem to fit my resume on a page anymore - let alone about life.
Which leads to another question - what is it that we have done that is significant enough to be included in a biography for someone to read it. Or does everyone have to do something really significant to tell their story.
Does elaborate words and prose indicate a persons acheivement and greatness or a simple quiet demeanour - "I am happy with the flow of life" - an indication of a persons strength.
Just like it is important to make the right choices in ones life - it is important to have certain role models or mentors - to get the best out of you. Just like Eklavya had Drona.

20080209

U23D

Love U2 and Bono and their music - Just came back from this U23D show in NYC - was simply an awesome experience - music, technology, presentation, sound and IMAX all creating a mesmerizing 90 mins - It was a 3D presentation of their show in Buenos Aires, Argentina - check it out


20080207

23andMe

Are you interested in a pair of jeans? (oh genes I mean )

23andMe is a Biotech Genome Service founded by Anne Wojcicki, Google cofounder Sergey Brin's wife.

You can read in detail about the project and what it deals with at 23andMe. The data they produce is optimized to provide information about our ancestry, our inherited traits and how our genes may affect our chances of developing certain diseases or conditions.

I have always been interested in .Genetics. This service costs $999.00 to analyse one Genes and unlock the secrets of one DNA. Someday I will sent my "spit" and get it analysed.

Learnt some interesting facts browsing the website:

- I am among only 17 percent of worlds population being a complete left handed person (check this slides - tells you other percentages )
- What this service offers and analyses is different from the forensic DNA analysing database that Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Codis Database contains.
- DNA differs by a mere 0.5% between humans and 1.5% from a Chimpanzee - Imagine if GOD sneezed while creating you....
- As a sperm or an egg contains only 23 chromosomes picked from a total of 46. 23 chromosomes from the father in a sperm and 23 from the mother in the egg. These when combine form the total of 23 pairs of chromosomes -to make you. Since the 23 chromosomes in each is random selection - you differ from your siblings.
- Certain variations in the type are what determines our likeness for sense, taste, preference etc. but even here they are not able to still determine what guides our emotions. (Is that an unexplored part of science)

Its interesting to see the complexity with which we are formed - the constant mutations and permutations that our cells undergo.

20080205

SuperB(r)owl XLII NY Giants Victory Parade

This weekend was SuperBowl Sunday - a season long end of National Football League.
Here is a brief description of the Game.
The competetion started in Mid August and ended with a final between New York Giants and New England Patriots.
Giants were underdogs and Patriots had had a clean season - they had won all their 16 games in the Tournament and were favorites to win. But in the end the Best Team Won.
To pay respect to a brilliant win - I attended the Giants victory parade (locally called as Ticker Tape Parade) in Manhattan (called in sick :( at the office :)). Here are some pics.....

Go GIANTS!!!!!

The li'll GIANT

The Enron Ticker Shards

The FANS

Most Valuable Player (MVP) Eli Manning

The Spirit of New York

The Victory Paper Trail
I like to attend such events - where for those moments everyone becomes one - there is no difference between classes, race, color, sexes - its just mass Hysteria. Here is a link to additional pitures.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.....

20080201

Ruminations

Tis the end of another week!!! but these past five days were very interesting. Mulling about it today - I realized that there was an inherent pattern where past, present and future were juxtaposed simultaneously in few aspects.

First there were interesting discussions on couple of blogs - about past relationships, past mistakes, past ghosts and at the same time there were issues that dealt with what you seek in the future in terms of relationships. It helps in certain ways to heal oneself - get feedbacks - and look with a smile that future is not all that bleak.....(to all those fellow bloggers - thank you) .

Secondly met a friend - discussed the past and future course of actions

Last - I had vowed will not talk about work on this blog - could feel like an ego trip or get boring - but have to take this one instance.
This happened yesterday - in the morning I visited an early 1800 barn and a stable - in Coltsneck NJ. This is a project where we are going to add modern kitchen and living spaces. Also will be restoring parts of the interiors. The trick is to respect the past and be sensitive when adding to it. I have attached few pics below. The house from outside is not very interesting - but interiors are impeccable and maintained very well. The site is 4 + acres - and the owners love horses.





Now to the main reason for this post - during the day I was involved with restoring and loving the past - a history that one likes . I was studying this building - imbibing it.



And then in the evening along with probably most of America I was watching the debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - one of them possible future Presidents - to help forget the horrific tenure of George Bush.

Isnt it ironic that life puts forth many scenarios, sometimes none for years and sometimes many in a matter of a week. One has to be always aware of these nuances not get sluggish - or else you dont know when such an opportunity might come again.